What’s Your SOTD?

August 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Crew,

Anne-Marie is snowed under at work and feeling less than 100% so I’m filling for her today. Fingers crossed for her triumphal return in a fortnight. We love you Anne-Marie. XX

Anne-Marie, Scott & Portia at DIOR, Sydney

Anne-Marie, Scott & Portia at David Jones, Sydney

What’s Your SOTD?

SOTD, SOTE, SOTM, SOTBed???? This acronym had me completely baffled when I first hit the online scent world. It is used everywhere from blogs to Facebook pages and has now become so much part of the fragrance communities conversation that I forget at one point it was meaningless to me.

S.O.T.D. = Scent Of The Day

S.O.T.E. = Scent Of The Evening

S.O.T.M. = Scent Of The Morning

S.O.T.Bed. = Scent Of The Bed

So though Anne-Marie is not with us today I know she will be reading all our replies avidly so let’s include her by telling her exactly what fragrance we are wearing and which acronym applies.

Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Coriander, Saffron
Heart: Gardenia, Jasmine, Magnolia, Rose, Ylang-ylang
Base: Amber, Musk, Vetiver

So as this post goes live it is S.O.T.E. for me, I have finished work, taken my drag and makeup off and have spritzed over my work scent for tonight which was Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations with the original Agent Provocateur rose/saffron/woods in the pink egg (I really need to review this baby, it’s becoming a firm favourite. So I thought it was a patchouli frag HA HA HA!) If I was leaving a comment this is how it would look. SOT? acronym, Fragrance, Brief description.

SOTE: Agent Provocateur: Rose/saffron/woods bomb in the pink egg that smells like it has modern patchouli in it to me. Love how this seems to shimmer around me. I imagine people’s noses catching my sillage as I walk past and them looking up from whatever they’re doing to see who smells so good.

So please get on board and drop your Scent Of The Whatever into the comments.

Get work sorted and well Anne-Marie
Portia XXX

Mandarine by Olivia Giacometti for L`Artisan Perfumer 2006

August 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fragrant Friends,

I’ve had this 5ml decant of Mandarine for years. It has about 1ml left in the bottom so I thought I would use it up this week. When the decant first arrived I used it a lot but when it got down to nearly nothing I thought it should be kept for reference purposes. So when I went to grab it and realising this is my last wear from the decant I began looking for a bottle but BUMMER, D/C. Thank goodness for FragranceNet!

I think I’ve told parts of this story before but it bears repeating, mandarines are special to me for a few reasons. They used to be a perfect play lunch in primary school and became a lunchbox fave through high school too. Then when in India and the whole culture shock drama plays out if I’m lucky enough to be there at mandarine time they are a welcome respite from Indian food and Varun used to go to extraordinary lengths to get them for me. Lastly and most recently Jin loves mandarines, he has a favourite type that comes with a sticker and he looks all winter and ONLY buys these. They are sweet and nearly seedless and come easily away from the rind. Mandarines and their scent have such joyful connotations for me so a fragrance based on them was bound to hit my sweet spot.

Mandarine by L`Artisan Perfumer 2006

Mandarine by Olivia Giacometti

Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Green mandarin, Ginger
Heart: Frangipani, Yellow mandarin
Base: Orange, Red mandarin, White cedar

Mandarine is simple, fresh, bright and sparkling. It has a soft pithy fleshiness that works beautifully against the juicy mandarine ripeness. Though I miss most of the ginger it does feel like there are some aldehydes lifting and gently expanding the fragrance. The frangipani reads like of coconut undercurrent my skin too but I am pretty sure it is meant to be the frangipani.

What I am surprised about is that this isn’t a bigger hit. L’Artisan is pretty much a general public fragrance house nowadays and Mandarine seems like it would be very popular as a spritz and go refresher fragrance, it has a lovely holiday vibe without feeling like the now ubiquitous salty jasmine. Not mentioned in the notes but I think there are a fair number of laundry musks in the base too, which seem to be highly sought after in the non perfumista arena.

WikiPedia

Who would wear this? Well, me for one. Other than that I could see it being a really easy wear spring/summer go to or holiday fragrance. After an hour it does calm considerably so it would be very safe for work. Maybe Mandarine is just a bit too much like laundry softener or shampoo for the perfumistas but perfect for a gateway fragrance, or even a first step from the celebuscents. Mandarine is a little like a Guerlain Aqua Allegoria fragrance, maybe too close?

