When it comes to natural deodorisers nothing packs a punch quite like patchouli.
Patchouli is a leafy plant that thrives in tropical climates and is widely cultivated in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia where it’s often found growing next to rice paddies to help deter pests and boost crop yield.
The bright green leaves are sun-dried, pressed and distilled to create a highly scented essential oil that has been used for thousands of years in natural medicine due to its powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. The ancient Egyptians believed that this incredible scent was so strong that it could continue to have benefits in the afterlife and so over 50 litres of the stuff was buried with the Pharaoh, Tutankhamun!
In the 1800s it became a sign of wealth and prosperity, with luxury silk manufacturers in Asia using it to scent their most precious fabrics to make sure they didn’t rot or grow mould on their long journey to the West. At one point it was so sought after that, weight for weight, it was the same price as gold.
Nowadays, patchouli is used more for its alluring and woody fragrance by top brand parfumiers and cosmetics companies for deodorants. It makes a perfect addition to any luxury air freshener as the natural compounds and botanicals within the essential oil are incredibly effective at neutralising odour molecules in the air.
But what does patchouli smell like?
Often described as having a rich, earthy and woody aroma, patchouli is known as a ‘base note’ in the world of perfume. Here at dog-about-town, the patchouli essential oil we use has a deeply aromatic and almost seductive scent of ancient wood, spice and treacle. We love it so much that it features in our signature ‘Day of the dogs’ fragrance which is an ode to the Nepalese day of celebration of our four-legged best friends.
Learn more about our Day of the dogs and the beautiful odour neutralising products that use it.