Samhain

[bookofblues]

All the depth, beauty, and darkness of All Hallows Eve. 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 get mainly apple cider with mulling spices, a bit of patchouli, an "autumn leaves" type crispness, and something that almost smells like smokey vetiver. That might be the pine and patchouli playing off of each other. Warming up on the skin, this is essentially unchanged until it fades away. I don't really get any pumpkin at all, which is the only bummer about this scent. I really should have gotten a bottle of this.

[MeiLin]

I think I'm in love. This is deep, mysterious, changing--suspended between winter and autumn, between the warmth of a kitchen and the chill of the night air. It's like standing on the threshhold on an autumn night. It is the very essence of Samhain. Even the famously patchouli-hating boy likes it. This is one of the most different perfumes I've ever smelled, and I keep sniffing my wrist helplessly. On the scale of bleh to guh (which does not include "do not want!"), it's a guh.

 

Now to track down a bottle!

[oddly]

Very odd...I got this bottle of Samhain 2006 on eBay late last year and the first time I tried it on, I couldn't stand it! I liked it in the bottle, but as soon as I dabbed it on, waves of patchouli and really strong spices overwhelmed me and I got a horrible headache from it and I couldn't scrub off the scent. For some strange reason, I decided to keep it.

 

I hadn't tried it since, but today I was planning on swapping/selling some of my stash, and I decided to test it out once more to see if this would be in the swap pile.

I was really wary cuz I still remember the awful headache I got from it last time, but when I put it on this time, it was a completely different and surprising experience!

 

In the bottle: Light woody-ness, whiff of patchouli, and very light hints of warm apple cider.

 

On my wrist: Instantly much sweeter than in the bottle, in a good way, like candied fruits, spiced apple cider, buttery pumpkin, clove, but the woody-ness is still there.

Usually woody scents don't do well on me, especially when mixed with sweet, those usually smell like syrupy sawdust, but this blend just goes so well together on me. The woody-ness and patchouli are there just giving it a nice crisp, briskness...To me the feeling is like drinking warm cider while walking through a woody area on a cool, crisp day...wonderful!

 

I love it! Its just so weird, I have had scents change on me before, but never this drastically! The change is usually from an 'eh...' to 'hmmm', this is the first time I've gone from a 'blech!' to a 'Oh, wow!' lol!

I'm so glad I decided to give this one a second chance instead of just putting it on the swap pile... *sob* I really want it to be autumn now!

[twilighteyes]

2005 Version!

 

In the bottle: Smoky and dark. Bottom note of spices with a teeny hint of sweet.

 

Dry on skin: On my skin it's all smokey and dark fir and patchouli.

 

 

This one has LONG lasting power and a huge throw. I can smell it every time I open the wooden box it's kept in.

Edited March 19, 2008 by TwilightEyes

[alsatia]

Expectations: I adore pumpkin and the other gentlest touches that go with it, but I'm concerned they'll be too gentle, and I don't care much for the woodsy scents.

 

In vial: Strong pine and clove, with a little bit of sweetness taming it.

 

On skin, wet: Ugh. The instant it hit my skin this turned into a mass of unidentifiable scent. I can find the pine (I'd be frightened for the state of my nose if I couldn't), but otherwise it all blends together and not in a good way.

 

On skin, dry: It's not entirely dry yet, but the sweetness is starting to come out. I get more cider than pumpkin so far.

 

After time: I've had this on for about 20 minutes now and I've upgraded my opinion to "tolerable". The woodsy smell stays close to the skin and the throw is mostly sweet, but it's still too muddled. And a few more minutes I got a whiff of something very sour. Yuck, yuck, and yuck.

 

Conclusion: Absolutely not for me. There are so many great scents to choose from, and I really only need to find a couple that I adore.

[enderfem]

Bottle: I can smell the apple and mullein, and the pumpkin, clove, and a little of the allspice. It smells like an apple-pumpkin perfume, which is kind of what it is. Something in here reminds me of wet leaves on a forest floor.

 

Wet: Smells exactly like a country Halloween. Spiced cider, bobbing for apples, the whole thing. I love this scent. The pumpkin backs down and some of the other scents amp a little. None of the fir or patchouli though, which I am ok with.

 

Drydown: This becomes a warm, rich scent that is mostly spiced cider, although towards the end it sweetens into something that smells almost like wine. One of my favorites.

[Scanmike]

I just got my 2006 bottle from Ebay. I am so disappointed. I can't believe this is the same scent that almost everyone raved about.

All I get is Vicks Vapor Rub or Moth Balls. No sweetness, no pumpkin, no apple. It never changed from the bottle to my arm. What happened? How can this be so different on me??

