review | The Scented Hound

March 9, 2015
by The Scented Hound 28 Comments

Roja Parfums Risqué (Creation-R)

WHAT I SMELL: Risqué (marketed as Creation-R in the United States) opens with a warm and sensual bergamot that is surrounded by the deepest rounded and lung filling florals that feel as if they are trapped in bosom of a hug and which at first is like they are fighting to get out of that hug, only to surrender and bury themselves deeper into the warm embrace of the feminine mystique. As perfumes go, Risqué is head swimmingly beautiful, yet there is this undercurrent of carnality that draws you in without release. I have said this before, that when I review a Roja Dove parfum, I always have to state that the blending is seamless and as such the individual notes af for the most part are hard for me to pull apart. This creation is no different. After around 10 minutes, the florals starts to sink further into the skin as if they are retreating to a more primal place only to then begin radiate and project from what seems to be a labyrinth below. There is a dusting of leather and civet that wrap themselves around the perfume like a cage that attempts to keep the cat from its prey. And finally, after an hour or so, a layer of creaminess covers the perfume, only to make the cat purr like a kitten. I don’t find that there is particularly a great deal of development with Risqué, but that’s the most wonderful aspect of the perfume overall. So many perfumes start off strong and interesting, only to be left as a shadow of its former self. Instead Risqué remains deeply warm, deeply carnal, deeply passionate and beautifully sensual. And as a plus, Risqué weaves its magic all through the night…leaving a whisper of itself into the morning.

From the Roja Parfums website:

“On The Edge Of The Forbidden”

WARM, DRY, FRESH, SWEET, & LEATHERY

“When I created this I thought of how society tells us how we have to behave, think, and act. So I decided to create a perfume that seemed tailored and disciplined – but as it develops it starts to show its overtly sensual base, which gets warmer, darker and more overt with each breath”. Roja Dove

INGREDIENTS

TOP: Bergamot

HEART: Chamomile, Hyacinth, Jasmine, Rose, Ylang Ylang

BASE: Cedarwood, Civet, Labdanum, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Vetiver

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The beautiful Simone Simon as Irena in the 1942 version of Cat People, who turns into a panther when aroused by passion.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE RISQUÉ: seductive, pulsating, intense

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RISQUÉ: Kafkaesque

BOTTOM LINE: There are certain perfumes that hit us on a level that can’t be explained. Every breath of Risqué wraps me up in this enchanted and seductive spell never to let me go. This is a full bottle must for me so I better start saving my pennies…OK dollars, because I’m in love.

Bone Rating: 5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Chypre
Nose: Roja Dove
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $480 for 50 ml Parfum

March 4, 2015
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

New Release: D.S. & Durga Debaser

WHAT I SMELL: Debaser opens with a luscious pear that is all too quickly replaced with a very milky and creamy fig over a crisp green note. The bergamot gives it a semi sparkling radiance, but that too moves quickly to the side to make way for a woody note that seems to strip the green out of the fragrance only to have it replaced with a drier more hefty wood. Thankfully, the fig does a nice job to help maintain the fragrance from airing completely out . There’s a real comfort here in that as big as the perfume is (trust me it radiates), there is nothing here that goes over the top nor does the fig and coconut become suffocating. After around 15 minutes, the tonka comes to the forefront and there is a rather incensed and smoky edge that helps to continue drying out the perfume. There’s also a bit of a petroleum aspect that seems to reveal itself which adds this unexpected but welcomed dimension which takes Debaser from really nice to really sexy. In the end you’re left with a really lovely mossy and woody concoction that is nicely accentuated with a lightly sugared fig. Just note however that a little goes a long way. I can’t wait to test this in the heat of the summer as it will likely bloom and really project from the heat making it all that more sexy!

Notes from the D.S. & Durga website:

Top notes: bergamot, green leaf, pear stem

Heart notes: fig, coconut milk, iris

Base notes: blond woods, tonka bean, moss

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: What I believe the dashing Mutiny on the Bounty Fletcher Christian would smell like. Any of the movie versions will do. Who’s your pick? Clark Gable, Marlon Brando or Mel Gibson?

Fletcher Christian ala Clark Gable

Fletcher Christian ala Marlon Brando

Fletcher Christian ala Mel Gibson

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE DEBASER: beefy, sexy, bold

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DEBASER: Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: Debaser is based on the Pixie’s song of the same name inspired by the Luis Buneul and Salvador Dali surrealist film, Un Chien Andalou. To me this obscure and artful inspired perfume bypassed surreal and went to outright sexy to me. Hmmmm, surreal sexiness…have I just tapped into something?

For a video interpretation of the inspiration, click here.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Aromatic Fruity
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $145 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique & Apothecary

February 25, 2015
by The Scented Hound 11 Comments

Hand in Hand by Ramon Monegal

WHAT I SMELL: Hand in Hand opens with this warm mentholated spiced rose, that feels like the rose petals have been tinged in a fire with incense. The oud is smoky and strong and minute by minute the smoke grows in intensity, as if the smoke is being pushed through a pumping bellow. Thankfully, after around the 10 minute mark, the smoke and oud start retreating behind the rose, which now is much cleaner than in the opening. The rose, sanitized by the musk begins to become powdery and very dry. But as it becomes dry, the incense and oud spar with the rose for domination. Eventually, they pair up to share the stage, but the rose, combined with the musk make for this lightly candied cotton candied concoction topped with smoke. Unfortunately, after around an hour, you’re left with a light rose musk dryer sheet.

Notes: Bulgarian rose, oud, spicy notes and musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Hanging laundry in the Casbah. It’s the smell of clean sheets washed with rose water that is met by the smell of spice and incense from the city below.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE HAND IN HAND: conflicted, smoky, over-musked

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT HAND IN HAND: I couldn’t find any other reviews.

BOTTOM LINE: To me, this is one of those perfumes that I didn’t wear, but it wore me instead. What started off as rather interesting (yet, kind of discordant), ended up being something that was rather bland and boring. Hand in Hand feels like two hands that clearly missed the handshake.

Bone Rating: 2 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $200 for 50 ml Eau de Parfum