Archive for July, 2006
March from Perfume Posse recently did a project for Marina at Perfume-Smellin’ Things where she blended different fragrances to create three separate “viles”, as she called them. So I got inspired to do some spontaneous layering myself. I picked out several of my favorite perfumes and embarked on Project Random. Here’s what I came up with (completely random, mind you):
Hermes Parfum des Merveilles and Ambre Narguile - wow, this is good! The caramel-rum-cinnamon really softens the rough edges of Parfum des Merveilles. The overall effect is like a sweet cognac.
Parfumerie Generale Brulure de Rose and Delrae Bois des Paradis - um, weird at first. This becomes very gourmand in character, almost edible right off my skin. Like cinnamon bread pudding.
Guerlain Attrape Coeur and Chanel Bois des Iles - smells like sour peaches. But wait… it gets better. A sultry floral with a liquor-like quality. This would make a knockout evening scent. P.S. I just found it on Marina’s blog that apparently Luca Turin said that Attrape Coeur “has the mulled-wine effect of Chanel’s Bois des Iles, but in the Guerlain manner, i.e., based around an amber accord”. Wow! This was a totally random pick! Man, I’m good.
Fifi Chachnil and L’Artisan Safran Troublant - OK, I confess. I stole this one from Sara, my friend on Makeupalley. She’s our Layering Queen, and lately I’ve seen her experimenting a lot with Safran Troublant, and now I know why. This is killer spicy goodness! Saffron, coriander, vanilla, amber, tobacco. Heaven!
Kolnisch Juchten and Montale Jasmin Full - this can rival Bandit! Stinky and gutsy. Come closer if you dare. I’ll eat you alive, baby. Come and smell the jasmine in my dirty leather boots.
Parfums de Nicolai Balkis and Armani Bois D’Encens - raspberry incense? Yep. Surprisingly decent. Velvety, peppery raspberry - dark and mysterious. This actually has major potential. I think this is my favorite so far!
Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur and Hermes Rose Ikebana - I know, I know. What can one possibly add to Musc Ravageur? It’s perfect in its entirety (redundancy intended). But, hey, what the heck. The grapefruit really softens that wild animalic note and accentuates the floral-citrusy aspect of Musc Ravageur (bergamot and tangerine). The end result is sweet, powdery grapefruit. Not bad!
Serge Lutens Fumerie Turque and Dior Eau Noire - at fist this smells like something out of my grandma’s medicine cabinet (good timing for I’m about to pass out from this olfactory overload). It sort of has too much going on but, strangely enough, it’s appealing. Pass me some of that lavender tobacco, will ya? I picture myself in the Turkish smokehouse. Folks, I think we have something really good here. Wow, this is a winner. (Don’t forget, Fumerie Turque will be part of the export range this fall).
I have no room left on my arms, so this will be it for now. It’s been total fun! I highly recommend you do this type of random layering yourself. If you have already, please share some of your favorite combos!
Image source: www.allposters.com
July 19th, 2006
New additions at Aedes - Esteban perfumes in Cedre, Tonka, and Pivoine and Eau D’Italie Paestum Rose.
July 19th, 2006
In today’s post I’d like to share with you some of my most recent perfume discoveries. When I say most recent, I mean the last week or so, and when I say discoveries, I mean the ones that made you go, “Wow! I’m selling my kidney to buy this!” So, here are some of mine:
Divine L’Homme Sage - smokey, leathery sage on the base of woods, with a touch of immortelle. A come-hither-I’ll-knock-you-off-your-feet scent.
Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier Magnolia Pourpre - magnolia, lavender, jasmin, rose, white orchid. Gorgeous white floral! Lovers of L’Artisan Orchidee Blanche or soapy florals in general, this is an absolute must try.
Annick Goutal Eau de Charlotte - lily, blackcurrant buds, mimosa, cocoa, vanilla. If there’s ever a fruity floral that thinks outside the box, this is it. Cheerful, velvety goodness.
L’Artisan Mechant Loup - I know. Shame on me! Where have I been? Just look at the notes: hazelnut, honey, sandalwood, myrrh. A turtleneck sweater scent.
Santa Maria Novella Eva - a perfect balance of citrus and spices. Citrus, Italian bergamot, black pepper, vetiver. A summer road trip with car windows rolled down scent.
What are your recent discoveries? After all, I still have one more kidney left.
Image source: www.corbis.com
July 19th, 2006
When I first became interested in perfumes, I was mostly taken by how they smelled superficially categorizing them into good smells and bad smells. I applied the same approach to perfume houses: Serge Lutens - good, Guerlain - bad, Frederic Malle - good, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier - bad. Many a houses were erroneously dismissed while my nose was in the process of maturing. Now that I’ve reached olfactory adolescence, I’m beginning to make amends for all the harm I’ve caused them. One of the houses subjected to my ill-treatment is Annick Goutal. I’ve rediscovered and fallen in love with so many of Annick Goutal creations lately that I feel like I deserve to deprive myself of all the dark chocolate in the world for at least a few weeks (the horrors!) But, I won’t go into such drastic measures. Instead, I’ll just sing praises to my new found gems.
Today’s praise goes to Heure Exquise. I wish I were a poet for I cannot find words to give it justice in prose. This is sophistication personified (or perfumefied?) Turkish rose, orris, Mysore sandalwood. A floral aldehyde with a delicate, powdery, chiffon-like, earthy aroma. So gorgeous it leaves me speechless. Rose and orris blend has already been wonderfully rendered in such scents as Hermes Hiris, Molinard Habanita, Chanel No 19, Piguet Bandit. Heure Exquise surpasses them all. It does bear resemblance to Chanel No 19. However, Chanel No 19 is a more complex floral blend accentuated by vetiver - solid and opaque in character. Heure Exquise is sheer and fragile. I must add these impressions are of eau de parfum. I haven’t had a chance to smell it in eau de toilette yet. Exquisite Hour is how it translates from French evoking “a rose garden when night slowly sets in. A very special moment called the exquisite hour…” (Osmoz.com)
Heure Exquise can be purchased at Nordstrom, Perfume Country, Fragrancenet as well as directly from the Annick Goutal online shop.
Image source: www.osmoz.com
July 18th, 2006
I have not had a chance to write a post yet. Sorry, folks! Please bear with me. It’s coming!
July 17th, 2006
New fragrance by Eau D’Italie, Paestum Rose, is now available in the U.S. at Lafcony.com Victoria from Bois des Jasmin has already reviewed it here. I haven’t had a chance to smell it yet but I imagine it won’t be long before I do. It retails $120 for 100 ml bottle.
Image source: www.sirenuse.it
July 17th, 2006
Sorry to say, there’ll be no post tomorrow. We’re off to the North Woods! My sniffer is back to normal (for the most part), so I plan to do lots of smelling over the weekend. That is, if I don’t end up going fishing or water-skiing. Actually, I’m pretty sure I won’t. I just put it there for the fun of it. I’m not really an active outdoorsy person. Have a good weekend!
July 13th, 2006
Guerlain No 68 cologne is a new addition to the Guerlain collection and is named after the Champs Elysees store street number. It’s also said to be composed of 68 notes most of which I’ll list below. There’s been some slight confusion amongst perfume aficionados on the subject of whether the scent is a remake of the previous No 68 (created in 2002) or whether it’s a relaunch of Winter Delice. Rest assured, folks. It’s neither. It’s an entirely new composition stylishly enclosed in a 490 ml bottle. If you look closer at the picture, you can see all that writing below number 68. That’s a list of notes. I’m not listing all of them here but enough to get the idea: bergamot, green mandarin, lemon, clementine, orange peel, blood orange, sweet lime, grapefruit, basil, fennel, star anise, lavender, bay leaf, thyme, bigarade, blackcurrant, freesia, lily of the valley, cyclamen, cardamom, coriander, black pepper, pink berry, nutmeg, ginger, jasmine, frangipane, magnolia, orange blossom, peony, rose, carnation, ylang-ylang, lychee, gentian, petitgrain, fig, blackberry, immortelle, opoponax, pistachio, amber, benzoin, vanilla, cistus, heliotrope, iris, tonka beans, sage, musk, patchouli, agarwood, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, vegetable musk, praline, myrrhe.
Now that I think of it, it’s probably the most politically correct perfume out there today - its mission to not leave anything out is accomplished perfectly. But I can just about imagine your totally understandable reaction - golly, what does this really smell like? Well, what can I say. I’ve conducted several skin tests since I got my sample yesterday, and every time my nose detects a new note or two from the ones listed. The scent is as versatile as its components. The best I could come up with would be something like this: it’s a citrus-herbal-floral-green-woody-oriental. Is that good enough? Probably, not. So let me try this. It’s a slightly powdery, soft woody floral on the herbal base with bitter undertones. My nose detects a distinct immortelle note very similar to the one in Cuir Beluga where’s it’s also combined with mandarine and heliotrope. The floral notes aren’t as apparent - I’m able to detect a few (ylang-ylang, carnation, magnolia) when I smell it up close only. The only herbal notes I find prominent are basil and bay leaf although prominent is a relative concept here - the notes are just so masterfully blended you can hardly tell them apart (yes, I tried to detect all 68 of them - kidding). No 68 has a decent staying power for a cologne, and it’s certainly not cologne-like in nature. It’s rather unusual but appealingly so, and it’s growing on me. The way it manages to blend all the fragrance families into one makes it truly outstanding.
