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Post by Portia
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Hey Hey Crew,
You know how I love the fragrance ads. This one is fun and I can’t wait to sniff the juice.
Have any of you tried it yet? How is it?
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured acccords:
Top: Orange, bergamot, pink pepper, grapefruit
Heart: Almonds, neroli
Base: White musk, vetiver
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Post by Gabriella
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Hello perfumed peeps!
Today, I want to focus on a scent that has recently been launched in Australia – Je t’aime Jane by UK fashion designer, Bella Freud.
Bella Freud is the daughter of painter Lucian Freud and the great granddaughter of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. She has launched a range of perfumes named after the slogans that adorn her fashion collection and Je t’aime Jane is a the white floral of the bunch. The perfume celebrates actress Jane Birkin, and more specifically, her famous duet with Serge Gainsbourg, Je t’aime…moi non plus.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Parfumo gives these featured accords in one line:
Jasmine absolute, Ylang-ylang, Orange blossom, Queen of the night, Oud, Sandalwood, Musk
So, how does it smell? Upon first blast, Je t’aime Jane feels like a perfume in reverse. Rather than starting out with the traditional top notes of bergamot and other citruses, this scent opens up with a mammoth does of black oud and sandalwood, so much so that on first application, I was completely overwhelmed and thought I’d sprayed the wrong perfume. Where were the white florals?
But slowly, slowly, these accords in Je t’aime Jane reveals themselves. It’s a gentle unfolding, like peeling back layers of onion skin, that the perfume morphs and softens in a gentle segue from dark to light.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
After the initial woody rush, the orange blossom comes to the fore and it’s thick and sweet. But it is not cloying, there’s enough of the woods in the background to anchor it and prevent it from becoming overly shrill and overblown. It is warm and comforting and melds to the skin like a big warm fluffy coat. The orange blossom also tempers the gothic like quality of the opening – there’s a prettiness and hopefulness to it, but there’s still a hint of melancholy. The dark clouds of winter have started to part from their recent dose of driving rain and the spring sun is starting to peek through, but not all the greyness of the day has lifted, just yet.
But wait a little longer and the scent gets lighter and more airy – the jasmine starts to peek its head through it all and unveil itself, at first all heavy and indolic and then getting greener and more transparent. It’s pretty-pretty at this stage and all flirty, but the woods are still there. This girl may like her lipstick, but she’s dressed in all black with tortoisehell framed glasses and a vintage camel hair coat rather than a cashmere twinset and pearls and coral nails.
Je t’aime Jane has average longevity and minimal sillage and whilst it is thick with white florals and woods, its lack of sillage makes it a personal and introspective scent. The scent was the perfect accompaniment to a recent chilly day here in Melbourne when I was clad all in black, praying for spring to finally arrive and only getting more cold and gusts of rain. The only think that struck me was I would have expected it to be a little bit more bohemian and quirky in character to truly encapture the enigma of Jane Birkin. Nevertheless, if you are an oud fan, or like florals thick with woods, this is a good one to try.
Photo Stolen Flickr
Further reading: lips so facto and Fashion Editor at Large
Mecca Cosmetica has $168/50ml
Luckyscent has samples $4/.7ml
Have you tried any of the Bella Freud scents? What’s your top pick for a scent for Jane Birkin?
With much love till next time,
M xx
(Ed: There seems to be some confusion on the perfumer so I left it out)
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Post by Suzanne R Banks
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There’s nothing like a nourishing essential oil blend for your body, to soften your skin, cover you with energetic protection and generally keep your spirits up. And there’s no better time than now of course, as we move from one season to the next.
For a coat of your body put 7 – 8 drops of essential oils in a little dish and then add 3 teaspoons of carrier 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. It’s best to patch test first, before you apply all over.
For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and then fill with carrier oil
This is a time to wake your body up, shed winter skin and get moving! Smell the sweet flowers and get happy ….
