fête à fête

Givenchy's latest fragrance, Ange ou Démon Le Secret, is finally available in the U.S. A spin-off from the original Ange ou Démon (2006 release), this new scent is a floral fragrance that's based on jasmine and white peony, with top notes of Italian winter lemon and green tea. A base of white musk and patchouli rounds out the predominantly floral theme.

As I've gotten older I've veered away from most heavy floral scents, but this one is delicate enough for me to wear. This fragrance is also intended to reveal the 'angelic' side of Ange ou Démon.

Uma Thurman illuminates the screen in this commercial for Ange ou Démon Le Secret (directed by Mira Nair). Isn't she just gorgeous?

There's also a behind-the-scenes video that's located here.

Tagged as: beauty, celebrity, fragrance, perfume, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

In honor of Valentine's Day (yup, it's coming up real soon!), Linnea's Lights has a very meaningful gift idea for the women in your lives. As a featured scent for the romantic holiday, the small family-owned company is selling a special edition of their popular Currant Rouge hand-poured soy candle.

Sadly, for many women suffering from violence across the world, they won't be celebrating V-day. For this very reason Linnea's Lights will be donating 10% of sales to Vday.org to stop the violence. This partnership is indicated by the red heart-shaped stamp on top of the Currant Rouge candle lid.

Of course, if fruit-based scents aren't your lover's preference, there are other scents to ignite the flames of desire. The Amber is sensual but not too overwhelming - it's definitely magnetic with Egyptian Musk blended into the formula. Linden is a clean and fresh floral scent for those who like an everyday fragrance for their home.

Online retailers that sell Linnea's Lights candles: linneaslights.com/locations.php

To find out how you can help end violence against women and girls, visit: www.vday.org

For editorial consideration, a product sample was provided for this review.

Tagged as: candles, fragrance, gifts, holiday, shopping, special events, valentine

Posted by Tami Yu at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Linnea's Lights has a great collection of eco-friendly candles to light up your holiday festivities. Made of soy wax, pure essences, and lead-free cotton wicks, the line is named after the founders' Swedish lineage and the national flower of Sweden.

The holiday scents include Pomander (orange, clove, winter spices), Winter (spruce, mint, cinnamon, cranberry), and Fir. If you want something fruitier, other great options are Fig (with peach and vanilla), Currant Rouge (with citrus and tart apple), and Cassis (blackcurrant and green herbs).

Packaged in recycled materials, each of the double wicked candle burns up to 60 hours. The handcrafted candles are also triple-scented so it will maintain a strong and steady fragrance throughout the entire burn. The package also contains a little matchbox, which is a thoughtful touch.

www.linneaslights.com

For editorial consideration, a product sample was provided for this review.

Tagged as: candles, fragrance, gifts, holiday, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Diptyque has some luxurious gifts for this holiday season, and it's quite hard to choose which one to get for your loved ones. Every scent I've smelled from this Parisian company is quite bewitching.

To bring in a festive environment, the new trio of Holiday Limited-Edition Candles are a lovely addition to the home. Available in Roasted Chestnut, Evergreen, and Resin, these gorgeous candles are housed in colorful and elegant glass containers ($68). If those are not in the budget, there are also mini candles ($28) to consider. They come in the following scents: Feu de Bois (Firewood), Pomander (Orange/Clove), Cannelle (cinnamon), Amber, and Pine.

The new milled soaps are great (and affordable) stocking stuffers for the fragrance addict. I was especially entranced by the Do Son (tuberose, orange tree leaves, rose, benzoin, iris, and white musk) soap. I'm not a huge floral gal but this one really surprised me with its freshly intoxicating scent. I was also very happy to see it available in the unisex L'Ombre dans L'Eau (black currant leaf and Bulgarian rose). These soaps are so fragrant it made my bathroom smell so nicely. They also lather up beautifully. The soap collection also features scents of Philosykos, Tam Dao, and L’eau ($15 each or three for $38).

www.diptyqueparis.com

For editorial consideration, a product sample was provided for this review.

Tagged as: candles, fragrance, gifts, holiday, Luxury, scents, shopping, soap, Winter

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If you're a Dolce & Gabbana fan, you can now round out your runway ensemble with a fashionable scent from their new Fragrance Anthology collection. The names of the five unisex fragrances were inspired by tarot cards (1 Le Bateleur, 3 L'Imperatrice, 6 L'Amoureaux, 10 La Roue de la Fortune, and 18 La Lune) and each one is represented by an iconic model.

