Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale

April 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Hello Happy Huffers,

Today we are looking at a fragrance I procured in a split on Facebook, Fragrance Swap is the crew, and I can’t remember who was doing this split unfortunately. SORRY if you’re reading. I like to buy 10ml in a split, it gives me enough to wear for review purposes and if I drain 10ml then I seriously need to think FB. Usually though I drain 3-5ml during the testing process and it either gets put away or I pass it on to someone who I think will adore it.

Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

LuckyScent gives these featured accords:
Moroccan rose, loukhoum (Turkish Delight-honey, rose water, sugar, fruit, jam, nuts), almonds, vanilla

The first whiff off my skin is pure nougat. Sweet and jaw breakingly delicious, filled with almonds and vanilla. WHOOOEEEEE! If you want to smell like a gourmand paradise then this is the way. GORGEOUS! There is something so dense and hefty about Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale, something very Indian and I’m trying so hard to put my finger on it but it eludes me, maybe the sweets. I have memories buried of someone or something that smelled just like Sweet Oriental Dream at one of the weddings I’ve been to there. It’s an over ripe and lush scent, sweet but not putrifying, deliriously beckoning but not headache-y.

LuckyScent says: Beautifully rich, sweetly lush and unrepentant in its blatant, edible sensuality, if you like sweet fragrances that pulsate with rare pleasures from the harems afar, you’ve just found your newest obsession.

Photo Stolen KeyWordPictures

I think there may be a smidge of unnamed oudh flying in at a low hum and it’s giving a real Middle Eastern feel rather than an Oriental one. I’m getting a Swiss Arabian fragrance vibe from Sweet Oriental Dream while wearing it for review that I have never noticed during other wears.

Photo Stolen MaiLinTalks

Further reading ScentForThought and Opalescent
Neroli, Budapest has 50ml for around $65 and sends to the world for 10 euro
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/ml

I love the Montale range. I find it fun and innovative, while still maintaining wearability. Many of you disagree and I love to hear both sides of the story, and the wonderful or ghastly experiences you’ve had so SHARE THEM please.

Love
Portia xx

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY – (a husband’s point of view)

April 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 66 Comments

Hey Hey All,
Remember Fifty Shades Of Grey? Well I have discovered this amusing poem by John Summers written in response from a husband’s point of view. Poor bugger, imagine?
I hope you all get a smile,
Portia xx

Photo Stolen Book Depository – Box Set $35 Delivered Worldwide

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY – (a husband’s point of view)

By Pam Ayers (MAYBE!)

By John Summers (DEFINITELY!!)

The missus bought a Paperback,
down Shepton Mallet way,
I had a look inside her bag; ….
T’was “Fifty Shades of Grey”.

Well I just left her to it,
And at ten I went to bed.
An hour later she appeared;
The sight filled me with dread…

In her left hand she held a rope;
And in her right a whip!
She threw them down upon the floor,
And then began to strip.

Well fifty years or so ago;
I might have had a peek;
But Mabel hasn’t weathered well;
She’s eighty four next week!!

Watching Mabel bump and grind;
Could not have been much grimmer.
And things then went from bad to worse;
She toppled off her Zimmer!

She struggled back upon her feet;
A couple minutes later;
She put her teeth back in and said
I had to dominate her!!

Now if you knew our Mabel,
You’d see just why I spluttered,
I’d spent two months in traction
For the last complaint I’d uttered.

She stood there nude and naked
Bent forward just a bit
I went to hold her, sensual like
and stood on her left tit!

Mabel screamed, her teeth shot out;
My god what had I done!?
She moaned and groaned then shouted out :
“Step on the other one”!!

Well readers, I can’t tell no more;
About what occurred that day.
Suffice to say my jet black hair,
Turned fifty shades of grey!

DIOR: Miss Dior 2012 Perfume Review + 2013 Ad. and Making of with Natalie Portman

April 11, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hello Lovelies,

With all the kerfuffle and change happening around Miss Dior I thought we should take a new look at the frag and we also get to have a sneak peek at the ads. Enjoy

DIOR: Miss Dior 2012 by Francois Demachy

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Italian mandarin
Heart: Egyptian jasmine absolute and rose
Base: patchouli and musk

Sorry but this is about as far away from how I want to smell as you can get. Not a bad fragrance, just so completely not my cup of tea. I know there are many fans of 2012 Miss Dior and I wish you well wearing it. The ads on the other hand are FABULOUS!!!

