How Do You Scent Your Home?

December 21, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello fellow fragrance lovers!

Today I’m wondering, how do you scent your home? Our quarters are our own personal atmosphere, an oasis from the spiraling chaos of routine. It’s fun to express yourself by decorating your air space!

How Do You Scent Your Home?

Aside from the typical candles, incense sticks, and Scentsy warmers (which I display and use proudly), there are some other fun and creative ways to liven up the ambience.

Parfum de Nicolaï

Luxe atmosphere/linen sprays are such a delight! Right now I have several favorites in my collection from houses such as Black Phoenix Trading Post, Parfum de Nicolaï and Sucreabeille. The fragrances are unique, unexpected, and great conversation starters! Don’t forget the L’Artisan Amber Balls too.

L’Artisan

Another fabulous experience is burning resin incense on charcoal tablets in a censer. There is nothing that compares to real frankincense tears and myrrh resin cloaking a room in divine perfume. Be safe and try not to burn the place down! And it’s smart to crack a window open, smoke alarms can disrupt one’s zen. 😉

WikiCommons

Have you ever used an oil burner? A while back, Nocturne Alchemy released some limited edition Offering Oils specifically formulated for warming in an oil burner, no dilution necessary. I just light a tea light under the suspended glass dish, and soon the aroma is dancing around the room. The scents are purely euphoric, and they are by far my favorite way to fragrance my home. I hope they decide to make more someday, my little hoard is starting to dwindle.

Lastly, I’d love to hear your opinions on ultrasonic aroma diffusers like the Muji. I’m curious and very tempted. If you have one, do you use it often, or did you lose interest once you played with it a few times? Do you have any brands you recommend (or would advise against)?

I hope you are cozy and well-scented, and that you are enjoying the company of loved ones this holiday season.

So tell me in the comments below, how do you scent your home?

Fragrant hugs,
-Erica

APJ Crew: What We Loved In 2016

December 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Post by APJ Crew

Hi APJ,

The end of the year hurtles towards us faster than I was ready for. A year filled with fun and adventure, a year fraught with political upheaval, a year of fragrance, travel, friends and families. For many 2016 has been the year of war, displacement, challenge, heartache and despair. Most of us have had a year of good and bad, a year of work, home and regular life with its ups and downs, drama and spots of magic that make it all worthwhile.

Here’s what the crew at APJ loved the most in 2016. Not all of it fragrant. I hope you enjoy a little look into what we rated high. The order is the order the pieces came into my inbox.

APJ Crew: What We Loved In 2016

Claire Vukčević

Honestly? Apart from perfume, the biggest discovery in 2016 was how brilliant Tretinoin is. Northing I’ve ever used before has had such an effect on my skin – small wrinkles minimized, pores reduced, overall skin texture improved. I love the stuff. I can’t find a doctor to prescribe it to me here, so I will have to source it out on the Internet – always a crapshoot, no? But still, it’s great and I will take the chance. For 2017, I am also excited about exploring a more extensive, Korean-style skincare regime. Next year will be all about getting that chok chok, or Korean glow. We’ll see. I just turned 40 and I think that Irish skin might have a finite stock of chok chok and that perhaps I used mine all up in 1997. Call me in 2018 to see how that works out for me.

Sandra

Hey APJ! Wishing ya’ll a very happy and safe holiday season and hoping that 2016 was a good year. 2016 has been tumultuous for me but we survived and we are currently setting up our house in Rotterdam. My favorites for 2016 are not necessarily new but new experiences for me.
Perfumes: Rahele by NVC, Galop and Muguet Porcelaine both by Hermes, discovering the pure decadence of Shalimar in all its variations and last but not least finally getting my hands on the gorgeous Dior Privee Bois d’Argent.
Movies: watching A Christmas Story with my son and hearing his squeals of laughter.
TV shows: I enjoyed Narcos and The Crown (I know – two wildly different shows!). Flowers: finally smelling a vanilla orchid.
Books: all the Robert Galbraith crime novels and rereading Roald Dahl books with my son.
Bring on 2017! Sandra xoxo

Robert Herrmann

Phew. 2016. What a tumultuous year it was and all I can say is “Buh-bye 2016! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out! A year of highs and lows, and what got me through much of it was perfume. Always there at my beck and call…

In 2016 there were in excess of 1100 new releases averaging out to almost 100 a month. Did I try even 10% of them? Possibly, but not likely. There were some standouts that I ended up loving. So in no particular order, here’s what was new to me in 2016….

