BPAL Reviews XXXIX
It's Thursday -- barely -- so it must be time for more Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume reviews. This time, it's a mixed bag.
Below are reviews of Sophia, Arcana, Shattered, Jester, Tempest, Lightning, Inferno, and Thanatos.
Sophia, Lab description: "The Gnostic goddess of Wisdom. A solemn, deeply profound draught of lavender, soft musks, star jasmine, black rose, delphinium, and gentle spice."
At first scent this is almost like mint bubble gum. But no, that's lavender with delphinium, a very sweet note that's at once sugary and floral. The musk is husky and soft, low. Very pretty. The jasmine is delicate and pale, sweet and cool. The rose is there in the middle, less a note than a supporting player, but I can detect it lending the whole thing a sort of lush and radiant warmth. This is cerebral and sensual at the same time. Fascinating. And there is, indeed, a hint of spice carried on the throw.
A remarkably subtle, soft scent that requires some attention to really apprehend. I am impressed by this blend for its subtlety. Even though it contains lavender I would not characterize it as a lavender blend. This is more musky and generally floral.
Arcana, Lab description: "The essence of magickal enigmas and long-forgotten esoteric mysteries. Frankincense, rosemary, lavender, neroli, and lemon verbena."
Stridently herbal, this is all lavender and rosemary and lemon verbena, with a pleasant undertone of frankincense and neroli once it hits the skin.
This is very herbal, clean, smells much like what I'd expect fantasy-novel bedding to smell like. Fresh and herb-rich, sweet and clean.
The main scent is lavender, even once it's settled down a bit. It reminds me of some of the Stations of the Sun scents, especially Khephra. In fact, it smells almost exactly like Khephra, except where Khephra had cinnamon, Arcana has neroli. Hmm.
This would be a good scent for linens, I think, or for bath products, but I'm not too fond of it as a perfume. I don't care for lavender, lavender doesn't care for me. I'll eat it, I'll sniff it, I think it's pretty, but I don't enjoy smelling like it. This one is definitely getting swapped.
Recommended if you like herbal lavender scents, worth looking into. Less noxious than many lavender blends.
Shattered, Lab description: "A scent as sharp as glass shards, and as brittle as a broken heart. The formula came to me - quite literally - in a dream, and is named after, and created in memory of, the last poem that I ever wrote… almost ten years ago to the day. A blend of white champagne notes, grapefruit, lotus, slivered mint and crystalline aquatic blooms."
That's kind of a poignant and sad scent description, but I guess that's the point.
Grapefruit is a juicy topnote here, backed by bubblegum lotus in miniscule amounts, and a great deal of razzy champagne. This is sharp and hard, with a spreading warmth under like seeping blood. Yeah. Okay, I get the symbolism.
This smells good, slightly aquatic, slightly clean, slightly citric It's not a very "me" scent, but that hardly stops me from appreciating it. It has a lot of throw and at a distance it smells almost equally of mint and grapefruit. The mint note I could do without, to be honest. Mint almost never smells good to me. Gag.
This is a wistful, sharp scent, agonized. Worth investigating if a citric/aquatic blend sounds appealing to you.
Jester, Lab description: "Huckleberry and red currant with the incisive bite of neroli."
This smells of tart pink berries. I can't say I care for that overmuch. It's very strong, and rather artificial, as most berry scents tend to smell artificial to me. It's also a little bubblegummy.
On, it smells just the same, a tart, sweet berry scent that is bright, playful, and far stronger than you might think. Apply with caution!
Beyond that there is little to say; it's just too sharp and fruity for me. Off to swaps!
Tempest, Lab description: "A crisp ozone-tinged breeze. The scent of the first gentle rain before the storm."
Cool ozone notes like cucumber and tea mingle with an upbeat citrus twang in this pretty scent.
It goes on cool and wet, a strongly aquatic aroma reminiscent of shower gel and ultra-clean soap. It's a bit lime-like, pleasantly unisex, but not sexual.
A good smell, and a good choice for all-occasion wear.
Lightning, Lab description: "Lightning slashing the midnight skies over the endless reaches of the ocean. The electric tang of ozone, marine notes, and a drop of sharp rain.
I'm in an odd position when it comes to aquatics. They like me a lot, maybe a little too much, but I don’t much care for them. They aren't "me."
That said, I enjoy trying them even if I don't wear ozone or aquatic scents daily.
In the bottle: ozone and aquatic notes with a sharp green or citric tang.
On, it smells like "spring fresh" flavored laundry detergent, or the way laundry smells when it's been dried outdoors. Hardly a terrible smell, but one that's clean as a knifeblade, and just as cutting.
There's a tart salty note, the brine of the ocean I assume, which smells not unlike the usual "seaweed and dead bodies" flavor of "maritime" incense/hippie oil/foot scrub/what have you.
This note becomes stronger the longer it wears, until it's dominant. This is a dramatic, powerful scent, but very clean, very pure. It's very interesting, and I recommend it to those who like aquatic scents, or for those looking to try a good aquatic scent.
