Criminal of Love by Kilian (Russia Exclusive)

January 22, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello loves!

The weather in my neck of the woods is currently a deep freeze. The nights slow the soul, while the moon slices the sky with icy precision – and although I don’t limit my scents to the seasons, that doesn’t mean I never crave sexy warmth to counter the frigid winter darkness!

Tonight, I have chosen to set my aura aglow with a new obsession….

Criminal of Love by Kilian (Russia Exclusive)

Criminal of Love by Dorothee Piot

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, saffron
Heart: Turkish rose, papyrus, atlas cedar
Base: Patchouli, incense, tobacco, immortelle

by Kilian Russia says (via Google Translate): Sharp , sharp and at the same time – oily intoxicating and sensual , this fragrance for dangerous criminals who need to be as soon as possible handcuffed – satin, which you will find in the box with the scent.

On my skin, the opening reveals leather and scotch, a particularly dark leather evoking clean lines and gleaming surfaces. Then, the bracing intensity begins to curve as a juicy, jammy Turkish rose moves into the spotlight. The queen of the flowers remains the star of the show, as warmly aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, and an associative apple cider swirl in perfect harmony. Sweetly smoky tobacco and incense accent the base of the composition, intoxicating and irresistible.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

I very rarely buy a bottle of perfume unsniffed. I am a sample glutton, to the point where my thumbnail is perpetually fraying from prying open so many vials. Blind buys are very few and far between; however, when I had a chance to score a partial bottle of the highly sought after, ultra-hyped Criminal of Love, I caved and trusted my instinct.

I can’t put into words how fortunate I feel, nor how exceptionally blown away I am by this pure pleasure-bomb of fragrant allure. The bottle design alone makes my heart flutter, but it’s the nectar within that lights the blaze.

Photo Stolen Flickr

I’ve heard rumors that after four years, the Russia Exclusives will be released to the general market. I hope this is true, so that more scent aficionados will be able to experience this incredibly sexy, addictive potion!

by Kilian Russia has 11 200 rubles/75ml

Have you tried any of the Russia Exclusive perfumes by Kilian? Do you have a favorite fragrance from the Kilian brand?

Wishing you gorgeously scented evenings this winter and always,
Erica

Eau de Guerlain by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1974

January 21, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Liam

Good evening flamboyant frag heads

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. I hope the fragrant Gods were good to you and you got all that you wanted.

For me, I decided to load up on the cologne side of things. I’m a hellbent oriental wearer, and whilst they are ever so lovely, they are rather impractical for hot Australian summers; especially on those scorching 40+ degree days.

Photo Stolen Flickr

I was spoilt with colognes as I requested – and one that I was dying to get was Eau de Guerlain from (you guessed it) Guerlain. I am madly in love with the Guerlain ‘eaux’ series, and my first was Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain’s creation. When I found Eau de Cologne Imperiale I was stoked! Unfortunately here in Oz the Guerlain range is very very limited – and so obtaining the ‘eaux’ fragrances was a mighty task in itself. I have my contacts.

Eau de Guerlain by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1974

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Fruity notes, basil, bergamot, lemon
Heart: Caraway, carnation, sandalwood, patchouli, lavender, jasmine, mint, bergamot, rose
Base: Amber, musk, oakmoss, neroli

In this fragrance, the citrusy note used here is actually a rather soft verbena note, made peppy with a citrus clash of lemon and bergamot. This 1974 Jean-Paul Guerlain creation contains a neutral collection of notes too, acting more in terms of functionality than pleasure. The rose, jasmine, carnation, and lavender floral accents are almost invisible – with a baby soft amber and musk addition lifting this fragrance into perpetuity – as far as cologne and eaux fraiche can go.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

There’s a bit of a bitter crunch to this cologne too, with a certain facet smelling anisic and almost salty. I’m certain herbs attribute to this factor, in this case basil and mint, with caraway seed in there somewhere. We can also expect the herbs de Provence accord found in many Guerlain works.

With many of my reviews, I always try to reach and attain an emotional standing with the fragrance in question, and Eau de Guerlain surprises me. To think Chamade was only made 5 years before this (1969). Chamade for me is a classic Guerlain artwork, whereas this cologne is decidedly modern. I think Eau de Guerlain may have heralded a new dawn in perfumery and a new stage in Guerlain works. Don’t you think?

