Day 397 – BPAL’s Alcie

Tags

BPAL, Carolyn Hennesy, green musk, honey, Musk, nectarine, oakmoss, Pandora, sandalwood, sea buckthorn berry

Scent Name:  Alcie

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Carolyn Hennesy’s Pandora

Scent Description and Notes: “Sassy. Impetuous. Loyal. Alcestis Artemisia Medusa, with her red hair and brown-green eyes, is prettier than most and is having a much easier time with all the “maiden stuff.” Alcie’s father, a wealthy man, buys all the latest toga clasps, hair irons and ankle bracelets for his daughter, so she’s always rather lovely. However, Alcie is also a distant niece of the great Gorgon Medusa, a creature so hideous that anyone who looked into its eyes would immediately turn to stone. A young hero, Perseus, had cut off Medusa’s head some years earlier, so at least all the relatives didn’t have to worry about Medusa showing up for feast days, but Alcie was still embarrassed by the blot on the family name.

Just a hint of gorgon blood: bright nectarine, honey, sandalwood, green musk, sea buckthorn berry, and oakmoss.” -BPAL

Image from http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/pandora.html

Oil Color:  A corn oil color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from ralenth.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent.  The side features her decanting name while the front has the company acronym, collection, title of scent, and image.  The image is of a comic-book inspired woman in a 3/4 view running her fingers through her flowing red hair. She’s in a grey-green toga, which matches the background of the image.

Scent: 

• ITI:  It’s rather light in the bottle.  I get green musk and sea buckthorn berry.
• Wet: Bright, green and clean.  I get green musk and light nectarines along with buckthorn berry.  I’m really enjoying the clean greenness of the scent. 
• Dry:  Nectarine zest, green musk, light oakmoss, and buckthorn berry.  I really like the green quality of this scent that stays true from first sniff to the dry down.

Other Impressions: “Orange, lemongrass, and whatever the dominant smell is of the American Eagle perfume.” -Tony

Day 396 – BPAL’s Iole

Tags

Amber, black amber, bourbon, bourbon vanilla, BPAL, Carolyn Hennesy, fig, jasmine, Leather, leather accord, night-blooming jasmine, oak, oak bark, Pandora, red sandalwood, sandalwood, vanilla

Scent Name:  Iole

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Carolyn Hennesy’s Pandora

Scent Description and Notes: “The newcomer. The brains. Pensive and thoughtful. Small and frail, even now Iole sometimes can’t keep up as Pandy and Alcie stride through the market place or the olive orchards or swim in nearby lakes and rivers. But…but…she’s smart as a whip; often using big words when she speaks; not to show off, but only because her mighty mind can’t come up with anything smaller. Will gladly tutor in algebra and calculus!

A serious, studious scent: fig, night-blooming jasmine, red sandalwood, bourbon vanilla, oak bark, leather accord, and black amber.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  A bright, cheerful yellow oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from ralenth.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent.  The side features her decanting name while the front has the company acronym, collection, title of scent, and image.  The image is of a comic-book inspired woman with her back turned to the viewer.  She’s adorned in a lavender low-back dress and has her dark hair loosly coiffed.

Image from http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/pandora.html

Scent: 

• ITI:  Very strong night-blooming jasmine with a sweet sandalwood in the background.
• Wet: More jasmine, but I now get some of that vanilla bourbon paired with red sandalwood and some thick leather.  It’s a rather intriguing scent. 
  
• Dry:  Jasmine, leather, sandalwood, and bourbon.  It ends up being similar to a jasmine plug-in, but a little sweeter. 

Other Impressions: “I don’t know what that flower smell is, but there is a butter smell and something I don’t quite like.  It smells more like a room smell than a person smell.” -Tony

Day 395 – BPAL’s The Bloody Banister

Tags

BPAL, ceremonial incense, coconut, creeping musk, dry coconut husk, limited edition, Musk, orris root, sandalwood, white sandalwood

Scent Name:  The Bloody Banister

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Halloweenie 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “A rotting, cracked mahogany balustrade smeared with bloody handprints frames a cascading Imperial staircase that rises unsteadily into oppressive, suffocating shadows.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  An ambered rye color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from ralenth.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent.  The side features her decanting name while the front has the company acronym, collection, decanted amount, date, and image.  The black and white image is of a  banister dripping blood with the name of the scent above it in black cursive font.

Scent: 

• ITI: While I do get mahogany  it certainly isn’t cracked.  It smells finely polished to me.  The blood is also somehow reading as chocolate.
• Wet: Herby, lemon-like musk, mahogany, and sandalwood.  I love this even more on my skin.
• Dry:  It’s still deliciously herby and lemony while still maintaining the essence of well-oiled deeply rich wood. 

