The Non-Blonde

Hermès-Elixir des Merveilles

2009-11-11T22:11:00.002-05:00

One of my mother's greatest acts of sorcery is making candied citrus peels. Taking stuff that's normally considered trash and turning it into an amazing, vanilla-laced delicacy, has always amazed me. The process involves several days and makes the kitchen smell heavenly from the beginning, when the peel is cooked in a sugar syrup, to the drying stage, when large trays of them are set to dry after being rolled in sugar with a touch of vanilla. Naturally, some of my fondest memories involve this scent.

Then there are the store-bought chocolate-dipped candied citrus peels, which are a quick and efficient way to my heart. La Maison du Chocolat has some really good ones, but I'm always willing to settle when Whole Foods' choclaterie offers them. The closest perfume version of this treat that I've found so far is Hermès Elixir des Merveilles.

The Merveilles series actually has three different perfumes. The original, Eau des Merveilles, is an eau de toilette, and is quite famous for its salty ambergris accord. It's a beautiful scent, worthy of its own review, but it does not stisfy
a sweet tooth on a day one wants to smell edible. The parfum version, Parfum des Merveilles, is a darker, woodier version of the EDT. The subject of this review is the EDP, Elixir des Merveilles, which is technically a flanker. Composed by Jean-Claude Ellena (the other Merveilles were created by Ralf Schwieger and Nathalie Feisthauer), though not very Ellenistic in concept (chocolate? caramel? by the Overlord of transparent minimalism?), Elixir des Merveilles is a grownup gourmand, one that doesn't insult one's idea of tastefulness while still allowing you climbing into bed smelling yummy.

I've found several lists of possible notes that don't always agree with each other. There's no doubt we're dealing with a candied orange, cocoa or chocolate, creamy sandalwood and a patchouli-vetiver mix in the drydown that on the wrong day can smell a bit masculine, but I don't really mind. Then again, I own a bottle of Elena's Terre d'Hermes, the manly interpretation of the orange-wood theme, which I find to be invigorating and energizing.

While the chocolate-orange combination calls to mind winter holidays, celebratory liqueurs and truffle gift boxes, I actually like wearing it in warmer weather. I find that balmy days bring out more depth out of the Elixir, while it can be a bit flat on a cold day. Still, I know most people would rather avoid chocolate perfumes in summer and would enjoy it much better this season.

Elixir des Merveilles and its other relatives are available from Hermes boutiques and some department stores. The retail price for the 1.7 oz bottle is $100, but one look online would show you that it can easily be found under $40. Hermès website also offers a 13.3 oz (not a typo) bottle for $440. My husband called this bottle The Mouthwash, and frankly, it makes me wonder about the real cost of the juice inside and the enormous markup brought by the Hermès name.

Photo: browniepointsblog.com

Courtney Cox At The TV Guide Hot List Party

2009-11-11T20:02:00.002-05:00

I don't want to be mean because I like Courtney Cox, who other than her case of unmovable face has always seemed like a genuine person. But looking at photos from the TV Guide Hot List Party I have to wonder: at what point does it become a better idea to stop with the Botox and go for an eye lift? I'm not dissing Botox. Not at all. I've seen it done well with great, normal results. It doesn't have to be as extreme as Nicole Kidman's face, and you can bet your last La Mer jar that when I decide anti-aging creams and serums have done all they could for me, I'm heading straight to the surgeon's office and getting that line between my eyebrows smoothed out.

But here's Cortney Cox, a very beautiful woman whose face are becoming marble-like and not in a good way, but her eyelids seem to be heading south. She's only 45 and I know it's most likely a genetic thing, so when is it time to change course and go for the hardcore scalpel?

Photo: A Socialite's Life

Kat Von D Rock'n'Roll Eyeshadow Palette

2009-11-11T14:58:00.003-05:00

A couple of month ago I cashed some of my Sephora Beauty Insider points for the Kat Von D Rock'n'Roll Palette. I have to confess that I don't get Kat Von D or any of the body modification culture. I don't understand the aesthetics or anything else about it. I know I'm extreme: none of the women in my family has ever had her ears pierced for three generations, and even though my great-grandmother had hers done when she was very young, as far as my mom can remember, her grandma never actually wore earrings, not even clip-ons. It's interesting, considering they all loved jewelry and had several beautiful statement pieces, but regarded pierced ears as vulgar.

This might or might not explain why piercing and tattoos are so out of my personal comfort zone that I can't look at Kat Von D without cringing. I guess I'm not her target audience and never gave the makeup line a second thought until I accumulated too many points and had to redeem them for something, and the Rock'n'Roll Palette looked decent enough. Which it is, just not really good.

The colors are fine. I wasn't sure about the lavender purple one, but as you can see in the swatches, it's not quite s bright as in the pan. Still, not really my color and doesn't look very healthy against my skin, but that's what you get when you're clearly related to Martians. The two light colors- a shimmery white and a shimmery peach are actually super sheer. I had to pile on five coats to be able to take a picture. The other problem with them is glitter fallout. In the palette they both look more pearly than glittery, but once you apply the eye shadows, there's a lot of glitter landing on your cheeks, and that's over a primer. When swatching I only used a light lotion underneath and had to do some cleanup before I could take a clear picture. The dark glittery charcoal, on the other hand, has a lot less glitter than you'd expect from looking at the palette. It would have made a nice liner if it weren't so crumbly.

I'm spoiled, I admit. The products in my regular rotation, from Armani to Edward Bess, have taught me to expect gorgeous shades and superb quality. Kat Von D's below average color payoff and questionable texture are just not my idea of excellence in makeup. I understand that her prices are very attractive: the current eye shadow palettes in the regular line offer 8 colors for $34 (Dior Palettes run between $42 to $58), but even in the Kat Von D price range you can do better- Cargo palettes are great and priced at $32 and Urban Decay has several options between $30-38.

Bottom line: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Photos of the palette and swatches by me, Kat Von D from hollyscoop.com.

Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente (Les Orientalistes)

2009-11-10T21:59:00.002-05:00

It seems that Myrrhe Ardente is the least popular scent in Annick Goutal's Les Orientalistes series, which is too bad because this is a beautiful and complex composition that deserves more than the label of a "root bear float". But I understand where it came from and why. There is something very earthy and root-like in the heart. Myrrhe Ardent is also a little different than the other Les Orientalistes. Somehow, it smells less personal, more like a "thing", which makes me a bit self-conscious when I'm wearing it in public.

I'm not really sure why it feels this way. After all, this is a much softer myrrh than the Mediterranean shrubbery of Diptyque L’Eau Trois, a scent I love and wear, and is the myrrhiest one I can think of. Myrrhe Ardent is sweet, resinous and has enough vanilla in the drydown to take the edge off the classic combination of myrrh and frankincense. It shouldn't remind anyone of religious rituals. Actually, It's so unique it doesn't remind me of anything in particular- I just enjoy the ride.

As others (like Kevin on Now Smell This) have observed, Myrrhe Ardente and the rest of the Les Orientalistes play well with each other and layer beautifully with other scents. I'll have to try his suggestion for layering it with Uncle Serge's Miel de Bois, and would also experiment with Un Bois Vanille (basically, almost anything layers well with UBV, and it wouldn't be the first Goutal do so- try it with Eau d'Hadrien). I like trying different ratios of Myrrhe Ardente and Ambre Fetiche. I tend to go overboard with the amber, but that's just how I roll. If you have more layering ideas, please share them.

Fill In The Blank

2009-11-10T18:50:00.002-05:00

I want to smell like Pamela Anderson because________________

Photo: The Superficial

Giorgio Armani Armanisilk Lipstick (No. 92)

2009-11-10T13:02:00.003-05:00

Armanisilk lipsticks from Giorgio Armani are another proof that long lasting lipsticks are not what they used to be. I swore off them years ago, because the enduring pigment was not worth the dryness and uncomfortable feeling. Chapped and flaking lips are just not my favorite look. But Armanisilk offers a much better alternative. A satin finish with a very long lasting tint that survives a snack and a cup of tea. While it's definitely not balmy, it doesn't scorch the lips and feels almost weightless.

Armanisilk no. 92 is a mauve with a brown base, but not scary brown. It's quite neutral and plays well with many other colors. I like using it under various glosses that add moisture and shine and adjust the color to my needs. While I have to reapply the lip gloss as usual, the lipstick color underneath stays put for hours.

Bottom line: Probably my favorite lipstick in the long lasting category.

I bought my Armanisilk lipstick ($25) at my local Saks. It's also available from Barneys and giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com, just be aware the online swatches there are not very reliable, so test in person.

All photos by me.

Mona di Orio- Nuit Noire

2009-11-10T00:51:00.003-05:00

Nuit Noire by Mona di Orio is a seductive scent if there ever was one. A very spicy floral, creamy in parts, heady in others, it speaks of low-cut cocktail dresses carefully chosen to perform a certain magic, sparkly jewels, quick glances over a chilled glass and unspoken promises.

The opening is somewhat awkward, like an introduction before the ice breaks and the conversation flows. It's the spices, I think. Ginger can sometimes be a difficult top note, and Nuit Noire is no exception. If you try it, don't bother with a paper test strip. It wouldn't do the perfume or your nostrils any justice. Instead, take a deep breath, put it on skin and wait for the magic. As soon as the raw animalic notes find their place and their groove, they start enhancing the traditional white flowers and making them perform. It's not delicate and not gentle. These flowers were drawn by Georgia O'Keeffe and have one thing in mind. By the end of the night, someone is getting naked.

Nuit Noire dries down to a sweet musk, somewhat powdery with delicate sweetness. It sits beautifully on the skin, like exquisitely-made lingerie, the kind you buy at a small and exclusive Paris boutique, not from a catalog. It doesn't get any better than this.

Nuit Noire, like the rest of Mona di Orio's perfumes is currently only available from
Les Senteurs in London (they ship worldwide). I bought my bottle when it was still available from Bergdorf Goodman, and it looks like Mona di Orio is coming back to NYC, to Takashimaya this time. Samples and decants can be purchased from The Perfumed Court.

Art: Collar de Perlas by Fabian Perez

Guerlain Le Rouge G Lipstick (Gracia 66)

2009-11-09T13:34:00.003-05:00

Here's the thing about Guerlain Le Rouge G lipstick: It annoys me. Not because the lipstick is not good. It's great, actually. Not because the colors are off. The colors are beautiful and I found a perfect medium rose, Gracia, no. 66, that looks perfect day and night and has been my go-to color the last couple of weeks. The packaging is also gorgeous, which is where the problem starts for me, even though I'm a sucker for luxurious packaging.

While the lipstick itself is a standard size, the double mirror flip top case is heavy- 91g or 3.125 oz. I weighed it on my kitchen scale. It's not refillable so the case cannot be recycled, which is a huge waste. Then there's the marketing hype about the formula with its crushed ruby powder. Do we even want to have makeup that contains crushed gemstones? And put it on our lips? I looked at the ingredient list, which wasn't an easy thing to do, as it's printed in super dark gray fonts on the black background. You have to hold the box a certain way against the light to be able to read it. Synthetic ruby powder is somewhere in the middle, right after perfume and before myrrh extract, so I'm guessing it's not that significant. So why is it even there? It's not like Rouge G is shinier than any lipstick ever made. It's pretty, shiny and looks right there with other great lipsticks from Chanel, Armani, Chantecaille and other excellent brands.

Since it's obvious we're paying more for the packaging than for the actual lipstick, it reminds me too much of Guerlain's instant-lux perfumes. Things like the $9000 bottle of Mon Precious Nectar or the $420 sugar fest of Le Secrets de Sophie. It makes you wonder, and not in a good way.

Add to that the attitude I was given at the Bergdorf Guerlain counter. I was asking about the formula, the difference between Le Rouge G and Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine and wanted some more info. All the SA had to say was "it's made with real rubies". Why, thank you. Since they were out of No. 66, I was happy to go and give my business to Saks. Not that it helps with my Guerlain annoyance, but at least the commission went to someone who would actually smile at me.

Bottom line: The lipstick is great, LVMH is still evil.

