Tara Smith of Olfactoria´s Travels visits Vienna + Photo Essay

March 10, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Hey APJ,

Couldn´t go without taking some Mozart Balls, known as Mozartkugeln here, originally known as Mozart Bonbon. They were first created by a Paul Fürst in 1890 and named after Wolfgang Amadeus himself. Since then there have been others made by other manufacturers, with similar recipes. I only buy the handmade originals and made a trip to downtown Salzburg to get them. They are elegant and utterly delicious.

Tara Smith of Olfactoria´s Travels visits Vienna

So the day finally arrived. I had been excited for weeks. Old jeans, full make-up, minus the red lipstick. Didn´t wanna look like I was heading home after a night´s work as I needed to be on the train by 06.30. Hahaha. I would apply that when I reached my destination. Kiki Voile d’Extrait and Kiki Extrait being the SOTD, bucket of cookies in hand – I headed off to the Bahnhof.

I sat down and made myself comfortable, as did the guy opposite me.

We met in our regular French café in Vienna’s first district just before ten. I arrived shortly after the girls, Birgit, Tara and Sandra, all well known to you as Olfactoria and her team (Olfactoria’s Travels).

When I first met these great ladies, perfume was our common interest. Indeed we spent hours talking new releases, samples, decants, swops and so on. Now as we have got to know each others families, challenges, other loves and hobbies, the friendships are changing and becoming a more fully rounded part of our lives. We breakfasted on teas, cappuccinos, smoked salmon croissants and roasted goat cheese. Birgit took off afterwards to take care of some chores and us three headed off to visit a couple of perfume stores and walk round the city.

Perfume? It´s not quite what it used to be. When you have been a perfume junkie for as long as we have, few things remain really interesting.
We all live in or near big European cities and therefore have had ample opportunity to try so many things. The stores we visited in Vienna though are very lovely, architecturally too, and Sandra (and of course Birgit) are well known to all of them. They made us very welcome. We did have one serious goal, and that was to try Misia, the new Chanel Exclusif. Sadly, but not surprisingly it hadn´t arrived yet. Tara will try it in London next week and let us know if we need it. There was a brief moment in our travels where I totally lost my mind and sprayed Nicolai Cuir Cuba Intense straight onto my skin. Uhm – no. Not now, not ever.

Sandra´s son joined us along the way, having finished kindergarten for the day, We lunched together. French fries. Nothing better than lunch with a kid. We met back up with Birgit late afternoon and Tara was whisked off in preparation for the two of them to leave for London early the next morning. Could a day have been more perfect?

I had an uneventful trip back home on the train, and spend a good deal of it chatting with Vanessa from Bonkers About Perfume. I will be meeting up with her in Germany next month so stay tuned APJ.

Viennese Bussis
CQ

CHANEL S-S 2015 Making Of Video

March 8, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Hey All,

Recently we showed the CHANEL S/S 2015 Haute Couture show. Here is a little snippet of what it took to make those fabulous gowns the 3D extravaganza that they are. If you love seeing some of the tricks behind the scenes then you will be mesmerised by this 2.34 minute video.

I hope you enjoy,

Portia xx

Photo Stolen Twitter

CHANEL S-S 2015 Haute Couture Collection

CHANEL S-S 2015 Making Of Video

Une Voix Noire by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2012

March 7, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Hey there APJ,

This is what I wrote about Une Voix Noire in a mini review. With more wear my views have changed, not hugely but a bit.

Une Voix Noire by Serge Lutens: Gardenia done with a berry intro and a dark breathy dry down. A boozy gardenia that sits quietly on my skin, extremely beautiful, sensual, exotic and alluring but a close set beauty that has good sillage but not too strong projection. Excellent movie or theatre choice.

Une Voix Noire by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

The stars rise in chorus. The night sky is filled with the light of the moon.

Une voix noire : jazz, drinks and the night, and, beyond all that, a troubling line of white, gardenia-scented smoke.

