Thursday, February 16, 2017

Solstice Scents: Witch's Cottage and a few others...


Ah! Solstice Scents. I could scan and browse and window shop at Solstice Scents all day. Reading the descriptions, scent notes and even just the names while gazing at the evocative photography sweeps me off to day dream adventures. Angela, the nose behind Solstice Scents, announced on Facebook that she would be retiring some of the Autumn offerings once they ran out. That spurred me on to window shop in earnest to bring some of those fall goodies home. 


Witch's Cottage- Notes: Warm baked goods, dry herbs, Sweet Annie, soft woods, fragrant hearth smoke. 

"Sweetly spiced cauldron cakes full of raisins and a dash of rum lie steaming on a knotty wooden platter. The cheery gingerbread cake aroma is cut with the barest hint of smoky woods and sweet amber. This witch could lure me by the nose into her cottage any time."

I wrote that mini review back in October when I first sampled Witch's Cottage. It still pretty much sums up my experience. On first spray the spiced and peppery ginger pulls through with just a shallow slice of green herb peeking out. The heart of the Witch's Cottage unfolds with those boozy dark fruits marbling the ginger cakes, curling ribbons of smoke escape the stone oven where they were baked. The wooden embers inside winking out from the ancient bricks. After the evening taps out its last heart beat under the silent eye of nightfall, all that lingers in the cottage is the familiar yet mystical vanilla deep with amber resin and woods.


This full (60 ml) bottle of EDP strength fragrance cost $75.00.


Love the rustic branding and labels. The frosted glass and shiny black caps are well done. Of course, I had to sample a few extras. Samples of EDP fragrances come in a 2.5 ml spray and cost $8.00 each.


Foxcroft- Notes: Decaying leaves, rich black soil, dry leaves, fall air, woods, chimney smoke. 

Angela paints with notes in a very real sense. Skeletons of leaves, bones breaking, the husks of chloroplasts shattering, rain on the dank humus below. This trembling copse on the outskirts of a quaint New England village lays its leaves to rest one after the other in the eucalyptus breeze. A rickety wooden rail fence lines the rutted road, pointing splintered fingers towards town and the chimneys casting smoke clouds into the grey sky. Take one last whiff of the tiny wood before stepping toward Foxcroft. The blonde mahogany and birch will linger, a farewell kiss on the flesh.


Snowmint Mallow- Notes: Peppermint, vanilla cake, sugar cookies, flaked coconut, marshmallow creme.

Peppermint icicles dripping clear vanilla in the opening. Quickly melting under the warmth of creamy coconut and spongy white cakes, the vanilla takes on a robust softness that was chilled crystal a moment before. The drydown is a downy layer of tonka and marshmallows that I want to pull up to my chin and wallow inside of, a vanilla coconut cocoon. A delight.


Gehenna- Notes: Red musk, Dragon's blood resin, burning wood, Somalian myrrh, Egyptian musk.

Oh man. This one. This is a joss stick in a tiny glass cylinder. This encapsulates my first college experiences in Gainesville shopping in New Age stores and Ward's natural market, surreptitiously trying to burn incense in the scholarship house. Soft musks and florals lead into that earthy tang of mouldering carnations, dried patchouli and wooly incense. The serene base drapes velvet cedar and dusky myrrh into folds of tenderness on the skin, light and smooth as joss ash.


Free sample:

Butter Rum Mallow- Notes: Rum, marshmallow, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar and allspice.

Peppery allspice and nutmeg flakes dust the senses in the succor of spice. Bucolic kitchens shimmering under the haze of heirloom spices and warmth. After the spices introduce themselves, that butter rum flows in underneath. Never too sweet and very much realistic. Those primitive spices of cinnamon and clove, nutmeg and cardamom all lend just a hint of woody earthiness to the scent. 



I love them all. 

I am already wishing for a roller-ball oil of the Butter Rum Mallow, a full bottle of Snowmint Mallow and more Gehenna and Foxcroft. Somehow. Who knows. Maybe I can mow a few lawns....

Do any of these scents ring your chimes? Have you sampled Solstice Scents yet? Are you eyeing any of the Valentine's releases? Do tell!

13 comments:

  1. Ohy Vey! They all look so good! I adore solstice scents/ I haven't had a bad one yet. Trying to decide which one to try first, they all look wonderful. I love your descriptions so much- I wish you lived down the street. Have you tried Stash by SJP.? I am loving it, give it a sniff at Ulta. Take care, Ellisa

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    1. They are!! I am thinking Angela doesn't make a bad one at this rate! LOL! I wish I lived down the street from you too. We could do coffee or tea and fragrance samplings. I have not tried Stash but I have heard rumblings on Facebook Fragrance Friends how wonderful it is. I will definitely ask for a sample of it. Thank you!!! Have a beautiful evening, friend.

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  2. Witches Cottage and Snowmint Mallow, two of my cold weather staples! I hope they aren't on the retired list.

    Did you pick up anything from her Valentine's release? I was looking at the blueberry violet truffle but was waiting for a few reviews first

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    1. I don't think Snowmint Mallow is but she did say that Witch's Cottage might not be restocked until fall. So whatever is left will not be restocked anytime soon. Also Foxcroft, Blackburn Farmstead, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Gehenna, and a few others. Some scents are being moved off the GC to make room for new. I think the only one right now being discontinued is Halloween Night.

      I have not picked anything up from it yet but I have kept eyeing some things. I would like to sample a few. I know I will be watching your blog to see if you do too LOL!

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  3. Ooh, lovely! And such evocative writing. Really, Julie, your descriptive powers are excellent. Miles away from my, "It smells like granny's unmentionables drawer." I feel like I'm tromping through a leaf-strewn forest, crunchy things snapping under my feet. So nice.

    I'm glad you got your giant bottle of Witch's Cottage, it sounds delightful. I almost got a sample of it, but the amber note scared me off - just not my favourite on me. But the little gingerbread cakes sound so nice - I love the blending of gourmand and more traditional fragrances. Enjoy your goodies (and the Snowmint Mallow - yikes, so good!)

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    1. Thank you! Granny's unmentionables is just as helpful.

      I am glad I got it too! It will hit the spot on many a day when I need a little magic and a little comforting spice. Can I tell you something? I already drained my Snowmint Mallow. What the heck. I am in trouble.

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    2. Dang, you ARE in trouble! But that really was just a wee little spritzer, hardly a baby! You probably need its big sister and then they're bigger sister.

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  4. They all sound ah-may-zing. Love your photos!

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    1. Thank you Kate!

      I found some keepers for sure. I am so glad Angela decided to branch out into EDPs. Her oils are fabulous but I really enjoy experiencing her fragrances in the EDP format as well.

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  5. This post has me feeling very intrigued by Solstice Scents. My inner witch wants to come out and play. I'll have to put in a sample order soon. Thanks for the reviews! You have a lovely blog here.

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    1. It is a magical perfume house. You will be dreaming visions in a heart beat once you spray on some of her enchanting scents. Let me know which fragrances you sample and what you thought of them! There is a little bit of everything on offer at Solstice Scents.

      Thank you so much for your kind words and for stopping by! I hope to see you again soon. <3

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