Waikiki Pikake by Brook Harvey Taylor for Pacifica

July 17, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Poodle

Pikake (pee’ kah keh) means peacock and is the Hawaiian name for jasmine sambac, a flowering bush that is prevalent on the Hawaiian islands and often used to make leis. It was so named by Ka’iulani (1875-1899), the last crown princess of Hawaii. She thought pikake were beautiful, just like the birds she named them after. As a young girl she lived on an estate near the ocean surrounded by trees, flowers, and her beloved peacocks.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Iliahi is Hawaiian for sandalwood and since Hawaii was known for its native sandalwood, one can assume she was familiar with those fragrant trees as well. Ka’iulani also had a white pony (doesn’t every princess?) which she rode by the ocean. She referred to Pikake as the flower of love and once said that she would only marry if she were in love and no other reason would persuade her. She was known for her strength as well as her beauty and grace. It has been said that it was impossible not to love her.

Waikiki Pikake by Brook Harvey Taylor for Pacifica

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Pikake (jasmine), sandalwood

The perfume Waikiki Pikake is all about jasmine and sandalwood. There’s a definite tropical feel to the fragrance but without the fruitiness commonly associated with tropical scents. The jasmine here might just be a gateway drug for people who are usually afraid of it. There’s nothing here that says “dirty girl”, it’s more a beautiful jasmine fit for a princess. Never having been to Hawaii I imagine this is what the Pikake flowers smell like on an ocean breeze. Green leaves and ocean waves mingle with the jasmine and then swirl around a heart of warm, creamy sandalwood. A perfectly clear day in an island garden is what comes to mind but overall this isn’t a smothering white floral. It’s reminiscent of new love, fresh and innocent. On my skin it wears nicely in the heat without becoming overwhelming. Oddly it seems the heat tones it down but you might have a different experience. Waikiki Pikake wears somewhat linear on me, not changing much but gradually softening and fading away. I love it as a bedtime scent but I think it could be worn anytime.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

My first sniff of this came from the body butter that I found at the discount store. That’s one thing I love about Pacifica, companion products. I love layering my scents once in a while and having a body cream that matches my perfume is so much easier than trying to coordinate which scent goes with which. That being said, you could easily get just enough fragrance from the body butter alone. I had the body butter first and loved the fragrance and the longevity of it so I bought the perfume to go with it.

Pacifica has Waikiki Pikake in $12/10ml roll on and loads of other stuff too.

So tell me, do you have a favorite Pacifica scent? Have you tried this one? Ever been to Hawaii and is it as fabulous as I think it would be?

Until next time…hugs.

poodle

Shalimar by Guerlain 1925

July 16, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello! My name is Erica, and I’ve enjoyed a lifetime obsession with scent. In all my journeys, I never gave Shalimar a chance on my skin. Shalimar, the bottle waiting patiently at practically every perfume counter, mysterious yet familiar. Recently, I was inundated with a torrent of love for this perfume by fans of all ages, all over the world. In the face of such genuine devotion, who was I to resist? I headed straight to a perfume counter, and my first impressions of modern-day Shalimar EdP are as follows:

Shalimar by Jacques Guerlain for Guerlain 1925

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, mandarin orange, cedar, lemon, bergamot
Heart: Iris, rose, vetiver, jasmine, patchouli
Base: Civet, musk, tonka bean, opoponax, leather, incense, vanilla, sandalwood

This scent opens with a citronella-like, sharp, insect-repellant bergamot. I just really don’t like the beginning. Much brighter on the card than on my skin. The aroma becomes a little more interesting after settling. Nicely spicy, but with some undertone that comes across as almost rubbery. I’m still not into it, but I admit that I am starting to be hypnotized by the unique, complex puzzle of it all. I keep sniffing, curiously. Later, the fragrance begins to warm into something more harmonious with my aesthetic. I am starting to sense precious woods, amber, and sandalwood, maybe a waft of vanilla as well.

Later still, even more attractive, almost like vanilla pipe tobacco.

And then….

Yes.

Now I understand. It takes about 30 minutes to get there for me, but – wow. Gorgeous and singularly exceptional, yet hauntingly familiar. Woods and amber with a hint of vanilla, but so much more that defies my recognition. Indescribable. A sensual poem.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Next, I sought out vintage bottles. My first scores were EdC in the “watch” bottle and Parfum in the “rosebud” bottle. I decided to review them side by side:

Shalimar EdC:

A quieter, softer opening. Morphs into soft vanilla incense tobacco magic within a few minutes. Fades fast on my skin, a quiet haze that hugs my body closely and shares its presence only with those I allow in that space.

Shalimar Parfum:

A sharp, bold opening. Spicy, and the citronella note is not as bright as with modern EDP but surprisingly still pronounced. Throw is fairly intense, yet somehow focused for me – not a diffusive cloud of fragrance, but a moonbeam piercing the humid summer night’s sky. The aroma drifts into a powdery stage before reaching the equilibrium of the true intent of Shalimar: a warm, almost indescribable perfume that slows my breathing and makes me feel powerfully magnetic. Sultry, mysterious, dark, thickly sensual.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Shalimar lasts anywhere from 5-8 hours on my skin. It is definitely an evening, date-night fragrance by tradition ~ and I am a very non-traditional person, so I wear it whenever and wherever the hell I please! That being said, I often crave it at night and wear it as my midnight aromatherapy.

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies EdC and Australian Perfume Junkies Parfum
FragranceNet has $48/74ml EdC and other selections
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Erica’s Shalimar Collection Photo Donated Erica Golding

I hope you have enjoyed my account of how I lost my Shalimar virginity; and I hope that I’ve either conjured precious scent memories of your own, or piqued your interest in sampling this beauty for your own first time.

With warmly fragrant hugs,
Erica Golding

Junky by Anais Biguine for Jardins D’Ecrivains 2014

July 15, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Some perfume names give us a preconceived idea of the vibe of the fragrance in question. I was keen to get my nose on this from the minute I heard of it. I was born at the end of the fifties which threw me into the Punk Generation at exactly the right time. Had I been born earlier I like to think that I would have been part of the Beat Generation. This group consisted of a groups of American post World War II writers who came to the fore in the 1950s. The main elements of this “Beat” culture included experimentation with drugs, an interest in religion, alternative sexualities, a rejection of materialism and some unrestrained portrayals of the human condition. The best known writers and examples of the Beat Literature are probably William Burroughs (who wrote Junky), Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

It was Kerouac who coined the phrase “Beat Generation”. Thanks to the punk era into which I was thrown – I was turned onto the Beat Generation literature. Junky, Naked Lunch and On the Road being my top three reads.

Junky by Anais Biguine for Jardins D’Ecrivains 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords:
Top: Hemp, Palisander Rosewood, Galbanum
Heart: Iris, Violet, Gardenia
Base: Cashmeran, cedar, vetiver, incense, juniper, moss and myrtle (From Jardins D’Ecrivains box: Cashmeran, Cedar, Javanese vetiver, Sweet myrrhe, Frankincense, Cade, Moss)

So Jardins D’Ecrivains taking on Junky as a literary influence for a perfume was really quite formidable and perhaps a little abstract.

Green, green, green. Thick and ferocious. Straight to the amygdala, located deep within the brain. The hemp, combined with galbanum is legally intoxicating. Sticky and skunky and did I mention green?. I wish this moment would last forever but that might be too much to bear. It slides effortlessly into the beautifully smooth middle notes. This is very pleasurable and comfortable. Heady but controlled. Three beautiful floral notes intertwined one with another. And then the comedown. In this case, it is soft and sweet and lasts some hours. Quite dry, but a narcotic sweet feel nonetheless. It harks back to the opening green notes. A clever twist. It´s funny what a name can do. I was wondering if Jardins D’Ecrivains had called this Peter Pan, would it have made my experience any different? I think not. It would have just have been a wasted Peter Pan!

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Jardins D’Ecrivains succeeded with the Junky vibe. I was impressed with the journey that Junky takes you on. From the instant hit, to the agreeable middle, and a peaceful descent. Unlike the real thing.

Absolutely worth checking out. You could read the book too.

With thanks to First in Fragrance who rushed me a generous sample upon request.

First in Fragrance has €93/100ml and samples

“Silence is only frightening to people who are compulsively verbalizing.” William S. Burroughs

Bussis
CQ

Mito by Vero Kern VdE + EdP

July 14, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by Sister Mary Magdelene, Patron Saint of Perfumers

Oh faithful ones please ready yourselves to hear of divine beauty. Sometimes to fall into blissful sleep, I count on green floral chypres. In my fragrant world, nothing could offer greater pleasure than the idealised landscape that a wonderful perfume in this genre can conjure.

