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Byredo

Fragrance Men's Grooming

Spring Fragrance Rotation for Him and Her

February 12, 2016

When it comes to fragrance, I feel like it takes me forever to pick something new and also forever to use one up. I have a few go-to’s but love trying new things and if you’re like me you will take a long time to build up a fragrance collection. If you’re looking for a new fragrance for spring, here’s what I have in rotation right now. I also have some of my husband’s favorites if you’re looking for gift ideas for any of the special men in your life.


My go-to spring scents are Byredo Black Saffron and Chanel Beige. Even though we have mild somewhat warm weather year round here in Southern California, I still think some fragrances are seasonal. It’s finally that time of year when I feel like I can wear the sweeter florals. Most of these last pretty long on my skin, at least until early afternoon. I do have an extremely sensitive nose though, so what smells strong to me might be non-existent to others. Out of the ones below I would say Byredo, Tom Ford and Creed have the longest lasting power on my skin.
  • Byredo Black Saffron is a mix of berry and musk, I’ve had this one for like forever, it’s one of the few berry scents I can wear because it’s not too sweet yet not too musky
    • Top notes: pomelo, saffron, juniper berry
    • Middle notes: black violet,
      accord cuir, cristal rose
    • Base notes: blonde woods, raspberry, vetiver
  • Byredo Bal D’Afrique is something I am beyond obsessed with, I have this in the single mini from the holiday Discovery Set, it’s a sweeter scent to me it smells kinda peachy and floral all at the same time, I also have it in the oil rollerball version, if you’re debating between the oil or spray, get the traditional spray version, it has better lasting power
    • Top notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli, African marigold, bucchu
    • Middle
      notes: violet, jasmine petals, cyclamen
    • Base notes: black amber, musk,
      vetiver, Moroccan cedarwood
  • Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is one of the latest fragrance launches from Tom Ford, it’s a clean white floral that has a summery beachy feel, there’s a hint of amber in it to prevent it from feeling too powdery or too floral (review here)
  • Chloe Eau de Parfum is one of the most popular fragrances on Sephora’s website, it’s been on my radar for a long time, it’s very soft and girly, for something this strong a floral I’m surprised that I liked it, I decided on the 10th time of trying it in store after spritzing samples on myself to just go ahead and go for it
    • Notes: Pink Peony, Freesia, Lychee, Magnolia Flower, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Cedarwood, Amber, Honey
  • Chanel Beige Exclusifs is one of my all time favorites, it’s one of the only Chanel fragrances I’ve liked enough to splurge on, it’s a clean white and warm floral mix that smells very natural and fresh
    • Notes: Hawthorn, freesia, frangipani, honey
  • L’Artisan Mure et Musc is one of the fragrances I’ve used for the longest period of time, I discovered this line from one of my long-time friends from college, it’s a blackberry musk described as having notes of lemon, basil, blackberry and musk, I feel like this one is my no-fail everyday, every season kind of fragrance
  • Maison Martin Margiela Replica Lipstick On is my newest discovery, it’s a soft feminine blush floral kind of scent that smells like makeup, it’s a floral and has powdery notes, so it surprised me how much I like it because powdery scents typically make me gag, there is a very slight hint of vanilla in it which makes it feel warm and well rounded
    • Notes: Bergamot Oil, Heliotrope Accord, Neroli Oil, Orange Flower Absolute,
      Iris Concrete, Galbanum Oil, Tonka Bean Absolute, Vanilla Bourbon
      Extract, Patchouli Oil
  • Maison Martin Margiela Replica Beach Walk in the rollerball is the prettiest relaxing soothing beachy scents I’ve ever tried, if you’ve smelled the Henri Bendel Beach Candle, this is similar in fragrance form that’s wearable, it smells like a fresh mix of musk and coconut with peppery notes, it’s a beachy scent without the floral notes many others have
    • Notes: Bergamot, Pink Pepper, Lemon, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk, Heliotrope, Musk, Cedarwood, Benzoin
  • Creed Royal Princess Oud is the most exquisite and most expensive perfume I have ever owned, the Creed team kindly sent me a sample to try – I love Oud fragrances but my husband always says they are too masculine for me (even though I disagree and think they are unisex), this one has a distinct feminine touch to it, this is a lovely mix of violet, iris and sandalwood, lasting power is extremely good, one of the longest lasting fragrances I’ve ever tried
