Month: August 2015

I Scream for LEATHER!

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Post by Ainslie Walker

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I scream for LEATHER! (Probably part 1)

Call me slow off the mark, but in the past few weeks I have been OBSESSED with scents containing leather. I’ve always “liked” them but suddenly I cannot get enough of them! I am wearing them daily, sometimes 2 per day. It may have all started when I purchased some new leather boots and enjoyed the smell wafting from the box in the car and upon opening. Also it’s winter and leather containing scents seem to warm me and as they warm on my skin I enjoy smelling the deep layers. Maybe it could just be my nose is maturing and like a beagle catching a scent trail, I AM OFFICIALLY OBSESSED.

Here’s two I have recently discovered and been wearing in my travels over the past few weeks.

Divin`Enfant Etat Libre d`Orange FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Divin`Enfant  by Etat Libre D’Orange

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Orange blossom, marshmallow, rose, mocha, coffee, leather, amber, musk, tobacco

I LOVE orange blossom at the best of times but, as the blurb says, this fragrance is the “Orange Blossom Renegade.” Leather, tobacco, amber, musk, rose, coffee and MARSHMALLOW all dance along to the beat of orange blossom’s drum. Highly addictive is it’s sweet-rose and gooey marshmallow core, innocent, until tobacco and leather punch through like (young) James Dean just rocked up on his bike. Unlit hand rolled cigarette in mouth and leather jacket on, complete with minor coffee spill down his sexy front. The orange blossom glows from amongst these ingredients and gives a touch of soft “baby bottom” smell mothers talk about. It takes me out of this world to a new and whimsical place, which so many from this brand do. It’s a beauty and available at Sephora in Sydney or Peony Melbourne (who will post it out in Oz)

Cuir Sacré Atelier des Ors FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Cuir Sacré by Ateliers Des Ors 2015

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Juniper berry, Cardamom, Cypress
Heart: Frankincense, Saffron, Cedar leaf
Base: Vetiver, Cypriol oil, Leather

Atelier Des Ors launched earlier in 2015, with five sumptuous fragrances in the sparkling, gold-filled collection. Peony in Melbourne is the exclusive stockest in Australia. Whilst there I sprayed Cuir Sacré and looked closely at my skin. REAL gold flakes have somehow escaped from the bottle! I massage them in with my fingertip and marvel at my skins new luxe luminance! The dominant leathery aura above instantaneously hisses of strong and lustful sophistication as it hits my olfactory receptors. It’s not just good it’s a KNOCKOUT! Every time I’ve worn it since, I feel a million dollars. Compliments are endless and two of my friends now are buying their own. What is this magical potion? Why does it hypnotise us so? I pinpoint the decadence in it’s dry down and liken it to the smell of the most luxurious new leather handbag, mixed with an elegant note of luminous saffron and shivering vetiver grass, lifted with cardamon. Also listed is Juniper berries, cypress, incense, cedarwood leaf and cypriol. I am surprised not to see rose absolute or something deeply earthy yet floral in there, as on me I can smell something so so pretty. Perhaps it’s just everything working synergistically? This leather is gold. Pleasure seeking individuals must try!

Both these lovelies are available at Peony Melbourne and First In Fragrance who also have samples

What leather containing fragrances do you scream for?

(BTW you can follow my scented adventures via my Instagram: ainslie_walker)
Ainslie Walker x

Van Der Faun: New Australian Perfume House

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Hello smellies,
Whilst having my dalliance with natural fragrances last month, I chanced across another Aussie player on the natural perfume scene, Van Der Faun. A Brisbane-based family business that launched with two organic perfumes (Hummingbird, River) in just April this year, it’s the new kid on the scene.

Van Der Faun Header

Van Der Faun has an incredibly hip website and brand design seriously targeted at the luxury, young, beautiful, health-conscious fashion set. Happily, perfume doesn’t judge if you’re not any of those things. We can all smell as desirable as Gigi Hadid, even though we may not look as fab in lululemon leggings and neon print crop tops.

Hummingbird by Van Der Faun 2015

Hummingbird Van der Faun

Van Der Faun gives these featured accords in one line:
Rose, Honeysuckle, Geranium, Bergamot, Palmarosa, Amyris, Patchouli

Miss Dior Cherie went to India and discovered Hinduism, meditation and yoga.

Hummingbird opens with a high concentration of rose oil. Initially, it’s like burying your nose inside a fresh open bloom but then it settles into a diluted rose otto scent. As you’re noticing the rose otto, a gourmand, juicy, sweet honeysuckle pushes through. A sprig of geranium and bergamot are then added to lift the rose and give it some structure.

Overall, Hummingbird is about green herbaceous citrus notes melding with sweet honeysuckle and deep sensuous rose petals that sit on a futon bed of patchouli. The combined effect is like visiting the floral-scented incense stall at the local Indian supermarket. Only the visitor is a trendy 2010s Instagram following female, rather than of the 90s Madonna Ray of Light era.

