Month: March 2022

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Best Powdery Fragrances: Cosy To Devastatingly Chic

Best Powdery Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme EDP

Whether for their sensual or comforting properties, I can’t get enough of powdery perfumes, so had to stop myself from adding more to this best powdery fragrances post.

The powdery genre covers a lot of territory. Of course, there isn’t any powder in these fragrances, but they showcase notes or accords with this sensation to varying effect, from the grandma-ish (nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia) to thoroughly modern.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Le Labo Labdanum 18 EDP B&W

Some notes are powderier than others. On the floral side, notes of iris / orris, violet, rose and mimosa feature prominently. Musks, vanillas and amber accords can also have a powdery feel. As does the fruity note of peach.

Do you have any best powdery fragrances?

Where known, the name of the perfumer is listed in brackets after the name of the fragrance.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Parfums de Marly Galloway EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR L’EAU D’AMBRE EXTRÊME EDP* (JEAN-CLAUDE ELLENA)

Why is perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena held in such high regard? This 2001 release from the pioneering French niche brand will tell you all you need to know.

The 1993 original created by Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, L’Artisan Parfumeur L’Eau d’Ambre, is a standard-setter in the amber category. Billed as a more complex and potent version of the original, Ellena’s rendition is inspired by 1930s oriental opulence, so it has a vintage-y feel. This is a good thing in my books.

The vanilla-centric amber accord, musky powdery perfection, is complemented by warm spicy notes (nutmeg stands out in the mix) and Turkish rose. Earthy patchouli adds to the depth. Old-school glamour at its very best.

Best Powdery Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme EDP 2

CLIVE CHRISTIAN NO 1 FOR HER FEMININE EDITION EDP*
CLIVE CHRISTIAN NO 1 FOR HIM MASCULINE EDITION EDP*

My relationship with Clive Christian perfumes so far has been a turbulent one, and so it continues with this duo from 2001.
* Clive Christian No 1 Feminine Edition: My favourite of the two. A lush arrangement of fruits (plum, peach) and florals (jasmine, rose) on a creamy sandalwood base, with powder to spare. You should feel like a million bucks wearing it. At the price, you would need a million bucks to keep on wearing it.
* Clive Christian No 1 Masculine Edition EDP: Hints of spice and citrus and big florals (iris, rose) lead the way to a powdery and musky drydown, with sandalwood completing the rich oriental. Undeniably sophisticated and quality stuff, but will you want so much more for the price?

Best Powdery Fragrances - Clive Christian No 1 Masculine and Feminine Edition

FRÉDÉRIC MALLE IRIS POUDRE* (PIERRE BOURDON)

It doesn’t get any better than Frédéric Malle Iris Poudre, one of the launch releases from the year 2 000 that established the Paris-based niche fragrance house’s impeccable credentials.

This Pierre Bourdon creation opens with the floral luxuriance of ylang-ylang. Notes of violet and rose lay the powdery path for the headline iris. Iris can be a bit of an ice queen, but I find this take welcoming and embracing once you get to know her. There’s also an aldehydic element, but it never steals the show. It gives the composition a classic feel.

Warm and smooth sandalwood defines the drydown, with musk and tonka bean lingering sensually on the skin. What a treat!

Best Powdery Fragrances - Frederic Malle Iris Poudre EDP

LE LABO LABDANUM 18 EDP* (MAURICE ROUCEL)

Released in 2006 as part of the NYC-based niche brand’s launch collection, this EDP is a curious beast. Labdanum (also known as cistus labdanum and rock rose) is a sticky resinous substance obtained from the leaves and stems of the plant. It gives amber fragrances depth and potency.

In the masterful hands of legendary perfumer Maurice Roucel (creator of classics such as Hermès 24 Faubourg EDP and Frédéric Malle Musc Ravageur), it starts out in musky animalic-leather style, with support from notes of civet and castoreum (don’t worry, no animals were harmed here, these are synthetic versions).

It softens as it progresses towards an almost baby powder feel sweetened with vanilla and tonka bean (I wish all babies smelled this good). The powderiness keeps on coming with warm musk in the drydown.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Le Labo Labdanum 18 EDP

LE LABO IRIS 39 EDP (FRANK VOELKL)

NYC-based niche house Le Labo established its reputation soon after its launch in 2006 with fragrances that included Rose 31, Bergamote 22, Patchouli 24 and Iris 39. Created by Frank Voelkl (who also produced the almost-too-popular-for-its-own-good Santal 33), Iris 39 brings a different take to one of my favourite florals.

It opens with the brief sunny spiciness of lime, ginger and cardamom. Iris is often cool and aloof, but Voelkl surrounds it with yet more warmth of the ylang-ylang kind. There’s powder aplenty with violet in support.

The drydown is big on the earthy patchouli and musky, animalic vibe (the synthetic civetone is particularly appealing here).

Best Powdery Fragrances - Le Labo Iris 39 EDP

NASOMATTO SILVER MUSK EXTRAIT DE PARFUM* (ALESSANDRO GUALTIERI)

This 2007 release from the Amsterdam-based niche brand is notable for three main reasons:

1) It presents a metallic spin on the musk theme. Starting out clean and clinical, it evolves into something comforting and powdery, while maintaining the initial freshness.

2) For Alessandro Gualtieri (creator of never-ending perfumes such as Nasomatto Black Afgano and Orto Parisi Terroni), it’s a quite subtle quiet skin scent (I challenge you to say that quickly after a few beers). Good to see the maverick perfumer in a different mode.

3) It’s not for everyone. Those who “get” it will love it. Anyone else will think, “WTF! How could this be included in a best powdery fragrances post!” That’s a recommendation, by the way.

IMAGE: Nasomatto.

CREED LOVE IN BLACK EDP* (OLIVIER CREED & ERWIN CREED)

Apparently inspired by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, this 2008 release opens with the floral powder of violet. Its freshness is amplified and given body with a note of Virginia cedar.

There’s additional powder from Florentine iris and white musk. Their cool elegance is spiced with cloves, without dominating the composition. The drydown features a combo of blackcurrant and rose, all fruity tartness.

Devastatingly chic, this EDP has an air of impenetrability about it. Think of it as a piece of perfume armour when you want to feel as inscrutable as the woman who inspired it.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Creed Love In Black EDP

BYREDO MOJAVE GHOST EDP*

The Mojave Desert makes for surprisingly fertile inspiration in this 2014 release from the Swedish niche brand.

The intro features the silkiness of ambrette, the vegetal musk. Its pear-like fruitiness is partnered with the fresh sweetness of Jamaican naseberry, a tropical note that’s not used much in perfumery. The floral freshness of powdery violet and citrus-y magnolia is contrasted with the creamy warmth of sandalwood and more musk.

A softly evocative skin scent with a clean feel, it’s Byredo at its crowd-pleasing best.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Byredo Mojave Ghost EDP

PARFUMS DE MARLY GALLOWAY EDP*

As shown by this 2014 release, the Paris-based niche brand does some of the best freshies in the biz.

The opening is all about the contrast between a burst of sparkling citruses and the warm spice of black pepper. They lead the way to a duo of sweet-ish florals: powdery iris and soapy orange blossom. A blast of white musk in the drydown keeps its clean and powdery, with support from an amber accord and sandalwood.

For a freshie, it lasts forever and a day. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the house.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Parfums de Marly Galloway EDP 2 Crop

PARFUMS DE MARLY ATHALIA EDP*

Apart from the Delina range, the female releases from the Paris-based niche brand don’t get as much attention as they should when compared to their more masculine siblings.

Delicately smoky incense meets the tart freshness of bitter orange in the opening of this 2016 release. Iris, the powdery and earthy variety, then gets support from vibrant orange blossom and the musky synthetic Cashmeran. White musk, vanilla and an amber accord prolong the powderiness in the drydown.

The result is olfactory opulence, just like its black bottle with gold accents, without being overbearing and flashy.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Parfums de Marly Athalia EDP

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ NARCISO EDP POUDRÉE (AURÉLIEN GUICHARD)

Launched in 2016, Poudrée is the second addition to the Narciso range and, as its name suggests, is all about sensual powderiness.

