style

Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood 2005

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hello gang,

The Olympics are on in London and I thought I’d do a bit about Anglomania by Dominique Ropion for Vivienne Westwood to coincide with such an auspicious time. I saw it at a local fragrance shop for an extremely reasonable price and snapped it up even though well aware of Luca Turin’s one star rating. “After an intense gourmand top note with too much going on. Anglomania poops out early and reveals a boring synthetic woody amber dry-down plus PVC raincoat” LT in The Guide, but I have disagreed with his sometimes brutal and scientifically biased carvings before, so I was still interested because I love Vivienne Westwood.

Photo Stolen thecultureconcept

Fragrantica gives the accords as:
Top: Cardamom, coriander and green tea
Heart: Rose, tender violet and nutmeg
Base: Leather, vanilla and amber

What do I smell on my skin?

POP! The opening is fun! The cardamom and coriander seem to already be having a chat with the vanilla as a huge burst of scent envelopes me. When the beginning lets a bit of air in there is a very pretty sweet green tea scent floating through, not like a cup of green tea but like thought of what a cup of sweetened green tea should smell like. Cardamom is the shining star though.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

I miss the rose and violet all together, clearly my nose is not yet attuned to properly parse the fragrance, but I do get the nutmeg, even went to the kitchen to check that it is what I am smelling, it’s there alright but like in an egg-flip milkshake (milk, vanilla, egg, ice cream, nutmeg then blend).

At about the 30-40 minute mark the vanilla and amber are really making their presence felt. Already I am feeling a soft, buttery leather scent come through too, almost suede-ish but no plastic. I’m expecting the powdery woody violets, or the roses to give that funny plastic that they can give, but no, not today.

Towards the 3 hour mark I have a very soft amber with an expensive leather couch. I think only now am I starting to get a hint of the cool powder of violet like a soft loaded powder puff. Maybe the vinyl that everyone else smells is that faint smell of oil based foundation I’m getting?

Anglomania Vivienne Westwood for womenPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

There’s no debating that this didn’t last for many reasons, it’s a solid, pretty and interesting scent but no masterpiece. It was badly advertised, with an image that says nothing and speaks to no one, not lovely or interesting enough for the women to find it aspirational and not sexy and obvious so the boys would buy it for their ladies. The ad is not even in your face enough so the gays, who adore Vivienne Westwood’s often out of control images and presentation, would see it as a collectors piece. It was seriously off my radar till I saw it so drastically reduced. Having put it in that terrible context though, I will wear it, in fact I’m going to wear it to work this week and gauge reactions.

STOP PRESS!! Wear more for roses. As I thought Anglomania was a little quiet there was a spritzfest before work. Left wrist and elbow then mash, 3 hefty sprays on my decollete and one on my scarf. POW!! Here come the roses, the wonderful rich and spicy roses from top to dry-down. Night 1 wear: 2 random compliments (one lovely person so enchanted and asking who made it and where to buy it).

TheCandyPerfumeBoy does a really excellent review but he smells the fragrance completely differently to what I get. I’m wondering if there’s been a reformulation because I get no rose or vinyl?
I found 30ml for $37 at GalaxyPerfume and the only other online place I could find it was Amazon.

Have you tried any of the Vivienne Westwood range of fragrances? Love her clothes? Hate them? Tell me I am agog.
See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

L’Eau De Tarocco EdC by Diptyque 2009

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Hiya Sniffers,

I ordered a decant of L’Eau De Tarocco EdC by Olivier Pescheux for Diptyque because the name is SO good. The Water of Tarot. Tarocco is also an Italian blood orange so they are probably talking about this being a citrus water, and yes it is, but there is so much more here.

From the Diptyque site: A fruity Eau de Cologne that is sweet yet vibrant and spicy. It carries the exhilarating scent of the Mediterranean in winter and the freshness of fruit just plucked from the tree, plump and ripe.

