Scented Musings

Madam X (Bergamot, mandarin, dark violet, Italian iris, black orchid, Japanese incense, orris root, sueded musk, white sandalwood, Tahitian vanilla, pale patchouli)

Preliminary notes: I've sampled this so many times and had a bottle of it at one point, but it was a bit too mature for me at the time. The last time I received a sample of it, I fell in love with it all over again but still didn't repurchase it. After the July sale, I finally remembered it existed and got one. It has such a beautiful, classic silent film vamp vibe to it (moreso than Alkemia's Vamp, ironically enough), and being in my 30s now, it doesn't come off as too mature or too classic for me, though I can see how it still would for some. This review is for the ultime format.

In bottle: Super dark florals (violet and orchid especially), and sensual musk. Just as it used to be.

On skin: The florals are a bit stronger here than they are in the extrait version, but not by much. The citrus notes also seem to be a bit stronger, the mandarin especially. It still smells like a silent film vamp, and is absolutely exquisite. I can see how this would be too much for some people, but I think it's very decadently gothic and sultry. The ultime version, because of the amped citrus, is a bit brighter and not as heavy.

Verdict: 5 silent film vampires out of 5.


Une Nuit de Cleopatre (Egyptian kyphi incense, amber, warm caramel, tonka bean, vegan civet musk, spiced Sahlab tea, Satyrion orchid root, white honey, narcissus, jasmine, ylang ylang, honeysuckle)

Preliminary notes: This has been on my to-try list since its release. It sounds delightful. I'm not sure how the civet is going to behave, but other than that, it sounds right up my alley.

In bottle: Slightly biting florals, caramel, and tea primarily. very perfumey.

On skin: This is probably one of the warmest scents I've ever smelled. The honey, incense, caramel, and tea are still the strongest players, but the florals underneath those are gorgeous. It does conjure to mind the imagery of a dry desert landscape. It's very sensual and commanding, and I'm glad I finally tried it. Love this.

Verdict: 5 cups of tea swirled with caramel in a desert out of 5.


Drakon (Dragon's blood incense, coriander, vetiver root, ambergris, green cardamom, bergamot leaves, Talamanca del Caribe peppercorns, spice viburnum, freshly steeped Darjeeling tea)

Preliminary notes: Another one that's been on my list since it was released. Alkemia's Darjeeling note is fantastic, and there's nothing in here that gives me pause.

In bottle: So funnily enough, the peppercorn note is the strongest in the bottle, followed by the dragon's blood. I can smell the cardamom as well but not much else.

On skin: The various spice notes are definitely the strongest part of this. There is a bit of tea underneath that, but it's primarily peppercorns, coriander, and cardamom on my skin. The dragon's blood incense is very gauzy and light, and the whole thing brings to mind a scene of a spice tent with smoke swirling around it. It's a very exotic scent. The coriander can be a bit overbearing sometimes, but overall, I quite enjoy this.

Verdict: 4 spice tents out of 5.


This Summer Night (Tropical fruits, plumeria, pua kenikeni, cherimoya, coconut water, lychee blossoms, rhubarb, tonka, sweet alyssum, mock orangeflower, night-blooming jasmine, white florals, warm summer musk)

Preliminary notes: I never would have chosen this for myself, as I avoid fruit scents (especially tropical fruit scents) like the plague. They come off as either cloying or juvenile to me most of the time. I received this as a free sample in one of my July orders and fell in love with it.

In bottle: A tropical fruit explosion backed by a warm, gourmand-y vanilla.

On skin: Largely the same as in the bottle. Lots of luscious tropical fruits, a tiny bit of a humid floral vibe, and creamy vanilla. I don't usually go for tropical scents at all, fruity or not, so the fact that I like this is quite shocking to me. It's a perfect sweet (but not cloying) summer fruit fragrance.

Verdict: 5 baskets of tropical fruit out of 5.


Fairy Floss Alchemy (Cotton candy, white heliotrope, night-blooming jasmine, mandarin orange, vanilla orchid, ethereal musks)

Preliminary notes: This was August's free alchemy scent.

