*article updated December 25th 2017 to include link to 2018 Resurrection Sale details Sixteen92 sixteen92.com/ sixteen92.com/collections/sample-sets Combined Thoughts: I may have just found the holy grail of different autumn scents and history based fragrances for myself by stumbling upon this unique site that is named after the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 (https://sixteen92.com). Much of this site's creative scent potions are based on dark legends, movies, seasonal themes, the supernatural, rock groups, book characters, or historical figures but they also have an impressive range of gourmands and florals including The Art and Olfaction Awards Winner 2017 "Bruise Violet". Depending on what the curious may be looking for, you can easily break down the category search by choosing warm weather scent to cold and atmospheric and even sweet and fruity. Their general sample sizes are extremely generous (2ml) and the packaging is also notable (seriously how can you not fall in love when a company sends you a fabulously creepy postcard with a daguerreotype of a veiled ghost?) Needless to say I'm quite smitten and can't wait to share my additions to my collection and thoughts on each. So please feel free to get comfortable as I have 2 orders to run through (with a planned out third soon to be purchased) and to play into the creative diversity of what this site can offer, I will be randomly picking up, wearing and jotting down my thoughts on the various collections. *for these reviews I have forgone the "Words that come to mind" section as these are personal experiences and a few words are not enough to summarize each vial. One scent at a time: Sarah Good *from the Salem Collection (Listed Notes: Charred maple leaves, black pitch, fresh-baked bread, dried black tea leaves, sweet orange, chimney smoke) What I was hoping for: For my first venture into this exciting looking brand, I was intrigued by everything I saw but with Sarah Good, in general, the bread note with leaves and chimney smoke caught my attention first. I have no idea what to expect so this will be a treat indeed. I can't wait to see how a perfume based on an actual tragic figure of history is interpreted in scent form. In the vial: BREAD and LEAVES with a back PITCH SWEETNESS. This is so unique and I have no idea what this will do with my skin chemistry. Applied: I sorely wish I found this perfume company earlier as this is such a marvellously freaky scent for October into November (as always I'm late to the party). Right away I get the bread note that is like a stone baked loaf with leaves rustling at the door. I also get the orange which surprises me because orange hardly ever shows with my chemistry and as this sits it almost smells like petite madeleines (but that may be from the buttery morphing trick my chemistry sometimes plays and believe me I'm loving this right now). As it dries further that orange petite madeleine scent is disappearing (curses) and Oh, I'm detecting some tea leaves with dirt (there must be some patchouli in this). This is quite an interesting perfume as it seems to transform and the bread with leaves and pitch (maybe that's the woodsmoke but it also smells like unswept ashes?) with the slightest hint of orange now remains. This fragrance lasts a good bit and I can even detect it the next day with the final notes of dirt (patchouli) and bread which acts as a personal comfort double surprise that is hard to explain but ultimately I appreciate and absolutely love. I really enjoy this perfume and this is a great start to my introduction to the Salem Collection and Sixteen92 Baba Yaga *from the General Catalogue (Listed Notes: Fiery dragon’s blood incense, sweet woodsmoke, dried herbs, dripping candle wax, forest dirt) What I'm hoping for and what called to me: As I mentioned this brand also likes to dabble in folklore and puts a spin on its interpretations and as I have been fascinated with Slavic folk stories ever since I was tall enough to reach the library shelves or old enough to point at covers, I couldn't pass on this hopefully familiar wicked crone of the forest. I'm still learning about notes, what they do with my personal chemistry and dragon's blood incense has appeared in quite a few perfumes I have been curious about- I've read it can smell like lilacs which would be heaven for me (still on the hunt for that perfect perfume). Hopefully, this also has patchouli for the earthiness and the candle wax doesn't attach to my chemistry too much (as for some reason