Fragrance Archives - Page 5 of 13 - The Beauty Look Book

Fragrance

His and Hers Fragrance Favorites of the Year

December 15, 2017

Doing a little his and hers shelfie today rounding up our fragrance favorites of the year. Looking back on my archives I haven’t done a scent roundup since early spring but quite a few have been on repeat for months. I used up several bottles year including Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Soleil Blanc, Creed Virgin Island Water and the Replica Glow Filter. Andrew has gone through several bottles of Creed Aventus and Chanel Bleu de Chanel. More details on our favorites below.

Best Colognes of the Year for Him

Andrew’s favorites: Andrew is probably like most men where he has 2-3 main go-to colognes depending on occasion. Ideally he wants a minimal and well edited grooming routine where he finds something he loves and sticks with it. This year he discovered Creed when I brought him back a couple mini vial samples from the Creed New York Boutique. He fell in love with Aventus and we both wondered why we had not discovered this sooner. If he had to pick one scent for the rest of his life it would be this one.

Creed Leather Atomizer Small ($175, holds 10 ml) is something Andrew asked me to buy him after he saw my small turquoise one (shown here). He likes to have something he can carry with him when we travel. We found one in Black and Silver at a local Neiman Marcus and he’s obsessed with it. It’s small, sturdy and easy to fit in a dopp kit without taking up a lot of space.
Creed Aventus ($375 for 75 ml) is the ultimate scent for men. It has a fresh but masculine mix that is suitable year round for any occasion. Both of us agree this is what a great fragrance smells like. Much to my wallet’s dismay he’s used up several bottles, but the Creed team kindly sent one for the holiday with their Engraved Medallion which they’re offering with any 75 ml bottle purchase on their website. (The engraving option is available on each fragrance page.) You can pick up to 3 letters that they’ll engrave on the back.
- Aventus notes include Bergamot, blackcurrant leaves, apple, pineapple, pinkberries, birch, patchouli, jasmine, musk, oakmoss, ambergris and vanilla
- Quick peek at the new Boutique in Miami here and here, their New York Boutique featured here
Dior Sauvage Eau de Toilette ($74 to $145) has been on Andrew’s list since it launched. Since discovering Creed the Dior has moved down on his favorites, but it’s a great everyday scent that isn’t overpowering and light. His brother came over once and the two of them were going through his skincare and grooming routine. He smelled this and really liked it and asked us to buy him one for Christmas. They are complete opposites so I’d say the Dior is a good safe option that I think will appeal to most men.
- Sauvage notes include Reggio Bergamot, Sichuan Pepper, Ambroxan
- Also available in a Sauvage Jumbo Gift Set ($150) and a Sauvage Signature Set ($112)
Chanel Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum Set ($154) Andrew has tried pretty much all the Chanel men’s colognes and eau de toilettes and the Bleu de Chanel is his favorite. He actually prefers buying it in the Travel Spray atomizer because it’s easier to carry in places like his briefcase. I like that you can buy the refills separately as well on Chanel.com. He’s tried both the Parfum and Eau de Toilette versions. He prefers the Eau de Toilette because it has a more fresh and modern vibe but both are really good.
- Bleu de Chanel Notes – I can’t find the exact list, but this is a woody citrus that’s clean but masculine
Molton Brown Russian Leather Eau de Toilette ($65 for 1.7 fl oz) was a new Molton Brown launch this year. It’s clearly masculine and does indeed have a rich leather vibe to it. It has a classic smoky but slightly modern feel to it. It’s different from the fresh scents Andrew gravitates towards. Lasting power on him is really good with this one. It’s not as universal as the other ones listed above, you will either love or hate it. We both love it.
- Russian Leather notes include Elemi, Black tea, Purple Basil, Siberian Pine, Tobacco, Birch, Vetiver, Leather and Cade
Also shown, Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate which is mine but he also uses it, Diptyque Chene candle recycled

Sabrina’s Favorite Perfumes of the Year

My favorites this year have been from Tom Ford and Creed. I feel like I’ve lived in Sole di Positano, Soleil Blanc and Virgin Island Water (used up and not shown). Of course as usual my list is more extensive. I cannot stick to one perfume just like I cannot have just one or two nude lipsticks. I’m a true beauty junkie. I normally have liked scents with sandalwood or some kind of amber, but based on my list below it appears I’m really one who loves bergamot and scents that are more citrus based with some florals mixed in.

