Review

Escada Pour Homme 1993

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Post by Kymme CV
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Escada Pour Homme 1993

A Russian ballerina named Doris introduced me to Escada pour Homme (EPH) in 2005. Doris Vidanya to give her full moniker. I say ballerina, I mean a man painted for days (wearing LOTS of make-up), poured into a bodice/tutu and with a very, very tight black wig styled into a tighter ‘ballet bun’. See picture.

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Side note: I should point out that I wasn’t soliciting men in tutus in the street! Doris (Grant Thomas) was a dancer with Les Ballets Trockerdero De Monte Carlo (http://www.trockadero.org/) and was in Sydney with the troupe as part of their 2005 Australian tour. I was also painted for days, but not in a tutu.

 Escada pour Homme Escada FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, , lavender, cognac, Italian lemon, bergamot
Heart: Nutmeg, caraway, carnation, bay leaf, cinnamon, juniper, geranium, cardamom
Base: Sandalwood, tonka bean, patchouli, musk, vanilla

I liked EPH immediately. Those of you who’ve read my previous posts may remember my preferences when it comes ticking boxes. For those not up to scratch on my likes here is a quick reminder: Jacques Polge, Hermes: Terre D’Hermes + Voyage, Tiffany & Co., Slumberhouse, fresh, natural, patchouli, woody, musk, spice, tobacco, cedarwood, powdery, niche.

The early 1990s saw fresher, sportier fragrances become more popular than the headier orientals and herbals of the previous decade, but a handful of designers were still looking to update and revitalise them. 20 years later and although now discontinued, EPH still holds its own as a modern oriental that perhaps remains one of Escada’s best fragrances for men.

Escada pour Homme Escada Dragon WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

I find EPH to be sophisticated, sexy, masculine, prestigious, alluring and warm. On first smelling this scent one could forgive you for thinking it a fragrance an older gentleman might wear, but a confident demeanour will suit this well. It lasts forever on my skin. This morning’s spritz is still knocking a punch and the cognac, patchouli and musk are still coming through exciting my olfactory cilia…but there is still a refreshing citrus note on top of it all. It brings to mind good quality incense…eastern incense, not the mass produced variety.

Apart from Grant (Doris) and I, I can see Henry Cavill carrying off EPH with ease. It’s a bold, refined aroma that demands a bold, refined and elegant wearer. Those not sure of the statement they wish to make with their fragrance should probably tread carefully with EPH.

Further reading: The Perfume Critic
I can find Escada Pour Homme only at Amazon and Ebay now

Kymme CV x

Bulgari Black by Annick Menardo 1998

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Post by Ainslie Walker

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There’s nothing like the smell of Petrol. Grease. Rubber. Tyres. Oil. Smoke. Welding. They are smells that smell naughty yet nice. Bad, but so very good.

Bulgari Black by Annick Menardo 1998

Black Bvlgari FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lapsang souchon, bergamot, rose, green tea
Heart: Jasmine, cedar, sandalwood
Base: Leather, musk, vanilla, oakmoss, amber

Bulgari Black is almost all those things. If it had a soundtrack it would be from the movie grease or cry baby . You have all the grease, leather and slick of a hot mechanic working on a vintage car in the 50’s combined with the pretty and innocent puff of floral rose-pink powder coming from a cardigan and pigtail wearing prom queen, perched picnicking on some grassy knoll drinking tea from a thermos. (yes there is a touch of green and also some tea in the midst of this fragrance)

Black Bvlgari Drag_racing WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

This scent is like drag racing on a track of bitumen wearing a leather jacket. We have smoke, leather, burning rubber, black rubber, woods, tyres…a little bit of animal…pheromones?? Bold and verging on overpowering for the first 20 minutes or so when suddenly the sweet vanillas of hers seep through…vanilla-rose riding through with a cloud of smoke following…giving the sweetness a slight candied and almost amber touch. Top notes hint at bergamot, rounded and citrus. It’s a busy highway in a city next to a park.

