Author: australianperfumejunkiescom

Liz Zorn’s SOIVOHLE: reviewing the uber-niche

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hi Everyone,

I hope this finds you happy and well but if not, remember; It gets BETTER.
Recently I came across an interesting niche perfume company. I can’t remember where I heard or read the name but I was intrigued. Googling today I couldn’t find anyone in my blog reader list who’d written about SOIVOHLE and now I’m completely flumoxed. When I wrote to Liz Zorn the ranges creator I mentioned Muse In Wooden Shoes but now I can’t find the pithy intro about how they have the best named fragrances of all time, interesting new potions etc etc. If you were the person that put me onto this crew; Thank You! Seriously, I went and purchased smallish sprays of Harbinger and Rose Sur Reuse and am gasping at the contradictions in one and the divine, must wear it again, can a fragrance really smell this good-ness of the other. (So update- I found the piece and if you click Muse In Wooden Shoes you can read it)

SOIVOHLE = Sending Out Inspired Vibrations Of Healthy Loving Energy (pronounced See-Vo)

Liz Zorn the creative genius behind the SOIVOHLE range describes herself and her motivations on the website thus:

“I have always been somewhat of a dreamer, the old saying I suppose, that artists live in their heads. I am no exception, if I were not constantly mulling over ideas about my next project, I might be able to get to that Zen place everyone raves so much about. In the moment, I can do that. For an artist it is the process or being in the creative zone. A place where the intangible becomes tangible. Where ideas (the head stuff) gets worked out in real time. I can not remember a time in my life when I was not on a mission. I am a purpose driven individual. A pragmatist that lives in her head. A practical dreamer.”


Columbine: Liz Zorn 2000 from http://www.lizzorn.com

Liz Zorn comes from a fine arts background, is a poet, painter, photographer, songwriter, is featured in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who of American Women. As if that’s not enough for one lifetime, now Liz is conquering the fragrance world with delicious, confrontational, sparkling and story filled scents, some of them all four at once.

Liz uses both natural and synthetic ingredients in her fragrances, in many the naturals are alone, in mixed media compositions synthetics are blended with naturals. Currently she is having to add all the IFRA restricted ingredients to her labels so you can make your own choices.

Rose Sur Reuse: Eau de Toilette


Roses are ubiquitous in fragrance, like musk, bergamot, orange blossom and patchouli. Roses are also hard. It is hard for me to like a rose fragrance although when I say that there are a few in my library (No 5, Shalimar, Samsara, Rush, Dreamer, Tresor, Fracas and others) and mostly they are old favourites revisited regularly, but none of these feel like a rose soliflor. I know it’s Rose and Tuberose but for me the rose is way on top throughout the lifespan of Rose Sur Reuse. This is an intoxicating fragrance; warm, boozy and musty it springs to life warming on my skin to a symphonic boom. It is a gentle but pervasive scent. Every now and then as I move a rush of spicy gorgeous bursts from my top and surprises me with its rich and voluptuous tapestry of roses. It’s a changing, never cloying or too rose-ish, fragrance that dances along beside you for around 5 hours when it dries down to a whisper of the orient. This is as FBW as a scent can get. Liz and her crew tried for an all weather rose scent and I think they’ve found it, this was released in 2012 so you’ll be the first person you know with Rose Sur Reuse. To me, a very accessible fragrance that fills a void I never thought I would have. Rose Sur Reuse notes are intense roses and tuberose, black raspberry accord, cinnamon, cloves, violet and a light oriental base.

Harbinger: Mixed Media Demi Absolute (18-22% concentration)


I am surprised that my assessment of Harbinger as a perfume of contradictions is exactly what the website says (moment to huff on nails and buff on jumper) in its opening gambit. Maybe I remembered from buying. This is a grown up scent that I think is currently beyond my ken as a baby perfumista. I don’t particularly like the slightly fetid smell of the sea in this fragrance, it’s a little bit like summer yabbying on the salty mudflats of my childhood in Coal & Candle Creek, is this cumin? The Muse In Wooden Shoes says it smells dirty and sexy but I don’t get it. I think I’m missing a major point though. I cooked with cumin tonight for dinner and it didn’t smell like this in the Tupperware or pan. I will come back to this bottle and try it again in a while. I do love its journey, there is a sweetness and lightness about Harbinger that I enjoy but like its name I feel that there is another scent coming that does not seem to appear on my skin. The notes on the site list cumin, honey absolute, white roses, Saigon cinnamon, ripe peaches, white orchid, roasted coffee beans, caramel, labdanum absolute, radiant musk accord and SOIVOHLE’s own Chypre base. (These notes sound more like Tobacco & Tulle smells, it’s like they were mixed up) Interestingly, Fragrantica doesn’t mention cumin but has caraway instead. This fragrance is tenacious, nearly 12 hours and still powering away in a softer, less invasive way but I am still not loving it.

