Source: standout-fireplace-designs.com
A man in a library before a crackling fire, sipping cognac on a leather sofa, as the air around him swirls with a phantasmagoric stream of colours. Burnt umber, raw ocher, dusty terracotta, dark tobacco, golden caramel, nutty toffee, and a touch of blackened green. There are hints of spice and smoke in the air, along with a musky earthiness, but it is a scene of endless warmth, coziness, and richness.
Then, as if a magician waved his hand, the swirling coloured mists dissolve, and the scene changes. The man has been transported outdoors to a land filled with dark, mentholated greens, touched by earthy browns, and a hint of reddened dust. It’s muddy at times, and a muted chanting sound in the background momentarily conjures up the Summer of Love in 1968. It’s only a brief trip, though, and soon, he finds himself in his bed, surrounded by the finest, gauzy, silky sheets made of soft red, ambered caramel gold, and creamy vanilla. Did it actually happen, or was it a trip most Psychédélique?
Source: Bloom Perfumery.
Psychédélique is a fragrance from Jovoy Paris, an utterly glorious patchouli scent in all its best, truest, spicy-sweet-smoky red-brown incarnations. The fragrance (which I shall spell here on out without the warranted accents, for ease and speed) is really close to my ideal patchouli, though it doesn’t have the best projection after its opening stage. But what an opening it is!
Psychedelique is an eau de parfum, created by Jacques Flori of Robertet and released in 2011. Jovoy’s owner and creative director, Francois Hénin, describes the scent and its notes as follows:
“Psychedelic: my great patchouli fragrance, dark and smoky, ambered, generous and opulent… Even the rain and mud of Woodstock won’t wash it away.”
Head notes: fresh hesperidium [citrus]
Heart notes: floral rose, geranium, ambered, woody (patchouli, cistus, gum cistus)
Base notes: vanilla, musk
Psychedelique with its box. Source: Roullier White.
Luckyscent has rather a wonderful description of Psychedelique:
Psychédélique, Jovoy’s magnificent ambered patchouli, largely stays in the shadows, meditating on the synergies between a cocoa-like amber and an inky-dark patchouli, although rose and geranium offer a touch of freshness to its earthy sexiness.
The synaesthete might say that on the olfactory color wheel, patchouli resides somewhere between black and chocolate brown, with a bit of iridescent chartreuse green shimmering in between. Camphory, inky, aromatic, and even darkly refreshing, the elegant patchouli in Psychédélique […] is like an olfactory Mark Rothko painting that explores the gradations between dark colors — in this case, patchouli, amber, and musk.
St. James Hotel’s Library Bar, Paris.
Source: Oyster.com
Luckyscent finds the name unfortunate, as do I, because it tends to create the impression that Psychedelique is a dirty, filthy, head-shop, incense-y fragrance best suited to hippies. It’s not. It’s extremely refined, elegant and well-done. For me, the image which came to mind again and again was primarily that of a traditional men’s club or a rich library, filled with dark, studded, stuffed Chesterfield leather sofas, a crackling fire, aged cognac, a hint of smoke in the air, and a plate of caramels. Yes, there is a mentholated, camphorous stage redolent of green patchouli, but it’s not significant on my skin, and really far from the core essence of the fragrance. In fact, most of the time, the green undertone translates as wonderful peppermint.
Source: porjati.ru
Psychedelique opens on my skin with strong labdanum amber and patchouli, infused by a huge amount of boozy cognac. The patchouli has all its true nuances: leathery, spicy, smoky, sweet, dry, woody, and with a hint of something almost resembling tobacco. Psychedelique even carries the faintest whiff of a fruited element that smells like cinnamon-studded oranges. A definite blast of chilly peppermint follows, arm in arm with chewy, dark chocolate. Patchouli’s camphorous, green side lurks underneath, along with a tinge of black, almost “head-shop” like incense, but they’re only the subtlest of suggestions on my skin. Much more significant is the utterly glorious toffee and caramel amber, just lightly flecked by creamy vanilla.
“Black Widow v1” by *smokin-nucleus. Source: DeviantArt. (Website link embedded within photo.)
It’s a very potent brew in the opening hour, especially when sniffed up close, but Psychedelique has a soft quality about it. It feels a lot denser and more concentrated than it actually is, and is only truly intense within its small 3 inch bubble. To me, the opening has the best aspects of Oriza L. Legrand‘s Horizon and of Reminiscence‘s Elixir de Patchouli, but with none of the latter’s swampy, smoked cedar and sharp vetiver. When smelled from afar, Psychedelique is a beautiful swirl of ambered caramel gold and reddened, spicy patchouli, infused with cognac, toffee, peppermint, dry cocoa, sweetness, and a hint of fruitiness.
Source: urlm.co
Within 5 minutes, Psychedelique starts to morph. At first, there is a dusty, dry earthiness that smells like damp, wet soil. To my regret, it cuts through some of the aged, boozy cognac which I love so much. At the same time, the rich amber in which all the notes are nestled turns slightly musky. There is also an increasing whiff of the salty-sweet aspect of the ambergris, mixed with the labdanum’s nutty, toffee’d caramel aroma. Chocolate and peppermint continue to be laced throughout, and there is the faintest stirrings of vanilla in the base, but there is nary a hint of a citrus, rose or geranium note in Psychedelique, regardless of what the ingredient list may say.
“Green and Maroon,” by Mark Rothko. Source: ArtTribune.com
It takes 25 minutes for Psychedelique’s greener side to become apparent. The fragrance becomes much more mentholated and camphorous; at the same time, the amber’s lovely caramel, vanilla, and toffee tonalities weaken. The boozy cognac retreats almost completely to the sidelines, and eventually vanishes before the hour is over. Psychedelique feels simultaneously softer, sharper, and dirtier. The dusty cocoa powder and chewy chocolate remain, but both are significantly more muted. Psychedelique is now very green-black in visual huge, instead of the red-brown-golds of the opening.
Source: rgbstock.com
I should point out, however, that the degree of greenness in this stage varied depending on the amount of perfume that I applied, and that the note was not a huge part of the scent in a few of my tests. The more Psychedelique you spray, the more the green phase seems to come out around the 30 minute mark. A number of times, the main duo of golden caramel and patchouli remained as the dominant focus alongside with the mentholated, green-black note. In other words, if you don’t spray on a lot of Psychedelique, the greenness doesn’t take over the scent.
In all cases, however, the stage is pretty short-lived, and lasts under an hour or so. Generally, it begins to recede 90 minutes into Psychedelique’s development. At that point, the fragrance begins its slow transformation back to its original stage, minus that wonderful cognac booziness and heavy richness. At the end of the second hour, Psychedelique is a soft, smooth blend of patchouli with amber and sweetness, and only vestigial traces of the greenness lurking to the side. The sillage is low, unfortunately, and Psychedelique hovers an inch above the skin.
Via hdwpapers.com
About 3.5 hours in, Psychedelique is a soft, spiced patchouli sweetened with creamy vanilla, and flecked by nutty, toffee’d labdanum. There are hints of cocoa powder, smokiness, and earthiness, but the whole thing is beautifully balanced. It’s neither too sweet, nor too spicy, smoky, chewy, or earthy. There is almost a dry woodiness to the plant, but Psychedelique never feels truly woody like some of its kin in the genre, many of whom are heavily infused with cedar and/or vetiver.
The whole thing is absolutely lovely, but it’s also a sheer, discrete skin scent — too much so for my personal preference. Unobtrusiveness seems to be the Jovoy style and signature, as all the other fragrances that I’ve tried from the line have been similar. They start with a bang that eventually fades to sheerness in a polite whimper. Here, I feel almost cheated. I’ve been looking for a great patchouli for ages, so to find one with a truly lovely opening and drydown, only to have to sniff my wrist with determination by the 4th hour is incredibly frustrating.
Mark Rothko, Untitled (Violet, Black, Orange, Yellow on White and Red), 1949. Source: The Guggenheim Museum.
