Farmacia S.S Annunziata Patchouly Indonesiano

Following on from my previous post, another patchouli perfume sample I ordered fairly recently is Patchouly Indonesiano. I know next to nothing about Farmacia S.S Annunziata and the name is so long-winded that this is the last time I will type it!

The notes, according to Luckyscent, include patchouli from Indonesia. Yip, that's it, although I expect there is other stuff in there, of course. Because I wore this at the same time as Patchouli Noir, I couldn't help but compare the two fragrances. The opening is startlingly different to any other patchouli fragrance I have encountered. The first time I wore it, I kept on thinking I could smell some sort of bug spray or insecticide, so strong and camphorous was this. The patchouli is bone dry, with an initial smell of rum or cognac. I wouldn't say that it starts intense, but it leaves, as I said, a very austere smell in its wake, and I can see what Luckyscent mean when they say it smells medicinal.

The heart continues in much the same vein. At one point the intensity of that camphorous note comes across like eacalyptus, resinous even. This fragrance does not sweeten at all and remains somewhat aloof. In the dry down Patchouly Indonesiano does lose its intensity and becomes milder, but at no point can I say it is an accommodating perfume. Kudos to it - it is unlike any other patchouli fragrance I have tried, and I have tried a good few. However, it is close to off putting to me, but like a lot of good perfumes, it teeters on the line between compelling and repulsive, leaving you wanting to discover just that little bit more about it.

I find Patchouli Noir a more wearable fragrance and I could see myself reaching for it more often were I to own a bottle, but Patchouly Indonesiano wins hands down for originality.

Image credit - http://www.luckyscent.com/

Il Profumo Patchouli Noir

I went through a bit of a patchouli craving a couple of months ago and ordered a number of samples from Luckyscent. One of them was Patchouli Noir, of which i had read some very good reviews.

The notes from Luckyscent include mint, cedarwood, patchouli, poppy seed and vanilla. I suspect this is a relatively sparse list, but the two primary notes give you an idea of what is to come - essentially a strong patchouli softened and cozied later by the vanilla. However, it is not as simple as that. The opening minutes provide that characteristic feel of a true patchouli fragrance, with plenty of camphorous, cocoa patchouli. If you've ever tried Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens, for example, you will know what I mean, although I think Patchouli Noir is perhaps a little stronger in the opening.

The patchouli note becomes richer and almost 'thickens' as the fragrance progresses and becomes a little sweeter. I haven't a clue what a poppy note smells like in perfume and whether its presence is felt or not, I cannot vouch for. After this, Patchouli Noir begins to morph quite noticeably as a much stronger vanilla note takes over. Fortunately, for me, this is a not a cloyingly sweet vanilla, but warm, enveloping and almost cozy in feel. There is still an edge of Patchouli to balance things which now has more of a minty feel. It's interesting, to be sure.

In the late dry down Patchouli Noir becomes very relaxed in feel, with the vanilla much cozier, almost a skin scent, which is a dramatic turnaround from the intense, patchouli-laden start.

I do like Patchouli Noir, only I was expecting it to be perhaps a bit darker and more challenging than it actually turned out to be, but nevertheless it is very well done. I think it is a patchouli scent for patch lovers, but won't deter others who are perhaps a bit more wary of the note and is a good compromise.

Image credit - http://www.luckyscent.com/

Perfume for a long day and journey?

Today is a very early start as I am up at 5am to drive to Bournemouth for work. For those of you who aren't familiar with the UK, Bournemouth is a large university and resort town on England's south coast, in Dorset, situated to the west of Southampton.

It takes about 2.5-3 hours to drive to Bournemouth from Tunbridge Wells, depending on traffic and my colleague and I are going only for the day. This means leaving at 6am and getting back at 9pm, with a day's work sandwiched in between. I feel tired already!

So I was wondering what to wear for the journey and for some reason I am in the mood for patchouli. I'm not sure why - perhaps I feel the need for inward contemplation and patchouli sometimes assists me in that respect.

So I'm wearing Noir Patchouli by Histoires de Parfums on one arm and Intrigant Patchouli by Parfumerie Generale on the other.

What perfume do you like to wear on a long (ish) journey? Would travelling by aeroplane change your mind?

Gucci Guilty

Today I tried Gucci Guilty (for men) for the first time. Described by Gucci as an aromatic fougere, Guilty includes notes of lemon, lavender, orange flower, patchouli and cedar wood. 

I have to be honest, I don't really have much to say about Gucci Guilty. To be fair, it doesn't smell bad, but it is so yawn-inducingly bland that I don't have much of an opinion.

