Diptyque has released a number of new candles for fall. I picked up Vanille ($60 for 190g/6.5 oz) and Le Redouté ($85 for 220g/7.3 oz) early last month. I’ve been burning each for a few weeks now and have completely fallen in love with both.
Vanille is a smokey vanilla that has a slight wood-like feel. It has a smokey vibe similar to Feu De Bois but not quite as dark. The candle is described by Diptyque as a “vanilla orchid” that “gradually gives way to the intensity of the pod … spices take precedence, blending with sandalwood and elemi to reveal a balsamy Bourbon Vanilla with smooth and woody accents.” When I first opened Vanille, it was primarily smokey, just like firewood, but after letting it breathe for a while it turned into a smooth warm vanilla scent. I’m a huge fan of vanilla scents in general, but finding a good one is difficult. I don’t like the ones that are super sweet. To date, my favorite is Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean because it’s the best smelling warm vanilla. Diptyque’s Vanille is more complex with an obvious firewood mix that makes it very unique. The scent is one of the stronger ones from Diptyque, I find it has a super smooth burn that feels just like fall. I really like Vanille, I think it’s for the vanilla-lover who doesn’t like super sweet vanilla scents.
Le Redouté joins the 34 Collection in two forms. I purchased the marbled porcelain jar version for $85. All of these are hand-crafted using the “terre mêlée” (mixed clay) technique which makes every piece is unique. It also comes in a pillar format which retails for $75 + $150 for a photophore (these are exclusive to the boutiques). Le Redouté is a cinnamon potpourri mix. It’s described as having cinnamon, clove, orange roses, cedar and amber. This one is also quite strong and fills the entire room within seconds. In this one it is primarily cinnamon which I think has more of a holiday feel. In Southern California we usually have sunny weather year-round, right now it hardly feels like fall. I’ve really enjoyed Le Redouté but will probably be burning it later in the season.
A quick look at the new fall items from Diptyque at the South Coast Plaza boutique. The three pillars are exclusive to the stores and Diptyqueparis.com, there are three photophores to purchase in addition to the pillars but they didn’t have any on display at the time I went. There is also a larger version of Ambre in the colored glass jar.
Both Vanille and Le Redouté are beautiful home scents for fall. I’m particularly smitten with Vanille and will bring out Le Redouté later in the season. There is another vanilla candle called Benjoin which is an online exclusive, I expect to receive it soon and will make a comparison once it arrives. Do you have any favorite home scents for fall? Have you checked out any of the new offerings from Diptyque?
I hope everyone has been enjoying the weekend. We’re still experiencing really warm weather in Southern California but it’s finally started to cool down a little bit. Fall and holiday items are trickling in stores but it doesn’t feel like fall yet. A few new items I’ve spotted that are on my current beauty radar:
Chanel has re-released some cult classics in the new Collection Les Rouges Culte (1). There are three Le Vernis shades in Rouge Flamboyant, Laque Rouge, and Rouge No. 19 along with three featured shades of Rouge Coco Shine in Boheme, Dialogue and Suspense. In my mind Chanel can do no wrong when it comes to reds so I ordered the nail polishes and will swatch them as soon as they arrive.
I’m always on the hunt for cool stationery. I find hand-written notes can be fun and they add that personal touch which I feel is slowly disappearing in this digital age of e-mails and texts. Connor has this cute Emoji Stationery Set (2) which I have on my wish list. I have their desk calendar and love their exquisite designs and the card stock they use is very good quality.
Marc Jacobs Beauty has some new items for fall and holiday. There are 9 new shades of Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer (3) for fall (hover over the shades on Sephora to see which colors are labeled as “new”). I have my eyes on Blanche (white cream), Cobra (black grape) and Louise (ballet pink beige). There are some new items for holiday which includes a new Collector’s Edition Midnight in Paris shade that comes in a keepsake box.
Also for fall, there are several new palettes of the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No.7 – Plush Shadow (4). I just ordered Enigma which has a mix of black, grey, taupe and pink. I’ll be swatching in the next couple weeks and report back.
