Orange Flower Soliflore by Dame Perfumery 2016

June 30, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Robert Herrmann

Hey there frag friends!

Robert H. here writing from my small island home in the Pacific Northwest. Today I am drenched in, and loving…..

Orange Flower Soliflore by Dame Perfumery 2016

Anytime I get a package from Arizona’s Dame Perfumery with new soliflores is a happy and exciting day indeed!

After Jeffrey Dame’s stunning photorealistic Gardenia soliflore from 2015, I was wondering how the hell he could ever top that, that is until now. You make it better by adding some photorealistic orange flower to the top, et voila!

This gorgeous soliflore opens with an enormous blast of pithy and bitter orange, flesh, peel, stem, leaves, blossoms and all. The scent of an orange being cut open on a warm sunlit terrace, your hands sticky and runny with the juice. Not just any orange however, this is a “Fruit Of The Month” quality citrus, you know….the ones you get at the holidays in the cardboard padded box? Six oranges for $30.00, fresh from the orchard, organic, unblemished, and just perfect. Yeah, THAT orange.

As you sit on your sun-drenched terrace and the smell of this magnificent fruit flows over you, you also notice the smell of the potted jasmine and gardenia starting to mix in, and underneath it all the sweet clean musk scent from the skin of your bronzed companion sitting right beside you. Or maybe the cabana boy? It’s your call!

Now I happen to know that Dame Perfumery knows how to do Musk really well, and if you haven’t tried his New Musk Oil or Cologne, go online RIGHT NOW and order some samples!! (Make sure you get the Gardenia as well). So mixing a touch of musk and gardenia with the glorious citrus is a stroke of genius. The result is a beautiful citrus-centric white floral that will make you roll your eyes back in your head. Sadly, the longevity is not terrific, but that’s actually just fine. The rollerballs are such a great deal that you can re-apply with abandon all day long, with no regrets at all!

Dame Perfumery has $35/10ml rollerball

Have you tried any of the Dame Perfumery range? Any other Orange flower perfumes that you absolutely adore?

Safari Woman by Dominique Ropion for Ralph Lauren 1990

June 26, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Anne-Marie

I missed Safari when it first came out and one way or another, I only discovered it about 25 years later. Well, better late than after discontinuation! So this is a review of a new friend, not an old buddy.

Safari Woman by Ralph Lauren 1990

Safari Woman by Dominique Ropion

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: orange black currant, tagetes, mandarin orange, narcissus, galbanum, hyacinth, cassis
Heart: rosemary, orange blossom, orris root, jasmine, rose
Base: sandalwood, amber, patchouli, vetiver, cedar

Barbara Herman in her book Scents and Subversion adds honey as a middle note, and I agree. For me, honey is a key characteristic in Safari. Yes, the green bitter notes – galbanum and hyacinth especially – are very prominent. Much as I like green florals and chypres, sometimes they are too bitter for me and in Safari, this is held in check by a sweetness that feels like honey. Not saccharine, but rich, smooth and dark. This may be what gives Safari the warm languor which is referenced in the ads (about which more in a moment). There’s fruit in there but the overall effect is dry rather than juicy.

Safari has a reputation for strength and tenacity, a scent in high 1980s style. My bottle was bought in 2016 and while the texture of the fragrance is dense, I would not have said it matches those big ol’ 80s monsters. Perhaps reformulation has toned it down. After a strongish start, I find that Safari settles to a hum quickly. The fragrance lasts all days with just moderate sillage. By the end, I do get a little tired of Safari. The tussle between crisp greenery and smooth sweetness plays out on my skin all day. Nothing wins, and I’m glad when they finally blend and fade.

From bottle to packaging to marketing, the art direction for Safari is beautiful, as you’d expect from Ralph Lauren. The video ad takes us to Africa, of course. Mr Safari bashes on a typewriter (channelling Ernest Hemingway), while Ms Safari shoots the wildlife (with a camera). A bit of lazy canoodling goes on. No doubt there will be drinks on the veranda at sunset, served by native servants. Sorry, I’m not interested in all this colonialist shtick.

