These Are A Few of my Favorite (Autumnal) Things
I was poked over on Facebook to make a list of my favorite Fall-themed perfume, bath, and body products. I tend to be fairly brand-loyal in general, so several of my answers will not surprise you, but here goes nothin'.
1. Arcana perfume in Sleepy Hollow: An atmospheric ode to romantically spooky Autumn evenings, with fresh pumpkin, spiced apple brew and bonfire smoke. Perfect for the telling of deliciously scary tales.
You might think that this would smell like generic Autumnal potpourri. You'd be wrong. This is one of my absolute faaaaaavorite perfumes, and I do wear it as much out of season as in season. on me, it's like very creamy apples with the suggestion of pumpkin and the barest hint of spice. It just gives off this clean, glowy, gourmand scent that's not overly sweet, and never turns sour, even in the heat of summer. Love it, love it, love it. (This scent also comes in a soap, which is great, and a scrub, which is not nearly scrubby enough for my tastes.)
2. Villainess smooch body scrub in GingerSnapped: A slightly psychotic blend of sweet cinnamon, rich cardamom, spicy ginger, and a faint touch of innocent vanilla.
A favorite for years. This is a naughty, delicious, warming gingersnap that is absolutely perfect for Autumn. The Smooch formula always leaves me feeling clean and moisturized, and the scent is like a familiar blanket. Fans of chai tea will also love Masala. (GingerSnapped also comes in a delicious soap, lotion and a perfume, though the perfume has longevity issues on my skin.)
3. It would be impossible for me to write about all of the wonderful Autumn smellies that have come out of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix Trading Post over the years. I have smelled and loved previous versions of Pomona and Samhain, which are being offered again this year, along with the Pumpkin Pie bath oil. I also have several favorites from years past which are only obtainable through trading and sales by previous owners, and a couple that are a part of the general catalogue.
Here's the shortlist:
Fearful Pleasure - Dried orange peels floating in simmering cider, roasted apples, smoldering firewood, chimney smoke, sassafras beer, warm hawthorn wood, and oakmoss.
Fearful Pleasure was part of a past limited edition collection based on Sleepy Hollow. Over the years, I've tried every variant of BPAL's cider scents, and this is probably my favorite because it's the least sugary-sweet. It's all apple, but with a serious undercurrent of woods and oakmoss to keep it grounded. The orange peels don't come out until the oil touches my skin, and they enhance but do not take over. I only have a little bit of this left, woe.
Hoggle - Fermented pumpkin, brown leather, dust, tobacco leaf, and dark woods.
Hoggle is currently available, and was not part of an Autumn collection. First of all, there's a coffee note (to my nose, anyway) that isn't listed here, but, unlike many coffee scents, does not go gross and wonky on my skin. To my nose, this is like sitting in an old bookshop, drinking a pumpkin spice latte, and opening a leather-bound book. It is wonderful, and perfect for men and women. Also has amazing longevity.
Hymn to Proserpine - The darkening amber of faith’s sunset, deepened by the dark fruits of Proserpine.
This was general catalogue, but discontinued over a component issue. Usually, I'm not a pomegranate person. More often than not, BPAL's pomegranate note either goes watery or rancid on me. This is perfect, though. Oooey, gooey amber with a tart, tangy topnote. The scent equivalent of rose-cut garnets set in rich yellow gold by candlelight.
Lambs-Wool - A popular holy day beverage in 18th century Ireland: roasted apples mashed into warmed milk and ale, with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, and clove.
A past limited edition. This is probably the most realistic cider scent BPAL has released. Thankfully, I smell neither milk nor ale, just spicy apple deliciousness. More sweet than Fearful Pleasure, but not as cloyingly sweet as Autumn Cider.
Mabon 2004 - Blackberry wine and apple cider with hops, apple blossom, English ivy, hazel, sage, oak bark and myrrh.
