Scent Diary: 4.12 – 10.12.2017

December 10, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Portia

Hello Australian Perfume Junkies,

SO MUCH PERFUME this week. It seems I have spritzed every two hours.

Also loads of fun and excitement in the rest of my life. BIG week.

Scent Diary: 4.12 – 10.12.2017

Monday 4:

MONDAY morning! It started out sunny and warm while walking the dogs but just as we came home soft persistent rain appeared. It’s misty and warm rain, very nice.

Lunch with Jin at a Vietnamese place up the road.

Working tonight, filling in for one of my girls because tonight is Sydney’s gala Night of Nights; the DIVAs. Drag Industry Variety Awards. Every queen and her hairdo will be out to see who won and who lost. It used to be my favourite night of the year, something changed and now I don’t think I’ve been for a decade.

Annick Goutal Musc Nomade bubble bath, Keihl’s Original Musk lotion and Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur fragrance. It’s a musky moment here at Chez Turbo.

Great fun tonight at Stonewall filling in. It was nice to catch up with all the girls and have hellos. I didn’t stay to party but came home, had dinner, watched a movie and cleaned the kitchen.

Now I’m sitting down to finish and send the Trivia Q&A. Just spritzed Parfumerie General Suede Osmanthe. I sit swathed in beauty.

Busy boy, busy life.

Tuesday 5:

I was up at sparrows fart to clean the apartment. Just the regular weekly vacuuming, bathroom (Jin cleans his own bathroom), kitchen and bin emptying. I had it all done by 9am, sat down and had a cuppa then got the dogs fed and out walking.

Wearing Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion and loving myself sick.

Scotty is here. We got so much done today. Emails, Post Office, Bank, APJ Mailouts, Lunch and general chatter.

Bathed in Bath & Body Works Rainkissed Leaves, wearing Aedes de Venustas Palissandre d’Or. So pretty, a woodsy fragrance but the woods are tempered by a zing of pink pepper and the earthy smoothness of modern patchouli. Aides de Venustas are clever, they do fragrances that are interesting and extremely wearable, this is no exception. Not a big scent but quietly confident.

Wednesday 6:

Up early, well early for me. Dogs fed and walked, had a cuppa and off for a perfume adventure with my mate Tim. A couple of chest spritzes of Guerlain Meteorites from a decant to keep me fragrant till the real sniffing starts.

So first stop was the Annual CosMax SALE. It was quite fabulous. We were like kids in a candy store. I bought Guerlain Angelique Noire and Oriental Brulant, 2 x Burberry wet packs and a 30ml each JPG Classique and Le Male. There was SO MUCH great stuff I could have spent $2000 but only spent $360! YAY!

Then we went to the Estee Lauder Staff Shop where we bumped into Willa Zheng, ex APJ writer and all round good time girl. I bought 2 x Clinique Aromatics Elixir Shower Gels and Scott’s Xmas present, sorry can’t tell you in case he reads it.

Then home for a nap on the couch, then off to work tonight again.

I’m home now but tomorrow is a very early start. Good night.

Thursday 7:

3am bedtime. Original Lolita Lempicka EdP. Sweet liquorice cotton candy. Perfect to float off to la la land.

Woke up in a sweet violet liquorice fog, beautiful scent. Straight in the bath, even before feeding and walking the dogs, because I have a daytime Christmas party gig today.

What to wear for a daytime Christmas Party? Mugler Womanity! What else?

Came home and got undressed, had a little lie down. Got back up, fixed my makeup and went out to do tonights gig. This time I was wearing CHANEL Boy. It fit in perfectly over the Womanity and I got three lovely compliments on how good I smelled. YAY!

Now I’m home and completely stuffed.

A sneaky spritz of Tom Ford Ombre de Hyacinth before bed. NIGHT!

Friday 8:

Neela Vermeire Creations Pichola for a warm morning, full sunshine and not very humid. Perfect dog walking morning. The grevillias are blooming.

Jin and I were approved to buy a new townhouse nearby. This is a big deal. Having sold the Tasmanian properties we now have an excellent deposit for it. With it being so close it means there will be no travel to fix problems. It’s already tenanted with a family that loves it and doesn’t expect us to do a thousand improvements. Borrowing this kind of money makes me very jumpy and nervous and I relied on my Pichola to act as a calming agent, it did.

Parfum d’Empire Equistrius for a shot of gorgeous after lunch.

I can say honestly that my afternoon/evening was spent sleeping and watching TV. Nothing got done, no Trivia work, no house work, almost no blog work. It was blissful. I ate junk food, drank coffee, juice, water and was generally a slob. Currently re-watching The Crown on Netflix. Wonderful time, by myself with the dogs.

Saturday 9:

Arrivals Guerlain Lui & Insolence parfum

For the afternoon/evening I was wearing vintage Miss Dior parfum. Took Kath out for her birthday to our fave steak joint, Alice came too. It was bloody delicious. Afterwards we had ice-cream in cones YUMMMMM.

