CHANEL N°5: The One That I Want – The Film

July 23, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ,

Gisele Bündchen has been the highest paid model in the world every year since 2004, and in 1999 was credited with bringing sexy back to the runway and killing the heroin chic look. She was born in 1980 making her 36 years old which is basically a model dinosaur. There is still something so fresh and endearing about her, still sexy, that killer body and a smile that men and women fall instantly in love with. Did you know she is 5’11”? So tall yet she always manages to look petite, and enormously strong. Wikipedia notes that: In 2014, she was listed as the 89th Most Powerful Woman in the World by Forbes PLUS Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell have stated that Bündchen is the only remaining true supermodel.

Below we get to see Gisele in the 2014 CHANEL No 5 ad, this is the long play version. A seriously controversial piece of film. The song’s lyric change had feminists up in arms, the billion $ lifestyle and the 2 minute hug with her daughter before relegating the child to nanny care had mothers upset and running off before a job was finished had working women outraged, there were other complaints that have slipped my mind. Yet if you can overlook all that there has appeared a gorgeous and lush piece of escapism that you can get lost in for three minutes to unclog your brain.

I hope you enjoy,
Portia xxx

CHANEL

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, neroli, ylang-ylang
Heart: Jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, iris
Base: Vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, patchouli

CHANEL counters everywhere have testers, go give yourself a spritz.

CHANEL N°5: The One That I Want – The Film

Portia’s Week July 2016: Story + Photo Essay

July 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 41 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there APJ,

This week has been wonderful. Jin had 5 days off and we spent it happily hanging out, watching movies, cooking, BAR B Qing, eating, socialising, running around chasing Pokemon and in between that I worked, saw mates, shopped and read books. Seriously there aren’t too many weeks that are so full yet so utterly enjoyable. It’s a surprise that even after being with someone for years you can still have fun like kids and can still enjoy each others company as much as the first months when everything was new.

Portia’s Week July 2016: Story + Photo Essay

So this week started out as a Pokemon Go week. Here I am in the game in my first hour.

My BFF Kath, her sister, nieces and Jin looking super cute. During lunch we invite the nieces to come out to the Parramatta Winterlight Fair. They jumped at the chance.

There was even an Ice Skating Rink. You can see niece 1 and I are there but behind us are Jin & niece 2 having their first ever Ice Skating experience so they needed to use the penguins to help them stay upright. Embarrassingly I was the only one to fall.

Kath, Jin & the nieces on the Ferris Wheel. The girls were a complete joy to hang with. We lost track of time and didn’t get them home till nearly midnight. OOOOPS!

Saturday recuperating with the story of Daphne du Maurier’s family, a rollicking tale that I couldn’t put down.

Sunday morning and BFF Kath & I had our pedicures done, then Jin joined us for Yum Cha (Dim Sum).

Then, into a Lolita Lempicka Bubble Bath. What a lovely way to unwind, surrounded by violet sugared liquorice bubbles.

Over the remnants of Lolita Lempicka I heavily spritzed the Leather Angel. All the Angel fizz and a hit of smoky leather, a perfect drag queen scent.

We spent Monday getting haircuts and then Pokemon Hunting. Jin cooked surprise Spicy Pork Bar B Q and we watched Zootopia that night. Then I wrote the Trivia Q&A. Monday was fun.

LUSH Rose Jam Shower Gel makes fabulous Bubble Bath and this week I had three baths with it. My fragrances over the top were Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations, Diabolo Rose by Parfums de Rosine and Guerlain L’Heure Bleu. All three were subtly changed and extra roses added through the remnants of Rose Jam.

It was Scott’s Birthday on Wednesday so we met Kerri for some CHANEL sniffing and afternoon tea. We all had single serve cakes, mine was a double chocolate custard filled profiterole. We gave Scott Harrods and Fortnum & Mason teas, a DVD and a DJs Gift Card.

Scott grabbed a 200ml CHANEL Coromandel from our favourite CHANEL SA Esther at David Jones Sydney City Store. Ask for her, she is a fount of knowledge and we love talking to her about the CHANEL fragrance range. We are particularly interested in the big change of the exclusives line later in the year from EdT to EdP. Sadly she was out of CHANEL No 22 200ml so I went down the road to the CHANEL boutique and bought mine there.

