Hippie Ghost

[Penance]

A faded snapshot of patchouli-stained peasant blouses, soft suede boots, and smoke.

Origin:

5mL from the Lab.

Preconceived notions:

There were a handful of ParaNorman scents I wanted to try when they were released, but had to narrow it down to one for budget reasons. Hippie Ghost sounded right up my alley. I love patchouli, suede and smoke. The only thing concerning me here is the "peasant blouse" part. Linen (I assume it's probably a linen-type note) and I don't always get along so well. It can be too harsh to my nose, so I'm hoping it's a soft, background note and not a main one.

First sniff:

Lighter than I expected, but I guess I should have anticipated that from a "ghost" scent!

I'm getting everything here. Soft, worn linen (not harsh at all and not super clean, either...sort of a musty linen, but not in a bad way), patchouli (not the super dirty kind, but definitely patchouli all the same), a bit of suede and a tiny touch of smoke. It's a nostgalic sort of scent. More antique store than headshop.

Wet on skin:

My skin loves linen (even when I don't) and it's staying true to form here, amping up the peasant blouse note immediately and making this all about the fabric as soon as it hits my skin. Usually, that tones down quickly, though, so I'm not too worried. I'm still getting hints of the other notes, but this is screamingly linen-like right now.

Drydown:

Mmm, better. The linen really dies down (and pretty quickly, too) and I'm left with a really evocative scent. It's soft, ethereal and smoky with an earthiness from the patchouli and a little bit of soft suede. It still makes me think antique store (although I suppose it should be a vintage clothing store, it has that antique store smell to me) and not headshop, but I'm really liking it. The smoke is just a tiny bit harsh at times, but it comes and goes and I really can't complain.

The bottom line:

Ideally, I would have loved something more headshop-ish and more intense (although I should have expected what I got since it is a "ghost" scent), but I really like Hippie Ghost anyway. It's subtle and should go over well with people who don't normally love patchouli scents.

[Mellifluous]

Well, so far Hippie ghost is smelling like hemp smoke and maybe a bit of patch. Smells like some one smudging their house with a sage stick.. and maybe they have some patch incense burning in the background. Definitely not a sweet or rich sage, but a hempy sagesmoke kind.

[cfrancesca]

First a disclaimer- I'm not a big patchouli fan (there's exceptions especially if it's mixed in with sweet stuff) so please take my review with a grain of salt.

 

Kind of a sharp medicinal patchouli in the imp, but once applied the patchouli softens and in the background I get light herbal greenish hemp, very soft slightly smokey suede and some linen. It's a surprisingly soft, wispy, fresh/clean scent along with the earthy patchouli. This is probably the cleanest smelling patchouli scent I've come across, a tad soapy (I think from the linen note which tends to go soapy on my skin) and perfumey though. It smells like a clean hippie ghost with floaty fabric.

[ljaylh]

Hmm.. I guess I was expecting something a little different here - patchouli, suede and smoke sounded like a dream combination, but what my brain failed to acknowledge in my excitement for those three notes was the whole 'ghost' aspect of this blend.

 

The patchouli here is soft and light, and honestly I can't find any suede or smoke in here at all. On my skin, the overall smell that I get from Hippie Ghost is cotton/linen that has a very clean scent - almost soapy, but not quite. At first I could swear that I smelled something like violet, but that went away once the oil dried down. It's pretty, but... bland, although I do agree with others that it would be perfect for those who don't usually love patchouli.

 

So instead of the ghost I was hoping for - a gnarly Jimi Hendrix-esque ghost who rampages around the house belching trails of dirty patchouli and suede and smoke behind it - this is more the kind of hippie ghost who drinks your shampoo then floats quietly around your house doing pretty little peasant blouse scented farts that you don't really notice - you just kind of think "oh it smells nice and clean in here".

[zankoku_zen]

I have to agree with SDB in that there's a very CLEAN aspect to all of these patchouli/smoke/suede. Its much lighter than expected. And it smells like a combinations of patch/smoke/suede should smell like.... but as a reflection. It's like the real thing was here AGES ago, so you just catch whiffs of it.

 

On me, I totally amp up the linen aspect of it, so take that with a grain of salt.

[tailoredshirt]

This is definitely lighter than I expected. I barely smelled it the first time I tested it so I used more the second time. It is mostly patchouli and smoke on my, with suede in the background. There's something comforting about it, and I think it'd definitely be a good fall/winter scent, the kind that leaves traces on your scarves and sweaters. The patchouli was clean and sharp but a bit too strong for my tastes.

[angelicruin]

I get mostly smoke out of this scent...and patchouli. No linen or suede. I wanted to try it even though I knew it was likely not to work out for me,

[Monday]

I this scent!

Wet on my skin: It starts out a bit pungent; ganja, weed, marijuana whatever you might call it. -Pass that blunt on- It's light though, a hint of blouse is coming through (ha!).

When it's drying down the patchouli steps up and the smoke amps.

Dry on my skin: It's a mixture of ethereal patchouli and soapy blouse. This isn't the heavy sweet patch that I get from most patchouli-Bpals. It's nice and light but still has quite some throw on my skin.

Very unique.

[Coldfire]

Decant: not earthy patchouli, old smelling but not musty

Wet on me: Linen/fabric, odl and worn vibe, almost medicinal

Drying Down: Clean, faint 'ghostly' traces of patchouli

Dry: Totally get the old hippie chost vibe now. The throw is 'ghostly' faint

[Gateau]

Monday speaks for me--this goes from heavy pot smoke to soapy blouse with tinges of patchouli and marijuana. I guess it's what a hippie ghost would smell like! But not for me.

