parfum | The Scented Hound

October 31, 2016
by The Scented Hound 25 Comments

New Release: Jul et Mad Secrets du Paradis Rouge

WHAT I SMELL: Intoxicating is what the opening of Secrets du Paradis Rouge is as it’s sweet and lush with this incredible honeyed rich orange. It’s also waxy and thick, incredibly gourmand and head spinning pretty. The thickened orange like a sheen of wax paper feels like it’s covering the skin like a sheath. After a little while, the perfume begins to warm ever so slightly with an almond hue. The scent is delightful but at the same time has a very comforting and reassuring edge that makes you feel that all is right with the world. A lovely understated musk enters and the waxy begins to dry. The orange blossom sweetness makes way for a sweetened woody patchouli and vanilla. All combined, the experience is opulent and grand. The perfume dances between the orange and the amber with a radiance that burns brightly. This is a perfume that cannot help but be noticed, but it does so in the most benevolent manner. As the perfume continues it’s journey, the musk becomes more prominent, but still warmed by the benzoin and amber the fragrance continues to radiate a warmth and glow that makes this shimmer on into the night.

From the Jul et Mad website:

A timeless ode to the Orange Blossom, opening on a note of Neroli Absolut and sublimed by the freshness of the orange peel and the Davana essence. Scents of almond, honey and rose accompany us through the mysterious streets in the heart of the Medina.

The gates of a Secret Paradise open suddenly, unveiling a majestic Orange Blossom that blends perfectly with sensual notes of vanilla and Tonka beans; the whole, sustained by a perfectly balanced accord of benzoin, amber and musk.

Head : Orange, Mandarin, Davana, Neroli Marocco, Cloves
Heart: Orange Blossom Absolut, Damascus Rose, Bees Wax, Almond
Bottom: Patchouli, Timbersilk, Tonka Beans, Vanila, Benzoin, Amber, Musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: 18th century French court.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SECRETS DU PARADIS ROUGE: grand, gracious, sublime

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SECRETS DU PARADIS ROUGE: Persefume

BOTTOM LINE: OK, I know that the inspiration of the perfume is the beauty of Marrekesh, but to me, it’s full on French court. The perfume is elegant, big and a bit over the top at the beginning, but in all parts, it’s just perfect. I would have to say that Secrets du Paradis Rouge is one of my favorite releases of the year!

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent Floral
Nose: Luca Maffei
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $175 for 50 ml parfum extrait

Sample provided by Jul et Mad. Opinion my own.

October 24, 2016
by The Scented Hound 38 Comments

New Release: Puredistance Sheiduna

WHAT I SMELL: Welcome to the bazaar…Sheiduna’s opening is full of light and glistening peppery citrus and fruits that feel as if they were dried on top of a warm, sun-kissed sand. The perfume is dry, but it has an undertone of a rounded vetiver that sails along the top of an ambered plane tinged with the most beautiful incense. The dried fruits, along with the spice and the warmed florals feel like an invitation to an exotic table set in a tent in the middle of the desert welcoming guests in from a long, hot journey. As the perfume develops, the citrus and fruit begin to make way for a more linear vanilla infused base. The perfume feels very stratified with hidden layers of amber, vetiver, vanilla and myrrh…each feeling separate from each other, but each riding along this magic carpet that glides so effortlessly above the warmed sand dunes which are now becoming cooler as the hot daytime sun is beginning to set. The sweetened patchouli and vanilla really come to the forefront as the perfume cools and becomes more comforting and cocooning. Sheiduna never forces herself on you, but carries you along with mystical enchantment.

From the Puredistance website:

SHEIDUNA is a rich and intense Perfume inspired by the panoramic views and feel of golden sand dunes in the desert during sunset – soft, female curves changing from deep gold to warm, orangey red – embodying a promise of sensual comfort and silent seduction.

Wearing SHEIDUNA, one wafts sensuality, and intense colour waves of Persian rugs touch the senses. The perfect marriage between Sensuality and Style.

Sheiduna notes: Lemon, tangerine, blackcurrant, aldehydes, Bulgarian rose essence, geranium, clove, vetyver, patchouly, amber woody, incense, benzoin, myrrh, tonka bean, vanilla pods and musks.