Hummingbird smells exactly like what I’d imagine Isabel Lucas or Teresa Palmer would wear. It’s fun to wear Hummingbird and briefly imagine yourself in the skin of those photogenic holistic lifestyle goddesses with sun-tanned yogalates bodies and perfect white teeth. Can a man wear Hummingbird? Only the Russell Brands of the world.

The sillage is moderate and stays robust for approx 3hrs, so definitely be prepared to top up during the day.

River by Van Der Faun 2015

River Van der Faun

Van Der Faun gives these featured accords in one line:
Neroli, Geranium, Bergamot, Sweet Orange, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Clove bud

River is exactly as it’s described on the website. “A warm, spicy scent with a fresh citrus overtone, soft wild flower notes and a solid earthy base.” It’s more unisex than the overtly sweet and feminine Hummingbird, and is geared towards those who like to line their bathrooms with apothecary-style products from Aesop.

I find River soothing. It’s a thinking, study scent; and also one that grounds me emotionally to send me to the land of sleep.
River is quieter and humbler compared to the showpony that is Hummingbird. But it projects further on warm skin, enveloping the wearer in a cloud of linalool (bergamot, orange, geranium) soft peppery spicyness. Unfortunately, River doesn’t hold for as long as Hummingbird. Less than one hour later, River has evaporated into a faint puddle of patchouli, clove oil and cedarwood.

Overall, I think Van Der Faun is an interesting offering for those who want to smell all earthy and as a ‘wellness’ lifestyle goddess, and those who aren’t put off by the short longevity of their sprays. The main effect of these natural fragrances is definitely in the first hour. Nevertheless, I have found a permanent place for natural perfumes in my life. They’re perfect for spraying before bedtime, as I would have drifted off to la la land by the time the notes are faded.

Van Der Faun has an excellent Trial Pack with both fragrances x 5ml/$20

Do you have any perfumes that you spray and pretend you’re someone different?
Willa xx

SAMPLE PACK ROAK GIVEAWAY WINNERS

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Heya APJ,

Thanks for getting involved in this weeks giveaway. Someone is going to have a lot of fun sniffing over the next few weeks.

Portia xx

SAMPLE PACK ROAK GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Super Sample RAOK Giveaway #1

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x SAMPLE PACK RAOK
P&H Anywhere in the world

  1. Craft by Andrea Maack
  2. Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids
  3. Midsummer Day’s Dream by Olympic Orchids
  4. Secretions Magnifiques by Etat Libre de Orange
  5. Vintage Vogade Parfum by Charrier
  6. Amouage Opus VI
  7. Amouage Opus V
  8. Nepal Aoud by Montale
  9. Indian Coconut Nectar by Pacifica
  10. Six Scents Series Two 3 Henrik Vibskov: Solar Donkey Power
  11. Unknown/Unnamed Fragrance
  12. Souffle des Indies by Comptor Sud Pacific
  13. Cologne for Alice by Evocative Perfumes Manufacturers Sample
  14. CHANEL Jersey Manufacturers Sample
  15. Elixer by Penhaligon’s
  16. Amber Nuit by Atelier Cologne
  17. Knize Ten Gold Edition
  18. Cold Water Canyon by Surrender To Chance

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us which one from the pack you would most like to sample

Extra Chance?
Tweet: SAMPLE PACK RAOK GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-486  

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 2nd August 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winner will be chosen by random.org

winner sistersavealot.comPhoto stolen sistersavealot

SaffyIsHere via Twitter

CONGRATULATIONS! The winner will have till Thursday 6th August 2015 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Elektra by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2010

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Hey hey APJ,

I hope life is treating you all well. You may know we have moved house and that we have been in the middle of a renovation for months. The kitchen man offered us a very nice benchtop in Caesar Stone that he had on the cheap because the colour is being discontinued. Well, he sent off the measurements, they ordered the stone and then found they needed another piece but there was NONE LEFT! Drama ensued and it’s already at the 5 week mark but fortunately the call came through and we are hoping with all out hearts that there will be benchtop in the very near future. Why am I telling you this? Well the move has brought to light some lovely forgotten treasures and I am loving finding them and spritzing.

Today’s offering got a bit lost in the excitement of my love for Olympic Amber, Ballets Rouges and Golden Cattleya but I have grabbed it out and spritzed with gay abandon.

Elektra by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2010

Elektra Olympic OrchidsPhoto Stolen Olympic Orchids

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Black currant, ripe fig, green fig leaves, amber

You may remember this fragrance as A Midsummer Day’s Dream, that’s how it was originally marketed but it didn’t fit on the new packaging so Ellen changed it. The juice in the bottle is exactly the same.

Sweet green but bitter-sweet green. Elektra is a high octane green fragrance that is so fabulously unusual and of itself that it’s hard to find a broad descriptive reference that can really apply. Forget every other fig or berry fragrance you have ever smelled because Elektra is nothing like any of them. Somehow Ellen Covey manages to create scents that are so far beyond my expectations and into the deep realms of fragrant art pieces. Yes, there are fig and black current but they are reimagined here as stark green and spiky sweets, like I am smelling what a crystaline Swarovski fig and black currant would smell like if you could go through the looking glass and smell the unsmellable.

