What Does Patchouli Smell Like?
So what does patchouli smell like? The patchouli oil has an intense aroma and is mixed with other essential oils, such as Sandalwood, Jasmine, Rosel, Vanilla, and citrus oil to produce various fragrances.
The Pure Patchouli oil is extracted from the patchouli leaves, twigs, seeds, and flowers. The pure oil mixes well with other essential oils to make various fragrances.
Perfumers wouldn’t be without patchouli essential oil for the richness aromas that it gives to fragrances. Patchouli makes its way into many chypre and powdery fragrances, swirling exotically alongside lavender, sandalwood, labdanum and bergamot note, clove, clary sage, as well as vetiver.
Patchouli perfumes and colognes use pure fragrant oil as a base note because it provides a long-lasting intense scent.
Field of patchouli flowers
What is patchouli oil?
The oil is derived from the leaves of a plant called Pogostemon cablin, which belongs to the mint family. It can be found in tropical Asian countries such as India, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The oil can be extracted from both the stems and leaves of the Pogostemon cablin plant. The oil is welcoming when you first smell it, but there's a certain earthiness to it as well. It comes with many names - patchouli oil, patchouli essential oil - but they all mean the same thing. The main constituent of Patchouli oil is a substance known as patchoulol, which is responsible for its slightly musky scent!
Is patchouli oil a help from nature?
It was perhaps one of the Middle East's first very popular exports, and it became an instant hit with thousands of consumers alike. And ever since, those looking to find natural help for headaches, bellyaches, and scars have been using this oil in the form of baby massage oils that are used for both soothing and moisturizing their skin after bath time.
What Are The Patchouli Oil Benefits?
A fair few people are fans of patchouli oil - so much so that it has earned quite a popularity spike in recent years. It is from a shrub called Pogostemon cablin and is primarily used for medicinal purposes. The evidence, however, shows little to no proof that this is the case. But many people continue to use this oil either as alternative medicine or simply because they love its pungent aroma.
Top Patchouli Fragrances
Top Aroma - Black Orchid by Tom Ford
Black Orchid Perfume is a new unisex perfume by Tom Ford released in 2020. As with most Tom Ford perfumes, this Patchouli fragrance is strong, memorable, opulent, and unmistakably unique.
Dark orchid is underscored with the spiciness of patchouli, as well as the pleasantness of ylang-ylang and plums.
Patchouli Top Notes:
Black truffle, Black orchid, Truffle, Patchouli, Black plum, Plum, Crème blanche accord, Ylang-ylang, Rum absolute, Middle: Ylang-ylang, Rum, Akigalawood, Black orchid, Base Note: Patchouli.
Aromatic Fougere For Him - Fusion d'Issey
Fusion d'Issey is a new aromatic Fougere fragrance for men. It gently opens with citrus, herbal and exotic notes. It's fresh, slightly aquatic, and from the beginning, the smell is charmingly aromatic.
Fig nectar and coconut milk add some subtle nuances here in an unexpected way. During the scent’s development, they remain when soft floral and woody notes appear, merging with rosemary and cardamom, which continue to be present throughout the dry down. In the final stage, the patchouli smell and sandalwood turn into an intoxicating scent.
Fusion d'Issey can be worn all year round. The longevity of this Patchouli fragrance is moderate, and the sillage quite strong.
Notes: Top Coconut milk, Fig nectar, Lemon, Middle Sandalwood, Rosemary, Geranium, Cardamom, Base Ambroxan, Woody notes, Patchouli oil.
The Parisian - Perfume For Him
Reminiscence Patchouli is a woody, spicy fragrance for men. The opening is fresh, aromatic, well-balanced, and relatively brief.
The tonka bean provides a touch of sweetness. The fragrance’s heart is woody and floral with hints of spices in a velvety, dry, and a clean smell in the background. The base is warm, balmy, and moderately sweet.
This beautifully warm, smooth, and relaxing fragrance is best for cold fall and winter days and evenings. Reminiscence Patchouli is very long-lasting with a moderate silage.
Patchouli Top Notes:
Mandarin orange, Lime, Heart: Patchouli, Cedar, Geranium,Base: Benzoin, Tonka bean, French labdanum, Tolu balsam, Musk.
Top Unisex - Tempo
Tempo is an aromatic sweet, spicy and musky unisex scent. Tempo is a lovely earthy herbal patchouli. Superbly balanced! The mate note is very present together with the clary sage.
The pink pepper and bergamot in the opening give it a sparkling feel. Patchouli and sage remain as the main notes in the dry down. The violet adds a bit of a powdery aspect that keeps the patchouli from being too earthy.
Very smooth and relaxing fragrance. You could wear this perfume anytime, any season, anywhere. This fragrance is very long-lasting, and the sillage is moderate.
Main Notes: Patchouli, Mate, Clary sage, Pink pepper, Violet leaf, Bergamot
FAQ
How To Describe The Patchouli Smell?
Patchouli is today at the heart of the “chypre” family of fragrances that are most often described as warm, sweet, and mossy-woody, sometimes like wet soil.
Perfumers wouldn’t be without this precious essential oil for the richness that it gives to fragrances. Patchouli makes its way into many chypre and powdery fragrances, swirling exotically alongside lavender, sandalwood, labdanum and bergamot, clove, clary sage, as well as vetiver. So the question was, How To Describe The Patchouli Smell? Patchouli smells like wet soil or slightly overripe apple or a cork of wine with a musky-earthy aroma profile.
What Is The Origin Of Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli)
The use of herbs in perfumes dates back thousands of years in Egyptian culture. The Chinese used it in medicine, and the Indians used it as an insect repellent. The plant was introduced into China for medicinal uses during AD 420–589.
The French perfume manufacturers, at last, discovered the secret smell of the Indian shawls was due to the association of the Pogostemon species.
What Is The Connection Between Patchouli And Hippies?
Patchouli is historically known to be used as a perfume base note by urban legend, but it’s actually most commonly associated with pot-smoking hippies due to the scent masking the smell of marijuana, which has been scientifically proven to have occurred in laboratories.