Author: australianperfumejunkiescom

Keratin Hair Straightening: *Hair*way to Heaven

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Post by AF Beauty

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Beauty, as you all know is not just about the goo that you apply to your face and body. It covers everything from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. In this post I’m going north to my locks.

Like most people, I wish for the hair I’ve not got. I am lucky in some respects, I have a full head of hair on my head that isn’t in too bad condition. (a particularly impressive outcome since I’ve been dying my hair since about 1988) BUT, it is neither curly nor straight. I have a forehead that could display widescreen movies. I am, underneath many layers of dye, grey, revealing my age to anyone (un)lucky enough to see a grey hair, or million, reflecting in the sunlight.

Keratin Hair Straightening

*Hair*way to Heaven

I am probably my hairdresser’s worst customer. He diligently and reliably colours and cuts my hair every couple of months or so. I leave looking like wonder woman (in the hair department at least), until I turn the corner from his street and tie my hair up, out of sight, where he won’t see his beautiful blow dry wasted! This is where it stays, save washing, until I walk back into the hairdresser 8 weeks later. In an effort to persuade me to let my locks loose, he has been talking up keratin treatments at the cost of a small mortgage, promising easy to care for, smooth, quick drying hair that would be easy to manage and I could wear loose. Also known as Brazilian Blow Dry, Permanent Blow Dry and Keratin Hair Straightening.
Eventually, after reading a random beauty article which mentioned “permanent blow dry” and how evangelical this person was about it, a big call when celebs could easily call out botox or fillers as their best beauty treatment. I gave in and called the hairdresser to get the treatment.

YouTube

YouTube

The keratin treatment process is: Wash Hair, Apply Keratin Product, Apply Clingwrap, leave for period of time, remove Clingwrap, dry hair (with product still on), straighten hair with extra hot hair straighteners to embed product, part with small fortune, wait three days without tying back hair or washing it, straighten twice a day, wash after 72 hours and reveal smoothed and gorgeous hair.

PixabayPixabay

Broadly, this is how it happened for me. The 72 hours of having claggy dirty (with product, not dirt) hair for three days that I couldn’t tie back was my own special hell. That first wash was heaven. Now, having had the treatment in for two weeks I can tell you, it is smoother than it used to be. And I do think it dries slightly quicker, but I’ve never been the type of person to religiously dry my hair, so the benefit (to me) is small.

Is it worth the small fortune I paid…? Right now, probably not. Being wavy curly, keratin did not straighten my hair – and I did know that in advance, but when blow dried, it is straighter than usual, and less frizzy, which is good.

FlickrFlickr

The treatment is due to last between 3-6 months depending on washing frequency and aftercare – I have to avoid certain activities (swimming in salty water) and must use certain (sulphate free) shampoo products. I will update you more in a few months time.

Ames Soeurs GIVEAWAY WINNER

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Post by Portia

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OMG!! I completely freaking forgot to do the draw for this. SORRY EVERYONE!

Here is our lucky winner below.

Portia xxx

Ames Soeurs GIVEAWAY WINNER

JOYA Âmes Sœurs Net a Porter

Net-A-Porter

Net-A-Porter gives these featured accords:
Top: Tamarind, Grapefruit, Cypress
Heart: Rose Bulgar, Ginger, Orange Blossom
Base: Cedarwood, Incense, Amber, Sweet Musk

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 5ml Ames Soeurs rollerball decant
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 24th April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

Winner Is amberinblunderlandamberinblunderland

LENA

The winner will have till Tuesday May 3rd 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.

Bottega Veneta: Introducing Felis: 1 minute Making Of

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Post by Portia

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Heya Fashionistas,

Summer is coming in the Northern Hemisphere. Discover Bottega Veneta’s new pair of limited edition cat-shaped sunglasses. Sometimes I am completely overwhelmed by the incredible attention to detail of the multinationals. This is no exception as the Bottega Veneta crew show us a little of how their newest cool sunglasses are created.

