Theo Fennell Scent Theo Fennell for women

Over the last ten years or so, a few retro perfumery wonders have snuck out of the Floral Fruity IsoESuper Concentration Camp of Fragrance. And although I applaud the courage and gumption it took to stand up to all those vapid berries and almost-but-not-quite-there modern perfumes, I will not necessarily like them.
Such - alas!- is the case of a few of the last decade's best offerings, exemplified by Badgley Mischka's eponymous perfume and Tom Ford's much loved Black Orchid.
And, my apologies to all here, but Theo Fennell's Scent has joined this exclusive lineup.

To the lovers of these modern retro wonders, I earnestly promise I am not devoid of taste, and that I did invest in a full bottle of these special potions just on the strength of your dizzying words of admiration.
Once in a blue moon I anoint myself with them, knowing that they are deemed good and that I am probably very bad for *not* swooning.
And away they go for a while again, consigned to their original boxes until the next time I feel I should try them again and maybe enjoy them more.

It took my husband ages to hunt down a bottle of Theo Fennell, all the fans having doubtlessly made off with every last bottle of it from every online retailer in the world, but find me one he did. I thought it was safe to buy one unsniffed, since "Oriental Chypre" is a combination of my two favorite perfume styles.

Again, :::bowing head low in abject shame::: please don't sneer at me too hatefully, Oh Great Noses of the Perfume World - but to me, Theo Fennell is a Cumin and Musk bomb which fades to an indistinct WTF (Whats That Fragrance?) vague perfumishness.
Mostly, in the first two-three hours, its a cumin and musk wallop on the derriere from an unrefined and caddish older uncle, because on me, it is nowhere near feminine.
Indeed, in the hopes of eliciting a little caddish behaviour from my exceedingly sweet and well behaved beloved, I am thinking of passing this on to him. I have often found that things that misbehave in all sorts of macho ways on my skin (Tom Ford's White Patchouli, I am talking to YOU!) smell amazingly sensual and perfect on him.
So my apologies to all of you who love Theo Fennell and whose skin doesn't amp up the CUMIN AND MUSKS (all caps, yes!), but I think this lovely retro The Scent stuff deserves to be explored as a masculine.

I love chypres and this is one of the best. Rich, spicy, complex with lovely saffron notes interweaved with barely there rose. This is a shapeshifter with a fascinating development and a glorious drydown. For strong women, not girly-girls.

sur moi ne marche pas, sent l'insecticide beurk !!!

This scent is very strong and it contains a lot of cumin!!! And cumin has a sweaty smell, I use this spice when I cook oriental dishes. Fortunately the cumin smell disappears after a while and the drydown is quite nice.
Scent is described as a masterpiece in Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez book "Perfumes the A - Z guide",
but I would not wear it in public.

I don't smell the BO or unwashed body smells in this at all, nor do I smell cumin.

I really love this fragrance, and I think it's possible that people are mistaking the Saffron note in the opening of this perfume for other spices. Saffron has a very complicated and dense odour profile, and as a consequence it's possible to smell a lot of things in Saffron. It's spicey and soapy and floral all at once, it also has something uniquely Saffron-ish which is hard to quantify. This all means that in general people either love Saffron and respond to it positively or else they despise it. It provokes strong reactions.

To me this perfume revolves around a strong soapy floral Saffron top note, followed by a rich Lily and Rose and Vanilla heart, which gives way to a base of more vanilla and deep musk (which is also somewhat tangy and may be the source of some of the BO comparisons).

I get so many compliments whenever I wear this, and perfect strangers have been known to stop me in the street to inquire what I'm wearing and give me compliments about it.

I highly recommend it. Sillage is very good indeed, and longevity is good too.


Edit: Also I agree very strongly with Gypsy Perfumista's review.

There was a time when I just couldn't get enough of it.

Bought 3 bottles in 6 months (aren't you glad you weren't near me Bandit!!)..I actually get NO odorous smell on me when I wear it. (I DO when I wear Apres l'Ondee). Musk yes, BO no with Scent.

Bandit, you are one of my favorite reviewers, but our noses definitely differ on this one.

I love the heat, spices, and muskiness. It is so interesting, and makes fireworks in my nose.

I am very sad that it has been discontinued. They hardly gave it a chance!

Smells like someone didn't shower, but used Shalimar to cover their scent, then went out for a 10 mile run.

Now I got a sample of the EdP. And indeed, I can confirm, it is a sweaty greeen. Copy that? A sweaty green, also in EdP. No masterpiece, either. Over.
; )

I don't really get the raves about Fennell.

The first sniff is all about cumin, but it fades away quickly in seconds, very disappointing. The first moment is exactly like Kingdom, but only for a second. For me a coitus interruptus really.

The top notes are to my nose a blended green accord. Usually I love very well blended perfumes, but Fennel is to my nose over-blended at that point.

Than -bamm!- the cumin is back in the middles notes. Fennell still is this high pitched green, now with cumin. The more the cumin note gets back, the more masculine it gets. The perfume is as that stage not bad, in fact better than most other ones from that time, but still not brave enough to go all the way. The whole time I’m waiting for something to happen, to go slightly over the top or for it to develop an interesting edge, but it doesn’t do me that favour. It behaves, like a british gentleman, how boring!

Please explain to me, why everybody seems to love Fennell and hates Kingdom? The cumin in Kingdom is heavier, but the composition is more feminine with all the flowers. Whereas Kingdoms cumin gives depths, Fennels cumin only reminds me of something’s missing (I suppose a good animal stink, like musk, honey or ambergris). After all, even the cumin is fading in Fennell towards the basenotes (and it gets more feminine again – I guess, a good lesson in how cumin sometimes can act like a masculinizer).

I did a direct comparison with Luciano Soprani and they are very similiar in their middle notes. I guess, that’s what Fennell is aiming for: Classic italian perfumery. But be reminded: If you want it as sophisticated as italian perfumes, you really should go for the source, that’s my opinion. Nobody did sophistication like the italians in the 80s and 90s.

After a long morphing from green-cumin-masculine to sweet sweet sweet, the final is Allure. I love basenotes to be resinous, deep and much much dirtier. I mean Allure as the dry down? How dissapointing! The biggest downer in this perfume for me.

Fennell is a mosaic of a lot of good fumes (Kingdom, an italian classic of the 80s (Soprani?), Allure), but the fractions aren’t deep enough to satisfy me. It’s a nice perfume, very modern, but not a masterpiece, imho. It might work for me in pure perfume concentration, but I do not intend on spending a lot of money to try.

How to describe this?.......... I really do not know. It is an italian fragrance sold through the english man. I bought it blind based on the reviews of Penelopeanne, Angel10 and Scarlett. It is kinda Le Dragon de Baiser from Cartier, but Dragon has a amber in the drydown, which makes that fragrance oriental. TF smells a little bit boozy in the opening and floral/fruity in the drydown - good and unbelievable rich, modern. It could be a much older brother from Cartier´s Dragon. The same genetical base, but very different. NormalIy I hate chypre, TF is the only one, I love from this group. Chypre-fruit is a genial combination. Rich, oily, bright, ever lasting, SEXY and absolutely charming scent. It is so heavy, but it does not disturb me. I put a lot of me and smell like the whole drugstore together - yes, I think, I reached the end of my seeking tour, this is a mother of all fragrances. LOVE IT!!!

rich oily fragrance
7/10

This is a scent I strongly recommend to test first.

I was already decided to buy it on net, but fortunatelly I waited to receive a vial to test it first- thanks Kastehelmi! With my body chemistry "creates" a NO No scent, something mossy with "old swat on clothes scent".
Sorry to lovers, that's only my humble opinion.

I agree with you 100% penelopeanne, and I won't tell, and I smell NO fennel. I also agree with you, my sweetie Julia, it smells like happy rich women!

I agree with most of the above reviews except the last one about'Fennel'!! I do not smell that, but on me it glows with jasmine and lily, rose and sandlewood, a touch of patchouli, not too much musk just a hint. It's perfect!! I am known for my scents, usually Arpege,Bal a Versailles or CoCo. For me this is a scent for grownup women with exquisite dress sense and sophistication. Women who are confident and at one with themselves. Certainly not for 'girlies' who rely on trendy designer scents that all their friends 'have to have' Not for the Wannabees but women who want to smell sumptuous and sexy and very wealthy!!!! I just hope not too many catch on to this and those that wear it are exclusive. So all you out there who are fans of Theo Fennell, don't tell anyone OK?????!!!!!

i really love the sent because it smells like leather coats and happy rich women.something strange:i hated it i liked it I LOVE IT!!!!!!

