Fashion

Serge Lutens Masterclass: Paris 2016: Photo Essay

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Post by Portia

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We are home,

It’s been the most fabulous holiday and I have so much to share. A whirlwind to say the very least. One of my top experiences that we had while away was the Serge Lutens Masterclass. It was unbelievably fabulous.

We were whisked upstairs by Elvire into the yellow room, the table was set for sniffing and then she brought us biscuits and tea cakes, very posh. I was invited to sit in Serge Lutens chair (OMG!) and we were happily led through quite a lot of the Exclusive to Palais Royal fragrances. You have no idea how fabulous.

Before you go booking, they prefer you to be in groups of 4-6. Originally we were to be a 4 but sadly two of our crew couldn’t make it. To make up for that, and make it worth Serge’s time, I had some pre-orders from Australia that I needed to get fulfilled as well as my own list.

Serge Lutens Masterclass

Paris 2016: Photo Essay

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #1

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #2

The gorgeous walls of Serge Lutens yellow room, hidden doors and concealment are the name of the game.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #4

Sitting in Serge’s chair, where he holds court for launches etc.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #8

The gorgeous Elvire who has taken Lea’s masterclass hostess place now that Lea has gone to Shiseido Head Office.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #11

Jin, bless his soul, ran around taking pictures throughout the 2+ hours. He wanted you all to feel part of the experience, notice there is no paper on the table yet.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #15

The very first Serge Lutens fragrance, Feminite du Bois, in its original bottles. No wonder these are so coveted, some had the scent still inside. SWOON!

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #16

We start getting our sniff on. Touches are already prepared with fragrance names and tied with black ribbon. The experience was full of these well prepared little glam spots. Elvire was all over the event and full of discerning insights into the fragrances, all done from memory and with such passion it was easy to get swept away.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #18

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #20

As you can see the table is filling up with paper, the ones sticking up are my return and skin test ones.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #21

So beautiful, with a smile that lit up the room.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #22

Jin & I being assholes.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #23

Even the toilet gets the Serge Lutens treatment. The toilet seat was marble I think, or maybe it was the whole toilet. Was so tripping on the fumes by this time that I was seeing spots.

Serge Lutens Masterclass Paris 2016 #24

As you can see we were so involved chatting and sniffing that I hardly touched the cakes!

Finally we get down to the nitty gritty. Time for shopping! I bought Rose de Nuit and La Myrrhe for Aussies. Jin bought Muscs Koublai Khan and I purchased Miel de Bois and Fumerie Turque. Elvire gave us a choice of 2 samples each too (then popped an extra in Jin’s bag! He was thrilled) and for each bottle a full set of wax samples.

Should you be going to France and wish to book this marvelous FREE Event there is a Serge Lutens Contact Page, attention Elvire.

Which of the Exclusives takes your fancy?
Portia xxx

 

CHANEL No 5 parfum: LIVE Video Sniff

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Post by Portia

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Hi Wonderful Wafters,

CHANEL No 5 has a mystery and mystique all its own. No other fragrance on the planet has sold in such numbers for so long. It is revered and reviled in equal measure by the fragrance community but to me its about as lavish and comfoting as a hot chocolate on a cold night while snuggled in a feather doona eating Jin’s home made macaroons and watching films. The ULTIMATE!

CHANEL No 5 parfum

LIVE Video Sniff

Chanel No 5 Parfum Chanel FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Neroli, ylang-ylang, bergamot, amalfi lemon, aldehydes
Heart: Iris, jasmine, orris root, rose, lily-of-the-valley
Base: Vetiver, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, oak moss, amber, vanille, civet

From Coco and Marilyn to me, CHANEL No 5 fits almost every mood.

By Night Black by Profumi del Forte 2009

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Post by Portia

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Hi the Fumies,

I remember trying this a while back but have no memory of the scent. I’m surprised that it wasn’t written about because I love the Profumi del Forte line in general, they are lavish new looks at old ideas. Something about the line smells distinctive and quality to me. It’s weird that I don’t own a full bottle of one yet, Versilia Vintage Ambra Mediterranea is my favourite of the line but it never seems to last till checkout in my cart.

