juushika

SOPHIA (Discontinued, GC: Excolo)
A solemn, deeply profound draught of lavender, soft musks, star jasmine, black rose, delphinium, and gentle spice.
( Review. )
Verdict: As I don't think Sophia is supposed to be rose rose rose, and as I've no need of another oil that's just rose rose rose (even if this is a better rose than usual, and piques some casual interest in a well-rounded black rose scent—if such a thing could exist on my skin), this obviously isn't for me. I'll scrub it off and rehome my imp.


NOSTRUM REMEDIUM (GC, Doc Constantine's Pharmacopoeia)
Black tea leaf, invigorating wasabi extract, sweetened by honey.
( Review. )
Verdict: Nostrum Remedium is not quite what I was expecting from the description, and (thank goodness) morphs dramatically from vial to skin, but I think I like it. It's unique without being big and bold, warm and spicy while maintaining a sparse cleanliness, and subtle without being tame. I'm glad I had the chance to try it—I think it's a scent that has to be smelled, not described. That said, I don't think it's enough my style that I need it.


BEWITCHED (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.
( Review. )
Verdict: It's almost a pity that goes through a perfectly balanced stage before the berry gets too loud, because that balance is divine—powerful but not cloying, unique, vivid, shadowed, and gorgeous. So while Bewitched's final stage is decent and I applaud its impressive longevity, it's a disappointment by comparison. The vivid berry hidden in the briars of the wood is a jewel of a scent; berry with a touch of darkness is too familiar, and not nearly as desirable. I like it well enough, but not half as much as I like what this scent could be and what it briefly is; all said, no, I don't need it.


'TIS THE VOICE OF THE LOBSTER (GC, Mad Tea Party)
A woody, musky-weird base glooping over with blackberry preserves, a twist of mandarin, strawberry juice, pulverized watermelon, and a handful of smushed gardenia petals.
A frimp from the Lab which I'd not have tried any other way—mixed fruits aren't my thing.
( Review. )
Verdict: I generally dislike fruity florals, but 'Tis the Voice of the Lobster is unique enough that I find it surprisingly pleasant and successful. Nonetheless, it's not even remotely my style. I washed it off and won't keep it, but I wouldn't mind smelling it one someone else.


BLACK PEARL (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Evocative of the sea's unplumbed mysteries. Gentle and lovely, but menacing and profound. Coconut, Florentine iris, hazelnut and opalescent white musk.
( Review. )
Verdict: I think it bothers me, a little, when a scent is this hard to pin down—I can appreciate the subtlety, but for personal wear I prefer a scent I can grasp on to. On that note, Black Pearl is intriguing and has a surprisingly strong character for something so unusual and subdued, but some of its quietude makes me nervous. It's one I'll have to test again before I know quite what I think of it, but this is a good start and an interesting experiment.

GYPSY (LE, Metamorphosis: The Moths 2010)
Bourbon vanilla, Egyptian musk, tonka, white sugar, and cardamom.
( Review. )
Verdict: I wish that the cardamom lasted as long as the other notes, because it's wonderful and Gypsy's middle stage of cardamom/vanilla/sugar is just divine. But as the cardamom fades, so does Gypsy's magic. That spice is what makes the scent wonderful and unique; without it this is just a cousin to Dorian, and I'm not a fan of that scent. But I'll hang on to my decant for now—perhaps aging will make for a richer, more distinctive oil.

ETA: What a difference a year makes. Aged, I no longer see a similarity between Gypsy and Dorian; Gypsy retains its cardamom through to the end, although the sugar now dies off during drydown (so much so that I sometimes want to layer this with a sweet scent). It has more body and longevity, and the spice pricks the nose and is none to shy, but it's still an elusive scent, something savory and gorgeous that flits off the skin and dances through the throw. It's subtle but compelling, and surprisingly addictive. I'm glad to see this age well.