I wore this fragrance for 3 days now. This is my final review. I bought the EDT 75ml and i have just given it away. The reason being that the opening was not pleasant and the musky smell lasted for 15-20 mins. It was pretty strong for the time being, while the drydown was beautiful but faint. It left me wondering if it was actually worth those first few mins. Unfortunately the opening of this perfume ruined it for me. For some a harsh opening and a beautiful drydown is what makes the fragrance more interesting.

okay i just recieved a bottle of theo fennel which i ordered last week. Actually it comes in a white and pink box. Plain white on the outside while the inner packaging is hot pink. Also it doesn't have that silver rim around it. it is plain compared to the pictures you see above. So you will be getting a very simple bottle with THEO FENNEL written across in silver.


Now lets review the fragrance, I wrote earlier that i tried it at the fragrance store and i didn't like it the first few mins. Well today i sprayed it and it has taken 15mins for the musky smell to go. At first i got sharp citrus, heavy floral, and cinnamon overload. Then it dries down to a softer floral scent with hints of patchouli, incence and sandalwood.


After 20-30 mins you will get to appreciate this fragrance. I must also add that it smells better on me than it does on fabric. For what it's worth, this cerrtainly doesn't smell cheap. it's quite the opposite. I will wear this perfume for the next 3 days and give a final review.

*Wardrobe Mistress, You ROCK!*

HOLY PERFUME, BATMAN! This is "perfume", of that I have no doubts, even in the 'eau de toilette' strength that Wardrobe Mistress sent me (in a very generous sample). Dabbed with the dipstick cap only, on the back of my hand, it smells as if I sprayed a full blast on! Wow!

SCENT is an understatement. More like HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE to me! I imagine a new olfactive claasification for this baby: THIS is a spicy floriental chypre.

Here, in Theo Fennell's remembrances of nightclub excesses and glamour, is the luxurious and elegant perfume of yesteryear: uncompromising and elegant at the same time. Rich and heady with flowers, and spices...and this is ALL in the first five minutes, mind you. Gorgeous feminine florals like lily, rose and orchid are warmed and spiced with sweet saffron and cardamom. Spice adds thickness, but not too much heat or anything remotely "curry-like". This does come on a bit "strong", almost brusque; but once it calms down it is like a true lady. Very creamy and lightly powdery as the caraway adds a dry sharpness and cinnamon makes it come alive. This is amazing! As TF Scent dries down, it is very oriental with labdanum (rockrose resin), tonka and benzoin keeping everything sweetly resiny and incensy (just the way I love 'em!). Sandalwood adds to this exotic affair, and somewhere (underneath it all) patchouli adds just enough skankiness to this unreal beauty to make her earthy and voluptuous, without seeming like a "tramp" or too much of a "good time" gal. She is rich, in every sense of the word. Full of life, full of "spice" (read: sassiness) and mysterious; I am at once mystified and enthralled.

Sillage: Amazing!
Longevity: Very good
Overall: 4.75/5

This may be meant for women...but I know one thing for sure: I will wear this proudly, as it smells wonderful and has one of the most incensy drydowns I have ever smelled. Not smoky, mind you, but like real incense...flowers, spice,and sweet woods. Each and every layer of this is spices and flowers, flowers and spices and then a warm and wonderful base of timeless oriental indulgence-yet never is it sickening (to me). THIS is what Akasha (ancient Egyptian queen who was one of two most ancient vampires on Earth) would smell like as she passed you by...and with a scent like that: I'm a-followin!

This is one of the VERY BEST, if not THE Best!
Warm, luxurious, special, ultra-feminine, rich & unique.

Scent has strength, character, and unbelievable sexuality....this is NOT a smell anyone around you will ever be wearing....

It IS NOT expensive, but it smells like it is verrrry expensive. Those who have tried it know what I mean.

Invincible & Stunning.
Forever a favorite. I love you baby.

UD: very hard to find!! the EDP is nearly impossible at this point. Where did it go?

This strikes me as a somewhat old fashioned scent - a perfume that smells like perfume! It goes on quite strong but dies down after about 15 minutes and is quite powdery. It has a slight bitter element on me but its not an unpleasant smell and it stays completely floral, I don't get any of the non floral base notes.I smell geranium even though it is not listed. I would not recommend it for anyone very young as it feels like a grown up scent but I guess that depends on someones level of maturity. For the price its certainly worth a try and it does smell like it should be more expensive.

Lovely, strong frag with a good price, it reminds me a little of the original Chloe

This is like two perfumes in one - don't be fooled by the sharp spicy opening - it soon blooms into a beautiful, rich, sweet, totally decadent floral. Yet - I find it eminently wearable and not over the top at all. And I love the Parisian nightclub scenario - how wonderful! I'm so there.

