Murale Wants To Spoil You!

Gratuitous Estee Lauder Paulina ad image, around 1980

Yes, you! That's right, the amazing & generous folks over at Murale want to spoil you with a stunning gift basket of goodies! What's inside, you may ask? You may want to have a seat, dear readers, before continuing...

The Murale Contest Gift Basket contains:

Michael Kors EdT Spray

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - all skintypes

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye - all skintypes

Estee Lauder Pure Color Shimmer Gloss 

Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer - Forget You

Smashbox Be Discovered Cream Cheek Trio

Smashbox Be Discovered Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner & Brush

Smashbox Shades of Fame Eye Palette & Brush

Total Value: $378

Note that these are full sized products! So click this LINK RIGHT HERE and enter- STAT!



This contest is open to Canadian residents only.

Keep Your Cologne In the Fridge

Roger & Gallet is a classic French perfume house that offers lovely and elegant products at a very reasonable price. In France it is available at pharmacies everywhere and is as ubiquitous as any body mist or soap collection available at drugstores here. The only difference is that Roger & Gallet smells expensive and elegant, vs synthetic and nose-hair singeing. 

These are the Ginger soaps- gorgeous!

The soaps have long been a favourite of mine. Going to visit friends and stay at their cottage? Consider bringing the Roget & Gallet Coffret of 3 soaps. At around $30 they make a perfect hostess gift- the box is gorgeous and just made to be gifted. I love to put them in my drawers or linen cupboard just because they smell so clean and fresh. But they are actually soothing and gentle on skin as well. 

I have many faves among the Eau de Colognes and the Fragrant Waters (how lovely do they sound?), and a few I haven't tried yet. Lemon, Fleur d'Osmanthus and Ginger Fragrant Waters are on my To Sniff list for sure- don't they sound gorgeous? The eau de colognes are all lovely as well, and one of my faves is Jean Marie Farina. It is a cologne in the true historical sense of an eau de cologne- here is some history from Fragrantica:

In 1806, Jean Marie Farina established a successful business supplying Eau de Cologne, based on the historic original formula created by his great grand-uncle, Johann Maria Farina, in the 1700's. Jean Marie Farina sold the catalog of his company to Roger and Gallet in 1862. The pair produced this beloved formula under the name Jean Marie Farina Extra Vieille ("extra-ancient") Eau de Cologne and offered the fragrance in perfumed soaps and other scented products that delighted both new and old Farina clientele. 

Jean Marie Farina Extra-Vielle Eau de Cologne

Jean Marie Farian Extra Vielle Eau de Cologne is a shared scent, easily worn by both sexes. It is a herbal and citrus aromatic scent with notes of  bergamot, amalfi lemon, orange and mandarin orange; the middle notes are petit grain, carnation, neroli, rosemary and rose; and base note is clove, which is an old fashioned soapy carnation note. It smells clean and fresh, like the Mediterranean garden after the rain that it is designed to evoke. There is a slight "Noxema" note in it- I think it is an old fashioned herbal scent that was used a lot in skincare and perfume in the past. Did your mum put Noxema on your sunburns when you were a kid? Mine did. Perhaps that is why I associate it with summer. But here is the kicker with Jean Marie Farina ( thanks to the amazing Candy Perfume Boy for reminding me of this practice!) - keep it in your fridge. And on those unbearably hot and humid days, when you just feel like you could melt (I love those days but I am crazy that way...) just take it out and spritz yourself head to toe. You will feel energized and refreshed by the cool feel and citrus notes, and you will smell amazing. And you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

Roger & Gallet is available at select retailers in the US & Canada. See their website for listings.

Clean Your Scalp & Your Golden Highlights with LUSH

Warmer temperatures meant two things for hair- scalps get oilier, hair gets sweaty, and if you have highlights, they are going to get brassy in the sun. Luckily one stop at LUSH gets you two shampoos that can take care of both of these concerns beautifully. 

