The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Category Archives: Random 10


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The Random 10: Brooklyn Fragrance Lover Carlos Powell

Carlos Powell

Since The Scented Hound’s inception in 2012, there have been many great bloggers and vloggers that have emerged on the scene only to sparkle for a brief while before disappearing.  However, there has been one perfumed personality that continues to shine within the niche arena; Carlos Powell.   Carlos, a one man dynamo has created numerous venues for those interested in niche perfume through his Brooklyn Fragrance Lover YouTube videos as well as with his Brooklyn Fragrance Lover blog.  And if that wasn’t enough, he is the originator of the very popular Peace, Love and Perfume Facebook group, a group dedicated to the love of all things perfume.  If you know Carlos from any of these high profile perfume forums, you may also know that he is one of the original Goodsmellas, a group of male perfume aficionados based in the New York area that helped to break the glass ceiling when it came to perfume only being for the ladies.  In other words, they taught us that real men DO wear perfume.   As any blogger or vlogger can tell you, keeping up with regular posts and videos can be a daunting task.  Carlos continues to support all of these ventures while making it look as easy and seamless as possible.  In fact, in 2014 he even worked with a group of indie perfumers to create perfumes that were inspired by the name of his Facebook site, Peace, Love and Perfume called the PLP Project.  Bringing people together can be difficult.  Bringing people together who are passionate about perfume, all with varying preferences and tastes and with harmony is a monumental task.  But through these various endeavors, Carlos makes it happen with a little bit of Brooklyn magic and a smile.

Before we get into Carlos’ Random 10, he wanted to say a few words:

I’m truly honored to be chosen by The Scented Hound to be highlighted in this new series. Since I debuted Brooklyn Fragrance Lover in 2014, it has really taken off in a positive way. Sharing my passion for perfume with the world really brings joy to my heart. I do my best to provide content that is fresh and relevant, and presented in way that is fun and down to earth. I can’t help it, I’m truly a big kid at heart.

So let’s see what Carlos has to reveal in his Random 10…

  1. My favorite gift received was… an uber expensive niche perfume from the perfumer who created it. It sits on my shelf unopened and it’s original shrink wrap.
  2. I am most grateful for… my God given talent of near perfect pitch. Music has been a part of my life throughout the good times as well as the bad times. Keeps me sane.
  3. What drives me most crazy is… rude people in the NYC subway, especially those that clip their nails and loud cell phone yappers.
  4. The one thing I wish I would have been taught early in life is… don’t expect anything from anyone and you won’t be disappointed.
  5. My perfume tastes vary with… typically seasons, but sometimes my mood. There are times I will wear something that I know they’ll smell all the way in Hong Kong, and other times I prefer to wear something ethereal that only those in my close proximity can appreciate.
  6. If I could go back and live at any time in history I would choose… The Roaring 20’s. Seemed like a carefree and party period.
  7. I always cry when… I’ve had too much Scotch and I listen to the recent recording that some JHS friends and I did of songs from the musical Godspell. We actually performed it in 1978 when we were 14 years old, and did a reunion recording this year.
  8. The phrase I always overuse is… “Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one”
  9. The one thing that most people don’t know about me is… that I can count to 10 in Russian.
  10. My favorite way to relax is… cooking, especially long cooked dishes like Italian meat sauce, soups, and my specialty Dominican roast pork shoulder (Pernil).

Thanks to Carlos for providing a little bit of Brooklyn in the Random 10.  For more information on the Random 10, click here.

Please check out Carlos’ videos and blogs below.  And if you’re interested in joining the Peace Love Perfume group on Facebook, as it’s a member’s only group, please send Carlos a request via Facebook to be added.

Blog http://carlosbfl319.blogspot.com/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCKJhoBHK4Xs5zneLo5qFXg

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-Fragrance-Lover/286524191553480

Instagram http://instagram.com/brooklyn_fragrance_lover


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The Random 10: Jeroen Oude Sogtoen, Creative Director for Maison Mona di Orio

Jeroen Oude Sogtoen 1 (1)

I don’t know of anyone else in the perfume industry with a haunting gaze like Jeroen Oude Sogtoen.  A creative mind, with a passion for life, art and beauty; no doubt adds to this intensity.

Portrait Mona di Orio 1 (1)

Mona di Orio

What you may not know about Jeroen is that the fragrance industry wasn’t  his original chosen profession.  Instead, he started his career in fashion design after graduating from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and worked for ten years as a fashion designer, which then led to a transition in interior design leading to work in the hospitality industry.    It’s while working in hotel development that  he founded ZENOLOGY a lifestyle company committed to bringing hotel luxury to the home with environmentally friendly products.  In his search for a perfumer to help in this endeavor, he met Mona di Orio. In Mona, Jeroen saw an exceptional and talented artist that needed a brand to call her own.  Together they founded Maison Mona di Orio wherein Mona  became the brand’s nose and Jeroen the brand’s  eyes.  In 2004, the company launched their first fragrances, Lux, Carnation and Nuit Noire and a successful brand was born.  Tragically, in December 2011, Mona passed away leaving a legacy of launched and un-launched fragrances. After her death, Jeroen kept Mona’s legacy alive by continuing to develop and create perfumes under the Mona di Orio brand name which remain truly Monaesque; perfumes that are harmoniously balanced between the light and the dark.

In the spirit of rebirth, in 2015, Mona di Orio launched a new look in keeping with the brand’s philosophy and aesthetic by debuting a bold, yet soft, sleek and sensual, new bottle design. And just recently, Mona di Orio launched their newest creation, Bohea Bohème, created by perfumer Fredrick Dalman, a perfume designed to capture the smoldering delicacy of the distinctive and precious Bohea Tea cultivated in the Wuyi Mountains of China. Thanks to Jeroen, Mona di Orio lives on through the brand’s original iconic perfumes and new ones designed in elegance and uncompromising luxury.

So let’s see what Jeroen’s words reveal behind that haunting gaze:

  1. My favorite way to relax is …biking through big cities, having a drink at my local bar with my friends and talk about “life” (read: nothing)
  2. What drives me most crazy is…people who are not curious to learn and discover and people who lack passion.
  3. The greatest piece of advice I ever received has been …SEE what is around you and find inspiration in literally everything.
  4. What makes me smile is…young talent, like our new in-house perfume Fredrik Dalman (and of course: new shoes!)
  5. A guilty pleasure of mine is …when it’s a pleasure I don’t feel guilty, but I understand what you mean. Disco music, and since I am a very romantic guy, Romantic music of the sticky kind.
  6. My favorite food is…Asian, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and of course Japanese.
  7. When it comes to my organization skills, I…have the ability to make people enthusiastic and curious and push them the excel.
  8. My one recommendation for the fragrance industry is…make less but more relevant creations.
  9. I am hopelessly challenged by…having my own two companies – ZENOLOGY and Maison MONA DI ORIO – and to make sure that we keep on making it work.
  10. I get my fragrance industry news from…I try to stay away from getting too much information, because it can be confusing when you see so many new launches. I try to follow my own rhythm and get inspired by fashion, art, people, and traveling.

Who would have guessed that those eyes were hiding a love of disco and sappy romantic music?!  Thanks to Jeroen for revealing a little more of himself to our readers.

For more information on ZENOLOGY products and the Mona di Orio perfumes, including the newest release, Bohea Bohème, go to the websites below:

www.monadiorio.com

www.zenology.com

For more information on The Scented Hound’s Random 10, click here.


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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!