Flower by Alberto Morillas for Kenzo Fragrance 2000 Perfume Review and 2013 Ad Campaign

April 7, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Hello Lovely APJ Family,

Flower by Kenzo Fragrance 2000

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin, hawthorn, Bugarian rose, blackcurrant
Heart: Parma violet, rose, opoponax, jasmine
Base: Vanilla, white musk, incense and woody notes

I was given an ENORMOUS bottle of this by my girlfriend Annie, every time I spritz, or smell someone in the street wearing, Flower I think of her and the great big hugs she gives, her warmth, fun and joyfulness. Because Flower is so sheer and spare it’s hard to believe there are so many ingredients that make it come together. Also there have been so many imitations of its style that I am at a loss to remember how ground breaking it was when it was first released. That hefty airiness that doesn’t skunk but has impressive sillage, so that as you waft fragrantly past someone they are entranced by your scent, a la Perfume by Patrick Suskind, or a room slowly fills with your fragrance and you can smell it softly on return to the room, but not in a pushy intrusive way, just a haunting memory.

It opens green and fresh on me with a sharp sweetness, then the warm resinous bouquet slowly takes over until a clean, warm musky vanilla finishes the story in around 4-6 hours depending on the day and whether I’m moisturised.

Photo Stolen GirlServesWorld

Interestingly Tania Sanchez in Perfumes: The A-Z Guide says that, “Albert Morillas almost certainly knew Caron’s Royal Bain de Champagne (now Royal Bain de Caron) by heart when he replicated it and added a splash of hedione to make Flower, but it seems no one else knew….” but I have only a modern incarnation of Royal Bain de Caron for comparison and they seem only distantly related.

I love the 2013 ad campaign, the lightness and airiness of the poppies flying through the air isa a perfect symbolism for this still lovely fragrance.

See you tomorrow,

Portia xx

Flower by Kenzo Fragrance 2013 Ad Campaign

Picture provided by one of my go-to fashion bloggers art8amby

The campaign girl is Chinese/Taiwanese actress, Shu Qi.

Image via TFS.

Indus (oil) by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz 2012

April 5, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Hey Hey Stink Monkeys,

Every now and then I like to try a fragrance for a while before I read any notes. I enjoy the thrill of wearing the fragrance with no preconceived ideas of what it may smell like and the freefall of having it surprise you as it grows and develops. I have given this particular perfume 3 days wear at different times through those days and my mind kept telling me what a wonderful and spectacular iris perfume I was wearing, so powdery soft and fluffy with that woody, earthy base. Then when I decided to write this post I had to check the notes as I put together my story. OH WELL! Can’t be right all the time.

Indus by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
Heart: Black tea, ginger, honey, beeswax and jasmine
Base: Amber, patchouli, musk, tolu balsam, vanilla and milk.

Now that I’ve read the notes list I find it hard to remember why I thought what I thought. There is a definite burst of spices and pepper (black not bell) though they all conspire together to be cool rather than warming, an aloof opening that slowly warms into the heart. That powdery opening must have been the sparkle of bergamot over these cool spices. The heart is almost exactly like a spicy chai had on a train in India, the cool spices warm and ferment with the honey, ginger and milk. How could I have missed these things. HA HA HA! Just goes to show that the moment you start getting cocky about stuff the world comes along to remind you of reality and bring you back to earth. Hilarious.

My mind was getting comfort scent but couldn’t make the connections. I will tell you though that Indus is a crazy good perfume. A couple of the girls at trivia last night were raving about it and because it’s an oil you have to sit with people for a minute or two before they notice it, it slowly fills the space around you and leaves terrific sillage while not being overpowering or obnoxious.

Photo Stolen mitchellktravelphoto

Honestly, even after all that I still get beautiful moments of powdery, rootish iris and sandalwood and it transports me away to years gone far by and my Grandma, who was a rock for me, and her big cuddles and cooking.

The DSH site:
The great sub-continent, India; a land filled with treasures of spice and tea. Chai tea brings these elements together in an elixir of true comfort, warmth, sensuality and vitality. Perfect for Fall and it’s inevitable chill, Indus is soft enough to compliment other spice and amber perfumes and rich enough to be worn alone. We love this for both men and women!

Further reading NowSmellthis welcomes Indus but doesn’t review and I couldn’t find another
DawnSpencerHurwitz has a super sample for $4 or I bought the 1 dram oil essence for $30

With loads of love and below I’ve added a video on how to make chai. I’m off to make some right now.

