Fragrance Oils GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Hello APJ,

Great response, as only you guys can give. Thanks for getting on board and enjoying the fun. Sadly Jin was fast asleep when I remembered to do this so Random.Org it was.

Perfumers Apprentice Frag Oil#2

Fragrance Oils GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

We will have 2 winners for this draw. It would be more but postage is outrageous! Each winner will receive

1 x 1ml sample vial of all 5 Fragrant Oils (Almond, Carnation, Geranium, Honey, Peony)
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.

All I need is you to tell me your favourite perfume note and how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Tuesday 8th October 2013 10pm Australian EST
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner (unless he asleep or studying then I’ll use random.org).

Winners Are shannonmayerPhoto Stolen shannonmayer

Mihaela U, Gilda

CONGRATULATIONS!!The winners will have till Friday 11th October 2013 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.

Thanks All,

Portia xx

Palmarosa – Soft Skin and Happiness

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Suzanne R Banks

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Palmarosa – Soft Skin and Happiness

Palmarosa Lemongrass WikipediaPhoto stolen Wikipedia

I’ve used this lovely oil with clients a few times in the past couple of weeks. It blends well with so many oils and adds a green, fresh and slightly rosey scent to a formula. This is a relative newcomer to aromatherapy and doesn’t really have a rich colourful history like the spice oils, but is a wonderful addition to a collection. This gorgeous grass originally hails from India and is sometimes known as East Indian geranium. It’s also grown in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Although I can’t really find out a lot about this lovely oil I assume, like lemongrass, it has been used in India as a part of their Ayurvedic lifestyle and natural way of treating disorders in the body.

Palamarosa (Cymbopogon martini) is a grass like lemongrass and citronella, and belongs to the same family – Graminae (or Poaceae). This is the family of ‘true grasses”. There’s also a gingergrass plant that creates an essential too, and that is quite close to palmarosa as it is a variation of the plant – Cymbopogon martini var. sofia. One of my suppliers offers gingergrass oil and although I don’t use it therapeutically is has a beautiful soft scent. Maybe I’ll do a story on that oil soon.

Back to palmarosa – which is an oil often used in cosmetics and soaps to enhance the scent and add an inexpensive rose scent to the product.

I’ve always used palmarosa as a skin conditioning oil and one of it’s main components is geraniol so that may give you a hint too, as geranium is a great oil for the skin. However it’s interesting to note that geranium only contains about a third of the amount of geraniol than palmarosa! And while we are on the geraniol track, lemongrass has a high content of geranial – a different molecule with slightly different carbon bonds (with a similar function).

In aromatherapy today palmarosa is used for

* hydrating the skin and hair

* as a stimulant for skin cell growth therefore working well on scar tissue and the uneven appearance of skin

* as a tonic to the digestive system

* as an insect repellent – just like lemongrass and citronella

* I use it as an oil for happiness and for flexibility in the emotions and thoughts

Palmarossa Oil Burner Cinnamon Vogue FlickrPhoto Stolen Cinnamon Vogue  Flickr

Try these combo’s –

Scent your space

1. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Aperitif”

Get your house in the mood for a lovely dinner

Palmarosa 10 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Juniper 7 drops

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“I’m Going to be Flexible on this Issue”

Palmarosa 8 drops

Rosemary 5 drops

Geranium 5 drops

Siberian Fir 7 drops

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Palmarossa Oil RamshackleGlamPhoto Stolen RamshackleGlam

2. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and  “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Sweet and Soft”

Soften up your skin and add a little sweetness –

Palmarosa 3 drops

Peru Balsam 3 drops

Lavender 2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“Gettin’ Vibed Up”

An oil blend to refresh and send you into the day with gusto –

Palmarosa 2 drops

Cinnamon 2 drops

Lemon 2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

Suzanne R Banks

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

copyright suzannerbanks 2013

Chanel 28 La Pausa by Jacques Polge for Les Exclusifs de Chanel 2007

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Post by Dionne

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All the Iris Fiends in the House say Yeah…

Hey, my niche nerds!
Today I’ll wax effusive about one of my all-time favorite frags, 28 La Pausa. Not only is this my numero uno iris pick, but it sits in my all-time top three perfumes.

