Vetiver Cœur by April Aromatics

January 14, 2020January 13, 2020 / Sandra / 19 Comments

Sandra

Happy New Year dear APJ! How did you celebrate the new year? Do any of you write new year resolutions?

We survived the holidays – barely. It was a host of things that just made it terribly stressful for us all. New Year’s Eve was a complete dud as I wrongly assumed that they would be doing loads of fireworks in our village. Not quite sure if it is just not tradition here to do as many fireworks as they do on the national holiday or if it was the thick fog that set in here in the hills. Anyway – we started celebrating on the 1st to make up for the previous night.

Happy New Year and Vetiver Cœur by April Aromatics

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Bohemian Spice by April Aromatics

September 24, 2019September 22, 2019 / Sandra / 17 Comments

Sandra

Hey, hey APJ! How has September been treating you all?

There is a tangible chill in the air. After months of dry heat, it is finally a bit crisp in the mornings and evenings. The days are warmish, even with sun sitting lower in the sky. For the first time in months I have needed to wear a cardigan on the school run and with that comes the need to pull out the duvets, organize my jumpers and wear sneakers instead of sandals.

Bohemian Spice by April Aromatics

Tanja Bochnig

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Calling All Angels by April Aromatics

July 23, 2019July 22, 2019 / Sandra / 22 Comments

Sandra

Hey APJ! How is life treating you? Life is good during summer vacation when the days are long and hot (insane intense heat) and we are preparing for my parents arrival at the end of the month.

Incense and I have had a rocky relationship for years. I have owned two incense perfumes and used the one I adored up. My other incense perfume only feels right for me in the summer heat when the incense is played down and I get more ambergris. So naturally I am curious about what else is on the market. However, my fickle side comes out when I am presented with a cool almost icy incense. It makes my throat close up and I start coughing. Many times I am left cold.

Calling All Angels by April Aromatics 2013

Tanja Bochnig

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April Aromatics: Two for Finding Myself

April 23, 2019April 23, 2019 / Sandra / 20 Comments

Sandra

Hey APJ! I hope you are enjoying the spring or autumn weather in your part of the world.

This past week was a hectic week, getting everything finished in the house that needed to be done. The landlord fixed all of the the issues with the house and we finally got part of our closets! (Parts were delivered broken so we just have a mini skeleton up in the bedroom with rods which thankfully takes the clothes off of the railing.) It may seem trivial, but living without closets for four weeks and everything hanging over the banister or sitting in boxes left me frazzled. I will feel better once it has been sorted.

April Aromatics: Two for Finding Myself

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Irisistible by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics

January 8, 2019January 6, 2019 / Sandra / 29 Comments

Sandra

Happy New Year APJ! I cannot quite believe that we are now in the year 2019. It was only yesterday that we rang in the year 2000. How time flies! Especially as I get older it seems to pass by me at lightening speed.

We had a quiet Christmas and New Year this year, which is just what the doctor ordered. Family time is cherished and we managed to spend a lot of quality time together learning new games and playing cards together. As the holidays are now over, I can sit back and reflect on what passed and what is to come.

Irisistible by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics

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NEW! April Aromatics + The Different Company

November 21, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Sandra

Hi APJ! How are you all doing? Can you believe we are nearing the end of the year already?

Where has the time gone? We are in full autumn swing here, buckling down for the coming winter. The heat is on and there is a chill in the air outside. I have been here in Rotterdam for soon to be eleven months! It definitely feels like home now, but I still have not hung any paintings on the walls – what is up with that?

Autumn is a time of closure for me. Summer is over with its long days and warm air kissing my skin. My son goes back to school which ends the innocent joys of childhood summers. The trees show colours of vibrant yellows, oranges and reds and then loose their foliage all too quickly. Even the birds are changing – many fly south and yet others arrive for the milder winters here. I have not seen the hedgehog in a while, perhaps he is already hibernating? All of this closure has brought me to think about my first year here in The Netherlands.

When I am completely honest and look past the challenges here and there of navigating a new language and culture, it has been a year of awakening and coming back to myself. I have lovely friends and neighbors and this is now home. I am no longer weary, I am stronger and more self assured than I have been in years.

With this new awakening I am now ready and excited to try and test new perfumes and there are two perfumes that fit into this new self quite well.