In bottle: Cotton candy on a backdrop of very clean florals and a bit of a tartness from the mandarin.

On skin: The vanilla orchid is definitely obvious on the skin, as are the cotton candy and mandarin. It's creamy and sweet but not juvenile. Actually, it kind of reminds me of All the Sins, but not as intense. This is kind of what I wanted Calliope smell like. It's a beautiful pink-white scent.

Verdict: 4 clouds of cotton candy out of 5.


Afterglow (Golden musk, Madagascar vanilla beans, woodsmoked black amber, chai tea, spiced rum, incense woods)

Preliminary notes: I have wanted to try this since it was first released, but never have for whatever reason. All of the notes sound lovely.

In bottle: I get the musk, rum, and woods but not much else. No tea or vanilla in the bottle.

On skin: The musk and amber combo in this scent reminds me of something else from Alkemia, but I can't pin what it is (La Flamme, maybe). The tea finally comes out on the skin, and the whole thing does have a very golden feel to it. It's very clean, which I wasn't really expecting, given the rum and woodsmoke notes. The vanilla veeery slightly teeters on the edge of being gourmand but never fully goes there. This reminds me a bit of Breath and Shadow from the 2024 fall release, but this isn't as heavy on the smoke note. It's a bit soapy, and I think pairing this with something lactonic (The Magpie's Rhyme maybe, or one of the Monster Milk scents from BPAL) might be worth trying.

Verdict: 3.75 soapy musks out of 5.

🌼 Kashish (White gardenias, tuberose, night-blooming jasmine, vanilla orchid)

Preliminary notes: This has been on my list for a while, since it sounds very similar to one of my old Alkemia favorites, Midnight Garden (Tuberose, lily, honeysuckle, gardenia, and moonflower). Kashish sounds creamier and slinkier, like Midnight Garden's slightly risque (but still elegant) cousin.

*This review is for the ultime version

In bottle: Wow, that is quite fruity and heavily honeyed. Not at all what I was expecting. It almost smells like fruit punch.

On skin: The fruit punch aspect goes away fully once it's on the skin. This is a very sultry, velvety, narcotic white floral scent. It's a powerhouse. All of the florals are present and accounted for, and are represented beautifully. There's a very, very slight peppery tinge in there as well. I love this and can't stop huffing my wrist.

Verdict: 5 heady, narcotic white floral bouquets out of 5.


💘 Cupid's Arrow (Sugar cubes effervescing in sparkling champagne, pink orchids, white tuberoses, vanilla toffees, Buddha's Hand citrus)

Preliminary notes: For a long time, I blamed my dislike for Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure on the champagne note, but having now had champagne for the first time IRL*, it definitely wasn't that (I'm now convinced it's cashmere that I'm not a fan of). This sounds delicious, romantic, and fun, so we'll see if it's the champagne note that goes funny.

*Apparently what I had was actually a sparkling wine that happens to be in the champagne section. 😂 If champagne tastes anything like that, though, I don't think champagne notes are my issue.

In bottle: Quite earthy, which I wasn't expecting. The champagne isn't burning my nose off, so I stand by my cashmere statement. I can pick out the florals and a bit of the citrus, but everything's blended together so well that it's hard to break it down.

On skin: That tuberose note is the same one from Kashish, which is dreamy and green. I get the champagne and citrus, a bit of the toffee, and the orchids. It's a lovely, bright, romantic scent that's perfect for spring and possibly summer as well.

Verdict: 5 cheery florals out of 5.


🎠 Calliope (Clementine, orange blossoms, white orchid, sugared currants, tonka, vanilla musk, cotton candy floss, saltwater taffy)

Preliminary notes: I'm slightly obsessed with carnival/circus scents, and this is no different. It sounds like a sweeter, more feminine sister of County Fair without all of the food notes.

*This review is for the ultime version

In bottle: It's all clementine in the bottle. There's literally nothing else there.

On skin: I want to like this so bad, but on me, it smells like floral baby wipes. What a fucking bummer.

