Review

Wood Infusion by Goldfield & Banks 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 36 Comments

.

Portia

.

Hello Fumies,

Here is a delightful surprise. Australian crew Goldfield & Banks has a brand new scent on the market. It’s so new not even Fragrantica has the deets yet. We are very excited here at APJ to be one of the first to get our sniffers on it. We also have a chance for 10 lucky readers to get a sample sent to their home with love from Goldfield & Banks and APJ.

Wood Infusion by Goldfield & Banks 2017

Goldfield & Banks give these featured accords:
Australian Exotic Woods, Sweet Orange, Iris Italy, Agarwood, Lavender Australia, Patchouli Indonesia, Musk, Amber

Smooth, a soft woodsy patchouli with a very pretty lavender undercurrent. The sticky sweetness of orange on your lips after eating quarters floats effortlessly over the top, as if you’re smelling the fragrance through it. Cool and calming, the creaminess of sandalwood and resins keeps everything luxe and expensive.

Wood Infusion is so beautifully constructed with the heft of some of the early by Kilians but add in the clean blending perfection of Mona di Orio and the interesting combination of ingredients that only an independent perfume house can do. Here’s the thing though, Wood Infusion smells like the very best of the price lines released by so many of the fashion houses (DIOR, CHANEL, Armani et al) but BETTER. So much better.

From Goldfield & Banks: Inspired by the lush nature of the balmy heritage listed Fraser Island in the Pacific Ocean, Wood Infusion is a celebration of all wood species found around the island. This fragrance is an exotic infusion of Australian woods enriched with Sandalwood Album, Iris and velvety Agarwood (Oud Wood).

Goldfield & Banks has $229/100ml
City Perfume has $229/100ml (10% Discount Code: AFG17 and FREE AUSTRALIAN EXPRESS SHIPPING)

 

Wood Infusion GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 10 winners who will receive:
1 x spray Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion decant
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

Please tell us where you would wear your decant of Goldfield & Banks Wood Infusion

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Monday 3rd December 2017 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 7th December 2017 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

Kyphi by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

.

Erica Golding

.

Hello all of you perfume lovers!

Fall down a rabbit hole with me. I have stumbled upon a natural perfume that almost dives into chaotic emotion, yet somehow maintains a deep, peaceful balance. Its purity and elegance are just astounding. I sense echoes of my own vulnerability hovering above my skin as it rises around me.

Tonight, I am intoxicated by the vapors of: Olympic Orchids – Kyphi parfum

Kyphi by Olympic Orchids 2011

Kyphi by Ellen Covey

Kyphi Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, labdanum, beeswax, spikenard, henna, lemongrass, wild orange, calamus, cassia, cyperus, saffron, juniper berry, spices

If you love true frankincense and honeyed myrrh, you will lose it when you inhale this gorgeous composition! The intricacy and stealthy complexity of Kyphi make it unlike any perfume I’ve loved. The aroma is woody but not dry, sweetened but not gourmand, spiced but not sharp. Singing accent notes such as wild orange and saffron ring like laughter, easy and genuine.

I want to saturate my life with this fragrance. I want it in my hair, on my clothes, in my atmosphere, and on my linens. Kyphi is truly an achievement, a stunningly gorgeous study in ancient art and modern technique. Wear this parfum if you want tendrils of incense to reach into your spirit and caress the center of your being.

Kyphi Olympic Orchids British_Museum_Egypt Tolomeo_I WikiMediaWikiMedia

Further reading: Life With Perfumes
Olympic Orchids has samples from $3

From Olympic Orchids: Based on the common themes that run throughout various ancient formulas for the Egyptian incense that was burned to welcome the night, this version of Kyphi is a 100% natural mix of resins, essential oils, and absolutes, a liquid version of the incense formula that can be worn as an uplifting and offbeat perfume and is especially well suited for meditation, yoga, or other activities that require concentration. 100% natural.

Kyphi Olympic Orchids Sphinx NadineDoerle PixabayPDI

Do you ever love a perfume this much, or am I just crazy? What else from Olympic Orchids do I need to try?

