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.

Hello! Moonalisa had been recommended to me over the last few years numerous times, but I never bothered to place an order since I don't like the FOMO aspect that their shop seems to have. I couldn't resist the Halloween offerings this year though, so we'll see how they are! A friend of mine told me that Moona herself used to be a pastry chef, so I'm very eager to try her gourmand creations. I think that's a really interesting background to have when you're making oils that smell like desserts or other food. I'm hoping they're relatively realistic!

The TAT was listed as 3 weeks, but these shipped out about 10 days after ordering and arrived right on Halloween! This package was the best I've ever received in terms of how well and securely it was put together. All of the oils were wrapped in tissue paper, put into little boxes, and then wrapped again, so there was no way they could move around and leak. There was also a glitter spray included as a gift, along with some brand art and Halloween confetti.

Cauldron Cakes (Cauldron cakes oozing with melted butter, cinnamon, maple and vanilla glaze, crushed nut topping, piping hot cappuccino, a tiny touch of witching mischief)

Preliminary notes: If memory serves, cauldron cakes are a Harry Potter thing (I think). I was a big fan of HP as a kid but haven't really been into it since then. Regardless, this sounds delicious.

In bottle: I get the cake and butter notes right off the bat, followed by the nuts and a bit of the coffee. Something smells vaguely plasticky in there, but it could be the nut note (*see below).

On skin: There's something slightly fruity and powdery in there, and I'm not sure where it's coming from. I get a bit of the cappuccino, maple, and butter but not much else for the first while. I can smell the cappuccino more in the scent cloud around me than directly on my wrist, if that makes sense. I can smell the cinnamon, nuts, and more of the cappuccino the longer it wears.

Verdict: 3.75 ghosts of cappuccinos out of 5. This is very faint on me, and the way it works with my skin chemistry is just bizarre. I like what I can smell, but I think this one might need to age a bit.

Broom Brittle (Smoldering woods blended into a toasted coconut and pumpkin pie crumble, magically transformed into a rich buttery toffee brittle)

Preliminary notes: Smoky/woody gourmands are fantastic, and I LOVE toffee notes.

In bottle: I'm getting woods for sure, and some cinnamon and what smells like a tiny bit of citrus. No coconut, pumpkin, or toffee.

On skin: Definitely has cinnamon in it, as I'm amping it to hell and back. It's a dry cinnamon, like a cinnamon stick, and not candy-like at all. I'm also getting something nutty, but it's not the coconut. I don't get any pumpkin pie, toffee, or anything buttery when it's wet. It's just a dry, spicy cinnamon explosion. If I try really hard, I can kind of smell a bit of pumpkin pie and coconut about an hour in, but still no toffee. I don't get any smoldering woods either.

Verdict: 3.75 cinnamon factories out of 5. I like cinnamon, but I was hoping for more than a cinnamon single-note with this. Skin chemistry/scent perception sucks sometimes, and it's not a fault of the actual product.

Caramel Apple (Rich gooey buttery caramel and slightly spiced baked warm apples)

Preliminary notes: I didn't think I wanted to smell like caramel apples until I tried Fyrinnae's Autumn in Avalon, and now that it's discontinued (to my knowledge), I'd like to have a somewhat suitable replacement. I'm not looking for a dupe, but just something in the same vein.

In bottle: What it says on the tin, really. The apple note smells more like a Granny Smith than a red apple, which is gently spiced and baked. The caramel is fairly faint, but it's definitely there.

On skin: This is definitely a baked scent, as opposed to a cooled down caramel apple. The apple is nice and bright, the spices are subtle, and the caramel is very warm. It leans a smidge Christmas-y, but I'm okay with that. It kind of smells like there's some sort of crumble topping on it, which is really interesting.

Verdict: 4.5 apple desserts covered in caramel out of 5.

Pumpkin Batter (Toasty bread, pumpkin puree, warm Autumn spices, vanilla frosting, creamy caramel, juicy raisins)

Preliminary notes: So I realized after the fact, going off of the description, that this is more of a pumpkin bread scent than a pumpkin puree scent, but that's okay.

