Christmas

Portia’s Affordable Christmas Giving Fragrance List

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hey All,

Today on the PerfumePosse I look at a bunch of Fragrant Gift Certificates. Excellent Christmas option.

We are all going a little Christmas Cuckoo here at APJ. I thought I would swing in with some lovely and affordable fragrant gifts. Many of us have had to tighten our belts over the last 12 months and it’s getting harder to find something that gives the feeling of luxury in these straightened circumstances, so here are a few of my favourite cheapies that may help you to fill stockings for less.

Japanese Rose set bathandunwindPhoto stolen Bath&Unwind

Korres: Japanese Rose: I use the shower gel and body butter to layer under rose scents like Rosa Sur Reuse by SOIVOHLE and Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun. They came together as a pack 2 Christmas ago and I have constantly kept a stock ever since, now onto my 4th set I think. You can still get the set from Bath & Unwind for around $30

OneSeed Samples ETSY

One Seed natural perfume sample set: This is a great way to get to know one of Australia’s budding niche perfume houses. You will receive 8 x 1ml samples and including International Postage for only $30 at the One seed ETSY Store

Kiehl's Original MuskPhoto Stolen Kiehl’s

Kiehl’s Original Musk: I have the fragrance and body lotion and often use the body lotion to plump up the funk on modern formulations of old favourite fragrances like Rochas Femme, YSL Rive Gauche and CHANEL No 5. Currently 200ml body lotion is around $35 online at Kiehl’s

MangoMelt LUSHPhoto Stolen LUSH

LUSH You’ve Been Mangoed Bath Melt: This comes in a 30gram tablet that I cut into 4 and use separately so each one lasts for four baths. Here in Australia they retail for only $8.50 which works out to $2.12 per bath. BARGAIN. And it’s a great base for some delicious mango dripping fragrances like NVC Bombay Bling or Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil. Available from LUSHCosmetics

BDep Coming To My sensesPhoto Stolen BookDepository

Coming To My Senses by Alyssa Harad: Whether you are buying for a perfumista or not this is a great tale that keeps you turning pages and wishing for a sequel at the end. The story of a woman’s fragrant searching for where she belongs. BookDepository has the hardback for around $20 delivered worldwide!!

sunset people logo

Smell Bent, Sunset People Sample Pack: If you’ve spent any time at all on AustralianPerfumeJunkies then you’ll know what fans we are of the Smell Bent ranges by that uber hottie Brent Leonesio. Sunset People Sample Pack features 5 x 4ml EdT Travel Sprays of their latest juices for only $28 with such excellent names as Disco Nap and Walk of Shame! Wonderful stocking filler from SmellBent.

Halle carapharmacyPhoto stolen carapharmacy

Halle by Halle Berry: I use the body lotion and the fragrance. This is a fabulously wearable woody floral fragrance which has a slightly bitter chocolate feeling about it while still being sweetly amber. The body lotion adds depth and hours of extra wear life.  At CheapSmells you can get the 50ml EdP and 200ml Lotion separately but they add up to under $30.

BDep DiaryOfANosePhoto Stolen BookDepository

Jean-Claude Ellena, The Diary Of A Nose: I found this an interesting look at a year in the life of a perfumer. Not trying to be a sensational story but a look at how much travel, meetings and associated stuff come with being a perfume creator. At times during it I felt that it must be very frustrating sometimes when you want to create but the world impinges. He also gives some fascinating self observances and all done in great good humour. I already liked him before I read this but felt like I knew something of him after. BookDepository has the hardback for around $22 delivered worldwide.

