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maxt – :
I am a bit of a patch fiend, but I can be a little picky, too. I love the refined stuff, but Jeanne Arthes Essential Patchouli Sumatra toed boldly over that line, and I find I quite like this fragrance. When I put on a bit, the first thing I thought of was of patchouli and the floor of a forest- yes, the term earthy came to mind before I read that in any descriptions. This will be a nice contrast in my fragrance wardrobe to my grande dames like Coromandel, Farah, and Portrait of a Lady.
jimcostar – :
my father love perfume from cendana wood oil, when I got the sample. He love it a lot, but it kinda hard to get. its remind me of temple in java or bali region, the aroma of old culture. it is majestic with cheap price tag
saulfellevaws – :
This is my favorite kind of patchouli, it’s VERY similar to Reminiscence Patchoili, the same dark almost chocolaty amber patch, very resinous. I find Rem Patch to be much darker, thicker, longer lasting but this one is a fraction of the price. I really like them both.
axiva – :
ETA: as I have upgraded my original “like” to “love”, I thought I should search out a back up bottle. No luck! If anyone spots some for sale online, please PM me.
An addition to my previous review…
It’s cold, damp, grey and overcast today in Essex. Just the sort of day I hate; it makes me miserable. I also have a very sore throat, so am feeling particularly sorry for myself.
I sprayed this on a whim.
I am getting a really chocolatey vibe from Patchouli Sumatra. It has made me smile and has cheered me up.
There is definitely more than *just* patchouli in this.
Patchouli, amber and vanilla, I think. It really is lovely!
zinevuch – :
A very earthy, musty, somewhat dirty patchouli with a bit of vanilla… unexpectedly good and high-end smelling, though I’m not sure why it was unexpected as I’ve tried several other Jeanne Arthes perfumes and have been impressed with each. You really are hard-pressed to find such great smells for such low prices elsewhere. My only gripes with the house are the projection (everything I’ve tried has stayed very close to the body) and the very alcoholic opening blasts (which does fade out quickly). I’d love to see what they could do with a bigger budget, because I think those issues would disappear, resulting in some of the best perfumes on the market at any price point.
Lili Oliver – :
Really lovely, long-lasting patchouli fragrance – but I am sure I can smell vanilla.
Sillage is moderate, at best (or worst, depending on your outlook…).
Phaphypaf – :
This Is My First Patchouli
It’s a mature patchouli because it does pack a powerful punch. About a year ago I started to wear patchouli oil to mask the scent of the marijuana I was smoking with my boyfriend Stephen. I absolutely hate the stench of marijuana. My boyfriend still does it from time to time although he’s not a pothead or stoner by any definition. He’s very productive and we are both active globe trekkers, adventure and thrill seekers and have a passionate sex life. Marijuana is soothing and so is patchouli but I prefer patchouli.
When you wear this scent it’s like sheltering yourself or rather hiding yourself in one of the largest green shrubs and bushes. It smells of green notes and no blossoms. There is no floral notes, no fruit notes, not even any real base notes, except possibly some musk or a light sandalwood. This is mainly a huge aromatic patchouli with leaves that extend like vines from here to eternity. This is a long lasting patchouli scent with amazing sillage. It can fill up an entire room so it’s best to apply lightly. I had to remove the nozzle and convert this into a splash bottle in order to apply it lightly on my skin and pulse points.
This is Oriental, mysterious, dark, masculine/unisex, Persian, spicy, medicinal, sultry, and sexy. It’s a fragrance for both men and women because patchouli is a note in perfume that can be worn easily by both sexes. This always makes me feel like I’ve been to India or the Middle East and come back with the scent of patchouli from having lost myself in the narcotic effect of the plant.
This is such a bold and mature scent so I don’t recommend it for beginners. I would start with PATCHOULI OIL which you can find easily online or from fragrances like THE BODY SHOP PATCHOULI OIL and other single note patchouli scents. This one is like a monster size patchouli which requires a skilled expert to wear her. Beautiful. I wear this in the autumn in the evenings when I want to smell sexy and mysterious and it always works like a charm.
Harrier – :
Strong Patch but very weird. So much smoke and incense. Finally settles down….then it’s rather irresistible.
