CHANEL Les Exclusivs EdTs GIVEAWAY WINNER

October 30, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Fumies,

Great response. Fingers crossed for all of you. Thank you Esther at David Jones Sydney City Store CHANEL Counter. We love you.
Portia xx

CHANEL Les Exclusivs EdTs GIVEAWAY WINNER

Fragrantica

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x manufacturers carded sample of CHANEL Misia EdT
1 x manufacturers carded sample of CHANEL Jersey EdT
1 x manufacturers carded sample of CHANEL Coromandel EdT
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 29th October 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Winner waschosen by random.org

Calshopper

The winners will have till Wednesday 2nd November 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

CHANEL Les Exclusifs EdTs

October 27, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 39 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello CHANEL-ophiles,

I was looking through my sample drawer the other day and noticed I had some of the CHANEL EdT carded manufacturer samples. Seeing that that are now discontinued for the EdP I wondered if you’d like to have them as reminders of that which went before? Thank you to the gorgeous Esther at David Jones Sydney City Store for her friendly and informative service, it’s always a pleasure buying CHANEL with you.

CHANEL Les Exclusifs EdTs

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Powdery notes, violet, iris, orris root, Turkish rose, Grasse rose, Laos benzoin, tonka bean

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tonka bean, rose, musk, lavender, jasmine, vanilla, grass, wildflowers

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accordfs:
Top: Bitter orange,citruses, neroli
Heart: Jasmine, rose, patchouli, orris
Base: Musk, woodsy notes, benzoin, olibanum, incense, vanilla, white chocolate

CHANEL Les Exclusivs EdTs GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

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 which is your favourite CHANEL fragrance or the one you’re most interested to try?

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 29th October 2016 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 2nd November 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Samsara EdP by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1990

October 25, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Hello lovely-dovely sweetly-scented Perfumistas,

That was then: This is now
Life before and after the basenotes…….
Val CQ

I was gifted with a bottle of vintage (if you can use that word for a relatively young perfume) Samsara EdP last week. I haven´t worn it since the early nineties, nor retried it during my perfumista journey

PRE-PERFUMISTA
Samsara EdP

I bought a bottle of the Samsara EdP in 1990. Lovely. Nice bottle. I carried on with my life.

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, ylang-ylang, peach, green notes
Heart: Jasmine, woodsy iris, narcissus, violet, rose
Base: Sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, musk

PERFUMISTA

Samsara EdP by Guerlain 1990

Samsara EdP by Jean-Paul Guerlain

“Oh my gosh! This is fabulous. It´s kind of lemony and leathery and is that jasmine, and wait, I think I read once there´s some sort of licorice note in it. Is there, can I smell it, concentrate hard, it must be there. I got it! Yeah, licorice. I found it. And yang-ylang and jasmine, I can’t believe I never knew. It´s so oriental, spicy, and SANDALWOOD? The Guerlain vanilla, tonka, orris, but WAIT I have never smelled sandalwood like this. Really? All this incredible sandalwood, which after Googling I found out was enhanced by John-Paul Guerlain whisking in a dash of polysantol, giving it a massive lift so it wouldn´t sit flat on the skin? Whoa (Thanks Monsieur G)”
I then pass out on the floor into an exhausted sandalwood oblivion.

Photo Donated Val CQ

Samsara EdP Conclusions

The question is which incarnation of me enjoyed it more? I have been pondering this question for the last week. My good grief, I can most certainly say I had NO idea when I wore it in the early 90s and I went through at least three bottles of it, that there were top, heart and basenotes. I just enjoyed the whole experience without having to think myself insane. But once you walk through that field of poppies and end up in Oz there is no going back. (And then you do think yourself insane!) Hard to fathom that I never clocked the sandalwood in it, and this IS a sandalwood bomb if ever there was one. Creamy and divine. I have come to the conclusion that
the younger me delighted in Samsara while the perfumista me delights in, savours, relishes, revels in, and most of all appreciates Samsara for the magnificent oriental Guerlain masterpiece that it is.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Black Narcissus
Any Guerlain counter or store will have Samsara
Surrender To Chance is selling out their Samsara EdT at $15/5ml

Any of you APJ readers had a similar experience? Do tell. 🙂

Batshit Crazy Perfumista Bussis
CQ

Peety GIVEAWAY WINNER

October 20, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Portia

Woo Hoo,

Loads of excitement for this giveaway. Thanks Azar for your generosity.
Portia xx

Peety GIVEAWAY WINNER

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Jasmine, rose, tobacco leaf, moss
Heart: Mandarin orange, bitter orange, amber, cinnamon, pink pepper
Base: Patchouli, sandalwood, tonka bean

LuckyScent has $180/50ml + Samples

Azar xx

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x 2ml spray decant of Peety by O’Driu
1 x 5ml decant of vintage Eau de Rochas
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Wednesday 19th October 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Winner was chosen by random.org

Lindaloo

The winners will have till Sunday 23rd October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Salome by Liz Moores for Papillon Artisan Perfumes 2015

October 19, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Warmest fragrant greetings to you all!

Tonight, I am luxuriating in an addictive perfume that I actually did not care for upon first impression. Have you ever given a scent a second chance, trying to unlock its mysteries and nuances? I am so thrilled that I didn’t give up on:

Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes 2015

Salome by Liz Moores

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bitter orange, bergamot
Heart: Turkish rose, orange blossom, tobacco, carnation, jasmine, hyrax
Base: Styrax, vanilla, hay, patchouli, oakmoss, cumin, birch, castoreum

Let’s just put it out there: Salome is a cumin-saturated, purring, sexually charged explosion! The cumin dominates with amplified intensity on my skin, accented by the animalic musks, creating a panting, sweaty body odor accord that’s definitely not safe for work on me. 😉

This growling feral opening delayed me from even skin testing my gorgeous giant decant, which was a gift from my goddess Barbara. I would unscrew the sprayer and sniff the tubing, considering swiping a drop for a skin test, and couldn’t even will myself that far! Where was the jasmine, or orange blossom, or bergamot? All I could sense was the cumin, but as an adventurous soul, I was surprised that I was wimping out.

So one evening, I just said, screw it. Let’s go! Onto my wrists she went. Admittedly, the first skin test confused me. The cumin and the furry animalics still roared, but underneath I could also sense a dazzlingly gorgeous perfume – a classic bouquet of tender blossoms, with oakmoss and the distinctive vintage tone of a bygone era.

I almost gave up after that first test. But then I couldn’t stop coming back to the decant just to sniff the sprayer. I started wearing it on occasion as an evening scent after my child went to bed. Slowly, my addiction to the entirety of this masterpiece began to blossom. It wasn’t long before my craving became an obsession. Now, I can’t get enough!

The cumin truly does ignite on my skin, and Salome is too daring and sexual for me to consider wearing it casually. However, I am deeply enamored with its dirty, prowling sensuality as a private indulgence. If you love Bogue Maai and Absolue Pour Le Soir, this is one step further – if you dare!

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Bonkers About Perfume
LuckyScent has $160/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/0.5ml

Have you ever become obsessed with a perfume that didn’t work for you at first?

Love, light, and scented hugs,
-Erica

L’Attesa by Lucca Maffei for Masque Milano 2016

October 16, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Robert Herrmann

L’Attesa by Lucca Maffei for Masque Milano 2016

Hello beautifully fragrant friends,

I know I’ve talked about it before, that magic moment when you discover a scent that absolutely sweeps you off your feet. A scent that makes you just HAVE to sit down before you fall down in an orgasmic faint. In other words, swoon-worthy.

L’Attesa by Masque Milano 2016

L’Attesa by Lucca Maffei

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, neroli, champagne
Heart: Iris, orris root, tuberose, ylang-ylang
Base: Sandalwood, oakmoss, leather

Yup. That would be the effect that Masque Milano’s L’Attesa had/has on me.

Luca Turin in writing about this magnificent scent said last spring (and I paraphrase):
“…an excellent iris (I cannot think of a better one available today)….”

And boy-howdy it is SO iris, or rather IRIS (IN ALL CAPS) and it lasts on my skin a very long time. On and on, A veritable over-abundance of iris in the very best way possible. So. Iris? Check. Gorgeous? Check. Long lasting? Check. FBW??? Check.

Luca Maffei, the nose behind this fragrance is a niche-fragrance genius having authored such perfumes as Néa and Garuda for Jules Et Mad, the exquisite Rose De Taif edp AND extrait for Perris Monte Carlo, and Cologne Intense for Houbigant among many others.

