MudAustralia Candles: Re-Priced in time for Christmas 2015!!

November 15, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

As some of you know I’m involved in a scented candle collaboration with Mud Australia, who are an all Australian designer porcelain company based in Sydney. Recent expansions see Mud Australia stand alone stores in New York, London, Melbourne and a new Double Bay location in Sydney opening next week.

MudAustralia Candles

Re-Priced in time for Christmas 2015!!

I am happy to announce today that we have been able to reduce the price of the candles in time for your Christmas shopping

From $100 to $85!! at Ainslie Walker<<JUMP

Here is some further information from Portia’s APJ introduction & APJ Christmas Guide 2014

All their gorgeous porcelain designs (plates, bowls, mugs pendant lights, fruit bowls, vases etc.) are handmade in small batches in their Marrickville workshop, including the vessels for the candles. The hues and textures are gorgeous and the reason why they are in demand worldwide.

The candles burn for more than 80 hours. The vessels are reusable either by refilling with a candle refill (also available $40) or through use as a vase, drinking vessel, toothbrush/pen holder etc.

Mud01 – slate, milk or red

The collaboration Mud01 fragrance explores and draws from the soft hues and smooth textures of mud Australia’s porcelain. Ainslie uses a combination of white florals -tuberose, jasmine and orange blossom to create a smooth, creamy note, tolu Resin to add an earthy element, whilst green ginger and spices are used to add depth and warmth. The fragrance is feminine, yet strong, and reminiscent of Shelley Simpson, Mud Australia’s founder.

Mud02 – plum, dust or bottle

Features a fragrance with cedar, leather, amber and musks forming the base with neroli, orange, fresh cut herbs and sun dried hay floating above. The whole combines to give the effect of warm amber and deep woods throughout your home

Available now from Ainslie Walker<<JUMP and Mud Australia stores and stockists worldwide.

Iris Cendre by Julien Rasquinet for Naomi Goodsir 2015

November 14, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Portia

Naomi Goodsir is back with a new fragrance, four in the same number of years. I wish more lines would follow her lead and bring out their selections with more space between them. It could make the fragrance world a less dross riddled arena. My mate Jill from Peony Melbourne was recently at Pitti in Florence and she brought me back a sample of this baby which is available from this week on the website. EXCITING NEWS!

Iris Cendre by Naomi Goodsir 2015

Iris Cendre by Julien Rasquinet

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Floral notes, bergamot, tangerine, spices
Heart: Incense, violet, purple iris
Base: Cistus ladanifer (labdanum), tobacco, amber

Iris Cendre opens fully iris on my skin with a lovely bouquet of citrus sparkling in cool winter sunlight. Someone else mentioned aloe and I have to agree, it smells a bit like opening the pot of aloe vera and the cool refreshing and calming feeling of slathering it over a sunburn. All that is background hum though to the iris, orris & violet which are showing their powdery, earthy and leathery aspects. The heart starts out wet and cool but within the hour Iris Cendre has warmed through considerably and the iris becomes intertwined with the warmer and sweeter base notes and dry smoky hints. Once the spectacle of opening and heart die down Iris Cendre leaves a sheer trail of balmy leather and soft, simple, sweet amber that fades and musks down to close.

Photo Stolen Naomi Goodsir

Iris Cendre is freaking beautiful, especially for the first hour or two. I can imagine perfumistas spritzing in the morning and really enjoying getting to work by which time the fireworks are over and everything is lush and sotto enough to be office appropriate. Iris Cendre is also tenacious, I am left with a lovely wash of clean musks and a hint of resinous goodness over my just-woke-up skin scent.

Here’s the thing. I keep saying I have too much perfume and it’s true, you’d be appalled. Iris Cendre has made me reach for my Credit Card to pay full price. That’s got to tell you how good it is….. actually it’s even better than that. Iris Cendre could be the perfect iris.

