Thursday, May 9, 2019

Nocturne Alchemy: Spring Release 2019


White Amber Beetle- Notes: White amber absolute, amber resin, rock rose, white sandalwood, white patchouli, vanilla bean extract and a drop of crimson musk. $26

In the bottle the scent of pink pearlescent seashells and nectar laden vanilla orchids illuminate the senses. White Amber Beetle shares characteristics with Eternal Ankh Anniversary, EA Pink and White Sandalwood in my estimation. On the skin the "white" portion billows out like sheets on a line by the shore. Driftwood and sun warmed bone-white coral skeletons. At this opening is when White Amber Beetle and White Sandalwood appear to be cousins. There is a certain gauzy paleness to the musk and what hints at white iris. These notes flutter around crystal amber shards. The heart begins to pull in the tide of purple and pink orchid nectar. Some have likened this to a melon aroma. The dry down ebbs the fruity floral qualities and reveals the sandy amber musk at the foundation of the scent, once again. This perfume is so very easy to wear. It is mildly sweet and very pleasing. Definitely an office friendly perfume. I will be wearing it all year through for a lovely scent when I want to apply something effortlessly easy.


The High Priestess- Notes: Woods of rock rose and cedar, resin of frankincense and myrrh, cypriol, sandalwood, vetiver, black patchouli, musk, cardamom, patchouli and incense. $26
High Priestess was one I wanted last spring but ended up culling from my cart when it came time to check out. I saw she came back and figured it must be meant to be and I knew it would be my last opportunity to snag her. I am glad I did. In the bottle lies a tarry pool of patchouli and musk and labdanum. Anointed on the skin the chewy labdanum and smoky sandalwood are scented offerings that reach dark spaces. Vetiver with sweet hay impressions and myrrh incense center themselves in the heart of the fragrance. All the while that smooth sandalwood base allows the other notes to shift in and out of focus. Patchouli is definitely present too but well blended into the sandalwood. I have worn this scent a few times and it is snug and warm, cuddly and dark. I have a feeling this will age like a dream. If you like incense, woods, labdanum or dark scents you would probably enjoy this one.


Sam Sugar Glider- Notes: Egyptian sugar infused with vanilla, Blue Sugar accord, Crystalline absolute, ice cream accord, Sri Lanka cardamom and sweet Australian mallow root. $24
This sweet and cheerful fella is a hit for my nose. Many perfume lovers in the NAVA Tent (the Facebook group where the friendly fans of Nocturne Alchemy gab about the scents from sun up to sun down) mentioned that Sam Sugar Glider was along the same vein as EA Blue but more sweet and less cardamom hued. I can see that comparison. I love EA Blue for sure. I feel that EA Blue is more complex and musk driven than Sam but that makes Sam more casual. My nose still interprets that Blue Sugar and cardamom as having anise and black licorice nuances to it. It is spicy but not in the sense of cinnamon or snickerdoodles. From the vial peppery cardamom and dry anise and vanilla sugar tones take flight. On the wrist the cardamom wears musky while the vanilla amber carries a hint of tonka bean furriness, giving the impression of a fluffy clean pelt. As it settles and darkens the vanilla deepens into a dark dusky pod and the cardamom pulls woody. The dry down sinks into a soft, plush hide of tonka and patchouli. I love Sam. He is so stinkin' wearable for me. Very happy to have him.


Candied Moonstone- Notes: Candied accord (lime zest, candied orange slices, raspberry essence, pear essence, sugar accord, lemon zest, vanilla extract, pink sugar, Bourbon Vanille absolute, Crystalline absolute and vanilla bean) and Moonstone vanilla absolute. $24
The Candied accord released during the Valentine's collection this year and the raspberry, pear and general fruitiness of it had me a touch leery to blind buy a bottle. After waiting it out and reading some reviews I figured I should take a sample of what I was missing. I must say I am really glad I did. In the bottle a mouthwatering aroma of candied lemon and orange rinds infused with vanilla beans drifts up. Drizzled on the skin the fruit medley lies on a cloud of vanilla cream, no one particular fruit standing out. The dulcet tones of the Bourbon Vanille emerge in the heart of the scent, lending a candied tobacco whiff of scent. The oranges linger during this phase and mingle nicely with the vanilla tobacco, like a breath of zest folded into a luxe vanilla ice cream. I am a huge fan of Moonstone and this variation is divine. A vanilla centered treat with facets of feathered citrus and candied tobacco. 