Now I don’t know if anyone else is like this, but as I get to know a perfume, associations start to develop: an image or a painting, a texture, a feeling or scenario, a specific memory, a color, a place. Everything eventually gets a story. And for me, the iris note has turned into a woman. She’s tall and slender, blond hair done up in a chignon, elegant and intelligent and often intimidating. I like that about her, her cool strength. And I borrow some of that strength when I wear iris, it’s emotional armor for me.

Chanel 28 La Pausa Quentin Bryce WikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

My mental image for 28 La Pausa is that lovely woman now in her early 70’s. She’s still tall and slender, still elegant with her white hair in a chic short cut, but the steel is now tempered with kindness. She adores her grandchildren and has a gentle, easy humor and is quick to smile. Her mind is sharp, but she’s become a master at putting you at your ease. (OK, I’m totally cheating with this particular image, because I know someone exactly like this. She’s marvelous, a good friend, and the perfect match in my mind for 28 LP.)

28 La Pausa by Chanel 2007

Chanel 28 La Pausa FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Leather, rose, orris

If I was to place 28 La Pausa in the iris continuum, it’s towards the violet end instead of the carrot, woodsy instead of metallic. Nowhere near as powdery as Infusion d’Iris, and it doesn’t have the cosmetics vibe of Dior Homme, either; the powder aspect in this just seems more natural, like nothing’s been added to augment it. Not as cool as Iris Silver Mist because it’s got a hint of musk, but not as warm as Equistrius either. If you’re starting to sense a Goldilocks theme here, you’re right. This hits my sweet spot of juuuust right in the iris line-up; no wonder it’s in my top three.

Chanel 28 La Pausa Iris Alaska WikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

Also, there’s one thing about 28 La Pausa that I’ve never encountered in another iris frag, and that’s the vetiver hanging out in the background. Luca Turin’s review in Perfumes: The Guide mentions the vetiver in the base, and for the longest time I had no idea what he was talking about. And then all of a sudden one day there it was…. Tadaa! How did I ever miss it? Actually, I know exactly how I missed it. Somehow Jacques Polge managed to wrestle this very distinctive note into playing backup, which to my mind is no small feat. Ladies and gentleman, this is how you blend perfumery notes. Kudos, Monsieur Polge. It’s interesting to see notes listed for 28 La Pausa, as sometimes vetiver isn’t even listed.

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Olfactoria’s Travels
28 La Pausa is still available in CHANEL Boutiques, you may have to hurry though (the SA in Sydney’s Bondi Junction has it in stock)
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/ml

Chanel 28 La Pausa vanrah DeviantArtPhoto Stolen DeviantArt

Last off, a caveat and a heads-up. You’ve likely heard about 28 LP’s poor longevity. It’s true that scent-glue skin is a real advantage when wearing this frag, but even if you don’t, the quietness of the sillage means you can go crazy with the sprays without gassing out the neighborhood, and the pale color of the just means you can spray on fabric without staining.

If you haven’t had a chance yet to try this lovely fragrance, now would be a good time. With the introduction of 1932 to the Les Exclusifs line, 28 La Pausa is being discontinued. I wish Chanel hadn’t made that decision, but economics rule. And remember how 200ml seemed so large when the line first came out? If you’re going to stock up, it’s good to have options.

Happy spraying!
Dionne

Brie’s Across the Generations

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Post by Brie

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Perfume and Tea Musings: Across the Generations

Nest Fine Perfumes Midnight Fleur
Zhena Gypsy Organic Green Tea with Coconut/Rum Flavorings

Hello APJ

For many years I have worked with autistic students as a speech language pathologist. All of my students suffer from a condition known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction. In the simplest of terms they cannot process sensory information in typical fashion and are either repelled by sensory input (ie: can’t tolerate loud noises, itchy sweaters, etc) or crave sensory input (ie: only eat highly spicy/crunchy foods, are constantly smelling things, etc). I have my own theory that those of us obsessed with perfume may also possess to a certain degree a mild form of sensory integration dysfunction. Studies have also shown that this condition has a hereditary link.

So it should come as no surprise that my family is a multi-generational band of perfume nuts. For as long as I can remember mum had vintage/classic perfume bottles in our house. Pops had copious amounts of 4711 bottles in every size imaginable. To this day he sprays his socks and underwear with the organic vodka and essential oil blends I make for him. The fact that I am writing this post speaks to my obsession which has naturally been inherited by all three of my children.

