Guerlain

Cuir Beluga by Olivier Polge for Guerlain 2005

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hello Gorgeouises,

This is a fragrance I stayed away from for a long time because of its name. I thought Cuir Beluga was representing a leather and fish roe fragrance, which while interesting was not something I wanted to smell like. In my head it smelled like under the boardwalk.

Cuir Beluga by Guerlain 2005

CuirBeluga FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Mandarin, immortelle flower, leather, amber, heliotrope and vanilla.

I read on PerfumeShrine that Cuir Beluga means Whale Leather in Russian, but no whales have been hurt in the production of this modern Guerlain. Cuir Beluga is extremely pretty and not overpowering, though the first half hour you are definitely fragrant in clouds of sweet citric vanilla and a lovely soft leather. After that first rush though Cuir Beluga settles into a slow and stately fragrance that never pushes the boundaries or becomes too gourmand. A cool vanilla, a supple much loved leather and a hint of the herbaceous that is going to fade through the dry down almost the same as it is a the one hour point.

I have no comparison to Whale Leather but I can’t imagine it smells like Cuir Beluga at all.

Cuir Beluga is so wearable and pretty that you can spritz and forget it, smelling divine for about 5 – 6 hours. A perfect choice for non perfumistas who want to smell good without smelling clever. Does that make sense? All done in the lavish and luxe Guerlain way.

Further reading Olfactoria’sTravels & PerfumeShrine.
Cuir Beluga is available through Guerlain stores and at some department store Guerlain counters
ThePoshPeasant starts at $7/ml

Have you tried Cuir Beluga? Were you surprised by its soft and fluffy scent?
Till tomorrow wishing you only good
Portia xx

Shalimar Parfum Initial by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Hello there APJ Family,

In 2011 there was an enormous flurry of excitement, Guerlain and relatively new comer to the reins of their fragrance division Theirry Wasser, decided to reinvent with a sideways flanker the most famous of the houses fragrances; Shalimar. Flankers are a tricky problem for frag houses, too close and why bother, too far and WTF has this got to do with the original. I understand that it is better to have a pre-existing fan base, brand recognition, history and visual cue to spur your product forwards into the stratosphere of over 1300 new releases from brands big enough to have registered their launches on BaseNotes in 2012. Still it’s a tricky concept.

Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain 2011

ShalimarParfumInitial FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, orange, green notes
Heart: Rose, jasmine, iris, vetiver, patchouli
Base: Vanilla, white musk, tonka bean, caramel

One of the Fragrantica commenters 100mlEDT says: Entirely representing the outer trappings of the original and giving it rose coloured glasses. I thought this a masterly summation and am quite jealous that I didn’t think of it myself. A softer, younger, lighter and ultimately more wearable version, in today’s fragrant world, than its older, more full-on sister. I would also recommend Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain for those who like the idea of being a Shalimar woman, with all the history and structure that is implied, but who really don’t like the fragrance.

After the first hour I think you could even wear Shalimar Parfum Initial in close work proximity, it is not a sillage or scent bubble monster and wears very close on my skin, just the occasional waft as I move or if I stick my head down my top. It stays at this almost fragrant stage though for hours and I loose all traces of it somewhere 5-7 hours, depending on the day. If I wear Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain at night I can sometimes still get a faint whiff next morning.

ShalimarParfumInitial art8ambyPhoto Stolen art8amby

Further reading BoisDeJasmin and 1000Fragrances
CheapSmells has a 60ml Gift Set with lotion and bag around $80
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/ml

How do you think this flanker rated? Did you read the further readings? Who do you agree with more, BoisDeJasmin or 1000Fragrances? I loved both the arguments and they have left me thinking hard about expectations and the global fragrance market. You?

Whichever way you swing I hope you do it in the company of people you love, or at least fragrances you love,
Till tomorrow,
Portia xx

Holiday Photo Essay Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Hey Hey APJ Family and Friends,

As you saw from our shopping lists we have hit the frag shops hard this week with Birgit and Sandra in Vienna but we didn’t get many good shots from the day, sorry. I did pop into the Knize flagship store in Vienna to grab a bottle of the limited edition Knize Ten Gold. They were sold out so I had to content myself with a deodorant stick till I get to Paris. Annoying because I didn’t get it in Prague when I saw it hoping to buy at the original home, GRRR!
I’m not sure if I bragged about this but Neela Vermeire and her gorgeous husband Tony happened to be in Vienna and we all went for a super great dinner filled with loads of laughs and great food. They are such good people and Neela’s beauty is especially apparent in her fragrances. From the little I’ve seen she is as filled with magic as her frags. Great night!!

Budapest is awash with fabulous niche perfumeries. A city that fills during working hours to four million people has two incredible niche frag shops, Neroli and Parfums Croissette, that we’ve been to and Madisson that we hope to see tomorrow. I’ve also added some great shots that we’ve taken that are not frag related. All taken in lovely Budapest. The dinner shot is our new buddy Ibrahim who helped us at the post office and then became our leader and guide on our last night here. I’ve just taken the one of us in bed because we are off to sleepy byes, goodnight from us.

Off to Venice tomorrow afternoon.
Love and kisses,
Jin and Portia xx

20130203-000820.jpg

20130203-000854.jpg

20130202-225342.jpg

20130202-225528.jpg

20130202-225543.jpg

20130202-225557.jpg

20130202-225606.jpg

20130202-225616.jpg

20130203-002711.jpg

20130203-002846.jpg

20130203-002854.jpg

20130203-003007.jpg

20130203-010420.jpg

20130203-010637.jpg

Shopping in Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

20130201-214333.jpg

Hey from HOLIDAYS!
We are making our crazy way across the continent of Europe. It’s two glorious weeks in and we’ve seen five countries so far!! WOW!

VIENNA

Early last week Jin and I were lucky enough to be invited on a breakfast and perfume shopping spree with the gorgeous Birgit from Olfactoria’s Travels and her friend and fellow perfumista Sandra who has traveled the world and landed in Vienna. The girls are both gorgeous, friendly, fun and totally up to date in perfume. It was like hanging out with a couple of encyclopedias, and they have sniffed EVERYTHING!! Seriously.

We started at the Central Cafe in Vienna which is as beautiful as a cathedral and the food was SCRUMMY, that means good. The girls has tea, we had bacon and eggs. Yummy.

Then to Le Dix-Neuf, Vienna’s newest niche store, where I tried quite a few new frags from a host of lines currently near impossible to get in Sydney. It was bliss, the SA was really knowledgeable and helpful but it was Birgit who led my nose to NUDA, the recently discontinued jasmine bomb from Nosamatto and VolkaMaria by WeinerBlut (Blood of Vienna) that I can’t wait to wear at home, just to tell people the name.

We went to loads of other places, Le Parfum, Pure Day Spa where I bought the Frederic Malle mini trio of Carnal Flower, En Passant and Lys Mediterranee.
We were absolutely captivated by Duft & Kultur where they had an enormous Niche selection including A Quiet Morning by Miller & Bartaux, Jin adored it and I can see him getting a bottle soon.

There was more, including Hermes, Robert Horn’s Ledermanufaktur and others but no buys just looking. Birgit and Sandra had busy days ahead so the peeled off and we went home EXHAUSTED, even though it was barely lunchtime. Thank you Vienna, thank you ladies.

BUDAPEST

Only a three hour train trip and we are in the heart of Budapest!
There are two famous niche perfumeries here.

The first, Neroli, is next street along from the Mecure Hotel and the lovely Ursula is helpful and fabulously knowledgable. I was lucky enought to bump into the owner, Aron, while there too and have a quick chat. He is sexy and cool, left a life of journalism to run a niche perfume shop seven years ago and has a fabulous selection including the Naomi Goodsirs. Ursula gave me some wonderful Montale samples and they ship to the world for only 10 euro!!

Croisette is the second, owned by Zsolt like the G in George-olt. Zsolt is a perfumer and was so bright and bubbly Jin and I both fell in love. He is all about creating gorgeous and interesting scents but bespoke. They also have a wonderfully curated range.

I haven’t made my niche purchases with them yet but there is an incredible sell out store just opened in the Shopping Passage and we scored some INCREDIBLE bargains including L’Instant, Samsara and Homme body washes by Guerlain, a Lolita Lempicke Au Masculine after shave balm and am Aromatics Elixer for about 5 Australian Dollars each! Quite a fabulous score and I do love a posh body wash.

We are doing the laundry today and finalizing Niche Purchases so there will be more to photograph next Saturday. We are loving Budapest, it is an architecture lovers dream, the people are friendly, it is inexpensive to eat even in the best restaurants two courses and drinks is coming to less than 100 Aussie dollars. We are doing loads of sightseeing and walking.

This post was much better in the first two drafts that the iPad deleted because I forgot to save after every paragraph. Thanks for putting up with my long post if you’ve made it thus far.