GOSH! This is an extremely polarising fragrance. Made in honour of Billie Holiday, the sultry voiced chanteuse whose life was grim, grim and tortured. She was abused, a drug addict who came from very little and ended up with tragedy. Yes, her voice was velvet and she sang so heartbreakingly because her life was what it was and so she could sell her pain and angst in song. How does Une Voix Noire bring this life and voice alive?

Hairspray, booze and white flowers to open, that fabulous old fashioned hairspray that they called Lacquer. It is still used by Drag Queens to hold our wigs firm for months. The white flower is not at all Gardenia to me but a mix & match of all the white flowers and there’s a plastic/make up feel like the swipe of an expensive lipstick over a heavily powdered greasepaint and pan-stick. These smells are a Drag Queens stock in trade, so beautifully woven together in Une Voix Noire. I can imagine this being a part of how Billie Holiday would smell after a performance, there is something very lived in about Une Voix Noire.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

The heart feels sweaty and floral, white flowers and some wet-ish lily of the valley or peony perhaps. I’m getting a herbal back beat but no idea what it or they are, it’s sweet green and a little spicy and I think some buttery ylang goodness floating through too. Sweet white flowers, not sugared but like marzipan is both sweet and not sweet, actually there is a mintiness and the whole heart has a very interesting smell that reminds me of those fake teeth you used to get, remember? They were so fun to pretend you had these glamorous buck teeth in ultra white.

Sadly I miss out on most of the smokiness and Une Voix Noire stays pretty linear after the heart merely warming through with some sweet resinous vanilla/amber but still over the top is this white flower, not living Gardenia but kind of a drug store fragrance simile to it, and hairspray.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

From my description it reads like I don’t care for Une Voix Noire, you couldn’t be more wrong. I freaking LOVE it. The lasting power is not so great for me though so I rarely reach for it to leave the house for work or play. Maybe I’ve used four or five of my 10ml decant that I bought in a split from AndreaW ages ago. When I do wear it I love it sick though.

Further reading: Now Smell This and
Une Voix Noire is available in the Exclusives line from Paris, Barney’s New York (I think) and online at Serge Lutens
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/.5ml

How do you feel about Une Voix Noire? Is it one of your Serge Lutens favourites?
Portia xx

Fragrances of the World 2015: 31st Annual Edition

March 6, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Hi there APJ Crew,

Every year a new and improved version of our Fragrance Bible is released by Fragrances Of the World. This years cover is the prettiest shade of mint green ever and I can’t wait to add it to my collection. The cover is the least impressive thing about this book though. Michael Edwards knowledge and years in the industry are what makes this so special.

Portia xx

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Book Launch:

Fragrances of the World 2015

The Fragrance Bible ®

31st Annual Edition

Fully Revised and Updated

In 2014, more than 1600 new perfumes appeared on the market. How to keep track?

Fragrances Of the World continues to be the leading guide for fragrance classification. Universally regarded as the ‘bible’ of perfumery, independent and impartial, unsurpassed in both its research and scope, this is the definitive reference trusted by perfumers, executives, journalists, retailers, collectors and shoppers worldwide.

“For me, Fragrances of the World is more than a guide book,” says Sumit Bhasin, Head of P&G Prestige’s Creative Development team. “It is the reference book for our industry. Michael’s in-depth knowledge combined with the very factual and up-to-date of fragrance references, makes it the go-to guide. Both the book and the online databank are widely used by my team.”

Hanuš Wolf, owner of Burgins Perfumery says “The guide has proved an invaluable sales tool. I introduced the Fragrance Bible as a tool to offer a level of service previously unknown to York, and within the first week alone, the incremental sales more than paid for the Fragrance Bible.”

It all began 31 years ago when fragrance expert Michael Edwards created an annual guide to help perfume retailers advise their customers. The book organises perfumes into 14 fragrance families – including Woods, Oriental, Floral, Fruity and Citrus – and even more subfamilies from which to choose. Refreshed weekly the online databank provides current and up to date details on new launches, while the annual guide book is an iconic sales tool with current and historic references at your fingertips.

