Hi All,
These are the BEST WTF rants about homophobia I’ve ever seen.
Nat Baimel amusingly points out the deficiencies of hate talk.
Then Morgan Freeman chimes in.
Perfect.
Portia xx
style
OUT With The GIVEAWAY WINNERS
Hey APJ,
Another wonderful giveaway hosted by Azar. These are super wonderful and I hope whoever wins them gets loads of pleasure from their prizes.
Don’t forget to check out Azar’s online up and recycling store offering all kinds of goodies for sale at thier online shop Random Acts of Recycling<<JUMP.
Portia xx
OUT With The GIVEAWAY WINNERS
WHAT COULD YOU WIN?
This week we will have 3 Winners who will each get:
1 x bottle mentioned below, NO you don’t get to chose.
P&H USA Mainland ONLY
Fragrance Republic 01/02 Vapeur de Tubereuse by Julie Masse, 2013.
15 ml EdT, new
Jacomo Silences by Gerard Goupy and Jean Claude-Niel, 1978.
30 ml vintage EdT, no box
Nicole Miller Frenzy by Caroline Sabas, 2009.
15 ml new in box.
HOW DID YOU WIN?
Open to everyone in the USA mainland who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.
You must tell me how you follow APJ
and
Leave a comment about anything you collect
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3qZ #Perfume #Giveaway @NicoleMillerNYC @FragranceRepub #Jacomo
HOUSEKEEPING
Entries Closed Thursday 11th December 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by pulling names from a sunhat (Update: Fender was eager to choose the winners today so we didn’t do the sunhat! He touched his nose to the names)
Laurels – FR 01/02
dremybluz – Silences
Janet in California – Nicole Miller Frenzy
I had nothing to do with Fender’s choices. I simply put the names in a row on the floor (face down just in case – he is smart dog) and he picked the winners in the above order.
I will send these out as soon as possible but, with the holiday mail as it is, the winners might not receive their prizes until after Christmas.
Azar xx
The winners will have till Sunday 14th December 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.
Out With The Old AND Out With The New!
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Post by Azar
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Dear APJ,
I have been collecting and hoarding fragrances, jewelry, shoes, you name it for many years. While sorting through this vast inventory of neglected treasures I’ve come to realize that certain recurring patterns of behavior have contributed a lot to the creation of my monster stash. I can’t help but wonder if you deal with similar issues. For example:
Have you ever succumbed to the hype surrounding a new fragrance, drained your sample to the dregs, purchased the bottle and then relegated it (after a cursory sniff) to your perfume storage where it most likely will never be seen or smelled again? No? You have nothing new and abandoned at your house? OK.
Then what about this? One night you find yourself trolling for fragrance online when you happen to see an old flame on sale for a song! You snap her up but when she arrives you realize you have outgrown your vintage love. Yet another perfume is relegated to the cool, dark cupboards in the lower floor.
Here is a third scenario: You are digging around in those cool, dark cupboards searching for a back up for the current favorite that is running low. You can’t find it anywhere. OMG! In a panic you order another only to realize that there are at least two extra 100ml bottles waiting in the wings? Yes?
BTW, I really have fun recycling my perfumes through these give-aways. The extent of my trove was causing me considerable concern until a friend, in the same fix, advised me to think of our “stuff” not as an embarrassment but as an opportunity to recycle, repurpose and redistribute our treasures. Soon we will be offering all kinds of goodies for sale at our online shop Random Acts of Recycling<<JUMP. And yes, that was a shameless plug!
Happy Holidays!!
Azar xx
Out With The Old AND Out With The New – A Give-Away
Fragrance Republic 01/02, Jacomo Silences, and Nicole Miller Frenzy
Today I will be giving away three fragrances. One is “New and Abandoned”, another “Old and Unloved” and the third perfume is an “Accidental Extra”.
The “New and Abandoned”
Fragrance Republic 01/02 Vapeur de Tubereuse by Julie Masse, 2013.
15 ml EdT, new.
Listed notes: Rose Absolute, Tuberose Absolute, Cocoa Resinoide.
The perfumer, Julie Masse, tells us that she “…wanted to create a vaporous, almost ethereal tuberose…”. 01/02 is just that – light, ethereal, vaporous and perhaps a bit vapid. I always like my tuberose bombastic, carnal and indolic! What was I thinking when I ordered this one? It is simply not for me (but it may be for you)!
Now for the “Old and Unloved”
Jacomo Silences by Gerard Goupy and Jean Claude-Niel, 1978.
30 ml vintage EdT, no box.
