Calvin Klein Obsession Woman & Man

July 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

This summer the Pacific Northwest USA has been uncharacteristically hot and dry. To make matters worse, less than 30% of the homes have central air-conditioning. Ours is one of the hot ones! I have yet to acclimate to the 95-100 degree F temperatures that continue to blister the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

In an attempt to deal with the sweltering heat I pulled out my big, refrigerated bottles of Italian colognes. Sadly, these refreshing fragrances have done little to alleviate the effects of the breathtaking temperatures. The alcohol evaporates too quickly to be effective, leaving not a trace of comforting scent on my skin.

Calvin Klein Obsession

Calvin Klein Obsession for Woman by Jean Guichard 1985

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Green notes, mandarin orange, vanilla, peach, basil, bergamot, lemon
Heart: Spices, coriander, sandalwood, orange blossom, jasmine, oakmoss, cedar, rose
Base: Amber, musk, civet, vetiver, incense

Sweating over a solution, I recalled a recent comment by Cookie Queen suggesting the use of big orientals in hot climates. Her timely advice and Anne-Marie’s recent post inspired me to dig out the squat, kidney shaped bottle of the original Calvin Klein Obsession for Women from its cool, dark tomb in the lower floor storage. Even though I had a vague recollection of Calvin Klein Obsession for Women as nothing more than a spicy cliché typical of many 80s bombastic orientals, I was desperate enough to give it another try. I resurrected Calvin Klein Obsession for Women from the nether regions and carried her up into the bright and toasty upstairs living area. I gave myself a quick splash and WHAMMO…! The power of Obsession was so uplifting and distracting that I totally forgot the scorching heat. The juice in the old bottle had aged to perfection and provided me with a much-needed respite from the stagnant summer air. The overheated atmosphere of the house also revealed the beauty and complexity of Obsession. After 30 years of neglect I was finally enjoying fragrance notes I had never detected before, including almost everything on Fragrantica’s list. I fell madly for my old cologne and hurried to purchase more vintage Obsession for Women.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Calvin Klein Obsession for Men by Bob Slattery 1986

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Tangerine/mandarin, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, coriander, lavender, cinnamon
Heart: Nutmeg, carnation, jasmine, sage, Brazilian rosewood, pine, myrrh, red berries
Base: Amber, sandalwood, patchouli, musk, vanilla, vetiver

I was even able to find the original 1986 Calvin Klein Obsession for Men and imagine that almost every element of CK Obsession for Men (and for Women) is synthetic. The jasmine in my vintage version is probably hedione (methyl dihydrojasmonate) and the musk is most likely civetone. For me Obsession for Men packs the distracting punch of the distaff version and is refreshing as well. I also find CK Obsession for Men to be incredibly sexy! My reaction is probably related to hedione. Recent research suggests that this old aroma-chemical activates a specific region of the hypothalamus associated with the release of sex hormones, especially in women. In other words, hedione might actually turn women on!

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

But there is MORE:

Animal behaviorists in South America routinely use Calvin Klein Obsession for Men to lure jaguars to camera traps in the jungle and zookeepers keep their feline charges active and entertained with CK Obsession for Men.

Further reading: Now Smell This and I Smell Therefore I Am
Fragrance Shop has $26/110ml
My Perfume Samples has $2/ml to $7/5ml

I’m wondering if YOU love or hate the various Obsessions? Do you ever wear heavy orientals in the summer heat? Have you tried the Sex Panther fragrance referred to above?

In closing – some like it hot…so be cool!

Azar xx

Maria Amalia by Morris, Italy 2006

June 22, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ!

I love to shop the discounters. It is not unusual for me to find a fragrance that I once coveted available online for less than half the original price. There is, of course, the issue of fakes. I rarely encounter one of those but when I do I consider it collectable, not unlike the antique replicas of precious wentletrap shells (Epitonium scalare) that are now worth far more than the real thing. There will be more on my fake fragrance collection in another post.

Maria Amalia by Morris, Italy 2006

Photo Stolen Perfume Emporium

Today I am considering the mass marketing mistakes that result in so many fragrances being relegated to the online and the brick and mortar discount bins. One recent find, Maria Amalia EdP by Morris Italy, has me wondering just what it takes to make a fragrance attractive in today’s mass marketplace.

