Scented Musings

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.

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

Koi No Yokan (An intriguing romance of plum blossoms, lily of the valley, white musk, and water lotus kindled by dry aged Japanese cedar, tempting black currants, and a flirtation of exotic pomelo and tamarind.)

In the bottle: Kind of just smells like a generic floral?

On skin: Still a mainstream-smelling floral (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), but it’s more complex. The plum blossom is definitely the strongest note (yay!), and the scent overall has a very pretty and romantic feel to it. I think this is one that I’ll have to wear numerous times to get a good opinion of. It reminds me of another scent, but I’m not sure what it is. There’s also something kind of sharp hanging out in the background. The pomelo, maybe?

Longevity: Starts calming down significantly after about 2 hours and started fading after about 3 hours. Lasted about 4 hours.

Seven Watermelon Suns (A slightly surreal blend of ripe red watermelon, English cucumber, white leather, golden fig, white poppy, night flowering datura, and water musk.)

In the bottle: Watermelon, something warm, and something floral.

On skin: This is definitely “surreal,” as is described. The watermelon is nice and fresh, as opposed to candied or super artificial, which is great. The rest of the notes are there a little bit, but are in the background. I can detect the cucumber and leather, but everything else kind of just blends together. This is definitely interesting.

Longevity: A bit of the florals came out after about 1.5 to 2 hours, and it started fading after about 3 hours. Lasted between 3 and 4 hours.

Lost Highways (Roadtrip around the U.S. in a bottle. A botanical peregrination of Saw Palmetto Palm leaves and Southern cypress from the Southeast bayous; New mown hay, Lemon basil, Wild bergamot tea from the Great Plains; Linden blossom and Acadian pine from the Northeast; Night flowering desert flowers from the Southwest; and Spicebush and Incense cedar from the West and Northwest coast.)

In the bottle: Green, woody, and a bit floral.

On skin: All of the above, with a bit of a soapy/detergent edge. Damnit. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but not what I was hoping for at all. I can’t distinguish any of the notes from each other, so it’s pretty much just soap/detergent on a cotton shirt.

Longevity: Lasted between 4 and 5 hours.

Apsara (Dark purple hyacinth flowers and Darjeeling tea dance together in a sensually alluring spring pas de deux.)

In the bottle: About what it says on the tin. Hyacinths and tea. Very spring-y and a bit strange, but in a good way.

On skin: Again, exactly what it says on the tin. It smells more complex than just hyacinth and tea.

Longevity: Started fading after 2.5 hours, and the tea calmed down a bit. Had about 3 hours of good wear.

Falling Stars on Winter Solstice (Aromatic balsam needles, a dab of dark musk, sweet myrrh, incense resins, melted snow, and a touch of cabin woodstove smoke.)

In the bottle: Myrrh and resins, a touch of pine, and a bit of smoke. Reminds me a lot of how Gothique initially smelled, or rather, Gothique reminds me a lot of this.

On skin: This scent is so bizarre. Sometimes it smells exactly like Gothique did before it morphed into lemon candy, meaning I don’t get the pine at all, and sometimes it smells strongly of pine. I still really like it, but I wish it didn’t change so much on me.

Longevity: Started fading after the first hour, and faded significantly after two hours. Barely noticeable after 4 hours.

Musc de Jonquille*** (Bright daffodil musk blooming through a light dusting of spring snow.)

In the bottle: Nice, crisp, green daffodils with a bit of warmth. Lovely.

On skin: Fresh, crisp daffodils and greenery among warm musk. Instant happiness.

Longevity: Faded after 2.5 hours, and had about 4 hours of good wear.

Ambre Extrait*** (Our 100% natural aged amber accord is an exquisitely sultry blend of some of the most precious and spiritually redolent resins in our Alkemia collection including: North African Rock Rose, Cambodian Agarwood, Prussian Amber resin, Madagascar Vanilla, Nepalese Spikenard, Somalian Opopanax, Tunisian Liquidambar, Himalayan Cedar, and Honduran Styrax.

Together these natural unguents and essences swirl into a richly resinous golden single note Amber. In its bouquet, a true amber-lover will be able to detect notes of wild honey, red earth, pale wood, temple incense, smoke, beeswax, sap, bark, saffron, velvet, skin musk, crushed citrus flowers, butter, and suede.)

In the bottle: Dry, old wood. In a good way.

On skin: Dry, antique woods. The scent that very old wooden furniture has, but in the best way. It brings back memories of browsing antique stores, which is something I love. I get a little bit of nuanced butter and smoky beeswax as well, but they’re way in the background.

Longevity: Still fairly detectable after 4 hours.

Midnight Garden*** (A lunar intoxication of night-flowering white flowers – tuberose (flower of dangerous pleasures), lily (flower of majestic beauty), honeysuckle (flower of binding love), gardenia (flower of secret passions) and moonflower (flower that inspires dreams of love.)

In the bottle: Predominantly tuberose, with some lily and sweetness.

On skin: This is super tuberose-y, and I love it. Tuberose is one of my favorite florals, so I had a feeling I’d like this. It’s pretty much just floral notes though, so if that’s something that puts you off, definitely avoid this.

Longevity: Faded significantly after about 3 hours.

As Dark Things Are Meant to Be Loved* (Lapsang souchong tea, aloeswood, smoked black amber, aged dark patchouli, tonka, Amazonian breuzinho, Moroccan bhakoor, labdanum, temple incense, caramelized opium, black coffee, black coconut, soft Russian leather, and tabac leaf.)

In the bottle: Strong coconut, and something dark and powdery.

On skin: Dark, resinous, and sweet. The coconut is very strong initially (much to my dismay), but it settles down after a few minutes. The tea and coffee read the strongest, and more of the resins and incense notes come out after it’s been on the skin for a while. I also get some of the opium, which is dreamy. I almost bypassed this one because of the coconut alone, but it’s really lovely once it has time to dry down a little.

Longevity: About 4 hours.

Blue Moon Eclipse** (An olfactory place of solace - the coolness of ferns and delicate irises beside tumbling woodland streams scattered with mossy rocks, water lilies, flowering rushes, black willow, ginger musk, and a whispering breeze of lemon verbena infused aldehydes gathered into a tarnished antique silver pitcher filled with early autumn chrysanthemums.)

In the bottle: Very bizarre and interesting. Reminiscent of fruity citronella candles.

On skin: Virtually the same, but fruitier. Still very reminiscent of citronella candles, but there’s also a distinct melon-like note, and some soft florals. I actually really disliked this as first, but it’s grown on me.

Longevity: Faded pretty significantly after the first 2.5 hours. Had about 3 hours of good wear.