Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2016 Perfume Reviews

March 26, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Gorgeous APJ Family,

It’s Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances time again, my favourite seasons are Autumn and Spring, the mid seasons. I love that in both these seasons the weather can be remarkably similar, sunny and warm on one day, freezing or blustery on another, nights are cool to cold and so the overall wearings are quite similar. These fragrances are on my desk and within easy spritz reach and they only stay on the desk while they are getting regular spritz time, if they’ve been sitting there for more than a few days without attention they go back in the cupboard.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2016 Perfume Reviews

Liberte*** – Cacharel: A screaming, sizzling, BarBQ’d orange that is so sugary and ends up in a vanilla/patchouli/orange finale. I’ve loved it for years and now that it seems to be discontinued I’ve had to grab a couple of back up bottles, which are being used much faster than expected.

Shalimar EdP*** + Parfum – Guerlain: My old faithful. Shalimar fits every season, every mood and every event. From it’s citrus gelato opening to the resinous, vanilla and leather dry down I love Shalimar through and through. If I had to pick a fragrance to be my one and only Shalimar would be it.

Mitzah** – DIOR Prive: For those cooler nights Mitzah. Sweet, spicy, animal roses that feel like they have a whisper of oud in with the patchouli. Warm and sensual but cool enough to wear all year.

Neroli & Orchidee** – L’Occitane: A great L’Occitane cheap and cheerful fragrance! Spring has definitely sprung. The pithy neroli so green and furry foloowed by a very pretty and slightly breathy bouquet that dries out to soft nutty woods & white musks. This is one of the few in the Collection de Grasse series that is being maintained, PHEW!!

Niki de Saint Phalle**: I can’t stop wearing this glamorous green. Currently the bottle on my desk is a splash one and I like to use the Niki de Saint Phalle Bath Oil while bathing before wearing it. Bright, fun and energetic. Niki de Saint Phalle is take charge with a twinkle in your eye. I think it’s the mint in the opening contrasting with the fruit and galbanum, gets me every time.

Mohur EdP – Neela Vermeire Creations: Mohur is back in the list, I can’t get enough of this lavish rosy kaleidoscope a fragrance. The stunning roses, resins and herbs opening that segues to a spicy bouquet before the sweet vanilla, woods and resins take me to close. AWESOME! I also have the Extrait but the EdP is the one I reach for most.

Shea Fabulous Oil – L’Occitane: If you don’t have this and you like to have smooth, glistening skin and to smell like a tropical island princess then get out of your seat and run to your nearest L’Occitane store. I have never EVER received so many compliment for how good I smell or how soft and gorgeous my skin is. Hot or cold it’s a winner.

Joy EdT + Parfum – Jean Patou: That ridiculous swirl of jasmine, ylang and aldehydes that becomes a rosy, white floral bouquet over sandalwood. Honestly I don’t smell the notes anymore I smell joy. It brings me joy. The vintage EdT is nearly finished and the Parfums get sneaky little swipes or spritzes ; yes there are spray and splash on the desk. Perfect bedtime fragrance.

Truth or Dare – Madonna: Not long ago I panic bought a bunch of the sets on deep discount because I thought it was the end. So now I can have a bubble bath, moisturise and spritz the EdP to my hearts contentment. I think its the best big white floral of all time, and costs nothing. LOVE IT!

Giverny In Bloom – DSH Perfumes: My 10ml is nearly empty. I think I’m going to have to order 100ml and soon. You have no idea how beautiful Giverny In Bloom is. Both dry and wet, like putting your head in a florists fridge and licking the metal doors. Galbanum rules this baby but Dawn has surrounded her star with beautiful back up dancers.

There are my current mid-season Top 10. They will probably be changed by next week but right now these ten fragrances are getting good skin time and working extremely well in the changeable conditions that the mid-seasons hand us.

What are you wearing right now? Give me a Top 3 if you’ve got one…..

Loads of love to you all, wherever and in what ever weather,
Portia x

Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2013
Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2014
Top 10 Spring/Autumn Fragrances 2015

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

***Third year in the Top 10
**Second year in the Top 10

Soap: Let’s Talk Hoarding

March 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 38 Comments

Post by Portia

Pssssst APJ,

Want to read a secret? You think my fragrance collection is big, you should see my bathing products collection. O M G! It is Out Of Control. If I live to two thousand years old I will not have used all my soap, shower gels, bubble bath and bath oils. It’s a freaking SICKNESS and I can’t stop. Nor would I want to, it’s fun choosing what to use next or to put in Jin’s bathroom.