The packaging and presentation of Maria Amalia EdP are beautifully done. Meticulously pleated cellophane, sealed with the perfume logo, wraps a silk textured box enclosing a heavy urn-shaped pressed glass bottle. Information about the fragrance is presented in a tiny foldout illustrated with the art of Pre-Raphaelite painter John Waterhouse (somewhat anachronous) and with stunning photos of the Maria Amalia product line.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

The EdP itself is a bracing, totally unisex brew opening with a cool fruity/citrus accord lasting a moment or two before morphing into a combination of ginger, cardamom and angelica that creates an arresting impression of dusty gunpowder, spice, citrus and sweet herbs. This odd but exhilarating beginning expands to include scents of wet earth, lemon and may rose peppered with nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon. Maria Amalia dries into rosewood, myrrh, sandalwood and a residual aura of lemon and green herbs, a perfectly refreshing summertime spritz.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

This fragrance was purportedly created from an original recipe of the favorite perfume of Maria Amalia of Austria (1764 – 1804). She was the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I (the Holy Roman Emperor) and sister to Marie Antoinette. Maria Amalia was known for her flamboyant, cross-dressing life style and (unlike her sister) for her genuine generosity to the poor. Her life story reads like a novel.

That is all well and good but why did Maria Amalia – the perfume – end up in the discount bin?

I suspect that the historic references did not resonate with today’s consumer. Maybe the packaging and presentation were too old fashioned. Was 2006 too early for a real unisex fragrance or was Morris, Italy too closely identified with its German parent company, the hair-coloring experts, Schartzkopf/Henkel? Perhaps the demise of Maria Amalia had nothing whatsoever to do with marketing but was simply a result of the EU or IRFA fragrance regulations. Whatever the case may be I feel lucky to have stumbled upon Maria Amalia the fragrance. I have stocked up.

Further reading: Fragrance Bouquet and BaseNotes
Perfume Emporium has $15.29/50ml

Azar xx

Photo Stolen Kesha&Co

Maria Amalia GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 USA winner who will receive:
1 x 5ml decant of Maria Amalia by Morris, Italy
P&H USA ONLY

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to USA ONLY who follow 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. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you have heard of or have tried the Maria Amalia fragrance or give us your take on marketing perfume in the 21st century.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 25th June 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Monday 29th 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.

This review of Maria Amalia EdP first appeared last week on Ellen Covey’s blog. You can win there as well!

Celebu-Pet GIVEAWAY WINNERS

June 12, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Heya APJ,

Woo Hoo! Another fabulous GIVEAWAY! You guys are so lucky. Thanks for getting involved and thanks for beiong a part of our APJ family.

Portia xx

Celebu-Pet GIVEAWAY

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, grapefrui
Heart: Vanilla orchid, passion flower, suede
Base: White amber, creamy musk, Madagascan vanilla, Haitin vetiver

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 ml decants of four of the perfumes mentioned in this post. Here they are in the order of my personal preference:
1) Fender’s Holiday Berry Kiss
2) Fender’s Rainforest Cologne
3) Taylor Swift’s Incredible Things
4) Jennifer Aniston Lovalie
(Hmmm…I seem to prefer pet perfume to celebuscents!)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID 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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) 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 about your favorite pet perfume, celebuscent or most recent fragrance adventure!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 11th May 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner was chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen amberinblunderland

JAYBEE

The winner will have till Sunday 14th May 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.

Pet Fragrance, Taylor Swift's Incredible Things

June 8, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Azar

No matter how much we love our furry and feathered friends, most natural pet odors (with the notable exception of Pionus Parrot Perfume) can sometimes be challenging to deal with.

That being said, Fender the dog is usually not a stink bomb. Even damp from PNW rain he maintains a pleasant furry scent with an intimate doggie sillage. There are times, though, for whatever reason, when he is quite ripe. On those days an immediate in-home bath or a trip to the groomer is in order.

Pet Fragrance

I have discussed doggie odors, as well as pet and people perfumes, at length with Fender’s stylist, “L”. Most dedicated pet parents know that perfumes made for people are not meant for dogs or cats. Some of the ingredients in our favorite fragrances can actually be harmful to pets. “L” has introduced me to several lines of pet perfumes and colognes. Some, like the offerings from Nature Labs, smell like designer fragrances. Her favorites for her clients include Arfmani, Aramutts, Ms. Claybone, CK-9 and Tommy Holedigger. I was also surprised to learn that Juicy Couture has come up with dog colognes and beauty products, the Juicy Crittoure line.

