Scented Musings

The Highwayman (Fine linen, riding leathers, cool night air, forest oakmoss, a pinch of gunpowder)

Preliminary notes: I've wanted to try this since I started purchasing from Alkemia years ago but never have, and somehow never ended up with a sample of it after all this time either. Felt like the right time to finally explore it. This scent has gone through several reformulations, it would seem. Some older versions have campfire smoke and bloodstained lace as notes, but the current version does not, or at least they're no longer listed.

In bottle: The leather used here is one I recognize from other Alkemia scents, and all of the notes are present and distinguishable from each other as well. I was a bit worried about this one being too masculine, but in the bottle, it's perfectly unisex.

On skin: Largely the same as in the bottle, though there's something that leans almost wormwood-y in the background as well. I really love the dark, mysterious vibe this has. It absolutely evokes imagery of a menacing figure looming in a forest in the dead of night. I also love that this isn't cologne-esque at all, at least not to my nose. It's a fantastic nighttime atmospheric.

Verdict: 5 dark figures in a forest out of 5.


Encircling Flame (Glowing golden milk elixir, vanilla pods, candied ginger, Kanyakumari cloves, brown sugar, santal)

Preliminary notes: This sounds delightfully creamy and autumnal.

In bottle: This smells like a heavily spiced, clean eggnog in the bottle (which I'm totally okay with). It bears some resemblance to Eggnog Noel, but this is heavier and spicier. Very warm as well.

On skin: This kind of reminds me of a clove-heavy version of Eggnog Noel. The cream/milk note is the same in both, and the addition of spices here is so dreamy. This smells like a decadent, creamy, thick holiday drink. Warm and toasty, and absolutely delicious. If you missed out on Eggnog Noel or just want a spicier version of it, this is your chance.

Verdict: 5 creamy holiday drinks out of 5.


Evening Song (Cashmere, warm cardamom, velvety myrrh, Madagascar vanilla bean, orris root, woodsmoke, melted candlewax)

Preliminary notes: Y'all know I'm a sucker for wax notes and woodsmoke, so.

In bottle: The myrrh and woodsmoke are the stars of the show here, and what an exquisite myrrh note this is! I get a bit of the wax as well, but I can't pick out any of the other notes. That myrrh is absolutely spectacular, and probably the best one I've ever smelled.

On skin: The myrrh and candlewax in this are absolutely gorgeous, and are the two things I primarily smell the most. The woodsmoke and vanilla bean are definitely present as well, but it's mostly myrrh and wax. It's very cozy and almost veers into foody territory, but not quite. It smells soft and candlelit.

Verdict: 5 candlelit chunks of myrrh out of 5.


Of Bronze and Blaze (Autumnal bronze amber aged with cognac barrel staves, red oak leaves, Perique pipe tobacco, raw wool, ripe pumpkin, opoponax, soft suede gloves, bourbon vanilla coffee)

Preliminary notes: A pumpkin-coffee-tobacco scent sounds really interesting, and it was impossible to pass this one up.

In bottle: This scent has such an incredibly warm depth to it, and it's very complex. The pipe tobacco is very dry and rich, and I'm getting something that's skewing a bit fruity, which could be the cognac or possibly even the coffee.

On skin: This is really interesting. Immediately after application, it reminds me of a less fruity Club des Hashischins, but very shortly after that, it mellows into a waxy, warm, almost citronella scent. I'm assuming it's the cognac that's lending a tiny bit of a fruity note to this. It's very warm and cozy but also old-fashioned, like a hug from a grandfather. I quite like this!

Verdict: 4 grandfatherly hugs out of 5.


Amber Witch (Aged dark Arabian amber, honey musk, creamy bourbon caramels, spiced rum)

Preliminary notes: I've had (and reviewed) this scent before but don't remember much about it beyond it smelling like a combination of Sweet Sorcery and Caveau des Innocents, and I'm pretty sure I initially destashed it because I still had a bottle of Caveau at the time and thought they were too similar to warrant keeping both.