Until next time,
Love and light,
Erica

Geisha Marron EdP by Maria McElroy for Aroma M 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

.

Val the Cookie Queen

.

Hi there super scented APJers,

From New York.

“Brown us surely the most underserved colour in all of perfumery. More than any other, it evokes the musty scent scent of succulent overripeness at sweetness that dares to skirt the edge of seductive decay.”

Geisha Marron EdP by Aroma M 2017

Aroma M Geisha Marron EdP by Maria McElroy

Aroma M

Maria has slowly expanded her original oil-based perfumes to include eau de parfum versions. I adore the oils, but a lot of people prefer
to spray. The Geisha Marron Eau de Parfum is a creamy warm autumnal lily. Smelling completely French, it totally surprised me. I have
the Geisha Noire and the Vanilla Hinoki, both orientals, and the Geisha Marron couldn´t be more different. Geisha Marron is white blooms tinged with auburn, with the sparkle of citrus; mandarin, bergamot and grapefruit, correct balance being critical to Maria McElroy´s creations. If the scent of the lily traditionally see the Spring in each year, then it would be appropriate that they continue their journey through the Autumn, preparing us for the chill of winter. This time wrapped in speckled brown leaves, fallow fields, and the bare trees with their dark branches.

Aroma M

In French, Marron means both chestnut and the colour brown. Maria has included the Japanese chestnut and magnolia to complement the lily and reign it in, so as not to let it quite take over. Geisha Marron EdP is the perfect introduction, for someone wanting to move from more traditional perfumes, into the artisanal world of the fabulous New York based Aroma M Perfumes.

Aroma M

You can order from Aroma M. It is a bit of a pain ordering from the US but there is a German company that carry some of the line and Maria McElroy will happily inform you as to the best way of going about it.

 

Chestnut flavoured bussis,

Val CQ X

SOTD 27 November – 3 December 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 133 Comments

.

Portia

.

Hi APJ,

I see these SOTD (Scent Of The Day) threads all the time on Facebook and they are really good conversation generators.

SOTD 27 November – 3 December 2017

The idea is you’ll chime in through the week with whatever scent you are wearing. You don’t need to be super knowledgable, have high faluting tastes or be a published author to comment. Just tell us what fragrance you’re wearing, smelling, buying etc.

You probably won’t have time to write every scent, every spritz but whenever you feel the mood take you share your current spritz and a few things about it. Maybe you love/loathe it, want it, are excited by the notes/bottle/SA who sold it: WHATEVER! As always here at APJ, taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
This week:

  1. Guerlain Vol de Nuit Evasion
  2. Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur
  3. Tauer Un Rose Chypree
  4. Rochas Madame Rochas (vintage)
  5. Mona di Orio Carnation

Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Sunday.

LAST WEEKS WINNER!! Melanie

Please send me your address to portia _ turbo AT yahoo DOT com DOT au

Go To It Crew.
Portia xxx

Padre Aura: Nera Orchidea Candle + Discount Code

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

.

Portia

.

Hi there crew,

My mate Thierry is director at City Perfume. Recently I was coffee-ing with him and he was really excited about his line of candles. Full of enthusiasm, Thierry has worked hard to make quality products at an affordable price. Going through the range together it was easy to become bundled up in his joy and they do smell good.

Padre Aura Nera Orchidea Triple Scented Soy Candle

The line is based on fragrances, it’s a cool concept. They take a few popular perfumes from the same genre and create an analogous simple scent that has a few of the crossover notes. So the candle I chose, Padre Aura: Nera Orchidea, has a few notes from Tom Ford Black Orchid, Tom Ford Velvet Orchid, Narciso Rodriguez and Bvlgari Jasmin Noir. While it smells unlike any one of them particularly it does resemble parts all of them.

Padre Aura: Nera Orchidea gives a fruit sweetness over spicy white florals and vanilla.

One of the things I like about these candles is they don’t have the heavy, thick scent trails so many other brands leave. I don’t want my apartment overtaken by candle fragrance, what I want is a scent to neutralise man, food and dog smells and leave the place smelling fresh, inviting and loved. Padre Aura: Nera Orchidea does this perfectly. Burn the candle for an hour till the top of the wax is liquid, then blow it out. The warm wax will continue scenting your home for a couple of hours afterwards at a low level.

