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...

Birkinbagbeauty's Best of 2013: Body

I have featured a lot of body-products, hair-related products and other potionalities in 2013. So here is the list of my favourites [also with some newbies]:

Nails:

I became familiar with Ciate thanks to UK Fashion magazines' GWP. Ciate nailpolishes stand out for: 1. fab coverage even after 1 coat 2. dries fast 3. superb colours 4. longevity. I got the Ciate Advent-set and found some favourites: Pillow Talk is the more-than-just-a-neutral Mauve that suits both warmer & cooler oufits. Cutie Pie for that creamy basic that looks luxe without being too fuzzy.

Perfume

In autumn I regretted not been able to find my yearly fragance-infatuation. Then I remembered testing Caligna in the exquisite Parisian l'Artisan Parfumeur shop during summery 30°C weather and liking it. Testing it this winter in colder weather made me even love it more.

I know, showing a paper sample doesn't show that much enthousiasm...But Caligna only comes for the hefty pricetag of €120, which needs some more sampling before I will resist that #nobuy.

Body Moisturizers:

Darphin Nourishing Satin Oil with Ginger and delightful vanilla fragance has been one of those 'special occasion' luxuries that moisturizes as a dream and fragances you so softly. Yes, I'm getting poetic about this and it needs a better review. 
This Works Really Rich Firming Lotion is one of the few (nicely) fraganced products that work when I'm supersensitive: with the added bonus of putting tons of moisture on the dry parts. I have a partial fondness of jasmine so that makes it wonderful for hydrating the body.

Hair:
Oh dear, I've been completely obsessed by reconstructing my hair (see here). Conclusion beginning '14: I have some hair again...!  It's not perfect yet, but it is a major improvement on the sad 'do I used to have.

I've started Phylia [de M] Connect mid '12 and the result is that my the hairgrowth from that time, an estimated 25/30 cm, is full and thick. It's literary 'gettin' it to your roots': the vitamins and the minerals. I haven't been using it since spring but I think it has been the key to my healthier hair.

Hair Styling:

Healthier hair needs some direction, aka styling. I'm still a sensitive person and not everything on my head agrees with my picky scalp. I consider Rene Furtherer Volumea a gorgeous natural alternative on volumizing my 'do, adding some wonderful gloss as a bonus.

Tools:

Since my new hairstyle my priorities switched from 'smoothing out damaged hairs' into 'extra volumising the fresh hairs': that needed a fabulous blowdryer! Reviews gave such positive marks on both T3 (superexpensive) & Parlux 385 (under €100) that I went for the last: also for the cute array of colours!
This latest version is both lightweighted and has a industrial motor inside (techie story here). In my non-techie terms: I love the various settings, heats-'n-coolnesses, and with the right techniques & styling products I'm able to experiment more with hairstyles.

These have been my 2013 body favourites and I could probably list a ton more, but I'll keep it relatively simple with "the excellent of class '13".

Balmain Silk Perfume for Hair: a silky luxury

I gotten myself drawn into another luxury/hair hybrid product...

I was not too tempted into buying anything hair & serum-like. However, the salesgirl had the cutest fringe, a fierce ombre bleach at the ends and all her hair looked like really voluminous, healthy and cute. That's often a good sales-perspective and I was curious about [another] story about how this product would change my life hair and make everything better 1 (1 sarcasm embedded in the sidenote).

Her professional eye guided me to this product that is labeled as a 'Hair Perfume' but it functions as a fraganced serum. The normal serum would be "too heavy for my finer hair" and this one has the added bonus of a gorgeous fragance.

Ofcourse, preference in fragance is really subjective so I will describe it as a perfume that reminds me of Balenciaga perfume with the florally notes of Romea D`Ameor Princesses de Venice, quite haute and not your standard Guess perfume notes.

The mister is an added feature that will bring in that extra bit of luxury (and the delightful *pfffshhh* pffshhh* that you will hear later in my Vine).

The clean bottle of the Balmain (we know them from hair-extensions and fashion high-shoulder jackets) seems reminiscent of Marie-Antoinette's laundry chambers...Ofcourse I have never been in Marie-Antoinette's laundry room, but if I would it would probably reminded me of it...

Ingredients are simple which two sorts of silicones. Also, the hyped hair-ingredient Argan oil (no 3), one of my fave hair products Almond Oil (Prunus Dulcis) and a dash of jojoba.

But most importantly, it is a superthin mist that is suitable for fine hair. Check the micro-ness of the spray in the video:

Ok, seeing a Vine like 4 times in a row is making anyone really simple or slightly *psssst*spssst* in the brain.  So stop or turn of the sound after 3 times, ok?

(Nails: I'm wearing day 24 Ciate Serendipity on a layer of Chanel Red Dream, btw) 

Conclusion: A useful piece of luxury for finer locks that can benefit from a bit of extra gloss and a gorgeous fragance

Tom Ford Lipsticks & Private Blend Perfumes in Holland

Beauty-fans in Holland can finally see/swatch/buy their Tom Ford lippies:

..test t nailpolishes and sniff the perfumes too.

This line has been installed in the Bijenkorf Amsterdam since December the 4th.  I was really surprised stumbling upon it as I had no idea.

I already ventured on Tom Ford on a London visit of 1 1/2 year ago: bottom-right, my beloved Violet Fatale 17! Lipstick-lovers would shout "blasphemy" for having rudely cut-off the top, however, it was in the sake of decanting for travel. I couldn't risk loosing the whole Ford: it could be ordered online but the shipping fee would make it a decadence beyond its already exuberant pricetag.

Speaking of pricetag: the Bijenkorf's cardholders will get a discount of 10%, making it still worthy to throw away the receipt for the Significant Other*, who-already-thinks-another-lipstick-is-unneccesary-because-you-already-earned-his-love (?)...Or perhaps he wants to buy his lady that perfectly decadent lipstick because he loves her (hint hint!). *Also applicable on family and friends...

Using, Used, Gonna Use...

Just a quick round and a insta-photo for this week 'Using...' (etc etc)

Using: Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne

A counter-weather fragance: I was not too fond of this one in the beginning but I like how the zesty flowerness gets me through the rainy mornings...

Used: Ren Keep Young & Beautiful Eyecream

Ahh, how smart Ren has been to avoid the word 'anti-age'...or have they? Because those words are still under the more positive sounding 'keep young & beautiful'.

This cream has been wonderful and light enough for summer, and still creamy enough to counter out beach-dryness. I think it qualifies for beginning lines, for people in their early 30s, or if you have been partying too much-> the (middle) twenties, and if you have been organically healthy bladibla -> your late 30s/40s. Beginning lines, that is. For the heavier ones I would suggest more potent eyepotions.

Used: S5 Replenish Serum sample for dry & scarred skin

Organic serums often surprise me that som of them are actually oils. This one too: or, it feels like those dry-oils they have for body-products. In general, a lighter oil that penetrates in 10 minutes. However, I prefer to layer it with a daycream to speed it up and to get more beneficial extras from the daycream too. I like this serum/dry-oil hybrid but I prefer an actual liquidy & non-oil based serum for personal reasons. However, if you are short on time it is a good hybrid between serum & oil. As for the de-scarring: I should try a larger sample to find out. Londonmakeupgirl has reviewed this one more detailed over here.

Gonna Use: Nars Soulshine blush

The 80s Jerry Hall style of the box kinda did it to me. Also, more blush!!! I basically thought I would go for Realm of the Senses but was so happy to see both of the blushes in real life. Soulshine has that hint of mauvy rose inside that feels more like me.

Summer of Fragrantica '13

The idea of September got me into recaptulating the things about Summer 2013.

And then...

there was the search for the ultimate summer perfume:

Looking at the middle bottle you might think I found my object of fragrantica 2013, but that beauty of a scent has been my 2012 discovery.

I haven't found it this year (yet), although I like the idea of Maison Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae.

Some of the scents I have been sampling & trying:

• Frederic Malle 'Dries van Noten'
• Frederic Malle 'un Fleur de Cassis'
• Rouge Bunny Rouge Chatoyant, Lilt & Incantation
• various Hermes, eg Jour d'Hermes
• L'Artisan Parfumeur Caligna, Dzingg, & Seville a L'Aube
• I knew Kai from 2008 but I tried it again if I was more gentle-feeling towards heady Gardenias
• Bex London N6

This sounds like a perfect example of a first world luxury problem ｡◕‿◕｡. Eventually I have found some gorgeous scentual concoctions in other types of aesthetic products, such as the Diptyque Tubereuse candle & the gorgeously scented Darphin nourishing satin bodyoil.

