Bas de Soie by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2010

June 24, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Portia

Hiya Fumies,

For some reason I have always overlooked todays fragrance. Not sure why. Nothing about it has ever jumped out at me but I’d also never read the notes list. Having fallen truly, madly and deeply in love with Apollo Hyacinth by Eric Buterbaugh Florals it suddenly seemed necessary to try another hyacinth fragrance and Serge Lutens often creates the benchmark, so it was to his that I gravitated.

Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens 2010

Bas de Soie by Christopher Sheldrake

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Iris, galbanum, hyacinth, spices, musk

One year when we were kids my Mum splurged on a packet of Hyacinth bulbs. We were great gardeners, Mum & I, and spent whole weekends together creating and recreating the garden. Sydney is a funny climate and most bulbs get one year of fabulous and then rot in the ground. Anyway, this year the Hyacinths came up and were a beautiful blue, Mum was thrilled. Bas de Soie reminds me of the feeling that Mum & I had really achieved something to have these beautiful flowers to show for our efforts.

Bas de Soie reminds me of that spring. It’s alive, fresh, hopefull springlike green opening is so like the sap of freshly cut hyacinths. It has that glorious galbanum which smells both incredibly cool and aloof while also giving me a smooth, resinous, shiny and reflective smell. I am explaining it very badly but hopefully you understand.

Pixabay

Iris is green and only lightly powdery. Actually it’s like the cool spring morning air blowing through the lovely green and grey leaves of the iris, that makes the flowers shiver of their impossibly long stems. Then the startling cascade of colour, a positive riot of purples, yellows, oranges and pinks.

About 30 minutes in and then Bas de Soie changes. It warms through slightly, while still being green and light as air, maybe the spices and musk but it feels woody and earthy.

Now you will be fragrant, people will smell you, but there is little chance of your fragrance ever skunking anyone if you’re wearing Bas de Soie. It’s a very pretty floral. Maybe if CHANEL No 19 is a bit too severe then the friendliness of Bas de Soie could quite well be a better fit for you.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Megan In St. Maxime
LuckyScent has $135/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/0.5ml

Do you have a hyacinth fragrance you love? Maybe something that smells so fresh and new?
Portia xx

Love-In-A-Mist by Charna Ether for Providence Perfume Company 2016

June 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Greetings to my people!

I just want to say how thrilled I am that you all “get it.” Being able to connect with fragrance lovers all over the world is a precious gift, and I love you all! My life has been particularly charmed the last few years since discovering my heaven on earth, the storefront and perfume studio of Charna Ethier: Providence Perfume Company. Charna has just released her latest all-natural perfume, and it is absolutely breathtaking.

Love-In-A-Mist by Providence Perfume Company 2016

Love-In-A-Mist EdP by Charna Ether

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Wildflowers, mimosa, pink pepper, sandalwood, clover

You may have heard that last year, the Providence Perfume Company brick-and-mortar store was damaged in a fire. Repairs were swift, but the business has since relocated. A few weeks ago, I floated into the brand new Providence Perfume Company studio. The space is nothing short of enchanting. Brilliant light cascades onto precious fragrant gems. The ambience is welcoming, invigorating, soothing, and joyful all at once. I spent several hours starlit by my friend Charna’s exquisite company, inhaling serenity and chatting about our love of fragrance.

I left with the first full-size bottle ever sold of Love-In-A-Mist. This scent orbits around nigella damascena absolute, a rare essence displaying a gorgeously honeyed aroma. The sweetness is tempered by the floral lift of pink pepper and the cucumber-like shimmer of pure mimosa olessance. Sweet clover rounds out the spellbinding composition with a tender sentiment. Smoothly harmonious sandalwood hums with a subtle, peaceful tone at the base. On my skin, the pink pepper presents beautifully at the opening, while the mimosa and clover are the dominant notes through the heart of the experience. I simply can’t get enough of Love-In-A-Mist, I have been dousing it on frequently and I’ve bonded with it very strongly.

Pixabay

Love-In-A-Mist was intended to inspire memories of summer childhood romps. Running barefoot through a field of wildflowers, sun-warmed hair streaming and shining, the scent of hay hanging lazily in the air, the buzzing song of cicadas mingling with the tinkling laughter of little ones at play. Love-In-A-Mist is liquid poetry.

I am graced with the good fortune of mingling online with like-minded perfume enthusiasts, and I am even luckier to have had the opportunity to “Meet and Sniff” in person with several local kindred spirits. Above and beyond these incredible prosperities, for which my gratitude is infinite, I can’t begin to fathom the outrageous twist of fate that led me to the threshold of Charna’s perfumed oasis. She is a gifted, graceful, exceptionally talented artist whose spirit glows with genuine passion and positivity.

Providence Perfume Co.

