I recently received the samples I ordered of BPAL’s DragonCon perfume oils. Usually, BPAL has the scents in stock for months at a time and I have time to try samples and see if I want to upsize. I didn’t realize that these scents for the con are limited and only available for the weekend. Seeing as they also sell them in person at the con (oh, to be someone at a convention perusing perfumes) I wouldn’t be surprised if they sell out at the con or just very quickly after. I should’ve known but I wasn’t going to buy a bottle without trying a sample first. I may keep an eye out for destashes in the next few weeks from people that did end up doing that, but the first step is to try the sample. Okay, it actually sounds like apparently, the peach series is available each year for Dragoncon (perhaps because it takes place in Georgia?) so that’s good to know for next time!

I am also not super seasoned in BPAL’s perfumes so I don’t really know what the snake oil perfume is like on its own. It is vanilla and patchouli mostly and I do love patchouli. I have heard some people covet an aged snake oil perfume because it gets better overtime. 

Notes: A bubbling peach pie — golden crust lacquered with butter, ripe peaches engulfed brown sugar and spice — steeped with sugared Snake Oil: deep, rich earthy notes, vegetal musks, sugared vanilla bean, and dark spices.

First and foremost, I get a really nice stewed peach. This is probably the best realistic dessert peach I have gotten. I love peach cobbler and this perfume oil really reminds me of it. The peach here with the tanginess and dairy is uncannily similar to peaches and cream yogurt or any yogurt with peach flavoring and the fruit cut up into it. There is absolutely no peach gummy ring or candy smell. After the initial wafts, I can pick out what must be the snake oil underneath and it is not what I expect snake oil to smell like. It’s a bit floral to me instead of vanilla but I get the earthiness from the patchouli. The peach is much stronger though. This is so yummy, it is truly a realistic gourmand but it doesn’t smell sticky sweet or cloying, more buttery and peachy. At the very end of the day, I can smell a sweet, vague fruit. I really like this so I might keep an eye out for a larger size bottle though I would also be okay with my sample because I don’t reach for straight gourmands often. I would be interested in trying other variations from BPAL though, because I did enjoy this.