Misfit

The seasons turn to fall, and the mind turns to the melancholy,and wanting a perfume that's still has a hint of the sweetness of summer but ultimately has its mind on the upcoming winter. Arquist's misfit is somewhat misnamed, for there is nothing odd about this perfume, no hint of danger nor particularly unusual notes. This is a lovely, every day fall fragrance; it is not particularly powerful, but gives you a lovely huff of vanilla and sweet patchouli whenever you huff your wrists. Beast mode this is not, but it is office appropriate. There's a warmth to it, like sitting next to a particularly nice fire, with someone who smells faintly of pipe tobacco. The amber in the base notes give this a sweet and warm base, lifted up by the dirtiness of the patch, the woodiness of the balsam, and the sweetness of the tonka and a light touch of incense from the labdanum. If you huff deeply, you get a hint of the summer flowers -- mostly rose. The rose does not dominate here, as it so often can, only appearing in small light touches here and there. The patch, too, plays well with others -- this is not your dirty hippie patchouli. If misfit was a 60's wild child, it's now grown into an 80's yuppie; this is a perfume to sip coffee and check your 401k with. It is strange that Arquiste bases the promotional copy on this being a patchouli fragrance; the patch here is absolutely a supporting player to the amber, tonka, and balsam. There's also total sweetness here that makes it a distinctly feminine patchouli. I don't get much of the lavender here; it behaves well on me, without going soapy and giving only the slightest hint of a medicinal sort of scent. Overall I quite like this. It's a quiet perfume, pleasant; i associate the smell of it with leaves falling on the ground, which makes it a particular highlight for this part of the year. I'm not sure I would buy a full size of it, but I'd like to get a 5 ml decant. Super sweet, subtly sexy, and very high-class for a hippie.

I've tried quite a few patch fragrances over the years and I can't say I've been tempted to buy one before. A few I've noticed the quality of them but I never felt they were a good fit for me. Patch fragrances I've sampled in the past have always drawn negative feedback from my partner too. I think the nearest I've got to liking one before is probably Patchouli Nobile. Anyway I think we have established I'm generally not a fan! I decided to try this based on the reviews I'd read but mostly as I've liked all the Arquiste fragrances I've tried to date. Well I'd never thought I'd use sexy and patchouli in the same sentence, but I've got to say its pretty damn good! The opening I get all the top notes in the opening in particular the angelica which is a fave note of mine. After about 5 minutes the patchouli starts to come through sweetened by the tolu, tonka and labdanum. The rose follows and for me the main players are the rose and patchouli with the sweeter notes woven in. Its beautifully blended and very well done indeed. The performance is remarkable. I sampled this in London 2 sprays to one wrist. It projected quite heavily for around 3 hours, and didn't become a stong skin scent until around the 6 hour point. I could still smell the fragrance on my skin 18 hours and a shower later. Its seriously strong stuff!

I like this one more than I expected. I'm still trying to sort out if I like patchouli or not, and I'd seen a few reviews say it's very noticeable in this one, but overall I'm a fan. I feel like Arquiste was pretty spot on with Bohemian inspirations... all the patchouli, woods, musk-scented plant notes, and resins remind me of the same moody atmosphere of a Pre-Raphaelite painting. There's a slight sweetness and spice to it that I find pleasant, and I do believe it's pretty solidly unisex if you like dark, autumnal fragrances. If you're someone who enjoys "witchy" scents, this seems like a good option to try a sample of. The only personal downside I found was that it does take a few sprays to sell the complexity of the notes, but it has enough sillage that it'll fill a small room while you're doing it. If you have a more fragrance sensitive partner or roommates as I do, I recommend employing an open window and a little dry-down time.

I really love this one. There is a difference between the 1ml dabber I tested and the spray I bought, which is common I think, the spray is always a bit fuller and intense. With Misfit, the spray is sweeter. I get an almost rum-banana sweetness that is present until the dry down. It is yummy smelling. Maybe I just think patchouli is delicious. It then turns into a dry patchouli and the akigalawood is strong in this one. I think this is a super versatile scent and I have worn it day and night, fall through to summer. The bottle is nice, like an orb, and the "invisible" tube that connects to the sprayer is cool. The sprayer is great too, a nice strong mist.

