Scent Diary: 20.3 – 26.3.17

March 26, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

Portia

Scent Diary: 20.3 – 26.3.17

Monday 20:

Luxumbourg has an excellent cafe/chocolatier on the Place Guillaume. we had afternoon tea there and wrote postcards.

I might have bought these in a corner perfumery with a 20% discount. YAY!

Tuesday 21:

Arrived in Paris around lunchtime. We are staying in a new to us hotel near the Arc de Triomphe. Coming out of the Metro on the escalator and being hit with one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks is pretty spectacular.

Obligatory Serge Lutens flagship store visit. Bought Jin a new MKK because he is going through his bell jar rather quickly and got Scotty something too for house minding our place. SHHHH.

Near the Louvre Museum they had a memorial to all the homeless that died in Paris last year. Hundreds of them, not all with names, were represented by a flowering plant. We laid a rose and said a prayer for one who died on Jin’s birthday. Very moving tribute and a woman danced through the memorial to French provincial music played by a smell band.

Yes, went to Guerlain Champs Elysees store but did not purchase. they still have Liu if you’re looking for it.

Dinner with Nicolas & Enno from Le Galion and Aether. They are bloody wicked company and we laughed and chatted the night away. So glad we are mates with such clever, passionate men about life, work and fragrance.

Scored the brand newest Aether scent and will be doing a giveaway when we get back so you can try it too. Based on the smell of hot metal and made with only captured molecules Methaldone is really good stuff. Freaky, wearable and smells good to me.

Wednesday 22:

Since 2013 Jin and I have reminisced about having crepes for breakfast one morning in a market with our mates Aaron & Gerard. They were delicious and it was a great thing to do. Jin decided we would repeat the adventure and painstakingly worked out where the market was and on which days it is open. They were as good as we remembered and it was fun to go back.

Then we went inside Notre Dame. We have been outside a few times but never went in. This time we went in and lit candles for friends & family. Beautiful.

Here I wear the Eiffel Tower as a hat. This is the bridge near Princess Diana’s tunnel where she died. Still sad.

In the afternoon we went to the Grand Palais and saw the Rodin exhibition. Really interesting look at an artist that I know not very much about. We learned a bit but more than anything I loved that he was a great sketcher and we saw a lout of his drawings/inks and that captured my imagination more than anything else.

Jin called this the Beyonce Single Ladies statue. We bloody lost it and all the French matrons looking at us like we were from outer space as we laughed and did Single Ladies singing & dancing impersonations.

Thursday 23:

Ahhh, Galleries Lafayette. I know that Printemps is posher but the shiver of excitement I feel whenever we shop beneath that glittering dome is worth more than anything. Yes, bought the Hermes Collection Colognes. The Hermès SA loaded us up with extras too and made me SWEAR I’d come back and shop with her. Indeed I will.

We saw the Pissaro exhibition, excellent. Seeing the way he grew as an artist. There were all sorts of wonderful pieces in the pointillist, separatist, impressionist genres but interestingly he also had a sideline in simple watercolour and gauche paintings that were really easily sold by his art dealer. That was the way he paid the rent and fed his family. It also meant he could pursue his grand pieces. The last ones were so magnificently painted that they looked like the light was streaming out of them, as if backed by light boxes. Unbelievable.

We tried to go to the Louis Vuitton Foundation but there was no exhibition on. Having paid for the best tickets available we were a bit grumpy. The building is a ridiculous conglomeration of hideous architecture wankings anyway. What a pile of shit.

Friday 24:

OMG! Jin and I flew to Milan in the early morning, had some lunch and then met a few of the frag crew in clouding Val the Cookie Queen. We then went in to Escxence. It is enormous, filled to the gills with perfume houses. So many of them brand new and hardly any of my most loved.

Charles de Gaulle had an interesting selection of Mass-Tige fragrances including Diptyque, Amouage, Lutens and Goutal.

