6 Best Smelling Patchouli Perfumes for Women

Patchouli is a staple ingredient in both men’s and women’s fragrances. Often times, it won’t be the main note within the composition, but more of a lighter touch in the base to bring things together. It can be a divisive aroma, with some ladies swearing by it while it repels others in the population. Nonetheless, it is a force to be reckoned with and appreciated. In this post, I want to explore six of the best patchouli perfumes for women, to give as a starting point for those who are interested in finding their signature scent.

What are the Top Smelling Patchouli Fragrances for Her?

Dry, Leathery Patchouli

Tom Ford Patchouli Absolu Eau De Parfum 50 Ml– A higher end and fairly niche designer perfume from Tom Ford. Patchouli Absolu does provide a great option for those who love the ingredient.

It opens up with a dry woody aroma, along with some spices of bay leaf and rosemary. The patchouli, will become the star as the scent progresses, but it plays a supporting role in the beginning. 

The spice will calm a bit, leather and oud emerge, along with the patchouli. It’s got a very woodsy earthy aroma, that leans more towards the masculine end of things. However, some women will definitely enjoy wearing this.

It ends up being mostly about the patchouli and leather combination, with some remaining moss still floating around the periphery. Again, this is a niche sort of pick and an expensive one. But, if it’s your type of thing, you get your money’s worth with the performance. Patchouli Absolu by Tom Ford Review

Clean Green Patchouli

Patchouli Imperial by Dior– Patchouli Imperial gives you more of a pure patchouli ride for most of the wear. It does open up with a pretty woody and quite smoky aroma, that will settle, but retains a cool instead of a ‘hot’ presence.

It’s a mix of sweet notes, with patchouli, and more ‘greenish’ woody aromas. You also have a spicy kick with the cinnamon note coming through. The fruity top notes allow Patchouli Imperial to have a cleaner scent, rather than a heavier dirty patchouli note.

It is a unisex fragrance that has great performance, though doesn’t feel overwhelming. You’ll probably have to buy a bottle from Dior themselves and fair warning…it’s really pricey. 

The Mass Appealing Chanel

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Intense Eau De Parfum Spray, 1.7 Oz – Mademoiselle Intense is the pumped up patchouli version of the best selling original and one that is quite awesome in its own right. 

Coco Mademoiselle Intense starts off with a very bold orange citrus mix, along with our target note and amber. The citrus will tone down a great deal, when compared to the original Chanel offering, and the jasmine/rose floral heart plays a larger role. 

The dry down is full of the patchouli, amber, and a creamy tonka bean/vanilla. Not to mention, a long-lasting scent with easily over 10 hours of wear. This can be a bold daily wear, that is quite versatile and gives you a blend, with patchouli as the focus rather than the sole ingredient. Coco Mademoiselle Intense Review

The Higher End Chanel

Coromandel by Chanel– There are different variations of Coromandel that have been released by Chanel. There’s the les Exclusifs, the EDP, and the Parfum. Each is going to give you a slightly different formulation and intensity. 

What you get with each of them is our patchouli note, with a warm mix of amber/balsamic/oriental notes (benzoin, frankincense), and a gourmand finish…usually the white chocolate will come through the most. 

The Exclusifs or EDP (whichever is available) tend to be a sweeter formulation with more of an emphasis on the vanilla and white chocolate touches. Meanwhile, the Parfum version feels woodier and denser than the others. 

You’ll probably have to test out which version you go with before committing to a full purchase, but it can be a fantastic choice for patchouli lovers. Coromandel Review

Powerful Gourmand Patchouli

Thierry Mugler Angel Eau De Parfum Spray, 1.7 Ounce– Pretty much everyone knows the best selling perfume from Mugler. It’s been around for decades and has spawned a ton of flankers and can still blow out a room with its sillage.

However, the patchouli note is the lynchpin that holds this one all together and creates the environment in which those gourmand notes can thrive. Beyond just beasty power, Angel also has the longevity to match, which makes it a fair deal. The opening is sweet with coconut, a dark chocolate, and fruit notes (mainly melon).

The patchouli note is always present, but the dry down is where it gets to shine. Lots of that heavy edible gourmand style in the beginning, with a warm patchouli note finish. Notes include: vanilla, sandalwood, and patchouli,  fresh citrus, melons, peaches, and plums. 

The Standard Fruitchouli Perfume

Flowerbomb By Viktor & Rolf For Women – EDP Spray 1 oz– It’s very well known and super popular, but there is plenty of reason to love this patchouli scent. Personally, that opening act is among my favorites in mainstream ladies’ fragrances.

Flowerbomb mixes ingredients of bergamot, rose, jasmine, and tea. It is clean, delicious, and appropriate for women of a wide range of age groups or personal styles.

Flowerbomb opens up with its great tea note, which is one of the highlights of this fragrance. It is paired with a light but somewhat sharp bergamot citrus note. Next, comes the flower part of the ‘bomb’.

Orchid, jasmine, rose, freesia, among others. It’s a beautiful array, with a lively freshness provided by the top notes. It really is just an amazing example of the fruit-chouli sort of perfume and deserves a spot here.

Finally, you get to the patchouli, which is the star of the show and brings it together. Flowerbomb brings the power and performance, with an awesome aroma.

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.