Claudia Schiffer, Eva Herzigova, Naomi Campbell, Fernando Fernandes, Noah Mills and Tyson Ballou are the faces behind D&G's fragrance line.

Most of these are more on the feminine side, but I prefer 6 L'Amoureaux (The Lovers). The masculine notes (bergamot, juniper berry, pink pepper, cardamom, birch leaf, orris root, musk, and wood) is like catnip to me. It doesn't smell overwhelmingly woodsy as some of the other men's fragrance out there - perhaps it's lightened up so women can wear it easily.

If you do like florals, you might like the 10 La Roue de la Fortune (gardenia, jasmine, tuberrose) or 18 La Lune (lily, rose, tuberose). 3 L'Imperatrice is a bit fruitier with watermelon, kiwi and red currant, and 1 Le Bateleur is a sporty fragrance with watery cedar and vetiver.

www.dandgfragrances.com

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, gifts, perfume, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Givenchy Le Makeup Artistic Director Nicolas Degennes shows off a romantic mood in his Les Poétiques 2009 Fall-Winter makeup collection. Shimmery and vivid pinks, soft silvery lavender, and metallic gold all play a role in the dreamy and melancholy palette.

I adore the limited edition Prismissime Eyes palette in Poetique Blues. The powdery texture is super silky and glides on so nicely. The shades are all buildable from sheer to opaque. The golden beige/pink shades compliment the purples so well. You can definitely end up with a light smoky look with this palette. It's going to be one of my favorite compacts to use this season.

For a dramatic eye, you can line your eyes with the Para'Eyes Liner in Poetique Lavender. The liquid liner is a dark blue shade with a metallic finish, giving it that extra ooh la la. Finally, to finish, the lips are toned down a bit for this look, with delicate pinks ruling the game. The Rouge Interdit lipstick in Poetique Iris is a pink tinged with blue, rounding out the soft and dreamy expression.

Givenchy also just launched their new men's fragrance Play. The playful scent carries top notes of bergamot, mandarin orange, bitter orange, and grapefruit. Amyris wood, black pepper, and coffee flower act as middle notes while vetiver and patchouli round out the sensual base notes.

I personally love it. It smells so nice I want to wear it myself as a unisex cologne. The cute bottle looks like an Mp3 player too. Doesn't Justin Timberlake look cute in their ad campaign? Click on the video link below and check out the behind-the-scenes ad shoot with JT.

www.parfumsgivenchy.com

Tagged as: beauty, Fall makeup, fragrance, limited edition, Luxury, makeup, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Nobody does fragrances like Diptyque. I've been in love with their candles and home sprays for many years and it was so nice to see the launch of their new Art of Body Care line. Inspired by journeys to Aleppo, Byzantium, Alexandria, Cordoba, and Florence, your senses are taken on a whirlwind trip around ancient civilizations.

The collection consists of five luxurious products to pamper the entire body. I love all of them, but my favorite has to be the intense soufflé-textured Crème Riche (with Turkish rose, organic honey, argan oil), followed by the Precious Oils (organic sweet almond oil, argan oil, and macadamia oil). It's a dry body oil that absorbs almost instantly, with notes of iris, cedar and vetiver lingering on the skin.

The rest of the line is just as decadent. The Gelée Lactée creamy body wash is a concentrated olive oil formula peppered with notes of bay laurel, rosemary and lemon. The Lait Frais (fresh lotion) is very uplifting with its green notes of petitgrain and orange blossom. The velvety Baume Généreaux (hand balm) is filled with apricot kernel oil, shea butter and argan oil.

Diptyque also just introduced L’Eau de Tarocco, the new unisex cologne. The fruitiest fragrance of Diptyque’s cologne collection, this one has notes of blood orange, grapefruit, saffron, Bulgarian rose, cedar wood and white musk. If you haven't tried any of their fragrances, this one is a great one to start with.