Val the Cookie Queen is mortally afraid of photographs, weird because she’s so beautiful.

Nick (I’m sorry I didn’t get a pic with Pia too) Gilbert and Lucasz from Chemist In A Bottle

Antonio Gardoni of Bogue and Francesco from Luckyscent

Adam & Francesco from LuckyScent, Vero Kern, Neela Vermeire and up the back Judith Fox, Val CQs best friend (and psychotherapist). This is my favourite Esxence pic by far.

It was so overwhelming that I only allowed 3 houses to give me their sample sets. I already love Miller & Bartaux, their product is weird and wonderful while remaining perfectly wearable.
Atelier des Ors is a favourite of Ainslie Walker and I know Megan their rep.
Brand new and winner of the worst brand name ever Homoelegans, I liked one of their frags particularly, more on that later.

We finished the day with a bunch of great mates for dinner. They all really needed a quiet wind down and we found a spectacular candlelit restaurant close by that served wonderful food for very decent prices. Petit is the name and they worked hard to make it a special evening for us all.

Saturday 25:

Started my morning at the Milano Savoy with Aussie milliner to the stars Naomi Goodsir. I bloody love her.

This years offering is Nuit de Bakelite. It’s green with a tuberose heart. The closest analogy I can make is a 21st century Niki de Saint Phalle EdT.

The Duomo. The Pope was in town, he missed us by minutes.

Neela and Jin. The display was gorgeous at the NVC stand and Neela was swamped by people all day, every day.

At Campo Marzio 70. I might have bought a Kiki Extrait at retail, so good.

Farewell to Vero Kern & Antonio Gardoni with Val the cookie queen.

I might have got this to…….

Sunday 26:

Up early for a farewell breakfast with Val the Cookie Queen and Judith. Saying goodbye to people we love is shit.

We dropped into Esxence to see Neela and she gave us a bottle of Bombay Bling to photograph on our travels in Milan today. BIG responsibility. Jin is up for the challenge.

A cup of tea with Neela before bed. The fragrances she creates are as warm, wonderful and delicious as Neela herself. I love her passion and perfectionism.

So what has happened in your week, fragrant or otherwise?
Portia xx

3 Best 2016 Fragrance Buys

February 3, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Portia

Hello Fragrant Family,

We have suddenly jumped into 2017 and we’ve had some time to reflect. I’ve been madly going through my fragrance wardrobe to find things that need to be culled. Already 31 full bottles and some excess lotions have found new homes and I’m pretty chuffed about that. Hopefully I can sell or gift at least another 70 so my cull will reach 100.

Obviously the cull will merely make space for more fragrances. It’s a vicious cycle and Scott & I have a theory that it’s the hunting & buying that brings me the most pleasure anyway. Especially the vintage stuff.

Anyway, in my cleanup I’ve found a bunch of my 2016 fragrant purchases and was wondering which of them I get the most wear and enjoyment from.

3 Best 2016 Fragrance Buys

Here are my regulations for the choice:
1: Only bought in 2016, release or manufacture date irrelevant.
2: Must be a bottle, can be used or new at purchase time.
3: Can not be a backup
4: Can not be a replacement

So here are my 3 Best 2016 Fragrance Buys

Fragrantica

Morn To Dusk by Eau d’Italie:
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lily of the valley
Heart: Vanilla
Base: Musk

Crunchy vanilla with a few bells & whistles. Probably too simple for most perfumistas and could very easily be a perfect ambient scent rather than fine fragrance but I love it. So warm and enveloping. It really does last from Morn To Dusk too and goes through some cool to warm and then lightly fleshy to end.

Fragrantica

Monsieur Li by Hermès:
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Kumquat, jasmine, mint

I know. Most of you didn’t adore this baby. JCEs Hermès swansong, but it smells good on me and people notice it and comment favourably. It is the perfect spritz and go, or spritz and sit. Today I wore it while paying bills and it kept me calm as my available cash reserves dwindled. No mean feat.

