The Non-Blonde

Sonia Rykiel - Rykiel Rose

2012-02-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

Let's be clear: Rykiel Rose from Sonia Rykiel is a fruity floral perfume, and a rosy one at that. It has elements that remind me of Tresor and YSL Paris, but unlike both, I don't find Rykiel Rose objectionable. It has a certain buoyancy that makes the fragrance easy to wear without going into teen or Bath & Body Works territory. Instead, this is a very summery and quite French little pink dress, and who doesn't need one in their wardrobe?

Now, despite the romantic and very pretty image of Nathalie Rykiel, Sonia's daughter, in the perfume ad, don't expect much gravitas from Rykiel Rose. It's not particularly original or complex. It's just an easy-breezy, well-balanced and ultra feminine perfume that doesn't resort to cheap tricks, cotton candy or bubblegum syrup in order to attract and seduce the nose.

Rykiel Rose is not very long-lasting and has a very modest sillage, despite nose-catching notes such as freesia and lychee. I could swear I also smell a hint of candied violet here and there, but it might be a phantom note because of the Paris association (YSL, not necessarily the city). The dry-down is a little too generic and synthetic to my taste, with that familiar creamy musky wood accord that probably has no real sandalwood to back it up. Still, as far as inoffensive and cute goes, one can do much worse.

Notes: Freesia, Pimento, Lotus, Lychee, Bulgarian Rose, Tea wood, Sandalwood, amber and musk.

Rykiel Rose by Sonia Rykiel seems to have gone out of production, but is very widely available online, usually under $30 for 1.7 oz EDP.

Rykiel Rose perfume ad (2000) from couleurparfum.com.
Runway photo of a Sonia Rykiel dress for Spring/Summer 2009 from style.com.
Sonia Rykiel Spring 2012 campaign photo from the designer's Facebook page.

Jo Malone- Vanilla & Anise Bath Oil

2012-02-09T13:51:00.000-05:00

Oil is my friend this winter. Since I liked the clean and breezy Vanilla & Anise perfume from Jo Malone on its neroli-orchid-spice blend, I knew the matching bath oil would be a good addition to my bath and body routine. My main demand from any bath and shower product is gentleness. My skin gets red and angry from many a soap, so avoiding the itch is a priority. As is a good fragrance, of course.

Jo malone's bath oil is non greasy and very pleasant on skin. It's not drying even on the coldest night. I've been using to shower, and while it doesn't produce a foam, my skin is left clean and soft afterwards.

Neroli clearly dominates the bath oil version of this Jo Malone scent. The orchid that I clearly smell in the perfume is missing and the spice is somewhat toned down. Still it's recognizable as related to Vanilla & Anise, and while the fragrance doesn't linger-- not even in the air-- this is a kind and gentle bath product of great quality.

Bottom Line: highly recommended.

Jo Malone- Vanilla & Anise Bath Oil ($65, 250 ml) is available at top department stores and from jomalone.com.

Photo by Nina Leen, 1945

Ellis Faas E203 Milky Eyes

2012-02-09T12:18:00.000-05:00

Ellis Faas E203 Milky Eyes is a cream-to-powder eye shadow formula in a blue-based dark purple that looks almost like ink. It's a gorgeous color that can be sheered and blended as needed, or layered for extra definition. It's a wonderful smoky eye option, and can also be mixed with Ellis Faas Light Eyes in E301 as you see below. The mixed swatch shows the texture as it dries down.

In the past, Ellis Milky Eyes had a sponge applicator that tended to get clogged. It was replaced with the brand's infamous brush that's less wasteful but will not assist you in application. I've discussed this topic in the past (Milky Eyes E205, Creamy Eyes E107) and the bottom line is still the same: Ellis Faas eye shadows are among the very best you can find, but they require some practice to get the desired results. Ellis herself uses her fingers when doing her own makeup (and she looks phenomenal, by the way), and various brushes when working on models. You know me- I'm all about using tools and love to experiment with different brushes. I find the Milky Eyes E203 responds well to every brush I tried: natural or synthetic hair, flat or full-- I can create different effects, a wash of color, a contour line, a deep crease... and the color is just beautiful.

One of the best features of Milky Eyes is durability. Once the eye shadow dries it doesn't move, crease, crumble, fall out or fades. The color and texture stay true in every weather until you attack it with a cleanser. This makes the formula a perfect choice for events and other occasions when you know there won't be time for touch-ups.

Bottom Line: for those who love to play.

Ellis Faas E203 Milky Eyes ($36) is available from SpaceNK, ellisfaas.com and sephora.com. Also at Sephora Meatpacking district in NYC. The product was sent to me free of charge by the company.

My beautiful model is Olivia (I had light issues and her glorious white hair worked as a background). There's an extra outtake photo posted on the Facebook group.

