BellaSugar

Nail Biter? Bubble Yum-Scented Nail Polish Could Be Your Downfall

Jaime Richards — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 07:00:32 PST

In things you probably don't need (but are still kind of cool) news, your nails can now smell either like Laffy Taffy, Jolly Ranchers, or Bubble Yum. Gourmand much?

Sure, we've seen perfumed polishes before, with Revlon and Anna Sui both playing around with the notion. Now there's this candy-sweet trio of candy-scented lacquers ($5 each). Judging by the pictures below, these polishes, which include a cotton candy-scented blue, a strawberry-scented pink, and a green apple-scented green, are a lot more opaque than one might expect. Would you wear them?

View 5 Photos ›

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With a Trio of Thanksgiving Scents

Jaime Richards — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 07:00:52 PST

The creative folks at Demeter Fragrance Library are at it again. (Yes, the same ones that brought us a cannabis-inspired cologne and many other unconventional scents.) The latest offering is seasonally appropriate: Virtual Thanksgiving ($36). If you love perfume and pie, you're in for a real treat, as the set includes a trio of gourmand fragrances that seem - seem being the operative word here - almost good enough to eat. It includes Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry, and Golden Delicious Apple scents. Think it's a smart idea, or is this a turkey?

This Perfume Smells Like Japanese Cuisine

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:00:00 PST

Love the smell of mirin, wasabi, and umeboshi? Then this Hinomaru Bento Solid Perfume ($5) may be just the thing for you. The scent purports to have the same zing as wasabi but with an underlying sweetness. I'd be interested in smelling this gourmand fragrance, but would you be curious, too? Or will you pass on this course?

Heart Gourmand Scents? I Heart Unicorns Perfume Is For You

BellaSugar — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:00:00 PDT

I Heart Unicorns ($52) may not seem like the winningest handle for a perfume, especially given the fact that most fragrances trade on exclusivity or sexiness to sell. If, however, you love sugar and things that smell exactly like a blend of orange Starbursts, Pez candy, and bubble gum, then you may just love this gourmand scent.

Unicorns opens with a burst of orange creamsicle, then moves on to a soft incense and bubble gum blend that smells a lot like Pez. It dries down to a candied sandalwood that reminds me of État Libre d'Orange's delightful Encens et Bubblegum ($80). So if you love the État Libre d'Orange scent but don't want to pay the pretty penny for it, Unicorns is an economical alternative with an almost identical dry down. If you liked the way this stuff smelled, would you consider buying it, or are the name and packaging just too much?

Mariah Carey Ring Pop Perfume Now Exists

BellaSugar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:00:00 PDT

Yes, you read that headline correctly. Mariah Carey is taking her celebrity fragrance empire in a direction that's totally unexpected, and yet exactly like something she'd do. Mariah, Elizabeth Arden, and Topps (yep, the baseball card maker) have all gotten together to create Lollipop Blings, three perfumes that come with a matching Ring Pop.

One of the scents, called Ribbon, is actually based on the scent of Blue Raspberry Ring Pops. So why all the sweet treats? Noreen Dodge of Elizabeth Arden told the NYT that the fragrances were developed because the company thinks "it will bring an even younger customer into the Mariah Carey franchise." However, she describes the scents as being less teeny-bopper than you might expect.

"[They] take a candy element as a thread to be woven in a fragrance, and elevate candy into a prestige environment," she explained. What do you think? Would you pick up a sugary scent like this when they become available July 1, or are you not the kind of girl with a sweet tooth and a weakness for jewelry?

Do You Love Whoopie Enough to Smell Like It?

BellaSugar — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:00:11 PDT

I have a love affair with frosting. Seriously, I will wait until the corner piece is being served so that I can maximize my frosting-to-cake ratio. And FarmHouse Fresh's Whoopie! White Velvet Shea Butter Cream ($30) has an authentic scent that truly makes me want to run to grab a spoon. I'm not hugely into wearing dessert-y scents, but if you are, this white velvet cream and layer cake scent will make you smell like a pie of the same name. With cocoa butter, jojoba and soybean oils, it has a rich consistency without being greasy. I'm wondering, do you like gourmand-based scents or are they just not for you?

Reader Review of the Day: Aquolina Pink Sugar Eau de Toilette

BellaSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:02:05 PDT

If you like sweet scents, aka gourmand, here's a real treat for you. Reader RacerWife7 loves the sugary sweetness of Aquolina Pink Sugar Eau de Toilette Natural Spray ($55). It's a bit too candy-shop for me, but it's a popular scent that features notes of cotton candy, strawberry, vanilla, and musk.

To me, this smells like cotton candy. Mmm! It's so good. It's a young scent, really - and I'm not all that young. I just like it. And I've been complimented on it when I wear it. If you don't like sweet-smelling perfume, skip it because that's what this is.

Have any sweet scents to share with us? How about any scents at all? We'd love to hear from you on our Product Reviews website. Who knows. You might just be featured here on this daily post.

Six Fragrance Types at a Glance

BellaSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:31 PST

The big trend right now in fragrance is gourmand, or food-based aromas, according to perfume expert Mandy Aftel. So what does it all mean anyway? Are you a floral kind of gal or does chypre do it for you? In case you're uncertain, check out six of some of the more popular fragrance category definitions below. Then, impress your friends with your olfactory group knowledge about the "juice" - 'cuz you know, that's how it's referred to in the biz.

Chypre: fresh, mossy, and leatherish	Gourmand: sweet and food-inspired	Florals: romantic, feminine, and smooth
Fougère: fresh, floral, and herbaceous	Orientals: sensual, exotic, and spicy	Citrus: crisp, light, and energizing

Perfumer Mandy Aftel on Food-Based Fragrance Trend

BellaSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:00:11 PST

Last week, I met renowned natural perfumer, author, and owner of Aftelier Perfumes, Mandy Aftel, in her visually stunning Berkeley, CA studio.

With wood built-ins, glass bottles lining the windows, and apothecary style furnishings, it was a little Frank Lloyd Wright with a pinch of Harry Potter. Topped off with the collective smell of essential oils and perfumes? Yeah, it was pretty much like heaven.

When it comes to industry trends, "Food-based smells are quite popular right now," she says. Oh, gourmand, you say? I sampled her Layering Gourmand Trio ($125), which was complex, inviting, and - well, delicious.

"Natural materials really mix with your body chemistry in a very interesting way, then they kind of fade away," she says. . .They have that soft arc that I think is very sexy." Humina, humina. As for this set? The three pieces can be worn apart or together for maximum sensuality. Find out which aromas are included when you

Definition: Gourmand

BellaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:38 PDT

If you're a "foodie" like Yum, a gourmand is someone who truly appreciates good food. In Bella's world, however, gourmand is a classification of the fragrance kind.

While often associated with sweeter notes, gourmand fragrances encompass edible, food-flavored aromas, such as coffee, cupcake, whiskey, chocolate, almond, caramel, vanilla, and even cotton candy. Sweet or spicy, gourmand fragrances have gained popularity in recent times, as these types of aromas possess relaxing, nourishing qualities.

An excellent example of a gourmand scent is the pioneering Angel by Thierry Mugler ($25 to $157), which includes such culinary delights as bergamot, honey, dewberry, red berries, vanilla, caramel, and chocolate. Mmm.

Source