Samhain

[AmyO'Shields]

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.

After trying and trying and trying different years of Samhain, I am giving up. I don't know what it is that I don't like, but it's in there. Instead of apple and dirt and other awesome autumny things others smell, I get chemicals and nastiness. I don't even get any patchouli (which I do love) and I'm very sad that Samhain doesn't work on me.

[Caper]

imp: so good! smokey and apples and LOVE!

 

wet: delicious. it's a medium pitched scent for me and doesn't really have any dominant notes. it's just a nice blend that makes me think of fall.

 

dry: about an hour it's just powder? okay, it's apple powder. i wish the dry leaf note hadn't disappeared.

 

i'll keep my imp because i've found that i like it layered with autumn cider but i'm disappointed because i really thought it was a bottle scent for sure.

Edited November 5, 2011 by Caper

[angelmecha]

In Imp: I remember my last imp that I had of Samhain (I think 09?) was a lot of mullein, dried dark apple, and gritty fir. This year, though, is definitely more earthy. Dark and sharp woods. I get pumpkin, patchouli, and apple pretty clearly when I breath in very deeply.

Wet: Woods, woods, woods. Something in Samhain tends to powder on me, but it almost seems like it fits. Like there just happens to be powder in this warm, brown little cottage in the middle of the darkest woods. I do get a bit of nutmeg, I'm surprised though that the apple isn't amping or sweetening on me. I feel like this year's blend is definitely different from the one I've tried previously and it also somehow different from the soap. Hmmm.

Drydown: This is a brown, slightly clammy scent; apples strung up between gray, brown and hunter green trees. The apple is coming out slightly more, still tempered by half-dead woods and spices.

Verdict: It's not terribly autumnal to me, to be honest; but I've never lived somewhere that has these particular aspects during fall (New Mexico smells the same all year and Colorado smells more like chilly wind and pine and maybe some fire; in other words, we go straight to winter.) It's not a bad smell, but there's always been something in it that's a little odd to me. I'm not ready to give up on Samhain! I will say that the throw is lovely and it's a much different scent than it is close up; very apply and bright. I'll give it a 3/5.

 

ETA: This stuff has one hell of a long throw on me. After I tested this I had to wash my whole arm because I couldn't smell my other testers anymore!

Edited November 6, 2011 by angelmecha

[sea_stars]

I can't believe in all my years of loving BPAL or being on the forum, I have never reviewed my first love...Samhain. It was the first bottle I ever ordered straight from the lab, back in 2004! Even now, THIS is what fall smells like to me. It isn't fall without wearing this perfume! I am not a lover of patchouli, but I think it is very well balanced in this blend. When I wear it one of my best friends says I smell like chai. I smell the deep apple, damp dried leaves, and warm spices against the backdrop of patchouli. It makes me want to drink hot apple cider and go to a pumpkin patch in a warm sweater and riding boots. Even though I was going through a rough breakup at the time I bought this, this scent evokes happiness and childhood memories. VERY strong though...even a drop is almost too much for me...and thus my bottle is still very, very full...it will take a while to use the whole thing but I wouldn't trade it for the world

[Shadowdawn]

okies, so my first review in a while...

 

Got this for my husband because he is a TOTAL lover of fall and smoke, woods, etc smell.

 

...hate it . On him and didn't dare try it on myself.

 

In the bottle: Not bad, very little (no) crispy dry fresh autumnness or clean water, but a lot of warm dirt and squishy needles maybe.

 

On him: urgh... what the heck happened... might be the patchouli, but it all mutated to PEE!

 

On him after a little while: The pee smell gets stronger and stronger, and now he smells a bit like a hobo

 

Sorry, not a keeper .

[calivianya]

I have wanted to try this for a while; I'm glad it came back this year!

 

2011 version:

Wet on my skin: Whoa, patchouli explosion! I can smell the fir clearly as well, and something is sweetening this up a bit - the apple, I'm guessing. It's too faint to make a positive ID.

5 minutes: I'm picking up the clove now as well. This is a very dark, heavy scent.

Drydown: Yep, this stays heavy and near-overpowering. I don't smell an apple pie or pumpkins at the edge of a forest. I smell being in the middle of the forest, where maybe someone dropped a crumb of apple pie three days ago. I was really hoping for this to be more balanced, but it is almost chiefly patchouli and fir on me, with hints of spices. I think I'm going to keep my decant and try it again in a few months. I feel like this has the potential to be great, but it's just not happening yet.

