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Portia
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Hey there APJ,
You may know that Thursday is my day to post on Perfume Posse. Every week over there I do some kind of fragrance review. As we don’t really do them here on APJ anymore I thought it might be nice to give you a heads up on what’s happening elsewhere.
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Portia
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Hi there Indie Lovers,
You know when you get some samples and you sniff a few till you find one that floats your boat? Sometimes there are a couple that don’t get a sniff because you’ve already discovered gold. So, this is exactly what happened with Onycha (On Ee Ka). It was left unsniffed and now I am bloody kicking Continue reading
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TinaG
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Hi APJ!
Cherry blossoms are a common sight in Sydney during spring. They are planted along nature strips and road verges, for reasons I don’t know. There is also a Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn Botanical Gardens which is hugely popular and a great ‘selfie’ opportunity for both old and young. I don’t know how this compares to the famous Cherry Blossom viewings in Japan, but I found Auburn very relaxing and fun.
My enjoyment of blossom season was enhanced by re-discovering their smell. Many spring florals, like cherry, intensify at night. You can stand under a cherry tree and find yourself surrounded by scent as it ‘falls’ down from the branches. I enjoyed the season so much that I started drafting an article on cherry and cherry blossom fragrances.
But then: I was side-tracked from writing by a visit to Portia for tea one day – he’d just received a bunch of adorable little roller ball samples from DSH Perfumes. He picked one out for me to try, and guess what? It was a cherry blossom fragrance!! The one he chose was Gekkou Hanami. Don’t you love a bit of synchronicity??
DSH Perfumes give these featured accords:
Acacia Honey Absolute, Green Rose Leaves, Osmanthus, Rice absolute, Sake (accord), Sakura Blossom (accord), Ambrette Seed, Frankincense co2 Absolute, Hinoki, Virginia Cedar, Bulgarian Rose Otto, Osmanthus Absolute, Rosewater, Waterlily, Tunisian Neroli, Yuzu
Gekkou Hanami opens clean and slightly metallic with a burst of green cut flower stems supporting a delicate floral note. The cut flower effect slowly fades over 10 minutes to reveal the subdued lemony-style citrus of yuzu. Over time a combination of woody notes comes through, I get a cedar but there’s something in there which has a subtle dry grey smokiness.
Reapplying the fragrance a few times over the course of a day strengthens the notes in different ways – sometimes I get more florals, other times it takes on a sheer shimmering quality. I’m fascinated by the combined strength & gentleness of this fragrance. It is a breath of spring air that brings you to your senses, uplifting and grounding at the same time. I really enjoy it and wish that it had been in my life during the season just past. I’d love to try this as a spray and see how it opens up the fragrance. As it is, the little roller ball has lasted me ages – I’ve worn and re-worn this over a two week period and only used half of the sample.
Further reading: The Fragrant Journey and Redolent Mermaid
DSH Perfumes have Gekkou Hanami from $6 sample vials
Thank you Portia for the chance to try this beautiful gem!
Do you own or have you tried any DSH Perfumes?
Till next time,
Tina G
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Portia
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Hey Crew,
Yes, it’s BIRTHDAY time around here and I’m entering into my last year in my 40s. This year is anti production so a few of the crew will be coming around for my 100% favourite Take Away Chinese. Yeah, I’m so foul, I know. It’s the best for ever and I have just realised in the last few years how often I choose it, how enjoyable it almost always is and it’s made with super fresh ingredients. Not quite as good as home made, and a lot more deep friend that I’d usually do, but compared to other fast foods it seems so much better to me.
Though you can’t be with us for dinner I did steal a cake picture so you could feel part of the festivities.
I know you’re dying to know what my birthday scent is.
Ma Folie de Noel by DSH Perfumes. I had a bubble bath in the same (THIS WAS A LIE!! I had a Shalimar bubble bath because I FORGOT that I was going to wear Ma Folie. I still smelled fabulous in Ma Folie so no real harm done), talk about spoiling myself silly. Dawn has a terrific selection of accessory products to go with a bunch of her fragrances. LOVE THEM!
DSH Perfumes
You can try it from $6 at DSH Perfumes. It’s unbelievably gorgeous, mine was first gifted to me by Natalie of Another Perfume Blog. Huge thanks to her.
Thank You all for being such a huge part of APJ.
Portia xx
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Portia
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Hey Hey Hoochie Smokers and Non,
When parts of the USA legalised Cannabis in 2014 it created a new industry overnight. Well, I say created but actually I mean it brought an old industry out of the shadows, gave it a sheen of respectability, made them pay taxes and hopefully will keep the supply regulated, cleaner and more stable. Reports getting here to Australia talk about governmental areas that were financially suffering now having an abundance of cash reserves. Everybody wins and it also takes the business out of the shady hands of crooks and legitimises everyone involved.
