I still have Nothing: soon I don't...

If you finished your Nothing, will you finally be something?

Or perhaps to discuss the purpose of the state of Nirvana, that the ultimate state is being nothing again? Or that ultimate Yoga goal?

Nice philosophical question but I'm just about the material stuff on this blog. Hehehe, I'm almost about to finish up 'L'Air de Rien' or 'scent of Nothing': a gorgeously composed fragance by Jane Birkin for Miller Harris.

Smelling of nothing has never been so dominantly present. I absolutely love this fragance for autumn, but the mixture is quite strong. Jane Birkin mixed up a fragance that reminded her after a night out: think cigarretes, leather, and a bit of dance sweating. My nights out were probably not as sexy as hers, but I do think it smells like you can after a good (or bad as in being) night out. 

It's the kind of perfume I can only wear for one day. If I smell it on my clothes the next day, I feel nausious or overwhelmed. Still, I managed finishing a full bottle after 4 years and that says something. I consider it to me my most unique fragance and it feels so warming wearing it during autumn, but maximum 2 times a week, with interval days...

I have been decanting it to friends: it draws both a male & female crowd  without calling itself unisex. Perhaps that's why it's 'l'air de Rien', it's neither male nor female, it's just present: 

like nothingness is as present as it denies it is...

A Sale Fave for the Cozy Candle Collection

Winter keeps most of us in the house so the house should be a comfortable place. I love using more candles during this period and to create a specific mood with a composition of fragance.

I had been quite curious about Timothy Dunn when I bought my Rituals candle (here). I was eager to buy it when it got on sale: I picked Mille Fleurs (a thousand flowers) as it's reminiscent of Bangkok's Flower Market and the plethora of  heady flowers being sold...

The composition is really flowery in a niche perfume manner: heady tuberose, a dainty 'white' note of lotus and some flowers I couldn't really sort out with my unpracticed nose. I think it evokes a spring-like mood. Winter has been soft and rather sunny so I expect the 'blue' of next monday to be a bit lighter. Adding the Thai flower-market scentual atmosphere it's simply a gorgeous first step towards spring...

.

I bought the Mille Fleurs candle on beautybay

The Spoiled Christmas...

Before we forget about the gluttony & decadence that is called Christmas...

This perfume set By Killian is in synch with the real desire of Travel to Shanghai, same as the Australia resolution. Also, I will need to look for the Best of '14 Perfume winner in advance ; )

for Da Peepers....

Yes, after declaring LMDB Bauhaus as my fave pair of eyeshadows '13 I was bound to buy 'Carnaby Street' on sale!

How can I not love these set of glowy neutrals: I cannot get enough of the peach colour and the taupe below is a eyeshadow dream. All of the colours are winners in the 'subtle but not too subtle' range of eyemakeup!

Last, but not least...Chanel Ultra Rose:

I was craving for a vivid cool pink blush: it was either NARS Gaiety or Desire, and then I found this post from Indigo Kir Royale that made it Gaiety & Desire's baby, only in zeee Chanel quality.
 
Ps: Some of these were self-indulgences from either sales or mere lust-have-ism.

Cozy Candles

I would like to feature a small section of scented candles today. Actually, I always say I keep it small and I see my post featuring a lot. So I'm gonna do that once more. ;-)

Scent is one of the more underrated, but more poignant elements of attractiveness. We think that people select each other primarily based on looks, but the idea is that we can detect a 'mate' within 20 seconds of smelling this.

People who are actively are internetdating probably know this: he looks so good online and he's perfect on paper. And then offline you notice that the person is as perfect as appeared to be, but still...That's probably his chemistry (or personal scent) is not matched to yours.

So homely scents, what does this have to do with the dating spectrum? Ok, I disgressed on that topic but scents have different properties that can either help you to

1. calm
2. entice
3. makes you remember a wonderful memory
4. mmm, creme brulee
5. flower-power!
6. "is Marvin Gray on the playlist?" setting
7. let you buy more more more (shops)
8. etc etc

Let's recap some:

1. Cire Trudon Mademoiselle

a regal candle

I struck upon the easier availability of the candle when writing my earlier article being curious about it. I described Mademoiselle de la Valliere as a happy scent, but scent-preference is remarkly personal with one exception to vanilla, as it reminds people to mother's milk and that is one of the most comforting elements in a person's life (and one of the first). I personally love a happy composition of flowers and before I went sniffing the candle I suspected to like this candle based on the notes:
Top note : bergamot, orange blossom, galbanum / middle : tuberose, jasmin, ylang / base : musk, rockrose, benzoin resin

The freshness of orange blossom and bergamot and the sexy heart of tuberose, jasmin and Ylang Ylang are seperately already favourites, so in a blend they could sparkle. I say COULD as with perfume you never know how they will warm up to you, or when one scent-element is there that is totally not your thing the whole composition could be "meh".