Byredo Hair Mist in Bal D’Afrique and Mojave Ghost ($62 each for 75 ml) are two I debated on for months and finally splurged. I love both as Bal D’Afrique is sweeter and Mojave Ghost is lighter and brighter. I already own the Bal D’Afrique perfume and love it. I’ve used up four mini vials of the Mojave Ghost and should just buy the full size perfume already. The hair mist has decent lasting power, even in Florida heat. It has a nice mist dispenser which sprays it evenly over the hair.
- Notes for Bal D’Afrique include African Marigold, Bergamot, Bucchu, Lemon, Neroli, Cyclamen, Jasmin Petals, violet, Black Amber, Moroccan Cedarwood, Musk and Vetiver
- Notes for Mojave Ghost include Ambrette, magnolia, sandalwood, violet, cedarwood, chantilly musk, crisp amber
Tom Ford Sole di Positano ($230 for 50 ml) was reviewed here in this post, one of the best bergamot scents I’ve tried! Used it up entirely and it’s on my wishlist to repurchase once I work my way down through other ones
- Notes include Italian bergamot, petitgrain bigarade, lemon, mandarin leaves, shiso leaf
Tom Ford Soleil Blanc ($230 for 50 ml) probably my favorite scent ever, best white floral that smells like spring and summer and sunshine
- Notes include bergamot, cardamom oil Orpur, pistachio accord, ylang ylang, benzoin extract Orpur, coco de mer accord
- Also available in this gorgeous Travel Atomizer Set ($230 for 10 ml each)
Creed Leather Atomizer ($175) makes for such a beautiful gift – it comes with a funnel to make it easy to pour inside, these come in multiple colors, I have the aqua one and this silver one is so pretty for holiday!
Creed Love in White ($350 for 75 ml) is one of the scents most of you have recommended to me, I finally tried it and fell in love. The Creed sent one for holiday feature – this too comes with a complimentary engraved gold medallion for any 75 ml bottle or larger. This is such a beautiful feminine fresh scent, I will be wearing it for months to follow and probably will do so for years!
- Notes include orange zest, Florentine iris, daffodils, magnolia, Bulgarian rose, Tonkin rice, vanilla, ambergris and Mysore sandalwood
Creed Virgin Island Water ($290 for 50 ml) not shown because I’ve used mine up, this is the ultimate vacation scent. Living in Florida it feels like I’m living in a permanent vacay state of mine with the weather so it’s fitting to wear it any time of year!
- Notes include Sicilian white bergamot, Jamaican lime, Sicilian mandarin, hibiscus, ylang-ylang, Indian jasmine, Tonkin musk and tropical wood
Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt ($135 for 3.4 oz) is my favorite layering cologne. It’s one I can definitely wear alone to but it layers so nicely with other scents like Wild Bluebell and pretty much anything else. This is my year-round scent that I can wear no matter what the weather is like.
- Notes include Bergamot, ambrette seeds, buchu leaves, sea salt, mineral accord, dry fruits, driftwood accord, guaiac wood, white musk, sage.
Atelier Cologne Coffret Collection ($275 customizable set) I discovered Atelier Cologne this fall in San Francisco. We passed by a boutique and I had such an amazing experience there. I bought a small travel spray of Bois Blonds and used it up within weeks. The store sent us home with tiny vial samples of a few others we liked and you can actually buy the Sampler Set for $35on their website which is genius! All fragrance brands should do something like this. I’ve since bought a few boxed sets from Sephora and also already used up an Orange Sanguine. On Atelier Cologne’s website you can make your own boxed sets. I ordered one and am so excited! A few thoughts on each one:
- Clementine California is a bright citrus with clementine, juniper berries, pepper and sandalwood
- Oolang Infini is one of the best calming scents with bergamot, neroli and freesia
- Vanilla Insensee is one of two vanilla scents I’ve been able to wear, the vast majority of vanilla based scents are too sweet and too rich for me to wear, this one has coriander, jasmine and vetiver mixed in
- Bois Blonds is a beautiful peppery wood scent with neroli and bergamot
- Orange Sanguine is a blood orange with cedarwood, black pepper and jasmine
- Also found at Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom if you have one near by to smell them in person (although they don’t have all the size options in stores, you’ll have to shop them online)
L’Artisan Mure et Musc ($96 for 1.7 oz) is the best berry scent I’ve tried. This brand unfortunately has become increasingly more difficult for me to find as I can only find it online at Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue (no stores near me). This is a classic I think everyone should try, it has the most beautiful mix of berry and musk without being too sweet.
- Notes include lemon, orange, basil, lavendar, blackberry, jasmine, musks, patchouli and oakmoss
Replica Glow Filter ($55 for 1.7 oz) was initially reviewed here a while ago, this is a perfumed oil spray which can also be used as a primer for other fragrances. I like to wear it alone all over because it’s an oil I like it as a body moisturizer. I’ve since used up an entire bottle (this one is my second) and it smells like fresh clean warm skin to me.
Maison Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis Hair Mist ($65 for 70 ml) is an alcohol-free hair mist which is a light airy scent. It has a linen feel to it with the freshness, it has a combination of lily of the valley, mock orange, bergamot, lemon, and musky wood. Makes me feel like I’m walking on a cloud!

I hope you enjoyed our favorites roundup! As always let me know what your favorite scents were this year. I live to read about what other people wear. There are so many perfumes on the market it’s just overwhelming to decide where to look or what to try. I loved that dozens of you have commented and e-mailed me to recommend Creed Love in White.

Fragrance Favorites of the Year

If Andrew had to pick one favorite, you can guess it would be Creed Aventus hands down. If I had to pick one I would not be able to. But if I had to pick three I could narrow it down to Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and Creed Love in White. If I could add two more the next ones to follow would be Atelier Cologne Oolang Infini and Byredo Mojave Ghost.

