Fragrance

Victoria’s Secret Seduction Dark Orchid

Monday, October 15, 2012

there’s something to be said about a scent that makes you love and hate it at the same time. this isn’t hate due to lack of depth and cloying notes. rather this is the hate that brings a nostalgia you thought you’ve overcome. something that reminds you of broken promises, past relationships, and sweet nothings. despite all of this, the scent that makes you love it even more deserves to be acknowledged.

Victoria’s Secret newest fragrance, Seduction Dark Orchid, is just that. a scent that’s slightly warm and, for a moment, reminiscent of something a guy - maybe a boyfriend - might wear.

Victoria’s Secret Seduction is all about sexy decadence: satin blindfolds, inky black lacquer, gilded handcuffs. The wearer: a glamorous provocateur…with a fetish for high fashion. This profile inspired a fragrance infused with sultry warmth—a way to wrap skin in dark luxury. The result is our first Seduction, what we’re calling our Dark Orchid moment: a signature blend of Midnight Orchid, Crushed Plum and Oud Wood. Seduce the senses. Turn out the lights. Victoria’s Secret Seduction.

With notes of crème de cassis, blood orange, and bergamot that lead into jasmine and midnight orchid this fragrance takes you from a plummy and slightly sweet to a light and warm adventure. I know the words “light” and “warm” seem like polar opposites but this isn’t a heavy scent like most warm fragrances tend to be. It’s here that I’m reminded of a men’s cologne as it delves into the dry down composed of smooth warm amber, oud wood, tonka beans, cashmere woods and creamy musk.

considering how chilly it’s gotten (and how quickly it all happened!) I’ve found this scent at the perfect time. I love layering the lotion ($20) and body mist ($25) since it lasts all day without being overpowering. the eau de parfum ($55 for the 1.7 oz. and $65 for the 3.4 oz.) is best used alone as its staying power is pretty phenomenal.

the collection is available now in stores and online.

disclosure: samples provided for editorial consideration

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CLEAN Rain

Friday, September 28, 2012

Sometimes, after the perfect rain shower, comes a certain peace. For a moment, everything is still and a certain scent wafts through the air. It’s hard to describe but it smells fresh, clean, and comfortable. It’s only fitting, then, that CLEAN should try to bottle it up and make it available (without the frizzy hair and wet feet!)

CLEAN, perhaps best known for their crisp scents, worked with perfumer Harry Frémont of Firmenich to create yet another crisp scent to the brand’s repertoire. I spoke to Frémont who was able to give me the back story and walk me through the notes f the fragrance: said that the hardest part of creating this scent:

“As a perfumer, what we do is really try to translate things and by things I mean it could be emotions, colors, lifestyles, places — anything you can think of. And here the job was a little bit more specific because it was really clean rain; this feeling of pure, good feeling after a spring shower. I am, personally, a big outdoors guy; I love gardening and being outside so really it translated for me,” Frémont told me.

He wanted the fragrance to feel joyful so he created a watery floral.

“Its a mixture of fruity dewy melon, some daffodils, and very important water mint - mint that fresh not overtly minty. Very dewy. And I mix that with the key of the fragrance, the water lily which is a watery accord I did. That is the driving force of the fragrance; it’s what gives character to the fragrance,” Frémont continued. “And I mixed it with some daisies and violet leaves. Violet leaves are important because they’re extracted from violet leaves and it’s kind of very natural, green note.”

What you’re mostly smelling, however, is a lot of the lily making this one of the freshest florals you can find.

“The challenge of this fragrance was really to try to find the back - what we call the base note - that would blend with the top and mid, without fighting with it because it’s so sheer and transparent you want a back that would sustain and make the fragrance long lasting but without killing the sheerness of the fragrance.

As a matter of fact, for a very long time, we had a note in this fragrance that was making it more opaque. It was a woody note. It was kind of a sleek woody note and it was making the fragrance not as natural and open and breezy as she was supposed to be and one day I took it out, and that’s the back. Musk, sheer musk. White woods. Not dark. Once I took out this woody note, the fragrance kind of came together.”

CLEAN Rain ($69) is available at Sephora online now and will be available in store, ULTA, and Dilliards in October.

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Swarovski Edition

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Attention ladies! Swarovski has introduced a new beautiful fragrance and I need to spill the tea. Guess what? It’s inspired by the brand’s sparkly evening bags created for starlets for the Cannes Film Festival, the Academy Awards and the Toronto International Film Festival. Fancy, right?
swarovski editon (2)

Shaped as a clutch (see what they did there?) Swarovski Edition ($70) is your own piece of elegance. A fruity floral this scent transform as you wear it with a musk and cedar undertone. It kicks off with clementine and red currant jam, giving it a fruity scent, then foes into a floral tone with wild rose and gardenia. Lastly, you’re left with white musk and cedar at the base. I wore it over the weekend and couldn’t help but be smitten with the scent. It’s not an annoying fruity scent since the floral notes temper it a bit. Additionally, it’s not a heavy musk so there’s no need to fear.
swarovski editon (3)

The eau de toilette spray is available at Swarovski boutiques nationwide.

