L’Artisan Parfumeur + Robert Piguet

September 13, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 62 Comments

Hello Australian Perfume Junkies,

Recently I was on the phone to my buddy Nick at LibertinePerfumerie and he was in the middle of his sale, apparently it was BEDLAM up there which is great as long as your super prepared. Are any of us ever? So I bought a bunch of gorgeousness and just as a throwaway line he said, “I’ll put some extra stuff in for you to do a giveaway.” So I thought, lovely a few samples are always welcome. In the pack arrived a 50ml Robert Piguet Futur and a 2.5 gram L’Artisan Parfumeur Concrete de Parfum Solid of Premier Figuier!! WOW! Both brand new in their plastic!

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, neroli, green accords
Heart: Violets, jasmine, ylang-ylang
Base: Vetiver, patchouli and cedar

Aurelien Guichard was the perfumer and Futur was re-released in 2009, it’s green, green, green. A beautiful fresh and striking fragrance for everyone who likes a little green.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Fig leaf, asafoetida
Heart: Fig, sandalwood, almond milk
Base: Lime, coconut, dried fruits, sandalwood

More green, Olivia Giacobetti creates a green, milky, matte with a touch of sweetness. The fig is unripe and the story more about the tree than the fruit, though there is fruit here and the dry down is really fun and interesting.

Photo Stolen kbaird

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

1 x 50ml Robert Piguet FUTUR
1 x 2.5 gram L’Artisan Parfumeur Concrete de Parfum Solid of Premier Figuier

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.

All I need is a HELLO with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie @LArtisan @RobertPiguet GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-1Xp #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Sunday 15th September 2013 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner.
The winners will have till Wednesday 18th September 2013 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.

Special THANKS to LibertinePerfumerie for these giveaways. Please visit their site because they are so generous and helpful. If you wonder why they are more expensive than the discounters or OS retailers it’s because they are the only licensed company selling their fragrances in Australia; where you know you are buying new, fresh and genuine product. The cost of importing, and buying the right to import, alcohol based fragrances (and having the right to send alcohol based fragrances throughout Australia, which are illegal to send in the Australia Post air system) is expensive and they must cover their costs to bring you these luxury goods.

Creature by John Pegg for Kerosene 2012

September 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Post by Poodle

Hello APJ,

It’s hard to know just how some perfumes turn up on my radar. Sometimes a name catches my attention, sometimes a note. With Creature by Kerosene I found the name interesting and when I saw mint as a note I simply had to try it. I’d never really experienced mint in perfumes so I thought it would be a good scent to explore.

Creature by Kerosene 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Sweet birch, mint, lemon, jasmine, green tea, sage, violet leaves, cypress, cedar, patchouli, moss.

The best way I can describe this scent is try to imagine sitting out on the porch on a warm summer day. You’ve just cut the grass and now you’re relaxing with a glass of iced green tea with mint and the glass is rimmed with lemon and sugar. As you finish your drink a little sun shower passes through and dampens things just enough so that you smell a little of the dirt in the flowerbeds. It’s bright and green and just a little earthy.

$Creature Kerosene Moss_Creature RefractedMoments$ Photo Stolen RefractedMoments

Creature opens with a blast of minty freshness. I remember reading somewhere that for the average perfume buyer it’s the top notes that sell the scent. If that’s the case, then Creature would be a challenge because the mint smacks you in the face and I’m sure the mouthwash factor might cause some people to give up quickly. Itʼs a sweet mint to me, not really herbal, if that makes sense. The lemon is there, but barely. After the initial blast Creature tames a bit and I find it worth the wait as the mint gives way to a touch of fresh sage and green tea. It’s green, grassy, and fresh. I can’t honestly smell the jasmine or patchouli. I can smell a touch of cedar. My guess is these notes give the fragrance a little bit of earthiness and keep the whole thing from smelling like mouthwash even though they aren’t that apparent to my nose. There is a good bit of time when it does smell like mint muddled with sugar. Or perhaps it’s a sweet mint gum. Oddly enough, I like it. It seems to go back and forth between sugared mint and fresh, clean green and gradually just fades away. I get a few hours out of it but I wouldn’t mind refreshing this one, like popping a fresh piece of gum in your mouth when the flavor is gone. For something with a name like Creature I find this to be surprisingly soft and wearable by either a man or a woman.