On the plus side, however, Psychedelique lasts and lasts. It may take some determined whiffs to detect it at the end, but that end phase frequently lasts over 14 hours on my perfume-consuming skin. No, seriously, it does. The smallest quantity of Psychedelique will yield 12 hours at a minimum, with minuscule traces lasting up to the 14th hour. With a larger amount, the perfume’s longevity is well over-night. Just 3 small sprays from my tiny atomizer sample, amounting to 2 sprays from a regular bottle, made Psychedelique last 19.5 hours on me. I couldn’t believe it. Again, it did take some determined sniffing to detect, with my nose fully on the skin, but Psychedelique was definitely pulsating away in a few quarters on my arm.
In all cases, the drydown was a perfect, slightly spiced patchouli with vanilla and amber. Up until the 9th hour, the golden haze was flecked with a hint of chilly mentholated peppermint and a touch of cocoa powder. In its very final moments, Psychedelique was just a smear of golden sweetness.
On Fragrantica, Psychedelique has very positive reviews. A number of people compare the scent to Reminiscence’s take on the note, and one mentions Montale‘s Patchouli Leaves. On my skin, the Montale was very different and quite gourmand, while both Reminiscence fragrances were significantly woodier in nature. I think a much closer comparison would be to Oriza‘s Horizon, except the Psychedelique has greater heft, depth, and body. It’s also got better projection and longevity, as Horizon was painfully diaphanous on my skin. The Psychedelique feels much chewier as a whole, more ambered. It has more cocoa, and substantially more greenness than Horizon, too. If only it didn’t drop in projection after 2.5 hours!
In terms of helpful commentary, I think the reviews on Luckyscent are more useful than the Fragrantica ones in showing how Psychedelique may turn out on some skins. The two comments there read as follows:
- Psychedelique starts out on the sharp, dry end of the patchouli spectrum — not at all unpleasant, and rather similar to L’Artisan’s Patchouli Patch. But an hour later, the sharp notes have dropped back into place and the fragrance becomes warmer, more rounded and much more nuanced. There’s a really nice play between the drier and warmer elements of the fragrance. I totally agree that the name Psychedelique, and its connotations with dirty hippies and cheap patchouli, is rather unfortunate, because this is a sophisticated, very wearable patchouli-based scent.
- It’s funny, this one – I have almost a love/hate with it. If you’re patient and can wait for the drydown 30-60 minutes later, you’ll be thrilled. The [Luckyscent] description is as good one, but it takes awhile to get intoxicating. Initial blast is super sharp, but with time, your skin is left with a beautiful woodsy, ambered patchouli. My patience is good though and I bought a FB.
As a side note, a number of people in the blogosphere have been talking lately about Von Eusersdorff‘s Patchouli scent, and I got to try that while at Jovoy too. It was a brief, cursory test in the midst of a lot of other sniffing, so my perceptions may be a little skewed, but I thought Psychedelique was much better. It struck me as richer, deeper, chewier, darker, boozier, and significantly more intense. I remembering telling the manager at the time, “Ah, this is a proper patchouli.”
I’m seriously considering getting a full bottle of Psychedelique, but I keep hesitating. The perfume costs $180 for 100 ml, and the cheap-skate side of me is saying that $180 is quite a lot for what is essentially a patchouli-amber soliflore with sillage issues. At $180 with fantastic projection for the first 5-6 hours, I would have no problem whatsoever. At $140 with soft sillage, I probably would not hesitate, especially as 100 ml gives me the opportunity to reapply frequently. But something about the $180 figure with the sillage gives me pause. There is a cheaper option with a 50 ml bottle, but that seems to be limited to international, EU vendors like London’s Bloom Perfumery and Jovoy itself. Besides, I loved Psychedelique enough to want a full 100 ml.
At the end of the day, however, pricing is a personal determination, so if you are looking for a great, traditional patchouli, you should at least give Psychedelique a sniff. It’s definitely unisex, it’s not at all difficult (especially after the brief, muted 40-minute green stage), and might be appropriate at the office (if you spray it 2 hours before you leave for work). It’s a perfect winter scent, but I have no doubt that true patchouli lovers would enjoy it all year round.
