Review

Eau Aimable by Les Couvent des Minimes 2012

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Post by Poodle

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I love white flowers. I find it interesting that the smallest flowers with the least color usually have tons of fragrance. Another interesting thing is you almost need to stand at a distance to really smell them. It’s odd but sometimes sticking your nose into a bunch just doesn’t have the same glorious effect as catching the scent on the breeze.

I’m not much of a citrus girl but orange blossom makes my heart skip a beat. It’s one of my favorite notes for the brightness it gives to perfumes. Unfortunately it can end up smelling soapy which some people hate. I don’t mind soapy orange flower. To me, the soapy note is really relative to what kinds of soap you’re used to smelling. Mom didn’t buy flowery soaps so my reference point is different I guess. Even now when I do buy flowery soaps I don’t mind smelling like them.

Eau Aimable by Les Couvent des Minimes 2012

Eau Aimable Le Couvent des Minimes ParfumoPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, petitgrain, rose, nasturtium

Eau Aimable by Le Couvent des Minimes is based on the original recipe of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. It’s not a soapy orange blossom perfume to me. It’s bright. It’s white. It’s flowery. Dare I say it’s a great little blast of orange blossom at a great price? It is! I picked mine up at Ulta on sale for less than $30 US. That’s practically free in comparison to a lot of perfume these days. It opens strong and sweet but then quickly retreats to a softer sillage.

Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing circa 1786 William Blake 1757-1827 Presented by Alfred A. de Pass in memory of his wife Ethel 1910 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N02686Photo Stolen Wikimedia

 There’s a whole lotta orange here: bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, and petitgrain. It’s flowery, not too fruity, and doesn’t call to mind sour baby aspirin or cleaning products. It’s simple and I mean that in a good way. It smells like real flowers and isn’t ruined by excessive amounts of white musk like many orange blossom perfumes. Eau Aimable is pretty linear but the key word is pretty. You can’t help but feel pretty when you’re this flowery. I don’t smell much rose or nasturtium but honestly I haven’t tried to find them. I’m enjoying the overall orange blossom effect too much.

Eau Aimable Le Couvent des Minimes Rumah_Gadang WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

This fragrance could give a lot of niche scents a run for their money. It has decent lasting power, isn’t too syrupy, and wafts at a respectable level. If you’re looking for a simple orange blossom scent this is worth a sniff. It’s become a favorite bedtime scent for me. A light spritz before crawling into some soft sheets is a perfect way to drift off to dream. It’s also nice for those days when I need a little fragrant sunshine like right now as I’m writing this and we’re under a tornado watch and the sky is turning funny colors.

Le Couvent des Minimes has $38/100ml

I’m a fan of cheap and cheerful fragrances. What are your guiltless scented pleasures?

Hugs
Poodle

Classic Patchouli by Von Eusersdorff 2011

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Post by Val the Cookie Queen

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I love patchouli. Always have done. I used to wear so much of it that it turned my neck a deep amber colour. I was once stopped by a couple of coppers as I walked through the streets of Bristol. The asked me if I was aware of what kind of people wore patchouli and suggested it could get me into trouble. No comment.

Many years later my love of patchouli remains, although I do not wear it as much as I did in those heady hippie punk days of the mid seventies. As my affair with perfume deepened and I started to read about the notes in perfumes, it was interesting to see how many fragrances that I would never dream of trying contained patchouli and I was quite surprised. As I delved in further I started to notice phrases like “clean patchouli”. STOP. I think not.

Random fact. In 1985 Mattel used patchouli oil in the plastic of Stinkor in the Masters of the Universe line of toys. Makes you wonder who designed them.

Classic Patchouli by Von Eusersdorff He Man Boynton FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Classic Patchouli by Von Eusersdorff 2011

Classic Patchouli Von Eusersdorff FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot
Heart: Patchouli
Base: Vanilla, tonka bean, sandalwood

Now guys, if proper patchouli is not your thing, then Von Eusersdorff´s Classic Patchouli will not change your mind. However if you have never tried proper patchouli then you absolutely must.

Von Eusersdorff´s Classic Patchouli is a dark, thick, rich, stylish, graceful, distinguished, dignified, classic hardcore patchouli. The patchouli rests on a bed of vanilla and tonka bean and sandalwood. There is a dash of bergamot in the opening. Beautifully blended and perfect for the heat. Patchouli and naked skin. For anyone except maybe the men in blue.

