Coeur De Vétiver Sacré by Karine Vinchon Spehner for L’Artisan Parfumeur 2010

November 16, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Haefennasiel

Hello there! I’m Haefennasiel (obviously not my real name – but I love J.R.R. Tolkien, and this is my elven nom de plume), and this will be my first time to officially review a perfume. But before we begin, my apologies – this is a long overdue guest review that should’ve come out months ago if only a hectic work schedule and stress on the homefront hadn’t gotten in the way.

Coeur De Vétiver Sacré by L’Artisan Parfumeur 2010

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, orange, black tea, pepper, ginger, coriander, saffron, dates, dried apricot, incense, osmanthus, rose, iris, vanilla, vetiver, tarragon, sandalwood, white cedar, guaiac wood, amber, tonka , labdanum, castoreum, musk

I actually requested for something quite different so I was surprised when I opened the package sent by Australian Perfume Junkies. However, things worked out for the best when I tried out my sample of L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Couer De Vétiver Sacré. My curiosity was piqued because I didn’t know what vetiver was (in the face of amateurish ignorance, research is a very handy ally). After a bit of Wikipedia-ing, I found out vetiver is related to lemongrass (locally known in our neck of the woods as “tanglad”). I became even more curious because we use this as a stuffing ingredient for roast suckling pig! Am I going to reek of pork? However, I was pleasantly and fragrantly surprised …

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I kept the sample next to my keyboard as I worked, sniffing at it in between my lessons. And I was certainly glad I did because I almost immediately felt more relaxed and calm after every sniff. There was an initial pleasant dried-herb scent that was gentle and grassy. I later detected a black tea note, as well as very faint hints of dried ginger and mint. But despite all these elements, there was nothing food-ish or gourmand (much less, roast suckling pig!) about this perfume, and it’s more like a lovingly handmade potpourri.

Photo Stolen Pavel P. Flickr

The sillage wasn’t very strong (probably because I only dabbed a little bit of it to make the sample last), but it stayed comfortably close to my skin. This scent invokes impressions of being in a quiet, secluded corner of a forest. It’s thickly wooded and a bit dim, but there is nothing evil or sinister here. Shafts of sunlight penetrate through the trees bathing the area in a soft, warm glow. The ground is covered with soft damp moss, making it a perfect place to rest and meditate.

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Olfactoria’s Travels
FragranceNet has $49/50ml before coupon
The Posh Peasant starts at $4/ml

H x

Jacinthe et Rose by E. Coudray 1983

November 14, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hello to all my friends down in Oz!

As I’m writing this, the leaves are turning and it feels like fall out there but those of you down under are shaking off the winter chill and spring is in the air. One of my favorite scents of springtime is hyacinth in bloom. I have a few in my yard and I sometimes pick them and bring in a cluster to perfume the house a bit. This past spring I tried to find a perfume with hyacinth as a major note. I stumbled across Jacinthe et Rose online and even though it had peach in it I blind bought a bottle. I know, I know, shame on me. Blind buys are bad.

I had a coupon.

I am weak.

And no, I’ll never learn.

Jacinthe et Rose by E. Coudray 1983

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Top: Vodka, peach, hyacinth, bitter orange
Heart: Peony, orange blossom, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose
Base: Sandalwood, musk, vanilla, vetiver, cedar

