A Touch of Blusher — Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance and a Bit of Fashion

Fragrance Review: Bond No. 9 Saks Fifth Avenue for Her & Him

by PJ on Sunday, November 25, 2007

(Bond No. 9 Saks Fifth Avenue for Her & for Him)

(image from Bond No. 9)

Saks Fifth Avenue for Her & for Him mark an unique collaboration between Bond No. 9 and one of New York City’s retail landmarks. Named after the store, the two scents explore a unique dimension in retailing.

Saks Fifth Avenue for Her–

Top notes: jasmine, tuberose
Middle note: gardenia
Base notes: vetiver, vanilla

With jasmine, tuberose, and gardenia, this fragrance is like an elegant and sophisticated white bouquet. Floral and sweet, the uncomplicated scent has a intriguingly powdery tone.

It reminds me very slightly of two Marc Jacobs fragrances: the jasmine-based Blush and the gardenia-based Marc Jacobs Perfume, which I prefer since they are very pleasantly soft. On the other hand, Saks Fifth Avenue for Her has more of a punch.

Saks Ffith Avenue for Him

–

Top notes: chili, black pepper, cardamom, bergamot
Middle note: incense
Base notes: guiac wood, amber

A few slightly more unique notes, like guaiac wood, were incorporated to render an edge against popular notes like bergamot and amber. Chili, black pepper and incense don’t tip the balance to their side and I think they play the supporting roles very well.

Young, fresh, lively and upbeat, this is a very wearable men’s fragrance that is not overtly masculine.

For the Holiday 2007 season, Bond No. 9 releases a limited-edition Saks Fifth Avenue for Her bottle with dazzling Swarovski crystals.

(image from Bond No. 9)

Not surprisingly, these two scents are sold exclusively in Saks Fifth Avenue apart from Bond No. 9’s boutiques.

My favorite fragrances
(my ultimate top three)

Stella Velvet Edition by Stella McCartney
(wearing a tailored jacket)

Bring It Back! Bulgari Skincare
(featuring some of my Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert bottles)

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Fragrance Review: Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory

by PJ on Sunday, November 25, 2007

in -Bond No. 9, fragrance

(Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory)
(image from Bond No. 9)

On December 1, Bond No. 9 launches Silver Factory, the first fragrance in the Andy Warhol series.

All the Bond No. 9 fragrances are named after landmarks in New York City, and the upcoming Warhol scents will be no exception. They will be named after Warhol’s favorite haunts, and Silver Factory, his original studio in the 1960’s, commences the series.

The bottle design reflects Warhol’s creation of a series of colored Campbell’s Soup cans in 1965. It features blocks of turquoise and purple (which happen to be two of my favorite colors) and the script in yellow.

(image from Bond No. 9)

Even the higher-than-usual 28 percent perfume concentrate in this eau de parfum is inspired by the “Condensed” Campbell’s Tomato Soup.

Top notes: bergamot, grapefruit, lavender

Middle notes: violet, incense, jasmine, iris
Base notes: amber, wood resin, cedarwood

Despite the floral notes, I find that the scent remains essentially woody, with the aroma of smoky incense forming the fragrance’s core identity. Almost mysteriously aloof, this deeply brooding scent conveys a confident and assertive undercurrent of energy.

Andy Warhol Silver Factory will be available in Bond No. 9’s boutiques and website, as well as Saks Fifth Avenue and saks.com.

SUQQU Sanzekan (eastern orchid)
(My recent favorite!)

Bond No. 9 Coney Island
(one of my favorites from Bond No. 9)

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Weekend Beauty Read for November 25, 2007

by PJ on Sunday, November 25, 2007

in Weekend Beauty Read

Have a great weekend!

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog interviews Paris Hilton and gets her top 5 beauty tips.

Bionic Beauty shares her mineral makeup look of the day: “Rockin’ the Glow”.

A Touch of Blusher (it’s me!) can’t live without this hand cream!

Lipsticks are Like Men: Makeup Moxie Reviews Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick.

Beauty and Fashion Tech has a list of makeup palettes that are perfect for holiday gifts.

The Muse shares her collection and reviews of Be Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful Perfumes.

Savvy Skin covets all of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2007.

Temptalia reviews MAC’s Metal-X Collection with swatches!

Elke reviews the ColorPro stick on eye shadow stencils, with somewhat iffy results.

Stylish Opinion finds a new ‘green’ beauty skincare line, “Green By Nature”.

The Beauty Blog Network welcomes newest member Scandalous Beauty to it’s team.

Beauty Banter muses about the hot new trend: Cat Eyes… Who is wearing it and how you can achieve the look too!

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic checks out Prescriptive’s Holiday 2007 Sets.

Beauty and Personality Grooming – Herbal after shampoo hair rinses.

SugarShock finds a bath and shower gel that’s worthy of Cleopatra.

Makeup Loves Me is seduced by sunsilk’ get hairapy commercials, but not it’s shampoos.

Scandalous Beauty delivers an exclusive interview with Celebrity Make-Up Artist Sam Fine!

Face Candy gets a new holiday look and reviews Marc Jacob’s newest scent- Daisy.

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Spring 2008 Makeup Collections: How many brands can you spot?

by PJ on Friday, November 23, 2007

in -Anna Sui, -Chanel, -Dior, -Guerlain, -Helena Rubinstein, -Jill Stuart, -Kanebo, -Kosé, -Lunasol, -Shu Uemura, 2008 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup

Exciting spring 2008 makeup preview!
(image from i-voce.boxerblog.com/contents/index.html)

The Voce website has a page from the January 2008 issue, featuring a preview of some spring 2008 makeup collections.

I see Dior, Chanel, Jill Stuart, Lunasol, Anna Sui, Givenchy, Guerlain, Coffret D’Or, Beauté de Kosé, and perhaps Helena Rubinstein, Sofina Est and Shu Uemura…just to name a few.

I think I have already seen some items I want…and it is still November!

I am loving the look of the Chanel and Lunasol lilac eyeshadow palettes (as if I didn’t have enough lilac palettes…with my T’Estimo, Jill Stuart, and Lavshuca lilac bonanza).

What has grabbed your attention?

Updated on Friday, November 23, 2007:

Bjooti has kindly confirmed that the zebra-printed one towards the top left is indeed from the Helena Rubinstein spring 2008 collection. Take a look at the full collection on her blog!

Related Posts (let’s go back to holiday 2007):

Dior DiorLight Jewelled Makeup Necklace
(another beautiful Dior seasonal item)

Lavshuca Christmas 2007 Makeup Palette
(as cute as a box of chocolates…)

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Bring It Back! Boots Botanics Cleansing Oil

by PJ on Thursday, November 22, 2007

in _Bring It Back, -Boots, skincare, skincare - cleansing/toning, stash focus

(Boots Botanics Essential Oil Wash Off Cleanser;
with a separate pump dispenser)

This time, in my “Bring It Back!” Series, I am not going to talk about a whole line of cosmetics. Instead, I am focusing on a very good and affordable makeup remover that has been discontinued.

Boots has various lines of skincare and makeup ranges. While one of my favorite Boots lines is No. 7, it doesn’t have a cleanser that I really like. On the other hand, the slightly cheaper Botanics line used to have the Essential Oil Wash Off Cleanser (seen above), which is a great overall cleanser for me.

It works just like other cleansing oils like Shu Uemura’s, as it takes off all the makeup, including water-proof items, at one go. I tend to like cleansing oils because they involve much less tugging and massaging than most cleansing milks, and they are much more gentle on my sensitive skin.

What was also fantastic about this cleansing oil is that it used to only cost 2 GBP (about 4 USD). Even though I slightly prefer RMK’s cleansing oil, this one only cost about one-tenth of its price at the time and I would gladly keep using this if this were still available.

I stocked up quite a few when it was being phased out, and now I am on my last bottle. My only minor complaint is that if it gets into the eyes, it can sometimes make them feel a little dry afterwards. (This is why I slightly prefer RMK’s.) But it is not something that bothers me very much.

