Hey All,
Recently we showed the CHANEL S/S 2015 Haute Couture show. Here is a little snippet of what it took to make those fabulous gowns the 3D extravaganza that they are. If you love seeing some of the tricks behind the scenes then you will be mesmerised by this 2.34 minute video.
I hope you enjoy,
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Twitter
Hey there APJ,
Tonight in Sydney we celebrate. The culmination of nearly a month worth of fun and festivities that annually celebrate our nearing equality and our special magic.
It’s Mardi Gras.
Be safe and have fun Sydney,
Portia x
Heya Scented Sniffers,
I bought this bottle from Odona on Etsy. They are reasonably priced and when one of their frags had leaked about 70% of its contents in transit they gave me a refund on it. They are very nice people and their frags are fabulous.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, aldehydes, peach, orange bloom, honeysuckle, orris
Heart: Rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, coriander, sensitive plant, tuberose, violet, geranium
Base: Sandalwood, vetiver, patchoulis, vanilla, musk
Arpege, I know that it was worn by some of the Aunties but it was definitely seen as being for the younger or quieter of them when I was growing up. The louder or more mature were wearing Giorgio, Shalimar, No 5 and Poison. Sometimes, though the memory is faint, I do remember seeing the famously ridged glass atomiser bottle with the black bakelite cap come out of purses for resprays. There is something very soft, and soft focus, about the Eau of Arpege. Today though I would like to chat about the parfum.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
I think my top notes are about to turn, they are a good deal less sparkling and radiant than they should be, but less than a minute in the gorgeous thick and rich scent comes alive, so many aldehydes that it’s almost oily in its intensity. Fruity and thick like the syrup from a can of peaches but more pronounced, more effervescent and way more lavish. A thick sinuous rope of fragrance that is hefty enough to lift you up and carry you away.
Multi-faceted Arpege parfum, so many flowers and fruits, herbs and aldehydes all mixed together in a less sophisticated bouquet than CHANEL No 5 but giving a girlish laugh, nod and wink in its direction. Fascinating in its various hues and gilded like a Klimt painting, imagine the perfumer looking at this one of Adele Bloch Bauer 20 years after it was created and Jeannie Lanvin asking the perfumer to recreate it in scent. And that’s what we have, a big fragrance by today’s standards that is filled to the brim with beautiful notes yet lives as one perfectly cohesive and elegant fragrance.
Photo Stolen Flickr
After the fireworks of the opening subside and we are well into the heart of this vintage Arpege parfum I find myself transported back to my youth and cuddling some of the Aunties who smelled so fabulous.
I only dab so I’m not ridiculously fragrant but I a sweetly perfumed and would be a bit overwhelming in most modern workplaces I think. Though this is so good and lasts so long that I think it would be an excellent day out frag, you’d still be smelling gorgeous even after a huge day of picnics, art galleries or shopping. I have been dabbing myself on Saturdays as we continue the search for our new home and it is a welcome relief from some of the smells we’ve encountered along the way.
Further reading: Now Smell This and Non Blonde
My Perfume Samples has current EdP $6/5ml
Vintage Arpege Extrait is still widely available on Ebay & Etsy
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Kesha&Co
This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Arpege Parfum (Vintage) sample
P&H Anywhere in the world
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
Tell me an Arpege memory? Do you have one? Any scent your Aunties wore then?
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Arpege Parfum (Vintage) #GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-3Fm #Perfume @LANVINofficial @lanvin_news
Entries Close Sunday 8th March 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 12th March 2015 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.
Hi there APJ Crew,
Every year a new and improved version of our Fragrance Bible is released by Fragrances Of the World. This years cover is the prettiest shade of mint green ever and I can’t wait to add it to my collection. The cover is the least impressive thing about this book though. Michael Edwards knowledge and years in the industry are what makes this so special.
Portia xx
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Book Launch:
The Fragrance Bible ®
31st Annual Edition
Fully Revised and Updated
In 2014, more than 1600 new perfumes appeared on the market. How to keep track?
Fragrances Of the World continues to be the leading guide for fragrance classification. Universally regarded as the ‘bible’ of perfumery, independent and impartial, unsurpassed in both its research and scope, this is the definitive reference trusted by perfumers, executives, journalists, retailers, collectors and shoppers worldwide.
“For me, Fragrances of the World is more than a guide book,” says Sumit Bhasin, Head of P&G Prestige’s Creative Development team. “It is the reference book for our industry. Michael’s in-depth knowledge combined with the very factual and up-to-date of fragrance references, makes it the go-to guide. Both the book and the online databank are widely used by my team.”
Hanuš Wolf, owner of Burgins Perfumery says “The guide has proved an invaluable sales tool. I introduced the Fragrance Bible as a tool to offer a level of service previously unknown to York, and within the first week alone, the incremental sales more than paid for the Fragrance Bible.”
