Samhain

[valentina]

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.

Wow, this is gorgeous. I loved this from the moment that I put it on, although it went through several amazing changes. At first it very much amped the pumpkin, apple and spicy fall scent. After an hour or so, the fir and pine scents came to the front, but pleasantly so, with a wonderful clove-cinnamon background. In the final drydown, I got that wonderful melange of autumn scents with the dark background of patchouli.

Patchouli and fall scents are my favorite, it's no wonder I love this. I may end up buying a second bottle because it's so wonderful. A really masterful job by Beth and the lab!

valentina

[brownbear]

hmm, it's not what I expected. I sniffed a bottle of the 04 version of this a while ago and I loved it. It was cidery and spicy and warm. This one is spicy and warm, but it is also a bit medicinal. I'm not getting a lot of cider in this. I still like it, but wish it was a bit more cidery. It had a phase that smelled like camping. I really hope that the medicine smell isn't the pumpkin as I'm expecting some pumpkins soon. Overall, I do like it as a spicy camping kind of scent, but I don't get any apple at all.

[AliBabble]

i love the bottle, but the oil itself is problematic for me. it strikes me as very sharp, strong, and as some have noted, medicinal. like an ointment or unguent for burns. there's something very fiery about this one. it's interesting - but not all that pleasant, to me. eventually it calms down somewhat, and i can faintly smell apples...i like this stage much better. but the apples are in a sort of formaldehyde haze. i haven't given up on this one, but i'm struggling a bit to enjoy it. very distintive and unusual, though.

[coulrophobe]

Since I never reviewed my '04 bottle, I'll do a side-by-side '04/'05 comparison right here.

 

Out of the bottle, '05 smells a bit more piney - that would be the fir needle. It's sharper than the '04 vintage - almost medicinal to my nose.

 

On: While both are spicy autumnal scents, Samhain '04 is "rounder" and sweeter to my nose; I can smell the apple and pumpkin much more, and the fir and patchouli stay in the background. The '05 blend loses the medicinal quality I smelled in the bottle, but it's darker, chillier and wilder than the '04 version; while it's still spicy and autumny, it's the difference between snuggling up under a blanket with a cup of hot cider on a stormy night ('04), and taking a walk in dry, chilly forest of leafless trees in the middle of the night, with a full moon lighting the skeletal trees in sharp relief and creating creepy shadows ('05).

 

In other words, I find '04 to be a rich, warm homey scent, while '05 is more Sleepy Hollow. Both are completely lovely, though!

[thefaeriegirl]

Samhain doesn't care for my skin at all. When on, what I get is Pine Sol with rotting leaves. The person I was with when I had it on kept telling me all they could smell was the smoke. I waited, hoping the pumpkin and apple would break though, alas, it did not.

[yaluna]

I'm still undecided about this one. So far it smells like rotting, moldy apples on me, but I can tell that it's trying to be something wonderful. I'm going to give it a little more time and see what happens.

[Stumbeline]

I just recieved my Samhain '05 today and it has me completely and utterly baffled. I can't decide if I absolutely love it or if I want to swap it off right away!

 

Like someone noted above, in the bottle and when it first hits my skin it is very medicinal and the pine note is prominent. I'm not a fan of this. I don't get PineSol, but as a fan of sweet, spicy blends I was expecting something different. But just because it wasn't what I expected doesn't mean it's bad, oh no. Something in the initial note is triggering a memory but I can't quite make it out. This is one of the things I like about this scent.

 

After a time, say...30 minutes or so Samhain 05 does get sweeter. I can smell the apples, definitely. A touch of the pumpkin I get from Jack and just a tiny hint of spices in the backround. They're so faint I feel like I need some pom-poms and a cootchie-cutting skirt to get them out here.

 

However, I'm going to chalk this up to funky skin chemistry on my part, and give Samhain 05 another chance in a couple of days. The final drydown that I get is akin to what everyone describes as the total scent of Autumn, and I'm not about to give up on that.

[mercutia]

I bought Samhain because everyone was so excited about any incarnation of it they could get their hands on, I figured it must be excellent.

 

Note to self: Do not necessarily go by others' body chemistry experiences.

 

I really, REALLY wanted to like this, but it smells like Ben-Gay and original-flavor Ricola cough drops along with a trace of mushy, wilted pumpkin on me. I got the same thing in the bottle, but since Anne Bonny wasn't too great in the bottle but ended up fantastic on my skin, I tried a little.