Fragrantica gives these accords: Musk, Virginia cedar, saffron, ginger, cinnamon, incense, grapefruit, orange and tincture of rose.

Photo Stolen theproducehunter

WOOO, This starts with the green rind and zest swoosh of blood orange/grapefruit, also spicy and woodsy, but not the warm embrace of Sandalwood this woodsy is like setting up camp in the woods, with the incense, ginger and musk. It all seems to be front and centre in the first 3 minutes except the rose, and I haven’t a clue what saffron smells like. As you look for each note it is already there awaiting notice.

There does come a slight warmth after about 15-20 minutes but it’s like the smell of the white outside left after you have zested the whole orange, and it’s merely overlaid on top of the already extant scents. It may be the rose, which can sometimes have a warm fruity plastic smell (I know that doesn’t make sense but if you have smelled that particular rose facet you’ll never forget it).

The whole fragrance softens off considerably at around the 1.5-2 hour mark in the cool weather. There is still a citrus feel but the cinnamon, ceder and musks seem to take over and give a warmer, mulled quality to the whole, like it’s been basking in the sun and ripened to the point where there is only sweetness in the juice. By 3 hours I’m hunting around for a respritz, even though the fragrance hasn’t completely left my skin. Today at time of finishing writing I have been wearing L’Eau De Tarocco for nearly 5 hours and it’s faint but still discernible.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Diptyque site has 100ml at $98 & 200ml $135 except they DON’T SHIP TO AUSTRALIA!!! Clearly they don’t want my business.
SurrenderToChance does 1ml/$3 or 5ml/$12.60-ish

This is a lovely cologne, not groundbreaking but done very nicely. I could imagine this being suitable for anything from the office, dinner, after gym, date night or cinema.  L’Eau De Tarocco strikes me as refreshing in the warmer months but still completely wearable in the dead of winter here in Sydney. I wanted to buy a FB so I could have a Cologne Bath like BoisDeJasmine was spruking earlier this week. As you can see I tried to go FB but it will have to wait till I can get to a Diptyque counter.

It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere, what colognes are you wearing and have you tried a Cologne Bath?

Portia xx

Oud Ispahan by Francois Demachy for DIOR 2012

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Hiya Scent-ualists,

A few weeks ago I was trolling around Facebook Fragrance Friends, a site mainly dedicated to the chat about what you’re wearing and how it is, who else has it, all sorts of great stuff for the fragrance junkie. It’s also a place where people do splits. I’ve never done one before so it was a totally new experience for me. One of the girls bought a huge bottle of Oud Ispahan (way too much to use in this lifetime) and we were allowed order 10 ml for the very reasonable price of 10 quid including postage!! From the UK! So, of course I was all over that like mould on cheese. It arrived on Friday and I have been spritzing away like crazy.

Oud Ispahan Dior for women and menPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these notes:
Top: Labdanum
Heart: Patchouli
Base: Sandalwood, rose and agarwood (oud)

Photo Stolen indonesianagarwoodoud

How does it wear on me? I find Oud Ispahan to be soft, subtle and skin scent-ish; a barely there whisper of grandeur harking back to the Arabian perfumery through 21st century processes. It is quietly tenacious, lasting well over 8 hours on me, and almost linear to my nose unless I am concentrating continuously. There is a journey but not in a grand adventure way. The bright and warm opening whispers sibilantly like a  secret, in a very human almost bed breath way. I think this the softest and cleanest oud accord I’ve smelled yet; like it’s been washed and dressed for company and it rumbles through the whole fragrance life. Now smelling of breath, leather, flesh but all very indoors, captured, domesticized and polished. While the amber/vanilla/patchouli are playing around at the party, I can’t really separate them because of my lack of knowledge but they are all outshone by the incredible heart of rose that everything else here hangs off. It’s like the rose is holding court and all else are bit players, but keeping with the theatrical theme, this rose is Machiavellian. It slides in and around giving a spicy, peppery, sparkly, lemony, fruity rose it is one rose of a thousand faces and facets. My nose thinks it has her pinned and vamoose, gone! replaced by something akin but subtly different.

