I like Heretic Parfum.

...sometimes.

Heretic Parfum was not on my radar as a brand until they partnered with Focus Features to create a fragrance for the film Nosferatu. They named the fragrance Nosferatu Eau de Macabre, but I think most people just call it Nosferatu so I will be doing the same moving forward. The name in its entirety is too long to type every time. When I initially wanted to get my hands on Nosferatu, Heretic was sold out of travel sizes, wasn’t offering samples, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to commit to a full bottle of perfume from a brand I hadn’t tried before. What I did instead was order the Season of the Witch discovery set and luckily for me, they sprayed the packaging with Nosferatu. This meant I got to smell Dirty Rose, Voodoo Lily, Coeur Noir, Poltergeist, Smudge, and Nosferatu (on paper only, but still). Below are my thoughts on what I’ve smelled from Heretic, founded by nose Douglas Little, thus far.

Dirty Rose - notes: pink pepper, nutmeg, cedar, damascena rose, elemi, black currant, cypriol, labdanum, patchouli, vanilla bean CO2

I love a peppery rose. My preference in rose fragrances is “so grandma it’s ghostly” I don’t want a rose that’s going to be with me in the spring and summer (that’s what I have white florals for) I want a rose that’s going to wilt and hibernate with me in the shortened, depressing days of winter. Dirty Rose does that for me and it’s aptly named. It’s rosy. It’s dirty. It’s smoky. It’s also sexy grandma. Grandma put on her leather jacket and lipstick and she’s out to meet a younger man. I really like Dirty Rose. As someone with a limited budget and with little interest in owning more perfume than I know what to do with, I wish there was a travel size option available for Dirty Rose. It’s not a full size worthy perfume for me, but I will be sad when my sample runs out. Who knows, maybe I’ll crave it in the winter and go for a full size.

Voodoo Lily - notes: geranium, coriander, frankincense, cedar, juniper, black pepper, moroccan rose, black currant, lily accord, patchouli, sandalwood, oud, styrax

I like Voodoo Lily - it has all the qualities I like about Dirty Rose. It’s grandma, dirty, smoky, peppery, and a bit haunting. It’s just not Dirty Rose. If I’m going to make room for a powdery floral in my collection, that powdery floral is going to be a rose before anything else. I’ll finish up my sample of Voodoo Lily, but once it’s gone, I don’t think I’ll miss it.

Coeur Noir - notes: rosewood, labdanum, madagascar vanilla

When it comes to vanilla, I prefer it to play a supporting role over the main character. I like vanillas paired with smokes, woods, and spices as a method to make them softer and richer. To me, a perfect vanilla lives on a short leash and doesn’t get to run off and become sticky or tacky. I hoped Coeur Noir would be my ideal vanilla. Unfortunately, Coeur Noir is too clingy to get there. Nothing about this fragrance reads as “noir” to me. It’s just freaking vanilla. It’s fine.

Poltergeist - notes: juniper, pine, wormwood, frankincense, champaca flower, birch tar, cade, cedar, vanilla, patchouli, labdanum, palo santo fruit

I wanted to like Poltergeist so badly. I love the name. I like the idea of it. I just cannot stand the execution. All I get is dank, smoky patchouli. I’ve had other people smell it and they’ve been able to pick up on the other notes Heretic advertises, but all I get is a headache. If you love this one, good for you! It’s just not for me.

Smudge - notes: atlas cedar, frankincense, sichuan pepper, clary sage, juniper, tonka bean, canadian balsam, labdanum, patchouli, sandalwood, styrax

I appreciate Smudge for what it is. Heretic set out to make a perfume that celebrates “the practice of using smoke to clear energy.” I believe it does that and it does that well. However, and I know I’m in the minority here, I don’t love the smell of burning sage. My family is Ecuadorian and Palo Santo is sacred in Ecuador. Palo Santo is what is used in smudging and cleansing rituals so it’s what my nose is used to and what it prefers. That said, I like Smudge. It isn’t my first, second, or even tenth pick, but it smells good. My partner loves it and wears it and I think that it suits him well.

Nosferatu Eau de Macabre - notes: lilac, ambrette, petrichor, violet absolute, orris concrete, cypriol, vegan ambergris, oud, labdanum

“Smells like an encounter with an apparition in the cold, damp caves of Count Orlok’s castle.”

That’s a quote directly from Heretic’s website. I’ve seen some disappointment with the direction Heretic chose to go for Nosferatu. People expected or hoped for incense, blood, and musk. I understand this, but I am not one of these people. I’ve also seen complaints that it just smells like a basic purple floral. I am also not one of these people.

I appreciate that they matched the energy of the film, not the image people have of vampires. There is blood gore in the film, sure, but more than anything, the film is filled with shadows and tension, beauty and horror, love and heartbreak. Nosferatu Eau de Macabre captures this very well. I loved what I smelled on the paper Heretic scent and I purchased a full bottle. My boyfriend also loved it so much he asked me to order a bottle for him as well. On my skin, Nosferatu leans into the wet cave and on my boyfriend, it’s all lilac. I love this perfume. I love that it smells so different depending on who in our household is wearing it. I love that despite being terrified of horror films, Nosferatu, the fragrance, pushed me out of my comfort zone and emboldened me to go watch the film (while wearing the perfume of course. I also brought a blanket to cover my eyes sometimes but that’s besides the point.) Of everything I’ve tried from Heretic thus far, Nosferatu is far and above my favorite. It’s cold and wet but also offers the promise of flowers blooming in spring. I’m very glad to have a full bottle.

Bonus

My full bottle of Nosferatu came with a sample of Dirty Hinoki. Here are my thoughts on Dirty Hinoki. (Not Pictured because mine has grown legs and walked out of my cabinet.)

Dirty Hinoki - notes: lemon, cedar, nutmeg, thyme, pine, hinoki, cypress, elemi, wormwood, fir absolute, ambrettolide, balsam, frankincense

I love a spicy wood fragrance. Dirty Hinoki is just that. I know that hinoki is not a note that everyone immediately loves and I have struggled with it at times myself, but I like this scent. I especially like it for blending. I love to use it with sweeter perfumes as a way to mellow them out but I like it on its own as well. Not a full bottle purchase for me, but I’ll happily use up my sample.

Final thoughts

Heretic Parfum has been more hit or miss for me but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Learning what you don’t like is just as valuable as learning what you do. Ultimately, I just like smelling things that are new to me. There is still much from Heretic that I hope to try. Cactus Abduction, Florgasm, Pistil Whip, and Blood Orange to name a few.

Thank you for reading! I know I’m a bit late on the Nosferatu review train, but whatever. This publication is called Sh*t Sam Likes not Sh*t Sam Does in a Timely Manner. That publication would be very short-lived.

What have you smelled from Heretic? Did you like what you smelled? What were your thoughts on Nosferatu? I’d love to know!

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