shopping

Limette 37 by Le Labo 2013

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Hi Hi Hi,

I know, I know, I know! I’m late to the party, this has finished its scheduled sale. Yes, I know. Here’s the thing though, I have been so inundated by fragrance that this and another 2013 release Cuir 28 have been lying idle in their pack awaiting moderation. I remember this being slated for its incredible cost $440/100ml and that it didn’t last at all well, nor was its development interesting enough to warrant such outrageous pricing. OK, so I will try it and see how it goes…

Limette 37 by Le Labo 2013

Limette 37 Le Labo FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Lime, bergamot, jasmine, petitgrain, cloves, vetiver, tonka bean, musk

Soapy, that’s what I smell. It’s like a soap we had here in Australia when I was growing up called Palmolive Gold. The tagline “Don’t wait to be told, you need Palmolive Gold” was a schoolyard maxim that would be sung to anyone showing the least sign of body odour.

Here the fresh lemony/citrus smell is tempered by jasmine, actually after the first 10 minutes jasmine become the main focus on my skin. A very clean, pretty jasmine with still a zesty citrus wash over it. I think musk is around too, though I can’t smell it exactly it feels like its there just out of my olfactory reach. All the other accords are not in evidence at the one hour mark to me, but my nose is notoriously wonky.

This morning I awoke to a very soft scent that was still humming around, a musky vanilla citrus. It was easily discernible while lying on my hand in the moments of half asleep and half awake but when I got up and walked to the kitchen to make a cuppa I lost most of it and was left with something not quite fragrant.

Limette 37 Le Labo Lemon_slice DeviantArtPhoto Stolen DeviantArt

I am sorry to agree with the majority in this instance, for the kind of dollars Le Labo were asking I want much more, I want it to sing and tap dance across the air from skin to nostril, I want fireworks and magic tricks. Don’t get me wrong, if you are filthy rich then this will be a perfectly good fragrance for you and I hope you enjoy it and your lovely life of luxury. On the other hand, if you are like me, that $440 could be spent on two or even four much more worthy bottles. For my money that’s a bottle of Ashoka by Neela Vermeire Creations and a export bottle of Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle.

Further reading: The Perfume Shrine and Now Smell This
Surrender To Chance samples start at $6/.5ml

Did you try Limette 37? Was it worth the hype for you? Did you wish for a spare $440?
Portia xx

Le Temps d’une Fête by Parfums de Nicolaï 2007

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Post by Maya

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Happy New Year APJ,

I have always been amazed at how the same scent can be perceived in so many different ways. It often made me wonder if something was wrong with me. My perceptions were usually in with the minority; for example, those who only get green beans and nothing but green beans from The Unicorn Spell.

So thank you to the New Zealand study. Scent is genetic. Our scent realities are all unique! And on that note, I’m going to give my scent opinion on a sample that tragically laid around, ignored, for way too long.

Le Temps d’une Fête by Parfums de Nicolaï 2007

Le Temps d'une Fête Parfums de Nicolaï FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, opoponax
Heart: Narcissus, jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli, woody notes

Le Temps D’Une Fete is a green floral. There is an interesting green flash at opening, and it’s gone. Then comes the true opening of narcissus and hyacinth vying for attention. I sniff one, then the other, then back again and again and again. It’s like they’re dancing and with each twirl, the other appears. It’s the early spring garden when both are in bloom. The scents of both swirl around in the breeze. You smell one then the other. Sometimes they blend together. It’s wonderful.

 le temps d'une fete parfums de nicolai *higetiger FlickrPhoto Stolen *higetiger Flickr

There is a pretty green, grassy, hay-like note that soon enters the dance floor. It has a lovely familiar element that I can’t name but really really like. This green overwhelms the flowers for a few minutes, but they will not be restrained and come out again, only more softly and gently blended. The jasmine, sadly, is sitting out the dance. The green eventually weakens a little as the oakmoss and patchouli appear on the dance floor. They twirl and swirl and here and there narcissus and hyacinth are dancing again too. This is their fete also and they’re staying. Sandalwood is shy and only does an occasional dance.