1. Getting Ready for Summer Legs
Rosemary 2 drops
Lemon 4 drops
Cypress 2 drops
2. Sprouting Soul
Petitgrain 3 drops
Lavender 3 drops
Patchouli 2 drops
A time of lingering summer memories, cooling down and appreciating your life.
1. That Was Fun!
Lemongrass 3 drops
Juniper 2 drops
Cedarwood Virginian 2 drops
2. Winding Down
Bergamot 4 drops
Lavender 2 drops
Indian Rosewood 2 drops
Check out my YouTube Channel too, thanks.
Suzanne R Banks xx
Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
Suzanne R Banks FaceBook
Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils
Amazon USA Amazon AU Amazon UK
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Post by Ainslie Walker
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I’m in Bondi. The sun is shining and I am toying with several green scents intending to put the spring back in my step after some heavy times. It generally always feels like spring/summer in Sydney and right now is my favorite time – not too hot! Warm, sunny, not humid and thankfully no tropical downpours. That’s why when Sydney was hosting the Olympics “they” chose September…Sydney at its best.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Clementine, cassis, apple blossom, sweet pea, lily-of-the-valley, lily, amaryllis, bellflower, narcissus, jasmine
Lulu Guinness: Lulu Guinness had five fragrances in her collection, however she is best known for her better-than-fabulous handbag/purse designs. I have two: One, a giant circular flamingo basket and the other a sequined lobster clutch. I feel like I am in the freaking B52’s when I strut along with them. Nose, Rodrigo Flores-Roux created Lulu Guinness in 2003, the initial fragrance launch for the brand. Talented and gifted I love many of his works:
The bottle is super kitsch, ceramic-look printed glass. The 50 ml is handbag friendly and feels nice in the hand. The scent is strong, distinctive, fresh, green and floral. Lily of the Valley I rarely wear due to the plethora of toilet sprays and cheap talc’s from childhood that have ruined it for me. In this blend however I like it. Not everyday, mind you, but the days I do, it hits the spot. Its bold like the brand rather than shy like the flower. Fresh and just-walked-into-a-florist-like. All cut flowers and screaming greens with no obvious crowd-pleasing attention given. The opening hour is uncompromisingly fresh and green and if you get past its polarising narcissus punch you are in for a treat. An all-floral flush of slightly powdered lily, apple blossom and sweet pea as it dries down. Blackcurrant (cassis), jasmine and clementine contribute to a hyper-surreal evolution towards natural nuances. If you don’t like this one instantly, I do suggest to try again.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Grass, rose, thyme
Heart: Geranium, lavender, violet
Base: Patchouli, oakmoss
Ealing Green by 4160 Tuesdays: In England “greens” are beautiful natural spaces designed to provide relief and a breath of fresh air from the hustle and bustle of city life. A place for reflection, picnics and to host happy little fairs and markets. Ealing Green is in West London and the inspiration for perfumer Sarah McCartney’s green floral delight – one of my favourite perfumes from her 4160 Tuesdays collection.
I love the green grass and rosy geranium balance. I often find geranium masculinised and more than anything think it a little unfair. In Ealing Green the floral aspects take the spotlight. Shiny, bright and rosy. In addition violet and patchouli laydown a cool, sweet and soapy depth to the mix and continue throughout. A fresh-out-of-the-shower-herbal and clean feeling emanates from a sparky combination of thyme and lavender and works well. Dry down is soft salty oakmoss and powdered rose absolute like a dusting of makeup. Softer and prettier than expected. I had my Marilyn Monroe moment with it, waking still engulfed. I look forward to wearing more throughout summer. Now available to buy shipped to Australia at eScentuals! Bliss.
What is your green?
Ainslie Walker xx
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Post by Portia
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Hiya Happy Huffers,
I love it when new Indie perfumers come along and surprise me with their beautiful and interesting creations. Here are an Australian crew who have a line of fragrances available from their Criminal Elements site. Today I have been lucky enough to get my sniff on one of their to be released in 2016 advance samples. Um, WOW! You all know that I love green fragrance and recently fell madly in love with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s Giverny in Bloom. Here is the other side of green, the stark, solitary, deep green.