Listed notes: Orange blossom, galbanum, bergamot, lemon, green notes, cassia, iris, jasmine, narcissus, hyacinth, rose, lily of the valley, vetiver, musk, sandalwood, oakmoss, cedar, ambrette.
I am wearing Silences right now so I suppose I still love her a little bit! However, when it comes to green vintage scents I have always preferred Niki de Saint Phalle.
And lastly the “Accidental Extra”
Nicole Miller Frenzy by Caroline Sabas, 2009.
15 ml new in box.
Listed notes: Cassis, orange, aldehydes, gardenia, ylang ylang, orange blossom, violet leaf, black patchouli, oakmoss, cedar wood, amber.
I maintain a serious stockpile of this deeply discounted (and discontinued?) fragrance. From my perspective Frenzy is the very best of the ubiquitous fruit-choulies. It is quite dry, though, and almost “unisex”. Perhaps it would be better to describe it as a fresh, modern chypre?
Photo Stolen hemodernhome
OUT With The GIVEAWAY
WHAT CAN YOU WIN?
This week we will have 3 Winners who will each get:
1 x bottle mentioned above, NO you don’t get to chose.
P&H USA Mainland ONLY
HOW DO YOU WIN?
Open to everyone in the USA mainland who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.
You must tell me how you follow APJ
and
Leave a comment about anything you collect
Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3qZ #Perfume #Giveaway @NicoleMillerNYC @FragranceRepub #Jacomo
HOUSEKEEPING
Entries Close Thursday 11th December 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by pulling names from a sunhat
The winners will have till Sunday 14th December 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.
Weddings – My Top 5 Perfume Oils For Brides – Part 2
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Post by Suzanne R Banks
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In my article Weddings – My Top 5 Perfume Oils For Brides – Part 1 we talk about what oils are best for the pending nuptials.
Neroli
Rose
Lavender
Geranium
Frankincense
But how do you use the oils?
We all know every wedding is different and each bride and groom are unique, but the one thing they all have in common is that they all want a memorable experience for them and their guests. Whether it be a simple beach wedding or a lavish affair at a glamourous venue with hundreds of guests, the bride will have some organising to do.
Unfortunately the oils won’t do everything but they will support you on your journey from fiancé to wife.
Weddings – My Top 5 Perfume Oils For Brides – Part 2
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
Essential oils will give emotional support and a scented burst of clarity and calm during the process. You could either use lots of different kinds of oils or pick a couple and make a combination that becomes your signature scent. So let’s look at the best 2 ways to use your oils.
1. Wedding Perfume Oils – Nourishing Body Oil
I recommend making a bottle of your chosen oil blend to use daily as a moisturiser, and more importantly as a connection to your spirit and a tonic to your mind. You will start your day off by paying attention to yourself, centering your mind and preparing for what is to come. And – your skin will look and feel totally amazing! I use oil on my skin every day and it works – my skin feels wonderful and looks good too! When your bottle is finished you can make another combo or stay with the same blend.
Alternatively for one coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil. It’s always best to patch test first, before you apply all over.
When making a daily blend of essential oil this often takes up time and is the first thing to be put on hold when you are juggling work, your private life and creating your perfect wedding. Consider making a bottle so it’s on hand every morning.
***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops
“Heart”
To keep the flow of energy in your heart chakra while planning your wedding
– for a 50ml bottle –
Rosewood 10 drops
Lavender 5 drops
Rose 3% 20 drops*
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
“Cool, Calm and Collected”
To breathe deeply and keep anxiety at bay
– to make a blend enough for one day –
Frankincense 3 drops
Cardamom 1 drop
Roman Chamomile 3% 9 drops *
“Strength and Courage”
– to make a blend enough for one day –
Geranium 3 drops
Neroli 3% 7 drops*
Vetiver 1 drop
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
2. Wedding Perfume Oils – Personal Aura Cleansing Mist & Room Mist
In a 50ml mist bottle filled with water add 25 drops of oil
(depending on the packaging you have, you may need to use a little alcohol -like vodka- at the bottom of your bottle first, so the oils disperse into smaller drops to prevent clogging the atomiser top. I’ve found sometimes it works just with water, and sometimes it doesn’t – very annoying!)
This is a great portable way to keep an aromatherapy treatment with you. It is simply essential oils in an atomiser bottle filled with water. There is no need to use any emulsification agents,just shake before you mist. It can be used to refresh your face, cleanse and protect your aura, give your brain a boost and will make you smell like a natural goddess.
