New Release | The Scented Hound

February 29, 2016
by The Scented Hound 13 Comments

New Release: Hermann A Mes Cotes Me Paraissait Une Ombre by Etat Libre d’Orange

WHAT I SMELL: Hermann A Mes Cotes Me Paraissait Une Ombre or Hermann, as it will be known from this point forward, opens up quite musky with a tingling pepper and a rather aqua-esque green. But soon enough, the perfume moves to a dusty and brown vetiver. The perfume feels artificially clean, but at the same time artificially earthy. After a bit more, a light incense covers the perfume with shards of a sweetened floral patchouli which provides the perfume’s central core. Overall, the perfume feels like it was manufactured in a factory next to the industrial detergents. Need I go on?…OK…if I must. Moving forward, the moisture is completely sucked out of the perfume and there’s a steely gray and metallic sharp edge that makes Hermann feel like it sits on a linear plane, like a flattened laser beam that crosses the horizon. Of course, as soon as I start writing that, the perfume begins to soften and lightly powder. At the same time, Hermann becomes incredibly dry; so much so, that breathing it in makes you feel as if your sinuses are about to cave in. As the perfume is a play on shadows, I have to say that it leaves you with an aura and an “alternative self” because it does feel as if the perfume follows one as a shadow. I gave Hermann several wearings and each time it made me head to the sink to look for my heavy-duty medical soap and scrubber. Unfortunately, it left me with a shadow that I just couldn’t shake.

From the Etat Libre d’Orange website:

Who goes into the forest beside you on the darkest night? In Victor Hugo’s poem, “What were considering the two riders in the forest” (What Were Thinking Two Horsemen in the Forest), the narrator says “by my side, Hermann Seemed to me like a shadow. “

We all-have shadows, at night-even in the dark forest. May you call yours by Reviews another name: your invisible friend. Your consciousness, your soul, your maybe-even complementary ego. Your shadow Could Have a name, like Hermann. Or your shadow Could be your perfume. This is your companion. You can argue with your companion, you can challenge your companion, you can test the boundaries of your own attitudes. You can debate the finer point of existence. Purpose you can not lose this companion, not ever.This is your alternative self. As you move through life and contemplate ict Meaning, you ask unanswerable questions. When you’re overwhelmed with Uncertainties, look to your shadow. Maybe you’ll get a response. Maybe not. At least you’ll purpose-have an interesting conversation.

Buds of cassis, black pepper, galbanum, calypsone, geosmine, incense, Pepperwood, Petalia, rose absolute, patchouli, ambroxan …

Do you really want to smell like this guy?

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Soap on a rope. It always sounds like a good idea, but they end up ugly and cracked and tend to be over-perfumed.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE HERMANN: sharp, dry, caustic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT HERMANN: The Candy Pefume Boy, CaFleureBon, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: OK…I have the feeling that Herman is going to either be a love it or hate it perfume. I shared this with my hub and he really liked it. But I have the feeling he likes it is because there’s something very old school 1970s nostalgic about it. I’m not sure what it is, but I know I have experienced this perfume a long, long time ago. And I have no desire to go back.

Bone Rating: 2 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Aromatic
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $149 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum

February 24, 2016
by The Scented Hound 9 Comments

New Release: Le Quatrième Parfum by Coolife

WHAT I SMELL: Le Quatrième Parfum initially opens up smoky warm only to be quickly met with a boozy, but green sharpness. Almost gourmand at first, the perfume rapidly begins to lighten as the air meets the perfume; as if a genie had been let out of the bottle. For being so balsamic, the perfume is rather light and ethereal. As the perfume continues to develop, there’s a light sweetened honey that appears as a layer to the smoky notes. After a bit, the patchouli makes it way to the center, but it’s ever so soft and it feels as if it’s wrapped within a fruited tobacco and incense. After some more time the patchouli continues to grow along with a coating of vanilla, but it always remains contained, subdued and at peace. Le Quatrième Parfum is a perfume that will help you to believe that all is right with the world.

