Galerie de Parfum counter launch, Myer, Sydney City

October 6, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by TinaG

Sydney-siders were treated to a special event on 24 September – a meet up, *and* a launch! An invitation was opened up to ten lucky dedicated scentaholics through the Australian Perfume Junkies website, to attend the launch of the new Galerie de Parfum counter at Myer, Sydney City. With such wonderful hosts as Nick Smart from Agence de Parfum / Libertine Parfumerie and none other than our very own Portia Turbo we were definitely in for a bit of a treat.

Galerie de Parfum counter launch, Myer, Sydney City

On arrival at Myer, I made a beeline for the new Agence de Parfum stand. I found myself dazzled by a wonderful display of familiar but often only internet-accessible fragrances – fantastic! We introduced ourselves to the group – some familiar faces and great to meet a bunch of new people.

Nick and Portia introduced us to Agence de Parfum, and then presented a mini-master-class of their three favourite scents each. We sniffed:

Batucada by L’Artisan Parfumeur

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Black Jade by Lubin

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Rappelle-Toi by L`Artisan Parfumeur

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

21 by Costume National

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Petit Fracas by Robert Piguet

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

1270 by P Frapin & Co

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Rapelle-Toi was a hit with most people, but I think my favourite of the above was Black Jade, a spicy incense rosy kind of concoction which I need to go back and test again….

Wonderfully lavish goodie bags were available for anyone who purchased 100ml bottle of fragrance on the night, a very generous introductory offer from Galerie de Parfum although I resisted temptation. An extra bonus was the gift of a full bottle of Rappel-Toi from the L’Artisan Parfumeur: Explosions d’Emotions range, which was won by Tim! Congrats!

There were some fragrances there which I’d heard about, however to date never quite been able to get my hands on, such as the Keiko Mercheri range, and Juliette has a Gun. Oliban by Keiko Mecheri was wonderful, such a rich and true frankincense (ie: Olibanum) note. I tried two of Juliette has a Gun on my skin, both totally different kinds of rose fragrances. Mad Madam was an amazing metallic rose which I really enjoyed for the first 2 hours, but I’m glad I gave it a run through as it lost the rose and ended up just being a bitter metallic which I didn’t enjoy so much. The other was Lady Vengance, a really full-bodied luscious rose. Fab. I’d like to go back and try more of that line though, such as Midnight Oud which smelt fantastic on Scott’s skin.

A fun evening! It was absolutely lovely to meet everyone, and thanks again to Nick and Portia for such a great launch.

Tina xx

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

October 6, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Heya APJers,

Special THANKS to LibertineParfumerie for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous and helpful. If you wonder why they are sometimes more expensive than the discounters or OS retailers it’s because they are the only licensed company selling their fragrances in Australia; where you know you are buying new, fresh and genuine product. The cost of importing, and buying the right to import, alcohol based fragrances (and having the right to send alcohol based fragrances throughout Australia, which are illegal to send in the Australia Post air system) is expensive and they must cover their costs to bring you these luxury goods.

Portia xx

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Photo Stolen Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Virginia cedar, incense, olibanum, (blonde) tobacco, (Damascene) rose, palisander rosewood, tonka bean, ambergris

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get:
1 x 5ml Oliban by Keiko Mecheri decant
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID 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

Go to Libertine Parfumerie and tell me any fragrance they sell online and a note that it contains. NO DOUBLE UPS!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3eU @LibertineParfum Oliban by @KeikoMecheri #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 5th October 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen shannonmayer

SCAR

LeanS12 (via Twitter)

The winners will have till Thursday 9th October 2014 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.

Under My Spell Noelle by Benefit 2013

October 5, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Hiya All,

While in London earlier this year Val CookieQueen, Hannah BlondesWunder, Michael & I were on our way to BLOOM and we stopped by a benefit store. One spritz was enough to sell me on Under My Spell Noelle (hereafter Noelle) and so I bought a bottle for my BFF Kath, which she adores. Then I started craving it myself, for my own……. recently I was in our Myer, just a suburban mall about to close up for the night, roller door down, and as we walked past the Benefit counter there it was!!!! On special! only $29

Under My Spell Noelle by Benefit 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lingonberry, black pepper, cardamom
Heart: Violet, wild orchid, jasmine, vanilla flower, rose
Base: Patchouli, oud, black amber, vanilla, benzoin, raspberry

