fragrance | The Scented Hound

August 11, 2013
by The Scented Hound 23 Comments

Wild Bluebell by Jo Malone

I don’t get Jo Malone. I never did. Every time I walk by the Jo Malone counter at Nordstrom I just continue to walk on by. I can’t tell if it’s the bottles, the labels or the fact that they just look linen clean and rather boring. In any case, I was glad when the wonderful Undina sent me a couple of samples so that I could give this line a try. I hope I can test this without a prejudiced view but with an open mind. We’ll see…

WHAT I SMELL: Wild Bluebell opens with astringent aldehydes that burned by nose… uh, oh…my first impression is “bathtastic.” In this case it’s not because it smells soapy, but instead because it smells like something that should be used as bath beads or bath oil or some other “in the tub” kind of product. What Wild Bluebell smells exactly like is …Lily of the Valley. So much so that I’m not sure why this isn’t called Lily of the Valley instead. It’s kind of sweet, kind of leafy green and very clean. Thankfully, there is a nice light musk base that gives this fragrance some needed depth.

Wild Bluebell notes from Fragrantica:

Top notes: bluebell and cloves
Heart: lily of the valley, jasmine, rose hip
Base: white amber and musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: bath products

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE WILD BLUEBELL: girlish, simple, clean

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WILD BLUEBELL: The Sunday Girl , London MakeUp Girl, A Touch of Blusher

BOTTOM LINE: Not my thing. I like women’s perfume, but this seems very fresh face girlish to me. It’s safe, a bit dull and just too clean. Jo Malone recommends that you try layering their fragrances. Since I also received a sample of Orange Blossom, I decided to give this layering a go ahead. Surprisingly Wild Bluebell actually improved with the layering, but not enough to get me to change my mind. Sorry Undina, I know you love Jo Malone and please don’t think that I’m not grateful for the samples, I am. This just means that there will be much more Jo Malone for you. 😉

Bone Rating: 2.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Green
Classification: Unisex but leans feminine
Expense: Approximately $60 for 30ml EdC from the Jo Malone website

August 9, 2013
by The Scented Hound 21 Comments

Derby by Guerlain

About a year ago I smelled Derby at Bergdorf Goodman on paper and really liked it. However, Derby comes in this very unattractive wood bottle and that bothered me. Then I found out that it had previously come in the iconic bee bottle, but that had been discontinued in favor of the current bland boxy bottle. So of course I had to obsess about how to get my hands on a bee bottle. After searching around, including calling multiple Guerlain stores and reps, I came to the conclusion that I was not going to find my Derby bee bottle. So I finally gave up and moved on to my next perfume obsession.

Last month when I was in Chicago, I stopped by the Michigan Avenue Saks store where I asked the sales associate if they had any samples of Derby. Of course, I was given the “are you really asking me this” look and was told no. After wooing her with some charm, she managed to go to find a small decant bottle and she provided me with a 5ml decant of Derby which was more than I had expected. Note to sales associates: you’re not dispensing gold, just perfume.

WHAT I SMELL: Derby opens with bergamot and wonderful oakmoss (no wait, that’s carnation intended to mimic oakmoss) with a twist of lemon. It’s slightly sparkling and a bit powdery and dry. After a few minutes, Derby becomes a little more spicy… but it’s still fresh and clean. After that, Derby stays clean, but some wood is added to the spice. Supposedly there is leather there, but I have no idea where it is and figured that the cow must have run out of the door. I wish I could add more, but that’s really where Derby left me. It’s pleasant and pretty subdued and I found it to be a safe scent for men who don’t want to smell “out there.”

Derby Notes from Fragrantica:

Top notes are bergamot and orange; middle notes are spices, carnation and exotic woods; base notes are leather, birch, patchouli and woody notes

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Perfect for jeans, a white shirt and a blazer…easy, breezy casual, but looking great.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE DERBY: safe, neat, easy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DERBY: A Perfume Review, Scentrist.com

BOTTOM LINE: To me this smells a lot like my vintage Givenchy III, except with a slightly more masculine tinge. I would like to smell the vintage Derby because I have heard that it’s a bit beefier and contains actual oakmoss. The carnation mimics the oakmoss well, but it’s not the same as the real thing. Do I want a full bottle of Derby? No. Wait…if someone has a bee bottle that they want to get rid of, I would gladly take it!!

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Woody
Classification: Masculine
Expense: $245 for 100ml EdT

August 7, 2013
by The Scented Hound 21 Comments

Encens Mythique D’Orient by Guerlain

WHAT I SMELL: Encens Mythique D’Orient opens with an aldehyde and astringent pop, followed by bitter green. It’s initial opening is rather uninspired and kind of meh. So far this doesn’t feel “Guerlainy” to me. After about five long minutes I start to detect some incense, albeit ever so light and discreet. Encens Mythique D’Orient then become a bit sweeter, but sweeter with a sour tinge. Overall its very translucent. So much so, that I can barely smell it when I bring my wrist to my nose. Very strange…after around 10 minutes, I get what smells like a pencil. Actually, it’s not pencil shavings, but instead the smell of a pencil and its lead after you just finished sharpening it. After a couple more minutes, add a light sugar on top of the pencil. Thankfully at this point, the fragrance starts to blossom with the advent of some rose. Again, it’s restrained, but seems to have a bit more projection. After around what seems to be along 20 minutes I actually start to like this. The mix of rose and incense becomes intoxicating and is warm and full-bodied when I lift my wrist to my nose. Behind the sheer is some wonderful musky beef, but somehow with the beef Encens Mythique D’Orient manages to remain translucent. By now, it does feel “Guerlainy.” I like that.

From the Guerlain website:

Notes: rose, aldehydes, saffron, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, notes of undergrowth, ambergris, incense

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A veil. You want it to reveal itself, but it keeps you somewhat at bay.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ENCENS MYTHIQUE D’ORIENT: translucent, warming, mysterious

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ENCENS MYTHIQUE D’ORIENT: Kafkaesque, Smellythoughts, The Alembicated Genie

BOTTOM LINE: I like this, but don’t love it as much as the wonderful Rose Nacree, one of the other fragrances in the Les Deserts d’Orient collection. But that won’t keep me from spritzing some more on.

CONFESSION: I was going through my mess of samples and I believe that this came from the wonderful Undina. Thanks Undina. If it did not come from Undina, whoever sent me this with love, I am so sorry for such sloppy housekeeping! New Years resolution number 1013: organize and track my samples!

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Woody
Nose: Thierry Wasser
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $190 Euros from the Guerlain website for 75ml EdP