Boring Stuff that Smells AMAZING!

April 20, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Hey there crew,

Every day, or every couple of days, I do a whole bunch of things. They are my routine. I clean down the kitchen benches, shower, wash clothes, cook, drive, drink tea and coffee and a whole shemozzle of stuff. Problem is, I am a sensualist. What I’m looking for is a ride, a story, moment or a fantasy. An experience. One of the best ways I know how to make the hum drum routine zing is with scent, here are a few of my faves.

Boring Stuff that Smells AMAZING!

AVON Footworks Cracked Heel Cream: My feet are the pits underneath. Years of sport, dance, clubbing, high heels and neglect meant that by the time I was 25 my feet were cracked and bleeding on the underside. Thick soles, cracks and calluses had become agony and I thought it was my lot in life to be continuously grating dry skin from under my feet. Till someone sold me some AVON Footworks. Yes, I had used others but the positive effect was negligible, something in Footworks really works. The smell is smooth and balmy with a hint of chemical flowers and musks. I put it on religiously after every bath and shower and wander around in little cotton socks. The difference is unbelievable.

L’OCCITANE Aromachologie Volumizing Shampoo for Fine and Normal Hair: So you know, I pay full price $35/500ml for this baby. It’s made with and smells like 5 essential oils; artemisia, petitgrain, sweet orange, rosemary, palmarosa. Yes it leaves my fine, sparse hair shiny and squeaky clean but the smell? The scent is freaking terrific. I lather up and leave it on for about a minute while doing other stuff so I can keep smelling the super green citrus burst, both calming and energising.

Aramis Soap On A Rope: If you want to remember what old school Aramis smelled like then the Aramis Body Shampoo On A Rope is your friend. The smell is absolutely and utterly divine. That amber leather floral filled to the brim with gorgeous greenery and spices dancing around the center. It also hold a million memories because this was the first grown up bottle of scent my Mum bought for me. It makes a fabulous base for any of your leather or green fragrances, amping the herbs and woods. So beautiful.

White Vinegar: I really don’t like the smell of most household cleaning products, I want my house to BE clean. Smelling clean is not important, and I also dislike left over cleaning smells that affect the way I smell the fragrance I wear and the ambient fragrances I choose to use. White Vinegar, boiling water and a dash of disinfectant takes away all the nasty smells and leaves everything squeaky clean. It’s better for the environment and doesn’t eat away your bathroom or kitchen. We also use it instead of fabric softener.

Kasumi Tea Anastasia: Recently the tin has been made over by Jean Paul Gaultier in very typical JPG nautical stripe & tattoo style. The current tin we have open on the kitchen bench is less modern in design but the orange zest and sweet fruit notes in this black tea are a real winner. It’s one of Kasumi’s oldest and most popular blends, fragrant and delicious. Perfect to lift lifes sometimes monotone days into sparkling rainbow brights.

So what are your Boring Stuff that Smells AMAZING? What do you use to make the daily grind smell better?
Portia xx

Pivoine Suzhou by Giorgio Armani Prive 2014

April 15, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Trésor

I have an aunt on my father’s side of the family, his older sister, with the most exquisite garden you could possibly imagine. An utter celebration of splendid visual and olfactory delights, hues of emerald, titian, crimson and goldenrod dancing in the summer sunlight. This is one of my happy places, one of which I remember so vividly visiting as a child and finding myself in a state of inimitable euphoria; in awe all of the mind-blowing pulchritude which surrounded me. Of all of the flowers in this exquisite garden there was one in particular which I found to be the most beguiling, the sweet aroma of which stays with me to this very day and reminds me of some of the most beautiful summers I’ve ever had as a child; the peony. Recently a dear friend within the fragrance community generously gifted me a selection of samples one of which is a breathtaking interpretation of peony and the latest addition to Les Eaux from the Armani Privé collection: Pivoine Suzhou. One sniff and it’s safe to say that I was in love.

