Samhain

[brit_brat100]

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.

2007 version

I decided to try this, despite the evil patchouli. During the dry down, the patchouli was madening, but a little while later this turned into a really nice sweet/smokey scent. I really get an autumn feel, very woodsy and slightly sweet, and damp. I don't think I love this enough for a bottle, but it fits the season so perfectly. Well done, Beth.

[lilirose]

This is now, officially, one of my "OMG" BPALs. I wish I'd bought more than one bottle (yes, I know it's still available, but I'm broke).

 

To me, it smells exactly like sitting in front of a good bonfire (one made of mostly wood, not rubbish) with a mug of hot mulled cider in one hand and a clove cigarette in the other. I don't smell any individual notes strongly other than apple, but the apple does not overwhelm everything else.

 

Also, Beth's apple doesn't usually work well for me, but this one does. Bigtime. This scent suits me to a T, even though it's very, very different from any of my other favourites.

 

It's one of those that make me want to inhale my whole arm, or possibly snort the bottle straight up my nose. Why has this been sitting in my box of bottles, untested, until now? I have no clue, but it's going to be a regular throughout the fall and winter. 5/5.

Edited October 20, 2007 by lilirose

[alianthe]

In the bottle: Hot spiced pumpkin, melty candles, something almost but not quite spicy that isn't the spiced pumpkin, high on the nose. Very Halloweenie.

 

On me: TONS of throw, very intense scent (though to be fair, I did put a lot on). Spicy, warm. The change is hard to describe. Sadly, I got a bit of a headache, but that may have been because it's so strong.

On retry, during the drydown I get a high, crisp, refreshing note which lasts for some time before going smokey like recently extinguished candles and then morphs back into peppermint.

Ends out bright bright peppermint and winter spices over melted candles and pumpkin pie. Aaaand... there comes the headache.

 

Conclusions: Darn! I really like this, but something in it is touching off a headache.

 

ETA: second run.

Edited October 23, 2007 by alianthe

[Elizabethm]

I think mine is broken.

 

I got all excited when I read that apples and pumpkin were in this. It smells lovely in the bottle. I can smell the fall leaves and the apple and a hint of smoke.

 

On me it smells like bug spray or vicks vapor rub. WAAAAY underneath the vicks vapor rub is the faintest scent of apples.

 

I find most bpals when I first try them out don't impress me. But I'm going to give this a good shot outside tomorrow on a cool autumn day for a bit.

 

Added: Yep! Vicks Vapor Rub!

 

Conclusion: I hear mentholy/citrusy stuff burns off as it ages so I'm going to see how this smells next year.. or something. I'm totally dissapointed. I love halloween and autumn. I'm frustrated that this doesn't smell wonderful on me like all these descriptions sound

Edited October 31, 2007 by Elizabethm

[Tulliver]

Oh wow. There are VERY few blends where, if patchouli is present, it doesn't make itself known to me. Samhain, however, seems to be one of them.

 

Now, I love patchouli of any kind, so this might actually bother me. But it doesn't. Because there's SO much more to Samhain than just the patchouli, or lack of, and I'm SO glad that I still have time to get myself another bottle or two of this before it goes away.

 

In the bottle it's a lovely earthy scent. I think I actually DO get the patchouli here, but only just. I definitely get the fir needles and a wonderful sweetness along with... I'd say it was menthol. It's not, but it's along those lines. Is that the mullein? I don't THINK so, but I can't imagine what else it might be.

 

On the skin - Smoky, again with the menthol-like smell. It's strong but far from overpowering. In fact it's quite quite wonderful. Oddly... I think the clove is partly responsible for it maybe. I don't know what pumpkin smells like since I am possibly the only person in the world who's never been close enough to one to find out, and I've certainly never tasted one, but there's something there that just makes me think that must be it.

 

Dried down - This is WONDERFUL. Never mind ordering a bottle or two, I'm getting a few. The leaves and the wood and the smoke and the apples (and still the mentholy scent which is actually gorgeous in combination with the rest). This IS Samhain - this is a walk in the woods with the dogs, kicking through leaves before going home to spiced drinks, carved - well, okay, pumpkins (although turnips are more traditional in England) - and games of duck- and bob-apple in front of the fire. All that's missing are the roasting chestnuts!

 

I got this because I just wanted to see what the lab did with a concept such as Samhain, having only been involved in BPAL for about four weeks. Then I was highly frustrated when all my packages in transit were delayed by the post strike over here which went on longer in my part of the UK than in any other.

