parfum | The Scented Hound

March 7, 2016
by The Scented Hound 2 Comments

New Release: Années Folles by La Parfumerie Moderne

WHAT I SMELL: Années Folles opens with a sugared lavender, almost gourmand in its goodness and with a rather chocolate edge. In addition, there’s an incredibly warm thyme and nutmeg that is quite creamy and lightly spiced. What started off as cuddly and reassuring begins to lighten significantly and the perfume moves from the gourmand to somewhat woody as a lightly spiced geranium adds just a bit of crackle to a vetiver base. But soon enough, the woody turns to more of a ambered benzoin once again moving towards a deeper and warmer state of being. In fact, the perfume has a rather mentholated character at this juncture…and it just feels so easy and perfectly proper, yet comforting. A half hour or so into the wear, the patchouli makes it way in, but without dominating the perfume. Instead, like the progression thus far, it quietly enters in a seamless and graceful manner. In the end, the perfume moves once again more towards the woody, while still maintaining the right balance of radiant warmth. Années Folles is a return to classic perfumery and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

From the La Perfumerie Moderne website:

“Années Folles” swings like a mysterious aromatic melody on a warm pulsating amber rhythm.

The powdery and woody insouciance wake of a festive atmosphere calls the tune until dawn from the open windows of this proud hotel overlooking the Mediterranean.

Fragrance Notes: Lavender, Thyme, Nutmeg, Geranium, Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Benzoin, Patchouli

Edward VIII

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A quiet sophistication…Edward VIII later in life.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ANNÉES FOLLES: proper, warm, urbane

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANNÉES FOLLES: CaFleureBon (with link to Looking Feeling Smelling Great video review)

BOTTOM LINE: Années Folles was a wonderful surprise. For whatever reason, I was ambivalent about this perfume line, the look of the bottles; maybe the “moderne” in the name. In any case, Années Folles is an incredible perfume; one that’s perfect for today’s modern man, while paying homage to the modern man of the past.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Aromatic
Nose: Marc-Antoine Corticchiato
Classification: Unisex, but leans masculine
Expense: $220 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum

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

March 2, 2016
by The Scented Hound 7 Comments

Limited Edition New Release: Stones by Atelier de Geste

WHAT I SMELL: Stones opens with a bright, dry and uplifting galbanum. It’s beautiful and earthy, very vegetal and pulsating with life. There’s a great deal of movement with the perfume as it seems to breathe, move and dance across my skin. The perfume resides in this lyrical state for quite some time which is just fine with me as it’s incredibly beautiful. After around 20 minutes or so, the perfume adds an additional earthiness of moss. A woody vetiver, which was there from the beginning, starts to take root at the center of the perfume. Still very radiant, the perfume continues to feel very alive as it adds a minty ginger to the composition. After some more time, the perfume begins to dry and become more powdered, but still ever radiant. Stones is an incredibly beautiful perfume.

Notes: Galbanum, Geranium, Physalis, Tomato, Pine, Ivy, Lotus, Ginger, Vetiver, Moss, Lichen (nightshade), Vetiver root, Muguet flowers

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A mossy and earthen forest that’s tinged with rays of cooled sun.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE STONES: lively yet serene, earthen

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

BOTTOM LINE: Stones is the more earthy cousin of Chanel No. 19. The opening is breathtaking and it ends up as this equally as pretty earthy powdered beauty. Stones is a limited edition of 200 hand painted bottles, each which is numbered and signed. Stones is easily full bottle worthy.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $125 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum

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

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