BPAL Kabuki Oil Collection

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Press Sample

It’s another happy day for Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (aka BPAL) fans here at we heart this, as we have David’s Mack Kabuki oil collection to GIVEAWAY! Like many of our readers, we adore BPAL for their never-ending line of oils filled with exotic, mysterious, and always unique scents.

The latest from BPAL is inspired by the work of internationally acclaimed writer and artist David Mack. Comic and movie buffs will know his work as a writer and artist of Daredevil from Marvel Comics, the children’s book The Shy Creatures, and of course, for the Kabuki graphic novels. The futuristic, dreamy comic has a rich 20 year history and is renowned for its “innovative storytelling, painting techniques, and page design.”

The story of an assassin who struggles with her identity in near-future Japan Kabuki is set in an alternate near-future Japan. The protagonist, an anti-hero young woman codenamed “Kabuki”, acts as an agent/assassin for a clandestine government body known as “The Noh”. While working as an operative for the Noh, an organization that polices the intertwined realms of business, organized crime and politics in Japan, Kabuki becomes deeply affected by the death of her mother and can only relate to the world through the security of a mask. She embarks on a quest to come to terms with her family, history, culture and identity – even if her personal crusade brings her in direct conflict with the powers she serves.

Sounds like a great story to base the next BPAL line around, right? The BPAL Kabuki collection is carefully curated – just four limited edition oils make up the entire set. Each amber bottle featuring a small teaser panel of Mack’s dreamy work framed by a crisp, bold font. Let’s take a look at the scents – and stay tuned to the end – as we have a chance for you to win the entire BPAL Kabuki collection!

Channel Snow – Television static made manifest, with a glimpse of perversions hidden beneath: benzoin, black pepper, white sandalwood, olibanum, ambergris accord, galbanum, and O3.

In the bottle this oil almost reminds me of an aged whiskey – heady, rich and smokey with an herbaly sweet side. It dries down to a nice sandalwood with a slight alcohol-like sweetness underneath.

Ice – Devoted ruthlessness. This is the scent of razors, cold metal, icicles, and her diamond-tipped claws: eucalyptus blossom, crystalline musk, white ginger, mint, and elemi.

How can you not want to wear a scent described as “devoted ruthlessness”? Ice was my favorite of the bunch, an almost unisex scent of musky florals when wet, it dries down almost the same except that is when the mint pops out – making for a unique sweet and sexy oil.

Little Sister is Watching You – A voice on the airwaves: electric, aldehydic cherry blossom.

While Ice was my favorite scent, this one wins hands down for best name! Creepy? Sweet? It makes me want to read the entire series to find out! In the bottle, the cherry blossoms stand out and it has an almost plastic/chemical undertone. Happily, that fades in a few minutes and I was left with a clean, soap-like note blended with a cherry candy sweetness.

The Enterprise of the Night – Inspired by the opening pages of Circle of Blood. The scent of vice and darkness: flashing neon, oil-tinged petrichor, fading perfume, smeared lipstick, and the faintest touch of gunpowder residue.

I have to admit The Enterprise of the Night left me stumped. In the bottle I had a hard time picking out any notes that match the description. To me this scent had a rain-like, aquatic note with a waxy undertone (the lipstick, I’m guessing). BUT, when it dries down it turns into this inviting floral bouquet – bright and sunny with hints of water beneath the surface. Another magical BPAL transformation!

photos: we heart this

Tyna, co-founder and co-editor of wht, worries about becoming a crazy cat lady, reads at least a book a week, checks in at a Flyers fan forum every morning and is forever (some say obsessively) organizing her closets and drawers.
skin tone: NW 20/25
skin type: combination
favorite beauty product: eye shadows and lip balms