I thought I would start a BPAL thread rather than having a company with 400+ scents buried in the "Fragrance Talk" thread, LOL. BPAL is perfume oils. They are sold in imps (sample vials) and in 5ml bottles.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/) has grown on me over the years. I'm currently in a BPAL phase. When I first looked at the site I was quite put off by the gothic trappings but exploration has shown it to be very interesting, full of literary, historical and mythical references. You can read the lab's own description of what they are aiming to create here:

http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/about.html

To quote: "we have mastered the art of encapsulating allegorical ideas into singular olfactory experiences. " And yes, they do that very well!

Just to show you some of the variety here are some of their more recent categories:

Neil Gaiman, Stardust (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/stardust.html)
This film will be released in Australia on Sept 20th. Scents from the film's characters. BPAL have three ranges of Neil Gaiman scents. (Neil Gaiman is a graphic novelist and writer). The other two are Neil Gaiman (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/neverwhere.html)and Good Omens (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/goodomens.html). All profits from these scents go to a legal charity.

The Salon (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/salon.html)
These scents are all based on a piece of artwork.

Ars Draconis (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/draconis.html)
Like dragons? The base note of all of these is "dragon's blood" a BPAL scent in it's own right. Variations on a theme.

Probably the most popular BPAL is "Snake Oil", an intense incensey vanilla that improves with age. They recently came out with the Snake Pit series which has a variety of snakes with this vanilla as a base.

I've mostly ordered and worn scents from the general collection (15.00 for 5ml) but recently started exploring the limited editions and special scents which cost a bit more. A good way to dip into the BPAL without great financial outlay or getting too overwhelmed is to buy some imps (the sample vials) on ebay when they come up. People often sell a selection and it's a great way to try them. You can look up the notes in the search section on the site. If you click on the scent once you've searched for it it takes you to bpal.org (a fan review site) and to the thread reviewing that scent. It's been a fun trial and error finding out what notes I adore in BPAL and what I don't like. Vetiver, a thorn in my side in perfume, utterly wows me in BPAL which was quite a surprise.

Since a few people have posted inquiries as to what the heck BPAL was when it's been mentioned in Fragrance Talk I thought I would do this little intro but I'm hoping people will use this thread to review and discuss any BPAL's they are wearing!

:waving:

Has anyone tried any of the funeral oils? I'm sorry but they just freak me out! It sounds like something you would put on dead people or wear to funerals. I know i shouldn't take the names so literally but when I first discovered the sight I thought it was quite creepy and I guess that put me off exploring it any further.

Where are the funeral oils?

Perhaps you should check out the Love Potions (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/lp.html) section PCC, for some biblical, pre-raphaelity kinda stuff.

Where are the funeral oils?

Perhaps you should check out the Love Potions (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/lp.html) section PCC, for some biblical, pre-raphaelity kinda stuff.

Ok Teacake, I just checked out the Bpal site and they have taken the heading Funeral oils off and hidden it away. If you go to The dark side heading and then click on Ars Moriendi it will bring up the funeral blends!!! I'm sorry but these freak me out! Will check out the love potions though.

Oh, you mean these. (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/funeral.html) That first one, "Dance of Death" is a poem by Charles Baudelaire. Death was, iirc, often anthroporphized in the Victorian era and you see a lot of Victorian influences on BPAL. It is interesting that other eras have had very different views of death, perhaps because they did not feel as able to do battle with it as we do in this era of medicine.

As much as I love perfume oils, BPAL isn't for me I'm afraid.

Oh, I :hearts: BPAL! I am in serious love with Aeval, and am still working on my list of oils to try. I have a few I am still to sniff properly, my allergies are making it interesting.

I prefer oils, a lot of EDP's & EDT's smell alchoholly to me, even the high end ones.

One I'm going to order in a 5ml is Anathema. I think that was a frimp from my Paris Hilton ordering. I used the whole thing up.

"Black opium, with vetivert and honeysuckle."

This is a languid, heavy floral with a dark undercurrent in the same vein as Fracas and Songes. The honeysuckle is gorgeous in that heavy-in-the-heat way that is almost too much.

I am in lust with the sounds of that (black opium? Hmmm.......) - but the vetivert is a no-no for me :tears:

I am currently sampling Belle Epoque, and loving it almost as much as Aeval.

Black Opium features in a lot of BPAL's though I am not familiar enough with it to isolate the note. However it does seem very nice. The vetiver in Anathema is not apparent to me (though if you hate it you might find otherwise!)

Black Opium features in a lot of BPAL's though I am not familiar enough with it to isolate the note. However it does seem very nice. The vetiver in Anathema is not apparent to me (though if you hate it you might find otherwise!)

