Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle by Bruno Jovanovic 2013

April 18, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 40 Comments

Hello Fabulous Fumies,

If you have been anywhere around the scentbloggosphere this year then Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle by Bruno Jovanovic would certainly have registered on your radar. Uber famous frag royalty meets Belguim’s fashion icon in a scented cloud of mutual admiration. Quite the story…

Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Sandalwood, guaiac wood, tonka bean, vanilla, saffron, jasmine, musk, bergamot, lemon, nutmeg, cloves, patchouli, woody notes and peru balsam

With all the hype I was totally ready to be underwhelmed by this offering, which is always a good place to start smelling because you can’t be let down. Warm marshmallow sweet and slightly spicy vanilla opens that smells so familiar, like someone I love is nearby, even though I’m sure that I’ve not smelled this mix before. Every time I wear Dries Van Noten it has instantly calmed and unruffled me, and today I am wearing the dregs of a 5ml decant.

Each previous time I have worn Dries Van Noten for the purpose of reviewing it has grabbed my head and asked me to just sit and enjoy its beauty. The whole fragrance feels extremely uncluttered, though it is dense. It goes through a milky, nutmeg stage that reads egg flip to me. An egg flip was dinner sometimes when we were young and made as a great treat for us kids, whole egg, nutmeg, vanilla, ice cream and milk. It was huge and delicious. Nowadays when I think how strict Mum’s budget was I think that maybe she was eeking out her ration by giving us a liquid dinner out of, at that time, extremely cheap materials. I’ll never know now but my sister Jodie and I would feel so great on an egg flip night.

There is the most beautiful woods here too, some resinous amber references, a soft whiff of jasmine that flies mainly under the radar and patchouli, clean and fresh washed. All there making a beautiful chorus under the egg flip.

You must try Dries Van Noten, it is a rich and glamorous fragrance that has me chomping at the bit for more, I’m so sad to have finished my decant. You know what that means!

Photo Stolen holzbau-brunner

Here’s the Frederic Malle site: A perfume built around natural sandalwood, chosen for its softness and its character, and the fact that it is simultaneously exotic and evocative of the tradition of great classic perfumes. This very short formula made of very precious materials, generates a sober but distinct sensuality. It is, in my eyes, a fair parallel to Dries van Noten’s world. ITS CREATOR: Bruno Jovanovic

Photo Stolen NYTMagazine

Tom at PerfumeSmellinThings reviewed Dries Van Noten today but has had a polar opposite experience to mine and also today ScentsOfSelf’s Dries Van Noten review is filled with ambivilence.

Further reading GrainDeMusc and Kafkaesque and Patty at PerfumePosse
Frederic Malle starts at $125/3 x 10ml (I think this is IDEAL for splitting)
SurrenderToChance starts at $6/ml

What a stunner of a fragrance. Have you tried it? Are you likely to?

Till tomorrow, take good care of yourselves and waft fragrantly,
Portia xx

Uomo? By Moschino EDT 1998

April 17, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Guest Post by Margeaux

This month I’m reviewing a fragrance that I knew absolutely nothing about when I bought it on sale some months ago. Launched in 1998, UOMO? By Moschino is an interesting fragrance that I am still a lot unsure about.

Uomo? By Moschino EDT 1998

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Basenotes lists the following:
Top: New Hedione, Rose Wood, Transparent Coriander, Kumquat
Heart: Cyclamen, Cinnamon Leaves, Clary Sage
Base: Cedarwood, New Amber Accord, Artemisia, Sunlight Accord, Musk

Moschino is an Italian fashion label started in 1983, and became famous for innovative, colourful and eccentric designs as much as for founder Franco Moschino’s criticism of the fashion industry. The labels first men’s fragrance, Pour Homme, was released in 1990 with UONO? following many years later in 1998. Produced under license by Euroitalia, there are now 4 men’s and 10 women’s fragrances released with the Moschino name.

I love woody scents best of all and that was what originally caught my eye in the description of UOMO? when I was shopping for something new to smell. That and I’d never heard of it so chances were that I’d be buying and wearing something that few others would also own. Win win in my book.

