White Patchouli 
Tom Ford (2008)

An outstanding combo of ingredients! I cannot pick out bergamot but, everything else reveals itself, to me. Not too dry. Not too pungent. It's just right. It has a joyous amount of flower notes.

Happiness, is a warm patchouli.

This smells very special. It's light but intense. Fresh and sweet. Acid and soft. It just lacks some sillage for it to be perfect.

White crayon rose skank.
Real Housewives of Patchouli.
Plastic. Floral. Bliss.

Sometimes I apply scent to help myself feel more dressed and fully stimulated--to help myself sit up straighter. Other times, I use it to help myself feel more less constricted and more relaxed--to help ease my nerves. In those moments, I want something undemanding, something free of too much prissy femininity, something firm but quiet--and something, above all, predictable.

Lavender will do, as will vetiver, but sometimes the former becomes boring and the latter gloomy. Lately, I've added White Patchouli, which is becoming almost a daily ritual, something I use as a stimulant in the morning, or a signal that the hard part of the day is over.

I surprised myself when I liked this stuff, since I really didn't expect to find anything here. The idea of a "clean" patchouli seems oxymoronic, but this stuff works. It hooks a good, camphorated shot of patchouli that clears the head and cools the skin onto a dark rose that fades to a moist ambrette, which settles into a pleasant fug that hangs very close to the skin. In other words, it's a very dry, slightly tart update of a 70's rose chypre along the liens of Coriandre, with an emphasis the more aromatic dimensions of the patchouli and not a hint of the swamp. Not much happens, but not much needs to happen when something makes you feel so calm and stimulated at the same time.

White Patch is the opposite of thought-provoking. It's just a comfortable scent that feels welcome in the context where I wear it, because I'm usually getting out of or into pajamas when I put this on. (It's also the only perfume I can tolerate when I get migraines--and then I actually crave it--go figure). No grand statements here--just a sense of feeling at ease with the world, with a little retro vibe on the side.