Around the world people are consulting Fragrances Of the World:

“You wear J’Adore by Dior? Now let’s see. That’s a citrus fruity floral. You should try In Love Again by Yves Saint Laurent.”

“Your enduring favourite is Terre d’Hermès? That’s a crisp woods. Try Spicebomb by Viktor & Rolf.”

“Your signature fragrance is Chloé but would like to try something new for day wear? That’s a classical rose floral. La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens is the new one for her.”

More information: Fragrances Of the World

Lucky Essential Oils for Chinese New Year – Year of the Goat/Sheep

March 4, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

2015 is the Chinese Year of the Wood Goat. Also referred to as the Sheep, this year is a more congenial year for everyone, with a very social aspect. It is a good time to nurture creativity and to work with others to help fulfill your goals. The goat is a social animal, happy to get along with others and go with the flow.

We may see a burst of creativity internationally, in art and fashion, and a growing focus on sustainability in all fields of life. Contentment in familial relationships will help us to be happier with ourselves and in all our relationships too.

Lucky Essential Oils for Chinese New Year

Year of the Goat/Sheep

Photo Stolen OpenClipArt

The essential oils that I love for everyone in this goat year are:

Patchouli – grounding and earthly ,peace, world peace

Ylang Ylang – release anger and frustration, an oil of love

Pine – inspirational, abundance through others, connect to mother nature

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Each animal sign in the Year of the Goat, will respond to challenges differently so why not use an essential oil this year as your good-luck piece of scented magic?

The Rat

Your year ahead – new opportunities, a better year than last year, take care of your health

Your lucky oil – fennel

The Ox

Your year ahead – increased work load, be more organised, avoid risks

Your lucky oil – rosemary

The Tiger

Your year ahead – creative ideas abound, be more focused, enjoy taking action quickly

Your lucky oil – petitgrain

The Rabbit

Your year ahead – plan ahead, look within to find what you love to do, help others

Your lucky oil – cedarwood Virginian

The Dragon

Your year ahead – you are in high demand, enjoy the NOW, travel

Your lucky oil – ginger

The Snake

Your year ahead – be flexible, consider your own needs, have courage

Your lucky oil – palmarosa

The Horse

Your year ahead – busy home life, listen to friends advice, work with others

Your lucky oil – mandarin

The Goat

Your year ahead – be realistic, make connections with new people, enjoy many social occasions

Your lucky oil – lemongrass

The Monkey

Your year ahead – have fun, ride the ups and downs with joy, new enterprise

Your lucky oil – cypress

The Rooster

Your year ahead – seek balance with rest, improve your lifestyle, be moderate

Your lucky oil – lavender

The Dog

Your year ahead – improve your psychic abilities, patience, accept newcomers

Your lucky oil – basil

The Pig

Your year ahead – popularity abounds, become entranced in projects, improve spiritual practices

Your lucky oil – frankincense

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Which Chinese zodiac animal are you? How will you use your lucky oil this year?

Best wishes to all my lovely readers and bon chance!
Suzanne R Banks xx

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

Please check out my new book REVELATION! – Reveal Your Destiny with Essential Oils

Amazon USA Amazon AU Amazon UK

David Mallet Shampoo + Conditioner

March 3, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

The case of the unscented shower:

While I was in Melbourne recently Jill from Peony Melbourne popped a David Mallet shampoo and conditioner sample in one of my bags. I had no idea what the hype was about the Mallet products, but since Peony only sells the best and Jill’s hair continually looks healthy and shiny, I was definitely going to give them a try.

David Mallet Shampoo + Conditioner

Photo stolen Peony Melbourne

Without reading up on them I jumped in the shower and lathered up. Something was weird. At first I didn’t comprehend what it was. SILENCE!

GASP!!

Halfway through my shower I realized: It was completely UNSCENTED!!

I don’t now how long it’s been since I have had a scentless shower, but it was relaxing…incredibly so! Fantastic even!