CB I Hate Perfume- Patchouli Empire

2012-02-08T23:10:00.001-05:00

Christopher Brosius of CB I Hate Perfume says that "there is patchouli and PATCHOULI". He's right. Patchouli Empire is an all-natural blend of five patchoulis from across the Indian Ocean set in a foundation of warm rare woods. It will banish all memory of other (in)famous patchouli perfumes, from the cheap 1970s hippie juice to various modern monstrosities (hello, Angel).

CB's Patchouli Empire is woody, as promised, but also earthy, alternating between warmth and mentholated cool breeze that moves in and out of sight. If you're thinking about Uncle Serge's Borneo 1834 and its camphorous note you're not too far, except that Patchouli Empires has non of the dusty chocolate of Borneo. Instead, it's solid and woody, like gorgeous and expensive antique furniture or an ornate wood box jolding precious mementos. This, by the way, was exactly what Brosius aimed for: Patchouli Empire is meant to evoke the patchouli used to keep away moth from delicate cashmere articles shipped to Europe. According to the perfumer, it's the

scent the Empress Josephine might have smelled when she first opened a teak box of cashmere shawls sent to her from India.

Indeed, Patchouli Empire smells dark and expensive. It has spicy facets, creamy ones and a tactile smooth finish. My skin brings out an almost oriental dry-down, without ever going into a full ambery mode. The bursts of cool breeze never go away, even after wearing it for several hours. It seems like the patchouli oils used here have different courses of development, each doing its thing and all come together into this soft and surprisingly wearable blend.

Patchouli Empire by CB I Hate Perfume ($15, 2ml perfume absolute that will last till the end of days) is available at CB's Williamsburg gallery and from cbihateperfume.com.

Art: Empress Josephine by Antoine-Jean Gros, 1808.

Essie Island Hopping Nail Polish

2012-02-08T14:36:00.000-05:00

I love my mauves. Especially as a transitional choice when one season fades into the other. Essie is probably my go-to brand for this color family. I always have at least a couple of Essie ones on rotation. Among others, of course. A girl need to have options.

Island Hopping came out in one of Essie's seasonal collections a few years ago and thankfully has stayed around (this is my second bottle). It's a plummy mauve, slightly cooler in tone than Essie Soiree Mauve (another staple). It's a darker and richer version of the drugstore classic Sally Hansen Stony Creme (from the Advanced Hard As Nails series).

Like most Essie polishes, two coats are enough, the formula is of medium thickness and the brush could use a few extra bristles to make application more even.

Bottom Line: big love.

Essie Island Hopping Nail Polish ($8) can be found at many salons, select Target and Ulta locations and on essie.com.

Shu Uemura Gentle Amber Cream Blush & Radiant Pearl Cream Highlighter

2012-02-08T13:26:00.000-05:00

The Shu Uemura makeup artist who did my face used this combination of an almost nude blush and pearly highlighter to sculpt my face with a Shu Uemura #14 synthetic brush (I realize I have yet to show and review it-- I've had it for ages). The result was very pretty and natural, but I quickly realized the Radiant Pearl Cream highlighter should be used mindfully due to its very visible shimmer particles. The somewhat waxy texture is also best when mixed with another face product prior to application, and I'm hesitant on recommending it for those of you with oily skin.

The cream blush, Gentle Amber, is a warm tan than can be applied very sheer or built up. On my olive skin it's more of a flush or bronzer alternative rather than a contouring color (the shaded parts of my face lean gray), so it belongs on the higher parts of my skin and can be blended with the Pearl Cream highlighter if going for an evening look. It's a pretty and easy to wear color, and despite being released in the fall, will make a delicate transition-into-summer look.

There's just one problem, and it's a big one. I have many cream blushes and have quite a bit of experience applying them. I've never come across a cream blush that fades and disappears so quickly as this one from Shu Uemura (the highlighter isn't long-lasting, either). I know how to make my makeup last all day long even under the worst environmental conditions, but getting even six hours from this blush is a stretch. I tried many combinations of primer, foundation and setting powder, but nothing worked. My cheeks end up as pale as they are without blush before the day (or evening) is over. Come makeup removal time, everything else is firmly in place, but there's no trace of the blush or highlighter on the cotton pads.

Bottom Line: pass.

Shu Uemura Gentle Amber Cream Blush & Radiant Pearl Cream Highlighter ($21 each, $15 for the case) are available at counters outside of the USA and from shuuemura-usa.com.

Providence Perfume Co.- Ginger Lily

2012-02-07T22:51:00.000-05:00

Ginger and lily notes usually don't top my list of favorites; especially lily (the reason I have yet to review Cartier Baiser Volé is my reluctance to subject myself to its toxic flesh eating lily ever again). But I had faith in natural perfumer Charna Ethier of Providence Perfume Co. to not send me scrubbing, and I was right.

Ginger Lily is a lush and exotic oriental. It starts with a burst of freshly-grated ginger and sweetens as the perfume develops. The floral heart is quite intense, but doesn't push my lily-hating buttons, perhaps because it's so spicy. I smell clove and cinnamon, maybe also a hint of cardamom. They temper the bigger-than-life flowers and warm them up considerably. Indeed, warmth is another sensation I get from Providence's Ginger Lily and its hot spices.