My preferred perfumes from Fender’s small collection include a discontinued seasonal beauty entitled Holiday Berry Kiss. HBK is, in fact, one of my favorite raspberry fragrances – for dogs or humans. Notes include sweet, tart raspberry, unripe pear, jasmine, rose and fresh water notes. I also enjoy Espree odor neutralizing Rainforest Cologne. This dog perfume is reminiscent of the gardenia and the other white florals in My Life by Mary J. Blige. While Fender rarely puts up with a lot of frou-frou, once in awhile he will tolerate a little spritz of Pucci.

Incredible Things by Elizabeth Arden for Taylor Swift 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, grapefrui
Heart: Vanilla orchid, passion flower, suede
Base: White amber, creamy musk, Madagascan vanilla, Haitin vetiver

A couple of months ago “L” was living through some very frustrating experiences. What better way to help a fellow perfumista than a gift of her favorite fragrance? She loves the perfumes of Jennifer Aniston, especially the first one, sometimes called Lovalie (2010). I believe that the clean, light soapiness of Lovalie must be a much-needed respite after long hours surrounded by heavy-duty animalic odors. I easily found this first Jennifer Aniston online but the second one, J introduced in 2014, was a bit of a challenge to locate. I finally tracked it down, on sale at my local Target store and purchased the last one in stock. Prominently displayed above the Jennifer Aniston section was Taylor Swift’s new fragrance Incredible Things (2014). I bravely gave myself a generous spray and was surprised and impressed by a beautiful, livable coconut and an eye-popping grapefruit spiced with pink pepper. The circuitous route to my discovery of Incredible Things reminded me that I never know where or when a new fragrance adventure will come my way!

Azar xx

Photo Stolen Kesha&Co

Celebu-Pet GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us about your favorite pet perfume, celebuscent or most recent fragrance adventure!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 11th May 2015 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 14th May 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.

Mardi Gras by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2015

May 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 62 Comments

Post by Azar

In 2011 Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids sent me a very unusual gift, two 15 ml prototypes of one of her best selling fragrances. The bottles were labeled Version #1 and Version #3. For whatever reason these perfumes had not made the cut and had never been offered for sale.

Version #3 was a beautiful honeyed citrus with plenty of sandalwood and amber. #1 was also a honeyed fragrance but much louder and more angular, opening with a sharp, synthetic, edgy orange blossom, progressing to a heart of dark, earthy labdanum/cistus/honey and drying down over several hours to a musky, slightly cheesy, animalic civet and amber. I fell in love with Version #1 and so did my husband.

While very different from and not quite as skanky as that quintessential “parfum de puta” – Tabu, Version #1 was definitely in the same league. As far as I knew no one else was wearing this prototype dazzler and I began to consider #1 my personal, one of a kind fragrance.

Late last year Olympic Orchids (with a little prompting) reconsidered the possibilities of Version #1. Ellen toned down the slutty first impression with natural orange blossom and neroli, smoothed and reinforced the cistus with benzoin and tweaked the animalic dry down. The new fragrance, aptly named Mardi Gras, debuted in early 2015.

Mardi Gras by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2015

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids gives these featured accords in one line:
Orange blossom, neroli, cistus, benzoin, vanilla, civet and special musk blend.

Mardi Gras is a much more sophisticated, refined and wearable scent than Version #1. She is a southern belle who has managed to retain the dark magic of her native New Orleans. Of the two fragrances Mardi Gras is probably the better perfume, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for her brazen older sister.

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon
Mardi Gras is available online at Olympic Orchids in 1ml or 30ml

Azar xx

Photo Stolen Kesha&Co

Mardi Gras GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 2 ml decant of the new Mardi Gras
1 x 1 ml decant from my bottle of Version #1
1 x mystery sample of a dark and musky perfume oil
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you have tried Olympic Orchids new Mardi Gras fragrance or about your favorite “parfum de puta”!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 28th May 2015 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 31st May 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.

Sweet Anthem GIVEAWAY WINNER

May 15, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Hiya APJ,

Thanks for getting involved in another wonderful GIVEAWAY! Thanks to Sweet Anthem and Azar for organising.

