Gabriella's Top 5 Forgotten White Florals 2015

April 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hello perfumed peeps!

I’ve been in a bit of a fragrance funk lately. Not much of my collection has inspired me and rummaging round the sample box and sniffing new releases have failed to set my world on fire. To get me out of this sad little rut, I decided to explore some white floral scents that have been overlooked, ignored or forgotten by the blogging community or the fragrance world at large. Happily, I have discovered some lost gems that have given me my perfume mojo back. Today, I’d like to share a selection of those with you, so I present:

Gabriella’s Top 5 Forgotten White Florals 2015

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

1. Gardenia Grand Soir by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2010

Fragrantica lists these notes in one line: w
White gardenia and sandalwood

The graceful gardenia. The reaction of the blogosphere was decidedly ho hum about this and I think the words “Grand Soir” were to blame. People were expecting opulence from Mr Guillaume and while the scent is not a huge overblown gardenia, I still think it’s absolutely wonderful. Here, the flower is stripped of all of its voluptuous elements: it’s a portrait of the flower’s bud at dawn, all green innocent and pure before the sun breaks and the blooms unfurl into all their heady glory. The gauzy flowers are tempered by a soft, milky sandalwood that amplifies the creamy elements and gives almost a beachy feel. The magic of this is that it is a quiet, contemplative and elegant rendition of a flower that is usually all vava-voom and femme fatale.

Further reading: Grain de Musc and CaFleureBon

First in Fragrance has EUR 95/50ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $9.99/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

2. Hanae by Yann Vasnier for Keiko Mecheri 2000

Fragrantica lists these notes in one line:
Citruses, white flowers, wild berries, yuzu and crystalline musk.

The unexpected delight. Hanae been around for years, but I just happened to discover it for the first time the other day wandering round a local department store. The scent is meant to evoke spring in a Kyoto garden and it does just that brilliantly. A melange of crystalline white petals is accentuated by the delicate citrus tones of yuzu and a hint of white musk. A fragile, delicate scent that it just pure happiness in a bottle.

Further reading: Makeupalley and Scent of Abricots

Peony Melbourne has $219/75ml

Luckyscent has samples at $3/.7ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

3. Lily by Florence Idier for Comme des Garcons (Series 1, Leaves) 2000

Fragrantica lists these notes in one line:
Freesia, lily-of-the-valley, rose and syringa.

The uncomplicated beauty. Comme des Garcons are recognised for their quirkier creations and it’s usually the Series 2 Incense range that gets all the love. Lily is fact that the house can do simple and pretty and still come up trumps. It is a startlingly beautiful rendition of lily of the valley, something I had given up trying to find once Diorissimo was reformulated. The lily of the valley here has a verdant and very fresh quality, evoking tiny white buds after a rainshower. Rose, green notes complete the scent that has an invigorating quality akin to having a cool shower on a hot summer day.

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

October 6, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Heya APJers,

Special THANKS to LibertineParfumerie for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous and helpful. If you wonder why they are sometimes more expensive than the discounters or OS retailers it’s because they are the only licensed company selling their fragrances in Australia; where you know you are buying new, fresh and genuine product. The cost of importing, and buying the right to import, alcohol based fragrances (and having the right to send alcohol based fragrances throughout Australia, which are illegal to send in the Australia Post air system) is expensive and they must cover their costs to bring you these luxury goods.

Portia xx

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Photo Stolen Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Virginia cedar, incense, olibanum, (blonde) tobacco, (Damascene) rose, palisander rosewood, tonka bean, ambergris

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get:
1 x 5ml Oliban by Keiko Mecheri decant
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID 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 so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Libertine Parfumerie and tell me any fragrance they sell online and a note that it contains. NO DOUBLE UPS!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3eU @LibertineParfum Oliban by @KeikoMecheri #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 5th October 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Photo Stolen shannonmayer

SCAR

LeanS12 (via Twitter)

The winners will have till Thursday 9th October 2014 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.

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

October 3, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 75 Comments

Heya Sniffy Sniffers,

Recently we had a bit of a Launch down at Myer Sydney City of the new niche fragrance counter. It was sniff sniff sniff and of course I got to show everyone that while I adore fragrance my nose is only very average at parsing the contents. Oh well, can’t be perfect at EVERYTHING!!! So I have tried this baby before but on the night I was showing it to everyone and since then I have been COMPLETELY obsessing. Today I had to drop some stuff into Libertine Parfumerie and while there I grabbed myself a bottle of…

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Photo Stolen Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Virginia cedar, incense, olibanum, (blonde) tobacco, (Damascene) rose, palisander rosewood, tonka bean, ambergris

I reviewed Oliban not too long ago so if you want to know about notes and progression go check it out there. What I do want you to know about Oliban is that I love it right through its lovely jammy rose, woods and resinous life. It’s a lovely warm, feel good, great big happy hug in a wooden retreat with someone you love, and it’s reciprocated.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Unusual, interesting, old and new, Oliban is gorgeous. Great in our lovely warm spring and just as gorgeous in the middle of winter.

Further reading: Katie Puckrik Smells and I Smell Therefore I Am
Libertine Parfumerie has $195/75ml including FREE Australian postage
First In Fragrance has €145/75ml and €5/4ml Samples

So to share my good choice today I though we could do a giveaway.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen AllSteele

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get:
1 x 5ml Oliban by Keiko Mecheri decant
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Go to Libertine Parfumerie and tell me any fragrance they sell online and a note that it contains. NO DOUBLE UPS!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3eU @LibertineParfum Oliban by @KeikoMecheri #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 5th October 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 9th October 2014 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.

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

March 30, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hello Niche Nerds,

Keiko Mecheri houses her fragrances in fabulous bottles. I love the whole enjoyment of holding them in my hand and spritzing, it adds luster to a house that for some reason I feel close to. In my collection I have the fabulous old Loukhoum bottle

Photo Stolen LuckyScent

and Jour d’Ete, which was my first salty coconut and jasmine fragrance, one of my all time favourite mixtures. Keiko Mecheri is one of the houses like Guerlain and Patricia de Nicolai that I have often felt as if they are made with me in mind, even though not all the fragrances work on or for me. I just like the houses aesthetic.

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Photo Stolen Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrsntica gives these featured accords in one line:
Virginia cedar, incense, olibanum, (blonde) tobacco, (Damascene) rose, palisander rosewood, tonka bean, ambergris

Sweet, jammy rose and woods surrounded by lovely incense. It all smells like a VERY expensive hotel foyer. Loads of woods and beeswax shine, I get a hint of leather too and the tobacco/honey accord is beautiful. Oliban opens so well and with such a heady religious air that I swoon every time.

While wearing and writing this article I chatted to a mate on Facebook at Australian Fragrance Network and during her ride she noticed tea, specifically the spicy Indian cooked black tea with milk and spices called chai. Now through the incense and woods, the honey and leather I get a distinct memory/feeling of chai. It’s like sitting up in Mcleodganj in the Indian Himalayas where the Dalai Lama is in exile. Sitting and watching the prayer flags fluttering outside while in a wooden tea house. The whole mountain top smells of incense and most of the tea shop/restaurants used to smell of wood, cigarettes and beeswax. Progress has smartened them up though and they are much more Westerner friendly nowadays than they were. Still some of the accommodation on the top of the hill has the old wooden beeswax smell, it’s fabulous. Taeko, my friend didn’t get the frankincense till a couple of hours in on her skin but I get it from the very first spritz, it’s warm scratchy resinous scent fueling the whole fragrance for me. Interesting how different people get dissimilar rides, even in the same temp zone.

Photo Stolen Flickr

From I Smell Therefore I Am (sometimes someone else gets it so right, in this case Abigail): It’s a fabulously well crafted incense fragrance with gorgeous whiffs of blond tobacco, woods, rose and honey. The initial burst of incense and cedar are refreshingly spiritual (don’t most incense frags seem rather churchy to you?). Oliban, especially at the start, seems soothing, calming, centering and cleansing. When I feel harried, rattled or just tired, Oliban serves as a meditative pick me up.

