Gri Gri Fragrances: Esxence 2016 Discovery

April 26, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Anaïs Biguine is the creator and nose behind the rather lovely Jardin d’Écrivains perfume house. The three Gri Gri fragrances are her latest creations. I have been wearing them for the last couple of weeks and feel them well worthy of some attention. The stand stood out beautifully at the Esxence. The ladies were professional, knowledgeable and extremely friendly.

Gri Gri Fragrances: Esxence 2016 Discovery

Eau de Parfum for Tattooed Skin by Anaïs Biguine 2016

There are three perfumes in the collection. They each take inspiration from the long history of and geographically diverse art of tattooing. Ink as an art form, across cultures and through the ages.

I am not familiar enough with each perfume yet to go into any depth but the following will give you an idea of what Anaïs Biguine has created.

MOKO MAORI EdP
Tussock grass. New Zealand Flax.
Fern. Kowhai. Manuka.
Lichen. Kanuka.

TARA MANTRA EdP
Saffron. Cardamom. Hing.
Patchouli. Ajowan.
Lotus. Jasmine. Agarwood.

UKIYO-E EdP
Genmaicha. Yuzu. Aralia.
Daphné. Green tea.
Sakura. Ashibi.

Each perfume succeeds at representing the different artistic style, and master skills of tattooing. From needles to bamboo. Spiritual, theatrical and peaceful.

Ink Free Bussis
(maybe one day)
CQ

I have a samples of each fragrance, the ladies at Gri Gri were very kind. I know how annoying it is to feel attracted to a perfume that you can not get hold.
I will pop a sample of one of the collection in the post to three different APJ peeps.

Let me know what actually attracts you to a totally new fragrance. The perfumer, the story, the bottle ………. And which of the Gri Gri appeals to you?

kbaird

Gri Gri GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Sample each of Gri Gri Perfume (One of the three fragrances in the line. NO you don’t get to choose)
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged. 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.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Let me know what attracts you to a totally new fragrance. The perfumer, the story, the bottle ………. or which of the Gri Gri appeals to you?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 28th April 2016 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 1st May 2016 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.

Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls GIVEAWAY WINNERS

April 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

And here we have it my fragrant lovelies,

Thank you Azar for your amazing stories and giveaways.

Portia xxxx

Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica lists these featured accords:
Peach, gardenia, bergamot, water lily, white rose, lotus, amber, sandalwood, musk

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
Continental USA DRAW: 1 x vintage Black Pearls .25 ounce parfum in the box
Worldwide DRAW: 1 x 2ml decant of the original Black Pearls EdP
1 x a little sample of a rare, impossible to find, weird mystery peach
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 21st April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner were chosen by random.org

Brooklodge

World – Fanny

US – Fazal

The winners will have till Sunday 24th April 2016 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.

Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls 1996

April 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 37 Comments

Post by Azar

Greetings Perfume Pals!

My previous post on APJ recalled my adventures in Spring Cleaning and the subsequent discovery of several bottles of the original Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls. I also wrote a bit of a back-story to the fragrance. Today I am attempting a review of vintage Black Pearls.

Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls 1996

The Power of the Peach – Part II

Fragrantica

Fragrantica lists these featured accords:
Peach, gardenia, bergamot, water lily, white rose, lotus, amber, sandalwood and musk.

First of all I have to say that there is nothing quite like vintage Black Pearls. For me this frag is, at once, peachy, wet and powdery, a combination unique in my experience. Some people report a surfeit of lilac and/or melon in Black Pearls. My experience is one of citrus, lotus (of sorts), honeysuckle, vanilla, synthetic smelling sandalwood, a rich floral combo and, of course, the powerful peach.

I am not talking about a fresh peach here. Even though there is an obvious attempt to simulate freshness with the addition of aquatic elements (via the lotus and water lily?), Black Pearls has very little of that squeezable, tart juiciness that characterizes newly picked fruit. Instead, Elizabeth Taylor’s peach is big, fuzzy and over-ripe, sliced, spiced, powdered; vanilla sugared, battered, buttered and baked into a cobbler drizzled with cream. This fragrant, mouthwatering dessert is set out to cool next to a huge bouquet of lilacs, gardenias, pale roses and osmanthus. Can you imagine that? Most days my skin loves Black Pearls and the resulting sweetness and warmth is not unlike the tender, young voice of Elizabeth Taylor as Velvet Brown in the 1945 film National Velvet. Sometimes, though, she smells like the sound of ET portraying the screeching, bitching Martha from the film adaptation of Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (the film – 1966). The split personality of this fragrance – either a middle aged harridan with monster sillage or a sweet, shy girl who stays close to home – makes Black Pearls a perfume I can wear for a variety of occasions and purposes. The problem is I can’t predict how she will behave on my skin from one day to the next.

Flickr

Black Pearls started me wondering what percentage of the fragrances in my collection feature peachy notes. I haven’t come up with an answer to that yet, but a couple of the peaches I am currently wearing are Viktoria Minya’s Hedonist (date) and the new Miyako extrait by Auphorie (date). I imagine I will write more about those two sometime soon – in the Power of the Peach Part III?

Azar xx

YouTube

Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

USA or WORLD

and

Please tell us your favorite peach-centric fragrance – if you have one. Or any fruit in a fragrance.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 21st April 2016 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 24th April 2016 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.

Sable & Soleil GIVEAWAY WINNERS

April 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Woo Hoo! Sexy love of my life Pierre was a hit with you all again.

Let’s see who won.
Portia xxx

Sable & Soleil GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Lemon blossom, jasmine, African geranium, coconut milk, sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, white musk

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml Sable & Soleil manufacturers sample
1 x sample Indian Wood by Perfumerie Generale 2016
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 17th April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

prospectsplus

Koyel Bhattacharyya

Fazal

The winner will have till Thursday 21st April 2016 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.

Sable & Soleil by Pierre Guillaume for Phaedon 2016

April 15, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by Portia

Woo Hoo Crew,

More NEW stuff from my perfumer crush Pierre Guillaume. This arrived today and I couldn’t wait to get it on my skin!!

Here’s some more Pierre Perfume Porn to get you in the mood….

Sable & Soleil by Phaedon 2016

Sable & Soleil by Pierre Guillaume

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Lemon blossom, jasmine, African geranium, coconut milk, sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, white musk

Salt. Driest opening for a fragrance I ever smelled. Salt and then some melon, a little oily, seaside breeze, hot day.

Jasmine and citrus over the driest ache in my throat. It’s like the ache of yearning. Yearning for something just out of reach but in your sights. Awkward lactones create a shadowed, shady counterpoint that gives the crisp sea breeze a depth. Maybe a wander through the carpark by the beach, awaiting the arrival of your friends or even an ice cream from the truck, yes there is a metallic edge.

Briny. That’s the word I’m looking for. Briny, lightly sunburned, happy and tired. Fresh sea water and healthy bodies.

Sable & Soleil is not what I was expecting. If you think that you’ll be getting a Guerlain Lys Solea, a Jil Sander Sun or a Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess then think again. They are pretty and vibrant. Pierre Guillaume has created a mood and depth that is lovely but slightly dark. Compelling.

lavanyasrecipes

Sable & Soleil GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml Sable & Soleil manufacturers sample
1 x sample Indian Wood by Perfumerie Generale 2016
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you’ve tried any of the Phaeton range?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 17th April 2016 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 21st April 2016 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.

Indian Wood GIVEAWAY WINNER

April 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey hey Crew!

You guys were totally into this giveaway, no surprise, I love PGs work too. He was really excited that we showcased him on the weekend, look out for his new Pheadon one coming up soon here on APJ too.

Portia xx

Indian Wood GIVEAWAY WINNER

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sandalwood, vetiver, moss, spicy mint, nutmeg, cardamom, coconut milk, lemon zest

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml Indian Wood manufacturers sample
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 10th April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

amberinblunderland

ELLEN M.

The winner will have till Thursday 14th April 2016 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.

Mohur Extrait GIVEAWAY WINNER

April 8, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

SHIT! Sorry APJ,

Sandra and I completely forgot about drawing this giveaway! You all are so great and got really involved.
Let’s find out who our lucky winner is.
Good Luck everyone!
Portia xxx

Mohur Extrait GIVEAWAY WINNER

Sandra

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, coriander, ambrette (musk mallow), carrot seeds, pepper, elemi
Heart: Iris, jasmine, rose, violet, almond, leather
Base: Sandalwood, amber, woody notes, patchouli, agarwood (oud), benzoin, vanilla, tonka bean

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x sample pack of all of Neela’s creations including a tiny bit of the Extrait
P&H Worldwide

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Tuesday 5th April 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org

HighestSelf

Helen Burrows

The winner will have till Monday 11th April 2016 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.

Indian Wood 11.1 by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2016

April 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ,

I meant to have this review out to you by last weekend but stuff got in the way. Sorry. As you know I’m madly in love with Pierre Guillaume so you’ll be getting a review coloured by my adoration.

Beaute-Test

I know, it’s rude how gorgeous he is. My experience of one afternoon was that in life he is sweet as pie, funny, charming and naughty. There is a brilliance to him that I found quite dazzling. he quickly put me at my ease and we talked for a while. Yes, besotted.

Indian Wood 11.1 by Parfumerie Generale 2016

Indian Wood 11.1 by Pierre Guillaume

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sandalwood, vetiver, moss, spicy mint, nutmeg, cardamom, coconut milk, lemon zest

The Parfumerie Generale site gives an ingredient list: Alcohol, Parfum (Fragrance), Aqua (Water), Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol.

