Fragrance in Focus - What does a Patchouli Fragrance smell like?

To celebrate the launch of Carvansons Patchouli Fragrance Collection, we decided to take a look at the delightful fragrance of Patchouli. In this week's blog, we take a look at the perfumes packed with Patchouli and what is making this earthy but sweet aroma such a popular scent right now.

What is Patchouli?

Patchouli starts out life as a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is commonly called the mint or deadnettle family. It is a bushy perennial herb with small pale pink-white flowers.

It is primarily found in Southeast Asia and North East India and is noted for its fragrant essential oil. Indonesia currently produces over 90% of the global volume of patchouli oil. It forms part of the woods and mosses category in perfumery notes.

Patchouli oil has many uses, ranging from boosting self-confidence to driving away moths. It's even a good meditation oil, helping you focus and stay calm.

What does a Patchouli Fragrance smell like?

Patchouli is a long-lasting fragrance and as a result, makes for a great base note in fragrance compositions. Patchouli has an earthy, spicy but also slightly sweet aroma. In its raw essential oil form, it can be very strong and has been likened to the smell of wet soil.

What other Notes does a Patchouli Fragrance work well with?

When paired with lighter floral or citrus scents it can create an enticing combination of fresh, earthy and sweet accords.  Patchouli has grown in popularity recently and we are seeing lots of fine fragrances and perfumes highlighting patchouli as one of the key fragrance notes. Our perfumers think Patchouli is going to be one to watch over the next few months. By pairing Patchouli with lighter floral or citrus scents, such as rose, jasmine and orange we alter the impact of the fragrance. Patchouli also makes an excellent match for sweet scents such as vanilla.

What products does a Patchouli Fragrance work best in?

Patchouli works exceptionally well in fine fragrance, with many of the major perfumers creating very popular scents.

Due to its strong fragrance, it’s often used as a base scent in candles and perfumes and whilst it forms part of the mint family, patchouli doesn’t smell fresh and cool the way typical mint varieties do. Instead, it smells sweet, spicy and musky. The versatility of this scent is why patchouli can be found in so many different products, including candles, perfumes, cosmetics, detergents and more.

Patchouli is a popular ingredient in today's perfumed industrial goods. Patchouli is also a popular choice for manufacturers of soaps and body washes, often because of the therapeutic uses the essential oil has to offer.

It is commonly used as a soothing body lotion, which makes it great for people with sensitive skin problems. A few drops added to a body lotion are enough to improve your mood. Finally, it is a great addition to any number of fragrance combinations.

Our Favourite Fragrances with Patchouli Fragrance notes*

Mugler Angel Muse

Firstly we take a look at Angel Muse by Mugler, which is an Amber Vanilla fragrance for women. Here the top notes of Pink Pepper and Grapefruit create a balance between the base notes of Patchouli and Vetiver.

Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 + Patchouli

Molecule 01 + Patchouli by Escentric Molecules is a Woody fragrance for women and men.

Here's what has been said about this fragrance;

Patchouli is a unique natural. Unlike 99% of perfume ingredients we associate it with a particular period, with the sixties and seventies and that bohemian spirit. It has a cool, rather aloof woodiness to it. I love it for its moody beauty. The biggest chunk is Patchouli Coeur which is a very clean, soft patchouli oil fraction with the camphor-like topnote removed.  Lastly, Patchouli oil from Indonesia is included to round it out with a little bit of a topnote.

Miss Dior by Dior

This incredibly popular fragrance is a typical chypre floral fragrance for women. Launched in 2012, the top note is Italian Mandarin with Patchouli and Musk in the base notes. It glides from the sharp charm of a fresh, fruity, citrus prelude into blossoming floral notes, then on to the noble elegance of patchouli, before finally concluding with musk.

Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb

Finally, we take a look at the very popular Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf.  This explosive Amber Floral fragrance for women is a bouquet of fresh and sweet notes with top notes of bergamot and green tea, a floral heart and a milky and powdery notes in the base.

Looking for a Patchouli Fragrance for your product?

Consult with our helpful and experienced team about the right product for your next product launch. Due to our extensive industry knowledge and understanding of ingredients, we can help advise you on the options available. We can help suggest what fragrances will be best suited to your product. Contact us now.

*Please note:  The perfumes and products mentioned within this article are purely examples of products that contain particular fragrance notes. These are for reference only and we do not receive any commission for affiliated links/advertising.