Disclosure: I obtained my sample from Jovoy itself, but it was while I was in the store, browsing as a customer. My sample was not given to me for the purposes of a review. I do not do paid reviews, and my opinions are my own.
What a lovely review for one of my all time favorite perfumes. I am so happy that this gorgeous patchouli wears well on you. Your description is spot on. It is very much a skin scent on me, too but what a great way to smell!! I enjoy re applying just to get that great boozy, ambered patchouli.blast of epic comfort and bliss. Thank you SO much for reviewing this!!!!!!!!
I think I have a bit better performance than you do, which is a strange case of my skin for once being LESS wonky than yours. LOL. But I thought of you nonstop while wearing it, as I know how much you love this. It really IS a “blast of epic comfort and bliss,” but always done in a refined way. Honestly, the whole tag line about Woodstock, and the name itself, probably do the fragrance a great disservice by making people think it’s going to be a dirty, grungy scent of smelly, sweaty hippies in the mud. Not even!
Wow – another recommendation! 🙂 Now I’m really torn now between Oriza’s Horizon and Psychédélique. How does Psychédélique compare to Lutens’ Borneo 1834? I love the chocolate in Borneo and the cognac in Horizon. Psychédélique sounds like a perfect New Year’s party scent! So tempting! Thank you, Kafka! Exquisite torture trying to decide my next patchouli purchase.
I don’t have any more of my sample of the Borneo to do a side-by-side test, so this is going by memory of my Borneo review. On my skin, the Borneo was much more camphorated and cocoa-y for longer, while the Jovoy is more ambered and warm. The boozy cognac is greater at the beginning, and it also feels substantially thicker and heavier initially than the Borneo did. (Psychedelique DEFINITELY has more heft than the Horizon!!!!) The Borneo was also much woodier and earthier. Psychedelique doesn’t have much woodiness at all on my skin, just a suggestion. All the usual patchouli scents have cedar and/or vetiver, but not the Psychedelique. For that reason, it’s also not as dry. On me, Borneo had a touch of sweatiness in the underlying nuances, but the Psychedelique does not. In short, it’s more a patchouli-amber, than a patchouli-woody with some amber, and I much prefer it to the Borneo (and to the Horizon).
However, given the sillage, you may want to test it out first. Then again, I thought the Horizon had very little sillage after the start, but that one seems to work well on your skin. I suspect the Psychedelique will be much stronger than the Horizon, though.
Though not a secret, I don’t think too many perfumistas know about the discount code for MiN. If you apply ROBES08 to the Promo Code, you get a 15% discount on ‘most’ fragrances. (When added to a MiN Daily Deal – this becomes an even more substantial savings.) Psychédélique would cost $153 shipped instead of $180 using ROBES08.
Thank you, Two2aHorse, that is incredibly useful and helpful! 🙂 I’ve never ordered from Min, so I only knew about Luckyscent’s shipping discount. Of course, now, I’m within an inch of buying Psychedelique, even though another perfume was much higher on my list. What is MiN’s Daily Deal?
Dear Kafka, MiN usually, though not always, has a daily discounted fragrance or sometimes a cosmetic advertised on their website, under ‘Daily Special’. The discount is IIRC $20 or $30 off the usual retail price. Coupled with the discount code, one can save almost $50 if the Daily Special is something you’re interested in. 🙂
Ohhh, super useful and great to know!! Thank you, my dear! Now, will someone please tell MiN to put Psychedelique on their Daily Special list?! :p 😉
Fantastic review. Absolutely stunning pics as well. I’ll definitely check this one out. Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Holly! And do let me know what you think of Psychedelique once you try it. 🙂
I really loved how you described the experience of Psychedelique in your opening paragraph. I was transported. The perfume sounds really nice and like something I might enjoy. So I am going to get a sample. Thanks for a really lovely review!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, my dear Lanier. And you’ll have to let me know what you think of Psychedelique once you try it. Are you a hardcore patchouli nut like I am? 🙂
I don’t know if I am hardcore, but it is growing on me!