Classic Patchouli Von Eusersdorff ValPhoto Donated Val

“When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead
And the white knight is talking backwards
And the red queen´s off with her head
Remember what the dormouse said
Feed your head, feed your head.” Grace Slick. White Rabbit.

Thanks to Camille Henfling of Von Eusersdorff, I have the possibility to invite three of our APJ readers to give the Classic Patchouli a go below.

Summer Bussis
CQ

giveaway TheTruthAboutMummyPhoto Stolen TheTruthAboutMummy

Classic Patchouli GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will each receive:
1 x sample Classic Patchouli by Von Eusersdorff
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us in the comments. What memories does patchouli trigger for you?

Extra Chance?
Tweet:  Classic Patchouli by Von Eusersdorff @voneusersdorff  

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Friday 14th August 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Monday 17th August 2015 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.

Djinn by Marcus McCoy for House of Orpheus 2014

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Post by Azar

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Greetings APJ!

In mid July I received a fabulous surprise in my post box. Maggie Mahboubian, founder of FRAGments Artisan Perfume Collective, sent me a package filled with samples from the May 30th, 2015 FRAGments event in Los Angeles. An amazing selection of indie perfumes filled the little box, enough to keep me writing reviews for at least another year! I had no idea which one to try first. Searching for a new leather fragrance I found…Djinn by Marcus McCoy for the House of Orpheus.

Marcus McCoy is a Pacific Northwest independent perfumer whose background in psychology, ethno-botany, South American plant based shamanism and alchemy has inspired him to create a line of “talismanic” fragrances carefully crafted from wild sourced botanical materials. Marcus also runs a small distillery, Cascadia Terroir, an apothecary, Cascadia Botanical Apothecary and works with Catamara Rosarium formulating perfumes for Rosarium Blends.

Djinn by Marcus McCoy for House of Orpheus 2014

djinn-house of orpheus bottlePhoto Stolen House of Orpheus

House of Orpheus gives these featured accords in one line:
Haitian vetiver, cade, oud, oakmoss and alchemical oil of mercury.
As usual I have a few of my own “obvious but not present” notes to add to the list. In addition to the cade/oud leather accord I experience the presence of vanilla and/or tonka bean, jasmine and styrax.

Djinn opens with a heavy, vegetal Haitian vetiver that quickly assumes the guise of leather. This is not saddle or tack leather. It is not “biker”, shoe or new coat leather but rather a dark, smoky vanillic glove leather, recalling the specialty accessory shops the have all but disappeared from the North American retail landscape. When I smell Djinn I am transported to the boutique where I purchased my very first pair of fine Italian leather dress gloves. I have not worn beautiful gloves like these for many years but this perfume not only recalls the smells of these rich materials but also the exquisitely sensuous feeling of soft leather forming around hands and fingers.

djinn-house of orpheusPhoto Stolen House of Orpheus

I can’t speak to the last perfume note listed – “alchemical oil of mercury”. From what I understand after reading through Marcus’ websites and related links “oil of mercury” is a non-toxic spirit or essence of the “soul” of Mercury (the planet as well as the metal) somehow extracted or created in an alchemical distillation process. If you understand this or can describe it better please let me know.
Whatever it is, “oil of mercury” seems to add a creative, mercurial lift to the dark, vegetal leather.

Regarding sillage and longevity: At first this fragrance is quite bold but retreats quickly, fading to smoky jasmine and oakmoss before disappearing completely after four hours.

Djinn is available on the House of Orpheus website as well as on Etsy where a sale is now in progress

I have a few questions for my fellow APJers: Do you have a magical perfume, a fragrant djinn that you can count on to put a spell on everything and everyone around you? Have you tried perfumes from the House of Orpheus? Do you own (and wear) dress leather gloves in shoulder, elbow or wrist lengths?

Azar xx

New Foundation Formulations

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Post by AF Beauty

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Hi APJ,

I have recently been tempted by a couple of new foundations, both claiming to offer new exciting things in formulation.

New Foundation Formulations

 

Lancome Beauty Cushion

Lancome Miracle Cushion

This is an idea stolen in entirety from Korean beauty – beauty cushion – implemented by a French company, Lancome.

