My Romance doesn't Have to Have a Moon in the Sky

The next chapter in the Romance story, the one inspired by Ralph Lauren's fragrance that is includes real-life husband and wife, Nacho Figueras and Delfina "Delfi" Blaquier, the latest stars of the 2011 Ralph Lauren Romance campaign, featured below. The new commercial film for Ralph Lauren Romance was shot by Bruce Weber. The song is sung by Seal; it's the classic Sinatra "My Romance" song by Hart & Rogers.

Giveaway of Overindulgent Gift Set (several costly products!)

A PR company contacted me with an offer that includes several scented products and fragrance -for once, usually they give away endless cosmetics which have absolutely no relevance to out site- and ONE winner is eligible for ALL of them in the 50 continental United States. State your interest in the comments and I will pick a winner by Thursday midnight Greenwich time.

First "item" is actually a scented products set by Honeycat cosmetics.

"Check out my new, "Sex and the Kitty" gift set: "Calypso Kitty" tropical salt scrub, "Frisky kitty bath Fizzy" rose & lemongrass (forget boring old flowers. Toss one of these baby's into the tub, and she will have her own, private, bath bouquet). "Rub My Tummy" milk & honey body cream, and "On The Prowl" peach brandy shower gel...mmm, smells sooo good!" Price:$40.00

Secondly, there is fragrance involved: Soulgarsm by Sasha Varon (not my cuppa, but it might be yours, who knows). They say it includes:

"Top notes: succulent Peach, Anjou pear, fragrant South African Freesia and warm, exotic Black Currant are instantly intoxicating
Heart notes: Salacious notes of wild, night blooming Jasmine, delicate Eurasian Lily and multi-faceted Woodberry blossom forth
Base notes: Flushed, lusty notes of clean Musk, Amber, and sweet, warm Vanilla punctuate this sensually provocative, luxe parfum".

They're offering a 2.4oz Vintage Atomizer of Soulgarsm, priced at $65.00

Last but not least the winner receives a Ferrum Styler hair styling aid of 160$ retail price. According to the ad copy

"What Makes Ferrum Different? The answer lies in the technology of the VSS System which is a combination of a non-heated padded fabric element and a tourmaline coated ceramic plate. The real distinction of this tool is the fabric padded side. The fabric is a combination of lightweight, anti-static polymers that allows the hair to "breathe" while straightening. In combination with the pad, the styling result most closely resembles blow-drying; which tends to give hair exponentially more volume than flat-ironing. Since the fabric padded side is non-heated, the Ferrum styler doesn't burn all the moisture out of the root of the hair giving it a much more vibrant, "bouncy" look. A flatiron will fry and dry out your hair between two solid hot plates. The Ferrum styler will allow your hair to rest on glide on a soft surface, allowing hair to breathe and retain more of its natural moisture, shine and volume".

Hurry up!

NB: I have absolutely NO affiliation with any of the companies involved. It's just a good opportunity for making someone happy or for that someone to give gifts on their turn to someone they love. Winner will receive their gifts directly by the PR company.

Le Labo Gaiac 10: fragrance review

Perfumer Annick Ménardo does a Marc Buxton on us with Le Labo Gaiac 10; a sensual, diaphanous and creamy season-less woody fragrance with just the barest hint of soft, sweet musks and comforting, meditative incense in the drydown. Why so? Because Annick shares the beloved mixture of Ambroxan and Iso-E Super of Buxton's famous woody incenses and fluffies his somber yet clean style with the infusion of a hint of sweetness that lends come hither charm to the proceedings.: a delicate balance fit for an experienced trapeze artist.

Gaïac is a very hard greenish wood that isn’t as dry as cedar and that is subtle, profound, and stable. Le Labo’s GAIAC 10, a perfume extract that has been developed in partnership with cult perfumer Annick Ménardo (Bulgari Black, Lolita Lempicka, Patchouli 24) in 2008, is a tense formula built on gaïac wood and surrounded by muscs (4 different synthetic musk types in all), with hints of cedar and olibanum (incense). If you like the meditative, cool Eastern incense vibe of Kyoto by Comme de Garçons, you have good chances to appreciate that element in the Le Labo offering. The musks are the "clean" variety, lightly sweet with a faintly fruity tonality, with no funk or sweat involved. The woody background with a light peppery nuance is reminiscent of the base notes treatment in Poivre Samarkande for Hermessences and Bang by Marc Jacobs. (So we know it's Iso E Super that's doing the trick). And of course there's incense. Subtle, coolish, lightly smoky incense, contemplative and serene.

Essentially monochromatic, entirely linear but pleasurably so, I find that Gaiac 10 projects as a secret aura more than a fragrance: It's the type of scent to wear when you desire people to spontaneously exclaim "you smell good" instead of "your fragrance smells good".

The lasting power of Le Labo Gaiac 10 is amazingly good, about 12 hours and going on my skin, while the perfume wears close to the body, yet still enough to be noticeable at all times during a hug or a kiss. Marketed as a masculine, I believe it is in reality a shared fragrance and it would be ultra neat for lovers to share; just imagine the possibilities, assuming that the steep price point is not a deterrent! It is available in the standard basic apothecary style bottle and label of Le Labo, customized per customer and only available in Tokyo; unless you get the opportunity to catch this in the course of Japan Relief while supplies last online for a limited time only (find out more on the link).

Still from the film Der Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire) by Wim Wenders (1987).

Creed Vanisia: fragrance review

Vanisia by Creed does not smell like pure unadulterated vanilla as the name would lead you to believe, thank heavens. It reminds me more of a lighter Égoïste by Chanel if that one put the sandalwood into the boudoir and puffed it and puffed it with lots of ambery rose-jasmine powder that gives a golden shimmer over mounty breasts. T

The resinous depths of its core, a complex and satisfyingly rich amber accord, recall the play between light and darkness in the paintings of the Spanish masters; dramatic expanses of vivid motion, shadowy corners that hide small details with significance that doesn't pass unnoticed. The double whammy of a misleading name and the wrong company (few houses are more derisive!) just conspired it to make it a very under the radar fragrance. Which is exactly why I decided to get the scalpel and start surgery on this page.

The "barbershop" effect makes its presence known in Vanisia via a faint lavender note (a classic combination, best appreciated in Pour Un Homme by Caron which is almost solely lavender and vanilla) as well as what smells like cedar, which makes it wearable for men as well.

Women will naturally gravitate to it for its sexy factor, best appreciated in the depths of the base notes, although I need to stress that you need to be a lover of ambers to appreciate it. It's quite powdery in a mature, retro way, with hints of soap as well, an oxymoron amidst the sultry tonalities that remind classic references with more than a hint of ambery"skank" such as Bal a Versailles and Tabu. Lovers of Guerlain Samsara might also find a complex beast to like and claim as their own. But they should be warned that it smells unashamedly mature, probably best reserved for those who already have other youth-ammunition under their belt; this is not a "spritz me with grapefruit and let me fool you into believing I'm 7 years younger" gimmicky. It's said by Creed that Cher likes this one and wears it: figures...

I am personally a little bit at odds with Vanisia: On the one hand I like the tempered amber character that doesn't imbue everything with a sticky candy floss note and includes that familiar ambergris Creed base. On the other hand I find there is some incongruence between the after-shave accord on top and the floral oriental core. Lately I have been unlucky into coming across bottles that seemed to be a little off, metallic and more "masculine" than I recall the scent to be. I am not sure if we're facing a reformulation or not (the tester bottles didn't look pristine brand new) or if there is fake stock circulating, which is surely the case for other Creeds. It would be interesting to hear from you in the comments if you have other experiences with that matter.

Vanisia was launched in 1987, supposedly for a Spanish queen, and is mostly unknown/unacknowledged till this day, although one of their more rounded fragrances.

Notes for Creed Vanisia:
Top: bergamot
Heart: jasmine and Bulgarian rose
Base: sandalwood, amber and vanilla

Painting The Parasol by Francisco de Goya.

Mother's Day Last Minute Gifts Guide

We are reminded of the true beauty of a mother in her touch, her kindness, her smile, her eyes, her voice, and even her smell. Celebrate your (or your own) mom’s special day with gifts that leave a special fingerprint, your own.

What most romantic (but also practically last-minute) gift is there than a fragrant bouquet of fresh flowers? Dating back to Greek mythology, the iris comes in a variety of colors, but the most popular is the deep blue variety. Irises symbolize admiration & courage, traits especially familiar to mothers. If you also make your own card (easier than it sounds following these steps) it's guaranteed she will be thrilled!

Ormonde Jayne presented their new bath soap scented with Osmanthus a little while ago as discussed on these pages before. The soaps are impeccably crafted, triple milled and hard milled which gives them their fine consistency and lather, ensuring their shape is kept till the end. The uplifting scent of Osmanthus is infused into the soaps to give a perfect spring day whatever the weather. A fabulous present for your mother…or to ask your family for yourself!

Available at the official Ormonde Jayne e-boutique.

Coral is big this spring and what best than some fragrance inspired by corals, such as Corallium by Italian niche brand Carthusia with its aromatic bay laurel and sage tones over Mediterranean fruits (bergamot and mandarin), flowers, and smoky woods roughened by sea air. If you want to go grand, you can add makeup items: Coral suits a variety of complexions if done sheer and weightless. Dior Addict Lipstick in Bobo #530 is a sheer coral shade ($28, at www.nordstrom.com) while Lancome Ultra Lavande Collection in Coral Crush ($48, www.neimanmarcus.com) should compliment with 5 shades that give a luminous eye look.

21 Drops, a line of all-natural, pre-blended therapeutic-grade essential oils come under $30 and just might do the trick for stressed out mothers. Co-founded by Cary Caster (a mother and clinically certified aromatherapist,) the blends are created to counteract the effects of our thoroughly busy lives, with an easy roller-ball application and convenient durable case, each blend is designed for use anytime, anywhere.

De-Stress – Blended from frankincense, lavender, ylang ylang and german chamomile, the #11 De-Stress blend helps to steady nerves, reduce tension and reduce stress on the limbic system. The oils in this blend are effective in countering situational irritation and angst and promote emotional flexibility. De-Stress helps you to stay cool under fire, encouraging graciousness and diplomacy, balance and decisiveness.

Invigorate – Blended from cedarwood, rosemary, black pepper and juniper, the #01 Invigorate blend helps to stimulate circulation, motivate and energize. These warming oils help oxygenate the blood and promote blood flow, which in turn energizes the body.

Sleep – Blended from sandalwood, ylang ylang, palmarosa and vetiver, the #18 Sleep blend helps to sedate, soothe and quiet. The oils in this blend work on the nervous system to hush a racing anxious mind and settle states of restlessness and agitation.

Priced at $28 each and available at www.21drops.com, these blends are the perfect gift for any mom on-the-go!

Another pampering idea for stressed moms comes from all naturals indie perfumer Ayala Moriel: Bath salts in fragrant varieties for a most relaxing soak. She recommends Hinoki Ritual: "These ritual bath salts are scented with hinoki (Japanese Cypress), shiso leaf and seaweed essential oils! It will make you feel as if you are bathing in a traditional wooden bath in Japan and make your bathing ritual special and relaxing".

I would also propose Geranium which was indeed created especially for Mother's Day 2009: "These beautiful bath salts are a real treat for mom's bath. Scented with rose geranium, Egyptian geranium, vanilla, begramot and a touch of myrrh these bath salts are sweet, soothing and luxurious.
Tin contains the bath salts (500gr) and a wooden scoop to pour into the water and the price at 46$CAN is very fetching.

Last but not least, Roxana Villa of Illuminated Perfume is promoting her daughter's and her friend's headbands project: You can find more on this link from Roxana's blog and catch the video.

Blue irises pic via Moon Stars and Paper