BPAL Reviews 51 - 75
Continuing reviews of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL) scents. I DO NOT HAVE AN ADDICTION >_> Some general info: reviews are broken up into groups of 25 per post and I update posts frequently with new reviews. I will post a separate update to my journal when I add new reviews. Blends are noted as LE or GC (and occasionally prototype or special); LE = Limited Edition, GC = General Catalogue. GC scents are available as "imps", which are tester-sized vials of the oils. For more info regarding BPAL and imps, click the respective links.
Review #51: Nocturne (GC)
Website Description: "Deepest violet touched with lilac and tuberose."
In the bottle: Sweet violet and lilac. The tiniest hint of rose. You better behave yourself, rose.
Immediately after application: The violet and lilac are having a minor war at the moment. Just a skirmish for dominance. I smell a smidge of rose at the background.
Warming up: The battle was over pretty quickly and the violet and lilac settled in a truce. I get a nice sweetness from the violet and the lilac is lending a good bit of pretty scent. Surprisingly, the rose gave up the ghost and is very very light rather than amping like it usually does on me. It's a dreamy, feminine scent.
Fading: Soft violet and lilac.
Faded: Faint throw and short lasting (2-4 hours).
Overall: A dreamy, soft floral with sweet violet and wafting lilac. Very pretty but not really me. Off to katu who I think will like the lilac ^_^
Rating: 2/5. Nice, but not me. Too feminine XD
Review #52: Banned in Boston (LE)
Website Description: "Sweaty and sweet, laced with laudanum, splashed with booze, and stained with tobacco."
In the bottle: Sweet booze, tobacco, and leather?
Immediately after application: Definitely booze and tobacco. Musky and I think an undertone of leather. It's really sweet-smelling and complex. A very smutty scent.
Warming up: The boozy notes are softening and I get a lot of tobacco. Definitely leather and something sweet. Not sure where I'm getting leather as there's not a leather note listed but I am.
Fading: Laudanum and tobacco. Laced with a bit of musk.
Faded: Smells like Laudanum with extra sweetness and a smidge of tobacco.
Overall: It's certainly an interesting scent and I like it but I can't decide if I want a bottle or if I'll be happy with just a decant.
Rating: 3/5.
Review #53: Raven Moon (LE)
Website Description: "Shining, moonlit ebony musk with benzoin, myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and dried red chili."
In the bottle: Strong patchouli and musk.
Immediately after application: Musk and vanilla (YAY!) over myrrh and patchouli with a spark of spice from the chili and nutmeg. Very much liking this. I am really surprised how well I wear patchouli. I get NONE of that horrible dirty hippie feet headshop smell once it's on. I rarely even get that from in-bottle sniffs. It just smells deep and rich and earthy. I love the Lab's patchouli note. There, I admit it. I'm a convert. I thought I hated patchouli. I still hate most other patchouli, except the lab's notes.
Warming up: Spicy, earthy, creamy, musky. Wow. I adore this blend.
Fading: Vanilla, chili, a hint of musk, and a whiff of the patchouli. It's mostly vanilla now.
Faded: Average throw and average wear time. Unlike FRM, which was very close to the skin, this wafts around me and I catch frequent little hits of scent.
Overall: Absolute love. As FRM was evocative of soft puffs of down and the occasional feather, this is all silky, matte black raven wings. Beautiful stuff.
Rating: 5/5. I have to find a bottle *flails*
Review #54: Fuwu Bansaku in Ruined Temple with Black Monster on Umbrella (LE)
Website Description: "Black coconut, red sandalwood, black currant, tonka bean, vetiver, and Malasian oude."
In the bottle: Vetiver, to the exclusion of everything else.
Immediately after application: Vetiver, sandalwood, and a hint of sweet/tartness that I think is the currant.
Warming up: Whoa, getting something chemically smelling. NOT GOOD. It's also making my soft palate tingle. VERY NOT GOOD. Scrubbing off now.
Fading: N/A
Faded: N/A
Overall: I'm sensitive to something in this blend plus it morphed into a weird chemical smell. Just bad altogether.
Rating: 0/5.
Review #55: Perversion (GC)
Website Description: "Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka."
In the bottle: Vanilla from the tonka, hints of booze and leather. Love at first sniff. Ummm.
Immediately after application: Vanilla, leather, and booze with a hint of tobacco. Sweet and bright from the chardonnay but still a little dirty. I am in serious love. Or maybe it's lust.
Warming up: It's getting smokier and more leathery with undertones of tonka's vanillaesque scent. Hoo boy this is sexy stuff.
Fading: Smoky, sexy vanilla-leather. I feel like a dirty girl and I like it. I cannot stop smelling myself, it's SO GOOD.
Faded: Even more smoky, sexy vanilla-leather. DON'T EVER FADE PLEASE.
Overall: Fuck me, I love this so hard.
Rating: 5/5. It's catapaulted to one of my favorites. NEED BOTTLES NOW. *huffs wrists*
Review #56: Yew Berry Infused Honey (LE)
Website Description: "Yew berry infused honey."
In the bottle: Brisk piney honey.
Immediately after application: Slightly rubbery Pine-Sol with a hint of honey. Ok, my skin does not like this so far D:
Warming up: Pine-Sol and funky honey. Wow this is hilariously awful on me XD
Fading: N/A.
Faded: N/A.
