The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

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Boy Smells – Flor de la Virgen

WHAT I SMELL:  Flor de le Virgen opens with a soft sweetened pomelo that is quickly met with a lightly chewy jasmine.  From the first spritz, the perfume is bright and full of light and energy.  But as soon as the jasmine makes its presence, the citrus notes once again takes over.  I’m glad about this as the citrus keeps the perfume on the lighter side.  Well, as soon as write that, it seems that the jasmine wants to once again make itself known.  But this time the jasmine is softer, more demure and jubilantly pretty with just a brush of pencil shaving olibanum.  It’s here that the perfume seems to glide softly as it seems to ride a light breeze in the spring air.  After quite some time, the perfume sweetens some more and moves towards the bubblegum with an undercurrent of white musk.  In all, Flor de La Virgen is uncomplicated loveliness.

From the Boy Smells website:

FLOR DE LA VIRGEN is a bright and energetic combination of feminine jasmine petals and masculine musks, sitting in an abundant bouquet of pomelo, saffron, and deep resinous olibanum. Citrus, floral, and spice, this is a truly GENDERFUL™ scent made to unleash your inner god and goddess — transcend expectations and scent accordingly.

Top Notes: Pomelo, Lemon Rind, Fig Leaf

Mid Notes: Saffron, Jasmine Petals, Ivy Leaves

Dry Notes: Cistus, Olibanum, Labdanum, Clear Musks, Ambrox

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Flowers on the wind.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE FLOR DE LA VIRGEN:  soft, breezy, lighthearted

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FLOR DE LA VIRGEN:  Editorialist

BOTTOM LINE:  Flor de la Virgen is my first foray into the Boy Smell brand and I really liked my “virgin” experience.  The perfume is pretty, inoffensive and easy to wear.   I would say that Flor de la Virgen is one of those scents that could travel anywhere and be worn on any occasion, including in the office.  Who could ask for anything more from a perfume?

  • Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Floral
  • Nose: Gil Clavien
  • Classification:  Unisex
  • Expense:  Starting at $98 for 65ml cologne de parfum


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BDK Parfums – Velvet Tonka

WHAT I SMELL:  Velvet Tonka opens with a soft and silky orange blossom that’s riding on top of a thickened wave of almond.  The perfume starts off big and very rounded with what seems to be a taffy like glaze.  It’s sweet, but more buttery almond sweet than sugary sweet.  As the perfume begins to develop it radiates greatly and it reminds me of my mother’s confectionary kitchen cabinet where smells of vanilla, almond, paste and frosting created a veritable olfactory sugar rush.  Continuing on, the addition of tobacco absolute helps to tame the perfume from growing out of control.  However, the almond is still front and center and rather hard to resist.  As the perfume continues on its journey, the almond melds with the tonka and vanilla.  Here, the perfume softens oh so lightly along with a dash of wood just to even it out.  It’s much later where I believe Velvet Tonka hits its “sweet spot” when it quiets to an ambered gourmet delight.  It’s pretty, slightly sweet, lightly warmed and quite delightful.

From the BDK Parfums website:

Tonka bean is an ingredient full of contrasts, sometimes reminiscent of vanilla leather, sometimes of almonds, sometimes even revealing chocolatey facets. Velvet Tonka is characterized by its trilogy of tonka bean, orange blossom and almond. When worn on the skin, it coats it like an oriental delicacy dusted with icing sugar. The balmy tonka bean is adorned with almonds and rose petals for a velvety touch, and with a hint of tobacco absolute to give it a honeyed feel. In the base, addictive notes of milky amyris wood unfurl, enhanced by ambroxan and vanilla absolute for an unparalleled velvetiness and sensuality. Velvet Tonka is a tribute to the Moroccan origins of founder David Benedek and to the iconography associated with the region through its flavors and its landscapes, like a sweet, indulgent breeze coming straight from the Atlas Mountains.

Top notes: Orange blossom, Almond

Heart notes: Rose absolute, Tobacco absolute from the Balkans

Base notes: Tonka bean absolute, Vanilla absolute from Madagascar, Amyris wood essence, Amber woods

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Frosted almond cookies.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE VELVET TONKA:  sweet, smooth, familiar

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT VELVET TONKA:  The Candy Perfume Boy, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE:  Velvet Tonka is a perfume where a little can go a long way.  It’s confectioned almond goodness can be wonderful; just ensure that you keep your spritzing to a minimum otherwise you’ll create a sugared forcefield that will be too much to handle for you and those in your wake.  However, if you love gourmand fragrances, this might be a good fit.  I’m not a gourmand lover and sweet perfumes can be challenging to me.  But I found a little Velvet Tonka can be quite nice and rather cheery to wear.

  • Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Floral Gourmand
  • Nose:  Alexandra Carlin
  • Classification:  Unisex
  • Expense:  Starting at $215 for 100ml eau de parfum


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Fleur Japonais by Shalini

WHAT I SMELL:   Fleur Japonais opens with a soft milky magnolia that is quickly greeted by lilting cherry blossoms that are seemingly caressed by a light breeze.  The perfume is intoxicating in that it’s full of body, yet light in presence.  But there’s also a hidden strength in the blossoms in that their beauty is full of passion and power with the promise of rebirth.  As the perfume develops, the soft and beautiful florals even out in consistency creating for a blanket that’s silky smooth.  And along with that beautiful blanket is just the right amount of light incense that dreamily floats above the blossoms.  Here, Fleur Japonais feels as if it is creating a passage to an ancient Japanese temple.  In the end, a light powder with the incense and a soft sandalwood residing underneath, makes you feel as if you’re walking along a quiet path laden with freshly fallen pedals; pink above and pink below.  Beyond gorgeous.

From Shalini Parfum:

Fleur Japonais is inspired by the revered Cherry blossoms of Japan. The “Sakura” season is a celebration of life as the pink flowers embrace the temples of Kyoto.

The parfum is a heavenly composition of ephemeral Cherry blossoms, intoxicating Magnolia flowers, Frankincense, Labdanum and Sandalwood.

Fleur Japonais reaches for the heavens as the pink flowers merge with the ethereal smoke from the woods and resins.

In Japanese culture there is an association between the Sakura and the Samurai – the flower and the man. They are both admired for their fleeting beautiful lives. It is believed that the soul of the Samurai lives in the Sakura.

Clouds of pink caressing your face. The delicate fragrance of Cherry blossoms scents the air. The temple bells chime softly as the soft scent of the fragrance floats like pink petals caressing the earth.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Dreaming in a sea of pink.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE FLEUR JAPONAIS:  soft, serene, spiritual

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FLEUR JAPONAIS:  Colognoisseur, The Plum Girl

BOTTOM LINE:  Simply put, Fleur Japonais isn’t a perfume that is mean to shock, surprise or jolt you with twists and turns.  Instead, it’s quiet beauty just takes you in without force and leads you softly to the most sacred of place within your soul.

  • Bone Rating: 5 out of possible 5 bones
  • Scent: Floral
  • Nose:  Maurice Roucel
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: Cubique glass bottle with the glass stopper $500 for 50 ml, Cubique glass bottle with black bulb atomizer $500 for 50 ml,  Small spray bottle $150 for 7.5 ml.  Byzantine glass flacon $1,100 for 100 ml.  White Lacquer and Gold Plated Travel Spray, $415 for 12.5 ml.  All parfum extrait.