DSH Perfumes: Fleuriste and Deco Diamonds

October 8, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Fumie family,

This was supposed to be a post about DSH Perfumes newest release Chinchilla. It’s a fabulous reimagining of the grand palace hotel style clientele’s fragrances. Sexy, cozy and full. I’ve been wearing my sample on & off over the week and it’s gorgeous, there was exactly enough left to do my review but do you think I can find the bloody sample? NO! GRRR! Hopefully it will turn up and I can finish my review another time……

So, I have had these two babies in mind to review. They are not Dawn’s newest but they are definitely worth a sniff.

ALSO….. Dawn wrote me: I’ve also been working on a new website overhaul for months and it’s now ramping up as I want to have it complete by the end of October if at all possible.) So my Autumn launches are coming a bit late while I work on the site stuff, too. With the new site, though, international order will be possible for almost all of the scents ( in voile format). Woo hoo! Anyway, Chinchilla, Axis Mundi, and Souvenir de Malmaison are all coming…..

DSH Perfumes: Fleuriste 2015

DSH Perfumes

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Bergamot, carnation, jasmine, green leaves, spicy notes, ambergris

Sharp green broken leaves with a spicy clove-heavy carnation opens Fleuriste. The broken leaves are mixed with fresh cut twiggy ends of branches, it’s that particular green smell of cutting camellias for the house, bitter and dry like the first sip of cold, unsugared black tea. If you like your fragrances super green, if CHANEL No 19 feels like a soft pussy and Futur by Robert Piguet smells too pretty then this could be the green for you.

Fleuriste is a dry, dark green that only slowly softens and expands during its late heart and through the dry down. Never losing it’s crisp cool spiciness but softening and yielding to the warmth of your skin it becomes more approachable and even at the last gasp cozy. Fleuriste is a joy to wear and so far removed from anything available in stores, dawn constantly reminds me why we need independent perfumers, this is where the fun is in fragrance nowadays.

DSH Perfumes: Deco Diamonds 2014

DSH Perfumes

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Hyrax, aldehydes, ambergris, Australian sandalwood, oakmoss, civet, galbanum, gardenia, jasmine, honeysuckle, neroli, lily-of-the-valley, peach, jasmine sambac, tuberose

Aldehydes and galbanum create a plush and creamy opening that smells rich, warm and thick. The white flowers sparkle around the perimeter softly until the completely engulf the green. I am reminded of vintage VC&A First parfum in Deco Diamonds thrilling intensity. Underneath the glamorous shimmering is a resting big cat, the Cartier panther.

Through the heart Deco Diamonds becomes sheer and radiant, still fully fragrant but there is air between the notes, they become filled with luminous light that lifts the whole scent. I can’t pick notes at this point, it’s a creamy white floral but diffuse, like smelling the dry down of some of the big 1980s blockbuster chypre perfumes the next morning on a scarf. A whisper of luxurious living, magic.

DSH Perfumes has both these beauties from $6

Which one sounds like something you might like to try?
Portia xx

NEW!! Cuir Mojito by Daniel Barros 2016

October 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Independent Perfumery Lovers,

I have a mate, Daniel Barros. Recently he launched a line of fragrances al centred on famous drinks and giving them a twist, a new lease of fragrant life. He sent me some to try and I’m pretty excited to be introducing them to you all. I am slowly making my way through them but one that already has particularly caught my attention for its weirdness and interesting scent life is todays fragrance….

Cuir Mojito by Daniel Barros 2016

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lime, mint, rum, saffron, grass
Heart: Lily-of-the-valley, violet, geranium, patchouli
Base: Oakmoss, leather, cashmeran, geranium, musk

Two things I love in fragrance are mint and leather. The only fragrance I have that addresses the two of them together is Black Rosette by Strange Invisible Perfumes. There are a few similarities here but Daniel has created something far less metallic & alien and infinitely more comfortable to wear.

My nose misses most of the notes in Cuir Mojito and i’m unsure whether it’s me or that the fragrance is so well blended that the notes are all morphing into the scent. Creating it but not showcasing themselves. Lime and mint are in your face noticeable immediately ands so are the saffron and leather. I think I can pick the spice of geranium and coolness of violet leaf and now and then I notice flashes of patchouli….

