Sniffa – Eugenie, Oregon 2014

May 21, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by ElizaD

Hi Australian Perfume junkies,

What do you get when you combine wine, food, perfume and friends in Eugene, Oregon USA? A Sniffa – Eugenie!!!!

Sniffa – Eugenie, Oregon 2014

Here’s the recipe:

Sniffa – Eugenie! Ingredients

1 tiny coffee table
5 fabulous fumehead friends
lots of small glasses
lots of cotton balls
your favorite perfumes–any size bottle or container will do
food
drink
stories

Photo Stolen Flickr

Sniffa – Eugenie! Instructions

Invite your friends over and ask them to each bring 3 to 5 of their favorite perfumes. If they only have one, tell them not to worry, you have lots! Encourage them to think of a story about their perfume and be ready to share it. Then ask them to bring a little something to nosh on and a complementary beverage.

Prepare your space by gathering as many small glasses as you can muster and a bag of cotton balls (which is what we call them here in the States–I think others call them cotton wool 😉 ). Place the glasses and the cotton on your coffee table, along with a small bowl of lemon slices (coffee beans make everything smell like coffee, lemon dissipates quickly). Spend the rest of the day thinking about what perfumes you will choose to share from your expansive collection of samples and bottles. Will it be your treasured 1978 bottle of Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, which you bought on eBay for a song, or your tiny sample of Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere? Your equally small sample of Cacharel LouLou or your mini of Prada L’Eau Ambrée? Remember, only three to five!

Vacuum your floors, puff the sofa pillows, prepare the food table, and wait for the magic to happen.

Which it did!

C brought an amazing walnut spread, olives, and a lovely bottle of Blanquette de Limoux, a sparkling wine from Languedoc; K brought home-made brie en croute; and E provided bread and veggies and other bottles of whites and reds.

Since C and E are enthralled with perfume history, they arranged the fragrances by release date, using the book Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume by Barbara Herman as a guide. As each perfume was introduced, the owner carefully sprayed or dabbed a cotton ball and then placed it under an upturned glass. As the scent released, it was caught in the glass from which each took a sniff. Anyone watching this group would surely had thought we were participating in something most illegal!

Photo Donated ElizaD

And the stories!

C had her treasured bottle of Guerlain’s Mitsouko, brought all the way from Paris, and her Andy Tauer minis. She told the stories of how she had been captured by Mitsouko’s incense notes, and how she had discovered Andy Tauer on her trip to the Perfume House in Portland. E shared how she had been sitting in a meeting when she found out that she had won the eBay bid for her bottle of L’Heure Bleue and had immediately launched into a hamster dance. K had everyone in fits of giggles as she related how her perfume, Revlon Intimate, had been a gift during high school and how it still made her feel oh so sexy, even fifty years later. S was so happy that she had found other fumeheads and how perfume was becoming a wonderful connection between her and her daughter. T brought a tiny bottle of Holy Smoke Oil….”one drop lasts all day”…and entertained us with the story of how she found it in a small shop on the lower East Side of Manhattan, far from where she lives now.

Photo Stolen Twitter

And when the wine was drained and there were just crumbs left of the brie, we all agreed that this event had only sharpened our appetite for even more fragrance fun…Perfume House in Portland, here we come!

Have you ever participated in a fragrance get-together? DO TELL!
ElizaD xx

Ainslie Walker wins Australian Jasmine Award 2014! My Story

May 20, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Jasmine Awards 2014

STOP PRESS!!!!

Ainslie Walker wins Australian Jasmine Award 2014! My Story

I had no idea what I was doing, back in January, when I entered the Jasmine Awards 2014. I’d received an email from Portia, but I’d not heard of them before, though, I’m relatively new to the fragrance world.

I mentioned entering the awards to my beauty PR friends a few weeks later and they were like “OMG do you know Vogue writers and Instyle writers win/enter that?” I shuffled off, embarrassed to have accidentally sent my rogue writings into some kind of “professionals only” competition. Eek!

I did a bit of research about the Jasmine Awards and found out:
They began in France 20 years ago, and were set up, to recognize the ongoing contributions of journalists to the fragrance industry. The Jasmine Awards are the most highly recognized and prestigious awards for fragrance journalism, internationally, and are held in France, Canada, USA, the UK and Australia. The first Australian Jasmine awards were held in 2003.
“The Jasmine Awards recognize journalistic excellence in the fields of literary and visual achievement for articles on the subject of fragrance. Journalists are acknowledged for communicating their specialist knowledge and information of fragrance to the public, as well as promoting further discovery of fragrance to readers.” (Jasmine award website)

In Early April, an invite arrived for the breakfast ceremony. I thought, “I’ll go if I can take Portia, it will be a hoot!” I got the OK, and suddenly the next week we were going!! Portia picked me up at 7am(!!). In the car, I said, “You don’t think I could actually win, do you?”– Neither Portia nor myself remember his response (…still FAR too early in the morning), but I think we both just thought “NO WAY” and talked about something else.

We arrived at Darling Harbor and were seated by Fiona Keogh, of Star PR, the organizer. The place was gorgeously laid out and filled with chatty industry types- all beautifully presented and seeming to know each other…we got a few “who are they?” glances, but were undeterred. It was then I picked up a brochure of the day and saw my name in print. HOLY SHIT! I suddenly started to SWEAT and the ceremony began.

There were 6 categories, with the following criteria:

• Best In-depth Feature on Fragrance Award – for the best in-depth feature in a printed publication (minimum 501 words)

• Best Short Feature on Fragrance Award – for the best short article in a printed publication (maximum 500 words)

• Best Online Feature on Fragrance Award* – for the best online article on fragrance published on an online beauty portal or beauty website ONLY

• Best Blog Post on Fragrance Award* – for the best personal blog post on fragrance published online (please note: entries must be written in a personalised style and in the 1st person)

• Best Practical Guide to Fragrance Award – for the best ‘how-to’ style article in a printed publication or online

• Best Visual Story on Fragrance Award – for the best visualisation of a fragrance story or pictorial feature in a printed publication or online

The ceremony started and the first prize was drawn. Suddenly “best blog post” was announced AND WAS ME!!! Squeals from Portia kept me conscious as I headed to the stage, my blog post projected, on the wall. Margaret from Fragrances Of The World presented the award. I was given a box containing the trophy, a huge bunch of flowers and a big purple envelope containing a big cheque! Ushered to the side for photo’s, finally Portia was in front of me – it was real! We were laughing in disbelief and sooooo excited. I was shaking. THANK GAWD Portia was there. What an absolute surprise!!

The awards have led me to consider fragrance journalism. How we put smell, perfumes and fragrance into words for readers to “see”. How we describe the senses: taste, smell, and art. It’s kind of tricky, but if we manage it, readers can gain an insight and an understanding that would normally perhaps, not be able to put into words on their own.

The words we read from fragrance journalism can draw from within us – an agreement on notes/ingredients/images provoked? Point out something we recognize as familiar, a memory, for example, until we can almost smell that perfume being described….and burst to go try it.

Articles can direct us into what to buy or wear for a particular occasion, season or outfit. Fragrance journalism is what helps the fragrance industry make those billions of dollars every year. And I guess that’s why the perfume industry recognizes the efforts of those behind these articles.

They’re not “news” as such, they won’t save the world, but they express creativity, and spread the beauty and magic of fragrance.

Perfumes and fragrances are one small luxury, that worldwide have always been used by humans to put a little extra spring in their step, attract some attention and or express themselves – I like to think that fragrance journalism can do the same – put a little spring in the step of the reader as they start their day at work, finding it in their inbox, or reading a magazine whilst on a train for example.

TF was the first ever fragrance blog I wrote. It came about by sweet coincidence. Portia, who had been invited to the TF meet up, but was too busy to go, so said I could go along in his place, as long as I wrote something for APJ. I said I’d never written anything before, and he said “don’t worry it will be fine!!” I had recently met Catherine, the meet up organizer, so I agreed to help out. It seemed I had accidentally fallen into something I am good at! Isn’t it funny how life maneuvers you? This was September 2013, I have written fortnightly ever since for APJ and love being part of the team.

For us folk in Australia, far far away from Paris/Grasse, stores like Harrods, Selfridges, Barneys etc, with their giant beauty halls, many fragrances are hard to experience and get our hands on, especially with such strict customs and postage laws here. I believe this is why APJ has become so popular and the network of people involved incredibly tight. I am proud and thankful to be a part of it and thank you all for your support, comments and incredible encouragement. It’s a win for us all!

Ainslie Walker x

Photos donated by Ainslie Walker

Sandalo by ETRO 1989

May 19, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by SarahK

Hello fellow ‘fumeheads!

I hope you’re all in your happy spaces, but for anybody feeling pressed or stressed, today I’m going to talk about a beautiful calming fragrance. It’s not new, but I’ve only recently had the pleasure of discovering it.