[Maidenhell]

2007 Samhain

 

In the bottle: ? Honey wine, Cloves and Leather ?

 

Wet, on skin: Apple cider and soft Fir trees and carved pumpkin.

 

Drydown: It changes to Fir trees, warm apple cider spiced with cinnamon and clove. I never detect patchouli.

 

Reminds me of the Trail of Terror, and going on a haunted hayride in the woods with my leather jacket on and having hot cider and red wine. I wish there was bonfire smoke in here, I would be in heaven! I may have to find a bottle of Bonfire Night to layer with this.

 

Edited: 3 hours dry and I still don't get any patchouli.

Edited April 10, 2008 by Maidenhell

[alexandra]

Samhain 2007

 

As it is my love, my Samhain, I find it almost impossible to break down the experience into the usual wet/dry/notes etc and instead herein lie my infatuated impressions.

 

When I opened the bottle a whole scene sidled out, a narrative that filled my study and made me start writing my novel. Tis all apple, deep, round spices, fir, stormclad woods, woollen blankets that scratch yet comfort, leaves swirling and crunching beneath booted feet, heavy coats and cloaks, power and safety, presence and illusion.

 

I reach for it every day and have to stop myself in case I use up my only bottle before it (please, please, please) gets re-released. I bought a bottle of 2005 Samhain on Ebay and it is more appley and assured (whether from aging or formulation I don't know) but still has the same warmth, richness and magic.

 

It also layers beautifully with almost any vanilla (particularly Dorian), tobacco and smoke blend. My love, my Samhain.

[Lamia]

In the bottle this smell surprisingly light and feminine, almost like a professional scent in a department store. On skin, it explodes into multiple scents and layers. Holy crap! This isn't a scent I'd wear for a date, this is something I'd put on if I was home alone and feeling utterly self-indulgent. Woof! (later: fades quickly, but still a luxurious wafting aura)

 

This is one of my favorite scents.

[Andrea912]

Very dark, smokey, burning leaves...gorgeous; really reminds me of autumn night. I would not wear this, but I would burn it in my oil burner...

[brsis]

Initial thoughts: I don't know whether it's the dark or the light patchoulis that behave themselves best on my skin, bu that's pretty much the only thing making me wary of this scent. The rest sounds like a match made in heaven (Or possibly Hallowe'en Town)

 

In the bottle: Dried leaves, cooked fruit and a hint of spice. Not exactly foody, it doesn't have the comfort quality, but it's warm with a hint of outdoorsyness (Lookit I made up a word)

 

On the wrist, wet: My first thought is spices, but they're not overwhelming. I'm definately picking up on the wood/fir needle/patchouli thing as well. Not much pumpkin and apple yet, which is a shame.

 

Twenty minutes later: This is primarily a spices thing on me - patchouli is behaving itself, only a hint of delicious dried fruit but still that odd sense of dried leaves. This is definately my kind of a scent - it's distinct enough from my other spices scents that I'm wanting to keep it, but it's also gentle and comforting which my other spices scents aren't. I can see myself using this as a sleep blend in the autumn.

 

Verdict: I'm not in love, but it's definately a keeper for later in the year.

 

Tl;Dr: Soft dried fruit and autumn leaves, dusted generously with gentle comforting spices.

[Heeroluva]

'05 bottle

 

In the bottle I get the patchouli, with a bit of spice. There's even a hint of smoke and rum?!

 

Wet the spice becomes overwhelming, like I just snorted pumpkin pie spice. As it dries it get's a little weaker, but by the time it dries it is still overwhelming. As it sits on my skin for a bit longer, the spice seems to relax a little, but I'm still not sure if I like it.

[diamondstars]

Appley appledy apples! With spices.

[furygrrl]

Samhain 2005

 

In the bottle: Deliciously dark apples, spices, and an almost medicinal smokiness.

 

On wet: A mish-mash of notes trying to sort themselves out - though the damp, smoky forest and spices are definitely taking center stage at the moment.

 

Drydown: Spiced patchouli and a hint of warm apple one minute, a sliver of pine trees and distant bonfire the next. Not too foody, not too dark, not too spicy - it's simply the most perfect autumn evening, bottled for your pleasure.

 

Overall: Samhain 05 has the distinction of being my first - first bottle purchase in my first Lab order, and the first blend I ever fell in love with. It's aged beautifully, and is still one of the most evocative, glorious scents I've ever experienced in my life (next to my other memory-stirring beloved, Sleepy Moon). Whenever I need a bit of autumn-come-early, or I'm feeling down, a little dab of this makes me feel like all's right with the world - especially since it's connected to the many incredible autumnal memories I've made over the past couple of years (like my October wedding and the anniversaries that followed. ).

 

An easy 5/5, with extra gold stars for good measure. Absolute perfection.

