Spookily Scented

When I say that The Drydown Boutique team has been chomping at the bit for “spooky season” and for the weather to cool off enough to comfortably whip out our favorite witchy, ghostly, and ghoulish fumes, I mean it. As I am writing this, it is August, but we have been discussing Halloween at The Drydown since at least July (but probably earlier.)

Though we firmly believe that anyone can and should wear any perfume that calls to them at any time of year, there are some perfumes that just hit different once the weather cools off. As the days get shorter and the nights grow longer, the witch inside awakens and demands the freakiest frags. That’s why October’s Scent Club theme is “Spooky Scents!” The kind of fragrances that put a spell on you.

Quick disclaimer: I typically try to keep these themed newsletters to four fragrances. I want them to be quick to read, easily digestible, and for them to give you some insight into some of what we have going on in store. However, I simply cannot be expected to stick to just four perfumes for this newsletter when we have SO MANY good spooky fragrances in store. We even have a couple home scents from Heretic that fit the bill. So, with that said, buckle up buttercup, and let’s talk perfume!

Hexensalbe by Stora Skuggan

notes: wormwood, salty liqourice, tuberose, rosemary, angelica, belladonna, black hemlock, lichen, patchouli

perfumer: Anna Barkne

Starting with the perfume that is bound to be on every perfume enthusiast’s spooky list, Hexensalbe may just be the quintessential witchy fragrance. Afterall, it is inspired by the hallucinogenic salve used by those practicing witchcraft in the middle ages.

“Hexensalbe” is also commonly known as “witches flying ointment.” The mixture of ingredients used to create hexensalbe were incredibly poisonous. Anyone who reads dark fantasy novels is likely keenly familiar with belladonna and hemlock. This combination of ingredients led to its users to hallucinate flying, fantastical creatures, and lowered their inhibitions. There is more to the story here, but in an effort to keep this newsletter PG, I encourage those interested to do some research on Stora Skuggan’s website.

So how does Hexensalbe actually smell? Hexensalbe is lush with herbal and spiced notes, I would almost call it decadent. The opening is defined by a liqourice note, but very quickly the rosemary makes its presence known and acts as a doorway of sorts. Suddenly, you’re in a field of poisonous plants and green lichen unafraid and uninhibited. Hexensalbe smells like freedom, running wild, and unleashing your very best hag cackle.

The Ghost Collection by Heretic

perfumes: Doppleganger, The Veil, Shadow People, Spectral Grace, Ektoplasma

perfumer: Douglas Little

Something I love about Heretic as a perfume house, is their distinct point of view and their ability to share it with their customers not just through marketing and packaging, but through fragrance itself. They also frequently collaborate with artists and give them the credit they’re due. In an increasingly AI-polluted world, it’s such a breath of fresh air to see Heretic run in the opposite direction. Their commintment to creativity is truly where they shine. Heretic isn’t just going to launch a skin musk like many other beloved musks already on the market. They’re going to launch a collection of five, haunting, ethereal, and elusive perfumes each with its own dna. For the sake of not making this newsletter even longer, I’m going to describe each one in the collection with a few words or a short phrase.

Doppleganger: the scent your lover leaves behind on the pillow case - because what’s scarier than abandonment? (too dark?)

The Veil: freezing cold. frost bite.

Shadow People: playing hide & seek in the attic during a storm.

Spectral Grace: ethereal water nymph or drowning victorian child. dealer’s choice.

Ektoplasma: will-o’-the-wisp leading you further and further astray.

Edge of Eden by Day Three

notes: apple, peppermint, aldehydes, honeysuckle, osmanthus, pink acacia, metal, concrete, hot steam

perfumer: Michael Paul

Edge of Eden is perhaps one of my favorite perfumes to talk about at The Drydown. This perfume was inspired by Michael Paul’s time as a performing magician. Specifically, a piece of magic involving razor blades, an apple, and some peppermint floss.

It goes as follows; two razor blades lie in wait stabbed into a red delicious apple, Michael proceeds to swallow the razor blades followed by a bundle of floss. What follows is equal parts terrifying and thrilling. Michael “unswallows” one razor blade which is tied to one end of the floss bundle. He pulls that thread ever so carefully until the second razor blade is revealed.

Michael performed this piece of magic live at The Drydown Boutique earlier this year when he came to visit in celebration of Edge of Eden’s launch. It was a truly electric performance, but it isn’t a stretch to say that if he had done that in another time he would have been accused of sorcery.

You would think that a perfume inspired by something so dangerous would invoke a fight or flight response upon first sniff, but it’s actually quite soft, crisp, and wearable. Smelling Edge of Eden makes it obvious that Michael loves performing magic both on stage and through the alchemy inside the bottle. Edge of Eden smells like freshly pierced apple skin, delicate mint, and razor thin metal.

