Scented Musings

I had an issue with the first shipment of some of these getting sent back before they went through customs, which wasn't BPAL's fault, and then Canada Post went on strike in November, so these took longer to get here than I had anticipated. Then, I ended up moving a few days after the parcel finally showed up, so this post is very late. My apologies!

A little Halloween in early winter action never hurt anyone, so let's Nightmare Before Christmas this place up!

(Some of these aren't technically Weenies, but they either came out around the same time or otherwise fit the theme of Halloween/fall)

🍬 Sweet Tooth (Scorched candy corn and melted toffees)

Preliminary notes: Honestly, if it wasn't for this scent, I probably would have bypassed the Weenies this year. I can't resist candy corn or toffee notes on their own, and I've never seen them together. The scorched aspect of this really interests me as well, so I'm curious as to whether this will just be a goopy sugarbomb, or if there'll be a bit of a smoky edge to it.

In bottle: Oh my goddd, this is SO toffee-heavy, which is exactly what I wanted from it. The candy corn melds into it as well, so it's very sweet and sugary. I get a tiiiny, tiny hint of smoke beneath that.

On skin: Be still my heart! This has the same toffee note as Drink Me, which is one of my very favorite BPAL scents. There's also something in here that reminds me of plastic witch noses from the 90s, and by that, I don't mean this smells like plastic (because it doesn't at all). The specific noses I'm thinking of had a sweet, almost fruity, almost melted candle wax smell, and I loved it.

This definitely has the same melted wax quality to it, and I love it. Sweet, melted wax and toffee with maybe a teeny tiny hint of a wispy smoke note, but it's barely there. I don't get anything scorched, but melty is definitely a good descriptor for this one. Delicious, melty, caramel-y goodness.

Verdict: 5 melty chunks of toffee out of 5.


🍂 The Autumn Folk (Hay-dusted oak, honey mead, pumpkin rind, vetiver root, corn husk, maple leaves)

Preliminary notes: Corn husks always remind me of our local pumpkin patch, and the rest of the note lineup here kind of fits that theme as well. It sounds like a delightful, dry autumnal atmospheric.

In bottle: Oh, wow. Warm and cozy right off the bat, which I wasn't expecting for some reason. The mead, corn husk (such a beautiful note), and oak are the strongest notes. I smell something a bit buttery as well, which is probably the pumpkin. The vetiver isn't acrid at all.

On skin: This is quite pretty! The mead is reading as almost citrusy to me, and everything else melds with it so well. There's a butteriness from the pumpkin, an earthiness from the oak, vetiver, and corn husk, and a bit of sweetness from the maple leaves and mead. It's delightfully autumnal, and a sunnier scent than the description would have one believe. To me, this is an early autumn scent, and it encapsulates the imagery of sunlight peeking through branches in an orange and gold copse of trees. Love it.

Verdict: 5 golden autumn days out of 5.


🎃 Vintage Pumpkin Blow Mold (White musk, sweet orange, crystalline amber, pumpkin rind)

Preliminary notes: I bought Vintage Ghost Blow Mold last year and LOVED it, so this was kind of a no-brainer. I'm also a fan of sweet orange notes.

In bottle: Oh, this is pretty. Weirdly enough, it kind of reminds me of eggnog (or maybe white chocolate), but if it was flavored with orange (which sounds kind of gross, but I promise, it smells better than it would taste). I'm curious to see if the eggnog vibe translates onto the skin.

On skin: First off, I love the orange note in this and might have to keep an eye out for it in the future. The eggnog vibe that was in the bottle is completely gone on the skin. It's all about the orange and white musk, which go together beautifully. Something about this smells sparkling and upscale, like an elegant person in white furs standing underneath a crystal chandelier. It's gorgeous and refined. Despite the (spiced) pumpkin and orange, I wouldn't categorize this as a gourmand at all. Vintage Ghost Blow Mold is absolutely a milky gourmand, but Vintage Pumpkin Blow Mold is just a really pretty, citrusy mood scent.

Verdict: 4.75 glittering pumpkins out of 5.


🎃 Jolly (Pumpkin cream, caramel-coated marshmallow, crushed candy corn, lemon peel, belladonna honey)

Preliminary notes: Pumpkin, caramel, AND candy corn? Yes, please.

In bottle: Surprisingly biting/herbal in the bottle! Once again, there's something in here that reminds me of holiday foods, and I'm not sure what it is. I don't get the pumpkin outright, but I do get a very thick, caramelized cream note. This has a sinister edge to it as well, like being presented a picturesque dessert that's been poisoned.

