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Showing results for tags 'Halloween 2010'.
Found 40 results
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This season's Ridiculous Scent! Creepy like Creepy and as spooky as Spooky, this is the scent of a black cherry and coconut amaretto confection gently laced with saffron. OMG.. Yum! In the bottle .. when I sniffed it, I closed my eyes and said ‘yum’ … it’s a delicious almond note.. like amaretto… on the skin it’s even more gorgeous. The saffron is stunning in this. It’s a sweet cherry scent with the elegance of the saffron keeping it in line and at the very end, I get a tasty coconut! Love this! It’s very me. However, it sure doesn’t stick around! It ends up being something super soft.. almost a skin scent. I can't barely smell it now.
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BOO Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream. :ghost: This scent, for me, was exactly the same in the bottle, wet and dry on me. That's a first! The sugar and cotton are the two strong notes, with the cream adding a wonderful richness without being overpowering. I'm glad to see cream take a backseat for once, on my skin it usually turns sour. The cotton is fresh, clean, line dried in crisp spring air sheets that haven't been washed with scented detergent. It's sweet, but doesn't scream FOOD, but it does smell eerily like a marshmallow. Not a toasted marshmallow, just a straight out of the bag puffy white marshmallow. One of my favorites from the '09 Weenies, if not my favorite. :ghost:
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Puffy clouds of pumpkin candyfloss with a trickle of blackberry juice. What? I live all the way in New Jersey and I'm the first to review this? So I'm a notorious pumpkinphile, as some of you may know. Given that, it's probably no surprise this was one of the first Weenies I scrambled to order this year.In the bottle and wet, it seems to be just spiced pumpkin; it really needs some time on the drydown to reveal itself as "blue pumpkin floss" as opposed to strictly (still pretty damned delicious) spiced pumpkin. I have this dabbed on one arm and the proto on the other; I find the released to be sweeter and richer than the proto, with a more buttery pumpkin note (as opposed to the more squashy/fresh pumpkin of the proto) and more pronounced candyfloss and blackberry notes. Also, the proto seems to have more spice while the released seems to have no more than a pinch if at all (I do detect what may be a dash of cinnamon). The blackberry is not one of those cloyingly sweet and/or artificial berry scents at all but a real true-to-life dark, tart blackberry that adds a tart edge and even a wicked dash of evil to the sweet buttery pumpkin. The tartness of the blackberry also counteracts the sweetness of the pumpkin and candyfloss, with the candyfloss acting as a sugary support base for the two, not overtaking either of them but rather balancing them out on puffy sugary clouds as the description suggests. All in all it's a dentist's nightmare with a distinctly autumnal feel, which in a scent (for me at least) is an extremely good thing. If you're as crazy about pumpkin as I am, or just a foodie in general, don't miss out on this one because it's a uniquely delicious and very craveable variation on our favorite spooky gourd. :pheart:
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PUMPKIN LATTE Espresso, pumpkin syrup, smoky vanilla bean, milk, raw sugar, and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Fresh from the mailbox. In the bottle: Mmm! Pumpkin with a hint of spices and a whisper of vanilla coffee. It's not super sweet. Wet on skin: Pumpkin again, of course! ^^ But I'm getting more of the cinnamon and nutmeg coming up. Dry: Pumpkin has settled down with the spices and vanilla nicely. The espresso is giving this a deep, rich almost nutty note. The cream and sugar add a milky sweetness. Later: PL stays pretty much the same for the rest of the day. Maybe with just a little bit more of the spices coming up again, but they aren't too hot or biting. Overall: This is an OMG!scent. Makes up for any regrets I had not getting PPV last year. I resniffed my decant and honestly, Pumpkin Latte puts that one in dust by PL's awesomeness. I am seriously considering another bottle of this, which I rarely do. If you're afraid of the pumpkin or coffee notes, I'd say don't be. This is a well rounded creamy spice scent with just enough sweetness to keep the spices from misbehaving. I've had it on my skin for a short time and already am completely smitten.
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On All Saints Day, Spanish families visit their loved ones in the cemeteries, keeping vigil throughout the evening, saying prayers for the dead. Family burial plots are cleaned and tended, and graves are adorned with gladiolas, chrysanthemums, and roses. Bone-shaped pastries called Saint's Bones, or the Bones of the Holy, are baked and shared in honor of the souls in Purgatory, and to remind us of those who no longer share our repast, but with whom we one day hope to be reunited with again. Orange-glazed cake, dotted with anise seed, and filled with custard, set beside a bouquet of celebratory funeral flowers. Hello deliciousness! This smells just like orange poppyseed cake with a thick layer of custard cream in the middle. (it also kind reminded me of the dry smell of orange fruit loops) This is the first bpal that has any kind of "cake" scent that works for me. All the others made me sneeze. But this is just wonderful without being cloyingly sweet. Nom
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A circular pastry glazed with pink sugar that symbolizes the sweetness of life and the certainty of death. OMG num. I put this on, and then wandered around, and it was the strongest thing on my arm. Really pink and happy, it sat on my skin for two hours with a strong scent before it started to wane, and then took quite a few more hours to fade. It reminds me a lot of the pink scent from I fell in love with a floating brain, but Golletes is sweeter. Sugar rush, here I come!
