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BPAL Reviews: Scherezade, Depraved, Vixen, Anathema, Lust
Completely unrelated to these reviews: As I am wont to do in autumn, many of my energies are currently turned outward to the beautiful world around me; ironically (because my mental resources are so limited), this extroversion makes me very quiet of the internet. So if I seem to be ignoring you, rest assured it is not you—it is everyone! I am distracted by beautiful weather, busy with my guinea pigs, watching anime and reading manga, and drowning myself in lovely scents. I am content and indeed alive but it will take me longer than usual to get back to people or post interactive content like, you know, Sims 3 stuff. Rest assured I shall return before long. And now: more BPAL reviews!
SCHEREZADE (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk.
In the vial: Red musk and a general perfumey undercurrent.
On me: Red musk remains the predominant note, but the spices give it a lot of depth and personality. Musk tends to be slightly sweet on my skin, so the effect here is a barely-sweet, rich, deep, sensual red warmth. I wish I could say more about it, but I find it hard to describe—it's almost as if the scent is missing a defining characteristic. It's still lovely, though—I catch whiffs of the warm sweetness in the throw and it pulls me in to the thicker, redder, spicier scent at skin level. Scent-color is a gentle golden red; throw and wearlength are both low.
Verdict: I like Sherezade, but I feel like it's missing something. It's a lovely scent rich with red musk and warm spices, but it's oddly indistinct, hard to pin down and difficult to describe. The red musk is so predominant that it's easy to loop in with other red musk blends—the spices, while enjoyable, aren't enough to make it distinctive. Similarly while I enjoy it, I'm not bowled head over heels. I think I'll keep my imp, and I imagine pulling it out for an hour or two of intimate, warm snuggling. But as pleasant as it is, this blend isn't in any way remarkable.
DEPRAVED (GC, Ars Amatoria)
Earthy black patchouli swelling with apricot.
This was a frimp from the Lab, but one I've been interested in trying—I'm fond of dirty fruit scents.
In the vial: Bright golden apricot on first sniff, a darker earthier scent—;a surprisingly warm, comforting patchouli—on the second. I already like it.
On me: I'm reminded a little too much of the patchouli in Greed, which went a bit playdoh on my skin—some patchouli is too harsh, but this patchouli is almost too thick, with a resinous, malleable, almost musty quality. A lot of the apricot's sharpness dies off during drydown, but it might have been if it stayed because the juicy, golden, round scent that remains serves to bring out the patchouli's sense of thickness/mustiness. Scent-color is pale brown; throw is low.
Verdict: This may be a good blend for a room scent or a scent locket, because in the vial the combination of sharp, bright apricot and smooth, warm dirt is unique and quite lovely—I'm not crazy about it, but I like it well enough. On my skin, though, too much sharpness is lost and the end result is just a little too musty, a little too much like playdoh, dirty in an unpleasant way. My boyfriend wrinkled his nose at it and I'm about to wash it off, so I don't imagine I'll ever wear this. Since I prefer scents I can wear on my skin, I'll probably trade it away. Still, it was nice to have the chance to try it.
VIXEN (GC, Ars Amatoria)
The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli.
I picked up an imp of this in search for a scent similar to Heaven and Earth Essential's Black Cat.
In the vial: A thick, mellow orange blossom darkened by patchouli. But it's a bit strange in a way I find hard to describe—it's almost a little boozy.
On me: As it hits the skin the components seem to separate: the orange blossom grows sharper and sweeter, the patchouli is a dark, more distinct shadow, and I can even pick out some warmth from the ginger. That distinctiveness fades a bit during drydown, but I can still pick out all of the notes—and they combine together into something truly lovely: sweet, warm, golden, but rich and dark with patchouli. It tends towards cloying but doesn't quite reach it, settling instead for unabashed. It's breathtaking, sensual scent, and difficult to stop sniffing. Scent-color is orange-gold; throw is moderate to high (and the blend is potent, too—it only takes a swipe) but it dies down significantly after about two hours.