In bottle: Still smells similar to Caveau to me. I don't have Caveau anymore, so this one's staying in my collection this time.

On skin: I'm surprised there isn't a patchouli note listed, because I definitely get a bit of it. Largely though, it's all about the amber, caramel, and spiced rum. It's very boozy and heady. Perfect for fall and winter.

Verdict: 4 boozy caramels out of 5.


Athame (Melting wax candles, santalum, aloeswood, rare ritual incense woods, copper athame)

Preliminary notes: Wax notes and incense, y'all. Plus metallic notes always pique my interest.

In bottle: There's something almost bitter in here, and I'm not sure what it is. I don't know if it's the copper accord or something else. I absolutely get the oud (aloeswood) and incense, but I'm not sure where the bitterness is coming from.

On skin: So. Much. Incense. And not just incense, but the ash left behind from burning incense as well. This is such an evocative atmospheric. I don't get the bitterness from the bottle at all. It's just smoky, ashy incense and wax on the skin. It smells like a very dimly-lit room with the haze of incense filling the room, with candlelight barely piercing through it. What an excellent scent, truly.

Verdict: 5 thick hazes of incense out of 5.


Electric Fur (Aroused skin and soft musky fur)

Preliminary notes: I had a free sample of this a while ago and liked it enough to upsize it.

In bottle: White amber central, plus a bit of leather.

On skin: Alkemia's white amber note is definitely present in this, and I'm guessing Iso E Super as well. There's a very slight animalic, leathery note beneath all of that, so it does kind of come off smelling like skin and fur in the best way possible. It's very primal but soft at the same time. There's a distinct almost wet stone-like note in here beneath the white amber/Iso E Super combo, and it has slight leathery nuances as well, which lends well to the animalic theme.

Verdict: 4.5 furs draped over bare skin out of 5.


Rondeaux d'Amour (Juicy black plum, spicy saffron, jasmine sambac, orris root, dark red roses, golden amber, vanilla incense, slightly dirty patchouli, botanical pheromones)

Preliminary notes: I don't know how I haven't tried this yet, given that I'm a plum note fiend, but here we are.

In bottle: Primarily a gorgeous plum note, rose, and a bit of patchouli.

On skin: The plum note in this scent is absolutely stunning. It's deep, dark, and juicy. I get the rose, vanilla incense, and patchouli, but everything else is melding into the rest and is hard to pick apart. This reminds me very slightly of Salome, but Salome is quite soapy compared to this. Overall, this smells slinky and sensual, and a bit dangerous.

Verdict: 4.5 plum-scented femme fatales out of 5.


Ydalir (Fossilized amber resin, oakmoss absolute, Siberian black pine, smoked juniper tar, balsam pine needles)

Preliminary notes: Ah, Ydalir, my precious. My first bottle passed its prime years ago and needed to be disposed of, and I've been longing for another one ever since. This is the best smoky forest scent I've ever had the pleasure of smelling, or at least that's how I remember it.

In bottle: Still the best smoky scent I've ever smelled. This is like smelling the smoke of a thousand campfires all at once, or smelling the inside of a woodstove. I adore it so much.

On skin: This smells exactly like the neighborhood I grew up in during fall and winter, when everyone on the street has their woodstoves going. It's sublimely smoky. Very sappy as well. The best realistic woodsmoke/woodstove scent I've come across for sure.

Verdict: 5 very smoky woodstoves out of 5.


Tabac Single Note (Tobacco single note)

Preliminary notes: I recently discovered that Alkemia had released this, and it was a free gift option in this order, so it was a no-brainer.

In bottle: Veeery syrupy, caramel-y tobacco. It bears a very heavy resemblance to Miel de Sauvage et Tabac.

On skin: This has a very thick, syrupy, almost boozy character. It's similar to Miel de Sauvage et Tabac, but this is darker and more full-bodied. There's a bit of dryness that reads as dried tobacco leaves, which makes perfect sense given the official description. It's rich, chewy, and refined. Perfect for colder months as well.