    • Top notes: bitter Sicilian bergamot, rose, sweet violet
    • Middle notes: jasmine, vanilla, patchouli, iris from Tuscany
    • Base: benzoin from Thailand, Mysore sandalwood, styrax
  • Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb is a classic favorite, this one is my special occasion or date night kind of scent to wear, it’s too strong to wear everyday for me, but I know many other women have told me this is their all time favorite, the notes of patchouli are dominant in this one, noticeable floral notes are rose and freesia
    • Notes: Sambac Jasmine, Centifolia Rose, Cattleya Orchid, Ballerina Freesia, Patchouli
My husband is the kind of guy who wants to use 2 colognes at most. I think he smells amazing no matter what he has on so I don’t mind if he wears the same scent on a regular basis, but I’ve been trying to get him to explore more which is where the little mini samples come in. Every time I order something online and they have the option to pick samples I try to find men’s skincare or fragrance minis. If he has a mini sitting on his counter, he will try it. He’s discovered a few new loves this way. Right now here is what he has in rotation:
  • Hermes fragrances can be found at a wide range of retailers, but at the Hermes Boutiques and online they have a Pocket Fragrance Set where you can customize your own travel set of 4 fragrances. You can mix and match any ones they have available, pricing varies depend on what you select, but it’s around the $125ish range, I picked four for him:
    • Voyage d’Hermes Eau de Toilette smells of citrus, musk and leather
    • Voyage d’Hermes Eau de Parfum smells of amber and citrus with a hint of floral, this is more masculine compared to the Eau de Toilette version
    • Terre d’Hermes Eau de Toilette smells like a mix of wood, bitter citrus, spice and vetiver
    • Terre d’Hermes Eau de Parfum is a more masculine, woody, stronger version of the Eau de Toilette
  • Chanel Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette is his favorite fragrance of all time, he’s gone through at least a dozen of the travel size versions and multiples of the full size bottles, every so often they will have gift sets with aftershave or showergel travel size minis that he likes to try, this one is a clean masculine woody scent
  • Dior Sauvage is a lightweight clean masculine scent, it has notes of citrus mixed in with pepper, in terms of everyday scents, he says this is one of them, but he prefers the Chanel Bleu de Chanel, he wanted me to mention that if the man in your life likes something simple but polished and new from his everyday cologne, the Dior is a good one to try
    • Notes: Reggio Bergamot, Sichuan Pepper, Ambroxan
  • Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb comes in a limited-edition gift set trio for Valentine’s Day, this is one of the most peppery fragrances I’ve smelled for men, I thought it might be too strong or peppery for my husband, but for some reason everything transform into an amazing kind of smell on his skin, this one according to him is more for a date night or special occasion kind of fragrance, not for everyday, you can really smell the saffron, vetiver and pink pepper notes
    • Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Cinnamon Leaf, Pink
      Pepper, Lavandin, Chilli, Saffron, Elemi, Vetiver, Balsam Fir, Tobacco Accord, White
      Leather Accord
  • One last men’s fragrance of special note, he also really likes Tom Ford Azure Lime which he is currently out of, I will be getting this for him for Valentine’s Day, it’s a clean fresh masculine scent, for something so clean and simple smelling the notes are really complex
    • Notes: bergamot, lemon, Valencia orange, Thai basil, mint, rosemary,
      lime tonic accord, juniper berry, fennel, iris, jasmine, neroli, orange
      blossom, pittosporum, bucchu leaves, violet leaves, black currant buds,
      cypress, oak, patchouli, sandalwood, moss, skin accord, tonka bean
I always get the best recommendations from my readers of what to try. I’m pretty set on a lot right now, but it’s always nice to explore and add things to the fragrance wishlist. If you have anything you love right now please share. Also if there are any new discoveries for you or the men in your life – let me know in the comments!

Press samples include the Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb, Spicebomb, Maison Margiela Lipstick On and Creed Royal Princess Oud.