Tobacco & Tulle: Natural Absolute extract (30-50% concentration)


This is a delicious wonder, it smells like fresh, hot, buttered raisin toast to me; quite close to apple crumble. I can’t believe these notes give such a fruit, yeasty, cinnamon, buttered and toasted, almost a burnt, scent. Warm, cosy and inviting but with some darkness and depth underlying, notes include tobacco absolute, tuberose absolute, earthy natual musk from hyrax tincture and ambergris. This is a showstopper of a fragrance, I used the merest dab from a sample wand and it has filled my senses to overflowing with deliciousness. I probably used too little but Tobacco & Tulle was gone after 4 hours with no traces left. I will try it again soon and edit this post if more juice equals more staying power.

OK update, yes I had too little perfume for my perfume hungry skin. Using more gives me lasting power around 5-6 hours before I lose all sense of it.

Rivertown Road: Absolute Pour Homme


A sample vial of Rivertown Road was my Free Gift with purchase. The spiel says inspired by rivers, river towns and river people. Headstrong, Independant and Proud! It rides the fence between Chypre and Fougere.
It is a warm lusty fragrance that speaks to me of river towns in Vietnam, Thailand and India, especially the Kerala riverboat adventures. It’s almost like the Indian fragrance oils. So many flowers, leaves, twigs and spices all in one place, it is hyper fragrance for fearless adventurers. Bold and bright, Rivertown Road burns an indelible trace across my memory rewriting much that has gone before. The notes on the site read like a roll call of everything ever put into a fragrance
Opening Notes: French Lavender, Dominican Bay, Key Lime, Bergamot
Heart Notes: Dry White Violet, Seville Lavender Absolute, Jasmine Sambac, Green Roses, Saigon Cinnamon, Mimosa Absolute, Tobacco Absolute, Carnation Accord, Foin Coupe (mown hay) Absolute,  Tonka Bean Tincture
Base Notes: Tolu Essence, Animalic Musk, Cedar Wood Oil, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Haitian Vetiver, Beach Ambergris, Liquidambar, Nutmeg Absolute, Oakmoss Accord, Aged Patchouli

You want to try this fabulous crew? Click> SOIVOHLE and it will take you to the Home Page.

Thanks for reading all the way. It was a long one today.

Much love,

Portia xx

PS All pictures from the SOIVOHLE site

Australian Perfumers: Steven Broadhurst of Tommi Sooni

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

By Evie C.

Regular readers of this blog may remember reading Portia’s March review of EdTS II from Australian perfume house Tommi Sooni.  Portia was so impressed that we sought out the creator of the Tommi Sooni brand – Steven Broadhurst.  Steven is another one of Australia’s ‘perfumers-to-watch’ and he was kind enough to share his thoughts with us about his perfume journey.

Could you tell us a little about the catalyst for your creation of a perfume brand in Australia? What were you doing at the time you decided to launch Tommi Sooni and how long did it take you to get Tommi Sooni off the ground?

I was in Paris in 2004 and experiencing the wonderful perfumes of this great city. It struck me that Australia did not have a perfume of the same artistry and quality. I then became determined to fill the Australian perfume void. At the time I was working as a photographer but looking for a new career direction.  Our first perfume, Tarantella took 4 years of banging my head against the wall, plus a few breaks until it was released in 2008.

Could you tell me a little more about your life before perfume and why you decided to pursue a different path?

As a photographer I had worked in New York as an assistant on Vogue shoots and then for Andy Warhol’s ‘Interview’ magazine. In Australia some of my clients included: Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Penguin Books and various fashion labels. I still do the images for Tommi Sooni and love creative the freedom I have. Why the career change? The perfume bug bit hard!

Did you have a formal education in perfume or are you self-taught?

Completely self-taught. Basically I pushed my way in but I was passionate (and I think I have a natural talent for inspiring talent in others) so doors opened for me.

Could you tell us a little about the process by which you work with Brett Schlitter to create Tommi Sooni fragrances?

A perfume brief takes at least a year for me to create. I spend serious research time developing the character of the perfume I can smell in my head but then I need to inspire others to formulate the perfume.

The brief is then presented to Brett and his team and we discuss possible directions for Brett to take. Available ingredients, budget and a time line all come into the discussions. A creative director needs to allow for change and flexibility while focusing on the end product. A lot of juggling goes on over the months and it is my responsibility to manage the direction of the fragrance.

Why did you decide to launch a perfume brand in Australia where the culture of ‘perfume’ is somewhat limited?

‘Why not!’ is the simple answer. As I live in Australia I wanted to have a perfume brand with ‘made in Australia’ on the bottle, something we could all be proud of.

How do you think the culture of perfume in Australia has changed since you launched your brand in 2004?

Certainly niche perfume has come into focus since 2004 but there are still very few retailers who are willing to take on brands that are not household names. The lack of visionary retailers here has forced us to focus on the overseas market. We would love to have a higher profile here at home but without the support of journalists and retailers the choice of Australian perfumes will remain limited.

Do you have any mentors/inspirations in the perfume world?

Certainly I admire Joe Garces of Robert Piguet. He brought the brand back from the dead and remained honest to the brilliant work of Germaine Cellier. His new perfumes are also to be admired.

Do you have a favourite mass-market perfume?

Joy – its brilliance is beyond its imitators.

Do you have a favourite independent perfumer?

Andy Tauer is a non-stop rocket of energy and he is a lovely guy to boot. He has done a lot to bring attention to indie perfumers. He has broken into the mainstream through a combination of talent, luck and intelligence – a pioneer.

Do you have a signature scent?

My signature scent is the scent I am working on. I wear it to bed, the office, dinner parties and the gym. Today I am wearing Eau de Tommi Sooni 111

What is your philosophy regarding the use of natural ingredients as opposed to synthetics?

For me the ideal perfume is a combination of both. Naturals alone can often seem a little flat and I’ve yet to smell a totally synthetic perfume I’ve liked. I have no problem with including synthetics in Tommi Sooni fragrances. We only use safe ingredients in our perfumes. We also use a very high percentage of naturals. Our perfumes are very expensive to produce because of our insistence in using only top quality ingredients.

What do you see as the most important trend in perfume currently?

A trend towards vintage. Better quality perfumes with quality ingredients. I’m not talking about smelling like our grandparents but echoing the qualities of the great perfumes and giving them a contemporary twist.

Do you think it’s financially viable to be a perfumer in Australia?

Yes, but do your homework and don’t just concentrate on the domestic market.

Could you describe a typical Tommi Sooni customer?

Generally female, someone who insists on quality and artistry in perfume and is not afraid to stand out from the crowd. Our male customers also have strong characters and are happy to wear a fragrance that reflects their individual personality.

How significant is the international side of your business?

It is very important to us and we are concentrating on markets that appreciate an Australian perfume brand that is every bit as good as those from Europe or the USA.

How significant is the online side of your business and do you think it is viable to run a perfume business entirely online?

Online is both good for sales and for presenting the personality of your brand. I would recommend a combination of retail and online for selling perfume.

Could you tell us a little about your upcoming release Passarelle?

This Australian-inspired eau de parfum was a tough project but the results are very beautiful and I am extremely proud we were able to reflect an aspect of Australia without having to fall back on the clichés we all know. Passerelle is a bouquet of Australian native florals and woods surrounded by a scattering of exotic golden flora.

When you wear Passerelle close your eyes. An elegant armful of beautiful flowers with freshly cut green stems will engulf you. Passerelle is a very feminine perfume with a distinctive Australian character. Inspired by the French explorers who came to Australia in the early 19th century who took back native flora and fauna to France, Passerelle translated means bridge or catwalk and is the fragrant bridge between the cultures of Australia and France.

Are you able to tell us anything about your tentative 2013 release?

All I can say is the eau de parfum you refer to is our longest project to date and is inspired by an Armenian artist. The results so far are outstanding and I can’t wait to try Brett’s next submission.

