Review

Boss Elements Aqua by Hugo Boss 1997

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Guest Post by Margeaux

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Hi APJ,

Launched all the way back in 1997 when I was a mere 22 years of age, I didn’t buy my first bottle of this until the early 2000’s when the local department stores interest in it started to wane and the cost came down. After you’ve read a few of my “reviews” you’ll see that there is a recurring theme here – I’m cheap and hate paying full price for fragrance, even if it means waiting for a few years til the novelty has worn off and others are onto the next hot thing. Billed as a woody aromatic for men, in my experience it doesn’t stray too far away from the familiarity of other Boss scents. They’ve carved out a deserved reputation for everyday fragrances for men over the years. Not overly adventurous in my experience but for men that aren’t as into this as we stink junkies are, they can safely rely on a Boss fragrance delivering what they need.

Boss Elements Aqua by Hugo Boss 1997

BossElementsAqua FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica provides these accords:
Top: Lavender, Mint, Pineapple
Heart: Freesia, Tea, Pepper, Coriander
Base: Vetiver, Vanilla, Patchouli, Sandalwood

The first spritzes (again remember I am a super heavy spritzer) I find to be very pleasing, not overly tart or demanding, but you definitely get a strong tantalizing waft of a lovely fresh masculine scent. I’m usually applying this one as soon as I’ve dried off from the morning shower, and I love the crispness of those opening notes and the way it plays with my senses in those minutes as I get ready for my day ahead. Really peps me up!

There’s a lovely wash of the mint and just a hint of the pineapple that opens this up, and as it starts to settle down the lavender joins in keep things interesting. It’s nearly like a gently softly scented soap at this point but nowhere near as soapy sterile for my nose.

When the mid notes to start to warm it up ever so slightly, its still quite green, which I am learning is most likely the inclusion of freesia. After a good 30 minutes or so, it definitely begins to progress towards a spicier tone thanks to the tea and pepper, coriander and I can detect the beginnings of the base notes coming through. I’m a sucker for sandalwood based smells and actively go looking for them, and although this one tends to be a little light on the sandalwood, it is there and hangs in for the run which tends to fade around the 8 hour mark on my skin.

LikeAPrayerCover prayer.diletantePhoto Stolen prayer.diletante

The real surprise for me in this set of ingredients is the patchouli, which no matter where I smell it always, ALWAYS, reminds me of opening Madonna’s Like A Prayer album all the way back in 1989. When the album was initially released, it was heavily perfumed with patchouli. I was working in a record store at the time and I found the heady smell intoxicating for those weeks when we held and sold an incredible amount of this album. (Does anyone else remember this? It was amazing!)

So I think you’ve got the idea that Elements Aqua has become a firm favourite of mine, I think I may have gone through at least 5 or 6 bottles so far. I usually have a 100ml and a 50ml on the go at once, the smaller one being my travel smell because it just works brilliantly no matter what I’m doing. I find it to be exceptionally wearable just about anywhere, anytime.

BossElementsAqua perfumeblvdPhoto Stolen perfumeblvd

I also love that as its notoriety has waned, there are fewer guys that seem to be wearing it. If you are looking for a bargain scent that just about everyone will love, you could do worse than ignore this forgotten gem before it disappears forever.

MyPerfumeSamples offers $2/ml and $7/5ml
FragranceNet has the 100ml for a tiny $46

See you next month,
Mx
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A little present forv you Margeaux. Portia XX

Avignon: Comme des Garcons Series 3 Incense by Bertrand Duchaufour 2002

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Hey Fellow Fumies,

My mate Jordan has often talked to me about todays fragrance and when I saw it for a reasonable price on a friends sell list I jumped at the chance. As you may know I was taught by Nuns and then Jesuits and there was an enormous amount of RC Church going involved in my formative years, not to mention my choir years.