Photo Stolen Naomi Goodsir

Further reading: Now Smell This and Colognoisseur
Peony Melbourne has $239/50ml
Surrender To Chance has $6/.5ml

Have you tried any of the Naomi Goodsir range? Are you excited about this one?
Now we just have to keep waiting for the next installment Nuit de Bakelite, a creation with Isabelle Doyen of the Annick Goutal range. MMMMM
Portia xx

Joy vintage parfum by Jean Patou 1929

November 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Portia

Recently I found on the eBay a Joy parfum black snuff bottle, still sealed with string and baudruche (animal intestine seal then, onion skin now) intact and was lucky enough that no one else saw it, well there were two other bids and they were small. I got my perfect vintage sealed beauty for about the cost for 2 people to eat a mid sized meal at McDonalds, including shipping. Oh happy day.

Joy vintage parfum by Jean Patou 1929

Joy vintage parfum by Henri Alméras

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Tuberose, rose, ylang-ylang, aldehydes, peach, green notes
Heart: Jasmine, iris root, Bulgarian rose, lily of the valley, orchid
Base: Musk, sandalwood, civet

Thick, heavy, oily and sparkly fruity floral with a susurrus of freshly cut greenery. A minute in and suddenly there is air, the fragrance breathes and as it does fresh sliced over ripe peach stands above the white flowers before being engulfed by them. The rose is ever present and waltzes through bolstering and linking the fragrance, giving it a richness, working with peach and greenery to create an almost photo realistic rose and then it’s all gone into the heady melange that makes Joy so fabulous, and joyous.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Once I’m past this point Joy becomes itself only, parsing it and cutting it into pieces feels like a very undignified way to treat such a fragrance. What I do now and for the rest of the ride is float on it, drift with one of perfumeries most enduring and seamless creations. The heart of Joy is a mesmerising dream of sumptuous rooms, rich parties, long pearl necklaces, hand finished tailored suits, granite entryways and stainless steel. If ever a fragrance felt like something a protagonist in a novel would wear Joy feels like a perfect fit for Ayn Rand’s lead character in Atlas Shrugged, Dagny Taggart.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: Now Smell This and Non Blonde
Fragrance Shop has EdT $35/25ml
Surrender To Chance has samples of the parfum starting at $7/.25ml

Want to try it? See below.
Portia xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

Joy vintage parfum GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Joy vintage parfum sample
a couple of extras
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged. 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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us your Joy story or why you’d like to try the parfum

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 15th November 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Thursday 19th November 2015 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.

L’Occitane en Provence: Holiday 2015 Film

November 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

Hi there Fragrant Fumies,

One of the things I love about the end of year holiday season is the beautiful films many of the multinational beauty companies create and present. This is the first I’ve seen from L’Occitane and I think you will love it.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen YouTube

L’Occitane en Provence: Holiday 2015 Film

A Dazzling Provençal Journey

Need some last minute, well priced Xmas ideas? L’Occitane Au can help. No, I’m not affiliated or paid by the company, LOVE the L’Occitane products though. XX

ARAMIS Calligraphy GIVEAWAY WINNER

November 13, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Totally exciting giveaway, thanks Azar for being so generous. You are a star.

Portia xxx

ARAMIS Calligraphy GIVEAWAY WINNER

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml decant of the 3 Aramis Calligraphy Series fragrances
Calligraphy
Calligraphy Rose
Calligraphy Saffron
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 12th November 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen HighestSelf

Jessi

The winner will have till Sunday 15th November 2015 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.

Mr. Whiskers Beard Balms by Laurie Stern for Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

November 12, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Poodle

I received a lovely bunch of samples from the Fragments 2015 show. The little burlap bag from Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery was one of my favorite discoveries. Inside were samples of Honey which I reviewed last time and Mr. Whiskers Beard Balm which I had to try just because of the fabulous name. Laurie Stern is the perfumer behind the brand which is named in honor of her two cat’s. She uses natural ingredients and the products are made in small batches. They are also cruelty free. I’ve enjoyed sampling her perfumes so I was hopeful I’d like the beard balms.

