JO MALONE LAUNCHES SUGAR AND SPICE COLOGNE COLLECTION

Posted by Charu 06.15.13

Inspired by delectable desserts from berry tarts to cookies, Jo Malone has launched a Limited Edition Sugar and Spice collection that’s totally nice. As with every good dessert that’s fit for consumption, the fragrances are impossible to choose from: every one of them looks, sounds, and smells delicious.

Desserts were created to light up one’s day, for moments of pleasure. With this philosophy in mind, Jo Malone has created five scents that are good enough to eat. The menu of this tasty collection includes Redcurrant & Cream, Ginger Biscuit, Lemon Tart, Bitter Orange & Chocolate, and Elderflower & Gooseberry. Not only is this a most tempting fragrance collection, but its creative campaign will get you drooling as well.

British pastry chef Natalie Estella Seldon created the pastries for the campaign and the video, which you can see here.

Lemon Tart is pleasantly refreshing, tangy, and sparkles with citrus fruits along with verbena. In contrast with the bright citrus, you’ll find notes of meringue and lemon thyme. Redcurrant and Cream is basically a summer pudding (in Londonese, a dessert) and is perfect for that muggy day when you really need a touch of sweetness. You’ll find sharp scarlet juices of redcurrants, lush strawberries, and raspberries coupled with creamy musk, which gives a nice bit of energy to this fruity bouquet.

Elderflower and Gooseberry is truly voluptuous yet light, and one of my all time favorite fragrances because it’s perfect for a summer date. The composition features crushed, summer-green gooseberries, plumped with notes of lychee, and soft, delicate notes of elderflower. This is the most feminine of all the fragrances and is extremely subtle. Ginger Biscuit reflects the crisp, sweet feeling of tasting a just-baked biscuit (a cookie, to us statesiders). It’s spiced with ginger (of course), nutmeg, cinnamon, and caramel. It has notes of roasted hazelnuts and tonka bean too.

The fifth desert inspired confection is Bitter Orange and Chocolate, a combination that we could all use from time to time and such a huge hit that the Limited Edition is already sold out.

Each Sugar and Spice Scent is available in a slender and elegant 30 ml bottle (ARV $60) with a corresponding colored cap. Summer is full of many sweet things, and now your fragrance can join the team.

 

THE “GET NOTICED” FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

Posted by Charu 06.13.13

Motorcycle helmets, bikes, and Google Glasses may all be wishful thinking, but grooming products certainly are (more easily) attainable than dangerous and obscure gadgets. And so, we bring you our edition of a Father’s Day Gift Guide, with tried and true products chosen by us for the best man in your life. After all, you owe dad the world, so what’s the cost of a grooming product?

Redken for Men Full Impact Bodifying Shampoo ($12)

A high performance product created to plump up fine or thinning hair, this shampoo is designed for rich, full-looking strands using Redken’s proprietary “Thick Lift Technology.” Fortified with Intra-Cylane and protein, this shampoo strengthens and bodifies the hair for a full volume impact. The base of the shampoo contains cellulose, which is a volumizing polymer, and cleanses hair thoroughly. This is an ideal product if you want to strengthen and reinforce dad’s hair, and give him some true lift in the process.

Hanz de Fuko Hair Care

Photo Credit: Hanz de Fuko

A favorite of David Beckham’s, Hanz de Fuko features organic hair products, including a Hair Conditioner ($16.50) that can double as a shaving cream. Made out of certified organic ingredients, this line contains essential oils, antioxidants and more. And of course, if Beckham can use it to shave, your dad certainly can!

GO 24/7 Shave Cream ($16.95)

Photo Credit:go247men.com

GO 24/7 promises progressive luxury for the hip, über sophisticated dad. The Shave Cream is just one of 15 products offered by this solutions-oriented line, with a commitment to using effective ingredients to create a youthful complexion, and proper, no fuss grooming (other products include shampoo, conditioners, styling aids, and body wash). The shave cream is appropriate for all types of beards, and gives a creamy, rich lather that is boosted by silicone lubricants and glycerin to get the smoothest of shaves.

NIOXIN Rejuvenating Elixir   ($17)

Photo Credit: Nioxin

The new Rejuvenating Elixir from Nioxin helps rejuvenate hair’s texture, so it’s soft to the touch while allowing for natural movement. It’s a great product for dad, giving him form function, and aesthetics all in one convenient tube. Nioxin also offers several new collections for those with thinning hair. The collections feature the new Lightplex Technology, which offers lightweight benefits for thinning hair, and contains polymers and conditioning agents.

Custom Fragrances and Candles from Original Scent ($99)

Photo Credit: Original Scent

For the creative and unique dad (whose isn’t?), give him a certificate to create his own signature statement from Original Scent. He can choose base, middle, and top notes, and then mix and match. This online service helps customers create a fragrance profile, then sends out three scent options to choose from. There is even a special men’s category in addition to eau de parfum, oils, candles, linen washes and more.

COVERGIRL OUTLAST STAY FABULOUS 3-IN-1 FOUNDATION REVIEW

Posted by Charu 06.11.13

At last, a primer, concealear, and foundation all rolled into one convenient bottle!

With Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation (SRP $10), COVERGIRL has done the impossible: created a primer, foundation, and concealer all in one. The idea behind this foundation is not so much to mimic the effects of popular BB and CC creams (those act as primers and concealers too), but to provide medium coverage with a matte finish.

The brand touts this foundation as a long-wear formulation that stays put all day. And in fact, Covergirl sent me a set of lenses so I could be photographed throughout the day. I tweeted these images with the hashtag #stayfabulous to note how I looked throughout the day, especially after 5 pm. I was glad to report that despite my dark circles, the appearance of pigmentation was substantially diminished with this new foundation.

3-in-1 is a great option for those with oily and combination skin, but I tend to be dry and would advise those with drier skins to moisturizer very well before application. The 3-in-1 foundation easily stays put for at least five hours, and is a perfect canvas over which you can apply blush and powder. I found my pores looked smaller and imperfections were greatly diminished. Available in several shades from Ivory to Soft Sable, this line is a good bet for women with darker complexions (remember this is not a BB cream, so you will need to find your exact shade to match well).

The best way to apply this foundation, which is on the thick side, is to use disposable sponge wedges or finger tips (if you like using the Beauty Blender sponge, that would work perfectly). Tip: Use the foundation as a  primer for your eyelids and then apply your eye makeup—you’ll be surprised to see how well you can create a smokey eye!

One caveat to note is the sunscreen factor, which can be a plus or a minus for some. The SPF 20 is attractive, for sure, but the ingredient Ensulizole has caused a reaction in some people (it wasn’t an issue for me). Be sure to do a patch test before you apply 3-in-1 if you’re unsure.

Compared to other foundations that COVERGIRL has introduced (including the Natureluxe), this is my favorite, because it gives you good coverage and peace of mind that you don’t have to keep reapplying.