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ellocentipede · 4 years

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Nocturne Alchemy Halloween 2019 Review

I’ve been sitting on this post for a long time—my apologies! I kept ordering decants because I was so curious about this collection, and I didn’t want to post until I had all of the reviews put together. This was a really great collection, and many of my favorites were surprises! Buckle up, buttercups, this is a long one!

Halloween 2018

Scent description: Pumpkin Incense, Raw Fig and Pumpkin puree, Tonka Bean, Blue Sugar, a drop of Kashmir, a drop of labdanum, a drop of clove and a breath of white amber.

Very pretty—but not what I expected! This is clean, resinous sugared incense on my skin and I love it! The musk is a beautiful addition. It smells like a fancy metaphysical shop!

Halloween 2019

Scent description: Waxy Candy Corn, Vanilla, Cotton Candy, Spun Pumpkin Cotton Candy, Bourbon Vanille with touches of almond, pistachio, gold sweet tobacco and white musk.

This is a pretty, candy corn scent, but leans a tad sweet when combined with the cotton candy notes. I know a lot of people love this one, but I prefer Halloween 2018′s incense and Halloween 2020′s rich sandalwood to this blend’s candy bag!

Halloween 2020

Scent description: A special All Hallows’ Eve blend of 7 Sandalwoods (Hawaiian, Indian, Australian, New Caledonia, Indian Santalum Album, Karnataka Sandalwood, African Sandalwood (Baphia Nitida), Cardamom essential oil, Clove essential oil, Bourbon Vanille Absolute, Bastet Amber Absolute, smoked sandalwood infused with oak and pine smoke in the NA Studio.

I love NAVA’s sandalwood, so even though this has smoke listed as a note, I had to try it. It’s a beautiful sandalwood scent with a touch of sweet smoke! The smoke is not dominant or acrid at all. This is beautiful and I’m happy to have it!

Eternal Ankh Spice

Scent description: White Amber Absolute, Powdered and reconstructed oil of Egyptian Vanilla Husk, Vanilla fleck, African White Vanilla Absolute, Essential oils of Nutmeg, clove and Cardamom with a drydown of beautiful Eternal Ankh Vanilla

In the bottle this smells Eternal Ankh-heavy with just a dash of spice, but on skin the spice blooms and is really beautiful. I get mostly the cardamom with a hint of nutmeg in a cloud of EA. This is really perfect for "fall" in my neck of the woods--where the forecast has high temps in the 90s through the first week of October.

Bastet’s Ice Cream: Halloween Spice Cake Crystalline Creme

Scent description: Buttery Coffee cake, Cinnamon and nutmeg, Vanilla Bean powder, Bourbon Vanille Absolute (original BV in Studio Limited), a shot of Espresso bean oil to hold up the spices, Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar

This should be called Snickerdoodle Crème. I tend to amp cinnamon, and I smell a lot of it here, along with the Crystalline Crème. Yea, this is snickerdoodle ice cream on me!

Vampire Bourbon Patchouli Bat

Scent description: Golden and Black Patchouli essential oils slow-drip blended into our Bourbon Vanille Absolute, Sugared Vanilla pods with hints of Oak and Hinoki wood

A silky, smooth patch, sweetened with creamy, sugared bourbon vanilla. This is sweeter and smoother than the original Vampire Vanilla Bat. It’s well blended. Alas, NAVA’s patch just doesn’t work for me, and this blend is no exception.

Blackout

Scent description: NA Chypre accord (labdanum, oakmoss, lavender, patchouli and neroli), Jasmine Absolute, NA Oudh, Bastet Amber Absolute, Mandarin, Clove and Amber accord

A pretty chypre! The florals are tamed by the clove and oudh. The oudh here is smooth, not too gritty. I think I may be smelling some benzoin? Unfortunately this one starts to not be so great on my skin. The oudh becomes more prominent and begins to remind me of a petting zoo.

