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Browsing by author: Jessica

L’Occitane Bonne Mere Honey Gentle Body Wash, Creamy Hand Wash, & Gentle Cream ~ scented body product review

Posted by Jessica on 28 September 2012 10 Comments

L'Occitane Bonne Mère bath & body collection

I tend to go through L’Occitane cycles: I’ll shop there repeatedly for a year, then take some sort of unconscious break, then fall into the habit again. The motivating factor behind my latest return to L’Occitane was the release of some new honey-scented body products. I’ve always liked L’Occitane’s chunky, pastel-tinted Bonne Mère soaps, both for myself and as little gifts for new mothers, so I was curious when I learned that a Bonne Mère bath and body collection had been introduced in two fragrances, Milk and Honey.

I’ve tried the three Honey products by now and I’m enjoying all of them. A pump or two of Gentle Body Wash produces generous amounts of foam when used with a mesh pouf. The Creamy Hand Wash cleans thoroughly without making my hands feel dried-out and stripped afterwards, and I end up almost looking for excuses to use it. The Gentle Cream for Face, Body, and Hands is a medium-weight lotion that smoothes quickly and easily into the skin. (I’m using it on my hands and body, but I wouldn’t apply it to my face, no matter what the label says.) I wish the lotion were sold in a larger tube or bottle, but maybe I’m just being greedy.

It’s easy to want more of the Bonne Mère Honey scent…

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Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire (2012) ~ fragrance review

Posted by Jessica on 21 September 2012 97 Comments

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire 2012 advert

As announced earlier this year, Guerlain has released a new version of La Petite Robe Noire, the 2009 limited distribution perfume inspired by the wardrobe basic “the little black dress.” This new iteration of La Petite Robe Noire was developed for Guerlain by house perfumer Thierry Wasser; its composition includes notes of patchouli, almond, red fruits, bergamot, rose, licorice, smoked black tea, tonka bean, vanilla and iris.

I was puzzled by the La Petite Robe Noire concept when the first version was launched, and my confusion has only increased while I’ve been trying out this 2012 variation. First of all, what does the “little black dress” motif have to do with Guerlain, one of the few major fragrance brands that has no fashion connection? (It would make perfect sense for a Chanel perfume, of course.) Did anyone really think that the cartoonish silhouette of a dress fits well on the classic square Guerlain bottle with its inverted-heart cap? Why was the romantic-revenge anthem “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” chosen for the commercial? And is the fragrance itself some kind of cynical joke?

If you want the long-story-short, here it is: to me, La Petite Robe Noire 2012 is a washed-out copy of Lolita Lempicka topped with a shot of Cherry Coke…

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Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay ~ fragrance review

Posted by Jessica on 14 September 2012 34 Comments

Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay

The latest release from Jo Malone is Blackberry & Bay, which the company describes as…

Inspired by childhood memories of blackberry picking. A burst of deep, tart blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and brambly woods. A scent of innocence.

Blackberry & Bay was developed for Jo Malone by perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin.

My favorite Jo Malone fragrances include Lime Basil & Mandarin, Nectarine Blossom & Honey and Pomegranate Noir. However, I’m not a fan of the higher-priced limited editions, nor of several recent releases, such as English Pear & Freesia and Wild Bluebell. In fact, I haven’t really understood the brand’s recent direction — I’m still scratching my head over those Wild Bluebell visuals — so I wasn’t sure what to expect from Blackberry & Bay. I ended up liking it very much; it seems to be a return to form for Jo Malone…

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Caldrea Sea Salt Neroli Linen and Room Spray ~ home fragrance review

Posted by Jessica on 7 September 2012 10 Comments

Tunisia 78

I like Caldrea’s home fragrance products for several reasons. They have attractive packaging designs — clean and modern. Their fragrances are sophisticated but easy to live with. And they’re promoted with well-written, accurate descriptions that provide just enough information and atmosphere without going overboard. (Believe me, the more press releases and company websites and “dear blogger” e-mails I read, the more I appreciate this last point.)

Here is Caldrea’s official fragrance description for its Sea Salt Neroli products: “Inspired by bright, clear mornings at the shore, this watery composition opens with sparkling essential oils of Lemon Verbena and warm spice from Cardamon…”

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Jul et Mad Stilettos on Lex ~ fragrance review

Posted by Jessica on 31 August 2012 10 Comments

Chrysler building

Stilettos on Lex is one of three fragrances offered by new niche line Jul et Mad and the first episode in the collection’s “Histoire d’Amour.” On the one hand, honestly, I’m a little weary of fragrance collections with destination themes and love-story themes. On the other hand, Jul et Mad describes Stilettos on Lex this way: “A haunting, captivating perfume… Its powerful yet refined personality enchants the lovers of timeless floral fragrances with a powdery touch. Nothing and no one can resist it, by day or by night. This enveloping perfume is a real ‘séducteur,’ pure reflection of the beautiful and mysterious silhouette encountered on this legendary New York City avenue…” “Lovers of timeless floral fragrances with a powdery touch”? That would be me. A New York reference never hurts, either.

The composition of this “chypre fruity floral,” developed for Jul et Mad by perfumer Dorothée Piot, includes top notes of lemon, pear, davana and plum liquor; heart notes of lily of the valley, violette leaves, rose absolute, heliotrope, iris and carnation; and base notes of musk, Madagascar vanilla, Indonesian patchouli and Atlas cedarwood. Its story is “the portrait of a woman, mysterious and beautiful, in New York City” or, more specifically, the impression she leaves on a bewitched onlooker. It’s certainly a feminine fragrance, although I’d think of it more as a “sophisticated fruity-floral” than a chypre…

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