Indonesian Red Patchouli

[jj_j]

This is such a nice version of patchouli.

 

It's lighter and more elegant, without losing any of the patchouli strength. It's less earthy, perhaps, and more smooth, than most versions of patchouli, and it has a translucent quality that you don't expect from wood. Definitely has the glow and shine that comes with years of polishing.

[paperdoll]

I am so not used to patchouli by itself. I love it in blends. By itself... well...

 

When wet, this smelled like wet rotting patchouli mixed with hippie BO. It smelled like dreadlocks on a nasty fungo hippie who does not believe in hygiene (NOTE: I do NOT think all dreadlocks smell bad, just those that are on people who are unclean!).

After this dries, it is nicer - I get more of the translucent, burnished quality jj_j found in this . I'm just not sure I can get through the funk to enjoy the dry stage.

[shelldoo]

wow this smells exactly like my patchouli eye pillow, it is a dry, earthy smell, somewhat reminds me of dried catnip

[edenssixthday]

Indonesian Red Patchouli - This is the particular patchouli that is lovely on me at times and horrific on me other times. I really wanted to try it on its own to see what it’s like unblended. As a single note, it’s not quite horrible on me, but certainly not something I’d wear again! It’s very strong and woody, but when wet, it also contains a strong acetone-like scent, that I often get from red patchouli blends. Despite that weird nail polish remover scent that it has until dry-down, I can still smell the aspect of this blend that works for me when blended with the right combination of other notes. Definitely an interesting single note, but not one I’d choose to wear by itself.

[Blood onmy hands]

I wonder if the lab uses different types of red patchouli. I love patchouli and it smells lovely on me in most blends (especially the dark, intensely earthy black patchouli ), but the blends that say Indonesian Red Patchouli usually end up smelling awful with my skin chemistry.

 

Indonesian Red Patchouli is like the patchouli that people fear when they think of patchouli, lol. It actually does have that dirty, unwashed smell on me with a very sharp and almost chemical-ish background. The singlenote isn't so bad after an hour of wear, but that first hour is awful. I smelled sweaty and in need of a shower, with some dry wood chips thrown in.

 

The drydown (after a little over an hour) is nicer. This becomes much softer (almost powdery even) and a little bit sweet. Warm, dry, and woodsy. I don't think that I could wait out that first awful stage again, and it makes me sad that a type of patchouli doesn't like me

[supremegoddessofall]

Yup, that's patchouli. Kind of has a peppery/smoky quality to it. Not quite the "hippie" patchouli. Dusty.

[ljaylh]

So I was gifted a decant of this, and oh sweet baby cheeses.. it's seriously some righteous patchouli

 

In the vial, it's a gorgeous dark golden honey colour.. but then I pull out the swiper thingy and brush it across my skin.. the oil is bright goldy-yellow. Plus, it's bodaciously gloopy and thick, when I went to smoosh my wrists together to smudge the oil I was afraid my arms may get stuck together in some sort of unholy bonded glue of gloopy patchouli. So yeah, it's gloopy and glorious.. but how does it smell? Well - it smells like patchouli, as one would expect. I possibly slathered on a bit too much at first, because for the first hour I was bombarded by patchouli.. I could kinda taste it in my mouth - this stuff is potent. But I've now had it on my skin for over two hours, and it's still going strong but has mellowed out really nicely - now I get the 'red' tones.. it definitely isn't brown or black at this point. It's soft and lovely and.. yeah, lovely.

 

This is exactly the kind of patchouli I like.. it's not the dirty/earthy kind, nor the kind that smells musty/damp.. nope - this has an sultry sweetness (but isn't sweet!) and a beautiful woodsy-organic flavour to it (without smelling like actual wood or dirt). On me, it is the hippie patchouli - it's the kind of patchouli that follows you around like a little brown love cloud ("hey, where you going? I'm coming too!") - the kind that lingers in your hair after you've been hanging out playing bingo on a Thursday evening with Neil Young (as I often do, and mostly enjoy except that Neil tends to cheat and claim he heard numbers being called when they weren't).. the patchouli that stays in the room for hours after you've left, and makes people wonder what's been going on in there. Yes folks, this is the patchouli your grandma warned you about, the kind of patchouli that demands you wear no underwear and let your hair grow long. And that's just fine with me, because I'm a stinky hippie and proud of it