Overall: This was completely all wrong. It did amuse with its terribleness though. It smelled ridiculously weirdly bad but not in a "gag me, have to scrub it off NOW" way. I was able to appreciate the funk. Until I got sick of it and decided to get on with my backlog of testing.
Rating: 0/5.
Review #57: Romanti.Goth (LE)
Website Description: "Dark vintage musk enrobed in a velvet black swirl of plum, precious resins, opium tar, sweet incense, and Nepalese amber."
In the bottle: Musk, incense, and something clean and almost soapy. Buh?
Immediately after application: Mostly incense with undertones of musk and that "clean" note I picked up in the decant. I think that might be the amber. Interesting.
Warming up: Incense! Mmm. Except... there's that lingering soapy note under there! WTF IS THAT?! It would be fantastic but for that D:
Fading: It took FOREVER for the soapiness to fade. I like it quite a bit once it did. However, there are lots of incense-y blends that don't do the weird soapy thing, aren't rare and expensive, etc. Not worth it to me when it works on other people far better.
Faded: Medium throw, lasts well.
Overall: It was meh. Nice incense blend, sadly the early soapiness from SOMETHING ruined it for me. I'm actually kind of relieved. It's bad enough I fell in love with Gothabilly and Rivet.Goth.
Rating: 2/5.
Review #58: Clermont (LE)
Website Description: "Opium tar and Damask rose."
In the bottle: Rose, predictably.
Immediately after application: ROSE ROSE ROSEY ROSE. Powdery rosey baby butts. The slightest hint of opium tar. I knew this was going to happen but I wanted to give it a chance anyway. I... kind of like it.
Warming up: Wow, this ended up a nice sweet rose from the opium. I DO like it. Not enough for a bottle and possibly not enough to hang onto the decant, but it's really nice!
Fading: The opium not only held its own but ended up taking over so I get wafts of the sweet opium tar followed by hints of the rose. It's quite lovely. I didn't think it was possible for a blend with rose to work so well.
Faded: Light throw, fairly long wear.
Overall: I like a blend with rose! CHECK HELL FOR ICICLES! I still doubt I need a bottle's worth but I am keeping my decant.
Rating: 3/5.
Review #59: Velvet Unicorn (LE)
Website Description: "Spun sugar, sparkling rainbow candies, strawberries, merangue, and cherry fluff."
In the bottle: Strawberries and spun sugar and MY BLOOD SUGAR IS SKYROCKETING!
Immediately after application: Strawberries and cream with a touch of sugar. I tested it on Rowan too and she likes it ^_^
Warming up: Pretty much the perfect strawberry cream. YUM.
Fading: Strawberries and cream. Very pretty and very girlie and very sweet. Rowan and I both rate it an A+.
Faded: Very slight throw, fairly long wear.
Overall: Love <3
Rating: 4/5. Time to find a partial!
Review #60: Beanman & Beanwoman Prepare to Attack the Vagina (LE)
Website Description: "Skin musk, white amber, ambergris, orange blossom, ylang ylang, and coconut milk."
In the bottle: Ylang ylang, amber, musk.
Immediately after application: Heavy on the ylang ylang and it smells so pretty! The Beanpeople can attack my vagina any day!
Warming up: Mostly ylang ylang and slightly sour, I think the coconut milk is reacting poorly, boo.
Fading: Stayed strongly ylang ylang. Pretty, but not really me.
Faded: Medium throw, average wear.
Overall: Beanpeople? In MY vagina? It's more likely than you think.
Rating: 2/5.
Review #61: Kyoto (GC)
Website Description: "Cherry blossom, white sandalwood, and star anise."
In the bottle: Star anise.
Immediately after application: Licorice-y star anise and sandalwood. The cherry blossom is in hiding for now.
Warming up: Uh, it smells disturbingly like cat pee. It has to be the sandalwood but I've never had sandalwood go bad like this on me. I blame the cherry blossom as cherry/cherry blossom is a note that can go either way on me. It's never smelled like THIS before though. The anise disappeared. Too bad, because I like anise and that's a note that's never gone bad on me.
Fading: N/A.
Faded: Little throw (thank god) and not sure how long it lasted since I scrubbed it off. My cats were swarming and sniffing at me in a very suspicious manner.
Overall: Blergh.
Rating: 0/5. Cat piss never rates above a zero, sorry.
Review #62: The Ifrit (GC)
Website Description: "Desert sand, red musk, blackened ginger, dragon’s blood resin, black pepper, cinnamon, and tobacco."
In the bottle: Ginger and cinnamon and a hint of orange. I'm not sure what my brain is turning into orange but it smells good!
Immediately after application: Cinnamon, ginger, and I think I'm getting the dragon's blood now. Which is great because I love dragon's blood resin ^_^
Warming up: Spicy, musky, and resinous. It might be the power of suggestion from the "desert sand" component but this is a very "dry" blend. I can almost feel it stick in my throat. There's no oasis in sight. It's just spice and heat. I definitely like this one!
Fading: Spicy and musky with the dragon's blood in the background. I still get some heat from the ginger and cinnamon. I never really got any tobacco.
Faded: Light throw, long-wearing.
Overall: I liked this one a lot! It's definitely a warm blend but it's very dry in character so I could wear this one in the summer.
Rating: 4/5. I think I may spring for a bottle but it's not at the top of my (growing) list.
Review #63: How Doth the Little Crocodile (GC)
Website Description: "Chocolate peppermint, mint-soaked vanilla, pistachio, oakmoss, and green cedar."