The Boots Botanics line seems to still be doing well and there have been new items added to the lineup every now and then. I do hope Boots will consider adding a cleansing oil back to Botanics or any other skincare line…

Another Boots product that I love using:
Boots No. 7 Gentle Renewing No Grains Exfoliator
(Find out how it actually works.)

Some “Bring It Back!” highlights:

Shiseido’s Inoui ID

Cynthia Rowley

Calvin Klein (See the new counter in Hong Kong!)

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Kanebo Coffret D’Or Spring 2008 Collection

by PJ on Wednesday, November 21, 2007

in _Japanese Brand Profile, -Coffret d'Or, -Kanebo, 2008 Spring, all about Japanese cosmetics

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Kanebo’s Coffret D’Or will be releasing a new line of lip colors as part of the spring 2008 collection on January 16, 2008.

The dual-purpose lip colors include a slim lipstick that doubles as a subtle lip liner to define the lip shape as well as a liquid lip color to add shine and dimension to the lips.

If you like your makeup items to be multi-purposed and ultra-compact, then these might be worth looking into.

(image from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Kanebo’s Coffret D’Or is replacing the color makeup line T’Estimo and the base makeup line Revue. The brand image is elegant and understated but perhaps not as eye-popping as some would hope. But it is still very early days and it would be very interesting to see how the brand evolves.

(part of the Coffret D’Or lineup)
(image from www.kanebo-cosmetics.jp/coffretdor)

A couple of years ago, when Shiseido’s Maquillage replaced the very successful PN (the color makeup line that injected an air of youth into Shiseido’s then aging brand image) and Proudia (the base makeup line), it was believed that many PN fans had grown up and wanted something more mature and sophisticated. As the drugstore line “ff” was discontinued at the same time, it was also suspected that Shiseido wanted to experiment with the concept of “Super Brand” to better define Shiseido’s image, instead of too many lines with various price and retail points.

Kanebo is apparently doing something similar, as Coffret D’Or’s image at the moment is much more sedate and grown-up than T’Estimo’s. It actually bears a slight resemblance to the beautifully packaged Lunasol (also by Kanebo), although I think Lunasol still has a better edge.

I have started to wonder if other major brands like Kose and Sofina will follow this trend…

Related Posts:

Lunasol Spring 2008 collection
(Loving the eyeshadows…)

T’Estimo Frame Impact Eyes Palette
(So long, T’Estimo!)

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Abercrombie & Fitch – "The new way of selling clothes seems to be not wearing them."

by PJ on Tuesday, November 20, 2007

in fashion, What do you think? Beauty topics and thoughts

“The new way of selling clothes seems to be not wearing them.”
(quoted from The Daily Mail)

I took this photo when I stopped by the Abercrombie & Fitch store in London some time ago just so that you can literally see what I mean.

This is the very first Abercrombie & Fitch store in Europe, which opened in May this year, and it instantly became an attraction.

I have very mixed feelings about it. I do like the clothes. They fit me very well, and the fabrics seem reasonably good. But that’s about all that I feel positive about the store.

Bizarrely, the store does not have any sign or any display window. As I was approaching the front entrance for the first time, I wasn’t entirely sure if this was Abercrombie & Fitch. I was relatively certain that it was, judging by the two preppy “doormen”. (I knew the brand’s image and reputation, but still, why were they there?) But it looked like the store was having a private press event, with very loud music pumping out from inside.

I saw some customers coming out with the A&F bags. Then I decided to just head in anyway (and walked past the mannequin who apparently forgot his shirt).

Inside, it felt like a club. For a clothing store, the lighting was too dark and the music was almost unbearably loud. (One of my friends told me that, while in the shop, he felt like ordering a gin & tonic from the staff.)

The shop staff, both boys and girls, were probably the most attractive group of sales assistants I had ever seen. Later I found that their proper job title is “in-store models“. No wonder. They certainly look modely…

Everything is pricey. A short-sleeved T-shirt costs 30 pounds (about 60 USD). I liked it when I tried it on, but I am not going to pay this amount of money just on a T-shirt.

Also, the Abercrombie & Fitch store is located at the southern end of Savile Row, the heart of the finest British bespoke tailoring. This is where a couple of my all-time favorite shops are, and I perfectly understand why they don’t like a mass-market chain store next to them.

