femmenstein: (Default)
[personal profile] femmenstein
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.
femmenstein: (Default)
[personal profile] femmenstein
Blackburn Farmstead (Blackberry Jam, Boysenberry Preserves, Vanilla Bean, Creamy Vanilla & a Touch of Vanilla Musk.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Lots of berry and ice cream-y vanilla. Smells a little bit grape-y and very 90s.

On skin: Man, this thing has a huge throw straight after application. It's like a cloud. There's some sort of vague green note among the berries and vanilla, which gives the impression of the greenery of a berry bush, which is cool. There's something about this that reminds me of the scent of plastic/rubber Halloween witch noses from the 90s, which is something I've said in several reviews before as well. It reminds me of berry Lip Smackers a bit as well, along with 5 cent berry gummies, and it's very nostalgic smelling. It's kind of like various happy parts of my childhood in scent form. I love this so much.

Longevity: I took a 3-hour nap after wearing this for about 5ish hours and it was mostly gone by the time I woke up, so somewhere between 5 and 6 hours. The scent that's left after the nap reminds me of Foxcroft Fairgrounds.

Mountain Vanilla (Sweet Clover, Coumarin, Vanilla Musk, Fresh Green Accord, Poplar Buds, Morning Dew.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Wow, this is green. I don't know what green clover and poplar smell like, but this is super fresh and vine-y. Something about it reads almost vegetal too, but it's on the cusp. The dew note is beautiful as well.

On skin: This has a very strong wet hay note (coumarin, I'm assuming) that kind of dominates everything else. It smells like wet hay, wet grass, and a very fresh, non-foody vanilla. Probably one of the greenest scents I've ever smelled. I appreciate the composition and how well this is blended, but I'm not sure if I like it or not. The coumarin is a tad overwhelming for me.

Longevity: Unfortunately, this is really astringent and sharp on my skin, and it gets into laundry detergent territory after about an hour. It lasted for over 6 hours.

Russian Caravan (Amber, smoked black tea, leather, pine resin, Earth, smoke, black currant, black pepper.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Uh oh.. this has the same weird pickly note that Loggia had. Great.

On skin: Annnd that note translated onto the skin, with an added bonus of smelling like melting plastic. Absolutely not for me, and was a scrubber. Major bummer, because I was really looking forward to this. It smells almost identical to Loggia on me, which I also really didn't like. Womp womp.

Sea of Gray (Vanilla rain, saltwater, seaweed, ambergris (vegan), white amber, roasted seashells, white sandalwood, frangipani.) Full description here.

In the bottle: The seaweed almost reads like Solstice's dirt note, which I'm incredibly fond of. It's basically just dirt/seaweed and a bit of vanilla in the bottle. I don't get any sort of aquatic notes or anything else mentioned in the description.

On skin: Largely the same as in the bottle, but the vanilla comes through a lot more, and the ambergris becomes detectable. It really does conjure up imagery of a little ice cream shop on the beach, and it's amazing. It's sweet, aquatic, a bit dirty, a bit salty, and a bit somber. This is going to get a lot of use during the warmer months.

Longevity: As the scent wears, it becomes a bit warmer. It morphs a bit, and the salty notes take center stage for a while, then the vanilla cycles through, followed by the seaweed note. This is phenomenal. Lasted over 6 hours.

Smoky Mountain Mallow (Wood Smoke, Fossilized Amber Resin, Lapsang Souchong CO2, Guaiacwood, Labdanum, Nutmeg EO, Marshmallow.) Full description here.

In the bottle: Before I let this rest, it smelled like suntan lotion, somehow? After a few days' rest, it reminds me of those mini marshmallows people use in ambrosia. Not nearly as smoky as I'd expected.

On skin: Charred wood (really nice charred wood) and untoasted marshmallow. I've had the same experience with SMM that I had with Gunnerson's Pumpkin Patch, in which I didn't like it much at first and borderline hated it, but then it grew on me. The marshmallow kind of goes between toasted and untoasted. I have a complicated relationship with this one. Sometimes I love it, and other times I'm indifferent toward it.