It sounds really lovely and I liked the feeling you evoked of the quiet and cozy library with fireplace and leather chairs. i shall put this on my list of scents to try. The sillage issue would be of deep concern would I consider buying a bottle. Is this a function of modern perfumes? So often I find that older perfumes last longer than the newer ones.
Beautiful review, as always.
I have this undoubtedly incorrect impression that the current or modern *FRENCH* style is for softer fragrances that are discreet and relatively unobtrusive in terms of projection. Serge Lutens may be the strongest of many French lines that I’ve tried, but even his stuff is hardly comparable to, say, an Amouage or a Tom Ford. But his stuff is 3 or 4 times stronger than many French lines, like Chanel, Guerlain, Jovoy, and Kilian, to Parfums de Marly, Lys Epona, the majority of the Oriza’s, and a number of others that I once tallied in my head but have now blanked on. Some Guerlains can be strong at first on me, but it’s usually a function of synthetics. The Neela Vermeires and LM Parfums seem to be the most potent of the French bunch on my skin, but a few of those become much closer to the skin as the hours progress.
I’ve noticed American perfume lines have much more boldness, but even the American houses really have nothing to compare to the power of ’80s powerhouses for the most part. Except Tom Ford. A number of his original scents…. Anyway, that’s my wholly subjective, completely unscientific take on the issue of modern sillage.
BTW, sillage is very different than how long things last. You talked about lasting, and Psychedelique has great longevity. I hope that helps a little, Ellen. 🙂
Unfortunately if sillage is really soft/low, then longevity becomes a moot point for me. I do understand that one is not the same as the other, but I find I just can’t smell a great many “modern” perfumes after a fairly short period of time. Are they still around? If they are that soft and light, there’s little point for me in many instances.
You’re right on that, Ellen, sillage that is too weak can make longevity a bit of a moot point. I suppose the key is how long it takes for a perfume to become a skin scent. Most fragrances don’t take 2 hours, but around 5-6, with some taking longer if they are filled with synthetics. A few people have problems with sillage in general, as their skin seems not to project any perfumes but a handful. And some people are truly anosmic to perfume after a while. My mother can be like that with a number of scents; she can’t smell it after 3-4 hours, but others can smell it on her. (BTW, have you looked into the issue of anosmia? Does it apply to you for some notes?)
It sounds to me like your best bet would be to stick to more Oriental or Middle Eastern fragrances like those from Amouage which are known to be monsters of projection as compared to many other houses.
I thought Horizon was pretty darn good, and I am not a patchouli guy. I may have to try Psychedelique.
I’m glad you enjoyed Horizon. I’m curious, how was its projection and weight on you, as well as its longevity?
I thought it projected moderately for most of its 8+ hours (may have gone longer, but sleep interrupted).
Damn. You lucky dog! Moderate projection and 8+ hours?! Are you one of those people with glue-like skin? If so, can I buy some? 😉 Seriously though, I’m really happy that Horizon works so splendidly on you. Envious and jealous, but happy. lol Let me know how Psychedelique compares if you get to try it.
You make this one sound wonderful, dear.
I am sorry I was unable to devote more time to the Jovoy line while in Munich (a nasty cold and little time were not a good combination). I am especially intrigued about Ambre Premier and this beauty. Classic Patchouli has opened the patchouli door for me.
xoxoxo
C.
HA, you’ve fallen down the patchouli rabbit hole! Or, at least, inched closer to the edge. 😀 I’m so glad, as it is quite one of my favorite notes. Well, given that Mysore sandalwood is basically a rarity in modern perfume, patchouli probably takes top honours!
As for Von Eusersdorff Classic Patchouli, your review has definitely created a lemming to try it properly and in depth. That day in Jovoy, the astronomical number of fragrances around really made any in-depth or longterm assessment impossible, but one day, one day…. For someone like me, there is no such thing as enough patchouli! [Unless it’s purple, fruit-chouli, in which case…. ;)]
I don’t know whether you will love Classic Patchouli as much as I do, but I am sure you will not feel disappointed. At least, it is not about the purple patchouli you despise.