In the bottle: Chocolate peppermint, yummy.
Immediately after application: THIN MINTS OMG! Rowan is also testing this one. Her comment: "Smells like chocolate!"
Warming up: The throw is pure chocolate, skin close is oakmoss, vanilla, and cedar, in that order. The mint seems to have died off, unfortunately. It's still really quite nicely blended and complex. Rowan still says chocolate XD
Fading: Still that nice juxtaposition of chocolate and mossy woodsy vanilla.
Faded: Medium throw which was all chocolate and the scent on my skin was completely different. Awesome!
Overall: Winner! I love love LOVE how I got chocolate from far away but mossy woodsy vanilla at my wrist.
Rating: 4/5. Not one of my very top, but pretty close. Bottle-worthy!
Review #64: The Buggre Alle This Bible (GC)
Website Description: "Crumbling paper and ancient cracked leather with a touch of tobacco leaf and incense."
In the bottle: Incense and what I think is meant to be the papery note.
Immediately after application: Leather with a hint of incense.
Warming up: Leather and something chemical.
Fading: This has gone kind of funky. I get some incense and leather but over it is something chemical, I'm not sure how to describe it. It's unpleasant. I never got any of the tobacco leaf.
Faded: Light throw, short-lasting.
Overall: I'm disappointed. I wanted to love this because Good Omens is one of my favorite books and I love the idea of the Buggre Alle This Bible but something in it didn't agree with my skin. No fair :(
Rating: 1/5.
Review #65: The Zadok Allen Vinyard (LE)
Website Description: "A deep velvety Cabernet Sauvignon with hints of plum, black cherry, rose petals, coffee bean, and smoky oak. Barrel and bottle aged, with a smooth and spicy hit mid-palate. Hints of Dagon’s tarry black incense and clotted blood complete this well-rounded, robust indulgence."
In the bottle: Rich wine with a woodsy undertone and incense.
Immediately after application: Deep red wine layered over wood with a smidge of rose and a swirl of incense and spice. Mama likes!
Warming up: Morphs through some oddness with oak then settles into incense and woods with red wine and a hint of spice. Complex and rich and dark. I seem to be drawn to these types of scents lately.
Fading: Soft incense and wood.
Faded: Light throw, average to long wear.
Overall: Beautifully blended and dark. Rich, deep, subtle nuances. Minor oddness at one point as it warmed up. The oak/wood notes went a bit sour, but if you've ever actually smelled wine that's been stored in barrels, that's exactly what it smells like. When I was in France, we toured a winery and it smelled JUST LIKE THAT when we were in the cellar with the barrels. So I don't consider it a bad thing, it's amazingly true to life. Once it mellowed, it was gorgeous incense, deep wine, and woods. I never really got any hints of blood, which is too bad.
Rating: 4/5. I think I'd like to find a bottle of this.
Review #66: Hollywood Babylon (GC)
Website Description: "Glittering Egyptian amber and heliotrope, infused with the sweetness of strawberry and vanilla - dragged into debauch by lusty red musk and a dribble of black cherry."
In the bottle: Musk, strawberry, and cherry.
Immediately after application: Dark cherry swirled with strawberry, the lightest hint of vanilla. Another I shared with Rowan, she smells just like strawberry and cherry and she likes it a lot :)
Warming up: Strawberry cherry vanilla with musky undertones, yum!
Fading: Vanilla, musk, and amber with hints of the fruit. Fruity cream on Rowan.
Faded: Light throw and fairly short lasting (2-4 hours).
Overall: A nice summery fruity scent on both of us though I get more of the musk and amber. Thumbs up from both of us!
Rating: 4/5. I think I'll pick up some more imps and fill a roller-ball for Rowan and just share with her.
Review #67: Copper Phoenix (LE)
Website Description: "Rose-infused dark amber, with sweet orange, honey, cardamom, patchouli, apricot, pink pepper, and red sandalwood."
In the bottle: Orange, a hint of rose.
Immediately after application: Rose with an undertone of patchouli and hints of orange and apricot.
Warming up: Rose and sweet orange. ROSE ROSE. I was afraid of that. Stupid rose. Too bad I don't like rose scents because my chemistry sure does. I keep giving it a chance and it keeps amping like godzilla.
Fading: ROSE. Slight hint of orange. Dammit.
Faded: Medium throw, medium wear.
Overall: Rose and orange is lovely enough but goddamn, rose, what the heck. HOW DO YOU OUTDO PATCHOULI?
Rating: 1/5. I liked the other notes and rather hoped to get a nice combination of them but of course the rose had to stomp all over everything else.
Review #68: Faustus (GC)
Website Description: "Frankincense and cinnamon, darkened by violet."
In the bottle: Frankincense and violet, no cinnamon that I can smell.
Immediately after application: Definitely strong on the frankincense, mm. Violet is in the background sweetening it up. I love violet when it does that. Still no cinnamon, hopefully it comes out once this warms.
Warming up: It pretty much turned into a single note frankincense. Nice, but not what I expected.
Fading: Frankincense.
Faded: Little throw, average wear.
Overall: Didn't wow me. I definitely missed the cinnamon.
Rating: 2/5. Not something I can see myself looking for more of. Bad grammar is bad.
Review #69: CT VI Vanilla 615 (LE)
Website Description: N/A
In the bottle: Chocolate and vanilla.