There’s a residual scent that I get from a number of my favourite perfumes, a sort of musky sandalwood base note that lingers on my skin sometimes after showering. I love that scent and I’ve often stood in the shower wondering if someone could just create a fragrance with that note. Well apparently Etro did just that, and it’s called ……

Sandalo by ETRO 1989

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Rose, lemon, bitter orange
Heart: Sandalwood, geranium, rose
Base: Amber, musk, patchouli, cypress, vanilla

Of course, Sandalo isn’t quite as simple as comparing it to residual base notes makes it seem, but its overall effect gives me the same feeling. When I first apply it, and for about 15 minutes afterwards, there’s a slight petrol-like note, but after that, Sandalo is a pretty linear experience of gentle musky woods. Which is just fine with me, because it is pretty close to my ideal sandalwood fragrance. I get hints of geranium, and some rose, but this is primarily about base notes of sandalwood, powdery musk and some very smooth patchouli. The musk is soft and clean, but with no laundry-musk screech. The sandalwood note is not green, or creamy, or buttery and it doesn’t have a scratchy cedarwood kick. Instead it reminds me of the restrained, musky, dry scent found in some Japanese sandalwood incenses. If it had a colour it would be pale, ashy, grey-brown. I find it very centering and meditative.

Photo Stolen Flickr

It’s an entirely unisex scent, evocative of calm, collected individuals of any persuasion. It is not particularly strong, which makes it perfectly office-friendly. In fact, I wish it was a touch more forceful sometimes, though I think part of the issue is probably that my nose just gets used to the scent. That, I suppose, is the downside of a fragrance that feels as if it is mostly made up of base notes, and which melds so well with my skin. This factor makes it somewhat difficult to accurately judge longevity. Sometimes it seems to disappear only to reappear half an hour or so later. At a guess I’d say it lasts around 7 hours on my skin, but I suspect it is actually detectable to others who get close to me for some time after I think it has disappeared for good.

Photo Stolen LothorioArt

I seem to have spent half this review talking about what Sandalo is not, as much as what it is, but somehow that seems appropriate for a scent that represents calm and space for me.

Posh Peasant says: Etro Sandalo launched in 1989 and is a beautiful oriental woody fragrance. It’s not often mentioned but it’s one of the great sandalwood fragrances.

I was able to try Sandalo thanks to a little decant acquired from a fellow fragrance fanatic. I am very pleased to have found it and I’m currently lusting after a full bottle. I’m also inspired to get hold of some more samples from the Etro line. Portia has reviewed a few before here on AJP and they all sound interesting to me.

Photo Stolen Hillpost

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Katie Puckrik Smells
Beauty Encounter has $75/50ml
Posh Peasant has samples starting at $3.50/ml

Do you have a favourite sandalwood-centric fragrance?

SarahK

Jardins de Bagatelle by Jean Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1983

May 15, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hello APJ, I’m Dreaming of Spring

It’s supposed to be spring here. I was out playing in the dirt of my flowerbeds just days ago but today it’s cold again. Hopefully by the time you read this it will be spring. Until then I have to pretend with my perfumes. One that conjures up a bright spring day is ….

Jardins de Bagatelle by Jean Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1983

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Jasmine, violet, aldehydes, lemon, bergamot
Heart: Gardenia, rose, orange blossom, tuberose, magnolia, ylang-ylang, orchid, lily-of-the-valley, narcissus
Base: Tuberose, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, musk, neroli

I’ve gone through a few bottles of this in my life. It was my signature scent in high school. I wanted to smell classier than the Impulse Body Spray the other girls wore. I figured something from Guerlain was a good bet. I hadn’t worn it since then but recently got nostalgic and bought another bottle.

Jardins de Bagatelle has always seemed to be an unlikely Guerlain to me. It doesn’t have the powdery notes I always associate with the brand and it’s classic perfumes. It’s a huge floral. Bear in mind this was released in the big 80’s and it has some of the intensity you’d expect but doesn’t smell dated.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

At first spritz, I’m hit with a blast of aldehydes and citrus, big and lush in the top notes. I can definitely smell violet, jasmine and many other flowers. I’m okay with spritzing but I could see someone who likes a lighter touch perhaps dabbing on instead. The effect isn’t so much sniffing a bouquet as it is sticking your face into it. I will add that the perfume softens beautifully within an hour on me even though the opening is so bold.

