"Reincarnation" film by Karl Lagerfeld ft. Pharrell Williams, Cara Delevingne & Géraldine Chaplin

December 19, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Hey Crazy Cats,

One of my favourite European royalty stories is the Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria. When I first visited Vienna in the 1990s the story was much less Disney-ised than it is now. She was considered a bit crazy, headstrong, ungrateful and had some wonderfully naughty escapades. Now they gloss over the madness and make her out to be a misunderstood saint. I liked her better before, more real, more human.

Karl Lagerfeld and the CHANEL crew have come together with some pretty top flight names, Pharrell Williams, Cara Delevingne & Géraldine Chaplin. It’s kind of stupid but also very engaging and fun. The clothes are spectacular in themselves, everything else is background anyway. Sadly, the song is not single worthy, but it is oddly cool.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen GooglePlus

“Reincarnation”

Film by Karl Lagerfeld ft. Pharrell Williams, Cara Delevingne & Géraldine Chaplin

Sensual Orchid by Jerome Epinette for LM Parfums 2012

December 14, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Howdy Crew,

Fragrantica says: LM Parfums is a French niche line of scented candles and fragrances… founded by Laurent Mazzoni. Most of the blogs I have read about this crew have been about their most expensive offering Hard Leather, and I do have a sample of it around here somewhere but the one that I am really interested in has very little written about it so far….

Sensual Orchid by Jerome Epinette for LM Parfums 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin orange, almond, neroli
Heart: Orchid, jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, peony, heliotrope
Base: Vanilla, musk, woody notes, cedar, labdanum, benzoin

The first thing that intrigued me about Sensual Orchid was the perfumer, Jerome Epinette has been the nose behind a bunch of blockbuster mainstream niche offerings: four of the Atelier Colognes, Bel d’Afrique and La Tulipe (coincidentally one of my BFF Kath’s fragrances) for Byredo, three of the LuckyScent Decennial quartet and a bunch of others I’m not familiar with. It’s quite a selection.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Almond and orange, like a cake, like a FRIAND!! MMMMMMM. Foody and sweet but still holding onto a very sensual bouquet. GAWD!!! I love it. What a wonderful opening that lasts for a good 15+ minutes before finally giving in to the heart. The flowers are sweet and sexy, a bit ripe and lovely banana-skin tones. I am surprised there is no coconut note because I get something very like it, a creaminess and the back of my throat has the same slight ache it gets when I eat dessicated coconut.

The dry down is soft, creamy woods. An oriental amber wash that is very nice. This lasts for hours and has me feeling very sexy and frisky. A real come-hither scent that would be knockout as a date night frag or a movies with intended partner. The elegant clean thrummmm of Sensual Orchid could definitely push someone over the edge from like to lust.

Photo Stolen DeviantART

From Osswald NYC: 20% perfume concentration “Like a feminine model on the catwalk, Sensual Orchid captivates your senses with its incredible aromas. The second essence of perfume will take you to the front of the stage. The carnal pleasures evoked by this sumptuous arrangement of natural sophisticated fragrances. A first subtle scent of citrus fruit and almond leads you into a refined heart of orchid, jasmine sambac, Lysilang, peony and heliotrope then leaves a voluptuous final touch made of vanilla, musk, blonde wood, white cedar wood, labdanum and benzoin.”

Further reading: Scented Hound and CaFleureBon
Jovoy Paris has €195/100ml
Osswald NYC has $225/100ml (Hey Hey Josie & Clement!!)

Have you tested any of the LM Parfums fragrances? Do you like their aesthetic?
Portia xxxx

Cartier – L'Odyssée and Making Of Documentary

December 14, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hello Beautiful People,
If ever there was a time where my writing was superfluous, this is it. Please enjoy these 2 Cartier movies. you may have seen one or both before but it’s worth having another look.

Photo Stolen thesnapassembly

Until we see you tomorrow please be good to yourselves and those around you,
Portia xx

(This is a Re-Blog from 24 November 2012)

Cartier – Behind the scenes of L’Odyssée

Cartier – L’Odyssée Mini Movie

Iris Tubereuse by Creed 2014 + Chicago Photo Essay

December 13, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hey Hey APJ,

I’m not sure if you followed our adventures as we traveled across the USA in a diagonal from LA to NYC. Stop number 3 was in Chicago, Illinois. We had a few things on the agenda that needed doing. Number ONE was celebrating Anita’s (Musette from Perfume Posse) birthday. Which we did in high style, morning at the Chicago Art Gallery, Lunch in the Walnut Room at the old Marshall Fields (now Macy’s) and dinner at Hard Rock cafe (idea had by a Chicago native). We also had a meetup of the perfumista crew that started at Barney’s went to Neiman Marcus and ended in cocktails and Chicago deep dish pizza. We met some wonderful people, had a complete blast and fell head over heels in love with Chicago.

I also fell madly in love with two fragrances, the first of which is ..

Iris Tubereuse by Creed 2014

Photo Stolen CreedUSA

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, orange, violet leaf
Heart: Tuberose, lily-of-the-valley, lily
Base: Musk, orange blossom, vanilla

What I didn’t expect on my travels was to find a new Creed that I want so desperately in my collection.

The opening of Iris Tubereuse is a big fat punch in the nose of galbanum, there is other stuff but my skin boosts the galbanum beautifully. Then the green is peeled back to let the most glorious white florals emerge, or bloom really. Green notes and white flowers. You had me at hello. This is heady and deliriously big for about 20 minutes, reminding me of the 1980s: big hair, big shoulder pads, bold colours, cinched waists and spike heels (and that was the men!!).

After that initial burst of WHOA enormous Iris Tubereuse settles into a warm, lush, tropical evening stroll. A little breathy, slightly sweaty and humid. Very little iris (or violet leaf) to be smelled on my skin, but that could be me missing it completely. The vanilla/musks in dry down are pleasant and totally unchallenging, this is the least interesting part of iris tubereuse yet I can see that being part of its attraction to the mainstream buyers.

The very handsome young man at the David Jones Libertine counter told me it was his best seller for young women buying their own and all men buying gifts. Interesting. I would happily rock this, and I love the bottle.

My sample came from Libertine Parfumerie who have live sites in both David Jones and Myer, Sydney City Stores.
Libertine Parfumerie has AUD$385/100ml with FREE SHIPPING in Australia (Christmas Delivery cut off December 22)
Creed in the US has US$300/100ml
Surrender To Chance have samples starting at $5/.5ml

Portia xxx

Chicago 2014 Photo Essay

Kim, Jin, Kath, Musette & I at some cool live music bar. Great food & service, can’t remember the name damnit! (Shaw’s Blue Crab Lounge)

At the Neiman Marcus Creed counter. I have no idea what happened to my Barneys photos

My new boyfriend. Looks after the Patou fragrances but I can’t remember his name. Let’s just call him Mr Turbo (Richard Gonzalez)

Julie R and I in the cool of the evening.

DRINKS!!!

Deep dish Pizza.

The crew at the end of the day. we’d lost quite a few along the way. These are the stayers.

My favourite American artist, Georgia O’Keefe. Here are my three favourites from the Chicago gallery of her work.

You have no idea how enormous this piece is, you can still feel reverberations of this look above the clouds from a plane in modern works.

Musette’s BIRTHDAY lunch at the Walnut Room. The extra lady told us there would be a very short wait. We got to the line and the other people said over 40 minutes. We went and chewed her out about that and were seated immediately due to ir being a Very Special Birthday. Thank You Macy’s. Food was really yummy too.

Cookie Queen’s GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

December 13, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Heya Crew,

WOW!! Incredible response.

Thank you so much Val for sharing your amazing stash.

Portia xx

Cookie Queen’s GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get a selection of samples (NO you don’t get to choose)

Samples included are:
Chanel Exclusifs
Phaedon
Amouage
Mona di Orio
Nobile 1942
Parfum d’Empire Ambre Russe
Rania J Ambre Loup
Roger Dove (much as it pains me to give these away)
Nu_bes
Ramon Monegals

P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

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

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Tell us your favourite fragrant find of 2014

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3r6 Cookie Queen Christmas GIVEAWAY #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Friday 12 December 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen from Val’s dead armadillo

Photo Stolen markmontanoblogs

THINKING MAGPIE

MHEK

The winners will have till Monday 15th December 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Portia's Christmas Giving Guide 2014

December 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hey there gang,

Yes, 2 weeks till Christmas! Crazy how it comes up so quickly. I have been thinking long and hard about things I would like to gift my friends and family with, some are fragrant, some not.

Portia’s Christmas Giving Guide 2014

Candles

What candles do I burn in my house? These are the ones I burn and the ones I gift. A candle is an excellent gift because it lasts for ages, they are lovely and for people who already have everything they need a candle is something they may not think to buy themselves. I like to have my bath with candlelight whenever possible, so glamorous.

MudAustralia Candle #1: Ainslie Walker: Our very own Ainslie Walker designed and produced these gorgeous candles for MudAustralia. They have a beautiful scent with a white floral/woody tone that clears out all the bad juju in my house/apartment in about 30 minutes. The porcelain container can be re-purposed as a vase or glass and you can buy candle refills too. This lush and creamy candle fragrance gives me a rich satisfying fragrance in the whole apartment and comes in a super great range of colours too. Everyone that I have gifted one of these to has fallen instantly in love with it.

Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Candle: Mecca Australia: When I need something calming and soothing in the air that won’t overwhelm but will allow me to really centre myself then I choose the 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Candle by Diptyque. This is what I used to scent my house while it was for sale and one of the things that ALL the prospective buyers said was that the house smelled beautiful. I have had this candle for over a year and use it often, there is still about a quarter left, that is serious lasting power.

34 Blvd St. Germain celebrates the brands 50th anniversary since their original boutique opened in Paris. Green notes, moss, blackcurrant, fig leaves, exotic spices, fresh flowers, woods

Soap

Yes, most of you know I have a ridiculous collection of soaps too. Here are two that I use regularly and a new brand I discovered in the USA recently at Twisted Lily.

Rancé Acqua di Colonia Soap: Rancé Soaps: Billed as Made Originally for Catherine di Medici, that may even be true. What really matters though is how freaking LAVISH you will feel when you use Rancé Acqua di Colonia Soap. Super creamy and scented with mainly citruses, white flowers and spices. If ever you need to feel like the king or queen of your world then this is the soap that will send you on your way.

Tabac Original Soap by Maurer & Wirtz: All Beauty: Yes, I bang on about this one quite a bit. I love it. Gorgeous scent, lathers beautifully, leaves my skin feeling soft and clean. Anyone who has touched my skin can tell you that soap has not ruined it over the years (nor has all the other stuff I’ve done to my poor self), it’s as soft and supple as it was in my teens, just stretched a bit tighter. Did I mention Cheap As Chips? Unbelievably good value.

NEW!!! Sandalo Soap by Ortigia: Twisted Lily: I have not used this yet but the packaging is exquisite, so glamorous with its heavy silver card and picture of a Rajasthani elephant. The whole presentation is luxurious and the Italian form Ortigia is also very reasonably priced. 4 x 100g bars of glycerine soap that smell heavenly.

From Twisted Lily: The essential oil of this exotic tree with narcissus, cedar, teak, vetiver, rose and jasmine. Rich, complex and sophisticated. Bars of pure vegetable glycerine; wonderfully translucent, naturally coloured, and generously fragranced with the cool and spicy Sandalo perfume

Books

The Perfume Lover by Denyse Beaulieu is one of my all time favourite fragrance books. Filled with fragrance, romance, insider perfumer information and a wonderful stary of a woman finding herself, and some company along the way. Great read. I have read it twice now.

Buy The Perfume Lover from Book Depository in paperback for around AUD$16 delivered to your door.

The Perfect Scent by Chandler Burr is the story of two fragrances from opposite ends of the spectrum. Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely and Hermès Un Jardin sur le Nil come to life as you read the book. It’s an eye opening insiders fast track and a really great read. I started rereading this on my holiday but there was no time, I will complete it this week.

Buy The Perfect Scent from Book Depository in paperback for around AUD$20 delivered to your door.

Revelation!: Reveal Your Destiny With Essential Oils by Suzanne R Banks is a really interesting look at creating a new life for yourself with Essential Oils. Aroma-Life-Therapy that gets you to become more mindful and present in your own space through scent, personal and ambient. It’s all about the naturals and very natural specific, shunning chemicals and synthetics, to use the energy of the plants and nature to help propel you to a higher level. Our very own APJ contributor Suzanne R Banks is a published author!! COOL!

Buy Revelation! Reveal Your Destiny With Essential Oils from Amazon for $3.30 on Kindle, also available as a book $11

Oh, My God, Am I Alright? by Michael El-Bacha is the ‘coming out’ story of a young confused man growing up in the Western Suburbs of Sydney to strict Lebanese Christian parents. From the outside looking in, Michael El-Bacha seemed like any other Lebanese boy from a large family with strong values and an appetite for football, fast cars and chicky babes. But after his parents notice that Michael is not like other ‘typical’ Lebanese boys, he is whisked off to Lebanon to marry his first cousin. Young Michael struggles to deny his true sexuality and leaves his young bride and infant child to find his identity. He embarks on a downward spiral until losing a lover leads him back home. Sex, drugs, homosexuality and love potions are what make this tale of self-discovery so tantalising. Michael’s story will make you laugh, cringe and cry.

Do you know any kids/adults on the cusp? Maybe they need a story like this to ease the heartache of coming out? Extra plus? I have a whole chapter! Michael was my friend when much of this was happening for him.

Buy Oh, My God, Am I Alright? from The Bookshop Darlinghurst AUD$20

Hopefully this has helped you in your Christmas Shopping in 2014.
Portia xx

PS> Just so you know, I love these products because they are really good. Yes, I am affiliated with some of the people who have produced these lovely gifts. They are my friends and I am justifiably proud of their efforts, no one is paying me to write about them. Fingers crossed they are thrilled I wrote about them and that some of you go buy their shit.

GAY? Homophobia?

December 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hi All,

These are the BEST WTF rants about homophobia I’ve ever seen.

Nat Baimel amusingly points out the deficiencies of hate talk.

Then Morgan Freeman chimes in.

Perfect.

Portia xx

OUT With The GIVEAWAY WINNERS

December 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hey APJ,

Another wonderful giveaway hosted by Azar. These are super wonderful and I hope whoever wins them gets loads of pleasure from their prizes.

Don’t forget to check out Azar’s online up and recycling store offering all kinds of goodies for sale at thier online shop Random Acts of Recycling<<JUMP.

Portia xx