If only the world would do the same with all other recreational drugs governments would never feel the penny pinch, everyone would know exactly what they were buying and the drug wars would be over.
Don’t get me started…..
So my mate Dawn brought out a collection of fragrances to commemorate the regulation of the Cannabis trade. The Discovery Set comes with 4 samples and after giving them a quick whiff I think I’ll give you the DSH Perfumes spiel on two and mini review the other two. Hopefully that works well for everyone.
is a lovely fougere that conjures a sweeping hayfield countryside and the rural locales where many a plant is grown.
is a flirtatious and fruity cannabis with all of it’s sticky-sweetness showing bright and beautiful.
Balsam fir, bergamot, cassis bud, Choya Nakh, cannabis, chrysanthemum, clary sage, juniper, amber, olibanum, galbanum, oakmoss, green pepper, pine needles, sandalwood, sage, basil, Texas cedar, animalic “skunk” accord
There is so much more going on here than just the smell of weed. It’s partly a mixture of all the early Indies. You know that dank, mossy, humus rich, swampy accord that hides behind so many of the naturals? Then I think maybe that’s what bong water smells like in a mountain forest and I’m laughing. Pine backed by warm humanity and dirty water. Actually, 10 minutes in and Rocky Mountain High is beautiful, a balmy woodsiness that smells great.
DSH Perfumes has samples from $6
Grass, vetiver, cannabis, bulgarian rose, chrysanthemum, civet, soil tincture, olibanum, gardenia, woody notes, green leaves, mimosa, parma violet, patchouli, tuberose and violet leaf
Clear, sharp air. The greenhouse starts in the early morning, it must be winter because over the smell of vegetation is the cold smell of snow. You can almost smell the sun coming up and all the plants responding by sending out fragrant whiffs of invitation. Somehow Dawn has created green fragrance that is everything green without the overlording of galbanum. It’s a green alive with promise and a whiff of reckless naughtiness.
DSH Perfumes has samples from $6
These are FUN. You won’t smell like a filthy pot smoking grub but you will smell fabulous, with a minuscule air of mischief.
Do you like the idea? Could you tell people you were wearing a dope fragrance?
Portia xx
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Portia
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Hello Independent Fragrance Lovers,
A bunch of DSH samples arrived at once a while ago and I liked so many of them but having been trying to space them out so you all don’t get overwhelmed our bored. You know I love Dawn’s work, something about her style fits me really well and I LOVE the way she picks a note or style and creates the perfect setting to highlight it. The more fragrances I spend time with in her collection the more impressed she makes me.
A note of advice though. This is Independent Small Batch Perfumery. If you ONLY know or like the department store, super smooth, focus group tested out of all ingenuity or flair, ultra sweet fragrances that you are offered on a daily basis then you are in for a surprise. Give yourself a moment to adjust, don’t put your nose to the wet patch you just spritzed, give it at least a full 20 seconds before you go in for the up close sniff. These fragrances have top notes but they are also deeper, more interesting and have a real journey that you will have much more fun with if your nose hasn’t been blown out.
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Aldehydes, Australian sandalwood, bergamot, oakmoss, Bulgarian rose, civet, jasmine, immortelle, incense, leather, myrrh, neroli, agarwood (oud), jasmine sambas, tobacco
Created as part of the Brilliant Collection for Denver Art Museum’s “Brilliant: Cartier in the 20th Century”. Fumee d’Or is designed as a stand alone AND to be used as a base for the other three fragrances in the DSH Brilliant Collection, to add the lustre of the goldsmiths creative process. I bloody wish I’d read that before I used up all the others. Oh well.
The first thing I smell is immortelle, civet and oudh. I swear there is also honey in here. Imagine the most gorgeous, brilliant cut cognac diamond set in a ring of clear pave diamonds in a matte yellow gold setting and you have some idea of how Fumee d’Or smells.
I’m sure all the notes listed are inside but I am solely captivated by the metal and animal facets. This is exactly my level of animals. They are friendly and furry, plush even. As thick as bear fur and as light as caribou. A very interesting juxtaposition of the dense and sheer that is absolutely captivating.
Here Dawn shows her absolute power over notes that in many others hands would become clunky, cumbersome and sickening. This is vintage done 21st century and without the stringent IFRA laws. A fun feral frolic with depth, elegance and a sense of having been made especially for me. Luminous, yet deep, hot and exotic.
Further reading: IndiePerfumes and Colognoissseur
DSH Perfumes has a variety of strengths and sizes from $6
Does Fumee d’Or sound like something you might wear?