FELIS LIMITED EDITION SUNGLASSES

Heavenly.
Enjoy.
Portia xxx

Bottega Veneta: Introducing Felis

1 minute Making Of

Gri Gri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

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Post by Portia

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Hey crew,

Don’t you LOVE getting the chance to try new things? Me too. Thanks to Gri Gri Perfumes and Val the Cookie Queen for their remarkable generosity.

Let’s find out who our winners are
Portia xxx

Gri Gri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

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WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Sample each of Gri Gri Perfume (One of the three fragrances in the line. NO you don’t get to choose)
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 28th April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Winners thegarfieldshow-diary thegarfieldshow-diary

Tara

Undina

Fanny

The winners will have till Monday 2nd May 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.

Pour Homme by Louis Monnet for Van Clef & Arpels 1978

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Post by Portia

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Hello Fragrance Fans,

Now don’t be put off by the Pour Homme because this is a very sexy unisex only seems masculine on the men. It’s bracing herbal opening hides a chypre base with oriental overlay. Don’t believe me, come for a sniff.

Pour Homme by Van Clef & Arpels 1978

Pour Homme by Louis Monnet

Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme Van Cleef & Arpels FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Basil, bergamot, green notes, juniper berries, marjoram, thyme, lavender, sage, caraway, citrus notes
Heart: Guaiac, patchouli, vetiver, jasmine, orris, rose, carnation, spices, artemisia, cloves
Base: Amber, castoreum, incense, leather, oak moss, musk, labdanum, coconut

One of my first ever fragrant memories is of my Mum giving me a 5ml mini of Pour Homme by Van Clef & Arpels for my birthday. That 5ml lasted me till Christmas of that year when I was given my first ever full bottle, also from Mum, of Aramis. I have a pretty modern bottle and though it’s not exactly the same as my memory the basic scent structure is still there. I can remember the thrill of this completely adult concept, men’s scent. My Dad always smelled good because he wore Tabac Original by Maurer & Wirst so being a fragrant man was not an alien idea.

So how does Pour Homme by Van Clef & Arpels smell to me in 2016? Firstly I get a wonderful herbal opening that sparkles enough to give me a little aldehydes question. It’s rich, green, herbal and bracing but soft (in a touch rather than size sense) and smooth enough that anyone who loves a good green will really enjoy it. This is something that I could easily imagine a Katharine Hepburn or Julia Roberts sporting, a casual, dignified, elegant fragrance that speaks of country estates and effortless grace. A fragrance of time gone by.

Pour Homme Van Cleef & Arpels kate gabrielle Katharine Hepburn FlickrFlickr

The heart is a woodsy and rich adventure with still plenty of green and a quiet floral bouquet shimmering above. A dry tea rose and the snap and crackle of carnation, both perfectly surrounded with spices and herbs. The base with its warmth of amber cut through by the smoke and leather, my recollection is that the base was much furrier and more animalic originally but the current creamy amber woods is very nice too. Lasting power is excellent and Pour Homme by Van Clef & Arpels has a wonderful sillage, not overwhelming but noticeable. The perfect scent for a workplace that wants their staff to smell nice without punching people in the nose or making huge grand statements. Towards dry down I get a lovely clean mens soapy feel that lasts until next day. Excellent value and I think you could buy it as a gift for a non-perfumista guy and be guaranteed that he will rock it.

Pour Homme Van Cleef & Arpels Kaleem-1989 PixabayPixabay

Further reading: From Pyrgos
FragranceNet has $30/50ml before Coupon

Do you have any infallible mens scent alternatives that you like to wear or smell on the guys around you?
Portia xx

 

Guess by Marciano by Barbara Zoebelein for Guess 2007

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Post by Portia

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Hello Frag Heads,

You know when you’re going through your fragrances and trying to find stuff to add to your sale doc? You come across something that you can not remember smelling, or the smell of, from when you got it and it’s sat there unloved ever since. You spritz and WOW!!! All of a sudden your searching comes to a swoon filled halt and….