Due to the awesome staying power of Oud Ispahan I can’t tell when it finally takes its leave but my head tells me that real dry down is an amber/oud sheer layer of extra lovely translucence that makes me smell subtly more desirable. Well, subtly more desirable to TSO Jin. I’ll be smiling all day.

Photo Stolen Ispahan.com

1000Fragrances does his usual excellent job of reviewing and PerfumeShrine does a super pre-release geography, accord and history lesson. Both are well worth looking up for interesting data.

I hope you are lucky enough to get to try DIOR’s Oud Ispahan. I like it a lot; it’s classy, beautiful, long lasting, sexy and interestingly it has good sillage. I can smell it in a room that I’ve vacated and come back to 15 minutes later.
SurrenderToChance starts at $3/ml but 5ml is only $12 and that is a great size to really get to know it. Of my 10ml I gave 3ml to a mate and have about 3ml left.  This will definitely become a full bottle when I get to a counter.

Have you tried Oud Ispahan? Any of the Couturier Collection? How do you rate them?

Thanks for dropping by, and/or leaving a message. I am so happy and grateful that you do. Have a lovely day, till tomorrow,
Portia xx
PS The video below has nothing to do with Oud Ispahan, it’s just a lovely DIOR mini movie for Miss Dior Winter 2012

Clayton Ilolahia, Blogger, Writer, Fragrance Junkie. Interview

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

 Hey All,

Today I have for you Clayton Ilolahia, a man with a very successful blog (whatmenshouldsmelllike.com), who writes for the The Perfume Magazine and has been giving talks about perfume around the traps. He is also an Australiasian, YAY! and general good guy.  I have cajoled Clayton into answering some questions for us. He has been crazy busy so took the time to do it while flying to Bangkok! So read on and find out about this fascinating man who knows What Men Should Smell Like….

Tell us about young Clayton please, where you came from, family, siblings, poignant or helped create who you are moments?
I was raised in New Zealand and was bought up on a farm. I have a large extended family, somewhat expected if you have a Maori/Polynesian background, but my immediate family is quite small with just my sister and I. My upbringing was pretty standard for rural New Zealand. One of my first scented memories is the jonquils and jasmine that grew wild on the farm.

 How did you become interested in fragrance?
I want to say I have always been interested in fragrance, but then haven’t we all? It’s true, I only became conscious of this interest in the past 10 years, but I think if we all look back, we have memories of scent that trigger emotion. For me, the picture became clearer after I left New Zealand and moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2004. I had retail management experience and was offered a job managing a small perfumery opened by the Polakis brothers of Harrolds, luxury designer mens stores in Sydney and Melbourne, who’d noticed niche perfumeries opening in France and Italy so they wanted to replicate the idea in Melbourne. At that stage I had no interest in working in the perfume industry. In my spare time I was always mixing fragrant oils and reading about perfume, which lead to blogging.

Who were and are your mentors and inspirations?
I have always had a soft spot for perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, I really admire his work. I also think Jean-Paul Guerlain is one of the most extraordinary perfumers of his age. I would love to interview him.
In terms of writing about fragrance, I love the sharp wit of Luca Turin and Chandler Burr is also one of the best fragrance writers, a wonderful storyteller and his statements are always backed up by fact.

Do you still wear mass-market fragrances, if yes which and why?
Absolutely! I love the mass market. Sometimes the most luxurious brand that promises creativity and quality can disappoint me. And a small budget, mass-market perfume, made by a perfumer working with a cost-considered palette of materials is able to express the most memorable idea. Some of my recent under $100 buys are Narciso Rodriguez Essence Eau de Musc, Chanel Bleu and Marc Jacobs Bang.

Who is your favourite independant perfumer and why?
Serge Lutens (or Christpher Sheldrake if you are talking about the ‘Nose’). It is a range that stands on its own. If anything, Lutens references himself instead of others.

