Friday, August 9, 2013

BPAL ~ A Nocturnal Reverie

Hey lovely ladybugs! Today I will be discussing one of BPAL's Halloweenies, A Nocturnal Reverie. I was a bit reluctant to do this post because I wanted to save all my autumn/Halloween perfumes for a Fall-based perfume series that I've already started drafting. But after lurking BPAL's website this morning (and also reading Amanda's recent BPAL/Arcana haul), I knew that my fate had already been written. Speaking of Amanda, she very kindly sent this lovely imp to me. Thank you so very much, dear one!

Scent description for A Nocturnal Reverie by BPAL:
Violet musk and oudh with black amber, ambergris, agarwood, black currant, dark musk, fig, and lavender incense.



The cold sniff in this blend is straight-up lavender. It's an earthy lavender as opposed to medicinal. Lavender is a scent I have always enjoyed. I remember buying lavender linen sprays and lavender scented lotion in the dark ages before I got into perfume. Lavender is also a perfect scent for me right now, as I'm a huge mess of stress and it's well known for its ability to relax people.

How many times can I say "lavender" in one post? :)

When initially applied, the lavender is still there. However, it is also paired with beautiful muskiness and fig. These notes kind of battle to be the center of attention for awhile. It's incredibly enchanting, like being inside a dark fairy tale with a malevolent creature lurking in the forest.



The drydown on me is a wonderful musky violent scent that I very much enjoy. Sillage is medium, and longevity is absolutely astounding! This perfume lasted all day on me, which is very rare due to my climate and skin type. This is a wonderful Halloween scent that I would happily wear year round. Lavender and lilac haters need not apply ;)


Friday, August 2, 2013

Undead Polka Dot Mani

Hi there, sweet, wonderful, precious people! Today I have a bit of a change of pace from my normal bloggy routine. Last night, I found a really cheap black and white polkadot nailpolish when Aaron and I were grocery shopping. We went to a grocery store we don't normally go to, and I haven't seen this particular color in my go-to stores. It's a clear-based polish with multi-sized black and white polka dots. It reminds me of a couple of the famous indie polish colors- only this one did not require me to be on a waiting list or constantly stalk websites. Oh, and it was only 3 dollars! The nail polish I am referring to is Maybelline Color Show Polka Dots in the shade Clearly Spotted. Because of its clear base, this shade requires a base coat in a more opaque color (underwear!). The base color I chose to use with this manicure was Immortal from China Glaze's Halloween 2012 collection. And this is the result!



What I used:
China Glaze Immortal
Maybelline Clearly Spotted
Sally Hansen topcoat

Well I suppose that is it for now! Thanks so much for reading!