What exactly is patchouli?
It’s time to go for a stroll around a market in the far east. A kind of lost place… someplace where the lovely sounds of foreign instruments and merchant chatter fill the air. It’s the kind of location where your senses go wild… all at once, with dried herbs perfuming in the hot heat and dust swirling up beneath your feet.
And Patchouli is just that!
With the phrase’s recent comeback in popularity, you’ve almost certainly heard it in the cosmetics and fragrance industries. There’s a purpose for it!
Patchouli is a well-known scent with a lengthy history dating back to ancient times. “The Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankamun was buried with 40 liters of patchouli oil, which early European merchants valued as highly as gold, in 1323 BC.” Patchouli has earned a name for itself over the centuries, and it was most renowned in recent decades during the hippie movement of the 1960s.
But, before you dismiss this “out there” perfume, let’s take a closer look at the aroma and answer the question, What does Patchouli smell like?
You’ll see – if you understand the perfume of patchouli, you’ll understand why so many people have loved it for so long. Indeed, Fragrenza has jumped on the patchouli bandwagon, including it into a number of our formulas. This allows us to have notes that are similar to the well-known brands on which our perfumes are based.
How does patchouli smell?
Patchouli is a “evergreen perennial plant native to Southeast Asia with slightly scented leaves and white, violet-marked blossoms.” It is defined as “a powerful perfume produced from the aromatic essential oil of a Southeast Asian mint (Pogostemon cablin” It naturally grows at high elevations in Sumatra and Java.
So, if you’re thinking oriental, you’re coming closer to figuring out how patchouli smells.
has a good and a bad reputation
First, there’s the bad press: it’s the essential oil of choice for many environmentally-minded individuals. People used to apply this “heavy” perfume directly on their skin, with no extra scent applied. As a consequence, “it will always be associated with the Sixties and the hippie movement—and not in a good way.” It is reported to smell like a Grateful Dead performance. Fortunately, it has lost this image through time and is now at the heart of the “Chypre” family of odors, which are often described as warm and mossy-woody.
Patchouli seems to be brimming with surprises.
It is described to have a woody odor, for example. “Amazingly, a sweet, spicy, smoky, cedary perfume so pungent it must be handled with care comes from those fragile-looking leaves: patchouli is the most powerful of any plant-derived essence.” “On the other hand, patchouli is a must-have for perfumers since it gives depth to fragrances—and not only heavy Orientals.” “Patchouli may be found in a wide range of chypre and powdery smells, blending exotically with lavender, sandalwood, labdanum, bergamot, clove, clary sage, and vetiver.”
Do your senses perk up when you think about how this perfume smells? Because they are unquestionably ours. Patchouli has long been connected with both good and evil since it possesses one of the world’s strong fragrances.
Patchouli has a strong reputation, both physically and symbolically speaking. It “has a powerful, somewhat sweet, and intriguing scent.” It has a deep, musky-earthy aroma that is reminiscent of damp soil.”
So there you have it: intriguing spices combined with the enigmatic scent of aged wood and dirt.
Patchouli smells fascinating, doesn’t it?
To be honest, we’ll be the first to admit that this description doesn’t seem very pleasant, and it surely doesn’t seem appropriate for a perfume. But, back to the “good” from above. Patchouli was most likely employed by perfumers across the globe to enhance the aroma of flowers, citrus, spices, and other fragrances.
Many smells would be unrecognizable without this incredible plant oil.
It is recognized for being sensuous and sophisticated, and various businesses, like Dior and Tom Ford, have created perfumes centered on the oriental aroma.
“Because patchouli may be too powerful on its own, businesses like as Gucci and Chanel have altered the original aroma by combining Indonesian patchouli with other floral elements such as bergamot to make a perfume that is often worn by males more feminine.”
When combined with many expensive scents, the overpowering odor may go unnoticed at first. Most likely, you will detect warmth and seductiveness, both of which are characteristic of woody and oriental smells.
Patchouli, with its earthy scent, is by far one of our favorite oils to blend.
Fragrenza is fascinated by Patchouli’s rich and maybe problematic history. It is the ultimate for us when it comes to the essence of aroma. A perfume container that evokes emotion is ageless, tried, and true.
As previously said, this scent has been featured in numerous of our perfumes, with a few prominent bottles among them: Gourmand Orange Blossom — inspired by Lancome La Vie Est Belle Oriental Oakmoss, $29 — modeled by Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle $29 Musky Oakmoss ($29) for men, inspired by Creed’s Aventus ($29), and a few others. Because the firm is presently offering fantastic savings on several purchases, you may also taste the brilliance of Patchouli and experiment with whatever scent best suits you.
Are you ready to fall in love with Patchouli by finding the ideal combination for your nose?