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Bois de Jasmin
~~FragranceNet has $71/100ml before Coupon~~ SOLD OUT
Sephora Australia has AUD$145/100ml FREE Delivery

Do you know or love Mandarine? I’d really like to hear from you if you do, how do you wear it?
Portia xx

Lady Gaga + Gwyneth Paltrow Talk Fashion Disasters

August 5, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Fashion Forward Fumies,

Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow are about as polar opposite as you can imagine. Back in 2011 they were both on Graham Norton’s couch and the subject of fashion fails creeps up. The very last look of this clip is gold. They are both really charming and I love the way they work together. Comedy comes from such unexpected places.

How would you scent Gwyneth and Gaga? Let’s not say what they do wear but what their personalities match with. I reckon Gwyneth would wear something feminine, overblown and intrusive like Midnight Oud, Ysatis or Songes. Lady Gaga is surprisingly conservative under all that show so maybe something that opens really strong then softens to an elegant wash like Mitsouko, Maai or Jasmine Rouge.

Do please take a moment out of your busy life to enjoy this.
Portia xxx

The Graham Norton Show – BBC One

Lady Gaga on falls, ripped crotches and other disasters

12 Perfumes I Would Rebuy

August 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 62 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fab Fumies,

Once upon a time you would see these Desert Island lists everywhere. It was a regular question on blogs and Facebook pages. It would be great for me because it would make me think about the fragrances that really matter in my collection. So let’s get hypothetical.

Let’s say you have downsized to a Tiny Home after your whole perfume collection was destroyed and are only allowing yourself 12 fragrance bottles in your new less expansive space (you can change one every time you finish a bottle, gift one away etc). You have bought an In-Cupboard-Drawer that will be the complete size of your collection and it fits 12 bottles exactly. You have no price restrictions only bottle number, what are the first 12 bottles you chose to have in your home?

12 Perfumes I Would Rebuy

Fragrantica

Aesthete by Le Galion: The Le Galion crew are woefully under appreciated. This sexy leather/saffron/incense with a lovely animalic backbone is the bomb. Elegant, wearable, inviting and distinct.

Amoureuse by Parfums DelRae: Freakiest damn sexy lily I ever smelled in my life. A golden witch brew that makes my head pop.

Fragrantica

Dia Woman Extract by Amouage: An animal in couture clothing. All the flowers over an oudh/incense base that sings on my skin all night long till the early morning when it growls and purrs.

Fantasia de Fleurs by Creed: I can’t think of a better jammy rose. Some times in my life just seem to call for Fantasia de Fleurs

Giverny In Bloom by DSH Perfumes: The greenest green I ever did smell. So much galbanum decorated with flowers to lightly soften the blow. I go through so much Giverny In Bloom that it’s nearly time I bought more…..

Mitsouko Vintage Extrait by Guerlain: If you knew how much of this I’ve stockpiled you would be appalled. That furry peachy floral oakmoss bomb that continues to fascinate and delight me every time.

Fragrantica

Mitzah by DIOR: Honeyed, spicy, amber rose overlaid with a glorious smoky incense both fiery and cooly aloof. LOVE IT!

Fragrantica

Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations: Another spicy rose but this time cooler and more Asiatic. Every wear is slightly different and it tends to bloom differently at different temperatures.

Niki de Saint Phalle: A chypre with a softer floral hue through the heart. So wearable and is such a summer staple that works in all climes.

Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids: Yes, I have about 30 ambers in my collection and this was the hardest to winnow down to one by there is something incredible simple and wearable about Olympic Amber, it’s the one I seem to reach for as my benchmark.

Shalimar Extrait by Guerlain: The one. Forever and ever. My favourite fragrance in the world. This case is by far my preferred way to apply too.

Truth or Dare by Madonna: I know. Don’t care what you think. This is one of my all time favourites. It gets hauled out and spritzed at least once a week. There’s quite a stockpile here but still I worry that it will run out.

Can I tell you honestly that this took me a while because I kept swapping things out and then feeling bad because some of my favourite perfumers, houses and frags would have meant a doubling up of notes or styles. In the end I had to stop myself second guessing by adding that each time a bottle emptied or was gifted away I could swap it out for a different scent. Suddenly it didn’t seem like I was choosing forever and my head stopped exploding. He he he.

