BPAL Swaps
I am only mildly embarrassed to admit that I have a new obsession. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. I heard about it because of Ravelry. Someone mentioned it in a group that I belong to and my ears perked up. Scents that tailor to your chemistry? How very cool! I looked the lab up online and used the search function to pull out a few scents that included either egyptian or arabian musk. This was a remembered fragrance from my childhood and I wanted more. I joined the forum and tried not to get lost but that was a battle doomed to failure. There was SO MUCH to plow through and learn and I didn't want to work, I wanted to SMELL AWESOME!! I wanted a signature scent! I ordered a bottle of Gypsy and three imps ears. It shipped within two weeks and I eagerly awaited my order. When the package came, there were extras in it! I was in love. I opened each vial and the bottle and sniffed, trying to decide which one to put on my skin. I made a decision, applied the fragrance, sniffed eagerly...and choked. I wanted magic! I wanted instant teleportation to the LAND OF ANYTHING POSSIBLE! This stuff was supposed to be awesome! What happened?!
Chemistry happened. It turns out that my body and certain florals don't get along. All of the scents I had picked and even the frimps didn't work well with me for one reason or another. This one turned to powder, this one was cloyingly sweet, this one seared my nasal passages like a direct application of rubbing alcohol. Disappointed, I traded all of my fragrances away and put BPAL out of my mind.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. Someone on Rav (different group) asks about BPAL again, and the response was amazing. I remembered the experience that I'd had last year and how I hadn't really done much research, I'd just blindly jumped, trying to recreate a poorly remembered childhood memory. I decided to try again, paying a bit more attention to what was in each fragrance. I underestimated my own tendency toward obsession though. I avidly read the whole thread, joined a specific BPAL group on Rav, read everything there, went to the BPAL forum and...faltered...but jumped to ebay to search out inexpensive sales ending soon. I watched a couple of auctions and bid at the last second on two, winning both. I contacted the seller of one and discovered that she was on the forum as well. We chatted there and I added some Rav friends, to give myself a bit of a base, and plunged into the forum.
My first few imps came in the mail. I started keeping a catalog. I searched out the for sale pages, looking for certain scents. Made purchases from 6 individuals. Watched my mail like a hawk and despaired at every little delay. I pulled out an old Partylite candle sampler box to store my stash in. Sat and sniffed and giggled and sorted until I was giddy from the lack of oxygen.
I agreed to a "will knit for imps" trade on Rav and that increased my stash exponentially. Still, though, I kept reading and accumulating ideas for scents to try. Yules came out. My Paypal was already drained. I started contemplating the things I could sell around the house to make some extra "imp money". A problem, I have it! I love this though. I just love seeing all the imps and knowing that I'll have variety for YEARS!
I joined two swaps. One is a card swap for the holiday season, and the other is a bigger swap for El Dia De Los Reyes Magos (The Day of the Magi). It was full but the OP paired me and another lady that (like me) missed the boat. I am so excited. Obsessions can be so fun and exhausting and also bank-breaking. I couldn't be (much) happier :D
Chemistry happened. It turns out that my body and certain florals don't get along. All of the scents I had picked and even the frimps didn't work well with me for one reason or another. This one turned to powder, this one was cloyingly sweet, this one seared my nasal passages like a direct application of rubbing alcohol. Disappointed, I traded all of my fragrances away and put BPAL out of my mind.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. Someone on Rav (different group) asks about BPAL again, and the response was amazing. I remembered the experience that I'd had last year and how I hadn't really done much research, I'd just blindly jumped, trying to recreate a poorly remembered childhood memory. I decided to try again, paying a bit more attention to what was in each fragrance. I underestimated my own tendency toward obsession though. I avidly read the whole thread, joined a specific BPAL group on Rav, read everything there, went to the BPAL forum and...faltered...but jumped to ebay to search out inexpensive sales ending soon. I watched a couple of auctions and bid at the last second on two, winning both. I contacted the seller of one and discovered that she was on the forum as well. We chatted there and I added some Rav friends, to give myself a bit of a base, and plunged into the forum.
My first few imps came in the mail. I started keeping a catalog. I searched out the for sale pages, looking for certain scents. Made purchases from 6 individuals. Watched my mail like a hawk and despaired at every little delay. I pulled out an old Partylite candle sampler box to store my stash in. Sat and sniffed and giggled and sorted until I was giddy from the lack of oxygen.
I agreed to a "will knit for imps" trade on Rav and that increased my stash exponentially. Still, though, I kept reading and accumulating ideas for scents to try. Yules came out. My Paypal was already drained. I started contemplating the things I could sell around the house to make some extra "imp money". A problem, I have it! I love this though. I just love seeing all the imps and knowing that I'll have variety for YEARS!
I joined two swaps. One is a card swap for the holiday season, and the other is a bigger swap for El Dia De Los Reyes Magos (The Day of the Magi). It was full but the OP paired me and another lady that (like me) missed the boat. I am so excited. Obsessions can be so fun and exhausting and also bank-breaking. I couldn't be (much) happier :D