patchouli | The Scented Hound

October 21, 2012
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

Mon Patchouly by Ramon Monegal

Thanks to the wonderful Penny Lane Perfumes and their generous shipment of samples from the Ramon Monegal line, I was finally able to test their Mon Patchouly after reading Victoria’s wonderful review of this fragrance on EuaMG. She was right, this is the loveliest of patchouli scents.

WHAT I SMELL: Mon Patchouly opens exactly with what you expect, patchouli. It’s rounded, a little bold and ever so lightly sweet. I can smell the jasmine dancing in the background which creates a light floral breeziness to the rather bold beginning. After a bit, the amber note creates a warm base that makes the scent rather creamy. Once you think that Mon Patuchouly is ready to settle down, out comes a bit of sour, which I believe is the oak moss as it makes this much more earthy. In the end, you’re left with a soft and mysterious light patchouli creamy amberish warmth with just a hint of powder.

Mon Patchouly Notes: Indonesian patchouli, oak moss absolute, incense, bourbon geranium, Egyptian jasmine, and vegetal amber

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: This is heaven-sent, but grounded to the earth and slightly mysterious and otherworldly.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE MON PATCHOULY: comfortable, grounded, semi-bold

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MON PATCHOULY: EauMG, Perfume Shrine, Parfumistan’s Blog

BOTTOM LINE: I have only recently discovered that I love patchouli. This helps to solidify my feelings for this note. Am I ready to buy a FB of this? I think I have some more patchouli’s to test to commit to one just yet, but this is lovely. And please note, as you wear this it does open up, so a little goes along way. I can’t wait to test some of the Ramon Monegals because this was a great opener.

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Woody
Classification: Unisex
Nose: Ramon Monegal
Expense: $185 for 50ml EdP

July 4, 2012
by The Scented Hound 18 Comments

Orange Star by Tauer Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL: Orange Star goes on sharp. It’s orange, but not a juicy kind of succulent orange, but more of an orange that was dunked in floor cleaner or some other kind of petroleum product. I can’t say that it’s sweet, nor can I say that it’s sour. It’s just very artificial. Some of the sharpness disappears in the dry down but then the patchouli comes out. I never was a fan of patchouli oil, but have found that in the right compositions it can really be lovely. In this case, it’s very “hippy” patchouli. This is a strong scent with a mind of its own. I see this as a scent that would be favored by girls aged 15 to 20.

Orange Star Notes: clementine, red mandarine, lemongrass essential oil, orange flower, violet flower, ambergris, vanilla, patchouli, ambreine

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: For some odd reason this to me smells like 1970. There is a real artificiality about Orange Star. And for those of who can remember 1970, our environment was made up of Naugahyde couches, mounds of Tupperware and just a ton of things made out of plastic. It was not an era for natural products. Orange Star reminds of old beauty parlors and old grocery stores where clerks actually rung up items that had price stickers on them. I have to say that I have not experienced a scent that sends me back to another time like this one does. Now, I have good memories from childhood and those images cited above aren’t bad things, but they’re not something that I want to smell like. Not in the least.

The Brady Bunch House

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ORANGE STAR: artificial, manufactured, thick

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ORANGE STAR: The following are some other reviews on Orange Star: The Candy Perfume Boy, London Makeup Girl, Now Smell This

Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $135 for 50ml EDP

March 6, 2012
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens

All perfumistas have gone through the process of making a purchase smell unseen. For the most part when I have done this I come away with a great product. A couple of months ago, I blindly purchased Ambre Sultan based on reviews that I read and I am thrilled to say that I love this fragrance. And as an added bonus, I always receive compliments whenever I have this on. This is not a fragrance for the timid and shy. Strong and almost medicinal when first applied, it warms to a nice dry, spicy and woody enveloping scent. This is amber without the sweetness. Amber Sultan is perfect for a winter’s day…I can only imagine how it will wear in the heat of the summer! You can definitely understand the “sultan” in Ambre Sultan thanks to the exotic incense spiciness of this most perfect fragrance. Where’s my magic carpet?

Ambre Sultan Notes:

coriander, amber, oregano, bay leaf, myrtle, angelica root, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, vanilla