musicallum

I learned a lesson with Jareth - just how much the season/weather can affect your perception of a scent. As a fan of Labyrinth, Bowie and 80s fantasy, and someone who likes all of the listed notes, I thought this would be a surefire hit for me. My first time testing it, in late autumn/early winter, I felt a bit disappointed that I didn’t love it. At that time of year, the combination of sweet tonka, airy lilacs, leather and oudh (which tends to amp up on me) felt a little bit sickly and off-colour - it just doesn’t fit for cosy season. However, trying it today on a warm spring day, it’s a whole different story. I love it! It does smell a bit like walking into a steamy bathroom post-shower, as a poster above described it, but it feels in keeping with the character - a bit haughty and fey but masculine.

Lavender and labdanum are a lovely combination, and this has considerable throw and longevity on me. The gooey rockrose resin - which always gives me a Mediterranean mountain vibe - is given a fresh breath of cleansing and calming lavender. This is very nice to wear to bed - but just a tiny drop.

Big witch shop energy - jasmine, patchouli and incense are the loudest players on my skin, but it’s the little peeks of green moss and springy neroli that give this a lift.

Sipping slightly flat cola snuggled up in one of granny’s blankets on a brown suede couch that’s perhaps a little bit dusty. There’s a real retro 70s vibe to this to me. It’s very pleasant but difficult to categorise for when to wear - it doesn’t neatly fit a season or mood.

I really like this when it dries down! Subtly comforting with a hint of quirk. Alarmingly hempy wet but that note quietens down quickly. The warm cotton/milk/musk lifted by soft pine (and citrus?) freshness does give something of an elevated baby lotion vibe.

This is lovely, although somewhat different to what I expected! On me, the lavender takes a backseat to the cotton and a pie which seems to be full of jammy purple berries. It’s comforting but in a “weekend afternoon at home” way rather than the traditional bedtime lavender.

This is a beautiful scent which feels both delicately intimate and grand. To me, it evokes elegant 19th century glasshouses, fragile structures barely containing wayward greenery, full of life even on a winter’s day. Like the title character, it's actually not super-sweet, but unique and complex. I was hesitant about the potential sickliness of the white chocolate note but together with the orris it rounds out the dewy wetness of the unripe coconut, wild lettuce and florals .