Author: australianperfumejunkiescom

Saturday Question: Getting Married, What To Do?

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 74 Comments

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

Every Saturday we have a Question, an idea purloined from Olfactoria’s Travels. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it is a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a $10 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Over 200 responses I will draw a $20 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Friday.

Last Weeks Winner: We did not reach 100 last week. BUMMER!

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Saturday Question:

Getting Married, What To Do?

You may or may not know that we’ve been having an opinion poll here in Australia about Marriage Equality. Obviously that has put it front and centre of our minds. We have decided in the interests of fiscal responsibility and also because we really like each other, even though he leaves his fricken shoes in every walkway possible making midnight toilet runs a minefield.

So though no one proposed and we are diametrically opposed to shackling each other with a ring it looks like some kind of nuptials are in our future. Hopefully not too distant future to be honest, the whole thing is making me itchy.

I’m so torn about everything to do with it. I’d like to go to a registry with our besties and do it really quietly. No fuss, just two guys making a physical, emotional and financial commitment to each other in front of the law and our BFFs. Then the four of us could go have dinner and that would be the end of it.

OR, because we have so many wonderful mates we could spend all the money on a fab fully lit party

OR, we could do a service, have Jin’s parents come to Australia, make it solemn and beautiful. Full reception and gala afterwards.

OR, we could hire a hall and have everything happen at once. Marriage and party in one. Buffet catered, Bar, Disco. The works.

OR, we could go to South Korea and tell anyone who wants to come dates and venue. That way Jin’s parents get involved without the hassle of travel and anyone else that has the time and resources can get themselves there.

OR, we could go to another country, anywhere that does Same Sex Marriages. Again anyone that has the time and resources can get themselves there.

OR, we could do it on a cruise.

There are SO MANY OPTIONS!! Help me please. What did you do or see done that really worked. Doesn’t have to be extravagant. Also it could be just one part of a wedding that you loved that we might incorporate. H E L P

Flickr

My Saturday Question to you is:

Getting Married, What To Do?

 

 

Majaïna Sin by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann for The Different Company 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

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Portia

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Hello New Addicted,

You may have noticed that I’m addicted to Travel Packs and Travel Size. There are a few reasons for this. The major one is that 10-30ml is all I’ll ever need of most fragrances, it is in fact a lifetime supply. Otherwise I like to be able to carry most of my frags on holidays in my carry on luggage*. There is a pleasure too in using up bottles, even a travel feels like an achievement.

Why am I telling you this? Just arrived in the mail this week are a brand new, paid retail because I freaking love it, sent from France The Different Company Travel Set and a bunch of 10ml refills for it. VERY exciting stuff.

The Different Company

Majaïna Sin by The Different Company 2017

Majaïna Sin by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Candied Orange Bigarade, Bergamot, Neroli, Orange Blossom, Madagascar Ginger
Heart: Heliotrope, Orchid, Chestnut Cream, Madagascar Cinnamon, Maple Syrup
Base: Guatemala Tonka Bean, Amber, Sandal Album, Musk, Madagascar Vanilla Gold Extract

Majaïna Sin is part of the l’Esprit Cologne range from The Different Company. I also have the luscious Tokyo Bloom from that series and love it through the mid seasons and warmer months.

Ginger marmalade already backed by a soft focus vanilla is how Majaïna Sin opens for me with cinnamon. Warm and cosy yet not incredibly hefty, as counterpoint we are given an unexpected lightness and lift. Definite nods to bakery but somehow Emilie Coppermann has made it about something more interesting: creamy, spicy, smoky, resinous amber.

WikiMedia

Charming is not a word I use often about fragrance but it keeps popping into my mind. We are not present with a groundbreaking, challenging fragrance in Majaïna Sin. It is different to what I have smelled before but not outrageously so. Here I feel like I’ve met an elegant friend that doesn’t overpower while still maintaining their place and adding to the conversation. I can easily imagine someone hugging you while you wear this and thinking, “MMMMMMM.”

