The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: fragrance


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New Release: Foxy by DSH Perfumes

Tis the season of the fox!  For living in the heart of a metropolitan area, it always surprises me every spring that the local foxes seem to come out of their intown lairs to go hunting in the dew of the morning.  It’s always my delight when grabbing the newspaper on the front walk to see a fox go traipsing down the street.  As a city boy, this makes me extremely happy and I have to say that foxes are easily one of my favorite wild animals.  So I was thrilled to see that DSH’s latest offering was called Foxy.  Let’s see if this new fox on the block makes me equally as happy…

WHAT I SMELL:  Foxy opens with a spiced cinnamon and lightly boozy opening.  There’s also a anise candied note that reminds me of ribbon candy.  The perfume is warm, rather animalic and somewhat wild and feral.  After a little while, the feral starts to lessen and the perfume begins to purr as it softens and evens out.  The perfume doesn’t develop all that much.  Instead, it smoothens to a light and warmed floral amber that covers you in the softest of fur.  Yes, when wearing this you’ll definitely be foxy.

From the DSH Perfume website:

A smart, sexy, and playful retro-nouveau animalic fragrance that features the fur accord paired with a spiced – boozy beginning, and a rich, ambery drydown.  You will definitely feel FOXY in this!

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  A fox of course!

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE FOXY: stealthy, content, smooth

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FOXY:  No reviews to be found.

BOTTOM LINE:  Foxy is a sexy perfume that isn’t complicated, yet maintains an aura of mystery and seductive confidence with the most sublime drydown.  Now, this is my kind of fox!

  • Bone Rating:  3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Animalic
  • Nose: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: Prices and concentrations vary via the DSH Perfumes website.  Review based on the Voile de Parfum version.

Sample provided my DSH Perfumes.  Opinion my own.


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New Release: Durga by D.S. & Durga

WHAT I SMELL:  Oh how I love an opening that’s creamy, heady, full of smooth as silk orris butter and orange blossom and that’s big, big, big and incredibly intoxicating. Phew…it’s like diving into a tub filled with the most narcotic of jasmine, ylang, ylang and tuberose blossoms.  With all of this going on, there’s a green melon note that lurks below the florals and a dried and distinctive chrysanthemum note that smells like pencil shavings.   The perfume is pure heaven in that it’s exotic, beautiful, dreamy and incredibly rapturous.  It’s also full of life…big life.  The perfume continues to green as it wears, but the hypnotic florals seems to glide on, albeit a bit quieter.  In the end, the beautiful florals thankfully don’t make way for a nondescript wood or musk.  Instead, the perfume retains this lush green fruity floral persona that at times feels like bouquet of the flowers  and at other times it has a strangely curious fruity gourmand feel that makes you want to lick the goodness off of your skin.  Durga has clearly cast its spell on me.

From the D.S. & Durga website:

Palatial doses of the finest floral absolutes –
tuberose, orris butter, orange blossom, sambac jasmine,
chrysanthemum, and ylang.  Unimaginably narcotic.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A jubilant floral explosion.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE DURGA: bountiful, voluminous, concentrated

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DURGA:  None to be found.

BOTTOM LINE:  I believe by now it’s clearly obvious that I love this perfume.  And why not, it holds everything that I love, heady white florals, orris butter, and the most intoxicating tuberose.  Some may question the price, but to me, this limited edition of floral heaven is worth every penny!

  • Bone Rating:  4.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Floral Green
  • Nose:  David Moltz
  • Classification: Feminine
  • Expense: $350 for 50 ml eau de parfum – limited edition

* Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary.  Opinion my own.


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Signature Wild by Art de Parfum

WHAT I SMELL:  Signature Wild’s opening is bright and sparkling with a fresh blast of herbal spice which moves quickly to a bone dry flattened fruit.  The perfume takes on a slightly sour edge that feels like it has been drained of juice and has been left out to dry and age.  Soon, the sour and light decay start to retreat and a warm labdanum seems to roll on in like a fog covering the horizon.  At this point, the perfume becomes more rugged and incredibly sexy.  There’s a hefty beef that’s evident, but it’s not in the way that overt…instead it radiates confidence.  A quiet and subdued leather is then met with a lightly sweetened balsam and a buzzing vetiver.  Here the perfume remains…unassuming with subdued sexiness that’s easy to wear.

From the Art de Parfum website:

UNAPOLOGETICALLY DARK AND WILD.

This highly addictive fragrance combines a powerful leather accord with the boozy and syrupy davana herb and sweet delicacy of orange blossom

TOP NOTES: cinnamon, davana, cardamon

MIDDLE NOTES: orange blossom, dried fruits, radiant woods

BASE NOTES: labdanum (cistus), leather, sandalwood, Peru balsam, Haitian vetiver

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Robert Mitchum.  Smoldering sexuality and quiet virility.  A little dangerous and always in control.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SIGNATURE WILD:  self-assured, unpretentious, manly

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SIGNATURE WILD:  Colognoisseur, The Scented Apprentice, I Scent You A Day

BOTTOM LINE:  Art de Parfum debuted five fragrances in 2016.  Signature Wild is my favorite in the line, but there is something for everyone from a refreshing cologne (Gin & Tonic) to a beautiful and mysterious rose oud (Sensual Oud).  Nicely done Art de Parfum!

  • Bone Rating:  4 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent:  Oriental Leather
  • Classification: Masculine
  • Expense: $135 for 50 ml parfum extrait

*Sample provided by Art de Parfum.  Opinion my own.