Review dump; stuff for sale/swap
Blue Moon:
"The spirit of the full moon is capricious, intense and passionate, yet still distant, aloof and cold. Luna herself governs glamours, bewitchments and dream-work, innocent wonder, transient pleasure and delight, the Moment, impulse, mystery and veils. The Blue Moon is one of her rarest manifestations, and this scent is formulated to encapsulate her most complex and profound nature:
Mugwort and bay, for psychic sensitivity…
Juniper, for divination through dreams…
Orchid and galbanum, for complexity, wisdom and noscere…
… with a potent lunar-charged blend of exquisite Asian woods, moonflower, Madagascan ylang ylang, Florentine iris, Greek cypress, davana, green tea absolute, palmarosa, cucumber, Clary sage, melilot trefoils, wood aloes, and pale creeping buttercup."
In the vial: I mostly get the Asian woods and an astringent flower note.
Wet on skin: Men's cologne. I can't smell any of the more delicate or complex notes, it turns into a heavy-handed woodsy floral on me.
Dry on skin: I really thought I'd like this based on the notes, but the Asian woods overwhelm everything, and not in a way BPAL woods notes typically suit me.
After a few hours: Sadly I have tried this three times and I think it's really not for me. It smells mostly like aftershave on me.
My 5ml of Blue Moon 2007 is up for sale, if you want it, at the price I paid. I have tested it three times and used a very, very minimal amount; it's still full to the neck. Proceeds from the sale go straight back to the lab. =D I want to get a Pumpkin Patch from the latest update. It's also available for swap; make me an offer.
Brimstone:
In Hermetic alchemy, brimstone is one of the Three Heavenly Substances, one of the primary alchemical Priciples. It represents the strength of will and the vigor of passion, and it is a symbol of the process of fermentation. A smoky, gritty blend, husky and gray.
In the vial, this is a heavily fiery, smoky scent - I definitely get the grit and a hint of barbecue. Weirdly, a hint of alcohol too.
Wet on skin: Smoke, either from a cook fire or a pile of burning leaves.
Dry on skin: It totally smells like brimstone to me. A fire sign's scent. Dude! I smell like the fires of Hell!
After a few hours: A bit of a peppery note comes out. Definitely smoky and gritty! This is a scent to wear, sparingly and perhaps layered under another scent, in autumn. I like it but it's not an everyday kind of scent.
The Carpathian Mountains:
Mountain air and the scent of crisp snow blanketing the mountain's flora: Scottish fir, beech, cembra and mugho pine, rhododendron, currant, honeysuckle, raspberry leaf, dwarf juniper, sedge, meadow grass, snowdrop, rose bay, lily of the valley, starwort, lichen and mosses.
Wet on skin: My skin works well with woodsy and evergreen scents, so I was expecting some sort of wonderful amalgam of Jabberwocky and Alecto and Ochosi. What I got smelled like Jester on me - lots of currant and not much more. Am v. disappointed. May try again on another day
Dry on skin: Still currant, maybe exacerbated by the juniper. Bubble-gummy, lip-glossy berry and nothing else.
After a few hours: Mostly gone, thank God. It's a waxy, faux-fruit note. I blame the currant.
I received my imp The Carpathian Mountains about 1/3 full, and would be happy to swap for another LE imp in similar condition, or I could add another imp from my swap list.
Glasgow:
The rich scent of wild blackberry breezing over gentle rosy heather.
In the vial: The sweet-spicy smell of heather leaps out at me.
Wet on skin: Heather and a pleasantly tart note - the blackberry, I suppose. I really like it and it seems to suit the purple-grey blouse I'm wearing today. A nice androgynous scent.
Dry on skin: Good throw and a very pleasant scent, I really like the heather. Not a show-stopper but definitely worth keeping and using. It sweetens up a good deal after about twenty minutes or so.
After a few hours: Goes powdery and fades pretty quickly. I like it okay, I'll keep my imp.
Midnight:
An ethereal bouquet of night-blooming flowers. Evening primrose, ruellia, flowering nicotiana, wild petunia, panani-o-kai, night phlox, night gladiolus, moonflower and the elusive scent of Nottingham Catchfly.