Verdict: 5 chewy tobacco leaves out of 5.


Gaea (Forest loam, new ferns, decaying leaves, maple sap flowing over lichens, mosses and wet stones at the edge of a vernal pool)

Preliminary notes: I asked for a bottle of this instead of Fairy Floss Alchemy, since I already had a bottle. I had this years ago and loved the stone and moss notes in it.

In bottle: The stone note in this is absolutely stunning and photorealistic, and the mosses and ferns are magical.

On skin: "Magical dirt" is a weird way to describe this, but it's very apt. There's definitely a lot of damp earth, moss, and stone in here. In a lot of ways, this reminds me more of cemeteries than St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and is largely why I wanted to have a bottle of it again (gotta smell the part while visiting cemeteries, after all). It's a beautiful, damp atmospheric and is nuanced enough that it doesn't just smell like a fistful of soil.

Verdict: 5 mossy gravestones out of 5.


In a Northern Wood (Elemi balsam, balsam fir needles, charred cedar heartwood, dark oakmoss, opoponax, aged oudwood, deerstongue fern, woodsmoke, aromatic fungi, patchouli, loam)

Preliminary notes: I think I had a sample of this at one point, but I don't remember anything about it. It sounds delightfully woodsy, and I'm addicted to Alkemia's woodsmoke notes.

In bottle: Looots of greenery and fir. There's something else that smells very familiar in here, but I can't pin what it is.

On skin: This has an almost fennel-y haze to it, and I'm not sure where that's coming from. It's extremely evocative of being deep in a foggy forest dotted with ferns and mushrooms, with a campfire somewhere in the distance. It's fairly masculine, but not so much that it's overwhelming. It smells very natural and green.

Verdict: 4 foggy forests out of 5. That weird fennel-like note goes away after a while, and then a very slight spiciness takes its place. This one's a bit of a morpher and has a lot of depth.


Confectionaire (Angel food cake, French macarons, spun sugar floss, vanilla toffees, bergamot-orange tartlets, cassis liqueur, candied violets, coconut orchid, neroli orange blossom, gardenia, violet leaf, santal musk, caramel amber)

Preliminary notes: I had wanted to try this one for a good long while but never did, for whatever reason, which seems to be a very common theme for me.

In bottle: Very, very buttery. I get the citrus notes, a bit of the coconut orchid, and whole lot of sweetness.

On skin: The citrus notes and something very buttery (most likely the cake) are at the forefront here, along with a slight berry note from the cassis liqueur. I was a bit worried that this was going to be too floral or too fruity, but it's lovely. It smells like an elegant, expensive dessert covered in edible flowers and golden fruit sauce. There's a toasted coconut quality that comes out in the later drydown as well, which gives the whole thing a bit of a cozy vibe. Definitely glad I didn't miss out on this one!

Verdict: 4.5 elegant desserts out of 5.

Bohemiens en Voyage (Freshly cut hay, golden amber, dried tobacco leaf, dried orris root, rockrose, sun-warmed skin, buckskin suede, wild sugarcane)

Preliminary notes: I have wanted to try this for years, but then it was discontinued. I managed to pick up a bottle from the July sale leftovers.

In bottle: Very fresh hay and something herbal.

On skin: Lovely autumn hay. A bit of syrupy tobacco leaf as well. The whole thing has a very golden tone to it. There's something a bit powdery in here, but not so powdery that I find it off-putting. All in all, it's a lovely, warm, sun-kissed autumnal hay scent. The almost-mintiness from A Roll in the Hay is in this as well, and the tobacco leaf goes between syrupy and slightly smoky.

Verdict: 4 sun-kissed hay bales out of 5.


Falling Leaves Alchemy (Sweet maple sap, fallen heirloom orchard apples, warm blonde woods, a whisper of suede, sultry gourmand musks swirling like golden leaves)

Preliminary notes: Autumnal atmospherics, my beloved. I usually stay away from apple notes, but I'm pretty well acquainted with how Alkemia's apple notes behave at this point. I also have zero willpower when it comes to resisting autumnal scents as a general rule, especially if they have sap notes, soooo.