 

This... is perfect. I'll be wearing this a LOT in the upcoming weeks Thank you, Beth, for bottling such wonderful images and memories.

[requieminblack]

Samhain 2007

 

Wow, this is *a lot* different than Samhain '04 version. The '04 was ALL patchouli on me, but '07 is super pumpkiny with yummy spices and a hint of apple. When I first applied it the patchouli note was strong and I admit I almost washed it off...but 10 seconds later the patchouli melted away and there was only warm pumpkin apples and spice. Nice! I really love this version!

[vividdreamer]

Samhain 07

 

Samhain was my first "Gotta Have It" BPAL scent, way back when it was incredibly precious and hard to find. (2004?) Words can't describe how thrilled I was when Beth first brought it back and I could buy a bottle for a reasonable price. Now, I get a bottle of Samhain every year, and I slather with wild abandon as soon as the weather turns. It is truly fall in a bottle to me, and I know that I'll always, always associate the two.

 

This years is very much like my 2006 (I think that's right) bottle was in the beginning. Samhain is one of those scents that just gets better and deeper and more complex as it ages. I wish I had the resolve to buy a bottle and put it up for a couple/three years and see what happens to it, but I don't. This isn't a year-round scent at all...it only seems appropriate from October until late December to me. It's pumpkins and mulled cider and chill air and pine trees, and it is so, so perfect for autumn. Love.

[Seelix]

'07 Version

 

I get a autumn potpouri smell when I first put it on, but as it dries it becomes a lovely spicy scent.

 

After a few hours, it's... chocolate?

 

After I first tested it, I decided that my hormones must be doing wonky things to the scent, but nope. I've now worn this several times, and it's always the same. A lovely spiced incense/potpouri, then a warm, chocolate scent that lasts and lasts. This is actually the only chocolate that lasts on me, so I'll be buying a bottle of this one.

Edited October 31, 2007 by Luminara

[Czarina]

2007 version.

 

Of course I had to save it to wear today for the first time.

 

Wet: Sugar Skulls and almond, pumpkin and clove. Very complex scent, hard to pick out individual components.

 

More notes on drydown later.

 

Drydown: cherry tobacco notes prominent. Everyone in my office loves this, and so do I.

 

Above average throw and wearlength.

 

ETA: On 9/12/2008, I pulled out my bottle that I have been aging since this first review to revisit it.

 

In the bottle: Hoowee! Cloves of Doom!

 

Wet: strong cloves and cherry tobacco. A harsh note that is almost like wintergreen. Could be the almond.

 

Drydown: spicy apple and pumpkin cider.

Edited September 12, 2008 by Czarina

[Jenesis]

I have a bottle of this on the way, but a kind forumite frimped me an Imp in advance.

 

Wet: This smells very woodsy and quite sweet. Pleasant.

 

Drydown: I can smell cinnamon in this, rounded by woods and sweetness. For some reason it really reminds me of a scented candle I used to own - not that that's a bad thing, it was a lovely candle!

 

Dry: HOLY MACARONI! This is a sexy scent. I can smell all the notes listed in it (except mullein, but since I don't know what mullein is...). On my skin, which loves wood and apples and spice, it's incredibly warm and comforting and as someone earlier said, it is "Autumn in a bottle".

 

Rating: A smashing 5/5!

 

Throw: Incredible... for about two hours. Then it vanishes into a skin scent. Expect lots of reapplications.

 

Room scenting: Strangely, no. I tried it both on my hair (which is very long) and in an oil burner, and both times it just smelt like a smoky bonfire. Pleasant enough, but not exactly a great scent. I guess my skin chemistry must love all the notes!

 

PS: My un-BPAL-initiated friend, who has no idea of notes and skin chemistry, said this smells like roasted apples on me.

 

PPS: Wow, I actually finished an Imp of something all by myself! I really slathered this on today. It's quite strong, and I can detect a faint, boozy, sweet note that must have been too weak to smell before. I assume that's the mullein. It's still lovely though!

Edited November 19, 2007 by Jenesis

[Eemia]

Samhain 2007

 

Spicy! I can so rarely wear the truly spicy fragrances because my hyper sensitive skin reacts. I am so happy that this one works on me.

 

Starts out very spicy, mostly clove and wood notes. It's not very sweet despite the prominent apple note. It's a smoky, aged apple. The patchouli is beautiful and blends with the wood notes beautifully. It smells a little musky too.

 

The wood notes stay strong as I continue to wear it. The spices are even more sensual as they soften. I've been coating myself in this today several times (unnecessarily I must add since it is a very strong scent) and I like it more and more as I wear it. It's very striking, and it's one of those fragrances that seem to envelope me.