L’Occitane recently released the Bonne Mère Collection (5). There are a number of shower gels and soaps in this line that is very gentle. Each comforting formula is hypoallergenic and PH neutral, made without parabens or phenoxyethanol. I’ve been testing a couple of the shower gels in Rosemary and Olive over the past couple of months and they are amazing. Rosemary is such a unique one with a refreshing one that has a beautiful scent (it’s not like actual rosemary like I expected).
The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (7) will launch next month (you can add your e-mail to the wait list at Sephora). It’s a definite must-have on my list, I hope to have swatches of this beauty this week as well. First impressions are that it took my breath away as soon as I opened it.
Diptyque Benjoin (8) is an online exclusive that is described as somewhere in between vanilla and caramel. It sounds like it could be either incredibly amazing or overly sweet. I have this on the way to my house and will report back as soon as I am able to burn it. This one is available for a limited time.
What’s on your beauty radar this week?
P.S. Thank you to everyone who entered last week’s giveaway! The winner has been announced on the widget, congrats to Denise P at e-mail deniseg*******[email protected], check your inbox, i just sent you a message 🙂
Plum lips are always something I look forward to when we transition into fall each year. I find plum shades to be classic colors and look forward to each year’s new take on the shade. There are so many beautiful variations of plum ranging from soft neutrals to reddish plums to deep dramatic vamps. I’m a neutral lip lover so I feel like I can’t pull off dramatic colors easily. Also since I have a lot of pigment in my lips, plum colored lipsticks and lip glosses can often pull really red or extremely blue. Nordstrom Beauty has curated a selection of 30 shades on their Trending Now Section featuring dramatic colors for a Velvet Berry Lip. I’ve partnered with Nordstrom to share my favorite plum lip picks for neutral lip lovers (like myself).
When it comes to plums or dark dramatic lip colors in general I prefer sheerer lipsticks or lipgloss formulas. They are more forgiving on the lips when it comes to fading. The contrast between your natural lip and the lipstick can become obvious when the color starts to wear off. You can extend the wear with a lipliner blended over the lip to help the fading look less obvious. My favorites for plums include Chanel Nude (which isn’t really a true nude) and MAC Beurre Creamstick Liner.
My top picks for lip glosses include:
MAC Lovechild Lipglass is the prettiest mix of purple, gold and rose, on me it goes on purple, on others I’ve seen it pull more pink, it’s universally flattering in my mind and has been a long-time staple in my lip wardrobe
NARS Sixties Fan Lipgloss is a dark wine in the tube but goes on a sheer reddish plum, if you’re a no-shimmer kind of lip person this is a good option for you, it layers well over lipliners and matte lipsticks
Chantecaille Mulberry Luminous Lipgloss is new for fall, it is a deep wine infused with gold and red and plum shimmers, the coverage is medium to full, you can layer it for more pigment
Tom Ford Love Bruise Ultra Shine Lipgloss is a soft blue-toned plum, it has a semi-transparent finish but still shows a decent amount of color, there is shimmer in this but it’s subtle
Chanel Pagoda Glossimer has been a long time favorite, I’m so happy they didn’t discontinue this shade (many of my favorites have been discontinued), if want my recommendation on just one high-end plum lipgloss, this is my favorite
MAC Viva Glam VI Lipglass is another classic plum, this one has quite a bit of sparkle in the tube, it has a mix of rose and silver sparkles, but on the lips it’s not too sparkly, I’ve seen this on a number of different skin tones and it looks good on everyone
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My top picks for lipsticks include:
Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist is about as dark as I will go for lips, it’s a blue-based plum, but on my lips it pulls more red, your mileage may vary on the color, but I love how it looks so different on everyone I’ve seen it on, the Lip Mists have this unique lipstick/gel texture that glides on the lips and hugs them so the color really adheres well
Chantecaille Lotus Lipstick was featured in the fall collection and sold out in all the stores near me, I had to have the store locate it online to ship to me, if you can find it, I highly recommend it, the color has a glossy finish that looks very natural and has quite a bit of color
