BellaSugar

Fragrance Review: Jil by Jil Sander

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:11 -0800

You might know Jil Sander as a German designer with a minimalistic style, and that's exactly the kind aesthetic you'll get with her new fragrance, Jil ($58-$70), a floral amber that just launched last week. The scent, which has powdery characteristics, contains top notes of pink pepper and tangerine for a bit of brightness, with lavender mellowing it out. At the heart is where you get most of the action, with lily of the valley bringing a hint of sweetness, orris lending an earthiness, and heliotrope providing a musky quality. To round it off, musk, vanilla, and ambergris make for a slightly exotic, sensual finish. To find out what I thought about the fragrance, just keep reading.

Viktor & Rolf Try to Outdo Flowerbomb With Eau Mega

BellaSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:00:42 -0700

Flowerbomb, Viktor & Rolf's first fragrance, has been a cult hit since it came out a few years ago. But this week, the brand quietly released its second scent, Eau Mega. Just so you all know how dedicated I am to good-smellin' stuff, I trekked all the way down to Nordstrom during lunch to sniff it, since only a few locations have the fragrance so far. Luckily, the reconnaissance on this baby is good.

V&R didn't play it safe at all, and Eau is totally different from the F-bomb, though just as playful. The atomizer is also too cute to be believed, and well worth playing with (you spray it by squeezing the big gold V&R seal on the side). To find out whether the juice smells as awesome as the bottle looks, just keep reading.

Marc Jacobs Loves Lola. (Lo-lo-lo-lo Lola)

BellaSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:00:41 -0700

In my mind, there are two Marc Jacobses: the slightly nerdy guy who appeared in Sonic Youth videos, and the slick, slim cool-guy megadesigner he is now. And maybe it's just me, but I kinda miss the dorky Marc who loved the more obviously offbeat. Fortunately, there's a bit of both Marcs in his latest fragrance, Lola ($65-85).

Like Daisy before it, Lola is a scent for the young - which makes sense for a fragrance whose name has Nabokovian connotations. Like so many recent launches, it's another fruity floral fragrance, filled with notes of pear, grapefruit, pink peppercorn, peony, rose, and geranium. After the initial burst of brightness, it settles into a warmer, more nuanced vanilla-musk scent that makes Lola feel a little more grown-up than its first moments suggest. It's pleasant and soft, and it's bound to be a hit among the young. But if you're old enough to remember the Reagan administration, this candy-sweet scent might not be the right fit for you.

Elizabeth Arden Hopes You'll Feel Pretty

BellaSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:00:05 -0700

Everything about Elizabeth Arden's new soft floral fragrance is ultrafeminine, from the pink packaging to the perfume's name. Even the glass bottle's silhouette is inspired by a bud vase with the cap depicting a floral image.

Elizabeth Arden's new Pretty Eau de Parfum Spray ($49 to $62) is formulated with petalia, a new fragrance molecule that smells like, well, a petal.

Pretty is not as sappy-sweet as you might expect. Italian mandarin, orange blossom, and peach juice lend a fresh, bright feel, while starry jasmine, pink lily, and peony help create that expected floral scent without an overwhelming effect. To round it all off, musk, jacaranda wood, and creamy amber give it a warmth that's smooth yet hearty enough to be noticed.

While Pretty isn't an iconic scent like Sunflowers was for the '90s, this fragrance is pleasant, and it's worth a sample spritz at the perfume counter. Be sure to check out the Body Lotion and Body Powder with Puff ($37.50), too. In one word, Pretty is very "Spring," both in scent and the way it makes you feel when wearing it.

Fragrance Review: India Hicks Island Night

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:00:11 -0800

If you're not familiar with India Hicks, she was a famous model back in the '80s and '90s and she currently resides in the Bahamas. Ahh, island living. How amazing does that sound? You might also recognize her from her role as host of the interior design reality program, Top Design. (Check out Casa's interview with her here.)

Inspired by her serene home environment, Hicks is the founder of India Hicks Island Living Collection, sold through Crabtree & Evelyn. And recently, she's added to her home/natural body care line with India Hicks Island Night Collection, which aims to capture the feel of twilight on the islands. To see what I thought of the new Island Night Eau De Toilette ($50), read more

Island Night is encased in a mysterious looking black glass bottle that sort of resembles a flask. As the name might suggest, this hearty fragrance is probably a little heavy for the day, as it's very deep, rich, and musky. With floral notes of purple and white orchids, green island palms, orange blossom nectar, and night blooming jasmine, the scent is feminine without the frou-frou factor. I think it's the citrus that gives it a little extra edge. A woody musk finishes it off and provides depth. While all fragrance preferences are subjective, this juice is not for me. It's a little too intense on the body for my liking, and I prefer it more as a scent for home instead. I'll stick to the Island Night Scented Candle ($42) for now.