Did you discover anything new in perfume this year? Or do you stick to your tried and true? Do you use hair perfume? Let me know which ones you’ve tried and love! I’ll be rounding up my favorites of the year in a few other categories in upcoming posts so stay tuned! Also working on review of the new NARS foundation, Tom Ford Eyeshadow Singles and Matte Lipsticks from Laura Mercier. Trying to get everything swatched and tested before the end of the year.

I’m doing another giveaway! I’ll pick one person and send them 3 Byredo Hair Perfumes of their choice. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Simply enter through the widget below. Terms and conditions in the widget. Giveaway will run through 12/23 – I’ll pick a winner within 48 hours after it ends and e-mail them. Winner must respond within 48 hours or another person will be picked in their place. Not affiliated or sponsored.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Press samples featured include Chanel Bleu de Chanel gift set, Creed Aventus + Love in White + Silver Atomizer, Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Molton Brown Russian Leather.

132 Comments

Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Best Holiday Candles and Gifts for the Home

December 13, 2017

I’m a die hard lover of home scents and good candles. They help change the mood of a room and during the holiday there are all kinds of great seasonal options to make the house smell like Christmas. I’ve rounded a few picks of what I think are the best holiday candles and gifts for the home. If you have any favorites you like to burn during the holiday season let me know in the comments below!

The holiday season would not be complete for me without Diptyque. I’ve bought the seasonal pine scent each year and this is the first year I’ve felt their pine is a bit different with a minty green touch to the scent. They have three seasonal candles with colored wax, a black jar in a cosmic theme with gold magical creatures on the exterior. It’s really just so beautiful! I bought the Cosmic Seasonal Candle Trio ($105 to $210). You can also find these individually although the orange one has pretty much sold out everywhere. Unicorn Frosted Forest Scented Candle is fir with a hint of mint and hinoki, Feu d’Argumes/Fiery Orange Dragon is a warm smoky orange clove and Larmes d’Encens/Incense Tears Phoenix with incense, cinnamon and myrrh. All three are phenomenal this year.

There is also the 10 piece Mini Candle Collection ($150) which makes for the ultimate luxury home gift. It’s the best way to sample a lot of Diptyque in a more affordable way than buying each one individually. Burn time is quick on these but it’s long enough to get a good sense of what they smell like when burned.

Antica Farmacista has some of the most elegant holiday sets. I just discovered them last year and love their diffusers. After writing about them last holiday I discovered that many of you have loved this line for years! Their Silver Cedar is a holiday release this year and it has everything I love for holidays: cypress, sandalwood, spruce and juniper in the most elegant combination ever. They’ve also brought back the Champagne Black Label which is the best sparkling sweet champagne scent I’ve ever tried. I have used this in the candle, room spray and diffuser and love it. All of their gift options here. You can find products directly from their website Antica Farmacista and also at Nordstrom. Shown below is the 100 ml Diffuser Trio ($64) with Silver Cedar, Champagne Black Label and Sandalwood Amber and their Candle Set with Silver Cedar, Champagne Black Label ($98) and a gorgeous wick trimmer. The diffusers are perfect for the guest bathrooms! They come beautifully boxed.

This year they also launched a gorgeous 12 Days of Antica Calendar ($175) with deluxe sized minis of their candles, diffusers, body products and a wick trimmer as well. I can’t think of a better luxury home gift than this set.

Molton Brown is also another favorite line. My favorite scent for any time of year is the Coco and Sandalwood 3 Wick Candle and Home and Linen Mist, but for the holiday they always have fun limited-edition launches. I was able to try the Vintage With Elderflower Candle and it’s such a lovely sweet holiday scent. It has grapefruit, mandarin, elderflower, petigrain, coriander, vetiver and ambergris. If you like something on the sweet side but not candy sweet this is a beautiful sweet citrus option. I’ve been burning it for the past few hours as I’ve been putting this post together and it’s definitely lifted my mood with a bit of energy. Other holiday scent options on their website as well including Fabled Juniper Berries and Lapp Pine along with their classic Festive Frankincense and Allspice.

That wraps up this year’s holiday gift guide for the best candles I’ve found. There are tons of great options and individual options from so many brands. I find that my top three brands year over year are Diptyque and Molton Brown, and Antica Farmacista has been added to the mix. If you’re looking for more affordable holiday options that still have amazing throw with a luxury vibe, Nest is a great line to check out. I also really like the Henri Bendel candles as well. One that isn’t new is Cire Trudon Ernesto which is probably the best luxury scent for the home, my husband smelled it for the first time right when we moved to Florida and said “that’s what we should burn all the time.” It really is phenomenal and I need to repurchase it at some point soon. There are a number of new ones out for holiday which I was really tempted to order, but given the price and the fact that I’m not that familiar with the entire line, I feel like they are something I need to smell first before buying – especially since part of me thinks it might not get better than Ernesto. I usually include something from Jo Malone and I do think their Pine and Eucalyptus Candle is a classic. This year they have a gorgeous one with a green label for holiday. I was debating whether or not to buy it (I usually do every year) but with the Florida sunshine combined with our travels this month I wasn’t sure I would have time to burn it before Christmas and I usually feel pine is best done in November/December. I skipped it this year.

What are your favorite holiday scents to burn? Other gift guides below:

Best Luxury Holiday Candles (2016 edition)

Gifts for the Guys

Gifts for the Girls Who Have Everything

Best Travel Beauty Cases

Beauty Gifts Under $50

NARS Man x Ray

MAC Snowball

Tatcha Holiday Gift Sets

P.S. Don’t forget to check out this week’s giveaway! You can also enter via the Rafflecopter Widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Press samples featured from Molton Brown and Antica Farmacista.

58 Comments

Christian Louboutin Fragrance

Christian Louboutin Parfums – New Sizes

October 19, 2017

Last fall Christian Louboutin launched three perfumes in Tornade Blonde, Bikini Questa Sera and Trouble in Heaven. I was able to review Tornade Blonde here. This has been one of the most luxurious perfumes with the strongest lasting power that I’ve tried. Those who have followed me along on with my what’s in my bag features and Instagram stories know that I tend to prefer smaller sizes so I can carry them with me to touch up or bring them on travels. The original sizes were 2.7 oz/80 ml ($275 each) which came in a large exquisite bottle perfect for display or to but on your counter top but not one that you could carry around easily. One year later they’ve added a new smaller size 1 oz/30 ml ($135 each) and while they aren’t roller-ball small, they are more travel friendly. The perfumes are available individually but I was gifted all three in a special box and am beyond grateful for the opportunity to try all three.

First a quick look at sizing for scale, one next to a Loubilaque lipgloss (review + swatches here and here) and one in my hand:

______________________________

Tornade Blonde is a rich warm floral with some spice to it. It’s the one that feels more for special occasions for me. Notes include Rhubarb, Violet Leaves, Ambrette Signature, Cassis, Bulgarian Rose, Jasmin Sambac Absolut, Orange Flower Petals Firnat, Gardenia from Brazil, Ambregris, Cedarwood, Australian Sandalwood, Patchouli. It’s extremely potent with a rich garden-like feel to it.

______________________________

Bikini Questa Sera is my favorite of the three. It’s the most green out of the options with notes of Paradisone, Green Nectars, Jasmin Absolut, Tuberose Absolut, Australian Sandalwood, Vetiver Haiti, Ambregris. As one who really loves tuberose it’s no surprise that this one I’d gravitate towards. If you like Frederic Malle Carnal Flower but want something with a different twist you might want to consider trying this one. The Louboutin Bikini Questa Sera has a similar vibe but it’s less powdery and less floral than Carnal Flower.

______________________________

Trouble in Heaven is another rich option with notes of Bergamot, Cascalone, Rose Bouton, Iris Firabs, Amber, Patchouli, Tonka Absolut, Labdanum. There’s a strong amber and patchouli feel making this feel very warm and very spicy. To me it smells feminine but pulls on the masculine side a little – it’s an intoxicating seductive kind of scent that doesn’t feel like one for everyday but more for date nights.

______________________________

All three have extremely long lasting power. They stayed on my skin from the first spritz until late evening. As scent and fragrance preferences are really so personal my recommendation would depend on your preferences for notes and overall feel. These are true to Louboutin’s branding – rich, warm and bold. For everyday I personally tend to gravitate towards lighter scent options. With the extreme heat of Florida I’ve found that since moving here I cannot wear warmer scents and many of my florals during the day simply because the heat shifts how these wear on my skin. It has finally started to cool down a little (only a little) so I’ve been able to pull out a few fall transition scents. For me these Louboutin perfumes are more special occasion kinds of wear. Back in San Diego by now I would have 100% been able to wear at least one of these for day, but for now in Florida I find Bikini Questa Sera to be best for me while the other two will be saved for winter.

If you’re interested in these but don’t want to splurge on the full sizes quite yet they still have the adorable miniatures trio set available (they don’t come with spritzers though). These are a great way to try all three or keep one in your purse for touch ups.

You can find Christian Louboutin Parfums available now in both sizes. Online at Christian Louboutin, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Have you tried these yet? If not what’s your go-to perfume right now? I’d love to hear about what you are wearing right now!

Perfumes gifted by Christian Louboutin Beauty.

6 Comments

Fragrance

Creed Les Royales Exclusives White Amber and Coffret

July 10, 2017

For the upcoming fall season Creed has launched two new additions to their line. There’s a new Les Royales Exclusives perfume in White Amber ($545 to $985) and to celebrate this new launch they’ve also released a sampler coffret with 6 vials of each of the Royales Exclusives scents for $70. Both are currently exclusive to the Creed Boutique (online and in stores). The special thing about the coffret is that it comes with a $50 voucher you can use toward a future purchase of any CreedBoutique.com purchase of $215 or greater. If you’ve been curious about the Les Royales Exclusives line but don’t have a store or counter near you or want to take some time with samples to explore or enjoy these this is a great set.