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Fragrance

Byredo La Sélection Parfum Set – Holiday Discovery Collection

December 26, 2015

For Christmas, I had the Byredo La Sélection Parfum Set ($145) on my wishlist so my husband ordered it for me as a gift this year. I’m one who adores exploring new perfumes and I’ve had so many from Byredo on my wishlist but it takes me forever to use up an entire bottle and I switch things up frequently so this little set is the perfect way for me to enjoy a lot all at once. This set comes with six fragrances all 12 ml/0.4 fl oz each (made in France). These are the same size vials as the Travel Spray Trios ($110), so I consider the set a value.

There have been other discovery sets launched from Byredo but I don’t believe they had spritzers. I adore perfume sets because they allow you to try a lot of different scents over time, but the downside of some is that they don’t come with a pump to spritz. I’m one who doesn’t like to dab – I find it gets messy. The set comes in a beautiful white box. The presentation is clean, crisp and just stunning in its simplicity.

There are six scents in this set. I’ve owned Black Saffron and Gypsy Water in the full size bottles before and the Bal D’Afrique in a rollerball version:
  • Blanche is like fresh clean linen floral to me. It’s a lightweight white floral that has a slight powdery feel. This one is hit or miss with the fragrance for me, sometimes it feels too powdery. I really like it in the Hand Cream and have been tempted by it in the roll-on oil version. Now that I have the spray it will give me some time to test.
    • Top notes: white rose, pink pepper, aldehyde. Middle notes: violet, neroli, peony. Base notes: blonde woods, sandalwood, musk.
  • La Tulipe is another fresh spring floral. It also has a very clean feel with noticeable freesia notes. It has a similar vibe to Blanche, but La Tulipe is more floral feeling.
    • Top notes: rhubarb, cyclamen, freesia. Middle notes: tulip. Base notes: blonde woods, vetiver.
  • Bal D’Afrique is amazing, it’s a sweet mix of musk, violet, amber, cedar and smells like it has a hint of peach. I have this in the roll on oil and have been spritzing this since I got the set. I like this one so much, I indulged in the Body Cream (review soon).
    • Top notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli, African marigold, bucchu. Middle notes: violet, jasmine petals, cyclamen. Base notes: black amber, musk, vetiver, Moroccan cedarwood.
  • Gypsy Water is one I had a few years ago. It’s the most amazing mix of sweet vanilla, berries and sandalwood. It gave me a horrible migrane if I didn’t spray it just right  – I found I had to spritz it in a very fine mist. I’m going to give it another go – I’ve since acquired some sample minis from a few visits to the counter and tried them. They seemed to be ok, I’ll report back.
    • Top notes: bergamot, lemon, pepper, juniper berries. Middle notes: incense, pine needles, orris. Base notes: amber, vanilla, sandalwood.
  • Black Saffron is one I own in the full size. It’s my favorite berry fragrance. Review here.
    • Top notes: pomelo, saffron, juniper berry. Middle notes: black violet, accord cuir, cristal rose. Base notes: blonde woods, raspberry, vetiver.
  • Oud Immortel is the one I thought I tried at the counter and hated. I must have mixed it up with a different one because I just spritzed this one and it reminds me of Tom Ford Oud Wood and Jo Malone Oud and Bergamot, both of which I had and adored as unisex scents. My husband disagreed and said it was too masculine for me and decided to borrow it for himself instead lol. I asked a girl friend for her input and she agreed that they were both too masculine so I decided to acquiesce. I’ll have to wear this one more to see whether or not I can pull this one off, but it smells amazing.
    • Top notes: limoncello, incense, cardamom. Middle notes: patchouli, papyrus, Brazilian rosewood. Base notes: tobacco leaves, moss.

For size comparisons and reference, below the 12 ml vial next to the 7.5 ml Roll-On Oil and 50 ml Bottle:

Held in the hand – you can see the bottles give you a decent amount of product for a proper sampling (on the nails Burberry Military Red Nail Polish):

Comparisons to a few other minis:

Byredo Roll-On Oil in Bal D’Afrique
Jo Malone Mini Cologne (from the Cologne Gift Set)

Bottom line, this set = love. I think it’s a great sampler set for those new to Byredo or anyone who has been wanting to try a bunch of scents but doesn’t want to spend the $145+ on the full size bottles just yet. I still have a long ways to go before finishing my Black Saffron, but after this set is used up I suspect I will be splurging on Bal D’Afrique.

