What Does Patchouli Smell Like?

What Does Patchouli Smell Like?

You may not know what patchouli is, but you’ve definitely smelled it before. This plant creates an oil that smells sweet, spicy and musky and can be used in a variety of scents and products. Below, we explain what patchouli is, what it smells like and what fragrances it pairs well with. Then, we highlight some of our most popular candles that incorporate patchouli as one of the scents.

What is patchouli?
Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) is an aromatic flowering plant that grows in a bush up to one meter (three feet) high. It belongs to the mint family and has large, fragrant leaves with irregular tooth-shaped edges. Both the stems and leaves are covered in fine hairs. When the plant blooms, it produces small flowers in white or pale purple shades. The plant originated in the tropical climes of South Asia, where it has been cultivated for centuries, thanks to its fragrant oil, which is produced by the leaves of the plant. Patchouli oil is extracted by drying the leaves of the plant and then distilling the oil via steaming.

What does patchouli smell like?
Patchouli has a strong, sweet scent that falls into the musky-earthy category. Because of its strong fragrance, it’s often used as a base scent in candles and perfumes. (The base scent is the fragrance you smell after the top and mid notes have melted away.) While it’s part of the mint family, patchouli doesn’t smell fresh and cool the way typical mint varieties in the grocery store do. Instead, it smells sweet, spicy and musky. This versatile scent is why patchouli can be found in so many different products, including candles, perfumes, cosmetics, detergents and more.

What scents does patchouli pair well with?
Patchouli doesn’t just go well in many different products. It also pairs well with many different scents, too. Some other fragrances that patchouli is often combined with include vetiver, sandalwood, frankincense, bergamot, cedarwood and myrrh. Patchouli may also be paired with lighter floral or citrus scents, such as rose, jasmine and orange. Finally, patchouli makes an excellent match for sweet scents such as vanilla.

Patchouli incense sticks acts as a natural stress reliever that brings joy and helps drive away negative feelings. Its rich, earthy, and herbaceous base notes with a woody yet minty upper tone soothe the mind and help ease anxiety.
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