Fortune Magazine has an interesting feature about Estee Lauder's grandchildren and their efforts to keep the family firm competitive. (link no longer works, sorry!)
There is a short roundup of the new fall fragrance releases in New York Magazine. Check it out if you haven't yet seen the pretty etched bottle for L'Artisan Fleur d'Oranger, which they describe as "maybe too light—touch-ups are required throughout the day". Thanks to Tania for the link!
The Detroit Free Press has a feature story on treatments for smell disorders (link no longer works, sorry!). I already have a healthy fear of anosmia, or the inability to smell; now I have some new things to worry about, namely, parosmia (a distorted sense of smell) and phantosmia (smelling things that aren't there).
Since my first pregnancy, my sense of smell has become very acute. I used to have to cross the road to avoid smells. I have never liked coffee and although I can make a cup of instant for the husband – I can't stand to be in a coffee shop. And the other nasty side-effect of children is that I am often imagining that I can smell a dirty nappy even though my children are now well past this stage. It's good to know though, that I'm not the only one – but I have to say on the whole I enjoy this enhanced sense, not to mention my enjoyment of food – now perhaps that related to weight gain?
If the Lauders want to revive their company, I am just not sure that the way they have chosen is the way to go…I don't mind Amber Dude…erm Nude, but the new ridiculously overpriced cosmetics? I can't see many people shelling out that much money for Lauder lipsticks etc. Tom Ford may be a little too extravagant for their image. People who like their products, fragrances and cosmetics, may stop being loyal because they don't “recognize” the company they've been loyal to anymore. I don't see Lauder successfully jumping from their safe middle of the range status to some incredible almost haute couture hights… Just saying. *off to drink more coffee to lift the grumpy mood*
I had that same problem during my pregnancy — I could smell sweet things especially, like bubblegum, a block away — but it stopped after my child was born.
Agree, it will be interesting to see how the Tom Ford line goes over. I think the expensive cosmetics they are releasing in Dec are all LEs, though, and perhaps they have other plans for later? And of course, the stuff in Kohls (not TF, obviously) is geared towards a lower end market.
Phantosmia! I always think I smell something burning, but given that I live in Brooklyn, I probably DO smell something burning. Somewhere.
And I typically smell mushroom compost, but that is another story…
Would love to develop a more programmed phantosmia so that I could smell Ta'if or something without actually having to purchase it 🙂