Safari for women is almost impossible to find in retail shops in my part of the world, and occasionally some reviewers have wondered if it is discontinued. It’s easy to find online though. The men’s version, a fougère released in 1992, is everywhere. I have not smelled it. Do comment if you know it.

iha

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Non Blonde
FragranceNet has $64/75ml Before Coupon

What about you? Was Safari part of your perfumed past? Is this what you would wear out there on the savannah, cuddling a baby lion?
Until next time, keep spritzing everyone!

Bas de Soie by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2010

June 24, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Post by Portia

Hiya Fumies,

For some reason I have always overlooked todays fragrance. Not sure why. Nothing about it has ever jumped out at me but I’d also never read the notes list. Having fallen truly, madly and deeply in love with Apollo Hyacinth by Eric Buterbaugh Florals it suddenly seemed necessary to try another hyacinth fragrance and Serge Lutens often creates the benchmark, so it was to his that I gravitated.

Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens 2010

Bas de Soie by Christopher Sheldrake

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Iris, galbanum, hyacinth, spices, musk

One year when we were kids my Mum splurged on a packet of Hyacinth bulbs. We were great gardeners, Mum & I, and spent whole weekends together creating and recreating the garden. Sydney is a funny climate and most bulbs get one year of fabulous and then rot in the ground. Anyway, this year the Hyacinths came up and were a beautiful blue, Mum was thrilled. Bas de Soie reminds me of the feeling that Mum & I had really achieved something to have these beautiful flowers to show for our efforts.

Bas de Soie reminds me of that spring. It’s alive, fresh, hopefull springlike green opening is so like the sap of freshly cut hyacinths. It has that glorious galbanum which smells both incredibly cool and aloof while also giving me a smooth, resinous, shiny and reflective smell. I am explaining it very badly but hopefully you understand.

Pixabay

Iris is green and only lightly powdery. Actually it’s like the cool spring morning air blowing through the lovely green and grey leaves of the iris, that makes the flowers shiver of their impossibly long stems. Then the startling cascade of colour, a positive riot of purples, yellows, oranges and pinks.

About 30 minutes in and then Bas de Soie changes. It warms through slightly, while still being green and light as air, maybe the spices and musk but it feels woody and earthy.

Now you will be fragrant, people will smell you, but there is little chance of your fragrance ever skunking anyone if you’re wearing Bas de Soie. It’s a very pretty floral. Maybe if CHANEL No 19 is a bit too severe then the friendliness of Bas de Soie could quite well be a better fit for you.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Megan In St. Maxime
LuckyScent has $135/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/0.5ml

Do you have a hyacinth fragrance you love? Maybe something that smells so fresh and new?
Portia xx

Love-In-A-Mist by Charna Ether for Providence Perfume Company 2016

June 22, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Greetings to my people!

I just want to say how thrilled I am that you all “get it.” Being able to connect with fragrance lovers all over the world is a precious gift, and I love you all! My life has been particularly charmed the last few years since discovering my heaven on earth, the storefront and perfume studio of Charna Ethier: Providence Perfume Company. Charna has just released her latest all-natural perfume, and it is absolutely breathtaking.

Love-In-A-Mist by Providence Perfume Company 2016

Love-In-A-Mist EdP by Charna Ether

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Wildflowers, mimosa, pink pepper, sandalwood, clover

You may have heard that last year, the Providence Perfume Company brick-and-mortar store was damaged in a fire. Repairs were swift, but the business has since relocated. A few weeks ago, I floated into the brand new Providence Perfume Company studio. The space is nothing short of enchanting. Brilliant light cascades onto precious fragrant gems. The ambience is welcoming, invigorating, soothing, and joyful all at once. I spent several hours starlit by my friend Charna’s exquisite company, inhaling serenity and chatting about our love of fragrance.

