Day 1301 – BPAL’s Frostbitten Sin

Tags

Amber, black patchouli, BPAL, cinnamon, In Memoriam, limited edition, patchouli, sandalwood, snow, The Snowdrift, yule, Yule 2017, Yules, Yules 2017, Yules 2017: The Snowdrift

Scent Name:  Frostbitten Sin

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yules 2017: The Snowdrift

Scent Description and Notes: None provided.  Sin: “Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon.” -bpal.org

Oil Color: A faintly yellow 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 white bolded font along the bottom.  Centered in the middle of the label is the name of the scent in larger white font.  The name of the collection is in the same format as the company name along the top of the label.  The label art is as featured below:

Image from https://scentbase.com/scents/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-bpal/frostbitten-sin/201711120858253405

• ITB:  I was expecting a brash symphony of notes, but instead I’m presently surprised with heavy snow and sandalwood, reminding me of Lush’s Snow Cake in the bottle.
• Wet: Snow notes, soft and fluffy, next to subdued sandalwood and lightly powdered amber with the ghost of ground cinnamon long past in the background yield a very interesting combination that shifts between forlorn and silent to warm, faintly spicy, and welcoming.
• Dry:  It’s softer now that it’s had several hours to settle, drifting into the realm of faintly resinous snow with a touch of patchouli and dried cinnamon.  I think I like this one better while wet, but it still is pleasant.

Other Impressions: None.

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Day 1300 – BPAL’s Frostbitten Blood Amber

Tags

Amber, amber resin, bood, BPAL, dragon's blood, goldem amber, golden amber resin, In Memoriam, limited edition, resin, snow, The Snowdrift, yule, Yule 2017, Yules, Yules 2017, Yules 2017: The Snowdrift

Scent Name:  Frostbitten Blood Amber

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yules 2017: The Snowdrift

Scent Description and Notes: None provided.  Blood Amber: “Slivers of warm, pulsating blood forever crystallized in golden amber resin.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/bewitching-brews/blood-amber/

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 white bolded font along the bottom.  Centered in the middle of the label is the name of the scent in larger white font.  The name of the collection is in the same format as the company name along the top of the label.  The label art is as featured below:

Image from https://scentbase.com/scents/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-bpal/frostbitten-blood-amber/201711120854155529

• ITB:  I immediately get fiery red blood amber erupting forth, but it almost immediately is quenched by the silvery  powdered snow note with a subtle aroma of velvety rose petals.  This isn’t what I had expected, but I’m still eager to wear this.
• Wet: Dragon’s blood swirled with amber, soft and  gently resinous, dusted over with powdery snow and snowdrop florals.
• Dry:  Hmm, the dry-down is a bit problematic on my skin.  It reminds me of screeching white florals, the kind that used to be present in mid 90s car air fresheners, with a powdery snow note and a hint of resin underneath.  I’m not sure if it’s the dragon’s blood that is acting out, or if it’s just the blend. It isn’t terrible, but it just isn’t something that I’d reach for.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1284 – BPAL’s Fifth Lash

Tags

Amber, black amber, BPAL, Lavender, Leather, limited edition, Musk, plum, red leather, red musk, smoke, smoked lavender, teakwood, Twelve Lashes from Krampus, yule, Yule 2018, Yule 2018: Twelve Lashes from Krampus, Yules, Yules 2018

Scent Name: Fifth Lash

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2018: Twelve Lashes from Krampus

Scent Description and Notes: “Red musk, black amber, red leather, teakwood, smoked lavender, and plum.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/twelve_lashes_from_krampus/fifth-lash/

Oil Color: Gives a slight brownish cast to 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 pale pink font along the bottom.  Above that is the name of the scent in shadowed and outlined larger white font.  The name of the collection is in lighter pink font along the top of the label.  The label art is as featured below:

Image courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez

• ITB:  Smoked lavender is first out of the bottle, but the lavender strikes me as slightly medicinal. I have to tease out the other notes, but I can finally pick up a light leather (less black than I would have anticipated) as well as an intriguing and spicy red musk.
• Wet: The smoked lavender aspect is very dominant once applied, but I can subtly pick out dark plum, a dash of spice, and leather shavings. As it dries, the red musk warms, adding some lovely roundness.
• Dry: Spicy red musk lingers considerably along with  plum.  Hints of smoke and perhaps a dash of resin remind.  I’d say this is a rather well-blended and full-bodied scent.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1283 – BPAL’s Fourth Lash

Tags

Amber, Baltic amber, black pepper, black rose, BPAL, Leather, limited edition, pepper, Rose, sandalwood, Twelve Lashes from Krampus, vetiver, white sandalwood, yule, Yule 2018, Yule 2018: Twelve Lashes from Krampus, Yules, Yules 2018

Scent Name: Fourth Lash

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2018: Twelve Lashes from Krampus

Scent Description and Notes: “Black rose, Baltic amber, leather, white sandalwood, black pepper, and vetiver.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/twelve_lashes_from_krampus/third-lash-2/

Oil Color: Gives a slight yellow cast 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 pale pink font along the bottom.  Above that is the name of the scent in shadowed and outlined larger white font.  The name of the collection is in lighter pink font along the top of the label.  The label art is as featured below:

Image courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez

• ITB:  Mmm! Husky black rose with pepper-fringed edges.  Vetiver just slinks out and disappears again as I try, unsuccessfully, to tease out any other notes.
• Wet: Prominent dark rose warmed with amber swirls around vertiver.  Pepper again is a fringe note, yet there’s something that skews almost soap-like at the very bottom of the scent. I reminds me of those rose-shaped soaps that my grandmother used to scold me for using.
• Dry: Faded dark rose with a slight resin edge still lingers close to my wrist after 10 hours and a 6 mile walk. I’m impressed!

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1282 -BPAL’s Schonperchten

Tags

Amber, bourbon, bourbon vanilla, Lavender, Mint, Perchtenläufe, snow, Twelve Lashes from Krampus, Twelve Lashes from Krampus - Perchtenläufe, vanilla, white amber, white mint, yule, Yule 2018, Yule 2018: Twelve Lashes from Krampus - Perchtenläufe, Yules, Yules 2018

Scent Name: Schönperchten

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2018: Twelve Lashes from Krampus – Perchtenläufe

Scent Description and Notes: “The Shining Ones: snow-spattered lavender, bourbon vanilla, white mint, and white amber.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/twelve_lashes_from_krampus/perchtenlaufe/schonperchten/

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 pale pink font along the bottom.  Above that is the name of the scent in shadowed and outlined larger white font.  The name of the collection is in lighter pink font along the top of the label.  The label art is as featured below:

Image courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez

• ITB:  On first sniff, all I get is lavender, but it’s like waving fields of the purple-hued beauty. There is a hint of non-descript warmth behind it, which I assume is the amber.
• Wet: Gorgeous but very strong French lavender and a dash mint.  This lavender is so strong that it dwarf the other notes at this stage.
• Dry:   Thankfully, that shifts considerably from being almost oppressively lavender to a it’s best self in mellow bourbon vanilla with a faint, warm amber resin, and soothing lavender.  This is worth the dry-down!

Other Impressions: “Oof, that is very chemically flower forward.  It smells like old ladies *laugh.* Daisy? It’s a whole bunch of flower, like a bouquet, like pure flower.” -Brad

Day 1274 – BPAL’s Hearthflame and Incense

Tags

almond, almond wood, Amber, amber resin, Austrian amber, Austrian amber resin, black copal, BPAL, burgundy, burgundy pitch, copal, fire, Frankincense, limited edition, pitch, smoke, sweet smoke, wood, yule, Yule 2018, Yules, Yules 2018

Scent Name: Hearthflame and Incense

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “Crackling almond wood and the deep sweet smoke of burgundy pitch, Austrian amber resin, black copal, and frankincense.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/hearthflame-and-incense/

Oil Color: A slightly orangish 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 pale pink font along the bottom.  Above that is the name of the scent in shadowed and outlined larger white font.  The name of the collection is in lighter pink font along the top of the label.  The label art is as featured below:

Image courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez.

