parfum extrait | The Scented Hound

June 6, 2016
by The Scented Hound 9 Comments

Shalini Parfum by Shalini

WHAT I SMELL: Shalini opens beautifully with an initial rush of neroli that’s lush, juicy and lightly sun sweetened. A lovely tiare buzzes above a lightly sharpened hair spray note of sandalwood and there’s a slight soapiness that encompasses the somewhat large, but rather tame florals. The perfume lives in this slightly soapy, lightly warm cocoon for some time. After around 20 minutes, the perfume seems to warm considerably, as if the heat of skin is a catalyst to start a chemical reaction. The tuberose then starts to make its entrance, but in a very soft and deliberate manner as if it’s in no rush. The tuberose is restrained with all its pungent attributes removed and what you’re left with is the soft and comforting light waxiness from the flower. At the same time, Shalini starts to turn towards the green as the floral stems add just the right amount of color to make the perfume feel as if it’s a bouquet rather than just a collection of flowers. As the perfume slowly progresses, the neroli comes forward once again with a light dew to rest on the green. Here the perfume resides, so restrained, so beautiful and so refined. Shalini is a lady in every sense of the word.

From Shalini Parfums:

A bouquet of white flowers – tuberose, neroli and tiare – this precious fragrances evokes an intoxicating sensuality. The rare and pure scent of neroli blooms above the heart of tuberose and tiare while the depth and mystery of sandalwood and musk permeate the senses.

Saks 5th Avenue, Los Angeles- 1940

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Beautiful, classic Hollywood interiors. Architectural masterpieces designed for creating dramatic settings. The scene: Sak’s 5th Avenue, Los Angeles, 1940… in comes a beautifully dressed, regal and gracious lady and all eyes are transfixed.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SHALINI: warm, approachable, refined

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SHALINI: CaFleureBon, Perfume-Smellin’ Things

BOTTOM LINE: Shalini is an ethereal beauty that glides into a room. The perfume doesn’t develop as much as it transcends. Shalini is like a dream.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Maurice Roucel
Classification: Feminine. Confession: As feminine as this is, it’s a beauty that I would have no problem wearing myself.
Expense: $3,000 for the limited edition Lalique flacon pictured above. $250 for 10 ml version. Parfum extrait.

May 16, 2016
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

New Release: Rrose Sélavy by Maria Candida Gentile

WHAT I SMELL: Rrose Sélavy has a very herbal opening with a minted tarragon sitting on top of a vibrant deep and masculine rose. I don’t want to say that the opening is discordant, but its incredibly different and unique in a way that makes you to wonder where this perfume path is going to lead you. After a few minutes, a mentholated and camphorous warmth helps to give the perfume a pulsating heart. Here the perfume feels beautifully earthy as if there’s a great story that accompanies the wearer of the fragrance. The perfume is deep, warm, slightly spicy and completely herbal and a little goes a long way as the projection is quite big, but it still manages to remain down to earth. Even though this is a rose perfume, there’s something so darkly mysterious and beautiful about it that belies my vision of a rose. In the end, Rrose Sélavy quiets considerably, leaving you with a faint wisp of a creamy rose that feels as if it’s holding a secret.

From the Maria Candida Gentile website:

A Velvet rose, persistent and unique, dedicated to one of the leading artist of Dadaism: a homage to Marcel Duchamp and to his “double” Rrose Sélavy.

Rrose Sélavy

With Rrose Sélavy Maria Candida interprets the “double” of Marcel Duchamp, and his jeux des mots Rrose Sélavy which sounds in French like “eros, c’est la vie”, or “arroser la vie”, to make a toast to life. Maria Candida pays tribute to Duchamp, making a toast to life with her velvet, soft, fresh, just harvested, with its olfactory vibration, which fill the air and the space, tridimensional just like his art crafts. The name Sélavy emerged in 1921 in a series of photographs by Man Ray of Duchamp dressed as a woman. Through the 1920s, Man Ray and Duchamp collaborated on more photos of Sélavy. Duchamp later used the name as the byline on written material and signed several creations with it.

Notes: Rose petals, Turkish rose, May rose , Rose accord, Michelle rose, Rose stems, Rose leaves

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A Victorian parlor, full of the non-air conditioned worn wood, rugs, upholstery and books – it’s earthy, natural and comforting.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE RROSE SÉLAVY: herbal, mentholated, meditative

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RROSE SÉLAVY: Colognoisseur, perfumesilove

BOTTOM LINE: As I have said in the past, Maria Candida Gentile’s perfumes have a very MCG distinct fingerprint that is all hers. Rrose Sélavy is no exception. I find that you either really love her perfumes or you don’t and that there’s not a lot of in between. I really like her creations, they’re bold, different and incredibly unique and to me, this take on rose is wonderfully unexpected. Rrose Sélavy is a masculine perfume that melds to the feminine in the end and it perfectly fits the inspiration; the alter ego of Marcel Duchamp, Rrose Sélavy.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Maria Candida Gentile
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $195 for 100 ml or $49 for 15 ml Parfum Extrait

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

September 7, 2015
by The Scented Hound 4 Comments

Tigre du Bengale by Malbrum

WHAT I SMELL: Tigre du Bengale opens with a sweetened juniper which very quickly moves into a lightly incensed and peaceful labdanum. I was expecting a leap from a tiger at first application. Instead, the perfume moves in like a cat ready to lie down for a nap; all comfy and cozy. The perfume is relatively close to the skin and a bit powdery, but as it starts to develop it becomes a bit more exotic with a slightly urinous note that sharpens the original softness, but not too much. There’s a light leather note that wraps itself around the perfume, just as this strange dirty feet smell comes into play. Thankfully, it’s not overpowering, but it does add a bit of funk to the mix. Soon enough that bit of funk exits the mix and the perfume becomes more woody, with just a lightly sweetened edge of patchouli. And it once again moves from a bit of sharp to the more serene and smoky. And as soon as I say that, a salty note enters along with a light cream. Wait….now we’re back to a serene and smoky dry leather. It seems that there a lot of twists and turns with Tigre du Bengale, and there are, but these twists and turns morph and change like the walk of a jungle cat, slow and steady with in an incredible prowl.

From the Malbrum website:

The Bengal tiger uses its claws to barkstrip trees and urinates on the pile of woodchips as a monument of territory. The scent of this tribute transmits highly complex messages to other tigers about its sex, size and social status. This spicy leather fragrance opens with a dry-aromatic “coke” accord, gradually turning into a liquorice accord, with the heart of myrrha and labdanum absolute leading to a soft erogenous balsamic dry down.

Synthetic notes:

Toscanol, Safranal, Nimberol, Ambrofix and Suederal

Head: Juniper, cardamom,

Heart: Myrrha, labdanum

Fond: Castoreum, burley tobacco, patchouli

Gloria Swanson 1920s

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Tigre du Bengale is less tiger, but more vamp.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE TIGRE DU BENGALE: sultry, mysterious, come-hither

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TIGRE DU BENGALE: Colognoisseur, What Men Should Smell Like, CaFleureBon

BOTTOM LINE: Tigre du Bengale is one of those perfumes that each time I bring my wrist to my nose it smells different. Sometimes, it smells more like incense, other times it’s more leather. At other times it’s a bit sweetened. In any case, the drydown is a winner and I can see this being a perfect fall and winter fragrance. And maybe come the cool months, the tiger stripes will once again change and morph into something else that I have yet to experience.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic Spicy
Nose: Delphine Thierry
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $170 for 30 ml parfum extrait

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary