Fashion

Ma Folie de Noel (My Christmas Folly: Holiday no.6) by DSH Perfumes

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Hi Ho Fumies,

I have a beautiful friend, Natalie, from Another Perfume Blog who gave me this very delicious fragrance. I had tried it and loved it a while back and though she loves it too it wasn’t getting the wear it deserved in her perfume wardrobe. I can’t stop spritzing, like an addict, and get a rush of happy every time I do.

Ma Folie de Noel by DSH Perfumes

(My Christmas Folly: Holiday no.6)

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Ma Folie de Noel (My Christmas Folly; Holiday no.6) DSH Perfumes FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Star anise, whipped cream, incense

Star anise, Whipped Cream and Incense. The list is so short but Ma Folie de Noel is so much more than it’s featured accords. Sometimes simple is boring but not here. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz is a bit of a magician, in her capable hands we get an incense bomb that sits firmly in gourmand land, and though the incense is there through the whole ride it serves (on my skin) as a back ground to the lovely boozy and creamy extravaganza that I find completely reminiscent of an Egg Flip that my Mum used to make for us. I think I’ve written this somewhere before but can’t find where. Though it is star anise in the spotlight I get nuances of other fabulous spices like nutmeg, vanilla and a hint of Chinese five spice, the whipped cream has nods to caramel ice cream and there is a touch of brandy, maybe even a lovely rich honeyed scotch whiskey and always the cool wash of unburned incense floating underneath.

Ma Folie de Noel Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Egg Flip WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Though Ma Folie de Noel starts out big and lavish it softens out within an hour and after two hours I have a warm caramel glow left that stays around at that close level for ages. I miss the moment when I go back to smelling like only me but my guess is somewhere around the 4-5 hour mark. Ma Folie de Noel id totally wearable and I would say could even be worn in close working quarters, unless your office is frag phobic.

Ma Folie de Noel Dawn Spencer Hurwitz caramel-dessert PixabayPhoto Stolen Pixabay

Though Ma Folie de Noel is marketed as a Christmas scent I think we can skip all that and wear it year round, a cool evening in Spring would be equally as gorgeous. I have yet to try it in the full heat of summer but I’d like to, just to see.

Further reading: Another Perfume Blog and Fragrant Man
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz  site starts at $5 up to $70 and has a full range of ambient and body products to match.

Are there any frags you wear that are seasonal? Do you spritz beyond those seasons? Ever?
Portia xx

 

Collection Rouge No.1: GIVEAWAY WINNER

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Heya Crew,

Another great giveaway. Thanks to out intrepid reporter Azar. You guys are wonderful jumping on board and we love how interactive APJ is, it’s our only way to get to know many of you and we treasure your stories.

Portia xx

Rouge No. 1 GIVEAWAY WINNER

Collection Rouge No1 M. Micallef FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Peach, tangerine
Heart: Ylang-ylang, jasmine, rose
Base: White musk, vanilla, benzoin

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week’s draw is for one prize that includes
1.5ml samples (or decants) of both M. Micallef Rouge No. I and Rouge No. II
A small wrapped vintage 1960s bar of Pink Camay soap
P&H Anywhere in the world

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 leave a comment about your favorite scented soap, about any version of Camay or either of the fragrances in the M. Micallef Collection Rouge.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 24th April 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners will be chosen any fab way that Azar decides

winner nodepositforumPhoto Stolen nodepositforum

Fender did such a good job on the last draw that I left the selection of the winner up to him. This time I placed all of the names on the floor and gave the command “Find Key”, Fender’s all purpose command to find missing things. Fender did exactly what he does when he searches for a lost object. He circled and sniffed every name and then sat down next to

Peppy

CONGRATULATIONS! The winners will have till Monday 28th April 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.

Azar xx

 

 

Congratulations, Peppy!

Azar xx

The Power of Scent + Memory

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

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Post by BlondesWunder

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BOOM! Suddenly a little something hits you. Whether it’s getting into the elevator and you know exactly who was in it last, or your mother`s favourite perfume sneaking through from the master bedroom. Maybe it’s a person in a store or on the street that just smells incredible, but you, for heaven`s sake cannot identify the fragrance they are wearing!!! It can remind you of a past moment or maybe a certain trip. Or just something you can freaking not remember. In the hope of smelling it again you frantically suck as much air in as possible, making yourself look like a total idiot. Following the person around the place with your nostrils nearly shut from sucking in so much air all at once to catch the smell. Hoping nobody around notices the forceful smelling noises you are making. Just picture that. I can’t help it. It just happens. Hahaha. I know I do it! And I sure as hell hope that you know what I am talking about, because I do not want to be the only one doing this.

