Unabashed fangirling: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is a "purveyor of fine esoteric goods, perfumes & potions". They've been creating and selling their own perfume oil blends (and assorted other goods) since 2002.

It's an addiction. There are Internet communities devoted to reviewing and swapping BPAL perfumes. A bottle of a discontinued Limited Edition scent (sold for about $20US on their website while they're available) might sell for many times that on Ebay.

Alas, I only own five or six bottles. 'Elegba' is formulated after the traditional offerings to the Afro-caribbean god of crossroads and doorways: coconut, tobacco, sugared rum. It smells like Samoas - the caramel & coconut Girl Scout cookies. 'Bordello' is a sweetly decadent blend of plum, blackcurrent, and amaretto. 'Depraved' - a favorite - has the black pepper/potting soil scent of dark patchouli entwined with lush sweet apricot.

Some of their scents are inspired by old gods; mythical creatures; by fictional characters, creations of authors such as Neil Gaiman, Lewis Carroll, H. P. Lovecraft. Some honor the spirit of places, real or imagined: Glasgow, Paris, Gomorrah, Eden.

And every full moon - well, almost every full moon - they release a Limited Edition scent: a Lunacy.

Their February Lunacy was Sugar Moon.

"SUGAR MOON
No way to see him
on this moonless night ---
I lie awake longing, burning,
breasts racing fire,
heart in flames.

Sugar cane, blue musk, mahogany, black orchid, black currant, violet, blackberry leaf, teak, strawberry, and dusky rose."

...now, I am not affiliated in any way with BPAL. I do not work for them, I don't know personally anyone who works there, they aren't giving me any free stuff for this review. I very much doubt that the release of the aforementioned, eponymous perfume blend has anything at all to do with my little corner of the Internet.

It's just kismet.

(There's a Sugar Moon t-shirt, too.)

My bottle of Sugar Moon arrived today (along with the two freebie testers they always throw in with an order). I'm...not sure I can describe the scent...sweet but not cloying, dark and warm underneath. It fits. The t-shirt has not arrived yet, but I will attempt to get a picture when it does.

So, please forgive the momentary deviation from fiction. Given that the Hand of Fate had stepped in and acknowledged my little venture here, I figured I should do something to honor it. :D