Heya APJ Family,
I have been finding these beautiful pieces on YouTube that have inspired me lately. Natalie Portman always inspires me….. so does DIOR
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
“Make Me A Fragrance That Smells Like Love” Christan Dior
Portia
Puredistance Sample GIVEAWAY WINNERS
Do go enter our Bohemia by One Seed GIVEAWAY too<<<JUMP
Hello Frag Hags,
We have had an amazing response to the PUREDISTANCE Giveaway. Thank you for all getting involved. Thank you also to LuckyScent who supplied the samples. These are the 1ml dab vials in a lovely satin pouch, not the boxed sample pack that you can buy at LuckyScent for $60, but still worth around $30 so a pretty good deal.
Puredistance Crystal Column LuckyScent
Puredistance Sample GIVEAWAY WINNERS
WHAT COULD YOU WIN?
There are 2 prizes this week in our PUREDISTANCE GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:
4 x 1ml dab vials from PUREDISTANCE (Antonia, Opardu, M and I)
P&H Anywhere in the world
HOW DID YOU WIN?
Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS.
All I needed was a HELLO with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.
HOUSEKEEPING
Entries Closed Thursday 5th September 2013 10pm Australian EST.
Winners were chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner. (This didn’t happen because Jin was sound asleep, I gave you all a number and used Random.org)
Photo Stolen shannonmayer
Melita, Patty P
The winners will have till Sunday 8th September 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.
Thank You everyone.
Portia xx
Bohemia EdP by Liz Cook for One Seed
Hey there Indie Perfume Lovers,
Just so you know ONE SEED is having a Gift With Purchase till Sunday 8/9/13 Australian EST
(plus 2 free samples of your choice with every order over $50 this week only)
In Australia we are gaining quite a perfume creation culture, one of my favourites is Liz Cook’s One Seed who also fly the 100% All Natural flag. Though I am not swayed by whether something is natural or created I know many of you are. There is something deep and real about good natural perfume that is so different from a lot of the fragrances we deal with on a regular basis that they are an acquired taste. Remember your first Serge Lutens after years of Elizabeth Arden or even mainstream CHANEL? It was quite a revelation and for many it took a while to recalibrate to this artistic and a little outrageous perfume ideal.
Bohemia EdP by Liz Cook for One Seed
Photo Stolen One Seed
Top: Blood orange, pink grapefruit
Heart: Jasmine, apricot, rose
Base: Cocoa, tonka, black tea, amber accord, vanilla
From One Seed site: Both broody & playful; a bitter-sweet composition of alluring amber, smoked tea & dark chocolate set against luscious blood orange & vanilla tones, with a delicate heart of jasmine & apricot.
From the very first whiff I get JAFFA, a confectionary here in Australia that is chocolate/orange, like those yummy segmented chocolate oranges that the Christian segment of the world got in their Xmas stockings. I don’t get the tartness of grapefruit it smells more like a mildly bitter, dark orange chocolate. It doesn’t take very long, maybe 5-190 minutes for the jasmine to waft through sinuously. If you liked Olympic Orchids California Chocolate then this is a creamier, richer and less scratchy version, still dark chocolate but much milder and more processed. I find Bohemia to be the closest to a mass market niche fragrance that One Seed has yet produced, it opens intensely sweet gourmand then levels out to sensual foody, good enough to eat rather than cake or cookie, in the heart and dry down and could easily have come from Serge Lutens or Robert Piguet. In fact, Bohemia is even more intense and interesting than many of the modern day offerings from mass market niche houses.
After the initial 1-30 minute fireworks, depending on the day, Bohemia settles down to something warm, suede plush, elegant and lavishly chic. You know those people who make everything look effortless, great hair, well put together clothes without fussiness, who always look relaxed either in an Armani suit or jeans, at the races, beach, boardroom or buying yachts. It’s like they’ve worked out something in life, like they were given a playbook or thought so much about it when they were young that now they just coast secure in the knowledge that the hard part is over. This is the kind of person I think could wear Bohemia, or anyone who wanted to smell like that. It’s unusual, yes, but not wild, ridiculous or trying hard. This could very easily be a signature scent if you were that way inclined. AWESOME! I love the black tea that has a smoky vibe and cuts through the vanilla sweetness perfectly keeping it a little bit tough and edgy.