In bottle: Oh, that bread note is amazing. I get the spices and raisins as well, and something slightly plasticky again (*see below). I can smell the frosting as well, which smells photorealistic and delicious.

On skin: I mean, it smells like pumpkin bread with raisins in it. It's pretty straightforward, but it's delicious. The spices don't amp, fortunately. I get a bit of the frosting note, but it's mostly about the pumpkin bread.

Verdict: 5 loaves of pumpkin bread out of 5.

Twisted Carnival #2 (Buttery toffee crusted marshmallows and strawberry jam topped funnel cakes)

Preliminary notes: You know me and my affinity for carnival scents. The jam note gives me a bit of pause, but the rest sounds delightful.

In bottle: This is so well blended that my nose is having a hard time deciphering everything. I can for sure smell the strawberry jam, which does indeed smell like jam and not fresh strawberries (which is fine by me, as I don't really like fruity scents), and I can definitely smell the toffee. The funnel cake note is a bit shy here, but then again, the toffee and jam are STRONG, so I'm not surprised. Something about this kind of smells like apple pie or apple crumble.

On skin: Cinnamon. Nothing but cinnamon, which is 100% my skin chemistry, since I amp it. I get a slight doughy note underneath that, but the toffee, marshmallow, and jam are hidden by a very strong cinnamon sugar note. It does smell relatively carnival-y, like cinnamon sugar mini donuts, so I'm not mad about it. Once it's on the skin for 1-2 hours, the cinnamon backs off a bit, and the toffee finally has a chance to come out. This one goes through several interesting phases.

Verdict: 4 buckets of cinnamon sugar donuts out of 5.

Wicked Apple (Buttery toffee apple crunch with a wicked bend of amber)

Preliminary notes: Shocker, another caramel-adjacent apple scent. I didn't realize that most of these had butter or buttery notes until after I started drafting this review. I might like gourmands just a little bit.

In bottle: That apple note is potent, but it's fantastic. It does indeed smell like toffee apples. Very warm, very gooey.

*I realized while smelling this one that the weird plasticky undertone I was getting from some of these was actually the labels! They smell like plain candle wax, and I guess I was getting cross-scents from that.

On skin: The same apple note from Caramel Apple, but not baked this time. It's like 95% apple with a tiny bit of toffee and amber underneath it initially. It eventually calms down a bit, and more of the supporting notes come out. This is very heavy on the apple itself, which is a very crisp, tart apple note. Not quite a caramel apple scent, but close.

Verdict: 4 baskets full of apples out of 5. I was hoping for more toffee, but it does come out more once it dries down a bit. This will be fantastic during autumn next year.

Sleepy Hallow (Smoldering seasoned oakwood fires, warmed leather, roasted spiced pumpkin flesh, smoldering marshmallows)

Preliminary notes: I'm a huge fan of Deep Midnight's oakwood fire note, and while no two house's notes are the same, it gives me great hope for this one. I'm also a sucker for a good toasted marshmallow note.

In bottle: Oh, god yes. The oakwood fire note is perfection, and all of the other notes marry beautifully with it. The marshmallows actually smell toasted! Toasted marshmallow notes never smell toasted to me, so I'm counting that as a miracle. The leather is fairly soft and doesn't smell like a jacket or the interior of a car.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle, but warmer. It's just skirting the line of being a gourmand but never fully gets there. It's atmospheric for sure, and very appropriate for fall/Halloween. The wood note goes almost oud-y on me, which I'm not a fan of, but the marshmallow and pumpkin notes are fantastic. I also smell a bit of cinnamon in there.

Verdict: 4 fiery jack o'lanterns being thrown down a covered bridge out of 5.

Coconut Pumpkin Latte (Steamy, roasted coffee with creamy coconut milk, topped with sweet whipping cream, sprinkled with a touch of spice)

Preliminary notes: The note lineup kind of reminds me of Balefire Apothecary's Midnight Cackle, but I'm hoping this one is balanced a bit better.

