Quicksniff Reviews

Going Green? TinaG’s Quick Sniffs with Portia

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Post by TinaG

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Hi APJ!

Last week I caught up with Portia for tea and lunch. We spent a lovely few hours bubbling away merrily with laughter and stories. Portia has an amazing fragrance collection which we dove into in search of ‘green’ scents. I was presented with a plethora of options. I thought I would share my first impressions of these with you.

There is nothing considered or nuanced here just what jumped out and hit me first. What this style of testing allows for is a snapshot of a range of perfume in a short period of time. What I can then do is go back and explore individual frags at my leisure. Fun!!

Going Green?

TinaG’s Quick Sniffs with Portia

Here’s my notes, ranked from less to more green (if that can be a thing….)

Armani Prive Vert Malachite Giorgio Armani FragranticaFragrantica

Armani Prive – Vert Malachite
Where is the ‘vert’? A bit of pettigran wafts through but it’s mainly a big white floral, heavy on the jasmine and ylang ylang.

Robert Piguet – Futur
This is supposed to be enriched by ‘green’ accords, but I can’t get past the old school aldehydes in the opening. It burns off leaving jasmine & ylang ylang with some bitter orange.

Chanel – No 19
Cool green, jasmine, rose, iris, geranium. Elegant.

Silences Jacomo FragranticaFragrantica

Jacomo – Silences
Galbanum-heavy. Not a note I easily pick up in fragrances so I spend some time with my nose on the card trying to affix it in my scent memory.

Ormond Jane – Sampaguita
Watery green. Grassy, light florals, lily & rose.

Guerlain – Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune
Grapefruit green, sharp and fresh.

Tokyo Bloom The Different Company FragranticaFragrantica

The Different Company – Tokyo Bloom
Heavy pink pillar of florals in the middle of gentle plant greens.

Olfactive Studio – Panorama
Light green. Peppery notes, it is a study in various green shades.

Niki de Saint Phalle FragranticaFragrantica

Niki de Saint Phalle
Cool green, but full of colourful varied florals. Fun.

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz – Giverny in Bloom
Fresh cut wet plant stem green. OMG this is exactly like being inside a florists! Amazing!

Guerlain – Aqua Allegoria Teazzurra
Dry green tea note. Simple. Gentle.

Fleur No 1 1000 Flowers FragranticaFragrantica

1000 Flowers – Fleur No 1
I think I was coming to the end of my capacity here because I just wrote ‘green’. (I don’t think there’s 1000 flowers in there).

So, what would I go back to? I’d be interested to see how Silences developed, along with Chanel No 19. I’ve given Panorama a run through as I got a sample when it was released, and it really is layered greens.

What else should I add to my list for future sniffs on a green theme?

See ya!
Tina G xx

In The Mail: New Arrivals

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Hey Gang,

It’s all been mad CER AY ZEE around here lately. I’ve been getting some great new gigs, TSO Jin has been studying for his final electrical exams and our lovely homestay boy has been off working on movie sets as well as attending to his studies. Spring has sprung and as the weather warms and the liquidamber in the front yard puts forth lovely green leaves we should be in the pool in a couple of weeks. YAY!!! We have seen a couple of 28oC/82oF days and life looks good.

One of the amazing things about being in the perfumista world is the swapping that goes on. Say I have a bottle of something and a few samples that I think will suit one of my buddies; decant, wrap & into a post pack and away. It’s so great getting a little fragrant package from someone who knows your scent preferences, wants to help educate you or simply wants to share the love. I’ve had a few of these super packs lately and would like to share a few of my new discoveries. To understand the ratings please jump across to the APJ Ratings System Page.

