Bobbi Brown Bath Perfume- Good Clean Fun

I'm nothing if not a woman of broad tastes. I can appreciate vintage Guerlain Aprés L'Ondee parfum, swoon over it's heartbreaking beauty while weeping over it's unavailability while I watch bottles as rare as gems sell for many thousands on ebay. But, I am not a perfume snob, and I can appreciate something that makes my skin smell lovely, no matter what the price tag says. Which is both a good and a bad thing....

One of my favourite, easy, cheap and cheerful perfume is Bobbi Brown's Bath. It is meant to evoke that squeaky clean feeling one has after the bath- obviously- and does a good of it. It's chock full of soapy and wonderful orange blossom and neroli that blooms on the skin, with a gentle note of water hyacinth that adds a watery aspect. It is uncomplicated, like a simple cologne, and as easy to wear as a white t shirt. It is definitely a soapy perfume, and an unapologetic one at that. I would say this is pretty much Ivory soap, and I have always loved the scent of Ivory. Wet and warm freshly scrubbed skin, good clean fun...

This perfume is particularly lovely in extreme heat, as you have that just jumped out of the bath (or shower) feeling. And for a soapy cologne scent that does not cost the moon, I get amazing longevity from Bobbi Brown Bath- maybe 3-4 hours, even in the heat. It is perfect for daytime, and also lovely for a night out, maybe on a patio with a nice cool drink. This sweet little perfume has garnered me so many compliments when I wear it, one wonders if we really might be over thinking our perfumes. I've been stopped by strangers asking me what perfume I'm wearing. It makes me think of a line from one of my favourite movies, Amadeus, when Emperor Joseph II tells Mozart that his music "is quality work....there are simply too many notes". 

       


I got mine at Murale  (it is available on their website) in Canada, and I have seen at the Bobbi Brown cosmetic counter recently as well. But I see that it is no longer on her website, and is "unavailable" on the Nordstrom site. Hm. Maybe it's going to be discontinued? For the bargain $48 I paid, I may go buy another bottle as back up.

Brighten Your Smile With Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss

From left: Pink Lilac, Pink Opal and Lilac Pearl

Oh Bobbi Brown- you and your beautifully tempting colour palettes designed to make anyone look like themselves, only more polished. I love Bobbi's aesthetic and style. I have always abhorred the overly made up look (well, except in the 80s....) and her "less is more" and "emphasize your best features" philosophy works for me perfectly.

In daylight

I was perusing her lip gloss selection the other day and finally grabbed a colour I have loved for awhile. It is from her Brightening Lip Gloss collection, which is designed with just a touch of shimmer to "wake up" your complexion and add brightness as opposed to drama. And, in particular, the colours from her Brightening Nudes Collection. How I love these colours! And, the Lilac Pearl is just perfect, obviously. The slightly blue undertone- and by slight I really mean slight- has a brightening effect on teeth and skintone. Although if you prefer a warmer shade, Pink Lilac is smidge more pink than lilac and would likely be perfect. And, lets be totally honest here. I want Pink Lilac and Pink Opal too.

In natural daylight, indoors

At any rate, Lilac Pearl Brightening Gloss is a new favourite of mine. It goes on beautifully, albeit a wee bit stickier than I'd like, but I can look beyond that. There is a tiny fuchsia shimmer that adds a lovely dimension to the colour. But one thing I really love is that as the glossy part wears off, a subtle and lovely touch of colour remains on the lip. I tried to photograph that phase of the development but couldn't capture it. Trust me- it is very pretty!

In natural daylight, indoors

Bobbi Brown Lilac Pearl is available at Bobbi Brown counters.

My List of Beautiful Gifts For The Holidays

Here are some of my favourite things for the 2011 Holiday Season...some of them are on my wish list too! Do any of these sound perfect to you? What are you hoping to get this year?

Diptyque Holiday Fragrances - The gorgeous & luxe special edition candles in gorgeous holiday red, green and gold, Epinette (resinous pine) and Perdigone (spicy plum) and also a lovely Winter Coffret with 3 mini candles- Wood Fire, Pomander & Pine. My friend Tara loves to travel with mini candles- they are a perfect way to make an impersonal hotel room feel like home. Lovely gifts! From $32-$84. 

