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Looks like your regular garden variety junkmailv via snailmail, comes in a black envelope.

Lancome’s Le VIP Club

“Your Elite Access to French Beauty at It’s Best”

Lancome VIP Beauty Bonus coupons:

• July30-August 9 Virtuose Divine Lasting Curves Mascara in Black
• September 10-20 L’Absolu Rouge Advanced Replenishing & Reshaping Lipcolor
• October 15-25 Photogenic Lumessence  Light-Mastering & Line Smoothing Makeup SPF 15 
• November 5-15 Magnifique Scent

Shu Uemura’s Summer 2008 collection, Hana-Bi

Hana-Bi, Japanese for fireworks, literally translated as flower-fire!  Isn’t that awesome…?! In Japan there’s always a link to nature and with summertime almost here, it’s time for Shu Uemura’s limited edition collection.  Every year a festive array of beauty items are selected to commemorate Mr. Uemura’s 1983 opening of the beauty boutique in Omotesando, Tokyo.  I think I can see it in my mind’s eye, I must admit I spent much more time walking the streets of Harajuku.  Why oh why is youth wasted on the young?!

25th Anniversary! and core values

This year is extra-special because it is the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the boutique.  A Tokyo based graphic artist, Gweneal Nicolas, was brought in to design the packaging.  Great big splashes of colors bursting all over make me long for warm summer nights.  The three fragrances embody the Shu Uemura core values, nature, science and art.

Three 100% Natural Origin Fragrances using Deapsea water to choose from. 

fleur de terre EDT is a light floral with a woody note, it’s quite an interesting scent

fleur de rose EDT is described as a floral with an amber note

fleur de source EDT is described as serene and cooling

 Three stunning eyeshadow palettes…

Limited Edition, Fleur de Rose Palette

Limited Edition, Fleur de Source Palette

Limited Edition, Fleur de Terre Palette

and a Limited Edition, Shimmer Liquid Eyeliner

Shu Uemura 25th Anniversary Product Reviews coming soon!

I’m in the mood to celebrate the life of a very special man.  Yves Saint Laurent left his mark on the world of beauty and fashion.  Saint Laurent’s pantsuits were liberating and turned women’s work and recreational wear into high-fashion power wear.

YSL also created cosmetics and fragrance that was very popular with the YUPPIE set when I was growing up.  My mother received a lot of YSL gifts during that time, possibly because she is French and there is nothing more French than YSL!  My personal favorite was, OPIUM, the dark perfume bottle looks like the lacquered boxes from the Orient.  The tassle I would fix constantly drove me crazy - in a good way! Maybe those hours of playing with that Opium bottle and tassle inspired my love of Chinoiserie.

Now, for the purpose of this post… to tell you about two limited edition Yves Saint Laurent items!

YSL Baby Doll fragrance (pic below) is totally different in appearance, light, eye candy at it’s best. The box holding the four mini Baby Doll scents in place looks like a traditional macaroon box.  They are the perfect size for travel but I am concerned about the caps twisting off and making a mess so I will have to investigate the closure some time. 

YSL also has a Baby Doll sparkling body powder with a delicate scent,  “the Baby Doll woman has never been so seductive!”  If no one has ever told you, let me be the first, there is nothing more luxurious then a thin veil of body powder.  Get them while they last!

Father’s Day is coming up this Sunday, so what will you be doing for dear old dad?  I have the kids drawing pictures for daddy and Grandpa but couldn’t bring myself to buy another tie…  sooo, I’m looked at Father’s Day stuff for him that I can enjoy too.  

I considered all the same things you probably have, dvds? no, we have netflix.  Clothes? yes, but too complicated to shop for with kids in tow and limited stores.  Tech gadgets, no, they are expensive $$$.  So finally what can I get him that is cost effective and luxurious at the same time?  Fragrance, of course!

Diesel Fuel for Life is divine, it reminds me of a car he had when we met in Key West, I don’t know why it just reminds me of that moment in time when we had time to walk and talk on the beach.  I’m loving it on him and it’s apparent to me, if not the world that he loves it too because it has earned the highest fragrance post in his life… the gym bag.  It’s a great honor because that means he will wear it after morning gym and shower to go to work.  I asked him to describe his feeling on the scent and he reports that it “smells good”.  What can I say, he’s a man of a few words. The notes: star anise, grapefruit, lavender, heliotrope, raspberry and vetiver.

And if you’re wondering why he’s got a Father’s Day gift already, military families don’t go much by the calendar

Available at Diesel stores, www.diesel-fragrances.com, Saks, Nordstroms, Bloomingdales and other department stores.

John Varvatos has been on the fashion scene for quite some time now, to capitalize on that success, JV has now splashed into the fragrance arena.  There is men’s fragrance available but I don’t know much about that.  My hubby has made it pretty clear that he wants to pick out his own fragrance and that’s just fine with me.