Steven’s fragrances are available online at Tommisooni.com

 

 

DIOR: Shanghai Spring/Summer 2012 highlights

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Hey Fellow Fumeheads,

Having adored it all my life I studied Fashion in the 1980’s and there is a thrill still left for me in the words Yves Saint Laurent, Vivenne Westwood, Hermes, Donna Karan, Gucci, Thierry Mugler, Louis Vuitton, Gianni Versace and of course Christian Dior. There are many more names that could have been in this list but these names are the ones that have stuck in my head and which I associate with the longing I felt for high fashion while having neither the budget, body or where with all to be it. There was a spate of label purchasing through my 20’s and 30’s of usually off beat, unwanted, ready-to-wear pieces that had found their way to the discount stores in Europe and the USA, some house store sale shopping and the very rare in-season piece that I couldn’t live without. What I did do through these years though was buy ties, shoes, belts and fragrance from the big guys, giving me a taste of my dreams without losing the shirt off my back.


Photo Stolen from gatshfros.blogspot.com

For the rest I have stolen runway ideas and thrown them into my costumes; a collar, cuff, colour or treatment that moved me each season. Not to be up to date but because I was inspired by the bevy of amazing things done. Most of it was grown out of and handed down to the next generation and sometimes I see a newbie in bits and pieces of something I made 20 years ago.


Photo Stolen from internationalposter.com

My favourite designer purchase I ever wore was a gold/orange and dark coffee Thierry Mugler footed catsuit with the Thierry Mugler TM as the LV in open mockery of Louis Vuitton luggage. It was funny and silly and I wore it a lot. Its first ever wear was at the Cannes Film Festival to be interviewed by Ruby Wax while we were there promoting Priscilla: Queen of the Desert in 1994, or 1995? Cool huh?


Photo Stolen from egodesign.ca

Why have I included this long and seemingly pointless preamble? I came across this awesome video of the Shanghai DIOR show from March and realised that I am completely without a fragrance from Christian Dior in my Wardrobe. I love Diorissimo, Dune, J’Adore, Poison, Eau Savage, Fahrenheit and Dior Homme but have not purchased any of them for years, maybe because it’s so easy to go to a counter and get a squirt when the mood takes me, maybe not. It seems a glaring omission and I think I’ll have to rectify it during the week.

No reviews or anything today. Sorry. It’s Sunday and sunny and I want to be out among it. Wearing Soivohle; Rosa Sur Reuse and am quite liking it though. Maybe I’ll review it for you someday.
Have a super lovely day,
Portia xx

Please enjoy this short and sweet look at Shanghai DIOR Spring/Summer 2012.

Giselle talks Liberte by Cacharel, WEEKLY WINNER ANNOUNCED

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hi Gang,

We had a wonderful set of COMPETITION GIVEAWAY responses this week and I enjoyed reading them all. Some great and personal stories you shared. In the prize pack;

Opus Oils Jitterbug Perfume Parlour Venus perfume oil sample

1.5ml decant spray of Miss Boucheron EdP

1.5ml decant spray of Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete EdT

Part manufacturers samples of Parfum d’Empire Cuir Ottoman EdP and Ambre Russe EdP

plus postage and packing to anywhere in the world

Tonight’s


Photo Stolen from sistersavealot.com

is Penny Cascio

Congratulations Penny! Please get in touch by Wednesday May 9 or I’ll give your prize to someone else.

In the video offering tonight Giselle Bundchen talks about life, love and Liberte by Cacharel (orange, patchouli, white flowers, vetiver, bergamot). A surprisingly effortless conversation with depth and understanding, Giselle shows she is more than the images we get of her in the press. I enjoyed watching it and I LOVE Liberte (Portia’s APJ Review), which is sadly discontinued but available at many of the online fragrance sale stores (FragranceNet 2.5oz under $40)

Have a great Saturday, see you tomorrow,
Portia xx

PS> I am not affiliated with any of the companies I extoll.

The New Cupboard

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hi All,

Don’t forget to leave a comment in the COMPETITION GIVEAWAY post yesterday

Since being inspired and awed by Victoria who recently won the 2012 Editorial Excellence – Blog/E-Zine Fifi for “Luxury vs Function in Perfumery” Bois de Jasmin, March 15, 2011 (Congratulations and snaps Victoria, all hail the reigning Queen) I have been trolling the web even more to learn what makes a great and interesting blogger, to me. There is so much out there. All of us at different levels, everyone getting their say. So democratic. It’s hard to keep up with everyone, especially when many blogs don’t have a delivered to your inbox button. So the people I read every day come to my inbox (about 17) and then I troll for the rest, yes I know about RSS feed but always forget to check it till Sunday.

