Scented Musings

Nibble Nibble Gnaw (Candied apple, pancakes, sugared nuts, crushed candies, hot gusts of chocolate, cakes, pastries, sweet breads, sugar)

Preliminary notes: These next few aren't actually Weenies, but I didn't want to make a whole separate post for them. I've wanted to try this since I first discovered BPAL, but it was out of stock for a very long time until recently.

In bottle: Okay, so this has a lot of layers. I definitely get chocolate, pancakes, nuts, and a lot of baked good/pastry notes. If I try really hard, I can just make out the candied apple as well.

On skin: On skin, this is very different. The (green) apple comes out, but it smells baked instead of candied, almost smelling like a baked pear, which I think might be the chocolate mixing with the apple. I get a powdered sugar kind of note, and the baked goods and pastry notes are looming beneath that. The chocolate fades into a cocoa powder-esque note as well. The nuts smell roasted and almost caramelized. This is such a complex, multifaceted gourmand.

After a few minutes, a creamy vanilla permeates the scent (could be part of the cake/pastry notes). This is definitely a morpher, and I think that fits the theme of the scent really well. It's sweet and inviting but also a bit mysterious. I don't think I've ever worn a scent that morphs as much as this one does. Every time I sniff my wrist, I get something different.

Verdict: 4 ever-morphing, swirling clouds of candy and baked goods out of 5.


Halfling (Porridge, kukui nuts, pastry crumbs)

Preliminary notes: Another one that I wanted to try for years but was out of stock until recently. I love a good porridge scent.

In bottle: Delicious porridge with cream, honey, maybe a tiny bit of citrus, and a cream-stuffed pastry on the side. Decidedly hobbit-y and absolutely scrumptious. This makes me want to try other BPAL oat/porridge offerings.

On skin: A combination of B&BW's Warm Vanilla Sugar (my favorite B&BW scent) and Danish butter cookies, with a bit of almond. I don't get porridge outright, but it's very warm and dessert-y. This is probably one of the coziest BPAL scents I've smelled, and I love it. I'm not usually a fan of almond notes either, but it works really well here.

Verdict: 5 cozy almonds out of 5.


Bengal (Skin musk, honey, peppers, clove, cinnamon bark, ginger)

Preliminary notes: I received a free sample of this in one of my orders last year and loved it. It's about time I finally upsized it.

In bottle: Honeyed, woody cinnamon, skin musk, and a bit of heat from the peppers. Delicious.

On skin: The cinnamon bark note in this is absolutely beautiful. It's very dry and woody (shocking, I know). The honey, peppers, and skin musk are also all present and at the forefront, and the whole thing is very warm and spicy overall. If you're after something a bit risque and sexy in your cinnamon perfumes, this is your gal. Love this.

Verdict: 5 pieces of cinnamon bark dripping in honey out of 5.


Alisz (Spun sugar, frankincense, white rose, mallow root, red currant, vanilla mint)

Preliminary notes: After trying Psionicist, I've been kind of wanting something with a vanilla-y mint note, and this seemed like it would fit the bill. It was a close call between this and Lady Amalthea, but the latter sounded a bit too floral for what I'm looking for.

In bottle: The vanilla mint is at the forefront, followed by the spun sugar and maybe a bit of the mallow root. I don't get any of the other notes in the bottle, which I'm okay with.

On skin: The vanilla mint in this is beautiful. It's creamy and minty without smelling like toothpaste. The frankincense and currant come out a bit and give it a tiny bit of an earthy kick, but it's mostly about the vanilla mint. I don't smell the rose at all on the skin either, which is fine. This is a really pretty, sparkling wintry scent. It reminds me of fresh snowfall.

Verdict: 4.5 sparkling snowfalls out of 5.


Cats and Sparrows (Vanilla cream, tonka absolute, caramelized cedarwood, sepia-washed amber resinoid)

Preliminary notes: I somehow haven't tried any of the Felis Silvestris Catus scents as of writing this, but this sounds absolutely delightful.

In bottle: This smells golden-brown in the best way, and it's very cozy. I can't pick out any of the notes specifically, and there's a tiny bit of an almost fruity tinge in there.

On skin: The cedar takes center stage on the skin, mixed with the amber resinoid. The combination of the two very heavily reminds me of Alkemia's Ambre Extrait, which is one of my favorite woody scents. The vanilla is very subtle and reads to me as vanilla orchid as opposed to a gourmand vanilla, with the tonka being slightly stronger. I expected this to be all about the vanilla cream and amber, but having it be about the cedar and amber is definitely welcome. This is a dreamy, cozy, glowing woody scent with a tiny touch of sweetness.

Verdict: 4.75 glowing pieces of cedarwood out of 5.