Guess (Woman) by Marciano by Guess 2007

Guess by Marciano by Barbara Zoebelein

Guess Woman By Marciano Guess FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Star fruit, Curacao orange liquor, grapefruit, cardamom
Heart: Peony, pink honeysuckle, jasmine
Base: Vanilla, musk, woody accords

Guess Woman by Marciano is really crunchy and chewy vanilla toffee and amber with a wash of florals piping high above in descant and a fun citrus buzz murmuring in between. It lasts really well and once the sweet citrus booze burns off you are left with a wonderful toffee and vanilla ice cream style floriental. Wearing it the last few days I have not gone a group without a frag compliment, it’s uncanny. Every time I do something new someone asks what my fragrance is or says I smell really nice.

And I CAN’T GET ENOUGH!!

Yes, it seems for this tiny moment in time I have found a new favourite. There are stages where Guess by Marciano could be a caramel aquatic. I know. It sounds disgusting but the thing is. It’s fabulous. I’m enjoying it’s initial spritz, it develops nicely and ends on a sweet woodsy nothings whisper about 5 hours later. What’s not to love?

Guess by Marciano Caramel_Toffee_Squares Food NetworkFood Network

Further reading: Pop Sugar
FragranceNet has $21/100ml before Coupon

I can’t stop spritzing myself with Guess by Marciano. There is a room with some of the world’s most expensive, celebrated and lavish fragrances and I keep spritzing a $20 bargain bin wonder. Hilarious.

What have you fallen madly in love with that’s bargain bin?
Portia xx

 

Camellia Perfume by Maria McElroy for Aroma M Perfumes 2014

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Post by Robert Herrmann

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“I can just hear my General now. “Why Hatsumomo. You used to smell of jasmine… What’s this new perfume…?” – Memoirs Of A Geisha 1999

When Aroma M, already a well established perfume line, introduced Camellia Face Oil and Hair Oil, a true icon of modern niche perfumery was born. Quickly becoming the favorite of chi chi clients worldwide and after many requests, perfumer Maria McElroy released the Extrait (Perfume) in 2014 and I for one could not be happier!

Having already fallen head-over-heels for her new limited edition “Voluptuous Nostalgia” (totally full-bottle worthy. Or two.), when I spotted the Camellia Perfume in LA’s Scent Bar/ Luckyscent a few weeks ago, all it took was one dab and BOOM!

Take my money…PLEASE!!

Camellia Perfume by Aroma M Perfumes 2014

Camellia Perfume by Maria McElroy

Camellia Aroma M Fragrantica

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Jasmine, gardenia, neroli, geranium, rose, frankincense, camellia

A white floral contemporary masterpiece with a whopping 30% fragrance to oil ratio, Camellia Perfume opens on my skin with a huge blast of creamy jasmine, gardenia, and neroli, indolic but not overwhelming and absolutely gorgeous! But Camellia is the diva here, and makes a sweeping entrance within 10 minutes, fresh yet a bit dusty, with a scent like no other.

When I was a kid growing up north of San Francisco, my mother planted Camellia bushes wherever she could find a patch of dirt. Now to be honest, I don’t have a scent memory of those gorgeous blooms, all I remember is getting a nose-full of tiny ants which love the flowers, when I went to sniff them on the bush. Pink, white, variegated, we had them all and there was always a shallow dish of water somewhere in the house full of the placid floating flowers.

If I had known they would smell like this, I would’ve paid better attention!

Camellia Perfume by Aroma M Robert HerrmannPhoto Donated Robert Herrmann

There’s geranium in there as well, never overshadowing the Camellia, with all the notes resting and supported by a soft base of frankincense. Like I said, gorgeous! Slightly reminiscent of the very BEST of the Chanel and Guerlain florals that seem to have somehow merged to produce a love-child…a softer yet potent and beautifully blended white floral.
THE white floral.
Yup. It’s THAT good. But that shouldn’t be a surprise to you given Maria’s other creations in the Geisha line. Trust me, you want this one. I’ll just say in advance, you’re welcome.

And it lasts and lasts, which is some-kind-of-wonderful for an all natural perfume.

geisha-439322_960_720

Further reading: EauMG and Eyeliner On A Cat
LuckyScent have $150/7ml extrait + Samples

Oh….and I should mention that it passed the ultimate spouse litmus test… “Wow, what is that? You smell amazing!”

