Day 1685 – BPAL’s Queen Butterfly

Tags

Amber, BPAL, Genius Loci, Genius Loci: Los Angeles, golden musk, honey, In Memoriam, labdanum, Musk, orange, orange blossom, orange blossom honey, patchouli, patchouli root, plum, red labdanum, russet amber, wild plum

Scent Name: Queen Butterfly

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Genius Loci: Los Angeles

Scent Description and Notes: ”

Lady Butterfly
perfumes her wings
by floating over this orchid

Russet amber and orange blossom honey, red labdanum and wild plum, golden musk and a rustle of patchouli root.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/limited-edition-in-memoriam/queen-butterfly/

Oil Color: A cheery yellow oil on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown 5ml bottle.  The label features the name of the collection in bold white block font aligned along the top, which is echoed by the name of the company in the same font along the bottom.  The name of the scent is in a shadowed white script-like font of larger size just above the image name.  The bottle art is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/limited-edition-in-memoriam/queen-butterfly/

Scent: 

• ITI: At first sniff, I’m met with orange blossom and hints of patchouli that give way to what strikes me as sweet sarsaparilla, which I imagine might be from the russet amber and plum.
• Wet: Orange blossom, honeyed amber, floral patchouli, and plum with a soft russet amber and labdanum with a dab of honey.  All together, it still reminds me of sarsaparilla, or more specifically, those root beer-flavored Necco wafers, but with orange blossom floral tones.
• Dry: After 6 hours, orange blossom honey with a dash of amber and plum still linger, and with  about an 1″ of throw, too!  It’s certainly a pretty scent, especially now that it’s lost most of the root-beer tones of earlier.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1683 – BPAL’s Western Pygmy

Tags

Amber, black currant, blackcurrant, blue lotus, blue lotus petal, blueberry, BPAL, coconut, coconut amber, currant, dried blueberry, Genius Loci, Genius Loci: Los Angeles, In Memoriam, khus, Lilac, lotus, patchouli, tobacco, tobacco absolute, tobacco petal

Scent Name: Western Pygmy

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Genius Loci: Los Angeles

Scent Description and Notes: “A flutter of bronze and azure blue: coconut amber, patchouli and tobacco absolute with blue lotus petal, lilac, tobacco petal, dried blueberry and blackcurrant, and khus.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/limited-edition-in-memoriam/western-pygmy-blue/

Oil Color: A pleasing creamy pollen 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 name of the scent in orange bold font, and her decanting information in green.  The font of the label features the sample label art as the bottle.

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/limited-edition-in-memoriam/western-pygmy-blue/

Scent: 

• ITI: Brushed blueberry juice, currant, and golden coconut laced with tobacco meet my nose.  It’s warm and dry while being juicy and soft.  Interesting.
• Wet: The blueberry isn’t so forward, but I’d still say that it’s the top note immediately, with a trace of blue lotus petals and currant.  A lovely toasted coconut amber warms after a couple minutes followed by khus, which is just a bit confusing here. It’s not bad at all.
• Dry: Soft, warm, ans gently sweet. Coconut amber with a hints of tobacco and a whisper of a blue-ish floral linger on my skin after 4 hours.  It’s pleasant and certainly would be great for anyone who likes a toasted, exotic coconut scent tone to their scents.

Other Impressions: “It’s like a tiny bit of rose but mostly cocoa butter suntan oil.” -Tony

Day 1675 – BPAL’s Minamoto No Yorimasa and the Lotus Flower

Tags

Amber, black amber, black currant, blackcurrant, blue lotus, blue lotus absolute, BPAL, currant, Frankincense, In Memoriam, lotus, lotus petals, lotus root, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2015, Lupercalia 2015: Shunga, Lupercalia 2015: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, petals, Shunga, Shunga 2015

Scent Name: Minamoto No Yorimasa and the Lotus Flower

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2015: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “MINAMOTO NO YORIMASA AND THE LOTUS FLOWER

Lotus root, lotus petals, and blue lotus absolute with frankincense, black amber, and blackcurrant.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A pleasing candied nectarine colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a woodblock print of the mythic Minamoto transfigured from a painting into the form of a man (complete with his tell-tale black hat), making love to a female deity holding a lotus, surrounded by her flying scarves. 