The bottle is sleek and hefty, angled clear glass with a silver cap that is made for masculine hands. Its big but fits just right. The pale yellow perfume inside gives the overall bottle an understated and classic look, and it looks good on my dresser.

But that for me is really where the love ends, as I can’t find anything about UOMO? to really rave about. The opening is nothing remarkable, gently fresh and a little citrus, but without any big pow, punch or hit that I seem to desperately want from it. Some of the online reviews suggest that since reformulation it’s lost a lot of its kick, and that seems plausible to me.

Photo Stolen CulinaryCache

I’m straining to get much from the mids or even the base notes as it settles down, and although I’m sure that something is going on, its failed to command even an ounce of attention. Wondering if it was just me and whether or not perhaps I was immune to its charms, I’ve worn it around several friends with good noses and not a single one has mentioned anything at all about it, when they are usually very forthcoming with an opinion or comment on what I am wearing.

I practically drown myself in UOMO? and it smells nice, but nothing that makes me stop in my tracks. It also doesn’t seem to last very long either, and in fact, it disappears entirely for me after only 3-4 hours.
(Ed: Reads like a good work frag for after the gym)

All in all I find this very ho-hum, and very disappointing. I won’t be purchasing it a second time.

FragranceShop has $21/50ml
MyPerfumeSamples starts at $2/ml but $6/5ml

Until next time, smell good.
Margeaux x

Hermes: Jour d’Hermès by Jean-Claude Ellena 2013 Perfume Review and Ad Campaign

April 14, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Hermes: Jour d’Hermès by Jean-Claude Ellena 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

I wanted to do a review on Jour D’Hermes so I spritzed with abandon down my shirt at Hermes and got a fresh whiff of something lovely but I couldn’t identify it. Then I was captured by our fabulous SA and we talked about the new colourway for the Gloria Petyarre scarf, which in pink, lilac and orange is quite delicious, and a few other bits and pieces. Unfortunately as I left the shop all traces of fragrance had been eaten by my skin. GONE! Had not left a skerrick of anything where once it was. Sadly Jour d’Hermes is an epic fail for me. The ads though are beautiful and elegant, please enjoy them.

Portia xx

Print Media Pics stolen from art8amby

Images via TFS.

Here is the Mini Movie

CHANEL: 31 Rue Cambon + Little Black Jacket in Milan

April 13, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Hello Fabulous Fumies,

Recently I was in Paris and was lucky enough to visit one of my fashion shrines. Coco Chanel was one of the people we studied at Fashion School and I was intrigued by her rags to riches story even before then. To finally stand at the gates of her atelier and shop was extraordinary for me. A wonderful moment I will never forget.

CHANEL: 31 Rue Cambon

Photo stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, green notes, black pepper
Heart: Ylang ylang, iris, rose
Base: Labdanum , patchouli

I love the opening of 31 Rue Cambon, it already smells like a CHANEL fragrance from the first whiff. A cool and classy, slightly flamboyant rush of everything in the notes, the labdanum from the base already in evidence giving a snuggly, fur like glamour under the bright sparkle of the citrus and pepper. For about 15-30 minutes I sit entranced and snuffling at myself, enjoying the magic that a CHANEL Exclusive can bring. The whole feeling of richness and lavish excess. GORGEOUS!!

Pretty soon the flowers drop in for a quick hello and they have a slight leather vibe before the patchouli and labdanum take centre stage, from then on in it’s all about the base with faint squeaks for attention from the other players till drydown.

Honestly, I think 31 Rue Cambon is just too sophisticated for me. It’s too refined, soft, gentle and elegant. This is my third proper wearing of it and I really want to try the parfum version. Maybe it has the oomph I need to get me going, I can tell it’s beautifully blended and structured and it’s my skin that’s eating the early parts and events. Don’t let my lack of success here put you off, on someone else I can tell it will be superb. I have about 3 more ml to use, maybe my nose will click as I get to know 31 Rue Cambon.