Guerlain Le Rouge G lipstick ($45) is available from most decent department stores. I bought mine at Saks in NYC.

All photos are mine.

Love, Loss & What I wore

2009-11-08T22:53:00.002-05:00

I bought the tickets last night on a whim. I had a vague idea that I wanted to see Love, Loss & What I wore (I think I read the book ages ago while sitting at the bookstore, but never bought it for some reason), and I wanted to see Jane Lynch perform. She's only going to be there until November 15th, so I tried my luck and found excellent tickets for today's afternoon show. I'm glad I did.

The play, an adaptation of Ilene' Beckerman's book by Nora and Delia Ephron, has five women tell stories and share memories of their lives, their clothes and accessories. It's often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking and always spot-on. The description of what we tend to carry in our purses, comments our mothers make throughout our lives, shoes, men and what it means when one starts wearing Eileen Fisher.

The cast is great and Tyne Daly is amazing. Her presence lights up the stage and her delivery creates some of the best moments.

Love, Loss & What I wore plays at The Westside Theatre now through March 2010, the cast changes every month or so.

Images: Playbill.com

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara

2009-11-06T11:24:00.002-05:00

At a certain point of your mascara life you might think you've seen it all. You have a Holy Grail or two (or three), you've adjusted your expectations, made fun of battery operated mascaras, formed an opinion about certain lines and no longer expect any surprises. Then comes something like Buxom Lash Mascara from Bare Escentuals.

I wasn't expecting much. I'm not a fan of mineral foundation and wasn't impressed with what the Bare Escentuals makeup artists have done to my face on a couple of occasions. But since the brush looked interesting enough I was happy to try.I'm glad I did. Buxom Lash, an $18 product, performs better than many mascaras twice its price. It's probably not so much the formula as it is the brush that separates the lashes and applies an even coat from base to tip, adding body and length without any of the pitfalls of the false lashes look.

Buxom Lash Mascara performs wonderfully- no smearing, smudging, dotting, clumping, cooning or flaking. It stays perfect from morning to night and is easy to remove with all the usual suspects.

Bottom line: Big love.

Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash Mascara ($18) is available from Sephora, in store and online and several department stores. I got the travel size as a GWP.

Photos by me.

Femme de Rochas (1989 Version)

2009-11-05T23:48:00.003-05:00

Femme is a big name for a big perfume. It doesn't leave any room for mistake, and wearing Femme by Rochas shows you mean business in the most cleavage-y way possible.

The 1944 version was created by the great Edmond Roudnitska for the fashion house of Marcel Rochas. The bottles of the original formula are the ones in a lace print box, bearing the designer's name. After Marcel Rochas 1955 death (it's interesting and sad to note that Patou, Fath and Rochas died quite young) the boxes were printed with the house's name, Rochas, dropping the first name. Research and brief sniffing show that the 1989 reformulation (by Olivier Cresp) was done with full respect to the original masterpiece and is close enough. I have a few bottles of parfum and EDP from various years, all are quite beautiful.

The 1989 might have a little less of that chypre feeling of yore, but it's still quite dramatic. The cumin at the top can be a bit shocking, but for once, I don't get that infamous BO accord from this spice. Even my husband, a known cumin-hater who still finds it hard to forgive Uncle Serge for the chicken tikka masala of Serge Noire, has never complained about Femme. Then again, I try not to stand next to him for those first five minutes.

Other than cumin, Femme is rich in ripe fruit- peach and plum- and dries down with a bang of beautiful sandalwood. It smells expensive, elegant and oh-so-sexy. Despite the obvious roots in the fruity chypre world, it is not a simple case of Mitsouko with cumin. There's something about it that feels more feminine (just call me Ms. D'oh von Obvoious), less formal. You could say that the 50s femme fatale has freed herself from some of the restraining undergarment, while still keeping the best pieces of her lingerie collection.

There are differences, of course, between the bottles. The parfum seem to have less cumin at the top, some bottles smell sweeter than others. They all smell great and are a joy to wear.