славко23 – :
Simply put:
Earthy Patchouli done right. <3
Can be dry, almost dusty, but never Musty. Spray cautiously – this is lovely in moderation. Decent sillage and longevity, but beastly at first if overdone. Decidedly unisex, though gently sweet. Layers gorgeously with eastern and western scents alike.
Five stars in every way – the bargain, ‘niche’ patchouli of your dreams!
komar007 – :
I just can’t get along with this one! it was not a good blindbuy.
I do not like it , I feel like I am in a pottery workshop , that’s the smell I feel. then I used it as a layer with Maddona Truth or Dare Naked, and it felt better … Some colleagues smelled it and liked ! but I still do not like it. I will make it a gift to someone that likes it.
amga – :
BEAUTIFUL PATCHOULI! Very warm and resinous. Most def has vanilla or amber mixed with it. I absolutely love this. 🙂
SINGULAIRBUYING – :
This is a patchouli bomb. I never believed Jeanne Arthes was capable of even producing a patchouli fragrance. Arthes frags are mostly forgettable super girly sweet fruity florals. There is the occasional beauty like Cobra, the first original Sultane and the discontinued Jeanne with the classic vintage atomizer bottle. I agree with the other reviewers who experienced this scent. This is very powerful like a dragon whose smoky nostrils emit patchouli scented incense. There is probably other notes here, green notes, a bit of incense, benzoin, but most of all patchouli in spades. It does smell rather odorous but the real problem is spraying too much. If you over spray the fragrance turns on you and becomes very gross. This is great after only one spritz. Spray it on a spot where you will still be able to detect the fragrance and where you feel it wafts into the air so that it becomes a bit of a cloud of scent on you, but remember ONE SPRITZ. This is a monster patchouli if you spray liberally. Don’t unleash this Oriental beast on others and keep it on a leash. It’s a patchouli on steroids but it has it’s moments.
alex_new_2030 – :
My coworker is crazy about patchouli and just received a bottle. I am not a fan of patchouli, but for that ridiculous price, this perfume is really good. Sillage is really heavy and the scent is longlasting. I only wish she hadn’t drowned me in it, she sprayed me over ten times.
414 – :
Patchouli Sumatra is pure Decay In a Bottle. If Demeter was to make a fragrance like this they would call it Corpse or Lazarus Risen. You get my meaning.
Let’s start at the beginning because the whole experience is entirely my own fault.
First mistake and a warning…
Never Ever Ever liberally spray Patchouli Sumatra all over your body. I did…
Initial note a very strong smell of Coffee, not too bad I’m thinking.
Then I was hit with the Sweet Stench of Decay.
Picture this…Me running around the bedroom flapping my arms with my nose in the air trying to keep it as far away from my body as I could. Dry retching, running for the loo because I was surely going to vomit.
My dog Bud came to investigate the fuss, desperately there I was, rubbing my arms all over Bud’s fur because I would rather smell like Dog than Decay. He usually finds every dead animal to roll in when we go for a hike, I really didn’t think he would mind.
No…there goes Bud running up the hallway with his tail between his legs, I haven’t seen him since.
Now I’m starting to feel very nauseous the smell is just so powerfully overwhelming. I grab the nearest sweet perfume I can find and wet my skin thoroughly in the hopes of masking this putrid scent. Nope Patchouli Sumatra ate through that scent within minutes.
Half an hour of self-inflicted misery later… there is relief. The smell of Decay dies to be replaced with a heavenly smell of Patchouli, Musk and a gorgeous resinous Amber.
I very carefully smell myself and think… “Huh this isn’t too bad after all, in fact it’s really quite lovely”.
So my thoughts on how to wear this?
One spray is more than plenty, in fact, spray it on something else, dab your finger in it and then apply to your skin. Should be more than sufficient.
Once you get past the putrefaction it really is quite a pleasant Patchouli.
In all honesty, humour and negativity aside, I think I got a bad bottle and the top notes have died, literally.
I don’t think I could ever wear this in public though for the fear of attracting Zombies.