Image from https://www.shungagalleryshop.com/artist/utagawa-kunisada/ghost-scene—vernal-love

Scent:

• ITI: Black currant musk layered over cool, watery, waxy floral tones.  I’m not getting the normal Lab lotus note, which skews bubblegum-y to me, thankfully.  It reads more like a watery magnolia note more than lotus.
• Wet: Ah, there’s the frankincense, although it’s darkened with black currant tendrils, juicy and  deeply purplish red over a subdued waxy, watery floral. Interesting. After about 3 minutes, a subtle but pleasant bubblegum tone rises, huskily wrapped in resin and black currant, which tempers the sweetness of the lotus.
• Dry: After 3 hours, the scent settles in a lovely black currant-darkened amber threaded with frankincense smoke and a very light impression of the sweetness of lotus petals.  It’s a lot darker than anticipated, but almost jam-like.  It makes my mouth water.

Other Impressions: “It’s like musky, leathery, and maybe violet way in the background…something floral way in the background.” -Tony

Day 1662 – BPAL’s The High-Ranking Courtesan

Tags

Amber, ambrette, BPAL, butter, chocolate, Florentine iris, grey amber, In Memoriam, iris, iris butter, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2016, Lupercalia 2016: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Musk, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, peony, rice, rice powder, Shunga, Shunga 2016, vegetal musk, white ambrette, white chocolate, white peony

Scent Name: The High-Ranking Courtesan

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2016: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “White peony and Florentine iris butter gilded by white ambrette, rice powder, grey amber, pale vegetal musk, and white chocolate.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: The color of champagne.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a woodblock print of a fully bedecked oiran on her side with kimono expertly hiked, engaging in coitus with a kabuki actor, whose kimono has been moved aside deftly.

Scent:

• ITI: Oh, I wasn’t expecting powdered hot chocolate.  That’s mostly what I’m picking up, but I think I detected a ghostly iris butter for a split second before it vanished behind the chocolate note.
• Wet: Hot chocolate powder and peony are the main notes so far, but I am picking up on a powdery musk and a touch of ambrette.  I’m still not in love with that chocolate note, though.  I could do without it.
• Dry: Now that it’s had a good 5 hours under its belt to develop, it’s much less of a chocolate overload and more and a vaguely chocolate powdered rice treat with a hint of peony.  Much better, but not my cup of tea.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1655 – BPAL’s Embracing Komachi

Tags

Amber, angelica, angelica seed, BPAL, coconut, grey amber, In Memoriam, iris, iris blossom, Leather, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2016, Lupercalia 2016: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Shunga, Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Shunga 2016, soft white leather, violet, violet leaf, white leather

I just realized that I have 21 more older Lupercalia imps to review (of which I know).  Yikes! I’m sure this will keep me occupied until the I get my decants from from the Lab’s current Lupercalia release.

Scent Name: Embracing Komachi

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2016: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “Iris blossom, violet leaf, grey amber, soft white leather, a drop of coconut and a sliver of angelica seed.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A lovely snow in the sunlight colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a woodblock print of two figures, a woman whose back is toward the viewer and another who is facing toward her.  I can’t see much more detail than that, however.

Scent:

• ITI: Iris and violet florals shrouded in a silvered cool mist.  I’m not getting much else beyond that.  I am a little worried about that iris on my skin, though.
• Wet: Phew, yep, that iris sure is buggy on my skin.  I’m having trouble getting past that note. Part of me is debating washing it off, but I do want to smell how it shifts once it dries. I think there might be a hint of coconut there, but the iris dominates excessively for me.
• Dry: This didn’t last the 8 hours between home and work, so I had to retest.  After 1 hour, I’m still getting silvered iris with a hint of violet, although a sliver of leather fades in and out of detection.  It isn’t enough to save it for me.  In the swap pile it goes.

Other Impressions: “There’s something lightly burnt, but also leathery.  Actually, yeah, it’s like leather and Russian tea.”-Tony

Day 1652 – BPAL’s You Get What Anybody Gets – You Get a Lifetime

Tags

Amber, attar of oudh, black amber, blackened champaca, Casmir wood, champaca, champaca blossom, dried fig, fig, myrrh, neil gaiman, Neil Gaiman's Sandman, Oneiros: A Hymn to Morpheus, oudh, wood

Scent Name: You Get What Anybody Gets – You Get a Lifetime

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Neil Gaiman’s Sandman: Oneiros: A Hymn to Morpheus

Scent Description and Notes: “An unimaginably ancient scent, older than time. The gentle, fluttering embrace of oblivion: myrrh and blackened champaca blossom, attar of oudh, black amber, Casmir wood, and dried fig.