Portia xx

Sweet Anthem GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Complete set of 1 ml of the Enchanted Fragrances
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us a favorite fairy tale character and a perfume he/she might wear

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 14th May 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winners will be chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen amberinblunderland

rincoglionita

The winners will have till Monday 18th May 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.

Enchanted Fragrances by Meredith Smith for Sweet Anthem

May 11, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 41 Comments

Post by Azar

Every year I find at least one new fragrance to love from Sweet Anthem, Seattle. In 2014 I fell for Lolita. This year Meredith Smith has created a collection of perfumes representing fairy tale villains and heroines. Here are my impressions of the four “characters” in her 2015 “Enchanted Fragrances” Collection.

Enchanted Fragrances by Meredith Smith for Sweet Anthem

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Black Queen – listed notes: Apple, Linden Blossom, Oakmoss, Tonka Bean.

The Black Queen introduces herself as a luscious, fruity concoction wrapped in the comforting warmth of grassy, dried linden blossom and velvety tonka bean. At first I wonder how such a beauty could be a wicked queen? After five minutes the truth is revealed as the villainess proffers her apple, a genetically modified peachy pomme, smelling of potpourri, scented candles and apple pie. As I am heading to the sink to scrub her away the Black Queen once again entices with oakmoss, vanilla, cream and a pinch of salt. I take another bite. Perhaps she is the poisonous gourmand I have been searching for – a fruit from Rappaccini’s garden. The Black Queen is a powerful, long-lived personality. I crave her opening and dry down and am developing a taste for the “toxic” apple.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Red Queen – listed notes: Cardamom, Fig, Honey, Leather, Rose, White Pepper

As Portia is wont to say “Pow – right in the kisser!” The Red Queen grabs attention with a jab of smoky leather and honey. Within moments the scent of deep red rose and dry white pepper add another punch to the honeyed leather. As Red Queen dries down she mellows out and bursts open with sweet fig and cardamom, finishing with a vague reference to white patchouli. This villainess is a big, take no prisoners, long lasting leather and I love her. Red Queen is a new take on two of Meredith’s older fragrances, the Queen of Hearts and Maleficent. I can also detect something of my mother’s personal Sweet Anthem creation – Ruby.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Briar Rose – listed notes: Beeswax, Rose Otto, Tomato Leaf, White Amber

Briar Rose offers very little of her namesake rose. She is all tomato leaf, beeswax and amber from start to finish. I adore tomato leaf in perfume and for years have enjoyed Briar Rose’s scent sister, Sweet Anthem’s Joan. The fleeting rose I detect in Briar Rose comes only with the finish. This heroine is essentially a linear, one-dimensional beauty with a moderate to strong presence and amazing longevity.

Photo Stolen Pexels

Snow White – listed notes: Osmanthus, Petit Grain SFN, White Musk, Vetiver

Snow White is a shy girl with a split personality. She greets the wearer with sharp, green petitgrain-neroli then suddenly warms to golden osmanthus suffused with apricot and vanilla. Too soon Snow White displays her icy nature, a chilly combination of ozonic notes, hints of heliotrope, vetiver, frozen dirt and musk. I usually don’t care for snowy accords in fragrances but Meredith has handled the phantom heliotrope and obvious musk with care, creating an airy, invigorating chill, light as a feather and fresh as frost. These personalities conflict for an hour or so, finally settling as new fallen snow, melting and drying after 8 hours to a thin, musky vetiver.

Sweet Anthem perfumes are available online at Sweet Anthem (USA), Anthropologie (USA), Pretty Indulgent (Canada) and in several retail shops across North America.

Azar xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

Sweet A GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Complete set of 1 ml of the Enchanted Fragrances
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us a favorite fairy tale character and a perfume he/she might wear

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 14th May 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Monday 18th May 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.

El Poeta by Mario T. Gomez for Mario Tomas Perfumes

April 27, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 43 Comments

Post by Azar

“I have many interests but the art of perfumery is my passion” – Mario T. Gomez

Mario Gomez is well known in US West Coast perfume circles for his writing, lecturing and for his Olfactory Ambassador Service . In 2014 Mario brought his extensive knowledge of and appreciation for scent to the creation of his own line of fragrances – Mario Tomas Perfumes. So far there are three fragrances in the line: Lo Mejor de Mi #1, Corazon Blanco and El Poeta. While I have not had the pleasure of meeting the perfumer in person I feel as though I know him from trying just one of his creations. Late last year a dear friend gifted me a bottle of El Poeta, a fragrance that is a striking testament to Mario Gomez passion for and understanding of the art of perfumery.

