La Colle Noire by François Demachy for DIOR 2016

May 19, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 44 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fragrant Fumies,

François Demachy has created a new fragrance for the DIOR La Collection Privée line. Cue interest, excitement and some small rejoicing in the perfumista community. Named for Christian Dior’s favourite holiday home in later life: Château de La Colle Noire. So I google translate looked it up and colle can mean mean glue, adhesive or problem. I think something does not add up and if there are any French speakers in the house could they please tell me what it means.

Roses have been back and wearable again in frag circles and the general public since Stella McCartney’s 2003 eponymous radiant rose Stella. Since then we have been bombarded with all the roses that ever and never were. From the darkest, dankest to the shrillingly squeaky clean blow torch editions and yes, I have fallen for a few. Completely and utterly fallen for such luminaries as Mohur by Neela Vermeire, Ballets Rouges by Olympic Orchids, Contradiction by Calvin Klein, Rosa sur Reuse by SOIVOHLE, Midnight Oud by JHaG and in DIOR’s own privet lineup Mitzah and Oud Ispahan (there are more but these without looking).

La Colle Noire by DIOR 2016

La Colle Noire by François Demachy

Parfumo

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
May rose absolute, Ceylonese sandalwood, White musk, Spices, Amber

La Colle Noire opens with a sheer, wet, sharp rose, lightly metallic and already clean musky. My nose gets that soft fluffy feeling of pith and I am surprised theres no citrus, pepper, ivy or blackcurrant mentioned because I get a sharp fruity note in my nose and a dry tickle in my throat that I associate with those four notes. The opening fireworks are over in a couple of minutes and I loose 80% of the heft.

A sweet rose is left behind, sheer, wispy and pretty, bordering on functional or ambient but rising above and floating around me like a rosy zephyr, a dream of roses or of being in the middle of a rose garden in the coolest pale light of morning with only the merest breeze moving the scent to you. Here is a rose like the 2nd run of rose water, lightly warmed and set amongst a harmonious backdrop to murmer quietly around you for hours and hours. Considering how low key La Colle Noire is its longevity is astounding and sillage is very nice too.

Fragrantica

La Colle Noire is so perfectly measured and careful that it could easily belong to the CHANEL Exclusives line. It’s beautiful, fragile and a watercolour wash of fragrance. Elegant, under the radar fragrance for someone who wants to smell like money without having to be so gauche as to make a fragrant statement. Also a perfect background scent for someone who knows they have to smell nice but who don’t really like perfume. An amorphous whisper.

Christian Dior Privee line is available in stand alone DIOR stores and large airports + department stores
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3.25/ml

TheTruthAboutMummy

La Colle Noire GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x sample La Colle Noire (decanted from my sample)
1 x 8ml DIOR Privee manufacturers sample
(Cologne Royal or New Look 1947 – NO you don’t get to choose)
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged. 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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us a rose fragrance you love, or even hate and need to bitch about.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 22nd May 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Thursday 26th May 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.

Sample GIVEAWAY May 2016 WINNERS

May 16, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Heya APJ Frag Family,

Hotly contested competition today. Thanks for getting involved.
Let’s see who our winner is,
Portia xx

Sample GIVEAWAY May 2016 WINNERS

Photo Stolen hemodernhome

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

The winner will receive one each of these samples:

Eric Butterbaugh Apollo Hyacinth
Tauer Sotto La Luna Tubereuse
Romance by Ralph Lauren
ELdO Remarkable People
Lutens Laine de Verre
YSL Splendid Bouquet
DIOR Ambre Nuit
Stella McCartney Stella In Two Peony
Osmonde Jayne Vanille d’Iris
Amouage Opus IX
Bulgari Jasmine Noir
Diptyque Eau Moheli
No 1 solid perfume
Mark Buxton Wood & Absinth
Tom Ford Noir

P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 15th May 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

nodepositforum

Caroline

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winner will have till Wednesday 18th May 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.

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy for Christian Dior 2014

May 14, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by Portia

Hiya APJ,

Leather! One of my favourite perfume notes. It took me a while to warm to todays fragrance but now I can’t imagine my collection without it. To be honest, when I first smelled Cuit Cannage I think I missed the point.