Based on previous posts I’ve been thrilled to find quite a few of you are already devoted fans of Creed. This is one of the most luxurious expensive perfume lines I’ve tried and since perfume is such a personal thing I have been really excited to find quite a few other Creed lovers. For those not familiar with the line, you can take a peek into their beautiful New York Boutique here (you can also read about it on Cafe Makeup here). Creed is a family owned business that has been passed down from father to son for seven generations.

The Les Royales Exclusives line is their premium line made with the highest quality ingredients – which are handpicked and many are rare or hard to find. Each of the six fragrances are designed, made and filtered by hand. The presentation is just exquisite and a work of art. They are bottled in a hand-crafted glass bottle by centuries-old Parisian glassmaker, Pochet. The newest scent White Amber is described as a fruity floral. On me I love the dry down which has notes of soft amber, jasmine, apple with a tiny bit of sandalwood and a slight powdery feel. It’s a light fresh unique kind of perfume and it’s one I can see myself wearing as a light fall scent or one for spring. The bottles are the prettiest thing I think I’ve ever seen – it looks like something royalty would have on their dressers or bathroom counters.

Top note: Amber, vanilla, blackcurrant and green apple
Middle note: Italian and Moroccan jasmine, benzoin
Base note: Indian sandalwood, jasmine, benzoin

At $500+ per bottle these are quite the splurge. I would personally have put these on my wishlist for a special occasion like an anniversary gift, but I am beyond thankful that Creed offered to send these for a feature. I just took a look at their website though and don’t know if this is new – but some of these are now available in a smaller bottle and lower price point of $250 for 1 oz/30 ml – I’ll note which ones are available below. I already own and love Jardin d’Amalfi. I’ve smelled the rest on a couple other occasions at Lucky Scent and the Creed New York Boutique and they are all beautiful.

The Coffret is a sampler that has all 6 of the Les Royales Exclusives scents for $70. Each purchase will come with a redeemable voucher promo code of $50 you can use exclusively on CreedBoutique.com, valid until 09/30/17. Per their site, “Promo code available in the Coffret must be entered at checkout. Only one redemption per Coffret. Promo codes cannot be combined in the same order. Taxes and shipping fees are excluded from the discount. Not valid for cash.”

Quick note – roses were my hubby’s Valentine’s Day gift to me in February. He bought them from Venus Et Fleur which carries boxed roses that last an entire year. I’ve been documenting how they look each month on Instagram because I was really skeptical that they would last that long. Will be doing a post about them – not sure if I’ll wait for the entire year or do it earlier, but I’m so impressed!

In the set with my thoughts on each one:

Jardin d ‘Amalfi has noticeable notes of mandarin, apple, rose and a hint of cedar mixed with pink pepper
- Top note: Mandarin, bergamot, pink pepper, petit grain
- Middle note: Cedar, apple, rose
- Base note: Vetiver from Haiti, White musk, cinnamon
White Flowers is a beautiful spring fresh scent, it’s a white floral with a green feel
- Top note: Violet leaves, green apple, lemon
- Middle note: Jasmine, geranium, rose
- Base note: Musk, sandalwood, narcissus
Spice and Wood smells just like a natural earthy mix of spice and wood, it has a masculine feel with notes of cedar, this is something I think would be amazing on my husband, but for now his go-to is Aventus for Men
- Top note: Apple, bergamot, lemon
- Middle note: Angelic root, pinkberries, vetiver, patchouli, cloves, pimento (Jamaican pepper), birch
- Base note: Iris, cedarwood, oakmoss, Tonkin Musk
White Amber (described above)
Sublime Vanille is the best vanilla I’ve ever smelled, I’m not one who can wear vanilla easily, I’d rather burn it in a candle than wear it as most are just too sweet, this has a cozy feel with a warm vanilla spice feel and a hint of lemon
- Top note: Vanilla from Comoros (Africa), Tonka bean
- Middle note: White bergamot, lemon
- Base note: Bergamot, Tonkin musk
Pure White Cologne is a clean crisp citrus with lemon, pear and petite grain, it dries down to a soft feel
- Top note: Lemon, bergamot, grapefruit
- Middle note: Galbanum, pear, petite grain
- Base note: Ambergris, White Musk, rice Powder
On Creedboutique.com, the following are available in the 1 oz/30 ml travel size for $250: White Flowers, Sublime Vanille, Pure White and Jardin d’Amalfi

Bottom line the coffret is definitely worth looking into. I wish more perfume brands would do this – even though the $70 seems spendy for tiny vials, the fact that it will come with a $50 voucher makes it more than reasonable (in my opinion). White Amber is a gorgeous addition to the line – I really love the way it dries down. Lasting power in general for Creed is very good for me but your mileage may vary depending on your body chemistry. To date my favorite summer scent is Virgin Island Water reviewed here). It’s literally the best vacation scent and perfect for the Florida weather that I’m living in. I wear it constantly. My husband’s go-to has been Aventus for Men and it’s seduction in a bottle – to me it’s the ultimate hot guy scent.

