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juushikaWearing Penny Dreadful last night prompted me to write a review of it today, which in turn has reminded me to crosspost my BPAL Forum reviews over here to LJ. For those that don't care, do forgive the spam.
PENNY DREADFUL (GC)
Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam.
I'll admit, I added an imp of this to my order because of the name—but also because I hadn't yet tried any dirt notes, and red loam seemed like a good starting place considering the scents I usually like.
In the Imp: I have a hard time pinning down in-the-imp smells, but this one is primarily a gentle spice, warm red-brown in color (a lot like the oil in the imp, actually). It has plenty of character without being sharp, and the spices feel full, almost like they've been roasted to bring out their full flavor.
On Me: Going on wet, Penny Dreadful goes quickly through a few extremes. It's warm wet loam, it's a waft of fairly strong florals, and there's a bit of that spice from the vial. After the first ten minutes it settles a bit, becoming red loam, warm, slightly damp, and very full-bodied, with an undercurrent of mixed florals that are a little bit too strong. All told, the scent entire is a little bit too strong during the drydown period, but after about half an hour, it calms and develops into itself.
Over Time: After the drydown and during wear, Penny Dreadful is absolutely wonderful. The red loam is predominant, the body of the perfume, rich and moist. It's not dry dirt, or gritty under the fingernail dirt, but rather rich, a bit clumpy, and with a velvet texture, and a very solid and full base to the perfume, making the overall scent a gentle but warm red-brown. The florals waft over the loam scent, making the scent pretty and feminine, but not girly or strongly floral. They are very gentle and very well-mixed, so they smell more like faint perfume than flowers, and no one floral note overwhelms the others. Since I generally avoid florals, I consider that a Very Good Thing. Finally, the spices from the vial come in every now and then, and grow stronger as the scent wears on the skin. By hour three or so, the florals recede and it's loam and spice, rich red fullness at the center but with sharper accents, to keep things interesting. The scent clings on for a while: it's discernible as perfume for about six hours; the next morning, the scent still clung to my skin, but it was very faint and very close.
Verdict: I'm in love with this scent, and it's already climbed its way into my list of current favorites. I think it's a great perfume for people who are cautious with florals, because the floral note is so gentle and well-mixed, just enough to make the scent pretty but definitely not enough to overwhelm it. I also think it's a great first dirt note, as the loam is rich and warm, and feels a bit like more conventional notes like amber and dragon's blood. The three aspects of the scent--loam, florals, and spice--are wonderfully balanced to make this a lovely scent that still has a lot of personality. I adore it. The boy loves it, too. He picked it out for me to wear last night from the vial scent, liked it on, and happily sniffed my faintly-scented skin the next morning, so that must be a good sign.
PENITENCE (GC)
A blend of pure, pious frankincense and graceful myrrh.
I had high hopes for this scent based on the notes and description, but I wasn't eagerly adding it to my shopping list. When a frimp arrived from a seller, it was a good chance to try this scent without consequences. That turned out to be quite lucky, because despite my hopes, I found Penitence to be a little lackluster.
On Me: This goes on very strong, almost smoky, and takes about half an hour to calm down to a wearable level. While it's not the worst drydown that I've experienced (that would be Casanova), it had me worried for a while. After the drydown, the heady and loud smoke dissipates and the true nature of the oil emerges. On me, Penitence is paired incense and resin: the incense hovers over the skin around me, rich, earthy, a little dusty, and fairly smoky; the resin sits just at the skin but is still strong and quite sweet.
Over Time: This scent doesn't morph, but it gently recedes. The incense top layer fades at a faster rate; the sweet resin sinks deeper into the skin, but becomes the dominant note. All told, the scent lasted about five/six hours on me.
Verdict: While this scent isn't offensive by any means (at least not after the drydown), I'm not particularity drawn to it. The smoky and sweet notes are so simple and distinct that they almost feel unblended. As a result, the two notes are too smoky and too sweet, and I can't quite catch both of them at once. If it were a bit more delicate, I think I'd like this scent more, but as it is Penitence was nice enough but nothing amazing. I don't see myself reaching for the imp, and so I'll probably send it off to someone else to try. (I did, indeed, send this off as a frimp in a trade.)
