The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: EDT


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Eau de Givenchy by Givenchy

Eau de GivenchyWHAT I SMELL:  Eau de Givenchy opens with a lovely opening of bright bergamot which melds into a minty, soapy, light orange.  The perfume is clean and minty fresh and pleasingly uncomplicated.  After a few minutes the mint begins to dissipate to reveal a more floral heart that’s still light, but is also warmed and radiant.  The white and slightly soapy florals that feels somewhat green are the stars here in this simple and easy to wear pretty perfume.  There’s not much to say about Eau de Givenchy except that simple sometimes makes perfect.

From Fragrantica:

Eau de Givenchy opens with the sparkling notes of grapefruit, accompanied by sweet and fresh notes of mandarin orange and bergamot, mint and red fruit. The middle notes add luscious and intensive scent of ylang-ylang, honeysuckle, pure jasmine, narcissus, tuberose, lily-of-the-valley, rose, cyclamen and orris root. Base notes introduce warm sandalwood, musk, cedar and oakmoss.

Simple Summer DressWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A pretty, easy to wear, simple summer dress.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE EAU DE GIVENCHY:  easy, effortless, pleasing

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT EAU DE GIVENCHY:   I couldn’t find any on this quiet and unassuming 1980s launched perfume.

BOTTOM LINE:  What’s interesting about Eau de Givenchy is that it was created at the time when perfumes were big, bold and over the top just like the fashion of the time.  Eau de Givenchy is the antithesis of all of the excess and that’s probably why it continues to be in production.  It’s just that light and easy.

  • Bone Rating:  3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Floral
  • Nose:  Daniel Moliere and Daniel Hoffmann
  • Classification: Feminine
  • Expense: Varies greatly online for Eau de Toilette


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Philosykos by Diptyque

philosykosWHAT I SMELL:  Philosykos opens with one second of sparkling ozone followed by this inviting coconut and fig.  It’s green and feels earthy and rooty like vines that are meeting the ground and attaching themselves to the earth below.  There’s a creaminess that helps to create what feels like a lush carpet of wood and green and mildly ripening fruit.  For some reason I was expecting this to be sweet, but it’s far from that.  Instead, the perfume is subdued and pulsates within the heart of the jungle with a comforting earthiness.  After around 15 minutes the fragrance warms with a sugared spiced cedar and a light soapiness adding more comfort and security to an already comforting perfume.  Be forewarned however that a little goes a long way with Philosykos.  If you get heavy-handed with your application, this could be way too overpowering.

From the Diptyque website:

In the heat of a Greek summer, “to get to the sea,” recalls Yves, “you had to walk through a natural orchard of wild fig trees.” Returning from Paris, Desmond brought back a few leaves of these trees in a little box. Years later, the leaves had lost none of their fragrance. Philosykos, which in Greek means “friend of the fig tree,” is an ode to the entire tree: the green, pungent freshness of the leaves, the wood warmed in the sun, the milky flavor of the fruit.

Notes from Fragrantica;

Top notes are fig leaf and fig; middle notes are coconut and green notes; base notes are cedar, woody notes and fig tree.

Red Monkeys and FigWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: What in my mind, Borneo smells like.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE PHILOSYKOS:  inviting, comforting, creamy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PHILOSYKOS: Olfactoria’s Travels, The Scentualist, The Smelly Vagabond

BOTTOM LINE: Philosykos is the perfect perfume for those sunny spring and summer days when you don’t want to fuss and muss with your wardrobe or your perfume.  It’s a comfortable, carefree and easy to wear perfume that makes me wish I could walk outside barefoot and lie in a hammock in the backyard.  If only it wasn’t 30 degrees outside!!!                                          

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Scent:  Woody Aromatic
  • Nose:  Olivia Giacobetti
  • Classification:  Unisex
  • Expense:  $90 for 50ml EdT from the Diptyque website


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Bois 1920 Vetiver Ambrato

bois-1920-vetiver-ambrato-eau-de-parfumWHAT I SMELL:  Vetiver Ambrato opens with bergamot, warmed cloves and spiced geranium; it’s very cozy and rather masculine.  After a couple of minutes, the fragrance becomes almost mentholated as the lavender and vetiver blend into an amber finish with just a slight sour touch of patchouli.  There’s a tobacco that makes its way into the mix and a mild booziness and a bit of finished old world leather.  After 15 minutes, the fragrance lightens and become more powdery as a light vanilla adds just the right amount of sweetness without adding any heaviness.  In the end, the Bois 1920 is a powdered dusting of comfort.

From the Bois 1920 website:

Elegantly and profoundly seductive.

An absolutely masculine perfume that embodies all the power and mystery of modern man.

These suggestions of the fragrant architecture of an eau de toilette make their debut with sparkling, tonic notes towards a warm and spicy middle note to conclude with a virile, provocative top note that surprises again and again.

Top:  Bergamot, Lemon, Petitgrain, Cloves, Geranium, Artemisia
Heart: Patchouly, Lavender, Vetyver, Sandalwood, Cedarwood
Dry down: Tobacco leaves, Musk, Amber, Vanilla, Benzoin, Labdanum, Galbanum

stuffed leather chairWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Your grandfathers favorite chair at the cabin at the lake; it’s worn and comfy and smells of pipe, wood and lots of wonderful living.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE VETIVER AMBRATO:  comfy, easy-going, secure

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT VETIVER AMBRATO:  NotableScents, ChickenFreak’s Obsession

BOTTOM LINE:  This is a vetiver scent that’s not all about vetiver and it’s an amber scent that’s not all about amber.  What you get is a nice combination of muted qualities from both.  So if you don’t like truly green vetiver fragrances or heavy and brown amber scents, this might be just the right fragrance for you!

  • Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Oriental Woody
  • Nose:  Enzo Galardi
  • Classification: Unisex, but leans masculine
  • Expense:  Varies greatly per store or site.  Eau de Toilette.