Library Collection OPUS III by Karine Vinchon Spehner for Amouage 2010

August 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

It might take time, but there is surely an Amouage for everyone. The Library Collection is described as being “a poetic homage to the art of living”. I don´t know what that means but it sounds romantic. The Collection defies current trends, are gender neutral, and categorization. I rather like most of them, with the exception of Opus VI. (I once stupidly over-applied this, and then proceeded to bake. It nearly killed me.) Opus III is the jewel of the collection for me.

Please go enter our Ramon Monegal coming to Australia GIVEAWAY<<JUMP

Library Collection OPUS III by Karine Vinchon Spehner for Amouage 2010

OPUS III: Violets, Cats and Three Teaspoons of Perfume

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mimosa, broom (Dyer’s Greenweed), cloves, nutmeg, thyme
Heart: Violet, jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom
Base: Ambrette, papyrus, musk, cedar wood, sandalwood, Guaiac, benzoin, vanilla

I love violets. The Parma Violet sweets from my childhood, the Italian violet candies, and violet perfume. I used to have Devon Violet perfume as a child, purchased on rainy caravan holidays in the West Country, donkey rides included. I am not keen on the colour violet, but as the flowers themselves range from violet and blue, to yellow, white and cream it doesn´t matter. Freshly opened violets look stunning in salads. Violets are apparently known as having a “flirty” fragrance , as the scent comes and goes!! “Violet Day” was a day of remembrance in Australia, honouring the First World War dead. “The symbol of perpetual remembrance for these gallant dead who have given their lives for their country.” 1970 saw the last celebration of Violet Day.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The Violet Cream of the Crop

Opus III is all about violets. Thick and rich, creamy caramelized violets, with broom and mimosa kickstarting the whole fragrant brew. Not the typical violet of make-up, nor of Malle´s Lipstick Rose. It is full bodied and voluptuous, not to be confused with feminine. It is equally as suitable for a bloke. There are so many notes listed, as in all the Amouage perfumes. They highlight the violet and it glows throughout. Resinous violet, sprinkled with spiced vanilla and a smidgin of yang-ylang, ever shifting. It is not however a gourmand fragrance.

Photo Donated Val CQ

Although my cat doesn´t know that. She loves Opus III and will lick and chew it off whenever possible. I have spritzed 15 mls in the last month. That is three teaspoons. That is a whole lot of Amouage. It is very seductive, like spraying on another facet of yourself.

Opus III is not überdramatic, nor it is too rich. It is subtly stunning and lasts for hours. Sillage to die for. What more could you want? No worries if you don´t like violets either, because there are seven more of the Library Collection to explore. I am just starting on II, IV and V.

Today we wear the clinging violet
In memory of the brave,
While ever thoughts of fond but proud regret,
Come surging wave on wave.
Alexandra Seager
Dedicated to her son George, killed in Gallipoli

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and The Non Blonde
First In Fragrance has €295/100ml
Libertine Parfumerie has $418/100ml with FREE postage within Australia
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/.5ml

Fragrant Bussis
CQ

With grateful thanks to Sandra who gave me SO much!!

Ramon Monegal coming to Australia

August 11, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 42 Comments

Hiya Fragrance frenzied peeps,

This is a super exciting day here at APJ. The crew at Ramon Monegal are so thrilled that they are coming to Australia and will be for sale at Peony Melbourne in our Southern Hemisphere Spring that they have been in touch to do a special announcement giveaway. Cool huh?

Here’s a snippet from the Ramon Monegal site: Ramón Monegal comes from a long and distinguished line of the most important perfumers in Barcelona and Spain. He represents the fourth generation of the founders of the house of Myrurgia, which was the official purveyor of the Spanish Royal Family, and the most important international perfumer in Spain.

Ramon Monegal coming to Australia

I really love the brand, its style and who can go past one of their inkwell bottles. TO DIE FOR.