Photo Stolen Gianni Cumbo Flickr
Another great thing about Bohemia is its longevity, I get around 5-6 hours of fragrant life and another couple of very close and skinnish scent. Nice sillage for the first two or three hours but never a huge scent bubble. After that it’s a friends and family scent, only those within your comfort zone.
One Seed site: 5ml Travel Spray $14.95 or $97/50ml
9 x 1ml Complete Range Sample Set $35 including World Wide Postage
Photo Stolen ThinkDigitalWorld
WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
There are 2 prizes this week in our ONE SEED GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:
1 x 4ml manufacturers spray sample of Bohemia
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.
All I need is a HELLO, with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie One Seed GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-1Wp I FOLLOWED @oneseedperfumes #Perfume #Giveaway
HOUSEKEEPING
Entries Close Sunday 8th September 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 11th September 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.
Puredistance Sample
Hello lovely Fumies,
We have an excellent giveaway for you today, earlier in the year I hosted the SCENTSATION Bus Tour of Los Angeles for the Perfume Posse crew. It was an amazing day and all of us had a super great time. Our first stop was at the Lucky Scent brick and mortar shop Scent Bar where we had brunch and sniffing with several perfumers and promoters in attendance to lead us through their wares. We all got the most incredible goody bags and because I was hostess and a good shopper I got an extra. Inside were, and there still are, some outrageously amazing things. Today you get to be in the running for one of two sets of something extremely precious!!
Puredistance Sample GIVEAWAY
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
From Fragrantica: Puredistance was founded by Jan Ewoud Vos in Vienna (Austria).
The choice to make Vienna the city from which Puredistance would gradually spread over Europe and the rest of the world is a consequence of the fact that only Vienna seamlessly fits the philosophy of the Puredistance concept.
Not only is Vienna the city of elegance and pureness, it also has for many centuries been a centre of art, attracting artist and free thinkers from all over the world. Notably the world famous Wiener Werkstätte (Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists, it was founded in 1903. by the artists Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser). The Wiener Werkstätte style is characterized by pure lines and minimal decoration.
Photo Stolen Kesha&Co
PUREDISTANCE GIVEAWAY!
WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
There are 2 prizes this week in our PUREDISTANCE GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:
4 x 1ml dab vials from PUREDISTANCE (Antonia, Opardu, M and I)
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.
All I need is a HELLO with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Puredistance GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-1Wc @puredistance #Perfume #Giveaway
HOUSEKEEPING
Entries Close Thursday 5th September 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 Sunday 8th September 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.
Go To It!!
Portia xxx
Dangerous Complicity by Violaine Collas for Etat Libre d’Orange 2012
Hey frag hounds,
There has been a lot of talk about the two fragrances released around the same time by ELdO, Afternoon of a Faun and today’s offering. Having loved the Claude Debussy Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun as a child I will spend some real time with it, and the fragrance, soon for you. I really enjoy the name of the fragrance that we’ll be talking about today….
Dangerous Complicity by Etat Libre d’Orange 2012
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one linew:
Rum, ginger, Chinese osmanthus, coconut, bay leaves, calamus, leather, patchouli, ylang ylang, Egyptian jasmine, Lorenox, cashmere wood, sandalwood
So you have probably read the back story of Dangerous Complicity, Adam & Eve: “By eating the forbidden fruit, complicity took on another dimension, and became dangerous. They lost their innocence and their paradise. The door was opened to carnal energy, they were liberated from restrictions, and they could now create their own version of Eden” The inspiration is a story that most Christians and many others are aware of. A good place to start but fraught because we all have our own preconceived idea of how that fall should smell.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Opens sprightly citrus, ginger, vanilla and tea-ish, like a milky chai. This is a surprise because everything I’ve been reading says that Dangerous Complicity is only dangerously generic. Not how Dangerous Complicity opens for me at all, um, HA HA HA HA!! Note to self, put your glasses on before you spritz! Ha Ha Ha HA HA HA!! I am an IDIOT. Hilarious. Sorry all I’ll be back to review this after my next bath.