PDI

L’Attesa (the wait) is exactly that. With three different types of iris, it’s simply anticipation amped up X 1000. Luxurious, smooth as hell, rich and deep. To me, it brings to mind the minutes before a clandestine midnight meet-up in a private hothouse, two glasses of champagne just poured and tested for taste, the fizzy bubbles tickling your nose with that glorious yeasty fermented odor.

The hothouse is full of blooming iris and white flowers, and orange trees, their scent mingling in the warm moist humid air with the perfume of hundreds of bouquets.

A sexual encounter is ensured in a setting like this, so you lay your well-worn leather jacket on the bark-chip pathway creating a place for love making, the leather scent mixing with the smell of just-tilled gardens, rooty, earthy, and fecund.

You hear some soft steps on the gravel path outside. The hothouse door opens. And there is your lover.

The night has just begun.

Flickr

Further reading: Colognoisseur and
LuckyScent has $165/35ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $7/0.5ml

Have you tried L’Attesa? What other iris fragrances do you love?
Robert Herrmann x

Rahele GIVEAWAY WINNERS

October 16, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey All,

Great response this week. Thank you to Neela Vermeire. Rahele is not available commercially yet but will be on the Neela Vermeire Creations page soon.
Portia xx

Rahele GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Osmanthus, woody notes, spices, floral notes, herbal notes, leather, oakmoss

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x sample of Rahele provided by Neela Vermeire
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 16th October 2016 10pm Australian EdsT
Winners were chosen by random.org

Jaybee

Hamamelis

The winners will have till Wednesday 19th October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

Angel Muse by Quentin Bisch for Thierry Mugler 2016

October 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

All Hail APJ Earthlings,

MUSEology

Muse: Drones Tour 2016

I went to Vienna earlier in the year to see MUSE on their Drones Tour. I knew that it would be good but had no idea that it would blow my mind. It opened with futuristic soldiers complete with glowing blue eyes, patrolling the perimeter of the 360°rotating stage. Drones in their docks suspended from the ceiling ready to fly around the hall. Retractable silk banners hanging, acting as cinema screens.

The band came on dressed in black, as opposed to their normal prominent and flamboyant outfits. Matt Bellamy, lead singer and guitarist was uncharacteristically chilled, letting the incredible and perfectly synchronized production shine. This was a thrill ride of the most epic proportions and I cannot forget it. Six months later and I am still playing MUSE at top volume. One of my top three gigs and I have been to hundreds.

Angel Muse by Quentin Bisch for Thierry Mugler 2016

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Grapefruit, pink pepper
Heart: Hazelnut, whipped cream, rose
Base: Vetiver, patchouli

Browsing through the perfumes at the airport last week I picked up Muse, a Mugler production and relative to the iconic Angel. Not wanting to kill my fellow passengers on the blue and yellow Lego flight I was about to take, I spritzed it on paper. A hefty sniff coated the inside of my nose for the next ten hours. (I was inspired by Clare of the Take One Thing Off Blog, and of our own APJ, and the Candy Perfume Boy to do so.)

WikiMedia

MUSE is a Walnut Whip of wizardry. A splendid burst of patchouli droplets, each wrapped in effervescent grapefruit and pinkness. Joyous and mouthwatering, heartwarming and sparkling. It glides into a swirling creamy nutty heart, as light as a marshmallow, tinged with a green orange. Divineness. The underlying vetiver stops Muse from becoming too sweet, as it smoothly glides into the base teaming up with vanilla and the ever-hovering patchouli. A kaleidoscope of enjoyment. I have been wearing it non-stop. Madness. 🙂

MUSE pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Available everywhere, a flanker, mainstream. Who would have thought it? I bought the 30ml Cosmic Pebble bottle, which sounds like something off of a Hawkwind album. We have come full circle. It´s available all over the world. Comparatively cheap and worth a shot. You just never know.

#HateToLove Angel Muse Making of – Mugler

Further reading: Candy Perfume Boy and Now Smell This
David Jones has AUD$99/30ml

Which Muse would you prefer to be around darling hearts, sweeties?

Angelic Bussis
CQ

(Ed: All photos donated by Val unless specified. Thanks lady. XX)

L`Heure Diaphane VIII Cartier: Les Heures de Parfum by Mathilde Laurent for Cartier 2011

October 10, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by TinaG

“Alice: How long is forever?
White Rabbit: Sometimes, just one second.”
Alice in Wonderland

Hi APJ,

Life can get hectic, whether it’s as a result of factors external or internal, work, family, home life – bring too many activities together without some space between, and everything starts to get compounded. When it’s all too much, I occasionally look for the immediacy of headspace which a beautiful fragrance can bring. Often these times lie in the realms of Hermès Hermessences, but I was given two samples of Cartier’s Les Heures de Parfum by the beautiful Tara of A Bottled Rose, and I found both to be just lovely.