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POMEGRANATE IV Pomegranate, cognac, red musk, cocoa, tobacco absolute, star anise, and thyme. So: I opened my bottle of Pomegranate IV, cautiously sniffed, squee'd (thus frightening the cat out of the room), and immediately slathered myself. I am really into this and don't think I will regret buying a 5ml unsniffed at all. After ordering, I began getting concerned about the cocoa (which almost never works on me) and then even more concerned when Will Call reviews were like "Woah chocolate!" but I am actually not getting a lot of chocolate from this. There is a hint of dry cocoa powder hovering around the base of the scent, but it's mostly a tart pomegranate/silky red musk blend with a bit of dark, brown, smoky spice and anise. It's ever-so-slightly foody, but not in an obvious way. It's one that would be difficult to place in a "family" or category. Reminds me of a lighter, sweeter version of Mme. Moriarty (no patch, less musk, stronger pom)-- they could be cousins. Also reminds me a little of BBW "Midnight Pomegranate" but smoother and richer. I am seriously so excited about this one. For me, it totally makes up for the lack of a Pumpkin Patch. It is in no way a "traditional" autumn scent full of mulling spices and such, but to me it resonates as autumnal on an emotional level. I am going to bathe in this this fall. ETA: Oh, just noticed the thick layer of Boomslang-like cocoa sediment lurking at the bottom of the bottle. I did roll this bottle around before applying and there's some cloudiness, but I obviously didn't mix in all the heavy chocolately oil. Which is probably why I'm not getting the full force of cocoa. I'll try it again after a serious mixing, but considering I like it so much this way, I may end up deliberately avoiding integrating the chocolate too much....
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Based on a venerable French pontifical incense blend: monastic frankincense and myrrh, Damascus rose, Russian gardenia, cassia, and lily of the valley wafting on a chill Autumn wind. A celebration of the glory and suffering of the saints and matryrs of the Church. I tottered over to Black Broom to get this lovely - so glad i did! Bear with me, I really cant figure out why i love this so much, but it is really comforting and delicious! out of the bottle - smells just like Harvest Moon when you put it on - the part where it deepens into chocolatey dark corny bread. uhoh, i am hoping this isnt a mislabel! but its definately different from Harvest Moon out of the bottle, darker, softer. upon wearing - de - li - ci -ous!!!!! Its very dark and soft, i cant pick out any particular notes just see in my mind dark wood moulding, marble floor, woolen suits and maybe a little tobacco drydown - It gets a little lighter, like the florals are making a last desperate attempt to push their way through the dark softness, but then settles into a lovely softness, much like velvet but darker and smoother and lighter (is that possible! yes it is!). It has lasted a really long time on me, i put it on like 4 hours ago and i still can a sniffasniff.... This is my FAVORITE oil to date. I cannot stop sniffing my wrist in the most obsessive way! I also must state that this smells NOTHING like what i thought it would from the description!! I didnt immediatly order this when the LEs were announced because i was a little scared of the rose and gardenia aspect of All Saints - I have been having bad luck with florals lately - but whatever the "Autumn Chill" is seems like what helps it mix into something so indescibably formal, delicious and comforting! I wish it was cooler here, this is what i want my turtleneck sweaters to smell like, and makes me want to wear my glasses and a bun in my hair. In a sexy librarian way, of course! edited to add: i wore it again today and its less foody, more resinous, im feeling the church thing a lot more now. I realized that it reminds me exactly of that Claire McCardell Monastic dress, brown jersey with a hood from the 40's, severe and sexy but tres formal. Still hard to pick out any notes. Still feels lovely formal and soft, and yes, monastic.