Olympic Orchids samples deluxePhoto Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids Deluxe Sample Set: 16 x 2ml samples of the Olympic Orchids range for only $40 including International Shipping! This is the ultimate affordable gift for any aspiring perfumista or already deep in the wormhole devotee. Go have a look at Olympic Orchids Samples

JeRiviensLotion ProductReview

Worth, Je Riviens body lotion: I know, I know! The fragrance has been cheapened and thinned beyond a whisper of its former self. The lotion is still lovely though and at around $7 for 200ml you can’t go wrong for keeping those wintery ambers in place all day long like L’Artisan’s L’Eau d’Ambre and Ambre Narguile by Hermes. I buy it from CheapSmells

$10GiftCert seekcheaper

Gift Certificates: Many of my favourite online stores do Gift Certificates too. Part of the joy of my fragrance addiction is the seeking and finding what I want for myself so here are a few links to sites that offer them, from as little as $1. Jin often gets me a $50 Posh Peasant Voucher that gets mailed to me and I love them. That can be as many as 20 samples and postage, depending. See what I mean, cool and classy gift for a perfumista to receive.

PoshPeasant from $25
ThePerfumedCourt from $10
SurrenderToChance from $1 – $100
MyPerfumeSamples from $15
AftelierPerfumes from $20
FragranceNet from $20
FragranceX from $5 – $500

I hope this has helped you all shop smarter.
With huge wafts of fragrant love,
Portia xx

Scented Niche Christmas Gifts to Impress

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 32 Comments

.

Gabriella

.

Ten Niche Scented Gifts for Christmas

Hello APJ friends! Hope you are all well and looking forward to the festive season.
When Portia suggested I compile a list of niche perfume Christmas picks, I was filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Excited because I could get really creative and think outside the square and scared because, well, let’s face it, buying perfume for loved ones, let alone niche, is fraught with difficulties.
So, I have taken a deep breath and hopefully risen to the challenge. For ease, I’ve chosen more approachable scents and assumed price is no object. Enjoy!
1.   Dad: Bigarade Concentree by Frederic Malle
Bigarade concentree Frederic Malle for women and men
Jean Claude Ellena’s modern take on eau de cologne, Bigarade Concentree starts with piquant, zesty blood orange and aromatic cardamom notes before settling into soft orange and hay. This is as refreshing as a dip in an ice cold pool, but still a refined classic scent.
Notes: bitter orange, rose, cedar, grass and hay
2.   Mum: Antonia by Puredistance
Antonia Puredistance for women
Possibly the most beautiful and sublime release of 2012, Antonia is an intricately weaved green floral with galbanum, ivy and jasmine. The Antonia woman is intelligent, graceful, self assured and wise – the best qualities of Mums everywhere,
Notes: jasmine, rose essence, ylang ylang, orris, ivy greens, galbanum, vanilla and vetiver.
3.   Brother: Sunday Cologne by Byredo
Sunday Cologne Byredo for women and men
A slightly balmy and spicy scent, Sunday Cologne combines the freshness of bergamot with star anise, incense and lavender. Clean, cool and utterly debonair, this can be worn equally with a sharp suit or t-shirt and jeans.
Notes: cardamom, bergamot, star anise, lavender, geranium, incense, vetiver, patchouli and oakmoss.
4.   Sister: Nuit de Cellophane by Serge Lutens
Nuit de Cellophane Serge Lutens for women
A refined take on the standard fruity floral, Nuit de Cellophane combines osmanthus and jasmine to create a gorgeously translucent scent. Nuit de Cellophane is demure and pretty with just a hint of coquettishness.
Notes: mandarin, osmanthus, jasmine
5.   Significant other (Male): Amyris Pour Homme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
Amyris Homme Maison Francis Kurkdjian for men
Sex in a bottle. A blend of aromatic rosemary and mandarin tempered by cool iris and warm woody notes, Amyris is the tall, dark handsome stranger at a swanky bar who buys you an ice-cold martini before saying sotto voce: ’Come hither’.
Notes: rosemary, mandarin orange, amyris, coconut, coffee, iris, milk chocolate, tonka bean and agarwood.
6.   Significant other (Female): Flor Y Canto by Arquiste
Flor y Canto Arquiste for women
A bewitching white floral, Flor Y Canto tempers the heady notes of tuberose and frangipani with bright marigold. Sunny and carefree, but still devastatingly sexy, this is for a confident woman who doesn’t take herself too seriously.
Notes: Mexican tuberose, magnolia, frangipani and marigold
7.   For the budding perfumista friend: Frederic Malle’s Coffrets
frederic-malle_coffrets
In my opinion, Frederic Malle offers the best variety of all niche brands. These coffrets offer small vials of the brand’s scents: men’s, women’s or a 2012 selection. Your friend is sure to find new love, whether it’s the mint barbershop vibe of Geranium Pour Monsieur or the brooding oriental of Portrait of a Lady.
8.   For the friend that hates perfume:  Aqua Universalis Perfumed Candle by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Aqua Universalis Perfumed Candle
An impressive, weighty candle without an oppressive scent, Aqua Universalis is a fresh and delicate blend of green notes, orange blossom and jasmine.
Notes: bergamot, sicilian lemon, lily of the valley, sweet mock orange, light and musky woods
9.   For kids: Les Bulles d’Agathe by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Les Bulles d'Agathe Scented Bubbles 3
These blowing bubbles are lightly scented with pear, violet, mint or cut herbs – fun for the little ones or just for the kid in all of us.
10.  Top niche Christmas pick: La Myrrhe by Serge Lutens
La Myrrhe Serge Lutens for women
In one of those coveted bell jars, Serge Lutens and his partner in crime Christopher Sheldrake have created a luminous rendition of myrrh – the essential oil and resin carried by the Three Wise Men. Warm aldehydes suggest the twinkle of Christmas lights on powdered snow while gentle spices and almond evoke the last bite of Christmas pud washed down with a glass of warm Amaretto.
Notes: mandarin, myrrh, lotus, bitter almond, sandalwood, honey, jasmine, amber, musk, various spices and pimento
Pictures sourced from Fragrantica, Basenotes, Polyvore and Wantist.
 
