Hey All,
These Louis Vuitton junkets keep me panting for the fragrance. I wonder if and when we’ll see it. I love seeing this video because it reminds me of Jin and my adventures in 2013. Venice will always be special for me because of him.
Photo Stolen DeviantArt
I hope you enjoy,
Portia xx
Hi There APJ,
There has been a lot of talk about NECRO-Celebrity. The use of dead celebs images for advertising for many reasons: nostalgia, budget, no news worthy diatribes, mistakes or faux pas and best of all no 100% gold plated asshole of a celeb to deal with. I understand the lure of the dead, especially in a marketing game where one wrong sentence in an interview, or even said with friends and distributed, can cause millions of dollars in collateral damage and rebuilding.
In stark contrast to all other marketing trends Calvin Klein has gone for a living, mature couple to front a brand new launch and in one of their cases to re-front one of the Calvin Klein stable of fragrances 26 years later. That is longer than most alive frag models have been on this planet, by about 10 years. 45 year old Christy Turlington with her her husband Edward Burns. This needs a serious BRAVO for Calvin Klein’s marketing team. Still as unattainably gorgeous as ever but selling to a market who have been long neglected in the marketing departments of the big fashion houses: 40+. I think it will reap BIG rewards and I’m surprised the ads weren’t released a month ago for Mother’s Day.
Enjoy them, real; beautiful; people.
Portia xxx
I stole this stuff Lock, Stock and Barrel from art8amby
Shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in Turks & Caicos, the campaign is exactly what you would expect from Calvin Klein; passionate, intense but always understated. However admits Turlington, “it’s also funny to be intimate with your life partner and have people around.” (source)
Christy Turlington and Edward Burns are also fronting the latest campaign image of Calvin Klein Eternity perfume. (source)
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Post by TinaG
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Earlier this year I had an opportunity to attend an event hosted by Australian aromatherapist Julie Nelson of Aromatique Essentials. Julie is a holistic aromatherapist, with 20 years’ experience as aromatherapy practitioner and consultant. Julie also shares her wealth of knowledge through education, events and workshops, and leading the design and delivery of aromatherapy and beauty programs held in some of Australia’s natural therapy collages. Aromatique Essentials commits to “providing luxurious bespoke aromatherapy products with unwavering commitment and quality”, which is absolutely the case. Julie is very much committed to holistic beauty practices, and uses the finest quality organic essential oils in her work. One of her many skills is that of developing individually tailored essential oil perfumes. I found the concept fascinating so I was very pleased to be able to attend the Bespoke Soirée in Kirribilli, Sydney.
Photo donated TinaG
On arrival, I realised that this event was not simply about perfumes, but it was fundamentally a celebration of each of us as unique individuals – a focus and reconnection with “self” and recognising our own authenticity. We were greeted with a glass of bubbles and beautifully presented canapés and treats. I chatted to some of the other guests and met
some fascinating people, as guests were predominantly from a professional network for women starting up or managing their own businesses. Presentations and talks for the evening were: the art of feminine presence by Maria Cucinotta, Emma Veiga-Malta designs bespoke chairs and cushions, Amanda Webb had some beautiful jewellery, and of course Julie Nelson – we were very spoilt! At the end of the night we were given a little “goodie” bag with samples of two of Julie’s perfumes Déesse and Amrita, a cucumber eye serum, organic cookies and tea, and loads of information.
Julie set up an Aroma Bar on the night, and was offering the creation of a personalised aromatherapy scent based on a short questionnaire, which of course I couldn’t resist. I completed a survey of my colour, scent, food and activity preferences, from which Julie used as a basis to create a 5ml vial of bespoke anointing perfumed oil.
My perfume contained: Sandalwood, Blood Orange, Coriander, Bergamot and Rose in jojoba (organic)
I don’t have much experience with essential oils on skin, so when I tested a few drops of my bespoke essential oil I was surprised to find a distinct top/mid/base notes layering, and evolution of the scent through dry down. There was a lovely fresh rush of a comforting warm orange, with the slightly smoky bergamot intertwined, and a hint of the sandalwood. The coriander oil is sourced from coriander seed, not leaf or stem, which I would have picked up on otherwise – I can’t tolerate green coriander notes. Here, the seed provides a dry spicy counterpoint as the rose starts to shine through. Warm citrus, sandalwood, and spicy rose – Julie really did hit all the right chords for me.
