review | The Scented Hound

June 12, 2014
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

New Release: Aqua Sextius by Jul et Mad

WHAT I SMELL: Aqua Sextius opens with a warm and rich bergamot and citrus which feels like it’s sprinkled with brown sugar. It’s rather deep in its initial form which was a surprise to me as I was expecting something light and airy instead of this comfortable hug. After a few minutes, a slight saltiness comes forward which at first seems a bit discordant with the other notes, but you quickly get used to it as it’s refreshingly different. After a few more minutes, a minty herbal accord layers on top of the salt. At this point, Aqua Sextius is a bit balmy, like a luxurious rendition of Ben Gay. After around the 15 minute mark, the fragrance begins to radiate this wonderfully warm labdanum and amber highlighted with a kick of semi-sweet Guaiac wood. After some more time, the fig becomes noticeable and it stays in this realm until after an hour when Aqua Sextius moves into an even-tempered, light woody and salty dry down.

From the Jul et Mad website:

A sensation of absolute well-being, celebrating the joy of life. This extraordinarily fresh perfume astonishes by its superb composition and by its longevity. Named after the original Latin name of Aix-en-Provence, known as “the city of 100 fountains”, this exclusive fragrance perfectly describes this most beautiful summer retreat, where the time flows in the rhythm of its legendary thermal sources…

Head : Bergamot, Lime, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Green Notes
Heart : Mint/Eucalyptus, Marines Notes, Mimosa, White Flowers, Fig
Bottom : Labdanum, Ambergris, Cedarwood, Guaiac Wood, Oakmoss, Musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The earthen beauty surrounding the warm mineral springs.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE AQUA SEXTIUS: comforting, salty, embracing

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT AQUA SEXTIUS: Colognoisseur, CaFleureBon, Chemist in a Bottle

The village fountain, Vaugines, France

BOTTOM LINE: Around 7 years ago, we travelled around France and rented a villa with friends for a week in the small village of Vaugines. We had such a wonderful time exploring the countryside, including Aix-en-Provence which was only around an hour away from Vaugines. Aqua Sextius perfectly captures the essence of that region of France and its magic and beauty.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Green Chypre – Citrus Amber
Nose: Cecile Zarokian
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $280 for 50ml or $110 for 20ml parfum extrait

Sample courtesy of Indigo Perfumery

June 9, 2014
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

New Release: Ann Gerard Rose Cut

WHAT I SMELL: Rose Cut opens rather sweet and lightly boozy. It’s warm and juicy and when sniffed it feels like liquid running down your throat. After a couple of minutes, the rose starts to bloom along with this wonderful peony note. The combination of the two notes together is pure magic. And when I say bloom it really blooms, like an explosion off of your skin. It’s juicy, more than dewy and rather green as the patchouli melds with the florals like a vine that grows, wraps and entwines. All the while the vanilla and benzoin base lurks below giving Rose Cut some incredible depth and warmth. After around 20 minutes, Rose Cut lightens and becomes softer and it sweetens but still maintains a great deal of projection. In the end, you’re left with a velvety, somewhat berry jamish, powdery and lightly spiced deep dream of a rose that is incredibly feminine and pretty.

From the Ann Gerard website:

Rose Cut notes: aldehydes, rum, pink pepper, roses, peony, patchouli, vanilla, oak wood absolute, benzoin absolute

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Rose Heaven

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ROSE CUT: billowing, alluring, smooth

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ROSE CUT: CaFleureBon, The Silver Fox, The Smelly Vagabond

BOTTOM LINE: Rose cut is a cut above the normal rose fragrances out there. It dries down to this dreamy state in which I never want to return.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $165 for 60ml EdP

Sample courtesy of Indigo Perfumery.

June 5, 2014
by The Scented Hound 22 Comments

Songes by Annick Goutal

Do you have any of those fragrances that seem to call your name like a siren song? For me it was Songes…as much as I tried to stay away I just couldn’t! So let’s see if the song matches the lure…

WHAT I SMELL: Songes opens medicinal and deeply antiseptic only to quickly move to this indolic jasmine that smells rather like sweet bubblegum without being too sugary. The fragrance is big and wrapped in a waxy shell. In just a few minutes, the scent just blasts off the skin like a floral explosion. At this point it weaves a spell on you like a big floral feminine venus fly trap that overtakes you like an unsuspecting victim. The lush and heavy fragrance is almost too much to take so I caution that when spraying it on use sparingly! In addition to the bubblegum, there’s just a hint of spice which controls the sweet without overtaking it. After around the 30 minute mark Songes become more creamy rather than waxy and the Frangipani takes over to the forefront. Frangipani is not one of my favorite flowers, but the Tiare helps to compliment the Frangipani to give Songes a tropical feel. This is phase two and there is nothing subtle about the transition; Songes becomes full on South Seas. As more time passes, the fragrance becomes a bit deeper and when smelled it coats the back of your throat with its thickness. After about an hour or so, Songes moves into its third phase and retreats down to a dry and woody shell covered in with a light Frangipani. And after a few hours, Songes plays peek-a-boo as it sometimes seems to disappear, only to reveal itself again.

From the Annick Goutal website:

Olfactory Family :Intense Floral (Spicy) – (Frangipani flower, Tiare flower, Sambac Jasmine absolute, Ylang-Ylang absolute, Benjoin, Bourbon Vanilla absolute, Patchouli, Spices – Cinnamon, Cumin, Black Pepper)

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Like a tropical breeze brushing up against the white flowers releasing their intoxicating beauty beneath the full moon.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SONGES: beastly, beauty, big

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SONGES: I Smell Therefore I Am, Confessions of a Perfume Nerd, Olfactoria’s Travels

BOTTOM LINE: Wow, what a ride. Big, bold and like a slap across the face with a floral assault only to be left with this woody like shell of its former self. In other words, the siren song that had been calling me, entrapped me with false beauty. I kind of like it, I kind of don’t. It’s kind of big, it’s kind of not. In other words, Songes can keep calling, I just don’t know if I’ll answer again.

Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Isabelle Doyen
Classification: Feminine
Expense: Review based on Eau de Parfum. Approximately $165 for 50ml.