One of the holiest days in the Pagan calendar, Beltane [May Day, Cetsamhain, Floralia and Roodmas… also, Beltaine, Bealtaine, Bealtuinn, Beletene, La Bheltine] is the Day of Baal’s Fire, and marks the midpoint of Sol’s path between the Vernal Equinox and Summer Solstice. In Druidic tradition, need-fires were set atop hills in a symbolic gesture of ( Read more... )

A carnivorous enchantress: diverse, lovely and graceful, emitting a sticky, glowing golden, sweet and terminally inviting scent. Its dew is believed to grant eternal beauty and longevity, and restore vitality and vigor to the magician.In bottle: I opened the imp and thought "uh-oh." It smells very chemical to me ( Read more... )

Black Pearl

Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.In the bottle: Coconut and a hint of nutty scent ( Read more... )

Behind on reviews...behind on cataloguing reactions for reviews! Eee, I really can't wait for my lab order to come.

Today I review Litha!

Midsummer, Ukon Juhla, Alban Heruin, the Light of the Shore. This is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, marking the sun's highest path across the sky. The Sun God and the Lord of the Forest are ( Read more... )

Alecto

Lab description: Unceasing in Anger. Olive leaf, raspberry leaf, vetiver and cedarwood.

Bottle/wet on skin: Mmm, cedarwood. The beautiful smell of cedar engulfs me. A breath of raspberry comes through and the olive deepens the scent and gives a mellowness overall. This is one of the types of scents I've been looking for.

Dry on skin: ( Read more... )

I wore this one to a memoral service on Sunday. I cried a lot. Now every time I hear Annie Lennox's "Into the West" I tear up, because it played during the memorial slideshow. I think her husband chose it.

Lab description: Considered a great honor, this is one of the most distinguished aspects of New Orleans culture. Its roots lie in the ( Read more... )

I'm really super-far behind on reviews. I have too many hobbies!

I've tried a handful of things since my last review and enjoyed them, but I haven't really had time to document my reactions beyond like/dislike. Sad, but that's the nature of my work lately.

Delirium:
Lab description: Non compos mentis, indeed! A contrary, conflicted scent, ( Read more... )

I was really hopeful for this, I got a great-smelling decant from flameelf.

House of Mirrors

Lab description: Antique amber frames a series of distorted, eternally warping clear crystal and glass notes.

Review: In the bottle I could smell the amber and some cool water notes. Then, I put it on me and it turned into ckOne as soon as it dried. The Lab's ( Read more... )

I'm really far behind, tra la. I haven't done a decent review since before I came back from North Carolina, and that's been partly busy and partly stress (going to Mom's was NOT restful) and so I simply haven't had time to track reviews. I've tried a few scents here and there but I haven't been wearing BPAL every day, sadly! I want to get back ( Read more... )

Tempest

Lab description: A crisp ozone-tinged breeze. The scent of the first gentle rain before the storm.

Snap review: This is the less-salty version of Lightning. BPAL ozone equals CKone as far as my nose is concerned! Nice, but not really "me."

Dana O'Shee

Lab description: In Irish folklore the Dana O'Shee are a fae, elven people that live ( Read more... )