LUSH I Love Juicy shampoo is the perfect solution for oily hair. And by oily hair I mean oily roots, because that is where the issue lies. And this delicious shampoo is one of the best I've used. I originally gave it to my teenage daughter, who also loves it, but now I use it as well. Fresh pineapple, papaya, kiwi and mango juices add a delicious, refreshing scent and make your hair feel squeaky clean. Some sea salt adds beachy volume and they've added some seaweed gel for extra softness. Result? Shiny clean bouncy hair. It rinses out easily and leaves my hair feeling clean and smooth, not a dry, frizzy tangly mess, so this tells me it is gentle to my hair while being tough on my scalp. The fruity scent is totally unisex so get this for your guy as well. I love it.  

My other concern is the brassy yellow tone that can happen to highlighted or coloured hair that is exposed to sun, pool or seawater, or even just the hard water and chlorine that comes out of our showers. A violet shampoo treatment is perfect for blonde, grey and frankly any hair colour that you'd like to keep rich and true. I have used many many many violet toned shampoos to keep the brassies at bay but they either don't work at all (Aveda) or work a bit too well with my blonder highlights ending up slighly, well, purple (Shimmer Lights). Another issue with some of them like Shimmer Lights is that they smell strong and actually make my hair as dry as straw at the ends, requiring tons of conditioner and detangling spray. I am so glad I found LUSH Daddyo! Fresh citrus juices and seaweed gives your hair softness and shine, while the violet leaf, rose and bergamot oils create a scent that stays on your hair throughout the day. The violet scent stands out to me, but its not a sweet powdery violet- it is more like a wild violet in the forest with a whiff of salty sea air scent. This one also leaves my hair soft and easy to manage. Amazing.

Both of these shampoos are available at LUSH stores and online and cost between $9-$30, depending on size.

Feel Silky Smooth & Beautiful in The Body Shop Beautifying Oils

We love The Body Shop. All of us have our fave prodz from this awesome shop - maybe it's a perfume (White Musk!), one of their luscious Body Butters (Shea Butter!), or perhaps a delicious shower gel (Satsuma!). Or if you are as old as I am, maybe you remember when they had their super cool perfume bar. It was like a little tower in the middle of the shop, full of wonderful perfumed oils that you could wear on their own, layer together, or, add to your fave body product from their unscented line. I mourned the end of those oils, and have even trolled Evil Bay to find some of them- Indian Gardenia, a old fave, is now "vintage" and hard to find for under $60. 

Marual Nut

Marual Nut Oil

So, imagine how happy was I to read about The Body Shop's new Beautifying Oils collection! From their site: "Beautifying Oil is pure beauty in a bottle. Made with a lightweight blend of nut oils including Community Fair Trade marula oil, it gives instant hydration and a shimmering finish". They are gorgeous and luxurious, can be used on hair or skin, and have a lovely scent that does not overwhelm or irritate. And "shimmering" is just the oil effect- there is no glitter or anything like that in the oil. I am huge fan of oils for skin and hair treatment. In the winter, they soothe, nourish and protect the skin, and in the summer, they do the same thing while making your skin glow. No dry ashy legs allowed in shorts/sundress season! That is right up there with the Open Toe Shoe Pledge. Friends don't let friends get flaky. 

Ok- so, my faves? Right now, Strawberry is in my top rotation. Yes! It's The Body Shop Strawberry we loved forevah! Also, Satsuma, which is probably one of the loveliest orange prodz out there, and Shea, which is sweet and comforting. Moringa, sort of a tropical-white floral-tiare scent, is quickly becoming another fave. The scents are very subtle and nowhere near what their small perfume bottles are, but that's ok as the texture and feel of the oil makes you want to slather yourself head to toe.

At under $15 for 100ml, these are easy on the wallet while making your skin glow and smell yummy. Verdict? Love. Obsessively. Go get- now.

Who Is The Boss? Essie's 2012 Wedding Collection, that's who.

I am seriously in love with Essie's 2012 Wedding Collection. There are four gorgeous colours, and I had a hard time choosing one for today's manicure. Who Is The Boss stood out today with its dreamy dusty silvery green colour. I LOVE it. I say silver only because of the impression it gives- this is a cream colour without a hint of shimmer or frost. I can already tell this will be a staple, and may even be the stand-in for the Unicorn of Dusty Teals, Essie Absolutely Shore. Yes, it's that awesome. Formula of Who Is The Boss is outstanding and gave me opaque non streaky coverage in 2 coats. It reminds me of the exquisite Essie Sand Tropez that was basically the perfect formula. I was rushing a little bit so this could be a neater mani, but you get the idea.

from left: Who Is The Boss, Love & Acceptance, Like To Be Bad, Instant Hot

Verdict? Love. If you can find this collection anywhere, grab it!

