Resurrecting RandomRec

December 7, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Azar

Season’s Greetings APJ!

Last year, about this time, a dear friend and I decided that we needed to clean up our lives. Our stuff was running us out of our homes and taking over every bit of storage space we could find.

Resurrecting RandomRec

We decided to put selected items, new and gently used, up for sale on a website we called RandomRec, signifying random acts of re-circulation and redistribution. To make a short story even shorter, we didn’t get far with RandomRec because all we did was stash a small fraction of our stuff in virtual storage and then promptly forgot about it, the same thing we were doing with it in real time and space! Running a garage sale online takes hours of effort and neither of us seemed to have any of that to spare in 2015. As the treasures continued to languish in our closets and drawers we resolved, for 2016, to resurrect RandomRec, rotate and add new inventory, offer sales and specials and try to create some sort of visibility for the site.

That being said we’ve decided to do a give-away to help jump-start the new, improved RandomRec and here it is: There will be two prizes, one for US residents and one for those living anywhere else on the planet. The name drawn in the US category will receive one brand new, in the box, Lolita Lempicka Elle L’aime 1.4 oz EdP. See the review here on APJ Elle l’Aime review. The winner in the “anywhere else” category will receive one brand new, in the box, Lolita Lempicka Elle L’aime 6.7 oz body milk.

We are offering a special APJ ONLY 20% discount valid through December 31, 2015. To receive the discount and a free packet of randomly chosen perfume samples with your order enter the code – APJ20 – at checkout.

Happy Holidays!

Azar xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

RandomRec GIVEAWAY!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

USA: 1 x Lolita Lempicka Elle L’aime 1.4 oz EdP
Elsewhere: Lolita Lempicka Elle L’aime 6.7 oz body milk
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

USA or Elsewhere

and

Please hop over to the RandomRec.com site, check the perfume category, name one fragrance and tell us why you think you might love or hate it.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 10th December 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Monday 14th December 2015 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.

So…? GIVEAWAY WINNERS

December 7, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

I had a great time trying these budget beauties. Hopefully our winners will get equal or more joy from them.
Portia xx

So…? GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Photo Stolen So…?

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Blackcurrant, pineapple, citron
Heart: Lily of the valley, freesia
Base: Vanilla, musk, woody notes

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive one of the following each (no, you don’t get to choose):
1 x 30ml So…? Sensual EdT (discontinued but fun fruitchouli)
1 x 30ml So…? Kiss Me EdT
1 x 150ml So…? Kiss Me Body Spray
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 6th December 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners were chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen prospectsplus

Robert H

Bianca B

Jaybee

The winners will have till Thursday 10th December 2015 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.

Hair Removal – I suffer the pain, so you don’t have to

December 6, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by AF Beauty

So before I start, I’ll have to give away that this post will probably contain more TMI moments than any of the others before, but have faith that I’ll not take it too far ☺

Hair Removal

I suffer the pain, so you don’t have to. (Unless you want to!)

I have a very light hair removal/tidy routine, half legs, underarms, eyebrows (tidying, not removal).
I am not very daring or extravagant, I can tolerate pain, but rarely when others inflict it, so these are a couple of hair removal techniques I’ve tried – along with varying levels of success and pain scales.

Starting at the top – Eyebrows.
I used this Nad’s Natural Hair Removal Facial Wand Eyebrow Shaper. It’s odd – it’s very little like wax. It has the texture of a thick glue. The pen has a nib of sorts through which the wax comes through like a globby ink. It has a squareish end that is useful for smoothing out the wax across the right spot of the eyebrow. It comes with cotton strips, cut with pinking shears to minimise fray. You simply apply the wax, smooth the cotton over the wax, then strip (in the direction opposite to hair growth – for eyes that’s usually toward the middle of your face).

Nads

The wax washes off the cotton strips, super easily and they dry quickly to be re-used. I find this pretty easy to use. The wax comes out a bit uncontrolled with the way you need to turn the twiddle at the end to get it to come out – I always end up with a bit more than I’d ideally need. But it’s easy enough to apply once out. I’ve been using this for about a year, and so far I’ve not ripped off an entire brow! ☺
Success rating – 9/10 depending on skill of wax application.
Pain scale – 7/10

Down at the bottom – Legs.
I either shave – because it’s quick – or use an epilator, if I have time and want to be hair free for longer. I use this epilator but looking at the website, there are a load of new versions, which look very exciting!