Further reading: Scent Hive and Ca Fleure Bon
Providence Perfume Co. has $45/5ml Rollerball and larger

Have you experienced the euphoria of meeting a fellow fragrance lover in person? Or perhaps even a perfumer whose knowledge and enthusiasm inspired you? What was it like spending precious time with someone who understands our fascination and appreciation of the olfactory treasures that surround us?

Love and light to you all, until next time –

Erica

SNARK! Why Did They Even Bother?

June 21, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 63 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fragrant Fumies,

Ainslie Walker is off doing amazing stuff so I’m filling in today, she’ll be back in a fortnight.

I thought you all might like a chance to unleash, a place to vent, a moment where you can really let us know what you think about some of the complete shit that has been released under then guise of fragrance. Now you must back up your snark with reasons other than it smells crap. Also if someone trashes your favourite that doesn’t mean your favourite has been invalidated, it means your favourite doesn’t work for someone else. Please don’t get snippy and thin lipped if Andy Tauer, Taylor Swift, Bertrand Duchaufour or DKNY get lampooned. This is a fun vent that we can all have a bit of a laugh about. Extra points go to well crafted snark, brilliant analogies, finely honed butchery and elegant put downs.

SNARK! Why Did They Even Bother?

Right, I’ll get you all started.

Insta-Ranges

Yes, you’ve all seen them. One minute VC&A, Armani, Givenchy, YSL, Oscar de la Renta, Bulgari et al have some fairly limp fruitchoulis on the market shelves next to their one big blockbuster hit from the 60s, 80s or naughties and next moment there are 12 deluxe fragrances in uber simple packaging with one of each frag style included; a musk, an amber, BWF, leather, cologne, aquatic raspberry lotus anise laundry detergent. For F*#ks Sake. Seriously, maybe three in the line are worth sniffing and the rest I wouldn’t use in the bathroom as deodoriser.

These are not the only protagonists in the drama either, it’s becoming more & more common in the niche realm too. Zero scents to 20 in 3 years. PLEASE!!

Surely it also makes no market sense to put all your poorly thought out, boringly designed, committee created dross in one foul swoop. Wouldn’t it make more sense to release two REALLY FREAKING GOOD THINGS and maybe add one every couple of years? Wouldn’t that lend a sense of anticipation, give people something to talk about, make us want and dream and imagine?

Coco Mademoiselle by CHANEL 2001

CocoMademoisell Fragrantica Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, mandarin orange, orange blossom, bergamot
Heart: Mimose, jasmine, Turkish rose, ylang-ylang
Base: Tonka bean, patchouli, opoponax, vanilla, vetiver, white musk

Flankers

Now for this one I do understand the solid business sense behind it. Of course it’s easier to sell a mediocre scent if you piggyback the fame of your houses blockbuster scent from decades ago. I really like the idea of summer versions of the heavier offerings, even like the idea of a yearly release of something crated to enhance your wearing of the original. You know the original Opium or JPG Le Male were pretty full on in an office mid summer, I get it. Make an annual summer flanker in a fun bottle that can also become a collectable. Heaven!

Please don’t create a whole new scent, nothing to do with the magical original that you have slashed and burned till it is a whisper of its former glory and that no self respecting perfumista would use to light a Bar B Q, and link it to your cash cow. It drives me FREAKING WILD! Just two examples on the one scent are Coco Mademoiselle and Coco Noir, either of these are fine scents on their own and I would definitely have liked them a LOT more if they hadn’t been linked to one of the department stores glittering fragrant jewels Coco. ACK! Why? Imagine if they’d called it CHANEL Noir or Gabrielle, put it in that killer black bottle and I am 100% sure it would still have sold like hot cakes while not watering down the cache of the gorgeous original.

OK, so what gets your goat? Go crazy.
Please don’t be offensive or take offence on someone else comment, we are here to have a laugh today.
Portia xxx

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?

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 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.

Boy EdP by Olivier Polge for CHANEL 2016

June 16, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Robert Herrmann

Hi Fragrant Friends!

Heres I am writing from my small island home in the great Pacific Northwest….

Funny thing about this new Chanel…when I first wore it I was decidedly ambivalent about it. So I wore it the next day, just to be sure. And then the next day and and and…..now I am completely obsessed with it, and find myself reaching for it at some point almost every day!!!

Boy EdP by CHANEL 2016

Boy EdP by Olivier Polge

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Lavender, rose, lemon, grapefruit, rose geranium, orange blossom, sandalwood, heliotrope, vanilla, musk.
The CHANEL website also adds fern to the list.

Boy EdP is classified as an Aromatic Fougere. Now admittedly, the fougere family of scent is not one of my favorites, I find the notes to be scarce and repetitive, and they often go bitter/sour on my skin. However this new Chanel for the Les Exclusifs range is working out just fine and dandy, actually WAAAY beyond my expectations!

