Map Of The Heart: Meeting Sarah Blair

December 10, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Art Fraggers,

Way back in February of this year 2016 I was at the Tranoi Paris with the Le Galion boys, Neela Vermeire, Pierre Guillaume and Ulrich Lang. I know right. It’s like a name dropping extravaganza. Ulrich was trying to introduce me to a new brand called Map Of The Heart that I had walked past, looked at, squirmed with revulsion and wandered on. They have the fragrance in bottles shaped like hearts. No not the cutesy hearts of childhood and Hello Kitty. NOPE. These are replicas of anatomical hearts created by master bottle maker Pierre Dinand, and frankly BLEAUGH. They remind me of the cow and sheep hearts Mum used to get to feed the dogs and cats of our childhood, gawd I thought they were SO disgusting. Seriously…….. GAK.

So the other day Ainslie Walker invites me to the grand Opening of a new Aussie fragrance company called Map Of The Heart. Sadly I’m busy so we cruise on down the day after Opening Night (yesterday) to the new Liverpool St Darlinghurst pop-up shop. I hadn’t really thought about the brand we were seeing much because I like to be surprised and we walk in and…….

Map Of The Heart: Meeting Sarah Blair

yes, you guessed it. The bloody ghastly HEART BOTTLES! Ha Ha Ha Ha.

The bottle is unbelievable comfortable once it’s in your hand. It feels right and is so easy to spritz.

Myself, Ainslie & SA Jodie sniffing the range

The room is so stark white that the light seems diffuse & milky and in the centre is this beat up vintage Jaguar with boxes spilling out.

The red heart in the centre is their best seller worldwide. It’s a fruity fizz fragrance, a fruit-chouli. Very accessible for the modern fragrance shopper.

Sarah Blair is very articulate about her company and the heart designed bottle. She is passionate about creating an interesting and slightly challenging brand and though a lot of what she says is very cerebral and art/visual/international jet-set speak she has really thought about what she wants to say with the Map Of The Heart brand above and beyond becoming a successful business venture. I find her engaging and we were really sad that there was a time budget because Sarah Blair needs closer investigation.

Ainslie always knows the way to talk to business people and perfumers so I found out lots of interesting stuff that I would never even have known to ask. Bravo Ainslie.

Sarah also took my loathing of the bottle completely in her stride. Once she started to explain her motives it all made some sense to me. Still I’d rather eat my foot than have that bottle in my home. I did ask if there is going to be a Travel Set with regular bottles in the future and they are currently talking about making that happen.

What was my favourite of the brand? Gold Heart.

Fragrantica

Gold Heart V.4 by Map Of The Heart

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pepper, cardamom
Heart: Milk, saffron
Base: Woody notes

If you’ve ever tried Costume National’s 21 then you already have an idea of how Gold Heart smells. It’s a bit simpler, less confronting and all together an easier wear than 21. I found it so effortlessly wearable in 35C heat yesterday and found its staying power very good too. The milky saffron last to nearly the end when a nondescript woody dry down hums along merrily and very quietly.

Further reading: Megan In St Maxime and Colognoisseur
Map Of The Heart has $250/90ml

Have you seen, or heard of, this brand? What do you think of the hearts?
Portia xx

Guerlain with Tea & Scones

December 9, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

Do you ever get together with frag buddies? I have met so many wonderful & varied people in the fragrant world, a few of them turning into lasting and close friends. I’ve also had some of my long term besties come out as frag nerds too. So irregularly there are get togethers with one or more buddies. Yesterday was special because someone I’d only ever interacted with online is in Sydney and she had bought a bottle of perfume from me. What else could I do but ask her around for Morning Tea and a sniff? So Latai came and we had a lovely time, well I had a lovely time and I think she did too.

Guerlain with Tea & Scones

We decided early on that as Latai had not spent much time in the Guerlain fragrance vault that we should focus our noses there for the day. So I thought it might be interesting to take her on a Semi Ages of Guerlain tour.

We started with a few of the most well known vintage extraits, Vold de Nuit, Mitsouko & Shalimar. With this set I also got Latai to smell modern Samsara extrait that Jin & I bought recently in Japan.