There’s plenty of that in the opening where Bulgarian rose mingles with fresh jasmine. It’s stylishly sweet and thoroughly addictive. All Narciso Rodriguez scents riff on musk and this one extends the powdery theme in a clean way, without ever being clinical. After all that airiness, it’s grounded in a woody drydown of cedars (black and white) and vetiver.

Bravo to perfumer Aurélien Guichard for another stellar creation!

Best Powdery Fragrances - Narciso Rodriguez Narciso EDP Poudree

MUSK THEME: Is Narciso EDP Poudrée one of your best powdery fragrances?

INITIO PSYCHEDELIC LOVE EDP*

There’s no shortage of powdery fragrances from the French niche brand – Rehab, Magnetic Blend 7, Musk Therapy – but this 2017 release from The Carnals Collection must be one of my favourites.

The opening features the rich fruity tones of ylang-ylang, with a smidgen of fresh bergamot in the background. The powder comes through in the form of heliotropin (almonds and vanilla ahoy!), hedione (intense jasmine) and rose (dusty deluxe). Mmm…

The sweet spice of myrrh and creamy sandalwood completes this semi-gourmand with full-on intentions.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Initio Psychedelic Love EDP

MAISON CRIVELLI IRIS MALIKHÂN EDP* (MARC ZINI)

A 2020 release from the Paris-based niche fragrance house, it delivers on its title note with aplomb.

The notes of mimosa and lentisque set the powdery and creamy tone respectively, while galbanum brings a hint of greenery to the composition. The combo of orris and vanilla, all silky butteriness, is amplified by a slightly animalic leather accord. The amber treatment keeps it sweet in a sophisticated way.

With gourmand-ish qualities, but not in an obvious way, it’s easy to understand why this luxurious EDP is one of the brand’s top sellers and its inclusion in this best powdery fragrances line-up.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Maison Crivelli Iris Malikhan EDP

DIPTYQUE ORPHÉON EDP*

Paying homage to the company’s heritage for its 60th anniversary, this 2021 release takes its name from a bustling bar in Saint-Germain, Paris, where Diptyque’s founders would rendezvous in the 1960s.

It opens with a big splash of aromatic juniper berries. It’s gin-ish in character, but not overly so. The jasmine that comes through soon after that helps to create a heady ambience together with the notes of cedar and tonka bean in the drydown. What stands out most in the composition is a musky and rosy powderiness.

With its bar / nightlife inspiration, I was expecting Diptyque Orphéon to be a smoky and boozier affair. But perhaps I’m being too literal. It’s a straightforward composition and while it’s not an immediate Diptyque favourite, it’s grown on me.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Diptyque Orphéon EDP

GUERLAIN INSOLENCE EDP (MAURICE ROUCEL & SYLVAINE DELACOURTE)

Originally released as an EDT in 2006 and now part of the revered French brand’s Les Légendaires Collection, this 2021 release is way more approachable and wearable than its name suggests.

There’s a mega dose of violet in the opening. The powderiness is fresh, airy and sweet. There’s more floral support from orange blossom, while berries add a rich fruity dimension. Iris adds to the powderiness in a dry and earthy way, with softly creamy vanilla and sandalwood in the drydown.

It doesn’t get prettier than this fruity-floral that’s infused with just the right amount of refined sweetness.

Best Powdery Fragrances - Guerlain Insolence EDP

*All these best powdery fragrances available at Skins Cosmetics.

 

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Sophie Labbé Interview: “Creating Fragrances Involves A Combination Of Intuition And Rationalisation”

Sophie Labbé

The first big commercial hit of Sophie Labbé – the classic Givenchy Organza EDP (1996) – was no fluke. The Paris-based perfumer had already shown she was destined for great things when she graduated top of her class at perfume school in 1987.

Sophie Labbé - Givenchy Organza EDP

In her career spanning more than three decades, she has worked for big fragrance companies such as Givaudan, IFF and, most recently, Firmenich, where she holds the position of principal perfumer (she joined the Swiss firm in 2019).

