Samhain

[Red_Hot_Mama]

Samhain

Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.

 

In the bottle: MMMMM goodness..."Fall" in a jar.

On Application: the "damp woods & black patchouli" are doin' bad things with my chemistry. Smells a lot like BO. I do not like this phase.

On Dry Down: Lovely, spicy that Fall Holiday fragrance but warmed up.

 

I'm a bit divided on this one.

 

The blend is obviously well loved but knowing that everyone's chemistry reacts differently, I can't honestly say I "love" Samhain. I like it but may elect to sell or swap it to a better home.

 

ADDED Nov. 12:

 

Plese add this to my original review of Samhain above & consider it my "update".

 

I didn't much care for this on my skin. It smells wonderful in the bottle & wonderful after several hours drydown. In the meanwhile it smells...well, "funky" on me.

I'll have to decide if I want to keep this for the drydown phase. In the meanwhile I've sent surprise decants to fellow forumites.

 

EDIT: As you wish. Followup post archived. --Shollin

[UltraViolet]

Samhain 2004

In the bottle: It smells more foody in the bottle, like candy apples.

On Application: Buttery at first, then turns into more of an crisper Autumn scent after about 10 seconds.

On Dry Down: smells like apple cider with a distant small of leaves and trees.

The epitome of Autumn.

 

Samhain 2005

In the bottle

A vaguely fruity spicy blend.

 

On

damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein

Ooh this blends with my skin chemistry in a good way! While I think the patchouli is almost civet-y I also smell lovely spices like allspice, and I smell the sweet red apple too.

Now the fir needle is coming into play and this adds a smell that is SO good.

I don't smell any pumpkin nor clove on my skin.

 

30 minutes

It dries down so lovely. It's more foody when dry on me, but not definitively so. It's warm, fruity and mildly sweet..and very addictive.

 

Throw:

average

 

Scent category:

spicy/foody/green/incensey

 

Summary

It smells very very similar to Samhain 2004. I've got them side by side and really, I can't tell the difference, maybe the fir needle and patchouli are more present but that's about all the difference is on my skin. They do dry down differently on me, 2005 is nicer, rounder, sweeter and even more apple-y, spicy and Autumn like.

I still like Pumpkin Patch 1 as my primary Autumn scent but this would be my 2nd choice.

 

Purchase again?

Yes.

 

1-5 rating (5 being best)

4

Edited November 5, 2005 by UltraViolet

[lixolux]

its very very very spicy and very very very complex - i smell some pumpkin and clove but not so much leaves and such - but i cant pick any particular things - a very velvety brown colored scent - its a little too much for me -makes my teeth hurt a little bit - though i am going to wait a couple weeks to give up on it because in theory (and description!) this should be my heaven-scent!

[kimmer]

Definitely autumnal.

 

Just out of the bottle I get wind and leaves and a bit of apple. Almost like walking outdoors on a crisp fall day.

 

Initially I smell leaves and mellow apple. "Leaves" perfume? Only from *our* lab. <contented sigh>

 

On my wrists this scent became powdery. I will have to give it a few more tries. In the cleavage and along my nape.

 

I so want this one to work with me.

[Lina]

Truly autumn.

 

Out of the bottle: Smells sharp, spicy and sweet. I am afraid.

 

Wet on me: I have found autumn and I am in love. I am not a slathering oil beast but today I am that beast. This is just divine. Divine.

 

Four hours: I am going to inhale my arm. I keep smelling myself. I have strong urges to thrust my arm under someone's nose so they can experience it.

 

I feel warm and calm. And happy. Happy? Yes. Happy. This reminds me of Fall Festivals, spiced apple cider, and laughing.

 

Ten hours: Smells faintly spicey and warm. I am so cozy.

Edited November 9, 2004 by Lina

[Spanglemaker]

On me the spice is most predominant. But then I get bits of apple and then bits of pumpkin (but it's not foody or sweet). But then there is also that feeling of a crisp fall day and dried leaves.

 

This is really, really lovely. One of my favorites!

[sihaya09]

Mmm. I like this one a lot. In the bottle, I smell the candied apples, but on, they vanish completely. I get "woodsy" smells and earthiness, very brisk, like an Autumnal wind. After about a half hour, I smell the mulled spices, but still no foodiness. And after a few hours, my chemistry turns it into a faintly spiced vanilla. Definitely a shape shifter!