I really really wanted to like this, the reviews made me think it would tick a lot of boxes for me. Today in my crappy little home town I went into the perfume shop as I remembered seeing a few bottles of this heavily discounted on the top shelf.

Alas it was nowhere to be seen..but on enquiring the SA said "Oh Yes, we have one Eau de Toilette left, its down to £11 now for the 75ml. ELEVEN POUNDS!! I nearly bought it there and then & ran out before they realised they had made some kind of a mistake with the pricing, but I was horribly sensible & had a good old squirt from the tester.

SUCH a dissapointment. Actually one of the few chypres that I cannot warm to. Yes it's womanly, it's grown-up, it says "don't mess with me boys...you aren't quite man enough yet"

I can dig the soapy jasmine, I can rock the skank element, it's clearly a well thought out scent made with care & quality ingredients but I was slapped about the nostrils by that dirty dirty fennel...my most hated note. It's probably not surprising that something by Theo Fennell should contain fennel, I know it's not listed but I'm certain that this is fennel and not caraway.

Dammit! There is so much to love here, but it takes a step back and wags its leather gloved finger at me, saying calmly "No no no Mistress, this one is not for you." Sob.

I did not enjoy the opening, must be from saffron as my skin probably hates it, but it turned to a lovely, ultra sweet and feminine perfume with dominant vanilla and jasmine. This went on for few hours and turned to patchouli dominant dry down which I just can't enjoy. I don't think I could pull off this fragrance any way. It is a little bit dated and old school and I do not consider this sexy at all. I can imagine this on a woman in her forties, rich and kinda bitchy, doesn't care much for what other think, very powerful and strong, used to have anyone working for her.
So - a no no for me.

This reminds me of Amouage's Lyric . At first I didn't like it until I sprayed it on fabric. Maybe it doesn't suit my skin so I wear it on a silk handkerchief and love it.

After reading many reviews (thanks, fellow perfumista's!) about Scent, I was determined to try it.
Well, my bottle arrived today, (just in time for my birthday!) and I gave it a spray.
My immediate impression was "What a bloody expensive vanilla-musk perfume."
But after a minute, or less my opinion had changed, for the better.
The strong vanilla-ish hit faded, and settled into an earthy, spicy background for what was to come... flowers!
Now I am wrapped in a heady mix of incense, roses, jasmine, spice and herbs.
It smells like the most precious of offerings to the Gods... like an altar to Isis might smell.
A little like Alien, there's that divine tobacco-like smokiness (once again, NOT cigarette smoke, but properly cured tobacco), but it's not as "purple" as Alien.
SO glad I made the purchase, and this is just the EDT!
It makes me feel beautiful and womanly.
And yes, darlingbuds, it is what Éléonore d'Aquitaine would have worn. And she would have had the perfumer sworn to secrecy on pain of death so no other woman could wear her Scent.

I got the EDT from an internt discounter. I really like it. It's quite a classic chypre but with a lightness and a, well, friendliness that I enjoy. Almost anyone could wear it and it is fine even in warm weather. The spices are muted and the most noticeable notes are a happy kind of floral. The final fading is into a very comfortable vanilla you could just curl up and drink cocoa with. I cannot speak for the Parfum but the EDT is not at all strong but it lasts nicely all day.

This is beautiful. I bought it on recommendation for its 'skank' factor and its 5 star Turin rating. I do not find it skanky in the least! It hits the nose initially with a blast of cumin and florals akin to Rochas 'Femme' and smells, to me, identical until after about 2 minutes.
A rose emerges, a dark, blood red rose not from a garden but from the bedroom of a 'lady of the night';the slightest animalic scent upon its petals. Then the jasmine arrives, not completely unlike 'Lou Lou'. This is a schizophrenic perfume, wearing it is like being in a room with hundreds of doors which open and an entirely different person comes out to introduce themselves throughout the wearing. As I'm writing this it is still changing, now pillow soft musk and saffron. A masterpiece indeed, but very strange - like wearing 5 different perfumes one after the other.
I don't agree that it's overly strong. I've got the EDT and would heartily love to try the parfum - More please!!

Oh mama, this perfume is all grown up...

I know we have many debates on Fragrantica about the 'age' or 'maturity' the wearer should be for certain perfumes, and I am usually to be found in the "age doesn't matter - if you love the perfume, wear it!" corner. However, I shall state again... *this* perfume is alllll grown up.

By that I mean, to wear this with aplomb, to do this fragrance justice, you must have a little wiggle to your hips, know how to lick your lips, a certain smile in your eyes that says "I have lived a little, I know many things, I may choose to share them with you if I let you get that close."

The opening blast - the very first sensation was of pink lemonade and baby shampoo. I know, hardly classy and sexy, but this is my honest first impression. It lasted only a few seconds, as on my next sniff, I was enraptured. The intoxicating smell of pollen-heavy lilies began wafting from my wrist, and I knew it would be love.

After the lily comes a warm, all-enveloping, creamy cloud of orange blossom and jasmine with rose and spices elbowing for room - not sharply, but sliding through the crowds, smiling, always getting their own way. And then the cinnamon began, beautifully handled, softly mixed, completely addictive.

Oh, and the saffron - incredibly, exquisitely blended, never dominating but always very present in the middle of the perfume's development. Oh, I adore it, I keep getting waves of a delicious scent lapping at my senses and wondering: "who smells so gorgeous? OH, it's ME!"

Three hours in and I am at a stage that smells of juicy yellow plums infused with the rich saffron, a sprinkle of cinnamon, baked with rose petals and a dash of some exotic liqueur. Oh god, it's heavenly.

My only regret is that I have the EDT - and now I must, must own the more powerful juice itself.

You absolutely have to try this for yourself - it seems to have been transported from another age - one can certainly sense Theo Fennell's influences of stolen visits to impossibly chic Parisian nightclubs. There is a glitter of expensive jewels, the softness of fur stoles, the gleam of gold powder compacts and the deep red, unashamedly sexual slashes of lipstick surrounding this scent.

Oh, Theo Fennell, I adore your perfume - if only I could afford your jewellery, too.

Must. Have. More.

blindly guessing, could tell this was made by Jean Kerleo. Same class!

Rare thing!

Really really nice bottle, looks classy and made me want to smell the scent. Well..I got to smell it this weeeknd when I went to Harrods and...I was not impressed at all. It smells very very dated and generic. I can smell opium in this alot. It's the sort of perfume that could be headache inducing and smells a bit like it's spoiled or something. Not a fan!! :(

Bought it blindly on recommendation of a friend.
To my nose it felt like NOTHING special - just looking at the variety of componenents made me think the producers failed in doing a good job.
But then....
Oh, my! A whole new world - something completely surprising!
It opens with the lovely scents of flowers which almost disappears after you have enjoyed a brief whiff to give way to a flowery-woodsy, bitter- sweet sensation which lingers all day long in a nicely surprising way
I wrote a very negative review at first but then, on day 3 of possessing it, Theo Fennel DID give me a BIG surprise.
It is a must-try for the woman who loves to be challenged, who lives with on e foot on the accelerator :) still ready to face the novel sensation of something unexperienced before. Apart from what I said I would rather classify it as a classical scent...which is a world in itself
See for yourselves, ladies :)

oh yes!absolutely true! this is a very sexy perfume. I fell in love with it from the first sniff, and I won't rest untill I make my dream to have it come true! I want it!
Theo Fennell Scent е вече ФАКТ,имам си го и мисля че е попадението ми за 2009г.
Две думи-Мноооого секси!

Whoa there! Soooo strong and definately not for someone who would want to blend in. More for someone whose fragrance enters the room before they do. Not my cup of tea!

If Eleanor of Aquitaine had had a perfume, I insist that it would smell like this. Like her, Theo Fennell's 'Scent' is a headstrong beauty. But... for the contemporary soul, it is a chypre to be reckoned with!

There is rose, yes, but this is not a rosy-rose perfume; it's sexual rather than romantic. The jasmine isn't creamy, but coppery. These are dark flowers;they're sinister; they're Baudelairean. And they drive mercilessly into the thudding heart of the basenotes. It's an old-fashioned resting place we come to there: the drydown does everything a good classic should do -- lingers smokily and lovingly in the crooks of your elbows, nape of your neck, mingles with the sourness of your all-night skin to become 'you-only-better'. Yes, this is one for night. A night of black dress, opaque lipstick and feminine wiles.

Strong, libidinous (but not animalic), and unapologetic, 'Scent' will crush every 'Light Blue'-wearer for miles around under it's well-heeled leather shoes.

Royal consort or not, you can get a shot of this stuff at The Perfumed Court.