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.
I told you my favorite item from the Tsumori Chisato for Shu Uemura Holiday 2009 collection was the mini brush set. As you can see, it really is small enough to fit inside almost anything. The bag has enough room inside to store a makeup palette, thus saving space. I need to try and see if Bobbi Brown Mauve Palette fits inside, as it includes everything but brushes. Trish McEvoy's Beauty Emergency Card is another prime candidate for use with this set.
The brushes (face, concealer, eye shadow and lip/eyeliner), while small, feel sturdy and balanced in the hand, and they are thick enough. I have to complaints, though: the pockets aren't snug enough, so the brushes don't stay in place. Also, one cannot use the same brush for both eye lining and lip color. A fifth brush would have made this set much closer to perfection.
Tsumori Chisato for Shu Uemura mini brush set ($69) is available from Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom, which is where I got mine.
Photos by me with the help of Lizzy (for those who asked about the spelling of her name, she's named after Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, and that's the spelling Jane Austen used in the book).
Finding this bottle of Balenciaga Quadrille parfum was another step in my vintage perfume quest. I wasn't familiar with the scent at first, yet lusted after it for a while, just because. A 1955 Balenciaga creation- if I couldn't have a hat or a dress, at least I should be able to get a bottle. Later I obtained a sample, which fed the obsession even more. I stalked eBay and several other sites, watched the auction, placed some bids, sniped but since I refused to engaged in bidding wars or go over a certain limit, it was nearly two years before the sealed pristine bottle arrived at my door. Quadrille is everything you'd expect from a vintage Balenciaga. it's elegant and mysterious, dark but not weird. It smells like a spiced plum liqueur, rich and smooth, but not foody or too sweet. After all, this it was created before the yummy school of perfumery took over (compare to the fig-vanilla pudding of Cristobal). Instead, it's beautifully balanced, velvet-like, with a well-dressed floral heart and a somewhat dirty musk drydown that sits close to the skin and lingers between one and her cashmere sweater. It's a great scent for daydreaming about different times and places, picturing yourself wearing a Balenciaga hat and coat to a Paris cafe.
I'm not sure how old my bottle actually is. Quadrille has been around until a few years ago, though the parfum extrait was discontinued for ages. By the deterioration of the citrus top note I can tell it's quite old. There's also that seamless smoothness you find in well-kept vintage perfumes. In any case, I love it and have been savoring the perfume. Surprisingly, it doesn't last very long on my skin. I get about 2-3 hours of bliss before it fades to whisper.
Vintage Quadrille ads: okadi.com Balenciaga fashion photos by Richard Avedon- model with the dog is Dovima (1955), the other one is Elise Daniels (1948). Both from myvintagevogue.com Balenciaga Quadrille vintage bottle picture by me.
Whenever someone gives away piles of free books it's usually a sign the book isn't doing too well on its own. In the case of Nina Garcia's latest book, The Style Strategy, I'm not surprised. The book was redundant and gave the feeling it was compiled from scraps and drafts for the previous two books (both were quite good), and it looks like people shopped smart and avoided buying it.
Now Nina Garcia (and her employer, Marie Claire magazine) has teamed up with Lancome for a joint promotional event at Saks 5th Avenue in NYC. If you RSVP to this event (November 12th at 5 PM) you will get The Style Strategy for free, as well as the latest Marie Claire issue and a couple of Lancome skin care samples. Ms. Garcia will be on hand to talk about whatever.
Maybe someone can ask her about the incestuous relationships between magazines and their advertisers and when if ever we'd get to see an honest review of beauty products in her magazine.
I have no idea how I managed to miss these items when they were released over the summer, but Paul & Joe's Fall 2009 Collection had the cutest packaging, including these two items. Now, neither the lipstick (too light and sheer) nor the eye shadows (way too glittery) are something I need or would even use, so it doesn't really matter. But, oh my, aren't they lovely? Both are available from Beauty Habit (beautyhabit.com), and if these colors are your thing, use code INSTYLE for a 20% discount. The newly released Winter Collection is also available, in purple and gold packaging. I'm not too excited about any of the items.
I was looking at the William Rast website (Justin Timberlake's fashion line. Yes, I know I'm not the target customer) and thinking there was not enough money in the world anyone could pay to make me leave the house dressed like that. I had a similar top to the black/red one in 1985, only in blue and probably better cut. Then I started browsing and found the other side of plaid. From 1943:
William Rast tops $165-$185, williamrast.com Vintage photos from Montgomery Ward spring/summer 1943 collection: myvintagevogue.com
HM by Hanae Mori is a fruity floral for men. There, I said it. The amusing part is that I'm quite fond of it. I bought the bottle for my husband six or seven years ago, before the long line of Lutens and Malle bottles on the top shelf of our perfume cabinet. I think I was trying to wean him off his Givenchy Pi and looked for something just a little less sweet, but full-bodied and more interesting than traditional men's cologne or Polo.
While I could never stand the original Hanae Mori for women in all its strawberry-vanilla glory, something in HM For Men won me over instantly. It was quite complex and I really liked that it was an EDP and not an eau de toilette. I never subscribed to the idea men's scents should be lighter or not as long lasting as women's. There was a neverending note list which the SA recited to me, most of them easily detectable on skin.
Other than the bracing lemon-lavender opening (which lasts on my own skin surprisingly well), nothing in HM is particularly masculine. There's an abstract ripe fruit in the heart that morphs into a unisex woody iris but not as gracefully as Daim Blond- HM tends to take some sharp turns. Jasmine, rose and lily of the valley aren't exactly pillars of masculinity, but they stay surprisingly close to the skin and blend with the rest of this extravaganza. Then come the part that identifies this fragrance as an Angel (the feminine classic, not A*Men) offspring- a chocolate-vanilla drydown of the yummy variety. However, HM is much better behaved than Angel. Maybe it's the lack of the infamous caramel note, or the fruit is better done. In any case, while Mugler's beast tends to turn my stomach, Hanae Mori feels pleasant and friendly.
I still have that bottle. The husband has moved on to bigger and better things, as did I. But once in a blue moon (and cooler weather) I like to wear a couple of sprays of it, just because. It's a fun little thing, not very demanding and has a cheery, uplifting quality.
HM by Hanae Mori EDP for men is available from most department stores for about $70 and about half this price from several online discounters. I bought the bottle at our local Bloomingdale's.
The most intriguing item in Dior Holiday 2009 collection is the nail polish, Silver Purple (782). It's maddening to look at the swatches on the retail websites (from Sephora to department stores) because they're way off in showing the true color. Sephora is especially bad, making the polish look a lot more purple than it actually is. My photos are not 100%, either, but they are much closer.
Purple Silver is a purple-gray-taupe with a metallic finish. It looks very dark indoors and in low light, while sunshine brings out more silver. I think it's stunning in a low key way and can even be office appropriate in certain workplaces.
The first time I tried it with Essie 3-Way Glaze, and it was an utter disaster- chips, cracks and peeling within a day. The second time I applied five different bases1 and a Nail Aid top coat which gave me much better results, though like most Dior Vernis, Silver Purple tends to chip unless you apply and renew the top coat religiously (as in every day). It's worth it, tough. The color is unique and very beautiful, and as long you do the maintenance, you can get about 5 days of a flawless look.
Dior Vernis nail polish in Silver Purple ($20) is a limited edition for Holiday 2009. Available from all Dior counters and Sephora, which is where I bought it.
All photos taken today by me, color is three day old, new top coat. Yes, it was raining. Heavily2. Now excuse me as I go and take a very hot shower and try to warm up. 1proof that beauty bloggers are weird 2proof that beauty bloggers are insane
I've been an Alison Raffaele fan for years, ever since discovering her soft lip glosses when the line made a very brief appearance at Sephora. The Soft Eye shadows are just as good, and like all Alison Raffaele products, deserve a lot more love and recognition for the excellent quality and sophisticated aesthetics.
Taupe is the perfect eye shadow for a natural look. It shades the lid and the crease just enough to give depth and a silky smooth appearance, without drawing attention to the makeup. If you like the French 'Le No Makeup' look, this would be a perfect way to achieve it: Taupe eye shadow, a touch of black mascara and a reddish lipstick- you're ready to take Paris.
The Soft Shadow is very easy to blend and would work with just about any color you use as a liner. It stays put over a primer without creasing or fading, keeping one's look chic throughout the day and evening.
Bottom line: Deserves more hype.
Alison Raffaele Skin Soft Eye Shadows ($19.50) and the rest of her line are available on alisonraffaele.com and several online retailers. I got this one as a gift with purchase.
You came to me to open my eyes your body- to me- a window, a mirror, a glance you came as the night approaches an owl to show it at night, to show it all.
And I've learned: There's a name for every crease and eyelash, for every hair on my exposed flesh, and the scent of childhood, of glue and pine, is the fragrance of bodies at night.
If there were any torments- they sailed towards you. My white sail to your darkness. Please let me go now, allow me to leave and kneel on the shore of forgiveness.
from "Prayers of Atonement" by Leah Goldberg. Crudely translated from Hebrew by me.
Carnation by Mona di Orio is not about the flower. The website talks about "the carnation that blooms on a woman's cheek", which makes perfect sense as soon as you actually smell it. It's all about skin, and not necessarily of the freshly showered variety.
There's the scent of a warm skin after a day in the sun. There's the smell of clean bodies under a freshly laundered blanket. Mona di Orio's musky Carnation is both, and it's stunning and addictive, as long as you're ready to deal with a perfume that doesn't smell like anything out of a modern department store. I suspect that once upon a time more perfumes had such elements in them (think of the original, civet-rich, Guerlains), but finding such sensuality in perfume today is very rare.