Longevity: After about an hour, the marshmallow mellows out a bit and everything actually takes on a smoky tone. It's still mostly charred wood, but I'm not opposed to that.
femmenstein: (Default)
[personal profile] femmenstein
Slowly approaching the end of these Alkemia reviews! As usual, favorites are denoted with an asterisk, and Alkemia's storefront can be found here.

Blue Ridge Skyline*** (The irrepressible gladness of flowers blooming along the roadsides of the American South. Green tea infused with springtime: paperwhite narcissus, purple hyacinth, bluebells, spring daffodils, tulips, delicate tea roses, lemon blossom, sweet pepperbush, fresh greens, hay, earth, and white patchouli.)

In the bottle: This is a very ethereal white and purply-blue floral. I don’t get the green tea at all.

On skin: The green tea is very light and well-hidden by the abundance of fresh florals. This is very green, lightly sweet, vaguely herbal, and a mite bit powdery, although it’s the kind of powdery quality that flowers naturally have, as opposed to something like baby powder. I wasn’t totally sure I’d like this, but it’s really lovely. Upon seeing the notes, my partner said it should be called “Spring AF,” which is definitely apt. There’s something relatively cool or fresh air-like about it as well. Different facets of the florals come out as this wears. One minute, the lemon blossom is super obvious, and other times, the bluebells and tulips are prevalent. I love this so much, and it’s exactly what I was hoping for. Spring in a bottle for sure.

Longevity: Settled down a lot after the first 2 hours and became a little bit more herbal/grassy. Lasted between 3 and 4 hours and faded to a soapy floral.

Peaches in the Summer Wind*** (Lusciously ripe peaches, peach leaves, freshly mowed hay, and ash-splint wood orchard baskets.)

In the bottle: The peach leaf, hay, and wood are strong here. The actual peach is more in the background than it is upfront. There’s also a minty quality to it, which I’m assuming is from the hay, given that A Roll in the Hay has it as well.

On skin: Oh, this is unusual. The hay and wood have kind of a musty quality to them, though that isn’t a bad thing. It reads as damp wood as opposed to dry wood. The minty quality is still there, and the peach leaf is definitely stronger than the actual peach, so it’s sort of a woody, damp, earthy scent as opposed to a candy-sweet fruity scent, which I can definitely appreciate, as fruity scents are absolutely not my thing. The peach definitely reads as an actual fruit instead of something foody. Overall, this is a bit unexpected, and I love it. Perfect for late summer.

Longevity: After the first hour and a bit, the mustiness calmed down and more of the peach came out. Lasted about 4 hours.

Summer Dandelion*** (An exuberant exultation of sun warmed dandelions and meadow grasses lightly dampened by fleeting summer rain showers.)

In the bottle: God, that dandelion note is incredible. This is a sunny meadow or a grassy hill dotted with yellow in early summer. Absolutely perfect.

On skin: You know that sensation you get when you smell or taste something so good that it makes you roll your eyes? That's basically what Summer Dandelion is. The dandelion note is fantastic, bright, and fresh, and the greens are beautiful. It’s pretty much what the description says; dandelions and grasses after a summer rainfall. This is so perfect, like the scent of summer bottled.

Longevity: Faded a little bit after the first hour. Lasted between 3 and 4 hours.

Salomé* (An overture of not so innocent magnolia underscored with a sly caress of Queen of the Night, a fulsomeness of nubile black grapes and plums, skin musk bathed in spilled cognac, and ruthless twist of bitter orange, blended with an ancient Arabian love philtre of crushed vanilla and tonka bean, mysore sandalwood, vetiver, cedar, and red oud.)