Synthetic, natural or mixture, why?
All my favourite perfumes combine both. Naturals are so complex and filled with personality; I love the tension they add to a composition. Synthetics are much more singular in their message and they can alter or colour a perfume story in ways naturals cannot. Synthetics and naturals work beautifully hand in hand.

How has your whatmenshouldsmelllike.com developed?
Great. Originally it was just a sounding board for me to write about my perfume collection. I wanted to dedicate more of my time to learning about perfume. Blogging became my way of keeping myself on track, so I was regularly thinking about perfume. I am fortunate to travel regularly for work. When I can, I like to write about my experiences in other cities whether it is a shopping guide or some personal experiences.

What qualifications do you have to write about perfume?
Lol- absolutely none. I think that is the clear distinction between bloggers and journalists- we are not professionals and I am very aware not to cross that line. As much as possible I ensure what I write is accurate as there is a lot of misinformation online. I try to read and research as much as possible before I commit to a post. In terms of working with raw materials I had my breakthrough moment when I did a course with Perfumers World, a training organisation in Bangkok, Thailand. Their programs are great for perfume enthusiasts that want an introduction to basic professional knowledge. In September I am doing a short course in Grasse.

Tell us about how you came to be working for The Perfume Magazine, and a bit about them for our readers who may not have come across it yet?
The Perfume Magazine was a serendipitous occurrence. Their Editor in Chief contacted me after she stumbled across my blog and asked if I would be interested in contributing. I submitted something for their summer edition and they asked me to join them permanently as their mens contributor. They are a lovely team to work with.

 What are the 5 most important things you have learned so far that could help budding perfumistas/bloggers?
1: Create an environment others want to be part of. Write about the things you love, forget the things you dislike and have no control over.
2: If you are expecting to be paid for your blog, don’t quit your day job.
3: Spend some time with a fragrance before writing about it. Get to know the fragrance intimately- the quality of your writing will be much better. Readers want to know your opinion and not just information that can be found on a press release. Make each post personal.
4: I never throw out a perfume brochure, I tear out magazine articles and I pdf any online perfume articles that interest me. They are a valuable resource for information, which often disappear over time.
5: Don’t be shy and approach others to get stories. Most people I have spoken with are really encouraging of bloggers, at the worst; you will only get a ‘no’.

WOW!! I hope you found that as interesting as I did. Thank you Clayton for taking the time out of your busy schedule to let us get inside your head, just a little bit.

Portia xx

Guilty by Gucci 2010

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 15 Comments

Hey Y’all,

Please go check the Perfume Posse because I’m guest posting today about Olympic Orchids and don’t forget to enter our Paloma Picasso Thursday Giveaway….

I was lucky enough to be given a bottle of Gucci Guilty recently by a friend who’d had it purchased for her but did not like it for herself, being a veteran Ma Griffe by Carven woman. I have coveted the bottle since I first laid eyes on it, thinking it an excellent branding exercise and lovely counter topper. I had high hopes for the juice because Gucci have done some great stuff in the past and I was hoping for a love. Come with me and we’ll discover Guilty together.

https://i0.wp.com/www.punmiris.com/images/secundar/o.11813.jpg Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these notes mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber and patchouli.

Guilty opens warm pink pepper and peach on my skin, it’s a modern fruit-chouli and that should have me hating on it immediately but there seems to be some interesting depths here. A softly spicy, whisper of a fragrance that still manages some sillage and staying power, around 5-7 hours depending on what I’m doing. As the amber warms into the fragrance I also get a beautiful waft of crisp, fresh cut flowers so I am guessing the geranium is keeping the lilacs a bit extra green. The patchouli has been stripped naked and scrubbed clean till I can hardly notice it but still the dry down maintains surprising amber/vanilla warmth and is by far my favourite part of the fragrances life.

