Halle Berry

Celebuscents I Don’t Hate

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 38 Comments

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Post by Portia

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Hi there Fragrance Lovers,

Celebuscents have been a bone of contention among perfumistas for years. While most of them are dross put out by the big fragrance conglomerates with little or no reference and involvement from the celebrities themselves surprisingly some of them have turned out to be quite good, wearable, viable options. Even some celebrities that I loathe have put out one frag that I like, even though I refuse to purchase on ethical grounds. Startlingly, some of the celebrities that I have long adored have put out shit that I wouldn’t clean a toilet with. So I thought a list of some of my favourite celebuscents may help you wade through the incredible amounts out there. Yes, there are a few that make everybodies list but others seem to have flown beneath the radar.

Celebuscents I Don’t Hate

Dita Von Teese FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Dita Von Teese: The original Dita Von Teese is a fun rose/white floral in the radiant style. Sheer and very wearable. I went through one of the 20ml flacons in no time. You can get the shower gel and body lotions for next to nothing at the discounters.

Black Pearls Elizabeth Taylor FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Elizabeth Taylor Black Pearls: Still in the top ten sellers of celebuscents each year Elizabeth Taylor’s range is big. My favourite is the very 1980s peach, amber and woodsy flamboyance of Black Pearls. This one will announce your arrival a few feet ahead of you.

L Gwen Stefani FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Gwen Stefani L: I wore this fragrance in a big way for a while but it started giving me headaches. It’s a pear & peach powerhouse done in radiant style and has very tenacious longevity. Nowadays if I want to wear it I spritz my lower back and knees.

Halle Halle Berry FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Halle Berry Halle: A very glamorous floriental with a hint of fig that becomes the warmest, silkiest amber. This could easily dupe some of the expensive niche ambers and lasting power is excellent. It’s not groundbreaking or challenging but Halle smells really good.

Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Aniston ParfumoPhoto Stolen Parfumo

Jennifer Aniston: A fresh, aquatic jasmine Jennifer Anniston is pretty, vegetally sweet and a little tropically lush. A bit heftier than most of the radiant fragrances and the flowers are better in waft than nose pressed to skin but as it goes by it’s a definite head turner.

Fancy Nights Jessica Simpson FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Jessica Simpson Fancy Nights: Imagine Shalimar with a triple dose of gooey caramel and more patchouli. It’s rich, intense and has powerful sillage for the first hour. Once Fancy Nights settles it is a rich amber/patch bomb that sits just above your skin for hours.

Truth or Dare Madonna FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Madonna Truth or Dare: BIG WHITE FLORAL along the lines of Fracas but longer lasting and not so far into the bubble gum arena. If you like white flowers with a warm amber base then Truth or Dare, which is basically free, should be on your list.

Niki de Saint Phalle Niki de Saint Phalle FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Niki de Saint Phalle: This is my personal go-to green. The minty and fruity opening is a masterpiece of bittersweet, the iris led floral bouquet through the heart and the softly warmed base of woodsy moss. Perfect.

Paloma Picasso Paloma Picasso FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Paloma Picasso: Imagine an animalic, extra cloves, hefty on the oakmoss CHANEL No 5 and you are pretty much on track for this 1980s supernova of a fragrance. Paloma Picasso will announce your arrival.

Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely: I know, it’s on EVERY list. That’s becausae it’s good. Smells fantastic on everyone. Radiant floral with a super musk and spice motto. Lovely is well named.

Queen by Queen Latifah FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Queen Latifah Queen: Boozy citrus with a soft white flower and a hefty, elegant vanilla base. Lasts forever and smells fantastic. I gift Queen often and it’s become one of my BFF Kath’s faves too.

Special mentions go to Siren and Fairy Dust by Paris Hilton, Queen of Hearts by Queen Latifah, Truth or Dare Naked by Madonna, Cher Uninhibited, Pure Honey by Kim Kardashian, With Love by Hilary Duff, Still by Jennifer Lopez, Covet by SJP, Boyfriend by Kate Walsh, Adam Levine Woman, Our Moment by One Direction and Deneuve by Catherine Deneuve.

Most are still available to try from My Perfume Samples and Surrender To Chance

Go on, which are your favourite celebuscents?
Portia xx

If you hit the link and shop with My Perfume Samples I get a kickback!

Portia’s Affordable Christmas Giving Fragrance List

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hey All,

Today on the PerfumePosse I look at a bunch of Fragrant Gift Certificates. Excellent Christmas option.

We are all going a little Christmas Cuckoo here at APJ. I thought I would swing in with some lovely and affordable fragrant gifts. Many of us have had to tighten our belts over the last 12 months and it’s getting harder to find something that gives the feeling of luxury in these straightened circumstances, so here are a few of my favourite cheapies that may help you to fill stockings for less.

Japanese Rose set bathandunwindPhoto stolen Bath&Unwind

Korres: Japanese Rose: I use the shower gel and body butter to layer under rose scents like Rosa Sur Reuse by SOIVOHLE and Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun. They came together as a pack 2 Christmas ago and I have constantly kept a stock ever since, now onto my 4th set I think. You can still get the set from Bath & Unwind for around $30

OneSeed Samples ETSY

One Seed natural perfume sample set: This is a great way to get to know one of Australia’s budding niche perfume houses. You will receive 8 x 1ml samples and including International Postage for only $30 at the One seed ETSY Store

Kiehl's Original MuskPhoto Stolen Kiehl’s

Kiehl’s Original Musk: I have the fragrance and body lotion and often use the body lotion to plump up the funk on modern formulations of old favourite fragrances like Rochas Femme, YSL Rive Gauche and CHANEL No 5. Currently 200ml body lotion is around $35 online at Kiehl’s

MangoMelt LUSHPhoto Stolen LUSH

LUSH You’ve Been Mangoed Bath Melt: This comes in a 30gram tablet that I cut into 4 and use separately so each one lasts for four baths. Here in Australia they retail for only $8.50 which works out to $2.12 per bath. BARGAIN. And it’s a great base for some delicious mango dripping fragrances like NVC Bombay Bling or Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil. Available from LUSHCosmetics

BDep Coming To My sensesPhoto Stolen BookDepository

Coming To My Senses by Alyssa Harad: Whether you are buying for a perfumista or not this is a great tale that keeps you turning pages and wishing for a sequel at the end. The story of a woman’s fragrant searching for where she belongs. BookDepository has the hardback for around $20 delivered worldwide!!

sunset people logo

Smell Bent, Sunset People Sample Pack: If you’ve spent any time at all on AustralianPerfumeJunkies then you’ll know what fans we are of the Smell Bent ranges by that uber hottie Brent Leonesio. Sunset People Sample Pack features 5 x 4ml EdT Travel Sprays of their latest juices for only $28 with such excellent names as Disco Nap and Walk of Shame! Wonderful stocking filler from SmellBent.

Halle carapharmacyPhoto stolen carapharmacy

Halle by Halle Berry: I use the body lotion and the fragrance. This is a fabulously wearable woody floral fragrance which has a slightly bitter chocolate feeling about it while still being sweetly amber. The body lotion adds depth and hours of extra wear life.  At CheapSmells you can get the 50ml EdP and 200ml Lotion separately but they add up to under $30.

BDep DiaryOfANosePhoto Stolen BookDepository

Jean-Claude Ellena, The Diary Of A Nose: I found this an interesting look at a year in the life of a perfumer. Not trying to be a sensational story but a look at how much travel, meetings and associated stuff come with being a perfume creator. At times during it I felt that it must be very frustrating sometimes when you want to create but the world impinges. He also gives some fascinating self observances and all done in great good humour. I already liked him before I read this but felt like I knew something of him after. BookDepository has the hardback for around $22 delivered worldwide.

Olympic Orchids samples deluxePhoto Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids Deluxe Sample Set: 16 x 2ml samples of the Olympic Orchids range for only $40 including International Shipping! This is the ultimate affordable gift for any aspiring perfumista or already deep in the wormhole devotee. Go have a look at Olympic Orchids Samples

JeRiviensLotion ProductReview

Worth, Je Riviens body lotion: I know, I know! The fragrance has been cheapened and thinned beyond a whisper of its former self. The lotion is still lovely though and at around $7 for 200ml you can’t go wrong for keeping those wintery ambers in place all day long like L’Artisan’s L’Eau d’Ambre and Ambre Narguile by Hermes. I buy it from CheapSmells

$10GiftCert seekcheaper

Gift Certificates: Many of my favourite online stores do Gift Certificates too. Part of the joy of my fragrance addiction is the seeking and finding what I want for myself so here are a few links to sites that offer them, from as little as $1. Jin often gets me a $50 Posh Peasant Voucher that gets mailed to me and I love them. That can be as many as 20 samples and postage, depending. See what I mean, cool and classy gift for a perfumista to receive.

PoshPeasant from $25
ThePerfumedCourt from $10
SurrenderToChance from $1 – $100
MyPerfumeSamples from $15
AftelierPerfumes from $20
FragranceNet from $20
FragranceX from $5 – $500

I hope this has helped you all shop smarter.
With huge wafts of fragrant love,
Portia xx

SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEW #2

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Hiya all,

I wear a lot of perfume and write about surprisingly little of it, hard to believe isn’t it? Last week I decided to try something new. The Sunday QuickSniff Review page is opened on Monday morning and every time I spritz and am near the computer I’ll give a 3 sentence review with a rating out of 5 each for, well, see the key after the reviews.

DECLARATION by CARTIER 1998. Firstly I find it hard to believe that Declaration has been around for so long flying under my radar. A four star Luca Turin rave calls it, “perhaps the most widely imitated fragrance since Cool Water, almost every modern masculine owes something to it… brisk, abstract, refreshing, a touch flinty and altogether euphoric.” I love it but am surprised it was aimed at men only, women should be wearing this hardcore aqueous scent too. FragrantX has 50ml around $33 (using TAKE10 coupon) S=**** L=*** D=****

HALLE by HALLE BERRY 2009. This is so inexpensive and I was blown away by the fragrance, honesty compels me to admit I was expecting a catastrophe. Warm, rich, intoxicating citrus floral opening that goes all sweet vanilla and chocolate on my skin and stays around. Ms Berry worked for a year with Coty to get this how she wanted it. FragranceNet has 50ml around $25 S=**** L=*** D=**** (extra for price point)

POUR HOMME by VAN CLEEF & ARPELS 1978. I remember having a sample mini of this when I was a boy that my Mum and I procured from a department store counter. It has probably been reformulated since then but it smells just like I remember. Bright and dark, citrus, flowers, herbs, woods, smoke, leather like a cornucopia of delicious dichotomy; you get the squeaky citric astringent opening that kind of hums through the whole event, the warmth as herbs and flowers swing in with an underlying resinous, woody, leather depth that gives Pour Homme gravitas. FragranceShop has 100ml around $33 S=***** L=**** D=*****

RASHEEQA by SWISS ARABIAN Concentrated Alcohol Free Perfume Oil. It’s supposed to be a rose floral but this rose is the sweetest, most fruity floral rose that never existed and has blown the back of my head clear off. Such a dense fragrance, like a wall of scent, that it is hard to pick much out at all except sweet to the point of over-ripe fruit, not sizzling though. There is a jarring discord here that is both entrancingly gorgeous and repellent which has me ambivilant, I will wear this to work and see the reactions. 20ml at Zahra’s Perfume $20 S=*** L=***** D=***

VINTAGE by KATE MOSS 2009. I love this bottle, to me this looks like the brown crystal that was so glorious and popular in the 1960’s and is a classy addition to my dresser. The juice though is not Vintage at all, just the most boring aqueous crap that smells like nothing and fortunately lasts about 20 seconds. Kate Moss, you have let us all down; thank goodness it was so cheap. 30ml $16 on CheapSmells S=* L=* D=*(for the bottle ONLY)

Photo Stolen from shirtsays

Scent, Obviously the number 1 priority here is how does it smell. My reviews are completely subjective and will differ widely from your own experience with the scent but it’s a good starting point. As yet I am not a trained perfumer so any and all descriptions are merely that, descriptions. There are plenty of blogs that offer technical details and chemistry, in 3 sentences I’ll pass.
Longevity, This is a biggie for me because like enfleurage where flower petals are left in fats to steal the scent, my fatty body works the same and eats it up, yum. So for a scent to last well on me, it will probably last a whole day on you and need a radioactive decontamination shower to defuse it from your skin.
Desirabilty, Wrapped up in this is scent, price, house, history, longevity, packaging, availability and a billion other things.

Photo Stolen from bittbox

* in any of these being the, “You couldn’t pay enough to spray this God awful stink on me again, it smells like public toilets in India, long time fridge malfunction while on Summer holiday and the vile stench of poverty all rolled into one.” You are putting innocent people in danger if you wear this.
** means it’s a nothing, wearable, boring, maybe the price is prohibitive for what you get or it’s ubiquitous. You should definitely get a sample of this to stop a buying boo boo.
*** is a perfectly good product that smells good and lasts a while at a decent price. You should definitely think about trying a sample or squirt but should you miss out your life will continue. Sample size worthy.
**** is the one you try, want a lot but can wait for a birthday/Christmas. It’s better than most of the stuff you’ve sniffed and may fill a void in your library. This is also an excellent decant product 5ml will get you through the season and maybe buy it next year.
***** meaning, stop reading this, grab your cash, credit card (or partners), roll the elderly or rob a petrol station and purchase this product. NOW! If you don’t have this fragrance you could die.

I’m so grateful you’ve dropped by, I hope you’ve enjoyed these short and sharp looks at some of the stuff I’ve sprayed myself with this week. Is there anything you have sprayed on you that you’d particularly like to share. we’d LOVE to read it,

Portia xx