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Bella Exclusive! Gwen Stefani Talks Red Lipstick and Harajuku Lovers at Fashion Week

BellaSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:38:51 -0800

Sugar HQ is all over Bryant Park for Fashion Week (Team Bella will be posting live from New York the entire time, so remember to check in here for cool backstage sneak peeks). Earlier today, one of the lucky ladies from PopSugar got the chance to chat with Gwen about all manner of things, including the multitalented star's iconic red lipstick and what's up next for Harajuku Lovers. To find out what she had to say, just read more.

The New Harajuku Lovers Are Sunny and Sweet

BellaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:02:25 -0800

Fans of Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers fragrances should love this one. After the success of her Snow Bunnies flanker dolls, Gwen's putting out five new, bikini-clad versions for next Spring. Each has a new scent that matches the personality and fragrance family of the original doll, but adds lighter, more summery notes. I'm loving their cute little belly buttons and adorable pedicures, and while I wasn't crazy about the actual fragrances the first time around, I'm willing to keep an open mind about these new scents. What do you think? Will you be running out to pick these up, or not so much?

Beauty Byte: Harajuku Lovers Get New Outfits For Winter

BellaSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:00:22 -0700

Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers perfumes launched nearly a year ago with great success. Soon, in lieu of launching additional "girls" to the collection, expect to see each of the five dolls decked out in new wardrobes. "We brainstormed lots of ideas, but Snow Bunnies just felt and looked right, since it was coming out during the winter season," Gwen told WWD. "I loved the idea of the girls going skiing, snowboarding, sledding and having hot chocolate," she added. Expect to see the Snow Bunnies ($30) out in stores this September, along with future outfit changes each season. Whether you love the scents or not, you have to admit the No Doubt frontwoman is one creative lamb.

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Meet the Harajuku Lovers

Sponsor — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:30:22 -0700

Inspired by the electric street scene of the Harajuku shopping district in Tokyo, the Harajuku Lovers fragrance collection is a set of five perfumes that capture the lyrics and iconography of Gwen Stefani's albums. They appeal to anyone who appreciates a "fatal attraction to cuteness." The five fragrances are named Love, Lil' Angel, G, Music, and Baby. Each has its own distinct scent and accordingly its own special personality. Want to know which one is best for you? Click through the slideshow to get to know a little more about each of the girls and their scents.

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Which Harajuku Lover Are You Most Like?

Sponsor — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:30:22 -0700

The five fragrances are named Love, Lil' Angel, G, Music, and Baby. Each has its own distinct scent and accordingly its own special personality. Want to know which one is best for you? Find out by taking the quiz below to discover which Harajuku Lover you are most like.

What Do You Think of Gwen's Harajuku Lovers Ad?

BellaSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:00:09 -0700

OK, so Gwen Stefani's new Harajuku Lovers scents aren't my favorite, but she sure does know how to market them. The Harajuku Lovers fragrance website is a look into Gwen's obsession with wild cuteness. You can submit your own karaoke video or check out profiles of her backup dancers, all while hypertwee cartoons buzz around the screen to the beat of eight-bit video-game tunes. Though I've never loved the way Gwen interprets Japanese culture (G, you've gotta stop mispronouncing Harajuku!), this ad definitely gets your attention. There's no doubt (sorry!) that she's savvy with her branding - but what do you think of this spot?

Gwen Stefani's Perfume Dolls Are 可愛い!

BellaSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:00:38 -0700

OK, no matter what you think about Gwen Stefani's tendency to fetishize anything and everything Asian, you've gotta admit: Her new perfume bottles are pret-ty darn 可愛い - that's kawaii, which is Japanese for "cute." The quintet comprises the Harajuku Lovers fragrance collection - more details here - and the scents are aimed toward a younger crowd than her first scent, L.

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But how do these scents smell? Are you sure you really want to know? If so, read more.