Midnight Fleur NestFragrancesPhoto Stolen NestFragrances

However, financing perfume for four can be quite challenging. My eldest daughter has quite a resourceful streak and enters perfume draws. Whether you believe in the perfume fairies, the patron saint of perfume or just plain luck, random dot org seems to hone in on her perfume pen name and has allowed her to win several full bottles of high end niche.
The mother lode of all her perfume wins was the deluxe package of Nest Fine Perfumes Midnight Fleur which included the full size bottle, a travel roll on and the decadently thick and luxurious body cream.

Before I even get into the fragrance itself I must tell you that the packaging that the perfume is housed in is stunning. The black matte bottles are substantially heavy and decorated in floral illustrations inspired by the 18th century British artist Mary Delaney who used the decoupage technique. The juice in this work of art bottle is exquisite. Fragranatica lists the notes as jasmine, vanilla orchid, exotic woods, patchouli and black amber. Yet upon first spray the most prominent note to my nose is pineapple: rich, lush and juicy. But this is not your sickly sweet fruity concoction that is so popular in the mainstream perfumes. Midnight Fleur exudes a sophisticated tropical vibe (thanks to the vanilla orchid) before drying down to an earthy patchouli and dark amber.

Brie's Acros The Generations by Britt and CourtPhoto by Brie’s daughters Britt and Court

For this reason I pair Midnight Fleur with Zhena Gypsy Organic Green tea which includes notes of coconut, rum and pineapple flavors. The tea and perfume are a perfect duo for a hot summer day or night. Whether you are a teenager (like my daughter) or a middle aged woman (like me) Midnight Fleur is a beauty to wear. I am proud that one of my own is developing and refining a sophisticated taste in perfume which I am sure she will pass on to her offspring one day!

Bx

Sadly Brie wrote this ahead and can not answer your comments. Don’t let that stop the conversation though, please write if you’d like and Portia will reply. Hopefully Brie is out there somewhere reading. Portia xx

CHANEL Bois des Iles by Ernest Beaux 1926

Hello Fume Heads,

Not so long ago friend and APJ reviewer Michael was over and he was wondering about Bois des Iles (Wood Islands or Islands of Wood) so I went and grabbed my decant. Though I’d spritzed it a couple of times and have a few wonderful memories of wearing it on our holiday this year, I had never taken time to understand the beauty behind this CHANEL princess of a perfume.

CHANEL Bois des Iles 1926

Bois des Iles Chanel FragranticaPhoton Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, bergamot, neroli , coriander, mandarin, peach
Heart: Jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, orris, iris, ylang-ylang, lilac
Base: Vetiver, amber,  sandalwood, benzoin, vanilla, opoponax, musk

Bois des Iles fizzy, fun and fruity opening with a slightly green bent opens up bigger than expected, I know it doesn’t last but the first few minutes could be the slightly muted grand entrance of an 80s blockbuster, so much going on in a fleeting snippet like watching the cars zoom off at the start of an all day car race. After the fireworks Bois des Iles settles into a still slightly zingy, spicy, floral bouquet but sadly on my skin I completely miss the oft talked about and loved gingerbread accord. I get jasmine and ylang ylang as my stand out performers, though the rest are there it is as harmonious background with a quietly insistent sweet woody baseline.

Bois des Iles Chanel FoxHarborPhoto Stolen FoxHarbor

Later we welcome the musky woods with vanilla and various resins in the base. This is the sandalwood dream I remember of early Samsara, a smooth creamy, buttery sweet sandalwood with none of the camphorous/eucalyptus squeaky dryness of modern sandalwoods or the thin artificiality of many of the reinventions through science. Interestingly, Kafkaesque writes that Jacques Polge’s modern Bois des Iles is an imagined sandalwood, an accord created without the use of sandalwood, WOW and Double WOW! A sensual, soft yet lingering masterpiece.

973020_10201291991601593_1959611764_nBois des Iles will forever remind me of Paris,  Jin and my journey there earlier in 2013, our friends Aaran & Gerard hosted us while we were there and in their home was a beautiful stained glass double door panel by a very famous glass artist, sadly he sold it recently, and the wonderful art deco/industrial piece is what I was most astonished by in his home while wearing Bois des Iles. Made around the same time, I think, as the glass doors cum art wall piece it all felt very elegant at the time and now that I’ve done some homework the resonances are striking.