DIOR: Miss Dior 2013 Ad. and Making of with Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is Jin’s favourite actress, mainly for her perfect beauty, and via osmosis one of mine. I love the 2013 mini movie and here we also get to glimpse a moment behind the scenes. This movie was shot by Sofia Coppola and has a transcendent, ethereal quality that feels very big screen and Natalie Portman is exsquisite. I love to feel a little like I’ve been there, don’t you?

Portia xx

The Making Of…

The Final Mini Movie

14 Noontide Petals by Tauer 2013

April 10, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 93 Comments

Guest post by Val the Cookie Queen

14 Noontide Petals by Tauer 2013

Photo Stolen SmellyThoughts

Top: Bergamot, aldehydes, Bourbon geranium
Heart: Rose, ylang ylang, tuberose, jasmine
Base: Patchouli, frankincense, vanilla, sandalwood, iris, styrax and vetiver

We are stuck in Narnia here in Europe. April and so damn cold. I would have preferred to have tried Noontide Petals on a gorgeous Spring day. Not a hint of Spring in sight.

About 18 months ago I ordered a Sample Set from Tauer Perfume. Five fragrances of my choice.

Photo Stolen TauerPerfumes

After 10 days I still had no samples. I emailed Tauer Perfume, and within minutes I had an email back from Andy himself. He apologised profusely that the precious package had gone missing. He sent a replacement package himself, and registered it, and I had it 48 hours later. How nice is THAT??

Two weeks ago I mailed Andy again, on the off chance that he would send me samples of Noontide Petals. Three days later there were samples on my doorstep with a handwritten note from Andy. What a privilege. I had never tried a brand new fragrance with the intent of writing about it.

I test perfumes on Monday when I am alone in the shop preparing cookie dough. I sprayed it on with great excitement. Very sparingly because I know that Tauer´s are very intense. Shock Horror. I did not like it. Perfume Junkies, I was so upset, and angry. Yes angry. Can you imagine that? I was in a freaking bad mood the whole day. I wanted to like it so badly. I did indeed get a little bergamot. But it was short lived and left a weak soapy smell behind.

The second testing of Moontide Petals. Ah ha. I used more. Better. A burst of very bright bergamot. I could almost see the sun! It did have a swirling feel about it, kind of up and down. Bubbling aldehydes. I could understand them a bit now. (I watched a 30 minute lecture on aldehydes before trying this scent!! Never too late to learn.) Nearly glittering! OK. NOW I know, this is eau de toilette! Duh.

Photo Stolen CavalierSwim

Third time. A man-sized spray!! Hurray! I like it. What a contrast to the first tentative mini scaredy cat spray!! This time it was so bright and light and lovely, it was another experience. After about 40 minutes, I noticed jasmine, vanilla and frankincense popping their heads up. Especially the vanilla. Suddenly there is rose. It comes and goes. I know there are other notes in there too, but I am not experienced enough (yet) to pick them out. And truthfully I don´t know if I even want to. This fragrance lasts such a long time and is so soft, and beautiful.. Yep, beautiful. Definitely not so full on as some of the earlier Tauer scents, with the well known Tauerade base. This is elegant and understated. But certainly no weakling. What I love about Tauer is their tenacity. That is why I love them in the summer. The perfect swimming scent. Because it is still there after lots of dips in the lake. Noontide Petals will be my swim scent of 2013. It is light in a bottle.

Andy Tauer is an artist, and it takes time to understand what it´s all about. Moral of the story? Don´t under spray an artist`s work, otherwise you miss half the colours!

Now, if only the White Witch of Narnia would use this, I believe it would melt the winter away. It is an alluring, appealing and an original scent for the Spring.

Further reading ISmellThereforeIAm and PerfumeShrine
TauerFragrances has 1.5ml manufacturers samples US$5.30

GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!!

THE PRIZE

Want to try Noontide Petals for yourself? I have a sample to give away. And if you don´t live in a place where the pony express takes a month to get to, I might well put a cookie in too.

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You have to leave a comment telling us your favourite cookie or cookie ingredient. That’s IT!

For an Extra Chance you can Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p2fQBU-1tn Noontide Petals new Tauer perfume GIVEAWAY

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday April 14th 2013 10pm AusEDST and will be announced in a special post that day.
Val the Cookie Queen and her crew will do the draw honours. The names will be placed on the same sized papers, folded similarly, placed in a bowl and a winner picked.

The winners will have till Thursday 18th April 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or I will give the prize to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Bussis
CQ xxx

Une Fleur de Cassie by Dominique Ropion for Frederic Malle 2000 Perfume Review

April 9, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Gabriella

Hello fragrant friends! I hope you are all well and enjoy today’s post.

Some perfumes paint pictures, others tell a whole story.