Loads of love Portia xxx

Shopping In Prague, Czech Republic

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

20130125-183618.jpg

Hey Ho Gang,
As you can see Jin and I have been doing our bit for the Czech economy. The DUNE Esprit de Parfum and Guerlain Vetiver were our first buys from a wonderful and quite mad perfume lady who reminded us of Sophie from “2 Broke Girls” a total hoot called Evita!!

Next day we went to Yves Rocher because my mate Birgit from Olfactoria’s Travels sent me a Vanilla Noire recently and I am totally loving it. Now it has a sister.

Cartier, another Birgit enable, came as a 4ml sample with some stuff I bought and it’s been rolling around me head awaiting a European tour. Jin is falling in love with VI but no one so far has had a sample for him to live with and I refuse to let him spend that kind of money without a few wears. Even though we are on holiday and he pouted, beautifully, for nearly a whole afternoon. The Cartier crew were fabulous with us coming back 3 days in a row before we bit the bullet.

Jil Sander Sun is a complete impulse buy and I am so happy that I did, it’s full of youthful memories of days spent at the beach with the family.

Lastly, Jin saw Bottega Veneta for 20% off and couldn’t resist. It smells beyond amazing on him and I have loved my 2 large decants to dregs so it will be getting double skin time at Chez Turbo. That was from Sephora at the main Prague Railway Station. The girl there was so friendly that we decided she deserved a sale.

We also spent some sniffing time at a parfumeurie called Madeleine which was awesome fun with Boris but the prices were beyond our ability. it’s a shame.

We are having a great time. Tomorrow we are in Vienna, going to dinner with Birgit and her husband.
I hope you are all really happy and well too.

Portia xx

La Petite Robe Noire by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2012

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Hello Fragrant Fume Family,

It’s no secret that I love house Guerlain. I enjoy their famous oldies, am constantly pleasantly surprised by many of their new releases and a few lately have had me gasping because they are so incredible. Somehow, though I love the movie that advertises today’s fragrance I thought I would hate it and that it was going to be basically a bad squeaky sugar dripping CelebuScent but at a higher price point.

It is my sister’s Birthday today so if you’re reading Jodie. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain 2011

LaPetiteRobeNoireGuerlain FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Sicilian lemon, almonds, anise
Heart: Roses, raspberry macaroons, licorice
Base: Vanilla, patchouli, smoked tea, musk

There has been some exciting goings on with La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain. Originally small release, then a big release sequel and now a tweaked big release original. Guerlain light is how I want to describe what I smell on my skin. It is fruity, flirty and fun, smells expensive and modern but also pushes a few of my perfumista buttons. the opening is all the frightful fizzy sweet now frag but the almonds and anise give it a heft and warmth that is quite unexpected. Though it is a gourmand the raspberry macaroons and vanilla are only mildly bakery-ish, this is a slightly grown up, sophisticated version of what is a very mainstream acceptable fragrance. Thierry Wasser has walked a very fine line and while maintaining the integrity of the Guerlain history brings us, and the youth market that is moving on up from Bieber and Beyonce, something wholly wearable and wholly Guerlain, or should that read Holy Guerlain.

LittleBlackDresses frannyLovesMariiePhoto Stolen FrannyLovesMarie

Thomas at TheCandyPerfumeBoy notes that in this incarnation the rose steals the heart and I’m inclined to agree. A marvelous fruity and slightly spicy, honeyed rose that does a continued dance with the anise/licorice and the sugary, fruity macaroon. As the base comes through it is the vanilla and musk that really perform on my skin leaving a sweet laundry smell, more like the laundry liquid than the clean garments, over a vanilla. The patchouli must be washed clean because I barely notice it at all and very little smoke or tea. This could just be my skin and out weather here in Oz.

SpiritOfTheBlackDress polkadotbridePhoto Stolen polkadotbride

About 3-6 hours on different days of real fragrance and a little too fragrant for work I think unless you are the boss or not in close contact. Excellent dress up or date night wear and surprisingly for something skewed so feminine it is ripper on TSO Jin.

Further reading TheCandyPerfumeBoy and NowSmellThis
FragranceX has 100ml/$94
MyPerfumeSamples starts at $4/ml or $12/5ml

Do you ever believe something is going to be ghastly and then try it only to find out that it is lovely and wearable? You must have at least one story to share, please do in the comments below.

Till tomorrow. I’m off to have a cup of tea and a biscuit, really I feel I’ve earned it.
Loads of love,
Portia xx.

La Petite Robe Noire – GUERLAIN

Elixir Charnel Oriental Brulant by Sylvaine Delacourte and Christine Nagel for Guerlain 2008

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hello Fellow Fumies,

Another split that has taken me a while to get my review sniffer onto, thanks again Ruth K from FFF, and Sydney has turned inexplicably cold just so I could feel really comfortable rocking a fully fledged glorious Oriental in Summer (honestly! Who am I kidding? I wear anything ANYTIME the mood grabs me!). For all the Northern Hemisphere people this will be a super dooper winter WINNER!

Oriental Brulant by Guerlain 2008

OrientalBrulant fragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Tangerine
Heart: Almond
Base: Tonka bean, styrax, vanilla

Tangerine? Nope. Nougat? YES!! Maybe some citrus but it is a soft counterpoint to almond essence and vanilla/tonka beans. MMMM This is gourmand but not sweet, sweet. Bakery but the combined smell of a bakery, not the foodstuffs themselves. Maybe the dream of a bakery or a cartoon one. What does happen though is a fabulous fragrance that has enormous scent bubble and sillage while not being a punch in the face. Oriental Brulant is a sheer, seductive vanillic force of nature that makes even me feel pretty and feminine, like the seductress below. Less confrontational than its older sister Shalimar yet still with that enthralling super waft of vanilla cleanness. Like a very fit athletes skin after a shower, but even more delicious. Quite linear but with a little extra warmth and depth through its long dry down, over 6 hours.

Also very girlish, young and accessible scent that would be a super great Sweet 16 or 21st Birthday first fine fragrance, if you can meet the price tag. There is also an underlying sophistication to Oriental Brulant that will appeal to the more mature woman and a nod back to the old days of perfumery while being bang up to date. Now that it’s gone onto my skin it’s surprising how quickly the decant is emptying, I think 4ml of 10 is gone. I think a likeable, loveable, cuddly, delicious, sensual, easy, go-to scent for cool weather but wearable even in Sydney summer.

Underneath the review you’ll find a recipe that will give you a very similar scent, if you like the cake then the fragrance will bowl you over.

Woman layOutSparksPhoto Stolen LayoutSparks

Further reading TheNonBlonde and OlfactoriasTravels
PoshPeasant starts at $6.50/ml
From your Guerlain counter you can grab 2.5oz/75ml for $250, not sure about Australia

Have you tried Oriental Brulant? Any of the Charnal Elixers from Guerlain? What did you think? Would you like to? Why?

Till tomorrow I wish only the good stuff for you,
Portia xx

Carrot, Almond and Orange Cake

CarrotAlmondOrangeCake Taste.com.auStolen from Taste.com.au

  • Melted butter, to grease
  • 1 orange, unpeeled, coarsely chopped, deseeded
  • 150g butter, melted
  • 155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 (about 320g) carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
  • 225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
  • 1 x 110g pkt almond meal
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 50g (1/2 cup) flaked almonds
  • Double cream, to serve
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Place the orange in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the butter, sugar and eggs and process until well combined. Add the carrot, flour, almond meal and baking powder and process to combine.
  3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Top with flaked almonds. Bake in oven for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 1 hour to cool. Cut into wedges and serve with cream.

Aqua Allegoria Jasminora by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Hey All,

As you know it’s summer down here but I also know that sometimes you need a spritz of springtime to wash away the winter blues. Here is one such, bursting with the freshness of spring, full of hope and sparkling like magic. I originally smelled this from a super frag fairy that added a little sample with something else , THANK YOU!!

 Aqua Allegoria Jasminora by Guerlain 2011

Jasminora FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, bergamot, cyclamen
Heart: Calabrian jasmine, freesia, lily of the valley
Base: Musk, amber

Few words make me want to bypass a fragrance as quickly as clean will, fortunately I tried this before I read any reviews though when I did read reviews I have hazy recollections of reading them before. A few reviewers complained of the artificiality displayed here but after the sizzling bergamot and green snap & crackle of the galbanum pass the waxy cyclamen brings a plastic bridge to the heart flowers and I think it’s a perfect segue. If you are looking for a dirty, indolic or sensual jasmine then you need to look elsewhere, what we have here is only a nod to jasmine, the cleanest, clearest jasmine note while not smelling at all like the jasmine on the plant. Here we find the jasmine of imagination with all the nasty bits left on the cutting room floor. The heft of the musks creates an unrelenting freshness through the whole life, about 5-7 hours depending, of Aqua Allegoria Jasminora by Guerlain and is what fabric softeners dream of becoming when they grow up and blossom into fine fragrance. I completely miss even a hint of amber on my skin, the dry down is a transparent floral laid over the squeaky clean musks, so pretty and now but still deep enough to be a Guerlain.