PDI

If you like your fragrance smooth and department store safe then you will probably be a little overwhelmed by Cuir Mojito. It’s big, abrasive, in your face and independent feeling. It takes chances and doesn’t follow current trends. Above that even is that it feels fun, a bit naughty, slightly over the top and very carefree. Just like a Mojito makes me feel if I order it before dinner.

Cuir Mojito dries down to a very happy reminder of one of my favourite leathers Knize Ten, not the same but similar. I can still smell soft buttery leather wafts hours and hours later.

Flickr

Want some? You can contact Daniel Barros on contato@egoinvitro.com.br

US$45 for a 30 ml bottle and US$65 for a discovery kit with 4 x 9 ml small bottles

I hope you get to try some of Daniels fragrances,
Portia xx

Sniffory GIVEAWAY WINNER

October 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

Thanks to Sniffory for their generosity and Azar for getting in and finding out about them.
Let’s see who won,

Portia xx

Sniffory GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winners who will receive:
1 x 15ml Sniffory designer sample (once they open for business)
P&H USA ONLY

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 6th October 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Gina Tabasso

The winners will have till Sunday 9th October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Serge Lutens Wax Samples

October 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

Earlier this year Jin & I were treated to a morning of sniffing the Serge Lutens Bell Jar collection at the Palais Royal store in Paris. We were led upstairs by our glamorous hostess and treated to one of the most incredible experiences that I’ve enjoyed through my perfumistahood. Usually only done for groups of four or more and the expectation is that you will shop like crazy at the end. Obviously we did, buying for ourselves and friends, leaving with 7 or 8 bell jars. Elvira was our hostess and I tell every group that I know is going to Paris and loves fragrance to book the Masterclass. Should you be going to France and wish to book this marvellous fragrant adventure there is a Serge Lutens Contact Page, attention Elvire.

At the end of the class Elvira gave me three complete packs of the wax samples to give away on APJ but I only just found them again. The wax samples are not meant to be worn, they are to give you an idea of how the late heart and dry down will smell. It’s not an exact science and your body will change the way the scent progresses a little too but for an idea of how a fragrance smells it’s pretty good.

Serge Lutens Wax Samples GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x complete set of Serge Lutens Wax Samples
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

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

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us which is your favourite Serge Lutens fragrance or the one you’re most interested to try?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 8th October 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 12th October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Australasian Artisan Botanical Perfume Expo

October 5, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Hi APJ,

We have a giveaway of 4 DOUBLE tickets today, see below.

Suzanne xx

Australasian Artisan Botanical Perfume Expo

October 23rd ~ Sydney

We are getting really excited about the inaugural Australasian Artisan Botanical Perfume Expo ~ October 23rd ~ Sydney. We are botanical perfumers from the southern hemisphere passionate about the beauty of natural, BOTANICAL perfumes. Be part of the revolution of natural fragrance, beauty, sensuality, health and wellbeing.

WHEN Sunday, October 23, 2016 from 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM (AEDT)

WHERE Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre – 16-18 Fitzroy Street

Kirribilli, NSW, 2061

** close the to Kirribilli train station with lovely cafes in the village.

INCLUDED IN YOUR TICKET

A variety of teas to enjoy

Award winning dark chocolate mousse by Yalla (Gluten and preservative free)

fruit and more.

Gifts given out during the day by Lord Foppington

and

A door prize will be drawn at 2pm for one attendee to the value of $500 (Winner must be on site to receive the gift)

BUY EVENTBRITE TICKET HERE

Remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.
Suzanne XXXX

Sniffory GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 4 winners who will receive:
1 x Double Australasian Artisan Botanical Perfume Expo Ticket
P&H SYDNEY ONLY

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you have used a botanical perfumes before or if you think you’d like to?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Friday 7th October 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Tuesday 11th October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
Suzanne R Banks FaceBook

Ainslie’s Pitti 2016 Photo Essay

October 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hi Fragrant Friends,

I popped over to Florence, Italy (Firenze as the locals call it) for Pitti Fragranze in September. The fair showcases the best in Niche perfumery, a whopping 270 brands exhibited this year! If you times that by how many fragrances in each collection, you’ll start to understand how much brain/nose cramming was done over the 3 days – I hope to share some of the magic so you feel you were there too!