It all began 31 years ago when fragrance expert Michael Edwards created an annual guide to help perfume retailers advise their customers. The book organises perfumes into 14 fragrance families – including Woods, Oriental, Floral, Fruity and Citrus – and even more subfamilies from which to choose. Refreshed weekly the online databank provides current and up to date details on new launches, while the annual guide book is an iconic sales tool with current and historic references at your fingertips.
Around the world people are consulting Fragrances Of the World:
“You wear J’Adore by Dior? Now let’s see. That’s a citrus fruity floral. You should try In Love Again by Yves Saint Laurent.”
“Your enduring favourite is Terre d’Hermès? That’s a crisp woods. Try Spicebomb by Viktor & Rolf.”
“Your signature fragrance is Chloé but would like to try something new for day wear? That’s a classical rose floral. La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens is the new one for her.”
More information: Fragrances Of the World
Hey Hey APJ!
As always we are thrilled to have been able to host this lavish GIVEAWAY with our super generous friends at L’Occitane. If you haven’t yet then please trot down to your nearest L’Occitane stare, I promise you’ll find something to love.
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, mandarin
Heart: Neroli, lily of the valley, fig milk, peach
Base: Madagascar orchid absolute, iris, musk
This week we will have 4 winners who will each get:
1 x 75ml bottle of Néroli & Orchidée by L’Occitane (Australians will get a special surprise extra)
P&H Anywhere in the world
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 go to L’Occitane and find me a fragrance and one of its notes. NO DOUBLE UPS!!!
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Neroli & Orchidee #GIVEAWAY @LOCCITANE @LOCCITANE_au http://wp.me/p3PURw-3E6 #Perfume
Entries Closd Sunday 1st March 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org
Photo stolen prospectsplus
CONGRATULATIONS! The winners will have till Thursday 5th March 2015 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.
Heya Perfume Junkies,
I have a small sample of Hedonist. There is no note list online and the brand is so fledgeling that I can’t even find a website for it. There is a Cult of Scent Facebook Page but it doesn’t have a price list, just some beautiful pictures, a couple of meetups and some fragrant knowledge exchange. I don’t even have a picture of the bottle for you all. To be perfectly honest I did not even purchase these scents, my mate Casssandra gave me some tiny test samples that I have put into spritzers.
So I do know that Jocelyn is the perfumer though I’m yet to meet her, she is a Sydney based perfumer and very pretty. I spent some time in the delicious citrus/white flower/green extravaganza that is Cult of Scent’s Magnolia ’13 a while ago and loved it sick.
So Hedonist, it opens slightly citrus and balmy but what immediately knocks on my olfactory door is leather. Slightly tar-ish, smoky, woodsy leather. New leather before it’s been made into its final product, the act of walking into a leather shop and being greeted by hundreds of skins in their multi-hued entirety. Hedonist is not big but it does have a fairly ferocious opening on my skin. More Lonestar Memories than Cuir d’Ange if you know what I mean, but not really like Lonestar Memories at all. Michael Borg just told me that the hefty darkness is probably oud assisted, now that he mentions it I tend to agree.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
Hedonist is a bitter brew yet behind it I smell softness, a creamy something, a white flower. Michael says it’s the tiare flower, he could be correct, I am just going to say creamy white flowers and maybe some lactonic fruit like fig. No matter what it is the smell is beautiful, exquisite, both hefty and during the heart also pleasantly sheer. Wearable to most occasions where people are happy to have you scented, and not overpowering enough to preclude it from dining or the movies. Very wearable.
Photo Stolen Pixabay
The Middle East? A little tease of an introduction to it, yes. A soft core, wearable beauty. Hedonist? Not nearly as overblown or outrageous as I was expecting though towards dry down it does become quite animal and lived in but so soft that it could really be you, just warmer and sexier. GGGGRRROWLL
What fragrance would you call your Hedonist fragrance? For me I think Songes by Annick Goutal, Guerlain’s Shalimar and Parfum de Maroc by Aftelier. These hold something big, overblown and indulgent. What’s yours?
Portia x
Aha! Hey gang,
I was not crazy about Miss Dior really but recently my mate Natalie from Another Perfume Blog (now defunct) gave me some vintage Miss Dior Cherie and I have to admit it rocked my socks off.
Photo Stolen YouTube
As always Natalie Portman is perfect in her role. This time as the grand daughter of the super wealthy. DIOR has done a wonderful job dressing her and the sets.
Enjoy a couple of minutes of pure escapism.
Portia xx
Hey Hey APJ,
Guess what arrived in the mail Friday morning!! Neela has sent me a sample! WOW! WOW! WOW!