Mito Voile d’Extrait – Vero Profumo

and

Mito Eau de Parfum – Vero Profumo

And here are two distinct but related olfactory paintings of delightful garden scenes, both inspired by the gardens at Villa d’Este in Tivoli.

Mito Voile d’Extrait

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Citruses, magnolia, champaca, jasmine, galbanum, hyacinth, cypress, moss

This is a scented garden drawn from the perspective of someone who, eyes drawn to a cool shaded corner, has launched herself into and across a wide lawn and thrown herself down on the grass. She did not pass time in detached strolling and admiring from a paved walkway, no she ran straight in to be amongst the damp greenery, to experience dark cushions of moss and inhale the loamy smell.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Here where she lies there’s a grassiness and I won’t say wetness, lest you imagine it aquatic, but a damp and earthy mossiness. As she lies looking up through branches to a clear autumn sky, wafts of ripe fallen fruit reach her from the ground beneath nearby trees. The fruit is rich, full and ripe, but not over-ripe or winey in the way of Roudnitska’s Femme or Parfum du Thérèse, instead this is fruit that has fallen full of juice and most certainly split upon landing to release the complex uncultivated aroma of something like a guava.

Flowering trees most certainly grow in this garden, she lies distant from them, their fragrance reaching her on the breeze. It is one of the particular achievements of this fragrance that the sometimes heavy florals of tuberose and champaca are here restrained, seeming to float down from their high places. The effect is naturalistic, as though the scent of them truly did waft through on a breeze. They unfurl on my skin, mirroring perhaps how the fragrance of blooms in sunshine becomes warmer and creamier. This mid-afternoon glow carries on for quite a few more hours.

Mito Eau de Parfum

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Citruses, magnolia, champaca, jasmine, galbanum, hyacinth, cypress, moss

Here she returns to the garden on a warmer drier day. On this visit she is out in the open walking the paths. In the sunshine pungent volatile oils are releasing on the breeze. There is a resinous pine. Galbanum and verbena fizz and sparkle. The verbena recalls the opening of Jean-Paul Guerlain’s Eau de Guerlain, but where that one continues on a calm and cool trajectory, this Mito whirls and dances on my skin, it’s a live thing! A light fresh jasmine sends its sweet breath her way. As she strolls, her body becomes warmer. The dusty smells of the gravel kicked up by her feet and the muskiness of her own skin mingle with the aromas of the garden.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

What Vero Kern has done here is a minor miracle, she has composed two beautiful observational perfumes. They are clearly pictures of the same garden seen in different seasons. They come with my highest recommendation and a warning to wear only if it is safe to be distracted by the beauty for several hours.

Further reading: Val the Cookie Queen at Australian Perfume Junkies

LuckyScent has the range
First In Fragrance has the range
Surrender To Chance has samples and decants of a range of the Vero Products

Pray tell, have you experienced the holy sweet waters of Saint Kern?

Go in peace,
Sister Mary Magdelene, Patron Saint of Perfumers

Indie Fragrance Criterion GIVEAWAY WINNER

July 11, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Hi APJ,

What great comments! I learned a lot and was happy to realize that I am not the only one in perfume-land who smells what isn’t there!

Don’t forget July 17th at Tigerlily Perfumery,
973 Valencia Street in San Francisco, CA USA.
If you are in the area consider dropping by between 5:00 and 8:00 pm PDT to meet the Antonia and the PNW perfumers whose work I reviewed in the post.
For more information check TigerLily
Azar xx

Photo Donated Azar

Indie Fragrance Criterion GIVEAWAY WINNER

Photo Donated Azar

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

Meredith Smith of Sweet Anthem Perfumes in Seattle has generously provided the prize for today’s drawing, one complete sample set of the Indie Fragrance Criterion – DiscoverPacific Northwest Perfumes.
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible.
I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please comment about “the obvious but not present”> In your perfume experience have you ever smelled a note that wasn’t really there?

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Indie Fragrance Criterion GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2Xc #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 10th July 2014 10pm Australian EST
Once again B-Azar drew the winning name from the old sunhat. And the

Photo Stolen nodepositforum

Laurels

CONGRATULATIONS!! You have till Monday 14th July 2014 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.

