Passport à Paris by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for DSH Perfumes 2013

January 31, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Hi there APJ Crew,

I have been slack, yes a slackard am I, but FINALLY I am getting to a beautiful set that Dawn Spencer Hurwitz sent to me through one of our fabulous APJ writers Willa Zheng. We had coffee and a sniff yesterday afternoon and she reminded me that I had to write up the DSH stuff immediately. So when I first sniffed the package here is the one that took my breath away immediately and I LOVE Paris, match made in heaven

Passport à Paris by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for DSH Perfumes 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Lemon, bergamot, lavender, palisander rosewood, mandarin orange, jasmine, Bulgarian rose, orris root, clover, Australian sandalwood, amber, vanilla, coumarin, ambergris, Indian patchouli, civet

From DSH Perfumes site: My fragrant ode to two perfume greats of Paris, circa 1885: Jicky and Fougere Royale. Inspired by Claude Monet’s “The Beach at Trouville”, this universal perfume could be worn by both men and women on their holiday as well as about town. Passport a` Paris utilizes aroma molecules vanillin and coumarin. considered quite modern at the time.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Lovely, deep, burnished woods and resins lift off with a citrus side order. It must be Paris in spring or summer because while Passport à Paris is all of these beautiful things there is a dark and funky undertone. Through reading the notes I find that lavender is the component that I could smell but not identify, though now I know what it is I am smacking my head. Of course it is, a lightly sugared and vanilla’d lavender that is both charmingly warm and very slightly minty cool, a happy juxtaposition that keeps me on the edge of my nose wondering which way it will fall.

One of the lovely things Jin & I did in Paris in 2013 was have a hot chocolate banana waffle under the big Ferris Wheel, there is something here of that happy memory. The beauty, majesty, cool air and hot waffle: both cake and crispy caramelisation, the squished banana and drizzled chocolate. Jin was in heaven and when I had a little bit I could understand how happy he was in that instant, it was such a pure and unsullied moment that I had to capture it. One of those “God, I love him” snippets of time.

Jin eating hot choc-banana waffle Paris Feb ’13

So while I can make out the correlation between Jicky and Fougere Royal what I smell when I’m wearing Passport à Paris is my own special shared moment.

For those fiercely anti-natural you may find Passport à Paris, though full of courmarin and vanillin, to feel a little like the heft and deeper lay of a natural. This could never be confused with a mass market fragrance offering and I think Dawn never wanted it to. This is a beautiful, tonal, mesmerising fragrance that feels like it is still in touch with the earth and the power of natural perfumery. I love the soft, furry, powdery dry down too. What a beautiful ending, around 5-6 hours till I can smell no more…..

DSH Perffumes have EdP (which I reviewed) and Parfum strengths starting at only $5

Are you a Dawn Spencer Hurwitz fan? Do you have a favourite? Maybe you’ve tried Passport à Paris, what were your impressions?
Portia xxxx

5ml Fabulous Fragrance Fridays at Surrender To Chance

January 30, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

So APJ,

It’s Friday!! What does that mean?

5ml Fabulous Fragrance Fridays at Surrender To Chance<< JUMP

From $2.99 – $32.99 for 5ml. All heavily discounted and on sale today.

Some examples?

At $32.99 for 5ml

By Kilian Light my Fire – In the Addictive State of Mind
By Kilian Smoke for the Soul – In the Addictive State of Mind

At $18.99 for 5ml

Arquiste The Architect’s Club
Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles
Slumberhouse Vikt EDP
Tauer Perfumes L’air du Desert Marocain

At $12.99 for 5ml

Frapin Passion Boisee
Le Labo Jasmin 17
Montale Orient Extreme

At $5.99 for 5ml

i Profumi di Firenze Manto di Rugiada
La Prairie Life Threads – Gold
Maison Berdoues 1902 Eau de Cologne Premium Collection Cardamom
Molinard Vanille Patchouli

At $2.99 for 5ml

Bvlgari Blv Notte Pour Femme
Ciel Perfume FR2 – Red Pomegranate
Comptoir Sud Pacifique L’Homme
Costume National Scent

5ml Fabulous Fragrance Fridays at Surrender To Chance<< JUMP

So go visit my friends at Surrender To Chance and grab yourself some serious BARGAINS!!!
Portia xx

SmackDown: Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria vs 4711 Acqua Colonia

January 29, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by Willa Zheng

Hello Perfumistas,

In the quest for the perfect orange cologne to splash about in summer, I am smacking Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic (2007, Marie Salamagne) against its cheaper drug store dupe, 4711 Acqua Colonia Blood Orange & Basil (2010) this month. To me, the perfect orange cologne is like mint julep on a hot day – refreshing, uplifting, but not cloying sweet.

