Contributors

Antonia’s Flowers by Bernard Chant for Antonia`s Flowers 1985

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

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Kate Apted

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Hello and welcome APJers,

Today, I want to make a small confession. There is a certain Mecca store that has a pretty much empty tester bottle. And I am reasonably certain it was me who emptied it; over the course of a few months. So, I got a bottle for free, in a sense.
I did end up spending the paltry $80 for a bottle of my own. I felt absolutely shamed that I had really received two bottles for the price of one. As this was the very last bottle on the shelf, the tester with zilch but bubbles of air in the spritzer hose was then put away in the drawer. I almost asked if I could have it. But I kept my shame to myself.

Antonia’s Flowers by Antonia`s Flowers 1985

Antonia’s Flowers by Bernard Chant

Antonia's Flowers Antonia`s Flowers FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Freesia, jasmine, magnolia, lily, fruity notes

Antonia’s Flowers is the perfume that I am talking about. It is such an unassuming bottle and a very plain box, and for some reason, Mecca stores often keep this on the lowest shelf and in the corner. Mine had been sitting there for a very long time. The box lid is faded and there was a thick layer of dust on the top when I bought it. The first spray of the tester was over a year ago and I hastily put the tester down with a look of disgust on my face. The opening is harsh and hard hitting. It still is something I am not used to, but I now know to avoid my wrist for a few minutes.

I have to admit that this is straight up freesia. There are other notes listed, but I don’t get any of them until the last 20 minutes, and that is after freesia assault for an hour. By this stage, it is a very close skin scent anyway. It is evident that Antonia was a florist; the scent is uncannily haunting and indicative of a haute florist at the height of spring. I can imagine WASPy Hampton brides in the late 80s and early 90s using this as their signature wedding scent. While this is most certainly a white flower fragrance, it is not polite or gentle. It is unapologetically bold and haughty.

Antonia's Flowers Antonia`s Flowers Freesia_flowers WikimediaWikiMedia

There are a few things that annoy me about Antonia’s Flowers. First, it really does only last an hour and a bit on me. Second, the lid does not fit on the sprayer. I had to unscrew the lid, to then screw on the sprayer, and the lid does not fit on the sprayer. Third, the long necked sprayer stops the bottle from having the lid of the box close. I like to keep my perfumes in their boxes, so this does irk me.

Then there is the BUT… I adore this scent. I truly do. It takes me back to the days I’d ramble down the alley ways of the rural town I lived in as a child. All sorts of wild flowers grew along people’s back fences and along the creek beds. Older women would spend hours in their cottage gardens and I’d take in all the smells on my walks.

Antonia's Flowers Antonia`s Flowers Freesia_flowers field manfredrichter Pixabay.jpgPDI

Further reading: Liberty London Girl and Azar on Australian Perfume Junkies
Mecca has $80/50ml FREE Australian Shipping

What shameful perfume secrets do you have? You know you want to share…I dare you!
Be good. Kate xx

eNVie Saphir by Emerson Hart for eNVie

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

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Erica Golding

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Hello to all of you fabulously scented friends!

Today I’m going to touch upon a topic that may seem a bit narcissistic to those of you who primarily love fragrance as an art form. For a majority of casual perfume consumers, fragrance functions as a fashion accessory and often also as an aphrodisiac. Many beginners to the perfumery obsession choose scents that elicit compliments. They want big, bold, strong, long-lasting, loud aromas that exude confidence and attractiveness.

Personally, I view perfumery as fine art. As a dear friend and master perfumer recently explained to me, perfumers are more like composers of musical symphonies, telling a story without words, a sonata for the senses.

I’ll be real with you, though. That doesn’t mean I’m above the glow of flattery that comes from an unsolicited compliment on my perfume. Or two. Or more. On the same night…from strangers….