Tina G
Disclaimer: this article was reviewed by Julie Nelson prior to publication.
Photos 1, 3 4 donated TinaG
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Post by ElizaD
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Hi Australian Perfume junkies,
What do you get when you combine wine, food, perfume and friends in Eugene, Oregon USA? A Sniffa – Eugenie!!!!
Here’s the recipe:
1 tiny coffee table
5 fabulous fumehead friends
lots of small glasses
lots of cotton balls
your favorite perfumes–any size bottle or container will do
food
drink
stories
Photo Stolen Flickr
Invite your friends over and ask them to each bring 3 to 5 of their favorite perfumes. If they only have one, tell them not to worry, you have lots! Encourage them to think of a story about their perfume and be ready to share it. Then ask them to bring a little something to nosh on and a complementary beverage.
Prepare your space by gathering as many small glasses as you can muster and a bag of cotton balls (which is what we call them here in the States–I think others call them cotton wool 😉 ). Place the glasses and the cotton on your coffee table, along with a small bowl of lemon slices (coffee beans make everything smell like coffee, lemon dissipates quickly). Spend the rest of the day thinking about what perfumes you will choose to share from your expansive collection of samples and bottles. Will it be your treasured 1978 bottle of Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, which you bought on eBay for a song, or your tiny sample of Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere? Your equally small sample of Cacharel LouLou or your mini of Prada L’Eau Ambrée? Remember, only three to five!
Vacuum your floors, puff the sofa pillows, prepare the food table, and wait for the magic to happen.
Which it did!
C brought an amazing walnut spread, olives, and a lovely bottle of Blanquette de Limoux, a sparkling wine from Languedoc; K brought home-made brie en croute; and E provided bread and veggies and other bottles of whites and reds.
Since C and E are enthralled with perfume history, they arranged the fragrances by release date, using the book Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume by Barbara Herman as a guide. As each perfume was introduced, the owner carefully sprayed or dabbed a cotton ball and then placed it under an upturned glass. As the scent released, it was caught in the glass from which each took a sniff. Anyone watching this group would surely had thought we were participating in something most illegal!
Photo Donated ElizaD
And the stories!
C had her treasured bottle of Guerlain’s Mitsouko, brought all the way from Paris, and her Andy Tauer minis. She told the stories of how she had been captured by Mitsouko’s incense notes, and how she had discovered Andy Tauer on her trip to the Perfume House in Portland. E shared how she had been sitting in a meeting when she found out that she had won the eBay bid for her bottle of L’Heure Bleue and had immediately launched into a hamster dance. K had everyone in fits of giggles as she related how her perfume, Revlon Intimate, had been a gift during high school and how it still made her feel oh so sexy, even fifty years later. S was so happy that she had found other fumeheads and how perfume was becoming a wonderful connection between her and her daughter. T brought a tiny bottle of Holy Smoke Oil….”one drop lasts all day”…and entertained us with the story of how she found it in a small shop on the lower East Side of Manhattan, far from where she lives now.
Photo Stolen Twitter
And when the wine was drained and there were just crumbs left of the brie, we all agreed that this event had only sharpened our appetite for even more fragrance fun…Perfume House in Portland, here we come!
Have you ever participated in a fragrance get-together? DO TELL!
ElizaD xx
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Post by Ainslie Walker
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Jasmine Awards 2014
STOP PRESS!!!!
I had no idea what I was doing, back in January, when I entered the Jasmine Awards 2014. I’d received an email from Portia, but I’d not heard of them before, though, I’m relatively new to the fragrance world.
I mentioned entering the awards to my beauty PR friends a few weeks later and they were like “OMG do you know Vogue writers and Instyle writers win/enter that?” I shuffled off, embarrassed to have accidentally sent my rogue writings into some kind of “professionals only” competition. Eek!
I did a bit of research about the Jasmine Awards and found out:
They began in France 20 years ago, and were set up, to recognize the ongoing contributions of journalists to the fragrance industry. The Jasmine Awards are the most highly 
recognized and prestigious awards for fragrance journalism, internationally, and are held in France, Canada, USA, the UK and Australia. The first Australian Jasmine awards were held in 2003.
“The Jasmine Awards recognize journalistic excellence in the fields of literary and visual achievement for articles on the subject of fragrance. Journalists are acknowledged for communicating their specialist knowledge and information of fragrance to the public, as well as promoting further discovery of fragrance to readers.” (Jasmine award website)
In Early April, an invite arrived for the breakfast ceremony. I thought, “I’ll go if I can take Portia, it will be a hoot!” I got the OK, and suddenly the next week we were going!! Portia picked me up at 7am(!!). In the car, I said, “You don’t think I could actually win, do you?”– Neither Portia nor myself remember his response (…still FAR too early in the morning), but I think we both just thought “NO WAY” and talked about something else.
We arrived at Darling Harbor and were seated by Fiona Keogh, of Star PR, the organizer. The place was gorgeously laid out and filled with chatty industry types- all beautifully presented and seeming to know each other…we got a few “who are they?” glances, but were undeterred. It was then I picked up a brochure of the day and saw my name in print. HOLY SHIT! I suddenly started to SWEAT and the ceremony began.
There were 6 categories, with the following criteria:
• Best In-depth Feature on Fragrance Award – for the best in-depth feature in a printed publication (minimum 501 words)
• Best Short Feature on Fragrance Award – for the best short article in a printed publication (maximum 500 words)
• Best Online Feature on Fragrance Award* – for the best online article on fragrance published on an online beauty portal or beauty website ONLY
• Best Blog Post on Fragrance Award* – for the best personal blog post on fragrance published online (please note: entries must be written in a personalised style and in the 1st person)
• Best Practical Guide to Fragrance Award – for the best ‘how-to’ style article in a printed publication or online
• Best Visual Story on Fragrance Award – for the best visualisation of a fragrance story or pictorial feature in a printed publication or online
The ceremony started and the first prize was drawn. Suddenly “best blog post” was announced AND WAS ME!!! Squeals from Portia kept me conscious as I headed to the
stage, my blog post projected, on the wall. Margaret from Fragrances Of The World presented the award. I was given a box containing the trophy, a huge bunch of flowers and a big purple envelope containing a big cheque! Ushered to the side for photo’s, finally Portia was in front of me – it was real! We were laughing in disbelief and sooooo excited. I was shaking. THANK GAWD Portia was there. What an absolute surprise!!
The awards have led me to consider fragrance journalism. How we put smell, perfumes and fragrance into words for readers to “see”. How we describe the senses: taste, smell, and art. It’s kind of tricky, but if we manage it, readers can gain an insight and an understanding that would normally perhaps, not be able to put into words on their own.
The words we read from fragrance journalism can draw from within us – an agreement on notes/ingredients/images provoked? Point out something we recognize as familiar, a memory, for example, until we can almost smell that perfume being described….and burst to go try it.
Articles can direct us into what to buy or wear for a particular occasion, season or outfit. Fragrance journalism is what helps the fragrance industry make those billions of dollars every year. And I guess that’s why the perfume industry recognizes the efforts of those behind these articles.
They’re not “news” as such, they won’t save the world, but they express creativity, and spread the beauty and magic of fragrance.
Perfumes and fragrances are one small luxury, that worldwide have always been used by humans to put a little extra spring in their step, attract some attention and or express themselves – I like to think that fragrance journalism can do the same – put a little spring in the step of the reader as they start their day at work, finding it in their inbox, or reading a magazine whilst on a train for example.
TF was the first ever fragrance blog I wrote. It came about by sweet coincidence. Portia, who had been invited to the TF meet up, but was too busy to go, so said I could go along in his place, as long as I wrote something for APJ. I said I’d never written anything before, and he said “don’t worry it will be fine!!” I had recently met Catherine, the meet up organizer, so I agreed to help out. It seemed I had accidentally fallen into something I am good at! Isn’t it funny how life maneuvers you? This was September 2013, I have written fortnightly ever since for APJ and love being part of the team.
For us folk in Australia, far far away from Paris/Grasse, stores like Harrods, Selfridges, Barneys etc, with their giant beauty halls, many fragrances are hard to experience and get our hands on, especially with such strict customs and postage laws here. I believe this is why APJ has become so popular and the network of people involved incredibly tight. I am proud and thankful to be a part of it and thank you all for your support, comments and incredible encouragement. It’s a win for us all!
Ainslie Walker x
Photos donated by Ainslie Walker
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Post by SarahK
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Hello fellow ‘fumeheads!
