Hexennacht (2005, 2016)

[janelle_hell]

The Night of the Witches. In the Teutonic calendar, April 30, not October 31, was the night that the witches congregated to celebrate their Work through ecstatic dance, wild music and revelry. The witches fêted with spirits, fairies, and a bevy of otherworldy creatures atop Brockenberg peak in the Harz region of Germany, where they lit an enormous bonfire and cavorted naked until midnight... at which point they donned their robes, boarded their brooms, flying rams and sacred goats, scooped up their cat familiars, and sped off into the night. In later days, it was believed that on this night the witches conjured the devil, who would then select one of them for his bride. This perfume is the scent of the witches' revel: German fir and forest herbs, incense and bonfire smoke, and the wet, glimmering scent of skin warmed by dance.

I was lucky enough to find this at Black Broom today-I'd missed out on it whilst it was offered on the Lab's website. I thought I wouldn't be able to try it but because I was in the right place at the right time,I now have a bottle of it and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!

I've been wanting a pine scent that wasn't too 'masculine' on me (like others I've tried),and this it IT,and more! This isn't 'Christmas-tree' fir;it's more like the smell of walking through a pine forest in the summer. It's a 'warm' smell. And the bonfire/smoke note is absolutely gorgeous! It's not listed in the description,but I'm getting a linden-flower note in this as well. The scent as a whole definitely captures the idea of the description. Now i'm wishing I'd purchased 2 bottles,cos I'll be sad when my 1 bottle runs out!

[heartbeast]

This stuff is amazing. The notes all bloom one by one, in the exact order of the description: Fir, herbs, incense, woodsmoke, and finally a sensual "skin scent". Next time I wear it, I'm going to listen to Moussorsgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain", because not only is it inspired by the same source, the notes steal in and build exactly the same way. The final drydown, hours later, is a luscious herbal smokey skin-scent, like cuddling, sated, with your favorite avatar of the Horned One after a night of wild ritual, wild dancing, and wild sex--and the serene conclusion of Moussorsgsky's piece fits perfectly with that as well.

 

Yet another brilliant symphony in scent.

[ipb]

i'm really big on camping. not the kind of camping that involves RVs and toilets and electricity, but the kind that involves a tent in the middle of a forest and campfires - by necessity - and peeing in the bushes or in a toilet/shower building far, far from the site. must be all those days of primitive camping in girl scouts!

 

anyways. this reminds me of camping, with the campfire blazing under the stars, smoke getting in your eyes as stories are told, marshmallows are roasting, the slighty sweaty skin, and the smell of nature is all around. (er, without the marshmallows...that was more for the whole memory thing)

 

it stays pretty much the same in the bottle as on me, at least initially.

 

a HUGE hit

[Scylla]

In the bottle, Hexennacht reminds me very much of Samhain--but a much DARKER, ominous Samhain. I can detect the smoke, fir and something tangy and sweet.

 

Wet, on my skin: Hmmm....Yes, the notes are making their appearances one at a time. For a while, the florals in it very much reminded me of Harvest Moon.

 

Hexennacht DOES effectively evoke clandestine campfires in a deep, dark piney forest. Bravo, Beth!

[Ina Garten Davita]

First Impression: Exactly how I thought Samhain would smell after reading all the reviews, but not a strictly "autumn" scent.

 

Second Impression: What a gorgeous blend this is. It's smokyjuicywoodsysexy. I do detect a hint of vetiver in the long, long drydown but not enough to put me off. Hexennacht is a keeper.

 

Final Analysis: Smells so good, I can't even believe how good this smells.

[shelldoo]

hmmm i don't really get samhain, there definitly is something similar but hexennacht is it's own being.

 

in the bottle, dark....woods, ash, earth, and something tangy indeed.

 

wet it is very resinous, fir, deep woods

 

as it dries it becomes softer the tang is there, and the smoke.