It might be surprising, but Carnation doesn't really feel raw or wild. It's actually intimate, introspective and somewhat of an introvert. This is what a "skin scent" is all about- it feels soft and tactile, blooms in warmth and while strong and long lasting, it wouldn't announce your comings and goings.
The official notes are bergamot, clove, geranium, ylang ylang, violet, jasmine, precious woods, musk, amber and styrax. But this list doesn't tell much about the way Carnation feels, and it is worlds apart from any other amber-musk scent I can think of. Like each and every Mona di Orio perfume, Carnation must be tested on skin and allowed some time to develop. It doesn't reach the irresistible stage until about an hour into wearing it, which explains why it's such a hard sale.
Mona di Orio fragrances are currently in a very limited distribution, Les Senteurs in London being the only place that ships them. The good news is that according to the MdO website, the perfumes are coming back to New York and will soon be sold at Takashimaya. I can't wait. For now, samples can be obtained through The Perfumed Court. I bought my bottle when it was still available at Bergdorf Goodman.
The 13th Annual Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony signals another season of red carpet events, gowns and makeup. And also some interesting hairstyles. Zooey Deschanel had a big black bow in her hair, matching the black bow on her pink dress that I guess goes with the doll-like eyelashes. I had to check and verify it was not a Halloween party, because Zooey's look was bordering on a costume.
Marisa Tomei, on the other hand, forgot to do her hair. The dress was in questionable taste, too.
Hilary Swank did the retro thing we've been seeing on some famous heads lately. I'm not sure displaying that much forehead was the best idea ever.
There's something about concealer palettes that looks very professional and gives the impression one really knows what she's doing. It might have something to do with blending several colors together or with the confidence of applying a green paste to your face and actually making everything look nice and smooth. That's what made the Concealor-Corrector palette from 29 Cosmetics so appealing (the elegant packaging didn't hurt, either).
The palette offers three natural concealer shades and a green one that evens out redness. The concealers allow for blending and creating the exact color needed for every part of the face that requires coverage. It takes some work, but it's not rocket science- one color has a yellow base, one is more pink, so it's easy to figure out how much of each would look best. It's great to have all the options in one palette, so you don't need to spread several pots and pans over your vanity. The darkest concealer is too dark for me in this pale phase of my life, so I don't really use it. But the green shade is great. It really helps with redness around the nose and anywhere else.
The texture and consistency of the concealers is quite thick, so I don't use it under my eyes, where I prefer light, illuminating liquid concealers. I regard this 29 Cosmetics product as a spackle for unsightly imperfections anywhere else on the face, where it does a great job. I skip the applicators that come with the compact and use good concealer brushes that make it easier to blend.
Bottom line: Great. More brands should offer such palletes.
29 Cosmetics Concealor-Corrector Palette ($36) is available from Neiman Marcus and 29cosmetics.com. I bought it online.
Amouage Lyric Women is a black tie scent. It has the presence of a magnificent ball gown- well cut and draped from a luxurious fabric, tailored and accessorized to perfection. It's big, elegant but also has more than a touch of romance to it, making me think more about an unforgettable night than one's company Holiday party.
It's the rose, you see. A very dark, opulent rose. It's red but with an almost black undertone, and not fully open yet. It's somewhat fruity at first, but not fresh- more like an exquisite fruit liqueur that has been kept in the basement for a very special occasion. The spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger) never let the rose become light or floral, and ease the scent into an even darker phase of wood and patchouli.
The base is velvety and mildly sweet. Official notes list vanilla and tonka bean, but Lyric is not about satisfying the vanilla craving or the comforts of a robe, slippers and hot chocolate. It just refuses to stay home and cuddle. It wants to go out and take Manhattan by storm, and you'd better put your hair up and do your makeup if you're along for the ride. It's that kind of a scent.
A couple of hours into wearing Lyric, my skin often strips it from everything but a rosy frankincense, especially when I'm only wearing one or two sprays. It's still beautiful, but not always what I want for a 10 hour day (or night). That's the only thing stopping me from graduating from a decant to a full bottle, though I know that eventually I'll succumb. We all need a little glamor here and there.
Lyric for Women ($265 for 50 ml) and the rest of the Amouage line are available from Luckyscent and Aedes. Samples are available from these stores, as well as from The Perfumed Court.
There are a handful of gems hiding in the otherwise not impressing line of Sephora Brand products. One of them is their Complete Lip Balm. I'm usually not a fan of petroleum-based lip products because they feel heavy and tend to just sit there on the lips, not doing much other than providing a barrier (which sometimes, I admit, you need). But this tiny pot seems to also have a few more active ingredients, such as mango butter and vitamin E, both actually making my lips feel good.
The balm is not sticky at all and works well under many lipsticks. It seems to provide quite a bit of moisture and relief, and has just enough menthol to give a cooling effect (and supposedly some plumping, but I think that well-hydrated lips tend to naturally fill up).
Since it's one of those "dip your finger" packaging, I prefer to keep it at home for use with just-washed hands. These days you can't be overly germaphobe. I'd be very happy if Sephora would release a stick version.
Sephora Brand Complete Lip Balm ($8) is available in store and online. I got it as a gift with purchase.
Dior look for Fall 2009 was very purple centric (the theme continues to the Holiday collection, only this time as a silvery lavender. Review of the nail polish coming later this week). The plum eyeliner caught my eye in the display, and since the format of Diorliner is different than any of the eyeliners in my current rotation, it was the perfect time to bring it home with me.
Diorliner is a liquid liner in what looks like a pen, but instead of a felt tip it actually has a real brush. I'm usually scared of eyeliner brushes, but quickly discovered that Dior made it wonderfully easy to control, so with just a little practice I can draw as thick or as thin a line as I wish.
Plum (no. 888) is a warm purple with a metallic finish and subtle reddish shimmer. Since it's a much softer color than black, If you make the line thin enough, it's easy to wear during the day. A thicker line that shows off the shine would make a very pretty evening/holiday look. It goes beautifully with fall colors and gold-based eye shadows, and I've been wearing it successfully with Bobbi Brown's Metallic Plum palette from a couple of years ago.
I use the liner with a lid primer, and it's been staying on without creasing or flaking until I remove my makeup at night. Since the texture starts out very wet, you need to wait a few seconds until it's fully dry, but once it is, there's no smudging.
Diorliner has one design flaw- the dispensing mechanism. You need to twist the bottom to release the color into the brush, but it takes some trial and error to figure out just how much to twist to avoid an overflow, and even then it's always just a bit too much, so some of the product ends up going to waste and is constantly dripping on the pen, as you can see in the photo.
Bottom line: Almost perfect.
Diorliner ($31) is available from every decent department store and Sephora. I bought mine at my local Bloomingdale's.
Clinton Kelly's first of Seven Cardinal Rules for Broadway, Off-Broadway, the opera, the ballet, and touring groups:
"Wear something nice. Your fellow theatergoers are paying for the entire experience, which includes being surrounded by fabulous people "
Clinton Kelly, Freakin' Fabulous, page 103
Dedicated to the two otherwise nice ladies in ratty pink and purple velour sweats who sat two rows to the left of me this afternoon at the Bye Bye Birdie show. John Stamos was awesome.
Image by Elaine Anagnos, Painter of Cats and People.
Shu Uemura might have the cutest holiday collection this year. Fashion designer Tsumori Chisato created several compacts and a makeup brush set with several motives- ribbons, stars and my favorite- a cat. This isn't exactly Hello Kitty and the result managed to avoid the over precious cliche. All the items and palettes are interesting and as grown up as something that has a cat on it can be.
While the makeup colors aren't exactly what I'm looking for, my pick is the mini makeup brush set.
The Tsumori Chisato For Shu Uemura Holiday 2009 collection is available from Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.
Photos of the collection: nordstrom.com, Tsumori Chisato dress from the Spring 2009 RTW: WWD
This Cle de Peau lipstick is one of the softest, smoothest lipsticks I've tried. It's almost like a balm, but with great coverage and excellent pigment (though some of the lighter shades are a bit more sheer). The staying power isn't as amazing as the regular lipsticks, but there's only so much you can expect from a super moisturizing lip color. I chose no. 117, which as you can see is a reddish plum, but I already see a couple of others in my future.
A couple of warnings: The lipstick doesn't retract, so only expose a little for each use. Also, never leave it in the car or expose the tube to direct sunlight. The super melty texture doesn't like heat. I took the photos on a warm day outside and you can clearly see the effect in the swatch picture.
Cle de Peau Extra Silky Lipstick ($50) is available from the best department stores. I bought mine from my local Saks.
Today was so gorgeous weather and nature-wise that even this Jersey town looked golden and magical . I was having a great hair day, wearing a favorite light dress and a green leather jacket. And three sprays of vintage Derby, a 1985 Guerlain creation.
Derby is usually considered as more masculine, probably because of all the green aromatics, nearly lack of any sweetness and a green leather drydown. But I don't find it very butch or macho, just uplifting. There's a casual elegance to Derby, a kind of classiness you often find in real oakmossy chypres, and a refined slightly floral heart that makes it go down easily even if you're not that much into chypres- this isn't Bandit and definitely not Mitsouko, despite the leather and oakmoss. More of a smoother, kinder Sous le Vent.
Derby was discontinued, reissued, reformulated and rebottled, and I suspect that it was changed more than once. I only have this original vintage eagle bottle, but I've smelled and tested the new one, though not a bottle that was manufactured within the last 12 months. Since the re-orchestration of the scent included quite a bit of citrus in the top (it smells to me like a very nice minty lemonade, before the more substantial parts of the fragrance took over), and IFRA has decided that citrus is harmful for your health, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it was changed and neutered. In any case, the 'Les Parisiennes' version (in a bottle similar to Sous le Vent) is still worthy of trying, even if it's not as potent and long lasting as the original.
Derby in its current formulation is only available from Guerlain boutiques and at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks flagship store in NYC. The vintage can occasionally be found on eBay.