Rudolph Valentino as The Sheik

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Rudolph Valentino as The Sheik…mysterious, seductive and so very smooth.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SHEIDUNA: tempting, mysterious, alluring

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SHEIDUNA: Bonkers About Perfume, Parfuminstans blogg, Suzanne’s Perfume Journal

BOTTOM LINE: Sheiduna in all of its oriential splendor is a wonderful departure for Puredistance who has some of the most exquisite florals in their line. Sheiduna is the perfect antidote for the pending cooler months as its desert warmth will keep you surrounded by its exotic and comforting mysticism.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent Oriental Spicy
Nose: Cécile Zarokian
Classification: Unisex
Expense: 175 Euros for 17.5 ml parfum extrait from the Puredistance website. 60 and 100 ml sizes are also available. And through November 30th, if you purchase a 17.5 ml bottle of Sheiduna you’ll also receive a 5 ml refillable travel spray as well!

DRAW: Puredistance is offering 3 readers of The Scented Hound a 2 ml sample of this exquisite oriental parfum extrait. The draw is open to all parties around the globe. All you have to do to enter is to:

Leave a comment below why you are excited to experience Sheiduna or what your favorite Puredistance perfume is, and
Be a current or new subscriber to the The Scented Hound, and
“Like” the Puredistance Facebook page

The draw is open until midnight, November 3, 2016, EST. Winners will be chosen via random.org and will be announced on this website.

Sample of Sheiduna provided by Puredistance. Opinions my own.

October 20, 2016
by The Scented Hound 44 Comments

The 7% Solution by En Voyage Perfumes and Sherlock Holmes Inspired Draw

WHAT I SMELL: The 7% Solution opens with a buttery, warm and intoxicating osmanthus and the deepest almost wild mandarin that’s feels like it’s been boiled and concentrated. The creaminess in the perfume feels like a lullaby with peppered florals that are being rocked to sleep under a warmed flicker of a candle. The perfume stays in this dreamlike state with none of the flowers taking dominance besides a soft and pretty tiare. You can picture the damp, cool rain from the gray skies outside your window…but The 7% Solution is like a woolen blanket of comfort keeping you warm and secure. As the perfume slowly develops, the creaminess once again turns more towards the buttery as if remnants of hot buttered rum (without the booziness) were lingering in a mug next to the fire. In the end, the perfume resides in this warmed creamy and lightly spice dreamlike dimension with softened florals dancing down an autumn path. The 7% Solution is liquid opium for your skin.

From the En Voyage website:

Legal at the time, heroin and cocaine allowed Holmes to relax and refuel. Sherlock alternated between morphine and cocaine, which he always took in a 7% solution. Transcendently stimulating and clarifying to the mind, such drugs were regularly taken by aesthetes of the day, including the poet Colridge and even Queen Victoria herself.

TOP NOTES: Wild Oranges, Mandarin, Green Citron, Osmanthus, Curacao

HEART NOTES: Tiare, Frangipani, Narcissus, Summer Blooming Flowers

BASE NOTES: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Amber, Oak, White Woods and Musks

Cumberbatch and Freeman as Holmes and Watson

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I will not argue with perfumer Shelley Waddington’s inspiration of Sherlock Holmes.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE THE 7% SOLUTION: easy, comforting, calming

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE 7% SOLUTION: CaFleureBon, Megan in Saint Maxime

BOTTOM LINE: I fell in love with this perfume when I first smelled it as a judge for the 2015 Artisan Salon Fragrance awards. It’s a perfume that is truly unique, interesting and like no other. Shelley Waddington captures perfectly a dreamy state of comfort.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Nose: Shelley Waddington
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $60 for 1 oz. eau de cologne. Review based on eau de parfum version.

DRAW: For US readers only, one 15 ml bottle of The 7% Solution Eau de Parfum to be chosen via random.org. To enter, please provide a comment below stating who your favorite actor portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is…or list your favorite En Voyage perfume and why. Drawing closes at midnight EST on Thursday, October 27, 2017. Good luck!