[Blood onmy hands]

Hippie Ghost is really strange and unpleasant on me. Reading over the other reviews, this really does have a dirty, pot smoke-ish quality on my skin (and I hate that smell :/) with a dry, cheap smelling patchouli and.. soap? The drydown reminds me a bit of burning sage. It's a weird mess on my skin - strangely bitter, dirty and soapy. There isn't enough sweetness to make it wearable for me and I can't pick out the suede/leather at all. This starts off strange and then fades quickly, almost entirely gone by the time it's been on for a half hour, and I am not sad to see it go, lol.

[b00cat]

I absolutely love patchouli/smoke scents so I was REALLY looking forward to this scent. Unfortunately all I'm getting is linen...or fresh soapy laundry. No smoke, no patchouli ...maybe it's my skin chemistry? Bah. I was hoping for a "dirtier" peasant blouse I suppose

 

Still, it's a very pretty, clean and fresh scent that would be great for summer. I'm gonna let this little decant age for a bit and see what happens.

[zagadka]

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

 

This is THE SCENT I have been searching for my entire life! Must hoard, must hoard!

 

In the imp, it smelled of very light, herbal patchouli. Not dirty patchouli, but light and dusty. Almost like having a linen bag filled with fresh herbs and resins.

 

On, it didn't change much. It became a bit more floral and then out of no where....BAM. Amber, resin, incense! Its like the romanticized version of what a hippie smells like, or walking into a really fabulous head shop filled with the best quality incense and candles.

 

So. Freaking. Amazing.

 

Oh, and it LAAAAAASTS. I applied one small swipe across my wrist this morning and now at the end of the day it still smells amazing- fabulous throw.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

when i was doing the decants of this one, either it was still too fresh or my nose was on overload because i thought i didn't like it.

when i tested it again yesterday, i do like it. although it reminds me more of Jovan Musk mixed with The Premature Burial than the description & listed notes. i think i really like it, though. and i think i may need more. oops.

this part won't make sense to anyone but me: smells like Bill's dresser (which was my dresser before - the fake black marble one?), and my uncle Bubba.

[stellamaris]

This is really good. It is light, I forget about the Ghost thing all the time too, but not so light as to be non existent. It is patchouli, but not the filthy OMG Let's Have a Love In variety, that I love so much BTW, but a nice light airy OK The Neighbors Know You Are a Hippie, But They Won't Sic Their Drug Sniffing Dogs On You one.

As an aside, at Comic Con where I picked up this amazing gem, Puddin' himself told me he was so tired the other night he opened a bottle of this, inhaled and it was so good he wanted to take a big drink of it. Which could explain many Puddin' eccentricities, this is what happens when you drink the perfume kids, you get loopy...

But seriously, I could see wanting to drink/inhale the entire bottle. Will try just wearing it first.

[Seamyst]

Smells decent in the imp, nothing very strong but I can pick out the notes.

 

On me, however? Smoke. Or rather, SMOKE! To my nose it's old, stale cigarette smoke, although from reading the other reviews, it could also be weed. Or both. Either way, though, it's making me sick less than five minutes on, so I had to scrub my arms clean.

 

Definitely not one I'm keeping.

[milo]

Wet, soft patchouli and some cologne. Dry, less patch, more cologne, kind of whispy. I'm not really digging this, though it is what I'd imagine an actual hippie ghost would smell like. More of a skin scent, it's really barely there after a bit.

[tdgnika]

In the imp, I sniffed and sniffed and smelled a pleasant sort of nothingness.

 

On the skin, it went immediately to a very loud, emphatic soap smell that shouted and yelled. I'm guessing that's the "peasant blouse" aspect. Oddly, I picked up no patchouli at all, which is odd because I usually amp that horribly. I wouldn't expect a hippie to smell like soap.

[lookingglass]

This is a pleasant, summery patchouli- transparent, light, almost floral (this would be ghosty, clean fabric), with the earthy notes adding some interest, a velvety softness, and tenacity. If someone told me this was a white patchouli note (a la Tom Ford and Maggie's Farm), I would believe them. The suede has that apricot skin subtle musky sweetness, that I've smelled in some other niche fragrances...Serge Lutens Daim Blonde comes to mind. It has a very pale, neutral colored scent...the palest greige...there may be some orris in there...I wouldn't say it's soapy, though it does have that "patchouli for mass appeal" quality of some designer fragrances (like Cocoa Mademoiselle); I think it would appeal to a wide audience. This is NOT a dark and dirty, dank, musty, sweaty kind of patchouli...not that there's anything WRONG with that! I have many of those in my heavy rotation (I'm looking at you Goblin, Depraved, and Banshee Beat!). It feels like kin to Fae, with a fun, breezy, almost indescribable, "white noise" kind of top note, with a deep, earthy, kind of natural sweetness on the drydown. This scent is not nearly silly as its name or character; it's an intelligent, complex, and well composed perfume. It needs to see more love! Common, people!!! Try it! You will see!

I love it.

Edited December 2, 2016 by lookingglass

[Monster]

When I first applied, Hippie Ghost is a clean linen. It's not the type that's been drowned in obnoxious fabric softener, but the type that's been hand washed and hung to dry outside. There's a fresh, airy quality to this. In the background I can detect the smallest bit of suede. As it dries, the leather note fades entirely, the patchouli comes through at this point. It really does smell patchouli-stained. It's the memory of a patchouli oil, faded and dry. With the fluttering, pale linen note I really am getting the impression of a hippie ghost. It's perfect. I love this.