BPAL Reviews XII
To go with the imp boxes yesterday, here are yet more Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab reviews.
Somnus, Lab description: "Named after the Roman God of Sleep. This blend helps bring on deep, restful, natural sleep."
Sharply herbal and green yet sweet floral blend, reminiscent of dried flowers.
There's an underscent to this while it's wet that is almost like the unpleasant odor of valerian. A kind of musky smell, and by musky, I mean the way raw animal juice smells. Don't get me wrong, it's not that off-putting. It's very well covered, and doesn't throw, it's only there if you nuzzle right up to it. It's a very clean scent otherwise, though, almost soapy. (The devil in me whispers that it smells of Very Clean Ass.) There's probably lavender in here. No surprise, it's a famous soother, as is valerian. There's got to be chamomile in this. It smells just a hair like my sleep tea. Jasmine, too, possibly; though it's not coming to the fore, I can smell something floral in the throw. Also eucalyptus? Citrus?
The unpleasant cat-bottom smell has retreated, and I am feeling more relaxed. But, then, getting my BPAL fix always soothes me, so I'm withholding judgement. Less relaxed now that I realize I got oil all over my label! Dammit!
Sargon thinks it smells like tanning oil. Weirdo.
I wore this overnight. I got very sleepy, very comfortably sleepy, quite quickly, without the aid of sleeping pills. Unfortunately, Sargon kept wiggling and tossing and turning and keeping me awake. After I killed him and stashed his body in the basement, I slept like a baby for about six hours, woke up feeling rested, went to the bathroom, and came back in to sleep for another two hours. Had nice dreams, too.
If it continues to do this on further experimentation, that would be nifty. Way better than sleeping pills. This is not a smell most people would want to wear as a perfume, since it's rather herbal, but it's quite nice for all that.
Marie, Lab description: "Marie - A blend of sinuous violet and elegant tea rose: the chosen scent of France's Demigoddess of Debauch: Marie Antoinette."
I'm pretty sure that this one isn't going to work on me, but I'll try it nevertheless because, well, I'd love to find a violet that didn't HATE me.
I pop the imp open, and I smell . . . violet, rose, and a slight whiff of something else I really can't place.
On, the roses come out a little more, but there's that freezerburn blast of violet that hits me with a recoil like a .44. Violet always smells so artificial and cloying once it's on my skin. Dry, it tones down and is really pretty for a couple of minutes until . . . I smell something sour, like mustard. Or . . . yes, that's pickles.
What. The fuck.
I smell like my favorite burger joint, if it were staffed entirely by aged nuns. There's a fierce old-lady element to this that just isn't working for me. I don't think of violets or roses as being old-lady scents, and on other people maybe this would come across as elegant and a little depraved. To me, this is the smell of those fucking people who come into restaurants after church and talk loudly about Jesus and colon surgery while never tipping a dime on a $50 ticket, then when they pay for it they say "WE GAVE TO COLLECTIONS, SO WE HAVE NO MONEY TO TIP YOU. GOD BLESS." Well fuck, maybe you could just pay me in pre-chewed Freedent gum while you're at it?
Errrm. Excuse the rant. I've never even worked in food service, and those people piss me the hell off.
After a while, the pickles are gone, but it's still incredibly violet and not me in the slightest.
You know, this is a fine smell. Nothing wrong with it. I just don't like florals. And they don't like me.
Lousy tippers.
Imp, Lab description: "Devilishly playful: white peach, amber, golden musk and patchouli."
The combination of peach, amber, and patchouli smells a lot like wine and dragon's blood in the bottle. It's aggressively sweet, almost intimidatingly so. It goes on a little incensey as the peach settles down, and then the peach and patchouli really warm up in combination. The amber backlights it subtly. Lovely! The BPAL peach note is truly graceful and sweet, I have loved it in every mix I've smelled it in. Here, the patchouli really dirties it up nicely.
While it's wet, I keep getting a faintly mentholated scent, just a very faint hint of cough syrup really close to the skin. I don't know what that is. It's not off-putting, it's just very, very strange. And it goes away as soon as it's dry. How peculiar.
Dry, it's a sweet mixture of peaches, amber, and patchouli that is at once simple and luminously deep, a textured, slightly gritty scent that smells the way vintage sepia photographs look - one color, but all full of hidden warmth and light. It ages well, too. The peach prevents it from going powdery, and it keeps its balance right up until final weardown.
This is a beautiful scent; not devilish, just a little wicked. Playful and sweet. If you liked the peach in Fae and Aglaea but thought they were a little too sweet for your taste, the earthy incense of Imp might be what you need.
Silk Road, Lab description: A panoply of cultural treasures, spanning the herbs, flowers, oils and balms of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Mediterranean, the Levant, Northern China, Eastern Europe, Iran, the Bulgar-Kypchak, Mesopotamia, the Crimean Peninsula, Anatolia, Antioch, and North Africa.
Ginger? Something nutty, round, and birdseedy that is either almond, sweetgrass, or saffron. It shares this note with The Lion, and is also a bit reminiscent of Morocco. There's an herbal tang to this, almost salty. There's cinnamon. That might be tea leaf.
On, it's dry, spicy, woody, and beautiful. The throw smells like the books I buy from a bookstore near my house that burns Nag Champa incense all the time, so there may be a bit of Nag Champa in here. Up close, it smells like a wooden box used to store spices and incense; there's that twang of wood and grass and dry grain that keeps it from being foody. I detect florals, but I'm horrible at picking them out, so I'll just say that they add a soft roundness to the scent without coming out and poking you in the eye. There's something green and herbal in here. Juniper, or bay. It's very nice.
The weardown is spicy and dry, like windswept grasses smelled through a fold of silk to which the spices of the last town's market still cling. Highly recommended for those who like spicy, exotic, wild scents.
Snake Oil, Lab description: "By far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla."
After reading topknot's rapturous review of this, I decided I had to try it for myself.
Oh, well . . . that's not what I expected at all. It's very spicy and intense. I want to say there's patchouli in here, because it has that same flaky, sharp herbal/incense smell to it. There's a lot of spices all swirled together underneath it. Not cinnamon-y, and not foody, definitely exotic.
On, yes, this is pretty. There's vanilla adding some cream to the smell, but not so much that it smells like food. Vanilla usually has a bit of an innocent edge to it, but this doesn't. It's too spiced-up. It's quite sexy, but it isn't too aggressive; yes, this is a scent that draws people in, rather than a scent that sends you out hunting.
I will die and go to my grave swearing that this has sassafras in it, because there's something in here that smells like sasparilla. Now I think on't, it makes sense, since sassafras was quite popular in patent "snake oil" medicines during the 19th century.
This has a throw that's warm and heady, all spiced vanilla, like sasaparilla or root beer or Coke. Up close, it has a roundness that I think is either almond or sassafras, and a little bit of booze. And between is a fog of spices and incense. Sexy but not smothering, sweet but not cloying, a very intriguing scent that just begs you to come and investigate a little more closely. The longer I wear this, the smoother it gets, and the more I like it.
This is a less sweet version of the supersexy musky/spicy/vanilla effect that so many body sprays try and fail to produce, usually because they ruin it with something sharp and nasal like flowers. This one remains un-ruined. The addition of sassafras (I really think it's in there) to the vanilla is a genius touch, because it smells like nothing else and really pins this one down as a signature Lab scent.
Snake Oil has been recommended as a substitute for Snake Charmer since Snake Charmer was a Limited Edition. Any similarity I'm noting is very faint. Snake Charmer was sharper, higher-pitched and more nasal, more traditional, and not nearly as smooth - I actually prefer this blend. It reminds me a little of Morocco and a little of Scherezade, for the spices, but it's definitely its own distinctive thing.
As it wears on, the almond gets really aggressive, and it ends up smelling very cherry, which is not all that pleasant on my skin. Overall I like it and I'll recommend that people try it, but I don't think I'll order a big bottle.
Sin, Lab description: "Thouroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon."