Photo Stolen Flickr

If you are after an incense bomb then please look elsewhere. Oliban is incense, with a lovely softening rose accord and a warm honey/tobacco accord that also stop the incense and woods from being too hefty and unfeminine, anyone can and should wear Oliban. It will never be so loud as to override your own skins fragrance but will work harmoniously with it and create a patina of scent that could be worn anywhere and will be particularly good for very up close and intimate encounters. Soft enough for work, different enough to set you apart from the crowd. I think it is a tad too soft for it to be a fb in my collection; too tasteful, sophisticated and too suavely elegant to really fit with my bigness. I could buy this for almost any of my friends though and know that they would be incredibly happy with my choice for them, and that it could be a signature for quite a few of them too.

Further reading: Katie Puckrik Smells and I Smell Therefore I Am
Libertine Parfumerie has $195/75ml including Australian postage
First In Fragrance has €145/75ml and €5/4ml Samples

Oliban is worth a try.

Portia xx

Génie des Bois by Keiko Mecheri

March 8, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Heya Frag Friends,

After going through my fragrance wardrobe before leaving for holidays I came across a bunch of samples that remained untried, they needed some loving and skin time. I am trying to work my way through some of these and so over the next few weeks there will be a slew of fun new things to write about, new to me anyway. If you wonder I write about a fragrance usually after a minimum 3 wears, that gives me a slightly broader understanding of a fragrance and how it reacts in different situations. The first wear is often to bed, even for my afternoon nap, where I can focus on the fragrance and its subtleties without distraction. I find this also calms whatever worries or cares i may have and lets me really unwind.

Génie des Bois by Keiko Mecheri

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Violet, violet leaf, cacao pod, Brazillian rosewood, benzoin, tonka bean

Interesting, every time, there’s something slightly minty that comes out in the Genie des Bois opening that plays with the violet leaf and resinous wood. It doesn’t stay long but it adds a glamour of intrigue over what is essentially a simple and pretty fragrance, modern, extremely wearable with moderate sillage and projection. Does a cacao pod smell a bit like very bitter chocolate? Is it the resins keeping everything smooth because this is smooth and beautiful like a polished stone that has had time to warm in your hands.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Sugared violets? They are sweet and more like violet lollies, even a bit like the violet tea additive from Walter Reimer in Vienna. Then through all this comes the softest powdery violet (?), so fluffy, soft and downy. I cannot tell you what is happening really because the note list seems way too short for how much lovely fragrance action Genie des Bois offers up. Musk? There is a small reminder of Lolita Lempicka EdP but the sweetness is way less fizzy in Genie des Bois, if LL were to grow up and be made for a woman ready to go forth and glitter at an event then I think this could be an excellent choice. Do you remember the moment in Two Weeks Notice where Sandra Bullock arrives at the gala in that gown, hair done, perfect, radiant, soft focus and breathtaking. She is at once modern and eternal, a picture of lovely historic Hollywood glamour and every modern girls (and quite a few boys) dream of how good it can be. That’s what Genie des Bois says to me when I wear it.

Photo Stolen cameraluc

GAHHHH! I have no idea what I’m smelling here, violets and woods and a bunch of yummy other un-named stuff. What I can tell you is that it is very, very lovely and I am seriously thinking of a purchase.

LuckyScent says this: This is not an old-fashioned powdery violet by any means, this kitten’s got claws! As the name hints, this woods- based scent uses cedar and other exotic woods to impart an unusual base on which lies violet. A very green violet, that is, which gradually sweetens and softens as the fragrance evolves on your skin. Genie des Bois falls somewhere between a feathered-slipper wearing, gold cigarette holder-wielding, old-school movie star and a very naughty bacchanalian romp in a forest blanketed with wild violets. We think you’ll love it, dahling. Kiss kiss.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Il Mondo di Odore and The Fragrant Foodie
LuckyScent has $115/75ml
First In Fragrance has samples €5/3ml

Do you have a violet in your wardrobe? Do you like the Keiko Mecheri line?