Immediately after application: Definitely chocolate and vanilla but there's a hint of something else going on. I think I detect cherry. I do believe it is cherry!
Warming up: A rich cherry with chocolate and creamy vanilla. Gourmet chocolate-covered cherries. Yum.
Fading: Slightly powdery but I can deal with it. I know the husband will like it as he really likes cherry/cherry blossom scents.
Faded: Very slight throw, not long-lasting (2-4 hours).
Overall: This was my favorite of the bottles. I really liked this one, even though it went a bit powdery. It was a nice gourmand scent that ended up quite feminine and soft.
Rating: 4/5.
Review #70: Penis Admiration (LE)
Website Description: "Lilac, ho wood, smoky vanilla, galbanum, and tonka."
In the bottle: Lilac and flowery.
Immediately after application: Mmm lilac, one of the few flowery scents I like.
Warming up: Lilac vanilla, and it's wonderful ^_^
Fading: Woodsy vanilla and lilac OMFG THIS SMELLS AMAZING.
Faded: Light to medium throw, average wear.
Overall: LOVE.
Rating: 5/5. Bottle nao plz.
Review #71: Event Horizon (GC)
Website Description: "Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin."
In the bottle: Orchid and more orchid with a touch of something I can't place.
Immediately after application: Orchid and I'm definitely getting the opium. This is darkness in a vial and I love it even though it's heavily floral.
Warming up: I feel like dark smoke should be wafting nefariously around me while I wear this. I know I keep using the adjective "dark" but that's exactly how it feels. I picture a dangerous woman in dark, heavy velvets wearing this. Definitely velvet, it has a kind of soft, fuzzy edge to it from the opium.
Fading: Heavy orchid and smoky opium with a hint of the benzoin.
Faded: Medium throw.
Overall: I liked this far more than I thought I would. It's definitely in my top ten GCs. It's heavy and dark and sexy and I couldn't stop sniffing myself.
Rating: 5/5.
Review #72: Santo Domingo (GC)
Website Description: "Tobacco leaf, bay rum and heady Caribbean blossoms."
In the bottle: Heavy on the tobacco leaf, followed by sweet florals and rum.
Immediately after application: As advertised on the tin. Whatever florals are in this, I LIKE. I tend to be a flower-hater but tropical flowers are generally spared my ire. This is definitely true here. The tobacco leaf is too strong for me to pick out individual floral notes but whatever they are, I like them!
Warming up: Mostly tobacco leaf with a slight floral undertone. I love the smell of tobacco leaf, as opposed to the smell of cigarette smoke (even though I smoke I hate it :x). It's got a sweetish hint to it that I find quite pleasant. I always liked to sniff the freshly opened pack of cigarettes.
Fading: Light tobacco with hints of floral.
Faded: Medium throw, long wear.
Overall: Very much liked. I think it would shine layered with another blend since it ended up nearly a single note tobacco on me. I probably don't need a bottle and will just order the occasional imp to use in my layering experiments.
Rating: 3/5.
Review #73: Tiki King (LE)
Website Description: "Black coconut, black musk, lemon blossom, and ironwood bark."
In the bottle: Lots of yummy coconut and a splash of lemon.
Immediately after application: I get a lot more lemon than in-bottle sniffs, but I still get a nice dose of heady coconut. Hoping the lemon tempers a bit and I get some of the bark/musk.
Warming up: WE NEED MORE LEMON PLEDGE. Actually, no, no I don't. Because that is what this now smells like -_- Damn you, citrus notes. Why do you hate me?
Fading: Lemon pledge and coconut. I never even got a whiff of the ironbark or musk. Crap.
Faded: Medium throw, not sure about the wear time because I got sick of smelling like furniture polish.
Overall: Too much lemon, not enough coconut/wood/musk. If there had been no lemon in this blend I think it would be approaching my ultimate coconut blend though. I am determined to find a blend like that now.
Rating: 1/5. Noooo... noooo.
Review #74: Lolita (GC)
Website Description: "Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena."
In the bottle: Orange and lemon with a hint of floral.
Immediately after application: It smells JUST like lemon Pez! I love it! Despite the name, I allowed Rowan to test it and we both smell like candy!
Warming up: Lemon candy over soft floral. It's quite pretty and playful.
Fading: The floral fades a bit faster so I'm left with more lemon and less floral but it's less candyish as it fades.
Faded: Soft throw and medium wear.
Overall: I liked it a lot! It was cheeky, candy and flowers and I'm not afraid to let Rowan wear it either. I think we'll stick to imps of it for now but I may see a bottle in the future.
Rating: 4/5.
Review #75: Lotus Moon (LE)
Website Description: "Soporose and lenitive: opium-laced golden lotus with rich amber, red sandalwood, pomegranate, frankincense, and rose otto."
In the bottle: Opium and lotus, definitely soporific.
Immediately after application: Heavily opium with sandalwood and lotus.
Warming up: The sweetness of the lotus has come out more now, and possibly the pomegranate though I'm still getting a lot of the opium and sandalwood.
Fading: Opium and lotus, a nice heady combination.
Faded: Light throw, short to average wear. It lasts awhile, but is very soft at the end.
Overall: When I first got the bottle, it was almost overwhelmingly sweet from the lotus but letting it rest for a month or so mellowed it considerably. I got a lot more of the opium and sandalwood and altogether a more subtle, mature blend that I like MUCH better. I am so glad I got a bottle now. It's a dreamy, warm blend that I think I'll try wearing at night.