The Harajuku Lovers perfumes ($25–$45) are trickling into stores, and the adorable packaging draws shoppers. Last night I went to Nordstrom to check them out, and a Gwen fan decked out in Harajuku Lovers clothing - we'll call her Megafan - was giddily spritzing her way through the fragrances. I began by sniffing the bottles, and after a few seconds of enduring each fruity-floral mess, I couldn't help but blurt, "I'm sorry, but these are not good."

I thought Megafan was gonna cut me, but to my surprise, she agreed. "Yeah," she said disappointedly. "I'm surprised that they're this bad. I liked her first fragrance, but this is a letdown." We went on sniffing, and then we bravely tried them on our skin. At first spritz, each gave off a burst of alcohol; when the juice landed on my wrist, it made a small scratch sting and burn. "All I smell is alcohol," Meganfan said with a frown.

She's right: These start with a shout of alcohol, then finish with a whisper of actual fragrance. Of the five, Love and Music are the most engaging. The former is a pleasant (if unremarkable) soft floral tempered with vanilla and musk, and the latter is a slightly fruitier take on the same formula. They aren't must-tries in my book, and as for the others? The coconut in G has the grace and subtlety of, well, a coconut dropping on your head. And while the "lollipop accord" of Lil' Angel does indeed mimic candy, who wants to smell like a Jolly Rancher? I could not bring myself to try Baby on my skin, but Megafan declared it the worst of the bunch.

Look, it's clear that these fragrances are meant for a younger consumer; they don't take many risks, they're overly sweet, and the packaging is begging to be placed on a 14-year-old's dresser. But considering how L opened up nicely, it's surprising that these scents hit the skin with a thud. Apparently I wasn't the only one left disappointed; Megafan sadly looked at the cute bottles one last time before throwing her spritzed paper blotters in the trash and walking away.

Gwen Stefani Is Such a Doll

BellaSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:20:18 -0700

Fresh off the success of her first fragrance, Gwen Stefani is gearing up to launch five - yes, five - new ones based on herself and her backup singers. WWD reports that the Harajuku Lovers collection will encompass five different perfumes: Love, Angel, Music, Baby, and G. And if you ask Gwen, she's amazed that it all came together. She told WWD:

"I didn't think this project would actually come to life. The idea that Coty would let me do five different fragrances for Harajuku Lovers was a fantasy. [But] it really had to be five, because that's what the world is. Each girl has her own personality and sense of style. We're all saying something different with unique personalities."

While I wasn't crazy about the design of L's bottle (and boy, did you tell me how much you disagreed) these doll-shaped bottles are pretty adorable. They'll sell from $25 to $45 each when they launch in September. And as long as Gwen doesn't trot out the Harajuku Girls to coquettishly giggle while promoting the scent, it should go over well. To find out about each of the scents, read more.

WWD reports:

Love is a floral with top notes of sparkling bergamot, pink pomelo, peach and bamboo leaf mist; a heart of watery peony, living hydroponic lace rose, jasmine sambac, nectarine blossom, creamy paperwhites and Egyptian jasmine, and a drydown of petally ylang, creamy vanilla orchid, sensual musk and blond wood.
Lil' Angel is a fruity floral with notes of raspberry, cranberry, blackberry and pineapple; a heart of pear blossom, candied violet and sugared rose, and a drydown of lollipop accord, hinoki wood and crystal amber.
Music has top notes of clementine and sparkling pear; a heart of jasmine sambac, sweet pea and honeysuckle, and a drydown of vanilla, skin musk and sleek woods.
Baby, has top notes of freesia, bergamot and white rose; a heart of orange flower, tiare flower and jasmine petals, and a drydown of white musk, soft woods, heliotrope, vanilla and violet.
G has top notes of crisp mandarin, fresh coconut and apple skin; a heart of jasmine sambac, soft freesia and magnolia vapor, and a drydown of coconut cream, white sandalwood and cottonwoods.

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