Verdict: 0 floral baby wipes out of 5.

🍯 Miel de Sauvage et Tabac (Pipe tobacco flecked with wild honey, beeswax, freshly crushed honeycomb, the pollen of forest blossoms, smoked black amber)

Preliminary notes: I've had this scent a couple of times, and I sincerely don't know why I keep getting rid of it. It's the closest thing I've found to a genuine beeswax scent.

In bottle: Just as I remember. Very warm beeswax and honeycomb, with tobacco floating on top. It reminds me of beehives in a forest.

On skin: Beautiful, warm, golden beeswax/honeycomb and tobacco dripping in honey. I get more of the smoked amber than I did in the original version I had years ago, which is really nice. I don't think I've ever been able to pick up on the forest blossom pollen, though that could be part of the beeswax/honeycomb combo. Love this.

Verdict: 5 beehives dripping in honey out of 5.


🌴 Paradise (Fresh young coconut, Madagascar vanilla, hints of Monoi tiaré)

Preliminary notes: I had asked for something else to be swapped out of a previous order and replaced with this, but it didn't make it in time. The folks over at Alkemia offered to throw in a bottle in my next order (this one) as an extra freebie, which was incredibly kind. I asked for it to be upgraded to the ultime version in lieu of having the monthly alchemy included, since I'd already received that.

*This review is for the ultime version

In bottle: Pretty much straight coconut in the bottle, but very realistic coconut.

On skin: Still mostly dry coconut, maybe a tiny bit of vanilla. It smells very damp, actually. It's not quite as sweet as I was expecting, but it's great for a straightforward coconut scent. The vanilla and a bit of the tiaré come out more after the first hour or so. I've heard this one performs the best in hot weather, so I'll have to test it during the middle of the summer and see how it does.

Verdict: 4 vanillic, damp coconuts out of 5.

Freebies! These were requested samples.

❄️ Aurora (Soft cashmeran, orris root, cardamom-infused coconut milk, white amber, white musk, white violet, white ginger, lotus flower, a touch of honeyed cream)

Preliminary notes: I wanted to try this for its similarity to Luminae that I've seen cited in reviews. I liked Luminae, but it was a bit lacklustre for me.

In vial: Very similar to Luminae, but brighter and with more depth. I can't decipher any of the notes specifically. It smells soft and creamy-white.

On skin: So cashmere notes tend to pull almost like acrid, burning wood on me, and Aurora is trying really hard to go in that direction. I can still smell the soft sweetness of the overall scent, but the cashmeran is going haywire on my skin and kind of ruins it for a while. After it burns off, it becomes the white amber show with some soft florals in the background. White amber tends to smell very green and watery to me.

I tested this again the day after writing the initial review, and I get zero cashmeran now somehow. It's still remarkably similar to Luminae, but it's sweeter, has more depth, and is more floral. I love it.

Verdict: 5 creamy white blankets out of 5. Upsizing in the future.


💧 Love Unforeseen (White musk, Persian chandelier lily accord, night blooming jasmine, laleh, honeysuckle, tonka bean, bergamot, white pepper, white amber, china clay, the silvery aquatics of melting snow)

Preliminary notes: I love a good lily fragrance, and this has a few notes in common with Madam Pearl, which is one of my favorite Alkemia scents.

In vial: A very deep, creamy white floral with a bit of a sweet undertone. I really like this.

On skin: I really love the lily in this scent. It smells very true to life and lovely. I get a tiny bit of the white amber and musk, but it's mostly about the lily. Very close to a holy grail lily fragrance for me.

Verdict: 4.5 grand, white lilies out of 5. Definitely upsizing in the future.

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

A Roll in the Hay (A delightful romp through dried hay, fresh green grass, early summer wildflower honey, vanilla grass, vanilla leaf, and wild poppy.)

In the bottle: Hay, vanilla, greenery, and something very minty.

On skin: Hay, grass, a bit of vanilla, and something slightly herbal. It’s nice and fresh, and will be really nice for summer/early autumn.

