Spider Witch

[VioletChaos]

My little witch, my little lilt of laughter: this scent is for the sorceress you are and the sorceress you will grow to be. 7-year aged patchouli, red musk, and bourbon vanilla with sweet oudh, hazelnut, amber chypre, leather.

In The Bottle: Leather, oudh and a touch of the hazelnut. This is heady, rich.

Wet On Skin: The patchouli comes into the room, but not in the dominant way one might expect. In fact, so far, NONE of the powerful notes are dominating. It's really unusual!

Dry Down: I cannot believe how well-blended this is already, without needing to sit and age. Normally leather can be a deal-breaker, but the other notes were all so compelling, I decided to take a chance. And I'm glad I did, because this is really quite beautiful. There's an ease between the heavier notes, like the patch and the leather, and they are balanced by the hazelnut and the musk and the vanilla. I can catch glimmers of all those elements, but they blend so seamlessly, that this is really it's own little dream.

Beautiful, haunting, and perfect as we go into Autumn.

[Casablanca]

I tested my friend's bottle of this with her so we could compare our different skin chemistries.

 

Neither of us remembered the notes for this when we tested it, and to both of us, sniffing blindly, it smelled like nutty chocolate and salty red musk.

 

On my friend, Spider Witch settled into a soft red musk as it dried. The remaining notes were well-blended and pretty.

 

On me, the blend was similar, except somehow even saltier. Then, at around the half hour mark, the red musk turned sour and almost sweaty smelling, as the lab's red musk does on me. An hour later, the inside of my elbow, where I tested this, smelled like an armpit. Yay! Later still, it settled back into something mild and pleasant.

 

I knew what red musk does on me (this perfumer's version of it, anyway), but in the space between the weird initial saltiness and when Spider Witch went sour on me, I thought it was pretty and enticing. Not anything I'd pick up for myself, though, even if it played nicer with my skin.

[LenoiraSG]

Bottle: Mostly patchouli and hazelnut with the leather and vanilla in the background.

 

Wet: I smell like peanut butter cookies this was all hazelnut and bourbon vanilla.

 

Dry: Still mostly cookies, but it's now sitting really close to the skin and the musk, amber and leather are grounding this a little bit more.

 

I'm a sucker for patchouli scents, it does really beautiful things with my skin. However this time it doesn't seem to want to come out and play with the others, I might revisit this in a few weeks since I think I would love this if the patchouli was more prominent of me.

 

This reminds me of visiting your grandmothers house while she's baking, but your grandmother was a wild child biker babe back in the day and she still wears the same amber musk perfume from when she was in her 20's.

[RaasAlHayya]

Spider Witch (Motherhood 2016/Liliths 2016)

 

Straight from the Lab, so not aged; allowed to sit for a few hours. Tried on left inner elbow.

 

In the bottle:

Chocolate and smoked patchouli...this smells super delicious!

 

On, wet:

A little bit of caramel comes out.

 

Drying:

Salted caramel? Also a little patchouli. Then caramel was scared away by leather. Ooooh, hello hot guy in leather! Where did *you* come from?

 

After 20 minutes:

We should just call this one Spider and have done with it.

 

Overall impressions:

I seriously need to find a man to put this on. Until then, I’ll be in my bunk.

 

Jo

Edited September 24, 2016 by RaasAlHayya

[Janel Kisner]

I love this one! It smells like a Bohemian goth hanging out at a cafe drinking hazelnut coffee ☕️

[Bellaboo]

I want to love this scent, but the hazelnut is over-powering on me. It settles out and develops into a more spicy scent that I like, but later on, it starts to smell like Old Spice (my grand-fathers scent--which I deplore) on me. Maybe some aging on this one?

 

I've noticed this on a few scents that I've tried (turning to OS on me).

[cherrycherry]

Patchouli from the off and then some soft leather, vanilla and my favourite red musk. Actually makes me think of a darker older sister to Snake Oil. Not getting a great deal of hazelnut but that's alright. Love this just as it is and know already it will only get better as times goes on. As someone else mentioned, this one smells as though it's aged a little already. That's how well these notes marry. Very much like this one, especially as the drydown does most definitely give off some salted caramel vibes. Can see me wearing this one a lot throughout autumn!

[Jenjin]

Dark and earthy, I'm getting a similar vibe from Spider Witch that I got from Death Adder.
Not certain what's doing this for me, but an overwhelming peanut note completely turns this into a PB&J for me.
I'm even getting a yeasty, white bread note that pushes this all the way into gourmand territory which can be iffy on my skin.
I can definitely see this as being the dark horse in the Motherhood collection for 2016. It has a sexy vibe and morphs into nutty, caramel goodness very similar to aged snake oil but like Death Adder, it's not something I can see myself wearing very often.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Jenjin

[Carolan Ivey]

For me, this was smoky incense while wet on the skin. Now that it's dry it's straight-up pipe tobacco with a hint of sweet vanilla and maybe a wisp of Nag Champa. Not what I expected, but it's quite nice and I'll wear it again.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Mmm! Red musk, smoky, sexy, and a little dirty! (in a good way) Wow, that aged patchouli! I could smell the hazelnut briefly when I first applied, but it quickly faded into the background and is now just a general sweetness. This is so well blended! It's reminding me a bit of La Femme de Satan - I may have to try them side by side.

 

 

Dry: It really smells like La Femme de Satan on me. Which is not bad at all, but I already have it. It's that combo of patchouli and red musk, with hints of nutty, smokiness that makes them so similar on me. I think. I look forward to testing them side by side to see if I am crazy or not.

[Little Bird]

The hazelnut, patchouli and vanilla give off a sweet, nutty, chocolatey-earthy scent. The red musk adds some slinky warmth but isn't overpowering or highly noticeable (and I'm one who usually winds up with red musk single note). The leather is well worn, a suede-like brown leather.

I like this, but it's very light on me. I have to press my nose close to my wrist to smell it, which is surprising, given its heavy note list. The drydown is a warm, toasty, nutty sweetness with soft leather. Earthy, but cozy and comforting rather than dark.

[patina]

Smells like autumn. The nuts and leather and red musk are the most noticeable to me though there's vanilla in here. Not nearly as strong as expected and there's a disturbing white bread note that turns things to peanut butter sandwiches. It goes pretty light.

Cozy.

 

Patchouli comes out more on the drydown.

Edited October 15, 2016 by patina

[mollison]

In the bottle, it actually smells quite a bit like Boomslang, but not as chocolatey. Maybe Boomslang when the cocoa oil has sunk to the bottom and not mixed well? I don't know where I'm getting this!

 

On, drying down: This is *really* nice. It smells like spicey, foody Snake Oil.

 

Further on: Less foody now. Just a lighter Snake Oil. And a little edge from the leather.

 

20ish minutes in: There is a hint of plasticky scent! Oh no! It's weird because none of the listed notes cause me problems in other blends. It actually smells like it shares a note with Gluttony--that one used to go plasticky on me in this way, too.

 

I'll wait and test this again once it's rested more. I hope the plasticky note goes away! Because it's really nice otherwise!

 

ETA: 35 minutes in: It now smells like a light Madame Moriarty without the plum! O_O Very nice.

 

Edited 10/22: I wore this again the other day and didn't get any plasticky fumes. Mostly the red musk, patchouli, and vanilla. I actually really loved it when I tried it again and ended up ordering a bottle (I was testing from a decant). I'm thinking it will be even nicer once aged.

Edited October 22, 2016 by mollison

[Missa_Moth]

Fresh decant from the today:

 

In the bottle: Nutty patchouli.

Wet: Nutty, masculine cologne type scent

Dry: There's the what I assume is red musk and sweetness, but the masculine nutty leather scent is overpowering it.

Dry 20 min: Now it kinda smells like all the cool punk boys I used to hang out with as a teenager, that leather jacket patch skin scent. I'll keep my imp for nostalgia sake, but my Hubby hates it, so probably won't be getting a bottle.

Edited October 15, 2016 by Missa_Moth

[HerbGirl]

Wow. On my skin this is all about the patchouli, red musk and vanilla with a hint of hazelnut. This is gorgeous and I need a bottle.

[Joyleaf_]

I tend to amp patchouli so bear that in mind with my review.

On my skin the patch is the first on the scene and it stays until far past curtain call. A couple of other cast members make appearances, namely the vanilla, and the red musk. I dont get much from the hazelnut or leather. Its a really warm, rich scent. Lucky for me I havent met a patch I didnt like so the overlong presence of it here is a plus rather than a negative. Big bottle purchase for sure.

[zankoku_zen]

Red musk, patchouli, leather, and a touch of foodie hazelnut. So, I like this more than I realize considering that I'm not either a fan of red musk or leather. It's more approachable and less sexual than the three predominant notes suggest. There's something long and kinda hairy about it, like a spider leg, that definitely comes to mind and in some ways, it reminds me in vibe to Spider from the Anansi Boys/Neil Gaiman line. I guess it has a very otherwordly sort of vibe to it.

 

I could see this being a fantastic TAL blend, actually.

[Minh Scent]

Mmm...quintessential BPAL with the patch and musk. Get a tad of hazlenut when it starts off. Very cozy indeed! As it dries down, I get fur as opposed to leather, but don't see a note to suggest that. Final drydown is a musky soft leather with a tad of vanilla and...surprise!...a light reappearance of hazlenut. Intriguing!

[Spaztic]

I love this!

I get the comparisons to Mme Moriarty, but it's quite different too. The fruit in it comes across as almost grape-like on me and then there's the Oud, I usually have some troubles with Oud but this is aptly called "Sweet Oud" and I can dig it

Super happy that I have a full bottle of this one, surprised it's not more of a hit with everyone

[milo]

I was worried about the hazelnut, but there was no need to be:). Lots of red musk, dark fruits, leather and patch. I would be all over this one, it is the kind of blend that is waaaay up my alley, but it is very similar to other 'dark' blends that bpal puts out. This mostly reminds me of Krampus with a bit of Crowley and a touch of Mme Moriarty or even Crypt Queen thrown in. I adore this one and if I didn't have all four of the above, I'd be ordering this one. (but I wouldn't complain if a bottle miraculously landed on my lap! A lovely dark, special blend.

[fundercat55]

Lovely. This wears on my skin as a younger cousin scent to Streets of Detroit- one of my most loved scents. It's lighter, a touch more foodie, and doesn't wear as long as Streets, but has the same nutty, dark but sweet patchouli soul. I love it and am happy I got a whole bottle.

[theseagrows]

this starts off with a warm red musk and a hint of nuttiness from the hazelnut. thankfully, the nuttiness burns off and the vanilla, oudh and amber chypre becomes stronger. at this point it is just gorgeous. the patchouli and leather are subtle, just adding a depth in the background. i absolutely love this scent, it's gorgeous and i am now in need of a bottle.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by theseagrows

[stellamaris]

Blergh. This was a total blind bottle whim purchase with my husbands Xmas Hellboy and Lady Death. It makes me so mad. If I had known this was so good I would have ordered 27 bottles.

Incense! Incense! Incense!

Starts of strange with the hazelnut then turns into Amazing.

[silkworm]

I don't even know-in the imp and initially on the skin this is...Irish Spring soap. I had my step-daughter smell it and she said...Irish Spring soap. I think it might be the red musk doing something weird with the leather? I don't know. It's awful for about five-ten minutes and then the waft starts to sweeten, and I was delighted with it, but sniffing my wrist directly it was soapy, then powdery, then it settles down completely into a lovely sweet scent. And for some reason this is making me think it's a dead ringer for, and this makes no sense whatsoever, Moonshine and Mist. It's definitely smooth and sweet, I'm not getting the chocolatey vibe others are getting, but I do see that it's related to Snake Oil, I think it might be the vanilla. But really, this is throwing me since I read the reviews before testing it and it's nothing like what I'm reading. And I think that the Moonshine and Mist association is stuck in my brain now. This isn't necessarily bad but not what I wanted or expected out of this. I'll keep the decant but I'm not sad I missed a bottle.

[tinyvulture]

Hazelnut and patchouli...a match made in heaven! Rich, warm and indulgent. The red musk is present as well, but it's not amping too bad. Same with the leather. They're noticeable, but they're letting the salty, buttery, vanilla hazelnut and earthy patchouli shine. Stays close to the skin, but so lovely.