Verdict: Vixen is lovely. It's remarkably similar to HAEE's Black Cat (Vixen is a bit smoother, less sweet, and less cloying, but the orange blossom/patchouli combination is the distinctive heart of both blends) and so in that respect it's exactly what I was looking for. But it's also beautiful in its own right. Sweet but dark, rich and beautiful, this unique blend with great throw and I can't stop sniffing myself. It's a real winner for me—I'm smitten. I only wish it remained gloriously strong for longer, but this is one that I will be happy to reapply.
ANATHEMA (GC, Sin & Salvation)
A scent as heavy as thunder from the Vatican, with notes that inspire every sin and excess. Black opium, with vetivert and honeysuckle.
This was a frimp from the Lab, and one which I'd not have ordered on my own—I don't have high expectations from honeysuckle.
In the vial: Black but bright: smoky vetiver, dark opium, and sweet, almost sharp honeysuckle cutting through. What it says on the tin, I guess, but it's a very striking combination. It's also a remarkably thick oil for being lab-fresh.
On me: I take that back, the vetiver wasn't smoky in the imp—but it sure is when it hits the skin. The intensity of the vetiver dies down during drydown as the opium rises to provide a bit of balance through its smoother, thicker scent. The honeysuckle is much less potent than it was in the vial, where it was edging towards a lotus-like sharp, sickly-sweetness; for a while it's almost too subtle, but it eventually becomes a sweet, barely-floral backing to the vetiver, and it's what makes the blend work. This scent is dark, smoky, shadowed, smooth, but threading through it all is a whiff of unexpected, and unexpectedly lovely, sweetness. Scent-color is a dark gray alternating with pink; throw and wear length are moderate.
Verdict: I'm honestly not sure what to think. I've been developing a love of vetiver for a while now, and so this blend scratches that itch—vetiver is the star, and the accompanying notes do a lot to keep it smooth and palatable. But the honeysuckle is so unusual, so distinctive, that the scent keeps catching me unawares. It's a bit disquieting—which fits the inspiration well, but may not make for a very wearable perfume. That said, I'm keeping my imp. This is too unique (and too unexpectedly successful) a blend for me to let pass by, even if I don't think I'll wear it much.
10-year ETA: This has aged beautifully! The predominant vetiver has grown silky smooth, with wafts of smoke that sit higher in the nose; it blends almost inseparably with the opium, a rich, dark base. The honeysuckle has tamed and reminds me of aged lotus, distinctive, sweetish, but without that sharp edge. It's still a strange, almost-unsettling combo, but grown so smooth and rich--I still love vetiver, I'm still wearing this mostly for the vetiver, but it's grown into a beautiful, deep, polished vetiver.
LUST (GC, Sin & Salvation)
Uncontrollable passion and insatiable sexual desire: red musk, patchouli, ylang ylang and myrrh.
In the vial: A spicy, incense-laden red musk—so I'd guess red musk, patchouli, and myrrh. No hint of ylang ylang, yet.
On me: The patchouli is a little harsh upon application but it smooths out during drydown. The initial phase of Lust is an incredible rich, spicy, warm red scent, glowing with the sweetish resin of myrrh but staring the breathtaking blend of red musk and patchouli, which together are spicy and dark, many-layered and sensuous and oh so beautiful. Nearing an hour into weartime, however, the ylang ylang finally makes an appearance: it's a sweet, thick, heady tropical floral. Red musk still adds depth and patchouli a bit of darkness, but the ylang ylang grows a bit too strong, sometimes overshadowing all other notes. It's still quite beautiful, but not as much to my taste. Scent-color is dark red morphing into rosy gold. Throw is moderate to low, wear length moderate to high.