After more than an hour, the notes blend together in a happy waltz, except for narcissus. This diva makes sure she is always in the spotlight. Le Temps D’Une Fete teases me and surprises me. Most perfumes do not. With Le Temps D’Une Fete, the notes switch partners often. Both the green and the flowers share equal time. Neither takes over the dance. What fun! I have not enjoyed a new fragrance like this in a long time.

Le Temps D’Une Fete has a medium silage and I’m happy to say that I get to enjoy it on myself for at least 7+ hours.

le temps d'une fete parfums de nicolai Echo_and_Narcissus WikipadiaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Further reading: Perfume Posse and Bois de Jasmin
LuckyScent have $115/100ml
Surrender To Chance have samples starting at $3/ml

A happy and beautiful fragrance. I love it! I had heard that it was being discontinued, but have now heard, that at the very least, it will be available on demand! Have you found a new love recently or reacquainted yourself with an old one?

MayaXX

DIOR: How To Get the Trianon Look: Mini Movie

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Hiya Junkies,

As you may know I have a bit of an addictive personality, also I am a Drag Queen, so you’d think I would have box loads of make up. The answer is no. Yes, I have backups of my favourite products but everything fits into a small drawer. I do love watching makeup fashions evolve though and this season I think DIOR has hit a home run. Looking like a pastel Bambi with eyes the surprised vacant look of a bunny about to get Dunlop disease, the model is absolutely outrageously gorgeous.

Of course it is referencing Marie Antoinette but in my mind it also harks back to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. GLAM.

Like the look? Want to know how to get it? Below is a how to video.

Enjoy,

Portia xx

dior-marie-Antoinette MalayMailOnlinePhoto Stolen TheMalayMailOnline

DIOR SPRING 2014: Trianon Look

DIOR Trianon 2014Photo Stolen DIOR

Kashmir Spice by Serena Ava Franco for Ava Luxe

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments
Hey Hey Niche Nerds,

Ava Luxe is a super surprise package of fabulous frag gems. The great news is that for a micro niche brand the prices are extremely affordable and sizes are also kept small so you can try 4 or 5 Ava Luxe frags for the cost of a mainstream offering.

Kashmir Spice by Ava Luxe

KashmirSpice FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

From the Ava Luxe site:
An alluring blend of exotic spices, cashmere woods, and incense. Turkish Rose absolute weaves it way through this sensual scent.
Featured Notes: East Indian spices, frankincense, myrrh, Cashmere woods, Turkish Rose Absolute, gaiacwood, amber.

WOW!! Kashmir Spice goes on hefty and gourmand, it’s a big fat glorious wander through one of the fabulous spice stores in Northern India. There is even the dry, throat raspy feeling of intense heat and spices in enclosed spaces during an Indian summer. Totally edible and smelling like a sweeter version of the first moment the spices hit hot oil in a pan Kashmir Spice is an assault on your senses that is both enticing and memorable. The amber, frankinsense and myrrh give a lively resinous counterpoint that is sweet, balmy and dusty (The dusty may be the spices actually) at the same time. The woods and rose play only background on my skin but on Jin the rose is quite prominent, maybe you have to be further than I can get to smell it, on him Kashmir Spice’s Turkish rose absolute is like honey and rosewater baklava. MMMM! I even get a hint of ginger through the body of the fragrance and it works in the heat and the cold. I’m thinking of taking it with me on my holidays next week, that’s how much I love it.

kashmirBoats ToshaliToursPhoto Stolen ToshaliTours

I get a medium life span of around 4 hours of fragrance but after that my skin still smells better than reality, just ever so slightly vanillic, for another couple of hours and then gone. Way too perfumed for close working, borderline for dinner and cinema but perfect for all other moments when smelling gorgeous is important. At these prices you can afford to wear it as your daily after hours go-to frag, Kashmir Spice would be on a current short list for my 10 Desert Island frags.