A bottle of Rouge Assassin is coming my way. I will let you know my thoughts on it; it was the only one that got me interested under those circumstances.
From what I’ve read of Rouge Assassin, I’m sure it will be right up your alley, except perhaps for Jovoy’s soft sillage signature. But Rouge Assassin seems to be all powder and womanly lipstick-y makeup notes, so you’ll undoubtedly love it, my dear. 🙂
I will report back very son 😉
I think I have a sample of this, going to look for it and try it tomorrow. 😀
Let me know what you think, Vicky. I don’t see you as being a traditional patchouli perfume, but I’d love to be mistaken! 😀
Taking into consideration that my nose is not as evolved as yours, I tried my first sample from the complimentary 2 ml vials I got from Jovoy. Sure enough, I remembered having gotten Psychedelique and I was right, you don´t just forget such a name, lol. The opening is quite strong with sharp alcohol notes and big greeness, which must be the patchouli and other green elements. After some time passed it became softer with a touch of sweetness I think it´s the vanilla that made it softer. Unfortunately, the sillage is super low which is a big minus for any perfume, particularly at this price point. I did gave myself three sprays from my vial, but it was a skin scent on me from the initial moment. Even though it started very sharp the vanilla made it softer and two hours later it is not the strong scent from the opening. I have to say I don´t dislike the scent but I don´t love it either, since it does have a slight masculine edge and very low sillage, I do think it´s wearable, just not full bottle worth for me. I´m not adverse to patchouli, amber and labdanum since my first niche fragrance has all of these notes, however I do think I prefer my patchouli mixed with a softer flowery note, to make it full bottle worth. The drydown of Psychedelique is not bad at all, now that I´m smelling it up close, it does become more balanced and less fresh and minty it is a nice scent, even though I´m not getting all those complex phases you got from it Kafka 🙂 but then my nose is not as developed. Overall a nice perfume with mainly green notes, fresh but also rich and heavy, mixed with sweeter, softer notes that try to balance it out. I have to admit, I was expecting something crazier with that name, lol. On the plus side you can tell it´s made with high quality ingredients but on the negative side it´s a skin scent, and for that price I would definitely want bigger sillage. Those are my thoughts 😛 lol
Look at you! Your first niche perfume and now your first mini review, all in the space of a few months! I’m so proud of you, Vicky! From someone who never really focused on perfume or notes, and who had never tried anything outside a department mall scent, you’ve come so far in such a short amount of time. BRAVO!!!
I didn’t think you would like Psychedelique because patchouli — in all its forms and manifestations — doesn’t seem to be you (even apart from the sillage issue). Like the greenness that you mentioned. I also don’t think you like boozy cognac notes, as you associate it with alcohol and don’t drink. But I’m very glad that you’re learning to distinguish different elements, and learning your perfume profile. I definitely don’t think you’d enjoy pure orientals (as opposed to Floral Orientals) because I think your nose interprets them all as “too masculine,” like you did with the scents you tried in Jovoy. But it’s all a question of baby steps, experience, and time. You’ve made great progress, Vicky! 🙂
As for Psychedelique’s sillage, yes, it is quite low as a whole! Definitely one of the drawbacks to the scent, especially at $180!
Dearest Kafka, I mis-aimed the nozzle of Jovoy Private Label (at Henri Bendel) and had to do a rush dry cleaning of my coat and now you are tempting me with another Jovoy, one that you know will appeal to me. Anyhow, Daisy and I will be doing some damage at MinNY sometime in early 2014 and I will certainly take the opportunity to take a whiff of Psychedelic. By the way, I had been thinking about being more disciplined about my perfume purchases in 2014 and I already have 2 must buys on my list, one of them being…ready for this…Oriza Legrand Chypre Mousse. Score another enabler’s pin for you!
Whaaaa??! Chypre Mousse? What happened?! I thought you found it a wee bit too masculine, but whatever the reason for the change, I’m so glad. Do tell me more!!!