What's NOU? Two Very Different Things, Apparently

BellaSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:00:00 -0800

For half my life, the letters NOU have stood for one thing: Nation of Ulysses. The Washington DC band fused fashion and punk and politics and theater in an inimitable way, earning singer Ian Svenonius the title of "Sassiest Boy in America" from Sassy magazine before the band even released its first record. But now there's a new NOU in town, and it's also somewhat musical.

The fragrance NOU is inspired by Alma Mahler-Werfel, the wife of composer Gustav Mahler. A composer in her own right, she used to give parties during which the women secretly went commando. Fast-forward to today, when NOU stands for "no underwear," and promises to give you a similar boost of sexytimes confidence.

OK, so the story (and the website) is gimmicky, but there's more substance to the story. NOU was created by perfumer Claude Dir, who has also worked on scents such as Britney Spears Curious, Bobbi Brown Beach, and Marc Jacobs. If you're tired of Bubbilicious-style fruity florals, NOU is worth a sniff; it's definitely a woman's scent rather than a girl's, sophisticated but far from matronly. Its notes include verbena, ginger, cinnamon, pink rose, iris root, vanilla orchid, and mandarin zest. The cinnamon stands out, tempering the florals and giving them a slightly earthy appeal. (Think flowers growing in the wild, not an arranged bouquet from FTD.) If you can look past the underpants issue, you'll find a sultry scent worth checking out. (A $4.50 sample is available.)

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Fragrance Review: Patrick Dempsey Unscripted

BellaSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:00:45 -0800

Back in April, I told you about Patrick Dempsey's collaboration with Avon. "Not another celeb fragrance," I thought. Flash forward to present day and Patrick Dempsey Unscripted ($32) has arrived. And it's surprisingly delightful, unexpected . . . dare I say, McSexy?

The fragrance is reminiscent of classic colognes, but with a modern, crisp feel. You might even say it could qualify as unisex, somehow managing to have a substantive, yet light, airy feel all at once. Top notes of cardamom and black peppercorn provide a clean spiciness; Middle notes of fig and lavender impart a soft, sweet characteristics; And bottom notes of leatherwood, patchouli heart, vetiver, and musk lend to the earthy, outdoorsy, and lingering quality.

If you're looking to purchase some Unscripted for the man in your life, Avon's scripted out an offer. With an order of $30 or more, standard shipping is free when you enter the promo code Jingle30. Seeing that Dempsey's fragrance is $32, you get the idea.

Fragrance Review: Bond Girl 007

BellaSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:00:50 -0800

Thinking you might want to get in on some secret spy action? Well, here's your chance. Avon's got a new James Bond-inspired fragrance called Bond Girl 007 ($30). And though smelling the hunky Daniel Craig might not be so bad, you won't have to worry about smelling like the manly 007 himself. This one's just for the ladies.

Produced in conjunction with the release of Quantum of Solace, the 22nd (whoa!) Bond flick, the bottle is shaped like the female form with a grenade-like gizmo for the cap. It's both sweet and sexy, just like the fragrance itself.

Upon initial whiff, there's an intense, pastry-like quality from the peach and orange notes. Jasmine, orchid, and freesia lend a bit of fresh, feminine qualities, while wood, amber, and patchouli round it off for a somewhat musky, deeper base.

All in all, Bond Girl 007 isn't my personal favorite, but it isn't displeasing either. If you're into sweet scents with a hint of warmth, I'd give it a shot. Bang.

Karl Lagerfeld Kapsule: The Verdict

BellaSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:02:39 -0800

Karl Lagerfeld's Kapsule fragrances, as discussed, are sold separately but can be worn together-all on the same day, according to the Kaiser himself. While usually more than one perfume is a guaranteed headache to me, I actually loved doing it with these.

I started with Light, a fresh scent with vibrant bitter orange, watery jasmine, nutmeg and clove. It's a lovely, well-thought-out scent, but certainly best experienced in the morning-it's distinctly daytime. In the middle of the day, I remembered that I was packing Floriental in my purse and spritzed some on. My favorite of the three, Floriental is more modern, green scent with a hint of violet and black tea leaves. It's the perfect amount of sexiness for early afternoon. The most evening-appropriate, and my third perfume of the day, is Woody, which is a drier smell, and includes cedar and plum. It's a little sexier, sure, but Floriental is still my favorite. Do you need all three? No, but if you're looking to build a fragrance "wardrobe" of sorts, it's a good way to start.

Coming Soon: Anna Sui Night of Fancy

BellaSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:00:19 -0700

The latest fragrance from Anna Sui, to be released later this year, has a lovely bottle that beauty junkies are already swooning over. The perfume comes on very strong - when I first put it on, I thought I smelled like very fancy mouthwash. The scent dries down into a powdery blueberry, which isn't awful but feels a little Violet Beauregarde. In addition to blueberry as a top note, Night of Fancy also has grapefruit leaves and wild strawberries as well as warmer base notes like jasmin and cashmeran.

In all, this fragrance is a little teenage for my tastes, but perfume is a personal enterprise. My advice? Try before you buy.

If you'd like to check out the commercial, read more.

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