From the Coolife website:

Designed to engage with the root chakra, our most physical energy center, Le Quatrième Parfum is the fourth fragrance created by Pauline Rochas and Carole Beaupré. In homage to our ancient connection with earth, Le Quatrième is grounding, erotic, and lush. It captures passion and draws out that exquisite moment of connecting with our roots. Known as Muladhara in Sanksrit, the root chakra is the border between animal and human consciousness. Like the deep and sturdy roots of a tree, the root chakra is the stem of life, the smoldering origin of our sexuality, seated at the basal end of the spine. Le Quatrième conjures the scent of rum, an invigorating liquor blended in the heat of the islands, intertwined with smoky, organic tobacco leaves. This deep, Oriental fragrance stimulates the body at its base, with essences of Myrhh and Resinoid, Indonesian Patchouli, and Peru Balsam. Heady top and mid notes of aphrodisiac honey, vanilla, and plum intoxicate the senses, stirring a tempest within the body. Muladhara is the chakra of scent, our most primal sense. Le Quatrième manifests the power of fragrance, entrancing strangers and rapturous lovers to linger in your presence, luxuriating in romantic union. With a balanced root chakra, you are at once sensual and instinctual, magnetic and in control. Surrender to the allure of Le Quatrième and, with the energy of the earth surging through your body, you hold the key to the realm of desire.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: serenity

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE LE QUATRIÉME PARFUM: calming, warm, peaceful

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT LE QUATRIÉME PARFUM: None to be found as of yet.

BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for a perfume that really puts the ease in easy, Le Quatrième Parfum is an incredibly relaxing and centered perfume that doesn’t try to be anything more than it is. And what it is, is a beautiful and peaceful perfume full of positive and calming energy.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental
Nose: Yann Vasnier
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $175 for 50 ml Eau De Parfum

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

February 15, 2016
by The Scented Hound 25 Comments

New Release: Rendezvous by DSH Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL: Rendezvous opens up as pure animal with a strong and breathtaking civet. It’s powerful and primal and it draws you in to take you prisoner. After a few minutes, the initial wave of animalic prowess begins to soften with a light creaminess, but at the same time a dry oakmoss begins to appear along with the most subdued of florals. A dirtied jasmine, mixed with the animalic makes for an interesting play because at times the jasmine comes to the forefront and a minute later the civet and castoreum come to the center stage. After some more time however, the florals win out…still deep, rich and creamy, they provide this heady and voluminous and achingly beautiful arrangement that is wrapped up in an ambered and golden aura. After quite some time, the perfume reveals its final treasure, a gorgeous soft rounded lightly dirty and spicy powdered floral that’s warm, intoxicating and incredibly nostalgic.

Perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz:

I let my imagination go to a time and place when animalic perfumes reigned supreme. Of course, I included the four traditional animal notes: musk, civet, ambergris, and castoreum with added elements of aged oakmoss, and botanical “animalics”; ambrette co2, labdanum, and hyracium tincture (aka African Stone). The heart is filled with indolic juhi jasmine, orange flower absolute, and gardenia balanced by a slightly sharp and spicy white pepper and aldehyde top note. The result is a lush, provocative, and thoroughly sexy perfume for both men and women.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: beautiful decay

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE RENDEZVOUS: haunting, breathtaking, careworn

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RENDEZVOUS: None to be found as of yet.

BOTTOM LINE: I love it when perfumes can stir something inside your core. Too often, new releases tend to be pleasant and nice but rather uninteresting. Rendezvous however, evoked an emotional response in me that took me by surprise. I don’t know if my words convey exactly how beautiful the perfume is and I don’t want my visual to denigrate its effect. But to me, there’s a fragility in the perfume, like a magnificent beauty that has faded in time…you can see the ravages of time, but at its heart it still possesses a grand presence. Rendezvous is a stunning perfume.

Bone Rating: 5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic
Nose: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $165 for 1 oz. eau de parfum or $295 for .5 oz parfum extrait (also available in additional sizes and strengths). Available via the DSH Perfumes website.

Sample courtesy of DSH Perfumes. Opinion my own. Review based on the eau de parfum concentration.