Hellcat

This is one of my favorite Alkemia scents, and one of the most nostalgic. For me, this is a very 90s retro scent, not in terms of 90s perfume, but it terms of other things I remember smelling in the 90s, like old car vinyl warmed by the sun and infused with incense and cigarette smoke, like a vintage clothing boutique run by a punk drag queen in a fur coat. It makes me want to put on one of my vintage black leather jackets and travel back in time to a night cafe where everyone's smoking and a woman with an acoustic guitar and a dark sense of humor is onstage singing about her life.

This fragrance is so beautifully created, the notes blend together seamlessly into one perfect scent. This is a dark, complex, come-hither beauty. Extremely sensual and erotic. It's like all the best parts of certain animalic vintage masterpieces come together in one breath. It's absolutely gorgeous!

Intense Bal A Versaille vibe. Skanky and magnificent. Absolutely not for everyone but if you love BAV like I do, I would jump right in.

Rich, heavy, honeyed, this juice is an acquired taste, a handful, both compelling yet difficult. It’s both sweet and bracing, and potentially something to wear into battle, or through a zombie apocalypse or whatever savage dystopian version of the future requires a person to be totally indifferent to whether what you’re wearing actually smells appealing to others, present day conditions included. Why do I feel this way? Because when I first applied it, the sweet, intense depth of it gave me pause. It’s a complicated mix, particular and quite strong upon first application. I keep smelling honey, though this note isn’t listed anywhere. Here’s a surprise, though: For all its initial fury, this juice calms right down on my skin after the two minute mark. The powdery notes evolve, and it smells very distinctive. It smells softer, more wearable but without forfeiting its combative character. Challenges are what make life interesting. If you agree with this statement, you and this juice just might be kismet. Longevity: 7/10 Scent: 6/10

This perfume oil is so interesting. At first I thought I didn't like it, but with time it's grown on me. It has a really addictive quality. It reminds me a bit of incense which I don't normally like, but then there's this intriguing effervescent cola-like note that, combined with the dark incense, I can't get enough of. When I'm already wearing a fragrance that wouldn't layer well with Hellcat and I get the compulsion to smell it on skin, I'll try to get my boyfriend to wear it. I wouldn't call this my favorite fragrance, but it's the only one I'll get such a strong urge to smell that I'll coax someone else into putting it on.