There is another familiar smell…it’s hard to describe but it reminds me of the smell of inside my pencil case at school…pencils? wood shavings? Perhaps this is the ingredient that makes this scent matte to me…a suede leather, if you will. Even as an adult the interiors of my handbags smell a little of this in time…paper/pencils/pens/leather/fabric/the hint of some old perfume samples. One cannot overlook the packaging of this one either. It is a gorgeous bottle, no lid, encased in black rubber. Sexy.

Black Bvlgari Handbag danielle_blue FlickrPhoto Stolen danielle_blue  Flickr

I like this tough, soft, modern yet retro frag. It’s kind of mainstream with a big beautiful twist…it’s the sort of thing we would of expected from Lady Gaga’s frag/hype/marketing, but didn’t receive. It also comes at a great price.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Muse In Wooden Shoes
FragranceShop has $28/75ml before coupon
My Perfume Samples starts at $2/ml

Put it on your Christmas list, girls and boys as I am positive this can be worn by both men and women!!

I cannot wait to hear how it wears on you!

Perfume and Tea Pairings from Brie

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Post by Brie

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Perfume and Tea Pairings

The world of perfume blogging is relatively new to me. I have only been participating for the past years. Initially I was apprehensive about leave comments or even signing up to follow blogs. However, once I embraced this world of perfume blogging there was no turning back. I have developed many fragrant friendships with both bloggers and commenters. And what never ceases to amaze me is that we “perfumaniacs” are a generous and sharing group of individuals.

So please join me for my tea and perfume pairings with lovely gifts sent to me by two of my favorite fragrant friends.

Perfume_BottlesWikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

UME by L’Oeil du Vert

The beautiful Undina (www.undina.com), knowing of my love for natural perfumes, graciously sent me a large decant of the discontinued UME. Not aware that it was in perfume oil format I initially sprayed lavishly on my wrist and neck. It was an oily herbal mess. Ever curious, I went her blog to research this natural perfume. Understanding its consistency made me unscrew the decant sprayer and apply the oil by fingertip to my wrists. Much better……now THIS is a gorgeous jasmine-green tea fragrance redolent of thyme and herbs. Usually my “perfume adverse” hubby scoffs at the wearing of perfume to bed at night. However, there are only two fragrances that are not “verboten” and UME is one of them. Amazingly Undina knew EXACTLY what I needed for sweet, scented slumber.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

Pleasant Moment Tea by Mikuniya Zengoro

My handsomely perfumed “brother” in Japan (www.theblacknarcissus.com) mailed me an unbelievable package of vintage fragrant goodies. Yet, knowing of my obsession with tea, he also included three Japanese teas as well. I have no idea if this is even the name of the tea but it was the only English writing on the canister so I am calling it as such. Pleasant Moment is unlike any tea I have ever experienced…even wafting it straight out of the canister puts me in a frenzied state with its lush greenery. A green tea nuanced with almond and jasmine notes that pairs exquisitely with the UME.

There are always “scentsational” surprises in store for us, thanks to our generous fragrant friends!

Brie XX

ED: Brie wrote this post ahead of time and will not be responding to comments. Portia will pick up the slack though so please leave a message in the comments if you’d like to continue the conversation. Brie, if you are reading, we miss you and hope you are happy and well. Drop in if you are around, we’d love to chat. XXX

Skin on Skin by Bertrand Duchaufour for L’Artisan Parfumeur 2013

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Post by Sister Mary Magdalen, Patron Saint of Perfumers

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Hello APJ,

Gather round worshipers at the ever growing altar of fragrant wonders. Today something new to put on your skin from one of my favourite and most-patronised perfume houses.

Skin on Skin by Bertrand Duchaufour for L’Artisan Parfumeur 2013

Skin on Skin L`Artisan Parfumeur FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords in one line:
Iris, suede, leather, saffron, whisky, lavender, rose, musks, skin effects

One of three fragrances in the new Explosions d’Emotions collection, Skin on Skin is a lovely scent. I have no explosions to confess, however. This fragrance is intended to capture the contact of one person’s skin with another’s in a tumble of sex and passion, a “wanton embrace” says the ad copy.

