4 bones | The Scented Hound

November 12, 2013
by The Scented Hound 6 Comments

Raw Spirit – Bijou Vert by Nomad Two Worlds

WHAT I SMELL: Bijou Vert opens with a sweet citrus mixed with a warm floral on top of a tangy vetiver base. The sharp edges that sometimes come with vetiver are smoothed and rounded with an undertone of a layered warmth. The fragrance seems to radiate of my skin like sunshine. After about 20 minutes or so, a woodiness comes into effect, but thankfully that sweet and sparkling top layer refuses to go away! After that, just sit back and enjoy the fragrance. Bijou Vert isn’t complicated, but it’s wonderfully easy.

From the Nomad Two Worlds website:

RAW SPIRIT – BIJOU VERT (“Green Jewel”) was inspired by Haiti, the Caribbean isle once known as the “Jewel of the Antilles”.

This is an elegant and uplifting vetiver fragrance, featuring premium Haitian vetiver, grapefruit, mandarin, geranium, lotus flower, black pepper, benzoin, patchouli and cedarwood.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: radiant vetiver

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE BIJOU VERT: uplifting, positive, comforting

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BIJOU VERT: No reviews found thus far.

BOTTOM LINE: I often have problems with vetiver fragrances, but Bijou Vert is a lightly sweeter and softer vetiver which I find to my liking. No, it’s not earth shattering, but it is reasonably priced and it comes in a smaller size. Plus, buying it gives back to the planet. How’s that possible? Because part of the fragrance proceeds will be used to support sustainable Haitian agricultural projects in conjunction with the Nomad Two Worlds corporate socially responsible business mission. For more information on the objectives and goals of Nomad Two Worlds, check out their website and their other fragrance and product offerings.

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Vetiver
Nose: Harry Fremont
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $35 for 7.5ml EdP rollerball, from the Nomad Two Worlds website

November 6, 2013
by The Scented Hound 21 Comments

Atelier Cologne: Gold Leather & Silver Iris

GOLD LEATHER

WHAT I SMELL: Gold Leather opens with a warm and boozy rum. It’s juicy and it heats the back of your throat when you drink in the fragrance. The rum is tinged with sugar and cinnamon and its so good you want to eat it, like a decadent sugared rum frosting on the best cake you’ve ever tasted. In a bit, the leather starts to make an appearance , but it’s nice and soft. There’s nothing screaming with this leather, it’s like a purring pussycat. Gold Leather is big in that it’s beefy, not loud. The fragrance feels substantial and somewhat gourmand and it’s a fragrance that when you wear it, it makes you feel bold. The warm leather and boozy stage of the fragrance lasts for a long time. Only after a few hours, does the fragrance become a bit more woody and dryer. Gold Leather is destined to be one of my favorites for this fall and winter!

Notes from the Atelier Cologne website:

Top notes : bitter orange from Seville, Indian saffron, Jamaican rum

Heart notes : plum, davana from India, eucalyptus from California

Base notes : fraction of gaiac wood from India, fraction of cedarwood from Texas, leather & oud accord

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A matador in the center of a sun filled stadium.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE GOLD LEATHER: confident, sexy, bold

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GOLD LEATHER: Chemist in a Bottle, Scents of Self, Men’s Journal

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Leather
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $175 for 100ml Cologne Absolue

SILVER IRIS

WHAT I SMELL: It’s funny, out of the bottle, Silver Iris smells ungodly sweet, like sugar that has been freeze-dried. However, when it’s applied on my skin something completely different happens. Silver Iris goes on with this flattened layer of woodiness…it’s almost devoid of any depth, but instead is this singular layer of muted musk. After a bit, a slight leather appears, but again, it sits on this muted layer that I wonder is ever going to progress to anything else. After about 5 minutes I note a bit of iris and violet. But these florals are anchored in the ground, although they aren’t rooty, but are earthy in the sense that you see them as derived from a field rather than a gorgeous bouquet. After some additional time, a bit of pepper makes an appearance and the fragrance begins to bloom. The flattened opening starts to disappear like a bottle top has been opened and the genie has been let out of the bottle. As Silver Iris starts to grow it becomes bigger, spicier and a bit sweeter. There is an edge of sugar to the fragrance, but it’s more a sprinkle mixed with spice. After around 40 minutes or so, the sweetness takes over, but the fragrance never throws off too much power that it overwhelms. I wore this to the office the other day and it was the perfect scent for mild projection without objection. Silver Iris to me is one of those fragrances that smells better from afar which means, it smells better when my wrist is not up to my nose for a close up sniff.