Sophie Labbé

Along the way, Sophie Labbé has collaborated with luminaries such as Carlos Benaïm and Sophia Grojsman. Her ingenuity has ensured she’s made her own mark with a variety of outstanding creations, including:

  • Hugo Boss Boss Woman EDP (2000)
  • Cacharel Promesse EDT (2005)
  • Estée Lauder Pure White Linen EDP (2006)
  • Guerlain Cologne du 68 EDC (2006)
  • Bvlgari Jasmin Noir EDP (2008)
  • Kylie Minogue Sexy Darling EDT (2008)
  • Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne EDP (2009)
  • Lancôme Ô d’Azur EDT (2010)
  • Calvin Klein Beauty EDP (2010)
  • Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina EDP (2011)
  • Elie Saab Girl of Now EDP (2017)
  • Floraïku The Moon and I EDP (2017)
  • Memo Tamarindo EDP (2018)
  • Tiffany & Co Tiffany & Love For Him EDT (2019)
  • Jo Malone Cypress & Grapevine Cologne Intense (2020)
Sophie Labbé - Estée Lauder Pure White Linen EDP

IMAGE: Estée Lauder.

In 2021 she was part of the judging panel for the prestigious 14th François Coty Award, a recognition of her authority in the industry. She was the first woman to win the prize in 2005.

Sophie Labbé - Tiffany & Co Tiffany & Love For Him EDT

IMAGE: Tiffany & Co.

In this interview, Sophie Labbé chats about her perfume style, inspiration and AI.

Who or what influenced you the most to become a perfumer?

Back then, I was naïve, and didn’t even know this profession existed. Although growing up, I’d always been aware of the scent of nature because my father produced wine in the west of France. After I moved from Charente-Maritime in the southwest of France to Paris, I started really having a wider scope of scents.

Sophie Labbé - Bvlgari Splendida Tubereuse Mystique EDP

The smells were augmented with the different odours of the countryside and the city. For example, I associated Paris with the smells of the boulangerie or the Métro – and I was exposed to different kinds of perfume while in the Métro. Then for the countryside with the smell of nature, depending on the season.

One day I read an article on ISIPCA, a school for fragrance, and I immediately thought this profession was for me but, as I didn’t know anything about it, my wish was to meet a perfumer.

“I spent the whole afternoon with Jean Kerléo and realised the complexity of this profession.” – Sophie Labbé 

That was granted in 1985 when I met Jean Kerléo, the in-house perfumer of Jean Patou (pictured, below). I spent the whole afternoon with him and realised the complexity of this profession. I started to understand the process and this is what I wanted to do.

IMAGE: Fragrantica.

What was your debut fragrance and how has your style evolved since then?

My first fragrance was G Gigli EDT for the Italian brand Romeo Gigli in 1994. It had the scent of berries, red fruit and was very green and musky. I remember the bottle was shaped like the genie’s lamp in Aladdin.

Sophie Labbé - Romeo Gigli G Gigli EDT

IMAGE: Fragrantica.

My style has evolved. This is a profession where you learn every day. The more you do this job, the better knowledge you have on the affinity of ingredients, so you have a clearer grasp of what’s available to you. I’ve shortened my formulas. I enjoy when the perfume is unique and the structure of the formula is distinct.

Sophie Labbé - Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina EDP

IMAGE: Salvatore Ferragamo.

You’ve created several classics (for example, Givenchy Organza, Bvlgari Jasmin Noir). What made these fragrances such successes?

This is a difficult question. Everyone wants to know the recipe for success but there is none.

What they do have in common is memorability, a powerful signature and the emotion they bring to people.

Sophie Labbé - Bvlgari Splendida Jasmin Noir EDP

How do you prefer to work?

I like working in my office – something I really understood during the period of Covid confinement. It’s important to have my atmosphere when I work. I want to be surrounded by my trials, my bottles of raw ingredients. Also, my blotters to check the evolution of the perfume.

Although you work alone in this job, you need to exchange and connect with other people to be inspired and to grow. I also love meeting the customers and to get words of inspiration from them.

Sophie Labbé - Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne EDP

IMAGE: Yves Saint Laurent.

Does inspiration come easily to you?

Inspiration is everywhere. It can come from travelling or it can be when I read a book and there is a description that makes me want to play with a specific flower or ambience.

It can also come from ingredients – naturals or synthetic molecules – that belong in our palette. This is something I enjoyed so much when I joined Firmenich – it was like a Christmas gift!