While I think she (more likely her makeup artist) could have used a lighter hand when defining the lower lid, there's always something about Hilary Swank's look that's fresh and interesting.
Photos from this week's red carpet events for the release of Hilary's new movie, Amelia: Just Jared
Chanel Le Vernis nail polish in Imperial might be my favorite color for the season (at least for the next five minutes). It doesn't match the Rouge Allure Laque by the same name (unlike Ming or Coromandel), but it's a beautiful brown with just a hint of plummy red undertone. The texture is creamy and takes a little too long to dry, but the beautiful finish is worth it. Two coats over a Zoya base is all it takes for the perfect look. Now, if I could only stop messing up my nails in all sorts of freak accidents...
Chanel Le Vernis in Imperial #469 ($23) is a relatively new (here in the US. I think it's been available overseas for quite a while) addition to the regular line and there's no indication it might be a limited edition. Available from your favorite department stores and chanel.com. I bought it at Saks.
Things I don't wear: High waisted anything Barbie pink Camel (the color) Airy floral perfumes
It's not because there's anything wrong with the above. They just don't work for me for various reasons: proportions, personality, skin tone, skin chemistry. That's the case with Puredistance I, a perfume I really wanted to love, but we were not meant to be.
The concept is very nice: perfumer Annie Buzantian who had several commercially successful perfumes (even if I don't actually like any of them) has composed Puredistance as her own signature scent before getting the financial backing that launched it as an über-luxurious perfume, complete with an exclusive Swarovski crystal bottle in several limited edition versions (all look very beautiful without being tacky or flashy) for the elegant price of € 3950. But you can't really hate it, as there's a refill version one can purchase (without first forking over for the showpiece) for 165 euros.
It's obvious that a lot of thought, work and artistry went into making Puredistance I. It smells very pretty on a test strip, it smells very pretty on fabric, it even smells pretty when applied to my skin, just before it falls apart. The perfume is evanescent, sheer and somewhat ethereal. It also bores me out of my skull because there's nothing here that grabs either my skin or my attention.
The approach is very modern and light. The green is abstract and the floral notes magnolia, rose, jasmine and natural mimosa are blended seamlessly. They dance around in the air just above the skin, all gauzy and shimmery until they settle into a soft musky drydown. Supposedly there are base notes of amber and vetiver, but they are completely lost on me in this winged ozonic blossom. It's painfully obvious I'm not meant to wear Puredistance I. I just can't fake the luminous blonde image, and frankly, I don't want to try.
Puredistance I in all its versions and various packaging options can be purchased online at puredistance.com and from several European stores (all listed on the website), including Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie on the 5th Floor of Harrods. I received the sample as a PR freebie.
I stopped at the mall to stock up on my regular L'Occitane hair products (somehow I ran out. The horror!), and check out the new Limited Edition Shea Butter Collection. I'm a huge fan of L'Occitane's regular shea butter products- during the winter I want nothing other than live in one of those jars. I try to apply the body cream three times a day to combat my skin blahs and maintain the illusion I'm human and not an upright walking, lipstick wearing lizard.
The limited edition products come in four new scents, Ylang Ylang, Acacia, Frangipani and Rosebud. The Ultra Rich Cream also comes in a fifth scent, another limited edition, Vanilla, which was created in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Shea. Surprisingly, I didn't fall for that one. Not sure why, it just wasn't the most amazing vanilla ever and I passed in favor of the Frangipani.
The SA said that Rosebud and Frangipani seem to be the most popular scents, and I certainly see why- they are the most distinct one and have the best blend of top notes with the basic shea butter scent that's typical to these products (it's creamy, nutty, somewhat musky). I got all three Frangipani items- the body cream, mini hand cream and the Hand & Body Cleansing Mousse. I love L'Occitane's foaming face cleanser, and this body mousse didn't disappoint. It's an excellent cold weather treat for the body.
Bottom Line: Why did they make it a limited edition?
The Shea Butter Limited Edition Collection (prices from $10 for the hand cream to $21 for the 3.5 oz Ultra Rich body cream) is available from L'Occitane stores and online.
It feels like we're always rushing the seasons. Fall collections appear in July and often sell out before August 1st. Halloween is still 10 days away, but the makeup counters are already in full sparkly Holiday mode. I'm not sure I'm ready for any of that, but the Earth Metal lips & eyes palette from Bobbi Brown was too pretty to ignore until the right mood and weather arrive (and, let's face it- most chances it'd be gone by then).
The palette consists of six metallic eye shadows in some of the nicest colors of the season, including a golden green and a rich evergreen. There's a taupy plum and a couple of warmer shades. All have the familiar Bobbi Brown metallic finish which is both subtle and elegant. The colors are quite neutral and can easily be office-appropriate as long as you don't pile them up, while giving many options for a stunning evening look. Most of these eye shadows go beautifully with Bobbi's newest gel eyeliner color, Forest Shimmer Ink. I'm very happy with the pigment level in this palette. Then again, the metallic colors of the last couple of years have always been rich. The lip colors pale a little in comparison. They are lower in pigment than they appear in the palette and are mostly nude washes. It took me a while to warm up to the texture, which isn't as creamy as I'd like (I've been spoiled by the gel-like consistency offered by several of the top brands like Chantecaille and Le Metier de Beaute). You absolutely need to use a lip brush (there's one in the palette) and work it thoroughly through the pan, almost like you're whipping it. Mixing and blending is also a good idea, as it allows you to customize the color to your exact preference. The final results are very pretty, but I won't deny it takes a bit of work, unlike the eye shadows that are am instant thrill.
I don't like the thin eye shadow brush. It's too flimsy for my liking. The lip brush is decent and I'm getting a good use out of it, though it also could have been thicker.
Bobbi Brown Earth Metal Palette ($60) is a Holiday 2009 limited edition, available right now at decent department stores and online. I ordered mine from bobbibrown.com.
There's a strong contrast between the way I think of Coco Chanel and the 1920s and the way Bois des Iles smells and feels. Mademoiselle was strong, innovative and ambitious, definitely not the cuddly type. She probably wasn't into baking in general and gingerbread in particular, and no one would associate her with nutmeg and cinnamon. Yet, Bois des Iles, a fragrance created for her fashion house in 1926- right in the middle of the flapper, art deco years- is all that.
Bois des Iles is a classic fall/winter scent, with spice, creaminess and a wood base. It says "cashmere sweater" more than haute couture, and cozy interiors more than an urban setting. Still, it has enough of Chanel familiar cheekbones to not be simply about comfort. First, there are the aldehydes. Compared to N0. 5 or No. 22 they aren't too dominant and are less likely to scare away the younger generation of perfume wearers. Then there's the floral part, out of which I mainly smell ylang-ylang in the parfum version (I'm out of my EDT sample, but I remember it as sharper with more powdery iris in the heart).
The drydown on my skin is all wood, all the time. It's less feminine than the previous stages, but still soft and pretty. I love the sandalwood-gingerbread combination and truly appreciate the restraint that doesn't let the composition go all the way to yummy. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from a true Chanel.
Bois des Iles was repackaged and probably re-orchestrated (consider the environmental restrictions on sandalwood harvest this is not surprising). It can now be found at Chanel boutiques worldwide as well as at Bergdorf Goodman and the Saks 5th Avenue flagship in NYC, as part of the Les Exclusifs line (also online at Chanel.com). The problem is that the new version is an EDT in that huge 200 ml (6.8 oz) bottle. The parfum has been withdrawn from our shelves for the most part. It's still available in limited quantities at the Paris boutique and every once in a while a handful of bottles are sent to Saks or Bergdorf. I bought my bottle when it was still offered on the website.
Top two pictures are of Coco Chanel in 1929. Third photo is a Chanel dress from 1926. All photos: Art Deco Blog
I loved every Edward Bess makeup item I've tried so far, so my expectations from his Pure Impact Mascara were extremely high. After all, the man created some of the most beautiful and elegant eye shadows you'd ever find. But mascara requires more than supreme aesthetics and attention to details, and this one, while quite good, is not the best thing ever.
Pros: Pure Impact gives considerable length and curl. The color's name, Deep Black, is spot on, as it really is very rich and glossy, yet it dries very quickly, so you can apply more coats (you'll need them) without dotting and smudging.
Cons: The mascara isn't volumizing and you need to really work it to see impressive results. But piling up the coats results in several tiny clumps, and the brush isn't very good at separating the lushes. This creates a look that screams "I'm wearing tons of mascara", which I know many women likes, I'm just not one of them. Another issue is cause by the elegant narrow tube. The color tends to collect and goop at its neck and opening, resulting in a need to wipe the excess (thus losing some of the material) from the rim and from the brush.
Bottom line: Decent, but unless you're focused on length and glossiness, there are better mascaras out there.
Edward Bess Pure Impact Mascara ($29) is available from edwardbess.com and Bergdorf Goodman (in-store only), which is where I bought it.
Fleur de Figuier by Molinard might have been the greatest surprise I had at PXA 2009, the perfume expo last summer. While I definitely appreciate the classic perfumes of the house, I've never given the Les Fleurs series more thought than using Lavande as a sheet spray (highly recommended, by the way). But having the rare opportunity to see the entire line and test as many as I could, has shown me there is more to Molinard than Habanita.
I have quite a few fig scents in my collection, but Fleur de Figuier managed to surprise me with its originality. It's not a milky green fig nor is it woody or fruity. It has a lot of green in it, but it comes from bitter galbanum, which dominates the perfume beautifully. There's a hint of sweetness at the top, but it doesn't last, making the perfume a lot more interesting than you'd expect.
There's something very relaxed and easygoing in Fleur de Figuier. It's casual, but not in a "sport" way, just cool, laid back and not trying too hard. It's a happy scent for a happy place, as long as all involved really enjoy galbanum.
