So it's that time of year again, the thrills don't stop until Lupers, and sometimes not even then! There's just something wonderful about sitting down to a brand new bpal Halloween update, ready to break it down. This is just one of my favorite things! Onward.....

 

A Nocturnal Reverie...."Violet musk and oudh with black amber, ambergris, agarwood, black currant, dark musk, fig, and lavender incense".

It's funny, I have been wishing for an elegant, chic, purple incense kind of scent, and what do you know....seems like this could be it! I'm pretty sure I need to try this. Probably a decant, first.

 

Araw Ng Mga Patay....."A cheerful, raucous celebration of life and death: bouquets overflowing with gerbera daisies, waling waling, sampaguita, ylang ylang, hibiscus, night-blooming dama de noche, santan, and everlasting flower with piles upon piles of bibingka, ube halaya, rice muffins, champorado, purple yam cake, and turon, and plates of gooey kalabasa leche flan".

Okay, I don't know what most of those notes are. The description makes me think of Diwali, which I do like, but hardly ever wear. I think I can let this one pass, there are many more grabbing my attention.

 

Autumn Cider...."Fermented apple juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, lemon zest, butterscotch liquor, and orange slices".

Not sure about this, sounds very rich, and I don't think I'd like a butterscotch liquor note. I have full bottles of Egg Moon, Spicebush Swallowtail, and Plunder, Blood....and probably other spice scents I'm not remembering. I think I can let this one pass.

 

Boo 2011....."Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream".

Not really of interest to me but I would sniff it if someone handed it to me!

 

Devil's Night 2011...."This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk".

I love Devil's Night but I never wear it! I still have a mostly full bottle from 2006, and 2 decants from other years, so I think I can pass. But I might like a decant just to compare to other 'vintages'.

 

Elegy IX: The Autumnal....."Red maplewood, plum leaves, fir needle, wildflower honey, patchouli, hazelnut, and green cognac".

Something about this list of notes is quite seductive to me! There are a couple of 'iffy' notes but I love taking a risk and being sweetly rewarded. This is a possible blind buy for me, considering it.

 

Ghosts In Love....."White sandalwood, tobacco flower, lily of the valley, white carnation, and magnolia blossom with tea rose, labdanum, and oudh".

Tea rose and lily of the valley, in the same scent? This would soap me to the moon.

 

John Barleycorn 2011....."Barley, beer, blood, and whiskey".

I am going to pass on this one. No interest in a super-boozey scent. Sounds yucky to me.

 

La Calavera Catrina....."The Lady of the Graveyard! Autumn leaves, wild roses, bourbon vanilla, dry chamomile, and a bouquet of bright chrysanthemums and Mexican marigolds".

Hmmm.....probably a pass for me, just because of the roses, but I wouldn't mind sniffing it if the opportunity presented.

 

Le Revenant....."A shroud of gardenia, narcissus, and sandalwood with ambrette seed, white cognac, muguet, davana, and white musk".

Hmmm.....probably not for me, but I am attracted to the elegant vibe.

 

Mictecacihuatl 2011..."Copal, precious woods, South American spices, agave nectar, cigar tobacco, and roses".

I tried this before and it's not bad, but just a little too much rose for me to truly enjoy. Pass for now.

 

Nothing But Death....."A dark purple river swelling with tears of rain, damp violets, and specks of bone thick with green scents that speak of mortality: black dried fruits, opopponax, moss, violet leaf and petal, tobacco absolute, saltwater accord, niaouli, and brushed sage".

Hmm, more purple incense-y chic? With saltwater? Sounds very interesting, but I think a decant first would be prudent!

 

October 2011...."Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air".

I love October, have a bottle from the first time it was released, and just never wear it, for some stupid reason. I'm tempted to get another bottle but I think it might be edged out by other new stuff.

 

Pumpkin Latte 2011...."Espresso, pumpkin syrup, smoky vanilla bean, milk, raw sugar, and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg".

I have a decant from last year and I think I tried it twice. Maybe I should try it again but it's not the kind of scent I'm after this year. It was too strong and sweet.

 

Pumpkin Princess....."Bright, sweet pumpkin with vanilla fluff, guava, chocolate-dusted white amber, tiare, red currant, raw honey, and meringue".

