Libertine Sydney Perfume Masterclass

February 15, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Hello fellow fumies,

Nick Smart (of Libertine), Ainslie Walker and I have a special invitation for you to join us and attend a master class at the new Sydney Libertine store.

We are arranging for a small group to go together on the Wednesday 4th March and see the new Libertine Sydney premises.

Nick is Australia’s most knowledgeable importer of niche perfumery, Ainslie is one of APJ’s contributors, perfumer and scent/product designer. They will take us through the Libertine ranges and show things still unavailable in Australian stores. We get to have some fun with the Michael Edwards Fragrance Wheel, sniff, laugh, mingle and shop. What better way to spend a Wednesday evening?

Please come and join us for this FAB event. Hopefully you’ll get to spend some quality time with fragrances you’ve only ever read about on blogs, this is the time you can really smell them on your skin.

Also, selfishly I love to see you all and hang out. Afterwards we can go grab a drink.

HURRY UP, BOOK NOW! 8002 4488
Portia xxox

Australian Perfume Junkies Niche Perfumery Masterclass

Hosts: Nick Smart + Ainslie Walker

Date: Wednesday 4th March 2015

Price: $49 (redeemable against purchases on the night)

Time: 6pm for a 6:30 start

To Book call Libertine Sydney on 8002 4488. Payment is required to secure your booking

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (A Husbands point of view)

February 15, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Hiya APJ Crew,

As the movie has been re-released I thought it high time we revisited the FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (A Husbands point of view). I still laugh out loud when reading it and coming back to it after this long while I read it with new eyes and had to hold myself a bit still so I wouldn’t wake the whole house.

This is a RePost of an original Australian Perfume Junkies piece from 2013

I hope you all get a smile,
Portia xx

Photo Stolen Book Depository – Box Set $40 Delivered Worldwide

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY – (a husband’s point of view)

By Pam Ayers (MAYBE!)

By John Summers (DEFINITELY!!)

The missus bought a Paperback,
down Shepton Mallet way,
I had a look inside her bag; ….
T’was “Fifty Shades of Grey”.

Well I just left her to it,
And at ten I went to bed.
An hour later she appeared;
The sight filled me with dread…

In her left hand she held a rope;
And in her right a whip!
She threw them down upon the floor,
And then began to strip.

Well fifty years or so ago;
I might have had a peek;
But Mabel hasn’t weathered well;
She’s eighty four next week!!

Watching Mabel bump and grind;
Could not have been much grimmer.
And things then went from bad to worse;
She toppled off her Zimmer!

She struggled back upon her feet;
A couple minutes later;
She put her teeth back in and said
I had to dominate her!!

Now if you knew our Mabel,
You’d see just why I spluttered,
I’d spent two months in traction
For the last complaint I’d uttered.

She stood there nude and naked
Bent forward just a bit
I went to hold her, sensual like
and stood on her left tit!

Mabel screamed, her teeth shot out;
My god what had I done!?
She moaned and groaned then shouted out :
“Step on the other one”!!

Well readers, I can’t tell no more;
About what occurred that day.
Suffice to say my jet black hair,
Turned fifty shades of grey!

Alibi by Perfume & Skincare Company: Australia 2015

February 14, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Hey hey Crew,

You know how much I love Australian independent Perfumers. We are getting quite a few and I am always excited when they send me their newest releases. Recently I replenished my Gardenia by the Perfume & Skincare Company. I bought fragrance, soap and a candle. As you can tell I really love it a dirty blue cheese gardenia that combines all the creamy and fatty white flower gorgeousness with the rank and fecal. It smell exactly like gardenias off the bush, beautiful.

With it I got two new samples and today we will talk about the first….

Alibi by Perfume & Skincare Company: Australia 2015

Alibi by Sheila Massetti

There is no note list or picture on the site yet, just two sizes to buy, that’s how new and exciting Alibi is. So we will be walking blind together on my second wearing of Alibi.