I left with the first full-size bottle ever sold of Love-In-A-Mist. This scent orbits around nigella damascena absolute, a rare essence displaying a gorgeously honeyed aroma. The sweetness is tempered by the floral lift of pink pepper and the cucumber-like shimmer of pure mimosa olessance. Sweet clover rounds out the spellbinding composition with a tender sentiment. Smoothly harmonious sandalwood hums with a subtle, peaceful tone at the base. On my skin, the pink pepper presents beautifully at the opening, while the mimosa and clover are the dominant notes through the heart of the experience. I simply can’t get enough of Love-In-A-Mist, I have been dousing it on frequently and I’ve bonded with it very strongly.

Pixabay

Love-In-A-Mist was intended to inspire memories of summer childhood romps. Running barefoot through a field of wildflowers, sun-warmed hair streaming and shining, the scent of hay hanging lazily in the air, the buzzing song of cicadas mingling with the tinkling laughter of little ones at play. Love-In-A-Mist is liquid poetry.

I am graced with the good fortune of mingling online with like-minded perfume enthusiasts, and I am even luckier to have had the opportunity to “Meet and Sniff” in person with several local kindred spirits. Above and beyond these incredible prosperities, for which my gratitude is infinite, I can’t begin to fathom the outrageous twist of fate that led me to the threshold of Charna’s perfumed oasis. She is a gifted, graceful, exceptionally talented artist whose spirit glows with genuine passion and positivity.

Providence Perfume Co.

Further reading: Scent Hive and Ca Fleure Bon
Providence Perfume Co. has $45/5ml Rollerball and larger

Have you experienced the euphoria of meeting a fellow fragrance lover in person? Or perhaps even a perfumer whose knowledge and enthusiasm inspired you? What was it like spending precious time with someone who understands our fascination and appreciation of the olfactory treasures that surround us?

Love and light to you all, until next time –

Erica

Dry Hair Shampoo

June 19, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by AF Beauty

Hello loves,

I am still on my hair journey with my keratin treatment and I am getting more and more used to it – but in an attempt to make the treatment last longer I have been using a dry shampoo about once a week to try and reduce actual washes. It’s not my first foray into dry shampoo, I’ve used it occasionally for a few years – but let me tell you – not all dry shampoos are created equal.

Dry Hair Shampoo

Speedy dirty (!) hair

Batiste

I am presently using one of the most popular dry shampoos on the market. They have seemingly a dozen different varieties, which I assume all are broadly the same but with different aromas. What drew me to it was that they have versions for different hair colours, good especially if your hair is dark and your shampoo usually white! Yes, this is Batiste Dry Shampoo – for brunettes. The various choices can be found at Batiste Hair.

I am quite impressed by this shampoo, I’d used the non-colour version before on a trial and it was equally as good. It is fine enough to distribute through the hair and not so thick that it feels clunky. My hair immediately looks better, cleaner and if I want to look like I’ve got clean hair for a day longer than might be entirely true, then Batiste does the job.

Recreate Yourself

My first use of dry shampoo was based on advice from my hair dresser, so I purchased one from him. It was this one by Matrix. This being my first use of dry shampoo, I did not know then what I know now, which is that this is up there in the royalty of shampoos. The application is super fine, my hairdresser told me to apply, rub the fine powder into the roots (to remove the oil) and then either brush or shake the hair out. The dry shampoo did an excellent job, leaving hair feeling a lot cleaner and refreshed without the claggy feeling that some shampoos leave behind. This will be my re-purchase.

Priceline

And lastly, a dry shampoo you’d expect to be up there, from Pantene. I quite like Pantene shampoo and conditioner – I can’t use it right now with Keratin treated hair, but it is well priced and does the job. So I thought I would be safe buying their dry shampoo. NOT SO! I used this a couple of times before I twigged exactly how bad it was – it made my hair feel very very dry and each wet shampoo after felt like I might never get my hair condition back. There was no obvious indicator of this at application – it was relatively fine, smelled pleasant and my hair did look clean. But there must have been some lingering action, because may hair felt quite nasty afterward, like a cheap wig. In the end I threw the remainder of the can away to avoid further use.