My poor nose is on the go almost 24/7 sniffing for scents, so the 5 minutes (I’m on tank water…) I spent washing my hair suddenly felt meditative! No distractions I was right in the moment “Zen-ing out” as I lathered my hair.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

IT FELT WEIRD!! Like an eerie silence in a place that’s normally so noisy.

It was only after as I mulled the experience over in my head that I also realized that if I were anosmic that would be my showering experience (and every experience) EVERYDAY. Just my thoughts and I, no scents to distract me and take my mind away from the moment. Is that what scents are for us? Escapism?

After a little research I learn Hairdresser David Mallet is originally Australian and now is based in Paris. He does all the celebs hair and works for all the top fashion magazines for their shoots. It’s always fab to learn about Australians who are doing so well overseas!

Photo stolen Peony Melbourne

What other scentless products do you use? Has anyone else used any effective scentless hairstyling products? What are your favorite scented beauty products? Do we have too many scented products all-screaming to us from our bathroom shelves?

Perhaps there is a time and a place to enjoy the “silence”

David Mallet is available in Melbourne and mail order from Peony Melbourne

Ainslie Walker x

Bottega Veneta: Emotion of Sound: Mini Movie

February 27, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Hi there Fashion and Fragrance Fiends,

Like so much of the work done by Bottega Veneta this 1.45m mini movie is beautifully crafted. As one of the leading new forces in designer perfumery as well as being my favoured brand of leathergoods, that woven leather is just irresistible.

Bottega Veneta says: Bottega Veneta is pleased to present its latest creative collaboration through a unique endeavor that seemingly brings Tomas Maier’s Spring-Summer 2015 collection for Bottega Veneta to life. The film, entitled “Emotion of Sound”, is the centerpiece of a unique initiative designed to emotionally engage and indulge the senses.

Photo Stolen Bottega Veneta

I hope you enjoy this lovely piece,
Portia xx

Emotion Of Sound: Bottega Veneta

J'ai Fait un Reve – Elle by Dorothée Piot for Majda Bekkali 2010

February 26, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by FeralJasmine

The main thing that I remember about childhood vacations in Florida was the extraordinary scent of orange blossoms. The cottage that we rented was rural at that time, and when I left the house early in the morning I could nearly always smell orange trees blossoming nearby. That extraordinary mix of hypnotic sweetness and underlying spice and indoles is not something that I will ever forget. I love a lot of orange blossom perfumes, but to interest me they have to be fairly complex and have enough sweetness to at least somewhat resemble the real thing. Orange Blossom is a traditional bridal flower both because of its sweet and innocent aspects and its underlying narcotic properties. Drifting along like an angel, it wafts hints of the demonic and the damned. That’s for me.

J’ai Fait un Reve by Dorothée Piot for Majda Bekkali 2010

Photo Stolen LuckyScent

LuckyScent gives these featured accords in one line:
Petitgrain, elemi, cumin, currant leaves, orange blossom, jasmine, lisylang, castoreum, white musk, white cedar, guaiac, leather, labdanum, incense, papyrus

I always become fervently interested in Orange Blossom perfumes in late winter, and this year I am loving J’ai Fait un Reve Elle by Madja Bekkali. The notes are simple enough. There are drifts of orange blossoms, a few fruits hanging in the background, the sweet white musk (on the clean side) underlying the flowers, a bit of petitgrain, with the whole given a sensual undertone by a hint of cumin.I am no fan of cumin in perfumes, but this is very subtle and really well done. It has a quality of movement on the skin that reminds me of the blossoms blowing gently in an early morning breeze. Right now, I can’t get enough of it. My orange blossom addiction usually crashes by late February, so this is a time-limited pleasure, and I use it to the hilt while it lasts.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I suspect that J’ai Fait un Reve will have a difficult time finding its audience, or maybe the audience is rather limited. It isn’t elegant and structured like 24, Faubourg. It isn’t a cuminy skank bomb like Rubj. It isn’t indolic, cumin-laden, and narcotically sweet like the SL Fleurs d’Oranger, and it isn’t a sweet delight like the Houbigant Orangers et Fleurs with its absurdly pretty nutmeg note. I love all of these except Rubj and will be wearing them constantly for the next month. But I reach for J’ai Fait un Reve more often than any of the others, simply because, right now, it smells like my orange grove, the one where I long to be lying, within hearing distance of the sea.