The base is dryer and woodier but not by much and the fragrance fades into my skin with average longevity, way better than I expected from the l’Esprit range.

PDI

The Different Company has €18/10ml and €120/100ml

What is your favourite travel Set or single?
Portia xx

 

*I carry a just in case Wet Pack in my carry on with toothbrush, floss & paste, deodorant, stolen hotel shower gel and lotion, band-aids, sleeping pills, headache tablets, ear buds and a wash cloth. There are always at least 5 travel frags in there too. Also in cary on are spare undies, socks and polo shirt, Kindle, a bunch of cords, spare glasses, house keys and snacks. It usually clocks around 5kg. Even if my luggage doesn’t arrive I’m good.

Midnight Special by Olivier Pescheux for Ex Nihilo 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

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Portia

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Hi Fumies,

A couple of weeks ago the LuckyScent eMail came with a Sample Set called LUXE. Obviously it was impossible to resist but I’ve been so swamped here that only a couple have even had skin time yet. I wore a spritz of Midnight Special on the back of my hand yesterday and really liked it but felt I needed to sit still for a while to really enjoy its multi facets. Tonight I did just that.

Midnight Special by Ex Nihilo 2017

Midnight Special by Olivier Pescheux

Midnight Special Ex Nihilo Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cinnamon, saffron, black pepper
Heart: Turkish rose, rose, grapefruit
Base: Agarwood (oud), patchouli, vanilla

Waxy saffron and sharp dry ground black pepper are tempered beautifully by fiery cinnamon in Midnight Special’s opening. While it is a very modern niche opening I think they’ve got the balance just right and it’s all playing together pretty seamlessly. Already the patchouli is creating an earthy balmy creaminess which anchors the fragrance.

The flowers don’t shine and I have this weird feeling that jasmine is missing from the note list when vanilla slowly and perfectly smoothly slides through and brings with it the roses. Suddenly the whole fragrance gets to smelling like the ambivalent love child of Guerlain and Parfums de Rosine. Imagine if you crossed Oriental Brulant and Un Zeste de Rose, OK you’re getting the idea. It’s REALLY gorgeous through the heart, spellbinding.

The dry down is nice, nothing groundbreaking but it does stay around for ages. Waiting a soft vanilla/oud with whispers of rose.

WikiMedia

LuckyScent says: With Midnight Special, Olivier Pescheux transposes the mukhallat to a more Parisian format- the eau de parfum- keeping the focus on exceptional natural materials, but re-imagining it as a nocturnal elixir, with traditional elements of oud, rose, patchouli and spice given a cosmopolitan twist with a unique accord of rose jelly. The results are dynamic- dark, sensually smoky oud and luscious florals shine through, but the mouthwatering jelly accord, with its strong grapefruit facets, invigorates and energizes the heart notes, making an ancient formula feel vitally youthful. And a deep, rich and evocative base of oud and smooth, balanced vanilla lasts for untold hours, ensuring that the wearer will be turning heads well into the morning.

Midnight Special Ex Nihilo Arron Anon pexelsPDI

LuckyScent has $370/50ml and Samples

Do you ever get the LuckyScent sample packs?
Portia xx

Botticelli by Teone Reinthal for Teone Reinthal Natural Perfume 2015

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

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Kate Apted

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Hi APJ family!

One year, my poor mother gave up on her garden and in frustration, she threw all her seeds all over the remains of her failed attempt. She left nature to do its thing, unimpeded. She happens to like manicured English cottage gardens, where each plant is put in a spot for a purpose. She takes delight in tending to them and nurturing them with supports and regular feeding of nutrients. I, on the other hand, have an incredible attachment to wild cottage gardens that are overgrown and have eclectic flora. I relish with absolute delight in the surprise of finding new things and exploring the life within the seeming chaos. The scents are unpredictable and haphazard.