Words by Neil Gaiman, art by David Mack.‘” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/neil-gaiman/oneiros-a-hymn-to-morpheus-sandman/you-get-what-anybody-gets-you-get-a-lifetime-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: A light rum colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Yowahoshihime. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information.   The front features the label art and scent name, which appears as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/neil-gaiman/oneiros-a-hymn-to-morpheus-sandman/you-get-what-anybody-gets-you-get-a-lifetime-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: Austere, shadowed woods and dark champaca blossoms with a dash of oudh.  It’s intriguing for sure.
• Wet: The oudh is strongly primal on my skin, so it shifts the scent to unsettling and vaguely unpleasant for me. It reminds me of crushed flowers and insects, and a hint of animal excretion. As it starts to settle, I can pick up more of the wood and champaca tones, thankfully.  However, there is a sense of the shadow here, looming at the heels of the scent.
• Dry: Okay, that’s gorgeous now that it has had a full nearly 6 hours to settle.The myrrh and amber twine deliciously, sweetened with a hint of dark fig, atop a shadowed wood. It’s sacred, wizened, alluring, and complex.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1651- BPAL’s Dreams Shape the World

Tags

agar, Amber, BPAL, fossilized amber, Lavender, moon, moonlit musk, Musk, neil gaiman, Neil Gaiman's Sandman, Oneiros: A Hymn to Morpheus, sweet agarwood, wood

Scent Name: Dreams Shape the World

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Neil Gaiman’s Sandman: Oneiros: A Hymn to Morpheus

Scent Description and Notes: “Amorphous streams and sparks of lavender fancies drifting through a moonlit musk, given form on this plane by fossilized amber and sweet agarwood.

Words by Neil Gaiman, art by David Mack.‘” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/neil-gaiman/oneiros-a-hymn-to-morpheus-sandman/dreams-shape-the-world-perfume-draft/

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Yowahoshihime. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information.   The front features the label art and scent name, which appears as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/neil-gaiman/oneiros-a-hymn-to-morpheus-sandman/dreams-shape-the-world-perfume-draft/

Scent:

• ITI:  Lavender is definitely the top note, but it’s not a sweet English lavender but much more assertive. Amber hovers like a low-lying mist below the lavender, mingled with a silvered musk.  It’s a fitting scent for Morpheus.
• Wet: Herbal lavender is the clearest top note.  Something has a light bugginess, much like iris does on my skin, but I’m not sure which note would lend itself to that.
• Dry: Wow, that fades down into something much sweeter- a soft amber musk with a hint of woodiness.  I’m not sure where the lavender went, but I like the dried version nonetheless.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1650 – BPAL’s Ivory Vulva

Tags

Amber, BPAL, coconut, cream, cream accord, golden amber, In Memoriam, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2015, Lupercalia 2015: Shunga, Lupercalia 2015: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, macadamia, macadamia milk, mallow, marshmallow, marshmallow root, milk, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Shunga, Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Shunga 2015

Scent Name: Ivory Vulva

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2015: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “IVORY VULVA

Marshmallow root, coconut, macadamia milk, cream accord, and a drop of golden amber.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A pleasing peach-colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is an image of a the lower half of a woman, vulva displayed, held within an abalone shell.

Scent:

• ITI:  Whoo, that’s sweet – think cream, almost oppressively so, drenched in sweetly nutty macadamia milk, a hint of lightly toasted coconut, and warm amber makes this a decadently alluring foody scent.
• Wet: Thankfully, the cream isn’t as strong on my skin.  The toasted coconut and macadamia milk take the lead, just over the mallow and amber cream.  It reminds me of a refined pastry at a French bakery.
• Dry: Macadamia milk and coconut-sweetened marshmallow with a hint of  cream dance on my skin 4 hours after application.  While this is still foody and sweet, but’s a pleasant balance that isn’t cloying.  I like it.