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Ay, thou art welcome, heaven's delicious breath! When woods begin to wear the crimson leaf, And suns grow meek, and the meek suns grow brief And the year smiles as it draws near its death. Wind of the sunny south! oh, still delay In the gay woods and in the golden air, Like to a good old age released from care, Journeying, in long serenity, away. In such a bright, late quiet, would that I Might wear out life like thee, 'mid bowers and brooks And dearer yet, the sunshine of kind looks, And music of kind voices ever nigh; And when my last sand twinkled in the glass, Pass silently from men, as thou dost pass. Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air. This is the scent I've looked forward to - some of my favorite autumn smells, all rolled into a single perfume. In the bottle, this was sharp and masculine. Ooo, very sharp. Wet, it transformed immediately to the scent of mouldering leaves, with an overtone of men's cologne. Dry, the throw is all wet, decaying leaves (which I find quite pleasant), but unfortunately, when I bring my wrist to my nose, all I smell is cheap men's cologne and a whiff of musk. On the whole, I think my skin chemistry has played me false once more.
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THE INFERNAL LOVER She ceased. While She spoke, a thousand opposing sentiments combated in Ambrosio's bosom. Surprise at the singularity of this adventure, Confusion at her abrupt declaration, Resentment at her boldness in entering the Monastery, and Consciousness of the austerity with which it behooved him to reply, such were the sentiments of which He was aware; But there were others also which did not obtain his notice. He perceived not, that his vanity was flattered by the praises bestowed upon his eloquence and virtue; that He felt a secret pleasure in reflecting that a young and seemingly lovely Woman had for his sake abandoned the world, and sacrificed every other passion to that which He had inspired: Still less did He perceive that his heart throbbed with desire, while his hand was pressed gently by Matilda's ivory fingers. —The Monk, MG Lewis A creamy, sensual, honeyed red musk. Oh, wow, am I really the first to review? I've been on a honey + musk kick lately (I'm looking at you, Judith and Holofernes), so this was the Halloweenie scent that I knew I had to try. Wet, on the skin and in the bottle, it smells sharp and a bit perfumey. This, I think, is the red musk; while I've not smelled that on its own, it smells very reminiscent of the wet stages of other scents that reviews often identify as red musky (I'm thinking of LaFlamme, here). The oil itself is a rich, dark color, that stains my pale skin a bit, but I don't mind! As it dries, the honey comes out a bit and sweetens things up, but I'm surprised to see that it's not really a strong presence in this one. The musk really does predominate on me (not too surprising, since I seem to amp lighter musks--why not these, as well?) though it loses the sharpness and, as it smooths out, sits closer to the skin, making it a very sexy scent in part because I think it is a very intimate one, the sort of thing that someone is only going to smell if you two are in, ahem, very close quarters--not so much a seductive scent as one for when you've already been seduced. The verdict: I like it. It stays almost entirely musk, and very little honey on me, so I may hang onto it for a bit and see if the honey comes out a bit more with aging (I'm telling you, me and Beth's honey note have really got somethin' goin' on, if you know what I mean) but even now, it dries down to something really lovely on my skin. Edited to add: I've been wearing this, well, every day since it arrived, and I think it's not quite right to characterize the wet stages, or even the red musk itself as "sharp"--it is, but more and more, I notice this juicy side to it as well, as though the "red" in red musk is owed partly to some sort of delicious, ripe, red fruit--plum, berries, something. Really nice.
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Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. I am nervous to be the first here but everyone is clamoring for a review. In the bottle: This smells like opening a new package of brown sugar- deep, fresh, bright. It reminds me of bartending and making my own simple syrup on the stove-top before work. When the sugar becomes heated and begins to boil, the scent rises up like this. Mmmm...almost like the crusted shell of a freshly-made creme brulee. On my arm and wrist: Whoa! This is suddenly taking on a new shape and I am falling in love There is a snap to the smell now that was undiscernableb/f in the bottle. Its almost spicy and definitely gives an edge to the sugar smell. I keep on sniffing my arm, wanting to smell it agian and again. It reminds me of something...hmm...what is it?? Kinda reminds me of Demeter's Snow fragrance which is clean and makes you feel pure and happy. Except that this being Bpal, it is far more complex and provocative. Something in this smell makes me think of Big Red gum but I don't know why...I don't get a cinnamon hit off this oil but I keep coming back to this impression. A few hours later: This has mellowed but is still going strong. Now, it reminds me of marzipan with maybe a hint of mint or something refreshing like that in it. I love it! This one has really surprised me...I generally don't go in for the sweet scents but this one has bite and legs must be the "skull" in the "sugar"!
