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Portia
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Hey there APJ Crew,
Had a load of fun frags on my body this week. Purposely trying to wear a few things that get little skin time. Also a bunch of favourites.
The calm after the Mardi Gras storm. I do like it when the world gets quiet. It means I have more time to be a lazy slob. Got that job done excellently.
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Post by SarahK
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Profumum is known for the strength, the depth, and the often sweet, gourmand nature of its fragrances. I find some of their fragrances far too rich for my blood (including their famous Ambra Aurea, though it is adored by many) but I am in love with Rosae Mundi. Portia has already reviewed this scent here, but I wanted to offer another take on this dark rose.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accord in one line:
Rose, patchouli, vetiver, cedar
Rosae Mundi made me sit up and take notice from the very first spray. It’s a glorious perfumey, patchouli rose, which for some reason immediately brings to my mind the cool, dark spaces and stony walls of a soaring gothic cathedral. The aura created by the top notes is more than just a scent to me, it’s a physical space.
Photo Stolen Geograph
Within five minutes, Rosae Mundi has developed a berry overtone that I find familiar: it’s the sweetness and muskiness at the heart of Kilian’s Rose Oud, though Rosae Mundi feels less neon bright and more earthy than the Kilian creation and contains no oud note. Not that I think Kilian’s Rose Oud contains much oud either… An hour or so in, the berries sitting on top of the patchouli rose become juicier and the powdery muskiness gets yet more pronounced. At this stage it’s quite hypnotic. Portia’s review of Rosae Mundi mentioned that this scent could be transportive for those around somebody who wore it as a signature scent, and I totally agree. Beneath its sweet rose facet, this is a deep and meditative scent experience for me. My nose is glued to my wrist for the first 4 hours! During the dry down, the scent continues for a long time as a musky-mossy rose and soft berry mix. At this stage, if the scent were fabric, it would be a dark red velvet. In the far dry-down the rosy patchouli becomes a soft candle-wax that lasts for several more hours.
Photo Stolen IndianWeddingSite
Like all the Profumum fragrances that I have tried, this is potent stuff. A couple of sprays will last all day on me (20+ hours), with a good scent trail for the first few hours.
Further reading: NowSmellThis
LuckyScent has $265/100ml and samples
Have you tried Rosae Mundi? Are roses your thing? What’s your favourite rose?
SarahK xx
(Ed: SarahK will be taking a break from APJ. She is currently pregnant and finding her nose has gone a little wonky. We all wish her the best of luck with the whole shebang and can’t wait for her return)
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Post by FeralJasmine
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Here in New Mexico fall brings us exquisite clear brisk days, cold nights, and a sense of stirring and coming to life after the oppressive late summer. I become obsessed with amber and spice in late October, and stay that way until late February, when I turn wishfully to the earliest florals. I tend to start buying new ambers as soon as the interest develops, as if I must compulsively store up provisions against the winter. This year, though, I’m trying to behave more sensibly, and to hold the thought that a person only needs so many ambers. My heart isn’t in this, but I’m testing the theory.
Photo Stolen Ann Porteus Flickr
With this in mind, over the last month I’ve tried to make a point of noticing which ambers I reach for most. There are a lot of contenders that I wear regularly, and two clear winners that I reach for whenever the amber craving comes over me.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Amber, incense, myrrh
The first is Ambra Aurea from Profumum Roma. This is a strong and intense amber for amber lovers, not jazzed up with many other notes. I find it a touch harsh when first applied, and it needs light and judicious application. When I say light, I mean that one small spray may be enough. Soon it is smooth dark deep amber, absolutely lovely. I have the ultimate in scent-eating skin; most perfumes don’t last more than a few hours on me, and many don’t even last 60 minutes. But this one gives me projection and sillage for an incredible four hours, then fades to one of the most beautiful skin scents that I have ever experienced. I still have lovely skin scent in the morning after applying it early in the previous evening. This is unheard of for me. A person with scent-retaining skin, after one application, might be scented for life. I like to put this one on in early evening when I come home from work, and relax with it by the woodstove. I have worn it to work, two small dabs rather than sprayed, and gotten an appreciative response. But bear in mind that Ambra Aurea is an elegant beast, but a beast indeed.
LuckyScent has $240/100ml
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Labdanum absolute, amber, rose, olibanum, myrrh, vetiver codistilled with mitti (clay), oakmoss absolute, aged Indian patchouli, texas cedarwood, sandalwood, castoreum
The second is Ambre Noir from Sonoma Scent Studio. This one is based on labdanum, one of my favorite notes, with plenty of amber along for the ride. Oakmoss and spice notes are present, but subtle. I would swear that there’s a subtle touch of vanilla; perfumer Laurie Erickson refers to a minimal amount of vanilla in the write-up, but doesn’t list it among the notes. This one is rich and elegant to wear, and I have frequently worn one spray to work, but I apply a full hour before arriving at my workplace. It makes me feel sexy, warm, and comfortable, a good feeling all around.