The garden worked. By next spring, nature had created a veritable oasis of flourishing peace. My mother was a little jealous that she had never quite executed a garden with the expertise nature had shown. The colours were exquisite, everything was healthy and there was space for so much to grow in complete harmony. The insect life that year was rich and abundant.

WikiMedia

I found a natural perfume a few months ago that replicates such a garden. It is called Botticelli and is made by a talented and highly creative woman named Teone Reinthal.

Botticelli by Teone Reinthal Natural Perfume 2015

Botticelli by Teone Reinthal

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, petitgrain
Heart: Jasmine sambac, damask rose, juniper berries
Base: Patchouli, ambrette (musk mallow), oakmoss, labdanum, vetiver

It opens with a creamy warmth that comes from a musk and oakmoss heat, while radiating a citrus heart that stays around for hours. Much like a breeze brings gentle scents in waves from a rich garden, Botticelli does the same. It weaves around with facets of citrus and rose and jasmine, with a lightness of a butterfly. Just when I think I’ve understood Botticelli, there is a shift and the musk reigns for a moment. While each of the notes are lovely, it is the waft of the whole composition that makes Botticelli incredible.

WikiMedia

I have a set of rules I use with this scent. I cannot wear this outside my home. I must apply it with a cotton ball that then gets stuffed inside my bra. I cannot wear it in the morning. I do not reapply it. It is almost as if Botticelli has its own nature that I cannot control and master. I cannot possibly know better! I suspect I get a little ‘away with the fairies’ whilst wearing Botticelli, so I think my rules are to protect me from dwelling in my inner universe when it isn’t appropriate. It meshes with my inner world in a way no other scent does, so when I need to be completely self composed I avoid Botticelli.
There is a wild woman, tribal elder quality to Botticelli that makes it sensuous, feminine and celebrates fertility in all its forms. At the same time, it has a barely constrained politeness to it that will not offend those in your presence. Mildly zesty and tart, yet mellow and creamy.

Teone Reinthal has Botticelli from $10/2ml Sample

Do you have scents that transport you to a place of personal happiness, where no one else can reach you? Or do you have quirky rules regarding a particular fragrance?

Until next time… Kate xx

Gekkou Hanami VdP by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for DSH Perfumes 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

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TinaG

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Hi APJ!

Cherry blossoms are a common sight in Sydney during spring. They are planted along nature strips and road verges, for reasons I don’t know. There is also a Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn Botanical Gardens which is hugely popular and a great ‘selfie’ opportunity for both old and young. I don’t know how this compares to the famous Cherry Blossom viewings in Japan, but I found Auburn very relaxing and fun.

My enjoyment of blossom season was enhanced by re-discovering their smell. Many spring florals, like cherry, intensify at night. You can stand under a cherry tree and find yourself surrounded by scent as it ‘falls’ down from the branches. I enjoyed the season so much that I started drafting an article on cherry and cherry blossom fragrances.

Flickr

But then: I was side-tracked from writing by a visit to Portia for tea one day – he’d just received a bunch of adorable little roller ball samples from DSH Perfumes. He picked one out for me to try, and guess what? It was a cherry blossom fragrance!! The one he chose was Gekkou Hanami. Don’t you love a bit of synchronicity??

Gekkou Hanami VdP by DSH Perfumes 2017

Gekkou Hanami VdP by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Gekkou Hanami (Sakura gazing in the Moonlight)

DSH Perfumes

DSH Perfumes give these featured accords:
Acacia Honey Absolute, Green Rose Leaves, Osmanthus, Rice absolute, Sake (accord), Sakura Blossom (accord), Ambrette Seed, Frankincense co2 Absolute, Hinoki, Virginia Cedar, Bulgarian Rose Otto, Osmanthus Absolute, Rosewater, Waterlily, Tunisian Neroli, Yuzu

Gekkou Hanami opens clean and slightly metallic with a burst of green cut flower stems supporting a delicate floral note. The cut flower effect slowly fades over 10 minutes to reveal the subdued lemony-style citrus of yuzu. Over time a combination of woody notes comes through, I get a cedar but there’s something in there which has a subtle dry grey smokiness.

