A to Z: P is for Perfume!

Again, sorry about this being a day late. Life, you know? But I'm going to try my absolute hardest to make sure that I do every single letter, even if one or two are a day late.

So today, I'm going to talk about perfume!

First and foremost, I'm a huge fan of oil based perfumes. They tend to be more expensive, but in my opinion, you get more bang for your buck. The throw isn't as powerful, and a lot of the scents can react with body chemistry to produce something awful, but in the end, I love them. The scent is purer. More true. It can smell exactly like that chocolate cake you had for your fifth birthday, or bring to mind the exact smell after a strong spring rain. 

Not to mention, I find that most mass manufactured alcohol perfumes smell too floral. They are a combination of scents that are heady and unfocused. Misguided and overpowering. Cloying and pricey.

I'm also a huge fan of indie perfume brands. My personal favorite brand of perfume is Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. They have such unique collections, each with their own story. They have Neil Gaiman scents, RPG scents, fairy tale scents. If you can dream it, they probably have it. And each scent will have its own history and meaning.

And let's just say...I have a bit of an addiction.

Yes, those are each a completely unique, individual scent. Packaged in 5ml "imps ears" so that I can wear whatever I want, whenever I want. 

Some of those perfumes are delicate and floral and smell like "tears and wet straw" and some smell like the beach. Some smell like candy and cookies, others smell like fruit. 

Really, my tastes run the gamut. And I love that with BPAL, I can sample what I like and if I love it enough, I buy the full bottles that you see in the top picture. 

Not to mention, the great thing about indie brands is that most of them have a cult following. BPAL is no exception. The family of BPAL lovers are, as a whole, intelligent and cultured, loving and passionate.There is a website called BPAL.org where fans of the scents swap, sell, and giveaway the perfumes and products. Have a perfume you want to buy, but want to test it first? See if someone has an empty or nearly empty that they can send you cheap/free. Love something that's impossible to find? There's surely someone who has it and is willing to strike a deal. Or, if you're lucky, "fairy" will gift you that limited run perfume you have been searching for. 

Indie perfumes have love in every bottle. And in the end, I think that's what I'm drawn to the most. The passion, the commitment, the pure and unadulterated heartfelt joy (or intricate sadness) of each scent. 

Thanks for reading!

If you're curious about my collection, here is my stash of imps and bottles.