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?

Fave Summer Oils: Face, Hair & Body

I think oils are often limited to winter...

Such a waste because the best oils can be superb for the warmer summer period:

So I am going to discuss a couple of my fave summer oils!

FACE: Aesop Fabulous Face oil

half-way on the Aesop Fabulous!

Perhaps this one is a tad too heavy for the summer period. Some might like a lighter oil, something I will discuss soon.

For me the reason I picked up on a slightly heavier oil is the unsteady skin I had for a while: I gotten more eczematic, dry spots because of the change of weather and a weaker diet. Balming up with a heavy oil on the dry spots makes my skin look smoother in the morning.

I have been discussing the psychological effect of scent in various posts (eg here) and this one really agrees with me. Night-time oils should feel like a harmonizing and comforting blend, and perhaps not everyone's is into lavender so it's often still personal. Aesop Fabulous Face oil has Ylang Ylang as it main (scentual) proponent and I love the sensual and drowsy effect of this essential oil, which makes it easier to relax and drop off to sleep.

HAIR: Leonor Greyl Palm Oil

This oil has a weird consistency in that certain temperature between solid (hard) & liquid (melting) that I just have to show here below ----->:

When it is solid it is perfect for travelling on hand-luggage only (lots of European discount airlines) because it will not count as a part of the poor 100ml anti-vanity strategics the airports maintain these days.

I kind of like this oil for it's moisturizing properties too, and it's divine scent that I can detect as something Tiara-esque. However, for a better review I will guide you to Pink Sith, which connected her fantastical mind to a fairytale of hairness to it (here).

One warning: it does take a clarifying shampoo to take off the pre-oiled tresses and not ending up in a post-shampood-but-still-oily-mess! Which is slightly the downside to this oil: Sometimes I like a plain macademia/argan oil often just as much, but those perennial liquids count as a part of the 100 ml impecunious-ness the vain & often beautiful have to compromise on when travelling by handluggage only. So for that sake, and the perfect scented concoction, I take this beauty along.

BODY: Caudalie Huile Divine (divine oil)

I placed this multitasker under body because I still needed to fill this category.

Besides, body includes face & hair anyway, and this one does as well.

Defined as a grape oil,  It's also a dry oil and therefore penetrates quickly after applying.

It has a floral fragance with I'll define as tropical paradise (ofcouse, scentual preference is always subjective). However, it's quite heady so I personally would not plunge it on my face that fast due to my sensitive complexion.

Besides smelling & feeling divine (though not completely natural nor organic), it's quite friendly to the environment too:

I only have this sample (perfect for the hand-luggage vanities) but I will get a larger bottle soon.

That sums up my fave 3 summer oils for 2013 at this time being...

Always curious for more vanity adventures, I might add more until the end of summer is near and will blend into autumn...

Start of Summer present: Monica Vinader Fiji

Happy summer, or to the ones on the Southern part of the globe, happy winter.

As it's finally summer over here, I treaded myself the elegant way to friendship-braceleticity: a Monica Vinader Fiji in Gold with plum thread.

 I got this one based on the colour combination: normally I prefer rose gold but the purple looks really nice with the yellow gold.

Plum stands for prosperity, according to Vinader's site. I'm not the super-materialistic type so I consider prosperity to be more than just more cash or business success. Eg: prosperity in friendships, love and life in general.

Ps: I bot a Bobbi Brown powder in Antigua that day too: I still love my makeup too and the rose undertone of the bronzer is actually more flattering on me than a straight brownish colour.

So, how have you been celebrating the beginning of summer?