Oratterie – :
I was expecting a good, strong blast of Patchouli…instead I found a house cat instead of a Tiger.Nice, tame, perfect for layering, but on it’s own too sweet for me & not very noticeable after half an hour.Super cheap, without smelly nasty,a safe blind buy…I couldn’t imagine anyone being offended by this one & it does smell clean.
max1979 – :
I suppose this could be unisex, but to me, it’s really more feminine sweet and powdery. If you don’t like powdery scents, you might not enjoy this one.
Patchouli Sumatra is a truly beautiful powdery feminine sweet patchouli scent. It’s very smooth, silky, earthy, not bitter at all. Exotic, warm, comforting, it feels like velvet on skin.
First spray offers a dark, deep, herbal aged patchouli. As it warms with my skin, I detect touches of cardamom, light sweet amber, soft cocoa powder and sweet sandalwood blended to give this fragrance a powdery texture. This blend is very rich, deep, soothing, comforting and very pleasant. Earthy, but NO sharp edges or bitterness here at all.
This heavenly beauty lasts on my skin easily for 10 hours, projecting about 12 inches consistently. A very pleasing exotic treasure that rivals the most expensive perfumes on the market. I LOVE it !
suskis – :
This smells exactly like natural patchouli oil, only bolder and just a tad sweeter. Interestingly, the notes listed on Amazon also include Oriental woods and a hint of mint. I was actually shocked to find a perfume as simple as this. I love patch, so I have no problems using it straight, but I’m thinking this would also be a nice one to mix with another fragrance to add a little umph. I’m so happy I found this!
afcydlynxag – :
Sampled this today and bought it immediately- what a nice patch! Heady and warm with cinnamon and amber- just lovely! And this employs a good-quality, aged patchouli oil (very-little of those piney top-notes- all softened to dark fuzziness)- totally took me by surprise- especially for the price!
rihard – :
I adore patchouli, so this was a thorough disappointment. The initial fragrance of patchouli morphed almost immediately into a very unpleasant green/powdery mess that sent me flying to the soap and water. Couldn’t scrub it off quickly enough. Dreadful.
andre1985 – :
Today I discovered an oil available at Whole Foods and Wild Oats (from Kuumba? ) called ‘Amber Paste’.
Oddly, this unappealingly named, wee fragrance oil has a scent very close to Jeanne Arthes’ Patchouli! Lots of patchouli melded with sweet/herbal amber. Either Amber Paste OR Patchouli Sumatra are – IMHO – essential for the patch lovers among us to try. Unisex, strong, and long lasting, I feel that both fragrances are equally good. It’s just a matter of which suits YOU best!
Oh, and Testers are available in store for the oil. 😀
mihosyann – :
There is no room for me to complain about a straight forward, earthy green patchouli in a heavy, whimsical bottle that set me back $13.95 with shipping. My skin eats the scent almost immediately. Not to worry, I’ll just spritz some more on! I have a distinct feeling this will be my go-to layering scent. Stays close to the skin. Subtle.
ryn420bedyWelty – :
This perfume smells exactly like Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens. I have both fragrances and the smell is identical. The lasting power cannot rival Serge Lutens, but this is most trivial when a full bottle of this perfume costs only $10.
I cannot actually decide how I feel about this perfume. On one hand, I am thrilled to have found an inexpensive scent that smells like a niche one which I can spray with wild abandon and not feel guilty about. However, I am also a bit peeved. Because I shelled out $250 for a bell jar of Borneo 1834 when this $10 version would have supplied me with the same scent. Hmphf.
gridlik1955 – :
Arthes Essential Patchouli Sumatra reminds me of Berdoues Vanille Patchouli, which I do love.
The initial spray of Patchouli Sumatra is like a shot of warm bourbon.
That vanishes quickly to reveal a wild green patchouli with an earthy backdrop and an amber & vanilla finish.
This isn’t as strong as Berdoues, nor is it as long lasting. In fact, Arthes is a bit fleeting by comparison. Lasts a few good hours on my skin. I think it’s a beauty. I will stock up. Great layering fragrance.
As another reviewer said, I find this very comforting.
best5888 – :
Patchouli Sumatra is not the head shop kind that will allow its wearer to time travel back to the age of Aquarius. My impression is that Patch S showcases the fresher greener, herby personality of patchouli on its own. It is like having a bunch of patchouli in a vase in place of the traditional red roses.
