Day 1090 – BPAL’s Lily Witch

Tags

almond, anise, BPAL, herb, herbs, Leather, Lilith, Lilith 2014, lily, Lime, limited edition, Princesses Ghosts and Superheroes, Spice

Scent Name: Lily Witch

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lilith 2014: Princesses, Ghosts & Superheroes

Scent Description and Notes: “Lilith named this scent, and said this perfume should smell like witches. Her interpretation is swathed in anise, lime, almond, and witchin’ herbs, and holds a bouquet of pale, graceful lilies. The end result is a sweet, nutty absinthe’d lime with a hint of spice and leather.” – https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/liliths/lilith-2014-princesses-ghosts-superheroes/lily-witch/

Oil Color:  Slightly yellow on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: his is a standard BPAL brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the scent in bold, pale lavender font at the top of the image.  At the bottom of the image is the collection date in very small plum font just above the company name, wich is in a slightly larger purpled grey font. The label art is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/liliths/lilith-2014-princesses-ghosts-superheroes/lily-witch/

• ITI:  It smells like lime marzipan with a touch of seasonal spices like cardamom and all spice.  I’m not a fan of marzipan at all.
• Wet:  The lime is much stronger on my skin (thank goodness!), followed by marzipan mingled with anise.  Below the surface, notes of leather, something effervescent, and slightly spicy brew.
• Dry: It’s so much better dried.  Now, I get lime, soft anise, a gentle dusting of spice, and actual almond slivers rather than the dreaded marzipan.

Other Impressions: The throw on this scent is pretty good and the intensity of the wet version of the scent lasted for about 3 hours before finally settling down.

Day 994 – BPAL’s Red-Spotted Purple

Tags

blue cedar, BPAL, Butterflies of Louisiana, carnation, Cedar, hinoki, hinoki wood, Lime, limited edition, mandarin, metamorphosis, Metamorphosis 2014, Metamorphosis: Butterflies of Louisiana, Musk, plum, plum rind, thyme, white carnation, white mandarin, white musk, white thyme, wood, yuzu

Scent Name: Red-Spotted Purple

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Metamorphosis 2014: Butterflies of Louisiana

Scent Description and Notes: “White thyme, yuzu fruit, hinoki wood, blue cedar, white carnation, plum rind, white mandarin, and lime-tinted white musk.“ -bpal.org

Oil Color: An energy drink yellow.

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 http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent: 

• ITI: Oh, this one is fabulous!  The yuzu is bright, sweet, and delightful paired with the plum and lime.  Oh my gosh, I’m starting to panic just a tad that I may have missed out on something incredibly special.
• Wet: The yuzu and mandarin are just incredibly succulent on my skin while the lime and plum provide a delightful fruity balance to the bright, sparkly, light citrus (lime reads as fuller and darker to me, something that is even a bit savory at times).  I”m also picking up wafts of spicy carnation and a blueish musk, although no cedar.  This is a stand-out scent so far.
• Dry:  A winner still!  Plum peel, mandarin, yuzu, carnation, a gossamer musk, and a faint white thyme.  I’m rather miffed that I did not  test this earlier as I would have bought a bottle.

Other Impressions: This scent received notice from two individuals, the one seated next to me who immediately asked if it was BPAL and demanded to smell it. He thought it was fantastic as it was light, complex, and unusual.  The second noticed from across the room and commented that it smells much better on skin than it does when I opened the imp.

Day 978- BPAL’s Son of a biggerCritter

Tags

BPAL, bptp, coconut, coconut pulp, cream, lemon, lemon balm, Lime, limited edition, Mexican lime, vanilla, vanilla cream

Scent Name:  Son of a biggerCritter

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Black Phoenix Trading Post

Scent Description and Notes: “Coconut pulp and vanilla cream with lemon balm and Mexican lime.” -BPAL

Oil Color:  I cannot tell through the brown apothecary bottle’s glass.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a 5ml standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label extends just under halfway around the bottom.

Image from ebay.com.