On skin: This reminds me of something I've smelled before, but I have no idea what it is. Something in here is reading as slightly vegetal, and I'm not sure if it's the pumpkin cream or honey. It has an almost.. dare I say, aquatic or saline quality to it, and I have no idea where that's coming from. I definitely get all of the sweet candy goods, a tiny glimpse of the lemon peel, and the honey note, which is clear and thin. This is still very much an inviting but sinister scent, and I think that's a really fascinating dichotomy to be able to capture in scent format.

Verdict: 4 sinister desserts out of 5.


🎃 Pumpkin Sugar (Crystallized glittering shards of lightly spiced pumpkin sugar)

Preliminary notes: This was kind of a last minute addition to the order. It was a toss up between this and the Candied Apple single note, but I'm very picky about apple notes, so I figured this would be a safer bet.

In bottle: I mean, it's exactly what it says on the tin: pumpkin spices and sugar. There's something a bit dusty and a tiny bit vegetal in there as well, which I would wager is a pumpkin note.

On skin: Delicious, sweet pumpkin spice and sugar. There's a little bit of a buttery pumpkin note in there, but my skin amps cinnamon, so it's mostly cinnamon and sugar on me. Actually, this reminds me of Possets' Sticky Buns a bit, but this is less intense/syrupy. Pumpkin Sugar is linear but really pleasant, and it'd be perfect for layering with other scents that need a bit of a sweet, spicy kick, or with gourmands (layering this with a black tea scent would be delightful, I feel). This is a perfect seasonal transition scent between fall and winter, as the cinnamon gives it a bit of a holiday vibe.

Verdict: 4.5 sugar and spice mixtures out of 5.


🎃 Knave of Pumpkins (Crushed roses, red currant, pumpkin tarts)

Preliminary notes: I had a free sample of Knave of Hearts and really liked it, so a pumpkin variant of that caught my attention immediately. This has red currant, however, and Knave of Hearts has blackcurrant, so it'll be interesting to see how that compares.

In bottle: Knave of Hearts but sweeter, is basically what this is giving me. Once again, I don't get any pumpkin outright, but the tart note in this compared to OG Knave is very custard-y.

On skin: This is similar but also quite different to OG Knave. The use of red currant instead of blackcurrant really stands out, and it meshes with the rose note really well and gives the blend a more candylike, playful vibe. My boyfriend clocked the pumpkin tarts right away, but I couldn't smell them for a while. I smelled the pastry note from the tarts and something creamy/custard-y, but not the pumpkin itself until maybe 10-15 minutes into the drydown. The pumpkin is interwoven with the custard and is very subtle, at least to my nose. Either way, I like OG Knave a lot, but I think I like this even better. My boyfriend loves it too.

Verdict: 5 heart-shaped tarts dripping in red currant juice out of 5.


🎃 Dead Leaves, Burnt Marshmallows, Clove Cream, and Whiskey (Dead leaves, burnt marshmallows, clove cream, whiskey)

Preliminary notes: I've only tried two Dead Leaves blends prior (Dead Leaves on Fire and Dead Leaves, White Sandalwood, and White Moss), but I loved them both. I am a sucker for a good burnt/toasted marshmallow note, but I've never actually encountered a realistic one. I'm hoping it's realistic here. I also love clove and whiskey notes, so this one was a no-brainer.

In bottle: The first sniff of this was.. bizarre. I don't have words to describe it. After that, the Dead Leaves note is the strongest, followed by a gorgeous clove. This smells more "natural" and realistic than Dead Leaves on Fire to me.

On skin: The clove cream definitely packs a punch. You also get the classic, vegetal Dead Leaves note, a bit of the whiskey, and miraculously, the burnt marshmallow note makes an appearance as well (though the marshmallow smells toasted as opposed to truly charred).

The whole thing has a very toasty, almost holiday pudding vibe to it, which I think is great for the transitional period between fall and winter. I wasn't sure about this in the bottle, but on the skin, it's absolutely lovely. Spicy, toasty, and warm. This is very clove-heavy, so if you're not a fan of clove, definitely skip this one.

Verdict: 5 clove-y holiday puddings decorated with fall leaves out of 5.


🎃 Bourbon-Soaked Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge (Bourbon, pumpkin, peanut butter fudge)

Preliminary notes: I have a pumpkin and peanut butter candle that I burned off and on during the fall and loved it, so if this is even remotely similar, I'll be over the moon about it.

In bottle: Spiced bourbon and caramel, oddly enough. The peanut butter is very subtle.

On skin: This is quite strong upon initial application. There's a giant, cinnamon-spiced, boooozy bourbon cloud that blooms up from the skin. Underneath that, there's a tiny bit of a vegetal pumpkin, but it's mostly bourbon and spice. I don't get any peanut butter, and the sweetness of the fudge is fairly subtle. This is very rich and spicy, despite not being overly sweet. Huge sillage on this one.

