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I've had these oils since mmmmmmmMay? and never got around to reviewing them. Haven't really played much with scent-things since then, or definitely not since before summer travelling--the combination of summer heat and my sweet-amping skin was pretty gross, and there are signs in all the (women's) washrooms at school reminding people about the no-scent policy (which I think is mostly meant to mean "do not saturate this enclosed space with atomized chemicals" but I've been respecting it, and it seems like most other people on campus have too and that's awesome), and on non-school days I'm either doing something with my hands that doesn't pair well with smelly wrists or I just don't think of it. Going to make some effort to change that last thing.
Anyway, reviews. Kinda hard to rank this batch, they've all got pros and cons, so this isn't a firm order.
Van Van (review thread; per BPAL copy "A venerable voodoo blend, used for purification of the spirit and to amplify positive personal power.")
Insta-nope, the first time I tried it. Felt slightly dubious about the imp and physically ill when it was on my skin. Trying it again now on the back of my arm for a fresher impression and while I'm not fiercely repulsed this time I'm definitely not wooed. I can get a hint of the vanilla some of the reviewers are talking about, and the patchouli, and a lot of baby powder (almost entirely baby powder from any distance over about a decimetre). No sweetgrass or citrus. The overall impression is Old Lady, but not an old lady you know very well, and there's something toxic-smelling there too, machine fumes or maybe a hospital smell. Camphor? Nothing happening so far, magic-wise; I am feeling neither happier nor more powerful and it's certainly not helping my headache. On the other hand it is mellowing steadily now that I'm giving it the chance to--still somebody else's grandma but wobbling more into balance on the sweet-smoky-powdery scales. Don't hold out high hopes it'll be worth the nasty wet phase, but we'll see.
ETA: Okay, actually, given time to mature this fades into a very nice, subtle, dusty vanilla. It's just a lot of trouble to go through for a nice smell that doesn't seem to have any aromatherapeutic effect on me.
Thanatopsis (review thread; per BPAL copy "A meditation upon death. Inspired by William Cullen Bryant's poem. A deep, solemn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk.")
Interesting to compare this one with Burial; both rich earth scents with at least the juniper in common and probably other ingredients too. In some ways I feel like they've had their descriptions switched: I get a lot more pine from Burial than I do from Thanatopsis, and a faint floral from Thanatopsis but none from Burial at all. Then again, Burial is definitely the "deep, brooding forest scent" of the two, and Thanatopsis has all the musk. Dirty musk, especially at the beginning; creamysweet is taking over the way musk does on me, but there's still traces of, well, the closest thing I can think of is the peat toilet at the family cottage--it's not exactly peat nor poop but it's got a little bit of both. I actually rather like Thanatopsis as a whole, but worry about how that outhouse element will read to other people. Shall have to try layering it with Burial, see if the pine and musk can work things out.
Bewitched (review thread; per BPAL copy "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.")
Fruity sweetness pierced with sharp astringent herbs, fades down to berries with a herbal edge, and then just a soft dry sweet. Smells like a purply red colour, and also somehow cold? It's very nice, if affectively kind of "meh".
Devil's Night (review thread; from BPAL copy "This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.")
The stuff I've got is from 2009; the official description doesn't seem to change between release years but the reports on the forum sure do.
Wet, this is bubblegum and very assertive. Morphs into cinnamon as it dries and that continues to dominate for 20-30 minutes while something acrid starts threading in--smells like burnt sugar, actually, and it irritates the roof of my mouth. I expect this is the "fires in the distance" part of the formula. It does smell like an autumn night and like that's when it wants to be worn. There's a puckish feeling to this scent; it wants to have fun, and not demure rule-abiding fun. It wants to slap the hats off people's heads. Cinnamon relaxes to a hazy aura floating around and through marshmallowy sweetness (sugar and musk) penetrated by smoky burnt sugar. No booze, which is fine by me (although I guess the smokiness could be a whiskey thing if you want it to). That bonfire-crackle acridity contributes to a "stand back!" kind of too-sweetness I can feel in my teeth that fades down to a more pleasant level in about an hour. It's a sharp kind of flirty, sexy but vindictive. Unlike neutral Bewitched, Devil's Night is definitely an "occasion" perfume, to use for shaping a particular mood (in this case: bratty).