Portia xx
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Portia
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Hey All,
A while ago when I got the DSH Chroma Sample Set I grabbed every dabber out and had a quick sniff. It is fun finding the instant likes, loves and loathes. I will admit that Ultramarine Blue jumped into the WTF category. It was so interesting, unusual and confronting. No, I’m not sure why because it really smells like the beachside in summer but with an undercurrent of menace. Anyway I filed it away under Must Revisit and thought you might like to come along on the ride with me today to see if it lives up to its
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Chamomile, cassis, cumin, ozonic notes, musk, sea notes, orris root, petitgrain, sandalwood, violet woodsorrel
OK, so I decanted the whole vial into a spritz and did the whole 18 blasts on the back of my hand and forearm. WHOA!! No turning back now.
Salty citrus, briny seas, a herbal greenness that feels both freshly chopped and mulched. The cassis is green and biting, like pulling ivy off the wood fence and scrunching it up in the summer after swimming in the pool. There’s nothing easy about Ultramarine Blue. I find it disturbing and challenging. Imagine oversalting cucumber, add a little under the boardwalk bilge-e-ness, tear some rose leaves and dig in a super heated grass mulch pile. Then you can smell exactly what my nose is giving me from Ultramarine Blue.
PDI
Doesn’t sound appealing does it? Well, while it’s not exactly my fragrant cup of tea I do love the way it moves through the pieces of the story. Dawn has a deft way with ingredients that means even though it’s not a spritz & go frag it is compelling and keeps drawing my nose back to my hand.
After an hour or so Ultramarine Blue becomes driftwood. it’s absolutely beautiful. Calm, tranquil and an unruffled seaside escapade in the glorious sunshine.
DSH Perfumes has loads of sizes and variants of Ultramarine Blue starting at $6
Want something unusual, interesting, refreshing and ultimately peaceful? I think you might like to try Ultramarine Blue.
Is there an aquatic that you love?
Portia xx
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Portia
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Hey Fumies,
This week is Use My Samples & Decants Week. You’ll be reading a bunch of first time experiences of fragrances that have been here in vials or decants and sat unworn so far. Yes, if it’s a 1ml vial I will pour the whole thing on and wear it for a day. Obviously they have been sniffed before and often dabbed but got put in the Must Further Investigate pile and then left. So hopefully I will get to use at least 7, hopefully more.
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Ambergris, black tea, Bulgarian rose, rose, olibanum, rose oil, oakmoss, green tea, guaiac wood, green leaves, myrrh, neroli, orris, pink pepper, raspberry, fruity notes, tea rose
Rubis Rosé opens dry, sweet and fruity. It’s an unusual opening that brings to mind rose petals in black tea with a lemon slice. The fruit isn’t quite lemon though, a bit less antiseptic and friendlier. Maybe more a Rosé wine, a dryer, less fizzy one, lightly chilled.
If you like the tea scent of roses in your garden then this will definitely be a winner. It’s as subtle and close as garden roses but every now and then I get a luscious, rich, fruity, red rose waft that’s just overblown at dawn and I’ve come across it as all dew has dissipated. Considering the extensive note list Rubis Rosé is surprisingly simple at first sniff. It ages greener and dryer, becoming more woody and leafy. The teas become more prominent too. Is this a rose chypre? is a question I have asked myself more than once on the journey.
PDI
Personally I have a plethora of rose scents here and the ones I reach for most are the heavier, denser and more swampy or oudh-ish like Midnight Oud by JHaG, original Agent Provocateur, Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations or Ballets Rouges by Olympic Orchids. If these babies scare the shit out of you then Rubis Rosé could be a perfect rose for you.
Further reading: Colognoisseur and EauMG
DSH Perfumes has samples from $6
How do you like your roses? Radiant or swampy?
Portia xx
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Post by Portia
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Hey Crew,
DSH Perfumes Newsletter came through. It’s chock full of exciting pieces of interest and I’ve edited it to my favourite pieces. There are even more great gifting ideas than these on the site and you can join up for newsletters when you make a purchase. It’s important to keep the Independent perfumers alive because that’s where the magic is happening.
I want to make very clear that I adore Dawn but we have no affiliation other than my profound respect for her & her work. This is not a paid ad, I just want to share the exciting news and the fabulous DISCOUNT CODE.
DSH Perfumes & The Essense Studio annual THANK YOU SALE.
20% off from now through January 9 2017 with code: thanks2016
Announcing the launch of a brand new DSH Perfumes site that has been completely overhauled to make it simpler to see everything they do and offer, as well as navigate. Amazing features like a “First Time Shoppers Guide” to get you started, a new customized sampler set, the “Find your Essense” discovery set, where you give details about your preferences and DSH Crew select the best fits for you, and last but not least, a “voile” version of most fragrance designs to send products abroad with international ordering*. Woo Hoo!