You can find both White Amber and the Les Royales Exclusives Sampler Coffret exclusively at Creedboutique.com now. White Amber will roll out to Neiman Marcus in early August. Have you tried anything from Creed lately?

Les Royales Exclusives and Coffret provided courtesy of Creed for review.

20 Comments

Boutique Fragrance New York

Creed + High Camp Gardenias for Mother’s Day

May 1, 2017

For Mother’s Day this year Creed has partnered with High Camp Gardenias to create a special limited-edition gift set available exclusively online at CreedBoutique.com from May 1st to May 10th. High Camp Supply specializes in fresh gardenia vines and blooms which are cut to order in California and then shipped in a beautiful glossy white box. Together both companies have created a memorable gift with a few options depending on how many flowers and perfume you pick. For this collaboration they have the Vine and Bloom Gift Sets which come with a mix of loose gardenia blooms and gardenias on the vine.

Creed x High Camp Supply Vine and Bloom Gift Set (25 to 30 flowers) $479 to $549
Creed x High Camp Supply Deluxe Vine and Bloom Gift Set (45 to 50 flowers) $539 to $609
Available fragrances for purchase to choose from include Love in White, Royal Princess Oud, Spring Flower, Acqua Fiorentina or Fleurs de Gardenia

I was fortunate to be gifted Spring Flower and the Vine and Bloom Gift Set (bottle is the 2.5 fl oz) and as a lover of flowers and perfumes find this to be unique and simply exquisite. The price of the perfume ($350) and gardenias ($129) individually add up to the same price as the set so there’s no price break.

The gardenias arrive in a white glossy cardboard box that’s sturdy. There is a cold pack inside the box to keep everything temperature controlled and fresh while it’s being shipped. The perfume is wrapped with a plastic sleeve so the box is protected from any condensation that occurs while it’s in transit. There are care instructions for how to unbox and care for the flowers. They arrive closed but open up within a few hours with the most exquisite gardenia scent I’ve ever smelled. I love that there is a mix of blooms and vines.

When we moved we didn’t bring all of our dishes with us (we gifted away a lot of things we couldn’t fit in our moving truck). I only had a West Elm round lacquer tray with handles so I tried using it as a bowl by taping the holes. The lacquer won’t hold up water for an extended period of time around the base so we made a quick trip to Crate and Barrel to pick up a Serving Bowl which worked perfectly. For the vines I placed them in a large recycled ceramic Diptyque Candle jar.

After a few hours the blooms fully open up and the fragrance from these flowers literally filled our entire home. Care instructions that come with the box:

Blooms straight out of the box placed into a vase and bowl:

Fully opened blooms after a few hours:

Shown above: Lip color is Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 728 Rose Pulpe over Tom Ford Lip Color in Spanish Pink, top by Paige, nail color is Essie Topless and Barefoot

While in NYC last week I was able to meet up with a long-time blogger friend Cafe Makeup and we made a stop at the Creed Boutique on Madison Avenue. I had the best experience there. The staff there is very knowledgable and friendly. The boutique experience can be hit or miss in my experience and this visit was one of the best ones I’ve had. Even though I only own a few pieces from Creed, the brand has special meaning to me, in particular the scent Spring Flower. While I was in college I went on a study abroad program in Oxford for a summer. My room mate Laura (who became my bestie) and I arrived in the UK a week before classes started so we would have some time to explore London. She was on a mission to find Spring Flower and took me all over London looking for a store that carried Creed because at that time it was not available near us. At that time I was not into perfume at all and I completely credit her for sparking my interest in fragrance. Onto a quick peek at the boutique. I bought one gift for my husband which I’ll share in my NYC post later this week. I now have Aventus for Men on my wishlist to give to him as it’s probably the hottest male scent in a bottle I’ve ever smelled.

Hope you enjoyed this roundup and peek into my recent NYC trip. If you can visit the store while in NY I highly recommend it. I did a sneak peek on Instagram last week and was thrilled to find so many other Creed lovers! You gave me some amazing recommendations which I’ve noted and will be taking with me on my next counter visit (there’s a counter near me in Tampa!).

Quick recap on the Mother’s Day set. It will be available exclusively online at CreedBoutique.com from May 1st to May 10th, orders must be placed by 12 pm PST. Available scents with this set include Love in White, Royal Princess Oud, Spring Flower, Acqua Fiorentina and Fleurs de Gardenia. Prices vary depending on the scent you pick and which flower box you choose.

Do you have any Creed favorites? I’ve been spritzing Spring Flower since I got back home to Florida every day and am obsessed although I still really love Virgin Island Water.

Many thanks to Creed for gifting this beautiful set and for allowing me to photograph the inside of their NYC store.

4 Comments

Bronzer + Blush Fragrance Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Paradiso Eye and Cheek, Sole di Positano, Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino

April 12, 2017

I have some more Tom Ford Beauty newness to review in makeup and fragrance. I had already featured a large portion of the Summer Soleil collection last month and am still enjoying everything very much. After a bit of browsing online I noticed a few other products pop up called Paradiso in the Cream and Powder Eye Duo, Cream Cheek Color, Moisturecore Lip Color and Lip Color Sheer. Some other new launches includes a new perfume called Sole di Positano (already shown in this roundup here), Private Blend All Over Body Spray extensions to include Fleur de Portofino and an Dry Oil Spray in Soleil Blanc.