Wednesday night Jin & I did more Pokemon Hunting (I haven’t walked this much since our last holiday), had some Vietnamese Pork Noodle Soup, did some evening grocery shopping and came home to watch Kung Fu Panda 3, which we really enjoyed.

Not so long ago they had this Bandit Silkening Shower Gel at the discounters for a song, I stocked up because it smells amazing, makes great bubbles and leaves my skin fresh and soft.

Over the remnants of Bandit I spritzed Exultat by Maria Candida Gentile. Incense and warmer, woodsy resins that is only mildly liturgical. Really easy to wear incense that lasts well and smells amazing.

Here I am tonight hosting Trivia (as a man!) to a full house smelling gorgeously of incense, resins and leather.

My mate Natalie from the now defunct Another Perfume Blog took me walking through the wilds of Mosman today to a fabulous restaurant, Burnt Orange, with a view to die for, both outside & in. Food was delicious and staff friendly.

Sydney put on a perfect winter day and I chose the lavender, herbal, resinous warmth of CHANEL Boy to accompany me.

Thanks for coming along for snapshots of my week. These are just the bits I remembered to photograph but I couldn’t have fit more photos anyway.

What fragrances or bath products did you use this week? Do anything interesting?
Portia xxx

Nocturne GIVEAWAY WINNERS

July 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Hiya APJ,

Woo Hoo! A piece of Ainslie’s very own magical fragrant history. Lucky winners, I am yet to smell it too.
Portia xxx

Nocturne GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Nocturne Vial 2

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Carded Manufacturers Sample of Nocturne
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 21st July 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Steve

Azar

Koyel

The winners will have till Sunday 24th July 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.

Hedonist GIVEAWAY WINNERS

July 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

Heya crew,

Another excellent giveaway thanks to Azar. we are so lucky to have her.

Let’s see who won,

Portia xxx

Hedonist GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica lists these featured accords:
Top: Rum CO2, bergamot, peach
Heart: Jasmine absolute, orange flower absolute, osmanthus absolute, tobacco
Base: Vetiver, cedar wood, vanilla

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x .7ml decant of Viktoria Minya’s Hedonist
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 21st July 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Nemo

Charlene Cully

Rose Jam Shower Gel by LUSH

July 21, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ Bathers,

Yes, you’re reading it right. That ultra cool, Limited Edition, shower gel that you just missed out on because they usually sell out in SECONDS is back. Be quick.

Rose Jam Shower Gel by LUSH

LUSH

LUSH says: Inspired by our love for roses and the benefits of nourishing Argan Oil, this shower gel is as decadent as it gets! Skin brightening Goji Berry Juice and Sicilian Lemon give your skin a boost, while Rose Oil and Rose Absolute leave it soothed, softened and beautifully fragranced. A luxuroius way to start each day.

Sure, the blurb is nice but I wait till the afternoon to bathe because I get ready for work, which usually happens at night. One of the ways I really love to pamper myself is by drawing a bath. Now what better way to laze away the better part of an hour than laying in the warmth (or cool in summer) of a glamorously scented bubble bath? NONE! I tell you truly that it is the most relaxing, turn off the world, indulgent me time that I have.

Portia in the bath

Rose Jam Shower Gel makes a wonderful bubble bath. It foams well, smells great and leaves me with a soft skin tinged with the fragrance of a sweet garden rose in full bloom that then creates the perfect base for some of my favourite rose scents. Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations, Rosa sur Reuse by SOIVOHLE, Ballets Rouges by Olympic Orchids, Diabolo Rose by Parfums de Rosine, Midnight Oud by JHaG and Agent Provocateur to name just a few of my faves, there are oodles more.

I bought my Rose Jam bottle in the sale at the end of the last time it was in. The last bottle too because I thought I should get an extra and by the time I went back in the next day to get another they were sold out. Anyway, I bought it and tried it and thought it was awful. So it sat here for ages unloved. Not so long ago as I was organising the frag room I stumbled across it again and have been using it a couple of times a week since. The sweet jammy rose is so much like putting your nose right up to a garden rose that is in full bloom, so simple but also so incredibly nuanced.