According to the scentbloggosphere there are a few stages we go through from regular Jo to Perfumista. On the Posh Peasant while purchasing decants from my GIFT CERTIFICATE!! (thanks to TSO Jin, what a guy) I found a 2007 article by Angela, who seems to have hit my story on the head at Now Smell This with her Becoming A Perfumista story . Although it doesn’t mirror my experience exactly it did feel spooky and familiar. It’s good to know I’m not alone. Here is the crux of her story;

Stage One; Strong Interest. Love perfume, have a few, follow releases.

Stage Two: Beginning Perfume Mania. Nearly finished here. Learning ingredients, looking for something special, finding like minded people.

Stage Three: Full Blown Perfume Mania. Moving towards here. Must try every fragrance ever made, writing blog, doing course (soon)

Stage Four: Connoisseurship. Love perfumes, have a wardrobe of incredibly special ones, follow releases but with knowledge

So The Significant Other, Jin, and I trotted off to IKEA to buy a new cupboard for perfumes, decants, decanting supplies, mail needs, and boxes on one side and all my Turbo Trivia and P T Palace homestay needs on the other. It has changed my life having a handyman superhero around the house, imagine being this happy putting a cabinet together. Thanks universe. It’s the woolly winter house socks that give him special powers BTW. Ari on Scents of Self recently did a gag about the suspenseful IKEA how to booklets but watching Jin whip up a complete unit in around an hour was Ah May Zing! It would have taken me the whole day and not turned out looking like a cupboard at all.

When I get my office to a state where photographs won’t incriminate me as a messy desk person I will shoot some in situ shots. It does look rather good all set up and full of the businesses of being me.

Thanks for dropping in I thought you might like this super model laden D&G ad.
It’s fun, and they make it look effortless.

Much love,
Portia xx

JAZZ by YSL, Thursday GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Hey all,

What a week we’ve had here at AustralianPerfumeJunkies. As the weather cools here we are probably doing temperature crossovers with the Northern Hemisphere.

When I was a teenager still in Fashion School but working weekends I bought myself a bottle of JAZZ by YSL. Although I’d had different fragrances before from family and friends this was the first time I felt like I had a scent of my own. I still keep a bottle but much of the oomph seems to have left it over time and reformulation sadly. There is still a lingering thrill though when I put it on, a frission of excitement when that spicy, sparkly, herbal squeak as you spray that is both warm and cool hits your nostrils, its steady progression through musky, resinous florals to its leather, earth and woods base. More people should wear this lovely 1986 Woody Aromatic by Jean-Francois Latty for Yves Saint Laurent, a lovely fit for discerning men and women everywhere, not to mention dirt cheap online. And being so yesterday hardly anyone will recognise it, it will be your own scent as it has been mine on and off for over 25 years (OMFG! How did that happen?). When I wear JAZZ, then as now, you can bounce rocks off my self confidence. JAZZ is the scent of centre, the cool calm feeling of being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right thing to say. Although there were plenty of other times I wore JAZZ when things went regularly, or horribly wrong, more often than not it was JAZZ that was there during my early wins.


Photo Stolen from shoppingheavendotnet

This week we’ve done some interesting stuff and we’d like to share some of our discoveries with you in our Thursday GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!

How to enter?

Please give us a short perfume memory in the comments about your first scent that you really feel you owned, that you felt supremely comfortable in.

As we met the Opus Oils Jitterbug Perfume Parlour and their all natural Divine Collection I thought I’d give the rest of my Venus perfume oil sample for you to try.

Then we talked about Miss Boucheron EdP, how about a 1.5ml decant spray so you can have a go at that

Guerlain Terracotta Voile d’Ete was our next target so a 1.5ml decant spray of that also

And then we had our huge 2 day special on Parfum d’Empire so you can have what’s left of my Cuir Ottoman and Ambre Russe manufacturers samples, which were generous to begin with (I have Full Bottles, I’m not depriving myself)

plus postage and packing to anywhere in the world

We want to thank you all for returning each day. Today after you’ve entered the draw please enjoy the 1992 ad for JAZZ by YSL.

