Basenotes - Reviews by MaidMirawyn

United States

Showing 1 to 8 of 8.

Mouse's Long And Sad Tale by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Mouse's Long and Sad Tale is from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's "Mad Tea Party" collection, which is part of the general catalog. The collection is inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

In the bottle, I loved, loved, loved Mouse. I don't remember the exact notes I could smell in the bottle, but it was sweet without being overpowering. I didn't really notice the amber and sandalwood.

On my wrist, it went horribly wrong. It quickly got strong, and a bit sharp or astringent. I was trying to decide between two scents at Whole Foods Market, and that made the decision easy!

In the car, it got worse. It was overpoweringly strong...maybe it's the amber. (I have had problems wearing amber fragrances on a couple of occasions.) After a couple of hours, the amber and sandalwood faded a bit; I could detect some of the original scent that had drawn me to it.

But in the end, I was not willing to go through two or three hours of the sharp yet cloying phase. I wish more reviews and ratings were on here, because I've never met anyone else who had my type of reaction to it. It smells wonderful on everyone else!

7th July, 2009.

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Boomslang by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Snake Oil, described as "a blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla," is Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's best-selling fragrance. In 2007, they started an extended limited edition collection which includes "The Snake Pit," a collection of Snake Oil-based scents.

Boomslang is Snake Oil with "cocoa, teakwood, and rice milk." However, the fragrance is not what you'd expect.

It's cocoa, yes, but it's not foody; instead, it's rich, warm, and thick, with a touch of musky spice and a hint of sweetness. (Thank you, Snake Oil!)

It always fascinates me the way scents react with an individual's skin chemistry. In that department, Boomslang doesn't disappoint: it's richly cocoa in the bottle, then immediately so much more as soon as it touches your skin. Even though Boomslang isn't dark in the way we usually mean when referring to fragrance, the deep, dark color of the oil seems to match the fragrance.

One warning for those with fair skin: I wasn't joking when I said the oil was dark. I've been told it's the cocoa absolute; regardless, the oil is a very deep brown. When you apply it, rub it in while it's still wet so it doesn't leave a yellowish mark on your skin.

18th September, 2008.

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Coconut Lime Verbena by Bath and Body Works

I've all but lost interest in regular fragrances since finding Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, but this one has stuck around!

I fell in love with Bath and Body Works' Coconut Lime Verbena when it was first released, as a summer limited edition. Sadly, I didn't find it until the end of the summer, and when I came back to buy it, it was gone!

I was very happy when summer rolled back around and I found it added to the general collection! It's a wonderful fresh fragrance, joyful and exuberant without being obnoxious. The individual notes meld very well, creating a fragrance with a distinctive summer feeling.

This summer I bought Upa Upa from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's summer collection, Atomic Luau. It's similiar, but there's enough difference that I sometimes still reach for Coconut Lime Verbena for a sensory pick-me-up.

18th September, 2008.

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Serpent's Kiss by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab describes this fragrance as, "Seething with passion, yet utterly cold-blooded." Is that not an evocative description?

So, I managed to snag a free 1 mL of the oil at a BPAL Meet n Sniff. I didn't know the scent notes when I tried it, but with a name like "Serpent's Kiss," it was a given that I'd have to check it out.

I tried it on, and it quickly turned warm, sweet yet spicy. I definitely get some of the same cinnamon fire out of this as I do from BPAL's Chimera, so I think that has to be the spices.

There's just a bit of a bite to it (appropriately), and I think that's the vertiver. Slightly woodsy, too.

Overall, cinnamon and dragon's blood have been good for me, but vetiver has been hit and miss. I think this is a good one if you like spicy-sweet scents and vetiver works for you in a supporting role.

17th September, 2008.

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Santa Muerte by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

From Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: "A deep, resonant scent, both comforting and soft: lovers’ roses, solemn chrysanthemum, dark vetiver and dazzling cactus flowers."

In the vial, it was sharp and soured, maybe decaying. Ick. I went to BPAL.org (a Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab fan forum) I had to read several of the reviews to convince myself to try it.

Wet on the skin, it's much better. I can smell green notes, and a bit of floral.

Dry, it's pleasant, more floral. But nothing outstanding on me.

I am so thankful it didn't smell like it did in the imp!

17th September, 2008.

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Dragon's Milk by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab describes Dragon's Milk as "dragon's blood resin* and honeyed vanilla."

Dragon's Milk is sweet and creamy, but there's a depth behind the vanilla cream, presumably the dragon's blood. It goes on very, very sweet (and smells really sweet in the bottle), but once it's on, it's a beautiful, strangely innocent sort of fragrance. It feels motherly, homey, and comforting.

*Dragon's Blood resin is obtained from plants of the Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, or Pterocarpus genera. It can form hardened red drops as it seeps from injured branches or trunks, which is presumably the origin of the name "dragons' blood."

17th September, 2008.

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Chimera by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Though it's become one of my favorite fragrances (if not my very favorite), I doubt I would have chosen Chimera myself. I received a free 1 mL (imp's ear, in BPAL terms) with decants of some other Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume oils.

Granted, the Chimera of mythology was pretty awesome, and chimeras in the biologoy sense are fun, but "cinnamon, thickened by myrrh, honeysuckle, and copal" doesn't really sound like me! I didn't even know what copal was...

In the vial, it's a sweet cinnamon, almost like a red hot but with a bit more depth. It reminds me of the Lip Venom my sister bought me last year... And I get a thick, syrupy sort of feeling, but in a good way.

Wet, it's still sweet cinnamon, but it's less candy-like. Maybe that's the myrrh.

Once dry, the cinnamon blends in with the rest of the notes. I don't really think "cinnamon" anymore. However, it's beautiful, warm, and rich, with a touch of fire.

I never really smell the honeysuckle, but I bet it's the bridge between the cinnamon and the resins. Yes, that's what copal is: a resin.

17th September, 2008.

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Bordello by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

An intriguing fragrance. In the bottle, it's very fruity-plum and cherry and berry-and not much else.

On, it becomes something more complex, even before it's completely dry. The amaretto adds a depth and warmth.

It's fruity but warm, a bit exuberant and larger-than-life, with just a touch of wine.

17th September, 2008.

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