El Poeta by Mario T. Gomez for Mario Tomas Perfumes

Photo Donated Mario

Perfumer gives these featured notes in one line:
Vanilla, sandalwood, coriander, anise, fig, bay rum, tobacco, juniper.

“This fragrance conjures up another era: a time and place when debates on beauty, style and technique were hotly discussed over drinks at a crowded and smoky café…It is absinthe inspired; Bohemia in a bottle.”

My perceived notes and description:
Anise, juniper, gin, vanilla, coriander, fig, coffee, cream and smoky sweet tobacco.

Many of you are familiar with DHS Café Noir (1997), Olympic Orchids Café V (2013) and Sweet Anthem Poppy (2014). To me these wonderful semi gourmand “café” perfumes are evocative of historic and contemporary café culture around the world – warm, dark, a little shady, revolutionary and artistic but at the same time comfortable and safe. El Poeta is a “café” fragrance too but with a twist. El Poeta opens for me with a blast of juniper/gin flavored with anise and coriander seed – potent, blue green and translucent. As the perfume develops it becomes warmer in color and more opaque, a delicious concoction of vanilla and fig. I like to spritz El Poeta late at night. When I wake up in the morning I am treated to a dry down of deep golden brown scents, the smells of thick, rich, vanilla spiced coffee, sweet cream and hints of smoky tobacco. Throughout the eight to ten hour life of the fragrance the projection is strong enough to be enticing but never overwhelming.

Photo Donated Mario

Read more about Mario T. Gomez and his fragrances at Fragrantica and Ca Fleure Bon
Currently Mario Toms Perfumes are shipping to US addresses only.
El Poeta will be available again soon at Tiger Lily Perfumery

Azar xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

El Poeta GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 1 ml Mario Tomas Perfumes “Cafe” sample set of El Poeta, Café Noir, Café V and Poppy
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please comment on any of these fragrances or tell us about your favorite coffee drink or coffee-centric perfume. If you can’t drink coffee (or don’t like it) you can tell us about that too!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 30th April 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Monday 3rd May 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.

Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli by Dame Perfumery Scottsdale 2014

March 23, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ Pals,

As long as I can remember perfumes wafting excessive orrisroot, iris, violet and/or heliotrope have been, at best, cloying and at worst nauseating. Powdery purple florals, components of so many vintage and modern fragrances, are almost impossible to avoid. Their sweet, almond-y, cherry or vanillic odors rise from drugstores, department stores, boutiques and specialty shops everywhere.

Over the years I have developed a sort of Heliotropophobia, (Orrisophobia, Violettaphobia), a confused and unpredictable fear of the sweet and powdery. Heliotrope in certain fragrances, Dior Poison for example, presents no problem for me. Perhaps Poison works because the heliotrope has been transformed into a toxic berry? When powdery orris root serves as background noise or modulation (Chanel No.19) it works too, but when the powder passes my personal threshold of tolerance any perfume becomes a scrubber. Prada’s Infusion d’Iris is intolerable. Lolita Lempicka is lovely at first but not for long…

Determined to face this phobia I began searching my samples for possible offenders. Bravely I decided to spritz anything containing iris, violet or heliotrope and make a serious effort to concentrate on the development of the scent, disregarding any gag reflex. I knew there had to be something redeeming beneath the icky and the sweet. The first vial that I pulled forever changed my take on powder in perfume.

Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli by Dame Perfumery Scottsdale 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mate, lime peel, aldehydes
Heart: Heliotrope, iris, rose, tiare flower
Base: Patchouli, amber

The first sniff revealed the usual dreaded heliotrope and iris, but not for long! A sparkling, airy lightness, provided by mate and lime, immediately saved the composition. Mr. Dame’s heliotrope was refreshing and invigorating, almost a cologne. As Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli developed and dried into the cherry-almond aspect of heliotrope the aldehydes kept the gooey dessert element under control allowing the fragrance to finish with a rich and comforting combination of tiare and amber. A wispy, vague reference to pale patchouli lingered from start to finish.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

I love Mate, Heliotrope &Patchouli. I wear and enjoy this fragrance and am convinced that it has opened my nose to the possibilities of carefully controlled and modified purple flowers. With that in mind I plan to return to the Prada mentioned above and hopefully find something new to love.