Woman Putting On Her Stocking (Skin musk, silk, tonka, coffee bean, russet amber)

Preliminary notes: At the time of drafting this review (late October), I'd been craving a lot of cozy, my-skin-but-better kind of scents, and this sounded really nice.

In bottle: It's allll about the coffee bean and musk, which is a fantastic combination. It's sultry and beckoning.

On skin: Glorious warm, deep coffee bean, soft musk, and tonka. The coffee bean note in here is beautiful and doesn't give me the stewed tomatoes experience like a lot of coffee scents from BPAL have in the past. This is very sultry and cozy. There's something a tiny bit rubbery about this, but it's not offputting at all. If this was a color, it would be a rich, dark brown.

Verdict: 4 giant coffee beans out of 5.


Every Sweet Thing (Honey-dripping plakous, rose petals, caramelized hazelnut, goat's milk)

Preliminary notes: Ah, this scent. It had been on my wishlist for a long time, and I finally did something about it. The caramelized hazelnut is the biggest draw for me, but I like all of the other notes as well (aside from plakous, since that's not a note I've ever seen in other BPAL scents).

In bottle: An explosion of rose petals, followed by a bit of raw hazelnut.

On skin: What I'm assuming is the plakous comes out a lot more on the skin, and the rose takes a backseat. The hazelnut and goat's milk are more pronounced as well, with the latter reading more as heavy cream than a true goat's milk note. This scent overall is very rich and feels celebratory and antique. It's a beautiful warm, rosy flormand.

Verdict: 4.5 rosy desserts out of 5.


b>The Large Cat (Myrrh, sweet almond, spiced rum, brown sugar, honeyed dates, golden amber, scorched marshmallow, toasted vanilla musk)

Preliminary notes: This came up in the search results when I looked for "toasted" on BPAL's website, and it sounds really interesting. I love dates but haven't tried many scents with date notes.

In bottle: As someone who usually doesn't like almond notes, I'm surprised I went for this, and I'm even more surprised that I like it. The almond, rum, and dates are the strongest notes in the bottle.

On skin: Spicy, dry almonds and dates! It certainly does have a toasted quality to it, and it kind of reminds me of a bulk food store (in a good way). Something about it reminds me of Aladdin as well, weirdly enough.

Verdict: 4.5 spicy almond cats out of 5.


Cat Churning Butter (Butter, cream, a thump of frankincense)

Preliminary notes: I asked for this to be added to the order in lieu of a store credit for shipping overages.

In bottle: Shockingly, it smells like butter, cream, and frankincense. The cream has an almost toasted quality to it.

On skin: Mostly the same as in the bottle, though on my skin, it goes a bit soapy for a short while. After the soapiness goes away, it goes back to smelling toasted and almost resinous (which makes sense, given the frankincense). The soapy vibe comes and goes, and I'm really not a fan of that. Not sure how to feel about this one.

Verdict: 3 confusing cats out of 5.


KPX130 (prototype) (No notes given)

Preliminary notes: This was included as a frottle in my last order.

In bottle: Lemon, lemon, lemon, more lemon, and finally, lemongrass.

On skin: A blast of lemon hard candy, but with something green underneath. I'm not sure if it's grass or maybe green tea, but it's not straight lemon. There may be a tiny bit of a light musk in there as well. Ultimately, this is very refreshing and citrus-heavy, which will be nice during the warmer months. Its resemblance to lemon hard candies is unreal, so if that's your thing, tracking this down in a swap might be worthwhile.

Verdict: 4 giant-sized lemon hard candies out of 5.

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.

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.

These were all purchased during the first day of Alkemia's annual July sale. I'm very grateful that I was able to get everything I had planned on!

🍵 Arcanum Experiments 2024: 8: We Spilled the Teas (Green tea, mint tea, vanilla-infused white tea leaves, twig tea, ginger tea, Christmas tea)

Preliminary notes: I mean, it's tea. It's ALL tea. This is a no-brainer.

In bottle: I get the green and white teas and a bit of subtle spice right off the bat. Already a big fan.

On skin: This is so beautiful. So many different levels and varieties of tea, all very fresh and delicious. It smells somewhat festive as well. There's not much to say about this one, as it's very self-explanatory, but I adore it.

Verdict: 5 giant vats of tea out of 5.


🍂 Arcanum Experiments 2024: 7: Sweater Weather (Spiced apple cider, late season blackberries, cherrywood, warm pumpkin pie, woodsmoked vanilla beans, sandalwood, autumn leaves, clover hay, cashmere wool, anise, benzoin, golden amber, caramel coffee, toasted coconut, blue juniper, moss, bitter orange)

Preliminary notes: This sounds ambitious as hell, and I can kind of understand why it ended up as an Arcanum Experiment. Those are a LOT of notes to fit into one scent. It sounds like an autumnal, atmospheric dream nonetheless.

In bottle: Largely the cider, blackberry, and deep, dark fruit notes.