Rating: 5/5.
Review #51: Nocturne (GC)
Website Description: "Deepest violet touched with lilac and tuberose."
In the bottle: Sweet violet and lilac. The tiniest hint of rose. You better behave yourself, rose.
Immediately after application: The violet and lilac are having a minor war at the moment. Just a skirmish for dominance. I smell a smidge of rose at the background.
Warming up: The battle was over pretty quickly and the violet and lilac settled in a truce. I get a nice sweetness from the violet and the lilac is lending a good bit of pretty scent. Surprisingly, the rose gave up the ghost and is very very light rather than amping like it usually does on me. It's a dreamy, feminine scent.
Fading: Soft violet and lilac.
Faded: Faint throw and short lasting (2-4 hours).
Overall: A dreamy, soft floral with sweet violet and wafting lilac. Very pretty but not really me. Off to katu who I think will like the lilac ^_^
Rating: 2/5. Nice, but not me. Too feminine XD
Review #52: Banned in Boston (LE)
Website Description: "Sweaty and sweet, laced with laudanum, splashed with booze, and stained with tobacco."
In the bottle: Sweet booze, tobacco, and leather?
Immediately after application: Definitely booze and tobacco. Musky and I think an undertone of leather. It's really sweet-smelling and complex. A very smutty scent.
Warming up: The boozy notes are softening and I get a lot of tobacco. Definitely leather and something sweet. Not sure where I'm getting leather as there's not a leather note listed but I am.
Fading: Laudanum and tobacco. Laced with a bit of musk.
Faded: Smells like Laudanum with extra sweetness and a smidge of tobacco.
Overall: It's certainly an interesting scent and I like it but I can't decide if I want a bottle or if I'll be happy with just a decant.
Rating: 3/5.
Review #53: Raven Moon (LE)
Website Description: "Shining, moonlit ebony musk with benzoin, myrrh, smoky vanilla, patchouli, nutmeg, and dried red chili."
In the bottle: Strong patchouli and musk.
Immediately after application: Musk and vanilla (YAY!) over myrrh and patchouli with a spark of spice from the chili and nutmeg. Very much liking this. I am really surprised how well I wear patchouli. I get NONE of that horrible dirty hippie feet headshop smell once it's on. I rarely even get that from in-bottle sniffs. It just smells deep and rich and earthy. I love the Lab's patchouli note. There, I admit it. I'm a convert. I thought I hated patchouli. I still hate most other patchouli, except the lab's notes.
Warming up: Spicy, earthy, creamy, musky. Wow. I adore this blend.
Fading: Vanilla, chili, a hint of musk, and a whiff of the patchouli. It's mostly vanilla now.
Faded: Average throw and average wear time. Unlike FRM, which was very close to the skin, this wafts around me and I catch frequent little hits of scent.
Overall: Absolute love. As FRM was evocative of soft puffs of down and the occasional feather, this is all silky, matte black raven wings. Beautiful stuff.
Rating: 5/5. I have to find a bottle *flails*
Review #54: Fuwu Bansaku in Ruined Temple with Black Monster on Umbrella (LE)
Website Description: "Black coconut, red sandalwood, black currant, tonka bean, vetiver, and Malasian oude."
In the bottle: Vetiver, to the exclusion of everything else.
Immediately after application: Vetiver, sandalwood, and a hint of sweet/tartness that I think is the currant.
Warming up: Whoa, getting something chemically smelling. NOT GOOD. It's also making my soft palate tingle. VERY NOT GOOD. Scrubbing off now.
Fading: N/A
Faded: N/A
Overall: I'm sensitive to something in this blend plus it morphed into a weird chemical smell. Just bad altogether.
Rating: 0/5.
Review #55: Perversion (GC)
Website Description: "Smoky rum and black tobacco with a whisper of steamy leather with a splash of crystalline chardonnay, layered over a sensual, sweet, and deceptively magnetic base of tonka."
In the bottle: Vanilla from the tonka, hints of booze and leather. Love at first sniff. Ummm.
Immediately after application: Vanilla, leather, and booze with a hint of tobacco. Sweet and bright from the chardonnay but still a little dirty. I am in serious love. Or maybe it's lust.
Warming up: It's getting smokier and more leathery with undertones of tonka's vanillaesque scent. Hoo boy this is sexy stuff.
Fading: Smoky, sexy vanilla-leather. I feel like a dirty girl and I like it. I cannot stop smelling myself, it's SO GOOD.
Faded: Even more smoky, sexy vanilla-leather. DON'T EVER FADE PLEASE.
Overall: Fuck me, I love this so hard.
Rating: 5/5. It's catapaulted to one of my favorites. NEED BOTTLES NOW. *huffs wrists*
Review #56: Yew Berry Infused Honey (LE)
Website Description: "Yew berry infused honey."
In the bottle: Brisk piney honey.
Immediately after application: Slightly rubbery Pine-Sol with a hint of honey. Ok, my skin does not like this so far D:
Warming up: Pine-Sol and funky honey. Wow this is hilariously awful on me XD
Fading: N/A.
Faded: N/A.
Overall: This was completely all wrong. It did amuse with its terribleness though. It smelled ridiculously weirdly bad but not in a "gag me, have to scrub it off NOW" way. I was able to appreciate the funk. Until I got sick of it and decided to get on with my backlog of testing.
Rating: 0/5.