Other Impressions: “It smells like pumpkin spice coconut.” -Tony

Day 1642 – BPAL’s Maidens in Repose

Tags

Amber, anise, black amber, Ceylong cinnamon, cinnamon, Incense, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2016, Lupercalia 2016: Shunga, Lupercalia 2016: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, pale incense, Shunga, Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Shunga 2016, Somalian myrrh, star anise

Scent Name: Maidens in Repose

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2016: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “Black amber, Ceylon cinnamon, Somalian myrrh, and pale incense laced with star anise.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A cherried bronze.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a shunga woodblock print of three courtesans in various states of undress, reclining while pleasuring themselves.

Scent:

• ITI:  That’s so strange.  I’m certainly getting Ceylon cinnamon, but something reminds me of a strong soap.
• Wet: I don’t know why, but this seems like kitchen-spice cleaning product on my skin.  The individual notes usually work with my skin chemistry, but something is just off.
• Dry: Thankfully, a 10 hours dry-down does this scent some good: hints of cinnamon and faded incense with a whisper of star anise.  Much better.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1639 – BPAL’s Fire of Love

Tags

Amber, bewitching brews, BPAL, cologne, general catalog, ginger, ground ginger, mahogany, Musk, pepper, wood

Scent Name: Fire of Love

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Bewitching Brews

Scent Description and Notes: “A catalytic, potent love oil used to spark (or rekindle) the flame of desire between lovers.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/general-catalogue/fireoflove/

Oil Color: A brilliant polished copper colored oil.

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/in-memoriam/general-catalogue/fireoflove/

Scent: 

• ITI: Hmm, it smells like an amber cologne with a touch of  dry wood in the imp. There’s certainly the impression of warmth to this one.
• Wet: Yes, there’s definitely wood in here, specifically mahogany I think, with some amber cologne and perhaps some faded ground ginger or even a dash of pepper below that.
• Dry: After 7 hours, there’s only a whisper of a warm, faded wood musk with a touch of spice.  I would have expected this to have more staying power, but it looks like it peters would around the 3 hours mark on my skin. Upon reapplication and 30 minute dry-time, I’m picking up a burnt wood creosote-like note, although the mahogany and amber cologne are still present just underneath.  It’s interesting and I think I like it, but I imagine this would be amazing on my husband.

Other Impressions: “Is that sandalwood or cedar?  Some kind of astringent wood with witch hazel in the background. It’s nice.  I like it!” -Tony

Day 1634 – BPAL’s Bakeneko

Tags

a little lunacy, A Little Lunacy 2007, Amber, amber musk, black leaf tea, black tea, BPAL, cardamom, cherry blossom, cinnamon, In Memoriam, Musk, satsuma, Satsuma tangerine, tangerine, tea

Scent Name: Bakeneko

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – A Little Lunacy: February 2007

Scent Description and Notes: “In sharp contrast to the stark sterility of Hunger Moon, we present a carnivorous chaotic charmer: the bakeneko. The Monster Cat is a shapeshifter, and is empowered to take the form of a beautiful woman (to entice lonely gentlemen) or a winsome young maiden (to the peril of childless couples). Though some bakeneko are benevolent, and only wish to find someone to care for them, or to show gratitude to a mortal that has done them a great service, others are furry balls of malevolent mayhem. Their mischief ranges from simply destructive — knocking over lamps and destroying property, tossing ghostly, freezing fireballs from their hands — to horrifying acts of carnage.

Warm amber musk, Satsuma tangerine, black tea leaf, cardamom, cherry blossom and cinnamon.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A dilute Satsuma orange colored oil on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the company in thin warm grey block font along the bottom of the label.  Above that is the name of the scent in a bolded larger red font outlined in a white.  The name of the collection is in the same smaller version as the company name, located at the center top of the label along with the scent date and month. The label art is pictured below:

Image from https://scentbase.com/scents/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-bpal/bakeneko/200809019779

Scent:

• ITB: Wow, that’s gorgeous!  Cardamom spiced black tea over dried tangerine peel and delicate cherry blossoms make for a scent that reminds me of some of BPAL’s Novel Ideas for Secret Amusement scents – delicate, evocative, and pleasantly unusual. 
• Wet: That’s delicious!  Cardamom-spiced tangerine and steaming black tea brush up against delicate cherry blossom before the amber musk adds hints of golden warmth underneath the top citrus spiced tea notes.
• Dry: Amber musk with a hint of black tea and a very mild citrus blush linger on my skin three hours after application.  I wish some of the cherry blossom was still around, but I am still enjoying the scent as is.