In bottle: A beautiful, crisp apple note beneath a bit of maple and citrusy leaves.

On skin: Largely the same as in the bottle. It's a very perfumey autumnal atmospheric. There's something almost boozy in here as well, which could be the apple mixing with the maple sap, maybe. It almost threatens to go soapy but never quite gets there. It's very pretty and orange-gold.

Verdict: 4 autumn afternoons out of 5.


Wings of Flame (Wild honeycomb, agarwood, golden coffee, birch syrup, deertongue grass, larch needles, berlandiera, cistus, maple, blonde woods)

Preliminary notes: I've heard this likened to drinking a cup of coffee with a Toblerone on the side, which sounds lovely. There's apparently a hidden chocolate note in here somewhere.

In bottle: I can definitely see the Toblerone thing, and the hidden chocolate/cocoa note. Mostly though, it just smells like an autumnal forest.

On skin: The honeycomb note in this is gorgeous. I don't get any of the coffee specifically, but I do get something that's giving the scent a very golden, sunlit tone. As opposed to drinking a cup of coffee with a Toblerone on the side, I'd say eating a Toblerone while on a hike in the middle of October. I quite like this! It reminds me a bit of Bohemiens en Voyage, but it's not nearly as powdery or heavy.

Verdict: 4.25 Toblerones in the forest out of 5.


Bonfire Toffees (Creamy caramel, buttery toffee, warm Madagascar vanilla, glowing benzoin incense, wisps of bonfire woodsmoke)

Preliminary notes: Make no mistake, this isn't a re-release of Alkemia's Bonfire Toffees & Woodsmoked Oud from years ago. This sounds absolutely delightful, and I have high hopes for it. The caramel note in Dusk in Autumn is one of my favorites, so I'm hoping this has a similar vibe that way.

In bottle: In the bottle, this basically smells like a caramel version of Smoke & Mirrors, which is to say that the woodsmoke note is the same. Love it already.

On skin: In pitting them against each other, the woodsmoke note is most definitely the same. Bonfire Toffees reminds me of previous years of All Hallow's Eve, especially 2021. The resemblance there is very striking, actually. This doesn't have the licorice/anise note, but it's incredibly similar otherwise (which is great for those who either love All Hallow's Eve 2021 or missed out on it). There is a tad bit more depth and darkness to this one versus AHE 2021, and the toffee note is unique to this as well. It doesn't have the caramel note from Dusk in Autumn that I was hoping for, but it's still a lovely, cozy, sweet scent.

Verdict: 5 caramel-scented bonfires out of 5.


Amber Alchemy (Golden amber resin, rockrose, coriander, vetiver, sandalwood, ceremonial incense woods)

Preliminary notes: These last two were surprise additions to my order that I wasn't expecting. Many thanks, Alkemia team!

In bottle: This is interesting. There's a contrast between smelling warm and smelling cool, but not in a minty way. It's definitely resinous and woody.

On skin: This bears a bit of a resemblance to Ambre Extrait, which is an old Alkemia favorite of mine. It's a very dry, resinous wood scent, and it smells sunlit somehow. It's like a bottled golden afternoon in mid-October. Lovely. I'm surprised there's no Iso-E Super listed, because I definitely get a small hit of that in here, which adds a very tiny aquatic edge to everything. Ultimately, I prefer Ambre Extrait for my amber fix, so I gave this to my boyfriend, who loves it. It smells absolutely divine on him compared to me, too.

Verdict: 4.5 golden October afternoons out of 5.


Hex (Frangipani, night-blooming Moroccan flowers, allspice, black tea, Madagascar vanilla, tonka, sweet benzoin resin, black amber, frankincense, vetiver, a caress of patchouli)

Preliminary notes: Hex is a scent that I should have tried years ago but never got around to. It sounds right up my alley. Witchy florals? Yes, please.

In bottle: Veeery floral, with an underpinning of spice and resins.

