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Atelier Lumira Collezione Bianca

January 24, 2016

I discovered Lumira candles a year and a half ago and fell in love instantly. The line is relatively new and founded by Almira Armstrong in 2013. Lumira candles are handcrafted and contain the purest, all-natural soy
wax available. If you’ve burned one you know how luxurious and exquisite they are. The traditional full size candles come in a hefty black glass jar (also available in travel size, introductory review here). She recently launched a new collection of white glass candles in her Collezione Bianca and they are incredibly chic yet simple. I’ve been burning these for almost over a month now testing them to evaluate their scent, throw and burn. Her line is based in Australia, but you can find them online at a variety of locations worldwide. Details where to find them on her website.

There are three candles in the Collezion Bianca. They retail for $75 AUD each which converts to a little over $50 USD.

Above: on the nails Formula X Color Curators in A Girl’s Best Friend
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La Primavera is something that I feel epitomizes spring. It’s a white floral with strong notes of rose and jasmine. The mix of lemon and patchouli give this one a more rounded feeling and tones down the floral notes so it’s not like a powdery floral. There is a noticeable powdery feel to this but it burns clean and bright. Throw is very good and the scent will fill the entire room in about 20 minutes time.
“Channeling springtime in San Remo, La Primavera boasts a gorgeous
bouquet of jasmine, rose leaf, lily and patchouli supported by a powdery
cashmere musk, creating a romantic tribute to Italy’s ‘City of Flowers’
and an alluring fragrance for all occasions.”

Notes
Top: citrus, lemon, rose leaf
Mid: floral, jasmine, lily
Base: patchouli, cashmere musk, vetiver, moss

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Sirocco is my absolute favorite of the three. The closest thing I can think of is Byredo Gypsy Water Eau de Parfum which is something I adore but have to wear with a super light hand (it’s one that can induce a severe migrane for me if I spray too much, although I can wear the Body Cream just fine without issue). Lumira Sirocco reminds me of a softer less sharp version of Byredo Gypsy water. It has the most incredible mix of citrus, pine, vanille, sandalwood and cedar. I rarely find candles where I love the scent so much that I would consider wearing it as a perfume, but if Lumira were to launch this in body products I would probably want to bathe myself in it daily.

“Named in honour of the great North African wind that extends across the
Mediterranean Sea and into Southern Europe, Sirocco boasts top notes of
tangerine and cumin, anchored by Moroccan cedar, vanille and sandalwood
to create a sultry, tempting scent reminiscent of Tangier’s bustling
souks laden with leatherware, spices, and sweet delights.”

Notes
Top: citrus, tangerine
Mid: herbaceous, pine, cumin
Base: Moroccan cedar, American cedar, vanille, sandalwood, moss

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Darsana is another one I’ve fallen in love with. It comes in close second to Sirroco. It’s difficult to describe but it has a sweet mix of amber and jasmine. I find amber home scents sometimes too spicy or earthy, but Darsana has a good mix of musk in it to round it out and make it have a slightly sweet feel. This is one of the most unique home fragrances I’ve smelled before – and it’s unique in a good way. There is a powdery floral undertone to counter the spice of the amber. Vetiver gives it a calming well rounded kind of feel that is very soothing.
“An ode to the Hindu temples of India and the divine visions they
inspire, Darsana marries precious ancient ingredients of amber,
frankincense and jasmine absolute to form a unique blend that is both
seductive and mysterious, transforming any space into a place of ritual
and spiritual transcendence.”

Notes
Top: aromatic cyclamen
Mid: powdery, floral, Indian jasmine absolute, frankincense
Base: amber, labdanum, vetiver, musk

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I’m head over heels in love with Sirocco as my favorite of the three with Darsana in close second. Lumira is a small but well curated line and I love the attention to detail she has with her candles and Paradisium fragrance line. Little things like the packaging (they come cased in beautiful boxes that I haven’t shown but you can see on her website www.atelierlumira.com). The design of the candle jars themselves are very simple and streamlined but there is beauty in simplicity and I love the clean look and feel of the jars. They make lovely decorative accents and I really love burning these at home. If you’re on Instagram – check out her page @atelierlumira for some of the prettiest home decor and workspace decor inspiration. She features a mix of her own styling along with some regrams from other super creative bloggers.