Bed Guerlain Floral Romantique from a decant.

Sunday 10:

Annick Goutal Songes inspired by a SOTD post this week. Great choice for this warm humid weather.

Jin and I grabbed charcoal chickens for Kath’s Birthday Lunch. It was a very nice morning hanging with the family.

O M G !! Walked into the house after work tonight and Jin had been cooking stuff. It stank. On top of that he had candles of all different scents burning to muffle it. My head exploded in a headache immediately. It was like being in a scent nightmare. I grabbed the dogs and fed and walked them as soon as I could to get some fresh air. Came back and it is much better, not perfect but bearable. PHEW!

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fun or Fragrant, with Friends and Family or maybe even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

Saturday Question: What Have You Been Sampling?

November 18, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 49 Comments

Portia

Hello Fellow Fumies,

Every Saturday we have a Question, an idea purloined from Olfactoria’s Travels. Everyone gets to chime in with an answer, chat with other responders and it is a fun event each week. Taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

The idea is you’ll see it on the weekend or chime in through the week. Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a $10 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Over 200 responses I will draw a $20 Surrender To Chance Gift Card.
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Friday.

Last Weeks Winner: Didn’t make 100 comments

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with the eMail you’d like me to send your Gift Card to.

Saturday Question:

What Have You Been Sampling?

I do a lot of fragrance sampling to bring APJ to you every week. I love the thrill of getting a new to me scent and the constant question of will I love it, hate it or be bored by it. I often wonder though what it is that you all are testing lately and how much did you enjoy it. Where did you hear about it or was it a lucky sniffy find? Will you be buying a bottle or is your sample/decant all you will ever own. Do you use the online sample services or do you hope the SA will gift you a few?

My Answer:

OK, obviously I am constantly trying new stuff. I get sent a few samples each month from brands and distributors. Also, I love to trawl through the newest stuff at Surrender To Chance and can get lost there for hours. There are a couple of split groups I’m part of as well as FaceBook groups where there are often excellent splits and decanters.

What have I tried lately that has caught my attention?

Still haven’t given proper skin time to all of the Amouage Library Collection Sample Set. A couple are worn to empty and others neglected.

Criminal Elements: I cannot impress enough upon you all how much I love their new sample set.

My latest Surrender To Chance order was a BIG one. All of a sudden it added up to well over US$200. I know, gluttony gone mad. My only excuse is that there is so much new stuff that I am unable to get my hands on here in Australia. Added to that is loving a spray so that’s 2ml of each. I have Amouage Beach Hut Man, Eric Buterbaugh Nick’s Sunflower, a few Parfumerie Generale that I’ve missed in my sniffing and a couple of Keiko Mecheri same, plus a bunch more I’ve not got my sniff on yet.

The Baruti sample set is wonderful, freaky and interesting

The Maison Incens samples that Kate Apted sent me are also intriguing.

My Saturday Question to you is:

What Have You Been Sampling?

Scent Diary: 30.10 – 5.11.2017

November 5, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Portia

Hey Hey APJ,

Another action packed week starting in Adelaide and coming home via Indian Pacific. A large Surrender To Chance order came before we left so I have been trying a bunch of those.

Scent Diary: 30.10 – 5.11.2017

Monday 30:

We got up nice and early. Trying a new decant of Perfumerie Generale PG08 Intrigant Patchouli. This is weird. I can barely smell it but Jin complained of it being particularly strong and irritating. Bummer.

Coffee & doughnut breakfast, then went to the Adelaide Zoo. the ONE thing I wanted to do was go see the zoo here. They are Australia’s smallest state zoo but have a really good reputation. We joined a guided tour and it was bloody wonderful. Our guide Jo had been guiding for 10 years and knew so much. She was also totally at ease with answering, “I don’t know.” A perfectly respectable response.

Pygmy Hippo

Otters

Wombat

Meerkat

Emperor Tamarind

Giant Panda

Japanese for lunch. YUMMY!

Lazy

Early evening dinner at Parlamento Italian. I asked the front desk woman to recommend and she didn’t disappoint. Food was excellent, ENORMOUS portions and we couldn’t finish our meals, the pic below is the left overs we just could not eat. Then we went and had a flutter on the roulette wheels at the casino. Jin lost his $20 and I won a bit and played it down to my original $20. It was a perfect last night in Adelaide.

Walked to our hotel and now I’m bushed. Shower, CHANEL No 19 vintage parfum and bed.

Tuesday 31:

Up and off to the station. Over the soft remnants of No 19 I gave myself a lavish couple of spritzes of Amouage Beach Hut Man from my nearly empty decant. This shit is fabulously freaky, especially on a train journey.

Thankfully they provided breakfast and refreshments. I may have had some sneaky champagnes.

Tom McArtney was our terminal entertainment and then he came on board for more.