I wish it was that I hated it! I LOVE it - in the bottle, or on someone else. On me it turns nasty, and induces migraines. I :hearts: CSP Harmonie Creole, but it gave me migraines every time I wore it. Couldn't smell the vetivert, but on contacting the company for a full note description, it was there, in a miniscule amount.

Sadly, there are a lot of the BPAL's that I read, and go, 'Please!' only to stumble over the vetivert note, and so they get scrubbed from the list. Probably a good thing, it keeps the wishlist shorter. :typing:

Don't think this is for me either....

It's probably for the best, 400+ scents can really dint your purse..

Actually PCC there are some lovely sweet scents with BPAL. I don't have any atm otherwise I'd offer you some. Their gourmands are really rich and velvetty and nicel.

I am now saving up my paypal monies and eagerly awaiting the Labs next update (full moon, Aug 28 US time I believe). Prior to this I've not paid much attention and got my BPAL through swaps or ebay. However 5 seconds after my current perfume lull began (see thread on what you recently bought) my fledgeling BPAL addiction phoenixed into something out of control.. well not quite but I can see how this happens. I am a sucker for limited editions so unless the new moon one is a green thing I will be getting that, the companion bottle and hopefully some from my GC wishlist (that's general collection). There are also some from their charity section of Neil Gaiman scents that I am happy to buy unsniffed.

It is VERY EXCITING waiting to see what will appear with the update!

The BPAL update will go live tonight, around 5pm eastern australian time according to Beth's announcement. She says it's "a big one". The BPAL forum is full of near-hysterical anticipation!

Well the UPDATE has gone live and very exciting is is!

You can read all about the limited editions, some around for 3 days and some for 3 months here:

http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/limited.html

There are also a few new GC's (the permanent collection) which you can find in the "Shiny and New" link to the left. The Trading post is also offering special Halloween shirts and oils.

I have placed as big an order as I can under the shipping scheme without having to double it (12 bottles is 13.00 shipping). I am.. VERY THRILLED. I can't wait!!!

Dammit! I so want the Libra one - it sounds very ME :hearts:

I am hoping the Libra one is fabulous! I am not normally a fruit person but they have a great lucious plum one called Bordello and I'm hoping Libra is similar with rose in it.. mmmm.. black cherry and rose sound great.

This is what I ordered:

A Little Lunacy: Hunter Moon 2007 - 5ml
Dry leaves, autumn bonfires, blood red wine, feral, animalistic notes and the chill of approaching winter.
[This doesn't actually appeal to me too much but I had to get the moon as it is only available for 3 days, lol]

2X Suspiciendo Despicio: Libra 2007 - 5ml
Rose, black cherry, carnation, fig, honey, plum, and black currant.

Anathema - 5ml
Black opium, with vetivert and honeysuckle.

Bastet - 5ml
Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus.

HALLOWEEN: the HAUNTED HOUSE : Lurid Library 5ml
The incense-tinged scent of forbidden tomes and the musk-laden remnants of infernal servants.

Good Omens: Crowley 5ml
Infernal musk, red patchouli, lilac cologne, mahogany, lemon rind, oakmoss, leather, and vanilla husk.

Good Omens: Aziraphale 5ml
Ethereal musk, blonde woods, and dusty Bible accord.

[The Good Omens scents go to charity and are based on the characters in a Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett novel]

Faizas Companions: Western Diamondback - 5ml
Snake Oil with leather, tonka bean, red sandalwood, and sage.
[Snake Oil is an intense vanilla and one of their most popular scents. A series of variations on the them snakes was released in limited edition and this is one of them]

Goblin - 5ml
Black coconut, gnarly patchouli, and sweet benzoin.


Schrodinger's Cat - 5ml
A paradoxical scent experiment! - tangerine, sugared lime, pink grapefruit, oakmoss, lavender, zdravetz, and chocolate peppermint.

No cats were mistreated during the formulation of this paradox, or in the process of creating this perfume.


Incubus - 5ml
Spectral white musk and the heart-stopping chill of sheared mint, fanned by caramel-touched body heat, and the diabolical sensuality of black musk, nicotiana, and sage.

Oh my! I want.............. all of them!:redcheeks:

Not many BPAL fans I take it?

I had a huge collection but I sold most of it. I have a box of imps still though :)

I would like to buy some BPAL frags, but have refrained thus far. I mean there is one called Victoria, which I pretty much want!

I have a few imps I have swapped for - but I have to be careful, I like to actually use what i have, and I have beena bit lax lately.

I actually prefer oils to perfumes, they just seem to work better for me most of the time.

Another BPAL fan here. My favourites are Dorian, Miskatonic University, Monster Bait: Tokyo Stomp and Krampus. I also like King of Hearts though not as much as the others. I really want to try Snake Oil and I can't believe I never have!

::teacake delurks::

VeeE I just swapped away my Victoria. It is pretty, seems popular.. very floral and clean.