MAC Plumful Lustre Lipstick is a sheer blue-toned plum, it’s almost identical to Chantecaille Lotus on my lips in terms of color and coverage
Chanel Confident Rouge Coco Shine is a soft lighter plum, it’s one of the few light plums I’ve been able to find in a lipstick form, if you have darker skin tones or lips you might find this pulls more pinkish rather than plum
Guerlain Fabulous Rose is new from the Kiss Kiss Shaping Cream formula, there are a number of stunning plums and wines, this one has a lot of shimmer but it melds into the lips naturally so it doesn’t look frosty, for a plum I was torn between Fabulous Rose, Cherry Pink and Air Kiss and the artist recommended Fabulous Rose for a warmer plum that would still be natural
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For coordinating the rest of your beauty look, I recommend keeping the cheeks and eyes understated. Too much color can be overwhelming if you have a darker plum lip. My absolute favorite go-to blush is NARS Madly. It’s a soft beige peach pink color that adds warmth and color to the face that coordinates well with almost any lip color (not just plum, but also nudes, pinks and peaches). For the eyes to keep it simple I like NARS All About Eve and Kalahari Eyeshadow Duos which go well with plum lips and add subtle definition to the eyes. I like that you can layer the shades of Kalahari over the Himalia Dual Intensity Eye Shadows for more intensity. If I need more color I like adding a deep plum or brown along the upper lash lines for definition. I’m still on the hunt for a good plum eyeliner (one that has some shimmer and is really dark) but for now I like darker plum shadows applied with a small smudge brush like MAC Beauty Marked or NARS Subra.
If you’re one who prefers neutral lips but want to try something plum with more color, I hope my picks and swatches help give you some ideas on how to wear a more subdued plum. If you’re all about color, I highly recommend you check out Nordstrom’s Velvet Berry Lip selections.
Do you have a favorite berry or plum-colored lipstick or lipgloss?
I would love to hear what your beauty go-to’s are!
Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post.
Diptyque has a beautiful selection of new items for fall. I stopped by the boutique earlier this week and left with several items. The first I want to share with you is a new fragrance addition to their Collection 34 line inspired by the address of Diptyque’s first boutique. This fall they’ve introduced a beautiful soft mimosa scent called Essences Insensées which comes in a Solid Perfume ($60 for 3.6 g/0.13 oz) and a new special-edition bottle in the Eau de Parfum ($175 for 100 ml).
Both versions at the beautiful Diptyque store at South Coast Plaza:
I purchased the Solid Perfume option. I have a couple other of the Solid Perfumes in Eau Duelle and L’Ombre dans l’Eau. Both have lasted me quite a long time and I love the design of the compacts. They are easy to carry with you in a small clutch or makeup bag and perfect for touch ups. Also you don’t have to worry about any glass breaking.
The Essences Insensées is a lovely light weight floral. It has mimosa mixed with May rose and heliotrope. I’ve always been a huge fan of mimosa-scented candles but when it comes to fragrance you wear, I’ve had a difficult time finding one I could wear. Most mimosa scents are very lightweight and lovely but have a powdery touch making them smell like play do once spritzed on the skin (at least to me). What I love about the Essences Insensées is that it’s clearly mimosa but it has other scents mixed in so it doesn’t smell powdery. The solid version smells almost exactly like the spray. The spray is stronger with a slightly more complex feel. As it dries down the fragrance reveals different layers of scent which I find both soothing and uplifting at the same time.
The new 34 Essences Insensées has the same size and design of the other solid perfumes but comes in a lovely drawstring pouch and gold metallic case.
When I first smelled a sample of Jo Malone’s new Wood Sage and Sea Salt, I was convinced that would be my next fragrance purchase. I’m glad I waited to see the Diptyque releases in person because I prefer the Essences Insensées by far.
I compared the Essences Insensées to the Diptyque Mimosa candle. The fragrance is less powdery and more wearable. If you want a wearable version of the candle, the Essences Insensées is it.