Photo Stolen Johan J.Ingles-Le Nobel Flickr

I wasn’t sure how I felt about Creature at first, didnʼt think I liked it, thought the mint was too much, but it stayed on my mind and I kept wanting to test it again. (I have to admit when I see mint in a perfume I always think its going to smell like I’ve pulled a muscle and used some pain relieving rub.) I find the minty burst in Creature to be fun in a weird way and once it subsides it actually becomes a rather lovely green perfume on me. There was no swampy odor, nothing slimy or moldy either. It does smell green, but any other mental associations I have with the word creature donʼt seem to fit.
As I was writing this, hubby asked what I was up to and I shoved my wrist under his nose. He took a good sniff of it and gave it a thumbs up. Despite all that I fear that poor Creature will be a scent you either love or hate based on how you feel about mint. Even though I’m known for making blind buys, I recommend sampling this one. I did find a few comments online that said it did smell swampy to some people. I detected nothing of the sort so oneʼs chemistry and nose may play a big part in whether this one works on you or not. Iʼm not even sure why I like it. It is an unusual perfume and probably not for everyone. That being said, I totally want a bottle of it.

Photo Stolen Robbert van der Steeg Flickr

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and FromPyrgos
MinNewYork has $140/100ml and also you can buy samples
Surrender To Chance starts at $4/ml

So, are you a mint lover, or do you like it only in your toothpaste? Iʼm intrigued by the whole minty perfume thing. Are there any others I should try?

Thanks,
Poodle

Mito by Vero Kern for Vero Profumo 2012

September 11, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 29 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Hi all you APJs.

I thoroughly enjoy reading Olfactoria´s occasional “Finding Hidden Beauty” blogs. The Vero Profumo perfume house and indeed Vero herself surely fall into the Hidden Beauty category. Your average person is not going to hear of these magnificent perfumes. That makes her hidden doesn´t it? One of the positives of being a perfume junkie, searching out the best and rarest of gems.

Mito by Vero Kern for Vero Profumo 2012

A Verdant Oasis

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Jasmine, galbanum, oakmoss, magnolia, hyacinths, champaca, cyprus, citrus

There has been much written about Mito. It is so rich and green and sparkly and mossy, uplifting and elegant and gorgeous.
What more can I add? Velvety, magnoliay, cypressy …………. A Verdant Oasis.

My girlfriend drives an Alfa Romeo Mito and is a brilliant photographer. The coincidence was just too good to pass up. Now then, where would be a place beautiful enough to do justice to Ms Kern´s creation, without having to drive to the Tivoli Fountains, her source of inspiration?

SALZBURG! Delivering cookies and taking pictures all in one go.

First location. Pferdeschwemme Fountain/Horse Wash. Built in about 1693. Purpose was to wash the horses before they returned to the stables. Downtown Salzburg. Now a beautiful fountain, and filming location of “My Favourite Things” in The Sound of Music. Perfect.

As we were finishing off with this location, a street band made up of a group of South Americans walked by. Much to my surprise, my usually rather
quiet and artistic friend, leapt upon the unsuspecting tuba player, and insisted that he stop and let her put Mito into his tuba. After waving her hands around
to be understood, and then placing him in the correct position, she quickly took a few shots. To be honest he didn´t really know what hit him. She wanted to place
the bottle deeper into the tuba but he was having none of that. He then demanded a kiss (I obliged, on the cheek, haha! ) and scuttled off as fast as one carrying a tuba can, to catch
up with his bandmates. Job done.

Next stop Residenzbrunnen/Residenz Fountain. (After an iced caffeine top up. It was 35 degrees and we had been taking pictures for over 2 hours)
This is a serious expression of Salzburg´s opulence. Ascribed to Tommaso de Garona (nod to the Italians!) and constructed at the wish of Bishop
Guidobald Thun from 1656 to 1661. It is 15 metres high. This is one amazingly beautiful fountain.