Have you found a fragance that has captured the mood of summer '13?

French Haul

A couple of weeks ago I was in Paris and I got some cute things...

 There is no way you can go to Paris and skip on the best Macarons in the world: Laduree.

And I went for the special edition of Les Marquis, only sold by the shop at 14 rue de Castiglione.

how could I resist this shopwindow?

Ofcourse, I digested one of them with my cute-as-a-button tea-set from La Chaise Longue

 To add, some funky candles from cultshop Colette:

Also limited editions. Hurray!

*artistic (Basquiat & Keith Haring)
*Funny drawings
*limited Editions
*they smell quite good too
(the candles can also be found on their website)

I went to the Keith Haring exhibition and it was really lively, although you might question if it is really art (but that's often the question around art)

I finally bought the quintessential French Shoe, the ballerina: Repetto ofcourse.

Window Repetto Rue St. Honore (they have several shops in the city)

A shoe that really looks like a ballerina shoe makes you feel like a little girl again.

 

 Talking about feeling like a little girl, I couldn't resist Pink Panther:

For the grown-up girl in me: the Japanese Vogue (Holland hardly sell these anymore, they used to)

So Paris gave me a funky smile (and three eyes) as Mr. Haring is burning smilingly...

spreading heady florals around the room.

 Overal, a cute city with a taste for sweet decadence.

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.

Winter Switch

Winter suddenly arrived over here so that means it's time for a switch in products:

1. Perfume
Perhaps you remember talking about the By Killian Beyond Love over here, and I haven't used it that much during the summer, but I think it's time to reach for a headier perfume with some warmer floral notes. I also like the muskier L'artisan Parfumeur  L'été en Douce even though the name suggest that it's a summer perfume only. I actually think that it's muskier component is perfect for wearing it on its own for the autumn/winter season, or layer it with other perfumes for more musky sensuality.

2. Hands
 People with colder seasons know how awful it feels like when your hands get cracks or little tears in it, especially with the cuticles. I love this Kose Happy Bath Day hand essence for the sheer reason that it is quite thin and I can take it on travel and to work without being afraid I will grease up everything I touch afterwards. Thicker and more emolient creams are wonderful too, but more as a treatment at night or to wear with gloves when at home. My only gripe is that they don't sell it anymore: why? So I'll be looking for a serum-like alternative for the time this one runs out.
 
3. Lips
 Perhaps something for all seasons but a switch in coldness means something that is more balmy than your fluffier summer balms. The Nuxe Reve de Miel (english for 'dream of honey') is a staple among makeupartist for the reason it moisturizes, has that perfect thickness & is matte enough for a base for lipsticks afterwards.

Armani-fied

I have been abandoning a part of my beauty-frugalism for the exceptional quality of Armani's Cosmetics.

I am eager to try their even-more exceptional new concealer: the Maestro Erasor in 4 (I really like their older one). A simple, but according to the raves really exceptional, eyepencil in black, and their delicious Rouge d' Armani Sheer in Bitten 600.

I received these samples and I've been wearing the Giorgio Armani Prive in Cuir Noir today: it's slightly masculine but also quite sexy: like coming into a warm cabin after skiing and finding a terrifically gorgeous and slightly muscular man waiting for you with some warm cocoa before the fireplace.

(I got my haul from parfuma.com and have no affiliations with them, just an eagerness for Armani cosmetics these days. I also have an eagerness for skiing since wearing the Armani Privee in Cuir Noir, but that's a whole different story (see above))

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.

Scentational

I would like to show you one of my late summer purchases that I absolutely cherish.

This gem is named Princesses of Venise...(from the even more whimsically named brand Roméa d'Améor)

These princesses absolutely must have smelled lovely, because the translation in a perfume is a mix of feminine fruitiness and soft florals. It makes it a bit easier saying goodbye to summer...