The subject for today is John Varvatos’ new fragrance for women.  It comes in the sweetest little bottle.  It is so cute, if I were a genie, I’d want to be in this bottle, the curves, the rosy peach color.  The scent is amazing as well, created by Rodrigo Flores-Roux (Givaudan) with direction from John Varvatos himself. 

Scent at first whiff delivers Aromatic Grappa, Georgian apricot, damascus plum and golden mandarin which is the hook leading into the top note of Egyptian jasmine and Turkish rose.  In the background there is oak moss, patchouli, tonka beans and wild honey.  All together an alluring, sensual fragrance, run out and sniff it.

I recently had the chance to interview Perfumista Denise Estrada on her new store, Melange, in Sherman Oaks, California.  70 + fragrances and essential oils are readily available to sniff, blend and play with. Blend to your heart’s content to create body oil, exfoliating wash, bath salts, and eau de parfum, the goody potential is endless!
 
Tell us about Melange.  I opened Melange (French, means to mix or blend), in July 2007.  This is my third retail store (sold the other two in 2004).   I have also worked as a formulator, manufacturer and consultant for personal care industry.   This store was the realization of all my wish lists.  Great products and a LOT of wonderful fragrances to play with.   A chance to introduce people to fragrance and enable them to create their own fragrances in a relaxed environment. 

Keep the pricing reasonable so that it is accessible  to a lot of people.  Products range from $18 to $42, including your choice of fragrance (s).  Also, we  bring in other products from great companies who share our commitment to product excellence and fragrance.  Many of our fragrances can only be found here; I have worked on them for many years and held on to them until the store opened.
  

Do you have a signature scent or do you like to play with different scents?  Because I work with fragrances all day, I do not wear anything to work as I find it interferes with what I am blending.

I try fragrances we are working on for the store often, and use the fragrances from other companies we carry in the store.  As far as a signature fragrance,   the one fragrance  I return to time and time again is L’Artisan , The’  pour un Ete’ (Summer Tea).  It is a blend of Lemon, Mint, Jasmine Bergamot and Green Tea.  Simple, yet so wonderful. I discovered it around the time my daughter was born.  I think much of my love for it is my association of the fragrance with such a wonderful time in our lives.
 

 Fragrance is a popular gift, do you have any recommendations to gift givers?  It is always helpful if you know what type of fragrances the person you are buying for likes.  At the store, we encourage a gift certificate to custom blend if the recipient is local.  This ensures they get something they will love.  If they live far away, we have “safe” floral, citrus, green or cyphre fragrance selections that we blend into eau de parfum.

Do you read blogs?    I love  blogs,  but the day-to-day of the store leaves me with very little time. Most often I look at them during the evening, if there is time.    I have discovered a lot since opening the store, and they have been very supportive of Melange.  I have found great make-up and fashion tips along the way, and I find them a much faster & easier source than print media.

What are your favorite beauty products? do you have any beauty rituals? I take a bath daily.  No quick showers for me.  It is my one ritual.  This gives me a chance to try different Melange fragrances, as well as products from other companies I carry in the store.  I love Cote Bastide Fig bubble bath & L’Orange Bath Oil.  Abahna (a London-based natural line), makes amazing Bath Oils (their Grapefruit is heaven!).  I have used Claus Porto soaps from Portugal (Oprah’s favorites!) for 20 years. I use only my body cream.  It took years to get my formula just where I wanted it; I just use new fragrances often.   

Lafco NY House & Home Candles in Gardenia and Peony are wonderful & I use my Cielo candles and Polynesian Home Ambiance Diffusers all over the house.  For beauty, I LOVE Sara Happ lip scrubs, especially Vanilla.  Bobbi Brown makeup, Mac Eye Shadow.  For skin, I blend my own using bases from my lab and botanicals.  I custom blend for my skin needs (I am an esthetician since 1987)… Over the counter, I like Dermalogica.  As a formulator I can tell you they are wonderfully made products.   I also like the Bobbi Brown skin line.  Her Lavender toner is great.

What can a visitor to Melange expect?  A lot of olfactory and visual stimulation!    People tend to circle a few times, to take in all the little indulgences (soaps, lotions, etc., ) on the tables.  Many are not widely sold, so people are interested in them.  Most end up at the fragrance bar.  We set the fragrances out so that anybody can sit and explore them comfortably.  We provide as much or a little guidance as you want in selecting or formulating  a personal fragrance. Some people are very brief and simple.  Some people spend an hour and write everything down.  Everybody is different, and that is what is so wonderful.  

We blend the fragrances in the product of your choice (we offer a lot of bath, spa, perfume, home fragrance choices).  We measure in grams, carefully and mix meticulously.  Everything is labeled, carefully archived and stored on a personal computer file so a client can refer back to their formula at any time.  Many people like to adjust their fragrances seasonally (lighten it up for Summer, warmer for Winter, etc); so keeping their fragrance preferences and formulas on file is very helpful.  If you leave happy you came, we were successful.  This store is my love.  I consider my time there a blessing and my customers only add to that.

