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

[devon]

I was following reddit fragrance subs until the boycott, but it's still a good source for searches. Here's one interesting thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Perfumes/comments/t5ijaw/what_does_patchouli_smell_like_to_you/

with a lot of people who strongly dislike it, but a few good comments about different types of smells it can have.

I also thought I hated it, but I think the prime offenders are people who use "pure" patchouli oil instead of bathing. (I live in a traditionally hippie university town.) Spoiler: it does not mix well with BO, nor does it cover it. It can smell earthy but clean, especially as a supporting note.

https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/comments/k4e6lk/best_patchouli_fragrance/
this is all recs, but mostly for fragrances that feature patchouli as the focus. It's not a bad place to start.

If you want to go farther, this is the search I used:
"site:reddit.com patchouli varieties"
and you can change out "varieties" to "recommendations" for specific scents.

[devon]

I'll add that I really like patchouli combined with vetiver. Vetiver can also be a polarizing scent, but it is much more woody and less funky, so I think it balances patchouli well as the base of a fragrance.

Now I'm trying to think of what I have with a fair amount of patchouli that I really like ...

[rydra_wong]

Givenchy Gentleman (the 1974 version) is the tastiest patchouli-vetiver-leather. Very 1970s macho but in a good way (IMHO). Has to be applied in very careful quantities or it could kill someone with the sillage.

The patchouli isn't gentle, but it's sitting in a leather armchair or a vintage car and very definitely not a hippie, if that makes sense.

Just writing about it made me have to go and put some on.

Confusingly, there's a 2018 Givenchy scent with the same name but the 1974 scent has not been discontinued and is still available.

[devon]

the 74 version sounds awesome. I have a carded sample of a flanker of the new one - Givenchy Gentleman EDP Boisée. It's pretty nice, but it's very different from the original. Mostly iris, woods, sandalwood, touch of cocoa. I discovered last year that I love iris.

[rydra_wong]

Getting off-topic from patchouli:

I discovered last year that I love iris.

Commended to your attention, if you like iris with a bit of cocoa:

https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Dior/Dior-Homme-13015.html

[rydra_wong]

P.S. kindkit, not sure this would fit your requirements as it's definitely not gentle, but OTOH it's one of those ones that's worth smelling just out of curiosity and historical interest, as an iconic masculine.

[kindkit]

I'm trying not to be too persnickety about what I'm willing to test, and it does sound interesting!

[devon]

I have a bunch of BPALs, but I honestly don't reach for them often lately. These are some examples that you could easily smell in person at a dept store or Sephora or Ulta, if you have those nearby. You could even ask one of the counter people to show you a couple of fragrances that have softer or sweeter patchouli, as a way to test how your nose reacts.

BPAL is much harder to guess at, but I'll try adding another comment about those later.

I really like Nomade - it's available in dept stores, and it feels "grown up" to me.
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chloe/Nomade-48434.html

I don't like Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, but it's not because of the patchouli. I think it's too sweet for me, or else it's the rose. There's been a big wave of "fruit-chouli" perfumes in the last few years that Coco Mad (not to be confused with original Coco) sort of made popular.
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Chanel/Coco-Mademoiselle-611.html

Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb is another floral patchouli that's a bit sweet and has rose. I don't hate it, but I don't like it. Extremely popular:
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Viktor-Rolf/Flowerbomb-1460.html

I love how Nest Black Tulip starts - it's a true fruit-chouli - but as it dries down, the patchouli gets a bit funky.
https://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Nest/Black-Tulip-42889.html

[devon]

sorry, I didn't look at your profile before I listed a bunch of typically feminine perfumes. Nomade is fairly unisex, but the other 3 are not. If you're interested in retro 90's stuff at all, Thierry Mugler made a series of Angel and A*Men perfumes that all feature patchouli in the base. The original ones are pretty strong and honestly divisive, but A*Men has a bunch of flankers that seem very popular among men in the reddits I read. A lot of people consider some of the Angel varients to be unisex as well.

[kindkit]

No worries! I meant to note that I prefer perfumes in the unisex-to-masc range, but then I forgot.

I don't know enough about perfumes to think anything about retro 90sones, but Angel was apparently divisive enough for me to have heard of it. I'll keep A*Men in mind.

[devon]

ah, I see I can't edit a comment that I have commented on. I just found this online, and I laughed:

patchouli

1. A plant that smells like a Grateful Dead concert.
2. Not a shower, contrary to San Franciso's public policy on hygiene.
3. Slang term for Filty Filthy Hippie

"No hipppie, that's a bad hippie. Patchouli is not a shower!"

I've been scrolling through this fragrance reference site (which also has active fora that I don't participate in) looking for patchouli fragrances I recognize or like:
https://www.fragrantica.com/notes/Patchouli-34.html

[kindkit]

Hah, yeah, I work in a place with a lot of hippie clientele, and there are folks who neither bathe often nor use deodorant but use patchouli liberally.

Thanks for the links!