BPAL reviews!
Stuff is going. I have some stuff that needs to get done by Saturday, but last night I had the luxury of coming home from Terra Firma and not even looking at my workbench. I took a hot shower, I had a cuddle with Olive, I read a little, and I fell asleep on the couch with Jason. I'm even having dinner with a friend tonight. Look at me, taking time for my own well-being.
I've been going through my Lupercalia BPALs (as well as a few odd Possets), so... reviews (some sniffed, some skin tested).
Kypris::Peru balsam, vanilla bean, Rainier cherry, bitter almond, golden honey, rose water, lemon peel, sugar cane, and benzoin. Almond and cherry, all the time. Like maraschino cherry syrup over almonds. I actually like this, but I will probably not wear it, so into swaps it goes.
Aphrogenês:: Orris root, iris, white honey, white sandalwood, coconut, and cherry blossom. Soft true cherry, a honey that is neither too sweet nor cloying, and the powderiness of orris. A pale white scent, not particularly perfumey. I like it, but it will probably get lost in my imp box and unloved, so I'll probably swap it. I'm sure others will love it much more.
Nymphia:: White rose, apple blossom, spun sugar, mango, cucumber, freesia, coconut, and lavender. The epic win of the Lupercalias this year, as far as I am concerned. It smells like ambrosia. Coconut marshmallow fruitiness with a dash of apple blossom. A touch of lavender, barely perceptible, like a smudge of purple around the edges of this very bright scent. This is sweeter than I usually wear, but still very wearable. LOVE this one. Considering a bottle.
Loosening of the Obi:: Rice wine, white sandalwood, vanilla bean, and white musk. Sandalwood, vanilla, and a little bit of white musk. A soft, innocent, white perfume. Not heavy, not too light. Non-foody. Quite pretty. A good choice for when you want to smell nice, but not heavily scented.
Biwa:: Tangerine, black currant, white musk, honey, and tagetes. A fruity perfume that manages to not smell childish or young-- the tangerine and black currant meld perfectly. The honey lends a little bit of creaminess without making it overly sweet. It's sort of like a grown-up creamsicle.
Gods of Intercourse:: Peach and peach blossom with rose geranium, red currant, pink musk, and gardenia. Peach blossom and gardenia. It's soft and springy and very pretty without being overwhelmingly floral. However, I already have two bottles of Aglaea, to which this is quite similar, so I'll probably pass this on.
Young Pine Saplings:: Cream, clove, ginger, and honey. SOOOO disappointed in this one. I had such high hopes that this would be in the same vein as Sudha Segara, but last longer. This is all clove and honey on me, and whatever ginger the lab used in Mother Ginger that smells more like ginger ale than ginger root. Heavy and cloying. Swap.
Burning Vulva:: Vanilla-infused amber, leather, beeswax, cyclamen, oakmoss, peru balsam, orange blossom, red ginger, tonka, opoponax, myrrh, and black pepper. I smell leather, balsam, strong orange blossom, and a little beeswax. Overall, it's just not what I'd pictured, which was a spicier, smuttier version of BPAL's prior vulva-themed Shungas. There's a certain cruelty about this scent that I don't particularly like. Swap.
Box of Chocolates - Milk chocolate, cassia, and bacon. YUUUUUUCK. I was expecting chocolate + salt + smoky (this is vegan, after all), but instead, it's ass + salt + smoky. Jason recoiled in horror. Swap.
Time Does Not Bring Relief:: Parma violet and leather accord with beeswax, Egyptian musk, orange blossom, white tea, lavender, myrrh, and copal. I'm sure other people will get more out of this, but on me, it's orange blossom all the time, and too sharp. (My skin amps that note, apparently.) Swap.
Female Nude, Three-Quarter Length, Beside Her Left an Apple Tree:: Mahogany, rosewood, and red apple. Very light apple over polished wood. Pretty, but not terribly memorable.
Standing Female Nude:: Red rose and red currant with amber, blood orange, myrrh, and golden musk. I get the 'golden' parts of this over the red parts, which is interesting. I smell myrrh and musk most predominantly, with a little bit of amber and maybe some of the tartness of the currant? The rose must be very well blended, because it smells SMOOTH like a rose perfume without actually smelling like rose. Very refined and sensual without being sexual.
Sleeping Nymphs and Satyrs:: Wild woods, Bulgarian rose, tolu balsam, vanilla absolute, ambergris, honey, and vanilla. A surprise hit! It's a woody perfume that is distinctly soft and feminine. The woods are definitely in the forefront here, tangled with soft velvety roses, and that's all you smell for the first 10 minutes on the skin. After that, a warm, golden vanilla starts to peek out. It's not a foody vanilla, which means that the honey is not showing up on my skin. Overall, it's evocative and very very pretty.