South Korean Fragrance Shopping II: Photo Essay

July 10, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by TinaG

Hi AJP,

On our recent trip to South Korea in May 2014, I had a chance to pick up some local fragrances as a reminder of some of the great places we had the opportunity to visit. Here’s a quick run down of two brands.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

South Korean Fragrance Shopping II

Location: JeJu Island, Brand: Tammora

Photo Donated by TinaG

South Korea’s JeJu Island lies south of the mainland in the East China Sea, and is a popular romance and honeymoon destination. The island is volcanic in origin, and dotted with the peaks of multiple volcanic vents with the spectacular Mount Hallasan dominating the skyline. The island is well known for its stunningly beautiful sun rises. There is a type of volcanic rock which has little bubbles all the way through it like an aero chocolate bar, and this material is used abundantly in building walls around the island. It is also used to carve “Old Grandfather” statues, Dol Hareubang, which are the main symbol of Jeju Island. These statues are stout, hands on bellies, and have a mushroom shaped hat. Another romantic feature of JeJu is the fields of yellow rape seed flowers – please don’t get caught up over the plants name, it just is what it is. You may have heard of canola, which is the genetically modified version of the rape plant and is commonly utilised to make canola oil. We were lucky enough to visit in late May when the beautiful fields of rape were in full bloom.

Photos Donated by TinaG

At one of the tourist shops I was pleased to find some local perfumes, marketed under the JeJu Tammora brand, “Tammora” being one of the previous names given to the island. I grabbed myself two bottles, one of rape flowers, and one of orchid which was in the shape of the island’s Old Grandfather statues. The orchid was a pretty cool, soft and powdery floral, but I had no frame of reference for the rape flower fragrance. Luckily, on the way home the next day we stopped and had a chance to wander through a field of the metre-high plants in full bloom. Their scent is difficult to describe, as subtle as a breath of wind, green and sweet – and it was quite accurately reflected in the perfume albeit in a more concentrated form.

Photo Stolen EtudeHouse

Location: Busan, Brand: Etude House

Etude House is a playful chain of stores filled to the brim with cosmetics including the famous BB cream foundation. The first one we visited in Busan was a treat, pink and sweet and oh so cute! They have an adorable range of mini fragrances based on “romance” slogans “Why Not Me”, “Love Me Forever”, “Before You Go” etc… that kind of thing.

Photo Donated by TinaG

I chose to pick up “Bite Me”. Ha! Love the ambiguity in that statement. One spray releases a sherbet-fizzy grapefruit, fresh and sparkling, as dizzying as an unexpected kiss. Simple fun, and you can imagine scores of young girls picking up a few bottles from this range.

Photo Donated by TinaG

I’m glad I picked up a few cheap and cheerful fragrances during the holiday, it was a special way of bringing home a few extra memories of the trip!

Tina G

10 Recipes with Frankincense Essential Oil

July 9, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

10 Recipes with Frankincense Essential Oil

Boswellia carterii

Photo Stolen Flickr

Ah frankincense it’s a good oil! It’s an oil that helps you breathe deeply, relax and connect with your spirit. It’s an oil that can help skin looking and feeling younger. It’s an oil that’s been around for thousands of years. It’s an oil of truth.

Frankincense has a fine scent and I have written more about it previously with my article ‘Frankincense is the Scent of Truth’. It is from the family Burseraceae and the genus Boswellia.

Many years ago a friend of mine (he’s not around any longer, hi Peter!) was having a really bad asthma attack and was getting very anxious. He called me and I went to him immediately with a vapouriser and some Frankincense oil. I sat him down next to the stream of vapour and within 5 minutes he was better and after 20 minutes he could breathe normally. He also felt much more relaxed and I left the set up with him for a few weeks so he could access the treatment whenever he needed it.

Frankincense has many applications so let’s get into some recipes –

1. Frankincense Face Mask

Usually add 1 or 2 drops of oil to some clay and add water, floral water or hydrosol. Keep the mask on for 5 minutes then rinse off with cool water. Mist with a hydrosol or floral water and moisturise.

I would use 2 drops of frankincense in pink clay to rejuvenate your skin, help tone oilier skin and to treat acne.

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2. Frankincense Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Do this with frankincense to help you relax and gather your energy. It will give you a chance to stop and catch you breath too.

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Photo Stolen WikiCommons

3. Frankincense Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“Peace and Quiet”

Frankincense 2 drops

Lavender 1 drop

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“I’m Ready for the Day”

Take a deep breath and go!

Frankincense 1 drop

Neroli 3% 3 drops * see my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba

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“Sweet”

Life IS sweet –

Frankincense 2 drops

Peru balsam 1 drop

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“Now is the Best Time”

Do it now!

Frankincense 1 drop

Lemongrass 1 drop

Rose Geranium 1 drop

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Photo Stolen AromatherapyDiffuser

7. Frankincense Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Sunday Night Settle Down”

You’ve got school in the morning!

Frankincense 10 drops

Orange 9 drops

Marjoram 6 drops

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“Fresh Vibe”

A great blend for when you’ve finished cleaning the house –

Frankincense 10 drops

Lime 6 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 5 drops

May Chang 4 drops

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Photo Stolen Wikipedia

9. Frankincense Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. It’s always best to patch test first, before you apply all over.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Renew”

A blend to feel hydrated with a new outlook –

Frankincense 3 drops

Palmarosa 3 drops

Lavender 2 drops

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“It’s All About Me Tonight”

Shower off the day and oil yourself –

Frankincense 2 drops

Ylang Ylang 2 drops

Mandarin 3 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.See my article about intention.

Suzanne R Banks XXX

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
Suzanne R Banks FaceBook

Amber Absolute by Tom Ford 2007

July 8, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

I acquired today’s fragrance last week in the midst of my “whale excitement”, it has now become my “go to” fragrance of the month. Every time I wear it, there are positive comments. I find I get that with anything animalic, smoky or “mysterious”. It’s a fragrance many wouldn’t dare to buy off the shelf, as it may not seem instantly pretty, but once worn or smelt on someone else, the depths and layers come alive.

Amber Absolute by Tom Ford 2007

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Amber, incense, vanilla, olibanum, labdanum, woody notes

As we would expect from Tom Ford, the box and the bottle is distinctive, mysterious and understated. It looks black, but held up to the light it’s actually a dark, dark amber colour. The label is gold-plated. I love holding the bottle in my hand. It’s cold, solid and sends a small shiver of excitement into me every time I pick it up.

Amber Absolute is delicious and sultry, warm and engulfing. In fact I would happily bathe in it! I love it as a winter scent. It makes me feel cosy, yet glamorous. There’s strength to it, akin to a sip of spiced rum. It’s a more old school kind of a smell, one of old wooden ships and incense…explorers on the high seas. It’s definitely unisex.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Amber Absolute makes a statement, whilst also crowd pleasing, with it’s coumarin and vanilla bean notes, though avoids becoming overpoweringly or generically sweet. I love that the notes remain savory, so to speak, and I think it’s amped up incense and old woody church/ship smell is behind this. It nods quite a lot to TF’s Sahara Noir…Olibanum/woods/balsamic…It’s this part that I think divides the love or hate for this fragrance. I don’t think many would remain on the fence about it. There’s dry salt air from go to whoa. It’s robust and full, a little goes a long way. During the dry down (8 hours or more, later) it gets a more leathery and animalic then tapers to sweet, powdery and a little smoky-vanilla. There’s treemoss and oakmoss, but not enough for it to stand out too much, just enough to let the other ingredients ride on their back.

Photo Stolen Flickr

It’s good, really good. It’s not really doing anything too new, but doing it really well. That ‘niche’ colliding with ‘mainstream’ thing that TF does so well. That “smells expensive” thing he also always seems to nail. Marketed as the strongest, most concentrated amber, I rule out real ambergris is in the ingredients list, but it is an ‘amber’, that plays with the elements of raw ambergris.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Olfactoria’s Travels

A little ode to Ambergris:
“It’s hard not to fall in love with ambergris. Here is a solid lump of whale feces, weathered down—oxidized by salt water, degraded by sunlight, and eroded by waves — from the tarry mass to something that smells, depending on the piece and whom you’re talking to, like musk, violets, fresh-hewn wood, tobacco, dirt, Brazil nut, fern-copse, damp woods, new-mown hay, seaweed in the sun, the wood of old churches, or pretty much any other sweet-but-earthy scent”

Christopher Kemp’s Floating Gold: A Natural (and Unnatural) History of Ambergris $22 delivered from BookDepository

Sadly Amber Absolute has been pulled off the shelf and discontinued…the TF house says, fragrances, like fashion, (and whales) have their seasons…

Ainslie xx
http://www.ainsliewalker.com

Rosae Mundi by Profumum Roma 2012

July 7, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by SarahK

Profumum is known for the strength, the depth, and the often sweet, gourmand nature of its fragrances. I find some of their fragrances far too rich for my blood (including their famous Ambra Aurea, though it is adored by many) but I am in love with Rosae Mundi. Portia has already reviewed this scent here, but I wanted to offer another take on this dark rose.