These words first rang true for me when I smelled the wonderful Une Fleur de Cassie by Dominique Ropion for Frederic Malle for the first time some years ago. Before that, I knew I liked certain scents and why they appealed to me and that others just smelt awful. I could occasionally pick out individual notes, but basically my conclusions were along the lines of: “I love that tuberose” or “I don’t like that perfume.”

Une Fleur de Cassie changed all that. From the first spray, I had a “wow” moment. As it began its luxurious journey on my skin, I finally realised what other fragrance reviewers and bloggers were on about when they spoke of a perfume’s progression, the wonderful journey from top to bottom notes and that a perfume was not just about smelling nice but could be an escape to a different world.

Perfume-wise, it was my lightbulb moment.

Une Fleur de Cassie by Frederic Malle 2000

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

BaseNotes gives these featured accords:
Top: Cassie, mimosa, clove, cumin and bergamot
Heart: Rose, violet, apricot, aldehydes and salicylate
Base: Musk cetone, cedarwood and sandalwood.

Une Fleur de Cassie is Dominique Ropion’s take on cassie absolute which is extracted from the small yellow blossoms of the acacia farnesiana plant. The perfume opens lush, full and dirty. The cumin note twinned with the cassie and mimosa brings out the dark, fecal notes of the flowers and conjures up not only their dainty yellow buds but roots, stems and leaves. It’s a picture of the whole plant after a strong shower on a cool spring day: buds bruised and battered in the wet and surrounded by muddy puddles. You can smell the flowers’ creamy sweetness but also the rank earthiness of the mud littered with the soiled pinpricks of yellow buds. There’s a fecund and carnal quality hiding behind those delicate flowers, completely raw in its animalic sexiness.

The rose and the violet take over, amplifying the sweet powdery effect of the mimosa, making it brighter and luscious, the apricot intensifying the yellow tones, all golden and rounded. The petals, once damaged and torn by the inclement weather are glowing again, blooming in soft sunlight: the promise of spring’s new dawn. The musk and sandalwood in the drydown is where the almondy powderiness of the cassie and mimosa come into full effect, sprinkling the skin with their delicate sweetness, all soft and angelic.

Whilst I consider Une Fleur de Cassie to be a true love, I do concede that it is not the easiest fragrance to wear. Many others have been put off by the stark, skanky fecal quality of the opening, but I personally love the transition from opulent rankness to delicate sweetness. This paradox makes Une Fleur de Cassie a somewhat bittersweet fragrance, better suited to calm and contemplative moments on a spring or autumn day when there’s a bitey chill in the air and the earth is damp.

Lempicka Painting Photo Stolen irushonok

And the story it tells me is this. A young woman is staying at elegant chateau surrounded by verdant fields and blooms. It’s early morning and she’s been up all night after a party, still clad in her primrose yellow ballgown but her matching satin heels have been long abandoned in the wee, small hours. She’s been thinking, brooding over the events of the night before. Looking out the window, she’s engulfed by the need to be free, the need to roam even though the ground is washed wet by the rain. Barefoot hits muddy earth, but it doesn’t bother her, she delights in the deliciousness of squelchy mud between toes, feels liberated. A smile warms her face as she caresses the mimosa bushes, the sprinkles of raindrops of skin exquisite in their beauty and fragility. The warm touch of sun is a reminder that life can still be full of promise even though she’s trapped by the bounds of melancholy. For last night she met her first love. From the sudden surprise and heart thump, there’s a reminder of what could have been, of what has gone and what will never be. Her smile betrayed by the saltiness of tears.

Modigliani Painting Photo Stolen irushonok

Further reading PerfumePosse and PerfumeSmellingThings
Une Fleur de Cassie is available in Australia from Mecca Cosmetica, $238 for 50ml
In the US, it is available from Barney’s and the Frederic Malle website, starting at US$130 for 3 x 10ml
SurrenderToChance starts at $7/ml

See you,

Un Bois Vanille by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2003

April 8, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Guest Post by EmmaKate

Hello fumies,

As the weather is starting to get cooler my thoughts turn to things that make me feel warm on the inside during Autumn and Winter. I have chosen to write about

Un Bois Vanille by for Serge Lutens

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Sandalwood, black licorice, coconut milk, beeswax, bitter almond, musk, vanilla, benzoin, guaiac wood and tonka bean.

When I first started working at Mecca Cosmetica I found the fragrances all too much in terms of how different they were to anything I had ever smelt before. I couldn’t sell them because I had no back story, had no understanding of the notes and quite frankly didn’t like any of them. Being the girl I am I set out to find out about these fragrances that had grown women running in and gasping with delight. My first port of call was Serge Lutens. This brand was all round scary due to all that French – Eek! I chose to work with what I knew and selected Un Bois Vanille- a woody vanilla fragrance. And here our journey begins.

