Hey All,
Margeaux and I are in the studio again and the usual silliness ensues. It’s great to have him give his views and as always we really enjoy ourselves.
I hope you enjoy it too,
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Smoke, vanilla, dark wood, sandalwood, patchouli, thyme, labdanum, amber, cinnamon, pink pepper
Hello APJ,
Here’s the thing. The last few days have been a bit wonky. I have been irritable, grouchy, whiney and generally being a big hairy poo head. I have let myself get overwhelmed by external pressures, people’s failure to do it my right, business, late payers, bills, friends, general life really. I felt like I was sinking and it’s not a feeling I relish. So I went to one of those feel better FB pages and stole some short sayings that resonated. Often it’s easy to forget that there is a big picture, a goal or that moving forward can entail change and NO ONE likes change that doesn’t move at a comfortable pace. So it seems that changes are needed, some of them will be painful and some will be easy, and you don’t get to chose.
The other side though, that’s where the payoff is, pain now, gain later. Really pain? Hopefully not but certainly discomfort.
It was Thanksgiving this week in America. Where they thank the Indians for teaching them how to survive in the new country, sadly many of the Indians did not survive their encounter with white mans germs, it was reverse War of the Worlds, the aliens survived. What do I have to be thankful for? So much, I am lucky and blessed on so many levels. What do I need to change? Well change has already been put in motion, there will be more….
I hope you like this little montage for hope.
Portia xx
Hello Fume Heads,
I know you are all crazy to try the new L’Artisan Parfumeur set of fragrances. well my mate Nick from Libertine Parfumerie has sent me a set of all three, in tester form. Thanks Libertine Parfumerie, you guys ROCK!!! So what I thought we would do today is look at the 3 fragrances. Then do a VERY special giveaway. Hopefully you will be thrilled. It’s our way of saying Thank You for being the most tremendous community of fragrance and scent lovers in the universe, and thank you for being a part of our dream.
Firstly, let’s talk about these bottles. They are fun and hefty, the octagonal mirroring the old bottles but adding a side, or a facet? I love the gold-tone label in the niche on one side, it looks slick and very law firm-ish or as if your designer has picked your fragrance. They will look excellent on your bureau, in your wardrobe or wherever you keep your fragrances. The embossed gold-tone cap reflects the Seville a l’Aube cap and I like it too. My only though is to wonder how people with small hands cope with it, it is cumbersome and heavy. My big hands do fine but I do wonder….
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Cedar, hot milk, caramel, gunpowder, orchid
Well it certainly is an unusual, inventive and funky opening. Sweet, dry and smoky all at once. Amour Nocturne is hardcore elegant, you know those uber stylish people who always radiate self confidence, chic and easy going, sometimes slightly sideways style? They never look like a fashion plate but manage to seem coolly confident in their choices and often one or more pieces are recycled or a gift from Granny that none of us could even DREAM of wearing, yet for them it all looks charming and effortless. This is what those ladies and gentlemen smell like. Homely and sexy at the same time, the gunpowder adds a real zing that takes this nearly gourmand fragrance out of the ordinary and into magic. You really can smell sweet, warm, caramel milk woods and gunpowder, or a metallic dream of gunpowder. The orchid is amped up well beyond the ability of most orchids to smell but in this very noticeable amount it reminds me a little of the early Olympic Orchids offerings like Little Stars, reminds not mimics.
To be honest I thought this was going to be shit. It’s most definitely not, I love it
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Metal, rum, toffee, apple, candy floss
Sheer and very much like Aeroplane Jelly when you pour the boiling water onto the crystals. It has a distinctively unusual, super sweet to the point of nausea, hot sugar and food colouring smell. Both disgusting and gorgeous but with wonderful memories of times spent creating jelly masterpieces. One year we did Rainbow Jelly, which is just the 6 jelly colours in the rainbow made solid then add the next layer. Time consuming but Oh So Worth It, 2cm thick slices (with a hot knife) on a white plate with some ice cream is a pretty special looking piece of art. The sheerness fades quite quickly to a sweet haze on my skin, it is still all the opening madness but subtlety has arrived, and a very slight hint of skank. MMMMM, it gets interesting. As Deliria dries down I get a yummy biscuit effect.