 

I don't think of this as particularly masculine, but I bet it would smell awesome on men too.

[Northernskygal]

'07 Version

This is.. really nice! This is the smell of drinking the most delicious, gourmet apple cider while sitting on the front porch of a log cabin, looking at all the different colored leaves in the autumn. It is warm and spicy (though I don't have any issues wearing it, which sometimes certain spicy-ness causes awful redness on my arms), homey, comforting. This is a lovely, lovely blend. I will enjoy wearing it.

[slave1]

SAMHAIN 07

 

In Bottle: Massive spices

 

On Skin: This version is very heavy on the spices. Especially the allspice and clove, both which almost always turn metallic on me. Sadly, this years Samhain doesn’t like me at all. I’m not a fan of spicy scents, but the previous few years always had more pumpkin and apple which sweetened the mix. Here I can barely detect the apple, and I don’t smell any pumpkin at all. I do like the wood notes though, they soften the overall feel and make it more deep. A nice scent, just not one for me at all. Strong throw and long wearlength.

[yeahbutnobut]

Samhain 07

 

In the imp: sweet mulled cider! Very similar to previous Samhains, but with more apple.

Wet on skin: yeesh, doll heads and eucalyptus? Now this smells weird on me. Previous Samhains never did this to me!

Dry: ok, this is bizarre. This smells like past versions of Samhain, watered down a little, and with the smell of plastic doll heads and Vicks Vapo-Rub. Very bizarre. I don’t know what note is doing this but I suspect the mullein. I’ve not smelt that note on it’s own but I’ve heard it smells medicinal, like eucalyptus. Maybe this year’s version is heavier on the mullein and possibly the fir. I smell the spicy cider and sweet baking pumpkin that are so familiar from past Samhains, but that plastic, medicinal note is ruining it.

After a while: sadly, unlike eucalyptus notes, the medicinal note doesn’t fade. It reminds me of wintergreen now, but not as piercing. It still smells like doll heads though. I still smell the other Samhain notes but it still smells plastic and a little bit weak, not strong like previous versions. It doesn’t change much at drydown, doesn’t turn into the rich spicy-fruity scent with that hint of earth and booze to it which I loved in past versions.

Verdict: I loved the previous versions of Samhain, from the outdoorsy, darkly autumnal 05 version to the foody, comforting 06 version…but this one is disappointing on me. This smells like I’ve smeared Samhain on a Barbie doll. It smells of plastic with just a faint hint of the lovely mulled cider and pumpkin with woodsy patchouli I love from previous versions. It also has a very medicinal, piercing eucalyptus scent to it that I don’t like in here. This seems weaker than past versions as well, fading fast from my skin. I’m swapping this one off…I have enough Samhain 06 to keep me happy.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? No.

If you like this, try: Samhainophobia, Pumpkin Patch scents (any from this year and previous years), Czernobog, Twisted Oak Tree, Jabberwocky

[kiio]

Samhain 07 just isn't living up to my undying love of Samhain Five, theres this undertone of burntness that just smells off. Which is sad because wet, it a beautiful combination of pumpkin and apple and fall. Hopefully if I leave it for a year or two it'll work it's self out.

[V294]

So I couldn't wait to try this scent and it was the only bottle I ordered for my first/second order.

 

Bottle: Woah that's strong...hrm something is bringing to mind cough syrup or something medicinal...don't know why.

 

Wet: Pretty much the same as the bottle. I think my skin is super amping the clove so it's uber strong.

 

Drydown: It's still pretty much all clove on me I think.

 

So I couldn't figure out what this reminded me of even though I knew the smell (it was the clove duh) until I was like waaait it smells like Micheal's (the craft store). Then I realized it reminds me of really strong potpourri...must be all that clove. I don't dislike it but I think it will take some getting used to. I'm going to try it later to see if my chem changes and it's more than just clove on me. I just put it on a while ago so I'll see if it morphs any in the next hour. Can't slather this one whewww ....Burns the nostrils if you aren't carfeul.

[NatCatz]

I can't promise this is a good review, I'm still learning.. but I felt the need to post since I love it so much..

 

I got this through today.. Why oh Why didn't I order more than one bottle??!!!

 

I'm in Love! Its wonderful.

 

In the bottle I get pine and apple and not much else.

 

On: Its deep woody, spicy apple. It keeps changing on me, getting spicier and then more woody, then more fruity. As the spices soften the wood notes come through, keeping it from becoming too fruity.

