Dia de los Muertos

[ralenth]

... This is a Mexican paean to La Huesuda: dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus.

DDLM 2009

Bottle: I really smell the cereus in this blend. It makes me think of home.

Wet: Super floral! Mmm, cereus, I love you.

Drydown: A little cidery, but still mostly floral.

Dry: More subdues than the initial cereus onslaught. It's sweet, and a little smoky, very well balanced.

Overall:The 2009 version of DDLM smells really different to me. I remember previous versions as being foodier. It seems more likely that I will wear 09 before reaching for another vintage.

[aquazoo]

2009: Starts with a heavy perfume, must be those funeral flowers. It remains the dominant scent.

[Amaranthus]

This is one of the more intricate BPAL blends I’ve tried.

 

On my skin it starts off as a floral bouquet. I don’t know what flowers are in there, it smells like cactus blossom, jasmine, or some other night blooming flowers. There is also a spicy floral note that makes me think of chrysanthemums or marigolds.

 

The floral notes slowly fade into the background as the scent of incense and crisp leaves emerges. At this stage it becomes a warm autumnal scent. To give you an idea by way of comparison: It is similar to the smell of crisp leaves in Falling Leaf Moon, minus the sparkly oak moss. It’s like a lighter, prettier version of Samhain. The floral notes are still there, but they are not the dominant scent.

 

I don’t notice a lot of gourmand notes, but every now and then a dry semi-sweet chocolate note will emerge for a few seconds before blending back into the perfume. The first time I noticed this I literally sighed with pleasure. It was so nice! There is a light pastry scent that I notice every now and then.

 

On my wrists the incense and leaves are strongest, with the occasional hint of chocolate and light pastry, and a backdrop of flowers. Behind my ears (where it is warmer, I suppose) the scent is night blooming flowers with a faint touch of incense.

 

When I took off the hat I was wearing today I could smell fresh tobacco. That is the only time I’ve noticed tobacco from this blend. I liked it.

 

Way into the dry down the primary smell is of chocolate-vanilla sweetness.

 

While I have outlined the general idea of how the perfume plays out on my skin, a neat thing about this scent it that sometimes the flowers will come back and be the main smell. Sometimes it’s the incense. As the scent wears on, sometimes it’s a gourmand scent- candy like, but not fruity. It’s a mercurial blend that suits my varied tastes!

 

This is my favorite of any of the Halloween scents I have tried. I am glad I tried Dia de los Meurtos, because I was convinced that this would be the Halloween scent I liked least (I thought the flowers might be headache inducingly sharp). Instead I find myself wanting to stock up so I won’t ever be without it.

 

[RachelElizabeth]

Reviewing the 2009 version.

 

This started out as 100% floral on me, but it was a different floral from most, I suppose just because of the different bouquets used - the desert flowers instead of more traditional ones.

 

After about half an hour, though, this became something completely and totally different - every time I smelled it I got a different experience. Sometimes it would be pastry, sometimes it would be tobacco, sometimes it would be incense, sometimes it would be smoke, sometimes it would be falling leaves, sometimes it would be chocolate. I did get a floral background about half of the time.

 

Overall, Dia de los Muertos was a very dynamic scent. A bit more floral than I was hoping for, but I'm very glad I got a bottle.

[Dianora]

Oh, sigh. I love the concept of this blend, but I'm afraid I should have obeyed my instincts and thought twice about ordering a bottle unsniffed.

 

In the bottle, this is all high pitched heavy florals. The jasmine especially is heavy handed, but I remembered reading reviews that said the floral dies down. So I put it on, crossing my fingers that the jasmine wouldn't turn into a screaming banshee of a flower on me, and would lie down nicely. Alas, it was not meant to be. I amp the jasmine to a dizzying degree and it got to be too much. I started getting a headache, and though I tried to hold out, I had to scrub it off within half an hour or so.

 

Alas, off to the swaps.

[semuelle77]

 

I snagged a decnt of DDLM a couple of years ago (2006 vintage.) I tested it at the time and it was nice to keep the imp, but nothing I was going to hunt down. It has been languishing in my imp box ever since. Last week I was sorting out my imp box and stumbled across it again. Since I was trying to decide what to keep and what to swap, I decided it was the perfect time to try it again (I mean it was November 1st, after all!)