Perhaps the first clue that I should not expect anything too raunchy or abandoned is in the image chosen to represent the scent. The naked man and woman are posed in a stagey and disengaged embrace, she gazing into the middle distance, nary a hair out of place, lips pursed and one eyebrow arched. His gaze is on her, but not in a hungry way that suggests he’s reading her moans and palpitations to guide or ride with her to the heights of passion, rather he gazes in a way that indicates his focus on her is as a plinth on which to display his biceps to best advantage… but the fragrance?

skin on skinPhoto Stolen L’Artisan Parfumeur

Let us spray…

My first impression is dry and dark: there’s a slightly bitter saffron and a woody whisky. Also there from first spray is a lovely leather and suede that bring to mind the lived-in, body-warmed, and slightly sweaty saffron and leather of Etat Libre d’Orange Tom of Finland.

As the prominence of all these initially assertive notes settles to form the base of the scent, the heart emerges, more puff than pulse and pump. On me there is a plush and powdery iris and a cloud of the sweet cosmetic violet rose so familiar to me from L’Artisan’s own Drôle de Rose. My skin amplifies this rose, it continues sweet, prominent and persistent, but this was not so for other wearers who strained to detect rose on their skin. A shy line of lavender also weaves through, the deep and sweet purple floral of a Hidcote lavender, nothing camphorous or fresh. As the scent wears, an impression also comes of the rich sweetness of thick cream, a hint of vanilla egg custard and a clean powdered sugar. Perhaps these are the “skin effects” listed amongst the notes.

For me the fragrance evokes feelings of comfort and care. Rather than a “wanton embrace”, Skin on Skin evokes a shorthand contact between long term partners. It distills the adventures and mishaps of their lives together, but is exchanged at leisure in a time of peace, prosperity and safety. More corporate than corporeal, this scent brushes the back of a hand on the beloved’s forearm, making a brief private connection in a public space. Darling… together… we… I adore you.

Skin on Skin L`Artisan Parfumeur mrhayata FlickrPhoto Stolen mrhayata Flickr

In Skin on Skin, all the elements are there from the beginning. They shift and settle, bloom and fade but it’s all there at first spray. It’s elegant, well composed, attractive. It speaks of affluence. Its personality is not strong enough to exclude it from any situation. It wears close, and although the rose was more radiant on me than others, it is not a diffusive scent. Staying power is good.

This collection of three new fragrances for L’Artisan gleam like jewels in their bigger, squatter bottles, with bigger, scarier price tags. For Skin on Skin it’s a like and admire for me so far, and I am motivated to give it a good few more wearings.

Further reading: Persolaise and Ca Fleure Bon
Libertine Parfumerie has $280/100ml (Australia)
Neroli Budapest has €192/100ml
L’Artisan Parfumeur has $280/100ml (USA)

Go in peace,
Sister Mary Magdelene, Patron Saint of Perfumers.

Armani Privé Ambre Orient: LIVE Video Sniff

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Hey All,

Margeaux and I are in the studio again and the usual silliness ensues. It’s great to have him give his views and as always we really enjoy ourselves.

I hope you enjoy it too,

Portia xx

Armani Privé Ambre Orient by Fabrice Pellegrin [Firmenich] for Giorgio Armani 2010

LIVE Video Sniff

Armani Privé Ambre Orient Giorgio Armani FragrantcaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Smoke, vanilla, dark wood, sandalwood, patchouli, thyme, labdanum, amber, cinnamon, pink pepper

Cire Trudon Candles!!! For you, for giving, for Christmas!

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Guest Post by Jordan River.

On ya APJ,

Scented Candles; let’s talk about them.

Cire Trudon Candles

They do two things. The warmth of a room will release scent from the wax without lighting the candle. This is a beautiful item to have near an armchair. Some people cover their candles with a bell-jar (aka glass cloche / dome) as you often see in retail establishments. This holds all the released scent inside the glass. When you pick up the bell-jar a scent cloud is delivered into your room. I prefer no bell-jar as then the scent has a way of surprising you throughout the day and night.

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Lighting the candle will scent a whole room and even a home.

A scented candle must be burnt until the whole surface is liquid to ensure that tunneling does not occur. This can take up to 2 hours before you have a scented room.

Trim that wick before reigniting. This step is important to ensure a clean burn. A long wick will spit soot into your expensive wax and add a slight charred smell. A long wick will also make black smoke appear which is not good for your ceiling. A specially designed wick cutter rather than scissors is your friend here. They cost around $12 to $25. There is no need to leave the candle burning when visitors arrive, unless you want to of course.

