Reviews

M Mariah Carey by Carlos Benaim and Loc Dong for Mariah Carey 2007

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Post by Katrina

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Mariah Carey has released 14 perfumes to date and most of them are in cute bottles in a range of different colours with a butterfly cap. Many of Mariah’s gorgeous butterfly bottles contain sugary sweet and fruity perfumes like the Lollipop Bling and Lollipop Splash lines. The original purple bottle though is something quite different.

M Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey 2007

Carlos Benaim and Loc Dong

M Mariah Carey FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives the following notes:
Top: Marshmallow, sea notes
Heart: Tiara, gardenia
Base: Amber, patchouli, Moroccan incense

M by Mariah Carey in the very cute purple butterfly bottle was the first perfume released by Mariah Carey. M is quite a heavy mature floral fragrance in contrast to the rest of her sweet fruity floral fragrances perfumes. Mariah Carey has a wide range of different fragrance styles and Mariah Carey M is definitely a more mature fragrance.

Clotty from Fragrantica says: When I first sprayed this, I thought it smelled very familiar. Now I know what it is. It smells similar to what a vintage-formulation of Dior Poison smells like on the dry down.

NowGet2WorkBitch on Fragrantica says: Love this! it smells like marshmallows and is very sweet but when u wear it it also has hints of incense too but doesn’t lose it’s marshmallow scent which is just amazing!

2009 Armed Forces Inaugural CommitteePhoto Stolen WikiCommons

Mariah Carey M starts out with gardenia that is quite heavy and could be overpowering if you sprayed too much. There is also the scent of salty sea air. The sea note is one element of this fragrance that I really enjoy. Contrasting the salt is the sweetness of marshmallow, which is blended in without adding too much sweetness but it does smell delicious. Mariah Carey M is not a very sweet perfume, the fragrance is really dominated by the gardenia, a strong floral note until the base notes take over. M evolves with incense and patchouli giving the perfume an exotic oriental floral style. M is a strong feminine perfume with character and complexities. This is a beautiful perfume that I love to wear. M Mariah Carey is a grown up perfume in a girly bottle.

M Mariah Carey Beautiful WikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Now Smell This
FragranceNet has M By Mariah Carey from $21.12/50ml
My Perfume Samples starts at $2/ml

For more celebrity perfume reviews, check out my Celebrity Perfume Website

If you haven’t tried M by Mariah Carey I hope you give it a chance.
Katrina xx

Ainslie Walker wins Australian Jasmine Award 2014! My Story

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Post by Ainslie Walker

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Jasmine Awards 2014

STOP PRESS!!!!

Ainslie Walker wins Australian Jasmine Award 2014! My Story

I had no idea what I was doing, back in January, when I entered the Jasmine Awards 2014. I’d received an email from Portia, but I’d not heard of them before, though, I’m relatively new to the fragrance world.

I mentioned entering the awards to my beauty PR friends a few weeks later and they were like “OMG do you know Vogue writers and Instyle writers win/enter that?” I shuffled off, embarrassed to have accidentally sent my rogue writings into some kind of “professionals only” competition. Eek!

I did a bit of research about the Jasmine Awards and found out:
They began in France 20 years ago, and were set up, to recognize the ongoing contributions of journalists to the fragrance industry. The Jasmine Awards are the most highly Ainslie Walker Jasmine Award 2014#4 coverrecognized and prestigious awards for fragrance journalism, internationally, and are held in France, Canada, USA, the UK and Australia. The first Australian Jasmine awards were held in 2003.
“The Jasmine Awards recognize journalistic excellence in the fields of literary and visual achievement for articles on the subject of fragrance. Journalists are acknowledged for communicating their specialist knowledge and information of fragrance to the public, as well as promoting further discovery of fragrance to readers.” (Jasmine award website)

In Early April, an invite arrived for the breakfast ceremony. I thought, “I’ll go if I can take Portia, it will be a hoot!” I got the OK, and suddenly the next week we were going!! Portia picked me up at 7am(!!). In the car, I said, “You don’t think I could actually win, do you?”– Neither Portia nor myself remember his response (…still FAR too early in the morning), but I think we both just thought “NO WAY” and talked about something else.

We arrived at Darling Harbor and were seated by Fiona Keogh, of Star PR, the organizer. The place was gorgeously laid out and filled with chatty industry types- all beautifully presented and seeming to know each other…we got a few “who are they?” glances, but were undeterred. It was then I picked up a brochure of the day and saw my name in print. HOLY SHIT! I suddenly started to SWEAT and the ceremony began.

There were 6 categories, with the following criteria:

• Best In-depth Feature on Fragrance Award – for the best in-depth feature in a printed publication (minimum 501 words)

• Best Short Feature on Fragrance Award – for the best short article in a printed publication (maximum 500 words)

• Best Online Feature on Fragrance Award* – for the best online article on fragrance published on an online beauty portal or beauty website ONLY

• Best Blog Post on Fragrance Award* – for the best personal blog post on fragrance published online (please note: entries must be written in a personalised style and in the 1st person)

• Best Practical Guide to Fragrance Award – for the best ‘how-to’ style article in a printed publication or online

• Best Visual Story on Fragrance Award – for the best visualisation of a fragrance story or pictorial feature in a printed publication or online

The ceremony started and the first prize was drawn. Suddenly “best blog post” was announced AND WAS ME!!! Squeals from Portia kept me conscious as I headed to theAinslie Walker Jasmine Award 2014#2 portia and I stage, my blog post projected, on the wall. Margaret from Fragrances Of The World presented the award. I was given a box containing the trophy, a huge bunch of flowers and a big purple envelope containing a big cheque! Ushered to the side for photo’s, finally Portia was in front of me – it was real! We were laughing in disbelief and sooooo excited. I was shaking. THANK GAWD Portia was there. What an absolute surprise!!

The awards have led me to consider fragrance journalism. How we put smell, perfumes and fragrance into words for readers to “see”. How we describe the senses: taste, smell, and art. It’s kind of tricky, but if we manage it, readers can gain an insight and an understanding that would normally perhaps, not be able to put into words on their own.

The words we read from fragrance journalism can draw from within us – an agreement on notes/ingredients/images provoked? Point out something we recognize as familiar, a memory, for example, until we can almost smell that perfume being described….and burst to go try it.

Articles can direct us into what to buy or wear for a particular occasion, season or outfit. Fragrance journalism is what helps the fragrance industry make those billions of dollars every year. And I guess that’s why the perfume industry recognizes the efforts of those behind these articles.

They’re not “news” as such, they won’t save the world, but they express creativity, and spread the beauty and magic of fragrance.

Ainslie Walker Jasmine Award 2014#1Perfumes and fragrances are one small luxury, that worldwide have always been used by humans to put a little extra spring in their step, attract some attention and or express themselves – I like to think that fragrance journalism can do the same – put a little spring in the step of the reader as they start their day at work, finding it in their inbox, or reading a magazine whilst on a train for example.

TF was the first ever fragrance blog I wrote. It came about by sweet coincidence. Portia, who had been invited to the TF meet up, but was too busy to go, so said I could go along in his place, as long as I wrote something for APJ. I said I’d never written anything before, and he said “don’t worry it will be fine!!” I had recently met Catherine, the meet up organizer, so I agreed to help out. It seemed I had accidentally fallen into something I am good at! Isn’t it funny how life maneuvers you? This was September 2013, I have written fortnightly ever since for APJ and love being part of the team.

For us folk in Australia, far far away from Paris/Grasse, stores like Harrods, Selfridges, Barneys etc, with their giant beauty halls, many fragrances are hard to experience and get our hands on, especially with such strict customs and postage laws here. I believe this is why APJ has become so popular and the network of people involved incredibly tight. I am proud and thankful to be a part of it and thank you all for your support, comments and incredible encouragement. It’s a win for us all!

Ainslie Walker x

Ainslie Walker Jasmine Award 2014#3 judges

Photos donated by Ainslie Walker

Sandalo by ETRO 1989

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Post by SarahK

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Hello fellow ‘fumeheads!

I hope you’re all in your happy spaces, but for anybody feeling pressed or stressed, today I’m going to talk about a beautiful calming fragrance. It’s not new, but I’ve only recently had the pleasure of discovering it.

There’s a residual scent that I get from a number of my favourite perfumes, a sort of musky sandalwood base note that lingers on my skin sometimes after showering. I love that scent and I’ve often stood in the shower wondering if someone could just create a fragrance with that note. Well apparently Etro did just that, and it’s called ……

Sandalo by ETRO 1989

Sandalo Etro FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Rose, lemon, bitter orange
Heart: Sandalwood, geranium, rose
Base: Amber, musk, patchouli, cypress, vanilla

Of course, Sandalo isn’t quite as simple as comparing it to residual base notes makes it seem, but its overall effect gives me the same feeling. When I first apply it, and for about 15 minutes afterwards, there’s a slight petrol-like note, but after that, Sandalo is a pretty linear experience of gentle musky woods. Which is just fine with me, because it is pretty close to my ideal sandalwood fragrance. I get hints of geranium, and some rose, but this is primarily about base notes of sandalwood, powdery musk and some very smooth patchouli. The musk is soft and clean, but with no laundry-musk screech. The sandalwood note is not green, or creamy, or buttery and it doesn’t have a scratchy cedarwood kick. Instead it reminds me of the restrained, musky, dry scent found in some Japanese sandalwood incenses. If it had a colour it would be pale, ashy, grey-brown. I find it very centering and meditative.

Sandalo Etro Dead Calm Ann Baekken FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

It’s an entirely unisex scent, evocative of calm, collected individuals of any persuasion. It is not particularly strong, which makes it perfectly office-friendly. In fact, I wish it was a touch more forceful sometimes, though I think part of the issue is probably that my nose just gets used to the scent. That, I suppose, is the downside of a fragrance that feels as if it is mostly made up of base notes, and which melds so well with my skin. This factor makes it somewhat difficult to accurately judge longevity. Sometimes it seems to disappear only to reappear half an hour or so later. At a guess I’d say it lasts around 7 hours on my skin, but I suspect it is actually detectable to others who get close to me for some time after I think it has disappeared for good.

Sandalo Etro Mounted_on_Metaphors LothorioArtPhoto Stolen LothorioArt

I seem to have spent half this review talking about what Sandalo is not, as much as what it is, but somehow that seems appropriate for a scent that represents calm and space for me.

Posh Peasant says: Etro Sandalo launched in 1989 and is a beautiful oriental woody fragrance.  It’s not often mentioned but it’s one of the great sandalwood fragrances.

I was able to try Sandalo thanks to a little decant acquired from a fellow fragrance fanatic. I am very pleased to have found it and I’m currently lusting after a full bottle. I’m also inspired to get hold of some more samples from the Etro line. Portia has reviewed a few before here on AJP and they all sound interesting to me.

Sandalo Etro Yoga-at-Wildflower-Hall-Shimla HillpostPhoto Stolen Hillpost

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Katie Puckrik Smells
Beauty Encounter has $75/50ml
Posh Peasant has samples starting at $3.50/ml

Do you have a favourite sandalwood-centric fragrance?

SarahK

Animalic – Skank. For Everyone Who Wants to be Bad

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Hi there APJ Family & Friends,

I love trolling through the Surrender To Chance site. They have excellent Weekly Chance Specials, Vintage frags, Hard to find stuff and best of all, I can order a 2ml spray and get a true experience of a fragrance for a fraction of the price of a bottle, and it’s way easier to store 100 samples than 100 bottles too. Recently I was looking through and came across  this super set that read like EXACTLY the kind of set that I should possess, natch. So I went all out and ordered the 2ml Spray Set. It’s pricey but SOOO worth it.

Animalic – Skank. For Everyone Who Wants to be Bad- 11 Samples

Animalic - Skank Sample setAnimalic – Skank Sample Set

  1. Guerlain Jicky EDP – All skank covered in decency and fresh lavender.
  2. Jean Despres Bal a Versailles Parfum – The queen of skanks, there is NOTHING nice about this, and that’s a good thing.
  3. Miller Harris L’air de Rien – Scary Skank! Like scary spice, but a lot more fun.
  4. Montale Oud Cuir d’Arabie – Arabian skank with a lot of oud just for good measure.
  5. Narciso Rodriguez Musc for Her EDP Intense
  6. Nasomatto Narcotic Venus – Not as outwardly skanky, but deliciously, understated skank.
  7. Penhaligon Amaranthine – We used to refer to it as “amaranthigh” it is such a dirty, dirty girl.
  8. Rochas Femme – Made during The Depression, when women were hanging on to their sensuality by their fingernails, it is skanky perfection.
  9. Serge Lutens Musc Koublai Khan – Animalic musky skank.
  10. The Party in Manhattan – Completely dressed up skank, with a beautiful Dior ballgown.
  11. Worth Courtesan – Tropical skank, amazingly so!

From Surrender To Chance: Perfume should always play with naughty.  What is naughty? It’s referred to as “skank.”  First coined by March at Perfume Posse in January 2006, she refers to it as “Skank is not gracious, or nice, or even fundamentally pretty. The Skank is about sex, and only sex. It’s a rump-grinding, head-shaking invitation to a booty call, no matter how politely the scent’s been dressed up at the opening.”
This is the sex in perfume, and it’s been there even back in the days when the hems of dresses never got above the eyelet lace-ups of their Victorian boots.

So I have been having a wonderful time trying them all.I think my skin eats, or I have become immune, to the extremes of animalics. I love them and they smell great on my skin but where most people are coughing, tears streaming and running to the shower, I merely smell like a big cuddly teddy bear all warm and squishy. I have written about a few of these already, mostly quite early in the blog’s life, but it has been super fun revisiting and reminding myself how good they are, and to have even a sample size back in the collection. There are a few too that are FB in my collection already: MKK, Femme and Bal a Versailles. I also have a vintage Jicky Parfum so it’s great to meet it’s modern EdP sister.

My girl friend Natalie from Another Perfume Blog took one whiff of Courtesan by Worth and I knew she had to have it. You know the look, eyes glazed over, head thrown slightly back and nostrils flaring? There was that and more: positively fabulous viewing and at an outdoor lunch table in one of Sydney’s ritzier suburbs. I had to laugh, and give her the vial.

Surrender To Chance has the lot starting at $33/.5ml but I went all out and grabbed the $116/2ml spray set

Why did I spend so much? Well, 2ml will last me 4-10 wears depending on longevity and projection strength. That’s months of delicious spritzing and a different one every day for 3 weeks, not that I desperately need more choice to be honest. I also like that they are already in a spritz atomiser so no messing around with decanting into a spray to get the manufacturers intent. I think the extra is worth it for me. You may only want or need the .5ml to taste the frags, excellent. $33 is a wonderful deal for amazing frags that are a must try on your frag journey.

Love & hugs,
Portia xx

 

Songes by Isabelle Doyen for Annick Goutal 2005

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Hoya Perfumistas!

Tonight while wandering around Facebook Fragrance Friends one of the people there, Julie, was talking about her first Songes by Annick Goutal experience. Being Autumn here in Sydney Songes was in the cupboard but I thought I’d grab it out and give myself a spritz, pretend it is a cool spring evening instead. WOW! It’s funny how you forget the magic held in a scent. I was instantly transported back to my very first spritzes of Songes and how amazing and beautiful I thought it was, and it is. Here is a repost of an earlier Songes piece just to remember it.

Songes by Isabelle Doyen for Annick Goutal 2005

Songes Annick Goutal FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Frangipani, tiare, jasmine sambac absolute, ylang-ylang, French vanilla

Here I sit in my office in a cloud of creamy vanilla white flowers. AH MAY ZING!!

Songes EdT was my first Annick Goutal FBW fragrance. When the sample arrived I loved it so much I sprayed it on all and sundry till it ran dry just so they could experience the enormous grand white floral opening. What a fragrance! Designed around a dusk ramble on Camille Goutal’s honeymoon and the frangipanis nighttime scent song of dreams.

The Annick Goutal website says: The twilight in Tahiti, transcending into a inspiring combination of frangipani and tiare flowers

Songes Annick Goutal Phetchaburi Province, Thailand WikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

Did you know Songes means dreams? I think it is an interesting choice of a name for a fragrance built around the scent of frangipani at dusk. It opens so full and spectacularly, not dreamy at all. White flowers pumping out their glorious, decadent fragrance. White night flowers have something so special and glorious that whenever I put this voluptuous fragrance on I almost swoon with delight. A bold fragrance, with solid strength and sillage, unlike most AG perfumes Songes has good lasting power too at around 4 hours. Along with the flowers I get lovely inedible vanilla, almost amber-ish, and a soft incense note that I’ve never noticed before but this morning I was burning incense and here it is repeated. There is a very human element that comes and goes, like clean mouth breath bordering on lived in. The whole time I’ve been wearing this my mind keeps saying, “Oh, this is lovely, why don’t I wear this more often?” I will put it out on the desk again and give Songes more love, I have not worn it nearly as much as it deserves.

Songes Annick Goutal C P Wyatt "Ocean Of Dreams" Plum Leaves FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Further reading: The Perfume Shrine and NowSmellThis
FragranceShop has Songes EdT $57/100ml
Surrender To Chance has the EdT samples starting at $3/ml

I have enjoyed bringing you Songes again, do you have a favourite Annick Goutal fragrance? Which one and why?
Portia xx

Jardins de Bagatelle by Jean Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1983

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Post by Poodle

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Hello APJ, I’m Dreaming of Spring

It’s supposed to be spring here. I was out playing in the dirt of my flowerbeds just days ago but today it’s cold again. Hopefully by the time you read this it will be spring. Until then I have to pretend with my perfumes. One that conjures up a bright spring day is ….

Jardins de Bagatelle by Jean Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1983

Jardins de Bagatelle Guerlain FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Jasmine, violet, aldehydes, lemon, bergamot
Heart: Gardenia, rose, orange blossom, tuberose, magnolia, ylang-ylang, orchid, lily-of-the-valley, narcissus
Base: Tuberose, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, musk, neroli

I’ve gone through a few bottles of this in my life. It was my signature scent in high school. I wanted to smell classier than the Impulse Body Spray the other girls wore. I figured something from Guerlain was a good bet. I hadn’t worn it since then but recently got nostalgic and bought another bottle.

Jardins de Bagatelle has always seemed to be an unlikely Guerlain to me. It doesn’t have the powdery notes I always associate with the brand and it’s classic perfumes. It’s a huge floral. Bear in mind this was released in the big 80’s and it has some of the intensity you’d expect but doesn’t smell dated.

Jardins de Bagatelle Guerlain Dynasty WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

At first spritz, I’m hit with a blast of aldehydes and citrus, big and lush in the top notes. I can definitely smell violet, jasmine and many other flowers. I’m okay with spritzing but I could see someone who likes a lighter touch perhaps dabbing on instead. The effect isn’t so much sniffing a bouquet as it is sticking your face into it. I will add that the perfume softens beautifully within an hour on me even though the opening is so bold.

Chateau de Bagatelle, Paris, FranceChateau de Bagatelle Photo Stolen Wikpedia

As much as I try I have a hard time picking apart the notes. Once it softens it’s like the flowers come and go. Imagine walking through a garden and as you meander down the path you catch a whiff of a rose here but just around the bend there’s some tuberose, oh wait, no, perhaps that’s gardenia. When I think I have almost isolated a note, it changes on me. It’s supposed to smell like a garden and it does. The flowers are bright and dewy. There’s also a certain amount of green to it as well which keeps it smelling cool and fresh. I always smell something that reminds me of tea as well even though tea isn’t in the notes. The perfume is beautiful down to the base and never turns soapy or dirty. As the flowers fade it becomes a cozy scent with a bit of warm musk and wood.

Jardins de Bagatelle Guerlain Severin_Roesen Victorian_Bouquet WikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Monsieur Guerlain
FragranceNet has EdT $68/100ml after coupon
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Overall I’d say that Jardins is bright and beautiful. It doesn’t smell like every other floral out there. It’s one of the perfumes I pick when I want to feel pretty. I was afraid it would remind me of high school but I guess enough time has passed to allow me to wear it and think spring.

Until next time…

Hugs
Poodle x

Fragrance Masterclass with Michael Edwards July/August 2014

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Hi there Frag Buddies,

Here is one of the most exciting things I’ve had to tell you about, EVER! Michael Edwards will be hosting Fragrance Masterclasses in Melbourne & Sydney later in 2014. I’m so excited I’m fit to burst. The man inducted into the Fragrance Foundation Hall of Fame in 2009 for “the impact Edwards’ work has had across the whole fragrance industry”, Australian and Internationally. His book Fragrances of the World is in it’s 30th year of publication, from “what started as a small guide for retailers with just 323 fragrances has become the industry’s fragrance ‘bible’”.

Fragrance Masterclass with Michael Edwards July/August 2014

Everyone who meets Michael Edwards tells me that he is a very friendly gentleman, so happy to share his knowledge, his passion and extend the hand of friendship. I can’t wait to meet him at the Sydney Masterclass. To get one of the very exclusive seats at this once in a lifetime event Michael Edwards Masterclass<<JUMP

michael-edwardsMichael Edwards

Melbourne 22 July 9am – 5pm

Sydney 21 August 9am – 5pm

Price : AUD $645.00   Inc. GST (Single registration)
(2 or more registrations AUD $595.00  Inc. GST)
Registration fee includes:
  • Light refreshments and working lunch
  • Certificate upon completion

Attend the workshop and you will have the opportunity to buy Michael’s Fragrances of the World 2014 guidebook valued at $195 at HALF PRICE – only $97.50. Provided at the workshop.

Hopefully we’ll see some of you there, I think there will be a crew of APJ writers and readers. It will be a wonderful way to learn more about our passion, and you’ll make some buddies too hopefully.
Portia xx

 

 

Classic Mimosa by Camille Henfling Jr for Von Eusersdorff 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

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Post by Val the Cookie Queen

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Yeah, right. Classic Mimosa? Thoughts of wedding bouquets and baby breath fillers in my head. That is exactly what I want to smell of. Not.

I have had a good sized sample sat around in my perfume stash for a while now. I have disorders when it comes to fragrance, as we all do. I have a lot, and wear but a few, and I am apprehensive, nay, scared to death to try something totally new on my skin. Eventually I succumb.

Fresh out of the shower I took my chances and administered an ample spritz of …

Classic Mimosa by Camille Henfling Jr for Von Eusersdorff 2011

Classic Mimosa Von Eusersdorff FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Neroli, bergamot, green leaves
Heart: Mimose, violet, rose, sea notes
Base: Musk, orange blossom, vanilla

From the Von Eusersdorff  site: “Floral designs ubiquitous from the end of the nineteenth century are rare today ………… The design for the Von Eusersdorff label brings back the flower as the traditional ornament for fragrances.” “Inspiringly Different Fragrances.”

This is an enchanting fragrance. To say I was stunned would be an understatement. I didn´t see that coming. It is really classy and smells expensive. It is very feminine. Opening with a burst of citrus, it quickly goes into flower mode. Violet, rose, and of course the mimosa. None of the flowers really take a star roll. I can smell the violet because I am into violet at the moment and make an effort to locate it when I know it is in a fragrance. Despite how it sounds it is not overly sweet, and hovers in a gorgeous haze over the skin. As it goes into the dry down it does warm up with vanilla, and becomes a little musky. It remains fresh and light throughout, smelling as beautiful at the end as it did at the beginning. For spring, summer and the office and any other time you need a lift.

Classic Mimosa Von Eusersdorff Mimosa Flower Arthur caranta FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Camille Henfling Jr is the creative maestro behind the Von Eusersdorff label, and is actually a descendant of the Von Eusersdorff family. The German family traded in rare oils and flower essences for more than three centuries. Camille Henfling Jr. studied in Grasse to hone his skills, and stepped in to revamp the family business.

The line was launched in 2010 with Classic Patchouli. Also included in the five fragrance line up is Classic Myrrh, Classic Vetiver and Classic Orange.

I have used up nearly 10mls now. Undisputedly fabulous. It is timeless, chic, elegant and smart. Just like me. Not.

Classic Mimosa Von Eusersdorff Mimosa WikiMediaPhoto Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Smelly Thoughts and Epiphany
First In Fragrance have €115/100ml and samples

Seriously, I am thrilled to have discovered this. I shouldn´t get such set ideas in my head as to what is going to be good and what isn´t. So forgive me Mr Henfling for having procrastinated so long. If the others are as good as this I have a treat waiting. As patchouli remains my favorite note, that is going to be my next!

Classic Mimosa – highly recommended.

Bussis
CQ

Luci ed Ombre by Giuseppe Imprezzabile for Masque 2013

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Shhh! Niche Nerds?

Something NEW? Something FABULOUS? I don’t know either. It just arrived and I want to test run it with you. Let’s do it together. Yes, I know, you need three or four wears to get a feel for a fragrance, sometimes your chemistry or the temperature is wrong, i know. Come on, let’s do it anyway and see how it is. It will be fun, even if it’s absolute shite, doesn’t matter…

Luci ed Ombre by Giuseppe Imprezzabile for Masque 2013

Luci ed Ombre Masque FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Incense
Heart: Moss, Tuberose, jasmine, ginger
Base: Patchouli, cedar, olibanum

The opening incense is warmer and sweeter than expected, a very spicy resinous and honeyed incense that matches none in my collection. So pretty and exactly a smell I could imagine myself wearing regularly. I just went and checked. Luci ed Ombre reminds me most of a Korean incense I have but it lacks the bitter undertones. My skin often skews fragrances a bit sweeter and I am glad in this instance because Luci ed Ombre is magic on my skin. I also get some sweet fruit in the mix like a canned peach or nearly over ripe, sun warmed mango straight off an Aam Wallah’s cart in India. The tuberose and jasmine are clean until you hit the full on heart and then we smell some breath, not a lot but enough to warrant mention, and the ginger playing back up after its zing in the opening is still a very pretty counterpoint to what is largely a resinous fragrance with what may be the moss acting as a mediator. Patchouli? I’m not really getting patchouli, this could very easily be me as we al know my sniffer is regularly off point, but I did do a comparison with my patchouli essential oil and there is no resemblance for me in Luci ed Ombre. Maybe it’s a super clean version aromachemical and I can’t get it.

 Luci ed Ombre Masque Mango Wallah Kiran Jonnalagadda FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

Do you ever think something is absolutely heart stoppingly gorgeous but worry that it might be a little generic? This is my worry here. A couple of times while Michael & I were overseas I would pass him something that I was swooning over and he was totally meh, that’s just this aromachemical or that boring overused note and though I am quite good at trusting my own judgement sometimes when the magic is taken away, the sparkly washed matte, it can not be replaced or reignited. One of the things stopping me becoming a serious perfumista who knows all the notes and aromachemicals is how much understanding the process may dilute my total enjoyment of fragrance overall, that WOW Factor of a first inhale that is all about the joy. It would make me sad to lose that.

Luci ed Ombre Masque Tuberose Carolyn Jewel FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

So my vote here is GORGEOUS! A winner and as soon as I finish this decant a split or FB in my future, probably very near future.

Further reading: Now Smell This has the ad copy as an introduction to the range
First In Fragrance has €150/100ml + Samples
LuckyScent has $215/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/.5ml

Have you jumped in and tried any of the Masque fragrances yet. I see there are some reviews on other sites about different scents in the range. Do you think it will be the next big thing?
Portia xx

 

Chenonceau by Marlen Harrison for King`s Palace Perfumery 2014 + GIVEAWAY

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 46 Comments

Hi All you Fraggir Friends and Family,

Today we are having a look at one of my mates new ventures, and I knew he was bringing out a range but had no idea he was also the perfumer. WOW! Marlen sent me three fragrances to experience and today we will look at the first of them that I’ve tried.

Chenonceau by Marlen Harrison for King`s Palace Perfumery 2014

Chenonceau King`s Palace Perfumery FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Vanilla, cacao pod, tonka bean, iris, musk, amber

Right, it comes in a lovely velvet pouch. A 5ml roller ball and is a fragrant oil. Recently I was at lunch with my friend Natalie from Another Perfume Blog and we decided to test it together and we both a had a few other beauties to test the same day. I didn’t let her know that I was testing Chenonceau for a mate or even that I had any interest other than intellectual and of course fragrantical. Well, I swiped a little bit across the back of my hand and we didn’t need to dive in and smell because it bloomed like no tomorrow there in the cafe. In fact, instantly the cafe smelled like a fabulously elegant bakery and people looked to see where Chenonceau’s amazing scent came from. Mixed in with the coffee, food and humanity Chenonceau carved right into the groove and took over.

Chenonceau King`s Palace Perfumery postcard Roger Wollstadt FlickrPhoto Stolen Flickr

A dry, dusty vanilla that is a cake browned browned on top. I don’t know if you ever made Tea Cakes with your Mum but that is exactly the memory I get from Chenonceau. Jin says it smells like the warm cuddly inside of a house in freezing winter and I agree, there is a firey heat burning and drying out the air, coffee and cake or toast with lashings of butter and an old granny rug. It’s furry and human, a little bed head-ish and sweet like just out of a hot bath skin drying in front of the fire or heater.

How does so much wonderful image come from a swipe of fragrance? There are the bee’s waxy resins that I use on the table to keep it water proof and healthy, face powder, pine cones, fake snow that you spray on the windows, the warmth of a kiss and the exciting prelude before it, chesterfield sofa. My mind whirls with lovely images for a few minutes and then the fragrance calms and I smell much less intense, a warm soft place of comfort, a place to rest and read or just breathe. It’s fluffy and powdery goodness will delight you if it’s the kind of fragrance you like, which I do.

Chenonceau King`s Palace Perfumery Chateau_de_Chenonceau WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

After the initial fireworks Chenonceau calms to a perfectly wearable scent that will last you 8hours or more and the price is so ridiculously affordable AND you are doing good too.

From King’s Palace Perfumery: Chenonceau, a gourmand, unisex blend of vanilla, chocolate, and ambery musks inspired by the infamous castle on the water in France’s Loire Valley. Chenonceau is a hand-blended, unisex fragrance oil (alcohol, phthalate & paraben free) made from both natural and manmade ingredients sourced from the USA, UAE, Reunion, France, Australia and India.
In keeping with King’s Palace Perfumery’s charitable mission, 10% of all Chenonceau purchases will be donated to The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, https://www.michaeljfox.org/.

Further reading: Now Smell This introduces the line
King’s Palace Perfumery has an ETSY store and a 5ml Rollerball is only $22

giveaway TheTruthAboutMummyPhoto Stolen TheTruthAboutMummy

Chenonceau GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will each get:
1 x 1ml sample of Chenonceau oil by King`s Palace Perfumery
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 me a memory that involves a palace garden, a perfume that makes you think of history or a fragrant oil that you happen to love.

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Chenonceau by King`s Palace Perfumery GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-2Mn #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 11th May 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 15th May 2014 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.

Portia xx