Fashion

Majaïna Sin by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann for The Different Company 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

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Portia

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Hello New Addicted,

You may have noticed that I’m addicted to Travel Packs and Travel Size. There are a few reasons for this. The major one is that 10-30ml is all I’ll ever need of most fragrances, it is in fact a lifetime supply. Otherwise I like to be able to carry most of my frags on holidays in my carry on luggage*. There is a pleasure too in using up bottles, even a travel feels like an achievement.

Why am I telling you this? Just arrived in the mail this week are a brand new, paid retail because I freaking love it, sent from France The Different Company Travel Set and a bunch of 10ml refills for it. VERY exciting stuff.

The Different Company

Majaïna Sin by The Different Company 2017

Majaïna Sin by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Candied Orange Bigarade, Bergamot, Neroli, Orange Blossom, Madagascar Ginger
Heart: Heliotrope, Orchid, Chestnut Cream, Madagascar Cinnamon, Maple Syrup
Base: Guatemala Tonka Bean, Amber, Sandal Album, Musk, Madagascar Vanilla Gold Extract

Majaïna Sin is part of the l’Esprit Cologne range from The Different Company. I also have the luscious Tokyo Bloom from that series and love it through the mid seasons and warmer months.

Ginger marmalade already backed by a soft focus vanilla is how Majaïna Sin opens for me with cinnamon. Warm and cosy yet not incredibly hefty, as counterpoint we are given an unexpected lightness and lift. Definite nods to bakery but somehow Emilie Coppermann has made it about something more interesting: creamy, spicy, smoky, resinous amber.

WikiMedia

Charming is not a word I use often about fragrance but it keeps popping into my mind. We are not present with a groundbreaking, challenging fragrance in Majaïna Sin. It is different to what I have smelled before but not outrageously so. Here I feel like I’ve met an elegant friend that doesn’t overpower while still maintaining their place and adding to the conversation. I can easily imagine someone hugging you while you wear this and thinking, “MMMMMMM.”

The base is dryer and woodier but not by much and the fragrance fades into my skin with average longevity, way better than I expected from the l’Esprit range.

PDI

The Different Company has €18/10ml and €120/100ml

What is your favourite travel Set or single?
Portia xx

 

*I carry a just in case Wet Pack in my carry on with toothbrush, floss & paste, deodorant, stolen hotel shower gel and lotion, band-aids, sleeping pills, headache tablets, ear buds and a wash cloth. There are always at least 5 travel frags in there too. Also in cary on are spare undies, socks and polo shirt, Kindle, a bunch of cords, spare glasses, house keys and snacks. It usually clocks around 5kg. Even if my luggage doesn’t arrive I’m good.

Midnight Special by Olivier Pescheux for Ex Nihilo 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

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Portia

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Hi Fumies,

A couple of weeks ago the LuckyScent eMail came with a Sample Set called LUXE. Obviously it was impossible to resist but I’ve been so swamped here that only a couple have even had skin time yet. I wore a spritz of Midnight Special on the back of my hand yesterday and really liked it but felt I needed to sit still for a while to really enjoy its multi facets. Tonight I did just that.

Midnight Special by Ex Nihilo 2017

Midnight Special by Olivier Pescheux

Midnight Special Ex Nihilo Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cinnamon, saffron, black pepper
Heart: Turkish rose, rose, grapefruit
Base: Agarwood (oud), patchouli, vanilla

Waxy saffron and sharp dry ground black pepper are tempered beautifully by fiery cinnamon in Midnight Special’s opening. While it is a very modern niche opening I think they’ve got the balance just right and it’s all playing together pretty seamlessly. Already the patchouli is creating an earthy balmy creaminess which anchors the fragrance.

The flowers don’t shine and I have this weird feeling that jasmine is missing from the note list when vanilla slowly and perfectly smoothly slides through and brings with it the roses. Suddenly the whole fragrance gets to smelling like the ambivalent love child of Guerlain and Parfums de Rosine. Imagine if you crossed Oriental Brulant and Un Zeste de Rose, OK you’re getting the idea. It’s REALLY gorgeous through the heart, spellbinding.

The dry down is nice, nothing groundbreaking but it does stay around for ages. Waiting a soft vanilla/oud with whispers of rose.

WikiMedia

LuckyScent says: With Midnight Special, Olivier Pescheux transposes the mukhallat to a more Parisian format- the eau de parfum- keeping the focus on exceptional natural materials, but re-imagining it as a nocturnal elixir, with traditional elements of oud, rose, patchouli and spice given a cosmopolitan twist with a unique accord of rose jelly. The results are dynamic- dark, sensually smoky oud and luscious florals shine through, but the mouthwatering jelly accord, with its strong grapefruit facets, invigorates and energizes the heart notes, making an ancient formula feel vitally youthful. And a deep, rich and evocative base of oud and smooth, balanced vanilla lasts for untold hours, ensuring that the wearer will be turning heads well into the morning.