Notes from the Atelier Cologne website:

Top notes : tangerine from Italy, pink pepper from China, blackcurrant from Burgundy

Heart notes : violet leaves from Grasse, iris Pallida from Tuscany, mimosa from Grasse

Base notes : patchouli from Indonesia, white amber, tonka bean from Brazil

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An iris cupcake.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SILVER IRIS: sweet, cheerful, likable

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SILVER IRIS: Perfume Posse, Bois de Jasmin, CaFleureBon

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $175 for 100ml Cologne Absolue

BOTTOM LINE: Both of these “Collection Metal” fragrances are winners and both in very different ways. Recently released, both of these are suited well for the cooler weather and will no doubt be used heavily by me this fall and winter.

October 2, 2013
by The Scented Hound 23 Comments

Puredistance Black

WHAT I SMELL: Black opens with a sweet and deep incense and smoky accord. I want to say there’s some bergamot and what seems to be a bit of floraled honey mixed with the smokiness. That initial smokiness breaks away somewhat to reveal this almost butter like creamy light almond. But as soon as I notice that, the incense starts to waft up from the bottom again, this time with what seems to be a bit of sueded leather. There’s a bit of sour that makes an appearance that doesn’t detract, but like the smoke and incense, seems to pop in and out. After around 15 minutes it seems like there is a bit of peppered metallic that makes an appearance. Again, it comes and goes like all of the other notes which seem to intermix seamlessly without one note dominating. In the end you’re left with a very light, close to the skin, smooth and elegant slightly woody incensed perfume.

From the Puredistance Black release materials:

A MYSTERIOUS AND CHARMING FRAGRANCE THAT STAYS CLOSE TO THE WEARER AND WHISPERS STYLE & ELEGANCE

Puredistance Black is an understated elegant and mysteriously charming perfume inspired by the concept of BLACK; a concept that for centuries has been associated with secrets, mystery and style.

Puredistance BLACK is created in Paris by the famous French Perfumer Antoine Lie based on a concept of Puredistance founder Jan Ewoud Vos. The essence of the concept was to create a perfume that is close to the wearer and releases sensual and elegant scent layers in a whispering way – without shouting. A mysterious fragrance that stays in the shadow, giving away – only every now and then – part of its delicate nature.

Antoine loved the concept and created a sophisticated perfume full of charm with the same elegant personality as the timeless classic Puredistance I, but then more masculine and oriental.

And as a consequence of the concept of BLACK (that treasures the beauty of the unknown) we will not reveal the ingredients of Puredistance BLACK…. Envision, Smell, Feel. Don’t analyse.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A man of many secrets. What I mean is that there is a mysteriousness that surrounds Black. It’s very subtle and holds very close to the skin. It leans masculine and it doesn’t reveal itself until you are close at hand…you might catch a whiff of the fragrance from a slight distance, but you wonder where this deep and dark fragrance originates from. Then you realize, It originates from the man of many secrets.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE BLACK: quality, enigmatic, smooth

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BLACK: BL’eauOG, Perfume Shrine

BOTTOM LINE: Once again Puredistance has created a fragrance that is of the utmost quality and elegance. The one thing about Black that I was not expecting though is how subtle it is and how much it wears close to the skin especially for a parfum concentration. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because Puredistance is not the house that creates perfumes that shout…”look at me,” and that’s a good thing!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Nose: Antoine Lie
Classification: Leans masculine
Expense: Black is a pure perfume (25% perfume oil) and will be available in November 2013. The EU retail price will be 165 euro for 17.5 ml, 275 euro for 60 ml. and 490 euro for the 100 ml. flacon.

Disclosure: Product for review provided courtesy of Puredistance.