The sweet rose note is more gentle than one would expect and very natural (duh!). It leads the way to a dark and thick ambery base. The perfume keeps a balance between the floral and foody. I imagine a plate of ginger and spice cookies set on a table decorated with antique embroidered linens and a vase full of lilies. It's a welcoming, comforting and satisfying place to be. Interestingly, I love it at bedtime as I pull the covers almost over my head and breath in, but the husband thinks it's too intense and distracting when he tries to fall asleep. So I promised to choose softer fragrances at nighttime and he discovered that he actually loves smelling Ginger Lily on me during the day. Peace restored.

Notes: ginger, black pepper, bitter orange, ginger orchid, May rose, ylang-ylang, styrax, white cognac, amber, vetiver and copaiba.

Ginger Lily by Providence Perfume Company ($26, 6ml EDP, larger size and samples available) can be purchased from providenceperfume.com. A sample was sent for my consideration free of charge by the perfumer.

Art: Tiger Lily by Marcia Baldwin

LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant

2012-02-07T16:32:00.000-05:00

My experience with natural and "healthy" deodorants so far has left a lot to be desired. I really tried, but always ended up with a stink on my hands (or in my armpits, if we stick to the facts).

Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant in vanilla-coconut smells like a sheer beachy vanilla, quite pleasant and unobtrusive. When applied it feels cool to the touch and wet-- very different than the stick deodorants I've been using. It's an odd sensation at first, but not unpleasant. I'm guessing that the reason for it is that Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant is based on aloe leaf. Here's the full ingredient list:

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Juice, Water), Propanediol (Corn Derived), Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Sodium Stearate (Coconut Derived), Silica, Carrageenan (Seaweed Derived), Stearyl Behenate (Coconut Derived), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon Peel Oil), Inulin (Artichoke Derived), Saccharomyces Ferment, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide (Sugar Derived), Yeast Beta Glucan, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Valeriana Officinalis Root Extract (Valerian), Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal) Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract (Goji Berry), Botanical Fragrance Blend.

Speaking of aloe, I know some people who use aloe gel as a face primer for oily skin. Interestingly enough, that's exactly what I used to do in my late teens, years before real makeup primers came on the market. It felt good and calming while somehow smoothing the surface and making whatever makeup I used back then last longer. So I guess I was on to something.

The real question here is, of course, performance. There's no doubt about this: Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant is the first natural deodorant I've tried that actually worked. It's winter, so there's only so much testing I could manage, but it holds in overheated stuffy rooms as well as overnight. However, during the day, it's only effective for 4-6 hours (depending on level of activity and humidity). The best way I can describe it is that the deodorizing ingredients fade away or are used up after a certain time, and if you don't reapply things are going to get more than a little ripe.

As long as you remember to carry it with you and renew after 4-6 hours, it's golden. This is a lot more than I can say for just about any natural deodorant I tried that vanished in the face of real sweat. While the Lavanila option is not perfect, for those desperately seeking to avoid aluminum this might be a good option.

Bottom Line: For the sake of your nearest and dearest, remember to keep a backup in your purse, in a drawer at work and in your locker.

LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant ($18) is available at Sephora, SkinStore and DermStore. The product was sent to me free of charge by the company's PR.

Image: vintageadbrowser.com

Clinique All Heart Long Lasting Lipstick

2012-02-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

I spent the early 90s as a Clinique skincare devotee. I went through so countless bottles of their cleansers and moisturizers in my twenties, succumbing to the ladies in white lab coats again and again (until my skin announced that enough was enough). I tried to do all my shopping during those Clinique Bonus Time events, thus acquiring dozens of Tenderheart lipsticks. I don't why they this was the only color they ever put in the little cosmetics bag. I never used them after the first one or two, as Tenderheart was so nude and sheer it never showed up on my lips. I couldn't give them away fast enough before another one appeared in a new cosmetics bag.

Times have changed and so did the good GWP people of Clinique. A couple of years ago I discovered the cuteness of their Raspberry Glace lipstick, and last year I found myself in possession of Clinique Long Lasting Lipstick in All Heart. This one is a reddish plum color with a very soft sheen finish. It's pretty and very easy to wear. I don't find it particularly long lasting, unless you compare to the fast fading formulas of other Clinique lipsticks, but it's not too drying, either. Meticulous application in two coats using a brush over a liner does make it last longer and survive a drink. All Heart Long Lasting Lipstick is an average, decent lipstick that can be stashed in a makeup bag for quick touch-ups when you need to change your lip color or add a boost.

Bottom Line: nice to have but not life changing.

Clinique All Heart Long Lasting Lipstick ($15) is available from the counters, at Sephora and online.

Creed Royal-Oud

2012-02-06T22:23:00.000-05:00

The Blond is neither a Creed fan nor an oud enthusiast. Thus, when he first tested Creed Royal-Oud, last summer's release, his main observation was that Royal-Oud is not particularly oudy (a good thing) but still suffers from the curse of modern Creed perfumes, the lack of soul.