Comme des Garcons Series 3 Incense: Avignon 2002

Avignon FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
French labdanum, spices, incense, chamomile, vanilla, patchouli, ambrette, oakmoss, musk, olibdanum, myrrh, Brazillian rosewood, Virginia cedar, elemi

If you want to know what church smelled like, it may still, then you need to get your hands on Avignon. It opens like the refectory where we would get ready for the processional entrance and the priest would have his censer in readiness: incense, frankincense, myrrh, wood, men and boys, excitement. At once spicy, woody, aromatic and smoky Avignon becomes woodier and darker as it wears on the skin, but there is also a sweetness that emerges from time to time and becomes more prominent towards the dry down. A circular and circuitous fragrance, it feels linear because you keep coming back to the same pieces but in different arrangements, so similar but not the same. One moment you think the woods have moved into stay, next it’s all about the smoking incense, then vanilla-esque warmth and resins. There even seems to be a wood wax bit like they shone the pews and wooden kneeling pads, and also a candle wax accord. Am I imagining things? Also the scent of a blown out match and something quite alcoholic. Towards the end it fades slowly, never losing its integrity, just intensity, and remains beautiful and haunting to the end.

Unusually for an incense fragrance I get quite a long wear 5+ hours and counting on this occasion, but I spritzed in the cool of evening, in the day with more heat and movement the lifespan is a good deal shorter. This is a wear it for myself fragrance, though I imagine you could wear it almost anywhere except close working/fragrance phobic workplaces. It would be especially fun to wear to church, dinner with clergy or anyone, shopping, picnicking, movies etc.

censer ryanphunterPhoto Stolen ryanphunter

Further reading Birgit from Olfactoria’sTravels writes at PerfumeSmellin’Things
LuckyScent has 50ml/$80 and .7ml/$3

Have you been to Catholic rites? How does the incense in Avignon effect you? What if you aren’t from a Catholic background, does incense still effect you?

So many new questions every time I find some kind of answer for another one. It is kind of exciting to be questing though,
See you tomorrow.
Portia xx

Coromandel by Jacques Polge + Christopher Sheldrake for CHANEL 2007

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Hey Hey APJ!

I was recently lunching with Clayton from WhatMenShouldSmellLike and he brought me some amazing gifts from his OS travels. The loveliest of which, so far, is the 4ml gorgeously boxed CHANEL Les Exclusives Coromandel EdT that I am rocking today. It is my first wear of it and I’m dabbing, so do come on a journey with me.

Coromandel EdT by CHANEL 2007

Coromandel FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Neroli, bitter orange, citruses
Heart: Rose, jasmine, patchouli, orris
Base: Tahitian vanilla, benzoin, white chocolate, incense, woodsy notes, musk, olibanum

Can I tell you before we start that this packaging has me excited already, the card, beautifully presented bottle and the whole feel is incredibly luxe for a 4ml tester. Also, different sites and reviewers attribute Coromandel to both of these magnificent perfumers Jacques Polge + Christopher Sheldrake but only BaseNotes , that I read, attributed it to both. Interesting huh?

Oh MY! The first rush I get is all the base notes springing up my nose and creating a warm, woodsy and sweet amber-ish waft that was so unexpected from the notes that I gasped audibly. They don’t really leave either as the citruses begin to show their bright and lovely acidic colours. They don’t stay long because patchouli has wandered in shrouded in a lovely powdery floral veil and it seems like I’m sitting in a cafe, there is a breezy cafe au lait waft that is surprising. Maybe it’s the chocolate and vanilla together with the patchouli, ahh, who knows or cares how they’ve created this wonder?The patchouli is like the undercurrent of Coromandel, it comes and goes over time again and again, but I never even get a hint of the flowers.

I am happily and dizzily transported somewhere other. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply it’s as if Coromandel is zen perfume I feel so relaxed and comfortable in it like this is the fragrance I’ve been waiting for. Do you ever feel like you’ve come home? Amazing!!

MilkCoffee wallPaperHerePhoto Stolen WallPaperHere

Coromandel is all about the base for me, and on my skin, it has sped there is under an hour and maintains itself there indefinitely with only a modicum of change as it progresses deeper into itself, warming and becoming more foodish as it fades till all I’m left with is a mildly resinous vanilla around 6 hours later that hums ever so softly above my skin for a while longer before disappearing. I am ordering a large decant to stop myself immediately buying an FB. I am moved.

Further reading NowSmellThis and BoisDeJasmin
I think Coromandel is only available at CHANEL Boutiques
SurrenderToChance starts at $3/ml

Have you fallen for something unattainable lately? Are you going the sample route or another way?

