Savoy Steam by Juliette Karagueuzoglou for Penhaligon`s 2017

August 14, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Portia

Hey Hey Hey Fumies,

Great news! The crew at Libertine Parfumerie and Agence de Parfum here in Australia sent me some Savoy Steam to try! WOO HOO! There’s enough here to generously share! YAY! If you’re in Australia Libertine Parfumerie has FREE SHIPPING if you spend over $100.

Savoy Steam by Penhaligon`s 2017

Savoy Steam by Juliette Karagueuzoglou

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, eucalyptus, mint, pink pepper, rosemary
Heart: Rose, geranium, cardamom, hedione, tea
Base: Benzoin, incense, vanilla, white musk

Sweet and fresh opening both rosey and sparkling citrus. It’s wet and dewy but manages to give the impression of the scent of fusing the glue used in iron on interfacing. Also the very specific scent of ironing high quality wool blend fabric. Lemony aldehydes, heat and humanity all hide quietly below the roses and I can truly smell the rosemary as if the potatoes have just come out of the oven.

Savoy Steam is wonderful, there’s so much to enjoy. The cardamom is REAL too, like a curry. Incense as if you have a box of Japanese incense sticks as yet unlit. I also get the particular smell of rice steam.

I get 3+ hours of fragrant from Savoy Steam and the dry down is cool incense and rice steam. Excellent.

Further reading: What Men Should Smell Like and
Libertine has $279/100ml (FREE Australian Shipping)
First In Fragrance has €189/100ml

Savoy Steam GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 5 winners who will receive:
1 x 5ml Penhaligon’s Savoy Steam
There will also be some interesting extras
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us when or where you would wear you Savoy Steam

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Wednesday 16th August 2017 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 23rd August 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

DIOR La Collection Privée GIVEAWAY WINNER

August 10, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Portia

Hiya APJ,

So exciting getting the newest first.
Let’s see who won them.
Portia xx

DIOR La Collection Privée GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 1 winner who will receive:
1 x tiny Sample each of Sakura, Jasmin des Angles, Souffle de Soie
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 9th August 2017 10pm Australian EsT
Winner was chosen by random.org

Fanny

The winners will have till Wednesday 16th August 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Flamenco by Ramón Monegal 2017

August 9, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Sandra

Hi there APJ! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the month of August. We are eagerly anticipating our upcoming trip to southern Spain. I am in desperate need for sunshine and heat – both will hopefully be in abundance.

“The dance, of all the arts, is the one that most influences the soul. Dancing is divine in its nature and is the gift of the gods”. Plato.

Music and dance are indicative of a culture and its people. Joie de vivre, cultural history and even weather plays an important role in the musical roots of a country. Every country has its own rhythym, its own heartbeat. Having lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I cannot imagine that city without the rhythyms of tango and the evocative dance associated with it. The same holds true for the Waltz and Vienna, Austria – a lot of structure to the dance and the music. I have always believed that the warmer the climate in a country, the more passionate and captivating the music and dance will be. This is only my opinion as I have had the pleasure of living in many countries and experiencing the music and dance.

Enter in Spain and the Flamenco dance.

Flamenco by Ramón Monegal 2017

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, raspberry, violet, apple
Heart: Jasmine, rose, iris
Base: Cedar, amber, pine tree, cypress.

With all of that said and done, I am sure that you all know of Ramón Monegal perfumes from Barcelona, Spain. Ramón Monegal is one of the very few brands which excites me with their new creations and they have recently launched Flamenco. The Andalusian dance, the Flamenco, with its music (guitar, vocals, clapping and dancing) is seductive and sensual and was the inpiration for this new creation. When I watch a Flamenco performance I feel as if I am watching a deep magical dance from the soul of the people. It is a feast for my senses. I get lost in watching the rhythmic movements of the dancer’s arms and feet, the sway of her dress, the dust slightly coming off of the wooden floor, the musicians encouraging her and then the final culmination.

When I spray on Flamenco, it opens with a cloud of raspberries and orange blossom which is radiant and bursting with flavor and brings a smile from ear to ear on my face. A bowlful of berries, succulent with their juices, slightly sweet and yet marginally tart, is my secret haven for a warm summer evening. There is an underlying woody aspect to the opening which grounds it from turning into a fruit syrup. When the woods come into play they are warm and glowing which gives me a sense of comfort and well being. This perfume exudes passion, slowly working its way into my soul making me want to wear something red, dance the night away on a warm summer evening after enjoying a day of languishing in the sun.

The packaging for Flamenco is equisite; a book shaped box with a mirror on the inside of the lid holds the red bottle in a black and red cloth bag. There is so much attention to detail that surpasses anything that I have seen in a while. It is pure joy to use the perfume and adds to the sensorial experience.

Special thanks to Ramon Monegal for sending me this beautiful bottle

Perfumaria has €190/50ml
LuckyScent carries the Ramon Monegal line

Have you tried any perfumes from Ramón Monegal? Do you have a favorite? Or do you have a favorite dance?
Sandra x

DIOR La Collection Privée

August 7, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 42 Comments

Portia

Hey APJ,

Recently I was lucky enough to get in on a very early distribution of a few of the newest DIOR La Collection Privée releases. As I got 5ml of each I thought it might be nice to share.

DIOR La Collection Privée GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 1 winner who will receive:
1 x tiny Sample each of Sakura, Jasmin des Angles, Souffle de Soie
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us which DIOR fragrance you most love and why

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Wednesday 9th August 2017 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 16th August 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Lutens, Mugler, Penhaligon’s GIVEAWAY WINNERS

August 4, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Portia

Hey Crew,

Thanks for getting i9nvolved this week. SORRY I’m late with the draw. It’s been bloody hectic around here.
Portia xx

Lutens, Mugler, Penhaligon’s GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 3 winners who will receive:
2 x Carded Samples from the above, not matching (NO you don’t get to choose)
There will also be some interesting extras
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 2nd August 2017 10pm Australian EdsT
Winners were chosen by random.org

David Hallinan

Lena

Katherine M

The winners will have till Wednesday 9th August 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Pichola by Bertrand Duchaufour for Neela Vermeire Creations 2015

August 3, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Portia

Hi there APJ,

Sorry we are a bit late tonight but I completely forgot there was no post written for tonight on APJ. OOPSIE! So I thought I’d write about my fragrance tonight for work. Thursdays are really good nights for me and I’ve been in the same venue for 15+ years, the players have become friends. Many of them I’ve been to their, and they’ve been to my, home. We’ve shared so much. Watched children grow and go through Uni, get married, travel, and settle down to family life. Some of the older players are now downsizing or thinking of moving into retirement villages.

Anyway, tonight I wore Nichola and they loved it. Four random compliments.

Pichola by Neela Vermeire Creations 2015

Pichola by Bertrand Duchaufour

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, juniper, magnolia, neroli oil, clementine, bergamot
Heart: Orange blossom absolute, rose absolute, tuberose absolute, sambac jasmine, ylang-ylang
Base: Benzoin absolute, sandalwood , driftwood, Haiti vetiver

Sweet citrus, white flowers and sharp juniper open Pichola as a burst of tart, mouth watering and puckering simultaneously. It’s a short-lived explosion that is exciting, over the top and surprisingly refreshing.

reflectionsNeela Vermeire Creations Pichola

Once the big bang is over Pichola smooths out to creamy white flowers and a hint of cardamom that helps keep the flowers soft and furry rather than a strident BWF. Actually, now that I think about it, Pichola could be an excellent choice for those that don’t love white flowers. Somehow Mr Dachaufour has taken out the indoor and teeth yet still retained the beautiful clean fleshy plushness. Quite a feat.

Even in dry down after working tonight I remain quite fragrant but in a introverted way. Soft white flowers, a hint of spicy rose and creamy sandalwood. As people hugged me goodbye tonight was when three of my compliments happened,. even though I’d been in and around them all night.

Neela Vermeire Creations Pichola magnolia_pichola

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Scented Hound
LuckyScent has 2 x 15ml – Take Two Travel Set for $125
Surrender To Chance has samples from $7/ml

Did you ever try Pichola?
Portia xx

(Ed: All photos from Neela Vermeire Creations)

Lutens, Mugler, Penhaligon’s

July 31, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Portia

Hey Crew,

I’m drowning in samples here. It’s getting out of hand so I’ve decided this week to put a few samples in the giveaway. They’re all carded manufacturers samples. Good luck.

Lutens, Mugler, Penhaligon’s

Serge Lutens: Arabie and Cedre

These samples were given to me on my 2013 first visit to the Serge Lutens Palais Royale store in Paris. I was so overwhelmed at even being there I didn’t notice that the SA was giving me samples for bottles already in my collection. They have sat forlorn and untouched since. It’s time to move them on.

Thierry Mugler: Alien and Angel

While buying Mon Guerlain, A*Men Kryptomint and something for Jin in Luxembourg earlier this year, as we were leaving to catch the train, I was given a bag of samples by the SA which was full of wonderful stuff. I have bottles of both of these though and they really need a new home. Bugler has done some really excellent scents, these two are just the beginning.

Penhaligon’s: Clandestine Clara and Roaring Radcliff

I love the stories that came with this set of fragrances, go look them up. Hilarious and naughty. The quirky (and extremely heavy) brass heads are fun too. I had longevity issues with these but hopefully they will hold to your skin better than mine because the scents are very nice.

Lutens, Mugler, Penhaligon’s GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us which of these you would most like to try

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Wednesday 2nd August 2017 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 9th August 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Woodcut by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2014

July 27, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Portia

Hello Indie Frag Heads,

This was the Winner of the 2015 Art and Olfaction Award in the artisan category. How has it passed me by? Heard, as a huge fan of Ellen’s work to not know this. I find her ability to create magnificent, multifaceted fragrance with depth and luster second to none. If you have only ever smelled designer and niche fragrance then Olympic Orchids is a horse of a different colour. Your nose will be surprised.

OK, I’ve found why I never got to Woodcut. Azar wrote very early on about it here on Australian Perfume Junkies. Now if one of the team gets to a frag first that usually means I can go smell something else in my ever expending pile of unsniffed fragrance so sometimes, even with a favourite perfumer, I gratefully let that one slide. Anyway, I recently bought this sample and WOW!

Woodcut by Olympic Orchids 2014

Woodcut by Ellen Covey

Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids gives these featured accords:
Fractional distillations of pine and cedar, oakwood absolute, tolu balsam, olibanum, caramel, burnt sugar, vanilla

Eating chocolate by the woodpile, maybe making chocolates in a wood kitchen, I am smiling from ear to ear. The wood is SO REAL and the hint of chocolate is making my tummy grumble for some. Soon the smell of charred wood or blown out matches joins the fray and that heavenly overlay of caramel keeps everything sweet. Maple syrup sweet rather than fairy floss. BOY this is good stuff, no surprise that it won the Art & Olfaction Award.

PDI

Sweet, warm and resinous woods. My friend TinaG said, “Hello snuggily winter days”. She’s right. It is a perfect winter fit but I also bet it would be refreshing in the heat of summer too.

Further reading: Fragrance Daily and Australian Perfume Junkies
Olympic Orchids has a 5ml Travel Spray for only $18

Do you ever try the Indie Perfume makers? Which is a favourite?
Portia xx

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Samples GIVEAWAY WINNER

July 27, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Portia

WOO HOO APJ,

This one was a good one. Thanks to Maison Francis Kurkdjian for sending extras in my pack.
Portia xx

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Samples GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week there will be 1 winner who will receive:
1 x MFK 745 carded manufacturers sample
1 x MFK Oud carded manufacturers sample
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 26th July 2017 10pm Australian EdsT
Winner was chosen by random.org

Sue Mills

The winners will have till Wednesday 2nd August 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Figment Woman by Dorothée Piot, Karine Vinchon-Spehner for Amouage 2017

July 26, 2017 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Erica Golding

Hi everyone! I hope you are having the most gorgeous day.

As for myself, I’m enjoying yet another knock-me-over-with-a-feather moment thanks to an aromatic marvel. However, the magic of this perfume is not from drama and fireworks and bombastic notes; rather, its spell is cast by subtly enhancing a popular floral absolute just enough to launch it into the night sky.

Tuberose.

Now, I know you may be thinking that this beloved blossom has graced an infinite range of fragrances, and who needs yet another Tuberose when you’ve got Fracas and Carnal Flower and La Chasse Aux Papillons?

Trust me, you’re going to want to get your nose on the just-released:

Figment Woman by Amouage 2017

Figment Woman by Dorothée Piot and Karine Vinchon-Spehner

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Sichuan pepper, saffron, gardenia
Heart: Tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom, lily, ylang-ylang, cassia bourbon
Base: Orris, papyrus, incense, patchouli

I was skeptical when I lifted the cap from my decant and inhaled a first impression. Instantaneously, all that registered with me was a pleasant tuberose note that, although pretty, was not piquing my interest. I placed the little glass vial on my nightstand and almost forgot about it, except for the fact that the warm spring breeze drifting through my window began to carry wafts of an enchanting scent, beckoning for my attention. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this beauty deserved skin time, immediately!

Figment Woman Amouage old-window-distressed PublicDomainPictures PDI

How does it smell?
Wet on the skin, jasmine slinks seductively, sexy and sultry. Orange blossom kisses the top of the fragrance with an effortless freshness, softly cheerful. The tuberose in the heart is of exceptional quality. This is genuine high grade absolute, delicate yet intense, a sweetness that flirts with the edge of imbalance but never tips the scales.
At the base of the fragrance, I sense a whisper of oakmoss amongst the rich yet very quiet and subtle resins. The bottom of this composition is understated. I don’t explicitly pick up on patchouli or incense as components of Figment Woman, they accent the aroma with exquisite grace and moderation.

Amouage Figment Woman is a lovely, attractive perfume that is perfectly pleasant for office/daytime wear, while also exhibiting magnetic properties making it a lovely choice for a hot summer night. I would wear it whenever, wherever, truly! It probably sings a little better in warmer weather but honestly it’s just so damn pretty that I can’t imagine it matters very much.

Figment Woman Amouage doll Ventus17 Pixabay PDI