I actually kind of liked Royal-Oud even from that first sniff, though I admit I was not completely taken. Royal or not, it's not a dramatic fragrance. As Patty from the Posse observed, you can easily forget that you're wearing it until you notice something around you smells really really nice. The opening is the most dominant part-- spices and citrus that will appeal to many. I think Creed labeled this one as a masculine and the top notes are definitely geared towards that audience, but anyone who likes zingy and refreshing scents (not exactly "fresh" but very lively) will enjoy this.

I love the smoky medicinal heart that emerges underneath. It's somewhat murky and quite refined at this stage. I don't know about royalty and I won't speculate what Prince William and Prince Harry smell like, but Creed Royal-Oud does have a certain dignity that's lacking in many louder oud perfumes. It also lacks (thankfully) the sour rose overtones I often get from oud notes (that's you, Montale). As I said, this is more about spice than anything else, before a downward spiral into a too mellow ambery dry-down. The sweetness on my skin is very tame. It's not a vanilla bomb or anything creamy. I don't smell the promised sandalwood, just a general ambered-fossilized wood and perhaps some sap. It's nice, but not exciting at all.

All of the above makes Creed Royal-Oud better than I expected. It's easy and pleasant to wear, but it doesn't sweep me off my feet. I might disagree with the husband on the lack of soul, but royal or not, this is not Prince Charming.

Notes: Calabrian lemon, pink berry, Sicilian bergamot, cedar, galbanum, angelica root, Regal Indian oud, sandalwood and Tonkin musk.

Creed Royal-Oud ($300, 75ml EDP) is available from Creed boutiques, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.

Photography by Diego Porcel.

Want: Salvatore Ferragamo Spring 2012 Bags

2012-02-06T14:54:00.000-05:00

The colorful exuberance of Salvatore Ferragamo's Spring 2012 colors is infectious. Since we're not having a real winter, I'm ready to drop the charade and just start with spring, especially since Ferragamo's idea is far from dainty pastels. Instead, he's in full jungle mode (when is he not, really?). I'd love it with a simple spring dress, wedges and a vintage scarf.

Apparently, Sarah Jessica Parker is also a fan (see more photos on RCFA). I like her way of pairing the Ferragamo purse with low-key neutrals. This is not the first time Sara Jessica was spotted with a brand new Ferragamo bag: A cute toddler and NYC rain might not be the ideal styling for the suede Resort 2012, but I think she pulled it off.

Photos: ferragamo.com, style.com and Zimbio.

Sunday Riley Fool's Gold & Burnt Eggplant Prismasilk Eye Shadow

2012-02-06T13:18:00.000-05:00

Today we have more Sunday Riley to love (it's so much fun to discover a new brand, especially when it's a makeup artist's line that has something unique to offer). These two eye shadows, Fool's Gold (111) and Burnt Eggplant (128) round up my first Sunday Riley purchase. The way things look, I'm ready for a few more.

Fool's Gold is probably the most unique of the bunch (see my reviews of Indigo Waves and Leprechaun). It's a brassy base with dark gold flecks. Sabrina from The Beauty Look Book has asserted that this eye shadow performs better when applied with a damp brush, and I agree. Fool's Gold is an intense evening eye shadow that provides quite a bit of drama. There's no point sheering it out because then the color and the gilded effect are lost. I love creating a smoky silent film star effect with this Sunday Riley shadow, and have also used it combined with NARS Aigle Noir pencil shadow as a base with great results.

Burnt Eggplant is somewhat more traditional of a color. It strands the lines between reddish brown, aubergine and almost-taupe. Sabrina provided excellent comparison shots, so I'll only add this one with Le Metier de Beaute's Corinthian, which you can see has a very different finish. The texture and finish of Sunday Riley's Burnt Eggplant is perhaps closer to LMdB's Mulberry, but the pigment resembles Corinthian a little more. In any case, it's a unique color that plays well with other neutrals in my collection.

Bottom Line: next stop, Casablanca.

Sunday Riley Prismasilk Eye Color ($26 each) is exclusive to Barneys.

The Husband's Recipes: Pizza, Italian Style

2012-02-05T19:05:00.000-05:00

This pizza is one of the reasons we've become extremely fussy and particular about eating out. The husband has perfected the recipe over time into something that reminds us of Italy and its little hole-in-the-wall pizza places in small towns and villages where everyone is local (and we stuck out like sore thumbs, but who cares?). There's no gooey melty cheese (and definitely no side of wings) or extra sauce. As a matter of fact, there rarely is a sauce and the pizza is often served in room temperature. Tomatoes are sometimes cut fresh and used to top the already baked pizza (I had one with a fresh capreze salad. It was glorious). So here it is, written and photographed by The Blond:

The Ultimate Vegetarian Pizza: Whole wheat, Feta and Zucchini Pizza

I always loved Pizza. What’s not to like in dough, tomato sauce and cheese? Chicago style deep dish was my favorite growing up. That was until I got to Italy and saw the original: a slightly charred thin crust topped with a vegetable and some olive oil. That was, surprisingly all. Minimalistic? Yes. Heavenly? Oh, yes.