Verdict: 4.25 spiced bourbons out of 5.


🎃 Pumpkin Bliss (Honey-dusted milk chocolate pumpkin bites)

Preliminary notes: The original Bliss, to me, smells like warm chocolate chips. As if you just took a pan of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies out of the oven, but there's no smell from the cookies themselves, and it's just the scent of baked chocolate. I'm curious as to how a pumpkin note is going to meld with that.

In bottle: This definitely has cinnamon in it, or at least that's how it smells in the bottle. I don't get much of the original Bliss DNA in this.

On skin: Honeyed cinnamon bark with a tiny bit of chocolate underneath. Whyyy, skin chemistry. That's quite disappointing. No baked chocolate, no cookie-like note, just sweet cinnamon. That's 100% a result of my skin amping it and not a fault with the scent itself, as I have this issue fairly often. I didn't expect this to have cinnamon in it at all, so that's a bummer. If I had known that, I would have just gotten a bottle of OG Bliss. Oh well.

Verdict: 2 cinnamon-scented disappointments out of 5. Again, not a fault of the scent itself, but a huge bummer.


🎃 Pumpkin Latte (Espresso, pumpkin syrup, smoky vanilla bean, milk, raw sugar, a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg)

Preliminary notes: As mentioned in other review posts, I can't drink coffee, but I sure do love the smell of it. I've never had a PSL, but this sounds divine.

In bottle: Yup, that smells like a spiced latte. I don't get any pumpkin outright, but the rest of the notes are there. When I first got this, it smelled like stewed tomatoes in the bottle, which is an experience I've had with coffee scents before, for whatever reason.

On skin: Oh look, our friends Stewed Tomatoes are back. I think it's the cinnamon mixing with something else that's causing that, but I'm not sure. I don't get any coffee or pumpkin, just spicy stewed, syrupy tomatoes. Not into it.

Verdict: 0 cans of stewed tomatoes out of 5. I offered this to Fox, and it smells much better on him, so take this review with a grain of salt. It just doesn't mesh well with my skin chemistry at all but smells lovely on other people.


🎃 Apple Cider Donuts (Apple cider, donuts)

Preliminary notes: As soon as I saw this in the Virtualcon announcement email, I knew I had to get it. I haven't had stellar luck with BPAL's pastry/baked good notes in the past (they tend to not be as full-bodied or realistic as I'd like), but this also includes apple cider. Even if the donut note isn't realistic, I'll still like it if the cider note is good.

In bottle: Well, this is slightly disappointing. No baked good notes to speak of at all, but a very nice apple note.

On skin: Ahhh, there it is. Rather than a donut though, I get an almost fritter-y note beneath the apple, and even then, it's still 95% apple. A tiny bit of spice as well, but not to the point where my skin is amping it, thankfully. The apple note in this is very fresh and almost cooling, which is my preferred kind of apple note.

As this wears, the fritter-like note becomes a bit stronger, but the apple is the star of the show. I definitely wouldn't call this a strong gourmand or baked good scent, but I also tend to be slightly disappointed with BPAL's gourmands in general. They aren't quite foody enough for me most of the time. Regardless, I do like this a lot, even though it's nowhere near smelling like a donut.

Verdict: 4.25 fresh apples out of 5.


🎃 Hot Buttered Apple Cider (Hot apple cider, melted buttery swirl)

Preliminary notes: Hot apple cider is one of my favorite things during the fall and winter, so this sounds perfect since we're quickly approaching colder weather as I'm writing this.

In bottle: Rather than apple cider and melted butter, I'd say this smells like apple cider buttercream. There's a very distinct frosting-like quality to this.

On skin: Still very much apple cider buttercream. I almost wonder if there was some sort of labeling issue and this is actually Apple Cider Donuts, but then a strong butter note comes out, and it's very clearly not mislabeled. This is like a hot apple dessert with a fat pat of butter on top and is decidedly more gourmand than Apple Cider Donuts. If you don't like butter, I'd recommend avoiding this, since the butter note is very realistic and rich. I love this.

Verdict: 5 pats of butter on a warm apple dessert out of 5.


🎃 Pumpkin Gingerbread Creme Brulee Pie (Scorched pumpkin creme brulee in a gingerbread crust)

Preliminary notes: This has been on my radar for quite some time now, and I figured I might as well get it with the other pumpkin scents I picked up. Not technically a fall/Halloween scent, but.

In bottle: More or less exactly what it says on the tin. The pumpkin note here is the most realistic one I've come across from BPAL, and it smells like straight up pumpkin puree.

