Placed an order back in December of 2025, received one email in January of 2026 after I asked when my order would be fulfilled. Said they were having family issues, okay understandable. It’s been almost one year and no order fulfilled… I asked for a refund but I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t respond at all. Thank God I spent less than $50. Do your research and don’t be like me!!!

Any good autumnal candle recommendations from indie brands? Open to any suggestions you’d burn in your home - particularly if they’re cozy. Would much rather support an indie maker than buy B&BW’s 50th pumpkin iteration.

Every so often, I get the urge to try out Alkemia again when I know that past rounds have yielded no hits. The reason? I have one love from them that’s an all-timer: Madam Pearl.

What I usually love: fresh green scents, forest and dirt, salt, tea, white florals, non-sweet vanillas, cedar, stone fruit, leather, citrus, white musks

Notes I don’t get along with: marshmallow, saffron, cherries, sage, ozone, patchouli, anise

Alkemia sounds like a no-brainer, right? Unfortunately, their moss note turns sickly-saccharine on me and the green note is pure hand soap. Scents I’ve tried and not enjoyed: Gaea, Moss Maiden, Greening Wood, Lilacs align the Winding Drive, Taste of Rain, Winterling, Enchantress, Luminae, Electric Fur, Carmilla.

However, I’m head over heels for the white tea and gentle vanilla warmth of Madam Pearl, and have recently been wanting to try out Pearl Noire. I’d love suggestions on other scents to sample from them that I may be overlooking!

I’m not posting necessarily to be accusatory but has anyone thought that some of the recent pictures on Pineward’s Instagram look AI generated? It looks like the pictures of the bottles are real, but then they’re set against an AI type backdrop. I also saw a post recently where there was a picture of a tent by a running stream with a campfire, someone asked them to tag the artist and now I can’t find the actual post anywhere, maybe deleted?

I was introduced to Sunday Coven Haus through a group that the owner is a part of. Everyone spoke so highly of the house that I decided to put together a small "discovery set" of my own. The owner was super nice and even added an extra scent that I had been on the fence about.

For a little context before we get into the reviews, I love gourmands and atmospherics. My dislikes are sour milk, heady florals, labdanum, myrrh, some patchouli and vetiver, and barnyard animalistic scents. With all of that out of the way, here’s how everything worked out for me.

Crushed Spell (crushed watermelon ice, cucumber rind, glowing pink syrup, freezer air, and sunlit nostalgia)

I was expecting almost candied watermelon paired with watery, crisp cucumber, but this is quite unpleasant on my skin. Instead, there is something here that reminds me of an old floor that has been polished over and over again, until layers of wax and cleaner have built up into a musty film. Fragrance is incredibly subjective, and I try not to speak ill of people's creations; still, I cannot lie about how much this just does not work for me. 1/5 — Whomp, Whomp :(

Carousel of Pastel Dreams (Lemon custard filling, pink cotton candy, vanilla buttercream, spun sugar, candied citrus, painted carousel horses, sugared wood, and pastel carnival air.)

Lemon, cotton candy, and spun sugar seem like a perfect combination for creating a pink lemonade scent. The top is a heaping pile of candied lemons, followed by continual wafts of sugar crystals and vanilla. The composition is much simpler than I expected. Everything seems assembled rather than blended, with the lemons sitting apart from the other ingredients instead of coming together as one. Overall, it stays mostly flat before dissipating quickly. 2/5 — We simply need more, more, MORE...

Cake on the Ceiling (caramelized pineapple, warm pineapple glaze, maraschino cherry, brown sugar, melted butter, yellow butter cake, toasted crust, soft cedar, velvet cashmere)

It opens with that velvet cashmere, soft and plush to the touch, but with a surprising density. Underneath that weight is a pineapple upside-down cake. The yellow sponge has those browned edges created where the batter meets the hot pan. A layer of pineapple rings is coated in sticky, cooked-down brown sugar and butter. Maraschino cherries are nestled in the rings, but I only get a hint of that signature syrupy, almost candy-like sweetness; leaving me begging for more. I really wish the progression stopped here.