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, juniper, magnolia, neroli oil, clementine, bergamot
Heart: Orange blossom absolute, rose absolute, tuberose absolute, sambac jasmine, ylang-ylang
Base: Benzoin absolute, sandalwood , driftwood, Haiti vetiver
As you may know India is somewhere I have spent a lot of time, 15 visits so far and hopefully back there again in 2016. Of all the beautiful, magical, amazing spots that my last partner Varun and I saw (and BFF Kath too in 2008) Udaipur is right up there in my Top 3 beside McLeodgang (where the Dalai Lama is in exile) and Agra (where the Taj Mahal is). When we stay in Udaipur we stay in the Taj Hotels Lake Palace on Lake Pichola. It’s pretty close to heaven. When Kath & I stayed in 2008 we were upgraded to a gorgeous, water view suite with 3 rooms. Incredible.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
From Wikipedia: …built between 1743- 1746 under the direction of the Maharana Jagat Singh II (62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar) of Udaipur, Rajasthan as a royal summer palace and was initially called Jagniwas or Jan Niwas after its founder. The palace was constructed facing east, allowing its inhabitants to pray to the Surya, the Hindu sun god, at the crack of dawn. The successive rulers used this cool haven as their summer resort, holding their regal durbars in its courtyards lined with columns, pillared terraces, fountains and gardens.
Neela has worked with Bertrand Duchaufour to recreate the play of light across the waters of Lake Pichola, the luxurious feeling of being part of the majestic history of India’s Maharajas yet with all the mod-cons that make current day life comfortable. Water in the desert, which Udaipur’s state Rajasthan is, is not just beautiful it is life. Twice, that I know of, since the turn of the century Lake Pichola has been bone dry with crops and livestock growing.
I have only had one wear of Pichola but I will say that is you love white flowers then Pichola is going to blow you away.
I will review Pichola in the next week or so after I have worn it a couple of times and have a real feel for its loveliness. Does it remind me of Lake Pichola? Well it certainly is as rich and luxurious as staying at the Lake Palace.
Neela will be revealing Pichola in Milan. I wish I was coming to hang with you all there.
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, mandarin
Heart: Neroli, lily of the valley, fig milk, peach
Base: Madagascar orchid absolute, iris, musk
Néroli & Orchidée opens bright and fresh, a crisp citrus with a slight pithy undertone. If it reminds me of anything it is a Guerlain Aqua Allegoria, the same pretty and energetic opening so summery and lively. Suitable for young girls, mums and grandmas Néroli & Orchidée seems happy and uplifting, also excellent for the gents. I could imagine it being a go-to fragrance for the warmer weather or when the dreary greys and cold days of winter are starting to get you down, then Néroli & Orchidée would be a fabulous panacea.
Through the fruity floral heart L’Occitane has cleverly kept it bright but left out the sugar hit so many modern frags have, I would love to try it in a more concentrated parfum form. The base is a soft, furry wash that smells clean and fresh. Nothing terribly groundbreaking here and the die hard perfumistas will be bored but Néroli & Orchidée is definitely good value and you will smell great.
Portia xx
Photo Stolen AllSteele
This week we will have 4 winners who will each get:
1 x 75ml bottle of Néroli & Orchidée by L’Occitane (Australians will get a special surprise extra)
P&H Anywhere in the world
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 go to L’Occitane and find me a fragrance and one of its notes. NO DOUBLE UPS!!!
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Neroli & Orchidee #GIVEAWAY @LOCCITANE @LOCCITANE_au http://wp.me/p3PURw-3E6 #Perfume
Entries Close Sunday 1st March 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 5th March 2015 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.
Hello Lovelies,
Another stunning Giveaway from Azar. Thank you all for getting involved and being part of the fun.
Let’s see who won!
Portia xx
Photo Stolen DeviantArt
This week we will have 1 Winner who will receive:
One set of 5 x 1ml (more or less) samples of natural/botanical fragrances from my collection, perfumes I know or imagine to be phthalate free:
Olympic Orchids – Tropic of Capricorn
On the Nose – Smoked Amber
Illuminated Perfumes – Impromptu
Pirouette Essentials – Wild Spruce and Tobacco
Rosarium Blends – The Rosarium
P&H
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
Tell us if you’ve observed that your perfumes are making you fat (or skinny)? Or do you know (or care) if your favorite fragrance contains phthalates?
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3Ee GIVEAWAY! #Perfume #Giveaway @EllenCovey1 @RoxanaVilla @RosariumBlends
Entries Closed Thursday 26th February 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners were chosen by some fun honest way
Photo Stolen FallOutFactory
CONGRATULATIONS ElizabetC (not Elizabeth). The winner will have till Monday 1st March 2015 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.
Australian Perfume Junkies 