In the vial: I got a whiff of pine, or fir - something reminiscent of evergreen.
Wet on skin: Soapy man's cologne.
Dry on skin: MAN COLOGNE. God, I'm glad I only put a dab on my wrists.
The lab description, for me, is deceptively feminine - it's ALL MAN on my skin! Full to label, up for swap.
Penny Dreadful:
Also called Gallows Literature. A dime novel rife with melodrama, horror, madness and cruelty; a ten cent analogy of vice and virtue in conflict. Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam.
In the vial this does, indeed, smell dreadful. A mix of strong loathsome soapy-astringent scents with a touch of dirt.
Wet on skin: UNF! BPAL earth/sanguine note! I love.
Dry on skin: This was an interesting scent, it morphed between the earthy scent to a more dusty parchment kind of scent (reminiscent of books, yes) and a drizzle of hard candy - not heavy like with Smut but a hint.
After a few hours: Turns into a low-rent Queen of Clubs on me. Keeper.
Queen Gertrude:
Imperial violet softened by wisteria and chrysanthemum, but edged with the regal iciness of delphinium.
In the vial: A deep, somber floral. Something a mature woman would wear. It's a beautiful scent, so it has a touch of vanity, too.
Wet on skin: I definitely get the violets - sweet and lovely - edged in a deeper, more stately floral that must be the delphinium or maybe crysanthemum.
Dry on skin: The blissful smell of violets, yet it's definitely a regal scent - I turn my head and get the chrysanthemum, which is a deeper, gorgeous scent. Oh, man, I think I've finally found a floral that I like.
After a few hours: Turns powdery, gone pretty much within four-five hours. I guess my final verdict is I'm not really meant for most pure florals. I like it okay, it's worth keeping.
The Unicorn:
A misty, almost luminous perfume: wispy linden blossoms, white flowers, and a touch of sweet herbs.
In the vial: Ephemeral, light and wispy.
Wet on skin: This doesn't really morph at all on the skin - it's that same light, ephemeral smell, fleeting, floral but not too heavy or overpowering.
Dry on skin: I think I like the linden, it's a breath of fresh pretty smell.
After a few hours: Decent throw and reasonably long-lasting. A light, airy scent. I'll wear out my vial.
Tzadikim Nistarim:
Also called the Lamed Vev, two letters in the Hebrew alphabet that translate to the number thirty-six. In this violent, ugly, strife-riddled world of ours there are thirty-six men, the Hidden Just Men or Hidden Saints, who bear on their shoulders the burden of all our pain, sorrows and sins. The Tzadikim Nistarim move in obscurity, and are usually found among the poor, the downtrodden and the meekest among us, and are chosen for this task because of their righteousness, stalwart sense of genuine justice, and the true goodness of their souls. When one of these men dies, God chooses another to take his place. It is for their sake and for love of them that God does not destroy His imperfect creation. As long as the Lamed Vav serves humanity, the world will continue to plod on, but once one of them dies and God cannot find another worthy to take his place, the world will be destroyed. In Qabala, the thirty-six men of the Tzadikim Nistarim together combine to symbolize the seventy-two bridges, corresponding to the seventy-two names of God, that connect the concealed and revealed worlds of our universe. The scent is one of unadulterated spiritual purity, with a taste of the world's eternal pathos, and the joy of suffering with grace: frankincense, olive, spikenard, hyssop and galangal.
In the vial: It smells kind of like men's cologne or aftershave, not something I'd normally try.
Wet on skin: Resinous without being too cloying, the frankincense and olive come out sweet but not overwhelming. It's a delicious scent.
Dry on skin: I can't pick out all the individual notes but I love this on me, it smells great. Sweet but "spicy" for lack of a better descriptor.
After a few hours: Long-lasting and heavenly. I love it. I'm going to wear the heck out of this imp, then consider buying a bottle because I couldn't stop sniffing myself.
PHEW. I told you there was a lot. Check out my updated swap list, please! Now includes the things I've put up for swap in this post.
"The spirit of the full moon is capricious, intense and passionate, yet still distant, aloof and cold. Luna herself governs glamours, bewitchments and dream-work, innocent wonder, transient pleasure and delight, the Moment, impulse, mystery and veils. The Blue Moon is one of her rarest manifestations, and this scent is formulated to encapsulate her most complex and profound nature:
Mugwort and bay, for psychic sensitivity…
Juniper, for divination through dreams…
Orchid and galbanum, for complexity, wisdom and noscere…
… with a potent lunar-charged blend of exquisite Asian woods, moonflower, Madagascan ylang ylang, Florentine iris, Greek cypress, davana, green tea absolute, palmarosa, cucumber, Clary sage, melilot trefoils, wood aloes, and pale creeping buttercup."
In the vial: I mostly get the Asian woods and an astringent flower note.
Wet on skin: Men's cologne. I can't smell any of the more delicate or complex notes, it turns into a heavy-handed woodsy floral on me.
Dry on skin: I really thought I'd like this based on the notes, but the Asian woods overwhelm everything, and not in a way BPAL woods notes typically suit me.
After a few hours: Sadly I have tried this three times and I think it's really not for me. It smells mostly like aftershave on me.
My 5ml of Blue Moon 2007 is up for sale, if you want it, at the price I paid. I have tested it three times and used a very, very minimal amount; it's still full to the neck. Proceeds from the sale go straight back to the lab. =D I want to get a Pumpkin Patch from the latest update. It's also available for swap; make me an offer.
Brimstone:
In Hermetic alchemy, brimstone is one of the Three Heavenly Substances, one of the primary alchemical Priciples. It represents the strength of will and the vigor of passion, and it is a symbol of the process of fermentation. A smoky, gritty blend, husky and gray.
In the vial, this is a heavily fiery, smoky scent - I definitely get the grit and a hint of barbecue. Weirdly, a hint of alcohol too.
Wet on skin: Smoke, either from a cook fire or a pile of burning leaves.
Dry on skin: It totally smells like brimstone to me. A fire sign's scent. Dude! I smell like the fires of Hell!
After a few hours: A bit of a peppery note comes out. Definitely smoky and gritty! This is a scent to wear, sparingly and perhaps layered under another scent, in autumn. I like it but it's not an everyday kind of scent.
The Carpathian Mountains:
Mountain air and the scent of crisp snow blanketing the mountain's flora: Scottish fir, beech, cembra and mugho pine, rhododendron, currant, honeysuckle, raspberry leaf, dwarf juniper, sedge, meadow grass, snowdrop, rose bay, lily of the valley, starwort, lichen and mosses.
Wet on skin: My skin works well with woodsy and evergreen scents, so I was expecting some sort of wonderful amalgam of Jabberwocky and Alecto and Ochosi. What I got smelled like Jester on me - lots of currant and not much more. Am v. disappointed. May try again on another day
Dry on skin: Still currant, maybe exacerbated by the juniper. Bubble-gummy, lip-glossy berry and nothing else.
After a few hours: Mostly gone, thank God. It's a waxy, faux-fruit note. I blame the currant.
I received my imp The Carpathian Mountains about 1/3 full, and would be happy to swap for another LE imp in similar condition, or I could add another imp from my swap list.
Glasgow:
The rich scent of wild blackberry breezing over gentle rosy heather.
In the vial: The sweet-spicy smell of heather leaps out at me.
Wet on skin: Heather and a pleasantly tart note - the blackberry, I suppose. I really like it and it seems to suit the purple-grey blouse I'm wearing today. A nice androgynous scent.
Dry on skin: Good throw and a very pleasant scent, I really like the heather. Not a show-stopper but definitely worth keeping and using. It sweetens up a good deal after about twenty minutes or so.
After a few hours: Goes powdery and fades pretty quickly. I like it okay, I'll keep my imp.
Midnight:
An ethereal bouquet of night-blooming flowers. Evening primrose, ruellia, flowering nicotiana, wild petunia, panani-o-kai, night phlox, night gladiolus, moonflower and the elusive scent of Nottingham Catchfly.
In the vial: I got a whiff of pine, or fir - something reminiscent of evergreen.
Wet on skin: Soapy man's cologne.
Dry on skin: MAN COLOGNE. God, I'm glad I only put a dab on my wrists.
The lab description, for me, is deceptively feminine - it's ALL MAN on my skin! Full to label, up for swap.
Penny Dreadful:
Also called Gallows Literature. A dime novel rife with melodrama, horror, madness and cruelty; a ten cent analogy of vice and virtue in conflict. Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam.
In the vial this does, indeed, smell dreadful. A mix of strong loathsome soapy-astringent scents with a touch of dirt.
Wet on skin: UNF! BPAL earth/sanguine note! I love.
Dry on skin: This was an interesting scent, it morphed between the earthy scent to a more dusty parchment kind of scent (reminiscent of books, yes) and a drizzle of hard candy - not heavy like with Smut but a hint.
After a few hours: Turns into a low-rent Queen of Clubs on me. Keeper.
Queen Gertrude:
Imperial violet softened by wisteria and chrysanthemum, but edged with the regal iciness of delphinium.
In the vial: A deep, somber floral. Something a mature woman would wear. It's a beautiful scent, so it has a touch of vanity, too.
Wet on skin: I definitely get the violets - sweet and lovely - edged in a deeper, more stately floral that must be the delphinium or maybe crysanthemum.
Dry on skin: The blissful smell of violets, yet it's definitely a regal scent - I turn my head and get the chrysanthemum, which is a deeper, gorgeous scent. Oh, man, I think I've finally found a floral that I like.
After a few hours: Turns powdery, gone pretty much within four-five hours. I guess my final verdict is I'm not really meant for most pure florals. I like it okay, it's worth keeping.
The Unicorn:
A misty, almost luminous perfume: wispy linden blossoms, white flowers, and a touch of sweet herbs.
In the vial: Ephemeral, light and wispy.
Wet on skin: This doesn't really morph at all on the skin - it's that same light, ephemeral smell, fleeting, floral but not too heavy or overpowering.
Dry on skin: I think I like the linden, it's a breath of fresh pretty smell.
After a few hours: Decent throw and reasonably long-lasting. A light, airy scent. I'll wear out my vial.
Tzadikim Nistarim:
Also called the Lamed Vev, two letters in the Hebrew alphabet that translate to the number thirty-six. In this violent, ugly, strife-riddled world of ours there are thirty-six men, the Hidden Just Men or Hidden Saints, who bear on their shoulders the burden of all our pain, sorrows and sins. The Tzadikim Nistarim move in obscurity, and are usually found among the poor, the downtrodden and the meekest among us, and are chosen for this task because of their righteousness, stalwart sense of genuine justice, and the true goodness of their souls. When one of these men dies, God chooses another to take his place. It is for their sake and for love of them that God does not destroy His imperfect creation. As long as the Lamed Vav serves humanity, the world will continue to plod on, but once one of them dies and God cannot find another worthy to take his place, the world will be destroyed. In Qabala, the thirty-six men of the Tzadikim Nistarim together combine to symbolize the seventy-two bridges, corresponding to the seventy-two names of God, that connect the concealed and revealed worlds of our universe. The scent is one of unadulterated spiritual purity, with a taste of the world's eternal pathos, and the joy of suffering with grace: frankincense, olive, spikenard, hyssop and galangal.
In the vial: It smells kind of like men's cologne or aftershave, not something I'd normally try.
Wet on skin: Resinous without being too cloying, the frankincense and olive come out sweet but not overwhelming. It's a delicious scent.
Dry on skin: I can't pick out all the individual notes but I love this on me, it smells great. Sweet but "spicy" for lack of a better descriptor.
After a few hours: Long-lasting and heavenly. I love it. I'm going to wear the heck out of this imp, then consider buying a bottle because I couldn't stop sniffing myself.
PHEW. I told you there was a lot. Check out my updated swap list, please! Now includes the things I've put up for swap in this post.