You get approximately 80 hours burn time and with the double wick the wax melts nearly to the edges. The wick doesn’t discolour the candle and there is only a little smoking at blow out. There are a bunch of selections in the range that are similar to such fragrant luminaries as Coco Mademoiselle, Alien, Aventus, Spice Bomb and many more.

City Perfume has offered APJ readers a 10% DISCOUNT CODE* (AFG17) and FREE AUSTRALIAN EXPRESS SHIPPING if you spend over $150

Padre Aura: Nera Orchidea is $59/400gm

So what is your candle of choice?
Portia xx

 

*Discount excludes CHANEL products

Vanille Tonique by Mark Evans for Evocative Perfumes 2014

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

.

Kate Apted

.

G’day APJ folk!

Vanilla? Yuck, no thanks!

I hate vanilla in perfumes. End of story. It belongs in foods and reminds me of endlessly of vanilla ice cream and vanilla flavoured rice puddings. Just don’t bring me a bottle and ask me to try it if it is vanilla centred. But then one day…

I bought a sample set of Mark Evans’ Evocative Perfumes; the alcohol based scents. Out of a solid sense of duty to the effort gone by Mark to make all the scents in the pack, I felt I owed it to him to try every single scent. Even the dreaded one called Vanille Tonique. I sprayed with my breath held and forgot I was even wearing it minutes later.

Vanille Tonique by Evocative Perfumes 2014

Vanille Tonique by Mark Evans

Vanile Tonique begins in a very humble, quiet way. There is nothing booming about it in the way some other vanillas open. It eased its way to my nose about 15 minutes later with a slightly spiced, non sweet glow. I actually had to wrack my brain to think of what I was wearing. I was running errands that day and quite busy, so it had slipped my mind. I got home to find out what I had sprayed. Aha! Vanille Tonique. Oh. No.

I lasted out the few hours of the day til shower time to gauge the development of Vanile Tonique; desperate to find a reason to hate it. I sprayed all of Mark’s other creations on cards and tried each of them again. As much as I love several other of Mark’s scents nothing captured me quite like Vanille. I had to admit by shower time that the mildly buttery development and the simmering spices were a love. My body heat had amped up the voracity of the whole composition without once making the vanilla sweet or overpowering. And though not a powerhouse, it had accompanied me in my shadow the whole 6 hours. It had trailed off to a skin scent by 5 hours, but I find I get bored of scents by then.

Vanille Tonique by Evocative Perfumes vanilla-flower PixabayPDI

A week later, at Tafe, I had been craving something, but I wasn’t sure what. I grabbed a few of the Evocative samples and smelled them at all the red lights on my way to Tafe. Vanille Tonique still stood out. It was exactly what I was after. I ordered a bottle during my break and as I ate my food, I pondered on what had shifted in me. I smelled my arm and it did not interfere with my appetite.

One of the things I totally deplore about sweet, gourmandish scents is that they do affect my desire to eat. As a half-arsed body builder (that is another story), I have to fit a certain number of calories into my day. Vanille Tonique doesn’t ever interfere with my food and appetite. As projection is arm’s length, and the spices are what bring the subtle heat, the vanilla is left to be what it is. Just a delightful, somewhat sensual, warm glow that does not have that hyper vanilla of ice cream.

PDI

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies
Evocative Perfumes has $40/12ml oil + Samples from $4

Are there any gateway scents that have completely spun you around? Are there any notes you still won’t try?

Kate xxx

NEW! April Aromatics + The Different Company

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

.

Sandra

.

Hi APJ! How are you all doing? Can you believe we are nearing the end of the year already?

Where has the time gone? We are in full autumn swing here, buckling down for the coming winter. The heat is on and there is a chill in the air outside. I have been here in Rotterdam for soon to be eleven months! It definitely feels like home now, but I still have not hung any paintings on the walls – what is up with that?