Photo Stolen Ramon Monegal

Ramon Monegal: Ambra di Luna

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Amber, labdanum, Egyptian jasmine, castoreum, vanilla, sandalwood

WOW! When you spray Ambre di Luna it is an old world fragrance harking back to the bygone days of perfumery where the sensual animal base could be clearly noticed from the very first spritz. Rich, sweet, animal and utterly gorgeous Ambra di Luna is my next full bottle purchase, FOR SURE! Amber, and a hint of breathy jasmine play background to animal growl. I am undone. What a wonderful scent, so beautiful it could break your heart. A surprisingly cool amber, done in a way that is unusual and raunchy. MMMMMMM

Photo Stolen Ramon Monegal

Ramon Monegal: Kiss My Name

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tuberose, iris, Egyptian jasmine, Tunisian neroli, tolu balsam

Spritz and BIG SMILE! Lovely white flowers all in a bouquet, green, white, sappy and sweet. Here is a very wearable white flower bomb that is cooled by the iris and fleshed out with resins. Ohhhh, I could so imagine wearing this regularly. Not bubble gum tuberose, the cooler, greener aspect. A full blown white flower bouquet that you can tell can’t wait to unleash its inner vixen. Kiss My Name feels like a fragrance FULL of flowers, at least some of them being the real deal. The heart of Kiss My Name has a very narcissus-ness about it, nearly ferocious in its intensity. GOSH Almighty.

Can’t wait for Ramon Monegal to come to Australia?
Parfum1 has the line for $185/50ml
First In Fragrance and LuckyScent have bottles and samples

Photo Stolen Kesha&Co

Ramon Monegal coming to Australia GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will get (NO you don’t get to choose):

1 x 15ml manufacturers spray sample of Ambra di Luna (I did spritz to test)

1 x 15ml manufacturers spray sample of Kiss My Name (I did spritz to test)

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.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Peony Melbourne<<JUMP and find me a Fragrance and one of its Notes…………….. NO DOUBLE UPS!!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Ramon Monegal + Peony Melbourne #Perfume #Giveaway http://wp.me/p3PURw-34j @ramonmonegal

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 14th August 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Monday 18th August 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their email address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Special THANKS to Ramon Monegal for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site Ramon Monegal

Surrender To Chance GIVEAWAY WINNERS

August 11, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hey Hey APJ,

GREAT response this week. Of course it’s an exceptional giveaway. Surrender To Chance is a fabulous site and I love to go and trawl their wares. For us to give you the Gift Certificate you’ll need to send me an email address that is attached to your Surrender To Chance account. We can then get your gift certificate added to your account.

Thanks
Portia xx

Surrender To Chance Gift Certificate GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Photo Stolen SmartDraw

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will get:
1 x $30 Surrender To Chance Gift Certificate

HOW DID YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Surrender To Chance<<JUMP and find me a Fragrance and Manufacturer…………….. NO DOUBLE UPS!!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-330 #Perfume #Giveaway @Surrendertochan

Surrender To Chance Header

HOUSEKEEPING

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

Photo Stolen brooklodge

Amanda Gorton (via Twitter)

JulesInRose

The winners will have till Thursday 14th August 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their Surrender To Chance Account Email Address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Special THANKS to Surrender To Chance for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous, friendly and helpful.

"Something old, something new" Part 1.1 BBC Perfume Documentary

August 10, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

Hello lovely APJ Crew,

Over the next few Sundays we we”ll be able to watch these 3 wonderful documentaries. You’ll need to grab a cuppa/juice/wine and maybe some breakfast/lunch/dinner and settle in for an hour, there are no ad breaks but you can pause and come back through your Sunday. Two of the fragrances talked about in the doco are Guerlain’s Shalimar Parfum Initial and Loud by Hilfiger. We watch as Loud is released for the first time and go through the creation of it. Also we get a rare glimpse into Thierry Wasser’s rise to the head perfumer at Guerlain, and the fall of Jacques Guerlain. Very interesting.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Enjoy,
Portia xx

“Something old, something new” Part 1 BBC Perfume Documentary

L`Orpheline by Christopher Sheldrake + Serge Lutens 2014

August 9, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hey All,

Am I too late to the party? Just received a decant from the lovely Ruth (thanks buddy) and can’t wait to wear it a few times. Why don’t you join my on a first experience journey? It will be fun.

L`Orpheline by Christopher Sheldrake + Serge Lutens 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Musk, incense

I have read quite a bit about Serge Lutens L’Orpheline already. It may interfere with my first impressions because I think they may already be coloured.