So cute! I'd love a decant, but I know I don't need a whole bottle.

 

Samhain 2011...."Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein".

I have been thinking about another bottle for my collection, one of the few scents that I have multiple bottles (and decants, too). I don't wear it much but it truly is....the scent of autumn itself. Probably one of my top 5 bpal scents, ever.

 

Samhainophobia 2011....."Menacing Haitian vetiver, patchouli, and clove with a shock of bourbon geranium, grim oakmoss, and dread-inspiring balsams pierce the innocuous scent of autumn leaves".

I have a bottle from 2006, and I have worn it quite a few times, and always end up getting tired of it. It's very strong and lasts and lasts. There's something not quite right to me, and maybe it's the geranium, because I usually don't like that note. Who knows, but I think I'll pass.

 

Sonnet D'Automne...."Tenebrous Love: a shivering white musk with vanilla-infused white cocoa, amber incense, and dead, dry leaves".

Oh, this sounds beautiful. In my mind I'm convinced that it will be great! Seriously thinking of a whole bottle, unsniffed.

 

The Vampire Bride...."Icy skin touched by a perfume of violet leaf, white tea, olibanum, elemi, myrrh, wormwood, crypt dust, and saffron with a dribble of blood red musk".

Hmmm, very interesting, but I'm having trouble imagining how those notes will all fit together. I'm intrigued. I may have to find a decant.

 

The Nymphae Avernales...."The nymphs of the Underworld: pomegranate, lilac musk, red rose, red sandalwood, honey, and frankincense".

I am not a big fan of pomegranate, and with the red rose I guess I can skip this one.

 

Regina Erebi...."The Queen of Hell: pomegranate, spear mint, black mulberry, and myrrh".

I'm weirdly attracted to this, even though I don't like the smell of spearmint, and myrrh is about the only note listed that I do like. Thinking about a decant, for some strange reason.

 

Askalaphos...."The daimon that tends the orchards of the Underworld: pomegranate, wonder-flowers, asphodel, and black soil".

I am pretty sure I can pass on this one!

 

The Silver Apple Of The Moon...."White apple with orris, agave nectar, moonflower, white sandalwood, and lotus root".

Not a big fan of apple scents, but I do like white sandalwood, and I think I like moonflower but I'm not sure. Sounds like it could be soapy or too floral. I'm undecided on this one.

 

The Golden Apple Of The Sun...."Golden apple with amber, hibiscus, carnation, frankincense, golden spiced tea, ginger, and champaca flower".

Mixed feeling on this one....I like the list of notes but at the same time, I feel like it's a kind of scent I've smelled before and never end up liking much. Undecided.

 

The Black Apple Of Saturn...."Dried Arkansas black apple, opoponax, cypress, myrrh, tobacco absolute, quince, black musk, and galbanum".

The most interesting of the apple scents to me, this is a possible decant. Not sure yet.

 

The Green Apple Of Venus...."Sweet green apple, apple blossom, sweet strawberry, pink pomegranate, violet leaf, tea rose, and red sandalwood".

Never have wanted a scent with strawberry, and not a fan of tea rose either. I shall pass!

 

The Glittering Apple Of The Stars...."Heirloom Malus, ylang ylang, white and blue musks, crystallized vanilla, tiare, frangipani, and bergamot".

Not much of interest to me here. I'll skip it.

 

The Changeling...."Blonde wood, linen swaddling, pumpkin rind, and bourbon vanilla".

I'm kind of interested in how these play together, and I may seek out a decant.

 

Death Embraces A Young Maiden...."Three dry white sandalwoods with gurjum balsam, guiac wood, ambergris accord, and tea rose".

Gurjum balsam sounds like something that has turned out bad before, and paired with tea rose I'm going to say........pass.

 

Expressive Head...."Teakwood, patchouli, green pepper, clove, white cognac, vetiver, and champaca absolute".

Wow. That's quite an image! And quite a weird list of notes. Maybe a decant.

 

Garden Of Death...."A harvest of plants that symbolize death in myriad cultures: belladonna accord, iris petals, red poppy, acanthus, manioc, parsley, yam, urd bean,

chrysanthemum, acacia, and cypress wood rooted in dark, rich loam".

Hmmm....I dunno. Sounds very complex and I'm not really feelin' it, for some reason. But for all I know it might be awesome. Undecided.