At The Beach 1966 by CB I Hate Perfume (Thanks Sonya) Has a lovely fresh citrus-like opening that quickly gives a salty blast and something vaguely white floral. I don’t get the Coppertone analogy, or, um, maybe, OK I get it! Ha Ha Ha The whole white sauce sun protection we used to be covered in by our Mum’s, the sand everywhere, seashells, surf, sun, the big fluffy striped towels with fringing. It’s all here. MEMORIES! And after 5 hours wear it smells like the bug spray we wore too. Still pumping soft white flowers and seawater 9 hours later. CB I Hate Perfume 100ml/$80. S=**** L=***** D=****

Interlude Man by Amouage (Thanks Ruth) OH BOY!! The opening of Interlude Man featuring Oudh from the outset melded beautifully with the oregano and spicy pepper. Get your money and buy this fragrance now, man, woman or child. My tummy has got butterflies and I am having a Stendahl Syndrome moment (Thank you Denyse Beaulieu for the SS reference). Full report soon. Amouage 100ml/215 Euro.  S=***** L=**** D=*****

LouLou by Cacharel 1987 (Thanks Amanda) What a fragrance. Pow when it opens with what seems like everything ever put into a perfume, in bags. Such an outrageously OTT spicy floral that is a super statement fragrance. I can’t believe the girls we grew up with used to think this was a soft girly fragrance, it’s a powerhouse based on the tiare flower, though not including it. Still available to buy in the shops but mine is a vintage 90’s bottle. Sweetness lingers for hours and hours. FragranceNet has 50ml/under $50 S=**** L=**** D=****

Jezebel by Bud Parfums (Thanks Howard) I normally shy away from a burst of fruit as an opening gambit by a fragrance but Jezebel opens so lushly that it already feels lascivious, but wait, there is something dirty hiding behind the fruit. A very naughty girl who has sprayed herself with fruit to do THE WALK OF SHAME. When people talked about Ho Panties in fragrance I kind of understood but now I know. It hits you sneakily and remains behind the glow and glamour of nearly spoiled fruit. Everything about Jezebel is a little overblown, pardon the pun. Probably wear this at home or on the prowl ONLY!! After the initial rush and gush I end up with an enjoyable sweet musky dry down that sticks around for a few hours and then disappears. BudParfums 100ml/$100 S=**** L=*** D=****

What has been on your fragrant agenda, anything new? Have you received a scented care package? What was in it? What do you wish had been in it? Leave us a message because the conversation is often more interesting than the post,
Take care till tomorrow,
Portia xx

PS All Photos Stolen Fragrantica

Catch Of The Day – Bargain Betty’s

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Hey all you lovely Stinkophiles,

I know I keep harping about it but I love it when the Decant/Sample sites have sales. SurenderToChance are having a 40% off sale of some stuff that is clogging up their offices so the new stuff can come through, it’s on for a while longer so go check, but be quick because they are selling out of some of the good stuff. This is a superb moment to grab yourself a little known magical bargain, something you heard about but didn’t grab, a promise you made yourself and then forgot or maybe just an excuse to get a parcel in the mail. So I gave myself a budget and dived right in. Some of the offerings are from companies I’ve heard of, some from completely new ones that have launched and Titanic-ed and still others companies that I never even registered. If you wonder what the letter and star ratings mean go see our Ratings System Page

Yes, I write for Perfume Posse but I pay full price, or sale price, for all my decants, so this is not an ad.

Here are a couple of my purchases;

Love’s Sorrow Photo Stolen my.opera.com

Chagrin d’Amour EdP by Des Filles a la Vanille (Sorrow of Love) featuring notes of Geranium, Hyacinth and Amber. This smells so youthful and exuberant to me, I don’t understand the sorrow of love name at all. It has that fresh young lady smell of vanilla with soft flowers woven through, not a powerhouse but a lovely warm, intoxicating fragrance that lasts quite well if I respritz after an hour to give it an extra kick of itself. The amber of the dry down is soft and fluffy. S=*** L=*** D=***

Photo Stolen foodnetworkTV

Salina EdC by Tocca Aqua Profumata featuring notes of clove, orange, green leaves, purple freesia, iris, peach, raspberry and musk. I found loads of reviews complaining of the short lived nature of this fragrance but I found it an 8 hour masterpiece, and then to find out it retails online for around $35/100ml made me so damn happy. An excellent refreshing spritz that is everything a good EdC should be, bright, green, refreshing, floral, fruity (the fruit is not current super sweet fashion), interesting, unisex and to have this longevity on my skin, SCORE! S=**** L=***** D=*****