Other Impressions: “It smells like sexy Thai coconut soup.” -Tony

Day 1631 – BPAL’s In Splendoribus Sanctorum

Tags

Amber, bergamot, BPAL, Frankincense, gold, golden amber, Italian bergamot, limited edition, yule, Yule 2019, Yules, Yules 2019

Scent Name: In Splendoribus Sanctorum

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “In the brightness of the Saints, from the womb before the Daystar I begot Thee: golden amber, frankincense, and Italian bergamot.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/yule-2019/in-splendoribus-sanctorum-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: An oranged amber color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the company in bolded white block font with a smoked shadow in along the bottom of the label.  Above that is the name of the scent in a bolded larger golden yellow font outlined in a smokey black.  The name of the collection is in a smaller version as the company name located at the center top of the label. The label art is pictured below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/yule-2019/in-splendoribus-sanctorum-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITB: This one doesn’t have much throw in the bottle.  In fact, I’m having difficulty teasing out  much apart from a gold-hued faded bergamot.
• Wet: Very golden still, like an aged, illuminated text.  Golden amber and bergamot with a hint of faded frankincense.  It is surprisingly austere.
• Dry: Okay, that is lovely!  After 6 hours, the resin heart warms, pulsating golden amber and frankincense bliss.  I think my skin ate the bergamot, but as a resin lover, I don’t mind one bit.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1626 – BPAL’s The Poinsettia Gown

Tags

Amber, BPAL, cream, jasmine, jasmine cream, limited edition, mallow, Rose, rose cream, sweet amber, vanilla, vanilla foam, yule, Yule 2019, Yules, Yules 2019

Scent Name: The Poinsettia Gown

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “A perfume simply inspired by a vintage Christmas postcard. Rose cream, jasmine cream, mallow, vanilla foam, and sweet amber.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/yule-2019/the-poinsettia-gown-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: A crisp white wine-colored oil

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Yowahoshihime.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent and her decanting name. The front of the label has the phrase “Yules 2019.”  The label art on the bottle is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/yule-2019/the-poinsettia-gown-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: I only opted for a decant of this once since jasmine and I don’t seem to work out too well.  When I open the imp, I’m met with a creamy mallow note before the jasmine rushes in, screeching loudly against the soft, pleasing mallow. I get hints of amber and a touch of rose at the base of the scent, but jasmine once again overrides any subtly the other notes offer. 
• Wet: It’s much the same on my skin, although it’s more of a rose-mallow that I get first, vaguely sweetened, before the jasmine tries to take over.  Thankfully, it’s a bit better behaved on my skin (a rarity), tempered, I think by the vanilla foam.  There’s only a whisper of amber lending a touch of warmth to the scent, but not defined as a singular note so far.
• Dry: That’s so much nicer once dried!  After 5 hours, the combination of mallow, airy vanilla foam, a rosed jasmine cream, and a touch of warm amber makes for something sugary innocent.  It reminds me of petticoats and petite designer marshmallows.

Other Impressions: “Yeah, I don’t like it.  It smells like oud and something woodsy.” -Tony

Day 1624 – BPAL’s Winter Trees

Tags

Amber, BPAL, fir, fir needles, limited edition, maple, oak, snow, snow-covered maple, snowdrop, Verbena, yellow amber, yule, Yule 2019, Yules, Yules 2019

Scent Name: Winter Trees

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2019

Scent Description and Notes: ”

All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.
– William Carlos Williams

A liquid moon gliding through gaunt branches, illuminating the first quiet buds of spring: pale yellow amber and verbena, snow-covered maple and oak, a scattering of fir needles, and tiny snowdrop petals.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/yule-2019/winter-trees-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: A ginger pepper jelly colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Yowahoshihime.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent and her decanting name. The front of the label has the phrase “Yules 2019.”  The label art on the bottle is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/yule-2019/winter-trees-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: A blast of icy chill through fir trees and bare oaks, the ground thick with snow, dotted with verbena and spare snowdrop flowers.  
• Wet: Thick verbena snow-covered fir needles shine as a cool winterscape with a hint of snowdrops and faded amber-warmed oak.
• Dry: Wow, that shifts to warm amber rays kissing crisp snow shimmering on faded fir trees.  I might debate getting a bottle of this one.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1621 – BPAL’s In Dubiis Libertas

Tags

Amber, benzoin, Black Friday 2019, blue cypress, BPAL, BPAL Event Exclusive, Cyber Monday 2019, cypress, event exclusive, golden amber, In Memoriam, smoke, smoked vanilla, vanilla

Scent Name: In Dubiis Libertas

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2019: Event Exclusive

Scent Description and Notes: “‘In doubtful things, liberty.’ A perfume that celebrates civil rights, true justice, and freedom from authoritarianism: golden amber, smoked vanilla, benzoin, and blue cypress.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: The color of a bold white wine.