Photo Stolen VisitSalzberg

Salzberg Cathedral
(Maria took a pit stop here to splash water at the horses whilst singing “I Have Confidence”)

So it was a wrap. Dayle Ann Clavin, photographer, was done. Five hours, a little sunstroke and a lot of fun. Not to mention classy pictures.

Vero Kern creates. Creates for us. Bearing a little of her soul each time. And I for one am indebted to her.

I truly cannot wait to try the Mito Extrait.

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Now Smell This
LuckyScent has $215/50ml
Surrender To Chance starts at $6/.5ml

So perfume lovers, be thankful for what we have the opportunity to share in.

Bussis
CQ

Bohemia GIVEAWAY WINNERS

September 9, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Hello APJ,

Another great response from you all. Thanks for getting on board and being part of the fun. Thank you also to Liz Cook at ONE SEED who is a wonderful, sweet and generous person. One day I hope to go see her workshop.

Bohemia GIVEAWAY WINNERS

one seed text logo

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

There are 2 prizes this week in our ONE SEED GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:

1 x 4ml manufacturers spray sample of Bohemia
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS.

All I needed was a HELLO, with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw. There was an extra point for TWEETING and interestingly both our winners today TWEETED!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Sunday 8th September 2013 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner. (Sorry, it was Random.Org again because Jin was snoring his head off)

Photo Stolen propercourse

Undina, LeatherMountain

The winners will have till Wednesday 11th September 2013 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.

Didn’t win? Want to try the product? ONE SEED<<<JUMP

see uyou later today,
Portia x

Amber Pour Homme Intense by Prada 2011

September 7, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Hey hey Girls & Guys,

I have a buddy Scott, he is pretty new to the perfume craving and has fallen deeply into the wormhole. Every now and then he brings me something to try. Isn’t that one of THE greatest things about having perfumista buddies? We all try different stuff and come back and comment, engage, love/hate, lemming and enjoy the whole process. Living in a big city makes it easy to face to face with people but even the fragrance boards on FaceBook have been instrumental in my finding of fragrance friends, all over the world so if I’m suffering insomnia there is someone around the world ready to chat. From a lonely little fragrance addicted person to part of a culture and community is a wonderful change.

Amber Pour Homme Intense by Prada 2011

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Italian bergamot, Somalia myrrh, Indonesian patchouli, Madagascan vanilla, amber, patchouli, labdanum, vetiver, orange blossom, geranium, tonka, musk, leather, sandalwood, saffron

When I think Prada fragrance it’s often sheer, linear and smooth. A gentle wash of fragrance that can carry you from breakfast to ballroom and is so calm and contemplative that unless you are seriously waiting for progression to happen can basically run from go to whoa as a single piece. I love that whole aesthetic, simple and uncluttered in Prada’s design and think the brand is clever, innovative and middle tier luxe in their mass market offerings. Think Prada Candy and flankers, also the infusion range, very well put together and easy to wear fragrance with a moderate life and less than average sillage and scent bubble. You will smell good but not loud, which for much of the world is how they like their fragrances.

Photo Stolen FromTheNorth Flickr

Prada’s Amber Pour Homme Intense is a different kettle of fish. It opens strong and right off the skin jumps patchouli, myrrh, amber and vanilla with that spicy/plastic saffron and a backdrop of butter, that may be sandalwood or orange blossom or their combination. the bergamot only makes its presence known on my second application over the first later in the day and it could be the pretty rasp of geranium that I notice here too? I don’t know for sure but what I do know is that Amber Pour Homme Intense is weightier than all the other Pradas that I’ve tried, it smells more niche to me, a little less smooth and perfect, smokier and dirtier in a good way. More fun, adventurous and is there a little naughty? Like the moment in movies when finally the hair is let down, the tie and top button undone, where people start to forget their walls and start enjoying the moment. Not heavy, or cloying, there is still the Prada spareness but Amber Pour Homme Intense seems to be comfortable enough with itself that it might give a saucy wink or have a drink or do something unexpected, not outrageous but new. Do I make sense? Maybe a banker who takes their shoes off to feel the grass and sun at lunchtime or a director who decides that a Monday brainstorm at the pub at 4pm might provide better results than at a formal boardroom meeting, still a private room but less uptight. A lovely soft oriental fragrance that becomes very slightly skinnish towards the end of its life at around 4 hours.Have I noted that this is a perfectly unisex offering, please don’t think it’s for one or the other, Amber Pour Homme Intense is a good, very reasonably priced, everyone scent.