Smell Like A Kiss By The Ocean

Biotherm has some gorgeous spa-like products. I love their skincare and the fragrances of their body products as well. They have a new perfume out for summer, Biotherm Eau Océane, and it is like a oceanside spa. It is a soft gentle perfume with very soft aquatic notes. These are not the cloying sweet aquatic notes that were done to death in the 90s *stares at Davidoff Cool Water & Issey Miyake* but a kinder gentler aquatic. More like an ocean breeze than actual water, and would be perfect on a hot day.

It starts out with crisp, citrusy and refreshing lemony and bergamot notes, and then you get to the cool breeze of the heart. There is a whisper of jasmine that plays off the aquatic notes so nicely and really keeps it modern. The base has soft notes of musk, cedar and moss and Eau Océane becomes a soft and fresh skin scent. And, leave it to Biotherm to add gentle moisturizing glycerin, mineral-rich marine source water and negative ions to this scent, so it also good for your skin. There is an accompanying moisturizing gel in the scent of Eau Océane to soften and soothe skin while extending the life of the scent on your skin. 

I think that someone out there needs a new perfume for summer, right? So, be sure to like Daly Beauty on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Pinterest, and comment here with your email addy and on May 31st at 6pm I will draw a name to win a bottle of Biotherm Eau Océane and the moisturizing gel!

The contest is now closed. Congratulations to ConnyMc! Your name was chosen using the the generator at Random.org. Thanks to all for reading and commenting! xo jane

Biotherm shopping information in Canada is here, and for the US here.

My Skin Is Soft & Safe With Vichy Sunscreen

Sunscreen on- check.

Having just enjoyed a glorious sunny & warm Victoria Day Weekend on the dock here in Canada, I was also able to use it to test drive this season's new sunscreens. And, by new sunscreen, I mean that sunscreen expires, and that key ingredients become ineffective over time. I learned this the hard way and from now on, May is the month to get the sunscreen for the season. 

Vichy skincare has been blowing my mind lately, so I was keen to try their sun care line, Capital Soleil. The Vichy SPF 30 Luxurious Protective Oil has got to be one of the loveliest sunscreens I have ever used. Protect yourself from the sun while improving the look and condition of your skin? And, smell absolutely wonderful while doing it? Sign me up! 

The amazingly light and sheer SPF 60 Soft Sheer Lotion is perfect for your face, chest- anywhere that may be sensitive to oily lotions, as it doesn't have a greasy look or feel. It is absorbed quickly, leaving no greasy feel and is fragrance free, making it perfect for children or sensitive skin. Both of these products have Vitamin E and white grape polyphenol which neutralize almost all types of free radicals for enhanced cellular protection. Next on the list to try is the Vichy SPF 50 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid which sounds like it would perfect to use on the face. Add a wide brimmed straw hat and I'm ready to face the summer sun!

Come on boys, the car is loaded up! Lets go to the beach!

Vichy Capital Soleil products are available wherever Vichy is sold, at most drugstores in the US and Canada.

I Love Layering- Even In The Summer

my kind of layers....yum

I am a bit maverick-y when it comes to perfume. I know- shocking, right? I love masterfully composed exclusive perfumes like Acqua di Parma Profumo and sweet, charming gems from the drugstore like Lady Stetson. Another thing I like to do is layer my perfumes. Some might find this sacrilege but I find some of the most delicious scents have come out of my layering experiments. It is often accidental. I will put on a perfume, then a few hours later reapply as I'm leaving, forgetting which perfume I originally applied. Most of the times, it's a happy accident. 

