The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Monthly Archives: May 2016


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New Release: Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Aroma M

AromaM_Vanilla_2

WHAT I SMELL:  Geisha Vanilla Hinoki opens with a bright bergamot that’s soon met with an exotic blend of lightly sweetened spices; which then quickly moves to more of a sweet and sour spiciness.  There is something that is rather familiar to me in the opening and the only thing that I can think of is Lemon Pledge without the full on “lemon.”  But that soon dissipates and the perfume begins to soften, but I still can’t get out of my head this association of some kind of cleaning wipe, be it a much more subtle and softer one.  After 10 minutes or so, a lightly sugared lavender comes to the forefront along with a bit of creaminess.  The cleaning wipe is now gone and you now have this really soft and comforting perfume that is topped with a bit of sugar and spice and it’s oh so very nice.  As the perfume continues to develop, it becomes more woody with lavender becoming more powdered and radiant.  At this point, the perfume has a rather masculine barber shop vibe and it reminds me of the paper neck wrap that old school barbers put on you prior to cutting your hair.  Geisha Vanilla Hinoki is all warm fuzzies to me at this point.  As the perfume continues to develop, the barber shop association really takes hold and the perfume begins to grow and become slightly smoky.  In the end, Geisha Vanilla Hinoki is all comfort.  Very nice.

From the Aroma M website:

Vanilla scents tend to have a cloying, candied effect. But not Vanilla Hinoki. Its key ingredient is a woodsy, smoky vanilla found only in Morocco.

As for the other ingredients:  They kick off with light and sparkling bergamot combined with spicy, wake-up clove, cardamom, and nutmeg. These segue into more soothing mid-notes: cedarleaf, soft bergamot, and lavender. And finally the lingering drydown: exotic, animalic leather; incense-like patchouli; tropical, evergreen amyris; and cleansing, envigorating cedarwood.

Barber Shop 2WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  An old school barber shop; very comfortable, easy and relaxing.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE GEISHA VANILLA HINOKI: soothing, reassuring, retro

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GEISHA VANILLA HINOKI: CaFleureBon, The Non-Blonde, Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE:  Maybe you need to be a man from my generation when barber shops were where you got your hair cut, not Great Cuts.  There was a very comfortable masculinity in the atmosphere that was laid back without any stress.  You went in feeling a bit messy and you left feeling like a million bucks.  Geisha Vanilla Hinoki brings back all the sensory aspects of this now fading business.

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Oriental Floral
  • Nose: Maria McElroy
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $90 for 50ml Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary.  Opinion my own.


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Introducing The Scented Hound’s Random 10 with Twisted Lily’s Eric and Stamatis

The Scented Hound is launching a new feature, “The Scented Hound’s Random 10.” The Random 10 is a list of ten fill in the blank statements designed to get better acquainted with a perfumed personality.    The Random 10 is derived from a list of 99 potential statements that are picked by random by Random.org for each interview.  Many of these statements are focused around fragrance, but many are general in nature.  Each will hopefully add some  unknown fun facts and personal insights of those in and around the industry. You can check out the full list of the 99 fill in the blank statements here.

So how better to kick off this new feature by not only highlighting one person, but two,  with the co-founders of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary, Eric Weiser and Stamatis Birsimijoglou!

Stamatis and Eric (photo credit NY.Racked.com)

Stamatis and Eric (photo credit NY.racked.com)

Who says you need to shop in Manhattan to get your hands on the best in niche perfume.  Just across the East River in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn is Eric and Stamatis’ ode to niche heaven, Twisted Lily located on Atlantic Avenue.  Since opening the store in 2013, these two have one of the most extensive selections of little known niche perfumes on the East Coast.  And it seems that every month, they add an ever-increasing mix of up and coming brands.  Selling perfumes is one thing, but Eric and Stamatis, as well as their staff, make your shopping experience an enlightening event with knowledgeable and friendly customer service.  So let’s see what they reveal in their Random 10!