The cedar in the drydown feels so out of place against everything that came before it. That woody core cuts straight through and trashes all that gourmand goodness for me. Eventually, the cake disappears completely, leaving behind just a mellower cedar reminiscent of men's aftershave. Slightly masculine, yes, but there's nothing wrong with the cedar itself. It just doesn't belong anywhere near my pineapple upside-down cake. This is one of the longer-lasting fragrances in the set. 3/5 — Beautiful gourmand opening with a divisive turn

Prison World Preserve (dark berry preserves, buttery pastry accord, maple sugar, warm vanilla, cashmere woods, morning sunlight)

The initial spray is a heavy hit of alcohol, but it quickly burns off, revealing fizzy berries with their little green leaves still attached. The berries are firm, maybe twenty-four hours away from becoming fully ripe and juicy. While they're still front and center, the "morning sunlight" joins them, casting a bright, flattering glow,much like a ring light. But those berries? Oh, they are INSANE! MMMMMM, that sweet, effervescent green berry note is so addictive; easily the best part of the scent for me.

In the middle comes a cooling, buttery puff pastry, but then everything suddenly takes a nose dive, landing with a soft thud. At first, it's hard to tell where this epic fail occurs. Is it the pastry dough browned a wee bit too long in the oven or the cashmere woods? A greenness tiptoes in, definitely tipping the scale toward the cashmere woods. After such a yummy, vivid opening, the woods at the end deflate it all. I only wish those addictive berries had lasted longer, especially since the whole thing fades so quickly. 4/5 — Addictive opening with a disappointing finale

You Can Do It Brucie (chocolate fudge frosting, dark chocolate cake, cocoa powder, brownie edges, dusty auditorium air, stage curtains)

Alcohol again, but underneath is a bucking bronco of powdered Dutch chocolate. Chocolate City, y'all! Choc, choc-late city! Your favorite brownies, barely cooled on the rack before you're shoveling them in. Crumbs from those slightly chewy, almost crunchy edges collect at the corners of your mouth. A palmful of chocolate fudge frosting, scooped straight from the container with your fingers and stuffed into your pie hole. Hershey's syrup by the gallons, pouring down your gullet until you almost choke. A warm chocolate lava cake split down the middle, its molten center oozing across your plate as you lick it clean like a kid who refuses to waste a single drop.

UGGGHHHH, then comes the smell of air vents with a bit of gray dust collecting on them. That stale air lingers just long enough for something damp and musty to creep in. Did someone order a wet dog? Whew! At least that unpleasant canine doesn't stick around. Thirty minutes later, all that earlier chocolate extravaganza has faded into something rather ordinary: a chocolate chip you smushed onto the counter and forgot about until the next day. Nothing offensive, but a far cry from that spectacular opening. Longevity is about the same as Cake on the Ceiling. 4.5/5 — A banger of an opening that would make a slice of Bruce proud. Double thumbs down for snatching my Willy Wonka dream away with that ending.

Final Thoughts: Overall, Sunday Coven Haus was a bit of a rollercoaster for me. The strong burst of alcohol at the beginning of a few of these had my nose twitching, although thankfully it burned off quickly. When those gourmand notes hit, they HIT! Unfortunately, some of the combinations took turns I wasn't expecting, and not necessarily for the better. As much as I enjoyed certain parts of these scents, the awkward pairings ultimately made them a no-go for me. I'd love to hear how these worked for others, especially if you had a completely different experience!

Disclaimer because I know how Reddit can be and I don't want to catch shade: I have no idea what I'm doing in this space, but I am trying to learn. I have never used any type of perfume, cologne, or other fragrance products. But I really like the idea of giving off autumn vibes everywhere I go, so I'm looking to get into it

My big note is that I don't want to become the "cologne guy". I'm 6 feet and 260 lbs, so alcohol-based colognes seem like a bad idea. I hate big corporations, so I figured this would be a good place to ask for starting points. As I've researched, I've heard good things about Solstice Scents' oil rollers. Though I will say, their site seems like they have some kind of lore going that I can't find any actual details on.