SmackDown

Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Clementine, orange blossom, ivy, green tea, bitter orange
Heart: Peony, chamomile, mandarin orange, basil
Base: Sandalwood, amber

vs 4711 Acqua Colonia Blood Orange & Basil

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords in one line:
Blood orange, basil

SmackDown: The hit

Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic opens as a blast of the sweetest, juiciest mandarin juice. Five seconds later, the bitterness from the rind emerges. And it continues to push through and dominate, until you’re like: ‘hold on, I’m smelling a bundle of kitchen herbs sitting next to a plate of oranges and mandarins on the kitchen table’. Mandarin notes are typically sweeter than orange notes, so it was an inspired idea to pair this with basil to temper the sweetness. The overall effect is cheerful, fresh but not cloying sweet.

Blood Orange and Basil opens as a blast of synthetic room-fragrance-like blood orange and alcohol.
It is sweeter and more bitter than Guerlain. Whereas a soothing blend of herbs like chamomile, green tea and ivy become noticeable in Mandarine Basilic after a few minutes, you can’t really detect the basil in 4711 unless you really look for that green note. To a blind sniffer, it is an uplifting, orange with jasmine scent.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

SmackDown: The wake

An hour later, my impression of Mandarine Basilic can be best described as sweet and musky. Fragrantica’s description of its middle notes is pretty apt. Yes, there is still the sweet juicy mandarin and herbaceous basil, but they’re now the supporting players to the chamomile and soft floral peony notes anchored by sandalwood and amber. Those notes set the soothing and comforting experience for the rest of the wear of this juice. Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic is surprisingly tenacious for a citrus EDT. 6Hrs+

Unsurprisingly, you can’t really smell 4711 Blood Orange and Basil half an hour later. Junkies are advised to reapply to continue to enjoy the bursts of happiness.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

SmackDown: Verdict

Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic is the clear winner for me, not just in terms of its longevity and complexity, but because it hums so soothingly, melding with the chemistry of the wearer. It’s an exemplary idea of what the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria line can achieve – creating beautiful, affordable, naturalistic fragrances from quality ingredients.

Surrender To Chance has Mandarine Basilic samples from $3/ml

In any case, if you’re after a flutter, 4711 is a cheap thrill that will bring a smile to most wearers’ face. Just keep splashing, baby.

What is your perfect orange?
Willa Zheng xox

Tubereuse Criminelle by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 1999

January 28, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Trésor

Have you ever in your life encountered a fragrance which so emphatically mirrors your personality to the point that it seems to capture your very essence within those precious drops of sacred aromatic dew? I feel incredibly lucky to say that I have. From start to finish, this wicked brew embodies my identity in a way which no other fragrance I’ve experienced truly has. From the incipient beryl glow to depths of the exquisite drydown, it seems to manifest “me” and coincidentally enough was the very first bottle of niche fragrance I’ve ever bought for myself (unsniffed, no less!). You already know from the title which fragrance I am speaking of, the inimitable Tubereuse Criminelle from our dear friend, Uncle Serge Lutens.

Tubereuse Criminelle by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 1999

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Jasmine, orange blossom, hyacinth, tuberose, nutmeg, clove, styrax, musk, vanilla

The opening sequence of Tubereuse Criminelle is perhaps my favourite in the entirety of perfume and also what’s come to be one of the most polarizing among the fragrance community. On my skin the inaugural fusillade is a breathtakingly intense bravura of jasmine petals which have been profoundly doused in densely mentholated gasoline. I’m often told I am rather strange for this, but I absolutely adore the smell of gasoline so this entire progression is a bit euphoric to me. I relate to this genesis so deeply because I feel her and I are so much the same in this way, just a little off the beaten path.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Upon occasion I sense the slightest hologram of orange blossom but if I am being absolutely honest with you I have never been sure if it’s actually there or if I am imagining it simply because it’s included on the list of notes. Beneath the icy petrol fumes lay a tuberose, one who’s beauty beguiles me and leaves me breathless. You can detect every facet, every single atom of her velvet white petals and the narcotic ambrosia bleeding from within. This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful realization of tuberose I have found within a fragrance and worth every ounce of praise it receives.