Many regard this as the perfect cologne. Whilst my heart lies somewhere else, the balance demonstrated here is enviable, and truly showcases Jean-Paul Guerlain’s perfume prowess. As mentioned before, the tactile use of amber and musk (and sandalwood, apparently) raise longevity to a relatively high 2 hours. The sillage is moderate to low, fading dramatically over time.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Further reading: Now Smell This and Monsieur Guerlain
Beauty Encounter has $95/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Keep hydrated! What’s your favourite cologne to spritz on?

-Liam

Sydney Libertine Masterclass

January 20, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Sydney’s first stand-alone niche perfume boutique has opened! We can now experience and discover an array of fragrances in the heart of Darlinghurst at Libertine. If you have previously visited Libertine in Brisbane, you will know why this is so freaking exciting!

Nick Smart is one of the pioneers of niche perfumery in Australia. He is the director of Libertine Brisbane/Sydney, Agence de Parfum (David Jones Sydney), Galerie de Parfum (Myer Sydney/Melbourne) and he also distributes and imports top niche brands such as Creed, Lubin, Juliette Has a Gun, Penhaligons, Amouage, Dear Rose, Keiko Mercheri, L’Artisan, Mark Buxton, Frapin, Rance and more! If you have purchased any of these brands in Australia, no doubt Nick was behind it somehow.

Sydney Libertine Masterclass

Libertine also holds perfume masterclasses and Nick invited me along to the first Sydney class, which was for the staff of a Flow Athletic Yoga Studio at 1/134 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021. Their boss had sent them along as part of their Christmas “do”. Each of them was to leave with a full bottle of perfume of their choice!! Amazingly generous and a fantastic and memorable gift to give the team!

Nick had the ladies gather around the table with their complimentary champagne in hand and went through the main fragrance families from Michael Edwards’ fragrance wheel with corresponding fragrances from the boutique. He explained where you might wear each type of fragrance and what’s appropriate for what activity, season and time of day. He says start the day in something light and fresh and ramp it up into the evening with more spice and alluring gourmand notes. Best dating fragrances being Piguet’s Visa and Petit Fracas and Costume National’s award wining, So Nude.

In explaining the difference between niche and mainstream fragrances he pointed out only 5 companies own all the fragrance brands seen in department stores. Some of the fragrance houses he sells have been around for 200 years, and their fragrances are still relevant now, and still will be in another 200 – unlike the modern scents that come and go quickly.

He mentions someone from a mainstream perfume house said their bottles cost $2 to be made compared to Niche houses who can spend $17 just on a lid! Amouage’s bottle design has a Swarovski crystal on the lid and Lubin’s Black Jade and Gin Fizz bottles are inspired by Grace Kelly’s silhouette in Monaco with her big hat.

Each attendee filled out a card and I used the new Fragrances of the World/ Libertine fragrance finder app (Nick’s “magic tool”) and the Libertine website to write down a few recommendations for each person to try later. He went through what everyone’s favorites were and the majority of the group was floral.

When he was asked where we should spray perfume Nick said avoid spraying your décolletage as the chemicals and sun in combination can react with the skin and also to protect breast tissue.

He demonstrated the use of travel atomizers because many people carry full bottles in their bags to top up during the day, but often our handbags are exposed to heat.

Nick knows EVERYTHING about the product houses, the perfumes themselves, their history and stories and how to really tap into the needs of the individual and find a scent to match them or push them a little further out from their comfort zones. He had the girls opened mouthed in delight as their minds were expanded in to the world of niche and beyond the floral family type.

Libertine Parfumerie @ 1-3 Taylor St, Darlinghurst 2010

Since fragrances hold memories it’s great to start a new year with a new fragrance and this can really motivate you forwards instead of holding on to old memories and ex-partners! What new scents are on your list to start 2015 with a bang?

Ainslie Walker x

Mahora by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 2000

January 19, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Tina G

Portia and I had a lovely relaxed New Year’s catch up the other day – lunch and tea and chats and I had a chance to have a sticky beak at the selection of perfumes which she’s chosen to keep at home at the moment. This included a stunning range of Guerlain! Love Love Love!! Along with a few other scents, Portia kindly provided me with a small decant of Mahora to try.