Reapplying the fragrance a few times over the course of a day strengthens the notes in different ways – sometimes I get more florals, other times it takes on a sheer shimmering quality. I’m fascinated by the combined strength & gentleness of this fragrance. It is a breath of spring air that brings you to your senses, uplifting and grounding at the same time. I really enjoy it and wish that it had been in my life during the season just past. I’d love to try this as a spray and see how it opens up the fragrance. As it is, the little roller ball has lasted me ages – I’ve worn and re-worn this over a two week period and only used half of the sample.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Spring_Breeze_of_Yun_Shouping.jpgWikiMedia

Further reading: The Fragrant Journey and Redolent Mermaid
DSH Perfumes have Gekkou Hanami from $6 sample vials

Thank you Portia for the chance to try this beautiful gem!

Do you own or have you tried any DSH Perfumes?

Till next time,
Tina G

SOTD 16-22 October 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 163 Comments

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Portia

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Hi APJ,

I’d like to try something new here at APJ, I see these SOTD (Scent Of The Day) threads all the time on Facebook and they are really good conversation generators.

SOTD 16-22 October 2017

The idea is you’ll chime in through the week with whatever scent you are wearing. You don’t need to be super knowledgable, have high faluting tastes or be a published author to comment. Just tell us what fragrance you’re wearing, smelling, buying etc.

You probably won’t have time to write every scent, every spritz but whenever you feel the mood take you share your current spritz and a few things about it. Maybe you love/loathe it, want it, are excited by the notes/bottle/SA who sold it: WHATEVER! As always here at APJ, taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
This week:
Amouage Dia Parfum
DIOR Mitzah
Miller et Barter A Quiet Morning
Neela Vermeire Creations Rahele
Vintage CHANEL No 19 EdC
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Sunday.

Last Weeks Winner: FIRST WEEK!

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Go To It Crew.
Portia xxx

Scent Diary: 9.10 – 15.10.2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 44 Comments

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Portia

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Hi there Fragrance Family,

I don’t know why but there are hardly any pics of this week. I did as much as ever but seem to have forgotten to take happy snaps. That makes this weeks post much more perfume centric.

I’ve also started watching The Good Wife on Netflix and have been reading Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Both have been really enjoyable.

Book Depository

Scent Diary: 9.10 – 15.10.2017

Monday 9:

Jumped out of bed, rushed the dogs around food and walking. Sprayed a load of Penhaligon’s Ostara and smelled fabulous.

Jumped in the car and headed for my lovely girlfriend Sue’s, grabbed Wendy on the way and we had the most marvellous morning tea. I had a jacket made for Sue in India and so she decided to put on a magnificent spread. It was absolutely divine and I ate like a starving person. SO YUMMY!

There were mini crustless sandwiches, buttered fruit cake, fairy cakes and sausage rolls. All hand made from scratch by Sue. We talked about her days as a caterer and career as a teacher. We even had a business idea Drag Queen High Tea Hens Parties! Imagine how fun that would be.

After that I grabbed Anna Maria and we drove up the Blue Mountains to a Perfume Sale, where I bought a few things. Don’t get excited, only the Mona di Orios (Oiro & Carnation from 2006) are destined for me, the rest are Christmas gifts.

While Anna-Maria and I were shopping I asked her if she’d ever been to the Hydro Majestic. OMG! She hadn’t so we decided to pop up there and have a look. Secretly I was gunning for us to have High Tea there. He He he. TWO lavish tea parties in one day. We had the Champagne High Tea and it was stellar. Anna-Maria is the best company and we laughed and chattered the afternoon away. It was excellent fun.

Got home and really wanted to fall into a diabetic coma but Jin had organised to go to Kath and Alice in the evening to fix their electrics, and Kath’s shower screen.

We were so tired after that that there was no energy for dinner, nothing decent open at 10pm and we saw the golden arches. McDonalds it was. Delicious but, you know, awful, but DELICIOUS!