Rosae Mundi by Profumum Roma 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accord in one line:
Rose, patchouli, vetiver, cedar

Rosae Mundi made me sit up and take notice from the very first spray. It’s a glorious perfumey, patchouli rose, which for some reason immediately brings to my mind the cool, dark spaces and stony walls of a soaring gothic cathedral. The aura created by the top notes is more than just a scent to me, it’s a physical space.

Photo Stolen Geograph

Within five minutes, Rosae Mundi has developed a berry overtone that I find familiar: it’s the sweetness and muskiness at the heart of Kilian’s Rose Oud, though Rosae Mundi feels less neon bright and more earthy than the Kilian creation and contains no oud note. Not that I think Kilian’s Rose Oud contains much oud either… An hour or so in, the berries sitting on top of the patchouli rose become juicier and the powdery muskiness gets yet more pronounced. At this stage it’s quite hypnotic. Portia’s review of Rosae Mundi mentioned that this scent could be transportive for those around somebody who wore it as a signature scent, and I totally agree. Beneath its sweet rose facet, this is a deep and meditative scent experience for me. My nose is glued to my wrist for the first 4 hours! During the dry down, the scent continues for a long time as a musky-mossy rose and soft berry mix. At this stage, if the scent were fabric, it would be a dark red velvet. In the far dry-down the rosy patchouli becomes a soft candle-wax that lasts for several more hours.

Photo Stolen IndianWeddingSite

Like all the Profumum fragrances that I have tried, this is potent stuff. A couple of sprays will last all day on me (20+ hours), with a good scent trail for the first few hours.

Further reading: NowSmellThis
LuckyScent has $265/100ml and samples

Have you tried Rosae Mundi? Are roses your thing? What’s your favourite rose?
SarahK xx

(Ed: SarahK will be taking a break from APJ. She is currently pregnant and finding her nose has gone a little wonky. We all wish her the best of luck with the whole shebang and can’t wait for her return)

RHYMING REVIEWS: Greg Young turns APJ Poet Laureate

July 5, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Greg Young

A while ago I entered a competition on a fragrance forum to write a limerick about perfume. Sadly I didn’t win, but I enjoyed the challenge. I’ve since written a few more, which I thought I’d share with you. I find it quite challenging to both come up with a suitable limerick and try to encapsulate the essence of my opinion about a scent within it. Hopefully I’ve managed it in a fashion that you’ll enjoy.

Don’t forget to jump back and enter our Tauer Perfumes GIVEAWAY!!

RHYMING REVIEWS

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Dear Desires: Tobacco Vanille by Tom Ford

The exclusive house of Tom Ford

Sells scents no-one can afford.

Still they’ll skip half their meals

To buy Tobacco Vanilles

Leaving his accountants suitably awed.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Hip or Hype? Aventus by Creed

On Basenotes there’s general consensus

On the greatness of Creed’s scent Aventus.

But now a pizza chef type

Told me “Ignore all the hype”.

It smells just like the Hawaiian he’s sent us.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Visceral Aversion: Peety by O’Driu

The frustrated nose at O’Driu

Was almost about to say “See you”.

Then he said “Why don’t we see

If they’ll add their own pee?”

To which the market mostly said “Eeyew”.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

The Popular Choice: 1 Million by Paco Rabanne

Now that every outlet is stocking it

There are plenty of people knocking it.

But the real crying shame

Is that it’s not only it’s name

But the number of guys who are rocking it.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Linear Longevity: Silver Mist by Nasomatto

They say scents by Nasomatto

Are as strong and as rich as a gateau.

Starting out light, Silver Musk

Lasts from dawn until dusk

But it never surpasses that plateau.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

The Job Interview Scent: Mark Birley for Men

I was wondering what to wear to an interview.

A mate said the result will be sure if you

Wear Mark Birley Cologne

But I had none of my own

So he kindly offered to sell me two.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

The Scent of the Solstice: M7 by Yves Saint Laurent

When the depths of winter coment

I think that citrusy scents are notent.

What best suits my moudh

Is the rich and warm oudh

Of M7, by Yves St Laurent.