Photo Stolen Geograph
Criminal Elements give these featured accords in one line:
Grass, violet, moss, soil, bullrush, thistle
WOAH! Green and swampy but with a beautiful airy lift.What does stand out for me in Blackwater Thistle is how sweet the whole fragrance feels on me. There is nothing in the note list to suggest the lovely sweet green I’m getting so I asked Aelfrik what could make that happen. “As for the sweet edge – that’s purely from the actual thistle. We solvent extract dried thistle, and the results are actually quite syrupy. A pain to extract, but worth the effort…..“
Imagine standing on the edge of the moors and spring is here. There’s been plenty of rain and everything is growing apace, grass covers your ankles and there’s a purple blush across the landscape. The soil is thawing and though it’s pretty muddy you can walk without losing a shoe. A cool, fragrant breeze sweeps across the moors and you are standing in dappled sunlight breathing deeply, finally free of winter and ready to wander all day with your hairy hound.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
In my head I’m saying stupid things like, “This is what Charlotte and the other Bronte siblings smelled” and “Jayne Eire would have smelled this when she was poor and living rough”. Ha! I’m an idiot but the journey is really fun with Blackwater Thistle. At around the 4 hour mark I am sweetly washed in a soft hued fragrance that I have no words to describe other than rich, sweet and green. Beautiful.
Want to try it? See below
Portia x
Photo Stolen kbaird
WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Blackwater Thistle pre-release sample
P&H Anywhere in the world
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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.
You must tell me how you follow APJ
and
Please go to Criminal Elements site<<JUMP and pick a fragrance + one of its notes NO DOUBLE UPS!!!
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Criminal Elements: Blackwater Thistle GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-4f4 #Perfume #Giveaway
Entries Close Thursday 10th Septembert 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Sunday 13th September 2015 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.
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Post by Portia
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Firstly, thank you to Barb Stegemann for trying to change the world from the ground up. She is so inspirational but also very friendly and wonderful fun. A great way to be a part of this change is to buy the 7 Virtues Custom Blend Box, which contains four award winning vegan fragrances made with natural essential oils from troubled countries trying to rebuild. Buy them for yourselves and for friends, it’s only a few weeks to Christmas.
If you’d like to be a part of changing the world for good then you can do it by emailing Barb Stegemann {barb (at) the7virtues (dot) com} and she will get it sent ASAP.
Portia x
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 7 Virtues Sampler (from my own 7 Virtues Custom Blend Box bottles)
Afghanistan Orange Blossom
Noble Rose of Afghanistan
Middle East Peace
Vetiver of Haiti
P&H Anywhere in the world
Entries Closed Sunday 6th September 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org
Photo Stolen amberinblunderland
The winner will have till Thursday 10th September 2015 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.
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Post by Portia
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Hi there APJ Frag Family,
I’ve had this Alfred Sung bottle for years and at one point it was a favourite. Since falling well and truly down the fragrant worm hole it has been sitting at the back of a boxless bottle box getting zero love. I was sure it was a BWF but couldn’t put my nose-memory on how it smelled so at about 3pm today I opened up my shirt and double spritzed…….
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top Bergamot, Galbanum, Hyacinth, Mandarin, Orange, Ylang-ylang, Lemon Heart
Heart: Iris, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-valley, Osmanthus
Base: Amber, Orange wood, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver
WOW! Tania Sanchez wasn’t wrong when she called this a “Jasmine Diaper”. We have some serious poopy action going on and I LOVE it. Sung is so 1980s it hurts, we have a creamy citrus floral opening. HA! I know right. What the f*%@k does that even smell like? Well it smells big and naughty and completely over the top. Beyond your wildest BWF Skank Dreams Sung delivers.