Braun

The epilator is a unique beast. Basically it has rotating wheels which create tweezers that pull out each of your hairs, one by painful one. If you’re reading this and you’ve involuntarily crossed your legs and winced, then you’ve correctly determined the appropriate level of pain. The epilator *is* effective – if you can tolerate the pain. No question there are times when pain is more tolerable than others, choose that time to use the epilator, choose other times to shave. One other thing to note, use the epilator in the brightest light you can find, preferably natural light. Take this as a free lesson to not walk away “finished” only to discover that patch of hair you missed just as you walk down the street on your night out or at work when you look down during an important meeting!
Success rating – 8/10 depending on diligence to cover all areas
Pain scale – 200/10

Obviously the easiest option for hair removal is shaving, but depending on your skin type and hair type it can be uncomfortable or cause ingrown hairs. What do you do to control hair?

What do you do with your excess hair?
AF Beauty

Louis Vuitton City Guide App

December 6, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hi there Fellow Fumie Travellers,

Landing in a new city is both thrilling and daunting. Yes, you want to have your own authentic holiday experience but you also don’t want to miss a few of the reasons where you are going is popular, right? Jin is our Master Holiday Planner. He does the research, finds the hotels online and then goes into the Travel Agent armed with his top 3 and the best prices he can find online, he scopes the area and picks a few Must Do attractions and the rest of the time we walk. Yes, you read it here first folks, we WALK, often 12 hour days walking. He also prefers to take the local public transport, every time we reach a destination he says, “See, we are SO LOCAL” and he is happy. How can you deny such simplicity? I certainly can’t.

Travelling with him is fun and exciting, always full of wonderful adventures. My travelling was always about meeting friends, hanging out and once upon a time doing the club scene. Both ways are fun.

Here is a FABULOUS new helper for those that love to travel. Thank you Louis Vuitton.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton City Guide App

Centrepiece by Sarah McCartney for 4160Tuesdays 2015

December 5, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Post by Robert Herrmann

Hi APJ,

It was a Monday to remember. Late getting up and having to rush to a Doctor’s appt. Rushing out the door, but stop to grab my decant (thank you Lillian Betts Holloway!) of the new Centrepiece edp by perfumer Sarah McCartney.

Centrepiece by 4160Tuesdays 2015

Centrepiece by Sarah McCartney

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accordsin one line:
Honey, green tea, frangipani, musk, cedar, vanilla, sorbet, chocolate

OK. I get it. I was rushing so of course I tragically spill the the WHOLE decant all over my arm and clothes!

SOTD: Centrepiece by 4160Tuesdays. LOTS of it…..(read on…)

Well shit! No time to wash, so out the door I go and I smell FREAKING amazing!!! Holy cow, this is some GREAT stuff!

Now usually I don’t wear any scent for a medical appt. of any kind. Clinics get fussy if you do. So I thought “well…it is what it is.” So off I go.

I stop at my Cafe to check in and all I hear is “Oh my god is that YOU? You smell incredible!!” Ok. This is good.

I walk into the clinic and it’s the same thing. From every single receptionist, nurse, blood draw technician, and finally my beloved doctor, and he has a COLD for god’s sake!

Photo Stolen Flickr

From LuckyScent: Originally created from a chance selection of ingredients and accords that inspired relaxed, peaceful feelings, Centrepiece is that most fundamental of 4160 Tuesdays-style creations- lighthearted, inspired, devoid of typical haute perfume pretension, and downright lovely. Focused around the sweet, tropical floral note of frangipani, Centrepiece further adds to the indulgent (but never cloying) bouquet with sweet honey and creamy vanilla, balancing it all against green tea and rich but gentle cedar. The results are entrancing, an everyday-suitable, gently powerful white floral that soothes, seduces and relaxes in equal measure. Simply beautiful.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon
LuckyScent has $110/50ml
4160Tuesdays has £15/9ml

PS……..4160Tuesdays also has an extrait strength for sale on their website, and that’s the one I ultimately. All I can say is…..”Um…..well dip me in honey and color me joyous!”

So the moral of this story? Who the hell knows.