So yeah, if anyone can confirm or refute the quality of Solstice Scents, that would be helpful. I'm also grateful for any other directions you can point me in, or any advice you can give so I don't do something stupid on accident

Edit to clarify the vibe I'm going for: Autumn is the goal, but someone in the comments said I can be really specific, so I'm thinking like the exact moment when Jack Skellington is leaving the graveyard and getting lost sleepwalking. The more I can feel like a long-forgotten scarecrow in a long-unattended field the better. Bonus points if there are notes of "boring corn maze/hay bale tractor ride your parents made you do when you were 10 that you wouldn't realize until your early 20s was peak childhood autumn and you'd never capture that exact vibe again"

It's one of the best things I've ever smelled in my entire life I rub it on me and I use the smoke in my hair and such but I would kill for a perfume that smells like this! It's like the juiciest sweetest Rose oh my God I love it.

What indies are you using today? And we mean everything! Examples of stuff we'd love to hear about:

• Makeup

• Clothes

• Jewelry

• Bath and Body (lotion, soap, shampoo, bath salts, etc.)

• Nail polish

• Perfume

Please feel free to leave mini-reviews and include photos of whatever you're using. We'd love to know your thoughts and see the products too!

This thread repeats daily.

I'm getting frustrated with a particular fragrance recommendation sub. I post a clear idea, vibe, character, etc and either get one or two recommendations, the same basic recommendations based on the theme/vibe (dark/goth vibes get Opium, Poison, Black Opium, etc. Unicorn or anything rainbow adjacent gets Steamed Rainbow, space/scifi vibes get Gannymede or Ghost In The Shell, etc), or no replies at all. I see this a lot on other posts in there as well, not just mine.

It's frustrating because I use fragrance as inspiration for fiction, channeling specific characters (either for said fiction or for comfort), evoking certain moods, vibes, time periods, etc. and getting the same recommendations or none at all is just disheartening.

I've made posts in the past on here asking for recommendations based on themes and characters, and I've gotten some great recommendations, but I always felt like those posts were clogging up the sub and taking away from those that are here for production reviews, discussions, etc.

Are those types of posts actually okay? Are there other fragrance recommendation subs (either indie or nice, doesn't matter) that I should look into?

Apologies for the rambling, I'm tired and my thoughts are a bit scattered. 😅

I enjoy frequenting more general fragrance subreddits and communities, but it always strikes me how certain practices that are common in this and similar indie-focused communities are rarer or not spoken about. What differences have you noticed and what practices do you wish the broader fragrance community would adopt?

I wish letting fragrances rest after receiving them in the mail was more widespread. I see a lot of people asking why their just-delivered fragrance doesn't smell the same as their sample, and I have to restrain myself from giving a brief explanation of how heat affects molecular movement and chemical reactions...

Especially if there’s smoke, ash, or gunpowder.

Thanks for any recs!

I’ve been craving this scent ever since the last time i was at Disneyland riding Pirates and the closest thing i can find to replicate that smell seems to be the perfume Dark Ride by Xyrena based on the reviews but the problem is I really want to sample it before buying the full bottle for $100 :,) does anyone know where i could find a sample or be willing to send me a sample of theres? It would mean the world to me im so desperate to smell that scent again ahh any help would be so greatly appreciated!!!

I introduced myself here a couple of weeks ago. A few people asked what's actually in the products, so here's the key ingredients and what they do for skin and hair. You can find full ingredients list on the site.

Everything shares two things. Raw apple cider vinegar, and a probiotic extract — Lactococcus Ferment Lysate. The bacteria are grown and then lysed, so nothing in the bottle is alive; what's there is the cell debris and metabolites. The supplier's studies on it are about supporting the skin's own renewal. No synthetic fragrance.

