IndieAna- In Search of the HolyGrail

Description- "... The fresh scent of lotus hidden behind lightly scented flowers, amber and citrus " At first application, this perfume was rather sweet but pungent, there's a promise of fruity goodness. It's just begging you to wait.  Upon drydown, it is reminiscent of Juicy Fruit, as in the gum. After some time, I notice a little of the blooming florals, and it's a little tangy like citrus, on me its more warm and syrupy, a lot like mango. If it weren't for the headache that come with the fragrance, I may have enjoyed it more.  Unfortunately, I will have to say goodbye to this sample. Normally I'f persevere some more, but headache causing perfumes have to go. What perfume have you had to bin before finishing?

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is such an iconic indie perfume oil company. I can't believe I'm getting down to the last of my samples.   Description- "The essence of faith, love and devotion. Lilac, lemon, green tea, wisteria, osmanthus, white cedar and Chinese musk." Spicy, woody florals. I can detect a slight citrus note, but it seems to get lost in the earthy nature of this perfume.  Before the perfume becomes too heady, the musk powders down the scent, and it becomes somewhat soapy. A luxurious, expensive soap. This would make for a great Winter perfume. Not too heavy. but rich and warm. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Isn't it funny to be so obsessed with rubbish? I just love empties posts! I enjoy writing them, as well as reading them. As I say goodbye to Feb, I can say good bye to a fairly good chunk of empty packaging (mostly). Skinn Collagenesis ABC Triple Action Peel - Having 4 "syringes" of product in this pack, meant that I only had a month's worth to use. The double barreled packaging was needed to ensure the 2 formulas to be separated, only mixed upon application. I must say that I was not excited by the results, I had high hopes for this peel. I used one application for face and neck, only to discover after watching a demo on TVSN, that it is actually required to use one product for only the face to ensure maximum results. If you want to treat the neck, another one is required. Repurchase? No, I think it's too pricey, especially if I want to treat my neck, I'd only get 2 weeks of use out of each packet.  Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Hand Treatment- L...

A lucky dip into my perfume oil samples' bag brought me to "Penny Dreadful" . This perfume is described as "A dime novel rife with melodrama, horror, madness and cruelty; a ten cent analogy of vice and virtue in conflict. Soft perfume evocative of noir heroines over rich red grave loam." Clear as mud? Yep, I found the description rather unhelpful. I like to know what notes are in a perfume blend, but I'll do my best to describe what I smell. Upon application, I got earthy incense. Not quite a scent that I wish to smell like. But quickly during drydown, a spiciness appears, like ginger. Real ginger, not your gourmand ginger, but more like ginger root.  There is a metallic element mixed into a floral note. I'm not good with flowers, so I'll say my uneducated guess would be that of rich, spicy roses. Quite nice actually. After wear the fragrance powders down, retaining the notes, but becoming rather soft. I do like this interesting blend. No...

BPAL  was the online company that got me hooked on indie perfume oils. Let's just say, that I now have that addiction under control...somewhat. Paramatman contains notes of orange blossom, East Indian sandalwood and champaca.   When I first apply this golden perfume oil, I get a smoky green woodsy scent. It is rather strong, yet upon drydown, it becomes to soften. This is where the zesty, almost bitter orange becomes more noticeable, along with the creamy floral of champaca. To me, after wear, this blend reminds me of smoky, spicy and sweet rose, yet there is no rose in this perfume.  This is definitely a fragrance for the cooler months, as it is quite deep, dark and rich with an air of mystery. Not quite a full size must have for me, but, wow is this blend complex. Have you delved into the world of indie perfume oils? 

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab , or commonly known as BPAL is such a cult indie perfume brand. I have bought many a perfume from their HUGE offering of fragrances. It can be quite overwhelming at first, but once you start buying from this online store, it becomes quite an addiction. In the need for an indie perfume oil hit, I reached for "O". Described as "The scent of sexual obsession, slavery to sensual pleasure, and the undercurrent of innocence defiled utterly. Amber and honey with a touch of vanilla." With a description like that I couldn't not buy it, forget samples, I bought a full size! I must admit that it was not love at first sniff for me. I was expecting something sweet and seductively loud. I got sweet, but soft and powdery. It took time but I began to appreciate this fragrance. It is the perfect night-time perfume, something that you and your partner could get lost in. The 3 notes are obvious, but blend so well, not trying to outdo each other. I...

Wow, I cannot believe I have not done a review post on BPAL (Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab). I have quite a few of their amazing perfumes, and have sampled many, but have only barely scratched the surface of this online store, that is an indie perfume lover's heaven. At first, the choices were daunting to me, I didn't know how I was going place an order without going bankrupt, or crazy trying to choose just a few, lol. Thank goodness I stumbled across the Forum (which is actually listed on the online store). There are reviews of every perfume, and although time consuming, it is truly a handy tool! Amongst the many many many general catalog items, there are also limited editions. These are only available in full sizes. However, there are decant circles on the forum, I've never participated, but it's a great idea! Some time ago, I decided to purchase 2 almost iconic perfumes from the Lupercalia collection. I am embarrassed to admit that this collection was available in F...