Lavender: Three Lavenders To Relax With

September 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Post by Anne-Marie

Hi all

A member of an Australian perfume group on Facebook recently posted this remark:
“I just had a little stress out so I bought myself a perfume. Has this helped you before? My cupboard is full of fragrances.”

So you can imagine the answers. Yes, yes, yes – from many people, including me. (“Better for your health than alcohol or chocolate.”)
We buy perfume to de-stress, and as a little act of self-nurturing to bring beauty into what can feel like a cold, unfeeling world. You know this; I don’t have to labour the point. One member did admit: “I stress out on what to buy and wear so it’s a vicious but good circle.” I can identify with that too. I find owning too much stuff is stressful in itself.

I’m not going to rake over the issues of addiction and obsession today, though. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts about what perfumes, or notes, you actually find relaxing. What helps you ride through the stress and anxiety of any given day? I’ll start.

Lavender: Three Lavenders To Relax With

Lavender is widely thought of as calming. Agree? For me it’s a maybe. If it’s very pungent I find lavender distracting and unpleasant.

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Lavender, rose, lemon, grapefruit, rose geranium, orange blossom, sandalwood, heliotrope, vanilla, musk

CHANEL Boy is an exception; there it is too refined to be offensive, and interestingly a lot of lavender sceptics seem to be making allowances for Boy.

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Iris, tonka bean, amber, lavender, woodsy notes, incense

And Serge Lutens’ Gris Clair, now. This! A modern classic in the lavender genre. I don’t find Gris Clair cold or ashy, as some people do. One sniff and I lift my mental gaze from daily troubles and look into the middle distance to a calmer place. Lavender-scented clean cotton drying in the sun. Grey early light over green hills, the promise of a lazy summer day. I think I do generally associate lavender with sunshine; or at least, I like lavenders that bring out this quality.

LUSH Cosmetics

There must be countless lavender bath and body products but I’ll mention just one: Lush Serendipity Soap. Again, this is a gentle lavender, blended with chamomiles. It’s more restrained than your average Lush product but I notice that the scent does linger in the bathroom and it’s a nice way to ease into the day.

It’s the sense of space and perspective that I value in lavender. It offers thoughts of things bigger than self. Beauty in simplicity. Perfumes can relax us because we just love them. They can have this effect regardless of notes and accords. If you know a perfume well and you have written your story into it, and it into yours, it will greet you like an old friend.

So over to you – what do you reach for when you when the world crowds in on you?
Until next time, relax and keep spritzing!

Madagascan Jasmine by Michel Roudnitska for Grandiflora 2015

September 9, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fabulous Fumies,

Can you believe I live in the same city as Grandiflora yet I’ve never set foot in the place? Well, sadly it’s true. Not because I’ve purposely stayed away but I just never seem to be in that part of town without a time budget, or I’m there after hours for work. It is on my bucket list to get there though so hopefully sometime soon I’ll be able to show you some pics of a visit. Till then I’ve finally been to Surrender To Chance and grabbed myself a decant.

Madagascan Jasmine by Grandiflora 2015

Madagascan Jasmine by Michel Roudnitska

Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Jasmine, Green notes, Musk

The first person I knew that had Madagascan Jasmine was Ainslie Walker and I tried it at her place but was woefully under impressed. I’m not sure what my problem was but even then I felt maybe I was missing the point. I was.

Madagascan Jasmine opens green, yes, I know that that term covers a lot of ground. It’s the green of tearing soft, fleshy, succulent leaves. The green of hedging camellias, rubbing your nail down the long thin, dark green leaves of clivia, the metallic green of clean kitchen basins and the extreme yellow green of narcissus. It’s also white, the white of the jasmine growing over the side fence, the white of expensive little bathroom soaps, Lily of the Valley white and the soft plush white of clean flannelette sheets. Laundry musks but done as a binding note rather than a solo performer. Though they are huge and in your face they seem to buoy the rest and keep it floating and radiant.

WikiMedia

Imagine being sandblasted by scent, it’s so full on that it rips away your skin and bones leaving you a sheer, bodiless, cloud of scent. If you close your eyes while wearing Madagascan Jasmine I think it could take you anywhere. The most gorgeously engulfing jasmine and it lasts well too. Almost as adamant as Tawaf by La Via Del Profumi.

Beyond beautiful.

