BPAL: Halloweenies pt.2
Nov. 2nd, 2013 10:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydionThe decants came:
Ordered:
DORIAN IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH 2013 (LE, Halloweenies, The Pumpkin Patch):
In bottle: This was a clever idea. The sexy tea based cologne of Dorian goes surprisingly well with crusty, spicy pumpkin. The pumpkin is understated, letting the spice really shine in its dance with Dorian. Wet: The pumpkin moves to the forefront, with spice next and Dorian as a soft background. Dry: Dries down to a slightly juicier version of Dorian.
GOBLIN MARKET 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Apples and quinces, Lemons and oranges, Plump unpecked cherries, Melons and raspberries, Bloom-down-cheeked peaches...Like honey to the throat, but poison in the blood).
In bottle: Mostly red, juicy berries and apples over honey, with a touch of citrus. Omnomnom. Wet: The fruits are way more complex on the skin. I’m picking up peaches and melon now as well as berries. I’m wondering if the quince isn’t the thing making it particularly late fall, as I’m not familiar with quince. If so, it’s second strongest after the dominant apple with the raspberries in third. The melons and peaches are subtle and rich, with the melon the stronger of the two. My skin generally amps citrus, but it stays in balance here, lending tartness without overwhelming. Dry: Mostly Quince and apple with a touch of melon.
HAUNTED HOUSES 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Quiet, ineffective ghosts haunting the realm of mystery and night, stretching dusty hands back to homes and lifetimes unforgotten: pale gossamer musks swirling in thick, dense otherworldy vapours through cracks in dry wood and old, old stones).
In bottle: Lots of chalky musk. I’m guessing the wood and stone are combining to make the chalk. The musks give the feel of vetivert without being vetivert, if that makes sense. Wet: Still very chalky musk, but more nuanced on the skin. The stone is soft, but moire distinct. This is not ideal on my skin. The musks don’t agree with my natural scent. Dry: Fast fading to mixed musks.
THE HELL-GATE OF IRELAND 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Smoldering brimstone, bitter labdanum, clove, black musk, and copper-colored feathers).
In bottle: This is sharp and rather unsettling. The brimstone, copper, and labdanum combine to create a dangerous impression, with the musk adding sensuality and the clove a hint of spice. Wet: Labdanum dominant, with strong musk support. The copper, brimstone and clove modify the dominant scents. I’d call the clove as second tier strength with the musk. This is clinical, unnerving, and dangerous all at once, fascinating, but hard to wear. Dry: Mmmm.. lovely. Clove and labdanum, smooth and spicy. I’d be iun love if it were always like this.
NOCTIPHOBIA 2013 (LE, Halloweenies, Phobos): (Company says: Fear of nighttime. The vast, endless canopy of the night sky, dotted with cold, harsh pinpoints of light under a bulging white moon.)
In bottle: I’m picking up mint, lavender, musk, ozone, musk, amber and some sort of incense, with a hint of floral. It is deep, dark, and velvety with a chill to it. Wet: My skin eats it. What’s left is mostly lavender and amber, with something that reminds me of iron accord, though it could be another metallic. Dry: Mostly amber and musk with a touch of incense.
OOKY 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Less spooky than Spooky, and nowhere near as creepy as Creepy, this is the scent of lightly spiced pumpkin candies, decorated with thick marzipan, sweetened with butter cream, an decorated with a touch of lemon zest).
In bottle: Pumpkin dominant with a strong butter cream second. The marzipan is third, tying them together. The spicing is delicate and the zest gives it a touch of zing. You really need to like butter cream for this to work and I can tell from the bottle scent it’s too much for me, so no skin test.
SEPTEMBER MIDNIGHT 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: A myrrh-darkened amber chypre sweetened by newly-ripened black pomegranate).
In bottle: Lovely dark pomegranate with a smooth incense blend in support. The chypre blend is unusual and less overwhelming than in the atmosphere spray from last year. Wet: The chypre really comes out on the skin, pushing the pomegranate into the background. This is rather a shame as the balance in the bottle was unusual and gorgeous. The amber dominant incense blend is still lovely, but rather strong on me. If you love chypre incense this is for you. Dry: The chypre calms down as it wears and ends up doing lovely things with what remains of the pomegranate. The effect is smooth and sweet.
SNAKE OIL IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH 2013 (LE, Halloweenies, The Pumpkin Patch):
In bottle: Snake oil dominant with strong pumpkin. They go together surprisingly well, the vanilla in the snake oil bridging the gap with the pumpkin. The effect is complex and hard to describe. Wet: I don’t generally do well with the pumpkin accord, but this may actually work. The snake oil stays dominant, with the pumpkin sweetening and mellowing it. Dry: Mmmmm… Sweet snake oil with all the things I like about snake oil amped.
THEME IN YELLOW 2013 (LE, Halloweenies,): (Company says: Ghost songs and love to the harvest moon: fresh pumpkins warmed by candlelight and aglow with Halloween joy).
In bottle: Fresh gourd. It still has the pumpkin spice feel to it, but it does smell fresh. Wet: There is a yellowish feel to this gourd. I love this, but am worried how it will age. It’s so perfect now, but delicate. Dry: Wears well fresh gourd with extra sweet.
A WORLD WHERE THERE ARE OCTOBERS 2013 (LE, Halloweenies,): (Company says: An armload of maple boughs and a swirl of autumn leaves).
In bottle: Damp autumn leaves crushed under foot, with fresh snapped twigs. Wet: more delicate and less nuanced on the skin, but still essentially as advertised. Dry: The leaves get less sharp but stay lovely as they fade and blur.