Scent: 

• ITI:    It reminds me of a tropical summer – suntan lotion, kafir limes, and pina coladas by the beach.  
• Wet: Yum! Coconut cream, bright lime, a touch of sugar, and lemon balm.  It’s a a very festive, summer scent. 
• Dry: Interesting. It dries down into suntan lotion, coconut sugar, shredded lime and lemon, and something slightly basic underneath that I cannot place.  The vanilla cream turns a little plastic-y on my skin, but I think that’s just me.

Other Impressions: “It’s pine-cone-a-rita.  Pine cone and margarita.” -Tony

Day 937 – Atelier Cologne’s Cedrat Enivrant

Tags

Atelier Cologne, Basil, basilic, bergamot, cedrat, Chinese mint, Egyptian basilic, elemi, gin, juniper, juniper berries, lemon, Lime, Mint, Moroccan cedrat, Tonka, tonka bean, vetiver

Scent Name: Cedrat Enivrant

Manufacturer: Atelier Cologne

Scent Description and Notes: “The launch of Cédrat Enivrant celebrates a return to the origins of Atelier Cologne, the first maison de parfum dedicated entirely to cologne, the legendary fragrance classic. The creators, Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel gave birth to a new olfactive family, “Cologne Absolue”. Cédrat Enivrant completes their Collection Originale, now composed of six new colognes. Designed primarily around citrus notes—the traditional ingredients of a cologne—and inspired by the French 75 cocktail, Cédrat Enivrant is for lovers of lemon and gin notes.

Notes:
Maroccan Cedrat, Lime, Bergamot, Chinese Mint, Egyptian Basilic, Juniper Berries, Tonka Bean, Vetiver, Elemi.
Style:
Sophisticated. Effortless. Classic.” -Sephora.com

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is standard 1.5 ml clear glass vial with a black applicator cap. The vial has the name of the company in attractive blue-ish grey cursive font, under which is the scent name in standard font.

Image from http://www.sephora.com/cedrat-enivrant-cologne-absolue-P385175

 

Scent: 

• ITV:  This reminds me of a slightly more unisex version of men’s colognes that run toward the the green and woodsy spectrum.  I do pick up gin/juniper berries very, very strongly, with a dash of lime, a spritz of lemon under that, and a touch of basil and mint.
• Wet:  It’s a very sharp and refreshing crisp gin, lemon, lime, basil, mint, and bergamot blend.  I’m not getting any tonka – instead, it’s something that reminds me of all gentleman, all the time.
• Dry: A faint sweetness from the tonka develops hours after it is applied, but the scent largely retains its heavy gin, citrus, mint/basil characteristics that dominated its wet phase. 

Other Impressions: None.

Day 915 – BPAL’s Molly, The Reaper of Justice

Tags

Amber, BPAL, Cedar, Himalayan cedar, honey, lily, lily of the valley, Lime, limited edition, nagarmotha, oudh, Pretty Deadly, saffron, tobacco, white honey, white lime

Scent Name: Molly, The Reaper of Justice

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Pretty Deadly

Scent Description and Notes: “White lime with lily of the valley, oudh, Himalayan cedar, nagarmotha, and tobacco for the sheen of raven feathers, and saffron, white honey, and amber for her fierceness, strength, and courage.“ -blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Oil Color: Liquid tobacco.

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 bottle artwork below:

Image from http://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/pretty-deadly/

Scent: 

• ITI:  This reminds me of the dessert at midnight for some reason.  I think part of that is the oudh and saffron along with the cedar.  It’s relaxing in a way, like being alone.
• Wet: Yes, I do like this.  It’s well balanced, intriguing, without being overbearing.  The lime has now come out to balance the honey and cedar, which I can now smell.  The tobacco, amber, and saffron twin lusciously underneath, making the scent cool, distanced, yet intensely exotic. 
• Dry: I’m still very much still in love with it, even when dry.  IT has this lovely dusky, resinous quality that has been sweetened slightly by the tobacco and honey, but that all has been tempered by a subtle woodsiness from the cedar with a slightly smoky leather from the nagarmotha, which is a native Indian species also known as Cypriol when distilled into an essential oil.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 775 – BPAL’s Gingerbread Villain

Tags

BPAL, Citrus, citrus musk, fougere, gingerbread, Gingerbread Cotillion 2013, Lilac, Lime, Musk, yule, Yule 2013, Yule: Gingerbread Cotillion 2013

Scent Name: Gingerbread Villain

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –    Yule: Gingerbread Cotillion 2013

Scent Description and Notes: “Gingerbread Villian

I’m three-quarters gone!