Sophie Labbé - Givenchy Organza EDP

I love Clearwood. Created using white biotechnology, it’s an interesting innovation. The first white biotech ingredient in perfumery, it offers the odour of patchouli but with lightness on the side. I used it for Versace Dylan Turquoise.

Anything else unusual about the creation of this Versace?

There was a glamorous atmosphere surrounding the project because it was with Versace and because of Donatella Versace’s guidance.

For the launch, we filmed a movie in their atelier in Milan, so I had the opportunity to be in the same place where Gianni Versace lived and where all the beautiful couture was kept. That was something unusual and special.

Sophie Labbé - Versace Dylan Turquoise EDT

For better and for worse, perfumery is still shrouded in mystery. What would people be most surprised to know about the process of creation?

People think we dream up fragrances when, in fact, it’s a combination of intuition and rationalisation.

Creating a fragrance involves a lot of modifications, countless processes of trial and error, after which we only select the best results for our customers.

Sophie Labbé - Bvlgari Splendida Jasmin Noir EDP

What’s been the most important development in the industry since you first qualified to become a perfumer?

There have been many developments in the industry since I first started more than 30 years ago, but the one that is the most recent for me and that I was involved with was the project I did for Bvlgari Serpenti Metamorphosis in 2021.

“With the help of AI, I took a number of sensations and  transformed them into a fragrance, associating the olfactive notes with Refik’s art.” – Sophie Labbé 

Sophie Labbé

ART OF FRAGRANCE: Sophie Labbé collaborated with Refik Anadol for the Bvlgari Serpenti Metamorphosis project in 2021.

I had an innovative collaboration with the brand and the media artist/director Refik Anadol. With the help of AI, I took an overwhelming number of sensations and inputs that the rainforest offers and transformed them into a fragrance that was sprayed all over the gallery, associating the olfactive notes with Refik’s art.

That was a first! I also got inspiration from observing the images selected by Refik for the exhibition.

Sophie Labbé - Bvlgari Serpenti Metamorphosis

IMAGE: Bvlgari.

What project have you just completed that you can tell us about?

It’s a secret! Things are cooking in the kitchen, so to speak. We cannot say anything yet.

What perfume do you wear the most when you’re not working?

Bvlgari Splendida Patchouli Tentation is the fragrance I’m wearing at the moment. This is actually the first fragrance I created that I wear often.

Sophie Labbé - Bvlgari Splendida Patchouli Tentation EDP

Apart from perfumes, what are your other great loves?

I love to travel, gardening and reading. I read a lot more now than before. My favourite author is still Aki Shimazaki, but I also just started reading the Cazalet series of books by Elizabeth Jane Howard.

Set in 20th-century England, just before World War II, it’s about a family in the business of exotic wood – maybe that’s why I like it so much.

IMAGE: Pan Macmillan.

 

 

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Best Patchouli Fragrances: Earthy, Spicy, Sweet, Musky & More

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Bvlgari Splendida Patchouli Tentation EDP

It’s official: patchouli fragrances are having a bit of a revival and these best patchouli fragrances cover a range of styles and budgets. The last time it was so popular was in the 1960s and 1970s when hippies and boho types wore patchouli oils, some experts claim, to disguise the smell of weed.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Maison Dior Patchouli Imperial EDP

In an interview with the UK’s Daily Mail, British perfumer Roja Dove reckons our Covid times echo the turbulence of those decades and helps explain the resurgence of patchouli. “In the 1960s and 1970s, the British and American youth were the post-World War II and Vietnam War generation. They felt politics was rotten and mother earth was where the connection mattered,” he says.

“Pogostemon cablin had a demi-monde reputation in late 19th-century France as women of ill-repute wore it.”

According to the Maison Francis Kurkdjian website, Pogostemon cablin (its scientific name) had a demi-monde reputation in late 19th-century France as women of ill-repute wore it.

A member of the mint family, the herb is native to southeast Asia, with Indonesia being the largest producer. In its natural form, the leaves are dried and fermented. They are then steam-distilled or CO2 extracted to produce a highly potent and rich essential oil with all the versatile qualities we’ve come to expect from the plant – earthy, woody, sweet, spicy, smoky, musky – depending on how it’s used.