From the CHANEL site: Paris, 1926. ‘Art deco’ is all the rage, exoticism fascinates, and jazz stirs passions. People dream of faraway lands and precious woods. Once again, Coco Chanel shakes up the history of perfume by launching the first woody fragrance for women. An intoxicating, enveloping, warm, sensual, spiraling scent. It’s all there: the precious woods, the opiate scents and magnificent, languid flowers. The fragrance is a mysterious, faraway continent in itself.

Further reading: Kafkaesque and Olfactoria’s Travels
Available exclusively in the CHANEL Fragrance and Beauty Boutiques
Surrender To Chance has Bois des Iles EdT from $4/ml and Parfum from $6/.25 ml

What was your Bois des Iles experience? Have you, or do you want to try it?
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

 

Karl Lagerfeld Interview – CHANEL S/S14 Ready-to-Wear

Hi Gang,

Karl Lagerfield has been inspiring and creating since before I went to Fashion School. His name is synonymous with innovation, elegance and lately with wearability: one of the most credible designers who I think will go down in history as one of the greats. Here he talks about the CHANEL Spring and Summer Ready To Wear collection for 2014. I like him and his take on fashion.

Coco CHANEL Jerine Lay  FlickrPhoto stolen Jerine Lay Flickr

Please enjoy.

Portia xx

CHANEL Karl Lagerfeld Interview

Spring-Summer 2014 Ready-to-Wear CHANEL show

Lanvin Spanish Geranium GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Hey there APJ,

Another fab contest and you all got involved. EXCELLENT!! We are so happy that you come by and check out our stuff and this is just the best Thank You we can think of. Of course this GIVEAWAY was run by the lovely Azar so big snaps to Azar for going to all this trouble too.

Lanvin Spanish Geranium Giveaway WorthPointPhoto Stolen WorthPoint

Lanvin Spanish Geranium GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

There will be 2 winners this week, each will receive:

1 x 2ml decant from my stash of Spanish Geranium EDT
P&H Anywhere in the world .

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies but to be eligible you had to leave a comment about anything related to geraniums or pelargoniums and mention how you follow APJ
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HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday October 6th 2013 10pm Australian EST.
The winners will be chosen by B-Azar or by Gomez the pionus parrot from same sized folded papers on a tray.

Once again Gomez couldn’t be persuaded to touch his beak to the folded papers.  He had a lot to say about my attempts to make him do what he didn’t want to do.  This is one ANGRY BIRD!  I don’t mess with him when he looks like this. Check out his razor sharp, can opener beak.  Once again B-Azar chose the winners from the tray.

Lanvin Spanish Geranium Giveaway Angry Gomez

Winners brooklodgePhoto Stolen brooklodge

Patty P, Trish W

CONRATULATIONS!! Winners have till Wednesday 9th October 2013 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.

Trance by Veronique Nyberg for J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin 2012

Heya all you Niche Nerds,

My mate Clayton from What Men Should Smell Like and I recently caught up for lunch and a sniff, he generously bought me some of the J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin manufacturers samples to try. Having scanned the notes lists of the four Trance particularly caught my eye, there are two fruity/floral and two oudh based fragrances in the line up but when I see particularly short note lists I am often intrigued.

Trance by  J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin 2012

Trance J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Oudh, labdanum, rose, artemisia (wormwood)

This opens with a beautiful full bodied and sensual Middle East meets West with fireworks and a party. A nod to the history of fragrance from a very elegant and French style, classic perfume, but also so modern and new. It smells at once like everything, and nothing, I’ve ever smelled before. Broad, dazzling brush strokes of fragrance done in an old palette but so interesting and fresh.

Trance J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin Wikimedia Collier-priestess_of_DelphiPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Is this the new Chypre? Have they reinvented the wheel? It seems so effortless, graceful and chic. Artemisia as the crackling green in place of bergamot, rose as the heart and labdanum with oudh as the new oakmoss. Even more startling is that they don’t work to pyramid but are weaving from almost the first spritz through each other and having little star turns before sliding behind another player as that one takes the lead. What an absolute stunner of a fragrance this is on my skin, I can’t tell you because you have to grab a sample of Trance and try it for yourself. So beautifully blended that the notes rarely stand apart after the first hour, They become a beautiful linear melange and stay pretty much like that till tomorrow morning when I’ll still be smelling mighty fine, softer and less sparkly but warm and sensual.