I hope you’re all in your happy spaces, but for anybody feeling pressed or stressed, today I’m going to talk about a beautiful calming fragrance. It’s not new, but I’ve only recently had the pleasure of discovering it.
There’s a residual scent that I get from a number of my favourite perfumes, a sort of musky sandalwood base note that lingers on my skin sometimes after showering. I love that scent and I’ve often stood in the shower wondering if someone could just create a fragrance with that note. Well apparently Etro did just that, and it’s called ……
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Rose, lemon, bitter orange
Heart: Sandalwood, geranium, rose
Base: Amber, musk, patchouli, cypress, vanilla
Of course, Sandalo isn’t quite as simple as comparing it to residual base notes makes it seem, but its overall effect gives me the same feeling. When I first apply it, and for about 15 minutes afterwards, there’s a slight petrol-like note, but after that, Sandalo is a pretty linear experience of gentle musky woods. Which is just fine with me, because it is pretty close to my ideal sandalwood fragrance. I get hints of geranium, and some rose, but this is primarily about base notes of sandalwood, powdery musk and some very smooth patchouli. The musk is soft and clean, but with no laundry-musk screech. The sandalwood note is not green, or creamy, or buttery and it doesn’t have a scratchy cedarwood kick. Instead it reminds me of the restrained, musky, dry scent found in some Japanese sandalwood incenses. If it had a colour it would be pale, ashy, grey-brown. I find it very centering and meditative.
Photo Stolen Flickr
It’s an entirely unisex scent, evocative of calm, collected individuals of any persuasion. It is not particularly strong, which makes it perfectly office-friendly. In fact, I wish it was a touch more forceful sometimes, though I think part of the issue is probably that my nose just gets used to the scent. That, I suppose, is the downside of a fragrance that feels as if it is mostly made up of base notes, and which melds so well with my skin. This factor makes it somewhat difficult to accurately judge longevity. Sometimes it seems to disappear only to reappear half an hour or so later. At a guess I’d say it lasts around 7 hours on my skin, but I suspect it is actually detectable to others who get close to me for some time after I think it has disappeared for good.
Photo Stolen LothorioArt
I seem to have spent half this review talking about what Sandalo is not, as much as what it is, but somehow that seems appropriate for a scent that represents calm and space for me.
Posh Peasant says: Etro Sandalo launched in 1989 and is a beautiful oriental woody fragrance. It’s not often mentioned but it’s one of the great sandalwood fragrances.
I was able to try Sandalo thanks to a little decant acquired from a fellow fragrance fanatic. I am very pleased to have found it and I’m currently lusting after a full bottle. I’m also inspired to get hold of some more samples from the Etro line. Portia has reviewed a few before here on AJP and they all sound interesting to me.
Photo Stolen Hillpost
Further reading: Perfume Posse and Katie Puckrik Smells
Beauty Encounter has $75/50ml
Posh Peasant has samples starting at $3.50/ml
Do you have a favourite sandalwood-centric fragrance?
SarahK
Righto!
So I am running INCREDIBLY late with stuff for this holiday and my mind has turned to mush. By the time you get to read this we are now in South Korea and having a ball. It’s spring here and the crew is amazed; it is totally beautiful. Instead of writing a post I thought I could ask you all for your input:
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
What Fragrance Do You Wear On Bus, Train, Plane or any Public Transport? Are you careful and try to be considerate or do you like to give them all a lesson in olfactory enormity? Is it Jean Claude Ellena or Thierry Mugler that is most likely to get the spritz?
Photo Stolen Flickr
My answer:
I love to travel and have a stable of frags that I like to enjoy in public transport, some CHANEL No 5 Parfum, L’Occitane Vanille & Narcisse, Ava Luxe Tubereuse Diabolique or Geranium Pour Monsieur by Malle have all been worn with great relish. Last holiday though I had a shower in the lounge at Bangkok and didn’t have my glasses on, not thinking therew could be a scent bomb in my travel frags I spritzed 5 healthy wallops of A*Men Leather. WOW!! I felt like a neon sign but nobody even noticed until the very end of the flight and Michael said he could smell me still as I sat across from him at dinner.
So, what do you wear close up?
Hello APJ,
I have these 2 unrelated posts that need to be given to you as gifts so I’ve put them together. They are totally dissimilar but both should give you food for thought, a smile and lift your day. Normally we go for the gooey mushy feel good stuff here but some days you just want to vent, the first two should give you great venting potential. Number three, the video, will show you part of our world you may never have thought about and remind you of a very simple safety instruction that could save your precious life. Please take heed.