Femme is still made and can be bought in an EDT concentration at discount stores. I've tried to sniff the most current version with no success- the testers I came across at a couple of those weird outlet stores were not new and the sales person said they've been there for a very long time. Considering that the Rochas perfume license is now owned by Proctor & Gamble, famous for butchering the Patou line and making toothpaste, I have very little hope that any new juice has maintained the quality, but I may be utterly wrong.

Images-
Femme perfume ad: CouleurParfum.com
Actress Ann Sheridan in 1944: myvintagevogue.com
Marcel Rochas in his studio, 1951: Life.com
Rene Gruau fashion illustration for Marcel Rochas: myvintagevogue.com

Orange Bronzer Is Out. Good Riddance.

2009-11-05T17:21:00.003-05:00

It wasn't that long ago that almost every red carpet event made us question the sanity of the celebs makeup artists who went to town with too dark, too orange, too heavy blushes and bronzers. These tributes to George Hamilton weren't doing any favors to the celebs sporting them, though. It's nice to see how things have changed. Here are five different looks from the last few days. Whether sporting a dramatic dark lipstick (Charlize Theron, Thandie Newman), exquisitely done eyes like Kate Beckinsale or delicate and fresh like Blake Lively and Miranda Kerr, there's no more muddy cheeks, and we're all better for it.

Photos: Just Jared

DuWop Private Red Lipstick

2009-11-05T13:36:00.003-05:00

Private Red lipstick is the first DuWop product I love wholeheartedly. While I wasn't too sure about the color changing promise (it calls to mind the mood lipsticks from the 80s or the O-whatever from Smashbox), the bottom line here is that Private Red is an excellent red lipstick. The color is not too orange and not too blue, it's what I call "movie star red"- perfect old Hollywood glam. It glides on smoothly and gives full coverage, feels comfortable and doesn't dry the lips- an important thing when wearing a strong color.

Private Red is amazingly long lasting. There's still a lot of pigment left after dinner, even if the shiny coat fades with the courses. It doesn't bleed or migrate to the teeth, but all the usual steps of exfoliating and using a liner are still necessary. Red lipsticks are gorgeous, but they require meticulous application. I also recommend using a liquid concealer or highligher around the lips (on the outside) and blend it carefully into your foundation. It helps create that flawless look.

DuWop Private Red ($22) is sometimes available from Sephora, but they tend to sell out as quickly as the store (online and offline) gets them. You can also purchase directly from DuWop (shop.duwop.com) or from other internet stores. I know I bought mine online, but I can't remember where.

Photos by me.

Lisa Hoffman Variations- Tuscan Fig

2009-11-04T23:52:00.002-05:00

Why didn't anyone think of this before?
Taking one note or a theme and creating four different mini-fragrances around it for several times of the day: morning, day, evening and bed time, all packed in the same box.

That's the basic idea behind Lisa Hoffman's Variations series, and I chose to get acquainted with it through Tuscan Fig. Fig is one of my favorite notes and I like every aspect of it, so I expected to find all parts of the tree explored here- leaves, wood and fruit. However, Tuscan Fig is mostly about the sweetness of the ripe fruit and some softening elements. The tree itself is mostly absent.

Marina of Perfume Smellin' Things actually prefers it this way , but then again, she's not a fan of Philosykos or Premier Figuier, two of my favorite fig scents. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this light approach and started wearing somewhere in August on some of the muggiest days, but Tuscan Fig is a bit too light and civilized to make the kind of statement I favor.

The official notes are Fig, French jasmine, honeysuckle, vanilla bean, gardenia, amber, wood and musks. I could swear there's some citrus in the Morning variation- it's super light, airy and quite fleeting. I guess it would make a great treadmill scent and won't stink up the gym. The next three get sweeter as the day progresses, with a very powdery accord in the Bedtime scent and a very edible and sensual vanilla in the Evening one (my favorite of the four).

Like the other Variations, Tuscan Fig is a perfume oil in four roll-on vials. I like oils and their dense feel, and don't mind the minimal sillage because it's usually compensated by a very good staying power. That's not the case in this Lisa Hoffman creation, which on my skin is gone within 3 hours or so. The portable vials in their cute case make it easy to reapply, but I'd still prefer it to last longer.

