Scented Musings

Welcome to my second ever PR review, and my first Alkemia PR review! I am very, very grateful to Alkemia for allowing me the opportunity to do this, and it warms my heart to know that one of my favorite companies likes my reviews enough to grant me this privilege. These samples were provided to me by Alkemia for review.

Cosmic Lotus (A trinity of sacred incense, Egyptian musk, blooming pink lotus flowers)

In vial: The lotus note in here is similar to the one used in Blue Lotus. This is creamy and a bit sweet, but also a bit citrusy (which leads me to believe that one of the incenses might be frankincense). I usually don't care for Egyptian musk, but the one used here is not the sickeningly clean variety that I've smelled before.

On skin: This smells like a contemplative, floral incense for the most part. The Egyptian musk behaves and doesn't make anything smell like soap, which I'm thankful for. Fans of Blue Lotus will like this, I think. It smells decidedly fancy and also nostalgic, like expensive lotus incense from the 90s.

Verdict: 4 sticks of floral incense out of 5.


Crown of Violets (Royal violets, Mauve Queen iris, French lavender, bergamot, vetiver, rosemary, Dittany of Crete, oakmoss, tonka bean, Atlas cedar, white ambergris, sandalwood)

In vial: Regal indeed. This is very purple-smelling, and it has a bit of a peppery edge as well. It's not overwhelmingly floral and smells very cool toned.

On skin: This is exquisite. Very regal and stately. The notes blend so seamlessly together that I can't tease most of them apart, but I definitely get the violet, iris, and rosemary. I'd imagine this is what a queen of a fae realm would smell like. It's powerful but ethereal at the same time. It's sweet without being cloying, herbal without being medicinal, and floral without smelling soapy. It's absolutely beautiful.

Verdict: 4.5 faerie queens out of 5.


Feu Follet (Swamp Fairy) (Artemisia, caraway, bergamot, Swamp azalea, Tamarack, Blackgum, bog rosemary, vetiver, leatherleaf, black patchouli, oakmoss, tobacco leaves, leather, wet mud)

In vial: Very herbal and almost camphorous. There's a deceptive sweet note beneath the herbs and other dark notes, which makes the whole thing feel a bit sinister.

On skin: This reminds me very much of an oil I had years ago, but I can't figure out what it was or which house it was from. It's very herbal but also aquatic and slightly sweet. The camphorous vibe is still there a little bit. The whole mood overall is about what it sounds like: a mischievous fairy in a swamp. Something in here is reading a teeny bit metallic to my nose as well.

Verdict: 3.5 mischievous swamp fairies out of 5.


Legal Tender (Fresh currency, printer ink, pressed cotton, linen, aliphatic aldehydes, vegan tallow, imprints from a hot steel press, elegant leather, Iso E, Adenium, rare orchids, resilient Hoya)

In vial: I do love Alkemia's conceptual/abstract scents, and this one is very interesting. The ink note is strong here, and it's a bit shrieky initially. There are some green notes in here that remind me of my beloved and long-discontinued Wilde, which is interesting as well.

On skin: This settles down quite a bit once it's on the skin. The ink is still the strongest note, but the aldehydes and leather also makes themselves known. I get a very distinct metallic note as well. It's quite a nice scent, for being so conceptual and abstract, and while I wouldn't upsize it, it's definitely pleasant. If you want to smell like a bank in the 1920s/1930s or a pile of cash, this is for you!

Verdict: 3.75 bank vaults out of 5.


Nocturnes of the Honeysuckle (Honeysuckle, sweet gallium, sweet fern, soft mosses, delicate vanilla, fresh tea leaves)

In vial: This is a very damp and (yet again) purple floral with a bit of sweetness. Nothing in here is actually purple, so why my nose is reading it that way is beyond me. It's lovely either way.

On skin: Largely the same as in the vial. A very damp, sweet, fresh floral with a purple edge. This is the epitome of what spring smells like, at least out west. The tea is baaarely, barely there, but everything else is readily detectable. I adore this.

Verdict: 4.75 springtimes in the west out of 5.


The Greening Wood (Frost-nipped greens, clover, Winter King celery, verbena, ionized breezes, snowdrops, Witch Hazel flowers, juniper berries, violet leaf, Florentine iris, galbanum, grey amber, West Indian sandalwood, mineralistic wet river stones)

In vial: My nose wants to read something in here as mint, but it's not mint at all. Maybe it's the frost-nipped greens. I get the mineral notes from the river rocks as well. This is very much a transitional, spring thaw scent.

On skin: They minty vibe is still there. Overall, it still smells like an early spring thaw scent. It's very green and pale white. I can make out the verbena, but the rest of the notes blend together too much to tease apart. It's a very pretty, cool, slightly floral calming scent. Alkemia really has a knack for creating a concept and executing it perfectly, and this is no exception. It smells exactly like you'd expect it to, given the name.

Verdict: 4 forests thawing during early spring out of 5.