Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2016 Perfume Reviews

March 26, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Gorgeous APJ Family,

It’s Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances time again, my favourite seasons are Autumn and Spring, the mid seasons. I love that in both these seasons the weather can be remarkably similar, sunny and warm on one day, freezing or blustery on another, nights are cool to cold and so the overall wearings are quite similar. These fragrances are on my desk and within easy spritz reach and they only stay on the desk while they are getting regular spritz time, if they’ve been sitting there for more than a few days without attention they go back in the cupboard.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2016 Perfume Reviews

Liberte*** – Cacharel: A screaming, sizzling, BarBQ’d orange that is so sugary and ends up in a vanilla/patchouli/orange finale. I’ve loved it for years and now that it seems to be discontinued I’ve had to grab a couple of back up bottles, which are being used much faster than expected.

Shalimar EdP*** + Parfum – Guerlain: My old faithful. Shalimar fits every season, every mood and every event. From it’s citrus gelato opening to the resinous, vanilla and leather dry down I love Shalimar through and through. If I had to pick a fragrance to be my one and only Shalimar would be it.

Mitzah** – DIOR Prive: For those cooler nights Mitzah. Sweet, spicy, animal roses that feel like they have a whisper of oud in with the patchouli. Warm and sensual but cool enough to wear all year.

Neroli & Orchidee** – L’Occitane: A great L’Occitane cheap and cheerful fragrance! Spring has definitely sprung. The pithy neroli so green and furry foloowed by a very pretty and slightly breathy bouquet that dries out to soft nutty woods & white musks. This is one of the few in the Collection de Grasse series that is being maintained, PHEW!!

Niki de Saint Phalle**: I can’t stop wearing this glamorous green. Currently the bottle on my desk is a splash one and I like to use the Niki de Saint Phalle Bath Oil while bathing before wearing it. Bright, fun and energetic. Niki de Saint Phalle is take charge with a twinkle in your eye. I think it’s the mint in the opening contrasting with the fruit and galbanum, gets me every time.

Mohur EdP – Neela Vermeire Creations: Mohur is back in the list, I can’t get enough of this lavish rosy kaleidoscope a fragrance. The stunning roses, resins and herbs opening that segues to a spicy bouquet before the sweet vanilla, woods and resins take me to close. AWESOME! I also have the Extrait but the EdP is the one I reach for most.

Shea Fabulous Oil – L’Occitane: If you don’t have this and you like to have smooth, glistening skin and to smell like a tropical island princess then get out of your seat and run to your nearest L’Occitane store. I have never EVER received so many compliment for how good I smell or how soft and gorgeous my skin is. Hot or cold it’s a winner.

Joy EdT + Parfum – Jean Patou: That ridiculous swirl of jasmine, ylang and aldehydes that becomes a rosy, white floral bouquet over sandalwood. Honestly I don’t smell the notes anymore I smell joy. It brings me joy. The vintage EdT is nearly finished and the Parfums get sneaky little swipes or spritzes ; yes there are spray and splash on the desk. Perfect bedtime fragrance.

Truth or Dare – Madonna: Not long ago I panic bought a bunch of the sets on deep discount because I thought it was the end. So now I can have a bubble bath, moisturise and spritz the EdP to my hearts contentment. I think its the best big white floral of all time, and costs nothing. LOVE IT!

Giverny In Bloom – DSH Perfumes: My 10ml is nearly empty. I think I’m going to have to order 100ml and soon. You have no idea how beautiful Giverny In Bloom is. Both dry and wet, like putting your head in a florists fridge and licking the metal doors. Galbanum rules this baby but Dawn has surrounded her star with beautiful back up dancers.

There are my current mid-season Top 10. They will probably be changed by next week but right now these ten fragrances are getting good skin time and working extremely well in the changeable conditions that the mid-seasons hand us.

What are you wearing right now? Give me a Top 3 if you’ve got one…..