NEW! April Aromatics + The Different Company

Fragrantica

Pink Wood by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sandalwood, Agarwood, Cistus, Labdanum, Oakwood, Rose Otto, Rose absolute, Geranium, Rosewood, sweet pink fruity notes

Pink Wood is my first experience with April Aromatics. I eagerly sprayed my first spritz of Pink Wood and was taken by surprise by the beautiful rose and wood opening. Many roses turn sour on my skin but this is actually remaining rosy which is a big plus in my books. There are no pink fruity notes for me though. The warmer my skin is the woodier the perfume. The roses stay more in the background leaving me with a wonderful woody rose perfume perfect for autumn days and walks in the park.

Fragrantica

Santo Incienso, Sillage Sacré by Alexandra Monet for The Different Company

gives these featured accords:
Top: Calabrian bergamot, petitgrain, nutmeg
Heart: Palo santo, atlas cedar, hedione
Base: Incense, myrrh, musk, vetiver, guaiac wood

This is not your usual incense perfume at all. For me it starts with a blast of bergamot with an air of spice. There is something citrusy in there but it slowly fades into the background leaving behind a warm woody accord. I have no idea what Palo Santo smells like, so I cannot assume that this is what I am smelling, however, it is beautiful and intriguing pulling me in. In the middle stage through to the dry down there is a magic happening with the incense and myrrh where the woods are warmed through. What I love about it most of all is that the incense tendrils waft up to my nostril throughout the day and bring me such joy and calm.

Both Pink Wood and Santo Incienso, Sillage Sacré are getting a lot of wear time. The days are shorter and colder but the lighting is stunning taking my breath away on an almost daily basis when the sun is shining. This is my favorite season of the year.

Do you have a favorite perfume for autumn or spring walks? Do you have a favorite season?

Sending sunny hugs to you all.
Sandra xo

Erdenstern by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics 2014

January 27, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Joseph Sagona

Hi APJ,

SOTD April Aromatics Erdenstern EDP: classified as a Woody Floral Musk.

Erdenstern by April Aromatics 2014

Erdenstern by Tanja Bochnig

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Musk, ambergris, vetiver, tobacco leaf, tonka bean, cacao, opoponax

I get the Tobacco, Cacao, Musk, Vetiver, Opoponax and Tonka Bean, it opens up with a warm, botanical, musk and a spicy, vanilla tinged Tonka bean, the musk is strong, the Tonka bean is mild. Then after thirty minutes, the Tonka bean dissipates, the musk softens, in comes a earthy, damp vetiver and a dusty cacao with a touch of bitterness, the vetiver is mild, the cacao is soft. Four hours on and the musk and cacao dissipate, the vetiver softens, in comes a sweet, dry tobacco and a warm, honey tinged opoponax. The tobacco and opopnax are mild.

Erdenstern reminds me slightly of Frapin’s Speakeasy, Speakeasy is more musky, boozy, floral, citric and herbal. It also comes off fresh and slightly fruity. There is a very subtle gingerbread cookie with almonds and honey smell I get out of Erdenstern. The warm spiciness, bitter almonds and syrupy honey are really lovely.

Flickr

A very aromatic fragrance, balmy, warm, comforting, nutty, complex, smoky with a touch of sweetness and soft woody undertones.

From April Aromatics: The mystery of Avalon, the holy place between the worlds of gods and mortals, is the inspiration for Earth Star. The “Earth Star”/ Erdenstern symbolizes this connection and provides a conduit between these two worlds. Earth Star/ Erdenstern shimmers through wet leaves within mystical landscapes.
The masculine merges with the feminine; they become one and rise together with the forces of Nature. When the Earth exhales softly, in Autumn, she exudes a scent of completion and everything comes to rest. Then, gently the veil lifts, like a mist above the valleys, and transports us to time beyond time. Soft Musk and warm notes of ambergris captivate our senses, while earthy Vetiver reminds us to luxuriate in the memories of summer. Tobacco leaves intertwined with the mild sweetness of tonka and cocoa, merge into the sacredness of Opoponax. This blissful balance between the worlds, genders and emotions, warms and guides us to a personal place of comfort and peace.

Flickr

April Aromatics has €169/30ml

Erdenstern would be lovely in the Fall and Winter, I get average projection and average longevity, this was my first introduction into the April Aromatics house and it was a good one.