So I basically ran it home and have worn Noelle part of two days in a row and I think I got a super bargain. I’m worried because it’s only a 30ml bottle, should I grab another? Being in a metal canister there will be no light penetrating and I keep my stuff in fairly moderate temperatures, it should last for decades. There doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of naturals in here but that is purely guesswork. I love the bottle and the box, they’re super fun and I can imagine having one in a few years time and bringing it out, everyone surprised because they remember Benefit but didn’t credit them with having a fragrant winner.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

If this was an oil it would be fairly eastern but the alcohol gives it a better throw and sillage. There are still plenty of references to North Africa or the Western Asias. Imagine, you are in the harem and this gorgeous amber/wood/oud/jam fragrance surrounds you all, the dry, dusty heat of desert countries and the tinkle of fountains over mosaic tiles and splashing into pools filled with fish, lilies and lotus. Not a breath of air and you wish you could take off your skin and lie around in your bones.

Photo Stolen Flickr

On first spritz I get a lovely amber and faux oud, it smells great. The berry, pepper and cardamom are not really noticeable for me though there is a jammy, sweet, rose-ish vibe behind the base, which really plays at full speed through the whole life of Noelle on my skin. Yes there is a little movement, more in the way of light and shade rather than featured notes appearing so Noelle is fairly linear. In this particular case that is a good thing in my books.

Really, the base line of the notes is all I get. Patchouli, oud, black amber, vanilla, benzoin, raspberry in a very delicious combination. The only thing I get that’s not mentioned in the notes is a dark chocolate note that sort of wraps up the raspberry/rose accord.Projection is good for the first 1-2 hours and then Noelle becomes a softer, more intimate fragrance. You are still fragrant for at least another 3 hours and sillage remains quite good till then too. After that 5 hour period there is still a gentle wash of something but nothing discernible as a note.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Further reading: The Plastic Diaries
Myer Australia has Noelle online for $29/30ml
Benefit USA has $36/30ml

What is a bargain fragrance you may have picked up lately? Is it performing well?
Portia xx

GUCCI: Gucci Première Eau de Toilette + Blake Lively: Ad Campaign

October 5, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Hiya Fashion & Frag Lovers,

Blake Lively and GUCCI, together they look to be the perfect match. Fun, lovely, easy going glamour. Blake lively makes it all seem completely effortless and spontaneous.

From GUCCI: As captivating as the original fragrance but with a lighter point of view, Gucci Première Eau de Toilette is a flirty new scent. Watch the short film, shot in Los Angeles and starring Blake Lively.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, orange blossom, vintage champagne
Heart: Freesia, Bulgarian rose, jasmine, musk
Base: Smoke, leather, creamy woods, patchouli

Blake Lively stars in Gucci Première Eau de Toilette

Gucci Première Eau de Toilette, behind-the-campaign

DIOR Star by Beatrice Piquet for DIOR 2005

October 4, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Hey Hey Happy Huffers,

This one has completely flown under my radar. I think my vial may have come as an extra in my shopping from other perfumistas and today I grabbed it out because I adore the DIOR brand with its lavish perfume history of fabulous hits and tragic misses. I have absolutely ZERO recollection of this particular one though and it makes me wonder if we even got it here in Australia? Oh well, come try DIOR Star with me today………

DIOR Star by Beatrice Piquet for DIOR 2005

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin orange, petitgrain, bergamot
Heart: Peony, honeysuckle
Base: Almond, musk

Firstly the perfumer Beatrice Piquet is one I’ve not taken any notice of before yet she has a string of blockbuster hits to her name: Burberry The Beat Woman, Bulgari Rose Essentialle, L’Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme + L’Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme Extreme (LIDGE), Paco Rabanne Lady Million and Trussardi Uomo. From 1989-2011 pumping out regular mainstream and designer fragrances.

The note list for 2005 is pretty standard fare here, to be fair the notes could be from a mainstream fragrant release today. So it is with quite a few reservations that I spritz….