How have you gotten on with dry shampoos? I often use as a pre-styler for ‘big’ do’s – do you? What is your favourite?

And now I’m off to wash my hair! Till next time! X

Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Maria McElroy for Aroma M 2016

June 14, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 23 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Hey APJ Vanilla Vamps and Vampettes.

The Fox becomes a mule……..

Dr Fox, my dear friend, CB therapist and partner-in-crime recently spent a few weeks in the U S and A. I decided on the spot that it was time for a blind buy and ordered Geisha Vanilla Hinoki, the most recent of Maria McElroy´s wonderful Geisha collection. The package was posted to Frau Fox-Mule at her US address. It travelled from New York City to Salt Lake City, onto Philadelphia, down to Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, onto Washington DC, and back to New York. From here it took a flight to Munich and then on into Austria by car.

During the three week waiting period, samples arrived of the Vanilla Hinoki, the EdP and the oil. I put them in the cupboard so that the thrill of the blind buy remained. And I left them there. Hahahaha. Did I hell. The next evening I grabbed the EdP and applied a hefty dose. A gleaming flash of bergamot ignited the room making the blind buy an instant success.

Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Aroma M 2016

Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Maria McElroy

Fragrantica

Notes include: bergamot, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, lavender, smoky vanilla, incense and patchouli, amyris, cedarwood

The luscious and sharp bergamot delights for quite some time, until the tantalizing trio of clove, cardamom and nutmeg push through. With a barely touch of lavender a calmness descends. Moroccan vanilla, the star of the show bides her time, until she decides to make a lazy entrance. She rises above her costars and lies herself across them all….. and stays there for hours. Occasionally disappearing to take a breath of the revitalizing hinoki, a beloved Japanese wood, the oil of which is used in medicinal treatments. But she returns. She is not loud but nonetheless quite stubborn. People do not die in her wake, those who come in close will recognize her. Staunch and stalwart she comforts and keeps tension at bay.

I am very generous with spraying, it is not a one spritz nuclear bomb. It lasts many hours, but I do know that my skin hangs onto fragrance for an extremely long time. Vanilla Hinoki feels like something I have always had – but haven`t . It won´t be for everyone but nothing ever is, except perhaps cookies.

Further reading: Non Blonde and Colognoisseur
IndieScents has EdP $90/50ml
LuckyScent has the Perfume Oil $60/7.5ml

Maria McElroy mixes her fragrances drop by drop. The bottles are filled by her and wrapped in exquisite imported Japanese paper. A skilled craft worker creating things by hand, the definition of artisanal. May there always be people who care enough to do this.

Have you found a vanilla to wear or do you prefer to eat it?

Bergamot Bussis
CQ

Amsterdam Fragrance Adventures: TinaG’s 2016 Europe Tour

June 13, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by TinaG

The Netherlands is home base to a number of fragrance houses – Mona Di Orio, Puredistance, Hiram Green and Nasomatto to name a few. When visiting in May this year I mentioned this to my cousin Kylie, who was very interested in finding out more – so we decided to spend a day in Amsterdam hunting for Dutch perfume. What a great way for me to introduce her to the rabbit hole that is the perfume world!

Amsterdam Fragrance Adventures

TinaG’s 2016 Europe Tour

World Atlas Book

Annindryia Perfume Lounge

Our first stop also became our longest as I was totally enthralled and excited. We had dropped in to Annindryia Perfume Lounge and I had walked in to a small slice of absolute heaven. They stock a fabulous selection of Dutch and international fragrances. We were warmly greeted and shown around the display room. Kylie took to the whole experience and I’m happy to say she was instantly hooked. We sniffed and chatted for a few hours. Have a look at Annindryia Perfume Lounge site for an idea of their range. Yes they ship to Australia and yes the do samples.

