month, following themes established by various mythological and lunar calendars. During this time, BPAL usually opens its storefront for one night during which customers can purchase oils and interact with the staff and owners.
Black Phoenix also has a sister site for the production of oils for spiritual purposes called Twilight Alchemy Labs.
Popularity
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has a fairly sizable following through the Internet, including a fan-run internet forum with over 16,000 members and several fan-run LiveJournal communities, some with over 1,000 members. Customers cite the appeal of the seductive product descriptions, the wide variety of scents, and the tendency of certain oils to vary in scent based on the wearer’s unique body chemistry.
The large number of scents produced, with upwards of 1300 blends released since the company’s inception, has lent the product a ‘collectibility’ aspect. Several online communities have sprung up around buying, selling, and swapping BPAL products. Coveted products (such as unavailable limited edition, discontinued products, and unreleased prototypes) can sell for high amounts on eBay (where one 5mL bottle sold for over 0 in early 2007).
In 2005, the Lab was named as the The Village Voice’s Best of New York: Best Scent Indulgence for Your Inner Goth.
In April 2007, Weird Tales published a piece of original fiction entitled “Six Scents” by Lisa Mantchev, which drew its inspiration from six BPAL fragrances.
Notes
^ Sammy, Marissa (2007-02), “The Empress of Scent: A Story of Imps and Customer Obsession”, Sequential Tart, http://www.sequentialtart.com/article.php?id=429
^ “Wren’s Nest Notes (discussion)”. http://www.witchvox.com/wren/wn_detail.html?id=17287.