Photo Stolen dreamstime

Miele Rosa EdP by i Profumi di Firenze featuring Damascena rose, milk, incense and wild honey (I swear there is some oudh in here too). OK so Rose and Honey? I’m in! Add to that the dreamy lactonic undertones and incense like fizz of a Damascena rose and I am lost. Miele Rosa feels like an Arabian Swiss oil it’s so fantastically intense, especially when I’m huffing away with my nose almost against my arm. OOOOH HEAVENLY AMBROSIA!! Filled with organic roses and honey this was released as a limited edition in 2006. S=***** L=*** D=****

Photo Stolen taniamarieartist

Le Bateleur EdT by Dolce & Gabbana features aromatic top notes; aquatic heart notes; and a earthy vetiver and cedarwood base. This has been soundly panned as a boring sport/nothing new/why bother fragrance. I like it a lot. The woody salty opening that slightly sweetens on the skin as it warms with your body, the sexiness of the spices and the good rooty humus rich vetiver. I would like to smell this on my partner and am enjoying it very much on me. Perfect work scent, fragrant but not intrusive, reminiscent of some other stuff but feels really expensive on my skin, at SurrenderToChance they have 100ml for $42. S=**** L=*** D=****

I am having a really good time getting my sniff on, instead of buying 100 x 1ml samples I got a hoard of 5ml decants. It means I really get to live the fragrance over a few wears, which is how I like to do it. Have you huffed anything interesting this week? Been to the sales? Bought, done a split on, had arrive something you’d like to share and give us all a lemming, Please do comment, we love to hear your voices.

I just want you all to know how grateful I am that you visit. Thank You.

Portia xxDes Filles a la Vanill

Feels Like Spring In Sydney: SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #16

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Hi Fellow Perfume Junkies,
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Today in Sydney was absolutely perfect so TSO Jin, EmmaKate, EvieC and I decided to go down to the Art Gallery of NSW and see the Eugène Atget Old Paris Photographic Exhibition which featured over 200 rare and original prints from the founder of documentary photography. He was quite a trailblazer because no one had properly recorded much of this architecture, era, or any of these rag n bone people, and Paris was making way for the grand designs of Baron Haussmann’s 19th-century modernisation program so loads of it was lost forever. After that we took a little side trip across the Domain and Hyde Park to David Jones, the world’s oldest department store trading under its original name, and slipped into their fragrance floor for a squiz.

What did I wear to look at art? What did we sniff? Below you’ll find a 3 line mini review and our ratings of a few of what we smelled today, it became a bit of an orgy of scent. Follow the jump to find our Rating System Page (<<jump).

Photo Stolen fragrantica

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DITA VON TEASE EdP 2012: Dita Von Tease has been peeking at me from her box, practically begging me to put her on, today I succumbed thinking she would be an excellent chaperone for the Art Gallery. This has a wonderful fresh opening that is citrus herbal to my nose, the pepper is wet not spicy. Warm, breathy, white flowers and rose slip in pretty quickly and tango with the wet pepper. I was still smelling a cool floral bouquet by the time I got lost in the photographs of Eugène Atget. After we lunched I was scentless, around 4-5 hours. CheapSmells 20ml/$23 S=**** L=** D=***

AQUA ALLEGORIA ???? by Guerlain: You want to know how angry I am at myself right now? I sprayed myself lavishly and didn’t get the name. WHAT AN IDIOT!!! I am going back for a bottle tomorrow, I smell AH MAY ZING. We all got coconut, white flowers, salt, honey and warm woods here but we are probably completely wrong. S=***** L=*** D=*****

Coco Noir Chanel for womenPhoto Stolen fragrantica

COCO NOIR by CHANEL 2012. I would like to take a moment to apologise to anyone that I have sneered at for loving Coco Noir. EvieC tried it on and it is fabulous, sexy, floral, tonka and musk. It has depth, charm, is present but not overpowering and that bottle is to kill for, don’t listen to people who say it’s not all that, it’s all that and a bag of chips. We only were together for 40 minutes while she was wearing it but, LORD oh Lord!! it smelled of a sweeter heaven: seriously impressed Chanel. S=***** L=? D=*****

WOODY 154 by JO MALONE. The SA gave Jin a spritz on each arm and told him that this arm is Woody 154. English is his second language and sometimes he misses the point of sentences but REALLY?? Woody 154? I hope the same girl is on tomorrow so I can ask her which one Woody 154 is because I can’t find that scent in the list on Fragrantica. Jin smells really good though, even after his bath I can smell it on him; tenacious much? S=**** L=***** D=****

Have you tried anything this week that you liked, loved, hated and want to share with us? Please do in the comments below.
Thank you for dropping by and being part of our APJ family, see you tomorrow.
Portia xx

LuckyScent Summer Samples: SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #15

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Hi Fumie Friends,
Click here for more graphics and gifs!