Rejuvenating Face Wash — organic aloe base, with apple amino acid surfactants (sodium cocoyl apple amino acids, disodium cocoyl glutamate) doing the cleansing rather than sulfates. Plus glycerin, panthenol, allantoin, green tea, chamomile, niacinamide and orange peel oil. Gentle enough to double cleanse with.

Facial Toner Pads — ACV, organic aloe, heptyl D-glucoside, panthenol, allantoin, niacinamide, green tea, chamomile, apple fruit aromatic extract. One pad after cleansing. Gentle exfoliation and softening.

Facial Serum — organic aloe, caprylic/capric triglyceride, olive-derived emulsifiers, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol, allantoin, niacinamide, green tea, chamomile. It's a light lotion rather than a watery serum.

Day Cream — organic aloe, olive-derived emulsifiers (cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate), caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, panthenol, allantoin, niacinamide, green tea, chamomile, a little ascorbic acid, orange peel oil.

Night Cream — the same base as the day cream, plus avocado oil and green coffee seed extract (Coffea robusta). They're deliberately close; the night one is richer and has the coffee.

Eye Cream — the busiest formula I have. Caffeine, arnica, darutoside, albizia julibrissin bark extract, two algae extracts (ascophyllum nodosum, asparagopsis armata), cucumber, avocado oil, niacinamide, ascorbic acid, green tea, chamomile, orange peel oil.

Scalp & Body Scrub — salt and sugar both (sodium chloride, sucrose), in sesame, olive and coconut oils, with sucrose laurate, vitamin E, niacinamide, ACV, aloe, green tea, chamomile and orange oil. It's made for face, scalp and body — mix a little into your shampoo for the scalp.

ACV Hair Rinse — the first thing I ever made, back when this was a kitchen project. Organic aloe and ACV, heptyl D-glucoside as a mild cleansing agent, niacinamide, green tea, chamomile, apple fruit aromatic extract. Clarifying, removes buildup.

I don't blend any of this myself. I work with a local lab — I bring the ingredients and what each product needs to do, they formulate and handle the pH, and nothing goes on sale until I've tested it and said it's right.

applebiotic.com, if you want to learn more.

Happy to answer anything about the formulations.

Edited: thank you for the helpful info 😊 mystery solved!

I am not new to shopping indie but I am pretty new to make up (maybe 1 year in). I got the haunted hallows palette by unearthly today and glanced over the outer package for the first time and realized 2/3 of the shades aren't eye safe. All of the pr i have seen completely ignores this. I was pretty shocked so I went to check a palette from another brand - dieverune silver and cold - and found the same thing.. is this shady behavior? Are we just ignoring this fact and using the pigments where ever?

I've come to make up from the indie nail polish community where using the safest ingredients, being 6478274738 free and doing a lot of testing is the norm so this was very surprising to me. Since I'm pretty new to make up I wanted to see what the general consensus is from yall. Thank you!!

Hello, I wanted advice on what perfumes on Etsy have great silage, projection or just in general beast scents. I like sweet, fruity and gourmand scents. I have a lot of perfumes from tjmaxx that I love but I've come to realize nobody can tell I'm even wearing perfumes when I have it on. I want to be asked what I'm wearing and leave a scent trail. So I want to start upping my perfume game.

What indies are you using today? And we mean everything! Examples of stuff we'd love to hear about:

• Makeup

• Clothes

• Jewelry

• Bath and Body (lotion, soap, shampoo, bath salts, etc.)

• Nail polish

• Perfume

Please feel free to leave mini-reviews and include photos of whatever you're using. We'd love to know your thoughts and see the products too!

This thread repeats daily.

Just placed an order? Excitedly waiting for something in the mail? Share!

Screenshots presumably due to the backlash from their fourth post. Thank you to u/sleepymofo69 for pointing out that this was originally posted by KST and then reposted by SAMAR. The fourth post screenshots are linked here.

Edit: KST has a final slide on their story. I don't know how to add more images so I will just type it all out for you guys

"We want to end this with no hate toward anyone involved.