OK, so it’s over to you. What are your 12? Don’t think too long, it’s merely hypothetical and not forever.
Portia xx

Goddess GIVEAWAY WINNERS

August 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Woo Hoo! This was a really fun GIVEAWAY!! Thanks to Azar for her generosity.

Let’s find out who the winners are!
Portia xxx

Goddess GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WikiCommons

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
6 x 2ml decants of Azar’s Goddess Scents (NO you don’t get to choose)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 3rd August 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Hanna

Angela Pritchard

The winners will have till Saturday 6th August 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.

Better Sleep?

August 3, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Hi APJ,

We all want better sleep and we all want a quick fix. Just a drop of lavender on your pillow at night will help you sleep well – right? No, sorry, it’s not as simple as that. Essential oils can definitely help you relax and adjust your weird sleep patterns, but you’ll have to do a bit more work than opening an oil bottle. Read on to find the best essential oils for sleep, and what you need to change…….

Wikipedia

Better Sleep?

If we don’t sleep well all sort of problems can start happening. When this becomes more frequent, the daytime can be very challenging. Lack of sleep can be the cause of so many other health problems, but at the very least we simply can’t function well during the day. If bad sleep patterns prevail they can become habit, and then it’s all downhill.

Here’s some simple sleep hacks:

Drink less coffee and/or don’t have caffeine in the afternoon
Exercise more frequently, even if that means a walk around the block
Stop watching TV at least an hour before bed
Stop all screen time ie phones and computers at least an hour before bed
Set up healthy patterns – eat, go to bed and wake about the same times each day

Other hints:

Have a cup of relaxing herbal tea about an hour before bed
Have a warm bath or shower before bed
Start stretching and force yourself to yawn in the evening (I read that somewhere and I’ve tried it and it works!)
Have a book at your bedside – this always sends me to sleep

Daily habits are important if you are having difficulties sleeping. Of course the clock can be the devil when you’re staring at it every night – 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am ……… It may only take you a few days to reset your body clock, but it could take weeks. In the evening (perhaps after dinner), start your essential oil difuser to help you unwind.

Pixabay

Better Sleep Oils

Lavender: The classic sleep and relaxation oil, lavender is a healing herb but too much lavender can be stimulating so mix your oils for a soothing combination.

Vetiver: Vetiver is a very strong oil and you’ll only need a couple of drops in each blend. It is a cooling oil and very grounding and centering.

Marjoram: Marjoram will help induce relaxation and works wonderfully with its sister, lavender.

Frankincense: Frankincense will help you take deeper, slower breaths, then you will automatically slow your heart rate, calm your mind and allow yourself to “be”.

Citrus: All the citrus oils (lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, grapefruit) will add happiness and lightness to your blends.

Roman Chamomile: Roman chamomile has a honey sweetness to it. Why not double up and have a relaxing chamomile tea in the hour before bed too?

Flickr

Better Sleep Blends

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil, which could be too much for some diffusers, so check the recommendation of each unit and adjust thee recipes accordingly.

“Better Sleep Universal Flow”

Lavender 10
Frankincense 8
Bergamot 7

“Better Sleep Depth”

Marjoram 6
Roman Chamomile 7
Orange 8
Vetiver 2

“Better Sleep Intuition”

Sandalwood 6
Lavender 6
Marjoram 4
Orange 11

“The Better Sleep Way”

Frankincense 10
Roman Chamomile 2
Vetiver 2
Sandalwood 5
Lime 6

By now you have the idea so go for it! Mix those oils baby!

Let me know how you go and –

remember to treat yourself first, then everyone will benefit.
Suzanne XXXX

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
Suzanne R Banks FaceBook

Aventus For Her by Creed 2016

August 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hey fellow fragrant fanatics!

Have you ever tried NOT to fall in love? Perhaps we all have at some point in our lives; when we meet a kitten or puppy that we can’t keep for ourselves…or the obvious no-no: someone else’s partner. We fragrant fiends do this with perfume. Times you have zero spare money and you read about a fragrance that sounds PERFECT for you…when you enter a boutique, see a new brand and start sniffing, knowing full well you already own enough fragrant juices to fill a medium sized kids pool!