In the bottle: Oh, this is beautiful. I get the magnolia, oud, dark fruits, and something green, which I’m assuming is the Queen of the Night. I heard various things about this being super fruity or soapy, and I don’t get either of those things, thankfully.

On skin: Generally the same as in the bottle. The magnolia and oud are the strongest, followed by a bit of something boozy and fruity (plums especially). This is very red/purple, and a bit dry. The blending is really well done, and it’s a bit difficult to pick out specific notes once it’s on the skin. I’d read previous reviews that cite this as smelling soapy, but I don’t get that at all. It’s a very dry, warm, woody fruity-floral on me.

Longevity: Between 3 and 4 hours.

Persian Tea Room** (Strong black tea, dry desert sand, and Silk Road spices, against a background of erotically enticing musk and the slight, lingering kiss of soft leather.)

In the bottle: The tea is definitely strong here, which is what I was hoping for. Very spicy and warm.

On skin: Spice, spice, and more spice. Primarily cinnamon or clove, with tea and leather underneath. This is really warm and dreamy.

Longevity: About 4 hours.

Sandscape* (Sun warmed beach sand, Atlantic ocean breezes, the saline-aquatic scent of drying sea water on skin, and the faintest hints of tanning oil and seaweed.)

In the bottle: This smells very generically beachy, but it’s really nice. The scent itself reminds me of beach towels damp with lake water, which is what the beach experience is where I live.

On skin: The same as in the bottle for the most part. There’s something cotton-esque in there, which lends to the beach towel scent I got right out of the bottle. It’s still a rather generic beachy scent, but I like it. After about an hour, it calms down significantly and becomes more of an herbal saltwater scent. Overall, it’s a fresh, slightly herbal aquatic with soft, sweet nuances. Leans a bit masculine.

Longevity: About 3 or 4 hours.

Forest Patchouli (An untamed wildness of Siberian pine, balsam fir, mistletoe blended with the rustic earthiness of iron distilled patchouli and fire cured spices.)

In the bottle: This is really pretty. Lots of wild pine, patchouli, and a bit of other greenery. This actually reminds me of a little town tucked into pine-laden mountains that I used to travel through to see a close friend of mine. The scent of pine always permeated the bus, and it was beautiful. Forest Patchouli is definitely more of a forest pine scent rather than a traditional Christmas-y pine scent. Gorgeous.

On skin: Lovely pine, patchouli, spices, and greenery. There’s also some sort of jammy fruit underneath all of that. Maybe orange? Whatever it is ends up overshadowing everything else, which is disappointing. It definitely goes more Christmas-y on the skin than in the bottle, which isn’t a bad thing. Overall, I find it to be kind of mediocre. I love pine, but this is not my favorite.

Longevity: About 2.5 hours.

Bohéme* (An unorthodox union of earthy patchouli and dark, blood-red roses.)

In the bottle: This is pretty straightforward. The rose is a bit jammy to me, which is lovely. I detect something a bit clove-like underneath that as well. Really lovely patchouli rose blend.

On skin: What it says on the tin. The rose and patchouli aren’t competing for the spotlight, and they blend into each other really well. I still detect something else in there. This scent makes me nostalgic for the days of my childhood when I would research witchy things with my older sister.

Longevity: About 4-5 hours.

Pumpkin Strumpet (A decadent blend of rich pumpkin, caramelized sugar, Madagascar vanilla, precisely balanced with a swirl of cinnamon, ginger, & clove and a tiny drop of amber musk.)

In the bottle: Cinnamon sugar with a little bit of a baked pumpkin note. Not particularly anything super interesting, but it’s nice.

On skin: Cinnamon explosion, holy shit. The vanilla and sugar are definitely in there as well, and the pumpkin reads kind of vegetal as opposed to foody. There’s something about this that I really don’t like though, and I don’t think it’s staying with me.