At first spritz it reminded me of something, but what? Each time I tested it I couldn’t place it. Then it dawned on me. Once upon a time Victoria’s Secret was a lovely store that played classical music and their merchandise was not marketed towards teens. Those were the pre-Pink days. In addition to a wonderful perfume called Victoria, they also carried a line of bath and body products which I think were called Secret Garden. Even their fruity scents were good. One of those was Peach Hyacinth.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Jacinthe et Rose reminds me of Peach Hyacinth. I’d completely forgotten about it until now. It’s not a dead ringer for it but there are some similarities. At first spritz it’s a quick blast of peach and hyacinth. It’s not as peachy as I remember Peach Hyacinth being but it’s close enough to trigger my memories of it. You already know my fear of peach and this was one of the few that smelled like peach and not pee on me. The hyacinth was pretty strong in Peach Hyacinth too. I can smell some hyacinth here but I wish it was a bit more pronounced than it is. Soon, Jacinthe et Rose veers away from my remembrance of Peach Hyacinth and becomes a slightly powdery but well balanced bouquet. This is the point where the rose really shines. The juice is pink and honestly that’s the perfect color for it. Soft and delicate are words that come to mind. This is a ladylike scent. There’s nothing dirty here at all. It’s pretty and clean. If you’re a fan of powdery florals this might be for you but if you like dark and dirty Jacinthe et Rose won’t fit the bill.

Photo Stolen T.Kiya Flickr

I wish I could say I smell all the notes in this but other than the main characters I really can’t. It’s very well blended to my nose and linear. I’m sure plenty of people with better noses than mine could pick this one apart but its not that important to me to smell everything in it.

First In Fragrance has 100ml/€73 and Samples
Jovoy Paris has 100ml/ €56 (sadly they do not send to Australia)
GraysOutlet (in Australia) has $103/100ml

While I do like Jacinthe et Rose I’m not in love with it. It doesn’t have much lasting power on me but few things do, and it just gradually fades away.. I like the fact that the rose doesn’t get sour on me and stays fresh. It is a very pretty perfume that’s worth a sniff. On those days when I’m feeling demure and feminine it will be the perfect potion I’m sure.

Poodle x

Ashoka by Bertrand Duchaufour for Neela Vermeire Creations 2013

November 13, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Namaste Fragrant Friends!

It is hard not to be influenced by what you read, especially regarding a keenly anticipated new perfume, as Ashoka surely was. The fourth fragrance from Neela Vermeire Créations. I was so impatient to try it that I dropped Neela Vermeire herself a message, asking if I could beg, steal or have a sample. I was thrilled to receive a positive answer and in no time at all Neela had packed me up a small fragrant package and sent it on it´s way. It is clear to see that Neela herself is a perfumista, because she enclosed not only a spray sample, but a dab sample too! That really thrilled me. It offers me a much more intense impression of perfume. Top notes are so beautiful, and often fleeting and they linger on a little longer when dabbed.

Ashoka by Bertrand Duchaufour for Neela Vermeire Creations 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Surrender To Chance gives these featured accords in one line:
Lotus, rose, water hyacinth, fig leaf, parsley leaf, Osmanthus absolute, cassie absolute, iris, incense essence, Jasmine sambac, fig milk, geranium, ylang-ylang, Fir balsam absolute, myrrh, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla accord, ambre gris, birch, Haitian vetiver, leather, styrax, heliotrope

Readers, as Jane Eyre would say, it was not love at first sniff. Exactly my point. The general impression that I had picked up was that it was, hmmmm, simpler, more approachable, soft, user-friendly …… Absolutely not. In fact, the exact opposite. It is so deep, and multi-faceted, that I have not been able to put pen to paper until nearly three weeks after starting to wear it. I have drained both samples. Love at first sniff, is of course, absolutely exciting and creates an instant lemming. This is a little like listening to music for me. If I love a song on the first hearing I find that I tire of it quite quickly. Instant perfume love does´t always last. I am generalizing of course, but it is often the case. What follows are the feelings I have after wearing the perfume until empty!

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Ashoka opens with an incredibly beautiful and bright burst of fig which is heavenly. It does´t take on a milkiness until about ten minutes in, if not more. There are so many other things going on, that I don´t have the words to describe them. Nor doI wish too. I don´t really care to dissect perfume. Firstly, I cannot do this, and secondly it takes away from the seductive pleasure, which is why I wear perfume. Suffice it to say though, I can detect a an enduring rose, especially with dabbing it. A soft leather accord slowly creeps in, mingling with it all. Now I am only just learning to detect leather notes, and had I not seen this listed, I don´t know if I would have noticed it for what it was. It is voluptuous and sumptuous, and makes the complete perfume an absolute delight. Indeed a fulfillment, which is what I believe Emperor Ashoka discovered on his road to conversion journey into Buddhism. How magnificently Neela Vermeire and Bertrand Duchaufour managed to convey this emotion.