On board the Indian Pacific from Adelaide to Sydney.

We were running late so had only a 25 minute stop in Broken Hill. We were really bummed because having been a part of and cameoed in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert we really wanted to go to the Palace Hotel and see a Drag Show. It was not to be but we did get an On Station Drag Show. One of the girls, Shelita Buffet, was my lost sister draggleganger. The resemblance is uncanny.

In the evening we had a rare treat. Jin and I got the dinner table to ourselves, it was sweet and romantic. Jin is a complete introvert when it comes to new people. Combine his English as second language with a natural shyness and conversation is very hard for him. Once you get to know him he’s garrulous but initially he finds its very hard. So this twosome breakfast with no need to converse with new people was a dream for him.

Wednesday 1:

Wearing Phaedon Tabac Rouge from a decant. The more I wear it the more I’m falling in love.

We disembarked at Sydney Central Station and caught another train home. A fitting end to the most romantic holiday, it was blissful. We are already talking about getting a group together and doing the whole Perth to Sydney leg of the Indian Pacific. Well worth the expense.

Did four loads of washing and had to stop because the clothes line is FULL! I even dried the towels and bed linen in the dryer but still no space left. Jin’s clothes are all washed and hung, some of mine are but my suitcase is not yet emptied. Hopefully tomorrow.

Had an afternoon Radox bubble bath and then used Hermès Monsieur Li lotion and perfume. Smelling mighty good in a fresh citrus and sparkly oil kinda way.

Thursday 2:

I woke lazily, at my leisure, with a wonderful while of half awake/asleep like rising from the depths. It was luxurious in the extreme. Jin has gone to work early and I have the house to myself. It’s so peaceful.

In the mood for calm I went with IUNX Splash Forte. Olivia Giacometti at her herbal/incense best, sheer and insistent. Very glam but cool and restrained. Yes, I’m still on the dregs of this 20ml, I’ll need a refill soon. You can see by the bottles beat up appearance that it gets used for travelling. Stayed softly fragrant right up until bath time.

I thought I was nearly through the washing but it ended up being 4 loads including linens. So I folded yesterdays washing and started again. It took 4 hours and I basically sat at the computer between loads to hang and loafed all morning into the early afternoon. Hard to complain about such a lovely easy day. My bag is unpacked and back in its wardrobe home and there’s not a piece of dirty laundry in the house.

OK, so back to reality, back to dying my beard. I do prefer it black, especially for work, but deep down I’m a lazy person. This is 20 minutes extra grooming ritual each week. Yes, that’s how lazy I am. Sheesh, I’m even disgusted at myself.

Had a lovely bath in Olympic Orchids Amber/Labdanum Bath Oil, Moisturised with Madonna Truth or Dare Lotion and spritzed lavishly with Anna Sui Live Your Dreams. The amber and tuberose base gives live Your dreams a much firmer base to stand on. YUM!

Work tonight was only 2/3 full and we had a new table that really didn’t like my potty mouth, my gayness or my flamboyance. Oh well, if I was holding out for universal approbation I would have a pretty long wait. I looked fabulous though.

Friday 3:

Had stuff to do but most of it got cancelled. Jin and I had our waxing done in the morning then I loafed around watching The Good wife and eating far too much food.

Heavily spritzed Guerlain Champs Elysees and floated majestically on clouds of fresh and cool airy violets with lashings of spring bulb leaves, fruit and white muskegs dry down.

Went for dinner with Kath and her Ma & Pa, that I share. It was fun.

For bedtime I multi spritzed Neela Vermeire Creations Pichola, I wanted similar but much more sophisticated.

Saturday 4:

Stayed up watching The Good Wife. Thoroughly addicted and never want to press stop and go to bed. NOTHING is getting dome around here. Next weeks blog may be a little sketchy. Oooopsie!

Woke up around 10am, Jin and I are going to an Auction up the street. We would have bid but I still haven’t got all my financials together for the mortgage lender. Yes, my bad.
WOW! We went, there were about 8 groups there and not one registered. ZERO bids. The Sydney property market has shown its plunging hand.

Drenched in L’Artisan Premier Figuier. Milky fig. Happy memories of Jin and my first big holiday together. We travelled through Europe and in Budapest I purchased Premier Fig. Never fails to bring a smile. To be honest I rarely wear it because Ashoka and Womanly seem to be my go-to figs but I’m so glad I grabbed it out today.

Tonight went to work raising money for the One Meal group. It’s an amazing crew that makes sure people living on the line or in real poverty get one healthy meal a week. They are spread across Sydney and hoping to go Australia wide. One good meal a week can make a big difference. There were 250 people in the room tonight and Rita, Marijana, Cathy and their mate produced it all, amazing. We raised over $19,000 and it feels good.

Perfect for controlling a huge horde, Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin. Sweet, jammy roses with a tart, dry bite.