Pivoine Suzhou by Giorgio Armani Prive 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin, pink pepper, raspberry
Heart: Peon, rose, May rose absolute
Base: Amber, musk, patchouli

Pivione Suzhou begins its journey on the skin as the resplendent essence of juicy and ripe mandarin orange, as breathtaking and luminous as the glowing rays of midsummer sunlight, followed by the mouthwatering roseate nectar of fresh raspberries infused with the scintillating fuchsia sparkle of pink peppercorn. I think it would be rather difficult to experience this ebullient sequence without smiling and feeling an aura of joy overcome your spirit, it’s the quintessence of frivolity and cheer.

Beneath the coy sparkle of Pivoine Suzhou’s incipience the velvet pink petals of a peony blossom unfurl, impossibly fresh and glistening with morning dew; a prime example of perfumer Julie Massé’s particular penchant for treating floral notes with absolute elegance and subtle grace.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

As the peony continues to bloom it then begins a dance in rhythmic synchronicity with the delicate essence of tea rose. As I am explaining this it has dawned on me that it comes across in text as a traditionally feminine elixir (not that perfume has a gender to begin with, but I digress) but the reality is that even though this composition has been orchestrated around a symphony of delicate florals and flourishes of dancing light it maintains a particular androgyny that you would expect of something marketed as an Eau de Cologne. As it dries down a gentle watercolour ambience of amber begins to materialize, softly variegating the edges of blush toned petals and making way for the blanket of gauzy musk which takes Pivoine Suzhou into its final moments on the skin.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

The sillage with Pivione Suzhou is beautiful tender but most certainly present, a treat for yourself and those you draw near. The longevity on the other hand is something of which I found myself delightfully surprised, it lasted for upwards of 8 hours on my unholy perfume eating skin. That’s bloody impressive for something which is marketed as a warm weather eaux in my opinion. I think this would be a wonderful first foray into fresh, ebullient florals or an excellent alternative to some of the more citrus laden fare that makes a cameo as the mercury begins to rise.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Further reading: Sandra’s Closet
Larger Department Stores have the Armani Prive line

Do you have a particular flower which transports you to your very own happy place?

Until next time, kittens.

Trésor xx

Gabriella's Top 5 Forgotten White Florals 2015

April 9, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hello perfumed peeps!

I’ve been in a bit of a fragrance funk lately. Not much of my collection has inspired me and rummaging round the sample box and sniffing new releases have failed to set my world on fire. To get me out of this sad little rut, I decided to explore some white floral scents that have been overlooked, ignored or forgotten by the blogging community or the fragrance world at large. Happily, I have discovered some lost gems that have given me my perfume mojo back. Today, I’d like to share a selection of those with you, so I present:

Gabriella’s Top 5 Forgotten White Florals 2015

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

1. Gardenia Grand Soir by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2010

Fragrantica lists these notes in one line: w
White gardenia and sandalwood

The graceful gardenia. The reaction of the blogosphere was decidedly ho hum about this and I think the words “Grand Soir” were to blame. People were expecting opulence from Mr Guillaume and while the scent is not a huge overblown gardenia, I still think it’s absolutely wonderful. Here, the flower is stripped of all of its voluptuous elements: it’s a portrait of the flower’s bud at dawn, all green innocent and pure before the sun breaks and the blooms unfurl into all their heady glory. The gauzy flowers are tempered by a soft, milky sandalwood that amplifies the creamy elements and gives almost a beachy feel. The magic of this is that it is a quiet, contemplative and elegant rendition of a flower that is usually all vava-voom and femme fatale.

Further reading: Grain de Musc and CaFleureBon

First in Fragrance has EUR 95/50ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $9.99/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

2. Hanae by Yann Vasnier for Keiko Mecheri 2000

Fragrantica lists these notes in one line:
Citruses, white flowers, wild berries, yuzu and crystalline musk.

The unexpected delight. Hanae been around for years, but I just happened to discover it for the first time the other day wandering round a local department store. The scent is meant to evoke spring in a Kyoto garden and it does just that brilliantly. A melange of crystalline white petals is accentuated by the delicate citrus tones of yuzu and a hint of white musk. A fragile, delicate scent that it just pure happiness in a bottle.

