From Christian Dior, J’Adore in a limited edition collector bottle: “The Amphora bottle was created in 1947 for Dior’s very first fragrance, Miss Dior. The exquisite bottle was made from Baccarat crystal and originally designed by Fernand Guerycolas. The new Amphora will be presented in a luxurious case, with each one individually handmade and numbered from one to ten making it a truly unique collector’s item.” At Selfridges in London, size, price and concentration unknown…
The Bubble Roome is a Brooklyn-based company offering handmade bath and body products in a range of five natural fragrance blends; my favorite for this time of year is the Ylang Ylang & Cinnamon blend, which is sensual and cozy at the same time. To date, I’ve tried the Bath & Body Wash and Hemp Oil Lotion in this scent.
The Bubble Roome’s entire line of bath and body products is paraben-free; the body wash is also sulfate-free, and includes chamomile and allantoin to soothe the skin, as well as fruit- and sugar-based alpha hydroxy acids and salicylic acid for exfoliation. It’s a gentle, low-lathering formula, and I find that it works best if I shake it before using. The lotion contains aloe vera, glycerin, coconut oil, and hemp oil to nourish and protect the skin, and it has the perfect consistency: easy to dispense and quick to absorb, but just thick enough to feel luxurious. The fragrances are all composed of essential oils, and they have various aromatherapeutic properties. Ylang-ylang, as The Bubble Roome reminds us, “is considered one of nature’s aphrosidiacs.” It’s the small but intensely scented flower of the cananga tree, native to the Philippines and Indonesia, where it’s traditionally spread on the marriage beds of newly-wed couples…
From Thierry Mugler, Angel Collector Superstar Eau de Parfum (above left): “A 38mm Swarovski crystal is delicately poised, dangling at the center of the bottle as a reflection of prestige and beauty. More than 250 gleaming Swarovski crystals surround the jewel…”
Citrus scents can be such cheerful, uncomplicated fragrances, and they can brighten up a gloomy day with their connotations of sunshine, cleanliness, and good health. I particularly like to layer citrus-fragranced shower gels and lotions under my favorite summer perfumes, to boost their bright-and-crisp qualities.
However, the available range of lemon-, lime-, and orange-scented products is occasionally disappointing — especially at the higher end of the price spectrum, for some reason. One example is Strange Invisible Perfumes Wild Orange Invisible Body Lotion. I’m assuming it’s intended to be layered under Strange Invisible Perfumes’ citrus-accented perfume oils, such as L’Invisible or Fair Verona. It’s a nice enough medium-weight lotion, packaged in a bottle that suggests a fancy hair mousse. It’s all-natural, with aloe vera and olive oil for moisture. It smells like, well, sweet orange oil. But for this price, I was expecting to be amazed, and I just wasn’t. ($40 for 8 fl. oz.; for buying information see the listing for Strange Invisible Perfumes under Perfume Houses.)
NARS is best known as a creator of trend-setting color cosmetics, so I was surprised to learn that the company also sells a line of body products. Its Ginger Grapefruit Body Lotion promises a fragrance that “fuses the vibrant essence of grapefruit and cassis with the romantic floral touches of sweet peony and violet flower.” This sounds like something I’d love…
Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21…time to get shopping!
From Santa Maria Novella, Latte per il Corpo Uomo – Body Milk for Men (shown at left): “This 700 year old formula, containing hydrating vegetable oils, cocoa butter, white beeswax, and avocado oil hydrates, tones and gives the skin softness and elasticity. Infused with a subtle spicy scent this rich fluid emulsion absorbs without a trace, leaving even the most parch body toned, nourished, and moisturized – but never greasy.” $74 for 250 ml at Aedes…