Loads of love to you all, wherever and in what ever weather,
Portia x

Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2013
Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2014
Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2015

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

***Third year in the Top 10
**Second year in the Top 10

Jasmin Rouge by Rodrigo Flores-Roux for Tom Ford 2011

March 25, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Frag freaks,

While on holiday Anna-Maria, Val the Cookie Queen, Sandra and I went to Le Parfum, among other stores, but Le Parfum is my favourite by far. The crew are fun and friendly, really knowledgable and can’t wait to help you with your choices. I never feel like I’m a bother, even though I know I can be, and they have an excellent selection including many of my favourite brands. The news of today’s fragrance being discontinued in the store reminded me that I had promised myself a bottle and never gotten around to purchasing….

Le Parfum

It’s mildly interesting to note that both full bottles I own of Tom Ford fragrances were by Rodrigo Flores-Roux and released in 2011, Neroli Portifino and todays beauty………Jasmin Rouge

Jasmin Rouge by Tom Ford 2011

Jasmin Rouge by Rodrigo Flores-Roux

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, mandarin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black & white pepper
Heart: Sambac jasmine, broom, neroli, ylang-ylang, clary sage
Base: Mexican vanilla, labdanum, leather, wood, amber notes

That freaking bottle. It’s so gorgeous and even catching sight of it I’m filled with joy. I grabbed le Parfum’s last two Jasmin Rouge soaps and body lotion, can’t wait to get into them too.

Jasmin Rouge opens like a DIVA! It’s bold, spicy, loud and indolic. Eye rolling and heart flutteringly good. You can tell that the tom Ford crew wanted people to smell it in store and impulse buy it from the majestic and over the top extravaganza it begins with. I get it. It is amazing.

Then after about an hour Jasmin Rouge become a very simple and easy wear creamy woods base. Nothing groundbreaking or sensational. Actually it smells like many other things on the market and hums away quietly for hours at that level. I feel that Jasmin Rouge is made for people with jobs who want to smell amazing all the way to work and good the rest of the day, without setting off alarms in the workplace.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Olfactoria’s Travels
David Jones has $298/50ml + Body Lotion and Soap (FREE Australian Delivery over $100)
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/0.5m

You get a chance to try it for yourself below,
Portia xx

TheTruthAboutMummy

Jasmin Rouge GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 2ml decant of Jasmin Rouge by Tom Ford
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 your favourite Tom Ford fragrance or one you’d like to try?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 20th March 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 24th March 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.

Harvey Prince Organics GIVEAWAY WINNER

March 25, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Woo Hoo! Another great giveaway thanks to the wonderful Azar! Let’s see what you could get and who won….
Portia xx

Harvey Prince Organics GIVEAWAY WINNER

Harvey Prince Organics

Harvey Prince Organics gives these featured accords:
Meyer Lemon, White Grapefruit, Satsuma Mandarin, Summer Forsythia, Pink Plumeria, Wild Verbena, Tahitian Vanilla, Sensual Musk. Style: Welcoming. Loving. Refreshing…”

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

Today we will have one winner who will receive:
1 x 7ml roller-ball of Hello
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 24th March 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

HighestSelf

MaggieCat

The winner will have till Sunday 27th March 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.

Ainslie Walker Scents Alexi Freeman at MONA

March 23, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey crew,

Our very own Ainslie Walker is making her way in the big world of fragrancing events and this is set to be the biggest yet. As one of our APJ Contributors (and my buddy) we are incredibly proud of her achievements to date and wish her another major popular and critical success. Hopefully we will get a post event story from Ainslie because it’s so hush-hush that I’ve only now been allowed to tell you. Stay tuned.

Here is a short interview with Ainslie, I wanted the details.

Good Luck Ainslie, couldn’t be prouder of you.
Portia xx

ALEXI FREEMAN WHITE NOISE

TRANS-SEASONAL 2016 COLLECTION LAUNCH AT MONA

What is it you are scenting?
The runway/catwalk of a fashion show for the launch of Australian designer Alexi Freeman’s latest collection which is set on a cliff top on the rooftop of the Tasmanian MONA museum, so completely outdoors in the elements and interacting with an art piece situated there.

