Hi Fellow Perfume Junkies,
Today in Sydney was absolutely perfect so TSO Jin, EmmaKate, EvieC and I decided to go down to the Art Gallery of NSW and see the Eugène Atget Old Paris Photographic Exhibition which featured over 200 rare and original prints from the founder of documentary photography. He was quite a trailblazer because no one had properly recorded much of this architecture, era, or any of these rag n bone people, and Paris was making way for the grand designs of Baron Haussmann’s 19th-century modernisation program so loads of it was lost forever. After that we took a little side trip across the Domain and Hyde Park to David Jones, the world’s oldest department store trading under its original name, and slipped into their fragrance floor for a squiz.
What did I wear to look at art? What did we sniff? Below you’ll find a 3 line mini review and our ratings of a few of what we smelled today, it became a bit of an orgy of scent. Follow the jump to find our Rating System Page (<<jump).
Photo Stolen fragrantica
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DITA VON TEASE EdP 2012: Dita Von Tease has been peeking at me from her box, practically begging me to put her on, today I succumbed thinking she would be an excellent chaperone for the Art Gallery. This has a wonderful fresh opening that is citrus herbal to my nose, the pepper is wet not spicy. Warm, breathy, white flowers and rose slip in pretty quickly and tango with the wet pepper. I was still smelling a cool floral bouquet by the time I got lost in the photographs of Eugène Atget. After we lunched I was scentless, around 4-5 hours. CheapSmells 20ml/$23 S=**** L=** D=***
AQUA ALLEGORIA ???? by Guerlain: You want to know how angry I am at myself right now? I sprayed myself lavishly and didn’t get the name. WHAT AN IDIOT!!! I am going back for a bottle tomorrow, I smell AH MAY ZING. We all got coconut, white flowers, salt, honey and warm woods here but we are probably completely wrong. S=***** L=*** D=*****
Photo Stolen fragranticaCOCO NOIR by CHANEL 2012. I would like to take a moment to apologise to anyone that I have sneered at for loving Coco Noir. EvieC tried it on and it is fabulous, sexy, floral, tonka and musk. It has depth, charm, is present but not overpowering and that bottle is to kill for, don’t listen to people who say it’s not all that, it’s all that and a bag of chips. We only were together for 40 minutes while she was wearing it but, LORD oh Lord!! it smelled of a sweeter heaven: seriously impressed Chanel. S=***** L=? D=*****
WOODY 154 by JO MALONE. The SA gave Jin a spritz on each arm and told him that this arm is Woody 154. English is his second language and sometimes he misses the point of sentences but REALLY?? Woody 154? I hope the same girl is on tomorrow so I can ask her which one Woody 154 is because I can’t find that scent in the list on Fragrantica. Jin smells really good though, even after his bath I can smell it on him; tenacious much? S=**** L=***** D=****
Have you tried anything this week that you liked, loved, hated and want to share with us? Please do in the comments below.
Thank you for dropping by and being part of our APJ family, see you tomorrow.
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
I am dying to know which Aqua Allegoria you tried on. Please post a note when you find out. I’m also curious what fragrance Jin ended up wearing. Time to revisit Coco Noir. I thought it was meh. My DH really loved it. I guess it doesn’t matter whether I like it or not, usually when DH really likes a new release, I find it prettily wrapped soon after.
I would love to be in Sydney right now, viewing those photographs. I am so jealous! Was there a book or catalog printed in conjunction with the exhibit? I would love it if an exhibit of Atget’s work traveled here to California.
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There is a huge tome that’s been produced of his work with about 2000 photos. I’m sure you’ll find something smaller on BookDepository. I think the Exhibition has been to a city in the US, it’s travelling.
I wish you were down here too, that would be UBER fun,
I will update when I know
Portia xx
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Lovely way to spend your Sunday!!I think the Aqua Allegoria you tried is Lys Soleia, one of the 2 releases of Allegorias this year and it is as you describe it and so much more!! I’m almost finishing my bottle and going back for a second as I’m not sure they’ll keep it as a regular in their line!
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Aha Maria,
Thank you. The name fits the fragrance. I’ll update later today.
Portia xx
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The name of the Jo Malone is simply “154” launched in 2001. I suspect “woody” is listed on the tester bottle to define the main aspect of the scent. Aren’t SA’s entertaining? Basenotes has a few reviews.
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Thank You Lindaloo.
The SA was correct then. I bet she was describing it for him. It was extremely woody. He smelled GOOD!!!
Portia xx
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I agree that woody is GOOD 😉
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Last thurs my package from fragrance x arrived ! Finally my Habanita!!! This one is from way back !! It’s lovely, the raspberry in the top is really lively and as the heart opens there is spice leather and tabacco ! The far dry down is soft candy baby powder ! It has great lasting power .
Also scored a few others , but I won’t blab on ! Going to try coco noir today , I have been waiting patiently for it to hit counter tops ! I’m glad u speak highly! I think it will be lovely . I may just buy it ?
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Hey Tim,
Did you get the EdP or EdT of Habanita? It’s just been re released in EdP. I’m dying to try it.
Good luck with Coco Noir, I’ll be at Sydney city DJ’s around 4pm
Portia xx
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The edt ! It really is a throw back to the roaring 20’s! It has tones similar to spice bomb and I also get a little tabacco vinilla by Tom ford in there ! But most if all its raspberry Lollies all the way ! Very nice , will keep my eyes out for u ! I just might see u there.
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That would be fun.
PXX
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Fun! I hope you find the Aqua Allegoria in question. We’ll have to respectfully disagree about Coco Noir. 🙂
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Hey natalie,
Yes found it. the new one here in Oz. It is so good I went and bought a bottle today. Honeycomb bottle. The writing is so small and gold. I’ll get Jin to read it to me tonight. Very reasonable for 75ml too, under AUD$100.
So happy!!
I think my expectations were so low for the Coco Noir that it was a pleasant surprise, on EvieC it smelled fabulous.
Portia
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Wait… So you found and bought a bottle but you still do not know the name? 🙂
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Lys Soleia !! LYS SOLEIA!!
Yep, I just had to point to the bottle in the display and the SA grabbed me a box.
It’s good. Full review soon,
Portia xx
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Hey, I think I saw a bottle of Lys Soleia when I was cruising the frag aisle at Shopper’s while waiting for my prescription to be filled. Now I want to give it a whirl.
In terms of my own sampling, just got my Deluxe Sampler box from OO and I’m having a grand time trying everything. Biggest surprise is it’s the *florals* from this line that work on my skin, instead of the spices and incense.
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YAY!!! Olympic Orchids are great! I’m so glad they are working on you.
Have you tried Golden Cattleya yet? Ballet Russes? Gujarat?
What a frag line!
Portia xx
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I’ve tried all three of those you mentioned, with Golden Cattleya being in the “Oh-Lord-I-need-a-bottle-of-this” category. Arizona, Javanica and Midsummer Day’s Dream have really caught my attention as well, with Olympic Amber, Siam Proun, Salamanca, Olympic Rainforest and Bay Rum still waiting for skin-time.
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Bay Rum was my first FB from OO. Wear it when you have a day to yourself, it is HUGE. There isn’t a bad one in the bunch.
Portia xx
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I am so thrilled that you and I agree on Coco Noir. Why don’t we meet in Paris and have lunch at Plaza Athénée and discuss it further? I would suggest The Ritz but…..
http://www.ritzparis.com/
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