As I opened recently released Aventus For Her, THIS is what came to mind:

Aventus ‘disciples’ forever discuss the “panty dropping” aka sexually captivating nature of Creed’s Aventus. Mimicking wine-vintage buffs they discuss various batch codes being superior to others. To be honest I’ve never ‘got it.’ Released in 2010, Aventus is reported to be the best selling fragrance in Creed’s 250-year history. I find it a bit to macho for my liking, so my knickers remain up in its presence.

Is Aventus For Her cashing in on the aura surrounding its male counterpart and if so is that really so bad?…could it become as legendary?

Aventus For Her by Creed 2016

Wicked Games – Aventus For Her

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Patchouli, green apple, bergamot, lemon, pink pepper, violet
Heart: Mysore sandalwood, rose, musk, styrax
Base: Peach, black currant, lilac, ylang-ylang, amber

On first whiff in Sydney’s Harold’s I recognised a watery green apple note I’ve enjoyed in Creed’s Aqua Originale Geranium Vetiver. I then waited for the infamous pineapple note Aventus is famous for. It didn’t come, yet the hairs in my olfactory system were standing to attention. Sweet yet fresh, I wanted to sniff again, a guilty pleasure…I was hoping not to fall in love. Light, fruity and playful were my first thoughts as I rushed out of the shopping centre.

Today I poured a small manufactures decant on my wrists, chest and a blotter and found myself engulfed in a nice feminine, fruit cloud for the initial hour or so which then turned sweeter to peach and rose, yet remained fresh and quite unisex. Somewhere amongst the first hour or so there was a flutter of powdery goodness. Finally all the ingredients settle into a lovely balanced composition, which then stays pleasantly linear for the rest of the wear.

WikiCommons

Where would I wear it? Daytime picnic. The Office. A boardroom meeting. A job interview. Seasons? Summer and spring. A nice scent for someone who’s just had a baby or has small children. Would I wear it on a date? I don’t think so – it’s pretty but not sexy or distinctive enough. Outfit? Jeans and blouse, maybe a little tom-boyish/masculine clothes or a cutesy cotton floral dress (girlie) with Dr Martin ankle boots (rock n roll). There’s innocence to this scent alongside a sense of strength.

To celebrate women and the launch of Aventus For Her, Creed has donated $25,000 to “Because I Am Girl”. A charity that empowers supports and educates young girls with programs addressing mental, emotional and physical wellbeing, raising standards in how girls treat themselves, each other and the world.

Flickr

Further reading: Colognoisseur
Libertine Parfumerie has $465/75ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/0.5ml

Overall I give it a thumbs up and will definitely wear it some more as the weather warms up. Have you tried it yet? How did you go?

Until next time, Ainslie XX

Goddess? My Perfume Pantheon

August 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 65 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello Perfume Pals!

The quote of the day:
“There are only two kinds of women – goddesses and doormats.” – Pablo Picasso

When I first came across this remark I felt as if I’d been slapped in the face. Good grief! I don’t consider myself a goddess or a doormat, so why does Picasso’s dated and sensationally ridiculous comment (not unlike a lot of his artwork) continue to bother me? Is the only alternative to divinity abuse? That old, dead artist has me wondering if I need to shed my matronly aspect and do a better job of projecting the goddess within – lest someone I don’t even know steps all over me! Fortunately, the legion of nymphs, sprites and other spirits languishing in my perfume storage has been waiting to transform this dowdy duckling into an ethereal, confident swan. Here are a few of my divinities!

Wikipedia

Goddess? My Perfume Pantheon

Goddesses of Love and Seduction:
Tabu by Dana – the old stuff
Guerlain Shalimar (sometimes)
Lucien Lelong vintage Sirocco
Viktoria Minya Hedonist
Guerlain Samsara – the older the better
Dior Hypnotic Poison – any version will work
Rosarium Blends Dom
Mardi Gras by Olympic Orchids
Amouage Interlude Man
DSH Mata Hari

More love goddesses are just lying around, but I only have room to list a few. For me, seduction tends toward dense, heavy and voluptuous fragrances, often with killer sillage and days of longevity.