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ALL SOULS A day of remembrance and intercession. Without the prayers and sacrifices of their families and loved ones, the faithful departed may not be cleansed of their venal sins, and thereby cannot attain beatific vision. On November 2nd, prayers are sung and offerings are made to aid lost souls in transcending purgatory. An incense blend that invokes the higher qualities of mercy and compassion, mingled with the soft, sugared currant scent of offertory soul cakes. When I first put this on, I could mainly smell soft incense. I thought that it was my imagination until I re-read the description. I can smell buttery cake notes in the background, but mostly I smell soft incense and what I think is the currant note, rather sharp coming out from behind the incense. My skin will tend to amp the sweet, but maybe others will smell more of the foody notes. I think that this is a lovely combination of foody and incensy, which for me is the best of both worlds
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PUNKIE NIGHT Once upon a time, on a wild October night many years ago, a fair took place at Chiselborough. The men of the village of Hinton St. George made their way to the fair, and spent the night in revelry, drinking and carrying on, far into the darkest hours. Their wives grew concerned, and went looking for their unruly husbands. In order to see their way through the autumn gloom, they hollowed out mangel-wurzels and crafted them into makeshift lanterns. The drunken men, in their sloshy haze, saw the ghostly lights approaching, and believed them to be goolies -- the furious spirits of unbaptized children. In terror, they fled in panic from their bemused, bewildered wives. To this day, that night of foolishness is still celebrated! This is a light-hearted scent: apple orchards, bright cranberries, and a touch of warm cider. APPLES APPLES APPLES! This is such a yummy scent...I want to take a bite out of my arm! When this was wet it was all apple on my skin. As it dried I got a little bit of fruit, cherries? (Nope once I looked it up I realized it was cranberries) and just the tiniest hint of spice. When dry it smells just like my house when I put a pot of cider on to simmer. Yummy, yummy, yummy!!!! I'm so happy with my choices for the Haloweenie scents! Thanks Beth for such great fall scents...it's my favorite time of year and now I can smell like it!
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According to William Shepard Walsh, the Gentleman's Magazine for May of 1784 stated, "this is a constant ingredient at merrymaking on Holy Eve." He also quotes Vallancey's etymological speculation: "The first day of November was dedicated to the angel presiding over fruits, seeds, etc., and was therefore named La Mas Ubhal, -- that is, the day of the apple fruit, -- and being pronounced Lamasool, the English have corrupted the name to Lambs-wool." A popular holy day beverage in 18th century Ireland: roasted apples mashed into warmed milk and ale, with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, and clove. bottle: softly sweet, warm spiced milk. this is not the same jarring milk note that i get from milk moon 2007 though, it's far more soft. wet: i can definitely smell the ale as this warms a bit on my skin. it's not "boozy" per se, just there. i get the mashed apple scent too. the milk and spices have faded quite a bit to be almost just a faint trace. dry: very lovely. the milk note creeps back in after about 15-20 minutes and mixes well with the apple. this reminds me of baked apples, filled with oatmeal and spices and covered in cream. (edited for spelling idiocy)
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DIA DE LOS ÑATITAS On November 8, the indigenous people of Bolivia share the day with the bones of their ancestors, a custom that has its roots in pre-Columbian Quechua / Aymara spiritual practise. Each person has seven souls, and one stays with the skull after a person dies. The seventh souls can visit loved ones in dreams, grant aid in times of need, perform miracles, and are empowered to bring bounty to the spirit's descendants. The skulls of a person's deceased ancestors are cleaned, blessed, and sanctified, and are brought home to reside with their living relatives. On the Day of the Skulls, these souls are honored, and thanks is given for the blessings they have granted in the previous year. Their skulls are taken from the home altars they reside in to a graveyard in order to receive a mass blessing. They are crowned with colorful knitted caps or gorgeous rings of fresh flowers, are given offerings of food, cocoa leaves, sweets, alcohol, and cigarettes, and are serenaded by street musicians. Hydrangea blossoms and rose petals, cigarette smoke, cocoa leaves, and chichi. i think i'm gonna like this one - it smells mellow, not at all sharp, and very unlike any other scents that i own. i think i'm smelling more hydrangea than rose - it gives the feeling of a "floral water" in its mellowness. like smelling blossoms outside, by a creek, very light and natural, not high-pitched. almost an orange-y tinge, like orange blossom water, in feeling...if i had to pin it down, but it's a floral i'm not familiar with - must be the hydrangea. i get more of the cigarette smoke from the bottle, and not so much on my skin, but whatever the smoke is doing, it's not an "ashtray-ish" feeling, as much as the very faint lingering of someone's cigarette in night air, and just adds a "dusky" quality, if that makes any sense. i don't smoke cigarettes, but love the smell and idea of tobacco as an offering, and it's more of that feeling. there's also something vaguely fruity or fermented, like raisins almost - think this might be chichi. there is a faint chocolate-iness as well, blending w/ the tobacco...dunno, this one's hard to describe - it's more atmospheric than note-y, if that makes any sense - in other words, very blended into one thing - for me this will be very wearable, as it feels watery - which i love, and not sharp, but mellow in tone. really like this one!!
