The Changeling

[Deceitfuldescender]

 

THE CHANGELING

The Changeling, Henry Fuseli.

Blonde wood, linen swaddling, pumpkin rind, and bourbon vanilla.

 

Wow, first? Shoot!

 

In the bottle this smells like a less fruity version of Channikuya (spell?) Very rich and almost sweet. I get a bakery scent from it (pumpkin maybe?)

 

On this loses a little of the baked edge and brings out some almost cologne like florals. It still has a cool sweetness, but this isn't what I was expecting.

 

As it begins to dry down the vanilla comes out a bit more, but it doesn't quite come across as bourbon vanilla to me, it is kind of subtle. The blonde woods are very nice and I expect that this will age well because of them. Fresh (it is basically right out of the mailbox) this doesn't quite work for me.

 

I'll give it a few days and retest (and update if it comes to it!)

[London]

Thank you thank you Beth, Brian, and labbies! This is the pumpkin scent I wanted!

 

On me it's warm, and buttery. It made me think butterscotch pumpkin when I first put it on. It's light, sweet, creamy and yummy!

 

 

But it doesn't have the spicy-ness that gives me red marks like some of the other pumpkin blends!

[angelicruin]

Starts off a little bitter on my skin. As it settles, the wood, linen, and pumpkin rind notes emerge. I really can't smell the bourbon vanilla note in this one. Unfortunately, it's not as creamy as I had hoped it would be on my skin, so I think I may need to pass on this one.

[Gryphon]

WEIIIIRD! I bought a bottle unsniffed because each and every one of the notes is made of win for me. Unfortunately, I can't seem to smell any of them in The Changeling. Blond wood? Nope. Linen swaddling? Nope. Pumpkin rind? Nope again. Bourbon vanilla? Another nope. instead, I get an oddly metallic cologny scent that comes across as quite cold and dry. It's got great throw, which is not a good thing in this case.

[cfrancesca]

On me this is a very smokey, toasty warm blend, with dark dirty earthiness (like a soft blend of patchouli, leaves, and smokey vetiver) in the background. At times the smokiness is like slightly sweet hickory smoke which starts to overpower the other notes for a while. As it dries, I start to get some of the pumpkin rind and it's warm, rich, very foody and I'm also getting some maple. This finally dries to a blend of rich pumpkin with maple, some woods and the strong hickory-like smoke. I find it very Autumnal, just not what I was hoping for.

[angelmecha]

I bought this bottle un-sniffed, and I'm a pretty poor judge of what will be "win"... let's see if I'm getting any better!

 

 

In Bottle: I get a dark, dirty pumpkin rind-- that is, a mildly fruity pumpkin scent underneath some grit. I can pick out the vanilla as well underneath it all. I think it must be something about the linen giving it the earthy smell, since the whole overall scent is woody, but it's really well blended-- i.e., it smells like a tree that smells like dirty pumpkin and vanilla. It's got an aquatic, cloyingly sweet tone to it that I've found in bottles that I haven't been fond of, so I'm a little nervous-- hopefully it doesn't turn into wet dog on me like Velvet Dogs Playing Poker did.

 

Wet: Wow! Pumpkin and vanilla, yhalothar. The blonde wood has taken on a more "woodsy" scent to me now, more like aspen bark, but it's more subdued. The dirty smell that was making the rest of it seem cloying in the bottle has faded, thankfully. I'm getting a soft, powdered (linen), creamy vanilla with a touch of foody organic. The blonde wood is distinctly separate from the rest as it continues to sit. The pumpkin almost has a spicy quality, more like actual "pumpkin" or pumpkin spice note than just rind (I expected it to be more veggie/plantlike than foody). Maybe it's the woods and vanilla making it like that? It's turning really warm and comfortable. I like it MUCH more on skin than I did in the bottle. Allow me an "mmmmmm" here.

 

Drydown: It's a very autumnal scent to me and has quite a good throw. As it dries further, I get hit with full-on, dry-leaf-fire smoke. Don't ask me where that's coming from! It literally smells like a pile of dry leaves smoldering, and this is the BIG impression of it for about five minutes as it dries. As I let it dry longer the pumpkin amps in a BIG way-- it begins to smell like some of the Pumpkin Patches, particularly the ones with coffee (I think that's the brown, gritty vanilla mixing with the dirt from earlier giving me that impression? You'd never guess from that statement that I *like* coffee, lol!). I'm surprised again by the power of the creamy, orange pumpkin in this! It shape-shifts a lot, also (I'm out and about while wearing it)-- once the pumpkin-whammy subsides it goes back to being a subtle pumpkin with dark vanilla and wood.