For the jet-setters, the new travel collection features mini candles, body washes, and body lotions in your favorite scents. Each candle has a 30-hr burn time, and is available in Figuier, Gardenia, Jasmin, Mimosa, and Baies. The body care items are available in Philosykos, L’ombre dans L’eau and Tam Dao.

www.diptyqueparis.com

Tagged as: beauty, body wash, fragrance, Lifestyle, lotion, Luxury, organic ingredients, perfume, shopping, skin care, travel

Posted by Tami Yu at 8:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

If you've been curious about BOSS Orange, the new Hugo Boss fragrance, here's your chance to try it. The lovely Debbie (aka The Perfume Fairy) from DM Fragrances is kind and generous enough to host this great giveaway with us. This time, my UK readers can enter! I'm real excited about this.

British beauty Sienna Miller is the face behind this campaign. The fragrance notes are crisp apple, white flower, vanilla, and sandalwood. This sounds just right for summer! The retail value of the 30ml Eau de Toilette runs for about $43 (£26.00).

Photo credit: Cliff Watts

To Enter:

Step 1: Tweet this post on Twitter (RT @feteafete BOSS Orange Giveaway http://tinyurl.com/nlsafo ). IF you don't have a Twitter account, please leave an interesting comment below this post on which Hugo Boss fragrances you like or have tried before (don't send generic ones like 'this sounds great').

Step 2: Email your full name & mailing address to feteafeteswag@gmail.com. Be sure to enter 'BOSS Orange Giveaway' in the subject line and your unlocked Twitter link in the body. DO NOT forget to email your name & address after you comment or tweet, or you'll be disqualified automatically!

One winner will be chosen at random. Deadline is Tuesday, July 28, at 11:59pm EST. USA & United Kingdom residents only. Good luck!

Tagged as: beauty, celebrity, fragrance, giveaway, perfume, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 6:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I try not to be a stressball, but due to the nature of my job I usually end up with 10 million knots on my back at the end of the day. As a worrywart, sometimes I have trouble sleeping too.

Luckily for me (and you!), Nectar Essences flower sprays are one of the ways I combat my anxiety. Founder Jenny Pao used her background in holistic healing and flower essence therapy to formulate her unique product line. Each spray is 100% natural natural including wildcrafted, organic and biodynamically farmed ingredients. They're safe for kids too.

Not only are they incredibly powerful, these are also effective natural remedies that will heal your body, soul, and mind. I LOVE the De Stress formula. It has 15 flower essences (including Rescue Remedy) and is scented with ylang ylang, jasmine and palo santo oils. I had a personal trauma happen and using the spray calmed me down enough to carry on with my daily life. I also used it on a couple friends and they just ate it up. The Sleep and Awake sprays will assist with your sleeping and waking patterns.

To see the magical effects yourself, we're doing a special giveaway of the De Stress spray to one lucky reader!

To Enter:

Step 1: Tweet this post on Twitter (RT @feteafete Nectar Essences giveaway http://tinyurl.com/kwedq5 ). IF you don't have a Twitter account, please leave an interesting comment below this post on which formula you'd like to try (don't send generic ones like 'this sounds great').

Step 2: Email your full name & mailing address to feteafeteswag@gmail.com. Be sure to enter 'Nectar Giveaway' in the subject line and your unlocked Twitter link in the body. DO NOT forget to email your name & address after you comment or tweet, or you'll be disqualified automatically!

One winner will be chosen at random. Deadline is Thursday, July 9, at 11:59pm EST. U.S. residents only. Good luck!

Tagged as: fragrance, giveaway, health, holistic, Lifestyle, natural ingredients, organic, organic ingredients, San Francisco, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Known for her soulful alchemy, Yosh Han's latest Time Travel fragrances conjure up sensations from the past, present and future. Created exclusively for the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, the ten fragrances have delightful names such as Caveman, Gold Rush and Victorian Violets.

Studio 54 has white pearl, juniper, coriander, lime, champagne. It even has sparkly glitter in the bottle. I can definitely pick up the lime. On my skin it gave off a powdery finish after wearing it for a while. Utopia has notes of French vanilla, nectarine blossom, cassis and green tea. This one gives off a sensual longing of an old romance.
My favorite is Aztec. This one has warm and spicy notes of chocolate, rose, nutmeg, pink pepper, and cardamom.

All proceeds benefit 826LA, a youth writing center in LA. Get your fragrance at www.826la.org.

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, perfume, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Father's Day is less than a week away - are you all ready to shower Dad with pampering gifts? Here are some lovely ideas for you to consider...