Sonoma Scent Studios have $16/5ml
Surrender To Chance starts at $5/ml
There is no doubt that if I were limited to two ambers (Perfume Goddess, keep this fate far from me,) it would be these two. But for Oz readers, I can’t resist mentioning one more that isn’t limited to winter: Barbara Bui by Barbara Bui. This one is light and powdery vanillic amber, can be picked up for a song on EBay, and is one if those scents that can please the perfumista without overpowering innocent bystanders.
I would love to hear about your favorite ambers, because despite good intentions I’m always looking for new ones to try. When I first wrote the previous sentence, my Autocorrect altered it to read “I live to hear about your favorite ambers,” which I’m afraid is more or less correct. Share your favorites and join in the fun!
FeralJasmineXX
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Guest Post by Michael
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Hi Fragaholics
The lovely Portia passed on a sample of a new fragrance currently piquing my interest, Rosae Mundi from Italian niche house Profumum.
The official lines from Profumum: “Sentiments that have has always belonged to me merge with the unseen. Joy and passion. I envision letting myself go in your arms to mysterious sensations and emotions.” Err, okidoki then.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Rose, patchouli, cedar wood and vetiver.
The opening is a very familiar rosey bouquet.
The rose smells quite loud and perfumey. It doesn’t strike me as a deep multifaceted rose nor is it naturalistic. This is the smell of womens rose perfumes of past decades and does remind me of the rose in YSL’s Paris (original formulation). In addition to the rose I get a violet accord, some white florals (Jasmine?), aldehydes, iris and green notes. I think it’s supposed to provide a sort of bouquet effect, but I get more of an impression of a woman wearing a big floral rose. Remember the 80s? Shiny dress, permed hair and big shoulder pads –power dressing and power perfumes.
After 30 or so minutes the Rosae Mundi starts to settle down with the floral rose notes receding slightly.
Patchouli and cedre form the base with only a very little vetiver as far as I can tell. Again, these notes aren’t deep multifaceted renditions nor are they naturalistic. Think singular, aroma chemical representations rather than natural oils or complex accords.
Photo Stolen FragranticaPerhaps the easiest way to describe this fragrance is the rose/florals of Paris on top of the deconstructed base of Lumiere Noire Pour Homme. Of course it’s its own fragrance but this is at least an approximation.
If you like 80s rosey florals a la YSL’s Paris then I’d suggest giving this a test run. It could possibly appeal to guys looking for a semi-masculine rose too, although I suspect most guys will run 1,000 miles from wearing this leaving a big bloke-y shaped hole in the wall.
Longevity and sillage are both high
LuckyScent has 100ml/$265 or .7ml/$5
All in all I’m still not entirely sure what to make of this Rosae Mundi. What do you think of it?
What’s HAPPENING everyone?
Well, more brand spanking new stuff is happening here today. You may know that lately I’ve been having a bit of a rose explosion in my library. All of a sudden I can’t get enough of them and I’d like to thank Neela Vermeire for reminding me that the rose is Empress with her glorious Mohur.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accord in one line:
Rose, patchouli, vetiver, cedar
LuckyScent describes Rosae Mundi thus: Sometimes a rose fragrance can take a quiet and docile path, blushing and giggling with an innocent and soapy freshness. Classic and traditional – she’s a safe bet and a loyal friend. Rosae Mundi is not that rose fragrance, and prefers not to show up to her boring parties. If she did decide to show, she’d kick down the door in a low cut dress and demand a man and a martini.
Photo Stolen ShowUsYourCakes
The first whiff of Rosae Mundi by Profumum Roma is not about the rose at all but cedar, patchouli and vetiver!! Licorice? A sweet and sugared rose emerges through the tangle of herbaceous woodsiness. Like a marzipan rose. I don’t get that the ad copy sells Rosae Mundi as a bad girl fragrance. This is nice, sweet as cherry pie, the innocent and fresh face of rose. A musky rose that hints more at confectionary that sexy siren, it does though have that wonderful perfumey smell that men can identify and compliment and I could imagine it being quite addictive if he was already enamoured. In fact, if this was your signature scent it would be totally transportative when you wear it for those around you. Though it’s not a huge factor during the heart I get something Gothic and haunting that weaves around for a while, it is an interesting by story and it also has a rose water baklava undercurrent at times too. The vetiver gets a little coastal towards the end and the musks are very noticeable, which is unusual for me.
Pretty good scent bubble, when I wear Rosae Mundi Jin can smell it from the moment he walks in the house, and the sillage is excellent leaving a rippling wake, I think a bit too fragrant for office work but great to wear for lunch and by the time you return safe enough to work in. I lose track of Rosae Mundi after about 4 hours but Jin can still smell it on me.
Photo Stolen layoutSparks
NowSmellThis has to say of the line: Italian niche line established in 1996 by the grandchildren of Celestino and Lucia Durante, who had established a chain of stores featuring hand-made soaps, fragrances and the like. Today the Profumum line produces 15+ fragrances, has several boutiques in Rome and is sold in selected stores across Italy.
LuckyScent has 100ml/$265 or .7ml/$5
Are the roses taking ovewr your life too? Is there something in particular that has caught your attention? Please share, we love golden perfumista nuggets to pan for.
Waft on gentle perfumistas, till tomorrow,
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 