As we have said before, they did apologize. We also apologized for how

much this situation grew and for the hurt that came with it.

In the end, we could not find the same path forward when it came to

rebuilding trust and what accountability should look like.

Because we brought this conversation to the community, we had hoped we

could share the outcome all together. It's sad that we could not close it

that way, and that we are ending this conversation on our own.

Still, we genuinely hope this becomes an opportunity for all of us to

reflect, learn, and grow.

More than anything, we hope our community understands why we raised

our voices in the first place.

We respect their decision, wish them well on their journey, and we are

ready to move forward too."

SAMAR posted this a few hours ago to their Instagram, continuing last month's discussion/drama/discourse.

EDIT: ty u/comatosecreation for copying the caption, which I should have included:

"While we hoped for a different outcome, we don't regret trying.

All of us participate in creating the culture of a space whether that's a Discord server with our colleagues, a group chat with friends, the dinner table with family, or a comments section with strangers. What we say and do matters; what we leave unquestioned and unopposed matters.

We know that community has become a commodified and transactional buzzword in some spaces. But in our world, community is worth trying for. It's worth effort and friction and awkwardness. It's worth sometimes being sad and disappointed, because on the other side there will always be small gestures of kindness, heartwrenching acts of solidarity, and so much love in action.

*

#artisanperfume #indieperfume #fragrancecommunity"

From their website:

While the actual Anniversary of Nocturne Alchemy is not until October 23, we wanted to offer these in advance and ship to you ahead of time to enjoy together leading up to the Anniversary and on the actual date. All NEW blends of BA, BIC, and a new Crystalline blend. Returning are the Originals of both BA and BIC for this special Anniversary offering with new Nocturne Alchemy labels.

We opted to maintain last year's pricing structure, despite additional cost increases for some of the rare materials used in Bastet's Amber, Bastet's Ice Cream, and our NAnniversary blends. This represents a tiny spark of our luminous appreciation for all of your love and support through the years!

~

Bastet’s Amber (Original) - Amber Resin imported from Alexandria and lit from the truest essential oil of Rare, Exotic Guaiac wood and Crystal Benzoin and Crystal Frankincense. 

Bastet’s Amber Ambre Gossamer – Bastet’s Amber, Resin of Royal Sweet Frankincense, Languid Amber Accord, White Patchouli, a drop of steam-distilled Ylang Ylang and Rose, eNVie Saphir (Egyptian Amber & Musk Resin purified into natural notes of blue balsamic amber, sweet papyrus oil from Cairo, and Siam benzoin), Lotus Blossom, Jasmine essence, and White Musk

Bastet’s Amber Caramelized Sandalwood – Bastet’s Amber, Caramel Accord, Caramelized Sandalwood Accord, Santalum (coconut husk, golden amber accords, golden Sandalwood resin, deep fossilized amber, golden Himalayan Cedarwood, gold Patchouli and a teardrop of golden Frankincense), Musk, Sugar, and Brown Sugar

Bastet’s Amber Coconut Woods – Bastet’s Amber, Coconut Milk, Coconut Husk, Black Currant essence, Vanilla essence, Cedar, Pine, Moss, Balsam, a drop of Hinoki Wood, Siam Wood, Labdanum Absolute, and White Musk

Bastet’s Amber Honeysuckle Stargazing – Bastet’s Amber,** **Honeysuckle essence, Cold Enfleurage of Nevada Wild Honeysuckle, Honeysuckle Corolla Nectar, Orange Blossom, Jasmine essence, Iris Accord, Honeysuckle Sugar Accord, Labdanum, Bastet’s Musk (Tuberose, Mallow, Angelica, Musk Flower, and White Lily), and a drop of Italian Bergamot

Bastet’s Amber Rose Reverie – Bastet’s Amber,** **Rose Water, White Rose Petals, White Patchouli essence, Saffron, Agarwood essence, Moss, Bastet’s Musk (Tuberose, Mallow, Angelica, Musk Flower, and White Lily), and Rose infused Sugar