Photo Stolen MarinaCarlson

Further reading GrainDeMusc and MuseInWoodenShoes both take us on entertaining and interesting historical tours, worth a look.
You can buy a bottle in all CHANEL stand alone stores, they will also let you spritz for free and be extremely gracious about it.
SurrenderToChance starts at $3/ml

CHANEL: Little Black Jacket in Milan

Karl Lagerfeld got a fabulous group of people from fashion, art and big business to wear their Little Black CHANEL Jackets and he photographed them. This is a quick video of the opening night of the exhibition. FAB-U-LOUS!!

Till tomorrow, all the love in the world to and for you.
Portia xx

Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale

April 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Hello Happy Huffers,

Today we are looking at a fragrance I procured in a split on Facebook, Fragrance Swap is the crew, and I can’t remember who was doing this split unfortunately. SORRY if you’re reading. I like to buy 10ml in a split, it gives me enough to wear for review purposes and if I drain 10ml then I seriously need to think FB. Usually though I drain 3-5ml during the testing process and it either gets put away or I pass it on to someone who I think will adore it.

Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

LuckyScent gives these featured accords:
Moroccan rose, loukhoum (Turkish Delight-honey, rose water, sugar, fruit, jam, nuts), almonds, vanilla

The first whiff off my skin is pure nougat. Sweet and jaw breakingly delicious, filled with almonds and vanilla. WHOOOEEEEE! If you want to smell like a gourmand paradise then this is the way. GORGEOUS! There is something so dense and hefty about Sweet Oriental Dream by Montale, something very Indian and I’m trying so hard to put my finger on it but it eludes me, maybe the sweets. I have memories buried of someone or something that smelled just like Sweet Oriental Dream at one of the weddings I’ve been to there. It’s an over ripe and lush scent, sweet but not putrifying, deliriously beckoning but not headache-y.

LuckyScent says: Beautifully rich, sweetly lush and unrepentant in its blatant, edible sensuality, if you like sweet fragrances that pulsate with rare pleasures from the harems afar, you’ve just found your newest obsession.

Photo Stolen KeyWordPictures

I think there may be a smidge of unnamed oudh flying in at a low hum and it’s giving a real Middle Eastern feel rather than an Oriental one. I’m getting a Swiss Arabian fragrance vibe from Sweet Oriental Dream while wearing it for review that I have never noticed during other wears.

Photo Stolen MaiLinTalks

Further reading ScentForThought and Opalescent
Neroli, Budapest has 50ml for around $65 and sends to the world for 10 euro
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/ml

I love the Montale range. I find it fun and innovative, while still maintaining wearability. Many of you disagree and I love to hear both sides of the story, and the wonderful or ghastly experiences you’ve had so SHARE THEM please.

Love
Portia xx

DIOR: Miss Dior 2012 Perfume Review + 2013 Ad. and Making of with Natalie Portman

April 11, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hello Lovelies,

With all the kerfuffle and change happening around Miss Dior I thought we should take a new look at the frag and we also get to have a sneak peek at the ads. Enjoy

DIOR: Miss Dior 2012 by Francois Demachy

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Italian mandarin
Heart: Egyptian jasmine absolute and rose
Base: patchouli and musk

Sorry but this is about as far away from how I want to smell as you can get. Not a bad fragrance, just so completely not my cup of tea. I know there are many fans of 2012 Miss Dior and I wish you well wearing it. The ads on the other hand are FABULOUS!!!

DIOR: Miss Dior 2013 Ad. and Making of with Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is Jin’s favourite actress, mainly for her perfect beauty, and via osmosis one of mine. I love the 2013 mini movie and here we also get to glimpse a moment behind the scenes. This movie was shot by Sofia Coppola and has a transcendent, ethereal quality that feels very big screen and Natalie Portman is exsquisite. I love to feel a little like I’ve been there, don’t you?

Portia xx

The Making Of…

The Final Mini Movie

14 Noontide Petals by Tauer 2013

April 10, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 93 Comments

Guest post by Val the Cookie Queen

14 Noontide Petals by Tauer 2013

Photo Stolen SmellyThoughts

Top: Bergamot, aldehydes, Bourbon geranium
Heart: Rose, ylang ylang, tuberose, jasmine
Base: Patchouli, frankincense, vanilla, sandalwood, iris, styrax and vetiver

We are stuck in Narnia here in Europe. April and so damn cold. I would have preferred to have tried Noontide Petals on a gorgeous Spring day. Not a hint of Spring in sight.