A few weeks ago, I wore one of my beloved secret weapons out to a show, and my perfume got more attention than I’ve ever experienced while wearing a fragrance:

eNVie saphir perfume oil

eNVie

eNVie gives these featured accords:
Egyptian Amber, musk, Cairo papyrus oil, Siam benzoin, vanillin

eNVie is a new company established by the founder of Nocturne Alchemy, Emerson Hart. This luxurious line of perfume oils orbits around the flagship scent, saphir, which can be purchased as its own precious original formula or accented with other beautiful notes.

eNVie saphir is a smooth, intense, unique amber musk scent that is difficult to describe. To my nose, ambrette seed and vanilla play major roles. The overall effect is rounded but with a backbone, magnetic but not submissive. I find it absolutely enchanting.

I anointed saphir on my wrists before going out, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that multiple times, strangers came up to me just to ask me if I was the person who smelled so amazing or to grill me about what perfume I had on. I admit, it felt really nice to get so much attention due to a work of art that I love so dearly.

eNVie saphir Logan_Sapphire_SI WikiMediaWikiMedia

I even grabbed some for my cousin as a gift, because she fell in love with it that night too. Spreading the fragrant joy, it’s my duty as family!

eNVie has eNVie Saphir $250/25ml

So, what’s your secret weapon scent for a night out? Could you ever call a particular scent your signature, even if it’s just for special occasions?

Love and light,

Erica

Cookies, Perfumes, Shoes, and a Mountain

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Val the Cookie Queen

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Hi APJ from Austria in a heatwave

Last year I wrote a post for APJ – Scent of the Cookie Run. A Five Year Anniversary. This month will be my sixth year and last night I attended the opening of a new store in Innsbruck, the third in the city.

 

Cookies, Perfumes, Shoes, and a Mountain

I wore Vero Profumo´s Rozy Extrait for the event. As I recently mentioned to Tara of A Bottled Rose, I don´t wear spray perfume when I am in a close crowd, and especially not in an eating place. I think that´s damn rude. Extraits are perfect. So for the who went for the three kisses on the cheek route, mwah, mwah, mwah, Rozy said enough. Laughing as I write this, idiosyncratic perfumista behaviour at it´s most extreme. Talking of Vero Profumo, my bottle of the ten year jubilee scent, NAJA, arrived this week. Quite the highlight I must say. I have had various versions of it since 2015, and it has been a long and emotional journey, so to hold a bottle in my grubby hand was way cool.

I bought an amazing pair of shoes recently. Flat AND sexy. I live in Crocs for work, Timberland for winter, and Havaianas for summer. It has been years since I bought any shoes verging on beautiful. I mean have you tried buying a genuinely stunning pair of flat, comfortable, gorgeous shoes? When I saw a picture of these I followed the link and ordered them on-the-spot. The company http://www.inch2.com were beyond good. They kept in touch via email, Facebook Chat, WhatsApp and there was a telephone number. Of course it is a bit risky ordering online when it comes to sizing, and the 39s I ordered were too big. Returning was as simple as can be and the replaced my order within three weeks. The shoes are hand finished, according to the orders they receive, and thus take a little longer than some other online companies. Winter boots here I come.

I am going with the BlondesWunder, Mirjam her childhood friend, and Dr Fox, my partner-in-crime, to Italy next week for five days. Caorle, about forty-five minutes northish of Venice on the Adriatic Coast. We have been together many times before, always staying in the same hotel on the beach, and we love it. There is something supremely comfortable about being hidden on the beach, sardined in amongst thousands of other holidaymakers. Anonymity pure. It´s a ladies only holiday. Which brings me to the perfumes BlondesWunder and I are gonna take. We have limited ourselves to three each, with the option of sharing! We are driving down there so it´s no problem taking bottles. (We only wear perfume at night, after dinner, when we go into the town 🙂 )

BlondeWunder has picked Guerlain´s Terracotta, Luten`s La Fille de Berlin and Malle´s Eau de Magnolia.
I’m taking Malle´s Une Rose, Mona di Orio´s Musc, and Vero´s Rubj EdP.

So there you go. Meanwhile Portia said I should throw in some pics of our “house mountain” the Traunstein. We are überlucky to be
able to see it from our balcony and it gives me great joy.