Amazing indeed.

Do you have a favorite Aroma M scent? If so which one?

Gri Gri Fragrances: Esxence 2016 Discovery

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Post by Val the Cookie Queen

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Anaïs Biguine is the creator and nose behind the rather lovely Jardin d’Écrivains perfume house. The three Gri Gri fragrances are her latest creations. I have been wearing them for the last couple of weeks and feel them well worthy of some attention. The stand stood out beautifully at the Esxence. The ladies were professional, knowledgeable and extremely friendly.

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Gri Gri Fragrances: Esxence 2016 Discovery

Eau de Parfum for Tattooed Skin by Anaïs Biguine 2016

There are three perfumes in the collection. They each take inspiration from the long history of and geographically diverse art of tattooing. Ink as an art form, across cultures and through the ages.

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I am not familiar enough with each perfume yet to go into any depth but the following will give you an idea of what Anaïs Biguine has created.

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MOKO MAORI EdP
Tussock grass. New Zealand Flax.
Fern. Kowhai. Manuka.
Lichen. Kanuka.

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TARA MANTRA EdP
Saffron. Cardamom. Hing.
Patchouli. Ajowan.
Lotus. Jasmine. Agarwood.

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UKIYO-E EdP
Genmaicha. Yuzu. Aralia.
Daphné. Green tea.
Sakura. Ashibi.

Each perfume succeeds at representing the different artistic style, and master skills of tattooing. From needles to bamboo. Spiritual, theatrical and peaceful.

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Ink Free Bussis
(maybe one day)
CQ

I have a samples of each fragrance, the ladies at Gri Gri were very kind. I know how annoying it is to feel attracted to a perfume that you can not get hold.
I will pop a sample of one of the collection in the post to three different APJ peeps.

Let me know what actually attracts you to a totally new fragrance. The perfumer, the story, the bottle ………. And which of the Gri Gri appeals to you?

 

giveaway kbairdkbaird

Gri Gri GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Sample each of Gri Gri Perfume (One of the three fragrances in the line. NO you don’t get to choose)
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged. 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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Let me know what attracts you to a totally new fragrance. The perfumer, the story, the bottle ………. or which of the Gri Gri appeals to you?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 28th April 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Sunday 1st May 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.

 

Poivre 23 (London) by Nathalie Lorson for Le Labo 2008

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Post by TinaG

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Hi APJ,

Each of Le Labo’s City Exclusives line is sold in a single dedicated city, although they do seem to have become more accessible over time. I have a decant of Poivre 23 which is the London City Exclusive. I thought I’d give it a run through before I headed overseas, just in case I fell in love and desperately needed a full bottle.

Poivre 23 London Le Labo London Tube Publ;ic domain

Poivre 23 (London) by Le Labo 2008

Poivre 23 (London) by Nathalie Lorson

Poivre 23 London Le Labo FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Labdanum, sandalwood, patchouli, pepper, vanilla, guaiac wood, styrax, incense

Le Labo’s fragrance name is the note which is in the highest concentration in the fragrance, and the number the count of ingredients it contains. In this case, we have Poivre (pepper) and 23 notes.

One of the challenges I find with Poivre 23 is that it gives me olfactory fatigue very easily. The effect of this is that it appears to chop and change on each wearing, sometimes non-existent, other times nuanced and gorgeous, and occasionally the base of incense and amber is all I can smell. So it makes it difficult to write up but I’ll focus on one of the days where I didn’t get fatigue so badly and picked up some of the more fun aspects of the fragrance.

On opening, there’s a burst of pepper – I’m sure that I can smell both black pepper and a softer more fragrant version such as Szechuan or pink pepper. After the first pepper zing I get a chocolate note which may be patchouli-related as it does settle into a green headspace. There is a bitter dry white wood and an oddly buttery sweetness over the top. It is strange to smell something which is both dry and oily at the same time, like deadwood which has been seasoned & polished with fatty animal oils.

Poivre 23 London Le Labo pepper WikipediaWikipedia

At three hours on my skin the dry woodiness has taken on a subtle rubbery note which I suspect is imparted from guaiac wood, with a resinous birch underneath it. The whole thing has a sticky slippery leathery feel about it which I really enjoy.

At 5 hours this settles in to one of those skin scents which is like “my skin, but enhanced”. It is dry, woody, musky and subtle – very cuddly and comforting. There is light grey incense in the background and the styrax is a warm welcoming resinous amber with a touch of well blended vanilla in the package. This combination lasts well past the 8 hour mark.

Poivre 23 London Le Labo Loz Pycock Follow Driftwood Pavilion Bedford Square FlickrFlickr

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Perfume Posse
Le Labo has 3 venues in London. Two stand alone stores and a Harrods desk.
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $6/0.5ml

This fragrance is definitely not safe for enclosed spaces. My co-workers can smell it at least 5 metres away commented on the fragrance (complimented each time, thankfully). Will I pick up a full bottle when I’m in London? I don’t think so. I enjoy wearing it very much but it’s hard on my sense of smell – a wearing once every so often will be enough.

Have you tried Poivre 23, or any of the Le Labo City Exclusives?

Till next time,
Tina G

Perfume: A Century of Scents by Lizzie Ostrom

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Post by Anne-Marie

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I am fussy about perfume books because there are some terrible ones out there. But slowly I’ve built up a little library and I thought I might share some impressions of one of my favourites.

Perfume: A Century of Scents by Lizzie Ostrom

perfume-a-century-of-scents-lizzie-ostrom Book DepositoryBook Depository (AUD$28.45 Delivered)

You may know Lizzie Ostrom as Odette Toilette, a British-based speaker and commentator on fragrance history and culture: a ‘purveyor of olfactory adventures’. Her book is a tour of the twentieth century via 100 mini-essays on perfumes which ‘have something to say’, as Lizzie puts it, in their own times and often in ours. The book begins with Houbigant’s Le Parfum Idéal (1900) and ends with Demeter’s Dirt (1996).

Lizzie’s selection is not always based on perfumes which have survived until today. You’ll find plenty you have not heard about because although there is coverage of many fine and expensive masterpieces of ‘olfactory art’, there is also an emphasis on mass market perfumes which tell us a lot about what ordinary people actually wore, once upon a time.

So among the great Guerlains, Carons, Chanels and Lauders you’ll find (ahem) Climax by Sears (1900), a ‘mail order perfume’ costing 25 cents ($7 today), and Dri-Perfume (1944) by J.L. Priess, a strongly scented powder produced when war conditions restricted the availability of cosmetic alcohol.

Unusually, the book is not lavishly illustrated, coffee-table style. It contains no vintage ads, just simple, charming line drawings. Lizzie finds context not in images but in literature, movies and popular culture. This for me is pure fascination. Lizzie has, I swear (because I’ve been there), spent many, many hours in libraries poring over magazines and newspapers so as to understand the cultural context of each perfume. Her essays are not reviews, but a series of rich and original insights based on this research.

Lancome’s Magie Noire (1978), for instance, is described as ‘the wiccan perfume’. Its release made the most of counter-cultural interest in spells, tarot reading, cults and drugs. The Wicker Man – do you remember the film? Yes! So of course it makes sense that Magie Noire became an instant classic.

Then there is Jean Desprez’s Bal à Versailles (1962) and the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). What?! But yes – remember the Baron and Baroness Bomburst of Vulgaria, absurdly dressed in ermine and knee breeches, dripping with diamonds? The pure silliness of it all is a perfect match with the faux-opulent eighteenth century-style bottle and the gloriously vulgar scent that is Bal à Versailles.

Meanwhile Jōvan Musk Oil (1972) brings forth memories of the cheesy crooners of the era, especially Demis Roussos in full kaftan and comb-over. Yeesh!

A word for Shalimar lovers: sorry, but your idol is not here. This does not offend me but I do think it odd, Shalimar being one of the most loved and influential perfumes ever.

Perfume: a century of scents by Lizzie Ostrom (Hutchison, 2015) is available as a hardback for US $26.95 and in Kindle for $15. Check out Lizzie’s website