.

Verdict: Nice! I love it! Hopefully the Pumpkin Patch aspect dies down a little in the future, as it was my least-favorite "stage" of this literal changeling. I didn't have high hopes for it after smelling it in bottle, but now I think it may become one of my autumnal go-to scents! Nice to meet you, Changeling! And it's got a good throw, which I like, because I like smelling it while I type... Let's hear it again, all together now.... Mmmmmmmmmmmm. *snorf, snorf*

Edited October 4, 2011 by angelmecha

[Klepz]

Once dry, this is all blond woods with a really unique pumpkin note. I suppose pumpkin rind must be different because it's definitely not as squishy as other pumpkins I've tried. The linen is barely there, but seems to make the woods a little crisper, and I can't smell vanilla.

 

It's probably the most unique pumpkin scent I've ever tried, but it leans into masculine territory, so I can't see myself wearing it.

[whataboutprom]

Wow, this one really did not do well with my sniffer or skin chemistry. To me it smells like very strong cumin and laundry detergent. I wore it as long as I could, hoping it would morph, but I finally had to scrub it off. It has a very strong throw on me.

[forspecial_plate]

Toasty, earthy, and bakery are all pretty accurate. This wasn't what I was expecting. I can't distinguish linen or vanilla at all, and I wish those were a little stronger in the mix. This reminds me of Bonfire Night but not quite as smokey. The Changeling doesn't seem like a really strong scent but it lasts and lasts for a long time. I like it but it doesn't stand out enough for me to seek more. I will probably keep the decant and wear it from time to time.

[Invidiana]

This is another I've fallen hard for. It's all pumpkin and boozy vanilla wet, soft smoky wood notes emerging as it dries down and adding to the warm autumnal feel of it. The linen note is pretty faint and only appears at the tail end of the drydown but then again I expect it to be taking into account that it's supposed to be a diaphanous linen shroud rather than dominant linen. The pumpkin and vanilla remain the stars on me, highlighted by a smoky woody background. Love.

[Finny]

Grown up, not candle scent, pumpkin. This is gorgeous, it dries down to woodsy, pulpy pumpkin with a very light vanilla spice note. Absolutely gorgeous on.

[arrow]

WOW. I had a feeling about this one and I was right!

 

Creamy, spicy goodness. Everything I want in an autumn blend.

 

It starts off almost a little too spicy, almost masculine... but then the vanilla and pumpkin come out to say hello and turn it into a gorgeous, toasty-warm foody blend without being cloying or overly sweet. I've had multiple people comment on how lovely it is already.

 

I might order a backup because I really think these notes are going to age splendidly and I want to make sure I'm never without it. At the very least this bottle would have to be pried from my cold, dead fingers.

 

 

ETA: Forgot to mention: good throw and lasts for a long time. I dabbed a little on my collarbones yesterday afternoon and could still smell it on my shirt today!

Edited October 16, 2011 by arrow

[valnillarose]

This is so good! To me it's a warm fuzzy brown scent very similar to Atlas, though sweeter, creamier, with very-slightly-spiced pumpkin instead of coffee. It lasted all day and ended up being a sweet pumpkin scent.

[Honey]

Bottle: Smells.. brown. Dark, earthy, sharp, nutty, slightly creamy and sweet.

 

Wet: Smells like sweet toasted wood.

 

Dry: Smells a bit like cologne, rather masculine. It has a light sweetness to it, though, and there is not one note that goes bad after a while. Still - not my kind of smell at all, sadly.

[Ashmedai]

Mostly pumpkin for the first few minutes, but not the buttery pastry-type of note I remember from the Pumpkin Patch scents, it's more...pure pumpkin, without spices or embellishments. Woods become prominent after a few minutes, and I think the vanilla, while unobtrusive, sweetens and mellows this up a great deal. There's some note here that's adding a sort of vibe that smells a little bit bland, could be that's the linen I'm smelling. After a while that fades though, and it becomes a somewhat spicy-smelling pumpkin-wood scent with a good dose of vanilla. And the vanilla doesn't go plastic. Win!

[boxinghelena]

I'm really disappointed in The Changeling. I prayed that I would get pumpkin but I amp any & all woods so that's all I can detect. Burnt wood actually. Not good.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i had SUCH high hopes for this! woodsy vanilla pumpkin, with linen? oh YESPLEASE.