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 navy block text outlined in azure blue.

Image courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez.

Scent:

• ITI: Ooh, that’s really pretty.  It’s sweetly smoked vanilla’d amber balanced with a cool, almost breezy cypress with a hint of incense.  
• Wet: Yum!  The amber and benzoin alongside the smoked vanilla are just heaven!  They are resinously sweet, yet there’s something golden and almost fruit line when the three are combined.  The cypress shows up about 5 seconds later, adding a cool, twilight-lit wood to the mix.  Clean, contemplative, warm yet delightfully cool at the same time.  Who knew Doubt would smell so good!
• Dry: Hours later, it is still a glorious mix of golden amber vanilla laced with a sweet undertone of benzoin and faded cypress.  I wish I had more than just an imp of this scent.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1619 – BPAL’s Native Gold Phoenix

Tags

aldehyde, Amber, BPAL, BPAL 17th Anniversary, BPAL Anniversary, BPAL Anniversary 2019, brittle amber, Cedar, Fool's Gold, Geology, Geology 2019, limited edition, minerals, sarsaparilla, tobacco

Scent Name: Native Gold Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – BPAL 17th Anniversary: Geology 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “A solemn paean to the dreams, destruction, despair, and delusions of the Gold Rush: sarsaparilla, cedar, and tobacco glittering with a Fool’s Gold bounty of brittle amber and mineralic aldehydes.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/17th-anniversary/native-gold-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: An ambered apricot jelly color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Yowahoshihime.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the name in green, and her decanting name. The front of the label has the phrase “BPAL 17th Anniversary.” The label art appears as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/17th-anniversary/native-gold-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: Hmm, that’s different than I anticipated.  Full-threat sarsaparilla just over gravely mineral formaldehyde notes, edged with tobacco.  I’m not getting much cedar or amber at this point as the other notes, but we’ll see how skin chemistry changes that. 
• Wet: There’s something here that reminds me of Neco Wafers.  I think it’s the dusky mineral tones alongside the sarsaparilla.  I can picture the chalky powdered surface of those light tan Neco Wafers so clearly when I sniff this.  The aldehyde and tobacco aspect are less pronounced on my skin, although there’s a soft breath of them tinged with faded cedar far in the distance.
• Dry: Dried, mineral sarsaparilla still lingers on my skin, but now infused with a faded brittle amber and the pleasing woody astringency of cedar.  After 12 hours, the scent stays close to the skin, but elements of the scent can be teased out with just a little concentration.  Nice.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1615 – BPAL’s ImPEACHment

Tags

a little lunacy, A Little Lunacy 2019, activism, Amber, apricot, BPAL, Dragon*Con, Dragon*Con2019, Frankincense, honey, honeyed amber, honeyed rose, Musk, Oud, peach, Rose, sweet musk, white oud

My version is from the DragonCon (8/2019), but BPAL since made the scent a general release.  I don’t think much has changed from the original formulation. 

Scent Name: ImPEACHment

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Activism: A Little Lunacy 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “A beam of hope for a happier, safer, kinder future for us all: peach and honeyed amber with frankincense, honeyed rose, white oud, apricot, and sweet musk.

Proceeds benfit the ACLU.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/a-little-lunacy-limited-edition/impeachment-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: Colorless on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a 5ml standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label extends just under halfway around the bottom.  The label features the name of the company in yellow shadowed block at the bottom of the label.  The name of the scent is positioned above that in a yellow and peach version of the same font at the top, while the phrase “Impeach” is positioned in chalky white block font across Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s logo of a sacred heart pierced three times, all of which is set off by a peachy orange background. Image art is as follows:

 