Melange Apothecary

13632 Ventura Boulevard
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Phone: 818-385-0495
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10:00-6:00  Saturday 10:00-5:00
             Sunday Closed
             Monday By Appointment

Be sure to stop in to Melange some time soon and experience all that it has to offer.  Check out their Blending Events that blend wine, appetizers and fragrance at the same time.  Thank-you Denise and here’s to your continued success!

I have been in my garden all weekend, turning the soil, making a new compost pile, weeding and watering and combatting the weird bushes that are trying to take down my apple trees.  Despite these horrible mangrove type bushes twising around them, trying to bring them down, my little apple trees are sprouting pretty little blossoms.  I love the blossoms, it’s the first real sign of spring and make me so darned happy I can’t tell you.

My dream next year is to plant 15 Cherry Blossom trees (I’ve wished this for the last 4 years!) because I love the blossoms so much.  It’s not going to happen again this year, so for now I will appease myself by camping out at local Cherry Blossom trees for our family ohanami party.  Until then… 

Bath & Body Works has captured the fresh scent of spring with a crispy citrus and floral scent named Blushing Cherry Blossom.  I LOVE it, what a boost to the psyche after a long blah winter. 

Top Notes: Mandarin, Leafy Green Accord, Sparkling Quince, Lush Berries, Fresh Melon
Mid Notes: Rose Damascena, Super Hedoine, White Jasmin, Rose Juliette Greco
Dry Down Notes: Musk, Violet, Soft Amber, Creamy Sandalwood

The scent is available in several different Bath & Body Works products. 

Eau de Toilette ($19.00)

Body Lotion ($10.00)

Shower Gel ($10.00)

Body Splash ($11.00)

Body Cream($11.00)

Limited Edition Satin Body Veil ($14.50)

I tried the shower gel as well and it is divine, this is a must try line.  Available in all Bath & Body Works stores and @ www.bathandbodyworks.com  I can’t help but think: Fresh, Radiant, Blissful.  Happy Beauty Bathing Everyone!

Different Like Coco by Elizabeth Matthews (2007)

I’ve read this book at least 20 times in the last week, girl2004 LUVS this book so much.  It’s a great introduction to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s design and her life, a true inspiration she surmounted terrible odds.  Some things are left unanswered,  I would have liked to know if she ever got in touch with her brothers from which she was seperated from.  The only bad thing about this book is my kids are convinced that every body in France is an orphan, first Madeline now Coco!  If you’ve got a little girl to read to, this is a beauty/fashion book that they would love.  It’s great because it teaches about being different and using what you’ve got - things every little girl needs to know about!

Available @ Overstock

I’m prepared to spritz whatever she does.

Ralph Wild is Ralph Lauren’s newest fragrance.  It’s described as a Wild Fruity Floral fragrance.  The topnotes are wild strawberries and luscious watermelon fuzed together. The midnotes are a blend of Cherry Blossom, Sheer Jasmine and Red Rose Petals. The drydown completes the experience with a creamy musk and smooth sandalwood. 

Go Wild with Ralph Wild, you can even enter to win a Vespa! Don’t go before you chant this name…

She’s the not-so-new face for Ralph Wild, Amanda Charlwood.  Amanda once did a children’s campaign for Ralph Lauren, and has built up her modeling repertoire in publications like Vanity Fair and Teen Vogue.  Stay tuned, we’re sure to see much more of her…

I heart Amanda’s Hair!  Huge Hair Envy!!!

It’s the dead of winter, few months to go ’til spring.  I’ve been spending way to much time inside, I need to get a mental trip. 

So what do Brazil ’s Carnaval and Fresh Sugar Lemon have in common?  they both make me think of summer! There’s no better way to do that than with music and fragrance! 

Winter is a great time to listen to tropical music like samba.  There are tons of samba compilation cds available to get you in the mood for Carnaval in Brazil (February 2 - 5, 2008). I wish American tv would play Carnaval, I watched it a few years ago on Brazilian tv and it seems very tame compared to when I was growing up. 

I never really thought about it but I’m sure I can find somewhere on the web to watch… hmmm…   Fragrance is another way you can bring that tropical feel to your wintry abode.  I’ve been using Fresh Sugar Lemon Eau de Parfum and it’s been taking me down memory lane. 

Summers in Brazil, getting fresh orange juice, churascaria’s with lemon juice on the table and of course fresh sugar-y lemonade. 

Summer just wouldn’t be summer without lemonade wherever you are.  Sugar Lemon has notes of Italian Bergamot, Yuzu, Mandarin, Lychee Flower, Orange Blossom, Ginger Flower, Oak Moss, Caramel, White Santal.  It is refreshing and invigorating and a must for any fragrance lover.  Not to mention a lot cheaper than going to Brazil!

Photo Credits: Sephora and People’s Daily