Review #57: Romanti.Goth (LE)
Website Description: "Dark vintage musk enrobed in a velvet black swirl of plum, precious resins, opium tar, sweet incense, and Nepalese amber."
In the bottle: Musk, incense, and something clean and almost soapy. Buh?
Immediately after application: Mostly incense with undertones of musk and that "clean" note I picked up in the decant. I think that might be the amber. Interesting.
Warming up: Incense! Mmm. Except... there's that lingering soapy note under there! WTF IS THAT?! It would be fantastic but for that D:
Fading: It took FOREVER for the soapiness to fade. I like it quite a bit once it did. However, there are lots of incense-y blends that don't do the weird soapy thing, aren't rare and expensive, etc. Not worth it to me when it works on other people far better.
Faded: Medium throw, lasts well.
Overall: It was meh. Nice incense blend, sadly the early soapiness from SOMETHING ruined it for me. I'm actually kind of relieved. It's bad enough I fell in love with Gothabilly and Rivet.Goth.
Rating: 2/5.
Review #58: Clermont (LE)
Website Description: "Opium tar and Damask rose."
In the bottle: Rose, predictably.
Immediately after application: ROSE ROSE ROSEY ROSE. Powdery rosey baby butts. The slightest hint of opium tar. I knew this was going to happen but I wanted to give it a chance anyway. I... kind of like it.
Warming up: Wow, this ended up a nice sweet rose from the opium. I DO like it. Not enough for a bottle and possibly not enough to hang onto the decant, but it's really nice!
Fading: The opium not only held its own but ended up taking over so I get wafts of the sweet opium tar followed by hints of the rose. It's quite lovely. I didn't think it was possible for a blend with rose to work so well.
Faded: Light throw, fairly long wear.
Overall: I like a blend with rose! CHECK HELL FOR ICICLES! I still doubt I need a bottle's worth but I am keeping my decant.
Rating: 3/5.
Review #59: Velvet Unicorn (LE)
Website Description: "Spun sugar, sparkling rainbow candies, strawberries, merangue, and cherry fluff."
In the bottle: Strawberries and spun sugar and MY BLOOD SUGAR IS SKYROCKETING!
Immediately after application: Strawberries and cream with a touch of sugar. I tested it on Rowan too and she likes it ^_^
Warming up: Pretty much the perfect strawberry cream. YUM.
Fading: Strawberries and cream. Very pretty and very girlie and very sweet. Rowan and I both rate it an A+.
Faded: Very slight throw, fairly long wear.
Overall: Love <3
Rating: 4/5. Time to find a partial!
Review #60: Beanman & Beanwoman Prepare to Attack the Vagina (LE)
Website Description: "Skin musk, white amber, ambergris, orange blossom, ylang ylang, and coconut milk."
In the bottle: Ylang ylang, amber, musk.
Immediately after application: Heavy on the ylang ylang and it smells so pretty! The Beanpeople can attack my vagina any day!
Warming up: Mostly ylang ylang and slightly sour, I think the coconut milk is reacting poorly, boo.
Fading: Stayed strongly ylang ylang. Pretty, but not really me.
Faded: Medium throw, average wear.
Overall: Beanpeople? In MY vagina? It's more likely than you think.
Rating: 2/5.
Review #61: Kyoto (GC)
Website Description: "Cherry blossom, white sandalwood, and star anise."
In the bottle: Star anise.
Immediately after application: Licorice-y star anise and sandalwood. The cherry blossom is in hiding for now.
Warming up: Uh, it smells disturbingly like cat pee. It has to be the sandalwood but I've never had sandalwood go bad like this on me. I blame the cherry blossom as cherry/cherry blossom is a note that can go either way on me. It's never smelled like THIS before though. The anise disappeared. Too bad, because I like anise and that's a note that's never gone bad on me.
Fading: N/A.
Faded: Little throw (thank god) and not sure how long it lasted since I scrubbed it off. My cats were swarming and sniffing at me in a very suspicious manner.
Overall: Blergh.
Rating: 0/5. Cat piss never rates above a zero, sorry.
Review #62: The Ifrit (GC)
Website Description: "Desert sand, red musk, blackened ginger, dragon’s blood resin, black pepper, cinnamon, and tobacco."
In the bottle: Ginger and cinnamon and a hint of orange. I'm not sure what my brain is turning into orange but it smells good!
Immediately after application: Cinnamon, ginger, and I think I'm getting the dragon's blood now. Which is great because I love dragon's blood resin ^_^
Warming up: Spicy, musky, and resinous. It might be the power of suggestion from the "desert sand" component but this is a very "dry" blend. I can almost feel it stick in my throat. There's no oasis in sight. It's just spice and heat. I definitely like this one!
Fading: Spicy and musky with the dragon's blood in the background. I still get some heat from the ginger and cinnamon. I never really got any tobacco.
Faded: Light throw, long-wearing.
Overall: I liked this one a lot! It's definitely a warm blend but it's very dry in character so I could wear this one in the summer.
Rating: 4/5. I think I may spring for a bottle but it's not at the top of my (growing) list.
Review #63: How Doth the Little Crocodile (GC)
Website Description: "Chocolate peppermint, mint-soaked vanilla, pistachio, oakmoss, and green cedar."
In the bottle: Chocolate peppermint, yummy.
Immediately after application: THIN MINTS OMG! Rowan is also testing this one. Her comment: "Smells like chocolate!"
Warming up: The throw is pure chocolate, skin close is oakmoss, vanilla, and cedar, in that order. The mint seems to have died off, unfortunately. It's still really quite nicely blended and complex. Rowan still says chocolate XD
Fading: Still that nice juxtaposition of chocolate and mossy woodsy vanilla.
Faded: Medium throw which was all chocolate and the scent on my skin was completely different. Awesome!
Overall: Winner! I love love LOVE how I got chocolate from far away but mossy woodsy vanilla at my wrist.
Rating: 4/5. Not one of my very top, but pretty close. Bottle-worthy!
Review #64: The Buggre Alle This Bible (GC)
Website Description: "Crumbling paper and ancient cracked leather with a touch of tobacco leaf and incense."
In the bottle: Incense and what I think is meant to be the papery note.
Immediately after application: Leather with a hint of incense.
Warming up: Leather and something chemical.
Fading: This has gone kind of funky. I get some incense and leather but over it is something chemical, I'm not sure how to describe it. It's unpleasant. I never got any of the tobacco leaf.
Faded: Light throw, short-lasting.
Overall: I'm disappointed. I wanted to love this because Good Omens is one of my favorite books and I love the idea of the Buggre Alle This Bible but something in it didn't agree with my skin. No fair :(
Rating: 1/5.
Review #65: The Zadok Allen Vinyard (LE)
Website Description: "A deep velvety Cabernet Sauvignon with hints of plum, black cherry, rose petals, coffee bean, and smoky oak. Barrel and bottle aged, with a smooth and spicy hit mid-palate. Hints of Dagon’s tarry black incense and clotted blood complete this well-rounded, robust indulgence."
In the bottle: Rich wine with a woodsy undertone and incense.
Immediately after application: Deep red wine layered over wood with a smidge of rose and a swirl of incense and spice. Mama likes!
Warming up: Morphs through some oddness with oak then settles into incense and woods with red wine and a hint of spice. Complex and rich and dark. I seem to be drawn to these types of scents lately.
Fading: Soft incense and wood.
Faded: Light throw, average to long wear.
Overall: Beautifully blended and dark. Rich, deep, subtle nuances. Minor oddness at one point as it warmed up. The oak/wood notes went a bit sour, but if you've ever actually smelled wine that's been stored in barrels, that's exactly what it smells like. When I was in France, we toured a winery and it smelled JUST LIKE THAT when we were in the cellar with the barrels. So I don't consider it a bad thing, it's amazingly true to life. Once it mellowed, it was gorgeous incense, deep wine, and woods. I never really got any hints of blood, which is too bad.
Rating: 4/5. I think I'd like to find a bottle of this.
Review #66: Hollywood Babylon (GC)
Website Description: "Glittering Egyptian amber and heliotrope, infused with the sweetness of strawberry and vanilla - dragged into debauch by lusty red musk and a dribble of black cherry."
In the bottle: Musk, strawberry, and cherry.
Immediately after application: Dark cherry swirled with strawberry, the lightest hint of vanilla. Another I shared with Rowan, she smells just like strawberry and cherry and she likes it a lot :)
Warming up: Strawberry cherry vanilla with musky undertones, yum!
Fading: Vanilla, musk, and amber with hints of the fruit. Fruity cream on Rowan.
Faded: Light throw and fairly short lasting (2-4 hours).
Overall: A nice summery fruity scent on both of us though I get more of the musk and amber. Thumbs up from both of us!
Rating: 4/5. I think I'll pick up some more imps and fill a roller-ball for Rowan and just share with her.
Review #67: Copper Phoenix (LE)
Website Description: "Rose-infused dark amber, with sweet orange, honey, cardamom, patchouli, apricot, pink pepper, and red sandalwood."
In the bottle: Orange, a hint of rose.
Immediately after application: Rose with an undertone of patchouli and hints of orange and apricot.
Warming up: Rose and sweet orange. ROSE ROSE. I was afraid of that. Stupid rose. Too bad I don't like rose scents because my chemistry sure does. I keep giving it a chance and it keeps amping like godzilla.
Fading: ROSE. Slight hint of orange. Dammit.
Faded: Medium throw, medium wear.
Overall: Rose and orange is lovely enough but goddamn, rose, what the heck. HOW DO YOU OUTDO PATCHOULI?
Rating: 1/5. I liked the other notes and rather hoped to get a nice combination of them but of course the rose had to stomp all over everything else.
Review #68: Faustus (GC)
Website Description: "Frankincense and cinnamon, darkened by violet."
In the bottle: Frankincense and violet, no cinnamon that I can smell.
Immediately after application: Definitely strong on the frankincense, mm. Violet is in the background sweetening it up. I love violet when it does that. Still no cinnamon, hopefully it comes out once this warms.
Warming up: It pretty much turned into a single note frankincense. Nice, but not what I expected.
Fading: Frankincense.
Faded: Little throw, average wear.
Overall: Didn't wow me. I definitely missed the cinnamon.
Rating: 2/5. Not something I can see myself looking for more of. Bad grammar is bad.
Review #69: CT VI Vanilla 615 (LE)
Website Description: N/A
In the bottle: Chocolate and vanilla.
Immediately after application: Definitely chocolate and vanilla but there's a hint of something else going on. I think I detect cherry. I do believe it is cherry!
Warming up: A rich cherry with chocolate and creamy vanilla. Gourmet chocolate-covered cherries. Yum.
Fading: Slightly powdery but I can deal with it. I know the husband will like it as he really likes cherry/cherry blossom scents.
Faded: Very slight throw, not long-lasting (2-4 hours).
Overall: This was my favorite of the bottles. I really liked this one, even though it went a bit powdery. It was a nice gourmand scent that ended up quite feminine and soft.
Rating: 4/5.
Review #70: Penis Admiration (LE)
Website Description: "Lilac, ho wood, smoky vanilla, galbanum, and tonka."
In the bottle: Lilac and flowery.
Immediately after application: Mmm lilac, one of the few flowery scents I like.
Warming up: Lilac vanilla, and it's wonderful ^_^
Fading: Woodsy vanilla and lilac OMFG THIS SMELLS AMAZING.
Faded: Light to medium throw, average wear.
Overall: LOVE.
Rating: 5/5. Bottle nao plz.
Review #71: Event Horizon (GC)
Website Description: "Black opium, labdanum, opoponax, black orchid, and benzoin."
In the bottle: Orchid and more orchid with a touch of something I can't place.
Immediately after application: Orchid and I'm definitely getting the opium. This is darkness in a vial and I love it even though it's heavily floral.
Warming up: I feel like dark smoke should be wafting nefariously around me while I wear this. I know I keep using the adjective "dark" but that's exactly how it feels. I picture a dangerous woman in dark, heavy velvets wearing this. Definitely velvet, it has a kind of soft, fuzzy edge to it from the opium.
Fading: Heavy orchid and smoky opium with a hint of the benzoin.
Faded: Medium throw.
Overall: I liked this far more than I thought I would. It's definitely in my top ten GCs. It's heavy and dark and sexy and I couldn't stop sniffing myself.
Rating: 5/5.
Review #72: Santo Domingo (GC)
Website Description: "Tobacco leaf, bay rum and heady Caribbean blossoms."
In the bottle: Heavy on the tobacco leaf, followed by sweet florals and rum.
Immediately after application: As advertised on the tin. Whatever florals are in this, I LIKE. I tend to be a flower-hater but tropical flowers are generally spared my ire. This is definitely true here. The tobacco leaf is too strong for me to pick out individual floral notes but whatever they are, I like them!
Warming up: Mostly tobacco leaf with a slight floral undertone. I love the smell of tobacco leaf, as opposed to the smell of cigarette smoke (even though I smoke I hate it :x). It's got a sweetish hint to it that I find quite pleasant. I always liked to sniff the freshly opened pack of cigarettes.
Fading: Light tobacco with hints of floral.
Faded: Medium throw, long wear.
Overall: Very much liked. I think it would shine layered with another blend since it ended up nearly a single note tobacco on me. I probably don't need a bottle and will just order the occasional imp to use in my layering experiments.
Rating: 3/5.
Review #73: Tiki King (LE)
Website Description: "Black coconut, black musk, lemon blossom, and ironwood bark."
In the bottle: Lots of yummy coconut and a splash of lemon.
Immediately after application: I get a lot more lemon than in-bottle sniffs, but I still get a nice dose of heady coconut. Hoping the lemon tempers a bit and I get some of the bark/musk.
Warming up: WE NEED MORE LEMON PLEDGE. Actually, no, no I don't. Because that is what this now smells like -_- Damn you, citrus notes. Why do you hate me?
Fading: Lemon pledge and coconut. I never even got a whiff of the ironbark or musk. Crap.
Faded: Medium throw, not sure about the wear time because I got sick of smelling like furniture polish.
Overall: Too much lemon, not enough coconut/wood/musk. If there had been no lemon in this blend I think it would be approaching my ultimate coconut blend though. I am determined to find a blend like that now.
Rating: 1/5. Noooo... noooo.
Review #74: Lolita (GC)
Website Description: "Glittering heliotrope, honeysuckle, orange blossom and lemon verbena."
In the bottle: Orange and lemon with a hint of floral.
Immediately after application: It smells JUST like lemon Pez! I love it! Despite the name, I allowed Rowan to test it and we both smell like candy!
Warming up: Lemon candy over soft floral. It's quite pretty and playful.
Fading: The floral fades a bit faster so I'm left with more lemon and less floral but it's less candyish as it fades.
Faded: Soft throw and medium wear.
Overall: I liked it a lot! It was cheeky, candy and flowers and I'm not afraid to let Rowan wear it either. I think we'll stick to imps of it for now but I may see a bottle in the future.
Rating: 4/5.
Review #75: Lotus Moon (LE)
Website Description: "Soporose and lenitive: opium-laced golden lotus with rich amber, red sandalwood, pomegranate, frankincense, and rose otto."
In the bottle: Opium and lotus, definitely soporific.
Immediately after application: Heavily opium with sandalwood and lotus.
Warming up: The sweetness of the lotus has come out more now, and possibly the pomegranate though I'm still getting a lot of the opium and sandalwood.
Fading: Opium and lotus, a nice heady combination.
Faded: Light throw, short to average wear. It lasts awhile, but is very soft at the end.
Overall: When I first got the bottle, it was almost overwhelmingly sweet from the lotus but letting it rest for a month or so mellowed it considerably. I got a lot more of the opium and sandalwood and altogether a more subtle, mature blend that I like MUCH better. I am so glad I got a bottle now. It's a dreamy, warm blend that I think I'll try wearing at night.
Rating: 5/5.