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.

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.

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.