Séance

[Shollin]

Seance, from Bewitching Brews: A mysterious, enigmatic blend of dry, mellow rosewood, crushed rose leaf and the slightest touch of warm hazel.

First sniff: Dry, dry, dry… but not quite dusty, and there’s something lighter if you give it a moment. An old, abandoned house with a shaft of sunlight falling through a window onto a bare, dark-wood floor. If anyone saw that rather silly four-hour ABC miniseries written by Stephen King, called Rose Red, about the old mysterious house with a dark soul… this is what she’d smell like.

Wearing: It’s warmer and the lighter note is more apparent on my skin. Shifts from foreboding to welcoming. Still old houses, but it’s more like poking around in your grandmother’s attic, looking at picture albums and old wedding gowns. At one point during the night I sniffed my wrist and it smelled a bit like Lush’s Butterball (which is primarily vanilla and synthetic musk)! That was bizarre, because the scent-aura around me was still decidedly old houses. I liked this a lot more on me than I expected to and will definitely wear it again.

[minilux]

Normally I steer clear of all sweet and/or powdery scents, but I find this one to be delicious. It starts out as a sweet, boozy smell when wet, then dries to a creamy, slightly powdery coconutty, almondy, figgy sort of scent. I don't know how else to describe it, but I'll definitely be getting a bigger bottle.

[MilkAndSugar]

Every time I think about the word "seance" it brings to mind Fiona Apple's song "Carrion" where she sings:

 

Won't do no good to hold no seance

what's gone is gone and you can't bring it back around,

Won't do no good to hold no searchlight

you can't illuminate what time has anchored down.

 

Because, honey, I've gone away, I've gone away...

 

From the bottle, Seance is withered roses and hazelnut. Quite yummy.

 

On skin, it becomes dusty and old, definately the scent of an old abandoned house or old memories. There is rose, definately, but it's the kind of rose that has overbloomed and died. The green of the stem and leaves are as big a part of the scent as the bloom. It brings to my mind the kind of roses they sell at a florists, where the roses really don't smell like roses, but they do have a scent of their own.

The image this brings to my mind, is a dried up and a little decaying bouquet of long stemmed roses in a vase. All in a very pleasing way!

The hazelnut is definately there too, a bit coconutty like Minilux above said, but it's unmistakeably hazelnut. Very pleasing.

Underneath there's warm wood. Like floorboards or a well loved polished dresser with sunlight warming the surface.

 

All and all, to me this really *is* the scent of hauntings. Whether one is haunted by spectres or old memories. This is a dusty old manor, or a trunk in the attic, full of old letters.

Seance is a really special scent because it doesn't smell like you're wearing a perfume.

I liked it a lot and what's curious, so did my mother (she hardly ever likes the same perfumes I like), so I gladly gave my imp to her (to get her hooked! I'm evil!). I can always borrow, or buy a big bottle!

 

The scent isn't very long lasting, but to me that's never a problem because refreshing is half of the fun

 

-Milk

[Ypres Eep]

Séance is simply gorgeous. On me it smells like a sun-warmed parlor filled with old wood (and a crystal ball). After a few hours it softens even more to a warm, sweet, woody skin smell. My explainations are inadequate. Just try it! [/color]

[Ina Garten Davita]

I thought I had reviewed all of the scents I've tried up until my new order arrived. This seemed to have slipped through my fingers.

 

First Impression: I so like rosewood, softer more gentle version of sandalwood.

 

Second Impression: Warm and woody with that tangy witch hazel undercurrent.

 

Final Analysis: This is very evocative of an old dusty room with a well polished table with a crystal ball waiting to be gazed into. This will be an excellent room scent.

[Northernminx]

In the bottle: That old wood smell, strong and harsh like in Anne bonnie.

 

On the skin: Mellowed riiiight out and the floral came out underneath that dusty lovely smell. I'm reminded of my first impression on walking into Disney's The Haunted Mansion - there's that old house dusty flower smell, that tickles your nose but there's something eeriely sweet and beautiful about it at once.

 

A definite keeper.

[shadow]

This one is so strange on me. Right out of the vial, it's sharp and biting, almost like cinnamon, but it isn't red or brown, it's like a really sharp dark green. Slowly that fades and I get the old, dusty soft smell that I got from Arcana, the one that reminds me of old books, wood chests and dusty attics. I really love this one and will definitely wear it more.

 

Oh, this one is more feminine than Arcana - that one is more like a wizard's tower and this one is more like a Victorian lady's attic.