Bottom line, I love all three and I hope all of them are permanent. If I were to recommend one I think would be most universally appealing, I would say Sirocco is my top pick. Darsana is more unique and comes in close second though. These retail for $75 AUD each and have 350g/12.3oz | 70hr burn time. Prices may vary depending on the stockists that carry the line in your country due to conversion rates. You can find these online at Atelier Lumira and full stock listing here.

Many thanks to Lumira for sending these for review consideration.

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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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Diptyque Fragrance Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Diptyque Advent Calendar – Holiday 2015

December 8, 2015
Diptyque Advent Calendar 2015 Christmas

Beauty Advent Calendars have been around for years in Europe, the ones launched in the UK have been on my radar for many holidays and much to my dismay the good ones have never been available in the US. This year, Diptyque launched an Advent Calendar which sold out at lightening speed. By the time I called my local store they had sold through all the ones they received, but they put my name on a waitlist. I was thrilled to find they were able to find one for me and will be doing a reveal of the contents each week.

 

The Diptyque Advent Calendar this year is priced at a jaw-dropping $390, but the set is quite impressive. It contains a mix of 25 mini-sized Diptyque items including candles, fragrance and body products. A huge part of me cannot believe that I splurged so much on a single beauty set, but another part is giddy with excitement. The Advent Calendar comes in a beautiful large box and black bow. It’s taken a lot of self control for me to not open all the little doors at once time. They did list all the contents online, it contains:
  • 15 (1.2 oz) mini candles in Ambre, Feu de Bois, Santal, Genevrier, Opoponax, Vanille, Cypres, Noiseter, 34, Oud, Geranium Rosa, Pomander, Figuier, Rose, Benjoin
  • 1 (2.4 oz) small candle in Baies
  • 6 (0.34 fl oz) perfumes in Oud, Florabellio, Do Son, Tam Dao, Philosykos, 34
  • 1 (15 ml) mini Precious Oil
  • 1 (15 ml) mini Rich Body Butter
Here’s a look at the box with two items for scale:

Diptyque Advent Calendar 2015 Holiday
A look inside the box, each day has a little perforated door to open:

Holiday 2015 Diptyque Advent Calendar

Contents of Days 1 through 7:

Breaking down the price of the set versus individual items is a bit of a challenge since the minis aren’t usually sold separately. At $390 this Advent Calendar is the ultimate splurge. This is for the person who is a Diptyque lover, or for someone who wants to try a little bit of everything in mini-sizes. For a few reference points:
  • The 5 Piece Set is $75 and 10 Piece Set is $130. Both contain the baby candles that are also in the Advent Calendar, so the price per candle is either $13 or $15
  • The Eau de Parfume Set is $115 for 5 mini fragrances, although the size of each is 0.25 oz while the ones in the Advent Calendar are 0.34 oz
  • The 2.4 oz Baies is priced individually at $32
2015 Diptyque Advent Calendar

If you find this confusing, don’t worry, I did too, but bottom line is there doesn’t appear to be any price break by purchasing the calendar. Since it’s sold out and probably very difficult to find at this point, I would recommend the 10 Piece Candle Set as the next best alternative for someone who wants to experience as much Diptyque as possible for the best price.

Even though this Advent Calendar cost an arm and a leg (and then some) I do think it’s extra special. It has minis of candles and scents that you can’t usually buy separately at such a small trial size. I’m anxious to try them all over the next few months. I think it’s fun that they included so many different fragrances to try as well.

For fun, I’m going to be doing a few giveaways in the next few weeks. I’ll have a new giveaway with each weekly reveal. Ideally I wanted to giveaway a gift card to Diptyque so the winner could pick their own items, but their website doesn’t appear to sell them, so the next best thing is one to Nordstrom. For this one, I’m giving away 1 $100 e-gift card to Nordstrom. It’s open internationally, but you must be 18 years or older to enter. If you’re a selected winner via the Rafflecopter widget and are located outside of the US, you can opt to receive $100 via Paypal. Entries will be collected through the widget – you can comment below in the blogger comments, but note valid entries are through the widget only.