Inferno, Lab description: "The Dark Side of Fire: cinnamon, bitter almond, and neroli. Heavily spiced, torrid, and possibly conflagrant."
A simple blend smelling strongly of almond and cinnamon. The neroli adds a light touch to this that is wonderful. Mostly it's just burning cinnamon and rich, creamy almonds like cherry cordial. Nice.
It's rich, and so simple I'm finding it hard to come up with things to say about it besides "spicy." But I like it. It's in the same general category as Chimera, though not as nuanced or as deep. A stealthy singed note creeps in eventually; I think it's the cinnamon, which is so strong it smells like bark and not like the powdered stuff you put on apple pies. Very pretty.
Thanatos, Lab description: "One of the horrible, painful, cruel, brooding, mocking and malignant children of Nyx, he is Death Incarnate, and is seen as a willowy young man, accompanied by a butterfly, bearing an inverted torch and Funereal wreath in his hands. In modern thought, thanks to Sigmund Freud, it is the Death Instinct: love of death, destruction and decay, and the desire to embrace the quiescence, silence and peace of the grave. Dry white sandalwood and soft Siamese benzoin over a lugubrious blend of myrrh, Moroccan rose, mastic, tomb moss and a thin whiff of Greek incense."
If you're thinking this sounds like an amazingly complicated scent, you'd be right on. In the bottle it's benzoin and sandalwood with a sweet fruity overlay of sweet incense resins. The rose is not an obvious smell, but is more of a sweet influence.
There is an almost aquatic note to this, a cucumbery, melony scent that makes me suspect a bit of dragon's blood in the mix. Mostly it's sharp and rich resins, overlaid by a rich true perfume aroma.
This is complex, and very beautiful, but at the same time it's cold and unyielding. There is very little warmth to this scent despite what should be warm notes. This is cool and salty, and again, I want to say aquatic.
Possibly the most bizarre scent I've yet encountered. It does nothing the way I expect it to.
Oh, god, as it dries it becomes the sweetest smell, high-pitched and perfumey, perfectly caught between clean and floral. This is a lovely, lovely scent, and I can't really describe it because it doesn't really smell like anything else!
I'm excited because I got my Click 'n' Ship notice today for the first order I placed this month. It should be in my paws on Saturday, I hope hope hope! I don't even remember whatall is in it, but this way it's like a surprise!
Tiny scent icons are courtesy of Penance's BPAL Icons and Diana's BPAL icons.
Below are reviews of Sophia, Arcana, Shattered, Jester, Tempest, Lightning, Inferno, and Thanatos.
Sophia, Lab description: "The Gnostic goddess of Wisdom. A solemn, deeply profound draught of lavender, soft musks, star jasmine, black rose, delphinium, and gentle spice."
At first scent this is almost like mint bubble gum. But no, that's lavender with delphinium, a very sweet note that's at once sugary and floral. The musk is husky and soft, low. Very pretty. The jasmine is delicate and pale, sweet and cool. The rose is there in the middle, less a note than a supporting player, but I can detect it lending the whole thing a sort of lush and radiant warmth. This is cerebral and sensual at the same time. Fascinating. And there is, indeed, a hint of spice carried on the throw.
A remarkably subtle, soft scent that requires some attention to really apprehend. I am impressed by this blend for its subtlety. Even though it contains lavender I would not characterize it as a lavender blend. This is more musky and generally floral.
Arcana, Lab description: "The essence of magickal enigmas and long-forgotten esoteric mysteries. Frankincense, rosemary, lavender, neroli, and lemon verbena."
Stridently herbal, this is all lavender and rosemary and lemon verbena, with a pleasant undertone of frankincense and neroli once it hits the skin.
This is very herbal, clean, smells much like what I'd expect fantasy-novel bedding to smell like. Fresh and herb-rich, sweet and clean.
The main scent is lavender, even once it's settled down a bit. It reminds me of some of the Stations of the Sun scents, especially Khephra. In fact, it smells almost exactly like Khephra, except where Khephra had cinnamon, Arcana has neroli. Hmm.
This would be a good scent for linens, I think, or for bath products, but I'm not too fond of it as a perfume. I don't care for lavender, lavender doesn't care for me. I'll eat it, I'll sniff it, I think it's pretty, but I don't enjoy smelling like it. This one is definitely getting swapped.
Recommended if you like herbal lavender scents, worth looking into. Less noxious than many lavender blends.
Shattered, Lab description: "A scent as sharp as glass shards, and as brittle as a broken heart. The formula came to me - quite literally - in a dream, and is named after, and created in memory of, the last poem that I ever wrote… almost ten years ago to the day. A blend of white champagne notes, grapefruit, lotus, slivered mint and crystalline aquatic blooms."
That's kind of a poignant and sad scent description, but I guess that's the point.
