Comments on: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: An Introduction http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction A beauty blog dedicated to bringing you the latest makeup news, makeup reviews, and beauty tips. We cover MAC makeup news, Urban Decay, Chanel, NARS Cosmetics, and much more! Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:48:30 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jo http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/comment-page-1#comment-669139 Jo Fri, 08 Oct 2010 20:34:43 +0000 http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957#comment-669139 For those here who are BPAL fans, I thought I'd share that they are coming out with a new line based on the classic novel/movie "The Last Unicorn." I'm so psyched! They have a section on their site for it but it's still under construction. But I found the site to pre-order it at and ordered the gift sampler. I'm not missing this one. Thought I'd share! http://www.conlanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=C&Category_Code=CM For those here who are BPAL fans, I thought I’d share that they are coming out with a new line based on the classic novel/movie
“The Last Unicorn.” I’m so psyched! They have a section on their site for it but it’s still under construction. But I found the site to pre-order it at and ordered the gift sampler. I’m not missing this one. Thought I’d share!

http://www.conlanpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=C&Category_Code=CM

]]> By: Beck http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/comment-page-1#comment-497274 Beck Tue, 18 May 2010 21:09:00 +0000 http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957#comment-497274 I am really disappointed in Bpal lately.=/ The raised the prices so general catalog is now 17.50, Limited Editions are now 20.00,Panacea collection is now 28.00 each,22.50 for Carnivale Diabolique,etc. etc. I placed an order before the price increases and that is going to be my last and final order with them. They have lost me as a customer because most of the oils I received lately were disappointing they were just not that great and they barely lasted 30 min.(or less) on my skin before they virtually disappeared. I started ordering back when she first started up and I liked the company a lot better back then. I still have some classic favorites like Snake Oil the most popular house blend and a handful of others. Another reoccuring problem was I was getting a lot of PLASTIC from the oils. They would smell good for a moment and then turn into plastic. And some of them are just terrible, I mean the worst rotten grandma-ish perfume and cheap men's drug store cologne. I do not think the price increase is warranted as a reflection of the quality, because it seems to me that quality control is non existent and these oils are being churned out at a very rapid pace, allowing the quality to suffer.And I think some of the components are not of the highest grade, hence the plastic smells and the lack of lasting power. I will wind up at Saks buying something that truly lasts and is worth every cent. I am really disappointed in Bpal lately.=/
The raised the prices so general catalog is now 17.50, Limited Editions
are now 20.00,Panacea collection is now 28.00 each,22.50 for Carnivale Diabolique,etc. etc. I placed an order before the price increases and that is going to be my last and final order with them. They have lost me as a customer because most of the oils I received lately were disappointing they were just not that great and they barely lasted 30 min.(or less) on my skin before they virtually disappeared. I started ordering back when she first started up and I liked the company a lot better back then. I still have some classic favorites like Snake Oil the most popular house blend and a handful of others. Another reoccuring problem was I was getting a lot of PLASTIC from the oils. They would smell good for a moment and then turn into plastic. And some of them are just terrible, I mean the worst rotten grandma-ish perfume and cheap men’s drug store cologne. I do not think the price increase is warranted as a reflection of the quality, because it seems to me that quality control is non existent and these oils are being churned out at a very rapid pace, allowing the quality to suffer.And I think some of the components are not of the highest grade, hence the plastic smells and the lack of lasting power. I will wind up at Saks buying something that truly lasts and is worth every cent.

]]> By: *jen http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/comment-page-1#comment-417973 *jen Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:46:53 +0000 http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957#comment-417973 Mary Contrary, I'm sorry you're not a fan of BPAL, but differences are what makes the world go round, right? I find the "hype" among fans to be powerful indeed, though how is it different from the hype around MAC? Or any other company that releases Limited Edition scents? (Hullo, Urban Decay Alice Book of Shadows!) Like MAC, BPAL offers and extensive catalog of permanent scents for those who don't want to indulge in the limited edition frenzy. I am surprised to hear you disliked nearly 100 scents from BPAL! That's a lot lot to have tried. And to have found all of them lacking is really surprising. My guess is you're simply not a fan of the perfume oil genre in general, because even Vegas odds would lean towards you liking one in a hundred scents. Definitely sounds like you and BPAL aren't a match. :( To say the scents are "standard and uninteresting" is certainly an opinion rather than fact, as scent preference is completely subjective. I disagree with you, as do many of the fans. I find the range varied and comprehensive. They are completely different from synthetic, mainstream fragrances, which are the ones I assume you find "sophisticated". Frankly, I don't think BPAL fans care if their scents are viewed as "sophisticated" by anyone else. I find Chanel and the other "sophisticated" scents to all smell like a bottle of chemicals, so again: thank goodness we're all different and there's something out there for all of us! Lastly, diluting BPAL to EDP concentration is inane. They're perfume oils and meant to be worn as such. Diluting them (with alcohol, as with Chanel) isn't the point, so you're comparing apples to oranges. Thanks for sharing your views on BPAL, though! I love to hear all sorts of different opinions. :) xoxo *jen Mary Contrary, I’m sorry you’re not a fan of BPAL, but differences are what makes the world go round, right?