All I know is I do is that this ‘fume indeed smells amazing!!!

What is your 4160Tuesday?
Robert Herrrmann

So…? + So…? Kiss Me by So…?

December 4, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Portia

Recently I was contacted by Tara of Portobello PR who are looking after the So…? range in Australia. This is not a brand I’ve heard of though they have been around for 20 years. Tara asked if I’d like to try any of the range and I really am overwhelmed here at the moment with releases but there was something super friendly and engaging about her email that had me replying, “Yes, send me some through.” They arrived the other day and Scott & I had a sneaky spritz, we went in with no expectations and…..

So…? and So…? Kiss Me by So…?

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

So…? by So…?

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Tangerine, orange blossom
Heart: Rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang
Base: Sandalwood, vanilla, amber

SURPRISE!!! Balmy resins, orange blossom, creamy ylang and vanilla. So…? smells a LOT like something my Mum wore at some point. I can’t place it as any of the regular scents I remember her owning or spritzing but the scent jolted me back to her warm embrace faster than the speed of smell. Even though you can tell So…? is a reasonably priced fragrance up close with your nose to your arm from a short distance it all combines beautifully into a smooth, satin soft Fl-Oriental with a slightly dressy overtone. It’s better than some of the $150+ niche being brought out and is basically free. Beauty HQ has $13.50/30ml

Photo Stolen So…?

So…? Kiss Me by So…?

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Blackcurrant, pineapple, citron
Heart: Lily of the valley, freesia
Base: Vanilla, musk, woody notes

Remember the opening of Enchanted Forest by the Vagabond Prince? Imagine that but toned down for a mass market youth audience. While not being something I want to wear I can tell that it will go down a treat with the younger crew. It’s a freaky synthetic screech of fruit at the top with pineapple and blackcurrant vying for which is sweeter, the heart escapes me but I do get a squeaky vanilla and some generic musks in the base. Not groundbreaking but quite nice, especially for the price. To be fair, it’s similar to many of the current designer and mid market beauty offerings and I bet it grabs compliments.

So…? can be purchased at Beauty HQ http://www.beautyhq.com.au/, and instore at larger Priceline.
Check out their UK website

Want to try them? See below……
Portia xxx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

So…? GIVEAWAY!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us a budget fragrance that you love

Extra Chance? (tweet once ONLY please)
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie So…? With Attitude #GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-4tL #Perfume @Sowithattitude

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 6th December 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Thursday 10th December 2015 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.

How to Set a Provençal Table by L’OCCITANE

December 4, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

OMG! Christmas is nearly here! It’s time to think table settings. It has to be fabulous so everyone can go WOW when they arrive but easy to remove so you can eat dinner and have stuff to hand around on the table. L’Occitane has some good, simple, effective and cheap ideas here that anyone could take inspiration from. I hope you enjoy this little film, I’m definitely inspired.

Portia xxx

Photo Stolen YouTube

How to Set a Provençal Table: L’OCCITANE

Need some last minute, well priced Xmas ideas? L’Occitane Au can help. No, I’m not affiliated or paid by the company, LOVE the L’Occitane products though. XX

Tommi Sooni: R.I.P.

December 3, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey APJ Crew,

Recently I grabbed out my bottle of Eau de Tommi Sooni I and was happily spritzing when I thought it was time to revisit the house for the blog. They’re an Aussie crew making lovely vintage inspired fragrances for the modern perfumista and I had been a bit quiet about them, so I went looking and they seem to have disappeared. Gone!

Tommi Sooni: R.I.P.

The only person I ever had contact with from Tommi Sooni was Steven Broadhurst, he was a very pleasant man in my few dealings with him and I really got the feeling that he was 100% devoted to creating a polished, modern, high end independent Australian niche perfumery. The best way I could think of to remember them and their beautiful fragrances was to get all the Tommi Sooni artworks that I could find together and make a post about them, in their own ways as interesting and glorious as the frags.

FragranceX still has Eau de Tommi Sooni I and Jinx for sale AUD$248/100ml

R.I.P. Tommi Sooni, you were too lovely for this world and the air will be a little less fabulously fragrant without you to augment its beauty.
Portia xx

Most Photos Stolen Fragrantica

Botanical Postcards from Sydney: Mini Photo Essay

December 2, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Sometimes photographing the small beauties around me reminds me to be grateful and helps me enjoy my day. Here are some shots taken as I wandered or around my home.

