Jack

[Miggins]

The scent of warm, glowing jack o’lanterns on a warm autumn night: true Halloween pumpkin, spiced with nutmeg, glowing peach and murky clove.

Jack - what a guy! First on my skin, I smell hot buttered popcorn with just an edge of something green and -yes- raw, maybe. After about 20 minutes, the whole concoction settle and smooths into a creamy yet buttery, spicy but not overwhelmingly so wonderful mixture. It's warming and comforting, but not too foody on me, for which I am grateful. I'm at the 6-7 hour stage and I can still smell him on me - and he was behind my first ever off-the-cuff compliment. Lovely.

[Spanglemaker]

Jack II

 

Oh. My. God. This is fabulous!

 

Buttery caramel popcorn at first and then it dries down to a creamy, buttery pumpkin that is just divine!

 

This is the first BPAL that my boyfriend said "I like that!" (I usually get "that's nice)

Edited November 5, 2004 by Spanglemaker

[Lucretia]

I don't get any pumpkin in here at all! My skin must be crazy!

I do however get a really super creamy soft warm spiced vanilla and graham cracker pie crust smell. Yummy!

I am a bit dissapointed at my skin not doing the pumpkin but I really love this one anyway cause the vanillayness is awesome.

[tart]

Jack smells more like peach cobbler than pumpkin pie on me. It's nice, but I have to sniff really hard to get past the peach smell. Perhaps Gingerbread Poppet (nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon) will smell more like what I was looking for in Jack, minus the peach.

 

In the future, I will probably stay away from peach scents because my skin seems to amplify the fruit so much. In the vial, Jack really does smell like something beautifully warm and buttery...

[miss apple]

Jack - in the bottle, pure sweet yumminess

 

This doesn't change much once it's on and retains the wonderful sweet scent it has in the bottle. A blissful blend of buttery pumpkin, vanilla, and a bit of spice. It's foody and comforting and one of my top ten big bottles.

[sarahj]

Jack

 

in vial: butter, pumpkin, and spices

 

wet: pumpkin and peach; the spices are quickly fading away

 

dry: peach is in the forefront, with pumpkin in the background...after about 2 hours the pumpkin fades away completely, leaving only peach for another 2 hours or so

 

verdict: unfortunately, Jack is not what I expected it to be. I wanted more pumpkin and spices, and less peach. I might try layering this with Three Witches to get more spice, but I really was hoping for more pumpkin. I won't be ordering a big bottle. I have yet to decide whether or not I'll use up the imp or swap it.

[surf-tormented]

JACK

(New Formulation)

 

This one, despite warm promises of fall nights and pumpkin spice, tended to smell rank on me as first. Rank to the point my bf noticed the scent also and he normally doesn't comment unless I smell like a French whorehouse or like a Glade candle, which was this case.

 

I smelled like that artificial candle smell, like badly made pumpkin candles. I kept it on though since Danse Macabre smelled like a dead body to me when it was first on. Anything can change with added body chemistry.

 

After a while, Jack gave me a headache. I have only gotten headaches from two scents, this one and Goth Rosary's Tea and Sympathy...they are both strong, sweet scents. The almost burnt banana bread notes at the top of this make me think this would be better as a room spray or a candle, not an perfume oil, but I am not really a fan of the baked goods smell, unless of course, I am actually making baked goods. I don't want to smell like a greasy oven.

 

A few hours later, Jack did calm down. Now it smells just like pumpkin pie and isn't as strong at all. Which is worth keeping the imp, but I wouldn't mind trading it for something I would get more use out of. I am probably going to trade this to someone who can appreciate it more.

 

Overall, I would be better off buying DSH's Halloween or Goth Rosary's Samhain spray and forgo the headaches letting the Jack dry and become less strong. I was surprised how strong this one was. I mean, if you love strong mixes of spices and sweets with baked/burnt pumpkin thrown in, you will love this one. I wasn't really impressed with it, though I really wanted to be. I normally love Autumn type scents.

 

Jack was spooky and scary on me though. Gave me a fright and then went for dessert. A little too late for me though.

Edited November 20, 2004 by Madame Nyx

[zapevaj]

Oh man do I love this scent. It smells almost exactly the same in the bottle as on my skin, and the scent doesn't change much on drydown. To me, it smells -exactly- like pumpkin pie, complete with a sweet vanilla whipped-cream top note. The sweetness mellows out a little upon wearing, a little more like pumpkin bread or pumpkin soup than pumpkin pie. It's also a very nicely long-lasting scent.

 

I think the burning tire/dirty sock/bitter/nauseating element in this scent may come from the nutmeg. I don't smell it myself, but the description says it's there, and when I make holiday food I have to go -very- light on the nutmeg, or else it smells (to me) like public bathrooms! No idea where I got that association, but I suppose on some people the nutmeg can really stand out, and in that case I'd totally understand the vileness.

 

Personally, I can smell the pumpkin and the vanilla more than anything else, and since I love pumpkin so, this one is totally a keeper. I'll definitely order more to keep me smelling warm and tasty this winter.

 

-Rae

[Northernminx]

Must...have...