Last week the LuckyScent Summer Sample Collection arrived so I thought I would trot out 4 of the 10 new scents involved and give you the usual 3 sentences and a star rating. I figured you all liked this so much last week that we’d look at another 4 this week, cool? Follow the jump to find our Rating System Page (<<jump).

If you’d like to be a part of the LuckyScent Sample Program just join their eMail Newsletter Signup and every so often they will offer you a bunch of great new stuff to try, no pushy sales or minimum amount to buy, it’s either yes please or ignore. They are very reasonably priced; the 10 piece Summer Sample Collection was only $30 + P&H. There is a downside though, they are only .7ml vials so if you want to spritz you’ll have to self decant. I would pay double happily for a 1.5ml spray set, I have asked for it but you all need to too.

Summer Sample Pack by Luckyscent Sample PacksPhoto Stolen LuckyScent

In the bag:
• The Different Company – After Midnight , Limon de Cordoza, Tokyo Bloom, Sienne d’Orange
• Keiko Mecheri – Un Jour d’Ete
• Mona di Orio – Rose Etoile de Hollande
• Parfums MDCI – Un Coeur en Mai, newly reformulated
• Penhaligon’s – Peoneve
• L’Artisan Parfumeur –Seville a l’Aube
• Ramon Monegal – Lovely Day

AFTER MIDNIGHT by THE DIFFERENT COMPANY 2012: If you dab this you could be excused asking “why bother?” because this needs to be spritzed for me to even smell it. Once you do spritz though its a fun winter version of EdC with a warmer more vanilla and musk tone but with the light frothy approach so desirable in cologne. It is interesting and I think you could get away with it in  a work environment without feeling like you’d given up fragrance. It gets sexier the longer you have it on and respritzing after 4 hours will give you an even better, deeper, longer lasting version with itself as a base. $120/90ml S=**** L=** D=***

TOKYO BLOOM by THE DIFFERENT COMPANY 2012: This is interesting, it opens as sharply as hairspray and is a wonderful awkward blend of green, milky, musky, spicy and fizzy tones that I’ve never met together before yet still manages to smell GREAT! I was expecting an aqueous nothing and am beyond pleasantly surprised. You must at least take some time to try this marvelous, well priced, innovative fragrance. $120/90ml S=***** L=*** D=****

UN COEUR EN MAI EdP by PARFUMS MDCI 2012. A very lively green, peppery and citrus opening quickly leads to a spicy floral romp through a spring garden, white flowers, lily, rose, geranium all combine with some sweet (but not THAT sweet) fruity accords as if you’ve arrived at the garden lunch table for fresh fruit salad. I get a very slight cashmeran woods beneath the whole and towards the end but miss the musk unless it’s sprayed, I enjoyed this perfume immensely though it’s priced well out of my interest range. $250/60ml S=**** L=*** D=****

PEONEVE by PENHALIGON’S 2012. The violet leaf is a fresh, pretty, unpredictable, expensive feeling opening, such a change from pink pepper, bergamot or aldehydic blasts. I become almost complete anosmic to it for about 20 mins, just an extremely whispery floral tinkle in the air around me and then a beautiful light floral symphony surrounds me, reminiscent of a way less intense Gucci Guilty. Peoneve has an almost fruity, peppery rose and dry down is a little green, earth and musky at skin scent level then 4-5 hours gone. $120/50ml S=**** L=** D=***

These samples were from LuckyScent where you can buy full bottles of these fabulous perfumes and samples

Have you tried anything this week that you’d like to share with us? We’d love to read it so leave a message, you’ll get a response.
Thank you for dropping by and being part of our APJ family,
Portia xx

LuckyScent Summer Samples: SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #14

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Heya Scent-ualists,
Click here for more graphics and gifs!