Till tomorrow, be nice to yourself,
Portia xx

November Sample Challenge Part 2

November 26, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hello fumie friends!

Well, I am continuing the sample challenge set up by a friend on the Aussie Fragrance Network group on Facebook with some unexpected results. Read on to find out what happened.

November Sample Challenge Part 2

Photo Stolen BDOutdoors

Sunday, November 10: One terrific by-product of the challenge is that it has made me organize my very disorganized sample lot. Well, the challenge and the fact that Mr M has very kindly bought me a fishing tackle box for said purpose. I categorized things alphabetically and am finding things that I had completely forgotten about. Feel very excited about continuing now and celebrate with a dab of Serge Lutens Bois de Violette. It’s beautiful, but there is just something in the Serge Bois series that just doesn’t agree with my skin chemistry.

In the evening, I fall in love with Amouage Interlude Woman. How on earth did I ignore this for so long? I adore the coffee, kiwi fruit and green goodness that seems to sparkle on my skin. I must get some more of this, so head off and order a decant of this, Amouage Fate Woman, Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore (another big bottle want) and thrown in some Castlebajac for good measure after trawling the site for a while. I’m excited about Castlebajac. It’s a clean almondy scent that I wore years and years ago in London and the thought of it reminds me of a great work Christmas party.

Monday, November 11: I cheat. I wear Lys Mediterranee. Not a sample. Difficult day at work and I needed something I knew and loved to comfort me.

Wednesday, November 13: Chanel Beige. Wearing this today and the sample of 31 Rue Cambon the other week has taught me something: I love Chanel top notes but not the dry down. Chanel Beige starts so luscious with frangipani and the sunshiny-ness of hawthorn, it’s gorgeous. But I want it to stay this way, and of course, last a little longer like all the Exclusifs, sans Coromandel.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Friday, November 15: Oh hello lovely! I’ve had a sample of Dior New Look 1947 for ages and thankfully rediscovered it, due to new not-rummaging-around-in-drawers-for-half-an-hour-superorganized sample storage. This just FEELS like ME and I can’t get enough. It makes me pleased cos I’ve been quite cross at the House of Dior for mucking round with my beloved Diorissimo and Diorella. This just might make up for it.

Monday November 18: Bad, bad M. Have fallen totally off the wagon over the past few days due to sampling ennui. Maybe, just maybe, it is because I have been so busy and stressed at work that I haven’t had the headspace to enjoy my samples. I always need to be calm, relaxed and not half asleep or in need of valium and vodka to sample properly. In fact, I have been thinking that, when it comes to perfume, I need much less, not more. Decide to sell some more partial bottles.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Wednesday, November 20: Ok, so somebody must have hacked into my computer Monday or I was possessed by my alter ego as that stuff was just craaazy talk. But today, I had another issue: wanting, pining after a sample THAT I DID NOT HAVE. ARGH!!!! The-sample-that-I-must-have-right-now is Keiko Mecheri’s Isles Lointaines. I blame the boss’ PA. She asked for help with planning destinations for her honeymoon and asked if I’d been to the Amalfi coast and Positano in particular. Mr M and I went on one of our first romantic trips to Paris and Positano and Isles Lointaines was one of the samples I wore. I need to revisit those memories. NOW.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Saturday, November 23: Byredo Pulp. This is another one that’s just been sitting right there for ages, completely ignored, but yet, so readily available. I thought Dionne’s APJ review was terrific, but never got round to smelling this. It’s a luscious, full bodied citrus that just can’t help but make you smile. And even though it’s pouring with rain and has been wet for eons, I’m happy and warm with this on.

Samples are available from:
Surrender To Chance
Posh Peasant

So, how did you think I went with the second leg APJ peeps? Have I mentioned any favourites?

Love,
M

LuckyScent Summer Samples: SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #14

August 12, 2012 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Heya Scent-ualists,

We missed last week because the universe rejected Quicksniffs. What am I gunna do when the universe says NO? Acquiesce. This week arrived the LuckyScent Summer Sample Collection so I thought I would trot out 4 of the 10 new scents involved and give you the usual 3 sentences and a star rating. Follow the jump to find our Rating System Page (<<jump).

If you’d like to be a part of the LuckyScent Sample Program just join their eMail Newsletter Signup and every so often they will offer you a bunch of great new stuff to try, no pushy sales or minimum amount to buy, it’s either yes please or ignore. They are very reasonably priced; the 10 piece Summer Sample Collection was only $30 + P&H. There is a downside though, they are only .7ml vials so if you want to spritz you’ll have to self decant. I would pay double happily for a 1.5ml spray set, I have asked for it but you all need to too.

Photo Stolen LuckyScent

In the bag:
• The Different Company – After Midnight , Limon de Cordoza, Tokyo Bloom, Sienne d’Orange
• Keiko Mecheri – Un Jour d’Ete
• Mona di Orio – Rose Etoile de Hollande
• Parfums MDCI – Un Coeur en Mai, newly reformulated
• Penhaligon’s – Peoneve
• L’Artisan Parfumeur -Seville a l’Aube
• Ramon Monegal – Lovely Day

SIENNE d’ORANGE by THE DIFFERENT COMPANY 2012: Described as a neo cologne in which carrot (LOVE!) and orange come out to play in a bright, fresh, vivacious fragrance that cardamom, leather and woods make interesting enough to try again. I’m figuring the product is made from the best of the best ingredients because of this companies genesis (Jean-Claude & Celine Ellena) though it’s very reasonable for niche at $120/90ml and created by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermannn. My skin unfortunately devours it in under 3 hours but it is a cologne so respritz and start again. S=**** L=** D=***

Photo Stolen LuckyScent

UN JOUR d’ETE by KEIKO MECHERI 2012: WOW!! This is deliciously warm and cool simultaneously with bergamot, coconut, jasmine, ambergris and woods combining uniquely. Sometimes even the first whiff of a fragrance announces its difference, this is a beguiling blend where only wearing on your skin could make you understand how much more fabulous than I can ever write for you. Sweet, spicy, interesting, sensual, heartbreakingly beautiful and only $115/75ml at LuckyScent. Still could smell a faint whiff 11 hours later next morning. S=***** L=***** D=*****

ROSE ETOILE DE HOLLAND by MONA DI ORIO 2012. Mona di Orio was taken from us too soon but her business partner will make sure she and her work remain unforgotten. From Rose Etoile de Holland’s sparkling top through its spicy rose heart to the soft, not quite sweet oriental dry down the journey is wonderful. Don’t be afraid to give yourself an extra spritz because it lives longer and louder if you do. $210/100ml S=**** L=*** D=****

LOVELY DAY by RAMON MENEGAL 2012. I was recently asking about Spanish perfumers and BINGO here one is: The opening is fresh but though I’m supposed to smell jasmine, rose and blackcurrent I just can’t for the life of me smell that, there smells to me like there’s some unmentioned herb or seed that overlays all. Olfactoria’s Travels does a great job describing this fragrance (almost ELdO SM-ish). After about 20 minutes the jasmine struts in and the rest of the fragrance is as lovely as you would expect something called Lovely Day to be to its lovely soft sweet woody end. $185/50ml S=*** L=*** D=***

These samples were from LuckyScent where you can buy full bottles of these fabulous perfumes and samples

Have you tried anything this week that you’d like to share with us? We’d love to read it so leave a message, you’ll get a response.
Thank you for dropping by and being part of our APJ family,
Portia xx

Australian Perfume Junkies

Olfactory Opinions from Oz

Keiko Mecheri

Gabriella's Top 5 Forgotten White Florals 2015

Gabriella’s Top 5 Forgotten White Florals 2015

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

HOW DID YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

SCAR

LeanS12 (via Twitter)

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Oliban by Keiko Mecheri 2004

Génie des Bois by Keiko Mecheri

Génie des Bois by Keiko Mecheri

November Sample Challenge Part 2

November Sample Challenge Part 2

LuckyScent Summer Samples: SUNDAY QUICKSNIFF REVIEWS #14