Mr. Whiskers Beard Balms by Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

Mr. Whiskers Beard Balms by Laurie Stern

Juniper & Cypress Forest, Piñon Desert, and Vetiver Breeze

Photo Stolen Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

Ingredients – organic oils of jojoba, avocado, rose hip seed, organic cocoa butter, beeswax from their own bees, virgin oil de coco creme, essential oils

Let’s clarify one thing. I don’t have a beard so I’m sure you’re wondering what on earth I’d want with a beard balm. Well, I have dry hair and lately I have a head full of frizz. I’ll try just about anything to calm it down. Why not beard balm? Hair is hair.

The first one I tried was Juniper & Cypress Forest Beard Balm with notes of, you guessed it, juniper and cypress. Compared to most of the fruity and flowery hair products out there this is a refreshing change. It smells forest-like and clean. Piney, but not like a Christmas tree. It reminds me of a cabin in the woods.

Vetiver Breeze is great for vetiver lovers. It’s fresh and earthy. I enjoyed catching a faint whiff of this one in my hair.

Next up was Piñon Desert with notes of piñon pine and sandalwood. This was my favorite of the three. It’s woody, but not sharp and synthetic. It hints at being in a lumberyard. There’s a warmth and a softness to it as well.

Photo Stolen Flickr

These scents are not going to overpower. They’re linear and light but it’s beard oil not perfume so that’s fine. I can’t imagine anyone wanting a strong scented product to use around their mouth area anyway. They’re somewhat solid in the container but melt on contact with warm hands. They’re oily but they are not heavy feeling and would probably work well as a body oil in winter. I didn’t use much and they did calm down my frizz and give my hair a decent bit of shine without silicones. For me, Beard Balms seem to soften and smooth my hair and skin pretty well so I imagine they’d work great when used on beards as intended. I’m curious to see what hubby says when he sees beard oil on my Christmas list.

Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery has $22/10ml

Guys, do you use a beard oil? Do any of you use hair oils? What’s your holy grail dry hair remedy?

Poodle xxx

White Musks: Friend or Foe?

November 11, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by Trésor

I like white musk, I cannot lie and I like it a lot. Many of you will be familiar with my profound affection for accords steeped in subversion, depravity and potions rife with filthy delight but when it’s just me, myself and I there is only one solution: a proper cumulonimbus of glimmering white musk. Instead of just one review this week I’ve opted instead for three, a collection of my most cherished and well loved fragrances graced with this accord of pellucid splendour.

White Musks: Friend or Foe?

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Pure eVe by Céline Ellena for The Different Company 2011

First up on the docket is Pure eVe (formerly known as Pure Virgin) from French niche house The Different Company. Pure eVe opens in an exquisite breath of sheer vanilla, flirting with the idea of confection but never quite registering as a treat that’s entirely edible. Soon vanilla gracefully fades into cascades of creamy almond and transparent caramel, each tendril encapsulated within zephyrs of gentle powder. The base is comprised of a glorious and breathtakingly kaleidoscopic blend of white musks, each one scintillating and setting another aglow until they are all but one orb of fluid light.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Royal Muska by Jean-Claude Astier for M. Micallef 2008

I happened upon Jean-Claude Astier’s Royal Muska for M. Micallef entirely by accident. I’d been snooping through a friend’s perfume shelf as one does and the most gloriously glittering bottle caught my eye. There was no question, I had to spray myself and the from the moment I did I could tell that it was going to be love. From first sniff there is a familiarity, I can catch whiffs of delicate summertime beauty. Ephemeral flourishes silky cream and raspberry permeate the background, cheekily peeking through a veil of aroma that’s reminiscent of fine French soap. At the heart is a translucent interpretation of ripe and velvety peach that carries through until the composition has become glowing billows of plush white musk.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Lovely by Laurent Le Gurnec + Clement Gavarry for Sarah Jessica Parker 2005