We missed last week because the universe rejected Quicksniffs. What am I gunna do when the universe says NO? Acquiesce. This week arrived the LuckyScent Summer Sample Collection so I thought I would trot out 4 of the 10 new scents involved and give you the usual 3 sentences and a star rating. Follow the jump to find our Rating System Page (<<jump).

If you’d like to be a part of the LuckyScent Sample Program just join their eMail Newsletter Signup and every so often they will offer you a bunch of great new stuff to try, no pushy sales or minimum amount to buy, it’s either yes please or ignore. They are very reasonably priced; the 10 piece Summer Sample Collection was only $30 + P&H. There is a downside though, they are only .7ml vials so if you want to spritz you’ll have to self decant. I would pay double happily for a 1.5ml spray set, I have asked for it but you all need to too.

Summer Sample Pack by Luckyscent Sample PacksPhoto Stolen LuckyScent

In the bag:
• The Different Company – After Midnight , Limon de Cordoza, Tokyo Bloom, Sienne d’Orange
• Keiko Mecheri – Un Jour d’Ete
• Mona di Orio – Rose Etoile de Hollande
• Parfums MDCI – Un Coeur en Mai, newly reformulated
• Penhaligon’s – Peoneve
• L’Artisan Parfumeur -Seville a l’Aube
• Ramon Monegal – Lovely Day

SIENNE d’ORANGE by THE DIFFERENT COMPANY 2012: Described as a neo cologne in which carrot (LOVE!) and orange come out to play in a bright, fresh, vivacious fragrance that cardamom, leather and woods make interesting enough to try again. I’m figuring the product is made from the best of the best ingredients because of this companies genesis (Jean-Claude & Celine Ellena) though it’s very reasonable for niche at $120/90ml and created by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermannn. My skin unfortunately devours it in under 3 hours but it is a cologne so respritz and start again. S=**** L=** D=***

Un Jour d’Ete  Eau de Parfum by Keiko MecheriPhoto Stolen LuckyScent

UN JOUR d’ETE by KEIKO MECHERI 2012: WOW!! This is deliciously warm and cool simultaneously with bergamot, coconut, jasmine, ambergris and woods combining uniquely. Sometimes even the first whiff of a fragrance announces its difference, this is a beguiling blend where only wearing on your skin could make you understand how much more fabulous than I can ever write for you. Sweet, spicy, interesting, sensual, heartbreakingly beautiful and only $115/75ml at LuckyScent. Still could smell a faint whiff 11 hours later next morning. S=***** L=***** D=*****

ROSE ETOILE DE HOLLAND by MONA DI ORIO 2012. Mona di Orio was taken from us too soon but her business partner will make sure she and her work remain unforgotten. From Rose Etoile de Holland’s sparkling top through its spicy rose heart to the soft, not quite sweet oriental dry down the journey is wonderful. Don’t be afraid to give yourself an extra spritz because it lives longer and louder if you do. $210/100ml S=**** L=*** D=****

LOVELY DAY by RAMON MENEGAL 2012. I was recently asking about Spanish perfumers and BINGO here one is: The opening is fresh but though I’m supposed to smell jasmine, rose and blackcurrent I just can’t for the life of me smell that, there smells to me like there’s some unmentioned herb or seed that overlays all. Olfactoria’s Travels does a great job describing this fragrance (almost ELdO SM-ish). After about 20 minutes the jasmine struts in and the rest of the fragrance is as lovely as you would expect something called Lovely Day to be to its lovely soft sweet woody end. $185/50ml  S=*** L=*** D=***

These samples were from LuckyScent where you can buy full bottles of these fabulous perfumes and samples

Have you tried anything this week that you’d like to share with us? We’d love to read it so leave a message, you’ll get a response.
Thank you for dropping by and being part of our APJ family,
Portia xx

Etro: SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #12

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Heya APJ Family,

Click here for more graphics and gifs!

This week I’m doing something slightly different again. I recently received from SurrenderToChance a set of 3 Etro fragrances and I’ve been wanting to get them on the blog and thought that I can try all 3 in Quicksniffs and then do a full review on my favourite at a later date. So that’s what I’ma gonna do for you and give you the usual 3 sentences and a star rating. Follow the jump to find our Rating System Page (<<jump).

