Portia

DIOR Star by Beatrice Piquet for DIOR 2005

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Hey Hey Happy Huffers,

This one has completely flown under my radar. I think my vial may have come as an extra in my shopping from other perfumistas and today I grabbed it out because I adore the DIOR brand with its lavish perfume history of fabulous hits and tragic misses. I have absolutely ZERO recollection of this particular one though and it makes me wonder if we even got it here in Australia? Oh well, come try DIOR Star with me today………

DIOR Star by Beatrice Piquet for DIOR 2005

Dior Star Dior fragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin orange, petitgrain, bergamot
Heart: Peony, honeysuckle
Base: Almond, musk

Firstly the perfumer Beatrice Piquet is one I’ve not taken any notice of before yet she has a string of blockbuster hits to her name: Burberry The Beat Woman, Bulgari Rose Essentialle, L’Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme + L’Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme Extreme (LIDGE), Paco Rabanne Lady Million and Trussardi Uomo. From 1989-2011 pumping out regular mainstream and designer fragrances.

The note list for 2005 is pretty standard fare here, to be fair the notes could be from a mainstream fragrant release today. So it is with quite a few reservations that I spritz….

SMILE! A lovely fresh citrus burst, so bright and sunny. Nothing groundbreaking but really pretty and coherent. Flesh, rind and pith are all present in a very pretty and 100% unisex opening, a simple cologne-ish citrus that will have your blue day turn to blue sky. Great warm weather wear but I think DIOR Star would also be a wonderful pick me up when its Autumn of winter.

Dior Star Dior Sand Sun Girl rsteve254 PixabayPhoto Stolen Pixabay

The heart is a fairly nondescript floral bouquet, inoffensive and very wearable but it isn’t till the milky almond comes through that DIOR Star becomes interesting again. With the teeniest hint of citrus still smellable, a clean and wet bouquet and this lovely creamy almond playing through all of a sudden DIOR Star is beautiful. Sheer, transparent even, but a beautiful wash that is fragrant but could never overwhelm the people around you. This almond enhanced phase lasts for a while and then collapses into a laundry musk scent that is ubiquitous in perfumery nowadays. Not bad, just banal and still I can imagine it being a super work or close quarters scent. All good but nothing astounding to dry down.

Dior Star Dior Laudromat Jason Walsh FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Pretty but nothing amazing, DIOR Star does smell very nice and I think it would make an excellent gift choice for a first grown up fragrance, for office wear and/or for people who don’t really like to smell perfumey but like to spritz something to feel dressed properly. Though not a big scent the longevity is excellent and you can spritz & go for nearly the whole day.

FragranceX has $89/50ml

Did you ever get your sniff on DIOR Star?

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 75 Comments

Heya Sniffy Sniffers,

Recently we had a bit of a Launch down at Myer Sydney City of the new niche fragrance counter. It was sniff sniff sniff and of course I got to show everyone that while I adore fragrance my nose is only very average at parsing the contents. Oh well, can’t be perfect at EVERYTHING!!! So I have tried this baby before but on the night I was showing it to everyone and since then I have been COMPLETELY obsessing. Today I had to drop some stuff into Libertine Parfumerie and while there I grabbed myself a bottle of…

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAPhoto Stolen Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Virginia cedar, incense, olibanum, (blonde) tobacco, (Damascene) rose, palisander rosewood, tonka bean, ambergris

I reviewed Oliban not too long ago so if you want to know about notes and progression go check it out there. What I do want you to know about Oliban is that I love it right through its lovely jammy rose, woods and resinous life. It’s a lovely warm, feel good, great big happy hug in a wooden retreat with someone you love, and it’s reciprocated.

Oliban Keiko Mecheri Wooden Hut Marco Becerra FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Unusual, interesting, old and new, Oliban is gorgeous. Great in our lovely warm spring and just as gorgeous in the middle of winter.