Chateau de Bagatelle Photo Stolen Wikpedia

As much as I try I have a hard time picking apart the notes. Once it softens it’s like the flowers come and go. Imagine walking through a garden and as you meander down the path you catch a whiff of a rose here but just around the bend there’s some tuberose, oh wait, no, perhaps that’s gardenia. When I think I have almost isolated a note, it changes on me. It’s supposed to smell like a garden and it does. The flowers are bright and dewy. There’s also a certain amount of green to it as well which keeps it smelling cool and fresh. I always smell something that reminds me of tea as well even though tea isn’t in the notes. The perfume is beautiful down to the base and never turns soapy or dirty. As the flowers fade it becomes a cozy scent with a bit of warm musk and wood.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Monsieur Guerlain
FragranceNet has EdT $68/100ml after coupon
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Overall I’d say that Jardins is bright and beautiful. It doesn’t smell like every other floral out there. It’s one of the perfumes I pick when I want to feel pretty. I was afraid it would remind me of high school but I guess enough time has passed to allow me to wear it and think spring.

Until next time…

Hugs
Poodle x

Classic Mimosa by Camille Henfling Jr for Von Eusersdorff 2011

May 13, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Yeah, right. Classic Mimosa? Thoughts of wedding bouquets and baby breath fillers in my head. That is exactly what I want to smell of. Not.

I have had a good sized sample sat around in my perfume stash for a while now. I have disorders when it comes to fragrance, as we all do. I have a lot, and wear but a few, and I am apprehensive, nay, scared to death to try something totally new on my skin. Eventually I succumb.

Fresh out of the shower I took my chances and administered an ample spritz of …

Classic Mimosa by Camille Henfling Jr for Von Eusersdorff 2011

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Neroli, bergamot, green leaves
Heart: Mimose, violet, rose, sea notes
Base: Musk, orange blossom, vanilla

From the Von Eusersdorff site: “Floral designs ubiquitous from the end of the nineteenth century are rare today ………… The design for the Von Eusersdorff label brings back the flower as the traditional ornament for fragrances.” “Inspiringly Different Fragrances.”

This is an enchanting fragrance. To say I was stunned would be an understatement. I didn´t see that coming. It is really classy and smells expensive. It is very feminine. Opening with a burst of citrus, it quickly goes into flower mode. Violet, rose, and of course the mimosa. None of the flowers really take a star roll. I can smell the violet because I am into violet at the moment and make an effort to locate it when I know it is in a fragrance. Despite how it sounds it is not overly sweet, and hovers in a gorgeous haze over the skin. As it goes into the dry down it does warm up with vanilla, and becomes a little musky. It remains fresh and light throughout, smelling as beautiful at the end as it did at the beginning. For spring, summer and the office and any other time you need a lift.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Camille Henfling Jr is the creative maestro behind the Von Eusersdorff label, and is actually a descendant of the Von Eusersdorff family. The German family traded in rare oils and flower essences for more than three centuries. Camille Henfling Jr. studied in Grasse to hone his skills, and stepped in to revamp the family business.

The line was launched in 2010 with Classic Patchouli. Also included in the five fragrance line up is Classic Myrrh, Classic Vetiver and Classic Orange.

I have used up nearly 10mls now. Undisputedly fabulous. It is timeless, chic, elegant and smart. Just like me. Not.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Smelly Thoughts and Epiphany
First In Fragrance have €115/100ml and samples

Seriously, I am thrilled to have discovered this. I shouldn´t get such set ideas in my head as to what is going to be good and what isn´t. So forgive me Mr Henfling for having procrastinated so long. If the others are as good as this I have a treat waiting. As patchouli remains my favorite note, that is going to be my next!

Classic Mimosa – highly recommended.

Bussis
CQ

Institute for Art and Olfaction Awards 2014: Saskia Wilson-Brown Interview #2

May 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Azar

Today the Australian perfume Junkies are thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with Saskia Wilson-Brown, the founder of the LA based Institute for Art and Olfaction. Winners are listed HERE<<<JUMP

This is the second in the Saskia Wilson-Brown Interview Series: Please have a look through the first: The Institute for Art and Olfaction: Saskia Wilson-Brown Interview #1

Institute for Art and Olfaction Awards 2014

Saskia Wilson-Brown Interview #2

Regarding the 2014 Art and Olfaction Awards: What made you decide that the world needed another awards night and why about fragrance?

Ha! A fair question. The world does most definitely not need another awards night. However: Independent and artisan perfumers need some support, and so we decided it would be a good idea to help provide it, in the way we were most capable of doing so. We are going to try to be more about curation than competition.

Both panels of judges are made up of some of the best-known noses in the world! How were you able to put these panels together and how long did it take?

To be honest, it was merely a question of asking! All of the judges were happy to participate, and extremely supportive. It took a few months to put the panel together, and I am extremely grateful to them for the time and energy they put into the process. Very very caring and honest people, all of them, and not an inflated ego in sight. The big question is: Would they consider doing it again. Ha.

The IAO website goes into detail about the Awards selection process and judging criteria. Did the finalists receive written evaluations/adjudications of their work?

No, unfortunately, there is only so much time in the day, we simply couldn’t offer that sort of feedback. We already asked a lot of the judges: The preliminary judges all smelled every submission. That’s just under a hundred perfumes, and I wasn’t prepared to ask them to write evaluations for every perfume, as well.

We built the awards on the film festival model, and we basically stuck to that formula, but adding the anonymity factor to ensure fairness as ours is such a small little world, at the end of the day. Generally speaking, it’s not my first time running a big initiative like this, and my rule of thumb is this: Know your limits, stick to the plan, don’t ask for more than people have time to deliver.

However, as the awards expand, we will try to build in more feedback mechanisms. One of the things I feel most guilty about in our first year is that we just didn’t have the time to email all the submitters who didn’t make it to the the finalist round. I have submitted to things before, and I know what it feels like to get a nice email, versus just… silence. In fact, I just recently got a very kind rejection letter from a big institution, and it made the experience much less disappointing. So that’s something we need to fix for next year.

Was there one moment at the Awards Ceremony (or the after party) that you found especially funny, surprising or touching?

Well, the whole thing was a blur, for me, to be honest. It was a lot of work and there were a lot of moving parts. I did really enjoy having my friend Tom Green on the drums – it added a little bit of irreverence, and the audience all called out ‘drum roll Tom’ when the presenter was about to announce a winner, which was pretty fun and goofy. All our presenters were incredibly amazing, as well. Ashley Eden Kessler, Ilene Hoffman, Hank Jenkins, Sarah Horowitz-Thran, Steven Gontarski, James McHugh, Koan Jeff Baysa and of course Adam Eastwood and Franco Wright from Lucky Scent. Another thing I loved was the smell-and-repeat. It was a silly idea I had, playing off the Hollywood premiere trope of having a step-and-repeat logo wall where famous people step, pose and repeat for photographers. It ended up being quite fun. We sprayed it with the finalist perfumes, so as people entered the Goethe Institut they could catch a whiff of what this was all about.

The first Art and Olfaction Awards will be a hard act to follow. What have you learned from the First Annual that you can use in 2015?

Here is what I am taking from the first year: Avoid the big egos, support the people who support you, allow more time for submissions to arrive, allow more time for the judges to judge, and thank the people who make this happen over and over again.

Finally – I really enjoyed the seven questions you posed to the finalists and their revealing answers! To paraphrase one of your own questions: What excites you about your life right now?

I find the major mistakes I seem to be making on a daily basis to be particularly exciting. When I was younger and more malleable, I used to be quite serious about snowboarding. The big lesson in snowboarding is that if you’re not constantly falling down, you’re not learning. It’s trite, but it’s true.

Photo of Saskia donated by Institute for Art & Olfaction

Thank you so much, Saskia, for taking the time from your very busy schedule to share your thoughts with the APJ. We are looking forward to another great year with the IAO, filled with exciting projects and educational opportunities.

Azar xx

Main website: www.artandolfaction.com

Join the mailing list: http://eepurl.com/q_CZT

Facebook: facebook.com/artandolfaction

Twitter: twitter.com/artandolfaction

For in-person visits and snail mail:

The Institute for Art and Olfaction
3023 W. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA. 90020
Phone: (213) 616-1744

Saskia invites interested persons to drop by and also attend an open blending session, class or event.

Info here: http://artandolfaction.com/calendar/

Book sessions on Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-sessions-may-tickets-11361465449

Institute for Art and Olfaction: Saskia Wilson-Brown Interview #1

May 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Azar

Institute for Art and Olfaction

Saskia Wilson-Brown Interview

Saskia, what led you to the idea of an Institute for Art and Olfaction?

I was interested in perfumery, and I was hoping to learn about perfume, but was unable to travel to France or the UK for an extended period of time. So I thought, well, why not set up a space to learn here in LA? That, and I also wanted to see how to incorporate scent into a fine arts context- which ultimately I felt there was little support for. In other words, I set it up for fairly selfish reasons, but also because I felt that it was a travesty that creative people didn’t have access to this very creative medium. I felt like if my artist friends knew what could be accomplished with scent, they’d use scent in their practices. And then there was a bit of the egalitarian in me that railed at the inaccessibility of it all.