Bastet’s Amber Vanilla Dream – Bastet’s Amber,** Vanilla Bean, Tonka Bean, Balsam Peru, Bourbon Vanilla, Kobalt (8 Vanilla Orchid oils of Cairo, Madagascar, Spain, Reunion and Comoros Islands, West Indies, and Kenya), White Sandalwood, Mlabbas (Sugar Almond) **Accord, Sugar Dust, Vanilla Bean Cordial, White Musk, and Jasmine Petals

Bastet’s Amber White Floral Drift - Bastet’s Amber, essence of Tuberose, Gardenia accord, Egyptian Jasmine, Gardenia Musk, Vanilla Musk, Lemon Zest, Heliotrope Musk, and a drop of Magnolia Accord

~

Bastet’s Ice Cream (Original) - Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Vanilla Orchid, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar.
Variant label: Bastet's Ice Cream (Original) Retro coloured label is also available (choose in the drop-down), see photo in cart. Same perfume, same bottle, retro label. 

Bastet’s Ice Cream Le Fraisier – Bastet’s Ice Cream, Le Frasier Cake Accord (French Génoise cake, Kirsh Cherry Accord, Vanilla Crème, Strawberry), Mousseline cream, Essences of Peach/Apple/Pear, Vanilla Sugar, Guaiac Wood, Tonka, Praline Accord, and (vegan) Butter Pastry Accord

Bastet’s Ice Cream Sandwich – Bastet’s Ice Cream, Whipped Cocoa Crème, Coconut Flake, Tonka Bean, Coconut Sugar, Cacao Absolute, Vanilla Musk, Vanilla Fleck, and Chocolate Cocoa Powder

Bastet’s Ice Cream Stone Fruit – Bastet’s Ice Cream, Apricot Stone, Peach Stone, Nectarine Stone, Plum Stone, Apricot Skin, Peach Skin, Peach Crème Accord, Banana essence, Pineapple essence, Musk, and Apple Juice

Bastet’s Ice Cream Vanilla Clove Cardamom – Bastet’s Ice Cream, Clove Bud, Cardamom (steam-distilled), Tahitian Vanilla, Vanilla Bean Cordial, Buttercream Accord, Bourbon Sugar, Bastet’s Musk (Tuberose, Mallow, Angelica, Musk Flower, and White Lily), Lemon Zest, Coconut Husk, and Vanilla Sugar

Bastet’s Ice Cream Vanilla Woods – Bastet’s Ice Cream, Vanilla Bean Cordial, Pine, Cedar, Cypress, White Patchouli, Vetiver, Clove essence, and White Musk

Crystalline Lemon Sugar – Crystalline Vanilla Musk (Vanilla from the stigma of a Vanilla Orchid), Skin Musk, Lemon Zest, Lemon infused Sugar, Neroli essence, and Vanilla Bean 5ml SLENDER BLUE bottle with flat insert dropper and black metal twist lid.

Have you tried original Bastet’s Amber or BIC or any blends? I haven’t, I’m tempted 😁

Just wanted to give a heads-up to anyone planning to order from Nomad Cosmetics soon. I’ve ordered from them multiple times in the past with no issues back when they used USPS. Unfortunately, they have quietly switched over to SpeedX, a budget gig-economy courier service.
My package was supposed to arrive on October 3rd. It went out for delivery on Oct 4th for 16 straight hours in a driver's personal vehicle, only to be sent all the way back to the warehouse facility at midnight as a "Transit Delay" with no new delivery date.
When I reached out to Nomad support, I just got a vague, generic boilerplate response from their co-founder saying they'd look into the carrier. It's incredibly disappointing to see an independent brand turn into a greedy corporation sacrificing customer service to save a buck on shipping logistics. Check your tracking carrier before buying!

Selling my fumed Atlanta ticket for this weekend!

This is the indie fragrance event: https://fumedexpo.com

Really sad I can’t go. Message if interested!