Rose Musc by Laurie Erickson for Sonoma Scent Studio 2007

February 5, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ,

Reading about Rose Musc on the Perfume Posse made me laugh, Tom is hilarious. There are a LOT of rose fragrances in my collection, from my all time favourite rose Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations through a bunch of Parfum des Rosines, a few oudh/rose frags, and some from independents, designer and niche. There’s something about roses that call to my soul. The ultra smooth, modern sheer heft of Voleur de Roses by L’Artisan Parfumeur to the dark, bitter, unfettered and pulsating Ballets Rouges by Olympic Orchids, I love them all. So if Tom rates it, though not for him, then I thought I better gran some and get it on me.

Rose Musc by Sonoma Scent Studio 2007

Rose Musc by Laurie Erickson

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Sonoma Scent Studio gives these featured accords:
Rose petals, amber, labdanum absolute, skin musks

Roses, Roses, Roses! big a full and fabulous. Blooming dark pink roses with their sweet and spicy, tart apple and plum skin overtones. You know the ones? Maybe 7 to a stem, fabulously opulent looking, as big as your hand and when you touch their open flowers the petals float off the bush leaving a carpet of cerise, as if the bush has been bleeding. Rose Musc is all of that and more.

The labdanum/amber warms the rose and bolsters it, keeping it vegetally sweet and engaging. Where Ballets Rouges is darkened by twig, branch and humus Rose Musc is lighter, smoother and more regal. You still know you are wearing an independent perfumers fragrance, there is none of the pasty and pastel hum drum of the department store designer, nor the delicately overproduced loveliness of the designer prive lines. Rose Musc is adamant, strident and over the top gorgeousness, an oldie-worldie rose that has a Mucha picture as its focus. I chose another Mucha picture that I think captures the soul of Rose Musc even better.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Laurie Erickson at Sonoma Scent Studio writes: …I wanted Rose Musc to be a true rose softened by a powdery musk base. I like the innocence of the rose paired with the dusky labdanum and musk. The blend has a very light touch of animalic notes.

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Scent of Abricots
Sonoma Scent Studio has $75/34ml and very reasonable samples

Which is your rose? Have you tried any of the Sonoma Scent Studio work?
Portia xx

Eau Moheli by Olivier Pescheux for Diptyque 2013

February 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Fumie Family,

Do you ever look through your samples and find something you have absolutely no recollection of acquiring? Today’s fragrance was in a lovely little box with a 2ml manufacturers spritz sample inside, about 70% full. So I did what any self respecting perfumista would do, I spritzed……

Yes, I know the northern hemisphere is gripped by winter but todays offering will have you dreaming that you’re seated at the bar in the pool ordering dacquiris from the half naked barman at your favourite equatorial resort.

Eau Moheli by Diptyque 2013

Eau Moheli by Olivier Pescheux

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Floral notes, ylang-ylang, patchouli, pink pepper, ginger, vetiver, benzoin, incense

Green ginger, pink pepper and I would have picked coriander to open, a lovely sweet green fragrance with a hint of ylang’s creamy/banana/white flower underneath (Yes I know ylang is yellow but it gives definite white floral attitude). A lush and tropical opening. Here in Sydney we have some rain today and the world is muggy, Eau Moheli seems perfectly placed for the temperature and perfectly fits my mood of languid relaxation.

Once the opening fireworks burn down a bit Eau Moheli becomes more about the ylang but now it’s riding a crisp green vetiver and cleanest patchouli. This is my favourite part of the fragrance life. Not groundbreaking but extremely pleasant to wear, Eau Moheli becomes a fresh green with white flowers, still tropical and maintaining it’s island paradise holiday feel. I’m surprised coconut isn’t mentioned as a note.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I feel that Diptyque, once at the vanguard of niche perfumery, has become a much more mainstream offering. If you were not a perfumista and you asked an SA for something tropical but more grown up and elegant than the Escada or Bronze Goddess lines then it would be a complete revelation to be shown Eau Moheli. It’s a beautifully smooth, easy wearing tropical fragrance that never skews to over ripe fruit of suntan lotion and would be excellent sniffed as someone walked past you.

As the fragrance progresses it gets a sweet resinous patchouli glow and I would say a healthy dose of musks for smooth vetiver dry down, very pretty but completely unchallenging for the hardcore perfume enthusiast. Ultimately an extremely wearable beauty with good projection and longevity.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Now Smell This and Bois de Jasmin
LuckyScent has $98/100ml and Samples

Do you have an easy wear tropical fragrance?
Portia xx

Bijou Romantique by Mathilde Bijaoui for Etat Libre d`Orange 2012

February 2, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hello lovely Australian Perfume Junkies and Junkettes!

