Best Patchouli Paris by Guerlain Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

September 1757, Casino Venier, Venice

A powdery floral fragrance based on authentic 18th century cosmetic formulas.

A coquettish floral capturing the decadence of 18th century Venice, its rococo interiors and clandestine affairs: a powdery blend of black violet, blush rose, and chamomile nestled on an impossibly soft base of dusty iris and subtle, animalic amber. 

Orange and geranium do a slinky sleight-of-hand creating a phantom pineapple effect: tart, fruity, somewhat metallic. The sheer crispness is assertive and long-lasting, gradually softened and warmed by amber and woody patchouli.

Ramune is a traditional Japanese soda pop sold in a pale blue glass bottle sealed with a marble. The drink is evocative of Japanese summer festivals, carefree times illuminated by dreamy paper lanterns. This eau de parfum starts with the clear notes of lemon, aldehydes and mint, followed by gentle rose, muguet and magnolia, before drifting into musk and vanilla.

This is the smell of freshly-washed linen — rendered in neon. Powerful, elegant, womanly, RO was created as a tribute to Maysson’s sister. The name carries her initials, as well as her favorite notes in perfume — amber and vanilla, borne aloft by powdery aldehydes. A scent reflecting love and celebrations.

Perfumer: Bertrand Duchaufour

Visual artist: landscape artist/photographer Martin Hill.

The same way in which Martin goes to a sight and rearranges what nature left there into an installation, the perfumer rearranged some molecules and materials to put the beauty of a natural material into focus.

Also Martin aims to let his structures be absorbed back into natural chaos. Perfume evaporates into the environment in a similar fashion, beautiful but transient.

In Vanilla Shot all of the focus is on vanilla (natural, dark and balsamic). The concept of the perfume is inspired by a photo of a piece of Martin Hill's land art shot at dreamy dusk (below). The twigs used in the structure balanced over the lake are reminiscent of vanilla beans. The installation transcends two planes - liquid and ether and in the perfume vanilla spans the sweet and bitter corners of the scented universe. Vanilla Shot is not an ordinary sweet gourmand. In this perfume all nuances of natural vanilla get proper attention: balsamic, fruity, spicy, sweet and even leathery.

Comme des Garcons 2 is a landmark perfume in the CdG range, and a revered cult classic. Built around invisible incense, the suggestion of ink, and the gentle euphoria of tea, CdG2 is bright and clear, but with an unexpected tenderness. Incredibly diffusive, this EdP retains its structure and presence while also hanging in the air with a barely-there shimmer.

An electrified lily-of-the-valley spark, modern molecules reanacting a vintage theme. Also a romantic scented scetch on kings giving in to the magic of love.

Notes from the brand:

"The curtain rises on a state at the corner of 69 rue des Archives, in the Marais, Paris. A place that is like a frontier, where the old world ends and the new world begins. The pale moon can be seen lowering over the towers of Notre Dame in the distance. A man and a woman are in a perfumery, surrounded by bottles. He has yielded in submission to a fallen sovereign and is condemned to the ultimate fate. She is the new soul, the new role, she is desirable and she has conquered. She is the denunciation, a touch condescending. The fluttering of her eyelashes declares she is the one whose hour of glory has arrived, a scent testing blotter in hand."

A beach party… from Ibiza to Miami

Pierre Guillaume revisits chypre a classical perfume formula by boldly redrawing its outlines to offer a modern, hybrid composition.

Though the scent is built around classic chypre ingredients: patchouli, vetiver, labdanum, vanilla and oak moss the fruity aromatic twist adds an offbeat, playful touch.

Lime, fresh mint, strawberry aldehydes and rum absolute make up an explosive, exhilarating mojito accord that conjures the atmosphere of beach parties and summer celebrations.

 As the perfume quietens down, the chypre structure asserts itself with warm woods and sensual moss.

A collaboration with Anselm Skogstad.

Monopteros, an architectural term for a circular colonnade supporting a roof but without any walls.

In this perfume the dome is made of a giant coconut shell, the columns are made of coffee and spices and there is an icy aldehydes fountain in the center. The perfume is trippy, but in fun way.

North is one of the formulas in the North-South duo. The duality is a hint at the contrasting nature of the formulas (the interplay of hot\cool and light\dark notes). Also North is a reference to the north of Europe, Scandinavia and its olfactive context: cool coniferous woods sleeping under the snow in ozonic crisp chill and at the same time cedars radiating their resinous ambery warmth in saunas.

It’s the smell of pencil shavings, kids drawing in a quiet room while it’s snowing outside. In North Mendittorosa invite everyone to imagine that cozy hygge scenario for themselves.