Boy by Chanel, a VERY unisex Fougere Cologne. Addictive.
Amouage Lilac Love, a truly gorgeous non-lilac lilac.
Amouage Opus X, “The Red Violin” in a bottle. A weird and wonderful rose.
Aroma M Voluptuous Nostalgia and Camillia Extrait, two of the finest contemporary but vintage-style perfumes. Gorgeous!
En Voyage Rainmaker, like walking through the Pacific Northwest rain forest. Amazing.
Dusita Infini, One of the finest oudh’s. Really. Even if you’re not an Oudh fan, try this, it’s stunning!
MFK’s Grand Soir, my new cold weather go-to. Gourmand heaven.
Zoologist Civet (releasing Dec.31st) exquisite. I can’t even.

Anne Marie

I had fun in 2016 exploring Cuban culture. I can’t remember what brought this on, but somehow I got interested in Cuban food, music, literature and of course, Cuban-inspired perfume. It’s easy to get carried away by a romantic idea of old Havana so the quite gritty novels of Cuban writer Leonardo Padura Fuentes brought me down to earth with a thump. Still, I taught myself to make mojitos, discovered the Lecuona Cuban Boys, and bought a Cuban cookbook (more read than cooked from, I have to admit). Of course bottles of Guerlain Pour Homme and Aramis Havana were obligatory!

Val the Cookie Queen

Seeing MUSE on the Drones Tour. After having attended hundreds of gigs in my lifetime, including so many in the mid seventies punk era, to see MUSE at aged 56 and be absolutely blown away was the definitive highlight of 2016.
Celebrating my grandmother-in-law`s 100th birthday gathering was a great privilege. She can still tell a joke to turn your hair white. We have had a close relationship for nearly 25 years. I love her.
Fragrance wise would be receiving a bottle of Hermès Doblis as a gift. The humorous side to this was having to Google it to see exactly what I had. It is the prize possession in my small ( but not as small as it used to be!) fragrance collection.

Erica Golding

2016 was the 10th anniversary of my favorite perfume house, NAVA (Nocturne Alchemy). They are poised to revamp their website and packaging over an extended winter hiatus, and like most fans I went on an ordering spree in December! My favorite 2016 NAVA release was the now Sold Out limited edition Icons II: Inferno, a luxuriously smooth and resonant amber oudh that is in a league all its own.
This year, the novel City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin was finally released, completing a long-anticipated trilogy. His writing is infused with vivid poetry and complex character development, elevating a storyline that could otherwise be classified as Sci-Fi. Deeply moving literary fiction, highly recommended!

TinaG

My travels this year took me to the Islay Festival, or Feis Ile, a whisky festival on the Scottish island of the same name. I fell in love with Islay, not only because of the wonderful people and magnificent whisky, but for the wild island itself. My cottage was 9 kms from Port Ellen along a windy single track road which took my past Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Ardbeg distilleries (for those who know their whisky) and then along little beaches & craggy coves. One of my favourite things to do on my way home was to pull in at one secluded beach, and sit for a while watching the local seals. It was ridiculously cool to hear them slapping the water, blowing bubbles, and chasing each other around. Just me & them, chilling out enjoying the last few rays of the golden evenings. Magical.

Tina’s Ireland cottage

Seal Bay

Three distilleries near thecottage

Portia

What did I love this year? I particularly loved everyone who took time to read and comment here on APJ. Thank you. Loved all our contributors, I know how hard you all work to continually pull interesting posts out of the hat. BRAVO!
Perfume: The things I purchased most of this year in mls are Granville and vintage Miss Dior by DIOR, vintage Mitsouko by Guerlain and BOY + Misia by CHANEL. New niche faves for me have been Morn To Dusk by Eau d’Italie and Rahele by Neela Vermeire.
Travel: Jin & I had a great time in Japan, we also loved seeing Venice with Tara of A Bottled Rose and our friend Anna-Maria. Unforgettable times.
Books: The Herland Trilogy by Charlotte Perkins Gilman blew my mind, can’t stop thinking about it. Erin Watt’s Royal Trilogy is non-stop pot-boiling reading, could not put this terrible trash down and did nothing except read them for a week. When It Rains and How To Get There are two books by Australian writer Maggie MacKeller on her dealing with grief and moving on, all set against the backdrop of the Australia that I know & love.