 

DDLM is the perfect example of the benefits of aging. The overly sweet foody notes had completely mellowed, allowing the insence to come out to play. The drydown was a rich, drifting scent. It was complex and multifaceted. As I moved around while teaching I would catch wafts of scent, sometimes the same, sometimes tantalizingly different. It was absolutwely gorgeous. There was something about it that was reminicent of Ozymandius (another blend with "desert" aromas.)

 

Two years ago DDLM was worthy of keeping an imp. Today is in worth the effort to hunt down a bottle.

[n1k1ta]

Reviewing the 2009 edition.

 

Completely floral for drydown. The floral note is something like lily; maybe a carnation thrown in there. It's definitely funereal. A waxy and almost incense-y/smoky note seeps into the floral after an hour. Everything remains unchanging for its life.

 

I really don't think this is for me because I'm not jazzed about this at all. Off to ye olde sales.

[KesHiro]

Reviewing the 2009 version . . .

 

Hmmm . . . Interesting!

 

On me, Dia de los Muertos is a heavy jasmine-like scent for the first hour to hour and a half. I suspect that this would be the cactus flower note? It's not unpleasant, but not quite what I expected and I have to apply with a very light hand (one drop per arm) or else I get that urine note someone else mentioned.

 

After that sixty/ninety minute mark, however, the oil morphs into a complex mixture of chocolate, sugar, baked goods, incense, and florals. If you were to ask me how to categorize this scent (floral, foody, etc), I wouldn't know how to answer because it's a really lovely mix of all of these.

 

Verdict: I'm not too keen on the way this scent initially plays out, but the final result is well worth the wait. I'm hoping that a little aging will help cut down on the time it spends as a single note jasmine.

[Invidiana]

Delicious and complex Not exactly foody, but delicious nevertheless. I definitely get the warm base of dry leaves and incense; a whiff of exotic florals and the sweetness of the candies--maybe there's a tinge of chocolate there, I can't be exactly sure, but there's definitely redcurrant and what seems to be candied orange peel, both of which I love.

[Janegodzilla]

2009 version:

 

I need to spend a little more time getting to know Dia de los Muertos, because when I first tried it I was a little weird hormone-wise and a lot of scents were going a little crazy on my skin. In the bottle, Dia de los Muertos was a lovely mix of sweet and savory, with lots of musk and flowers all jumbled together in a wonderful melange. But once it was on, all I got were flowers. Lots and lots and lots of flowers. It's not unpleasant by any means, and after about an hour or so the florals calmed down a little bit to let some smokiness through, but still. Yowza.

[arlith]

I forgot my list at home, so I don't know what year it is that I have. (I think its from '04, '05, or '06. Its in a cobalt bottle.)

 

Based off the notes list, I was a little afraid of this. It sounded like there would be too many things going on all at once, and possibly some notes of death in it.

 

However, I was really pleasantly surprised. Its such an interesting scent. Its not overpowering, and there's no inscense in it that I can detect. I'm not able to pick out individual notes. On me, its fairly sweet, a little waxy, a bit of spice, but not like any sort of candle I've ever smelled. Its so hard for me to try to describe it, its lovely. It alls blends together fantastically!

 

I'm absolutely thrilled with this, and I'm so glad that I was gifted a bottle of this from a generous forum member. I never would have tried this on my own, but I love it.

 

I've never been to a Dia de los Muertos party/event...but based off of pictures, I think it would smell a lot like this scent.

[Venneh]

'07 Blend

 

Got this as a decant in my Santa package; thanks again, moonjelly! In the decant, I'm getting florals of some kind, not quite sure what. On my skin, it's pretty much the same; some kind of vague florals, maybe some incense, not much beyond that. We'll see if this turns at all.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Venneh

[donnatron]

Dia de los Muertos 2007

 

Bottle: In the bottle this smells deceptively sweet and like... cactus juice. Like that cactus juice Sobe drink they (used to?) sell.

 

Wet: The leaves definitely amp up and this reminds me of a much lighter and more feminine Samhain. Getting a strong incense and a strong, borderline fruity floral. Very, very sweet.

 

Dry: This is not a soft scent. It's very attention seeking and almost harsh. The leaves are very strong and the incense backs it up. Under that there is a level of sweet florals and a touch of candy sweetness. It's a very layered scent and the layers don't seem to be jibing well on my skin.

 

Throw: Moderate. The florals throw more than the incense/leaves.

 

Overall: This has an exceedingly long drydown but the sweet, Samhain-lite drydown is quite pretty. Not an everyday scent but maybe one for bumming around on weekends or any other time where I have a large chunk of time between applying perfume and subjecting the general public to it.

Edited January 10, 2010 by paperrose

[Rouge]

In the vial - Flowers! All flowers, all the time - with a hint of vanilla. At first acquiantance it reminds me strongly of Peitho.

 

Wet on the skin - Wow, jasmine-tastic. Not at all what I was expecting, but very pleasant as long as the jasmineis grounded by something later.

 

Next stages - This is a beautiful and lively floral bouquet, and not dead at all. It's very feminine and pretty.

 

Dry down - Although the scent remais unabashedly floral, there's a lovely, sweet, chocolately background. I love it!

 

In summary - Don't be afraid of the flower-heavy early stages. This is a cheerful and warm blend that will lift the spirits, in more ways than one!

[SophieCedar]

Mmm.. sweet flowers, tobacco, and a hint of confections. This is a hit on me.. Giving Samhain a run for her money!

[hkhm]

bottle: a beautiful syrupy floral. possibly the cactus blossom. this is the 2007 version.

 

wet: very sweet and bright, almost sharp when i stick my nose against my skin. i get the same very sweet floral scent with a faint backdrop of foody goodness.

 

dry: i'm starting to get a bit of the incense, it's calming the in-your-face sweetness of the floral. a very interesting scent.

[Gold Dust Kitten]

I have no idea what year mine is...it's in a cobalt bottle so it's old aged.

 

Bottle: Boring florals. I didn't test this for a week because I wanted to "write it off" as a floral scent.

 

Wet: Night-blooming floral which smells like jasmine. A little incense. Brown sugar.

 

Dry: Brown sugar and creamy white floral. I rubbed my inner elbow a little and sniffed again and now I'm smelling bitter dark chocolate.

 

 

I'm one of the few who loves jasmine and other night-blooming white flowers, especially when combined with incense and sugar. This smells so velvety, luxurious, and delicious. I'd love to roll myself in a puddle of this. It's that good.

[Jupita]

2009 :

 

This has been sitting in my imp box, unloved, for a year now...

I received it last autumn, in decant form, and fresh, this smelled like cat-piss florals... awful...

A year later, I can't get enough of this scent, and kind of feel like digging up a bottle...

It smells like a mortuary picnic in the desert, if this makes any sense...

Like incense, cakes and burned out earth...

Lovely.

[cherrycherry]

2009 version :

 

Mostly the dry leaves, florals and smoky incense on me. I was hoping for a peek of the candies or chocolate, but actually... this is pretty beautiful anyway. I'm certainly huffing my wrist a lot. I think this might have to go on my hairbrush tomorrow

[Honey]

Reviewing the 2006 version.

 

Imp: Dried flowers, probably roses. Dusty, dry, slightly sweet, A waft of cocoa and maybe tobacco.

 

Wet: Sweet and fruity candy plus roses.. or other flowers, and it's the juicy sweetness that makes me think otherwise. Yes, a bright yellow/orange smell: sunny, warm, friendly.

 

Dry: Sweet, fruity, slightly dusty. Sadly, no more cocoa or foody notes. Have to see how this one develops on my skin. Reminds me very much of Samhain, though. Is that apple?

[IsabelleAngeline]

(2006 version)

 

Just received this in the mail. SO glad I now own a bottle

 

In the bottle: Sweet smoke--- At this point I was feeling worried and wondering why I am I so impulsive to buy bottles unsniffed- But the reviews were wonderful, sooo......