Mahora by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 2000

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, almond blossom, green accords
Heart: Ylang-ylang, neroli, tuberose, jasmine
Base: Sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver

Mahora was released by Guerlain in 2000, and discontinued two years later. I understand that it has been slightly reformulated and released as Mayotte in 2006, but I was curious to know why Mahora was given such a short shelf life.

The opening flashes from a pleasant jasmine and citrus burst to a bitter green quite quickly. A milky/watery almond note then comes through with the tang of a sweet orange in the background. The almond note is quite yummy, actually, like fresh almonds in a bowl waiting to be crunched.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

As this settles in it changes quite rapidly in the first 15 minutes and the almond turns more marzipan. I suspect that my focus on almond during the first 15 minutes is because it is a note I’m sensitive to, so I’m noticing it more. The silage, however, makes me feel that I’m definitely wearing a Guerlain – it has that familiar edge , here mainly citrus and vanilla, with the vanilla becoming stronger during dry down.

The ylang ylang is a surprising punch at the half hour mark, and it’s presence drags the green notes back into the foreground again. The fabulous greenness continues to develop and at about 1 hour there is a specific damp indolic note which shoots up between the rest of the fragrance’s clouds of puffy citrus/vanilla. It is that of decaying tuberose, but nothing overly fetid and rotting, more like flowers which have simply been left too long in a vase and have passed their prime. It is distinctive but I don’t find it unpleasant, particularly because it is still surrounded by and supported in the fragrance overall.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Is this indole the reason for the fragrance’s demise? Perhaps. I haven’t had a chance to try Mayotte so I am not sure whether the note has been continued under a new name. I really that it gives the fragrance an unexpected edge. The indole does fade around the 3 hour mark and the dry down becomes a gorgeous warm skin scent, one that I’m perfectly happy to find on my skin as I snuggle down at the end of the day. So this one may not be so popular, but I’ll put my hand up and say that it’s OK!

Photo Donated Portia

Further reading: Smelly Thoughts and Perfume Posse
Now available in slightly different form at Guerlain called Mayotte in Les Parisiennes
Ebay also has some BARGAINS! but pretty soon they will be gone and Mahora will cost a fortune.
Surrender To Chance has Mayotte starting at $6/ml

Do you have an “unpopular” fragrance which you love? Would you take a stand, and speak up on its behalf in the face of dissidence?
Tina G xx

Smoke For the Soul by Fabrice Pellegrin for by Kilian 2014

January 15, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hi APJ

I love smokey scents. Burning leaves, pipe tobacco, fireplaces, incense…all those wonderful notes that make you just want to curl up under a warm blanket. With a name like Smoke for the Soul I thought I’d find that type of scent. I thought wrong.

Smoke For the Soul by Fabrice Pellegrin for by Kilian 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Eucalyptus, grapefruit, mate, birch, casmirwood, cannabis, cardamom

Sure, there’s a touch of smokiness in the beginning. Smoke for the Soul takes me back to college where I knew some people who occasionally smoked marijuana. I was never one to smoke anything because it made my throat and lungs burn which was not enjoyable. I was sometimes around people who did though, and this is the perfume of one of those evenings.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

It all starts with lighting the joint. There’s that bit of smoke and the unmistakable smell of cannabis in the air. The scent gets stronger as it gets passed around the room. There’s not much smokiness anymore really because everyone is holding the smoke in for a bit and then coughing. It’s a bit much so I decide I’m going to wait outside in the cold. There’s a chill in the autumn air and I can smell the leaves blowing on the ground. My friends emerge from the house and with them trails the scent of pot. By this point they’re silly enough to think that a piece of gum will cover up the smell and look to me for that. I’ve got no gum but I do have cough drops so now there’s a hint of eucalyptus in the mix.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The usual goofiness ensues and soon after the munchies kick in. I’m not driving this bunch anywhere so it’s back inside to raid the fridge. There is leftover roast chicken with thyme and lemon in there so that gets popped into the microwave to heat up. Later there’s still the faint smell of cannabis mixed with some generic men’s fragrance the guys spritzed earlier in the evening to try to make themselves appealing to the ladies.