ETRO is a crazy fabulous Italian fashion house, check their site here <<JUMP

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

MESSE DE MINUT 1994. COR!!! Citrus explosion, almost like a spicy citrus souffle, sort of cake-ish but with a crackle of pettigrain that keeps the balance from getting too foody, though it is delicious enough to eat my arm. I’m not really a citrus fan, in my mind though my collection calls me a liar, but I really love this and think the Etro crew have done a warm citrus perfect for a sunny autumn, winter or spring day, like today was in Sydney, this felt perfect as it dried down to woods, fresh hewn. S=**** L=**** D=****

SHAAL NUR 1997. After the citrus has burned off I get herbal, spicy and wood. It is great but the flowers don’t appear on my skin in a starring role and Shaal Nur goes straight to an amber, patchouli and woodsy vetiver skin scent that plays so softly it’s almost miss-able that it’s more than me, but I lose the ability to smell it after 5 hours. This definitely has date night potential.  S=*** L=*** D=***

LEMON SORBET 1989. This, as you would expect, is also a burst of citrus, a bitter sweet cloud of cool herbal lemon gelato.  It is a good deal more linear and less cluttered than the other 2 Etros we are looking at today, almost linear but still with an interesting journey. Part of me loves the simplicity here, and it smells really good on me too, but I think it would be a better wear in the warmer months, perfect for you Northern Hemisphere people right now. S=**** L=*** D=***

I bought a pick 3 Etro Gateway Sampler from SurrenderToChance which starts at $7.99

I hope you’re all having a glorious weekend.
Thank you for being part of our APJ family.,
Portia xx

SUNDAY QUICKSNIFFS #11

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Hello Perfume Hounds,

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This week I’m doing something slightly different. The Lucky Scent July Sample Pack arrived during the week and I was wondering when I’d get to it. So of the 10 samples I thought I’d try a random selection for you and give you the usual 3 sentences and a star rating. You can find our Rating System Page <<jump.

Aqua di Casta  Eau de Parfum by Testa Maura
Photo Stolen LuckyScent

AQUA DI CASTA by TESTA MAURA 2008. This crew offers 100% natural and organic products. Spicy, green and woody opening like opening a tea or spice chest. It stays sparkly fresh and lovely, pretty linear for the first hour or so. The wood feels newly hewn and left raw. It continues bright, bitey and delicious till it’s gone in a surprisingly long 6+ hours. S=**** L=**** D=***

MIA MURZA by TESTA MAURA 2008. Green, herbal and deep, this starts like a dense jungle and as you walk you break bracken and pass mossy trees with arboreal night flowers. An earthy, wet, humus rich fragrance that only warms up slightly as it continues to almost nothing. It is kind of there and not there after 5 hours. S=**** L=*** D=***

Vanille Cuir  Eau de Parfum by M. Micallef
Photo Stolen LuckyScent

VANILLA CUIR by M. MICALLEF 2012. The opening sees a murky frission between the citrus, lavender and mint, something in this is the same as they use in modern Dana Tabu and it really fights with my nostrils. As a dab it then goes very skin scent but in a spray decant half an hour in and the leather really comes to the fore, a rough, unfinished leather straight from the tanners at first and then a mellow suede till the dry down about 4-5 hours later but it maintains that funny scent that torments me for most of its lifespan. I’m sorry to say, I don’t like it particularly. S=** L=*** D=**

VANILLA MARINA by M. MICALLEF . OHHHHH This opens so interestingly; the lemon is a warm hit of citrus (Unusual!!), I couldn’t place because the salty marine note plays with it like a Margherita, white flowers too. Are they orange blossom? So sexy and I can feel the vanilla sliding through it all, almost ambery but sweeter like …. I don’t know what!! WOW!! I am finding a decant of this, even though it’s not completely new, it is a fresh look at a common theme. Far better and lasted till morning, just quietly.  S=***** L=*** D=****

To receive the LuckyScent sample pack simply join their mailing list and they will send you an invitation to purchase their latest loves every month, priced very reasonably with P&H at attractive rates also. The only crap thing is there are only .7ml vials in the pack so if you want to spray them you have to self decant. I have written asking for a 2ml spray set but you all need to do it, go on.