Obviously I have no idea what this is supposed to smell like but imagine burying your face in a mink coat just out of cold storage while being dusted in baby powder by a naked, slightly sweaty man. Ha Ha Ha! It most reminds me of a softer version of M/Mink by Byredo, kind of gorgeous and disgusting. It’s true and real arm sniffing compulsion walking a knife edge between amazingly beautiful and stomach turningly gross. I am kind of hooked. To be honest I’m unsure whether I’d wear Alibi outside the house, it’s just too intense. In fairness, though I love M/Mink I would not wear it outside the front door either.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Remember too that all Perfume & Skincare Company fragrances are extrait strength with over 40% ingredients before the alcohol is added. You get a really beautiful and intense ride and the fragrances are spritzed. PERFECT!! It’s heady and hefty, great projection and has excellent longevity, I’m at around the 4-5 hour mark and still Alibi is as outrageous as when I first spritzed.

OK, so Jin came home and he told me I had to shower. It was too intense and slightly stomach churning for him, in our three years together the only other time this happened was with a Slumberhouse frag. Goodbye Alibi.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Skincare And Perfume Company starts a $15/5ml

Sheila Massetti the perfumer sent me through this after I asked: “soft and powdery with a touch of musk and light floral”. Any more and I’d have to give you the recipe.

If you are a serious, boundary pushing perfumista who likes to be fabulously outraged then Alibi could be for you. It could also be my skin chemistry and there may be a single note inclusion that doesn’t work for me. Try Alibi, it’s a ride and a half.

Portia xx

SmellBent GIVEAWAY WINNER!

February 14, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Woo Hoo! Great response crew.

Thanks for joining in the fun. Let’s see who our lucky WINNER is. You can go to SmellBent and check out their stuff too. It’s AWESOME!

SmellBent GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Till Valentines Day Feb 14 you can get FREE SHIPPING with SmellBent orders over $30. You have only a day to get in there.

Go to it crew,
Portia xx

SmellBent GIVEAWAY!

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 Winner who will receive:
5 x SmellBent 4ml samples: slightly used (FrankenSmellie s13#916, Gimme A Break!, Ice Station Zebra, Pere Noel Coward, Winter Vixen)
P&H

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 so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to SmellBent and find me a fragrance and one of its notes. NO DOUBLE UPS!!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3C9 SmellBent GIVEAWAY! #Perfume #Giveaway @smellbent

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Friday 13th February 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen HighestSelf

Elia

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winner will have till Monday 16th February 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.

Manto di Rugiada by i Profumi di Firenze 2011

February 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Hey HeyGorgeous APJ!

Back in 2013 when I went on the Perfume Posse ScentSation Bus tour of Los Angeles we were introduced to the American importer of i Profumi di Firenze. She was extremely knowledgeable and I really loved her passion for the products. I really wanted to buy two fragrances on the spot but they were out of Ambra del Nepal at the time (they were also out of it in Barney’s Chicago and NYC in 2014) so I grabbed their Dolce Patchouly, a very refined fragrance that I adore. So I always get excited when I grab a new decant or sample from the line and this one I got in the 5ml Fridays at Surrender To Chance..

Manto di Rugiada by i Profumi di Firenze 2011

Photo Stolen BaseNotes

BaseNotes gives these featured accords:
Top: Verbena, Basil, Bergamot
Heart: Amber, Sandalwood
Base: Opoponax, Musk

From Beauty Habit: An i Profumi di Firenze bestseller in Italy, now available stateside, this delicately sensual fragrance quietly mesmerizes with its duality of lightness and ambery depth. Top notes of verbena, basil and bergamot flow effortlessly onto a base of sandalwood, amber, opoponax and musk. Opoponax (“sweet myrrh”) is renowned for its protective qualities by increasing awareness and intuition, hence the poetic name, Cloak of Dewy Mist.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Opening with a fabulously fun hairspray sizzle that quickly calms to a herbaceous sweet creamy green, a bit like Matcha Tea Powder. It’s not long before lovely soft balmy resins, beautiful resins, sweet and cuddly and some floral action but it’s all so beautifully blended I am finding it hard to parse stuff out. I can see why Manto di Rugiada is cloakish but I get very little of the dew or any coolness at all. Maybe the cloak is warmth against dewy mist? I see it as a warm red cloak with soft velour inside. MMMMM. Doesn’t matter.