Other Impressions: Why did I wait so long to test this?  I need a bottle, stat!

Day 394 – BPAL’s Brown Jenkin

Tags

a picnic in arkham, BPAL, ceremonial incense, coconut, creeping musk, dry coconut husk, general catalog, Musk, orris root, sandalwood, white sandalwood

Scent Name:  Brown Jenkin

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  A Picnic in Arkham

Scent Description and Notes: “The yellowed country records containing her testimony and that of her accusers were so damnably suggestive of things beyond human experience – and the descriptions of the darting little furry object which served as her familiar were so painfully realistic despite their incredible details.

That object – no larger than a good-sized rat and quaintly called by the townspeople “Brown Jenkins” – seemed to have been the fruit of a remarkable case of sympathetic herd-delusion, for in 1692 no less than eleven persons had testified to glimpsing it. There were recent rumours, too, with a baffling and disconcerting amount of agreement. Witnesses said it had long hair and the shape of a rat, but that its sharp-toothed, bearded face was evilly human while its paws were like tiny human hands. It took messages betwixt old Keziah and the devil, and was nursed on the witch’s blood, which it sucked like a vampire. Its voice was a kind of loathsome titter, and it could speak all languages. Of all the bizarre monstrosities in Gilman’s dreams, nothing filled him with greater panic and nausea than this blasphemous and diminutive hybrid, whose image flitted across his vision in a form a thousandfold more hateful than anything his waking mind had deduced from the ancient records and the modern whispers.

A small, furry, sharp-toothed scent that will nuzzle you curiously in the black hours before dawn: dusty white sandalwood and orris root, dry coconut husk, creeping musk, and the residue of ceremonial incense.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  A light golden honey color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from ralenth.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent.  The side features her decanting name while the front has the company acronym, collection, title of scent, and image.  The image is of a skewed 5-point star with an eye in the middle.

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/a-picnic-in-arkham/brown-jenkin/

Scent: 

• ITI:  Warm coconut, sultry musk, and sandalwood.  It’s a gorgeous combination of lightly resinous and sweet.
• Wet: Still light, dusty, and resinous, although now the ceremonial incense is creeping in, adding something more darkly complex.
  
• Dry:  Coconut, dried, sandalwood, musk, and lots of rich ceremonial incense.  It’s a scent of which I’d love to have more.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 393 – BPAL’s Ekhidna

Tags

black pepper, BPAL, clove, dark myrrh, diabolus, mandrake, moss, myrrh, opoponax, pepper, pimento, seaweed, swamp, swampy moss, tar, tarry clove, tobacco, tobacco absolute

Scent Name:  Ekhidna

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Diabolus

Scent Description and Notes: “EKHIDNA
This was the divine and haughty Ekhidna, and half of her is a Nymphe with a fair face and eyes glancing, but the other half is a monstrous ophis, terrible, enormous and squirming and voracious, there in earth’s secret places. For there she has her cave on the underside of a hollow rock, far from the immortal gods, and far from all mortals.

There the gods ordained her a fabulous home to live in which she keeps underground among the Arimoi, grisly Ekhidna, a Nymphe who never dies, and all her days she is ageless.

Mother of Monsters, the Eel of Tartarus, Queen of the Dark Forest, Serpent Womb. Consort to Typhon, the Rotting Lamprey was born from the residual scum left behind after from the Great Deluge.

All the corruptions of the earth: mandrake, dark myrrh, seaweed, swampy moss, black pepper, pimento, opoponax, tobacco absolute, and tarry clove.” – BPAL

Oil Color: A resined copper color.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features an Art-Deco inspired phoenix with name of the company next to the phoenix. On the other side, the title of the scent written in large, clear black font outlined with red on the front.

Scent:

• In the Imp (ITI):  It’s surprisingly light when considering the scent notes.  I get light clove, myrrh, pimento, tobacco, and just a touch of moss.
• Wet:  I get spicer clove, opoponax, pepper (although this reads as pink, not black), pimento, thick clove, tobacco, and mandrake.  It’s certainly stronger on the skin. 
• Dry:  After 12 hours, the myrrh and clove with hints of mandrake are all faintly detectable.  A rather enjoyable scent.