Gingerbread fougere, with hints of lilac, lime, and citrus musk.“ -BPAL

Oil Color: – Nearly colorless.

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 in green. The front is an image of a flexing gingerbread man.

Scent:

• ITI:  This one smells like gingerbread, although much lighter than Snake or Troll, framed by a paper-y and very light fougere and citrus musk.  It’s enough to change the tone of the gingerbread, which has a tendency to dominate.
• Wet:  It’s very similar to its iteration in the imp, although I am also getting some of the lilac.  It’s actually a much prettier scent than some of the other gingerbreads, and honestly, a bit more wearable on a regular basis.
• Dry:  This is really a lovely scent.  It’s sugared lilac fougere with a subtle tones of lime that serve to ground the gingerbread note.  In fact, I’d say the fougere is the dominant note in this scent ans the gingerbread serves as a mid tone to sweet the other notes.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 750 – BPAL’s Wormwood Field

Tags

BPAL, Cedar, cedar wood, Century Guild, Century Guild/Gail Potocki’s Fragmented Alice, Gail Potocki's Fragmented Alice, green musk, hinoki, Lime, limited edition, Musk, pink lime, retail exclusive, thyme, thyme flower, wood, wormwood, wormwood accord, yuzu

Scent Name: Sampaguita

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Retail Exclusive: Century Guild/Gail Potocki’s Fragmented Alice

Scent Description and Notes: “Wormwood accord, pink lime, yuzu, thyme flower, hinoki, cedar wood, and green musk.“ – BPAL

Oil Color: I cannot tell the color of the oil through the dark brown apothecary bottle.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is the standard 5ml brown apothecary bottle.  The label extends just under halfway around the bottom.  The label features the name of the company along the bottom in a thin white block font, which mirrors a slightly larger styled font with the scent name at the top.  The image looks like an oil painting of a green dryad near something that looks like a stump with a birthday cake on it.  I actually have no idea what it is, though.

Scent:

• ITB:  Oh, that’s nice.  It’s definitely yuzu with really fabulous green, musky tones underneath and subtle notes of lime just below the surface.
• Wet:  It’s actually not much different on my skin compared to what I smelled in the bottle. The only difference is that I can pick out the thyme now, although it isn’t very strong at this point.
• Dry:  It’s light, slightly citrusy with tones of musk, hinoki, wormwood, and thyme once dry.  It’s lovely both wet and dry – a keeper for sure!

Other Impressions:  “It’s orange.  Actually it’s pink grapefruit rind.” -Tony

Day 714 – BPAL’s Mr. Nancy

Tags

Anansi Boys, bay, bay rum, BPAL, cookie, Lime, neil gaiman, Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, rum, sugar, sugar cookies, tobacco

Scent Name:  Mr. Nancy

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –Neil Gaiman: Anansi Boys

Scent Description and Notes: “ Before Fat Charlie’s father had come into the bar, the barman had been of the opinion that the whole karaoke evening was going to be an utter bust; but then the little old man had sashayed into the room, walked past the table of several blonde women with the fresh sunburns and smiles of tourists…He had tipped his hat to them, for he wore a hat, a spotless green fedora, and lemon-yellow gloves, and then he walked over to their table. They giggled….He was older than they were, much, much older; but he was charm itself, like something from a bygone age when fine manners and courtly gestures were worth something. The barman relaxed. With someone like this in the bar, it was going to be a good evening.

Sugar cookies with bay rum, tobacco, and lime.” – BPAL

Oil Color:  A light white wine color.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the scent in black block letters outlined in red.  The name of the overarching collection (Neil Gaiman) is above the scent in small, black block font.  On the bottom is the for supporting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  The back features the customary Phoenix and information.