Honestly, this seems a little generic for the design house GUCCI for which the motto, Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, is associated. This is very nice, pretty, wearable and inoffensive so where they got the steamy sex and name Guilty from we are left guessing. I will use this as my re-spritz in my bag and it will be drained in no time but will probably not purchase. Sorry GUCCI but you’ve let me down a little bit.

NowSmellThis and LashGirl were the only 2 reviews I could find on the first 4 pages of google for Gucci Guilty that weren’t Pour Homme Intense.

Thanks for coming and sharing my fragrant wanderings, hopefully see you tomorrow,

Portia XOX

Gucci Guilty

SOIVOHLE by Liz Zorn: Reviews

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Hey Fragrantly Flawless Fumies,

Yesterday we talked to the amazing Liz Zorn of SOIVOHLE, (pronounced See-Voh) previously we did a story on SOIVOHLE and last week looked at Wild Ginger Chai. Today we are going to look at some more of the fragrances that come from this brand. I have to tell you in advance, I love this crew. I think the juice in every bottle feels like the culmination of a labour of love, as lovingly produced as a baby. They run the gamut of genres; classy, chic or confronting at different times and some of the names are enough to transport you by themselves.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

You’ll see some writing in italics, that is edited from the SOIVOHLE website.

ABSOLUTES (30-50% Concentrate)

UNDERWORLD – natural
An unusual pairing of vetivers from around the world, rich spice notes of cinnamon, ginger lily and clove, a touch of jasmine, roasted coffee, cocoa, rose leather and balsams, set into a  light vanilla oud tincture, sensual and a bit haunting

Photo Stolen historywillabsolvemike

OHHH The clove and cinnamon are divine here and I am already getting some vanilla right at the start, this is a bit like the first fizz of spices in the pan when you make a curry. Here we are at half an hour with no diminution in the opening notes, this is going to be a heartbreaker. In comes the jasmine curling lazily through the cloves with (I think) the vetivers, slightly peppery and earthy. At over an hour there is the clove still and the leather & balsams are warming into their places and the coffee is like the end of your cuppa, the cup is cold but you put your nose in and smell. This is such a multi faceted perfume that I think I’ll need to spend lots of time getting to know its moods. 5 hours on and I am getting spicy vanilla with a whisper of the dank oud below giving breadth. 9 hours and Underworld has become a skin scent, not discernibly anything except a better smelling me. Magic!

DEMI ABSOLUTES (18-22% Concentrate)

BOTTLENECK BLUES – mixed media
Inspired by the juke joint, jazz dive, blues hideaway and any place where the music is hypnotic and the atmosphere  so thick you could cut it with a knife. Not for the faint of heart Bottleneck Blues opens with a heavy dose of animalic musk,  rain dampened hay , earth  and bergamot  that evolves into a stunning array of ripe sensual summer flowers,Lilacs, Magnolia  and Roses, with a base of chypre moss, musk, absolute vanilla , labdanum and woods.

Photo Stolen stltoday

Bottleneck Blues first rush is like walking through the baking kitchen, vanilla, zest & cinnamon, and out across the yard into the hay barn. It’s not rushed, you’ve taken your time in each section. You find a sexually ready, fit and healthy man wearing really pricey fragrance, he’s had a few drinks and you can taste them when you’re kissing, then after your fling you go back across the yard into the kitchen and now they’re making caramel, you stay and watch the process for hours from a new chair and then you go.
I know my smelling doesn’t exactly match notes, I went back and checked the test bottle twice throughout my 4-5 hour journey before I slept.

JHANGO BAY – mixed media
Inspired by the early 20th Century Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Jhango Bay  is a fresh woody chypre with notes of Bay, Bergamot, Basil, Lemon,  A heart of Geranium, Ginger Lily,  Geranium Rose, Incense Rose  and a touch of Jasmine with Oakmoss, Cedar, Sandalwood and  a  mixed media  musk containing Ambrette Seed and Muscone  rounding out the base. This formulation was created with 99% natural materials.