This is a fine piece of perfumery but not really my style, though I could grow to like it maybe. I can imagine the younger crowd, sweet scent lovers or new to the wormhole will like this one the best. If you are thinking of gifting and the recipient is currently wearing mainstream stuff then this is a logical progression. 1000 times better than most mainstream and not infinitely more expensive.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Suede, saffron, whisky, lavender, rose, iris, musks, skin effects
Skin on Skin is the one people seem to have noticed and be raving about. It is the most like a L’Artisan of the three, that saffron, suede, iris combination is flawless here. Beautifully blended, soft, pretty and yet still wearable by a guy.The inside of a newish handbag, maybe a brand new pair of sandals after their first wear. There is sweet human hiding beneath the flowers and suede, I am not sure that I get the booze, I need to spend some more time with Skin on Skin on my skin.
This one feels modern in the traditional underplayed L’Artisan way. I know that sentence reads funny but the L’Artisan crew are groundbreakers: first fig frag, Dzing!, Velour de Roses, Tea for two and many others were numero uno of their type. So copied now that the scents seem a trifle generic but if you really spray a lot on and live the ride then you’ll see that in most cases they have been copied but not exceeded. Again they offer a new way to do things but it’s a muted, comfortable new way. I can imagine people wearing Skin on Skin as their go-to daily fragrance and being very happy with it in all seasons.
Photo Stolen kbaird
This week we will have TWO main winners and each will receive:
1 x 100ml TESTER bottle with lid of a L’Artisan Parfumeur Explosions d’Emotions fragrance (with about 15ml missing) and no you don’t get to choose
P&H Anywhere in the world
There will also be THREE other winners and each will receive:
1 x decanted sample of all three L’Artisan Parfumeur Explosions d’Emotions fragrances
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 go to Libertine Perfumes<<<JUMP and find me a perfume and its manufacturer. NO DOUBLE UPS!!
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie @LArtisan Explosions d’Emotions GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2fb #Perfume #Giveaway
Entries Close Sunday 1st December 2013 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner.
The winners will have till Wednesday 4th December 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.
Special THANKS to LibertinePerfumerie for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous and helpful. If you wonder why they are more expensive than the discounters or OS retailers it’s because they are the only licensed company selling their fragrances in Australia; where you know you are buying new, fresh and genuine product. The cost of importing, and buying the right to import, alcohol based fragrances (and having the right to send alcohol based fragrances throughout Australia, which are illegal to send in the Australia Post air system) is expensive and they must cover their costs to bring you these luxury goods.
Hello Fragrant Fumies,
On Friday’s I like to add something off topic, fun or heartwarming. Here a small girl gives money to a busker and the world explodes in a very beautiful and surprising way. These are the moments that we are so lucky to get a glimpse at, magic really does happen. Don’t despair, the world may be a crock of shit some days but know that out there wonder occurs.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Thank you all so much for being part of my dream at APJ. I am so grateful that you come back, read, comment, share.
Love,
Portia x
To all the people in America who celebrate this day
Photo Stolen Calsidyrose Flickr
Thanks APJ for getting so on board and involved. The people at L’Occitane are so happy that we are talking about doing some more wonderful giveaways. THANK YOU L’OCCITANE!!! You are such a great company and APJ is proud to associate with you, totally generous.
This set includes: Currently on special at L’Occitane Australia reduced to $118
• 75ml Cèdre & Oranger Eau de Toilette
• 175ml Cèdre & Oranger Shower Gel
• 75ml Cèdre & Oranger After Shave Balm
This week there will be 2 winners who will receive one used for review purposes only bottle of L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse (NO you don’t get to chose)
1 winner will receive:
Cèdre & Oranger EdT 75ml
P&H Anywhere in the world
1 winner will receive:
Fleur d’Or Acacia EdT 75ml
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.
To be eligible for the draw just mention how you follow the APJs and tell us any L’Occitane product that you’ve used or like the sound of
Entries Closed Sunday 24th November 2013 10pm Australian EDST
Winners will be chosen by random.org
Photo Stolen markmontanoblogs
Camilla, Elise Johnson
WOO HOO CONGRATULATIONS!!! The winners will have till Thursday 28th 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.