Photo Stolen Flickr

As the composition progresses something quite fascinating begins to happen, the tuberose seems to further and further meld with the skin but never loses the depth, splendour and unadulterated hypnotism that drew me in so close before. Around about the fifth hour on my skin I can detect just the most delicate tendrils of softly spiced vanilla rising off of my skin. The note is not confectionary in any way, shape or form but a beautifully Lutens-esque vision of a skinscent that leads the way into Tubereuse Criminelle’s final breath on the skin.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

This isn’t a fragrance that wears a terribly long time on my skin, about 5-6 hours, usually and the sillage is quite moderate. Though not incredibly long, the journey is magnificent and I wouldn’t trade a second of it for the world. From the initial glacial zephyr which greets you to her intimate swan song, Tubereuse Criminelle remains a study in the paradoxical nature that defines the very best of the offerings from the house of Serge Lutens.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Australian Perfume Junkies
MeccaCosmetica has $166/50ml (in Australia)
Serge Lutens had €166/75ml
My Perfume Samples start at $3.50/ml up to $10.50/5ml

Have you fallen under the Tubereuse Criminelle spell?
Trésor x

Sâdanne by Josh Lobb for Slumberhouse 2014

January 27, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 26 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Hi APJ,

Anne Boleyn had a strawberry birthmark on her neck. Seemingly proof that she was a witch. I doubt that this inspired Josh Lobb´s most recent fragrance Sådanne. Seriously, you gotta be on drugs to wanna smell like a strawberry. But who´s to say that´s a bad thing?

Sâdanne by Josh Lobb for Slumberhouse 2014

Electric Kool-Aid, Strawberries and Barbie Dolls

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords in one line”
Strawberries, ambergris, resins, rose, white wine, woods

This is a big time strawberry, on a musky, resiny base. Once sprayed there is no turning back. I wonder if The Merry Pranksters drank this? Psychedelic strawberries. Synthetic but who cares? It kicks in lavishly with a hot pink neon flash. Memories of sniffing new Barbie Dolls. It is astonishing and the next 12 hours will be in a cerise haze and you might well be all the better for it.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Josh Lobb gives no notes for this so who knows? The strawberry is a member of the rose family and there is a suggestion of rose in Sådanne. Have you ever eaten an alpine strawberry? They are very tiny, very sweet and taste first of rose and then strawberry – quite different to your normal strawberry. Ambrosial describes both the strawberries and Sådanne. The strawberry notes remain throughout, but further into Sådanne a deeper, dirtier vibe turns up. Musks and ambergris rumour has it. The stroboscopic-strawberry effect calms down and it becomes more relaxed. You have survived.

From IndieScents: The newest fragrance from Slumberhouse’s Josh Lobb, Sådanne is a departure from Slumberhouse’s previous offerings. Sådanne opens as a carmelized, fruity rose. Hints of booze, woods and ambergris emerge as the fragrance develops on the skin. Lobb takes a poetic view of the fragrance, describing it as:
“Stained glass syrup
Serenades in damascone minor
Allegory obscured / pastel wound
A slurry of subtlety”

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

For those times when you want to smell like a sensuous and voluptuous and slightly carnal strawberry – and one day you will – then look no further than Josh Lobb´s heroic Sådanne.

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.” Dr. William Butler, 17th Century English writer.

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon and Scent for Thought
IndieScents has $160/30ml
Surrender To Chance has samples from $8/.5ml

Are you a Slumberhouse fan? Will you be trying this one?

Strawberry Bussis Forever

Fidji by Guy Laroche

January 26, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 26 Comments

Post by Azar

Hi APJ,

Sometimes it is difficult for me to keep an open mind about a new fragrance. I become so attached to my familiar favorites that I tend to create a set of almost moral value judgments regarding what is “good” or “bad” about a perfume. As a result I don’t step out of my fragrance comfort zone long enough to expand my horizons. Whenever this starts to happen I remind myself of the day I discovered Fidji.