Longevity: The cinnamon in this really clings to the skin. All of the other notes were gone after about 4 hours, but the cinnamon stuck around for 5 or 6 hours.
femmenstein: (Default)
[personal profile] femmenstein
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.
femmenstein: (Default)
[personal profile] femmenstein
First proper post, ahoy! I placed (many) blind, full bottle orders with Alkemia over the last few weeks, and so far, one shipment has arrived. Their customer service is stellar, and their blends are exquisite. I could not be happier with my experience. There’s not much else to say about that, so onward to the reviews! Favorites are denoted with an asterisk, and I’ll be posting more reviews as more shipments show up.

As is the case with fragrance of any kind, your mileage may vary. You may hate something I love, or something that doesn’t work on my skin might be amazing on yours. Don’t be afraid to try things out!

Woods on a Snowy Evening*** (The chilly beauty of New England in the winter – freshly fallen powder snow, juniper berries, hemlock pine, white needle balsam pine, flat cedar, camphorous evergreens, and icy aquatic elements.)

In the bottle: Fresh, icy evergreens. Light and ethereal.

On skin: Be still my heart. I have a strong soft spot for pine scents, and this is a beautiful one. Lots of fresh evergreens under a blanket of snow. I also detect some blue spruce, though it’s not listed. There’s something slightly sweet in there, but not in a cloying way at all. It makes me nostalgic for something, but I’m not sure what. This is a masterpiece, and I’m so glad that I have a bottle. Completely in love. I’ve been on the hunt for my perfect pine scent for years, and I think this is it.

Longevity: Faded significantly after about 3 hours and started to warm up a bit. It stuck around for a very long time as a skin scent, but had about 4 hours of good wear.

Additional notes: Limited edition and seasonal. Currently sold out.

Gothique* (The scent of midnight mass in a medieval cathedral. A Byzantine monastic incense recipe of Somalian frankincense, styrax benzoin, Arabian myrrh, cassia, spikenard, canella, Liquidambar orientalis, labdanum, Atlas cedar, and vetiver.)

In the bottle: Bright, resinous incense. Reminds me of CdG’s Avignon.

On skin: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. The frankincense is nice and lemony, and the blend is overall a lot more cheerful than I had expected. Still reminds me of Avignon, but is much less overbearing. I think I actually prefer this to Avignon, which has been my baby since I discovered it, so that’s really saying something. Definitely fits the medieval cathedral vibe.

Longevity: Started fading a bit after about 4 hours, and was significantly faded after 7 hours.

Update (01/01/2019): For some reason, a little over a week later, this just reads as overwhelming lemony candy with incense undertones on my skin now. Very bizarre.

Sorcière Rouge* (An olfactory veil of mystery and enchantment. Bakhoor incense from a 13th century recipe, Tibetan agar-wood, and Dragon’s Blood infused with Rock Rose and dark amber.)

In the bottle: Virtually the same as on the skin, but a little more floral. Not quite as spicy, maybe.

On skin: Oh, this is lovely. Nice, spicy dragon’s blood at the forefront, with a little bit of floral sweetness to temper. Definitely a “red” scent. I adore this.

Longevity: Became very close to the skin and faint after about 4 hours.

Season of the Witch** (An otherworldly mystery of black pine pitch, dark myrrh, aged black amber, and ritual Samhain incense blended with Black Cavendish and Perique tobaccos, protective tsuga, divinatory bay leaves, and intuition enhancing black cardamon.)

In the bottle: Warm. Mostly caramel-y tobacco. Very intriguing.

On skin: What a strange scent (in a good way)! The caramel overtone is still there, but there’s an added spicy tone as well. The incense also comes through with full force, and the name is very apt. Not as pine-y as I was hoping, but I’ll be damned if I don’t adore this regardless. Wow.

Longevity: Still strong after 8 hours.

Magus* (Rare black Ethiopian frankincense and High John the Conqueror root blended with the sensual musk of ambrette seed and the evocative mystery of labdanum and opoponax swirled with a smokey touch of vetivert root, Cambodian oud, and Somalian incense.)