I hope you’ve had a super weekend. It’s been very nice round here.
Love, Love, Love and good stuff to you and yours,
Portia xx

SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #10

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Hello Perfumistas,

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Every Monday morning the Sunday QuickSniff Review page is opened and each time I spritz during the week and am near the computer I’ll give a 3 sentence review with a rating out of 5 each for, well, see the key after the reviews. These can be samples I’ve bought or had sent to me by friends, or a FB that I may fully review later, or have done before and want to remind you of its existence. It gives me a lovely Sunday to hang with friends away from the computer, I hope your Sunday is great too.

DZING! by L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR 1999. On my skin I get warm shiny pleather-ish, dirty hay, play-do, new formica, then a kind of aqueous ginger, something like a recently lifted lotus root, still wet. Then we get back to the plastic, leather and resins with a late showing of caramel. Interesting, but I think I like the way Jacomo Art Collection #2 takes the idea further in a slightly different pentameter. S=*** L=*** D=**

IN BLOOM by REESE WITHERSPOON for AVON 2009. Another from my AVON mate Penny, YOO HOO Gorgeous!! This is an aquatic fruit and white flowers, it’s nothing new or particularly gripping but it is quite pretty. A perfect scent for anything really, totally inoffensive, and the price is great. Amazon has 50ml $12. S=** L=*** D=**

COMME DES GARDCONS EdP 1994. WOW! This opens on me with a huge hit of clove and cardamom, phew! Nearly blew my head off and it is beautiful, maintaining an interesting spice and wood combo for hours that weaves around itself rarely hitting the florals. No wonder this caused such a sensation when released; and is still available.  A 5ml spray decant was on special at ThePerfumedCourt S=**** L=*** D=****

ROUGE by HERMES 2000. Rouge is the reinterpretation of 1984’s Parfum d”Hermes, they have modernised and freshened the old blockbuster in a very palatable way that will probably have outraged the old guard but enticed a younger market. The iris opens cool but it doesn’t take long for the scent to warm up bringing the ylang-ylang and woods in a breathy, sensual mix that already heads towards its spicy amber base, kept inedible by the myrtle green, that lasts around 4 hours till gone. EssentialMall has 50ml under $70 S=**** L=*** D=***


Photo Stolen from shirtsays

Scent, Obviously the number 1 priority here is how does it smell. My reviews are completely subjective and will differ widely from your own experience with the scent but it’s a good starting point. As yet I am not a trained perfumer so any and all descriptions are merely that, descriptions. There are plenty of blogs that offer technical details and chemistry, in 3 sentences I’ll pass.
Longevity, This is a biggie for me because like enfleurage where flower petals are left in fats to steal the scent, my fatty body works the same and eats it up, yum. So for a scent to last well on me, it will probably last a whole day on you and need a radioactive decontamination shower to defuse it from your skin.
Desirabilty, Wrapped up in this is scent, price, house, history, longevity, packaging, availability and a billion other things.

Photo Stolen from bittbox

* in any of these being the, “You couldn’t pay enough to spray this God awful stink on me again, it smells like public toilets in India, long time fridge malfunction while on Summer holiday and the vile stench of poverty all rolled into one.” You are putting innocent people in danger if you wear this.
** means it’s a nothing, wearable, boring, maybe the price is prohibitive for what you get or it’s ubiquitous. You should definitely get a sample of this to stop a buying boo boo.
*** is a perfectly good product that smells good and lasts a while at a decent price. You should definitely think about trying a sample or squirt but should you miss out your life will continue. Sample size worthy.
**** is the one you try, want a lot but can wait for a birthday/Christmas. It’s better than most of the stuff you’ve sniffed and may fill a void in your library. This is also an excellent decant product 5ml will get you through the season and maybe buy it next year.
***** meaning, stop reading this, grab your cash, credit card (or partners), roll the elderly or rob a petrol station and purchase this product. NOW! If you don’t have this fragrance you could die.

The sniffing around your house been good? What have you tried and how did you rate it?

Portia xx

SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #9

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hey Hey Scentsationalists,

Click here for more graphics and gifs!