Although I cannot believe real Venice actually having a similar scent. I unromantically think that Venice must smell like the canals of Amsterdam, and that is not the best scent ever. Lingering water, tons of tourists and the Meditteranean sun probably had its effect on the Venician waters (never been there, though).

However, these princesses must have had their best perfumistas serving them at their wishes, making the best blend suitable for their royalness.

One of the images that came close to the character of the scent of a princess is not one of a 16th or 17th century royal member, but a baroness of the 20th century

Donna Maria Beatrice Olga Alberta Caracciolo

Donna Maria Beatrice Olga Alberta Caracciolo was known for "her elusive combination of childlike innocence and soigné charm".

To me, that is precisely the character that Princesses de Venice has been conveying to me.

More information about this fantastically interesting 'Outrageaous Olga', and why she was so outrageous, can be found on this must-read site on socialites throughout the ages...The Esoteric Curiosa.

Soft Scent of Late Spring

The tail of the spring-period is possibly one of my favourite moments of the seasons. The anticipation of the summer is there, and the newness of the upcoming warmer weather wispers some kind of promise of a fantastic period ahead.

Sometimes, the summer does not live up to the expectations, but the end of spring and the beginning of summer still has that hope and lovingness that keeps things full of a bright, summer fantasy.

Wow, that was my somewhat poetic side...now, what did the haul-a-holic buy in order to 'capture' the spirit of the late spring?

I cannot find a better way to embrace this season with a accompaning scent (or two). Scent is the most connected element with memory, and a good memory can be relived with the scent that has been connected to that memory. 

Plus, honestly I am not one of those eyepopping gorgeous girls that depends highly on her looks. So, I add a bit of scent-beauty to my physique in order to be a bit more remarkable.

This can work in either a good or bad way...LOL (no explaination necessary, I believe everyone has been sitting in public transportation next to someone overdosing on a perfume you were not so fond of and I myself have been wearing the not-so-right fragance a few times), so I would always recommend a person wearing a perfume they are drawn to than a perfume that is recommended by someone else, or your scent-personality will give out a different message than you would like to give.

Ahaa, I have been sampling in order to find a wonderful scent. The scent I samples have been quite a mixture of fragance families in the categories floral, fruity, vanilla, citrus, leathery and some perfumes have been quirkily mixing up some of these notes...mmm.

I bought eight of them, and they were all suprisingly good, even though they were different in quite a few ways.

Byredo Parfums Tulipe I bought because, he he, as a Dutch woman I was curious how our national flower would be captured in a scent.

I also went for The Beautiful Mind Series volume 1 Intelligence and Fantasy. Those are my favourite key-words anyway...

Histoires De Parfums 1873 Colette has been an ode to literary figure Colette. I loved her livestyle, so I was wondering how this would translate in the perfume.

L'Artisan Havana Vanille has been described as a leathery, salty vanilla and it absolutely lives up to that description...it is Vanilla taking a day off on the beach.

Another unusual vanilla is the Hermes Vanille Galante. Hermes and vanilla sounded interesting.

Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse Trilogy 3 Animale was described as a sensual Tuberose scent. That is not something I would normally go for, but a sample...why not.

L'Artisan Mimosa pour Moi....mmmm, fruity tropicalness.

 But the one that was so suprisingly different was the Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio. It has that zengy, energising citrus start that I like in perfumes, however, after a while it turns into a somewhat warm and grassy mixture that is unlike any summery perfume I have.

Oh no, you might have guessed it but after smelling this beauty I bought the whole bottle!!!

I did not 'hunt' for it as I did with the MAC beach collection lately. I was already in the city that has a specific Annick Goutal shop for a business appointment. So no crazy running around after limited editions, but a decided decision after lots of contemplating. 

I love Niche perfume shops, which is such a wonderful place for perfume snobs like I am.

Well, I had the choice between the pretty, curved bottle of 50 ml or the bulkier bottle for 100ml, and the one for 100 ml was only 10 euros more expensive. I bought the 100 ml one, as I still believe it is rather pretty.

The only concern is that I probably will never be able to finish this whole bottle. I probably will share this with some friends and acquantances (or extras with any giveaways) as I did with the Miller Harris L'Air de Rien.

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????