Deborah Lippmann Get This Party Started Limited Edition Kit - What a mouth watering selection of Lippmann's sparkliest glitters, perfect for holiday parties! From a neutral pretty pink to an elegant black confetti, there is something for any party here! Around $42.

By Kilian Perfume Solid Compacts: Ok these are simply stunning. The delicious By Kilian perfumes, available in a gorgeous black bakelite-style compact that would look drop dead elegant in any purse or pocket. One thing I love about solid/concreta perfumes is they are very quiet on the sillage front. They stay close to the skin, and contain pure parfum so only the best part of the scent is what you smell. And, they don't spill or explode which makes them ideal for travel. For her perhaps the solid of Love & Tears (glorious jasmine) or, for him, the sublime A Taste of Heaven (worlds most stunning lavender). Trivia- the boxes that By Kilian's bottled perfumes come in are so stunning they have been seen being carried by the worlds most stylish and elegant women as evening bags. Seriously. $95...and this will last a lifetime.

Thann Skincare Gift of Complete Pampering: After a whirlwind month of parties, preparation and primping, who wouldn't want to find a box full of pampering goodness under their tree? Thann has a lovely set that includes their Aromatherapy Salt Scrub, Rice Grain Soap and Moisturizing Olive Oil Spray for the gift of relaxation and skincare goodness. And, it's on sale for $45.50!

Cashmere Wrap from Banana Republic: I LOVE these wraps! I've owned this in ivory and it is the softest and coziest scarf/wrap I've ever had. I say ownED as it now seems to be my daughter's scarf...Anyways, the hot pink Bright Sangria or reddish-orange Ubud Red would look amazing on anyone, keep them warm and add a splash of colour to that winter wonderland outside. On sale as well...around $100.

                                            

                                            

Dior Crème de Rose Lip Balm & Crème Abricot: A luxe & lovely lip balm that only Dior could make. It smells like roses, moisturizes chapped lips and lightly plumps them. It comes in a lovely bakelite style pot with a subtle Dior logo, which is the same style container as their iconic Crème Abricot- one of the best nail & cuticle savers ever made. Both of these are a luxurious twist on a utilitarian product, with the benefit of being Top Quality and looking pretty sitting on a bedside table or in your purse. These certainly fall under my "Things I Hate To Buy For Myself" category which  makes them  perfect gifts. Around $25-$30 depending on where you live.

Bobbi Brown Classic To Go Palette: Ok, no one does cosmetic party kits, palettes and sets like Bobbi Brown. I felt like a kid in a candy store when I was the counter the other day. They had a lovely display case with all the gorgeous little kits lined up in little windows. I wanted them all! I thought the Classic To Go Palette would be the one I'd like to see the most in my stocking. Great price too at under $30 US.

Guerlain Vol de Nuit Perfumed Shimmer Powder: Ok this entire Guerlain Limited Edition Holiday Collection is GORGEOUS. Each piece is swoonworthy all by itself, but the Vol de Nuit powder is the ultimate luxury. Scented, gently I've been assured, with the classic Vol de Nuit perfume, its for use on the body, face and, the best part, hair. It has a soft and gentle shimmer and is in a gorgeous emerald green interpretation of the classic propeller bottle, from the perfume. Trivia: The original Vol de Nuit (Night Flight) perfume was allegedly inspired by the book of the same name written in 1931 by the aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Romantic...Santa, are you listening? Around $80-$90.

And I'm sure you'll forgive me this Christmas carol...because it's Diana Ross & The Supremes....

More Beautiful Bronzers...

Over-tanning til you're orange? Non merci!

After much discussing of what bronzers do we love best on Twitter and Facebook this week, I decided to do another post on some more of my fave bronzers. Self tanners and bronzers fall into this category for me. I have already covered some facial self tanners here.

Bronzer Hall of Fame: Guerlain Terracotta 01. This stuff is legendary for a reason. It goes on smoothly without blotches, stays put and gives a healthy soft glow. It does have the teensiest bit of shimmer in it but this is not noticeable on the skin. It is there for a reason as a truly matte bronzer can be dangerous if not in the hands of a professional make up artist. It can look splotchy and, well, dirty, with a muddy tone. I can only see the shimmer in Terracotta with my reading glasses on, and only on my skin if I swipe it with my finger and rub it on. Applied with a soft fluffy brush evenly all over the face, it is perfection! Always in my make up bag. Always.