Midnight Special Ex Nihilo Arron Anon pexelsPDI

LuckyScent has $370/50ml and Samples

Do you ever get the LuckyScent sample packs?
Portia xx

Gekkou Hanami VdP by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for DSH Perfumes 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

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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.

Flickr

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??

Gekkou Hanami VdP by DSH Perfumes 2017

Gekkou Hanami VdP by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Gekkou Hanami (Sakura gazing in the Moonlight)

DSH Perfumes

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.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Spring_Breeze_of_Yun_Shouping.jpgWikiMedia

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

SOTD 16-22 October 2017

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Portia

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Hi APJ,

I’d like to try something new here at APJ, I see these SOTD (Scent Of The Day) threads all the time on Facebook and they are really good conversation generators.

SOTD 16-22 October 2017

The idea is you’ll chime in through the week with whatever scent you are wearing. You don’t need to be super knowledgable, have high faluting tastes or be a published author to comment. Just tell us what fragrance you’re wearing, smelling, buying etc.

You probably won’t have time to write every scent, every spritz but whenever you feel the mood take you share your current spritz and a few things about it. Maybe you love/loathe it, want it, are excited by the notes/bottle/SA who sold it: WHATEVER! As always here at APJ, taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
This week:
Amouage Dia Parfum
DIOR Mitzah
Miller et Barter A Quiet Morning
Neela Vermeire Creations Rahele
Vintage CHANEL No 19 EdC
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Sunday.

Last Weeks Winner: FIRST WEEK!

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Go To It Crew.
Portia xxx

Saturday Question: What Do You Wear To Travel?

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 65 Comments

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

Every Saturday we have a Question, an idea purloined from Olfactoria’s Travels. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it is a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a $10 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Over 200 responses I will draw a $20 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Friday.

Last Weeks Winner:

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Saturday Question:

What Do You Wear To Travel?

It’s an old conundrum for me. I’m never quite sure what is the best option and usually either madly overpack or go in the opposite direction and leave myself without any choice at all. There is the flying scent, daytime scent, evenings, dressed up, casual, something to impress and something for comfort. Really that is just scratching the surface too.

Here is my current Scent Box, ready for travel and adventures.

Recently I have twice packed my scent box that goes in my checked baggage and left it on my desk. This leaves me with only the couple I carry onboard and if I’m very lucky a couple I’ve stashed in my wetpack.

My Answer:

Flying: This is the hardest one for me. I have a few favourites for flying but the number one for ease and comfort is The Different Company Oriental Lounge. Unlike many oriental fragrances it is sheer and light but still manages to smell great and lasts for even the longest flight. Even though I’m a crumpled and rumpled mess I smell fresh and warm, totally huggable.

On my one and only ever First Class trip I was showering in the Bangkok Thai First Class Lounge but had left my glasses outside with Michael. I grabbed a decant at random and triple spritzed. It was Mugler A*Men. I was ridiculously fragrant through the whole journey. Thank goodness I was in first and not Economy, the close quarters could have killed someone.
On the way back I dropped my bottle of The Different Company Oriental Lounge in the same bathroom. HA! Very dramatic, but the place smelled fabulous.

Daytime: My favourite ever travelling fragrance for days is vintage Miss Dior parfum. It fits every situation and smells completely different to anything else I smell on people the world over. I know I bang on about it endlessly but it is seriously the best choice for me.

A very close second are Jacomo Silences PdT and Niki de Saint Phalle. These dry green chypres are also poles apart from what the world is wearing so without being freaky my scent stands heard and shoulders above the rest of humanity.

Nights: Amouage Ubar is the winner here. I don’t always take it with me but when I do it gets worn almost every evening. It is easily my favourite Amouage fragrance and it works in the heat or cool.

One that I try to take every time is Guerlain Mitsouko EdT. When I think comfort crossed with haughty grandeur Mitsouko wins hands down. I also have so much, bought every time I see a bargain, that I love the chance to get it out and use it up. No matter where I am or what is happening Mitsouko fits the bill and smells bloody terrific.

My Saturday Question to you is:

What Do You Wear To Travel?

 

 

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

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Portia

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Hello Niche Nerds,

A few weeks ago a Press Sample of Parfumerie Generale Suede Osmanthe 5.1 arrived in the mail. It was two days before I left for India so naturally it got put aside in the flurry of organising. I grabbed it again and took it to meet Rasei Forte and Kerri Clarke recently for lunch so I could also gauge their reactions. Sometimes I worry that my own adoration of Pierre Guillaume colours the way I smell his fragrances. They all seem so flawlessly created, smooth where they should be, shocking or inventive, weird and wonderful. Yet, he manages to make even his most challenging scents wearable, comfortable to wear even. That’s quite a trick.