DEAD

Tuesday 10:

So, there was NO WAY I could then write this weeks Trivia Q&A because my mind was mush so up at 5am to start. Though I was still a bit groggy the work got done in time for Scott to arrive bearing coffees.

We went through some boxes and did a big cull for sale. Sorry, there are only available to Australia. There’s a Sale Doc on Aussie Fragrance Network on FB if you are Aussie and something grabs your fancy. Most are used but almost all are back up bottles of fragrances that I’ll probably never use the original bottle up.

Wore some vintage Guerlain Shalimar Parfum to bed and asked myself again why I wear anything else.

Wednesday 11:

I gave Jin a small amount of money for our Anniversary this year and his Christmas present to buy a shitty little run around car. He has been having a marvellous time looking up websites, meeting owners, test driving and genuinely enjoying the whole experience. Every couple of days he has been giving me updates about it and he is wholly invested in finding a bargain but workable car.

I have no recollection of Wednesday day at all. Seriously. I must have been sleepwalking. I know I took the dogs walking because I took a pic of Paris looking so happy as he sits on command.

I also indulged in a fruit salad, banana, apple, watermelon, cantaloup, pomegranate seeds and dates smothered in Greek yoghurt and honey. So freaking delicious and fulfilling.

Thursday 12:

We spent the early morning looking at complete wrecks for Jin’s car obsession. So no new car today. Bloody hell, the things people think are worthy.

My mate Aunty Sonni died. She left the house to friends. It’s in a VERY nice part of Sydney that I always used to tell my Mum I’d live in one day. We went to have a look at purchasing it but once we did the math it was going to make our very comfortable life a tight budget fit. Neither of us want to give up the luxury we currently enjoy so it’s a no. BUMMER!

I did have a fragrant arrival. Something I’ve been Jonesing for a while and it’s getting rare as hens teeth so I finally bit the bullet and bought it. It’s such a bummer because I remember when these babies were being run out and I could have got it for less than half the price I paid. Trust me to wait till now to fall in love. GRRRR! Tom Ford Ombre de Hyacinth.

My day was spent waving some CHANEL Antaeus Pour Homme vintage EdT, what a bloody gorgeous fragrance. Total immersion for the first 20 minutes and then a perfect scent story to dip into over the next few hours at will.

Friday 13:

Jin came home with a car. He had been talking to this guy and wife around the corner from his work. The car was a good price so he and a couple of his car savvy mechanic workmates jumped in the van and went round to see it at dinner time. They went over the car with a fine toothed comb, test drove it and were given the complete history of servicing receipts in a folder. The car is immaculate, looks brand new and drives beautifully. A 2002 Daihatsu, baby blue for nearly half the amount Jin had to spend. So I bought his first year of insurance and he will be getting new number plates.

Look at that happy face. How could you not love this goofy, handsome, sweetheart?

Dentist day! Went to town for a teeth clean. I love my dentist, so handsome and careful.

Today was spent wandering in original Fendi. one of my great perfume loves. There have been a new rush of Fendi to the market but it doesn’t have the size or longevity of the original, I have a few of both and this one is the real deal. Blow the back of your head off, happily.

TinaG’s birthday today and I am in charge of the birthday present shopping from the four of us. WOO HOO! I walked around the whole ground floor of David Jones City Store and finally settled on CHANEL. No 19 Shower Gel and Body Lotion, a mascara and lip gloss. Beautifully boxed and presented by Laura.

It was a huge hit. TinaG was so excited. YAY!!

We had dinner at our favourite Chinese restaurant Liu Rose. It has the same decor from when I was a toddler and used to come with my parents because it was two doors down from my parents jewellery, watchmaking and gift store.

The birthday cake was Bomb Alaska. OMFG! I seriously couldn’t finish my piece. Amazing.

For bedtime I spritzed some Guerlain Mitsouko EdT. Perfect bedtime scent.