Image of Neil Gaiman from http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent:

• ITI:  It smells like sugar and key lime.  I don’t get the overly food tone I would have expected with a sugar cookie note.  I’m hoping it maintains this balance, especially because I’m hesitant with foody smells.
• Wet:  Interesting.  The bay rum emerges once applied to my skin, but the lime and faint sugar notes are still present.  When I inhale deeply, I can get the impression of the tobacco, but it hasn’t fully emerged as a middle or top note.  Overall, however, I like this.  It reminds me of a nice mojito.
• Dry:  The baked aspect of the sugar cookie has appeared, but I’m pleasantly surprised, especially because when combined with the sugar, lime, bay rum, and tobacco, it’s actually a very pleasing scent!

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 712 – BPAL’s Spider

Tags

Anansi Boys, artemesia, bergamot, BPAL, ginger, king mandarin, Lime, mandarin, neil gaiman, Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, nutmeg, vetiver, white ginger

I’m switching back to imps for a while as they seem to have multiplied exponentially across my desk while I was focusing on the bottles.

Scent Name:  Spider

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –Neil Gaiman -Anansi Boys

Scent Description and Notes: “ There was a family resemblance between the two men. That was unarguable, although that alone did not explain the intense feeling of familiarity that Fat Charlie felt on seeing Spider. His brother looked like Fat Charlie wished he looked in his mind…Spider was taller, and leaner, and cooler. He was wearing a black-and-scarlet leather jacket, and black leather leggings, and he looked at home in them…There was something larger-than-life about him: simply being on the other side of the table to this man made Fat Charlie feel awkward and badly consructed, and slightly foolish. It wasn’t the clothes Spider wore, but the knowledge that if Fat Charlie put them on he would look as if he were wearing some kind of unconvincing drag. It wasn’t the way Spider smiled–casually, delightedly–but Fat Charlies’s cold, incontrovertible certainty that he himself could practice smiling in front of a mirror from now until the end of time and never manage a single smile one half so charming, so cocky, or so twinklingly debonair.

White ginger, artemesia, vetiver, nutmeg, King mandarin, bergamot, and lime.” – BPAL

Oil Color:  A buttery yellow oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the scent in black block letters outlined in red.  The name of the overarching collection (Neil Gaiman) is above the scent in small, black block font.  On the bottom is the for supporting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  The back features the customary Phoenix and information.

Image of Neil Gaiman from http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com

Scent:

• ITI:  It’s white ginger and something really floral but soapy at the same time, with a significant acidity to it.  It reminds me of red wine that is just starting to turn.
• Wet:  Yeah, there’s not much of a difference here, but the acidity is now clearly from the lime.
• Dry:  Oh wow, it’s really soapy about 20 minutes after application.  It’s like powdered detergent with a little lime. As it dries further, the ginger reasserts itself, but it is powdered ginger.  The scent as a whole still reminds me of detergent.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 642- BPAL’s Geek.Goth

Tags

bat's day, bat's day 2010, BPAL, event exclusive, lemon, lemon-lime soda, Lime, limited edition, retail exclusive, soda, sugar

Scent Name:  Geek.Goth

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Event Exclusive – Bat’s Day 2010

Scent Description and Notes: “GEEK.GOTH
Highly caffeinated, profoundly sugared lemon-lime soda.” – BPAL

Oil Color: I can’t tell because of the brown apothecary bottle.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard 5ml brown apothecary bottle. The label is black, upon which the scent name is placed vertically along the left of the label while the company name and date are in similar white block font.  There is the purple company symbol than separates the company name and the date.   The art is a chibi gothic character in glasses, wearing a black tee with the phoenix logo and black pants.

Bat’s Day 2011, courtesy of aliciadabney.blogspot.comgoth-tropesl

Scent:

• ITB:  It’s effervescent, just like the champagnes, but with more lemon-lime.
• Wet:  It’s very much the same on my skin, although as it settles, the sugar kicks in.  It reminds me of Mountain Dew (what I remember of it, anyway).
• Dry: It’s an effervescent lemon-lime with something warm like caramelized sugar.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 638 – BPAL’s Blue Snowballs

Tags

blackberry, blackberry juice, blueberry, blueberry slush, BPAL, bptp, Lime, limited edition, snow, yule, yule 2012

Scent Name:  Blue Snowballs

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab & Black Phoenix Trading Post – Yule 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “…because the holidays can be really, really frustrating. Blueberry slush with a hint of lime and blackberry juice.“ -BPAL

Oil Color: I cannot tell from the brown apothecary bottle.