Photo stolen Flickr

That’s the perfume in a nutshell. I can’t say I’d want to smell like this. It’s probably not something you’d wear to work unless you want to get sent to human resources to discuss your drug problem. I’d call it masculine. My hubby agrees but said he wouldn’t wear it. It’s weird and definitely worth a sniff but would I spend a ton of money to smell like it? Nope. No chance.

Further reading: Colognoisseur and Ca Fleure Bon
LuckyScent has $270/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5/.5ml

The search for a Kilian perfume for me to love continues…

Hugs
Poodle

George by Anais Biguine for Jardins d'Ecrivains 2012

January 14, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Trésor

There are few aromas which bring me quite the same sense of ease and incredible comfort as that of the orange blossom. The diaphanous white floral glow that radiates from these precious petals seems to convey a dream sequence of softness, delicate femininity and and that inimitable eau de cologne chic. Yet in the throes of all of this beauty I am still left with one desire unsatiated, the desire and carnal yearning for something subversive; something incendiary and of the night. I’d wondered for quite some time if it would be possible to find an orange blossom who’s calyxes oozed forth wicked elixir and one lucky day, entirely by chance, I found exactly what I was looking for. I found George.

George by Anais Biguine for Jardins d’Ecrivains 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Neroli, bergamot, heliotrope, coffee, tobacco, peru balsam, musk, myrrh

George opens on the skin with a hyper-realized vision or orange blossoms, ablaze in hues of searing titian and rust. The petals are bleeding with menthol and wrapped carefully within a swathe of rich leather. As the orange blossom begins to settle into the skin the leather takes a more dominant role and becomes adorned with the powdery inflorescence of heliotrope. This moment in particular is the line where George teeters the line of modesty and filth so beautifully. The balsam of Peru which was but a hologram beneath the surface is now cascading forth in its hue of moonlit umber. The balsam is so extraordinarily rich and dense with enveloping aroma that for a period it is all I can smell. As the weight begins to lift I can smell the luxuriant vapours of spectacular honeyed tobacco. This stage is divinity, absolute and beyond words. The camphorous whisper from the previous synapse remains, adding a faint emerald scintillation to the warm and redolent base. It truly is a most comforting and also rather sexy olfactory sensation. As the final stages of the dry down take their descent you are left with the gossamer aura of a dancing and delicious, resinous myrrh-y skinscent. It softly hovers above the skin until it finally fades into nothing at all.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I get an incredibly good wear out of George, garnering about 10 hours before it finally disappears entirely. The sillage one my skin is rather strong but I don’t find it overpowering whatsoever. It’s simply dense but not necessarily loud. I think if you’re a fan of either orange blossom, leather inflected or balsamic fragrances I wouldn’t hesitate to give George a go. It truly is a brilliant brew.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Further reading: Now Smell This and The Non Blonde
Beauty Habit has $110/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3.25/ml

I hope that you like it as much as I have!

Trésor xx

Lipstick, Perfume and Pop Heroes: A True Story

January 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 45 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

The Clash and subsequently Big Audio Dynamite are amongst my all time favourite bands. Mick Jones is my lyric writing hero.

Amsterdam 1985. I never go anywhere without my red lipstick. In the early days of my relationship with Chris he would ask why it was so important. I always answered the same “You just never know, I might bump into Mick Jones one day.”

Lipstick, Perfume and Pop Heroes: A True Story

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Amsterdam 1987. We were in the Paradiso at a Hoodoo Gurus gig. Which all these years on is kind of fab since they were Sydney´s coolest band, and now I´m with Sydney´s most sublime drag queen. But life IS strange. About half way through the gig, a colleague of mine from the “Melkweg” where I worked, tapped me on the shoulder. (The Melkweg is a famous concert venue and multimedia centre. It includes an art gallery, cinema, dance/theatre and teahouse. It was founded in 1970. It is known as the “Milky Way” in english.)
He asked me to leave the gig and go over to the Melkweg as the boss wanted me too look after an English band who were visiting. I had absolutely no intention of leaving the Hoodo Gurus gig. I yelled at him over the music, asking who it was. He replied “Some band called Big Audio Dynamite.” I kid you not. I leaned over and told Chris I had to leave because Mick Jones was waiting for me. I touched up my lipstick and left.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Chris stayed on until the end of the Gurus, and then joined me. We hung out with the band for a couple of days, and they went onto support U2 at a stadium gig in Rotterdam. Don´t ask. What happened in Amsterdam stayed in Amsterdam. 🙂 It did not lead to a life long friendship, but we did get to join up with the band in 1989 for three brilliant Big Audio Dynamite gigs in Boston.