[theseagrows]

samhain 2005:

 

hmm, i've never tried any of the samhains before, so i'm glad i get to try one! this smells like apples, spices and something weirdly herbal or earthy? i can't tell what that note is though, maybe the damp woods?? i am not a huge fan of apple or autumnal scents, so this isn't really my kind of thing, though i do like wearing autumn scents briefly in autumn! however, i don't think this one agrees with my skin chemistry. it's spicy and my skin is amping something in this that just doesn't smell that great on me. not sure what it is though.

Edited November 14, 2011 by theseagrows

[Ghost of a Rose]

In the imp: Oil is clear, and is an unusual pinkish-beige color. I notice the spices first, then the patchouli, then wood and fir needles. It's rather sweet, and gentler than I would expect (with all those balsam and spice notes.) In looking at the description just now I noticed that it also uses a form of the word "gentle." Yep, the lab obviously got that one right!

 

On me, wet: At first, it's all wood. Then the balsamy fir needles come in. I don't notice anything else at this point.

 

On me, just dried: The spices take over as the main note, so that now it smells like it did in the imp. It's sharper, spicier, hotter on me, yet still not aggressively so. A great scent for energizing and warming oneself on a cool autumn night.

 

After 10 minutes: The balsam of the fir needles is equal to the spice now, with wood running at a close third. It is quite sweet, which is part of the reason this is gentler than these notes usually are. I'm starting to pick up some apple, too, which further sweetens and gentles this. There's also a hint of a medicinal mentholic note, but it too is mild. It's probably the camphoraceous aspect of the fir needles.

 

After 20 minutes: It just keeps on getting better and sweeter! Now the apple is strong enough to balance the clove and fir; and they are a gorgeous combination. I suspect that the mullein is there, but blending in seamlessly with the spices. I can detect the patchouli, but only if I think about it. Ditto for the pumpkin.

 

After 30 minutes: The fir note has faded somewhat, leaving the clove, apple, and wood at center stage. It reminds me a lot of Samhainophobia, but with the apple replacing the smokiness of the vetiver in that scent. This would be better for work for that reason. I love them both and can't decide between them. I might have to get a bottle of each.

 

After 1 hour: Now mostly a sweet wood scent, with some apple and clove.

 

After 2 hours: Apple, clove, and wood; in that order of strength.

 

After 3 hours: Same as above and still going strong.

 

After 4 1/2 hours: It is lighter, but still has a definite presence and a little throw. Now mostly clove and wood.

 

Verdict: A great unisex and/or work fragrance, especially during the fall and winter. All of the notes go together so beautifully. I do want a full bottle.

 

My rating: 4.5 stars

[500ml]

Samhain 2011 half imp: I'm a die-hard Samhain fan, but my one and only bottle dates from 2007. So after seeing Samhain go back up with the Halloweenies I decided to try out an imp of it to see how different it was. Whereas 2007 was all apples and sugar on me (gorgeous, it's the only apple scent my skin can take), the 2011 version is much smokier. I feel it's a much more layered version, slightly more grown up. The 2007 will always remain my favourite (to the point I started adding it to unscented body lotion), but I'm certainly not disappointed with the 2011 version except for the fact that it doesn't seem to have quite the same lasting power as my 2007 bottle has.

[KakashiMorph]

Samhain 2011

In the bottle: Damp woods, patchouli and spices. I have no idea what I am smelling, but I can't distinguish much. The smells I am not familiar with are the mullein and allspice but it is autumny and very pleasant.

On my skin: Patchouli and woods explosion! I love the woodsy scents so much because I like the feeling of being in a forest - the sad thing is that my skin absorbs them so much and I end up with whatever else is accompanying them. The fir needles and damp woods are penetrating my sinuses and that brings a smile to my face. There is a smokiness here, but though I don't like tobacco scents, this is a resinous smokiness that I welcome with open arms.

After a few minutes a sweet note that reminds me a bit of the wine from Nosferatu (oh how I love that wine scent!), but in a very diluted light version, comes to the front. I am guessing this is the mullein or allspice?

Drydown:I end up smelling like a winter room scent I used to have, that smelled of cinnamon, apple and winter spices (although I can't pin down the apple or the cinnamon). It is nice though, even if it dries down as wintery to me.

[rawgirl75]

I remember the Samhain I tried years ago (it was 2006 or 2007 version, I believe) as being quite overly foody and awful on me. However, after reading the reviews for the 2011, I decided to take a gamble and aquired a tester of it.

 

YES! I love this! Although I can smell a bit of apples and pumpkin, this is mostly outdoor woods, fir, wine, patchouli and smoke on me. Gorgeous. Since it sounds like 2011 is the only version like this, I'm definitely ordering a bottle.

 

[edit 12/01/11] Oh no.. When I got home later this evening, I craved more and so I slathered my arm.. and that's when the clove and pumpkin took over. I'll have to be so so light with this.