As vegetarians we played with different recipes and combinations until we got to this one which became a staple. The vegetable/s on top can change based on what‘s available, but zucchini is our favorite with eggplant being the runner up.

For the dough:

1. Mix 1 packet of dry yeast in 1¼ cups warm water + a teaspoon of sugar or honey mixed in. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.

2. In a stand mixer, mix 1.5 cups whole wheat flour, 1.5 cups regular flour, a bit of salt, pepper and dried basil to taste.

3. Pour in the yeast mixture an let it come together. Change to the kneading hook and let it knead for 3-4 minutes – until the dough starts to climb up the hook. (Or just mix it all and knead by hand for 5 minutes).

4. Let rest in a cat-safe warm area in an oiled and covered bowl for 2 hours or so until the dough doubles in volume.

Heat the oven to 460 F.

Split the dough into 2 even parts (if you have the will power not to eat both pizzas in one seating; it will keep for 2 days ziplocked in the fridge).

Assembling the pizza:

1. Roll the dough into the shape of your choice, about 1/6^th inch thick (it may require a little extra flour so it does not stick to the surface) and place in a pizza pan or on a pizza stone.

2. Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs such as thyme, marjoram etc. Sprinkle with dried chilies to taste.

3. Dice 125g of good quality feta cheese and scatter evenly on the dough.

4. Slice 2-3 mid size zucchinis into 1/8^th inch slices, mix with a little olive oil and arrange on top on the feta cheese.

5. Arrange the zucchini slices with some more herbs and grate a little Parmesan cheese on top.

6. Place in the oven for 15-25 minutes depending on your oven until the dough is dark brown and the zucchini are golden. Let rest for 10 minutes and try not to eat too fast.

Enjoy!

Lucien Lelong- N (Vintage Perfume)

2012-02-02T15:18:00.000-05:00

According to Octavian Coifan's article about the history and composition of N by Lucien Lelong on 1000 Fragrances, the small extrait bottle I have is the one from 1936. I'm not sure when they stopped making it, but I knew had a treasure the second I held the still sealed box in its original paper wrapping in my hand. I unwrapped it carefully, for once managing to preserve the paper, opened the box (similar to design to the old Lanvin ones), and released the glass stopper from its cord and crackling onion skin-like seal.

At least two thirds of the content was gone and the old juice has darkened overtime. I have no doubt some of the potency and top notes were also lost. But N, as old as it is, opens up with such a zing that every time I dab it on I think of fresh ginger. A few seconds later it becomes more of the broken green stem of a flower, then a carnation note emerges, spicy and a little bitter. It almost bites. The striking thing about Lucien Lelong's N is how alive and present it smells even after all these years.

N dries down rather quickly (old perfumes often give the effect of crumbing or collapsing into themselves). It becomes a powdery iris that fades into a very dry and dusty vetiver. I call it the Miss Havisham Vetiver. It's still good, even if it's more like a diorama of a vintage scene than something you can actually wear the entire day (If I were to refresh it every 90 minutes I'd have nothing left in the elegant Lucien Lelong bottle). N was probably too floral for me in its heyday, but I'm thankful to it for another lesson in vintage fashion and perfume.

Images--
Lucien Lelong Parfums vintage ad: hprints.com
Fashion photos of Princess Natalie Paley, Lucien Lelong's second wife who might (or might not) have been the inspiration for the perfume and its name, from myvintagevogue.com.

Happy Groundhog Day!

2012-02-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

It's been 19 years, by the way.

All photos from the movie Groundhog Day: by Columbia Pictures.

YSL Effet Faux Cils Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner

2012-02-02T11:51:00.000-05:00

Cream and gel eyeliners are probably my favorite. I tend to have them in several colors at any given time and use them up more than other type of liners. YSL released their Effet Faux Cils Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner last year, and just like their waterproof eye pencils, they've earned their keep (I just started testing the new felt tip pen, so review is coming in a few weeks).

YSL Effet Faux Cils Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner comes in six shades (Sephora only has four at the moment), from the inevitable black to green. I chose to start with two: Deep Black (01) and Sea Black (04). The regular black has a vinyl-like glossy finish in the pot as well as on the lid. The surprise was Sea Black, a rich and saturated midnight blue that looks scarily glittery in the pan but ends up as a very very blue shade with a glossy shimmer finish. It's not an almost-blue or a blackened blue. It's blue all the way, so take that into account. I find myself applying the Sea Black Effet Faux Cils with a light hand and drawing a thinner line than I'd do with blue eyeliners that are more navy and subtle.

The texture of YSL Effet Faux Cils is very soft and pliable. It responds to all brushes and is easy to work with. The longevity is exactly as promised. The line stays put as glossy as it was when first applied 10 hours later. It requires a little soaking in an eye makeup remover before it goes away, so I trust it when I need good performance.