[riddel]

Seance

 

This smells like vintage clothing; like antique shops stuffed with one-of-a-kind treasures; like Victorian parlours and ladies. It's warm, oh so warm, with a faded, aged sweetness. It truly takes me back to another time. I'm so, so happy I traded for a 5ml of this blind.

Edited March 14, 2005 by riddel

[glampyre]

Old mellow wood and a ghostly faint trail of yellow tea roses.

 

(Stunningly beautiful.)

[lixolux]

this is such a beautiful dry woody scent - to me it smells like the notes in anne bonny i love without the patchouli (which sometimes hurts my stomach to smell!) reminds me of dusty lace, knotty wood and hooks on leather shoes. unreal.

[Pookstrell]

I have to admit to not being a rose fan. ‘Then why try séance?’ I hear you ask

Well, I surprised myself by really enjoying Hymn, which contains rose absolut.

I also have a bottle of Rosewood essential oil (non-bpal) which works really well in my oil burner, so I thought I’ve give Séance a whirl.

 

In the vial: This smells of old, damp wood. As others have suggested, it really does evoke images of an old attic or house. To my nose though, this house is unfortunately damp and mildew-y.

 

Wet: The damp wood smell dominates. Perhaps there might be books in the old attic which have water-stained, curling pages.

 

Drydown: The rose is a constant and subtle presence, but I can’t shake the mildew association. This is not a fresh rose, it has been stored in an old mahogany (or probably hazel) box for many years.

 

Verdict: This scent triggered some great imagery, and I perhaps would burn this as a room-scent if I wanted an atmospheric, old-house feel. It is a beautiful scent but too ‘damp’ for me. Someone needs to open the windows of the old house and put the central heating-on.

Edited August 24, 2004 by Pookstrell

[VelvetSky]

I love Seance. To me, it's Ouija's older sister....more mellow, more sophisticated, and she doesn't smoke like Ouija does.

 

The rose and the rosewood in this blend are absolute perfection. Like opening up an old ornately carved keepsake box and finding a beautifully dried red rose inside that still retains it's haunting fragrance.

 

On the drydown, I definitely get that touch of hazel that Beth mentions in the description. It's oh so subtle, but gives Seance a buttery warmness.

 

This is definitely going on my big bottle list.

[Jezebel873]

Absolutely amazing. I don't know how they do it, but they have completely nailed this one. I always get very strong images from BPAL oils, so here's what this one gives me... a glass of wine, a dusty attic, a dried rose corsage. It smells like going through your mother's hope chest. When I close my eyes I can see the dust motes floating in a shaft of sunlight.

I really wanted this one to work on me, even though florals aren't usually my thing. Lo and behold, it smells gorgeous! My husband says it's both spooky and comforting.

[Caitfish]

Scent Name: Séance

In the bottle:

Dominant notes: rosewood, greenish rose leaf.

Impressions: This smells surprisingly fresh and wet in the bottle, considering the description. The rosewood is apparent, and makes this smell smoky.

Initial On:

Dominant notes: Rosewood and wow, hazel.

Impressions: Beautiful. A completely different experience with the same notes, if that makes any sense. The hazel really warms this and brings out the woody notes of the rosewood, which smells something like cedar.

After a while:

Persistent notes: Rosewood, rose leaf and hazel all balance each other out now.

Notes that fade: None

Staying power? Okay, considering the dry nature of this scent - I would say three hours without a reapply.

Summary: A beautiful, evocative scent. Though others have questioned it, I would like to defend this as a perfume. It's absolutely mysterious and warm, definitely a draw - enigmatic is the perfect way to describe it. The rose leaves and rosewood give the hint of the regal rose without ever approaching a floral. It's dusty but not dirty or dark. Big bottle.

Edited November 3, 2005 by Shollin

[Idlewild]

I spent all day wanting to review this scent!

 

Out of the bottle on me it smells like pot pourri - my mother and I used to make it when I was a teenager, with dried rose petals, orris root powder, and a bit of rose essential oil. So it's a good smell for me. It reminds me of a particular house we lived in, and it evokes all that without making me sneeze nearly as much as old pot pourri.

 

As the day wore on, I found a strange thing happening. The scent started to smell more of fresh roses rather than dried roses. It got sharper and cleaner on me. That didn't happen the last two times I wore it, or else I didn't notice, but I hope it's a repeat occurance.

 

I got this imp as a freebie, kinda liked it the first time I tried it, then ran back to it when I was trying to find something to put on after washing off a scent that went disastrously on my skin. This morning it just seemed the right kind of comforting without being as blanket as Dana O'Shee, which is my favourite comfort scent. Seance is definitely a bit more alluring!