As for Private Label, I couldn’t see you in it back when I wrote the review, and I stick to that view. But I think Psychedelique would be much more your thing, especially if you are willing to push through the small green stage that pops up for about 40 minutes or so.
BTW, I hope you’re having a lovely trip! I miss you, but it’s wonderful to see you pop in from time to time. I have you have a fantastic New Year’s Eve in my old neck of the woods!
I had the good fortune of trying the Jovoy line at Scent Bar in Los Angeles (glorious, glorious store!). Unfortunately, Psychedelique was one I liked the least of the 6 or 8 from them that I tried. Naturally, I have to add the disclaimer that my impression was fleeting as it was on paper, and you know how that goes. The issue was that for me the opening was way too boozy and my friend felt the same. With that said, I really should have asked for samples of it so I could let it run its course on my skin. Paper strip testing, while useful, doesn’t allow one to fully test the development of a perfume, so I’m afraid my dislike of this one is based only on the most fleeting of impressions. I did, however, enjoy Gardez-Moi, Ambre Premier, L’Enfant Terrible and Les Jeux Sont Faits (which I surprisingly didn’t find too boozy). Thanks for yet another great review!
Heh, Psychedelique is definitely not for someone who doesn’t like boozy notes! I love it, but I know you don’t. That said, Psychedelique is very different on paper than on skin. I know, because I tested it first on paper myself while at Jovoy. It gives a very misleading impression of the fragrance as a whole to sniff it on paper, because the boozy cognac doesn’t last long (to my regret). The note starts to diffuse it as early as 5 minutes in, it weakens about 10-15 minutes in, and the whole thing vanishes after about 40-60 minutes.
Still, given that you don’t like boozy notes, I wouldn’t recommend Psychedelique for you. Did you try Private Label, the one I told you that you would DEFINITELY not like? lol.
LOL – I did try Private Label! And you were right – my nose turned up, as did my friend’s!
Too much birch tar and cade for your tastes. 🙂
Nice job of the deconstruction of the charms of Psychedelique. Jovoy is good. I always enjoy the detail and perspective you give to a perfume write up. I’ve tried Psychedelique half a dozen times and like you I hesitate to purchase even though I admire the fragrance very much. I might have a love / hate relationship with the gourmand and ambergris definitions of its patchouli. I admire how that works so well, especially in this one, but I am not sure I want to smell that enchanted. I’ll stick too my preference of patchouli coupled with cooling earthy effects or green wood elements as opposed to a focus on patchouli + amber and other sweetness. But . . . there is just something about Psychedelique that is very compelling. They have a fine creation in this one for sure!
Nice to see you again, Buzzlepuff. I’m glad you enjoy the details in my reviews, and that you like Psychedelique as well. I had to laugh thought at the bit about not smelling perhaps quite so “enchanted.” lol
What is your favorite patchouli? And have you tried Reminiscence’s original or the flankers? I would love to know what you thought of the Reminiscence ones because, while the original EDT lacks the heft of Psychedelique, it’s substantially more woody and dry with lots of cedar and smoky vetiver. (Are you a smoked vetiver guy?)
Jovoy seems to be a great brand as a whole because all their stuff is interesting. Even if I don’t always like some of them and even if I always seem to be bemoaning their weak sillage, Jovoy fragrances usually leave me thinking. As you said about Psychedelique, they often have some bits that are quite compelling, like the very smoky Private Label with its softer heart. Have you tried that one? If you enjoy very dark, smoky birch, juniper cade, and leather, I definitely think you should look for a sample.
Love the artwork on this review and the picture of the library bar in Paris. This perfume sounds pretty good to me so am keen to try it. Very pleased you’ve got back to the patchouli series! Great review as ever. PS I really like Horizon and I sprayed it on in the evening and could even smell some faint vanilla the next morning. I haven’t tried many boozy scents and I think I need to investigate more of these.
I’m trying to balance out the patchouli stuff with other things, since a lot of people don’t seem to share our passionate love for the note. lol. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos in the review. And how wonderful that Horizon lasted so long on you. Lucky devil!
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