On skin: The autumn leaf note in this really comes alive on the skin, and I'm pretty sure it's the same one from Autumnalis and Feuillemort. It's very difficult to discern the notes apart from each other beyond the leaves and cider, but this is a dusky autumn evening in a bottle. It's atmospheric in all the right ways while also being grounded. I adore this, and I'm so glad I managed to get a bottle.

This is a morpher, too. It's initially very heavy on the leaves and cider, then it goes through a toasted coconut and coffee phase with some fruit notes in the background, and then it gets a bit smoky later in the drydown.

Verdict: 5 autumn evenings out of 5.


🍰 Arcanum Experiments 2024: 10: Mallow Drama (Pink frosted birthday cake, marshmallow ambrosia, strawberry rhubarb pie, blue cotton candy, kettle corn, almond macarons, chocolate fig squares, dulce le leche, fondant, gingersnaps, whipped cream)

Preliminary notes: This sounds like a very complex, gourmand dream. The strawberry rhubarb pie and kettle corn notes sold me.

In bottle: If candy corn was pink, this is what it would smell like. Very vanillic and sweet.

On skin: To be honest, this is such a complex scent that it's hard to make anything out individually. It's primarily a vanillic, sugary sweet marshmallow scent with a tiny dash of fruity sweetness. Very pink, very saccharine but in a good way. It feels like a younger sister to All the Sins. As it dries, the chocolate note comes out a bit, as do the other baked goods.

Verdict: 4 tables overflowing with sweets out of 5.


🌻 Jonquil Alchemy (Creamy white jonquils, grandiflora narcissi, Poet's daffodil, snowdrops, green daffodil stems, new grasses, late witch hazel blooms, a whisper of vanilla musk)

Preliminary notes: One of my favorite Alkemia scents that I no longer have is Musc de Jonquille, and this is the closest thing I've seen to it. The world needs more daffodil scents.

In bottle: Beautiful springtime white florals. From what I remember of it, I'd say this is Musc de Jonquille-adjacent, so I'm happy. Very green as well.

On skin: This initially reminds me of something I've smelled from BPAL before (Jasmine Cottage or The Queen of May, maybe). After a couple of minutes, it becomes a unique, stunning white floral with a snap of green stems, and a tiny bit of vanilla to temper it. This is such a pretty, elegant scent. Perfect for spring, but cool enough for summer or early fall as well. Something about it smells a bit funerary to me (which is a huge compliment).

Verdict: 5 elegant white florals out of 5.


🔮 Sorciere Rouge (Bakhoor incense, Tibetan agarwood, dragon's blood, rock rose, dark amber)

Preliminary notes: I had a bottle of this way back in the day and can't remember what it smelled like, other than being heavy on the dragon's blood note.

In bottle: A dragon's blood dream. There's a bit of a dampness to this one as well.

On skin: Damp incense, a bit of smoke, and a ton of dragon's blood. Just as I remember it. This is very witchy and mysterious. I don't have a ton to say about this one since it's pretty linear, but it's lovely.

Verdict: 4 tremendous plumes of dragon's blood-scented incense smoke out of 5.


🍭 All the Sins (Candy floss, candy corn, pink taffy, bullseye caramels, red licorice, benzoin, creamy vanilla musk)

Preliminary notes: Another scent I used to have. I already know what this one smells like. It's a pink gourmand dream.

In bottle: Just as I remember. Very pink, very sugary, very delicious.

On skin: Primarily candy floss, taffy, red licorice, and the vanilla musk. It's extremely sugary, so those who don't like sweet or gourmand scents would do best to avoid this one. I personally love it for its pink, frilly nature, and it reminds me a bit of Halloween candy. Very happy to have this again.

Verdict: 4.5 pink bags of candy out of 5.


🍁 Autumn (Sun-warmed fallen leaves, golden sunlit amber, light wool warmed with skin musk)

Preliminary notes: This is a scent I've wanted to get from Alkemia for yeeears. It seems to come back almost every time the July sale happens, and I finally snagged a bottle this time. I've tried (and loved) Autumnalis and Feuillemort, which sound to be in similar veins.

In bottle: Yeah, this is definitely in a similar vein to Autumnalis and Feuillemort. If Autumnalis was deeper and less soapy, it'd smell very akin to this.

On skin: This is such a dreamy olfactory portrait of a sunlit glade during autumn. The leaves, amber, and skin musk are all stunning, and it's very cheerful and relaxing. A perfect cozy sibling of Autumnalis and Feuillemort. I adore this so much.

Verdict: 5 autumnal glades out of 5.


🕯️ Offering (A forested glade, ritual incenses, offertory fruits, honeycakes, spiced ale, glowing beeswax candles)

Preliminary notes: I didn't get to try Offering when it was originally available many years ago, but I did try Honeycakes for Harvest Moon, which seemed to be its spiritual successor.

