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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Daisy #102

November 29, 2013

My latest from Marc Jacobs Beauty is the Nail Lacquer in Daisy #102 ($18 for 13 ml/0.43 fl oz). It’s been on my radar for months and I finally caved and purchased it. Daisy is a pearly ivory pink. It’s a shimmery color that is slightly transparent for a soft pearly finish. The formula requires two coats. The first coat will apply a bit streaky but it evens out with the second. Note you need to let the first one dry completely before applying the second. The result is a pearly color that brightens the skin. Lasting power is extremely impressive with this color. I saw no chips, tip wear or peeling by day 5 and only removed it to play with other shades. I give this polish a huge thumbs up for quality, wear and price.
The bottles have a removeable cap:

Closeups to show the soft pearlescent quality:

Here it is swatched with two coats, in sunlight it glows:

I pulled Chanel Island (discontinued), Chanel Django (discontinued), Rescue Beauty Lounge Pink Shimmer and Deborah Lippmann Sarah Smile to compare. All shades with two coats except for the Deborah Lippmann which has 4 coats to achieve full coverage.

In low light the colors look very similar so I hope these descriptions will help highlight the differences. Chanel Django is more beige/yellow. Rescue Beauty Pink Shimmer is more beige. Deborah Lippmann requires at least 4 coats to get the same coverage as 2 coats of the Marc Jacobs.

You can find Marc Jacobs Daisy online at Sephora and Marc Jacobs (also in stores). I’m really impressed with this color. It’s polished, demure, feminine and subtle enough for everyday wear but contrasts with the skin enough to be visible on the hands. It gives a lovely polished look. For other features on Marc Jacobs Nail Lacquers you can see the posts from August for Petra here, Gatsby here, and Le Charm here.
Have you tried Marc Jacobs beauty yet? What are your favorite nail colors? I’m still eyeing a few more colors! Any rants or raves on any of the other products? I just bought my first lip gel (still testing) but haven’t bought anything else yet.
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Diptyque

Diptyque Candle Size Comparison Breakdown

November 27, 2013

With all the different candle variations and holiday set offerings, a few have found it a bit challenging to make sense of the different Diptyque candle sizes (myself included). A few have asked for a breakdown comparison of the various Diptyque candles. I’ve pulled the three sizes for the regular clear glass candles to show you today and photographed some ideas for how to re-use the jars after they finish burning. For the standard clear jars with white and black sticker labels, there are three sizes: mini 1.2 oz, small 2.4 oz and regular 6.5 oz.



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Mini Size is 1.2 oz/35 g

  • 2″ height
  • 12-hour burn time
  • these aren’t sold individually – Diptyque sometimes gives these away
    in promotional gift with purchases, right now they are available in
    various holiday sets such as the 10 Piece Set $130 at Nordstrom and 5 Piece Sets for $75 at SpaceNK and Barneys
  • the 10 piece $130 set breaks down to a cost of $10.83/oz
  • after burning the emptied baby candles will fit large paperclips, I haven’t found any other ideas of what to store in them yet

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Small Size is 2.4 oz/70 g

  • 2 3/4″ height
  • 30 hour burn time
  • retail for $28 each or sometimes combined into trios for $84 here
  • not all scents are available in the small size, free standing boutiques and DiptyqueParis.com have a larger selection for the small sizes individually compared to department stores
  • the small sizes at $28 each break down to a cost of $11.76/oz
  • recycle ideas include storing Q-tips

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Regular Size is 6.5 oz/190 g

  • 3 1/2″ height
  • 60 hours burn time
  • retail for $60 each (special edition jars are sometimes a bit more expensive)
  • cost breakdown is $9.23/oz
  • recycle ideas are endless for storing pens, brushes, makeup pencils, chubby sticks, mascaras, flowers, scissors etc.
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A few more size comparisons side by side:

One more shot of the baby mini 1.2 oz:

For more Diptyque reference and styling ideas:

I hope this helps clarify the different sizes and options! I know it can be hard to tell the differences online for those who don’t have access to Diptyque easily. I’m really thrilled they released the baby mini sizes in sets this year for the holiday. They make a good introduction into the brand allowing anyone to try a variety of scents for at a more affordable price rather than buying each one individually to test them out.
You can find Diptyque at a number of select retailers. I like to buy mine from the Diptyque Boutiques, Nordstrom, Barneys and Space NK.

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Diptyque Nordstrom

Diptyque Candle Set x10 | Nordstrom Exclusive

November 23, 2013

Diptyque has some wonderful holiday offerings this year. There are a number of gorgeous sets along with three new holiday scents (review to come soon). This year Nordstrom has an impressive exclusive 10 Piece Set ($130 for 10 candles). The set contains Diptyque’s iconic scents from the line’s 50-year history that includes two signature scents created each decade. Each candle is in the set comes in the baby size usually only found in gift-with-purchase events (I’ve never seen the baby sizes sold for sale individually). The candles are 1.2 oz each with approximately 12 hour burn time. While the set is expensive, it makes a stunning luxurious gift for the holidays. Sometimes you can’t really tell if you’ll like a scent until you burn it. This set offers a way to sample a wide range of scents without having to buy the full sizes.