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 bolded blue block font, which mirrors the scent name in the same font but larger at the top of the image.  The image itself is over individuals dressed in long black coats having a snowball fight.

Image from ebay.

 Scent: 

• ITB:  It reminds me of blueberry snow cones.  Yum!
• Wet:  Slushy blueberries with a hint of blackberry jam.  Gosh, this is heavenly. 
• Dry: The blackberry is a bit more distinct here, although the blueberry is still sweet.  I’m also getting a lime and the snow note.  It’s a really delicious and fun scent.  

Other Impressions: None.

Day 612 – BPAL’s The Gentleman

Tags

BPAL, cologne, Lilac, Lime, lime rind, limited edition, Musk, rosemary, rosemary water, the turn of the screw, tobacco, tobacco leaf, white musk, yule, yule 2012

Scent Name:  The Gentleman

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Yule 2012: The Turn of the Screw

Scent Description and Notes: “A dapper cologne, distant and refined: white musk, lime rind, and rosemary water with tobacco leaf and lilac.“ -BPAL

Oil Color: – I cannot tell the color of the oil by looking into the brown apothecary bottle.

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 thin beige font along the bottom and slightly larger and thicker font along the top for the scent name.  Both of these items frame the brown/sepia-toned image of a man in an ascot looking genuinely out at the viewer, set against the background of a glove and a portrait.

Scent:

• ITB:  It’s powdery (tobacco) and musky, but pleasantly so because those are mixed with lilac and a touch of lime rind.
• Wet:  The lilac, lime, and now rosemary are much stronger on my skin, but the gentle tobacco remains underneath.
• Dry:  It fades considerably after a short period of time.  In its current state, I can tease out the musk and tobacco and the faintest impression of rosemary.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 584 – BPAL’s Stentor

Tags

BPAL, champaca flower, juniper, juniper berry, khus, Lime, lime rind, limited edition, matcha, matcha tea, Mint, song of nature, tea, white mint

I had to get this as I’m a huge matcha fan.  I’m hoping the scent will do it justice, like my beloved Velvet Cthulhu does.

Scent Name: Stentor

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Song of Nature

Scent Description and Notes: “White mint, lime rind, champaca flower, khus, juniper berry, and matcha tea.“ -BPAL

Oil Color: – I cannot tell the color of the oil by looking into the brown apothecary bottle.

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 along the bottom in a forest green block font set against a black field.  The collection title is situated above the image, also in forest green font and inside a black text box.  The scent name is black and is positioned to the right just above the company name.  The image is mostly in white and green and depicts below:

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

Scent:

• ITB:  It’s herbal and pleasing.  Soft, white mind and a gentle spritz of lime.  How refreshing!
• Wet:  As I sniff, it seems to open up my nose.  This would be great if you had a cold with its strong mint, line, and piercing juniper.  At the very end, I get the faint sweetness of champaca flower and perhaps just a smidgen of matcha.
• Dry: As it is drying, it begins to remind me of Altoids. While it’s still minty with tones of lime and juniper, it’s more green from the khus, warm from the tea, and slightly floral from the champaca flower.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 566 – Solstice Scents’ Tropical Moon

Tags

coconut, gardenia, Lime, lotus, pink lotus attar, Solstice Scents, Tahitian gardenia, tuberose

Before looking at the scent description, the word “tropical” worries me because I imagine the scent will be just too sweet and overripe.

Scent Name:  Tropical Moon

Manufacturer: Solstice Scents –  Summer 2012

Scent Description and Notes: “Coconut, Tuberose, Tahitian Gardenia, Lime Essential Oil & Pink Lotus Attar.” -Solstice Scents

Oil Color: Clear.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). The imp has a black cap and a parchment-colored label that features the name of the company and the website in black font with the name of the scent written in ink along the blank portion of the label.