Image: Rocky Mountain Oils.

Due to the expense involved in producing the best-quality oils and environmental concerns about over-farming, synthetics (for example, Akigalawood, pictured, below) and substitutes (for example, Clearwood) are used to produce the same effect.

Image: Givaudan.

What are your best patchouli fragrances?

Where known, the name of the perfumer is listed in brackets after the name of the fragrance in this epic best patchouli fragrances round-up.

MUGLER A*MEN EDT (JACQUES HUCLIER)

Mugler A*Men EDT was not Jacques Huclier’s first perfume, but this love-it-or-hate-it classic was the one that made his name as a multi-talented perfumer. It was also the French designer brand’s first male fragrance, launched after the tremendous success of the pioneering gourmand Mugler Angel.

Released in 1996, there was nothing like it at the time. There have been several attempts to copy it, but none have captured the uniqueness and audacity of the original with its lashings of patchouli, caramel and coffee.

The Mugler A*Men follow-ups, mostly created by Huclier and featuring varying qualities of patchouli, are one of those rare cases in which the flankers offer a new and surprising twist on the theme. I’m usually weary of hyper-sweet fragrances but will always make an exception for Mugler A*Men.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Mugler A*Men EDT

LE LABO PATCHOULI 24 EDP* (ANNICK MENARDO)

Is this 2006 release from the NYC-based niche brand’s launch collection a leather or a patchouli scent? The company’s website even states “patchouli is not easy to detect in this formula”.

There’s certainly no missing the mega dose of birch in it. The oil from the bark of this hardwood tree (birch tar oil) is renowned for its smoky leather properties and it gives this EDP an almost burnt quality. A hint of warm and spicy vanilla softens the harsh edges.

Yeah, but what about the patchouli? It pops up when you least expect it, earthy and medicinal, and then disappears. Intriguing, challenging stuff…

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Le Labo Patchouli 24 EDP

ORTO PARISI BRUTUS PARFUM* (ALESSANDRO GUALTIERI)

Amsterdam-based Orto Parisi is one of those love it or hate it niche fragrance brands. And this 2014 release created by Alessandro Gualtieri will either do it for you in abundance or not.

As usual, he gives no notes to guide the consumer. But that doesn’t stop me from picking up a large dose of rough-around-the-edges patchouli. Earthy, spicy and woody, it’s given a hint of freshness with citrus notes of bergamot and mandarin.

With its uncompromising boldness, it’s an acquired taste, so best give it time to work its charms.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Orto Parisi Brutus Parfum

MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN MASCULIN PLURIEL EDT* (FRANCIS KURKDJIAN)

While this 2014 release from the Paris-based niche brand is big on the lavender, it also features a beautifully earthy take on patchouli.

Showcasing the perfumer’s love for the fougère fragrance family, it opens with lavender absolute – the Provençal variety renowned for its smooth, slightly sweet, herbal properties. It’s given sensual depth with a leather accord and woody notes of Virginian cedar, Haitian vetiver and Indonesian patchouli. Kurkdjian makes the most of the latter in a smoky and musky style.

It all adds up to produce a scent that’s thoroughly elegant.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Maison Francis Kurkdjian Masculin Pluriel EDT

CAROLINA HERRERA NIGHTFALL PATCHOULI EDP

This fragrance has a similar-ish name to Van Cleef & Arpels Moonlight Patchouli (see below), but couldn’t be more different. A 2015 release from the Herrera Confidential private collection, it shows the American designer brand equally at home in haute parfumerie as it is in more commercial money-spinners.

Benzoin gives it vanilla-ish smoothness, while the patchouli is earthy and herbal in style. The extra-large helping of cinnamon is given a touch of resinous depth with cistus labdanum.

If you’re looking for sweet take on the patchouli theme, this one’s for you.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Carolina Herrera Nightfall Patchouli EDP

GOOD NIGHT: Carolina Herrera Nightfall Patchouli is probably the sweetest of these best patchouli fragrances.

YVES SAINT LAURENT TUXEDO EDP (JULIETTE KARAGUEUZOGLOU)

In 2015, the French luxury fashion brand launched its Le Vestiaire des Parfums private fragrance collection, inspired by iconic items associated with the couturier. I’d forgotten how good Tuxedo is and how like its namesake from 1966, it blends the masculine with the feminine to perfection.