Cuir Cannage by Christian Dior 2014

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, ylang-ylang
Heart: Rose, jasmine, iris
Base: Birch, juniper, leather

A sweet, supple leather that has been fragranced in the manufacturers to hide the tannery smells. Comfortable, chic and utterly wearable in warm or cool weather I reach for Cuir Cannage when I want leather but a more floral version. DIOR has provided a perfect bridge between the sweetness of Bottega Veneta original and the dryness of Hermès Cuir d’Ange.

Pixabay

I love the way that initially the leather and orange blossom combine to create a modern take on vintage. A cleaner, less animalic version of some of the old time scents. Only very slightly breathy yet very movie star glam. Finally a lovely creamy, worn leather with hints of the warm body of the wearer. A nod to make up, fur, fine living and unattainable beauty perfection. A hint of the sweet musty breaking down of leather bound books in old libraries.

If you are looking for an outrageous, over the top leather experience like Tauer’s Lonestar Memories then you will be bitterly disappointed. DIOR gives us a smooth and seamless leather interpretation that is so obviously geared towards the upper end of the fragrance market, a spritz and go fragrance that still manages to be interesting and beautiful.

Pixabay

Further reading: Persolaise and Colognoisseur
DIOR stores and some larger department stores carry the DIOR La Collection Privée range
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

What is your favourite leather? Does it ever take you a while to come around to a fragrance?
Portia xx

Tawaf by La Via del Profumo 2012

May 13, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Independent Perfumery Lovers,

Yes, the Indie stuff is the most boundary pushing, interesting and challenging fragrance section for me. I find the perfumes exciting, edgy, sometimes raw and often a little rough. It’s edge of your nose sniffing. Not all the Indies get it right for me but that’s the point, they are making their dream for people who share it. That also doesn’t mean they get an automatic Get Out Of Jail Free Card from me though. I still need to enjoy the ride, be swept up in the fragrant fantasy and moved on some level. La Via del Profumo is a brand that often delivers in the most outrageous and spectacular ways. Today let’s look at a bottle I bought after falling madly in love with and using up a sample size.

Tawaf by La Via del Profumo 2012

La Via Del Profumo

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Jasmine sambac, rose, opoponax, narcissus, myrrh

Jasmine and narcissus together open Tawaf, It’s a green, viscous, aggressive opening that has little to do with sitting in a field or by a fence with either of them growing nearby but the powerful, astringent, shrill uncomfortableness that you get from the purest absolute extract (is that even a thing? You get it though, right?). 15-20 minutes of over the top fragrance that pretty much sends me into raptures of sniffing.

After the initial blast the richness and forcefulness drops back to a dull roar. Still fully fragrant yet there seems to be more oxygen in the room. Suddenly Tawaf becomes friendly, archetypically feminine and very sexy. Still radiant and effusive, excellent wafting in sillage and with good projection: I get about an hour of this warmer heart before the whole fragrance slides slowly into a light resinous hum around me. Very nice, quieter, less remarkable but still alluring. It sits closer and closer to my skin before finally giving up the ghost more than 4 hours on.

Flickr

From La Via Del Profumo site: Tawaf is the name of the ritual consisting in circumambulations around the Ka’abah, the cube shaped building in Mecca, adorned with black silk. The Ka’abah is the geographic center of the Arabian soul, of it’s spirituality, culture and civilisation. The Tawaf fragrance is the aromatic “melody” of the scents that surround those performing the Tawaf.

Further reading: Non Blonde and Perfume Shrine
La Via Del Profumo has a range of sizes from €18

What is your jasmine scent?
Portia xxx

Ellis Faas Cosmetics GIVEAWAY WINNERS

May 13, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

Hey APJ

BIG excitement for the lipstick giveaway. Thanks to Ellis Faas and Val the Cookie Queen for their outstanding generosity.