Scent:

• ITI:  I get pink lotus and gardenia.  It is tropical, not in the overripe way that I had anticipated.  It’s rather floral and intoxicating.
• Wet: Gardenia, plastic (?), and lotus with a hint of coconut.  I’m not sure where the plastic note is coming from, but it’s really odd.
• Dry: I still get plastic, then coconut meat, then gardenia and lotus.  If it weren’t for the plastic I’m getting, I’d really like this scent.
  

Other Impressions: “I like it.  It’s like cinnamon and butter.” -Tony

Day 565 – Nocturne Alchemy’s Tomb: A Memory of Hope

Tags

Amber, cardamon, dried fruit, Egyptian vanilla musk, honey, kashir wood, Lime, mastic, Musk, nocturne alchemy, peony, pimento, raisins, saffron, tea, vanilla, vanilla tea leaf, wood

I found a few imps from other companies randomly around my desk.  I thought I’d review them and then get back to BPAL and while interspersing my designer scents throughout.

Scent Name:  Tomb: A Memory of Hope

Manufacturer: Nocturne Alchemy –  NAlliday 2008

Scent Description and Notes: “A Memory of Hope ~ Vanilla E/O, Vanilla Tea Leaf, Lime, Egyptian Vanilla Musk, Organic Cardamom of India, Kashir Wood, Pimento, Peony and the some essentials from the recipe to Edfu Kyphi: Mastic, Honey, Dried Fruit, Raisins, Saffron and Amber.” -Nocturne Alchemy

Oil Color: A durian yellow.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Salixnoir.  It features a label with the company name, collection, and decanting information on the back while the front features the scent name in blue font over a picture of individuals looking into or examining a tomb.

Scent:

• ITI:  It’s soothing while still being somewhat perfume-y.  I can tease out dried fruits, raisins, saffron, vanilla musk, and some amber.
• Wet: Mastic, kashir wood, lime, amber, peony, and light dried fruit.  I’m surprised by the shift on my skin, but in a positive way.
• Dry: It softens and sweetens once dried.  It reminds me of the Turkish market in Ephesus for some reason.  I think it might be the dried fruit and honey.
  

Other Impressions: “It’s alright.  It’s like cherries and soap.” -Tony

Day 443 – BPAL’s The Sound of Insects

Tags

black tea, BPAL, currant, ginger, Lime, limited edition, lupercalia, lupercalia 2013, mandarin, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements VI, red currant, tea

Scent Name: The Sound of Insects

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements VI

Scent Description and Notes: “Mandarin, lime, red currant, black tea, ginger.” -BPAL

Oil Color: Colorless.

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 image on the front label features a shunga print of a man and woman beginning to copulate under a mountain of covers.

Warning: The following link contains a not-safe-for-work image. By clicking this link, you agree that you are over 18 years of age: The Sound of Insects

Scent: 

• ITI:  It smells like lime ice cream with a splash of mandarin juice (that has not been overly sweetened).
• Wet: It gets more of a soapy quality on my skin, but the impression of lime and mandarin is still mostly there.  Ah, 10 seconds in and the tea is showing up.  
• Dry:  It doesn’t pass my day test (14-16 hours), but on reapplication, the scent smells exactly like Lush’s Silky Underwear powder.  

Other Impressions: “Oranges, lemons, cocoa butter, and baby powder.” -Tony

Day 347 – BPAL’s Ehecatl

Tags

BPAL, excolo, hibiscus, Lime, matcha, Musk, white musk

Scent Name: Ehecatl

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Excolo

Scent Description and Notes: “EHECATL
The Aztec God of the Winds. He is one of the faces of the Feathered Serpent, and in this aspect he gave life to the sun and the moon, revives the dead, and breathes love into the hearts all of men.

Hibiscus, matcha, white musk, and lime.“ – BPAL

Oil Color: A very faint, creamy white yellow.

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):  Oh, I like it.  The lime is bitter, yet sweet when paired with the white musk.  I don’t get anything other than those two notes.
• Wet:  Bright lime, sweet hibiscus, hints of dried green tea and musk.  Oh, this may go in the “to buy” category.
• Dry: I agree with my husband.  It’s a very clean, pure scent.  I think it would be wonderful for summer or spring.  I get hibiscus, gentle while still lightly fragrant, a touch of warmth from the white musk, and a round sweet quality from the matcha.