Photo stolen keepswinging

A fresh burst of citrus, bay leaves and spice like a call to arms opens Jhango Bay. It maintains it sharpness with the snap of geranium and a spicy, cool rose accord. Then the strangest thing happens, I can only liken it to the first opening scent from a bottle of tomato sauce, it’s sweet and sharp but so good, unexpected and wholesome smelling. This is a winner. I am buying me some of this excellent juice.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our look at SOIVOHLE fragrances; for me it’s been a real treat. Don’t forget to cross over and have a look at the new SOIVOHLE range.

Love, Love, love to you and yours,

Portia xx

SUNDAY QUICKSNIFFS #11

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hello Perfume Hounds,

Click here for more graphics and gifs!

This week I’m doing something slightly different. The Lucky Scent July Sample Pack arrived during the week and I was wondering when I’d get to it. So of the 10 samples I thought I’d try a random selection for you and give you the usual 3 sentences and a star rating. You can find our Rating System Page <<jump.

Aqua di Casta  Eau de Parfum by Testa Maura
Photo Stolen LuckyScent

AQUA DI CASTA by TESTA MAURA 2008. This crew offers 100% natural and organic products. Spicy, green and woody opening like opening a tea or spice chest. It stays sparkly fresh and lovely, pretty linear for the first hour or so. The wood feels newly hewn and left raw. It continues bright, bitey and delicious till it’s gone in a surprisingly long 6+ hours. S=**** L=**** D=***

MIA MURZA by TESTA MAURA 2008. Green, herbal and deep, this starts like a dense jungle and as you walk you break bracken and pass mossy trees with arboreal night flowers. An earthy, wet, humus rich fragrance that only warms up slightly as it continues to almost nothing. It is kind of there and not there after 5 hours. S=**** L=*** D=***

Vanille Cuir  Eau de Parfum by M. Micallef
Photo Stolen LuckyScent

VANILLA CUIR by M. MICALLEF 2012. The opening sees a murky frission between the citrus, lavender and mint, something in this is the same as they use in modern Dana Tabu and it really fights with my nostrils. As a dab it then goes very skin scent but in a spray decant half an hour in and the leather really comes to the fore, a rough, unfinished leather straight from the tanners at first and then a mellow suede till the dry down about 4-5 hours later but it maintains that funny scent that torments me for most of its lifespan. I’m sorry to say, I don’t like it particularly. S=** L=*** D=**

VANILLA MARINA by M. MICALLEF . OHHHHH This opens so interestingly; the lemon is a warm hit of citrus (Unusual!!), I couldn’t place because the salty marine note plays with it like a Margherita, white flowers too. Are they orange blossom? So sexy and I can feel the vanilla sliding through it all, almost ambery but sweeter like …. I don’t know what!! WOW!! I am finding a decant of this, even though it’s not completely new, it is a fresh look at a common theme. Far better and lasted till morning, just quietly.  S=***** L=*** D=****

To receive the LuckyScent sample pack simply join their mailing list and they will send you an invitation to purchase their latest loves every month, priced very reasonably with P&H at attractive rates also. The only crap thing is there are only .7ml vials in the pack so if you want to spray them you have to self decant. I have written asking for a 2ml spray set but you all need to do it, go on.

I hope you’ve had a super weekend. It’s been very nice round here.
Love, Love, Love and good stuff to you and yours,
Portia xx

Passerelle by Tommi Sooni 2012

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hey Hey All,

Today I am lucky enough to be bringing you Australian crew, Tommi Sooni, creatively directed by Steven Broadhurst. I follow their blog and when it dropped hints that Passerelle was available I nipped across to their site and ordered a couple of samples. I will be dipping into them to do the review and then they are going in this Thursdays draw! I am able to do this because Steven has offered a couple more samples at a later date as a Thank You for buying mine today. Isn’t that cool?