On skin: Oh, man.. floral soap. So much soap. I'm not sure if it's the florals themselves or the combination of everything that's contributing to it, but it's overwhelmingly soapy.

Verdict: 0 floral soaps out of 5. Not for me.

Ahoy! This review involves scents I bought secondhand from a BPAL forumite, which I hadn't ever done before, but it ended up being a fantastic experience each time.

🔮 Charcoal, Champaca Resin, and Tobacco Absolute (Self-explanatory)

Preliminary notes: I saw this in the forumite's listing and had to pick it up. I adore champaca and tobacco notes, and I've never seen a charcoal note included in a scent description before.

In bottle: I could smell the tobacco in this as soon as I opened up the package. Beautiful champaca note, chewy and rich tobacco, and a mineralistic note (charcoal). This is a stunning incense scent.

On skin: This is allll champaca for the first 10-15 minutes, and then the tobacco comes out. The charcoal is barely, barely there but adds a bit of ashy, smoky depth. I adore this stuff. It's an incense lover's dream.

Verdict: 5 giant plumes of incense out of 5.


🥀 Eve (Irish moss, yarrow, hawthorn, omphacium, honey, myrrh, calamus, frankincense, Damask roses, white sandalwood, Moroccan saffron, rosewater, a swirl of incense)

Preliminary notes: I've liked all of the Only Lovers Left Alive scents I've tried so far (Quintessence of Dust, In Templum Dei, Cafe Mille et une Nuits), and this has some of my favorite notes. I love Damask rose, honey, myrrh, frankincense, and incense, so this sounds like my jam. This is the 2024 reformulated version.

In bottle: Oh, wow. LOTS of photorealistic honey at the top. There's a bit of a fruity note in there, along with some florals and greenery. It smells ancient and classic, and like a place more than a person.

On skin: Largely the same as in the bottle. The honey and moss are the main stars of the show here. I do get something more herbal on the skin as well. It still smells very ancient and classic. I've read some reviews saying this smelled soapy to some people, but I don't get that at all. It's a very fresh, honeyed, mossy floral.

Verdict: 4.5 patches of moss drizzled with honey out of 5.


📖 Witchecraft: Consulting a Book of Spells, Performing Various Rites (Candlewax, clove leaf, yellowed parchment, a cluster of mosses, incense resin, black pepper, cardamom, black amber, ylang-ylang)

Preliminary notes: Oh look, yet another book scent. Y'all can't stop me. I read a review on the BPAL forum that said this was like a blend of cottagecore and dark academia vibes, and if that's not a selling point, I don't know what is.

In bottle: Cottagecore meets dark academia indeed. This is the greenest book scent I've ever smelled. The moss notes are to die for.

On skin: Definitely herbal and green on the skin, with that clove leaf adding a spicy bite. The candlewax smells creamy, and the ylang-ylang fortunately isn't overbearing and just serves to add a bit of a humid floral note to everything. The parchment is barely there, but overall, this smells like a witch's cottage tucked deep into the woods. There are herbs hung from the ceiling to dry, bushels of herbs on the counters, and candles everywhere. This is a fantastic, witchy atmospheric.

Verdict: 5 witch's cottages out of 5.


🌙 Blackberry Moon (Sweet purple-black pulp, bright green leaves touched with amber and russet musk, a dribble of blackberry wine, green tea, Italian bergamot, patchouli root, wild fig)

Preliminary notes: I love blackberry notes, and this sounds quite complex and refreshing.

In bottle: All blackberry, all the time. Rich, deep, and purple. I can't smell anything else.

On skin: This is veeery blackberry-heavy, and very juicy. The leaves, green tea, and patchouli come out once it's on the skin. It's a purple-hued dream and very autumnal. If you like blackberry, definitely give this a shot, as the blackberry note is the star of the show. It eventually settles into a snuggly, almost woolly blackberry musk later in the drydown. Very nice.

Verdict: 5 incredibly juicy blackberries out of 5.