I already quite like Lancome’s foundations, they provide good coverage with lightness , something others can often fail to deliver. The Lancome Miracle Cushion keeps up that standard, the cushion is very soft, the applicator pad ultra smooth. I had expected it would be similar to a standard foundation application sponge, but it’s smoother texture, while still porous enough to hold the product as it goes on. The colour range is relatively small, just 6 colours at present. My first choice was sold out when I originally went looking and I succumbed and bought a slightly darker shade. I anticipated that summer would bring extra colour, but it is not overly dark and I’ve been wearing it even in my paler winter state just blending well.

I use this foundation almost like a BB cream, its coverage is light and it broadly evens my look rather than hiding flaws. I have dark circles that are improved but not well hidden. For me, this is my go-to foundation for a casual day, a weekend day or just a day where I’ll wear light make up to work.

Clinique Perfecting Foundation and Concealer

Clinique Perfecting Foundation and Concealer

I had seen Clinique’s Perfecting Foundation and Concealer advertised, but had originally dismissed it as being too heavy for me. My preference has been for lighter foundation and to use concealer separately where needed but I was enticed into trying the foundation. The Clinique Sales Assistant probably loaded me up a bit too much, but I still took a punt and bought it. Since then I’ve learned to apply it a bit more judiciously with better result. I have read elsewhere about application techniques to only apply foundation in the places the face needed it and to blend out, in fairness I’ve been dismissive as it doesn’t really apply to lighter foundations. The foundation comes with a wand with a sponge on the end with barely more than one blob, I apply a few spots of foundation across my forehead, chin, nose and a little more under the eyes. I then use my fingers to blend it out followed by further blending with a brush. There is no denying the foundation is thick and the coverage is much more than I’m used to. It definitely has a good go at hiding my eye bags! I have to spend more time blending and smoothing than in simple application but the result is a brilliantly flawless face, great for bigger, longer days or just bolder make up. I still find I need to apply a powder to set the foundation so it does feel like a heavier application. Definitely different foundations for different reasons.

Clinique has 13 shades not many targeting darker skins, perhaps more will be added to the range.

My next trial in foundation is CoverFX Custom Cover Drops intended to meet the balance of light and heavier coverage in one pot. I’ve just started on these, so I’ll let you know how I get on.

Do you have particular foundation favourites? Any new formulations caught your eye?
AF Beauty

Vidi by Gérald Ghislain for Histoires de Parfums 2013

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Post by Portia

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Hey Fragrance Family,

It seems we are getting more and more ozone in our fragrances over the last couple of years. I’m glad because I quite like the new ways perfumers are incorporating the fresh air into scent. Gérald Ghislain does some really interesting stuff; I loved his Scent Of Departure range and have quite a few decants but by the time I decided the one I wanted it was gone GRRRRRR. He also has done some of the Alice & Peter fragrances in the cupcake bottles. It would be really interesting to one day meet him and have a chat, if he is as interesting as his fragrances and some of the ideas behind them then I think it would be a wonderful chat.

Vidi by Gérald Ghislain for Histoires de Parfums 2013

Vidi Histoires de Parfums FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, cucumber, ozonic notes
Heart: Rose, cyclamen, saffron
Base: Immortelle, musk, amber, vanilla, blonde woods

It’s 2013 and I am sitting here wearing the remnants of last nights hefty spritzing of Vidi. I have spent the waking parts of the last 14 hours trying to find a different way of putting this but then I realised I should just blurt it out and then we can move forward with the review.

This is exactly how my last partner smelled when he wore L’Eau d’Issey Man. It is unbelievable how well Gérald Ghislain has married one of the iconic scents of the 20th century and my exes chemistry. Varun is a subcontinental Indian and has very spicy skin, it makes fragrance take on completely different hues. We could wear the same fragrance, and often did, and they would smell utterly different. Interestingly if we’d been out boozing and partying and went home to make love the smell of him wearing L’Eau d’Issey Man would so overwhelm me that I would be sick, yes you read right I would need to go and do a technicolour yawn, drive the porcelain bus, spew or chunder (whichever idiom your area uses). It was a damper indeed and it happened a few times before we worked out the root cause.

