...smelling like Mary Shelley and other classic authors...

A friend sent me an invitation to like Apothescary Scents online just in time for their GRAND RE-OPENING! The shop describes itself as:

“Inspired by macabre tales, gloomy atmospheres, and secret conjure potions, our perfumes are made with pure and essential oils, organic carrier oils, natural resins, and home-grown herbs.”

Apothescary Scents offers a collection of essential oils noting:

“Each small batch is carefully blended by hand, resulting in many unique limited edition runs.”

I purchased the Literary Classics sampler which included five 1.2 ml glass vials.

The sampler arrived just in time for February which to me means Sinus Infection/ Cold season but this year, I had a fever and had the flu for the last week. Ugh! So record silence on the blogosphere… and today I’m just trying to get caught up on wearing the essential oil sampler.

Now keep in mind that while I’m reviewing the scents that they’re on my body with my very own special chemistry. Plus, everyone has her own preference for smells. Overall, I liked the idea of these better than the actual product. I must not have great fine motor dexterity because those tiny vials are always troubling and I was pretty sure that I would pour out half of the product accidentally. Thankfully that hasn’t happened yet. And with all samplers, this is an excellent way to try new products.  

I started with Mary Shelley (bergamot, basil, lemon and grapefruit). I loved this one but it didn’t have much staying power and the scent was very faint. I tried to think of this as a metaphor. Perhaps a Percy Bysshe Shelley scent would smell stronger; perhaps like his long-form verse, his scent would remain longer?

Day 2 was my boy Poe (nutmeg, cedar, cassia Root, Virginia tobacco, bergamot); I’m a fan of the tobacco flower scent and I lovedLovedLOVED this one. Again, it didn’t have the staying power and the scent was very subtle but I’m pretty sure that I’ll go back to wearing this scent.

Day 3 was Old Books (vanilla, balsam, leather). This one was much stronger than the others and it had major staying power. Of course, now I’m wondering if my lack of being able to smell normally influenced how much I could actually smell. Hmmm. While I am a fan of old books, I am not a fan of the Old Books scent.

Today, I put on the Lovecraft (ginger, oakmoss, devil's root, lily of the valley) and No, No, No, No… I washed it off in about five minutes. That was not a scent for me. I replaced it with Emily Dickinson (lavender, orange, rose, jasmine, frangipani) which is now one of my favorites… but then I’m a fan of orange and rose scents.

Although I haven’t tried it just yet, Apothescary Scents also sent me a free sample of their ABSINTHE Perfume Oil which they describe as a scent which “captures that essence in an intoxicating medley of the rich licorice scent of green anise, the herbal bite of wormwood, heady fennel, and warm sugar.”

They also have a Victorian Séance collection. Unfortunately, I do not see any samples but there are a few of the perfume oils listed including:

APPARITION, which “captures this ethereal fragrance for the delight of the living. Freshly-cut grass lays the perfect foundation for slices of ripe pink grapefruit and a drizzle of honey. A breeze of lilies and eucalyptus carries this intoxicating blend from one world to the next”; SPIRIT CABINET, which “captures the dark, mysterious atmosphere created by the rich woods of a spirit medium's unique position during a séance. A deep and earthy base of ginger and patchouli is warmed by the haunting scent of clove. Rosewood and lemon top the fragrance with a veil of citrus-infused sweetness”; and, SMOKE & MIRRORS which “channels that darker side of the Victorian séance. Its deep and sultry scent is a rich and exotic blend of smoky nag champa, earthy cedar, and fresh pine and juniper branches.”

Happy Scenting!