Olfactoria's Travels

Peace And Serenity – Review: Maison Mona di Orio Eau Absolue

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Olfactoria

Hey there Olfactoria’s Travelers,

Portia in the OT house from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse.

Do you ever wear fragrance for your own mad selfish pleasure, do any of your frags give you a smile of joy every time throughout the day when you get a sneaky huff of yourself? I really love the Mond di Orio line and today’s fragrance especially, it fits me like a really comfortable wool/cashmere sweater.

Eau Absolue was created by Mona di Orio and released in 2013.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, clementine, petitgrain
Heart: Geranium, Java vetiver oil, bay leaf, pink pepper
Base: Cedar, musk, labdanum

I have written about Eau Absolue before. It is a stellar fragrance on my skin and it has serious longevity.

The opening is balmy and there is something in it that reminds me of the smell of indoor swimming pools and also our childhood sun-protection cream for the outdoors. No, I can’t tell you what it is about Eau Absolue that makes me return again and again. I bought 10ml in a split last year but there is so little left that I am pretty sure it’s going FB this year.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I have an admission to make, Eau Absolue is so perfectly blended and is such a magnificent scent that I really don’t want to parse it for you. What I will say is that if you spend a morning swimming, reading and sunbaking at the beach and are walking towards your transport to go get some lunch. Eau Absolue has the same sense of dreamy, languid anticipation. It is the perfect, slow, happy morning and the hope of something delicious and filling (back in the day it would have been a family corner store Cheeseburger with beetroot and carrot each and a shared chips for the whole crew).

I find myself lately upon wearing Eau Absolue to become peaceful and serene.

Where can you wear Eau Absolue? ANYWHERE!! I purposely put my decant away so I would have some left for myself because it was getting a LOT of wear. Last year I took it on my holiday with Michael through Europe and wore it more than half the journey, above is a photo with Michael and Val the Cookie Queen in the mountains near Salzburg, Austria.

When I have a bottle I am also worried that Eau Absolue could eclipse many of my other faves in my rush to wear it. Let’s see how long the couple of ml I have left lasts…

Further reading: The Non-Blonde and Australian Perfume Junkies
LuckyScent has $230/100ml
Peony Melbourne has $230/100ml with FREE DELIVERY in Australia
Surrender To Chance samples start at $7/ml

Have you tried Eau Absolue? Is there a Mona di Orio that tweaks your fancy?

Portia xxx

Posted in By Portia, Fragrance Reviews, Mona di Orio | Tagged Fragrance, Mona di Orio, Perfume, Review | 11 Comments

Monday Question – What Slightly Weird Thing Do You Like To Do In A Foreign City?

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Olfactoria

Tara is in Vienna this week and she and I are enjoying a few days of sightseeing, perfume hunting and chatting over tea.

On Thursday we are going back to London together to do the same thing over there.

I thought this was the perfect occasion to ask you about city travel.

Aside from the obvious, what do you enjoy doing in a new to you city?

Any strange or slightly weird things you like to see or do?

Do you like to bring back something from your travels?

Is there something in particular you like to see in every city?

My Answer:

Tara’s Answer:

I guess the fact that I like to visit niche perfumeries in a new city would seem alittle strange anywhere but here, otherwise I normally do the touristy things because they are usually popular for a good reason – except Madame Tussaud’s in London (and in Vienna too as Birgit tells me). I like to bring back a handicraft made locally and/or a bottle of perfume so I can remeber the trip whenever I spray. For others I tend to bring them back food that is typical of the region, preferably something sweet. From Vienna it will be most likely some Mozartkugeln.

Olfactoria’s Answer:

I love to visit supermarkets and drug stores to see the day to day essentials particuar to the country I am in. I find it fascinating to see the different things that make daily life in a strange country. I buy a lip balm (of all things!) in every city I come to, always the one that seems to be the most exotic looking to me. I have a nice collection of interesting lip products by now. As I said, slightly weird… 😉

What about you?