Photo Stolen Dimitry B. Flickr

My parents split up in 1970 and my siblings, mother and I went to live with my grandmother for a few months. (London) My grandmother was an incredibly amazing, open-minded woman, who spent most of her life as a single-parent, divorcing back in the early fifties. She had a lodger living in her home at the same time as we were there. This lady was married to an Indian gentleman. He was a businessman and spent a lot of time away, visiting every few weeks or so. We never went into their room, located on the upper floor of my grandmother´s home. It was a great mystery to us kids! We would occasionally pass them going up or down on the stairs. Mr Ray, for so was his name, always smelled wonderful. Naturally I have no idea of what he used to smell that way. Whatever it was, some of it is in Ashoka. I can see myself as a ten year old small girl, captured by this elegant gentleman´s bouquet. He used to bring me sandalwood figures. How I wish I had kept them. Ashoka awoke a slumbering memory. I can only say thank you, and the three week journey was a trip!!

Photo Stolen Paolo Crosetto Flickr

I have slowly grown to love it.

Thank you Neela Vermeire Créations for the opportunity, and the magic it created.

H. G. Wells wrote of Ashoka in his book The Outline of History, “Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and graciousnesses and sereneties and royal highnesses and the like, the name of ASHOKA shines, and shines, almost alone, a star.”

You can buy Ashoka at
Neroli Budapest 59,800Ft/60ml
LuckyScent $260/60ml
Surrender To Chance starts at $7/.5ml

A perfectly named perfume.

Namaskar
CQ

November Sample Challenge Part 1

November 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hello fragrance lovers!

Late last month one of my friends on the Aussie Fragrance Network Facebook group invited people to participate in a sample challenge. For the whole month of November, we were to wear a sample of a different scent each day. I thought it was a great idea, given I have oodles of samples and never seem to get through many before I order more. Here’s my diary of week one.

November Sample Challenge: Gabriella’s Week 1 diary

Photo Stolen Naomi King Flickr

Friday, November 1: I decide to ease myself into this challenge by choosing a tuberose: Nasomatto Narcotic Venus. Turns out to be a bad choice. I’ve sampled it before and always had the same emotional reaction: anger. Why? Because to me this is an overpriced, poor imitation of Michael Kors Michael with a cheap metallic edge. Michael is so much smoother and rounder and about a quarter of the price of this. Enough said.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Saturday, November 2: I pop on some Juliette Has a Gun Miss Charming this morning and it’s a great choice for a sunny Saturday – a pretty, wearable rose, I really like it. After a shower, I stay scent free as we’re heading into the city and I want to test a couple of things. (Testing is the same as sampling surely?) I try the Frederic Malle Dries van Noten and its Eau de Wet Cardboard. Lipstick Rose graces the other arm (slightly cheating here as I have owned a bottle of this) and it’s not working either. The grapefruit is so loud today it’s almost nauseating.

Sunday November 3: Wake up with serious spraying envy today. My bottles are sitting on my dresser, winking at me, mocking me. Surely, surely it wouldn’t be too bad to have one teensy spray would it? I pick up my Tubey Crim, ease the cap off and…..

“Oi! Put that DOWN!”

Damn, I thought Mr M was downstairs.

“That’s cheating M. Wear a sample.”

Ok. I put the bottle down and smile sheepishly like the naughty child that I am.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

My sample of Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Secret Datura restores my mood immensely. It’s a softer, sunnier take on datura than Serge Lutens Datura Noir. In the evening, I choose Guerlain’s Cruel Gardenia which is a pretty, powdery floral. It’s nice but my skin eats it up in five seconds.

