Fleur d'Oranger 27 by Francoise Caron for Le Labo 2006

February 22, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Heya All,

I have had this little stash of Le Labo since May 2013. A small crew of us went up to the Venice, LA store and were treated like royalty there. I purchased a couple of the small bottles which I’ll tell you about another time but the sweet manager of the store gave me some samples to take with me and I, churlish frag glutton that I am, never got to the samples. Well, now I have…

Fleur d’Oranger 27 by Francoise Caron for Le Labo 2006

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Orange blossom, petitgrain, bergamot and lemon

Opening with a zing of citrus, obviously, I find Fleur d’Oranger 27 to be a wonderful, fresh and fun cologne style scent. It is all pettigrain and bergamot for a moment and then it gets a soft orange blossom breathiness that at the same time is pithy and dry. This is smiley, happy juice and I feel invigorated and refreshed. There it stays for a while, pretty and sweet, slightly worn.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

As it wears on Fleur d’Oranger 27 becomes a bit bead head-ish and it NEVER smells at all cleaning fluid-esque. Great maintenance of the citrus throughout and there is something vegetal/herbal that isn’t explained in the notes and I have no idea what it could be, and I also get a prickling of spice, again no idea. I wish I had more to tell you but other than the spice and green-ness which comes and goes I basically get citrus from beginning to end. It smells good and I have enjoyed Fleur d’Oranger 27 but if you need massive development, a story, then you will be sad. Especially for the price. If though you want to smell like a happy burst of citrus for around 4-5 hours then Fleur d’Oranger 27 could be the one for you.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Best Things In Beauty
LuckyScent has $160/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4.25/ml

What is your Le Labo fave? Do you like Orange blossom as a note in general or does it send you screaming, reminded of toilets and dish washing liquids?
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

Cookie Princess Does London 2014! Photo Essay

February 21, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by BlondesWunder

Hello Perfume Bitches!

It´s Cookie Queen´s daughter here, Cookie Princess, although I prefer BlondesWunder.

Finally catching up on our fab time in London. I have learned two things on this trip. First there are more amazing people on this planet than I had realised, and second, I am scarily, evolving into my mother.

Friday I spent three hours in Top Shop. This was traumatic for my mother. I ended up with a gray t-shirt. A freaking baggy, gray t-shirt, that looked nearly identical to the one which I was already wearing. What does that have to do with me turning into my mother? The glamorous CQ has been on the search for the perfect gray t-shirt for more than 35 years now. And now I am doing the same.

Photo donated by Hannah

Let´s move to perfume now. Saturday morning awoke very early. After checking my Instagram for outfit inspo I ended up wearing my, uh, new gray t-shirt. Ms Cookie Queen, looking alike with our green parkas, jeans and combat boots, headed uptown for breakfast at the hotel with Portia and Michael.

Over breakfast we had a hilarious time. I have to admit I love to push my mother´s buttons and yes, I know how! Portia and Michael were laughing hard so I guess I am pretty funny. Thank you. (My boyfriend says I am not.) After a coffee, and a “what perfume are we gonna try today” kind of talk, we headed for Bloom Perfumery in the East End. But first us girls needed a loo. Well, we hadn´t peed for ten minutes.

Next stop Spitalfield Market. Portia and I headed into Benefit. Within 5 minutes he was firm friends with the SA and handing her the APJ business card. I don´t know how Portia does it, but as soon as she opens her mouth, strangers fall at her feet. So did I. I ended up with Portia and my mother with Flirty Michael.

Photo donated by Hannah

As I wandered the market with Portia, I walked by a stand selling Cartier bracelets at only 20 quid. There was no way in hell that Portia would allow me to buy it. The fact that Portia spends a small fortune on not needed fragrance didn’t seem to count!! He lectured me at this point about how to spend my money, and what on! (I got it later with Michael anyway!!) And it looks fab.

Photo donated by Hannah

Eventually we met up again with Michael and my Mum and headed to All Saint´s, where Portia gave me big hair!!

Photo Stolen Bloom

Opposite the shop, was Bloom Perfumery. The SA´s saw use coming towards them and waved, knowing Mum from last year. I was dead, and after having sniffed one Phaedon, (smelled like the Hollister Women´s one to me), I spritzed it, loved it and sat down. Hardly keeping my eyes open, I only heard Portia and my Mum happily sniffing and huffing over over-priced perfume!!

Michael and I took a break at this point and went for yet another coffee.

Photo donated by Hannah

By the time we came back, Tara, Freddie, Vanessa, Thomas and Nigel, Nick and Josh, were in full action. They were all awesome.