Etat Libre d’Orange’s Bijou Romantique -The Romantic Jewel. Another fabulous name and image from cult favorite brand. I decide to blind wear, reading nothing about the fragrance.

Bijou Romantique by Etat Libre d`Orange 2012

Bijou Romantique by Mathilde Bijaoui

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, pink pepper, ylang-ylang
Heart: Clary sage, iris, coconut, Evee ® molecule
Base: vetiver, benzoin, vanilla

After a few wears, the sensual woody oriental has me reaching for my Shalimar to compare. Yes. There is something fizzy, smouldery and voluptuously vanilla about this unlikely pairing. It’s not often one can describe a fragrance from the Etat Libre d’Orange house as “classic” If I do dare to compare to Shalimar, I would have to say this is Shalimar’s new-romantic slightly rock n roll buddy. Whilst Shalimar wafts down gorgeous corridors and enters wonderful opera house box seats to peer down on some live opera, Bijou Romantique charges straight to the VIP area back/side stage of a gig, more than likely in a venue such as the State Theatre of Sydney or Albert Hall of London. Not to say at the end of the night both don’t end up in some glorious boudoir with their head turning sexy, sultry and sweet swirls. Très Romantique!

Flickr

Of course Bijou Romantique provides a curious difference that we can expect from olfactive director Etienne de Swardt and perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui (who also brought us the incredible Like This)

Etat Libre d’Orange shakes up the classic formula a little by adding only one sweet, heady white floral; ylang ylang. Fizzy top notes of lemon, pink pepper and bergamot lift and combine with vanilla and benzoin in the base. Creating that sherbet tingle in ones olfactory bulbs. Orris, ylang, patchouli and create a smooth, velvet and cool but pretty heart. Nodding to past classics. Virtually “old fashioned” for this brand, but in the best possible sense. Vetiver and I believe incense (not in the marketing) give the smoldering edge and clary sage gives a dry growl in the background. Dry down is a sweet and powdery combination of all of the above, even getting slightly ambered however the longer it is on the harder it is to pick the individual notes. It’s just yummy and sensual with a kick of unusual and elegant.

There’s something so hard and yet completely soft in this combination. A womanly, tough exterior with a soft soft center -maybe that’s the sweet coconut listed in the notes I don’t really pick up after all? I also get more dry incense or something similar. Especially in hot weather. In fact that’s one big thing I notice: the dual nature of this fragrance depending on if I wear it during the hot of the day or cool of the evening. On the right man I think this would work perfectly. In fact I pick up some of the powdered notes in Tom of Finland without the leather.

Wikipedia

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Scents of Self
LuckyScent has $85/50ml
Posh Peasant has samples starting at $4/ml

Have you tried Bijou Romantique? What are the most romantic jewels in your perfume collections?

Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Karyn Gold-Rheineke for Pirouette Essentials

February 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

Seattle perfumer Karyn Gold-Rheineke brings a wealth of knowledge to her line of botanical fragrances, soaps and lotions. Before launching Pirouette Essentials in 2009 Karyn worked for many years in herbal apothecaries and as a massage therapist. Her knowledge of aromatherapy has been central to the creation of her fragrances.

Pirouette

All of the Pirouette Essentials are handcrafted products designed “to help balance the body, mind and spirit” and created with the finest pure, botanical essential oils and plant extracts. When I am not feeling 100% my first go-to fragrance is Pirouette Essentials Wild Spruce and Tobacco.

Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Pirouette Essentials

Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Karyn Gold-Rheineke

Fragrantica

Pirouette Essentials gives these featured accords:
Top: Spruce, bergamot, fern
Heart: Spice, smoke, leather
Base: Vetiver, tobacco, roots

In 2014 The Men’s Journal listed Wild Spruce and Tobacco as one of the best scents for men to wear during the winter. On the Pirouette Essentials site Wild Spruce and Tobacco is listed under Men’s Favorites and is even offered as part of a gift set that includes a scent matched shaving soap.