• ITB: I was expecting this to be much darker, but this instead is a tinkling combination of sweet resins and perfumed woods. Burgundy pitch, less pitch than the wood itself tinged with green (pine almost), swirls with austere copal, sweet frankincense, and alluring amber. It’s resinous and cool at the same time.  Intriguing!
• Wet: Much more pitch and smoldering woods once on the skin. The almond wood note pushes its was through the smoke, giving way to the coolly resinous copal.  It reminds me of burning pure resin itself – fragrant, meditative, and sacred.
• Dry:  As it dried, I noticed that the smoke and pitch warmed, although there was always slightly sweet incense behind it. After 6 hours, there’s just a hint of sweet almond and resin, but the throw is rather weak at this point.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1264 – BPAL’s Pallid Bat

Tags

Amber, amber incense, amber incense smoke, Bats of Los Angeles, bergamot, bourbon, BPAL, Genius Loci, Genius Loci: Bats of Los Angeles, ginger, Halloween, Halloween 2018, Halloweenie, Halloweenie 2018, Halloweenies, Halloweenies 2018, Incense, incense smoke, Italian bergamot, limited edition, smoke, tea, tea leaf, Weenies, Weenies 2018, white ginger

Scent Name: Pallid Bat

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Halloween 2018 – Genius Loci: Bats of Los Angeles

Scent Description and Notes: “I want my rooftop filled with Pallid Bats. Not only are they cute as hell, but their favored meal is the Arizona bark scorpion, whose sting is the most venomous to be found in North America.

Bats > Scorpions
(Sorry, Scorpios!)

Tea leaf, bourbon, a sting of white ginger, and Italian bergamot swirled in amber incense smoke.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/halloween-2018/genius-loci-bats-of-los-angeles/pallid-bat/

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 and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/halloween-2018/genius-loci-bats-of-los-angeles/pallid-bat/

• ITI: Lemony tea-leaf with a healthy shot of bergamot.  As a tea fan, I do enjoy this already, but I hope the amber incense will warm once applied to my skin.
• Wet:   The lemony tea leaf  still sings brightly on my skin along with the touch of ginger paired with the bergamot.  There is an extremely faint resin that add a fuzzy depth I really enjoy next to the brighter, bolder notes.
• Dry:  Faint lemon tea with almost snow-like amber incense. It reminds me of subtle lemon tea and Lush’s Snowflake bath bomb.  Nice.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1261 – BPAL’s Bestla

Tags

Amber, black fig, BPAL, fig, In Memoriam, limited edition, Oud, radiant amber, Rose, rose oud, Songs of Creation, The Songs of Creation

Scent Name: Bestla

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – The Songs of Creation

Scent Description and Notes: “The first queen, daughter of giants: radiant amber, black fig, and rose oud.”  -bpal.org

Oil Color:  A beautiful ruddy ruby color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by moons_storm. Her label features the scent notes and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which I can no longer find a copy.  Instead, here is the label art for the scent family:

• ITI: Strong almost woody rose oud steeped in smoky liquid amber.  Fig doesn’t seem to be too present yet. It almost seems animalistic in tone.
• Wet:  There’s something almost camphor-like swathed in smoke, which could be the aged rose oud.  The amber is fiery and assertive while the black fig adds a ghost of earthy sweetness when I can get past the oud and the amber.
• Dry: After ten hours, the scent is  a faintly rose resin.  It’s pretty strong for the first few hours, but mellows out nicely in the end.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1242 – BPAL’s Jacob’s Ladder

Tags

Amber, ambrette, benzoin, BPAL, costus, galbanum, golden amber, rockrose, Rose, Tonka, yule, Yule 2018, Yules, Yules 2018

I figured that since it was Christmas was so close, I would review the Yule scents I purchased from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.  While I only ordered 3 directly, I have decants coming sometime in the future, so I’ll get back to Yule reviews after they arrive.

Scent Name: Jacob’s Ladder

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

The meeting of Heaven and Earth: golden amber, galbanum, benzoin, ambrette, rockrose, costus and tonka.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/jacobs-ladder-2/

Oil Color:  Clear 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 white font outlined in red along the bottom, just above which is the name of the perfume in larger, bolded white font.  The name of the collection is centered along the top of the label, in the smaller white font outlined in red.  The label art is as featured below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/jacobs-ladder-2/

• ITB: It almost smells like the ambrette has vanilla shocked throughout, yet there’s a sense of a beautiful, spicy floral that makes this scent so striking.
• Wet:  The ambrette is a musky golden and just lovely once applied, heralded by the resinous incense and amber that warms the longer it sits on the skin.  The floral from the costus and rockrose ride in the wake of the resins several minutes after application.
• Dry:  After several hours, the scent looses some of its complexity, settling into soft ambrette, amber, and a touch of tonka.  It’s still pleasant, though.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1234 – BPAL’s Ruhende Ziege Mit Kitzchen

Tags

Amber, amber oudh, BPAL, brown musk, castoreum, castoreum accord, Cedar, clove, clove bud, Halloween, Halloween 2018, Halloweenie, Halloweenie 2018, Halloweenie: Pickman Gallery 2018, Halloweenies, Halloweenies 2018, Leather, limited edition, Musk, oudh, Pickman gallery, Pickman Gallery 2018, The Pickman Gallter, Weenies, Weenies 2018, white cedar

Scent Name: Ruhende Ziege Mit Kitzchen

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Halloweenie: Pickman Gallery 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “Johann Christian Reinhart

Brown musk, leather, castoreum accord, white cedar, amber oudh, and clove bud.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/halloween-2018/pickman-gallery-2018/ruhende-ziege-mit-kitzchen/

Oil Color: The color of spiced cider.

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 and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/halloween-2018/pickman-gallery-2018/ruhende-ziege-mit-kitzchen/ Artwork by Johann Christian Reinhart.

• ITI: Mmm, yep.  That’s good.  Beautiful brown musk clothed in clouds of clove and amber, deepened by the sweet undertones of castoreum accord.  Since I love animal musks (civet, ambergris, castoreum), this speaks to me.  It’s spicy, musk, animalistic, and resinous.
• Wet: I just want to toll around in it.  Musky clove layered over amber oudh-rubbed brown leather.  The castoreum is adding a slightly astringent and green tone to the scent that is Just driving me batty in the best possible ways.  If this doesn’t change much, I may need to ferret away a bottle or two of this beauty.
• Dry: Two hours later, it smells exactly the same as when it was just applied! The combination of clove, amber oudh, musky soft brown leather, and castoreum are  just a perfect.  Yes, a bottle it is for me.

Other Impressions:  “Mmm, that’s nice.  It smells like orange chai having sex in your nose.” – Tony

Day 1227 – BPAL’s The Queen of Hel

Tags

Amber, animal musk, black leather, BPAL, gleaming black leather, green amber, hellhound musk, Leather, Lilith, Lilith 2018, limited edition, Musk, polish

Scent Name: The Queen of Hel

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lilith 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “’I am Hel,’ she said simply. ‘The dead come to me, and they do not return to the lands above. Why should I let Balder go?’
– Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman

Lilith loves cosplaying, and while she has done many characters, none has suited her quite as well as Hela has. She debuted this look at C2E2 this year, complete with tiny plush Fenris.