By Night Black by Profumi del Forte 2009

By Night Black Profumi del Forte FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lime, cypress, mandarin orange, orange, fig leaf, basil, juniper, bitter orange, rose hip, lavender, cypress
Heart: Pine, mate, jasmine, incense
Base: Cedar

A warm, herbal cologne. Singing top notes that are high citrus & woods with a marked creaminess, a pithiness, a dry and warm undercurrent that By Night Black’s notes give me no reason to expect. Very urbane, I can imagine it on a well dressed business person who wants to smell a little outside the box but not outrageous. Maybe it’s the mate that’s adding the creamy warmth. I’ve only drunk it once at Roxana Villa’s place and my memory is of a creamy green drink that was sweet and lightly tea-ish, more like a smoothie. The jasmine definitely is playing a smoothing role too though the heart, which is lovely. Gaia in her Non Blonde review is saddened that By Night Black is not interesting enough, I can’t say I have the same sense of let down. There is plenty of nuance and interesting by play for me. Maybe because my expectations were so low it smells better than I expected?

By Night Black Profumi del Forte Rajeev_Pillai WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

So while I’m falling asleep about an hour after this application I notice that By Night Black has collapsed into something that I know but can’t place, like an everyman’s dry down. A woodsy scent that leads my mind to the 1990s/early 2000s gym locker rooms. I’m falling asleep so it’s a passing thought and then it’s morning.

Next morning I awake and there is something a little off left on my hand, it’s a woodsy/fishy/salty/sweet/decaying scent that while being very light still manages to make me feel uncomfortable and run to the bathroom to wash my hand. So freaking weird. The end.

By Night Black Profumi del Forte Fish Head Beatrice Murch FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Further reading: Non Blonde
First In Fragrance has €168/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $6/ml

Obviously you may have an entirely different wear and there has been some nasty reaction with my chemistry. It did freak me out a bit this morning though. I couldn’t get my hand under the tap fast enough.

Have you ever had a frag turn feral? Tell us the story please.
Portia xx

Dorina by Nejla Barbir for Dorin Perfumes 2015

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Post by Robert Herrmann

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I will be the first to admit that I can be very finicky when it comes to Iris-centric scents. I loves me some Iris, oh yes I do. Growing up, when the Iris’s came into season, we always had a vase full somewhere in the house, a tradition I have yet to outgrow. (Ditto with Tulips, but that’s another story). There are only a handful of Iris perfumes that I truly love. Dorina is very quickly moving up that list.

Maison Dorin was founded in the 18th century and became quite a favorite of the court of Versailles. As other perfume houses came and went, Dorin stayed ahead of the game, by constantly embracing new emerging technologies, ultimately building a lab in Paris that was the envy of competing perfume houses for decades to come. Re-energized by new owners in 1998, Dorin continues to produce gorgeous perfume, cutting no corners and never scrimping on the finest ingredients and beautiful bottles.

Dorina, released this year is classified as a floral woody musk and is Dorin’s tribute to the noble Iris.

Dorina by Dorin Perfumes 2015

Dorina by Nejla Barbir

Dorina Dorin FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Rice flower, rose, aldehydes
Heart: Iris, water jasmine, violet
Base: Vetiver, cedar, heliotrope, musk, tonka bean, iris, resins

For all the notes in the formula, Dorina smells like IRIS, or rather a dreamy sun dappled Monet watercolor of the perfect Iris. Floral? Yes and sweet at times but never cloyingly so. Just beautiful, deep and sensuous Iris, root! stem, leaves and bloom. Powdery but never loud and screechy, just resplendent with quality and that certain “je ne sais quoi” through and through.

Dorina DorinDonated Robert Herrmann

From the Dorin site: “ON STAGE OR OUT ON THE DOWN, DORINA SPARKLES WITH THE LIGHT OF A THOUSAND FLAMES.”
This powdery iris fragrance has been created as a tribute to those most rare women who have become timeless icons.
Secretively screened from view by the opaque glass of the bottle, this sophisticated fragrance is the perfect accompaniment to every aspect of a talented and daring woman’s life. From home to the red carpet, she is elegant whatever the occasion.

With 28 perfumes in the range, I can’t wait to get my nose around some of the others!

Dorin has a Retailers Page where you can find your countries stockists

What are some of YOUR favorite Iris scents?

Eau Parfumée Au Thé Bleu by Daniela (Roche) Andrier for BVLGARI 2015

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Post by TinaG

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Hello APJ!

I have a soft spot for the Bvlgari tea series, as Au Thé Rouge was the first fragrance I ever wrote up for APJ and it holds special memories of that summer. And it changed my life. It all started with a travel size sample of Au Thé Rouge and subsequent hunt for and purchase of rooibos, the “rouge” tea in Au Thé Rouge. From there I started investigating styles of tea, and tea as a fragrance note. Two years later and my life is richer for these experiences; I’ve widened my knowledge of the world, found some beautiful “tea” fragrances, and thoroughly enjoy a quiet cuppa and breathing space now and then.