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oscar de la renta essential luxuries

Monday, September 24, 2012

A few weeks ago I read in Women’s Wear Daily that Oscar de la Renta was launching Essential Luxuries, a new collection of six fragrances inspired by “his most loved people, places and things,” developed by perfumer Calice Becker.

“We don’t change the way we look on a daily basis, but we may want to change the way we smell,” said de la Renta during an exclusive interview at his Manhattan offices this week. “A woman now wants to represent herself in many different ways, at different times. There is a world that is wide open to women, with a lot of choices. I no longer think a woman is married to one fragrance.” - WWD

That, ladies, sums up my constant dilemma. Like many, I’m on the hunt to find my signature scent. The one fragrance I will wear through thick and thin, single life and beyond. Something that, when wafting through the air, folks will instantly think of me. The problem? I’m pretty noncommittal. I wear something in the morning and switch it up at night. Some days I want to wear a scent that’s warm and cozy, others bright and green. I want to be sexy, flirty, and the girl-next-door — all in one week. With the introduction of the six fragrances, Mr. de la Renta is giving women options. Below is a quick breakdown on each of the scents.

Santo Domingo ~ named for the city where Oscar de la Renta was born in the Dominican Republic, with notes of tobacco, citrus, mandarin and patchouli. I love this scent whole-heartedly. It’s soft but not timid; overall intensely sexy. I have a soft spot for tobacco based fragrances and this doesn’t disappoint. Some might say it’s a bit old school but I love it for night time.

Oriental Lace ~ a dark gourmand oriental inspired by his ready-to-wear fashion, with notes of hoya carnosa, honey, bitter almond, dark cacao, clove and patchouli. This one is spicy and not for the timid.

Granada ~ referencing the Alhambra gardens, the citrus floral features bigarade, bergamot, jasmine, orange and rose. Granada is a bit bright and fresh without seeming too young or girly.

Sargasso ~ named for the Sargasso sea, with juniper, lemon and cucumber. Extremely bright! Perhaps one of the younger scents in the group, this reminds me of Spring and sundresses. Oddly enough, I smell this and think of going on vacation wearing a chic swimsuit and big hat. Yes.

Mi Corazon ~ a floral fragrance inspired by his daughter Eliza; the notes include ylang ylang, tuberose and peach. Tuberose, sweet tuberose. It’s a difficult note and not everyone is a fan. I love tuberose this. This takes my second top spot simply because of its amazing ability to use tuberose without seeming old.

Coralina ~ representing a coral-colored stone favored by the designer; featuring violet, mimosa, orris, and woody green notes. This reminds me of my mother, in the most amazing sense ever. Growing up, my mother was always the type to dab a bit of perfume before heading out (along with apply a bit of red lipstick). This scent takes me back when I would hug her before she sent me off to school.

I was instantly attracted to Santo Domingo and Mi Corazon but if you want to find which one is best for you, visit the Scent Stylist answer a couple of questions and BOOM! There it is.

The Oscar de la Renta Essential Luxuries fragrances is available in 100 ml for $150 each, exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue and Oscar de la Renta boutiques.

Disclosure: samples were provided for editorial consideration

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kittenesque by flirt!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Like a moth to a flame, I am incapable of seeing something blessed with leopard print and not buy it. Leopard print is my favorite neutral and I firmly believe in having it in multiple forms - skirts, jackets, bags, you name it. Now, I can add perfume to that lovely mix.

The folks at Flirt! have introduced Kittenesque, a rather bright fragrance ideal for warmer weather. Described as an oriental scent, the opening notes of mandarin and raspberries can easily fool you into thinking it’s more of a fruity floral (hence bright). At first spritz I felt slightly annoyed since it’s sweeter than I would normally opt for but it quickly transitions to a slightly warmer scent when you reach the heart of the fragrance (where the honeysuckle and jasmine lie). Soft sandalwood and vanilla takes over in the end making it less girly and froufrou. It’s a cute scent to wear for summer dates. I received loads of compliments from those around, especially guys so winner! winner!

PS: flirt! created this cute video with The Glamourai (do you read her blog? love it) on “How to Get a FLIRTY Leopard Look.” It’s like a crash course in leopard 101 Watch it here