Then Jin came home and we went and saw a movie (Ricki and the Flash – Meryl Streep and her daughter play with Kevin Kline and Rick Springfield. It’s wonderful. Do yourself a favour.) so I got to really appreciate the fragrance through the film.
Photo Stolen Nordstrom
Sung smells good in an “Allergies to fragrance, you must be joking dear” kind of way. The “I couldn’t care less if you do anyway” or ” Oh do choke quietly darling, we have guests” school of thought and action. It’s big, it’s floral aldehydic, it’s fruity, it’s poopy and it is obnoxious. I freaking LOVE IT!
The photos I’ve chosen are some of Alfred Sung’s designs. Yes he is still designing and nowadays he is doing some really fun retro bridesmaids dresses that are affordable and fun. Loads of jewel bright colours but there are also a lovely lot of very pretty more muted shades to pick from too. If you’re thinking Mad Men Wedding then these are totally going to rock your socks off. Below is a ferocious bride-zilla photographed among the chandeliers looking exactly as Miss Haversham must have looked when she was given the news. Aghast, beautiful, rich and terrified. It’s probably how every bride feels inside somewhere deep down.
Sung is exactly the fragrance she would be wearing, to make a big impression as she walked down the aisle. Her sillage a wake that dolphins could gambol in. The unforgettable, once in a life time (yeah right) dream moment when every guest takes a deep breath in homage to a perfect bride.
Photo Stolen Wedding House
So to be honest Sung was a little overwhelming in the film. I was glad that there were only 3 other people in the cinema and that they were up the back. Though I did not find it disatracting, there were a few times when I moved and great gouts of floral and fertiliser flavoured air swooshed out of my top. It was a perfect accompaniment to the film and I bet it’s what Meryl Streep’s character Ricki wore, so it was kind of perfect.
Fragrance Shop has $20/50ml before coupon
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml
What has been hiding in your cupboards that should get an airing?
Portia xx
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Post by Portia
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Heya APJ,
I love Lily Allen. When I met Jin she was his favourite and he would make me listen to her stuff every car trip we took. So ingrained with the happiness of finding this cool and funny guy is a soundtrack of Lily Allen’s voice overlaying everything. Every adventure we embarked upon in those first months, dates, shopping, meeting friends, everything we did: Lily Allen was with us.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
So when I found this fun video showing Lily Allen’s wardrobe I was super happy because she seems as fun and cool as I imagined her and so much of how she dresses is how I like to live my life. Grab great bits from loads of random places and try everything, keep what you love, curate and create a life of bits & pieces that you like and love.
I hope you like this sneak peek into the wardrobe of someone who seems to have looked at life with wit and intelligence and made it fit her.
Portia xx
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Post by Portia
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I’ve always loved these Eau d’Italie bottles. They are sleek and heavy, love that they are opaque so I don’t need to worry so much about light damage and I imagine they look super elegant on your dresser if you are a one bottle person and you like to show your choice off prominently. It seems a very nice mix between stark, modern design and old fashioned porcelain.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lily of the valley
Heart: Vanilla
Base: Musk
Vanilla is king in Morn to Dusk. My skin gives the most incredibly warm vanilla opening that doesn’t show a hint of the bergamot and lily of the valley until I’ve been wearing the fragrance for a couple of minutes. Then they come through and add this lovely wet green vibe that seems to be neither and both, it floats above the vanilla giving life and lift, creating a cool breeze over the dry sands of this interestingly desiccated vanilla. Through the heart the vanilla becomes sweeter and warmer like it was originally, not foody but a furry/fleshy vanilla. A rich, chewy consistency like glutinous toffee yet unpalatable in a cake/sweets sense.
Photo Stolen Pixabay
This short note list is totally missing large chunks. The vanilla towards the mid wear mark that lasts for hours is a crackly honeycomb and amber mix and I get something dry grass-ish like bamboo, vetiver or papyrus cutting through the rest making it less intensely vanillic.
