Naked Beauty

This collection and the beauty look (hair and makeup) capture my attention in every way. Classic, preppy, stylish and conservative-chic!

With Peter Som collaborating on this collection, Tommy Hilfiger’s Autumn/Winter 2010-2011 offerings are being described as lively and stronger than his most current designs have been in some time. Som’s involvement is surrounded by a bit of intrigue. On the one hand, he wasn’t out front and available for interviews; but on the other, the company isn’t hiding the news.

Described as “Preppy With a Pop,” the collection channeled a girl the show notes described as a young Katharine Hepburn, someone combining an East Coast pedigree with a touch of sass. As one has come to expect, Hilfiger’s classics showed in all their glory: the peacoat, the trench, the pencil skirt, however played up with a youthful twist.

source: Style, Fashionmag

Four new fragrances join the Lubin family of eau de toilettes and Aedes de Venustas has them.  The stories behind the fragrances are as sensual and evocative as the scents themselves.

Aziyadé, a young Circassian harem girl imprisoned in an oriental palace, embodies the unreachable and sensual beauty of which every man dreams. The word “inédite” means “unpublished” in French, like the story the young author in love with Aziyadé didn’t dare tell.

The sweet seduction of sugared almonds warms up into a harmony of vanilla and roses, reminding us of those spicy sweets so adored by oriental beauties. After a top note of rose water that is fresh and pure like a Sicilian orange, Inédite is a sweet and spicy creation adorned with a floral harmony of heliotrope, lilac and rose, and topped with a fruity note of nectarines.

Vanilla, iris and patchouli transform the sweet seduction of sugared almonds into aromas of cinnamon, pepper and coriander. Cedar and musk base notes make its Eastern-inspired foundation even more irresistible.

• Top notes: Sicilian mandarin, bergamot, pink peppercorns from Mexico.
• Middle notes: Russian coriander and cinnamon, Javanese cloves, heliotrope and lilac, nectarine, Damask rose and cabbage rose.
• Base notes: Vanilla, iris, patchouli, Kashmir cedar, white musk.

Bold and seductive like the Figaro from Beaumarchais’ plays, Figaro by Lubin takes liberties with conventions much like the character that inspired it. An extremely original unisex fragrance, its construction is based on the daring opposition of vetiver and fig, which starts out green and ends up with gentle amber and woody base notes.

At the heart of this fragrance is a counterpoint of vetiver and fig brightened by notes of apple, clover and plum. Cilantro evokes the green of nature and seaside pines, mingling with ocean breezes. These woody, amber tones finally give way to vetiver, sandalwood, tonka bean and benzoin balm base notes.

• Top notes: Grapefruit, bergamot, pink peppercorns, marine pine.
• Middle notes: Fig and apple, Damson, coriander leaves, clover.
• Base notes: Essence of vetiver, styrax, sandalwood, tonka bean.

Bluff is at first a refreshing invigorating blend of citrus fruits, wood extracts and spices. It then reveals itself as an extremely elegant yet sensual unisex eau de parfum.

The composition is inspired from the invigorating remedies supplied to the pioneers in the Wild West during the gold rush. Once developed by emigrant physicians, these tonics were first considered as medicines. They would soon become a part of American culture, and later be transformed into soft drinks for young people.

A distinguished fragrance with deceiving first impressions: crowned with lime, bergamot and an accord of nutmeg and cinnamon, Bluff opens as fresh and spicy. It then reveals sensual, with mouthwatering heart notes of clary sage, iris and kola nut. This blend rests on an exquisite foundation of Vetiver cedar, patchouli and sandalwood vanilla.

• Top notes: lime, bergamot, nutmeg and cinnamon.
• Middle notes: Clary sage, iris and kola nut.
• Base notes: Vetiver, cedar, patchouli and sandalwood vanilla.

The Mississippi River finds its main source in the legendary Lake Itasca in the heart of Minnesota. Itasca by Lubin is reminiscent of the forests covering the American landscape once inhabited by the Algonquin tribes and pioneers exploring their depths.

Core notes of Minnesotan red pine mingle with a base of amber, incense, vetiver Java and Texas cedar woods. After fresh top notes of juniper berries, a spicy harmony then unfolds where dominant woody notes are accented with clove and nutmeg.

A spiced vetiver, Itasca opens with citrus fruits refreshed by juniper berries, followed by a harmonious combination of oriental woods, vetiver, and red Minnesotan pine. This scent evokes the forests that surround Lake Itasca, the source of the great Mississippi river, and a legendary place guarded by Algonquin Indians.

• Top notes: Neroli, marigold, mandarin, juniper berry and grapefruit.
• Middle notes: Clove, tonka bean, clary sage, nutmeg, geranium flower.
• Base notes: Itasca red pine (pinus resinosa), Java vetiver and Texan cedar, Partak incense, Ethiopian myrrh, amber and Canadian fir balsam.

 

The Inedite is seriously calling my name!  Can you hear it?
All four Lubin fragrances above are available in 2.5 oz eau de toilette contemporary glass bottles and retail for $110 each.  For more information on these glorious fragrances, please visit aedes.com.

A feeling of peace, a moment to escape from everyday worries, time out for the things that are closest to our hearts: love, joy, comfort. These sentiments are the foundation of DKNY’s new fragrance pureDKNY.

DKNY Fragrances is taking small steps toward responsible practices in fragrance, and their new scent is one example of that – scent with a conscience.

Classified as a soft floral it is the drop of vanilla grown in Uganda that envelopes the fragrance as its signature ingredient. Through a partnership with CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty, pureDKNY is supporting a 15-month project that will reach 1,650 vanilla farmers, approximately 60% women, in rural communities in Uganda’s south-western Mukono district.

The eco-friendly pureDKNY packaging communicates its message in both style and substance. Inspired by the shape of a raindrop, the minimalist clear glass bottle is 100% recyclable. The fragrance’s box/carton is made from Certified Forest Paper and wrapped in Nature Flex, a certified biodegradable and compostable material made from tree pulp.

What DKNY would like us to breathe in with its new scent creation is that pureDKNY is more than a fragrance, it’s a lifestyle, a state of mind, a way of being and living respnsibly. It’s about respecting nature and taking simple, yet meaningful actions to make a difference. pureDKNY celebrates the beauty of caring – for ourselves, for others and for the world we live in. Elevating the message a step higher, DKNY chose supermodel and ambassador of sustainable living Angela Lindvall for the pureDKNY ad campaign.

This is a truly beautiful fragrance, a balanced blending of floral with subtle touches of vanilla, amber and wood. It features a “dew-drop petal accord” of lotus flower and bulgarian rose, which harmonize with the floral heart of transparent jasmine, freesia and lush orchid. The base envelops you in warmth with white amber, creamy sandalwood (you can really smell this … delightful) and a drop of pure Ugandan vanilla in water. Simply beautiful.

Available in 1 oz, 1.7 oz and 3.4 oz recyclable raindrop glass bottles, pureDKNY is available through DKNY fragrances. Visit them at puredkny.com.