As always, my love and a cyber hug to all our APJ Family and Friends.
Portia xx
Hi there APJ Family & Friends,
I love trolling through the Surrender To Chance site. They have excellent Weekly Chance Specials, Vintage frags, Hard to find stuff and best of all, I can order a 2ml spray and get a true experience of a fragrance for a fraction of the price of a bottle, and it’s way easier to store 100 samples than 100 bottles too. Recently I was looking through and came across this super set that read like EXACTLY the kind of set that I should possess, natch. So I went all out and ordered the 2ml Spray Set. It’s pricey but SOOO worth it.
Animalic – Skank Sample Set
From Surrender To Chance: Perfume should always play with naughty. What is naughty? It’s referred to as “skank.” First coined by March at Perfume Posse in January 2006, she refers to it as “Skank is not gracious, or nice, or even fundamentally pretty. The Skank is about sex, and only sex. It’s a rump-grinding, head-shaking invitation to a booty call, no matter how politely the scent’s been dressed up at the opening.”
This is the sex in perfume, and it’s been there even back in the days when the hems of dresses never got above the eyelet lace-ups of their Victorian boots.
So I have been having a wonderful time trying them all.I think my skin eats, or I have become immune, to the extremes of animalics. I love them and they smell great on my skin but where most people are coughing, tears streaming and running to the shower, I merely smell like a big cuddly teddy bear all warm and squishy. I have written about a few of these already, mostly quite early in the blog’s life, but it has been super fun revisiting and reminding myself how good they are, and to have even a sample size back in the collection. There are a few too that are FB in my collection already: MKK, Femme and Bal a Versailles. I also have a vintage Jicky Parfum so it’s great to meet it’s modern EdP sister.
My girl friend Natalie from Another Perfume Blog took one whiff of Courtesan by Worth and I knew she had to have it. You know the look, eyes glazed over, head thrown slightly back and nostrils flaring? There was that and more: positively fabulous viewing and at an outdoor lunch table in one of Sydney’s ritzier suburbs. I had to laugh, and give her the vial.
Surrender To Chance has the lot starting at $33/.5ml but I went all out and grabbed the $116/2ml spray set
Why did I spend so much? Well, 2ml will last me 4-10 wears depending on longevity and projection strength. That’s months of delicious spritzing and a different one every day for 3 weeks, not that I desperately need more choice to be honest. I also like that they are already in a spritz atomiser so no messing around with decanting into a spray to get the manufacturers intent. I think the extra is worth it for me. You may only want or need the .5ml to taste the frags, excellent. $33 is a wonderful deal for amazing frags that are a must try on your frag journey.
Love & hugs,
Portia xx
Heya APJ!
Here we are. 1000 posts. Every one of you have contributed, be it reading, writing, commenting, liking or spreading the word. Thank you.
THANK YOU ALL.
We are having a party but we all have to have our own party, united but separate. Please grab a beverage and join us in a toast.
Take a minute and type in your favourite fragrance house into the SEARCH function at the side of the page. Hopefully there will be something about your faves that you can read and reminisce about, if not please leave us a comment about what you don’t see. We will try and remedy the lack in the next 1000 posts
Little did I know 1000 posts ago when I bit the bullet and wrote my first piece that it would or could ever become so enormous. We have contributors on four continents, offer a safe and fun place where you can kick back and hang out or jump in get your fix and continue your life. We try to keep it light, informative and fun and all of us at APJ love that you are our cyber fragrance family.
There are majorly exciting giveaways and promotions in our near future, can’t wait to tell you about them as they come to fruition.
So, today in honour of our 1000th post please spritz or swipe something special.
Leave us a comment below to tell us what your special scent is.
I will be wearing Rosa Sur Reuse by SOIVOHLE in Korea
Beyond all of that I seriously love you all. This passion of ours has spawned a community. My gratitude is boundless.
If ever life feels shit please drop in, WE LOVE YOU.
The APJ Crew, especially Portia xxxx
PS. There will be a super 1000 posts GIVEAWAY when I get back from Korea, promise
All photos stolen.
If I’ve used your image and you are unhappy about it
please leave a note and I’ll remove it.
Australian Perfume Junkies 