Eau Parfumée Au Thé Bleu by BVLGARI 2015

Eau Parfumée Au Thé Bleu by Daniela (Roche) Andrier

Eau Parfumee au The Bleu Bvlgari FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lavender, shiso
Heart: Violet, tea
Base: Iris, musk

I was excited to hear about the release last year of Au Thé Bleu, Bvlgari’s fourth in the tea series. It showcases a ‘blue’ tea accord, inspired by one of my favourite teas, Chinese oolong.

Eau Parfumee au The Bleu Bvlgari Blur tea Unsplash PixabayPixabay

Au Thé Bleu is a great cologne to both counteract and compliment a hot summers day. It opens with a smoky tea, cool lavender and subtle iris. The lavender is the star here. The fragrance stays crisp and cool for about an hour, before it warms up with a touch of tonka, giving the whole silage a comforting feel. Over the next two hours it flits around, alternating between warm and cool, supported by wonderfully light musk notes. The best way to describe the musk is clean but warm, not like a cool laundry musk. It’s sweeter, slightly in to musk-stick / lolly territory.

At 4 hours the fragrance has a peppery feel about it. I didn’t remember seeing any spicy notes listed but when I went back to Fragrantica and the Bvlgari website, there is a note listed of Shiso leaf which is described as having a peppery spicyness about it. It fits in well. As a cologne strength the dry down is surprising long-lasting, staying on my skin for about 8 hours.

Eau Parfumee au The Bleu Bvlgari Lavender Fields Angela Bethell FlickrFlickr

There is a fabulous uplifting quality to this scent, and it makes me feel as if I’m being warmed by the sun, whilst looking up at a blue summer sky across wide fields of lavender. The ‘blue’ accord is sheer and radiant – like holding up a corn-flower blue sapphire to the sun and watching the sparkles of light dance. ‘Happy’ is a simple word but the feeling of being happy can be profound. This fragrance makes me happy, it has a pureness from simplicity which is a pleasure to enjoy.

Further reading: Persolaise and Colognoisseur
David Jones has $184/150ml with FREE Australian delivery

Do you have a favourite fragrance you wear, which makes you feel happy?

Tina G xx

Not All Wrinkles Are Bad

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Post by AF Beauty

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These few weeks I have been traveling, you will be pleased, I hope, to discover I have filled my suitcase with enough goodies to start my own shop, but hopefully it’s not so much that will incur the $300 excess baggage charges….

I have a few items I’m looking forward to reviewing – but this week I’m not writing a review.

Not All Wrinkles Are Bad

Wrinkles London Unsplash PixabayPixabay

I have been here in the mother country with the people I grew up with. Some, quite literally, others I’ve known since Uni. Being here, spending time with them, it is an interesting challenge. I love many of them as though they were my family. We laugh until we cry; we talk of this that happened twenty and thirty years ago. We make plans for the next ten years and predict our futures. At the same time, we mourn deaths of the people in our lives, reminded by the loss of famous stars, already this year David Bowie and Alan Rickman and we are reminded life is short.

But while I’m here with these people, I have left behind my other family in Australia. Not my blood but my choice, people I laugh with until I cry, we talk of what happened, five and ten years ago and fill in the blanks of the other years to twenty and thirty. While I’m away, there have been laughs, deaths and changes that I’ve missed and I feel bereft that I wasn’t there for them in person. There is no substitute for a hand or hug that says more than words over email, text or Skype.

When it comes to beauty and my face, I often wish for the skin and face and condition of my youth. I teeter on the edge of aging, fighting time with a few of my favourite products but I look at furrowed forehead lines and wish for times where I never noticed it. I look at the lines at my cheeks and wonder how my years of laughter as a child has manifested in this?!

Portrait of a man, Delhi IndiaWikiMedia

But I am also thankful. Those lines tell the story of my personal stresses and pain and that of my friends and family. If they could talk, they would tell stories of poorly constructed and unfunny jokes, made funny by being unfunny. They reflect the years of emotion I’ve felt. But in honesty, while I would sometimes with for smooth skin, I would not trade any of those lines for any of my tears or laughter. Each one contributes towards the face I see in the mirror as much as the person behind that.

It used to be more that we would see a life lived in a face wrinkled with time, whereas now we see only age. Isn’t it time we started to see again that not all wrinkles are bad?