How did they find you to do the job?
Alexi and I went through my fragrance portfolio 2 years ago in Melbourne and he kept me in mind for future reference. When he was asked to launch his collection at MONA he saw this as a great opportunity to collaborate.

How do you go about creating a scent for someone elses vision?
Initially Alexi wanted something very natural based around Eucalyptus, in keeping with the natural beauty of Tasmania, leaving things quite open for me to experiment. However as the collection evolved and I understood it further we talked about night time/dark/twilight and wanted to play with dark and light and play of moonlight/ultraviolet light onto white fabrics/flowers. So I went from creating a very dark scent to a much lighter scent, based on materials Alexi is using. Billowing white fabrics, leather etc.

How is the scent being released in the air?
I am using a few different sized scent diffusion machines…plus the natural flow of air created by the models passing by. if weather is wild I have a few other options up my sleeve! Also I have created scented candles in dark pots that look like the Tasmanian night sky for people to purchase as part of the collection which will be sold at MOMA (Mona market) and then on both Alexi and my websites

What is the major note and why?
Peony: to represent the white fabrics reflecting ultraviolet lights
White leather: in the collection
Musks: representing wet bitumen /cement: which glitters at night around MONA
Patchouli and white woods: earthy/woody: natural component
Fruit note: to represent the MONA vineyard surrounding MONA

Patchouli Imperial by Francois Demachy for Christian Dior 2011

March 19, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Fragrant Family,

Since we’ve been back from holidays I have spent a little time hunting through the decant/split section of my collection. There is so much choice here, enough for three lifetimes of fragrant addiction that unless I really set out to search the outlying areas things get forgotten. I remember trying today’s fragrance once when I bought this decant and being sadly unimpressed but last night I gave it a spritz before bed and this morning I still smell beautiful. softly tinted with the scent of …..

Patchouli Imperial by Christian Dior 2011

Patchouli Imperial by Francois Demachy

La Collection Couturier Parfumeur Patchouli Imperial Dior for men Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sicilian mandarin, Calabrian bergamot, Coriander, Indonesian patchouli, cedarwood, sandalwood essence

So I wore Patchouli Imperial again today, all day, and I’ll be wearing it to bed again tonight. In 1.5 days I’ve gone through about 4ml of my 10ml decant. That’s some serious fragrance use. Why? Because suddenly I have fallen madly in love and it’s so absolutely wearable. It was perfect last night as a sleep scent, today while blogging and organising stuff. It was also a winner to go to the physio and shopping afterwards. Then tonight my BFF Kath and I went and ate a WHOLE PEKING DUCK with pancakes, greenery and Hoisin sauce. OMG! I’m so freaking full right now, you have no idea.

DIOR

How does it smell? Well, the citrus burns off fairly quickly and a waxy, woody, green-but-not patchouli that reminds me of the SJP Lovely patchouli/musk but a little more barber shop styled. The woods are there too but in a just polished retro furniture way. The whole fragrance smells smooth, stylish and uncomplicated; more of a fragrant wash that a loud signature statement.

Patchouli Imperial smells to me like a perfect office scent. It is fragrant but not overbearing, could be quite ambient until you get in really close and realise that freaking amazing almost smell is this person. I could also imagine it haunting someone who smelled it on you afterwards. Doomed to be forever seeking that perfect and unattainable fragrance that was once smelled on this person at work, in a restaurant or at a party. Great fragrance to leave on a lovers sheets too.