 

Warm and buttery sweet in the vial, this goes on pure pumpkin spice. Not fresh carving pumpkins, but cooked pumpkiny pie smell, rich and sweet and buttery. The clove starts to come out a bit as this mellows and a little peach but really not much. Gorgeous, warm and glowing and completely edible.

[closedacct]

I love pumpkin anything and was looking forward to some pumpkin goodness.

 

Unfortunately, the only pumpkin I smell is when I first open the bottle. On my skin it is cream and pumpkin pie spices without the pumpkin. It is wonderfully creamy and yummy without being foody. Early this morning I smelled the crook of my elbow where I had swiped Jack last night. I smelled a mild cider smell, sighed with delight and fell back asleep.

 

While it isn't the pumpkin I was hoping for, it is still a joyous autumn scent, very cozy and snuggly.

 

I love it.

Edited November 24, 2004 by ewalk

[Lady_Ell]

Like Samhain "lite" - or like a non-alcoholic Samhain for little kids, the way that you'd give them a Shirley Temple or something while you drank a whisky soda or something.

 

Very nice.

I like Samhain better (less fruity, more dead leafy), but this is still really great. They dry down really similarly on me.

[Penance]

I tried the old formulation of Jack.

 

First sniff:

 

Nutmeg and clove...there's no pumpkin to be found straight out of the vial. To me, this is almost burnt smelling it's so raw and dry. Somehow, in spite of not being able to smell any pumpkin in this, it reminds me of the smell of the inside of a jack 'o' lantern that's been left with a candle burning inside it for too long and that's not a bad thing at all.

 

Wet on skin:

 

There's the faintest hint of pumpkin to Jack now, but the clove and nutmeg are still dominating. This really reminds me of Halloween for some reason...I'm thinking maybe I'm associating the smell of this with a bonfire for some reason. It's not quite so dusty or scorched smelling now that it's on my skin, but it's a far cry from pumpkin pie.

 

Dry down:

 

I can really smell the pumpkin now. Now Jack is less harsh and more homey and Halloweeny smelling at the same time. I don't normally care for the smell of pumpkin, but I actually really like this, especially the longer it sits on my skin.

 

The bottom line:

 

The perfect fall scent. Jack starts off a little rough, but smells gorgeous once it dries.

[evanesce]

Jack - sickly sweet and cloying. Like Yankee Candle during a Fall Holiday Sale.

 

It smells like butter. Butter over some kind of sugar coated nut. Maybe there's a pumpkin sneaking up in there, but I don't smell it. On my skin it makes me dizzy and ill and turns into a tub of creamed butter and sugar. My boyfriend and I agree whole-heartedly that this is not a "body" scent for either of us.

 

However - Then we made the decision to dump the imp into the oil burner and light my Red Delicious candle. Mmm Mmmm MMMMMMmmmm!!!! It smells like a bakery in here. A wonderful. scented, enveloping bakery. Like this one I know back home that makes awesome apple tarts and pizza... *smiles*

 

So, I've murdered the imp, and I may be buying a 5mL just to keep that yummy bakery smell in my house through all the coming cold months.

[catiebloo]

This is the only scent that actually makes me want to heave, which is a shame because i really wanted to like it

 

Sorry Beth

[Sarah]

I think I may have offended the gentleman sitting to my right with my overdose of Jack. But I don't care, because this is delicious! In the bottle, it's this rich creamy buttery note. Wet, I can detect a bit of spice that reminds me of a graham cracker crust. If I bring my wrist to my nose, I can detect the peach note. The scent pretty much stays the same on me as in the bottle. Warm, calming, with a hint of spice. I love it, and will be buying a 5mL. Do be aware that it is very potent, and a little goes a long way. Scents tend not to last very long on me so I sometimes slather. Do not slather on the Jack, trust me!

[vividdreamer]

Jack, oh Jack, I'm completely in love with you.

 

I'd been looking forward to trying this one because I like most of the "foody" scents, but I honestly had NO idea how much I'd love this one.

 

It's such a complex, delicious, edible scent. Perfect for fall, yes, but also for the winter months in general. In the vial, it does smell strongly of buttered popcorn (which I have no objection to), but once on, it morphs into a delectable delight that I can't get enough of. Rich, spicy, pumpkiny, and just the slightes hint of butter. This is a "slather" scent for me...I'd bathe in it if I could afford to!

 

The husband seems to agree, which I understand completely, since pumpkin pie has been named one of the most aphrodisical scents for men. (And apparently it works, if last night's *ahem* "activities" count for anything.)

 

It went straight to the top of my big bottle list, and though I know it'll take a few months to arrive, it'll still be perfect for late winter.

[Morgan]

I don't really remember Jack I, so this is a review for Jack II.

In the vial it smells like pure pumpkin and cloves (maybe?) to me...yummy.

On my skin after a few minutes it turns into Pumpkin Pie, creamy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake. This is EVERYTHING I had hoped for and than some. I didn't pick up any of the fruitiness that some other reviewers mentioned....Just pure Pumpkin Cheesecake goodness

After an hour Jack II is still kickin' and smellin fab!