I have precious few drops left of this ultra-rare 2004 scent, one of the first LEs that BPAL ever released. I have still smelled nothing like it. It's the scent of Autumn, period. The blackberry and ivy stand out in a swirl of rich purple and dusty green, backed by soft, subdued apples. Uggggh, I would sell my firstborn for more of this. It is classic BPAL, from a time before novel-length updates, when each LE was a masterpiece.
Pomona - Azaroles, nuts, and apple blossoms with red apple pulp, mulberry, blackberry, and pomegranate juice.
An LE of years past, available again this year. Pomona is probably the closest I've gotten to Mabon 2004, except that for the first hour of wear, hazelnut is the dominant note. Usually, this would turn my stomach, as I love to taste hazelnut, but it often goes sickly on my skin. However, the wet, pulpy apple with wisps of berries keeps it nicely grounded. This is cozy and fantastic, but I have to be in the right mood for it.
Punkie Night - To this day, that night of foolishness is still celebrated! This is a light-hearted scent: apple orchards, bright cranberries, and a touch of warm cider.
An LE of years past, available again this year. This is basically Lambs-Wool plus cranberries. They smell very similar, except this is brighter and more tart.
Pumpkin Queen - The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin.
A past LE. Probably my favorite pumpkin scent from BPAL, as many of the Pumpkin Patch fragrances use a very buttery pumpkin note that my nose tires of quickly. I don't consider myself an orange person out of season, but when blended with a pumpkin pulp note and a nice dose of gingery amber, the combination here is more than the sum of its parts. It's rich, it's warm, it's long lasting. You know that hour before sundown when everything looks golden? It's kind of like that. It consistently garners sniffs from perfect strangers and heaps of compliments. It's wonderful.
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.
An LE that returns every year. I still have my 2004 bottle, because let me tell you, a drop is ALL you need. This stuff is very strong. There have been minor changes to the blend year to year, but they are, to my nose, subtle. This is a mysterious, witchy fragrance. Patchouli and fir needle are the dominant notes, and they're rounded a and just slightly sweetened by the pumpkin and mullein. It does, somehow, evoke damp woods, though not in a musty, rotten way. It is WONDERFUL as a room scent. Over the years, this top-selling scent has been put into other products by BPTP as well.
Shub Niggurath - A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices.
This was originally LE with BPAL's first Lovecraft series. It was brought back with some minor changes for the general catalogue. This is evil, evil gingersnaps. I have to say, the resurrection is missing a little bit of the bite that makes me love Shub so much. Both versions are very good, but I vastly prefer the LE version for its resin and sharper ginger. It's very similar to Villainess's Ginger Snapped. It's also very appropriate that Brooke of Villainess produces the Shub soaps for BPTP. The candle is also very nice.
Snake Oil - Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla.
BPAL's best selling scent, and for good reason. That said, this is a love it or hate it scent. Some people love it for its deep, dark vanilla with spice and musk. Other people think it smells like baby powder. There seems to be no middle ground. I'd classify it as an Oriental Gourmand. To me, this is like putting on my favorite sweater. This is a scent that when I wear it, I practically get nuzzled by strangers. Also, this is a scent that gets better and better with age. While it's delicious fresh, the best Snake Oil has been aged for 3 years or so, until it's thick and hypnotic. Snake Oil has been translated to soap and candles, from hair glossing oil to bath oil. Bathing in this? It is HEAVENLY.
Tintagel - According to legend, the birthplace of King Arthur. The scent of a castle's great hall in the midst of joyous feasting. Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin.
Tintagel is part of the general catalogue. There is a LOT going on in this scent, and if you don't love dragon's blood, stop reading. This is dragon's blood, bright, grape-y wine, and juniper to my nose. You get bayberry and a tinge of leather as it wears, but really, it's a scent that transports you. Renaissance Festival aficionados are duty-bound to sniff this. I love this, but am careful when and where I wear it, as the scent inexplicably makes me VERY hungry. For turkey legs, naturally.
Pumpkin Pie Bath Oil - Just what it says on the tin. Straight up pumpkin pie with extra spice. Sometimes an old classic is exactly what you need.