 

this is intresting and compelling....definitely darkness. i love it

 

eta i wore this all day, i reapplied it 1/2 way thru the day so i could continue w/ my assesment, i figured out what my opinion on this is.....if samhain and mabon would mates this would be the offspring. and it is def in my top 5 le list, gorgeous, and the more i wear it the arther in love i fall. this one seems to be the essence of me

Edited May 11, 2005 by shelldoo

[MissAnthropy]

Hexennacht has just joined the ranks amongst my favorite BPAL scents of all time. Of course, it's a Limited Edition. For some reason, I always seem to fall in love with the LE's. Tis a curse I tell you!!

 

In the bottle: my friends and I have evening bonfire gatherings quite frequently during the late spring, summer, and fall. Many of BPAL's scents remind me of the late spring, and autumn gatherings, but Hexennacht is *definitely* my summer bonfire scent. Since the bonfires are often out near the woods, close to all kinds of evergreens and other greenery, there is always this scent drifting through the air... a woodsy, warm scent, laced with the smoke of the bonfire, and dew covered grass. Hexennacht is *ALL* of those, in one, magical blend. It's dead on accurate, and I'm floored.

 

On: It fades down to a more smoky scent, but the herbal undertones are still there. Gorgeous. I am so happy that my chemistry hasn't eaten this one alive. That would have been heart breaking.

 

Conclusion: As I said before... magical. Perfection. During the cold winter months, when I am longing for a bonfire, and all that comes with it, I will wear Hexennacht,

 

 

-Leslie

[isyche]

Wow. I do think Hexennacht is similar to Samhain, only with much less foodiness and more smokiness. However, I like it much better than Samhain, which smelled like overwhelming fake holiday spice candle on me.

 

This is indeed the scent of forest bonfire in a bottle. fir branches, woodsmoke, incense, herbs, flames leaping against the night sky...I love it, and I don't usually go for the dark woody blends. Brilliant.

 

ETA the next day: Also, it's really strong and long-lasting, a little goes a long way.

Edited May 11, 2005 by isyche

[Belladonnastrap]

First Sniff:

Oh my. Woodsy and rich and...aquatic? Could Hexennacht be the water drenched forest scent I have been clamoring for?!

Wet:

*blinks* Pine. Cedar. OCEAN. Holy shit, it IS the water drenched ocean forest scent I've been waiting for. Gah!

Dry:

The pine overpowers everything and that whiff of ocean air is gone However it's replaced by something smoky and intangible. Think of a more woodsy Samhain

 

Aftermath:

The staying power of Hexxennacht is for lack of a better word insane. It's going strong after washing the dishes AND cooking dinner (Tandori Chicken mmm). This pushes it into keeper territory. If you like scents like Belladonna, Black Forest and Noctinsa you should hunt down and try Hexxennacht.

[sheepzeit]

I was very excited about this when it was announced.

 

Woodsy/deadleaves/smokey/warm. Totally a forest bonfire in a bottle.

 

I did want to say originally that it is very much like Samhain without the foodiness, but it's a little more woodsy than that. I have trouble deciding if this is a summer scent or an autumn scent, and I think I am leaning a little more to the autumnness of it. I love it, though. This is what I had hoped Hunter Moon would have been on me, and it conjures the same image.

 

The only thing I am overlooking is the "wet glimmering... skin" scent, but I don't miss it at all. This is a beautiful forest bonfire celebration - liquified - and a little goes a long way, too.

[Finny]

Smoke and forest from the imp.

 

On this is, wow! This is smoke, forest trees, and wild revelry. How does Beth do it?

 

It is reminiscent of Samhain, all the wonderful smoky notes, the forest, the leaves and dirt, without the fruit and pumpkin. It is everything wonderful about bonfires and holidays spent around them.

 

I love it, I am so glad I got two bottles.

[sarada]

Say hello to my new favourite blend.

 

I knew by the description that this would be love at first sniff...it is everything I hoped for. I am weeping that I didn't order more than one bottle -- I KNEW I'd love it this much but I never make a dent in my bottles, it seems...oh but I will use this enough to justify more, I just know it!