I looove Jack I and I definitely see a big bottle purchase in my future

Edited December 13, 2004 by Morgan

[JazzieCazzie]

Acquired via swap ... curious to find out if I just can't handle pumpkin scents, despite my LURVE for pumpkiny food ...

 

BOTTLE: Overwhelmingly baked-goods sweet. This is one of the few BPAL scents that, to me, could be categorized with that trend towards "dessert scents" a la Jessica Simpson, etc. ... BUT it's not at all like Samhain in the bottle (which to me was just sour mash) ...

 

Just applied sparingly to wrists ...

 

WET: This goes on way strong even applied sparingly. And once on, the fruitiness of the peach just rises on me very very drastically (that was my other fear about this ... LOVE nutmeg and clove, MEH on pumpkin, HATE peach on me) ...

 

DRYDOWN: I like the initial drydown where the nutmeg takes over ... there is something vaguely butter-rummy about it as well, like my grandmother's Life Savers drawer ...

 

On final drydown, it's not as fruity but it's not something I would wear. It has this odd famiiarity of my grandfather's car ... to explain, though, my grandfather was a chemist who worked with "flavors and essences" (to quote the rabbi at his funeral), making perfume ... and his car, office, etc. always smelled like whatever unusual note he was working with at the time.

[nhough73]

In the vial: A strong strong waft of buttered caramel popcorn

 

Wet: Mulled apple cider and caramel apples - maybe the peach is smelling apple-y to me but I cannot stop sniffing myself. This is a very strong spicey scent at first - I only put a little swipe and its wafting all over the room.

 

Dry: The apple smell as receded and I'm getting a delicious mellow pumpkin pie now, with the mulled cider complete with cinnamon stick to swirl on it.

 

This is an extremely foody scent on me and absolutely delicious, and its both comforting and sexy. The innocent pumpkin kicked up with the spice to draw someone closer for a nuzzling sniff.

 

Big bottle - absolutely scrumptious

[malanna]

This is a review for Jack II (Jack I to come later).

 

Jack, oh, Jack…how I love thee. I hadn’t loved this quite so much at first, but now, this is in my top three. Or five. Jack is a buttery pumpkin. There’s probably a bit of vanilla, to make it so rounded, and it’s also a bit tart, which makes me think there might be apples here (okay, okay, I just checked the description and it’s peaches—bah, fruits are all the same). This isn’t too strong, nor is it too light and it lasts for at least six hours (I can’t keep track, because I keep on re-applying). WUB

[malanna]

This is a review of Jack I.

 

At first, this reminds me of Jack II—buttery, slightly tart (apricots) pumpkin. However, in a few moments, this becomes a black-flecked orange. It’s probably the patchouli. Slightly earthy, but still rather tartly fruity. This is sort of foody, but in a sour, Mexican candy sort of way. It's not so comforting for me. Instead, it seems to be a bit...lecherous. The staying power is nice (average for me--five hours and not faded into oblivion), and it is sort of growing on me.

[Shimmershadow]

I couldn't even get this one onto my skin. On opening the bottle, I found the scent incredibly overwhelming, and unfortunately for me, it started setting off my migraine almost instantly. However, it's probably just as well as I'm not big into "food-y" scents, which Jack most certainly is. It's very rich-smelling, reminds me of my dad cooling pumpkin pies on our front porch in the fall, with the piles of leaves out front. My entire cubicle is now smelling of nutmeg and pumpkin seeds.

[Theravada]

Ok, Jack [2] took around two or three months to grow on me, but now I love it

 

Like quite a few others, I was totally overwhelmed by Jack when I first smelled it. Especially since it was one of the first BPAL scents that I ordered. But I wanted to like Jack so much that it almost broke my heart when I couldn't like it. So I hung on to my imp and refused to swap it away. I kept pulling it out at random times and sniffing it. Slowly I went from 'Ewwww' to 'Hrm, that's so wierd' and eventually reached a point where I was craving Jack.

 

The only down side is now I'm very hesitant to trade off my imps because I'm afraid if I only give them some time I'll grow to love them all

 

Also, I recently smelled Jack [1] and it is nearly identical to the current version. This new blend might be slightly more buttery, but not nearly as buttery as Gluttony for those of you who dislike the buttery scents.

[Cedar]

Jack's not bad, but not my favorite, either. I generally prefer clean, light scents, or mint, but I'm a sucker for anything that smells like autumn so I tried a swipe of Jack. I definitely smell the pumpkin and cinnamony scents, but the butter is really overwhelming on me and for some reason it smells like chicken soup on the drydown. I think I might like this as a room spray, though, since it would go quite well with my pumpkin and cinnamon spice candles.

[rhubarbbear]

i was very excited to try jack, as it sounded like the perfect fall scent (plus the pumpkin thing always makes me think of the pumpkin juice in harry potter ).

 

i'll admit i don't really know what a pumpkin smells like, other than a jack o lantern, or pumpkin pie. jack didn't smell like either to me- in fact, it smelled very fruity (the peach) and buttery. as i'm typing this i'm thinking 'gosh, that sounds pretty good!' but for whatever reason it didn't work for me. it reminded me of a very sweet candle, and not of fall at all