Fragrantica

Sang Bleu by Le Galion:
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Galbanum, orange, bergamot, lemon, wormwood, rosemary, eucalyptus, geranium, jasmine, rose, violet, pink pepper, carnation, cedar, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver

The Le Galion crew make wonderful fragrances. Why the hell isn’t EVERYONE madly in love with their shit? Sang Bleu is as perfectly composed as the rest of the line, smells great but not challenging and lasts well throughout a hectic day. Not to mention how lovely the bottles are visually and tactilely. Sang Bleu is a unisex cologne loaded for romance.

So of all my fragrant buys in 2016 these three have the most air in them and are most regularly used around the house on personal scenting time.
What are your 3 Best 2016 Fragrance Buys?
Portia xx

Ainslie’s Pitti 2016 Photo Essay

October 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hi Fragrant Friends,

I popped over to Florence, Italy (Firenze as the locals call it) for Pitti Fragranze in September. The fair showcases the best in Niche perfumery, a whopping 270 brands exhibited this year! If you times that by how many fragrances in each collection, you’ll start to understand how much brain/nose cramming was done over the 3 days – I hope to share some of the magic so you feel you were there too!

Ainslie’s Pitti 2016 Photo Essay

I saw a big sign in front of an almost rundown building, Stazione Leopalda announcing the event. The entrance served as an area where people could relax, interview and of course, being Italy, smoke! The interior was rustic and industrial but with loads and loads of shiny new stalls set up and numbers and flowers hanging from the ceiling. My Pitti app let me know the theme was Numbers and Flowers – an art show running simultaneously expressing connections of numbers and flowers – the right numerical proportions can create palpable sensory experiences.

Die!! I WAS IN NICHE HEAVEN!!

I’d never been to Pitti before, so, full of excitement I began my first day’s journey and spotted Andy Tauer straight away. He was launching his new fragrance Tuberose Flash so I had a chat, sniff and also of newbie, At Coeur Desert…oh and of course had a quick selfie with him.

Turning, I saw the new Atelier des Ors – Iris Fauve and sprayed it, knowing I was more than likely spending $400 if I fell in love – it’s divine: smooth, sensual – I need to wear it some more but the iris was almost caramelised and velvet during the dry down.

Then my phone rang and it was Mark Buxton (OMG!!) – he was running a tad late to meet me – I resniffed his fragrances and neighbouring Eccentric Molecules while I waited for our scheduled interview…which of course you’ll be reading here in the upcoming weeks. HILARIOUSUS chap!

One stall along further, I ran into Nicolas Chabot who not only had his beautifully reinvigorated Le Galion collection, of which I got to smell a few, new to my nose and his novelty for Pitti, Sang Bleu. I had been anticipating experiencing his new brand, Aether for some time as it rolled out on instagram so he took me through the collection – all based on molecules and there were some really interesting scents I need to try on skin STAT. Overall I love the packaging and vibe which is quite dark and apothecary-like.

Montale had The New Rose on sparking and catchy metallic display – they handed me a small sample, so a review will follow (eventually).

Carner Barcelona was showing newbie, Costarela.

Lovely warm, Neela Vermeire and I had a half hour chat through the range and she doused me in her newest fragrance Raheme, ready for my evening, a lovely osmanthus based floral number made by perfumer Bertrand Douchfour. I left from day 1 in a cloud of exotic goodness!

More Pitti to follow in my next post(s)! Have you ever been?

Ainslie XX

Sang Bleu GIVEAWAY WINNERS

August 21, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey there beautiful people,

I get really excited when I can bring you new and fabulous fragrances. Thanks for getting involved.