My scent mood rarely changes dramatically during the day, so instinctively I seem to choose scents that luckily work together. This is another reason I tend to favour simple scents. They are easier to layer! Its not always easy in this age of "a million perfumes that all smell like the same mix of a million synthetic ingredients" but it's easier than you'd think. It's not a new concept to perfume- Jo Malone actually offers layering menus on their website with suggestions of perfumes that work well together.

My layering trick is pretty simple. I try to start with a soft skin scent to work with as a "base note". Soft musks, ambers, and woodsy notes well as base notes. Creamy sweet gourmande perfumes also work well as a base. Scents that melt into the skin and make you have to lean in close to smell are the ones that make good base scents.

Then its time to look for a top note. Yes, I know perfumes are made into 3 notes- top, middle/heart and base, but I find it best to keep things simple when doing this yourself. Top and Base are really the only things you need. As far as light and airy, I tend to favour floral and green notes for the top note, as they compliment a richer base note. The base note is calmed and softened by the airy top, and the top is grounded and enhanced by the richness of the base notes.

Annick Goutal Songes, Musc Bleu, AK Musk, Sisley Eau de Campagne, Sexy Angelic, Etro Heliotrope

Some of my favourite base suggestions:

Egyptian Musk Oil: I love Abdul Kareem and Auric Blends musk oils. They have a clean woodsy note that work as the perfect base for almost any perfume. 

Il Profvmo Musc Bleu: This is the lightest cleanest musk, adds a fresh scrubbed note to any perfume.

Honore Des Pres Sexy Angelic: the soft and sweet notes hug the skin and smell amazing when topped with florals. It adds a yummy aspect to clean scents.

Etro Heliotrope: The powdery sweet floral notes in this soften any scent.

Annick Goutal Songes: This sultry and dark tropical floral adds a sensual sweetness to any perfume.

Sisley Eau de Campagne: This shimmering green shower of a perfume adds a spring shower meets green field of grass note and lightens any scent.

YSL Y, Creed  Virgin Island Water, AG La Violette, L'Artisan La Chasse aux Papillons, Floris, Guerlain

These work wonderfully when worn as top notes:

Floris Night Scented Jasmine: simple sweet and floral, this one is just gorgeous with a musk base. It becomes positively dangerous when layered with Annick Goutal Songes.

L'Artisan La Chasse Aux Papillons: Another simple summery floral, I love this one with Sexy Angelic as a base for evening.

Annick Goutal La Violette: This simple sweet violet sings like a spring day when worn with Eau de Campagne.

Then some that just work as a top or a base:

YSL "Y": This soapy green floral chypre is so beautifully composed it pretty much works with anything. I love it with a musk. It is basically like being in a shower all day. I have blown my own mind by wearing this one with Chanel Bois des Iles. WOW. This one is still available for a song online. Get it if you don't have it. 

Guerlain Un Air de Samsara: This is basically sandalwood and jasmine with a little mint tea. I use tiny amounts with any floral and adore it.

Creed Virgin Island Water: Layer this with anything that you want to smell beachy and summery.

So, there are basically no rules for this kind of stuff. As I type this I am already thinking of others....Kiehl's Musk, SMN Gardenia, Keiko Mecheri Jasmine.....I say just experiment, play, and see what works! Often if you think it will work, it does. Our nose knows....

Summer Scents That Shine Like The Sun

Donatella's personal perfume collection - Elle DECOR

Versace has been making perfumes for years. I've loved and owned many Versace scents, and they have changed to suit the times. They started out strong & flashy in the 80s and have become kindler and gentler over time. They are softer now, but they have turned their bombastic design to their bottles. Two that always catch my eye are the stunning Bright Crystal & Yellow Diamond. They are gorgeous treasures that would look beautiful on any dressing table or vanity, and make you feel pretty just spraying them on. Only Versace could pull off such fun and playful flash!

Versace Bright Crystal came out in 2006 and is a lovely soft fruity floral scent. It is pretty and fresh and easy to wear, with yummy notes of pomegranate & yuzu, and gentle peony, magnolia and lotus. The soft musk base adds a clean almost soapy note to Bright Crystal, which makes sitting next to someone in this perfume a pleasant experience, as opposed to a choking or overwhelming one. If you enjoy a soft sheer floral perfume, Bright Crystal would be a great addition to your collection.

Versace Yellow Diamond, released in 2011, is a variation the Bright Crystal scent, but replace the red fruits with lemons, limes, neroli and pear sorbet. There is a sweet dessert note here but it is tempered wonderfully by the citrus. This is a perfect summer perfume and just sniffing my wrist makes me crave a tall frosted glass of lemonade. Add some amber & musks to warm up the base and you have a perfume that dries down to a lovely skin scent. 

Verdict? Two lovely Versace perfumes for summer, so you can choose. Or, you can choose both! The bottles would look perfect together and you could have a perfect summer perfume wardrobe to choose from!

Thanks to all who entered! The winner is DRTVrMoi!

Comment on this post, like us on Facebook & Twitter to be entered in a draw for two gorgeous 5ml minis  of eau de toilette of Bright Crystal & Yellow Diamond. Draw open to everyone, ending May 25th at 6pm. 

My Bath Is An Explosion of Roses

That is not me in the bath.

I love to languish in a hot steamy bath. I am lucky enough to have a really deep tub, and my bathrooms have huge skylights, so I can lie back and look at the sky while I soak. A scented bath really ups the ante for me, and given my rose obsession of late, LUSH bath bombs really fit the bill. One of the best things about a LUSH bath bomb, is that if you leave the bathroom door open, the scent travels out and perfumes the house. I love that, of course. 

LUSH Rose Queen

The rosiest of rose baths can be had just by tossing a Rose Queen bath bomb into your bath. We all know that LUSH bath bombs are full of water and skin softening goodness, so even plain old hot water feels better. But Rose Queen ups the ante with rose blossoms, petals and rose fragrance to die for. It's like somebody said "This bomb needs MOAR ROSE EVERYTHING!" and LUSH listened. What more can I say? Get this, and luxuriate in it's rosy goodness.

LUSH Tisty Tosty

Another rose bath bomb I adore is the sweetly named Tisty Tosty, which is full of sweet & sexy rose along with orris root. Orris root is often called "iris" in scent, and has a calming & sensual earthy aspect that I adore. Along with wee little rose buds that float around the tub, this one brings a softness to the water that is excellent for dry or rough skin. The scent is a calm and happy one, which makes sense as LUSH calls this one "an enchanting love potion". Tisty Tosty is English childish slang, historically used to refer to a ball of flowers and even pine cones. Sweet and charming.

Both of these leave a soft gentle scent on the skin after bathing and are soothing for dry irritated skin. Love it.

Bath Bombs are available at LUSH stores and online for between $5-$8.

Mother's Day Memories

Mother's Day is that day of the year when I like to do as little as possible. Sleep in, drink coffee, be lazy on the sofa and no worrying about anything is allowed. Mother's Day is for mothers- your mother, your sister the mother, your friend the mother, or you, the mother. For me, this day makes me think about when my girls were little, and seemed to need me much more than they do now. I say seemed just because even though they can bathe & dress themselves now, I like to think they still need me. But those sweet fleeting times when my girls were little, and I could hold them in my arms until they fell asleep, those are precious times. When your child feels like part of you, and not having them near feels almost like an amputation. Even when they are 24 and moving out, that painful twinge of the ghost limb is still there.

Mum

My earliest memories of my mother are scent related. Her dresser, her perfumes, and her clothes. Scarves and purses in her closet, and that sweet leather scent of the purses that held scented handkerchiefs and lipstick. I even remember the scent of her cake mascara. Cosmetics in the 60s & 70s had such a distinct scent. This is reflected in the scent memories turned into perfume that are Frederic Malle's Lipstick Rose which conjures up the scent of strongly scented lipstick combined with soft leather and lingering perfumes  inside a purse. 

My mother has worn many beautiful perfumes over the years. I recall the distinctive Dior houndstooth bottles sitting on her dresser when I had to stand on tiptoe to see them, and the scent of Miss Dior to this day sends me careening back in time. The ones that really stand out for me as "her", the ones I remember her wearing, are Oscar de Renta's classic perfume and Guerlain Nahema. These are perfumes that I can never wear, because I would feel like a little girl in my mother's high heels- it would be like dressing up. 

