The Non-Blonde

Favorites For Winter 2012: My World In Scent (and more) - A Joint Blogging Project

2012-01-26T22:16:00.119-05:00

Our winter so far has been mercifully mild (other than that freak October blizzard). Still, it is winter so I'm all about winter scents and little pleasures that focus on keeping warm. As you can imagine, the cats are very supportive of any activity that includes fuzzy blankets and me not moving. So, here's what I'm loving this winter:

My Kindle. Need I say more? One of my worst childhood nightmares was being stuck with nothing to read, so the immediate satisfaction of ordering my books and having them delivered instantly is the most gratifying thing ever. There are quite a few perfume-related books in Kindle version. Right now I have waiting for me Perfume by Jean-Claude Elena, Essence & Alchemy by Mandy Aftel and for quick reference the Turin-Sanchez Little Book Of Perfume.

Still on the Kindle front, since this is Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee year, the royal biographies keep coming out. I finished the newest one about Prince Philip's youth and have two other books about the Queen herself (The Real Elizabeth and Elizabeth The Queen). I also picked Not In Front Of The Corgies. The name alone is delightful and it was only 89 cents.

I keep my extra blankets in storage ottomans in the living room and in my bedroom. I love placing fragrant items in there, so the travel sachet from Monsillage Perfumes was a welcome gift.

Perfume: Winter is Onda, Onda is winter. Other than that and most free skin goes to Ambre Sultan, Amber 114, Amber Absolute, Ambre Fetiche, Esteban Ambre, AmBrosius... Do we sense a theme here? But the best new release lately is Nostalgie from Sonoma Scent Studio (review coming soon).

Also: I'll sell my soul for more (more! MORE!) very vintage Jolie Madame.

Tea: Harney & Sons Ginger Licorice. Can someone please make me a thick and dark perfume based on this one?

Food: The sourdough rosemary bread we get from Whole Foods is not my favoride bread in the universe, but nothing beats it when toasted and topped with avocado. Add a squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt and I can live on the stuff for days.

Restaurant: Sinus-clearing wonderful Thai food in a place that's happy to accommodate vegetarian weirdos like us. If only Ayada was not as far as Queens. (Ayada Thai restaurant, 7708 Woodside Ave, Elmhurst, NY Tel. 718-424-0844)

Oil: For the body and for my face. I just reviewed the wonderful sandalwood one from Clarins, but there are also incredible (and natural) body oils from Providence Perfume Company and Aftelier. I'm completely addicted to Mandy Aftel's Chocolate & Saffron body oil/hair elixir. It's as good as it sounds (and then some).

For more scented things and other stuff to brighten your winter please visit my friends on I Small Therefore I Am ❆ Katie Puckrik Smells ❆ All I Am A Redhead ❆ Under The Cupola ❆ Waft By Carol ❆ Perfume Shrine (and thank you, Elena, for organizing this project).

Images: 14k.gold on Flickr, The Daily Mail, Parfums Monsillage, Serge Lutens, Ayada.

Eye Makeup Look At Valentino Spring Couture 2012 In Paris

2012-01-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

Makeup looks for couture shows are rarely wearable for those of us who actually have to leave the house wearing makeup. But the look presented at Valentino Spring Couture 2012 for Paris Fashion Week is actually achievable and will not drive our neighbors to call the men in white coats for us. Superstar makeup artist Pat McGrath used pencil eyeliner and powder eye shadow to draw little squares at the outside corners of models’ eyelids. The idea is nearly bare face that celebrates perfect skin (or, well, the perfectly made up equivalent), slightly lightened brows (use a brown eyebrow mascara) and the blunt eye liner.

We can make it work.

Photos and info: WWD (photographer: Delphine Achard)

Ellis Faas L203 Milky Lips

2012-01-26T13:14:00.000-05:00

Ellis Faas Milky Lips is a range of soft liquid lipsticks in a lighter texture than the Creamy Lips (think of the relationship between cream and milk). They're not sheer, as you can see in the photo and can give any effect from a minimal stain to a full coverage.

The formula, like that of the other Ellis Faas lip products I've tried so far, is comfortable to wear and leaves my lips happy. It also excels in longevity when applied right, which brings us to the pen applicator and how to use it. The one big advantage of Ellis Faas pens (other than their slick appearance) is that they keep the product safely away from air and bacteria. The lip colors do not oxidize in the tube and do not dry out. But then there are the applicator tips, in the case of Milky Lips a stiff plastic brush, and they're quite frustrating and annoying until one learns how to deal with them.

The secret is to not use them on the lips. Ever. It takes a few tries to learn just how much (how little, really) product you want to dispense. Once you've got it, pick it with your lip brush (a flat one like Hakuhodo 270 or B523BkSL is ideal) and apply in thin layers to the desired intensity. You can also use your finger for a stain effect if that's your thing, but I'm a brush girl. Once done, clean the pen's applicator and put the cap back on.

Ellis Faas L203 Milky Lips is a rich burgundy. It's a perfectly balanced shade, not too red or too purple, and like all Ellis Faas colors has a certain quality that complements and compliments natural skin tones and doesn't look too harsh. It's a beautiful color with a luscious finish.

Bottom Line: Worth the learning curve and then some.

Ellis Faas L203 Milky Lips ($35) is available at Space NK and from Sephora online and at their NYC Meat Packing District location. Also at ellisfaas.com. The product for this review was sent to me free of charge by the company.

By Kilian- Love

2012-01-25T23:26:00.001-05:00

One needs quite a bit of chutzpah to make a perfume that's inspired by pink marshmallow, bottle it as a hyper-luxury fragrance and charge accordingly. Kilian Hennessey and perfumer Calice Becker went there, and surprisingly or not, their 2008 Love from L’Oeuvre Noire Collection is actually pretty wonderful. As long as you're a fan of the genre, that is.

Love is fluffy. Love is pastel-colored. Love is sweet sweet sweet. On the wrong skin this perfume from By Kilian could go very wrong. I may have a skin that amplifies sweetness and everything vanilla, but my saving grace in the case of Love is the lack of actual fruit notes in the combination. So it's all sugar and vanilla all the time, with a certain powdery element, but not heavy one-- it's more like someone blew on the powder puff, releasing airy clouds of the sweet stuff into the air.

I'm thankful that the marshmallow in question is not the commercial junk food stuff from the corner store. We're talking about the real thing here, handmade and fluffy, not spongy. It's the stuff you find at Parisian confectionery stores, upscale Madison Avenue candy boutiques and often at Whole Foods. It's rich and sinful, a truly guilty pleasure. It's probably not meant for the sophisticated grownups who order the cheese plate at restaurants, but I never claimed to be one. Are you kidding? If there's a Pavlova on the menu I'll order just that.

So I wear By Kilian's Love and enjoy every minute of it. They have listed reconstituted civet oil as part of the notes/ingredients, but I don't smell any animalics in Love. Everything is as cheerful as Ludree's colorful macarons. Love even has a texture that feels like you've taken a careful bite into the macaron and tasted the softness of its filling. It's that kind of sensuality. The white musk is probably the one element that bothers me. It's a bit too expected and clean in this context, and very very detectable. It was probably done on purpose, as a dirtier musk would have changed the lightheartedness of the composition. After all, even I have yet to dare layer it with something more sinister. Somehow a dab of MKK sounds utterly wrong.

Notes: Bergamot calabria oil, Tunisian neroli oil, pink pepper berries oil, coriander seeds oil, honeysuckle, orange flower absolute, orange water absolute, Egyptian jasmine absolute, Bulgarian rose concrete, Bulgarian rose oil, iris butter absolute, reconstituted civet oil, caramelized sugar, vanilla absolute, cistus labdanum absolute, white musk.

By Kilian Love ($255 for the 50 ml bottle in it's box with the key and all the trimmings, but also $70 if you only buy the travel size refills that are 4x0.25 oz). Available from MiN NY, Luckyscent, Saks, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus.

Photo of Ann-Margret in Bye Bye Birdie, 1960, from drmacro.com.

News From Guerlain

2012-01-25T14:24:00.000-05:00

It's the D word again: Discontinued. I have an official confirmation from Guerlain that Iris Ganache and Vetiver Pour Elle will be phased out by the end of 2012. This news comes on the heels of the latest Guerlain L'Art et la Matière release, Myrrhe et Délires (review as soon as I can, for now you can read more about it on Bois de Jasmin).

Iris Ganache is the first L'Art et la Matière perfume to be discontinued, but other exclusive Guerlain fragrances were axed before. Both Iris Ganache and Vetiver Pour Elle have many admirers, so I foresee a lot of griping and kvetching. Let's hope Myrrhe et Délires is going to take some of the edge off.

The Faces Of Paris Fashion Week

2012-01-25T13:26:00.000-05:00

Above: Karl Lagerfeld arrives at the Chanel Spring-Summer collection show during Haute Couture week in Paris. Next: Anna Wintour all aflutter about the Giambattista show.

Daphne Guinness is a ray of sunshine at the Chanel Haute-Couture show:

Carine Roitfeld attends the Prada Store Opening during Paris Fashion Week:

Anna and Donatella:

More Versace- Cameron Diaz and Donatella Versace attend the Versace Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2012 Presentation:

Cameron Diaz was seen all over Paris (she's there for a fashion shoot). Here she is at Chanel:

And here's the only person who seemed to be having fun all week and not scared of Donatella: Ines de la Fressange (arriving at Versace):

All photos: Zimbio

Sunday Riley Indigo Waves 120 Prismasilk Eye Shadow

2012-01-25T12:16:00.000-05:00

My love affair with Sunday Riley makeup continues (and apparently it's contagious: Sabrina went shopping and has some gorgeous photos on the Beauty Look Book). Indigo Waves 120 Prismasilk eye shadow fills a gap I had in my color wardrobe: despite its name, this is more of a grayed sea blue. Depending on the light, I can see a sea foam hue, an almost cadet blue base or a stormy sky color.

Needless to say, this Sunday Riley color is very flattering to dark brown eyes. It can be applied lightly the way I did in my swatch (that's how I normally wear such colors) or packed on and built up to dramatic levels. If you use a damp brush, the finish will be intense and metallic and the blue base shines through beautifully.

The texture of all Sunday Riley eye shadows I tried so far is delicate and finely milled (see Leprechaun here, I'll review a couple of others in coming weeks). It's a quality makeup line with complex colors that give excellent results, blend beautifully and will delight the makeup addicts among us.

Bottom Line: there's a lot more Sunday Riley in my future.

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

Roxana Illuminated Perfume- Hedera Helix

2012-01-25T00:26:00.000-05:00

Roxana Villa is my green witch. She takes the essence of leaves and twigs, and turns it into perfumes, weaving into them grass, flowers and the sweet California air from her garden. Or at least that's how it feels to wear Roxana's Illuminated Perfeumes.

I'm a huge fan of Roxana's GreenWitch. It's a chypre from the ocean (see also the review of the solid version), a concept as unique as it's beautiful. Last year's release of Hedera Helix takes the green chypre idea to darker places-- an ivy covered old house, the wall of a secret garden, an evergreen forest in the morning mists. The effect is very lush and more sappy than GreenWitch. It's also sweeter, especially when layering the liquid perfume with the creamy solid.

Hedera Helix in both versions is very very green. It starts a little wild and unruly, like an overgrown garden where the ivy was allowed (or neglected) to run wild and take over. It's a little mysterious; perhaps there's some danger lurking behind the bushes. But as the perfume dries down (maintaining its wonderful sillage for long hours) the sweetness is more pronounced, the morning breeze scatters the fog and the garden in front of you has nice walking paths and manicured lawns. The bushes are covered with little flowers, and people dressed for a scene from a Jane Austen novel walk arm in arm making witty conversation. You take your parasol and hurry down the path to join them.

Read other reviews of Hedera Helix on Perfume Smellin' Things, IndyPerfumes and London Makeup Girl.

Hedera Helix by Roxana Illuminated Perfume ($30 for a mini compact of the solid perfume, $205 for 7 ml of pure perfume extract, all natural and purely botanical) is available from the perfumer's Etsy store. While the samples for this review were provided free of charge by Roxana, I'm not affiliated with her in any way other than as a very happy customer. The link is provided here for your convenience.

Photo: a blackbird eating an ivy berry by Catherine Houston.

Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil For Dry Skin

2012-01-24T15:33:00.000-05:00

About a decade ago I was a devoted user of Clarins classic Huile Body Treatment Oil. I loved everything about it, but eventually got distracted by newer and shinier things. Now I'm using Clarins oil again, this time on my face. It's been seven weeks since I bought Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil and incorporated it into my nighttime skin care routine; so far I'm loving it.

Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil is a rich skin care product that feels and smells like an aromatherapy item. I guess that it is part of the calming and soothing package. The base is hazelnut oil with sandalwood, lavender and cardamom essential oils blended in. Those who hope for a face treatment that smells like Tam Dao might be disappointed, as the lavender and cardamom make this Clarins oil more herbal than creamy. But I'm here for the skin restoration and nourishment attributes of the oil, and they're here aplenty.

Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil feels and behaves as something between a face serum and a night cream. Sometimes I do use a regular serum right after cleansing and before the oil, but even I know it's somewhat redundant. The oil simplifies the process- it goes over clean skin (excluding your eye area) and that's all. There's an immediate plumping effect; if I have an irritated or red patch there's also a calming sensation. While the oil doesn't look greasy or sticky on the face it doesn't exactly disappear on the spot. My skin doesn't look shiny or sleeked but it feels... oiled, I guess. I got used to it after a few nights, especially realizing it doesn't leave any oil stains on the pillow and that I wake up with an extremely happy skin that responds well to my moisturizer and the rest of my morning skin regimen.

Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil targets dry to very dry skin. For me it's a perfect winter treatment. If your skin is oily, you might want to check out the Lotus oil (contains geranium, lotus and rosewood oils). There's also an anti-aging version, Blue Orchid, that I'm planning to try at some point, but for now my sandalwood and I are happy together.

Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil ($50) is available at the counters and from clarinsusa.com.

Photo: life.com

Shiseido RS302 Tea Rose Luminizing Satin Face Color Blush

2012-01-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color in RS302 (Tea Rose) is a high-impact powder blush. I could have easily gone with RD103 (Petal), a light natural pink flush, but I felt I was all set and covered in that department and wanted a deeper, more saturated rose.

The texture of Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color is silky and almost matte. You need the lightest stroke of the brush to pick up color: the finger swatch you see here is not a real swatch: I just touched my finger to the blush surface. It looked scary powdery before I tested using a brush, but the blush is so delicate and finely milled it gives the promised luminous finish and blends beautifully.

RS302 Tea Rose is the darkest blush Shiseido offers. It has a reddish cast (looks more pink in direct sunlight) and will suit deep olive tones and probably darker skin without the furious blending required by me. On my pale olive green complexion I find that RS302 is a beautiful and lively color that looks surprisingly natural when used responsibly.

Bottom Line: this compact will probably outlive me, but I don't mind.

Shiseido RS302 Tea Rose Luminizing Satin Face Color Blush ($30) is available at the counters and from shiseido.com.

CB I Hate Perfume- M5 Where We Are There Is No Here

2012-01-23T23:09:00.000-05:00

From the way Christoper Brosius describes his newest perfume, M5 Where We Are There Is No Here (#405), I half expected it to be on the weird concept(ish) side. In Brosius' words:

405 is a paradox – the antithesis of perfume. It is completely intangible and almost undetectable. Yet it has great presence and allure. Like the ghost of a flower, it touches the subconscious of those who wear it – and those who encounter it. Inspired by the last of Cocteau’s films, WHERE WE ARE THERE IS NO HERE is made to create a special place in the inner world. The world of poetry. The world of the imagination. The world of the surreal.

The ghost of a flower is in this case an ethereal jasmine. Forget everything you know about jasmine: the carnal and indolic, the green and sharp, the romance of summer nights-- it's not here. But it is still a jasmine, somehow, a little sweet, somewhat holographic. You can't see (or smell) the parts that connect the flower to its earthly roots and supplies. It's suspended in the air just a step or two ahead, but will you be able to touch it? Is it real? There's something trembling in the air right in front of you- is it a prismatic rainbow or is it a scent? Do you see it or smell it? Is it there at all?

The idea for an abstract and surreal perfume came to Brosius as he was watching Le Testament d’Orphée, the last film made by Jean Cocteau. I haven't watched it, but from what I understand, Cocteau depicted himself rising from the dead to relive certain moments from his past. Fragrance-wise this idea could have taken many shapes. From this fascinating NY Magazine article about the process of creating Where We Are There In No Here, I'm guessing that by the time Brosius zeroed in on jasmine and sandalwood, the path he took had less to do with Cocteau's movie and more with his own personal quest.

Now, I know that when many of us hear jasmine and sandalwood we think Samsara. I've spent the last week wearing M5 Where We Are There Is No Here during the day and dabbing vintage Samsara parfum (the original thing with real sandalwood) to try and understand the opposite approaches and how different these perfumes behave and develop on skin. Samsara is a luscious sex bomb. M5 is what's actually under the flashy clothes, heavy makeup (I'm thinking of the 1980s-90s Guerlain ads), and overdone hair. After sleeping a night in Samsara in a heated room under heavy comforter and assorted cats, there's a certain scent left on the pillowcase and sheets. It's not necessarily perfume; it's pleasant, though, and more musky and ambery than you'd think. M5 has a similar thing going on, but it all happens on skin, just behind that hologram of a jasmine.

If there's any sillage to Where We Are There Is No Here, then I'm missing it. The fragrance hovers just above the skin, where my camisole meets my dress. Sometimes I smell myself, sometimes I don't. The husband says M5 smells very CB, and I know what he means. There's something in the base of the perfume absolute that is both vegetal and ambery. It's recognizable if you tested many of CB's fragrances. Yet, it's different enough, more vague, the muskiness has nothing in common with the ripe and slightly stewed fruit of Musk Reinvention.

After days spent with M5 on assorted body parts and in various capacities I think I like to wear it generously, not so much dabbing as anointing. It's a personal scent and I hate to use the cliche of "skin scent" because the latter often hints towards coziness while Where We Are There Is No Here is not a cuddly fragrance to go with your hot cocoa and marshmallows. It's an armor of sort, that can be worn on the cruelest NYC days when you have to face boardrooms without fumigating them, or when you know you'll be in closed quarters with a cranky soul that tends to protest your Joy. This? let them try. They'll never figure it out-- it's not really here.

Notes: ISO E Super, Hedione, Moroccan, Indian and Egyptian jasmine absolutes, amber absolute, Australian and Mysore sandalwoods, and a special “invisible musk” accord designed specifically for this perfume.

CB I Hate Perfume- M5 Where We Are There Is No Here ($21, 2 ml perfume absolute or $135 100 ml water perfume) is available from cbihateperfume.com.

Art: Her Mind Lives In A Quiet Room by Deborah Klein.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer

2012-01-23T13:13:00.000-05:00

Smashbox was probably the brand that made face primers all the rage that they are. Showing the world that a clear silicone layer under foundation can make your makeup stay put and retain its color and finish until you attack it with a cleanser was quite revolutionary eight years ago. Most cosmetics companies have since caught up and offer their own version of primer(s) and Smashbox has a wider selection of products for various skin issues (I'm especially partial to the green Color Correcting Adjust that deals with red patches). I've had a couple of the aqua color Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer tubes around for a while, but it took winter, a lingering cold (complete with a red nose and itchy skin) and a serious drop in temperatures for me to really get and appreciate it.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer has a light runny lotion texture that is quite different than their original primers. As a result it doesn't create a tangible layer over the face, but if you allow it a minute or so to set before you apply the rest of the makeup you will notice that the primer covers the skin in a very light and invisible film that allows a foundation (or tinted moisturizer) to glide smoothly and grab onto it. It provides a protective layer that while I wouldn't call it hydrating (my skin can develop some seriously dry patches if I let it), it fully prevents moisture from escaping. This is exactly what I need these days, and it makes a clear difference in the appearance and finish of my makeup. I was thrilled to discover how well the Smashbox primer works with LMdB Peau Vierge. I end up with a naturally dew and happy skin, no flakes around the nose and the general appearance of a sane and well adjusted individual. Miracles do happen.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer ($42) is available from Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta and smashbox.com. The products was sent for my consideration free of charge by the company. I also received another free tube as a Klout perk.

Sue Devitt Gel Bronzer SPF 40 Beau Dore

2012-01-23T11:42:00.000-05:00

Sue Devitt Gel Bronzer SPF 40 in Beau Dore might be just what I've been looking for lately. A light sheer bronzer, not too dark, not too orange, fully adaptable and most of all: pretty. Working with a gel texture is fun. You apply the bronzer with a damp sponge and can sheer it out as much or as little as you want (a lot, in my case). I also use a brush for the final blending as I'm a stickler for seamless look.

Sue Devitt's gel bronzer has an impressive SPF 40 that will probably be more effective in warmer months as I might use it over larger portions of my face (in theory the gel can be applied all over the face and neck in a very thin layer for a delicate fake tan. I'm just not comfortable with the look at the moment). The texture is very light and not sticky. It doesn't make a powder blush cake on top of it.

The main advantage of Sue Devitt Gel Bronzer SPF 40 Beau Dore (the only shade available) is the flexibility of both color and texture. I swatched pretty heavily so you can get an idea, but when applying to my face I can achieve exactly the level of lively but natural color I need this time of the year; the bronzer plays well with my makeup. I especially love the smooth and dewy look I get when using it over LMdB Peau Vierge. It's a healthy skin look that makes all the difference in the dead of winter.

Sue Devitt Gel Bronzer SPF 40 Beau Dore ($37.50) is available from Barneys and many other department stores, as well as from suedevittbeauty.com. The product was sent for my consideration free of charge by the company's PR team.

Histoire de Parfums- 1826 Eugenie de Montijo

2012-01-22T23:03:00.000-05:00

Photos and paintings of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III show a beautiful lady in full Victorian regalia. The dresses, shawls, jewelry-- all of them firmly planted in the 19th century. The fragrance Histoire de Parfums names after her, 1826 Eugenie de Montijo, is soft and modern: a spicy incense laced with smooth floral notes. But just as there's more to the deceivingly mellow 1826, the empress was more than just a bejeweled figurehead.

Politics aside, Empress Eugenie has launched and sponsored the career of pioneer couturier Charles Frederick Worth, and together they devised a fashion plan to rid the world of the crinoline. In 1868, after gradual and subtle changes over several years, Eugenie and Worth presented the silhouette that was to rule the next decade and become most associated with Victorian fashion: straight and narrow in the front, voluminous and elaborate in the back (don't ask me why they thought it was a better idea than the crinoline or how exactly one was supposed to sit wearing those battleships over their butts).

Back to the Histoire de Parfums creation. The opening of 1826 gives me a somewhat Le Labo-ish vibe. It's something about the use of bergamot over spicier notes, and perhaps also a quick hit of labdanum. It's clear from the beginning that 1826 was designed to be pretty and friendly. It's moderately sweet and musky, a bit fuzzy and cashmere like, but not enough to choke one on a summer day. I find it easy to wear any time because it's just a tad understated and low key without losing the perfuminess feel that I like very much.

The connection between Histoire de Parfums 1826 and Empress Eugenie might have something to do with this observation by an English journalist, George Augustus Sala: “the beauty and grace of [Eugénie's] form seem to reflect […] the kindness and tenderness of her heart."(napoleon.org). The fragrance, despite the spicy heart, has a tenderness I enjoy a lot. The use of cinnamon and vanilla reminds me of certain parts in the development of Musc Ravageur, though 1826 is more floral and girly-- something with a hint of sweet sunshiny candied violets.

1826 dries down into a sweet fluffy musk-vanilla-patchouli. It stays in the background for large amounts of time and re-emerges when you almost forget all about it. I also find that it lasts longer than forever, especially if you get it on your clothes and bed linens. I love waking up to this airy sweetness on my comforter.

Notes: bergamot, tangerine, white flowers, violet, ginger, cinnamon, patchouli, amber, Jakarta incense and vanilla.

Histoire de Parfums- 1826 Eugenie de Montijo ($36, 14ml EDP) is available from beautyhabit.com. It also comes in larger sizes, of course.

Photo: Empress Eugénie praying by Gustave Le Gray, 1856 (gogmsite.net).

Guerlain Philtre d'Amour (1999 EDT)

2012-01-19T21:51:00.000-05:00

Guerlain Philtre d'Amour hits the same sweet spot that was occupied by Eau d'Hadrien in its wonderful original formula. This, of course, may be the very reason the latter was viciously reformulated and Philtre d'Amour was discontinued (after the 2005 reissue). It looks like at lest half of the stuff that went into this non-classic Guerlain is now a controlled substance as far as IFRA is considered, and that's a very big shame.

Philtre d'Amour is a bracing citrus with that added bonus of a Guerlain(ish) base. If you ever wondered what would happen if Eau d'Hadrien and Sous le Vent had a little green baby, this is your answer. Just replace the cypress with myrtle. Philtre d'Amour is not quite a citrus cologne (Guerlain certainly has plenty of those) and not quite a chypre as it lacks the drama of the full chypre accord. Instead, it has a bewitching luminosity thanks to the bitter-tart opening, and it grows ever so darker and deeper as romantic notes appear one by one (jasmine is listed but I think I also smell a very refined and dry iris). There is an interesting restraint to Philtre d'Amour. It's not trying too hard, there are no over-the-top accords and no flashy tricks. It seems like a simple perfume at first, but the longer and more often that you wear it, the scent unfolds and draws in deeper.

My bottle of the original EDT has aged nicely. There's a mild sweetness to it, the patchouli is smooth and seductive and the name Philtre d'Amour, love potion, makes a lot of sense. The fragrance seems easy and accessible but has more twists and turns than it first appears and ends up wonderfully irresistible and joyful to wear.

Notes: lemon, bergamot, verbena, jasmine, petigrain, neroli, myrtle,and patchouli.

See more reviews of Guerlain's Philtre d'Amour on Perfume Smellin' Things, Pere de Pierre and Fragrance Bouquet.

Art: The Love Potion by Evelyn De Morgan via the De Morgan Centre.

Cate Blanchett Growing Her Hair Out

2012-01-19T14:57:00.000-05:00

Last year during the award show season Cate Blanchett was sporting the best bob in Hollywood:

she seems to be growing out her hair now, an infamously awkward process (I once spent six months wearing hats every time I left the house, never letting anyone see the true horror that lived underneath). Of course, when you're Cate Blanchett things are easier, at least as long as you have professional stylists to help you out. These photos of Cate you see at the top were taken at an event earlier this week in Geneva, Switzerland. The one below is from last month when Cate Blanchett and her family attended a preview screening of "The Adventures of Tintin" at Paramount Pictures. The wavy hair is quite cute, actually. At least she can leave the house without a hat.

All photos via Zimbio

Makeup For Ever Metallic Taupe 127 Eye Shadow

2012-01-19T12:41:00.000-05:00

Since this week's makeup posts have been all about the eyes, let's stay with this theme for one more day with the help of Kosh, the orange tabby menace. Makeup For Ever Metallic Taupe 127 Eye Shadow is an almost nude color. I think it's too warm to be considered a true taupe, but still a nice neutral. The shimmery metallic finish gives Metallic Taupe 127 a little edge, so it's probably not a real candidate for a "no makeup" look. I use this eye shadow to blend and mellow down bolder colors and when I'm after a fool-proof-apply-in-seconds color.

The smooth texture of Make Up For Ever eye shadows is always easy to work with. Darker shades are obviously a lot more intense, and I'm pretty sure I should have chosen Gray Beige 165 instead of 127, but the lighting at the store was deceiving (what else is new?). Still, this is a basic workhorse kind of an eye shadow and the quality/price ratio is great.

Bottom Line: I'll pick better colors next time.

Makeup For Ever eye shadows ($19 each) come in several finishes and dozens of colors. Exclusive to Sephora, online and in store.

Diptyque L'Eau Trois

2012-01-18T23:34:00.000-05:00

I've always thought about Diptyque L'Eau Trois as a summer scent because it's so dry and the way it captures the heat of a Mediterranean afternoon. It reminds me of long hot days when the heat rises from the earth, stones and aromatic greenery mixed with dust from the rocks. But recently a reader mentioned L'Eau Trois as a winter staple and that makes perfect sense. The Mediterranean fantasy is perfect for a cold and damp day in January.

Diptyque L'Eau Trois is opaque and linear. You smell the herbal aroma of wild thyme and oregano mixed with raw cistus and myrrh. Cistus, or rock rose grows wild in certain areas of the Middle East and the Mediterranean, its scent part of the local shrubland. That and the chewy myrrh dominate the background of L'Eau Trois. I inhale, breathe deeply and it banishes the windchill.

The colors I see when I smell L'Eau Trois are the green of juniper and the low-growing Mediterranean oak varieties, gray-brown of dry earth, and bright blue sunny sky. Its sound are birds and buzzing insects you hear as you lie down to take a delicious nap on an old blanket after having a picnic under the tree. There are patches of sun and shades moving very slowly as there's little to no breeze. The dry air smells good, you fall asleep and wake up just as the sun begins to set and the bushes send up one last blast of their promising scent.

Notes: Myrrh, Myrtle, Oregano, Cistus, Pine, Laurel, Thyme, Rosemary

L'Eau Trois was released in 1975 and was probably never one of Diptyque's biggest sellers. It was discontinued for a while (together with Virgilio and Eau de Elide) around 2007 but has recently returned as one of Diptyque's boutique exclusives. While you can't buy L'Eau Trois from retailers such as Barneys, Aedes or online, you can visit or call Diptyque stores and get it from them directly.

Photo: Rock forms in Sardinia, Italy by Luigi FDV on Flickr, 2010.

Winner Of Monsillage Aviation Club Draw

2012-01-18T16:59:00.000-05:00

The winner of Monsillage Aviation Club bottle giveaway is Wordbird. Congratulations and please email me so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Thank you to everyone who participated and to Isabelle Michaud of Monsillage for her generosity.

Kate Hudson For Ann Taylor

2012-01-18T15:37:00.000-05:00

Are you buying it?

“As a young girl, I looked up to the sophisticated style of Ann Taylor,” said Hudson, “so it’s been very cool to see how the brand has evolved to meet the changing needs of modern women.”

Somehow Kate Hudson's usual bra-less hippie style never struck me as sophisticated or Ann Taylor-material (see examples here and here). It's as believable to me as Angelina Jolie in St. John or Sarah Jessica Parker for the Gap.

Photo and quote via WWD

NARS Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Eye Pencil Spring 2012

2012-01-18T14:13:00.001-05:00

NARS Dark Rite Soft Shadow Eye Pencil Spring 2012 is a shimmery indigo color with intense pigmentation and soft easy to blend (and smudge) texture. /this, of course, can go both ways when it comes to performance, as we saw with the previous Soft Touch pencil, Celebrate. While Christine of Temptalia found them equally difficult and creasing, I was happy to see that Dark Rite is of similar texture and quality to the earlier NARS Soft Touch shadow pencils (Aigle Noire, etc.).

Let's talk about why I like these pencils and how I use them. First, the skin of my eyelids is pretty normal and I don't have any issues with oiliness, so obviously that's a big help with soft and creamy textures. I also use primers. Religiously. I tested NARS Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Eye Pencil over three different eye primers from Laura Mercier, Paula Dorf and NARS. All of them worked very well. Also, I usually prefer to apply several very thin and even layers of makeup, which tends to cement everything into place even under the most unpleasant environmental conditions (aka NYC in August). Christine is right that this pencil under-performs when used as a dramatic single eye shadow- it will crease and probably sweat and migrate in the heat-- if that's what you're after get Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sapphire.

But the good news is that it's all about how you apply this pencil and what you use with it. Here's what I do:
After priming the eyelid I apply a nude powder eye shadow as a base (LMdB Naked, Bobbi Brown Navajo, Youngblood Alabaster, Laura Mercier Stellar... just about anything will do). I then use NARS Dark Rite on the lid, coloring from the lashes to the middle (I have lots of lid space). If I'm going for more drama I also lightly line the lower lashes, but this is optional. I try to do it with a very light hand as the pencil is very soft and intensely pigmented. Using a domed smudge brush (Paula Dorf Smokie Eye or Sephora Platinum No. 13) I blend and soften the edges, also on the bottom lashes if needed. This makes the dark blue softer and more wearable. Next comes the complementing eye shadow: the new NARS Lhasa is the natural choice but a good taupe will do just as well, or if you're pale and blue eyed go for a bronze. I use it mostly in the crease and blend it gently downward into the blue pencil base (almost any type of eye shadow/blending brush will do. It's up to you and your favorite technique).

That's it. The pencil stays in place, including on a misty foggy and very wet NYC night as we had yesterday and while eating spicy Thai noodles. I love the combination with Lhasa and the depth it gives dark brown eyes.

Now, I have some swatch comparison to my other favorite blue shadow pencils, Laura Mercier Sapphire and Sue Devitt Victoria Falls. Sue Devitt is the least shimmery and most precise of the three, Laura Mercier combines wonderful spreadability (did I just make up a word?) with eternal durabilty, NARS Dark Rite is more indigo with just a tiny hint of teal compared to the other ones.

Bottom Line: a fabulous pencil when not used alone, but not for a quick makeup job.

You can see an extra shot of this pencil caught by the paws of Cedric The Kitten on the Facebook group (stop by and say hi to us).

NARS Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Eye Pencil Spring 2012 ($24) is available from narscosmetics.com. The product was sent to me free of charge by the company.

Histoire de Parfums- 1804 George Sand

2012-01-18T00:42:00.000-05:00

I'm not entirely sure that a fruity floriental perfume with a distinct delicious tropical aroma is the way I would have chosen to commemorate George Sand in fragrance, but really, I'm not complaining. Histoire de Parfums- 1804 George Sand is attractive, succulent and quite original. George Sand, the 19 century (female) French novelist, scandalized her generation by wearing men's clothes, smoking in public and having extra marital affairs with famous men (and possibly women), including composer Frédéric Chopin. There's an interesting disparity between photographs and painting of Sand (real name Amandine Aurore Lucile Dupin). Photos show a woman with strong features but far from a beauty. Portraits by her contemporaries reveal a sensuality and femininity that eluded the camera, making Merle Oberon's George Sand 1945 character from the movie A Song To Remember more believable.

Still, I don't quite see George Sand as a pineapple, which is what Histoire de Parfums 1804 is mostly about. The opening notes are exotic, strong and quite ripe. It becomes both spicy and floral as the fragrance warms up and develops on my skin, most of the time smelling one flower away from being a true gourmand. I smell more rose than muguet, which can be attributed to the way the patchouli-vanilla-benzoin base holds and supports the perfume.

The pineapple is surprisingly prominent throughout the scent's lifespan. It's definitely not fleeting or shy about its presence, and combined with gardenia garlands creates that tropical aura. It doesn't cross the line into Sephora-style fruity florals. I imagine the fruity body spray crowd would find 1804 to be too much, too perfumy, too womanly. Which it is. Histoire de Parfums brings us something a very real and full-bodied perfume with a solid sillage (yes, I know it's kind of an oxymoron, but you know what I mean) and a character and presence you cannot ignore. Maybe that's the George Sand part, and it's a very good thing.

Notes: Tahitian gardenia, Corsican peach, Hawaiian pineapple,clove, Indian jasmine, lily of the valley, Moroccan rose, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, vanilla, white musk.

Histoire de Parfums 1804 George Sand ($125, 1.8 oz) is available from Henri Bendel in NYC, Aedes and some Anthroplogie stores. If you can find the travel spray bottles (they seem to have been phased out) they're an excellent value for those of us who don't need large amounts of anything.

Images:
Portrait of George Sand by Delacroix, 1838.
Merle Oberon as George Sand, A Song To Remember, 1945, from Stirred Straight Up With A Twist.

Hand-Painted And Hand-Spun Yarn

2012-01-17T15:09:00.001-05:00

Crafts are really not my thing and other than basic needlepoint and embroidery I never learned and can't do anything creative with my hands. It's a shame and I regret it even more when I see stuff like hand-painted and hand-spun yarn (seriously, hand-spun by the artist using a spinning wheel!). The force behind Fabulosity Yarn is Joy from Montana who does things like pick sunflower heads, turn them into dye and use it to color wool (the yellow one below).

Of course, I'm all about colors and looking at some of the skeins is making me think of makeup palettes- real and imaginary. I can't knit and have no idea what I'd even do with yarn, but the idea of something that looks like Blush Horizon de Chanel, any of the Guerlain palettes or NARS Hanamichi is captivating.

All photos by Joy Hayworth of Fabulosity.
I'm not affiliated in any way, of course, and the links are provided for your convenience.

NARS Lhasa Eye Shadow Spring 2012

2012-01-17T13:11:00.000-05:00

I predict that NARS Lhasa single eye shadow from the Spring 2012 is going to become a classic. Described on NARS website as "a shimmery lavender grey" it's a bit too cool to be considered a true taupe (see comparison to Le Metier de Beaute Corinthian) but still close enough, especially in direct sunlight. Lhasa has a beautiful texture, rich pigment and it plays incredibly well with just about any color you pair with it (once again-- a navy blue eyeliner is your dear friend).

There's a reason this color category is so popular- it looks good on most and can be played up or down as needed. NARS is offering us here one of the prettiest variations on this theme- a very neutral shade that manages to be unique enough even among other of its kind. Amy from Cafe Makeup has already done a great color comparison of Lhasa next to various other classics from Chanel, NARS and Shu Uemura. I chose different eye shadows for comparison: Edward Bess Storm, Becca Lamé, Sue Devitt Berlin, Paula Dorf Day Dream, Kjaer Weis Wisdom and LMdB Corinthian. All of these are as fabulous as they come, great colors in superb textures. NARS Lhasa holds its own among them. It's slightly more intense than Edward Bess Storm but certainly in the same color family. Lhasa is warmer than Sue Devitt's Berlin and looks closest to Becca Lamé. The other three (Kjaer Weiss, Paula Dorf and LMdB) are true taupes and you can see that Lhasa is different.

Bottom Line: a classic is born.

NARS Lhasa Eyeshadow Single ($23) is a Spring 2012 addition to the permanent line. Available from narscosmetics.com. This products was sent to me free of charge by the company.

CB I Hate Perfume- In The Library

2012-01-16T23:54:00.001-05:00

Every library I ever visited had its own scent. The tiny old children's library to which my mom took me when I was six that looked and felt like a leftover from the 1950s, the big public library that was my sanctuary throughout my youth, brightly lit and and full to the brim with enough old books that lent their scent to the place; the sharp smelling university libraries, all of them too modern and metallic; the magical British Library in London, old and new. Kindles, as awesome and life-changing as they are, do not smell the same.

I've been trying to determine if In The Library by CB I Hate Perfume has any of that old library magic. It does smell familiar and has something of an old building with wood floors going on there, but I'm not sure I smell books, leather-bound or others. The strong wood polish opening is surprising and intriguing, even before I decided that it's pleasant (and it is). Then there's old paper and more polished wood, and all of that dries down on my skin into something soft, smooth and slightly musky that doesn't smell much like a perfume (well, duh). I find a similarity between CB I Hate Perfume's Library and Miller Harris L'Air de Rien-- if you thought the latter was too dirty and carnal, In The Library might please you more, as it's cleaner and flatter.

The lasting power is medium-low. What's left on the skin after three to four hours is a faint musky sweetness that will be familiar to CBIHP fans. In The Library is somewhere between a skin scent and something I'd prefer as a candle or a reed diffuser, depending on the day.

Notes: Russian & Moroccan Leather Bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish.

CB I Hate Perfume- In The Library ($12, 2ml perfume absolute) is available from cbihateperfume.com

Photo: Library in British Hill, Japan, 2008 by nami*&Chitaki on Flickr