my chemistry likes to amp). In the vial: I'm not sure what I'm smelling it's a collection of ancient mystery, it's not smokey and it's not floral or spicy it has a scent category all its own. Applied: Right away there is a sharpness or medicinal quality but that quickly is swept away and becomes something completely unexpected which is powdery bubbles with a hint of candle wax and maybe rose? Perhaps this perfume taps into and conforms to your secret comforts and yes powder or any rose and pretty rainbow shifting bubbles from a wand are three of my secret forgotten comforts (judge as you will but you could have entertained me for days as a child if you gave me a bottle of bubbles to blow into the winds and the powder and rose reminds me of a missed loved one), the candle wax is just an unfortunate thing my chemistry always latches onto but is not overly noticeable at the moment and is not that bad. Hours later I am finally getting the earthiness and something is definitely reminding me of a soft rose. It's actually quite lovely not scary or a sharp scent. I think I may be safe if I wore this to work as they have a very strict fragrance policy (one complaint and you're told to go home and wash- that would be mortifying) but Baba Yaga can fly with me as, despite the name, on me this is a refreshing calming scent and who could complain when you smell not clean but "tidy" with a touch of rose? Now please keep in mind everyone's chemistry is different and I've read so many reviews about varying experiences with this particular perfume, so mine may just be unique with it smelling "rosy and tidy" vs. "sinister" or "conjured from some evil cauldron". I do wish the herbs or smoke appeared on me but I must realize as my oil collection grows it is good to have unexpected ranges of fragrances and I will certainly keep this, I'm always on the hunt for scents that can help me fall asleep in the morning after bracing the long night hours and I think this Bone Mother would bring me pleasant dreams. Telesthesia *from the 2017 Winter Collection (Listed Notes: Black and red tea leaves, nutmeg, sweet woods, forest moss, loam, chilled night air) What I'm hoping for and what called to me: I was fortunate enough to stumble across Sixteen92 right before their huge Black Friday event (with coupon codes) and after enjoying my first parcel of goodies, I decided to have one final hurrah this year with my pocketbook. Telesthesia was a last minute addition to my basket before checking out for the night. The listed nutmeg with forest moss, loam and chilled night air had to come home to me and I'm hoping to find another atmospheric supernormal wonder. In the vial: TEA, STONE and a distant wisp of MINT that adds to the coldness. This is another nifty find. Applied: The nutmeg comes out to charm me first along with the stone and various leaves but as it dries I get a pepper note that I can't stop pressing my nose to as I'm sitting here reading. Hours later I can still detect every seemingly simple note that carries its own depth and I am clearly getting bergamot (bee balm) this morning that is like rubbing your hands over a long stalk and getting that citrusy spice note but there is also some damp earth attached to the roots and that can only come from my old friend patchouli. This will be joining my collection dedicated to reading and relaxing. You'll Shoot Your Eye Out! *from the Holiday 2017 Collection (Listed Notes: Spiced cocoa, firewood, bayberry, warm shortbread, Ovaltine, buttered rum, deep snow) What I'm hoping for and what called to me: There's no denying it the use of an iconic quote from my favorite Christmas movie caught my attention when I saw this perfume released November 24th and I had to put this in my basket. I am a little nervous the spiced cocoa will disappear on me before I even get a chance to enjoy it (my nose adores the note but my chemistry makes it fade so fast). I also had to ask someone what Ovaltine smells like as I'm a little too young to know. In the vial: Nostalgia that is malted chocolate (Nestle Quik mix but is called Ovaltine here; too bad this wasn't available when I was a child this smells tasty), why didn't I get the full bottle? Ohhhh fuuuuuuuudge! This is delicious smelling and I'm so thankful there is no punishing Lifebuoy soap hidden anywhere (yes the amount stupid useless trivia in my head is endless) Applied: I am under some type of spell with Sixteen92 as this is THE first time chocolate is staying with my chemistry! I can't believe it, there must be magic