STAMATIS:

  1. I can get frazzled when…My to-do list spills onto a 4th page.
  1. If I had the chance to do something over again, I would…have been a dancer because I’ve got some crazy moves.
  1. My parents always taught me to…love unconditionally, the importance of family, and the importance of being a good listener!
  1. A guilty pleasure of mine is…LOL, sorry it’s personal!
  1. My favorite food is…Seafood, Avocados and Chocolate (not together though)
  1. My idea of pure bliss is…Being on a secluded beach, the open sea only steps away, mountains in the distance, sipping some good wine, a plate of fresh fruit and sharing it all with my partner, Eric… I can see it now!
  1. I’m a hoarder when it comes to owning multiple bottles of…Apoteker Tepe’s After The Flood. There’s something very comforting about it so I need to have it everywhere.
  1. My perfume tastes vary with…My mood and the weather.
  1. One fragrance that I thought I wouldn’t like, but turned out that I love is…Rania J’s Lavande 44. I don’t know why I thought I wouldn’t like it but I wear this one all the time now. It’s one of my favorites, a classic.
  1. You can never own enough…Boots and music.

ERIC:

  1. When I’m looking for quiet time, I…Meditate – anything that helps me shut off my mind for 15 minutes, also getting a therapeutic massage is like heaven on earth!
  1. My favorite fragrance house / brand is…Changes like the weather.  I’ve learned to appreciate most brands.
  1. The phrase I always overuse is….Don’t bullshit me! (It comes in handy when you run your own business)
  1. My biggest challenge so far in life has been…Learning to balance my personal life and my career
  1. The animal that best represents who I am is…An independent, yet cuddly and loyal canine.
  1. My favorite food is…Anything delectably spiced that makes my taste buds dance!
  1. My most vivid scent memory is…Walking around the spice bazaar with Stamatis in Istanbul. Cardamom, Coriander, Pepper, Turmeric
  1. The fragrance I most dislike is…Very heavy Ouds. Of course I appreciate Oud and know when it’s perfect for someone, it just doesn’t work very well with my chemistry. I also find that they’re a heavy commitment.
  1. Before I go to bed, I always…Have a full-on conversation with my dog. Making up ridiculous stories and rubbing her belly.
  1. My perfume tastes vary with….Whatever shoes and belt I’m wearing.

Thanks to Eric and Stamatis for breaking the ice with this inaugural post of The Scented Hound’s Random 10.  Please check out their website, twistedlily.com or stop by their store to see all the fantastic products they offer.  And if you’re in the Brooklyn area THIS weekend definitely pay them a visit to take advantage of special in-store only offerings for the holiday weekend. What a way to kick off the Memorial Day weekend…hot dogs, hamburgers, beer and a new bottle of perfume!


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New Release: Cierge de Lune by Aedes de Venutas

Cierge de LuneWHAT I SMELL:  Cierge de Lune opens with a muted and spicy warmed vanilla that’s soft, gentle and quite comforting.  It’s also incredibly unassuming and it feels like a whisper enticing you to come along as it travels down a quiet old world passage.  After a few minutes, the perfume almost becomes hidden as it retreats from my skin.  But Cierge de Lune is a vanilla based perfume so I have no doubt that it will once again appear.  And as soon as I write that, a peppery note starts to emerge along with the softest of vanilla.  At the same time, the pepper begins to flatten out the more rounded vanilla and the perfume begins to dry.  The dryness brings out the smell of what to me smells like pencil shavings, but which are tinged with just the slightest bit of sweetness.  After quite some time, a beautifully subdued and lightly creamy ylang ylang appears and the perfume begins to grow as if stretching itself out to seduce you with its intoxicating tentacles of spellbinding mystery.  There’s a beauty in this perfume that feels as if it has a deadly and alluring poison.  In the end, Cierge de Lune is a quiet, haunting and mysterious vanilla perfume topped with just a light whiff of burnt incense.

From the Aedes de Venustas website:

Cierge de Lune: Cool and limpid as moonlit desert air. Velvety and sensuous as the midnight sky… Inspired by the scent of the mysterious night blooming cereus, also known as the Queen of the Night, AEDES DE VENUSTAS’ sixth offering unveils the dark side of vanilla.

  • Top Notes: Crystalline accord
  • Middle Notess: Vanilla absolute from Madagascar, pink pepper, black pepper, ylang ylang
  • Base Notes: Suede accord, incense, amber, musk

beautiful hazeWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  An old world European city street covered in a mysterious cloud of haunting smoke and fog.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CIERGE DE LUNE:  sublime, enticing, mysterious

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CIERGE DE LUNE: Chemist in the Bottle, The Non-Blonde, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE:  Cierge de Lune is vanilla done right.  It’s incredibly subdued and perfectly refined and rather than shouting it speaks in whispers.  Cierge de Lune is easily my favorite thus far from the Aedes de Venutas line of perfumes.

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Oriental Floral
  • Nose: Fabrice Pellegrin
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $245 for 3.4 oz. Eau de Parfum