Which is your April Aromatic? Have you tried them?
Joseph

Tama Blough: A Party for Tama

January 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Tama Blough Oct 18, 1954 – January 9, 2015

Hiya Australian Perfume Junkies,

Tama Blough, who started SF Sniff – the San Francisco group who’d come together and sniff fragrances (obviously, sorry) and Managing Editor for CaFleurBon is in trouble. We have a fragrant friend in need, diagnosed with incurable cancer and a desire to stay at home with her cat for as long as possible. Tama is not a wealthy person and needs our help to make this small wish come true.

Already the fragrant community has rallied behind this cause: April Aromatics released a Limited Edition fragrance that sold out in minutes, Nina Zolotow set up a GiveForward campaign to raise the $25,000 needed to pay for health care and living expenses (who will BTW give $25 for every blog written about it to a max of $1000, very freaking cool)

Paul Kiler of PK Perfumes has now created TNT (Tama N Tuberose) and is donating 90 percent of all proceeds to Tama’s fundraiser.
60ml/$150 90 percent ($135) going directly to a fund managed by Tama’s family.

To buy TNT click here<<JUMP

Do check the original Ca Fleure Bon post about TNT for more information

A Party for Tama

Coming up on the 17th of January are a couple of amazing events in San Fransisco. If you are nearby then you should definitely think about attending.

Private Lunch and Auction: $35 includes Lunch and Auction (more details about Auction nearer the date)

Shopping event & Cocktails: A percentage of all sales will go to Tama from the Tigerlily event.

And Tama, if you get to read this. Best of luck, cuddle the kitty from us at the Australian Perfume Junkies..
Portia & the APJ Crew

Nectar of Love EdP by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics 2012

March 31, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by SarahK

Hello all! Valentine’s Day may have been and gone this year, but love is, I hope, never far away, so today I want to share with you my experience of April Aromatics fragreances. April Aromatics is a line of natural, organic perfumes and cosmetics created by Tanja Bochnig and based in Germany and this is one of my favourite fragrances from the range. It is available both as an EDP and perfume oil: this review is for the eau de parfum only, as I haven’t tried the perfume oil.

Nectar of Love EdP by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tuberose, Indian jasmine, Bulgarian rose, sandalwood, fruit notes, amber

Nectar is definitely the right name for this scent. The notes Tanja gives for the fragrance include tuberose, neroli, rose and jasmine but, besides the neroli, none of these flowers jump out at me in their usual guises. Rather than a traditional ‘floral’ perfume, I experience Nectar of Love as a sweet plant perfume, in the way in which Clarins’ Eau Dynamisante is a plant perfume. When sniffing it I get crushed fleshy petals, pollen and nectar, mixed with some sweet benzoin resin reminiscent of the sweet balsams in by Kilian’s Sweet Redemption.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The fragrance starts as an aromatic mix with green overtones and a bit of ripe apple. As the top notes develop, the pollen drifts up, along with the scent of a sugary, yet slightly bitter, green sap. All the floral notes combine into a concentrated version of the honeyed scent of purple buddleia. It’s as if you are a bee in a summer field, flitting drunkenly from flower to flower, poking your nose right into the hearts of the blooms and inhaling deeply. The fruit in the top notes slowly dries, and a couple of hours after application the fragrance is a narcotic mix of caramelized apples and prunes and a little bitter clove spice. It’s darkly sweet, but not overly so. Instead, the heart of the fragrance feels like drinking a cup of smooth, slightly citrussy chai. As it dries down, woody elements come out to play and there’s a touch of smoke and black coffee. The whole experience is rich and dense, but never overwhelming, and the presence of an aromatic element (mostly reading to me as cloves over neroli) keeps this within unisex territory, especially in the dry down. I’d love to smell this on a man.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

For the first hour Nectar of Love creates a noticeable scent cloud around me, but sillage drops noticeably in the second hour, and by the end of hour three the scent is hovering softly above my skin. It remains noticeable for 8 hours or so, ending in a caramel coffee whisper. The more I wear it, the more I love it.

Further reading: Smelly Thoughts and Bonkers About Perfume
April Aromatics has €189/30ml and Samples from €13.99/2.5ml

Have you tried any of the April Aromatics line?
SarahK xx