Sensei by Piotr Czarnecki 2013

August 21, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello, my finely fragranced friends!

I want to share a scent experience that pierced my heart with true love’s fiery arrow. Of all the aromas that I have fallen for in my many years exploring, learning, and collecting, this creation may be my favorite of all time. I don’t make this statement lightly – it is my declaration of devotion to a work of sensory art. My passion, my power, my spirit:

Sensei by Piotr Czarnecki 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Whiskey, coffee, tobacco
Heart: Incense, myrrh, spicy notes
Base: Ambrette (musk mallow), labdanum, amber and musk

The fragrance opens with a thunderous symphony of precious woods, rich coffee, intense spices, fine tobacco, and full-bodied whiskey. Once the essences meld with skin and chemistry, resinous incense notes, amber, and a subtle swirl of vanilla round out the masterpiece. Each note yields to the next, balanced perfectly and equally, allowing me to either focus on a single element or allow the entirety of the creation to reverberate harmoniously.The aroma is woody, spicy, and vibrates with life, vigor, and purpose.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Sensei doesn’t need a hype train, it stands on its own by merit of the exquisitely moving fragrance alone. Handmade in small batches, the genuine emotion that breathes life into Sensei is palpable. I would classify this scent as masculine, but only on a superficial level. Rather than requiring an exceptionally strong and confident soul to “pull it off,” Sensei somehow possesses the ability to draw forth the strength and poise of the wearer instead of demanding it. When I anoint my skin with this cherished treasure, I breathe deeply and stand straighter. I carry myself throughout the day with a peaceful invincibility, harmonizing with my fragrance’s serene energy.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Some may classify Sensei as a winter scent, and understandably so; but I met Sensei in the blazing heat of the glowing summer sun, and my associations with it are solar, radiant, and powerfully joyful. Wearlength on me is variable, depending on whether my skin is moisturized and how much I apply, but I get about 5-7 hours. Interestingly enough, the longevity of Sensei is not dependent on the concentration of the scent that I choose. Personally, I find that the Eau de Toilette allows the vanilla to come forth a little more; the Eau de Parfum highlights the smooth tobacco; and the Extrait is all about the spice blend. Sensei comes in a triple-chambered glass bottle, offering each of the concentrates in a singular, cohesive presentation.

Further reading: Kafkaesque
LuckyScent has $160/3 x 33ml

Sensei is pure pleasure for me and I hope that you have enjoyed my impressions of this composition!
Erica Golding

Gucci Envy by Maurice Roucel for GUCCI 1997

August 20, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by ElizaD

An Old Friend

I don’t know about you, but sometimes my senses get worn out from trying new things. After my post about linden perfumes I ordered Zeta by Andy Tauer, and of course had to get three other Tauer samples so I could fill that cute little shipping tin. It just seemed wrong to get only one to try. Ten days later my vanity was strewn with little vials, and my nose was starting to itch.

First I took a vacation, during which the only fragrance I wore was a sultry mix of Coppertone SPF 50, sea salt and my own skin warmed by the sun, but when I returned home, I stowed all the samples back in their tin and pulled out my old friend, one of the few perfumes of which I own a whole bottle…or about a third of one now.

It’s crisp, it’s light, cool mornings, warm days, and mellow nights, flip flops and hair in a pony tail. I love to spray it behind my knees and let it extend my summer even after I have returned to work. It’s so simple, and sadly, discontinued.

Gucci Envy by Maurice Roucel for GUCCI 1997

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, peaches, freesia, magnolia, pineapple
Heart: Lily of the valley, hyacinth, jasmine, violet, hyacinth, rose
Base: Cedar, oakmoss, musk, sandalwood.

With all those notes, you’d think it would be a big hot mess, but Envy is really quite easy to wear.