How has your background as an artist, filmmaker and independent producer shaped the development of the IAO?

I think it has helped inasmuch as being an outsider to the perfume industry has allowed me to approach it in a way that makes sense for other outsiders. Having said that, it’s been an extremely steep learning curve, and knowing now how little I knew then, it was a bit naive and/or gutsy of me. Sometimes, though, that’s an advantage, no?

Do you consider your primary function at the Institute to be that of an educator, an impresario/promoter, an artist or something else?

Probably more of impresario/promoter aka cat-herder. I try to bring in people more qualified than I am to oversee the education and do the art projects. On an oblique but related note: The difference between being a producer and being a production assistant is merely a question of perception.

Scent as performance art has become a popular means of artistic expression. Scent infused video/art installations, stories told with fragrance, dance and music as well as exhibits of colors and odors are among the many interdisciplinary projects that include olfaction. What kind of innovations do you see the IAO bringing to this already crowded stage? Are there any collaborative projects on the IAO horizon?

We just finished a big project where we recreated a failed scent concert from 1902 by a man called Sadakichi Hartmann, so we’re well aware of the history for this trend – it goes back a long way. Just check out the research being done around scent obsession in the Victorian era! The most maddening thing to me is when people call themselves innovators when the very idea they are proposing has been tried a hundred times, for a hundred years. It just shows them to be bad at research, and maybe a little too good at self-promotion.

So – knowing that, being VERY aware of how little what we do can truly be called innovative – we’re very careful not to bandy those big words around, and not to overstate what we do. However, we are keen to support people who we feel use scent in their practices in a meaningful and conceptual way – and are on the lookout for truly innovative ideas.

A big challenge for us is finding projects that get beyond the gimmick of scent, and truly reach something that rises to the realm of high concept, fine art, the human condition, or the outer fringes of technology or philosophy. Luckily, there are some incredibly talented people out there, some of whom we are working with already and some of whom we are keen to work with. Nothing we can announce just yet, unfortunately.

(Azar: I have to interject here that I absolutely agree! As a part of the 1980s performance art scene I was aware that a lot of what we did was simply offer a 20th century perspective on the work of earlier artists and poets, in particular the French Symbolists. In those day, though, the grant money seemed to flow in direct proportion to the number of disciplines we could involve and the amount of moral or cultural outrage we could elicit. It is so refreshing to see that your approach is so much more honest and truly artistic.)

There has been flurry of interest this spring surrounding Le Laboratoire’s development of the “oPhone” by Dr. David Edwards. The “oPhone” and a projected “olfactory social network” will launch on July 10. What kind of applications could you imagine for this device or for an “olfactory social network”? What role, if any, would this kind of technology play in future IAO projects?

It’s all very exciting! Technology will of course play a vital role in future projects, but – again – functional technology is one thing, but the concept underpinning it is the crux of the issue, for us. We hope to get to the place where the projects we work on/with access something beyond the tools they make use of. Put another way, if all you ever did was make paintings about the fact that you were able to paint, or cooked food that merely demonstrated the fact that you were able to cook food… Well… It would get boring.

There is MORE>>>>> Later today Azar talks to Saskia Wilson-Brown about the Institute for Art and Olfaction Awards 2014.

Main website: www.artandolfaction.com

Join the mailing list: http://eepurl.com/q_CZT

Facebook: facebook.com/artandolfaction

Twitter: twitter.com/artandolfaction

For in-person visits and snail mail:

The Institute for Art and Olfaction
3023 W. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA. 90020
Phone: (213) 616-1744

Saskia invites interested persons to drop by and also attend an open blending session, class or event.

Info here: http://artandolfaction.com/calendar/

Book sessions on Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-sessions-may-tickets-11361465449

Nomad Two Worlds – Raw Spirit Series by Harry Fremont

May 8, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Tina G

Hi APJ,

After writing an APJ article on Desert Blush, one of the fragrances from Raw Spirit, by Nomad Two Worlds, I thought I’d devote a second article to the other three fragrances I’ve sampled – Wildfire, Bijou Vert, and Citadelle.