Did you find any good perfume sampler sets this holiday? If so which ones? The Jo Malone Cologne Collection and Cologne Intense Sets are always great each year. I think it was awesome Diptyque launched one this year as well. I’m happy to see more lines offer these sets and hopefully next year more will incorporate the spritzer because I think it makes all the difference.

You can still find the Byredo Discovery Set at a few retailers, I do suspect it is limited-edition for holiday as their sets usually are. Online at Net-A-Porter, Barney’s New York and Lucky Scent.

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Fragrance

Spring Scent Rotation

May 5, 2015

Today I have a roundup of some of my favorite spring fragrances for right now. I have a mix of newly released fragrances alongside some classic staples. Purchasing fragrance is something I used to be so intimidated by. I found the options overwhelming and didn’t understand notes. When shopping I always used to say, “I prefer something light.” These days I’m not as timid in trying fragrances although I do prefer scent that are on the light fresh and floral side, sometimes with a bit of spice or amber mixed in. I think the best way to shop with fragrance is with a friend so they can give you a second opinion on the spot. It’s something that can take time – if you’re like me your nose can probably only take so many sniffs in one session. I like to browse reviews or new releases online and often make a smell list and take it to the counters with me. What I’m loving right now listed below. 

Diptyque Florabellio Eau de Toilette is a mix of apple blossom, sea salt, fennel, apricot-scented osmanthus mist and a hint of coffee. It’s a sweet floral with a very slight musk feel. I like that it’s light and refreshing and sweet but not too sweet. The coffee and sea salt give this one a bit of a more complex feel and prevents it from being too floral. Full review here.

Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino Eau de Parfum is the latest from Tom Ford and is new for summer. I have been a huge fan of the Mandarino di Almalfi for a bright citrus. I have a small decant of the first one released Neroli Portofino which is a stronger and deeper version. All three have a very similar vibe. The Mandarino is the brightest and most citrus. Neroli has more musk making it more unisex. The latest Fleur de Portofino has White Acacia Honey in it which gives it a more feminine feel and makes it less citrusy (but the citrus is still noticeable).

L’Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de Toilette is the latest addition to the La Collection de Grasse line. It’s described as a velvety iris and has a mix of both blue and white iris. This one is predominantly floral and is very sweet. Lasting power and strength seems to be much stronger than the other fragrances from the line. It’s a fragrance that feels like pure spring. It’s also available in some cute sets like the Mini Fragrance Set, Iris Bleu and Blanc Duo, and the Iris Bleu and Blanc Collection Set.

Chanel Beige Les Exclusifs de Chanel is my husband’s current favorite on me. It took me forever to splurge on a bottle and I can see myself wearing this one for many years to come. It’s described as having “Hawthorn, Freesia and Frangipani, with shimmering hints of honey” and I can’t think of better words to describe it. It’s the perfect floral and honey mix. The honey isn’t overpowering so it’s not overly powdery or sweet. Full review here.

L’Artisan Mûre Et Musc is my husband’s second favorite and one of my top picks in terms of fragrance. I bought this based on the recommendation of one of my long-time friends Laura. She’s a fragrance aficionada and my go-to when it comes to fragrance recommendations. It’s my most repurchased scent. I always try to buy the smaller 50 ml size even though the 100 ml size is a better buy. This is one of the few sweet blackberry scents I can wear without getting a headache or feeling like I am wearing a fruit smoothie. It has a mix of black berries, red berries and musk. The musk is pretty strong in this one it dries down to a soft feel. If you like blackberry scents you might also want to look into Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay. I prefer the L’Artisan because it’s not as sharp or sweet.

Tom Ford Shimmering Body Oil isn’t a traditional fragrance but I’m completely in love with this one. I don’t typically like shimmer or glitters but this body oil smells so incredible I am doing everything I can to make it work. This sprays a fine mist of tiny glitter particles but it’s not overly glitzy. The body oil has a mix of white florals and amber sandalwood which I love in scents. My husband prefers florals on me rather than sandalwood or amber and this is the first scented product I’ve found that he approves of on me. It smells like summer in a bottle.