“Mother Earth Energy”
To keep a sense of worldliness and compassion on those crazy days –
Frankincense 10 drops
Bergamot 10 drops
Patchouli 5 drops
“I’ve Got the Power”
When you need strength and fortitude, with a smile –
Geranium 10 drops
Lemon 7 drops
Lavender 5 drops
Cinnamon 3 drops
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
“I’m Loving Every Minute of this Journey”
Enjoy the process –
Rose Geranium 8 drops
Orange 12 drops
Peru Balsam 5 drops
Remember to treat your self first then everyone will benefit.
Suzanne R Banks XXX
* See my article for more info on 3% blends in jojoba
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
Peony Melbourne: Haute Parfumerie Adventure + Photo Essay
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Post by Ainslie Walker
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Hi all. Do you feel overwhelmed when perfume shopping? I often do, but not today in Peony, Melbourne.
Peony Melbourne: Haute Parfumerie Adventure
Ever-so-stylish Jill greeted me as I entered, along with an almighty hit of heady fresh jasmine flower, which were cascading, displayed in the window. The interior oozed sophistication and opulence, nothing dusty or out of place. Themed black and white, a nod to French couture and boudoir, sparkling bottles everywhere, super cool touches of quirky humour. Jill has put her heart and soul into this little luxe haven.
With complimentary sparkling fruit juice in hand complete with black and white striped straw, I began my Peony, Melbourne journey…
From the Olfactive Studio stand, the zesty Still Life called to me like a caiparinia on a blazing summers day. Yuzu, elemi and pepper -pink, black and Sichuan pepper. Star anise and galbanum. Dark rum, cedar and ambrox. I absolutely love the lemony citrus combo with slightly soured spice and pepper, almost sherbet fizz working on top of the deeper wood, amber and rum notes.
Jill explained the range is inspired by photography – Still life from a self-portrait, by Frederic Lebain, which was inspiration for perfumer, Dora Baghriche-Arnaud. A boxed “discovery kit”, containing 5 x 4ml for $55 was in my hands: KERR-CHING!!…Purchase #1.
To my left was Ormonde Jayne, I grabbed Ormonde Woman and spritzed it onto a Peony branded blotter. Cardamom, coriander and grass oil. Black hemlock, violet and jasmine absolute. Vetiver, cedar wood, amber and sandalwood YUM. Love at first sniff. Beautiful. Womanly, magical, floral and herbaceous. The bottle feels weighty in my hand as I reluctantly place it back. A boxed “discovery set” ($95) 12 x 2ml landed on the counter -Purchase #2
Jill offers gently delivered advice, then leaves me to my own devices. She is unobtrusive, yet there when I need her. She guides my experience and lets it unfold organically. I am in awe of how many Peony-exclusive brands stocked that I never have had the chance to smell anywhere else in Australia.
Passing the handpicked Hermes selection, I re-sniff Hiris, and Eau de Pamplemousse Rose, two of my favorites of the range.
At Heeley, Cocobella disappoints – the notes sounded better than I experience…too thin. I discover Hippie Rose. Fresh rose and patchouli, it is rose-velvet. Dry down reminds me of a less-dirty Agent Provocateur original fragrance. Jill hands me a sample size to try later, as I’m not sure.
I smell ALL the Cire Truedon candles from their glass cloches that house them. I pop “Ernesto” on the counter, embarrassed at the pile forming. Purchase #3
In the front corner, I’m right besides the Mona Di Orio range. Gah! “I’ve read about these too!” Les Nombres D’or Violette Fumee stops me in my tracks. So elegant, violet, soft but not sweet. Mediterranean lavender, Calabrian bergamot, oak moss from the Balkans, Egyptian violet flowers and leaves, Turkish rose, Haitian vetiver, clary sage, opoponax, cashmeran and myrrh.
Jill tells me the story of how before Mona Di Orio sadly passed away; she designed this rose/tobacco/suede and violet piece for her Co-founder Jeroenu Oude Sougoteu, whom after she died, generously decided to share it as a tribute to her. Jill is full of these stories. She really knows her stuff!
It’s been an hour and 45 minutes of serious olfactory fun. As I pay for my items, Jill shoves more mystery samples in my bag, and I scurry off happy, loaded with even more new things to discover when I get home.
Thanks Jill!
Ainslie Walker X
All Photos (Perfume Porn) Donated Ainslie Walker
Making of Idylle Mini Movie – Guerlain
Aha! How are you Scented Scallywags?
I never saw this Idylle mini movie, I wonder if it ever came to Australia?