Other Impressions:  “Pepper and some kind of flower.  It smells good.” -Tony

Day 392 – BPAL’s Harlot

Tags

ars amatoria, BPAL, Bulgar rose, cinnamon, general catalog, Moroccan rose, Rose, Somalian rose

Scent Name:  Harlot

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Ars Amatoria

Scent Description and Notes: “Based on a Romany incense blend reputed to induce sexual dreams: Somalian rose, Moroccan rose and Bulgar rose with a sultry dribble of cinnamon.” – https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/ars-amatoria/hetairae/

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features an Art-Deco inspired phoenix with name of the company next to the phoenix. On the other side, the title of the scent written in large, clear black font outlined with red on the front.

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/ars-amatoria/hetairae/

Scent:

• In the Imp (ITI):  Wet rose, spicy cinnamon candy, and something that reminds me of civet just a little.
• Wet: Yep, there still is a civet quality just underneath the red, flowering roses.  The cinnamon rests as an undertone on my skin while wet, which is as I thought cinnamon should be dominant.
• Dry:  Once dry, the scent smells like a bouquet of red roses with the faintest impression of cinnamon.

 

Other Impressions:  It’s lovely and something I’d consider wearing more often.

Day 391 – BPAL’s Iago

Tags

black musk, BPAL, illyria, Leather, Musk, vetiver, wet leather

Scent Name:  Iago

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Illyria

Scent Description and Notes: “Malevolent, dark and shadowy: sinuous black musk, wet leather and vetiver.” – BPAL

Oil Color: A dark, resinous brown color.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features an Art-Deco inspired phoenix with name of the company next to the phoenix. On the other side, the title of the scent written in large, clear black font outlined with red on the front.

Scent:

• In the Imp (ITI):  It’s muskily sweet, followed by leather and smoke.
• Wet: Smoky and rich vetiver swirling around black leather with a touch of skin musk.  Oh, this is dangerous and sexy.  
• Dry:  As it dries, the vetiver becomes a little more bitter, like sitting by a smoldering camp fire.  The leather is still present, but the sweetness from the musk is incredibly when when compared to the two stronger notes.  Honestly, I’d like to smell this one on my husband.

Other Impressions:  Longevity is a bit short lived with this scent.

Day 390 – BPAL’s Wanda

Tags

ars amatoria, body heat, BPAL, crushes roses, general catalog, Leather, merlot, Musk, myrtle, Rose, sexual musk, violet, wine

Scent Name:  Wanda

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Ars Amatoria

Scent Description and Notes: ““And yet a restless, always unsatisfied craving for the nudity of paganism,” she interrupted, “but that love, which is the highest joy, which is divine simplicity itself, is not for you moderns, you children of reflection. It works only evil in you. As soon as you wish to be natural, you become common. To you nature seems something hostile; you have made devils out of the smiling gods of Greece, and out of me a demon. You can only exorcise and curse me, or slay yourselves in bacchantic madness before my altar. And if ever one of you has had the courage to kiss my red mouth, he makes a barefoot pilgrimage to Rome in penitential robes and expects flowers to grow from his withered staff, while under my feet roses, violets, and myrtles spring up every hour, but their fragrance does not agree with you. Stay among your northern fogs and Christian incense; let us pagans remain under the debris, beneath the lava; do not disinter us. Pompeii was not built for you, nor our villas, our baths, our temples. You do not require gods. We are chilled in your world.”

Along with Loviatar, she has become something of a 21st century Patron Goddess of all Dominatrixes. While Loviatar is the Goddess of Pain, Wanda govens Control. She is the breathtakingly beautiful sable-wrapped marble queen of Sacher-Masoch’s fantasies.

Her scent is a deep red merlot with a faint hint of leather, sexual musk and body heat over crushed roses, violets and myrtle.“ – https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/ars-amatoria/wanda/

Oil Color: A pinked Rose wine color.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features an Art-Deco inspired phoenix with name of the company next to the phoenix. On the other side, the title of the scent written in large, clear black font outlined with red on the front.

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/ars-amatoria/wanda/

Scent:

• In the Imp (ITI):  Strong red wine and leather.  Eh…I just am not fond of wine notes, I think.
• Wet:  Ugh, just too much wine. I get leather and roses underneath, which I enjoy.  However, the entirety of the scent just isn’t working well with my skin chemistry.
• Dry: The wine has faded considerably and provides just  a tint to the crushed roses, violet, and musk.  Much better dried.

