Hiya Looking Glass crew. Tonight I had a big black dog come visit. Out of nowhere, and it’s been a long stretch since the last time. No matter how good a life, how loved and lauded, how beautiful the dogs are. Sometimes overwhelming sadness and crying crash over me. No reason. Sorry to burden you all but I’m talking to you tonight (it’s 3.35am) to help me out of this hole. Yes, I know it’s selfish but perfume can help equalise me. Writing too. A new order came in today from FragranceNet (not affiliated). In it was an 8ml FragNet decanted Travel Spray. Reasonably affordable and hopefully enough to last me for a good while. I’ve finished a 3ml Surrender To Chance decant of Oud Minerale but am not ready to lay down the kind of money Mr Tom Ford is asking for a full bottle (yet).
Originally a 2017 release, Oud Minerale is now a 2023 Signature Collection reissue with a round bronze bottle. Not sure which I’m writing about because the old bottle is pictured on FragNet but they just may not have updated it.
Oud Minerale by Tom Ford
Tom Ford Beauty gives these featured accords:
Pink Peppercorn, Oud Blend, Styrax, Ambergris Accord, Fir Balsam, Marine Notes
Briny woods and burnt earth open Oud Minerale. Dark, atmospheric and feels like the scent of an art installation set in the forest. Say what you like about Tom Ford but his crew know how to load a fragrance with spectacular opening gambits. It’s so brilliant, shadowed and oily. Like Charlize Theron playing the evil witch in 2012s Snow White and the Huntsman. This is what my imagination tells me her character smells like when returning from being a thousand crows. Maybe it’s the smell of the enchanted forrest?
Once that awe inspiring opening burns off Oud Minerale becomes a lightly salted cold spoon, well like the taste and feeling of it. Stark and frosty. So interesting a turn and for the next few hours that is what hums quietly but noticeable. As we head to dry down the fresh cut pine-ish, resinous undertow takes precedence but the salty twang never leaves.
Unisex but leaning traditional masculine. Longevity is excellent and the ride is really interesting, while still managing to be simple and wearable. Will there be a bottle in my future? Maybe, definitely.
Tonight Oud Minerale got me out of a depression hole. The storm has passed and I’m smelling pretty damn fine.
Hope you are all doing well and thriving,
Would you Oud Minerale by Tom Ford?
Portia xx
Undina's Looking Glass 
I feel for you, Portia, and am so glad the dog has been forced to retreat by the magic of perfume. Not sure how much I would like this as it seems to be made up of extremes for me – I love pink peppercorn, ambergris, styrax and fir, can’t stand oud and marine notes. The only way to find out is to try!
Take care.
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Hey JillieCat,
Yes, that’s a really good way to phrase it, ” it seems to be made up of extremes” fits Oud Minerale very well. I’m a salt lover in fragrance, everything else is playing background.
Portia xx
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I’m glad the storm has passed.
Oud Minerale sounds witchy by your description. I had the chance to try this recently at Sephora but as there were several others I also hadn’t tried, I picked them first. Oud Wood was surprisingly soapy although the soft oud and sandalwood were doing their thing. Will have to try Oud Minerale next time. x
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Hi Nose Prose,
The mind is a funny thing. It plays tricks on us and creates drama where there was none. Perfume is such a mood alterer for me. Thank everything.
Oud Wood is excellent. A few years ago I did a huge 1 liter drumming bottle split here in Oz. So wearable.
Portia xx
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Those chemicals in the brain get imbalanced sometimes! Perfume sounds like a wonderful antidote.
One liter!!! That bottle must have been so satisfying to lift.
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HA! Yes, very satisfying.
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I am glad the black dog moved on, it mostly does, doesn’t it, knowing that is for me one way to cope with its visit. Pefume doesn’t help me at all when the black dog calls, but my actual dog does! After our 12,5 year old GS died this spring I started looking for another dog fairly quickly. One way of coping with grief, at least for me.
I found Izzy on the Dutch equivalent of ebay, a reliable place to find dogs that need a new home (or pups) if you know how to read between the lines. She, a Malinois, has been a service dog at Schiphol airport for 6 years, sniffing explosives in the goods that arrive there. She is retiring with us, and we couldn’t be happier, she is the sweetest, cuddliest, funniest and smartest dog, and she is an excellent dog to chase away the black ones…
I hope your travels to India were wonderful!
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Thanks Hamamelis, hope you don’t get hit with it any time soon.
Sorry to read about you losing your last pup but YAY for getting a retired service Malinois. Are they the ones that are so smart they practically talk? I think I’ve seen videos of them doing amazing things, and yes, GORGEOUS!
My greyhound Paris (a black dog) will come lay at my feet on the couch any time but makes special efforts if I’m in darkness. They know.
Portia xx
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i just had to comment when I saw you talking about a visit from “the black dog.” (So sorry!) I was unfamiliar with this term, but just yesterday in the midst of reading a new mystery, Under the Storm, which is a Swedish translation, I came across the term, as one of the characters talked about being followed by “a black dog.” Couldn’t get over the coincidence of seeing the term twice within 24 hours, when I’d never known it. This type of coincidence seems to happen a lot. Now, if I sound totally out of touch and unsympathetic, I am glad perfume helps lift you up. For me, living in the US, every days new news threatens to send me careening down a cliff, and I find getting in nature, even if it’s just one of my small flower beds, helps me. Tom Ford doesn’t interest me much these days. I used to think he was brilliant, and my TF Fleur de Chine giant bottle is one of my top ten. But his newest stuff mostly leaves me cold, however I might give this one a sniff if I’m in a department store.
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Wow Cynthia, that is spooky. You do not sound either.
There is no way I could understand how a thinking person could deal with living in the USA right now. Nature seems like a perfect antidote. If it’s a daytime depression attack I will often grab the dogs and go for a walk. We have some really good parklands nearby and natural scrubby forrest within 10 minutes easy walking.
I’ve also created a small garden right next to our apartment blocks garage. It keeps me grounded and I love to see the flowers, the seasonal changes and keep it nice. There is something so fulfilling about gardening, even on such a small scale.
Portia xx
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With darkness comes light, Portia. I’m delighted to learn that Tom Ford was a successful deviant. However, I must admit that I wasn’t particularly fond of Oud Minerale. Perhaps it’s the perfumer Shyamala Maisondieu. I don’t seem to like more than two of her creations for Tom Ford: F**King Fabulous and Velvet Orchid. I’m with you, and I’m a fan of Fragrancenet.com.
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Heya Flaconneur,
I think you are in the majority not loving Oud Minerale. That salty note creeps a lot of people out, and it’s a very different style to most of the salty perfumes currently available. Almost salty petrochemical spill.
Portia xx
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This post didn’t show on my reader until today. I’m so sorry you had a Churchillian visit. Sometimes we just have to wallow in the dark, let it wash over us. Then is the time to pull on the big, brave shapewear & send that hound on its way. I’m delighted you found Oud Minerale was the antidote you needed.
Much love xxx
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Thanks Alityke,
Perfume has helped me in so many ways and the people are amazing. This weird online connection we all have is a buoyancy vest.
Portia xx
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This post didn’t show on my reader until today. I’m so sorry you had a Churchillian visit. Sometimes we just have to wallow in the dark, let it wash over us. Then is the time to pull on the big, brave shapewear & send that hound on its way. I’m delighted you found Oud Minerale was the antidote you needed.
Much love xxx
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