 

You have the dark, sweet bonfire smoke of Samhain, the fir and pine smells of Nocnitsa, and so many subtle shades of green herbs and brown wood intermingled that I think my head might explode. It also reminds me of that sweet smoky smell I get in House of Night, but without the florals in the background.

 

Pure sweet burning evergreen wood with a sprinkling of ritual herbs on a spring night. It reminds me of Beltane fires with smudge sticks smouldering and rich earth covered in pine needles.

 

More please? Pretty please? This is definitely my new favourite scent. I don't usually go for the LEs, I'm too afraid to have my heart broken, but I'm in love for good this time.

 

ETA: I was told when I wore this at work that a pleasing scent of pipe tobacco lingered around me. The people around me said it came across at first as sort of sweet and cherry-like, almost spicy, and gradually became more like a warm, woody tobacco. Oh yes, and I got a second bottle.

Edited May 18, 2005 by sarada

[Digital_Hypoxia]

In the bottle: smoky-woodsy goodness.

 

On my skin : for the first half hour it smells almost exactly like it does in the bottle, with a slight hint of something that reminds me of Wolf Moon. Not usually what I go for, but complex enough to overcome that.

 

The drydown, however, is terrible on my skin; it smells exactly like pencil shavings.

 

I can see this being a fabulous room oil though, and will probably keep one of the two bottles I bought for that purpose.

 

I need to try on the boyfriend too.

Edited May 10, 2005 by Digital_Hypoxia

[mobilejessie]

Ok, I have to start with this: Why on EARTH didn't I order about fifteen bottles of this stuff???

 

I've liked some oils enough to shout expletives aloud (in a happy way) while alone in my house. Urd did that to me, and so did Sugar Skull, but I've never had a reaction to a blend like I did with Hexennacht. I sniffed the bottle, quietly said "ooh!" and applied a dab to my left forearm. I waited about two seconds, and then my entire body shivered, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, I got covered head to toe in goosebumps..... and other things happened that require no detail, save to say that I was ready to go off and cavort naked in the woods.

 

It's a spectacular pine scent, with a touch of woodsmoke, florals, and that lovely "warm skin" scent that I completely do not understand but love to death. It's just woodsy enough to make me want to go for a long walk in a forest, but incensy enough to make me want to stay at home and read a book, and floral enough to make me want to open windows, and "warm skin"-y enough to make me want to toss the book aside, close the windows, and go running off into said woods with no pants on.

 

I don't understand why on earth this smell makes me react the way I do, but I don't want it to end. It has a nice throw without being overpowering, and is complex enough that I want to smell my arm again and again just to try to pick out the notes.

[ChupaChup]

When Beth released the description of Hexennacht I thought it might be like Samhain with the fir and pine needles and the smoke and I was hoping the "warm skin" would be reminiscent of Voodoo. Well, maybe it's just the power of suggestion, but Hexennacht, as soon as it hits my skin, is like a combination of both (and they are two of my favorite blends). In the bottle, Hexennacht smells dark, cool and a little scary, just like a deep forest at midnight. On my skin, it explodes with a warm flame and has a certain roundness that Samhain does not have. It's smoky and a little sweet with just a hint of earthiness. I really got a sense of gleeful pleasure as soon as I put this on. It wears for hours and hours and gets warmer and softer the longer it is on. After about eight hours, I am left with a lovely honey mead that lasts until the next day.

 

For comparison, it really is very similar to Samhain. It seems to be a little less gritty, probably not as much patchouli or it's red patchouli instead of black. I can't detect the apples and pumpkin of Samhain but I do get that same honey sweetness. It's a warmer version, probably to represent summer campfires, but I am going to be loving this in the fall as well. Another masterpiece from Beth, this will be one of the "legend" blends.

 

[Diana]

I'm calling this one Samhain Lite.

 

In the bottle, it has that woodsy-not-quite-pine smell. Putting it on, the wafting characteristics of the patchouli-earthy-wood notes take over and surround me with an aura.

 

It is very similar to Samhain—they could easily be sisters; I'm not getting the apple notes, but the earthy-smokey-incensey smell is almost exactly the same. Works out for me well, as Samhain is one of my staples!