Givenchy's highly concentrated GIVENCHYMAN skin care line includes a Powerful Renovating Skin Peel to exfoliate dead skin cells. Follow up with the effective Intensive Age-Fighting Force to boost elasticity and fill in wrinkles or the Pro-Energizing Massive Moisturizer to deeply hydrate the skin.

Banana Republic has cute mini sizes of each of their men's fragrances fom the Discover collection. You can get one for $10, or 2 or more for $7.50 each. The Cordovan is a nice woody melange of green fig, leather and spices.

Clarins recently introduced their new ClarinsMen anti-aging collection, and the Line-Control Eye Balm is a non-greasy, moisturizing treatment that gives complete nourishment for the entire eye area. Paracress, Maritime Pine extract, Shea Butter, and Purslane extract help reduce crow’s feet and puffiness.

C.O. Bigelow's Elixir Blue Shower & Shave Gift Set ($14.50) is another great option if your Dad needs a new shaving routine. This includes a Barber Hair & Body Wash in Elixir Blue™ fragrance, a black body sponge and a trial-size Premium Shave Cream.

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, gifts, holiday, Lifestyle, shopping, skin care

Posted by Tami Yu at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Check out the new Magnifique parfum commercial featuring Lancôme ambassador Anne Hathaway. Filmed at New York’s The Box, Anne is working the sexy and confident persona of the Magnifique woman.

To see Anne in the new commercial and to get her Magnifique makeup look: www.lancome-usa.com/fragrance/magnifique.aspx

In celebration of the new commercial, we're giving away one bottle of Magnifique Eau de Toilette to a lucky reader. This spicy, floral, woody fragrance is an intoxicating scent perfect for a summer’s night out.

To Enter:

Step 1: Tweet this post on Twitter (RT @feteafete Lancome Magnifique EDT giveaway http://tinyurl.com/ommafj ). IF you don't have a Twitter account, please leave an interesting comment below on why you like this brand, or what you'd like to try from this line (don't send generic ones like 'this sounds great!').

Step 2: Email your full name & mailing address to feteafeteswag@gmail.com. DO NOT forget to send your name and address to this email after you comment or tweet, or you'll be disqualified automatically.

One winner will be chosen at random. Deadline is Friday, May 15, at 11:59pm EST. U.S. residents only. Good luck!

Tagged as: beauty, celebrity, fragrance, giveaway, makeup, perfume, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

Pacifica's new spring and summer perfume collections are a breath of fresh air. The new Lotus Garden is very lovely with green notes, citrus, lotus, and olibanum. Classics Tunisian Jasmine and Egyptian Bergamot Rose are now available in spray and solid perfumes, as well as body butters. So much fun layering everything together! As always, the sprays are made with natural, pure grain alcohol (corn-sourced and gluten-free).

I really liked the Thai Lemongrass...quite playful. The ginger and lemongrass are well balanced so that it doesn't smell too citrusy or strong. The Vanilla Vera Cruz is now also in a solid perfume form, so it makes for a great scent to tuck into tiny purses. The warm clove, sweet orange, and black pepper in Madagasgar Spice makes me wanna tuck into bed on a cold day.

Their new 3-piece gift sets in Waikiki Pikake and Lotus Garden are real fun too. Celebrate Mother's Day, Earth Day, or everyday with these cute presents. Each set includes a travel sized candle, matches, solid perfume, and a body butter.

Buy it at: pacificaperfume.com

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, gifts, natural ingredients, perfume, shopping, spring, Summer

Posted by Tami Yu at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Get your shopping digits ready. Neiman Marcus is hosting an online trunk show of Guerlain’s Exclusive Fragrance collection. For 2 weeks only, you can now get these rare perfumes online. Normally you can only buy these in the seven U.S. Guerlain boutiques, so this is such a convenient way to stock up on your favorite fragrances, or try a new one without leaving your home. This is great for those are who far away from the retail stores.

Available collections include L’Art et la Matiere (Cuir Beluga, Angélique Noire, etc.), Les Elixirs Charnels, the gorgeous 180th Year Collector’s Case, and La Petite Robe Noire, which debuted last month.

The Chypre Fatal and Gourmand Coquin sound so good. I'm very tempted to check this out...