So whether you are summering or wintering, stay cool.

Perfumed Bussis
CQ

Flamenco by Ramón Monegal 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

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Sandra

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Hi there APJ! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the month of August. We are eagerly anticipating our upcoming trip to southern Spain. I am in desperate need for sunshine and heat – both will hopefully be in abundance.

“The dance, of all the arts, is the one that most influences the soul. Dancing is divine in its nature and is the gift of the gods”. Plato.

Music and dance are indicative of a culture and its people. Joie de vivre, cultural history and even weather plays an important role in the musical roots of a country. Every country has its own rhythym, its own heartbeat. Having lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I cannot imagine that city without the rhythyms of tango and the evocative dance associated with it. The same holds true for the Waltz and Vienna, Austria – a lot of structure to the dance and the music. I have always believed that the warmer the climate in a country, the more passionate and captivating the music and dance will be. This is only my opinion as I have had the pleasure of living in many countries and experiencing the music and dance.

Enter in Spain and the Flamenco dance.

Flamenco by Ramón Monegal 2017

Flamenco Ramon Monegal fragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, raspberry, violet, apple
Heart: Jasmine, rose, iris
Base: Cedar, amber, pine tree, cypress.

With all of that said and done, I am sure that you all know of Ramón Monegal perfumes from Barcelona, Spain. Ramón Monegal is one of the very few brands which excites me with their new creations and they have recently launched Flamenco. The Andalusian dance, the Flamenco, with its music (guitar, vocals, clapping and dancing) is seductive and sensual and was the inpiration for this new creation. When I watch a Flamenco performance I feel as if I am watching a deep magical dance from the soul of the people. It is a feast for my senses. I get lost in watching the rhythmic movements of the dancer’s arms and feet, the sway of her dress, the dust slightly coming off of the wooden floor, the musicians encouraging her and then the final culmination.

When I spray on Flamenco, it opens with a cloud of raspberries and orange blossom which is radiant and bursting with flavor and brings a smile from ear to ear on my face. A bowlful of berries, succulent with their juices, slightly sweet and yet marginally tart, is my secret haven for a warm summer evening. There is an underlying woody aspect to the opening which grounds it from turning into a fruit syrup. When the woods come into play they are warm and glowing which gives me a sense of comfort and well being. This perfume exudes passion, slowly working its way into my soul making me want to wear something red, dance the night away on a warm summer evening after enjoying a day of languishing in the sun.

The packaging for Flamenco is equisite; a book shaped box with a mirror on the inside of the lid holds the red bottle in a black and red cloth bag. There is so much attention to detail that surpasses anything that I have seen in a while. It is pure joy to use the perfume and adds to the sensorial experience.

Special thanks to Ramon Monegal for sending me this beautiful bottle

Perfumaria has €190/50ml
LuckyScent carries the Ramon Monegal line

Have you tried any perfumes from Ramón Monegal? Do you have a favorite? Or do you have a favorite dance?
Sandra x

Savoy Steam by Juliette Karagueuzoglou for Penhaligon`s 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

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Ainslie Walker of Scentsmith 

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Hello Australian Perfume Junkies!

It has been a while since I have written a piece for you and I hope you’re all fragrant and well.

Last week I attended the Australian launch of Savoy Steam by Penhaligon’s at Sydney’s Langham Hotel. Hosted by Penhaligon’s Australian distributers, Agence de Parfums, it was a beautiful breakfast event with a fitting quaint English feel. There were plenty of familiar faces and I was lucky to be sitting on Michael Edwards of Fragrances of the World’s table. (NB Hot gossip from his world is that at the end of this year he will be moving back to Sydney permanently, yippee!!)

We shared homemade pastries and teacakes over tea and coffees in a ‘high tea’ style. Tables were set gorgeously with personalised calligraphy placards. The venue was in keeping with the colours of the fragrances packaging, in particular the bow on the bottles – beige and blue. The packaging is a nod to the early Turkish bathhouses popular in London from the early 20th century. Blue and beige like the traditional cloths and towels used even now. The box is simplistic yet head turning, wrapped in textured linen, it’s lovely and textured in the hand.

