“In rifleing the closet of the ladie, they found a pipe of oyntement, wherewith she greased a staffe, upon which she ambled and galloped through thick and thin, when and in what manner she listed” – Proceedings Against Dame Alice Kyteler, Prosecuted for Sorcery, 1324. Hexensalbe, also known as witches’ flying ointment, was a hallucinogenic salve used in witchcraft in the middle ages. It was a mixture of extremely poisonous ingredients. The drug produced an ecstatic trance with powerful sensations of flying, images of otherworldly creatures and a primal sexual hunger. These hallucinations are at the core of the mythology of witches, where they fly to the sabbath at Blåkulla or Brocken to do it with the devil and other witches in unholy rites. So, the image of witches flying can be traced back to the use of hexensalbe, but why on a broomstick? The ointment was so poisonous that eating it would be directly fatal, instead it was applied to other soft membranes of the body, armpits and more commonly the genitals. Because of the erotic effects of the high, the salve would often be rubbed directly onto a phallic object like the end of a staff or a broomstick. And so, the witch did not ride the broomstick like we picture her today. With top notes of wormwood and salty licorice; middle notes of tuberose, rosemary, angelica and belladonna; and base notes of black hemlock, lichen and patchouli. Hexensalbe is an eau de parfum, edp.
STORA SKUGGAN HEXENSALBE REVIEWS
Fragrantica: "Hexensalbe was not at all what I imagined it being, it ended up being better! I purchased it under the pretense that it would be an ‘witchy, Halloween smell’ which made me think of smelling like a semi dirty, bottom of the candy bag licorice but it’s total opposite. It’s a clean, mysterious, herbaceous scent. It leans a teeny bit too masculine for my taste but I will forever love her."
Fragrantica: "I never thought I would be saving up for a perfume, yet here I am. I got a tester bottle last fall and it quickly became my favorite, especially for going out in the evening. In the beginning it gives off a *lot* of liquorice with a somewhat woody undertone, which really adds a bit of extra confidence at the end of my makeup routine. It doesn't take too long for it to calm down and settle into a calmer woody? (though sweet) scent, that makes me feel like I should be in a moody speakeasy of some kind. As the night goes on the tune shifts slightly, landing somewhere I just associate with dark nightclubs with heavy music at this point, but that I struggle to pinpoint. It just kind of melts into you without quite disappearing in a way I find quite pleasant. I still smell nice once I leave the event I've been at, which I know because I keep going back and smelling it during the night. Basically, I really enjoy it and think it does what it's trying to do: something witchy but modern that really has me in its grip. Not to mention that it's quite nice to tell people "oh yeah, I'm wearing Hexensalbe!" It's definitely my favorite by Stora Skuggan so far, which is quite telling because I have liked all their perfumes so far."
Fragrantica: "This has a quality to it that feels faintly medicinal, like an herbaceous liquor (Malort, perhaps? hello wormwood!), or a old timey candy. It doesn't feel debaucherous, necessarily, but it is deeply sexy. More like what a literal witches' salve might smell like; not our fantastical imaginary of what witchcraft might be. Think less "The Craft" and more "Portrait of a Lady on Fire." My girlfriend wears this one, and I go absolutely crazy for it."
Fragrantica: "On me, Hexensalbe starts as a strong and spicy herbal green witches' concoction. I can't really identify most of those initial notes apart from licorice but the overall effect is well balanced and so captivating! Also, as opposed to some other reviewers, I have to say the licorice doesn't come off as too bitter or salty on me, much closer to absinthe with a generous amount of sugar overall. As it slowly dries down, it becomes smoother and some light floral touches emerge (tuberose but smelled from afar), as well as a subtle sweetness. This perfume pulls a couple of magic tricks during the drydown, transforming in front of my nose. It's like during specific phases some notes will step a bit more to the front and then step back. Take the moss, which while noticeable, is very subtle and mostly adds that chypre-like depth to it without being overpowering, but a couple of times it did project a bit stronger. Same with patchouli which is that dirty kind that adds an earthiness and grounds the perfume. Hexensalbe really is a niche art perfume. Perfectly wearable, don't get me wrong, but I find it defies categorization for me. It's not really an aromatic and neither is it a green perfume. What it is in my heart honestly is a witches' potion and a pleasure to wear and explore each time. Longevity is under 5 hours with a lower end of moderate sillage and projection for the first half and more of an intimate performance for the last 2 or so hours."
Fragrantica: "Hexensable opens sweet, herbal, boozy, and powdery like a winter night gathering dominated by small shot glasses filled with absinthe. I truly didn’t expect it to feel this warm. There’s a subtle salty nuance in the composition, which I loved, along with plenty of wormwood and a licorice facet that always reads as softly sweet anise to my nose. This part feels playful and fairy-tale-like, slightly heady as well; but then the real show begins, because one of my favorite notes steps in: black hemlock. In the base, I also sense something akin to an earthy patchouli-vetiver pairing, yet what really captivates me is a darker green accord; slightly smoky, leathery, and balsamic in character. I strongly suspect this comes from the black hemlock itself (possibly influenced by my love for OW OJ, which I adore). The drydown completely sweeps me away: secretive, deeply dark, and intensely witchy. A classic witch tale could have worked here, but this isn’t quite that kind of vibe. Instead, I see it as the scent of a witch-blooded sprite; sweet yet ominous, mischievous, a true hexling. Its whimsical and boozy nature never pushed my imagination toward something darker than that."
Fragrantica: "Delightfully herbal licorice. Mysterious but warm. I would bathe in this if I could. Cabin in a dark forest with dried herbs above a barely lit fire."
Fragrantica: "This is incredible. Smells exactly what you'd think based on the name. This is a medicinal salve made by an old witch that lives in a hut deep in an old growth forest full of poisonous, magical fungi and roots. Sharp herbal accords and raw tea leaves, like a really bitter black tea with narcotic herbs mixed in. A little bit sour on the dry down but still magnificent. This might be a patchouli I can wear that doesn't go sour on me since the sour actually works here and reinforces the other notes in great balance. The oakmoss balances the patchouli on the dry down. There's a bit of a "rotten log in a swamp" vibe but in a good way. An arcane, misunderstood beauty."
Fragrantica: "Witchcraft in a bottle. Absolutely brilliant."