Possets - The Ring:: [no notes given.] This is rose and some red, juicy fruit. It reminds me of Thouros from BPAL last year, which was red rose and lychee. This is surprisingly wearable for a rose scent-- not at all stuffy or old. I like it a lot, but I already have Thouros, so after I do a side-by-side, I might swap this one.
Possets - The Knot Ring:: Musk and lime, a small amount of salt and a drop of clary sage for a safe and serene sleep. I bought this because it reminded me of one of my favorite fictional characters. In the vial, the musk softens the tartness of the lime, and the sage gives it an almost herbal tinge. The salt is in the background. I wore this one, and it was like fresh air with soft lime, and lasted about 4 hours for a very light application. I like this one a lot and will probably use it up over the course of the spring.
Possets - Bona Fortuna:: ...her fragrance is full of cream, sugar, fruit and emollient back notes of lemon cream and amber, as well as a touch of lily. This smells like cream and brown sugar to my nose. I get a tiny hit of lemon, but mostly, it's a thick, heavy sweetness. Not sure this one is for me, especially as Jason didn't like it. Sad, because Possets does the absolute BEST lemon scents.
Possets: A Small Parcel:: Brown and smelling faintly of fine tobacco, this is a dry smell and one which I would call uplifting. A bit of old rose scent, a bit of the sea (for it came on a ship), and perhaps a bit of patchouli and spice. Tobacco, parchment, and spice is what I get. This smells like a refined gentleman's parlor. I get no salt or rose from it. I don't know that this is wearable for me, but it is supremely evocative, and I'll probably keep it for that.
(Note to self: try Springtime Playfulness.)
I other product notes: Cocoa Pink is under new management. The site design is still godawful, but apparently the customer service is amazing now and the products are of great quality. I tried their shampoo & conditioners and I really, really like them. TAT is about two weeks, and everything was packaged well. I think their Shine Sweetie is going to become my default conditioner-- it doesn't make my hair oily, and I've been able to go much longer between shampoos with their products. Add to that, their American Cream scent dupe is spot on, and I can smell it in my hair days after I use it. I give the company under new management a total thumbs-up.
If you haven't already, send me pics of you in your Sihaya Designs shinies for a chance at a gift certificate. I've been posting pics over at the work blog, and you have a few more days to enter.
Okay, time to work on resin stuffs. Possession is on TV and it is soooo pretty.
I've been going through my Lupercalia BPALs (as well as a few odd Possets), so... reviews (some sniffed, some skin tested).
Kypris::Peru balsam, vanilla bean, Rainier cherry, bitter almond, golden honey, rose water, lemon peel, sugar cane, and benzoin. Almond and cherry, all the time. Like maraschino cherry syrup over almonds. I actually like this, but I will probably not wear it, so into swaps it goes.
Aphrogenês:: Orris root, iris, white honey, white sandalwood, coconut, and cherry blossom. Soft true cherry, a honey that is neither too sweet nor cloying, and the powderiness of orris. A pale white scent, not particularly perfumey. I like it, but it will probably get lost in my imp box and unloved, so I'll probably swap it. I'm sure others will love it much more.
Nymphia:: White rose, apple blossom, spun sugar, mango, cucumber, freesia, coconut, and lavender. The epic win of the Lupercalias this year, as far as I am concerned. It smells like ambrosia. Coconut marshmallow fruitiness with a dash of apple blossom. A touch of lavender, barely perceptible, like a smudge of purple around the edges of this very bright scent. This is sweeter than I usually wear, but still very wearable. LOVE this one. Considering a bottle.
Loosening of the Obi:: Rice wine, white sandalwood, vanilla bean, and white musk. Sandalwood, vanilla, and a little bit of white musk. A soft, innocent, white perfume. Not heavy, not too light. Non-foody. Quite pretty. A good choice for when you want to smell nice, but not heavily scented.
Biwa:: Tangerine, black currant, white musk, honey, and tagetes. A fruity perfume that manages to not smell childish or young-- the tangerine and black currant meld perfectly. The honey lends a little bit of creaminess without making it overly sweet. It's sort of like a grown-up creamsicle.
Gods of Intercourse:: Peach and peach blossom with rose geranium, red currant, pink musk, and gardenia. Peach blossom and gardenia. It's soft and springy and very pretty without being overwhelmingly floral. However, I already have two bottles of Aglaea, to which this is quite similar, so I'll probably pass this on.