OK Back on track and we have spritzed…….
So are these notes for real? I miss all ginger and rum completely but get a soft wash of very pretty flowers that are absolutely depthless. A fragrant solo soprano equivalent, floating and disconnected from anything earthly but without any of the chills and goosebumps. Soft, feminine and wispy, a winsome fragrance for people who don’t want to overshadow their own scent but enhance it with pretty waxy florals that float through the heart. Is this made for Asia? For schoolgirls? How did they get this name? Seriously, this is the perfumer who brought us Honour Woman by Amouage, at least this shows diversity, he he he.
I think Dangerous Complicity is called that because it’s Dangerous to Comply with the current trend for some drugstore offerings and some celebuscents: ethereal whispers of bland nothing. Or are the ELdO people proclaiming their outrage at the IFRA regs coming in and making a bland statement against what could end up being all we are allowed to have in perfume very soon? Remember the fuss when By Killian brought out the Asian Tales series? Was there the same outrage for this or was everyone so uninspired that they let it slide?
Further reading: The Non Blonde
LuckyScent has $149/100ml and samples
Surrender To Chance starts at $4.50/ml
Have you tried Dangerous Complicity? Is it just not working on my skin? Please tell me that it’s not as banal as I am getting.
Portia xx
DIOR: Miss Dior Infintity Mini Movie: Le Parfum
Hiya Gang,
Here we have another beautiful fragrance ad. DIOR has taken the simplest concept and made it spectacular, of course. Though I’m not a huge fan of Miss Dior it is a worldwide hit and has an enormous following. Here also are Australian Perfume Junkies Mini Review and Natalie Portman Ad and Miss Dior: The Floral Waltz Mini Movie
Miss Dior Infintity Mini Movie: Le Parfum
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Italian mandarin
Heart: Egyptian jasmine absolute and rose
Base: patchouli and musk
Photo Stolen huntlogo
Whether or not you love the fragrance the Mini Movies are always worth watching.
Please enjoy Miss Dior Infinity: Le Parfum
Portia xx
LA LÉGENDE DE SHALIMAR Mini Movie
Hello Gorgeously Gorgeous and Fragrant Fumies,
My favourite fragrance of all is Guerlain’s Shalimar. Inspired by the legendary love story between Mughal Indian Emperor Shah Jahan and his lowly born wife Mumtaz Mahal (Jewel of the Palace). You can read more in Portia’s Shalimar EdC Review.
LA LÉGENDE DE SHALIMAR
You may have seen this already but I couldn’t let it pass those of you it missed by. My only complaint is that they didn’t use Bollywood stars. Why would you use Europeans when there is a veritable plethora of the real deal? Just sayin
Portia xx
200,000 Views SO NUDE GIVEAWAY Winners!
Hey APJ Peeps,
This has been one of our best giveaway responses ever, THANK YOU all for being a part of the fun and magic. We FREAKIN love giveaways, and we love you lot too. A big fat hairy thank you to LibertinePerfumerie for their generous and ongoing support, we love you guys and your incredible range of fragrances.
SO NUDE GIVEAWAY WINNERS!
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
WHAT COULD YOU WIN?
There are 2 prizes this week in our So Nude by Costume National GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:
1 x 50ml NIP So Nude EdP by Costume National
P&H Anywhere in the world
HOW DO YOU WIN?
Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS who told us how they follow.
You had to go to LibertinePerfumerie and find me a perfume and its manufacturer. NO DOUBLE UPS!!
Extra Chance?
Tweet: Thanks to all the TWEETERS this week, there were more than ever, you guys all got an EXTRA CHANCE!! One of you scored a PRIZE too. See the tweeting pays off folks.
HOUSEKEEPING
Entries Closed Sunday 24th August 2013 10pm Australian EST.
Winners were chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin picked a winner.