Wrinkles discutivo daniel craig omega-da-man FlickrFlickr

Some of the people I admire the most are not fresh faced teenagers but men and women who’s faces tell their story, think Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Dawn French, Daniel Craig and George Cloony. I wonder if they have taken Botox over tears?!!

How do you feel about your wrinkles? Would you sign up for Botox and fillers, or are you prepared to show them as evidence of your life lived?

Versilia Vintage Boise by Profumi del Forte 2009

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Post by Joseph Sagona

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Hi APJ

Versilia Vintage Boise by Profumi del Forte 2009

Versilia Vintage Boise Profumi del Forte FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bitter orange, bergamot, vetiver
Heart: Lavender, Bourbon geranium, honey
Base: Texas cedar, Indonesian patchouli, Tonka, elemi

I get the Honey, Virginia Cedar, Indian Patchouli, Tonka Bean and Lavender and Geranium, it opens up with a smoky, lemon tinged geranium and a bitter, soapy lavender, strong geranium and the lavender is mild. Twenty minutes in and the lavender and bitterness dissipates, in comes a warm, vanilla tinged Tonka bean, and a sweet, syrupy honey, the Tonka is soft and mild honey. After three hours the geranium and Tonka dissipate, the honey softens, in comes a dry, piney, Virginia Cedar, and an earthy with a touch of dirtiness patchouli, the Virginia Cedar is mild and the Indonesian patchouli is soft.

Versilia Vintage Boise Profumi del Forte Marshmallows_in_soft_yellow_and_blue_light WikimediaWikiMedia

Versilia Vintage Boise reminds me of Thierry Mugler’s B’Men and Yohji Homme Yamamoto. B’Men is spicy, musky and woodier, Yamamoto is softer, sweeter and boozy.

This is a really lovely spicy, woody composition, that is very warm, vibrant, appealing, timeless, well balanced, smooth, with a little bit of character and flare.

Versilia Vintage Boise is a very, aromatic, fresh, balmy, slightly dirty, high quality, medicinal nuances, with soft citric undertones Oriental Woody fragrance. This can be worn all year ’round, it would be better suited for the Spring and Summer, I get average projection and average longevity, this was a great offering from Profumi del Forte.

From LuckyScent: “Being last in admiration for the wonder of the pinewood, while all around the world seethed with protest and marches: Versilia, isle of happiness in the magma of the Sixties. I reached the beach following the longest route, emerging amoung the shadows and silence of the residential areas, only to cast my boyish eye on the gardens full of flowers, to read the story of their creation in the pine bark, to enjoy that perfect concerto of aromas and wellbeing. Today I have rewritten those melodies on a pentagram of essences, with perfumed notes and rhythms of rediscovered serenity.”

Versilia Vintage Boise Profumi del Forte viareggio simone_giannini Pixabay

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies
LuckyScent has $170/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $6/ml

Do you like the line?
Portia xx

L`Interdit Givenchy: LIVE Video Sniff

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Post by Portia

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Hey Happy Huffers,

This is one of Scott’s favourite fragrances. To be honest I’d never knowingly sniffed it. He loves it, and has loved it for years. It was really lovely of him to bring his amazing parfum find for us to do an opening video of, it’s nice to share the moment.

L`Interdit by Francis Fabron for Givenchy 1957

LIVE Video Sniff

L`Interdit Givenchy FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, spices, mandarin orange, peach, bergamot, strawberry
Heart: Iris, violet, narcissus, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley, rose
Base: Sandalwood, amber, musk, benzoin, vetiver, tonka bean

If you have never smelled vintage L’Interdit parfum do yourself a favour and stay far away from its loveliness. Who needs an expensive, discontinued, nightmare to find obsession?

Atelier Cologne: Big Fuss About Atelier Cologne!

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Post by Ainslie Walker

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Hello APJ gang!

During the windup of last year I popped into Agence de Parfums Head Quarters and found Nick Smart bent over an interestingly archaic looking machine. It was in fact a leather embossing tool and array of cool looking metal fonts that went with. It was the personalizing tool for the Atelier Cologne travel cases I heard were coming into Australia in time for Christmas. Four of the machines will be on circulation in Australia and New Zealand, ongoing, so perhaps you’ll get to go see?! I know Myers Melbourne had an event in December and Sephora have one planned for the early 2016.