Young Pine Saplings:: Cream, clove, ginger, and honey. SOOOO disappointed in this one. I had such high hopes that this would be in the same vein as Sudha Segara, but last longer. This is all clove and honey on me, and whatever ginger the lab used in Mother Ginger that smells more like ginger ale than ginger root. Heavy and cloying. Swap.
Burning Vulva:: Vanilla-infused amber, leather, beeswax, cyclamen, oakmoss, peru balsam, orange blossom, red ginger, tonka, opoponax, myrrh, and black pepper. I smell leather, balsam, strong orange blossom, and a little beeswax. Overall, it's just not what I'd pictured, which was a spicier, smuttier version of BPAL's prior vulva-themed Shungas. There's a certain cruelty about this scent that I don't particularly like. Swap.
Box of Chocolates - Milk chocolate, cassia, and bacon. YUUUUUUCK. I was expecting chocolate + salt + smoky (this is vegan, after all), but instead, it's ass + salt + smoky. Jason recoiled in horror. Swap.
Time Does Not Bring Relief:: Parma violet and leather accord with beeswax, Egyptian musk, orange blossom, white tea, lavender, myrrh, and copal. I'm sure other people will get more out of this, but on me, it's orange blossom all the time, and too sharp. (My skin amps that note, apparently.) Swap.
Female Nude, Three-Quarter Length, Beside Her Left an Apple Tree:: Mahogany, rosewood, and red apple. Very light apple over polished wood. Pretty, but not terribly memorable.
Standing Female Nude:: Red rose and red currant with amber, blood orange, myrrh, and golden musk. I get the 'golden' parts of this over the red parts, which is interesting. I smell myrrh and musk most predominantly, with a little bit of amber and maybe some of the tartness of the currant? The rose must be very well blended, because it smells SMOOTH like a rose perfume without actually smelling like rose. Very refined and sensual without being sexual.
Sleeping Nymphs and Satyrs:: Wild woods, Bulgarian rose, tolu balsam, vanilla absolute, ambergris, honey, and vanilla. A surprise hit! It's a woody perfume that is distinctly soft and feminine. The woods are definitely in the forefront here, tangled with soft velvety roses, and that's all you smell for the first 10 minutes on the skin. After that, a warm, golden vanilla starts to peek out. It's not a foody vanilla, which means that the honey is not showing up on my skin. Overall, it's evocative and very very pretty.
Possets - The Ring:: [no notes given.] This is rose and some red, juicy fruit. It reminds me of Thouros from BPAL last year, which was red rose and lychee. This is surprisingly wearable for a rose scent-- not at all stuffy or old. I like it a lot, but I already have Thouros, so after I do a side-by-side, I might swap this one.
Possets - The Knot Ring:: Musk and lime, a small amount of salt and a drop of clary sage for a safe and serene sleep. I bought this because it reminded me of one of my favorite fictional characters. In the vial, the musk softens the tartness of the lime, and the sage gives it an almost herbal tinge. The salt is in the background. I wore this one, and it was like fresh air with soft lime, and lasted about 4 hours for a very light application. I like this one a lot and will probably use it up over the course of the spring.
Possets - Bona Fortuna:: ...her fragrance is full of cream, sugar, fruit and emollient back notes of lemon cream and amber, as well as a touch of lily. This smells like cream and brown sugar to my nose. I get a tiny hit of lemon, but mostly, it's a thick, heavy sweetness. Not sure this one is for me, especially as Jason didn't like it. Sad, because Possets does the absolute BEST lemon scents.
Possets: A Small Parcel:: Brown and smelling faintly of fine tobacco, this is a dry smell and one which I would call uplifting. A bit of old rose scent, a bit of the sea (for it came on a ship), and perhaps a bit of patchouli and spice. Tobacco, parchment, and spice is what I get. This smells like a refined gentleman's parlor. I get no salt or rose from it. I don't know that this is wearable for me, but it is supremely evocative, and I'll probably keep it for that.
(Note to self: try Springtime Playfulness.)
I other product notes: Cocoa Pink is under new management. The site design is still godawful, but apparently the customer service is amazing now and the products are of great quality. I tried their shampoo & conditioners and I really, really like them. TAT is about two weeks, and everything was packaged well. I think their Shine Sweetie is going to become my default conditioner-- it doesn't make my hair oily, and I've been able to go much longer between shampoos with their products. Add to that, their American Cream scent dupe is spot on, and I can smell it in my hair days after I use it. I give the company under new management a total thumbs-up.
If you haven't already, send me pics of you in your Sihaya Designs shinies for a chance at a gift certificate. I've been posting pics over at the work blog, and you have a few more days to enter.
Okay, time to work on resin stuffs. Possession is on TV and it is soooo pretty.