Abercrombie & Fitch has certainly made its first store in Europe a shopper’s destination, but I am not sure they did it in the right way.

I would like to go on a bit more, but each thing I have mentioned had been written in much greater detail. If you are interested, I have selected some very relevant articles for you to enjoy.

On their criticized hiring policies – from (UK’s) The Daily Mail (This is by far the most interesting article I have come across regrading the launch of Abercrombie & Fitch in the UK. If you are not going to browse through all the articles, do read this one to find out what it is like to work in Abercrombie & Fitch as an “in-store model”.

“The company told us it was an equal opportunity employer. Funny, because all its visible staff are young and beautiful.”

On the huge mark-up in the UK – from (UK’s) Evening Standard

“I was horrified that British teenagers are being expected to pay almost double the price of their American counterparts.”

On the impact of Savile Row – from Shopping Centers Today

“Exploiting the Savile Row name to attract high-paying retailers and businesses at the cost of this world-esteemed industry is shortsighted.”

Zac Posen Spring & Summer 2008 Ready-to-Wear Collection
(one of my recent favorites)

The Marc Jacobs Boutique
(the first one in the UK)

The Jimmy Choo / Marks & Spencer Lawsuit
(What is your take on this?)

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Beauty Duty for November 20, 2007

by PJ on Tuesday, November 20, 2007

in Weekly Beauty Duty

Enjoy!

A Touch of Blusher reveals, “This is the ONLY eyelash curler I ever need!”

The Organic Beauty Expert promotes her own line of organic, handcrafted Signature Gingerbread Collection for the holiday season.

GlamBlush: For those of you with Sex and The City: The Movie fever, tell me – what’s Carrie Bradshaw’s best hair hue? Is she better as a brunette, or a blonde?

KRiSTOPHER gives away a Gifts.com gift certificate. And she doesn’t even want brain in exchange.

Ellen loves the new Calvin Klein MAN fragrance on her hubby. Could this might be the perfect gift for your honey this Holiday?

Make Her Up has Heidi Klum’s favorite fragrance!

Product Girl spent the day admiring the new holiday collection and collections to come.

TheMakeupGirl has a guest blogger – Jolie in NYC! Nadine Haobsh dishes on winter skin while Lianne reads her amazing book.

WE LOVE BEAUTY Stylemaker and celeb makeup artist, Rachel Goodwin, gives us the step-by-step on how she created Sarah Michelle’s sexy glow for the Southland Tales screening.

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My Anna Sui Foundation Cases

by PJ on Sunday, November 18, 2007

in -Anna Sui, 2007 Holiday, all about Japanese cosmetics, makeup, makeup - base makeup, makeup - base makeup - foundation, stash focus

(the group shot)

Apart from Sofina Raycious foundation cases, which I enjoy collecting, I also collect Anna Sui foundation cases from time to time. (Do have a look at my Part One and Part Two of my Sofina Raycious Case Galore if you haven’t.)

My Anna Sui collection is far less extensive than Raycious’. There are many more Anna Sui cases that I don’t have, as I only collect what I really like.

This black one above is my first Anna Sui case, which is among the first Anna Sui case designs. It is the Gothic princess look that Anna Sui does very well.

Then Anna Sui entered what I call the golden age, during which most base makeup products and some color makeup products were packaged in frosty matte golden cases. I do really like the golden look. First of all, finger prints are not easily left on these finishes. Also, the golden cases show off the details of the design much better.

This one above is perhaps my favorite one. Again, love the golden case. Also, I like the butterfly detail.

This one is from the Anna Sui brightening skincare and foundation range, in which most of the items are in white packaging. I like the unique shape of this case in particular.

Last fall, Anna Sui re-launched the base makeup range (seen below). We are brought back to the classic black packaging, while the shapes and the details of the cases are slightly modified.

(Anna Sui’s current base makeup range)
(image from www.annasui-cosmetics.com)

By the way, Anna Sui’s Holiday 2007 collection includes a limited-edition hand mirror in the golden shade I love. It looks adorable! (I have to say I prefer this to the usual black one…)