Le Bienaimé by Erik Zwaga

This brand utilises the concept of up-cycling to create new fragrances from existing brands. The bottles would be familiar to most perfumistas – I spotted repurposed Chanel and Etro bottles, tied up with multi-house-branded ribbons. The names of the fragrances hint at their primary constituents: CHA-CHA-CHA-CHANEL, R-I-O-D (Dior spelt backwards), HERMEJESY. I picked up a sample of S.T.I.N.K (how could I not?) that contains Classic Opoponax, Èdition Rare – Petrolium, Floriental, Musk Tonkin, Obsessive Oudh and Song for a Queen.

Eau d’Amsterdam

Eau d’Amsterdam is a fragrant ode to the thousands of elm trees which line the city’s streets and canals. I had noted the springtime ‘snow’ without realising they were elm seeds, which behave like petals caught in the wind as they scatter themselves across the city. It is described as: Sunny green woody
It’s definitely all that, it has the dry astringency of a freshly snapped twig – really light and perfect for a warm spring day.

People of the Labyrinths

After leaving Annindryia Perfume Lounge I visited the store of fashion house People of the Labyrinths. Fabulous clothing, exquisite materials… I thoroughly enjoyed looking around & chatting to the sales assistants. They have two fragrances – A.Maze and Luctor Et Emergo. I tried both on skin and they generously gave me a sample of A.Maze.

Skins Cosmetics

Our last stop of the day was a shop & beautician Skins Cosmetics, located in the Het Conservatorium Hotel. They had a wonderful range of fragrances however most of the brands stocked I do have access to in Australia – Hermès, Frederic Malle, Byredo, By Killian, Le Labo. There were a few fragrances that I tried – the Clean range, and some of the Hermès range such as Eau de rhubarb écarlate, and Eau d’orange vert which I hadn’t tried before.

I had a fantastic day introducing Kylie to the fragrance world and checking out some special places & perfumes in Amsterdam.

Do you have a favourite Dutch fragrance house?

Tina G

Olympic Amber by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2011

June 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Fabulously Fragrant Fumies,

One of the fragrances that I come back to again and again in my fragrant journey is from the Indie Perfumer Ellen Covey. Her fragrances are usually very compatible with my chemistry and this one in particular gets a lot of skin time. It’s the easiest and most likeable amber in my collection, wearable all year round but especially nice in the cool of evening.

Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids 2011

Olympic Amber by Ellen Covey

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Labdanum, vanilla, benzoin, incense, resins, patchouli, woods

Originally this glorious, burnished beauty was made to be the base of other fragrances but once created Ellen decided it needed to be a fragrance all its own. Olympic Amber was born.

Vanilla, patchouli and lovely smooth resins waft straight out of the gate. It’s a dry sweetness, slightly bakery but more balmy. A crunchy toffee or caramelised sugar effect very reminiscent of the first crackling spoonful of creme brûlée. Crunchy and creamy, yes perfect analogy. Olympic Amber is hefty and I am fully fragrant but it manages to covey an air of spaciousness, not sheer but less dense somehow. Fragrant but not ferocious.

I could imagine this being the signature scent choice of a parent and this smell being part of what the children run to, a scent of comfort and safety. It’s as if Olympic Amber reminds me of something or someone who I felt safe around, there is no memory attached though or person.

Fairly linear, I enjoy the stability of knowing I’ll smell this good all day and evening. Perfect for extra long work, drinks, dinner days because longevity is out of this world. Spray Olympic Amber on your clothes and they will stay fragrant till the next wash. Even in the laundry basket, when I grab the clothes out I can tell if I had it on this past week from the delicious waft I get while putting stuff in the machine.