COTTONMOUTH (CARNIVAL DIABOLIQUE)
Snake Oil with linden blossom, calla lily, passion flower, and narcissus.
Cottonmouth took me by surprise. Prior to it, I had had no positive experiences with anything more floral than an incidental carnation or apple blossom note, and so the floral notes worried me. However, I gave it a go when I received a frimp from a sale, and I was pleasantly surprised--even amazed.
On Me: This scent is Snake Oil's prettier, lighter sister. Obviously they share the same base, but unlike Boomslang (the only other Snake Pit I've had the chance to try), the Snake Oil roots in Cottonmouth are much more distinct. It has the same complexity in the incense and spices, and the same sweetness in the vanilla. The floral notes, however, make the blend a bit lighter and a bit more gentle. They are soft florals, more pretty and delicate than they are heady, and they tone down some of the richness of the Snake Oil base. I couldn't pick out any of the specific flowers, and nothing grabbed on and over-amped. It was a very delicate, balanced blend.
Over Time: Like Snake Oil, Cottonmouth didn't morph on me. After the drydown period, it stayed relatively constant. What amazed me, however, is that I was constantly leaning in to sniff deeper, to make sure that that beautiful scent really was coming from there. Like I said, I didn't have high hopes for the florals. ^_^;; The scent had a moderate lasting length on my skin.
Verdict: Sometimes I think that sellers know me better than I know myself. I never would have picked this out myself, but having been frimped it, I am so glad to have the imp in my collection. Since it shares so many similarities to Snake Oil, Cottonmouth isn't one that I would search out and buy a lot of. The floral notes, however, make it a lighter and more delicate relative, and I see myself reaching for this in warmer weather, when Snake Oil becomes too heavy and too cloying. It's also, I think, a great choice for people that usually avoid florals, like myself. It is sweet without being sugary, delicately floral without reeking of flowers, and truly a lovely blend. I can't think of any descriptor better than beautiful.
MIDNIGHT KISS (SHOJO BEAT)
Red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine.
I didn't have any luck with the sister scent, Vampire Tears, so I was a bit hesitant about Midnight Kiss. I'm glad to say, my concerns were way off the mark. This was a wonderful surprise, and a perfect frimp to receive from a seller.
On Me: Midnight Kiss is a rich red scent, bordered around the edges with dark cocoa, undercut by a low, fuzzy darkness that reminds me of the color and texture of powdered cloves. The red heart to the scent is definitely fruit, but it doesn't feel fruity, and it certainly doesn't feel foody. Instead, it tends more towards the nose of a red wine and the thick wetness of blood. The cocoa is a bit more gourmand but again isn't foody, and it rounds out the scent and makes it a bit more palatable, not bitter like real wine smells to me. The fuzzy dark not-quite-powdery undercurrent (this is probably the musk, isn't it?) gives the scent a decent throw, and it almost makes it feel tactile. It's hard to explain, and my attempts are a bit contrived, but on the whole, this is a red-and-brown scent, colorful but not simple or exaggerated.
Over Time: Unlike most BPAL, this scent seems to hover over the skin, around the nose, around the wearer (me) rather than rising up from the skin. In fact, after the drydown period I couldn't lean in and pinpoint precisely where I had applied it, or smell the scent rising from my skin. It floated, like an aura. A rich chocolate and blood red aura. It also stuck around for quite some time, without morphing or fading until, six/seven hours in, it finally quieted and disappeared. I've never had a BPAL scent act quite like that, and I really enjoyed it. It meant I could constantly catch one more smell of the scent without leaning in towards my wrists or my chest like a crazy person, which really is the best of both worlds.
Verdict: I feel very thankful that I was gifted with this, and I see myself reaching for the imp quite frequently. It feels a bit like Enraged Groundhog Musk, without the animal connotations or the heavy musk. Rich, red, cocoa, and just on this side of gourmand, it's slightly sweet, fruity, and chocolate without ever feeling like food. The way the scent hovers is so pleasant, and it makes this a good perfume when you want others to smell you without leaning in, but not be scared away as soon as you enter the room. I'm so pleased. I love this.