Botanical Postcards from Sydney

If a picture paints a thousand words ……… I can’t wait til we have smellevsion and scentagram!

I’ve got these gorgeous chamomile flowers in a teapot next to my bed – sweet dreams!

Chamomile

Keywords: “cool down: less tension more inspiration, de-stress“

Little roses from my back lane

Rose

Keywords: “divine love; self love; self nurturing”

Caught on camera somewhere in Sydney

Lavender

Keywords: “solidarity; solid foundations; acceptance; regeneration”

Divine jasmine!

Jasmine

Keyword: “sensuality”

Home grown

Basil

Keywords: “clarity; open your mind”

What can you be thankful for? Look around, probably more than you think
Suzanne R Banks

********************************************************************************

Like our Facebook page to stay tuned for more info on the inaugural

Australasian Artisan Botanical Perfume Expo in Sydney, 24th April 2016

********************************************************************************

Check out my YouTube Channel too, thanks.
Suzanne R Banks xx

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

Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Amazon USA Amazon AU Amazon UK

NEW!: Creed, Juliette Has A Gun and Frapin

December 1, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Nick Smart’s desk at Agence de Parfum’s HQ (Libertine Parfumerie) often holds exciting secrets. Last week he had just returned from a buying trip in Europe…Squeal!! I dashed for the pile of boxes and had a quick sniff. These are my first thoughts and REVEALS:

NEW!: Creed, Juliette Has A Gun and Frapin

A fleeting whiff! New niche releases

Creed: Princess Oud is an oriental floral for women launching in Australia in March 2016, also created by in-house nose Oliver Creed. Before sniffing I thought of the words “princess” and “oud” and conjured up an imagined scent being sweet, girlie and dense with oud. I was right. An appealing, possibly heading towards ‘crowd pleasing,’ fragrance which paves a pathway between Middle Eastern and Western perfumes. It’s far too icky-sweet for me, personally. Maybe not so original but it’s done very well, this review is from a card so skin mileage will vary.

Creed: Royal Mayfair, a unisex fragrance launching here in December is a remake of Windsor, the limited edition of 2009, renamed and no longer limited. Whoop! Windsor was originally created in 1936 for King Edward VIII of England. Ingredients take us on a tour of the British Empire he ruled and makes for an interesting olfactive tale, in which Australia features, with the inclusion of “our” eucalyptus. Nose Oliver Creed has combined London gin, Jamaican lime, Scottish Highland pine tree atop of “Duke of Windsor” roses and orange from the Bahamas over Canadian cedar and AUSTRALIAN eucalyptus. I stopped and took notice when I first sniffed and it gets better and more beautiful and distinctive on drydown. My current gin based fragrance is Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling…could this be next?

Frapin: The Orchid Man is being compared to Aventus and due in Australia for release in January. Call me an alien but I am no massive fan of Aventus. Obviously I appreciate it, but mostly it’s too macho, and frankly that’s not who I like to nuzzle up too. Add to this all the comments re “panty dropping” I see on fragrance forums and I think its killed it for me (pants definitely up to the point of wedging!) My favourite pineapple note in perfumes is in Frapin’s 1270. So I was intrigued thinking, “could Frapin’s take possibly be a better and more affordable Aventus with 1270’s magical pineapples and woods?” No. It’s missing the pineapple sadly, but it is very similar to Aventus.

Juliette Has a Gun: Another Oud will be released in Australia in Feb 2016 (lets hope this means another visit to Oz from sexy Parisian, Romano Ricci, father of the brand..!) I smell the musks and ambroxan JHAG are famous for with oud floating up eventually from underneath. A dry oud scent. On the skin however Another Oud comes to life and there’s more to it than first expected, including some raspberry fruit and intensifying oud. I’d like to spend more time with this fragrance as it has all the elements to be very sensual.

Libertine Parfumerie has samples and bottles. FREE Australian Delivery over $100
First In Fragrance if you’re in Europe
LuckyScent in the USA
Surrender To Chance is a great way to sample before you buy too

What have you discovered lately that’s new to market or you that has touched you?
Ainslie Walker

Photos Donated Ainslie Walker