Patchouli Lavender Goat Milk Soap
I kept smelling it even though I was not wearing it. It was not my lotion, nor my laundry detergent, and certainly not my shampoo. So, why was I smelling patchouli? Not that I minded it at all.
A correctly proportioned perfume hits your olfactory system first with a pleasant top note, a short-lived, light or fresh, essence, or blend of essences. Pink grapefruit, for example, is one of my favorite top notes. As the top note dries, the middle or heart note is soon detected. A middle note lasts longer than the top note that first catches your attention. One of my favorite middle notes is (euphoric) jasmine grandiflora. Last, but not least, the base note sticks with the blend, on the skin, for longer periods of time. Some base notes can be detected a day or two after they are applied. Base notes can hold a blend together, or can muck it up considerably when excess is used.
Patchouli is a base note. Patchouli is an essential oil that many either love or hate. Patchouli, depending upon its strength in a blend, can be detected on the skin days after it is applied.
A customer once said she helped nurse a sick friend back to health. Her friend adored blends that contained patchouli. The customer was not a fan of patchouli, not at all. After washing the friend’s clothing time and time again, the customer that hated patchouli still detected it. My story ends there, but with a “bingo!” I personally smell patchouli because I have worn it so many times, from our signature blend Patchouli Love (soap, body cream). My clothing obviously contains the remnants of patchouli, picked up from the products, and from my own skin. In my case, I find patchouli to be grounding, so the remnants are a very good thing.
Essential oils are such a blessing, in my opinion. Thumbs up to nature for providing us with the uplifting top notes, the enchantment of the middle notes, and the seemingly ever-lasting base notes, with much acclamation to how the oils are perceived so differently by each individual!
Annies Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps 
I bet it smelled lovely!
Amy
From a person that loves patchouli, yes it was.
How funny! I just had a similar experience. Every time I lie down in bed I smell patchouli! It took me about a week to figure out that it was coming from the cover of a book on my bedside table: I had once tested a new bottle of patchouli oil by placing some on a scent strip, and then left the scent strip on top of this particular book! The thing is that I did it about a year ago, tucked the book away for a while, just got back to it recently and was haunted by patchouli for a week before I figured it out!
Oh, I love your story, your patchouli search!
I have taken a bit of a personal scent vacation from patchouli. I never grow too tired of it not to return to it, however, I’ll step away from it for my own personal use for a while. It really is fascinating how we begin to detect it again once we aren’t wearing or working with it every day!