Portia xx

Perfume and Tea #1 GIVEAWAY WINNER

April 4, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Hello APJ Friends and Family,

We have been having some excellent giveaways lately. I hope you are all as excited as we are about them. Thank you to everyone who joined in to welcome our newest Guest Post writer Brie. I think she is a wonderful addition to our crew, a new perspective.

Perfume and Tea #1 GIVEAWAY WINNER

THE PRIZE

1ml sample each of Vintage Cristalle, Un Ete En Provence and a sampler of spring inspired teas.

P&P anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You have to leave a comment welcoming our newest Guest Post writer Brie. That’s IT!

For an Extra Chance you can Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p2fQBU-1rt Perfume and Tea GIVEAWAY

Photos Courtesy Courtney

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday April 4th 2013 10pm AusEDST.
We gave Jin a break from his draw choosing duties and Brie, with the aide of her daughters, is taking on the arduous task. The names were placed on the same sized papers, folded similarly, placed in Brie’s ceramic owl, the contents stirred by Courtney and the name chosen by Brittany. See above photos.

Photo Stolen getentrepreneurial

Today’s winner is ARLINE

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have till Sunday 7th April 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or I will give the prize to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

With big love, hugs and smoochy smooches.

Portia xx

DIOR – New Flagship Store in Sydney!

April 4, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Hey Hey All You Fashion & Fragrance Lovers,

We have a wonderful new DIOR flagship store in Sydney. That means that the exclusive collection perfumes are now here for me to sample at my leisure. WOO HOOO! Not quite as lavish as the Harrods productions but Andy has twice taken friends and I through the store, been incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, and shown us absolute courtesy. If you happen to be in Sydney, ask for Andy, he is the best SA DIOR in Sydney has.

Here are a couple of shots of a day recently when two girlfriends of mine Domenica (from VogueVandal fashion blog) and her Mum Anna and I went for a grand tour of the establishment. At the top you’ll see them with Andy, then on the menswear level catwalk, the stairs to the underground and Domenica holding one of the fabulous new peachy orange coloured bags. Super fun day. Thanks DIOR.

Photo Stolen wicked-halo

From March 14th to April 16th, the department store Harrods in London, UK celebrates the House of Dior, hosting a pop-up store with exclusive items as well as a unique ‘So Dior’ exhibition and a Dior Café.

Most of us can only dream of being there. But dream we must.

Portia xx

Here are the Harrod’s DIOR movies.

L’Eau D’Hiver by Jean Claude Ellena for Frederic Malle 2003

April 3, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Guest Post by Dionne

Hello frag heads!

It’s been my plan for a while now to write a review of the fabulous Frederic Malle scent L’Eau d’Hiver, created by Jean-Claude Ellena. Part of my trifecta of season-less scents, which also includes Lumière Blanche and Art Collection #08 by Jacomo, this is one of the few perfumes I can wear year-round, no matter what the season.
“No matter what the season.” I’ll admit to a knowing chuckle as I type out that phrase, because March is the craziest month of the entire year where I live. Here in southern Alberta just west of the Canadian Rockies, spring doesn’t really arrive until late April, but it doesn’t feel like winter anymore either. Which is strange to say because we get more snow in March than any other month; it’s just that we also regularly get an interesting phenomenon called a Chinook, a warm wind that blows from the west and can raise temperatures 30 degrees in a matter of hours. So you never quite know what you’re going to get.

Photo Stolen HolidayVelvet

What does this all have to do with L’Eau d’Hiver? It’s that no matter what the day is like, it’s been a great fit. I’ve worn it a lot this last month, when it’s plus 15, clear blues skies and I’m lifting my face to the sun while my little ones happily jump in all the puddles and rivers that are everywhere. It’s the perfect accompaniment for a sunny, joyful day. It’s also worked when it’s minus 20, there’s been a 25cm snow dump and whiteout conditions and I can barely get out of my driveway without getting stuck. Since staying home and declaring a snow day isn’t going to happen, (Albertans just lace up the Sorels and dig ourselves out, we’re kinda Boss that way) spraying L’Eau d’Hiver and enjoying its snuggly comfort while Getting Stuff Done is an enjoyable second option.

Back and forth, back and forth, that’s what March is like. How Jean-Claude Ellena managed to create a perfume that works on such different days, I’m not quite sure. All I know is that I’m impressed.

L’Eau D’Hiver by Jean Claude Ellena for Frederic Malle 2003

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Notes according to Fragrantica:
Bergamot, heliotrope, jasmine, iris, honey, angelica, white musk.

L’Eau d’Hiver is JCE’s tribute to Après l’Ondée, and I tried them both shortly after falling down the rabbit hole. For some strange reason, I had this idea in my head at the time that I needed to choose which one to own, as if there was some sort of contest. Fortunately I eventually realized how silly that was, and now have both.

If you ever want to try a fascinating experiment, do a wrist-to-wrist of the two and see what happens – just make sure the Al’O is the pre-2011 formulation. I love doing wrist-to-wrist comparisons as it helps me get better at this whole smelling thing, and in the three years I’ve done comparisons, I’ve never encountered anything quite as interesting as these two together. They seem to dance around each other, smelling alike for a moment, than different 5 minutes later, than alike again ten minutes later, then different again, back and forth, back and forth. To expand that particular image, it’s like a dance couple where the male, L’Eau d’Hiver, moves within a tight circle and the female, Après l’Ondée, twirls and leaps and runs off all pointy-toes before flitting back and smiling and then twirling off again. This is a very fancy way of saying that JCE has made L’Eau d’Hiver streamlined and modern, the essence of heliotrope, and its beauty lies in that simplicity.

Photo Stolen Amazon

It’s a frothy almond milk with a sprinkling of sugar on top. If that sounds really gourmand to you, surprisingly, it’s not; the iris in here adds a cool, elegant vibe that keeps L’Eau d’Hiver from getting cutesy. The perfume is full of these kinds of contrasts: warm and cool, cuddly and elegant, close to the skin but distinctive, straightforward but with a lot to say.

Further reading WhatMenShouldSmellLike or Olfactoria’sTravels
MeccaCosmetica has 50ml for $195 in Australia
FredericMalle has 50ml for $150 in the USA
SurrenderToChance start at $6/ml

I’m in the mood for a dance. L’Eau d’Hiver, shall we?

Dionne xx

How to Scent your Space, Naturally

April 2, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Guest Post by Suzanne R Banks

How to Scent your Space, Naturally

Hey all you perfume lovers out there – use your divine connection to scent to create a beautiful natural aromatic moment in your home or office, and even your car.

Of course you could spritz your perfume around and even though that will work, why not try a more natural approach? By using less chemicals in your life and being mindful about your purchasing decisions, you will be helping your brain and body, by giving them a rest from these toxic ingredients. You CAN have beautiful, natural scent. You don’t have to buy synthetically scented household products or personal care products anymore. There are so many fantastic natural and organic products that are reasonably priced and accessible to everyone.

Photo Stolen MoonTree

The most obvious choice for me is to use essential oils. You can put them in a classic oil burner with a candle, an electric vapouriser or make a mist in a simple mist bottle with oils and water.

For your home try:

“Boudoir”

to get the vibe going for an intimate evening at home add these oils to an oil burner with water, and a candle. The candle also acts as a transformative energy, a cleansing and renewing agent.

Ylang Ylang             8 drops
Orange                   10 drops
Patchouli                  2 drops
Cedarwood Atlas    5 drops

“Doucement”

a chill-out blend for the end of a long day or to get the kids settled quickly

Mandarin                10 drops
Lavender                  8 drops
Marjoram                  6 drops
Vetiver                       1 drop

Photo Stolen OLX.in

For the office try:

(If you have your own office it’s great but if you are working with other people in close proximity it may be better to place a few drops of oil on a tissue and keep it close by. We don’t want to offend or upset others in the work environment).

“That’s a Great Idea”

To inspire creativity and focus

Lemon       10 drops
Lime             5 drops
Basil              5 drops
Rosewood   5 drops

“Come On Friday”

A stress-less blend to take the edge off a difficult day

Cedarwood Virginian     3 drops
Pink Grapefruit               17 drops
Spearmint                         5 drops

Photo Stolen CarAdvice

And for your car, you can simply place a few drops of oil onto a tissue, a cotton makeup pad or even a bit of paper towel and stick it in one of the vents.