Guerlain No 68 is available exclusively at the Guerlain boutique in Paris. Orders can be placed by calling this number: 33 145 62 52 57.
Image source: www.aufeminin.com
July 12th, 2006
1. Tell us a little bit about the people behind Beautyhabit. Who are you, and how did you decide to open Beautyhabit? What was your career before that?
I founded Beautyhabit back in 1997, deciding to open an online business at the encouragement of my then fiancée (and now husband and father of my 2 children) - he works in the tech industry and at the time, I worked in the Spa & Beauty Industry. At first I was hesitant, but after I got over learning the technical aspect, it was a lot of fun to set up! Through my college years I worked at Nordstrom in the cosmetic department and did freelance make-up work. After college - I decided to go to esthetician training and then worked in various day spas and continued with the free-lance make up artistry work. I felt it was extremely important to finish my education at UC Berkeley, even though in my heart - I knew I would be doing something in the ‘beauty’ industry. My concentration at Berkeley was in religious studies, I focused on the world’s religions and cultures.
2. Niche perfumes and beauty products is quite a unique venue. What made you select this line of business? What inspired you?
It is not that much different than being into fine wine or eclectic music. I seek out the best new and interesting products and of course a touch of the classics… Quality is what ties the assortment of brands together. I also like the idea of supporting artisan products and their creators. People, places and plants inspire me and of course I can’t resist pretty packaging!
3. Do you think the market for niche perfumes/beauty products is growing? Why?
Yes - there are always people with dreams of creating something unique and special!
4. What category of the products you carry has grown, and what gets the most interest?
Skin care is the number one category at Beautyhabit. Another fast growing category is fragrance and this is the category that gets the most interest in terms of sampling. People who are new to niche brands stumble upon our website from press mentions, searching for products etc, and honestly have not heard of 80% of the brands we stock. I feel that it is our job at Beautyhabit to introduce them to something new!! They may have heard of or seen some of the brands that we have such as Kai, Dr. Hauschka or Molton Brown… but it is really after they have placed their order and receive their sample pack, that the customer introduced to some of the more unknown jewels that they will fall in love with!
5. Would you ever want to work with perfumers to create your signature Beautyhabit scent and/or other products?
Yes, of course… everything in time!
6. Does Beautyhabit have a brick & mortar store?
Yes - we just opened a beautiful boutique in Thousand Oaks, California. It is truly stunning - lovely. I’ve attached our boutique press release along with some images for you to see! The boutique is very small and quaint with a European flare - like something you would come across wondering down a little cobblestone walkway in France. Warm chocolate browns meet cool crisp greens, rustic Italian mirrors, elaborate unique chandeliers, and an antique buffet housing a collection of Diptyque. Everyday the store is brimming with arrangements of fresh flowers with that ‘just from the garden’ look and sweet little surprises of succulents and other goodies peeking out from every nook & cranny.
The boutique stocks a very select assortment of the niche luxury brands we stock online - www.beautyhabit.com. We also have specialty items such as Tamara Jewelry, Lollia Sleepwear, Bella Muse baby onsies and Pa Pa Ya cards and journals. These items are very special to our boutique assortment and we will be expanding upon that as we move forward. We chose brands that we considered to be the best of the best for our ‘brick & mortar’ environment and we will be highlighting various beauty brands seasonally as well.
Below are just a few of the incredible brands that can be found…
Fragrance - Fifi Chachnil perfume, Parfums DelRae, Les Parfums de Rosine, be becker.eshaya, Nanadebary, L’Orientaliste
Skin Care - In Fiore, Jurlique, Rodial, Duchess Marden
Bath & Body - Jo Wood organics, Tocca, Les Bains du Marais
Home Ambiance - Agraria, the new BURN FRESH range
7. What are you personal favorites from the lines you carry? Tell us about them briefly.
Oh boy! I have to pick a few categories here…
Skin Care: Dr. Hauschka (love the facial toner and rejuvenating mask), Duchess Marden (love the rosewater), MD Skincare (alpha beta face peel pads) + so much more that I need 5 faces!
Bath & Body: Cinq Mondes (Gommage Aromatique aux Épices scrub & Huile Universelle Corps body oil…heaven), In Fiore (body balms, esp. the Dayala, heaven for Jasmine lovers), for my bath I have always loved the Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath and Shower Oil - so perfect) - okay, I know I need 5 bodies too!
Hair Care: Leonor Greyl shampoos are my personal favorites, the smells, the texture…. I also use the Christophe Robin Colorist line and his Hydratant Santal Hair Creme daily - Let’s not forget the Lucia Iraci Hydrating Leave-in Conditioner w/ Mediterranean Garden Myrtle Water - heaven for my fine hair.