Tiny mistress of the underworld: gleaming black leather, luminescent green amber, and gargantuan hellhound musk.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/lilith-2018/the-queen-of-hel/

 

Oil Color: A faintly green-tinged 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 and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/lilith-2018/the-queen-of-hel/

• ITI: It honestly reminds me of a rather sophisticated fougere.  The leather certainly is highly polished and the green amber is faintly resinous under the greenness (perhaps lime rind and a dab of vetiver). The light fuzziness of animal musk just dances around the edges of the leather and green amber.
• Wet:  More polish, less leather, but a unisex  scent electrified with a shock of lime makes it invigorating rather than stuffy.
• Dry: The leather develops beautifully as it settles, warming to evoke images of supple gloves against a glorious skin musk tinged with a hint of lime and the delicateness of faint amber incense wafting in the far distance. After a few hours, it’s more of a lime fougere with a tinge of leather.

Other Impressions:  “It smells like coco butter and some other notes of which I’m not sure.” -Tony

Day 1226 – BPAL’s The Dream is Big Enough for Everyone

Tags

Amber, amber oud, BPAL, cream, currant, fig, honey, honeyed fig, Lilith, Lilith 2018, limited edition, Oud, patchouli, red currant, sugar, sugar-dusted patchouli, sweet amber oud, vanilla, vanilla cream

Scent Name: The Dream is Big Enough for Everyone

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lilith 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “We believe that the American dream is big enough for everyone, for people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people and for people with disabilities. For everyone.

Lilith at the Women’s March DTLA, 2018.

Nasty Woman? Nah, Nasty Tween: honeyed fig and sugar-dusted patchouli, sweet amber oud, a drop of red currant, and vanilla cream.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/lilith-2018/the-dream-is-big-enough-for-everyone/

Oil Color: The color of melted butter.

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 and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/lilith-2018/the-dream-is-big-enough-for-everyone/

• ITI: My first impressions of it are a spicy, patchouli-infused red hard candy. The vanilla cream coves seconds later, further pushing this into the foody territory for me.
• Wet:  Sweet, stick fig mixed with red currant candy, sugared patchouli, a touch of incense and a faint undertone of vanilla cream.  Unless the sweetness diminishes as it tries, this will be too foody for me.  For someone who likes wintery, almost Christmas-like food scents, this might be worth a try.
• Dry: This is much improved now that is has had a couple hours to settle.  Instead of the cloying tones, the scent is more of musky, like vanilla warmed with beeswax, amber, and a touch of earthy, sweet patchouli.

Other Impressions:  “It smells like coco butter-leather.” -Tony

Day 1216 – BPTP’s Three-Fingered Dad

Tags

Amber, BPAL, bptp, Fatherhood, Fatherhood 2018, limited edition, Musk, neroli, orange, orange blossom, red musk, sweet vanilla amber, vanilla, white musk

Scent Name: Three-Fingered Dad

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Trading Post – Fatherhood 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “Sometimes I wonder how Lilith views me.

Am I the authority figure?

Her goofy playmate?

Am I the father that drives her all over Los Angeles?

It appears that I am the skinny three-fingered man.  I believe that she captured me perfectly. Don’t you? Red and white musks, orange blossom, neroli, and sweet vanilla amber.“ -https://blackphoenixtradingpost.com/shop/three-fingered-dad/

Oil Color: The color of polished walnut wood.

