The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: fragrance


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Cristina by Hilde Soliani

CristinaWHAT I SMELL:  Cristina’s note are all there upon opening…sweet creamy vanilla, labdanum and patchouli.  The fragrance feels as if it’s a big juicy gourmand cake that’s all thick and rich.  Very quickly, an incense is added to the mix along with a resinous spice.  After the initial cake like opening, Cristina becomes hazy, smoky, spicy and somehow familiar, yet different.  As it begins to drydown, the fragrance becomes dryer and more earthy.  And after around 30 minutes a salty accord adds a rather sweaty and natural component which makes it feel more real. In the end, the fragrance becomes woody and dry, with the incense just hovering above the labdanum. The development overall is not complex, but it feels like a fragrance that has a story to tell.  The only real downside to Cristina is the longevity; after around an hour, it pretty much becomes a very light skin scent.

Cristina Notes: patchouli, labdanum, vanilla

Sophia Loren in WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Sophia Loren in 1960’s Two Woman (La Ciociara).  Her heartbreaking Academy Award winning performance about a woman and her daughter in war-torn Italy in WWII supports this earthy, worn, smoky and haunting perfume.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE CRISTINA: ominous, storied, melancholy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CRISTINA:  Now Smell This, Bloody Frida

BOTTOM LINE:  I was always curious about the Hilde Soliano line, especially the Gli Invisibili series depicting a female saint on a cross with an angel kneeling by her side which is bizarrely and intriguingly different from a branding standpoint.  Overall this is good, but is similar to two Maria Candida Gentile perfumes, Exultat and Sideris which I believe are executed a little better with more longevity and projection.

  • Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Oriental Woody
  • Nose:  Hilde Soliani
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $160 for 100ml EdP


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A Hound CaFleureBon Post: New Perfume Review – Maison Francis Kurkdjian masculin Pluriel and féminin Pluriel + Un Homme et Un Femme Draw

MFK PlurielThere is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. There’s only us, there’s only this; forget regret, or life is yours to miss, no other road, no other way, no day but today.  – Lyric from Another Day (Rent)

Master and prolific perfumer Francis Kurkdjian has launched his latest creations as part of the new Pluriel collection in the Maison Francis Kurkdjian line.   Comprised of two fragrances, masculin Pluriel and feminin Pluriel.  Kurkdjian’s inspiration for the genesis of this new line was his quest to create eternal femininity  and masculinity in fragrance unbound from convention.  These two new unique fragrances are designed to evoke freedom and sensuality while harnessing a timelessness required for the creation of two classic perfumes with modern sensibilities.

masculin Pluriel and feminin Pluriel are sublime in their masterful interpretation of their individuality.  Together, masculin Pluriel and feminin Pluriel create a mirror image of equaled masculinity and femininity and an understanding that the blending of those distinct traits makes for the perfect pairing.

To read the full review on CaFleureBon and to enter in a draw to win a sample of each, click here.


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New Release: Sotto la Luna GARDENIA by Tauer Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL:  Sotto la Luna GARDENIA’s opening is green and slightly sharp along with being big and bold with a semi-vintage vibe.  The initial opening is met quickly with a gourmand sweetness like almond extrait that’s layered under a spiced rose.  And soon enough a creaminess develops that helps to radiate this incredible floral warmth as the notes begin to bounce around like a symphony of full-bodied petals.  How can you not love a big, bold floral like this?  Sotto la Luna GARDENIA is sweet with its gourmand almond and vanilla, but there’s a depth that keeps it from becoming saccharine as the sandalwood and tonka keep it leveled.  As Sotto la Luna GARDENIA continues to develop, it deepens and the florals project off the skin like they’re about to burst.  The sweetness then begins to dissipate to be taken over by a more earthy component, like the heavy flowers are being plucked from the ground.  At this point, the fragrance is heady, intoxicating and dreamy.  After some more time, the florals retreat and the vanilla comes to the forefront and it’s creamy, lush and it swirls off the skin.  After about an hour, Sotto la Luna GARDENIA begins to settle and calm.  At this point the drydown is DIVINE, as it’s smooth, warm, lightly almond sugared and lightly powdered.  In the end Sotto la Luna GARDENIA is incredibly comforting; so much so that it makes me want to purr like a kitten!

From the Tauer Perfumes website:

Sotto la Luna®, inspired by white flowers blooming under the moon.

Head Notes:  The spicy freshness of gardenia budding under a bright moon.

Heart Notes: The green floral delicacy of gardenia in full bloom with a gentle rose.

Body Notes:  The powdery mossiness of ripe gardenia with a hint of jasmine, in a bed of sandalwood, tonka and vanilla.

Riding a Crescent MoonWHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Riding a Crescent Moon 

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SOTTO LA LUNA GARDENIA: creamy, luscious, narcotic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SOTTO LA LUNA GARDENIA:  Is it possible that there aren’t any reviews of this yet?

BOTTOM LINE:  If you are looking for a straight up Gardenia fragrance, Sotto la Luna GARDENIA is not for you.  However, if you are looking for a deeply delicious rounded floral that makes your head dizzy with intoxication, this IS for you (and of course, for me!)

  • Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Floral
  • Nose:  Andy Tauer
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $145 for 50ml (Available via pre-order through Twisted Lily and Indigo Perfumery with shipping in early September)