Temptalia http://www.temptalia.com 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! Fri, 24 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 The Best of the Best, Volume #013 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-013 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-013#comments Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:29:04 +0000 Christine http://www.temptalia.com/?p=17118

The Best of the Best, Volume #013 Oh my, can I just ask for say… 48-72 hours extra between now and Monday?  No, I can’t?  Seriously?  Argh! What are your weekend plans? Mine are… I have a final on November 30th, December 1st, December 2nd, and December 3rd.  I have a big ol’ research paper [...]]]>

The Best of the Best, Volume #013

Oh my, can I just ask for say… 48-72 hours extra between now and Monday?  No, I can’t?  Seriously?  Argh!

What are your weekend plans? Mine are…

I have a final on November 30th, December 1st, December 2nd, and December 3rd.  I have a big ol’ research paper due December 17th (least worrisome at the moment!).  I’m pretty much just one giant ball o’ stress.  My plans are:  study, study, study… hopefully not keel over from stress… and study some more.

This Week’s 5 Most Popular Posts

This Week’s 5 Most Discussed Posts

]]> http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-013/feed 9 Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: An Introduction http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:45:55 +0000 Christine http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16957

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: An Introduction Today, this lovely post introducing us to Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is written by Jen Meade. When not adoring her daughters, Ara (3) and Lulu (6 months), Jen works as a freelance makeup artist in the VA, DC, MD area. She is obsessed with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, legal [...]]]>

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: An Introduction

Today, this lovely post introducing us to Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is written by Jen Meade.

When not adoring her daughters, Ara (3) and Lulu (6 months), Jen works as a freelance makeup artist in the VA, DC, MD area. She is obsessed with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, legal dramas, custom-mixing lipglosses, writing her blogs, and schmoozing on Twitter.

She runs two blogs:  Beauty School Blog (about beauty, duh!) and The Nail Ninja (bet you can’t guess what this one’s about!).

Is it possible to bottle the scent of Heaven?

I suppose that depends on what “Heaven” smells like to you, but I’m willing to bet the answer is “yes” and that proof lies at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.

You may or may not have heard of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab before. Known as BPAL by it’s many fans, the line has a definite edgy feel that may intimidate some people – but I wish those folks would poke a little further. Once you really take a look (and hopefully a sniff!), you’ll see that there’s beautiful poetry to be read, quirky pieces of art to be seen, and delectably well-blended scents to be worn.

More than 1,300 scents have been created by The Lab since it opened, though some were Limited Edition or have since been discontinued (making them super collectible). You think you’ll do anything for that old LE MAC blush, but would you pay the $800 someone spent on eBay buying a bottle of BPAL a few years ago? That’s how good these scents are! Don’t worry: a bottle fresh off the site retails for approximately $15, though some LE items may be more. You’re bound to find your “Heaven” in the array of scents The Lab has available, and if you’re looking for something a little more naughty than heaven well, you can find that there too!

Learn more about BPAL!

BPAL fragrances are oil blends, which takes some getting used to if you’ve only ever used mainstream alcohol-based perfumes. The oils are intense, but very human-friendly; they are hand-blended and made with all-natural ingredients. In addition, most are vegan (though some contain beeswax or honey) and absolutely none of them are tested on animals. These perfume oils come in 5mL glass vials with pretty paper labels, though a unique sampling system allows you to try almost any scent in a smaller portion referred to as “an Imp’s Ear” (or simply “Imp”). Imps are $3.50 each, or six for $19.50. Limited Edition items, some special collections, and scents created to benefit charities cannot be sampled. An unrelated fan-based forum, BPAL Madness has reviews of almost every scent, and you can check out reactions and scent descriptions there if you want to research before you buy.

Founder and perfumer Beth Morriarty Barrial has an impeccable nose and a real gift when it comes to taking a theme, place, work of art, or concept and bringing it to life through scent. While many of the concepts are “gothic” or seemingly pagan, others follow themes like Alice in Wonderland (“Mad Tea Party”) and Love (“Ars Amatoria”). BPAL scents range from light florals to robust spice and incense blends to the sweet taste of a peppermint stick. I promise there is something there for every single person, and the process of searching for your matches can be fun and incredibly rewarding.

The perfume oils appear small when held against a big old bottle of that department store perfume, so some may assume they’re very expensive, comparatively speaking. But BPAL scents are way more concentrated: an eau de toilette is usually 4% – 10% perfume oil, while BPAL’s scents are 15 – 80% perfume oil and contain no fillers. In other words, “a little dab will do ya”! As for packaging, I love the little vials and their unique and artistic labels. Using BPAL is a multi-sensory experience from looking at the old-time-y vial, to holding the glass bottle in my hand, to the smell of the perfume itself.

My own personal Heaven never leaves my side (seriously – I keep a vial in my little wallet!). It’s called Morocco and can be found in the BPAL theme “Wanderlust”, a series of scents based on locations around the globe. Morocco is described in this way: “The intoxicating perfume of exotic incenses wafting on warm desert breezes. Arabian spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia.” I knew the minute I saw it that I wanted to try it. I honestly can not remember if my first bottle was a PR sample or not, but I do know I have bought several since! I adore wearing it “neat”, straight on the skin, but also like it mixed into unscented lotion and slathered all over. At times, I’ve tried it in a massage oil blend and have put it in an oil burner and scented the house. MMMM…. Divine!

