Why We Love Patchouli!
WHY WE LOVE PATCHOULI!
Patchouli (Pogostemon Cablin), the herbaceous, sweet, and slightly earthy scent has long been used as an essential oil in perfumes, prized for its pleasing odor. Patchouli is believed to have received its name from the Hindi word “pacholi,” meaning “to scent.” The plant belongs to a family of other well-known aromatic plants, including Lavender, Mint, and Sage. Patchouli is used in soaps, candles and with other fragrances to create exotic blends.
BENEFITS
You’ll find Patchouli in many perfumes and colognes, used as a base note or fixative. Patchouli is known for its grounding, soothing, and peace-inducing properties. Its anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and antiphlogistic qualities make it ideal for use in cosmetics, aromatherapy, massage, and in-home cleaning products.
A MODERN PERFUME INGREDIENT
The Patchouli note has been known since ancient times. Today, it remains one of the most popular ingredients in perfume making because of its earthy aroma and ability to add depth to any scent composition. To some it can be an aphrodisiac, especially when combined with sweet notes such as Incense, Vanilla and Cistus. Patchouli is often associated with Rose, sometimes with Jasmine, a little less with Ylang-Ylang. It is also a perfect match for gourmand notes. For many people today, it’s still a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient, evoking plenty of prejudice. But we happen to adore Patchouli. Smell patchouli in:
HOW WE USE IT
Amazingly, from those fragile-looking leaves comes a sweet, spicy, smoky, cedar-y scent so powerful it has to be handled with care: Patchouli is the most powerful of any plant-derived essence. But perfumers wouldn’t be without Patchouli, for the richness that it gives to fragrances. Patchouli makes its way into many chypre and powdery fragrances, swirling exotically alongside Lavender, Sandalwood, Labdanum and Bergamot, Clove, Clary Sage, as well as Vetiver. (It’s a little like Vetiver, if you close your eyes.) Used alongside Rose, it extends and ‘fixes’ Rose’s sweetness.
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