I sat down for a demo and had a play with the range, making a few delicious discoveries from the brand I have neglected until the recent renaissance Down Under! A curious creature, I sniffed about until I had a good overview and here are some snippets I learnt about Atelier Cologne

Atelier Cologne: Big Fuss About Atelier Cologne!

The brand started in 2009 aiming to be the first fragrance house to exclusively “deal” in cologne. However owners Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel pushed boundaries and have given the classic cologne a big squeeze (get it??), inventing the Cologne Absolue…designed not to disappear but evolve on the skin.

The formula? Take an overdose of traditional citrus notes for transparency, add to these additional raw materials for depth and richness then add a high percentage of this “juice” (15-20%) to the base! The result should be longer lasting power out of cologne style fragrances.

So have they managed it?

My instant eyebrow raises went to:

Blanche Immortelle Atelier Cologne FragranticaFragrantica

Blanche Immortelle was an instant knockout. Packaged in a metallic bottle, smelling unique, heavy and beautiful. Australian sandalwood, immortelle absolute, jasmine, rose, patchouli and vetiver give great velvety depth and impact. Orange, mimosa, mandarin and bergamot add sparkle. For development on skin this is just WOW. Quite a beautiful, intimate journey. I will buy a bottle of this as autumn kicks in.

Trefle Pur Atelier Cologne FragranticaFragrantica

Trefle Pur – I JUST LOVE IT. Listed as bitter orange, violet leaves and patchouli I also get a fig and freshly GREEN cut wet grass, moss, patchouli and basil. So so very green and cooling. I feel like a frog hiding under rainforest canopy!

Bois Blonds FragranticaFragrantica

Bois Blonds – Light, crisp, musky-wood and citrusy white floral blend. It was my final pick to go in my personalized case. Orange blossom for me is always my “happy place”. Combined with jasmine, amber, musk, bergamot, lemon and neroli, it’s an easy to wear, portable fragrance for the upcoming heat of summer. I want to layer this with other fragrances in the day as a “top up” and it will live in my handbag. Not sweet, but CRISP. Perfect.

How cute that Atelier Cologne invites wearers to create their own signature spray bottle by engraving a 30ml leather case for free, to complement any purchase of a full sized bottle! Do you have a stockest near you? Which of the range have you tried? Which were your favourites?

Further reading: Now Smell This
Libertine Perfumerie has the range
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

I look forwards to hearing!

Ainslie X

Back-up Bottles: Obsession or Collection?

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Post by Azar

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Hello Perfume Pals,

The other day, while digging through “the collection” in search of an old Bal a Versailles, I was surprised to find a number of un-opened back-up bottles of fragrances that I still like or even love but rarely use. I had forgotten that I had so many of these extras lying around and began to wonder what had prompted me to purchase them. Had I been dreading a reformulation or discontinuation? Were the extras received as gifts? Did I find such a good deal that yet another bottle was simply irresistible? Why wasn’t I using up these scents? This last question opened up a real can of worms: How much perfume do I actually use?

Back-up Bottles: Obsession or Collection?

Back Up Bottles Perfume Collection YouTubeYouTube

I pondered this for a while and realized that I probably average no more than two sprays or dabs per day – unless, of course, I am testing or sampling or writing a post. At two per day I will need several lifetimes to use up all the perfume I’ve stashed away over the many years I’ve been collecting and enjoying fragrance. Here is an incomplete list of partially full bottles, ranging in size from 30 to 300 ml, all backed up with at least two extra, full size bottles:

Annick Goutal Grand Amour
Aramis Calligraphy Rose
Basile EdP – vintage
Bourbon French Oriental Rose
Dior Hypnotic Poison EdT – vintage
Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls EdP – vintage
Fidji EdT – vintage
Jacomo Silences EdT – vintage
L’eau de Monteil EdP – vintage
Lucien Lelong Sirocco cologne – very vintage
Maria Amalia
Micallef Black
Micallef Gardenia
Niki de Saint Phalle EdT – vintage
Olympic Orchids Siam Proun
Queen Latifah
Rasasi Amber Oud
Red Moscow
Sung EdT – vintage
Tom Ford Estee Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude (I’d forgotten I had this and bought another!)

The list goes on, but there is simply not enough room to complete it in this post! I have reviewed several of these, either on APJ or on Perfume NW.

There will be a HUGE giveaway in March when Portia gets back from Europe.

How many back-up bottles do you have in your collection? How much fragrance in the form of parfum, extrait, cologne, EdP or EdT do you use on a daily basis? It’s OK to guess!

Azar xx