In bottle: Okay, so Moona's coffee note is excellent. I get a bit of the coconut milk, whipped cream, and spices. I don't think there's an actual pumpkin note in this, so I'm assuming the spices are pumpkin pie spices. It's creamy, a bit spicy, and very coffee-heavy. DH is going to love this one.

On skin: A coffee scent that actually smells like coffee! This smells like a cup of dark roast coffee with a touch of coconut milk and some gentle spices. No pumpkin, but then again, pumpkin isn't listed as a note. This is delicious and cozy. Good throw and longevity. DH loves this one.

Verdict: 5 steaming cups of coconut-flavored coffee out of 5.

Where's My Pie (Pie crust, cinnamon, pumpkin, carrot, caramel, clove, nutmeg, pecan)

Preliminary notes: Carrot isn't a note I see a lot, so that's interesting. This kind of sounds like Thanksgiving.

In bottle: This is very interesting. On first sniff, I get the carrot, caramel, and something that smells like apples. I get a bit of the pecan and pumpkin if I try a bit harder, and something akin to lemon zest peeks out from underneath. I did not expect the carrot and pecan to be the strongest notes in this, but I'm not complaining. It smells delicious.

On skin: I still get that hidden apple note in there. This is delicious. Lots of spice, but also lots of pie fillings of all different varieties, and a bit of a buttery pastry note. It's very warm and cozy. Later in the drydown, this smells uncannily like pumpkin cookies smothered in cream cheese icing.

Verdict: 5 towering piles of pies out of 5.

Swirly Pop (Sweet orange EO, caramel, vanilla, spun sugar)

Preliminary notes: So my partner and I were watching DreamWorks Spooky Stories for the first time in mid-October, and one of the episodes featured a special candy called a Swirly Pop. I messaged Moona about it and asked if that was the inspiration for the scent, thinking it was a shot in the dark, but it turns out that assumption was correct. She had said she created the scent after watching that episode for the first time with her son years ago, which is really sweet. It made me that much more excited to have it arrive in the mail. I had no idea about that association until after I'd already ordered it.

In bottle: Orange candy. A LOT of orange candy, which makes perfect sense given the inspiration for the scent. It smells pretty much exactly how I'd assume a swirly pop from Spooky Stories would smell. I don't usually like fruity scents, but something about this one is very nostalgic. Orange suckers were my favorite kind growing up, and this is a dead ringer for them.

On skin: This was the first one in this batch that I tried on the skin, since they arrived on Halloween and it just seemed appropriate. First off, WOW, these pack a punch. The texture of the oil is very thin, and it absorbed almost instantly instead of taking a few minutes to soak in. When I was moving everything into the bedroom after the initial in-bottle impressions, I could smell this in a cloud around me.

In regard to the scent itself, it's virtually the same as in the bottle but the orange calms down a tiny bit and gives the other notes a chance to play. I can smell the caramel and spun sugar now, and they play off of the sweet orange in a very nostalgic, cheery way. I think I might have to wear this on days where I'm not feeling great mentally, because it instantly made me happy when I smelled it for the first time.

Verdict: 5 bags full of nostalgic orange candy out of 5. For someone who doesn't like fruity scents, I adore this so much. I'm so glad I tried it.

No Witches on a Crackling Fire! (A berry rich type of smoldering wood. A very realistic outdoor camping fire with that kind of sweet wet smolder in the damp morning woods)

Preliminary notes: I'm not super crazy about berry notes (save for blackberry), but smoky outdoorsy scents always get me. I'm hoping the berry note is fairly dark and not a raspberry or strawberry.

In bottle: "Realistic outdoor camping fire" is right. This is one of the most realistic campfire scents I've smelled. I don't get any fruity notes in the bottle. It's all burning wood, smoke, and a bit of damp air.

On skin: This leans a bit into BBQ territory, but I personally like intense smoke notes, so I'm not bothered by it. The berry note comes out a very small amount on the skin, but it's mostly smoke.