Candied Patchouli- Notes: Candied accord and patchouli absolute. $24
First of all, it is imperative for you to know my deep and abiding love for NAVA's patchouli centric scents. Their patch is deep and mineral laden, black and rich. I love how its inky beauty pairs with sweet notes. This is one of those excellent pairings for me. On the skin the patchouli is gloriously present with just a tiny hint of dark fruits. It begins with a blast of camphorous patchouli, like liquid creosote and iron. As it settles and drifts down into the skin the patchouli becomes more round and warm, like polished wood. The fruits are very subtle in this perfume on my skin, but that does not detract from it. I love how beautiful this patch is. There is some hint of vanilla in this drydown too. This will get worn until it is drained for sure. Probably not for someone who isn't a true patch head. 


These spring offerings will be at Nocturne Alchemy until May 17th at midnight PST. 

I am going to be living in the Candied Moonstone perfume for the next couple weeks. It is the perfect little spot of happiness to end out a wonderful school year. Only about 15 school days left!! Yikes!

7 comments:

  1. Man, do I love your perfume reviews! Thank you!
    I grabbed decants of the Koala blend, Patchouli Bee and An Eloquent Silence from the Spring offerings. So darn hard to just choose a few. ;D
    I hope school winds down well for you all. Thinking of you! <3

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    1. You grabbed some awesome scents!! I was staring really hard at that Patchouli Bee... whatcha think about it? Eloquent Silence sounds like one I eyed up too. I need to go back and read those notes. I did place a small order for one of the new OPs.

      Thank you so much, April! I am feeling all kinds of bittersweet about the end of this school year. It is my third year with these kiddos and I am going to miss them so very much. But emotions run high and energy runs low here at the end of the school year for everyone. The kids and I are both ready for summer I think. How are you doing??? Are you feeling well? Your fam?

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    2. Patchouli Bee is sweet honey heavy on me and I don't really care for it much at all. I'll give it a couple more tries soon. I did only grab a decant of course, since plenty of fragrances don't seem to translate well on my skin.
      An Eloquent Silence is very pretty and almost floral on me. I really like it.

      We're doing ok over here. We've finally been getting some days that are nicer, but still had snow at the end of April- like usual. :S
      We're getting some plants going in the yard and garden.
      And I'm trying to work all the more harder on my health since my diagnosis and contemplating treatment- big, difficult decision for me. I come from more holistic healing, so it's kinda weird trying to wrap my mind around heavy duty life long drug taking...

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    3. AH! I am was a little nervous about the NAVA Black Honey. I had Kenaz (or something like that) a while back that had Black Honey in it and it was mighty powerful stuff. It had a slight vinegar sourness on my skin so I passed it on.

      How exciting!!! I love plant time!!! Maybe some outdoor and sunshine will be just the ticket to some small spots of joy. My heart hurts that you have this beast to tackle in your life now. I hope you can find a happy medium for your treatment and your holistic desires. Thinking of you.

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    4. I've heard a lot of talk about Kenaz in the Facebook group, but was too late in grabbing a decant. It sounds intriguing, some love it and some hate it. ;)
      And thank you so much. <3 <3 Trying to make the best decision is tough when you don't know what is the best decision. Haha ;)

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  2. The end date of these perfumes jumped out at me with a stab of regret, but alas, it's probably for the best. It makes little sense to splurge on perfumes when my ability to wear them is limited by work rules. Candied Patchouli sounds like a dream for you and Candied Moonstone for me, your description of the not-so-overbearing citrus and bourbon vanille caught my eye.
    I just opened another of the Obscurus bottles you sent me the other day, The Empress, and enjoyed rolling it's light uplifting notes on my wrists and neck before bed. Thank you again for sharing some unique scents with me.<3

    I adore the moist Spring vibes depicted in these photos too, it's been quite wet and leafy in these parts.

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    1. Yeah.... I was pushing it. I tend to be cutting it close when it comes to getting reviews of limited scents published. I think you would appreciate Candied Moonstone for sure. I love both to pieces.

      So happy you are loving your perfumes. They are really nice and wearable. Nothing too atmospheric or strange.

      Thanks! I was on that mini camping trip with my two friends and we did a lot of hiking and time spent in nature. I used it to take blogging photos. Any time I know hiking is in the cards I try to carry several bottles of perfumes I have not gotten around to reviewing.

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