Monday, November 4: I wake up with renewed vigor for the challenge. After all, it’s only a month, surely I can do it. Its Costes 2 today. I love it and wonder why it doesn’t get the same love as the original. I’m sitting at work in my soft, cuddly, cinnamon and spice haze when something-that-would-usually-be-good-but-is-the-worst-thing-ever-for-a-sample-challenge happens. The bottle of Fleur de Liane that I ordered recently arrives. Argh! No, no, no, no, no! MUST. NOT. OPEN. BOTTLE. Must be good, must be good and stay strong, stay focused. I feel like I’m in the perfumed equivalent of those temptation challenges on The Biggest Loser. Do I? Do I? Luckily, I’m at work and won’t have to face this till I get home.
*****
Bugger, so I did succumb. I am the bloody weakest link. But I remedy my lapse by wearing the two samples that were sent with the bottle: L’Artisan Skin on Skin and Caligna. Ewww! These are dreadful and I scrub them straight off. Placate myself by wearing the sample of Honey Miss Portia sent me and this is yum. Go to bed happy.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Tuesday, November 5: Chanel 31 Rue Cambon. Stunning. I’ve sampled before and each time I ask the same question: Why do I not have a bottle of this?

Wednesday, November 6: Sick in bed. Feeling that dreadful that I really don’t want to wear perfume today (that’s saying something), so I don’t.

Thursday, November 7: Still not well, but the arrival of my Luckyscent October sample pack lifts my spirits. Fresh meat, goody! By the afternoon, I’m feeling well enough to tackle them head on. Amouage Fate Woman wins my heart immediately. It’s such an enigma of a fragrance and absolutely outstanding. I love the chili in the opening and even though it’s gourmand in the dry down, I really love it.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Friday, November 8: The beautiful opening of Indult’s Manakara captures my heart: it’s a simple mix of rose and lychee, but it just gets too sweet in the drydown. Revisit Amouage Fate again in the evening and still love it so much that I’m already getting sad at the sample disappearing.

Week one has been fun, but it’s made me realise that dabbing on samples doesn’t give me the same emotional impact as spraying from a decant or a bottle. Having said that, it’s been interesting to wear something different each day.

Photo Stolen OakleyOriginals Flickr

So, APJ readers, could you wear only samples for a whole month? How would you tackle this exercise? Would you make a plan or go random? Do you have any tips for the remaining weeks?

With much love till next time!
M x

Peety by Angelo Orazio Pregoni for O`Driu 2013

November 11, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 47 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

When autumn arrives in the Pacific North West I head for my stash of vintage, spicy orientals. This fall I’ve been using a lot of Basile EDP (I prefer it to Opium), Lagerfeld KL (the perfume strength) and my new favorite spice with a twist, the Italian, musky oriental O`Driu Peety.

Peety by Angelo Orazio Pregoni for O`Driu 2013

A Review and a Problem

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tobacco, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, tonka bean and pink pepper

I’m sure all the scent savvy APJs are well aware of the quirky marketing that pushed Peety, for a brief, smelly moment, to the forefront of the fragrance blog-o-sphere. Just in case you haven’t heard, Peety can be your very own personal fragrance (be-spoke, so to speak) simply by adding approximately 1ml of your very own pee to 49ml of Peety. Yes! That’s right! Perfumers have been doing this forever. What’s a little pee among friends compared to musk pods, whale poo (and goo), civet secretions and African stone?

After a brief flurry of Peety excitement, repulsion and even outrage, not much more has been said about Peety. To make up for that, here is my brief review of O`Driu Peety:

Before personalization Peety is definitely a classic, animalic oriental. On my skin the top notes are a quick blast of sweaty cinnamon, perhaps some clove, bitter orange and pink pepper. This spicy mélange dries to a luscious blend of jasmine, tobacco and rose eventually finishing with sandalwood, dark patchouli and oak moss or some sort of mossy lichen. Amber and tonka bean seem to float through the life of the composition, in varying degrees, from beginning to end. The sillage is moderate to strong and longevity at least eight hours on the skin and considerably more on clothing.