The US distribution of Molinard perfumes is somewhat spotty, but Fleur de Figuier, Lavande and most others can be found online for about $30. I bought my bottles from parfum1.com.
Photo of actress Peggy O'Connor (1950) from myvintagevogue.com
Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 15 sounds promising: "An advanced alternative to liquid foundation that creates a youthful, healthy glow and offers SPF 15 sun protection". But my doubts about it started quickly. First, it's a lot thicker than you'd expect from a tinted moisturizer. Actually, the texture and coverage are pretty much foundation-like, and definitely heavier than my holy grail, Chanel Vitalumier. It's not a bad thing, as some days we all need a little extra help, but why call it a tinted moisturizer if it's really a foundation?
The second issue was color. I had several samples in both Light Beige and Sand. Light Beige was at least two shades too dark for me, though the undertone was good. Diluting it with moisturizer helped a little, but it was still not perfect. Sand was just off on me. On my face it showed with a yellow peach base that clashed with skin tone, and no amount of tweaking and blending could get it right. I guess I could try Ivory, but that's the lightest shade in the Hourglass range, and I promise you, I don't have ivory skin.
I tested about ten samples of this tinted moisturizer, with and without primers. Each sample was enough for about two uses, so I believe I gave it more than enough chances, but just couldn't love this product. Even worse, every time I used it without a primer I ended up with a couple of clogged pores. It's not a scientific experiment, so I can't be sure the Hourglass TM was always the culprit, but it kept happening so I doubt this was a coincidence.
Bottom line: Great coverage, just not for me.
Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 15 ($55) is available from Sephora and Barneys. I received the samples with my recent Sephora orders and got a few more in store.
Photo: Mademoiselle magazine, September 1966 from Sugarpie Honeybunch on Flickr.
It's 4:15AM. Do you know where your Sephora shopping cart is?
Sephora's Friend&Family online sale was supposed to start tonight (20% off nearly everything with code FF2009. US only). I thought I'd beat the web crowds by shopping at 3 am. After all, I had a wishlist longer than my hair. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the same brilliant idea, and Sephora's website crashed. It's 4:15 now, give or take a minute and the site is still down.
Saks used to have the very same problem during their F&F sales, but this season it went smoothly, as far as I could tell. Maybe they can give the people of Sephora a number to call, or something.
Madini perfume essences aren't very famous outside the perfume-nut circles, but have quite a following among those who tried them. The oils are made in Morocco, supposedly by using traditional methods. The ones I've tried definitely have a different, faraway feel to them. They are exotic, vibrant and rich. Wearing them takes you places and makes you wonder what's wrong with most of today's perfumes that don't smell like this.
Ambargris can be a shock to one's system. The first impression is of something very strong, sweet and somewhat smoky. It feels more like an amber accord on steroids, very different than many wimpy mainstream ambers that are mostly sweet nothings. You realize this is what amber is supposed to be like, even if it doesn't actually smell like natural ambergris (the stuff that comes out of whales and is no longer allowed in perfumery). I was lucky enough to smell a piece of the real thing last year and it's otherworldly. Neither Madini Ambargris nor any other scent I've tried come close, but there are aspects of the natural gray amber that appear here and there.
In Madini's Ambargris there is a salty, briny stage that tampers the thick molasses-like syrup. I find that high quality ambers that have this facet can sometimes smell like olives, in a nice way. It usually leads to a subtle animalic base, which I adore. Ambargris does exactly that, and the divine drydown lasts forever, even when using the tiniest drop, which is usually all that's needed. I might have mentioned above that this is very strong stuff...
Madini oils are available online from madini.com, which is how I purchased my bottles. They ship worldwide, including Australia. The prices would make one weep with joy. A 3 ml bottle costs $15, and a 6 ml (which only sounds tiny. With these oils this is a lifetime supply) for $25. There are also sample packs (5 samples, $10).
Photo of a Lebanese belly dancer by James Burke, 1959 from LIFE.com
Matte lipsticks are known to be dry and if you have sensitive lips (as I do) they can be very uncomfortable to wear, which is why I ignored Chantecaille Lip Modern lipsticks for the longest time. After all, they offer enough balmier options. But eventually my curiosity got the better of me and I left the counter with the Boysenberry Lip Modern in my shopping bag. What can I say? I tried, I liked, I bought.
Lip Modern is incredibly light. It doesn't feel like I'm wearing a lip product. It simply coats, stains and stays there for hours with minimal residue on the tea cup. It actually feels soft, which is very surprising for this lipstick category. The color is dark, rich and pigmented so you must make sure to prep your lips thoroughly- exfoliate, moisturize and make sure there are no cracks, otherwise go with something more emollient. I also like to top it with various glosses, but it's not necessary, just my tendency to layer colors and experiment.
Boysenberry is a red berry color- very true to what you see in the tube. The matte texture and color intensity make this a sophisticated and elegant.
Bottom line: Perfect for a dinner date.
Chantecaille Lip Modern ($28) is available from top department stores. I bought it at Bergdorf. Photos by me.
I was pursuing the face powders at the Bergdorf Chantecaille counter when I got distracted by the colors and textures of the lip glosses. Lip colors in pans and pots are not my favorite category because they require using a brush and aren't that convenient when on the go. But it was Chantecaille, after all, and Campari is such a pretty red/rose color.
My one gripe with this lip gloss is that it doesn't come with a brush (compare to Kevyn Aucoin Elegant Lip Gloss), and if you want a Chantecaille lip brush you'll need to pay $28 for one. But the product itself is fabulous. While it has all the properties of a rich, balmy gloss, the pigment and coverage are almost like a semi-sheer liquid lipstick. Actually, it closely resembles the gel-like cream lipsticks in Le Metier de Beaute's Lip Kaleidoscope. It's not too heavy, not sticky at all and soften the lips.
I've found that for my needs, a softer lip brush works better with this gloss. It's pigmented enough that I need to make sure it covers my scar and doesn't collect in it. The results are always pretty, the gloss is an excellent everyday red with medium intensity. I reach for it a lot more than I've expected from a gloss in a pan because it goes with almost everything.
Campari tends to appear in various Chantecaille lip palettes, including the current one which you can see in the picture below (Campari is the one in the middle). The palette is highly covetable and I can see how much fun it can be to mix and customize the colors.
Bottom line: Give me more.
Chantecaille Lip Gloss ($28) is available from the top department stores. I bought mine at Bergdorf Goodman.
Lip gloss photos by me, palette picture from strawberrynet.com.
Change of season is always a time for reflection, looking back and remembering special moments from our past. There's something about fall that even a summer and spring person like me can't resist. New beginnings, new clothes, something fresh in the air and the smell of a homemade pie. A group of scent-centric bloggers is bringing you ideas and perfumes for the season. Enjoy!
1.First day of school- As a student and as a teacher, there was always something wonderful and promising about the first day of school. The clean slate, the smell of all the new school items. Monocle Scent One: Hinoki by Comme des Garçons has all that and the pencil shavings.
2. One of my favorite fall activities us a day trip to see fall foliage. Two hours drive north and you're in a different world, far from the city and the bustling suburbs around it. The area where NY State meets CT is as countryside as I can handle. Dairy farms, horse ranches and lots of fields. I love stopping at McEnroe Organic Farm Market on 5409 Rte 22, Millerton, NY. It's like a mini rustic Whole Foods. The vegan hummus and grilled veggies panini is a real treat. A scent for such a day would be Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque, Burning Leaves from CB I Hate Perfume or the foresty Q by Roxana Illuminated Perfume.
3. I might not have the right shoes for apple and pumpkin picking, but I bake a mean pie. It's easy, satisfying and makes the house smell heavenly. I actually prefer using acorn squash (and I cook it in the microwave with just a little water to make the filling). But it's all about the spice. Rousse by Serge Lutens is the ultimate sweet cinnamon scent. An honorary mention goes to Gathering Apples by CB I Hate Perfume (except that I can't really wear anything that smells like apples).
4.Cashmere sweaters are one of the best things about the season. Le Parfum by Sonia Rykiel was actually conceived as a sweater scent and I love the way it lingers on my clothes and scarves. My favorite cashmere items are wrap dresses by DVF. She has one or two of those every year. This season she made one in dark heather purple (the color is a bit more muted than it appears in the photo above).
5. The other must have wardrobe piece: black boots. There are many great leather scents, but this season, especially if you're taking the boots to the thigh-high extremes, Rien by Etat Libre d'Orage is as black leather as it gets (with more than a hint of dominatrix).
6.Back to the city, autumn in New York is especially beautiful and romantic. Cuir de Lancome, a soft floral leather has an elegant urban quality. It's perfect for a date. One of my favorite places for a night out is Lil' Frankie's Pizza on First Avenue. Simple, satisfying Italian food and very vegetarian friendly. The fire-roasted eggplant, olive oil mashed potatoes and tiramisu are to die for.
7. Judging for this week's weather (it actually snowed today north of the city), it's not very likely we'll have an Indian summer. But those of you lucky enough to enjoy a day or two of warmth can count on red fruit perfumes with just a hint of harvest. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir and Annick Goutal Quel Amour! would do the trick. The body cream of Bois de Paradis by Parfums Delrae is a gorgeous way to pamper yourself on such a day.
8.My birthday is in late fall. I already know what I'll be wearing: Ferme Tes Yeaux by JAR. Animalic, floral and raw at the same time, and as personal to me as an intimate secret. I promise to review it on that day.
9. Some days call for self indulging. Taking a mental health day to stay home, listen to the rain and watch old classics and an episode or two of Buffy, preferably the musical. Mazzolari Lei is snuggly, powdery with chocolate and vanilla. Perfect for a guilty pleasure day on the couch.
10.We cannot forget Halloween. Darkness, shadows, black cats... Donna Karan Black Cashmere is all that and more- spicy incense, saffron and mystery.