Ainslie’s Pitti 2016 Photo Essay

I saw a big sign in front of an almost rundown building, Stazione Leopalda announcing the event. The entrance served as an area where people could relax, interview and of course, being Italy, smoke! The interior was rustic and industrial but with loads and loads of shiny new stalls set up and numbers and flowers hanging from the ceiling. My Pitti app let me know the theme was Numbers and Flowers – an art show running simultaneously expressing connections of numbers and flowers – the right numerical proportions can create palpable sensory experiences.

Die!! I WAS IN NICHE HEAVEN!!

I’d never been to Pitti before, so, full of excitement I began my first day’s journey and spotted Andy Tauer straight away. He was launching his new fragrance Tuberose Flash so I had a chat, sniff and also of newbie, At Coeur Desert…oh and of course had a quick selfie with him.

Turning, I saw the new Atelier des Ors – Iris Fauve and sprayed it, knowing I was more than likely spending $400 if I fell in love – it’s divine: smooth, sensual – I need to wear it some more but the iris was almost caramelised and velvet during the dry down.

Then my phone rang and it was Mark Buxton (OMG!!) – he was running a tad late to meet me – I resniffed his fragrances and neighbouring Eccentric Molecules while I waited for our scheduled interview…which of course you’ll be reading here in the upcoming weeks. HILARIOUSUS chap!

One stall along further, I ran into Nicolas Chabot who not only had his beautifully reinvigorated Le Galion collection, of which I got to smell a few, new to my nose and his novelty for Pitti, Sang Bleu. I had been anticipating experiencing his new brand, Aether for some time as it rolled out on instagram so he took me through the collection – all based on molecules and there were some really interesting scents I need to try on skin STAT. Overall I love the packaging and vibe which is quite dark and apothecary-like.

Montale had The New Rose on sparking and catchy metallic display – they handed me a small sample, so a review will follow (eventually).

Carner Barcelona was showing newbie, Costarela.

Lovely warm, Neela Vermeire and I had a half hour chat through the range and she doused me in her newest fragrance Raheme, ready for my evening, a lovely osmanthus based floral number made by perfumer Bertrand Douchfour. I left from day 1 in a cloud of exotic goodness!

More Pitti to follow in my next post(s)! Have you ever been?

Ainslie XX

Sniffory: New Decant Service

October 3, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 34 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello Gorgeous Smelling Peeps,

Whatever the purchase (or the path), I feel it absolutely necessary, as well as empowering, to have solid options and viable alternatives. This political season, I’m sure that many of “my fellow ‘Mericans” had hoped to make a good choice between solid, viable candidates in the 2016 presidential election. No such luck! Sadly, what we are being “offered” this time around is anything but viable, let alone believable. The recent political process has left me feeling not only powerless to effect any change but politically disenfranchised as well. The prospect of once again having to vote defensively simply to maintain the status quo is an abhorrent, although seemingly necessary, reality.

Fortunately for me, when the American political landscape is so bleak and devoid of honest, sweet smelling alternatives, I know that I have literally thousands of wonderful fragrances to choose from in Perfumeland. Also, to help me make the perfect full bottle
choice, there are now more than a score of services offering samples and decants for individual purchase or by subscription. I am currently subscribed to two of these and use a couple of the others for occasional sampling and collecting.

Sniffory: New Decant Service

Coming in November, 2016 there will be a new “candidate” for decant services on the sampler/decant ballot. Sniffory, the brainchild of perfume industry veteran Judah Abraham, will be a decant service website, offering an extensive selection, low prices and proposed great customer service. Here are a few of Sniffory’s campaign “promises”:

1 – $15 US for a 15 ml decant of your choice from Sniffory’s extensive collection of designer fragrances. Niche will be in their collection very soon.

2 – Every order, every time, will include a nifty, refillable travel case.

3 – A $15 promo code will be included with each order, good towards the purchase of a full bottle of your choice.

4 – The $15 cost includes US shipping. International shipping is in the works.

While Sniffory is not a subscription service, subscriptions will be rolled out soon and will include even better discounts on the 15 ml decants and the already low priced full bottles. Judah Abraham does not anticipate waiting lists or queues for most of the popular fragrances and plans to work hard to improve any glitches that may surface.