It starts off smelling quite citrusy, then gains a bit of sweetness, perhaps by the lavender, then fades to an unobtrusive light woods, with perhaps a touch of amber. The presence of patchouli   is muted, as is so often the case and that's it folks. Gucci Guilty. I'd feel guilty that something so bland has been released.

Image credit - http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/

Comme des Garcons Ouarzazate and Kyoto

Some of you may recall that a few weeks ago I went on a bit of an incense binge, ordering a number of mainly incense-dominated samples from Luckyscent.

Among the many I ordered were two from the Comme des Garcons range, Ouarzazate and Kyoto. I'd sprayed these before a number of years ago, but only on paper, and neither was particularly impressive in that form.

Ouarzazate is inspired by the deserts and mountains of Morocco while Kyoto is a nod to incense practices in Japan. Ouarzazate opens with perhaps a quick burst of something citrus then very quickly becomes smoky. This is not a fragrant campfire smoke, but quite clean, smelling more like the vapours released from dying embers than burning wood. There is a smell of stones to me, gently warmed in the sun. I find Ouarzazate a very relaxed, rather slight perfume. It smells good, but in a very understated way. As the fragrance progresses, it becomes linear, smelling slightly more earthy than before and with a hint of sweetness in the dry down. The notes include incense, pepper, nutmeg, clary sage, wenge, musk, vanilla, labdanum and kashmir wood. If I'm not mistaken, wenge has also been used in Timbuktu, by Duchafour, although I think Ouarzazate was created by Mark Buxton.

Kyoto is not a million miles removed from Ouarzazate. It smells less of stone, earth and fire and perhaps more of incense, in a more 'traditional' sense, with perhaps a bit more woody undertone and resin. There is also a slight greenness to Kyoto, for want of a better expression, and it also strikes me as drier and less sweet than Ouarzazate, not that it was sweet itself. As the top notes fade, Kyoto becomes stronger and even becomes slightly bracing, with a pine note. There is something about Kyoto at this point that smells like being in an evergreen forest on a cold day. Like Ouarazate, it is quite linear and simple, encouraging quiet contemplation. Kyoto was created by Duchafour and includes notes of vetiver, patchouli,  amber, incense, cypress, coffee, teak wood, cedar and everlasting flower. Despite the notes, it still strikes me as quite a simple (not inferior) perfume.

Overall, I think I like both of these fragrances, although neither moved me quite enough to produce that 'moment', which I'm sure most of you have encountered at some point or other during your perfume journeys. They are both very well executed perfumes and if, like me, you enjoy incense, then I don't think  you will mind these very much.

Image credit - http://www.punmiris.com/

Back from holiday

Well hi folks. In some ways it's nice to be back from our holiday down in Cornwall but the week went far too quickly, as is usually the case. The weather wasn't fantastic, very windy and variable, but the north Cornish coast is very beautiful, with wild, windswept cliffs and bracing coastal path walks a must if, like me, you enjoy the outdoors.

The place we stayed at was very nice too, with both an outdoor and indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam room, and an adjoining cafe that serve excellent food. The kids had a very good time and there were plenty of facilities for them, including a trampoline and a very nice play area. Of course, they loved the swimming and we did manage to make it down to the beach  a couple of times to build sand castles. We also took the kids to the Newquay zoo and aquarium, both of which were rather nice too. Newquay is the surfing centre of Cornwall (and the UK, if I'm not mistaken) and there were plenty of surfer dudes braving the frigid atlantic waters and gales.

I mentioned before I left that I would take Sel de Vetiver with me and a few incense perfumes. Sel de Vetiver is perfect for the coast, with its salty, fresh-yet-complex vetiver tang. I wore it a few times and never felt let down. I also wore Profumum Olibanum and Andy Tauer's L'air du Desert Marocain and Gucci 1, which is, if I am correct, now discontinued, or at least rather more difficult to find than it was three years ago.

I must admit that we went to a place that had terrible mobile phone reception and we didn't bring our laptop. Therefore we had no internet connection and hence I am so out of touch with the perfume world and blogosphere. In a way I have missed it, and my usual saturation in perfume, but in another way it has been a welcome break. I still have lots to write about, but with work stepping up yet another gear, I am not sure how much time I will have to blog over the next couple of months. Nevertheless I will try to keep in touch and blog as much as time permits.

Holidays!

I'm off for a week's holiday tomorrow, so no blogging from me for a few days. Not that I've been doing much, but anyway...

We're heading west over to Cornwall, for those of you who know the UK. Somewhere between Newquay and Padstow. I must admit that it will be great to get away to the seaside, far away from the usual everyday life!

On the perfume front, not much to say really. I hope to wear some perfume on holiday, but I'm still deciding what might be nice. I'm thinking possibly of Sel de Vetiver for starters, with a couple of nice incenses. Ah, who knows!

Till later, all the best.