Lisa Hoffman Variations comes in both a kit with a leather case($95) or a refill set of all four vials (5 ml each) in a simple box ($60). I bought the latter. Tuscan Fig and the other scents are available from lisahoffmanskincare.com.

Photo: whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com

Dior HydrAction Deep Hydration Radical Serum

2009-11-04T13:35:00.004-05:00

Or: Skin In The Time Of Crud

I've been hoarding sample packets of Dior HydrAction Deep Hydration Radical Serum, waiting for the right time to test them. The time came this week, as I've been fighting a cold and trying to keep my skin from showing it. My regular Stapels (Erno Laszlo and Lancome Secret de Vie) definitely helped protecting my skin from chaffing and flaking. But I was determined to do more than that. I wanted my skin to remain plump and pretty, even if my brain was threatening to liquefy itself and escape through my nose.

Dior HydrAction Deep Hydration Serum feels like miracle food on the skin. It's thick, serumy but not greasy at all. I applied a full sample at a time (including neck and cleavage, for good measures), and every last drop sank in and did the job so well I could actually see immediate results.

I'm down to my last sample of the serum, so a trip to the nearest Dior counter is in my immediate future).

Dior HydrAction Deep Hydration Radical Serum ($70) is available from most decent department stores and Sephora. I had samples from my local Saks and Bloomingdale's.

Photo: pyrobrainiac.com

Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer, Adjust (Green)

2009-11-04T12:54:00.002-05:00

I had a feeling I might need such a product sooner rather than later. It's November, which means the first of the seasonal colds. While I've managed to keep my skin well-hydrated (more on that in the next post) and flake-free, there's still that telling redness that doesn't exactly spell "gorgeous".

A few weeks ago I picked a bottle of the green Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer at Sephora, after testing it on my husband's hand. His skin has quite a bit of redness and even he was impressed with the way this green stuff evened it out.

Used on one's face it performes just like Smashbox regular Photo Finish Primer- it smooths, fills and creates a silky canvas that allows for perfect foundation application and helps the makeup stay in place from morning till night. It prevents bleeding, migrating, sinking into pores and the general melty face one might experience in less than ideal weather.

The green Color Correcting primer balances out low-to-moderate redness and allows you to use much less foundation and concealer to cover up, which is always a good thing. I doubt it would make much difference in serious cases of scarring or blemishes, but when your skin requires a subtle attitude adjustment, this Smashbox primer is excellent.

Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer ($38) is available from Beauty.com and Sephora. I bought it in store.

Photos by me.

Rose Perfumes For Anti-Rose People

2009-11-03T21:31:00.003-05:00

In preparation to packing the house for moving, I've been taking a mental inventory of my possessions, including the perfume collection. The result (aside from panic) was realizing that for a person who isn't a rose fan (I don't even wear Nahema or either one of Uncle Serge's rose perfumes), I have a few rosy scents and I like them very much. These are ones that never turn sour on my skin, don't have a simple, pink feeling and have a lot more going on in them than just the flower.

1. Un Rose Chypree- Tauer
Probably my favorite 2009 release. From my original review: "Andy Tauer has taken one of the classic structures, the chypre (an accord built on a base of oakmoss and labdanum and topped with bergamot), and gave it a new life. Chypre lovers will be thrilled to find their old, elegant acquaintance here. But it's also a modern perfume that feels very much alive, young without being juvenile, and hopelessly romantic".

2. Tai'f- Ormonde Jayne
A sunny, fruit-and-honey rose. It's uplifting and very feminine, blooms in the heat of summer and warms the heart in winter.

3. Frankincense Myrrh Rose Maroc- Regina Harris
A dark, mysterious rose. Gothic in the medieval sense of the word, not the black-wearing, Morissey-worshipping ancestors of the emo kids. Black eye makeup not required. High heels and red Chanel lipstick would be more appropriate.

4. Roses et Chocolat- Ayala Moriel
I can't believe there aren't more perfumes based on this brilliant concept- roses and chocolate, a beautiful, sumptuous gourmand scent that smells like truffles and love. An all-natural perfume.