KashmiriSpiceMarket ABC.netPhoto Stolen ABC.net

I have worn Kashmir Spice to my work a few times and it is a guaranteed compliment gatherer and people want to get in for a big ole snuffle of you, then they ask what it is that you smell of and where can they get it. Every time so far! It has also seen some fairly intense wear on my skin over time, there’s quite a lot of air in my 15ml and I will soon need to replace it.

Further reading: I could only find reviews on Make Up Alley and there is love and hate in equal measure
AvaLuxe site has 15ml EdP/$30 and 5ml extrait/$27

Take care of yourselves,
Portia xx

Disclaimer: This is a repeat post. If you have been a long time reader and this twigged your memory. I was halfway through writing a new post about Kashmir Spice when my brain asked me to check, and yes, this was originally posted on December 30 2012. I have given it a couple of tweaks but it really is the same post.

ONE SEED SCENT BAR: NEW!!

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Heya APJ Friends and Family,

Here is the most exciting thing I’ve seen in a while. we love One Seed and their creator Liz Cook here at APJ and when news like this hits the desktop I get very happy.

This is what I just got sent. WOW!!!
Portia xx

one seed text logoscent bar banner 1We are thrilled to launch our new Scent Bar online! Now you can create your own custom-fragrance using natural extracts and accords from our collection.
Simply choose your favourite top, middle and base notes from those listed, and we will expertly blend them into an 8ml atomiser for only $29.95!

VISIT THE SCENT BAR NOW…<<<JUMP

And for a limited time, we are giving you $10 off your first Scent Bar order!
This is a subscribers-only offer and wont be offered to the general public. It’s our little ‘thankyou’ to you!

Just use code 2Y34CQTG9R59 at checkout. (Offer expires 31st January 2014)

Here is how mine looked:
Top note: spice (clove; cardamom; fennel; nutmeg)
Middle note: white flowers (jasmine;magnolia;tuberose;champaca;orange blossom)
Base note: amber
Optional-up to 2 extra notes: Orange, Ylang
Which note to be dominant?: Amber

Under $30. What a great idea.

VISIT THE SCENT BAR NOW…<<<JUMP

Moon Bloom by Hiram Green 2013

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

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Post by Val the Cookie Queen

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Hey APJ! Happy New Year.

Through the miracle of modern technology, Portia introduced me to Hiram Green by email, and invited him to send me a sample of Moon Bloom. Oh yes, I was excited. This would be a first for me, having a perfume sent specifically to be tested and written about. But what if I didn´t like it?

I am sat here sipping my Matcha latte (my current addiction), with my nose glued to my wrist wondering what on earth I can possibly add to all that has been said already about Moon Bloom. I will have to assume that some of you are reading about Moon Bloom for the first time.

Moon Bloom by Hiram Green 2013

Moon Bloom Hiram Green FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Tuberose absolute, jasmine absolute, ylang-ylang, coconut, leafy greens, tropical spices, resins

Moon Bloom is an all natural fragrance. Tuberose absolute, jasmine absolute, and creamy ylang ylang, mingled with coconut, leafy greens, hints of tropical spice and resins. It is extremely feminine and drop-dead gorgeous; hypnotic and narcotic. I wore it up a mountain. Sub-zero temperatures along with snow add to the beauty of this very desirable concoction. It´s luminous, visible in the darkness. It is a fragrance for the winter solstice.

Moon Bloom Hiram Green Denmark Solstice FotoPediaPhoto Stolen FotoPedia

“Natural fragrant materials have the power to stimulate the senses in ways a synthetic cannot duplicate.” Hiram Green

The perfume hugs the skin like a cloak, staying close for at least six hours. I cannot recommend it highly enough if tuberose and perfection together is your thing. The bottle too is as perfect as the perfume within it.