Verdict: I'm not a fan of many florals, but ylang ylang is one of my sometimes-exceptions—and so it's not unpleasant for it to pop its head up in this blend. Still, I already have some lovely ylang ylang scents; moreover I absolutely adore the spicy red musk of this scent in its first hour and I'm heartbroken to see it pushed aside. I'm not quite sure what to do with Lust—it's beautiful to be sure, but not quite what I wanted. I imagine I'll trade away my imp eventually, but I'll hang onto it for a bit before I decide.
SCHEREZADE (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk.
In the vial: Red musk and a general perfumey undercurrent.
On me: Red musk remains the predominant note, but the spices give it a lot of depth and personality. Musk tends to be slightly sweet on my skin, so the effect here is a barely-sweet, rich, deep, sensual red warmth. I wish I could say more about it, but I find it hard to describe—it's almost as if the scent is missing a defining characteristic. It's still lovely, though—I catch whiffs of the warm sweetness in the throw and it pulls me in to the thicker, redder, spicier scent at skin level. Scent-color is a gentle golden red; throw and wearlength are both low.
Verdict: I like Sherezade, but I feel like it's missing something. It's a lovely scent rich with red musk and warm spices, but it's oddly indistinct, hard to pin down and difficult to describe. The red musk is so predominant that it's easy to loop in with other red musk blends—the spices, while enjoyable, aren't enough to make it distinctive. Similarly while I enjoy it, I'm not bowled head over heels. I think I'll keep my imp, and I imagine pulling it out for an hour or two of intimate, warm snuggling. But as pleasant as it is, this blend isn't in any way remarkable.
DEPRAVED (GC, Ars Amatoria)
Earthy black patchouli swelling with apricot.
This was a frimp from the Lab, but one I've been interested in trying—I'm fond of dirty fruit scents.
In the vial: Bright golden apricot on first sniff, a darker earthier scent—;a surprisingly warm, comforting patchouli—on the second. I already like it.
On me: I'm reminded a little too much of the patchouli in Greed, which went a bit playdoh on my skin—some patchouli is too harsh, but this patchouli is almost too thick, with a resinous, malleable, almost musty quality. A lot of the apricot's sharpness dies off during drydown, but it might have been if it stayed because the juicy, golden, round scent that remains serves to bring out the patchouli's sense of thickness/mustiness. Scent-color is pale brown; throw is low.
Verdict: This may be a good blend for a room scent or a scent locket, because in the vial the combination of sharp, bright apricot and smooth, warm dirt is unique and quite lovely—I'm not crazy about it, but I like it well enough. On my skin, though, too much sharpness is lost and the end result is just a little too musty, a little too much like playdoh, dirty in an unpleasant way. My boyfriend wrinkled his nose at it and I'm about to wash it off, so I don't imagine I'll ever wear this. Since I prefer scents I can wear on my skin, I'll probably trade it away. Still, it was nice to have the chance to try it.
VIXEN (GC, Ars Amatoria)
The innocence of orange blossom tainted by the beguiling scents of ginger and patchouli.
I picked up an imp of this in search for a scent similar to Heaven and Earth Essential's Black Cat.
In the vial: A thick, mellow orange blossom darkened by patchouli. But it's a bit strange in a way I find hard to describe—it's almost a little boozy.
On me: As it hits the skin the components seem to separate: the orange blossom grows sharper and sweeter, the patchouli is a dark, more distinct shadow, and I can even pick out some warmth from the ginger. That distinctiveness fades a bit during drydown, but I can still pick out all of the notes—and they combine together into something truly lovely: sweet, warm, golden, but rich and dark with patchouli. It tends towards cloying but doesn't quite reach it, settling instead for unabashed. It's breathtaking, sensual scent, and difficult to stop sniffing. Scent-color is orange-gold; throw is moderate to high (and the blend is potent, too—it only takes a swipe) but it dies down significantly after about two hours.
Verdict: Vixen is lovely. It's remarkably similar to HAEE's Black Cat (Vixen is a bit smoother, less sweet, and less cloying, but the orange blossom/patchouli combination is the distinctive heart of both blends) and so in that respect it's exactly what I was looking for. But it's also beautiful in its own right. Sweet but dark, rich and beautiful, this unique blend with great throw and I can't stop sniffing myself. It's a real winner for me—I'm smitten. I only wish it remained gloriously strong for longer, but this is one that I will be happy to reapply.
ANATHEMA (GC, Sin & Salvation)
A scent as heavy as thunder from the Vatican, with notes that inspire every sin and excess. Black opium, with vetivert and honeysuckle.
This was a frimp from the Lab, and one which I'd not have ordered on my own—I don't have high expectations from honeysuckle.
In the vial: Black but bright: smoky vetiver, dark opium, and sweet, almost sharp honeysuckle cutting through. What it says on the tin, I guess, but it's a very striking combination. It's also a remarkably thick oil for being lab-fresh.
On me: I take that back, the vetiver wasn't smoky in the imp—but it sure is when it hits the skin. The intensity of the vetiver dies down during drydown as the opium rises to provide a bit of balance through its smoother, thicker scent. The honeysuckle is much less potent than it was in the vial, where it was edging towards a lotus-like sharp, sickly-sweetness; for a while it's almost too subtle, but it eventually becomes a sweet, barely-floral backing to the vetiver, and it's what makes the blend work. This scent is dark, smoky, shadowed, smooth, but threading through it all is a whiff of unexpected, and unexpectedly lovely, sweetness. Scent-color is a dark gray alternating with pink; throw and wear length are moderate.
Verdict: I'm honestly not sure what to think. I've been developing a love of vetiver for a while now, and so this blend scratches that itch—vetiver is the star, and the accompanying notes do a lot to keep it smooth and palatable. But the honeysuckle is so unusual, so distinctive, that the scent keeps catching me unawares. It's a bit disquieting—which fits the inspiration well, but may not make for a very wearable perfume. That said, I'm keeping my imp. This is too unique (and too unexpectedly successful) a blend for me to let pass by, even if I don't think I'll wear it much.
10-year ETA: This has aged beautifully! The predominant vetiver has grown silky smooth, with wafts of smoke that sit higher in the nose; it blends almost inseparably with the opium, a rich, dark base. The honeysuckle has tamed and reminds me of aged lotus, distinctive, sweetish, but without that sharp edge. It's still a strange, almost-unsettling combo, but grown so smooth and rich--I still love vetiver, I'm still wearing this mostly for the vetiver, but it's grown into a beautiful, deep, polished vetiver.
LUST (GC, Sin & Salvation)
Uncontrollable passion and insatiable sexual desire: red musk, patchouli, ylang ylang and myrrh.
In the vial: A spicy, incense-laden red musk—so I'd guess red musk, patchouli, and myrrh. No hint of ylang ylang, yet.
On me: The patchouli is a little harsh upon application but it smooths out during drydown. The initial phase of Lust is an incredible rich, spicy, warm red scent, glowing with the sweetish resin of myrrh but staring the breathtaking blend of red musk and patchouli, which together are spicy and dark, many-layered and sensuous and oh so beautiful. Nearing an hour into weartime, however, the ylang ylang finally makes an appearance: it's a sweet, thick, heady tropical floral. Red musk still adds depth and patchouli a bit of darkness, but the ylang ylang grows a bit too strong, sometimes overshadowing all other notes. It's still quite beautiful, but not as much to my taste. Scent-color is dark red morphing into rosy gold. Throw is moderate to low, wear length moderate to high.
Verdict: I'm not a fan of many florals, but ylang ylang is one of my sometimes-exceptions—and so it's not unpleasant for it to pop its head up in this blend. Still, I already have some lovely ylang ylang scents; moreover I absolutely adore the spicy red musk of this scent in its first hour and I'm heartbroken to see it pushed aside. I'm not quite sure what to do with Lust—it's beautiful to be sure, but not quite what I wanted. I imagine I'll trade away my imp eventually, but I'll hang onto it for a bit before I decide.