On skin: This is delicious. Slightly overcooked pumpkin puree, spicy gingerbread, and a bit of thick cream. This is probably the most realistic gourmand I've tried from BPAL, and it's one of their best for sure. Absolutely perfect pumpkin dessert scent.

Verdict: 5 gingerbread-y pumpkin pies out of 5.


🎃 Chocolat Viennois (A warm mug of dark chocolate and cream with a dribble of blood)

Preliminary notes: I don't usually vibe with chocolate notes, but after trying the original Bliss, I'm a fan of BPAL's at least. I've also been craving a hot chocolate kind of scent lately.

In bottle: Rich, dark chocolate for sure, with a bit of cream and either cherry or dragon's blood (or both) underneath.

On skin: Virtually the same, but richer and less creamy. The chocolate is very dark, and the cherry-dragon's blood combo is holding strong beneath that. There's something almost floral in there as well, which could just be the dragon's blood being extra punchy. After a while, something a bit vegetal and metallic comes to the surface, which smells almost mushroom-y. I liked this before the metallic/mushroom note popped up, but once that happens, it makes me a bit nauseous.

Verdict: 4 mugs of hot cocoa out of 5 before the metallic note pops up, 2 chocolate-covered mushrooms out of 5 afterward. I don't think I'm going to be able to wear this.


🎃 Snakes in the Berry Sonker (Snake Oil, baked blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, warm pastry crust, vanilla ice cream, molasses)

Preliminary notes: The only Snake Oil variant I've tried is Snakes Basking in the First Sunbeams of Spring, which I didn't like. The orange blossom was way too sharp for me, and it just wasn't my thing. I've sampled regular Snake Oil and like it, but not enough to buy it on its own. Mostly, I was thinking about blueberry scents and this one just happened to get released around the same time, so I was willing to take a gamble on it.

In bottle: Definitely Snake Oil, with a ton of berries dumped on top.

On skin: Snake Oil, but make it baked. The pastry crust and ice cream are the strongest underneath the Snake Oil, though the berry notes are very close behind. There's something salty and almost astringent in here, and that's a problem I had with Snakes Basking as well (which leads me to believe that Snake Oil variants just aren't for me). I don't dislike this, but I'm not over the moon about it either. I think I've finally accepted that I need to stop buying Snake Oil flankers.

Verdict: 3 baked berries out of 5.


🍯 Dead Leaves and Honeycomb (Dead leaves, honeycomb)

Preliminary notes: The honeycomb got me, y'all. I haven't tried many BPAL scents with honeycomb notes (Elf and Strawberries & Honeycomb specifically), but I am familiar with the Dead Leaves note. I'm curious to see how the two interact. I'm hoping for kind of a wild beehive in the middle of a fall forest vibe.

In bottle: Strictly just the Dead Leaves accord. I don't get any honeycomb at all.

On skin: Mostly the Dead Leaves accord (which smells fresher than in other DL variants I've tried), and lovely, warm, golden honeycomb beneath that. There's something almost lemony (or maybe mandarin-y. Definitely a citrus of some sort) in here, which further adds to the golden feel, like an autumn afternoon in a forest, with rays of sun breaking through a copse (I know I said something very similar about The Autumn Folk, but it's true in both cases). The leaves in this one smell like a yellowing green as opposed to truly dead, which I think is really interesting in contrast with the other DL scents I've experienced. This will be a lovely late-summer-into-early-autumn transitional scent, and a lovely autumnal scent in general. The more it wears, the more I like it. This is a beautiful and evocative entry into the Dead Leaves series.

Verdict: 4.75 wisps of yellowing leaves swirling around a beehive in a forest out of 5.


🎃 Moroccan Pumpkin (Pumpkin spices, warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood, cassia)

Preliminary notes: Ah, the last of my chosen Pumpkin Patch scents for this year. I was curious about this one but wasn't overly interested in it until I started seeing reviews of it, most of which cited a hidden buttery pumpkin note. I've been craving a good carnation-y gourmand lately as well, so.

In bottle: Hm.. I don't know about this. There's something in here that's a bit cloying to me, but I don't know what it is. Maybe the sandalwood? It's very warm and spice-heavy, which is nice.

On skin: I think I figured out why this is so offputting for me. Something in it smells vegetal and very similar to celery, which is one of my least favorite scents on the planet. It's like, spicy celery with a touch of cayenne on top, which is.. to be quite honest, it's atrocious. If you like spicy, heavy sandalwood notes, this might be a holy grail for you, but it makes me feel a bit ill.

Verdict: 0 stalks of spicy celery out of 5.