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Clever little satirical poems in the style of epitaphs written to tease the living and ease grief over a loved one's passing. Xocolatl, tequila, copal incense, smoke-dried jalapeños, vanilla pods, and cajeta. I was initially afraid this wasn't going to like me, because peppers and me have a bad history, but such a surprise!! It was a strong vanilla, with a bit of pepper underneath. I kept sniffing it going.....wow.....does this seriously work, and it does!!! But the decant circle i'm in is full on this scent......;_; I will have to do some digging to get this!!! I need it!! It's soft, and spicy, and that usually doesn't happen!
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POMEGRANATE III Pomegranate, Tamil Nadu sandalwood, lavender, tamarind, hazelnut, Atlas cedarwood, sugar date, bitter clove, and Arabian myrrh. In bottle: This is sharp and dry and definitely Autumnal. The cederwood evokes wooden barrels. This is pleasantly bitter, yet sweet and spicy. Each element adds a special spin to the whole. The hazelnut is the least distinct, but all elements add to the special old time general store in autumn feel of this. I’m particularly impressed by the way the tamarind, lavender, and clove play with each other in this, but it’s all lovely and all unexpected. Wet: The myrrh is less friendly on my skin and the cedar sharper, but the strengthening of the pomegranate, date, and tamarind help it find a new balance with my natural skin chemistry. It’s still not as lovely as it was in the bottle, but it’s trying very hard. Dry: cloved pomegranate mostly, with hints of the others, enough to retain interest. It’s a bit desiccated, but it still works.
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ECCLESIASTICAL EXCESSES Hark, Ambrosio, while I unveil your crimes! You have shed the blood of two innocents; Antonia and Elvira perished by your hand. That Antonia whom you violated, was your Sister! That Elvira whom you murdered, gave you birth! Tremble, abandoned Hypocrite! Inhuman Parricide! Incestuous Ravisher! Tremble at the extent of your offences! And you it was who thought yourself proof against temptation, absolved from human frailties, and free from error and vice! Is pride then a virtue? Is inhumanity no fault? Know, vain Man! That I long have marked you for my prey: I watched the movements of your heart; I saw that you were virtuous from vanity, not principle, and I seized the fit moment of seduction. I observed your blind idolatry of the Madonna's picture. I bade a subordinate but crafty spirit assume a similar form, and you eagerly yielded to the blandishments of Matilda. Your pride was gratified by her flattery; Your lust only needed an opportunity to break forth; You ran into the snare blindly, and scrupled not to commit a crime which you blamed in another with unfeeling severity. It was I who threw Matilda in your way; It was I who gave you entrance to Antonia's chamber; It was I who caused the dagger to be given you which pierced your Sister's bosom; and it was I who warned Elvira in dreams of your designs upon her Daughter, and thus, by preventing your profiting by her sleep, compelled you to add rape as well as incest to the catalogue of your crimes. Hear, hear, Ambrosio! Had you resisted me one minute longer, you had saved your body and soul. The guards whom you heard at your prison door came to signify your pardon. But I had already triumphed: My plots had already succeeded. Scarcely could I propose crimes so quick as you performed them. You are mine, and Heaven itself cannot rescue you from my power. Hope not that your penitence will make void our contract. Here is your bond signed with your blood; You have given up your claim to mercy, and nothing can restore to you the rights which you have foolishly resigned. Believe you that your secret thoughts escaped me? No, no, I read them all! You trusted that you should still have time for repentance. I saw your artifice, knew its falsity, and rejoiced in deceiving the deceiver! You are mine beyond reprieve: I burn to possess my right, and alive you quit not these mountains. —The Monk, MG Lewis Faustian depravity: daemonorops, rose-infused frankincense, vetiver, mate absolute, and clove bud. I really hoped that since this has so many notes of WIN for me (daemondrops, vetiver, clove, frankincense) that Ecclesiastical Excesses would be a spicy incense perfume with just a hint of rose. Once again, rose takes over everything else and amps to !SOAP! After the drydown, it has mellowed to a frankincense-rose blend, but nothing more. Disappointed.
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FLOR DE MUERTO The orange marigold, or zempasúchitl, has been one of Death's symbols since the pre-Columbian era. The yellow and orange petals are believed to represent the rays of the sun, bringing joy and light to the souls dwelling in the realm of the dead. These flowers surround Day of the Dead altars to guide the spirits to their offerings. out of the bottle this smells quite incredible - a very singular floral note, sweet and nectar-ish, golden in tone - it has a pure, light feeling to it. on my skin, i'm feeling this even more - it has a bit of spice, in the way that carnations have their own spiciness, but it's not like carnation - it really does have a sunny, uplifting quality to it, and very natural. wow. i can really smell the petals....and it's slightly dusky, but light somehow, while still having depth....this one really pulls you into it's flowery zone, it smells so realistic. LOVE THIS! it could work on a little girl or a mature woman.
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ODD PORTENTS "Isaac, you dreamed your ill dream on this Wednesday morning. What time was it when you saw the fair woman with the knife in her hand?" Isaac reflected on what the landlord had said when they had passed by the clock on his leaving the inn; allowed as nearly as he could for the time that must have elapsed between the unlocking of his bedroom door and the paying of his bill just before going away, and answered. "Somewhere about two o'clock in the morning." His mother suddenly quitted her hold of his neck, and struck her hands together with a gesture of despair. "This Wednesday is your birthday, Isaac, and two o'clock in the morning was the time when you were born." —Brother Morgan's Story of the Dream-Woman, Wilkie Collins Black rose, olibanum, dark musk, myrrh, blackcurrant, lavender buds, bourbon geranium, and amber incense. Odd indeed! Portents in here are amazing. There is fruit in this. Black currant is peeking through along with the lavendar with the barest hints of rose. There is something fruity, dark, and sensual about this. I don't smell the myrrh or the black musk. Everything is so well blended that nothing dominates. It's just kind of all mish mashed in there to create this heavenly scent. This is definitely a keeper!
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NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. Dewy green leaves colored by Moroccan amber, ginseng, and rooibos. In bottle: This is a tangy, enticing, green leaf sort of scent. It should smell like high end shampoo, but it doesn’t. The ginseng it to feisty, the leaves are too fierce. The tea and amber are lovely in this, warm and friendly. It makes one thing of sitting on the porch watching rain fall through trees while sipping tea. It’s more than the sum of it’s parts. Wet: It smoothes out on the skin, but keeps the characteristic tang and the fierceness of the leaves. I can think of no other scent quite like it. It is unexpected and riveting. Dry: Softer, less complex. Leaf dominant, with a ginseng kick and some soft amber in the background. It’s nice, but less stunning than it was new.
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HALLOWEEN: NEW ORLEANS I’ve spent many, many Halloweens in New Orleans. To me, it is the most beautiful, most imperfectly perfect city in the world. My strongest memory is of sitting on the banks of the Mississippi in the arms of my someday husband, the sounds of revelry in the distance, enveloped by the scent of water, moss, and sweet olive. The distinctive scent of the Mississippi at night mingling with sweet olive and Spanish moss. It's not the humid decay of the overgrown Bayou - this is the manicured city itself. The moss is light and sweet olive tree almost floral, giving this a bright, lemony kind of vibe. Because the scent is based on a happy memory, it doesn't surprise me that her scent memory is glorious, clear, bright and fresh. It's a memory of a quiet, unpeopled space save for the lovers looking past the trees into the water. I love it. In bottle: The moss is sharp, rising over gentle olive and a thick dark vaguely ozoney aquatic. I can’t decide if I like it, but I’m fascinated never the less. Wet: Warmer and spicier. I know there is no citrus listed, but it feels the way lemon smells, only dirty. The citrus effect is strong enough to overwhelm most of the rest of it, though I can still pick out moss and olive. Dry: Dry moss and olive with wet, dark swirling aquatic. The aquatic is dominant, modified by the plants. It’s a bit unsettling.
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THE DECREPIT HOUSE During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher. I know not how it was; but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because poetic, sentiment, with which the mind usually receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or terrible. I looked upon the scene before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain—upon the bleak walls—upon the vacant eye-like windows—upon a few rank sedges—and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees—with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveler upon opium—the bitter lapse into every-day life—the hideous dropping off of the veil. There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart—an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime. What was it—I paused to think—what was it that so unnerved me in the contemplation of the House of Usher? It was a mystery all insoluble; nor could I grapple with the shadowy fancies that crowded upon me as I pondered. I was forced to fall back upon the unsatisfactory conclusion that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural objects which have the power of thus affecting us, still the analysis of this power lies among considerations beyond our depth. It was possible, I reflected, that a mere different arrangement of the particulars of the scene, of the details of the picture, would be sufficient to modify, or perhaps to annihilate its capacity for sorrowful impression; and, acting upon this idea, I reined my horse to the precipitous brink of a black and lurid tarn that lay in unruffled luster by the dwelling, and gazed down—but with a shudder even more thrilling than before—upon the remodeled and inverted images of the gray sedge, and the ghastly tree stems, and the vacant and eye-like windows. —The Fall of the House of Usher, EA Poe An architectural doppelganger reflecting a ruined soul: dilapidated planks of mahogany and cypress wood perched feebly on a grim foundation of long-dead leaves, black musk, patchouli, galbanum, tobacco absolute, fragonia, and oakmoss. The scent of sweet, sun warmed, aged wood, with a smoky, musky, autumnal kind of backdrop. Its not sharp like fresh cut tree, or dusty and prickly like sawdust, nor does it have any mildewy aspects. Its sweet and heady and actually not very decrepit at all.