Verdict: 4 campfires out of 5.

Maple Kettle Corn (Vermont maple dousing freshly popped corn ending with a sugar crunch finish)

Preliminary notes: I mean.. do I even really need to say anything about this one?

In bottle: Yesss. All of the notes are present in the bottle, and there's a very slight fruitiness in there as well. It could just be part of the sugar crunch accord though, since it doesn't smell like any fruit in particular.

On skin: This is a weird one on my for the first minute or two. It smells almost minty, but the mintiness goes away fairly quickly. The maple is very strong, but I can smell the popcorn behind it, which is warm and heavenly. As it dries down, it smells like hot caramel corn, and the popcorn note strongly reminds me of the one from Alkemia's County Fair, which is one of my favorite carnival gourmands. It has very low throw compared to the other ones I'd skin tested at this point.

Verdict: 4 popcorn balls dripping in maple syrup out of 5.

Ghoul School Cupcakes (Moist caramelized vanilla cake, sweet coffee buttercream frosting, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, a touch of tonka and maple)

Preliminary notes: I have yet to try a vanilla cake note that actually smells like cake, so we'll see how this goes.

In bottle: The coffee buttercream comes off as almost savory upon first sniff, but everything gets sweeter the more I smell it. This is a pretty heavily-spiced cake scent.

On skin: I get the coffee buttercream for sure, and of course because there's cinnamon in this, I'm amping it and everything else disappears. After the cinnamon calms down, I get some of the maple and cake, which does smell relatively realistic. Later on, it's a caramelized cake scent with a tiny bit of maple. This is a very buttery, slightly spicy gourmand.

Verdict: 4.25 Halloween cakes smothered in coffee buttercream frosting out of 5.

Crone's Cottage (Smoking embers, delicious cakes and breads baking, hanging bushels of botanicals and herbs)

Preliminary notes: I've tried a few "witch's cottage" type scents over the years, but they've all been either too herbal or not foody enough for me. There's a very fine line between too much and too little for this concept, but I'm still tryin'.

In bottle: Ooo, okay. Right off the bat, this is already my favorite "witch's cottage" type of scent. Similarly-themed scents from other houses that I've tried have missed the mark for me, but this nails it on the head. The smoking embers smell like oakwood, and there's some savory baked goods dusted with soft herbs.

On skin: Pumpkin! Lots and lots of pumpkin puree. I smell something that almost smells like frankincense beneath that, which I'm assuming is some kind of lemony herb since there aren't any resins listed. I smell some cinnamon trying to eclipse everything, which it soon does for a brief moment. More of the herbs come out after a few minutes, and that lovely pumpkin puree note comes back. I don't get any bread or cake notes, but I am in love with that pumpkin note, so I'm not even mad at it. For me, this smells like lightly spiced pumpkin puree (aside from the cinnamon amping, which is just my skin), frankincense, and gentle herbs. I don't get any smoke or burning wood either.

Verdict: 4.5 jumbo cans of pumpkin puree out of 5. I could do without the cinnamon bonanza, but such is my general experience with it. After that calms down, this is lovely and delectable.

Haunted Home (Woods, herbs, resins, a touch of spice)

Preliminary notes: A scent that's inspired by the Haunted Mansion ride? Yes, please. I've never been to a Disney park, but I've always been fascinated by the Haunted Mansion.

In bottle: This is interesting. I get something lemony, which I'd wager is probably frankincense, given the description, followed by what smells like old wood (in a good way), and a bit of non-offensive lavender. It smells cold, and appropriately enough, haunting.

On skin: There is definitely, definitely lavender in this. It's not astringent or soapy though, so it's not bad. There's something that smells like pine needles or menthol (something camphorous) as well. It smells like a forest after a good snowfall shortly after application, which is not at all what I was expecting. There's something very slightly sweet underneath that, but I have no idea what it is, as the camphorous quality of whatever notes are in here overshadows it. I get something that smells similar to gingerbread briefly, and then more of the non-camphorous woods come out. I get a little bit of the resins after that stage, and then it just kind of disappears altogether.

