The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.


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Thameen Royal Sapphire

WHAT I SMELL:  Royal Sapphire opens with an invitingly sweet combination of bergamot and mandarin that quickly begins to warm and infuse itself with the biggest, most full bodied jasmine.  It’s heady, it’s intoxicating and it’s almost bubblegum sweet.  I might be turned off by that, but the finish of the mandarin and orange blossom seems to hold back the surprising boldness of it all.  Now all I have to do is to wait and see if it begins to retreat…and after some time it begins to.  After a short while, the jasmine begins to even out and a very subtle, flattened grey amber begins to lift towards the florals from below.  As such, the sweetened boldness turns more towards the cashmere.  At this point the perfume begins to soften and become a bit fuzzy with just a hint of powder.  And ever so quietly, the perfume begins its journey to the pretty as some patchouli brings a lightly sweetened finish to the now muted jasmine and the dried and powdery woods.  Don’t get me wrong, Royal Sapphire never really quiets to a point that it becomes mild and meek, instead it remains quite bold throughout it’s life.  Royal Sapphire cannot be called a shrinking violet.

From the Thameen London website:

The bright blue sapphires of the Crown Jewels are treasured by the British Royal Family and form the inspiration for this enchanting new fragrance. With the delicate combination of bergamot, mandarin and amber, Royal Sapphire fragrance recreates the desired depth and dazzling brilliance of the crown jewels. This fragrance is Thameen’s Jewel in the Crown.

Top Notes: Bergamot, mandarin
Heart Notes: Orange blossom, jasmine
Base Notes: Grey amber, patchouli, moss, amber, dry wood

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Royal Sapphire is less like sapphire jewelry and more like a cozy and comfortable sapphire colored throw.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ROYAL SAPPHIRE:  pronounced, comfortable, different

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ROYAL SAPPHIRE:  CaFleureBon, British Beauty Blogger

BOTTOM LINE:  A member of the Sovereign collection, Royal Sapphire is my first foray into the Thameen line of perfumes.  I like it…but can’t say I love it.  Overall it’s a nice perfume that could be worn on any occasion especially if you want to be noticed.   

  • Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Amber Woody
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $285 for 50ml parfum extrait

* Sample provided by Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary.


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Atelier Materi Santal Blond

WHAT I SMELL:  Santal Blond opens with a warmed cardamom infused bergamot that quickly moves to a putty like chewy jasmine with a deep undertow of sandalwood.  The chewiness seems to last but for a minute as it moves more to a puffy cotton ball cloud of a dream.  Mixed within the cloud is just a hint of bourbon which has a lightly caramel sugared feel to it.  Overall, the perfume is full of projection but in a very soft and light manner as if it’s drifting off the air in the breeze.  As the perfume continues to develop it really begins to move to the woody and become linear in the most wonderful of ways.  What I mean is that it seems to lessen in it’s complexity to create this very intimate sheen of warm and soft sandalwood without any harsh edges.  

From the Atelier Materi website:

Sacred tree, sandalwood is a peculiar exotic wood. Once distilled, powerful velvety, creamy notes with smoky undertones are unleashed.

In SANTAL BLOND, the perfumer Lucas Sieuzac selects an exceptional natural sandalwood from Australia and chooses to reveal its luminous facets.

After a fresh and spicy opening carried by the cardamom, the perfumer pairs the sandalwood with rich floral jasmine notes and warm Tonka bean accents.

A gentle and luminous sandalwood with a discreet elegance.

Notes –

Top: Bergamot, Cardamom

Heart: Jasmine, Sandalwood

Base: Hinoki Bourbon, Tonka Bean

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Moonlit woods.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SANTAL BLOND:  soft, serene, mysterious

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SANTAL BLOND:  CaFleureBon

BOTTOM LINE:  Santal Blond isn’t a perfume that I find to be incredibly unique, but I do find that it’s calming and very easy to wear.  Plus, I do think it’s a perfume that could be a shapeshifter depending on your mood or the occasion you’re wearing it for.  

  • Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Amber Woody
  • Nose:  Lucas Sieuzac
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $260 for 100ml eau de parfum

* Sample provided by Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary.


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Tom Ford Ébène Fumé

WHAT I SMELL: Ébène Fumé opens with a soft woody smokiness tinged with labdanum and leather.  It’s calming, serene and wonderfully subtle. As the perfume develops, the incense loses a bit of its sharpness and a smooth and slightly creamy cistus enters.  At this point, the perfume feels like a sheath of light leather is embracing your skin.  Hints of florals help to make the creation more rounded which helps to keep it from becoming too smoky.  Beyond that, the perfume doesn’t develop much except for the addition of a lightly sweetened guaiac woody note.  Ébène Fumé isn’t a game changing perfume, but it’s perfect for those times when you are looking for quiet reflection.

From the Tom Ford website:

ÉBÈNE FUMÉ MERGES THE PURIFYING ESSENCE OF PALO SANTO WITH NOTES OF SEDUCTIVE EBONY WOOD, AROUSING EXQUISITE CALM AND HEIGHTENED SPIRITUAL LUXURY.

ÉBÈNE FUMÉ CONJURES TRANSCENDENT SPIRITUAL CALM THROUGH THE MYSTICAL ESSENCE OF PALO SANTO SMOKE – STOKED BY THE WARM ELEGANCE OF CISTUS ABSOLUTE, ROSES, AND SEDUCTIVE NOTES OF EBONY WOOD, CAPTURED IN SLEEK, SUBLIME NOTES OF LEATHER.

Top notes are Incense, Palo Santo, Black Pepper and Violet Leaf; middle notes are Leather, Labdanum, Cade oil, Papyrus and Rose; base notes are resins, ebony tree and Guaiac Wood.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Old leather bound books which have been stored in a church rectory for hundreds of years.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ÉBÈNE FUMÉ:  serene, calming, contented

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ÉBÈNE FUMÉ:  CaFleureBon, Temptalia

BOTTOM LINE:  It is Memorial Day today in the United States.  A day that is for remembering and honoring those who have served the country since its inception.  I thought that this calming perfume would be the perfect scent to pay tribute to those who came before us and to pray for peace around the world during these trying times.  No, perfume can’t create world peace, but if anything, it can help to soothe our souls.

  • Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Amber Woody
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $270 for 50ml eau de parfum