Autumn is a time of closure for me. Summer is over with its long days and warm air kissing my skin. My son goes back to school which ends the innocent joys of childhood summers. The trees show colours of vibrant yellows, oranges and reds and then loose their foliage all too quickly. Even the birds are changing – many fly south and yet others arrive for the milder winters here. I have not seen the hedgehog in a while, perhaps he is already hibernating? All of this closure has brought me to think about my first year here in The Netherlands.

When I am completely honest and look past the challenges here and there of navigating a new language and culture, it has been a year of awakening and coming back to myself. I have lovely friends and neighbors and this is now home. I am no longer weary, I am stronger and more self assured than I have been in years.

With this new awakening I am now ready and excited to try and test new perfumes and there are two perfumes that fit into this new self quite well.

NEW! April Aromatics + The Different Company

Fragrantica

Pink Wood by Tanja Bochnig for April Aromatics

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Sandalwood, Agarwood, Cistus, Labdanum, Oakwood, Rose Otto, Rose absolute, Geranium, Rosewood, sweet pink fruity notes

Pink Wood is my first experience with April Aromatics. I eagerly sprayed my first spritz of Pink Wood and was taken by surprise by the beautiful rose and wood opening. Many roses turn sour on my skin but this is actually remaining rosy which is a big plus in my books. There are no pink fruity notes for me though. The warmer my skin is the woodier the perfume. The roses stay more in the background leaving me with a wonderful woody rose perfume perfect for autumn days and walks in the park.

Fragrantica

Santo Incienso, Sillage Sacré by Alexandra Monet for The Different Company

gives these featured accords:
Top: Calabrian bergamot, petitgrain, nutmeg
Heart: Palo santo, atlas cedar, hedione
Base: Incense, myrrh, musk, vetiver, guaiac wood

This is not your usual incense perfume at all. For me it starts with a blast of bergamot with an air of spice. There is something citrusy in there but it slowly fades into the background leaving behind a warm woody accord. I have no idea what Palo Santo smells like, so I cannot assume that this is what I am smelling, however, it is beautiful and intriguing pulling me in. In the middle stage through to the dry down there is a magic happening with the incense and myrrh where the woods are warmed through. What I love about it most of all is that the incense tendrils waft up to my nostril throughout the day and bring me such joy and calm.

Both Pink Wood and Santo Incienso, Sillage Sacré are getting a lot of wear time. The days are shorter and colder but the lighting is stunning taking my breath away on an almost daily basis when the sun is shining. This is my favorite season of the year.

Do you have a favorite perfume for autumn or spring walks? Do you have a favorite season?

Sending sunny hugs to you all.
Sandra xo

SOTD 20 – 26 November 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 141 Comments

.

Portia

.

Hi APJ,

I see these SOTD (Scent Of The Day) threads all the time on Facebook and they are really good conversation generators.

SOTD 20 – 26 November 2017

The idea is you’ll chime in through the week with whatever scent you are wearing. You don’t need to be super knowledgable, have high faluting tastes or be a published author to comment. Just tell us what fragrance you’re wearing, smelling, buying etc.

You probably won’t have time to write every scent, every spritz but whenever you feel the mood take you share your current spritz and a few things about it. Maybe you love/loathe it, want it, are excited by the notes/bottle/SA who sold it: WHATEVER! As always here at APJ, taking sides never means taking offence and everyone keeps it respectful and light, even though we can sometimes trawl the depths.

Hopefully you will come back and see if anyone has responded to your comment and you can reply to them.

Over 100 responses I will draw a Scent Sample Pack (from my collection)
This week:
Guerlain Mitsouko EdT
Pharrell Williams Girl
The Different Company Oriental Lounge
Vintage Fendi original
Vintage YSL Opium EdT
Comment purposefully on yours or anothers comment & you’ll have a chance, random.org will draw on Sunday.

LAST WEEKS WINNER!! Kandice

Please send me your address to portia _ turbo AT yahoo DOT com DOT au

 

Go To It Crew.
Portia xxx

Monsieur Eau de Matin by Francis Kurkdjian for Jean Paul Gaultier 2008

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

.