🕯️ Guttering Candle (Beeswax, a blackened wick, a shuddering gust of smoke)

Preliminary notes: Y'all know me and my beeswax/candle scents. As of writing this prelim (in late October), the only review I've seen of this was in a BPAL livestream from a bit ago, which didn't paint as much of a picture of this scent as I'd hoped.

In bottle: Much deeper and darker than The Lights of Men's Lives, which is what I expected this to smell like.

On skin: Oh, man, this is good. The beeswax is definitely the same as in The Lights of Men's Lives, but the smoke in this is exquisite. It really does smell like a still-warm candle that was just blown out, which isn't an easy thing to replicate in scent form. The Lab's description of "rivulets of beeswax" is definitely apt, as this smells thick and melty. There's a very tiny hint of sweetness in here, but it's largely smoke and beeswax. I almost passed this up, because how many smoky candle scents does one really need, but I'm very glad I bought this. This scent has a very odd cozy-but-unsettling vibe to it as well, which I find fascinating.

Verdict: 5 melty, freshly blown out candles 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.

Hullo! Long time, no review, and all that. Life has been extremely busy this year, and I'm finally now getting a chance to relax and slow down.
Josh from Nui Cobalt Designs reached out to me in October and asked if I'd like to review 10-12 of their scents, so welcome to my first PR review! I'm very excited and grateful for the opportunity, and it's such a big deal to me that my reviews are appreciated by brands enough for them to be like, "Hey, we like your style, kid. We're gonna send you some stuff." I'm eternally grateful and appreciative. Thank you again, Josh and Forest!


☕ Awaken the Witch (Leather bound grimoires on mahogany shelves. A cup of hot tea, subtly sweetened with vanilla bean and honey. Sandalwood incense mingling with black patchouli, cardamom, and coriander)

Preliminary notes: This has been on my wishlist since it came out. I'm not sure why I never actually ordered it.

In vial: This is a really complex and very warm scent. It's very deep and rich, but also sweet and cozy.

On skin: This is a very contemplative scent. It absolutely smells bookish and studious, but there's something sinister looming in the background. All of the notes mingle with each other harmoniously, and while I wouldn't call this a tea scent, it's definitely atmospheric and dark. I may upsize this in the future.

Verdict: 4 sinister libraries out of 5.

🌧️ Gargoyle (Rain-drenched lavender, cathedral incense, beeswax candles, and ancient stone)

Preliminary notes: I'm not huge on lavender as a general rule, but this sounds lovely and contemplative.

In vial: In the vial, this is a dead ringer for a mossy stone. I don't get any lavender, beeswax, or incense in there. I'm actually shocked (in a good way) by how photorealistic that stone note is.

On skin: Still 99% wet, mossy stone. There's a tiiiny bit of sweetness in there, which could be either the beeswax or the incense. I expected this to be heavy on the lavender, but I can't smell it at all. It's a very lovely stone scent.

Verdict: 4 mossy stones out of 5.

🌽 Cornucopia (Hand-woven baskets of golden straw brimming with blackcurrant, Bartlett pear, pistachio, toasted corn, and spiced sweet potato)

Preliminary notes: I am a sucker for corn notes (as in like, corn husk or raw corn, not corn chips), so I always want to try scents when I see they have a corn note.

In vial: This is a really lovely, light autumnal scent. It smells like the imagery of sunbeams shining gently upon a little glen of wild fruit bushes and trees with orange and yellow leaves. There's something a bit medicinal and cooling in there, which could maybe be the straw or blackcurrant. Not sure. Despite the fruit notes, it doesn't read as a fruity scent overall. I wouldn't call it a gourmand, either. It's atmospheric for sure.

On skin: I can't actually make out most of the notes individually, but this scent is very warm and cozy. It reminds me of our local pumpkin patch, despite not having pumpkin in it. It would make a great Thanksgiving or mid-late fall scent.

Verdict: 3.75 cozy pumpkin patches out of 5.

🍁 Long Shadows (Crunchy leaves, rich maple wood, crabapples, clove, dry basil, ecru cashmere, and warm rain)

Preliminary notes: This sounds delightfully autumnal and moody.

In vial: This is a veeery, very warm and deep scent with a tiny touch of apple in the background. It's very woody, which isn't a complaint at all.

On skin: I love this. Everything comes together and melds into a very warm, deep autumnal scent with a bit of a nutty edge.

Verdict: 4.5 embodiments of autumn out of 5.

✨ Victorian Burlesque (Indigo musk, sparkling plum wine, night blooming jasmine, blackcurrant jam, green cardamom and cinnamon crème brûlée)

Preliminary notes: I love the note lineup here. It sounds so mysterious and seductive. I just now noticed there's cinnamon in it, so I'm hoping my skin doesn't amp that like it usually does.