About 18 months ago I ordered a Sample Set from Tauer Perfume. Five fragrances of my choice.

Photo Stolen TauerPerfumes

After 10 days I still had no samples. I emailed Tauer Perfume, and within minutes I had an email back from Andy himself. He apologised profusely that the precious package had gone missing. He sent a replacement package himself, and registered it, and I had it 48 hours later. How nice is THAT??

Two weeks ago I mailed Andy again, on the off chance that he would send me samples of Noontide Petals. Three days later there were samples on my doorstep with a handwritten note from Andy. What a privilege. I had never tried a brand new fragrance with the intent of writing about it.

I test perfumes on Monday when I am alone in the shop preparing cookie dough. I sprayed it on with great excitement. Very sparingly because I know that Tauer´s are very intense. Shock Horror. I did not like it. Perfume Junkies, I was so upset, and angry. Yes angry. Can you imagine that? I was in a freaking bad mood the whole day. I wanted to like it so badly. I did indeed get a little bergamot. But it was short lived and left a weak soapy smell behind.

The second testing of Moontide Petals. Ah ha. I used more. Better. A burst of very bright bergamot. I could almost see the sun! It did have a swirling feel about it, kind of up and down. Bubbling aldehydes. I could understand them a bit now. (I watched a 30 minute lecture on aldehydes before trying this scent!! Never too late to learn.) Nearly glittering! OK. NOW I know, this is eau de toilette! Duh.

Photo Stolen CavalierSwim

Third time. A man-sized spray!! Hurray! I like it. What a contrast to the first tentative mini scaredy cat spray!! This time it was so bright and light and lovely, it was another experience. After about 40 minutes, I noticed jasmine, vanilla and frankincense popping their heads up. Especially the vanilla. Suddenly there is rose. It comes and goes. I know there are other notes in there too, but I am not experienced enough (yet) to pick them out. And truthfully I don´t know if I even want to. This fragrance lasts such a long time and is so soft, and beautiful.. Yep, beautiful. Definitely not so full on as some of the earlier Tauer scents, with the well known Tauerade base. This is elegant and understated. But certainly no weakling. What I love about Tauer is their tenacity. That is why I love them in the summer. The perfect swimming scent. Because it is still there after lots of dips in the lake. Noontide Petals will be my swim scent of 2013. It is light in a bottle.

Andy Tauer is an artist, and it takes time to understand what it´s all about. Moral of the story? Don´t under spray an artist`s work, otherwise you miss half the colours!

Now, if only the White Witch of Narnia would use this, I believe it would melt the winter away. It is an alluring, appealing and an original scent for the Spring.

Further reading ISmellThereforeIAm and PerfumeShrine
TauerFragrances has 1.5ml manufacturers samples US$5.30

GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!!

THE PRIZE

Want to try Noontide Petals for yourself? I have a sample to give away. And if you don´t live in a place where the pony express takes a month to get to, I might well put a cookie in too.

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You have to leave a comment telling us your favourite cookie or cookie ingredient. That’s IT!

For an Extra Chance you can Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p2fQBU-1tn Noontide Petals new Tauer perfume GIVEAWAY

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday April 14th 2013 10pm AusEDST and will be announced in a special post that day.
Val the Cookie Queen and her crew will do the draw honours. The names will be placed on the same sized papers, folded similarly, placed in a bowl and a winner picked.

The winners will have till Thursday 18th April 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or I will give the prize to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Bussis
CQ xxx

Flower by Alberto Morillas for Kenzo Fragrance 2000 Perfume Review and 2013 Ad Campaign

April 7, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hello Lovely APJ Family,

Flower by Kenzo Fragrance 2000

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin, hawthorn, Bugarian rose, blackcurrant
Heart: Parma violet, rose, opoponax, jasmine
Base: Vanilla, white musk, incense and woody notes

I was given an ENORMOUS bottle of this by my girlfriend Annie, every time I spritz, or smell someone in the street wearing, Flower I think of her and the great big hugs she gives, her warmth, fun and joyfulness. Because Flower is so sheer and spare it’s hard to believe there are so many ingredients that make it come together. Also there have been so many imitations of its style that I am at a loss to remember how ground breaking it was when it was first released. That hefty airiness that doesn’t skunk but has impressive sillage, so that as you waft fragrantly past someone they are entranced by your scent, a la Perfume by Patrick Suskind, or a room slowly fills with your fragrance and you can smell it softly on return to the room, but not in a pushy intrusive way, just a haunting memory.

It opens green and fresh on me with a sharp sweetness, then the warm resinous bouquet slowly takes over until a clean, warm musky vanilla finishes the story in around 4-6 hours depending on the day and whether I’m moisturised.

Photo Stolen GirlServesWorld

Interestingly Tania Sanchez in Perfumes: The A-Z Guide says that, “Albert Morillas almost certainly knew Caron’s Royal Bain de Champagne (now Royal Bain de Caron) by heart when he replicated it and added a splash of hedione to make Flower, but it seems no one else knew….” but I have only a modern incarnation of Royal Bain de Caron for comparison and they seem only distantly related.

I love the 2013 ad campaign, the lightness and airiness of the poppies flying through the air isa a perfect symbolism for this still lovely fragrance.

See you tomorrow,

Portia xx

Flower by Kenzo Fragrance 2013 Ad Campaign

Picture provided by one of my go-to fashion bloggers art8amby

The campaign girl is Chinese/Taiwanese actress, Shu Qi.

Image via TFS.

Indus (oil) by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz 2012

April 5, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Hey Hey Stink Monkeys,

Every now and then I like to try a fragrance for a while before I read any notes. I enjoy the thrill of wearing the fragrance with no preconceived ideas of what it may smell like and the freefall of having it surprise you as it grows and develops. I have given this particular perfume 3 days wear at different times through those days and my mind kept telling me what a wonderful and spectacular iris perfume I was wearing, so powdery soft and fluffy with that woody, earthy base. Then when I decided to write this post I had to check the notes as I put together my story. OH WELL! Can’t be right all the time.

Indus by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
Heart: Black tea, ginger, honey, beeswax and jasmine
Base: Amber, patchouli, musk, tolu balsam, vanilla and milk.

Now that I’ve read the notes list I find it hard to remember why I thought what I thought. There is a definite burst of spices and pepper (black not bell) though they all conspire together to be cool rather than warming, an aloof opening that slowly warms into the heart. That powdery opening must have been the sparkle of bergamot over these cool spices. The heart is almost exactly like a spicy chai had on a train in India, the cool spices warm and ferment with the honey, ginger and milk. How could I have missed these things. HA HA HA! Just goes to show that the moment you start getting cocky about stuff the world comes along to remind you of reality and bring you back to earth. Hilarious.

My mind was getting comfort scent but couldn’t make the connections. I will tell you though that Indus is a crazy good perfume. A couple of the girls at trivia last night were raving about it and because it’s an oil you have to sit with people for a minute or two before they notice it, it slowly fills the space around you and leaves terrific sillage while not being overpowering or obnoxious.

Photo Stolen mitchellktravelphoto

Honestly, even after all that I still get beautiful moments of powdery, rootish iris and sandalwood and it transports me away to years gone far by and my Grandma, who was a rock for me, and her big cuddles and cooking.

The DSH site:
The great sub-continent, India; a land filled with treasures of spice and tea. Chai tea brings these elements together in an elixir of true comfort, warmth, sensuality and vitality. Perfect for Fall and it’s inevitable chill, Indus is soft enough to compliment other spice and amber perfumes and rich enough to be worn alone. We love this for both men and women!

Further reading NowSmellthis welcomes Indus but doesn’t review and I couldn’t find another
DawnSpencerHurwitz has a super sample for $4 or I bought the 1 dram oil essence for $30

With loads of love and below I’ve added a video on how to make chai. I’m off to make some right now.

Portia xx

Perfume and Tea #1 GIVEAWAY WINNER

April 4, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Hello APJ Friends and Family,

We have been having some excellent giveaways lately. I hope you are all as excited as we are about them. Thank you to everyone who joined in to welcome our newest Guest Post writer Brie. I think she is a wonderful addition to our crew, a new perspective.