You may have noticed that every woman and her cat has a scented candle for sale at various price points and often with disappointing results. The top of the range is Cire Trudon who have been candle-making since the days of le Roi Soleil back in 1643 when Claude Trudon arrived in Paris and became the owner of a store in Rue Saint-Honoré.

Louis XIV, Le Roi Soleil

Louis XIV, Le Roi Soleil
Versace / Rosenthal
Private Collection: Jordan River

His son Jacques entered the court of Versailles in 1687, as apothecary distiller to Marie-Thérèse, wife of the King.

Image via Cire Trudon

Candle making image via Cire Trudon

By the 18th century, in 1737, the next Trudon descendant Hierosme had purchased the most famous wax factories of the era from the official wax provider to King Louis XV. Trudon grew and began supplying the French court and the most important churches. The Trudon company supplied Versailles until the very end of the monarchy.

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The standard Cire Trudon candle size of 270 grams is around $US95 ~ $US120.

While the price point is high, the scented value is completely worth it as long as you are spending within your ability to maintain solvency or even better within your ability to have savings. I like Portia’s advice for Perfumistas – set a monthly budget and stick to it.

The trick is to burn these in two-hourly lots to achieve around 55 to 65 hours of scent. The variance between 55 to 65 hours is wind speed; a breeze in your room will make the candle burn faster. Cire Trudon candles are all made in France and reside in hand blown glass vessels. The wax is 100% vegetable-based, the wick is pure cotton; both are biodegradable, allergen free and contain no pesticides.

Let’s have a look at some of the range. Not all of these are necessarily traditional Christmas scents as I know some people have their own holiday and / or family celebrations.

Bethléem
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Bethléem, pictured above with the theme and notes, is the latest seasonal candle from Cire Trudon. You may need to zoom in to read the calligraphy.

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Photo: Jordan River

Nazareth.
My favourite is still Nazareth which despite repeated rumors of discontinuation is now is it’s fifth year.

This is a scent I discovered in 2011 at a perfume masterclass in December. It stayed on my mind. Not realizing it was a seasonal release I couldn’t buy it in March 2012 when it was still blowing through the scentmills of my mind.

In November 2012 I was an hour early for a meeting and wandered into World when they were unpacking their annual supply of this scent. Not one to think twice about analyzing serendipity I knew I was in the right place at the right time.

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This Christmas candle, Nazareth, wafts a whisper of frankincense and billows of cinnamon, orange, and clove from a ruby red holder. Bees and other pollinators receive protection from this candle as a percentage of sales goes to Terre d’Abeilles.

Of course there is a lot of fun to be had by going to a shop and experiencing the range of scented candles for yourself.

Down Under Stockists
Australia
Melbourne – Peony Haute Parfumerie
107 Auburn Road
Hawthorn
Melbourne
+61 (0)3 9882 0662

Sydney – Becker Minty
Shop 7, Ikon Building
Potts Point
Sydney
+61 (0)2 8356 9999

Mérida $AUD115
Bartolomé $AUD105
Bethléem $AUD125
Nazareth $AUD115
Melchior $AUD125

New Zealand – Word Beauty
World Store Locator – Auckland Wellington Christchurch
Mérida $NZ139
Bartolomé $NZ139
Bethléem $NZ159
Nazareth $NZ159
Melchior $NZ159

Cire Trudon
– Tips for burning scented candles
– Stockists
– e-shop

Further Reading
Notable Scents – Nazareth
Bois de Jasmin – Mérida
Arquiste – Auckland Action – photo story

Olympic Orchids GIVEAWAY WINNERS

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Hello APJ!

What a super response to the Olympic Orchids Giveaway! Of course you all know how excellent the Olympic Orchids stuff is so no surprise. I do hope you go and grab a couple of their gist boxes for yourself and friends.