Verdict: 3.75 wintry woodlands out of 5. I like this scent, but the longevity leaves a lot to be desired, which could just be my skin. Take that with a grain of salt.

Release the Bats! (Pumpkin pie, warm apple butter, flaky pastry, caramel drizzle, topped with candy corn sprinkles)

Preliminary notes: I don't even need to say that this sounds amazing, because look at those notes. It sounds like a Halloween dessert explosion.

In bottle: Ohhh, yeah. That's a bunch of food, alright. I get the apple butter and caramel right off the bat (pun partially intended), and a bit of the pumpkin pie and pastry. It's largely apple, spice, and caramel though.

On skin: The one thing I'll always complain about when it comes to Sugar and Spite is how much I need to slather the oils on to actually be able to smell them. They have very little throw, unfortunately. At any rate, the pumpkin pie spices come roaring out of there once the scent hits the skin, followed closely by the apple butter and something sweet (which isn't discernible as either candy corn or caramel at this point). I get a note that almost reminds me of the honey in What's Inside a Girl, which is probably just a conglomeration of everything mixing together. This leans a bit fall candle-y, but I don't mind.

Verdict: 3 Halloween candles out of 5. I don't dislike this at all, but it's a bit generic as far as I'm concerned. The spices are also way stronger than anything else, so instead of being a giant pool of sweetness, it's mostly spice with a bit of sweetness behind it.

Hellsville (Campfire embers, clove leaf, bourbon vanilla, butter cookies, marshmallow fluff, roasted pecans, tonka bean, cedar)

Preliminary notes: I'm very curious about this one. It sounds very earthy, and I'm hoping the campfire note is relatively strong.

In bottle: So funnily enough, I get everything except the campfire. I can smell the butter cookies (which smell similar to the ones in The Chilly Biscuit), the pecan, clove, vanilla, marshmallows, and tonka. I don't get any wood or smoke whatsoever.

On skin: There's kind of an odd lemony thing going on here, which I don't really understand. I suppose it could be part of the butter cookie note. I don't get any campfire bits, or any of the heavier notes. It's just butter cookies, lemon for some reason, marshmallow, and maybe a bit of clove. It smells kind of soapy as well.

Verdict: 3 butter cookie-scented soaps out of 5. This isn't a bad scent, but it's definitely not for me. Womp womp.

These were both flops, unfortunately, but such is life.

No witty pre-review banter this time. It's too early.

As usual, favorites are denoted with an asterisk. Solstice Scents’ storefront can be found here. They also stock with Femme Fatale in Australia and Pretty Indulgent in Canada. Both stockists ship internationally, as does Solstice Scents. I've also linked every scent's Indie Scent Library page for the full descriptions.

Witch’s Cottage** (Warm Baked Goods, Dried Herbs, Sweet Annie, Soft Woods & Fragrant Hearth Smoke.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Sweet herbs, caramel, and woods. Not as sickeningly sweet as I was expecting.

On skin: The herbs become pretty cool and spa-like compared to how they are in the bottle, and the baked goods back off a little bit. This reminds me of something, but I’m not sure what it is, as is pretty customary with Solstice Scents. There’s something anise-like in there, which I’m assuming might be the Sweet Annie (I’ve never smelled it before, so I have no idea). More than anything else, the baked goods just add some sweetness to temper everything. They aren't really individually distinguishable.

Longevity: After a few hours, what I’m assuming is supposed to be woodsmoke comes out and gives the blend a bit of a burning plastic smell, which is pretty disappointing. It goes away within about an hour, but it’s tough to get through. Starts fading after about 4 hours, but lasted for over 8 hours.

Conjure Dark (Amber, Frankincense, Sweet Incense Smoke, Dried Rose Petals, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Woods, Oud, Vanilla.) Full description here.

In the bottle: This is strong. The frankincense, sandalwood, oud, and rose are the most prevalent, and it smells really natural. Definitely very witchy and a bit mysterious. It smells very similar to Alkemia’s Ambre Extrait to me.

On skin: Sandalwood and cough syrup. My skin chemistry ruined it. Damn. A scrubber, unfortunately.

Library*** (Leather Bound Books, A Carved Rosewood Mantle, Dying Fireplace Embers, Wood Wainscoting, Cedar Shelving and Aged Paper.) Full description here.

In the bottle: I hadn’t planned on ordering this since I had already purchased Gibbon’s Boarding School, plus I have Alkemia’s Book of Shadows, so I didn’t think I needed yet another bookish library scent. But, I had been watching The King’s Speech with my partner after fawning over Library for a while, and I thought it would kind of encapsulate what I would assume Logue’s office would smell like, so I promptly ordered it. In the bottle, the leather, cedar, and paper are the strongest players. I don’t smell anything smouldering or particularly dark, and there’s no incense, so it does differ from Book of Shadows and Gibbon’s Boarding School enough that it warrants having all of them. I get some lemony rosewood as well. This is beautiful and just what I was hoping for. It does remind me of Book of Shadows a little bit, but they’re by no means the same scent.

On skin: Lots and lots of leather, wood polish, a bit of paper, and a smouldering fireplace. This also completely changes on the skin, and no longer resembles Book of Shadows at all. It’s very woody and burnt smelling, but in a good way.

Longevity: After a few hours, everything settles into a kind of spiced wood scent, which is really nice. Lasted over 8 hours, and was still detectable after 10 hours.

Lace Draped Spectre*** (Vanilla Musk, Spicy Pink Carnation, Pink Pepper, Rose, White Musk.) Full description here.

In the bottle: I’m going to start off by saying I’m not a particularly feminine person. Most of my t-shirts have the sleeves cut off, I prefer Docs to high heels, and I really detest anything pink and frilly. Lace Draped Spectre sounded pretty girly to me, so I was a bit leery of it. I really love how carnations smell though, so I wanted to at least try it. While it’s definitely feminine, it’s also spooky and haunting, which is my jam, and one of the few contexts in which I like “girly” things. The combination of notes is to die for. It’s floral, slightly spicy, vanillic, and a bit musky. If the ghost of a Victorian lady haunting a ballroom had a scent, this is it. I like this a lot more than I expected to.

On skin: The carnation and rose come out more on the skin, so the whole blend becomes even more floral than it was in the bottle. I still really love this. Lace Draped Spectre is probably the most realistic carnation scent I’ve tried. Everything else has been heavily spice-laden or really synthetic smelling, but this is just like smelling fresh carnations with some vanilla and other soft notes along with it. Beautiful.

Longevity: Fades pretty significantly after about 6 or 7 hours, but lasted for over 10 hours.

Outpost* (Sugar Crystals, Spruce, Fir, Patchouli, Soft Woods, Bayberry, Mistletoe, Amber.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Oh, man. Sugared spruce scents are the best, and this is no exception. Frozen fir and spruce dusted with sugar crystals, a bit of wood, and mistletoe. I’m a huge pine/fir/spruce fiend, and I’m very excited to see how this performs on the skin. I have high hopes.

On skin: Warm woods, fir, spruce, sugar, and other festive holiday notes. It’s definitely warmer on the skin than it is in the bottle. It reminds me of something, but I’m not sure what.

Longevity: Faded pretty significantly after about 4-5 hours, and was barely detectable after 6 hours.

Manor** (Woody-Vanilla Musk, Vanilla & Agarwood.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Definitely woody, and definitely vanillic. The oud is there, but is very well blended with the other wood notes. This is what I expected Loggia to smell like. Overall, this is a pretty simple but effective blend.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle. Warm, vanillic woods. There really isn’t much to say about this one. I do suspect that there’s some guaiac wood in here as well, as I get a bit of that tarry, dry scent that guaiac wood has. Basically, it kind of smells like vanilla and dry firewood, which is really nice. I can definitely see why this is a fan favorite.

Longevity: This stayed the same pretty much the entire time I was wearing it. It lasted for over 8 hours.