WikiMedia

Further reading: Perfume Posse and BOTO
Olympic Orchids has $18/5ml Travel Spray
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/0.5ml

What is your amber?
Portia xx

Oriza L. Legrand Sample Set

June 10, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Gorgeous People,

I recently bought the Oriza L Legrand Sample Pack. Sheesh! There are SO MANY fragrances in this line in only 4 years. 16 fragrances! That’s a lot. €38 for 16 x 2ml samples and FREE World Shipping is a rare opportunity to smell them all. So begins the rather daunting Oriza L Legrand adventure….. I’m going to test some for the first time and give you my 20 minute run of them in word association.

Oriza L. Legrand Sample Set

Oriza L Legrand

Heliotrope Blanc Oriza L. Legrand 2014

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom, heliotrope, violet leaf
Heart: Almond, heliotrope, mimosa, iris
Base: Musk, heliotrope, rice, benzoin, tonka bean

Soapy, powdery, breathy and all together fabulous. Very waxy, a little bit make-up-ish and quite pretty. The green is squeaky under the powder and then the creamy nuttiness of almond comes through just enough to balance it out. There is something quite alcoholic about Heliotrope Blanc, the sharp tang of rice wine in amongst the maquillage. Once the breathy opening is gone all humanity leaves and we are left with a cold powder, a shimmering eye shadow and a waxy lipstick. Perfect for a Drag Queen, wearing it tonight.

Reve d’Ossian Oriza L. Legrand 2012

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Incense, aldehydes, maritime pine
Heart: Cinnamon, benzoin, elemi, tonka bean, guaiac wood, opoponax
Base: Balsamic notes, sandalwood, leather, labdanum, amber, musk

Sparkling incense, dry, desiccated and shimmering over a woodsy, dusty heart of resins. Hints of make-up and fur coats, cool winds and chanting monks. Reve d’Ossian reminds me of McLeodgang in the Indian Himalayas where the Dalai Lama and his monks live in exile. The smell of wet wood, dry incense, humanity and hope is all hidden in this beautiful gem. The dry down is sweeter and warmer, almost cozy but still holds the cool unburned incense smell inside.

Muguet Fleuri Oriza L. Legrand 2014

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Green leaves, grass, lily-of-the-valley
Heart: Galbanum, angelica, violet leaf, lily-of-the-valley
Base: Lily-of-the-valley, oakmoss, lily

If you like Muguet des Bois by Coty and are unafraid of ultra green, thick coiling ropes of galbanum then you may have found your fragrance. Muguet Fleuri is a cool, green, lotv powerhouse that bypasses all cleaning product references and goes straight for the ice cold metallic modern style. Backed by violet leaf and lily with a medicinal sweet/sharpness I find it arresting, aloof and vegetal, verging on bitter. Relentlessly green even as it fades to nothing. LOVE it.

Go check out Oriza L. Legrand Sample Set: 16 fragrances! €38 for 16 x 2ml samples and FREE World Shipping

Do you like the Oriza L.Legrand fragrances? Which of these piques your fancy?
Portia xxx

Queen Of The Night by Bertrand Duchaufour for Grandiflora 2016

June 7, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Hello gorgeous APJ people! I have some local Sydney fragrant goings ons to share with you today:

You have to be very swift if you wish to chat to Sydney based, floral artist, Saskia Havekes about any particular project, as the minute she completes one she dives head first into the next. I find her humble, inspirational and extremely driven. Beautiful in both looks and personality, I always enjoy and feel privileged for the times I’ve popped into her “flower cave,” Grandiflora in Potts Point for a catchup.

Queen Of The Night by Grandiflora 2016

Queen Of The Night by Bertrand Duchaufour

Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora – A Head Spinning Catch Up and a new fragrance!!