Photo Stolen PlayingWithSpaces

Further reading: Now Smell This (the whole line overview)
LuckyScent has $125/50ml (Currently the 120ml is on special for $125)

Dream with me, gang! What orange grove scent do you long to lounge in right now?
FeralJasmine x

Cédre Atlas by Jerome Epinette for Atelier Cologne 2015

February 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Trésor

It is this time of year when I most like to indulge myself in longing daydreams of summertime sunlight and balmy afternoons passed to combat what seems to be a lifetime sentence within a glacial dimension of never-ending ice and snow, otherwise known as a typical Canadian winter. I imagine myself not far off, lounging in tranquility on the crystalline white sands of the Maldives but within the splendid embrace of an evening’s breeze on a midsummer’s stroll through the forest behind my home. The exquisite fragrance of the trees dancing a gossamer tango with the vapours of an eau de cologne I’d lavishly splashed prior to my departure, unifying in paradisiacal harmony and guiding me so gracefully through my frost-bound reality. It is within the vitreous sapphire flacon of Atelier Cologne’s new Cédre Atlas where perfumer Jerome Epinette has mirrored this dream sequence so effortlessly, an olfactory time machine into one of my most treasured escapes.

Cédre Atlas by Jerome Epinette for Atelier Cologne 2015

Photo Stolen Sephora

BaseNotes gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon, Bergamot, Blackcurrant bud
Heart: Atlas cedarwood, Egyptian jasmine, Apricot
Base: White amber, Indian papyrus, Haitian vetiver

Cédre Atlas opens on my skin with the most ebullient note of radiant lemon underscored ever so slightly by a gentle whisper of bitter bergamot. It is not long after the initial burst of lustrous citrine that cedar begins to take centre stage. The cedar in Cédre Atlas has been executed with such visceral clarity and grows increasingly powerful the longer it spends on the skin, pushing my personal boundaries of what I would consider to be “too much” without ever actually crossing the line. I find this bit particularly fascinating and if I am being honest it is quickly becoming my favourite use of cedar I have ever encountered in a fragrance, forceful but delicate; a dichotomy and harmonious synchronicity. After about the sixth hour the cedar begins to ebb and flourishing jasmine petals descend upon the composition and make way for a sweet juxtaposition of juicy apricot painted in empyreal watercolour. The extreme dry down reveals silken tendrils of vetiver enraptured within a sensuous veil of soft, transparent amber. It is within this graceful descent that the composition becomes a skin scent and then finally becomes but a sublime memory.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

The sillage with Cédre Atlas is subtle but most certainly present, hovering around you as a soft cloud of aromatic cirrus. Longevity is what I think impressed me most, managing to cling to my skin for upwards of ten hours and finally dissipating entirely around twelve, an attribute I find rather impressive not only with this fragrance but with most of the offerings within the entirety of the Atelier Cologne range. I urge you to give Cédre Atlas a go if you are looking to experience a cedar note executed with both dynamism and grace or simply wish to take an alternative route to reliving a state of summertime bliss.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Further reading: Colognoisseur and Now Smell This
Sephora has $125/200ml
PeonyMelbourne doesn’t have it yet but I’m sure they will soon!

Do you have a favourite Atelier Cologne? Which and why?

Until next time, my darlings!
Trésor xx

Shangri La by Hiram Green 2014

February 24, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 25 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

I run a mile when I hear the word “naturals”. Not only with fragrances, but skin care, shower gels, foodstuffs – you know? Not because I am anti-natural (whatever that means) but because it generally sucks. Just read the backs of anything that claims to be all natural to see what I mean. However there are exceptions to every rule. After the explosive beauty of Hiram Green´s Moon Bloom I was thrilled to get the opportunity to try Shangri La. I do not know the first thing about natural perfumery. Hiram Green obviously does.