Please check out other ideas from my friends (and many thanks to Elena from Perfume Shrinefor organizing the project):
Title image: Autumn in Sepia by Rick Lundh (via gallery.photo.net). Additional art: Earth Tones by Ann Murray and Fall Evening by Dmitri Danish. Diane Von Furstenberg dress: bloomingdales.com
It looks like I'm not the only one obsessed with black eyeliner lately. Various celebs have been seen rocking it this week, each has her own style. I especially like Scarlett Johansson's look, but then again, who doesn't?
Photos of Scarlett Johansson and Ivanka Trump: Faded Youth Blog. Naomi Watts- Just Jared.
Reading beauty blogs from all over the world is both educating and expensive. That's how I learned about Asia-exclusive brands and lines, and started a little quest to discover and obtain some of the gems. All I can say is that the internet is a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Maquillage is a Shiseido line that is quite fashion-forward and not available in the USA. I have no idea why, other than the fact that our market is pretty saturated already, and it's rather expensive to launch and do the necessary marketing. Still, everything I've tried so far from them has proven to be high quality and very nice.
Maquillage has been known to collaborate with fashion designers for the seasonal collections. Last year it was Christopher Kane, and fall 2009 was created with Alexander Wang. I bought (more on that below) the Perfect Gloss in RS587, a rich plum with red shimmer. The color is beautiful, of course, but there are also other factors that make this gloss a huge winner. First, the applicator. It's a thin and super flexible sponge wand that is light and very gentle. Second, the texture- not sticky, very light and still highly pigmented. Some of the shimmer and color even survive a drink.
Now, since Shiseido isn't offering Maquillage here in the USA, one can only buy it online, through websites specializing in international cosmetics sales. Thankfully, they take PayPal, so I didn't hesitate to make my first purchase, and discovered the service was excellent and very reliable. The ones with whom I'm familiar are http://ichibankao.com/ and http://www.adambeauty.com/.
I could never understand why Venezia by Laura Biagiotti was discontinued. It was everywhere in the 90s and I'm pretty sure a scary percentage of my college population was wearing it at one point. I think of Venezia as the mother of many much inferior fruity-floriental that came after it. While I'm rarely in the mood for this honeyed blackcurrant jam with a side of rose and a creamy vanilla-amber drydown, it is a very pleasant scent with quite a bit of sex appeal.
There's something velvety about the way Venezia wears. It's a perfect romantic perfume, both for a first date and the third one. The fruity element is disarming at the beginning of the evening, but later leaves the scene for the usual suspects- vanilla and sandalwood.
I have no idea about the sales numbers and business decision that lead to Biagiotti's decision to axe Venezia. I doubt any of the other perfumes from this house has the same devoted fans that would shell lots of pretty pennies on eBay just to get one more bottle. I hear there's a dupe by Long Lost Perfumes, but I've never tried it. I was lucky enough to find a partial bottle of the EDT for a very reasonable price. I don't wear it enough to justify hunting for more, but I admit wishing I could get my hands on the parfum extrait that is rumored to have existed once upon a time.
Art: Venetian Cortasanas by Fabian Perez Venezia perfume ads: okadi.com and couleurparfum.com
This is one of the very few occasions in my life I'm quite happy to be short and not have neverending limbs. It makes my sample of body cream from Kanebo Sensai Collection Premier last just a bit longer.
This cream is beyond fabulous (and for $400 per 8.5 oz it better be). I've slathered my share of creams, lotions, butters and oils. Some were better than others, but I think it's the first time I could see the product's effect lasting on the skin for 24 hours. What I mean is that while this is definitely not the first super hydrating cream I've tried and loved, by the next day (and usually sooner) my skin is already demanding more. With Kanebo Sensai Premier, the newly found softness is still noticeably there. Considering my cuir de crocodile, this is quite impressive.
I haven't been using the cream long enough (it is a sample, after all) to comment on any long term anti-aging effect. The marketing materials talk about 20 active ingredients and name things such as Bukuryo extract, Chinese mulberry, seaweed extract and others. All I can say is that it feels great and makes my arms and legs look normal. The delicate white flower (quite a bit of orange blossom) scent is lovely and luxurious, as it ought to be.
My friend Tom mentioned a couple of weeks ago that at a certain price level he'd rather have stuff prescribed and not bought at Bergdorf, and I know exactly what he means. If my skin requires such heavy duty treatments (and it does. I've been prune prone since early childhood, even when I lived in a hot and humid climate), isn't it better to have my health insurance fork over?
Probably so, but it wouldn't feel as fabulous as the Kanebo Sensai Premier.
Bottom line: I'm doomed.
Kanebo Sensai Collection Premier the Body Cream ($400, 8.5 oz. Cringe) is available from Bergdorf Goodman, online and in store. The sample I received was a PR freebie.
Stylo pen eyeliners are among my favorite makeup items in the world. They are easy to use and deliver great results with minimum work or skill. That's why I had high hopes and expectations from the new Nars Eyeliner Stylo.
The best thing about this pen is the super-fine tip. It really is the slimmest I've tried so far. The Nars Stylo lets you go right into the lash line and draw the thinnest possible line, which is great for a subtle, elegant look.
However-(You knew there was a "however" coming)- The pen doesn't flow, the pigment is thin and I'm finding myself having to apply a lot more pressure than I like when applying, just to be able to draw a consistent line. The result is far less precise than it should have been and not very impressive.
You can see the comparison between three stylo pen black eyeliners: the new Nars, Le Metier de Beaute and Lancome Artliner. If I didn't know better I'd think the Nars was simply old and dry, but it's a just-released product and the newest one among the three in the picture (the Lancome Artliner is actually the oldest one).
Bottom line: I try this stuff so you don't have to do it.
Nars Eyeliner Stylo ($27) is available from Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and narscosmetics.com. I bought it from the latter.
Natural perfumer Anya McCoy is a Miami, Florida resident, and it might be just my imagination, but I see her perfumes as wild and lush as the Florida of my dreams (I admit that all but one of my visits down there had something to do with the Mouse and his world). Her two newest creations, Moondance and StarFlower take this idea to new heights.
MoonDance is pairs tuberose and violet in a way that seems to me both utterly new and oddly familiar. It feels like a place I knew long ago but can't quite remember, and it makes me think of the house where I lived when I was about six or seven, playing in dark green yards that were full of promise and mystery. Rich floral perfumes can be a hit or miss for me, and MoonDance is most definitely a hit.
StarFlower would make you forget everything you thought about botanical perfumes. A floral gourmand sounds like a really bad idea-
A candy for seduction, sweet almond and lemon cherry radiate over tempting tuberose - who can resist? The deep and delicious drydown of chocolate, maple, nutmeg and vanilla
It could have been crazy and cloying, but instead Anya's promise is fully kept. The almond-cherry in the opening is fully there when I approach the sample, but is fully transformed on skin to a tuberose praline. If you're familiar with creative artisan chocolatiers such as Max Brenner, Bespoke Chocolates or MarieBelle, you could easily imagine a tuberose truffle. It would smell like StarFlower.
Both MoonDance and Starflower are strong and long lasting. They are deeply satisfying and come fully alive on skin.
Bottom line: Love. Want. Need.
MoonDance and StarFlower are available as a parfum extrait ($75 and $60, respectively for 3.5 ml) and an EDP ($125 and $100 for 15 ml). You can also order a sample set (highly recommended). The samples I tested were sent to me for review by Anya.
I remember you said in the past that you rarely use mascara on your lower lashes. I'm the same way, because it can look way too much. But sometimes I really want some extra definition there, without going overboard. Any advice?
Yes, I know what you mean. Some evening looks call for mascara on the lower lashes, but it can get too much very quickly and I don't want to end up looking like Marie Osmond. The trick is not to use the regular mascara wand. Instead, take a flat eyeliner brush (the one in the picture is Trish McEvoy #11, but I use one from Sephora's Professional Series). Touch it to the mascara wand (use a light, non-goopy mascara, not a lengthening one) and pick up some color. Now paint your lashes in a downward motion right where you need the extra definition. It's an easy and klutz-proof technique.
Photo of Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis looking beyond gorgeous at the American Ballet Theater 2009 Fall Gala last week from The Superficial.
The beauty department of Saks 5th Avenue flagship store is not my favorite place in the universe. The pushy and aggressive SAs tend to make me turn on my heels and walk a few blocks to Bergdorf, where they tend to respect your personal space and ability to read labels. But Saks has one major attraction that is missing from the other stores: Dolce & Gabbana makeup, where even the SAs I've encountered were more pleasant and professional than the average Saks employee. Having a pleasant experience at the counter resulted in actually making a purchase (imagine that!). Well, it helped that Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick has a beautiful texture and the color I tried, Dahlia is a perfect red-based rose.
I bought the matching lip liner, too, which as you can see is not exactly the same. When applied on the lips, the liner looks more natural (my lips are quite pigmented), so it blends with the lipstick. But I highly recommend you give it a good testing before buying any of the lip liners, to make sure you're getting a good match. You can see that the liner looks somewhat different before it's used for the first time- there's this frosted overspray that doesn't add anything. Yet another reason to try on skin first. The Classic Cream lipstick gives good coverage and shine, wears comfortably and leaves a lot of pigment behind even after a cup of tea (I'd still reapply for best results). The whole look is quite glamorous- from the gold packaging to the look. Wear a pencil skirt and knee-high boots and you're all set.
Bottom line: Love.
Dolce and Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick and Precision Lip Liner ($30 each) are exclusive to Saks.
I didn't get Gris Clair the first couple of times I tried it shortly after it came out in 2006. The weird burnt lavender was interesting, for sure, but it produced coldness instead of warm embers, and made the air around me move instead of developing on my skin. Only after I passed that first original sample to my husband and smelled it on him, did I start to understand what it was supposed to be, to do and to feel.
Gris Clair is about open air that has remnants of yesterday's smoke in it. A lavender field after harvest, a day that starts off cool and gray but eventually warms up and you can smell the earth baking. And laundry drying on a clothes line outside, soaking up the breeze, the sun and transforms into sweetness when you bury your nose there in the late afternoon hours.
Gris Clair smells better on my husband, I'm fully aware of that. It was the first Lutens bottle I bought him. His skin makes it fully unfold and reveal a lot more than the simplified version that happens on me. Still, I like to wear it for the clean feeling (it's great on a hot and humid August day) and the comfort effect of sweetened lavender.
Gris Clair ($120, 1.7 oz) is part of Serge Lutens export line and available from all the usual suspects- Aedes, Bergdorf, Barneys, Scent Bar/Luckyscent.com and Beauty Habit.
Smashbox makes a bunch of my several makeup products, but mascara was never one of them. Lash DNS might not change this significantly, but it's still a pretty decent mascara. Its main advantage is in the length/curling arena (it doesn't add volume, though). I can't say if it's a result of the formula or the spiral brush, but using Lash DNA certainly makes enough of a difference that I can often skip my quality time with the lash curler.
I followed Smashbox's instructions and applied the second coat while holding the brush vertically. It really gives that curled and open effect and was quite neat (once I got the hang of it and stopped painting my face with the wand. What can I say? I'm a klutz). The other suggestion from Smashbox was to use translucent powder on the lashes for volume. Yes, seriously. I thought this little trick hasn't been practiced since 1980 or something. What's next? Using a pin or a needle to separate lashes? I hear that's what they did in the 60s.
Smashbox Lash DNA mascara ($19, currently on sale at Sephora for $9) is available online and in every Sephora store. I got a couple of mini tubes as a gift with purchase.
Mascara photos are mine, Yardley Twiggy lashes ad from Seventeen magazine, October 1967, myvintagevogue.com.
When I first confirmed the news about Tom Ford discontinuing several of the Private Blend perfumes, I mentioned I wasn't buying the statement about the changes being planned from the very beginning. I was wrong, as you can see in this WWD article from February 2nd, 2007. In the interview, Tom Ford himself says:
"The scents that are successful will stay; others, we'll edit out"
Basically, the entire Private Blend has always been on a probation of sort. The good news is for Tobacco Vanilla fans- this one isn't very likely to disappear any time soon. The bad news is that we, as a focus group, have failed poor Moss Breches and didn't buy enough bottles to keep it alive.
I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing. The husband and I had a lively discussion about it. He finds the concept and Ford's statement refreshingly honest. I see it as more than a little cynical. Crazy perfume people tend to describe their favorite lines and scents in romantic terms of art and vision. We've read too many Serge Lutens interviews, I guess. But we mustn't forget that perfume is also a big business and both Tom Ford Beauty and the Private Blend were developed and backed by Lauder money. And Lauder, unlike Uncle Serge, is here to make serious buck.
Bottom line: If you're a Purple Patchouli fan, you might want to consider getting that big 8.3oz bottle, as I hear that one is a goner, too.
How do you feel about this issue? Please share your thoughts.
The reintroduction of of Bobbi Brown's lip crayons into the collection is proving to be a great idea. The thick pencils are among the most useful lip products one can find. They are wonderfully creamy and easy to apply, even when one is in a hurry. They travel well and do great on the go. The texture is like a high quality matte/satin lipstick, so you can wear them plain or topped with a clear gloss (my preference, though the pencil is light and not drying at all). The staying power is superb- the color barely transfers to the bottle of water or tea cup. I couldn't ask for anything more. The crayons come with their own sharpener, which is always nice (I really need to find an efficient way to store the various sharpeners).
I bought the Raisin Berry crayon, which was the darkest one offered. It's a brown-based berry with a bit of red in it. Good for evenings but also appropriate for daytime, especially if your lips are naturally dark. I also tested and liked Wild Rose, but decided I have enough "my lips, but better" neutral shades. Still, highly recommended.
Bottom line: Love.
Bobbi Brown Lip Crayon ($22) is available from every semi-decent department store and the company's website.
It's always interesting to note how the idea of a youthful perfume changes with time. Of course, it's very different to test and comment on the fragrances of yore when you weren't part of that era, and a bit alarming when the dinosaur in question is yourself.
1982. Junior high. You couldn't pay me enough to go back there even for one day, and yet I willingly bought a small bottle of vintage Le Jardin de Max Factor parfum extrait, the first fragrance I officially owned and was allowed to wear out of the house. One drop was enough to take me right back. Michael Jackson, The Eye Of The Tiger, Fame, Total Eclipse Of The Heart, my seventh grade teacher, my old cat Mad Max, having the wrong hair, the wrong clothes, the wrong everything, really. All the parties I wasn't invited to attend, insults and injuries. It was like smelling teen angst in a bottle of super frilly floral juice that has never suited me but was the idea of what an innocent twelve year old should be like.
Le Jardin de Max Factor has no edge and no sense of humor. It just sits there being pretty and pastel-colored, daydreaming who knows what about. It had a sort of romantic image (and ad campaign starring Jane Seymour), but only in a clean, hypothetical way- no men were allowed into that floral fantasy. It was completely safe.
And suffocating.
I can't help it. I'm not into pink floral scents (and apparently have never been. The first perfume I bought myself was Paloma Picasso). Things improve when Le Jardin moves to the drydown. It becomes smooth and a more cream-to-powder, which feels almost grown up. The sweetness helps, and I remember actually enjoying the perfume once it settled, though I was happy to graduate towards something more interesting.
Searching online I found two sets of notes: 1. Top notes are mint, green notes, tarragon, fruity notes and bergamot; middle notes are cyclamen, magnolia, tuberose, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley and rose; base notes are sandalwood, amber, musk, civet, oakmoss and cedar. 2. Top notes of neroli, honeysuckle, peach and bergamot, heart notes of jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, geranium and ylang-ylang, on base notes of amber, cedar, myrrh and musk. I lean towards the second one, as I definitely smell honeysuckle, and lots of it (probably the reason I'm uncomfortable wearing it). Orris root? Civet? Oakmoss? I highly doubt it.
Growing up isn't so bad, after all.
The Max Factor perfumes license has changed hands several times (as did the company itself, now owned by P&G). Le Jardinis still on the market (there were even a couple of flankers. Obviously it was a success) as a super cheap drugstore scent (not that it was ever a luxury product), but it was obviously been reformulated and cheapened even more. It's recommended to seek out the older bottles that were actually made by Max Factor.
Kate Hudson making sure Ryder's future therapists would have endless material. Eliza Dushku going the one gloved way and Katy Perry bringing Kermit back. I'm not feeling her makeup, either.
I have all these girly, feminine shower gels and creams- vanilla, lavender-vanilla, citrus-vanilla, cinnamon-vanilla...You get the picture. Then there are the figs, roses and honey. But the one I find myself loving the most lately is the husband's Vetiver Extraordinaire Shower Gel from Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums, based on the Dominique Ropion perfume by the same name.
It's sharp, bitter, has no frilly notes and yet feels utterly luxurious. There's a moment the peppery opening blooms in the hot shower air and transforms it into a spa (if spas had a cat or two perching between the shower curtain and liner, and another one keeping your towels warm). The ozonic note is perfect here, contributing to that clean, airy feeling and probably keeping the earthiness of vetiver at bay- this is a shower gel, after all.
While only a whiff is left on skin 10 minutes after toweling off, the best part of this Frederic Malle product is how it makes my skin feel: normal. No tightness or dryness at all, which as far as I'm concerned is pure magic. The husband (let's not forget the rightful owner of the bottle) is perfectly happy with the cleaning performance (antiperspirant removal), so everyone is happy.
Bottom line: I wish they sold it in gallons. I need to try the one in Bigarade Concentree.
Vetiver Extraordinaire Shower Gel by Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums ($75, 200 ml) is available from Barneys and Freceric Malle boutiques. Speaking of Barneys, they have a typo on their web site "Vetiver Extraodinaire"- an R is missing there. The funny thing is that other websites (shopping aggregators, mostly) have picked this typo and copied it all over the net. shower gel mage: editionsdeparfums.com screen captures: Barneys
I'd probably be writing a much favorable review of Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss had it not been for the godawful brush. Of course, this could be a one-time, faulty mutant of a tube, so I'm not completely writing off Hourglass and their glosses, but I've never come across such a mess. This is why I usually try to test at least two different colors of just about any new-to-me product, but I bought this gloss online and wasn't convinced by any of the available swatches. Note to brands and stores: show us better swatches and photos if you want us to buy your products.
So, what do we have here (other than coarse, uneven and unruly bristles)? Extreme Sheen whatever is actually a nice lip gloss. It's not too sticky, feels nice and definitely keeps lips moisturized and happy. It's not unique enough to stand out among dozens of similar products, but if it weren't for the applicator I'd reach for it quite often.
Primal is a red based pink of medium intensity and shimmer. It's pretty and flattering against my skin, so I'd be willing to forgive the strong cupcake scent if not for the bigger issue here.
Bottom line: Meh.
Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss ($28) is available from Barneys and Sephora. Photos: Mine, of course.
While I could not find any official sales numbers for Tom Ford Private Blend, it's probably safe to guess that Tobacco Vanille is the biggest hit in the collection. It's hard to go wrong with tobacco leaf, spice notes, tonka bean, tobacco flower, vanilla, cocoa, dry fruit and sweetwood sap (famous last words, I know), and this scent is very easy to love (and wear).