What did you love about 2016?
Portia xx

Salome by Liz Moores for Papillon Artisan Perfumes 2015

October 19, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Warmest fragrant greetings to you all!

Tonight, I am luxuriating in an addictive perfume that I actually did not care for upon first impression. Have you ever given a scent a second chance, trying to unlock its mysteries and nuances? I am so thrilled that I didn’t give up on:

Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes 2015

Salome by Liz Moores

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bitter orange, bergamot
Heart: Turkish rose, orange blossom, tobacco, carnation, jasmine, hyrax
Base: Styrax, vanilla, hay, patchouli, oakmoss, cumin, birch, castoreum

Let’s just put it out there: Salome is a cumin-saturated, purring, sexually charged explosion! The cumin dominates with amplified intensity on my skin, accented by the animalic musks, creating a panting, sweaty body odor accord that’s definitely not safe for work on me. 😉

This growling feral opening delayed me from even skin testing my gorgeous giant decant, which was a gift from my goddess Barbara. I would unscrew the sprayer and sniff the tubing, considering swiping a drop for a skin test, and couldn’t even will myself that far! Where was the jasmine, or orange blossom, or bergamot? All I could sense was the cumin, but as an adventurous soul, I was surprised that I was wimping out.

So one evening, I just said, screw it. Let’s go! Onto my wrists she went. Admittedly, the first skin test confused me. The cumin and the furry animalics still roared, but underneath I could also sense a dazzlingly gorgeous perfume – a classic bouquet of tender blossoms, with oakmoss and the distinctive vintage tone of a bygone era.

I almost gave up after that first test. But then I couldn’t stop coming back to the decant just to sniff the sprayer. I started wearing it on occasion as an evening scent after my child went to bed. Slowly, my addiction to the entirety of this masterpiece began to blossom. It wasn’t long before my craving became an obsession. Now, I can’t get enough!

The cumin truly does ignite on my skin, and Salome is too daring and sexual for me to consider wearing it casually. However, I am deeply enamored with its dirty, prowling sensuality as a private indulgence. If you love Bogue Maai and Absolue Pour Le Soir, this is one step further – if you dare!

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Bonkers About Perfume
LuckyScent has $160/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/0.5ml

Have you ever become obsessed with a perfume that didn’t work for you at first?

Love, light, and scented hugs,
-Erica

Estate Rosewood EdP by Angela St. John for Solstice Scents 2016

September 21, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Fragrant greetings to all of you wonderful scent lovers around the world!

Today, my aura is fully saturated with a generous infusion of my new favorite indie masterpiece. Angela has done it again, and her latest Eau de Parfum composition is a complete addiction for me. I can’t get to sleep without wearing it lately, it’s got me mental!

Estate Rosewood EdP by Solstice Scents 2016

Estate Rosewood EdP by Angela St. John

Solstice Scents

Solstice Scents gives these featured accords:
Vanilla, tea rose, oak casks, tobacco, woods, bourbon, rosewood, hinoki wood

When Estate Rosewood was released several weeks ago, I ordered a sample and rocked on my heels next to my mailbox until it arrived. (This took about 30 seconds, haha! Solstice Scents still boasts an exceptionally fast turnaround time despite their well-deserved exploding fan base.)

Naughty confession: I tested it immediately, the little glass sprayer still warm from cooking in a hot summer mailbox. I inhaled and – and, well, it was like only being able to see the tail of a comet from your peripheral vision. It was incomplete, narrow, flat, and left me wanting more. Specifically, it made me crave pure Estate Vanilla. I just wanted to fill the void. I tested the next night and it was the same. The woods were nice but too subtle, the tobacco note was a bit minty and high pitched, the vanilla was confined.
I shrugged, put it aside, and decided it was just not my style.

