Independent Perfumer

Jezebel by Anka Kus Parfum

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies / 4 Comments

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Narth

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Hello friends,

Narth here with a Queen.

Jezebel by Anka Kus Parfum

Top: Pear, Chocolate.
Middle: Rose Damascena, Moroccan Jasmine, Vanilla, Tuber, Cashmere Musk.
Base: Osmanthus, West Australian Sandalwood, Amber, Madagascan Vanilla, Tonka Bean.

Jezebel. It’s fascinating how the name of a pagan queen of Israel from 3000 years ago has reflected our society’s changing views of women. For years Jezebel meant a bad girl, a wicked sexual female. This was despite the biblical stories being about religious hegemony and political machinations rather than sexual immorality. Feminism has reclaimed the name Jezebel as that of a strong woman not beholden to societal mores. Jezebel has been the name of rather a few perfumes and this Jezebel is particularly glorious! It’s a rich and beautiful scent befitting of all the imagery the name has conjured up down the ages.

Anka Kus Parfum’s Jezebel is a luxurious cherry chocolate rose. A perfect black forest cake without being sweet. The chocolate is very impressive in the top notes, if you’ve felt a bit meh about chocolate in perfume because it failed to deliver I think you’ll be very happy with this one. Anka Kus Parfum’s Jezebel has a liqueur quality, befitting her indulgent reputation. The rose in Jezebel reminds me of Lyric Woman though with none of the solemn qualities of the Amouage. This is more sensual than stately. I’m also rather fascinated by the way Anka Kus Parfum’s Jezebel manages to be both juicy and dry. Each time I wear it I find myself enjoying this interplay. I suspect Jezebel will be a compliment magnet as well as it’s so attractively delicious.

Anka Kus Parfum is an Australian niche brand started by Ali Erkekli (previously known as Al Manlé) that has some interesting offerings. I think Jezebel has been let down by the font used (yes I’m that person) which is a messy mix of gothic and graffiti that belies it’s quality as a perfume. Is it meant to be ironically hipster or more along BPAL lines witchy or..? I’m not really sure just as I’m not really sure what the black blotchy bird symbol is meant to be either. The other bottles also have kitschy fonts but it’s Jezebel’s messy one that bothers me the most. She deserves better!

Try it at the Anka Kus Parfum Etsy Store

What associations do you have with the name Jezebel?

Bye for now, Narth xx

Vetiver Cœur by April Aromatics

/ Sandra / 19 Comments

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Sandra

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Happy New Year dear APJ! How did you celebrate the new year? Do any of you write new year resolutions?

We survived the holidays – barely. It was a host of things that just made it terribly stressful for us all. New Year’s Eve was a complete dud as I wrongly assumed that they would be doing loads of fireworks in our village. Not quite sure if it is just not tradition here to do as many fireworks as they do on the national holiday or if it was the thick fog that set in here in the hills. Anyway – we started celebrating on the 1st to make up for the previous night.

Happy New Year and Vetiver Cœur by April Aromatics

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Eau Mer by Pekji

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies / 18 Comments

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Narth

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Hello friends, Narth here diving into a fragrance type I’ve not been a fan of in the past. Today I write humbled by this beautiful creation.

Pekji Eau Mer 2015

Ömer Ipekçi

Ambergris, Anise, Bergamot, Haiti Vetiver, Herbs, Jasmine, Lavender, Lime, Mastic, Musk

I’ll just come out and say it. I’ve never been completely sure what an Aquatic is. I’ve assumed it was code for “I’ll wear this on a super hot day because it is briefly refreshing and won’t stick around long enough to annoy me”. I’m sure I’m not alone in losing interest when a scent is labelled Aquatic. What I would like the word Aquatic to mean and what mainstream scents have produced under this label are quite different.

Kramer spoke for us all when he had that brainfart that the perfect scent ever would smell like the BEACH but nothing really smells like that. For one thing beaches smell different everywhere. I love the ones with a lot of ocean rot and seaweed, the salty, kelpy goodness. I love the smell of my skin after the ocean salt dries on it. The saltiest fragrance I ever found was Jo Malone Blue Agave and Cacoa but this is not a review about holy grail salty fragrances, it’s a review about an Aquatic

Pekji Eaumer is not about the beach. It is Nautical! No drinks with umbrellas in sight, you’re on the OCEAN. It’s bracing, it’s invigorating, it’s salty and it’s fine. It all works together beautifully. With a nice dose of lime to stave off scurvy in the middle notes it dries down to a peppery vetiver and bergamot with a warm ambergris funk. I love it.

The lime keeps Pekji Eaumer fresh when there’s so much under the surface that hints of murky depths. It has great sillage and staying power and unlike many aquatics the best part is not over in the first 10 minutes. It retains it’s character for hours. This is not one of those crisp scents you have to keep huffing for the top notes, they are always with you. As with the other Pekjis I’ve tried the ingredients are a beautiful quality. What an interesting treat Pekji Eaumer is!

Tell me about Aquatics! What ones work for you, which ones do you love?

Bye for now, Narth xx

Ruh by Pekji

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies / 4 Comments

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Narth

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Hello friends, it’s Narth here in a very good mood! I was fortunate this week to try Ruh by Pekji. Pekji is a niche house from Turkey with some exciting fragrances that are now more readily available than in their even more niche past.

Ooo Ruh, what have you done to me.. this jubilant fragrance from Pekji is a joy. A very modern Oriental, it briefly reminded me of the original Badgely Mischka but it’s much more exciting!

Ruh by Pekji 2015

Ömer Ipekçi

Ruh by Pekji

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Veil (Nebula 3) by Oliver + Co. GIVEAWAY

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies / 15 Comments

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Portia

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Hey APJ lovers of new,

My mate Oliver Valverde got in touch recently to tell me about his newest release. He’s so sweet and genuinely excited about having something new to offer you all. This week a 30ml Press Bottle of Veil arrived to review and share with you guys. Isn’t that freaking cool?

Before we get to the fragrance though Oliver & Co is now ONLY selling through their website. Oliver has wrested back control of his business from the pressures of selling through retail outlets and is going it alone. That means he can offer better prices (we have already seen them drastically reduce) and FREE SHIPPING to the world if you spend over €160, less if in Europe. Currently the most expensive 50ml bottle he sells is €78! Isn’t that amazing. I really rate his work. It’s challenging and out there but smells wonderful.

Veil (Nebula 3) by Oliver & Co.

Oliver Valverde

Ginger, metallic rose, lemon and a sparkly bunch of something, something, somethings combine to create a fragrance quite different. Spacious, air altering, modern and a little bit weird. I get hints of salty seaweed and later a very modern patchouli just dirtied up a little bit. Veil is the fragrance Buck Rogers would have worn (obviously the space references have sent my mind down this path but now I’ve thought it, it remains unshakeable).

The sheer, unearthly heart and dry down are quite like the smell of an empty can of beetroot after you’ve given it a rinse when you are taking it to the recycle. Sharp, vegetal, pickle sweet and tinny. That’s about the best analogy I can bring you.

Leave a comment below. Four lucky people from anywhere in the world will get a decant.

Have you tried any Oliver & Co?
Portia xx

 

Saturday Question: What Are Some Indie/Artisan Perfumes You Love?

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies / 120 Comments

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Portia

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Hello Fellow Fumies,

At APJ we have a Saturday Question. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it’s a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back regularly and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them. The aim is to generate real conversation and connection even though we are scattered around the globe.

 

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Sepal by Corey Newcombe for Criminal Elements 2015

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

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Portia

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Hey there Perfume Lovers,

Criminal Elements is an Independent Australian Niche House now run by Corey Newcombe, but originally a joint enterprise with Aelfric Spector who has changed continental addresses. The house is making wonderful Indie fragrances. They are not safe and comfortable but raw, interesting, filled with passion and adventure. If you have spent your life this far smelling department Store scents then these are going to blow your mind. They may take a little adjustment time but once you get them, fabulous. Continue reading →

Intrigant Patchouli by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2005

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

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Portia

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Hi there perfumed Peeps,

I like Pierre Guillaume’s fragrances. He has a way with notes that is deft and sophisticated. He somehow even manages to make the ultra sweet feel plush, no mean feat. Considering that Intrigant Patchouli is a 2005 release I am surprised that before I bought this decant at Surrender To Chance that I’d not even heard about it. The patchoulis that have caught my nose and made me put down cash so far have been CHANEL Coromandel and DIOR Patchouli Imperial.

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Monbloom by Ramon Monegal 2016

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

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Sandra

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Hey there dear APJ readers! How are you doing?

There comes a time in February when I can start to feel the seasonal changes that are about to come. Let me try to explain. Since November, we leave the house in the dark in the morning. It is still dark when we get to school and only after I leave the school do I see the sunrise. Well, this past week (first week of February) we saw the sun rise Continue reading →