Portia

2014! Simple Change For A Better Life

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Heya Lovelies,

This year I have not really made any resolutions as such, and it has taken me the better part of a month to formulate any kind of focus for change anyway. I came across a piece online last week that resonated and I sent it to a few of my buddies. None of the things I read were new to me, nor are they earth shatteringly lightbulb moments. These are the things that you forget in the daily grind of life. It’s also interesting how things evolve.

My BFF Kath was so taken with the subject headings of this piece that she grabbed a photo she had taken of me in China at the Summer Palace a few years ago and overlaid the titles. Yes that’s me on the point looking back at Kath and smiling, it was an incredible holiday, Kath’s first adult overseas experience and my first glimpse of China. I have been so blessed in a multitude of ways but my friends are number one. I think these few action sentencess give a great and thought provoking way to start 2014.

Resolutions? None really

Things I would like to improve? I’d like to live leaner without so much clutter around me, also to streamline the businesses so they are less tiresome, put aside definite time to spend with Jin as he seems to be the one I skimp most time from and he deserves better, remember to breathe slowly, walk purposefully and stand straight. I hope I can spend the year feeling as relaxed, happy, hopeful and centered as I look in this photo.

As always, everyone here at APJ wishes you a life chock full of the good things and the least possible of the other stuff.

Portia xx

2014 New Years Resolutions

Sydney Australia to Vienna Austria 2014 Photo Essay

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 34 Comments

Hello lovely APJ Peeps,

Currently I am sitting in the Hotel Royal off Stephanplatz (The Plaza of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral) in the heart of shopping town Vienna, Austria. My traveling buddy and APJ contributor, Michael, is on his first ever trip to Europe and we are both super excited, he to see and me to re-see and bump into a bunch of frag buddies. The journey here has been so amazingly extraordinary I thought I’d share a photo essay of it.

Due to a mate of ours being able to procure us the most ridiculously cheap airfares ever we traveled most of the way to Vienna in First Class. Until now I never dreamed such a thing could happen. I am usually an economy passenger except for a time when a partner of mine worked for British Airways and I was sometimes upgraded to business because they’d oversold the plane. I though THAT was luxurious……

Here are a few pics of the journey so far. We have had a great day with Birgit & Sandra from Olfactoria’s Travels but were so busy enjoying their company that there are no photos. There will be photos of some of the other stuff soon. Sadly I left my phone on a train, all will be fine though and life will be cool.
Portia xx

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Nuit de Tubéreuse by Bertrand Duchaufour for L`Artisan Parfumeur 2010

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Hello Fans of Floral Extravaganza,

Even some of you who hate the BWF, that is the Big White Floral, may take to todays L’Artisan Parfumeur offering. Who knows? Don’t knock it till you try it at least 20 times say I. One of the prettiest L’Artisan bottles with its additional art nouveau inspired bottle paintings on the iconic heptagon bottle that could easily be your one and only.

Nuit de Tubéreuse by Bertrand Duchaufour for L`Artisan Parfumeur 2010

Nuit de Tubereuse L`Artisan Parfumeur FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Clove, pink pepper, mandarin, black pepper, cardamom, citrus
Heart: green mango, tuberose, orange blossom, ylang-ylang, rose,
Base: Broom, musks, vanilla, sandalwood, palisander, benzoin, styrax, angelica

So fragrantica.com have different pictures to their notes text so as we all think most of the notes lists are bullshit anyway I’ll just tell you what I smell on me, and I have been in the pool today so you might get s slightly skewed reading.

Well, the Nuit de Tubéreuse rush at first is completely pepper/citrus and there is a sweetness that feels fruity and modern, it has a juniper waft and I am reminded slightly of gin. Pretty, potent and fun are the words that jump into my head. To be completely honest the opening could be an expensive and well thought out celebuscent/designer offering. I digress…

Nuit de Tubereuse L`Artisan Parfumeur Jason Bache FlickrPhoto Stolen Jason Bache  Flickr

The heart of Nuit de Tubéreuse is what makes me love this fragrance so much, the bouquet with a sharp sizzle of unripe fruit and I think this is where we see the herbal cardamom more than the opening and the angelica is a lovely counterpoint through quite a bit of Nuit de Tubéreuse, the whole is so different to anything else I own. The green sappy tuberose and the un-sensual warmth of clean orange blossom and ylang-ylang combine with the rest to create something audacious but wearable. This is not a sexy siren of a scent, there is no come hither and get funky, the flowers are very strictly controlled, cleaned and virginal.  A new interpretation of an old theme, which is what L’Artisaan is so loved for, but done in a way that is accessible to everyone. Some perfumistas find Nuit de Tubéreuse tiresome and boring because it doesn’t push the limits of tuberose but I don’t think that is a necessity, there is definitely room for a softer, more languorous tuberose that doesn’t feel like a confrontation or that you need to get it to have your perfumista stripes.