Further reading: About Hiram Green – Olfactoria’s Travels and Smelly Thoughts
Hiram Green has €135/50ml, and a €25/5ml TRAVEL SIZE. Just like all perfume houses should do. (Note – folks outside of the EU do not pay sales tax, so it comes in at a lower price.)

There was no need to worry. I loved it. You know how you can tell? I would not have written about it otherwise.

With a million thanks to Hiram Green for giving me the opportunity, and encouraging me to look further into natural perfumery.

Have a nice day.

Bussis
CQ

Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille by Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal for Annick Goutal 2011

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Hiya all you lovers of fine fragrance,

Annick Goutal has been covered a lot on APJ, see under the sign off for other APJ reviews, life story and stuff about this extraordinary woman and her daughter who now carries on the Annick Goutal tradition, and has done under a few owners. It must be hard to work under such conditions and try to keep a multinational brand as true as possible to your beloved mother’s vision, which started out so small, French and independent.

Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille EdT by Annick Goutal 2011

Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal

Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille Annick Goutal fragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in the text:
Top: Indonesian patchouli, plum
Heart: iris, powder, violet, heliotrope
Base: patchouli

Plum and patchouli? Who’d have thought it would smell this good? Plush and plumped over a bed of the fluffiest and most powdery accords ever, I mean EVAH! Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille is a beautiful modern perfume that nods heartily to history and gives us a full and throaty sensuality while remaining perfectly composed and restrained. Both innocent and alluring, like a girl/woman of a past era on the threshold of knowing. Still coltish but blossomed and ripe. Do you remember the early Julia Roberts, young Katherine Hepburn or even Cameron Diaz? They had a fresh exuberance that was self possessed, sensual and completely at ease. Being beautiful and unusual can sometimes give people an ease that even genius or the most moneyed can never attain. James Franco has it a little bit too and Brad Pitt fair oozed it. This is a fragrance for people who want to smell like that

Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille Goutal Julia roberrts Alifia♥ FlickrPhoto Stolen Alifia♥  Flickr

What do I smell exactly? A clean patchouli with no dust or rasp, plum that is ripe but unsweet in the modern sense of sweet in perfumery, green and rooty iris/heliotrope/violet powder (I find it hard to distinguish the difference and they all add up to one scent) and down the back I hardly even notice the patchouli though I know it’s there, I get more resinous sweetness than I expect from patchouli.

Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille will have you softly fragrant with a low sillage, it’s nowhere near a skin scent but it won’t intrude on your work colleagues or dinner either. Should someone be lucky enough to come in for a hug then they will receive a fragrant reward.

Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille Goutal plum WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

For a Goutal EdT I get about average fragrant life of 3-4 hours. Apparently the EdP survives longer but I like the short ride with Mon Parfum Cherie Par Camille so I can wear something else after lunch or before going out. I didn’t mention how much I love the plum coloured bottle and will be4 greatly saddened by the regimentation of bottles that has been put into effect by Pacific Amore. GRRRR! At least we will be able to tell vintage at a glance.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Candy Perfume Boy
FragranceNet has $75/100ml before coupon
Surrender To Chance starts at $3/ml

Loads of love to you and yours,
Portia xx

Annick Goutal (1948-99) on APJ before. We have done days of:
Annick Goutal Biography,
Eau de Sud/Songes/Mandragore,
Eau d”Hadrien/Eau de Camille/Ce Soir Ou Jamais,
Passion/Un Matin d’Orage/Ambre Fetiche,
Mandragore Pourpe,
Songes,
Grand Amour,
Rose Splendide,
Nuit Etoilée and
Duel

 

 

M’Eau Joe No.3 Hollywood Whiskey by Kedra Hart for Opus Oils 2013

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hey Hey Happy Huffers,

Last year while in LA for the Perfume Posse ScentSation Bus Tour our last fragrant stop of the day was Opus oils. Kedra Hart was there and boy is she a knockout. We sniffed and laughed, it was fun, we shopped and then we finished the day on the bus. I bought a bottle of Isis and today’s frag…

M’Eau Joe No.3 Hollywood Whiskey by Kedra Hart for Opus Oils 2013

M’Eau Joe No 3 - Hollywood Whiskey Fragrance Opus Oils FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Limnophila aromatica, whiskey, saffron, cognac, rice flower
Heart: Tobacco, honey, rose, violet, dark chocolate
Base: Amber, vanilla, tobacco, musk, moss, woody notes

The opening is FIERCE!! Do NOT put your nose near wet fragrance unless you want it completely burned out.