Other Impressions:  “Dude, it smells like plantains and rotting vegetables.  It’s terrible.  I don’t like it.  Never mind, I farted.  That was my a$$.  But it still smells faintly of rotting plant material.”  -Tony

Day 389 – BPAL’s Amaterasu v2

Tags

BPAL, clearing out the cobwebs, clearing out the cobwebs 5, cream, dark delicacies, dark delicacies trunk show, event exclusive, floral, Musk, sandalwood, vanilla

Scent Name:  Amaterasu v2

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Event Exclusive: Clearing Out the Cobwebs 5: Dark Delicacies Trunk Show, 6/04/10

Scent Description and Notes: “None” -BPAL

Oil Color:  A faint champagne color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a sniffie with enough left to test.  The label is simply a sticky yellow dot with the name and version written on it.

Scent: 

• ITI:  I get vanilla, musk, light floral, and something that reads as a perfumy note. – a light a feminine higher-end perfume, though
• Wet: More vanilla musk with a slightly creamy mid-tone and something that smells like…daffodils, I think.  It’s rather feminine and sweet without smelling like a scent your 12-year old niece would wear.
• Dry:  Now, there is a faint sandalwood quality to the vanilla musk – light and gently resinous.  There is still a floral quality, but it is much lighter than before.  I like it and I’m considering tracking more than this sniffie down!

Other Impressions: “It smells pleasant, but I don’t really know what it is.”  -Tony

Day 388 – BPAL’s Iranian Galbanum

Tags

balsamic, BPAL, discontinued, galbanum, green, Iranian galbanum, limited edition, metallic, resin, single notes, tart, wood

Scent Name:  Iranian Galbanum

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Single Notes: Discontinued 10/25/12-11/26/12

Scent Description and Notes: “Iranian Galbanum possesses a complex tart, green, resinous scent that is strangely amorphous and mercurial. There is a balsamic woody tone to it at times, and at others, it appears metallic and aldehydic. Galbanum corresponds to the Fool and the element Air, and embodies the qualities of innocence and surrender. The scent is calming and meditative; the oil can be utilized for self-reflection, initiating new beginnings, and soothing wounded souls.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a sniffie from ralenth.  It features a half label with the name of the scent and company acronym on the front  within parenthetical decanting information framing it.  The back features scent notes.

Scent: 

• ITI:  Sharp, green, acerbic newly cut saplings and crushed insects. I do not like this at all based on the imp scent.
• Wet: Ok, it’s still green and bitter, but I get something more resinous on my skin and something just a touch powdery.  The green is now a crushed grass with dandelion stems. The resinous quality keeps developing to the extent that it rivals the intensity of the green, but does not overpower it. 
• Dry:  It’s back to acerbic and green, but still resinous.  It’s taken on a slightly smoky and woodsy quality, but not enough to make me want to get anything more than the sniffie I have. 

Other Impressions: “Wait, I know exactly what that smell is.  It’s cut dandelions, specifically the stems that have been freshly cut.  That is exactly what it is.  I don’t like it, but some people might.  I’m not passing judgement, but I’m saying that’s what I got.”  -Tony

Day 387 – BPAL’s Rum-Soaked French Tonka

Tags

almond, balsam, BPAL, clove, discontinued, In Memoriam, rum, single notes, Tonka, vanilla, vanilla balsam

Scent Name:  Rum-Soaked French Tonka

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Single Notes: Discontinued 10/25/12-11/26/12

Scent Description and Notes: “RUM-SOAKED FRENCH TONKA
I love the hell out of tonka, but using the absolute in perfumery is not a particularly great idea: tonka beans possess a high concentration of coumarin, an anticoagulant that is toxic to both the liver and kidneys, and might be carcinogenic to boot. Not fun stuff! Our tonka accord is a sweet, warmly sensual fragrance redolent of a vaguely clove-touched deep, dark vanilla balsam that has been lightly sweetened with almond and rum.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a sniffie from ralenth.  It features a half label with the name of the scent and company acronym on the front  within parenthetical decanting information framing it.  The back features scent notes.

Scent: 

• ITI:  Ooey, goodey rum-infused cake.  That’s interesting, as I was expecting tonka.
• Wet: Heavy vanilla-infused rum with the smoky complexity of tonka.  It’s a little too much on the foody side for me. 
• Dry:  As it starts to dry, the more woodsy qualities of tonka come out, which mingles with the rum-sweetened vanilla.  I want to taste it more than I want to wear it. 