Spicy Incense 🕯Dang, another herbacious amber for the win!!! This perfume is tickling a memory from my childhood✨️ I use to stop by after service in these eastern european orthodox church book shops. This smells like the books surrounded by beeswax, amber and ladan📖🐝 It feels so comforting to wear this perfume, and it suits my skin for the autumn time🍁I would definitely wear this perfume as a second skin fragrance. It is moderate for sillage, but I prefer it for most resinous fragrances like these because it would otherwise feel cloyingly pungent on the skin☝️. What a beautiful stroll on memory lane🚶♂️ Zodiac Trio ⬆️Leo☀️Sagittarius 🌙Virgo

So beautiful. For me, it gets better the longer I wear it. It lasts a long time, and is both complex and well-rounded. Different notes stand out to me depending on the day I'm wearing it. It's definitely a patchouli scent, but a very unique one—it's bright, a bit herbal, smokey, and creamy (probably from the tonka). This is the first perfume I've worn that I've had multiple people compliment me on and ask about. I bought a travel size of it, and likely will one day buy the full bottle!

This is incredible! Not a dirty scent to me- no skank or filth. Smooth, spicy, and sweet. Though it isn’t a listed note, I smell nutmeg; the opening is sort of a cake doughnut smell. A little peek of pine. I do not get overwhelming patchouli, but an earthy base of it. All balsamic, sweet, spicy, slightly herbal. I’m more of a fan of scents that lean feminine, but this smells very unisex to me- not masculine. I really really love this, and I will likely end up purchasing a FB!

Odd one this. The opening is bitter, leathery and animalaic. I didn't hate it but I wasn't mad keen either. The dry down on the other hand was delicious. I got a lot of violet (one of my favorite notes) but that's not listed so who knows 😅 The Tonka/ Patchouli blend is delicious. I wish the performance was better, the longevity is okay but there's no projection. Considering the price that dry down is not enough to make it FBW

This one put Patchouli on the map for me. Great Fragrance. Won't be for everyone. But its definitely for me! My only negative is that on me it doesn't seem to last too long. The opening lasts about 15 min. The mid in the 30-45min, and becomes a skin scent at 2 hours. Be advised that these are my results with my body chemistry. Your results may vary. Still, if you're a fan of Patchouli then this is an absolute must have.

This is patchouli and amber done in the most beautifully balanced way. The composition is so expertly blended and the patchouli stands out in a very smooth way. I could not stop smelling my wrists and thinking how amazing I smelled all day. The longevity, projection and sillage were moderate to high, but I wanted to bathe in this nonetheless. A masterpiece and full bottle worthy. 10/10 ❤😍

Very skanky patchouli. Strong, powerful, dirty, creative. This is an overcrowded Paris apartment in the ’60s leather-clad beautiful people smoking like it’s breathing, drinking like it’s going out of fashion, talking only about art, and constantly sleeping with each other. It’s that. Dirty and jazzy. It’s good.

I never knew I liked Patchouli until this fragrance. Its almost metallic. Very addictive. The kind of fragrance you put that extra spray on your wrist so that you can sneak sniffs here and there. Very well blended. Bravo.

it's filthy, it's edgy, but it's also nostalgic and refined. patchouli skank, warm balsamic drydown. well blended, lives a long life. big ups.

I love this one. What I smell is a modern version of patchouli and incense, plus warm spices. It is absolutely lovely.

A very warm spicy-balmy patchouli. A bit too light but very elegant and confortable.