Hello Frag Hags,
Great to see you all. I thought that you could probably all do with something cool and calm after your big Friday & Saturday nights out, so today I thought a fragrance called Starry Night or Nuit Etoilée would be a perfect balm.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured acords:
Top: Citron, sweet orange, peppermint
Heart: Siberian pine, fir resin
Base: Angelica seed, tonka, immortal
The picture above is for the old bottle, the new clear bottle is below. What a shame Pacific Amore has decided to change the very beautiful blue. The minute I heard I ran out and bought a square mens bottles from one of the Facebook groups because I love them so much, it’s about 99% full and I got a very good deal. YAY!! Happy days.
That sweet minty citrus burst at the open is like drinking champagne punch with little green chewy bits of mint chopped and floating through it. It was my Mum’s favourite family party drink and she would make a large glass punch bowl up as everyone started arriving, we kids were given a beaker when we were small just to have a taste so that we felt part of it all. As we got older we were given glasses and when I finally realised that I was a big kid was when I was handed one of the glass punch cups with grapes and fruit embossed around the outside, there seemed to be HUNDREDS of these glasses when we were young but when Mum died and we had to clean out the stuff she’d amassed there were only 24 and the whole set was packed away perfectly awaiting the next party. Memories!! Joyous, fun, sun filled memories.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
Yes, Nuit Etoilee warms up after the open but the lovely minty, citric fizz doesn’t leave for quite a while. Underneath it though comes a warm resinous woodsy melange that flirts underneath for ages before it decides it is time to take over. Like getting out of a cool pool and lying in the sun to dry, warm/cold then warmer and then dry. The immortelle, resins and tonka are sweet and dry. Nuit Etoilee really does dry down, the whole fragrance changes to earthy, dry flowers that have a slight vanilla/amber sweetness that has nothing to do with food.
Nuit Etoilee is not a super long lasting fragrance, I’m lucky to get four hours before I lose all traces of it. Soft enough for most workplaces, great for the calm and cool stuff. In fact, I could see Nuit Etoilee very easily becoming a go to signature scent. I has the lovely fresh opening that becomes a warm bear hug of a fragrance, it could work all year for you.
Photo Stolen Annick Goutal
Further reading: Now Smell This and Bois de Jasmin
Fragrance Shop have the blue bottle EdT under $70/100ml before coupon
Surrender To Chance start at $3/ml
Hope you have a wonderful Sunday,
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx
Woo Hoo! Hey Y’All.
Here at APJ we did a L’Occitane Divine Cream Review and Challenge, you can watch the progression in L’Occitane Divine Cream Challenge Week 1 and L’Occitane Divine Cream Challenge Week 2 where we challenged you all to grab a sample and see how it left your skin in 2 weeks. At the time L’Occitane also sent me a set of the first four four of their La Collection de Grasse fragrances to try and if I wanted to APJ could review them. Well, I WANTED TO! These fragrances are beautiful, wearable, spritz and go winners. Last week we did a L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse Review and Giveaway that L’Occitane were so happy with they sent me the THREE LATEST IN THE SERIES!!! We have the BRAND NEWEST available, so exciting.
Photo Stolen L’Occitane
Pictured above is the L’Occitane 7.5ml La Collection de Grasse Miniatures Christmas pack, an excellent choice and currently only $35 on the L’Occitane Australia Site
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, rosemary
Heart: Fig leaf, rose
Base: Sandalwood, cedar, labdanum, vanilla
I can’t believe that Ambre & Santal is made for this price. It is as warm, rich and complex as some of the VERY expensive niche offerings. This is so good I’m keeping it. Sorry folks.
Right from the beginning you can already smell the vanilla and resins coated in a very light hint of herbaceous green and a tiny glitter of citrus. Fig leaf and rose? Maybe through the heart there is a leafiness but it is a bit less specific than fig, or maybe I’ve been spoilt by so many other fig releases at a much higher price point and the rose is such a bit player I can barely detect it. What does shine so bright about Ambre & Santal is its base, which is basically the whole life of the fragrance, it is the loveliest, creamy woods and resinous vanilla. Ambre & Santal sings on my skin as if they were made for each other. I repeat, I can’t believe this excellent price point. I smell so good and have been asked what I’m wearing a couple of times while I have sported it. Totally unisex and an excellent fragrance.