PDI

A few days later, I was on vacation visiting my dear bestie Sammy, my partner in crime for all things fragrance (and otherwise). She was so deeply in love with her Estate Rosewood. I smelled it on her skin, and suddenly – Glory! A harmonious symphony! Rich, balanced, resonant magic! Experiencing this perfume with her fantastic chemistry was a turning point for me. (You should all be jealous, she amps dark notes like you wouldn’t believe!) Let’s also factor in the mail shock that my sample had been exposed to, it really took over a week to recover. Travel conditions like temperature shifts, pressure changes, varied elevations, and physical agitation impacted this perfume significantly. I hadn’t given it enough time to settle.

I quickly drained my sample once I realized it had recovered from the mail. (Duh. Idiot!) Next I scored a full bottle, and I’ve dented the volume 10% in just a few weeks. Really, it’s that good! The first two batches sold out almost instantly. It’s a must-try if you enjoy feeling like a legend.

Solstice Scents has $85/60ml and Samples

Do you have a story about wrongly judging a mail-shocked fragrance too soon? Have you ever had the chance to evaluate the effects of skin chemistry on perfume? Let’s chat about it below!

Love and light and scented hugs,
Erica

Dua Fragrances

August 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello, all of you fragrance-frenzied fanatics!

Today, I’m pumped to dive into a fresh new fragrance house. Dua Fragrances are crafted and sold in the US, using accords and concentrates made in Dubai from globally sourced raw materials. Some of their creations are influenced by other popular niche or mainstream scents, while others are inspired organically. All the ones that I have tried so far turned out to be unique, attractive fragrances that stand out on their own merit.

Dua Fragrances

Totally shocked to win a generous giveaway from Dua after being curious in their line for the last few weeks because I have been building an Arabic perfume sub-section in my collection, so these beauties are right up my alley! I’ve been so curious that I purchased several extras to travel with my much-appreciated prize. Here are mini reviews of three of my Dua parfum extracts.

Photo Courtesy Erica Golding

Hypnotic Santalum

NOTES: Sandalwood, Oud, Leather, Cinnamon, Neroli, Amber, Rose

Leather and oudh leap forth at the opening on my skin. The combination is focused, rich yet refined. Neroli and rose enter gradually, luxurious blossoms that add grace and a high-end edge. As the cinnamon, amber, and sandalwood warm up, the aroma begins to sweeten and the overall fragrance up shifts into addictive territory. Cinnamon often drags an imaginary apple note along in my mind due to scent association, a delicious effect that saturates my senses with pleasure.

Dua Fragrances

Bois Oudh

NOTES: Tonka Bean, Cardamom, Amber, Teak Wood, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Agarwood (Oud)

My favorite so far! The scent starts out subtle and the agarwood is just the right hint of rubber (in a good way) without being pungent or overwhelming. Sandalwood glows warm and smooth and familiar, giving a gorgeous tone. Accents of cardamom and amber impart a magnetic complexity. Later in the drydown, the hay-honey tonka bean sings.
The aroma isn’t particularly intense, which I was braced for, but was rather a very smooth, harmonious blend that left me huffing my wrists and wanting more. The scent is passionate without being overbearing. It won’t impress those looking for an aggressive nuclear bomb of scent, but it’s an exceptionally pleasing composition.

Mukhallat

NOTES: Orange Blossom, Amber, Rose, Jasmine, Resins, Musk, Oud

Oudh comes out first, leathery and confident. Classic floral notes add lift and harmony to the scent, with rose at the forefront of the bouquet. Creamy woody amber and furry musk smooth the base, a luxurious impression. On my skin, the drydown is dominated by tea rose.
Overall, Mulhallat is a classic Arabian perfume, along the lines of Ghroob and Kashkha (though a distinctly unique creation).

I’ve had a blast exploring these affordably priced delights. I admit I’m hooked, and I’m plotting what to try next. I hope they have the bandwidth to start offering samples soon, I know they plan to and just can’t yet handle that work stream as they’re firing up this new venture.

Dua Fragrances $45-$50/30ml

Have you gotten into Dua Fragrances yet? Did you already miss out on one of their LEs (goddammit Vanilla Lemon Gelato, why have you forsaken me)? What new perfume house have you recently discovered; or, perhaps you’ve excavated a line that’s just new-to-you?

Until next time, stay fragrant and have fun sniffing!

-Erica

Aeon 001 Eau de Parfum

July 20, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello to my fragranced kindred spirits!