ETA, some months later: Unfortunately, as it aged Midnight Kiss became increasingly sweet until it smelled like sticky red candies on my skin. Cloying, sickly, a touch artificial, and glaring bright red in tone, I just couldn't wear it any more. I recently swapped it away.
VELVET (GC)
Gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh.
In the imp: Dry pale powdered cocoa. I don't dawdle over the in-imp smell of this because I love how it smells on me so much, but it's actually quite pleasant and true to the wear scent.
On me: A lovely blend of cocoa and sandalwood. The cocoa is the dry powdered dark chocolate, maybe even baker's chocolate--it's not sweet and not foody, but has a rich cocoa scent nonetheless. The sandalwood melts in perfectly, giving the scent a velvet texture—powdery (the powdered cocoa variety, not the baby powder variety), not quite smooth, but minutely textured and very fine. It's quite a subtle scent, but not understated--has a low-to-moderate throw, which makes it perfect for leaning in and smelling deep. It's at once both refined and comforting, the way that chocolate should be. Doesn't change much during wear.
Verdict: Both the boyfriend and I love this scent on me. It's comforting, perfect for a chocolate-lover, and it's always a delight to smell—a good thing, as it sticks around a fair while (5-8 hours). The boy's only complaint is that it makes me smell good enough to eat, and I can live with that. This was one of my first purchases from the Lab, and is still one of my favorites. I adore it.
VAMPIRE TEARS (SHOJO BEAT)
Wisteria, white grapefruit, neroli, green tea, jasmine, white ginger, honeysuckle, iris, and tonka.
This was a frimp from the lab, and I don't think I would have tested the scent any other way—neither citrus nor predominant florals appeal to me.
In the imp: Pure citrus, which is bright but very strong.
On me: After the ten minute drydown, I get, immediately and without morphing, floral soap. It's actually pleasant, as soap goes—creamy white, just a little dusty, scented with graceful florals. But it's still soap, so while I'm not rushing to wash it off, this isn't a scent that I'd ever wear.
Verdict: Nopes, not my notes, not with my skin chemistry. I'd give better feedback if this worked on me at all. ETA: sent off as a gift.
PENNY DREADFUL (GC)
Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam.
I'll admit, I added an imp of this to my order because of the name—but also because I hadn't yet tried any dirt notes, and red loam seemed like a good starting place considering the scents I usually like.
In the Imp: I have a hard time pinning down in-the-imp smells, but this one is primarily a gentle spice, warm red-brown in color (a lot like the oil in the imp, actually). It has plenty of character without being sharp, and the spices feel full, almost like they've been roasted to bring out their full flavor.
On Me: Going on wet, Penny Dreadful goes quickly through a few extremes. It's warm wet loam, it's a waft of fairly strong florals, and there's a bit of that spice from the vial. After the first ten minutes it settles a bit, becoming red loam, warm, slightly damp, and very full-bodied, with an undercurrent of mixed florals that are a little bit too strong. All told, the scent entire is a little bit too strong during the drydown period, but after about half an hour, it calms and develops into itself.
Over Time: After the drydown and during wear, Penny Dreadful is absolutely wonderful. The red loam is predominant, the body of the perfume, rich and moist. It's not dry dirt, or gritty under the fingernail dirt, but rather rich, a bit clumpy, and with a velvet texture, and a very solid and full base to the perfume, making the overall scent a gentle but warm red-brown. The florals waft over the loam scent, making the scent pretty and feminine, but not girly or strongly floral. They are very gentle and very well-mixed, so they smell more like faint perfume than flowers, and no one floral note overwhelms the others. Since I generally avoid florals, I consider that a Very Good Thing. Finally, the spices from the vial come in every now and then, and grow stronger as the scent wears on the skin. By hour three or so, the florals recede and it's loam and spice, rich red fullness at the center but with sharper accents, to keep things interesting. The scent clings on for a while: it's discernible as perfume for about six hours; the next morning, the scent still clung to my skin, but it was very faint and very close.
Verdict: I'm in love with this scent, and it's already climbed its way into my list of current favorites. I think it's a great perfume for people who are cautious with florals, because the floral note is so gentle and well-mixed, just enough to make the scent pretty but definitely not enough to overwhelm it. I also think it's a great first dirt note, as the loam is rich and warm, and feels a bit like more conventional notes like amber and dragon's blood. The three aspects of the scent--loam, florals, and spice--are wonderfully balanced to make this a lovely scent that still has a lot of personality. I adore it. The boy loves it, too. He picked it out for me to wear last night from the vial scent, liked it on, and happily sniffed my faintly-scented skin the next morning, so that must be a good sign.
PENITENCE (GC)
A blend of pure, pious frankincense and graceful myrrh.
I had high hopes for this scent based on the notes and description, but I wasn't eagerly adding it to my shopping list. When a frimp arrived from a seller, it was a good chance to try this scent without consequences. That turned out to be quite lucky, because despite my hopes, I found Penitence to be a little lackluster.
On Me: This goes on very strong, almost smoky, and takes about half an hour to calm down to a wearable level. While it's not the worst drydown that I've experienced (that would be Casanova), it had me worried for a while. After the drydown, the heady and loud smoke dissipates and the true nature of the oil emerges. On me, Penitence is paired incense and resin: the incense hovers over the skin around me, rich, earthy, a little dusty, and fairly smoky; the resin sits just at the skin but is still strong and quite sweet.
Over Time: This scent doesn't morph, but it gently recedes. The incense top layer fades at a faster rate; the sweet resin sinks deeper into the skin, but becomes the dominant note. All told, the scent lasted about five/six hours on me.
Verdict: While this scent isn't offensive by any means (at least not after the drydown), I'm not particularity drawn to it. The smoky and sweet notes are so simple and distinct that they almost feel unblended. As a result, the two notes are too smoky and too sweet, and I can't quite catch both of them at once. If it were a bit more delicate, I think I'd like this scent more, but as it is Penitence was nice enough but nothing amazing. I don't see myself reaching for the imp, and so I'll probably send it off to someone else to try. (I did, indeed, send this off as a frimp in a trade.)
COTTONMOUTH (CARNIVAL DIABOLIQUE)
Snake Oil with linden blossom, calla lily, passion flower, and narcissus.
Cottonmouth took me by surprise. Prior to it, I had had no positive experiences with anything more floral than an incidental carnation or apple blossom note, and so the floral notes worried me. However, I gave it a go when I received a frimp from a sale, and I was pleasantly surprised--even amazed.
On Me: This scent is Snake Oil's prettier, lighter sister. Obviously they share the same base, but unlike Boomslang (the only other Snake Pit I've had the chance to try), the Snake Oil roots in Cottonmouth are much more distinct. It has the same complexity in the incense and spices, and the same sweetness in the vanilla. The floral notes, however, make the blend a bit lighter and a bit more gentle. They are soft florals, more pretty and delicate than they are heady, and they tone down some of the richness of the Snake Oil base. I couldn't pick out any of the specific flowers, and nothing grabbed on and over-amped. It was a very delicate, balanced blend.
Over Time: Like Snake Oil, Cottonmouth didn't morph on me. After the drydown period, it stayed relatively constant. What amazed me, however, is that I was constantly leaning in to sniff deeper, to make sure that that beautiful scent really was coming from there. Like I said, I didn't have high hopes for the florals. ^_^;; The scent had a moderate lasting length on my skin.
Verdict: Sometimes I think that sellers know me better than I know myself. I never would have picked this out myself, but having been frimped it, I am so glad to have the imp in my collection. Since it shares so many similarities to Snake Oil, Cottonmouth isn't one that I would search out and buy a lot of. The floral notes, however, make it a lighter and more delicate relative, and I see myself reaching for this in warmer weather, when Snake Oil becomes too heavy and too cloying. It's also, I think, a great choice for people that usually avoid florals, like myself. It is sweet without being sugary, delicately floral without reeking of flowers, and truly a lovely blend. I can't think of any descriptor better than beautiful.
MIDNIGHT KISS (SHOJO BEAT)
Red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine.
I didn't have any luck with the sister scent, Vampire Tears, so I was a bit hesitant about Midnight Kiss. I'm glad to say, my concerns were way off the mark. This was a wonderful surprise, and a perfect frimp to receive from a seller.
