The heart of the Carpathian Mountains, home of Transylvania and Vlad the Impaler. Dracula never had it so good. Carpathia, the soap, evokes the scent of the Balsam Fir lining the slopes of these picturesque peaks. A vegan soap base, but excellent performance, both soap and alcohol-free aftershave. And sadly, the final soap in my cabinet from SW, but I understand more may be in the works. I'll be back.
Scent notes. Southern Witchcrafts describes notes of: "Evergreen forest, musk, herbs, rose, coffee, black tea." Yes. And a "dark and brooding masculine scent centered around accords of black tea, exotic musk, and evergreen balsam." Yes. The label description, to me, actually centers the fragrance - "Balsam, Wet Stone, Exotic Musk, Black Tea," with balsam the standout, black tea a strong runner-up, and petrichor (wet stone)/musk not far behind. Could be seasonal (coniferous for the Winter holidays, and not super pine-y like some of Stirling's, not necessarily a bad thing), but certainly suitable for daily wear for a refreshing change. A really delightful, uplifting fragrance, and actually reminiscent of a dark balsam forest. Vlad not included.
Scent notes. Southern Witchcrafts describes notes of: "Evergreen forest, musk, herbs, rose, coffee, black tea." Yes. And a "dark and brooding masculine scent centered around accords of black tea, exotic musk, and evergreen balsam." Yes. The label description, to me, actually centers the fragrance - "Balsam, Wet Stone, Exotic Musk, Black Tea," with balsam the standout, black tea a strong runner-up, and petrichor (wet stone)/musk not far behind. Could be seasonal (coniferous for the Winter holidays, and not super pine-y like some of Stirling's, not necessarily a bad thing), but certainly suitable for daily wear for a refreshing change. A really delightful, uplifting fragrance, and actually reminiscent of a dark balsam forest. Vlad not included.
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Like all of SW's fragrances I've tried, there isn't a predominant note that overwhelms others - a mix of all, and the "musk" and "tea" (an astringent tannin note in pure form) can certainly be a part of "potpourri" (which is traditionally a mixture of dried plant material - floral, spice and other). But I agree with SW's profile, that - to me - the (barely) most forward scent is balsam - which is not actually a traditional coniferous, piney scent, but a more muted conifer in nature. So if you are seeking a really "piney woods" scent, probably not this one.
