February | 2013 | The Scented Hound

February 26, 2013
by The Scented Hound 17 Comments

Lions and Tiger and Bears Oh My!!!

OK, maybe it’s just lions and tigers, but The Scented Hound is going on a safari. I feel like I have been horribly neglectful of my blog as of late, but work has been strenuous and harried in anticipation of this trip. We planned this with friends last summer and I can’t believe that the time has finally come to get on a plane. We are heading to Kenya and Tanzania for 13 days for an experience that I really never dreamed I would be taking. Needless to say we are very excited. There is only one problem; we were told that perfumes and fragrances usually scare off wildlife and attract bugs, so I will be fragrance free for almost 2 weeks! Although, once we are back on the plane home I will drown myself in perfume and probably choke up the plane. Hopefully, there will be some wonderful duty-free shopping at the Amsterdam airport that might make my trip home a little more fragrant!

As we will be in the “wild,” I plan to disconnect myself from the electronics world so please note that I’m not ignoring my blogger friends, just trying to get back to nature. See you later in mid-March!

xoxoxoxox

Steve

February 24, 2013
by The Scented Hound 17 Comments

Daim Blond by Serge Lutens

WHAT I SMELL: I was just at the grocery store and I kept smelling Tide laundry detergent. I didn’t think much of it as I was at the grocery store, but let me explain that I loathe the smell of Tide. I would almost rather not wash my clothes than to have to use Tide because the smell is just nauseating to me. Well, as it turns out, when I got home I sniffed my arm and sure enough what I was smelling was me. Now, I spritzed this on about four hours ago and this was the result.

Let’s look at the beginning of this journey. Daim Blond went on so light that I barely could tell that I had put any perfume on at all. I got an initial whiff of cardamom, but then just a light touch of powder and then almost nothing. After what seems to be about 10 minutes, I started smelling a light sweet flowered apricot. It’s very sheer and almost candied sweet like Sweetarts candy. I don’t mind where the scent is at this point, but it’s so light that you wonder if it yourself that you are smelling or something else that’s in the room. Daim Blond is interpreted as White Suede, but I am not getting any leather whatsoever from this fragrance. But I have to admit that at this stage, Daim Blond albeit wispy is really quite pretty. It’s not until much later that Daim Blond transforms into Tide; which I won’t try to dissect!

From Fragrantica:

The top notes contain hawthorn, Ceylon cardamom; the heart includes iris, apricot kernel, while the base encompasses musk, heliotrope and leather.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Tide laundry detergent, but you already know that!

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE DAIM BLOND: faint, sheer, wispy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DAIM BLOND: The Other Scent, The Scentualist, Les Tuileries

BOTTOM LINE: Just one word…NO.

Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Chypre Floral
Nose: Christopher Sheldrake
Classification: Unisex
Expense: Approximately $110 for 50ml EdP

February 16, 2013
by The Scented Hound 23 Comments

Rose Nacree du Desert by Guerlain

I had forgotten all about this sample that I picked up in NY last fall until I was digging through my untested samples today. I thought this would be the perfect test for the depressing gray and blah Saturday weather.

WHAT I SMELL: Rose Nacree du Desert opens with an almost berried sweetened herbacious rose. It’s juicy and yummy and although somewhat candied in it sweetness it’s not what I would consider too sweet because it doesn’t scream. Soon enough, a smooth creaminess blends with patchouli and oud and the sweetened opening burns off. At this point, the fragrance becomes more linear, but with one little last twist of the introduction of a saffroned spice. If I can compare this to anything, I find that there is a similarity to Rose Oud by Kilian, but Rose Nacree is much more subtle and subdued. I love Rose Oud, but to me this is more elegant and translucent and a bit more to my liking.

From Fragrantica: A fragrance built on lush Persian rose, the legendary blossom of the east. Creamy yet dark, rose is given a mysterious air via saffron, patchouli and a hint of agarwood (oud), fanned on rich benzoin resin.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: This is a midnight rose blossoming under the full moon with its lilting fragrant blossom enticing young couples into love and romance.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ROSE NACREE DU DESERT: dreamy, comforting, subtle

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ROSE NACREE DU DESERT: What Men Should Smell Like, Katie Chutzpah, The Scented Salamander

BOTTOM LINE: This is another exceptional perfume from Guerlain. I am tempted now to run to Saks Fifth Avenue to test out the other to fragrances in the Les Deserts d’Orient collection; Encens Mythique d’Orient and Songe d’Un Bois d’Eté. This is really lovely. In fact, I believe I need to put some more on now!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Theirry Wasser
Classification: Unisex
Expense: I can’t find this online, but I believe it’s between $250 – $300 for 75ml EdP