Up first are the scent and body extensions. I’m a huge fan of Tom Ford perfumes even though are on the expensive side. The Private Blends are my favorite and the best one I’ve bought include the Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino. The latest is Sole di Positano which I’m obsessed with for spring. It’s fresh, green, bright different from anything I’ve tried before. Of course when I saw the body sprays and a dry oil spray I was intrigued. They are priced significantly lower so I had to investigate. I bought the Fleur de Portofino All Over Body Spray and the Soleil Blanc Dry Oil Spray and I have to say that the perfumes are the better buy for lasting power and strength. The Body Spray lasts a long time on me if I’m indoors but fades quickly on me if I go outside. Something with the Florida air, heat and my body chemistry doesn’t seem to want to hold the scent. The Dry Oil Spray has a very faint Soleil Blanc scent with a raw oil kind of scent if that makes sense. This one was a disappointment to me in terms of smell – I had expected it to be all kinds of amazing as I love the perfume, but I can barely smell it on me. That being said I had it on all over and my husband walked by me and said “wow you smell really good” which surprised me as I feel like the perfume version is more noticeable.

For color there’s a new Paradiso Cream and Powder Eye Duo. The cream side is lighter and more pink compared to Golden Peach while the glitter side is darker than Golden Peach. I love the cream from Paradiso and the powder from Golden Peach (go figure). I do think they’re different enough to justify both but you might disagree. I swatched them side by side so you can decide for yourself in the event you don’t have a counter near you.

Swatched below Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold + Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in Opale (also reviewed here) as a reference for what I consider more champagne/neutrals next to Paradiso and Golden Peach.

For the cheeks there’s also a new Paradiso Cream Cheek Color which at first glance I thought was Pink Sand. If you put them side by side you’ll see the difference. Paradiso has the same gorgeous luminous glowy quality that Pink Sand does. Right now that I’ve gotten more color Pink Sand is almost highlighter material for me while Paradiso is more like a blush. I love this. I’ve only had a chance to test it for one day as it’s something I had to put on immediately – lasting power is quite good for a cream blush. I can’t say how it will perform in super hot humid weather yet but will keep testing it in the upcoming months as the season shifts.

Swatch comparisons to MAC Quiktrick Stick in Miss Cupcake/Tomato, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand, Paradiso and Pieno Sole, Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo in Paradise Lust. The cheek duo has more pigment and is less dewy than the cream cheek color.

A quick look with Tom Ford Cream and Eye Powder Duo in Paradiso, Waterproof Extreme Mascara, MAC Next to Nothing Foundation in Medium Plus (review soon), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Paradiso, Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Carriacou (also reviewed here), top by Rag and Bone.

For those curious, I did not buy the Paradiso Lip Color Sheer (I already own it, review here) or the Paradiso Moisturecore Lip Color – they are pretty much identical. I get a quick swatch of them at the counter.

Bottom line, I love the Paradiso eye and cheek items. I do think they’re worth owning even if you have Pink Sand or Golden Peach. For the body and fragrance, I wanted to love the body spray and oil spray – I just think the perfumes are the better buy, although I do like the body spray. I would entirely skip the oil. It added a nice sheen to the skin but I didn’t notice a lot of added hydration my skin other than a light oil. Brands like Caudalie, Moroccanoil or Nuxe have better body oils in my opinion. If you try one new fragrance this spring, I think it should be Soleil Blanc, Fleur de Portofino or Sole di Positano.

You can find all the items at counters now. Available online at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Beautylish and Tom Ford Beauty.

Sole di Positano Provided for review consideration.

16 Comments

Beauty Favorites Fragrance Home / Interiors Lifestyle

Loving Right Now: Spring Scents

April 10, 2017

Right now I’m obsessed with all kinds of scents that smell like spring. Since moving to Florida I’ve more into scents than I’ve ever been, but there’s something about warm sunny weather that makes me crave something that smells like a tropical vacation. I have a mix of home scents and perfumes I’ve been loving. Some are new launches others have been around for years. I did my spring transition scent post last month and loved hearing about your favorites. Over the years I’ve found a lot of scents I love for spring so this is by no means comprehensive of the best ones out there, but here’s a small selection of what I’ve been loving right now.

For the home I discovered Antica Farmacista last year thanks to the recommendation of Edward Bess. He knew I loved Diptyque and said that Antica Farmacista was a beautiful line with gorgeous diffusers and candles. I fell in love at first sniff and even though I had seen the line for years at Nordstrom I never really paid much attention. I stocked up on a lot of diffusers during the Nordstrom anniversary sale and over the holiday bought a lot of sets as gifts. The line is truly exquisite! Since diffusers do last a lot longer than a candle I’m slowly working my way through trying new scents.