Terms and conditions are listed in the widget below – selected winner will be chosen randomly via the Rafflecopter widget and announced below. I will e-mail the winner directly. Entries will be collected through 12/12/2015 11:59 PM PST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Good luck!

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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Winter Holiday Collection 2015

December 7, 2015
Diptyque Candles Holiday © 2015 The Beauty Look Book

This holiday Diptyque launched three limited-edition scented candles in Sapin, Liquidambar and Oliban. The packaging is breathtaking and the special designs this year are the best ones to date. Diptyque partnered with painter Julien Colombier who lives and works in Paris to create this year’s holiday candle designs. As with previous holiday launches, there are several options in sizes and sets for the holiday scents. The price of these are slightly higher than the standard clear glass jar candles, but this is usually the case with any special-edition release. The options this year:

All 3 individually in the Small Size 2.4 oz / 30 hour burn time – $35
All 3 individually in the Standard Size 6.5 oz / 60 hour burn time – $70
Boxed Trio of Small Candles 2.4 oz x 3 – $100

If you are near one of the Diptyque boutiques, I highly recommend you visit one this time of year. The visual displays during Christmas are my favorite – everything is so beautifully put together and very festive. I stopped by the one at South Coast Plaza a couple weeks ago and every time I visit, I never want to leave.

Diptyque South Coast Plaza
Out of the three, my favorites are tied with Sapin and Liquidambar. I’m a huge fan of all the Diptyque pine scents. I started collecting a few years ago – as you can see below the packaging gets better and better every year. Below shown is Pine Bark (2013 edition), Résine (2014 edition) and Sapin (2015 launch). For inquiring minds, yes I bought backups each year and miraculously still had one of each kept in the original box. Out of all the holiday scents out there, I think Diptyque makes the best pine ones each year. Comparing the three, I do find the notes similar between the seasons. Pine Bark is the perfect mix of pine needles and bark, it’s earthy. Last year’s Résine is more green and smells more like the pine. This year’s Sapin is sweeter with noticeable citrus – the description says it has mandarin in it and it gives this an interesting sweet twist. Throw is very good on this one.

Diptyque Pine Bark, Résine and Sapin Candles © The Beauty Look Book

Liquidambar is another really good one. The packaging is simply stunning. This one is described as “liquid amber is spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, then cloaked in the scent of muscovado sugar.” Compared to the regular Ambre candle, the Liquidambar is sweeter, not as spicy and has less of an incense feel. The sugar and cinnamon of the holiday candle makes for a festive but warm feel. Throw is really good on this one as well.

Diptyque holiday candle

Oliban is described as having ” sweet oriental vapors of incense and woody accents set against fresh notes and balmy tones.” It definitely has that balmy feel, almost like a misty ocean-like scent. There is wood and incense mixed in. It has a refreshing feel. This one has the weakest throw of the three. It does give the room a clean subtle lift, but compared to the other two, it’s more on the subtle side. Shown below next to the Oiseaux Photophore (boutique exclusive, also reviewed here).

Diptyque Oliban Candle Holiday 2015

One more look at the displays at the South Coast Plaza boutique:

Diptyque Boutique Display

Once again Diptyque has launched a beautiful collection for holiday that’s not to be missed. I’m always eager to see the special edition packaging with every launch and the designs get better and better every year.

Being the Diptyque fan that I am, I bought the Holiday Trio along with the full size options in each of the three scents. Before the season is over I will be backing up the Liquidambar and Sapin for our home. For holiday there are a number of other nice sets that have regular candles which include:

My husband asked me to buy him a few of the 5 Piece Mini Sets + several wick trimmers to give out as business gifts. I’ve posted comparisons before but in case you missed it, here’s a quick look at the size comparisons. The mini sets have the smallest candles that you can’t buy individually (at least note yet) and are usually the ones given in gift with purchases.