Soap: Let’s Talk Hoarding

Here’s the funny thing. I would be just as happy if I had 5 bars of Simple Soap in the cupboard and that was all we used. It’s not that I get more happiness by having more but they are all so lovely and some are so old that they have rarity value (for me) and opening them is particularly exciting. Knowing it could be the last Bal a Versailles vintage soap I’ll ever open, that’s a MOMENT. A momentous occasion to be savoured and enjoyed. Almost as exciting as its first use, or the package arriving, or the last use when you know that sliver has had its final fling.

Today while in the bath I got to open a brand spanking new beauty. L’Occitane soaps are so silky, I love how they feel while washing and how my skin feels after. The Pour Homme scent is soft and lightly refreshing but mainly it has a Western clean feel.
So, here is a small selection of the hoard. I grabbed some of my favourites, some of the vintage and some bought on holidays. Every soap has a story as much as every fragrance does and some are absolutely irreplaceable. Opening the ultra rare gives me an incredible thrill, I’m sure you can imagine.

Here are three Hermès soaps, the beige is vintage Caleche and the maroon vintage Amazon, the Eau d’Orange Vert bought shopping in LA with Tom from Perfume Posse. The Tea Tree is from New Delhi FAB India, behind that is Ortigia Sicilia which I bought from Twisted Lily, Brooklyn NYC Nov 2014, in front of that is a set of Oriza L Legrand bought in Feb 2014 from their Paris store, Saipua Cedarwood with Eucalyptus & Mint bought from Beauty Habit on the Perfume Posse ScentSation Bus Tour.

The Greco-Deco I bought from Peony Melbourne but had read of them on Bois de Jasmin, love the Jo Malone packaging but haven’t tried the soaps yet, Amouage Interlude 4 pack of mini soaps are so lux, Nesti Dante was bought in Vienna while shopping with Sandra of Olfactoria’s Travels and Michael Borg. Mitsouko & Shalimar!!! Who has ever used these? I just love having them. Down the front is Andy Tauer’s Rose soap, a limited edition crowd funding soap I bought.

Mysore Sandal Soap was once made of real sandalwood but I think it’s now mainly synthetic, still smells beautiful and leaves me softly scented, Claus Porto Cerina bought at LuckyScent in May 2013 on the Perfume Posse ScentSation Bus Tour, Bal a Versailles came in its cellophane but I had to open it (smells freaking incredible), Le De Givenchy came in a pristine set with a frag & 2 soaps, Little Stars is from Olympic Orchids and it will blow your mind, CHANEL No 5 soap also came in a frag + soap pack.

They slowly get used, I love to have them and they are all so glamorous.

What is your favourite soap?
Portia xx

Mitsouko by Guerlain vintage parfum C1988

February 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Vintage Frag Freaks,

You know I’m a bit of a Guerlainophile? Well, I rather like their work. Recently I picked up a little bottle of the parfum, used but still about 80% full, in the iconic bottle, only 7.5ml. Well I can’t stop dabbing it. It sits here on my desk and calls to me with its luscious sweet fruity dryness and what can I do but indulge?

Mitsouko by Guerlain vintage parfum C1988

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Neroli, Jasmine, Rose
Heart: Peach, Rose, Clove, Ylang-Ylang, Lilac, Jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, Labdanum, Patchouli, Benzoin, Vetiver, Cinnamon

Tonight, quite late, I drew the bath and put some Radox Bath Salts in. About half way through the running I decided to add in 15 drops of Jo Malone Red Roses Bath Oil. Suddenly the room smelled unbelievable, deep, blood red roses, dry black tea and the crackle of split branch and wood. We are having an unseasonal summer cold snap so I made the water lovely and hot. An hour later I arose like an extremely obese Birth of Venus both clean and rosy, rosy skin and smell.

Having come back to my desk afterwards I had thought I’d wear Mohur or Ballets Rouges but instead decided to dab myself like crazy with Mitsouko. MMMMMMM I smell freaking amazing and the rosy underlay has definitely amped the rosy nature of Mitsouko and given it a whole new more austere and aloof mien than usual. It’s different but lovely, different enough to be a rose Mitsouko flanker and I for me the Red Roses adds a lightness and freshness that is very modern, is there a bunch of white musk under Red Roses? I’m getting them even if there isn’t.

Wikipedia

Still Mitsouko but slightly changed, some air between the heavily constructed, dense, historic notes. An extra swish and zing from the 21st century yet still laid over the intricate, nuanced and slightly dirty grace of one of the most revered fragrances in the books.

Now I have applied a second layer of extrait over the same spots as before and the Mitsouko is pretty much back to normal now. Maybe because I have rose on my mind there is still a large overblown old fashioned fruity cabbage rose in my olfactory picture but the other notes like clove, peach, ylang and amber are much more prominent and noticeable. HA! Maybe I just needed more Mitsouko juice on my skin?

This morning, I wake up to the softest thrill of something not quite me above my skin. My guess is oakmoss and vanilla from Mitsouko and some white musks from Red Roses, it shimmers above my skin but is not really a fragrance. It’s the ghost of the memory of being fragrant.

Geograph

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Persolaise
Mitsouko can be tried at any department store with a Guerlain counter for FREE. Go spritz lavishly.
Surrender To Chance have vintage parfum samples starting at $10/0.25ml

Please tell us your Mitsouko story? I’d love to read it.
Portia xx

Perfume Favourites & Chasing Dreams

February 9, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Post by BlondesWunder

Hi APJ,
Mum´s in Vienna with Portia today so you are stuck with me.

Favourite Frags

Currently I use about five perfumes. Anymore than that and i couldn’t make a decision of what to use each morning/evening. Before i started to care about perfume, I clearly remember my Mom buying a Bvlgari perfume and thinking how ridiculous it was to spend that much money on a bottle of “smell good”. Does anyone really care about how you smell?!

Well how wrong I was! Several years later I fell down the rabbit hole. Perfume is for me first!
It’s not only the smell, it is the story and feeling that comes with it.

I prefer to use perfumes in cooler weather and so wear more in the winter season.

Right now I sport:

Fragrantica

Serge Lutens. La Fille de Berlin

Vero Profumo. Rubj Extrait

Fragrantica

Chanel. Eau Premiere No 5

Fragrantica

Guerlain. Gourmande Coquin

Neela Vermeire Creations. Pichola

Lolita Lempicka de Lolita Lempicka (I have very little left, does anyone have some for me? I have been through five bottles since I was 14 years old. It was my first perfume.)

Flickr

Chasing Dreams

My dream since childhood is to work with makeup. A few weeks ago Sandra from Vienna took me into a MAC store and made me ask if they were hiring people. I got a business card.

To my surprise they called a week later and invited me to their recruitment day in Vienna. I was asked to bring my own model and brushes. I was the only unqualified person out of seven.

Within a week I received a call offering me a full-time job in the stand alone MAC store in Salzburg. Needless to say I burst into tears.

Blondes Wunder by Val

I am beyond excited and of course a little nervous, I can not believe they chose me!

I will keep you updated.

Love xoxo BlondesWunder

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016: Photo Essay

January 31, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 38 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Guerlainophiles,

The Place Vendome store is closed. Sad but the good news is that they are re-opening there at a smaller venue, work to commence soon.

In the interim Guerlain have opened a lovely new store on the Rue de Saint Honoré. It opened last Thursday! So new there is no name on the front. Jin & I had to follow our noses. Inside the crew were extremely friendly and helpful. Our particular hostess was Coraline and she wanted us to have the ultimate Guerlain experience.

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016

Ostensibly I was going in to gran a Nahema parfum and a bottle of L’Heure de Nuit. It didn’t quite pan out that way because there was NEW STUFF! But I did manage to grab the Nahema parfum, There is a new exclusive and I fell heavily so I swapped out my L’Heure de Nuit for a Promenade des Anglais! Fig, Iris and Citrus over a seemingly marzipan base. Freaking gorgeous!

The real surprise was the new multi coloured glas bottles in the exclusives bee bottles. They are 125ml and you can choose any of the 7 or so colours and put in one of the 18 scents. Once you have made your selection your choice of fragrance s then decanted into your bottle from a large industrial urn, like a 21st century Caron adventure, and packed safely away for traveling. It’s quite the experience. As always, Guerlain delivers a magical and exciting ride.

The choice was interesting and it took me nearly half an hour to finally decide on Cuir Beluga. Here is how our afternoon panned out in pictures. You can only get these bottles at the Rue de Saint Honoré store and they are not sending any. It’s a limited offer so get to paris QUICK!

Enjoy,
Portia xx

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016

Photo Essay

Guerlain x JonOne – The Dark and Wild Becoming: Video

January 14, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Guerlainophiles,

You’ve probably seen the newest way to wear your bee bottle. Custom painted by artist JonOne. They are priced far out of reach of the normal mortals pocket but they are beautiful and utterly desirable. I find myself torn. Should I eat this year and keep my lovely home, or should I buy a JonOne Bee Bottle?

Guerlain

It’s a trifle at €9000 and this startling orange one is filed chock full of Rose Barbare, there is blue for Shalimar and pink for La Petite Robe Noire.

Maybe not, for me. Still the video is sensational. So full of existential artist angst.
Enjoy.
Portia xx

Guerlain x JonOne – The Dark and Wild Becoming

Boxing Day 2015

December 26, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi All,

You have survived Christmas or you didn’t celebrate. Either way it’s over for another year. Boxing Day is here in Sydney.

So Christmas here was a lovely, laid back affair. We ended up with only ten people at table and it was a perfect size. There was loads of room for everyone and no elbows getting in each others way. Jin & I were up quite late getting the apartment organised and having an event spurred us on to get some things done that had been on the list since we moved in. We both slept like logs and then up bright and early to do finishing touches. Jin also had to get his dessert ready so we could throw them in the oven when we needed to.

Photo Donated Kath Waples

This year we did something new. Every family had to bring a salad, meat and dessert. It was all planned in advance so we had a fabulous selection and everyone had enough. It cut down on prep time for everyone and meant that we all arrived feeling much less stressed than usual. Jin made mango dacquiris to start us off on the right foot and they were particularly potent so by the time we sat to dinner everyone was feeling convivial. There were a selection of sparkling white or moscato with lunch and still or sparkling water, add garlic bread and a serve yourself buffet and you have an idea of how it all went.

Christmas Tree & Presents

In between courses we did presents. My lovely haul included a new wallet, reading light, back armour for my bike jacket, gift cards and LOADS of chocolates!!!

Dessert was extravagant. Jin cooked mini apple pies with cream and Jane, my BFFs sister, created an ice cream cake with 4 layers and that was drizzled with ice magic and sprinkled with berries, we didn’t even bring out the Christmas Cake and there was something else but I didn’t even notice it. With dessert I percolated some coffee and made some Irish breakfrast tea and we sat around chatting and laughing.

Ma & Pa Waples

CHANEL No 5 was the fragrance de jour but to be honest I was so busy organising and eating that it was background hum, it’s completely faded now but I’m thinking that a bath is in order and then I’m craving vintage Mitsouko by Guerlain.

Photo Donated Kath Waples

Boxing Day 2015

Today we are having a sleep in and then going for a swim with the same crew we spent lunch with today. Perfect! It feels like a Liberté by Cacharel kinda day but I’m wavering and think that maybe I’ll wear Skin on Skin by L’Artisan, Teo Cabanel Alahine or V Intense by Piguet.
It’s days like today that remind me how freaking lucky I am in so many ways.

What did you all get up to and what frags did you wear?
Portia xxx

Fabulous Department Store Pick Ups!

December 18, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Portia

AAAARRGGGHHHH! Are you still left with a HEAP of shopping to do? Running out of time & ideas? Want to get something with a WOW factor but just can’t cope with another screaming run around? I get it. Today I wandered around a suburban department store beauty section to see what was still available in regular stores that will give whoever you’re shopping for a thrill. Don’t be afraid, we’ve got your backs…

Fabulous Department Store Pick Ups!

Photo Stolen Bottega Veneta

Bottege Veneta Shower Gel 200ml: If you are anything like us then you can’t get enough of the original Bottega Veneta fragrance. Jin has already flown through a big bottle and a small one, he’s getting another for Christmas. The matching Shower Gel is AUD$60 at David Jones.

Photo Stolen CHANEL

CHANEL Le Vernis Nail Colour 18 Rouge Noir: Dark plummy, lavish and elegant. Who can resist the double Cs of CHANEL? Only AUD$39 at David Jones so it’s all the glamour and only a little of the price.

Photo Stolen CHANEL

CHANEL Hydra Beauty Nutrition Lip Care Balm: This is the gift that keeps giving. Every time the recipient pulls their CHANEL Lip Balm out in public they will feel like a superstar. The ultimate in nonchalant luxury, and then they can say it was a gift. Cool kid. AUD $54 at David Jones.

Photo Stolen David Jones

Crabtree & Evelyn West Indian Lime Shave Soap In Wooden Bowl: I love the lather and the ease of shaving when I use a brush. My skin feels more ready and is less prone to cuts and abrasions. Great gift for the clean, or partly, shaven AUD$34 at David Jones.

Photo Stolen DIOR

DIOR Addict Lipstick Gotha 967: Deepest darkest mulberry red, enticing enough to make a priest blush. Every time they reapply this you’ll be thanked quietly but fervently. Gotha 967 is AUD$52 at David Jones

Photo Stolen DIOR

DIOR Hydra Life Beauty Awakening Rehydrating Mask: 10 minutes to better hydrated skin! Who doesn’t need this gorgeous DIOR gem. This is a good one to gift the guys who care for themselves too. AUD$75 at David Jones.

Photo Stolen Guerlain

Guerlain La Laque 400 Coque d’Or: Shimmering gold for Christmas, Guerlain is for the discerning gift receiver. A little less well known and all the more luxurious because of it. AUD$30 at David Jones.

Photo Stolen Guerlain

Guerlain Cils dEnfer Maxi Lash Volume Creating Curl Sculpting Mascara Marine: A little hint of navy blue on the tips of your lashes will make your eyes pop whiter and brighter, giving the effect of larger more doe like peepers. AUD$48 at David Jones.

Photo Stolen David Jones

Tom Ford Conditioning Beard Oil Neroli Portifino: Bearded men are EVERYWHERE! It’s as if suddenly in 2005 the razor became anathema to the cool kids and by 2011 the whole world had caught up. Tom’s on the bandwagon and David Jones has 50ml/AUD$72

Photo Stolen David Jones

Yves Saint Laurent Kouros EdT 100ml: Kouros is still gorgeous. Not the urinous, screechy, sexual monster it was originally but now even more wearable and men still smell great in it. I love the new look packaging and it’s AUD$69 at David Jones.

All this from a quick zip around the beauty area in my local David Jones department store. No, not affiliated with David Jones but I wanted to show you that even if you’re running late, or out of money, that there are a few affordable luxury items left within reach.

What’s your last minute gift buying advice? What did I miss?
Portia xx

Shalimar by Guerlain: Back To My Favourite

December 11, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 33 Comments

Post by Portia

Hiya Frag Fiends,

Shalimar has been my enduring fragrant love. Since it was the fragrance of my Mum for years and some of her friends continued to wear it right through our childhood. Then working a couple of summers at the fragrance counter in a suburban mall, Carlingford Grace Bros. and getting to know a slew of fragrances it still held sway as the most beautiful of them all. Even now after being down the fragrant worm hole for years I still come back to Shalimar regularly and every time I do I quietly ask myself why I ever needed to stray from its billowing extravagance.

Shalimar by Guerlain 1925: Back To My Favourite

Shalimar by Jacques Guerlain

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, mandarin orange, cedar, lemon, bergamot
Heart: Iris, rose, vetiver, jasmine, patchouli
Base: Civet, musk, tonka bean, opoponax, leather, incense, vanilla, sandalwood

All I knew of Shalimar through my childhood was that it smelled incredible: its sweet, lemon ice-creamy vanilla over a hefty dollop of animal warmth, woodsy incense and plush leathers was so alluring and engulfing.

Named for the Shalimar gardens of Lahore (and Kapurthala’s homage) but the back story is of the love of Shah Jahan for a princess from the Persian nobility who he fell in love with, married and made her his favourite queen, after she died giving birth to their 14th child he nearly bankrupted his kingdom building the Taj Mahal as her crypt. The second time I was at the Taj Mahal the whole experience was so overwhelming that I needed to sit on the steps leading into the park and have a little moment. Yes, I was wearing Shalimar.

Above is a picture of my Shalimar collection. Only the bottles of open boxes are shown, quite a few remain unopened because they are doubles, I have decants or they are discontinued and having/holding/looking at them is as good as smelling them. One of my parfums is not parfum at all (maybe EdC?) and another smells like it has been stretched with perfumers alcohol. The rosebud bottle is still sealed as are the 16oz watchface bottle and the little parfum on the navy box. The batwing bottle that is 1/3 full is my 4th bottle of EdT over the years, I really want to buy one of the newest but feel naughty as I have 2 backups bought at extremely reasonable prices when buying this one. What is interesting is that though the Shalimars are all different, they are so similar that if you’re wearing them for pleasure rather than parsing and blogging they are all pretty much one. No matter what era though the lemon ice-creamy fizz with the vanilla and an animal growl fits me like a glove. My number one.

Further reading: Erica Golding at APJ and Portia on EdC at APJ
FragranceNet has EdT $49/90ml before Coupon
Surrender To Chance has EdP samples from $3/ml

What is your number one?
Portia xx

La Petite Robe Noire: Eau Fraîche: Guerlain: Film

November 20, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hi Guerlain-o-philes,

One of the cleverest fragrant advertising coups has been the huge success of the La Petite Robe Noire ads for Guerlain. They are fun, sentimental, naughty and spot on across age groups. Using These Boots Are Made For Walking as the theme song, the cartoon images, naughty seduction of a bell boy and adding in fashion and Paris all at once, Genius.

Here is the latest in the line for the 2015 flanker. In GREEN! My favourite.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen Guerlain

La Petite Robe Noire – Eau Fraîche – GUERLAIN