 

It immediately got twice as strong and did not change or sweeten any, and after ten minutes' vigorous scrubbing, I STILL smell like it. Urgh.

 

Oh, well, I'm glad I got to try it. And of course, I'm getting right back to ordering more scents as soon as I'm able to afford it, so curiousity satisfied and no hard done.

Edited October 25, 2005 by mercutia

[luxuria]

'05

 

This smells like Hexennacht mixed with very spiced apple cider in the bottle to me. I definitely smell the fir-patchouli mix.

 

Wet on my skin, I get this REALLY strong medicinal note. Almost like an over-the-counter disinfectent ointment or something similar. Luckily it fades quick enough and I definitely get the 'embodiment of autumn' smell. Woodsy, smoky, leaves mixed with warm spices.

 

Many hours later I just smell like fir, woods, leaves, etc. but it's very understated and still pleasant. I wish the spices and apple stuck around for the long haul, but this is divine while they're there!

[space girl lost]

finally my turn to review this! i have been lusting after this scent since 2003 and never caved in as i was very hesitant about purchasing scents online having never smelled them before. it seemed really iffy and weird. well, after reading so many reviews about samhain being THE autumn scent and all the hooplah around it... and bpal gaining more of a following, i caved in.

 

i'm not regretting it one bit!!

 

i must admit, when i first opened the bottle i was thinking i might have made a mistake. i could definately relate to those who said it smelled medicinal. it didn't smell JUST like pine-sol to me, but it did seem artificial like a cleaning product. it also was very cooling to my nose.the first time i applied it the scent didn't change all that much. lots of fir though the cleaning product side of it toned down and it smelled more natural.

 

now when i open it i just smell fir. pure fir. it's not quite like going to pick out an xmas tree or anything, but in the same neighborhood for me. i smell nothing but fir.

 

once applied, it's toned down a bit. perhaps that's the patchouli, i don't know. me and patchouli don't have much of a history together so ... i don't really recognize the scent.

 

after maybe 3 hours everything comes to a perfect balance. i can never quite pick out the pumpkin, but i do smell some spiced apple smell mixed with fir.

 

and staying power? yeeeeeeah. yesterday i applied it at 6am and by 10pm i could still clearly smell it when i put my wrist to my nose.

 

i wouldn't say this how i imagine autumn smelling. not by a long shot, but it is still gorgeous and i will definately be picking up another bottle before it is discontinued again. i don't even want to be without this scent again.

 

Edited October 25, 2005 by space girl lost

[girlmadasbirds]

samhain '05 isn't quite what i was expecting. i'm somewhere between loving it and not liking it at all. my first thought was "wow..this is potent" and then when i put it on my skin.."medicinal!!!".

i've had it on for about half an hour now and while the sharp medicinal note has toned down a bit, it's still there. i'm having a really difficult time picking out other notes in this. i *think* i detect the clove and apple, but no pumpkin or spices at all. hmm.

i'll give it another shot later.

[lookingglass]

When I opened this up, I had forgotten about the "tree" notes. Not the biggest needle fan...It is very prominent at the beginning.

 

Then I get a big waft of spice, and an odd, earthy, creamy scent that must be the pumpkin. The apple is a bit more understated than I anticipated.

 

Dry, it captures the sabot beautifully...dark, damp, sweet and spicy, full of magic and mystery.

Edited October 12, 2011 by lookingglass

[Penance]

Samhain 2005

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I learned how much I loved Samhain '04 a little too late mainly because of my ever wonderful and wacky skin chemistry and possibly because of the small amount of aging that happened between my receiving it, trying it and selling it and then trying it again and falling in love, so this is my second chance to make up for my hasty decision and I fully expect it to work right away this time. Am I being too optimistic? Maybe, but I doubt it.

 

First sniff:

 

This smells damn near identical to last year's so far as I can tell right now. There's something that smells almost like honey skirting around the edges that I don't remember from last year's, but it could be my nose misinterpreting something in here. Mainly, Samhain '05 is dry, crumbling leaves, a bit of musty patchouli and a hint of what reminds me more of apple peel than the actual fruit itself. Oh, Samhain, how I love you. You're an aquired taste, I think, but I've gotten over the awkward stage long ago.