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HALLOWEEN: SAN FRANCISCO I spent two Halloweens in San Francisco. It was a sad, strange time in my life, as I was still grieving over the death of my father, and the scent of those nights evokes a sense of melancholy for me still. Rain battering leaves that are already soaked by rain, and the salty mist coming from the Pacific. Salt air wafting in from the bay. Rain falling on rain-soaked leaves. The mere fact that this scent exists makes me ridiculously happy. Maybe I should feel a little bad, since the Halloweens that inspired this scent were not Beth's happiest, but that doesn't change the fact that San Francisco is my very favorite of cities. I am madly in love with the place - it's somewhere completely comfortable to me, and I sincerely hope I end up here permanently. I know I'd posted on the forum in the past that I hoped there'd be a San Francisco scent some day, so my squee was over the top when this was released. Honestly, this could have smelled like all of my death notes plus cat litterbox and I still would've ordered it, because it's San Francisco, but even aside from the inspiration, the notes in this sound beautiful. I do well with rain notes and leaf notes, and the description of this is very evocative, even without a mention of the specific cityscape. I admit I haven't been in San Francisco actually on Halloween, but I've been here in all four seasons at some point, and I'm excited to see how this matches up. In the bottle: Absolutely and completely dead on for a pile of wet leaves. Not leaves that are wet and still on trees, but leaves that have fallen and soaked in the rain. Not getting anything but the subtlest hint of the salt air, though. Wet on skin: Wet leaves still, but also rain. It's definitely raining fresh new water on those leaves now. It's a clean and soft rain. The salt air is still very very very subtle, perhaps even more so now that there's the freshwater note. Drydown: Freshly dry, the salt air is a little more obvious. It's still not as strong as the rain or the leaves, but it's back there - and this makes sense, since it's harder to smell the ocean if it's pouring freshwater from the sky. I think the rain note is more prominent than the leaves right now, if anything, but this balance still works beautifully. At one hour in, all three main components are playing well together: rain and wet leaves are pretty evenly balanced, and salt air is subtler over them, but is still present. It's a soft scent, pretty close to the skin, but not actually anywhere near disappearing. Five hours later: Largely the same balance as at one hour. If anything, the saltwater is more prominent now, and the leaves are less prominent, but everything is still there. It's softer than before, but I don't have to sniff hard to tell it's still there. End of the day: Salty air, mostly, with maybe a little rain behind it. No more leaves. Very very soft now. I'm only picking up these notes at this point because I'm shoving my nose on my wrist. Overall: This is a soft, somewhat melancholy, gorgeously evocative scent. It's a blend with distinct components, but in the case of any cityscape - visual or olfactory - it's specific elements rather than a homogeneous whole that really represents the place. I am still so so thrilled with how exactly the opening stages of this smell like piles of wet leaves - I'd say the leaf note is comparable to October or to what I remember of Falling Leaf Moon (though less spicy than the latter), and the rain note is the same one from Visiting the Temple of Auspicious Fortune Alone on the Winter Solstice. At first, to be honest, before the saltwater showed up, that combination didn't so much remind me of San Francisco as of the piles of damp wet leaves I helped rake as a kid in northern Virginia. Once the salt air did come out though - and it's the same salty note as in Phantom Cow of Yerba Buena Island, which totally makes sense, since these scents represent the same Bay - that shifted this to definitely representing a rainy day late in the year in the City by the Bay. My only "complaint," if you could even call it that, is that I wish this had a bit more throw, but I might not be giving that aspect the most fair assessment, since I did wear this through a very busy day (that included walking on the Golden Gate Bridge, riding a cable car, eating chowder in a bread bowl by the wharf, milkshakes in Ghirardelli Square, and general wandering around the Mission District, among other things - really!). But the reason I'd like more throw is because I want to smell this more, and that's because it's gorgeous. San Francisco or no San Francisco, this smells really beautiful. The fact that it represents this City just ices the cake. Thank you so much for this one, Beth!