 

so why, oh, why does this smell like a slightly perfumey....batch....of freshly roasted....peanuts?

[Caper]

i wasn't terribly excited to try this one but i decided that the reviews of the pumpkin sounded worth it.

 

it is amazing! it smells very similar in the bottle as on for me, it's warm mapley autumn goodness. i can't pick out the pumpkin specifically but it makes me think of oak hardwood floors that have just been sanded down in the sunlight. it lasts and throws well and i'm getting two bottles because i will be so sad when this is gone.

 

definitely a deeper autumn or winter scent.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: The bourbon vanilla goes beautifully with the blonde wood. The linen is understated, but pleasant. The pumpkin rind is a touch problematic, but I have a history of trouble with pumpkin notes. It’s interesting, but I can’t tell if I like it. Wet: It starts out as in the bottle, but the rind quickly ramps up, which is a problem, as the stronger it is, the more my brain breaks it down into parts. It also does a little rotten. It’s heartbreaking as I think I’d love this otherwise. Dry: Most of the rind burns off and it’s this gorgeous heady blonde wood note, with touches of linen and the faintest kiss of bourbon vanilla. I think this one would be good to age. If it smelled like the dry down the whole way down, I’d be all over this.

[Little Bird]

The Changeling might be my biggest letdown of the 'Weenies this year . I was hoping for sweet vanilla and pumpkin with clean linen and wood notes, but this is mostly a charred wood and perfumey musk smell on my skin, with a little bit of burnt butter edge to it. It actually smells a bit gross on me...

[Dark Alice]

This starts out as a gorgeous spicy pumpkin scent. I am in love. And then the Blonde Wood takes over and that's all I seem to amp. This is so sad as while wet this is just gorgeous. I wonder though if I find a partial if I can just age it and see if the pumpkin comes through.

[tajana]

I really love BPAL's "blonde wood" notes and there's plenty of that to be found here! The clean, fresh planks of timber sort of scent forms a natural bridge between the clean cologney top notes - linen? - and the toasty, baked pumpkin. Vanilla softens the edges, giving it a bit of creaminess without taking over. The overall texture of this blend is interesting - fuzzy, almost nutty, bakery, but still very woody. The far drydown is very nice, with the pumpkin-vanilla-wood triad settling down like a comfy wool sweater. I'm not entirely sure how often I'll wear this because it is still rather "seasonal" to me, but with the lack of fruit or spice notes, this isn't nearly as "craft store autumn candle" as most other pumpkin scents. If you think this isn't smooth and soft enough for you now, try again later... this promises to age into a gentler scent as the wood smooths out and the pumpkin and the vanilla come into their own.

[angelamaria]

In tester: wood, pumpkin, and vanilla.

 

Wet on skin: mmmm wood. The blonde wood here is very nice, reminds me of Glowing Vulva. Lovely vanilla, too. Yes, definitely reminding me of GV. The pumpkin kind of takes a backseat for me here, which is just as well.

 

Dry: oh, this is definitely lovely, and along the lines of GV, most definitely, although when it's dry, it's not as highly GV as it was before. Wood and vanilla and a hint of pumpkin. I totally was not expecting to like this, since everyone is going "pumpkin!!" but this was quite unexpected. Doesn't change much from the wet scent, although it gets smoother and a tad smokier.

 

Verdict: keeper!

[a_llb]

In vial: Astringent, bitter, quite revolting - yet I keep sniffing it. There must be something better underneath!

Wet: It tones down SIGNIFICANTLY upon application, and the wood is apparent. Splintery wood, freshly chopped from a tree. The linen is sharp and ozoney, rough like canvas almost.

Dry: The only pumpkin I'm getting is most certainly the rind. Waxy, pulpy. No bourbon vanilla comes out for me. Much later, all I smell is burnt soy sauce.

 

Verdict: The only way I will ever put this on my skin again is if it has been aged for a long, long time. Much too prickly and heavy for me to enjoy as it is.

Edited November 5, 2011 by braybrigade

[HerbGirl]

This was one of the few I didn't skin test at Will Call because I opened the bottle and it was ALL smoke!

 

I just tried my decant, and it is a glorious scent of buttery pumpkin, blonde wood and just a hint of that dreaded smoke. I wonder why they are so different...oh well - this is super! I will definitely use this decant up! Gobble gobble...