Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is an independent gothic perfumery founded in Los Angeles in 2002 and now handcrafting artisanal fragrances from our home in Philadelphia, where we blend every indie perfume oil by hand in small batches, drawing on literature, mythology, folklore, horror, the occult, and the dark romance of vampires and Victorian mourning to create scents for goths, dreamers, and anyone who wants their perfume to tell a story. 

Alongside our alcohol-free perfume oils, which are made to be worn close to the skin and unfold slowly over hours, we make scented lotions, hair glosses, beard oils, room sprays, and atmosphere sprays, along with ritual and condition oils, “Claw” Nail Polish, limited-edition seasonal releases for Halloween, Yule, and Lupercalia, and licensed collections inspired by film, television, and literature. Gamers will find a whole world of fantasy perfume and RPG-inspired scents designed to enhance tabletop and TTRPG sessions, from the tavern and the dungeon to the wizard’s tower, and our sister brand, Twilight Alchemy Lab, carries the same handmade niche spirit into its own corner of the dark. 

Discovery sets are available to sample our atmospheric and nostalgic perfume oils so that you can find your signature scent. All BPAL products are cruelty-free and never tested on animals. 

Over time the word “radical” has been turned into a political swear word that signifies dangerous levels of extremism, and its etymology hints at why: the word borrows from Latin’s radic- or radix, meaning “root.”

So when someone is accused of involvement in “radical politics”, on the face of it this means their goal is transforming society from the ground up, shaking loose all that is deeply and wrongly entrenched so that something else may grow in its place.

Not everyone has the stomach for such upheaval, or the heart to understand why it is needed, or faith in whatever comes after. And not all radicals are good, or wish good for all. But radicalism is not, by definition, a destructive ideology; every garden has areas that must be weeded, pruned, and repurposed in order to be fruitful, according to the season and the gardener’s design.

This year we’re reclaiming the original, literal spirit of radicalism with a monthly limited edition perfume release that will raise funds for organizations which are defending basic human rights – a mission that should not seem “radical,” but… well, here we are.

And of course, the scents themselves will incorporate essences from the rootiest components we have on hand, to produce a series of grounding and inspiring perfume oils lending stability to thought, clarity to purpose, and stubbornness to cause.

Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have a different birth,
And ever changing, like a Joyless eye
That finds no object worth its constancy?

Each month we offer a unique, limited edition Lunacy perfume oil, corresponding to the upcoming full moon. These remain available on the website for a very limited time. These scents will be accompanied by a series of duets (simple, two-note fragrances), along with a themed Hair Gloss, Hand & Body Lotion, and Nail Polish. We’ll also make Drew Rausch’s label artworks available as collectible sticker designs. 

We’re also continuing our series of monthly scents inspired by classical artworks, now collected under the name ARS ANNI, and a ritual blend from our sister shop, Twilight Alchemy Lab.

Each month in 2026, we will be adding to our new "At The Root" collection, which will be raising funds for organizations which are defending basic human rights. The scents themselves will incorporate essences from the rootiest components we have on hand, to produce a series of grounding and inspiring perfume oils lending stability to thought, clarity to purpose, and stubbornness to cause.  

Check here monthly for the latest in lunatic fragrance trends!

Lunacy Duets
Our duet scents are designed to flatter, compliment, or enhance different aspects of the Lunacy blend that they are born from. They can be worn alone or layered with their siblings and their parent Lunacy.

In the course of an interview with Unquiet Things, I was able to put my thoughts and feelings about the importance of our activism into words:

Since the day we first opened our doors, helping support and strengthen marginalized communities has been of paramount importance to me. At Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, we have never shied away from our civic duty, and since the inception of the company, we have made it a point to do everything within our power to support organizations that provide emergency aid and disaster relief, support environmental and conservation causes, help the homeless, protect civil liberties and reproductive rights, and offer succor to the LGBTQ community and marginalized ethnic, racial, and minority religious groups. It is our way of helping to protect and provide for our communities, and we feel it is our obligation as human beings to help those who may not be empowered to help themselves.