Other Impressions: “Like coffee cake.” -Tony

Day 386 – BPAL’s Blauer Mond 2012

Tags

a little lunacy, a little lunacy 2012, Ambergris, ambergris accord, BPAL, cucumber, Frankincense, hyssop, In Memoriam, jasmine, Lavender, limited edition, night-blooming jasmine, pine, Sage, sea buckthorn berry, Terebinth pine, violet, violet leaf, white sage

Scent Name:  Blauer Mond 2012

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  A Little Lunacy: 7/31/12-8/3/12

Scent Description and Notes: “Brian’s interpretation of the Blue Moon. A glimmer of hope emerging from a sea of dreams: sea buckthorn berry, terebinth pine, frankincense, hyssop, white sage, Neptune’s night-blooming jasmine, cucumber, lavender, ambergris accord, and violet leaf.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  A bright, sunny yellow.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a sniffie from ralenth.  It features a half label with the name of the scent and company acronym on the front  within parenthetical decanting information framing it.  The back features scent notes.

Scent: 

• ITI: Wow, that’s really clean and fresh.  I get lavender, cucumber, sage, pine, and frankincense.
• Wet: Sage comes on more strongly on my skin, followed by the lavender, pine, and then the cucumber, which I adore.  There is a floral tone to it now from the jasmine and violet.  Gorgeous! 
• Dry:  Faint lavender, violet leaf, warm ambergris (super light though), and cucumber.  It’s rather lovely and I regret not getting a bottle. 
  

Other Impressions: “Rosemary, lemongrass?  and Parsley?  Is there parsley in there?” -Tony

Day 385 – BPAL’s Mariposita

Tags

BPAL, forum only, Happy Birthday Lilith, honey, Lavender, limited edition, soap, strawberry, sunshine

Scent Name:  Mariposita

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Happy Birthday Lilith: Limited Edition Forum Only

Scent Description and Notes: “At night, just before we start our bedtime ritual, Lilith climbs onto my lap, and we snuggle while we watch a little tv. She leans her head back onto me and settles in, and all I know in that instant is the warmth of my love for her. Her hair smells like soap and lavender, her skin smells like honey and sunshine, and everything is touched by the scent of the strawberries she’s always eating.

There are few moments in my life where I find myself completely at peace: this one of them. Very little can compare with the simple pleasure of holding my daughter.

My Lilith, you have turned my world upside-down in the strangest and most wonderful of ways. There are no words that can describe moments like this, and there are no words that can truly capture how much I love you. Happy birthday, baby.  Soap, lavender, heony, sunshine, and strawberries.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  Clear.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a sniffie from ralenth.  It features a half label with the name of the scent and company acronym on the front  within parenthetical decanting information framing it.  The back features scent notes.

Scent: 

• ITI:  I get strawberry cream and light smelling soap.  The combination is sweet but enjoyable.
• Wet: Strawberry cream, soft and sweetly delicious, a touch of lavender, and light soap.  It does remind me of a spring picnic sipping strawberry tea in a field of lavender. 
• Dry:  As it starts to dry, the lavender becomes more strongly apparent, but I enjoy that. Sadly, the lavender recedes as it dries down.  Once dry, the strawberry becomes less creamy and more candy sweet as the honey emerges.  

Other Impressions: “Vanilla and melon.” -Tony

Day 384 – BPAL’s Venusian Phoenix

Tags

apple, apple blossom, benzoin, BPAL, BPAL 10 year anniversary 2012, BPAL Anniversary, cardamon, cherry, hibiscus, In Memoriam, lemon verbena, limited edition, red rose, red sandalwood, Rose, sandalwood, sweet cherry, tomato, tomato leaf, Tonka, vetiver

Scent Name:  Venusian Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  BPAL 10 year anniversary, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “HEAV’NLY, illustrious, laughter-loving queen,
Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien;
Crafty, from whom necessity first came,
Producing, nightly, all-connecting dame:
‘Tis thine the world with harmony to join,
For all things spring from thee, O pow’r divine.
The triple Fates are rul’d by thy decree,
And all productions yield alike to thee:
Whate’er the heav’ns, encircling all contain,
Earth fruit-producing, and the stormy main,
Thy sway confesses, and obeys thy nod,
Awful attendant of the brumal God:
Goddess of marriage, charming to the sight,
Mother of Loves, whom banquetings delight;
Source of persuasion, secret, fav’ring queen,
Illustrious born, apparent and unseen:
Spousal, lupercal, and to men inclin’d,
Prolific, most-desir’d, life-giving., kind:
Great sceptre-bearer of the Gods, ’tis thine,
Mortals in necessary bands to join;
And ev’ry tribe of savage monsters dire
In magic chains to bind, thro’ mad desire.
Come, Cyprus-born, and to my pray’r incline,
Whether exalted in the heav’ns you shine,
Or pleas’d in Syria’s temple to preside,
Or o’er th’ Egyptian plains thy car to guide,
Fashion’d of gold; and near its sacred flood,
Fertile and fam’d to fix thy blest abode;
Or if rejoicing in the azure shores,
Near where the sea with foaming billows roars,
The circling choirs of mortals, thy delight,
Or beauteous nymphs, with eyes cerulean bright,
Pleas’d by the dusty banks renown’d of old,
To drive thy rapid, two-yok’d car of gold;
Or if in Cyprus with thy mother fair,
Where married females praise thee ev’ry year,
And beauteous virgins in the chorus join,
Adonis pure to sing and thee divine;
Come, all-attractive to my pray’r inclin’d,
For thee, I call, with holy, reverent mind.