If you would like to receive a free sample of Mate, Heliotrope& Patchouli or any of Dame Perfumery’s current fragrances check out the website’s picture postcard/sample exchange. If you like a scent but are not ready to commit to a full bottle the website offers 7ml trial sizes for only $8.50 and $10.00!

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Thanks to Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli I may have conquered my Heliotropophobia. Have you tried any of the Dame Perfumery fragrances? Do you have any fragrance phobias? Are there perfumes you cannot wear but wish you could?

Be Brave

Azar xx

Olfactif: Synesthesia: Smelling in Color and Texture

March 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 43 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

I subscribe to Olfactif and genuinely look forward to receiving three generous, neatly packaged samples every month. The February Olfactif Collection, “Smelling in Color and Texture”, suggests how synesthetic experience relates to scent. Years of living with this issue have convinced me that we all suffer (or enjoy) some degree of synesthesia.

Olfactif: Synesthesia: Smelling in Color and Texture

Tokyo Bloom by Emilie Copperman for The Different Company 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Basil, galbanum, dandelion, black currant Heart: Jasmine, cyclamen petals
Base: Guaiac wood, musk, amber

Azar’s Perceived Notes:
Top: Sweet basil, Ivory soap, dry synthetic wood.
Heart: Jasmine.
Base: Thin, light musk, a passing reference to dandelion

Olfactif’s Colors/Textures: Green grass and velvety dandelions.

Azar’s Colors/Textures: Transparent blue-green drying to pale chartreuse with the feel of, well…air…

Tokyo Bloom is listed as cologne and is one of the shortest-lived colognes I have ever come across! Six inches of projected sillage, lasting for 20 minutes or less, left me totally frustrated. I kept spraying more juice hoping for some small measure of satisfaction. I finally gave up, washed up and lo and behold – vague dandelions, if only for a brief moment. For me Tokyo Bloom promises but never quite delivers; cologne designed, perhaps, for the very faint of heart?

Roma Imperiale by Bertrand Duchaufour for Profumi del Forte 2008

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, cinnamon, coriander seeds, rosewood, tangerine, tomato leaves
Heart: Iris butter, jasmine absolute, orchid, seringa (Melia azedarach/chinaberry blossoms), Turkish rose essence, ylang-ylang
Base: Grey amber, oak moss, sandal, vanilla

Azar’s Perceived Notes:
Top: Coriander seed, tangerine, tomato leaf
Heart: Iris, jasmine, magnolia blossom
Base: Vanilla, amber

Olfactif’s Colors/Textures: White, silk chiffon.

Azar’s Colors/Textures: Iridescent silk chiffon, contrasting cool and warm tones – glowing white, pink tangerine, a touch of sea green.

Roma Imperiale has a polite, satisfying sillage and a solid ten-hour longevity. It develops slowly on my skin, like a casual languorous tryst on a warm summer afternoon (“If you were here, in this white room, in this hotel, whose hinges stay hot, even in the wind off the sea…”Derek Walcott). Need I say more?

Memoirs Of A Trespasser by Josh Meyer for Imaginary Authors 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Madagascar vanilla, guaiac wood, myrrh, benzoin resin, ambrette seed, oak barrels

Azar’s Perceived Notes:
Campfire smoke, burnt marshmallows, fire ash, dry wood, vanilla, booze.

Olfactif’s Colors/Textures: Rich browns and old leather books.

Azar’s Colors/Textures: Dry browns, crisp blacks, scorched marshmallows crackling and gooey, rough sawn firewood.

Memoirs of a Trespasser begins near a smoky campfire. The moderate sillage surrounds and permeates my skin. After an hour the burnt offerings morph to vanilla and booze, fading over five hours to a rugged version of M. Micallef’s M. Micallef.

SPECIAL Olfactics Deal

If you are not a winner you can still purchase the February collection. Beginning today Olfactif will be offering past collections as part of a special promotion lasting through the end of March 2015.

Azar xx

Photo Stolen sassisamblog

Olfactif: Synesthesia GIVEAWAY!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Tara Swords, founder of Olfactif, has generously provided one “Smelling in Color and Texture” collection
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please comment on any of today’s reviewed fragrances or tell us about your own synesthetic experiences

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Olfactif #GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-3GA #Perfume @artofperfume @IAParfumerie @ProfumidelForte

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 12th March 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 19th March 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.