The ten scents in the set include: Thé, Cannelle, Roses, Jasmin, Baies, Tubereuse, Figuier, Feu de Bois, Ambre and Patchouli.

There is a beautiful handout included with a timeline highlighting each scent featured in the set.

I haven’t had a chance to try each candle yet (I’ve been busy burning the three holiday ones). It will most likely take me weeks to try each one to see if I like them enough to buy individually. I will however provide an overview of the scents.

I’ve purchased all the floral scents individually in the past.

  • Baies is a floral scent (one of their best sellers) which is a mixed bouquet of roses and blackcurrant leaves
  • Jasmin is a soft jasmin scent (smells like the real thing)
  • Roses smells like soft roses without being too harsh or floral
  • Tubereuse smells like the tubereuse flower
  • Patchouli is the best Patchouli scent I’ve smelled, it’s not too herbal or woody, it’s a warm earthy scent that seems to have a slight hint of soft vanilla
  • Figuier is a warm fig-wood scent, it’s a fresh fig and one of my favorites in the line
  • Feu de Bois is a smoky firewood scent with a hint (very slight) of blackberry
  • Ambre is a warm incense-like scent with a mix of wvetiver and patchouli,
    enhanced with radiant anise seed, insolent spices, mysterious incense,
    cistus and tonka bean, it’s not my favorite but I will have to burn to really tell
  • Cannelle has a mix of warm, dry, spicy, and aromatic bark from the East, it has a fresh scent
  • Thé is a dark strong tea smelling scent with a herbal feel

Overall a lovely and impressive set. It would make the ultimate gift for fragrance aficionados. You can always break down the set and use the baby candles as add-ons or stocking stuffers for the holiday as well. I’m enamored with the whole boxes set and can’t wait to try each in the upcoming months. Diptyque candles are among my favorite, although priced at the high end for scented candles worth every penny. It’s something you have to try to really see what the fuss is about. Once you try these there is no going back to other brands (although I still adore lower priced candles from Henri Bendel and still love Jo Malone and Fresh for higher end candles).

Here’s a quick comparison of the sizes of the candles in this set. (I’ll call them the baby size.) The baby sizes in this set are also sometimes found in gift with purchases which is the 1.2 oz size. The small size is the 2.4 oz ($28 each). Regular sized candles are 6.5 oz ($60 each). More detailed comparison to come in a follow up post.

The 10 piece set is exclusive to Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com (limited for the holidays). You can’t beat free shipping and beautiful packaging. If you have a Nordstrom near you with Diptyque, you may want to call the fragrance department to check if they have any upcoming events. I received a mailer for their yearly customer appreciation night. There are usually events in early December at stores and they often have gift with purchases so it will be a good time to take advantage of the gift offerings if you have a list of items you’ve been saving up for. In my experience minimum buys tend to be around $100 to $150ish.

Have you purchased any Diptyque sets this year? Diptyque fans – what are your favorite scents?

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Diptyque

Photo of the Day: Diptyque

November 21, 2013

Or rather photo of the night. I took this photo quickly this morning before I left for work but didn’t have enough time to upload before running out the door. I finished two more candles recently in Musc and Infini so I have two more flower/pen/brush holders. I’ve also finished up several Drybar products and Molton Brown shower gels. What have you used up lately?
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Diptyque Fragrance

Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau Solid Perfume

November 3, 2013
While in San Francisco both my husband and I fell in love with the solid perfumes at the Diptyque Boutique on Maiden Lane. His favorite for me was L’Ombre dans l’Eau while I preferred the Eau Duelle. I spent several weeks thinking about the options before deciding on the L’Ombre dans l’Eau ($48 for 3.6 g). This scent is the companion to the Baies Candle. It’s described as a “mixture of crumpled blackcurrant leaves and rose petals.” L’Ombre dans l’Eau is a unisex scent that is fresh and green and floral with a hint of blackcurrant all mixed into one. It’s one of those scents I feel is perfect for fall.

The solid perfume comes in a heavy weight oval compact. There is a tiny grey pouch to store it in which protects the packaging. It’s beautiful to look at and I love how easy it is to carry with you in your purse or small clutch. The lasting power is medium. It’s quite strong when you first apply but fades very slowly throughout the day. Most Diptyque fragrances in the liquid form fade very quickly on me. I find the solid perfumes to last a bit longer on me.

Ingredients:

The L’Ombre dans l’Eau Solid Perfume is almost identical to the Eau de Toilette version, but there are noticeable differences. They basically dry down to the same scent, however I prefer the Solid Perfume version which is more earthy and natural smelling. The latter is a bit greener and fruitier which is still nice but a bit synthetic smelling. The only other scent I’ve tried that I can think to compare it to is Jo Malone’s Blackberry and Bay which is significantly sweeter with berry notes. Comparing the two side by side, the Jo Malone makes the Diptyque smell slightly musky. They layer quite nicely together although I prefer to wear them separately since I prefer subtle scents.