Photo Stolen hemodernhome

Peety by O`Driu Problem + GIVEAWAY

Here a question for you, a sort of “story problem”. I have never been employed as a lab rat. I’m not particularly good at math, hate measuring things and am notoriously cheap when it comes to buying fragrance. I would like to purchase a full bottle of Peety but I don’t want to add pee to more than 1ml of the scent. In order to personalize Peety it is necessary to add 10 drops of urine to 49 ml of fragrance. Keeping in mind that 1ml can contain from 10 to over 20 drops (depending on the dropper size), what approximate fraction of a drop of pee would I have to add to a 1ml decant to make O`Driu’s Peety my Peety?

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 2 winners who will each receice

2 x .8 ml vintage carded sample of KL EDT
1 x 2ml decant of vintage Opium EDT
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO 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.

To be eligible for the draw just mention how you follow APJ and if you make any attempt to solve this problem or comment on your favorite oriental fragrance or voice you opinion about perfume marketing you will be included in the draw.

Extra Chances?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie O`Driu Peety Review + GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2c5 #Perfume #GIVEAWAY @ODRIUperfumes

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 14th November 2013 10pm Australian EDST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Sunday 17th November 2013 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.

Britney Spears #PERFUME

November 11, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Guest Post by Jordan River

On ya APJs,

Those of you that follow this esteemed website via Twitter may have noticed that your #perfume Twitter feed has been speared and that Britney is marking her territory with perfume. Perfume is the name of her new song. Let’s have a look at some of the lyrics…

While I wait I put on my perfume
I want it all over you…

I hide it well, hope you can’t tell
I hope she smells my perfume

I wanna fill the room, when she’s in it with you
Please don’t forget me…

While I wait I put on my perfume
I want it all over you
I gotta mark my territory

Perfume
Britney Spears

I hope she smells my perfume…

Scent & Subversion by Barbara Herman: NEW BOOK REVIEW

November 9, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Guest Post by Jordan River

On ya APJ,

I have just read a book which is hot off the press. Australian Perfume Junkies is mentioned in the book as an indicator that we do not live in scent hostile times.

I am walking along the longest path of the world, searching for the book of my heart.

Vien Tuc
Đà Lạt

Imagine a whole world where everyone smells of CK One. You probably don’t have to imagine; you have probably been there as has Barbara Herman from Yesterday’s Perfume. One day Barbara rebelled against office-friendly scents and went searching for the rude, the loud, the odd, the weird and the impolite. What she mostly found was vintage perfume and then some cutting edge 21st century olfactive artists. This led her on a fragrant journey through the 20th century which became her book Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Fragrance.

Barbara Herman

Scattered pictures
Throughout the book are pictures that have been collected by Barbara over many years and reveal a lot about perfume, society and marketing ‘art’.

This is not a picture book though there are many full colour pictures. Barbara starts off with the thoughts of Aristotle and Plato and continues through Fliess and Freud to Chandler Burr, Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez.

In Part 1 Barbara courses through the development of ‘Perfume: is it art? I like Barbara’s conclusion that Perfume is a language.

Part 2 is a tour de force of 300+ vintage fragrances, including drugstore, all with back stories that you may have never heard before. I am not a vintage connoisseur so I learnt a lot from this book. If you know your vintage ‘fumes then I imagine you will be delighted with the way they are portrayed in Scents and Subversion.

On Jicky

the personality of a cat… sometimes with perfume more is more.

Barbara Herman
Scent and Subversion

Modern vs Vintage

the difference between modern and vintage perfumery is akin to the difference between polyester and velvet.

Barbara Herman
Scent and Subversion

Part III looks at the future of scent and tells the the story of how the author’s nose lost it’s virginity. Perspective on the work of Étienne de Swardt, Antoine Lie, Christopher Brosius, Sissal Tolaas, Martynka Wawrzyniak, and Christophe Laudamiel make for an interesting read as does the chapter called A Brief History of Animal Notes in Perfume.