Today I’m dwelling on the lure of limited edition, small batch perfumes. Perfume oil companies such as Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Nocturne Alchemy/VApothecary, and Haus of Gloi have enjoyed great success with strictly limited releases of their little vials of perfume. Oil collectors like myself love the concept, jumping at blind buys when the notes sound promising, and swapping and selling “The Precious” in our communities. (Yes, you need to read that in Gollum’s voice.)

Limited offerings have also popped up in the world of alcohol-based luxury perfumery, with here-today gone-tomorrow beauties such as Bogue Cologne Reloaded, L’artisan Fleur d’Oranger 2005 (and 2006), Neela Vermeire Creations Mohur Extrait, and MPG Ambre Precieux Ultime.

Sometimes the lure of the note list (and perhaps a sexy bottle to boot) makes a scent so intriguing, so irresistible that sampling first is a risk of missing out on a full bottle. What if it sells out before you’ve even had a chance to sniff? Oh, the horror. Factor in a coupon code that falls from the heavens, and that’s how I ended up with a full bottle of the mysterious vetiver masterpiece:

Aeon 001 Eau de Parfum

LuckyScent

Aeon 001 is the first release from Aeon Perfumes. Limited to 333 bottles worldwide, the nose behind the composition will be announced only once sold out. That being said, word on the street is that the perfumer is none other than the mastermind of Bogue Profumo, Antonio Gardoni. (At the time of writing, there were only 11 bottles left at Luckyscent and then I believe they will be gone forever; First in Fragrance is sold out.)

Aeon 001 opens with a splash of fresh bright citronella, immediately underscored by the smoky sun-warmed hay impression of high quality vetiver. Simultaneously intense and delicate, the aroma is powerful yet lifted, confident yet calm. It has a feral, animalic quality but also evokes a refinement and grace of days gone by. The soft tickle of lush white blossoms teases at the edges, adding a waft of complexity and classic allure. Woody resins (I’m guessing labdanum and frankincense) gently and subtly anchor the aroma. As the fragrance settles and melds with my chemistry, the smokiness thins a bit and the blossoms mingle more prominently in the top with herbal bergamot. The vibrancy of this perfume is just so beautifully unexpected. I was bracing myself for a dark bitter vetiver, but this beauty is lifted, energized, and infused with life!

I’ve fallen hard for this legendary stunner and I have zero regrets. Phew! I’m really picky with vetiver so this was quite a plunge.

Further reading: Colognoisseur and Kafkaesque
LuckyScent has $240/65ml + Samples

How do you feel about limited edition perfumes? Have you scored one that you can’t imagine living without? What’s your favorite rare fragrance?

Scented hugs,
Erica

Love-In-A-Mist by Charna Ether for Providence Perfume Company 2016

June 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Greetings to my people!

I just want to say how thrilled I am that you all “get it.” Being able to connect with fragrance lovers all over the world is a precious gift, and I love you all! My life has been particularly charmed the last few years since discovering my heaven on earth, the storefront and perfume studio of Charna Ethier: Providence Perfume Company. Charna has just released her latest all-natural perfume, and it is absolutely breathtaking.

Love-In-A-Mist by Providence Perfume Company 2016

Love-In-A-Mist EdP by Charna Ether

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Wildflowers, mimosa, pink pepper, sandalwood, clover

You may have heard that last year, the Providence Perfume Company brick-and-mortar store was damaged in a fire. Repairs were swift, but the business has since relocated. A few weeks ago, I floated into the brand new Providence Perfume Company studio. The space is nothing short of enchanting. Brilliant light cascades onto precious fragrant gems. The ambience is welcoming, invigorating, soothing, and joyful all at once. I spent several hours starlit by my friend Charna’s exquisite company, inhaling serenity and chatting about our love of fragrance.

I left with the first full-size bottle ever sold of Love-In-A-Mist. This scent orbits around nigella damascena absolute, a rare essence displaying a gorgeously honeyed aroma. The sweetness is tempered by the floral lift of pink pepper and the cucumber-like shimmer of pure mimosa olessance. Sweet clover rounds out the spellbinding composition with a tender sentiment. Smoothly harmonious sandalwood hums with a subtle, peaceful tone at the base. On my skin, the pink pepper presents beautifully at the opening, while the mimosa and clover are the dominant notes through the heart of the experience. I simply can’t get enough of Love-In-A-Mist, I have been dousing it on frequently and I’ve bonded with it very strongly.