I love this one. It is not as sexy as I suspected as the musk is quite withdrawn. Perhaps the fresher topnotes of bergamot and orange blossom tone it sultriness a bit. However, it has a sensual element only in a fresher and floral way. When not burning, you can smell it too on a distant of 5 meters. When burning, the scent dissapears to my nose after 15 minutes, but when I change rooms and return it's flower sensuality blossoms again. One thing I have to add is that it's a slightly chemical composition, the bouquet of flowers. I will return upon this when I'll discuss Neom.

Compared to Diptique it is of a similar pricerange with more creative and exhilarating blends that I love to sample more in the next year.

2. Diptyque Ambre Oud Xmas 12 edition

The famous one

Diptique is one of those cult-candles that are easier to find these days. Still not too easy and absolutely not inexpensive either for € 59.90 for the larger candle. I gotten the mini version because I have various candles as the time being.

I found this a sexier candle when you like that muskier and broodier atmosphere. Personally, I am not a Oud fan but in combination of amber it makes it more sensual. I consider amber the headnote and I can somewhat detect some of the spices, most of all the saffran and ginger and some pepper, but my untrained nose cannot really detect the canelle or absint.

The glass absolutely matches the Xmas spirit but is still cute and quite art-deco enough to keep after Christmas. The fragance itself is not in your face Xmassy and that's what I like about it. You can link it to Xmas but it's not those pine & spruce trees candles. However, if you like those Diptyque will have the Sapin Dore for you.

3. Cochine Saigon Frangipani & Neroli

Scent-travelling Allure

I ordered two of their candles, and found this one containing the best fragance value. The glass consist of a beautiful mirroing silver with the tag of the brand on it, in paper. My candle is slightly stained after burning and I smudged its label a bit. That's the bit of the downside of labelling your candles with a paper tag.

Described as a scent evoking the image of "soft white sands, brushed with the shade of Frangipani trees swaying gently in the warm ocean breeze. Smooth, honeyed tones of Frangipani are combined with the delicate freshness of Neroli to create an uplifting summery fragrance".

The fragance has a summery or more of a tropical note, but I often reach for summer perfumes during winter as well for getting a whiff of the feeling of when-it-still-was-warm-and-sunny. Personally, the sensuality of the Frangipani makes it a tropical floral composition that has a certain warmness of 'dewiness' that makes it excellent during wintertime too.

Also matched by lotions and handwash, so you can prolong the experience of your favourite scent in different ways.
Zuneta is having a gwp of a free Vanille & Tabac travel candle when you buy £45 or more


4. Rituals Sweet Sunrise

Dutch Delight

I am quite proud this Dutch brand made it so big in other countries. Their products are really wonderful and the design of the packaging is also attractive.

Similar to Cochine Saigon, they have 5 different scent categories and scentual experiences that has been divided throughout their products. So, if you really like the Sweet Sunshine shower gel you might pair it up with a scented candle in the same range.

Rituals Sweet Sunshine Candle in matching orange colours

I picked Sweet Sunrise as I love Sweet Orange as a energiser, indeed, during sweet sunrises. I cannot really detect the cedar in it, but it has a slight spicy undertone. Overal, it's a zesty candle with that sweeter citrusy note that Sweet Orange evokes.

It's less complicated as a scent than Cire Trudon, Diptyque or Cochine Saigon but sometimes a couple of simple ingredients do the job, especially for perking up

Their price is affordable for only 14.94 for a candle (and this one was 10 on sale).

5. Neom Refresh

The Organic and Hollistic Scentifier

It's my lovingly used-up candle and it shows. I absolutely was crazy about Neom this summer (see one review here) and I tried a variety of their candles. My favourite has been Happy, but Refresh is a gorgeous morning candle that perks up the room without too much complicated ingredients in an honestly organic mode.