In vial: This is a very classic-smelling scent. I get the jasmine, musk, and wine, but can't make out the rest of it. It smells almost fizzy, which is fascinating to me.

On skin: More or less the same as in the vial, but there's a distinct ginger ale thing going on when it hits my skin. I don't get any of the creme brulee, which is a bit disappointing. This is a very clean scent and not really my thing.

Verdict: 3 flute glasses full of fancy ginger ale out of 5.

🚂 Ghost Train (Stark white copal, cedarwood, coal dust, grey cashmere, cardamom, toasted marshmallow, and shining steel)

Preliminary notes: This is another one that's been on my radar since it came out. One of my favorite shows growing up was Creepy Canada, and the story of the ghost of the Silver Run tunnel is one of my favorites. I had to try this.

In vial: I expected this to be somewhat austere and biting, but it's actually light and relatively sweet! I don't get any of the coal or steel in the vial, so my opinion may change once I wear it.

On skin: This reminds me of something else I've tried from Nui Cobalt before, but I cannot figure out what it is. I think the copal might be the same one from Fairy Lights, perhaps. This does get more of a bite to it on the skin, but it still remains fairly bright and sweet. As it wears, it starts to veer almost masculine but stays pretty unisex throughout. I really love the toasted marshmallow in this and hope to see it in other NCD scents in the future.

Verdict: 4 ghost trains fading into tunnels out of 5.

🥂 Disco (Champagne, juicy purple plum, black styrax, creamy non-indolic jasmine, ylang ylang, and a twist of mandarin)

Preliminary notes: Plum is another one of those notes that I always have to try when I see it. It's lovely.

In vial: Another classic (and classy) scent. The plum and jasmine are at the forefront, with a bit of ylang-ylang and mandarin in the background.

On skin: I really like this. The plum and champagne notes are divine, and the mandarin is there but not overbearing. It smells like an elegant, mysterious woman at a formal dinner. I very well might upsize this next year.

Verdict: 4 mysteriously formal ladies out of 5.

📚 Forbidden Library (The vanillic scent of aging paper infused with ceremonial incense, venerable bookshelves of black oak and sweet himalayan cedarwood, a hint of mossy stone, and an undercurrent of faded suede)

Preliminary notes: A spooky library scent. I don't think I even need to explain why I chose this.

In vial: I can definitely see the spooky library vibe in this. There's something a bit fruity/sour in there as well, which is a little bit confusing. Maybe it's part of the incense?

On skin: This is really, really nice. It's very bookish and witchy, which is appropriate. The strange sweetness is still in there, but in reading the note description, it specifically says "sweet Himalayan cedarwood," so that'd probably be why.

Verdict: 4.5 witchy libraries out of 5.

🌰 Bountiful Harvest (Precious saffron strands, green cardamom, and clove are sweetened by maple sugar, dry chestnuts, and wood smoke)

Preliminary notes: This sounds so cozy and warm, and perfect for the cold weather we're experiencing right now.

In vial: This smells like the most delicious array of maple-sugared nuts and treats. If this is half as good on the skin as it is in the vial, I'm going to need to upsize it next year.

On skin: The clove appears! The clove and other spices provide a lot of depth, but the initial maple sweetness is still there as well. The longer this wears, the more the woodsmoke note comes out. Definitely have to upsize this at some point. It'd be perfect for winter as well.

Verdict: 5 maple-sugared nuts out of 5.

🐈 Ghost Cat (Cashmere, white amber, and ethereal ivory musk with blushing peony and pink peppercorn toe beans)

Preliminary notes: Are y'all getting tired of me saying these have been on my radar for a while? This is another one. I've learned that I really love white amber, and I love NCD's peony notes, so I have high hopes for this one.

In vial: This smells almost shampoo-esque, but like.. classy shampoo. It's a little bit soapy and veeery floral.

On skin: The soapy shampoo vibe completely goes away on the skin. It reminds me a bit of Silver Fox, which is one of my favorite NCD scents. The white amber, peppercorn, and peony are the strongest notes, and it's very cozy.

Verdict: 3.75 cozy ghost kitties out of 5.

☠️ The Poisoner's Garden (Benign accords of datura, wormwood, deadly nightshade, and autumn crocus infused with green peppercorn and dark, loamy musk)

Preliminary notes: This just sounds like a big ol' witchy mood in scent format.

In vial: This is, indeed, a big ol' witchy mood in scent format. I can smell the wormwood, the nightshade (I'm assuming a tomato leaf note), the peppercorn, and the loamy musk. It smells like a deep, dark forest where mysterious figures go to to their bidding late into the night.

On skin: More or less the same as in the vial. I love tomato leaf notes, and this one is perfect. Most likely upsizing this in the future.