In bottle: I recognize the honeycake note, but this is mostly dark fruits and incense in the bottle.

On skin: This. Is. Stunning. The "forested glade" is a beautiful pine/fir note that sits in the background underneath the incense and honeycakes, and the ale comes out a bit as well. This is such a gorgeous celebratory blend, and I can't get enough of it. I would bathe in this if I could. It's a delightfully witchy gourmand with a woody edge.

Verdict: 5 rituals in the forest out of 5.


🌺 La Sirena (Oceanic aquatics, saline seaweeds, garlands of fresh Tiare flowers offered to the sea)

Preliminary notes: I was torn between this and Siren's Spell, but I wanted something with a bit more bite (plus this is discontinued and Siren's Spell isn't yet), and I'm hoping the seaweed notes deliver here.

In bottle: Beautiful aquatic notes, salt and seaweed. Cannot wait to skin test this.

On skin: This very, very strongly reminds me of Comptoir Sud Pacifique's Aqua Motu but floral and heavier on the saline notes. I was a bit worried this was going to be soapy, but it's not. It's a beautiful, picturesque marine scent with a floral overtone.

Verdict: 4.5 garlands of flowers floating on calm ocean waters out of 5.


🥥 Coconut Alchemy (Fresh white coconut, sugarcane, baby bananas, tuberose, ginger flower)

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

In bottle: This is a classic, beachy, almost sunscreen-like scent.

On skin: The prettiest pina colada that ever did exist. This is a beautiful take on a tropical coconut scent. It smells like the image of a gauzy sundress blowing in the breeze on a white sand beach. I'm typically pretty apathetic toward coconut notes, but I really like this.

Verdict: 4 pina coladas on a beach out of 5.

📖 Dee (Soft English leather, rosewood, tonka, a hint of incense, parchment, soft woods)

Preliminary notes: I've wanted to try this since I first stumbled across BPAL but.. never did, for some reason? I love readerly/writerly scents, as you may know, so this is right up my alley. I love bookish scents that include incense notes as well.

I've also been playing a lot of Baldur's Gate 3 recently, and y'all cannot tell me that this doesn't sound exactly like how Gale would smell.

In bottle: Fairly masculine-leaning in the bottle. It's woody and incense-y, with a bit of an herbal note peeking out. It also smells slightly honeyed.

On skin: The parchment comes out a LOT more on the skin, which I love. I get the leather as well, which is soft and maybe tan or brown. It does smell like an astute, well-read wizard, and I adore it. The parchment note reminds me a little bit of Quintessence of Dust, which is a favorite of mine. This is like Quintessence of Dust's refined, more mysterious cousin who arrives with a procession of ravens. My whole spiel about this smelling like Gale from Baldur's Gate 3 is very accurate, though maybe more the scent of his tower than Gale himself.

Verdict: 5 dark, refined wizards out of 5.


🥀 Cicuta (Dry, dusty rose petals, candle smoke, frankincense, saffron)

Preliminary notes: This has been on my to-try list for as long as I've been purchasing from BPAL, but I just.. never bought it until now, for whatever reason. The posts on the BPAL forum dress Cicuta up with all sorts of gothic-romantic imagery: cobwebs, candelabras, dusty attics, velvet, old castles and catacombs, you name it. I'd wager that given my blog's name, it's fairly obvious that I'm very drawn to that kind of vibe.

In bottle: Exactly what it says on the tin. Dry roses, candles, frankincense, and saffron. It smells very romantic , and there's something very slightly fruity in there.

On skin: Okay, so I completely get where the people on the forum were coming from when they said this has a "forlorn vampire in an old castle" vibe. It smells almost wet as well somehow. The rose, candles (including gauzy, thin smoke), resins, and saffron are all accounted for. This is absolutely gorgeous, and any darkly-inclined people who are fans of rose notes will love this. I adore this so much, and it's easily earned a spot among my favorite BPAL scents. It smells incredibly romantic in an almost tragic way. A+.

Verdict: 5 tragically beautiful vampire romances in castles out of 5.


🕯️ The Lights of Men's Lives (The wax and smoke of millions upon millions of candles illuminating the walls of Death’s shadowy cave: some tall, straight, and strong, blazing with the fire of life, others dim and guttering)

Preliminary notes: I reviewed this just shy of 3 years ago, but my formatting was very different, and I don't think it quite got the write-up it deserved. So, it's time for a revisit review! I previously described this scent as a whole lot of beeswax, a bit powdery, and a gauzy, light smoke note.

In bottle: As I remember. A ton of beeswax and a bit of smoke. This is in a similar vein to Arcana's Snug, which is largely why I repurchased it. I don't have any Arcana oils in my collection anymore and needed to replace Snug.