 

Its complex, deep and beautiful, and absolutely Samhain. It speaks to me of dark Samhain rites under the trees, and of feasts with loved ones.

 

Like I said.. I'm in Love

Edited December 6, 2007 by NatCatz

[akiko]

I picked up a bottle of the 07 at Will Call in November. When I sniffed the bottle, it was sort of 'meh,' piney with some spices, but once I put it on, my opinion changed entirely.

 

Wet: I swear there's some honey in here, though it's not on the list. It could be in the mullein, I suppose?

 

Dry: Honey and spices, with a hint of pine. It's a very autumn scent, or even Christmasy, as it recalls mulled wine.

[pensarepink]

Samhain 2007

 

From the bottle: Sweet

Wet: Very sweet with a hint of spice. This is strong and not what I was expecting. I'm not getting patchouli at all.

Dry down: Mellowing. Still sweet but more incense. Definitely lest earthy than I was hoping for.

 

Not sure about this. I'll have to give it another try. It's not saying autumn so much as old church to me.

[SarahScent44]

Samhain 2007

 

In imp, this smells like standing in a forest after a fall rain.

 

On my skin, I'm getting the patchouli and the fir, but no spices or apple.

 

When it dries, it's apple at the start, then patchouli and fir. It's an "eh" for me.

[500ml]

Samhain 2007

 

Sugared apple. I usually don't go for apple, but I've noticed that sometimes this is what makes a blend good for me. On me Samhain mostly smells of slightly spiced and heavily sugared apples with honey drizzled on top and a helping of patchouli/pine on the side. I can't get enough of this! And even better, it last forever and ever and makes me feel like a very happy bunny.

[inurbanus]

I have the 2007 version. This was the biggest surprise of the Halloweenies for me -- I thought I would amp the woods and end up smelling like a gym sock. This did not happen; I smell like spicy cider when I wear this. It's warm and comforting, but there's a little *something* lurking the in the background (probably the patchouli), making this the perfect scent for Halloween or Fall in general. I love this because it's yummy but not in a fake way -- I don't smell like a candle store. This also is one of the BPAL scents with the best throw on me.

 

4.5/5

[scarletgenesis]

Samhain 2007

 

I just tried this last night. I actually mixed it with some unscented lotion that I put on right before going to bed, so my initial review is based upon that experience. I also have notes from wearing it by itself as an oil.

 

In the bottle: Smoky. A huge bonfire in a clearing at the edge of the forest. A hint of spice as well.

 

Once applied: Gorgeous candied apples! A small amount of spice, but mostly the candied apple notes. I love this and it's the perfect fall scent. Works for winter also, since the apples I'm getting are decidedly crisp NOT baked.

 

I still smell this on my arms almost 12 hours after application! SO glad I got this. Normally, I amp patchouli, and I'm really picky about which scents I end up liking with patchouli notes, so I wasn't very excited about potentially smelling that. But happily, I don't get any patchouli at all with Samhain!

 

I'm going to wear this today and sniff myself all day!

 

As oil (without mixing with lotion), this gets more spicy, though thankfully I can still smell primarily candied apples. But now, I also get lots of clove and cinnamon underneath. I love it!

Edited January 12, 2008 by scarletgenesis

[Lyrical]

Samhain 2006

 

In vial: Vicks VapoRub! This brings back memories of childhood coughs and colds! Ok, since I've got a cold anyway, lets try some Vicks!

 

Wet on skin: hmmm - not quite as much Vicks now. It's dark and dank and medicinal, but with a certain deep warmth to it.

 

Dry on skin: it's softer now, and the Vicks has gone, but it's still very dark - almost molasses. I'm not sure what pumpkin smells like but there is a deep, lurking fruitiness and a touch of spice under the dark, damp leafy soil. Gradually this becomes more like spiced stewed apple, sweetened with dark brown, molasses-rich sugar. Wow - in the course of an hour this scent has changed from something yucky to something marvellous!

 

Samhain 2007

 

This is almost a different scent entirely! It's much fresher and fruitier, even a bit soapy. If 06 was stewed apple with dark molasses, this is fresh apple cider. Unfortunately it burns and leaves welts - and there are very few BPALs that do that! I hope I'll have better luck with the 2008 version.

 

(edited to include both vintages)

Edited August 27, 2008 by Lyrical

[MaeKitty]

In the Bottle: Boozy, fir.

On Me: Pure yum. Damp woods, clove, allspice, a bit of apple... perfect for it's name. Autumn and deliciousness in a 5ml bottle.