Xerious I have tried all of those except King of Hearts. Have to look that one up. I have bottles of Misk U. and Tokyo Stomp. For mint I am currently in love with Green Tree Viper which is mint and Snake Oil. I had a fresh imp from the lab of Misk. U which is how I finally got to try it after hearing about it for so long.. and I promptly bought an aged bottle of it on ebay. The aged is less sweet, really lovely, a bit dry (which I adore). The fresh is more butter cream sweet. It was fun to be able to compare them side by side as Misk.U. is one of those scents people like to age.

I bought my BPAL off ebay for about a year before I started ordering from the lab.. less intimidating and cheap postage if you buy from Aus, lol. I think I grabbed a few big lots of mixed imps and that kept me going for a while with all the testing. However when you order from the lab you get loads of freebies, usually 2 free imps (the sample vials) for every bottle. So I always have a backlog of things to test just from that.

I wonder if you bought anything from me? I sold lots on ebay haha. That would be weird.

I wonder if you bought anything from me? I sold lots on ebay haha. That would be weird.

Oh really?? There aren't too many of us BPAL sellers on ebay, I know I have bought from people I've also sold to! I'll send you a pm and ask what your name is.

I got Blood Rose in a swap the other day - OMG! It is different - that much I wills ay. I quite like The Reaper & The Flowers (had to have it for the name) and......................something else that came at the same time.

OMG! i finally checked out the BPAL website this weekend thanks to A's link in the other thread and have spent hours going through the website. i stocked up on skincare over summer and needed something else to focus on and now have discoverd BPAL which will definitely consume my attention for a while! oh, i have only looked at their perfume oils and haven't even started on their other website....

anyway, after a couple of hours i decided that i couldn't do just any wishlist, but that i need an excel spreadsheet to manage a BPAL wishlist - & i haven't used excel since uni, i.e. 8 years ago, so i am going to try to learn again how to create sort functions etc.. :redcheeks: now many hours later, i think i have narrowed down to the following 12 for my very first order (to maximise use of the cheapest postage rate of course ;))

Full size
- khajuraho 2008 Ltd Ed
- red lantern 2008 Ltd Ed
- carnaval diabolique
- theodosius, the legerdemain
- pulcinella & teresina (i may swap this for a full size of one of the snake oils, but i don't know how to choose just one - i thought if i was happy with my first order of going for the 'sname pit' :spin: hmmm....)
- cleopatra testing poisons..

Imps
- hellcat
- kali
- queen mab
- alice
- croquet
- black dahlia

Queen Mab is one of my faves!

I'm going to check this out... the whole BPAL thing still confuses me :rollthoseeyes:

i just placed my order - i decided to get uruk instead of pulcinella & teresina. sooooo excited :glee:

Rosie, i suspect i will end up getting a full size of queen mab as it sounds devine - and probably many others :chuckle: :chuckle:

I think I may put a BPAL order in when I get paid!

Anyone personally have any experience with the Musky ones?

I am loving Siren and Vixen, I love them and they smell so naughty ;) :whipcrack:

I just put in an order for 6 imps, 3 old ones and 3 new ones for me to try :glee:

You can try, but you will NOT inspire me to order from BPAL:whipcrack: Anyone convinced?:shakehead:

I just put in an order for 6 imps, 3 old ones and 3 new ones for me to try :glee:

Which ones?

Which ones?

Follow me, snake oil, lust ,vixen and siren, I can't remember the other one but I think I can see a common theme here :redcheeks::whipcrack:

I am a BPAL trollop!!:chuckle:

snake oil is gorgeous

snake oil is gorgeous

How would you describe it?

I am no good at that... but its sexy without being migraine inducing.. vanillary... I dunno, I will smel it later and add to this :)

oh, i have become sooooo adicted to this stuff in a few short weeks - i have received two orders and am now waiting for my third batch from someone selling stuff on the forum :redcheeks: :rollthoseeyes: i am now banning myself from any new orders for the next few weeks :chuckle:

one of the frimps in my last order was lust, but i haven't tested it yet

I have two big bottles of Snake Oil and tons of imps, if anyone wants to do some swaps or something, I would be happy to decant some. Let me know.
My big problem with BPAL is it takes soooooooo frigging long for things to be delivered. I also like Possets and Goth Rosary and they deliver much quicker, but don't have the HYUGE selection. Ava Luxe was good, but she is closed.

oh, i'll definitely have to keep that in mind! i'm still working my way through all my new imps though. i seem to go for the big bottles during the week and only get around to testing the others on the weekends.

yeah, i quickly worked out to do smaller orders. i first tried to get the maximum amount of stuff for the postage rate, but it took ages. my next order was small and i got it in about a week (which is the same time as domestic mail for me!)

i am having so much fun with it though!