On skin: This definitely smells a bit different than the bottle I used to have. The candle smoke note is a lot stronger, and the beeswax smells more like regular candle wax. There's something almost floral about it as well, which is odd. The floral note burns off after about 5-10ish minutes, and it becomes smokier. It kind of melds into a vanillic, waxy skin scent. As it dries more, it does start to resemble Snug/the original version I had of this scent. It might just need to age a bit.

Verdict: 3.75 smoky candles out of 5.


🌹 A-Rovin' (Sultry red musk, heady jasmine, tobacco leaf, red sandalwood, hay sugar, golden honey, sweet carnations, warm leather)

Preliminary notes: I've wanted to try this since its release a few years ago. It sounds like a bombshell of a scent, and I love a lot of the notes in it.

In bottle: Definitely get the red musk, tobacco, honey, and something else I can't quite pin. It smells very purple-red.

On skin: This is incredible and indescribably sexy, which makes sense given its inspiration. The red musk, tobacco, honey, and now carnation are at the forefront. I get a bit of the jasmine, which isn't stinky or strong (note: after having it for a couple of months, the jasmine definitely leans into stank territory but never gets super overwhelming). There's something of an almost wine-like quality to this as well. Overall, it paints a picture of a very strong, take-no-shit woman who knows exactly what kind of effect she has on people. It's seductive, it's commanding, it's perfect. I adore this so much.

Verdict: 5 seductive, strong ladies out of 5.


🔮 The Witch Queen (Wild plum, red musk, tuberose, calla lily, heliotrope, pimento, ylang-ylang, beeswax, sinister purple-hued incense smoke)

Preliminary notes: This is another one that I had previously destashed and don't know why, because I was obsessed with this scent. It reminded me heavily of Dior's Poison (which shares the plum, tuberose, incense, heliotrope, and musk notes), but less chemical smelling.

In bottle: This smells more floral than I remember and doesn't bear any similarity to Poison in the bottle. Interesting.

On skin: Ah, yes. There she is. Deep purple, slightly fruity, dark florals. Still bears a striking resemblance to Poison but isn't as heavy. The plum note in this is exquisite, and the whole scent is very mysterious and beautiful. A power scent, to be sure.

Verdict: 5 witch queens surrounded by purple smoke out of 5.


🧁 The Picture of Dorian Sufganiyot (A deep-fried fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea)

Preliminary notes: I hadn't initially planned on buying any more oils for a while, but after trying 2023's version of Dorian and loving it, I really wanted to grab a bottle of this before it's taken down.

In bottle: Dorian 2023, but with some added bakery cream. A bit lighter as well.

On skin: This smells like a delicious, expensive lemon-tea cream-filled donut. It's unmistakably Dorian, but it's fluffier and less corrupt-smelling than the OG version.

Verdict: 5 corruption-filled donuts out of 5.

Comparison to Dorian (2023): Dorian Suf is a bit heavier on the citrus, while Dorian 2023 is heavier on the tea. There's a very distinct cream note in Dorian Suf that Dorian 2023 lacks. Ultimately, they are remarkably similar, so if you have one, you probably don't need the other unless you're someone who really enjoys Dorian, like myself.


🌷 Portrait of Princess Marthe Bibesco (Toffee-touched vanilla bourbon filigree, antiqued white rose petals, auburn musk, honey dust, white silk)

Preliminary notes: I'm a sucker for toffee and honey notes, and I really wanted to pick this up before it was taken down.

In bottle: Toffeetoffeetoffee, a tiny bit of rose, and a bit of booze. Reminds me a tiny bit of Asses Plus Long, Qu'un Siecle Platonique, but it's not soapy or laundry-like at all.

On skin: On skin, it's a very sweet, toffee-heavy rose scent with a bit of musk and booze. Smelling it from afar, it smells like butterscotch pudding, which is really interesting. It's not completely gourmand but leans heavily in that direction. The rose note is very fresh and realistic, as most of BPAL's rose notes are, in my experience. This is what I wanted Asses Plus Long to be: a toffee-heavy, fresh rose scent.

Verdict: 5 toffee-encased roses out of 5.


🃏 Stańczyk (Scarlet silk, spiced rose petals, well-worn red leather, Oman frankincense, labdanum, dried cherries, blackberry wine)

Preliminary notes: Wasn't initially going to get anything from the April release, but Jan Matejko's Stańczyk is one of my favorite paintings, and the notes are too good to pass up. It sounds like a relative of Nimue, the Blood Queen, which is an old favorite that I regretfully don't have anymore.

In bottle: The dried cherries and blackberry wine are the strongest notes in the bottle. There's a background of something sultry and delicately spiced as well.

On skin: I'm not usually a fruity scent person, but this is exquisite. The leather and rose also come out once it starts drying down a bit. This is a delicious, vampiric dream, and it's absolutely in the same vein as Nimue, except I think I like this even more. There's something very seductive about it as well. I am in love. If I was someone who didn't take literal years to go through one 5ml bottle of perfume, I'd definitely buy a backup bottle of this.