SMILE! A lovely fresh citrus burst, so bright and sunny. Nothing groundbreaking but really pretty and coherent. Flesh, rind and pith are all present in a very pretty and 100% unisex opening, a simple cologne-ish citrus that will have your blue day turn to blue sky. Great warm weather wear but I think DIOR Star would also be a wonderful pick me up when its Autumn of winter.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

The heart is a fairly nondescript floral bouquet, inoffensive and very wearable but it isn’t till the milky almond comes through that DIOR Star becomes interesting again. With the teeniest hint of citrus still smellable, a clean and wet bouquet and this lovely creamy almond playing through all of a sudden DIOR Star is beautiful. Sheer, transparent even, but a beautiful wash that is fragrant but could never overwhelm the people around you. This almond enhanced phase lasts for a while and then collapses into a laundry musk scent that is ubiquitous in perfumery nowadays. Not bad, just banal and still I can imagine it being a super work or close quarters scent. All good but nothing astounding to dry down.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Pretty but nothing amazing, DIOR Star does smell very nice and I think it would make an excellent gift choice for a first grown up fragrance, for office wear and/or for people who don’t really like to smell perfumey but like to spritz something to feel dressed properly. Though not a big scent the longevity is excellent and you can spritz & go for nearly the whole day.

FragranceX has $89/50ml

Did you ever get your sniff on DIOR Star?

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

October 3, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 75 Comments

Heya Sniffy Sniffers,

Recently we had a bit of a Launch down at Myer Sydney City of the new niche fragrance counter. It was sniff sniff sniff and of course I got to show everyone that while I adore fragrance my nose is only very average at parsing the contents. Oh well, can’t be perfect at EVERYTHING!!! So I have tried this baby before but on the night I was showing it to everyone and since then I have been COMPLETELY obsessing. Today I had to drop some stuff into Libertine Parfumerie and while there I grabbed myself a bottle of…

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Photo Stolen Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Virginia cedar, incense, olibanum, (blonde) tobacco, (Damascene) rose, palisander rosewood, tonka bean, ambergris

I reviewed Oliban not too long ago so if you want to know about notes and progression go check it out there. What I do want you to know about Oliban is that I love it right through its lovely jammy rose, woods and resinous life. It’s a lovely warm, feel good, great big happy hug in a wooden retreat with someone you love, and it’s reciprocated.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Unusual, interesting, old and new, Oliban is gorgeous. Great in our lovely warm spring and just as gorgeous in the middle of winter.

Further reading: Katie Puckrik Smells and I Smell Therefore I Am
Libertine Parfumerie has $195/75ml including FREE Australian postage
First In Fragrance has €145/75ml and €5/4ml Samples

So to share my good choice today I though we could do a giveaway.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get:
1 x 5ml Oliban by Keiko Mecheri decant
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Libertine Parfumerie and tell me any fragrance they sell online and a note that it contains. NO DOUBLE UPS!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3eU @LibertineParfum Oliban by @KeikoMecheri #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 5th October 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 9th October 2014 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.

Miss Piggy & Joan Rivers: Behind The Feud

October 3, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Hiya APJ Crew,

So maybe I’ve told you before. I styled myself on two legendary superstars and their kiddy re-animations. The two stars? Loretta Switt and Divine. Re-animations? Miss Piggy and Ursula the Sea Witch.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Someone who I thought was kind of funny but admired much more for her dedication and ability to rise in a job where women were less than welcome was Joan Rivers. That kind of tenacity is amazing and even more so when you saw her, a tiny little doll like woman. She was quite old when I met her in Sydney at the Mardi Gras for a very short moment, and she was basically being held up by her minders to get through the crowds, but in my two seconds with her she was lovely. Now she’s gone but there is so much to remember her by.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Here is a super fun piece on the Piggy/Rivers Feud.

After you watch the video, perhaps you’s like to scent these two fabulous women?

Enjoy,

Portia xx

Behind The Feud: Joan Rivers vs. Miss Piggy

Hermès: Observatory of Orange Boxes: Video Series #1

October 2, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

This is fabulous APJ Crew,

You want to talk iconic? The orange box is DEFINITELY an icon in and of itself. I had a blanket box from Hermès for years till it got ruined. I loved it so dearly, kept it on display like art, and in many ways the Hermès box IS art.

Photo Stolen Flickr

I love it when luxury brands give us whimsical and fun pieces. These little Hermès snippets are so far from what I expect of the old school, stylish and magnificent house of Hermès that when I saw the first one I laughed out loud. This is exactly what I love about the modern age of Guerilla marketing

Enjoy,

Portia xx

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 01

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 02

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 03

Hermès: Observatory of orange boxes – Observation 04

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy for Dior 2014

October 1, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Hello Fashion conscious Fumies,

OOOOW! When I first heard about Cuir Cannage it was a thrilling excitement. I couldn’t wait to get my sniff on it. Immediately I knew it was coming I emailed our Australian DIOR marketing arm and was told I would be contacted on arrival. Well, frankly I couldn’t wait for them, I went and ordered from Surrender To Chance a lovely 3ml spritz. It just arrived, WOO HOO! Let’s wear it together for the first impressions……

Cuir Cannage by Francois Demachy for Dior 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, ylang ylang
Heart: Jasmine, rose, leather, iris
Base: Leather, Juniper (cade oil), birch

Instant leather on spritz like you are looking inside a new handbag for something, then a cool green sappy-ness then a warm wet suede shoe (all this happens in about a minute) and then I get a beautiful, sensual night flower that is the fatty orange blossom & the ylang, neither is wholly itself and they’re blended so beautifully that they create a whole new flower, glorious. This section lasts much longer than you’d expect from an opening and I’m really glad.