 

Wet on skin:

 

Interesting side note: Samhain '05 is almost clear this year (as opposed to brownish in '03 and reddish in '04).

 

Oh lord, here we go again with the medicinal/cleaning fluid note I got last year that made me sell the majority of my bottles. I'm not sure if this will be a stage that will pass or if this needs to age before I wear it like last year's apparently did. I'm hoping it's just a stage because I hate having to let things sit before I can use them. Instant gratification is more my style, but BPAL has certainly improved my patience, so I'll sit on Samhain (not literally, unless that will help somehow) until it has time to age if I have to.

 

Dry down:

 

Less medicinal smelling, but still not quite right. I think I'm going to have to age this first. In the meantime, I'll have to wear last year's (sparingly, until I'm sure that this year's will age the same) and hope for the best. I don't want to do it, but I'll do whatever it takes to be able to wear this.

 

The bottom line:

 

At least I know why last year's Samhain hated me at first: it needed to age. At least my skin chemistry's not completely unhinged.

[sh1mm3r]

I'm so sad. I was expecting this year's Samhain to like me better than last year's since it didn't have wine in it. But the pumpkin, apple, cider spices, etc., never come out at all! I get pure piney pinesol scent from start to finish. And like many have said, a dab'll do ya!

[quikslvr]

(2005 version)

 

Over-spiced cider turns to spiced pumpkin really swiftly. It's got a harsh edge to it that I can't blame on any of the notes in the description. After the foody bit, it goes a bit floral. Then it's back to cider. And it's lovely. This is definitely a keeper.

[ChupaChup]

To me, Samhain '05 is even better than Samhain '04. It's scary at first, that burst of sharp fir needle and black patchouli, but after about only five minutes it settles down just like last year's, the good part . This year's blend seems to be a little more foody than last year's. The apple cider comes out more and there is a warm roundness to it that may be the pumpkin but it almost seems like vanilla to me. This is just great .

[antimony]

Samhain '05 simeels exactly like I remember Samhain '04 smelling when I first got it.

 

That said, I didn't really like Samhain '04 when I first got it, it took a couple of months of sitting in the dark getting to know itself before it became the gorgeous perfume I love now.

 

I've decided to continue to wear Samhain '04 this fall (I've got about half a bottle left) and let Samhain '05 age until I'm done with the older one.

[Diana]

Samhain 2005 version

 

I bought my 2004 new from the lab, but I really don't remember it smelling like this. Then again, hundreds of oils have passed under my nose since last autumn, so maybe I am just not recalling it correctly. Plus, in comparison to my now 1-year old bottle, it is so different.

 

In the bottle: Watery, slightly cinnamon. Doesn't really smell like Samhain at all. It's almost like a really watered down cinnamon tea.

 

On, wet: There are vague apple & leafy notes, but to me it still seems very faint. There were a few places where the oil gave me a contact cold sensation. Weird.

 

1-5 hours later... Ah, there it is. NOW it smells more like the Samhain I remember. I did slather on very liberally, and it still seems less potent than my aged bottle, but WHEW! it's ok! The familiar scent of woodsy, wet fall leaves, smokey hazes that drift in and out with just a wee touch of apple & spice in the background to round it all out.

 

I'm glad I have refilled my huge stash of this oil. It was one of my first BPAL true loves, and remains to this day one of my favorites. I do think I'm going to stick with wearing the 2004 version until this batch has a chance to more fully develop.

[LyndaM]

I'm sad to say that Samhain did not work for me. To be honest, I hadn't really expected it to; patchouli has never been my friend. But I had to try out the dearest love of so many people! While waiting for 2005 to arrive, I'd gotten to test a few drops of 2004, and it was too earthy for me.

 

I could smell that note so strongly sniffing from the bottle, that it was instant headache-in-a-bottle and I couldn't even apply it. I'm glad to report that it's found a very happy home elsewhere.

 

Please note that I have a very strong aversion to the scent of patchouli in any amount, so I don't mean to imply that this is loaded with it or anything. A little or a lot is the same to me: too much. So, as always, YMMV.

[parrot_suspect]

Samhain '04, of which I only have an imp, is a wonderful scent. Smoky, woodsy, spicy, mysterious.