Michael Edwards introduced the brand and it’s long history before Michael, trainer from Agence de Parfums introduced the fragrance – drumroll: Savoy Steam!

Savoy Steam by Penhaligon`s 2017

Savoy Steam by Juliette Karagueuzoglou

Savoy Steam Penhaligon`s fragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, eucalyptus, mint, pink pepper, rosemary
Heart: Rose, geranium, cardamom, hedione, tea
Base: Benzoin, incense, vanilla, white musk

The fragrance celebrates the very first fragrance in Penhaligon’s portfolio, Hammam Bouquet from 1872. Also, as evident by the name, the scent honours the Savoy Hotel an iconic London Establishment.

If I’m honest, on arrival I expected an old fashioned barbershop scent and nothing more. I worked for years in the men’s grooming industry in London, so believe me I have smelt a few of these!! However in more ways than one, I ate my hat!! Dubbed “gender neutral” in the press release I also found the scent very much ‘on the fence.’ On paper I initially smelt rosemary – aromatic. However on skin, quite, quite different. I quickly understood a focus on the sweeter aspect of rosemary as being in the spotlight. Spiciness, described in the notes as pink pepper also to me has a cardamom like freshness. Geranium in combination makes for a rosy heart.

On my skin the fragrance remains quite sweet but spiciness lingers somewhere…incense like a faint Come des garcons Avignon – tart, bright frankincense and still huffs of sweetness. There is a juicy, wet feel to the beginning of Savoy Steam. I can imagine steam on cement. Nothing though is barbershop or old fashioned. A very nice and modern easy wear. Gentle and slightly feminine in its sweetness. If either of my grandfathers were still alive I would gift them my bottle. Not at all because it’s old fashioned, just because its gentle and sweet like they were – I think this fragrance would be absolutely lovely on a more mature gents skin, a silver fox of sorts…someone like softly spoken but majestic David Attenborough. He could wear it out to dinner.

Further reading: Scented Salamander
Libertine Parfumerie has $279/100ml

It makes me wonder what else I feel works for this age group…Do you have any favourite fragrances for folk over 60? What works, what doesn’t and why? Are fragrances ageist?

Until next time,
Ainslie XX

(Ed: All photos by Ainslie Walker unless specified. Beautiful Ainslie XXXX)

Philippe Starck Fragrances 2016

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

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Greg Young from AusScents.

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Hi APJ,

Last year, designer Philippe Starck ventured into the fragrance world with three perfumes. In keeping with Starck’s minimalist design philosophy, these scents are very subtle and stick close to the skin. There is some playing with preconceptions about what a gender-specific fragrance should be like; the female fragrance morphs into something more masculine, and vice versa. And it simply would not be Starck without some unusual twists on “normal” design.

http://www.starckparfums.comStarck Parfums

Philippe Starck Fragrances

From Silk to Rock

Peau de Soie Starck FragranticaFragrantica

Peau de Soie by Dominique Ropion for Philippe Starck 2016

Skin of Silk. The most feminine fragrance in the range, Peau de Soie is as silky-smooth as the name implies. It’s a very soft, powdery scent. Peau de Soie opens with unobtrusive woody notes and then develops a mild floral note reminiscent of iris and a candy-like musk. On my skin this lasted about half the day, but it had almost zero projection. One needs to sniff one’s wrist closely to enjoy it.

Peau d`Ailleurs Starck FragranticaFragrantica

Peau d`Ailleurs by Annick Menardo for Philippe Starck 2016

Skin from Elsewhere. Yes, well this is very well-named in a sense, because it has notes that I’ve never encountered in a fragrance before. It opens earthy, with a green, vegetal whiff to it. A few close sniffs revealed an aroma of freshly cut beetroot which, once identified, became inescapable.