“On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it,” said Jules Renard. Which piece is yours?

To become a guest blogger on Temptalia, check out all of the details here.

]]> http://www.temptalia.com/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-an-introduction/feed 57 The Best of the Best, Volume #012 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-012 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-012#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:02:19 +0000 Christine http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16993

The Best of the Best, Volume #012 It’s been one busy and stressful week, and I’m just glad to have made it through the week this time around. I hope yours was a little more manageable than mine! What are your weekend plans? Mine are… Unfortunately, I’m in Florida for the weekend to attend my [...]]]>

The Best of the Best, Volume #012

It’s been one busy and stressful week, and I’m just glad to have made it through the week this time around. I hope yours was a little more manageable than mine!

What are your weekend plans? Mine are…

Unfortunately, I’m in Florida for the weekend to attend my [maternal] grandfather’s funeral and burial services. It’s a rather somber and reflective weekend. Although under unhappy circumstances, I do get to see my grandmother and aunt (both of whom I haven’t seen in a few years) as well as the rest of my extended family.  I do wish it would have been under better circumstances.

This Week’s 5 Most Popular Posts

This Week’s 5 Most Discussed Posts

]]> http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-012/feed 19 The Best of the Best, Volume #011 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-011 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-011#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:16:19 +0000 Christine http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16799

The Best of the Best, Volume #011 Thank goodness it’s Friday, yeah?  This week went by surprisingly slow… but in good way.  Like yesterday, I thought it was Friday, and I was ecstatic when I realized it was Thursday.  I spent the morning doing blog-esque activities, and my tummy is growling like something fierce, so [...]]]>

The Best of the Best, Volume #011

Thank goodness it’s Friday, yeah?  This week went by surprisingly slow… but in good way.  Like yesterday, I thought it was Friday, and I was ecstatic when I realized it was Thursday.  I spent the morning doing blog-esque activities, and my tummy is growling like something fierce, so I better toast up a bagel (mmm!) before it turns on me, LOL.

What are your weekend plans? Mine are…

I wish I could say I had TONS OF FUN planned, but no, I don’t.  In fact, I think I have the exact opposite.  I have a 1-unit, 1-day class to attend from 8am to 5pm on Saturday on leadership for b-school.  Zzzz!  On Sunday, I need to try to get my butt into gear and start studying/outlining for my finals in law school.  I really hope your weekend plans are better, so I can live vicariously through you! :)

This Week’s 5 Most Popular Posts

This Week’s 5 Most Discussed Posts

]]> http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-011/feed 0 The Best of the Best, Volume #010 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-010 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-010#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:48:52 +0000 Christine http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16537

The Best of the Best, Volume #010 It’s been a good–but tiring–week!  I’m still getting over this forever lingering cough, but at least I no longer sound like I’m infected with the worst cold/flu ever!  People aren’t running away from me any more What are your weekend plans?  Mine are… My weekend is gonna suck.  [...]]]>

The Best of the Best, Volume #010

It’s been a good–but tiring–week!  I’m still getting over this forever lingering cough, but at least I no longer sound like I’m infected with the worst cold/flu ever!  People aren’t running away from me any more :)

What are your weekend plans?  Mine are…

My weekend is gonna suck.  Seriously.  There is nothing promising about this weekend other than the brief moment in time that I’ll spend with my family to celebrate my Mom’s birthday and see my sister (who’s typically away at college) simultaneously.  But otherwise?  I’ve got a 35 page paper to crank out on Behavioral Advertising and Privacy!  Wish me luck–I need it!

This Week’s 5 Most Popular Posts

This Week’s 5 Most Discussed Posts

]]> http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-010/feed 22 The Best of the Best, Volume #009 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-009 http://www.temptalia.com/the-best-of-the-best-volume-009#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:30:26 +0000 Christine http://www.temptalia.com/?p=16327

The Best of the Best, Volume #009 When I was compiling the most popular posts for the week, it was kind of funny that most of them were the same last week… for those of you who also noticed, it’s not a mistake!  This week has just gone by in a total blur for me!  [...]]]>

The Best of the Best, Volume #009

When I was compiling the most popular posts for the week, it was kind of funny that most of them were the same last week… for those of you who also noticed, it’s not a mistake!  This week has just gone by in a total blur for me!  Where’s the pause button?  Hope you’ve had a fantastic week and got some killer plans for tonight!

What are your weekend plans?

I’ll be putting together a Powerpoint for my forty-five minute presentation in Privacy Law on Monday!  Super fun, I know — you’re totally jealous! :)   Hopefully squeezing in some time to photograph, swatch, and test some new products between today and Monday, too.

This Week’s 5 Most Popular Posts

  • MAC in Lillyland Collection: with the additional of full collection photos, more of you started figuring out whether this was a must-have collection or not. It seemed like a lot of you wished that they incorporated more of Lilly Pulitzer’s style in the actual packaging!
  • MAC Mischief Makers Collection: debuting November 5th, MAC’s holiday kits of pigments, glosses, and the like sure are popular!
  • Tutorial: Black Smoky Eye: for whatever reason, this old-as-dirt tutorial garnered quite a few views this week!
  • MAC Baroque Boudoir Collection: MAC’s exclusive, “high-end” collection is causing quite a stir!
  • Sephora Friends & Family Sale: lots of you bought, some of you passed, but it’s still going on!

This Week’s 5 Most Discussed Posts

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