Bottom line feminine and gorgeous. I’ve been wearing this almost all week long. It wears nicely by itself, but as with most Diptyque fragrances, it’s on the softer side and lasting power is medium. I find it layers nicely with the L’Ombre dans l’Eau.
I purchased mine from the Diptyque store. You can also find it now at Space NK, Neiman Marcus (has a gift with purchase while the beauty event is going on), Beautyhabit (also has a special gift offer with purchase, check their Gift With Purchase page) and Diptyqueparis.com.
Bobbi Brown has a new limited-edition eye set called the Mixed Metals Collection ($130). It’s currently exclusive to Neiman Marcus, Harrods and Bobbi Brown online. This is a five-piece set which includes:
Small black cosmetic zip case with rose-gold colored detailing
A Mini Dual Ended Eye Shadow/Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush with cap
I’m not typically drawn to such cool-toned eyeshadows but the colors in this palette are really striking. The Shimmer Brick Eye Palette has 10 different colors, all with high shimmer. It is an extremely tiny palette and if you want to apply individual shades you will need an extra small detail brush to pick up individual colors. (See sizing info on the previously released Sequins and Raw Sugar versions.)
I bought mine at Neiman Marcus a few weeks ago in store. I purchased it without asking about the price expecting it to be in the $80ish range (not sure why, but it’s what I anticipated). Bobbi Brown’s website says this set is a $150 value, but if you break down the price of the full-sized items, to total is $100. The gel liner is $24, mascara is $28, palettes have been released around $48ish. I’m not sure that I would value the small brush and bag at $50 to get to the $150 value.
Onto the review. The Mixed Metals palette itself has really striking colors I find beautiful for just about any occasion. It is on the shimmery side but not too frosty (at least for me). They blend very nicely together and layer together for a number of different looks. I rarely use more than 5 shades of shadow all at once. The same applies for this palette, but I like that there are different variations of shades to create different looks depending on your mood.
I really like any of the deeper shades layered over the Black Ink Gel liner (which is a classic goof-proof eyeliner I think everyone needs in their beauty kit, or the brown one if you don’t like black eyeliners).
I’ve never really been a fan of Bobbi Brown’s mascaras but the Smokey Eye Mascara is a really nice clump-free defining and lengthening one. The first use proved to do absolutely nothing but after reading reviews, I gave the wand a few pumps and product finally adhered to the brush wand. It’s a super rich black color that doesn’t smudge, flake or fade on me. Since I have thin straight lashes, I typically need something that adds a lot more volume. But on low-key days, the Smokey Eye Mascara has proved to be very good. I like that it’s a really lush black color.
Swatches below, all the shades are really pigmented:
I really like this set but can’t help but feel it is overpriced for $130. (Although it is completely my own fault for not checking on the price at the store before buying it.) The brush is usable and decent quality so it’s something I will definitely use even if it is tiny. The pouch is small and compact but sleek looking so I know it is something I know I will get regular use out of too. I wish Bobbi Brown released the palette individually and also that the palettes would start coming in larger sizes. Ideally I would love this to be the same size as the Urban Decay Naked Palettes or Naked Basics simply because it would be easier to dip a brush into and pick up individual colors. You can definitely take a brush and swirl together multiple colors like you can for her face Shimmer Bricks, but I find the colors so beautiful on their own I wish I didn’t have to be so careful in trying to pick up one specific shade.
Neiman Marcus does have their Beauty Event going on right now through the 21st (or while gifts last) and Bobbi Brown does have an individual gift with purchase for their line. So if you’re looking to splurge, now might be a good time to get extra samples with your purchase.
I’m currently obsessed with these dark smokey teal shades of nail polish. There are so many different kinds of teal. Some are straight blue-green creams while others have this pretty mix of green, blue, black and silver. Ones I’m obsessed with right now:
Louboutin Lady Twist ($50) is the ultimate luxurious deep teal version of a vamp shade. It has a full coverage with rich pigment. It applied very smoothly but due to the longish brush, I found it took a tiny bit of extra time to get a precise application near the cuticles. I will have a more detailed review on other Louboutin shades coming up, but to sum up, I’ve been very pleased with the formula, coverage and wear time.