After a while, a transition away from earthiness begins and we get a faint lemony smell followed by musk and a little bit of wood. This also lasted about half a day on my skin.

Is beetroot a thing? Not according to the Fragrantica database. Nevertheless, I found myself quite liking this very different take on an earthy scent. I could easily see this one polarising sniffers; it’s a brave attempt from a designer renowned for his original thinking.

Peau de Pierre Starck fragranticaFragrantica

Peau de Pierre by Daphne Bugey for Philippe Starck 2016

Skin of Stone. This one represents the end of a journey from silky lightness through an indefinable greenness down to earth and woods. There is a trace of sharp citrus on the first spray with a green note that I thought might be galbanum. A dominant cedary smell takes over, with a smoky aura about it. It comes across a little bit soapy at times, so I don’t think it quite fulfils the promise of its name, but it is probably my favourite of the three. It lasted a bit less than the others; maybe about 6 hours.

The subtlety of these scents means that individual notes rarely dominate; they are designed to be appreciated as a melange of their various parts. They all last a good long time on skin and are ideal if you’re wearing a fragrance solely to please yourself, or in an intimate encounter. If you’re up for something a bit different, the Starck range may be for you.

These reviews were based on samples given to me by Marco at Mason’s Menswear Boutique in Flinders Lane which is, I believe, the sole Australian outlet for the Starck line. (Ed: These guys have only been open for 13 weeks and are already generating a lot of media interest. We will watch with interest! They were super friendly on the phone today)

Greg XX

Figment Woman by Dorothée Piot, Karine Vinchon-Spehner for Amouage 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

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Erica Golding

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Hi everyone! I hope you are having the most gorgeous day.

As for myself, I’m enjoying yet another knock-me-over-with-a-feather moment thanks to an aromatic marvel. However, the magic of this perfume is not from drama and fireworks and bombastic notes; rather, its spell is cast by subtly enhancing a popular floral absolute just enough to launch it into the night sky.

Tuberose.

Now, I know you may be thinking that this beloved blossom has graced an infinite range of fragrances, and who needs yet another Tuberose when you’ve got Fracas and Carnal Flower and La Chasse Aux Papillons?

Trust me, you’re going to want to get your nose on the just-released:

Figment Woman by Amouage 2017

Figment Woman by Dorothée Piot and Karine Vinchon-Spehner

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Sichuan pepper, saffron, gardenia
Heart: Tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom, lily, ylang-ylang, cassia bourbon
Base: Orris, papyrus, incense, patchouli

I was skeptical when I lifted the cap from my decant and inhaled a first impression. Instantaneously, all that registered with me was a pleasant tuberose note that, although pretty, was not piquing my interest. I placed the little glass vial on my nightstand and almost forgot about it, except for the fact that the warm spring breeze drifting through my window began to carry wafts of an enchanting scent, beckoning for my attention. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this beauty deserved skin time, immediately!

Figment Woman Amouage old-window-distressed PublicDomainPicturesPDI

How does it smell?
Wet on the skin, jasmine slinks seductively, sexy and sultry. Orange blossom kisses the top of the fragrance with an effortless freshness, softly cheerful. The tuberose in the heart is of exceptional quality. This is genuine high grade absolute, delicate yet intense, a sweetness that flirts with the edge of imbalance but never tips the scales.
At the base of the fragrance, I sense a whisper of oakmoss amongst the rich yet very quiet and subtle resins. The bottom of this composition is understated. I don’t explicitly pick up on patchouli or incense as components of Figment Woman, they accent the aroma with exquisite grace and moderation.

Amouage Figment Woman is a lovely, attractive perfume that is perfectly pleasant for office/daytime wear, while also exhibiting magnetic properties making it a lovely choice for a hot summer night. I would wear it whenever, wherever, truly! It probably sings a little better in warmer weather but honestly it’s just so damn pretty that I can’t imagine it matters very much.

Figment Woman Amouage doll Ventus17 PixabayPDI

Further reading: Perfume Posse

Does it read like something you’d wear?