Elektra Olympic Orchids Crystal Cave GeographPhoto Stolen GeographUK

Elektra does not smell earthly or earthy, it bypasses all your 21st century fruity expectations and lands in this otherworldly, weird and super saturated cyber garden. Could this be what Elphaba smells like? Can it be that Ellen Covey has discovered the scent of a green witch?

Actress Idina Menzel ofPhoto Stolen Flickr

One of the marvellous things about being an Independent Perfumer is that you get to experiment and build your dreams. It’s very easy to build my own fragrant dreams on Ellen Coveys beautiful fragrant gems because they are so magical, every drop a dreamers elixir.

Olympic Orchids has samples from only $3 and $65/30ml
Surrender To Chance has samples under the old name $4/ml

Are you an Ellen Covey convert yet? Which Olympic Orchids have you tried?
Portia xx

Chanel | Haute Couture Fall Winter 2015/2016 Full Show

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Heya Fragrant Fashionistas,

I’ve watched the DIOR and Versace FW 15/16 shows and they left me cool to say the least. Here at CHANEL Karl Lagerfeld has brought us a redefined vision of the CHANEL suit and some really interesting fabrics and shapes. The shoes are freaking KILLER and I also love the severe uber Desange bobs that seem to be laughing at the 90s. For every frock I love there are 10 I merely like and three I loathe. Interesting that the last two frocks resemble some shapes and treatments of DIOR’s Belgian designer Raf Simons work over the last few seasons.

chanel-fall-winter-2015-16-haute-couture-ambiancePhoto Stolen CHANEL news

This is the whole show and pay attention at the start, there are some very interesting people at the gambling tables. If you get bored FF to the last 5 minutes, that’s where my favourite stuff happens and I really love the final wedding outfit.

Enjoy,
Portia xx

Chanel | Haute Couture F/W 2015/16 Full Show

A Few to Sniff at Gino's

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hi there Fragrant Fellowship,

You know those really great days? So today was a REALLY great day (I’m writing now and you’re reading a couple of days away). I was able to have a pretty good sleep in after working last night, then I lazed around the house for an hour before trotting off to a mini sniff at my mate Gino’s house with a very fun crew of people including MsKerri, KerriC & SimonC, SonyaY & JedY, Scott and our beautiful host Gino who had gone to outrageous lengths on the food and refreshments and had the house spotless.

A Few to Sniff at Gino’s

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11755651_10153022236911762_3275968211012684420_nThe crew arrived willy-nilly and there was some coming & going but EVERYONE brought some gems from their fragrant hoard for us to share & sniff. There were pasties, cheeses and dips, biscuits and a slew of other yummy munchies. Gino did percolated coffee, my favourite. I still have my Mum’s Cornflower Corningware percolator and love to get it on the hob. Gino’s was perfection.

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11778060_914079175316637_1434991574_nThere was some major sniffing and sharing going on. Lonestar Memories and L`Air du Desert Marocain by Tauer Perfumes, Gentlewoman by JHaG, Dubai Next To Me by Ramon Monegal, Bull’s Blood and Violet Disguise by Imaginary Authors. There were many different incarnations of  Tabu, Magie Noir, Bal a Versailles and some rare vintage finds like Fille d’Eve by Nina Ricci and Gino has a mini collection hat would make you weep. We also got to try Antonia and M by Puredistance, some Frederic Malles and a slew of stuff that I’ve completely forgotten. It was a hoot and a half and I can’t wait to hang with them all again.

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11059422_10153458648267456_4117980043175918533_nOne of my favourite moments of the day was Jed & my “Who can scream the loudest competition”. I may have just edged Jed out and taken the prize but it was a very close race. So much fun. He kept creeing up on me and saying, “I’m going to get you.” Before he could even finish the sentence I would grab him and scream it at him. Then I was acting scared of him and when he got close I would scream full throttle in his face and he would nearly shit himself. The above picture is us both trying to be the loudest but Jed is laughing too hard to really make a bid for the trophy. To be honest I don’t think he’d ever met an adult who is such a baffoon and he loved it.

Then Jin & I went for dinner to a very clean but cheap & cheerful Vietnamese restaurant. I ordered some stuff and Jin tried to remind me what I liked there but I really thought I was on top of the whole game and ordered something that came out and was DISGUSTING!! BLAH! So I ended up eating Spring Rolls and Fried Rice, it was yummy. There he is below, really tired after a LONG days work and just happy to be eating and hanging out.

11760202_10153458775537456_8023303727829475259_nAfter that we went to BUNNINGs. It’s our version of a giant hardware store and they have everything. Jin bought some shelves and then he put them up in our new garage. I helped a little bit but then Jin was like, “You go do your blog and I’ll finish here” so I have and I did, and he did. Then he came into my office and kissed me goodnight before he went off to the land of nod. I can hear him snoring from here.

Most of the mentioned fragrances are available as samples on Surrender To Chance or My Perfume Samples.

I walked the dog and now I too am ready for bed. Goodnight all.
Portia xx