Much love and hope for your well being,

Portia xx

Parfum d’Empire, Fragrance Reviews

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Hi Stinkophiles,

Today we are looking at 4 of the Parfum d’Empire range of fragrances. I’m glad I’ve had a couple of days to do this because they have been so delicious, interesting and fun to wear, not to mention totally enjoyable to look up on different sites all the reviews, chatter, science and mystery surrounding them. Considering how little we know about the perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato there is a wealth of information about his fragrances, which has made my job easier and harder in equal measure. What to put in, what to leave out, what is true, fantasy, science, madness or necessary to give a complete picture? The samples were bought from the Parfum d’Empire website, all of them were purchased late 2011 and I had tried only a couple and from that have 2 unopened bottles awaiting a suitable opening ceremony.  I hope you enjoy this short journey through about a third of the range. This is not a favourite list it is merely a random snapshot of the magicians art of fragrance in one house. I will give you my first impressions in words then work through the fragrance as my often wonky nose takes me through each perfume. Come.

Eau de Gloire EdT

The first fragrance that Parfum d’Empire brought to the world in 2005, modeled on Marc-Antoine Corticchiato’s scent memory of his boyhood home Corsica, literally translated as Water of Glory and dedicated as an homage to all those who’ve left their homelands to go into the world and conquer. Especially to his own home island boy Napoleon Bonaparte.


Photo Stolen from telegraph.co.uk

Bracing, Citrus, Salt, Squeaky, Floral, Masculine

WOW! This opens with a powerhouse icy cold screech of bergamot, citrus twig and broken branch and briny sea air then the herbs and flowers come and take the edge off. As the rosemary, lavender and star anise waltz in they warm the scent slightly but still it stays cool and laid back. I don’t believe in fragrances for the sexes but I keep imagining Eau de Gloire on a very masculine man though I would love to see how it smells on a woman. There is a squeaky dissonance here, the trilling of the citrus which lasts well into the heart of the fragrance and the rumbling of the incense, anise, oakmoss and tobacco. Unfortunately my nose misses the tea and leather in the composition completely, maybe you will have more luck. At about 3-4 hours I get more soft and flowery notes over the various resins, this fragrance grows more interesting and textured as it matures. At 7 hours it is soft as butterfly kisses and almost as ephemeral.

Fragrantica gives you the low down but Olfactoria’s Travels really does this lovely fragrance justice.

Osmanthus Interdite EdP

The French missionary and plant hunter, Jean Marie Delavay in the mid 19th century “discovered” Osmanthus (O. fragrans), a native of the GuiLin area of China (GuiLin means “Forest of Osmanthus” in Chinese). Osmanthus is a fast growing “bushy” tree that can grow 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide with glossy leaves and clusters of small, highly fragrant, yellow tubular flowers. Traditionally a symbol of love and romance and one of the 10 famous flowers in China and Taiwan.

Photo Stolen from trax2

Green, Crisp, Fresh, Light, Cold tea, High florals.

Osmanthus Interdite, which means Forbidden Osmanthus, is like arriving late for the presentation of tea during the cooler days of  jasmine and rose blooming. Honestly, I don’t smell jasmine and rose as I know them in life, this is an aloof, cool and soft scent on my skin, not a clean scent but reminiscent of cleanliness. Discernible and noticeable without a fanfare or scream, this is no bombastic floral. It is an old perfumed leather pair of driving gloves kept in perfect condition but worn, used and loved. The leather notes are far gone but you still can almost smell them, do I make sense? Almost as if they have become soaked with the wearers tea scented perfume and bodily fragrance over time, on top of a soft floral fragrance impregnated into the leather pre-purchase. They work side by side to create an intriguing unisex dichotomy through the heart. At the 8 hour point and there is still a whiff of something lovelier than me, faint and clean.

Here is Fragrantica and Abigail at I Smell Therefore I Am gives a 5 star rating to this luscious juice. WOW!

Wazamba EdP

Wassamba or Wassahoumba is a percussion instrument or disc rattle played rhythmically in loud, penetrating pulses by dancers during ceremonies in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Made of gourd and white wood the Wassamba usually weights about half a kilo.


Photo Stolen from ancestralmemory.com

Char, Sparkle/fizz , Olive green, Incense, Bark, Intense

Once the initial screaming, burning rush of Wazamba cools it becomes another perfume, churchy and sepulchral. It reminds me of years spent in Roman Catholic churches and the theatre and drama of religion. I think it’s interesting that many ceremonies of religious and tribal spiritual cleansing over the world smell similar. Having never been to West Africa personally, a neighbour once bought back a good luck talisman in the form of a fragrant pillow of woven grasses with smokey herbs, spices and incense inside, this has almost the same smell. What a powerhouse of memory and reflection Wazamba has been for me. A fragrance that wanders through a thousand shades of itself, more a journey than a scent. You must try this. Wazamba gave its all for about 5 hours and then became a skin scent, discernible to my partner as something other but lost to me.