All of this sounds great to me and, unlike the promises of our US political candidates, these assurances seem good for everyone, totally doable and well within the realm of possibility.

Today’s give-away will be for one 15 ml decant of your choice from Sniffory’s designer collection. Sent ONLY TO THE USA. To be eligible to win you don’t have to tell us which candidate you are voting for.

Azar xx

Sniffory GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winners who will receive:
1 x 15ml Sniffory designer sample (once they open for business)
P&H USA ONLY

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you have used a sampling or decant service or what you like (or don’t like) about these companies.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 6th October 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Sunday 9th October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Sycomore EdT by Jacques Polge + Christopher Sheldrake for CHANEL 2008

October 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Robert Herrmann

Hi there fragrant friends,

Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

God how I LOVE Autumn.

The gorgeous sunny days in the high 50’s to 60’s, the cool nights that require the extra blanket, all of it just speaks directly to my heart. But especially the light, whose tone and quality manifests as sheer, dreamy, and soft as velvet; the sun lower in the sky beaming through the trees in the woods behind our house. The geese are on a flyway now, heading somewhere, but they stop and gather to feed and sleep in the pasture to the south, providing hours of wonderful albeit noisy viewing. The last of the apples are almost ready to be picked from our tree, just waiting to be stewed for sauce with a buttload of spices and fresh ginger before I ladle them into the steaming hot glass ball-jars for the winter months. Yup, love it.

One of my most perfect scents for the Fall, and always in my top 10 of all time would have to be Sycomore EdT. It is to me simply autumn in a bottle.

Sycomore EdT by CHANEL 2008

Sycomore EdT by Jacques Polge + Christopher Sheldrake

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Vetiver, sandalwood, aldehydes, tobacco, violet, spicy notes, pink pepper, juniper, cypress

One of my all-time favorite vetivers, this is a jus that always takes me on a journey to the heart of a forest, late afternoon or early evening just as it’s starting to get cold. The leaves and soil underneath my feet releasing the heat of the day in a perfect, loamy scent. The last glimpses of sunlight throwing brass and copper colored beams through the branches, like light in nature’s own cathedral, providing solace and beauty and an almost holy silence.

WikiCommons

I can smell the smoke from the wood-stove in our house combined with the rich forest smells. I inhale deeply, the cold air providing a slightly bitter and piney aroma that mixes with the scent of the last flowering bushes of the season. It always makes me smile like a crazy man, creating that white, hazy and unmistakeable fog that turns me back towards home, promising warmth and security unlike anything else.

All of this and more is what Sycomore gives me, and I always re-apply with abandon trying to hang on to that perfect introspective vision in the changing of the seasons.

Yup. Autumn. Damn near perfect.

PDI

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and What Men Should Smell Like
CHANEL now has sycamore EdP! Go spritz it at a CHANEL store.

What are some of the scents that remind you of a changing season?

Robert XoX

Bois de Paradise by Michel Roudnitska for Parfums DelRae 2002

October 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by Claire Vukcevic

Hi there APJ folk!

Have you ever built a fragrance up in your head for ages before even smelling it? I do that a lot. The town where I live sells nothing fancier that Beyonce Heat, so I am completely dependent on the Internet. So, I read. 95% of the pleasure I get from perfume is reading other people writing about it. Words set off a moving train of vivid images in my head, and if a person is a talented writer, they can bring a perfume to life for me in a way that just smelling the damn thing simply will not do.

These images and dreams of a perfume can slosh around my head for years until I actually smell it. Can you imagine the utter joy when the images I’ve filed away in my mental library actually lines up with how the perfume smells? Unfortunately, Parfums DelRae Bois de Paradis doesn’t quite live up to the movie reel in my head.

Bois de Paradise by Parfums DelRae 2002

Bois de Paradise by Michel Roudnitska

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses
Heart: French rose, blackberry, spices, fig
Base: Amber, woodsy notes, resins, incense

There is just something a little too insistent, too overwrought about Bois de Paradis. It bowls me over….then sticks in my craw. Each time I put it on, I think of the immortal lines of Hotel California – this could be heaven, or this could be hell.

The problem: In the middle of a pool of rich, luscious florals, fruits, and woods, a strident tone eventually juts out and catches my skin on its jagged edges. It’s like running your hand down a gleaming wooden banister and finding one tiny splinter. It gets in the way of what I signed up for.