With love and light,
Erica

Vanille Exquise by Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal for Annick Goutal 2004

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

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Val the Cookie Queen

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Summer Greetings APJ

“I Am A Snotty Perfumista Blog Post”

You would think that I would have enough of vanilla at work and actually I do. I buy 18 litres every couple of years. It breaks the bank but I need it. I have heard that some people dab vanilla extract onto their skin. I do not. Also never had any desire for a straight up vanilla perfume.

Vanessa from Bonkers About Perfume gave me a large decant of Annick Goutal`s Songes EdT recently. Having somehow by passed Annick Goutal in my perfume passion I was totally smitten by it. Then as most perfumistas do jumped online to read all about it. I saw that there was also a EdP of Songes and next trip to Linz had me dropping in for a spritz. Except they didn´t have it. I instead grabbed the tester of Vanille Exquise EdT and gave myself a good soaking. I went back to the shop another two times to repeat the process.

Readers, I bought a bottle.

Vanille Exquise by Annick Goutal 2004

Vanille Exquise by Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal

Vanille Exquise Annick Goutal FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Angelica, almond, vanilla, musk, sandalwood, guaiac wood.

The best thing is that it’s an EdT that I can soak myself with. Unlike many who have problems with their frags lasting more than a couple of hours, my skin is nuclear. I think this is the first perfume I can really spray to death. It still lasts hours but I can wear a ton with no fear of asphyxiation.

Although it wears fairly close to the skin it leaves a delightful trail. Semi-sweet, warm, soft and enhances my cookie smelling natural self. Hahahahahahaha. It´s aromatic, comforting, but it´s elegant too. It´s not a cake vanilla, nor a childlike vanilla. Absolutely gorgeous in the hot weather. There does seem to be slight pepperiness to it. The whole perfume is light yet persistent. It just smells so damn good. I reckon it´s worth a try even if you think you don´t like vanilla. But what do I know?

I totally shocked myself buying this. Ridiculous huh? It feels like the odd one out in my collection. Which is really just absolutely head up-my-back-side snotty perfumista behaviour and I am ashamed. Anyone else out there find themselves loving something they they think they shouldn´t?

Vanille Exquise Annick Goutal Val July 2017

Further reading: Now Smell This and I Smell Therefore I Am
David Jones Australia has $158/100ml EdT (FREE Australian Delivery)
Surrender To Chance have samples starting from $3/ml

Little fluffy cloud bussis
CQ

Figue Aoudii by Jean-Claude Gigodot and Irina Zhurikhina-Nesa for Maison Incens 2014

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

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Kate Apted

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Hi APJ.

I was inwardly devastated when my youngest son announced he will be moving to Canada when he turns 18. D, now 12, then added that he didn’t expect me to make the long journey to visit him; his awkward teenage way of saying he doesn’t want me to visit. Still, I hugged him and responded that I hope he finds Canada not too cold. As I always do when I hug him, I take a deep breath in of his skin scent. D has the most divine natural smell. I will miss that not being around.

When D was about 2, he wore the most adorable navy blue Clarks runners with yellow laces. I have kept one pair of those shoes because the smell of Dede and the rubber of the soles created a scent combo that is forever etched in my mind. I have even placed them in a sealed bag to preserve the scent.

By chance, earlier this year, I found a lovely niche house that has two fig scents in their repertoire. The first I tried is a crisp green fig, and the second gave me the most unexpected jolt of instant recognition. This gem of a fig is Figue Aoudii by Maison Incens.

Figue Aoudii by Maison Incens 2014

Figue Aoudii by Jean-Claude Gigodot and Irina Zhurikhina-Nesa

Figue Aoudii Maison Incens FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, orange
Heart: Fig, ylang-ylang, violet, iris, leather, cedar
Base: Agarwood (oud), sandalwood, amber, musk

As a fig scent, it is unique, particularly because of the addition of the oud note, which is not principally sweet or smoky. It opens with a strong, deep fig; much like the late season figs that drop onto the ground. This lasts only moments before the oud barges in to give a heavy hand, along with a striking dry leather note. The scent stays linear throughout the three hours of arm’s length projection I get. The ylang ylang is brought to the fore after that time and becomes a skin scent for another hour or so. The notes listed on Fragrantica include iris and bergamot, which I got nothing of, but I do detect a faint backing of violet in the first hour.