Chai! I smell chai, in the pot being made by my last partners maid in Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, India. Sweet, milky, spicy and warming but with a green facet that gives it a papery rasp and picks Indian Wood up. Interestingly I am finding it very hard to parse the notes, though I’m sure someone better at that particular trick could do it, and after a couple of wears I’m finding myself thinking of Indian Wood in the opening as chai and then Indian Wood. A smell unto itself.

Yes, as Pierre’s way is, this is a sweet fragrance. Not sugar sweet though. His sweetness comes from the sweetness of milky woods, piquant spices and the warm memories of cooking with Mum.

Through the heart Indian Wood dries out and becomes a solid, smooth, resinous and sheer cloak. I feel wrapped safely in a cocoon of softest wool that is spiderweb light yet warming and tough.

If you are already a fan of Pierre Guillaume’s work then you’ll love this new warmer and spicier extension on Harmatan Noir from 2006. If you don’t like his style then I can’t imagine Indian Wood winning you over, though I have been wrong before…..

First In Fragrance will have Indian Wood very soon

kbaird

Indian Wood GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml Indian Wood manufacturers sample
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you like Pierre’s work? Is there a favourite already or are you awaiting the one?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 10th April 2016 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 14th April 2016 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.

Cologne Nocturne GIVEAWAY WINNERS

April 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

We have 4 winners today. I hope you guys love the Cologne Nocturne, I think it’s gorgeous.

Portia xx

Cologne Nocturne GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, palisander rosewood
Heart: Clary sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, spicy notes
Base: Cedar, patchouli, woody notes

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 4 winners who will receive:
1 x decant of Cologne Nocturne by Le Galion
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us what is your favourite Cologne?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 3rd April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

markmontanoblogs

TIM

SUN MI

NEVA

DAMIR

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winners will have till Thursday 7th April 2016 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.

Mohur Extrait by Bertrand Duchaufour for Neela Vermeire Creations 2014

April 3, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 82 Comments

Post by Sandra

When Val, the Cookie Queen, comes to Vienna I know that we will have a great day chatting, laughing, walking and perhaps sniffing some perfumes together. New Year’s Eve 2014 she came into town to have brunch together with Birgit from Olfactoria’s Travels and Lady Jane Grey. This day was a celebration.

Sandra

Val and I first met at Starbucks with our men in tow and she pulls out a cosmetic bag and whispers “Hey, Sandra, try this new perfume from Neela Vermeire – Mohur Extrait.“ Knowing how precious the extrait could be I was still hesitant and wrinkled up my nose carefully smelling the lid. Ha! As if I could get an idea of what was to come! Gingerly I spritzed the tiniest bit on my wrist, had a good sniff, promptly forgot about it and we were off chatting and laughing.

Mohur Extrait by Neela Vermeire Creations 2014

Mohur Extrait by Bertrand Duchaufour

Fragrantica

Little did I know the burning ache that Mohur Extrait would light in my soul. After I came home I discovered the true beauty of this elixir and spent the next 6 hours with my nose glued to my wrist and dreaming.

On to the perfume… Let me begin by saying that I absolutely adore Neela’s bottles. The box arrived and as I unwrapped the paper and removed the bottle from the box my breath was taken away with the beautiful amethyst colour of the glass. The feel of the bottle in my hand is a perfect fit. The lid is solid, heavy and embossed with her logo.

Sandra

The first spray of Mohur Extrait opens with a smooth spicy rose accord. The spices are not, to my nose, distinguishable from each other. They mold the rose so that it quietly whispers come hither to me. The almond milk is swirled together with the roses and spices and makes the whole impression comforting, warming and welcoming. This is not a rose soliflore perfume. Don’t be afraid of the list of notes nor of the spices, the extrait is extremely well balanced and just stunning. Longevity is excellent but on me it sits close to the skin. It brings to mind the deep red roses or the velvet smooth texture of the scarlet amarylis that I had in the flat on New Year’s Eve 2014. The lights twinkling in the background resemble the sparkling elegance of the Extrait.

Sandra

The drydown is where my love affair began and continues with Mohur Extrait. Sandalwood is interwoven with the rose to create a most scrumptious combination of creamy, slightly sweet woody rose which beckons every fibre of my soul to let go of all of the stress and worries in life. There is a tinge of vanilla but it is not sweet at all, in fact it is a dry vanilla if that makes any sense at all. The star of the Extrait for me is where the sandalwood sings its loving ballad to the roses and releases me to a dreamy state.

lavanyasrecipes

Mohur Extrait GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x sample pack of all of Neela’s creations including a tiny bit of the Extrait
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you have tried any of the NVC perfumes and which one is your favourite. If you have not tried any please tell me which one most appeals to you.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Tuesday 5th April 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Friday 8th April 2016 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.