 

[voodoobaby]

In the bottle: Um. Call me crazy, but...wine? Yes, wine. The same wine smell in Hunter Moon, but with a little more depth and incense. In fact, I thought the lab had accidently sent me a mislabeled bottle of Hunter Moon at first.

 

Wearing: Yup, wine. And patchouli. There's a definite earthiness to this, but mostly, it's very tart and kind of sweet. I get no fir--maybe a dash of woodiness, but no actual evergreen smell. I don't get any bonfire smell either, which was a major disappointment. I guess it's reminiscent of a bonfire, and it smells smokey, but it doesn't actually smell like bonfire smoke. Definitely like incense smoke, though.

 

An hour later: The earthiness has left, leaving behind the smell of a commercial perfume my mother had, sans the fake alcoholic smell. I think maybe it was either Sun Moon and Stars or Givenchy? It's kind of creamy and very sweet now, but not floral, thankfully.

 

Way later: Everything else is gone but a honey/amber scent (mostly honey, I think), which I think is the skin scent. It's the same skin scent as in La Petit Mort, but definitely not ylang ylang because it doesn't smell rancid on me. This is very pretty, but I'm kind of sad that it doesn't have better throw in this stage.

 

Overall: I was a bit disappointed by this one. It smells lovely, don't get me wrong, and though I like it a lot better than I do Hunter Moon, it smells too similar for me to feel that my excitement over this was justified. I will keep the bottle, however.

 

Edit: Wow! OK, this is definitely one of those scents that changes drastically as it ages. It smells a lot grittier now that's it's been sitting for a few weeks, a lot more like the bonfire smoke. It's also a lot herbier and sharp. I like it much more now. Yay!

Edited May 30, 2005 by voodoobaby

[paperdoll]

Initial Sniff: Similar to Samhain, but without the "autumn-ness."

 

Wearing: Oh dear lord. Take the lovely fir note from Skadi, the blazing bonfires and honey sweetness from Samhain, and something else entirely unique (the skin scent?) and you have this amazing summer bonfire celebratory scent. It is green and smoky, sweet and spicy. And it lasts ALL DAY.

 

Final Impressions: Fan-freakin-tastic. Definitely a favorite.

[gingersnapp]

Mmmm, this is sweet smoky goodness. It's a hot humid forest at midnight. It's primal sexy ceremony and wild-eyed nature.

 

SO glad I got a bottle of this!

[shriekingviolet]

Initial Impression:

Honeyed patchouli, evergreen trees (sap and all!) and earth.

 

After Wearing It:

Wow, I'm not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it! From the description I wasn't quite sure if I'd like it or not. Piney/Foresty scents don't always work out well for me, neither do herbs. But having worn this I'm very sad that I didn't order a second bottle! I agree with what's been said, this is very reminiscent of Samhain. The patchouli note (at least, I'm fairly certain it's patchouli) I loved in Samhain is very prevalent here. But rather than the scent of autumn leaves, you have a very beautiful green tree scent that I've smelled in Dublin in Skadi. Very green and slightly sweet, with an unusually lovely juicy quality to it that has made me a bit more openminded about green scents.

 

Wet the ripe, humid patchouli note dominates the blend. I can smell sharp suggestions of pine (or fir) lancing through the blend, carrying the smoke of burned timber with it. As it dried, I wanted to say I could smell apples or something similar to the berry note in Skadi, but I can't be sure. It added a sweetness to the arousing sweatiness of patchouli and a softness to counterbalance the jagged edge of pine. It's the scent of rampant hedonism as well as the worshipful awe of the glory of nature.

 

As Hexennacht wears on, the patchouli calms down and powders up at a bit. The fever of the oil has passed and the ritual dies down. I can smell traces of charred logs, smoke and crushed leaves underfoot. The blend stays this way until it finally fades away: an odd blend of sweet powderiness and the freshness of the great outdoors. It's an act of surrender to the power of the natural world, a celebration of being its child.

 

Final Thoughts:

I loved this. Great scent with decent throw and good staying power. It's mysterious yet delightfully open, displaying the sort of innocence you find in people who are completely uninhibited because no one has tried to teach them that they shouldn't be. I think I even like this one enough to stick it in my top 10!

[lavinia]

This is beautiful and so me

It is woodsy, smoky, incensey and yet goes beyond Mistletoe or Skadi or Samhain on me. Those were all more "environmental" and never became "second-skin" on me like a lovely, gorgeous perfume I am drawn to again and again.

In the bottle, I get the soft spicey incense along with the woods.

On the skin, the honey-ocean-melon note comes through and is equal in strength to the woods and incense smoke.

After a bit, I figure it out...it is a strange mix of woodsy spiced incense sort of like Hamadryad minus the cinnamon, kind of like Icon by Lush only softer and with more layered prettiness, and Blue Moon!

I get all these layers...wood, incense, smoke, fir, aqua and cucumber- melon.

It is as if the witches revelry in the woods around the fire with the incense burning has a magically otherworldly seaside feel with fruity wine being shared all around

I love this so much...A+ Beth!

[sh1mm3r]

No matter what, scents with woods in them become almost single-note woods as soon as they dry.

 

At first, I could smell the smokiness and incense, and along with the woods it was intriguing. As it dried, it becomes woods, like deep in the redwoods or an evergreen forest, not the kind of forest with high variety and mosses and flowers. An old forest.

 

I would like to smell this on a guy, methinks.

[tempete]

The wonderful ChupaChup sent me a decant of Hexennacht!

 

To get the Samhain comparisons out of the way: Hexennacht is Samhain's less creamy/less foody scent sister. This is a good thing for me, because the pumpkin in Samhain really turned me off (which is why I don't have it anymore).

 

Initially, Hexennacht evokes images of bonfires in a forest. As it dries down, the smoke and evergreen note fade and an earthier note creeps in. The scent then changes again and becomes intensely sweet in an apple sort of way (and incidentally, seems to have the most throw at this stage). Hours later, the sweetness and throw die down and Hexennacht smells like slightly powdery honey mead (and is somewhat reminiscent of O at this point, although not as sexual smelling). Overall, I get a very primal feel from Hexennacht that fits its description perfectly.

 

Do I regret not getting a bottle? Not really, because although Hexennacht is beautiful, it's more of an experience for me than a perfume. It's something I would put on when I'm in a introspective, contemplative mood. But nevertheless, I am incredibly grateful to ChupaChup for gifting me with a decant because when I'm in the right mood, Hexannacht will be perfect.

[blaqpearl]

I didnt get a bottle of this but managed to get an imp from a lovely forumite.

 

First I have to say that this is so different than any of the oils I have tried. So this has opened up a new world to me. Usually I stay away from tree scents. No reason, just fear.

 

This smells really good. I get the medicinal quality from it. It kind of cleared my nose. I am assuming it is the forest herbs. It smells clean. I love the smokyness of it.

 

I only have had it on for about 10 minutes. So lets see what happens later. But so far, I can kick myself for not getting a bottle. So now I am on a mission to obtain a bottle.

[feline.by.design]

Hexennacht sounded like it would be good for me, but after trying it, I could take it or leave it.

 

The initial stage was grand. Woodsmoke, spring earth and darkness swirled around on my skin. I liked the patchouli that was ruling the scent. But after a while, the scent moved to a lighter "sweaty skin" stage. Then, it turned into "sweaty skin with something floral."

 

I will say that it does last a LONG time. From the little swab on my inner elbow, I clocked in at least four hours of scent time before I went to bed.

 

My analysis so far: I don't dislike the fragrance, but I'm not too crazy about it. If I keep the oil, I'll likely wind up using it as a room scent, like Samhain. I'd like to try it one more time when I'm not fighting a cold, but it's not an issue of being able to smell, as my sinuses are rather clear.

 

Hmm... I'll have to think about this one.

 

-doreen

Edited May 15, 2005 by feline.by.design