Nevertheless it is a happy smell for me, so reminiscent of a super fun part of my life…….

vidi-histoires-de-parfums Cäsar WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Anyway, Vidi is supposed to smell like air that Caesar smelled when he said his immortal, and I’ve always thought pre-prepared in advance for such an outcome, words Veni, Vidi, Vici. On me it smells like water, or the dream of water. It’s cool and refreshing. The cucumber and ozone are particularly appealing together and when I spritz it’s like the first dip in the pool on the 25th September each year. Thrilling and terrifying. The flowers are a complete abstract and as such don’t really register as themselves but I do get a twang of iced water in a metal vase and air conditioning in a florist. Of warmth I get very little, it’s more a lessening of the cool and the immortelle has been shorn of all its lovely natural weirdness.

The jolt was so real and so potent in my fragrant memory bulb that I had to call Varun and tell him. I think that I’ll buy him a bottle and take it to him, any excuse to visit him and India.

Further reading: Chemist In A Bottle and Ca Fleure Bon
LuckyScent has $175/60ml + Samples
First In Fragrance has €125/60ml + Samples

What have you smelled lately that reminds you of the past?
Portia xx

 

Vol de Nuit by Jacques Guerlain for Guerlain 1933

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Post by Portia

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Hi there Guerlain fans,

Vol de Nuit is one of the oft talked about historical Guerlain fragrances. Created in 1933, the same year as Sous le Vent which is another of my faves, and named from a book by Antoine de St. Exupéry “Night Flight” who was a pilot in WWI, Head Post pilot and lost during WWII on a mission. What drew me to the fragrance originally is the fabulous bottle designed to be reminiscent of a propeller going full tilt. This grey glass beauty was enough in itself but once I tried the fragrance I was lost.

Vol de Nuit by Jacques Guerlain for Guerlain 1933

Vol de Nuit Guerlain FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, galbanum, aldehydes, orange, lemon, mandarin, narcissus, petit grain
Heart: Jasmine, daffodil, rose, violet, iris, carnation
Base: Woods, orris, vanilla, amber, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss, spices

If you read the notes list and thought Vol de Nuit was going to be a big fat blockbuster of a fragrance you will be sorely disappointed. From an era that brought us such overt beauties as Sirrocco by Lucien Lelong, Jungle Gardenia by Tuvaché, Tabu by Dana and French Cancan by Caron it surprises me that Guerlain made something so discrete and intimate.  A green floral veil backed by slightly warm vanilla/amber and mossy woods. A fragrance that is almost introverted in its sillage and projection until you sit quite close and suddenly you are drawn into its captivating spell.

I have a couple of bottles but the one that gets the most wear is the 2012 EdT in the Habit de Fete cannister. Yes, I know that people complain of the modern versions thinness and lack of base. Sure, it’s different to my vintage parfum and different to the vintage EdT I have a decant of. It’s brighter, more sparkling and I admit a little screechier but it’s still beautiful. Beautiful in and of itself. So wearable and pretty. The narcissus is not so dirty as the vintage and the base is less furry and plush, though they seem to have padded the violet and iris to compensate. My main gripe is that the longevity is affected, becoming a soft whispered wash of itself within 30 minutes and barely there after an hour.

Vol de Nuit Guerlain 2 Portia 2015While Jin and I were in Europe in 2013 I went into Guerlain L’Institute in Prague and I was determined to buy a L’Heure de Nuit but something made me ask if they had the Vol de Nuit propeller bottle. Yes, they did. With my heart beating 16 to the dozen I handed over my card and asked them to “Charge and wrap it. Please don’t say the price.” Every now and then I have been getting the box out; looking at it and holding it, happiness bubbling up inside me. Today, for you guys, I unwrappeed it and finally got to touch my perfect jewel of a bottle so I could photograph it. No, I’m not yet ready to open it, to cut the cord, but it’s one step closer.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Bois de Jasmin
Guerlain counters often have some in the drawers, ask
Surrender To Chance have vintage EdT samples from $7/ml

giveaway TheTruthAboutMummyPhoto Stolen TheTruthAboutMummy

Vol de Nuit GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x .5ml sample from my vintage Vol de Nuit parfum quadrilobe bottle
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell me if you like the old Guerlain stuff? Have you tried Vol de Nuit?