Lets see who won,
Portia xx

Ellis Faas Cosmetics GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 10 winners who will receive:
2 x samples of the Ellis Red Milky Lips
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 12th May 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner were chosen by random.org

Victoria Routhier
Sue Mills
Bernadette Winfield-Gray
Latai
Caroline
M.
Izzie A.
ArdentE.
Ceil
Neva

The winners will have till Monday 16th May 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.

Sample GIVEAWAY May 2016

May 12, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 68 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey There APJ!

I have a bunch of samples that I have tried, written about and loved or not. They are lying around in my office and will probably never be looked for again. A couple of them are only half full but others are only 2 spritzes used or brand new, some I have bottles or doubles of. So what better way to share the love than a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!!

Sample GIVEAWAY May 2016

Photo Stolen hemodernhome

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

The winner will receive one each of these samples:

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 perfume on your wish list.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 15th May 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 18th May 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.

Cult Of Scent: An Afternoon with Jocelyn Fullerton: Photo Essay

May 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Indie Fumies,

Australia has some wonderful indie houses and perfumers. Recently one of the best loved among them, Jocelyn Fullarton, and I organised an afternoon at my place where she could showcase her wares and some of the ingredients that make up the Cult Of Scent beauties. It was a stellar afternoon, we had such a good time that I took only one photo. There was so much to smell and learn it was completely overwhelming. Great day.

Cult Of Scent

An Afternoon with Jocelyn Fullerton

Jocelyn has some wonderful scents and I really like her enthusiasm, joy and sheer, unbridled passion for her work. It’s infectious and we were all fascinated. We got to smell a couple of new scents today but here are the current range.

I find myself spritzing In The Woods the most from my Cult Of Scent Sample Set. It’s a modern Eau de Cologne interpretation and I find it soothing and elegant. 3-4 hours of excellent citrus into soft, lightly creamy woodsy dry down. Take your Travel Bottle with you for respritzes during the day and you’ll get the wonderful energising zing of neroli all over again. It’s a 100% winner for me.

There will be reviews soon.

Cult Of Scent

As you can see we really covered some fragrant ground during the afternoon. Pieces of fragrance, vintage frags that contain those pieces, Cult Of Scent fragrances; we sampled the lot and it was totally fun.

Cult Of Scent Sample Set 8ml per bottle!

Jocelyn brought me a special Thank You gift. WOW! I am spoiled.

Just found a bunch of shots that Scott took too. EXCELLENT!! Thanks Scotty.

Go grab yourself a Cult Of Scent Sample Set. I promise you’ll be impressed. They’re excellent value. You get enough juice to really wear the fragrances and see how they fit in your life. Go on, you deserve something lovely! It’s also really important to support our local talent.

Portia xxx

Day Out In Sydney: Photo Essay

May 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Fumies,

Scott and I had a big day out yesterday in Sydney city. Sadly we could not make it on time to the Penhaligon’s Breakfast but it looked amazing and we would have LOVED to be a part of it. What a fabulous arrangement in a sunny outdoor courtyard. Congratulations Libertine Parfumerie.

Men’s Biz

We first hit Men’s Biz in the Strand Arcade where our mate Liam is currently curating their fragrance range. I also wanted to take advantage of the APJ 10% Discount. We sniffed loads and chatted, met the owner(?) Nathan and the crew, fell madly in love with loads of frags and had a generally convivial time. Yes, I succumbed and bough Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir, feeling particularly good because she is an Aussie who has made it on the world stage.

Liam, Scott & I overwhelmed by choice

Nathan (the boss) joins us, he is sweet and handsome

Sniffing the wares

Men’s Biz has a great selection of all grooming products

Liam’s first Sydney sale goes to me. YAY! 10% APJ Discount too.

Men’s Biz Discount Code!

A special gift for Australian readers – a 10% coupon code from Men’s Biz. Enter ‘APJ’ at the checkout.

Next we went and visited my girlfriend Jolanta in DIOR’s stand along store on Castlereigh St. She had text me earlier this week and told me she was holding me some of the newest DIOR Privee range samples for APJ (review and giveaway coming). La Colle Noire is said to be a spicy rose and I can’t wait to smell what they’ve done.