Posted in Monday Question, Travels | Tagged City Travel, Travel, Vienna | 54 Comments

Chainlinks And A View From The Top – Hermès Scarf Collection Part 2: Pochettes Circuit 24 And Un Jardin Sur Le Toit

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Olfactoria

Welcome to the second part of my scarf collection posts. Today I have two more small sized scarfs to show you.

The first pochette (45x45cm) is called Circuit 24 Faubourg. It mentions the address of Hermès’ Paris flagship store of course, but the circuit part refers to a racetrack. The motives used are the famous Chain d’Ancre (anchor chain) that Hermès uses again and again in jewellery, porcellain designs, clothing and, of course, scarves. On this pretty little silk square the chainlinks are arranged to form a racing track of sorts.

MaiTai has done a cute video about this scarf (although hers is a 90 in a different colourway) making this particular point clear.

I bought this scarf at the Hermès boutique in Vienna, it was not a planned purchase, but this design is one that really speaks to me. I already have another circuit scarf in a bigger size and different colours, so when the SA showed me this cute little version of it, I just had to take it home. The colours are beautifully neutral and work perfectly with navy, burgundy, black and, well, anything really. 🙂

Here you see it tied. The small format also makes it ideal to use around the wrist as a bracelet, either covering a bangle or on its own.

The second one today is a very special scarf in that it neatly ties (yes, bad pun!) in with my other love – perfume.

It is named exactly like the Ellena creation Un Jardin Sur le Toit which is part of Hermès’ Jardin series. The scarf was initially released in tandem with the perfume and relaunched last year, where I snapped it up in Paris.

You can see the lovely drawing on the scarf and the one on the box of Un Jardin sur le Toit are almost the same. I love how just the garden on the roof is coloured, thereby underscoring its escape from the city aspect beautifully.

The story of this scarf is funny too. The Husband and I had a bit of a Hermès marathon behind us when we visited Paris last summer. At the airport, my lovely and indefatigable husband said he would go to the restrooms, when it truth he decided to check out the Hermès boutique at the terminal as a kind of last hurrah. He wanted to purchase a pochette, any pochette, to surprise me, then go back with me to exchange it to the one I selected for myself. How romantic (and wise!), isn’t he?

Only the problem was that the unimaginative SA in the shop would not let him do it. She insisted that she could not let me exchange the scarf later (which would have been only 5 minutes later!). What a cow!

His surprise ruined, M came back moping a bit, but not defeated. This is Paris after all, and Paris has not one, not two, but three Hermès concessions at Charles de Gaulle airport. So on we traipsed to the next terminal where a lovely and friendly SA showed me Un Jardin Sur Le Toit in a few colourways.

The light blue one was love at first sight. Happy End.

Next week we’ll take a peek at the next size up, the vintage 70 silk. Stay tuned!

Posted in Hermès | Tagged Hermes, scarf collection, Un Jardin sur le Toit | 56 Comments

Cleansing Smoke – Review: Naomi Goodsir Bois d’Ascese

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

I really enjoy smoky aromas but I fully expected not to take to Bois d’Ascese (Ascetic Wood) because it sounded like the equivalent of a bushfire on the smokiness scale. However, while I may not be about to purchase a bottle, I did get caught up in its burning invocation.

There’s something enveloping and almost sensual about it (though I may be on my own with the latter). Some seem to find it too austere for comfort but I find that sinuous cloud of smoke and incense transporting.

Naomi Goodsir is an Australian milliner who released her first collection of fragrances in 2012. Bois d’Ascese was composed by perfumer Julien Rasquinet and contains notes of tobacco, whiskey, cinnamon, amber, cistus labdanum, oakmoss, smoked cade wood and Somalian incense.

The overarching accord is tarry and smoky but it’s a blazing campfire out in the middle of nowhere rather than the harsh phenols pumping out from a tannery. The incense is very much wrapped up in the cade wood smoke.

Cade wood oil or “juniper tar” derives from the distillation of the twigs and branches of the juniper shrub. The result is a more forest-y kind of tar/smoke aroma.