Photo donated by Vanessa (Bonkers About Perfume)

At 3 we headed next door to Poppies for fish and chips. The Bloggers sniffing, spritzing and sharing perfume at the table. I thought it was not appropriate in a restaurant, after scaring all the other customers away, but hey, what do I know??

Photo donated by Vanessa (Bonkers About Perfume)

The day ended at Selfridge´s and having to say goodbye after such a day, I was close to tears. So was my Mother, only she showed it. Of course I made fun of her.

I am moving to Sydney.

xoxo BlondesWunder

Hermès Spring/Summer 2014 Ad Campaign

February 21, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Hey Hey Fashion Mavens,

I have been rifling one of my fave Fashion Go-To-Blogs art8amby. Here is the latest from Hermès. As always, YUMMO!!

Diana Moldovan and Yumi Lambert are replacing Iselin Steiro as the new forest nymphs, sorry we mean campaign models, for Hermès. (source)

Thai First Class Pyjamas GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!

February 21, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Thai First Class Pyjamas GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have TWO winners:

Who will each receive:
ONE of the Thai Airways First Class Pyjamas (S & M)
P&H Anywhere in the world

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

AND

Please tell me your preferred size (S or M) and the destination which you would most want to be flying to wear your Thai First Class pyjamas

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie ~~Thai Airways First Class~~ http://wp.me/p3PURw-2t5 @ThaiAirwaysAust @ThaiAirways #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 20th February 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen brooklodge

Small -UNDINA (from Twitter)

Medium – FIFI

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winners will have till Monday 24th February 2014 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.

Absolue Pour Le Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2010

February 20, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 48 Comments

Post by Chairman Meaow

What do I know about Francis Kurkdjian and his work? Very little. I know that he’s a wiz with orange flower. That he is large on talent, not so much, perhaps, on affability towards perfumistas. I had ordered a set of samples from his house some time back, given each a cursory sniff, and decided that he was the creator of pretty and well constructed, if not entirely memorable perfumes. And with that, Francis Kurkdjian was relegated to the recycling heap of my olfactory landscape.

Absolue Pour Le Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2010

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Maison Francis Kurkdjian lists the following accords on its website:
Benzoin from Siam, Bulgarian and Iranian rose, honey, incense absolute, ylang ylang, cumin, Atlas cedar and sandalwood

With the first huff, it was as if I had sat under the bodhi tree and received my perfumed awakening. All the references to rutting animals, bodily secretions, hind quarters and nether regions, things that I had read about but had yet not experienced to any meaningful degree, things that sounded repugnant and intriguing in equal measures, were all there, fleshed out in Absolue Pour Le Soir.

It started out innocently enough – some liquored rose, sandalwood, and soft, sweet honey. But wait, reader. It’s like that scene from that old comedy The Jerk where Steve Martin takes a long, slow swipe of Bernadette Peters’ cheek with his tongue. You just know that in a few moments, when the spittle starts to dry, things are going to start to get a bit smelly.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Sure enough, the honey soon ripened, and started to acquire the tang of a pee-stained bus shelter. Absolue Pour Le Soir then took a turn for the bestial, and I had flashbacks of my dear departed cat, back arched and derriere quivering, fanning the scent of her backside as she lovingly slapped my face about with her tail. I smelled camels, whose scent had always struck me as being a little earthy, a little salty, and a little chocolaty. And underpinning all of this was an erotically charged, sweaty-musky whiff. A little later came the quite smoulder of incense, dampening the growl a touch.

Gott-im-Himmel. It was stunning.
I turned to the hovering sales assistant.
“This one doesn’t sell very well, does it?”
“No. It’s not very nice.”

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I meandered into another shop and found that I had to severely limit my arm movements, lest my fellow shoppers catch wind of the scent and gain the impression that I had been caressing the butt crack of my local friendly hobo. And I realised with a pang that I wouldn’t have the confidence to wear this beauty out and about, this anathema to the masses, with their penchant for sterile odours.
Perhaps I’ll just content myself with dabbing discreetly. It can be my dirty little secret.

Did you? Have you? Would you? I mean, really………..

L'Eau d'Ambree by Daniela (Roche) Andrier for Prada 2009

February 19, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by ElizaD

A perfume. Not a study, not an irony, not an invitation, or memoir, or a response. A perfume. A “your skin but better” plain old perfume. Friends, I give you

L’Eau d’Ambree by Daniela (Roche) Andrier for Prada 2009

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Amalfi lemon, citruses
Heart: May rose, patchouli
Base: Amber, oppoponax, vanilla

L’Eau Ambree seems to be the forgotten child of the Prada line, which is unfortunate because it is a lovely, soft and warm, comfortable sweater of a scent. Not loud and boastful, yet still elegant enough to wear for many different occasions. I first learned about it from Katie Puckrik, one of the funniest perfume vloggers around.