The coolness of cardamom is contrasted with the warmth of black pepper to create sensual spiciness. A hint of rose, with woody accents, adds to the allure. The patchouli, smokiness on high, is paired with a musky ambergris-like accord and smooth spicy vanilla in the drydown.

Devastatingly chic and sexy, it’s one of the best YSL releases in recent years and well worth the extra expense compared to its more mainstream releases.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Yves Saint Laurent Tuxedo EDP

SUITS YOU: Is YSL Tuxedo one of your best patchouli fragrances?

CHANEL COROMANDEL EDP (JACQUES POLGE & CHRISTOPHER SHELDRAKE)

From the French luxury brand’s Les Exclusifs de Chanel Collection, this 2016 release is inspired by Coco’s love for Chinese Coromandel lacquered screens, which decorated her Paris apartment. From top to bottom, it presents an enchantingly exotic take on patchouli.

The citrus opening – bitter orange and neroli – leads the way to deep and dark patchouli. It has delicious chocolate accents without entering gourmand territory. There are light floral touches (rose, orris root, jasmine) in the background. The exotic vibe is heightened with an amber accord featuring vanilla-ish benzoin and spicy frankincense.

It’s also available in a parfum concentration with added musk.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Chanel Coromandel EDP

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS MOONLIGHT PATCHOULI EDP (SONIA CONSTANT)

Gosh, isn’t this 2016 addition to the French luxury jewellery brand’s top-quality Collection Extraordinaire a treat!

It opens with a deep and woody interpretation of patchouli spiced with the warmth of cacao. Bulgarian rose and iris contribute floral powderiness, while the drydown amplifies the sensual vibe with a combo of smooth leather and suede. There’s also a hint of fruitiness in the background.

From the above-mentioned cacao and fruity notes, it might sound like a gourmand, but Sonia Constant is too skilled a perfumer to go the obvious route. It’s also one of the best-value private range releases around.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Van Cleef & Arpels Moonlight Patchouli EDP

KILIAN GOLD KNIGHT EDP* (PASCAL GAURIN)

The Paris-based niche brand founded by the heir to the Hennessy fortune, Kilian Hennessy, doesn’t mess around when it comes to luxurious fragrances and prices.

This 2017 release from The Cellars Collection is deliciously enticing from the opening notes of faintly liquorice-ish anise and crisply citrus bergamot. Honey and vanilla mingle to produce warm and smooth powderiness. The refined sweetness is maintained in the dark earthiness of the patchouli drydown.

One of the house’s best releases, it justifies its price tag.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Kilian Gold Knight EDP

BYREDO VELVET HAZE EDP* (JÉRÔME EPINETTE)

A 2017 release from the Swedish niche brand that’s not as crowd friendly as some of its other fragrances such as Gypsy Water and Bal d’Afrique, and is all the better for it.

It debuts with the lightly tropical fruity tones of coconut water and then the patchouli – earthy, rich and perhaps too powerful for some – kicks in, in a big way. When the patchouli subsides, it’s complemented by earthy cacao and wafts of musk.

There’s something BO-ish about this scent, not in an off-putting way, more seductive…

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Byredo Velvet Haze EDP

DIOR PATCHOULI IMPÉRIAL EDP (FRANÇOIS DEMACHY)

This 2018 addition to the upmarket Maison Dior range goes the oriental route.

The barely there citrus intro – mandarin orange and bergamot – quickly gives way to the warm spice of cinnamon and coriander. It comes into its own in the drydown. Patchouli, dusty and dark, is given extra oomph with smoke, an amber accord (featuring pronounced accents of benzoin, tonka bean and vanilla) and creamy sandalwood.

Although it doesn’t quite nail its inspiration – “like entering the fragrant back room of an apothecary in Asia,” according to the brand’s website – that doesn’t stop it from being beautifully mysterious and an essential addition to the best patchouli fragrances.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Maison Dior Patchouli Imperial EDP

CHRISTIAN PROVENZANO PATCHOULI NOIR EDP (CHRISTIAN PROVENZANO)

Before the global director of Dubai-based CPL Aromas launched his own company, Christian Provenzano Parfums, in 2018, he’d produced highly regarded work for brands such as Agent Provocateur, Jo Malone, Kilian, Penhaligon’s and Boadicea The Victorious.

