Moonlit Mischief: Trying Hekate by Darren Alan Perfumes On The Autumn Edge

I’m not here for pumpkin spice. If autumn has a smell for me, it’s flint and ritual smoke, a whisper of night-blooming florals, a colder kind of beautiful. Hekate by Darren Alan Perfumes steps into that space and claims it with confidence. This is a fragrance that looks you straight in the eye, then pulls your attention to the shadows behind it.

First spritz and I get a veiled, smoky aura - think candle snuffed by gloved fingers. There’s resin right away, something that reads as labdanum-myrrh on my skin, and a suggestion of incense that rises like breath in cold air. A dusky floral thread snakes through it, not pretty-pretty, more lunar and nocturnal, the petal equivalent of a whisper. It feels sculpted rather than sweet, like polished onyx warmed by a palm.

As it settles, Hekate turns slightly feral in the best way. There’s an herbal bite, maybe a shadow of anise or wormwood, the kind of note that makes you lean in. Dark woods show up and steady the composition, giving the smoke somewhere to rest. Hours later, what remains is a soft resin glow on skin, intimate, a little witchy, and decidedly human.

Who is this for? If your shelf swings from austere incense to resin-packed orientals, if you like your florals in moonlight rather than full sun, you’ll get it. Hekate feels tailored for the autumnal equinox mindset - a crossing, a quiet power shift, a moment where you own the night.

A few quick takes:

• Vibe: lunar resin, cool smoke, midnight garden
• Season: fall into deep winter
• Dress code: black cashmere, lived-in leather, smudged eyeliner
• Sillage and wear: a measured trail for an evening, then a skin-close spell

I appreciate that Darren Alan doesn’t chase easy likability here. Hekate isn’t a crowd pleaser, it is a crowd tamer. If you’ve been bored by safe releases, put this one on your skin, not a strip. Meet it in the dark and see who blinks first.