I said that my only drawback about Cire Trudon was the slightly chemical note towards this. Probably my nose has been spoiled or used to these organic and holistic candles. If you feel unsure about the sort of air a candle would be releasing toxins by burning, you can be more certain about burning Neom, The use vegetable wax and pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances so they burn without releasing harmful pollutants, toxins or soot. They claim to have holistic properties, which is not a field I specify in, but I feel happy about burning something that does not pollute the air.

If you want to try these out, I have a discount code of 20% off when you buy directly from their site: BS20.

Curious for: Cire Trudon Candles

'T is the season for candles...And my curiosity-award goes to...Cire Candles

The glass looks so pretty ...

The hype is there...

Niche factor is there too, as they are being sold on Net-a-Porter and Liberty...

and ofcourse this deliciously luxe store in NYC

And there is the promise of scent that basically says it will wisk you away to more adventurous places (in the comfort of your home)...or like they say it...  

"inspired by the wind of freedom coming all at once from the Mascara coast and down from the mountains, bringing in its foolish race the green scents of fresh mint, the rashness of fights, the hot and peppered air of ginger and the perfume of tea and tobacco from the Ouled Nail tribe. "

(Abd El Kader candle)

Then again, spending about 60 euro on something I haven't sniffed in real life yet is something else than the (becoming a bit generic) Diptique candles I can sniff in real life, or the Neom that-I-cannot-sniff, but only sets me back $18 if I don't fancy them.

However, I found a shop in Holland that seems to sell them (here) so I might bring my sniffer to that place soon.

Any readers tried or sniffed their candles in real life?

Claus Porto Soap Orange Amber 'Lelite', or, the OldFashionedly Soapy Clean

 I kind of stumbled upon this soap browsing in a Dutch Niche cosmetics store without really looking for it. I bought it because I felt like trying something retro that has worked for so many years. Honestly, solid soaps often have less chemical additives than their fluid counterparts.

 The niche-ness and the fragance won me over as well. Claus Porto Soap, or Sabonete Aromatica, is  "hand-made and triple-milled in Portugal, in the same manner of production for over 100 years. The "Aromatic composition", as seen above, is composed in France.

Nice to bunnies and other non-human creatures:

Enriched with shea and cocoa butter for an extra creamy lather to soften your skin as you wash". The Soapbar describes it as a "tangy smell of Sicilian oranges combined with the intensely sensual scent of amber makes this soap an incredible bath or shower experience".

I do not pick up on the amber, but the zesty orange blossoms is strongly present and that makes it a delight. It lingers for some time too: both on the body as in the shower.

On the softening properties: uhm, it's not ultra softening as some etailer-companies will have or some liquid soaps, but I do not think it dries out the skin. The lather is really oldschool and it's fun to use this for a change.

Grips on the backside to hold the soap more easily:

Conclusion:

I really like this soap a lot and it smells fantastic if you enjoy Orange blossoms a lot (I do). It's wonderful for that retro feeling and getting that clean experience. Somewhat not too convenient is the way you have to dry the soap on a plate afterwards, but it looks beautiful and retro and it looks pretty displayed as well.

Available outside the Netherlands at soapbar.com and in the Netherlands this particular scent is probably only available in the brick-and-mortar Skins Cosmetics. Other scents/compositions are still available at their webshop.

By Killian Beyond Love Travelset

It was one of those days I kept that lingering feeling of desiring a wishlist perfume:  I was looking for By Killian's Love and Tears, but asked the SA for a recommendation based on my instant personality/looks/etc, and he said Beyond Love would fit me.

At first sniff I found it remarkably innocent and with a lot of powdery white flowers. I let it linger on my wrist and went away, questioning if I really looked that innocent and 'white flower' woman towards the salesman. It really reminded me of my mother's Nina Ricci Coeur Joie (white bottle).

 

But never judge a perfume on first sniff!!!

I noticed that as well when the perfume developed: the innocence of the white flowers was replaced by something naughtier, something more carnal. That alos makes sense when you look at the perfume ingredients: heady elements such as Jasmine, Tuberose, Coconut and Amber are not the most innocent in the team:

Luckyscents gets the description totally right, so I will let my feeble perfumista-describing-attempts to their professionalism:

the "catnip for humans" description totally got me!