 

Samhain '05 is reminiscent of '04, but not exactly alike. This year's Samhain seems weaker, more watered-down smelling, and sharper. At first whiff, I definitely get the "medicinal" note that many have mentioned. There's something spicy and sharp, but not pleasant, at first. As it dries down, it becomes tremendously fruity, smelling just like apple cider after a few hours. For some people, that's great, but me ...I don't want to smell like apple cider...I wanted the woodsy, smoky, mystery of Samhain '04. I get very little woods from this one. Ah well, it was worth a try.

[Tramp]

In the bottle this smelled strangely like paint, wet latex paint.

 

On - This smells AMAZING! Crisp red apples and mellow cider spices predominate. Simply wonderful. Has a surprising amount of throw which I was not expecting.

 

Am VERY glad that I got a bottle of this.

 

Rating (out of 5)

4

Edited November 7, 2005 by Tramp

[Loligo]

I had low expectations for this scent, despite the near-universal love for it. Patchouli is iffy on me, and my skin amps up cedar and cypress, so I was fully expecting a Pine-Sol experience from this.

 

Not at all! I guess fir is a *good* evergreen. The initial fir-patchouli burst is earthy and sharpish, but pleasantly so. Then it starts to smell like spiced cider gone feral -- not sweet at all, just the wild essence of apple lurking in the woods, like maybe an abandoned, haunted orchard that has been overtaken by the forest. It slowly sweetens up: three hours after application it smells like cider, faint spices, and sweet pipe smoke. Very beautiful and very seasonal!

[wolfie13]

I wasn't around for the 2003 version and didn't order the 2004 vintage either - it just sounded like something that really wouldn't work on me, despite the rave reviews. (Yes, I'm one of those folks for whom next to NONE of the most popular blends work.)

 

But the curiosity finally overcame me this time and I got an imp from the delightful emmacrew and it arrived today - how appropo!

 

And it turns out - I love it.

 

In the bottle and initial wear: Fir and Patchouli (yes it's sharp and piney and earthy as everyone says, but i love these notes - I'd like it just like this probably!)

 

After just 10 minutes or so: The apple and spices come out - I don't get much if any pumpkin from this. It's not overly sweet or foody (for which I am very grateful), and it's an interesting near-even balance between the forest and the cider, with a bit of smoke.

 

(PS: I can now see the comparisons many made to Hexennacht - there is a big similarity on me. But I think I like this better! Hex has been going too musky on me.)

[wickedgoddess]

2005 Version

 

Wet - Cinnamon! This smells like last year's Samhain with slightly less fruit and way more cinnamon.

 

Dry - as it dries I start smelling apples…yum! Still, even with the apples coming out, this seems sharper than last year's version. I need to try them side by side, but at this point, I prefer Samhain 2004 to Samhain 2005. This lasts forever, probably the longest lasting of all the BPAL oils on my skin. On extreme drydown this is primarily apple and spice, with a bit of autumn leaves. The patchouli seems to be much lighter than in the 2004 version, but that is quite possibly because 2004 has had a year to age.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 5.

[yeahbutnobut]

Samhain 05

 

In the imp: honeyed apple! Very similar to the 04 version. I get something spicy to it, and possibly pumpkin and patchouli. It smells lovely and warming.

Wet on skin: I have no idea why, but I'm getting a cardamom/cinnamon like scent from this-and I love it! I still smell honeyed apple with spices, and now woody and pine like notes come out.

Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! Crushed green fir needles and damp woods, with something fresh and breezy like an autumn wind. I can see why some people say this is medicinal, and something slightly reminiscent of pine or eucalyptus-that could be the fir, but that's no bad thing.. Sweet red apple and spice are here too, along with that honey like scent, and sweet mellow pumpkin too. It's wonderful!

After a while: the honey note in this now smells more like beeswax. No bad thing, as I like the smell of beeswax anyway. It's sweeter now, and the fresh fir note has retreated. The foody scents of pumpkin and sweet crisp apple are now more prominent. It's still a fantastic smelling blend.

Verdict: this is a fabulous autumnal scent, one of the best I've tried. With woods, fir, apple, spices and pumpkin, this scent has both foody warmth, comforting and mellow, and a bracing freshness like the chill winds of October. It's beautifully evocative of the season, marvellously complex and with many dimensions of scent-something that Beth does so well. I remember trying last year's version briefly, it had that same honeyed apple feel to it, but this one has a fresher fir/wood note as well. I think I may need a bottle for next autumn!