I can’t believe the tenacity of Morn to Dusk, it will certainly wear for that length of time, longer on me today in the soft spring warmth. I put Morn to Dusk on at around 10am and now it’s about to turn dusk and I am still nicely fragrant. I like it. A lot.
Morn to Dusk is the kind of spritz & go frag that I longed for before I became a serious perfumista. It lasts all day, smells great and goes through some interesting phases without being a completely different scent. From leaving the house in the morning to getting home after a dinner you will smell good, sweet and dare I say it, delicious. I can imagine the guys wearing it in suits or jeans and the girls in gowns or jeans, across the board yummy.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Further reading: Colognoisseur
LuckyScent has $140/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml
Morn to Dusk is so wearable. What is your Vanilla? Which Eau d’Italie do you like?
Portia xx
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Post by Portia
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You may remember we have done some stories on the incredible Barb Stegemann (Olfactoria’s Travels), Noble Rose of Afghanistan (APJ), Afghanistan Orange Blossom (APJ) and her world changing idea of creating perfumes from ingredients grown in areas of the world where the poppy is grown for heroin, and basing the campaign towards the women of these countries. Barb is paying more money for flowers that go into our fragrant addiction than the heroin barons pay for their narcotic harvest. What that does is gives women an income, thus a voice. Having an income means they can educate their daughters. Making the world a matriarchy isn’t a bad idea, it’s got to be a better deal than what having it run by men has made it. Imagine…….
Anyway, Barb got in touch this week and they now have a distributor here in Australia. That means that if you’d like to be a part of changing the world for good then you can do it by emailing Barb Stegemann {barb (at) the7virtues (dot) com} and she will get it sent ASAP.
My mate Alice bought me the 7 Virtues Custom Blend Box, which contains four award winning vegan fragrances made with natural essential oils from troubled countries trying to rebuild. I wear them solo or layered.
So I thought it would be interesting to chat to Johanna who will be bringing the 7 Virtues into Australia.
How did you hear about Barb Stegemann and the 7 Virtues?
Barb and I met at University. Once out of Uni, we forged a close friendship when we both began working for the same company. I remember evenings spent in fabulous conversation about how we were going to make a difference in this world. We didn’t know then where life would take us but Barb has certainly been true to her word.
What is your personal favourite 7 Virtues fragrance and why?
I adore The 7 Virtues Noble Rose of Afghanistan! The femininity of the Rose is balanced beautifully with the spicy notes. Coming in a close second is The 7 Virtues Patchouli of Rwanda which I find fresh and easy to wear. Recently, I was having a difficult time making up my mind on which fragrance to wear, so I decided to wear both layered together and the blended results are divine!
How did you become the 7 Virtues distributor in Australia?
Barb and I have been talking about the possibility of bringing The 7 Virtues Fragrances to Australia for four years. Barb contacted me at the end of 2014 and said that the time was right. I jumped at the opportunity, I believe in The 7 Virtues with all my heart. It is such a privilege to be involved.
What kinds of trials and tribulations have you suffered to get 7 Virtues to Australia?
No suffering yet but with any “new to you” experience you don’t know until you know… Now that The 7 Virtues Fragrances are finally available in Australia we want to be able to share them with as many people as possible, so far they have been received extremely well. The fragrances are beautiful and the 7 Virtues story is empowering to everyone involved in the process, from farmers to consumers. It touches everyone along the way, including me!
Photo Stolen AllSteele
WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 7 Virtues Sampler (from my own 7 Virtues Custom Blend Box bottles)
Afghanistan Orange Blossom
Noble Rose of Afghanistan
Middle East Peace
Vetiver of Haiti
P&H Anywhere in the world
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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.
You must tell me how you follow APJ
and
Please tell us a fragrance that makes you feel empowered
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie 7 Virtues Sampler GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-4ek #Perfume #Giveaway @BarbStegemann @the7virtues
Entries Close Sunday 6th September 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Thursday 10th September 2015 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.
Australian Perfume Junkies 