Bois d’Ascese is extremely punchy and pungent in the early stages. As well as tangy and peaty facets, there’s a sticky, slightly sweet, labdanum resin that oozes golden amber out of the smoky blackness.

After the first hour or so, it mellows out considerably into a spare, tinder-dry, lingering smoulder. I find it much easier to wear after this point.

It clings to the body and feels surprisingly weightless. Lasting power is outstanding as it seems to adhere to the skin.

In the traditional sense, it’s certainly masculine in character and I imagine it could be knock-out on a guy.

Bois d’Ascese may not be everyone’s idea of a pleasing personal fragrance but I think it’s more wearable than the thick birch tar smoke of Le Labo’s Patchouli 24. It’s smoother and much more contemplative. It transplants you to a landscape far away from modern life…

Above the campfire, the starry firmament stretches away so endlessly you get “sky awe”. You feel tiny – just a speck in this infinite universe.

Instead of making you feel pointless, your insignificance has the opposite effect. You feel immensely comforted and liberated by the fact that nothing is as important as you thought it was. Everything gets quiet and still. All is assigned to its rightful place.

This feeling is very calming for a habitual over-thinker like me.

For all its charred timber and billowing smoke, there is something haunting about Bois d’Ascese. It seems to have been crafted as a considered aesthetic statement as opposed to a crude smoke bomb.

The reference to asceticism in its name implies monastic abstinence in the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. Bois d’Ascese is a holy smoke that will coat and cleanse you, exorcising your demons from your very pores: a purification ritual.

Posted in By Tara, Fragrance Reviews, Incense | Tagged Fragrance, Naomi Goodsir, Perfume, Review | 31 Comments

Perfume Around The World – Niche Perfume Shops In Prague

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Ana-Maria Melnicky Calin

Editor’s Note: Today I am happy to introduce you to Ana (read a bit more about her at the end of the post), who will take us on a trip to beautiful Prague to see what the niche pefume world there has to offer the discerning Perfumista. Please join me in giving Ana a warm welcome and a big Thank You for this helpful post.

If you happen to be around Prague, wandering on its ancient streets, wondering if there is any place you can smell or buy niche perfumes, here is the list.

Just a note before we start: all the shops are centrally located, but are quite small, and literally hard to find, so pay attention to the exact addresses if you don’t find them in the first place.

All owners are up to date with novelties on the market so you will find new brands in their stores in the near future.

Kosmetické delikatesy Madeleine,
10, Dlouha St.
www.madeleine.cz

Mrs. Rudicova and her husband are the pioneers in this field in Czech Republic. They started their shop in 2004 with the French apothecary makeup brand T. Leclerc, L’Artisan Parfumeur and Annick Goutal. And they had instant success: rice powders by T.LeClerc and natural perfumes sold like gold in the post-communist young market that was thirsty for such luxury products.

The name of the shop is inspired by the Place de la Madeleine in Paris, the place where they decided to start this business.

One by one they then added the perfume brands: The Different Company, Parfums de Rosine, Floris, Grossmith, Amouage, Carthusia, Rancé, Naomi Goodsir, Jardin d’Ecrivains, Jovoy, and most recently Le Galion and the marvellous cosmetic range Une Nuit a Bali.

With exquisite artistic talent and excellent knowledge in the field, Mrs. Rudicova will tell you wonderful stories about perfumes and will for sure find something suitable for you. She strongly believes that the one main thing that differentiates niche and author perfume brands from mass market is the quality of the ingredients that they use. The question she asks is “Where is the truth behind the product, behind marketing?” And the answer is straight forward: “in the passion of the “nose” for the best materials and in the quality of the time”.

The shop is intimate and beautifully decorated in a classical style.

Egoist Royal Parfums
5, Husova St.
egoist-parfums.cz

A new addition to this market, the shop is located on a winding street that brings you to the famous Old Town Square. The moment you enter shop the shop you find yourself surrounded by the largest selection of niche brands in Prague. The owners started their business in the beauty field in the early 90’s in Samara, Russia and are really passionate about perfume.