Check out the trunk show here: www.neimanmarcus.com

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, Luxury, perfume, scents, shopping, special events

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

SF scent divas, you are in luck. The super talented and lovely parfumeur Yosh Han is offering a Vibrational Perfumery workshop this Spring. This workshop isn't like any other perfume workshop, as it's based on intuition and chakra energy work. It will be quite the treat, I promise.

Yosh will do a basic history of perfume, then a run down on the technical info (on top notes, middle notes and base notes, fragrance families). You will also smell 100+ materials and learn about Perfume Design. Her special "reverse birthday candle" technique is not to be missed. Each participant will create their own Aromatic Attunement in an 8 ml French flacon bottle.

Saturday, April 25th OR Sunday, May 3rd
9:30 AM: Meet and Greet, Tea
10:00 AM - 1 PM Workshop
End or Lunch break
2 - 3:30 PM Optional shopping
Create your own Perfumer's Kit

Please RSVP - Limited to 6 people only!
Sign-up at 415.626.5385 or Yosh@eaudeyosh.com
Workshop Fee: $250.00 ($50 deposit)

www.eaudeyosh.com

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, Lifestyle, Luxury, perfume, San Francisco, scents, shopping, special events

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For those who liked Emilio Pucci's original Vivara perfume, the new Vivara Variazioni collection should be a nice addition with some twists. An ode to the Vivara Island, the trio starts off with Sabbia 167, a powdery floral. Tangerine, lemon, Florentine iris, and sandalwood characterize this one. Acqua 330 resembles the coolness of water. Violet lead, jasmine, frangipani, and musk evoke a freshn voyage to the heart of the Mediterranean.

I liked the Sole 149. An aromatic floral, it aims to recreate the elements of a sun-dappled island. The galbanum channels the original Vivara; this one has notes of tomato leaf, sambac-jasmine, vetiver, and patchouli. I like how vetiver and patchouli warms up the florals.

Available at Sephora.com

Tagged as: beauty, fashion designer, fragrance, Luxury, perfume, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Armani's new Onde fragrance collection is nothing short of dazzling. Inspired by the exotic journeys to the East, each of the three perfumes (Vertige, Mystere, and Extase) are encased in beautiful vintage-inspired bottles and colored silk tassels. They're so pretty you want to collect them all.

Vertige has a very floral feel. It consists of the lush frangipani flower, with splashes of jasmine. Black liquorice and patchouli help round it out, sending us on a whirlwind tour of the Kama Sutra. The bottle is designed after the temples of India.

Representing Japan, Extase is all about the powdery mimosa, Egyptian jasmine, and narcissus. This is the sweetest fragrance out of the group, but it's very likable. Really flowery scents usually aren't my thing, but the pink pepper, Sicilian Bergamot, and cedar balanced it out.

Mystere is my favorite of the trio. Starting out spicy and rather bold, the incense and amber go surprisingly soft towards the end of the first sniff. Moroccan Rose and vanilla takes the edge off this sumptuous scent. This one takes us through a sensual trip to the Middle East. I really like this- it will definitely seduce the boys.

The ONDE Collection is available beginning in February exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue and online at www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

Tagged as: beauty, fashion designer, fragrance, gifts, holiday, perfume, scents, shopping, valentine

Posted by Tami Yu at 5:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kiehl's just launched a portable roll-on version of their popular Essence Oils, and they are so convenient to tuck into your jean pocket or mini purse. The unisex scents are highly concentrated so you just need a swipe to wear alone or to layer with other scents. Great for travel too.

The first four signature oils are featured (Musk 1921, Coriander 1946, Vanilla 1968, and Grapefruit 1976), with six more to come in the near future. The Musk was supposedly formulated in the early 1920s by a relative of Kiehl’s founding family, who was an actual Russian prince!

Available at: www.kiehls.com

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, gifts, holiday, scents, shopping, valentine

Posted by Tami Yu at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

For all you passionate fans of the super hottie Jonathan Rhys Meyers, here's your chance to catch him in person this week (Fri, Jan. 30). The face of the new Hugo Element, he will be at Macy’s Herald Square (NYC) to promote the launch of their latest men's fragrance.

The modern fragrance defines the urban traveler who draws his life source from the city. Notes include calone, ginger, coriander leaf, and cedarwood. The packaging is meant to represent the oxygen bottle, representing the air element.