Olympic Orchids 2013 DELUXE Gift SetPhoto Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week there will be 1 winner who will receive:

1 x 1ml sample of Olympic Orchids Tropic of Capricorn
1 x 1ml sample of Olympic Orchids Seattle Chocolate
1 x 1 mystery sample or decant
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

To be eligible for the draw just mention how you follow APJ. Here are a couple of questions: Do you ever split gift boxes? Have you tried Olympic Orchids Patchouli Lovers Soap or the Amber-Labdanum All Purpose Oil? Comment on either of these questions and be eligible to win

Azar Freaky Hazmat

HOUSEKEEPING (Beekeeping?)

Entries Closed Thursday 28th November 2013 10pm Australian EDST
Winners will be chosen by random.org
None of my furry or feathered friends wanted to help me draw the winner so I recruited Captain America (dressed in what appears to be a hazmat suit) to do the job.
Wearing those heavy gloves limited the dexterity of this local man of mystery. As a result he grabbed two names instead of one. The first one I saw was

NEMO

Congratulations Nemo! I hope you enjoy the samples of Olympic Orchids Tropic of Capricorn, Seattle Chocolate and the mystery frag.

The second name was

POODLE

who will receive a sample of Olympic Orchids Tropic of Capricorn, another OO sample (TBD) and a mystery scent as well. I will get these out to both of you as soon as I can. (Next time I won’t ask this guy to draw from the sunhat!)

 

The winners will have till Tuesday 3rd December 2013 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.

Azar xx

L’Artisan Explosions d’Emotions 2013: Review

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Hello Fume Heads,

I know you are all crazy to try the new L’Artisan Parfumeur set of fragrances. well my mate Nick from Libertine Parfumerie has sent me a set of all three, in tester form. Thanks Libertine Parfumerie, you guys ROCK!!!  So what I thought we would do today is look at the 3 fragrances. Then do a VERY special giveaway. Hopefully you will be thrilled. It’s our way of saying Thank You for being the most tremendous community of fragrance and scent lovers in the universe, and thank you for being a part of our dream.

L’Artisan Explosions d’Emotions by Bertrand Duchaufour 2013

Firstly, let’s talk about these bottles. They are fun and hefty, the octagonal mirroring the old bottles but adding a side, or a facet? I love the gold-tone label in the niche on one side, it looks slick and very law firm-ish or as if your designer has picked your fragrance. They will look excellent on your bureau, in your wardrobe or wherever you keep your fragrances. The embossed gold-tone cap reflects the Seville a l’Aube cap and I like it too. My only though is to wonder how people with small hands cope with it, it is cumbersome and heavy. My big hands do fine but I do wonder….

Amour Nocturne L`Artisan Parfumeur

Amour Nocturne L`Artisan Parfumeur FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Cedar, hot milk, caramel, gunpowder, orchid

Well it certainly is an unusual, inventive and funky opening. Sweet, dry and smoky all at once. Amour Nocturne is hardcore elegant, you know those uber stylish people who always radiate self confidence, chic and easy going, sometimes slightly sideways style? They never look like a fashion plate but manage to seem coolly confident in their choices and often one or more pieces are recycled or a gift from Granny that none of us could even DREAM of wearing, yet for them it all looks charming and effortless. This is what those ladies and gentlemen smell like. Homely and sexy at the same time, the gunpowder adds a real zing that takes this nearly gourmand fragrance out of the ordinary and into magic. You really can smell sweet, warm, caramel milk woods and gunpowder, or a metallic dream of gunpowder. The orchid is amped up well beyond the ability of most orchids to smell but in this very noticeable amount it reminds me a little of the early Olympic Orchids offerings like Little Stars, reminds not mimics.

To be honest I thought this was going to be shit. It’s most definitely not, I love it

Deliria L`Artisan Parfumeur

Deliria L`Artisan Parfumeur FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Metal, rum, toffee, apple, candy floss

Sheer and very much like Aeroplane Jelly when you pour the boiling water onto the crystals. It has a distinctively unusual, super sweet to the point of nausea, hot sugar and food colouring smell. Both disgusting and gorgeous but with wonderful memories of times spent creating jelly masterpieces. One year we did Rainbow Jelly, which is just the 6 jelly colours in the rainbow made solid then add the next layer. Time consuming but Oh So Worth It, 2cm thick slices (with a hot knife) on a white plate with some ice cream is a pretty special looking piece of art. The sheerness fades quite quickly to a sweet haze on my skin, it is still all the opening madness but subtlety has arrived, and a very slight hint of skank. MMMMM, it gets interesting. As Deliria dries down I get a yummy biscuit effect.