This set includes: Currently on special at L’Occitane Australia reduced to $118
• 75ml Cèdre & Oranger Eau de Toilette
• 175ml Cèdre & Oranger Shower Gel
• 75ml Cèdre & Oranger After Shave Balm
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, bergamot, pine needles
Heart: Cardamom, red berries, Virginian cedar
Base: Vetiver, musk
I don’t like to create gender boundaries but of the people I’ve tried it on only one woman said she would wear it but EVERY man was very impressed. Jin who usually wears Bottega Veneta original and Mona di Orio Oud asked if he could keep it. I had to do divert and grab to get it back or it would have been lost forever in his frag stash.
The opening is bright and fresh and very clean, this is what all those sport and blue fragrances wish they were. It is the richest and prettiest of that genre that I’ve yet smelled and I can definitely see it being a good gift for the guys. Cèdre & Oranger warms up very slightly through the heart but essentially stays green and woodsy to its still clean musk dry down. After about an hour Cèdre & Oranger is very close to the body, maintaining a just showered freshness without pushing itself far beyond your skin. Ideal for even the closest office work and later for drinks an extra spritz will freshen it, and you, up considerably and last till next morning, quietly clean.
Fleur d’Or & Acacia Luminous Body Oil only $45 at L’Occitane Australia
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon, bergamot
Heart: Mimose, genet
Base: White woods, musk
Fleur d’Or & Acacia is the latest offering from the L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse and I predict it being the biggest seller of them all. It is a very pretty Acacia/Mimosa fragrance that opens refreshingly citrus/green, invigorating and happy enough to make a grey sky blue and then the Acacia/Mimosa steps in and they all become that lovely waxy sweet crushed wattle flower green. Fleur d’Or & Acacia is sweet but not sugar sweet or vanilla sweet just sweet and pretty flowers over a sappy green-ness. Simple and wearable, a perfect mid season go to that will become a staple of your wardrobe and make an excellent gift. Surprisingly good longevity and though not a big fragrance has a lovely sheer penetration into your surrounds. The dry down is very easy wear, no surprises, but good solid fragrance that you’ll be happy to spritz and go in. BTW the Body oil above is also TO DIE FOR!!!
One of the jokes around this house is that seven out of ten things I spray on Jin he says, “Acacia” so today when I spritzed him I was hoping he would not say it but, damnit, he did.
This week there will be 2 winners who will receive one used for review purposes only bottle of L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse (NO you don’t get to chose)
1 winner will receive:
Cèdre & Oranger EdT 75ml
P&H Anywhere in the world
1 winner will receive:
Fleur d’Or Acacia EdT 75ml
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.
To be eligible for the draw just mention how you follow the APJs and tell us any L’Occitane product that you’ve used or like the sound of
Extra Chances?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse GIVEAWAY #2 http://wp.me/p3PURw-2ec #Giveaway #Perfume @LOCCITANE
Entries Close Sunday 24th 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 Thursday 28th 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.
Hiya Perfumista Peeps,
Louis Vuitton, as so often is the case, have made something beautiful and luxurious. These ads are clearly the start of a story to be continued throughout the world. I wonder where we will be taken next in the magical Louis Vuitton Balloon? I hope this keeps you interested while we wait for the Louis Vuitton fragrance, I do hope it’s soon……..
Portia xx
Photo Stolen replicaguide
How lucky are you all APJ? We keep doing AWESOME GIVEAWAYS and the response has been great again. Thank you all and special thanks to L’Occitane for their incredible generosity. Do take a moment to jump across and have a look at their spectacular range. There seems to be something for EVERYBODY there, and some super great Christmas/Gift giving Season presents.
Photo Stolen L’Occitane
Pictured above is the L’Occitane 7.5ml La Collection de Grasse Miniatures Christmas pack, an excellent choice and currently only $35 on the L’Occitane Australia Site
This week there will be 2 winners who will receive one used for review purposes only bottle of L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse (NO you don’t get to chose)
1 winner will receive:
Magnolia & Mure EdT 75ml
P&H Anywhere in the world
1 winner will receive:
The Vert & Bigarade EdT 75ml
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.
To be eligible for the draw just mention how you follow the APJs and tell us any L’Occitane product that you’ve used or like the sound of
Extra Chances?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie L’Occitane La Collection de Grasse GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2cr #Giveaway #Perfume @LOCCITANE
Entries Closed Sunday 17th November 2013 10pm Australian EDST
Winners were chosen by random.org
Photo Stolen thegarfieldshow-diary
CONGRATULATIONS!!! The winners will have till Thursday 21st 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.
Australian Perfume Junkies 