Bottom Line: easy to love.

YSL Effet Faux Cils Long-Wear Cream Eyeliner ($25 each) is available at the counters, Sephora nd from yslbeautyus.com.

Chantecaille- Frangipane

2012-02-01T16:41:00.000-05:00

I first smelled Frangipane by Chantecaille about ten or eleven years ago and quite liked it, even if I knew instantly that it was not meant for me. I remember testing it several times side by side next to Michael (Michael Kors), the tuberose bomb, and ended up buying Michael, which I wear to this day (in pure parfum form). Chantecaille's Frangipane was more flirty, more floral and I remember it clearly as having a candy aspect, almost marzipan rolled in generous amounts of powdered vanilla sugar. But the frangipani and jasmine by the bucket were always too much for me, and I likes Michael's tuberose-over-incense a lot better.

Chantecaille made some obvious changes to Frangipane that go beyond the new bottles and boxes. I won't even go into the price, which I find outrageous for what this is. After all, for those who love it and smell good in Frangipane, the price makes perfect sense. Today's Frangipane smells on my skin like a big bouquet of lily laced with some jasmine sprigs. It's very sweet (but that might be my skin) but without the almondy vanilla base that made me spray from the tester whenever I was around one and sneaking a sniff here and there. It's just sweet and flowery and a little musky, and I don't think it smells very attractive on me.

In defense of Frangipane I can say that usually this kind of overflowing white florals and jasmine blends can turn very Glade on me, while this one from Chantecaille retains a more refined and expensive air (it better, considering what you pay for it). The right person with the right skin will probably enjoy this fragrance just like my friend Charlestongirl from Best Things In Beauty. She's very close to being my evil scent twin, so no surprises there. I just wish sometimes that I could smell what she's smelling.

Notes: water hyacinth, violet leaf, orange, jasmine, incense, ylang-ylang, frangipani, amber, musk and vanilla.

Frangipane by Chantecaille ($175 , 75ml EDP or $68 for the 8ml roll-on) is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and anywhere else that stocks Chantecaille products.

Photo: Ladies' Home Journal, April 1950, via myvintagevogue.com

Katherine Heigl And Juliette Binoche- Two Paris Premieres

2012-02-01T14:55:00.001-05:00

We've seen quite a few gowns with sheer "nude" panels on red carpets lately, and I have to say that I'm not a fan. That's also true in the case of Katherine Heigl and the dress she wore to her Paris premiere of One For The Money . Between the cutouts, the yellowish looking panel, the too-visible slip or underskirt. It just doesn't work for me. I love the hair and makeup, though, and the earrings are gorgeous, so that's something I guess.

On the Parisian premiere of Elle, Juliette Binoche was her usual stunning self. Looking as French as they come and sporting a smoky eye better than much younger stars who think they invented the style. Is she too casual for the red carpet? I don't think so, but I've always been a Binoche fan.

All photos via Zimbio.

Butter London Marrow Nail Polish

2012-02-01T13:10:00.000-05:00

My poor vegetarian self has an issue with Marrow as a nail polish name. It's just not... appetizing. Especially knowing that this was exactly what Butter London was aiming for when creating the polish. In their own words:

Hand mixed for the Vena Cava designers, who named it after the dark purple, rusty center of a bone.

Whatever. This is a pretty dark purple that looks almost creamy with the microest of all micro shimmer. It's a wonderful mid-winter color, and I especially like that it doesn't look black even in the shade (unless it's really pitch dark).

While the color of Butter London Marrow is almost opaque even with one coat, application goes somewhat streaky so a second and even a third coat are recommended. I've experienced chipping at the tips around the third day, but I'm really hard on my nails. Reinforcing the top coat every day always helps with preserving the polish (and my sanity. I can't stand chipped nails).

Butter London Marrow Nail Polish ($14) is available from Ulta, Nordstrom and butterlondon.com.

Esteban Paris- Classic Chypre

2012-01-31T22:58:00.000-05:00

Fans of classic chypre perfumes have been hunting high and low to get their fix. The old ones no longer smell like themselves and whatever it is they call a "modern chypre" rarely comes close to the satisfying sensation we used to get when wearing the real thing. Between restrictions on raw material and the simple fact that anything that smells so oakmossy and perfumy is sadly out of style, they no longer make them that way.

Except for those who do. I already reviewed Chypre d'Orient, the little-known gem from Molinard. Today I'm bringing you another one of those new-perfume-that-smells-like-vintage, Classic Chypre by Esteban Paris. Compred to Molinard's Chypre, Esteban made things a bit safer with a lighter hand and a lighter concentration. Classic Chypre sneaks up on you rather than hit you on the head with its big pointy brassiere. The opening is an elegant mild green, a touch of bergamot, a hint of leafy herbs, perhaps something fruit with a dash of citrus juice dripped over it. A very spicy floral heart follows without committing to a specific note. It's abstract the way older perfumes meant to be: smoothly blended, opaque and a bit naughty, all the while keeping their expensive-looking gloves on.

I do smell the rose, somewhat powdery with no tartness in sight. I also feel the phantom presence of a red carnation, but that might be clove. This is where Esteban's Classic Chypre really starts soaring and you can just lean back and enjoy the ride back in time. A solid foundation of patchouli and oakmoss holds everything together. It has that deep and dark color of the forest floor or thick velvet curtains at an old mansion's library. This fragrance is absolutely delicious in a chypre kind of way, but not because it has vanilla listed in the notes. As a matter of fact I can't smell vanilla here to save my life and the only hint of sweetness comes from a somewhat mellowed-down patchouli.

If I have any reservations about Esteban's Classic Chypre is that it's an eau de toilette, thus a bit too airy and light. I wish it were at least an eau de parfum if not an extract. I keep imagining how luxurious it could be to dab a couple of drops where it matters instead of the heavy spraying I have to do whenever I choose Classic Chypre as my scent of the day.

Notes: bergamot, basil, jasmine, rose, spices, patchouli, vetiver, oarkmoss, vanilla.

Classic Chypre ($95, 50ml EDT) is available from estebanparis.com. Samples can be found on The Perfumed Court.

Image: a 1957 photo that appeared in Playboy via The Nifty Fifties.

Celebs In Coats

2012-01-31T17:02:00.000-05:00

I'm bidding goodbye to January with a look at winter coats worn by celebrities over the last week. Reese Witherspoon above in black (and naked ankles. I hope the weather in London where she attended a movie premier was kind to her). Michelle Williams in a maroon check pattern, Rachel McAdams in sulpted winter white, and Jennifer Lopez in retro pink (and the most ridiculous ruby slippers).

Which one is your favorite?

Shiseido S5 Rosy Flush Accentuating Color Stick Blush

2012-01-31T11:48:00.000-05:00

Ten years ago I was very anti stick blush. It was more of a novelty item back then. There was something about the textures back then that put me off completely; the available colors didn't help, either. Things have changed since then and last year I found and fell for Chantecaille Aquablush in Charming, a gorgeous dewy blush that went with me everywhere. The problem? It's no longer available. It was time for a replacement.

Shiseido offers their own little range of semi-solid blushes, Accentuating Color Stick. They come in six shades, but only four are true blushes. The other two are highlighters (very nice ones, by the way). That's the multi-use aspect they promise. In theory you're supposed to sculpt, contour and highlight your face with the various shades of this Shiseido stick. Me? I just want a nice blush.

Shiseido S5 Rosy Flush Accentuating Color Stick is a raspberry color that looks intense in the tube and is, indeed, very rich in color. I touch the stick to my face in three points--very lightly-- and then take a small dense and round brush (Hakuhodo 210 and even the very small 212 on occasion) and blend the color to my satisfaction. If you click on the swatch photo (yes, I know it's far closer to my skin than you ever wanted to be), you'll see how minimal blending affects the blush's intensity. It's the ease of use (and pretty color) that makes this Shiseido stick blush a winner in my book.

I always build a good base-- primer, foundation, etc. and top things with a light setting powder, so this blush (as well as everything else) stays put all day long. If you just blush and go there'll probably be some serious fading since this is a hydrating sheer formula.

Bottom Line: more shades, please.

Shiseido S5 Rosy Flush Accentuating Color Stick Blush ($33) is available at the counters and from shiseido.com. Also at Sephora (online only).

Sonoma Scent Studio- Nostalgie

2012-01-30T21:45:00.008-05:00

Nostalgie, the newest fragrance from Sonoma Scent Studio targets those of us who clutch our pearls in one hand and our beloved vintage Patou perfumes in the other while kvetching about the State Of Parfumerie™. We love our aldehydes sparkling, our flowers opulent and our animalics roaring and grawling. Perfumer Laurie Erickson of Sonoma Scent Studio knows the feeling, but she also took pity on our nearest and not so dearest when she made these notorious notes just a tad more palpable to the modern nose.

Nostalgie goes with flowing skirts and red lipstick. It's not sinister in any way-- the gorgeous honeyed mimosa note is too sunny for that. I honestly feel that this is a very feminine and cleavagy fragrance. Not that it should prevent men from trying, but it brings out my inner Marilyn from the first go. Nostalgie is a synergie of notes and an idea. It's not a recreation of any classic perfume from the past, but it can easily sit on the same shelf as many of them. If I had to label it I'd call it a rich floral with a creamy animalic base. The floral notes come and go, too sneaky to be pinpointed and dissected. There's an idea of rose and an idea of jasmine, but you're supposed to be focusing on the atmosphere they create.

Everything is round and soft in Nostalgie. Think of it as a 1950s gorgeous figure, not a gym-toned Popeye's biceps (hello, Madonna). It goes with a black dress just as well as it fits a vintage floral print, as long as you're comfortable carrying it and smelling like you just came back from a Roman holiday (or maybe Paris).

Sonoma Scent Studio Nostalgie ($21, 5ml EDP purse spray) is available from sonomascentstudio.com. A sample was sent to me free of charge by the perfumer.

Photo by Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar, 1953, from myvintagevogue.com.

Notes: Aldehydes, Indian jasmine sambac absolute, Bulgarian rose absolute, mimosa absolute, peach, violet flower, violet leaf absolute, tonka, French beeswax absolute, natural oakmoss absolute, aged Indian patchouli, East Indian Mysore sandalwood, leather, vanilla, orris, myrrh, vetiver, and musk.

NARS Makeup Removing Water

2012-01-30T12:26:00.001-05:00

As a devotee of Bioderma (Créaline H2O - Ultra-Mild Non-Rinse Face and Eyes Cleanser, I use it to remove my makeup before I do a deeper cleansing), the one annoying issue is that it's not readily available on US shelves. A makeup remover is a basic essential and having to monitor my inventory and order online is not the best solution ever. Enter NARS Makeup Removing Water.

I've been using NARS Makeup Removing Water for several weeks now, some nights testing it on half my face against Bioderma on the other half and I can't see a difference in performance. The texture and feel on skin is the same; I soak a cotton pad with the NARS Makeup Removing Water the same way I do with Bioderma, let rest on my eyelids for 30-seconds to a minute and wipes away all traces of makeup, including mascara (I don't use watreproof, so can't comment on that). Even the most stubborn eyeliners such as Armani or YSL melt away after a nice soaking without rubbing. The no rubbing thing is huge for those of us with sensitive eyes.

NARS Makeup Removing Water takes off my foundation and everything I layer on top of it with just two rounds (the second one is more for debris and leftovers). I tested the performance by using a toner afterwords, and just like with Biodrema- nothing was left on my face. And, of course, just as promised, it's soap, oil and alcohol-free, so my skin is very happy with the results. It's the opposite idea of the vintage photos you see above (found somewhere online ages ago, I lost the source)-- this is as gentle a product as they come, so anything else you do after is not affected.

Bottom Line: excellent.

NARS Makeup Removing Water ($28. The same price as the 250 ml Bioderma if you order it from Beautyhabit, but far more expensive if you're used to ordering from frenchcosmeticsforless.com) is available at the counters and from narscosmetics.com. I received the product free of charge from the company.

Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadows: P Dark Blue 696, P Dark Green 595, ME Light Pink 126, ME Medium Brown 885

2012-01-30T11:27:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest pleasures that was taken from us (us= makeup lovers in the USA) when Shu Uemura pulled out of our stores is enjoying the trained eye and hand of a Shu makeup artist. Then there are the colors that for some reason are not available online, which is quite frustrating by itself, but really-- it's the advice of a Shu Uemura-trained artist that I miss most.

The palette you see here was custom chosen for me in Paris (yes, I know I'm really of late with this post). Some of the colors here were released for fall 2011 but are still available. P Dark Green 595, ME Light Pink 126 are not available online (at least on the US site) and it's a shame because they're brilliant. The makeup artist who did my face zeroed in on the fact that I can wear both warm and cool colors and mix them together. She also commented that I could pull off a blue or green smoky eye. The eye shadows here ( P Dark Blue 696, P Dark Green 595, ME Light Pink 126, ME Medium Brown 885) were curated to work both as a very dramatic look or as an easy daytime neutrals with just a hint of colored accent.

P Dark Blue 696, P Dark Green 595 look a bit glittery in the pan but you can see how smooth they are on skin. They become fantastic eye liners, pigmented and intense. ME Medium Brown 885 is a rich bronze with almost reddish terra cotta undertones.It works on the lid and in the crease, can be sheered as needed and looks lovely next to the dark green or blue. ME Light Pink 126 is a pretty basic highlighter. My olive skin tone neutralizes the pink so I'm left with a great color that works perfectly and coordinates with a lot more than just this Shu Uemura palette.

The high quality of Shu Uemura's eye shadow is well-known. They're soft, easy to blend and meld beautifully with the the skin without creasing, falling apart or migrating. Like many other beauty (and Shu) obsessed people I tend to collect them, mix and match, and always admire the complexity of the colors. Now, if we only can get them back in our department stores.

This just in: I got a Shu Uemura press release detailing some promo codes for February. There are some nice GWPs there, so here it is for your convenience:

Promo code: FSHIPPING
DATE: Jan 30 – Feb. 5
Description: Free shipping on all orders

Promo code: ROUGE
DATE: Feb. 8th – Feb. 12th
Description: a deluxe 3 piece sample set with any purchase of $65 or more

Promo code: BEAUTY247
DATE: Feb. 15th through Feb.19th
Description: with any purchase of $150 or more consumers will receive a beautiful eye&cheek palette (a value of $65)

Promo code: REDCARE
DATE: Feb. 22nd – Feb. 27th
Description: a deluxe 4 piece sample set from our red:juvenus skin care line with any purchase of $65 or more.

Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadows ($15 each) and empty palette ($15) are available from the counters if you're lucky enough and from shuuemura-usa.com.