5. Le Maroc Pour Elle- Tauer
Rose and jasmine that smell nothing like Patou's Joy. Instead of the quintessential Parisienne perfume, Le Maroc belly dances the line between an oriental and a gourmand, at times evoking the Sultan's garden, other times- his kitchen where plates of Turkish delight and orange blossom pudding are being prepared. Very rewarding for the brave of heart.

6. Amouage Lyric for women
A black tie perfume. Formal and as elegant as it gets. Write your acceptance speech and wear a tiara.

7. Bois de Paradis- Parfums DelRae
A jammy rose with an amber-wood drydown. Smells quite different on men than on women, always pleasurable and the body cream is to die for.

Photo: Miroslav Hild, A Rose behind the Window, 1960

Celebrity Snacks

2009-11-03T17:47:00.003-05:00

If you thought celebrity perfumes were bad enough, get ready for celebrity snacks. I've always liked Elizabeth Hurley, but I doubt eating her snacks would make me look like her any more than buying her swimwear collection would have given me her body.

And am I the only one who finds that chicken photo a bit too much?

Photos: I'm Not Obsessed and The Daily Mail

Kanebo Sensai Eye Shadow Palette (ES02 Kaede Momiji)

2009-11-03T14:43:00.002-05:00

I don't know what "Kaede Momiji" means in Japanese, but I suspect it could be "pretty and elegant", because that's how I'd label this Kanebo Sensai palette. As you can see, the colors are warm browns with a light shimmer, offering the full range from a highlighter to a dark chocolate liner.

There's nothing new or revolutionary here, just very wearable in a subtle, classy way. It's a go-to palette for a well put-together everyday look that can be lightened down or intensified, according to need. I usually skip the warmest color in the palette because it's too orange for my skin tone, but the other ones are very flattering.

Like every Kanebo Sensai product I've tried to far, the quality is the highest possible. The eye shadows are finely milled, the texture silky, smooth and blendable, and the staying power is very impressive. I use it over a primer and my eye makeup survives from day to night with no touchups, even after a short walk in the rain.

Kanebo Sensai Eye Shadow Palette ($50) is available from Bergdorf Goodman. Mine was provided by the brand's PR.

All photos by me.

Cuir d'Iris -Parfumerie Generale Private Collection

2009-11-02T22:12:00.004-05:00

Pierre Guillaume, the name, nose (not to mention the face) behind Parfumerie Generale wasn't reinventing the wheel when he paired leather and iris, but he sure did it extremely well. Cuir d'Iris feels more civilized and muzzled than many other black leather perfumes (I'm thinking about Bandit, Rien, Lonestar Memories, Cuir Mauresque, Tuscan Leather and Montale's Oud Cuir d'Arabie, just to name a few). It doesn't have the wonderful weirdness of other iris-leather combination, such as Cuir Ottoman by Parfum d'Empire (let's wear the new leather couch) or Serge Lutens' Daim Blond (suede jacket saturated in apricot jam). Instead, Cuir d'Iris is an amazingly wearable, friendly soft leather with a hint of powder at the beginning and one of the smoothest drydowns imaginable.

Cuir d'Iris is neither a masculine scent nor feminine. It's just... is. Waiting to be worn and merged with one's own skin, offering a touch of woody incense, dry but not rigid or austere. It's more romantic than sensual, in my opinion, and would make a great shared scent. There's a powdery amber undertone that keeps things warm and inviting, and why I suspect it'd be a good starting point for those who are usually afraid of the whips and dungeons and wild animals hidden in many leather scents.

Cuir d'Iris ($135 for 50 ml) is part of Parfumerie Generale's Private Collection. It's available from Luckyscent/Scent Bar in Los Angeles, but cannot be purchased online- only by phone or email. If you go to Parfumerie Generale's website you'd need a user name and password to access the Private Collection area (seriously. A password. Uncle Serge is kicking himself for not thinking of it first). Samples and decants are available from the Perfumed Court, which is where I order my fix.

Photo of Rudolph Valentino and wife Natasha Rambova from Ana_Lee on LiveJournal.

Fashion Quote Of The Day

2009-11-02T18:34:00.002-05:00

Or: Why I love Dita Von Teese. Dita on Halloween:

“I like to be some kind of LA girl, full disguise with tan, jeans, etc. This year I was going full Ed Hardy girl… But it’s too scary!”