In the bottle: This smells like a witch shop, straight up. Really lovely incense-centric resinous blend. I used to have something similar to this, which I miss dearly, but this is so much better. Spooky, warm, and haunting. Love, love, love.

On skin: Identical to how it smells in the bottle.

Longevity: Faded around the 6-hour mark, but was still detectable after 8+ hours and through unscented moisturizer.

Ýdalir (A scent as ancient and compelling as Megalithic ancestral memory. 35 million year old fossilized amber resin, oakmoss absolute, Siberian Black Pine, smoked Juniper tar, and balsam pine needles.)

In the bottle: Veeery smoky, dark, and a little.. herbal? I don’t know how to explain it. I was a bit intimidated by this at first, but it’s very intriguing.

On skin: Still very smoky and dark, but calmed down a little. It very much smells like walking through a burnt forest, or sitting around a campfire in a forest of pines. Probably not something I’ll reach for super often, but it is absolutely perfect for winter.

Longevity: Over 8 hours.

Additional notes: Limited edition, 100% natural. Left a brown stain on the skin until it dried.

Darkness Burning (Spiced incense, brown sugar, Bourbon vanilla, benzoin, guaiacwood, cinnamon bark, clove, charred oak, and ginger musk.)

In the bottle: Spicy, a little powdery. This worried me a little, because I really detest powdery notes.

On skin: There’s something in here that doesn’t quite agree with me. It’s reminiscent of powder, which is one of my least favorite notes, unfortunately. This isn’t quite the spice bomb I was hoping for, and is actually pretty subtle on me.

Addendum: As time goes on, the spices start to come out more and more, and as even more time goes on, it takes on a little bit of a dusty tone. I’m still not sure that this is for me, but it’s nice.

Longevity: On me, this started out subtle to begin with. It became even more subtle after about 4 hours. Still detectable after 8 hours.

Additional notes: Limited edition, seasonal.

Update: I have no idea what was going on with my chemistry when I initially tested this, but it’s not powdery at all today, and is much spicier. It’s mostly incense and spices now, and is quite lovely. I still don’t know if it’s my thing, but resting it helped a lot.

Feuillemort** (A meditative rumination of dying leaves, smoked autumnal spices, dried grasses and fungi, Tibetan incense, cedarwood, rum soaked agarwood, and borneol.)

In the bottle: Almost identical to how it smells on the skin, maybe a little fruitier?

On skin: Spicy, slightly boozy, bright autumnal blend. Reminds me of a woodstove burning in late autumn, even though it’s not smoky at all. Sits pretty close to the skin compared to others. This is definitely going to be one of my go-to autumn fragrances (and year-round). It embodies the spirit of the season perfectly.

Longevity: Became very close to the skin after about 2 hours, but was still detectable after 4+ hours.

Autumnalis** (A wandering through woods in early autumn… sunlight warmed autumn leaves; maple wood; wild morel fungi; silver birch tar; slightly soapy wood musk; crushed hayscent ferns; autumn crocus saffron; dry golden amber; dried oakmosses; and a touch of vetiver root.)

In the bottle: Initially requested as a sample. Light, slightly sweet scent evocative of a sunny autumn day walking through a forest or meadow. Smells like autumn in a bottle.

On skin: Autumnal spices, leaves, and a lot of soap. At first I thought it was too soapy for me, but I find it really comforting and calming. My only complaint with it is that it’s quite fleeting. It became very close to the skin after about an hour, but I grew to love it so much during that time. I ended up ordering a full bottle.

Longevity: Became very close to the skin after the first hour. Lasted for around 4 hours total.

Wilde*** (A salacious yet aristocratically complex paradox of flowering basil, Irish linen, spilled absinthe, rare high altitude lavender, precious Japanese incense woods, dried lilies, fine cognac, a small provocation of leather, sandalwood, oakmoss, guaiacwood, ambergris, smoked vanilla beans, a risqué hint of opium, a whiff of pipe tobacco, patchouli, clove, and musk.)