Pavel and Elena will give you interesting details about the people behind the brand, as they know most of them personally. Their approach is warm and friendly, and will find yourself captivated by the stories of perfumes they tell. You can choose from a wide variety from the classical Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, Houbigant, MDCI, Isabey, Montale, Panouge to more modern like Alyson Oldoini, Atelier Flou, Evody, Franck Boclet, Guilietta Capuleti, M. Micallef or the really young and trendy The Vagabond Price, Viktoria Minya and Jul et Mad.

The website also serves as comprehensive encyclopaedia of ingredients, and I do recommend browsing it for improving your general knowledge on perfumes.

Their credo and inspiration for naming the shop is “Be an egoist, spoil yourself with high quality perfumes”, so indulge and visit their shop if you are in town.

Ingredients
Jachymova 2
en.ingredients-store.cz

Launched back in 2012, the store has a modern, minimalist approach where the product is king: no superfluous decorations, just perfumes.

What you will find in Jakub’s store is a great selection of famous niche brands, creating cohesion with their contemporary brand style. The owner has a long history in the beauty field, starting as a beauty editor for ELLE magazine when he was 18 and then continuing in marketing for luxury brands. It was during these times that he discovered the refined universe of niche perfumery.

Jakub has a savvy approach to the store’s promotion, understanding very well the added value of PR. That is why his business is successful and his shop is always full. The idea of strong individuality and coherence is highlighted by that fact all selected brands have a modern, contemporary feel to them . The price range is generous, allowing for all types of clients to find something suitable.

You will find resonant names: Dyptique, Francis Kurkdijan, Kilian, Byredo, Amouage, Nasomatto, Histoires de Parfums, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Aedes de Venustas, Mona di Orio, Comme des Garcons, LM Parfums, Boadicea The Victorious, Clive Christian or Escentric Molecules.

There are also cosmetic brands such as Eve Lom, Sisley, Aesop, Egyptian Magic, the Super Elixir dietary supplements or candles from Cire Trudon.

Ingredients is among the few shops around the world to stock both fragrances for women and men by the French luxe brand By Kilian.

You can tell Jakub is a connaisseur by the way he talks about perfume, underlining the importance of quality ingredients, and therefore naming his shop similarly. He believes that in order to create a great perfume, a “nose” must be both a great chemist and an artist.
And there is more coming up: there will be a whole floor dedicated to cosmetics starting in June 2015, so don’t miss Ingredients if you visit Prague.

Royal Perfumery
45, Vaclavske Namesti
www.royalperfumery.cz

Opened in September 2014, Royal Perfumery has the most accessible location, on the commercial street Vaclavske Namesti. The shop is small, but elegant and both the manager, Diana, and the sales personnel enjoy talking to their clients and sharing the perfume stories. In fact they take training very seriously. Understanding and feeling the brand is crucial for introducing the right brand to the right type of client, Diana mentioned. At the Royal Perfumery you will even find the rare and spectacular perfume fountains from Caron.

The selection of brands is eclectic, so chances are you will find a fragrance that suits you: Puredistance, Caron, M. Micaleff, House of Sillage, Bond No.9, Tiziana Terenzi, Robert Piguet, Giulietta Capuleti, Cuarzo Ramon Bejar, Alexandre J, Paul Emilien, Houbigant, Taylor of Old Bond Street and Floris.

The name of the brand is meant to be cross cultural and appeal to all potential clients, both locals and tourists.
The opening hours are generous, you can drop by 7 days a week until 10 pm in the evening.

I hope you will enjoy your stay in Prague and pay a visit to at least some of these niche brand perfumeries. If you have already visited, please let us know about your experiences.

About me:

My name is Ana-Maria. I am a perfume lover, fascinated by the sense of smell. Ever since the first time I walked into a niche perfumery 8 years ago, I knew this was going to be a long love story. What I enjoy most is finding out new stories about scent and sharing them on my blog smell-spell.com.

I am a perpetual discoverer in the field of quality, memorable and beyond fashion perfumery. I believe in “slow scent”, in taking the time to choose a fragrance, in allowing the natural steps to happen: listening to the story behind the brand and the perfume, smelling, trying on, feeling and only after that buying.
I am Romanian, living in Prague with my family.

Posted in Shopping, Travels | Tagged Fragrance, Perfume, Prague, shopping | 37 Comments

Monday Question – Would You Like To Buy My Perfume? Perfume Sale Spring 2015

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Olfactoria

Something different today: I need to spring-clean my perfume closet and wondered if maybe you would like something… a perfect opportunity to treat yourself.

It works like this.
From the list below choose if there is something there you would like to have. I will add a bottle, decant, mini or bag of samples to that for free.

Please email me with your interest (olfactoria at gmail dot com), first come, first served basis. I can’t reserve perfumes, sorry.
The more you buy, the more you get extra.

For London fumies: I will be in your lovely city from March 5-8, so I can carry your buys over and we can meet in London to complete the transaction.
Same goes for anyone in Vienna of course. Otherwise shipping costs are 15€ per package, no matter how much you buy or where in the world, packaging costs and shipping costs that exceed 15€ (which it always does…) are on me. Prices are low as the perfume is meant to really sell and you are in for a bargain, so please no haggling.
I will ship as quickly as possible as soon as the payment is received (bear in mind my upcoming few days jaunt to London though!)

Payment is through Paypal or wire transfer (within Europe).

So here goes…

Perfume Sale List February 2015

Diptyque Geranium Odorata EdT 100ml, 95% full. 50€

Houbigant Quelques Fleurs 50ml EdP BNIB. 50€

Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J 100ml EdP, 90% full. 80€

Jo Loves Gardenia 100ml EdT, 85% full. 80€

Martin Margiela untitled l’eau 100ml EdT 70% full 50€

Guerlain Vintage Shalimar EdC in watch face bottle, ca. 1970ies, prime condition. 250€

Jil Sander Sun 75ml EdT, 95% full. 30€

Oscar de La Renta Esprit d’Oscar 50ml EdP, 90% full. 50€

Bulgari Jasmin Noir 30ml EdP, 95% full. 30€

All items come with their original box.
Happy shopping!

Posted in Monday Question | 38 Comments

Starting Small – Hermès Scarf Collection Part 1: Pochettes, Mademoiselle Soie

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Olfactoria

To start showing (off?) my scarf collection I thought to begin with the smallest formats I own, the silk pocket squares or pochettes, also called gavroches in Hermès-speak.

I like these small scarves (45x45cm) for a pop of colour underneath a roll-neck sweater or as a silky touch next to my skin when wearing a big, warm wollen scarf in the cold to prevent a reaction to the wool.

Let’s take a closer look at the first one I’d like to show you today…

This was my first pochette and among my first Hermès pieces. It was a gift from my mother-in-law who chose extremely well. The colours are vivid but not overpowering (the size helps too, I can’t wear something big that is so colourful) and the design is among my favourite ones. It is called Mademoiselle Soie, created by Pierre Marie, and it depicts existing classical scarf designs from Hermès’s archives. A seamstress sits in the middle, surrounded by scarves and various sewing accoutrements.

This pochette was part of a four scarf story, the other three showing Madame Cuir (leather), Monsieur Montre (watches) and – of course my favourite – Monsieur Parfum. Sadly these are impossible to find. If I ever come across the perfume pochette I shall snap it up right away.

Here you see it tied.

To add a personal story, (even perfume-related, yeah!), I wore this scarf when I met Roja Dove in his Haute Parfumerie in London. I was really nervous before meeting him and actually considered bolting and going for a drink instead, but then he came and right away commented on my scarf and – since he was wearing an Hermès scarf himself – we bonded over our love for silk. I relaxed and really enjoyed my time with M. Dove.

So, this was the first one and, like before meeting Roja, I am nervous now too. But nonetheless, I enjoyed presenting this first scarf and I will make it a point to show you one per week, every Friday is now Hermès silk day!

What do you think?

Posted in Hermès, Scarf Collection | Tagged collecting, Hermes, scarves, silk | 46 Comments

What’s Your Poison? – Review: By Kilian Addictive State of Mind Collection

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Tara

While recent collections from By Kilian have left me cold, I was still interested to try this set of addiction inspired scents because they seemed to mark a return to a darker mood.

The collection was released in October 2014 and comprises the following three fragrances which seem to be aimed at men.

Smoke for the Soul

Notes of eucalyptus, grapefruit, cardamom, mate tea, tagete, thyme, tobacco and birch.

Perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin seems like a good choice for a smoky composition considering he did the tobacco infused Volutes for Diptyque. Unfortunately I have trouble with fragrances like this which are inspired by cannabis. To my nose, it is a deeply unpleasant aroma.

I have to say I like the pine cone aspect of the opening to Smoke for the Soul. It’s the scent of the forest; aromatic and invigorating.

However the question is; does it also smell like weed? Sadly for me, the answer is yes. It’s that same dank, pungent, sour fug. I can’t get past that negative association so I don’t have anything more to add apart from the fact that I had an urge to scrub it. Maybe those without my antipathy would get on better.

Intoxicated

Notes of cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, mocha coffee, tobacco, vanilla and patchouli.

This is the one out of the three that I would say has the broadest appeal. Intoxicated was created by perfumer Calice Becker, who has done the majority of the brand’s perfumes so far. The addiction here is caffeine and the fragrance takes its lead from the aroma of Turkish coffee.

Essentially it’s the scent of a rich, spiced coffee with heaps of sugar. Intoxicated has a strong coffee accord but it’s mellowed out by sweet spices and a backbone of vanilla. It has depth but feels relatively simple. It could be a good fragrance to warm you up on a cold day, just like that steaming hot cup of coffee.

By all accounts it bears a striking resemblance to the original A*Men by Mugler. So if you fall in love with Intoxicated it may be worth doing a comparison, given the huge price difference.

Light My Fire

Notes of cumin, hay, patchouli, vetiver, honey, vanilla and tobacco.

Sidonie Lancesseur has done a few fragrances for By Kilian including Incense Oud, Cruel Intentions and Straight to Heaven. Nicotine is the vice in question here, so Light My Fire has a core of tobacco.

It’s hard not to compare this to Kilian’s Back to Black. Light My Fire starts out with a soft honey note but instead of pairing it with cherry tobacco as in Back to Black, it’s paired with cumin – a lot of it. It’s much more spice than sweat and comes across as almost nutty. However, I doubt cumin will ever be a enjoyable note for me.

While the cumin stays the course, the honey quickly recedes, being overtaken by musty patchouli and a great hay note. It’s smooth and mildly funky. Light My Fire makes me think of a horse’s stable to start with but dries down to a nicely realistic tobacco. Putting my aversion to cumin to one side, I’d say it’s the most original and interesting of the three.

How you feel about By Kilian? Which collection or fragrance are you most fond of?

Posted in By Kilian, By Tara, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged By Kilian, Fragrance, Kilian Hennessy, Perfume, Review | 32 Comments

Absolute Aphrodisiac – Review: Introducing Initio Parfums Privés

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Olfactoria

By Sandra

Taking a stroll through the city the other day I stopped in a perfume store and asked if they had anything new. Spring is thankfully fast approaching and I love sniffing the new releases for spring as they start rolling in.

The SA guided me towards a beautiful row of black bottles with an intricate logo in filigree which looks like intricate lace. Some of the bottles had a red filigree logo and others had a silver logo. The SA explained that the perfumes were so new, had just arrived in the store, and apologized as she was unable to walk me through them thoroughly. So, we had a cursory sniff together and I chose one to sample on skin.

Now, before I get to the perfume, I will say that I came home and looked up Initio Parfums Privés and learned more about them. So, let me introduce you to the brand using their words from their website.

What if your instincts were guided by your sense of smell,
leading you towards new adventures?
INITIO takes fragrances to new heights, with enhanced powers that defy the imagination.
Wild nature and the science of pheromones fuse deeply together within the formulas, working their magic imperceptibly.
The Absolutes and The Magnetic Blend, invisible forces to be worn alone or blended together, INITIO fragrances stir your instincts.
This is where it all begins…

There are two lines to this brand. The Absolutes and The Magnetic Blend. They can be layered or not and are meant to evoke powerful images, adventures, emotions you name it.

The one perfume I decided to spray is called Absolute Aphrodisiac and the website lists vanilla, white flower and castoreum as the main accord.

Oh my goodness is this the most voluptuous sensual vanilla opening tinged with light florals. It is divine. It goes on almost thick and leaves my skin with a subtle shimmer – just for a little bit but it is so beautiful and smooth.

As the perfume dries down it warms with my skin and becomes smoldering. There is an animalic side to this that is beckoning me to bury my nose to my wrist. It is as if I have tendrils of vanilla hovering over my skin – teasing me with a grin.

The perfume is ever so delicate and not overpowering at all, but it does last all day on my skin leaving me wanting a full bottle and wanting to test it with others in the line. Needless to say I love this perfume.

Now that I know I can blend and mix and match the perfumes I can’t wait to go back to the perfume shop and test out the Absolute Aphrodisiac with one or more of the Magnetic Blends. The one that is calling to me the most is Magnetic Blend 1 which is ambergris. I look forward to smelling them all individually and blended.

I hope you can all try them when they come to your area. Have fun testing and blending.

It is going to be a new way for me to experience perfume and to have a sensual blend of my own.

Posted in By Sandra, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged Fragrance, Initio Parfums Privés, Perfume, Review | 17 Comments

Different And Good – Review: Papillon Perfumery Angélique

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Olfactoria

Darling Olfactoria’s Travelers,

Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse and today I’m trying a new-to-me house for you all. Not so long ago Karen Gilbert was in Australia and she left me three samples of the Papillon range, I really loved the Tobacco Rose one while she was in town but I didn’t get to spend much time with Angélique, yet it haunted me a bit, I was wondering if it was as good as I remembered or if I was just having such a good time that the world smelled gorgeous.

Angélique was created by Liz Moores for Papillon Artisan Perfumes in 2014.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Mimosa petals, orris, champaca, osmanthus, cedar, olibanum

From the Papillon site:

Osmanthus. White Champac. Orris. Mimosa. Frankincense. Cedarwood.

“Inspiration for my perfumes comes to me in many ways, but none more so than from the nature in my own garden. Angélique began as an olfactory portrait of the Iris Pallida; days spent breathing in the delicate scent of the flowers and the honeyed aroma of pollen emerged as nature’s own sketch of what Angélique would become.

Angélique became a perfume based on my personal impression of the beautiful Iris Pallida, a flower that is as captivating and angelic as nature herself.”

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

The dry green rasp of torn new branches and leaves, rooty and crisp fresh pulled carrots and the pretty, green, furry flutter of mimosa open Angélique. We are talking a seriously beautiful fragrance that is spring, dewy mornings, it’s the cool sunrise, it’s new growth, fresh cut flowers and water.

The heart of Angélique is warmer, woodsier, rustic life as a woodcutter or a woodcutters home, the logpile and the beeswax and resins used to keep the wood lovely and moisturised. It is the balmy goodness that wins out in the end, a soft salve for cracked hands and heels that smells of the spring from whence it came, even in the deads of high winter and summer.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

I only got two wears out of my small vial that I spritzed. It was worth it to be submerged in this beauty. Simple, wearable and still interesting. I would recommend Angélique to anyone who is bored with the current crop of fragrance and mass-tige: this is different and good.

Further reading: Nick Gilbert and Olfactoria’s Travels
LuckyScent has $160/50ml
Papillon has £94/50ml and samples

Have you got your sniff on this set yet? Angélique, Anubis and Tobacco Rose are their names and Tara has reviewed them here. Tobacco Rose is getting the most blog loving and I really adore it too, there may be another Papillon post coming very soon.

Portia xx

Posted in By Portia, Fragrance Reviews | Tagged Fragrance, Perfume, Review | 14 Comments