Bronzer With a Bit of Bling: Bobbi Brown Aruba Illuminating Bronzing Powder is a lovely choice as it is a very soft bronze colour, suitable for fair skin, but offering the most subtle bit of shimmer. It really does simply “illuminate” and is nice for evening. I usually save this for cooler weather when I am not shiny but to be honest it really is just not that shimmery. Nice when dusted on tops of cheeks and forehead, and on décolletage if you are heading out on the town. Every time I put this on I think “ I should use this more often”. Gorgeous.

Cheap’n’Cheerful Bronzer: Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 022 Sun Bronze. This one never fails to amaze me. I often wonder if it is only my love for Guerlain that keeps me from using this one exclusively. The Rimmel bronzer is about as close to shimmer free as I am comfortable with. I can only see traces of something with a bit of sparkle when I put on my reading glasses and go stand in direct sun and stare at the swatch on my skin. I have also used 021 and am not quite sure why I got 022…anyways they are very close. The colour is very sheer and buildable but not blotchy at all. My younger daughter Brigit, who only wears mascara and a bit of powder (age appropriate at 15) stole this from my make up drawer and its perfect for her. She is very fair with white blonde hair but has skin that tans and this is so subtle on her. It really just looks like a healthy glow. At under $10 this one is a must have. You will use it, trust me. Oh, and it has SPF 8....bonus.

Easy Peasy Self Tanner: They say Clarins Liquid Bronze is for the face but I use it on my décolletage and my legs. With it's lovely and light milky consistency, it is easy as pie to apply, sort of goof proof if you blend well, and gives a perfect natural golden glow. This one gets much love on beauty blogs and forums all over the interwebs. For good reason- I love it! Smells nice too.

Amazing Instant Tanned Legs Self Tanner: Make Believe Airbrush Self Tanner is easy to use and gives incredible results. Caveat: this stuff is a bit hard to find. I bought it at Murale while on a marathon make up shopping trip with my friend Vicki (one of many...) and I’m not even sure if they carry it anymore. It is AMAZING. A spray tanner perfect for legs, it is an aerosol tanner that shows up immediately but also develops slowly into a tan. As long as one doesn’t forget to blend at feet/ankles/knees (do it quickly, as it is "flash dry") this stuff is amazing. Perfect for the start of summer when the dresses and shorts come out, or going on holiday to get the perfect tan. It is subtle, so no Ooompa Loompas with this stuff. LOVE it. Not sure what I will do when my tin is done as I don’t think Murale carries it anymore….

Incredibly Natural Self Tanner:  Neostrata Natural Insta-Tan is sooo good. I forgot about til I found it at the back of my drawer:  The main things I love about this are it is oil free and actually more of a gel, and it shows up right away making for fool proof application. It is powerful and a little goes a long way so use with a light hand, starting with very little. Honestly this bottle is huge and will last forever. It is for use on body and face. No nasty smell at all. I am pretty sure it is the same type of formula as St Tropez as it has that odd greenish tinge to the formula that I noted in the St Tropez Mousse. It is ideal for acne prone or oily skin.

Well, hi there... 

Of course, the shades I recommend are the ones that work for me and my medium to fair skin tone. You will have to determine what shade works best for you. A skilled make up artist or Sales Associate should be able to help. I recommend looking at your face in natural light before buying. And before applying self tanners always EXFOLIATE, especially knees, elbows, wrists & feet. And apply moisturizer first. And wash your hands after applying, using a nail brush unless you want to look like a chain smoker... But there is a bronzer for everyone! What are your fave bronzers?

Let's sing about how perfectly bronzed we are!

Beautiful Beauty Blog Round Up

We have a nice variety of beauty products for you in this weekend's roundup. Let us know what suits your fancy!

Makeup

Amy is in Paris, and we are richer for it. We loved her Café Makeup feature about her first shopping trip after she arrived.

Sabrina showed us the exotic, Asia-exclusive Blossom Glossimer from Le Blanc Collection from Chanel. Find it at The Beauty Look Book.

Gaia was the first one of us to get her hands on the new Edward Bess eye shadows, and they are exquisite. See her photos and review at The Non-Blonde.