Nuit de Tubereuse L`Artisan Parfumeur Carolyn Jewel FlickrPhoto Stolen Carolyn Jewel  Flickr

Above all I think Nuit de Tubéreuse feels clean, fresh and pampered. It is hefty for a L’Artisan and gives good projection and sillage but the lasting power is similar, at 3-5 hours depending, to most others they make. A showstopper? Yes. A devil may care naughty wink with attitude? Not so much.

During my clean out I have found more than one bottle of Nuit de Tubéreuse, I am a NAUGHTY frag addict.

Further reading: Kafkaesque and Now Smell This
Libertine Parfumerie have $188/100ml (Australia)
Parfum1 have$120/50ml
Surrender To Chance start at $5/ml

Have you tried this tricky tuberose? Do you want to?
Loads of good wishes till tomorrow, see you then,
Portia xx

Pervious L’Artisan Parfumeur APJ reviews
Amour Nocturne/Deleria/Skin on Skin
Cote d’Amour
L’Eau d’Ambre
L’Eau du Navigateur
Passage d’Enfer
Piment Brulant
Premier Figuier Extreme
Safran Troublant
Seville a l’Aube
Tea for Two
Vanille Absolument
Voleur de Roses

 

Aromatic Essentials Designing Scents Evening

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Hey there Sydney Crew,

My mate Julie from Aromatic essentials has organised a super evening with food, fragrance and a special guest speaker who will address the “Art of Feminine Presence”. Only $20 if you get in early and I think it will be oodles of fun. You get to learn a little bit about designing a natural perfume filled with good intention and love. There is the talk and you get to hang with a bunch of fun people who love scent. Cool!

Saturday Feb 8 2014

6-9pm @ Kirribilli Community Centre

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Eau Absolue by Mona de Orio 2013

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Hello my lovelies,

One of my favourite Niche/Indie houses Mona do Orio was busy in 2013 bringing out two fragrances. This was the first offering and I wanted to give a bit of space between the lovely reviews for launch and a look at it after some time, giving the dust a moment to settle. I have here a 10ml decant about 1/4 used. Whenever I reach for it I think that I will want to wear it every day but then, of course, pick up something else tomorrow. When I wear it often the thought “Dessert Island Top Ten” passes through my brain. Would it be? Hopefully I’ll never have to choose.

Eau Absolue by Mona de Orio 2013

Eau Absolue Mona di Orio FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, clementine, petitgrain
Heart: Geranium, java vetiver oil, bay leaf, pink pepper
Base: Cedar, musk, labdanum

BZZZZZZZ! The citrus opening is loads of fun but kept from being a zingy space cadet by whispers of the resins to come even in the first minute. While I sit here in a balmy Sydney summer evening I am enjoying the very unexpected opening. I have read a few reviews before writing tonight, which is not something I usually do, so my expectations were for something quite different, something more mainstream and fizzy. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This is, as I should always expect with a Mona di Orio fragrance, something quite densely layered with everything in the notes list all at once and what will happen is certain accords will get precedence on occasion.

Eau Absolue Mona di Orio Chris Isherwood FlickrPhoto Stolen Chris Isherwood  Flickr

I get zero geranium or pink pepper but the citrus, bay, musk and labdanum seem to be the stars in Eau Absolue for my skin and nose. Eau Absolue is warm, cuddly and inviting without giving any sexual vibes and almost no fleshy animal. It’s so friendly and smells like my Mum and the kitchen would smell during winter, like food seasonings, smoke, wool wash, clean skin and unconditional love. There is something waxy and lip balm-ish too. I am madly in love with the memories Eau Absolue is conjuring. What an enjoyable ride, when I normally spritz Eau Absolue I just enjoy the fragrance and don’t really stop to question the whys and wherefors, sitting here and having the time and space to let my mind wander and really enjoy this beautiful, flawless creation by Mona di Orio is a joyful experience and I think I’ve been smiling for two hours. This is the good stuff and if I wasn’t going on a perfume voyage in a moment I’d be looking up LuckyScent or Peony Melbourne and ordering.