Photo Stolen shannonmayer
Victoria, Nemo
CONGRATULATIONS!! Winners have till Wednesday 28th August 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 the So Nude Bottles. 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.
Thanks gang, see you tomorrow,
Portia xx
Womanity by Alexis Dadier and Mane for Thierry Mugler 2010
Hey Hey APJ Friends and Family,
Are you ever too freaked out by a bottle, fragrance name or even advertising to go near it? For years now I have steered clear of today’s fragrance because the name felt like such an obvious Drag Queen thing. It’s like Thierry and his crew were delving for drag expression, rather than feminine power or woman as equals or even the power of woman. Let’s put some ripe fig that when cut looks like a woman’s vagina “Snicker, snicker”, lets put some fishy caviar in “snicker, snicker” and lets call it the most beyond UBER womanly word we can invent “Snicker, snicker” and the Drag Queens will love it. HA HA HA HA!! Back slapping and belly laughs all round.
That was how I had envisaged the creation of
Womanity by Thierry Mugler 2010
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Fig fruit, caviar, fig leaf, fig wood
Why then am I writing about Womanity? What changed? Well mainly I changed. I had had a couple of decants and run through them in no time, ashamedly, then it was there in the store day before yesterday as a tester and I spritzed it like crazy. I thought, “In for a penny, in for a pound!” This is day two surrounded by its rich figgy/saline goodness, its rich sweetness cut through with wood and salt that is so beautiful and dramatic because I went back today and bought a bottle. Womanity is an elegant and fun fragrance that is exactly as two faced as we all are, light/dark, strong/weak, sweet/savoury, good/bad. All the parts that go to make us up seem to be reflected in the very short Womanity story that lasts forever. I can’t remember such staying power in a fragrance and so linear that I woke up this morning, after spritzing in the afternoon and having a bath before bed, still smelling of Womanity. Extraordinary!!
Photo Stolen PaperBlog
How does it make me feel? It feels like a second skin actually. A beautiful, magical, alluring and enchanting second skin. After about 10 hours my own sweaty smell comes through and makes it a thorough skank fest, deliciously and naughtily unkempt. In fact I smell like morning me plus salty fig. Disgusting but oddly compelling, Jin thinks I smell FAN TAS TIC! I smell salty/briny and sweet fig jam with a woodsy whisper and sweaty bloke. I would love to smell how Womanity worked on a male athlete, I would love it even more if it was called something else. Candy Perfume Boy says, “‘Womanity’ is intended to be a portmanteau of the words ‘Woman’ and ‘Community’” which kind of clarifies the thinking and gets me at dead wrong but I still think it’s dumb.
Further reading: The Candy Perfume Boy and Perfume Shrine
FragranceNet starts at around $12/10ml and has $31/50ml before coupon
My Perfume Samples starts at $2/ml
Were you scared off by Womanity or did you love it from day 1?
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx
Back to Vinyl – The Office Turntable 2013
Hey Hey APJ!
I think a fair few of us grew up in times where the Record Player was a major fixture of the house. Our original one had a TV Set, Record Player, Radio and huge Speakers. Dad’s Beethoven could be heard at the top of the street on a calm evening and Mum’s jazz would often be heard over the vacuum cleaner during the day. They were heady days of endless summers, swimming in the pool with my sister and our friends, Bar B Qs on the back verandah, oranges eaten warm off the tree, learning the alphabet and math times tables and music, music, music.
Photo Stolen Stephen Coles Flickr
There were other record players, Dad had a HUGE stack of equipment in later years and everything was powered through the speakers, then I got a 3 in 1 for a birthday and my sister got a cassette player, then it became dueling music in the house. I remember Mum buying us both a CD player when they came out and us laughing at it saying that it would NEVER replace vinyl. My sister kept hers but I got Mum to take mine back, how could anyone take something so small seriously? I even kept my records till I was preparing to move a few years ago back to the family home, there was so much stuff and I needed to let a lot of it go. I’m both sad and glad that I did.
Well, here’s something to make your eyes POP!
Australian Perfume Junkies 