this is the result of years of combining two very specific special interests, so if you’re here: welcome to the rabbit hole. idek how i got here myself.
(sigh) yeah, this one again. my reigning champion of slutty 18thc perfumes — to the point where i wouldn’t blame you for groaning every time i bring it up. it’s inspired by the marquis de sade and, i mean… you really can’t out-slutty that. on me it comes off slightly boozy even though there are literally zero boozy notes?? witchcraft. it’s leathery without being sweaty, spicy without being edible, elegant without behaving itself.
état libre d’orange — attaquer le soleil, marquis de sade (bergamot, cistus, tuberose, jasmine, leather, cedarwood, amber, musk):
speaking of de sade: i haven’t smelled this one in a while, but i remember a very musky (not the cuddly musk, but the “oh, this is a creature” musk) tuberose with puffs of incense. some reviewer once declared it smelling like sweaty balls and that has branded itself into my brain. it did not smell like sweaty balls on me (thankfully), but that’s about as far as my confidence goes.
alkemia — le caveau des innocents (tabac, dark coffee, cloves, rum-soaked pears, candied citron, caramel, star anise, opoponax, labdanum, hashish, benzoin, vanilla incense, guaiac wood):
tragically, my skin loves coffee notes and i…don’t. devastating, because the rest of this is just lavish, sticky, spiced decadence. it smells like dessert and sinning.
while writing this down i realised two scents i planned to include have been discontinued. rip baroque and quintessence of debauchery. the list is now significantly smaller :(
now for what i lovingly call the wig fucker segment:
(do you ever just stop mid-hobby and ask yourself what exactly you’re doing with your life? because, yeah. 😭)
these all smell vaguely related, so why i insisted on trying every single one is between me and my intrusive thoughts.
this is the baseline powdered-wig scent, imo. elegant, powdery without choking you, a little soapy, a little floral.
miskeo — portrait de madame et son chat (fur, musc, vanilla, corn chips, orris, ambergris):
this one feels the most lived in, thanks to the musk and fur notes, it’s less airy powdered wig and more “you’ve been at this soirée for hours and someone has definitely kissed your neck in a hallway.” cosy, slightly animalic, and quietly sexy. and before you ask: no, i can’t find the corn chip note.
dark tales — powdered peruke (vintage powder, white rose, iris petals, vegan musk, creamy vanilla, ambrette, hay, woods, cashmere):
this is the gentler sibling of the wig-perfume family. less aggressive puff of powder to the face, more soft-focus candlelit boudoir. the woody notes smooth it out beautifully. i’ve only tried the oil version (which i don’t think is available anymore?) so the edp might hit differently.
phil & philly — boudoir belle (hawthorn, aldehydes, rose, ylang-ylang, benzoin, musk, vanilla):
similar to venice rococo but LOUD. the aldehydes take the mic and don’t shut up. it’s pretty, but it will punch you in the forehead if you overspray. ask me how i know.
bonus fragrance i barely remember but belongs here emotionally:
from what i remember: very on-theme, very soft-focus. it’s oil-based, so the sillage is smaller which honestly works in its favour, because this genre gets overwhelming fast.
a half-arsed historical note: people in the actual 18th century smelled way more straightforward (lots of florals, musks, citruses, herbs, and whatever you could stuff into oils or pomanders). leather, for example, is a modern fantasy accord rather than something they could’ve replicated as a note back then. but we’re here for the love of the game, and i’ll always choose a good atmospheric perfume over strict realism. also, i hope no one read a post about my opinions on slutty perfume and expected historical accuracy or anything.
(for those who haven’t had enough of me rambling about perfume: my potc perfume list)
this took me way too long, but here’s my little rec list of petrichor perfumes @boltlightning <3
since skin chemistry is its own beast, what works beautifully on me might do absolutely nothing on you and vice versa. imo petrichor is one of the hardest notes to get right in perfumery, so results really vary.
what has worked for me:
heretic – nosferatu (lilac, ambrette, petrichor, violet absolute, orris, concrete, cypriol, vegan ambergris, oud, labdanum): it fades faster than i’d like and wears very close to the skin, but damn, it’s such a beautiful, haunting scent. lilac + petrichor take the lead, and the oud/labdanum/ambergris combo gives it a soft, velvety darkness.
death & floral – two cups of tea, a summer monsoon, me and you (rain on cracked soil, wet creosote, a swelling monsoon, desert cedar, black tea): apparently, they’re still on hiatus, but this is probably my favourite petrichor-forward perfume oil ever. tea + rain just hits a place in my brain nothing else does.
solstice scents – during the rain (storm accord / petrichor, soaked earth, limestone, loam, clay, wet concrete): incredibly atmospheric; one of the few that genuinely smells like the world right after a storm.
solstice scents – cliffside bonfire (conifers, dry woods, rain, saltwater, seaweed, ambergris (vegan), charred wood, smoke): not strictly a petrichor scent, but the rain note weaving through the smoke + sea elements is gorgeous.
immortal perfumes – catherine (vegan white musk, amber, english ivy, frangipani, rain, white patchouli, heather): the rain sits more in the background, but it’s still a lovely, soft, somewhat green scent inspired by wuthering heights.
what hasn’t worked for me:
alkemia – mist becoming rain (soft rainwater, mist-drenched hazel wood, meadow grasses, sage blooms, orris root, ozone, grey amber, vetiver): sadly, anything nature-inspired from alkemia goes soapy/artificial on my skin. people rave about this one though, so it may just be me. i had the same issue with nui cobalt, though i can’t remember which of theirs i tried.
demeter – thunderstorm: somehow turned into honeydew melon on me and faded within minutes.
misc:
osmofolia has a petrichor single note called geosmin that i haven’t tried yet, but it sounds genuinely lovely.
(and again, i highly recommend checking out r/indieexchange or the weekly destash listings on r/indiemakeupandmore as a budget-friendly option and/or for scents that are currently unavailable!!)
okay wow. i’ve just tested holding the sword by bu feng on my skin and i need to share my thoughts for anyone who is very normal about blood-on-a-blade fragrances.
right off the bat, it hits with a sharp, almost surgical metallic note. once it settles on the skin, the saffron and rose come through, but they don’t soften it so much as haunt it. everything stays strangely cool and distant. it smells like a blade left out overnight after the violence is already over.
this made me realise that metallic notes just aren’t for me — they tip straight into nausea territory, but it gets better the longer it sits on my skin, lol. and for people who do enjoy them, i can absolutely see the appeal. it’s subtle, haunting, and quietly unsettling rather than loud or aggressive. very “beautiful but wrong” and worn close to the skin.