Photo of Dita Von Teese in her going to thegym attire: Faded Youth Blog

Shiseido Maquillage Full Vision Mascara

2009-11-02T16:46:00.002-05:00

I simply had to order the Shiseido Maquillage Full Vision Mascara. The delicate curved brush looked very promising for achieving maximum length and curl, and it didn't disappoint in this regard. The brush is very thin and reaches everywhere- I've gotten used to thicker mascara brushes that don't do much for the lash base. Maquillage Full Vision is definitely a high performer in this aspect, and the super glossy black color is quite impressive.

The issue started a while later with minor flaking and dotting. It wasn't too bad and I was willing to live with that as a 4-hour evening mascara. However, removing it was quite disastrous. my eyes aren't very sensitive and I've never experienced issues with any other mascara, but this Maquillage product just burned. Badly.

I rinsed my eyes with Visine and it was fine after a minute or so. Since I'm insane, I gave it another try, just to make sure the culprit was not my eye makeup remover. The results were the same no matter what I used: Lancome Bi-Facil, Almay pads and Liz Earle cleanser. The other eye makeup items I had on during all the testing were my usual staples- Urban Decay Primer Potion and Bobbi Brown eyeliner and eye shadows.

Half a bottle of Visine later, I've given up on the Full Vision mascara. It's too bad, because I loved the way it held the curl.

Shiseido Maquillage Full Vision Mascara is available from various sites specializing in Japanese and Asian cosmetics. I paid around $38, if I remember correctly.

All photos by me.

Currently

2009-11-01T22:59:00.004-05:00

Book
Americans In Space by Mary E. Mitchell. A novel. A thirty-something mother dealing with early widowhood. So far I really like it, despite the tearjerking subject.

Song
Simon & Garfunkel- A Hazy Shade Of Winter.

Frequently worn outfit/item
A vintage-inspired rain coat in green/black/white, bought last year at Juicy Couture, of all places.

Perfume
Parfumerie Generale Cuir d'Iris

Makeup
Red lipsticks and super pale face.

Food
Cakes from Patisserie Didier Dumas in Nyack. Paris on the Hudson.

Drink
I'm chugging water like a horse.

Guilty pleasure
A pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. I'm sure it doesn't qualify as coffee, but I like the weirdness. I just wish it weren't so sweet.

Bane of my existence
The kink in my neck- I can't turn my head to the right. It's been an extremely uncomfortable couple of days.

Joy
The extra hour of sleep.

Anticipation
Still all about the new house.

Wish list
Some vintage furniture I've seen in several stores around here. Apparently, I'm a big fan of mid-century Danish design. By the way, does anyone know where I can find that giraffe print from Pete Campbell's (Mad Men) apartment?

Thought
Could the craftsmanship of Ikea furniture be any worse?

Please share your recommendations, banes and joys.

Art by Craig Stephens

Laura Geller Baked Marble Eyeshadow (Mint Licorice)

2009-10-31T17:47:00.002-04:00

I fell in love with the color: the mint green, forest green and blackened green, all swirling and sparkling in the pan. I have the weirdest skin undertone known to men, and have caused confusion to makeup artists and SAs in three continents, but my reward is the ability to wear and rock green eye shadows. Which is how I ended up with Laura Geller's Baked Marble shadow in Mint Licorice among my possessions.

It's beautiful. I tend to swirl my brush over the pan and collect a little of each shade when applying to the lid, or using a thin damp brush over the darkest part for lining. The eye shadow stays put no matter what, doesn't crease, bleed or smudge (I always use a primer and never tested it without one. You should, too).

One word of caution: Mint Licorice is extremely pigmented. And then some. Unless I'm using it for lining, I'm blending it within an inch of its life with nude and taupe. The shimmer is a lot more obvious when wet, as you can see in the swatch.

Laura Geller Baked Marble Eyeshadow ($23) is available from Sephora, which is where I bought mine.

Photos by me.

More Halloween- Margaret Hamilton

2009-10-31T17:21:00.002-04:00

Margaret Hamilton, the wickedest of them all.