In the bottle: Initially requested as a sample. In the vial, I didn’t think much of this. It kind of just smelled like an herbal cologne. Nothing special or particularly interesting.

On skin: All of the emotions and nostalgia. This is exactly how my aunt and uncle’s property smelled when I was growing up. It captures the scent of their attached wooden greenhouse, which was often humid and full of herbs and flowers, it captures the scent of various plants growing all over the yard, and it captures the scent of certain rooms in the actual house. I have many fond memories there, and while my aunt and uncle moved out of that house a long time ago, I still remember it vividly. Smelling Wilde on my skin made me tear up a little bit. The whole experience with it was intense and very personal. I messaged Sharra about having a bottle made very soon after testing it. Definitely a very surprising and unforgettable scent experience.

Longevity: Over 8 hours.

Additional notes: Discontinued.

Mist Becoming Rain (Rainwater, mist drenched hazel wood, meadow grasses, sage blooms, orris root, ozone, grey amber. Deep, dark, cool and mysterious.)

In the vial: Requested sample. Wet earth, slightly floral.

On skin: For some reason, this turned into the scent of house paint on my skin, which then later morphed into the scent of dryer sheets or laundry detergent. Definitely not something I’m going to order a full size of, but I wish it had worked better with my chemistry.

Custom Text

DISCLAIMER

*All products mentioned were purchased by me unless otherwise stated.

*All photos and graphics used are my own unless otherwise stated.

c. Jan 2, 2019.

*Update 06/01/2025:* Given the tumultuous situation between the US and Canada right now including tariffs, reviews after the ones listed below are on hold indefinitely. It doesn't feel safe to purchase oils from the States anymore without the anxiety of potentially getting slammed with extra fees, so I won't be purchasing any for a while. I may explore Canadian companies at some point, but for now, I'm on an indefinite hiatus (minus the reviews below, which are all ready to post. I just have to stop being lazy about it).

UPCOMING REVIEWS

🥀 Alkemia 🥀

Angel's Kitchen
Hexenhausen
Rosa Alchemica
Foxfire
Viridis Arcanum
Surcie
Slice of Heaven Alchemy
Vanille Single Note
Winter Forest Alchemy
Taste of Rain
Attar al Oud
Bibliotheca
Baccante
Green Carnation
Sadzi
Moon Lust
Affaire de Coeur
Carmen 7
Silver Sky
Luminae (2025 revisit review)
Rose Rouge Layering Note
Gilded Alchemy
Deus Ex Machina
Haunted & Bewitched
Love Flight of a Candy Heart
Earthlight
Ecstasies of Light
Honored Ghosts
Come to Me
Ambre Gris (2025 revisit review)
Vert sur le Vert (2025 revisit review)
Lilacs Along the Winding Drive (2025 revisit review)
Siren's Spell
The Lady's Yes
The Lover Tells of the Rose (2025 revisit review)
Love Among the Ruins
Rose Musk
Persian Tea Room (2025 revisit review)
Pheromone P28
Arcanum Experiments 2023: 6, 7, 14, and 15
Ambre Aquae
Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure
Arcanum Experiments 2024: 9: Getting Lit
A Roll in the Hay (2025 revisit review)
Tulips & Chimneys
Novella
Caliph's Beloved
Candybox Alchemy


(Also attempting to review everything in my collection that hasn't been reviewed yet, so stay tuned for From the Vault posts)

CREDITS

Theme by [community profile] myrtillenne, slightly modified.

Banner image by Nikita Tikhomirov, slightly edited.

Sidebar image by Jan Davidsz. de Heem.

Hand icon by Hans Eworth.

Candle divider on Review Compendium and Upcoming Reviews pages by LadyGlitch.

Style Credit

Profile

cathedralofroses: (Default)
Cathedral of Roses

Most Popular Tags