Extra Chance?
Tweet: Guerlain Vol de Nuit GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-493   

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 9th August 2015 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 13th August 2015 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.

Gardez-Moi by Bertrand Duchafour for Jovoy Paris 2013

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Post by Gabriella

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Hello Perfumed peeps!

I must admit that I’ve been much more focused on non-perfumed pursuits lately. A big one has been fitness and running training as I’m doing a Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (overseas peeps, she’s a local fitness trainer) and I’m feeling really good. I’ve never been a good runner and I’m enjoying the challenge of pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. I can honestly say I’m the fittest I’ve been in my life and I’m enjoying having ab muscles for the first time!

Gardez-Moi by Jovoy Paris Running skeeze PixabayPhoto Stolen Pixabay

A lifelong love of mine – makeup – has also had my attention. I tend to flit between perfume and makeup and the latter won out this month: I’ve been spending lots of time time looking up reviews, checking out Instagram posts and testing colours and all that kind of good thing. Lipsticks and nail polishes are my biggest weakness and when perfume isn’t my focus, I’m usually buying one of the two things.

I’ve also revived my passion for reading and I’ve ploughed through Judy Blume’s In the Unlikely Event as well as Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman and I’ve just started to re-read To Kill a Mockingbird to compare.

In saying all this, the joys of discovering a new love scent-wise didn’t evade me completely. One that captured my attention over the past few weeks was Jovoy’s Gardez-Moi.

Gardez-Moi by Jovoy Paris 2013

Gardez-Moi by Bertrand Duchafour

Gardez Moi Jovoy Paris FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Coriander, Aldehydes, Black Pepper, Cyclamen, Leaves of Tomato
Heart: Ylang-Ylang, Egyptian Jasmine Absolute, Absolute Mimosa, Gardenia, Lily White
Base: Virginia Cedar resin, Styrax, Musk, Vanilla, Oak Moss, Raspberry Agreement

I’ve had a couple of tries of this previously and dismissed it as boring, but now it just seems to feel like “me”. Naturally, it should because it’s a Big White Floral and you all know that I love gardenia. But it’s also a Duchafour, and I’m sorry to say that Mr Duchafour’s scents and I don’t usually get along – there’s something in the base of his scents that smells like a bunch of flowers left in water too long – a green, stanky staleness.

Thankfully, this isn’t the case with Gardez-Moi – there is green there, but it’s at the beginning and it’s light and soft and powdery, thanks to the mixture of aldehydes and tomato leaf. This green gently folds into the big bouquet of ylang ylang, jasmine and gardenia. The mix is so big at first that I was afraid Gardez-Moi would just become a huge white floral as opposed to a true gardenia, but it doesn’t take long before her star begins to shine.

Gardenia augustaPhoto Stolen Flickr

It’s a heady gardenia, but the green notes keep it fresh and blooming rather than overly buttery and cloying. There’s also a vintage vibe thanks to the aldehydes and oak moss – paying homage to Jovoy’s history, I’m guessing. The result is a classically elegant fragrance with chiseled cheekbones, crimson lips and a graceful beauty. However, the scent also has a joyful vibe thanks to the greenness of the gardenia and this stops the mix becoming too haughty or requiring that the wearer must don a ballgown to enjoy.

Further reading: Grain de Musc and Perfume Posse
Luckyscent has $180/100ml and samples at $4/.7ml

Have you tried Gardez Moi or any other Jovoy scent?

What are your other passions and interests besides perfume?

With much love till next time!
M xxx

I Scream for LEATHER!

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

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Post by Ainslie Walker

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I scream for LEATHER! (Probably part 1)

Call me slow off the mark, but in the past few weeks I have been OBSESSED with scents containing leather. I’ve always “liked” them but suddenly I cannot get enough of them! I am wearing them daily, sometimes 2 per day. It may have all started when I purchased some new leather boots and enjoyed the smell wafting from the box in the car and upon opening. Also it’s winter and leather containing scents seem to warm me and as they warm on my skin I enjoy smelling the deep layers. Maybe it could just be my nose is maturing and like a beagle catching a scent trail, I AM OFFICIALLY OBSESSED.

Here’s two I have recently discovered and been wearing in my travels over the past few weeks.