So I find a jagged, pristine, metallic opening from Serge Lutens L’Orpheline. It’s weird and uncomfortable and though I don’t have it on hand reminds me a little of Lainne de Verre, like the idea of crawling along fibreglass insulation. Underneath though is a very pretty something. Some lovely alluring floral that keeps me glued to my hand trying to find it. Then I get this hilarious gust of coconut, no one else has been writing about it so I’m thinking my nose probably invented it, but to me it’s there clear as day.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Then everything tilts and I am in cool incense laden air, slightly fetid and dank and earthy and metallic. Then I am reminded of Balmain’s Amber Gris, which smells little like ambergris to me but has a feeling of perhaps what a 100 year old nugget of exploded whale internal secretions might smell like if they were flowers. Then woods, both cold on the woodpile and smoking from the fire, suddenly there is a warmth to L’Orpheline that is not hot but merely lack of cold. Then I get a balmy woods and flesh fragrance that fades slowly to gone, but I can’t tel;l when exactly it left. (Ha Ha Ha!! This fragrant monologue reads NOTHING like anyone else’s experience, I am a perfume DUFFER! Ha Ha Ha! I don’t care, this is how my nose smelled this fragrance on first wearing on my skin)

Timid. L’Orpheline is timid. Interesting, arresting, challenging and fun but all on a very small scale. Like a wallflower awaiting a moment to shine that never really comes.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Of all the freaky Serge Lutens masterpieces I think L’Orpheline the most wearable. It’s not big enough to torment you with its constantly changing story. A bit like riding a horse through trees in high summer and the dappled effects of the light searing one second and the cool of shade the next, the uncomfortable way your eyes need to adjust again and again. Yet L’Orpheline does it so quietly, and in such a muted fashion that it becomes beautiful background noise and you can still concentrate on your life but should you wish to come back and really smell what’s happening you will find it changed markedly from your last sniff.

Please don’t take my word for it, try L’Orpheline by Serge Lutens yourself.

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Perfume Posse
Serge Lutens has €99/50ml
Everywhere else will get Serge Lutens L’Orpheline in September
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml

Have you yet tried this hot/cold frightened child of a fragrance? What did you think?
Portia xx

Surrender To Chance Gift Certificate

August 8, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 64 Comments

Hiya Happy Huffers,

One of the things I love MOST about this mad fragrance addiction I have is Sample and Decant Stores. The crew I use the most is Surrender To Chance. They have a great selection, reasonable postage rates and are friendly and helpful whenever I have a question. I know the gang that runs the business through the Perfume Posse Scentsation Bus Tour in May 2013. They are a fabulous and fun crew and they made me feel like family from, the first minute. As you may have noticed I look for family everywhere, surprising how often I find it too.

Photo Stolen TheTruthAboutMummy

Surrender To Chance Gift Certificate GIVEAWAY

Photo Stolen SmartDraw

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will get:
1 x $30 Surrender To Chance Gift Certificate

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Surrender To Chance<<JUMP and find me a Fragrance and Manufacturer…………….. NO DOUBLE UPS!!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie GIFT CERTIFICATE GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-330 #Perfume #Giveaway @Surrendertochan

Surrender To Chance Header

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 10th August 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 14th August 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their email address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Special THANKS to Surrender To Chance for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous, friendly and helpful.

Dior Fusion Sneakers – Savoir Faire

August 8, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Hey Hey Fashionistas,

Well DIOR have finally done it. Made sneakers a couture creation. YAY! I freaking love them and can’t wait to trot down to Sydney DIOR to see if they are made in my size. How much fun would that be? TOO MUCH.

Enjoy the creation of video.
Portia xx

Photo Stolen FashionPost (problem with us using this image, let APJ know)

Dior Fusion Sneakers – Savoir Faire

Karen Gilbert in Sydney!! September 20 2014

August 7, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Hey There APJ Crew in Sydney,

One of my mates Karen Gilbert is coming to Sydney in September, so save the date Saturday September 20. I have begged and cajoled her into hosting her 1 Day Introduction To Perfumery Class here in Sydney. This is the event that Karen runs worldwide and it will be her first ever training day in Australia. A once off, one time only deal with someone who has worked in the fragrance industry for years as a Perfume Evaluator at IFF, then on to working as a perfumer herself and consulting for some of the world’s best known brands. Now Karen is writing, fragrancing, teaching and traveling the world. We are so lucky that she has agreed to host her 1 Day Introduction To Perfumery Class here in Sydney.

The day will be held upstairs in a wonderful old Sydney hotel that is famous in the area for its delicious food. Lunch will be provided; simple, hearty fare like creamy Italian pasta or Thai beef salad and there will be loads of fresh crusty bread.

The first FIVE people to book will get an autographed copy of Karen’s latest book Perfume: The Art and Craft of Fragrance. I will be buying these and getting Karen to sign them because I think the day will be splendid and the books will be a wonderful momento.

Just so you all know, I will be receiving no kickback for organising this event and that Karen is doing a very special price because it’s for me. Normally in the UK a day with Karen will cost guests around £200 each (that’s over AUD$350) and having Karen teach a corporate day is beyond my wildest dreams. You can book here 1 Day Introduction To Perfumery Class<<JUMP. Also, there are a very small amount of guest places for this event because Karen wants to make sure everyone gets as much of her attention as possible.

Can’t wait to spend the day with you getting a better understanding of fragrance and how the industry works. We will have a great time together, promise.
Portia xx

BookDepository AUD$19 delivered worlwide

BookDepository AUD$16 delivered worldwide

1 Day Introduction To Perfumery Class

I’m so excited to be running this 1 day perfumery class in Sydney Australia!

Do you want to create your own fragrance or just learn more about perfumery?

I have been wanting to run a class for my Aussie readers for ages so when Portia of Australian Perfume Junkies suggested fitting one into my September trip to Sydney I jumped at the chance.

For those of you who have never met me before you can read more about my background HERE

All my classes are very in depth with lots of industry insider tips as well as lots and lots of hands on practical experience. Many students who have done classes with other teachers and are still stuck find that even after the 1 day class it all makes sense and falls into place. I tend to tailor each day to the experience level of the group so each class is a unique experience. This class is suitable for beginners or more advanced students

1 Day Introduction To Perfumery Class

This introductory workshop in perfumery will give you the opportunity to gain a basic understanding of the history of perfumery and then work with a variety of materials to design your own fragrances. You will have plenty of hands on experience in blending and creating your own accords and finished fragrances. All materials and equipment are provided and no previous experience is necessary. All you need is imagination and a love of perfumery.

Topics Covered In The Class:

The History of Perfumery
The Sense of Smell and What it Means To Us
The Beginners Guide to Training your Nose
Classifying Fragrances
Top, Middle and Base notes and Why They Are Important
Creating Accords
Practical Blending Techniques
Naturals Vs Synthetics

By The End The Class You Will:

Have an understanding of the historical significance of fragrance
Have learned about the different ingredients used in perfumery
Easily be able to classify aromatic ingredients into the different fragrance families
Understand how accords are created
Have practised blending top middle and base notes
Have created your first fragrance

You can book here 1 Day Introduction To Perfumery Class<<JUMP

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils

August 6, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Ratios for Blending Essential Oils

A Reminder of the Basics

Hi APJ

I have written about this before but I think we need a reminder of the correct ratios to employ when making aromatherapy skin care, baths, face masks, hair masks and anything else you can think of. I’ll also include the amounts to use in vapourisers and oil burners.

It is important to be exact and err on the side of caution when using essential oils on your skin.

It is not important to be exact when you are using essential oils in a vapouriser to scent a space.

Officially it is not recommended you use essential oils on your skin directly from the bottle!

Photo Stolen Pixabay

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil (approx 15 mls) in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. This is a standard ratio of 2.5% essential oils to carrier oil.

20 mls 10 drops

25 mls 12 drops

30 mls 15 drops

35 mls 17 drops

40 mls 20 drops

45 mls 22 drops

50 mls 25 drops

***** 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.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

2. Mist – For a Room or as a Personal Aura Mist

The same quantities as above. You can add more if you like but remember not to spray near your eyes.

50 mls 25 drops

100 mls 50 drops

150 mls 75 drops

200 mls 100 drops

Almost fill the bottle with water then add your oils. Shake before you mist. I don’t use emulsifying agents as I like to keep it simple. You can even just buy a mist bottle from a supermarket but once a plastic atomiser top and bottle have been used for essential oils you can’t re-use them. Don’t fill up the bottle with water and mist your plants as the residue may kill them.