Later this month Saskia will travel to France where she will release Grandiflora’s fourth fragrance – Queen Of The Night by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. BERTRAND DUCHAUFOUR!! My mind boggled at how she came about working with one of my (and many of your) favourite perfumers: “ I made contact with Bertrand on a bended knee after I was formally introduced to him by by a dear mutual friend in Cabris. He had heard of our work and of course I always loved his Calamus he created for Comme des Garcons…..An all time favorite of mine” said Saskia.

The transient Queen of the Night flowers open for only 1 hour at night and are rumoured to be a very strong aphrodisiacs, hypnotic, “stirring up the loins.”(Oh my!!) After it flowers, it is spent, thus it is a real privilege to experience it – both the scent and visually. Late night parties do occur to observe the flowers bloom – attending one is now firmly on my bucket list!

Saskia is behind the enlightening floral artistry within the pages of Michael Edwards – Fragrances Of The World, 2016 guidebook, releasing this month. Her partner, Gary Heery is a renowned photographer and together they truly have made magic happen, ensuring every composition is emotive and captivates. The pictures tell the story of each fragrance-family group. Saskia uses her materials – flowers, woods, greenery, spices, honey and more, just like a painter, focused on colours and textures. Materials are overlapped, teased and made prominent. Increased attention to space and light around the materials was given, compared to the dense nature of the beautiful work she did for Fragrances Of The World 2013 guidebook.

Last month I was lucky to work with Saskia and her team as part of Australian fashion label, Aje’s Sydney Fashion Week show at Carriageworks, Sydney. It was my job to fill the huge space with Magnolia Grandiflora Sandrine fragrance, creating an unexpected and much talked about scented ambience for the runway – a first for Sydney fashion week!

In April, Grandiflora released their first candles, Madagascan Jasmine and Queen Of The Night, collaborating with France’s oldest candlemakers, Cire Truden. Both are encased in gold dipped, Italian porcelain vessels and housed in beautiful Magnolia Grandiflora packaging and available from the Grandiflora store and online.

Busy, right?! What an incredible woman and just so great for us she is Sydney based. I’ll be back soon with some more on the Queen of the Night launch in France later this month and hopefully a giveaway or two! In the meantime I think we should all be rushing to find some of these incredible plants so we can all experience the magic of the Queen of the Night in bloom! Have any of you experienced this phenomenon?

Until next time,
Ainslie XX

Australian Perfume Junkies

Olfactory Opinions from Oz

shopping

Orange Flower Soliflore by Dame Perfumery 2016

Orange Flower Soliflore by Dame Perfumery 2016

Safari Woman by Dominique Ropion for Ralph Lauren 1990

Safari Woman by Ralph Lauren 1990

Safari Woman by Dominique Ropion

Bas de Soie by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2010

Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens 2010

Bas de Soie by Christopher Sheldrake

Love-In-A-Mist by Charna Ether for Providence Perfume Company 2016

Love-In-A-Mist by Providence Perfume Company 2016

Love-In-A-Mist EdP by Charna Ether

Dry Hair Shampoo

Dry Hair Shampoo

Speedy dirty (!) hair

Amsterdam Fragrance Adventures: TinaG’s 2016 Europe Tour

Amsterdam Fragrance Adventures

TinaG’s 2016 Europe Tour

Annindryia Perfume Lounge

Le Bienaimé by Erik Zwaga

Eau d’Amsterdam

People of the Labyrinths

Skins Cosmetics

Olympic Amber by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2011

Olympic Amber by Olympic Orchids 2011

Olympic Amber by Ellen Covey

Oriza L. Legrand Sample Set

Oriza L. Legrand Sample Set

Heliotrope Blanc Oriza L. Legrand 2014

Reve d’Ossian Oriza L. Legrand 2012

Muguet Fleuri Oriza L. Legrand 2014

Queen Of The Night by Bertrand Duchaufour for Grandiflora 2016

Queen Of The Night by Grandiflora 2016

Queen Of The Night by Bertrand Duchaufour

Saskia Havekes of Grandiflora – A Head Spinning Catch Up and a new fragrance!!