Kari showed us Bobbi Brown's Peony & Python Collection at Fab over Forty. All of us love Bobbi's new colors. Check them out with Kari.

Redheads often feel like the poor stepchildren of the makeup world. Kelly discovered great brow products for redheads. Find her discovery at Gouldylox Reviews.

Carla at Product Girl found another winner from Maybelline with the new One by One Volum' Express Mascara. Maybelline has so many mascara hits. Find out why this one is special.

Charlestongirl had the skinny on Giorgio Armani's new Eyes to Kill eye shadows for Spring 2011 at Best Things in Beauty.

Nails

Anne is ready to spring forward into spring with the China Glaze Anchors Away Collection. Check it out at BeautyXposé.

Multiple Treats

Jane covered a lot of ground in her feature "All Things Pink and Beautiful" at Daly Beauty. From Chanel to Tarte, she presented us with some marvelous pink options.

Michelle at Beauty Editor posted her Top 5 Beauty Editor picks - there are some GORGEOUS spring goodies, including a Shu Uemura palette I might give up a kidney for...

All Things Pink & Beautiful by Chanel, Bobbi Brown & Tarte

With Spring dragging her feet I really needed to add some cheery colour to my routine. Pink is always perfect. I love pink flowers, I love pink sunsets and my favourite fruit, watermelon, is a lovely pink. Pink clothes can work miracles and brighten a sallow complexion, and you will always look gorgeous and glowy in a pink room. Think about that when decorating a boudoir ladies….just saying…

So here are my favourite pink things today.

Chanel Rose Insolent Nail Polish is from their Fall 2010 collection. I recall thinking such a bright pink was an odd choice for Fall but loved it all the same. I also got the Rose Confidentiel which is a nude pink, also lovely, but today is a Pink Day so no neutrals…Rose Insolent is a lovely bright fuschia pink that straddles the cool/warm scale quite nicely. I think lovers of cool and warm tones could carry this off. It manages to be bright without being fluorescent which is nice for me, making it nice for work but still fun. Very sweet, very girly but deep, rich and far enough off the candy scale to work on a grown up. Verdict- LOVE.

natural light- it's not quite this blue in real life...

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink is a richly pigmented cream blush that enhances almost any complexion- if applied correctly. The key with the Pot Rouge blushes is intensity- as little or as much as you like. I cannot imagine using one up because they are so rich I only need a teensy bit to add a glow. As well, using a flat topped brush to apply a cream blush was a life changing experience for me.  The lovely Angie, a fabu make up artist here in Ottawa, suggested softening a cream blush by “buffing” it on with a flat brush. I have the Bobbi Brown one, that I bought to use with bronzing powder, but that NEVER worked for me so it just sat there in my make up drawer, taunting me for tossing away my money on something so useless. Not so! I just tap it on the blush, gently rub it in the lid before lightly buffing it on the apples of my cheeks. Ta-da! So pretty, and I look like I have been frolicking in the fresh spring air. This stuff lasts hours on me as well- it is not as fuschia in real life as the product shot above would indicate, but it is pigmented. Verdict- true pink LOVE.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge: sheer & intense, natural light

Tarte Lip Stain Lipsurgence natural lip tint in Charmed is a perfect way to bring the soft pink lip that has been all over the runways for Spring/Summer 2011 into real life. Fun, bright but so wearable, this colour has me seriously considering actually wearing more colour than Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Boy (Your Lips But Better Lipstick). My daughter Emilie got this (she is much braver than I regarding lippy!) and after seeing her wear it so effortlessly, I might be sold! It is a stain, so it lasts forever, yet it seems to have more presence on the lip than the lighter liquid stains we all know so well. She swatched it for me and it really is so sheer and lovely. But, it can be built up for more intensity. It is a “Lipsurgence” tint which means it is infused with all kind of good moisturizing stuff for a soft moist and naturally plumped look without any stinging or tingling. Lovely! I think I’ve been charmed…Verdict- LOVE! Thanks Em.

Tarte Charmed swatched in natural light on Emilie

What are your favourite pick me ups for Spring? Do you do pink and if so, what are your fave ways to wear it?