From there I jumped to a couple of my most loved masculine Guerlains: Vetiver and Cologne du 68. Interestingly Vetiver turned out to be one of Latai’s favourites of the day and we really enjoyed its light oily grassy scent.

We also tried Vega but it was absolutely not to her taste and she scrubbed it off.

Then the last two from the Guerlain range we smelled were vintage Chamade extrait and for something totally up to date Promenade des Anglaise, which turned out to be her absolute favourite of the day.

Halfway through I made some scones that we ate with fresh whipped cream, home made apple and raspberry jam (thanks to my mate Linda, YUMMY) and lemon curd. This washed down with some very lovely tea that Latai brought to share.

It was a really nice, zero fuss, fun day: full of silliness, laughter and fragrance.
What brand would you choose to sniff for a day with perfumistas?
Portia xx

DSH Perfumes News

December 8, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

DSH Perfumes Newsletter came through. It’s chock full of exciting pieces of interest and I’ve edited it to my favourite pieces. There are even more great gifting ideas than these on the site and you can join up for newsletters when you make a purchase. It’s important to keep the Independent perfumers alive because that’s where the magic is happening.

I want to make very clear that I adore Dawn but we have no affiliation other than my profound respect for her & her work. This is not a paid ad, I just want to share the exciting news and the fabulous DISCOUNT CODE.

cid:ZHNoX2xvZ29fbG9uZ190cmFuc3BhcmVudC5qcGc$34882077$701137@mail

cid:c25vd2ZsYWtlX2hvbGlkYXlfaW1hZ2UuanBn$34882077$754429@mail

DSH Perfumes News

December 2016

DSH Perfumes & The Essense Studio annual THANK YOU SALE.
20% off from now through January 9 2017 with code: thanks2016

New DSH Perfumes Website is here!

Announcing the launch of a brand new DSH Perfumes site that has been completely overhauled to make it simpler to see everything they do and offer, as well as navigate. Amazing features like a “First Time Shoppers Guide” to get you started, a new customized sampler set, the “Find your Essense” discovery set, where you give details about your preferences and DSH Crew select the best fits for you, and last but not least, a “voile” version of most fragrance designs to send products abroad with international ordering*. Woo Hoo!

HOLIDAY GIFT with purchase till December 30 2016
With every purchase of $100 or more receive a complimentary 10ml spray of DSH most popular fragrance, Special Formula X.

**********************************************

Dawn & Mary from DSH Perfumes waving Happy Holidays!!

DSH Perfumes Holiday fragrance for 2016

Dark Moon

At the darkest times we need solace; comfort and warmth are paramount. The Dark Moon signals a new beginning…
For this Holiday fragrance, we chose an unusual balance of gourmand and chypre elements

Vanilla Chantilly:

The softest, most delicate vanilla skin scent with a hint of spice and chantilly cream… for when you just want a light and creamy veil of scent.

Axis Mundi:

A meditative incense design filled with resinous notes and a deep, smoky background. Perfectly unisex.
As the title states, the Axis Mundi is the cosmic center of the world; the link between Heaven and Earth.

**********************************************

NEW DSH Perfumes:

Souvenir de Malmaison;

a new twist on a romantic classic where spicy carnation and rose meet in an ambery, wood fragrance.

A famous rose was plucked then cultivated from Chateau de Malmaison; residence of famous lovers, Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte. A famous fragrance style of the early 19th Century, Malmaison is the spicy floriental style based on carnation, rose, spices, woods, and musk. .

Onycha:

(pronounced : On ee Ka) is ancient, mythic, and esoteric. It’s an aromatic that scholars merely speculate as to what it is. Some say a mollusc, others say benzoin, and yet others say labdanum. For our Onycha fragrance, we’ve used them all…and then some. A holy aromatic from antiquity used in the sacred incense of Solomon’s Temple.
What came from this inspiration is something smoky, rich, divine, and with a fascinating lilt that gives a clue to it’s oceanic origins.
A woody, creamy, rich, GOLDEN, incense oriental fragrance with subtle oceanic brine and animalic nuances in background.

Go check out the DHS Perfumes new website, it’s gorgeous and sleek.

I hope there’s something here for you. My favourite Christmas scent is Ma Folie de Noel (My Christmas Folly; Holiday no.6) by DSH Perfumes which is still available to buy. What’s yours?
Portia xx

Oliver & Co Samples GIVEAWAY WINNERS

December 8, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

OOOPS! Sorry APJ, forgot to draw this prize.
Thanks to the amazing Oli at Oliver & Co, go check them out. Great fragrances.
Portia xx

Oliver & Co Samples GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Oliver & Co gives these featured accords:
Ambrosian, amyl salycilate, basil, coriander, dry amber, fig leaves, galbanum, grass, green pepper, green tangerine, guaiac wood, hedione, orris concrete, pharaoh, shiso

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
3 x 2ml Oliver & Co carded manufacturers spray samples
(You will each get a different set)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Tuesday 6th December 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Winners were chosen by random.org

RobertH

Greg

Jaybee

The winners will have till Wednesday 14th December 2016 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

Coast Sydney: True Collection GIVEAWAY WINNERS

December 5, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

We love to introduce new Australian Independent outfits. These guys are doing nice work. Try them. They do fragrance, candles and home fragrance.
Go see COAST at their site.
Portia xx

Coast

Coast Sydney: True Collection GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Bali carded manufacturers sample
1 x Nice carded manufacturers sample
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 4th December 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Winners were chosen by random.org

Willa

Jaybee

Morrigan

The winners will have till Sunday 11th December 2016 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

Ambergreen by Oliver Valverde for Oliver & Co 2016

December 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 38 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Niche Nerds,

Recently I wrote about Oliver & Co bringing out 16ml Travel Sizes, I also bought a pair of them in the new scents Ambergreen & Vaninger. Oli Valverde the perfumer got in touch almost immediately after my purchase to thank me (I know right, super sweet) and offered to send me some samples through for all of you to try. YAY!

I love this house, that’s how Oli knows me, because I shop there at full price regularly. They are way under-rated and don’t get nearly enough love on the blogs or chat rooms. Fiercely independent fragrance house with scents that are unashamedly boundary pushing while still being totally wearable on a day to day basis. They are often so far off the beaten track though that I find description troublesome and sit dazed and amused in front of my computer enjoying the ride without typing a word.

Ambergreen by Oliver & Co 2016

Ambergreen by Oli Valverde

Fragrantica

The opening moments are like pulling the lettuce out of cold water where it’s been soaking, then fresh cut grass. It’s clearly spring in this scent. BASIL! OMG! A photo realistic basil from when you water your basil plant in the garden or window box, then it deepens to become the first whirr of making pesto at home. After about 15 minutes the whole fragrance stops being about notes and turns into a green bouquet lightly overlaid with cozy/sharp galbanum and bitter citrus. It’s bloody excellent stuff.

Green like walking under the trees near a creek in summer, hot, sweaty green like nothing I’ve smelled in fragrance before. It’s the brushing past shrubs and trees, the breaking of grass under your feet, the smell of healthy, damp earth disturbed and all of this in a warm dampness, cool after being in the blazing sun but not refreshing really. Ambergreen feels like respite, a quiet moment to yourself reading in the park trees shade, or your yard if you are lucky enough to have one. When the darkness of ambergris stirs the sweetness of amber counters its marine hue, the work against each other to create harmony over the green, quite a journey.

Oliver & Co

Oliver & Co has €35/the new 16ml Travel Size
FREE WORLD SHIPPING over €100

Here are some other posts on APJ about Oliver & Co fragrance: Vetivers and Resina,

Oliver & Co Samples GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
3 x 2ml Oliver & Co carded manufacturers spray samples
(You will each get a different set)
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

Please go to Oliver & Co<<JUMP and tell us a fragrance and ONE of its notes in the comments below (NO DOUBLE UPS!)

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Tuesday 6th December 2016 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 14th December 2016 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

Coast Sydney: NEW True Collection Perfume Oil

December 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there APJ,

You may already be aware of the Coast Sydney Candle Range. They are a cool crew with a natural leaning candle range using sustainable soy with no Paraffin and Palm Free. They use high quality fragrance oil or essential oils and a natural untreated woodwick that creates a soothing crackling sound. Cool stuff.

Go see COAST at their site.

COAST

Coast SUPPORTS: Women for Women International supports female survivors of war with tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self sufficiency. Two dollars from the sale of each candle will benefit Women for Women International.

Coast Sydney: NEW True Collection Perfume Oil

Got it? Great. So they have decided to create a new fragrance range, well priced stocking stuffers in rollerballs. Simple, wearable fragrances for day to day living. Perfect for handbags, beach totes, gymbags and for travelling. They are perfumed oils so instead of throwing the scent ahead of you it wraps itself around you in a soft focus, fragrant scarf or sarong, depending on your season. Now of you are a hardcore perfumista these may be a little simple and wearable for you, I get it. For anyone who wants to smell good for an excellent price then these are worth a sniff.

Coast

Nice by Coast: True Collection Perfume Oil
Tuberose Touch

Top: Petitgrain, Clematis
Heart: Tuberose, Rhubarb, Ylang Ylang
Base: Peru Balsam, Patchouli, Vanilla

A green interpretation of tuberose that has a very crisp pettigrain keeping it interesting and refreshing while the ylang adds creamy tropical depths. Nice is about 250% better than I expected it be. I could easily imagine many of friends falling madly in love with this fragrance, mainly the women but there are a few men I think could rock it. Scott liked Nice the best and was very interested in knowing who the fragrance came from etc. when he smelled it. There is an underlying dissonance between the cream and the green that gives Nice frission. Base is a sweetened soft patchouli with creamy overtones.

Bali by Coast: True Collection Perfume Oil
Chempaka Charm

Top: Bergamot, Lime, Mandarin Red
Heart: Champaka (White Magnolia), Nag Champa (Orange Champaka), Jasmine
Base: Violet Leaf, Clove Bud, Amyris Wood, Vanilla

Bali is my favourite of the True Collection. It smells to me like cuddling with someone wearing a tropical fragrance on a beach with a fire burning. For something that I expected to be a floral with vanilla undercurrent it’s a huge surprise. Smoky, sweet, spicy and aromatic Bali is totally unusual. Slightly challenging in its potency when your nose is buried into it but as a waft while you’re going about your day Bali is exquisite. It could very well make the perfect incense scent and wears like a sweet and floral incense. An overtly feminine incense that smells a bit raspberry-ish and the incense is spicy hot and still burning in the next room. As you can tell I really like it.

Want to try them? I have a bunch of samples to giveaway.
Portia xx

Coast Sydney: True Collection GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Bali carded manufacturers sample
1 x Nice carded manufacturers sample
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us what perfume oils you like or which of this pair you’d rather try

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 4th December 2016 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Sunday 11th December 2016 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

Japan & Korea Beauty GIVEAWAY WINNERS

December 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

This was fun. Thank you all for getting involved. We LOVE a giveaway here at APJ.

Let’s see who scored.
Portia xx

Japan & Korea Beauty GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
18 Beauty & Fragrance products from Japan & Korea
1 x Travel Purse to hold samples
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 1st December 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Wine was chosen by random.org

RuthF

The winners will have till Wednesday 7th December 2016 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

What Ruined That Perfume For You?

December 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by Portia

Chatting to a buddy the other day and she said, “No, I can’t wear that. A hideous person at (a job they hated) wore it and I can only think of her when I smell it.” Then in a comment on the What Perfumes Remind You Of Mum? post a couple of weeks ago Nelle said she wouldn’t wear the exact fragrance her mum would wear so that cuts them out for her too. So because of these two unrelated events I started asking other people if they’d had a fragrance ruined or made unwearable. It’s surprising how many people do have a story along similar lines. So I’d like to know your story if you have one too.

What Ruined That Perfume For You?

My story? Well mine are not quite the same as most of the stories I’m hearing. Only in the last couple of years, about 2 decades since the event, am I able to smell A’Men without retching. here’s why…..

Fragrantica

A*Men by Thierry Mugler

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Coriander, Lavender, Peppermint
Heart: Heart Notes Honey, Jasmine, Caramel, Lily-of-the-valley, Patchouli, Cedarwood
Base: Amber, Benzoin, Coffee, Musk, Sandalwood, Storax, Tonka bean, Vanilla

A*Men by Thierry Mugler was totally ruined for me one night while I was hosting a club. It was the launch of the fragrance in Australia and we had to give out samples and spritz people with A*Men. A gust of it got caught down the back of my throat and in my nostrils and stayed there for three days. It’s ALL I could smell for three days. It has taken me nearly two decades to be able to smell A*Men without dry retching.

The final fix was after I had a shower at Thailand airport in 2014 on our way to Europe and I forgot to take my glasses into the shower room where I clumsily dropped and smashed my 10ml Oriental Lounge by The Different Company. That got me really flustered so I just grabbed any old decant from my Wetpack and guess what it was? Yep, A*Men. I don’t even know how or why it was in there. I didn’t hate it. Anyway, thank goodness we were up the front so I wasn’t sitting next to some poor bugger in cattle, fumigating them. Even at the end of the flight into Vienna Michael could still smell me, softly but persistently.

Fragrantica

LouLou by Cacharel

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Aniseed, Iris, Jasmine, Cassia, Lily, Mimosa, Plum, Violet, Cinnamon
Heart: Heliotrope, Orris root, Orange blossom, Pot marigold, Tuberose, Ylang-ylang
Base: Benzoin, Musk, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Frankincense

LouLou by Cacharel was a HUGE hit amongst my age group as I became a young adult. Almost every girl in our circle was gifted it for birthdays & Christmas in the first three or four years it appeared. What started out a fabulously different divergence from everything else that was going on quickly became overwork and in doses that could dry clean your brain.

In another exciting turn around though nowadays LouLou brings back happy memories of fun and laughter in times where the most pressing obligations were getting Fashion School assignments done and most important decisions which club we were going to get plotless in that night. Heady, happy days. We knew we were blessed and made all efforts to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of our youths.

Now it’s over to you. What or who ruined which fragrances for you?
Portia xx

Diorissimo GIVEAWAY WINNER

December 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Lovelies,

LOADS of interest for this GIVEAWAY! Thanks for getting involved all.
Portia xx

Diorissimo GIVEAWAY WINNER

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Green leaves
Heart: Amaryllis, Boronia, Lilac, Jasmine, Lily, Lily-of-the-valley, Rosemary, Ylang-ylang
Base: Sandalwood, Civet

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 100ml bottle vintage Diorissima EdT (around 30-40% left)
1 x 7.5ml bottle vintage Diorissima parfum
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 30th November 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Winner was chosen by random.org

Map Of The Heart: Meeting Sarah Blair

Gold Heart V.4 by Map Of The Heart

Guerlain with Tea & Scones

DSH Perfumes News

December 2016

New DSH Perfumes Website is here!

DSH Perfumes Holiday fragrance for 2016

Dark Moon

Vanilla Chantilly:

Axis Mundi:

NEW DSH Perfumes:

Souvenir de Malmaison;

Onycha:

Oliver & Co Samples GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

RobertH

Greg

Jaybee

Coast Sydney: True Collection GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Willa

Jaybee

Morrigan

Ambergreen by Oliver & Co 2016

Ambergreen by Oli Valverde

Oliver & Co Samples GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Coast Sydney: NEW True Collection Perfume Oil

Nice by Coast: True Collection Perfume Oil Tuberose Touch

Bali by Coast: True Collection Perfume Oil Chempaka Charm

Coast Sydney: True Collection GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Japan & Korea Beauty GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

RuthF

What Ruined That Perfume For You?

A*Men by Thierry Mugler

LouLou by Cacharel

Diorissimo GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

TIM

Nice by Coast: True Collection Perfume Oil
Tuberose Touch

Bali by Coast: True Collection Perfume Oil
Chempaka Charm