This is a perfume blog so it would do to mention what I was wearing. Amsterdam would have been

Photo Stolen instyle

Chanel No 5 Extrait

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, neroli, ylang-ylang
Heart: Jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, iris
Base: Vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, patchouli

Boston was

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Samsara EdP by Guerlain

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, ylang-ylang, peach and green notes
Heart: Jasmine, iris, narcissus, violet, rose
Base: Sandalwood, vanilla, Tonka bean, amber, musk

Samples of CHANEL No 5 Extrait and Samsara EdP both available Surrender To Chance

I still carry my red lipstick.

Be Prepared. You never know.

Happy 2015.

Bussis
CQ

Woodcut by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2014

January 12, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 60 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

Happy New Year – and I am ready for it! There have been too many changes in 2014. This time last year I was dealing with emotional trauma associated with the destruction of the small forest behind our home in Issaquah, WA, “Tree City USA”. The smell of sap and tree blood was almost toxic, the whole experience brutal. After the trees were ripped out and hauled away, a monstrosity of a house was erected not far from our lot line. In an effort to mitigate the view of our neighbors’ kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms we installed 150 feet of cedar fencing, several varieties of timber bamboo, 20 cedar saplings, prayer flags and a large polycarb greenhouse. It will be several years before the bamboo and cedars obscure the up-slope action, but eventually we hope that we will no longer be a part of our neighbors’ intimate daily lives. In the meantime we have been enjoying our greenhouse and looking for peaceful retreats away from the fishbowl that is our home.

Photo Donated Azar

On December 29th Ellen Covey, her husband Michael Clune, Brad and I set out over the Puget Sound to visit Troy Meyers Orchid Conservatory near Poulsbo, WA. The conservatory, residence, greenhouse, shops and guesthouse are located on several acres of beautiful cedars, hemlocks and Douglas firs. When we arrived at our destination an all too familiar smell assaulted my nose…sawn wood and tree sap! Initially I was stunned, but when I took a closer look I could see that our host had very carefully and selectively cut a few trees in order to manage the forest, preserve the buildings and allow the solar panels to continue generating electricity. This well considered stewardship of the land was a far cry from what had happened behind our home in late 2013. Visiting Troy Meyers Orchid Conservatory, staying in the lovely guest cottage and seeing how Troy and his wife Phyllis managed their sustainable and self sufficient life style was the perfect and positive ending to a year dominated by the life, death and smell of trees.

Speaking of the smell of trees: 2014 also saw the launch of Ellen Covey’s new fragrance Woodcut.

Woodcut by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2014

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Woodcut was released late last year and has already made it to the Cafleurebon “Best of 2014” list. The name Woodcut describes the fragrance perfectly.

My first impression of Woodcut was of a bracing, outdoor cedar board scent associated with new fences and carpentry. For me this introduction lasted, at the most, five minutes. There was no gradual transition to the next phase but simply an immediate and sudden shift to a dense and heavy sap, recalling the brooding woodcuts of American artists Leonard Baskin and Edward Gorey. Within 10 minutes or so Woodcut shifted again and a completely different personality appeared. Sugar, caramel, and vanilla surrounded the resinous balsam and created a cozy and comforting perfume that lasted for many hours. Woodcut is perhaps the first fragrance I have experienced that manifests such distinctly different and delineated personalities. The bracing cedar, the dark sap and the caramelized resin do not evolve from one to another but simply change in an instant.

Photo stolen lavanyasrecipes

Woodcut GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get:
1 x 1ml sample of Woodcut by Olympic Orchids
2 x additional decants of “woody” fragrances from Azar’s collection
P&H to the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone in the world 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 so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Leave a comment about the new Woodcut fragrance or name your favorite tree or wood smell.