WikiCommons

Moving right along –

Water Sprites – a sampling:
Germaine Monteil L’Eau De Monteil
Sun by Jill Sander

Djinns of Smiles and Confidence:
Anat Fritz Tzora (the kibbutz in a sock!)
Micallef Jewel for Her
Curve Kicks
Coty Les Muses (1986)

Wood Nymphs include:
Olympic Orchids Woodcut
The Red by The Sum
Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Pirouette
Various Oud oils

Floral, Greenhouse and Garden Fairies – a selection:
Lanvin Spanish Geranium
Matt, Heliotrope and Patchouli by Dame Perfumery
Olympic Orchids Golden Cattleya and Ballets Rouge
Annick Goutal Songes
Lolita and Joan by the old Sweet Anthem
Micallef Gardenia
Dior’s Diorissimo

Goddesses of Bombast:
Vintage Jungle Gardenia
Versace Blonde
Boucheron Trouble

Spirits of Galbanum:
Fidji by Guy Laroche
Vero Profumo Mito EdP

Fireside Devas:
Estee Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude
Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan
Basil by Basil

The Goddess of the Conventional:
Chanel no. 5

Goddess GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
6 x 2ml decants of Azar’s Goddess Scents (NO you don’t get to choose)
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 about a divine perfume that you simply adore or a fragrance that makes you feel like a goddess!
(Yes, you can enter if you are a man but you must answer the question)

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Wednesday 3rd August 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 Saturday 6th August 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.

Rose Delight Body Oil by Andy Tauer for Tauer Perfumes 2016

July 31, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Robert Herrmann

Hi Frag Friends!

Robert H. here writing from my (very warm) tiny island home in the Pacific Northwest.

The Tauer line of fragrances are kind of a “tough love” for many people. There are ones that don’t work on me at all (Zeta, Pentachords White, Sotto La Luna Gardenia), and others that absolutely sing with beauty and joy (Phi Un Rose De Kandahar, LADM, Noontide Petals etc…) The ones that work are not necessarily scents I would reach for on a daily basis, more like very special performance art perfumes. Often I will spray with abandon when I’m alone in the house and can wander around for hours encapsulated in my very own cloud of scented gloriousness!

What I really love about Tauer Perfumes, is Andy Tauer’s willingness to step outside his own box to create fragrances for a secondary range (Tauerville) that are like little masterpieces, and priced affordably so anyone can enjoy his work. To me, this speaks volumes, this attitude and desire to make perfume accessible to everyone! Rose Flash, Fruitchouli Flash, Amber Flash, and one of my favorites, Vanilla Flash are as great as anything you’ll find at five times the price!

Rose Delight Body Oil by Tauer Perfumes 2016

Rose Delight Body Oil by Andy Tauer

So when I first heard of the new and reasonable Rose Delight Body Oil, I jumped online to order, because A.) body oil, and B.) Another Tauer rose! Hell yes!

Tauer Rose Delight Body Oil, is a luxurious sheer body moisturizing oil described by Mr. Tauer thusly: ” …based on pure cold pressed jojoba oil, totally free of added other oils, free of added phthalates, antioxidants, parabens and stabilizers. The scent is rose petals on a gourmand base. A rose veil for a grey or sunny day.”

It is indeed a rose veil, at first simplistic and seemingly linear, but like a new bud opening up…. layers upon layers of rose and something spicy (Pepper? Clove?) all on a deep and absolutely captivating and hypnotic base. Absolutely gorgeous, as in eyes-rolling-back-in-your-head gorgeous!

Yup. Love it.

Available exclusively through the Tauer Perfumes website (CLOSED July 21-August 5), Tauer’s new Rose Delight Body Oil is a delight in every sense of the word!

Do you use body oils? What’s your favorite or go-to?

Gardelia GIVEAWAY WINNERS

July 31, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

Hey Crew,

Thanks to Antonio for his generosity in letting me have some Gardelia to share with you. You are only getting the smallest amount because I don’t have very much and I’m greedily keeping some for myself.

Let’s see who the winners are.
Portia xx

Gardelia GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Gardenia, Jasmine, Rose, Tuberose, Frangipani, Magnolia, Civet, Cognac, Geranium

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x Sample Gardelia by Bogue (a smidge from my sample)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 30th July 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Tracy

Anna Maria

The winners will have till Wednesday 3rd August 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.