Random Beautiful Thoughts

Music ~ As a long time fan of the musical weirdness that was Roxy Music and is Bryan Ferry I was keen to hear Olympia. His latest release features some pretty cool dudes including Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, just to name a few. But it is the spooky & ethereal Brian Eno rejoining that adds that Roxy magic, especially evident on Tender is The Night. I feel like this song is…humid and dense, if that makes sense…

Speaking of a little weirdness (I mean this in the best way) how about a little Jonsi (from Sigur Ros) and the oh so pretty Go, Do

Go sing, too loud

Make your voice break- sing it out

Go scream, do shout

Make an earthquake

.....so pretty, right?

Book ~ Just finished Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom and I loved it. I still love him for his famous Oprah dissing ( I am not a believer in The Church of Oprah) and for the weird Franzenfreude that arose as a result of his great reviews. Sour grapes much? Anyways…his books make me want to have a pencil nearby when I’m reading so I can underline phrases that blow my mind. Sometimes I read them out loud… a few times. Anyone who grew up in the 70s/80s and who had even a modicum of family dysfunction needs to read Jonathan Franzen. The Corrections spoke to my generation and moved me in unexpected ways. Freedom reminded me of how politics were so important to my parents and how they shaped my beliefs. It also reinforced (in my humble opinion) how important it is to take responsibility for your parenting and for your children. There is a weird over-protective/let-kids-make-the-important-choices dichotomy going on these days. Parents who cry “poor me” and act like martyrs while not letting their kids walk anywhere on their own or take responsibility for their bad behavior. It’s like a reversal of what parenting should be….”in my humble opinion”… Freedom is not just about parenting by any chance…but that is one of the things I took away from it.

Food ~ Well, post holidays I am happy to purge my system of chocolate and celebratory dinners with a normal eating routine. It doesn’t take long to feel energized and healthy again when pounds of chocolate, butter and champagne are eliminated (ok…reduced…) from the diet. During these cold days, curries are among my favourite dishes and my Lalah's Curry Powder and Patak's curry paste get a real workout. One of my favourite vegetarian dishes is Spicy Rice and Lentils. It doesn't use curry but has lots of warmth and yumminess and was always a favourite with my daughter and her friends, even when they were young. Hey, it doesn't have to be gross chicken fingers and frozen fries! 

Fashion ~ Ah, let us thank the fashion gods for the big circle scarf, shall we? I have a big thick wooly black one from Urban Outfitters that I have been living in during our cold snap. It’s a scarf, a hat, and a neck warmer. A win for me! Also, Canadian chain Aritzia has a line called TNA that makes super cozy parkas that are lined with a faux fur. Mine is blue grey military style and with the hood up & my circle scarf wrapped around my neck you can colour me cozy. What I want- did anyone else notice Natalie Portman’s character in Black Swan was constantly wearing what looked like cashemere sweatpants and hoodies? All in pale greys, blushes and cream colours! Cozy stuff for lounging around the house are pretty much my favourite items and these look like the ultimate. I can pretend to be a ballerina ;)

this is how I imagine my make up :)

Cosmetic du Jour ~ For some reason I am embracing black eyeliner on my upper and lower waterlines. It looks sexy and smoky, yet subtle and Lancome Le Stylo Waterproof pencil in Black stays put. Loving me some Bobbi Brown right now. Her award winning Long Wear Cream Shadow in Cement is my daily go-to neutral eye shadow these days, and her Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in the pretty and cheery Pale Pink is giving me a blush. Dust it all over with some Illuminating Bronzing Powder in the pale golden bronze colour of Aruba and I look like I am happily surviving winter with a healthy glow.

Perfume du Moment ~  I have been craving warmth and the smells that come when the earth is alive, ie flowers, grass, trees and the way everything smells when the sun shines on it. You know, when it's. Not. Winter. A little spritz of Annick Goutal Songes or Comptoir Sud Pacifique Aloha Tiare gives me a "warm sultry tropical night walking under fragrant flowers" in a bottle and just make me happy. I think it makes people around me happy too, as when I wear either of these I am constantly hearing “Mmmm what are you wearing, you smell so good”. Works for me! A few sprays of Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia at bedtime guarantees sweet dreams. This white floral blend has soft and gentle notes of cardamom that adds a warming element, perfect for a cold and blustery night