The Power of Scent + Memory

Anyways, sometimes I smell something around me. Being like my mother, it makes me wanna burst out into tears. Why? Hell, I don’t know why. And that, Perfume Junkies is the power of smell. It can set off emotions and feelings you didn’t even know existed. I know the way I shut my eyes and smell something. It takes me exactly to a place in my mind and memory.

An_Australian_newsagency_Pinewood WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Today, I walked past a magazine store. The smell of paper crept up my nose. It reminded me of an airport, summer holidays, and vacation. Just that split second made my day nice. To know that after all my exams are finished and I am done with this chapter of my life, I am planning on traveling around the world smelling all those magazine stores. 🙂

For me, the most satisfying “smelly experience” is when an overdressed lady is walking towards me, and I just know what she is going to smell like. Mostly I am right. As you know my Mum and I have played this game for years.

Mulholland_drive( WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

I feel that we should use our nose maybe even more than our eyes or ears sometimes. For me, watching a movie or looking at pictures can not do what a smell does to me. I hardly remember what my Nana looked like, BUT I still can exactly pinpoint, when I smell something, if she smelled like that or not. That’s happened when I sniffed Lutens Fille de Berlin, and it made me cry. Weird huh?! (I had the priviledge of knowing her for 7 years of my life before she passed away.)

La Fille de Berlin Serge Lutens FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Scientists say that you choose your partner partly because of their smell. We ain’t all blessed with our armpits smelling like Chanel, Serge, or Vero!!!!! Thank heavens we’ve got perfume. So my dolls I say, perfume, high-heels, push-ups and more perfume!

Isn’t it amazing how a movie begins to take place in your head when you smell? Just for that split second you have a daydream.

Well, for me, That is the power of smell. And it´s incredible. How ’bout you?? What are your day to day or memory smells?

BW xoxoxoxoxox

Armani Code – The Film featuring Chris Pine

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hi Happy Huffers,

Chris Pine, Star Trek actor and handsome man about town, is the latest screen idol to become embroiled in fragrance advertising. I love the mini movie, it has a great suspenseful and fun story with killer backing track and shot beautifully. I grabbed it from my fave up to the second fashion blog art8amby. Go check them out, mag covers, ads, everything fashion and fashion advertising vision.

Please enjoy,
Portia xx

Armani Code

Antoine Lie, Antoine Maisondieu & Clement Gavarry for Giorgio Armani

Armani Code Giorgio Armani FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon
Heart: Star anise, olive blossom, guaiac wood
Base: Leather, tobacco, tonka bean

Armani Code - The Film featuring Chris Pine(source)

Armani Code – The Film featuring Chris Pine

Antonio Banderas Spirit for Woman 2005

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

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Post by Katrina

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As winter approaches we had our first cool day yesterday after what has seemed like a never-ending summer. Finally time to put away my summer scents. My summer fragrances are fresh, light and breezy. I like to wear fruity florals and aquatic style perfumes when the weather is hot. As the weather cools I prefer warm spicy perfumes. The perfume I reached for today is one I prefer to wear in cooler weather…….

Antonio Banderas Spirit for Woman 2005

Spirit for Woman Antonio Banderas FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives the following notes.
Top: Citrus, plum
Heart: Peony, freesia, orange blossom
Base: Sandalwood, musk

I love all the notes listed here and when I bought the perfume untested I was so happy to find that it was all that I hoped for and more. Antonio Banderas Spirit for women is warm, spicy, sensual and classy.

Spirit for Woman Antonio Banderas WikiPediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Spirit opens with gorgeous rich deep plum and spicy sandalwood. These are strong notes but the perfume is not at all overpowering. The perfume develops with pretty floral notes that undertone the sandalwood. The floral notes add a touch of femininity to the perfume although they are quite subtle. I love sandalwood and this woody note dominates the fragrance for me. The perfume dries down to a warm spicy musk that lasts for hours. Spirit is just as sexy and classy as Antonio Banderas himself.

The sandalwood and spice make Spirit smell a bit masculine. Men could definitely wear Spirit for women despite the pink, curvy bottle. Spirit for women smells unisex but there is also a version of Antonio Banderas Spirit for men.

Spirit for Woman Antonio Banderas Evita FilmWebPhoto Stolen FilmWeb
(Problem using this image? Tell me, I’ll remove immediately)

Antonio Banderas Spirit for women is an award winning oriental perfume produced by Puig. Spirit won a US FiFi award in 2006 for Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Popular Appeal category.