Blood

Scent description: Kashmir (Studio Limited), Pipe Tobacco accord, Caramel Oudh (NA Studio), Black Patchouli leaves, Palo Santo essential oil, Italian Bergamot, Italian Pine resin, Frankincense Resin, Myrrh wood and Bastet’s Musk

Sweet tobacco, airy incense, smooth patchouli, and pine. This one is a bit like cologne on me. This one seemed to be a popular scent this year, but it falls flat on me.

Blood Queen

Scent description: Wild Black Currant, Cemetery Musk, Santalum White (Studio Limited), Kashmir (Studio Limited), Black Musk, Blood Wine accord, Black Violet and Lilac essence

Lots of tart, juicy red currant. Smells like kool aid or fruit punch. A floral note starts to come through—the lilac, perhaps? A littttle soapy. Reminds me a bit of Wally Wallaby—fruity floral. I don’t love this one, but I also tend to not love fruity florals.

Dark Ghost Velvet

Scent description: Velvet Blend: Eternal Ankh, Jasmine, Vanilla bean, and musk all weave the scent of Dark Ghost Velvet into Eternal Ankh Vanilla Absolute, Black Vanilla, Black Clove and a touch of Kashmir and Black Musk (Studio Limited)

Yessss. I was hoping this would work for me, and it does! I love NAVA’s jasmine scents. This one is beautiful—it’s a deep, creamy, true jasmine scent with a dry smokiness here from the clove. A beautiful floral for the cooler months.

Ghost

Scent description: Maydi Frankincense, Black Orchid, Tonka Bean Absolute, Crimson (Studio Limited) Musk, Caramel, Lemon, Cola accord with Kola Nut and a drop of Ceylon Cinnamon

This one is a pretty Cola scent, but unfortunately I don’t get much else. It’s fairly similar similar to Koala. Blue, but Koala has a beautiful, rich labdanum note (the same one that’s in Midnite Bunny) that deepened the scent and gave it some complexity. This one is pretty wispy, and alas doesn’t last long on my skin. A ghost of a scent indeed!

This Mortal Coil

Scent description: Balsamic Sandalwood, Mahogany wood, Turkish Rose, Musk

Well, this is gorgeous. This is what I wanted from their Rose Musk blend, but somehow that one didn't work for me. It's a beautiful musky rose deepened by the sandalwood and mahogany. Not sharp at all--super smooth, woody rose.

Dragon’s Eye

Scent description: Magnolia Blossom, Orchid, Rice Milk, Lotus essence

Pretty, smooth, well-blended florals in creamy rice milk. This is not overly sweet or screechy—it’s a very mild floral fragrance. I don’t get any bubblegum from the lotus—but there’s a hint of lemon.

Moonsand

Scent description: Light essences of Pear, Clementine, Heliotrope, Gardenia, Plumeria and White Amber Absolute

I almost passed on this one, but it may be my favorite of the update! It's so beautiful. It really fits the name--somehow it smells like a glowing jar of sand blessed under moonlight. It's a tropical fruity floral and is a bit reminiscent of both EA Violet and EA Orchid

Skeletonic

Scent description: White Birch, Tonka Bean, Vetiver essence, Birch wood, Bastet’s Musk Absolute, Black Styrax

This one smells sharp in the bottle—like sappy, green wood and cologne. On skin, it’s surprisingly not sharp at all! It does smell like green woods—like sunlight dappling through light green leaves in a forest in spring. The benzoin (styrax) is surprisingly not ruining this one for me. It’s very gender neutral, and reminds me of BPAL’s Elf scent. Unfortunately for me, the benzoin comes out with wear and turns funky on my skin.

Halloween Dreams

Scent description: Lavender Absolute, Organic Lavandin Flowers, French Lavender, Halloween Candy accord (sugars and caramel), Crimson Musk (Studio Limited), Halloween Bonfire Smoke accord (NA Studio), Ember wood smoke infused Lavender buds

Fresh lavender flowers, burnt sugar, and a hint of smoke. Too smoky for me!

Pumpkin Spice Cotton Candy

Scent description: Cotton Candy accord, Strawberry-Sugar accord, Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger and Nutmeg

Exactly what it says on the tin. Dry, warm pumpkin spice spun sugar.

Candy Corn Cotton Candy

Scent description:

This doesn’t smell like cotton candy to me. Instead it’s a rich, creamy, chewy artisanal caramel.

Hekate Cat

Scent description: Black Hemlock, French Lavender, Pistachio, Sandalwood, Vanilla Pudding accord, Brown Sugar and a touch of White Cinnamon

A blast of pistachio and vanilla pudding, with a hint of tart/poisonous berry that must be the hemlock. I’m not a fan of this one, unfortunately.

Hemlock Cat

Scent description: Blue Hemlock, English Lavender, Musk, Vanilla Cake accord, Vanilla, Brown Sugar and touch of Cinnamon

This smells like a fruit jelly made with a tart, poisonous berry, and a hint of lavender on top of cake. A unique scent, for sure! I think maybe the hemlock note is not working for me.

Castaway Coconut

Scent description: Cotton Candy accord, Bastet’s Ice Cream blend, Vanilla Wax accord (NA Studio), Cherry, Pineapple, Candy Corn Vanilla accord, Crystalline

Huh! This one is like Coppertone! It’s suntan lotion-esque coconut!

Pineapple Punch

Scent description: Sweet Pineapple, Orange zest, Vanilla, Brown Sugar accord, Sweet Coconut, Crystalline & Bourbon Vanille Absolute blend

Tart, strong pineapple with a hint of creamy coconut milk. Smells like a tropical drink.

Shipwreck Spice

Scent description: Mortar pestle of Clove, Pine needles, Cinnamon Bark, Nutmeg, Green Cardamom, Patchouli leaves, Orange Zest, Apple Skin, Crystalline (vanilla from Studio Limited), Romanian Green Cognac essential oil, Crystalline, Vanilla Bean and Vanilla-infused Musk

This smells like Christmas! I get pine and winter spices (clove and orange) in a cloud of vanilla musk that softens the edges. There’s a bit of smoke on drydown.

Pumpkin #27

Scent description: Bourbon Vanille (Studio Limited), Black Fig, Raw Pumpkin (no spice in this blend)

Smooth, creamy, and mild pumpkin pie filling--no spice! The pumpkin is not like raw pumpkin—it’s more like the canned pumpkin pie filling but with zero spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.) added. The fig is really fragrant and nice, giving it some flavor without heavy spice. It smells like the same fig that's in Summer Fig Crème. I really don't see anyone not liking this scent--it's very pretty and seasonal without being "spice candle in your face".

Pumpkin #28

Scent description: Buttery Pumpkin accord (vegan), Crystalline (Studio Limited), Bastet’s Ice Cream, Butter Cream Icing accord, Madagascar Vanilla bean

Sweet, creamy, lightly spiced pumpkin pie filling, with a touch of something like the butter, pecan, and brown sugar topping that I put on my sweet potato casserole. This is a great pumpkin scent for those who are sensitive to spices (like myself).

Pumpkin #30

Scent description: Tonka Bean Absolute, Moonstone (Studio Limited) Absolute, Egyptian Musk, Pumpkin Pie accord (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger)

This is the pumpkin spice scent for a world travelling archaeology professor. It's pumpkin spice with Egyptian musk coming through on drydown. It's dry, smooth, rich, and warm, a bit exotic.

Resurgence Collection (items from last year, rereleased)

Bastet’s Ice Cream: Candy Corn Crystalline Creme

Scent description: Etherian Vanilla (not yet released Etherias scent, a ghostly vanilla skin scent), Candy Corn accord, touch of almond, butter, Crystalline two-fold, Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, touch of Mallow, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Vanilla Orchid, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar. A new take on a gourmand vanilla Candy Corn.

This one is pretty awesome. It does smell like candy corn ice cream. It’s not overly sweet, but is a nice, mild vanilla caramel scent. It’s interesting to me that the candy corn note on Halloween 2019 was too sweet for me, but here it’s just right. I think the ice cream note provides creamy sweetness without being tooth-achingly sweet. I’m a big fan of the Bastet’s Ice Cream scents in general.

Bastet’s Ice Cream: Halloween Spice Cake Santalum Creme

Scent description: Buttery Coffee cake, Cinnamon and nutmeg, Vanilla Bean powder, Santalum Sandalwood Absolute, a shot of Espresso to hold up the spices, Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Vanilla Orchid, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar.

I love this one! It does the cinnamon/snickerdoodle amping thing when wet on my skin, but dries down to a creamy, lightly spiced cake with a good dose of NAVA's awesome santalum.

Bastet’s Ice Cream: Pumpkin Pie Crystal Creme

Scent description: Pumpkin cream, Pumpkin skin, Black Fig. Pumpkin Pie Spices: Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove, Butter-Vanilla Bean and Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, Crystal Vanilla-Musk Absolute, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Vanilla Orchid, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar.

I purchased this bottle last year when it was first released, in the hopes that the ice cream element would soften the pumpkin spice into a magical pumpkin scent of dreams for me. I ended up rehoming that first bottle because there was too much cinnamon, and it caused an eczema reaction on my wrist and the palm of my hand. This year I decided to give it another go, and surprisingly it’s not as spicy. I’m not sure if my skin chemistry has changed, or if a year of aging has tamed the cinnamon, but whatever it is, I’m not complaining. This is a pretty pumpkin pie scent with a tiny dollop of fresh whipped cream sitting on top. It reads just a bit woody and dusty to me, and I think it’s the fig note. I really like how NAVA combines pumpkin and fig (as in some of this year’s pumpkin blends above, and Halloween 2018). This is a lovely scent, it’s just not my pumpkin pie scent of dreams.

Dawn by Ian

Scent description: Plumeria, eNVie saphir, Bastet's Amber, Rice Milk and Blue Crystalline

I love this one! A fresh, bright plumeria (not shampoo-like as it can sometimes be) tamed with gentle, creamy rice milk and deepened with musky, cloudy amber. This is a great year-round option. It’s classy and elegant. Rice milk becomes more prominent with wear, and the plumeria recedes a bit while remaining the heart of the scent. A beautiful creamy floral—not overly sweet and absolutely not screechy.

V by Thoth

Scent description: Incense, Sweetened spices of Cardamom, Cinnamon, Allspice and clove swirled with Vanilla pods, Ghost Musk and Copal Resin

This is sort of a dream incense scent on me. It’s hard to review in the way that Alchemist Bazaar (also a beautiful incense blend on me) is hard to review—it’s just so well-blended. I don’t really smell the cinnamon or allspice, which is a huge surprise since those notes tend to be so punchy and dominant. I am getting a fair amount of copal. This is like Copal incense and other precious resins (amber, perhaps?) simmering. It’s not “sweet”, but it’s also not sharp—it’s very smooth and elegant. If you think you would like this blend at all, I highly recommend trying it!

Scarlet Bat

Scent description: Red Sugar, Crimson Musk, Black Tea Leaves, Neroli-sugar, and NA Black Patchouli Absolute

The siren song of “Neroli sugar” (and the excellent reviews) led me to blind bottle this one, but I should have known better. I will say that this is one of only a couple of NAVA’s patchoulis that has alllllmost worked for me. I get a lot of tea leaves, that read as almost anise-like or cinnamony to my nose. This is like a spicy (as in cinnamon), sugary, musky patchouli. Close, but no cigar. It may have worked for me without the patch!

Pumpkin #21

Scent description: Bourbon Vanille, Pistachio, Pumpkin essence, Almond, Cherry rind, Pistachio Pudding accord, Crystalline and Egyptian Musk

Review pending receipt of decant!

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Nocturne Alchemy’s beautiful scents may be perused and purchased here: https://nocturnealchemy.com

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