This is a fine piece of perfumery but not really my style, though I could grow to like it maybe. I can imagine the younger crowd, sweet scent lovers or new to the wormhole will like this one the best. If you are thinking of gifting and the recipient is currently wearing mainstream stuff then this is a logical progression. 1000 times better than most mainstream and not infinitely more expensive.

Skin on Skin L`Artisan Parfumeur

Skin on Skin L`Artisan Parfumeur FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Suede, saffron, whisky, lavender, rose, iris, musks, skin effects

Skin on Skin is the one people seem to have noticed and be raving about. It is the most like a L’Artisan of the three, that saffron, suede, iris combination is flawless here. Beautifully blended, soft, pretty and yet still wearable by a guy.The inside of a newish handbag, maybe a brand new pair of sandals after their first wear. There is sweet human hiding beneath the flowers and suede, I am not sure that I get the booze, I need to spend some more time with Skin on Skin on my skin.

This one feels modern in the traditional underplayed L’Artisan way. I know that sentence reads funny but the L’Artisan crew are groundbreakers: first fig frag, Dzing!, Velour de Roses, Tea for two and many others were numero uno of their type. So copied now that the scents seem a trifle generic but if you really spray a lot on and live the ride then you’ll see that in most cases they have been copied but not exceeded. Again they offer a new way to do things but it’s a muted, comfortable new way. I can imagine people wearing Skin on Skin as their go-to daily fragrance and being very happy with it in all seasons.

 giveaway kbaird
Photo Stolen kbaird

L’Artisan Explosions d’Emotions GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have TWO main winners and each will receive:

1 x 100ml TESTER bottle with lid of a L’Artisan Parfumeur Explosions d’Emotions fragrance (with about 15ml missing) and no you don’t get to choose
P&H Anywhere in the world

There will also be THREE other winners and each will receive:

1 x decanted sample of all three L’Artisan Parfumeur Explosions d’Emotions fragrances
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 so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ and go to Libertine Perfumes<<<JUMP and find me a perfume and its manufacturer. NO DOUBLE UPS!!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie @LArtisan Explosions d’Emotions GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2fb #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 1st December 2013 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner.
The winners will have till Wednesday 4th December 2013 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.

Special THANKS to LibertinePerfumerie for these amazing giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous and helpful. If you wonder why they are more expensive than the discounters or OS retailers it’s because they are the only licensed company selling their fragrances in Australia; where you know you are buying new, fresh and genuine product. The cost of importing, and buying the right to import, alcohol based fragrances (and having the right to send alcohol based fragrances throughout Australia, which are illegal to send in the Australia Post air system) is expensive and they must cover their costs to bring you these luxury goods.

Fleur Blanche Ajne

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Post by FeralJasmine

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In my last column I talked about my current obsession with realistic gardenia scents and my search for a new one now that (I can’t resist throwing this in again) the corporate jackals at Tom Ford have discontinued Velvet Gardenia, the best photorealistic gardenia fragrance ever bottled. There, now that the bashing is out of my system I can proceed more constructively.

Fleur Blanche Ajne DeviantArtPhoto Stolen DeviantArt

While I have always loved gardenias, my obsession stems from the day after my father’s death in hospice care, when I was packing to go home and on some impulse I can’t explain broke a lot of gardenia flowers off my mother’s bush and put them in the top of my suitcase. Back home, the rush of pure scent when I opened my suitcase is something I will never forget. I think of it every time I think about gardenias, or grief, or joy. I have spent a small fortune on samples to try to duplicate that experience, and have learned a lot about how gardenia scents are put together in the process.