This week there have been several collector’s items on The Fragrant Man of which Scents & Subversion would be the most affordable one. I think coffee table for the hardcover and the e-book for bedside reading.

This is a book you could read again and again as your own knowledge grows and as vintage bottles materialize on your own fragrant journey. If you already know everything then here it is all in one place. If you are new to perfume appreciation then a glossary and a guide called Perfume 101: How to become an Informed Perfume Lover, will become your reference points as you begin your own fragrant journey.

On Now Smell This, Aleta describes this book as a “worthy flanker” to Perfumes: The Guide. Yes it is.

In this book you will read about perfume set to music; this book is perfume set to words, erudite words that bespeak a mountain of research. Barbara has walked a long path, searching and researching. This is the book of her heart.

Kindle e-book at Amazon $US9.99
Hardcover Amazon $US24.95

Further Reading
Book Reviews by Dita Von Teese, Mx Justin Vivian Bond, Aleta (Now Smell This), Katie Puckrick and Chandler Burr
Yesterday’s Perfume – website
Yesterday’s Perfume – Facebook
Barbara Herman is @parfumaniac on Twitter

Gilvo Perfume Company: Australian History

November 7, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Post by Greg Young

Gilvo Perfume Company

A Piece of Perfume Australiana

This is something that I saw on eBay and was intrigued. It’s a bottle of No. 7777 Eau de Cologne, from the Gilvo Perfumery Company, who were manufacturing in Melbourne during the 1940s.

According to Perfume Intelligence, Gilvo launched 7777 in 1947, and both company and cologne have long since disappeared. I did find some newspaper ads for No. 7777 from late 1946, so I suspect it was on the market slightly earlier than that, in time for Christmas 1946.

Launceston Examiner, Thursday 10 October, 1946

No. 7777 was sold in a range of sizes, including a 30 fluid ounce flacon (almost 900 mls!). My bottle looks like it is 2 fl. oz – the size is not marked anywhere.

Gilvo also sold a Cologne called Three Crown Stardust Bouquet, which appears to have preceded 7777 to market, having being on sale in 1945.

Adelaide Advertiser, Friday 22 June, 1945

Gilvo were not only selling to women. By 1947, they were also selling an aftershave called Straight 8.

Launceston Examiner, Saturday 15 February 1947

As early as 1940, Gilvo were selling perfume in major stores. This ad does not refer to the brands that were in use later in the decade, but to eau-de-cologne generically. There is no earlier mention of the company in the archives, so this may have been their first product launch.

! Adelaide Advertiser, Thursday 12 December 1940

Gilvo fragrances were stocked at both Myer’s and David Jones, and featured in their 1946 Christmas promotions.

SMH, Wednesday 20 November 1946

The Argus, Tuesday 10 December 1946

A close-up of the DJ’s ad shows that Gilvo were keeping some pretty good company with the likes of Roger and Gallet and Bourjois and were commanding comparable prices to the imported fragrances.

Gilvo were headquartered in the Melbourne CBD and were hiring labour during the war years. Here’s an example of the sort of job they had on offer .

The Argus, Saturday 13 November 1943

The Argus, Tuesday 7 November 1944.

The age limit stated may seem a little odd to us these days. I believe it was because there was a desire for single women aged 18–45 to work in wartime industries exclusively. So I guess the company was seeking to recruit from the ladies who were not required for those roles. Menfolk, of course, were expected to be in war service.

The company’s premises at 360 Little Bourke St was a tiny Art Deco building that is now called Melbourne House, next door to a pizzeria and nestled in the midst of a forest of outdoors shops such as Paddy Pallin. Not exactly perfume central these days!

The company also had premises in a tiny laneway in North Melbourne called Howard St, as evidenced by this ad.