🐐 Black Goat Enjoying a Pink Flower (Goat's milk, peonies, carnation, honeycomb, vetiver)

Preliminary notes: Nabbed this off of the same person on the forum that I bought my bottle of Dorian from. I wanted to get this when it released a couple of years ago but bypassed it, for some reason.

In bottle: Creamy, slightly sweet, slightly floral vetiver.

On skin: Primarily the same, though I can also smell the carnation now. I don't get any peony, and the goat's milk is just reading as nondescript creaminess in the background. The vetiver has a bit of a bite to it, but it's not super strong. I quite like this!

Verdict: 4 goats eating grass in a field out of 5.

🐺 Gingerbread Wolfman (Gingerbread, honey, molasses, pulverized chestnut, powdered sugar, nutmeg, hazelnut)

Preliminary notes: None. Nabbed this off of the same person on the forum that I bought my bottle of Dorian from.

In bottle: All of the notes are present and accounted for, with the honey and gingerbread being the strongest. It's sweet and slightly spicy, and it smells thick and syrupy.

On skin: The spices in this are heavenly. The powdered sugar also comes out quite a bit on the skin. This smells exactly like the description: sweet, spicy gingerbread with a nutty backdrop. I don't have a lot to say about this, as it's a pretty linear scent, but I really enjoy it. I'm gonna try layering this with Ghost Milk in the future and see how that goes.

Verdict: 5 gingerbread monsters out of 5.


🎃 The Shadowed Veil (Black pumpkin, leather, pomegranate incense, agarwood, bourbon patchouli)

Preliminary notes: None. Nabbed this off of the same person on the forum that I bought my bottle of Dorian from.

In bottle: Reminds me of Dwarven Ale or Hoggle a bit, if Dwarven Ale was sultry and less boozy, and if Hoggle wasn't as dry. It also smells a bit like caramel corn.

On skin: The pumpkin is by far the strongest note. There's also something almost camphorous or mentholated underneath, but it's not mint. Everything blends so well together that it's difficult to pick the notes apart. The patchouli reads more as dirt (not dirty patchouli. Literal dirt), which makes this very autumnal. I don't get the pomegranate specifically, but I do get a lovely, dark incense note. This is so delightfully witchy and dark, and evokes imagery of taking a nighttime walk in autumn where you're generally relaxed but feel slightly uneasy, wondering what else is lurking in the dark with you.

Verdict: 5 foreboding autumnal night walks out of 5.

🖋️ Writer's Blood (The primal angst of artistic passion - iron-tinged blood, a manuscript soaked in spilled black coffee, and an overturned tin of rolling tobacco), a bit of incense smoke)

Preliminary notes: That description is just.. fantastic. Very evocative. I love bookish scents, odd conceptual scents, and tobacco and coffee notes, so this sounds like a dream (or nightmare, perhaps).

In bottle: Oh, this is dark. The coffee and tobacco are seamlessly blended together, and there's something slightly camphorous in the background. It's very rich and has an almost cola-like tinge to it without actually smelling like cola, if that makes any sense. There's a touch of parchment in there as well. This is better than I was hoping for, so I'm looking forward to how it wears.

On skin: More or less the same as in the bottle. This stuff is potent. I'm starting to think the bit of camphor and cola might be part of the iron/blood accord. The parchment note in this is glorious as well. This is probably the darkest, broodiest book/writerly scent I've ever smelled, and I love it so much. It smells like the depths of unfathomable horror and anguish, and it's the picture of dark academia in scent form (with an eldritch edge).

Writer's Blood smells like exploring the minds of Crowley, Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Poe simultaneously, and being struck by fear and astonishment at all of the inconceivable terrors within. I. Fucking. Love. This.

Verdict: 5 deep, dark pits of despair out of 5.


💐 Apsara (Dark purple hyacinth flowers and Darjeeling tea)

Preliminary notes: I had Apsara yeeears ago, but my previous bottle's roller was a bit problematic, so she unfortunately got destashed. When I found out that Alkemia re-released this scent last year during their July workshop sale, I was *so* excited but couldn't place an order at the time. I'm so excited to have this again, and to see if it's changed at all from the original version. I can't directly compare them, but I remember the OG scent very well.

In bottle: Just as I remember, though the tea note might be slightly stronger in this version. The bottle I ordered is also incredibly full (almost right up to the rim), so this will last me a very long time.

On skin: The tea is definitely stronger in the re-release version than the OG version, which I'm totally okay with. It's a nice, spicy tea, and it compliments the hyacinth note really well. Love this, just as I loved the older version. This is also VERY potent compared to the OG scent. Way more throw and power.

Verdict: 5 spicy floral teas out of 5.


📚 Book of Shadows (Heavy parchment paper, ancient iron oak gall ink, crumbling leather bindings, wafts of rare incenses)

Preliminary notes: So this scent has a funny and sad story behind it. I had a bottle of this for years, but when I introduced it to DH for the first time, he said it smelled like urinals and burnt wires, so I was like, "Well damn, now I have to destash this," so I did. Instant regret. I kept meaning to repurchase it because I missed it, but I kept forgetting to do so until now. I very highly doubt anything about this scent has changed (my original bottle was from 2018), which is totally fine by me. I remember it being a really beautiful, realistic library scent with a heavy ink note.

In bottle: Ahh, yes. Just as I remember. Sweet incense, ink, a bit of worn leather, and parchment. Nothing's changed.

On skin: I'll start this off by saying that this was the first time I've spilled an oil. I guess I didn't have it close enough to my wrist and ended up spilling some on a blanket, but at least it wasn't much.

It smells warmer and a bit softer than I remember. The ink is almost vegetal, and the leather is worn and smooth. The parchment lingers in the background, with tendrils of incense smoke curling around it. I have always loved this scent, and I always will. It's a perfect old book scent with a bit of an edge.

Verdict: 5 ancient, eldritch tomes out of 5.


🍊 Arcanum Experiments 2023: 8 (Orange dreamsicles, banana taffy, pink lotus, white amber)

Preliminary notes: Alkemia's orange dreamsicle note is.. well, dreamy. I had two previous monthly alchemies that featured it, and as you can probably guess, I destashed them and regretted it later. This sounds a lot more up my alley though, as I also love banana notes.

In bottle: All of the notes are present and accounted for. It's a very pink, girly, summery scent. I really like this.

On skin: That orange dreamsicle note is the same one that's been in the aforementioned alchemies that I destashed, and I'm very glad to have a scent with that note at the forefront again. It's a pretty seamless blend of all of the notes, and it gets a lot creamier once it hits the skin. This is a fun, light summery scent.

Verdict: 5 of the tastiest dreamsicles you've ever had out of 5.


🔥 Arcanum Experiments 2023: 10 (Black musk, opium, galbanum, woodsmoke, vegan civet, black amber)

Preliminary notes: This sounds so delightfully dark that I couldn't resist. I don't know if I like civet notes or not, but everything else is something I know I like.

In bottle: Oh boy.. something fairly stanky with an undercurrent of baby wipes. I'm kind of scared to put this on my skin.

On skin: Lemon house cleaner? What on earth. I don't know about this one. Ultimately, it's too stanky and lemony for my tastes. Not a fan.

Verdict: 1 pool of stank covered up with lemon house cleaner out of 5.

Greetings! As it says on the tin, most of these were upsized from samples. I had a very.. interesting experience with Au Lait, which you'll see later in the post.

Pi in the Sky (Warm apple pies rising heavenward on effervescent billows of spiced aldehydes)

Preliminary notes: This was an upsize of a previous free sample. I never would have chosen this as a sample for myself, given that I hate aldehydic notes, but once I tried it, I upsized it shortly after.

In bottle: Yup, that's apple pie and spices, alright. I don't get the weird fizzy/soapy thing that aldehydes typically give me, which is good.

On skin: This is a cinnamon BOMB. I do get some apples here and there, which are a bit syrupy, but it's primarily cinnamon. DH referred to it as an apple pie with a ton of cinnamon hearts or Red Hots in the filling, which I can agree with. It reads as Christmas-y to DH and I, which is comforting and nostalgic. I don't get the aldehydes at all really (which I'm not complaining about).