Verdict: 5 seductive vampires out of 5.


🎶 Concert (Black velvet, ancient climbing roses, champaca magnolia, deep, resonant strings of amber)

Preliminary notes: I knew as soon as I saw the release notes for this that I needed to try it. All of the notes in here are favorites of mine, and it sounds delightfully dark and feminine.

In bottle: This is very similar to In Night When All Colors to Black Are Cast to my nose, minus the plum. There aren't any smoky notes noted in the description, but it has a very resinous, smoky quality to it. Very dark and deep.

On skin: Largely the same as in the bottle, though the champaca leans a bit more floral on the skin. The rose is incredibly dark and melds with everything beautifully. This is witchy as fuck.

Verdict: 5 coils of witchy incense out of 5.


🌙 Fierce Midnights and Famishing Morrows (Black plum, wild lily, tobacco)

Preliminary notes: I don't have any preliminary notes for these next four beyond the fact that thematically, the Our Lady of Pain collection really speaks to me. These were all add-ons to a very large combined order instead of having the shipping overages credited to my account.

In bottle: Delicious, plummy tobacco with a bit of a cool, green backdrop from the lily. This is exquisite.

On skin: On skin, it's very hard to tease the notes apart individually, but they're all there. The lily is green and fresh, the plum is deep, and the tobacco is rich and warm. I really, really love this.

Verdict: 5 debaucherous gardens out of 5.


🕂 The Shrine Where Sin is a Prayer (Deep purple Syrah, calamus, myrrh smoke, hyssop, opoponax, bitter clove, burgundy pitch, opium poppy, violet leaf)

Preliminary notes: None.

In bottle: So. Incredibly. Purple. The only note I can make out completely is the wine, which is delicious. The scent overall smells very commanding, foreboding, and decadent.

On skin: Still very purple. The wine note is decadent and rich, and it's unlike any wine note I've smelled before. I can't make out any of the other notes specifically, but it's still incredibly purple. I love this.

Verdict:5 deeply purple glasses of wine out of 5.


🍯 Hair Loosened and Soiled in Mid Orgies (White honey, warm musk, ambrette seed)

Preliminary notes: None.

In bottle: This smells almost like cinnamon sugar toast in the bottle at times, and other times, it just smells like slightly spiced honey.

On skin: The honey note is sweet but not overly so. This smells very woody to me. It's definitely sensual and warm. It's a pretty linear scent overall. I don't have much to say about it, honestly.

Verdict: 4 woody pots of honey out of 5.


🔥 House of Unquenchable Fire (Glittering amber, frankincense, neroli, vanilla silk, champaca)

Preliminary notes: None.

In bottle: Straight neroli. I can't smell anything else.

On skin: Still mostly neroli, but the vanilla and champaca come through a bit as well. It's very elegant and pretty, and it smells shimmery. It's a bit calming and cheery as well. It's a very lovely soft, golden scent.

Verdict: 4 pools of glittering liquid gold out of 5.

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.

🥀 St. Fabian (The most beautiful rose accord, two ambers (one dry and golden, one sweet/vanilla), a bit of incense smoke)

Preliminary notes: I've been wanting to pick this up for years, but I've missed the day it's available every single time. I'm so glad I'm finally going to be able to try it this year!

In bottle: "Most beautiful rose accord" is right. This is VERY rose-heavy, and the rose accord is extremely realistic. I get a smidge of vanilla as well, but it's like 99% rose in the bottle. It's not a fruity rose like in The Velvet Riding Habit, which I appreciate. Fruity roses are not my favorite.

On skin: This is absolutely beautiful. The rose accord is married seamlessly with the vanilla and incense, and the amber provides a warm base for it all. The rose accord still doesn't threaten to go fruity, which I very much appreciate. This could very well be a new holy grail rose scent for me. It's sweet, but not too sweet, and the whole thing feels very reverent and romantic.

Verdict: 5 curls of incense smoke enveloping a rose out of 5.


🍇 Bacchante (Concord grape wine, smooth patchouli, labdanum, a bit of red musk, a slight amount of a "bright" musk)

Preliminary notes: Grape can be hit or miss in general, but I'm a huuuge fan of Bacchus in mythology, and this sounds very slinky and sexy.

In bottle: Immediately upon opening the bottle, the first thought I had was "BPAL!" The wine/red musk combo is in a lot of my favorite BPAL scents, so I guess that's not far off. The wine accord here has quite a bite to it, and it smells like real grapes as opposed to like, grape flavoring. I quite like this already. It's sultry.

On skin: Once this is on the skin, it becomes quite dark and deep. The musks take over a bit, though the grape is still very much there. It's a very sexual and seductive scent. I love it. As it wears, it melds into this delightful woody incense scent.