Fidji by Josephine Catapano for Guy Laroche 1966

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Iris, galbanum, hyacinth, lemon, bergamot, tuberose
Heart: Carnation, rose, jasmine, violet, ylang-ylang, cloves, aldehydes, spices, orris
Base: Musk, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, vetiver, oakmoss, resins

In 1975 (or so) my ex and I arranged a ski vacation for the two of us and several friends to Cervinia, the resort on the Italian side of the Matterhorn (Monte Cervino). Our “crowd”, a group of skiers from Tehran, was used to the high and powdery slopes of Dezin (3,600 m) and to the steep, icy, difficult runs of nearby Shemshak. Cervinia, with its long, easy and open pistes at altitudes of up to 3,833 m, seemed like great fun and the perfect ski destination. Counter to expectations, we arrived to an unseasonably warm January in Italy. While the snow was abundant, if a bit soggy on the upper slopes, we had to negotiate rocks and even patches of grass as we approached the base. But all was not lost! We headed for the restaurants, discos and shops. It was there in the mountains, in a small boutique on a snow-covered corner of Cervinia that I met and fell madly for the perfume love of my life, Guy Laroche Fidji.

Photo Stolen Flickr

My first impression of Fidji was shocking and green. I had been brought up on various Lanvin, as well as on Shalimar and Jungle Gardenia. My Persian perfume oils were all roses, jasmine and musks from the bazaars of Tehran and Mashhad.

Fidji‘s top notes of galbanum and hyacinth, while totally Persian in character and production, combined with what I later learned was bergamot and lemon to create a scent so fresh and sharp that it was almost painful and nearly took my breath away. I was stunned and didn’t like it at all. I purchased a brown cashmere sweater and a ski “suit” and left the shop, compulsively sniffing my wrist.

As the perfume dried down in the cold mountain air I was warmed and seduced by jasmine, rose, ylang ylang and a spicy carnation. Later that afternoon I returned to the shop and purchased my first of many 14 ml Fidji parfums. As we danced the night away at the local clubs I could still detect the initial touch of my new fragrance lingering as musk and oakmoss.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Yesterdays Perfume
FragranceNet has EdT $40/50ml before coupon
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

My initial reaction to and enjoyment of this scent has never faded. This morning when I opened my parfum, I was once again magically transported to Cervinia in the 1970’s. My romance with Fidji is created entirely from my own experience.

Which vintage fragrance has a story you remember every time you smell it?

Azar X

This is a revised, shorter version of a Fidji review Azar wrote for The Fragrant Man

Khôl de Bahreïn by Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 2013

January 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Hey Heyy Niche Nerds,

So you may be familiar with the brand names Nez a Nez or So Oud? Here is the man who created some of those fragrances. The scentbloggosphere has been quite slow to catch onto this house but my mate Sandra from Olfactoria’s Travels put me onto them earlier in the year and I went straight to Ruth at FFF (Facebook Fragrance Friends) and grabbed some of her splits. This was quite a while ago and I’m only now fully getting to the bag she sent, time has been a very scarce commodity around here lately…….

Khôl de Bahreïn by Stéphane Humbert Lucas 777 2013

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Violet, sweet notes, resins
Heart: Iris, sandalwood, ambergris
Base: Peru balsam, musk

Khol has long been used through Asia, Africa and the Middle East on children to strengthen their eyes and ward off the evil eye, it was also thought to help kill bacteria from flies and other insects. The lead in khol has been noted as high as 84% and the authorities are trying to regulate it better to make it safer. Khol can be seen around the eyes of many adult women through all the regions and is particularly spectacular when worn with headgear that leaves only the eyes uncovered, framing glorious eyes with black really makes them pop and gives added nuance to every movement of them.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

MMMMMMMM the opening after I spritz reveals a warm, sweet and engulfing mix of resins, I am surprised that there is no vanilla listed because I get a very bakery themed gush. You know when a fragrance makes you feel safe, loved and hugged from the outset? Here it is. This is the most comfortable comfort scent. Khôl de Bahreïn is what teddy bears should smell like, and fresh washed duvets. Resins, cream, wood that all meld together to smell the way a perfectly polished piece of amber that has warmed in the sun or on your skin feels against your face.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Dense but surprisingly light, and simple but not boring Khôl de Bahreïn reminds me in mood of two of my favourite amber fragrances, Ambre Ceruleen by Huitieme Art and Dries van Noten by Malle. Here we have a scent that hits and triggers every one of my safe, loved and happy buttons. So vanilla it’s almost a hot chocolate, that kind of warming right through feeling and experience. There is a very slight animalic and furry note that creeps in through the heart: it has my eyes rolling in the back of my head as I compulsively sniff myself. Khôl de Bahreïn, where have you been all my life?