Verdict: 4.5 witchy gardens out of 5.

🎃 Pumpkinocalypse (Perfectly baked pumpkin pie, still warm from the oven and garnished with nasturtium flowers)

Preliminary notes: I had to put at least one pumpkin scent in here, and pairing pumpkins with a floral (okay, nasturtiums smell peppery more than they smell floral, but still) is really interesting.

In vial: Strangely enough, I get no pumpkin from this. I get pie crust and a slightly peppery floral note, but not much else.

On skin: The pumpkin comes out a bit on the skin, but it's mostly still pie crust and the peppery tinge of the nasturtiums. It's a nice, fairly light gourmand.

Verdict: 3.75 pumpkin pies out of 5.

Ammil (Wet snow, melting ice, velvety skin warmth)

Preliminary notes: I've wanted to get my hands on this one since it was released. It sounds like it'd have a similar vibe to Woods on a Snowy Evening, which is one of my favorite Alkemia offerings.

In bottle: Slightly boozy and minty, almost eggnog-y? Definitely not what I expected, but I like it.

On skin: Definitely minty/camphorous, but not overwhelmingly so. The eggnog and booze vibe goes away as soon as it hits the skin. This is kind of like a sister or cousin scent to Woods on a Snowy Evening, but it's also very different and lacks forest notes. There's a phase of this that almost smells like Sharpies from a distance, which is kind of jarring. Aside from that, Alkemia's ice/snow notes are very distinctive, and I can smell them here. They do smell wet, and very slightly lemony. It definitely needs to rest for a while.

Verdict: 3.75 puddles of melted snow out of 5. I like this, but I think it has some maturing to do before it reaches its full potential. It does morph around quite a bit throughout its wear. It goes through the Sharpie phase, a lemony phase, an herbal phase, and a soft snow phase to name a few. A very interesting scent. I can't wait to see how this does with a few months' rest.


For Love of Winter (Luminous white amber, cool snow musk, candy canes, white chocolate pearls)

Preliminary notes: I love everything in this. Alkemia's white amber is sublime, I love their snow notes, and I love candy canes and white chocolate.

In bottle: Ugh, yesss. Smooth, sweet candy canes without being a mint explosion. This is lovely.

On skin: This is sublime. By far the best candy cane note I've come across. It's distinguishable as candy canes and not just peppermint, and it's not in your face. It smells like elegant candy cane bark, and I'm totally here for it.

Verdict: 5 massive slabs of candy cane bark out of 5. I knew I'd love this, and I do. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Hullo! I don't have any interesting preamble for these, so we'll just get right into it.

Gideon (Apricot, golden amber, a saucerful of cream)

Preliminary notes: So I'm not gonna lie, there were two driving factors in getting this. One, the scent is inspired by an orange cat, and my little hellion back home is an orange tabby. Two, Gideon is on our list of eventual baby names to use, so it's sentimental on both counts.

In bottle: I can smell Arcana's classic cream note, apricot, and I'm assuming the amber, which is reading as very witchy to me.

On skin: It's honestly shocking to me that there are only three notes in this, because it's very complex and interesting. The apricot comes out more and gets sweeter on the skin, but the amber keeps everything in check and stops it from smelling like a fruit and cream candy.

Verdict: 4.5 witchy apricots out of 5.

Estella (White amber, vanilla bean, a kiss of cognac)

Preliminary notes: These next 3 were part of my potential wedding scent hunt when we were still throwing the idea of a spring wedding around. We've since decided to do a fall wedding instead, which renders these kind of irrelevant, but I'm still a sucker for cozy scents, so I'm not bothered.

In bottle: This reminds me of the base of Pumpkins Crave Pointe Shoes, which is Two Finger Ballet. I haven't tried OG Two Finger Ballet, so I can't compare it directly, but this is basically the base of PCPS with booze. It smells elegant and refined with a bit of a rebellious edge.

On skin: More or less the same as in the bottle, but the booze calms down a bit. I love this.

Verdict: 5 rebellious Victorian ladies out of 5. I'd bathe in this if I could.

Frigg (Black tonka bean, raw cashmere wool, French bakery vanilla, soft warm skin, confectionary sugar, sweet almond)

Preliminary notes: I'm not a fan of almond notes, but in my head, I was like, "Well, it sounds like a wedding scent so I'm just gonna pretend they're Jordan almonds," since those are a thing at weddings in my family.

In bottle: Okay, this is nowhere near as sweet as I was expecting. There's some sort of note in there that's reading almost like oud, which I'm assuming can only be the cashmere. It smells cozy and a tiny bit peppery. I don't get any almond whatsoever in the bottle.