Pirouette $42

As far as I’m concerned this versatile fragrance is a unisex scent for all seasons! In springtime the woody aromatics, green fern and vetiver resonate with new life and growing things. During the summer months Wild Spruce and Tobacco keeps me comfortable with the cooling effects of evergreen trees and the refreshing, astringent qualities of bergamot. The smoky mists of autumn are reflected in the fragrant heart of smoke and leather. The brisk, invigorating winter air and the cozy warmth of the holidays are echoed in the spruce, spice and tobacco. I am amazed how the ambient temperature and humidity change my perception of Wild Spruce and Tobacco from one season to the next.

From Pirouette Essentials: Aromatherapy Blend: Balancing & Spirited: Forest fresh wild spruce with bewitching, deep roots of smoky tobacco, leather and a wink of spice. A wonderfully rich, unisex scent for earth lovers alike

Pirouette $12

Pirouette Essentials also offers beautifully packaged lotions and fragrant soaps. My favorites are Karyn’s gift sets of four soap miniatures available in three collections – Botanicals, Earths and Blossoms

Pirouette has Wild Spruce & Tobacco from $7/2ml

When Portia gets home from her holidays we’ll do a draw.

Azar xx

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016: Photo Essay

January 31, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 38 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Guerlainophiles,

The Place Vendome store is closed. Sad but the good news is that they are re-opening there at a smaller venue, work to commence soon.

In the interim Guerlain have opened a lovely new store on the Rue de Saint Honoré. It opened last Thursday! So new there is no name on the front. Jin & I had to follow our noses. Inside the crew were extremely friendly and helpful. Our particular hostess was Coraline and she wanted us to have the ultimate Guerlain experience.

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016

Ostensibly I was going in to gran a Nahema parfum and a bottle of L’Heure de Nuit. It didn’t quite pan out that way because there was NEW STUFF! But I did manage to grab the Nahema parfum, There is a new exclusive and I fell heavily so I swapped out my L’Heure de Nuit for a Promenade des Anglais! Fig, Iris and Citrus over a seemingly marzipan base. Freaking gorgeous!

The real surprise was the new multi coloured glas bottles in the exclusives bee bottles. They are 125ml and you can choose any of the 7 or so colours and put in one of the 18 scents. Once you have made your selection your choice of fragrance s then decanted into your bottle from a large industrial urn, like a 21st century Caron adventure, and packed safely away for traveling. It’s quite the experience. As always, Guerlain delivers a magical and exciting ride.

The choice was interesting and it took me nearly half an hour to finally decide on Cuir Beluga. Here is how our afternoon panned out in pictures. You can only get these bottles at the Rue de Saint Honoré store and they are not sending any. It’s a limited offer so get to paris QUICK!

Enjoy,
Portia xx

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016

Photo Essay

Remarkable People by Quentin Bisch + Cecile Matton for Etat Libre d’Orange 2015

January 29, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Australian Perfume Junkies,

It’s excellent having an Etat Libre d’Orange online here in Australia with the whole range. You can buy some in Sephora if you’re in a big city, or Peony Melbourne, but Etat Libre d’Orange Au will ship Australia wide. How freaking exciting is that?

Remarkable People by Etat Libre d’Orange 2015

Remarkable People by Quentin Bisch + Cecile Matton

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Grapefruit, champagne, cardamom
Heart: Jasmine, curry tree, black pepper
Base: Labdanum, sandalwood, lorenox

Sweet champagne with a grapefruit twist and a herbal thread woven through? Remarkable People opens a bit like your first sip of champagne punch at a garden party. Simultaneously tart and warming, you can even smell the anticipation in the air. The fizz is maintained into the heart and the smell of sun warmed skin mingles with the woody smell of a BarBQ being organised and the first sizzle of spices as marinades hit the grill.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Remarkable People smells like a lavish reinterpretation of the cologne style of fragrances. A bit warmer and more engaging, unisex and the citrus seems to follow the resins into the base as a pithy, white musky cleanliness. The most close resemblance in a fragrance is Royal Bain de Caron but I wonder if I am being led by the idea of the champagne note. Lorenox is a Mace accord (according to fragrantica) and it has some leather/amber/woodsy facets.

The dry down is pretty, wearable and though no big new reveal it is interesting for a few hours before fading out. I think Remarkable People will be a hit for ELdO because it’s totally wearable and smells very nice. Remarkable? I think yes, if you smelled someone walking by with it on.