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Olympic Orchids Perfume GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-3vv #Perfume #Giveaway @EllenCovey1

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 8th January 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by pulling names from a sunhat (maybe)
The winners will have till Sunday 11th January 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.

Azar xx

Amouage Library Collection: Opus IV by Jacques Flori for Amouage 2010

January 11, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Post by Sister Mary Magdalen, Patron Saint of Perfumers

Peace APJ,

Tis the season: for the upward curl of incense, for journeys and visitors from afar, for the exchange of gifts, peak season no vacancies and the occasional unplanned pregnancy. Whatever is going on at your place I hope it’s fragrant. It certainly is here with the sisters. Both a busy and reflective time of year, the cloisters are shrouded from matins to vespers with billowing frankincense. What better to focus my meditations in this holy time than Amouage Library Collection Opus IV.

Amouage Library Collection: Opus IV by Jacques Flori for Amouage 2010

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Coriander, grapefruit, amalfi lemon, mandarin orange
Heart: Cardamom, caraway, elemi, rose, rosehip, violet
Base: Incense, French labdanum, musk

This was unknown to me until a generous benefactor aware of my love of resinous fragrances bestowed a small sample upon me.

Immediately I understood I was no longer in the mystical cool veil of an ecclesiastical resin, this fragrance is an immediate jumble of sweetness, citrus oils and spices, as though the scent of someone’s pre-dinner lime cordial has lingered through until the arrival of pudding. And what a pudding! Laden with cinnamon and clove brandied fruits, boozy sweet and rich. The feasting is most certainly wrapped around by the scent of a piney Tannenbaum.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Then, like a miracle, incense rises. It is a smoky, earthy olibanum as though from the burning of darker, lower grade tears that can give almost a urinous aroma. Wonderful stuff, it gathers strength and becomes the soul of the scent.

The other elements remain and mellow joined by rose and labdanum in becoming the harmonious choir to this soloist, a warm and sonorous tenor.

I am a humble woman of modest good works, and I confess I feel somewhat of an imposter wearing this as it smells like the sweat of a hardworking angel on my skin.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Now I read that the aim of the Library Collection is to “defy categorisation, transcend gender, and allow the wearer to create their own unique narrative”. Oh, that’s just what happened, isn’t it?

Opus IV pulsed off my skin for half the day and received several favourable comments, so the sillage is admirable. Some may find it too intimate or distracting for professional settings, but I found it easy and comfortable to wear.

Photo Stolen GTArcade (Problem using image please get in touch)

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and The Non Blonde
LuckyScent has $355/100ml
Surrender To chance has samples starting at $4/.5ml

Pray tell, ye faithful, what books have you taken from the Amouage Library? Is there more I should know?

My fond prayer is that you have all rested well and can greet this new year refreshed and reinspired.

Sister Mary Magdalen, Patron Saint of Perfumers

Gabriella’s 2015 Top Five Traditional Masculine Scents

January 8, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hello perfume peeps,

As time has gone by, I have become less shy talking about my blogging and sharing my love of scent with the wider public. When I do mention my passion to colleagues and friends, I often get questions such as: “I need a new perfume. I love Coco Mademoiselle, what do you recommend?” or “What is the perfume you like the most?” Pleasingly, men are as curious as women, with most asking whether I review men’s colognes or aftershaves?

Photo stolen DeviantArt

Gabriella’s 2015 Top Five Traditional Masculine Scents

This always brings a wry smile to my face as most of us here in perfume land have long ignored the gender divide enforced by the “men’s” and “women’s” sections of department stores. However, it did get me thinking as most of what I wear and write about are the Big White Florals and uber-feminine scents. Apart from the experiment when Mr M let me douse him in Fracas, how many non-perfumista menfolk would wear something like Carnal Flower or Fleurissimo?
So, as an attempt to address the issue, I present my top five traditional masculine scents:

1. Antaeus by Jacques Polge for Chanel 1981

The strong virile hero scent. Antaeus is a machismo concoction of bold proportions that still feels seamless thanks to Mr Polge’s genius. A powerful blend of verdant bergamot and clary sage amplified with rich spices and smooth leather. If you want a scent to put hair on your chest, this is the one.