JINsoon Heirloom ($18) is a darker deeper version of Chanel Azure, Heirloom is an intense metallic green teal loaded with tons of complex shimmer particles, it applies very smoothly for a metallic. The way this flashes different colors makes it resemble a peacock.
Rescue Beauty Lounge Small Dim Summer Stars ($20) is one of the prettiest complex shades I have ever seen. It’s silver, green, teal, black all mixed into one polish. It has the prettiest micro sparkles mixed throughout so when you look at it on the nails sometimes it looks silvery, other times more green and in other lighting more teal. I loved this one so much I bought a back up.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Sally ($18) is an iridescent blackened green. Don’t let the first coat disappoint you, it will be very very sheer with the first coat, but it transforms into this full coverage beautiful green with the second coat. It’s almost black on the nails but there is still enough color so it does look green with a slight hint of teal
NARS Wrong Turn ($20) is part of the 3.1 Phillip Lim + NARS Collection. This is such a unique color because it changes with a top coat. In the bottle and on the nails it’s a metallic gunmetal grey. Once you add a top coat it transform into this deep teal shade. (See both swatches on Beauty Geeks). It applies like one of those rich metallic shades that adheres really well to the nail and applies flawlessly. It’s a definite must have.
Rescue Beauty Lounge Monologue ($20) is part of the Anatomy of #Kdrama collection (featured here). It’s a deep rich navy blue with a unique metallic sheen. It’s not quite in the teal family, but I had to feature it again for those who prefer something with more blue/navy.
Preview of Space NK’s 2014 September Beauty Gift Bag (contents spilled)
On Wednesday, September 10th, Space NK will host the “Autumn Beauty Edit” event across all of their 23 U.S. locations.
During this special, one-day-only shopping event, customers will be perfectly prepped for the new season as we present the latest in autumn beauty. Guests can meet with experts from some of Space NK’s finest brands for personalized classes, makeovers, advice and tips. Event times, featured experts and services will vary by location – call your local store for more details.
Exclusively for the event, and while supplies last, shoppers who spend $250 or more will receive a gift featuring a selection of must-haves from 33 of our featured brands (deluxe, travel and full-size items).
This is Space NK’s most popular event of the year so if you’re interested, I highly recommend you call one of the US stores (full listing here) and do a pre-sale to reserve your gift bags (call soon). They sell out every year. It will also be available to online shoppers at http://us.spacenk.com/ on September 10th (US only).
Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Chase (3g)
Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser (1oz)
Mio Boob Tube+ Multi-Action Bust Firmer (30ml)
Molliderm Cream (7ml)
Natura Bissé Oxygen Cream (10ml)
Nia24 Rapid Exfoliating Serum (15ml)
Nia24 Sun Damage Prevention 100% Mineral Sunscreen (1oz)
Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream (15ml)
Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine Shampoo (15ml)
Radical Skincare Multi Brightening Serum (8ml)
Rahua Hair Wax (full-size 89ml)
Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial (15ml)
Rodial Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel (15ml)
Roloxin Lift Revitalizing Facial Treatment (2g)
Sai-Sei Mineral Refresh Bath & Shower Gel (9ml)
Sunday Riley Artemis Hydro-Active Cellular Face Oil (3ml)
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask (7.5ml)
This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (5ml)
Veneffect Anti-Aging Eye Treatment (4ml)
Verso Day Cream (15ml)
Many thanks to Space NK for sending me an early preview of the gift bag to share with you. This is a phenomenal gift with purchase and I’m completely obsessed with the enormous cosmetic bag (approximately 12 inches by 10 inches). For size reference it’s slightly larger than a Porter or Harper’s Bazaar Magazine. For full product listing and details of items inside the gift, visit the Space NK US Autumn Beauty Edit page.
Will you be shopping for the September 10th Space NK beauty event? (PS, Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus will also be having their events starting on the 10th but I don’t have details yet.)
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