It was created by Daniela Andrier as were Infusion D’Iris in 2007 and Candy in 2011. I have tried all three and like them for different reasons: Infusion D’Iris is a lovely iris scent, and is a little sharper but more powdery; Candy has the same sweet balsam notes with warm musk and that wonderful caramel that makes me want to drench myself in it before cuddling; but for me, L’eau Ambree is the Goldilocks just right version–just the right amount of sweet and skin, but not too come hither or too standoffish.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

The top notes dissipate quickly on my skin, settling into the heart and dry down very quickly. In fact, this is one scent where I am not striving with every inhale to determine what is where. It just works. And in this world of too much information, too much stimulus, too much too much, that is what makes this scent so reassuring. Plus, it’s one perfume that I never mind smelling on my clothes the day after.

Photo Stolen Flickr

You can get L’Eau Ambree for a decent price. It comes in the complete line of layering options, from EdP to shower gel. Sillage is moderate and longevity is about 4 hours. Carry a rollerball and reapply if necessary. I also have layered this on top of Jovan’s White Musk to give it greater longevity.

Further reading: Daly Beauty and Now Smell This
FragranceNet has $40/30ml
My Perfume Samples start at $2/ml

What’s your comfortable sweater all occasion perfume?

Lovely by Laurent Le Guernec and Clement Gavarry for Sarah Jessica Parker 2005

February 18, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Last year I read Chandler Burr’s book “A Year In The Perfume Industry, which I highly recommend. The book follows, every second chapter, Jean-Claude Ellena, in Paris, creating a new fragrance for Hermes…every other chapter takes us to New York, in 2005, where Sarah Jessica Parker is ‘art directing’ the development of her first fragrance, with the help of Laurent Le Guernec and Clement Gavarry from Coty. The book does far more than, but helps the reader to understand how perfumes go from someone’s idea, right through to sitting on the shelves in the mass market. It is jam packed with history, ingredients, methods etc etc. A must read!

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker 2005

Laurent Le Guernec and Clement Gavarry

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Nectarine, bergamot, rosewood, lavender, apple martini
Heart: White daffodil, orchid, orchid, patchouli
Base: Amber, cedar, woody notes, salt, white musk.

That brought me to actually smelling Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Lovely” – something I would NEVER have tried, as my preconceived ideas of it being massmarket/cheap/celeb etc etc kept me well away. My curiosity got the best of me, and I was intrigued however as the starting idea was Sarah’s favourite mix of scents which included Egyptian musk oil, a cheap drugstore scent and and expensive fragrance.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

On first whiff I can really smell the Egyptian and white musks…this develops on skin over time and is a sexy, sultry intriguing part of the fragrance. There’s a touch of patchouli and spice adding to this which makes it sexy-cooling. I am also hit with some major ‘fresh and clean’ notes. Like a breezy layer on top of the sultry base. Reminiscent of the scent of shampoos I used as a kid…apple, orange, lavender, possibly a little peachy. Pretty, feminine, but somehow managing a womanly feel.

I feel like it has given me flashbacks of the bodyshop scents we wore in the 80s/90’s, first body lotions, special soaps, hairspray and the perfumes which came as part of make up sets. (Maybe a few cheaper ingredients in this one.) Descriptions and reviews mention woody, in particular cedar – I don’t get much…maybe some sandalwood…maybe a little cedar after 30mins or so.

Descriptions also mention addition of a ‘martini’ note…I’m not sure if that’s just marketing, but I agree, there is some subtle, salt/savoury edge (maybe a dirty martini) that keeps the sweet, clean musky frag from spreading too far and taking over a room, or in fact from being too ‘lovely’, and gives it more classy-sparkle. I’d call it a fresh floral musk, but putting my finger on which flower exactly deems almost impossible!! Rosewood? It is like a lighter version of Agent Provocateur’s first fragrance, less naughty, and without the depth.

Photo Stolen ShoppingHeavenDotNet

This fragrance is comfy, distinct and still classic in some way…wear it like your favourite jeans and heels combo, for any occasion, when you want to feel feminine AND comfortable.

Further reading: Scents Memory and Now Smell This
Fragrance Shop has $21/50ml
My Perfume Samples start at $2/ml

A 30ml bottle cost me $21. I almost DIED. At that price it is not only LOVELY but super affordable too. The packaging is so cute and great to throw in your handbag for use throughout the day as a top up. I am sure it would be great layered under or over some richer scents, especially with scents that don’t have much staying power…this one lingers and could in theory help hold those – have a play and let me know what works for you.

Ainslie Walker XXX

Stella by Jacques Cavallier for Stella McCartney 2003

February 17, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Maya

Hello APJ,

I have very little interest in most celebrity scents. I know it’s not fair and I am probably missing some very good fragrances, but there are too many out there and others interest me a lot more. Perfume is a thing of emotions and sometimes visual images for me. It appeals to senses other than smell, which is part of it’s beauty. It can evoke memories. It can awaken feelings. It can create new or revive old visual images. It can create or change a mood. Each scent does something different. Once in a while, I perceive a fragrance as color/s.

Stella by Jacques Cavallier for Stella McCartney 2003

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tangerine, rose, peony, amber

I tried Stella by Stella McCartney out of simple curiosity and I’m glad I did. It is a scent that I see as shades of pink with a bit of bright yellow in it. It’s uncomplicated and demands nothing. There are times when that is exactly what I want. I also like that the rose smells natural, not artificial. On my skin, Stella opens as a bright rose with wisps of amber floating up. There are some subtle hints of barely-there mandarin. The amber warms up slightly as the scent progresses but the rose stays strong.

Photo Stolen UK in France Flickr

This is a spring and summer perfume for me. It’s bright sunshine and light. Stella is uplifting and cheerful and yes, pretty. I like to wear it when I’m out and about – shopping, doing errands, meeting a friend for lunch. I would actually wear it just about anywhere and I do. It’s one of my go-to perfumes.

After about 5 hours, it fades somewhat. It’s still there, but much closer to the skin and lingers for about another 3 hours. I can spritz and forget about it, knowing I will be surrounded by a lovely scent that is unlikely to offend anyone. I should add an interesting aside: to my nose, this is a true ROSE perfume, but several friends say that to them it’s a light floral and they can’t pick out any individual flowers including roses. They all like it though.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Further reading: Now Smell This
Beauty Encounter has $82/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Do you have any fun, easy to wear, go-to perfumes?

Maya x

Mixing It Up – Layering Scented Oils USA Giveaway WINNERS

February 17, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

This was meant to be for Valentine’s Day but stuff got in the way for Portia. Happy BELATED Valentine’s Day to everyone!!!

Azar xx

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

Today we will have two USA winners:

The first will receive:
A full, unopened 20 ml bottle (exp. 1/2018) of the Swiss Arabian CPO Noora (Divine Light).
P&H in the USA

The second will receive:
A sample set of 5 fragrance oils from Olivine Atelier
P&H in the USA

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone in the USA 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

If you leave any comment about mixing and/or layering you will be eligible for today’s draw!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie ~~Scented Oil~~ GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2pM #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 13th February 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by

I placed all of the little slips of paper face down on the floor, stepped back and instructed Fender the dog to “touch”. I gave the command a second time and here’s how it panned out.

Photo Stolen thegarfieldshow-diary

JMR, winning the new 20ml bottle of Swiss Arabian Noora

Claudia wins the 5 sample set from Olivine Atelier

Congratulations to the winners!
The winners will have till Wednesdayday 20th February 2014 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.

Vienna Take Two. Photo Essay 2014

February 16, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 37 Comments

Righto,

So have taken you on our flight to Vienna through it’s stops and starts, shown you Michael eating a schnitzel bigger than his head and now we are up to the meeting up with mates section We sampled fragrances, ate, drank, laughed and Michael shopped up a whole new wardrobe because he’s 6 foot 4 inches and whippet thin so Austria is the first place he’s been where they cut for his shape.

Birgit, Sandra (both of Olfactoria’s Travels), Michael and Sandra’s sweet and hilarious son Sean made our stay so fun and we saw Vienna the city to live in as well as the tourist city. I was so happy to have dinner with Birgit’s gorgeous husband again, he is sharp, handsome and funny and I am completely smitten.

You may wonder why there’s a dirty great ginger cat but Sandra took us to a Cat Cafe, where people who can’t have pets of their own can spend some time with a bunch of glorious cats. This was my favourite and reminded me a little of Undina from Undina’s Looking Glass cat Rusty, except this one would NOT pose.

Again we stayed in the Hotel Royal on the Stefansplatz, a very comfortable and affordable option in the heart of Vienna that serves an excellent breakfast. These are my three criteria for accommodation: Comfortable, Affordable, Excellent breakfast. Also add to that: Near the station.

Here are a few pics, enjoy a glimpse of Vienna, Austria with us.
Portia xxx