Other Impressions: “It smells like lemongrass and Ivory soap.” -Tony

Day 283 – BPAL’s Muse

Tags

ars amatoria, BPAL, Citrus, floral, jasmine, Lime, lotus, tuberose

Scent Name: Lilith

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –Ars Amatoria

Scent Description and Notes: “ A light, invigorating floral and citrus blend. Tuberose, lotus and jasmine with a hint of lime.” – BPAL

Oil Color: A muddled orange 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 clockwork structure with the the name of the company at the bottle of the image. 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):  I get strong jasmine followed by tuberose, then a touch of sweet lime.
• Wet:  It still smells very similar to the ITI notes, but the scent has this off-putting overtone of primer paint.
• Dry: No more paint primer, thank goodness.  I just get lime and something powdery. While this is a promising scent, I wouldn’t reach for it again.

Other Impressions: “Leather and berries” according to Tony.

Day 191 – BPAL’s Death on a Pale Horse

Tags

bourbon, BPAL, calla lily, come and see, geranium, geranium bourbon, Lavender, lily, Lime, Mint, Musk, patchouli, sandalwood, sin and salvation, vetiver, white musk, white sandalwood, yuzu

Scent Name:  Death on a Pale Horse

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Sin & Salvation: Come and See

Scent Description and Notes: “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

The End of All Things: empty white musk and mint seeped with solemn lavender, doleful patchouli and vetiver, scythe-sharp yuzu and lime, with geranium bourbon, white sandalwood and calla lily.” -BPAL

Oil Color: A dripping pitch 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 the the name of the company at the bottle of the image. 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):  I get sandalwood, a bit of yuzu, and bourbon.  It reminds me of scents I caught walking past certain stores in the French quarter in New Orleans.
• Wet: I get roughly the same thing while wet, but the sandalwood is stronger, and I do get hints of patchouli and musk.
• Dry:  Soft must, sandalwood, and a little patchouli after a brisk walk in the park linger on my skin.  As you know, I’m a fan of resinous scents, so I shall be keeping this.

Other Impressions: Powder and flowers according to Tony.

Day 170 – BPAL’s Apatrophia

Tags

BPAL, Cedar, Lime, lime peel, limited edition, lupercalia, lupercalia 2011, ode to Aphrodite, orange, orange blossom, peppermint, petitgrain, spikenard, white cedar

As a Classicist, I adore anything that references Greek or Roman deities.  It was hard not to get samples of each one from this release, but I couldn’t resist this one with all the citrus notes.

Scent Name:  Apatrophia

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –Lupercalia 2011: Ode to Aphrodite (1/18/11-3/21/11)

Scent Description and Notes: “She Who Expels Sinful Lusts

A complex Eastern musk with orange blossom, peppermint, lime peel, spikenard, petitgrain, and white cedar. ” -BPAL

Oil Color:  Clear oil with no color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from ralenth, who tries to match the bottle art to the art she provides on the imp.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent in large, cursive font.  On the side, she has her decanting name, while the front features the name of the collection and the name of the scent framing the image associated with the scent. The image is a Victorian woman glancing off to her right, leaning slightly against a draped pillar, standing next to an Aphrodite vase.  The woman is wearing little else other than a gauze fabric draped around her body.

Warning: The following link contains a not-safe-for-work image. By clicking this link, you agree that you are over 18 years of age:  Apatrophia

Scent: 

• ITI: Off.  I would expect bright citrus, but I get a little soapiness, which might be from the petitgrain.  There is also a medicinal heribness from the combination of spikenard and peppermint.  It’s not what I would have originally anticipated for this scent.
• Wet: It’s still very green, soapy, and medicinal on my skin.  There is just a touch of orange blossom trying to peek though, but the petitgrain and peppermint overpower it. 
• Dry: Soapy spikenard and orange blossoms.  It’s much better dried as it’s floral and feminine. 

Other Impressions: Powder and the secondary after smell of baby oil.