The Argus, Saturday 7 September 1946

This job ad appeared around the time that No. 7777 was launched. Notably, by then Gilvo was also describing itself as an export company, suggesting that they were possibly selling perfume into overseas markets.

The perfume business was still operating in Howard St in 1950.

The Argus, Saturday 17 June 1950

By this time though, Gilvo had started to diversify into quite a different area.

The Argus, Saturday 21 January 1950

Something does seem to have happened in the perfume trade, because all of the job ads in later years are for roles in Gilvo’s fabric printing business, the last of them in 1955.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic). Saturday 25 June, 1955

This is typical of a series of job ads for printing positions from 1953 onwards, so it looks like Gilvo may have changed direction in the early ’50s, so that may be when No. 7777 was finally discontinued.

That would seem to indicate that my bottle is between 60 and 67 years old. Given that age, you can see from the photos that the bottle and box are in great condition. The packaging still has a sweet powdery smell, but the little juice that is left has turned an ugly inky-brown colour and the scent is pretty dubious, shall we say.

So, Gilvo were a small perfume company that operated in Melbourne and established a national brand that was able to compete in major retail stores with the imported big names for more than a decade. I guess they were the Tommi Sooni of their day! A little piece of Australia’s fragrance history.

Perfume Intelligence references

http://www.perfumeintelligence.co.uk/library/perfume/n/n3/n3p9.htm http://perfumeintelligence.co.uk/library/perfume/g/g5/g5p3.htm

Advertising references

http://trove.nla.gov.au

Beige by Jacques Polge for CHANEL 2008

November 6, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

50 Shades of…Beige

I have always had a colourful (and black) wardrobe, and have noticed a section expanding in the past year, with fabrics in shades of Beige. I guess I’ve been discovering the many shades of the colour without even realising…champagne, biscuit, sand, camel etc. Beige is intriguing, understated, classic and classy.

Coco Chanel LOVED it and therefore one of the perfumes in Chanel’s Les Exclisifs range was named after it.

Beige by Jacques Polge for CHANEL 2008

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Hawthorn, freesia, frangipani, honey

“I take refuge in beige because it’s natural,” said Mademoiselle Chanel. An elusive colour with infinite variations, beige may seem quite ordinary. And yet, behind this apparent simplicity, it hides a discreet sensuality that builds slowly before revealing itself fully.”

Firstly, I overlooked “Beige” when I was given a sample, and tossed it in my bag. I expected it to be dull. However weeks later when it resurfaced I was immediately intrigued upon first sniff…not love, mind you, but intrigue. It was white blossoms and general prettiness…but what else was catching my attention and raising an eyebrow? Timing was perfect, it was spring, the sun was out, the air was full of blossoms and I was about to go for a walk down a countryside lane. I needed to know more. I spritzed it on and started the adventure.

Photo Stolen Nico Nelson Flickr

Freshly cut white florals, and blossoms smothered me. Sweet freesias, fresh and green, a honey note, but not too sweet…perhaps even slightly dry…a hint of honeysuckle? Before long, and just in the nick of time, beautiful creamy hawthorn notes arose, balancing the lot and steering the aroma away from sickly sweet. Deeper in I found something slightly fruity/tropical…was that frangipani? I was almost skipping, engulfed by its sweet and feminine charm. Surprised I liked it so much. Here was a clean, fresh and uplifting fragrance. I was uplifted in a way similar to when I wear Chanel’s Cristalle Eau Verte, and yet there is something richer, creamier, elegant and more rounded in Beige after the initial notes dissipate. It’s not a surprise both fragrances were made by the same “nose”, the infamous, Jaques Polge.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Dry down continued to a honeyed, creamy, soapy scent, which verges on familiar, some elusive bar of soap, but in no way cheap. This is where I thought it would plateau. Then I accidently breathed out before my next sniff, which was an amazing accident, as with the hot air, hints of spice kicked in, adding some sultry, sensual tones, along with the now robust, waxiness of hawthorn. What started out as such a “daytime” fragrance suddenly gave promise of something that could really take you further into the evening. Wear this to the next spring wedding you attend, ladies….and be sure someone gets up close and personal with their HOT breath!

Photo Stolen net_efekt Flickr

Beige is beginning or memory of spring, with a promise of summer. There is a naturalness about it and perhaps why this fragrance works. An enjoyable wear.

Beige can be bought at most CHANEL Boutiques and some big Department Stores
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/ml

Jaques Polge has done a great job bringing the many facets of this colour to life for us. Have you tried Beige?
Ainslie Walker x

Brie’s Christmas Owl

November 4, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Brie

Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age arrives alone, unaccompanied.
-Woon Tai Ho, Riot Green

Brie’s Christmas Owl

Hello APJ,

Written while drinking Organic India USA<<<JUMP Tulsi Sweet Rose herbal tea.

Photo Stolen Organic India USA

Tulsi Sweet Rose tea is sold as Stress relieving, Soothing & relaxing, Abundant in antioxidants, Powerful adaptogen, Uplifts mood, Caffeine & gluten free, USDA certified organic, 18 tea bags per box, GMO free, Kosher & Halal certified

Christine, my oldest childhood friend of 42 years, lived one flight below me in an apartment building in NYC. Her mother Catherine, a bubbly woman of Greek descent, lived life to the fullest with an infectious laugh and an ability to always see the glass half full instead of half empty. One Christmas Catherine invited all of Christine’s friends over and presented us with gifts that she had chosen quite carefully for each of us. As we tore off the wrapping paper what was revealed underneath were handcrafted ornaments of various animals. I was secretly hoping for the cat (my favorite animal) and was dismayed to see that she had given me an owl. Sensing my disappointment she pulled me aside and quietly whispered, “Do you know what the owl represents? Intuitive wisdom. Never forget that you are an owl, not a cat”. I was four months shy of becoming a teenager and all I cared about at that time was obtaining that which I did not have; popularity and attractiveness. Intuition and wisdom were the very last attributes I was attempting to cultivate. Sadly, a few years later, Christine lost her mother to breast cancer.

Brie’s family took and starred in this shot

Ten years ago I asked my parents to retrieve all of my collectible Christmas ornaments from the common storage room in their apartment building. To my horror, all of my dated Hallmark ornaments were stolen. Left behind were a few worthless stragglers, including the owl. Back it came to my own house and as it hung on my tree I thought of Catherine, her words haunting me. Year after year I placed that owl on my tree and slowly but surely the owl became my animal. Eventually my three children heard the story of how I came to love owls through the wise words of Catherine.

So it should come as no surprise that when I saw Soap and Paper Factory’s Patch NYC “OWL” solid perfume I bought it unsniffed. Lucky for me it smells fantastic! OWL is a bright rosy geranium on top with a grounding dry down of sandalwood, tobacco and vetiver. For a solid natural perfume it lasts an incredibly long time. The tea I love to pair it with is Organic India’s Tulsi Tea Sweet Rose. Tulsi, or holy basil, is an herb renowned in India for healing properties that relieve stress and protect the immune system. That beautiful Sweet Rose tea melds so nicely with the OWL perfume.

From PatchNYC site:

{sandalwood, tobacco, vetiver} elusive and wise like the night owl, delvilishly earthy as a twilight forest

Three years ago I included a letter with my yearly holiday card to my friend Christine. I wrote about the exchange between her mother and I and included a picture of my owl hanging on the Christmas tree. Last year she revealed to me that she keeps my letter in a special place and reads it from time to time. I believe that it serves as a reminder that her mother’s memory lives on in the heart of a woman who endeavors for wisdom to accompany her into middle age.

This story is dedicated to all mothers: past, present and future

Sadly Brie wrote this ahead and can not answer your comments. Don’t let that stop the conversation though, please write if you’d like and Portia will reply. Hopefully Brie is out there somewhere reading. Portia xx

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Brie’s Christmas Owl

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This story is dedicated to all mothers: past, present and future