LUSH Australia has $18.50/250g

Do yourself a favour. Go grab it.
Portia xx

Mure et Musc GIVEAWAY WINNER

July 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey crew,

Thanks for getting involved.
Let’s see who won.
Portia xxx

Mure et Musc GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 15ml manufacturers samples of Mure et Musc
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 16th July 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

rickyrebarco

The winner will have till Wednesday 20th July 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.

Vetiver Des Sables by Montale 2004

July 16, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Fumies,

Mondale gets some love from perfumistas but they also get a whole bunch of snark. Mainly due to their seemingly endless range, the oh-so-Montale-synth-oudh and their bro-woods. I get it, an enormous range with only the merest difference between them and so many having the half life of uranium, they are an easy target. What sometimes gets lost in the sneer is that they also do some really yum frags. I own a few bottles Dew Musk, Sandflowers and Sweet Oriental Dream. There are a couple on my list too Red Vetyver and Intense Pepper. Today I found this sample in my box and thought it might be fun to give it a whirl, you’ll be getting a first impression ride with me

Vetiver Des Sables by Montale 2004

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Vetiver, mahogany, sea notes, Indian spices

Salty woods. An aquatic woodsy summertime dream. Vetiver Des Sables is a spicy and salted version of the 1990s aquatic. A grown up version that leans heavily on the buff middle management lunchtime gym locker room. The opening is so refreshing and seaside reminiscent, even having that weird greasy petrol and electrical sparks vibe from the outboard motors. I can see why this has been soundly panned because it is such a synthetic feeling blend but it isn’t bad to me.

Respritzing over the top I find the vetiver (grassy, dry reeds, everlasting daisy, salty woodsiness) is much more pronounced. It has some smoky qualities and the spices make a better showing (maybe cinnamon, ground black pepper, cardamom and/or paprika) giving Vetiver Des Sables more nuance and a warmth not experienced on the first spritz, it’s cool and fiery which is a wonderful combination. I also detect some orange zest and dark rum through the heart, but I could be fantasising.

Donated by my BFF Kath

I’d like to smell how this is on a woman. I think it could be very Catherine Hepburn on the right person. It’s certainly interesting and better than I expected after reading some fairly unimpressed reviews. If you already hate Montale fragrances Vetiver Des Sables will probably not change your mind but if you are on the fence or like their work then you’ll find this one of their more easy wear fragrances, it’s aimed at the men and I can easily place it on almost any guy who likes to smell like the modern image of manliness.

Once the open and heart have calmed down Vetiver Des Sables becomes a fairly linear cool vetiver/woods scent, imagine how just picked up from the beach at night driftwood would smell if you could amp it up 10,000x. That’s basically it. Or, better yet, here’s a pic of my mate Michael, he looks EXACTLY how Vetiver Des Sables smells in dry down. Enjoy!

My mate Michael looking like some hot driftwood

Further reading: Scent For Thought and Scent Critic
First In Fragrance has €94/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml

Do you do Montale? Which ones have caught your fancy?
Portia xx

Poet’s Jasmine by Ineke Rutland for INeKE 2011

July 15, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Frag Family,

Do you know how some houses feel like a really good fit for you right from the start. Even the name and the nose feel spookily familiar the first time you read or hear about them. Maybe you see their bottles or someone sends you a sample and you swoon? From the very first review I read about Ineke I really thought it was going to be a good fit for me and when I finally got some samples they were. Not the all encompassing, eye rollingly gorgeous, over the top WOW of this first Amouage or by Kilian that I tried but a deeply comfortable, easy to wear, fits all occasions feeling that has continued with each one I try.

Somehow though today’s fragrance completely passed me by and I don’t know how I missed it…

Poet’s Jasmine by INeKE 2011

Poet’s Jasmine by Ineke Rutland

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citrus fruit, star anise, rosemary, absinthe, wormwood
Heart: Frankincense, jasmine, cardamom
Base: Henoki wood, guaiac wood

This was part of a set put together by INeKE for Anthropologie, which I think is a chain of stores in the USA?. Hang on, google-ing it now. OK, Anthropologie are a fashion and beauty store who are mid-priced with some expensive and cheap lines. I was impressed with some of their fragrance offerings for the price point, clever.

Clean, green and woody opening, sharp and lightly sweet. Interesting and it has a kind of lacquer vibe, as if the wood is being varnished. Maybe that is Inez’s way of playing the alcohol in absinth. I like it, the sharpness is mildly repellant but also enticing. Remember the smell of texta pens at school, very slightly reminiscent of them.