 

[edit 12/03/11] Okay so I'm in love with it again. I diluted it with 3 parts jojoba oil to 1 part Samhain in a rollerbottle and I've worn it three days in a row now. TBH it kinda reminds me of my Devil's Night 2005* (apple-y batch only).

Edited December 3, 2011 by rawgirl75

[relax]

Samhain 2011

It's enchanting and it kind of invite you into its world, but why can I smell mostly sandalwood?

[ami226]

Samhain 2011

 

On the skin: That is some dirty patchouli! That is actually all I can smell from this one. Dirt.

[pHyper]

Samhain 2011

 

This was part of my first BPAL order. The oil was a little overpowering when it first arrived. After a couple weeks it settled down. In the bottle and wet it smells like spices and wood. I've had people comment on a cinnamon smell. After it dries I smell honey and apples, which thrills me. I will definitely have to get more of Samhain.

[evekrieg]

The jury is out on this one. It's definitely smoky, but has more of a honey feeling to it that I wasn't expecting. Honey turns rancid on me, kind of sickly sweet. There is foliage somewhere too, but not much spice. I'll have to keep trying it to see how it changes. I desperately want to love this.

[milo]

Samhain 2011 smells like dried leaves, spices and a touch of ripe, red apple. It's nice, but inappropriate for this time of year, when I want to smell cool and fresh.

 

eta: Samhain 2012. Very much the same, dried leaves, spices, though the apple is a bit more muted in this incarnation I think. Samhain is really growing on me, and I may try to track down a decant. I'd love to try the candle, but I don't want to pay the shipping.

Edited December 5, 2012 by milo

[Mechanical Death]

I got a bottle of this aged off of eBay, from its first run. OMFG SO GOOD I need to snag a bottle from this year like now.

 

In the bottle it smells like oak and wine. It reminds me of the wine harvest festival at our rennfaire.

It blooms further on my skin, the red crisp apples, falling heavy off of the woody apple trees, being turned into batches of fresh cider. The scent of fit needles waft about tying it all together-- the scent of fallen leaves, the harvest, fresh apple cider and wine. Fall in a bottle. I love this!

[tharsei-thanate]

I literally just got a decant of 2012 in the mail and had to slather it on asap. I know the scent might change a bit once it settles but I just couldn't wait!

 

In the imp: Sweet, autumnal, and a bit chilly. Very nice! I think I'm catching the apples and a bit of that dark patchouli. Patchouli is a weird note on me- I like patchouli (I have a patchouli candle lit right now) but I'm not sure about it being on my skin. Here's hoping it's a tame note!

 

Wet: Delicious apple and leaves and mud with a hint of spice and something perfumey. Oh, this is lovely.

 

Dry-down: Noooo, is that the patchouli? And it's getting very powdery, too. ): Come on skin, you always amp spice! Why aren't you amping the spices???

 

Dry: It's a somewhat medicinal powder with an acrid tang of smoke. If I sniff hard enough I can almost catch mud and leaves but they're not strong enough to be caught in the throw.

 

Oh dear, how disappointing. Samhain, we were supposed to be bffs. ): Still, it feels like it has the potential to be a great scent- even with the gross powder it still smells autumny somehow. I'm going to keep this and see how it ages. I mean, if anything, it might just need a little time to settle down. I'll also see if it reacts to my skin chem differently at different times (aka time of the month, when I work up a sweat, etc). I'm determined to love this scent, even if it takes years.

 

Of course, if all else fails I can use it as a room scent or in a bath or something. It really does smell lovely in the imp.

[Wren12]

New sniffer here, so, grain of salt and all.

 

Read the description of this one and knew I had to have it, so bought a 5ml, scent unsniffed!

 

Got it, opened it, and UGH! Smacked in the face by patchouli, but I'm convinced I will like this, everything else is what I love...but I'm really not a fan of patchouli.

 

On Wet: Bloody hell, patchouli patchouli patchouli and..........patchouli. *cry*

 

Dry Down: Patchouli mellows a bit. Not enough. But I do start getting some very faint notes of the fir, almost a piney astringency...but I think patchouli is astringent too, so that might ave something to do with it. I get 0 apples, or spice, which is what I was really hoping for.

 

After I slept: Great googly moogly, I still smell it. But now it is soft and warm, not much patchouli left. Still no spice but I get a little sweet red apple.

 

I wanted to like this sooooo much. And I'm not giving up on it yet. But...why patchouli, why must you stomp on the loveliness that this scent should be???

 

*Edit*

 

So, after I slept, and it was nice when I woke up I committed to wearing it today.