A blessing of beauty, passion, and kindness: red rose, benzoin, apple blossom, lemon verbena, red sandalwood, rose mint, sweet cherry, hibiscus, cardamom, tonka, tomato leaf, and vetiver.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color:  Nearly clear, although it reads slightly peachy.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of a phoenix ascending from the sun.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI:  That’s rather pretty.  I get hibiscus, apple blossom, lemon verbena, and vetiver.
• Wet: First applied, the apple blossom is stronger than in the bottle.  It mingles with the sweet cherry and hibiscus as the tomato leaf vetiver, and red rose settle as mid notes. 
  
• Dry:  Verbena, vetiver, apple blossom, , rose, and cherry are left after 30 minutes. The throw is somewhat weak, but it’s a pleasant scent. 

Other Impressions: None.

Day 383 – BPAL’s Solar Phoenix

Tags

bay, bay laurel, BPAL, BPAL 10 year anniversary 2012, BPAL Anniversary, Ceylon cinnamon, chamomile, cinnamon, Frankincense, heliotrope, In Memoriam, laurel, limited edition, pineapple, Roman chamomile, Rose, yellow rose

Scent Name:  Solar Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  BPAL 10 year anniversary, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “HEAR golden Titan, whose eternal eye
With broad survey, illumines all the sky.
Self-born, unwearied in diffusing light,
And to all eyes the mirrour of delight:
Lord of the seasons, with thy fiery car
And leaping coursers, beaming light from far:
With thy right hand the source of morning light,
And with thy left the father of the night.
Agile and vig’rous, venerable Sun,
Fiery and bright around the heav’ns you run.
Foe to the wicked, but the good man’s guide,
O’er all his steps propitious you preside:
With various founding, golden lyre, ’tis mine
To fill the world with harmony divine.
Father of ages, guide of prosp’rous deeds,
The world’s commander, borne by lucid steeds,
Immortal Jove, all-searching, bearing light,
Source of existence, pure and fiery bright
Bearer of fruit, almighty lord of years,
Agil and warm, whom ev’ry pow’r reveres.
Great eye of Nature and the starry skies,
Doom’d with immortal flames to set and rise
Dispensing justice, lover of the stream,
The world’s great despot, and o’er all supreme.
Faithful defender, and the eye of right,
Of steeds the ruler, and of life the light:
With founding whip four fiery steeds you guide,
When in the car of day you glorious ride.
Propitious on these mystic labours shine,
And bless thy suppliants with a life divine.

A blessing of nobility, leadership, and generosity: Roman chamomile, yellow rose, pineapple, bay laurel, frankincense, heliotrope, and Ceylon cinnamon.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color:  A very fainted yellowed linen.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of a phoenix ascending from the sun.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI:  Hmm.  It smells like the stuff people use to cure fake nails – acetone (I think) and something a little floral.
• Wet:  It still has that acetone smell with bay, rose, and cinnamon mixed in.  I’m still not very fond of it.
  
• Dry: The acetone scent has faded and I’m left with something far more pleasant.  I now get cinnamon, rose, frankincense, bay, and a touch of pineapple and something that reads as vanilla.  

Other Impressions: “It smells like a holiday candle with orange peel and a little vanilla.”  -Tony

Day 382 – BPAL’s Jupiterian Phoenix

Tags

BPAL, BPAL 10 year anniversary 2012, BPAL Anniversary, Cedar, clove, green tea, Himalayan cedar, hyssop, In Memoriam, juniper, juniper berries, limited edition, nutmeg, pine, sarsaparilla, tea, Terebinth pine

Scent Name:  Jupiterian Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  BPAL 10 year anniversary, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “O Jove much-honor’d, Jove supremely great,
To thee our holy rites we consecrate,
Our pray’rs and expiations, king divine,
For all things round thy head exalted shine.
The earth is thine, and mountains swelling high,
The sea profound, and all within the sky.
Saturnian king, descending from above,
Magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove;
All-parent, principle and end of all,
Whose pow’r almighty, shakes this earthly ball;
Ev’n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod,
Loud-sounding, arm’d with light’ning, thund’ring God.
Source of abundance, purifying king,
O various-form’d from whom all natures spring;
Propitious hear my pray’r, give blameless health,
With peace divine, and necessary wealth.