Out of my entire collection there are but a small a handful of fragrances which I use on a regular basis and even fewer which I use entirely and repurchase time and time again. Alongside my greatest love, Aromatics Elixir from Clinique there is only one other where I have repurchased bottles more times than I can count: Lovely from Sarah Jessica Parker. The opening of lovely, to my humble nose, is sheer perfection. Silken plumes of luxurious white musk are scintillating with fractals of golden light radiating threads of glowing bergamot and transparent grains of sea salt, their form cut as precious stone. At the heart of Lovely dwells the velvet petals of a white rose, her petals bathed in the roseate hue of celestial evening sunlight. The warmth of the rich rosewood that comprises the base is utterly magnetic and the soft shades of amber on which it rests are equally as exquisite. If I were to choose only one white musk for the rest of my life, there is no question of which it would be. Lovely.

You might find this interesting: Surrender To Chance Musks Sampler

What are your favourite fragrances focused around an accord of white musk?

Until next time, kittens.

Trésor, xo.

Mito Extrait by Vero Kern for Vero Profumo 2013

November 10, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Hi APJ,

From LuckyScent: Mito is Vero’s long-awaited fourth composition, inspired by the magical gardens of the 16th century Villa d’Este on Lake Como in Italy. The myths the name conjures might be the gods and nymphs whose statues people the garden. But we’re rather inclined to think of the myths of perfumery. Mito, a glorious green floral chypre built around the Villa d’Este magnolias and jasmine, isn’t so much a descendent of the great Chanels and Guerlains as a wayward sister to Cristalle or Chamade who made her way to Northern Italy and thrived.

Mito Extrait by Vero Profumo 2013

Mito Extrait by Vero Kern

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Citruses, magnolia, champaca, jasmine, galbanum, hyacinth, cypress, moss

Mito Extrait is beautiful. A word sporadically used in the fragrant world today. A perfume that gives pleasure and exalts the intellect. The combination and quality of materials give fulfillment to both the mind and the senses. Outstanding perfumery is not dead, but you need to search for it.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

A few drops of the Mito melt into the skin, moving with your body. It invokes swirls of pinks and greens, juicy, luscious, sophisticated. Deep within the citrus, magnolia, white flowers and moss, is an exquisite succulent tuberose, completely hidden at first glance. In the same way that Kool-Aid makes your mouth water, the tartness of the tuberose stimulates your olfactory perception. And yet it conforms to the artistic model of the old classics. and you feel that this is not the first time you have smelled such beauty. It belongs to a bygone era, to an established and accepted tradition of perfumery. The addition of civet the acme of excellence.

Magic Fairy Princess (Spirit 1975)

You´re the one, you´re the girl in a million my friend
It is you fairy princess I will love to the end
You´re the magic fairy princess to me
I thought my life was over, but now I see

So alone, I was alone for such a very long time
Then I came and understood and our love began to shine
You´re the magic fairy princess to me

Lying here all alone and I´m thinking of you
I would climb the highest mountain
Slay a dragon for you
Because you´re the magic fairy princess.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Australian Perfume Junkies
LuckyScent has $180/7.5ml
Surrender To Chance have EdP samples from $6/.5ml

Who does not need beauty in their lives?

Retro Electric Bussis
CQ

(Ed: Unmarked photos donated by Val & Vero. Thanks Girls.)

Aramis Calligraphy Series

November 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 61 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

The art of calligraphy is the stylized rendition of a word or text. Just so, the Aramis Calligraphy fragrances are stylized versions of classic middle-eastern perfumes.

About two months ago the three beautiful EdPs in the Aramis Calligraphy Series landed in the discount bins of several on-line retailers. As far as I can tell these brand new, in the box bargains are authentic. Has the line been discontinued? Did the initial targeting of the middle-eastern market prove to be a mistake? Whatever the case may be, it is now possible to purchase 100 ml for less than a third to slightly over half of the original prices.

Let me tell you a little about the series. To start, the bottles are adorned with the stunning calligraphy of Lebanese graphic artist Tarek Atrissi. His artwork represents the name of the jus in each bottle – “Calligraphy”, “Rose” and “Saffron”.

Aramis Calligraphy Series

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Aramis Calligraphy by Trudi Loren – 2012
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, lemon, cinnamon
Heart: Myrrh, saffron, rose
Base: Patchouli, amber, musk, agarwood

This first fragrance impresses me with a spare, astringent opening that quickly morphs to a woody, rosy lemon scent. As Calligraphy dries I cannot detect any of the rich, dense barnyard or medicinal aspects that characterize many oud oils. I don’t get a lot of amber either. The base notes are quite woody but extremely light, just a breath, really. From beginning to end (no more than 8 hours) this is an understated and shy scent, perfect for the man (or woman) who doesn’t want to come on too strong but who would like to be remembered as aloof, elegant and refined.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Aramis Calligraphy Rose by Trudi Loren – 2013
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Oregano, saffron, honeysuckle
Heart: Turkish rose, myrrh, styrax, lavender
Base: Labdanum, musk, ambergris, olibanum.

Calligraphy Rose opens with a fresh, green, resinous rose that quickly warms to caramel, perhaps the result of the combination of styrax and the other resinoids with the ambergris and saffron. Eventually a powdery, masculine herbal effect makes it clear that this fragrance, despite being suffused with rosy incense from top to bottom, was designed to be unisex. Calligraphy Rose lasts forever on clothing and about 12 hours on my skin. It is much bolder than the first Calligraphy but manages to maintain the elegant and refined vibe of the original.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Aramis Calligraphy Saffron by Clement Gavarry – 2014
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, marigold
Heart: Saffron, Turkish rose absolute, lavender
Base: Tonka absolute, styrax, vetiver

About a year ago Portia referred to this fragrance as “an extremely sensual glamour puss”! Calligraphy Saffron is SO glamorous that it won the Fragrance Foundation’s Perfume Extraordinaire Award for 2015. Saffron opens with bright marigold and saffron. A little sharp, a little earthy perhaps, but not for long. In no time this beauty starts pumping out more saffron, styrax, rose and tonka , becoming richer and warmer as the hours go by – eight to twelve on my skin and much longer on clothing. Like the other two fragrances in the series the sillage is relatively discrete – for a “glamour puss”!

Today’s Giveaway: One winner will receive a set of three 2ml decants representing the Aramis Calligraphy Series. To be eligible for the draw, please tell us how you follow APJ and let us know why you think fragrances similar to the Calligraphy scents end up in the discount bins.

Azar xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

Aramis Calligraphy Series GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml decant of the 3 Aramis Calligraphy Series fragrances
Calligraphy
Calligraphy Rose
Calligraphy Saffron
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO 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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) 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 us how you think fragrances like the Calligraphy scents end up in the discount bins

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Aramis Calligraphy Series #GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-4rx @EsteeLauder #Perfume @Giveaway

Entries Close Thursday 12th November 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Sunday 15th November 2015 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.

L’Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc GIVEAWAY WINNERS

November 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Thanks to Lesley and L’Occitane Australia. They have some excellent Christmas Gift packs currently if you’re looking for something fragrant and reasonably priced for gifts, or even a self-splurge.

Let’s see who our lucky winners are!
Portia xx

Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, black currant
Heart: Iris pallida, Florentine iris, ylang-ylang, peach, fig
Base: White musk, cedar

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x 10ml decant Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc in the funky new atomisers
a couple of extras
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 8th November 2015 10pm Australian EST
Winner were chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen thegarfieldshow-diary

Jackie b

Odbayar

DESPINA VNT (via Twitter)

The winner will have till Thursday 12th November 2015 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.