The first spray is a sweet creamy vanilla with a slightly bitter tart scent. (Back in the day I used to judge fragrances from the very first whiff, thank god that changed quick smart or I wouldn’t be sharing my thoughts with you all.) I didn’t like it. Not one bit. Oh well, try again with something else tomorrow. Except, about 20 minutes later I caught a whiff of it again and it had evolved beautifully into this full bodied creamy vanilla that I wanted to be engulfed by. It reminds me of pannacotta before it sets and I wanted to swim in it.

Photo Stolen lafesta

This is a grown up vanilla that makes me glow on the inside during winter. It makes me feel like I am wrapped up in a thick silk scarf and nothing can touch me. The tonka bean gives it body and cuts the slightly acidic note that vanilla can have, it gives it a milky feel while almond gives it strength.

Un Bois Vanille by Serge Lutens is a Oriental Vanilla fragrance and wears well, I would say around 8 hours, but this always depends on the wearer.

Photo Stolen 123rf

Further reading Olfactoria’sTravels and ChemistInTheBottle
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/.5ml
You can also grab a bottle at the usual places, I found an unboxed 50ml for $94 at FragranceNet

EmmaKate xx

Flower by Alberto Morillas for Kenzo Fragrance 2000 Perfume Review and 2013 Ad Campaign

April 7, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hello Lovely APJ Family,

Flower by Kenzo Fragrance 2000

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin, hawthorn, Bugarian rose, blackcurrant
Heart: Parma violet, rose, opoponax, jasmine
Base: Vanilla, white musk, incense and woody notes

I was given an ENORMOUS bottle of this by my girlfriend Annie, every time I spritz, or smell someone in the street wearing, Flower I think of her and the great big hugs she gives, her warmth, fun and joyfulness. Because Flower is so sheer and spare it’s hard to believe there are so many ingredients that make it come together. Also there have been so many imitations of its style that I am at a loss to remember how ground breaking it was when it was first released. That hefty airiness that doesn’t skunk but has impressive sillage, so that as you waft fragrantly past someone they are entranced by your scent, a la Perfume by Patrick Suskind, or a room slowly fills with your fragrance and you can smell it softly on return to the room, but not in a pushy intrusive way, just a haunting memory.

It opens green and fresh on me with a sharp sweetness, then the warm resinous bouquet slowly takes over until a clean, warm musky vanilla finishes the story in around 4-6 hours depending on the day and whether I’m moisturised.

Photo Stolen GirlServesWorld

Interestingly Tania Sanchez in Perfumes: The A-Z Guide says that, “Albert Morillas almost certainly knew Caron’s Royal Bain de Champagne (now Royal Bain de Caron) by heart when he replicated it and added a splash of hedione to make Flower, but it seems no one else knew….” but I have only a modern incarnation of Royal Bain de Caron for comparison and they seem only distantly related.

I love the 2013 ad campaign, the lightness and airiness of the poppies flying through the air isa a perfect symbolism for this still lovely fragrance.

See you tomorrow,

Portia xx

Flower by Kenzo Fragrance 2013 Ad Campaign

Picture provided by one of my go-to fashion bloggers art8amby

The campaign girl is Chinese/Taiwanese actress, Shu Qi.

Image via TFS.

Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2013 Perfume Review

April 6, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 36 Comments

Hello Gorgeous APJ Family,

So the seasons are a turning and there are Spring posts everywhere, the thing I notice about Spring and Autumn is that they share similar weather in many places, especially Sydney. We are still living in summery moments but there have been some blustery cooler days, and the nights are getting very chilly. So really I am offering up a Mid Season Mixture of things that are currently getting pretty high rotation on my skin. They are on the desk and within easy spritz reach, though the Amyitis has just been returned from the outer realms

Photo Stolen ScenicReflections

Photo Stolen LilaDaley

Youth Dew Amber Nude by Tom Ford for Estee Lauder: Amber Nude gets let out of its box quite a bit lately, I don’t know why particularly but I crave that gorgeous opening that warms into amber so quickly.

Cedrat Intense by Nicolai: I think it might have Ruth K on FFF that told me to get my hands on some of this. So I grabbed 30ml unsniffed and WOW!! I’m surprised that wasps and bees don’t land on me expecting a feed. Gorgeous and fresh citrus scent.

Amyitis by Mona di Orio: Every so often the Amyitis bottle will ask me if I’m SURE I don’t adore the juice inside and it comes back out, gets worn a few times and then gets put away in favour of Chanel No 19.

Indus Oil by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz: This surprising little temptress has me opening the box and putting a little roll of oil on a wrist or back of hand every second day currently. The flavour of Chai Tea, though I get powdery iris too.

Dries Van Noten by Frederic Malle: There are only the dregs of this 5ml sample left and I still haven’t done my post about it properly. I put it on and sit there for ages enjoying its perfect, warm, uncluttered beauty. What a fragrance, so simple to my nose but absolutely welcoming. A hug filled with love.

Sandflowers by Montale: This leaked about 2/3 of its 100ml flying home from Europe so the box is impregnated with Sandflowers. My office smells distinctly of it and there is always a salty, briny waft as I enter. What a wonderfully weird beauty this is, without being unwearable. How did it get in the Montale line up? This smells best for me when there is sun shining, or the promise of it.

Courage by One Seed: Courage is an unusual, exquisite beauty, that follows no leader. It is warm, dark, interesting and sometimes a little challenging. An all natural maverick that doesn’t smell like natural, or mass production. Intense and lovely.

Interlude Woman by Amouage: I bought a small bottle of this from the lovely Birgit in one of her cupboard clean outs. I was only mildly impressed with it initially but as I wear it more it has become a bit of a siren, trying to lure me into penury. Perfect for the cooler days to snuggle into.

Trayee by Neela Vermeire Creations: I cannot deny that Neela and I are buddies but I don’t go a week without spritzing one of her magical masterpieces. At the rate I’m tearing through this decant it could be FB sooner than anticipated. Trayee is a great mid season spritz.

Essence d’Orange by Cartier: I love the spare citrus burst here with loads of air and space between the notes. This is easy wearing freshness that I keep coming back to just for a fun spritz.

Photo By Sandrine Dulermo & Michael Labica Photographer

There you have it, my current Mid Season Top 10.

Want more Spring Posts? Try Grain de Musc, Now Smell This, Bois de Jasmin, and Perfume Posse

See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

Indus (oil) by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz 2012

April 5, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Hey Hey Stink Monkeys,

Every now and then I like to try a fragrance for a while before I read any notes. I enjoy the thrill of wearing the fragrance with no preconceived ideas of what it may smell like and the freefall of having it surprise you as it grows and develops. I have given this particular perfume 3 days wear at different times through those days and my mind kept telling me what a wonderful and spectacular iris perfume I was wearing, so powdery soft and fluffy with that woody, earthy base. Then when I decided to write this post I had to check the notes as I put together my story. OH WELL! Can’t be right all the time.

Indus by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
Heart: Black tea, ginger, honey, beeswax and jasmine
Base: Amber, patchouli, musk, tolu balsam, vanilla and milk.

Now that I’ve read the notes list I find it hard to remember why I thought what I thought. There is a definite burst of spices and pepper (black not bell) though they all conspire together to be cool rather than warming, an aloof opening that slowly warms into the heart. That powdery opening must have been the sparkle of bergamot over these cool spices. The heart is almost exactly like a spicy chai had on a train in India, the cool spices warm and ferment with the honey, ginger and milk. How could I have missed these things. HA HA HA! Just goes to show that the moment you start getting cocky about stuff the world comes along to remind you of reality and bring you back to earth. Hilarious.

My mind was getting comfort scent but couldn’t make the connections. I will tell you though that Indus is a crazy good perfume. A couple of the girls at trivia last night were raving about it and because it’s an oil you have to sit with people for a minute or two before they notice it, it slowly fills the space around you and leaves terrific sillage while not being overpowering or obnoxious.

Photo Stolen mitchellktravelphoto

Honestly, even after all that I still get beautiful moments of powdery, rootish iris and sandalwood and it transports me away to years gone far by and my Grandma, who was a rock for me, and her big cuddles and cooking.

The DSH site:
The great sub-continent, India; a land filled with treasures of spice and tea. Chai tea brings these elements together in an elixir of true comfort, warmth, sensuality and vitality. Perfect for Fall and it’s inevitable chill, Indus is soft enough to compliment other spice and amber perfumes and rich enough to be worn alone. We love this for both men and women!

Further reading NowSmellthis welcomes Indus but doesn’t review and I couldn’t find another
DawnSpencerHurwitz has a super sample for $4 or I bought the 1 dram oil essence for $30

With loads of love and below I’ve added a video on how to make chai. I’m off to make some right now.

Portia xx

Perfume and Tea #1 GIVEAWAY WINNER

April 4, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Hello APJ Friends and Family,

We have been having some excellent giveaways lately. I hope you are all as excited as we are about them. Thank you to everyone who joined in to welcome our newest Guest Post writer Brie. I think she is a wonderful addition to our crew, a new perspective.