 

Same effect on the application, but I did appreciate it more as it dried...then I went and worked out for an hour and a half, like, hard, and when I was done.....still there, but I can smell the spice!! What the heck??? I like it now...but the commitment to patchouli-dom for so long may make this a swapper. Also, why can't scents I love have this kind of wear??

Edited November 9, 2012 by Wren12

[Zaani]

(New sniffer here, so take this with a grain of salt )

 

This one is totally cool! I love the "dried leaves" part of the scent, even though it doesn't smell that much like autumn where I live. (It rains ALL THE TIME here, so dry leaves are pretty rare!) The pumpkin part is really nice, but the apple seems a bit overly sweet to me, even though it's not that strong. On the plus side, this apple doesn't turn into flat chemically nastiness after an hour or so like Punkie Night and some other apple scents have done on me.

 

Overall: 4/5 (bonus points for the cool factor, but it's probably not something I will wear often)

[Mokiefraggle]

Just got this today, and I had to try it on!

 

In the bottle: oh, my. That is very, very much apple. It smells like hanging my head over a pot of cooking applesauce, what with the spices and such. I can smell a little of the underlying scent of damp woods--like going out hiking in the thick mist that often gathers here in autumn and winter--and a slightly herbal whiff, but the pumpkin is definitely hiding.

 

Wet on skin: still very apple and spice, but there's a more definite note of pumpkin under it that grounds it. Damp woods and a bit of patchouli take a more background layer, and I sort of feel like I just came into a kitchen where applesauce is cooking on the stove and a pumpkin pie is in the oven, after a long hike in the woods.

 

Dry, approximately 1 hour: definitely "kitchen full of autumn baking after a hike in the woods." There's the scent of that hike still clinging, as if I've just come in to warm up, but the predominant scent is the apples, spice, and pumpkin. Very warm scent, just a tiny bit like a holiday candle, but not in a bad way. Reminds me of helping with the baking at my grandmother's, before Thanksgiving and Christmas; it's a very homey scent, and I'll definitely keep it for the holidays. I'd also love to try it in an oil burner; it would be amazing to have my room smell just like this!

[sunlitgarden]

2012 version:

 

Samhain smells very sweet on me. It reminds me a lot of honey - it doesn't smell like the BPAL honey note, exactly, but like the taste and sweetness of actual honey. That, plus a nice balance of spiced apples and wood and occasionally, very faint bits of patchouli. I can't tolerate too much patchouli in a blend without it becoming overwhelming to me, but it's really barely here. The overall scent on my skin isn't heavy at all, but it has lasted all day.

 

This is a fresh bottle - it may change with age. I love it as is, though! It's really a wonderful fall scent, but since autumn scents are my favorite, I think I can happily wear this all year.

[thekittenkat]

This is for the 2012 version.

In the bottle: The spices, the fruits, hint of the woods.

Wet: A hint of some sort of incense, along with the other notes.

The dry-down: Lots of incense and a hint of patch. No fruits or woods. Disappointing, as this second bottle is from the middle of the production run. The first bottle was very apply and I loved it.

Edited October 6, 2016 by thekittenkat

[ScabbyLucy]

Oooh, I can understand why this is so popular.

 

On me I mostly get wet leaves and the apple and spices combining to smell like my grandma's homemade applesauce (which would be more appropriate if we didn't usually have to pick them in July or they'll fall and rot). The patchouli is hanging in the background being its usual shady self, but the other notes beat it happily into submission.

[Luthien]

This is a review for Samhain 2008 (aged over 4 years now). I managed to score a bottle of this un-sniffed because I am obsessed with the feel autumn and Halloween.

 

I am a newbie to BPAL, and this is my first, true love from all of the imps/scents I have tried so far (about 16 or 17 now) This scent does a lot of morphing on me...

 

In the imp:

 

I'm mostly getting a fir/ dry damp leaves smell with a hint of patchouli underneath, intriguing!

 

Wet:

 

The fir smell only lingers for little, but it immediately starts morphing into something a bit sweeter, kind of reminds me of mulled wine a bit, but more earthy while the most yummy patchouli I have ever smelled. It even smells a bit fresh, too... Like walking in an autumnal forest after a rain...

 

Drying down (maybe 20- 30 minutes in):

 

Spicy apple pie!

 

Drying down further (45-hour and beyond):

 

Stays warm and toasty, mellowing a little... the apple pie has disappeared leaving behind a drier, but still sweet scent of dry leaves and autumnal spices warmed by the hearth

 

I am in love... I know this would be SO much more amazing in autumn itself, but I can't wait to wear it til then! I suspect I will wear it a lot all year long...

 

UPDATE: after a few more hours this scent REALLY made me nauseous. I am afraid I will have to give it away...

 

Back to the drawing board...

Edited May 29, 2013 by Luthien