I find the “hype” among fans to be powerful indeed, though how is it different from the hype around MAC? Or any other company that releases Limited Edition scents? (Hullo, Urban Decay Alice Book of Shadows!) Like MAC, BPAL offers and extensive catalog of permanent scents for those who don’t want to indulge in the limited edition frenzy.

I am surprised to hear you disliked nearly 100 scents from BPAL! That’s a lot lot to have tried. And to have found all of them lacking is really surprising. My guess is you’re simply not a fan of the perfume oil genre in general, because even Vegas odds would lean towards you liking one in a hundred scents. Definitely sounds like you and BPAL aren’t a match. :(

To say the scents are “standard and uninteresting” is certainly an opinion rather than fact, as scent preference is completely subjective. I disagree with you, as do many of the fans. I find the range varied and comprehensive. They are completely different from synthetic, mainstream fragrances, which are the ones I assume you find “sophisticated”. Frankly, I don’t think BPAL fans care if their scents are viewed as “sophisticated” by anyone else. I find Chanel and the other “sophisticated” scents to all smell like a bottle of chemicals, so again: thank goodness we’re all different and there’s something out there for all of us!

Lastly, diluting BPAL to EDP concentration is inane. They’re perfume oils and meant to be worn as such. Diluting them (with alcohol, as with Chanel) isn’t the point, so you’re comparing apples to oranges.

Thanks for sharing your views on BPAL, though! I love to hear all sorts of different opinions. :)

xoxo
*jen

]]> By: Mary Contrary http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/comment-page-1#comment-417729 Mary Contrary Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:04:36 +0000 http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957#comment-417729 BPAL is hyped more for it's addiction value than for the quality of it's scents. I've tried over 100 of the scents and they were all fairly standard and uninteresting perfumes. Of that 100 I've liked only about 3, liked not loved. I could happily live without any of them. They are a similar standard to Body Shop & Lush scents. More fun than sophisitication. The enormous popularity comes from the "I must buy it just in case I miss out on something really amazing", mentality of it's devotees. This is fuelled by BPALs numerous updates in which common scent themes are rehashed, repackaged and then put up for sale for a limited period of time. If you don't get it while it's available then you run the risk of really loving something you can never buy again. It's a clever marketing move, I'll give it that. I've yet to find anything in the BPAL lineup, regular catalogue or limited edition which I can say I really love. And to be honest the sheer expense of testing all 1,000 perfumes on offer just in case there is something amazing there is pure stupidity in my book. If the forum favourites don't work on you, stop there and go and find something you do like elsewhere. It's a common experience for more than 80% of BPAL to not work on you or be to your taste. BPAL is not cheap. If you dilute it to EDP concentration and then compare it ml for ml with any designer perfume, you'll find it's as expensive as Chanel and doesn't smell half as good. But if smelling like a baked good is your thing then you might find it's one of the only places that will sell you gingernut snaps in a bottle. BPAL is hyped more for it’s addiction value than for the quality of it’s scents. I’ve tried over 100 of the scents and they were all fairly standard and uninteresting perfumes. Of that 100 I’ve liked only about 3, liked not loved. I could happily live without any of them. They are a similar standard to Body Shop & Lush scents. More fun than sophisitication.

The enormous popularity comes from the “I must buy it just in case I miss out on something really amazing”, mentality of it’s devotees. This is fuelled by BPALs numerous updates in which common scent themes are rehashed, repackaged and then put up for sale for a limited period of time. If you don’t get it while it’s available then you run the risk of really loving something you can never buy again. It’s a clever marketing move, I’ll give it that.

I’ve yet to find anything in the BPAL lineup, regular catalogue or limited edition which I can say I really love. And to be honest the sheer expense of testing all 1,000 perfumes on offer just in case there is something amazing there is pure stupidity in my book. If the forum favourites don’t work on you, stop there and go and find something you do like elsewhere. It’s a common experience for more than 80% of BPAL to not work on you or be to your taste.

BPAL is not cheap. If you dilute it to EDP concentration and then compare it ml for ml with any designer perfume, you’ll find it’s as expensive as Chanel and doesn’t smell half as good. But if smelling like a baked good is your thing then you might find it’s one of the only places that will sell you gingernut snaps in a bottle.

]]> By: MAChostage http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/comment-page-1#comment-389179 MAChostage Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:36:14 +0000 http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957#comment-389179 Ahhhh you're so lucky to have a retailer near you that carries some BPAL! I'm right with you in that I *love* the spicy incense-y scents, too! Ahhhh you’re so lucky to have a retailer near you that carries some BPAL! I’m right with you in that I *love* the spicy incense-y scents, too!

]]> By: *jen http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/comment-page-1#comment-388188 *jen Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:43 +0000 http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957#comment-388188 Melissa, I was told that it was a prototype of Ded Moroz! xoxo *jen Melissa, I was told that it was a prototype of Ded Moroz!

xoxo
*jen

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