You can find Diptyque at a number of retailers now. I am really happy to see they’ve expanded over the past few years. My favorite place to shop for Diptyque is the South Coast Plaza store even though it’s a bit of a drive for me to get there. They have the best customer service and visiting the store is always a treat. The lovely people who work at the boutiques are also very knowledgeable about all the products in the line which is always nice if you have questions or need recommendations. Not to mention everything is always wrapped up beautifully if you have gifts to give. You can also find Diptyque online at Diptyque, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Space NK, Barneys New York and Net-A-Porter.

Have you checked out the holiday offerings at Diptyque this year?

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Fragrance

L’Occitane x Pierre Hermé Jasmin-Immortelle Neroli and Pamplemousse Rhubarbe for Holiday 2015

December 5, 2015

This holiday L’Occitane and Pierre Hermé teamed up to launch an exquisite collection of the most delicious smelling products for lips, hands and body. Both brands have a special place in my heart. I’ve been a long-time L’Occitane fan and this past summer I was able to try Pierre Hermé macarons for the first time when I visited Paris (they are truly out of this world). A partnership between the two brands is heaven sent and I have fallen head over heels in love with both fragrances launched for holiday in Jasmin-Immortelle Neroli and Pamplemousse Rhubarbe. Today I have a review on both fragrances along with a few of the gift set options. Do note some of the online sets are online exclusives, also different countries have slight variations in the options and packaging.

Out of the two it’s hard to pick a favorite. I initially thought I would
favor the Pamplemousse Rhubarbe because I love grapefruit scents. The
Pamplemousse Rhubarbe is a sweet grapefruit but there’s some cedar mixed
in to balance it and round it out so it’s not quite as sharp as a
regular citrus. The rhubarb adds more warmth to it. Everything is so beautifully packaged and colorful.

According to L’Occitane: “When Pierre Hermé places Grapefruit at the heart of a creation, he means to celebrate all its facets. And that includes the slightly bitter, white inner skin – its character underlined by the green and crisp aromas of Rhubarb. This beautifully balanced note is soon ruffled at its heart by sensual, piquant spices. In this original composition, woody notes of Cedar conjure up the sensation of mischievous Grapefruit cutting through the tartness of Rhubarb stalks.”

The items in the Pamplemousse Rhubarbe collection include:

The perfume is really pretty. It’s sweet but not too sweet.  Lasting power is pretty good on me. With three spritzes I find it lasts from early morning until around 3:00 pm before it’s completely faded. Layering the lotion helps extend the scent. The lotions are lightweight and absorb quickly into the skin and hydrate the skin nicely. The shower gel lathers up well in the bath or shower although I find the shower gels aren’t quite as strong in scent as the lotion/perfume. All the body and hand items are identical in scent. The Pamplemousse Rhubarbe Lip Balm is clear and lightweight. It hydrates the lips nicely. Online it’s only available in a couple of sets. I haven’t checked to see if it’s available alone in stores (if you’ve spotted it please share in the comments). The hand creams of course are incredible and not to be missed.

The Jasmin-Immortelle Neroli is actually my favorite of the two options which surprised me because Jasmin is one of those scents I like for the home but don’t usually like to wear. The mix of jasmin, immortelle flower, citrus of neroli make for me the most interesting combination. The scent is very soothing and feminine. According to L’occitane this one is described as “luminous, angelic, sensual…” and I couldn’t agree more. It’s so beautiful I am doing something I have only done once before, I am backing up the perfume.

Per L’Occitane, “Floral and absolutely feminine, the jasmine scented fragrance of pastry chef Pierre Hermé balances the white notes of gardens at dawn with the gold of a flower that still flourishes throughout the Corsican maquis. Sparkling head notes bring an unexpected sensation. In one deep breath, Lemon and Petit grain tantalize the palate as they come into contact with Pink Pepper and offer up a breeze of fresh air. The exhilarating heart of this bouquet blends the floral note of Jasmine and the softness of Orange Blossom with the wild, honeyed and aromatic scents of an armful of Immortelle from Corsica. This is a floral fragrance that captures the scent of the Island of Beauty, swept up in woody and musky notes.” 

