Devil's Night

[lanablade]

... This is the scent of autumn night, fires in the distance, with a touch of boozy swoon, playful sugar and thuggish musk.

In the bottle: Sweet autumn night. I wish I could be more specific, but that's all that comes to me. Sweet air from a night when the leaves are changing colors.

Wet: There's a sharp note if I sniff closely... Wood from a bonfire, maybe. It only stays a moment, then it fades into a sandalwood smell. The throw is surprisingly sweet, definately musky and with just a touch of smoke.

Dry: There's a spice in this that comes out as it dries (I think it's clove). It's really quite wonderful and very complex. The sweet is still there, as is the smoke, which really deepens as it dries. The musk mingles in between the sweet and the smoke really beautifully and keeps either one from becoming too much. The sandalwood scent never really goes away, but it does step back and allow the much spicer bits to come forward. I can see exactly how it fits the name. It does seem to me a wonderful smell for a night in autumn with friends, walking along after having a spiced (and well spiked) cider or wasail or whatnot and enjoying the beauty of the night... and possibly contemplating mischief.

When I first tried this one two weeks ago, it was incredibly faint and somehow seemed disjointed. I'm so glad I set it asside to set rather than just swapping it away because it really has improved immeasurably in just that short time. I didn't think I was going to like it, but I find that it's really grown on me. Yay Beth. Beautiful.

[azhure]

In the vial: Booze and musk. Hmmm.

 

Wet: The sugar comes out initially, making this a very foody scent.

 

Drydown: This becomes more smoky as it dries. I don't get much of the musk (sadly) but more of the smoke. I think my chemistry amps up smoke.

[luna65]

Thanks to GypsyRoseRed for getting a bottle of this at Will Call for me.

('06 version)

 

Bottle: The sugar and the liquor are very strong on first sniff, I'm thinking it's a rum accord? Maybe cognac? Something very sugary on its' own, and the additional sugar makes it a much sturdier top note.

 

Skin: The sugar/liquor burns off fairly quick - like within ten minutes or so - and the musk comes out, mixed with some autumn evocations. The "thuggish" description is indicative of the choice of musk here, I believe: dark and a little spicy.

 

Drydown: I accidently used more than I meant to during testing, but this blend melds very well with my chemistry and settles down to a skin scent within a few hours. I get hints of burning leaves here and there, but it's mainly sweet dark musk on me, Smut's more demure cousin, I guess.

This is a great fall scent, Beth definitely has the magic touch with musk!

[Miss Lynx]

Strange -- this smelled somewhat promising when I first applied it, kind of boozy and musky, with hints of other things adding complexity. So I left alone for a little bit to see how it developed, and now -- where'd it go? I swear it's only been maybe 20 minutes, but it's nearly gone! I can smell just a very faint trace if I put my nose right against my wrist -- that's all.

 

I seem to have found another rapid disappearer, like Mantis and Silk Road and a handful of others that start out nice and then poof! They're gone. Well, maybe some further experimentation, putting it on other body parts, will help it last longer...

 

Hmmm... reapplying, and making sure to smell it more often before it disappears, I'm now picking up a soapy note. Some of the other notes in it seem fairly nice, but the soap clashes with them. Overall, I guess this one really isn't for me.

 

Grade: B-

[jewelbug]

Imp: Rich musky booze.

Wet: Dark smoky sweet booze, much more impressive on the skin than in the imp. This is less smokey then DN 05, and more sweet--its almost got a sugar skull cross-pollenation-tinge.

Dry: I get a lot more golden type musks from this than from 05. These golden musks make it seem more masculine to me than 05.

 

Overall: I'm really amazed at the difference between this one and 05. 06 is much lighter and sweeter than 05, but it also strikes me as more masculine. 05 has a much more developed "autumn leaves" note, less of the masculine musk, and less of the sugar skull sweetness. DN05 is much deeper, smokier, mysterious.

 

I'm sure aging is part of it, but I still think they'll be diff when 06 is aged. 06 is still wonderful--sweet and musky, but I prefer 05 and luckily I've got two bottles of it.