mixed with the vial and I'm so thankful for it as this is just so luscious and my chemistry is amping the buttered cookie note to create a chocolate buttery delight that I don't want to leave the house without. As it dries I faintly get the wood note and a hint of bayberry that deepens this and the creaminess stays true until the next day. I am seriously tempted to get a full bottle AND the hair serum of this (feature post coming soon- it's unbelievable and something I can't stop telling everyone about and getting so many compliments about). Blood & Honey *from the General Catalogue (Listed Notes: Blood orange, wildflower honey (vegan), pale amber, honeysuckle) *this was a bonus sample that appeared in my first order (thank you so much Claire) and is inspired by the Jazz Age. In the vial: Three classic beauties: HONEYSUCKLE, ORANGE and HONEY. It matches perfectly to summer in the 1920's but is ultimately a very memorable timeless feminine scent. Applied: This is such a channelling fragrance as the first name that came to mind when I put this on was Zelda Fitzgerald and in turn, I must mention Daisy Fay Buchanan (the character Zelda is strongly believed to have inspired in The Great Gatsby), it's strangely magnetic and even a little extravagant. Once again Sixteen92 surprises me as this perfume captivates my imagination and works with some unseen power on my chemistry because the orange and honey are staying and not turning waxy. The honeysuckle is just lovely, the amber light but romantic and I would love to own the supernatural hair serum in this fragrance for summer because I would be a beautiful little fool whenever I wore it. ~*~ Part II Sixteen92 sixteen92.com/ sixteen92.com/collections/sample-sets 2017 has brought me a whole new world of discovering perfume oils and as I'm still exploring different houses and what they can offer when it comes to oils and exclusive opportunities, I'm finding out new information every day. For example, SIXTEEN92 holds an annual sale called a Resurrection Sale where they bring back past favorites for a certain amount of days and their menu of aromas is amazing ranging from the downright spooky atmospheric to spring florals and foody experiences somehow conjured into a bottle. With so many notes to research and scent potions to think about, it's a good thing we have time before January 1st to decide (here's hoping those like me who are new to the utterly entrancing realm of perfume oils have some intriguing sounding gems planned on joining their collections and find plenty of inspiration to share later.) One more little tidbit I have to share is the SIXTEEN92's The Circle program which more and more I'm becoming curious about and I may just throw caution to the wind and join next April (a secret parcel of goodies delivered to my door with every change of the season, sign me up now please!) I read an article recently that said this house of perfume is planning some nifty tarot theme perfumes and that is only the beginning as they come up some creative notions for scents every season (I wish I found them last year, they did a famous haunted location theme and I have been trying to hunt down a sample set ever since I read about it). That's all the information I have about this unique house's programs at the moment so without further ado here is part II of my reviews for Sixteen92. As always, thank you for reading, -EGP One scent at a time: Psychokinesis *from the Winter 2017 collection (Listed Notes: Toasted vanilla bean, espresso, sweet myrrh, roasted pecan, honeyed wheat, citrus zest) What I'm hoping for and what called to me: It shouldn't surprise me that just like my personal interests that seem to change every day my choice of personal fragrance also changes daily and this particular night I'm ordering on, I want foody winter gourmands. Psychokinesis seems to catch my attention with not only the name but with the toasted vanilla bean, sweet myrrh, roasted pecan and espresso listed. In the vial: A specialty brew of PECAN ESPRESSO with a hit of VANILLA, it is very concentrated but is perfect for the cold weather outside. Applied: Once again my personal chemistry works against what I want to love as this perfume lasts not even an hour. When first applied though I get the roasted pecan and vanilla and it reminds me of enjoying a pecan tassie with a cup of hot espresso nearby. There is a sweetness that stays mildly which is the myrrh but I have to put my nose right on my wrist to get a wisp of it. Even though Psychokinesis has moved off