Tobacco Vanille is sweet, of course. And boozy, but not as much as Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille. It seduces with its richness, shows a lot of depth and thankfully stops a few notes shy of comfort scent territory- it's inviting, but not snuggly. My skin showcases more of the dry fruit and woods, both saturated with a delicious vanilla liqueur and just a hint of faraway smoke. The man of the house has a skin chemistry that brings the tobacco forward. And that's probably the secret of Tom Ford's success with this perfume: it works equally well on most, changing its character with the wearer. It can be masculine or feminine, but it remains quite sexy.
Creating a rich vanilla fragrance is a good step on the road to selling lots and lots of bottles. It's a safe bet, but one can't really fault Tom Ford for making this choice with at least a couple of his Private Blend perfumes (the other one is Amber Absolute). After all, we know what happens to perfumes that don't sell.
Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180 for 50 ml) are available from the better department stores around the world and at Tom Ford boutiques. I own the 12 pack of mini roll-ons that was sold last year. It has proven to be a good buy.
“A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.”Irving Penn
Photos: myvintagevogue.com (interesting to note: the model in the last picture is Diane Von Furstenberg. The other ones are Marlene Dietrich, Lauren Hutton and Penn's wife, Lisa Fonssagrives )
Did anyone think the Chanel Jade craze was a one time thing?
There's already a new color in the works for spring 2010. Style.com has some details and a photo on the Beauty Counter blog, and it looks very good. The new color, Particulière, designed by Chanel makeup director Peter Philips, is a shimmery mauve-gray, looks right up my alley. It actually reminds me of another Chanel polish color I had years ago- around 2002 or so, but that color had probably more brown.
Particulière is expected to launch in January 2010. Is it on your list?
This Cle de Peau lipstick was an impulse purchase. I was actually looking at the eye shadow palettes at Bergdorf, trying to decide between two (and wishing I could combine two colors from each), when I spotted No. 15 in the display and decided it would do me more good than the eye shadows.
But the real story is the texture. I have many lipstick loves, but none has this weightless feel while giving an excellent coverage and long lasting pigment. And in "long lasting" I mean that it survives lunch. The sheen fades, but the color stays in place despite the best efforts of the soup, a bagel and a bottle of water. I'd imagine it can be a good choice if one is heading out for a business lunch.
Bottom line: As long as you find your perfect color it really is worth the money.
Cle de Peau lipsticks ($55) are available from Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. The swatches on the websites are utterly ridiculous. I think that customers who spend this much on a lipstick deserve a much better online shopping experience.
Since upcoming changes in Tom Ford's Private Blend line have been confirmed, and Bois Rouge seems to be one of the endangered scents, I figured it's a good time to discuss it, before the perfume goes to the eternal perfume counter in the sky.
Why hasn't Bois Rouge become more popular? Browsing the various discussion boards doesn't bring much, which is a symptom, for sure. The few comments I've managed to find refer to its masculinity- some even suggest women should avoid it altogether, unlike most of the other Private Blend scents that are more eagerly shared. It might have something to do with the top notes. There's a sharp spiciness there that is almost meat-like. It's not cumin, but something pungent that could have come right out of a spice rub. It reminds me a little of the opening notes in Encens Epice (from Italian niche house Il Profumo), and similarly, settles down quickly, in this case into a dense woody substance.
From that point on I start to really enjoy the ride. Someone on Basenotes (I might be mixing the forums) said that only very butch women can carry Bois Rouge. This statement amused me to no end, of course. I definitely see and smell the masculine notes here, but it's a smooth and dapper scent, not heavy boots and flannel shirt, so wearing it on my (very feminine, thankyouverymuch) skin has a special charm. I get a slightly burnt patchouli, some leather and this covert sweetness, which one needs to really get close in order to smell. It's lovely.
There's something a bit naughty in wearing Bois Rouge. Maybe because I'm not supposed to go there, or maybe it's the fragrance itself. Of course I like smelling it on a man, but I adore borrowing it for myself, like burying my nose in the jacket of a sophisticated, well-traveled (but clean) man.
Photo of John Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men from AMC
Rumors have been circulating for weeks now about the possibility that several of Tom Ford Private Blend scents being discontinued. I've contacted the company and received a reply:
"The strategy for Private Blend has always been to add and remove scents as the collection evolves."
Since 2009 has seen the launch of eight new Tom Ford Private Blend scents (not including Grey Vetiver which is part of the regular line), it looks like changes are afoot there. While I couldn't get a confirmation which perfumes are on the chopping block, it seems that several stores overseas have already removed Moss Breches, Bois Rouge and Velvet Gardenia.
I don't know if I buy the claim that the Private Blend has always meant to have scents come and go. It's more likely that they simply get rid of the ones that underperformed. I can't really see Tom Ford axing the best sellers. In any case, it's quite sad and I wish Ford would learn a lesson from Uncle Serge, who has a more interesting strategy of moving perfumes between the export and the exclusive lines.
Image: my butchering of a photo from Bergdorf Goodman.
I recently hit the pan of a much loved old (and discontinued) Dior eye shadow in a perfect stone/taupe, so it was time to look for a good replacement. I chose Giorgio Armani Maestro Eye Shadow Quad in Stone (no. 4), a classic combination of neutrals- the kind you can never go wrong when wearing. There are two light shades, one warmer than the other, a medium charcoal that works as a liner (and I also used it on my eye brows with much success) and the work horse- a taupe/granite.
All Armani eye shadows have a superb texture, and this range is no different. There's some marketing spiel about micronized pigments and silk powder, but all that matters is that the shadows while a bit crumbly, apply smoothly and blend like a dream- they are as finely milled as it gets. Used over a primer, they last forever, including the highlighting colors.
The big issue with this palette is design: the stripes are narrow and only allow for brushes to be placed and swiped a certain way, which is not always ideal to collect the color. It's not a problem with the charcoal contour color, but I like using a wide brush on the brow bone and a rather large crease brush with the taupe/granite, and that requires more maneuvering than I enjoy.
The Armani eye shader brush I picked with this palette is medium sized and quite versatile, though I've decided it's not my favorite shape for crease work (I prefer the ones that are either thick and cut in angle or shaped like a whisk, so I can blend as I go). You can sweep it across the lid and use the firm tip for a little more precise application.
Bottom line: Nobody's perfect.
Armani Maestro Eye Shadow quad ($58) and eye shader brush ($37) are available from Nordstro, Saks, Barneys and giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.
1992 was an important year in the perfume world. It saw the launch of several fragrances that shaped the following decades in terms of trends and expectations. On one side of the arena there was Angel, the gourmand beast. Women decided that to smell "yummy" means bathing in this stuff. The world held its breath and not in a good way. Then there was L'Eau D'Issey, that re-defined "clean "with its fresh marine notes and what is probably the most evil aromachemical to ever be created: Calone. Both spawned too many clones and imitators, each one more barfalicious than the predecessors.
In his own corner of the world, Serge Lutens was embarking on a new adventure. Ten years after his legendary Nombre Noir, he created a new scent that would influence and define quality perfume, even if its sales would never compete with Thierry Mugler's Angel.
Feminite du Bois is a dark and thick jammy wood, infused with enough honey and spice for a Christmas fruitcake (clove, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin), while somehow avoiding the foody trap. It's the father (mother?) of the Bois series that launched later that year under Lutens own brand (backed by Shiseido, as it remains to this day) and explored the concept of sweet wood with other iconic notes (violet, dried fruit, musc and others). While the notes in Feminite du Bois are quite identifiable and it's easy to just label it "plum and ceder", none of it explains the mystery spell that happen on the skin of those who do not hate cumin categorically.
I can't deal with either Serge Noire or Arabie, but the cumin in Feminite du Bois is not necessarily here to mimic human and animal sweat. It actually makes sense to have cumin in this blend for balance. If you tend to run for the hills from cumin, you might still enjoy the pure parfum concentration. I've heard many opinions, but it looks like most agree that the extrait has less cumin and more plum with a heavier woody (and ISO Super E on all its pencil shavings glory) base. I love both and enjoy layering them for full effect.
Shiseido no longer makes Feminite du Bois under the original brand. Instead, it is now an EDP in Uncle Serge's export range, in the familiar rectangular bottle and the Lutens price tag. The formula has changed to accommodate the availability of raw materials, but it's fully recognizable as FdB and is still a very good perfume, though I only tried it briefly a couple of times. The old Shiseido bottles in various concentrations can be easily found online for a very reasonable price (as always, Google is your friend), and samples can be obtained through the usual suspects: The Perfumed Court, The Posh Peasant and Rei Rien.
Art: Silent Groove by Nakisa Seika Feminite du Bois perfume ad: okadi.com
When a fashion house considers Lindsay Lohan to be the answer (not to mention the muse and "creative director"), it has worse problems than a collection that's gone awry.
Photos from the Emanuel Ungaro Paris Ready-To-Wear show: WWD and Dlisted
Chanel Hydrabase Lipstick in Poise (no. 118) seems to be a Nordstrom exclusive and flies somewhat under the radar. The formula is the usual Hydrabase- cream/satin and is Chanel's longest lasting lip product. Poise is an almost matte warm red with a somewhat brown base. This shade is very balanced and elegant, and depending on your coloring, can be a good daytime red.
While the texture is a bit dry, it still doesn't make the lips look pruny and wears nicely without flaking. I usually prefer to top it with a layer of lip gloss, but it's not really necessary.
Chanel Hydrabase Lipsticks ($28.50) are available from every decent department store and chanel.com. Poise can be found at Nordstrom, online and in store. Beware of a few online vendors that charge extra for this color.
All photos are mine. Ignore the purple swatch in the last picture. I think it's a Nars or something.
Annick Goutal's Les Orientalistes series is generally regarded as not very Goutal-like, which is mostly true, considering the house's dainty reputation (obviously, this is only true if one has never encountered Goutal's Eau du Fier). Out of the four Les Orientalistes scents, Encens Flamboyant seems the most surprising. It's a study of frankincense in three forms (sap, slightly processed resinoid and burnt incense), enriched with various spices- black and pink pepper, cardamom and nutmeg, and grounded with fir balsam. Nothing frilly here, for sure.