 

I got numerous compliments yesterday, one of which was "Who smells like the forest in here?" and another was "You smell just like fall!"

[Surreal]

In the bottle, this smell sharp and spicy.

 

Wet application: Still sharp and spicy but now I can smell the foodie scents: pumpkin, clove and apples. Mmmm, nice.

 

Drydown: Heavenly! Even though I didn't think I'd like ANY patchouli, this was fabulous! All the scents have blended to smell just like a perfect autumn day. I love this one!

[Faerykin]

Samhain

 

Swiped across wrists and along collarbone ... and a little in the cleavage.

 

Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This is utterly phenomenal. I cannot detect any specific note over the others, it is blended so exquisitely. Instead, I catch little whiffs of each note with the others behind it … the fir needle, the patchouli, the spices. This is so warm and sweet – a little woodsy, a little spicy and a whole lotta nummy. Something told me I should have purchased a 10ml instead of just a 5ml … I should have listened to that something, for I will truly miss this once it is gone.

 

Initial Dry (8:30-10am): This continues to exude the air of autumny goodness. It is warm, grounding, and oh so lovely.

 

Throughout the Day (10am-on): This has calmed a bit, but the notes still swirl and meld as beautifully as they did when I first applied it. My skin holds the distinction a bit better than the air around me, as I can detect the apple and mulling spices are more prominent there. The air still holds wisps of patchouli, fir needle and spices. Absolutely Gorgeous!

 

Even though it slowly fades, this scent is still present as I leave for home. So, definitely long-lasting … and still gorgeous!

 

EDIT: This scent was still present at midnight as I got ready for bed ... I just could not stop sniffing my arm.

Edited November 10, 2004 by Faerykin

[TheDarkMother]

I was super excited about this LE, particularly after smelling Jack. Samhain is my favorite time of year, and it looks like Autumn has finally come to Florida, as its starting to get a little cooler.

 

In the Bottle: Samhain smells like pumpkin pie, with cloves and nutmeg and allspice. I think I can get a wiff of fir branches and maybe some patchouli in there as well...maybe some tobacco too.

 

On Me: I'm getting a lot more apple in this than anything else. Sweet, juicy red apple with autumn leaves, maybe a bit of the fir. The only problem is...its going away way too fast. This totally lacks the staying power of Dia de los Muertos which pretty much stayed strong on me all day. The fir is coming out more than anything else right now, so I'm reapplying. Now I'm getting a little bit more of the pumpkin, but the fir branches take over really quick.

 

But now the pumpkin is making a come back, so this seems to be a peekaboo scent. I really like this one even though its not as heavy on the pumpkin as Jack. I'm glad I picked this one up!

[Falathwen]

This is a complex scent that brought back an assortment of memories, all associated with coming in from the cold. When I first tried it, I got the strong pipe tobacco scent someone mentioned, like a shop I remember from childhood which was always very warm, with a scent of almost fruity tobacco strong enough to feel. Then a woodsy sort of scent came out, which reminded me of walking in Vermont woods…evergreens and leaves mulching as you pause to soak up the warmth of a shaft of sunlight. Finally, it occurred to me to shake the bottle and reapply. That brought out the foody notes and memories of coming home to a warm house full of the scents of baking. This time the scent was more consistent right through dry-down. It lasted a very long while. I want to try this again, for it seems to be such a changeable scent. I also may try layering it with Hesperides to bring out the apple note I was hoping would appear. I can not say this is an immediate favorite, but it is fascinating.

[isyche]

I mainly get sweet, rich spices from Samhain - can't pick out the pumpkin, but I imagine that's the buttery sweetness underneath. I don't get any apple or leaves or any of that, just very, very spicy and strong and thick.

 

I really liked it at first sniff, but I now think it's too strong for me, as I've been wearing it today and ended up feeling like an overspiced holiday candle. It did last a really long time, though!

 

All in all, I think Mabon is still my favorite "fall" BPAL.

 

ETA: Samhain and I have not been getting along so well - I'm probably going to swap or sell it to someone who will like it more.