Pierre Guillaume is a fragrance free-radical. Running his empire of four brands from two large compounds, not owned or funded by the big boys and almost everything is put together there as it comes to us. He tries to keep as much of the production French, including bottles and packing. The more I know about him the more impressed I am by his acumen.

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Parfumerie Generale 2017

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Pierre Guillaume

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Aldehydes, black tea, osmanthus, apricot, suede, cashmeran, musk

Imagine apricot jam (verging on a marmalade, there’s a tartness to the sweet), black tea and a brand new expensive leather bag. If you can remember these three scents olfactorally, then you understand the premise behind the opening of Suede Osmanthe 5.1. For once I am not talking about a sideways perfume style hint towards the fruity jam, here I can smell it like it’s warming on my toast. Enjoy this beautiful opening for less than 10 minutes.

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 is beautiful. Sweet, green, fruity, plush suede and very sexy. Imagine if Daim Blond was amped towards canned fruit in sugar syrup and greened out.

I kind of have an idea what osmanthus smells like, Jin is far more able to pick it than I. To me it is like a creamy green floral but Jin says I have not really captured the interest or essence of osmanthus in my short description. So, obviously, Your Mileage May Vary.

Parfumerie Generale has from €68/30ml
LuckyScent has $125/50ml and Samples

Which is your favourite Pierre Guillaume scent?
Portia xx

 

Dolcelisir by L’Erbolario 2010

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

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Erica Golding

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Scented greetings to all of you lovely people out there!

How do you feel about sweet, gourmand perfume? Do you enjoy radiating deliciousness, or are you nauseated by cloying fragrances?

Love them or hate them, sugary vanilla scents are still as popular today as they were when Angel and Pink Sugar came onto the scene. Personally, I have fun wearing candied perfumes, although I am fairly selective (perhaps even picky). The scent I chose for today has been the subject of many conversations in the fragrance community. It’s been compared quite frequently to Hermés Ambre Narguilé. It also reminds some people of scents like Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, L’Occitane Ambre, and more.

Dolcelisir by L’Erbolario 2010

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, orange, caramel, rum
Heart: Jasmine, rose, immortal, lily of the valley, cinnamon, sugar cane, cocoa powder
Base: Patchouli, vanilla, benzoin, tonka, amber, musk

Ahhhhh, sweet elixir indeed! Warm apple pie. On my skin, Dolcelisir is very similar to Ambre Narguilé. I deathmatched them side by side on my skin several years ago, and found them to be scent siblings. If you’re obsessed with every facet and nuance of Ambre Narguilé, then Dolcelisir probably won’t serve as a substitute for you; however, if your appreciation is casual, Dolcelisir is an excellent alternative at an affordable price point.

Dolcelisir is a warm, boozy, syrupy-sweet vanilla spice perfume with a healthy dose of musk. The throw is very loud and intense, and wearlength is over 6 hours on my skin. I don’t typically categorize scents as seasonal, but this beauty is perfectly suited for cool autumn days. Dolcelisir is a celebration for those of us who still ride the pumpkin spice train when the first leaves change color, despite the haters!

WikiMedia

Further reading: Scented Apprentice

Do you have a favorite gourmand guilty pleasure fragrance? Confess! You’re in the circle of trust 🙂

Love and light,

Erica

Some PERFUME BARGAINS You Should Know About

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

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Portia

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Hey Gang,

Perfume Bargains are the best. These two fab things are definite EVENTS!

Some PERFUME BARGAINS You Should Know About

Neela Vermeire Creations SALE!

If you are in Europe or have a perfume mule that lives or is visiting then this is for you.

So, it’s kind of a secret but I told Neela that I was going to give all the APJ peeps a go.

FREE SHIPPING and 10% OFF Neela Vermeire Creations

Now THAT is something to get really excited about. My best bet is to buy some Take Two Travel Sets and share them with your buddies! Shop at Neela Vermeire Creations

Maison Montage

If you are Sydney, Blue Mountains or Lithgow then you need to hop a train or grab your car and get to

Maison Montage
164 The Mall
Leura NSW 2780

They are currently having a fabulous sale on all their brands and individual items that haven’t been super sellers for them. There are original 2006 Mona di Orios like Oiro and Carnation, Atelier Colognes from Orange Sanguine through to Santal Carmin and a bunch of great Travel Sets from them. Rance, L’Artisan Perfumeur and a few more.

They have a spectacular collection not on sale too. Creed, Keiko Mecheri, Dear Rose, Helmut lang, Penhaligon’s and more.

Also a terrific assortment of soaps and candles, linens, homewares and incredible Amber from Poland.

 

Good deals, Get going
Portia XXX

 

Saturday Question: What Do You Love To Smell On Your Closest Peeps?

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 53 Comments

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

Every Saturday we have a Question, an idea purloined from Olfactoria’s Travels. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it is a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a $10 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Over 200 responses I will draw a $20 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Friday.

Last Weeks Winner: We didn’t reach 100

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Saturday Question:

What Do You Love To Smell On Your Closest Peeps?

I’ve been thinking about this a bit lately. My friends aren’t as into fragrance as I am. There are some notable exceptions though that are. It’s always interesting to me what they choose to spritz themselves with. There are some things that I love to smell on them and they instantly create a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart when I give them a hug and their wearing my faves for them.

So today I want us to talk about all our closest peeps, family, friends, significant others or even a mate at the office who sometimes smells particularly awesome.

My Answer:

Obviously Jin is the person I get to smell close up the most often. He is my partner, we live together, eat, socialise, shop and travel together regularly. Most days will have me in his orbit and close enough to grab a whiff. I get super happy when he wears Bottega Veneta original EdP. When I fell madly in love with it and was going to buy it for myself he decided he should get it so I could smell it on him. GREAT idea, it smells absolutely amazing on him and I always get a rush of pleasure when he is wafting it.

He also smells unbelievably gorgeous in Neela Vermeire Creations Bombay Bling. This is a double win for me because I get to sniff Jin smelling wonderful and it also reminds me of our beautiful friend Neela.

Fragrantica

My BFF Kath wears a few scents but two of them stand out for me particularly. Brecourt Haram (now called Farah) was something she fell in love with while we were on a trip down top Melbourne and had dropped into Peony Melbourne. She bought a bottle then and I was lucky enough to grab a couple on sale so keep her supplied. There is something glorious about Kath in honeyed spices drizzled over amber and patchouli. It smells fabulous. She also wears Givenchy Play but it never really registers on me, I know she smells good but it’s a background good.

Fragrantica

Another BFF is Alice, she has two scents that I instantly recognise as her when I go in for a hug. CHANEL Coco is one. The spicy oriental whoosh of it upon her lady like person is quite the oxymoron. Then she speaks and suddenly it all makes sense. Her other perfect scent is Emporia Armani She, this sweet citrus floriental actually is the smell of Alice. Somehow they managed to grab exactly what she should smell like and then make sure she got it. LOADS of it, she has truckloads of it just in case.

My Saturday Question to you is:

What Do You Love To Smell On Your Closest Peeps?

 

 

L’Insomnuit by Robert Piguet 2016

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

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Portia

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Hey Crew,

You may know how I love splits? It’s when one person buys a bottle, decants out portions and sells them on. They are a wonderful way to test a load of fragrances for not much more than the price of the juice. It can get addictive though and I regularly spend a hunk cash on them.

The past creative director of Robert Piguet, Joe GarcesI left some really happy memories. He came to Australia a few years ago as Piguet was re-establishing themselves as a fragrant player and held some super fun Master Classes. Joe told us stories of the creation and recreation of the piglet line and how each fragrance came about. It was fun but also riveting listening, he knew how to engage us and answered questions. I already loved Bandit and fracas but this opened a whole new world for me and the others present.

So, when Robert Piguet launches something new I try to get to it as soon as possible.

L’Insomnuit by Robert Piguet 2016

Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Plum, Bergamot, Fir balsam
Heart: Orris absolute, Iris concrete, Oud
Base: Cedarwood, Cypriol, Tonka bean absolute, Sandalwood

Tonka, fir and iris compete for opening honours. A very interesting dry, sweet, powdery, woody mix that doesn’t remind me of anything else as it opens. It seems to be its own thing. Basically a wood extravaganza but slightly bakery-esque. The iris is very dry, slightly cardboard, and a little earthy but the interesting juxtaposition of the tonka sweetness (I think there is some vanilla too) and the creamy sandalwood make it so unusual to me.

From the notes I thought this next pic would be exactly what the fragrance would smell like but L’Insomnuit is far more interesting than that.

PXHere

 

Oudh? I don’t smell any oudh, like seriously zero oudhishness. The plum also passes me by.

There is a recurring moment through the heart of L’Insomnuit where I am suddenly reminded of Eau d’Italie Morn To Dusk. A similar golden treacle heft, so dense and gooey, thick and rich. Not the same but the feeling is similar and equally as extravagant.

For anyone who likes vanilla but is bored of how it is usually sent out in the 21st century this could be a nice not quite so super sweet option. Longevity is excellent, sillage moderate to good. I’d love to smell this on a really manly man in wrestling outfit, suit or overalls. It would definitely be an attractant.

WikiCommons

Further reading: Fragrance Daily
Libertine has $299/100ml FREE Australian Delivery
Surrender To Chance has samples from $5.50/ml

Do you have a favourite Piguet?
Portia xx