Watched more episodes of The Good Wife and spritzed Parfumerie Generales Ether des Lilas, ozonic lilies? Dunno, weird, wet and gorgeous.

Sunday 5:

Woke up late and came straight to the computer answering APJ comments. Gave myself a big triple spritz of vintage Miss Dior parfum. So good, MMMMM.

Jin is currently on night shift so when he woke up we hung out for a bit. It was nice. Then I came back to the computer.

Had a bath with one of the hotel shower gels I’ve collected on my travels. It’s a very pretty green floral with vanilla. So to compliment that I’m wearing a luscious, chunky caramel vanilla Eau d’Italie Morn to Dusk. So rich and perfect for cool spring evenings.

So what’s happening in your world? Did you do anything Fragrant, Fun, Friends, Family or even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2017

October 13, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

Portia

Hello Niche Nerds,

A few weeks ago a Press Sample of Parfumerie Generale Suede Osmanthe 5.1 arrived in the mail. It was two days before I left for India so naturally it got put aside in the flurry of organising. I grabbed it again and took it to meet Rasei Forte and Kerri Clarke recently for lunch so I could also gauge their reactions. Sometimes I worry that my own adoration of Pierre Guillaume colours the way I smell his fragrances. They all seem so flawlessly created, smooth where they should be, shocking or inventive, weird and wonderful. Yet, he manages to make even his most challenging scents wearable, comfortable to wear even. That’s quite a trick.

Pierre Guillaume is a fragrance free-radical. Running his empire of four brands from two large compounds, not owned or funded by the big boys and almost everything is put together there as it comes to us. He tries to keep as much of the production French, including bottles and packing. The more I know about him the more impressed I am by his acumen.

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Parfumerie Generale 2017

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 by Pierre Guillaume

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Aldehydes, black tea, osmanthus, apricot, suede, cashmeran, musk

Imagine apricot jam (verging on a marmalade, there’s a tartness to the sweet), black tea and a brand new expensive leather bag. If you can remember these three scents olfactorally, then you understand the premise behind the opening of Suede Osmanthe 5.1. For once I am not talking about a sideways perfume style hint towards the fruity jam, here I can smell it like it’s warming on my toast. Enjoy this beautiful opening for less than 10 minutes.

Suede Osmanthe 5.1 is beautiful. Sweet, green, fruity, plush suede and very sexy. Imagine if Daim Blond was amped towards canned fruit in sugar syrup and greened out.

I kind of have an idea what osmanthus smells like, Jin is far more able to pick it than I. To me it is like a creamy green floral but Jin says I have not really captured the interest or essence of osmanthus in my short description. So, obviously, Your Mileage May Vary.

Parfumerie Generale has from €68/30ml
LuckyScent has $125/50ml and Samples

Which is your favourite Pierre Guillaume scent?
Portia xx

Scent Diary: 4.9 – 10.9.2017

September 10, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Portia

WHIRLWIND WEEK APJ,

Getting ready, getting out, getting here. It’s been so bloody hectic and 100% fun. Yes, there have been some surprises, not all of them ultimately happy ones, but that’s what holiday adventures are all about. This is hope I would love to live, travelling the world in search of experience. Meeting new people and having a momentary connection, or making new friends. Heaven.

Scent Diary: 4.9 – 10.9.2017

Monday 4:

Getting ready for going away

In the evening Alice, TinaG and Phil dropped around and it was great to see them even though I was preoccupied.

A Press Sample of Parfumerie Generale Suede Osmanthe 5.1 arrived in the mail. It is unutterably beautiful. Sweet, green, fruity, plush suede and very sexy. Imagine if Daim Blond was amped towards canned fruit in sugar syrup and greened out.

Fragrantica

Tuesday 5:

Running around and getting the final things done. Scott came over and helped, Jin was of work so we ran around together. It was fun. I love these guys.

Jacomo Silences PdT was my daytime accompaniment. Excellent mossy chypre. It was about AUD$11/30ml spray from FragranceNet and smells divine.

Worked, back in drag tonight after 2 weeks out with my ankle. All seems good now.

Neela Vermeire Creations Trayee was my choice for work tonight and I smelled utterly fabulous. There were moments when I drifted off into frag head land. BLISS!

Packed the bags tonight. Cleaned the fish tank. Emptied all the bins for bin night. Cleaned up our dining table and put all my fragrances into my perfume room. Folded the washing and put it away.

Just before bed I spritzed some vintage CHANEL No 5 EdP. Sleepy time.

Wednesday 6:

Took the dogs out to the kennels because Jin will be working weird hours and the boys really like their regimented life. They also love going back out to the trainers to brag about their forever home adventures. I wore vintage Caron Infini that comes in a pressurised spritz. The initial aldehydes have become shrill, oily and metallic but one minute in and HEAVEN! My mate margo reckons it’s early 1970s PdC from a gift set. Very cool.

Home for some lunch. The last of the Chinese reheats.