Fragrantica for the notes and accords, but you must take time to read the Perfume Shrine‘s review, it covers everything and more, that I wish I could have said. Snaps!

Cuir Ottoman EdP


Photo Stolen from settemuse.it

Heat, Medicine, Booze, Fire, Hot new patent leather, Rubber, Road tar

OMG!! This opens like a Banshee wailing on my skin. It’s infernal and smells like I imagine being in Paul Chenavard’s (1807-1895), Inferno di Dante would smell like if they were burning tyres and a road in the background while drinking Kentucky bourbon in a hospital. I can’t believe I am smelling these things and wish I had a fragrant Godmother here so I could talk it through. WOW! Awesome MC AWESOME! After about 15 minutes Cuir Ottoman starts to breathe a bit, there’s air between the notes and I have a moment to think, leather, sweet leather and the flowers have arrived. There is a softening and prettying of the abrasive opening, we are covered in luscious leather and blossom and root. By the one hour mark we have arrived at the seraglio, beautiful full lipped sweating women, incense, hookah, floral unguents, leather and horses. There is still a beautiful ride and drydown to dark vanilla and spice but that is hours and hours away.


Photo Stolen from believerwoman

The Scented Hound has done a lovely review of Iskander by Parfum d’Empire today also, go check him out,

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed our mini trek through the Parfum d’Empire range. I think I’ll do another set of four next month for you all,

Happy, fragrant and loving hopes for your day,
Portia xx

Parfum d’Empire: Marc-Antoine Corticchiato

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Hi Everyone,

A fragrance house and its makers story have inspired me again this week. Hopefully this tiny snapshot of the scientist, perfumer and artist Marc-Antoine Corticchiato whets your appetite for tomorrows fragrance reviews from the house, Parfum d’Empire.


Photo Stolen from parfumdempire

Marc-Antoine Corticchiato is the handsome, urbane looking man in the photograph we all find on the front page of the Parfum d’Empire site. Considering his good looks and ability, his obvious charm (from the French videos I watched, but didn’t understand) and that his fragrance house is a continuing financial and critical success I am surprised there isn’t more information about him flying around the scentbloggosphere. I have stolen wholesale and remixed outrageously from the 2 best sources I could find; an interesting and informative interview on CafeFleurBon that you will be well rewarded should you take the 5 minutes to read it and the media fantasy that may be reality on the Parfum d’Empire site.

Born in Morocco, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato’s family hails from Corsica and he grew up in the village of Cuttoli Corticchiato, deep in the Corsican maquis (as Corsicans refer to the local bushland) and in Morocco at the family citrus groves. A competition horse rider, at an early age he considered becoming a professional equestrian. It was not to be; thank all the Gods and goodness itself.

“As a child, I was not especially attracted by perfumes but rather by plant scents, because I was curious about the different smells of a plant (through) the day or at various time of the year, even of the season. I was also curious about the great variety of plant smells…. ” Marc-Antoine Corticchiato

This drive to understand mysteries of scent production in, and why this fragrance varies through the life of, aromatic plants led Marc-Antoine to study chemistry. He developed a new technique to analyse extracts of aromatic plants through carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR: an important tool in the chemical structure elucidation of organic chemistry; wikipedia) for his Ph.D., then training at the renowned École Internationale de Parfumerie de Versailles (ISIPCA).

Going on to work in a research laboratory focused on the analysis of aromatic plants and extraction methods, for years he “dissected” natural raw materials and acquired in-depth knowledge of them, their characteristics and various uses. His work has been publishing in international scientific reviews.


Photo Stolen from cafleurebon.com

His first blends were aromatherapy, teaching him to work towards therapeutic and olfactory goals simultaneously. He joined a Parisian perfume laboratory after carrying out this research for several years, where he found the opportunity to express his creativity more fully.

“Finally, I decided to create my own fragrances and I founded PARFUM D’EMPIRE in 2003 because I wanted to express my own vision of perfume…. I was inspired by all these Corsican people who have left their country to get a better life in different parts of the world…… The most well-known of  them is of course Napoleon… (who said) “Eyes closed, in the darkest night, if by some miracle I were transported to Corsica. I would recognise it immediately by its smell. “….. So do I.…. For all these people, the scent of the Corsican scrubland is still their favorite perfume.” Marc-Antoine Corticchiato

Through perfume Marc-Antoine expresses the emotion conjured by blends of the most beautiful raw materials, coveted for centuries for their refinement, aphrodisiac properties and use in sacred rituals. Even going so far as to set up a production unit for essential oils in Madagascar. It is the link between perfume, eroticism and spirituality that he has revived with his fragrance house Parfum d’Empire.

“Founding my own brand PARFUM D’EMPIRE was a real challenge!  I did it to be free to create with the noblest raw materials.…My perfumes are an invitation to explore the most complex and mysterious of empires: the realm of the senses.” Marc-Antoine Corticchiato


Photo Stolen from bilan.ch

Marc-Antoine also teaches at ISIPCA (Institut supérieur international du parfum, de la cosmétique et de l’aromatique alimentaire).

I wish I could find more but I think much of his interesting story must be hidden in French text, beyond my reach. Tomorrow though we will let the perfumes speak for themselves.

Thanks for reading, now it’s time for you to share. Do you have a Marc-Antoine or Parfum d’Empire story to share with us? We’d love to read it. Leave a message in the comments,

Portia xx

“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future” Coco Chanel

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

By Evie C.

A woman’s perfume tells more about her than her handwriting.
Christian Dior

A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.
Coco Chanel

My perfume adventure is not going well.  I have discovered that I have neither the taste of Turin nor the omnivoric appetites of those perfumistas who post such regular and explicit reviews.  It seems my nose is tone deaf.  I should not be writing about perfume at all.

I googled perfume quotes in an attempt to find inspiration for this blog and the first two that appeared are above.   Coco Chanel’s seemed particularly ominous.

I started a new job today.   Before she left for the day one of my new colleagues sprayed herself with Paul Smith’s ‘Rose’.  Several people commented and it was indeed a lovely counterpoint to a long day but not something I would have wanted to be surrounded by all day.  I envied her that signature scent though, as it clearly had meaning for her and seemed a fabulous pick-me-up at the end of the day.

I don’t know how you all do it.  ‘Best-of’ lists and trying to settle on a favourite genre/note are clearly not the way forward.  I see now that one cannot be scientific about trying to identify a favourite.  Perhaps someone out there has broken a similar olfactory block?  Or perhaps some of us just don’t get it? Discuss . . .

BBC documentary “Guerlain; The Next Generation”, Terracotta Voile d’Ete Review

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Hi Fume Heads, Stink Whores, Perfume Junkies and all others,

Just had the most wonderful lunch with friends down at Blue Fish, Darling Harbour off Sydney Harbour, chatting away to a girl who I’ve met a couple of times and liked very much. Had NO IDEA that she was the girl to set up Le Labo bar here in Sydney, has met most of the world’s most recognisable perfumers and many noses, and wants to be my scent mother. Helping, teaching, exploring!! She has even offered to do some guest spots here on AustralianPerfumeJunkies. OMFG! I am blowing kisses to the universe and to my BFF Kath who started the conversation about AustralianPerfumeJunkies today over the most ENORMOUS seafood platter.

It’s Sunday and I’m dropping this in early to give Sydneysiders a chance to read and watch before dinner. Instead of writing about a perfume I thought we could all watch a story about a perfume house. In honour of it being a Guerlain documentary I am wearing Terracotta Voile d’Ete and if you want to know what it is like Denyse Baeulieu from Grain de Musc does history, scent and wearability. All I will say about Terracotta Voile d’Ete by Guerlain is that it is a soft spicy floriental with moderate sillage and lasting power, works all year round and is pretty cheap online at $50-$90 100ml EdT. Being a 1999 limited edition you will be the only guy/girl wearing it and it’s modern but not as you know it AND, the bottle is beyond fabulous, the most deliciously retro chic. Imagine this little beauty on your vanity, huh? I got mine from FragranceNet.com with 15% off for about $43.


Photo Stolen from Fragrantica

Denyse is also the author of “The Perfume Lover” which I am currently enthralled in. It’s a page turner about a memory of a magical night turned into a fragrance by one of the world’s most talented perfumers, Bertrand Duchaufour of L’Artisan Parfumeur. Quite a plot, that also happens to be based on the real life events that led to the creation of Séville à l’aube, the new perfume from L’Artisan Parfumeur. I hope we get a movie with Lucy Liu, Maggie Smith, Angela Bassett, George Clooney, Eric Bana, Zac Efron, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith too. That would be AWESOME!

Go to with abandon!!

Portia xx

Guerlain, The Next Generation

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