Saturday 14:

At the computer most of this morning surrounded in a cloud of Guerlain Champs Elysees EdT. It is so dewy, fresh and elegant. I don’t understand why more people aren’t raving about it.

Had the most fabulous LUSH Rose Jam bubble bath, moisturised with Madonna Truth or Dare Naked lotion and spritzed Bal a Versailles EdT like crazy. I’m a little bit fragrant, Good Night. XX

Sunday 15:

Early morning wake up spritz of Neela Vermeire Creations Pichola.

This morning I was up early to give the house a quick zjush because my mate Evie came over for brunch while daughter Lola had singing lessons nearby. We walked the dogs and grabbed coffees from the local parklands coffee shop, chatting with residents and dogs along the way. I love the village atmosphere of North Parramatta. Then we came home and had a yummy brunch of left over chicken ratatouille chopped small and mixed with mayonnaise, cheese and lettuce on fresh wholegrain bread. Delicious.

Now I’m back at the computer organising blog posts till I get ready for work tonight.

Bubble bath in LUSH Rose Jam and work fragrance courtesy of DIOR Mitzah.

 

How was your week? What went on? Anything, any little tit bit that you want to share, we love to read it. Jump into the comments below. I can be fragrance related or not, help us get to know you just a little please.
Portia xx

Saturday Question: What Do You Wear To Travel?

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 65 Comments

.

Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

Every Saturday we have a Question, an idea purloined from Olfactoria’s Travels. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it is a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a $10 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Over 200 responses I will draw a $20 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Friday.

Last Weeks Winner:

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Saturday Question:

What Do You Wear To Travel?

It’s an old conundrum for me. I’m never quite sure what is the best option and usually either madly overpack or go in the opposite direction and leave myself without any choice at all. There is the flying scent, daytime scent, evenings, dressed up, casual, something to impress and something for comfort. Really that is just scratching the surface too.

Here is my current Scent Box, ready for travel and adventures.

Recently I have twice packed my scent box that goes in my checked baggage and left it on my desk. This leaves me with only the couple I carry onboard and if I’m very lucky a couple I’ve stashed in my wetpack.

My Answer:

Flying: This is the hardest one for me. I have a few favourites for flying but the number one for ease and comfort is The Different Company Oriental Lounge. Unlike many oriental fragrances it is sheer and light but still manages to smell great and lasts for even the longest flight. Even though I’m a crumpled and rumpled mess I smell fresh and warm, totally huggable.

On my one and only ever First Class trip I was showering in the Bangkok Thai First Class Lounge but had left my glasses outside with Michael. I grabbed a decant at random and triple spritzed. It was Mugler A*Men. I was ridiculously fragrant through the whole journey. Thank goodness I was in first and not Economy, the close quarters could have killed someone.
On the way back I dropped my bottle of The Different Company Oriental Lounge in the same bathroom. HA! Very dramatic, but the place smelled fabulous.

Daytime: My favourite ever travelling fragrance for days is vintage Miss Dior parfum. It fits every situation and smells completely different to anything else I smell on people the world over. I know I bang on about it endlessly but it is seriously the best choice for me.

A very close second are Jacomo Silences PdT and Niki de Saint Phalle. These dry green chypres are also poles apart from what the world is wearing so without being freaky my scent stands heard and shoulders above the rest of humanity.

Nights: Amouage Ubar is the winner here. I don’t always take it with me but when I do it gets worn almost every evening. It is easily my favourite Amouage fragrance and it works in the heat or cool.

One that I try to take every time is Guerlain Mitsouko EdT. When I think comfort crossed with haughty grandeur Mitsouko wins hands down. I also have so much, bought every time I see a bargain, that I love the chance to get it out and use it up. No matter where I am or what is happening Mitsouko fits the bill and smells bloody terrific.

My Saturday Question to you is:

What Do You Wear To Travel?

 

 

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

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Portia

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Hello Niche Nerds,

A few weeks ago a Press Sample of Parfumerie Generale Suede Osmanthe 5.1 arrived in the mail. It was two days before I left for India so naturally it got put aside in the flurry of organising. I grabbed it again and took it to meet Rasei Forte and Kerri Clarke recently for lunch so I could also gauge their reactions. Sometimes I worry that my own adoration of Pierre Guillaume colours the way I smell his fragrances. They all seem so flawlessly created, smooth where they should be, shocking or inventive, weird and wonderful. Yet, he manages to make even his most challenging scents wearable, comfortable to wear even. That’s quite a trick.

Pierre Guillaume is a fragrance free-radical. Running his empire of four brands from two large compounds, not owned or funded by the big boys and almost everything is put together there as it comes to us. He tries to keep as much of the production French, including bottles and packing. The more I know about him the more impressed I am by his acumen.

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Parfumerie Generale 2017

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Pierre Guillaume

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Aldehydes, black tea, osmanthus, apricot, suede, cashmeran, musk

Imagine apricot jam (verging on a marmalade, there’s a tartness to the sweet), black tea and a brand new expensive leather bag. If you can remember these three scents olfactorally, then you understand the premise behind the opening of Suede Osmanthe 5.1. For once I am not talking about a sideways perfume style hint towards the fruity jam, here I can smell it like it’s warming on my toast. Enjoy this beautiful opening for less than 10 minutes.

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 is beautiful. Sweet, green, fruity, plush suede and very sexy. Imagine if Daim Blond was amped towards canned fruit in sugar syrup and greened out.

I kind of have an idea what osmanthus smells like, Jin is far more able to pick it than I. To me it is like a creamy green floral but Jin says I have not really captured the interest or essence of osmanthus in my short description. So, obviously, Your Mileage May Vary.

Parfumerie Generale has from €68/30ml
LuckyScent has $125/50ml and Samples

Which is your favourite Pierre Guillaume scent?
Portia xx

 

Friends: Circle of Pedicures

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

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Portia

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Hello APJ Crew,

Veering slightly off topic today. A couple of the comments on Scent Diary lately have loved how many friends we fit into our lives every week. It’s super important that we catch up with the inner crew but also there are mates that we see much less. This is one of the ways I manage to keep seeing as many of the crew as possible.

Just so you know I’m sitting in a lovely cloud of CHANEL Antaeus Pour Homme vintage EdT. It is fairly gorgeous.

Friends: Circle of Pedicures

Here’s the trick.

Choose a day that’s really easy for you 90% of the time. This is about YOU having a group of friends around. If some people can’t fit your schedule, no worries, others will.

We chose 10am Sunday morning. We are the first people in the shop and even if it takes an hour we still get to Yum-Cha (Dim-Sum) before it gets too busy to find a table.

Find a good nail shop somewhere in the middle of you all. Look up reviews online. It needs some kind of food next door or nearby. We prefer Yum-Cha but a cafe, restaurant, milk bar is fine as long as you can sit and chatter some more.

Select about 20 people that you like, love or would like to know better and find out which of them gets pedicures done. This bit is best done face to face to get the most positive response. People will make up excuses in their head if they’re not looking at your earnest, honest face asking to spend extra time together. Currently on my Pedicure list there are 12 people. As time goes by you’ll delete and add to the list, some people get busy on the day you .

Every 2-4 weeks send your group a text asking who’s free and interested. You will rarely get everyone but it is an excellent way to catch up with whoever is available. Also, as soon as your Pedi Time becomes a thing new people will want to join.

Sometimes I only target the friend/s that I really want to see and we go as a two/three/four some.

We find it a zero stress way of getting together, exactly the right amount of time for catch ups and no one has to clean their house for guests.

Some people will choose to skip the pedi some weeks and just come for the food or vice-versa. No sweat, whatever works for them.

Always ring the Pedicure Store two days before so they can have enough staff on hand.

So there’s the trick, it works a treat.
Portia xx

Yes, I know. My hairy Hobbit feet look funny with polish but I don’t care.