Options in the Jasmin-Immortelle Neroli are the same as for the other fragrance with one slight variation for the lips:
The lip product for this collection is a tinted lip gloss. It is scented just like the other items in the line and goes on a sheer glossy pink (almost clear). It tastes surprisingly good – surprising to me because the scent doesn’t seem like something that would taste good, but it does. At the same time it should be expected that Pierre Hermé and L’Occitane would take extra care to make sure the lip products taste just as good as they look and smell.

Swatches of the lip balm and lip gloss that we received in the US:

A quick look at a few of the other sets that launched this holiday. There was a Pierre Hermé hand cream trio available online but appears to be sold out right now. I didn’t see it in stores a month ago but you may want to check to see if it popped up. It has the Mandarin Miel (warm citrus honey) as well which is still available for purchase separately online and in stores. The set offered a slight price break compared to purchasing the hand creams separately. Since everything is limited-edition I don’t think this one will be coming back online.

Also available are these cute Hugs and Kisses Duos that have a lip product with a hand cream packaged together. The sets are $20 each ($24 value) and come in a variety of options. I didn’t see these in store either – but if you’ve spotted them please share in the comments. I ordered the Pierre Hermé ones online.
Above: the Hugs and Kisses Hand and Lip Duos ($20 each) in Pamplemousse Rhubarbe, Jasmin-Immortelle Neroli, Shea Butter*, Delightful Rose*, also available in Zesty Lime.

There are lots of different gift sets at L’Occitane. My favorites are the Pierre Hermé ones. One more item I wanted to highlight because it’s so cute are the Holiday Baubles. These are only $14 each and make the perfect stocking stuffer. The Shea Butter Holiday Bauble comes with minis of the Shea Butter Hand Cream, Extra Gentle Milk Soap, Ultra Rich Body Lotion, Ultra Rich Shower Cream all packed into a cute ornament. There’s also a Shea Verbena Holiday Bauble option (also $14), or both in a Duo Pack Set for $28.

Bottom line: so much to love. The only downside is that a lot of the holiday items are limited-edition and some sets have already sold out online, my hope is that they restock, but I don’t suspect the popular items like the sets. If you have anything on your wishlist I suggest you visit your store sooner than later.

Out of all the items in the Pierre Hermé collection, I think the stand outs are the Eau de Toilettes and Hand Creams. The Jasmin-Immortelle Neroli Lip Gloss is special because it’s a surprisingly pretty pink shimmer even though it goes on pretty clear on my lips, it smells amazing and makes the lips feel smooth and glossy without any tacky feel.

This is perhaps my favorite holiday launch this year (or at least in my top three). You can find the collection online at L’Occitane and most items in stores as well. Some sets are online exclusives.

Did you check out anything from L’Occitane this holiday? My husband has some of the men’s skincare sets on his wishlist for Christmas and I just ordered a few today.

Some items featured include press samples indicated with a *. Press samples include the Body Lotions, Shower Gels, Eau de Toilettes, Shea and Rose Hugs and Kisses. All other items and sets featured purchased by me.
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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Fall 2015: Oud, La Prouveresse and Oiseaux Photophore

October 26, 2015

When it comes to home fragrance, I’m a Diptyque lover at heart and the new releases for fall are beautiful. I stopped by a Diptyque Boutique a few weeks ago to check out the new fragrances, perfumes and photophores. There are a number of new perfumes that have been released as part of the 34 Collection (three are boutique exclusives in beautiful glass bottles). I picked up the new Oud Candle ($60), La Proveresse in the porcelain marbled jar ($85) and the Oiseaux Photophore ($160, boutique exclusive). These days I’m thrilled to see Diptyque available at more and more retailers, but if you want an exceptional experience I recommend you visit one of the free-standing boutiques. I’ve been to five different ones in San Francisco, Larchmont, Beverly Hills, South Coast Plaza and Paris – each one has been such a treat to visit. Someday I hope to visit all the stores.