Winners: Snake Oil in the Pumpkin Patch
Runners Up: Goblin Market
Ordered:
DORIAN IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH 2013 (LE, Halloweenies, The Pumpkin Patch):
In bottle: This was a clever idea. The sexy tea based cologne of Dorian goes surprisingly well with crusty, spicy pumpkin. The pumpkin is understated, letting the spice really shine in its dance with Dorian. Wet: The pumpkin moves to the forefront, with spice next and Dorian as a soft background. Dry: Dries down to a slightly juicier version of Dorian.
GOBLIN MARKET 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Apples and quinces, Lemons and oranges, Plump unpecked cherries, Melons and raspberries, Bloom-down-cheeked peaches...Like honey to the throat, but poison in the blood).
In bottle: Mostly red, juicy berries and apples over honey, with a touch of citrus. Omnomnom. Wet: The fruits are way more complex on the skin. I’m picking up peaches and melon now as well as berries. I’m wondering if the quince isn’t the thing making it particularly late fall, as I’m not familiar with quince. If so, it’s second strongest after the dominant apple with the raspberries in third. The melons and peaches are subtle and rich, with the melon the stronger of the two. My skin generally amps citrus, but it stays in balance here, lending tartness without overwhelming. Dry: Mostly Quince and apple with a touch of melon.
HAUNTED HOUSES 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Quiet, ineffective ghosts haunting the realm of mystery and night, stretching dusty hands back to homes and lifetimes unforgotten: pale gossamer musks swirling in thick, dense otherworldy vapours through cracks in dry wood and old, old stones).
In bottle: Lots of chalky musk. I’m guessing the wood and stone are combining to make the chalk. The musks give the feel of vetivert without being vetivert, if that makes sense. Wet: Still very chalky musk, but more nuanced on the skin. The stone is soft, but moire distinct. This is not ideal on my skin. The musks don’t agree with my natural scent. Dry: Fast fading to mixed musks.
THE HELL-GATE OF IRELAND 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Smoldering brimstone, bitter labdanum, clove, black musk, and copper-colored feathers).
In bottle: This is sharp and rather unsettling. The brimstone, copper, and labdanum combine to create a dangerous impression, with the musk adding sensuality and the clove a hint of spice. Wet: Labdanum dominant, with strong musk support. The copper, brimstone and clove modify the dominant scents. I’d call the clove as second tier strength with the musk. This is clinical, unnerving, and dangerous all at once, fascinating, but hard to wear. Dry: Mmmm.. lovely. Clove and labdanum, smooth and spicy. I’d be iun love if it were always like this.
NOCTIPHOBIA 2013 (LE, Halloweenies, Phobos): (Company says: Fear of nighttime. The vast, endless canopy of the night sky, dotted with cold, harsh pinpoints of light under a bulging white moon.)
In bottle: I’m picking up mint, lavender, musk, ozone, musk, amber and some sort of incense, with a hint of floral. It is deep, dark, and velvety with a chill to it. Wet: My skin eats it. What’s left is mostly lavender and amber, with something that reminds me of iron accord, though it could be another metallic. Dry: Mostly amber and musk with a touch of incense.
OOKY 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: Less spooky than Spooky, and nowhere near as creepy as Creepy, this is the scent of lightly spiced pumpkin candies, decorated with thick marzipan, sweetened with butter cream, an decorated with a touch of lemon zest).
In bottle: Pumpkin dominant with a strong butter cream second. The marzipan is third, tying them together. The spicing is delicate and the zest gives it a touch of zing. You really need to like butter cream for this to work and I can tell from the bottle scent it’s too much for me, so no skin test.
SEPTEMBER MIDNIGHT 2013 (LE, Halloweenies): (Company says: A myrrh-darkened amber chypre sweetened by newly-ripened black pomegranate).
In bottle: Lovely dark pomegranate with a smooth incense blend in support. The chypre blend is unusual and less overwhelming than in the atmosphere spray from last year. Wet: The chypre really comes out on the skin, pushing the pomegranate into the background. This is rather a shame as the balance in the bottle was unusual and gorgeous. The amber dominant incense blend is still lovely, but rather strong on me. If you love chypre incense this is for you. Dry: The chypre calms down as it wears and ends up doing lovely things with what remains of the pomegranate. The effect is smooth and sweet.
SNAKE OIL IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH 2013 (LE, Halloweenies, The Pumpkin Patch):
In bottle: Snake oil dominant with strong pumpkin. They go together surprisingly well, the vanilla in the snake oil bridging the gap with the pumpkin. The effect is complex and hard to describe. Wet: I don’t generally do well with the pumpkin accord, but this may actually work. The snake oil stays dominant, with the pumpkin sweetening and mellowing it. Dry: Mmmmm… Sweet snake oil with all the things I like about snake oil amped.
THEME IN YELLOW 2013 (LE, Halloweenies,): (Company says: Ghost songs and love to the harvest moon: fresh pumpkins warmed by candlelight and aglow with Halloween joy).
In bottle: Fresh gourd. It still has the pumpkin spice feel to it, but it does smell fresh. Wet: There is a yellowish feel to this gourd. I love this, but am worried how it will age. It’s so perfect now, but delicate. Dry: Wears well fresh gourd with extra sweet.
A WORLD WHERE THERE ARE OCTOBERS 2013 (LE, Halloweenies,): (Company says: An armload of maple boughs and a swirl of autumn leaves).
In bottle: Damp autumn leaves crushed under foot, with fresh snapped twigs. Wet: more delicate and less nuanced on the skin, but still essentially as advertised. Dry: The leaves get less sharp but stay lovely as they fade and blur.
Winners: Snake Oil in the Pumpkin Patch
Runners Up: Goblin Market