 

On me: Sweet and sour (not bad sour-- sour like grapes) I'm definitely picking up fruit. VERY fruity. With warm pulses and an ever so slightly dark smoke smell hovering in the background that only reminds you OF smoke, rather than literally smelling like it. It must be the tobacco playing in. The floral quality comes out but doesn't punch you in the face. It's extremely well blended and just smells plain AWESOME.

 

Later: Smokey Poison. YUP. Smells pretty much like a wonderful version of poison, but more complex with rich and warm depth, more personalized, it doesn't sit on the skin, it melds into it and wafts around.

 

It's very complex. I don't get chocolate or pastry really and I think it's because this bottle is very aged. It would be neat to be able to smell it fresh as I'm sure it would be a very different smell. There is that obvious sweetness to it, but it's more inscense sweet and less pastry-vanila-chocolate-sugar sweet. I'm really getting a purple-topaz vibe.

 

Love it! I've worn poison all my life, my mother gave me my first bottle, and this feels like poison... vamped up BPAL style.

[HatterRenoAxel]

Review for the 2009 version:

 

In the bottle: Its smells like I suspect a kitchen would smell like while preparing for the celebration, food and florals with maybe a hint of the tobacco in the background.

 

Wet, on my skin:Sugary dough and florals, the florals really come out sharp on my skin then the smokiness of the tobacco comes peaking out again.

 

On drydown: Baked goods again with a dark chocolate like smell, the florals fade off and it is just the sweet smell of smoke and food.This is the first almost fully foodie smell that hasn't gone rotten on me and has honestly made me want to lick my own skin with it on.

[MtMoonKitty]

This a review of the 2012 edition

 

I was afraid I was going to hate this. In the bottle it was Super Floral. Rose oil was my first thought. Wet on my skin the floral is very dominant, but there is a smoky undertone. As it dries down, the floral does not disapate but I think I can smell the faintest hint of chocolate. The smell has a serious "remember when" effect on me that I cannot seem to place. As the florals die down, I am not able to identify what comes out but I like it alot and find that I cant quit sniffing my wrist and sticking my nose in my shirt.

 

This is definitely not foody at all and I was sort of hoping it would be a little. I like foody, but only if it is faint and doesn't have the candle wax quality. All in all, I find this difficult to describe with anything other than smoky floral. Even though I am not a fan of florals, I think I am going to get a lot of use out of this bottle and I am looking forward to seeing how it blends with a couple of other autumn bottles I have on hand.

 

I am thrilled to spend my Mabon evening with a new bottle of Halloweenie 2012 Dias Des Las Muertas and a very generous glass of Malbec! LIfe is good.

 

Later review: This does dry down to smell like the kitchen late at night after cooking for a celebration. After a few hours, the floral and smoke disapate and while it lingers very faintly, the "foody" comes in but in a gentle way. I love this part, but the throw is really light here so I am pretty much the only one that smells it unless I am shoving my wrist up someone's nose. Hehe! It does have several hours of stay, but only about 3-4 hours of throw except when I put some in my hair.

Edited October 1, 2012 by MtMoonKitty

[stellamaris]

This is very incense heavy to me, with some rich florals in the background, I love this, sigh, need some backups...

I know I am going to wear the heck out of this one, it's not too anything, not too head shop, not too flowery, not too sweet, it's just right, said Goldilocks. I can see this on a boy too, like most of my favorites.

[Mechanical Death]

Super sweet and sugary floral in the bottle.

 

Wet on skin the florals bloom, the aroma of cut stems and nectar filling the air. Unlike most predominantly white floral bouquets its not overwhelming. I smell the cactus flower, which has a scent almost like watermelon and Lillies, and the aquatic cactus. I smell the chocolate faintly in the mix, just a hint of rich coco powder. I don't get insence at all, but perhaps it's there acting as a blending agent. I do however smell the dry leaves as the scent dries down further-- the distinct dry slightly sweet and almost woody scent of late fall air, when the trees turn orange and the leaves begin to fall.

 

This is another gorgeous blend. It doesn't strike me outright as a fall scent but some of the elements are there. It could be worn pretty much all year round during the right occasion.

 

I find it very relaxing to wear. Every time I sniff it in the air around me I take a deep slow breath to savor the scent.