Up first is the Oud Candle ($60 for 6.5 oz/ 190 g). This one falls into the woody category of scents. It’s described as, “mysterious, woody, slightly animal composition enhanced by incense, patchouli and sandalwood.” It is indeed woody with a smoky feel, to me it smells like a warmer more inviting version of Feu de Bois. I have been burning Oud for a few days off and on with other scents and I’m smitten. It’s on the masculine side so I don’t think it will be for everyone.

My current favorite is the La Prouveresse Candle ($85 for 7.3 oz/220 g). This one is more expensive than other standard sized candles but it is slightly larger in size for product. It’s also available in the Pillar Form as a Diptyque online and boutique exclusive. The La Prouveresse is part of the 34 Collection inspired by the first Diptyque store on 34 Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris. (See snippets of my visit in June in my Paris Beauty Shopping Guide.) This comes in a porcelain container pot crafted entirely by hand using the “terre mêlée” (mixed clay) technique and each piece is entirely unique. Last year Diptyque released Le Redouté (still available for purchase, reviewed here). I am hoping the fact they released another version this year means that they will release a new one each fall. I have the three 34 candles shown side by side:

  • 34 Candle ($80) as launched to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Diptyque, this is cased in a white matte porcelain container with the 34 embossed on the front. Out of the three, this is the most light feeling in terms of mood, it has extremely good throw, it has a fresh green feel. The 34 candle is described as being fresh, green with spicy accords, notes of damp mosses, crumpled blackcurrant leaves, sun-dried fig leaves. It smells very natural and raw.
  • Le Redouté ($85) is the spicy one. It has the most holiday-like feel with cinnamon, clove, orange, roses, cedar and amber. It’s quite complex and for me I only feel like I’m in the mood to burn it during the holiday season. I still have about 1/4 of mine left over from last year that I haven’t burned off.
  • La Prouveresse ($85) is my favorite of the three. It’s the perfect mix of feminine and masculine. If you find Feu de Bois or Oud too masculine, the La Prouveresse is softer with more green notes. This has a mix of fig tree, cypress and cedarwood. It has an earthy feel. It usually takes me forever to burn an entire candle but I’ve been burning this non-stop and am already 3/4 finished with it.
Last but not least is the Oiseaux Photophore ($160). This is beautiful decorative item to display candles and each Diptyque Photophore is a work of art. These are exclusive to the boutiques but during the holidays there are sometimes sets released at other retailers for the clear glass photophores (see one of them here). There are three new photophores in this year’s 34 collection. According to Diptyque:

“This photophore features an openwork metal design created by the French illustration and graphic design duo Anamorphée, who have developed this unique decorative piece whilst remaining true to diptyque’s graphic heritage. Inspired by the painted wooden birds found in the window of 34 boulevard Saint Germain during the 1960’s, the two creators imagined the feathers and beaks of a colony of mockingbirds, the contours of which can be made out when the candle is lit. It has its own unique wooden base.”

Measurements are: height 4.7 inches / 12.5 cm – base diameter 4.3 inches / 11.5 cm, it will fit the Diptyque Pillar Candles, a full sized Diptyque Candle, Byredo, Jo Malone and Henri Bendel (the new Cashmere Candle sounds amazing!!).

Overall I’m really happy with the three new Diptyque additions to my home. I suspect I will be repurchasing La Prouveresse soon, it makes the home smell amazing. A couple other new things that I’ve seen pop up that might be of interest include the introduction of Vanille in the mini size (review on this one here). Benjoin was an online exclusive last year and they’ve re-introduced it to all retailers (review on this one here). You can find the fall releases in stores and online at Diptyque retailers now. Certain items like the Photophores and special edition perfumes are exclusive to the Diptyque Boutiques.

Have you checked out the Diptyque fall releases yet? Or have you picked
up anything else for home fragrance lately? I’m always happy for
recommendations.

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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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