 

An Incubus Leaving Two Sleeping Women...."Vanilla-infused white honey, magnolia, skin musk, ylang ylang, and beeswax with patchouli, olibanum, kurundu, and a feral brown musk".

Ylang ylang and brown musk are a turn off, and together the whole list of notes sounds....odd to me. Undecided for sure but probably I will pass.

 

La Morte: Mon ironie depasse toutes les autres!....."Pomegranate accord, red rose accord, opopponax, benzoin, champaca flowers, and star anise".

Not really interested in pomegranate and rose.

 

The Mandrake Charm...."Mandrake root, olibanum, myrrh, hyssop, basil linalool, and lemongrass".

I think I'll probably pass, but I'm not completely sure. It could be great. Sounds kind of like a spring scent to me? Come to think of it, a lot of these Halloweenies sound kind of springy. Undecided.

 

Muse Of The Night...."A soft, resinous indigo musk with black currant, ylang ylang, Tunisian jasmine, opoponax, rose otto, benzoin, Tahitian vanilla bean, and opium tar".

That painting is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. But I just can't get excited about the notes. I might have to get a decant just because I love the art.

 

The Night Hag Visiting The Lapland Witches...."Black sandalwood, woodsmoke, Terebinth pine, blue cypress, styrax, frankincense, chamomile maroc, and nutmeg".

This is the kind of thing I was after last year, and before that....but now it makes me think of The Montauk Project which I never wear. Undecided but I may get a decant.

 

Nightmare...."Vanilla-soaked linen accord with lavender, opium poppy, Moroccan jasmine, golden amber, white honey, and blackened fruit gums".

Ah yes, a very familiar painting, it reminds me of the movie Gothic. This is what I love about all the Salon scents....I want to smell this concept in a perfume. Might be a decant.

 

Post-Mortem Laureatus...."White sandalwood and twining ivy".

I always love the idea of the dual-note scents! And I happen to like these two notes, so this is absolutely worth a try. Probably a decant.

 

Sentimental Initiation...."Red and black musks with bamboo, myrrh, bitter clove, patchouli, vanilla orchid, and king mandarin".

Could be great but I don't know....I might like a decant just to try. The notes sound like they don't really go together for some reason. Maybe a decant.

 

The Triumph Of Death...."East Indian black patchouli, red sandalwood, dark musk, peru balsam, ambrette seed, vetiver, and ambergris accord".

The list of notes does sound great, except I think balsam sometimes turns against me. Still, this is definitely worth a try and I might get a decant.

 

The Gorobble....."A scent redolent of the crusty exterior of burnt marshmallows".

Strange....interesting.....kind of want a decant, but my decant list is getting long.....

 

The Seekim...."Cacao absolute, hay, black pepper, patchouli, and incense ash".

Another very interesting list of notes. I may have to try it. Sounds clever and weird, maybe something really different.

 

The Ta-Ta...."Boiled leather, carnation blossom, coffee absolute, and tobacco".

More weird notes.....this one is not calling to me. The notes don't sound good together but I will watch reviews.

 

The Two-Tailed Sogg...."Pink grapefruit, swamp moss, green musk, orris root, cypress, and honey".

More weirdness. Maybe not for me.

 

The Wiley Grasser...."Pine needles, wildflowers, and cotton candy".

Too, too weird. I kind of want to sniff this but I doubt I'd end up liking it? Maybe??

 

The Zoom...."Lime juice, bergamot, Himalayan cedarwood, helichrysum, and dragon’s blood resin".

Okay, getting to the end of this breakdown and my mind is a little worn out from all the possibilities!! This one is just not calling to me. Not a huge fan of cedar and I don't really feel like a citrus scent right now. I'll watch reviews and perhaps change my mind.

 

Blood Moon 2011...."A Lunacy inspired by the magnificently morbid fantasies of Edgar Allan Poe: laudanum-stained linen scented by an ink-smeared tobacco musk and phantom bloodstains illuminated by monstrous moonlight".

Blood Moon has been hit-and-miss for me, and this one looks to be totally unrelated to the previous ones? So, I'm just not sure. This is one of those wild cards that I may order at the last minute just because I don't want it to get past me. I am attracted by the description, I have to admit.