 Eau Absolue Mona di Orio Eleazar FlickrPhoto Stolen Eleazar Flickr

Though Eau Absolue is not a big projector it does have good silllage and I get around 5-6 hours of fragrant wear before it dries down to a soft fuzzy powdery wash. Wearable? Anywhere. Everywhere. Dress up or down. Dawn or dusk or romantic interlude.

Further reading: The Non-Blonde and Chemist In A Bottle
LuckyScent has $230/100ml
Surrender To Chance samples start at $7/ml

I think this could be my everyday wear frag. Eau Absolute is comfortable like so many of the Mona di Orios and so fabulously unusual too. Is there one of these for you that you still don’t have a Full Bottle of? Why?

My answer is that I will never get through 100ml of it. 100ml is a LOT of fragrance for a perfumista but if I see someone selling their 50mls left, reasonably priced, on a list I will jump all over it.

I hope your day is happy and bright,

Portia x

 

Limette 37 by Le Labo 2013

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Hi Hi Hi,

I know, I know, I know! I’m late to the party, this has finished its scheduled sale. Yes, I know. Here’s the thing though, I have been so inundated by fragrance that this and another 2013 release Cuir 28 have been lying idle in their pack awaiting moderation. I remember this being slated for its incredible cost $440/100ml and that it didn’t last at all well, nor was its development interesting enough to warrant such outrageous pricing. OK, so I will try it and see how it goes…

Limette 37 by Le Labo 2013

Limette 37 Le Labo FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Lime, bergamot, jasmine, petitgrain, cloves, vetiver, tonka bean, musk

Soapy, that’s what I smell. It’s like a soap we had here in Australia when I was growing up called Palmolive Gold. The tagline “Don’t wait to be told, you need Palmolive Gold” was a schoolyard maxim that would be sung to anyone showing the least sign of body odour.

Here the fresh lemony/citrus smell is tempered by jasmine, actually after the first 10 minutes jasmine become the main focus on my skin. A very clean, pretty jasmine with still a zesty citrus wash over it. I think musk is around too, though I can’t smell it exactly it feels like its there just out of my olfactory reach. All the other accords are not in evidence at the one hour mark to me, but my nose is notoriously wonky.

This morning I awoke to a very soft scent that was still humming around, a musky vanilla citrus. It was easily discernible while lying on my hand in the moments of half asleep and half awake but when I got up and walked to the kitchen to make a cuppa I lost most of it and was left with something not quite fragrant.

Limette 37 Le Labo Lemon_slice DeviantArtPhoto Stolen DeviantArt

I am sorry to agree with the majority in this instance, for the kind of dollars Le Labo were asking I want much more, I want it to sing and tap dance across the air from skin to nostril, I want fireworks and magic tricks. Don’t get me wrong, if you are filthy rich then this will be a perfectly good fragrance for you and I hope you enjoy it and your lovely life of luxury. On the other hand, if you are like me, that $440 could be spent on two or even four much more worthy bottles. For my money that’s a bottle of Ashoka by Neela Vermeire Creations and a export bottle of Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle.

Further reading: The Perfume Shrine and Now Smell This
Surrender To Chance samples start at $6/.5ml

Did you try Limette 37? Was it worth the hype for you? Did you wish for a spare $440?
Portia xx

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 Ad Campaign

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Fashionistas!!!

This years advertising is already hotting up. Donna Karan has done a super set of shots and I’ve grabbed them from my fave Fashion Forward blog: art8amby where I also lifted the below script. Do go check their stuff, right on point every day.

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 Ad Campaign

Brazilian bombshell Adriana Lima is returning to be the face of Donna Karan New York. The super sexy and fierce Adriana was once their campaign model for Spring Summer 2012 season. She is accompanied by top male model Andres Velencoso Segura for the images that were snapped by Russell James. (source)

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 #1

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 #2

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 #3

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 #4

Donna Karan Spring Summer 2014 #5

DIOR: How To Get the Trianon Look: Mini Movie

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Hiya Junkies,

As you may know I have a bit of an addictive personality, also I am a Drag Queen, so you’d think I would have box loads of make up. The answer is no. Yes, I have backups of my favourite products but everything fits into a small drawer. I do love watching makeup fashions evolve though and this season I think DIOR has hit a home run. Looking like a pastel Bambi with eyes the surprised vacant look of a bunny about to get Dunlop disease, the model is absolutely outrageously gorgeous.

Of course it is referencing Marie Antoinette but in my mind it also harks back to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. GLAM.

Like the look? Want to know how to get it? Below is a how to video.

Enjoy,

Portia xx

dior-marie-Antoinette MalayMailOnlinePhoto Stolen TheMalayMailOnline

DIOR SPRING 2014: Trianon Look

DIOR Trianon 2014Photo Stolen DIOR

Kashmir Spice by Serena Ava Franco for Ava Luxe

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments
Hey Hey Niche Nerds,

Ava Luxe is a super surprise package of fabulous frag gems. The great news is that for a micro niche brand the prices are extremely affordable and sizes are also kept small so you can try 4 or 5 Ava Luxe frags for the cost of a mainstream offering.

Kashmir Spice by Ava Luxe

KashmirSpice FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

From the Ava Luxe site:
An alluring blend of exotic spices, cashmere woods, and incense. Turkish Rose absolute weaves it way through this sensual scent.
Featured Notes: East Indian spices, frankincense, myrrh, Cashmere woods, Turkish Rose Absolute, gaiacwood, amber.

WOW!! Kashmir Spice goes on hefty and gourmand, it’s a big fat glorious wander through one of the fabulous spice stores in Northern India. There is even the dry, throat raspy feeling of intense heat and spices in enclosed spaces during an Indian summer. Totally edible and smelling like a sweeter version of the first moment the spices hit hot oil in a pan Kashmir Spice is an assault on your senses that is both enticing and memorable. The amber, frankinsense and myrrh give a lively resinous counterpoint that is sweet, balmy and dusty (The dusty may be the spices actually) at the same time. The woods and rose play only background on my skin but on Jin the rose is quite prominent, maybe you have to be further than I can get to smell it, on him Kashmir Spice’s Turkish rose absolute is like honey and rosewater baklava. MMMM! I even get a hint of ginger through the body of the fragrance and it works in the heat and the cold. I’m thinking of taking it with me on my holidays next week, that’s how much I love it.

kashmirBoats ToshaliToursPhoto Stolen ToshaliTours

I get a medium life span of around 4 hours of fragrance but after that my skin still smells better than reality, just ever so slightly vanillic, for another couple of hours and then gone. Way too perfumed for close working, borderline for dinner and cinema but perfect for all other moments when smelling gorgeous is important. At these prices you can afford to wear it as your daily after hours go-to frag, Kashmir Spice would be on a current short list for my 10 Desert Island frags.

KashmiriSpiceMarket ABC.netPhoto Stolen ABC.net

I have worn Kashmir Spice to my work a few times and it is a guaranteed compliment gatherer and people want to get in for a big ole snuffle of you, then they ask what it is that you smell of and where can they get it. Every time so far! It has also seen some fairly intense wear on my skin over time, there’s quite a lot of air in my 15ml and I will soon need to replace it.

Further reading: I could only find reviews on Make Up Alley and there is love and hate in equal measure
AvaLuxe site has 15ml EdP/$30 and 5ml extrait/$27

Take care of yourselves,
Portia xx

Disclaimer: This is a repeat post. If you have been a long time reader and this twigged your memory. I was halfway through writing a new post about Kashmir Spice when my brain asked me to check, and yes, this was originally posted on December 30 2012. I have given it a couple of tweaks but it really is the same post.

ONE SEED SCENT BAR: NEW!!

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Heya APJ Friends and Family,

Here is the most exciting thing I’ve seen in a while. we love One Seed and their creator Liz Cook here at APJ and when news like this hits the desktop I get very happy.

This is what I just got sent. WOW!!!
Portia xx

one seed text logoscent bar banner 1We are thrilled to launch our new Scent Bar online! Now you can create your own custom-fragrance using natural extracts and accords from our collection.
Simply choose your favourite top, middle and base notes from those listed, and we will expertly blend them into an 8ml atomiser for only $29.95!

VISIT THE SCENT BAR NOW…<<<JUMP

And for a limited time, we are giving you $10 off your first Scent Bar order!
This is a subscribers-only offer and wont be offered to the general public. It’s our little ‘thankyou’ to you!

Just use code 2Y34CQTG9R59 at checkout. (Offer expires 31st January 2014)

Here is how mine looked:
Top note: spice (clove; cardamom; fennel; nutmeg)
Middle note: white flowers (jasmine;magnolia;tuberose;champaca;orange blossom)
Base note: amber
Optional-up to 2 extra notes: Orange, Ylang
Which note to be dominant?: Amber

Under $30. What a great idea.

VISIT THE SCENT BAR NOW…<<<JUMP