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…”
The rose has probably received more tributes in writing and song than any other flower; without even trying, anyone can easily think of a famous rose quotation or two. I recently realized that my own formative literary encounter with rose imagery was the classic children’s book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Rose is an important secondary character in the story: she is vain and coquettish but secretly vulnerable, and her relationship with the Prince symbolizes some of the complexities of love. (As a child, I was also very impressed by the depiction of the rose in the film version of The Little Prince.)
Although rose is my favorite note in perfumery, I try not to discuss rose-scented products too often, just because I don’t want to be monotonous. However, June is the month of roses, so I’m going to indulge myself by mentioning a few recent favorites here. And, because we should still stop and smell the proverbial roses even (or especially) during a difficult economy, all of these products are available for $10 or less…
Ah yes, the last-minute impulse purchase. I’m still not immune to it, especially at Sephora: when I’m waiting on the inevitable line to pay, I can’t help browsing through the items that the beauty superstore has so thoughtfully placed in bins leading up to its cash register. Hershey’s Almond Lip Balm was my most recent such purchase.
I don’t know anything about the manufacturers of this balm and the others in its line, other than that they’re called On10, they’re located in midtown Manhattan, and they create “fun novelty lip balm…using authentic flavors from some of America's favorite confection and beverage brands.” I might have bypassed this particular impulse purchase if I hadn’t sniffed the Hershey’s Almond tester. This lip balm has an unexpectedly deep and wonderful scent…
The big Tom Ford gift for 2008: the Tom Ford Private Blend coffret, with 2 ml rollerballs in each of the 12 original Tom Ford Private Blend fragrances. Says Tom, “Private Blend is my own scent laboratory; it's where I have the ability to create very special, original fragrances that are unconstrained by the conventions of mainstream scent-making. Private Blend is designed with the true fragrance connoisseur in mind.” Ok? $225 at Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus…
As I write this review, I am drinking a cup of coffee. It’s not an unusual circumstance for me, and I suspect that more than a few of you might be joining me in this ritual as you read. If so, you might share my interest in Perk Lip Lattes. Each of these lip balms, made by a small Brooklyn-based company called Crazy Rumors, is labeled as “a coffee break for your lips.”
So far, I’ve tried two of the six blends of Lip Latte: Coffee Bean and Mocha. Smelling the Coffee Bean balm, I felt as though I had just entered one of those little shops that roast and grind their own coffee, where you can order beans by the pound or just a freshly-brewed cup to go…