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Thank Sandra for this particular lemming, though I think we must have talked of it because I can’t see a review. Now that I’ve tested it Sandra, even in the high heat of Sydney’s summer Khôl de Bahreïn wears a winner for me. Damnit! I thought I’d finished my amber search and had enough……..

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon
LuckyScent has $220/50ml and samples
First In Fragrance has €148/50ml and samples

Have you heard of this brand? Is it on your radar? Will you be trying Khôl de Bahreïn?

Portia xx

Santal Royal EdP by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2014

January 23, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hello Fabulous Frag Heads,

I am a Guerlain creature. You know it. When they released Santal Royal I was so freaking excited because in my mind I was thinking the Australian sandalwood plantations are going gangbusters and that we would be getting a modern “next Gen’ look at Samsara. A beautiful creamy and delicious fragrance that would have me smelling like a very rich hippy just back from India via Paris.

Santal Royal EdP by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica giuves these featured accords in one line:
Sandalwood, leather, oud, neroli, cinnamon, rose, amber, musk

There has been a lot of hate for Santal Royal and I think our expectations we just too high, and saints preserve me but that bottle is to freaking die for. Don’t tell me that marketing plays no part in my buying, the black and gold flaccon is amazing. I got to hold one in Las Vegas at the Venetian Guerlain store. LOVE at first sight. we spritzed it and on me it was OK but Jin smelled absolutely fabulous in it all day. He already has Mona di Orio’s Oud so having this would be tautology.

Though I’m sure there is a bunch of sandalwood in there, and I will say the longevity is extraordinary, this is an oudh fragrance. Yes it is, sorry to say it. It’s very nice. It does have a story and it changes through time to something soft and very sensual but even to the bitter end I still get that oudh. Which I like very much but it’s not so groundbreaking that I feel the need to purchase because there are other oudhs in my wardrobe that I would reach for before it, even with that killer bottle.

Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5/ml

Have you tried Santal Royal? How did it strike you?
Enjoy the ad,
Portia xx

Santal Royal – Eau de Parfum – GUERLAIN

Eau de Guerlain by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1974

January 21, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Liam

Good evening flamboyant frag heads

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. I hope the fragrant Gods were good to you and you got all that you wanted.

For me, I decided to load up on the cologne side of things. I’m a hellbent oriental wearer, and whilst they are ever so lovely, they are rather impractical for hot Australian summers; especially on those scorching 40+ degree days.

Photo Stolen Flickr

I was spoilt with colognes as I requested – and one that I was dying to get was Eau de Guerlain from (you guessed it) Guerlain. I am madly in love with the Guerlain ‘eaux’ series, and my first was Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain’s creation. When I found Eau de Cologne Imperiale I was stoked! Unfortunately here in Oz the Guerlain range is very very limited – and so obtaining the ‘eaux’ fragrances was a mighty task in itself. I have my contacts.

Eau de Guerlain by Jean-Paul Guerlain for Guerlain 1974

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Fruity notes, basil, bergamot, lemon
Heart: Caraway, carnation, sandalwood, patchouli, lavender, jasmine, mint, bergamot, rose
Base: Amber, musk, oakmoss, neroli

In this fragrance, the citrusy note used here is actually a rather soft verbena note, made peppy with a citrus clash of lemon and bergamot. This 1974 Jean-Paul Guerlain creation contains a neutral collection of notes too, acting more in terms of functionality than pleasure. The rose, jasmine, carnation, and lavender floral accents are almost invisible – with a baby soft amber and musk addition lifting this fragrance into perpetuity – as far as cologne and eaux fraiche can go.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

There’s a bit of a bitter crunch to this cologne too, with a certain facet smelling anisic and almost salty. I’m certain herbs attribute to this factor, in this case basil and mint, with caraway seed in there somewhere. We can also expect the herbs de Provence accord found in many Guerlain works.

