Dark Ginger Spicecake

What an incredible hidden gem! Dark Gingerbread Spicecake is exactly as it sounds; it smells just like dark, rich, gooey, moist, molasses-laden old world European gingerbread. If you are familiar with the real thing, you’ll know what I mean. This is no lightly spiced sugar cookie with a slight attitude that sadly passes for gingerbread in the US. It is not your typical sugary sweet “gourmand”, or candle scent, either. It is only lightly sweet, bold and rich and utterly delicious. I feel like this was made for true foodies with bold tastes who actually like some real flavor, or for dark goth-y, witchy types looking for something seasonal to bite into. You have to love patchouli, yes, because the backbone of this perfume oil is of beautiful natural patchouli and vetiver oils with woody undertones. (Mind you, it is not that sharp synthetic patchouli that many commercial perfumers use). This is easily one of my favorite perfumes from the Solstice Scents house.

Soooooo spicy good. This scent is named and described perfectly for what it is. However on the top right accords, I would put "warm spicy" and "balsamic" before "sweet". It gives me a feeling of a late night/early morning after party. Maybe there's a small core group of people left picking at some of the yummy leftovers, listening to softer music, and attempting to pick up detritus or recover the senses after the festivities. Cozy unwinding after accomplishing something fun yet exhausting.

I agree with the previous reviewer- definitely more “balsamic” and “warm spicy” than sweet. Anything sweet in here is more of a molasses-like sweetness: warm, earthy, and just a touch sulfuric. Maybe a bit doughy - more yeasty and savory than the finished, sugar-dusted treat will be. The patchouli and dirt notes really blend in and are not jarring or off- putting at all: they really do just temper the sweet spicy notes here. I actually do not get very much ginger at all - the barest whiff- it’s more like molasses cookies to me. On the dry-down, I had to check to see if musk was not a listed base note. It goes from a gooey spicy dough to a warm ambery skin musk on me in about two hours ( but my skin is also really terrible at holding perfume).

I am sorry to say that all I get from this is moldy spice cake, extra moldy. The heavy patchouli completely overwhelms any attempt at this being remotely gourmand. Unfortunately, on me, to my nose, (we all have different experiences and I can only report from mine so please don't drag me for it) this smells like something that could be dangerous, as in if you ate it or fed it to someone you cared about it might make them sick. Smelling this around my house put me on edge, I kept thinking something had gone moldy and needed cleaning up or thrown out... and then I realized it was on me. I've smelled a few patchouli scents that were pretty smooth and mellow, this is not one of them. I can understand how some people would love this though, it's very bold, uncommon, and would demand attention. Patchouli is the star throughout, from opening to dry down to the skin scent that remains at the end of the day. I would recommend extreme caution using this at work or in hot weather as this is such a warm scent it practically radiates. It was -20°F here and this stuff was still quite potent! Perfectly unisex/ambiguous. This is for a patchouli lover who wants to walk in a room and be noticed. Review of official PERFUME EXTRAIT rollerball purchased directly from SolsticeScents.com

It's good. I just wish it leaned a TAD more gourmand and a tad more feminine. I don't need it to be full Yankee Candle like Sugarvale, but just a little more sweetness to balance the earthy elements would be nicer for my taste. Maybe a little orange? I may try layering it with something sweet and simple, and see how that goes. The ginger spice cake note is great, if lacking the cake accord as most might expect it. I do enjoy vetiver and patchouli as well. Yes, more of a traditional old world gingerbread or ginger molasses cookie vs your typical American Duncan Hines spice cake. But also more refined. Definitely very unisex, leaning a little masc imo. It does become a bit more gourmand as it dries down, and has a warm, comforting vibe, perfect for cooler weather. Wouldn't be a bad Xmas pick for someone who likes things in the Spicebomb realm, or who you know loves this kind of gingerbread. I feel like this and Black Forest are both going for something similar with the dessert juxtaposition with earthy/woody/forest notes. Of the two, I want a FS of Black Forest more, and it does have more sweetness. I do really appreciate ASJ's artistry in general.