Verdict: 5 cinnamon heart apple pies out of 5. Even though this is borderline a cinnamon single note in various phases of wear, I love it. It's festive and warm, and something about it is cozy. Kudos to Alkemia for including this in a previous order, because as I had previously stated, I never would have tried this (and upsized it) otherwise.

Les Mysteres (Aged frankincense, black figs, labdanum, dark amber, Russian tea)

Preliminary notes: This was an upsize of a previous free sample. I had requested this as a free sample in a previous order along with Aelfscyne (which I probably won't review on its own, but it's a sweet, white-green floral with a bit of a weird undertone). I've been buying from Alkemia for 4 years and had somehow skimmed over this one numerous times. I love Alkemia's frankincense and tea notes, so I couldn't tell you why. Either way, had the sample and loved it.

In bottle: Alkemia's frankincense note is immediately at the forefront, but there's also something mellow and almost herbal.

On skin: I adooore this. The frankincense isn't super loud on the skin, and the tea and figs come out and dance together beautifully. DH thought he could smell basil in it, but I think it's the tea note, which does smell very fresh and.. well, leafy. This is very witchy and would make a great fall-to-winter transition scent.

Verdict: 5 transitions from autumn to winter out of 5.

Veneficium (Wild ginger, purple hyacinths, datura accord, green ivy, nightshade leaf, wet oakmoss, tonka, freshly turned earth, dark galbanum)

Preliminary notes: This was an upsize of a previous free sample. The funny thing about this scent is that I had requested a sample of it earlier in the year, didn't like it, and then ended up with a random free sample of it later in the year and loved it. It's literally the exact same scent, but apparently there was something weird going on with my nose the first time.

In bottle: Very green and purple, and a bit tart.

On skin: This reminds me of an old Sixteen92 oil that I used to love called Aconitum. It's not a dead ringer for it, but it's a purple-green scent with an odd floral edge. I can't tease apart a lot of the notes since it's so well blended, but I can make out the ivy, nightshade leaf (which reads as tomato leaf), some of the oakmoss, purple florals, and the freshly turned earth. It smells like a witch's herb and flower garden after a light rain.

Verdict: 5 witchy gardens out of 5.

Au Lait (Rich, creamy milk, tonka, wild honey, caramelized brown sugar)

Preliminary notes: Ah, this scent. It seems to be very polarizing. People either love it or hate it. I've had good experiences with Comptoir Sud Pacifique's Matin Calin and Chabaud's Lait Concentré, which both have similar reputations for either smelling great or smelling like baby vomit/curdled milk, so I have hope. Lactonic notes don't usually go bad on me. I'm still very anxious to open the bottle though.

In bottle: I'm so scared to open this. Okay, I did it. It largely smells like very buttery sweetened condensed milk. It's a bit tart, but not sour. Very curious and worried to see what this does on the skin.

On skin: Unfortunately, this went straight to cheddar cheese the second it hit my skin. God damnit. No sweetness, no caramelized goodness, just cheese.

Verdict: 0 blocks of cheddar cheese in milk carton costumes out of 5.

Hygge Alchemy (Applewood, green pumpkin, fallen oak leaves, candied ginger, autumn spicecakes, golden amber, dark patchouli, vetiver root, tobacco leaf)

Preliminary notes: I placed this order in October and asked them not to send the monthly alchemy for that month, since I already had it, and they included this instead!

In bottle: I get the applewood, ginger, and maybe a bit of patchouli but not much else that's discernible. It does smell fairly cozy and autumnal.

On skin: I mean this in the best way possible: this smells like autumn potpourri. It's very perfumey but smells elegant and upscale at the same time. The ginger is STRONG in this one, which I'm not a huge fan of, but the other notes ground it enough that it's not overwhelming. It's a nice autumn-to-winter transition scent.

Verdict: 4 ginger-scented autumn seasons out of 5.