Hexennacht - Mallowmint

today's present to myself from the advent scent-lendar was Mallowmint by Hexennacht - i really enjoyed reviewing this one, and i assure you, it wasn't just because i got to buy candy specially for the photoshoot and eat all of it when i was done.

on paper, Mallowmint sounds like a scent fit for the season, even though it comprises just three simple notes: marshmallow, buttercream, candy cane.

on the first sniffs, the mint leaps straight out of the sample vial with a crisp winter freshness. surprisingly, it's not at the sharp stereotypical Swiss-mountain-alps level that i feared, but more like the subtle scent of a freshly-picked mint leaf that you've just picked from your herb garden by the window and lightly bruised between your fingers. the marshmallow lurks in the background, softening the mint further; the buttercream is barely discernible but its rich sweetness impossible to ignore.

on my skin, the scent begins to pick up with the thick buttercream coming to the fore, and at this stage it vividly reminds me of the bright green mint frosting on the cupcakes that have been beckoning temptingly at me (and succeeding at their game too) whenever i've been walking past my small neighbourhood bakery recently.

after about ten to fifteen minutes of wear, the mint really becomes almost ethereal as the perfume transitions into the drydown. the light pillowy sweetness of the marshmallow is unquestionably the star here, and for the next couple of hours the mint becomes an alluringly gentle freshness, the kind that lingers as you lie half-asleep and tangled up in the sheets after your lover has brushed their teeth and departed the next morning, leaving you nothing but their scent on the pillow and a soft, slightly minty kiss on your lips.

i love how Mallowmint becomes a light and fresh "my skin but better" after about two hours, barely discernible as a 'perfume' on its own, but still there doing its job quietly, melding with my own skin chemistry to lend a soft sweetness and gentle freshness that lifts my spirits as i go about my day. its total four hours or so of wear is on the shorter side of what i'm used to, but with a quality of scent like this, i'm willing to slather it on just to smell and feel this good. i do wish its throw was more than just intensely personal, though!

i'm so happy to have rediscovered this sample in my advent scent-lendar, and will definitely be keeping it close to hand to enjoy even after Christmas is over. 8.5/10.

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this review is of a perfume that i had purchased secondhand with my own money. i wasn’t asked to review this scent as a condition of receipt and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Ajevie or Hexennacht and as always, all opinions remain my own.

Mallowmint is in the Hexennacht "yules/winter blends" section, available until 1 feb 2021 while supplies last. 

Hexennacht's website can be found here. prices are US$16 for an 8.5ml perfume oil roll-on, US$28 for a 15ml perfume oil roll-on, or US$18 for an 8.5ml parfum extrait roll-on (before shipping). 

Hexennacht does not appear to sell samples directly; these are available through Ajevie here. prices are US$2.45 for a "slink" which is a 0.74ml perfume oil vial like the one pictured (before shipping).

all information correct at time of publishing.