FragranceNet has Antonio Banderas Spirit for Woman under $9/30ml

For more celebrity perfume news and reviews, check out my website Celebrity Perfume

Katrina xx

High Flying Adored: Antonio Banderas Live

Resina by Oliver + Co. GIVEAWAY WINNERS

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Hi there Fabulous Fragrantists,

We have had a lovely response to the Resina by Oliver + Co. GIVEAWAY. Thanks for getting on board and having a go. I think you’ll be mighty impressed with the brand. They are making interesting frags that skew a little different even to niche but are all easy wear and smell great.

Portia xx

Resina by Oliver + Co. GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Resina Oliver & Co. FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tolu balsam, elemi, myrrh, labdanum, opoponax, jasmine sambac, incense, benzoin, coffee, christmas tree or flame tree, mace, rooibos tea, tonka bean, star anise

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will each get:
1 x 2ml decant of Resina by Oliver + Co.
1 x 2ml decant of Mousse II by Oliver + Co.
P&H Anywhere in the world

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 a memory that involves resins, incense or a fragrance that includes either that you happen to love.

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Resina by Oliver & CO. GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2Ex #Perfume #Giveaway #Oliver&Co

HOUSEKEEPING

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

WINNERS berryreviewPhoto Stolen berryreview

Azar, Christine W

The winners will have till Thursday 24th April 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.

Live Your Dream by Anna Sui 2009

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Hello Lovely APJ Family,

Today’s fragrance is said to be named for Anna Sui’s motto. It’s also the reason I bought it. If I was to really have a “MOTTO” it would probably be something as banal and obvious as this. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that what’s important is quality of life, and quality of life for me is remembering to make sure the life I live is as much MY dream as I can make it. Sure, there will always be some mean, ungrateful, torturous or awful people who like to come and besmirch your buzz, trample your dreams and grind your good deeds into dust. Those people are sent to try us. Without them we would not need to look for the good, it would be everywhere. So with all that rubbishy blather behind us it’s time to….

Live Your Dream by Anna Sui 2009

Live Your Dream Anna Sui FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Floral notes, white pepper, lily-of-the-valley, water lily
Heart: Jasmine, Bulgarian rose
Base: Sandalwood, tonka beans, musk, cedar, teak wood

Right. I bought this bottle back in 2009 or 2010 and it gets used only rarely but when I crave it I wear it for 3 or 4 days and then it goes away for 3 months or more till my next Live Your Dream inkling. My bottle is 30ml and I’ve not even used a quarter yet. Speaking of the bottle it is the campest, kitchiest thing with vintage roses/retro-molding, little girl cum Barbie doll stylings that has always struck me as a little Lolita-esque. This is a girl/woman bottle and I could imagine it being in the purse of Anna Nicole Smith types.

Live Your Dream Anna Sui Beyonce quleen1907 DeviantArtPhoto Stolen DeviantArt

So, what does Live Your Dream smell like? Lily, water, vases of lilies, greenery, fresh fruit (maybe pear or cantaloupe), rain, cold metal, cutting a bell pepper, plastic, lily of the valley (leaves and flowers), wet grass, air conditioned rooms are the impression the first few minutes give me. An unnatural, aromachemical melange that is sheer but weighty, very good sillage and projection for the first 2 hours until it calms to a dull roar. I love the way the industrial wet flowers give way to something only a little warmer that feels like it might be some resinous vanilla reinvention. This does not smell very real at any time, nor does Live Your Dream smell like there is very much money in the juice, it skirts the cleaning product aisle but never really goes there, it feels like it might though at any minute. It’s weird wearing a fragrance that you’ve had in your collection for a long while and for the first time trying to dissect it, instead of floating along and enjoying the ride.

Live Your Dream Anna Sui Peony PixabayPhoto Stolen Pixabay

Through the heart I get much more of a peony smell than rose or jasmine, it’s that lovely sweet and watery vegetal feel that fresh bunch of peonies from the florist have. Powder is here too, but more like the smell of some powders that the powder or texture of powder, still it makes me think powder. Then at around the 4 hour mark Live Your dreams stops smelling of anything in particular and becomes an incredibly soft murmur of wet, green, resinous wood that has no real distinctive notes but is more a close to the skin wash.

Live Your Dream Anna Sui Peony_nebula WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Reading this post you would think I don’t like Live Your Dream, but I REALLY like it, I love it. Live Your Dream fills a space that I crave.

FragranceNet has $26/30ml before coupon
My Perfume Samples have $1/ml

Are there some cheapies that you adore in your cupboard? How much wear do they get?