Further reading: Katie Puckrik Smells and I Smell Therefore I Am
Libertine Parfumerie has $195/75ml including FREE Australian postage
First In Fragrance has €145/75ml and €5/4ml Samples

So to share my good choice today I though we could do a giveaway.

Portia xx

 

AllSteele giveaway 1Photo Stolen AllSteele

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get:
1 x 5ml Oliban by Keiko Mecheri decant
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.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Libertine Parfumerie and tell me any fragrance they sell online and a note that it contains. NO DOUBLE UPS!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: http://wp.me/p3PURw-3eU  Oliban by   

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 5th October 2014 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 9th October 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.

 

Miss Piggy & Joan Rivers: Behind The Feud

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Hiya APJ Crew,

So maybe I’ve told you before. I styled myself on two legendary superstars and their kiddy re-animations. The two stars? Loretta Switt and Divine. Re-animations? Miss Piggy and Ursula the Sea Witch.

Miss Piggy Ann Martin FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Someone who I thought was kind of funny but admired much more for her dedication and ability to rise in a job where women were less than welcome was Joan Rivers. That kind of tenacity is amazing and even more so when you saw her, a tiny little doll like woman. She was quite old when I met her in Sydney at the Mardi Gras for a very short moment, and she was basically being held up by her minders to get through the crowds, but in my two seconds with her she was lovely. Now she’s gone but there is so much to remember her by.

Joan_Rivers WikiCommonsPhoto Stolen WikiCommons

Here is a super fun piece on the Piggy/Rivers Feud.

After you watch the video, perhaps you’s like to scent these two fabulous women?

Enjoy,

Portia xx

Behind The Feud: Joan Rivers vs. Miss Piggy

Hermès: Observatory of Orange Boxes: Video Series #1

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

This is fabulous APJ Crew,

You want to talk iconic? The orange box is DEFINITELY an icon in and of itself. I had a blanket box from Hermès  for years till it got ruined. I loved it so dearly, kept it on display like art, and in many ways the Hermès box IS art.

Hermes Box Maegan Tintari FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

I love it when luxury brands give us whimsical and fun pieces. These little Hermès snippets are so far from what I expect of the old school, stylish and magnificent house of Hermès that when I saw the first one I laughed out loud. This is exactly what I love about the modern age of Guerilla marketing

Enjoy,

Portia xx

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 01

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 02

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 03

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 04

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy for Dior 2014

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Hello Fashion conscious Fumies,

OOOOW! When I first heard about Cuir Cannage it was a thrilling excitement. I couldn’t wait to get my sniff on it. Immediately I knew it was coming I emailed our Australian DIOR marketing arm and was told I would be contacted on arrival. Well, frankly I couldn’t wait for them, I went and ordered from Surrender To Chance a lovely 3ml spritz. It just arrived, WOO HOO! Let’s wear it together for the first impressions……

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy for Dior 2014

Cuir Cannage Dior Fragrantica 1Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, ylang ylang
Heart: Jasmine, rose, leather, iris
Base: Leather, Juniper (cade oil), birch

Instant leather on spritz like you are looking inside a new handbag for something, then a cool green sappy-ness then a warm wet suede shoe (all this happens in about a minute) and then I get a beautiful, sensual night flower that is the fatty orange blossom & the ylang, neither is wholly itself and they’re blended so beautifully that they create a whole new flower, glorious. This section lasts much longer than you’d expect from an opening and I’m really glad.

Cuir Cannage Christian-Dior Lady-Dior HelensPhoto Stolen Helen’s

The leather is new and very slightly earthy when it comes in, a soft and supple leather that I think anyone could wear. Smoked and tanned it reminds me of a very softened and gentrified Knize Ten. There is no fruit note to sweeten it like the Bottega Venetta and it’s not as plush and rounded as CHANEL’s Cuir de Russie but it is lovely and I can imagine it being worn by the boys to work and on dates. The girls will smell super retro in it and I can’t wait to smell Cuir Cannage on some of them, elegant and razor sharp cool. The girls will certainly stand out when wearing Cuir Cannage, nice one DIOR.

Cuir Cannage Christian-Dior PinterestPhoto stolen Pinterest

Further reading: Colognoisseur and Black Narcissus
Surrender To Chance has $3/ml
DIOR has 125ml, 250ml and 450ml available (450ml? WTF!)

How did Cuir Cannage live on you?
Portia xx

 

Fragrances Inspired by the Sub-Continent

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 34 Comments

Hiya All,

You may know that I am a complete India-phile. The whole area including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka call to me and though I have only visited India I wish to travel all six countries before I die.

Fragrances Sub Continent WikipediaPhoto Stolen WikiCommons

Today I thought we could look at a few scents with names that link them to my fave journey destination…

Fragrances Inspired by the Sub-Continent

Souffle des Indes Comptoir Sud Pacifique FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Souffle des Indies by Comptour Sud Pacifique: Imagine if you took all the lovely, sweet smells and tastes of India and added them to a creamy milk/yoghurt drink. It’s called a Lassi and I adore them. Souffle des Indies by Comptour Sud Pacifique then is the smell of a Lassi with fruit. MMMMMMM. Sweet, creamy, slightly spicy and lovely pureed or finely chopped fruit mixed in, really it’s worth the ticket to India to taste the real thing.

Ambra del Nepal Il Profumi di Firenze FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Ambra del Nepal by Il Profumi di Firenze: A beautiful opener with that medicine cabinet, herbal and caramelised sugar hiding a Crème brûlée sweetness that washes out from under the bold opening and gives the most divine caramel coffee, vanilla cream, bitter chocolate, Ambra Del Nepal is a sweet and spicy Oriental Gourmand frag hit. Ambra Del Nepal is more gourmand that the usual amber that I’m attracted to but I love it.

Nepal Aoud Montale FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Nepal Aoud by Montale: OK so this has the tell tale Montale signature all over it. Their own blend that is their oud, some leathery smell and the plasticky saffron note that I like so much. I don’t see the Nepal correlation but Nepal Aoud is a nice soft, not too in your face, synthetic oud fragrance that melts into your skin and becomes a lovely rough amber then vanilla till drydown.

Mohur Extrait Neela Vermeire Creations FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Mohur Extrait by Neela Vermeire Creations: As if Mohur was not big, beautiful and outrageous enough. Neela and Bertrand got together, tweaked the ingredients a touch and amplified the whole fragrance by doing an extrait. OMG! It is seriously heart stoppingly beautiful. Everything you adored about Mohur but more intense and it lasts for days, on fabric for weeks. If there is a fragrance that has blown out the back of my head by sheer enormity and still retains its rose scented languid beauty, it’s Mohue Extrait.

 

Tibetan Mountain Temple Pacifica FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Tibetan Mountain Temple by Pacifica: Sweet and spicy citrus woods open up Tibetan Mountain Temple and a fun GingerbreadMan accord. There is a cool resinous feeling of incense that evolves through the wear and a delicious creaminess that collides perfectly with the clean patchouli. This is a warming fragrance that smells a LOT more expensive than it is.

 

The Taj Mahal’s Eternal Love Romea D`Ameor FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

The Taj Mahal’s Eternal Love by Romea D`Ameor: Here we have a wet, fruity opening that hints at the very early morning, sunrise at the Taj Mahal. I love this time of day there. If you ever get to Agra make sure your guide gets you to the Taj Mahal about 40 minutes before it opens. If you are the first i line you will see the Taj as few others have ever seen it, empty of humanity. An aquatic floral that ends in woods, very wearable.

So we have had a look at some fragrances inspired by the subcontinent, did I miss something you know or love? Tell me in the comments please.

Portia xx

 

 

 

Karen Gilbert: 1 Day Masterclass : Photo Essay

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

Hi there Perfumistas!!

Last Saturday saw a crew of us doing a One Day Fragrant Masterclass with the amazing Karen Gilbert. To say I learned a lot is a complete understatement, Karen is so knowledgeable, has the most incredibly diverse history within the fragrance industry and has the gift of making everything seem so simple and gives clear and concise instructions. I work best under those conditions and it seemed that everyone was drinking in the knowledge and we had a super fun time.

Karen Gilbert: 1 Day Masterclass : Photo Essay

Topics Covered In The Class:

  • The History of Perfumery
  • The Sense of Smell and What it Means To Us
  • The Beginners Guide to Training your Nose
  • Classifying Fragrances
  • Top, Middle and Base notes and Why They Are Important
  • Creating Accords
  • Practical Blending Techniques
  • Naturals Vs Synthetics

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #3

The first part of the day was meeting us, giving us some theory, history, insider gossip and news, information that has taken me a few days to percolate because it was completely jam packed. We broke for lunch, which was Sydney pub fare and that gave us a moment to really connect with each other and bond.

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #5

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #6

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #7

Then we went back to the classroom and started meeting accords, molecules, notes and learned a very basic how to for fragrance creation. Karen had brought both natural and synthetics for us to learn about, which was a total bonus. We were able to smell 3 different aldehydes, a bunch of fragrant fillers and smoothers and some that could increase diffusion and volume. It was engrossing stuff and we had so many questions. Each question led to 10 others so we were getting knowledge that only the rarest few are privy to. I cannot tell you enough what an excellent experience the day was or how giving and nurturing Karen Gilbert is. To be honest, I don’t know how Karen supplied so much stuff for the ridiculously small amount of $295 for the day. It was overwhelming how much choice we had when it came to creating our personal fragrances.

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #8

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #9

Mine ended up being these accords/notes:
Top: Coriander, lemon, Virginian cedar
Heart: Ylang ylang, orange blossom absolute, listea cubeba (May chang), P.E.A.
Base: Labdanum, galbanum, oakmoss

PEA is a synthetic aromachemical that gives lift and brightness to the naturals. Often used in perfumery apparently to add volume and enable diffusion. I used 4 drops and the difference to heart of the frag was astonishing.

Karen Gilbert Masterclass 2014 #11Photo Donated Ainslie Walker

I have been spritzing my fragrance quite a bit and am so happy with the outcome. As I said on Facebook: Perhaps Malle, YSL or Hermes will never be knocking on my door asking for recipes but I think it’s a rather lovely, simple fragrance.

From a one day class I wasn’t expecting to learn so much. I think it will help enormously with my own purchasing in the future and definitely gives me some insights that I will put towards my blogging. I would take the class again in a heartbeat, I know that I will learn even more next time.

Portia xx

Gardenia GIVEAWAY WINNER

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Hey there crew,

I hope this finds you all happy & well. Sorry this is a bit late but Jin & I were on a Motorbike Course today and both of us are now solid gold certified P PLATE Riders. Woo Hoo.

Portia xx

Gardenia GIVEAWAY WINNER

Gardenia Robert Piguet FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Gardenia, lily, ylang ylang
Heart: Madagascar vanilla
Base: Black leather, cashmeran, spice, woods

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 Winner who will get:
1 x 2ml Gardenia by Robert Piguet decant (nearly full remnants from my sample)
P&H to the USA

HOW DID YOU WIN?

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

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please comment on Gardenia: it’s is a hard one to replicate, what are your favourite gardenia fragranes and why?

Extra Chance?
Tweet: Gardenia by Robert Piguet GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-3dG   @LibertineParfum

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sundayday 28th September 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner was chosen by random.org

Winner EverythingHealthPhoto Stolen EverythingHealth

LYUBOV

The winners will have till Thursday 2nd October 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.

Caleche Parfum + EdT by Guy Robert for Hermes 1961

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Hello Fumie Family,

Recently there was a sale down in South Australia. Early 21st century Caleche Parfum by Hermes refills for a staggering $10, in their cellophane! OMG! So the excitement here was quite expected. I know I should have bought a few but I only got my friend Susan to grab me one and for Dinner on Friday night I decided it was the perfect accompaniment.

Caleche Parfum + EdT by Guy Robert for Hermes 1961

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, lemon, bergamot, cypress, orange blossom, neroli, mandarin
Heart: Iris, gardenia, ylang ylang, rose, lily of the valley, jasmine
Base: Sandalwood, tonka bean, musk, amber, oakmoss, cedar, vetiver

Caleche EdT by Hermes (Vintage)

This is one of the bottles that I was given by Michael Edwards. Kept perfectly and the fizzy citrus and white flower open is devastatingly beautiful. Sheerer and a touch more green than I remember but so fragrant and rich. The buzzing, metallic overtones of aldehydes that lighten and throw the citrus is breathtaking and I swoon.

This is opulence, the feeling of running your hand over very expensive leather and silk brocades. When the flowers fully arrive they are a bouquet, it takes a much better nose than mine to pick them and I think the oakmoss lays a smoothing veil over all. Later, the shiny patina of the resins and smooth undercurrent of woods comes in but they are soft and furry to fade.

Caleche Hermes SabyaSachi_Mukherji brocade_sari WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Caleche Parfum by Hermes (Vint-ish)

Now imagine the above twice as intoxicating. Thicker, richer and treacle thick that is more diffusive to open, in fact one tiny little spritz fills the room with fragrance instantly, and wears more animalic and honeyed (though honey is not a note listed). Caleche Parfum has 100% more growl, is way less bright and glittery, creates a warmer and more intense ambiance and is in every way more luxurious. Though I think my EdT may be older than the Parfum there is a burnished depth in the Parfum that makes me feel ultra sensual. Like looking into those incredibly glossed parquet floors made of 10 different woods, loads of light and shade but over all an extremely beautiful whole fragrance.

Caleche Hermes Elizabeth1_Phoenix WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Lasting power is excellent too, having worn the Parfum to dinner Friday I spritzed at 6pm and was still deliciously fragrant at 1am when I got to bed. So much so that I curled up against my forearm and fell into blissful sleep almost immediately.

Caleche is definitely a brocade fabric, full of life, glitter, colour and movement. It shimmers and glistens like canary diamonds under LED lights. All the notes come together in a beautiful, sparkling fizz of a fragrance that is like champagne cocktails at brunch.

Pool-side Mimosas at The Standard HotelPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: The Black Narcissus says it all perfectly, better ever than I could.
FragranceNet has $89/50ml EdT (old packaging) before Coupon
Surrender To Chance has samples EdT $3/ml Parfum $7/.5ml

Are you a fan? Is Caleche something you like? Maybe your family has a Caleche wearer?
I’d love to read your Caleche stories too, leave them below in the comments.

Portia xx

 

Gucci Presents: Bamboo Confidential Movie

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hi there GUCCI lovers, and haters,

GUCCI is a brand with heaps of awareness through the ages. Even when no one was buying GUCCI it was still a name associated with lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous. Then came the dreary years when you may have bought GUCCI shoes, they were exquisitely produced even to the turn of the century, but not much else. Then Tom Ford came and reignited the brand, brought it to a whole new world of middle classes who wanted to feel rich & famous and who could afford some fragrance, a belt, some shoes or if very lucky a suit/gown/skirt etc

Gucci Bamboo Confidential amsterdam-ftvPhoto Stolen AmsterdamFTV (Problem using this image? tell me)

Now GUCCI is on the slides again but they are doing some fun and interesting advertising, love this mini movie and maybe they will get back to making excellent shoes.

Portia xx

Gucci Presents: Bamboo Confidential