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Neroli is the note that makes warm-weather fragrances so intoxicating, and also one of the world's oldest perfumes. (People have been making it out of orange blossoms for thousands of years.) It's in season now, so why not see how it goes from a tree in Tunisia to your atomizer at home? Lush's footage is gorgeous and the process is really cool, so if you always loved those Sesame Street and "How Read more
Ever since I learned all about neroli, I've been intrigued by how special it is. So when I saw that L'Occitane had come out with a Neroli Eau de Parfum last month I got all excited and wanted to check it out. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to smell it just yet, but here's what I know. One bottle of this perfume is made from over 180 pounds of Tunisian Neroli flowers — that's 60 Read more
Neroli is an extremely precious and expensive material. It is a fragrant oil that comes from the orange blossom (also known as the bitter orange flower) and it grows mainly in Morocco, Tunisia, Spain and various other areas of southern Europe. It has a soft, fruity smell that has become increasingly popular in many of today's fragrances. One of the reasons neroli oil is so costly is because Read more
Unless a trip to Rio is in your future, good luck tracking down Phebo soaps and candles. Founded in the 1930s, Phebo is one of Brazil's most venerable perfumery brands — and as well-known as the line is in South America, it's extremely hard to find in the States. That's all about to change, as Macy's begins to stock a variety of Phebo bath and body products this month. Three hundred stores Read more
When a product makes you feel good not only because of the skin-enhancing benefits it provides, you know you've hit the so-called beauty jackpot. Such is the case with celebrity makeup artist Lina Hanson's new Global Face Serum ($85). The feel-good part? Several of the ingredients used in the oil blend are harvested by women all over the world to help support their economies. Free of parabens, Read more
For times when you're feeling not-so-fresh, reach for the ultimate picker-upper: revitalizing beauty sprays. Packaged under a variety of names (toners, refreshers, facial mists, etc.), these skin spritzers are actually the ultimate in multitasking. Spray on a bare face to enhance the performance of your skin care and makeup, or on a full-face-of-makeup to help set your work and/or diffuse a Read more
Chanel No. 5 is the definitive "classic" perfume, but even No. 5 devotees need a little variety now and again. If you've fallen in love with this iconic scent but want to branch out a bit, the following five perfumes are worth your time. Each has some of No. 5's best qualities, plus a little twist of its own. See which might be a good fit for you and why after the jump. Read more
Creed Fleurissimo has always been known as the fragrance created for Grace Kelly to wear at her royal wedding, but it's not the only scent inspired by the late princess. In 1966, Gucci designed the Flora scarf for Grace, and in 2009 Gucci came out with a same-name fragrance inspired by the woman and the fabric. I recently tried the newest member of the Flora fragrance family, Flora Eau Fraîche, Read more
Earlier this week the NPR radio show This America Life claimed to have discovered the secret recipe to Coca-Cola. However, yesterday, Coca-Cola made it clear that the original formula is still safe. Every so often, this sort of news story pops up, where someone says they've found the secret recipe to a certain insanely popular dish, like Coke or Kentucky Fried Chicken's spice blend. But what I'm Read more