This is dirty in the bottle, slightly sweaty with a whiff of cinnamon and a lick of sweetness from the sandalwood. Wow. Powerful stuff.
I slip it on, and the cinnamon comes right out at me like a hungry snake. Cinnamon is very hard candy on me, so it has associations of sweetness even if the smell itself isn't sweet. But there's a thick, heavy scent under it, like bark stripped off an old tree, and I'm pretty sure that's the black patchouli. Wow. Okay. I can definitely see wearing this one to boost confidence or energy; it's a vigorous scent.
As the cinnamon fades, the patchouli comes out even more and . . . well, I'm not sure about it. Black patchouli smells noticeably different than the regular variety. It's very heavy, there's a hint of corruption in it, like it's been sitting unstirred for a very long time. A sedimental, murky odor that just verges on sweaty. But that scent is what propels this into sexy territory, too, though. It's walking a damn fine line, there. And isn't that the definition of Sin? Something that's both dirty and delicious?
Now, I'm not the biggest fan of cinnamon, but this is defintely a keeper. Because of what the patchouli is doing on my skin, it's an assertive, rough blend. It shoves you up against the wall and gropes your crudely, maybe even painfully, but is giving you the sweetest and most chaste kisses in between. Cocky and devil-may-care, this scent ravishes you marvelously, then leaves you standing there, dazed in the simmery, sweaty-thighed aftermath, only to realize that it's tucked a twenty in your pocket. That little bastard. It's very hot.
It ends up soft and warm but not powdery, as the cinnamon and patchouli gives way to the thick amber and sandalwood.
After trying it a few times, I can say that this scent does one of two things. If I apply it straight, it's all cinnamon and patchouli, but if I extend it with some fractionated coconut oil, it's like the smell opens out and I can detect more of the sandalwood and amber, and it becomes much silkier and more feminine for the duration of its life.
If you don't really, really like cinnamon, avoid it, but if a heavily spiced patchouli scent sounds like it might be your thing, give it a try.
Tiny scent icons are courtesy of Penance's BPAL Icons.
Somnus, Lab description: "Named after the Roman God of Sleep. This blend helps bring on deep, restful, natural sleep."
Sharply herbal and green yet sweet floral blend, reminiscent of dried flowers.
There's an underscent to this while it's wet that is almost like the unpleasant odor of valerian. A kind of musky smell, and by musky, I mean the way raw animal juice smells. Don't get me wrong, it's not that off-putting. It's very well covered, and doesn't throw, it's only there if you nuzzle right up to it. It's a very clean scent otherwise, though, almost soapy. (The devil in me whispers that it smells of Very Clean Ass.) There's probably lavender in here. No surprise, it's a famous soother, as is valerian. There's got to be chamomile in this. It smells just a hair like my sleep tea. Jasmine, too, possibly; though it's not coming to the fore, I can smell something floral in the throw. Also eucalyptus? Citrus?
The unpleasant cat-bottom smell has retreated, and I am feeling more relaxed. But, then, getting my BPAL fix always soothes me, so I'm withholding judgement. Less relaxed now that I realize I got oil all over my label! Dammit!
Sargon thinks it smells like tanning oil. Weirdo.
I wore this overnight. I got very sleepy, very comfortably sleepy, quite quickly, without the aid of sleeping pills. Unfortunately, Sargon kept wiggling and tossing and turning and keeping me awake. After I killed him and stashed his body in the basement, I slept like a baby for about six hours, woke up feeling rested, went to the bathroom, and came back in to sleep for another two hours. Had nice dreams, too.
If it continues to do this on further experimentation, that would be nifty. Way better than sleeping pills. This is not a smell most people would want to wear as a perfume, since it's rather herbal, but it's quite nice for all that.
Marie, Lab description: "Marie - A blend of sinuous violet and elegant tea rose: the chosen scent of France's Demigoddess of Debauch: Marie Antoinette."
I'm pretty sure that this one isn't going to work on me, but I'll try it nevertheless because, well, I'd love to find a violet that didn't HATE me.
I pop the imp open, and I smell . . . violet, rose, and a slight whiff of something else I really can't place.
On, the roses come out a little more, but there's that freezerburn blast of violet that hits me with a recoil like a .44. Violet always smells so artificial and cloying once it's on my skin. Dry, it tones down and is really pretty for a couple of minutes until . . . I smell something sour, like mustard. Or . . . yes, that's pickles.
What. The fuck.
I smell like my favorite burger joint, if it were staffed entirely by aged nuns. There's a fierce old-lady element to this that just isn't working for me. I don't think of violets or roses as being old-lady scents, and on other people maybe this would come across as elegant and a little depraved. To me, this is the smell of those fucking people who come into restaurants after church and talk loudly about Jesus and colon surgery while never tipping a dime on a $50 ticket, then when they pay for it they say "WE GAVE TO COLLECTIONS, SO WE HAVE NO MONEY TO TIP YOU. GOD BLESS." Well fuck, maybe you could just pay me in pre-chewed Freedent gum while you're at it?
Errrm. Excuse the rant. I've never even worked in food service, and those people piss me the hell off.
After a while, the pickles are gone, but it's still incredibly violet and not me in the slightest.
You know, this is a fine smell. Nothing wrong with it. I just don't like florals. And they don't like me.
Lousy tippers.
Imp, Lab description: "Devilishly playful: white peach, amber, golden musk and patchouli."
The combination of peach, amber, and patchouli smells a lot like wine and dragon's blood in the bottle. It's aggressively sweet, almost intimidatingly so. It goes on a little incensey as the peach settles down, and then the peach and patchouli really warm up in combination. The amber backlights it subtly. Lovely! The BPAL peach note is truly graceful and sweet, I have loved it in every mix I've smelled it in. Here, the patchouli really dirties it up nicely.
While it's wet, I keep getting a faintly mentholated scent, just a very faint hint of cough syrup really close to the skin. I don't know what that is. It's not off-putting, it's just very, very strange. And it goes away as soon as it's dry. How peculiar.
Dry, it's a sweet mixture of peaches, amber, and patchouli that is at once simple and luminously deep, a textured, slightly gritty scent that smells the way vintage sepia photographs look - one color, but all full of hidden warmth and light. It ages well, too. The peach prevents it from going powdery, and it keeps its balance right up until final weardown.
This is a beautiful scent; not devilish, just a little wicked. Playful and sweet. If you liked the peach in Fae and Aglaea but thought they were a little too sweet for your taste, the earthy incense of Imp might be what you need.
Silk Road, Lab description: A panoply of cultural treasures, spanning the herbs, flowers, oils and balms of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Mediterranean, the Levant, Northern China, Eastern Europe, Iran, the Bulgar-Kypchak, Mesopotamia, the Crimean Peninsula, Anatolia, Antioch, and North Africa.
Ginger? Something nutty, round, and birdseedy that is either almond, sweetgrass, or saffron. It shares this note with The Lion, and is also a bit reminiscent of Morocco. There's an herbal tang to this, almost salty. There's cinnamon. That might be tea leaf.
On, it's dry, spicy, woody, and beautiful. The throw smells like the books I buy from a bookstore near my house that burns Nag Champa incense all the time, so there may be a bit of Nag Champa in here. Up close, it smells like a wooden box used to store spices and incense; there's that twang of wood and grass and dry grain that keeps it from being foody. I detect florals, but I'm horrible at picking them out, so I'll just say that they add a soft roundness to the scent without coming out and poking you in the eye. There's something green and herbal in here. Juniper, or bay. It's very nice.
The weardown is spicy and dry, like windswept grasses smelled through a fold of silk to which the spices of the last town's market still cling. Highly recommended for those who like spicy, exotic, wild scents.
Snake Oil, Lab description: "By far, our most popular scent! Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla."
After reading topknot's rapturous review of this, I decided I had to try it for myself.