Here are my hairy Hobbit feet and lavish red nail polish. I’m ready for India now.

Keihl’s Original Musk lotion, Olympic Orchids Amber/Labdanum Bath Oil, Cuir Pleine Fleur James Heeley was my bathing ritual for the flight. Fragrant but hopefully not IN YOUR FACE.

Got my gear together and Jin took me to the airport. Happy to be going, sad to be leaving stuff. You get it, I know.

The American Express Lounge is not so much fun solo. I nearly drank them out of sparkling and still water. Hydration pre flight.

Historic entertainment units on China Southern. Actually it was nice not being bombarded with movies from less than a metre away and I got some solid reading done too. Finished Handmaid’s Tale and started on some new thing that was recommended but I’m not sure whether I even understand it yet.

The staff were so good, no problems, full of smiles. I enjoyed the flights immensely.

Thursday 7:

ARRIVED Delhi Airport.

We stayed in Gurgoan and had dinner there.

Showered quickly at night and doused myself in vintage Miss Dior parfum.

Friday 8:

Hotel breakfast, more vintage Miss Dior parfum then off for a flight to Assam. Arrived safely, though the kangaroo style landing left me in doubt of our ultimate survival for a few moments. Careening around like a drunken sailor with St Vitus Dance.

We ordered an Uber who drove us the four hours into the mountains of Meghalaya state, to the capital Shillong. We only stopped once but the scenery on the journey was absolutely breathtaking. The middle shot is a boarding school, the most spectacular grounds and scenery.

For some reason Varun was expecting a tiny town perched atop a mountain, much like McLeod Gang was back in 2001 when we visited. Sadly it is a HUGE city. Well, sadly for Varun, I’m very happy here. The hustle and bustle leaves NYC for dead.

At night we wandered the markets and had Mo-Mos. A selection of steamed chicken and fried pork.

Saturday 9:

We woke at around 5am and set out on an adventure walk around 5.30am. Varun had found a nearby lake park with a walking track around the gardens. Lodki Park was designed and built by the British while they were here and it seriously looks like time has stood still since then. We wandered around it for about an hour then came back to the hotel for breakfast.

Spectacular hedges of dahlia glowed in the cool morning mist, they lit up the walk and reminded me how precious the gift of adventure is. I’ve never seen such a display and these hedges dotted the walk all around the lake and through the parklands.

Breakfast! Yeah, I know it doesn’t look like much. That’s because it’s my third helping of dal, vegetables, yoghurt and paratha. Happy place reached.

Todays excursion was to the wettest places on earth, Mawsynram and Cherrapunji. What better time to see them than in monsoon. The heavens did not disappoint. We drove through clouds more than half the day with sporadic clearings. When it rained it bucketed down and the rest of the time it drizzled and spritzed. Not terribly cold until you got into the winds.

We hiked to some spectacular waterfalls, three sets in all but we only got real photographable vision of one set.

We had Masala Chai to celebrate. Hint for India travel: buy a large bottle of mineral water and get them to make your tea with this. Saves dirt in your coffee. This place was every sort of gorgeous and the kids who run it super sweet.

We also went into a cave complex. It wasn’t terribly long, about 150m, but there were some very low and tight squeezes. We also ended up knee deep in water a couple of times and the rest was climbing over rocks. All done in bare feet. Sadly it wasn’t really photographable but it was an amazing experience.

Varun had chicken Mo-Mos and chilli jam at a roadside stall. I was feeling a bit queazy from driving the winding mountain ranges so I just drank water.

We stopped at a town and looked around a bit. Some dog started barking at me. That never happens, they always love me. I was extremely downhearted by it.

As we drove home the clouds closed in around us. Visibility was about 10m at the most. It was beautiful and eerie, like floating. Amazing trip.

We wandered around to the City Family Dhaba, Shillong’s #1 recommended restaurant. Everybody we spoke to told us it was a must visit. It didn’t disappoint either.

We were so full at the end we couldn’t even finish the garlic Naan. Sacrilege!!

Varun: What do you want to listen to
Portia (being a smart arse) Karen Carpenter of the Carpenters
Music comes on: It’s Gonna Take Some Time by the Carpenters

Consider this smart arse put in his place. SNAP!

Then we hit the club on the roof of our hotel. Varun and I danced until my t-shirt was dripping wet. We sat for a while and then I needed a shower and then bed. Bloody hell. I’m DEAD!!

Sunday 10:

Couldn’t sleep last night. The dogs of Shillong must be having gang territory wars. It sounded vicious and intense and continued for hours. From the sounds there were dogs being torn apart. Terrifying. Every time I thought it had stopped and drifted towards the lands of nod another round would begin.

So I am sleepless and a trifle sweaty this morning.

Best fixer for that? Jacomo Silences. Freaking perfect.

SORRY I’m a bit late posting this addendum! Out all day. Had a wonderful time seeing more waterfalls and lakes.

This is our Shillong driver Yuvraj, his name means prince destined to be king. He has perfect English and is excellent company, we have asked him to drive us tomorrow and day after too.

Varun took this shot. I think it a very flattering likeness.

We had lunch at the poshest place in the whole area. Took our lovely driver there with us and we all sat and chatted companionably while stuffing our faces. I made the hotel staff pull a table and chairs out of the restaurant onto the verandah so our view and the breeze would be wonderful. It was a huge drama but once we were settled it was absolutely amazing.

Hey! So what have you been doing? Tell us all in the comments below please. Anything, fun, fragrant, friends, family or food related. ANYTHING! Tell us about your week.

Portia xx

What Frags Have You Excited 2016?

July 9, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Hey Perfumeland,

It’s July! We have smelled half a year already. What is new that’s grabbed you by the nostrils and won’t let go? There have been a slew of new releases and frankly I’m a little bit overwhelmed so I would love to hear your enthusiastic two thumbs up frags for 2016 so far? Even a mildly interested one thumb not down will do. What should I definitely try and get my sniff on in the near future?

What Frags Have You Excited 2016?

As is so often the case I have a couple that you might like….

Fragrantica

Ambre Eternal by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2016: I can’t believe that Ambre Eternal didn’t come home from Europe with me this year. We tried it in 3 different stores. Loved it every time and now I wish its warm, sweet, woodsy, driftwood, creamy amber floralcy was here in my home to spritz with abandon. GRRRR!

Fragrantica

Equinox Bloom by Olivier Cresp for Penhaligon’s 2016: For lovers of interesting floral scent then here is a floral, green gourmand. I really enjoyed my wearings of Equinox Bloom and was really sad to see my decant empty. I haven’t bought a bottle because I just couldn’t see myself reaching for it over my favourite greens: Niki de Saint Phalle, Futur and CHANEL No 19.

Fragrantica

Indian Wood by Pierre Guillaume for Perfumerie Generale 2016: Bright green opening that leads through a creamy, spicy, milky, herbal heart to a sweet woods dry down. So wearable, yet Indian Wood has not been universally adored by the critics. To be honest I can’t think why. Yes, I have a bottle. YUMMY!

Fragrantica

Opus X by Pierre Negrin and Annick Menardo for Amouage 2016: Metallic rose dripping in blood, Opus X is really unusual. The opening and heart are all about this freaky mechanical rose, it’s beautiful and disturbing. As we make our way through the heart it changes, never losing sight of the rose yet the whole fragrance warms and becomes absolutely glorious. Lasts for days. Amazing. I got my bottle from Libertine Parfumerie

Fragrantica

Promenade des Anglaise by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2016: Bought at the brand new Rue de Saint Honore Guerlain Store the week it opened! Starts out sweetly fruity and ends up a fluffy cool powder bomb. Fun, flirty, effervescent and so easy to wear. Totally spritz & go sweetness.

Best way to try most of these is to trot over to Surrender To Chance and grab some samples.

So, what have you been buying in 2016? Or even trying? Where should I put my sniffer next?
Portia xx

Indian Wood 11.1 by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2016

April 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ,

I meant to have this review out to you by last weekend but stuff got in the way. Sorry. As you know I’m madly in love with Pierre Guillaume so you’ll be getting a review coloured by my adoration.

Beaute-Test

I know, it’s rude how gorgeous he is. My experience of one afternoon was that in life he is sweet as pie, funny, charming and naughty. There is a brilliance to him that I found quite dazzling. he quickly put me at my ease and we talked for a while. Yes, besotted.

Indian Wood 11.1 by Parfumerie Generale 2016

Indian Wood 11.1 by Pierre Guillaume

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sandalwood, vetiver, moss, spicy mint, nutmeg, cardamom, coconut milk, lemon zest

The Parfumerie Generale site gives an ingredient list: Alcohol, Parfum (Fragrance), Aqua (Water), Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol.

Chai! I smell chai, in the pot being made by my last partners maid in Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, India. Sweet, milky, spicy and warming but with a green facet that gives it a papery rasp and picks Indian Wood up. Interestingly I am finding it very hard to parse the notes, though I’m sure someone better at that particular trick could do it, and after a couple of wears I’m finding myself thinking of Indian Wood in the opening as chai and then Indian Wood. A smell unto itself.

Yes, as Pierre’s way is, this is a sweet fragrance. Not sugar sweet though. His sweetness comes from the sweetness of milky woods, piquant spices and the warm memories of cooking with Mum.

Through the heart Indian Wood dries out and becomes a solid, smooth, resinous and sheer cloak. I feel wrapped safely in a cocoon of softest wool that is spiderweb light yet warming and tough.

If you are already a fan of Pierre Guillaume’s work then you’ll love this new warmer and spicier extension on Harmatan Noir from 2006. If you don’t like his style then I can’t imagine Indian Wood winning you over, though I have been wrong before…..

First In Fragrance will have Indian Wood very soon

kbaird

Indian Wood GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml Indian Wood manufacturers sample
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 if you like Pierre’s work? Is there a favourite already or are you awaiting the one?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 10th 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 14th 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.

Gabriella’s Parfumerie Generale Picks

July 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hi Perfumed Peeps!

The other week when I was rummaging through my samples, it occurred to me that I hadn’t done many posts on Pierre Guillame’s Parfumerie Generale line. I’m not really sure why as Tubereuse Couture was my very second niche full bottle after falling down the rabbit hole following the discovery of Lys Mediterranee by Frederic Malle.

I’ve smelt quite a few of the PG line and have found a lot of favourites, to the extent that once I’m in a PG mood, I think I could be happy with just a few bottles from the line and nothing else.

Photo Stolen Facebook

It seems that I’m in good company with my thinking as Miss P just recently posted about Pierre Guillame’s creations over at the Posse, asking readers for suggestions from the line. So, I’d like to chip in on the conversation and offer up my top three picks other than Tubereuse Couture:

Madeleine’s Parfumerie Generale Picks

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Gardenia Grand Soir 2010

Fragrantica gives these notes in one line:
Gardenia, sandalwood

I think the name “Grand Soir” led to a lot of confusion and disappointment from the blogosphere when this was released as people were expecting something very rich and opulent along the lines of Tom Ford’s Velvet Gardenia. What you get here, however, is one of the lightest and prettiest gardenias I’ve come across. The gardenia is gauzy and a little bit salty, akin to smelling the white blooms under the shower of surf spray on a hot summer’s day. The subtly luminous white floral accord is underscored by creamy and milky sandalwood, giving some depth and drama to the mix. A pretty and carefree blend that is still elegant.

Further reading: The Non Blonde and CaFleureBon

Luckyscent has $125/50ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $10/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Jardins de Kerylos 2006

Fragrantica gives these notes in one line:
Fig leaf, herbal notes, sycamore

I really don’t usually care for fig fragrances and yet I love this one. But at first, Jardins de Kerylos was such a big scary green monster on my skin, I was a little thrown. After the initial sniff, I went round my business, getting changed for dinner and called my Mum. Whilst talking to her, I kept getting distracted by this wonderfully green, dewy, fruity expansiveness of a scent. What makes Jardins work for me is that its not a sweet milky fig like a lot of others, but a very dry fig scent with beautiful lushness and verdancy.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and ChickenFreak’s Obsessions

Parfumerie Generale starts at €65/30ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $5/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Papyrus de Ciane 2010

Fragrantica gives these notes in one line:
Galbanum, broom, grass, oakmoss, musk and powdery notes

Speaking of verdancy, this one has it in spades. Papyrus de Ciane starts with a dry bitter green burst of galbanum, evoking the galbanum lade classics of old. The grass note lends some crispness and a slight pepperiness to the mix. Papyrus de Ciane stays all bright sparkly green for a while before the damp, moist sweetness of the mousse de saxe comes to the fore, evoking Caron’s classic Nuit de Noel. The mossy becomes slightly more powdery, offset by the sharp brightness of the galbanum, which evokes staring into a dark forest on a bright day through green coloured gauze. A tremendously beautiful modern green scent for those who like galbanum heavy scents such as Vent Vert and Bandit.

Further reading: The Non Blonde and Smellythoughts

First in Fragrance starts at €95/50ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $6/ml

Photo Stolen Facebook

Do you have any favourites from the PG line?

With much love till next time!

M x

Arabian Horse by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Générale 2012

May 18, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Holly

Situated in a picturesque cobblestoned mews in the heart of London is the Ross Nye Stables. As a young girl, I spent two glorious years there learning manners, comportment in every situation, sensitivity and of course, how to ride. I was hooked, and fifty years later I am still captivated by these noble animals. I love to watch the elegance and refinement of dressage, the thrilling speed of the Triple Crown. I can sense the rough-and-tumble of buzkashi, I sigh over images of kohl-eyed Arabs racing their thoroughbred stallions across the desert. When I want to experience all of that at once, there’s this:

Arabian Horse by Parfumerie Générale 2012

Arabian Horse by Pierre Guillaume

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Green notes, wildflowers, narcissus
Heart: Musk, cypriol oil (nagarmotha)
Base: Woody notes, amber

It’s a beautiful spring day, and we’re feeling frisky. Let’s go for a ride!

Arabian Horse opens with a high-spirited burst of slightly animalic leather. It’s raw, warm and unpolished, reminiscent of leather goods in a Middle Eastern bazaar. Within a minute or so of leaving the paddock, flashes of bright wildflowers appear in a meadow that is dotted with bales of green hay. Some of the blooms smell dazzlingly spicy and sweet, somewhat like carnations but denser, richer and almost syrupy like a fine attar. I’m not familiar with nagarmotha, but I suspect that is what this scent is. Vibrant yellow narcissus dot the landscape, and as we gather speed the scenery flashes past and each note is experienced briefly and separately in dazzling pops of exuberance, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Thrumming underneath is the low hum of leather warming, and faint wisps of musk and sweet honeyed amber radiate out from our now-sweating steed.
After a while, the landscape changes and the narcissus are more bountiful and the other wildflowers are mere specks dotting the fields. The narcissus beckons, glowing in the sunlight, and we slow down to enjoy the view and the damp greenish-gold honeyed scent. Dappled woods are seen on the horizon, and the scent of cedar is faintly detected when a breeze blows across the meadow. Our horse’s coat is gleaming underneath the leather saddle, and the musky note is a velvety vanilla balm.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Before turning for home, we approach the woods. The sun is starting to set, and we’re drawn to the calm shadows underneath the trees. After a full day soaring over the hills and meadows, we’re ready to bask in the calm that comes after an intense and exhilarating ride. The scent of cedar is astringent and restorative and in its presence we gather the strength to make our way back home. It’s been a glorious day.

Arabian Horse has excellent sillage and longevity, but is not overpowering. It is incredibly well-blended, and the progression of the notes is smooth and elegant, each phase lasting for hours on me. The name conveys everything you need to know about the spirit of this fragrance. It’s simultaneously unrestrained and yet firmly grounded. There’s an exquisite tension combined with a sense of expansion that is deeply sexy. I think that both men and women would be comfortable wearing Arabian Horse in any season, in any venue, from dawn ‘til dusk.

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon and Now Smell This
Parfumerie Générale has €260/100ml
Surrender To Chance has $8.50/ml

Photo Stolen Ca Fleure Bon

If horses aren’t your thing, you can always be inspired by pics of the creator of Arabian Horse, Pierre Guillaume.

Photo Stolen BeauteTest

Have you found a fragrance that just makes you feel expansive, unrestrained and free?
Holly x

Felanilla PG21 by Pierre Guillaume for Perfumerie Generale 2008

June 15, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Hiya Happy Huffers,

I hope this finds you happy and well. Obviously, it may not. If you are not either or neither happy nor well then I hope at least we can take your mind off your troubles for a few minutes. If you can, or want to, go grab a cup or glass of your favourite. I have a cup of Korean tea here, it has a freaky nutty flavour that is both repulsive and more-ish. Jin also tells me that it is a good aid in digestion, cool, I’ll take that too. Hang on, I’m going to grab a refill…. I put some honey in this one to soothe my throat, trying to make yourself heard above rowdy pub crowds can take it out of your voice and my throat is a little tender tonight.

Felanilla PG21 by Pierre Guillaume for Perfumerie Generale 2008

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Italian iris, amber, hay, saffron, Tahitian vanilla, banana leaf

My mate Lakshmi swapped me a 10ml split decant of this for something in my collection, I didn’t even try it for a while after he gave it to me. One day though it made it to the front of the to try box and I think I was running out the door and grabbed the first thing to hand without really looking, mmmmm warm was all I thought till in the car I was assailed by the most beautiful and sensual vanilla/amber and I was lost. That 30 minute journey became all about Felanilla,

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Felanilla is beautiful, interestingly I can’t find most of the listed notes, for me and on me Felanilla is a vanilla/amber/saffron bomb that has some other stuff in the background that stops it smelling like a bake sale and keeps it firmly in the un-gourmand sweet range, a warm, dry, comfortable, sweetness that is both enveloping and welcoming. A hug, fire, fresh coffee, hot bread feeling. There are definite nods in Felanilla to the perfumery of years gone by. The amber is soft and resinous with none of the dark or scratchy backbite of an Ambre Russe, here we smell a caramelled amber both smooth and weathered. The story is not a long one, basically Felanilla continues in much the same vein till dry down only getting slightly dryer through the heart (I think it may be the iris/hay), a little bit of a bed-head/fur thing happens and comes & goes and then the whole fragrance grows sweeter towards the end as it fades. Having now read a few reviews and most people get a much more varied journey than I do with Felanilla, maybe I’m not paying enough attention or maybe my skin throws a different ride.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Longevity is excellent but after the first couple of hours Felanilla gets very close to the body and you need to be quite close to notice fragrance.

Even though there is not much story on my skin I totally enjoy wearing Felanilla, the fragrance hits a sweet spot with me and I find myself reaching for it quite regularly, of the 10ml there is now only about 3ml left. Will it be a full bottle in my future? I’m not sure, though it’s different I don’t think it enough different from L’Eau d’Ambre by L’Artisan or Ambre Ceruleen by Huitieme Art. When I finish those bottles though it could be the one I go for.

Further reading: The Non-Blonde and Grain de Musc
First In Fragrance has €94/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5/ml

Have you tried Felanilla? Did you enjoy its warm silky caress?
Portia xx