Fleur Blanche Ajne

My Gardenia Fetish, Part 2

Fleur Blanche - White Flower Ajne FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Gardenia, white flowers, woody notes, fruity notes

Today’s find is Fleur Blanche, by Ajne perfumers in Carmel, California. It’s available as an oil or an extrait. I have only sampled the extrait. This is described by the maker as a pure gardenia scent, but to my nose it’s a complex walk through a garden of white flowers. The open is pure lovely jasmine. Clouds of jasmine, indolic enough to make this a complete sensual experience. You pause under the jasmine arbor, intoxicated, your skin quivering. Slowly you drift on past tuberoses, maybe a little white rose, an orange tree blossoming in the background. And then, gradually, you realize that gardenia has emerged and taken over. Not a fleshly gardenia with its faintly fungal undertone of the earth from which it sprung, but a dream-gardenia, floating above its origin. The very earthly beginning comes to an angelic conclusion.
The garden of white flowers is the primal garden, the origin and center, the place where Goddess meets God or two gods or two goddesses merge and everything else ceases to matter and love begins anew. We may never completely enter it, mundane concerns may seem to shut us out of it, but stand at the threshold and sniff and, if you don’t exactly enter that shimmering world, surely you will be lifted out of your own for a while.

Fleur Blanche Ajne Gardenia juantiagues FlickrPhoto Stolen juantiagues  Flickr

As with any other blissfully sensual experience, choose your occasion. These scents are not for the office, unless your office is a lot more liberal than mine.

Further reading: ScentHive and That Smell
Ajne has Fleur Blanc from $40/15ml Roll On Oil to $195/30ml Parfum Spray

Ajne makes a lot of other interesting 100% natural and organic oils that I’m happily testing my way through. The oils can be shipped anywhere. They do have a special permit to ship the extraits overseas, but it’s expensive. It might be more practical if a group of friends ordered together.

FeralJasmine

Voiles d’Extraits by Vero Kern 2013

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

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Post by Val the Cookie Queen

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Hey APJ

1973. The teacher asked us to research a famous person and present a project in class. I chose Andy Warhol. My mother bought me a book to assist me with the work. It was minus about 30 pages. She had removed them, finding them way to controversial for me. That encouraged me to dig deeper. Edie, Nico, The Factory, Interview, The Velvet Underground.

On October 27th 2013 Lou Reed died. I spent the following days pondering how much his music, both with The Velvets and solo, had helped to shape a part of who I am. Not only with music and fashion and art, but with perfume too. My journey started with patchouli and Tabu. (I skipped Charlie – haha!)

Voiles d'Extrait Vero Kern Herb Ritts#2 Voile d’Extrait Photo by Herb Ritts given to APJ by Vero Kern

Voiles d’Extraits by Vero Kern 2013

Vero, Voiles and The Velvets.

Vero Kern´s perfumes do to me what the Velvets did and still do. They pierce my very soul. The Silver Fox said, when writing about .vero.profumo. “Once worn they own and haunt.” I can´t keep away. I wear other perfumes, I am a perfume junkie, but I come back to Vero´s creations every time.

Stylish, dark, hip, borderline scents. I never have been mainstream.

Voiles d'Extrait Vero Kern Herb Ritts#3Voile d’Extrait Photo by Herb Ritts given to APJ by Vero Kern

The VOILES are a variation on a theme but still the Kiki, Onda, Rubj and Mito that we know. These perfumes are created in a different concentration to the pure extraits, but are just as deep and rich. They satisfy the need to spray, whereas the extraits are to be dabbed.

RUBJ Voile Featuring orange blossom, Egyptian jasmine, musk. Heavenly.
KIKI Voile Including lavender, caramel, musk. A have to try for those who dislike lavender. It is velvety and addictive.
MITO Voile Magnolia, cypress, and a stunning tuberose (which does not feature in the EdP), lemony, bitter, it is perfection.
ONDA Voile Dark. Intimate. Honey, vetiver, nutmeg, pepper, ginger. Venus in Furs.

Voiles d'Extrait Vero Kern Herb Ritts#1Voile d’Extrait Photo by Herb Ritts given to APJ by Vero Kern

Try them if you get the chance. Take a walk on the wild side.

CQ xxx

The Voiles are available at Jovoy Paris, Marie Antoinette Paris, Bloom London and Campomarzio70 Rome. Which does´t help toomuch outside of Europe but where there´s a will there´s a way!! Lisa from Campomarzio70, .vero.profumo´s distributor told me that they will soon be in other exclusive shops. I will keep you posted.

Vero Kern sent me samples of the four Voiles. Vielen Dank.