Photo Stolen Matthias Rhomberg Flickr

Further reading: Chemist In A Bottle talks about original Amber Pour Homme and Now Smell This talks Intense
FragranceNet has $42/50ml before coupon
My Perfume Samples starts at $3.50/ml

Have you tried either of the Prada Amber Pour Homme’s? Original or Intense? Do you agree with my unisex thought? Would you wear it?
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

Puredistance Sample GIVEAWAY WINNERS

September 6, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Do go enter our Bohemia by One Seed GIVEAWAY too<<<JUMP

Hello Frag Hags,

We have had an amazing response to the PUREDISTANCE Giveaway. Thank you for all getting involved. Thank you also to LuckyScent who supplied the samples. These are the 1ml dab vials in a lovely satin pouch, not the boxed sample pack that you can buy at LuckyScent for $60, but still worth around $30 so a pretty good deal.

Puredistance Crystal Column LuckyScent

Puredistance Sample GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

There are 2 prizes this week in our PUREDISTANCE GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:

4 x 1ml dab vials from PUREDISTANCE (Antonia, Opardu, M and I)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS.

All I needed was a HELLO with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 5th September 2013 10pm Australian EST.
Winners were chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner. (This didn’t happen because Jin was sound asleep, I gave you all a number and used Random.org)

Photo Stolen shannonmayer

Melita, Patty P

The winners will have till Sunday 8th September 2013 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.

Thank You everyone.
Portia xx

World Peace, Hippies, Patchouli Oil and The Evolution of Human Consciousness

September 3, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

We owe the Hippies from the 60′s a great deal more kudos than they receive today. They tapped into the energy of the coming of the new world age, and displayed a radical yet peaceful way of behaviour. It really was the first signs of the “dawning of the age of Aquarius” and 50 years later we, the common people, are really feeling the vibe in everyday life. The age of Aquarius is finally here and we are being summoned by the universe to improve, change, be kind to animals, be peaceful, add value to the world, be positive, look after the earth, tap into our spirituality and connect with people we have never met before. The scent of change in the 60′s was patchouli oil, and as a scent of peace, it is our oil now! It is an oil of the evolution of mankind.

World Peace, Hippies, Patchouli Oil and The Evolution of Human Consciousness

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

Patchouli oil on it’s own is not particularly lovely, but when used with others oils, really comes alive. It is a “base oil” meaning that is dark, deep and heavy and related to the base and second chakras. The base chakra “Muladhara” is about survival (food, nurturing, shelter) and the second chakra “Svadisthana” is about our scared sexuality.

So it’s easy to understand why the hippie culture used this amazing oil. It is “grounding” as it helps us place our attention on our lower chakras – the ones closest to the earth. It helps us place our feet firmly in this world now and creates an empathy toward the planet and all the beings who reside on this planet. I would even say patchouli oil is almost buddhist in its existence.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

The “free love” ethos of the hippie culture was supported by patchouli oil, and a need to connect with others in a deeply spiritual and sexual manner. It was all about the sharing the love and if we are to evolve beyond war, famine, politics and money we need to be peaceful and loving. We need patchouli oil!

Patchouli oil is also;

* great for skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis to help calm the symptoms

* wonderful to blend with other oils to help consolidate the scent and keep the formula in harmony

* a good oil to use on nail fungal infections – a drop straight from the bottle is best for this treatment

* an oil used to stimulate cell growth (like lavender) and therefore lovely in skin and hair care

Photo Stolen fragrancebelleslettres

Recipes:

Hair Mask

Warm 6 teaspoons of olive oil, add the following essential oils, then massage into hair and scalp. you can sleep on a towel overnight so the oils really penetrate, or wash and condition after an hour.

“Rapunzel”

Patchouli 4 drops

Lavender 6 drops

Orange 5 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Body Oil

A deep moisturising oil blend to promote peace and harmony in your environment. To 3 teaspoons of oil (almond, jojoba, sunflower, grape seed) add:

“Miss Universe”

Patchouli 2 drops

Rosewood 4 drops

Ylang Ylang 2 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or an electric vapouriser add:

“Om, Baby”

Patchouli 5 drops

Mandarin 15 drops

Lemongrass 5 drops

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Patchouli is peace.

Patchouli is worldly love.

Patchouli is the scent of the evolution of human consciousness.

Remember to use your intention when making a blend or using an essential oils as a perfume. You will be creating your life!

Suzanne R Banks

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
Suzanne R Banks FaceBook

Brie’s Tea + Fragrance: Harney n Sons + Calyx by Prescriptives

September 2, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Brie

Perfume and Tea Musings: My Introduction to Thai Cuisine

Calyx by Sophia Grojsman for Prescriptives 1987

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Apricot, passionfruit, mint, mandarin orange, cassia, peach, mango, bergamot, grapefruit, papaya and guava
Heart: Cyclamen, lily, melon, freesia, orris root, jasmine, neroli, marigold, lily-of-the-valley and rose
Base: Musk, oakmoss, cedar, sandalwood and vetiver.

For the first thirty years of my life I resided in New York City. My first apartment as a young adult was within walking distance of a miniscule ten table restaurant called “Simply Thai”. It was owned and run by a fearsome threesome team :siblings from Thailand. The brother was the chef while one sister served as hostess and the other as waitress. This restaurant quickly became my weekly haunt. For $8.95 the early bird special offered up a glass of wine, an appetizer, main entrée and dessert. Every Friday evening my friends and I would devour chicken sate, pad thai and black bean ice cream. The fragrance I always wore on those special nights was Prescriptive’s Calyx. The perfume’s overripe, fruity/tartness, with a green tropical vibe perfectly suited the atmosphere and food in Simply Thai.

(Sadly, Calyx has been reformulated. I own a small vial of the current version. Although it bears the skeletal remains of the original, the overripe fruit, extremely tart concoction has been replaced with a milder, more floral, fresher scent).

Bangkok Tea by Harney and Sons

Photo Stolen Steepster

Harney and Sons Bangkok, a green tea with notes of ginger, lemongrass, coconut and vanilla might appear to be an oddity: a schism between the green/spicy lemongrass and ginger combo and the creaminess of the coconut/vanilla mix. Nonetheless, the notes manage to come together to make this an unusually delectable tea. It is the perfect accompaniment to the Thai food and Calyx perfume.

My introduction to Thai food in this quaint little restaurant whetted my appetite and desire to explore other cultural and ethnically diverse cuisines which developed into a lifelong endeavor. When I drink Bangkok tea and wear my Calyx perfume, I reflect back to that time and place. It serves as a powerful reminder of how truly blessed I was to be surrounded by the very best of friends, great food and an unusual, fabulous, fragrance!

Harney and Sons site has Bangkok starts at as little as $2 for samples.
FragranceNet starts at $22/15ml for Calyx
Surrender To Chance starts at $5/2ml

Till next month,
Brie x

(Ed: Brie wrote these lovely musings in advance and will not be able to reply but Portia will if you comment)

Puredistance Sample

September 1, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 66 Comments

Hello lovely Fumies,

We have an excellent giveaway for you today, earlier in the year I hosted the SCENTSATION Bus Tour of Los Angeles for the Perfume Posse crew. It was an amazing day and all of us had a super great time. Our first stop was at the Lucky Scent brick and mortar shop Scent Bar where we had brunch and sniffing with several perfumers and promoters in attendance to lead us through their wares. We all got the most incredible goody bags and because I was hostess and a good shopper I got an extra. Inside were, and there still are, some outrageously amazing things. Today you get to be in the running for one of two sets of something extremely precious!!

Puredistance Sample GIVEAWAY

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

From Fragrantica: Puredistance was founded by Jan Ewoud Vos in Vienna (Austria).
The choice to make Vienna the city from which Puredistance would gradually spread over Europe and the rest of the world is a consequence of the fact that only Vienna seamlessly fits the philosophy of the Puredistance concept.
Not only is Vienna the city of elegance and pureness, it also has for many centuries been a centre of art, attracting artist and free thinkers from all over the world. Notably the world famous Wiener Werkstätte (Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists, it was founded in 1903. by the artists Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser). The Wiener Werkstätte style is characterized by pure lines and minimal decoration.

Photo Stolen Kesha&Co

PUREDISTANCE GIVEAWAY!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

There are 2 prizes this week in our PUREDISTANCE GIVEAWAY. Each winner will receive:

4 x 1ml dab vials from PUREDISTANCE (Antonia, Opardu, M and I)
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

All I need is a HELLO with how you follow for you to be eligible for the draw.

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie Puredistance GIVEAWAY http://wp.me/p3PURw-1Wc @puredistance #Perfume #Giveaway

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 5th September 2013 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and Jin will pick a winner.
The winners will have till Sunday 8th September 2013 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.

Go To It!!
Portia xxx

Dangerous Complicity by Violaine Collas for Etat Libre d’Orange 2012

August 31, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

Hey frag hounds,

There has been a lot of talk about the two fragrances released around the same time by ELdO, Afternoon of a Faun and today’s offering. Having loved the Claude Debussy Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun as a child I will spend some real time with it, and the fragrance, soon for you. I really enjoy the name of the fragrance that we’ll be talking about today….

Dangerous Complicity by Etat Libre d’Orange 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one linew:
Rum, ginger, Chinese osmanthus, coconut, bay leaves, calamus, leather, patchouli, ylang ylang, Egyptian jasmine, Lorenox, cashmere wood, sandalwood

So you have probably read the back story of Dangerous Complicity, Adam & Eve: “By eating the forbidden fruit, complicity took on another dimension, and became dangerous. They lost their innocence and their paradise. The door was opened to carnal energy, they were liberated from restrictions, and they could now create their own version of Eden” The inspiration is a story that most Christians and many others are aware of. A good place to start but fraught because we all have our own preconceived idea of how that fall should smell.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Opens sprightly citrus, ginger, vanilla and tea-ish, like a milky chai. This is a surprise because everything I’ve been reading says that Dangerous Complicity is only dangerously generic. Not how Dangerous Complicity opens for me at all, um, HA HA HA HA!! Note to self, put your glasses on before you spritz! Ha Ha Ha HA HA HA!! I am an IDIOT. Hilarious. Sorry all I’ll be back to review this after my next bath.

OK Back on track and we have spritzed…….

So are these notes for real? I miss all ginger and rum completely but get a soft wash of very pretty flowers that are absolutely depthless. A fragrant solo soprano equivalent, floating and disconnected from anything earthly but without any of the chills and goosebumps. Soft, feminine and wispy, a winsome fragrance for people who don’t want to overshadow their own scent but enhance it with pretty waxy florals that float through the heart. Is this made for Asia? For schoolgirls? How did they get this name? Seriously, this is the perfumer who brought us Honour Woman by Amouage, at least this shows diversity, he he he.

I think Dangerous Complicity is called that because it’s Dangerous to Comply with the current trend for some drugstore offerings and some celebuscents: ethereal whispers of bland nothing. Or are the ELdO people proclaiming their outrage at the IFRA regs coming in and making a bland statement against what could end up being all we are allowed to have in perfume very soon? Remember the fuss when By Killian brought out the Asian Tales series? Was there the same outrage for this or was everyone so uninspired that they let it slide?

Photo Stolen ⚫ Flickr

Further reading: The Non Blonde
LuckyScent has $149/100ml and samples
Surrender To Chance starts at $4.50/ml

Have you tried Dangerous Complicity? Is it just not working on my skin? Please tell me that it’s not as banal as I am getting.
Portia xx