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THE UNSAVORY GRAVE-DIGGERS "The great thing is not to be afraid. Now, between you and me, I don't want to hang--that's practical; but for all cant, Macfarlane, I was born with a contempt. Hell, God, Devil, right, wrong, sin, crime, and all the old gallery of curiosities --they may frighten boys, but men of the world, like you and me, despise them. Here's to the memory of Gray!" It was by this time growing somewhat late. The gig, according to order, was brought round to the door with both lamps brightly shining, and the young men had to pay their bill and take the road. They announced that they were bound for Peebles, and drove in that direction till they were clear of the last houses of the town; then, extinguishing the lamps, returned upon their course, and followed a by-road toward Glencorse. There was no sound but that of their own passage, and the incessant, strident pouring of the rain. It was pitch dark; here and there a white gate or a white stone in the wall guided them for a short space across the night; but for the most part it was at a foot pace, and almost groping, that they picked their way through that resonant blackness to their solemn and isolated destination. In the sunken woods that traverse the neighbourhood of the burying-ground the last glimmer failed them, and it became necessary to kindle a match and reillumine one of the lanterns of the gig. Thus, under the dripping trees, and environed by huge and moving shadows, they reached the scene of their unhallowed labours. They were both experienced in such affairs, and powerful with the spade; and they had scarce been twenty minutes at their task before they were rewarded by a dull rattle on the coffin lid. At the same moment Macfarlane, having hurt his hand upon a stone, flung it carelessly above his head. The grave, in which they now stood almost to the shoulders, was close to the edge of the plateau of the graveyard; and the gig lamp had been propped, the better to illuminate their labours, against a tree, and on the immediate verge of the steep bank descending to the stream. Chance had taken a sure aim with the stone. Then came a clang of broken glass; night fell upon them; sounds alternately dull and ringing announced the bounding of the lantern down the bank, and its occasional collision with the trees. A stone or two, which it had dislodged in its descent, rattled behind it into the profundities of the glen; and then silence, like night, resumed its sway; and they might bend their hearing to its utmost pitch, but naught was to be heard except the rain, now marching to the wind, now steadily falling over miles of open country. They were so nearly at an end of their abhorred task that they judged it wisest to complete it in the dark. The coffin was exhumed and broken open; the body inserted in the dripping sack and carried between them to the gig; one mounted to keep it in its place, and the other, taking the horse by the mouth, groped along by wall and bush until they reached the wider road by the Fisher's Tryst. Here was a faint, diffused radiancy, which they hailed like daylight; by that they pushed the horse to a good pace and began to rattle along merrily in the direction of the town. They had both been wetted to the skin during their operations, and now, as the gig jumped among the deep ruts, the thing that stood propped between them fell now upon one and now upon the other. At every repetition of the horrid contact each instinctively repelled it with the greater haste; and the process, natural although it was, began to tell upon the nerves of the companions. Macfarlane made some ill-favoured jest about the farmer's wife, but it came hollowly from his lips, and was allowed to drop in silence. Still their unnatural burden bumped from side to side; and now the head would be laid, as if in confidence, upon their shoulders, and now the drenching sackcloth would flap icily about their faces. A creeping chill began to possess the soul of Fettes. He peered at the bundle, and it seemed somehow larger than at first. All over the countryside, and from every degree of distance, the farm dogs accompanied their passage with tragic ululations; and it grew and grew upon his mind that some unnatural miracle had been accomplished, that some nameless change had befallen the dead body, and that it was in fear of their unholy burden that the dogs were howling. "For God's sake," said he, making a great effort to arrive at speech, "for God's sake, let's have a light!" Seemingly Macfarlane was affected in the same direction; for, though he made no reply, he stopped the horse, passed the reins to his companion, got down, and proceeded to kindle the remaining lamp. They had by that time got no farther than the cross-road down to Auchenclinny. The rain still poured as though the deluge were returning, and it was no easy matter to make a light in such a world of wet and darkness. When at last the flickering blue flame had been transferred to the wick and began to expand and clarify, and shed a wide circle of misty brightness round the gig, it became possible for the two young men to see each other and the thing they had along with them. The rain had moulded the rough sacking to the outlines of the body underneath; the head was distinct from the trunk, the shoulders plainly modelled; something at once spectral and human riveted their eyes upon the ghastly comrade of their drive. —The Body-Snatchers, RL Stevenson An unearthed oakwood coffin, cemetery weeds, and a hint of booze. In bottle: Mmmmm….the dark liquor and old wood combination is strong, rich, and heady,. This is exactly what I hoped for. The sharpness of the weeds, gives this lovely blend teeth. I’m in love already and it hasn’t touched my skin. Wet: it’s not quite as lovely as in the bottle, but close. I can’t think of a blend with wood this wonderful, and the booze is softer here, but still adds a key sweetness to balance the plants. It’s wonderful, androgynous, and strangely sexy. I can’t stop sniffing it. I want to roll around in it. Dry: Mmmmm… I swear it’s even better. The plants come into their own, adding a real autumnal feel. I can almost swear I smell nitre too, though I think that’s a fungus, so it likely isn’t. The woods only get richer and more lovely and the booze smoothes everything out. Sheer brilliance!