Shangri La by Hiram Green 2014

Shangri La, Pinks + Preconceived Ideas

From Hiram Green site: “Hiram Green creates handcrafted fragrances made exclusively from natural materials.
After founding Scent Systems, a perfumery located in central London, Hiram learnt that most perfumes, even the best quality ones,
are manufactured using synthetic materials. Wanting to offer a natural alternative to his customers, he was hard-pressed
to find anything suitable.
After relocating to the Netherlands, Hiram spent several years researching and experimenting with natural fragrant materials. in his
studio in Gouda he develops and produces his natural fragrances in small batches.”

Photo Stolen FreshWetPaint

Shangri La is named after the mythical city in the Kunlan Mountains, from the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton. Random info –
US President Franklin D Roosevelt named the presidential hideaway in Maryland Shangri La. It has since been renamed Camp David.
(Camp David conjures up an interesting picture as a fragrance name huh?) )

Coty´s Chypre played a role in Hiram Green´s inspiration. I have yet to smell it. One day when Portia takes me to Paris perhaps I will have the chance. Hiram Green is extremely talented. In my limited knowledge I do know the classic chypre, with the countless regulations in force, is an endangered species. Somehow with new technology, knowledge and talent, Hiram Green has found a way to keep it alive.

Shangri La reminds me of Mitsouko.

Hiram Green writes: “Shangri La opens with a sharp burst of citrus, followed by a rich bouquet of peach, jasmine, rose, iris and spices,
all anchored by an early base of vetiver and oakmoss.” And you know what? It really does.

Shangri La is fruity and spicy, and melds perfectly with the body. It doesn’t hover over you announcing its presence. I like that in perfumery. It is a vintage-y perfume but of the moment too. Softer than normal carnation, it smells of old fashioned “pinks”. The gardens of yesteryear. They fill the summer air with the scent of cloves. Soft, natural beauty. In medieval times, pinks were added to wine to give the flavor and smell of cloves. Spices would have been very expensive and this plant was a very good substitute and
would give the impression of mulled wine. Hiram Green has a nose and an eye for beauty, not to mention a nostalgic streak.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Shangri La is gorgeous. The reputation that naturals have of being short lived is not the case here. Shangri La lasts around ten hours.
Musky, peachy, slightly leathery, right up until the end. Office or opera.

And the icing on the cake? Hiram Green do 5ml bottles. No excuse not to try either Moon Bloom or Shangri La.
The 50 ml bottles are stunning and I would love to have one. I think it´s time for another trip to Holland.

Further reading: Scented Hound and Chemist In A Bottle
LuckyScent has $165/50ml
Hiram Green has €25/5ml

All natural bussis.
CQ

Australian Perfume Junkies

Olfactory Opinions from Oz

shopping

CHANEL S-S 2015 Making Of Video

CHANEL S-S 2015 Haute Couture Collection

CHANEL S-S 2015 Making Of Video

Une Voix Noire by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2012

Une Voix Noire by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2012

Fragrances of the World 2015: 31st Annual Edition

Fragrances of the World 2015

Lucky Essential Oils for Chinese New Year – Year of the Goat/Sheep

Lucky Essential Oils for Chinese New Year

Year of the Goat/Sheep

David Mallet Shampoo + Conditioner

David Mallet Shampoo + Conditioner

Bottega Veneta: Emotion of Sound: Mini Movie

Emotion Of Sound: Bottega Veneta

J'ai Fait un Reve – Elle by Dorothée Piot for Majda Bekkali 2010

J’ai Fait un Reve by Dorothée Piot for Majda Bekkali 2010

Cédre Atlas by Jerome Epinette for Atelier Cologne 2015

Cédre Atlas by Jerome Epinette for Atelier Cologne 2015