Fresh, bright and clean is a great way to smell when Thierry Wasser has been at the helm and he hit a home run with Jasminora, my new Aqua Allegoria full bottle. The advertisement below has orchids and I do feel a certain night blooming orchid entrancement floating through Aqua Allegoria Jasminora by Guerlain even though it’s not noted.

If you want something that will be fragrant but unobtrusive then this could be a very good go to for you. I like the lack of heft that comes with the Aqua Allegoria line at Guerlain, it’s a shame this one was a limited edition but it is still out there on discount sites.Wearing jasminora to work would be OK I think unless you are in particularly fragrance phobic environs, perfect for dinner, shopping, sport or after and great for the guys too.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Further Reading NowSmellThis and PerfumeShrine offer differing views
Amazon has 7 x 75ml left for under $50 at time of writing
ThePerfumedCourt starts at $3/ml

Have you tried Jasminora or any of the Aqua Allegorias? How do you like their fresh and youthful style? Is there one you pined for that’s now discontinued? How do you feel about Limited editions?

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in APJ in 2012. it has been an awesome ride and I am THRILLED about 2013 and seeing what we can achieve in it. Resolutions? To be the best I can be even when I don’t feel like it. To a different, non judgmental, forgiving level of best. To be good to the people around me. To try to understand foolish, uncaring and selfish behaviours in others and do away with them in myself. Oh yeah! More money, less work.

HappyNewYear2013 luckywpPhoto stolen luckywp

Till tomorrow, Next year!!
Portia xx

Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 2007

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hello Happy Huffers,

This is another beauty that has languished unsniffed and unloved since it arrived and now I have a moment it has been getting some serious skin time. Coming from a split I have a wonderful 10ml for a very reasonable price plus postage, it was such a great deal I bought a few of Ruth’s decants at the same time. Thanks Ruth!!

Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain 2007

Spiritueuse DoubleVanille FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, bergamot, incense
Heart: Ylang-ylang, cedar, bulgarian rose, jasmine
Base: Benzoin, vanilla

From the Guerlain site: “If a colour or fragrance were to be associated with each day, like the planets were in ancient times, sandal wood would be the Sun, saffron would be Jupiter, and without doubt vanilla would be Venus.” Jean-Paul Guerlain

From the outset Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain hits vanilla loud, it is almost a roll on perfume oil it’s so intense at first, then the bright citrus and dry incense float merrily through to add dappled light and shade simultaneously, and a breathy indolic undertone. As we move into the heart vanilla makes a comeback but this time it’s a softer, more refined and controlled vanilla surrounded by an ethereal bouquet that is present but unreadable except for a bright spicy lemon that could be part of the rose and still a breathy wash over all. The trimmings slowly fade as we head towards dry down and here I get something hot, sweet chocolate milk-ish till all that’s left is caramelised vanilla skin for hours.

HotChocolate thelaurelhedgePhoto Stolen thelaurelhedge

The lifespan can vary dramatically; sitting here at the computer or sleeping I get 7+ hours but when I wear Spiritueuse Double Vanille to work, shopping or cleaning it’s lucky to last 4 hours but spraying fabric gives it extra lifespan.

While not being a huge statement fragrance when wearing Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain you are decidedly fragrant, sensual, delicious and enticing. Very close or frag-phobic workspaces would find it unsuitable but I think most other pursuits would be good. It’s not strong enough to interfere with cinema patrons or your food but very high summer temps might make it cloying, it has been cooler the last 2 days here in Oz and Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain has been a perfect evening choice.

CaramelisedApple&ButtermilkCake food.ninemsnPhoto Stolen food-ninemsn

Further reading BoisDeJasmine and Olfactoria’sTravels

Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain is now part of the regular range and can be found in the biggest department stores worldwide.
I bought 10ml in a split on FacebookFragranceFriends from the amazing Ruth!
ThePerfumedCourt starts at $6.50/ml

Have you tried Spiritueuse Double Vanille? Does Guerlain do it for you as a house? How did you feel about Mr Guerlain, now retired, who caused offense during a TV interview in October 2010. Personally I applaud Guerlain’s taking the reins from him and handing them to Thierry Wasser in such a quick and decisive manner.

I hope this finds you as happy and well as it leaves me,
Till tomorrow,
Portia xx