Photo Stolen Helen’s

The leather is new and very slightly earthy when it comes in, a soft and supple leather that I think anyone could wear. Smoked and tanned it reminds me of a very softened and gentrified Knize Ten. There is no fruit note to sweeten it like the Bottega Venetta and it’s not as plush and rounded as CHANEL’s Cuir de Russie but it is lovely and I can imagine it being worn by the boys to work and on dates. The girls will smell super retro in it and I can’t wait to smell Cuir Cannage on some of them, elegant and razor sharp cool. The girls will certainly stand out when wearing Cuir Cannage, nice one DIOR.

Photo stolen Pinterest

Further reading: Colognoisseur and Black Narcissus
Surrender To Chance has $3/ml
DIOR has 125ml, 250ml and 450ml available (450ml? WTF!)

How did Cuir Cannage live on you?
Portia xx

Fragrances Inspired by the Sub-Continent

September 30, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 34 Comments

Hiya All,

You may know that I am a complete India-phile. The whole area including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka call to me and though I have only visited India I wish to travel all six countries before I die.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Today I thought we could look at a few scents with names that link them to my fave journey destination…

Fragrances Inspired by the Sub-Continent

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Souffle des Indies by Comptour Sud Pacifique: Imagine if you took all the lovely, sweet smells and tastes of India and added them to a creamy milk/yoghurt drink. It’s called a Lassi and I adore them. Souffle des Indies by Comptour Sud Pacifique then is the smell of a Lassi with fruit. MMMMMMM. Sweet, creamy, slightly spicy and lovely pureed or finely chopped fruit mixed in, really it’s worth the ticket to India to taste the real thing.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Ambra del Nepal by Il Profumi di Firenze: A beautiful opener with that medicine cabinet, herbal and caramelised sugar hiding a Crème brûlée sweetness that washes out from under the bold opening and gives the most divine caramel coffee, vanilla cream, bitter chocolate, Ambra Del Nepal is a sweet and spicy Oriental Gourmand frag hit. Ambra Del Nepal is more gourmand that the usual amber that I’m attracted to but I love it.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Nepal Aoud by Montale: OK so this has the tell tale Montale signature all over it. Their own blend that is their oud, some leathery smell and the plasticky saffron note that I like so much. I don’t see the Nepal correlation but Nepal Aoud is a nice soft, not too in your face, synthetic oud fragrance that melts into your skin and becomes a lovely rough amber then vanilla till drydown.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Mohur Extrait by Neela Vermeire Creations: As if Mohur was not big, beautiful and outrageous enough. Neela and Bertrand got together, tweaked the ingredients a touch and amplified the whole fragrance by doing an extrait. OMG! It is seriously heart stoppingly beautiful. Everything you adored about Mohur but more intense and it lasts for days, on fabric for weeks. If there is a fragrance that has blown out the back of my head by sheer enormity and still retains its rose scented languid beauty, it’s Mohue Extrait.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Tibetan Mountain Temple by Pacifica: Sweet and spicy citrus woods open up Tibetan Mountain Temple and a fun GingerbreadMan accord. There is a cool resinous feeling of incense that evolves through the wear and a delicious creaminess that collides perfectly with the clean patchouli. This is a warming fragrance that smells a LOT more expensive than it is.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

The Taj Mahal’s Eternal Love by Romea D`Ameor: Here we have a wet, fruity opening that hints at the very early morning, sunrise at the Taj Mahal. I love this time of day there. If you ever get to Agra make sure your guide gets you to the Taj Mahal about 40 minutes before it opens. If you are the first i line you will see the Taj as few others have ever seen it, empty of humanity. An aquatic floral that ends in woods, very wearable.

So we have had a look at some fragrances inspired by the subcontinent, did I miss something you know or love? Tell me in the comments please.

Portia xx