Oscar to me was the daytime perfume, with tuberose, cardamom and sandalwood becoming a rich and creamy floral extravaganza. To my nose it just smelled happy and ever so slightly glam. Nahema was richer and fancier, maybe for evenings or parties? It is a heady blend of rose, plum & ylang ylang perfume with a rich woodsy base of Guerlain sandalwood with a darkness not seen in any Guerlain since. 

Vintage 70s Rafael Necklace

My mother used to spend her relaxation time wearing colourful and flowing caftans with her funky Rafael jewellery. I remember the parties in the 70s with Pink Floyd music or Sean Phillips (she loved him) playing in the background, with little silver cups filled with colorful cocktail cigarettes (remember- this was the 70s...)....falling asleep as my parents parties filled the house with music and laughter. Sweet memories, indeed. I hope my girls have the same daydreamy happiness filled memories someday as well. Happy Mother's Day, Mum. Love you.

What are your treasured memories of your mom?

By Kilian Bamboo Harmony Is Ethereal Tea For Your Skin

By Kilian has released two new perfumes as part of their new Asian Tales line. It's a bit of a departure from their first two collections, which tend to be headier and richer. They are all beautiful in their own way, but certainly not for everyone. We all wear scent differently, and one person's lovely floral is another  ones suffocating nightmare. So for those of you that like some air and softness in their perfume, which I love too, you must check out By Kilian Asian Tales Bamboo Harmony and Water Calligraphy. 

Water Calligraphy- this is the packaging of By Kilian perfumes SWOON

From By Kilian, "Bamboo Harmony pays homage to Bamboo, considered by the “Men of Letters” as the symbol of human perfection. It is also the main component of their brush, the central element of calligraphy which, in Chinese culture, is the representation of Art and Beauty". That is sort of an esoteric and poetic descriptor for a perfume but By Kilian is not known for their pared down approach to creativity. I love that they put this much thought into a scent, and reading about this new line is as enchanting as their previous offerings.

So- the scent. Bamboo Harmony is a lovely white tea scent. There is a touch of citrus & orange blossom in the top notes, but only a touch. Then the white tea note blooms, and its made ever so gently floral with a bit of mimosa. It dries down to a delicate slightly warm skin scent with a little more sweetness from fig leaves, but never too sweet, thanks to their "Matè Essence" which adds a crisp green fresh note, which is unusual in the base of a perfume. This is perfect scent for warmer weather as well. It manages to balance the complexity of notes By Kilian and the amazing perfumer Calice Becker are known for, and make it an ethereal veil of soft, pretty perfume.Verdict: Lovely! 

By Kilian also has lacquered evening bags that echo the design of his perfume packaging- gorgeous

By Kilian is available online at their e-store, at MIN New York, Aedes, Luckyscent and several large department stores in the US, and at Holt Renfrew in Canada. Bamboo Harmony is $225 for a 50 refillable bottle. Travel sets with atomizer are around $70 but I don't know if Bamboo Harmony has a travel set out yet.

Gratuitous photo of Kilian Hennessy

Funny screen cap of what comes up when one Googles Kilian....oh, ladies.

I'm Tripping Over This Nail Polish

Deborah Lippmann knows the way into my wallet heart. Her perfect formulas, amazing brushes and fantastic colours always speak to me. They basically say "buy me". So I do! One of her brights is quickly becoming a favourite of mine for a perfect retro red-coral shade that is worthy of a Mad Men manicure. Megan Draper has been sporting some gorgeous corals lately and I am happy to emulate that gorgeous woman. We can dream, right?

Indirect light...

In direct sunlight- super bright!

Coral is fun and punchy, and a nice light version of the classic red nail. Red works year round but after a long winter, I feel the need to really lighten things up. This is one of those hard to photograph colours. On her website, the bottle pictured makes the colour look pink. Some online photos make it look hot pink or red. So I will stick with my photos and let you be the judge when you see it in real life.  The formula is a cream/jelly hybrid, as you can see in the photo, two coats allow a bit of VNL (visible nail line) to peek through. Verdict? Love. Daytripper is going to get a lot of love from me this summer. Zou Bisou Bisou!