Let’s find out who our winners are.
Portia xx

Sang Bleu GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Galbanum, orange, bergamot, lemon, wormwood, rosemary, eucalyptus, geranium, jasmine, rose, violet, pink pepper, carnation, cedar, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver

Le Galion has €140/100ml and send to the world!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 10ml decant of Sang Bleu by Le Galion
3 x 1ml decants from the Le Galion range
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 20th August 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Patty Pong

Bolortsetseg

The winners will have till Wednesday 24th August 2016 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.

Sang Bleu by Le Galion 2016

August 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello APJ,

I did what I try not to do. Yes I went to the Le Galion website and blind bought at full retail a bottle of Sang Bleu. I do feel justified sometimes to do it. These guys are creating lovely, interesting, wearable fragrance and I like their whole style. Though not everything in the line has been instant love or a super winner for me they do all have the same feeling of passion brought to life. If I was to pick a house that you could give me anything from the line and I could only wear that one fragrance for 6 months I would ask you to give me any bottle of Le Galion. Their smoothness and easy wear capabilities, they are interesting without being a challenge, can be every day or dressed up and their base lines all wear as a soft wash.

NEW! Sang Bleu by Le Galion 2016

Fragrantica

Le Galion has €140/100ml and send to the world!

Sang Bleu GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 10ml decant of Sang Bleu by Le Galion
3 x 1ml decants from the Le Galion range
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO 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

Tell us about a Le Galion fragrance you love, or about a unisex scent that you wear

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 20th August 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 24th August 2016 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.

12 Perfumes I Would Rebuy

August 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 62 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fab Fumies,

Once upon a time you would see these Desert Island lists everywhere. It was a regular question on blogs and Facebook pages. It would be great for me because it would make me think about the fragrances that really matter in my collection. So let’s get hypothetical.

Let’s say you have downsized to a Tiny Home after your whole perfume collection was destroyed and are only allowing yourself 12 fragrance bottles in your new less expansive space (you can change one every time you finish a bottle, gift one away etc). You have bought an In-Cupboard-Drawer that will be the complete size of your collection and it fits 12 bottles exactly. You have no price restrictions only bottle number, what are the first 12 bottles you chose to have in your home?

12 Perfumes I Would Rebuy

Fragrantica

Aesthete by Le Galion: The Le Galion crew are woefully under appreciated. This sexy leather/saffron/incense with a lovely animalic backbone is the bomb. Elegant, wearable, inviting and distinct.

Amoureuse by Parfums DelRae: Freakiest damn sexy lily I ever smelled in my life. A golden witch brew that makes my head pop.

Fragrantica

Dia Woman Extract by Amouage: An animal in couture clothing. All the flowers over an oudh/incense base that sings on my skin all night long till the early morning when it growls and purrs.

Fantasia de Fleurs by Creed: I can’t think of a better jammy rose. Some times in my life just seem to call for Fantasia de Fleurs

Giverny In Bloom by DSH Perfumes: The greenest green I ever did smell. So much galbanum decorated with flowers to lightly soften the blow. I go through so much Giverny In Bloom that it’s nearly time I bought more…..

Mitsouko Vintage Extrait by Guerlain: If you knew how much of this I’ve stockpiled you would be appalled. That furry peachy floral oakmoss bomb that continues to fascinate and delight me every time.

Fragrantica

Mitzah by DIOR: Honeyed, spicy, amber rose overlaid with a glorious smoky incense both fiery and cooly aloof. LOVE IT!

Fragrantica

Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations: Another spicy rose but this time cooler and more Asiatic. Every wear is slightly different and it tends to bloom differently at different temperatures.

Niki de Saint Phalle: A chypre with a softer floral hue through the heart. So wearable and is such a summer staple that works in all climes.

Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids: Yes, I have about 30 ambers in my collection and this was the hardest to winnow down to one by there is something incredible simple and wearable about Olympic Amber, it’s the one I seem to reach for as my benchmark.

Shalimar Extrait by Guerlain: The one. Forever and ever. My favourite fragrance in the world. This case is by far my preferred way to apply too.