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 and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixtradingpost.com/shop/three-fingered-dad/

• ITI: From the imp, I’m only picking up neroli with musky amber, but the neroli does obscure some of the other tones more than I would like.
• Wet: Wow, that’s a whole lot of neroli and musk.  It’s almost stifling, but there’s enough of the orange blossom wafting through that it adds some nice complexity and much needed citrusy softness.
• Dry: It dries down beautifully.  Mush of the  musky incense notes have faded to a round, warm backing set behind the delicious sweet vanilla amber, laced with tones of gentle orange blossoms.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 1208 – BPAL’s Loviatar

Tags

Amber, black amber, BPAL, dark myrrh, discontinued, excolo, in mem, Leather, Musk, myrrh, red musk

Name: Loviatar

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Excolo: In Memoriam

Scent Description and Notes: “The Finnish Goddess of Agony, Torment and the joy found in inflicting pain on others. The Mistress of Torture, she has transformed in the modern era into the patron Goddess of Dominatrixes. The slap of slick, hot leather punctuates the warm, sensual embrace of black amber, red musk and dark, lascivious myrrh.” – bpal.org

Oil Color: The color of rich mahogany wood.

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 the 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.

• ITI: Wow, that has really shifted in its age.  In Resurrected, the myrrhs and ambers danced forth, but now its strong neroli with lovely aged citrus tones surrounded by light powdered resin.
• Wet: The scent as a whole isn’t nearly as strong and effusive on my skin.  While the neroli is still very much the dominant note in the aged version, the spices come off as a little old or stale.
• Dry: As it settles, the red musk eases forth alongside a dark leather note, just under the citrus-laden neroli. It’s getting much better as the notes warm on the skin.  Even the sillage increase to about 8-9″ off my hand within a half hour, diminishing near the hour mark to 4.5″ throw from my skin. The neroli has now been warmed by the resins and musk, to the point that it smells like there might even be a touch of dragon’s blood within the red musk. The leather note it still present, although lightly so.  Conversely, the Resurrected version is much stronger along the lines of fiery red resins and musks with a tinges of neroli after a hour’s dry time.

Other Impressions: “Oh god, I’m not saying this to be unkind and its probably because we were just on the flight, but it smells like an airplane bathroom.“

Day 1207- BPAL’s Loviatar Resurrected

Tags

Amber, black amber, BPAL, dark myrrh, excolo, Excolo: Resurrected, In Memoriam, Leather, Musk, myrrh, red musk, resurrected

Name:  Loviatar Resurrected

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –   Excolo: Resurrected

Scent Description and Notes: “The Finnish Goddess of Agony, Torment and the joy found in inflicting pain on others. The Mistress of Torture, she has transformed in the modern era into the patron Goddess of Dominatrixes. The slap of slick, hot leather punctuates the warm, sensual embrace of black amber, red musk and dark, lascivious myrrh.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/resurrected/loviatar-resurrected/

Oil Color: Slightly reddish 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 and “Resurrected” in orange bold font justified to the left along the top and the bottom of the bottle.  The name of the scent  is in much larger while bold font justified to the right above the company name. The label art is as featured:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/resurrected/loviatar-resurrected/

• ITB: I’ve never tested the original (although I do have an imp hidden around her somewhere), so this is a relatively “blind” review. I’m getting sweet, warm spice flanked by round, golden amber and deliciously mischievous myrrh.  Leather pulsates just underneath, neither overpowering the beautiful resins or undermining the overall sensuous qualities of the scent so far.
• Wet:  Oh gosh, yes.  I can see why this is such a fan-favorite.  The red musk is absolutely exquisite on my skin, heightened to a frenzy by the amber and  myrrh.  Again, the leather exists just along the periphery, augmenting the provocative nature of the scent.
• Dry:  Oh my goodness, yes.  Wow, the must, amber and myrrh are fiery, writhing together in spiced resinous ecstasy.  Where is the leather though after 30 minutes of dry down?  Evident only in the very periphery, but not exceedingly missed due to the sheer genius of the other notes.

Other Impressions: I imagine that the aged version of this is simply divine!

Day 1184 – BPAL’s Slay!

Tags

Amber, amber resin, bakhoor, bakhoor oudh, bittersweet cacao, black patchouli, BPAL, cacao, DragCon, DragCon 2018, event exclusive, fossilized amber resin, Musk, oudh, patchouli, polish, polished black patchouli, red musk, red vegetal musk, resin, tobacco, tobacco absolute, vegetal musk

I was debating what should come next as I have still about 11 bottles from the most recent Lupercalia update along with a whole host of older imps, but I think it’s time to review my DragCon scents!