Anyway, reviews. Kinda hard to rank this batch, they've all got pros and cons, so this isn't a firm order.
Van Van (review thread; per BPAL copy "A venerable voodoo blend, used for purification of the spirit and to amplify positive personal power.")
Insta-nope, the first time I tried it. Felt slightly dubious about the imp and physically ill when it was on my skin. Trying it again now on the back of my arm for a fresher impression and while I'm not fiercely repulsed this time I'm definitely not wooed. I can get a hint of the vanilla some of the reviewers are talking about, and the patchouli, and a lot of baby powder (almost entirely baby powder from any distance over about a decimetre). No sweetgrass or citrus. The overall impression is Old Lady, but not an old lady you know very well, and there's something toxic-smelling there too, machine fumes or maybe a hospital smell. Camphor? Nothing happening so far, magic-wise; I am feeling neither happier nor more powerful and it's certainly not helping my headache. On the other hand it is mellowing steadily now that I'm giving it the chance to--still somebody else's grandma but wobbling more into balance on the sweet-smoky-powdery scales. Don't hold out high hopes it'll be worth the nasty wet phase, but we'll see.
ETA: Okay, actually, given time to mature this fades into a very nice, subtle, dusty vanilla. It's just a lot of trouble to go through for a nice smell that doesn't seem to have any aromatherapeutic effect on me.
Thanatopsis (review thread; per BPAL copy "A meditation upon death. Inspired by William Cullen Bryant's poem. A deep, solemn earthen scent containing pine, juniper and musk.")
Interesting to compare this one with Burial; both rich earth scents with at least the juniper in common and probably other ingredients too. In some ways I feel like they've had their descriptions switched: I get a lot more pine from Burial than I do from Thanatopsis, and a faint floral from Thanatopsis but none from Burial at all. Then again, Burial is definitely the "deep, brooding forest scent" of the two, and Thanatopsis has all the musk. Dirty musk, especially at the beginning; creamysweet is taking over the way musk does on me, but there's still traces of, well, the closest thing I can think of is the peat toilet at the family cottage--it's not exactly peat nor poop but it's got a little bit of both. I actually rather like Thanatopsis as a whole, but worry about how that outhouse element will read to other people. Shall have to try layering it with Burial, see if the pine and musk can work things out.
Bewitched (review thread; per BPAL copy "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.")
Fruity sweetness pierced with sharp astringent herbs, fades down to berries with a herbal edge, and then just a soft dry sweet. Smells like a purply red colour, and also somehow cold? It's very nice, if affectively kind of "meh".
Devil's Night (review thread; from BPAL copy "This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.")
The stuff I've got is from 2009; the official description doesn't seem to change between release years but the reports on the forum sure do.
Wet, this is bubblegum and very assertive. Morphs into cinnamon as it dries and that continues to dominate for 20-30 minutes while something acrid starts threading in--smells like burnt sugar, actually, and it irritates the roof of my mouth. I expect this is the "fires in the distance" part of the formula. It does smell like an autumn night and like that's when it wants to be worn. There's a puckish feeling to this scent; it wants to have fun, and not demure rule-abiding fun. It wants to slap the hats off people's heads. Cinnamon relaxes to a hazy aura floating around and through marshmallowy sweetness (sugar and musk) penetrated by smoky burnt sugar. No booze, which is fine by me (although I guess the smokiness could be a whiskey thing if you want it to). That bonfire-crackle acridity contributes to a "stand back!" kind of too-sweetness I can feel in my teeth that fades down to a more pleasant level in about an hour. It's a sharp kind of flirty, sexy but vindictive. Unlike neutral Bewitched, Devil's Night is definitely an "occasion" perfume, to use for shaping a particular mood (in this case: bratty).
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