The latest from their line is Lush Palm which is a green floral with Tahitian Gardenia, banana leaf and palm. Notes include Herbaceous Green Accord, Crisp Apple, Pear, Aloe, Grapefruit, Bergamot, White Pepper, Pine, Tahitian Gardenia, Sambac Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Crisp Water Notes, Cedarwood, Mexican Vanilla, Labdanum, and Sweet Amber. It has a lush green floral feel that has an uplifting cooling and relaxing feel. We’ve been using the large diffuser at home and it fills our living room. The candle has pretty good throw. In their catalog they have scent combinations and one of them is the Bergamot and Ocean Aria. I’ve already burned through two of the candles for that one and adore it. They sent the room spray for me to try and as a bergamot lover it’s really lovely. If you’re looking for a nice mother’s day gift they have a Spring Diffuser Trio with minis of Acqua, Lush Palm and Bergamot Ocean Aria – it’s really perfect. Pair it with a nice bouquet of flowers and I think it would look super cute.

For more in the home scent arena, one of my favorite spring time scents (also good for summer) is the Diptyque Tomas Maier Palm Beach (originally reviewed here). It was a limited-edition scent years ago but they keep restocking and you can find it exclusively at Diptyque stores or online at Diptyque. It has jasmine, iris, lemon, lime, salt and grass. It’s got a lovely lush tropical vibe that isn’t overly sweet. I’ve been exploring more in Cire Trudon. One of the cute stores near us is called the Oxford Exchange and they have a mix of things like a cute restaurant, coffee area, tea bar, Aesop Skincare and a shop with Cire Trudon. I spotted a mini duo called the Giambattista Valli and Cire Trudon Duet which has Positano and Rose Poivree ($105). So far I have not spotted the duo anywhere else online except on Cire Trudon’s website and online at Barneys New York. I’m a sucker for minis and even though this was extremely expensive I could not resist the beautiful design and cute box. Positano is a strong bright white floral with gardenia, orange blossom, jasmine, magnolia, tuberose and lily. Rose Poivree is a strong rose with pepper notes. You can also buy the individual full size at places like Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York or Lucky Scent. Cire Trudon candles are quite the splurge but in my experience the throw and intensity surpasses all other brands.

In perfume long-time readers know I like to switch things up. I finally splurged on a full bottle of the Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt after using up a few minis I had from sets and GWPs. It’s funny because when it first launched I did not like it – but I gave it another chance before I moved and fell in love. I love layering it with the Mimosa and Cardamom and Wild Bluebell both thanks to the rec from one of my favorite Jo Malone reps in San Diego).

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc remains one of my favorites for warm weather but the latest launch Sole Di Positano is just absolutely amazing, especially for bergamot lovers. It an extension of the Neroli Portofino line which gets better with each new launch. This one has Italian bergamot, petitgrain bigrate, lemon and mandarin and shiso leaf. Sole Di Positano is not as citrus or sweet as the Neroli Portofino (one that I find smells great on others but not for me). It’s happiness in a bottle. The All Over Body Sprays have been around for quite some time but I never looked into them. I saw them in person for the first time (I finally discovered a counter near me) and was really surprised by how big the bottles were. They’re aerosol sprays and I decided to try Fleur de Portofino. I have the perfume version which I love for a more floral version of the Neroli Portofino line. I have mixed feelings about the sprays. When I’m indoors the scent lasts a long time on me with good staying power. However if I spray it on me and am outdoors for an extended period of time I find it fades after a few hours. I absolutely love the scent and am going to try layering the spray with the perfume. More thoughts to come soon – but Fleur de Portofino is another spring time favorite.

Last but not least Creed Virgin Island Water is pure love. It’s more of a summer scent but since it feels like summer where I am this is perfect. I don’t know that I’ve fallen in love with a scent as much as I have this one. I’m trying to ease up on use because I bought the smallest one and an worried I’m going to use it up too fast. I know it’s a silly thing to worry about since perfume is meant to be used – the small bottle was just so expensive!

That rounds up my loving right now spring home and perfume roundup. What are you loving right now? Do you have anything you’ve been obsessed with for the home? This time of year I feel like it’s the best time to makeover one’s home whether it’s updating bedding, home accents or new scents. Since we just moved, we are still in the process of furnishing our home. Going from a small loft to a full size house with a backyard and more bedrooms has been so exciting for us, but our furniture is pretty much swallowed up by the space. The last time we moved it took us about 6 months to fully furnish our loft because we started from scratch. This round I suspect it will also take time to fully furnish the home.

Press samples include Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Antica Farmacista Lush Balm and Bergamot Ocean Aria.

10 Comments

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Fragrance

His and Hers Fragrance Favorites of the Year

Best Colognes of the Year for Him

Sabrina’s Favorite Perfumes of the Year

Fragrance Favorites of the Year

Best Holiday Candles and Gifts for the Home

Christian Louboutin Parfums – New Sizes

Creed Les Royales Exclusives White Amber and Coffret

Creed + High Camp Gardenias for Mother’s Day

Tom Ford Paradiso Eye and Cheek, Sole di Positano, Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino

Loving Right Now: Spring Scents

Follow @beautylookbook