Longevity: Became significantly close to the skin after 2 hours, and the herbal undertone took a backseat. More of the vanilla came out, and it got slightly warmer. I'll have to try this with Alkemia's perfume fixative to see how much longer it lasts. Lasted about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Misdeeds After Midnight (A hedonistic adventure of late night coffee liqueur, white rum, and a splash of creme de bergamot; Black Forest raspberries dipped in salted caramel; and Arabian rosewater infused with vetiver root tumbling wantonly together into a seductive bed of vanilla musk and golden amber.)

In the bottle: Strong raspberry, something chocolatey, and a bit of booze. Reminds me of something from my childhood, but I can’t pin what.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle, but there’s something floral and sweet underneath it. I don’t think this one is staying with me, but it’s not bad. I don’t like raspberry in fragrance, so I’m not sure why I opted for this in the first place, but.

Longevity: The raspberry calmed down after a few hours, and the coffee came out more. Lasted about 4 hours.

Gaea** (Forest loam under warm spring sunshine, new ferns poking up through decaying leaves, maple sap flowing over lichens, mosses and wet stones at the edge of a vernal pool.)

In the bottle: Predominantly wet soil and stone, with a bit of wet greenery. This is really calming.

On skin: Virtually the same as in the bottle, but maybe with a bit more moss and wet greens. This is really beautiful and magical.

Longevity: Started fading after about 3 hours, but was still noticeable. When this fades, it fades very abruptly. Once it reaches the end of its lifespan on the skin, it disappears very suddenly.

La Belle Sorciére (A smouldering mystery of bakhoor incense, wild berries, narcotic champa flower, white moss, sweet agarwood, orange blossom honey, spiced wine, oppononax, and Egyptian kyphi.)

In the bottle: I was initially kind of scared by the champa note, since I usually hate nag champa, but this is lovely. It’s like a combination of Magus and Sorciére Rouge, but a bit deeper and smokier.

On skin: Still smells like a combination of Magus and Sorciére Rouge, but it’s more.. feminine, I guess? The champa is definitely there, but it’s not the cheap, choking champa I’m used to. Unfortunately, champa reminds me of babies, and this is no different, but I’m trying to like it. It’s primarily incense and lighter elements, and it reminds me of vintage perfume a little bit.

Longevity: Became more incense-focused after about 3 hours. Lasted about 4 hours.

Additional notes: In the last chance section.

Update (11/01/2019): I've worn this properly a few times since reviewing, and it's quickly become one of my favorite Alkemia offerings. It's the perfect sweet, feminine incense fragrance, and I adore it. It seems to have about double the longevity it had in testing, which is a little confusing, but I'm not complaining!

Honeycakes for Harvest Moon*** (Freshly baked honeycakes, autumn beeswax, gleanings from ripened grainfields, and newly harvested fruits lightly spiced with nutmeg, ginger, and golden cloves.)

In the bottle: Ooo, this is what I wanted from this. Bright fruits tempered with spices and grains, and a little bit of sweetness. I’m hoping the beeswax comes out more on the skin.

On skin: God, this is beautiful. Autumnal spices, grains, and a bit of fruit. It’s primarily spices on me, and it’s incredibly autumnal. Love this.

Longevity: Took on a strange burnt undertone after about 3.5 hours. Lasted about 4 hours.

Additional notes: Seasonal, in the last chance section.

Desiderata (The exquisitely simple beauty of an evening stroll on a warm June evening. Fresh honeysuckle blooming under a rising full moon, ivy vines, dew dampened grass, riverbed clay, old barnwood, and earthy vetivert root.)

In the bottle: Primarily honeysuckle and greenery, with a bit of vetiver. This is really nice.

On skin: Earthy notes and ivy are definitely the stars of this on my skin. I don’t get honeysuckle at all. It’s very, very soapy and screechy-green (which I didn't think was possible, being that I love green notes) on me, to the point of being overwhelming. It’s kind of a bizarre scent, and it’s hard to explain. This was a scrubber for me, which very rarely happens.