EDT | The Scented Hound

May 11, 2016
by The Scented Hound 15 Comments

Vintage Chaldée by Jean Patou

WHAT I SMELL: Vintage Chaldée opens with a deep warm full-bodied floral bouquet. I’m not sure if the top notes are still there as the perfume sets very quickly into the resin based floral presentation. The perfume is thick and rich with a deep lilac presenting itself as the floral star. But the lilac isn’t soft and gentle, instead its thickened with the opoponox. After a while, a dust covers the base of the perfume, giving it a vintage feel without making it feel like it belongs in another time. The dust then turns to more of a cotton and for some reason it reminds me if the smell of brand new white tube socks. After around 20 minutes, the vanilla brings an ever so slight sweetness to the warmed florals. Funny, after around 1/2 hour, a little bit of civet seems to creep in giving the perfume an added depth and dimension. Finally, the perfume ends it’s journey in this warmed and flattened bouquet that projects this beautiful and confident persona.

Top notes: orange blossom and hyacinth. Heart: jasmine, lilac and narcissus. Base: opoponax, amber and vanilla.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A grand hat from a bygone era.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CHALDÉE: warm, contained, deep

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CHALDÉE: Now Smell This, Perfume Shrine, I Smell Therefore I Am

BOTTOM LINE: For an eau de toilette, vintage Chaldee has a large personality and is incredibly long-lasting. I recently had a chance to test the newly reissued version in eau de parfum concentration and it opened up grand and glorious much like the original. I was ecstatic. However, surprisingly enough, it didn’t have the lasting power and it turned rather dark on me. I do need to give it another chance though…but the vintage….oh my, beautiful. Thanks to Holly for this beautiful gift!

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Henri Almeras in 1927
Classification: Leans feminine, but could be unisex
Expense: Prices vary on eBay.

April 25, 2016
by The Scented Hound 33 Comments

Les Exclusifs de Chanel Beige

WHAT I SMELL: Beige opens with bright aldehydes and then quickly moves to a soft, cottony mix of delicate flowers. The perfume is incredibly demure and unassuming and the freesia and frangipani are wonderfully muted. I often wondered if I could ever like a perfume that held frangipani…I think I finally found “the one.” The perfume doesn’t transform much, but instead, feels as if a ray of sunshine has warmed the perfume and made it grow oh so slightly. There’s a lovely combination of warmth and coolness at play; it feels tinged with sunshine, but there’s a cool breeze that provides for an underlay. After around 10 minutes, the perfume begins to dry and the perfume begins to powder. At this point, it feels like a light layer of talcum is covering your skin. The florals also begin to retain a woody texture, rather like a light balsa wood. After around 20 minutes, the perfume takes on a delicate sweetness of honey. It’s just the right amount of light sugar to make the perfume sparkle. Who knew beige could be so beautiful?

From the Chanel website:

“I take refuge in beige because it’s natural,” said Mademoiselle Chanel. An elusive colour with infinite variations, beige may seem quite ordinary. And yet, behind this apparent simplicity, it hides a discreet sensuality that builds slowly before revealing itself fully. This sensual outburst is interpreted by Jacques Polge through a bouquet of Hawthorn, Freesia and Frangipani, with shimmering hints of honey. A stunning blend of white petals and yellow gold…in other words, a breath of beige.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Central Park, NYC. The Upper East side social set meets the tranquility of the park.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BEIGE: unassuming, elegant, effortless

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BEIGE: Bois de Jasmin, Now Smell This, Perfume Shrine

BOTTOM LINE: I believe that I have overlooked Beige over the years due to the name. The name renders thoughts of cardboard boxes and abject nothingness. Instead, Beige proves to be an uncomplicated, subtle and beautiful understated classic. I’ll never think of beige as being boring anymore.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Jacques Polge
Classification: Leans feminine, but is rather unisex
Expense: $160 for 2.5 oz. Eau de Toilette (review based on the EdT version. Also available in parfum extrait.)

April 4, 2016
by The Scented Hound 24 Comments

Hermès 24, Faubourg

If you like to shop around and explore estate sales, you know that every once in a blue moon you’ll run across one that is truly special. Recently, I found a sale that mentioned a large collection of perfumes, but didn’t have pictures or brand names listed. I took a chance. As it turns out, the woman of the house was a former sales representative for Escada and Annick Goutal so there was quite the collection. No one at the sale was interested in the perfumes, so I snatched up a collection of 3 100 ml perfumes, a couple of fragrance brand candles and 12 mini perfumes for $90. One of those perfumes was a full 100 ml bottle of Hermes 24, Faubourg eau de toilette. Whereas some of the perfumes there were multiple in stock, the Hermès was the only one. I had to snatch it up. By the way, the next week, I noted that they moved the remaining bottles of perfumes that didn’t sell to another sale that was in walking distance from my house. Of course I had to go back! I managed to pick up two 125 ml tester bottles of Annick Goutal EdTs, Passion and Heure Exquise for $5 each! How could I say no to such bargains?!

Now before I get into my review, I should note that I did purchase a bottle of 24, Faubourg EDP a couple of years ago. As much of a fan as I am of white floral perfumes, I found the eau de parfum version much to cloying and heavy for my tastes. So buying the EdT was a gamble. Let’s see if it payed off…

WHAT I SMELL: 24, Faubourg opens with a vibrant, bright, a rather sugared ylang ylang which quickly moves to a warmer pulsating rapturous collection of florals which are seamless in their blending. After a short time, an ambered warmth sets base for a rounded bouquet dusted with oak moss and a spiced jasmine begins to dominate. There’s not much progression in 24, Faubourg, but in the end, the perfume resides in a pared down “big” floral heaven. 24 Faubourg is a striking beauty that falls into the big floral category like Ysatis and 1000. But 24 Faubourg is one of those perfumes that doesn’t play second fiddle to anyone.

From the Hermès website:

A novel composed by Maurice Roucel in 1995, 24, Faubourg is an invitation to travel, with the sun as its destination. A sparkle of white flowers in the top notes, the radiance of a floral heart enveloped in irises, woods and mystery, while vanilla and ambergris set the tone for the sillage.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A woman of refinement; Princess Grace in her later years.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE 24, FAUBOURG: radiant, warm, in-control

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT 24, FAUBOURG: Now Smell This, I Smell Therefore I Am, Olfactoria’s Travels

BOTTOM LINE: Whereas the eau de parfum version of 24, Faubourg was just too heavy for me, the eau de toilette version fits just right. I absolutely am in love with this floral beauty. This will be a mainstay in my collection for years to come!

Bone Rating: 5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Chypre Floral
Nose: Maurice Roucel
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $150 for 3.3 oz. Eau de Toilette