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/a-little-lunacy-limited-edition/impeachment-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITB:  When I smell the bottle, it’s a mouth watering peach and apricot nectar note suffused with rose and honey, with a glitter of amber at the very bottom. Pretty…so far. I’m a bit weary of this one.  It smells like honey and peaches on my friend, but it’s the honey note that tends to turn to urinal puck on me.  Fingers crossed that it behaves on my skin. 
• Wet: The rose now rivals the peach and apricot nectar and amber, which is just lovely with a sprinkle of billowing frankincense, soft oud, and chiffon-like sweet musk.  It’s the honey that’s worrisome.  The honey itself waivers between somewhere between pleasant and urinal cake for me, at least initially. As of this instance, the sweet, softer notes are winning, but I’m going to remain cautious about this one until it’s totally dry.
• Dry: Okay, phew!  I think this one is safe.  After two hours, the scent reads as a soft peach and apricot essence sweetened with a soft, warm amber powdered rose musk.  Pleasant, for sure.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1614 – BPAL’s Nasty Woman

Tags

activism, Amber, amber oud, black fig, bourbon, bourbon vanilla, BPAL, fig, honey, honeyed amber, honeyed amber oud, loukhoum, Oud, patchouli, Rose, sugar, vanilla

Scent Name: Nasty Woman

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Activism

Scent Description and Notes: “As you have no doubt heard, during the third presidential debate, Hillary described her plan to raise taxes on the rich in order to fund Social Security. She took a swing at him over him being a tax dodger (which he is).

“My Social Security payroll contribution will go up, as will Donald’s – if he can’t figure out how to get out of it.”

Trump interrupted her and said, “Such a nasty woman.”

These are two things uttered by the same man within the same hour:

“Such a nasty woman.”

“No one has more respect for women than me.”

Amazing.

Let’s put this pussy-grabbing, racist, predatory, misogynistic, hateful, irresponsible, ignorant, immature grotesquerie out of politics for good, and do what we can to ensure that he and his ilk never cast their miserable shadows over our political process again.

Nasty Woman: black fig and patchouli, filthy bourbon vanilla, honeyed amber oud, and loukhoum.

Proceeds will be split between Planned Parenthood and EMILY’s list: plannedparenthood.org, emilyslist.org

Photo: Women marching in national suffrage demonstration in Washington, D.C., May 9, 1914.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/activism/nasty-woman/

Loukhoum is essentially Turkish Delight, so I’d expect fig, rose, powdered sugar, and perhaps either pistachio or hazelnut.

Oil Color: A gilded orange oil color on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a 5ml standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label extends just under halfway around the bottom.  The label features the name of the company in white block font outlined in grey just below the scent name.  The name of the scent is positioned above that in a larger version justified to the right in a larger version of the same font. Image art is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/activism/nasty-woman/

Scent:

• ITB: This is an aged version I purchased back in 2016. I remember getting lots of patchouli when it first arrived along with gobs of honey.  Today, the patchouli has taken on that delectable moist earthy yet crystallized honey heavenly tone that I absolutely adore in the likes of Hekate’s Garden and RitvalCravt. Hints of fig and musky oud dance around the outside with a peak of dark red rose far off on the horizon.  I’d say this one is worth the aging so far!
• Wet: Ooh, that patchouli gives me the vapors!  There’s a sublime peppery tone to the soft, wet, honey-imbued earthiness that marries so well with the black fig and amber oud.  A sliver of rose sweetness flickers in and out of the scent, but it only enhances the beauty of those dark, deep notes throughout.
• Dry: The oud and patchouli together lose some of that honeyed beauty and skew more and more like wet, chewy tobacco laced with patchouli, amber, and a flourish of very dark rose far at the bottom of the scent the longer this sits on my skin.  I wish it had retained that delicious patchouli note, but I don’t mind this (and surprisingly, don’t mind the oud here).

Other Impressions: “(From two feet away): It’s oud, I don’t want to smell it.  (3 attempts later to get close to me): It’s not bad.   It’s like when in those old-school 1970s movies with the coral and pink powder-room and those ball lights all around it.  It’s like a turd in the middle of that.” -Tony

Day 1613 – BPAL’s No One Is Above The Law

Tags

activism, Activism 2019, Amber, benzoin, bergamot, BPAL, broom flower, cut grass, fresh cut grass, golden amber, Grass, hay, honey, I know words I have the best words, Impeachmas, Impeachmas 2019, labdanum, orange, orange blossom, orange blossom honey, red benzoin, sweet bergamot, vanilla

I’m still waiting on my Yule decants, so I figured I’d review my outstanding BPAL Activism scents in the meantime.