Following upon George's review, and being on the search for the perfect patchouli, I was very excited to try Misfit. My sample arrived today, and boy, am I glad I did not blind buy this. I have to say, this was a complete let down. While this is by no means a "bad" perfume, it simply doesn't offer the patchouli I love. Patchouli IS here, but layered beneath piles of lavender, rose, leather, and smoke (a note I rarely find enjoyable to wear, outside of Memoirs of a Trespasser by IA.) Despite their marketing blurb about patchouli being the crux of this fragrance, it simply isn't. I'm tempted to even say that, above all, this shouldn't even be considered a patchouli scent at all, but rather an ambery, smokey, leathery fragrance with a subtle note of patchouli. Disappointing, boring, and unimaginative. It may grow on me, but as far I can tell, I'll pass on this one. That being said, I'll keep wearing Psychedelique and continue my search for other masterpiece patchoulis. UPDATE: Months after writing my intial review, I decided to give Misfit another try. Spring has just begun and in the Northeast we had a beautiful, 60 degree day. Sunny, but still brisk enough to wear something with some depth. I picked up Misit and gave it another chance. While, I still don't love this, it certainly has grown on me. If I had to describe this, I would suggest imagining a room full of old incense and wool blankets. A candle has just been snubbed out and it's slightly damp. The smell of Patchouli permeates the space, a ghost of those bohemian types that had once congrugated here. Only the ghost of their presence remains. It's a like, not a love, but worth a shot if the notes interest you. 7/10.

On my skin I got none of the openers, straight into the middle notes and base. It pulls warm and spicy, with the dry akigalawood and prominent Balsam. I am definitely testing this in the wrong season (summer), but it smells like the cozy inside of a wooden sauna while drinking cinnamon tea or walking through your Christmas-obsessed older Scandinavian neighbor's house when they get their decorations up at the end of September. I guess that's a Misfit. The patchouli rears up a little stinky after and the florals are a ghostly supporting cast (did I smell the Labdanum? was it there? did it go?). I'd wear this to a serious winter geopolitical conference, in an older private club. To me, it's very unisex, but for a woman who has an edge of masculine energy. Arquiste is always exquisite quality and I love the experiences of this house. Definitely going to try it out again. Unsure if I'll buy a bottle as I have a lot of fragrances with this DNA (Karat EG, Tiger By Her Side, VideCorMeum).

If you want a witchy, spicy, incense-y fragrance this is for you! I love that vibe for smells but struggle because I don’t like amber and most smells tend to turn very sweet and cloying on my skin. I don’t get any amber notes at all. Resinous, yes. Patchouli, absolutely. No lavender at all. But herbaceous? Complex spices? Incense? Totally. This is spicy and resinous, slightly botanical, with a nice blend of patchouli notes that balances into a wonderful magical scent. Seriously, this smells like a witches hut, dried herbs, something fragrant brewing in a cauldron, with a mesmerizing air about it.

This is a bunch of notes I don't often like (lavender, styrax, patchouli, carrot seeds) but somehow put together they make something really compelling. It's a LOT of patchouli, herbal and a little fruity. Thankfully the lavender and styrax take a strong backseat to the woody resins and fuzzy tonka bean. There is something harvest and vegetal about this, "witchy" like another commenter mentioned. Definitely bohemian in aesthetic and in method, throwing together an assortment of notes and knick knacks with the certitude that in the end everything will work itself out.

Phase 1 starts largely with a multitude of plant and tree resins vying for attention. There's also some straw, and a strangely pleasant honeyed and mildewy oud note makes a brief appearance. During Phase 2, a green patchouli briefly tries to overtake the resins. However, the resins win out in Phase 3, when a smidge of ambroxan lifts the cistus out to become the only star left shining. There’s certainly artistry here, but it’s not going to work for everyone.

You can smell the patchouli from the start but a tammed one. It dances with all the other ingredients: lavander, spices, woods, ambery resin and a delicate rose/musk that gives this a powdery touch. It's warm and extremely elegant, distinct but doesn't stand out, present but not overpowering. Very versatile and compliment getter, for sure; a gorgeous scent but, Misfit? I don't know. It does smell very correct for the images that name conjures in my mind.

This is a great refined take on patchouli. The florals and labdanum soften and enrich the woodiness and elevate it out of basic weed-masking incense. She's a witch who works in B2B sales. Lasts most of the day and has a decent but not punishing sillage. I've gotten a lot of compliments with it.

Starts off brightly smoky, becomes VERY WARM, more unisex, and patchouli-dominant on drydown, with lavender and wood tempering the strong patchouli. Pretty intense scent; I've got one spray on my collarbone and one on my wrist and it's very strong. Low projection but powerful.

Feels like a leveled up Margiela Jazz Club. I didn't think I liked patchouli but this changed my mind. Has great longevity but I have some buyers' remorse from the 7.5 ml because it doesn't feel like I can wear it outside of winter months.

A very spice-heavy fragrance, and reasonably sweet right from the beginning. I can pick up cinnamon and cloves, though neither is listed. There's some leathery labdanum too; nothing terribly intense, but it's there. Patchouli becomes the main player after about fifteen minutes. I think it may have been this that gave the impression of the spices; it's a sweet and dignified patchouli, not dirty or possessed of any 'headshop vibes.' Unfortunately, the particular variety of spiciness combined with the sweet amber does remind me of an old candy store, which renders this not very wearable for me. It is well done though. If you really like patchouli and want to try an unusual take on it, this would be a great choice. I don't think anyone's likely to find it hugely unpleasant, so you could probably wear it in an office setting if you wanted to, but you'd need to go very light on the sprays. Even on my rather dry, perfume-eating skin, this projects hugely and lasts forever.

Misfit is one of only two Archiste fragrances that works on me. (the other is The Architects Club). Sufficient, not unpleasant but no soul in either fragrance. Archiste fragrances just leave me wanting something more, they somehow smell incomplete. That being said, I know someone who used to wear an Archiste fragrance and for the life of me I can't remember which one, but on her it was stunning. I could have followed her around all day just sniffing her. It never ceases to amaze me the mystery of body chemistry.

I'm not sure what note it is but it smells almost like mint-scented balm to me? Would be a nice smell for a man's body wash and there's a bergamot smell peaking out from behind this note I'm noticing but mainly it is that smell I mentioned earlier. To put it short: this doesn't smell like perfume

Opens with an “evil department store” sort of smell; slick, synthetic, ominous, elegant. there’s a bit of a fruity “grape skin” note too, and a touch of spiciness. Settles into a sweetened, spicy “villain patchouli.” Not a bad instance of class.

I sprayed this without any idea of what this was supposed to be, and immediately I thought “this smells like my mother”. my mother exclusively wore straight patchouli oil for most of my life. I am personally not a fan of patchouli, and then to add the other notes creates something very bordering on sharp/heavy/suffocating to me and my specific taste- skin scents and fluffy gourmands. (did this fragrance even stand a chance?) I would never wear it, but I can see my mom wearing it so it’s definitely unisex to me. my mom makes natural soaps with only essential oils and sells them at farmers markets as her retirement job, and that’s definitely the vibe of this fragrance. it smells natural. maybe I’ll gift her my sample. it’s a pass for me, but it doesn’t stink.

At first sniff I know this smell instantly. Pepper, white pepper. Clouds and clouds of it. On a blooming heart of refined patchouli. Spraying on skin the tolu is more present and Misfit is a better prospect. There's a lavender-like metallic accent but overall it's pepper, patchouli and tolu, a spicy, woody, perfumey vibe. For the first few hours I was very taken with it but then the tarry wood notes of the drydown came through and I switched to a hard no. The fact no one else has mentioned the pepper makes me think I've a sensitivity to akigalawood. Its pepper-patchouli accord and its dirty, oud-ish synthwood drydown absolutely dominated this perfume for me.

My first foray into this line and I would describe the opening as a resin driven patchouli that stays linear. I know resins aren’t listed so possibly the styrax and something else is causing that effect. Typically that would not be a dealbreaker but Misfit feels unfinished to me. This reminds me a little of Bowmakers. But Misfit is thin and lacking depth, the profile I’m picking up leans into the area of solvents and turpentine. Drydown is better, a little softer with tonka helping the transition, but the opening is too much effort to get past.

This one was very odd to me. It smelled synthetic like plastic. Just strange and screechy. I agree with what @tessture said. It also smelled leathery, sweet, animalic and dirty. It reminded me of an artificial candy I ate as a kid. To me this is not a crowd pleaser. I could not pick up any of the florals. And I also smelled ambroxan there even though it is not listed in the notes. Unfortunately I hate it and it ruins almost every fragrance for me.

It has nothing to do with Monsieur. Monsieur is a very masculine PATCHOULI scent. Misfit is extremely balsamic; Tolu is the most prominent note on my skin, followed by a certain woody-incense-y accord. Tolu from Ormande Jayne is better and cheaper, imo. Edit It smells much better after 6-7 hours because for some reason I can smell dry tobacco(!) Still, not for me. Nanban is still my favourite from this brand.