Wikipedia

What I signed up for: A luscious rose-berry syrup, heavily spiced but suspended in a golden elixir, so delicious I want to drink it. Fresh blackberries and dried currants swimming in some kind of quaint alcohol, like mead or mulled wine and draped in the same golden, autumnal haze that I associate with other rich, honeyed harvest scents such as Botrytis and 1270 by Frapin. This, right here, is my bailiwick. Mah wheelhouse.

The splinter: The syrup boils over and becomes pure resin. The woods funnel into pine sap, with a helping of mint, blackcurrant leaf, and camphor, introducing an “aftershave”-like aftertaste. These notes interfere with a creamy-dry, rosy sandalwood in the base. I want to shove aside the throat-catching resin, pine needles, and mint, and enjoy my sandalwood unfettered. It won’t allow me. (If I wanted pine needles and mint, I would wear Nuit Etoilee).

Despite the odds stacked in its favor at the start, it is not a buy for me. But I am grateful to have been given the chance to try it. DelRae stuff is almost impossible to find in Europe.

Flickr

Further reading: Non Blonde and EauMG
LuckyScent has $150/50ml
Surrender to Chance has samples from $4/0.5ml

What about you guys? Have you ever built a fragrance up in your mind while reading reviews, only to have your hopes (and expectations) dashed to the ground when you actually get your nose on it?

Slán from sunny but cold Ireland,
Claire

Claire also writes for Take One Thing Off

What Fragrances Did You Wear Last Week?

October 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Fumie Family,

It’s been a riotous week here in Sydney. So much happening and I was so involved I forgot to take photos of everything so here’s a smattering of what my week looked and smelled like.

What Fragrances Did You Wear Last Week?

KFC Brunch with buddies and BFF Kath’s family. It was short and sweet because I had to work that night, fun though.

Hosted the most sensational Hen’s Night that night. The girls were hilarious and we had a wonderful time.

Pedi Sunday. You can tell my Hobbit feet a mile off.

Yum Yum Cha Cha Cha with the crew. These are the heart of my friends circle and I love them.

Sunday night the JACKPOT went off at Austral Bowling Club. $1000 split 4 ways. Wonderful.

Tuesday it was head shave day and now you can see why I get it done so regularly. What a spunky barber. So sweet and he does a good job too.

Down at the local pool I’m up to 700m. Weather is perfect for getting my swim on. At 9am I have the pool pretty much to myself.

Morn to Dusk by Eau d’Italie: A vanilla-centric fragrance that is perfect for me. It’s warm, sweet and I’m surprised it doesn’t have more notes because it tells a beautiful story.

Divine EdP: Old fashioned BWF glamour done for the 21st century. I know it’s older than that but never feels dated or retro.

Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations: All the roses set as a centrepiece with an enormous backing lineup that makes Mohur smell only of itself and slightly different every wear.

The Aoud by Mancera: Simple synth oudh with a minty kick in the heart and a longevity that beggars belief. Don’t get it on your clothes because they still smell after washing. I love this baby though and wear it quite a bit.

Tokyo Bloom by The Different Company: Lovely soft green cologne. Wears for me like an EdT but loads of people have problems with its longevity. Like walking on grass after the rain, so fresh and alive.

Antaeus by CHANEL: Just scored this vintage tester and it smells exactly like the bottles we had of it in the 1980s/90s. Jin stole my other bottle so I had to replace and it was well worth it. YUM!

Cabochard parfum by Gres: Not sure how old this baby is. I thought it was a vintage buy but it smells absolutely perfect, clear as a bell with that heavenly chypre dry down. Calm , cuddly and ever so elegant.

Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier: The original and best. One of my partners in the 1990s and I wore this exclusively for nearly a year. Good times, great memories. I just opened this new bottle so it’s getting quite a bit of wear.

No 19 EdC by CHANEL: One of my great green loves. The old EdC is surprisingly tenacious and spectacularly furry in dry down. MMMM

Boy by CHANEL: I had about 20ml left after I split this and it’s down to 5ml or less. I love it. Easiest wearing thing in my wardrobe right now. It’s very lavender-centric on me with a soft focus dry down of sweet nothings. I really like it.

So! How was your week? What did you do and what fragrances did you wear?
Portia xx