The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: fragrance


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Sana Jardin Revolution de la Fleur

WHAT I SMELL:  Revolution de la Fleur opens with a delightful sweetened frangipani that’s evened out with a delicate and subtle rose.  It’s buttery and tropical and feels as if it’s kissed by the sun.  The frangipani has a bit of a candied essence, like that of a hard candied necklace and overall it provides the sensation of an explosion of color which equals pure happiness.  Revolution De La Fleur doesn’t so much develop as bloom.  As it wears, a beautiful ylang-ylang places itself at the center, like the queen of the tropics.  Here the perfume settles, less sweet but complete floral radiance as the scent of the flowers float as if on a breeze in the heat of the afternoon.  In the end, a bit of vanilla keeps the perfume slightly sweet and keeps the flowers (the frangipani, ylang-ylang and what seems to be a tuberose) remaining intact and a light sandalwood provides for just a hint of spice.

Notes from the Sana Jardin website:

Top: Rose, Frangipani
Heart: Neroli, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine
Base: Vanilla Bean Extract, Sandalwood

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Tropical happiness.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE REVOLUTION DE LA FLEUR:  sun-sweet, tropical, buttery

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT REVOLUTION DE LA FLEUR:  Now Smell This, Persolaise

BOTTOM LINE:  Revolution de la Fleur is a pretty perfume that will delight those who love a good tropical perfume.  But with these heady florals, it’s important to remember that when wearing it, a little goes a long way.  When applied correctly, the perfume is incredibly delightful.  You should also note that Sana Jardin perfumes are all natural.  And for being all natural, this perfume has incredible lasting power.  Oh, and the bottles are simply elegant…always a nice touch as far as I’m concerned.

  • Bone Rating:  3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Floral
  • Classification: Leans feminine
  • Expense:  Starting at £ 180, available in 50ml or 100ml eau de parfum from the Sana Jardin website.


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Bonheur by Bortnikoff Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL:  Bonheur opens with a warm and enveloping sparkling bergamot combined with an oppulent mix of herbs and florals.  It’s coolly warm in the sense that there’s a citrus freshness mixed with a rapturous warmth that surrounds you in the most welcoming and quiet way.  Bonheur slowly develops in a very non-linear way which makes the perfume feel exotic and seductive while at the same very approachable all while it draws you into its mystery.  After some time, the warmth turns more to a spicy herbal as it vibrates and begins to project a wonderful buzzing haze off of the skin.  As soon as this transition occurs, a green fir appears, lightening the perfume and an oakmoss begins to dry and powder the magical elixir.  But still after some more time, the more exotic once again seems to layer itself over the oakmoss with a lovely clove and incense note.  To me, the drydown is pure heaven.

Notes from the Bortnikoff website:

Top notes: Bergamot, Cardamom, Frangipani, Tagetes, and Cempaka
Heart notes: Oakmoss, Vetiver,Violet, Ambergris, Myrrh, Clove and Nutmeg
Base notes: Cedarwood, Labdanum, Vanilla and Tonka bean

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  The quiet grace of a an ancient Buddhist temple.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BONHEUR:  majestic, calming, exotic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BONHEUR:  No reviews found.

BOTTOM LINE:  Perfumer Dmitry Bortnikov has created a masterfully blended perfume that transcends layers of combined notes.  Instead, Bonheur weaves a magical spell that serenely drifts off the skin in the most beautiful way.  Bonheur is a perfume that makes you feel as if you’re on top of the world looking down with all the beauty and grandeur that this world has to offer.

  • Bone Rating:  4.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Chypre
  • Nose:  Dmitry Bortnikov
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense:  $180 for 30ml parfum extrait via Luckyscent or the Bortnikoff Perfumes website.


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Frost by St. Clair Scents

WHAT I SMELL:  Frost (not to be confused with cool weather, instead the perfume is named in homage to poet Robert Frost) is first warmed with a sun-filled bergamot and waxy herbal lemon and honeysuckle.  It’s so beautiful in its warmth and radiance that you can feel the sunshine bask off of your skin.  The opening is pure comfort and reassurance that all is right with the world.  After a few minutes the waxy and depth of warmth begins to lighten in mass, only to bring out a layer of incense that is incredibly subtle and which has an effect of a fire that’s off in the distance.  Then as that haze begins to soften, a cocoon of labdanum begins to rise from beneath, once again taking the perfume into an intoxicating warmth.

From the St. Clair Scents website:

An homage to the great New England poet, Robert Frost, whose summer writing cabin in the woods still stands a mere 25 miles from our farm.

Many of Frost’s poems are filled with olfactory imagery.

This scent follows the story of Frost’s poem, “To Earthward” which describes the transformation of youthful love, from “sweet like the petals of the rose” and “sprays of honeysuckle” to painful love, which stings like “bitter bark”, “burning clove” and “rough earth.”

This scent weaves together accords of clove and smoke; bitter woods and earth; sweet rose and rose geranium; sprays of honeysuckle and sparkling citrus.

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Mandarin Yellow and Green, Coriander, Petitgrain sur fleur, Meyer Lemon
  • Middle Notes: Honeysuckle Accord, Rose Geranium, Elderflower Absolute, Petitgrain Absolute
  • Base Notes: Cistus, Labdanum Absolute, Vanilla Absolute, Vetiver , Cedar, Smoke, Clove Absolute

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  smoky serenity

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE FROST:  comforting, radiant, serene

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FROST: I Scent You a Day, Now Smell This, Kafkaesque

BOTTOM LINE:  Perfumer Diane St. Clair has created an incredibly beautiful and serene scent that soothes the soul.  Frost is an intimate perfume that when you wear it, it feels like yours and yours alone.

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Nose:  Diane St. Clair
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense:  $65 for 13 ml via the St. Clair Scents website