On first spray, the bergamot and peaches perk up my senses, and I am reminded of another favorite, the original Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld. In fact, these two perfumes evoke the same late summer floral and fruit fest, but Envy is less likely to offend at work—some day I will just spritz a heady perfume with abandon, but that is a thought for another post. Eventually the top notes are joined by the flowers and then the whole thing warms on my very cool, dry skin. The top and heart notes never fade completely, but are wonderfully mellowed by the oakmoss and sandalwood. It’s this last stage that makes Envy so fun to wear…it helps me growl.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Longevity is great on me. As for sillage, honestly, I can never tell how far I project my perfume. No one has ever gone running out of the room when I enter, and people don’t generally comment on what I am wearing. But then again, I don’t wear perfume for other people, I wear it for me, so if I can smell it, I am likely to say that sillage is pretty good.

Some day I will open my perfume cabinet, and that long slender bottle with the missing cap will be empty of its green tinted juice. That will be a sad day. For now, I will just enjoy this lovely thing and be grateful for those of us capable of making liquid art.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Perfume Posse
FragranceNet has $55/30ml before coupon
Surrender To Chance have samples starting at $3/ml

Do you have any perfumes that have been discontinued? Do you search for replacements, or just celebrate that you knew them and move on?

ElizaD

Or du Serail by Bertrand Duchaufour for Naomi Goodsir 2014

August 19, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Or du Serail by Bertrand Duchaufour for Naomi Goodsir 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Apple, red berries, mango, sweet orange
Heart: Rum, artemisia, sage, coconut, geranium, ylang-ylang, mate
Base: Labdanum, beeswax, honey, tobacco, amber, oak tree, cedar, musk and vanilla

Tart, citrus and dried fruits – mango, sweet orange are the top notes that grab me at first whiff. Followed immediately with golden, sparkling, not smokin’ tobacco. It’s pretty and reminds me of midsummer hot hot heat. The tobacco journey continues, and with a touch of bitter cocoa, and clary sage, it forms the under laying and robust foundation of this beauty. It’s savory underneath, and yet sweet gourmand notes play about delightfully on top. It’s as if someone dropped a basket of dried fruits and rum on a freshly mulched tobacco haystack, and now its warming in the sun.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

I first tried this, after I had just bought a bottle of Frapin’s 1270 from Peony in Melbourne (a rummy pineapple and chocolate love of mine – thanks to Portia’s review). My beautifully wrapped parcel arrived, and to my delight I noticed Jill had been generous and included some new release samples, of course Naomi Godsir’s Or Du Serail being one- She had said on the phone; “If you like 1270, you will LOVE Naomi’s Or du Serail”. She was right!

Thirty minutes on and its notes are all humming the same tune – perfectly attuned strings, all singing a big tobacco song. I keep thinking of golden light, at the end of a summer’s day -the streaming golden light I’m always happy to see cropping up on my instagram feed as friends in various countries conclude their days activities.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

The fruit drenched tobacco notes and light smoke remind me of London, I lived around the corner from a particular Turkish restaurant (Gallipoli on Upper St, Angel – in case you wish to visit), where people smoked shish and the smell would waft down the street – dry, fruity tobacco with mango and apple flavors.
Its here, and with the rum notes, lies the similarities with Frapin’s 1270, but put side by side, they are actually quite quite different. 1270 goes off on a flirty fun, yet sophisticated, pineapple fruit cocktail tangent, held into line by bitter chocolate undertones. The Or du Serail focuses in on the golden scents of tobacco, honey and mango, seeming to be deeper, more serious. ODS is like the steadfast, sophisticated fruit-cocktail sipper, tobacco pouch in hand, cedarwood pipe nearby, enjoying the last of the golden rays of afternoon sunshine. 1270, is more camp, and probably inside preparing for a fun night of dancing and dressups later. I’m not anyone needs a bottle of both, I would recommend trying both and seeing how you go.

The deep dry down of vanilla-rum and honeyed orange-amber, almost sued, smokey in parts, hinting sweet and humming beautifully, is just so tasty and robust. I really do love it. It does not project too strongly. It’s one of those yummy ones you have to get up nice and close to someone to really enjoy. I would recommend this fragrance for both men and women.