Verdict: 5 wine-stained seductresses out of 5.


🔥 Joan of Arc (Churchy incense, smoke from a campfire, a bit of wood)

Preliminary notes: Incense and smoke? Enough said. I'm sold.

In bottle: Hmm.. something in here smells like a combination of baby powder and baby wipes. Hoping that doesn't translate to the skin. I don't get any smoke or wood.

On skin: Up close, it does smell like wood and smoke/incense. From afar, it smells very.. odd, and I'm not sure why that is. This is a very strange scent, and I'm not sure what to think of it. Can't say I'm a fan.

Verdict: 2.75 confused censers of incense out of 5.


🎀 Candybox Pretty (Sweet white flowers combined with a "champagne musk", lemon, candlewax, gardenia, tuberose)

Preliminary notes: This kind of sounds like a more floral Madame X, which I have and love. I'm a big tuberose and gardenia fan, so I'm imagining this could be a flirtier, pink sister to Madame X.

In bottle: This is quite light, and very pretty, so it's aptly named. The lemon note is very soft and fresh, and the whole thing smells very ethereal. Woodland faeries would smell like this during the springtime.

On skin: Veeery floral. I definitely smell the tuberose, lemon, and wax. It reminds me of something, but I'm not sure what. It smells very white-pink and is quite a flirty fragrance. It'd be great for the springtime. It's a bit too light/clean for me, but it's a nice scent.

Verdict: 3.5 flirty flowers out of 5.


💀 Jael (Cream, cardamom, clove, pear, lemon, Balm of Gilead)

Preliminary notes: I don't normally vibe with pear notes, but someone on the Possets forum described this as evoking imagery of an ancient feast, and that was enough for me. Something about the note lineup sounds medieval to me, so that checks out.

In bottle: This is VERY warm, and it smells like molten gold. The pear smells almost baked, and it's not a shampoo-y pear note, thank god. I kept pulling off the cap and smelling this repeatedly after the first sniff, so that's always a good sign. It's intoxicating.

On skin: Not much difference from the bottle, minus the potency. This has very decent throw. Everything melds together pretty seamlessly, but the cream and almost-baked pear are the strongest. I love this.

Verdict: 5 ancient feasts out of 5.


✨ Stewart (Black agarwood, light leather, sandalwood, buffed mahogany)

Preliminary notes: I'm not gonna lie, most of the motivation for getting this one was that it sounded like something my charlatan warlock character in D&D might wear or smell like (or, alternatively, what Gale's tower in Baldur's Gate 3 might smell like). I am but a simple woman. 😂

In bottle: This is masculine-leaning for sure and almost smells a bit soapy, like extremely expensive aftershave. The mahogany is the strongest note in the bottle for me. I quite like this.

On skin: There's something quite green-smelling in here, but I'm not sure what that could be, given the notes. Still very masculine, still smells like expensive aftershave, but I like it. I feel like there have been men in my life who have smelled almost identical to this before. It's quite intoxicating, I must say, and I passed this off to DH to enjoy instead, as it's a bit too masculine-leaning for me.

Verdict: 3.75 refined gentlemen out of 5.

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.

Pumpkins Crave Wraiths (Ghostly white vanilla, Black Mission figs, gossamer wraith musk, gingerbread, sheer coconut milk, pumpkin)

Preliminary notes: My bottle is just over a year old.

In bottle: Spiced pumpkin and something fruity (the fig note). Fairly straightforward.

On skin: The way the fig interacts with the gingerbread and the other notes in here is really interesting. It's very obviously fruity, but it smells.. spooky, for lack of a better word. It smells almost tea-like. I don't get the coconut milk at all, but I do get some vanilla underneath the scrumptious fig/gingerbread/pumpkin combo. This is kind of an odd scent, but in the best way possible.

Verdict: 4.75 spooky fruits out of 5.

Honey Craves Coffee Shops (Roasting coffee beans, honey-drizzled cake, freshly baked vanilla cookies, soft, overstuffed chairs, a hint of steamed milk)

Preliminary notes: As previously stated in several reviews, I am a coffee scent fiend despite not being able to drink coffee IRL. This kind of sounds like Marshmallows Bite! + coffee almost, so if that's the case, I'm not gonna be mad at it.

In bottle: In the bottle, this smells almost identical to Marshmallows Bite! I don't get any coffee whatsoever, which is a bummer.

On skin: Theeere's the coffee. It's still fairly subdued, but it's at least noticeable now. The baked goods are a bit more golden than they are in Marshmallows Bite!, but the scent overall is still very similar to it. The honey note in this is very pronounced and realistic, and "honey-drizzled cake" is very apt.

Verdict: 4 bakeries that also double as coffee shops out of 5. I like this but am a bit disappointed by how subtle the coffee note is and how similar it is to Marshmallows Bite! Oh well.

