Kate Apted

Notorious by Ralph Lauren 2008: Talking gym scent, bro!

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Kate Apted

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How you doin’, APJ people??

I am a self confessed gym addict. I need to be at the gym 6 days a week. I have been on and off for years, but since 2010, I have taken my weight training seriously. I count macros, do compound lifts before isolation and have even done the odd body building comp or three.

I do have certain perfumes I keep just for the gym. Granted I am there for one hour maximum, it seems kind of superfluous to have dedicated scents. So, why do I do it?

Many people stink whilst exercising. It is a fact. Either the ciggie they snuck in before entering the gym, or a day’s worth of BO. I like to use my perfume as a sniffing salt, so it has to slice the environmental smells and pierce my brain.

I need to be incredibly focused whilst lifting heavy! One hundred kg on my shoulders requires my full attention and my scent can actually help or hinder that focus. Through trial and error, I have found what works for me. I thrive on beating personal bests; no room for relaxing scents.

During my working week, I get to the gym by 5pm or so, and by then, my afternoon scent has been worn off by the accumulation of dirt, grease, and absorbtion by my hefty overalls. I am ready for a new perfume and I probably stink of clutch dust and diesel, if I am honest with you.

Notorious by Ralph Lauren 2008

Notorious by Ralph Lauren fragranticaFragrantica

My most beloved gym scent is Notorious by Ralph Lauren (2008). I have been using it since 2010. Acquisition is becoming more difficult and I will need to arrange a replacement. What I love most about it is the black currant. The heady hit of that note makes me alert, but in a kind way. Si by Armani has a similar note, yet it hits in a more laser like way, and I find it distracting.

The other notes are carnation, lively pink pepper and peony – a note I struggle to like when it is the focus. Luckily, here it is a supporting note that softens the black currant and carnation. I don’t get any heat from the pink pepper.

As I have never worn this at any other time, I actually cannot comment on the dry down or longevity. Notorious does not last beyond the training session, strangely. Might be because I am constantly wiping myself with my towel and it is evaporating with my rising body temperature.

I don’t notice many other people wearing perfumes whilst training. I do get the odd whiff of Axe body spray, but it is the usual fougere type. Oh, I lie! At my last gym, I caught the trail of a guy wearing Egoiste. I did follow him and do a confirmation sniff.

I know Val is an avid lifter too. Are you an active sort, and if so, what is your take on dedicated scents for that activity? And what can I replace Notorious with? I am very keen to hear your suggestions, beautiful people.

Til next time,

Kate – bear hugs!

 

Incredible Things by Laurent Le Guernec for Taylor Swift 2014

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Kate Apted

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Hello APJ folk!
I went through a phase last year of buying up random perfumes to store in a pile of unopened ones under my bed. Someone suggested I buy things when I see them cheap and open them up in the future when I think I may like the sound of the notes. So, I saw Incredible Things on massive discount at a little chemist in a tiny shopping centre and bought it. About Christmas time I was feeling depressed through my enforced no-buy period and thought I’d open it to see how it compared with Ms Swift’s other very fruity and sweet offerings.

Instant love!

Incredible Things by Taylor Swift 2014

Incredible Things by Laurent Le Guernec

Incredible Things Taylor Swift FragranticaFragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Grapefruit, Pink pepper
Heart: Passion flower, Vanilla orchid, Suede
Base: Haitian vetiver, Madagascan vanilla, Musk, White amber

I imagine Ms Swift has a serious, contemplative side to her personality. Though she is marketed as girly and romantic, I think there is a marvellous deeper side to her. I glimpse this through Incredible Things. It is a quiet, almost serious scent, in that it does not project with laser like capability and does not pierce with high pitched notes. There is a calm leather and pale violet quality in the opening of Incredible Things. Her other scents are seriously sweet and hit me with an immediate punch to the front of my brain. Incredible Things slowly sings its way to me, and it is a welcomed relief.

Longevity is a problem with Incredible Things, I get about an hour of the leather and violet unfolding to a powdery floral, which then dies down to nothing after three hours. At the price this fetches, I can justify regular spritzes. I have tried spraying a lot on at one time, but it makes no difference to the opening effect. It is simply a serene scent that works best with two or three sprays, reapplied often. I find it is best applied and left to do its magic. I rarely lift my wrist to my nose. Projection is modest enough to allow people to notice I am wearing it, but loud enough for me to catch wafts of it now and then.

If Incredible Things were released by a niche house, I’d bet it would be more favourably received. The fact it is housed in a garish bottle and seated alongside the numerous celebuscents might contribute to the lack of noise over it. I must admit to being floored by the combination of notes done in such a demure yet classic manner. Especially given the harsh sweetness of Ms Swift’s other scents.

Now, let me tell you that the major notes (as listed by Fragrantica) are vanilla, suede, passion flower, musk, vetiver and orchid. It surprises me that vanilla is voted as the most prominent. I registered the florals and vanilla as a mild violet and I get a light trace of the vetiver, but I needed that pointed out by the notes list. Do I love it enough to be eyeing off a back up bottle.

Have you been surprised by a celebrity scent?
Til next love,
K xx

Little Black Dress by Barbara Zoebelein for Avon 2001

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Kate Apted

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Hello all you lovely APJ family.

I owe a huge thanks to Sam from I Scent You a Day. Had I not found her blog and lurked around for a while, I’d have never dusted off my mum’s perfume collection and found a few Avon gems. Sam is a huge Avon fan and her enthusiasm caused me to see what all the fuss was about. I hadn’t bothered with Avon since I was a tween. Bad quality and poor longevity put me off.

Deciding I liked Little Black Dress (LBD) after trying what sat on mum’s bureau, I ordered a bottle on sale. My version is the latest one with the black sticker on the back and the fully black cap, while mum’s is an original from the year of its release with the transparent glass body and a half black cap. Interestingly, I prefer my bottle. I will stand by my view that Avon scents trail off after 30 min to one hour, but in the case of LBD, the scent is what makes it worth buying. At the price it generally goes for, even online, I am happy to keep reapplying. Avon’s rollerball version is perfect for my handbag or travel. And it comes with body products! Win! Continue reading →

Tubereuse Trianon by Yuri Gutsatz for Le Jardin Retrouve 2016

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Kate Apted

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G’day APJ folk!

Hands up if you are a tuberose lover! Yup, me too! Have you ever noticed how tuberose tends to be treated in perfumery? For the most part, it is either big and loud and trumpets my presence into a room (think Amarige or Giorgio Bevery Hills) or it is pared with an assortment of off beat notes to subdue its energy (think Britney Spears Radiance or Hypnotic Poison). There is another treatment of tuberose that finds favour with me; the aristocratic creaminess of Tubereuse Trianon. Continue reading →

Still Beijing Autumn Air – finding scent that works

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Kate Apted

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Heidi ho, APJ family!

Last month, I went to Beijing for a week of random pottering around. It was actually to escape my family and responsibilities, but it sounds so much more romantic to state the other. Admittedly, I didn’t really do much other than eat lots of street food and go to a few of the sights I hadn’t been to on previous visits.

Still Beijing Autumn Air PXHerePDI

Still Beijing Autumn Air

Finding scent that works

Continue reading →

Perfume That’s Not Only For Boys!

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Kate Apted

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Hello and welcome to 2018 APJ family!

Today, I want to discuss some of my favourite ‘male’ scents that I love to wear. One of the things I love about the frag community is the freedom of expression and lack of gendering. It is absolute bliss to hear men express their joy for wearing scents traditionally marketed at females. Sadly, I hear less of females waxing lyrical about more masculine fragrances. I suspect there are many Continue reading →

Helicriss by Sylvaine Delacourte 2016

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Kate Apted

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G’day APJ family,

The weather in the southern states of Australia has not been particularly ‘spring-like’ lately. I finally got around to separating my scent collection into four piles; one for each season. I am beginning to think this somewhat futile an exercise, simply because I never know what each day will be like. As a result, I dig into my other piles for more temperate offerings. It is pretty much back to disordered mayhem. I did, however, find a little 7.5ml bottle of summery sunshine I’d completely forgotten I had!

Way back at the beginning of the year, I ordered Sylvaine Delacourte’s sample set. I quite liked the range, but I found them a little quiet in general. Musk based, with each scent promoting a different facet based on Ms Delacourte’s memories. I was drawn to the powderiness of Florentina and the smooth ylang ylang of Lilylang. The most interesting I found was Helicriss. So, over the winter months, I ordered travel sizes of four of them. In time, they got lost amongst all my smaller sized bottles. The one it seems I had used the most of, though, was Helicriss.

Helicriss by Sylvaine Delacourte 2016

Helicriss Sylvaine Delacourte FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, cinnamon, rosemary
Heart: Grapefruit, lemon, tonka bean
Base: Immortelle, patchouli, benzoin, musk

What is so enticing about this one? It has a very unusual blend of notes to produce a musky curry. There is no doubt immortelle is a major note, but it is the blend of patchouli, grapefruit, benzoin and the musk that gives it a firey heat. I am grateful this is a skin hugging scent. It would be completely headache inducing if it projected Poison or Angel like. It is the constant reminder of the scent just being there that makes it pique my curiosity.


Helicriss Sylvaine Delacourt green-curry PixabayPDI

I have absolutely no idea how others find it. Thirty minutes after applying, the curry accord dies down to leave a warm, aromatic rosemary and musk. So, by the time I leave the house, Helicriss has already begun its metamorphosis into a herbally musk. No one has ever made mention of this scent at all, so I guess it is polite enough to wear around others. Interestingly, of the entire range, which does lean to a slight ballet-pink-feminine feel, I think this would smell heavenly on a man. There is one guy at work I am hoping I can get to spray this on himself. After months of helping him search for THE scent, I secretly suspect Helicriss is it.

When I used Helicriss over winter, it always gave a feel of dried grass, hay and the dense heat of the midday humidity of an Australian summer day. It has a dusty, wind like sense that makes me yearn for a sudden rainstorm. I am unsure how Helicriss will fare over the blistering heat of summer, but now that it has joined my spring pile, I’ll get to find out. In the meantime, Helicriss will bring sunshine on a temperamental grey spring day.

Helicriss Sylvaine Delacourt australian wheatfield PixabayPDI

Further reading: Now Smell This and Scent for Thought
LuckyScent has $160/100ml and Samples

Which scents suggest, or are indicative of, summer months in your country?
K xxx

Vanille Tonique by Mark Evans for Evocative Perfumes 2014

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Kate Apted

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G’day APJ folk!

Vanilla? Yuck, no thanks!

I hate vanilla in perfumes. End of story. It belongs in foods and reminds me of endlessly of vanilla ice cream and vanilla flavoured rice puddings. Just don’t bring me a bottle and ask me to try it if it is vanilla centred. But then one day…

I bought a sample set of Mark Evans’ Evocative Perfumes; the alcohol based scents. Out of a solid sense of duty to the effort gone by Mark to make all the scents in the pack, I felt I owed it to him to try every single scent. Even the dreaded one called Vanille Tonique. I sprayed with my breath held and forgot I was even wearing it minutes later.

Vanille Tonique by Evocative Perfumes 2014

Vanille Tonique by Mark Evans

Vanile Tonique begins in a very humble, quiet way. There is nothing booming about it in the way some other vanillas open. It eased its way to my nose about 15 minutes later with a slightly spiced, non sweet glow. I actually had to wrack my brain to think of what I was wearing. I was running errands that day and quite busy, so it had slipped my mind. I got home to find out what I had sprayed. Aha! Vanille Tonique. Oh. No.

I lasted out the few hours of the day til shower time to gauge the development of Vanile Tonique; desperate to find a reason to hate it. I sprayed all of Mark’s other creations on cards and tried each of them again. As much as I love several other of Mark’s scents nothing captured me quite like Vanille. I had to admit by shower time that the mildly buttery development and the simmering spices were a love. My body heat had amped up the voracity of the whole composition without once making the vanilla sweet or overpowering. And though not a powerhouse, it had accompanied me in my shadow the whole 6 hours. It had trailed off to a skin scent by 5 hours, but I find I get bored of scents by then.

Vanille Tonique by Evocative Perfumes vanilla-flower PixabayPDI

A week later, at Tafe, I had been craving something, but I wasn’t sure what. I grabbed a few of the Evocative samples and smelled them at all the red lights on my way to Tafe. Vanille Tonique still stood out. It was exactly what I was after. I ordered a bottle during my break and as I ate my food, I pondered on what had shifted in me. I smelled my arm and it did not interfere with my appetite.

One of the things I totally deplore about sweet, gourmandish scents is that they do affect my desire to eat. As a half-arsed body builder (that is another story), I have to fit a certain number of calories into my day. Vanille Tonique doesn’t ever interfere with my food and appetite. As projection is arm’s length, and the spices are what bring the subtle heat, the vanilla is left to be what it is. Just a delightful, somewhat sensual, warm glow that does not have that hyper vanilla of ice cream.

PDI

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies
Evocative Perfumes has $40/12ml oil + Samples from $4

Are there any gateway scents that have completely spun you around? Are there any notes you still won’t try?

Kate xxx

Botticelli by Teone Reinthal for Teone Reinthal Natural Perfume 2015

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Kate Apted

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Hi APJ family!

One year, my poor mother gave up on her garden and in frustration, she threw all her seeds all over the remains of her failed attempt. She left nature to do its thing, unimpeded. She happens to like manicured English cottage gardens, where each plant is put in a spot for a purpose. She takes delight in tending to them and nurturing them with supports and regular feeding of nutrients. I, on the other hand, have an incredible attachment to wild cottage gardens that are overgrown and have eclectic flora. I relish with absolute delight in the surprise of finding new things and exploring the life within the seeming chaos. The scents are unpredictable and haphazard.

The garden worked. By next spring, nature had created a veritable oasis of flourishing peace. My mother was a little jealous that she had never quite executed a garden with the expertise nature had shown. The colours were exquisite, everything was healthy and there was space for so much to grow in complete harmony. The insect life that year was rich and abundant.

WikiMedia

I found a natural perfume a few months ago that replicates such a garden. It is called Botticelli and is made by a talented and highly creative woman named Teone Reinthal.

Botticelli by Teone Reinthal Natural Perfume 2015

Botticelli by Teone Reinthal

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, petitgrain
Heart: Jasmine sambac, damask rose, juniper berries
Base: Patchouli, ambrette (musk mallow), oakmoss, labdanum, vetiver

It opens with a creamy warmth that comes from a musk and oakmoss heat, while radiating a citrus heart that stays around for hours. Much like a breeze brings gentle scents in waves from a rich garden, Botticelli does the same. It weaves around with facets of citrus and rose and jasmine, with a lightness of a butterfly. Just when I think I’ve understood Botticelli, there is a shift and the musk reigns for a moment. While each of the notes are lovely, it is the waft of the whole composition that makes Botticelli incredible.

WikiMedia

I have a set of rules I use with this scent. I cannot wear this outside my home. I must apply it with a cotton ball that then gets stuffed inside my bra. I cannot wear it in the morning. I do not reapply it. It is almost as if Botticelli has its own nature that I cannot control and master. I cannot possibly know better! I suspect I get a little ‘away with the fairies’ whilst wearing Botticelli, so I think my rules are to protect me from dwelling in my inner universe when it isn’t appropriate. It meshes with my inner world in a way no other scent does, so when I need to be completely self composed I avoid Botticelli.
There is a wild woman, tribal elder quality to Botticelli that makes it sensuous, feminine and celebrates fertility in all its forms. At the same time, it has a barely constrained politeness to it that will not offend those in your presence. Mildly zesty and tart, yet mellow and creamy.

Teone Reinthal has Botticelli from $10/2ml Sample

Do you have scents that transport you to a place of personal happiness, where no one else can reach you? Or do you have quirky rules regarding a particular fragrance?

Until next time… Kate xx