Divin`Enfant Etat Libre d`Orange FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Divin`Enfant  by Etat Libre D’Orange

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Orange blossom, marshmallow, rose, mocha, coffee, leather, amber, musk, tobacco

I LOVE orange blossom at the best of times but, as the blurb says, this fragrance is the “Orange Blossom Renegade.” Leather, tobacco, amber, musk, rose, coffee and MARSHMALLOW all dance along to the beat of orange blossom’s drum. Highly addictive is it’s sweet-rose and gooey marshmallow core, innocent, until tobacco and leather punch through like (young) James Dean just rocked up on his bike. Unlit hand rolled cigarette in mouth and leather jacket on, complete with minor coffee spill down his sexy front. The orange blossom glows from amongst these ingredients and gives a touch of soft “baby bottom” smell mothers talk about. It takes me out of this world to a new and whimsical place, which so many from this brand do. It’s a beauty and available at Sephora in Sydney or Peony Melbourne (who will post it out in Oz)

Cuir Sacré Atelier des Ors FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Cuir Sacré by Ateliers Des Ors 2015

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Juniper berry, Cardamom, Cypress
Heart: Frankincense, Saffron, Cedar leaf
Base: Vetiver, Cypriol oil, Leather

Atelier Des Ors launched earlier in 2015, with five sumptuous fragrances in the sparkling, gold-filled collection. Peony in Melbourne is the exclusive stockest in Australia. Whilst there I sprayed Cuir Sacré and looked closely at my skin. REAL gold flakes have somehow escaped from the bottle! I massage them in with my fingertip and marvel at my skins new luxe luminance! The dominant leathery aura above instantaneously hisses of strong and lustful sophistication as it hits my olfactory receptors. It’s not just good it’s a KNOCKOUT! Every time I’ve worn it since, I feel a million dollars. Compliments are endless and two of my friends now are buying their own. What is this magical potion? Why does it hypnotise us so? I pinpoint the decadence in it’s dry down and liken it to the smell of the most luxurious new leather handbag, mixed with an elegant note of luminous saffron and shivering vetiver grass, lifted with cardamon. Also listed is Juniper berries, cypress, incense, cedarwood leaf and cypriol. I am surprised not to see rose absolute or something deeply earthy yet floral in there, as on me I can smell something so so pretty. Perhaps it’s just everything working synergistically? This leather is gold. Pleasure seeking individuals must try!

Both these lovelies are available at Peony Melbourne and First In Fragrance who also have samples

What leather containing fragrances do you scream for?

(BTW you can follow my scented adventures via my Instagram: ainslie_walker)
Ainslie Walker x

Van Der Faun: New Australian Perfume House

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Hello smellies,
Whilst having my dalliance with natural fragrances last month, I chanced across another Aussie player on the natural perfume scene, Van Der Faun. A Brisbane-based family business that launched with two organic perfumes (Hummingbird, River) in just April this year, it’s the new kid on the scene.

Van Der Faun Header

Van Der Faun has an incredibly hip website and brand design seriously targeted at the luxury, young, beautiful, health-conscious fashion set. Happily, perfume doesn’t judge if you’re not any of those things. We can all smell as desirable as Gigi Hadid, even though we may not look as fab in lululemon leggings and neon print crop tops.

Hummingbird by Van Der Faun 2015

Hummingbird Van der Faun

Van Der Faun gives these featured accords in one line:
Rose, Honeysuckle, Geranium, Bergamot, Palmarosa, Amyris, Patchouli

Miss Dior Cherie went to India and discovered Hinduism, meditation and yoga.

Hummingbird opens with a high concentration of rose oil. Initially, it’s like burying your nose inside a fresh open bloom but then it settles into a diluted rose otto scent. As you’re noticing the rose otto, a gourmand, juicy, sweet honeysuckle pushes through. A sprig of geranium and bergamot are then added to lift the rose and give it some structure.

Overall, Hummingbird is about green herbaceous citrus notes melding with sweet honeysuckle and deep sensuous rose petals that sit on a futon bed of patchouli. The combined effect is like visiting the floral-scented incense stall at the local Indian supermarket. Only the visitor is a trendy 2010s Instagram following female, rather than of the 90s Madonna Ray of Light era.