As the heart warms up the word amber perfectly equates, like light shining through a beautiful clear piece of amber and as balmy and smooth as the feel of vintage body warmed opaque amber beads. Really, though the notes are there all I want to do with Manto di Rugiada is lie back and float away on the lovely fragrance, the combination that works so beautifully together. Interestingly, the green comes back through the heart, it’s a dry raspy green, quite nice as a layer through the soft cuddly balms.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Manto di Rugiada will be my bedtime scent tonight. I can imagine myself floating away on it to the isle of nod.

This is not a BIG fragrance, I think it would be wearable even in an office. Very pretty, good longevity but not overpowering in any way.

Further reading: Now Smell This
Beauty Habit have $110/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/.5ml

Have you spent any time with the i Profumi di Firenze brand? Do you have a favourite?
Portia xx

Valentine's Day 2015

February 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Hi there APJ Crew,

Don’t forget it is Valentine’s Day tomorrow.

Valentine’s Day 2015

If you are your only Valentine then treat yourself nice. Bathe and moisturise with your favourite, most luxurious lotions and potions, wear something that you love and take yourself and your book or interactive device down to a coffee shop and spend some quality time with you, a cuppa, some good reading (what a great time to get you blog reading up to date) and the knowledge that it’s only YOU that you need to please.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

For the rest of us, good luck picking something your partner likes, a place they feel special in for dinner and a card that doesn’t sound too cheesy. Valentine’s Day is so business oriented now that there is no way anyone will come out happy. I’m not a Scrooge but I like my special gestures to be spontaneous, not contrived and boxed.

What will Jin & I do? I don’t know. Jin is working all day and I’m looking at houses. When we get home I’ll probably order us some take away and we will watch a movie, maybe we’ll go out but the night of Valentine’s is HELL. Maybe I’ll give him an IOU? He knows I love him, that I’m proud to be his partner and that I genuinely enjoy his company 99% of the time. He gets (and gives) little mini gifts and dinners every week, we still hold hands in the movies and sometimes on the street. We love to plan stuff, do stuff, even arguing with him is fun, we laugh a lot. That’s enough for me.

What are you guys up to for Valentine’s Day 2015? Whatever you do, I hope it’s with a joyful heart.

Portia xx

Gardenia by Aurelien Guichard for Robert Piguet 2014

February 12, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Poodle

The word gardenia strikes terror in the heart of many. For a flower that has no perfume essence of its own and must be replicated by using other flower essences it has many variations and strengths. Most of these are dependent on the perfumers interpretation of what gardenia is. For some it always a bit too much and they shy away from anything called gardenia. Other times, when people smell a gardenia perfume the first comment made is “that’s not gardenia”. In that respect Gardenia will be no different.

Gardenia by Aurelien Guichard for Robert Piguet 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Gardenia, lily, ylang ylang
Heart: Madagascar vanilla
Base: Black leather, cashmeran, spice, woods

Gardenia opens with lilies and ylang-ylang. There a certain freshness to the top notes, a watery green-ness that stops it from veering into the big white floral territory of Fracas. It makes me think of a bouquet of flowers cut in the early morning after a spring rain. My nose detects a hint of gardenia every now and then but it’s not the headlining act here. After the top notes settle Gardenia is not as bold as you might think. I wouldn’t call it a big white floral either.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

The freshness gives way to warmth. Cashmeran and leather start to appear. They are soft and seem almost powdery combined with the vanilla. The lily notes linger throughout the development and now have a little spice to them. It’s not a huge hit of spice but just that tiny bit that you sometimes smell in real lilies. Gardenia reminds me most of gardenias early on and later in the dry down. When I was extremely young I’d take the spent blossoms from my grandmothers gardenia and smoosh the petals into my arm hoping to transfer the scent. Even at the age of 4 I had the makings or a perfume nerd. Anyway, that’s what I’m reminded of in the dry down. Salty sweet skin with the barest hint of a fleshy floral petals.

Picture Stolen Pixabay

I wish they had named this something different because I fear the name will deter people from sniffing. Anyone who is gardenia shy will just pass it by. Those who are looking for a true to life gardenia will sniff but perhaps it won’t be enough gardenia for them. I think men who tend to like florals would like this as well because I don’t think it smells too girly. It’s a lovely scent though so please do sniff if you see it.

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon and Australian Perfume Junkies
Libertine Parfumerie has $239/100ml (with FREE Australian shipping)
Harrods has £150/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $7/ml

What is your favourite gardenia scent?

Hugs,
Poodle

SmellBent

February 11, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Hey Hey Hey APJ!

As you may know we have been moving house, repainting, reorganising, decluttering etc to sell this apartment. Well during that madness I’ve found a few larger samples that did not get used, the sheer weight of samples and full bottles in this house would give you pause to think about my sanity, or lack of.

A favourite Independent Fragrance House, SmellBent makes affordable, fun filled fragrance that is both beautiful and sometime quite challenging. Owner Brent Leonesio is quite the hunk and has a super brilliant LA white smile and last time I caught up with him electric blue hair.

Today on APJ we are giving away a supercool set of mostly discontinued SmellBent samples.

FrankenSmellie s13#916: Absolutely no idea what this is meant to smell like. I’m getting incense, wood, resins, some unnamed florals and musk. I think there may be some honey or something else quite sweetly animal.

Gimme A Break!: My skin amps the musks in Gimme A Break and it smells like a hookers Christmas panties, tenacity is extreme.

Ice Station Zebra: Resins and musk, a little bit of Vicks Vapour Rub too. I don’t get the zebra…

Pere Noel Coward: Dry, dusty, woodpile with the teeniest hint of syrup and a nod to the sauna.

Winter Vixen: Imagine the yummiest chocolate mud cake ever with rich chocolate, butter and cream icing. You have just been to the gym, you get home all sweaty and disheveled, you are taking a bite….

Till Valentines Day Feb 14 you can get FREE SHIPPING with SmellBent orders over $30

Go to it crew,
Portia xx

Photo Stolen kbaird

SmellBent GIVEAWAY!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 Winner who will receive:
5 x SmellBent 4ml samples: slightly used (FrankenSmellie s13#916, Gimme A Break!, Ice Station Zebra, Pere Noel Coward, Winter Vixen)
P&H

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to SmellBent and find me a fragrance and one of its notes. NO DOUBLE UPS!!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3C9 SmellBent GIVEAWAY! #Perfume #Giveaway @smellbent

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Friday 13th February 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Monday 16th February 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.

Rozy EdP + Voille d'Extrait by Vero Kern for Vero Profumo 2014

February 10, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

We are coming up to the launch of the Rozy Extrait. I have been smacking my head against a wall for the last year trying to come up with something to say about the Rozys – Edp and the Voile. Verges on the impossible. If we are familiar with a fragrance before we read about it, we can then do something with what has been written. However if we do not know the perfume of which we are reading, it is much more difficult, if not impossible to know how it will smell. Hands up those who have read about something, only to try it and wonder where it all went wrong.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

The Militia Company of District II under the Command of Frans Banninck Cocq (better known albeit incorrectly as Rembrandt´s “The Night Watch”) is a stunning piece of art, and one of the most famous paintings in the world. But until you have seen it you have no idea how awe inspiring it is. It is housed in it´s own room the “Nachtwachtzaal” in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is 363 cm x 437 cm (142.9 in x 172.0 in). You can try to describe it but the only way to be able to see the fine nuances of the painting’s complex colour palette is to go to the Rijksmuseum. The only way to smell the fine nuances in Vero Kern´s Rozys is to wear them.

Imagine that you need to describe honey to someone who has never tasted sweet.

Rozy EdP + Voille d’Extrait by Vero Kern for Vero Profumo 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Oriental rose, tuberose, currant buds and leaves, honey, spices, sandalwood, labdanum, powdery notes, tarragon, peach, passionfruit, hyacinth

Both Rozys are objects of desire, lust and adoration, stains on the skin.

The Rozy EdP is hazy, peachy, rosy, sweet, divine, innocent and yet full of desire. Warm and erotic. It melts into the skin, thus becoming as one with the wearer. Bewitching. This perfume spills its secrets only over time. My most worn .vero.profumo..

Photo Donated Val CQ

The Rozy Voile d’Extrait?

“Gather your wits and hold on fast,
Your mind must learn to roam.
Just as the Gypsy Queen must do
You´re gonna hit the road” (The Acid Queen. Pete Townsend)

Wearing this is making a pledge or a vow to hold on until the end. A cerise ocean with and honey-capped sandalwood waves. A blushing rosy pink, tangerine colored aura, as near to radio-active as a perfume can get, shockingly surreal, and yet in perfect harmony. Astounding.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

“The rose is the flower of virgins and women, but also of vice and prostitution. Thorns and roses symbolize the ambivalence of love and sorrow – the drama of finite love.” Vero Kern

How beautiful are the Rozys? How long is a piece of string?