Camp Willow (Campfire, Fir Balsam, Spruce, Pine Needles, Black Coffee, Vanilla Pipe Tobacco, Marshmallow & Bourbon.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Toasted marshmallows, campfire, a bit of coffee, tobacco, and booze. I get no pine notes at all in the bottle. It’s all just warm, smoky campfire-after-dark notes with a very slight gourmand edge.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle. There’s an undercurrent of burning plastic as well, which isn’t my favorite. I don’t know what I was expecting from this, but it missed the mark for me.

Longevity: Started fading pretty significantly after 5-6 hours and was gone after about 7 hours.

As usual, favorites are denoted with an asterisk. You can find Alkemia's storefront here.

These took a little longer to get done than expected, but here they are! Reviews should be pretty steady (i.e. once a week or so) for the next while. I currently have 21 other Alkemia reviews in my queue, plus one Solstice Scents review and a few S92 reviews. After that, there's a few Strange South reviews and another Solstice Scents review, so that should keep posts going into April, probably. Anyway, onto the reviews!

Sweet Sorcery** (A sexy enchantment of candy corn, caramel creams, candyfloss, brown sugar toffees, and marshmallow nougat.)

In the bottle: Sugar, sugar, and more sugar. The toffee was the first note I detected, followed by caramel and something a bit citrusy or fruity.

On skin: The candyfloss definitely adds a fruity tone to this, which I wasn’t sure I was totally into at first. The whole blend overall definitely smells like candy, so if that’s something you’re into, you’ll love this. It does remind me of Halloweens from my childhood (like a combination of Halloween candy and those plastic/rubber witch noses from the 90s that kind of smelled like fruity vanilla), which I’m all about, so I’m eager to take this for a spin in October. I definitely didn’t expect this to be as nostalgic as it is.

Longevity: Started calming down a little after about 3 hours, with about 4 hours of solid wear.

Club des Hashischins*** (A dark intoxication of African Bronze Honey, caramelized charred black oud, blackberry pipe tobacco, leathered labdanum blended with hashish coffee and dawamesk from an original 1844 Club des Hashischins recipe that includes orange peel, cinnamon, clove, cardamon, nutmeg, musk, and kola nuts.)

In the bottle: Oh my god, this is exactly what I was hoping this would be. The oud is very prominent, as is the coffee. There’s a bit of fruit in there as well.

On skin: Man alive, this is amazing. Lots of oud, lots of coffee, and lots of dark tobacco. Very dark and heavy, which is my jam. I’m so glad that this remained very close to the scent in the bottle, because I fell in love with it right away. Easily one of my favorite Alkemia fragrances. This has a hell of a throw to it, also.

Longevity: Still very strong after 4 hours, and started settling down a bit after 4.5 hours. Lasted 6+ hours and was still lightly detectable after 18+ hours.

Additional notes: Limited, special reserve.

Exotique*** (Revani cake soaked in pure syrup, black Turkish coffee, hookah tobacco, and aged Somalian frankincense.)

In the bottle: Strong coffee (huzzah!), a bit of tobacco, and a bit of frankincense. Not getting any cake notes at all.

On skin: About the same as in the bottle. I think the cake acts as more of a sweetener than it does as a gourmand note, because this is definitely mostly coffee and tobacco on me, which is exactly what I wanted. Love this.

Longevity: Still strong after 3 hours. The tobacco calmed down after about 4 hours, and it became a softer warm coffee scent. Lasted 6+ hours and was still lightly detectable after 18+ hours.

Additional notes: In the last chance section.

Lilacs Along the Winding Drive*** (An olfactory portrait of a May evening.... lilac bushes heavy and purple with blooms, a gentle breeze after light spring rain, a dusty pebbled driveway, a slightly rusty porch swing, and a small handful of late blooming violets.)

In the bottle: True-to-life lilacs, violets, a bit of dusty earth, and aquatic rain notes. I hope it stays this way on the skin as well, because this is dreamy and perfect.

On skin: The violet dominates the lilac a bit, but the lilac is still there. There’s also a smidge of a dusty quality to it. Dusty, but not powdery. The florals are fresh as opposed to old lady-ish, at least on me. The rain note is also in the background, which lends a garden-after-the-rain quality to this. This is really pretty, and exactly what I’d hoped for. Throughout the whole wear time, I never got any metallic or rusty notes.

Longevity: About 4 hours.

Additional notes: Custom ordered.

Vespertilia (Tart quince, Asian pear, and wild apple infused with black and jasmine teas in an autumnal unfolding of marigolds, Golden Ray lilies, palo santo, oakmoss, bamboo, and golden amberwood.)

In the bottle: Not gonna lie, this smells a little like hair conditioner. The apple and pear are probably the strongest notes, and the rest kind of hangs in the background. This reads more spring/summer than it does autumnal to me. I’m hoping it’s not as soapy on the skin as it is in the bottle.

On skin: Still conditioner-y, but it’s nice. The fruit, lily, and tea are the most prominent to me, and it’s very soft and bright. Not something I usually go for, but it’s pretty. I don’t think it’s staying in my collection, however.

Longevity: I stopped smelling this on my skin for the most part after half an hour, which leads me to believe this one might need a bit more rest than the recommended two days. Became very faint after 3 hours and was mostly a ghost of apple and pear by 4 hours.

Ambre Gris*** (A rare blend of proprietary perfumery ingredients carefully oxidized by sunlight, sand, air, sea salt, water, and ocean minerals. The result is as changeable and morphing as the ocean... earthy, sweet, musky, saline.)

In the bottle: This is a perfect ambergris scent. The description is incredibly apt. It’s very marine, sweet, salty, and musky. It reminds me of Hermes’ Eau des Merveilles a little bit.

On skin: This both warms up and takes on a more aquatic scent once actually on the skin. There’s something vaguely spicy in there as well. Still a perfect ambergris scent.

Longevity: Still fairly detectable after 4-5 hours.

Additional notes: This one requires a bit of a shake, as there's a bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

Bealtaine (Wild quince fruits, wild pears, apple blossoms, heliotrope, hawthorn accord, rowan berries, gorse flowers, vanilla musk, and white amber.)

In the bottle: Lots of fruits, vanilla, and light florals. Beautiful.

On skin: The fruit notes are all fresh and pretty realistic, which is nice. There’s a little bit of a floral undercurrent as well. Apple and pear always tend to read as hair conditioner on me though, so I’m not sure how this is going to go.

Longevity: Lasted about 4 hours.

The Lover Tells of the Rose (Rambling wild roses, a touch of lemon verbena, white pearl tea leaves, delicate white patchouli, and a springtime rebirth of new greens and wet mosses.)

In the bottle: Ugh, god. This is like early spring in a bottle. The rose and greenery are definitely there, as is a bit of patchouli, tea, and verbena. This is another one that reminds me of my aunt and uncle’s house growing up, which makes me incredibly sentimental.

On skin: This greens up a lot more on the skin. The patchouli, tea, and greens/moss take center stage, and the rose is kind of in the background. Unfortunately, it loses its nostalgic and sentimental air completely on the skin, and turns into luxe soap on me.

Longevity: Turned very soapy after about an hour and a half, sadly. Lasted about 4 hours.

Vixen (A captivatingly shapeshifting blend of sexy white amber and luminous late summer night blooming florals awakened by warm caresses of autumnal spice, golden musk, varietal apple peel, sugar pumpkin, jasmine tea, and a whisper of woodland mosses.)

In the bottle: This is a bit lighter than I was expecting. Everything blends together nicely, and the only note I can really distinguish is the pumpkin. A nice, tangy, light floral with a bit of a gourmand edge.

On skin: This is very, very light on my skin. The pumpkin and spices are pretty strong (which is good), and everything else kind of helps keep it in check and steers it away from being straight up pumpkin pie spice. The apple peel is very lightly present in the background.

Longevity: Started fading after about 2 hours. Lasted about 4 hours.