Photo Stolen ArtEllsta

Further reading: MeganInSaintMaxime and Colognoisseur
Etat Libre d’Orange in Australia has $100/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting from $4.50/m

Do you have an Etat Libre d’Orage yet? Which one and why?
Portia xx

Datura Noir by Serge Lutens: LIVE Video Sniff

January 29, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello My Lovelies,

This was a Blind Buy! Yes, I know, that’s the way to penury but I was pretty sure I would adore it. So you guys get to come along for my initial Opening Ceremony and sniff!

Datura Noir by Serge Lutens 2001

Datura Noir by Christopher Sheldrake

Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords:
Coconut, tuberose, tonka bean, almond, lemon blossom, mandarin orange, musk, chinese osmanthus, heliotrope, myrrh, vanilla, apricot

It’s always fun with Scotty on the lanai and as usual we blunder through a fragrant masterpiece missing all nuance and generally behaving like a bull in a china shop.

Amaranthine by Bertrand Duchaufour for Penhaligon’s 2009

January 28, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Crew,

Way back in 2009/10 when Amaranthine was first released it caused uproar. Nobody could quite believe that very British house Penhaligon’s would bring out such a naughty little firecracker of a frag. I have a bottle from Birgit at OT but while going through my decants I refound Amaranthine and decided to give myself a big fat spritz.

Amaranthine by Penhaligon’s 2009

Amaranthine by Bertrand Duchaufour

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Banana leaf, Green tea, Cardamom absolute, Coriander seed, White freesia
Heart: Rose, Carnation, Clove bud oil, Orange blossom, Ylang-ylang-oil, Egyptian jasmine absolute
Base: Musk, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Evaporated milk, Tonka bean absolute

Yes, it opens green and fresh yet curiously tropical and already you can tell there will be white flowers in abundance. Amaranthine is large and forthright, filled chock full of creamy flowers, their stems and a little of their vase water that has perhaps been left a day too long before changing.

As we leave the opening extravaganza behind Amaranthine becomes totally tropical. A warm rich and radiant white/yellow floral with a healthy green punch and fruity byplay. Creamy seems to fall short of how smooth and glutinous Amaranthine becomes, not sticky or lumpy but perfectly, silkily, gloriously thick and luscious. With my nose up close I feel that it’s so thick and viscous that perhaps I will drown in its vegetal embrace. Once I put my arm back by my side it softens to a gently and warm vanilla and floral bouquet, Amaranthine become charming and harmless again. Beautiful, alluring and enchanting but in a safe way, then I bring my arm back to my nose and I’m lost. It’s a heavy scent, a brocade bouquet.

Photo Stolen Flickr

March on Perfume Posse uses the word refulgent and when I looked it up it means shining brightly. It’s as accurate a word as I can find to explain how dazzling Amaranthine is. Strange that we read or hear so little about it nowadays because it was a game changing fragrance at the time and now I can only think of Amoureuse by Parfums DelRae being anywhere near as outrageous.

For some reason today my skin skips the sexy boudoir completely and goes directly to plush, sweet vanilla/sandalwood and a hefty dollop of clean skin musks. This lovely comfortable dry down can last for a full day & night and is basically indelible on fabric.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Perfume Shrine
Libertine Parfumerie has $239/100ml with FREE Australian delivery
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml

How was Amaranthine for you? Is it something you’ve loved, hated, never tried?
Portia xx

Erdenstern by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics 2014

January 27, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Joseph Sagona

Hi APJ,

SOTD April Aromatics Erdenstern EDP: classified as a Woody Floral Musk.

Erdenstern by April Aromatics 2014

Erdenstern by Tanja Bochnig

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Musk, ambergris, vetiver, tobacco leaf, tonka bean, cacao, opoponax

I get the Tobacco, Cacao, Musk, Vetiver, Opoponax and Tonka Bean, it opens up with a warm, botanical, musk and a spicy, vanilla tinged Tonka bean, the musk is strong, the Tonka bean is mild. Then after thirty minutes, the Tonka bean dissipates, the musk softens, in comes a earthy, damp vetiver and a dusty cacao with a touch of bitterness, the vetiver is mild, the cacao is soft. Four hours on and the musk and cacao dissipate, the vetiver softens, in comes a sweet, dry tobacco and a warm, honey tinged opoponax. The tobacco and opopnax are mild.

Erdenstern reminds me slightly of Frapin’s Speakeasy, Speakeasy is more musky, boozy, floral, citric and herbal. It also comes off fresh and slightly fruity. There is a very subtle gingerbread cookie with almonds and honey smell I get out of Erdenstern. The warm spiciness, bitter almonds and syrupy honey are really lovely.