VANILLA 15 (LE, Chaos Theory VI: Recursive Self-Similarity v7)
( Review. )
Verdict: This isn't one for me. As in Antique Lace and Regan, I find the vanilla and powdery/dry floral combination is a little stuffy and cloying; the fruity Sweet Tarts aspect doesn't help matters. Vanilla 15 is somewhere between vanilla candle, cheap candy, and grandma's soap, yet stays pretty tame and fades in an hour or three: not desirable, but fairly inoffensive, and still one I'll send away.


AMBER 100 (LE, Chaos Theory VI: Recursive Self-Similarity v5)
( Review. )
Verdict: Application is a bitch, because the first stages of this scent are frankly unpleasant. But the drydown is growing on me. Amber 100 is still a bit strange, a little too musty and powdery even for me (and I love powdery ambers) and there's still something a little odd going on in the background. But the resin/spice/brown sugar combo is ... quite nice, actually. I'll have to give this one another go sometime, to see if both my fondness and interpretation of the notes stays stable, but for now I'm pretty pleased.

ETA: Over a year later, and Amber 100's mustiness is gone, taking with it much of the powder. It's savory spice and brown sugar over a resin base now, with almost no morphing except for some heavy, almost sour spice in the vial and during drydown. Stabilization does this scent many favors—it's still quite strange, something of a masculine and distinctly un-foody take on this sort of spice combination, but everything I liked best about the fresh oil is now consistently and perhaps more potently present, savory and rich without being heavy, made palatable by the touch of sweetness, unusual and subtly fantastic.


AMBER 124 (LE, Chaos Theory VI: Recursive Self-Similarity v5)
( Reivew. )
Verdict: I'm quite pleased. This isn't a bold scent, and its initial gentle, pure amber might be a bit of a disappointment if I weren't such an amber lover. But it dries down to something gently wonderful: the most palatable sort of golden amber, warm and soft—and, unless I'm mistaken, dusted with a bit of light cocoa. There's beauty in Amber 124's simplicity: it's not complex, but it's lovely and the cocoa (if it is cocoa) gives it just enough depth to hold one's attention. I'm quite enjoying this, and it's a definite keeper.


AMBER 184 (LE, Chaos Theory VI: Recursive Self-Similarity v5)
( Review. )
Verdict: Well that was an adventure. This is a little too masculine a scent for me, and I'm not familiar enough with its general category to pretend to dissect its notes. My general impression, however, is mixed. Amber 184 begins poorly and ends quickly and somewhat overbalanced towards sweetness, but there's a middle period where the scent is fairly pleasant: a spicy, herbal, sweetened amber, masculine and warm, unrefined and indistinct perhaps but not bad. Regardless this isn't a keeper, for me—I'll pass it along.

PRAGUE (GC, Wanderlust)
Crocus with snowdrop and three lilies.
A frimp from the Lab—I would never have ordered this myself.
( Review. )
Verdict: I wasn't expecting these results from this blend—it's far fruitier and tamer than I anticipated. But even then, Prague just isn't my sort of scent. It's pleasant enough, but I'm no fan of floral/fruity perfumes. I'll pass along my imp.


GIANT VULVA (LE, Lupercalia: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements II)
Skin musk, sugar cane, honey, beeswax, vanilla flower, and copal.
( Review. )
Verdict: This is such a unique scent that I'm glad I had the chance to test it. It's a brilliant match to the inspiration, even moreso than I expected from the notes: a thick, sexual, feminine scent, not quite vulgar but quite unabashed, obviously sexual. It's distinctive, beautiful, but not a scent that I would wear often—so I find myself in no need of a wearable amount. It's fascinating, but I'll pass.


SHADOW WITCH ORCHID (GC, Rappaccini's Garden)
This perfume is a dusky orchid, subdued and ethereal.
( Review. )
Verdict: With few exceptions, I tend not to like florals. Orchid is usually one of those exceptions, thus my interest in this blend—but it's just too strong for me, too heady, too floral. It's not unpleasant (although I'm not fond of the persistant sweetness), it's just not the scent for me. A drop of it may be decent for layering but in the end, I think I'll pass along my imp.


LES INFORTUNES DE LA VERTU (GC, Sin & Salvation)
A pain-tinged, pleasure-soaked blend of leather, oakmoss, orange blossom, amber, and rose with a breath of virginal French florals and a hint of austere monastic penitential incense.
A frimp from the Lab. This is not one I would have ordered on my own—I like some of the notes (orange blossom, amber, oakmoss, incense) but others (leather, rose, florals) I dislike or are deathnotes.
( Review. )
Verdict: As I feared, the florals and the leather/oakmoss blend make this too much like a drugstore cologne. To my nose it's simply unpleasant, so no, I won't be keeping my imp.


NAMASTE (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Sandalwood, jasmine, rose, patchouli, cedarwood and lemongrass.
( Review. )
Verdict: I'm not a fan of lemon, so it's very odd for me to say that I actually prefer the earliest stages of this scent. It's a fresh lemongrass with a bit of dimension from the patchouli, cedar, and sandalwood—and really quite pleasant, although it's not the sort of scent that I'd wear often. But the fleshy rosy florals are the same old sin of skin chemistry, and to my nose quite unpleasant. Other skin chemistries will probably have more luck, however, in keeping this scent balanced. I'll pass along my imp.

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.
( Review. )
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.
( Review. )
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.
( Review. )
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.
( Review. )
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.
( Review. )
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.

FLOWERING CHRYSANTHEMUMS (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements II)
Chrysanthemum, marigold, golden sandalwood, vanilla, cinnamon, and amber incense.
( Review. )
Verdict: I keep retesting this scent, ever confused about the citrus I get from it. I had such high hopes, and I wish that there were more marigold, more cinnamon, more amber incense to make the scent earthier, spicier, and less like orange and cream. As it is, Flowering Chrysanthemums is nice but doesn't capture me. It's creamy, golden, floral, just a touch powdery—a pleasant scent, and I may like it more if I divorce it from my expectations of what it could have been. Regardless it's not my new favorite, and I'll be content with just my decant.


REGAN (GC, Illyria)
A deceptively sweet orchid vanille with a faint trace of stephanotis.
( Review. )
Verdict: I may have to retest this later with a drop rather than a swipe, because I suspect Regan would be better as a subtle hint of scent. When it's obvious, it feels too old lady to me. I had expected that orchid and vanilla would be lovely together, a rare floral I can wear, lightened and sweetened. But the orchid is too dark and the vanilla too sweet, and it's all more cloying-floral than I expect from orchid. All in all I am unimpressed and unless a second test is dramatically different, I'll trade away my imp.


DARK CHOCOLATE AND PEPPER-SMOKED CARAMEL (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Box of Chocolates)
Dark chocolate and pepper-smoked caramel.
( Review. )
Verdict: As Dark Chocolate and Pepper-Smoked Caramel, this is disappointment—where oh where has my beloved dark chocolate gone? I only have a decant, but if those floating black specks are the same chocolate absolute in Boomslang then I'm not surprised that the chocolate disappears on my skin (as it does in Boomslang). But I am, still, saddened. However, as Pepper-Smoked Caramel this is surprisingly lovely. Thick, smoky, but never harsh, it's an uncommon and sensual skin scent. I'll have to adjust my expectations to fit, but that done this is a scent worth keeping around. (And I may have to try it on fabric, to see if the chocolate sticks around.)


CATHEDRAL (GC, Sin & Salvation)
Venerable and solemn: the scent of incense smoke wafting through an ancient church. A true ecclesiatical blend of pure resins.
( Review. )
Verdict: It's so similar to Heavenly Love, and yet such a pale comparison, that I think I'll pretty much stick with Heavenly Love. Cathedral lacks the depth and shadows in Heavenly Love (which surprises me, as my imp is so old), which makes it more difficult to discern and somehow less breathtaking. And when I catch it, that odd salty note is a touch disquieting—on top of all the resins, it smells a little too much like dirty skin. Nonetheless I'll hang on to this, for a bit. It may be a good warm-weather alternative to Heavenly Love, and it is on the whole a lovely, if pale, golden resin.