[isisonearth]

Samhain 2007

 

Bottle: Apples and cloves.

 

Wet: Damp woods and the dirt scent of black patchouli. A touch of fir in the back ground. Where are my beautiful apples?

 

Dry: The fir becomes more pronounced and the damp and dirt recede into the background. The warm spices begin to appear and a lingering sweetness from the apples. There is a buttery depth from the pumpkin as well.

 

That fir scent it really gorgeous. I don't remember it from when the bottle was fresh. This is making me long for cooler days.

[Allumina]

I snatched up an imp of Samhain '05. I get faint, sweet apple cider but no fir or patchouli. Instead, moldering apple, powdery musk and a "perfume" smell. Something in this does not like me. Ew.

[AlarmAgent]

This is a review for the 2007 edition.

 

In Bottle - Intensely apple cider, and not much else. A hint of leaves and/or pine, something woodsy acts as a background. Mostly apple cider, though.

Wet On Skin, First Applied - Still more apple cider than anything else, but the forest is starting to thicken up and smokiness is beginning to waft. No pumpkins to be seen, and the rest of the listed notes are probably just adding to the depth.

 

Dry, on Skin - Someone is casually sipping apple cider in the middle of a smoldering forest. This is absolutely Autumn, but it's not exactly something I'd wear 'out on the town'. I like it a lot for bumming around or running a few errands (particularly during the Fall), and I imagine it would be beautiful in an oil burner or a candle, something that scents the home. A lovely fragrance, unmistakably the season it represents.

[livingdead71]

I only ordered a decant of this last year because I feared the patchouli. It turned out to be one of my all time favorite scents! It smells just like apple cider and is to me the embodiment of Autumn. I ordered a bottle this year!

[Xaila]

I just received my 08 bottle today and was not disappointed. Samhain is my favorite of the BPAL blends, and this year's definitely lives up to it!

 

I get a lot more of the "apple cider" smell out of this one than the 07. 08 has a really lovely warm and sweet smell that just screams "autumn" to me. It reminds me of a warm mug of spicy apple cider on a chilly late-October night, when the leaves are crunchy on the ground. Is this an evocative scent? You betcha! The one thing I really can't detect much of is the Pumpkin, but I'm willing to bet it might come out more when this ages a bit.

 

I'm so definitely not making the same mistake I did last year and not ordering backups. This is so going on my next order.

[greenranger]

Samhain 2008

 

Mmmmmm. Spicy. Sweet fir needles and spices.

 

As it dries, the fir needle is taking over a bit much, and shoving the spices out of the way. Mostly it's patchouli and fir at the moment, but, still sweet. With the prominence of the fir needles, it smells more Christmassy to me than Octoberish.

 

Wait...Now I can smell the cider! Spicy cider and fir trees. The scent associations are very festive: Christmas trees, fir wreaths, garlands, and mulled cider at parties.

Edited August 31, 2008 by Aerinha

[suki]

2008 version.

 

in the bottle: cider, clove, nutmeg and general autumnal yumminess.

 

wet on skin: same, but with a hint of smoke coming through.

 

dry down: a delicious Fall mix of sweet, smoky and apples.

 

in all: a must have- glad i've got my bottle for all the crisp days ahead!

 

 

 

 

[ravenfeathers]

2008

 

i happen to have the dregs of a bottle of 2007 on my desk, so i'm able to do a side-by-side comparison.

 

in the bottle seems to be lighter, brighter, and more fruity than 2007 without being particularly apple-y

wet on skin the extra fruitiness flees and the fir needle and smoke really take over. i seem to remember this being the same progression when 07 was fresh. the 07 next to it is distinctly more apple-y and less smoky.

dry on skin no real morphing.

 

i'm nearly positive that the differences in the two bottles are due to age, as the note similarities are so obvious; defintely not a reformulation, although possibly closer to samhain 06 than 07. doesn't matter to me, i'm a fool for samhain of all stripes.

[marared]

In the bottle and freshly applied, it's got kind of a scented laundry detergent aroma about it. As it starts drying, it's got more of a leafy and smoky smell to it, with the apples far in the background.

 

Ten minutes later, it's still leaves and smoke. Very definitely a great representation of late autumn.

Edited September 2, 2008 by marared

[cam]

Samhain 2008

 

In the bottle, I get mostly spices -- allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove -- and a bit of bright, fresh apple. Can something smell crisp? It smells like very crisp apples.

 

On wet, the scent of the spices is pretty strong at first, with apples in the background and a bit of smoke coming through.

 

Dry, this is really lovely. All the scents are well integrated, with nothing really overpowering any of the other notes. I get apples, smoke, and the aforementioned spices. It's very autumny and awesome. I love this.