Guests who make a $65 purchase of HUGO ELEMENT will get to meet the Tudors star in the flesh (swoon!), and an opportunity to get an autographed fragrance bottle. A great idea for Valentine's Day prezzies for the bf.

Sigh. If only I can jet to NYC in a snap...

WHAT: Jonathan Rhys Myers for HUGO ELEMENT
WHEN: Friday, January 30th @ 5:00pm
WHERE: Macy’s Herald Square
151 West 34th Street, New York City
HUGO Fragrance Counter, Main Floor
212-695-4400

Tagged as: beauty, celebrity, entertainment, Film Stars, fragrance, gifts, holiday, Lifestyle, shopping, special events, valentine

Posted by Tami Yu at 8:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The holidays are coming up, and I'm starting to make my humble abode cozy with Chesapeake Bay Candle's Harvest Collection. The Textured Glass Reed Diffuser in Cinnamon Plum has a scrumptious scent that is really potent. Combining notes of orange peel, red plum, crushed nutmeg, and grated cinnamon, it creates the warm holiday feeling that I so crave. You can scent up a big living room with this bottle.

Available at www.Kohls.com through November 2008.

Tagged as: fragrance, gifts, holiday, home, home decor, home scents, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 2:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Notorious, the new Ralph Lauren fragrance, evokes Hollywood's timeless and sexy intrigue. The provocative scent carries notes of Black Currant, Spicy Pink Peppercorn, Italian Bergamot, Chocolate Cosmos, White Frost Peonies, Fiery Carnation, Patchouli Musk, Vanilla, and Orris. The Art Deco-inspired bottle is simple elegance at its best.

I love the sexy black and white Wong Kar-Wai video for this perfume campaign. Spokeswoman Laetitita Casta is the quintessential glamour seductrice as she glides around the Palais de Tokyo, Pont Alexandre III Bridge, and Theatre des Varietes.

Watch it at RalphLauren.com or here.

Tagged as: fashion designer, fashion model, film, film director, fragrance, perfume, scents, Shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Liv Tyler, the captivating face of Very Irrésistible Givenchy, captured the spirit of Audrey Hepburn, Givenchy's first muse. The fresh gamine sensuality returns this Fall with the new fragrance Absoutely Irrésistible Givenchy.

A departure from the original parfum's Rose-Star Anise composition, the new one is a sexy blooming floral, with a gorgeous jasmine heart. It also has notes of Green Mandarin Orange, Red Berries, Red Pepper, Orange Blossom, Heliotrope, Cedarwood, Patchouli, and Amber. Embellished with a silver geometric pattern, sophistication sparkles in the dazzling red bottle.

Available September 2008 at department stores, Sephora, and Sephora.com.

www.parfumsgivenchy.com

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, perfume

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To capture the spirit of summer, Biotherm released a new body fragrance called Eau Pure. The light spray has notes of lime, kiwi, grapefruit, green tea, lotus, moss, musk, lime and kiwi. Ideal for a tropical vacation, you can use it to cool off and refresh yourself after a long day at the beach.

www.biotherm-usa.com

-Tami

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, perfume, scents, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Inspired by the powerful flow of water, the new BOSS Pure has a nice, sleek packaging. If your man likes this genre of 'fresh' men's fragrances, by all means, get one to replenish his stock. Always good to have a fresh-smelling dude than a funky one, I say. It features notes of fig, Mediterranean citrus, lily, hyacinth, and the exotic massoia.

-Tami

Tagged as: fragrance, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A pioneer in the international beauty realm, Shu Uemura was more than just an artist. His visionary methods changed the way we thought about makeup art, opening up a new world that successfully blended art, beauty, fashion, science, and nature into each product. From the iconic eyelash curler to the wildly popular cleansing oils (and don't forget those gorgeous lashes and stellar makeup brushes!), there is so much to be remembered from this prolific and legendary master.

As a young man, Uemura knew he wanted to create beauty. As the only male student at the Tokyo Beauty Academy, he soon rose above other aspiring artists by being chosen to work on Joe Butterfly in 1955, and soon became the darling amongst Hollywood's elite. Uemura elevated beauty to an art form, and stars like Shirley MacLaine and Frank Sinatra were loyal fans.