Byredo Black Saffron is another fragrance that has been on my wish list for ages. I bought this at Neiman Marcus Fashion Island which has the best Byredo counter I’ve been to. They are super friendly, patient and don’t pressure you to buy anything. I like that they take the time to walk you through the fragrance options. Black Saffron is another berry scent that I can wear. The notes in this one are complex with the top notes: Pomelo, saffron, juniper berr, heart notes: Black violet, accord cuir, cristal rose
and base notes: Blond woods, raspberry, vetiver. I have the travel size vials on my wish list.

Do you have a go-to scent this spring? I’d love to hear about your tried-and-true staples or any new discoveries. I’m always looking for recommendations!

The L’Occitane and Diptyque scents were provided as courtesy press samples for review consideration. All others purchased by me.

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Uncategorized

Byredo Mini Candle Trio Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantôme

March 4, 2015

I’ve had this Byredo Trio of Minis on my wishlist for quite some time and finally caved and ordered them online. The trio includes three individually wrapped candles in Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantôme. This specific set is currently exclusive to Net-A-Porter and Byredo.com ($120 for the set) but you can buy them individually in the mini size and full sizes at select locations. Based on what I’ve seen in person, stores seem to have limited inventory of the minis. Each mini has 8.4 oz /70 g with an approximate burn time of 14 hours each although I haven’t timed my burn lengths.

The three mini candles all have extremely good throw even at the small size. Based on my experience with the full-sized Fleur Fantôme, I can say the mini is just as strong in scent once it is burned. I’ve burned each of the minis over the past few weeks. These are lovely unique home scents but my heart still belongs to Diptyque and Henri Bendel.

Bibliothèque mimics the Bal D’Afrique perfume. To me this is a warm peachy plum that gives all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings. It is still very fruity so if you’re not a fan of sweet, I’d say skip this one.

Top notes: Peach, Plum
Middle: Violet, Peony
Base: Patchouli, Leather, Vanilla

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Cotton Poplin resembles Blanche perfume. The candle is much better than the perfume version (in my opinion). It’s a fresh clean linen-like scent with a hint of powdery floral mixed in without feeling too powdery. This is quite unique and makes the entire room feel bright and clean.

Top notes: Blue Chamomile
Middle: Linen, White Cedarwood
Base: Sweet Musk

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Fleur Fantôme is a unique floral. This is one of the most natural-smelling sweet floral candles I’ve burned, it makes you feel like you are in a spring garden. 

Top notes: Rhubarb, Lemon Petitgrain Leaves
Middle: Violet Leaves, Tulip Extract
Base: Galbanum, Heliotrope, Suede

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The Byredo candles are comparable with Diptyque in terms of price per ounce. I no longer have the larger full-sized Byredo candle anymore to show you an image of but for reference here are the minis compared to the full-sized and mini Diptyque (full break down on Diptyque sizing here):

Price per ounce breakdown:

Byredo full size
240 g / 8.4 oz for $80 to $95
Burn time 60 hours
Price per oz $9.52 to $11.30/oz

Bydedo mini size
70 g / 2.4 oz for $40 each
Burn time 14 hours
Price per oz $16.67/oz

Diptyque full size
190 g / 6.5 oz for $60 to $68
Burn time 60 hours
Price per oz $9.23/oz

Diptyque Mini

70 g / 2.4 oz for $30
Burn time 30 hours
Price per oz $11.76/oz

While the minis are really adorable and are great to sample the scents or good for travel, the better buy is the larger size. Packaging-wise these are sleek and simple making beautiful home accents. Recycling the older versions proved to be tricky since the labels were made of paper and if you got them wet it ruined them completely. If you search for reviews or images you might notice that the packaging has changed slightly (older version shown here). The newer version seems to have a more sturdy label but it is still prone to smudging and staining.

My overall assessment of these Byredo Candles is that they are a luxurious splurge. Beautiful with strong throw and unique scents, but extremely pricey. Although you the price per oz of the full size is similar that of Diptyque, spending $80+ on a single candle is pretty hard to stomach. Out of all the Byredo candles, the three scents in this trio are among the softest and most soothing in overall feel although the scent itself is very strong. I have a full size Cotton Poplin on order but will probably not be ordering anymore for a while.