Figue Aoudii by Jean-Claude Gigodot and Irina Zhurikhina-Nesa for Maison Incens 2014

You are now wondering, rightly, what Figue Aoudii has to with my son’s declared intention of migrating and a pair of smelly toddler’s shoes? Figue Aoudii is reminiscent of the scent of D taking off his shoes as a child. I kid you not! (Pun most definitely intended.) So, should D actually move out of home, I have no sentimental reason to ask him for his pillow, or a toy he slept with, in order to keep his scent alive. I have Figue Aoudii!

Now that I have needlessly placed this connotation in your mind about a beautiful fig fragrance, let me assure you that it took quite a few weeks for me to understand why Figue Aoudii was so instantly recognisable. I wore it simply because it is sublime in the cooler months of autumn. The falling brown leaves and the last of the summer harvest of figs begs for such a scent to be worn.

Figue Aoudii Maison Incens schleichpost0 pixabayPDI

Further reading: Perfume
Maison Encens has €139/100ml (FREE World Shipping)

Do you have a fragrance that reminds you of someone you love? Or someone you once loved but have gone from your life?
KA

Argan Oil Haircare

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

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AF Beauty

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Hey hey,

Hair oils you’ll love and maybe one you won’t!

As I’ve talked about before, I hit the gym fairly often and as a result, I need to wash my hair A LOT. It is annoying for me, and I’m fairly sure my hairdresser would happily stab me to prevent me cracking out the shampoo on a sometimes twice daily basis.
All things considered my hair isn’t in too bad condition, probably because I rarely use straighteners or a hairdryer. But truth is, it could be in better condition – and as you’ll have seen in the shops, the latest thing for perfect hair is Argan Oil.

Argan Oil Haircare

Applied to the hair, generally after washing, it’s meant to help heal the hair, act as a conditioner and defrizz. Read the promotional info here.

I think my first foray into Argan Oil was a freebie thanks to a David Jones promotion. I got a mini bottle of Agadir Argan Oil. This is a relatively thick oil similar in consistency to olive oil with a pleasant mild fragrance. I like this oil, it does make my hair feel nice – but whether because I don’t use a hairdyer, or just the weight of my hair type (relatively fine), it does make my hair feel dirty relatively quickly (ie greasy).

When my little sample ran out, I decided to look for a replacement. The Agadir oil is relatively pricy for it’s small size AU$24 for a standard size bottle – that’s only 66ml). I decided to try the L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil Mist, I think it was on special one day. I was drawn to this because of the mist spray application thinking it would ‘feel’ less oily if it wasn’t applying with my hands.

OK, so this I really don’t like. And really it’s my own fault. It makes my hair feel dry and straw-like. I should have checked the ingredients before buying (caveat emptor right here) because first of all, there is no Argan Oil in it, and secondly the second ingredient listed is alcohol. Why would spraying alcohol on your hair EVER be a good thing? They package this up in a posh orange glass fully imitating the argan oil brands – it’s misleading, so be warned. Stay away.

So after the horror of the L’Oreal product, by chance I picked up the OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Miracle in-shower oil. . I’ve never actually used this in the shower, mainly because my shower is over-bath and I would rather not slip and break my neck while naked having applied an oil to my hair or body. I apply this as a post conditioner treatment before wrapping my wet hair up in a towel, this way the excess stays in the towel. This I LOVE! The texture is a lot lighter than the first oil, it applies well and my hair doesn’t look immediately greasy. All in all, a winner. It says also for skin use, but thus far, I’ve not tried it, maybe next week! 🙂

Have you found an oil treatment you love? Tell me about it!
AF Beauty