They have 3 sorts of fragance types: masculine/unisex or feminine based. Hurray, the SA counted me into the feminine team (fragance-wise)

I basically went back for this fragance juxtaposition after a couple of weeks and enough spared points on my storecard:

"Perfume should be the essential in the excessive" Killian Hennessy

 Opening the travel set box is an extension of the decadent idea of buying By Killian perfume:

The travel-set holder is a sturdy type of carved material: not too heavy to tote around and a bit smaller than my Burberry lipstick. It feels absolutely beautiful to hold that black bottle in my hand and spritz it...

The day I bought the set I felt not too confident about love and about myself. I think I whined too much against the salesman when he explained the different fragances for their possible romantic/seductive purposes that I probably would not have a date in the next three years so the fragance should absolutely not be for dating/seducing purposes.

I think he took pity in me, and spoiled mewith six! generous sized samples of the Oeuvre Noir line: I got two vials of Love and Tears (my initial infatuation), another two of Prelude to Love (he probably assumes my dating chances are higher and on shorter notice than I do) and another two of Liaisons Dangereuses (he must think I have hidden seductive powers afterall? Or will need the help of the perfume if I would?)

But incredibly generous of the SA!

The official descriptions of the vials:

I bought mine at the Bijenkorf Rotterdam at the Skins department. Dutch people can visit their nearest Skins shop or online. Obviously, it is sold at Luckyscents (got to give them some credit after nicking their description). When you have the perfume mister, you can refill the mister with the same fragance after it's finished, or try another of By Killian's line. The travel set without the mister is about €45.

The Tranquil One: Neom candle in Inspiration

I couldn't have given myself a more difficult task than to describe the scent of a scented candle, so I won't...

However,  I would like to share a wonderfully tranquil and inspiring scented candle with you that are not as hyped yet as Dipytique and the likes...Ánd, they are organic as well!

As far as my description goes, it smells like a field of grass in on a warmer summer day. Perhaps you have been relaxing with your friends or your lover on a picknick blanket, and afterwards you pick up your blanket feeling rosy because of the sun and the wine you had, and you smell the crushed flowers and grass and the warmth of the summer's day.

Or, according to Neom themselves:

Quite accurate too...and who doesn't want some extra inspiration and a scental reminiscence of summer during the last days of the winter?

I bought the travel size, which is a fair enough size to burn for a couple of hours. To compare it with it's famous sister Diptyque travel candle, it has more hips ;P

left: Neom Candle / right: Dipytique

You can buy Neom from feelunique.com, naturisimo.com, lovelula.com and some other sites. The travel size retails for £13.00

Something Finished: Kérastase Age Premium, Antipodes Hosanna & Tom Ford body Oil

I'm always proud I empty a product. Sometimes I do that because it is really good, and sometimes it is just ok but I need to make some space in my beauty closet again.

Today I have hair, skin and body...

Starting off with Kérastase Age Premium Masque Substantif Rejuvenating Mask:

 

It was one of those moment nothing of the 10 products designed for taming hair at home worked for me. I rushed to a hairdresser and asked for the trusted staple and silicony tamer Kérastase Masquintense for thin hair.

The hairdresser lied to me that they took it out of their range (Kérastase, so why would they do that? I don't EVER think so but I played along because I needed a mask, I think they just didn't have it in stock) and offered me this as the alternative. OMG, never going to buy it from a direct hairdresser again because they charged me €35 instead of the €26.88 I would have to pay on feelunique.com.

Well, at least I got a lousy white lie included with it...

Is the mask as Substantif as it claims to be?

I like how there is a bit of pearly glow in the mask itself. But the white-lie hairdresser told me it was ok to put this stuff on a sensitive scalp: Ehm DON'T DO THAT. It is rather fraganced and my scalp didn't liked it.

For the rest, it is a true Kérastase mask that it slightly controls the problem with a large dose of silicone. I prefer their Masquintense, although that one is not really natural either. You know, for repairing I love to use natural/organic ranges, such as Rahua, but when the going gets tough and you need some temporary taming, Kérastase is your woman...ehm...hairmask.

Verdict: Not a repurchase but I would use it if I got it for free.