Further re4ading: Bonkers About Perfume and Smelly Thoughts
LuckyScent has Rozy EdP $235/50ml
First In Fragrance has Rozy Voile d’Extrait €168/50ml
Surrender To Chance has Rozy EdP samples starting at $6/.5ml

The Rozy Extrait. March in Milan. My lips are sealed.

Kiss my Roses
CQ

Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché 1933

February 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Azar

Portia: Hi there APJ, Azar is suffering the busy life syndrome too. You may know that she is a music teacher and I asked her to give me some music to put with one of her all time favourite fragrances, Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché, Jovan and now Coty. I edited up an email she sent me after talking about losing myself in music and fragrance simultaneously, thanks Azar for opening my ears to something new. I love the way this piece jumps and spins, even when my mind wanbts to wandfer into thought it is jolted back to the music by its mood and force changes. Lovely.

Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché 1933

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Greens, bitter orange, clary sage, cyclamen, heliotrope
Heart: Gardenia, tuberose, tarragon, violet leaf, lily of the valley, jasmine, ylang-ylang
Base: Oakmoss, benzoin, sandalwood, musk

I don’t think I ever did a Jungle Gardenia post…just commented a lot and mentioned Jungle Gardenia in some other reviews of vintage fragrances. I have a nice little stash of the really good old stuff (parfum and skin scent) and should probably do a review one of these days. The sillage is astounding and the longevity unbelievable. I spilled a little on a tissue in June. Not wanting to waste a drop I stored the tissue in my sock drawer. Every time I open that drawer I am greeted with an indolic floral blast and now my feet even smell like gardenias!

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Below is a great piece of music by the Brazilian composer Hector Villa Lobos, Choros #5, Alma Brasilieras. This piece is rich, dark, deep and humid…not unlike Jungle Gardenia. This was originally written for piano. I have performed and taught the original solo piano version numerous times over the years. I have never made a recording myself and so hoped to find one on You Tube. Every single version I found had numerous rhythmic errors…so annoying. The YoYo Ma cello/piano version is beautiful and correct. I hope it gives you some idea of the piece as it was originally written for piano.

I have always loved Villa Lobos’ music. When Brad needed a companion piece to the Beethoven Triple I suggested another piece by Villa Lobos that was originally for piano and subsequently arranged by the composer for string orchestra – the Prelude from Bachianis Brasilieras 4 – the first 10 minutes of this second You tube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mf3SQ3dVz8. Notice the musician wiping the tears away at about 6:16 minutes into the recording.

Azar xx

02.- Choros No 5 “Alma Brasiliera” (Villa-Lobos)

Australian Perfume Junkies

Olfactory Opinions from Oz

Author: australianperfumejunkiescom

Libertine Sydney Perfume Masterclass

Australian Perfume Junkies Niche Perfumery Masterclass

Hosts: Nick Smart + Ainslie Walker

Date: Wednesday 4th March 2015

Price: $49 (redeemable against purchases on the night)

Time: 6pm for a 6:30 start

To Book call Libertine Sydney on 8002 4488. Payment is required to secure your booking

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (A Husbands point of view)

Alibi by Perfume & Skincare Company: Australia 2015

Alibi by Perfume & Skincare Company: Australia 2015

Alibi by Sheila Massetti

SmellBent GIVEAWAY WINNER!

SmellBent GIVEAWAY WINNER!

SmellBent GIVEAWAY!

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

HOW DID YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Elia

Manto di Rugiada by i Profumi di Firenze 2011

Manto di Rugiada by i Profumi di Firenze 2011

Valentine's Day 2015

Don’t forget it is Valentine’s Day tomorrow.

Valentine’s Day 2015

Gardenia by Aurelien Guichard for Robert Piguet 2014

Gardenia by Aurelien Guichard for Robert Piguet 2014

SmellBent

SmellBent GIVEAWAY!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché 1933

Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché 1933

02.- Choros No 5 “Alma Brasiliera” (Villa-Lobos)

Yo-Yo Ma’s Brazil, LIve Concert