Uemura's meteoric rise continued to shine. He returned to Japan in 1965 and established the Shu Uemura Make-up Institute, the first Hollywood-style makeup studio in Japan. In 1968, he launched the first Mode Make-up look (the revolutionary concept of using makeup design as an artistic expression) and became the beauty industry's big sensation. Subsequently he created an in-house line of skincare, and opened his first Beauty Boutique in 1983. Today, the Shu Uemura art has expanded to Paris, London, Milan, Taipei, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Tokyo Beauty Boutique opening, this year's special HANA-BI limited edition collection features the dynamic shape of fireworks in the artwork. Designed by noted graphic designer Gwenael Nicolas, the fireworks are a burst of spontaneous beauty that represents this special occasion.

Inspired by three elements of nature (earth, flower, and water), the collection features brilliant eyeshadow palettes offering earthy, bright, and cool shades to mix and match to your heart's content. I love the Fleur de Rose palette. You can definitely do a smoky eye, or opt for more neutral looks with the lighter colors. The Shimmer Liquid Eyeliner (long-lasting formula) compliments the pretty hues.

Three natural origin fragrances formulated with Depsea Water are also showcased: Fleur de Rose (Ylang Ylang & Turkish Rose), Fleur de Source (Coriander, Papyrus & Basil), and Fleur de Terre (Rosemary & Bergamot).

www.shuuemura-usa.com

Happy birthday, Mr. Uemura. You will be in our hearts forever.

-Tami

Tagged as: cosmetics, eyeshadow, fragrance, limited edition, makeup, Makeup Artists, special events

Posted by Tami Yu at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reach for the stars as you breeze through your summer parties with Escada's Moon Sparkle fragrance. The 16th seasonal offering in the fashion house's limited edition series, this is the perfect scent for hobnobbing with the glitterati as you jet off to exotic locales.

A fruity cocktail of strawberries, blackcurrant, citrus, and red apple, the heart is a sweet freesia, wrapped up in sweet pea, jasmine and rose. Amber, sandalwood and raspberry help ground this luscious scent.

Go ahead - bring out your inner party girl!

www.escada-fragrances.com

-Tami

Tagged as: beauty, fragrance, limited edition, perfume, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are a few more ideas for all the gorgeous mamas in your life. Whether it's chocolate or perfume, moms everywhere definitely need some TLC!

Lily Lambert has a great new Goddess fragrance collection. Conjuring up ancient powers of femininity, the five scents convey the mystical powers of famed goddesses. From Athena to Damara, let your special mom bring out her inner goddess. I especially like the Coventina (plumeria, birds of paradise, and red berries). www.lilylambert.com

Coco-luxe has a luxurious Bundle of Love -the unique gift for the wonderful women in your life. A limited edition item, it's a 36 piece collection of signature truffles bundled up in a beautiful hand-dyed chocolate brown silk Devore satin scarf (measures 8" x 54"). All fête à fête readers get a 15% discount on all products - just enter the code MAY, and it will be effective for the entire month of May! www.coco-luxe.com

For moms-to-be, Belli pregnancy skin care has all the pampering goods to primp head to toe. A favorite amongst celebrity moms (Courteney Cox, Angelina Jolie, Heidi Klum), Belli products are safe enough for mom and baby. The Elasticity Belly Oil, Eye Brightening Cream, and Anti-Chloasma Facial Sunscreen SPF-25 are perfect choices to protect against stretch marks, dark circles, and sun damage. www.belliskincare.com

Happy Mother's Day,

Tami

Tagged as: chocolate, fragrance, gifts, Holiday, perfume, shopping, skin care product

Posted by Tami Yu at 6:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's a great gift idea (also good for Mother's Day). Made with organic soy wax and undiluted essential oils, Dirt candles make a stylish green statement. The packaging is also made with recycled glass and paper. Good for you and the enviroment. Available in 20 unique scent blends (I like the floral Best Friends and minty fresh White Wedding), these long-lasting eco-candles burn for about 60 hours and contain 30-100 fragrance notes each.

A portion of all proceeds go to select charitable causes (National Cancer Society, Susan B. Komen Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Nature's Conservancy, City of Hope, and Make a Wish Foundation, etc.).

Shop at www.dirtcandles.com

-Tami

Tagged as: essential oil, fragrance, gifts, Natural, organic, organic ingredients, shopping

Posted by Tami Yu at 9:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)