Photo Stolen FotoPedia

3. An Oil Blend (or mask) for Your Face, Children and In Pregnancy

Use half the above ratio – 1.25% ratio of essential oils to carrier oil.

20 mls 5 drops

25 mls 6 drops

30 mls 7 drops

35 mls 8 drops

40 mls 10 drops

45 mls 11 drops

50 mls 12 drops

***** 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.

Pregnancy – Some oils are not recommended in pregnancy so it’s best to do some research if you are treating yourself, or ask the advice of an Aromatherapist. I have treated many women through multiple pregnancies and have had great results. The truth is that there are probably many more toxic chemicals in their home environments than essential oils but always use caution!

Children – Same for kids. They respond really well to essential oils but only use oils they like the smell of otherwise you may create a negative experience. You will have more positive results if you create a room/personal mist and gently mist around your child so they treatment is more fun and likely to work quickly.

Photo Stolen Flickr

4. In Baths

I would only use up to 6 drops of oil in a bath. I have tried many natural emulsification agents but none work 100%. I like to put the oils into mediums, then add them to the bath. Try adding your oils into –

Dead Sea Salt

Celtic Sea Salt

Coconut milk

Magnesium Salt (Epsom salts)

Bi-Carb Soda

A Natural Bodywash/liquid soap like Castille Soap

** I don’t recommend using essential oils in the bath with kids as it can sting their legs. The oils combined with the heat of the water can be too strong for their beautiful skin. (See me article “Aunty, something is biting my legs” – 10 things NOT to do when using Essential Oils” for more info).

Enjoy the process!

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

Suzanne R Banks XXX

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

Sacrebleu by Parfums de Nicolaï 1993

August 5, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hi APJ,

An oldie but a goodie. A wild ride that is filled with exciting twists & turns. This bottle is an older one from Michael Edwards and I feel very lucky to have it because now you can only buy the intense version. The formula has changed since this bottle was made, I’m sure it has quite a lot really.

Sacrebleu by Patricia de Nicolai for Parfums de Nicolaï 1993

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin orange, fruits, red berries
Heart: Carnation, tuberose, jasmine, cinnamon
Base: Olibanum, woody notes, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, peru balsam, tonka bean

Sacrebleu !

So unusual to me immediately. It’s tart! Like a tart berry. Redcurrant? Unripe raspberry? Bitter rind of tangerine, perhaps bitter orange rind too. A hint at jasmine/tuberose/vanilla, which sometimes to me is an expected crowd pleasing base, often kind of meh. I can smell frankincense resin strongly?!?!? With the berry and mandarin it feels Christmassy to me. I keep thinking “how weird”. I am getting something sooo weird I cannot pinpoint at about 30 mins in, its green, carnation and patchouli, but also a rubbery mouthful of some fruity flavoured bubblegum?…am about to run to wash it off and then *boom* things balance out a little. Sandalwood/frankincense/bitter orange, rounded off with some white floral jasmine and shy tuberose and a touch of well chewed fruit gum.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The gum eventually starts to give way and tonka bean rears its head with some vanilla notes and starts to get pretty. It’s like dessert has finally been served! Within the frankincense resin, the soft vanilla notes seems to glow angelic. The angel is casually hanging out, chewing on a blackberry and vanilla marshmallow. Finally I get some gentle spices, cinnamon and clove/eugenol, which works so well with the remaining citrus.

Great scent life, and the dry down is very Shalimar like a vintage Shalimar dry down and I could still smell a gentle bit of it in the morning. Projection and sillage were pretty good for most of the fragrant life, more like a natural or a fragrance that has lots of naturals rather than a strong synthetic fragrance. Though not one that I’d normally go for, I really like it and had to keep going back to sniff myself to see what it was doing. Interesting, lovely. Casual and easy.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: Now Smell This and Perfume Posse
LuckyScent has Sacrebleu Intense from $65/30ml
Parfums Neroli in Budapest has Sacrebleu from €50/30ml
Surrender To Chance has Sacrebleu Intense samples starting at $4/ml

A floriental but slightly crazy frag. Shalimer lovers should definitely give it a go.

Have you tried Sacrebleu?
Ainslie Walker