Candles and Home Ambiance: I try a lot of candles and tend to come back to Diptyque (feu de bois and baies) & Tocca (Tahiti candle) - they are so chic smell amazing. I also love the new Burn Fresh Candles (rhubarb). Alora Ambiance (bimbi) and Agraria (balsam) are my favorite ’stick’ diffusers. I am also a huge fan of the Papier d’Armenie burning papers and the Juniper Ridge sachets and incense. Can I have 5 homes too? =)
Perfumes: I tend to be quite moody with fragrances - soo many factors from the weather to the occasion! Right now I am into light and fresh to beat the heat!
A few Beautyhabit gems to me:
Andrée Putman Préparation Parfumée (unique and fresh)
Cinq Mondes Eau Égyptienne (fresh and spicy)
Diptyque Eau de Lierre (fresh and green)
Fifi Chachnil Fifi Eau de Parfum (warm and yet, still fresh and girly)
Irié Wash Parfums (fresh and citrusy, love all three)
Nanadebary Green (fresh, green and a little spice)
8. What are your current best-selling perfumes?
Child Perfume
Kai Perfume
9. What lines that you carry are under-appreciated, in your opinion?
Cinq Mondes is an exclusive to Beautyhabit and so new to the US market that people have yet to fully catch on to how great the products are.
As far as fragrances go a few of my favorite brands that people tend to judge before trying are:
Les Parfums de Rosine (they think they hate roses… but still need to give this line a try)
Maître Parfumeur et Gantier (so many jewels within this line - it is so large, I think people tend to smell a few and give up)
10. What in your opinion makes Beautyhabit stand out from other etailers? What are you committed to, and what should a customer know about Beautyhabit?
We really listen to our customers and their comments, we value them. I also value our entire Beautyhabit team - I feel this is very important, as our staff is a direct reflection of Beautyhabit and they are the voice to the customer - it reflects the kind of service the customer receives. Each team member at Beautyhabit is an integral and vital part of the team. We also work closely building strong relationships with our brands, especially with product knowledge. We make sure our team has the proper training so they have all the tools they need when working hands on with the customer. I hope that some of the passion that we have for what we do comes across over the internet! I love to shop online and do so frequently - so I know how much fun it is and want our customers to feel great when they receive their box of goodies from Beautyhabit.
July 11th, 2006
Ina’s nose is completely out of commission, so congested by this nasty bug that she didn’t know how she could write a post tonight. Of her five senses, the one she needs most to run this blog has betrayed her, leaving her in a sad, fragrance-free world, where perfumes have lost their essence, and rich, dark chocolate tastes like mush.
Enter the husband! Who better to chivalrously save his wife’s perfume blog than the guy who thinks every scent smells like watermelon or raspberries? If smell were one of the senses upon which we depended to make our way safely through the world — like sight or hearing — my helping Ina and her impaired olfactory system along would amount to the blind leading the blind. You perfumaniacs seem like nice people, but I haven’t the faintest clue what you — or my wife — are talking about half the time. I’ve taken a stab at reading some of the perfume blogs, before and after Aromascope came on the scene, and it never takes long before I get the same feeling as when I’m caught in the middle of a rapid-fire conversation between Ina and her family. In case you weren’t aware, they’re Russian. I’m just an American kid from the suburbs who doesn’t remember any high school Spanish.
All of that aside, I will do my best to review the fragrance Ina would have tonight, had she not lost her senses (or one of them, anyway): Kolnisch Juchten by Parfums Regence. A common phrase heard when Ina has me smell something is “That reminds me of something,” but I can rarely place what it is. This one clearly puts me in the North Woods of Minnesota, sitting in front of a birch-wood fire as I did on many a cool evening in the summers of my childhood. Others without a similar connection might not get this, but it’s a very comforting smell for me, and fitting since we’re heading up there this weekend. I’ve been told it also has leather notes, which I’m picking up. It seems old to me, and something about it brings to mind my grandfather’s den, full of leather-bound books left dusty and unused for years after his death. As I remember it — and it has been over twenty years — it was a shadowy room with lots of dark wood, what seemed like a giant, monolithic desk, and all the trappings of an intellectual masculinity that is rare in today’s world.
I just read Marina’s post on Kolnisch Juchten and am gratified to see I wasn’t completely off the mark in my perceptions. Interesting that it is a very old fragrance. We may differ on my last observation, though. It could just be the cabin on my mind, but the drydown really does give me the distinct impression of lake water, with just a slight hint of fish!
Image source: www.galen-frysinger.com
July 10th, 2006
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