CHANEL

Named after one of Coco Chanel’s early lovers, Arthur “Boy” Capel, was a famous sportsman and self-made millionaire who was tragically killed in an auto accident on his way to a rendezvous with Ms. Chanel at Christmas in 1919. Their tempestuous affair lasted for twelve years.

Boy opens with a blast of sweet lavender and heliotrope, but the sweetness quickly dissipates as the herbal qualities of the fougere step forward surrounded by musk, and what I think of as the classic Chanel (Chanelade?) notes found throughout the perfume range.

Solidly unisex, with a feeling of a vintage Chanel, but given a contemporary twist from grapefruit and lemon giving this an almost cologne-like vibe.

Yes there might be better scents in the Les Exclusifs range in my opinion, but I would (and have already) gladly add “Boy” to my full bottle collection! Sorry….gotta’ go re-apply!

Wikipedia

Further reading: BLeauG and The Whale & The Rose
CHANEL has €320/200ml
Recently CHANEL stopped all sample/decant stores from selling their products so you must go in store to try boy

Do you have a favorite from the Chanel Les Exclusifs range??

Cardinal by James Heeley for Heeley 2006

June 15, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Post by Poodle

I went to a Catholic grammar school. Many of my childhood memories are of being in church. Damn, it seems like there was always a reason to have to go to mass. I have to admit I hated it. We’d even be taken to church during school hours to practice singing so that at mass Sr. Carmeline would be happy and convinced that we were loud enough for God to hear. She was a large, scary woman and had this giant bell she would ring to get our attention. The bell meant business, let me tell you, but that’s another story altogether.

During Lent there wasn’t much singing but we had to go to the Stations of the Cross every week. To a kid it was dreadfully boring, but I loved Lent because there was more incense. Incense was my favorite part of church by far. I still love my incense perfumes in times of stress and when I mentioned Cardinal in my last post Portia asked me to tell you more about it.

Avignon was a blind buy for me and I fell hard for it. It was all dark. brooding, churchy incense. It was love. On my quest to acquire more incense fragrances I stumbled upon Cardinal and found another to love.

Cardinal by Heeley 2006

Cardinal by James Heeley

Fragrantica

Heeley gives these featured accords:
White Linen . Baie Rose . Black Pepper
Labdanum . Frankincense . Myhr
Vetiver . Grey Amber . Patchouli

Cardinal is a church incense but it’s more like church on a sunny winter’s day. I remember sitting in church and it was usually cold. If you were strategic you’d try to sit near a window. You wanted to be in that ray of sunlight streaming through the stained glass. It would offer some warmth which was hard to come by in those big, old churches. Cardinal is a lot like that. It has dustiness and cold damp stone notes along with the incense but there’s also that visible ray of sunshine.

Mount Pleasant Granary

It’s all about the aldehydes. They tend to brighten and freshen up a perfume and that’s exactly what they do here. Add to that the amber in the base and Cardinal becomes a much warmer, happier take on incense. My only complaint is with the lasting power. On my skin Cardinal isn’t a powerhouse and it doesn’t last very long. Some days I may get a couple hours out of it but not others. It does linger on clothing nicely. Your mileage may vary.

If you love Chanel No 22 as I do but have always wished the incense was a bit more pronounced then I think you might like Cardinal. If Avignon always seemed a bit too masculine to you then Cardinal’s floral notes and brightness might be just perfect. Yes, it’s still contemplative and calming but it’s also hopeful, like going into dimly lit church, lighting a candle, saying a prayer, and walking out into the sunshine.

Geograph.UK

Further reading: NST and Olfactoria’s Travels
Healey has €125/100ml and sends to the world
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5.40/ml

Have you tried it? Do you like it? What’s your favorite incense?

Hugs
Poodle

Amsterdam Fragrance Adventures: TinaG’s 2016 Europe Tour

June 13, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by TinaG

The Netherlands is home base to a number of fragrance houses – Mona Di Orio, Puredistance, Hiram Green and Nasomatto to name a few. When visiting in May this year I mentioned this to my cousin Kylie, who was very interested in finding out more – so we decided to spend a day in Amsterdam hunting for Dutch perfume. What a great way for me to introduce her to the rabbit hole that is the perfume world!

Amsterdam Fragrance Adventures

TinaG’s 2016 Europe Tour

World Atlas Book

Annindryia Perfume Lounge

Our first stop also became our longest as I was totally enthralled and excited. We had dropped in to Annindryia Perfume Lounge and I had walked in to a small slice of absolute heaven. They stock a fabulous selection of Dutch and international fragrances. We were warmly greeted and shown around the display room. Kylie took to the whole experience and I’m happy to say she was instantly hooked. We sniffed and chatted for a few hours. Have a look at Annindryia Perfume Lounge site for an idea of their range. Yes they ship to Australia and yes the do samples.