This is patchouli from beginning to the end imo. Patchouli notes are captured from chosen vital parts in different life stages and then layered and bonded to form Patchouli Sumatra. Notes of mint are dominant from start to finish and not surprising, afterall, patchouli comes from the mint family. I see a good similarity between the scent of a just plucked mint leaf and that of patchouli; one could easily tell that they are close cousins.
Occasionally at first spray, mint notes get released in one heaping blast that could be described as sharp medicinal; not very pleasant to some, I understand, but I personally find this very comforting and unique about Patch S.
The heart of Patch S is patchouli oil concentrate just pressed out from semi dried leaves. This is where the lovely sweet minty notes are intense; alternating with the mint notes are whiffs of the leaves that gently mimic sweet tobacco. The notes move rhythmically as if in a slow dance. Gradually the notes unite as one, developing together into sweeter minty smoky patchouli;
from here the scent is linear all the way to the dry down.
Patchouli Sumatra is a love for me. By itself it is beautiful but it also layers well with most fragrances.
Sillage: It is not heavy thunderbolt and lightning.
It lingers within a foot the most. It is constantly there but does not cause disturbance to others around.
Longevity: Moderate but it could last longer depending on season, room temperature, skin status, etc. On me it goes 5 to 10 hrs.
If you are a patchouli lover, experienced perfume wearer or collector, Patchouli Sumatra is easily a must have.
Blind buying not recommended. I believe Patch S is not for everyone.
Thank You Jeanne Arthes for this unique beauty and for taking the time to present her in a lovely bottle. Your thoughtfulness is well appreciated and remembered.
Stella_fromAC – :
This is a true patchouli fragrance without anything harsh or chemical. The Dry down reminds me of Annick Goutal Ambre fétiche. And for the money it is spectacular!
babek721 – :
Still on the search for a pathchouli that suits my wants and desires.
I know this is for women but I thought I would give it a try. I agree with those who said that there are MANY more notes than the one listed- patchouli. I would add some sandalwood, spice and vanilla.
That said, its pretty direct and to the point. Patchouli. The more I own it, the more I have come to like it but I sure wish it lasted which it does NOT! It has to have one of the worst longevity records of anything I own. I SURE wish it would last.
Its cheap so I was willing to blind buy. Someone mentioned a resemblance to Jessica Simpson’s Fancy Nights which I did NOT like but I am not sure I would tie the two together. I couldn’t see how anyone would rank Fancy Nights as a patch scent.
xqg986bedyWelty – :
I like it better as it wears, like other’s have said, very strong in the beginning, almost medicinal. After a couple of hours, it is sweet and soft ambery/patchouli.
A funny side note, I sprayed Patcholi Sumatra on one arm and Rose Damascus on the other and immediately thought, if I had put them together I’d have had Betsey Johnson TooToo.
Claliabeelpic – :
I find this comes off heavy to start off, and doesn’t have much of a patchouli scent. It’s after it settles for a while that the patchouli seems to set in. I like this one to layer generally with something lighter and a little floral. Vanilla is too heavy, so I tend to go for a lighter rose fragrance.
revakat – :
The note pyramid shows only patchouli on this one, and while it IS the most prominent note (from start to finish), it is not the ONLY note present in this lovely scent.
The opening is a fresher greener patchouli than you might be expecting (I know it was a bit ‘medicinal’ for me in the beginning), but it instantly starts to morph into a sweeter, woodier patchouli. Within minutes I’m wearing patchouli plus hints of sandalwood, and I am really thinking there is a bit of amber and tonka in here. The amber and tonka add sweetness, but yet still a dry ‘hayness’ to it which I don’t find unpleasant in the least.
The bottle is beautiful, this was very affordable (100 ml for less than $20 online) and it came with mini vials inside the box for the other 2 Essentials fragrances in this line (rose & jasmine). My only complaint is this is a skin scent on me almost the entire time I am wearing it. It’s good for about 4 hours without having to reapply, but projection is fairly close to my body….MAYBE 2 feet. I did get a compliment from my coworker on this one, she enjoyed walking past my desk all day yesterday. 🙂
If you like a pleasant, sweet, fresh patchouli without a lot of bite or mustiness to it, then this is for you.