Further reading: Makeupalley and Scent of Abricots

Peony Melbourne has $219/75ml

Luckyscent has samples at $3/.7ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

3. Lily by Florence Idier for Comme des Garcons (Series 1, Leaves) 2000

Fragrantica lists these notes in one line:
Freesia, lily-of-the-valley, rose and syringa.

The uncomplicated beauty. Comme des Garcons are recognised for their quirkier creations and it’s usually the Series 2 Incense range that gets all the love. Lily is fact that the house can do simple and pretty and still come up trumps. It is a startlingly beautiful rendition of lily of the valley, something I had given up trying to find once Diorissimo was reformulated. The lily of the valley here has a verdant and very fresh quality, evoking tiny white buds after a rainshower. Rose, green notes complete the scent that has an invigorating quality akin to having a cool shower on a hot summer day.

Le Galion timeline…a history lesson in Sydney

April 7, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Nicolas Chabot (Ex-Dior/Givenchy/Estee Lauder-Paris) has painstakingly resurrected Le Galion Parfums. Nine original fragrances (tweaked for IFRA) were rereleased last year after a 30-year hiatus following Paul Vacher’s death in 1975. I met Nicholas at Libertine in Sydney where we sniffed through the historical collection recreated by nose Thomas Fontaine.

Le Galion timeline…a history lesson in Sydney

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Le Galion was named after the seafaring vessels symbolic to Paris and has had quite some journey since 1930 when Prince Murat (Napoleon’s brother-in-law) founded the brand. In 1932 he created 222 based on sandalwood, myrrh, styrax, leather, vanilla, cedar and lavender. It remained unreleased until now, locked in an old box, abandoned. I love the soapy sandalwood note.

In 1935 Paul Vacher purchased Le Galion after already co-creating fragrances for Lanvin (Arpége, Rumeur and Scandal with Andre Fraysse) and working with Marcel Guerlain. In 1936, his first release for Le Galion, Sortilége, became iconic and remains the jewel of the brand. An extrait is to be launched later 2015. The 1960’s advert stated: “Sortilége, the fragrance that makes women faithful. To their fragrance.” Sounding so “Madmen” I absolutely love the back catalogue of Le Galion perfume adverts, and am keen to collect them.

Vacher, well known for his soliflores, released two in 1937: Tubereuse is feminine, sweet and green and predated Robert Piguet’s Fracas by 10 years. Mandarin, orange and galbanum sparkle with pink pepper and pear. Tuberose, rose, orange blossom and raspberry are sweeter middle notes. Cedar, amber and musk make up the base, a common pattern in Fontaine’s formulations.

Photo Donated Ainslie

I fell for Iris, the second soliflore, instantly. It’s buttery iris and green mimosa notes are enhanced with bergamot, citron, hibiscus lily, rose, galbanum and Fontaine’s cedar/ musk/ amber base. I could bathe in it!

By the 1950’s Vacher was considered a master of perfumery alongside Ernest Beaux, Ernest Daltroff, Jacques Guerlain and Edmond Roudnitska. It was the French “golden age of perfumery”. In 1946 he created Miss Dior and in 1963 Diorling for Dior fashion house. For 30 years following Le Galion provided raw materials to Dior Parfums also producing the concentrate for Miss Dior.

Photo Donated Ainslie

In 1947 Special for Gentlemen was released, it was also the same year the stiletto heel was invented. Unique notes of citrus, lavender, cinnamon, amber, labdanum, oakmoss, patchouli mix with vanilla, castoreum, birch and opoponax. Easy to wear, distinctive and far from linear.

La Rose released in 1950 is not a soliflore, with notes of bergamot, violet leaf, rose, ylang-ylang, peach, water, lily, cedar, patchouli, vanilla and musk. To me it is sweet and dew drenched.

Beautiful and head turning, Snob was released in 1952 as “the most exclusive perfume in the world.” Containing Australian sandalwood, jasmine, rose, saffron, cedar, musk, mandarin, bergamot, apple, orange blossom, iris and tagetes.

Whip, released in 1953, predates Eau Sauvage by 13 years and yet has remarkable similarities. Tarragon, lavender and cardamom, jasmine, violet and iris, galbanum, oakmoss, patchouli, vetiver and leather give this real masculine beauty.

Eau Noble from 1972 contains citrus, spice, sage and leather, evidence the sexual revolution was in full swing! An extrait will be released in 2015.

Photo Donated Ainslie, taken by Clayton

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Colognoisseur
First In Fragrance has the Le Galion range €140/100ml

Which of the range would you like to try? Have you seen Le Galion’s fabulous vintage adverts? Do you own any vintage bottles from the brand?
Ainslie Walker xx

NEW! Costume National 10 ml Rollerballs

April 6, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Woo Hoo APJ Family,

I was at the Libertine Parfumerie New Season Launches last week. There is so much great new stuff out this time I got carried away. It was quite the Aussie beauty biz room, Sydney Morning Herald Lifestyle Liftout Beauty Editor, Vogue Living Beauty Editor, Beauty Directory Editor, Elysée Collective PR Director, Libertine Parfumerie Director and me. I felt like I was swimming with the big boys and they were all really fun & sweet, it was a great hour with champagne, chi chi sparkle water and sweet nibbles.

Nick smart, as always, the host with the most took us through some great new things and new ways of packaging things. It seems the Rollerball is back in a big way, L’Artisan and Costume National especially. There were new Penhaligon’s, Dear Rose, Creed has a new LE golden bottle, Le galion, Cire Trudon and heaps of other stuff I can’t even remember.

So, long story short: Nick has given me some Costume National Rollerballs valued at $59 each to give away! I’ve made up 2 sets. Set 1. Homme by Dominique Ropion with Scent Intense by Laurent Bruyere and Set 2. Cyber Garden by Ennio Capasa + Antoine Lie with Pop Collection by Dominique Ropion. How freaking cool? So each pack is worth $118!

Go To It Crew!
Portia xx

Photo Stolen YouTube

Costume National 10 ml Rollerballs GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive one of these sets:
1. 10ml Rollerballs of Cyber Garden and Pop Collection
2. 10ml Rollerballs of Scent Intense and Homme
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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) 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 go to Libertine Parfumerie<<JUMP, find any Costume National fragrance and ONE of its notes…. NO DOUBLE UPS!

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Costume National Rollerball #GIVEAWAY @LibertineParfum http://wp.me/p3PURw-3Mn #Perfume @CoSTUMENATIONAL

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 9th April 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Monday 13th April 2015 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.

Tudor Rose & Amber by Christine Nagel for Jo Malone 2015

April 4, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hi there APJ,

Don’t forget to enter our Le Galion GIVEAWAY!<<JUMP

Jo Malone has decided to do a limited edition range that depicts different eras of British history, great idea! In this, my favourite of the releases, the bloody and turbulent Tudor years, 1485 to 1603 in England and Wales. A time of rebellion, religious strife, war, the widening of the rich/poor gap and also change in the way Monarchy and Government proceeded.

How has Christine Nagal seen this time in fragrance?

Tudor Rose & Amber by Jo Malone 2015

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, clove
Heart: Damask rose, Tudor rose, ginger
Base: Amber, patchouli, white musk

Sparkling, lightly sizzling roses, a little musky and very pot-pouri (but in a nice way). Tudor Roses & Amber takes me back to the 1980s walking into friends houses and there would be a wooden or porcelain bowl with a many holed lid, from that little receptacle would gush glamorous fragrance that welcomed you into the house. I used to love that initial waft as you walked into a house and would often go and smell it later in the day.

Jo Malone has let Christine Nagel do it with fun spices and the clove/ginger mix keeps it zinging well into the heart. I can smell the depths of the velvets and the sparkle of brocade, Tudor Rose and Amber deals only in the beauty present, none of the danger or bleakness. Here is a fragrance that captures the wealth and glamour of Tudor England, the upper echelons and only after their annual bath.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

There is nothing challenging hiding in Tudor Rose & Amber. There are no great divergences and no innovations but what Jo Malone (via Estee Lauder) has done is make a very pretty and wearable rose. Maybe Tudor Rose is a little deeper and darker in the heart but it comes with a very light, warm and generic amber/white musk base.

To be honest, for this kind of money you can do better but I also understand that not everyone wants to change the world or light up a room with their fragrance. Here we have a perfectly good, wearable rose scent that lasts about 3 hours before it fades into unnoticeability which is quite good on my scent hungry skin for a Jo Malone cologne.

Photo Stolen Geograph

Further reading: A Model Recommends and The Sunday Girl
Jo Malone has kiosks in most major Department Stores
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3.50/.5ml

Have you tried the Jo Malone Rock the Ages Collection? Did you have a fabvourite?
Portia x

Le Galion: The ship sails on….

April 1, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Catherine de Peloux-Menage

For the past twenty years, defunct or dying heritage perfume houses have been coming back to life. Les Parfums de Rosine, Lubin, Robert Piguet , Courreges, Orizia Legrand, Schiaparelli, Worth, Houbigant, Jovoy, d’Orsay, Patou in France. Grossmith and Atkinsons, Crown perfumery (as Clive Christian) in the UK. Now it’s the turn of Le Galion.

Coming across an old perfume bottle in a Paris flea market, Nicolas Chabot’s interest was piqued (Le Galion c’est quoi ca?). As a fragrance industry specialist like generations of his family, he thought he knew most French brands. So he tracked down the daughter of former house owner and perfumer Paul Vacher who supported him wholeheartedly in what became his mission to resurrect the house, even giving him access to the Le Galion archive, formulae and original perfumes. Le Galion was relaunched in 2014.

Le Galion: The ship sails on….

As Creative Director, Nicolas worked within the current raw materials restrictions with perfumer Thomas Fontaine (who specialises in reorchestrating perfumes for brands like Lubin, Patou and, Gres) to recreate nine perfumes which best represent Vacher’s work. Vacher created Miss Dior, Diorling, co-created Arpege as well as his own bestsellers like Sortilege or Whip. At his sudden death in 1975, Le Galion was one of the best known French perfume brands, distributed in over 90 countries. Within ten years it had vanished after it was sold to a US company which failed to understand its ethos and place in the market.

The nine relaunched fragrances are in simple, elegant ridged bottles. Not knowing the original Le Galion scents I can’t compare them. (A visit the Osmotheque would be a fascinating exercise.) As always, the scentosphere likes some and dislikes others. Here’s my take (Disclosure: samples are from Nicolas Chabot during a presentation to the Sydney Perfume Lovers).

222 My autumn-winter perfume 2015. Sandalwood, violets, vanilla. Cloudy soft, but with a bite of myrrh and a hint of leather. What’s not to love?

Sortilege Created in 1935, this feels grown up, seductive, half way between No 5 and Joy and with a nice dirty civet-like note. The original must have been stunning.

Tubereuse created 11 years before Fracas is sedate compared to her younger sister. Fruit, rose, musk. Rounded and ladylike.

Iris Delicate and mimosa-powdery, slightly green, woody and lightly musky. Vanishes quickly on my skin but I love it so will be wearing it on fabric to feel feminine and elegant.

Special for Gentlemen Bergamot, Lavender, oppoponax and patchouli, shades of Jicky and Shalimar but also of Habit Rouge morphing into the cologne feel of Eau Sauvage. Extraordinary, powerful. Wear it.

Rose – a delicate, pretty, slightly fruity morning rose. No thorns. Lovely.

Snob Saffron almond opening interlaced with rich deep rose. Could this be one of the first rose-saffron scents?

Whip You can feel the sting of the leather long after the sharp hit of citrus has worn off. Hit me again.

Eau Noble citrus fougere –green citrus elegance with a chypre twist.

Photo Stolen Le Galion

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon and Colognoisseur
First In Fragrance has the Le Galion range €140/100ml

Have you tried any of these? Any favourites yet?
Catherine de Peloux-Menage xx

JoAnne Bassett: Erica Golding's Four Faves 2015

March 19, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Hello, my beautifully fragranced favorite people!

I’ve enjoyed exploring indie natural perfumery so very much the last few years, and I have recently been graced with the opportunity to experience the transcendent art of JoAnne Bassett. Today, I am focusing on my favorites from my lovely samples.

JoAnne Bassett: Erica Golding’s Four Faves 2015

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Marie Antoinette by JoAnne Bassett

First up is Marie Antionette, a brightly refreshing perfume that opens on my skin with the freshly peeled orange rind from a delightfully fine neroli essential oil. The majestic floral heart hovers roundly beneath the shimmering neroli/lavender, a bouquet composed of sweet jasmine sambac, soft white rose otto, creamy tuberose, and candied ylang ylang. The overall fragrance maintains a glittering herbal tone while the uniquely green basil note gently sings. A light resinous base of frankincense and labdanum tenderly holds down the fort without weighing down the soaring, luminous composition. The fragrance spirals back to the opening as it fades, with a quietly diffuse citrus breath.

Photo Stolen JoAnne Bassett

Malmaison by JoAnne Bassett

Next, I am loving Malmaison, described as an aphrodisiac by the artist. The heartbreakingly gorgeous jasmine sambac stands out on me the most, lifted by a sweetly radiant citrus that actually reads more like a sparkling ice wine. The supporting notes swirl respectfully in the background, a complex aroma that exhibits a balance of white floral, aromatherapeutic rose and lavender, and freshly soft orange blossom. As the fragrance dissipates, it can oscillate smoothly between its meditative and revitalizing qualities depending on the focus of the wearer.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Magie d’ Or by JoAnne Bassett

Magie D’ Or, or Gold Magic, is a joyride of a morpher during the drydown. The opening blast of pink pepper is so unbelievably enthusiastic, it’s like a thrilling cliff dive. Then, a hint of cinnamon romances along with the sweetness of juicy clementine, all orbiting around a beautiful herbal-floral nexus featuring rose, lavender, and jasmine. It all dries down to a smooth, divine base of resonant patchouli, deliciously thick benzoin, and golden frankincense. Magie D’ Or is satisfying, and hums with peaceful positivity. I am especially enthralled with the deep, viscous end stage.

Photo Stolen JoAnne Bassett

Sensual Embrace by JoAnne Bassett

Lastly, let’s just obliterate all self-control and serenity, and tap into our deepest, sexiest desires with Sensual Embrace perfume. The flower petals strewn about exude a tender heartthrob of jasmine, rose, and a hint of other white flowers. The blossoms are more of an accent than a focus, because the center of this fragrance is a woody masterpiece that is so masterfully composed, it begs to be simply enjoyed rather than analyzed. I am swooning over what must be vintage aged oakmoss, highlighted and balanced by smooth musky sandalwood, dry crackling cedar, dark chewy tobacco, and warm familiar amber. Not a beginner’s fragrance, but fantastically alluring to me, and most definitely unisex.

Have a look at JoAnne Bassett’s website, there are many precious essences to lust after. And those artisan-made glass bottles are just to die for – I’ve got it bad. 😉

Well, that’s it for now! I hope you are enjoying a lovely day wherever you are, and that your perfume brings you great happiness.

-Erica

Liam's Top 3 Frederic Malle Roses 2015

March 18, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by Liam

The ultimate flower, a total chameleon of the fragrant spectrum. A rose’s nuances are broad and all-encompassing from woody notes, citrusy overtones, herbal impressions, and delectable fruity tinges whilst lending itself so easily to dank agarwood oriental creations, rich gourmands, and powdery scents with a focus on makeup or femininity. No wonder the Editions de Parfums lineup from Frederic Malle has several rose fragrances!

Photo Stolen Flickr

Liam’s Top 3 Frederic Malle Roses 2015

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Lipstick Rose by Ralf Schwieger for Frederic Malle 2000

The risk of smelling like a grandmother always scared me, however Ralf Schwieger turns the smell of lipstick into a sexy medley of intricate notes that firmly plays with the lipstick impression.

Here, the waxy aspects of lipstick are fully heightened. Sweet musks with an almost edible trail form the lingering base, which twirl around a duotone heart of rose and violet. The lipstick impression here is crisp, vanilla-hued and candy-like … And despite my gender this makes me want to source some lipstick and wear it, to experience the sensation of glamour and magnetic attraction without the prominent flounce found in larger floral bouquets. This is a respectable rose fragrance, with a subtle amount of glam found through the raspberry and its rich trail. The projection is subtle on the skin, but the lingering sillage is prominent – truly like a goodbye kiss.

For me, the vintage inspiration is most captivating and I am instantly reminded of times I snuck into my grandmother’s room and scuffled around her makeup drawers with an innocuous curiosity.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Une Rose by Edouard Flechier for Frederic Malle 2003

In this fragrance, the olfactory portrait of a rose flower is extended to feature everything. Imagine the anatomy of a rose – The bright red petals and the stamen, the green leaves, stem and thorns. Each fundamental feature of the rose utilised. Une Rose opens like a green and vegetal rose; particularly a dark shard of green with heavy and dense overtones. Une Rose, meaning ‘one rose’ or ‘a rose’, is a soliflore fragrance in the least soliflore way possible. One is hit smack bang with a wet rose pulled out of the ground, roots and all. Dank with the impression of earth, truffle, and petrichor in the background, Une Rose gives rose an exciting treatment combining it with a taut backbone of strong black Perigord truffle.

Une Rose melts and projects off the skin, with the truffle base at the origin of this sensuous rose. To link the carnal smell of skin and the vegetal nature of the flower, I detect an undercurrent of vetiver and patchouli adding a woody and lush edge, with the erotic severity of animalic castoreum. Dig deeper, and a warm and spicy red wine note can be found – adding to the deepness of Une Rose.

Wear it and own it. Une Rose is an intellectually composed fragrance that causes tremors when worn and projects sternly.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Portrait of a Lady by Dominique Ropion for Frederic Malle 2010

Portrait of a Lady has excited a perfume audience in a way that seldom occurs. Here the magic happens – in which natural compliments are explored and any richness is cut to give delicacy. What happens here also is overloading done to the extreme – with Malle claiming that the Turkish rose absolute and patchouli absolute here is the most used ever in perfume history, about 50%. To add to this lavish composition, orientalism is favoured with a symphony of ingredients added – oud, incense, pepper, and clove, appealing to those who love the drama of perfume, with evident transitions of rose that intensifies and perpetually changes on the skin.

This is a spicy turkish delight, with emphasis placed on the word ‘delight’. It is viscous, and screams opulence at the highest level possible with a penetrating angular projection – it is loud but never deafening.

Surrender To Chance has samples of all three fragrances

What’s your favourite rose? How would you describe it in 3 words?
Liam x

Gabriella’s Top-Five Rose Scents 2015

March 5, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 33 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hello fragrance friends! While I’m a huge floral lover, I’ve got to say that when it comes to rose, I’m pretty finicky. I tend to love darker, spicier roses or those with a chypre edge rather than the perfumes that make you feel like you’ve stuck your nose into a big bouquet full of blooms. It’s ironic really as the rose is where perfume all started for me. As a young girl (I’m quite sure many of you did this too) I decided to create my own perfume by plucking the petals off Mum and Dad’s rose bushes and soaking them in water, desperately hoping I’d get some glorious ladylike scent in the process. What resulted was a rank and fetid smelling water, but thank god, this did not put me off perfume or roses forever.
My favourite rose perfumes smell much more glorious than those failed experiments, so without further ado, I present to you:

Gabriella’s Top-Five Rose Scents 2015

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

1. Paris by Sophia Grojsman for Yves Saint Laurent 1983

Fragrantica gives these accords:
Top: Bergamot and violet
Heart: May rose and iris
Base: Sandalwood

The formative rose. I was 14, I wanted to be all woman and this bold, shapeshifting scent in its iconic pink and black topped bottle was it. Paris, now vastly reformulated and lost in a mass of flankers, was a mesmerising concoction of violet, rose and iris, that managed to be bold and confident but demure and sweet all at the same time. I wore copious amounts underneath my school uniform and how I didn’t get expelled for overpowering the whole school with my sillage, I’ll never know.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This

Fragrancenet starts at $43.99/30ml before coupon

Surrender to Chance starts at $3.00/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

2. Stella by Jacques Cavallier for Stella McCartney 2003

Fragrantica gives these accords:

Top: Rose oil, peony and a gentle touch of fresh tangerine

Heart: Rose

Base: Amber

The funny-story rose. I started to wear Stella around the time I was dating Mr M the first time around many years ago. I asked him what he thought of the green-tinged, but voluptuously warm amber rose creation. He said: “Smells like Grandma.” So, I stopped wearing it and it became my very expensive room spray. But then, every time Mr M came round, this is what my place and I smelt of. So, it was to my amusement a month or two later that he presented me with a bottle, completely forgetting the backstory and thinking that he done something wonderfully romantic because it “reminded him of me.”

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This

Escentual starts at GBP35.70/30ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $3/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

3. Agent Provocateur by Christian Provenzano for Agent Provocateur 2000

Fragrantica gives these accords:

Top: saffron

Heart: Magnolia, Indian jasmine and gardenia blend together with strong woodsy-chypre scent

Base: Amber and musk notes

The va-va-voom rose. I tried Agent Provocateur firstly because the whole ethos of the scent was something I had to have. I was called “cute” even at age 30 and I all I wanted to be was a sexy and sultry goddess. The first whiff of Agent Provocateur had me in a spin because I had smelt nothing quite like it. A dark woody and utterly captivating chypre rose that says strength and sex all at the same time.

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Dear Scent Diary

Fragrancenet starts at $33.99/50ml before coupon.

Surrender to Chance starts at $3/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

4. Lady Vengeance by Francis Kurkdjian for Juliette Has A Gun 2006

Fragrantica gives these accords in one line:
Italian rose, vanilla and patchouli.

The surprising rose. As I said, I’m finicky about rose. I’m also especially finicky when it comes to patchouli and as for vanilla and gourmands, they are usually no-go zones, but Francis Kurdjian has managed to create something with all four that I adore. It’s a sweet but dark rose that manages to be both pretty but voluptuous and vivacious at the same time with glorious sillage and lasting power.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Katie Puckrik

Libertine Parfumerie has $186/100ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $3/ml

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

5. Gris Montaigne by Francois Demarchy for Christian Dior La Collection Privee 2013

Fragrantica gives these accords in one line:
Bergamot, rose, patchouli, amber, cedar, sandalwood and oakmoss.

The new rose. I enter the Christian Dior boutique expecting it would be New Look 1947 or Grand Bal I would buy as my upcoming birthday present. And although I’d smelt them before, I was underwhelmed as I stood there, nose to wrist. The SA kept pushing me towards Gris Montaigne with the assurance that “This is the one for you.” One sniff and my eyes rolled back in pleasure as I softly cooed. Gris Montaigne is surprising, because, if you read the notes, one would expect a spicy chypre rose a la Agent. What it actually is a very pretty, sparkling and sophisticated rose bouquet that is imminently wearable and utterly special.

Further reading: Kafkaesque and Cafleurebon

Christian Dior Boutiques have $335/125ml

Surrender to Chance starts at $3/ml

So, do you like any of my choices? Is rose love it or leave it for you? If you like rose, what are your faves?

With much love till next time!
M x

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Gabriella’s Top-Five Rose Scents 2015

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1. Paris by Sophia Grojsman for Yves Saint Laurent 1983

2. Stella by Jacques Cavallier for Stella McCartney 2003

3. Agent Provocateur by Christian Provenzano for Agent Provocateur 2000

4. Lady Vengeance by Francis Kurkdjian for Juliette Has A Gun 2006

5. Gris Montaigne by Francois Demarchy for Christian Dior La Collection Privee 2013