confused by patchouli

[kindkit]

I hate patchouli. Except, apparently, when I love it.

Much of my experience with patchouli comes from encountering people drenched in it, and in those circumstances it literally makes me queasy. So, as I explore perfumes, I thought that hating patchouli gave me a guideline.

However, some years back I had a sample of BPAL's Mary Read, which is sea salt and "ocean" and rum and a pretty significant dose of patchouli. I liked it, but I thought I liked it despite the patchouli.

Recently I got a new sample, and now I love it, and what's more, I'm pretty sure I love it because of the patchouli. And yet the patchouli-soaked hippies I deal with at work still make me gag. I'm baffled!

So what's the difference between the nice patchouli and the rank stuff? Is it the quality of the patchouli itself? The amount (but I put on quite a bit of Mary Read and still loved it)? Is it the fact that Mary Read is made with aged patchouli?

I googled around a bit looking for articles but didn't find much. I did see the post at Kafkaesque with recs for patchouli scents she recommends, but it seemed written more for enthusiasts than skeptics. Can anybody point me towards some info? And I'd also welcome recs for perfumes with a patcholi presence but where the patchouli is smooth, gentle, not dirty.

Thanks!

Comments

[white_aster]

I have noticed the same, that there are a lot of different things that people popularly label "patchouli". Some of the "hippie" patchoulis and patchouli perfumes (not essential oils) I think just have more things in them than just patchouli, but that people often don't/can't identify what's the patchouli and what's the "other stuff". Some smell more incensey to me, some more soft and powdery, and I think it's just because the patchouli in them is like eggs in cake: yeah, all cakes have eggs, but they're all different due to what else is in them (and you'd not point to a cake as an example of an egg...this metaphor might not be the best, but I think you get my point.)

I do imagine that there are different grades, types, species, and preparations of even pure patchouli oil. Different varieties of the plant, where they're grown, how they're distilled, etc. This page seems to have a nice video that describes how Indonesian patchouli oil has varied types/grades, and they do say they smell different, and how the industry eventually shifted to use the cheaper versions. All I could suggest is that you try to find some reputable places that will sell you isolated samples of JUST different types of patchouli oil (rather than patchouli FRAGRANCE oils which are generally just stuff made to 'smell like' patchouli), so you can give them a sniff. Just be careful, though, as some essential oils are very concentrated and can cause some skin reactions undiluted (and I can't remember if patchouli is one of them).

[sine_nomine]

IIRC, one should not use essential oils directly on the skin. A carrier oil is recommended.

Thanks for the explanation on patchouli! It explains a great deal.

[white_aster]

Yeah, definitely, that was what I meant, I was just being general because I'm sure there's SOME essential oil out there that is skinsafe, I just wasn't sure about patchouli. Also, many places will sell things labeled as "essential oil" that are already diluted to one degree or another, though it may be unclear how much.

[kindkit]

Thanks! The video's very interesting, though now I'm wondering if patchouli cultivation for perfumes is causing a lot of environmental damage.

I wonder if the difference between the different varieties of patchouli is purely down to where it's grown, or if they're actually different species (or maybe just cultivars) of the plant.

[white_aster]

Right, it was interesting how they said that the reason for the shift was because the plant would deplete the soil of nutrients. I have no idea if they're correct or not, though I do see some gardening things that say if you grow it, it does need regular fertilizer, which would follow (others call it low-maintenance, though, so who knows). Some types of soil depletion can be fairly easily mitigated by crop rotation or fertilizing or growing/plowing under a cover crop for a season to replenish the soil. Without knowing what it is depleting, though, or how a farmer in that region deals with that, it's hard to guess what the long-term effects are or if they go away over time.

There do appear to be various species!