Cartier

The Les Heures de Parfum line of fragrances have been created by Cartier’s perfumer, Mathilde Laurent. I knew so little about Cartier overall that I did a bit of research into the Les Heures collection, and their slimline bottles affixed with roman numerals. The samples I had to hand were of I L’Heure Promise (that prefix is a roman numeral “I”), and VIII L’Heure Diaphane. I thought my sources were sketchy when I couldn’t locate a V, and found a XIII which you won’t see on any regular clockface…. The fragrances themselves felt delicious, specifically chosen and placed at a point in time with purpose and not simply running up numerically for the sake of completeness. I liked it. Here’s a glimpse of Diaphane for you.

L`Heure Diaphane VIII Cartier by Cartier 2011

L`Heure Diaphane VIII Cartier: Les Heures de Parfum by Mathilde Laurent

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Rose, peony, litchi

VIII L’Heure Diaphane spritzes on light and fresh, rose-centric underpinned with greenness. Uplifting and refreshing, its star attraction is a wonderful peony note. If you’ve never smelt peony, it is quite rose-like, but somewhat truncated from a full “rose” spectrum. There are some stronger pink-red rosy hints in here as well but seem selective. The notes for L’Heure Diaphane are peony, rose and lychee, simple and complimentary, but together create a fragrance which is profound and elegant. The overall effect is one of a shimmering fluid-like quality, not watery as such but has a subtle movement like spiders web in a breeze. I can detect a slight pepperiness which is most likely as aspect of the peony, and rose notes accentuate rather than overwhelm.

It makes me feel: languid, gentle, intelligent, cheeky, proud, caring, efficient – all the things which get pushed to one side to meet deadlines, deal with annoying people, get frustrated with news and world events – just for example. It might sound simplistic but it is clarity and breathing space, perfect for the workplace or a weekend at home. Almost totally linear and worn close to the skin it is both a diamond and silk all wrapped up together, which can either be shown off or held to the heart.

Cartier

Further reading: What Men Should Smell Like and Grain de Musc
Saks Fifth Avenue has $285/75ml
Cartier stores and large department store counters also stock it.
Surrender To Chance have samples starting at $6/0.5ml

“You say, go slow…. I fall behind. The second hand unwinds….”
Cyndi Lauper

What fragrances have you found which provide an essential grounding in your daily life?

Till next time,
Tina G xx

Serge Lutens Wax Samples GIVEAWAY WINNERS

October 9, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Portia

WOO HOO APJ!
This was an excellent giveaway! Thanks so much to Serge Lutens Palais Royale for their generosity.

Let’s see who won,
Portia xx

Serge Lutens Wax Samples GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 3 winners who will receive:
1 x complete set of Serge Lutens Wax Samples
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 8th October 2016 10pm Australian EST
Winners will be chosen by random.org

Lissette

Nikki R

Laurels

The winners will have till Wednesday 12th October 2016 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

CHANEL Les Exclusivs EdTs GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Calshopper

CHANEL Les Exclusifs EdTs

CHANEL Les Exclusivs EdTs GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

PRE-PERFUMISTA Samsara EdP

PERFUMISTA

Samsara EdP by Guerlain 1990

Samsara EdP by Jean-Paul Guerlain

Samsara EdP Conclusions

Peety GIVEAWAY WINNER

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Lindaloo

Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes 2015

Salome by Liz Moores

L’Attesa by Masque Milano 2016

L’Attesa by Lucca Maffei

Rahele GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Jaybee

Hamamelis

Muse: Drones Tour 2016

Angel Muse by Quentin Bisch for Thierry Mugler 2016

#HateToLove Angel Muse Making of – Mugler

L`Heure Diaphane VIII Cartier by Cartier 2011

L`Heure Diaphane VIII Cartier: Les Heures de Parfum by Mathilde Laurent

Serge Lutens Wax Samples GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOUSEKEEPING

Lissette

Nikki R

Laurels

PRE-PERFUMISTA
Samsara EdP