I have edited from the Tommi Sooni site here:
Passerelle is a distinctive perfume with links to classic French perfumery, an Australian perfume that reflects the unique floral notes of our native flora….Australian Spring floral bouquet of delicate native jasmine, tea tree, honeyed myrtle, boronia buds and the flowers of silver wattle (adopted by the French and known to the world as mimosa). From overseas; yellow rose, honeysuckle, wintersweet and golden trumpet, plus petigrain for the green stems.
The word Passerelle is French for bridge or catwalk, a name befitting a perfume that is both fashionable and a fragrant link between two cultures.

The fragrance goes on fresh and bright green with the Aussie flowers and petigrain contrasting and combining beautifully. Passerelle feels like real old school perfumery to me, the stuff you find in perfectly preserved vintage purchases. There is a definite womanly, human background and Steven informs me there is a civet accord hiding here. The tea tree is also adding a soft base note below and through the orgy of flowers and glorious, almost alpine flight of fantasy over the top. This is a wholly wearable scent; sexy and alluring but cool and serene. There are definitely facets to this perfume that will take time and wear to discover.

I can’t tell you exactly what’s happening here, these notes are not in my repertoire yet but I can tell you how deeply impressed I am. This is world class perfumery and could proudly sit beside Serge Lutens, Tauer or Parfums de Nicolai in your cupboard or on your dresser. Different, vital and Aussie. Congratulations Tommi Sooni, this one feels like a winner. It was still humming along nicely when I left for work this evening, 6 hours after dabber application. A whisper of itself still remained, the light and deep notes still vaguely discernible. Then I sprayed lavishly with something else for work.

Passerelle is available from Tommi Sooni $180/50ml or $10/2ml, Sündhaft Hoyer & Kast OHG Geschäftsführer, LuckyScent

Smell Bent Reviews

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hey Fragrant Obsessives,

Yesterday we talked to Brent Leonesio from Smell Bent, indie perfume house. Today we are going to look at some of the newest creations from the range. These only went live less than a month ago and I am really excited about them. Brent reminds me of the Dad in The Book Of Lost Fragrances by M J Rose, who created scents for the sake of seeing if he can for his children. He is a master of surprise for me, and the tongue in cheek. Just look at that cheeky grin, you know you’re going to be in trouble with this wild boy.

Brent at the salon last week

Today I am proud to present 4 of the latest Smell Bent range for your edification. They are an interesting look at where Brent is currently. On Thursday we will be giving these away, 2 each to 2 lucky winners so be sure to come have a go at that. I am SO annoyed that we are giving these away, now I have to go and buy myself a set! GRRRRR!

Little Miss Panda Got Lei’d: Oh! This opens white floral and green, maybe it’s the guava that smells green to me. The honeysuckle and teak come through later but the white flowers maintain themselves softly too. Very late in, around 2 hours, it sweetens up to fruit, which may be the guava back to say hello, it just rides on top of the others for a while before it all disappears.  Smell Bent gives these accords; pikake (jasmine sambac) and tuberose leis with guava, japanese honeysuckle, and teak

Apres Soleil:  On my skin it opens with yummy honey, coconut and leather, it is gorgeous. About an hour later I get jasmine with sandalwood and coconut. It sounds dreadful but it’s not. There’s a warm, almost salty, delicious feeling to Apres Soleil. Not in your face, more close to the skin than any other Smell Bent fragrance I’ve tried and if perfume is there to make you smell good then this is a winner. The lasting power on Apres Soleil is about 6-7 hours on me with a lovely soft coconut/sandalwood dry down. Smell Bent gives these accords; jasmine absolute dressed up with honey, coconut, soft leather, sandalwood and nitro musk.

ORDER.html

Frankin Smellie S12#599 (Musk Melange): Green and musk to open, interesting. There are 9 musk aromachemicals in this fragrance. Brent tells us in his blog which means that many of us can’t smell them all, due to musk anosmia because we smell them in our laundry, dish and house cleaning, deodorants air purifiers etc etc. Goes on strong for me, almost leaves and then comes back all Muscs Koublai Khan and stays. Then it becomes almost vanilla towards dry down, this is not a big fragrance after its opening sequence on me.