Pumpkins Crave Pointe Shoes (Creamy pumpkin and Korintje cinnamon with Arcana Wildcraft's Two Finger Ballet (French vanilla créme, white amber, sugared vanilla beans, caramel, and the smallest dab of opium))

Preliminary notes: I haven't tried OG Two Finger Ballet, but I do have Strawberries Crave Indulgence, which I love. A pumpkin version of that sounds delicious.

In bottle: Oh, that is lovely. It's very creamy, spicy, and dark with a bit of an edge.

On skin: This is sublime. Pumpkin and caramel on a spicy, slightly resinous backdrop. The cinnamon is pretty dry and doesn't veer into Red Hots territory. As an added bonus, I accidentally touched my wrist to my mouth while reviewing this, and I can confirm that it does not taste nearly as nice as it smells. Do not ingest oils, kids.

Verdict: 5 caramel-y pumpkin desserts out of 5. I adore this.

Pumpkins Crave Quietude (Soft vanilla, white amber, white musk, Mysore sandalwood, sweet pumpkin, a tiny pinch of white pepper)

Preliminary notes: From what I understand, this is basically Haint + pumpkin, which sounds lovely. I haven't tried OG Haint, so I won't be able to compare to that.

In bottle: Much like my experience with Peaches Crave Haint, this smells cool-toned. The white pepper is more pronounced here, and the pumpkin smells like a pumpkin pie as opposed to fresh pumpkin puree or something.

On skin: Peppery, spicy pumpkin. I'm actually shocked there isn't cinnamon in this, because it definitely smells like it. It almost smells like unlit pumpkin incense as well.

Verdict: 4.75 sticks of spiced pumpkin incense out of 5.

Vanilla Craves Enchanted Cottages (Banana flambé, vanilla créme anglaise, a rose garden sanctuary covered in morning dew, rose geranium, ylang-ylang, bananas dipped in brown sugar, sweet cacao, sheer almond, gnarled pine branches from the deep woods)

Preliminary notes: Whether or not this actually belongs in the autumnal review post is debatable, but I figured enchanted cottages and witchy things were close enough. At any rate, I love banana notes, and this sounds amazing.

In bottle: Bananaaaas. Lots of bananas. This isn't like candy-banana though. It does smell sweet but it's almost buttery. This is a lot more complex than just banana as well. The rose-banana combo is interesting, because they have very similar scent qualities. I liiike.

On skin: On skin, the banana recedes quite a bit, and the florals bloom pretty intensely. I can't make any of them out in particular, but the whole thing smells slightly spooky. There's something in here I don't care for, and I can't tell if it's one of the florals or the almond.

Verdict: 3 bananas frolicking in a forest out of 5. The florals are pretty overwhelming once it hits skin, and there's a very distinct burnt smell going on as well. There's a little bit too much going on in this one for me.

Honeys Crave Smoldering Cauldrons (Buckwheat honey, dark earth, long tendrils of cauldron smoke reaching up to the sky, damp, decaying leaves, wild chanterelles, blackened lavender stems, dried tea leaves, wildflowers)

Preliminary notes: Lavender isn't my favorite note, but look at that note lineup! How can you resist that if you're darkly-inclined and into witchy things? I've seen a lot of fungi notes, but never chanterelles specifically. This sounds very complex and interesting.

In bottle: Oh! I love this already. I can't make anything out specifically, other than the cool dirt and a bit of tea, but it smells amazing. It has an almost aquatic quality to it. Something about it reminds me of one of the beaches near our place, though it doesn't smell beachy at all (I'm in western Canada, so beaches here are lakes with a lot of trees and grassy patches).

On skin: This is a dead ringer for interior BC lakes/beaches. It's uncanny, which makes no sense since none of the notes are indicative of that. It's incredibly evocative and nostalgic for me, and despite the heavy notes, it's a perfect summer scent.

Verdict: 5 hometown lakes out of 5.

Pumpkins Crave Nog (Pumpkin flesh with rich eggnog, sugar cookies, Tahitian vanilla, cinnamon, and a spike of Arcana Wildcraft's Holy Terror (burning frankincense, sandalwood, deep myrrh, and dusty beeswax candles))

Preliminary notes: This sounds decadent as fuck, like a pumpkin trifle.

In bottle: To be completely honest, I don't know what I'm smelling here. I get a bit of the cinnamon, but there's some sort of savory note in there, and something boozy.

On skin: I don't get any eggnog whatsoever, but it does kind of smell like pumpkin pie ice cream. The cinnamon note is really nice and dry. The mystery savory note disappeared as well, so what's left is a warm, very slightly smoky pumpkin pie scent with a bit of a creamy note with it.

Verdict: 5 bowls of pumpkin pie ice cream out of 5.