On Me: Midnight Kiss is a rich red scent, bordered around the edges with dark cocoa, undercut by a low, fuzzy darkness that reminds me of the color and texture of powdered cloves. The red heart to the scent is definitely fruit, but it doesn't feel fruity, and it certainly doesn't feel foody. Instead, it tends more towards the nose of a red wine and the thick wetness of blood. The cocoa is a bit more gourmand but again isn't foody, and it rounds out the scent and makes it a bit more palatable, not bitter like real wine smells to me. The fuzzy dark not-quite-powdery undercurrent (this is probably the musk, isn't it?) gives the scent a decent throw, and it almost makes it feel tactile. It's hard to explain, and my attempts are a bit contrived, but on the whole, this is a red-and-brown scent, colorful but not simple or exaggerated.
Over Time: Unlike most BPAL, this scent seems to hover over the skin, around the nose, around the wearer (me) rather than rising up from the skin. In fact, after the drydown period I couldn't lean in and pinpoint precisely where I had applied it, or smell the scent rising from my skin. It floated, like an aura. A rich chocolate and blood red aura. It also stuck around for quite some time, without morphing or fading until, six/seven hours in, it finally quieted and disappeared. I've never had a BPAL scent act quite like that, and I really enjoyed it. It meant I could constantly catch one more smell of the scent without leaning in towards my wrists or my chest like a crazy person, which really is the best of both worlds.
Verdict: I feel very thankful that I was gifted with this, and I see myself reaching for the imp quite frequently. It feels a bit like Enraged Groundhog Musk, without the animal connotations or the heavy musk. Rich, red, cocoa, and just on this side of gourmand, it's slightly sweet, fruity, and chocolate without ever feeling like food. The way the scent hovers is so pleasant, and it makes this a good perfume when you want others to smell you without leaning in, but not be scared away as soon as you enter the room. I'm so pleased. I love this.
ETA, some months later: Unfortunately, as it aged Midnight Kiss became increasingly sweet until it smelled like sticky red candies on my skin. Cloying, sickly, a touch artificial, and glaring bright red in tone, I just couldn't wear it any more. I recently swapped it away.
VELVET (GC)
Gentle sandalwood warmed by cocoa vanilla and a veil of deep myrrh.
In the imp: Dry pale powdered cocoa. I don't dawdle over the in-imp smell of this because I love how it smells on me so much, but it's actually quite pleasant and true to the wear scent.
On me: A lovely blend of cocoa and sandalwood. The cocoa is the dry powdered dark chocolate, maybe even baker's chocolate--it's not sweet and not foody, but has a rich cocoa scent nonetheless. The sandalwood melts in perfectly, giving the scent a velvet texture—powdery (the powdered cocoa variety, not the baby powder variety), not quite smooth, but minutely textured and very fine. It's quite a subtle scent, but not understated--has a low-to-moderate throw, which makes it perfect for leaning in and smelling deep. It's at once both refined and comforting, the way that chocolate should be. Doesn't change much during wear.
Verdict: Both the boyfriend and I love this scent on me. It's comforting, perfect for a chocolate-lover, and it's always a delight to smell—a good thing, as it sticks around a fair while (5-8 hours). The boy's only complaint is that it makes me smell good enough to eat, and I can live with that. This was one of my first purchases from the Lab, and is still one of my favorites. I adore it.
VAMPIRE TEARS (SHOJO BEAT)
Wisteria, white grapefruit, neroli, green tea, jasmine, white ginger, honeysuckle, iris, and tonka.
This was a frimp from the lab, and I don't think I would have tested the scent any other way—neither citrus nor predominant florals appeal to me.
In the imp: Pure citrus, which is bright but very strong.
On me: After the ten minute drydown, I get, immediately and without morphing, floral soap. It's actually pleasant, as soap goes—creamy white, just a little dusty, scented with graceful florals. But it's still soap, so while I'm not rushing to wash it off, this isn't a scent that I'd ever wear.
Verdict: Nopes, not my notes, not with my skin chemistry. I'd give better feedback if this worked on me at all. ETA: sent off as a gift.
