Act 4

Act 4 is another two-material study from the Dutch house Pantomime, composed by Fredrik Dalman and released in 2023. Everyone who describes it calls it woody, which makes sense for a scent built almost entirely on patchouli.

Patchouli here is the main character: earthy, dark, slightly camphorous and faintly sweet, the smell of damp soil and dried leaves. On its own it can feel heavy or old-fashioned, and the second ingredient is chosen to change that. Jasmolactone is a creamy, lactonic molecule found in jasmine and some fruits, with a soft, milky, slightly fruity floral quality. Set against the patchouli it adds a smooth, almost coconut-like roundness, so the earthiness reads as warm and polished rather than musty. The scent develops slowly and stays recognisably itself from start to finish.

Act 4 is worn by anyone. It suits cooler weather and people who already like patchouli, or who want to understand what the material smells like when it is given room and a single, well-chosen partner.

Act 4 — unisex fragrance by Pantomime (released 2023). Notes: Jasmolactone, Patchouli. — Parfica open fragrance database