On skin: Whatever's going on with that oud-like note kind of ruins this scent for me. It overtakes everything, and it's all I can smell. I wanted to like this, but I can't stand it.

Verdict: 0 surprising, overwhelming woody notes out of 5. When the other notes actually have a chance to come through, it's not a bad scent, but I can't stand whatever that woody note is. It's sharp and overpowering.

Ganesh (Coconut cake, honey, vanilla, Indonesian clove, green coconut, a warm blend of spices)

Preliminary notes: None.

In bottle: The only notes I'm getting straight out of the bottle are Arcana's honey note and maybe a bit of vanilla. I get no cake, spices, or coconut.

On skin: This kind of just smells like Arcana's other honey-heavy bakery scents (Honey Craves Coffee Shops and Marshmallows Bite! specifically). I don't hate it, but it's not something I haven't smelled before from the same company.

Verdict: 3.5 honey-sweetened cakes out of 5. It's not a bad scent, but it's not particularly unique either.

Vatican Archives (Honey from the Papal apiaries, Roman figs, Atlas cedarwood, smoky frankincense and myrrh, crimson musk, black musk, smudgy parchment musk)

Preliminary notes: I had no idea this scent existed until I was browsing the website for Hel, but it sounds right up my alley. Bookish, spooky, and powerful? Yes, please.

In bottle: I get the honey, myrrh, and parchment right away. It's very spooky and foreboding, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

On skin: The red musk in this overtakes most of the notes fairly quickly, which is usually what happens with red musk notes. There's something a bit salty going on as well. The honey completely disappears, and it becomes The Red Musk Show for a while, which is a bummer.

Verdict: 4 foreboding libraries out of 5. Despite the red musk overpowering everything once it hits the skin, it's a nice bookish scent with a creepy edge and fits quite nicely into my collection.

Hel (Candle soot, honey-smeared ho wood, aged vetiver, black coconut, ash frozen in ice, scorched beeswax)

Preliminary notes: This sounds SO Halloween-y. I'm hoping the ice note doesn't come off as mint.

In bottle: Arcana's beeswax note is immediately recognizable, followed by the vetiver and something very slightly fruity. It's dark, but it's also not quite as heavy as I'd anticipated.

On skin: This really does smell cold (without being minty) and burnt. It's kind of like the goth version of Snug, which I love.

Verdict: 3 underworld queens out of 5. I do like this quite a lot when it initially hits the skin, but there's something in it that goes a little household cleaner on me. There's some kind of lemony nuance in there, and it throws the whole thing off. I'll probably retest this in the future, but it's going in my destash box for now.

Nott (free sample) (Amber accord (holy labdanum resin, midnight Madagascar vanilla, and sweet benzoin), rich black cardamom, a shot of vintage patchouli, a dark trail of incense)

Preliminary notes: So funnily enough, I had been eyeing this and *almost* bought it when I got Vatican Archives and Hel but passed on it.

In bottle: In the sample bottle, it smells very inky-dark and a bit sweet. Very resinous, unsurprisingly, and a little bit camphorous. Maybe a touch cola-y as well. I already wish I'd ordered this instead of Hel.

On skin: More or less the same as in the bottle. It's very strong and intimidating, which I like. It's quite sharp, but there's a weird, otherworldly glowing quality about it. It's very unique and mysterious.

Verdict: 4.5 obsidian bowls full of chewy, caramelized resins out of 5. I definitely have to upsize this at some point.

B-Endorphins (Chocolate milk, salty popcorn, cold vanilla ice cream, peanut brittle, a drizzle of caramel sauce)

Preliminary notes: I'd been wanting to try this one for a while, but I'm always apprehensive of chocolate notes, since they aren't my favorite.

In bottle: I kind of expected this to smell like a Reese's Cup, but luckily, it doesn't. I can smell pretty much all of the notes in the bottle except the peanut brittle.

On skin: On the skin, Arcana's milk note is definitely present, along with the chocolate, popcorn, ice cream, and caramel. I've noticed that Arcana's milk note is allllmost fruity/laundry like, which is a bit noticeable but it doesn't go full laundry or fruit on me. I'm not really sure if I like this or not though. The dairy notes are behaving a bit strangely, and it's throwing the rest of the notes off a bit. It's not a bad scent at all, it's just very.. perfumey, I guess? It smells a bit stale as well.

DH thought it smelled like old coffee grounds and hazelnuts, so not a win from him either.

Verdict: 1.5 very weird desserts out of 5. Neither of us liked this one much, and it got destashed. I usually like Arcana's dairy notes, but they didn't work for me at all here.

*Keep in mind, everyone's skin chemistry and sense of smell are different. Just because it smells a certain way to/on me doesn't mean it'll smell that way to everyone.*