Christian Dior

Isn’t Jolanta beautiful? She is a Polish Australian and is the DIOR Ambassador here in Sydney, Sexiest voice ever.

Yes, I shopped. The long overdue purchase of Fève Délicieuse that I have talked of incessantly finally took place. Woo Hoo! I now have an enormous amount and can spritz with abandon.

After DIOR we made a quick sidestep into Hermès and visited my mate Gene. I thought I took a couple of picks but clearly I haven’t. As always Gene was super helpful and grabbed us samples of the newest fragrance (review and giveaway upcoming) Hermessence Muguet Porcelain. It’s really pretty and a clean, aquatic lily of the valley. It smelled WAY better on Scott than me but Monsieur Li is absolutely To Die for and had I not already done my budget I would have shopped there too. Next time.

Then we hit my favourite department store, David Jones. We went to the CHANEL counter and Esther was so sweet and helpful. It was touch and go whether I would finally buy Misia but I kept strong. The Guerlain girl was nice but busy, they did have a partial bottle on sale of one of the gold rimmed bottles but I did not succumb. Bravo me.

Yves Saint Laurent

THEN, we went looking at the Yves Saint Laurent section because Scott wanted to try the Black Opium flankers and I wanted to see their new ultra glam range. After finding the Oriental Collection ridiculously overpriced originally it is good to see that they have dropped the prices, now retailing at $180/80ml which is infinitely more reasonable. There we were greeted by the very glamorous Sonja who was excellent value and really knew her stuff.

We did find the newest Le Vestiaire des Perfumes range which really felt like YSL has hit the luxury nail on the head. $230/125ml and the fragrances we tried were smooth and very luxe, not especially groundbreaking but the smell good. My favourite that I very nearly bought was their Caftan; a fabulous sizzling citrus opening with enough resins and balms beneath to warm the cockles of any perfumistas heart.

Isn’t Sonja gorgeous. We will be going back to do some serious shopping with her in the very near future.

The three we tried were Caftan, Caban and Tuxedo.

And we have a winner. I like that YSL have brought out this range but I really wish they’s started with 2 and built it up over time. Insta-ranges are getting ridiculous.

Anyway, that was our super fun day out yesterday. For those that wonder, yes my knee was less than comfortable today but I really was grateful to Scott that we got out of the house and did some fun stuff.

Do you guys ever go on a frag expedition?
Portia xx

2000 Posts GIVEAWAY WINNER

May 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

Hopefully you are enjoying the fun over here at APJ too. Let’s see who won.
Good Luck.
Portia xxx

2000 Posts GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 7ml vintage Guerlain Mitsouko umbrella bottle (about 4ml)
1 x vintage Guerlain Mitsouko soap
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 5th May 2016 10pm Australian EST.
Winner was chosen by random.org

HighestSelf

Morrigan

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winner will have till Sunday 8th May 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.

Capricci GIVEAWAY WINNERS

May 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

I am enjoying the fun over here at APJ currently. Loads of great giveaways.
Good Luck.
Portia xxx

Capricci GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x Capricci by Nina Ricci sample from my bottle
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 5th May 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner were chosen by random.org

Lindaloo

Bernadette Winfield-Gray

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winners will have till Sunday 8th May 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.

La Colle Noire by DIOR 2016

La Colle Noire by François Demachy

La Colle Noire GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Sample GIVEAWAY May 2016 WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Caroline

Cuir Cannage by Christian Dior 2014

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy

Tawaf by La Via del Profumo 2012

Ellis Faas Cosmetics GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Victoria Routhier Sue Mills Bernadette Winfield-Gray Latai Caroline M. Izzie A. ArdentE. Ceil Neva

Sample GIVEAWAY May 2016

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Cult Of Scent

An Afternoon with Jocelyn Fullerton

Men’s Biz

Men’s Biz Discount Code!

Christian Dior

Yves Saint Laurent

2000 Posts GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Morrigan

Capricci GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Lindaloo

Bernadette Winfield-Gray

Victoria Routhier
Sue Mills
Bernadette Winfield-Gray
Latai
Caroline
M.
Izzie A.
ArdentE.
Ceil
Neva