Edited November 16, 2004 by isyche

[eadavenp]

I think of hayrides. at night through a pumpkin patch. wet leaves, a touch of smoke, hot apple cider, and all wonderful things fall. sigh. i dont like smelling like it all day though, so i may use this with candles or something. i dont mind smelling like that, but its not my favorite. i still wear it on occasion. overall, a winner.

[evanesce]

This scent changed 8,000 times on me, and I liked it every time.

 

First when wearing it, it smells like that heavy, cloying potpourri found in Bed, Bath and Beyond. A few hours later, it smelled like pumpkin pie.. and the a few hours later, cocoa and cinnamon, and now it smells like burning fall leaves... It's amazing how it changes over time on my skin.

 

I definitely love it.

[Amazon]

Samhain. I wasn't very sure how I would feel about this one from reviews, but I ordered it anyway.

 

I am very glad I did!

 

It is evey scent you think of that relates to fall, Halloween and thanksgiving. It changes, morphs and changes back again. It's spicey and nutmeggy and pumpkiny. You can smell the fall leaves as you kick through them and smell the first lighting of a home's fireplace.

 

It is definitely a scent to look forward to enjoying when the weather turns from summer to the crisp beginnings of fall.

 

I am excited with this one!

[JazzieCazzie]

I hope I don't lose my BPAL membership here for this ... but I have to admit I can't stand this! And I'm amazed because, with the exception of the apple part, I would have thought I would love this scent ...

 

IN THE BOTTLE: I honestly thought it had turned. To me, the smell was like sour, turned fruit that somehow accidentally got stuck at the back of your fridge and you finally found it weeks or months later and like an idiot opened it instead of chucking it immediately.

 

I did, however, ask my daughter to smell it and she didn't think it smelled off at all. She thought it smelled like wine (and I LOVE wine).

 

I wasn't going to give up, though, so I swiped a bit on my left wrist ...

 

WET: Definitely not nearly as bad when it met my skin. Not sour at all. In fact very sweet and sharp but the notes were ineffable and at the same time very familiar. It took me a little while to figure out what it reminded me of ...

 

DRYDOWN: Dried apple potpourri. Like when you walk into a little Christmas store and they have all the different holiday-scented candles and potpourri battling in the air for your attention.

 

Just so not me. For whatever reason I just seem to have a real problem with fruity scents. Which makes me sad because so many of them sound good (and I love to EAT fruit, but have never been a fruit-scented girl)

 

The good news is I did leave it on all day rather than feeling forced to wash it off ... and I have already regifted it to a good BPAL friend who just un-celebrated her birthday and got a yooge bag-o-imps plus a 5 ML Samhain among other treats. Since 99 percent of the folks here seem to love this, hopefully she wil too ... if not, I am sure she can find many willing swappers.

[eleventhousand]

This smells like Grandma's country apple potpourri on me. That is to say, not good.

 

[pkwench]

Samhain

 

I didn't order this one due to a touch of fear, but thanks be to joyous swaps, I got my first sample of it today. And, woohoo! I'm pleased that I have a tad more coming!

 

It went instantly buggy the moment it hit my skin and I was really afraid that, once again, the curse of Wench physiology/chemistry + patchouli was once again about to = disaster. However, after a bit, this lovely spiced apple thing starts to happen and it's love, love, love all over the place. And, weirder, when I popped it on the second time (because you always have to dab a bit before going out the door, even if it's just to drop off movies), I didn't really notice the buggy phase at all. It's just a twisty, spicey fall scent. I don't think that I would have ever really needed a full 5ml of it, it's very much a dabber in a slathering Wench world, but the shortie and the bit coming yet in the mail are just about perfect, I think.

 

Also, it was gloomy and just damned cold today. Somehow? Samhain seemed perfect. *G*

[silverangel]

oooh, APPLES! Or rather, Apple cider. It's kind of iffy when I first put it on. A little too smoky, a little too foody (just like All Saints did to me), but that disappears pretty damn quickly. I'm left with this warm cider over autumn air and leaves with just an itty bitty hint of smoke in the background. Four hours in it's still smellable. The cider wafts up to my nose but maybe it just got on my shirt from putting it on my neck, or from my hair? My wrists now smell like autumn leaves and autmn air with more of that smokey bon firey smell, but not so much as Hunter Moon. Man, the smoke on that one KILLED me! It's there but it's below the surface enough to be an after thought. Overall, I'm in love...it's in a nice little roll-on bottle which means it gets to live with me.

[alston78]

This is absolutely an amazing scent. I wasn't sure about it when I first opened the bottle- it smelled like it could be too sweet for me, and I'm not really into wearing scents that smell very foody or very sweet. When I put it on, though.....it's wonderful! It's a fabulous sweet floral with a smoky smell in the background. Although I don't smell leaves so much, I can understand other's comments, as it's reminding me of fall in Williamsburg, VA, where I went to college.

 

I'm a-keepin' this bottle.

 

ETA: Ooh, the apple just popped out at me about 20 minutes after application. This is only getting better!

Final edit: Samhain won't go away! Not that I want it to...but I put it on yesterday afternoon, have tried Bluebeard on my arm, taken a bath with Lush products, and I can still smell it faintly on my wrist! WOW!

Edited November 15, 2004 by alston78

[any_old_actress]

FIRST SNIFF: true, spicey pumpkin

 

WEARING IT: pumpkin, clove and spice wrapped up in a hint of fir and patchouli. on first application it's really strong but it mellows with wear and lasts a long, long time. a little goes a really long way...i don't like the initial punch of it as it's a bit strong, but it's perfect after an hour or two.

 

VERDICT: another happy customer - this one's a keeper.

[feline.by.design]

I admit, when I ordered Samhain, it was more due to its reputation than the ingredients. I didn't think I would be fond of it, and when the bottle came in I seriously thought about just putting it up for sale in the forums untried.

 

But, I applied some to see how it would go, and you know, it's GOOD! The notes that I wasn't too fond of in the bottle seemed to disappear on my skin, leaving a smell that was only lightly pumpkin-y, more spicey and sweet. It's not something I would wear every day, but for the holidays it's quite ideal. I felt like I smelled like a cookie or spicy cider!

 

I may try and put some of the oil in the burner, however I suspect it will smell better on *me* since my skin banished away a good portion of the note I wasn't fond of, which was possibly the pumpkin.

 

Sorry ladies and gents, this one won't be for sale.

 

-doreen

[ChupaChup]

Samhain smells absolutely delicious in the bottle, it has a kind of buttery pumpkin smell. Initially, when wet on my skin, the black patchouli is a little bit scary, almost the aroma of BO but that dissipates quickly and Samhain then matches its description perfectly. I get all the notes - pumpkin, apple cider, fir needles, woodsmoke, it's delectable. I am kind of fruit-phobic but the apples in this are just an accent, not overwhelming like they were for me in The Hesperides. This definitely lives up to its reputation!

[LiberAmoris]

After all the discussion of Samhain as the BPAL oil to beat, I was eagerly anticipating trying it out. And fruitlessly attempting to manage my outsized expectations. When I opened the bottle, I instantly smelled what struck me a base of Dana O’Shee, with apple, pine and spice layered over the top. I diverge from the majority opinion on Dana; it does not do pleasant things on my skin and smells almost plasticky. So I was unsure about how Samhain would play out.

 

On the skin, however, Samhain’s spice and apple came to the fore. The woodsy note burned off a bit and the almondy/milky/creamy note receded. I can almost detect a nutty component, which adds to the richness of this blend.

 

It’s taken a few tries, but I really like Samhain! And it’s perfect for days like today when it’s gray and cold out—it’s like wrapping myself in a blanket. A comfort scent.

[xoe]

Samhain in the bottle smells like a wet, spicy forest. But I put it on my skin and I can't smell anything. While it is still sitting as a great big drop on my wrist it smells delicious. But once I've gotten it transferred to my other wrist and my neck and my hair, I can't smell it at all. So, a couple of hours later, I put on some more. And then just before going to work, I put on some more.

 

At work, the question my other cubicle dweller kept asking was, "What smells like syrup?" I told him that it was probably me, and explained about not being able to smell it. He sniffed my wrist and verified that it was me who smelled like syrup.

 

On my boyfriend, Samhain smells like everything it's cracked up to be. Delicious, warm, autumnal.

 

Hopefully my chemistry is just misbehaving this week. I'll give it another try next week.