Le Bienaimé by Erik Zwaga

This brand utilises the concept of up-cycling to create new fragrances from existing brands. The bottles would be familiar to most perfumistas – I spotted repurposed Chanel and Etro bottles, tied up with multi-house-branded ribbons. The names of the fragrances hint at their primary constituents: CHA-CHA-CHA-CHANEL, R-I-O-D (Dior spelt backwards), HERMEJESY. I picked up a sample of S.T.I.N.K (how could I not?) that contains Classic Opoponax, Èdition Rare – Petrolium, Floriental, Musk Tonkin, Obsessive Oudh and Song for a Queen.

Eau d’Amsterdam

Eau d’Amsterdam is a fragrant ode to the thousands of elm trees which line the city’s streets and canals. I had noted the springtime ‘snow’ without realising they were elm seeds, which behave like petals caught in the wind as they scatter themselves across the city. It is described as: Sunny green woody
It’s definitely all that, it has the dry astringency of a freshly snapped twig – really light and perfect for a warm spring day.

People of the Labyrinths

After leaving Annindryia Perfume Lounge I visited the store of fashion house People of the Labyrinths. Fabulous clothing, exquisite materials… I thoroughly enjoyed looking around & chatting to the sales assistants. They have two fragrances – A.Maze and Luctor Et Emergo. I tried both on skin and they generously gave me a sample of A.Maze.

Skins Cosmetics

Our last stop of the day was a shop & beautician Skins Cosmetics, located in the Het Conservatorium Hotel. They had a wonderful range of fragrances however most of the brands stocked I do have access to in Australia – Hermès, Frederic Malle, Byredo, By Killian, Le Labo. There were a few fragrances that I tried – the Clean range, and some of the Hermès range such as Eau de rhubarb écarlate, and Eau d’orange vert which I hadn’t tried before.

I had a fantastic day introducing Kylie to the fragrance world and checking out some special places & perfumes in Amsterdam.

Do you have a favourite Dutch fragrance house?

Tina G

Ulrich Lang GIVEAWAY WINNER

June 13, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Hiya APJ,

Thanks to Ulrich for his enormous generosity. Whoever wins today will have some very exciting fragrant trials ahead.

Portia xx

Ulrich Lang GIVEAWAY WINNER

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mint, basil, sage, bergamot, tangerine, lime
Heart: Jasmine, geranium, violet, sesame, honey
Base: Patchouli, guava, moss, leather, amber, wood notes

Luckyscent has $120/100ml + Samples

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive these 2ml Carded Manufacturers Samples:
1 x Anvers by Ulrich Lang
1 x Anvers 2 by Ulrich Lang
1 x Aperture by Ulrich Lang
1 x Lightscape by Ulrich Lang
1 x Nightscape by Ulrich Lang
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 12th June 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

Suze

The winner will have till Wednesday 15th 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.

Olympic Amber by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2011

June 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Fabulously Fragrant Fumies,

One of the fragrances that I come back to again and again in my fragrant journey is from the Indie Perfumer Ellen Covey. Her fragrances are usually very compatible with my chemistry and this one in particular gets a lot of skin time. It’s the easiest and most likeable amber in my collection, wearable all year round but especially nice in the cool of evening.

Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids 2011

Olympic Amber by Ellen Covey

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Labdanum, vanilla, benzoin, incense, resins, patchouli, woods

Originally this glorious, burnished beauty was made to be the base of other fragrances but once created Ellen decided it needed to be a fragrance all its own. Olympic Amber was born.

Vanilla, patchouli and lovely smooth resins waft straight out of the gate. It’s a dry sweetness, slightly bakery but more balmy. A crunchy toffee or caramelised sugar effect very reminiscent of the first crackling spoonful of creme brûlée. Crunchy and creamy, yes perfect analogy. Olympic Amber is hefty and I am fully fragrant but it manages to covey an air of spaciousness, not sheer but less dense somehow. Fragrant but not ferocious.

I could imagine this being the signature scent choice of a parent and this smell being part of what the children run to, a scent of comfort and safety. It’s as if Olympic Amber reminds me of something or someone who I felt safe around, there is no memory attached though or person.

Fairly linear, I enjoy the stability of knowing I’ll smell this good all day and evening. Perfect for extra long work, drinks, dinner days because longevity is out of this world. Spray Olympic Amber on your clothes and they will stay fragrant till the next wash. Even in the laundry basket, when I grab the clothes out I can tell if I had it on this past week from the delicious waft I get while putting stuff in the machine.

WikiMedia

Further reading: Perfume Posse and BOTO
Olympic Orchids has $18/5ml Travel Spray
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/0.5ml

What is your amber?
Portia xx