Every Monday morning the Sunday QuickSniff Review page is opened and each time I spritz and am near the computer I’ll give a 3 sentence review with a rating out of 5 each for, well, see the key after the reviews. Just some sniffs written quickly, it’s Sunday, I’ve been relaxing with my buddies, dogs and partner. I hope you’re having a good one too.

These can be samples I’ve bought or had sent to me by friends, or a FB that I may fully review later, or have done before and want to remind you of its existence.

OUTSPOKEN by FERGIE for AVON. My mate Penny (Thanks Penny, you SUPERMUM!!) gave me this, she is an AVON lady; honesty compels me to tell you that I expected it to be utter crap and it’s nothing new, can’t hold a candle to Chanel, Guerlain or Serge Lutens, but for the price this is AWESOME! As soon as the squeaky opening settles it is a soft aqueous white floral with a very respectable woods and leather dry down; gone in 2-3 hours on me. This is a good scent if you are on a budget, it wont skunk, is wearable at any time and in most situations, you could pay a lot more and get worse. Around $20 for 50ml S=*** L=** D=**

VIVA LA JUICY by JUICY COUTURE 2008. A youth oriented, slightly fizzy, fruity gourmand that is not bad on my skin!! Less irritating than many in its style, has some depth and follows an interesting course from super sweet fruit, through white flowers to soft amber/caramel base over a decent amount of time. Not my thing but I can see where it’s better than many of its peers and will probably use up this sample. A 3ml spray decant from MyPerfumeSamples only $6 S=*** L=**** D=**

FLOWERBOMB by VIKTOR & ROLF 2005. OK This is the same stuff but with all the irritants put in that they left out of Viva La Juicy. One of the currently ubiquitous fruit-chouli army, on (and to) me HORRIBLE!! but I know it’s a really big seller so it must work for some. I will be giving this away in our Thursday Giveaway. A 5ml spray decant from MyPerfumeSamples $9 S=* L=*** D=*

OBSESSION MEN by CALVIN KLEIN 1986. This is an ex-tester bought supercheap, Thanks Amanda! The citrus and spice at the top of this old chestnut are like stepping back in time to when I was studying fashion and this was what people wore, the general public went crazy for it and it still sells. Until today I’d never put it on my skin but POW right in the sniffer! I know America has a thing for clean smelling fragrances but Obsession has always had a sexy backdrop of fleshy, aroused manliness to me. FragranceNet has 15ml for under $12 S=**** L=*** D=***


Photo Stolen from shirtsays

Scent, Obviously the number 1 priority here is how does it smell. My reviews are completely subjective and will differ widely from your own experience with the scent but it’s a good starting point. As yet I am not a trained perfumer so any and all descriptions are merely that, descriptions. There are plenty of blogs that offer technical details and chemistry, in 3 sentences I’ll pass.
Longevity, This is a biggie for me because like enfleurage where flower petals are left in fats to steal the scent, my fatty body works the same and eats it up, yum. So for a scent to last well on me, it will probably last a whole day on you and need a radioactive decontamination shower to defuse it from your skin.
Desirabilty, Wrapped up in this is scent, price, house, history, longevity, packaging, availability and a billion other things.

Photo Stolen from bittbox

* in any of these being the, “You couldn’t pay enough to spray this God awful stink on me again, it smells like public toilets in India, long time fridge malfunction while on Summer holiday and the vile stench of poverty all rolled into one.” You are putting innocent people in danger if you wear this.
** means it’s a nothing, wearable, boring, maybe the price is prohibitive for what you get or it’s ubiquitous. You should definitely get a sample of this to stop a buying boo boo.
*** is a perfectly good product that smells good and lasts a while at a decent price. You should definitely think about trying a sample or squirt but should you miss out your life will continue. Sample size worthy.
**** is the one you try, want a lot but can wait for a birthday/Christmas. It’s better than most of the stuff you’ve sniffed and may fill a void in your library. This is also an excellent decant product 5ml will get you through the season and maybe buy it next year.
***** meaning, stop reading this, grab your cash, credit card (or partners), roll the elderly or rob a petrol station and purchase this product. NOW! If you don’t have this fragrance you could die.

Have you sniffed at all this week? What was it and how did it smell?

Portia xx