Here we discover the backstage mini movie story for Idylle by Guerlain directed by Jaco Van Dormael and then I’ve added the finished commercial too.
Idylle by Thierry Wasser for Guerlain 2009
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Freesia, tincture of rose, litchi, raspberry
Heart: Jasmine, peony, lilac, lily, lily of the valley
Base: Patchouli, musk
Photo Stolen Perfume Posse
Enjoy
Portia xx
Making of Idylle Mini Movie – Guerlain
Guerlain Idylle commercial
Kalemat by Arabian Oud
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Post by FeralJasmine
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Some time ago, my friend Kafkaesque did a review of a then-unknown perfume called Kalemat, from Arabian Oud. It was $60 for a big bottle, and such is the seductive power of Kafkaesque’s prose that large numbers of us blind-bought it.
Kalemat by Arabian Oud
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Blueberry, anise
Heart: Rosemary, cashmere wood, floral notes
Base: Musk, amber, honey
To see exactly what seduced us, there is no alternative to reading the original post, because nobody can write like Kafkaesque. You will also note that, like a comet, the post developed a very long tail as we all reported back with our experiences. My own response was a tiny bit disappointed at the time, and that’s where matters stayed until a few months later, when I noticed that the level in my bottle had decreased visibly and bought a back-up bottle. In cool weather, I reach for it at least three times a week, and often wear it as a comfort scent in the evening and on weekends.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
So why did it take me weeks to fall in love? Chasing a youthful dream, I’m afraid. To this day, my dream amber is one that I smelled on a woman in Egypt over 20 years ago as she passed me in the street, and I am still seeking that honeyed amber spice-bomb and haven’t found it. When I read about Kalemat, I was sure I had found it, and felt irrationally disappointed when Kalemat was its duplicate but, on my dry perfume-eating skin, was a soft memory rather than the concentrated bombshell original. All the notes are there, but the volume is turned down.
Photo Stolen Flickr
Is that a bad thing? Not at all. If I found my dream amber, Kalemat Cubed, it would probably clear elevators. Kalemat has a beautiful sunset-honeyed cloud of an opening that has excellent projection and killer sillage, and for the first 20 minutes projection is several inches off my skin. I spray before going to work, and enjoy this part along the commute. By the time I arrive, the sillage is soft and polite and it never raises an eyebrow among my colleagues. I don’t get the rivers of amber that Kafkaesque got, but I do get trickles of honeyed spiced amber that delight me every time I can sniff my wrist surreptitiously, and waft to me with every movement of my hands. A few other notes, like the blueberry-spice note, drift by and turn my thoughts firmly to pleasant things when they reach my nose. Sprayed more heavily in the evening, it reminds me that life is so lovely and generous that those of us who can’t afford the Roja Doves can still smell wonderful. It is killer on a scarf in the winter, warming you subtly. The packaging is also lovely, with a heavy, substantial 100ml glass bottle that arrives in a lovely Arabic-lettered book box.
Photo Stolen Pixabay
The parent company, Arabian Oud, moved off Amazon but Kalemat can still be found on EBay for very reasonable prices. Someday I still hope to find my dream amber for special occasions, Kalemat Cubed, but this one will hold me just fine until then.
FeralJasmine X
"Kaleidoscopic India" au 68 – Guerlain mini movie
Hey Hey APJ,
I wish I could have been in Paris to see this exhibition. Guerlain and India, two of my most treasured passions.
Did any of you get to see the exhibition? I’d love to read your impressions.
Portia xx
Photo Stolen Guerlain Twitter
“Kaleidoscopic India” au 68 – GUERLAIN
Vernissage de l’exposition proposée au 68, Champs-Elysées dans le cadre du parcours privé de la FIAC, du 17 octobre au 14 novembre 2014. (Second video is in untranslated French, it’s pretty though I can’t understand it)
“Kaleidoscopic India” au 68 – GUERLAIN
Kelly Calèche by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès 2007
Hey Perfume Junkies,
Do you remember when Kelly Calèche was released in 2007? It was a huge kerfuffle, and it seems both a million years ago and yesterday. There was a while that it was the fragrance de jour in the clubs and I think about one in five young women of a certain cadre were sporting it day and night and smelling so young, hip and fresh, even (dare I say it?) GROOVY! I think that many Sydney girls will have fond memories of fun times in Kelly Calèche,
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Grapefruit, narcissus, lily of the valley
Heart: Mimosa, rose, tuberose
Base: Leather, iris
The opening of Kelly Calèche is a dry, green, astringent burst that shocks you awake and into the here and now. This fun high octane fizz only lasts a few moments but it is an excellent mind refresher. Then the whole fragrance changes into a surprising leather that smells on my skin like the leather, glue, colours and stitchery inside the back of brand new high heels, never worn, straight from box and tissue paper. The flowers and fruits big moment are all over for me so quickly, around 15 minutes, and then play a light backing track to this almost patent leather smell. (From Hermès, Hermès, Hermès in 2012)
Photo Stolen DeviantART
So fun, light and yet very present, that oh so soft suede-ish iris dry down is my favourite part, though other reviewers find it not so good. A whisper of fragrance that huffs out at you every so often to remind you that you’re fragrant. It’s just for you and your nearest and dearest friends. It’s no wonder that Kelly Calèche was such a hit at the time, I wonder if those pretty young things still wander round in a soft fog of sweet iris leather or if they’ve moved on?