With many of my reviews, I always try to reach and attain an emotional standing with the fragrance in question, and Eau de Guerlain surprises me. To think Chamade was only made 5 years before this (1969). Chamade for me is a classic Guerlain artwork, whereas this cologne is decidedly modern. I think Eau de Guerlain may have heralded a new dawn in perfumery and a new stage in Guerlain works. Don’t you think?

Many regard this as the perfect cologne. Whilst my heart lies somewhere else, the balance demonstrated here is enviable, and truly showcases Jean-Paul Guerlain’s perfume prowess. As mentioned before, the tactile use of amber and musk (and sandalwood, apparently) raise longevity to a relatively high 2 hours. The sillage is moderate to low, fading dramatically over time.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Further reading: Now Smell This and Monsieur Guerlain
Beauty Encounter has $95/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Keep hydrated! What’s your favourite cologne to spritz on?

-Liam

Sydney Libertine Masterclass

January 20, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Sydney’s first stand-alone niche perfume boutique has opened! We can now experience and discover an array of fragrances in the heart of Darlinghurst at Libertine. If you have previously visited Libertine in Brisbane, you will know why this is so freaking exciting!

Nick Smart is one of the pioneers of niche perfumery in Australia. He is the director of Libertine Brisbane/Sydney, Agence de Parfum (David Jones Sydney), Galerie de Parfum (Myer Sydney/Melbourne) and he also distributes and imports top niche brands such as Creed, Lubin, Juliette Has a Gun, Penhaligons, Amouage, Dear Rose, Keiko Mercheri, L’Artisan, Mark Buxton, Frapin, Rance and more! If you have purchased any of these brands in Australia, no doubt Nick was behind it somehow.

Sydney Libertine Masterclass

Libertine also holds perfume masterclasses and Nick invited me along to the first Sydney class, which was for the staff of a Flow Athletic Yoga Studio at 1/134 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021. Their boss had sent them along as part of their Christmas “do”. Each of them was to leave with a full bottle of perfume of their choice!! Amazingly generous and a fantastic and memorable gift to give the team!

Nick had the ladies gather around the table with their complimentary champagne in hand and went through the main fragrance families from Michael Edwards’ fragrance wheel with corresponding fragrances from the boutique. He explained where you might wear each type of fragrance and what’s appropriate for what activity, season and time of day. He says start the day in something light and fresh and ramp it up into the evening with more spice and alluring gourmand notes. Best dating fragrances being Piguet’s Visa and Petit Fracas and Costume National’s award wining, So Nude.

In explaining the difference between niche and mainstream fragrances he pointed out only 5 companies own all the fragrance brands seen in department stores. Some of the fragrance houses he sells have been around for 200 years, and their fragrances are still relevant now, and still will be in another 200 – unlike the modern scents that come and go quickly.

He mentions someone from a mainstream perfume house said their bottles cost $2 to be made compared to Niche houses who can spend $17 just on a lid! Amouage’s bottle design has a Swarovski crystal on the lid and Lubin’s Black Jade and Gin Fizz bottles are inspired by Grace Kelly’s silhouette in Monaco with her big hat.

Each attendee filled out a card and I used the new Fragrances of the World/ Libertine fragrance finder app (Nick’s “magic tool”) and the Libertine website to write down a few recommendations for each person to try later. He went through what everyone’s favorites were and the majority of the group was floral.

When he was asked where we should spray perfume Nick said avoid spraying your décolletage as the chemicals and sun in combination can react with the skin and also to protect breast tissue.

He demonstrated the use of travel atomizers because many people carry full bottles in their bags to top up during the day, but often our handbags are exposed to heat.

Nick knows EVERYTHING about the product houses, the perfumes themselves, their history and stories and how to really tap into the needs of the individual and find a scent to match them or push them a little further out from their comfort zones. He had the girls opened mouthed in delight as their minds were expanded in to the world of niche and beyond the floral family type.

Libertine Parfumerie @ 1-3 Taylor St, Darlinghurst 2010

Since fragrances hold memories it’s great to start a new year with a new fragrance and this can really motivate you forwards instead of holding on to old memories and ex-partners! What new scents are on your list to start 2015 with a bang?

Ainslie Walker x