LOVERS WITH RUTTING CATS (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements II)
Vanilla, red ginger, oakmoss, palm date, and oud.
( Review. )
Verdict: When I sniff my skin directly, the oud is a little too smoky-dry for me. But from a distance, floating around me in a whispered haze of scent, Rutting Cats is simply lovely. The vanilla is rich and creamy, colored and spiced by the red ginger and just a touch of date, and it's a beautiful balance of smoothness and spice. I wish I could bury my nose in the scent, but instead I'll be content to enjoy the waves of it that surround me. I'll keep my decant, but don't need a bottle.


WHITE CHOCOLATE AND SUGARED VIOLETS (LE, Luperalia 2009: Box of Chocolates)
( Review. )
Verdict: I wish the white chocolate were a bit more present, but even if it were I doubt a sugary herbal would delight be. I'll retest this in a few more days, to see if the scent is still settling after shipping, but as it is this is just too herbal, too light on the chocolate, and all-around too odd for me. I'll trade away my imp.

ETA: As it wears, the stark herbal nature of the violets continues to dry down. Within an hour this becomes much more pleasant, a soft powdery herbal against a more noticeable sweet white chocolate. However, it never quite reaches the point where I enjoy it. While it improves as it wears, I'll still pass along my imp.


LOVERS IN A RICEFIELD (LE, Lupercalia 2009: Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements II)
Plum blossom, vanilla sandalwood, nutmeg, and wild rice.
( Review. )
Verdict: Lovers in a Ricefield is pleasant but a bit flat. It's just plum and vanilla for me, which is nice enough but lacks dimension—there's no warmth and texture from the spices, barely any starch from the rice, or whatever else I was supposed to find here. I don't know yet if I'll keep my decant, but I certainly don't need a bottle.

QUEEN OF CLUBS (LE, Forum Only)
Soft, deep earth notes with myrrh, amber, pomegranate, incense, red currant, rose and vanilla.
( Review. )
Verdict: I've wanted to try Queen of Clubs for a while, though the rose and rarity made me hesitate. Receiving it as a gift has been a blessing—because it is lovely and has bowled me head over heels. When I need something more complex than Hymn to Proserpine, I'll reach for this treasured imp. Feminine, powerful, rich, fruit against darkness—this is everything the description implies, but more lovely than I had imagined.


PERSEPHONE (GC, Excolo)
Pomegranate and rose.
( Review. )
Verdict: Persephone is pleasant, but it's a bit too simple and too floral for my tastes. I don't love it as much as the other pomegranate scents which I've had the pleasure to try lately. I do like it more than I expected, so don't necessarily let the rose scare you away—but this is without doubt a feminine fruity-floral blend. I'll forgo this for my other, darker pomegranate loves, but I'm glad I had the chance to try it.


RED LANTERN (LE, Lupercalia 2006)
Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice.
( Review. )
Verdict: I was wary of the tobacco and the smokiness, but Red Lantern is a delightful surprise. This blend works, and it works like a dream. It's rich, dark, smoky, smooth, sweet, with a sense of intimate sexuality. It hovers just above the skin. The smooth smoke is a delicate balance. I can't stop sniffing, and I sort of want to bathe in it. So, yes, this is absolutely a keeper, and I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this lovely aged bottle.


DRAGON'S MILK (GC, Ars Draconis)
A truly fae nectar! Dragon's blood resin and honeyed vanilla.
( Review. )
Verdict: I think I was expecting a sweeter, lighter, candy-like scent, but the dragon is not missing from Dragon's Milk. I don't know where the spiciness comes from, but I'm glad it's here. This is a spicy, warm, sweet scent with radiates from the skin like one's own warmth; it's unexpectedly deep, and perfectly intriguing. I am so thankful that I have a whole bottle of this blend—I imagine I'll be wearing it often, and I'm equally excited to see it age. Absolutely a keeper, and a new favorite.


AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA (GC, Ars Amatoria)
Rosewood with Sicilian lemon peel, red Mysore sandalwood, pale musks, sweet mountain sage and a dusting of lily, night-blooming jasmine and orris.
( Review. )
Verdict: This is perhaps the antithesis of everything I look for in a blend, so it's no surprise that I don't like it. But, were my tastes different, perhaps I might—this is a light, gently radiant, slightly masculine, perfumey-floral blend of bright lemon, white florals, and just the hint of a solid background. It's not unpleasant, it's just not something that I'd ever want to wear. I'll pass on my imp.

TWILIGHT (GC, Ars Moriendi)
Lavender and jasmine, with a touch of glowing honeysuckle.
( Review. )
Verdict: Once it dries down, this is a pleasant scent: powdery herbal, slightly bright, starring well-rounded jasmine. Given how the jasmine amps, Twilight is surprisingly well balanced. Unfortunately, I'm just not a big fan of jasmine—while it doesn't morph to anything strange, I don't want to wear it as a predominant note. And so I'll pass along this imp.


OGUN (GC, Excolo)
Ogun's ofrenda is heavy and dark cigar tobacco, gin and juniper, melon, chili pepper and a touch of honey.
( Review. )
Verdict: The scent calms down once it hits skin, thank goodness—but it's still not something I would wear. This is unusual but still distinctly masculine, rich with smooth tobacco smoke, and it's not really to my taste. But then I knew that before I even opened the imp. I'll pass this one on.


FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH (GC, Mad Tea Party)
Bandersnatch musk, redolent of spicy carnations, wild plums and chrysanthemum.
( Review. )
Verdict: I'm not head over heels for Fumious Bandersnatch. I like the scent and the notes, but not the craft store image they conjure. Perhaps if it were a bit less vivid and a touch more subtle—or if I got any of the musk—I would love it more. As it is, I'll keep my imp around, wear it a few more times, and make my final decision as to its fate.


HYMN TO PROSERPINE (GC, Bewitching Brews)
The darkening amber of faith’s sunset, deepened by the dark fruits of Proserpine.
( Review. )
Verdict: In the imp the bright artificial red fruit scared me, but on the skin this is lovely. It calms and deepens to a remarkable scent, warm, dark, and intimate. The description is right on, this is dark amber and dark red fruits—but you have to sniff it to truly appreciate it. Though it hasn't jumped to the top of my favorites list, but I shall certainly keep my imp and I expect to wear this again.


LANGUOR (GC, Sin & Salvation)
Paperwhite and black narcissus, three lilies, black poppy and tuberose and a hint of hypnotic opium den haze.
( Review. )
Verdict: I was expecting to hate Langour as I do most predominant florals, and yet I am somehow pleasantly surprised. This is not a cloying floral nightmare, but a smooth blend of fleshy florals hazed by opium smoke. It is unexpectedly lovely, suits the inspiration quite well, and I like it. This is outside of my usual tastes so I don't know how often I'll wear it, but I'll keep my imp for a while and find out.

A BLADE OF GRASS (LE, Halloween 2008)
Autumn leaves scattered among blades of grass.
( Review. )
Verdict: I'm in love—my only wish is that it were stronger. Blade of Grass is a natural, artistic, beautiful rendering of autumn leaves fallen on grass—shades of deep red, muted green, and tinges of purple-back, a touch damp, a touch dusty, softly spiced. This one is worth slathering to make it stronger and longer-lasting, and I'm very glad to have my partial bottle. Exquisite.


JACOB'S LADDER (LE, Yule 2008)
The meeting of Heaven and Earth: golden amber, galbanum, benzoin, ambrette, rockrose, costus and tonka.
( Review. )
Verdict: This is not my perfect amber blend (that's Haunted), and so it doesn't quite send me into throes of ecstasy. But Jacob's Ladder is undeniably beautiful. This is golden amber, pure but never simple, exactly what I wanted. It's a must for amber lovers, and I shall treasure my decant—and I'm considering a bottle because it's sure to age well. Lovely.


THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT (LE, Yule 2008)
Embrace your villainy: balsam, myrrh, mandarin orange, bitter clove, artemesia, rosewood, nutmeg, dark musk, smoke and cypress.
( Review. )
Verdict: I was hoping for the brightness of mandarin against a dark setting, but all I get from Winter of our Discontent is astringent pine—which isn't my favorite scent. I'm a bit crushed. I don't think I'll hold on to my decant. Unless a week or two of aging makes a significant change, this just isn't the scent I was hoping for or one that I can come to love.


BLACK CAT (Heaven and Earth Essentials, Spices)
Buttercream FO, Antique Patchouli EO, Sandalwood EO and Orange Blossom EO.
( Review. )
Verdict: HAEE's Black Cat is my favorite non-BPAL perfume and a wonderful scent in its own right. The sweetness of cream, brightness of orange blossom, and darkness of patchouli is a brilliant, beautiful, balanced combination which is decadent without being foody or heady. I love it, and I'm ever-thankful to the BPALer who gave me this decant.

INTRIGUE (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Black palm, with cocoa, fig and shadowy wooded notes.
( Review. )
Verdict: I find Intrigue unusual, bold, and marvelous. It's sharper and bolder than the scents I usually wear, and I have to be in just the right mood—and clothes—to wear it. But when I am, and when I do, it is breathtaking. The fig's sharpness is slightly unsettling, yet I'm compelled to sniff it again and again. Sweet, sharp, and ultimately dark and mysterious, Intrigue is a perfect fit to the name. Its potency, darkness, and sensuality make it a wonderful evening perfume.


BLOOD AMBER (GC, Bewitching Brews)
Slivers of warm, pulsating blood forever crystallized in golden amber resin.
( Review. )
Verdict: This isn't my favorite scent. On me, it's not more than the sum of its parts—so while I love both DBR and amber, I wish the combined scent were more complex. Nonetheless, it's quite pleasant and the boyfriend loves it. Lively and yet comforting, warm and smooth, a good scent for dragon's blood lovers. I don't need more than my imp, but that imp gets a fair bit of use.


MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY (GC, Picnic in Arkham)
The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.
( Review. )
Verdict: I've always wished that Misk U. were more complex than pure creamed coffee—I would love an atmospheric scent, something more evocative, more of the books and wood. Nonetheless, it is lovely. It's true to life, foody without being overly sweet, comforting and delicious. This is a wonderful scent for cuddling up and reading. I don't wear it too often, but I am glad to have my imp around.


DEATH CAP (GC, Rappaccini's Garden)
A warm, soft, ruddy scent, earthy and mild.
( Review. )
Verdict: I adore Death Cap, and only wish that it were stronger. It's an unusual dirt blend that (like Penny Dreadful) branches out from dirt's usual companions into something delightfully unexpected: vanilla. I'm very glad that I tried it, and treasure my imp; because (unlike most BPAL) I slather this one, I see a potential bottle in my future.


THE TELL-TALE HEART (LE, Dark Delicacies)
This is a swollen, pulsating, thudding scent, heavy with dread; a steady, unceasing, throbbing harbinger of retribution and doom: blood musk, cocoa, black pepper, allspice, dragon's blood resin and vetiver.
( Review. )
Verdict: The Tell-Tale heart is a pleasing scent on the surface—warm dragon's blood spiked by black pepper. Then the intimate throw draws you in, revealing richer blood and darker overtones. Finally it conjures the perfect image of the final, unnatural pulses of a congealing heart, beating its threat from concealing darkness. An exact fit to the inspiration, a wonder of a perfume, and a personal favorite. This was the first scent that I was compelled to stock up on, I wear it often, and it's my favorite LE. Truly—perfect.