Flickr

A very aromatic fragrance, balmy, warm, comforting, nutty, complex, smoky with a touch of sweetness and soft woody undertones.

From April Aromatics: The mystery of Avalon, the holy place between the worlds of gods and mortals, is the inspiration for Earth Star. The “Earth Star”/ Erdenstern symbolizes this connection and provides a conduit between these two worlds. Earth Star/ Erdenstern shimmers through wet leaves within mystical landscapes.
The masculine merges with the feminine; they become one and rise together with the forces of Nature. When the Earth exhales softly, in Autumn, she exudes a scent of completion and everything comes to rest. Then, gently the veil lifts, like a mist above the valleys, and transports us to time beyond time. Soft Musk and warm notes of ambergris captivate our senses, while earthy Vetiver reminds us to luxuriate in the memories of summer. Tobacco leaves intertwined with the mild sweetness of tonka and cocoa, merge into the sacredness of Opoponax. This blissful balance between the worlds, genders and emotions, warms and guides us to a personal place of comfort and peace.

Flickr

April Aromatics has €169/30ml

Erdenstern would be lovely in the Fall and Winter, I get average projection and average longevity, this was my first introduction into the April Aromatics house and it was a good one.

Which is your April Aromatic? Have you tried them?
Joseph

Cookie Queen on Portia, Perfume & Packing Less

January 26, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 33 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Happy Australia Day APJ!

My bag is packed and I´m ready to go. Lalalalalala.

Portia, Perfume & Packing Less

I am leaving on a small jet plane tomorrow for London, and I have packed very little. I am positive that any able-bodied adult going away for a few days can easily get all their stuff into a 10 kilo cabin bag. No? Try it. It is liberating. You are instantly more mobile, probably better off as it usually costs for checked baggage on the economy flights, and you reduce the risk to zero that your bag will end up in London, Texas. Straight through the gates and no eternal lining up with thousands of people to check your bag in, thus saving on meds.

I am so excited to see Portia and Jin. Have you ever had a Portia hug? I feel inextricably linked to him. It has been just over three years of a friendship that changed the direction of my life. As you may know from a previous APJ post Portia Turbo will be presenting a Perfume Lovers London event on the 28th of January. Whoo-bloody-hoo!! I shall have a couple of batches of fudgey white chocolate chunk brownies stuffed into my small case to celebrate. Easier to travel with than cookies.

I want something new to wear something for the event. A few drops from the lab testers of the up and coming Vero Profumo tobacco fragrances should suffice.

Not going to take any other perfumes with me. I have no doubt at all that my leather perfume pouch will fill up very quickly on its own.

As you read this I am running around Salzburg like a chipmunk on crack, delivering cookies.

My husband is coming with me, without his bike.

I am also taking my therapist with me. Not in my suitcase. She bought her own ticket.
All bases covered I believe.

Great British Bussis
CQ

Australian Perfume Junkies

Olfactory Opinions from Oz

Niche

Rose Musc by Laurie Erickson for Sonoma Scent Studio 2007

Rose Musc by Sonoma Scent Studio 2007

Rose Musc by Laurie Erickson

Eau Moheli by Olivier Pescheux for Diptyque 2013

Eau Moheli by Diptyque 2013

Eau Moheli by Olivier Pescheux

Bijou Romantique by Mathilde Bijaoui for Etat Libre d`Orange 2012

Bijou Romantique by Etat Libre d`Orange 2012

Bijou Romantique by Mathilde Bijaoui

Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Karyn Gold-Rheineke for Pirouette Essentials

Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Pirouette Essentials

Wild Spruce and Tobacco by Karyn Gold-Rheineke

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016: Photo Essay

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016

Guerlain: Rue de Saint Honoré 2016

Photo Essay

Remarkable People by Quentin Bisch + Cecile Matton for Etat Libre d’Orange 2015

Remarkable People by Etat Libre d’Orange 2015

Remarkable People by Quentin Bisch + Cecile Matton

Datura Noir by Serge Lutens: LIVE Video Sniff

Datura Noir by Serge Lutens 2001

Datura Noir by Christopher Sheldrake

Amaranthine by Bertrand Duchaufour for Penhaligon’s 2009

Amaranthine by Penhaligon’s 2009

Amaranthine by Bertrand Duchaufour

Erdenstern by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics 2014

Erdenstern by April Aromatics 2014

Erdenstern by Tanja Bochnig