Oh, well . . . that's not what I expected at all. It's very spicy and intense. I want to say there's patchouli in here, because it has that same flaky, sharp herbal/incense smell to it. There's a lot of spices all swirled together underneath it. Not cinnamon-y, and not foody, definitely exotic.
On, yes, this is pretty. There's vanilla adding some cream to the smell, but not so much that it smells like food. Vanilla usually has a bit of an innocent edge to it, but this doesn't. It's too spiced-up. It's quite sexy, but it isn't too aggressive; yes, this is a scent that draws people in, rather than a scent that sends you out hunting.
I will die and go to my grave swearing that this has sassafras in it, because there's something in here that smells like sasparilla. Now I think on't, it makes sense, since sassafras was quite popular in patent "snake oil" medicines during the 19th century.
This has a throw that's warm and heady, all spiced vanilla, like sasaparilla or root beer or Coke. Up close, it has a roundness that I think is either almond or sassafras, and a little bit of booze. And between is a fog of spices and incense. Sexy but not smothering, sweet but not cloying, a very intriguing scent that just begs you to come and investigate a little more closely. The longer I wear this, the smoother it gets, and the more I like it.
This is a less sweet version of the supersexy musky/spicy/vanilla effect that so many body sprays try and fail to produce, usually because they ruin it with something sharp and nasal like flowers. This one remains un-ruined. The addition of sassafras (I really think it's in there) to the vanilla is a genius touch, because it smells like nothing else and really pins this one down as a signature Lab scent.
Snake Oil has been recommended as a substitute for Snake Charmer since Snake Charmer was a Limited Edition. Any similarity I'm noting is very faint. Snake Charmer was sharper, higher-pitched and more nasal, more traditional, and not nearly as smooth - I actually prefer this blend. It reminds me a little of Morocco and a little of Scherezade, for the spices, but it's definitely its own distinctive thing.
As it wears on, the almond gets really aggressive, and it ends up smelling very cherry, which is not all that pleasant on my skin. Overall I like it and I'll recommend that people try it, but I don't think I'll order a big bottle.
Sin, Lab description: "Thouroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon."
This is dirty in the bottle, slightly sweaty with a whiff of cinnamon and a lick of sweetness from the sandalwood. Wow. Powerful stuff.
I slip it on, and the cinnamon comes right out at me like a hungry snake. Cinnamon is very hard candy on me, so it has associations of sweetness even if the smell itself isn't sweet. But there's a thick, heavy scent under it, like bark stripped off an old tree, and I'm pretty sure that's the black patchouli. Wow. Okay. I can definitely see wearing this one to boost confidence or energy; it's a vigorous scent.
As the cinnamon fades, the patchouli comes out even more and . . . well, I'm not sure about it. Black patchouli smells noticeably different than the regular variety. It's very heavy, there's a hint of corruption in it, like it's been sitting unstirred for a very long time. A sedimental, murky odor that just verges on sweaty. But that scent is what propels this into sexy territory, too, though. It's walking a damn fine line, there. And isn't that the definition of Sin? Something that's both dirty and delicious?
Now, I'm not the biggest fan of cinnamon, but this is defintely a keeper. Because of what the patchouli is doing on my skin, it's an assertive, rough blend. It shoves you up against the wall and gropes your crudely, maybe even painfully, but is giving you the sweetest and most chaste kisses in between. Cocky and devil-may-care, this scent ravishes you marvelously, then leaves you standing there, dazed in the simmery, sweaty-thighed aftermath, only to realize that it's tucked a twenty in your pocket. That little bastard. It's very hot.
It ends up soft and warm but not powdery, as the cinnamon and patchouli gives way to the thick amber and sandalwood.
After trying it a few times, I can say that this scent does one of two things. If I apply it straight, it's all cinnamon and patchouli, but if I extend it with some fractionated coconut oil, it's like the smell opens out and I can detect more of the sandalwood and amber, and it becomes much silkier and more feminine for the duration of its life.
If you don't really, really like cinnamon, avoid it, but if a heavily spiced patchouli scent sounds like it might be your thing, give it a try.
Tiny scent icons are courtesy of Penance's BPAL Icons.