Pixabay

Love-In-A-Mist was intended to inspire memories of summer childhood romps. Running barefoot through a field of wildflowers, sun-warmed hair streaming and shining, the scent of hay hanging lazily in the air, the buzzing song of cicadas mingling with the tinkling laughter of little ones at play. Love-In-A-Mist is liquid poetry.

I am graced with the good fortune of mingling online with like-minded perfume enthusiasts, and I am even luckier to have had the opportunity to “Meet and Sniff” in person with several local kindred spirits. Above and beyond these incredible prosperities, for which my gratitude is infinite, I can’t begin to fathom the outrageous twist of fate that led me to the threshold of Charna’s perfumed oasis. She is a gifted, graceful, exceptionally talented artist whose spirit glows with genuine passion and positivity.

Providence Perfume Co.

Further reading: Scent Hive and Ca Fleure Bon
Providence Perfume Co. has $45/5ml Rollerball and larger

Have you experienced the euphoria of meeting a fellow fragrance lover in person? Or perhaps even a perfumer whose knowledge and enthusiasm inspired you? What was it like spending precious time with someone who understands our fascination and appreciation of the olfactory treasures that surround us?

Love and light to you all, until next time –

Erica

Shalimar Cologne EdT by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2015

May 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello my fragranced loves! Today, I’m pondering the latest flanker of one of the world’s most timeless, enduring, beloved perfumes. Shalimar has a new spinoff, and she’s lovely. However, the name is a bit misleading….

Shalimar Cologne: Eau de Toilette by Guerlain 2015

Shalimar Cologne EdT by Thierry Wasser

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, lim, grapefruit
Heart: Freesia, rose, jasmine
Base: Vanilla, orris, white musk

Yes, you read that right! This is not Eau de Cologne strength classic Shalimar; rather, it is an Eau de Toilette strength perfume that represents the emerging secondary definition of the word Cologne: A fresh, bright, inviting, lighthearted fragrance. Don’t let the term cologne fool you into thinking that this scent is a subtle, dilute concentration. Two sprays, and I’d be willing to wager that this beast is Eau de Parfum or even Extrait – it’s intense!

Shalimar Cologne opens with a shimmering lemon bergamot effervescence. The lemon is much more prominent in the first few minutes than any other Shalimar I’ve experienced. Frankincense lends her mysterious resonant signature, a woody incense cloak as familiar as a favorite silk scarf. Innocent white musk purrs at the base. As the scent wears on, the fresher citrus notes fade and the laundry musk really takes over, smooth yet loud.

On my skin, this scent has much more in common with the aroma of classic Shalimar than, say, Parfum Initial or Souffle. It’s still its own creation, but definitely recognizable as Shalimar. I’m not really sensing vanilla or any animalic musk, and the impression is lifted and clean with a whitewashed hazy roundness.

Personally, I like this more than Souffle, but not quite as much as Parfum Initial. I had trouble finding a brick-and-mortar retailer, so my bottle came from Strawberrynet. It was so hard to find that I wonder if this ship has sunk before it’s even had a chance to sail. Why name a new fragrance in such a confusing fashion? Even experienced perfume lovers see this at a glance and immediately assume it’s classic Shalimar in the EdC concentration. Shalimar Cologne is NOT cologne strength – my goodness, I said it already but this fragrance is very concentrated and intense!

FTPhoto

Guerlain counters the world over have Shalimar Cologne EdT, go grab a free spritz

How do you feel about this little variant? Do you think it’s doomed by its confusing marketing? Are you curious or are you sick to death of flankers?

Until next time, let perfume help you appreciate life’s little pleasures.

-Erica

Eternal Crescent perfume oil by Ajmal

April 20, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Greetings and scented salutations!

Today I’m coming clean about the seduction of sexy bottle design. The latest object of my desire is an over-the-top crystal bottle, glimmering with excessive luxury. I was so tempted to hunt it down unsniffed! Lucky for me, with humble gratitude to my dear friend Barbara, I have a rare opportunity to test the fragrance housed within this faceted eye-gasm.