PDI

Further reading: What Men Should Smell Like and Persolaise
Peony Melbourne has Au$185/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5.50/ml

What is your Jasmine?
Portia xx

CHANEL N° 5 L’Eau by Olivier Polge for CHANEL 2016

September 8, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello APJers,

Release date in Australia is September 15 for the newest CHANEL fragrance. I have been lucky enough to grab some early release carded testers. One for me and three for you. This is my own first test drive.

CHANEL N°5 L’Eau by CHANEL

CHANEL N°5 L’Eau by Olivier Polge

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon, mandarin, orange, neroli, aldehydes
Heart: Rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine
Base: Cedar, white musk

OK everyone, so this is my first wearing. I am notorious for hating things till I get to know them and spend some time with them. Unless they are the rare instant loves.

Imagine a simple cologne from one of the mid priced brands like Body Shop, put a lot of it on, really spray the shit out of it, then have someone walk past you wearing CHANEL No 5. Right. Smell the air as they walk past and CHANEL No 5 is quite noticeable with the citrus herbal top. Smell the air in one minute so there’s the merest trace of CHANEL No 5 and still some citrus. Smell again in one minute and you are left with a lightly citrus and floral white musk fragrance. In 5 minutes more you are left with musk and you smell like your laundry. Now, for every minute you just did that multiply by 10 minutes and that’s basically how CHANEL No 5 L’Eau wore for me.

Olivier Polge has created CHANEL NO 5 for people who hate to smell CHANEL No 5. It’s not bad. It’s quite pretty and beautifully blended but it doesn’t have my heart singing either. It smells like a cologne and wears like one too. CHANEL No 5 L’Eau could come from the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria line, except the top is reminiscent of CHANEL No 5.

It’s going to be a huge hit.

You want to smell it? Get yourself to a CHANEL counter or enter our competition below.
Portia xx

N°5 L’EAU: the announcement film – CHANEL

CHANEL N°5 L’Eau GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x Carded Manufacturers Sample CHANEL No 5 L’Eau
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

Tell us your favourite CHANEL fragrance (old or new) or which one you’d like to try

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 10th September 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 14th September 2016 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

Pionus GIVEAWAY WINNER

September 8, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

WOW! Thanks to Azar for her amazing generosity!
Let’s see who won,
Portia xxx

Pionus GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

The winner will receive:
1 x 5 ml of Note Fragrances Blood Orange Chocolat
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 7th September 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winner was chosen by random.org

TIFFANIE

The winner will have till Saturday 10th September 2016 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.

Grace by Grace Coddington and Comme des Garcons 2016

September 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hi fragrant friends,

In the lead up to Christmas and a change in seasons, we’re seeing an influx of new releases…including Grace by Grace Coddington.

We’ve been waiting an eon to smell Comme des Garçons and Grace Coddington’s fragrance. It was released April 2016 overseas and late August in Australia, exclusive to Mecca nationwide.

As April came and went I observed some ‘spoilers’ on Instagram etc, however all I really knew was there was a cat connection and I had also heard it was rose based. Grace has been obsessed with roses since her English childhood experiences in rose gardens. She used to wear Floris’s Red Rose as a teen.

I have a soft spot for Comme des Garçon’s edgy fragrances. How might they ‘shake up the rose’ for Grace? Roses are well loved and Grace spending more than a decade with her finger firmly on the fashion pulse means it should really hit the nail on the head. [NB for those who do not know, Grace was Vogue’s Creative Director for at least a decade and before that a model, originally from England. If interested you can find out more about the fashion icon from her book, Grace – A Memoir or by watching The September Issue movie.]

Grace by Grace Coddington and Comme des Garcons 2016

Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Mint, Basil leaf, Cardamom, Pink pepper
Heart: Moroccan rose absolute, Freesia, Peach blossom
Base: Vetiver, Cashmere wood, White musk, Crystal amber

On first whiff its light, fresh, rosy and white musk, with some transparency. Second whiff deeper rose notes with an impression of freshly laundered towels. Sweetness, maybe juicy peach. Sparkle..maybe green pepper, or still the fizz of laundry powder. What I see in my minds eye is; a rose growing on another planet wrapped in a thick clean towel, warm from the dryer, looking at the twinkling stars.

The lovely Grace bottle, designed by Fabien Baron is actually a cute, sophisticated cat. A heavy bottomed, curved – almost egg-shaped glass bottle. The lid is a weighted silver metal ball with little ears. A little drawstring bag features illustrations by Grace herself. VERY handbag friendly. The bottle feels lovely in the hand. There’s that swoony weight / balance thing…sigh.

Who would wear this? I recommended it as a gift for my friends’ daughter’s 18th, however the fragrance is not limited to a younger audience. I think the lightness, elegance and playfulness of a flirty cat is captured and who does not want to smell like that some days?

You could wear it to work, dates or outdoors. There’s a cosy feel to it…and yet a watery luminescence too. A nod to old-fashioned English rose scents, but interpreted in a more lasting, modern way. At no point does it feel thin, however for me longevity is medium – one that I would top up midway through my day.

Ainslie with Paul Weller

Further reading: Now Smell This and Wallpaper
Mecca in Australia

A year ago I reviewed Miu Miu, another feline involving fragrance – a kitten was used in the adverts. Are we seeing a ‘cat lady’ trend forming?

Have you tried this new release? Have you any other fragrances with a feline theme? Purrrrrr!

Until next time! XX Ainslie XX

(Ed: All photos by Ainslie unless otherwise noted. Cool pics love. XX)

Ps a little English Rose song by “my mate” Paul Weller for you to enjoy whilst reading:

Bookworm Portia: Fragrance & Novels

September 4, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Bookworms,

Lately I have been back reading books. For a while life was just too hectic and my head felt too full of whirling stuff to be able to fully give myself to a book. Thankfully life has calmed down to a mere roller coaster ride and I’m finding some space to get my read on. Books have always had a special place in my life. Mum & Dad used to read us to sleep every night and we were always told that when the world got too tough losing yourself in a book was an excellent cure. So, many of my books have been read and reread since my childhood and every time it’s like seeing old friends. Here though are a few of the fragrant books I’ve been reading this last few weeks.

Bookworm Portia: Fragrance & Novels

BookDepository

The Scent Trail: Celia Lyttelton

The Scent Trail: How One Woman’s Quest for the Perfect Perfume Took Her Around the World. I enjoyed this book immensely and Celia Lyttelton must have spent a small fortune going on this grand journey around the world, meeting amazing people who grow, harvest and distil the fragrant ingredients that she had made into a bespoke scent. If you ever wanted to know more about where the natural ingredients are sourced then this book will give you enormous insight. Every now and then I had to go back and reread a page because I was lost in jealousy at her great good fortune.

BookDepository

Jitterbug Perfume: Tom Robbins

I have had this damn book for years and would read the first chapter or two and put it down in bafflement. This year I was determined to read all the way to the very last page, and I did. Tom Robbins leads us a merry dance and the story of finding immortality through scent is spellbinding, once you push through the first few chapters. I find that after reading it I look back on it with more admiration that I had while doing the reading. Jitterbug perfume needs to be reread and savoured next time.

BookDepository

The Perfume Garden: Kate Lord Brown

To be honest my initial thought was that I would hate this novel. Turns out I couldn’t put the damn thing down. A story told across generations with simultaneous narratives from all the protagonists, happening over a 70 year period. Basically a couple of love stories and a family torn apart by war. Mainly set in Valencia, Spain and there is a lot of fragrant talk because two of the main characters are perfumers. Really enjoyable, if slightly predictable read.

BookDepository

The Perfume Collector: Kathleen Tessaro

An estate, a perfume store, an inheritance, lost love, drama, found love. It’s all here in a very entertaining book. There is something about the writers style that irked me a few times but the story rolls along inventively enough and I ended up invested emotionally in the characters, though they are mostly only mildly likeable.

Two honourable mentions:
The Perfumed Sleeve by Laura Joh Rowland: A fabulously salacious murder mystery set in old Japan with a few fragrant references. Who knew old Japan was such a sexual hotbed of lies and deceit?
The Sari Shop Widow by Shobhan Bantwal: Indian widow and family nearly lose their family shop but the dictatorial oldest brother comes with his business partner to help. Few fragrant references but a cracking good read. My second reading, it was even better this time.

What are you reading?
Portia xxx

First (Vintage Parfum) by Jean Claude Ellena for Van Cleef & Arpels 1976

September 3, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Vintage Lovers,

Some days when the post arrives and a long awaited and expected package is finally in my hands I get a little tremor of uncertainty. Will this be the real deal? Will I have spent my hard earned (OK only mildly) cash on a winner or a bummer? The other day was just such a day, arriving opened and lightly used was a vintage extract that I had extremely high hopes for……

First (Vintage Parfum) by Van Cleef & Arpels 1976

First Vintage Parfum by Jean Claude Ellena

Van Clef & Arpels

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, Bergamot, Raspberry, Mandarin, Peach, Black currant
Heart: Carnation, Hyacinth, Orris root, Jasmine, Lily-of-the-valley, Narcissus, Orchid, Tuberose, Turkish rose, Ylang-ylang
Base: Amber, Oakmoss, Honey, Musk, Sandalwood, Tonka bean, Vanilla, Vetiver, Civet

When First was released I was 8. Being in Australia we may have got it around then but it wasn’t really on my radar. At that time I was completely unaware of anything except that my Mum was the most beautiful and smelled the best of all the Aunties and all the other Mums. The reason I bought this perfume bottle is that I have memories of First being around through my teen years in a general sort of way. I don’t think Mum had it but some of the ladies in my sphere did, there were definitely bottles of it in my vision.

I had a modern EdT that basically bludgeoned my nose to headache with its opening cacophony and I wondered if an older perfume would be less ferocious.

PDI

How does it smell? Richer, less aldehydic at the opening though they are still a fizzy, slightly oily metallic patina over the fruits. First perfume is less about the opening though and more about the heart, as if it can’t wait to get to the white and yellow flowers. Once this jasmine-centric heart arrives it’s swoon time. So beautifully blended that my main reading is jasmine supported by other white flowers and creamy, slightly banana ylang. I’m sure better noses could parse it more succinctly. You have no idea how freaking gorgeous first perfume is. Unbelievable, eye-rolling, deep breath till I think my hand might get sucked up my nose fabulous.

The heart lasts for ages before I start to notice it becoming more honeyed and sweeter. I can’t decide if it’s sandalwood or a combination of other things. I do smell furry oakmoss and a lovely dose of animal, soft and plush. From just 3 dabs on my hand this baby lasts all night and I can still smell whispers of an animalic vanilla/amber in the morning.

Flickr

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Non Blonde
I found my bottle on eBay
Surrender To Chance has extrait samples from $19/0.5ml

Have you had the pleasure?
Portia xx

Massive Sample Sept ’16

September 1, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 56 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey There APJ!

I have a bunch of samples that I have tried, written about and loved or not. Some are carded manufacturers samples, shop bought decants, gifted decants etc. They are lying around in my office and will probably never be looked for again. A couple of them are only half full but others are only 2 spritzes used or brand new, some I have bottles or doubles of. There are .7ml all the way up to 3ml. So what better way to share the love than a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!!

Sample GIVEAWAY September 2016

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

The winner will receive one each of these samples:
Manhattan Rose by Krigler
Fiore del Dragone by Tesori d`Oriente
Poopoo Pidoo by Egofacto
Jamais le Dimanche by Egofacto
Le Americhe Caribbean Fruits by Compagnia Delle Indie
Bleu de Nice Santal by PierSaintPier
Equinox Bloom by Penhaligon’s
Opus X by Amouage
San Francisco by A Wing & A Prayer
Dreams & Visions by A Wing & A Prayer
Bella by A Wing & A Prayer
Coeur de Vetiver scare by L’Artisan
Holiday No. 14 by DSH Perfumes
JaLouSie by perfumes Lalun
Vetiver des Sables by Montale
Aoud Lime by Montale
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Tell us a perfume on your wish list.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 3rd September 2016 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Wednesday 7th September 2016 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.

Summer Holiday Smells 2016 + Photo Essay

August 31, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Sandra

Hiya APJ!

I hope ya’ll are enjoying a summer or winter break and that life is good for you.

Summer vacation started and my son and I left the house at 0400 to get to the airport to catch the first flight on our way to Seattle. It had been 2,5 years since my last trip to the US to see family – to see my sister’s new home in Seattle.

I hope you enjoy my olfactory and visual trip of my travels this summer.

Summer Holiday Smells 2016 + Photo Essay

One of the first smells that I encountered was the airplane petrol that hits me every time I get to the airport and puts me right into vacation mood. I love it.

Summer Holiday Smells: Seattle

Smell of the BBQ at home and the smoke of the fireworks on the 4th of July on Lake Union.

Smell of flowers and raw fish at Pikes Market. Crocosmia with the vibrant red flowers have a very distinctive smell. The hydrangeas so big and colourful..

Smell of tossed Copper River salmon at Pikes Market. Seriously – we picked out the fish we wanted to buy and the fishmongers put on a show of tossing the fish to each other. The Copper River salmon was sublime.

Smell of the wet trees at Mr. Ranier National Park and fresh clean mountain air. I could actually smell the fresh water cascading down the waterfall at Paradise.

Smell of my hand after squeezing a ripe apricot at a roadside farmers market and of the juice from a Rainier cherry after biting into it. The Rainier cherry is incredible in its texture, flavor, sweetness and juiciness.

Smell of the lowest of the low tides at Carkeek Beach and searching for crab under the rocks – seaweed, moss and anemones on my fingertips. We found a largish crab and all sorts of little crabs.

Summer Holiday Smells: Atlanta

Smell of hand disinfectant and medicines at Urgent Care and doctors offices while getting my son’s broken arm in a cast. But we got to see colourful Australian Gouldian finches and their babies.

Heat and humidity creating a wall of comfort for me outside while everyone else ran for the AC. The humidity has a smell in Atlanta. Try to describe it? Sorry.

Smell of sun screen and chlorine every day. Yes – waterproof casts exist and we went swimming every day. That is what I enjoyed as a child and obviously so did my son. Vienna is not warm enough to have warm swimming pools outdoors.

Smell of the steam coming off of the side walks and roads after an afternoon thunderstorm and shower. How I miss the thunderstorms!

Smell of fresh boiled shrimp and cocktail sauce. Reminds me of my summer on Tybee Island where my friend’s parents caught 70 pounds of shrimp and all of us kids had to peel them all.

Sound of the cicadas in the trees. The night comes to life and the sound is magical and takes me back to my childhood in Atlanta.

I had forgotten of how abundant Crepe Myrtle trees are in Atlanta. They were in full bloom and my favourite colours were bright pink and deep red.

Perfumes I wore during the trip – Chanel Beige in Seattle and Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka and Pichola in Atlanta.

All in all it was a great trip. Next summer vacation perhaps a different destination with sights, smells and sounds that will make memories for a lifetime.

I would love to hear from you. How are you doing and which perfumes are you reaching for?
Sandra

Myrrh Casati by Melanie Leroux for Mona di Orio 2014

August 30, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Perfume Peeps.

Myrrh Casati! How did it take me so long to find you? I have hazy recollections of this being released. Mainly because it’s the first MdO not created by Mona. Here’s where it all gets weird because I remember the fragrance being soundly trounced by loads of reviewers. Woo Hoo! So my wallet breathed a sigh of relief that I need not try one fragrance. PHEW! Then, recently I was on Surrender To Chance seeing what was available and about and suddenly, seemingly without even trying, I had bought a couple of really big 8ml decants: Grandiflora Madagascan Jasmine and ………

Myrrh Casati by Mona di Orio 2014

Myrrh Casati by Melanie Leroux

Myrrh Casati Mona di Orio Fragrantica Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Peruvian pink pepper, Guatemala cardamom, Saffron, Licorice, Siam benzoin, Somalian myrrh, Somalian frankincense, Indonesian patchouli, Indian cypriol, Paraguayan gaiac wood

Spicy, dry spices, walking through the spice markets in India or Dubai. A melding of heat, dust, humanity and spices. Cardamom! I can smell it plain as day, as if I pulled a pod from its Tupperware to put into a curry or soup. Saffron and woods. It’s like market day here in Sydney and I smell amazing. All the resins come together in Myrrh Casati and create a balmy, smoky cushion for the spices to rest on.

Myrrh Casati Mona di Orio Curry Spices PDP Pixabay Pixabay

The fireworks burn off after about 15-20 minutes and Myrrh Casati and it softens off to a comfortable, warm, resinous fragrance, only lightly spiced. Totally wearable and beautiful. The woods are present after a while, they smell fresh hewn but dry, no greenness here at all. Woods and resins float over you and around you softly but insistently. Myrrh Casati is calm, like being in a South Korean temple on a hill in the morning quiet when there’s just you, the monks and whatever your idea of god is. Incense, woods, lingering balms used for polishing, clean air and an internal conversation.

From Luckyscent: Inspired by Marchesa Casati, the legendary patron of the arts and muse of eccentricity, known for her extravagant dark fashion and lavish fetes replete with exotic animals, gilded servants, and an infectious waft of incense and mystery that surrounded her.

Wikipedia

Further reading: Candy Perfume Boy and Chemist In A Bottle
Luckyscent has $195/75ml
Peony Melbourne has $245/75ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $6/ml

Did you try it when Myrrh Casati was released, or since? What were your impressions?
Portia xx