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One of my friends is a true follower of all things natural. Food? All organic and local. Clothing? Either recycled or handsewn. Beauty? When it comes to products, nothing of the paraben/synthetic nature remotely touches her body. So, when I saw her splash a little bergamot oil on her pits one day, I was intrigued. "It's a natural deodorizer," she said. I gave it a whirl. With surprising Read more
I am not sure why, but I have been under the impression that bergamot — an ingredient I often come across in fragrances — is a spiny flower. Indeed it is, but did you know that the Italian and Ivory Coast-based plant also produces a pear-shaped yellow citrus fruit? (It is not, however, related to the bergamot herb.) The skin of the fruit yields a delicate, yet spicy, essential oil that is Read more
Nature has provided an abundance of wonderful scents that come to us through the essences of flowers, fruits, barks, seeds, and woods. Aromatherapy is the art and science of combining these pure essences in order to create blends that help to bring the body, mind, and spirit into balance. Essential oils are derived purely from plants and can be used alone, in a bath, in an Aromatherapy Ring, or Read more
I was recently gifted with a bottle of Poo Pourri Little Stinker ($13), and besides being initially a little offended (are my daughter's diapers that bad?), I was also intrigued (um . . . yep, they are). After a trial run, I have to say the stuff works, replacing the eau de poo with the potent smell of essential oils like bergamot, lemongrass, and grapefruit. Pou Pourri isn't the only diaper Read more
If popularity contests existed in the literal sense, Aquarians would probably be the winners. Often thought of as cool and somewhat eccentric, Aquarians love to surround themselves with family and friends. Those born under Aquarius, the 11th sign of the zodiac, are typically inventive, original, and want to make the world a better place. This free-spirited bunch is also known for wearing Read more
Regardless of what the juice inside smells like, Spadaro's Noche Del Fuego ($155, sample provided by PR) is already a winner for its irresistibly lovely packaging. The heavy glass bottle is fronted with a gilt design that looks straight out of a William Morris print, and the lollipop atomizer sheath recalls the French perfumery of the 19th century. Clearly, someone has been doing their design 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
From Marilyn Monroe to Jackie Kennedy, artist Andy Warhol was inspired by a variety of muses, but sometimes the motive came straight from within. That's just what New York-based perfumer Bond No. 9 wanted to capture when creating its latest Warhol series, Andy Warhol by Bond No. 9 ($180 to $240). In this sixth scent of the series, the fragrance and packaging are meant to celebrate Warhol's Read more
After working on her fragrance for a year, burlesque beauty Dita Von Teese is revealing details about it. Set to launch in Europe this October, the eponymous eau de parfum will arrive on US shelves in 2012. The scent will be a rich floral with peony, bergamot, and pepper top notes, a heart of rose and jasmine, and a musk and incense base; it's supposed to invoke the ideal "femme totale" Dita has Read more
There's a new perfume out called Halloween Fever, but don't start with the images of candy corn and wax lips dancing in your head. This stuff looks like it's more about disco balls and sexy face than dressing up as Zombie Marie Curie. Halloween Perfumes, which makes a whole line of holiday-inspired scents, says the juice is a fruity floriental with notes of vanilla bourbon, tonka bean, orange, Read more