Grapefruit is a juicy topnote here, backed by bubblegum lotus in miniscule amounts, and a great deal of razzy champagne. This is sharp and hard, with a spreading warmth under like seeping blood. Yeah. Okay, I get the symbolism.
This smells good, slightly aquatic, slightly clean, slightly citric It's not a very "me" scent, but that hardly stops me from appreciating it. It has a lot of throw and at a distance it smells almost equally of mint and grapefruit. The mint note I could do without, to be honest. Mint almost never smells good to me. Gag.
This is a wistful, sharp scent, agonized. Worth investigating if a citric/aquatic blend sounds appealing to you.
Jester, Lab description: "Huckleberry and red currant with the incisive bite of neroli."
This smells of tart pink berries. I can't say I care for that overmuch. It's very strong, and rather artificial, as most berry scents tend to smell artificial to me. It's also a little bubblegummy.
On, it smells just the same, a tart, sweet berry scent that is bright, playful, and far stronger than you might think. Apply with caution!
Beyond that there is little to say; it's just too sharp and fruity for me. Off to swaps!
Tempest, Lab description: "A crisp ozone-tinged breeze. The scent of the first gentle rain before the storm."
Cool ozone notes like cucumber and tea mingle with an upbeat citrus twang in this pretty scent.
It goes on cool and wet, a strongly aquatic aroma reminiscent of shower gel and ultra-clean soap. It's a bit lime-like, pleasantly unisex, but not sexual.
A good smell, and a good choice for all-occasion wear.
Lightning, Lab description: "Lightning slashing the midnight skies over the endless reaches of the ocean. The electric tang of ozone, marine notes, and a drop of sharp rain.
I'm in an odd position when it comes to aquatics. They like me a lot, maybe a little too much, but I don’t much care for them. They aren't "me."
That said, I enjoy trying them even if I don't wear ozone or aquatic scents daily.
In the bottle: ozone and aquatic notes with a sharp green or citric tang.
On, it smells like "spring fresh" flavored laundry detergent, or the way laundry smells when it's been dried outdoors. Hardly a terrible smell, but one that's clean as a knifeblade, and just as cutting.
There's a tart salty note, the brine of the ocean I assume, which smells not unlike the usual "seaweed and dead bodies" flavor of "maritime" incense/hippie oil/foot scrub/what have you.
This note becomes stronger the longer it wears, until it's dominant. This is a dramatic, powerful scent, but very clean, very pure. It's very interesting, and I recommend it to those who like aquatic scents, or for those looking to try a good aquatic scent.
Inferno, Lab description: "The Dark Side of Fire: cinnamon, bitter almond, and neroli. Heavily spiced, torrid, and possibly conflagrant."
A simple blend smelling strongly of almond and cinnamon. The neroli adds a light touch to this that is wonderful. Mostly it's just burning cinnamon and rich, creamy almonds like cherry cordial. Nice.
It's rich, and so simple I'm finding it hard to come up with things to say about it besides "spicy." But I like it. It's in the same general category as Chimera, though not as nuanced or as deep. A stealthy singed note creeps in eventually; I think it's the cinnamon, which is so strong it smells like bark and not like the powdered stuff you put on apple pies. Very pretty.
Thanatos, Lab description: "One of the horrible, painful, cruel, brooding, mocking and malignant children of Nyx, he is Death Incarnate, and is seen as a willowy young man, accompanied by a butterfly, bearing an inverted torch and Funereal wreath in his hands. In modern thought, thanks to Sigmund Freud, it is the Death Instinct: love of death, destruction and decay, and the desire to embrace the quiescence, silence and peace of the grave. Dry white sandalwood and soft Siamese benzoin over a lugubrious blend of myrrh, Moroccan rose, mastic, tomb moss and a thin whiff of Greek incense."
If you're thinking this sounds like an amazingly complicated scent, you'd be right on. In the bottle it's benzoin and sandalwood with a sweet fruity overlay of sweet incense resins. The rose is not an obvious smell, but is more of a sweet influence.
There is an almost aquatic note to this, a cucumbery, melony scent that makes me suspect a bit of dragon's blood in the mix. Mostly it's sharp and rich resins, overlaid by a rich true perfume aroma.
This is complex, and very beautiful, but at the same time it's cold and unyielding. There is very little warmth to this scent despite what should be warm notes. This is cool and salty, and again, I want to say aquatic.
Possibly the most bizarre scent I've yet encountered. It does nothing the way I expect it to.
Oh, god, as it dries it becomes the sweetest smell, high-pitched and perfumey, perfectly caught between clean and floral. This is a lovely, lovely scent, and I can't really describe it because it doesn't really smell like anything else!
I'm excited because I got my Click 'n' Ship notice today for the first order I placed this month. It should be in my paws on Saturday, I hope hope hope! I don't even remember whatall is in it, but this way it's like a surprise!
Tiny scent icons are courtesy of Penance's BPAL Icons and Diana's BPAL icons.