I grabbed my 15ml mini bottle from Birgit of Olfactoria’s Travels wardrobe clean-out back in 2012. To be honest it doesn’t see a LOT of wear but I have made decent inroads into it, there is some good air in the bottle. I like to wear it when I need a pick me up, have to be somewhere that a loud or hefty frag would be inappropriate or to remember the lovely girls who wore Kelly Calèche when it was released.
Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and Now Smell This
Beauty Encounter has $52/50ml EdT
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml
Are you a fan? Has Kelly Calèche ever been your go to or does its quiet, refined leather waft leave you bored and stone cold?
Portia xx
Tubéreuse by Mona di Orio 2011
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Post by TinaG
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Whilst first wearing Mona di Orio’s Tubéreuse I must admit I was confused. It really wasn’t the “tuberose” fragrance that I had expected to find….
Tubéreuse by Mona di Orio 2011
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, green notes, bergamot
Heart: Tuberose, benzoin, heliotrope
Base: Musk, amber, coconut, milk, cashmeran
Tubéreuse opens with a flash of floral milkiness. This quickly changes to an enticing sweet pink pepper with a shadowy smoky bergamot lifting and supporting it. The scent shifts and changes rapidly in the first 10 minutes, slowly settling into a light fresh green accord. I can smell a warm and slightly waxy scent, like coconut water, translucent and milky. The greenness draws a linear thread through the life of the scent as a supporting anchor point. There is a gentle powder which joins the flow at about 1 hour and it stays this way during the dry down. So fresh, peppery, floral, clean, milky, waxy – I realised this fragrance is a study of the tuberose flower itself.
Photo Donated TinaG
I found my thoughts being drawn back to evenings where I’ve had bunches of tuberose in the house. Tuberose is “night-blooming”, in that the bloom’s fragrance intensifies during the early evening to night. The time of transition to twilight is a treasure. If I can resist switching a light on, instead maybe lighting a candle, with some quiet background tunes, and may or may not have a glass of chilled white wine – it’s lovely to sit for a while letting my thoughts ramble in whatever direction they take me.
Photo Stolen Pixabay
The scent of real tuberose at this time of day is quite simply stunning. Its fragrance edges into the consciousness, bringing thoughts back to the present and reminding that it is this moment, this time, which is precious. It reminds me of the novel “Island” by Aldous Huxley – in a fictitious country where the inhabitants recognise the importance of the ‘conscious self’, taking a step back from your thoughts to be able to see more clearly. The islanders had trained mynah birds to call out “Attention”, and “Here and Now” at random intervals as a reminder to bring one’s self back to the moment. The growing intensity of tuberose scent at twilight has this same effect – the headiness is all encompassing and so beautiful, why wouldn’t you just want to breathe deeply, silently watching as the day fades to calmness, and colours start to drain away into grey-blues and blacks.
Photo Donated TinaG
It was at this point whilst wearing Tubéreuse that I realised I was experiencing the work of a master artist. Mona di Orio has captured the impression of night-blooming tuberose with a deeply profound and exquisite skill. There is an expression, that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Trying to dissect and analyse Tubéreuse you could definitely identify the parts, but that’s not the story, not the whole picture, and certainly not the limit of its boundaries. The fragrance has a three-tiered connection with me now – the practical identification of notes, a reminiscence of the quiet times, and the deeper meditative space that the ‘present’ can provide. I’m grateful for that journey.
Further reading: What Men Should Smell Like and Perfume Posse
Peony Melbourne has $230/100ml with FREE shipping in Australia
Parfum1 has $230/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $7/ml
How many of you have tried the MdO Tubéreuse? Or any of her scents? Did you love them or not?
Tina G
Australian Perfume Junkies 