Portia

.

Hi there APJ,

What did I wear today to go hang with thousands of people in Prince Alfred Park for the Same Sex Marriage results? JPGs Monsieur Eau de Matin.

Monsieur Eau de Matin by Jean Paul Gaultier 2008

Monsieur Eau de Matin by Francis Kurkdjian

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, bergamot
Heart: Spices, petitgrain
Base: Guaiac wood, cedar

A bracing citrus burst opens and a cool green undercurrent is present, like shade on a very warm sunlit morning. It’s pretty, simple and very comfortable to wear. A real spritz and forget scent that pushes no boundaries, creates nothing extraordinary. Fresh citrus with a s;right green and a little swirl of creamy basil.

If you are looking for a masterpiece then you will be bitterly disappointed. Here Mr Kurkdjian has kept a very simple cologne scent that smells excellent but is as joyously lacking in depth and breadth. Two hours maximum and then Monsieur Eau de Matin is pretty much gone, just the merest whiff of wood.

FragranceNet has $35/100ml before coupon

Same Sex Marriage Results

Monsieur Eau de Matin was a perfect foil to the roiling emotions of our morning as the Same Sex Marriage Vote findings were announced. Jin got me out of bed bright and early, we caught bus and train to town where we had breakfast under a mocking image of our last Prime Minister and famous NO advocate, Tony Abbot, marrying himself.

Then we trotted around the corner to the Official Announcement Event in Sydney’s Prince Alfred Park with thousands of others. It was a tense and nervous wait but fortunately we were surrounded by friends. It was wonderful bumping into people from my life since school and all the way up to now. So many familiar faces, old and new. When the numbers were announced, nearly 62% in favour, it was a tearful and elated Jin I got to cuddle. So many of us were completely and utterly overwhelmed with joy.

Today was a big deal in Australia. The people voted nearly 2:1 for Same Sex Marriage. Hopefully we are on the road to real and full equality here in Oz.

Now we await the legislation. Fingers crossed it will be soon.

I hope your day is as full of joy as ours has been.
Portia xx

Boxwalla October Beauty Box

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

.

Val the Cookie Queen

.

November Greetings APJ

From L.A. The Boxwalla October Beauty Box
From L.A. to New York, from New York to L.A.

I chatted a lot with the charming Lavanya as she was in the process of setting up www.theboxwalla.com. Talking about it is one thing, and doing it quite another. Two years on Boxwalla continue to offer four different subscription boxes; the Beauty Box, Food Box, Film Box and Book Box. The boxes themselves are superb. Boxwalla have them made by a small company in India, who make the paper from cotton scraps. Tree-free handmade paper. I keep my decants in an empty box. They are very strong and tough.

Boxwalla October Beauty Box

The October Beauty Box is nothing short of divine. I am most impressed that products are either full sized at least a large travel size. I am not partial to tiny samples that you need to rip open with your teeth, squeezing out the three drops from within. Boxwalla´s Beauty Boxes treat you to amazing green beauty products. We have most certainly moved on from what my daughter and I refer to as “Müsli products” which we wouldn´t touch with a bargepole.

The October Beauty Box showcases www.hforlove.com products. The Rapha Harmonizing Cleanser feels stimulating on the face. I wear a lot of makeup, which I chose to remove in my normal way. I followed it up by massaging the cleanser into my face, soothing my skin and removing with a hot flannel. Skin is noticeably softer each time I use it.

The Propolis Regenerative Mask felt wonderful, I don´t know if anything has regenerated yet as I have only used it once! The Kinu, a decadent body balm is so good, leaving my skin hydrated and amazingly soft for hours. It smells divine, laced with essential oils of grapefruit, cedar wood, bergamot, rosemary, and vanilla.

Shipping within the US is free, and Boxwalla ship their boxes abroad too, with the exception of the food box. Fifty bucks every two months? Worth every cent and more.

Next time: We go to New York: Aroma M Geisha Marron Eau de Parfum

From sea to shining sea.
Roasted marron bussis
CQ

(ED: All Photos supplied by Val. XX)