Further reading: Colognoisseur
LuckyScent has $187/50ml
First In Fragrance has €125/50ml
Peony Melbourne has $210/50ml with FREE Australian Shipping
Surrender To Chance has $5/.5ml

I would love to hear others experiences…..I feel like I am now in love with 2, non-identical, twins from different makers!!

Ainslie Walker x

DKNY Sweet Delicious – Tart Key Lime by Donna Karan 2012

August 18, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Tina G

The Be Delicious line by Donna Karan New York (DKNY) sometimes just doesn’t get its day in the sun. But honestly… to keep on top of this range would take a fair amount of dedication as it is large, with many special editions which are possibly not easy to come by. Recently I was given a sample bottle of Delicious Night (orchid and frankincense being the stand out notes) and a full bottle of Fresh Blossom Eau so Intense (an extremely sweet rose), so the range has been on my radar.

DKNY Sweet Delicious – Tart Key Lime by Donna Karan 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, bergamot, sweet notes, mandarin
Heart: Neroli, ginger, basil
Base: Violet leaf

I spotted the funky pastel packaging of the Sweet Delicious line recently, which includes three fragrances: Creamy Meringue, Pink Macaroon, and Tart Key Lime. Adorable! Although the designer of the bottle obviously has bigger hands than me – I find the standard “apple” design difficult to use and need two hands to hold the bottle and depress the spray mechanism. Awkward.

There are a few different types of limes, some you may be familiar with are kaffir lime, Persian or Tahitian lime, and Key lime. In Australia we usually are sold Tahitian lime, which are a bright green, have a certain sweetness in the juice, and are preferentially marketed because they have a thick skin (ie: easily transported). The Key lime is named after the groves in the Florida Keys, as this thin-skinned lime variation grows better in warmer climates. It is also used as an ingredient in Key Lime Pie, a zesty sweet treat, and I’m assuming is the reason it has been included in the Sweet Delicious line beside meringues and macaroons.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Citrus notes are an absolute favourite of mine, particularly mandarin and tangerine, but lime is up there as a “wow, must try” factor. Tart Key Lime doesn’t fail to deliver. It opens with a mouth-watering burst of lime, fresh and juicy and not overly bitter as to bring tears to your eyes. Quickly the pure lime top note gives way to orange and mandarin, and at 15 minutes there is a fragrant green herbal vibe wafting in the background.

A spicy ginger and basil combo comes through as the base, but this is the limit to its development. I’m reading the notes as I’m testing and I don’t get any sense of the listed violet leaf, bergamot or neroli which is a pity as it would be nice to have a bit of depth to the base notes. There is a thread of something honeyed in the background but it is a far cry from the sweet tooth sugar-bomb that you may expect from the advertising.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Sweet Delicious Tart Key Lime is fresh, vibrant, and uplifting, and really is perfectly wearable as a go-to every day fragrance. I’m not sure that it is the one for me, I think there are other citruses out there that are a bit more intriguing, but I like to aim for the “never say never” category when it comes to exploring, and to have a bit of fun trying new things!

Tina G xx

Rose Cut by Bertrand Duchaufour for Ann Gerard 2014

August 16, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Heya Cool Cats,

So here is the latest buzz frag. It seems to be a complete hit.

Rose Cut by Bertrand Duchaufour for Ann Gerard 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, rum, pink pepper
Heart: Rose, peony, patchouli
Base: Vanilla, oakmoss, benzoin

I was a little let down by how Rose Cut performed on my skin. It was a lot like quite a few other fragrances from Voleur de Roses by L`Artisan Parfumeur, Gucci Rush, Narcisso Rodriguez for Her, Etc Etc. Yes, I know they are different scents and wear quite differently but that luminous aquatic floral has been done much more comfortably for my skin than this. It’s pretty, bright and fun and I think it will get a huge following. In fact if the other reviews are anything to go by this is definitely a winner. The bottles look so elegant and I really like the whole Ann Gerard aesthetic. Can I also say that I may be a bit snarky because I was expecting so much and my chemistry has let us both down tonight.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

So it’s now about half an hour later. I was reading and put my chin on my hand and was like, What Is That Fabulous Smell? It is Rose Cut. After a very nice, simple opening Rose Cut becomes a lovely soft clean patchouli, floral bouquet with a touch of sweet resin that is a little human, worn and healthy. I’m surprised there is no mention of musk or leather in the notes because both seem very apparent and for such a soft fragrance it is remarkably noticeable. I wish it was slightly heftier though.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Rose Cut is lovely through the middle. Soft focus, beautiful and quite distinctly memorable. A bit like Marilyn Monroe above and definitely flesh and pink coloured. MMMMMM.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Chemist In A Bottle.
First In Fragrance has €125/60ml
Surrender To Chance has samples from $4/.5ml

How do like Rose Cut? Have you yet put it on your skin? Did it live for you? Would you like to try it?
Portia xx

Classic Orange by Camille Henfling for Von Eusersdorff 2013

August 14, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hi APJ,

It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere and all the perfumes blogs are talking about citrus scents. I must confess I’ve never been a citrus kind of girl. I like them but can’t say I ever really crave smelling like one. Except perhaps lime or grapefruit…those notes I seem to like. Orange and lemon, well, that’s another story.

Scent memories can make or break a perfume. My problem with orange and lemon is that a lot of household cleaners smell like them and that makes me think of cleaning the house when I smell them. I like a clean house. I like the smell of a clean house. I don’t want to smell like a clean house.

Classic Orange by Camille Henfling for Von Eusersdorff 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Blood orange, petitgrain, suede, Chinese osmanthus, black tea, sandalwood, musk.

Which brings us to Classic Orange by Von Eusersdorff. I got a sample from Cookie Queen and decided to not judge a perfume by its name and give a citrus perfume a whirl. Others have said it’s a realistic orange and have mentioned all the wonderful notes and nuances in it. Okay, let’s see.

(spritz, spritz)

Well, it’s orange but I wouldn’t call it classic. It’s rather sweet without much of the citrus tang I’m used to. As I grab the OJ from the fridge to sniff for comparison I realize I smell like orange soda more than orange juice. The perfume is sweeter than the oranges I’m used to perhaps because it’s a blood orange note. I’ve tried blood oranges and they do taste and smell different from a navel orange. They also don’t smell like the classic orange scent to me which means that I’m actually liking smelling like orange soda.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Wait a minute, let’s go to the liquor cabinet. Triple sec? No. Curaçao? Oh…maybe… To me, Classic Orange is somewhere between orange soda and blue curaçao. There’s a tiny bit of green with a floral note too once the initial sweetness dies down a bit. Unlike most citrus notes which don’t last long, the orange does linger here right to the end. So Classic Orange isn’t that classic to me but I do enjoy it. I can’t say I would buy a bottle but I can see myself using up what I have of it. It’s cheery, uncomplicated, and easy to wear like a favorite sundress.

Photo Stolen Flickr

On my skin the projection isn’t spectacular and it wears very close within 30 minutes of spraying. Also, it is still detectable a few hours later which is impressive for a citrus.

Further reading: Notable Scents and The Goodsmellas
First In Fragrance has €115/100ml and samples

What are your favorite summer citrus scents? Do you like them only in summer or do you wear them year round for a little bit of sunshine anytime?

Poodle X

Lovely Day by Ramon Monegal

August 13, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Hey Hey Frag Fans,

There is much excitement because the Ramon Monegal line will soon be selling in Peony Melbourne! Jill at Peony is hoping to have them in stock early October. They can’t wait to come to Australia and in honour of this momentous occasion have sent me some giveaways. Please go enter our Ramon Monegal coming to Australia GIVEAWAY<<JUMP

Lovely Day by Ramon Monegal

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Jasmine, tea rose, black licorice, iris, cedar, black currant, cassis (ivy)

The first time I tried Lovely Day was when it was introduced outside of Spain and I wore and liked it but dismissed it as unwearable on a regular basis, on retry I was wrong. The wet black currant and ivy opening is so fabulously freaky on me. I think there is an aromachemical that I am very sensitive to involved, a cold metal/iceblock-ish feeling that is both compelling and unwelcoming, perhaps the black currant and licorice together. Lovely Day’s opening reminds me of one of the Le Cherche Midi fragrances, same chemical that both entrances yet holds me at arms length. Refreshing, sparkling and frosty it enhances winter and cuts through summer. Much like the first sip of a well iced mineral water or mountain water from a stone trough at a high up Himalayan monastery, super chilled that makes your whole mouth instantly tingle with surprise. I think this is what it must feel like to make Snow Angels. Excellent opening.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

For me Lovely Day is not a fragrance that I can pick out the notes in succession but rather a whole, a complete picture blended into something interesting and arresting. Imagine if Lolita Lempicka’s original apple was frosty cool instead of high energy fun, the sweetness in Lovely Day is arctic, the difference of chewing a pez and drinking a slushy, yes, a SLUSHY is exactly the analogy I needed. Lovely Day is a slushy for your nose. Sweet, chilly, refreshing and so incredibly more-ish. YUM!

For all Lovely Day’s sweetness though it is remarkably dry through the heart and the cedar is log pile-ish and does little to warm the composition, I get a very nice lily through the heart too. I could imagine men being made more interesting upon first sniff if they were to choose Lovely Day as their signature scent, though few will dare sadly.

Longevity is average 4-5 hours I can really smell it and sillage can be quite big if your spritzing is, though after an hour it calms to manageable, tasteful wear. I would think it a superb choice for work if applied sparingly. This is quite expensive juice but it smells luxe and the bottle is so freaking gorgeous, in fact the whole Ramon Monegal experience is good for me.

Photo Stolen Ramon Monegal

The Romon Monegal site says: Radiant and luminous. A vibrant presence of white rose petals and silky texture rooted in iris and licorice. An unforgettable and captivating romantic spirit
Notes: Sambac Jasmine Absolute, Tea Rose Absolute, Licorice Absolute, Cedar-filtered Iris, Ultrazur* and Black Currant

*Ultrazur brings a substantive, fresh, sea aspect to fragrances, helps to add volume and diffusitivity and at the same time rounds out a composition and sheers out florals. (Source)

Further reading: EauMG and Olfactoria’s Travels
LuckyScent has $185/50ml & samples
Ramon Monegal has €108/50ml

Which of the Ramon Monegal fragrances have you tried? Don’t you love their inkwell bottle?
Portia xx

Library Collection OPUS III by Karine Vinchon Spehner for Amouage 2010

August 12, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

It might take time, but there is surely an Amouage for everyone. The Library Collection is described as being “a poetic homage to the art of living”. I don´t know what that means but it sounds romantic. The Collection defies current trends, are gender neutral, and categorization. I rather like most of them, with the exception of Opus VI. (I once stupidly over-applied this, and then proceeded to bake. It nearly killed me.) Opus III is the jewel of the collection for me.

Please go enter our Ramon Monegal coming to Australia GIVEAWAY<<JUMP

Library Collection OPUS III by Karine Vinchon Spehner for Amouage 2010

OPUS III: Violets, Cats and Three Teaspoons of Perfume

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mimosa, broom (Dyer’s Greenweed), cloves, nutmeg, thyme
Heart: Violet, jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom
Base: Ambrette, papyrus, musk, cedar wood, sandalwood, Guaiac, benzoin, vanilla

I love violets. The Parma Violet sweets from my childhood, the Italian violet candies, and violet perfume. I used to have Devon Violet perfume as a child, purchased on rainy caravan holidays in the West Country, donkey rides included. I am not keen on the colour violet, but as the flowers themselves range from violet and blue, to yellow, white and cream it doesn´t matter. Freshly opened violets look stunning in salads. Violets are apparently known as having a “flirty” fragrance , as the scent comes and goes!! “Violet Day” was a day of remembrance in Australia, honouring the First World War dead. “The symbol of perpetual remembrance for these gallant dead who have given their lives for their country.” 1970 saw the last celebration of Violet Day.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The Violet Cream of the Crop

Opus III is all about violets. Thick and rich, creamy caramelized violets, with broom and mimosa kickstarting the whole fragrant brew. Not the typical violet of make-up, nor of Malle´s Lipstick Rose. It is full bodied and voluptuous, not to be confused with feminine. It is equally as suitable for a bloke. There are so many notes listed, as in all the Amouage perfumes. They highlight the violet and it glows throughout. Resinous violet, sprinkled with spiced vanilla and a smidgin of yang-ylang, ever shifting. It is not however a gourmand fragrance.

Photo Donated Val CQ

Although my cat doesn´t know that. She loves Opus III and will lick and chew it off whenever possible. I have spritzed 15 mls in the last month. That is three teaspoons. That is a whole lot of Amouage. It is very seductive, like spraying on another facet of yourself.

Opus III is not überdramatic, nor it is too rich. It is subtly stunning and lasts for hours. Sillage to die for. What more could you want? No worries if you don´t like violets either, because there are seven more of the Library Collection to explore. I am just starting on II, IV and V.

Today we wear the clinging violet
In memory of the brave,
While ever thoughts of fond but proud regret,
Come surging wave on wave.
Alexandra Seager
Dedicated to her son George, killed in Gallipoli

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and The Non Blonde
First In Fragrance has €295/100ml
Libertine Parfumerie has $418/100ml with FREE postage within Australia
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/.5ml

Fragrant Bussis
CQ

With grateful thanks to Sandra who gave me SO much!!

L`Orpheline by Christopher Sheldrake + Serge Lutens 2014

August 9, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Hey All,

Am I too late to the party? Just received a decant from the lovely Ruth (thanks buddy) and can’t wait to wear it a few times. Why don’t you join my on a first experience journey? It will be fun.

L`Orpheline by Christopher Sheldrake + Serge Lutens 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Musk, incense

I have read quite a bit about Serge Lutens L’Orpheline already. It may interfere with my first impressions because I think they may already be coloured.

So I find a jagged, pristine, metallic opening from Serge Lutens L’Orpheline. It’s weird and uncomfortable and though I don’t have it on hand reminds me a little of Lainne de Verre, like the idea of crawling along fibreglass insulation. Underneath though is a very pretty something. Some lovely alluring floral that keeps me glued to my hand trying to find it. Then I get this hilarious gust of coconut, no one else has been writing about it so I’m thinking my nose probably invented it, but to me it’s there clear as day.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Then everything tilts and I am in cool incense laden air, slightly fetid and dank and earthy and metallic. Then I am reminded of Balmain’s Amber Gris, which smells little like ambergris to me but has a feeling of perhaps what a 100 year old nugget of exploded whale internal secretions might smell like if they were flowers. Then woods, both cold on the woodpile and smoking from the fire, suddenly there is a warmth to L’Orpheline that is not hot but merely lack of cold. Then I get a balmy woods and flesh fragrance that fades slowly to gone, but I can’t tel;l when exactly it left. (Ha Ha Ha!! This fragrant monologue reads NOTHING like anyone else’s experience, I am a perfume DUFFER! Ha Ha Ha! I don’t care, this is how my nose smelled this fragrance on first wearing on my skin)

Timid. L’Orpheline is timid. Interesting, arresting, challenging and fun but all on a very small scale. Like a wallflower awaiting a moment to shine that never really comes.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Of all the freaky Serge Lutens masterpieces I think L’Orpheline the most wearable. It’s not big enough to torment you with its constantly changing story. A bit like riding a horse through trees in high summer and the dappled effects of the light searing one second and the cool of shade the next, the uncomfortable way your eyes need to adjust again and again. Yet L’Orpheline does it so quietly, and in such a muted fashion that it becomes beautiful background noise and you can still concentrate on your life but should you wish to come back and really smell what’s happening you will find it changed markedly from your last sniff.

Please don’t take my word for it, try L’Orpheline by Serge Lutens yourself.

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Perfume Posse
Serge Lutens has €99/50ml
Everywhere else will get Serge Lutens L’Orpheline in September
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml

Have you yet tried this hot/cold frightened child of a fragrance? What did you think?
Portia xx

Sacrebleu by Parfums de Nicolaï 1993

August 5, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hi APJ,

An oldie but a goodie. A wild ride that is filled with exciting twists & turns. This bottle is an older one from Michael Edwards and I feel very lucky to have it because now you can only buy the intense version. The formula has changed since this bottle was made, I’m sure it has quite a lot really.

Sacrebleu by Patricia de Nicolai for Parfums de Nicolaï 1993

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin orange, fruits, red berries
Heart: Carnation, tuberose, jasmine, cinnamon
Base: Olibanum, woody notes, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, peru balsam, tonka bean

Sacrebleu !

So unusual to me immediately. It’s tart! Like a tart berry. Redcurrant? Unripe raspberry? Bitter rind of tangerine, perhaps bitter orange rind too. A hint at jasmine/tuberose/vanilla, which sometimes to me is an expected crowd pleasing base, often kind of meh. I can smell frankincense resin strongly?!?!? With the berry and mandarin it feels Christmassy to me. I keep thinking “how weird”. I am getting something sooo weird I cannot pinpoint at about 30 mins in, its green, carnation and patchouli, but also a rubbery mouthful of some fruity flavoured bubblegum?…am about to run to wash it off and then *boom* things balance out a little. Sandalwood/frankincense/bitter orange, rounded off with some white floral jasmine and shy tuberose and a touch of well chewed fruit gum.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The gum eventually starts to give way and tonka bean rears its head with some vanilla notes and starts to get pretty. It’s like dessert has finally been served! Within the frankincense resin, the soft vanilla notes seems to glow angelic. The angel is casually hanging out, chewing on a blackberry and vanilla marshmallow. Finally I get some gentle spices, cinnamon and clove/eugenol, which works so well with the remaining citrus.

Great scent life, and the dry down is very Shalimar like a vintage Shalimar dry down and I could still smell a gentle bit of it in the morning. Projection and sillage were pretty good for most of the fragrant life, more like a natural or a fragrance that has lots of naturals rather than a strong synthetic fragrance. Though not one that I’d normally go for, I really like it and had to keep going back to sniff myself to see what it was doing. Interesting, lovely. Casual and easy.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: Now Smell This and Perfume Posse
LuckyScent has Sacrebleu Intense from $65/30ml
Parfums Neroli in Budapest has Sacrebleu from €50/30ml
Surrender To Chance has Sacrebleu Intense samples starting at $4/ml

A floriental but slightly crazy frag. Shalimer lovers should definitely give it a go.

Have you tried Sacrebleu?
Ainslie Walker

Australian Perfume Junkies

Olfactory Opinions from Oz

Review

Sensei by Piotr Czarnecki 2013

Sensei by Piotr Czarnecki 2013

Gucci Envy by Maurice Roucel for GUCCI 1997

Gucci Envy by Maurice Roucel for GUCCI 1997

Or du Serail by Bertrand Duchaufour for Naomi Goodsir 2014

Or du Serail by Bertrand Duchaufour for Naomi Goodsir 2014

DKNY Sweet Delicious – Tart Key Lime by Donna Karan 2012

DKNY Sweet Delicious – Tart Key Lime by Donna Karan 2012

Rose Cut by Bertrand Duchaufour for Ann Gerard 2014

Rose Cut by Bertrand Duchaufour for Ann Gerard 2014

Classic Orange by Camille Henfling for Von Eusersdorff 2013

Classic Orange by Camille Henfling for Von Eusersdorff 2013

Lovely Day by Ramon Monegal

Lovely Day by Ramon Monegal

L`Orpheline by Christopher Sheldrake + Serge Lutens 2014

L`Orpheline by Christopher Sheldrake + Serge Lutens 2014

Sacrebleu by Parfums de Nicolaï 1993

Sacrebleu by Patricia de Nicolai for Parfums de Nicolaï 1993