my skin, I think this perfume would be a fine hopeful to be purchased in the SuperNatural Hair Serum that I can't stop using (luckily finicky perfumes seem to last longer in my hair and I love walking around in a halo of sweet winter delights). Tituba *from the Salem Collection (Hawthorn, gingerbread biscuits, tobacco leaf, burning resins, rye, sweet woods, beeswax candles) What I'm hoping for and what called to me: This was another selection I made based solely on the sweet notes listed with a mixture of woods and resins. As always I'm nervous about the beeswax candles or tobacco dominating everything but my curiosity outweighs my concerns and I will try this. In the vial: RESINS, HONEY and BEESWAX CANDLES, I can also detect tobacco in the background. Applied: There is a wash of honey and resins that is somehow familiar and the tobacco adds a slight smokiness to the mix. As it dries the candle note comes out more but perhaps not all candle notes are created the same because this is actually decent and as time goes by in this the beeswax note reminds me of a special holy supper or a holiday family candle that always graced the table at different times of the year with a fruit placed near the display as well. Add another to the cache for reading and relaxing. The Castle on the Hill *a limited edition fragrance that was available during the 2017 Black Friday Event but is scheduled to appear on the Resurrection Sale fragrance menu coming January 1st 2018 (Listed Notes: Frost-blanketed vines, worn stone, cold fog, dark shadows, petrichor, weathered attic wood, grey musk) What I was hoping for and what called to me: When I first started looking into Sixteen92 this was one of the initial perfumes that pulled me out of the shadows and had me planning ahead for November 24th. I have no idea what to expect but this fragrance sounds so interesting with the listed notes and I can't think of a better first bottle choice from this brand to join my vanity. In the bottle: STONE, EARTH, COLDNESS absolutely bizarre and excellent in every way. This really smells like you walked into a cold ancient castle on a forgotten hill. Applied: I really don't like to compare other houses of fragrances with one another but if Gaea by Alkemia Perfumes is the early awakening spring showers in my book than The Castle on the Hill by Sixteen92 is the autumn storm mash that I can feel such mood and electric atmosphere from. Two of my favourite seasons and weather types in two different packages. With The Castle on the Hill, right away I get the cold stone element and then I get a shiver when the "fog note" comes out with the earthiness that is the base at the moment. This is what I would imagine the abandoned castles, stone manors or abbey ruins in the UK smell like during a frigid rain storm. Right now my mind is wandering into the Glastonbury Tor and then walking the fog-draped moors to Haworth. I will be using this gem sparingly and alternating it with Gaea by Alkemia Perfumes for pure atmospheric reading immersion experiences. I have found the ideal oils to use when I have a gothic or a certain era mystery novel in my hands. *SuperNatural Hair Serum-Winter & Holiday Collection (Frosted Gingerbread)- soon to be a feature post, it's absolutely divine and so aptly named as this magical hair elixir brings the otherworldly shine, scent and softness to my tresses. sixteen92.com sixteen92.com/collections/sample-sets Comments are closed.
|
Currently Reading:
Also listening to:
Disclaimers
In accordance with FTC Guidelines, I disclose how I obtained every title for review at As The Final Page Turns (whether that be by ARC, purchased (on nook, kindle or specially ordered hardbacks) Audible version or simply borrowed at my local library). Please note: titles reviewed that are ARCS (Advanced Reader Copies) are free review copies of books that are given by publishers (these ARCS can be found at NetGalley or Edelweiss). Categories
All
28th of January 2023) NOTES/COMBINATIONS and Stones CURRENTLY ON THE HUNT FOR: Naughty Licorice/Star Anise Cardamom Cardamom Cake with Roses Smoky Honey & Leather Leather and Florals Pomegranate Colder Tuberose scents Smoked Florals with Cinnamon and Honey Graham Cracker and Incense Double strand of Rose Quartz or Moonstones or Black Tourmaline Chainmaille Jewellery Houses of Fragrance and Interest on the Horizon (shops that contain such temptations): LurkerAndStrange Good Spirit Wolf Rapt In Maille ToadStoolSoaps DSH Perfume Baphomet&Co Harvest Moon Haven Granny Hootenanny's Shop
|