Projection and sillage better than average, a bit strong for office wear unless you work somewhere relaxed about fragrance. Longevity is excellent on my usually scent hungry skin and what does Trance remind me of? A little, but not much, like Midnight Oud from Juliette Has A Gnu (which I adore) but even more ripe, lush and lavish. I could imagine Trance being very popular with the Goth scene.

Trance J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin WikimediaPhoto Stolen Wikimedia

Further reading:Both these reviews have the wonderful history of the house so I didn’t repeat it, What Men Should Smell Like and Ca Fleur Bon
Essenza Nobile has 125€/50ml and samples

Don’t you just LOVE finding new fragrances to lemming? This has skyrocketed to the top of my wish list.
See you tomorrow.
Portia xx

 

CHANEL No 19: Vintage EdC by Henri Robert 1970

Hello Vintage Lovers,

One of the things that often surprises me is that on Etsy and eBay sometimes you can still find amazing bargains. Recently I was lucky enough to find a 3/4 full 45ml CHANEL 19 EdC, the spritz in thesilver satin finish case with gold waist and CHANEL C’s on top. It’s a beautiful case in its own right before I even get to the juice, so reminiscent of times past and when owning some CHANEL mass market fragrance was to feel rich and pampered.

CHANEL No 19: Vintage EdC by Henri Robert 1970

Chanel No 19  Chanel FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Neroli, bergamot, green notes
Heart: Iris, narcissus, rose, lily of the valley
Base: Sandalwood, leather, vetiver, oakmoss

BaseNotes gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, Bergamot, Neroli, Hyacinth
Heart: Rose, Orris, Jasmine, Narcissus, Muguet, Ylang-Ylang
Base: Musk, Sandal, Oakmoss, Leather, Cedarwood

WHOA BABY!! I love the snappy green opening, so fresh and buoyant, all sparkly green galbanum and citrus. There is a wet feel to CHANEL 19 opening, like there is dew on the world that you’re smelling, or maybe those lovely flowers have been washed before becoming a bouquet. As the bouquet takes over, slowly it eclipses the citrus but the green freshness stays right into the heart. So many people use CHANEL 19 as their back straightener fragrance, and I understand why they feel like that. It certainly has a very stiff upper lipness about it to begin that reflect the cool and aloof that we all sometimes strive for.

Chanel No. 19 Chanel Canon FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Though the opening is magic and the heart softly beautiful it is the base of 19 that I love the most, sadly it doesn’t last long enough on my skin but I do get a couple of hours with the lovely warm, sexy, sensual floral woods that still maintain a very discreet nod to the green open, like the job is done and the hair has been let down. CHANEL 19 becomes less restrained, more open and engaging, like SJP as Meredith Morton in The Family Stone as she unwinds in the bar with her fiances brother. Often when I wear CHANEL 19 I catch myself smiling in remembrance of the film and its now associated fall from uptight. It was never an Oscar winner but it’s one of my favourite go-to films, here’s a peek.

Further reading:
Beauty Encounter has a terrific selection starting at $12/4ml mini
Surrender To Chance starts at $3/ml

I bought my Vintage CHANEL 19 EdC at Odona on Etsy and they always have an excellent selection.

Chanel No. 19 by Chanel Beauty EncounterPhoto Stolen Beauty Encounter

Are you a CHANEL 19 fan? Where do you prefer to wear it? Does it give you a straight back?
See you tomorrow,
Portia x

Mandragore Pourpre GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Hello crew!

We are having some spectacular giveaways lately, thanks for getting so involved and enjoying the fun. Today we announce the 3 lucky winners of Mandragore Pourpre by Camille Goutal and Isabella Doyen, one of their more niche leaning offerings in the range.

Mandragore Pourpre GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Mandragore Pourpre Annick Goutal MimiFrouFrouPhoto Stolen MimiFrouFrou

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

We will have 3 winners this week. It would be more but postage is outrageous! Each winner will receive

1 x 5ml decant of Mandragore Pourpre by Annick Goutal EdT
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.

All I need is a HELLO with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 3rd October 2013 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

WINNERS markmontanoblogsPhoto Stolen markmontanoblogs

Belle, Kandice, LaurenW

CONGRATULATIONS!!! The winners have till Sunday 6th October 2013 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.

Further reading: Now Smell This and Grain de Musc
FragranceNet has $90/100ml before coupon
The Posh Peasant starts at $4/ml

Thanks gang,

Have a super great day,
Portia xx