Nomad Two Worlds: Raw Spirit: 2014

Bijou Vert, Citadelle, Wildfire

H.J. Johnstone Painting Stolen WikiMedia

Bijou Vert: Nomad Two Worlds

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Haitian vetiver, grapefruit, mandarin, geranium, lotus flower, black pepper, benzoin, patchouli, cedarwood

Bijou Vert is invigorating, bright and bold, opening with a sharp grapefruit tempered with softer mandarin and an earthy, grounding vetiver. This settles down quickly to a wonderfully open aquatic scent, and one that I’m having trouble describing because it is unlike a combination I’ve come across before. I could put it down to the use of lotus flower, however I can’t help wondering if they have used the whole of the lotus plant – flower, stem and root – as that is what I’m getting from this. It’s like a still water pond, one which is teeming with life but is old, with hints of rich life-supporting sediments beneath the deep water. The aquatic floral over the top is shimmering translucent pink, gently inviting. I do get a lemony and peppery bite later on in the dry down, but really it is the vivid imagery of a living forest pond that is the key to this scent.

Citadelle: Nomad Two Worlds

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Haitian vetiver, marigold (tagetes), pear, bergamot, lemon, spices, amberwood, musk, cedarwood

Marigold listed as a note again had me excited to try this fragrance, how unusual! My memory of marigold is a bitter, earthy little flower, they’re quite distinctive. Citadelle, however, is one of those scents which are greater than the sum of its parts. Like its namesake, the scent opens like a beacon of core strength – the lemon juice, watery pear and touch of bergamot initially taking centre stage as juicy tonic that makes you sit up and pay attention. The spicy wood which follows through has a slighty fetid earthy edge which again I can’t pin down to a single note – it is surrounded by the greenness of vetiver & musk. Maybe that is the marigold? Maybe it is the “amberwood”, another note I’ve not heard of before but is apparently a balanced musk/sandalwood/amber. After 2 hours it has settled into a warm woody/spice with nutmeg predominant. I get no cinnamon at all, just a peppery note. Overall it is a clean, green, fresh and well-grounded fragrance, certainly one to use difficult day when you need a pick-me-up and some head-space.

Wildfire: Nomad Two Worlds

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Australian sandalwood, cream, amber, floral notes, ylang-ylang, jasmine petals, cedarwood, musk

Wildfire opens with cedarwood, sandalwood and generous lashings of sweet jasmine. There is a note listed “creamy amber” which I’ve not heard of before but there certainly is a smooth creaminess behind the woods and generous florals, with the rise of musk appearing after about 30 minutes completing a radiant golden glowing scent bubble. This fragrance is one of comforting & slightly heady warmth. The wildfire here is one that flickers in a gaze, burns in the soul, and smoulders beneath a warm embrace.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

For more buying information visit Nomad Two Worlds site

Fragrances are $35 for 7.5ml Eau de Parfum rollerball

There are interesting humanitarian and environmentally-conscious aspects to the Raw Spirit fragrance line. Of the four fragrances I sampled all donate part of their proceeds to sustainable agricultural projects – Desert Blush and Wild Fire to Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal) projects, with Bijou Vert and Citadelle supporting Haitian projects. Raw Spirit also have a limited edition fragrance, Fire Tree, with part proceeds reinvested in the Nyoongar community of Western Australia.

Which of the three reads most like you might like to try it?

Tina G

The Hierophant

May 7, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

.Post by Suzanne R Banks.

The Hierophant – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

I must say when I was learning about the tarot I never really got a strong vibe for this card when it came up in a reading. Perhaps it was the religious imagery I didn’t like, even though the main figure seems quite kind and placid. The monks in the foreground are being blessed by the priest, holding a triple cross – religious overload! As with all tarot cards there are many symbols embedded in the image that spark reactions and hint to meanings of the card in general.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Anyway, The Hierophant is here to let us know that if we are studying, learning anything in any form, we now have the power to take it to the next level. It could also mean we need a deeper understanding of our spirituality and this could be the sign we need to take that step. This card also represents marriage ordained by the church and religious elders.

Are you being challenged by an authority figure or feeling controlled by an institution? If so, The Hierophant will show up helping you to release your feelings of being blocked by others. Maybe this is a time to keep your continuing spiritual practice (going deeper within) and allow others – who appear to have authority – continue on their path. It may also indicate that this is a time not to rock the boat, but to abide by the rules and laws that govern us. It indicates the opposite to having free will and being totally creative.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

It is a great card to meditate on now for those who are demanding marriage equality. We need balance with the relationship between the people, those in power, and our growing need for a deeper spiritual connection between us all. So I suppose this card is also about fairness and equality.

What essential oils could embody this card? The issues are fairness, marriage, deeper spirituality and the balance of power. Hmmmm.

Just use any mist bottle you can find

1. Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist

In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 25 drops of oil

“Will You Same Sex Marry Me”

Propose now, why wait?