L’Ombre dans l’Eau Solid Perfume

Overall love. I’m normally not a fan of strong florals but the more scents I explore, the more I find that I like scents that have some kind of floral blended into them. L’Ombre dans l’Eau Solid Perfume is a perfect everyday rose/blackcurrant scent. It’s not overpowering so I don’t feel self conscious wearing it to work. It’s a nice feel-good kind of scent. It’s also a huge plus that my husband likes it on me. If you can try in person I highly recommend testing it. I still have my eye on Eau Duelle but will hold off for now.
L’Ombre Dans l’Eau comes in a wide variety of other formulas and options. I absolutely love the convenience and compact size of the Solid Perfume. It also comes in an Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum, Roller Ball Oil, Shower Gel, Lotion and Soap. The scent is one of their best sellers.

The Solid Perfume in L’Ombre dans l’Eau retails for $48. You can find it at all Diptyque locations and online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Barneys and Diptyque.com.

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Boutique California Diptyque Travel

Diptyque Boutique Maiden Lane – San Francisco

October 27, 2013
Diptyque | Maiden Lane, San Francisco

I took a much-needed mini vacation this month with my husband. We spent a week in San Francisco visiting family and friends. I’ve been a die-hard Diptyque fan so the Diptyque Store on Maiden Lane was on my list of must-see places. The store featured the new Diptyque Electric Diffuser (quite impressive) which will accomodate a small selection of scents in 34 boulevard st germain, Figuier, Baies, Amber and Feu de Bois. Both my husband and I were seriously tempted.

The Maiden Lane boutique is a small intimate store. It has a warm slightly rustic-library feel with the wood shelves and decor. The store is split into an upper and lower level creating a home-like feel. The combination of all the scents was so incredible. I wished I could take the entire store and transport it into my own home. I learned so much from the Diptyque staff on each of the different categories of scents – they were incredibly friendly and patient with all our questions as we asked about each candle. I’ve since developed quite a long wish list of items to try in the future. Due to our traveling situation I limited myself to 2 items (since we didn’t want to check any luggage) and purchased two of the Boutique Exclusives in Mousses (forest-moss) and Tilleul (linden tree). If you have a chance to visit one of the boutiques I highly recommend it. The store Diptyque reps are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. The stores themselves are decorated so beautifully – I felt inspired to up the game in our own house decoration-wise with subtle candle accents.

Mini 2.4 oz candles shown below all lined up ($28 each):

Boutique accessories (photophores are store exclusives):

My picks Mousses  and Tilleul

Have you been to a Diptyque Boutique? I normally purchase my candles from Nordstrom or Barneys but fell completely in love with the Diptyque store. What are your favorite Diptyque items?

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Diptyque

Diptyque Violette & Genevrier Candles

October 20, 2013

This year I’ve started to venture beyond my go-to staples and explore more home fragrance scents from a variety of brands. My two latest discoveries from Diptyque include Violette and the new Genevrier candles ($60 each for 6.5 oz, approximately 60 hours burn time). Both are very different from what I’m normally drawn to but my husband has great taste when it comes to home fragrance so I asked him to help me pick out a few at our local Nordstrom. I’ve burned both separately so far and love them both. They make beautiful accent pieces around the home.

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Violette
is a soft but warm-smelling floral. I’m always drawn to violet scents
but whenever I test them, they turn quite powdery on me (not in a good
way). Diptyque Violette is more like a true floral and has a subtle
sweet quality that is quite soothing and soft. I’m not a huge fan of
florals but this one was recommended by so many readers I knew I had to
check it out. I think it is quite lovely. The scent is soft but still
quite strong with good throw. If you don’t like florals though you most
likely won’t like this one – it’s a true floral.

Violette pictured with the Diptyque wick trimmer and matches, both were gift with purchases during the last Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
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Genevrier is one of two new releases from Diptyque. I thought I would prefer Noisetier (hazelnut) but ended up loving Genevrier (juniper) instead.
Genevrier is a woody green kind of scent. It smells just like juniper
with a forest-like feel. It’s not quite as green as Henri Bendel’s White
Spruce (usually released during the holiday). Genevrier has a more
earthy quality with a slight mix of a mint. It feels very clean and
fresh smelling. The scent strength is medium. It is definitely a
fall-holiday scent. In Southern California it’s still warm but as the
weather cools I think this one will be perfect.

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More around the home:

Above tray from West Elm in Silver Lacquer, also shown the Diptyque Roses in the 2.4 oz version

My most frequently burned candle favorites include Diptyque Baies, Diptyque Figuier, Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin, Henri Bendel Pomegranate, Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean and Henri Bendel Fig. I tend to like sweeter creamy scents but have found florals and woody scents to be quite amazing for the home. Both Violette and Genevrier are lovely additions to our home. I can see us both re-purchasing once burned through.

I usually purchase my Diptyque at Nordstrom and Barneys but the brand is also available at a number of Diptyque Boutiques and other retailers worldwide.

What are your favorite home fragrances? Do you like candles, diffusers or sprays?

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