The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Category Archives: Byredo


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Byredo Mixed Emotions

WHAT I SMELL:   Mixed Emotions opens with a beautiful minty fresh cassis which moves ever so slightly to the evergreen in a rapid manner.  Almost immediately, the perfume feels as if it resides on the edge of the forest where the green and the fruits seem to beckon all living things to commune with its ripened juice.  After a short while, the fruit begins to quiet and soften, but the blackcurrant sweetens with the addition of a hint of violet while a soft tea note begins to enter.  Here the perfume becomes more contemplative.  Did I say contemplative?  In a very short time, the perfume starts to move towards the semi-funky when wafts of light sweat come into play.  For non-perfumistas that may sound like a horrible thing, but for those in the know, it can be enticing; and in this case, it’s exactly that.  As the perfume continues to develop, a light violet begins to occupy the space where the blackcurrant resided along with the lightest of tea and incense.  Here, the perfume is once again contemplative, soft and engaging and to me, very, very pretty.  In the end you’re left with a quiet, lightly sweet musk of a perfume.  Mixed Emotions is pretty and rather intimate in just the right kind of way.

From the Byredo website:

Mixed Emotions, an epicene scent designed to reflect the tumultuous nature of our times.

Drawing on the Byredo philosophy of translating fragmented memories and abstract ideas into scent, Mixed Emotions presents an olfactive sketch of our current, collective state of mind. Comforting notes of maté and the sharp sweetness of cassis sit within a wooden framework; the reassuring scent of black tea disturbed by violet leaf synthetics.

Mixed Emotions Notes – 

Top: Mate, Blackcurrant

Heart: Ceylon Black Tea, Violet Leaves

Base: Birch Woods, Papyrus

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Mixed emotions?  Maybe.  But to me, it’s sweet emotions.  (And to clarify further, that means sweet related to love vs. sweet related to sugar!)

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE MIXED EMOTIONS:  soft, pretty, contemplative

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MIXED EMOTIONS:  Perfume Posse, Editorialist, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE:  There’s no confusion as far as I’m concerned.  Mixed Emotions is a beautiful perfume that is quietly pretty and a delight to wear.  Even better, it’s one of those perfumes that is perfect for any mood or occasion whatever it may be.  Wonderful.

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Woody Aromatic
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense:  Approx $196 for 50 ml eau de parfum


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Byredo Pulp

WHAT I SMELL:   Pulp’s opening is a pleasant one with a sparkling fresh bergamot.  That fresh sparkle is quickly met with a warmed blackcurrent which is ripe and juicy and pretty and lush without being overly aggressive.  Soon, the other fruits begin to come in to meet the blackcurrent with the fig and red apple seemingly taking turns at coming to the forefront.  Eventually, they blend together to make a stronger alliance as the perfume begins to expand and project.  In short time, the tiare and peach flower begin to take over and the perfume increases in volume.  There’s an artificiality about the perfume that begins to mimic the characteristics of the notes.   Eventually, the perfume settles in as a fruity floral with nondescript wood sitting underneath.  Pulp is big, but not too big; fresh, but not too fresh; fruity without being too fruity….you get my drift.

From the Byredo website:

In Pulp, a compilation of exotic and Swedish influences create an international fruit basket.  A dramatic composition focused on the idea of ripe, sweet, shapeless mass of fruit, an unruly and intense savor.

Notes:  

Top – bergamot, blackcurrent, cardamom

Heart – fig, red apple, tiare

Base – cedarwood, peach flower, praline

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Pulp isn’t soapy, but it does remind me of those tenacious shampoos from the 1970s where 8 hours after you washed your hair it still smelled as if it was just washed.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE PULP: abundant, artificially fresh, vibrant

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PULP:  Musings of a Muse, Colognoisseur, AustralianPerfumeJunkies

BOTTOM LINE:   Pulp is pleasant enough in a very non-offensive way.  Its artificial freshness makes for a pretty easy wear, but to me, it does grow rather tiresome as it eventually (after a couple of hours) turns to a cottony musk.

  • Bone Rating:  3 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Floral Fruity
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense:  Approx $110 for 50 ml eau de parfum

Footnote:  After completing my writing of this post in its entirety, I read what I wrote and I found that the review seemed to have been “phoned in”.  So what does that mean?  Well, the post doesn’t flow all to well and it seems to be lacking any real effort or oomph.  I thought about cleaning the post up and doing some edits, but then decided…no.  Pulp, although being nice enough of a perfume, it too feels “phoned in”…so there you go.


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Rose of No Man’s Land by Byredo

Rose of No Man's LandWHAT I SMELL:  Rose of a No Man’s Land opens with a sweet and citrus candied rose that sparkles with a refreshing and dewy and slightly “bathtastic” glow.  The perfume goes on clean, fresh and pretty without being too girly as there is a heftiness to the rose that is topped by a lightly jammy raspberry.  After a few minutes, the sparkling fruitened rose is met with a warm and radiant amber with just a hint of light spice.  The perfume remains clean and fresh, but much more tame as it feels as if it begs to exist quietly rather than be pushed to the forefront in a noticeable way.  After another 10 minutes, a layer of suede pulls itself over the composition.  I really like the perfume at this point as the combination of rose and leather pulls the fragrance in and out of the masculine and feminine.  After a few more minutes, the suede begins to fade and the rose begins to grow and project.  Rose of a No Man’s Land is a comfort scent that wraps itself around the wearer with a clean, warm easy to wear rose.

From the Byredo website:

Rose of No Man’s Land is a tribute to the nurses (often referred to by soldiers as “Rose of No-Man’s Land”) who saved thousands of lives on the front lines of WWI, their story is one of selflessness and compassion.

Top notes are pink pepper and turkey red rose; middle notes are turkey red rose and raspberry bloom; base notes are papyrus and white amber.

Angora SweaterWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  An Angora sweater…not heavy, rather fluffy, and all comfort.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ROSE OF A NO MAN’S LAND:  easy, comfortable, clean

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ROSE OF A NO MAN’S LAND: EauMG, Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE:  The opening of the perfume is divine…very fresh and full of life and the perfume matures beautifully and is lovely.  Actually, what I like about it best is that it doesn’t scream to be noticed but instead quietly does its job in a very unassuming way.

  • Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Oriental Spicy
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $145 for 50ml Eau de Parfum