You can buy this one on feelunique.com (or find a honest hairdresser with normal prices)

Antipodes Hosanna Intense Hydrating Serum:

I have ventured on quite some Antipodes products before (read about it over here). They are organic and some of their products are really lovely and effective and that is what I appreciate about a product.

The Hosanna serum did what it said: it hydrated my skin without irritation.

Still, I have that particular age that need a bit more than hydrating, and I do not want to get stuck in applying 7 kinds of serums on my face to target every 'flaw' I have. Nor do I need to, these days, because there are some fabulous multitaskers. One of them is the Nude Advanced Cellular Renewal Serum which does quite some things, I only have to apply some extra moisture in the form of a daycream.

Still, good enough to finish it with other layering serums. I recon this is lovely for a younger face that only needs hydration, is sensitive and could benefit from a neutral, organic product. Or someone who really likes their skincare routine and loves layering. I know Japanese women are raised to use various types of skincare products so that would be ackward to skip on that ritual.

Verdict: I won't repurchase but if I would get it for free I would use it again ;D

Also available on feelunique or lovelula.com

Lastly, the Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Body Oil

Can you remember my 'niche and snobby' haul in May of this year? Probably not (over here) but I purchased this expensive body oil because I really like Citrus based scents inspired on the Italian coast. Knowing Tom Ford is, besides of a sleek fashion designer, quite skilled on the field of fragance (and cosmetics) as well, I ventured on this oil.

I called it the 'too expensive body oil', but it has been lasting me for a long time afterall. I used this regularly (about once a week).

However, I didn't used it the conventional way, it was such a wonderful oil for bathing.

I really liked this for moisturizing in the bath, it's a thin oil but still oily to combat extra dryness. The scent is unisex, but I found it bordering on masculine. Perhaps too masculine for repurchase, but my boyfriend could use it as well. I would love to see more body-oils in his other fragances, such as the Black Orchid and the Havana Vanilla.

Verdict: same as the previous products, with an exception that I would shill some € for it if he launched this in a different scent.


I purchased mine on parfuma.com and I should order something from them again because they are brilliant in giving out samples you actually want.

Nothing in the Air: Perfume and the art of feeling Birkinesque...

Phil Collins was quite convinced that there was "something in the air tonight". I like the air surrounding me to be a kind of nothingness...

Or, actually, when I wear L'Air de Rien (air of nothing) the scent is more than nothing, as it is one of my most smoky and oriental-based scents I have.

Miller Harris created this scent with my muse Jane Birkin in 2007. It was one of the first perfumes I bought unsniffed based on the description, and the link with my muse. I was so fortunate to really like this perfume a lot.

How was this perfume created (according Miller Harris site):

Working with Lyn in her laboratory, Jane was introduced to Lyn’s many exquisite, raw materials. After listening to Jane talk extensively of her vibrant life, rekindling memories of her beloved France, Lyn went about translating these passions into a fragrance. While Lyn performed her finishing touches to the formula, Jane sat across from her doodling William Blake-style nymphs appearing from behind the signature Miller Harris flowers. These images now decorate the bottle and packaging, adding the final Birkin twist.

Jane’s vision was something chic, original ethereal and airy, like an aura around the body. The result is an exquisite oriental fragrance of amber, vanilla, neroli, oak moss and sensual musks. The lightness remains in the way it is worn, like a veil over the skin giving it a mysterious sensuality, hence the name L’Air de Rien, a name she has cherished for some time.

I once read an interview that she wanted her perfume to smell like she had been in a smokey bar the whole night long...and that is precisely how this perfume smells like...a whole lot of smokeyness, some sensual musk, a dash of vanilla (the naughty kind...not your grandmothers cookie vanilla) and a kind of sensuality that is connected to a wonderful night out.

This perfume is also one of my emptiest bottles left. I had to share lots of this perfume with afficionados around the world (on makeupalley) and with my face-to-face friends.

To me, it is absolutely not my everyday perfume...I enjoy this particularly on special occasions such as festivals or a certain kind  of vibe that has a mix of hippy-esque happiness with a dash of sultriness.

It also lingers for a couple of days when you have sprayed in on your clothes or hair...

My feel-good sultry 60s maven perfume....

I wonder how the new Petit Rien of Miller Harris would smell like...should I order it unsniffed online again????