CHANEL Prive Watch Coromandel Video

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Hello APJ Crew,

I know! This is way out of us plebeian income earners. Sometimes it’s nice to know not that you could have something but that there is a space in our world for such precious and beautiful artisanal work. Especially lovely when it comes from such a behemoth as CHANEL

Luxury-Insider says: “Mademoiselle Privé” watch, Coromandel dial in Grand Feu enamel. 18k white gold case, 594 snow-set dimonds (2.4 carats). Black alligator strap. Self-winding mechanical movement, 42-hour power reserve

Please enjoy the creation of wearable fashion art.

Portia xx

CHANEL Prive Watch Coromandel Luxury InsiderPhoto Stolen Luxury-Insider

MADEMOISELLE PRIVÉ Watch Collection: Coromandel – CHANEL

Grisens/Oliban by Pierre Guillaume for Phaedon 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Hi there Scented Fragrance Friends,

So a bit of a mystery, I was given a manufacturers carded sample while in Bloom London and it says very clearly Grisens, but looking on the internet it is called Oliban. Does anyone know the whys and wherefores of this discrepancy? Maybe in my searching today I will find an answer.

Grisens/Oliban by Pierre Guillaume for Phaedon 2011

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Incense, woody notes, sandalwood

So short a note list and SO MUCH going on. The first spritz is a warm, burning incense that quickly morphs to a mentholated, juniper type wood, a bit like the eucalyptus style opening of the Australian Mysore sandalwood and then I get all pine/resinous sauna and lip liner pencil shavings, with the waxy/iris/rose lipstick smell too. All this in the first five minutes and slightly different amounts of each in successive wears, I think Grisens/Oliban may be heat and body chemistry tempered.

Grisens Oliban Phaedon Wesley Eller FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Incense and a slight orange flavour as we move into the heart, loads of every expensive, elegant incense that is not churchy but clean and woodsy. I would love to burn this in my home, I think it would create a beautiful feeling of tranquility and peace. It would definitely take the demons and bad energy with it. The image of a beautifully dressed man with a great smile keeps popping into my head, I think the fragrance is either trying to tell me it would be great on suit men or it would be a wonderful way to lure one to my bedchamber, or anywhere nearby and available. After half an hour projection drops decidedly but still you are quietly fragrant, it is closer though. After some time the incense burns away nearly completely leaving me smelling like a new furniture store in a very ritzy part of town, the hand made high end stuff. Lovely, warm, woodsy and smooth Grisens/Oliban wears like a second, scented, wooden skin till dry down at about 5 hours in around 20C temps, a bit less in heat. The final breath I can smell is cool and fresh woodsy/incense again: like watching a spring sunset from a forested glen near a fresh water lake. Heavenly……

Grisens Oliban Phaedon MAMJODH FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Where would I wear Grisens/Oliban? I think it would be a super scent that is not too big or intrusive for anything, including close office work. You won’t skunk your colleagues, date, friends but you also aren’t making an enormous statement. Very nice to be collected and hugged by a Mum or Dad smelling like this and I think it would make a very interesting gift for someone becoming interested in fragrance, or falling down the rabbit hole as they say. Good scent for events I imagine. It would be an excellent play off against a formal gown, or a party/disco frock.

Further reading: Ca Fleur Bon and Eyeliner On A Cat
Phaedon Paris has €85/100ml and send to the world

Have you tried any of the Phaedon’s? Is Pierre G one of your faves or is there sop much product that you are overwhelmed?
Portia x

Antonia’s Flowers GIVEAWAY WINNERS

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hi APJ,

Another great APJ Giveaway. You guys are so wonderful. The winner is below

Now, to protect myself from – what is that thing in the sky that we haven’t seen for months – the SUN?! – I will don the sun hat and take Fender, the dog, for his much deserved walk. We both enjoy sniffing the cherry blossoms and the magnolias.

Many thanks for your comments and the suggestions of favorite scents to wear to the beach!

 

Antonia`s Flowers FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Antonia’s Flowers GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have ONE Winner who will get:
One complete sample set of Antonia’s Flowers fragrances including 1 ml of each of the following:
Antonia’s Flowers EDT
Antonia’s Flowers EDP
Floret EDT
Floret EDP
Tiempe Passate EDP
Sogni del Mare EDT
Rokka cologne
P&H Anywhere in the world

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

To be eligible for the draw please comment on any Antonia’s Flowers fragrance OR let us know what scent you will be wearing to the beach this summer!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Antonia’s Flowers Sample Set GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2F0 #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 10th April 2014 10pm Australian EST

Today I put all the names into the floppy sun hat and drew the winner myself. I wondered if such a draw would be considered fair. So I stirred up the names again, threw them all on the floor and let Fender choose! Amazing! He picked the same name I did!

Winner cemre-ile-herteldenPhoto Stolen cemre-ile-hertelden

willa

The winners will have till Monday 14th April 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.

Azar xx