Truth or Dare by Madonna: I know. Don’t care what you think. This is one of my all time favourites. It gets hauled out and spritzed at least once a week. There’s quite a stockpile here but still I worry that it will run out.

Can I tell you honestly that this took me a while because I kept swapping things out and then feeling bad because some of my favourite perfumers, houses and frags would have meant a doubling up of notes or styles. In the end I had to stop myself second guessing by adding that each time a bottle emptied or was gifted away I could swap it out for a different scent. Suddenly it didn’t seem like I was choosing forever and my head stopped exploding. He he he.

OK, so it’s over to you. What are your 12? Don’t think too long, it’s merely hypothetical and not forever.
Portia xx

Le Galion: Aesthete GIVEAWAY WINNERS

June 20, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there APJ Crew,

Great response this week. Good luck.

Thank you so much to the Le Galion guys. Le Galion has €140/100ml (Shipping is only €10, even to Australia!)

Portia xx

Le Galion: Aesthete GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Italian mandarin, artemisia, incense, saffron
Heart: Leather, guaiac wood, castoreum, oud, jasmine
Base: Sandalwood, vanilla, white musk

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x 10ml decant Le Galion: Aesthete
1 x 1.5ml decant Le Galion: Snob
1 x 1.5ml decant Le Galion: Cologne Nocturne
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 19th June 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

Nemo

Claudia S.

Ems

The winners will have till Wednesday 22nd June 2016 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.

Aesthete by Vanina Muracciole for Le Galion 2015

June 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi Frag family,

Recently I have finally got around to opening some more of the stuff from Jin & my Europe trip in Jan/Feb this year. The boys at Le Galion, Nicolas & Enno, were so freaking generous when we were together in Paris. Jin & I went into the Tranoï Paris as guests of Le Galion and Nicolas scored me a Press Pass, it was terribly swish.

Nicolas and his partner Enno.

Tranoi Paris 2016 #4 Nicolas with Roberto Greco: creative genius behind Le Galion advertising and product.

Back to fragrance though, today I have one of the new creations from the house Le Galion,. That’s right. the guys are now creating new fragrances to sit alongside the resurrected vintage scents. Clever!

Aesthete by Le Galion 2015

Aesthete by Vanina Muracciole

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Italian mandarin, artemisia, incense, saffron
Heart: Leather, guaiac wood, castoreum, oud, jasmine
Base: Sandalwood, vanilla, white musk

WHOA!!! I think I have sprayed overabundantly. Le Galion fragrances are usually so mild mannered but Aesthete has brought a big stink. Saffron, woods, balmy leather and a very cool incense stand out right from the start and the fireworks continue well into the second hour. Not overbearingly huge in a 1980s way but hefty and noticeable. If I believed in fragrance sexuality I would peg this leaning towards current ideas of masculine but do not be afeared ladies, it will smell glorious on you too. Liking it A LOT!

I’m not sure that it’s particularly groundbreaking but it is an interesting leather on me. Opens up with saffron & woods then quickly becomes a balmy leather with bells & whistles that I can’t place. A nicely vintage vibe.

Over 12 hours and still going, amazing! I smell beautiful this morning. It’s soft and intimate but discernible. A lightly musky balm, so smooth and with the merest hint of vanilla sweetness till i can’t smell it at all.

Le Galion has €140/100ml (Shipping is only €10, even to Australia!)

Le Galion: Aesthete GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x 10ml decant Le Galion: Aesthete
1 x 1.5ml decant Le Galion: Snob
1 x 1.5ml decant Le Galion: Cologne Nocturne
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Tell us have you tried any Le Galion fragrances? Which one interests you?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 19th June 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Wednesday 22nd June 2016 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.

Cologne Nocturne GIVEAWAY WINNERS

April 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

We have 4 winners today. I hope you guys love the Cologne Nocturne, I think it’s gorgeous.

Portia xx

Cologne Nocturne GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, palisander rosewood
Heart: Clary sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, spicy notes
Base: Cedar, patchouli, woody notes

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 4 winners who will receive:
1 x decant of Cologne Nocturne by Le Galion
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged. 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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us what is your favourite Cologne?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 3rd April 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by random.org

markmontanoblogs

TIM

SUN MI

NEVA

DAMIR

CONGRATULATIONS!! The winners will have till Thursday 7th April 2016 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.

Cologne Nocturne by Le Galion 2016

April 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 30 Comments

Post by Portia

I wrote this while on holidays and then totally forgot about it!

Heya APJ,

So we have been on holidays for a couple of weeks now but I’m getting my first chance to write to you all about my favourite scent from an amazing day spent with the men from Le Galion at the Tranoi event in Paris. They have so much new stuff on the way for you all and I know it’s going to knock your socks off. New releases and a new brand, we were treated to previews and so much information that most of it has filtered from my brain. Sorry about that.

Further down check out how you can be the first to smell Le Galion’s newest release.

Right now I’m at a Slovakian Hot Springs but am too shy to get undressed and go in.

Jin is loving the hot spring in the freezing cold of winter

Our niece & nephew were having the time of their lives. So happy to get to hang out with us and their parents. Jin’s brother took his first day off this year to be able to take us on an adventure.

The lower half of my body is covered in psoriasis and it makes me feel very self conscious so while everyone else is going batshit crazy in the acres of pools and waterslides I am happily ensconced at a table and rugged up to chat to you.

Cologne Nocturne by Le Galion 2016

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, palisander rosewood
Heart: Clary sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, spicy notes
Base: Cedar, patchouli, woody notes

(Ed: Added the notes after. I was surprised that my guesses wasn’t ridiculously wrong. YAY ME!)
So I am flying blind without a note list because the product is yet to hit Fragrantica and I have completely forgotten the conversation with Nicolas and Enno. What you will be getting is a Portia Nose View of Cologne Nocturne. When it’s released we can all have a bit of a laugh at how poorly I did. No problem, I’m tough.

We open citrus sweet and herbal. I’m guessing the usual suspects of bergamot and mandarin, but it could be pomelo because the sweetness is softer, I get very little pith or creaminess. The herbaceous vibe could be coriander, basil, tarragon or green hay. Lavender swirls around and through. A very traditional opening, attractive and clean.

Milkiness enters, I can’t decide if I’m getting a creamy sandalwood/amber, almonds or am I smelling a milky byproduct of fig. What I can tell you is that the fragrance warms through slightly and maintains its sweetness, the sweetness of fruits not sugar. Maybe it’s vanilla I smell? Naah, probably not that kind of sweet. Woods play a part but I’m struggling here.

Let’s chat about how Cologne Nocturne makes me feel, where it takes me on a journey too, who I can imagine wearing it. Cologne Nocturne smells super expensive and luxe, more depth and warmth than I expect from cologne, more fragrant twists and a sweet heart that could very easily become fabulously killer in the cool of winter cologne, or the dark of night. You want to smell nonchalant but magnificent. This is the fragrance that doesn’t try too hard, smells like you are comfortable in your skin and don’t need to be making bold statements or to challenge your sense of smell.

I could imagine snuggling into the scent on a partner or loved one and also imagine wearing it as a seduction tool.

The men of Le Galion, here I am with Enno Ebels and Nicolas Chabot. Handsome men who make yummy frags.

Not sure when it will be released as yet but it will be available at LuckyScent and First In Fragrance.

Have you spent any time with Le Galion? Maybe you remember the brand from before its resurrection?
Portia x

Kesha&Co

Cologne Nocturne GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 4 winners who will receive:
1 x decant of Cologne Nocturne by Le Galion
P&H Worldwide

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us what is your favourite Cologne?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 3rd April 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Thursday 7th April 2016 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.