Sandalwood Indian 8 drops

Petitgrain 10 drops

Ylang Ylang 4 drops

Rose Geranium 3 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“My Own Mantra”

Release the bonds of traditional religions and find a deeper spirituality –

Cypress 10 drops

Orange 10 drops

Cedarwood Atlas 5 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“I’ll Agree to Disagree”

Follow the rules this time to make it easier –

Lavender 8 drops

Ginger 8 drops

Lime 8 drops

Vetiver 1 drop

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Take a huge whiff to change your focus in seconds

2. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

German Chamomile – instant relaxation

Palmarosa – being flexible with inflexible rules

Spikenard – a deep connection to spirituality

Juniper – release the old and unwanted

—————————————————————————————————————————————

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

Suzanne R Banks XXX

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Fils de Dieu du riz et des agrumes Etat Libre d`Orange

May 6, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

This fragrance was a blind buy on ebay. I liked the idea of smelling something ricey and inspired by the Phillipines. I read about notes of ginger, coriander, lime and shiso. Coconut, rose, cardamom, jasmine, cinnamon and rose. Tonka bean, vetiver, musk, amber, leather and castoreum – They sounded intriguing and reminiscent of a good Asian inspired Spa menu…

Fils de Dieu du riz et des agrumes

by Ralf Schwieger for Etat Libre D’Orange 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica lists the following accords:
Top: Ginger, coriander, lime, shiso
Heart: Coconut, cardamom, jasmine, cinnamon, rose
Base: Tonka bean, vetiver, musk, amber, leather, castoreum

“Fils de dieu comes from the Philippines to spread a message of warmth and enlightenment. Here, find an innocent wisdom that points to dreams and liberation. This is the golden eye that reflects beauty and conflict, rapture and pain. Fils de dieu is an emotional fragrance, a scent that requires a sympathetic connection between the server and the served, the giver and the taker, and the willingness to exchange roles.” Controversially this fragrance was originally known as “Philippine Houseboy”

I did a sneaky snipe-purchase, getting the bottle for under $50.

Whist writing my review of Afternoon of a Faun, also by Etat Libre D’Orange I noticed it’s made by the same nose, Ralf Schwieger, in fact this was his first fragrance for them.

As soon as I collected my parcel from the post office I tore it open and sprayed it on my wrist. It was soft, powdery and ALMOST zesty..very citrusy, but more like the pith of a citrus fruit, not quite the fresh rind..possibly mandarine, tangerine and lime. I waited. I think I could smell some rice. Or something starchy, rounded. For a moment a glimpse of something from my memory…a year ago – eating “Thailands best” sticky rice and mango dessert in Bangkok..slightly ricey and very very slightly citrus-coconut.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Was it now heading down the route of an eu de cologne…? More pith, powder with some ginger and cardamom..softened by a hint of jasmine. Then it bent unexpectedly, to synthetic castoreum. The end….well not the end, actually, the castoreum hung around…dancing nearby was a hint of some slightly cheaper floral bouquet notes, a touch of sweet warmth..maybe cinnamon and amber and sweetened babypowder with a hint of citrus and slightly dirty, leathery castoreum….this combination of smells, conjoured all sorts of images..(Some I don’t like to see when in Asia) It is certainly soft, fresh enough and never going to be too strong in an office on a hot and humid day. For me however, what starts out as a beautiful hint at something different, ends up bland and boring.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Not one to give up, the next day I sprayed it on some smelling paper strips, and all day the wafts from that were AMAZING – soft and breezy reminding me of soft, cloudy, citrusy smells..a touch of pina colada coconut, sticky rice, some gingery lime salt scrub in a spa. Lime which in drinks always has a slight coconut scent to me. Sunshine. Happy thoughts.
The package has a sub heading; Files de dieu “du riz et des argrumes” son of god of rice and citrus – he brings the sunshine. On paper, both written and sprayed, yes he did.

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Candy Perfume Boy
Etat Libre d’Orange has €69/50ml
LuckyScent has $80/50ml
Posh Peasant has samples from $4/ml

Has anyone had better luck than me on their skin? I would love to hear about it.
Ainslie Walker x

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Nomad Two Worlds – Raw Spirit Series by Harry Fremont

Nomad Two Worlds: Raw Spirit: 2014

Bijou Vert, Citadelle, Wildfire

Bijou Vert: Nomad Two Worlds

Citadelle: Nomad Two Worlds

Wildfire: Nomad Two Worlds

The Hierophant

The Hierophant – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

Fils de Dieu du riz et des agrumes Etat Libre d`Orange

Fils de Dieu du riz et des agrumes

by Ralf Schwieger for Etat Libre D’Orange 2012