Wishing you all good luck in your searches,
Till tomorrow be well,
Portia xx
I LOVE CHANEL

Si Lolita by Christine Nagel and Benoit Lapouza for Lolita Lempicka 2009

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Hiya APJ Family,

I love to troll sample sites and discount stores. Often I will be so taken with a bottle design that I just want to own it and screw the juice, unfortunately there is only so much cupboard space so I am now making sure I love the juice before I buy FB even if it’s ridiculously cheap on the discount sites. Depending on what the product is I will stop by all the usual decant/sample stores looking for the best deal and that’s how I grabbed 5ml of

Si Lolita by Lolita Lempicka 2009

SiLolita FragranticaPhoto stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, mandarin
Heart: Pink pepper, sweet peas, wallflower, heliotrope, elemi resin
Base: Elemi, patchouli, tonka, amber

Opening symphony featuring tonka front and centre before fresh cold slices of citrus that warm quickly when the pink pepper and flowers come riding in. The first 5 minutes off Si Lolita is fraught with excitement. A big gushing WOW!! Once the hoopla is over Si Lolita warms beautifully with tonka, clean patchouli and the resins there right through the heart making the bouquet play second fiddle. A background hum of spicy warmth that sits close to the skin if you try to smell it, leave the room though and come back 5 minutes later and Si Lolita has left a gauzy ghost of itself that is translucent but discernible. I am guessing then that the sillage will be fabulous, a scent trail that will turn heads. This is also the sort of “perfumey” perfume that boys know to compliment, and often quite like.

After all that Si Lolita goes a bit every frag and the dry down is a nice amber-ish something but not impressive. Si Lolita is no big statement frag that will give you backbone, sear the eyeballs of your enemies and dry clean the curtains while you sit and read below them. You will smell pretty, sometimes that is all you want, right? And the bottle is a modern marvel, and the price! Si Lolita feels like a scent that almost anyone could rock, won’t offend at work or play and is interesting enough that should you want to focus on it the story will grab you for a while. Otherwise you can spritz and forget it and know that you smell good for about 4 hours, sometimes longer.

si-lolita tesminaPhoto Stolen tesmina

Further reading NowSmellThis and PerfumePosse
FragranceNet starts at $22/30ml before discount
MyPerfumeSamples start at $2/ml but I bought 5ml/$7

Have you tried Si Lolita? Don’t you love the bottle?

Please remember how excellent you are and be grateful for the good stuff, try and think of 3 good things in your life, no matter how small, and give thanks.
Till tomorrow.
Portia xx

Here is the making of the ad, there is a small amount of speaking in French, which I don’t understand, but the rest is extremely interesting.

Here is the finished commercial

Black Orchid by Tom Ford 2006

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

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Gabriella
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Hello fellow perfume heads!
Well, sometimes my perfume discoveries really make me feel like I have been living under a rock. This is slightly due to the fact that my sampling and testing methods are never methodical or take a logical course. I always just sniff what intrigues me at the time, rarely just concentrate on testing an entire line, and sometimes I’ll get round to testing a new release maybe months after it has been out. In the case of Black Orchid it’s been years. The oriental chypre was released way back in 2006 and when I finally got round to sniffing it, I was smacking my head with the combined annoyance and disbelief that I hadn’t stumbled on this magnificent beauty much, much sooner.
Black Orchid Tom Ford for women
Photo stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: French jasmine, black truffle, ylang-ylang, black currant, Amalfi lemon, mandarine, bergamot
Heart: Orchid, lotus, fruity notes, spices
Base: Patchouli, sandalwood, dark chocolate, incense, amber, vetiver, vanilla, balsam
According to the PR, with Black Orchid Ford wanted to create a perfume that was ‘old fashioned but in a new sense’ and in my opinion, he has succeeded. Love it or hate it, this is eons away from the masses of sweet, fruity patchoulis out there and brings classical retro glamour back on to the department store shelf front and centre. It’s safe to say it’s impossible not to have an immediate reaction to this scent. It is so huge, so va-va-voom, so sultry, it like a diva on steroids.
It opens with a dark earthy and woody truffle accord that is so lush and thick, it almost feels like a perfume in reverse, as if the basenotes have been swapped with the top but still have the latter’s volume. It is the smell of a rainforest in bloom, with boggy, peaty soil the colour of midnight ink, tinged with fruity spices. There is also something there, perhaps some of the white flowers and vanilla, that lends a burnt caramel quality to the earthiness of the mix. As the scent develops, the darkness of the opening persists and I get a flash of green grass which heightens the accord’s mineral quality. The composition becomes more tropical in effect and the truffle accord is enhanced by a strong melon note, mostly reminiscent of honeydew, with lush, dense creamy white florals darkened by a resinous mix of patchouli and amber.  Black Orchid is sumptuous, narcotic and wanton. It is the olfactory equivalent of a spiced dark chocolate pudding and a snifter of brandy.
BlackOrchid imagesdeparfums.frjpgPhoto Stolen ImagesDeParfums
I wasn’t surprised to find the ad for the scent was a very retro and glamorous looking shot of a red-lipped brunette because Black Orchid for me would suit the likes of femme fatales such as Gina Lollobrigida or Ava Gardner. A sexy, intelligent woman that is confident in her sexuality. She doesn’t wink and say ‘come hither’, but looks you straight in the eye and says ’take me on.’
When I smell it, I imagine the following scene: an actress is on a film set in a tropical forest locale. Having just filmed a scene at the local colonial manor, she’s hung her scarlet chiffon ballgown on the back of her hut door. Resting on the balcony, she’s changed into a silk slip but is still in full makeup and jewels: flicked inky eyeliner and red lips; ears and throat emblazoned with chunky diamonds. She’s drinking brandy out of a heavy crystal highball looking out into the starry night.

Photo Stolen ImagesDeParfums

If you’re someone that view today’s modern department store fragrances with a sense of disillusionment and haven’t tried Black Orchid yet, you must at least give it a try. It is just that different. Having said this, according to the sales assistant who sold me my bottle, Black Orchid is the line’s bestseller. If that’s the case, it makes me feel just that bit more confident about the future of mainstream scents.

Further reading NowSmellThis and PerfumePosse
TradeServices has 100ml EdP for $92
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/ml

Have you tried Black Orchid? What is your darkest and sultriest scent?
Until next time!
M x

Voyage d’Hermès by Jean-Claude Ellena 2010 + Hermès S/S ’13 Campaign

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments
I don’t know about you but Hermes is special for me. Even though I’ve only owned a tie and some perfume from them they are, to me, the last word in mass market luxe brands. Nobody else comes close. Even before Jean-Claude Ellena took over the reigns there was some wonderful fragrance coming from within the Hermes camp. At one point Mum had Caleche, a buddy wore 1970 Guy Robert classic Equipage and another swears by their belts. Consider also that by now I am in Venice or Paris and I think I have good reason to introduce to you…

Voyage d’Hermès by Jean-Claude Ellena 2010

Voyage d`Hermes FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Amalfi lemon, spices, cardamom
Heart: Green notes, floral notes, tea
Base: Woodsy notes, Musk

What I smell when I spritz Voyage d’Hermès is a clean, fresh, exhilarating swooosh of cold air. A peaceful, citrus plus spice and green-ness follow in a cool meandering, don’t worry about a thing way. Bracing and refreshing Voyage d’Hermès is a little salty and the tea is an ideal of tea rather than a tea-ish fragrance. Something I find really enjoyable is to huff a big breath out of my mouth into my shirt and then breathe the fragrance and me back in together, the warmth and humanity of my breathe give Voyage d’Hermès a whole different feeling before returning to cool, calm and collected. The citrus turns mildly sweet through the heart and it cuts nicely across the tea and general green. Slowly the composition, which is not based in any reality, becomes less intensely frigid and warms through flowers and musky woods. The journey is gradual and not a large change but subtle and quiet. There is something definitively Ellena about Voyage d’Hermès.

Don’t let me make you think that Voyage d’Hermès won’t leave you fragrant; scent bubble and sillage are excellent and it is surprisingly tenacious, by the time it’s gone I have long stopped looking at the clock 6+ hours usually. An extra spritz an hour after the first will keep it on you even longer.

Voyage d`Hermes luxistPhoto Stolen luxist

Voyage d’Hermès is sold as a unisex scent and I think everyone can rock it. The bottle and fragrance make me think you might like to wear it if clever, interesting and thoughtful design, beauty, Deco modernism or SteamPunk are your thing. Whenever I see the bottle it makes me wish to see a purchaser because I have this notion that we would get along, and anyone who loves this spare, arctic and beguiling fragrance is someone who I would like as a friend.

Further reading BoisDeJasmin and Olfactoria’sTravels
FragranceNet has 35ml refillable $55
MyPerfumeSamples start at $2/ml but I bought $7/5ml

Hermès Spring Summer 2013 Ad Campaign

Yet again stolen from one of my favourite blogs: art8amby

Nathaniel Goldberg photographed Norwegian top catwalker Iselin Steiro at Lake Como for the Spring Summer 2013 campaign of Hermès, replacing Dutch stunner Bette Franke.

I think Hermès has done a splendid campaign this year, what are your thoughts?

See you tomorrow, till then wishing you only good,
Portia xx

Images via TFS

Hermes SS13 Man
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Hermes SS13 Woman

Fleur Du Male by Francis Kurkdjian for Jean Paul Gaultier 2008 + JPG S/S2013 Ad

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Hey Fume Friends,

While I’m writing this today I am also rocking JPG Fleur de Male, and I smell GORGEOUS!! Such a lovely scent I wuill never understand why it wasn’t an instant and enormous success? Do you have a favourite that never made it to the top of the charts? Chat about it down in the comments section, I love reading about it and others can chime in too.

Fleur Du Male by Jean Paul Gaultier 2008

FleurDuMale FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
African orange flower, bergamot, basil and caraway

If you are a fan of Le Male but find it too overwhelming then Fleur Du Male could be the answer. Still a statement fragrance but the people across the restaurant won’t be asking who is wearing Fleur Le Male, as often happens with its prequel. Fleur Du Male is an altogether different kettle of fish. Easier on wearer and surrounding crowd. A fresh, fun and fanciful men’s fragrance that I think suffered in the West from its floral association, way ahead of its time.

Bright and effervescent opening with orange blossom and bergamot that settles around you like a cashmere throw, light enough to not notice it hefty enough to keep you warm. Surprisingly this opening lasts well into the heart of the fragrance giving continued radiance as the herby/spicy heart takes over. Fleur Du Male makes me smile, happily, and lifts my mood even if I’m already feeling tip top. Completely unisex, wearable and lovely it still is interesting enough for the perfumista in me to enjoy the ride. I have gone through a couple of decants of Fleur Du Male and recently purchased the big bottle, the current decant is going quickly and I can see the bottle going likewise. So easy and joyful, who wouldn’t spritz with abandon? The dry down is a continued warming a spicing but it stays pretty linear fading to nothing at around 5-6 hours.

FleurDuMale collections.delcampe.comPhoto Stolen collections.delcampe.com

Fleur Du Male is a party fragrance, even when I’m home doing chores it puts me into the fun zone. Sometimes I even put some music on too and sing, scent and scrub together. Probably a little too full on for office work but I can’t see it being a problem anywhere else, men and women start your Fleur Du Male!

Further reading NowSmellThis and BoisDeJasmin
FragranceNet has 75ml/$41
MyPerfumeSamples from $2/ml – $7/5ml
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Jean Paul Gaultier Spring Summer 2013 Ad Campaign

I just stole this from one of my Must Read Blogs art8amby

Sebastian Kim photographed models as pop icons for the Spring Summer 2013 campaign of Jean Paul Gaultier. The images featuring Ginta Lapina as Madonna, Jeneil Williams as Grace Jones, Maria Krashleva as Boy George, and Hannelore Knuts as David Bowie was art directed by Babeth Djian with the make up by Llyod Simmonds and hair by Diego Da Silva.

How fabulous is that? I am gagging for it. Totally fun.

Till tomorrow,
Love, Love, Love from,
Portia xx

Image via TFS.

Lumiere Blanche by Sidonie Lancesseur for Olfactive Studio 2012

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

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Guest Post by Dionne

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Hey-O, perfumed peeps!

I typically trundle along at a turtle pace in the frugal corner of fragrance-land, as my budget and my personality both keep me from going crazy ordering massive bunches of samples. Plus, my skin chemistry is such that unsniffed purchases are a baaaaad idea – rate of failure in this area is embarrassingly high. Now I’m totally fine with keeping to my budget and plodding along, but I’ll freely admit one of the downsides is I’m REALLY behind on all the exciting new releases everyone else is talking about, and don’t usually participate in splits of the latest thing all the rest of you are groveling over.

However.

Being a frugal fumehound, one of my weaknesses is inexpensive sampling programs. I am a sucker for a great deal. So when I discovered that the relatively new line Olfactive Studio would send spray samples of their four fragrances, shipping included, for a whopping 6 Euros all the way from France (I LOVE getting mail from France!) I jumped right on it. And I’m glad I did.

Lumiere Blanche by Olfactive Studio 2012

Still Life and Autoportrait are lovely, but it’s Chambre Noir and Lumière Blanche that make my knees weak; because the line is relatively new, I was able to get in on a split over at Facebook Fragrance Friends.

Lumière Blanche showed up on a bunch of “Best of 2012” lists, and it was nice to feel in the loop for a change, because I’d actually smelled this, bought it, and loved it myself. Hey, it’s fun hanging out with the cool kids! And speaking of cool, I really enjoyed the concept behind the brand. Artistic Director Celine Verleure has paired photography and perfumery, and although I don’t know the details about who chose the photographers or the photos or the noses – Olfactive Studio has been very interactive right from the start with social media – it’s fascinating to smell how the four perfumers interpreted their respective photos.

LumiereBlanch OlfactiveStudioPhoto Stolen from OlfactiveStudio

What is especially interesting about this photo by Massimo Vitali is that my initial reaction of “Whoa, is that an iceberg?”  followed by the realization it’s actually a beach in the summertime is mirrored in the perfume itself. Typically, I cannot wear my winter frags in the summertime, or my summer frags in the winter; there’s something simply too jarring about wearing them out of season, and in the case of my winter perfumes in summer, far too oppressive.

Up until now I only owned two that were season-less: L’Eau d’Hiver and Jacomo #08. Lumière Blanche now rounds it out to a aesthetically pleasing trio. Major kudos to the perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur; creating a perfume that wears equally well at minus 40 degrees and plus 35? That’s impressive.

LumiereBlanche FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica and OlfactiveStudio give these featured accords::
Top: Cardamom, cinnamon, star anise
Heart: Iris, almond milk, cashmere wood
Bottom: Cedarwood, sandalwood, tonka bean, white musks

I think Lumière Blanche manages to straddle the summer/winter divide because it wears very lightly for a spicy fragrance. I mainly get cardamom and almond, and there’s a creamy milkiness woven in that keeps everything airy. Don’t be fooled by all the woods listed in the notes; if this was a dessert, it’d be a Pavlova.

The subtlety of this fragrance keeps the sillage close to the skin, so this would be very appropriate for work or anywhere else where you want to keep things low-key.  Of course, the downside is it doesn’t have the longevity of a typical oriental, on my scent-glue skin it’s gone in about 8 hours, about the same period of time that most naturals last on me. Thankfully the milky appearance of the jus means you could spray this on a shirt or scarf without staining, and then it’s still going full-strength the following day. My laundry basket’s been smelling really good lately.

4 piece Sample Set or Full Bottles from OlfactiveStudio

As far as glowing reviews go, here’s my final word. My 15ml decant arrived November 30th, and it’s almost half-empty. Let’s hear it for the impulsive spending of six Euros!

Till next month,
Dionne x

4711 Eau de Cologne, My Grandmother, and Me

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

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Guest Post by Suzanne R Banks

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4711 Eau de Cologne, My Grandmother, and Me

4711 FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange oil, peach, basil, bergamot,lemon
Heart: Cyclamen, lily, melon, jasmine, Bulgarian rose
Base: Patchouli, tahitian vetiver, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss, cedar

My grandmother (on my Dad’s side) was a cultured woman from the north of England with Scottish and English heritage. She relocated to Australia with her husband (who I never knew), in circumstances that seem rather dodgy, and that no one is allowed to talk about. She lived her entire life here only visiting England once. I remember afternoon teas every second Sunday with cakes and lollies and chocolate biscuits. Sometimes we were even allowed to have a sugar cube as a treat!
Anyway, as long as I can remember she always had 4711 Eau de Cologne. And as long as I can remember she always gave me gifts of 4711 Eau de Cologne. There were big bottles, small bottles and roll-ons! I always thought the roll-ons were amazing. Unfortunately as an annoying teenager I think I told her I didn’t like it and she was devastated. It wasn’t the fact that I didn’t like it but more the reason that I wanted something else (like glamourous perfumes my friends had). I insulted her and she never gave it to me again. I think I still feel guilty about that. Sorry Grandma.

I have been a practicing Aromatherapist for over 15 years, solidly using essential oils in everyday life for around 20 years. I have a particular yearning for Bergamot (the first oil I bought), Petigrain and Neroli essential oils, the bittersweet citrus oils. It was only a few years ago I realised that it may have been my grandmother who stimulated my interest in Aromatherapy – although it has taken me 30 years to acknowledge it! And it was my grandmother who introduced me to the clean, fresh bittersweet scent of Eau de Cologne. It’s the Kolnisch Wasser I am referring to, although the house has other fragrances. The original Eau de Cologne has a fascinating story, a beautiful scent and it’s own website!

The description of the scent, directly from 4711.com:
“Ingredients and Effects
The precious ingredients are carefully harmonised. Bergamot, lemon, and orange provide a uniquely revitalising effect. Lavender and rosemary have a calming and relaxing effect, strengthening the nerves. Neroli, extracted from the blossom of the bitter orange, has a calming effect in the base note, creating a positive mood.”

4711 eleven.sePhoto Stolen eleven.se

Yay! We can see that this fragrance, created over 200 years ago, was made to therapeutically address physical and emotional issues. The exact recipe is of course a closely guarded secret and it has a fantastic historical story! The water was originally referred to as “aqua mirabilis” – miracle water, and was presented to a wealthy merchant named Wilhelm Muelhens as a wedding gift. The legend has it that Carthusian monk made the miracle water in 1792. Wilhelm went on to found a production facility to make the water, and to market it as a remedy to sickness and general maladies of the day. The rest, you could say, is history. Although the perfume company has been bought and sold over the years it is now owned and produced by Mäurer & Wirtz, a subsidiary of the Dalli Group.
Regardless of the owners, this is one perfume that has retained it’s amazing scent, unique bottle design, particular label design for over 200 years. The branding is unmistakable, and when I even just look at the label, my mouth waters with anticipation of the bittersweet miracle water.

CheapSmells starts at about $8
FragranceShop from $12

See you next month,
Suzanne R Banks

Here is the Aussie ad I remember from my childhood (Portia)

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Shalimar Parfum Initial by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 24 Comments

Hello there APJ Family,

In 2011 there was an enormous flurry of excitement, Guerlain and relatively new comer to the reins of their fragrance division Theirry Wasser, decided to reinvent with a sideways flanker the most famous of the houses fragrances; Shalimar. Flankers are a tricky problem for frag houses, too close and why bother, too far and WTF has this got to do with the original. I understand that it is better to have a pre-existing fan base, brand recognition, history and visual cue to spur your product forwards into the stratosphere of over 1300 new releases from brands big enough to have registered their launches on BaseNotes in 2012. Still it’s a tricky concept.

Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain 2011

ShalimarParfumInitial FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, orange, green notes
Heart: Rose, jasmine, iris, vetiver, patchouli
Base: Vanilla, white musk, tonka bean, caramel

One of the Fragrantica commenters 100mlEDT says: Entirely representing the outer trappings of the original and giving it rose coloured glasses. I thought this a masterly summation and am quite jealous that I didn’t think of it myself. A softer, younger, lighter and ultimately more wearable version, in today’s fragrant world, than its older, more full-on sister. I would also recommend Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain for those who like the idea of being a Shalimar woman, with all the history and structure that is implied, but who really don’t like the fragrance.

After the first hour I think you could even wear Shalimar Parfum Initial in close work proximity, it is not a sillage or scent bubble monster and wears very close on my skin, just the occasional waft as I move or if I stick my head down my top. It stays at this almost fragrant stage though for hours and I loose all traces of it somewhere 5-7 hours, depending on the day. If I wear Shalimar Parfum Initial by Guerlain at night I can sometimes still get a faint whiff next morning.

ShalimarParfumInitial art8ambyPhoto Stolen art8amby

Further reading BoisDeJasmin and 1000Fragrances
CheapSmells has a 60ml Gift Set with lotion and bag around $80
SurrenderToChance starts at $4/ml

How do you think this flanker rated? Did you read the further readings? Who do you agree with more, BoisDeJasmin or 1000Fragrances? I loved both the arguments and they have left me thinking hard about expectations and the global fragrance market. You?

Whichever way you swing I hope you do it in the company of people you love, or at least fragrances you love,
Till tomorrow,
Portia xx