Once the initial screech has flown M’Eau Joe is extremely unusual. Sweet and green, a little nasty and very boozy. There is a something that feels awkward and it is hard to decide if I’m smelling gorgeous or disgusting. You know when you haven’t drunk alcohol for a while and then someone gives you a drink, or you buy one, and that first sip is both repellant and mother’s milk. I find it especially with white spirits. By the end of the first glass though it is delicious and you want more, right? So goes M’Eau Joe No.3 Hollywood Whiskey, I think it may be the Limnophila aromatica which is a plant from Asia used widely in Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai dishes with a green/sweet scent reminiscent of lemon and cumin that gives this incredibly unusual and most interesting hue to the other accords.

M’Eau Joe No 3 - Hollywood Whiskey Opus Oils Flaming_cocktails WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Sweet, honeyed tobacco and booze, the amber is very soft in the dry down on me and it’s mainly about the vanilla, tobacco and booze right to the end, around 5-6 hours tops. I adore M’Eau Joe No.3 Hollywood Whiskey and I wish that I found it more wearable on a daily basis. When I do grab it and spritz I get a splendid, thought provoking, good freaky fragrant ride. Nothing I own smells like it, sadly that is also its downfall. I must be TOTALLY in the mood for a journey, need to have the time and space to follow the story and be wowed by the development, time to really take note. Those times are few and far between lately and M’Eau Joe has been sitting in the frag cupboard for too long. I will make a concerted effort to give it more skin time this week…..

M’Eau Joe No 3 - Hollywood Whiskey Opus Oils Cheroot_Cigars fotopediaPhoto Stolen FotoPedia

Further reading: Perfume Posse and EauMG
Opus Oils has a huge range of ways to buy <<<JUMP
Surrender To Chance start at $6/ml

Are you a whisky or tobacco in fragrance fan? What are your favourites?
Portia x

Lolita Lempicka EdP by Annick Menardo for Lolita Lempicka 1997

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Hello Fabulous Fumies,

This is a fragrance I have long loved, every now and then I would spritz it in the department stores and never purchased it but often looked at it for a purchase but would be tempted away by something else, something newer or more towards the top of my list. I haven’t even owned a decant, and nowadays it’s extremely affordable at the discounters. Weird. The bottle is great with its fun pumper and I love the lilac so I bought a bottle for my BFF Kath a while back and today I’m stealing it off her to write a review.

Lolita Lempicka EdP by Annick Menardo for Lolita Lempicka 1997

Lolita Lempicka Lolita Lempicka FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Anise, violet, green ivy
Heart: Licorice, almond, orris, iris, cherry, amaryllis, heliotrope
Base: Tonka, vanilla, white musk, vetiver, praline

What everyone else says about Lolita Lempicka EdP is not the way I smell it. It opens sweet sugar and almond, with a fizzy drink like Fanta bubbling over it. It’s fun, frivolous and totally fabulous. I don’t get any ivy or violet at all and cool rooty or even carroty iris seems nowhere to be found., not as I know it anyway. I do get the praline, vanilla and some resins through the heart and base though which offers some sweet depths, some heft that plays counterpoint with the lovely PEZ like fizz of the higher notes. I don’t really get a great change through Lolita Lempicka EdP but it gradually slides into the base without losing anything, just changing scent volumes. I think I need to spend some more time with Lolita Lempicka EdP, I’m sure it has some secrets hidden that only repeated wearings will unravel.

 Lolita Lempicka Fairy Floss Wikipedia
Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I am no great fan of Angel but I am a fan of Lolita Lempicka EdP, it is a calmer, prettier and less strident good time, there is still the candy floss vibe but without the headache inducing size. Yes they have both become cliches but I think that Lolita Lempicka EdP is still an extremely viable fragrance choice. I get excellent projection and sillage, scent life is really good at over 5 hours before it has faded to a sweet nothing.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This
Fragrance Shop has $22/50ml
My Perfume Samples starts at $2/ml

Have you spent any time in Lolita Lempicka EdP? Great fragrance, I’ve had such fun wearing it the last few days.
Portia xx

 

Tilleul by Olivia Giacobetti for D`Orsay 2008

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

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Post by Ainslie Walker

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Hiding in the back of my perfume shelf I found a fragrance I haven’t worn for years. TILLEUL D’Orsay. I’d forgotton how lovely it was. I originally bought it as it reminded me of honeysuckle, fresh freesias and lily of the valley combined, but in a way smelt far more natural and less sickly-toilet-sprayish than a fragrance with these ingredients would usually smell. (I find frags of these flowers often smell cheap and nasty)

On revisiting it I now realize its got plenty more to it and is put together incredibly well.

Tilleul by Olivia Giacobetti for D`Orsay 2008

Tilleul D`Orsay FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon blossom, angelica, watermelon
Heart: Cyclamen, linden blossom
Base: Acacia tree, bee wax, hay, black locust

Tilleul by D`Orsay is light and sparkles with a waxy floral, citrus-like, smell, especially straight from the bottle. Tileul is Linden blossom, mixed up with lemon blossom. It is fresh, pretty and bright. Summery to me.

Once sprayed, there’s gusts of watermelon, maybe slightly green, which surprisingly I am liking, considering I’m not a big one for fruity fragrances. The waxy undertones seem to be beeswax and I think this makes the whole combo tolerable, and not too sweet for me. The dryness, touching on powdery, could be hay , or grasses. I am still reminded of honeysuckle, but it’s almost like that smell has been re-constructed with the use of other flowers/ingredients, rather than containing any actual honeysuckle.

Tilleul by D`Orsay honeysuckle WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

The other factor leading me away from thinking it’s honeysuckle is a floral, citrus green note. A muguet? Perhaps not lily of the valley, or freesia as first thought, but cyclamen, a flower I consider to be quite underated. So often the pots sit flowering in peoples homes and no one stoops to smell them. Such a pretty scent, but so so faint, usually. Not here. Here it is amplified and enhanced by its co-ingredients.

If you like mimosa/acacia/floral green fragrances like L’Occitane Eau d’azur – this will be a hit for you – but far more natural and not as heavy on synthetics like calone, which gives me a nasty headache. This is a well balanced scent.

Tilleul by D`Orsay was first created in 1915, so there is definitely a beautiful vintage feel to the scent, and combination of ingredients is very “of that era”. Very French. In 2008 it was reformulated by Olivia Giacobetti, which might be why also I am getting a good whiff of freesia perhaps, as she was the nose behind Ofresia for Diptyche. (which is also very nice, but VERY VERY SWEET…and seems to get sweeter in the bottle over time). I love so many of her mixes, and seem to building a little collection/shrine to her over time.

Tilleul D`Orsay The_Quarrel_of_Oberon_and_Titania WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

It’s a fresh green floral. It’s summer. Tilleul by D`Orsay is green watermelon!!!! Too much would be a bit sickly for me, but today- a hot 32 degrees in Byron Bay, a light spritz and I am off to the beach DEFINITELY smelling better than those in my way!! (someone should open a perfume shop up here!!)

Further reading: Confessions Of A Perfume Nerd and Now Smell This
Parfum1 has $75/50ml
The Posh Peasant starts at $3.50/ml

have you revisited the back of your cupboard lately- found anything you like?? Tell me more!!

Ainslie Walker