Beltane by Maison des Animaux

notes: vanilla, incense, saffron, sandalwood, leather, benzoin, bourbon

perfumer: Crystal Shelton

We simply do not shut up about Beltane at The Drydown. This is a perfume unlike any other. Upon first spray, it is as though you’ve just struck a match, grinning into the flame. As Beltane warms on skin, you’re transported to the eponymous bonfire rituals of Scotland. Incense, charred woods, and something ever so slightly sweet billow outwards. Beltane is a stunning example of the fact that perfumes full of incense or smoke don’t have to be suffocating or all consuming. This is a perfume that invites you to dance around the fire without any intention of burning you for getting too close.

Coven by Andrea Maack

notes: vanilla, labdanum, whiskey, cedarwood, oakmoss, galbanum, clove

perfumer: Celine Ripert

Coven is another perfume destined to land itself on every last witchy perfume list. I mean, it’s in the name. But beyond the name itself, Coven is a beautiful fragrance for any garden witch. It’s green and grassy, earthy, and vegetal too. If you’ve been chasing the feeling of making mud pies or potions out of the plants you could find in your backyard as a child, Coven will probably smell extremely nostalgic to you.

Eldritch by Pineward

notes: leather, myrrh, patchouli, fir, oolong tea, opoponax, smoke, pine needles, salvia, oakmoss

perfumer: Nicholas Nilsson

It is truly difficult to pick just one fragrance from Pineward for this newsletter. Holy Cross, Funerie, and Fanghorn II, were all strong contenders. Ultimately, Eldritch is the spookiest of the bunch. In founder and perfumer Nicholas Nilsson’s own words, it’s inspired by a

“lair of ancient eldritch abominations…”

He describes Eldritch as,

“a resinous and dark perfume for the bold and unafraid. (THIS IS A CHALLENGING PERFUME)”

Nicholas isn’t exaggerating either. Eldritch is indeed, a challenging perfume. It opens up with a hefty and dense cloud of smoke and leather that act both as a warning and a dare. Will you outlast the smoke? If you do, you will be handsomely rewarded with one of the most stunning pine perfumes you’ve ever had the good fortune to come across. It’s sharp, camphorous, and green. By the time Eldritch has dried down, I would even dare to say it’s fresh! Eldritch is a fragrance that perfectly encapsulates all the danger and mystique of an enchanted forest. If Baba Yaga’s essence could be captured in fragrance, this would be it.

Cosmos by House of Bo

notes: praline, cacao, orris concrete, metallic musk, dragon’s blood incense, smoked leather, whiskey, charcoal, agarwood

perfumer: Alberto Morillas

Cosmos is inspired by what cosmologists refer to as “æther,” the fabric of the universe. Space is equal parts terrifying and awe-inspiring. It’s a big concept to tackle in perfumery which makes Cosmos a bit challenging. It opens up quite smoky and full of incense, but it’s not dense as these notes are given plenty of space ;) to breathe. What follows is rich praline, cacao, and whiskey peeking through beyond the veil. It is a scent that smells both like places unknown and aromas you could not help but associate with home. Is Cosmos spooky in the same way witches, ghosts, and monsters are? No. Cosmos is scary like all things unknown are scary. That might make it the most terrifying fragrance on this list.

Room Sprays by Heretic

Sopping Thursday notes: petrichor, musk, moss, wet rocks, water-logged greens

The Haunted Tea-Cosy notes: bergmot, tonka, black tea, spectral musk

If you go feral with the excitement of decorating your home for Halloween, allow us to introduce you to Sopping Thursday and The Haunted Tea-Cosy room sprays. These two act as the perfect finishing touch for all hallows eve.

Sopping Thursday is the scent one might carry home after booking it through a graveyard in the rain. Clothes are soaked, and earth and greens cling to your galoshes. It’s bright and alive and so are you….for now. Muahahahahaha

The Haunted Tea-Cosy is indeed haunting, tea forward, and cozy. Though this scent doesn’t explicitly mention incense, there’s almost a hint of it. As though a mysterious breeze blew out the flames despite all the windows and doors being securely shut. This is a perfect scent for a room covered wall to wall in books on wooden shelves, with chairs and couches made of worn leather, and with a pot of tea waiting freshly brewed. Lately you’ve been hearing strange noises in this room. Must be the old floors.

Upcoming Events

Come and hang out with your favorite perfume enthusiasts Saturday 10/3 from 6-7:30pm and bring your spookiest scents!

Workshops

The Sip & Create Perfume Workshop with Michael Salazar of Aromas de Salazar is back for October! Book your spot on our website linked above before it sells out!

Halloween

You didn’t think Scent Club would be our only spooky soiree did you? Saturday, October 31st 2026 from open to close, The Drydown Boutique will be hosting trick or treating. Guests may grab one sample at random from our sample graveyard while supplies last. Is it a trick or a treat? That’s for your nose to decide. Please note that “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” applies here ;)

Join us! If you dare…

If you’ve read this far, you must be a dedicated lover of Halloween. We’d love to know what fragrance will you be wearing to celebrate the official start of spooky season? You can tell us in the comments or by raven. Whichever tickles your fancy.

Haunt ya later!

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