A blessing of optimism, prosperity, and sound judgment: sarsaparilla, juniper berries, Himalayan cedar, Terebinth pine, sweet clove, green tea, nutmeg, and hyssop.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color:  A greenish yellow oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of a phoenix ascending from the sun.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI:  The first note is rather sweet and floral, the clove and hyssop I’m assuming, but the juniper berries and pine quickly follow.  I can’t smell much else aside from those.
• Wet:  Clove, nutmeg, hyssop, pine, juniper, and a touch of sarsaparilla and the warmth of green tea.  It’s invigorating, really. 
  
• Dry:  After 14 hours, I only get faint clove.  After reapplication, the pine, juniper, clove, green tea, and sarsaparilla blend nicely together.

Other Impressions: “Celery seed, peach, and I’m not sure if that is frankincense or myrrh.” -Tony smelling while scent is wet.

Day 381 – BPAL’s Mercurian Phoenix

Tags

angelica root, anise, bergamot, BPAL, BPAL 10 year anniversary 2012, BPAL Anniversary, gum Arabic, gum mastic, In Memoriam, Lavender, lemongrass, limited edition, sandalwood, yellow sandalwood

Scent Name:  Mercurian Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  BPAL 10 year anniversary, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “HERMES, draw near, and to my pray’r incline, Angel of Jove, and Maia’s son divine; Studious of contests, ruler of mankind, With heart almighty, and a prudent mind. Celestial messenger, of various skill, Whose pow’rful arts could watchful Argus kill: With winged feet, ’tis thine thro’ air to course, O friend of man, and prophet of discourse: Great life-supporter, to rejoice is thine, In arts gymnastic, and in fraud divine: With pow’r endu’d all language to explain, Of care the loos’ner, and the source of gain. Whose hand contains of blameless peace the rod, Corucian, blessed, profitable God; Of various speech, whose aid in works we find, And in necessities to mortals kind: Dire weapon of the tongue, which men revere, Be present, Hermes, and thy suppliant hear; Assist my works, conclude my life with peace, Give graceful speech, and me memory’s increase.

A blessing of wit, opportunity, and skill: yellow sandalwood, bergamot, gum mastic, gum Arabic, lavender, lemongrass, angelica root, and anise.“ -BPAL.org

Oil Color:  A faint yellow, like a light yellow diamond.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of a phoenix ascending from the sun.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI:  Lavender, lemongrass, and bergamot.  It’s a light and citrus-like combination.
• Wet:  It’s very similar to the bottle, but I get something slightly earthy as well, which might be the angelica root. 
• Dry:  This doesn’t last as long as its previous counterpart, so I have to reapply once I get home.  Lemongrass is wholly dominant, followed by very faint lavender and angelica root.  I think I would like this better if the lemongrass let a little more of the scent’s complexity shine through. 

Other Impressions: “Citrusy, like citronella.” -Tony

Day 380 – BPAL’s Martian Phoenix

Tags

black pepper, bloodroot, BPAL, BPAL 10 year anniversary 2012, BPAL Anniversary, cactus, cactus flower, cumin, dragon's blood, fig, galangal, In Memoriam, limited edition, opoponax, pepper, peppermint, resin, thistle, thistle extract, tobacco, tobacco absolute, white fig

Scent Name:  Martian Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  BPAL 10 year anniversary, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “Magnanimous, unconquer’d, boistrous Mars,
In darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars
Fierce and untam’d, whose mighty pow’r can make
The strongest walls from their foundations shake:
Mortal destroying king, defil’d with gore,
Pleas’d with war’s dreadful and tumultuous roar:
Thee, human blood, and swords, and spears delight,
And the dire ruin of mad savage fight.
Stay, furious contests, and avenging strife,
Whose works with woe, embitter human life;
To lovely Venus, and to Bacchus yield,
To Ceres give the weapons of the field;
Encourage peace, to gentle works inclin’d,
And give abundance, with benignant mind.