Emilisinc – :
Hey, if you are looking for an alternative to the niche perfume L’Artisan Patchouli Patch, look no further. This, although a less sophisticated version, is almost a dead ringer. Sure, sensitive noses will detect the differences but the overall sensation of this perfume is so darned close, i have decided to let go of my obsession finding giant bottles of L’Artisan on ebay. I now have two, that cost me $15.00 on ebay, and for that amount, the empty bottle is worth it. A beautiful flacon, with high quality spray and top, heavy metal and nice spray nozzle. You’d’ never know this was as cheap as it is. The fragrance is definitely balsamy, with a good shot of amber, and of course, a bigger shot of patchouly. You probably need to be a patchouly lover, and not just a liker as someone else commented, because this is a straight up patchouli as the name suggests. No false advertising here. But every patchouly lover must have this in their collection.
GRAF_TEMKA – :
For patchouli lovers only.
I am just a patchouli liker so Patchouli Sumatra was a bit much for me.
Starts off very dank and mossy. As it dries I began to detect a warm, peachy sort of note and then slight vanilla.
It sits very close to the skin which I find is best for the intensity of the fragrance. Not all patchoulis need to be Angel.
Simple, but not boring. It certainly does not smell like a patchouli oil you’d purchase at a head shop. More interesting and with a feminine quality, but could definitely be unisex.
Insangavy – :
Read the reviews. I love patchouli, so bought it NIB. Sorry folks, worst $10 I have spent in ages. Green, DAMP. Almost soggy. Reminds me a cheap, flavored pipe tobacco that has started to mold. Also has an ever so slighty soured tonka bean/vanilla note running underneath it all. See tobacco reference above. Its on the verge of being down right nasty.
Same sort of “patchouli” as Fancy Nights by Jessica Simpson. At least that started out with a nice, realistic papyrus note before it took a turn for the worst. Patchouli Sumatra doesn’t even have that.
Remember; body chemistry is everything!
demaaan – :
This is the most lovely patchouli fragrance ever. It stays close to the skin, you can enjoy yourself all day and only those who come close will get to compliment you. And they will, this stuff is amazing. And the price is amazing. I ordered the Jasmine Du Nil, also and it is wonderful and fresh. I bought this patchouli blind from the reviews on here. I was not disappointed. Thanks everyone! +++++
Natalinka79 – :
Patchouli Sumatra by Jeanne Arthes is a smooth patchouli with a perfect balance of earthiness and sweetness. It never becomes cloying but still has enough amber-y character to keep it from sliding into hippy armpit territory. I actually prefer this over some niche patchouli fragrances (that will remain nameless) that tend to dry down into benzoin bombs or baby wipes. This is, by far, the best out of the three fragrances in the Arthes Essential collection.
Decent sillage and tenacity, and best of all, $18 for 100 mLs.
earneteorom – :
So simple….it’s wonderful! At first spray, it reminds me of Mystere by Novaya Zarya, which is very linear. But this one is way better; It develops wonderfully on the skin. It leaves a soft powdery, beautiful sweet patchouli smell. It wears very close to the skin, which makes it perfect for everyday ware. Definitely for the patchouli lovers…LOVE IT!
EDIT: Have gotten many compliments on this one; mainly from men. They seem to love the ethnic, incense like smell. (++++)
Arslan89 – :
This is stupendously good! Seriously wonderful patchouli that will not overpower or annoy after a given amount of time. Very well done. The staying power is AMAZING! I highly recommend this to anyone that loves dark patchouli…FANTASTIC!!!
I will have to check out more from this house!
asd-120 – :
A lovely,damp patchouli…definitely amber in there as well. Smells almost identical to Prada Intense. I love this perfume…a very charming, simple, earthy fragrance. Definitely for patchouli lovers and very office friendly…this patchouli will not rob the souls of those around you and send them to their graves…as Angel can do. This scent stays close to the skin and it delicious… Grab a bottle if you find it!!