My skin is humbly graced with:

Eternal Crescent perfume oil by Ajmal

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sandalwood, agarwood (oud), spicy notes, bergamot, mus, fruity notes

Based on the vague, limited information I was able to dig up, I was expecting a deep, resinous woody oudh fragrance. Instead, I am greeted with a natural white floral bouquet, glittering with a lift of sunshine, all atop a sensuous feather-soft base. There is a gentle hint of genuine oudh depth, but it is an accent and does not dominate. This perfume possesses the strangest quality of being a light, easy fragrance, though it doesn’t hide its dark side. It almost leans toward a clean aroma, but the humming base confirms that Eternal Crescent is not innocent by any means. The blossoms are natural and delicate. Bergamot sings with a lifted contentment, never sharp or overly bright. The musky base is quiet with just the right warmth and richness, the sandalwood is subtle and smooth. Oudh is but a patient, tender sigh. The overall aroma is one of natural sensual bliss. I think it’s just safe enough that I can pull it off at work (worn lightly).

Can I even tell you how ecstatic I am?! This perfume is just as beautiful and unique on my skin as its flamboyant flacon suggests. It’s ridiculously expensive and hard to acquire, but now that I know how glamorous it feels to wear it, my desire is exponentially soaring! This isn’t just some ho-hum perfume in a sexy package. This is a liquid work of art worthy of its faceted throne.

WikiMedia

Have you ever fallen in love with a perfume bottle without even knowing the scent? Did you blind buy, or did you test first? Were you disappointed or were you blown away with joy?

Until next time, I wish you all serenely fragrant lovespells!
-Erica

Pichola by Bertrand Dachaufour for Neela Vermeire Creations 2015

February 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello all of you gorgeous fragrance lovers!

Let’s just jump in and get personal. Pull up a velvet floor pillow, and please enjoy this glass of wine. My question today is:

Do you believe in love at first sight?

For me, I will say that my own sunlit optimism always battled with my analytical realism. This made me enjoy the idea of instantaneous true love, but I was never capable of believing in it. Of course, perfume truly possesses a force of enchantment, and all it took was a breath of this precious fragrance to make me believe (in love at first sniff, anyhow):

Pichola by Neela Vermeire Créations 2015

Pichola by Bertrand Duchafour

Photo Donated Neela Vermeire Creations

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Saffron, Juniper, Magnolia, Neroli, Clementine, Bergamot
Heart: Orange blossom absolute, Rose absolute, Tuberose absolute, Jasmine sambac, Ylang-ylang
Base: Benzoin absolute, Sandalwood, Driftwood, Haitian vetiver

I received a generous decant of Pichola as a gifted sample from a friend. Uncharacteristically, I decided to just go for it and spray it on my skin – no checking the notes, no sniffing from the vial first, no tiny skin test with just a drop. I don’t know why I chose to be so reckless that day, but let me tell you – it was a fabulous decision!

My first inhale shocked me. My instinctual reaction was overwhelmingly joyous bliss: visions of glittering light, giggling childlike innocence, warm tender breezes. This was soon tempered by my protective, cynical pessimism. The aroma was so intensely delightful that my fear of being let down soon took over, and I convinced myself that the beauty I beheld was only fleeting top notes, soon to disappear. So, I left my house for work, and huffed and huffed the magic of Pichola all day long. Slowly, I allowed myself to accept the exquisite truth – the blissful charm of that first sniff had lasted all day!!

Pixabay

I wore Pichola the next day. And then again for a third. I NEVER wear the same perfume twice in a row, and to wear it for three days – I mean, it just doesn’t happen. But when it comes to true love, it seems I’ve broken all my rules. J

On my skin, the aroma features a fresh tropical bouquet of dewy blossoms, balanced beautifully by sweet golden ice wine and precious woods. The accent notes make the composition shimmer with touches of saffron, vetiver, and bergamot. It is clean yet lush to me, a very difficult effect to execute in perfumery. I will say that jotting down my impressions of the notes is entirely insufficient and practically a useless exercise. Pichola is more than a swirl of perfumery materials. It is an emotion, it is a memory, it is a dream. It is unabashedly saturated with love, light, innocence, positivity, and joy. It is love at first sight.

WikiMedia

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and What Men Should Smell Like
Neela Vermeire Creations has €205/60ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $7/.5ml

Have you ever felt this way about a new perfume? Do you have a favorite from Neela Vermiere Creations? Get comfy on that pillow, and let’s dish!

Stay sensationally scented,

-Erica