It’s official — lavender ruins everything for me. That soapy note dominates, which is enough to scare me off for good. The patchouli is a big presence too but seems a little syrupy and headache-y — I prefer Music Festival by Margiela for my patchouli fix. I’m a huge fan of Arquiste so this was a little disappointing for me. I can tell this is well made, it’s just not right for me.

The bottle! The name! So cool! The smell? Not so much. I was disappointed that Misfit was an instant powder bomb. It smells a lot like Chanel No. 5 to me― vintage, dated, mature in a way I don't like. Soon after putting it on, I wished it was off my skin.

Kinda headshopy patchouli incense with some rose and overdose of vanilla. I find it cloying ,too sweet and a bit stuffy. I really dislike this style of patchouli. Yea, so far this house doesn’t seem for me....

Did you mean 'instant migraine potion?'

I might be the only one who despises this scent... This smells like the meanest trustafarian girl from your hometown.

There are a ton of patchouli perfumes out there and they can veer off in a hundred different directions. So please forgive me for so many comparisons but I think it`s just as important to understand what Misfit is as what it is not. Firstly this is not your classic head shop oil. The sweetness of angelica sees to that. Though this leans a bit sweet it treads far outside the realm of fruitchouli or vanilla bomb. Nothing Angel or Brittany going on here. Misfit is slightly vegetal yet I get none of the musty decay found on the forest floor as in certain other perfumes. Etro Patchouli roars to mind. Some people love that dankness, God bless them. Misfit is not all dressed up like old school patch-hounds. For instance, Aramis, Aromatics Elixir or C.K. Euphoria. Nor is Misfit vampy sexy in the way of a Tom Ford Patchouli. No, it does not wear a feather boa to the office. It is not dowsed in grape soda...ahum... Alien. There is no oud wood whisking you away to Kandahar. Nothing is thrown in to dirty things up like soil tincture or cumin. There is no chocolaty or gourmand vibe. I wore misfit to the salon today and for an awkward moment felt my hairdresser might lean in and kiss me.'' Your hair smells great''. This scent is erotic due to its innocents and simplicity. This could be the perfume Lolita wore. Akigalawood, aka clean patchouli, is used but here it does not feel overly polished or modern. Nor does it come off as a camphor-bomb like in Etat Libre D Orange Une Amourette. Misfit is not freshened by mint or softened by white flowers. Misfits relies heavily on the use of smoky resins. This is not the smoke of incense or the literal ''your house is on fire'' smoke note used by the likes of Imaginary Authors. Again... some people...God bless them. The smoke aspect here is one of pale ash. It starts out woody and dry but there is something plump and juicy right behind it. I think this is the same type of rose used in JHAG Lady Vengeance only dialed down. The bergamot sours up that rose morphing it into something akin to black currant, only miles better. To my nose, Misfit smells classic with a Youth Dew-Esque powder.It is long-lasting,10 hrs with an arms-length or greater sillage for the first several. Thank you Arquiste for not attempting to re-invent patchouli. You took a relic from another time and placed it in a fancy frame for us to enjoy. Museum quality work of art.

Misfit (USD 95, 90 ml.) Update 1 : same day (17.30 hrs.) Sorry, I truly know that this is really balance perfume in strong projection. My nose might can’t keep up with Akigala wood just yet. I gotta bath after 3 hours post wear , it kind of squeeze the brain. ===== First Impression (13.30 hrs.) I finally recognize the characteristic of Akigala wood (Patchouli & Wood) material in perfumery. This sharp peppery burnt, dry-wood, soft balsamic, cashmere like with dark wood edge. Must be a characteristic of this ingredients. In this, I don't actually hate it. (well I still don't like it) I understand the composition that uterlize characteristic of Akigala wood. 2018 release Bottega Parco Palladiano X, XI and XII have strong characteristic of this Material, recognizable. I like the way that other support material and sweet note are blended To cover unpleasant character, it is well round balsamic amber that reminisance Powdery, Balsumic Amber. Kind of old way and new way. Labdanum dominant Amber fragrance. in the same vain of Amber Premire JOVOY, Goutal Amber Feshtis (New version). The base in incensy powdery, also reminisant the inhealer in my country. It is still going in Patchouli Imperial direction, but this is airy (still projecting) than one I mention above, have soft fougere direction. I feel it might be too rich to wear on my daily basis. But I can judge after full wear. Like, a middle ground - not so bad and appreciable. (I feel like I wear airier, dryer - Psychedelique Jovoy Paris) ===== Pre-blind buy record I blind brought MisFit base on a few reason. - This is Winner of Fragrance Foundation Awards 2021 - Tolu Balsam is listed in composition (I am interesting in dry, Balsamic amber fragrance). - Also, I might be to recognize the characteristics of Akigala wood (I believe it is strongly spicy dry-woody amber note) I personally believe this will be rendered in format of Incense-Amber Patchouli profile. (Without Strong Vanilla note), kind of Patchouli Imperial - I call this Catholic Mass fragrance. (Not reminiscence of an Incense note but it wear like Catholic Mass instead). Hopefully it is not chocolate patchouli. But yeah. I truly do think this is interesting one.

What’s cool about this fragrance to me are all these disparate ideas coming together to form a really well done, woody, ambery perfume. It’s a lavender-tonka meets, earthy potpourri, and patchouli over an amber woody base. Three different version of patch, with the codistilation and then the akigalawood which is upcycled patchouli. It’s so similar to so many different things but the direction it takes getting there is very interesting. A lovely misfit. I’m halfway through a 7.5ml sample and it’s growing on me. Very pretty stuff, has serious staying power. Goes on a bit more feminine but dries down unisex.

also loved this one. androgynous in the way that something old and well-used is sort of more marked by time than anything else. lame comparison but super kinderwhore. a beautiful paisley dress owned by an eccentric benefactress, it's been sitting in the goodwill for the last few years. it was well-used and accumulated a lot of Champagne spills and lipstick stains. Someone's cat peed on it at some point. Lavender and patchouli are the strongest notes here. really enjoy, again, how Arquiste plays with high/low; the elegant marked by the animalistic, both inform the other one

Very dry patchouli...but in an enjoyable way. I like the risk they took with this one. Some vetiver centered fragrances can have an almost dusty quality...take that vibe and swap vetiver for patchouli. Some mentioned a metallic aspect and I can see where they are coming from. It isnt sharp or pungent, but rather soft and almost powdery. Fairly linear so what you get at the top is pretty consistent with the drydown. Definitely not blind buy worthy. Won't be for everyone but if you like experimenting with patchouli, you may find some joy with this one

Misfit reminds me so much of Annick Goutal Ambre Fetiche. Not similar as in a duplicate but in overall vibe and especially the creosote note. The patchouli is nice and sheer like a veil but the creosote makes it have an anchoring earthy base. It’s like the patchouli is in the air around you and the amber is of the earth, after a campfire has been burned out since yesterday. I like it but I’m no longer in this phase of my perfume journey.

Or if you are like me and are super sensitive to whatever aroma chemical is being used incessantly these days to boost wood notes, avoid this one. Lavender and bergamot with a lovely ambrette are drowned in Screamwood. That sharp, piercing rubbing alcohol note buries them without mercy and gets stronger and stronger as the scent wears on. It's also damn hard to scrub. SO disappointed, as I really love other Arquiste offerings.

Dry akigachuli and a cistus note of the funky kind (think a tiny drop of fermented fish sauce somewhere in the background, or the good old dried saliva) really dominate this fragrance and drown out some of the other notes. While not completely devoid of interest, it comes across as grubby and unbalanced to me but if you are after that very peculiar scent profile, here's an example to get your hands on.

Received a discovery set of Arquiste and this is the first one I put to skin. The smell is unique, there is nothing in my collection like it. Herbal and a little spicy it lasted on my clothes for hours. As someone who gravitates toward heavier fragrances I thought this had enough lightness for summer wear.

I thought I loved it, but its actually pretty cloying, like others have mentioned. Perhaps its the akigalawood? If you want an amber patchouli, just go buy a Jovoy instead. Similarly priced as well.

I was hoping for a good patchouli but was disappointd with Misfit. I find it to be skanky. Guess it's not meant to be for me. Thumbs down. ✨

A cloying, chalky patchouli. Not for me.