Scent Name: Slay

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Event Exclusive: DragCon 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “The consummate host: she can fill oceans of time on the mic and still leave the crowd hypnotized.

Polished black patchouli and blood-red vegetal musk, bakhoor oudh, tobacco absolute, fossilized amber resin, and bittersweet cacao.” -bpal.org

Scent Note: Bakhoor oudh generally refers to the processed incense that contains oudh and other essential oils while oudh or oud refers to the raw chips or resin from the tree itself.

Oil Color: The color of sandalwood on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 5ml brown glass vial.  The label features the name of the scent along the top, centered, in a bold yellow font.  The company name is in the same font along the bottom.  The image on the bottle is a red vampire Queen, smiling, with blood dribbling down the corner of her mouth.

DragCon 2018 bottles. Image (c) courtesy of Tiah Schindelheim Rodriguez.

• ITB: Gorgeous earthy patchouli with some sweet tobacco over red, dark musk. It should age very well.
• Wet: Once again,the patchouli is the most dominant note (although much less earthy), but now I can smell the rich cocoa that twines itself around the patchouli while tobacco and resinous incense twin around the base.
• Dry: Wow, that is lovely once dried.  The tobacco just sings on my skin next to the resinous oudh and dark patchouli while the red musk and amber sweeten deliciously.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 1183 – BPAL’s Moons of Saturn: Telesto

Tags

a little lunacy, A Little Lunacy - Moons of Saturn, A Little Lunacy 2018, Amber, amber cream, Bengal oudh, BPAL, champaca, cream, golden vanilla, limited edition, Moons of Saturn, neroli, oudh, vanilla

Scent Name: Moons of Saturn: Telesto

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Limited Edition: A Little Lunacy – Moons of Saturn

Scent Description and Notes: “One of the Oceanids, the Three-Thousand Daughters of Tethys and Oceanus. Draped in a sun-bright peplos of flowing champaca, Bengal oudh, golden vanilla, neroli, and amber cream, she personifies divine blessings.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/moons-of-saturn-telesto/

Oil Color: Golden honey.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Mystery 213. Her label features the scent notes and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/moons-of-saturn-telesto/

• ITI: It reminds me of a crystal or alternative shop, air heavy with champaca and oudh.
• Wet: Wow, so much more interesting on the skin.  I’m still getting the champaca and oudh, but the neroli is much more present and clear against shifting bottom notes that remind me of bubblegum one minute and spiced amber against rich wood the next.
• Dry: Soft, gentle amber note harmonizes beautifully with the musky  vanilla tones just above the wavering impression of incense.  Very nice.

Other Impressions:  “It smells like the herby section of a candy shop.” -Tony

Day 1169 – BPAL’s Woman Dragging Her Aroused Lover Across a Bridge

Tags

Amber, ambrette, ambrette seed, BPAL, hinoki, hinoki wood, limited edition, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2018, Lupercalia 2018: Shunga, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements XI, oak, oak beams, Rose, rosewood, Shunga, Shungas, smoke, smoky vanilla husk, sweet amber, vanilla, vanilla husk, wood

Scent Name: Woman Dragging Her Aroused Lover Across a Bridge

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lupercalia 2018: Shungas

Scent Description and Notes: “Sweet amber and rosewood, wet oak beams, smoky vanilla husk, ambrette seed, and hinoki wood.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/woman-dragging-her-aroused-lover-across-a-bridge/

Oil Color: The color of honeyed mead.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted by Mystery213.  The back of the label has the scent notes and the decanting information.  The label features the label art that would have appeared on the bottle on front, which is a Japanese ink drawing of a gleeful woman, partially robed, dragging her very aroused lover across a wooden bridge.

• ITI: Husky vanilla breads itself languidly across the  delightful tones of rosewood, full bodied hinoki wood, and a touch of oak.  The ambrette seed isn’t too apparent at this stage.
• Wet: Ah, there’s the ambrette, dancing merrily with the amber.  While the vanilla husk simmers faintly in the background, the hinoki wood and rosewood notes sing against the sweet resins. As it settles, the smoky quality of the vanilla husk peaks out, adding a lovely complexity to the other notes.
• Dry:  Oh, those resins are amazing – rich, full bodied, and sweet without being cloying next to the ambrette seed and deliciously smoky vanilla. The woods intensify the resins, reminding me of  a sweeter version of the way Japanese wooden temples smell in the late summer afternoon.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 1167 – BPAL’s The Pleasure of Aristocratic Women

Tags

almond, Amber, BPAL, coconut, honey, honeyed amber, limited edition, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2018, Lupercalia 2018: Shunga, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements XI, Shunga, Shungas, teak, teakwood

Scent Name: The Pleasure of Aristocratic Women

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lupercalia 2018: Shungas

Scent Description and Notes: “Honeyed amber, teakwood, almond, and coconut.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/the-pleasure-of-aristocratic-women/

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted by Mystery213.  The back of the label has the scent notes and the decanting information.  The label features the label art that would have appeared on the bottle on front, which is a Japanese woodblock print of two women pleasuring themselves on phallic objects hanging upside down from a pole, which one male is holding.

• ITI: I’m usually pretty worried about honey, but this is nice!  It smells like honey-sweetened almond milk, like the high-end soaps that you’d find at Nordstrom or Bloomingdale’s.
• Wet: Almond milk and a honeysuckle honey with the subtle sweetness of coconut drifts wonderfully from my wrist.  The scent sits faint close to the skin (a 2-3″ throw), so it isn’t going to overpower anyone in an elevator.
• Dry:  I’ve had to reapply this several times as it does not tend to stay on for a whole work day. After about an hour’s dry-time, I’m still getting a very floral honey note with very subtle undertones of amber and just a touch of coconut.  It’s something that I could see wearing frequently on warm summer evenings.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 1166 – BPAL’s Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Tags

Amber, amber cream, BPAL, cream, ivory, limited edition, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2018, Lupercalia 2018: Shunga, mahogany, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements XI, polish, polished tortoiseshell, Shunga, Shungas, tortoise

Scent Name: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lupercalia 2018: Shungas

Scent Description and Notes: “Polished tortoiseshell, ivory, and mahogany gleaming with amber cream.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/lupercalia-2018/novel-ideas-for-secret-amusements/

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted by Mystery213.  The back of the label has the scent notes and the decanting information.  The label features the label art that would have appeared on the bottle on front, which is a Japanese woodblock print of various sex toys for men and women.

• ITI: Out of the imp, the scent smells sweetly perfume-y, but it strikes me as a very feminine and sophisticated perfume.  The amber cream is the first note I detect, which is warm and delicious, right up against a lovely mahogany note. There’s something that is just a touch smoky, but more like a smoky white musk (Ivory, perhaps?), swirling between the two dominant notes. Honestly, it reminds me of a more creamy and slightly more woodsy version of Vera Wang’s “Truly Pink”.
• Wet: What is this shifting perfume? Certainly, the amber cream is still there with a white muskiness that must be the ivory, but there’s a distinct impression of cantaloupe just above the mahogany note (which is much softer on my skin). I certainly wasn’t expecting any sort of fruit with this blend.  The scent now strikes me as a colder feminine perfume draped in silk with a touch of melon.
• Dry:  I’ve tested this 5 times so far, and each time I’m ready to test after my work day, there’s nothing left. Finally, I caught it before it vanished on my skin (roughly 4 hours after re-application). It reminds me something musky, wooden, and faintly polished, like the ballet bar or an older hotel’s banister.

Other Impressions:  None.