4. Autumn Gala Soap by Villainess: Fresh-pressed apples, spiced cider, sweetgrass and fall’s new-mown hay harvest.
A Soap Box Company exclusive. This is SWOONWORTHY. Sweet, fresh, so very uplifting. I don't even know what to say to describe it, other than to say that it is a favorite, and I buy it every year. Also available as a perfume, lotion, and a scrub.
5. Woodsmoke and Vanilla Perfume Oil by Firebird Bath and Body: Spicy, smoky, resinous, warm and sweet- with notes of frankincense and myrrh, fir needles, balsam and cedar, on a soft base of vanilla and honey. Brings to mind firewood, incense, cold winter nights.
Oh man, this is amazing. It's an ambery vanilla with a smoky, wintery base note that lasts and lasts and lasts. It's feminine, but a man might be able to get away with it. This is a perfect fall to winter transition scent. It comes in a convenient roller bottle. It's comforting and very cozy. Also available as bath salts, lotion, and a glycerin soap that, while fragrant, only lasts about three showers. (And though I have no specific recs for Autumn, I highly suggest trying out Firebird's lip balms, as they are fantastic.)
6. Cinnamon Girl perfume oil by Haunt: Creamy vanilla, sticky molasses, and fresh coconut shreds, lit with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg.
This is in the same vein as BPAL Shub Niggurath & Villainess GingerSnapped, only sweeter, fuzzier. The molasses note is like a hug, and the vanilla component is creamier. The ginger has less bite, and the cinnamon is soft and at the forefront. A wonderful comfort scent, much like their Winter House scent, which has a distinct bread-y quality. Also available in a few other mediums (soap, scrub, etc) depending on what Erin decides to release. A delicious treat.
(I would also recommend Haunt's Golden Pumpkin soap, as Erin's soaps are fantastically moisturizing, but they're already sold out. Side note: I can't wait to get my Haunt order. I got a Lavender Spice Tea lip balm, Coffee Fiend and Cinnamon Girl scrubs, and Watcher perfume: Amber honey flecked with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, dark woods and black tea leaves. How Giles-y does that sound? I am also very curious about Palmist.)
7. Lip Balms by Haus of Gloi
I am often divided about Haus of Gloi. There are products I love and products I have hated. For example, their whipped soaps are absolutely decadent, their scrubs are perfectly scrubby, and their lotions are creamy but not sticky. On the other hands, the scents are very hit-and-miss, their bar soaps are drying to me, their perfume oils vanish within the hour. Add to that, their Samhain scent was one of the most dank and unappealing things I have ever smelled, and went straight into the trashcan after a review. Of their current crop of scents, I am split. Frankly, a lot of them seem like they're trying to be BPAL scents but just aren't complex enough. Pumpkin Eater, for one, is dead-on for BPAL's Jack, and then we have name-alikes like Samhain, Pumpkin Queen. I do like Olde Cider House in scrub form, though the perfume seemed very flat to me. It reminds me of a less complex version of Villainess's Autumn Gala.
Anyway, I digress. I first tried their lip balm a few years ago when it was first released, but then tossed it out after one use. It was stiff, waxy, poorly scented, and overall just unpleasant. House of Gloi pulled the balms and reformulated them after getting lots of similar feedback. Now the reformulated lip balms are up there with Firebird Bath & Body as my favorite balms. I've tried Pumpkin Cheesecake, Hazelnut Latte, and Caramel Apple. I'm considering snapping up Gingersnap and Banana Bread, even though OMG I HAVE TOO MANY LIPBALMS ALREADY.
8: Autumn Leaves candle by Yankee Candle: A vibrant medley of birch and maple leaves with pomegranate, juniper berry, and orange blossom.
This is an annual favorite. It's one of those scents that defies description, where the resulting scent smells nothing like what you'd think it would based on description. It smells fresh, it smells crisp, it smells like what hiking should smell like. That's all I got. It's the best candle Yankee puts out, in my opinion.
If you're of the indie bent, I also love the Autumn offerings from AJ's Country Cottage and Woodcrafts and Candles.
9: Leaves and Cider Lane Home Frangrance Oils from Bath & Body Works:
Leaves: Like an afternoon spent jumping in a pile of freshly fallen leaves, this fragrance embodies all the richness of the season and features a medley of ripe delicious apples, red berries and golden nectar.
Cider Lane: As heartwarming as the trip to the local apple orchard each year, our delicious fall blend fuses mulled cider and warm caramel with a hint of sweet cinnamon.
I've taken to re-scenting wax tarts with fragrance oils, and these are two of my favorites. I first got Leaves in a care package swap a few years back. It has that crisp, fresh quality I like about Yankee's Autumn Leaves, with a punch of apple and a tartness that I think might be cranberry. As for Cider Lane, it's basically a caramel apple, only not sickeningly sweet.
10. Dragon's Blood Resin Incense
You can get dragon's blood resin at practically any pagan / new age shop. I like to order the Gold Seal one from Soma Luna because it's less sweet than some of the others. It needs to be burned on a charcoal disc in a heat-safe container. That said, it's what my living room smells like, more often than not. For those who have never smelled it, it's like a slightly sweeter, slightly floral amber. It's wonderful.
(I also love Vermorlian's Witches Brew incense, but it appears it is currently unavailable.)
I have a few things still on their way to me. As I mentioned, goodies from Haunt, this year's BPAL/BPTP crop, and a few hair goodies from Cocoa Pink, whose scent list is enough to send you into sugar shock. (I got Apple Cinnamon Funnel Cake, Naughty Pumpkins, and Pumpkin Cake on Mondays, predictably).
There are two other companies I have enjoyed and wanted to mention, the first of which is Paintbox Soapworks. A lot of their Halloween collection has notes in it I can't wear (beer, licorice), though I do want to try Punkie Night. For a company that primarily does glycerin soaps, they are moisturizing, long lasting, and omg Gingermilk is the best. The other is Lathers N Lights, which, like Cocoa Pink, adds your choice of scent to their bath and body bases (and that list is also quite ridiculous). I particularly like their Pumpkin Glow scent. If you're a fan of Lush's American Cream, it's like that plus pumpkin pulp. It is fantastic as a body butter.
Hope that helps!
1. Arcana perfume in Sleepy Hollow: An atmospheric ode to romantically spooky Autumn evenings, with fresh pumpkin, spiced apple brew and bonfire smoke. Perfect for the telling of deliciously scary tales.
You might think that this would smell like generic Autumnal potpourri. You'd be wrong. This is one of my absolute faaaaaavorite perfumes, and I do wear it as much out of season as in season. on me, it's like very creamy apples with the suggestion of pumpkin and the barest hint of spice. It just gives off this clean, glowy, gourmand scent that's not overly sweet, and never turns sour, even in the heat of summer. Love it, love it, love it. (This scent also comes in a soap, which is great, and a scrub, which is not nearly scrubby enough for my tastes.)
2. Villainess smooch body scrub in GingerSnapped: A slightly psychotic blend of sweet cinnamon, rich cardamom, spicy ginger, and a faint touch of innocent vanilla.
A favorite for years. This is a naughty, delicious, warming gingersnap that is absolutely perfect for Autumn. The Smooch formula always leaves me feeling clean and moisturized, and the scent is like a familiar blanket. Fans of chai tea will also love Masala. (GingerSnapped also comes in a delicious soap, lotion and a perfume, though the perfume has longevity issues on my skin.)
3. It would be impossible for me to write about all of the wonderful Autumn smellies that have come out of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix Trading Post over the years. I have smelled and loved previous versions of Pomona and Samhain, which are being offered again this year, along with the Pumpkin Pie bath oil. I also have several favorites from years past which are only obtainable through trading and sales by previous owners, and a couple that are a part of the general catalogue.
Here's the shortlist:
Fearful Pleasure - Dried orange peels floating in simmering cider, roasted apples, smoldering firewood, chimney smoke, sassafras beer, warm hawthorn wood, and oakmoss.
Fearful Pleasure was part of a past limited edition collection based on Sleepy Hollow. Over the years, I've tried every variant of BPAL's cider scents, and this is probably my favorite because it's the least sugary-sweet. It's all apple, but with a serious undercurrent of woods and oakmoss to keep it grounded. The orange peels don't come out until the oil touches my skin, and they enhance but do not take over. I only have a little bit of this left, woe.
Hoggle - Fermented pumpkin, brown leather, dust, tobacco leaf, and dark woods.
Hoggle is currently available, and was not part of an Autumn collection. First of all, there's a coffee note (to my nose, anyway) that isn't listed here, but, unlike many coffee scents, does not go gross and wonky on my skin. To my nose, this is like sitting in an old bookshop, drinking a pumpkin spice latte, and opening a leather-bound book. It is wonderful, and perfect for men and women. Also has amazing longevity.
Hymn to Proserpine - The darkening amber of faith’s sunset, deepened by the dark fruits of Proserpine.
This was general catalogue, but discontinued over a component issue. Usually, I'm not a pomegranate person. More often than not, BPAL's pomegranate note either goes watery or rancid on me. This is perfect, though. Oooey, gooey amber with a tart, tangy topnote. The scent equivalent of rose-cut garnets set in rich yellow gold by candlelight.
Lambs-Wool - A popular holy day beverage in 18th century Ireland: roasted apples mashed into warmed milk and ale, with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, and clove.
A past limited edition. This is probably the most realistic cider scent BPAL has released. Thankfully, I smell neither milk nor ale, just spicy apple deliciousness. More sweet than Fearful Pleasure, but not as cloyingly sweet as Autumn Cider.
Mabon 2004 - Blackberry wine and apple cider with hops, apple blossom, English ivy, hazel, sage, oak bark and myrrh.
I have precious few drops left of this ultra-rare 2004 scent, one of the first LEs that BPAL ever released. I have still smelled nothing like it. It's the scent of Autumn, period. The blackberry and ivy stand out in a swirl of rich purple and dusty green, backed by soft, subdued apples. Uggggh, I would sell my firstborn for more of this. It is classic BPAL, from a time before novel-length updates, when each LE was a masterpiece.
Pomona - Azaroles, nuts, and apple blossoms with red apple pulp, mulberry, blackberry, and pomegranate juice.
An LE of years past, available again this year. Pomona is probably the closest I've gotten to Mabon 2004, except that for the first hour of wear, hazelnut is the dominant note. Usually, this would turn my stomach, as I love to taste hazelnut, but it often goes sickly on my skin. However, the wet, pulpy apple with wisps of berries keeps it nicely grounded. This is cozy and fantastic, but I have to be in the right mood for it.
Punkie Night - To this day, that night of foolishness is still celebrated! This is a light-hearted scent: apple orchards, bright cranberries, and a touch of warm cider.
An LE of years past, available again this year. This is basically Lambs-Wool plus cranberries. They smell very similar, except this is brighter and more tart.
Pumpkin Queen - The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin.
A past LE. Probably my favorite pumpkin scent from BPAL, as many of the Pumpkin Patch fragrances use a very buttery pumpkin note that my nose tires of quickly. I don't consider myself an orange person out of season, but when blended with a pumpkin pulp note and a nice dose of gingery amber, the combination here is more than the sum of its parts. It's rich, it's warm, it's long lasting. You know that hour before sundown when everything looks golden? It's kind of like that. It consistently garners sniffs from perfect strangers and heaps of compliments. It's wonderful.
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.
An LE that returns every year. I still have my 2004 bottle, because let me tell you, a drop is ALL you need. This stuff is very strong. There have been minor changes to the blend year to year, but they are, to my nose, subtle. This is a mysterious, witchy fragrance. Patchouli and fir needle are the dominant notes, and they're rounded a and just slightly sweetened by the pumpkin and mullein. It does, somehow, evoke damp woods, though not in a musty, rotten way. It is WONDERFUL as a room scent. Over the years, this top-selling scent has been put into other products by BPTP as well.
Shub Niggurath - A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices.
This was originally LE with BPAL's first Lovecraft series. It was brought back with some minor changes for the general catalogue. This is evil, evil gingersnaps. I have to say, the resurrection is missing a little bit of the bite that makes me love Shub so much. Both versions are very good, but I vastly prefer the LE version for its resin and sharper ginger. It's very similar to Villainess's Ginger Snapped. It's also very appropriate that Brooke of Villainess produces the Shub soaps for BPTP. The candle is also very nice.
Snake Oil - Magnetic, mysterious, and exceedingly sexual in nature. A blend of exotic Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla.
BPAL's best selling scent, and for good reason. That said, this is a love it or hate it scent. Some people love it for its deep, dark vanilla with spice and musk. Other people think it smells like baby powder. There seems to be no middle ground. I'd classify it as an Oriental Gourmand. To me, this is like putting on my favorite sweater. This is a scent that when I wear it, I practically get nuzzled by strangers. Also, this is a scent that gets better and better with age. While it's delicious fresh, the best Snake Oil has been aged for 3 years or so, until it's thick and hypnotic. Snake Oil has been translated to soap and candles, from hair glossing oil to bath oil. Bathing in this? It is HEAVENLY.
Tintagel - According to legend, the birthplace of King Arthur. The scent of a castle's great hall in the midst of joyous feasting. Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin.
Tintagel is part of the general catalogue. There is a LOT going on in this scent, and if you don't love dragon's blood, stop reading. This is dragon's blood, bright, grape-y wine, and juniper to my nose. You get bayberry and a tinge of leather as it wears, but really, it's a scent that transports you. Renaissance Festival aficionados are duty-bound to sniff this. I love this, but am careful when and where I wear it, as the scent inexplicably makes me VERY hungry. For turkey legs, naturally.
Pumpkin Pie Bath Oil - Just what it says on the tin. Straight up pumpkin pie with extra spice. Sometimes an old classic is exactly what you need.
4. Autumn Gala Soap by Villainess: Fresh-pressed apples, spiced cider, sweetgrass and fall’s new-mown hay harvest.
A Soap Box Company exclusive. This is SWOONWORTHY. Sweet, fresh, so very uplifting. I don't even know what to say to describe it, other than to say that it is a favorite, and I buy it every year. Also available as a perfume, lotion, and a scrub.
5. Woodsmoke and Vanilla Perfume Oil by Firebird Bath and Body: Spicy, smoky, resinous, warm and sweet- with notes of frankincense and myrrh, fir needles, balsam and cedar, on a soft base of vanilla and honey. Brings to mind firewood, incense, cold winter nights.
Oh man, this is amazing. It's an ambery vanilla with a smoky, wintery base note that lasts and lasts and lasts. It's feminine, but a man might be able to get away with it. This is a perfect fall to winter transition scent. It comes in a convenient roller bottle. It's comforting and very cozy. Also available as bath salts, lotion, and a glycerin soap that, while fragrant, only lasts about three showers. (And though I have no specific recs for Autumn, I highly suggest trying out Firebird's lip balms, as they are fantastic.)
6. Cinnamon Girl perfume oil by Haunt: Creamy vanilla, sticky molasses, and fresh coconut shreds, lit with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg.
This is in the same vein as BPAL Shub Niggurath & Villainess GingerSnapped, only sweeter, fuzzier. The molasses note is like a hug, and the vanilla component is creamier. The ginger has less bite, and the cinnamon is soft and at the forefront. A wonderful comfort scent, much like their Winter House scent, which has a distinct bread-y quality. Also available in a few other mediums (soap, scrub, etc) depending on what Erin decides to release. A delicious treat.
(I would also recommend Haunt's Golden Pumpkin soap, as Erin's soaps are fantastically moisturizing, but they're already sold out. Side note: I can't wait to get my Haunt order. I got a Lavender Spice Tea lip balm, Coffee Fiend and Cinnamon Girl scrubs, and Watcher perfume: Amber honey flecked with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, dark woods and black tea leaves. How Giles-y does that sound? I am also very curious about Palmist.)