Part of his launch collection, Patchouli Noir opens with red fruit and pink peppercorn notes. It’s sweet, sharp and spicy at the same time. Turkish rose and osmanthus develop the fruitiness of the intro with their floral intensity. True to the name of this scent, the patchouli is dark and earthy, with cistus labdanum and an amber accord bolstering its depth.

I’m not surprised it won the Best Niche Fragrance Award at the Pure Beauty Global Awards 2018. Patchouli Noir Intense, from the brand’s Universal Collection, is also worth sniffing out.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Christian Provenzano Patchouli Noir EDP

MONTBLANC EXPLORER EDP (JÓRDI FERNANDEZ, ANTOINE MAISONDIEU & OLIVIER PESCHEUX)

A trio of top perfumers collaborated on this 2019 release. They were specifically chosen for their expertise in the three key notes of Montblanc Explorer: Calabrian bergamot (Maisondieu), Haitian vetiver (Pescheux) and Indonesian patchouli (Fernández ).

The Calabrian bergamot note sets the scene with its fresh, sunny and uplifting character. Notes of clary sage and pink pepper add aromatic interest. The Haitian vetiver brings the unmistakable qualities of earth, grass and smoke. This is supported by a hint of leather. The earthy character is emphasised by a double dose of warming patchouli and the patchouli-like synthetic Akigalawood.

I won’t get bogged down in the debate on whether this scent is a Creed Aventus clone. I can tell you, though, it’s a highly versatile crowd-pleaser.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Montblanc Explorer EDP

BVLGARI SPLENDIDA PATCHOULI TENTATION EDP (SOPHIE LABBÉ)

The luxury Italian jewellery brand can always be relied upon to deliver seemingly effortless elegance.

This 2020 addition to their Splendida range does that with a trio of layered patchouli in the expert hands of Sophie Labbé, who also created Jasmin Noir and Tubereuse Mystique for the company.

The opening is clean and pure, thanks to patchouli oil from Flores (an Indonesian island) and softly fruity peach. The powderiness of the peach evolves with orris. The iris root is perfectly paired with patchouli at this stage for an earthy effect. The drydown displays the musky side of patchouli together with white musk.

It’s officially a female fragrance, but 100% unisex, so don’t miss out on this smooth and artful beauty.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Bvlgari Splendida Patchouli Tentation EDP

TOM FORD ROSE PRICK EDP

Let’s put aside the name, shall we? And savour this 2020 release that’s apparently inspired by Tom Ford’s private rose garden. You’re not the only one trying to picture it.

It’s all earthy spiciness in the opening, with notes of black pepper and turmeric grabbing the attention. Three varieties of rose – May, Turkish, Bulgarian – display the queen of florals at her most voluptuous and diverse. Rose-patchouli is a popular combo and the herb gives this scent a dirty, musky edge.

Not as wild as its name suggests (where are the prickly thorns?), it’s nevertheless beautiful stuff.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Tom Ford Rose Prick EDP

EX NIHILO THE HEDONIST EDP* (JORDI FERNÁNDEZ)

When I first saw the name of the latest release (2021) from the Paris-based niche brand, my mind started racing in all sorts of boozy, gourmand-ish directions.

Perhaps that’s why I didn’t click with this EDP from the Iconoclaste Collection at first. I was expecting something decadent, whereas it’s more about connecting with the joys of nature. Now that I’ve spent more time with it, I’m loving its distinctive simplicity.

It opens with fresh ‘n spicy notes of bergamot and ginger. And then gets really interesting with a large dose of Akigalawood. Perfumer Jordi Fernández maximises the spicy-musky patchouli qualities of the synthetic Givaudan captive molecule with impressive results.

A fresh rendition of vetiver and cedar closes the tight and cohesive composition with style.

Best Patchouli Fragrances - Ex Nihilo The Hedonist EDP

*All these best patchouli fragrances available at Skins Cosmetics.