The heart of Poet’s Jasmine is only lightly jasmine on me, much more about the woods, greenery and incense. Jasmine is here but it’s shrouded in mystery, not instantly discernible as itself.

Plot’s Jasmine is awkward on me. I can’t think who would be the target market for it. I really like the interesting juxtapositions and the frisson between the notes, the sharp green and cool incense that seem to push against the very clean, robo-jasmine effect. Not a loud fragrance but noticeable because it’s so unexpected.

Further reading: EauMG and Now Smell This
First In Fragrance has €39.90/15ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5/ml

First In Fragrance €19.90 5 x 2.5ml INeKE Sampler

Did you ever get on board the INeKE scent train? Did you have a favourite? Does Poet’s Jasmin sound like it might be your thing?
Portia xx

Mure et Musc by Jean-Francois Laporte for L’Artisan Parfumeur 1978

July 14, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Hey Fragrant Family,

Jean-Francois Laporte founded L’Artisan Parfumeur in 1976. It was among the first of the niche lines, maybe even the first, and it started producing in 1978 with some very interesting fragrances that many of you will either have tried or own: L’Eau d’Ambre and Mure et Musc are both still available and the 1979 introduction L’Eau d’Navigateur was only discontinued this year. Let’s have a look today at what is known as the first ever blackberry fragrance.

Mure et Musc by L’Artisan Parfumeur 1978

Mure et Musc by Jean-Francois Laporte

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Amalfi lemon, orange, mandarin orange, basil
Heart: Blackberry, red berries
Base: Musk, oakmoss

1978 was a very good year, it’s the year that my partner Jin came into the world. No matter what happens with us over time I will always have a soft spot for 1978 because of him.

So Mure & Musc, the first time a perfumer decided to add a sparkling fruity aspect to musk, what a weird choice to add screechy, urinous blackberry to something as softly animal as musk. Yet, it’s a perfect pairing and one that has become more and more common over time, basically fruity musks are all you can buy in the laundry department nowadays.

Here we get a shimmering sparkle of fresh citrus with a soft creamy herbaceousness that leads to slightly squeaky and zingy berries. Already from the very first minute the musks play a fluffy soft and grounding powderiness that keeps Mure et Musk on the dry side. Considering how sheer and delicate the whole fragrance is the lasting power is excellent, especially if you happen to spritz your top as well as yourself. Dry down is furry and friendly, people write about woodsiness, I get very little of that. It’s all cuddly musks and oakmoss to dry down with the merest sweetening from the fruit.

I wish I’d thought to bring Mure et Musc on our trip to Tasmania last weekend, it would have been the perfect scent for the cool temps outside when we stayed in the low Head Lighthouse Keepers Cottage right on the bluff overlooking the meeting of Bass Straight and the Tamar River. We loved it with my childhood mate Evie and her daughter Lola. You can see I’m wearing the Green Beanie made for me by Vanessa at Bonkers About Perfume, best investment I ever made. Kept my head warm and so soft, it also is made exactly for my head so no slippage or creeping. Thanks Vanessa. She’ll make you one too, very reasonable price, pop on over to her blog & ask.

My Mure et Musc is from vintage 15ml(?) manufacturers sample spritzers with the original curvy inverted cone lids, I’m not sure how the modern one fares.

Further reading: Bois et Jasmin and Olfactoria’s Travels
Libertine Parfumerie has $186/100ml with FREE Australian Postage
Surrender To Chance has samples of the EdC starting at $6/ml

Mure et Musc GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 15ml manufacturers samples of Mure et Musc
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

Tell us a L’Artisan fragrance that you love, or why you’d like to try Mure et Musc

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 16th July 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 20th July 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.

Le Musc Et La Peau GIVEAWAY WINNERS

July 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya APJ,

We love getting the very newest out for you all to try. Winners below.
Portia xx

Le Musc Et La Peau GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Bergamot, ambroxan, musk, aldehydes, rosemary, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, cedar, tonka bean

LuckyScent has $125/50ml + Samples

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 2ml decant Le Musc Et La Peau (from my Press Sample)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 16th July 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Angela Pritchard

Azar

The winners will have till Wednesday 20th July 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.