In case you missed it, be sure to check out my Candle Care Tips and Recycling Posts. I’ve included tips on how to avoid tunneling, burning the sides, excessive smoking and also how to recycle the candles after you finish burning them.

I ordered my Mini Candle Trio from Net-A-Porter. It’s also available at Byredo.com. Individual minis are available at select stores from Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus too but you may have to shop around to find all three in stock.
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Monthly Favorites

February Favorites

February 28, 2015

I haven’t done a monthly favorites roundup in a while since I find my favorites rotate quite frequently. I like to mix things up and change things around. This month I narrowed down a favorites list to some items I’ve been enjoying thoroughly. As always I’d love to hear from you about your favorites for the past month. (The items below include links to previous reviews where applicable.)
This month feels like it’s been all about new lip releases. I’m still working on reviews for the new Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshine but will say right now these new Dior  glosses are phenomenal. I’ve been loving them a lot – they have the perfect mix of color and shine. I have all the swatches and review finished but still need to pull colors for comparison swatches.

Other lip staples this month include Charlotte Tilbury Confession, Marc Jacobs Beauty Infamous and Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Peter. I’ve also been reaching for the Chanel Hydrabeauty Lip Balm. Initially I thought this was just an average lip treatment. The more I use it the more I like this as a lightweight lip balm that doesn’t feel heavy on the lips and adds a nice veil of moisture.

For the skin I’ve been going through a lot of masks. My favorite is the Aesop Parsley Seed Mask. It’s the best clarifying face mask I’ve tried that is good for sensitive skin. It will draw out impurities and is gentle enough to use multiple times a week. I like it because it smells like a spa and it doesn’t irritate the skin. My favorite new cleanser discovery is the Glamglow Supercleanse Daily Clearing Cleanser. It’s a bit too strong for daily use but I do use it multiple times per week.

For eyeshadow palettes, the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con in The Dreamer has a beautiful mix of warm neutrals. There are golds, corals, champagnes and tan shimmers with a really good matte brown. This one is what I wanted Lolita to be. Let me know if you want a full review of this one.

My current foundation routine includes a mix of Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow + NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation. This combo gives the perfect glow with medium to full coverage.

For fragrance, I’ve become smitten with the Byredo Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantôme set from Net-A-Porter. These are so cute although pricey, it’s a nice way to try the candles at a cheaper price than buying the full size. My favorite is still Fleur Fantôme (which I have the full size of). Full review to come soon.

Last but not least, I’ve still been loving the Lumira Paradisium perfume. It’s the perfect mix of florals with a hint of fig.

What have your favorites been this month?
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Fragrance Skincare

Byredo Bal d’Afrique L’Huile Parfum Oil Roll-On and Blanche Hand Cream

February 10, 2015

I stopped by Fashion Island a few weekends ago with Beauty Professor for lunch and beauty shopping. One counter we stopped at was the Byredo counter at Neiman Marcus where I fell in love with their new Blanche Hand Cream ($35 for 30 ml/1 oz, made in France) and Bal d’Afrique L’Huile Parfum Oil Roll-On ($78 for 7.5 ml).

I’ve been a huge fan of Byredo candles, but since I don’t have easy immediate access to the line, it’s a fragrance brand that I tend to overlook because I like to smell things in person before buying. They recently released three hand creams in Blanche, Bal d’Afrique and La Tulipe, all of which have been on my radar for quite some time but I was reluctant to buy because of the packaging. These come in a sleek white squeeze tube similar to the original Stila Lipshines or Aesop Skincare tubes. They don’t keep their shape and seem extremely delicate, but after testing them, I had to give one a try. These are some of the fanciest hand creams I’ve ever seen and the scents are absolutely divine.

On the nails, Louboutin Sweet Charity (review here)

Blanche is a clean lightweight fresh floral with a soft linen feel. The notes include, top notes of White rose, pink pepper, aldehyde, heart notes are Violet, neroli, peony, base notes are Blond woods, sandalwood, musk. The texture is semi thick with an emollient feel and hydrates the hands nicely. The scent is just so luscious and luxurious – I can’t think of a better treat for your hands. That being said, I do think there are hand creams that will do a better job at moisturizing (my favorites here) but the Byredo one is still very good. If the packaging were sturdier I think I could give this a glowing rave review. Due to the delicate nature of this one, it’s not one I can comfortably carry in my purse or makeup bag even though I tend to be very careful with my purse contents.