A blessing of strength, energy, and courage: dragon’s blood, thistle extract, galangal, opoponax, tobacco absolute, cactus flower, peppermint, black pepper, cumin, white fig, and bloodroot.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  A satsuma colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of a phoenix ascending from the sun.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI:  It’s a spicy, resinous blend.  Dragon’s blood is clear to my nose, as is the cumin, white pepper, thistle, and the opoponax.
• Wet:  Dragon’s blood, pepper, opoponax, thistle, cumin, and peppermint.  Yummy.  
  
• Dry:  It’s sweet and earthy (fig), resinous, and soft.  It’s lasted 13 hours and is wonderfully pleasant here.  This is the stand-out scent for me so far among the Anniversary scents.

Other Impressions:  “Butter, cumin, and some kind of flower, like violet.  It’s hard to tell over the butter and cumin, though.”  -Tony

Day 379 – BPAL’s Saturnian Phoenix

Tags

BPAL, BPAL 10 year anniversary 2012, BPAL Anniversary, cassia, cypress, In Memoriam, lily, limited edition, myrrh, opium poppy, opium., pomegranate, poppy, tamarind, violet, white lily

Scent Name:  Saturnian Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  BPAL 10 year anniversary, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “SATURNIAN PHOENIX
ETHERIAL father, mighty Titan, hear,
Great fire of Gods and men, whom all revere:
Endu’d with various council, pure and strong,
To whom perfection and decrease belong.
Consum’d by thee all forms that hourly die,
By thee restor’d, their former place supply;
The world immense in everlasting chains,
Strong and ineffable thy pow’r contains
Father of vast eternity, divine,
O mighty Saturn, various speech is thine:
Blossom of earth and of the starry skies,
Husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wife.
Obstetric Nature, venerable root,
From which the various forms of being shoot;
No parts peculiar can thy pow’r enclose,
Diffus’d thro’ all, from which the world arose,
O, best of beings, of a subtle mind,
Propitious hear to holy pray’rs inclin’d;
The sacred rites benevolent attend,
And grant a blameless life, a blessed end.

A blessing of stability, manifestation, and wisdom-from-sorrow: cypress, myrrh, white lily, cassia, violet, pomegranate, tamarind, and opium poppy.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color:  A dark honeyed oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of a phoenix ascending from the sun.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI:  It’s a pretty floral while still being somewhat astringent.  The water lily and cypress are the most dominant notes followed by the opium poppy and the tamarind.
• Wet: I get a good deal of cypress, myrrh, and tamarind upon application,  but I get get a subtle floral undertone when I delve past the top notes. 
• Dry:  Tamarind, opium poppy, myrrh, lily, and faint violet with a little fruit somewhere.  It’s an intriguing scent – soft while still being complex.    

Other Impressions: “It smells like baby oil and cherries.” -Tony

Day 378 – BPAL’s The Smilin’ Servitors’ Hyperdimensional Holiday Hits

Tags

bergamot, BPAL, copaiba oleoresin, eucalyptus, jasmine, lemon, limited edition, massoia, night-blooming jasmine, oleoresin, Sicilian lemon, the miskatonic valley yuletide faire, the miskatonic valley yuletide faire 2012, white bergamot, yule, yules 2012, yuzu

Scent Name:  The Smilin’ Servitors’ Hyperdimensional Holiday Hits

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  The Miskatonic Valley Yuletide Faire, 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “THE SMILIN’ SERVITORS’ HYPERDIMENSIONAL HOLIDAY HITS
As seen on tv!

A musical extravaganza of madness, terror, and woe! Twenty-three insane interstellar holiday hits from everyone’s favorite amorphous toad pipers, including “Doom to the World” and “Here We Go to Sacrifice”!

A discordant scent, silvery and strange like a lunatic’s tinsel garland: freesia, eucalyptus, and yuzu, with sicilian lemon, massoia, opoponax, night-blooming jasmine, white bergamot, and copaiba oleoresin.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  An apple cider color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Absinthetics.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the title of the scent in orange, the company acronym in bold, and her decanting information. The front has a picture of three multiple-eyed, tentacle-adorned creatures holding caroling books while singing.

Image from blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent:

• ITI:  Yuzu and bergamot.  The yuzu, however, really dominates the scent in the bottle.
• Wet: Why, hello there yuzu and lemon.  I see you want to just jump off my skin today.  Hanging on to the exuberant citrus, I get the bergamot, hints of eucalyptus, and the oleoresin. 
• Dry:  Lemon, yuzu (still dominant), but not nearly as overpowering as the oleoresin and bergamot soften and deepent the scent. It’s interesting, and something that I’d like to smell like more often.  

Other Impressions: “Yuzu.  That’s it.  It’s really strong yuzu.” -Tony