Wake up and concentration oils:

Lemon
Basil
Rosemary

Calm down oils:

Lavender
Orange
Geranium
Bergamot
Petitgrain

Photo Stolen Taste.Com.Au

And if that gets a bit too hard you can always:

For home, office or car – buy or pick some scented flowers like gardenias, roses, jasmine, tuberoses, hyacinths, lilies, and anything else you can think of. It’s a great natural way to bring scent into your environment and as it can be quite seasonal you are also more in tune with nature
At home you could bake a cake, roast some almonds or make a crème brullee with real vanilla pods
At home – add a few drops of essential oils into your cleaning products and mop the floor (you get scent and cleanliness in one go)
In the car – eat an orange or mandarin and squeeze the rind around the seats. You’ll be amazed how effective it can be, especially when you get back into the car – it will be a citrus paradise!

I’m sure you can think of some more too. Let your imagination run wild with the scented bounty of nature.

Ed: If you thought this was good go see the Suzanne R Banks site (LINK JUMP) or like her Facebook Page (LINK JUMP)

Suzanne R Banks

Perfume and Tea. Musings – Pairings #1

April 1, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 60 Comments

Guest Post by Brie

Springtime Perfume and Tea Musings

Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney

Two Classic Discontinued Perfumes Paired With Aromatic Teas

Classic perfumes have always been a ubiquitous part of my life. Growing up in the early 1970s high end niche and artisanal perfume houses were unknown to me. The perfumes that were so prevalent in my house were the classics of Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, Caron, etc. As I got older I sought out my own perfume landscape, venturing out into other territories, sampling innovative, popular fragrances being sold in the high end department stores in New York City. Unfortunately many of the “contemporary” fragrances I adored from back then have now been either reformulated or discontinued. Below are two of my favorite springtime “classic/discontinued” perfumes and aromatic teas.

Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney

CHANEL’s Cristalle EdT with Tazo’s Om Tea

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Sicilian lemon,
Heart: Hyacinth, Brazilian rosewood
Base: Vetiver, oakmoss

Tazo’s OM tea is a wonderful amalgamation of black and green teas paired with notes of peach and cucumber. Drinking this tea puts me in a subdued, serene state of mind, making the name of the tea quite appropriate. I began drinking this tea several years ago in the month of March, when one begins to sense spring in the smell and feel of the air. I would awaken at five in the morning and stand on my outdoor deck with a hot cup of OM tea. Gazing at the black sky illuminated by the full moon and a vast array of stars, I was awed by the simplistic beauty presented to me. The coolness of the air, the stillness and quiet surrounding me was pure, powerful and meditative. With its ability to resonate pure tranquility, I pair OM tea with Chanel’s Cristalle.

From the time I was thirteen years old and wore Cristalle EDT, this has been the classic fragrance that comes to mind when the seasons segue from winter to spring. The grassy, woody quality created by the lemon, rosewood, oakmoss and vetiver always proves to be the perfect scent for ushering in the spring season. Cristalle exudes austerity: a simplistic, serene, yet powerful, beauty. In the early morning hours of spring you will find me standing on my deck, wafting of Cristalle whilst drinking my Tazo tea and chanting “OMMMMM…..”

NOTES IN CRISTALLE EDT: Italian lemon, bergamot, basil, petitgrain, rosewood, galbanum, hyacinth, jasmine, oakmoss, vetiver

Escada’s Un Ete En Provence L.E. with Republic Of Tea’s Beginners Mind Green Tea Spring Cherry

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pineapple, apple, cherry, nectarine and pear
Heart: Jasmine, peony, lotus, cyclamen, lychee and watermelon
Base: Praline, amber, cedar and sandalwood

Republic of Tea’s Spring Cherry was the tea that originally propagated my tea and perfume musings several years ago. Spring Cherry tea is a delicate green tea enhanced with the almond-like floral essence of cherry blossoms. During my initial whiff and taste of this tea I had an epiphany and exclaimed to myself, “This is ‘Un Ete en Provence’ in drinkable form”!

Out of all the perfumes I brought back from my first trip to Paris, Escada’s 1994 limited edition EDT, Un Ete en Provence, proved to be the most magical. With its sweet, fruity, praline notes and cherry colored bottle of muted glass with a beveled gold cap it brings to mind nothing more spectacular than delicate, ethereal cherry blossoms. Every year in the late spring as I gaze out my bedroom window admiring my budding plum blossom trees, I am drinking Spring Cherry tea and wearing this fragrance. Pure bliss…..

Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney