The tender, sometimes playful associations of violet and iris-powdery references account for the popularity of several sweet florals in the market, especially when coupled with the intensely feminine note of roses producing an almost "makeup" vanity-table effect. Here is an experimental list of fragrances that reference cosmetics, especially face powder and retro lipstick, in their scent.
It's been a loooooooong while I last wrote an At The Moment post. There's a reason. I have had my plate full. Rather too full for my own sake. But I think it's time to stop aside and smell the roses and organize things a bit, before the grand organizing of the upcoming "new year's resolutions". This way, by reflecting on what occupies my thoughts, I can better foresee what needs to be adjusted hopefully. You're of course welcome to share your own thoughts and plans in the comments!
But first let me digress with a small heart-felt "so long" to one of the people on the Net with whom I felt close to, even though we had never met in the flesh. Gaia, the Non Blonde, is no longer with us, due to a sudden heart emergency this past November...My heart sank when I heard the news. So young, so lovely, so loved... Gaia Fishler, like her name probably foreshadowed, was a wonderful human being, a woman of genuine glamour and great taste, perfume and otherwise, and a beacon of truthfulness on the internet; a quality which became all the more appreciated in the tsunami of influencers that followed. There was no makeup and grooming advice I didn't take from her religiously; she was meticulous in her search and practical in her pursuits. Her demise is most unfortunate and she will be sorely missed. My glass is raised in loving and respectful memory.
And there you go. More mundane and practical stuff follows. You've been warned.
READING
The Balkans are a very complicated geopolitical region, a crossroads in Europe. Mark Mazower is the historian to turn to, and his The Balkans: A Short History is my go-to when addressing those issues.
And in a desperate effort to declutter (my library, as well as my house and my life) I turn to Marie Kondo's infamous book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy. Let's see; will it cure my unstoppable accumulation habits? I'll faithfully report back!
via (Condo's not mine, but a girl can dream, can't she?)
WRITING
Among the things I wrote lately are two articles on fragrance ingredients interweaving into producing something different than expected (Fragrance Maturation, How Does it Work?) and whether tester bottles really do contain different juice than actual merchandise (the short answer is no).
The section of my articles in Greek is also growing strongly, check it out on THIS LINK.
Furthermore I'm hoping to organise my thoughts better during the holiday season and start writing my secret project in earnest. You'll be duly notified. ;)
Unusually warm and wet weather means that gabardine trench coats and light jackets get maximum wear. A soft wrap in cashmere wool suffices for neck warmth and cool draughts. I like this fringed one in eggplant.
Thanks to a fellow perfume enthusiast I discovered the merits of Nyx Professional Doll Eye Mascara in the Lengthening formula (there's a Volumising too, but I think that defeats the purpose, doesn't it?). It does make for dolly eyes, so very pretty and fanned out it hurts. Individually separated and nicely smooth without smudging. It washes off easily too, a big plus as I don't like tugging at my delicate hairs.
EATING & DRINKING
It's the season for those delicious spicy honey-dipped cookies with the sprinkled walnuts and cinnamon on top, melomakarona; they're looming out everywhere (yup, even in your corner of the world, I'm telling you, they're everywhere!), beckoning us to bite, and I'm dreading the scales! But if you're braver than me, here's a recipe for you.
Perfume Shrine is mostly dedicated to scent-related subjects and trivia (with a side dish of some art history and some style from time to time) rather than cosmetics, but the news was too big not to share with some of my regular readers.
The star make-up artist (and the down to earth tutor for many, with her "be accessible" motto transpiringly so lovingly on her tutorials) has changed alliances from her former position as Chanel ambassadress (her videos on Chanel.com were wonderful) to Lancome (a company of the L'Oreal group). Encouragingly in a video aired on January 6, Eldridge promises to work on developing new products and new colors, as well as limited editions, and she will have a hand on the official site.
Her own site and Youtube channel will continue to remain independent.