Flickr

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Olfactoria’s Travels
Available at DIOR stand alone stores, large department stores and now big airports (ask)
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3.25/ml

Are you a patchouli fan? Which of the DIOR Privé line do you love most?
Portia xx

Jin: World’s Greatest Shave 2016: Photo Essay

March 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 32 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey APJ Crew,

My partner Jin is a hero. When we got together he had buzz cut hair, about 6 months in he noticed that he is getting a bald spot on his crown, not severely noticeable but becoming something. He confessed that he had had a dream of one day growing his hair long but was worried about how it would look and if it would suit him. Just do it. He did. 4.5 years later he has hair down his back to his waist but now he has done his thing and the hair is actually a nuisance that is constantly up in a bun and takes him hours to wash and dry.

Jin: World’s Greatest Shave 2016

World’s Greatest Shave

Adjacent to this story is my Mum who died in 2001 of Leukemia (Blood Cancer). This year, 2016, would have been her 80th birthday and she was born on St Patrick’s day, March 17 1936. I miss her every day and wish she had lived to meet Jin (who she would have adored) and see me drug free, happily settled with properties and making a career beyond dancing in the clubs that I love. She was deathly afraid that after clubland I would be lost.

So Jin comes to me one morning in January with this plan when the heat in the rooftops of Sydney has been scorching while he is being a sparky (Electrician). He wants to cut his hair. Not only does he want to cut his hair but he wants to do it as a World’s Greatest Shave event and raise money for Blood Cancer. On top of that he has heard that you can donate your hair to the Leukemia foundation and they will send it along to a wigmaker who will create wigs for children suffering hair loss as a side effect of their cancer treatment. He wants to do this too. He also wants to do it on my Mum’s birthday so it has extra meaning and makes the circle of the story complete. Never underestimate the people around you, if you’ve picked good people then they will constantly surprise you.

His dream was to make just over $500 for the Leukemia foundation. The Sleep Easy Badge means you’ve raised $560. That’s enough money to give a regional Australian family a place to stay close to treatment in the city for one week.

He broke that goal in under a week and then decided it would be amazing to get the Breakthrough Badge: When you’ve raised $2000, that’s enough to aid future breakthroughs by funding a major blood cancer research project, for one week!

Want to donate? You still can. Here’s the link below for anyone else, international too. Even $10 will help
LINK: World’s Greatest Shave DONATE

World’s Greatest Shave 2016: Photo Essay

Here is Jin and his fabulous hair. This is his fundraising page picture. You can still World’s Greatest Shave DONATE, every little bit helps and who knows; your dollar may be the one that funds finding the breakthrough cure for cancer.

Jin flew back from 10 days SCUBA in Thailand on the 17th morning, came home for a shower and then we went to the hairdresser.

The fabulous crew at Hair by Phd Parramatta Store offered to cut Jin’s hair for the wigmaking process for free! You can find them at Hair by Phd Parramatta (02) 9635 4721 35-37 Phillip Street Parramatta, NSW, 2150. The even offer a $25 New Customer Discount on the Phd website

It’s a beautiful, spacious salon. The staff are friendly and it is busy. While we were there every hairdresser was occupied with a very well groomed clientelle. There is an exciting, low key buzz to the place and the staff clearly love their work. Lots of happy, smiling customers leaving with new dos.

Our hero.

Meet Sarah. She is Jin’s hairdresser today. Volunteered to do this for FREE and couldn’t have been sweeter. We were laughing with her immediately and she is very happy go lucky while still conveying the kind of calm that only someone who is really good at their job can project. Fun and efficient, did I mention GORGEOUS!

Jin Worlds Greatest Shave 2016 Hair by Phd #4

Jin hadn’t washed his hair because the crew thought it best they give it a salon wash so it can go to the wigmaker in perfect condition.

LOVING the head massage. One happy hero.

Sarah sections the hair out so that each snip will get the maximum hair.

The Leukemia Foundation ask that the hair be triple banded for ease of transport and neatness. It’s quite a procedure. Sarah is so cute, she made sure the bands were the same colour down each section.

Once it was all sectioned out Jin was like, “I’m Miley Cyrus, or maybe Destiny’s Child!” Love that fool.

The first cut. Center front. There was no going back from here.

This is Jin’s happy/panic face. Poor bugger. It was a bitter sweet moment and we all could tell he was being a big tough man.

Last one!

Jin’s lovely locks

So #1 shave all over.

I think this picture captures Sarah’s spirit perfectly. She is a beautiful girl and we loved spending this momentous occasion with her. She is also a fabulous hairdresser.

Aren’t they beautiful? Jin looks so freaking hot. Like the boy I originally fell head over heels in love with. Tanned, smiling and manly. Hubba Hubba.

Please do call Sarah and book an appointment. You’ll be thrilled by Hair by Phd Parramatta Store

Above: the tails hanging out to dry. Jin’s hair has a slight wave through it and is brown, rather than the usual South Korean black. It’s beautiful, thick, soft and will go towards making some cancer kiddie a very lovely wig. Congratulations Jin, you are a hero and I am proud to be your partner.

My partner Jin is a hero.

Want to donate? You still can. Here’s the link below for anyone else, international too. Even $10 will help
LINK: World’s Greatest Shave DONATE

L’Occitane Collection de Grasse Discontinuations

March 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

It’s a sad day when the discontinuations are whispered around the frag FB pages. Just this week I got word that the Collection de Grasse is going to have most of its fragrances cut and their body products. GAK! I loved this line so much and regularly spritz and use the shower gels. I even went to the Australian L’Occitane website to panic buy and a couple of the things I love are already gone. It means In Store Shopping required.

L’Occitane Collection de Grasse

Discontinuations

I don’t have supported evidence but word on the FB pages cites rising costs, drop in sales volumes and some other things I don’t remember. I get it, you’re a business. Still I’m a little sad. Ambre & Santal, Vanille & Narcisse, Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc and most of the rest are on the chopping block. Get in quick if any of these are favourites.

Cedre & Oranger gone

Vanille & Narcisse gone

One bright light is that one of my favourites is staying: Neroli & Orchidee is keeping its place in stores and I have bought a back up of the fragrance and two of the shower gel. That should see me alright. Also Green Tea & Bigarde and Jasmin & Bergamot are staying, so if these are your Go-To fragrances then you are safe.

Neroli & Orchidee stays

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but there is also good news. I am reliably told that there are a slew of fabulous new fragrances coming through for Christmas 2016. Looking forward to that.

What is your favouritre L’Occitane?
Portia xx

Santa Maria Novella: Florence 2016: Photo Essay

March 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 32 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Fragrant Fumies,

Our recent trip was a bit light on the fragrance stops. We really wanted to see what each city is most famous for. While in Florence though Anna-Maria put her dainty foot down. We could look at art & churches all day & night but we had to go to the Santa Maria Novella Basilica which handily combines all three of our interests. It’s a church and cloisters, very old and it has one of the oldest still extant apothecaries/farmaceutica which is now centred around fragrance and tea.

Wikipedia

The church you can see today was begun in 1279 and was finished around the middle of the 14th century.
Inside it resembles Cistercian gothic churches, the nave separated from the aisles by wide bays and covered with gothic vaulting (Edited from museumsinflorence.com). There are some lovely frescoes inside too if you get a chance.

WikiMedia

Santa Maria Novella: Florence 2016

From the moment you enter Santa Maria Novella shop in Florence you are transported back in time. You are also reminded of the extraordinary amount of money the church has at its disposal. The place is exquisite and we were surprised at how busy, and how much money people were spending. It was like a fragrant feeding frenzy.

I have a set of these tablets keeping my wardrobe pest free and fragrant. They were a gift and my very first Santa Maria Novella. I love them and they are still extremely fragrant years on.

The homewares section is fabulous. It took ultimate restraint to keep my wallet in my pocket.

Anna-Maria and Jin being looked after by the extremely beautiful and helpful SA. I was not going to buy anything but then I spied some smaller bottles which turned out to be soliflore extrais. I tried and fell madly in love with the triple distilled jasmine extrait, the sample I tried which lasted 3 days on my skin through showers and general living. Sadly the product they sold me is gone in about 2 hours, it’s really gorgeous while it lasts though I am disappointed.

Anna-Maria was so sweet and bought Jin & I a set of the soaps as a thank you for sharing our holiday! Woo Hoo! Can’t wait to use them.

Here is the Triple Distilled Jasmine Extrait. I am sad now that I didn’t order tea. Next time.

Florence 2016: Photo Essay

The Duomo is the heart of Florence. It’s free to enter and the floor and dome are gorgeous. You can walk to the cupola up the top but Anna-Maria had done the one in Vienna and that was enough.

VisitFlorence

All through Europe we lit candles and asked God to bless our friends and family with bountiful lives, peaceful and funfilled.

On the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge, no wonder Italian is a romance language) ignoring the jewellery shops but watching the people.

View of the Ponte Vecchio from the next bridge, it was a lovely walk along the river.

Anna-Maria was overcome by David. She needed a few moments to stabilize.

We caught the local bus up to the Piazzale Michelangelo. A perfect winter day with dappled sunlight over the city. It was a beautiful afternoon and from the bus we saw some amazing parts of Florence that you would otherwise miss.

Anna-Maria had a pre-mixed alcoholic beverage at the lookout. She was so happy.

Our dinner in the hotel was a complete disaster so we decided to go around the corner to the international restaurant of choice for the hungry and weary traveller; McDonalds. YUMMY!

Next night we had the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. The three of us shared 1.2kg of steak cooked to perfection. It came with salads and baked potatoes. OMG! So freaking delicious. If you are Florence you MUST go here and have the Special Florentine Steak.

I hope you enjoyed a snapshot of our amazing journey through Florence. There is more holiday to come next week.

Have you been to Florence? What is your favourite part?
Portia xx

Colony by Jean Patou GIVEAWAY WINNERS

March 14, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Heya APJers,

Nice to be home and able to share the fragrant love again. Good luck everyone.

Portia xx

Colony by Jean Patou GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pineapple, ylang-ylang
Heart: Carnation, iris, oak, vetiver, opoponax
Base: Leather, musk

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 2ml decant of Colony by Jean Patou
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 14th March 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

prospectsplus

Neva

Nemo

The winner will have till Thursday 17th March 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.

Colony by Henri Almeras for Jean Patou 1938 + GIVEAWAY

March 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Hey Vintage Vamps,

Looking through my older decants and I found a large vintage Colony EdT decant. I must have bought it 5-10 years ago and it is still in pristine condition; no evaporation or darkening of colour. So clealy I’m not wearing it so I thought lets share the love.

Colony by Jean Patou 1938

Colony by Henri Almeras

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pineapple, ylang-ylang
Heart: Carnation, iris, oak, vetiver, opoponax
Base: Leather, musk

Colony opens like pineapple jelly with ice cream. It’s fun and silly and a little over the top. This glorious, fun-filled opening is just for the wearer though because before long Colony morphs into a different beast altogether. A rubbery, resinous, slightly powdery and dry leather. It’s beautiful and strange, the pineapple peeping out from between the other notes furtively for a while and gradually disappearing altogether leaving a clean, supple, fully finished and favourite handbag smell. I can think of no fitting place to wear Colony except in my own home so I can enjoy the ride. It’s strangeness is beautiful but you have to be fully present to enjoy its changes, otherwise it’s very easy to dismiss it as less than it is.

Flickr

Click on the links below to find out more about Patou’s Colony. It seems silly for me to go over the story of its creation when it has been so beautifully covered before.

Further reading: Yesterday’s Perfume and Non Blonde
eBay sometimes has older vintage bottles that go for astronomical prices
A fully new version was released in 2014 but I can’t find it

myprettypaints

Colony by Jean Patou GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 2ml decant of Colony by Jean Patou
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us where you would wear Colony by Jean Patou?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 14th March 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 17th March 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.