[voodoobaby]

In the bottle: This is rosey, but not a freshly bloomed rose. The greenness of the leaf is there, as is a little woodiness, and something very sweet in the background. Hazel? I didn't imagine hazel being so marshmallowy sweet if that's what this is, but it's nice.

 

Wearing: Ah. I don't know what it is, but something's making this bitter, which I love. I say that, but it's actually more bittersweet than downright bitter. I seem to be smelling a lightly-scented fruit, maybe something like pear, but it's very much in the background and not juicy at all. The blend is kind of dusty, dry, and very Victorian. I hate to assign a scent to a subculture, but this is quite gothic. It's sophisticated, nostalgic, and beautifully somber (as well as being a bit spooky, but in a classy way, not a shocker Mansonite way).

 

Later: Florals are souring on me again. Oh well, it's really not a big issue, I still like it. It just seems to have taken a kind of alcoholic, wine-ish turn is all, which I know is just what flowers do on my skin. I will definitely keep an imp of this for the days when I want to dress up kind of fancy and listen to some Faith & the Muse. Luckily I have two, so I can keep one and still share the love. Yay!

[shelldoo]

I do not get the old dried rose smell form this. I agree that it does remind me of ouija's big sister, it smells of a fresh rose, and rosewood, It is beautiful.

[sun_set_bravely]

Séance

 

In the bottle: strong grassy scent, very green smell, almost vegetable-like; the scent is flat and hits my nose like a plate glass window. Cool, almost cold smell.

 

Wet, on skin: warms up quite a bit. I smell the wood like an old plain coffin, or a small wooden church in the English countryside. Definitely getting religion here.

 

1.5 Hours on skin: turned a bit powdery; reminds me of the period rooms in museums, or the Old Merchant's House museum in Manhattan -- the wood of it. Evocative of an old music box, or a musty jewelry box with fake velvet lining and a grandmother's costume jewelry inside.

 

Drydown: Very faint whiff remaining. It smells now like the inside of an old grand piano.

 

Conclusion: Although the scent is nice and exactly what it says it will be, I don't think it's for me. I'd sooner line my drawers with paper scented in this than wear it on my skin.

Edited September 6, 2005 by sun_set_bravely

[Gin]

At first, it's dry and dusty, like dried roses that have been sitting in the attic. Then something sweet appears--it's warm and almost-vanilla scent. And a wood note. The wood develops a lovely spicy scent but the rose seems to disappear. I don't care for the wet, old rose scent, but the dry wood smell is nice.

[surf-tormented]

The only word I can think of is: Ghostly.

 

All you gothlings should buy this one today, it is creepy and marvelous.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: very nice. a bit sweet, with some nice, warm, sweet flowers.

on: wow. i really like this. it reminds me of the smell of a single rose: petals, stem, and leaves. beautiful.

half an hour later: still a fresh-cut rose.

1 hour later: i'm getting a salty note.

1.5 hours later: the wood is really coming out. it smells like a beautiful piece of old furniture.

overall: i like the scent at first, but not the woods after it dries. i'll be getting rid of my imp.

[rainbow]

In bottle- lots of rose.

 

Wet on skin- still lots of rose, but now with a slightly woody undertone.

 

Wearing- it becomes warmer. I guess that the hazel. There are hints of resin, and something very powdery develops. This is a warm rose scent, and one that I find quite comforting.

[aritei]

wet-wood and rose

 

dry-very rosey. this is beautiful, perhaps my favorite of the imps i've tried so far

[Lady_Ell]

I almost didn't try this on, because I thought that roses all went soapy old lady on me. I am wrong about this and I am glad that I am wrong.

 

In the bottle this reminds me of Rose Red; a very wet, dewy rose.

When I put it on, the rose sweetens up a bit and still stays cool and damp. There's something else in here that keeps it from getting soapy and overpowering, though, and I don't know if that's the rosewood or the hazel (I don't know what hazel smells like).

 

Once it's dry it smells like a cool, damp rose with the barest hint of vanilla caster sugar.

 

This doesn't go old lady or ghostly or attic-y or potpourri or dry or dusty on me at all.

 

I am about to head my ass over to the Swaps area to see if anyone has a bottle they're willing to trade. I adore this.

[kmasden]

At first seance is fresh, vibrant rose to my nose. After drying down, it softens and I understand the wood association people are getting. I like it, but unfortunately rose as a dominant scent doesn't work well for me. I don't get as much wood as I would have liked from this. For rose lovers though, it is beautiful, mature yet soft. Try it.