Fragrantica lists the following accords:
Top: Lemon, lime, coriander, myrtle, clary sage, and bergamot
Heart: Thyme, basil, rose and jasmine
Base: Patchouli, castoreum, labdanum and oak moss

Further reading: What Men Should Smell Like

StrawberryNet has $106.50/50ml

Surrender to Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

2. Eau Sauvage by Edmond Roudnitska for Christian Dior 1966

The epitome of effortless elegance. Eau Sauvage is the Adam of the men’s fragrance world that spawned the Eve of Diorella. To me, the luminosity of the citrus, verdant herbs and something a little sinister and sexy underneath it all means the scent trumps more modern citrus and cologne compositions despite the current watered-down reformulation.

Fragrantica lists the following accords:
Top: Lemon, basil, bergamot, cumin, lavender and fruit
Heart: Jasmine, rose, carnation, iris root, coriander, patchouli and sandalwood
Base: Oak moss, vetiver, musk and amber

3. New York by Patricia de Nicolai for Nicolai Parfumeur Createur 1989

It is just that good. Say lavender and bergamot and I usually run a mile, hence why you’ll never find me raving about Jicky or Bois du Portugal. New York, however, took me from hate to love when we were searching for a new scent for Mr M as I think it is the smoothest, most well- rounded of the combinations on the market. Plus there’s a candied, powdery vibe to the lavender, which makes manages to be both sexy and snuggly.

Fragrantica lists the following accords:
Top: Bergamot, amalfi lemon, cloves, lavender and green notes
Heart: Thyme, cinnamon, pepper, paprika, patchouli and cedar
Base: Amber, vanilla and leather

4. Paco Rabanne Pour Homme by Jean Martel for Paco Rabanne 1973

Debonair in a bottle. A quintessential fougere with piquant notes of rosemary and clary sage, what strikes me most about Pour Homme is the quality and depth of the musk in the drydown. It’s earthy, animalic and seductive, like snuggling into your man’s chest after a heated, passionate night.

Fragrantica lists the following accords:
Top: Rosemary, clary sage and brazilian rosewood
Heart: Tonka bean, lavender and geranium
Base: Honey, amber, musk and oakmoss

5. Polo Ralph Lauren for Men by Carlos Benaim for Ralph Lauren 1978

The scent of boyfriends past. Probably a bit OTT now, but god, how I loved this back in the day. Even though it was pretty much ubiquitous in the early 1990s, Polo stood out for being a brooding Heathcliff of a scent amid the onslaught of flimsy aquatics and calones. Deep greens, herbs, spiky woods and a powerful wallop of pine makes this not for the fainthearted.

Fragrantica lists the following accords:
Top: Artemisia, basil and thyme, with spicy notes of cumin, coriander and cloves
Heart: Conifer woods, decorated with notes of patchouli, oakmoss and vetiver
Base: Leather, tobacco and thyme

Further reading: What Men Should Smell Like

FragranceNet has $53.99/2oz before coupon

Surrender to Chance has samples starting at $2.99/ml

So what are your top ‘traditional’ masculine scents? Ladies, do you wear any of these? What was the scent that broke the gender divide perfume wise for you once you got past department store classifications?

With much love till next time!
M x

All photos stolen Fragrantica unless specified

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Criminal of Love by Kilian (Russia Exclusive)

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Amouage Library Collection: Opus IV by Jacques Flori for Amouage 2010

Amouage Library Collection: Opus IV by Jacques Flori for Amouage 2010

Gabriella’s 2015 Top Five Traditional Masculine Scents

Gabriella’s 2015 Top Five Traditional Masculine Scents

1. Antaeus by Jacques Polge for Chanel 1981

2. Eau Sauvage by Edmond Roudnitska for Christian Dior 1966

3. New York by Patricia de Nicolai for Nicolai Parfumeur Createur 1989

4. Paco Rabanne Pour Homme by Jean Martel for Paco Rabanne 1973

5. Polo Ralph Lauren for Men by Carlos Benaim for Ralph Lauren 1978