HOLIDAY GIFT with purchase till December 30 2016
With every purchase of $100 or more receive a complimentary 10ml spray of DSH most popular fragrance, Special Formula X.
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Dawn & Mary from DSH Perfumes waving Happy Holidays!!
At the darkest times we need solace; comfort and warmth are paramount. The Dark Moon signals a new beginning…
For this Holiday fragrance, we chose an unusual balance of gourmand and chypre elements
The softest, most delicate vanilla skin scent with a hint of spice and chantilly cream… for when you just want a light and creamy veil of scent.
A meditative incense design filled with resinous notes and a deep, smoky background. Perfectly unisex.
As the title states, the Axis Mundi is the cosmic center of the world; the link between Heaven and Earth.
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a new twist on a romantic classic where spicy carnation and rose meet in an ambery, wood fragrance.
A famous rose was plucked then cultivated from Chateau de Malmaison; residence of famous lovers, Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte. A famous fragrance style of the early 19th Century, Malmaison is the spicy floriental style based on carnation, rose, spices, woods, and musk. .
(pronounced : On ee Ka) is ancient, mythic, and esoteric. It’s an aromatic that scholars merely speculate as to what it is. Some say a mollusc, others say benzoin, and yet others say labdanum. For our Onycha fragrance, we’ve used them all…and then some. A holy aromatic from antiquity used in the sacred incense of Solomon’s Temple.
What came from this inspiration is something smoky, rich, divine, and with a fascinating lilt that gives a clue to it’s oceanic origins.
A woody, creamy, rich, GOLDEN, incense oriental fragrance with subtle oceanic brine and animalic nuances in background.
Go check out the DHS Perfumes new website, it’s gorgeous and sleek.
I hope there’s something here for you. My favourite Christmas scent is Ma Folie de Noel (My Christmas Folly; Holiday no.6) by DSH Perfumes which is still available to buy. What’s yours?
Portia xx
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Post by Portia
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Hey there APJ Fumies,
Recently I got the DSH Perfumes Chroma Collection Sample Set and with it Dawn sent a sneaky extra of her newest baby Chinchilla. Are you ready to have your presumptions about fragrance challenged? Dawn has used honey in the most flagrantly animal composition I’ve smelled in ages.
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Hyrax, ambrette (musk mallow), bergamot, vetiver, oakmoss, carnation, castoreum, rose de mai, cinnamon, civet, beeswax, gardenia, honey, musk, nard himalayan (jatamansi), tonka bean, white pepper
WHOOSH! Sweetest, amberish, animal, urinous, caramelised sugar, thick, glutinous, honeyed. The first few minutes of Chinchilla areas outrageously powerful. If the upper echelons were wearing something this over the top then they are animals making their territory, social X-Rays who need to smell like greed, power and hunger, people who want to put the frenemy off guard by smelling like a carnivorous beast. The first 15-20 minutes are so disconcerting and then suddenly everything blends and softens.
The change is remarkable because what was vaguely disturbing has now become plush and luscious. Still honey/animal sweet but now a little breathy and I can imagine this being the cuddly goodbye of a society mum going out for the night in her dress, fur, make-up, sparkling diamonds and hair French rolled. When she is perfected and ready to leave the house a triple spritz of perfume for her and a squishy hug and lipstick flavoured kiss for the kids. My Mum & Dad were never a super socialite couple but they had their fair share of grand evenings and events, especially around Dad’s Paralympics and Mum’s golf and I remember that last fragrant blonde mink tickle as she hugged and kissed me goodbye and my pyjamas smelling of Mum’s fragrance as I went to sleep.
From DSH Perfumes: At the Grand Hotel, where the elite and gorgeously tailored meet for soirees, dancing parties, and other hedonistic (and luxurious) meetings, the elegant always wear their chinchilla. Dreamily soft, sensuously cozy, and yet so chic; only the finest would do.
Our vintage-inspired Chinchilla is as sexy as the name implies, and imbues the wearer with the scent of warm skin, fur, and a cozy honey-musk animalic. Go ahead…wrap yourself up in Chinchilla.
Recently I told Scented Hound that I keep imagining some top-flight male exec wearing it to work and leaving a steaming trail of broken hearts in his wake every day. It would definitely shake things up around the office.
Further reading: EauMG and Scented Hound
DSH Perfumes has Chinchilla starting at $6
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING: Via Dawn: The new site is up AND that it is open to international shipping.
We now offer voile formulations (same concentrations at the alcohol versions, just in IPM which isn’t flammable so we can ship it). The shipping is a flat rate of $55 **HOWEVER** if you are just getting small things or samples we will refund the rate to what it actually costs. It was the only way we could accommodate the international shipping.
Via rosarita313: Dawn is having a sale through January 9, the code thanks2016 gets you 20% off the entire website.
Do you like the sound of Chinchilla?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 