Edited October 1, 2008 by jewelbug

[Naamah_Darling]

This scent really sounds like a good match for me. It's an odd scent, very odd, musky and smoky with just a trace of sugar-cookie sweetness. A lingering scent, one that gets caught in the nose, at once fresh and dirty.

 

On, wow, I can't really describe this adequately. This is a fast and furious foxtrot of booze, spice, and woodsmoke, wild, sexy, and just a little dangerous. The throw is appealing, booze and sugar, but close in it's not so friendly. The spices mingle with booze for a real kick, and the musk is a livewire jolt to the sinuses – this is a very alive and active scent, energetic. Like doing flaming shots of carbonated alcohol.

 

It's a light scent, not heavy or earthy, but that shouldn't be mistaken for lightness of tone. This is a dusky, shadowy scent all the way, firelight and leaping shadows, and crazy, hard partying.

 

The drier it gets, the spicier it becomes, and yes, there's a resemblance to fresh autumn air. This is a perfect fall scent, wild and a little dangerous, slightly wistful the way you feel wistful when you know the fun has to end and the night's winding down, and sexy like cuddling up with someone who's been in the woodsmoke. I get a strong dose of apple cider from this, too, rum-laced. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking. I could go with a mug or two of spiced cider right about now.

 

God, this is glorious. Just glorious.

[Dinah]

This is just sort of... soapy? Clean, fresh? Certainly nothing that suggests mischief and sexiness. There's the barest hint of spice but it's not very noticable. This does a similar thing to what Hexennacht did - it's awfully demure and not at all what I was expecting.

 

Seems that my skin chemistry and smoky scents just won't play nice.

[edenssixthday]

Devil's Night 2006 - Devil's Night '06 doesn't appeal to me nearly as much as the 2005 version. To me, it's sweeter and boozier, and I can't smell the autumn leaves and smoke in it nearly as strongly as I can in the '05 version. The '05 version is the perfect combination of earthy notes and foody notes and I was positively blown away by it when I first tried it. the '06 version just isn't doing that for me. It's still nice, but doesn't seem to have the depth and earthiness that '05 had. I'll gladly hang on to my '05, but not the '06.

[arabella]

First Impression: Autumn fruit.

 

Dries down to: Fades very quicky and leaves hardly a trace of fruit.

 

Additional Comments: It was lovely to start with but, sadly, was completely gone within 15 minutes. I'm glad I still have some of the 2005 version left. It has much better staying power.

 

Lasted: Fifteen minutes.

 

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

[madeleine]

I got this as a freebie with some other imps on Ebay. It's only labeled "Devil's Night" so I don't know whether or not it's the 2005 of 2006 version. But I really like it. (Theoretically, at least. It's too foody a scent with my skin.) On me, it smells like nothing so much as sex and sugar cookies, not a combination I'd thought to smell, but there you are. It's sort of like a smokier, sexier Shalimar and without the acid undertone I always feel Shalimar has...If I ever start wearing "food" scents, this will be the first one.

 

It lasted forever, too. At least, on me it did.

[asciident]

The person I bought this from didn't have it labeled as either 2005 or 2006, so I'm not sure which it is.

 

Wet: Musky. That's pretty much all I can smell from the bottle.

 

First on: Oho, there's the sugar. Actually it almost smells like sweet ginger mixed with musk. Maybe that's the "autumn night".

 

Dry: I'm getting hints of all of it now, I think. Sugary, spicy, musk, maybe a little of something that could be described as boozy. Good mix, great oil for when I want to feel a little sexy.

[zankoku_zen]

I think this is 05, since it is a empty sniffie bottle.

 

In the bottle: Smoky and boozy

 

On Skin: It has that smoky component that Samhain does, along with booze and sugar. Definitely an autumn scent. I get the same vibe that I do with Samhain... but sweeter.

 

On Drydown: Spicy, smoky and very faint. Unfortunately my skin eats this right up.

 

Verdict: I'd have to slather to get a good throw going. On the other hand, I wasn't really all that interested in this scent because it didn't sound like something I would like. Honestly, I should know better by now. This is like a drunken fest eating candy with friends around a bonfire on a crisp autumn night. While Samhain is more serious, Devil's Night has a more playful edge and yet maintain smoky and mysterious qualities. This was very likeable... and maybe I'll hunt down an imp of it.

 

PS: Great job Labbies!

[Tess]

('06 version) I love booze scents, so I'm hoping it'll bring out the smokey, sugary, boozey goodness on me. Okay, so I'm being risky with the sugar. Heck, for a booze scent, it's worth it.

 

In the bottle - The booze hits hard, as does the smoke, although it's a little on the stale smoke side to my nose. There's something very acrid here, as if it's trying to be sweet, but failing.

 

Wet - The booze is immediately sweetened and the acrid is a sort of pine smoke, I think.

 

Drying - I can't shake the pine feeling of this. The booze is at the forefront and it's wet and sugary and just wonderful. The smoke is hanging around, mixing with that slightly acrid scent. Luckily that feeling is just barely hanging there. If it weren't for that slightly evergreen note, this would be glorious. As it is, I'll have to see what it does as it dries.

 

Dry (30 minutes) - Um, helloooo? Where did you go? There's a lingering of very spiced musk, which is still lovely by itself if faint, but all the booze and smoke is gone. Poo.

 

Overall - This may need to be slathered to really appreciate it. About 15 minutes in, it became the most perfect scent, all sugary booze and spiced smoke over dark musk. I just don't get that "outdoor" scent other people do. To me, it's much more about a raunchy party with a sweet rum drink and people smoking cigars, wearing a spicey musk on your pulsepoints. Ah, well, I'll keep trying it. It's far too yummy to give up on completely.

[girl_android]

This is the 2006 version, courtesy of a decant circle, yay!

 

I put this on this morning, fully intending to start this review while I was finishing my cup of coffee before I left for work today, and then add to it once I got to work. Except that I didn't do that (:

 

In the imp, it's crisp dry leaves, a hint of smoke that's woozy and sweet.

 

I can't remember what it was like wet, because ... I was driving the car to work! I do remember liking the odd wafts of this as I waited at the traffic lights - sweet boozy smoke?

 

(5) hours later, it's mellowed out to be a sweet musky skin scent.

 

I really like this - it's not a likely one for me to pick out when it's sweltering out here, but come autumn (this is what happens when I'm on the other side of the planet, and opposite hemisphere!), it'll be perfect.

[dawna]

In the vial: Oh. My. God. Spicy and smokey with a hint of sweet.

 

On the skin: OMGX10. *sigh* Its got a deep rich sweetness, sticky sweet but with a hint of booze.. this all came to the forefront almost immediately. The smokey, musky scent lies in the background and plays very well with the scent. This is SO much love.

 

On drydown: I seriously cant describe how much this has blended. Its perfect. The rich, sweet, boozy foodiness blended with the smokey background and has captivated me beyond words. This is going to need to be a bottle and soon.

[phedre]

In vial: Sweet sugar, musk, and bourbon?

 

Wet: There's a candy sweetness to this, but it's not cloying. So far, I really like this. It's one of the few foody scents that isn't TOO foody.

 

Drydown: This is pretty, creamy and sweet without being overwhelming. It's rich and complex! I really like this. Must try and find a bottle!

[impadua@aol.com]

The '05 version;

 

In the bottle, uummm, warm, a little smoky, spicy, it has definite possibilities!

 

On skin;.. WOW. Autumn evening, in the mood to create a ruckus. No real booziness, very warm, a little spicy, a fantastic musk I could swim in, just a hint of smoke. Ahhh, this is trouble in a bottle, and I wish I would have had it years ago. A little dangerous, intoxicating, sexy, something a nose would follow without conscious thought.

 

I need another bottle of this so I can use the heck out of this one.

 

I have no idea how I did this twice,

[lightgatherer]

(This is the 2006 version.)

 

For the first few hours of wear this just smells really sour on me. Eventually it dries into a blend of faint sweet, booze, and smoke notes that the boy especially likes, but I can't stand smelling sour for hours just to get that drydown.

[GoldenRubee]

Devil's Night 2005 :D

 

This smells deceptively light and simple in the bottle but in reality it is gorgeous and more complex than I had originally thought. On first sniff, I thought it was a nice scent, but once I slathered it on, the notes just exploded!

It is a very warm, faintly spicy (yum), deliciously musky, sexy sweet, with a wisp of smoke fragrance that I wish I could bathe in! I have the one bottle, now I know that I have to be on the look out for more!

[filigree_shadow]

I have the 06 version on right now, and it's exactly not what I remember from 05 (which I haven't worn in a couple of months, truth be told... so I might not be remembering it correctly). The 05 version was darker and smokier, and this one seems a lot sweeter. Not as musky as 05. This one's pretty nice in its own right -- I like sweet and smoky -- but 05 just seemed to work better on my skin. This one seems playful whereas the other one seemed mischievous.

 

I ought to do a side-by-side comparison some time to pinpoint the difference.

[squintywitch]

In the bottle: Pumpkins!

 

On my skin: Pumpkins, hint of cinnamon, little bit musky

 

Drying: Still spicy pumpkins, quite creamy.

 

Gone within an hour.

 

This one doesn't work on me

[alicia_stardust]

On me this is musk, followed by booze, followed by sugar. I also get a touch of vanilla in there, but that could be the booze talking. In the distance I can detect autumn fires burning.

 

This is yet another favorite of mine for autumn. I think that autumn needs to take up twice as many months so that I can spend more time wearing scents like this.

[Salsa Shark]

I won this from the Lab's ebay auction, though it doesn't specify which year.

 

The first time I tried this on, it either hadn't had time to settle or my hormone cycle was playing up, because something almost immediately amped up to the high, cloyingly sweet level that signifies Honey stomping all over a blend. I figured that the boozy aspect was probably honey mead or the musk was one that randomly didn't like me, pouted a lot, then stuck the bottle into the swap box.

 

I decided to give it another go today, and I'm so glad I did! It's still got a high level of sweetness, but it's a dark, sticky boozy sweetness that isn't nearly as cloying, and there is a hint of a sharp autumn smoke cutting through the musk. There's still something about it that reminds me a lot of the lab's honey note, which is where most of the sweetness is coming from, although I can just about detect the sharper sugar note lingering around with the smoke.

 

Throw and wear length wise it isn't especially heavy, but for me it's still a little too sweet for everyday use. Once the colder nights start drawing in though, I think it'll be seeing a bit more use.

[Miseraya]

In the imp: Right now it has a similar note to Jack, something spicy and tasty...

 

On the wrist: Hmm, the Jack similarity is still there, and something else that is much less pleasant.

 

Drydown: This goes all yicky musk on me.

 

Swap.

[feralstrumpet]

So I've been spending some quality time with Devil's Night, which was given to me by a friend.

 

In the vial it's a bit like buttered, sweet hooch. Very boozy, rich and spicy, like a sinister punch.

 

On the skin there's a moment of OH OH-- am I going to smell like the seasonal display at a craft store?

 

And then it goes from menopausal domesticity to juvenile delinquency in the time it takes to throw a brick through a window. Maud, I love this scent. As it warms there's roasted chestnuts and musk-- the smell of a black dog laying by a fire blazing off an old mattress. And there's booze, boozy booze.

 

When I was a child living outside of Chicago, Halloween was always met with certain trepidation by adults and I knew it was because come morning things would be burnt and broken, marked and marred. And I knew who did it-- they were the same kids that would hang outside the rec center in the wood-chip playground, drinking and chewing gum and wearing black eyeliner melted with lighters. They wore tee shirts with Molly Hatchet Frazetta covers on them, and early Black Sabbath. They thought I was funny and cute and I thought they were like dark gods. I asked my mom what Black Sabbath meant and she said she didn't know but the concern on her face let me know I was onto something.

 

You know what smelling this is like, when it really heats up on my wrist? It's like one of those bad girls reaching out from that playground in 1978 and giving me a swig of her mysterious moonshine that tastes of sparks and hide.