Scent Name: No One Is Above The Law

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Impeachmas 2019: Activism – I Know Words, I Have The Best Words

Scent Description and Notes: “On December 18, 2019, the House voted to impeach Donald Trump, passing its first two articles of impeachment: one for abuse of power, and the other for obstruction of justice.

“Our children and their children will ask us what did you do? What did you say? For some this vote may be hard. But we have a mission and a mandate to be on the right side of history.” – John Lewis

There’s still much left to do. We all have a mission and mandate to be on the right side of history: get out and protest, call your reps, and for the love of all things decent and good, make sure you do not sit idly by while the Republican-controlled Senate destroys the Republic. Pressure your Senators to do the right thing, even if that may seem like an uphill battle. Write to your representatives, join every protest, take to the streets. Together, we can make a difference.

Proceeds benefit the ACLU.

A burst of sunlight dissolving the smoke-thick thunderclouds of corruption, hubris, greed, and cruelty: golden amber, sweet bergamot, fresh cut grass, broom flower, hay, orange blossom honey, labdanum, red benzoin, and vanilla.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/activism/i-know-words-i-have-the-best-words/no-one-is-above-the-law-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: Colorless on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a 5ml standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label extends just under halfway around the bottom.  The label features the name of the company in ombre shadowed white block font just above part of the collection name, which has a bolded year, but otherwise the same font.  The name of the scent is positioned above that in a larger version of the same font with a greater shadow all around. Image art is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/activism/i-know-words-i-have-the-best-words/no-one-is-above-the-law-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITB: Ooh, it shifts under my nose, at first presenting orange blossoms and bergamot with a hint of green before the grass moves to the forefront, flanked by hay and honey while a golden heart of amber beats underneath. 
• Wet: Hmm, it strikes me as a breath of spring air – sweet broom flower, orange blossom honey, bergamot, and freshly cut grass in the background perfumed ever so slightly with well balanced resins and hints of vanilla.  I’d love to see this mixed with elderberry or dewberry.
• Dry: Two hours later, the orange blossom honey still remains the most forward, perfumed with vanilla’d broom flower, hints of bergamot, and warm amber.  There’s a faded whiff of cut grass along the edge of the scent that seems to come in and out of focus.  I like this, although I still think it needs a purple berry thrown into the mix.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1601 – BPAL’s Wynter Wakeneth Al My Care

Tags

Amber, bourbon, bourbon vanilla, BPAL, champaca, Frankincense, patchouli, sweet amber, vanilla, yule, Yule 2017, Yules

Scent Name: Wynter Wakeneth Al My Care

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2017

Scent Description and Notes: “Wynter wakeneth al my care,
Nou this leves waxeth bare;
Ofte I sike ant mourne sare
When hit cometh in my thoght
Of this worldes joie, hou hit goth al to noht.

Nou hit is, and nou hit nys,
Also hit ner nere, ywys;
That moni mon seith, soth hit ys:
Al goth bote Godes wille:
Alle we shule deye, thah us like ylle.

Al that gren me graueth grene,
Nou hit faleweth al by dene:
Jesu, help that hit be sene
Ant shild us from helle!
For y not whider y shal, ne hou longe her duelle.

May we be saved and save ourselves from these hard, cruel times, and may we find strength together, for we know not where we go, nor how long we will dwell here. A warming, uplifting, strengthening scent: patchouli and sweet amber with champaca, bourbon vanilla, and frankincense.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: Colorless on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the company in thin block font in a warm white color along the bottom of the label.  Above that is the name of the scent in a bolded larger block font in the same color.  The name of the collection is in a smaller version as the name of the scent. The label art is pictured (although fuzzy) below:

Image courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez.

Scent:

• ITB: Mmm, that’s lovely.  It hits all my loves of deeply resinous incense notes laced with heady champaca and a damp, earthy patchouli.  It smells like a head shop in the middle of a wooded cabin. 
• Wet: Bourbon vanilla strikes a sweetly astringent chord, warmed in amber colored drinking glasses.  It reminds me of a leaded glass and earthy stone-clad reading room, furnished with well-worn leather-studded couches.  Oh, this is really nice!
• Dry: Warmed bourbon vanilla, heavy on the vanilla mingle with frankincense and a lovely sweet amber.  There’s a hint of breathiness from the champaca, but not enough to read as champaca itself.

Other Impressions: None.