January | 2012 | The Scented Hound

January 25, 2012
by The Scented Hound 5 Comments

D600 by Carner Barcelona

I mentioned in an earlier posting that I had gone to MiN New York Apothecary in Soho in December. While I was there I picked up a bottle of D600 by Carner Barcelona. The perfume, which is designated as unisex is not something that I typically would be attracted to. It’s sweet and fruity and doesn’t lean towards the heavier scents that I typically prefer. When I first made the purchase, I wasn’t sure if I really was going to like it, but since that time I have to say it is presently one of my favorite scents. This scent has many moods. When you first put it on, it starts off a bit spicy. But then it starts to warm the sweetness comes through. For lack of better description, I feel like it reminds me of Sweettarts candy. I know that sounds horrible, but in fact there are just so many layers that it’s hard to describe. The reason why is due to the following notes posted from the Carner website:

Top notes
Madagascan Black Pepper, Sicilian Bergamot, Grapefruit.

Mid notes
Guatemalan Cardamom, Italian Iris, Egyptian Jasmine Absolut.

Base notes
Virginian Cedar Wood, Madagascan Vanilla Absolut, Vetyver.

Bottom line, this can be used for day or night and it really makes you feel special and sexy when you wear it. It’s an unusual scent where you’ll find yourself lifting your wrist for a whiff all throughout the day. And the scent lasts and lasts. I love it! Barcelona here I come!

Bone Rating: 5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Light, sweet and sexy
Classification: Unisex
Expense: Expensive – $135 for 50ml

January 22, 2012
by The Scented Hound Leave a comment

Poivre Piquant by L’Artisan Parfumeur

Another sample, another scent that isn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong, this cologne is very distinctive and clean smelling. When I first applied it to my skin, the pepper really popped out, but as it settled in, it became much more light and airy. I would say it almost has a lily smell to it (most likely the honey). I would consider this a nice spring or summer cologne for those who like very clean scents. I am also finding that the scent lasts, but is in no way overpowering.

The following is from the L’Artisan Parfumeur website:

White hot pepper tempered with sensual woods

Poivre Piquant is inspired by a wedding story in the Kama Sutra. Sugar and pepper were sprinkled on the bride’s wedding veil. Sugar for the sweetness of life, pepper for the sparkling joy (and sensuality!) to come. This blend of white hot pepper tempered with milky woody notes is sharp, soft and burning all at once. A hint of liquorice and honey round off this elegant essay in aphrodisiac desire.

white pepper, milk, honey

Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Light and clean pepper
Classification: Leans feminine
Expense: Moderate – $100 for 50ml

January 21, 2012
by The Scented Hound Leave a comment

Sweet Redemption by By Kilian

One of the great things about buying cologne is that usually receive samples along with your purchase. In December I was in NY and stopped at MiN New York in Soho (love the store, but that’s another story). I received a few samples, a couple of them were from Kilian. Today I thought I would try out one of the samples, Sweet Redemption. This apparently is part of the Kilian L’Oeurvre Noire collection. One word: Ugggggh! This is labeled as a unisex perfume, but it definitely leans toward the feminine side. So how do I describe this perfume??? I keep coming back to the thought that this reminds me of what a Pier One store used to smell like in the 1970s! It smells of sweet incense and oils. It is what I would consider to be a “hippy chick” kind of perfume. Bottom line, it’s not for me.

I looked at the Kilian website and I couldn’t find an official overview, but I did find the following at the Lucky Scent website (another great store and website):

Sweet Redemption Notes
Orange blossom, vanilla, myrrh, opopanax, benzoin, incense