Monday, October 29, 2012

Everyone Hail to the Pumpkin Song: Scents of Halloween

I am the "who" when you call, "Who's there?"
I am the wind blowing through your hair
I am the shadow on the moon at night

The end of October brings with it its own special mood and that is largely dependent on the cooling of the weather and the shortening of the day. The diminished light can be a little spooky when it's not drab. And of course spooky always brings to mind Halloween, fittingly bookended between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. And which perfumes accompany this Halloween mood?

via thesymmetricswan.com

The following suggestions are inspired by either the traditional scents associated with the fall celebration (Jack o'lantern pumkin, apples and gingerbread cookies, licorice sticks, spices etc.) or with the autumnal landscape around.

Like This by Etat Libre d'Orange (created in collaboration with Tilda Swinton) is a natural as it includes actual notes of pumpkin (!), gingerbread spices, everlasting flower (immortelle), warm woods and the autumnal scent of damp earth.

Jesus del Poso Halloween is for those of you who want to be literal, even though the scent is a woody with powdery facets, focused on violets. Interestingly, the 1997 perfume features a bell-shaped jar eerily similar to those employed by Lutens for his Paris-exclusive scents. Spooky! :-)

Demeter's Pumpkin Pie fragrance smells of pumpkins (well, duh), sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. The perfect shortcut to actually baking that pumpkin pie!

Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre is not as literally related to All Hallow's Eve, much as it fuses the British with the French, but the ambience it creates is perfect for this time of the year.

Lancome Magie Noire is as bewitched as you'd wish for this day of the year. A purple fruity top note over the darkest gothic imaginable falls into murky depths of oakmoss and patchouli.

BPAL Dia de Los Muertos is even named after the original Mexican celebration; the Day of the Dead. (For an inspiration on what to make in the kitchen, look at this kolyva recipe)

Ayala Moriel Autumn is a sensuous perfume of all naturals ingredients, with fruity notes that recall the harvest season. But it's the dark shade of the liquid that is so evocative of something more earthy, more primal...

Korres Jasmine, Pepper, Gaiacwood brings on all the joys of warmth and heft that suit the season. The scent is unique and mysterious enough to entice.

CB I Hate Perfume November ushers the month with the melancholy it befits it—with notes of pumpkin pie, fallen leaves and ringlets of smoke rising on the cool sky.

Which perfume are YOU bringing out from under the bed...?


8 comments:

  1. http://perfumedletters.wordpress.com/11:25

    I avoid perfume (and candles!) that convey the foody smells of the season; pumpkin apple, etc. But jHalloween does put me in the mood for more daring, dark and stormy scents. I've been craving the Cozé (Parfumerie générale): such a strange beauty!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will wear Mitsouko for the peach that is present - its not a pumpkin but .... LOL

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mer,

    I haven't tried that one. Sounds interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Perfumedletters,

    it's a valid point, for sure. Oh I do love Coze. It's such a warm, boozy enveloping scent. PG generally makes interesting things but they're so hard to track samples of.

    ReplyDelete
  5. M,

    but it's so autumnal anyway! (Then again you've got spring down under at this time of the year).

    I always found Mitsouko performs best when it's a bit overcast and there's "dewiness" all around. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Astrid11:47

    Will be doused in Magie Noire all day. It's the new iteration, but the drydown's still there. Hope it doesn't scare the trick-or-treaters! Note to Lancome: how about an original-formula "bath oil" extrait like Lauder does with Youth Dew?

    ReplyDelete
  7. A,

    ah, that's an EXCELLENT idea!! Jolly good.

    ReplyDelete

Type your comment in the box, choose the Profile option you prefer from the drop down menu, below text box (Anonymous is fine too!) and hit Publish.
And you're set!

This Month's Popular Posts on Perfume Shrine