Incense scents tend to walk the line between cold and warm. From church walls and pine needles (CDG Avignon, Heeley Cardinal) to smoke and burnt embers (CDG Zagorsk, L'Artisan Passage d'Enfer). Of course, there's also the alien terrain of Andy Tauer's Incense Extreme, which can be both, depending on your mood, the weather and the magic of skin chemistry. Encense Flamboyant is definitely not the cold kind, despite the fir balsam which can sometimes give that dark pine forest feel. Here it is soft and almost comforting. It whispers more than cracks under your feet, if that makes any sense.
The first time I tried Encense Flamboyant I thought it would be more my husband's type of scent than mine (the bottle is still officially his, but you know how these things work). It took me a while to fully get this beauty. Beyond the spice, beyond the smoke- there's a wonderful softness to this scent. Incense perfumes are often regarded as meditative. This might be the first one I truly feel has that effect on my mind- it's very calming and centering. Compared to other incense fragrances I own, this might be the most tender, which is not what I expected after all the pepper and spice. It has an understated presence. Sometimes I forget I'm wearing it and then it catches me by surprise.
Encense Flamboyant layers beautifully with the other Les Orientalistes, and especially with Ambre Fetiche. Wearing them together can feel like a Middle Eastern party, complete with belly dancers. It's a lot of fun.
Rock & Republic Luxe Lip Glosses have only slightly more tolerable names than their blushes (Cougar, Trainwreck and Mistress are the worst of the bunch), but once again, the products are really nice and deserve a better marketing approach. I chose the darkest one available, Tyrant (because, obviously, thinking of tyrants make one feel pretty. Ugh).
Tyrant is a non-shimmer deep red, a bit dramatic, though you can go with a very sheer application and tone it down. It wears comfortably and has enough moisture to keep lips looking happy. Some of the pigment remains after the gloss itself is gone with your lunch, so I advise to actually wipe it off before re-applying, otherwise you get some dark spots.
Bottom line: Very nice, but there's nothing attractive about tyrants. Caligula, anyone?
Rock & Republic Luxe Lip Gloss ($26) is available from Nordstrom.
This is a perfect example of how makeup looks significantly different depending on the lighting used. Even the most beautiful colors and professional application can appear off and unflattering if it clashes with the light at the venue. Just one more thing to consider when planning an indoor wedding or some other important event that is going to be photographed and documented.
Beyonce was all made up in Nars for Billboard's Women in Music event. As you can see, there's a lot going on on her cheeks (they used Orgasm/Casino Blush Duo, Albatross Highlighting Blush Powder and Copacabana Multiple), which I'm not sure was entirely necessary. I'm also not a fan of such pale lips, though it looks much better outdoors (Belle de Jour Velvet Matte pencil, Honolulu Honey lipstick and Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer). The best part of this look, in my opinion, are Beyonce's eyes, where the makeup artist used Cleo eyeshadow duo (and probably some kind of eyeliner, though the Nars press release didn't specify). Both the teal and the aqua shadows have quite a bit of shimmer, which makes it red carpet-worthy, though not very wearable elsewhere, if I remember correctly.
Photos: Dlisted, Just Jared and amazon.com. I didn't use the image provided by Nars, because I thought it was extremely unflattering and didn't do Beyonce any favor.
I never got the LipFusion hype. I've tried several of the products when they first appeared at Sephora and was never moved to buy them. Their Lash Fusion XL mascara is Clump City without any visible benefit, and I deeply dislike lip plumping products that sting. But the LipFusion Color Shine was a gift with purchase, and the color, Sexy, a sheer watermelon red is great, so I started testing it.
The marketing babble about Color Shine talks about "marine collagen microspheres are instantly absorbed by the lips, and seek out the body’s natural moisture. As soon as the spheres become re-hydrated, they plump and hold onto the moisture they’ve collected, creating a mild "swelling" of the lip tissue". I can't talk about microspheres and collagen, but I own enough lip products that hydrate the lip tissue and give similar results without the pseudo-science and the weird numbing feeling. Oh, and none of them costs $38.
As I said above, Sexy is a lovely color. It looks bold in the tube, but it's very sheer and wearable. Together with the plumping action, the "bitten" effect is nice. The gloss doesn't stay on long, but the extra moisture holds on for a while.
Bottom line: If you can deal with the price tag and the way Color Shine feels on your lip, it's a decent lip gloss/plumper.
LipFusion Color Shine ($38) is available from Nordstrom and Sephora.
Some reviews write themselves. You look up the launch year of Cabochard by Parfums Grès(1959, the perfume's advertisements from different years (the ones I used here are from 1966, 1974 and 1985) and the note list (bergamot, mandarin, galbanum, ylang ylang, jasmine, Bulgarian rose, clove, oakmoss, tobacco, musk, iris, sandalwood, vetiver, leather, castoreum, patchouli and labdanum) and you know the whole story. Cabochard is a leather chypre of the kind that is no longer made and will never be seen again because of IFRA.
Cabochard has the same cheekbones as Bandit, though not as outrageous. It's aesthetics is so different than what we consider feminine and refined today that I'd be interested to see how young women (college age, for example) who grew up in the age of empty aquatics and reformulated perfumes would react to something so strong and uncompromising. Other than feeling old, it made me think of something photographer Richard Avedon said about Dovima, the stunning model who ruled the 50s and retired in 1962:
“The ideal of beauty then was the opposite of what it is now. It stood for an extension of the aristocratic view of women as ideals, of women as dreams, of women as almost surreal objects.
It's a good reminder both of the period as well as of some of the best reasons not to idolize it. After all, we all love watching Mad Men and picture ourselves in the clothes, cars and old New York, but none of us really want to switch places with Don and Betty. But just as much of the fashion then was heartbreakingly beautiful, so were the great perfumes, and vintage Cabochard is a perfect example.
I have several bottles of both parfum and eau de toilette from various years, mostly 70s and 80s. Each smells a bit different, due to age, formula changes and who knows what else. All have the same galbanum green storm that is somehow tempered with beautiful citrus. In a couple of my bottles the citrus smells off at first, before whatever is left of it settles on the skin. Then there's smoke, a multi-layered tobacco note, an abstract (and somewhat perverse) floral hint and the glorious leather chypre base.
Returning to the Mad Men reference (obsessed? me?), Cabochard is something I could picture Rachel Menken wearing. From her statement hats and tailored outfits to her looks and personality.
Parfums Gres is no longer what it used to be, and I have a feeling that Madame Grès, a real couturier who created exquisitely draped gowns, wouldn't have been happy to know how the formulas were cheapened and the perfume mutilated again and again. The current EDT, sold at mall kiosks and discount stores for around $22 has very little to do with the real thing, just as the clothes you'd find at similar stores are not exactly Madame Grès. In The Guide, Luca Turin put it perfectly: "This is Cabochard chewed down to a frazzle by accountant moths".
Vintage bottles (the ones with the abstract black and white pattern) can still be found here and there, though their price on eBay has been climbing steadily. An EDP (in the new glossy black box) was available some years ago and is not a bad buy- it retains quite a bit of the original character.
Images: Cabochard ads- okadi.com Mad Men photo- amctv.com Dovima- The Errant Æsthete Model Suzi Parker in a Madame Grès gown by Richard Avedon, 1957- myvintagevogue.com
I keep hearing from people who missed the limited edition Nordstrom exclusive Lancome Declaring Indigo brush setand are desperately trying to find one. While the indigo set is gone, there's a new set in purple available now both on Lancome's website as well as from the other usual suspects (Bergdorf, Neiman et all. $59). It's an even bigger set (five brushes, instead of four), and while the jeweled case is not as stunning as the indigo (at least in press photos. I have yet to see it in person), it would still make a fabulous gift.
If I weren't so madly in love with my Armani Eyes To Kill Mascara I'd probably be gushing a lot more about some of the curved brush Lancome mascaras. They really are very good and I have a soft spot for Lancome mascaras since the days they were the best one on the market.
As far as I can tell from weeks of testing (including too many days I've had a different mascara on each eye. Beauty bloggers are scary people), the brushes have slight variations (Hypnose Drama is s-shaped, though it's hard to see in the photos), but the bigger difference is in the formula.
I absolutely love the curved brushes. They don't leave any lash untouched and they do a superb job in curling, which is my main need of any mascara. My lashes are probably above average in thickness and length, but they are ridiculously straight, which utterly sucks. Unless a mascara is capable of performing a lash lift I have no use for it, so the curved brushes are a great help.
Definicils Pro is the old familiar. It was the best mascara in the 90s but not really exciting in this age of phenomenal lengths and volumizing products. However, the brush does help in kicking it up a notch or two and reaches every last lash.
My favorites are Hypnose Drama and Virtuouse Black Carat. I always have a tube of the regular Hypnsoe in my stash because it's such a great performer and never ever smudges. It might not be as amazing as the famous Givenchy PhenomenEyes, but it's also not as high maintenance and can be quickly applied, even on the go. The Drama version is even better and I'm highly impressed.
Virtuose Black Carat looks a bit thicker and glossier. I think it holds a curl even better, but I haven't seen a significan difference in length and volume compared to Hypnose Drama. It might look different on someone with shorter or sparse lashes, so I can't be 100% sure. I didn't have a sample of the regular Virtuose to compare, but from what I see on the Lancome website, the new version is an overachiever that aims for length and thickness, while plain Virtuouse was mostly about the curl.
In any case, all of these are worth trying, especially for die-hard Lancome fans.
Lancome mascaras ($24.50) are available at every half decent department store as well as directly from lancome-usa.com (or your local version).
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