Bal d’Afrique L’Huile Parfum Oil Roll-On was love at first smell. I opted for the roll on version because I used to use Gypsy Water spray version but found it induced a migraine if I didn’t spray it just right. Bal d’Afrique is a sweet scent that smells slightly fruity with a hint of peach. The notes include top notes of bergamot, lemon, neroli, African marigold, bucchu, heart notes of Violet, Jasmine petals, cyclamen and base notes of Black amber, musk, vetiver, Moroccan cedar wood. My nose doesn’t quite smell all those notes, to me it’s a mix of lemon, neroli and jasmine but the mix is quite unique. I adore this one which really surprises me because it’s on the sweet side and I normally do not like sweet scents on me. This is definitely more of a spring-summer kind of fragrance. I like it right now, but do feel it’s more seasonal rather than year-round. Lasting power is quite good on me, it lasts several hours without fading. I like the convenience of the roll on because it’s easy to apply precisely and also small enough to fit into a clutch or makeup bag.

I received a small sample at the counter of Mojave Ghost and Black Saffron – both of which smell amazing as well and are on my wishlist now.


Do you have any Byredo favorites? If not, what’s your current go-to scent? I’m always looking for recommendations to check out even though I have a super picky nose.

You can find Byredo at select Neiman Marcus stores and online. I’ve also bought items from the line in store at Barneys New York and online from Net-A-Porter.

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Fragrance Home / Interiors

Fresh and Light

April 16, 2014

Right now I’m loving fresh, light and uplifting scents for the home. I always find it interesting how my scent preferences change with the seasons. I usually think I lean towards all-occasion types of fragrances but these days I’m gravitating towards lighter fresher scents. A few favorites right now I find to be unique with good throw:
  • Malin + Goetz Mojito ($52 for 9 oz for 60 hour burn) is a fresh mix of lime, mint, basil and rum. This is my first Malin+Goetz candle and I love how this burns really cleanly, the scent is so unique, I’ve never smelled anything like it before. Mojito has a fresh unique uplifting scent including top notes of lime, rum, mint leaves, peppery basil, middle notes of spearmint and Chinese mint, base notes of white musk. I highly recommend this one for a clean fresh scent.

  • Diptyque Geranium Rosa ($60 for 6.5 oz, 60 hour burn) is one of the Diptyque scents that is harder to find (for me at least), you can find it all Diptyque stores and more retailers are starting to carry it now. This one is a fresh light green floral with a hint of mint (however I think I’m the only one who detects any mint). Geranium Rosa is one of those scents that is extremely green and very floral, if you prefer scents that aren’t quite as green, opt for Roses or Baies which are not quite as sharp. I like this one for the fresh green feel it creates.

  • Byredo Fleur Fantôme ($80 for 10.5 oz, 60 hour burn) is one of the splurgiest candles I’ve ever purchased, it has a highly complex mix of florals. Top notes: Rhubarb, Lemon Petitgrain Leaves, Middle notes: Violet Leaves, Tulip Extract, Base notes: Galbanum, Heliotrope, Suede. It has a refreshing floral mix and for something so complex, it actually has a simple fresh feel. Fleur Fantome has to be one of the most beautiful smelling candle I’ve ever burned, it smells like a beautiful garden.

  • Henri Bendel Beach ($15 for 4 oz travel size or $30 for 9.4 oz size) is another unique fresh scent (it’s one of my most repurchased candles). Beach is like the ultimate vacation scent and the mix is pure genius. There is nothing like it and it smells exactly like a beach vacation. If you’re new to Henri Bendel’s line and are looking for a recommendation to try something new, Beach would be my top pick. Notes include warm white sand and earthly driftwood blend with the summery
    smells of jasmine, white lotus, creamy coconut milk and sweet
    rosewater. I find Henri Bendel to be among the best candles at a decent price
    range. They have a diverse range of amazing scents that aren’t too
    overpowering but still have really good throw.

What home fragrances are you loving right now as we transition into warmer spring weather?

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