review | The Scented Hound

May 31, 2016
by The Scented Hound 16 Comments

New Release: Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Aroma M

WHAT I SMELL: Geisha Vanilla Hinoki opens with a bright bergamot that’s soon met with an exotic blend of lightly sweetened spices; which then quickly moves to more of a sweet and sour spiciness. There is something that is rather familiar to me in the opening and the only thing that I can think of is Lemon Pledge without the full on “lemon.” But that soon dissipates and the perfume begins to soften, but I still can’t get out of my head this association of some kind of cleaning wipe, be it a much more subtle and softer one. After 10 minutes or so, a lightly sugared lavender comes to the forefront along with a bit of creaminess. The cleaning wipe is now gone and you now have this really soft and comforting perfume that is topped with a bit of sugar and spice and it’s oh so very nice. As the perfume continues to develop, it becomes more woody with lavender becoming more powdered and radiant. At this point, the perfume has a rather masculine barber shop vibe and it reminds me of the paper neck wrap that old school barbers put on you prior to cutting your hair. Geisha Vanilla Hinoki is all warm fuzzies to me at this point. As the perfume continues to develop, the barber shop association really takes hold and the perfume begins to grow and become slightly smoky. In the end, Geisha Vanilla Hinoki is all comfort. Very nice.

From the Aroma M website:

Vanilla scents tend to have a cloying, candied effect. But not Vanilla Hinoki. Its key ingredient is a woodsy, smoky vanilla found only in Morocco.

As for the other ingredients: They kick off with light and sparkling bergamot combined with spicy, wake-up clove, cardamom, and nutmeg. These segue into more soothing mid-notes: cedarleaf, soft bergamot, and lavender. And finally the lingering drydown: exotic, animalic leather; incense-like patchouli; tropical, evergreen amyris; and cleansing, envigorating cedarwood.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An old school barber shop; very comfortable, easy and relaxing.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE GEISHA VANILLA HINOKI: soothing, reassuring, retro

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GEISHA VANILLA HINOKI: CaFleureBon, The Non-Blonde, Now Smell This

BOTTOM LINE: Maybe you need to be a man from my generation when barber shops were where you got your hair cut, not Great Cuts. There was a very comfortable masculinity in the atmosphere that was laid back without any stress. You went in feeling a bit messy and you left feeling like a million bucks. Geisha Vanilla Hinoki brings back all the sensory aspects of this now fading business.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Maria McElroy
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $90 for 50ml Eau de Parfum

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

May 23, 2016
by The Scented Hound 16 Comments

New Release: Cierge de Lune by Aedes de Venutas

WHAT I SMELL: Cierge de Lune opens with a muted and spicy warmed vanilla that’s soft, gentle and quite comforting. It’s also incredibly unassuming and it feels like a whisper enticing you to come along as it travels down a quiet old world passage. After a few minutes, the perfume almost becomes hidden as it retreats from my skin. But Cierge de Lune is a vanilla based perfume so I have no doubt that it will once again appear. And as soon as I write that, a peppery note starts to emerge along with the softest of vanilla. At the same time, the pepper begins to flatten out the more rounded vanilla and the perfume begins to dry. The dryness brings out the smell of what to me smells like pencil shavings, but which are tinged with just the slightest bit of sweetness. After quite some time, a beautifully subdued and lightly creamy ylang ylang appears and the perfume begins to grow as if stretching itself out to seduce you with its intoxicating tentacles of spellbinding mystery. There’s a beauty in this perfume that feels as if it has a deadly and alluring poison. In the end, Cierge de Lune is a quiet, haunting and mysterious vanilla perfume topped with just a light whiff of burnt incense.

From the Aedes de Venustas website:

Cierge de Lune: Cool and limpid as moonlit desert air. Velvety and sensuous as the midnight sky… Inspired by the scent of the mysterious night blooming cereus, also known as the Queen of the Night, AEDES DE VENUSTAS’ sixth offering unveils the dark side of vanilla.

Top Notes: Crystalline accord
Middle Notess: Vanilla absolute from Madagascar, pink pepper, black pepper, ylang ylang
Base Notes: Suede accord, incense, amber, musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An old world European city street covered in a mysterious cloud of haunting smoke and fog.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CIERGE DE LUNE: sublime, enticing, mysterious

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CIERGE DE LUNE: Chemist in the Bottle, The Non-Blonde, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: Cierge de Lune is vanilla done right. It’s incredibly subdued and perfectly refined and rather than shouting it speaks in whispers. Cierge de Lune is easily my favorite thus far from the Aedes de Venutas line of perfumes.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Fabrice Pellegrin
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $245 for 3.4 oz. Eau de Parfum

May 18, 2016
by The Scented Hound 18 Comments

New Release: Mugler Angel Muse

WHAT I SMELL: Angel Muse goes on the skin all sweet, nutty and über creamy; it lies on your skin as if was applied like butter to toast. The perfume is sweet, but not sugary; instead it’s more gourmand. As the perfume develops, that creamy nutty buttery concoction moves to the less creamy, but the projection begins to grow and with it the patchouli comes front and center with a pulsating rhythm of brown sugar and vetiver which helps to keep the perfume from going full on sweet. As it continues to develop, a tonka and vanilla note comes forward which helps to give the perfume some needed depth. In the end, the perfume resides in a warmed cocoon of semi sweet-comfort and ultimately after many hours, Angel Muse ends up feeling like a comfy musky vanilla pillow. But best of all Angel Muse is a bright and happy scent and that’s sure to make you smile.

From the Mugler website:

Tantalizing. Delicious. Supremely feminine. Discover ANGEL Muse, the new addictive fragrance you will #HateToLove…. Cosmic explosions collide with magnetic attraction to create an irresistible Eau de Parfum never experienced before. Get ready to lose your mind! Fragrance notes: Grapefruit, Pink Peppercorn, Hazelnut Cream, Vetiver, Patchouli.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Full House, early ’90s.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ANGEL MUSE: big, noticeable, energized

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANGEL MUSE: Musings of a Muse, My Life Along the Lishops, Complexions Beauty Blog

BOTTOM LINE: There’s something very nostalgic and comforting about Angel Muse. Like a throwback in time, the perfume is big and bold and fits like a well-worn sweatshirt or sweater.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Vanilla
Nose: Quentin Bisch
Classification: Leans feminine and young
Expense: $70 for 1 oz. Eau de Parfum