Incensed Short Fuse: Delicious pepper and incense opening with a lovely swipe of cardamom, it’s like an Indian kitchen in here. This is so resonant with my memories of traveling through India. The memories are flooding back. My mates hotels, train Chai, Kerala houseboat, Dalai Lama’s cantonement, roadside stalls, 5 star hotels, Kashmiri wedding, steamy heat, freezing cold. This is like a travelogue. Thanks Brent AH MAY ZING!! The cardamom lasts right through to dry down in a clean, fresh and invigorating alternative to citrus. Smell Bent gives these accords; incense ignited with cardamom, pepper, amber resin and dry woods

Some of the Smell Bent fragrances have been a bit unwearable in close quarters company for me: Wolf Lumberjack, one of the Frakin-Smellies and Steve from the Scented Hound says Commando too. You wouldn’t wear Giorgio  or original Opium out to dinner either these days, but it’s fun to wear them at home for yourself, or to a garden party, or on a solo long drive, or the disco. None of the four I’ve brought before you today are offensive in any way, I think you could wear these anywhere without fear of reprisals.

My favourite? I knew you’d ask. I have 2, Incensed Short Fuse, obviously, and Apres Soleil because it’s winter here, even though I was out sunbaking for an hour at lunchtime, and this reminds me of long lazy summer days by the pool with a tonic water and orange slices.

Thanks for dropping by. You can buy a Travel Spray Set of all four of these for $23 including US shipping HERE (<<Jump) from the Smell Bent website. Do yourself and your nose a favour, go try them. You will not be disappointed.

Portia xx

PS I’ve used corresponding Smell Bent Artworks to illustrate each scent

Allure Homme by Jacques Polge for Chanel 1999

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Hello Fragrant Fraternity,

HOORAY!! Go check out my Guest Spot on the PERFUME POSSE! It’s a super fun story of helping a mate choose his new fragrance.

ENTER the THURSDAY GIVEAWAY too. It’s a super dooper grab bag this week.

How lucky am I? A friend of mine was given this and made open the box and spray at his party, couldn’t stand it and couldn’t return it either. Full bottle to Portia!! Woo Hoo! Up to this point I had been unaware of Allure Homme but was expecting a big Chanel base with some spice, WRONG!


Photo Stolen Fragrantica

On me the opening citrus burst is quite overwhelming, and I can already smell a bit of bakery like the first cut of an orange souffle. Though it is in your face it still manages to be warm, mellow and cuddly, like a well dressed, freshly pressed Dad. The beginning of the floral heart is not at all as I expected, the geranium keeps it sharp and green, it feels a bit like some herbs have been left off the note list, with a warm background. Then the fragrance fades to a near nothing, if I stick my head down my shirt I can smell it but it is so close to the skin and sillageless that I feel unperfumed. Every so often though I get a huff of it and am completely transported because what little there is is gorgeous, heartbreaking. I want the world to smell how good this is. It lasts in this non perfumed state for ages, maybe 6 more hours and goes through a slightly leather/vanilla that is great, I know it’s not in the notes but to my nose (which is not always on point) there is leather. The sandalwood is adding butter to the amberish vanilla too. Such a lovely fragrance and well deserving of your attention but it is no big head turner. Only the people very close, and you. will even know that it’s not your own skin that smells so good.

Fragrantica gives these notes:
Top: Mandarin, lemon, peach and bergamot
Middle: Freesia, geranium, rose and jasmine
Base: Benzoin, tonka, sandalwood and vanilla

The NowSmellThis crew were unimpressed and I couldn’t find another review on the first 2 pages of google.

I hope you go and try Allure Homme, it is an excellent work, dinner, after the gym or sex date scent, especially the last. You can’t over apply Allure Homme because it’s such a quiet body fragrance. Another great thing is, you can pass by any Chanel counter and get a spritz for free.

See you tomorrow,
Portia xx

I know this is for the sport model but I love this making of video, it’s better than the ad.