Hummingbird smells exactly like what I’d imagine Isabel Lucas or Teresa Palmer would wear. It’s fun to wear Hummingbird and briefly imagine yourself in the skin of those photogenic holistic lifestyle goddesses with sun-tanned yogalates bodies and perfect white teeth. Can a man wear Hummingbird? Only the Russell Brands of the world.

The sillage is moderate and stays robust for approx 3hrs, so definitely be prepared to top up during the day.

River by Van Der Faun 2015

River Van der Faun

Van Der Faun gives these featured accords in one line:
Neroli, Geranium, Bergamot, Sweet Orange, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Clove bud

River is exactly as it’s described on the website. “A warm, spicy scent with a fresh citrus overtone, soft wild flower notes and a solid earthy base.” It’s more unisex than the overtly sweet and feminine Hummingbird, and is geared towards those who like to line their bathrooms with apothecary-style products from Aesop.

I find River soothing. It’s a thinking, study scent; and also one that grounds me emotionally to send me to the land of sleep.
River is quieter and humbler compared to the showpony that is Hummingbird. But it projects further on warm skin, enveloping the wearer in a cloud of linalool (bergamot, orange, geranium) soft peppery spicyness. Unfortunately, River doesn’t hold for as long as Hummingbird. Less than one hour later, River has evaporated into a faint puddle of patchouli, clove oil and cedarwood.

Overall, I think Van Der Faun is an interesting offering for those who want to smell all earthy and as a ‘wellness’ lifestyle goddess, and those who aren’t put off by the short longevity of their sprays. The main effect of these natural fragrances is definitely in the first hour. Nevertheless, I have found a permanent place for natural perfumes in my life. They’re perfect for spraying before bedtime, as I would have drifted off to la la land by the time the notes are faded.

Van Der Faun has an excellent Trial Pack with both fragrances x 5ml/$20

Do you have any perfumes that you spray and pretend you’re someone different?
Willa xx

Elektra by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2010

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hey hey APJ,

I hope life is treating you all well. You may know we have moved house and that we have been in the middle of a renovation for months. The kitchen man offered us a very nice benchtop in Caesar Stone that he had on the cheap because the colour is being discontinued. Well, he sent off the measurements, they ordered the stone and then found they needed another piece but there was NONE LEFT! Drama ensued and it’s already at the 5 week mark but fortunately the call came through and we are hoping with all out hearts that there will be benchtop in the very near future. Why am I telling you this? Well the move has brought to light some lovely forgotten treasures and I am loving finding them and spritzing.

Today’s offering got a bit lost in the excitement of my love for Olympic Amber, Ballets Rouges and Golden Cattleya but I have grabbed it out and spritzed with gay abandon.

Elektra by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2010

Elektra Olympic OrchidsPhoto Stolen Olympic Orchids

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Black currant, ripe fig, green fig leaves, amber

You may remember this fragrance as A Midsummer Day’s Dream, that’s how it was originally marketed but it didn’t fit on the new packaging so Ellen changed it. The juice in the bottle is exactly the same.

Sweet green but bitter-sweet green. Elektra is a high octane green fragrance that is so fabulously unusual and of itself that it’s hard to find a broad descriptive reference that can really apply. Forget every other fig or berry fragrance you have ever smelled because Elektra is nothing like any of them. Somehow Ellen Covey manages to create scents that are so far beyond my expectations and into the deep realms of fragrant art pieces. Yes, there are fig and black current but they are reimagined here as stark green and spiky sweets, like I am smelling what a crystaline Swarovski fig and black currant would smell like if you could go through the looking glass and smell the unsmellable.

Elektra Olympic Orchids Crystal Cave GeographPhoto Stolen GeographUK

Elektra does not smell earthly or earthy, it bypasses all your 21st century fruity expectations and lands in this otherworldly, weird and super saturated cyber garden. Could this be what Elphaba smells like? Can it be that Ellen Covey has discovered the scent of a green witch?

Actress Idina Menzel ofPhoto Stolen Flickr

One of the marvellous things about being an Independent Perfumer is that you get to experiment and build your dreams. It’s very easy to build my own fragrant dreams on Ellen Coveys beautiful fragrant gems because they are so magical, every drop a dreamers elixir.

Olympic Orchids has samples from only $3 and $65/30ml
Surrender To Chance has samples under the old name $4/ml

Are you an Ellen Covey convert yet? Which Olympic Orchids have you tried?
Portia xx