7. Lip Balms by Haus of Gloi
I am often divided about Haus of Gloi. There are products I love and products I have hated. For example, their whipped soaps are absolutely decadent, their scrubs are perfectly scrubby, and their lotions are creamy but not sticky. On the other hands, the scents are very hit-and-miss, their bar soaps are drying to me, their perfume oils vanish within the hour. Add to that, their Samhain scent was one of the most dank and unappealing things I have ever smelled, and went straight into the trashcan after a review. Of their current crop of scents, I am split. Frankly, a lot of them seem like they're trying to be BPAL scents but just aren't complex enough. Pumpkin Eater, for one, is dead-on for BPAL's Jack, and then we have name-alikes like Samhain, Pumpkin Queen. I do like Olde Cider House in scrub form, though the perfume seemed very flat to me. It reminds me of a less complex version of Villainess's Autumn Gala.
Anyway, I digress. I first tried their lip balm a few years ago when it was first released, but then tossed it out after one use. It was stiff, waxy, poorly scented, and overall just unpleasant. House of Gloi pulled the balms and reformulated them after getting lots of similar feedback. Now the reformulated lip balms are up there with Firebird Bath & Body as my favorite balms. I've tried Pumpkin Cheesecake, Hazelnut Latte, and Caramel Apple. I'm considering snapping up Gingersnap and Banana Bread, even though OMG I HAVE TOO MANY LIPBALMS ALREADY.
8: Autumn Leaves candle by Yankee Candle: A vibrant medley of birch and maple leaves with pomegranate, juniper berry, and orange blossom.
This is an annual favorite. It's one of those scents that defies description, where the resulting scent smells nothing like what you'd think it would based on description. It smells fresh, it smells crisp, it smells like what hiking should smell like. That's all I got. It's the best candle Yankee puts out, in my opinion.
If you're of the indie bent, I also love the Autumn offerings from AJ's Country Cottage and Woodcrafts and Candles.
9: Leaves and Cider Lane Home Frangrance Oils from Bath & Body Works:
Leaves: Like an afternoon spent jumping in a pile of freshly fallen leaves, this fragrance embodies all the richness of the season and features a medley of ripe delicious apples, red berries and golden nectar.
Cider Lane: As heartwarming as the trip to the local apple orchard each year, our delicious fall blend fuses mulled cider and warm caramel with a hint of sweet cinnamon.
I've taken to re-scenting wax tarts with fragrance oils, and these are two of my favorites. I first got Leaves in a care package swap a few years back. It has that crisp, fresh quality I like about Yankee's Autumn Leaves, with a punch of apple and a tartness that I think might be cranberry. As for Cider Lane, it's basically a caramel apple, only not sickeningly sweet.
10. Dragon's Blood Resin Incense
You can get dragon's blood resin at practically any pagan / new age shop. I like to order the Gold Seal one from Soma Luna because it's less sweet than some of the others. It needs to be burned on a charcoal disc in a heat-safe container. That said, it's what my living room smells like, more often than not. For those who have never smelled it, it's like a slightly sweeter, slightly floral amber. It's wonderful.
(I also love Vermorlian's Witches Brew incense, but it appears it is currently unavailable.)
I have a few things still on their way to me. As I mentioned, goodies from Haunt, this year's BPAL/BPTP crop, and a few hair goodies from Cocoa Pink, whose scent list is enough to send you into sugar shock. (I got Apple Cinnamon Funnel Cake, Naughty Pumpkins, and Pumpkin Cake on Mondays, predictably).
There are two other companies I have enjoyed and wanted to mention, the first of which is Paintbox Soapworks. A lot of their Halloween collection has notes in it I can't wear (beer, licorice), though I do want to try Punkie Night. For a company that primarily does glycerin soaps, they are moisturizing, long lasting, and omg Gingermilk is the best. The other is Lathers N Lights, which, like Cocoa Pink, adds your choice of scent to their bath and body bases (and that list is also quite ridiculous). I particularly like their Pumpkin Glow scent. If you're a fan of Lush's American Cream, it's like that plus pumpkin pulp. It is fantastic as a body butter.
Hope that helps!