Where to Buy:
Arquiste: arquiste.com and Barney’s
Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Serge Lutens: Les Senteurs, Luckyscent and Mecca Cosmetica
Puredistance: Luckyscent
Serge Lutens bell jars: sergelutens.com and Barney’s
 
Hope you’ve enjoyed my picks. What are your top niche Christmas choices?
Love,
M x

Orange Essential Oil – Christmas Gift Ideas

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

.

Guest Post by Suzanne R Banks

.

Hello Australian Perfume Junkies, Suzanne from SuzanneRBanks. I have been asked by Portia to come by and explain how essential oils have been used through the ages and some of their history and aromatherapy uses.

Orange Essential Oil

The Sweetness and Innocence

Photo Stolen GrowersOwn

One of the loveliest and simplest essential oils is that of orange. It gives you the direct experience of the fruit the moment you smell it. There is no denying that on taking your first big whiff straight from the bottle, your senses are enlivened – even your mouth may start to water with anticipation of the real thing.

Orange oil is sweet, light and tingly. It’s easy for the brain to identify and therefore appeals to so many types of beings. Kids love it. It is a wonderful oil to use with the elderly. Pets respond wonderfully to orange essential oil when it’s vapourised. Orange oil is an oil of innocence and joy. It gets straight to the point when you employ it.

And what about the colour of an orange? Nature is really amazing when you think about it. The colour orange is vibrant and cheery and relates to the second chakra “Svadhisthana”. This chakra actually means “sweetness” and is concerned with attracting another, procreation, sexuality and desire. The way I see it, the colour and scent of orange, allows us to open to the joy of the sweetness in life; a sweetness that can be amplified when we connect with others and share experiences.

orange gardenofeadenPhoto Stolen GardenOfEaden

Using orange oil

Vapourise -To spread a little bit of happiness, vapourise some orange oil in your home. You don’t have to have a machine or oil burner you can simply boil water, throw about 15 drops into a bowl, and when you pour the water into the bowl, magic happens. This may help kids settle down, and help you experience a moment of bliss.

Put a few drops onto a cotton pad and put it in your car. How easy is that?

In a body oil – orange oil is lovely in a nourishing body oil blend as the acids from the rind can help brighten the skin, and remove old skin cells.

Try this for a happy, centering oil blend for yourself:

“I Am Awesome”
3 teaspoons of a carrier oil like almond, jojoba, grapeseed
5 drops of orange oil
3 drops of lavender
Then lavishly spread all over your body!

To make an oil blend as a gift you will need to have a bottle and lid. Just have a look on the internet, even ebay shops sell them. Literally search for “amber bottles” and that will get you on the right track. You will need an amber, blue or green bottle, as the dark colours help prevent oil oxidation. Follow the quantities here:

25ml bottle use a total of 12 drops of oil
50ml bottle use a total of 25 drops of oil
100 ml bottle use a total of 50 drops of oil

Can you see a pattern forming? These are standard ratios and if you live in a country that isn’t metric … oh dear, you’ll have to figure out the calculations yourself.

Here are a couple of recipes for a 25ml oil blend using orange oil:

“Delicious & Cute”
7 drops of orange
3 drops geranium
2 drops patchouli

“Universe”
6 drops orange
5 drops cypress
1 drop cardamom

If it all seems a bit too hard, eat an orange! Not only will you get great nutrition, you’ll be having an aromatherapy treatment at the same time!

You can find me at my blog SuzanneRBanks or on FB https://www.facebook.com/suzannerbanks.com.au

Thanks for reading, See you next month,

Suzanne

Nuit De Noel by Ernest Daltroff for Caron 1922

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Hey Hey Fellow Fumies,

Nuit de Noel or Christmas Night, what we call Christmas Eve today, was created in 1922 by the founder of Caron and self taught perfumer Ernest Daltroff for, it is rumoured, his paramour of many years. There is so much hype about this fragrance that calls to me, Roja Dove and Karl Lagerfeld are said to wear only this fragrance at Christmas time, it was made for the flappers of the era and that the gold band on the original extrait bottle was a nod to their headbands are just 2 of the stories. Below you’ll see the original 30ml extrait with the shagreen case and box.

Rare Vintage 1oz. Caron Nuit De Noel EXTRAIT 30 Sealed Perfume With Original BoxPhoto Stolen eBay US$295 sealed

My bottle is the current reformulation so real sandalwood is rare and oakmoss is IFRA illegal which means the heart of Nuit de Noel is largely gone or replaced with analogous chemistry but still the opening is very special and the dry down lovely.

Photo Stolen PerfumeShrine

Fragrantica gives these featured accords/notes:
Top: Ylang-ylang, tincture of rose, jasmine
Heart: Sandalwood, oak moss
Base: Musk, amber
but fails to mention the De Laire’s “Mousse de Saxe” base <Jump to PerfumeShrine opus on it

As the initial boozy vodka like scream passes in about 10 minutes, the jasmine and ylang ylang play central starring roles with a soft hint of a spicy rose underneath. As I breathe down my top it warms up beautifully with a very human warmth that could be mink-ish (or bedhead-ish) overlaying the flowers, there is still a hint of animalic skank through the flowers and the base.

I started writing this review earlier today and haven’t had a moment to come back and organise my thoughts. It’s 3-4 hours later and there is still some floral action but the amber has arrived, a slightly sweet vanillic amber filled with oriental spices, sweet but not gourmand. After the first rush this is a quiet, fleshy floral that turns very warm and cosy. Its stamina is good too, around 6 hours before I lose track and I think it might be a quiet skin scent for a while longer, some mornings I can still smell something lovely but others nothing.

Photo Stolen howtogeek

As always ThePerfumeShrine does a wonderful review with plenty of history and BoisDeJasmin looks at the way the new EdT is different from the past.
FragranceNet has 50ml around $35

Photo Stolen thepunch

Many of the comments on blogs and walls say that this fragrance has nothing to do with Christmas, well I think it has way more to do with Northern Hemisphere rather than Southern Hemisphere Christmas. Above you can see Santa and some of his helpers relaxing after their biggest night of the year on Bondi Beach in Sydney on Christmas Day, the rest of us Aussie Christians are having a feast of some sort and huddling around A/C or lying in the pool. I’m going to wear it this Christmas anyway, if it’s good enough for Karl Lagerfeld it’s good enough for me.

At AustralianPerfumeJunkies we wish an easy life for all of you, filled with great health, enough wealth and happiness, whether it’s Christmas or not, whether you’re Christian or not, everyone!
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx