Sweet Sexy Tuberose: Heely Bubblegum Chic vs Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia

Every time I spritzed on Heeley's Bubblegum Chic, the intense heady top notes reminded me of another perfume I knew I had in my collection. No, not the ass-kicking-take-no-prisoners tuberose of Fracas. It was definitely something more velvety and smooth. Bubblegum Chic is sold as a jasmine perfume, but I have to say the jasmine takes a back seat to the tuberose. Not surprising, as tuberose rarely takes a back seat to any other note in perfume. Such a diva, that flower.

Almost as soon as I took the cap off my Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia I knew this was the one. Gorgeous, creamy and bewitching, ELPC Tuberose Gardenia is my favourite tuberose perfume. It just sings on the skin, wafts gently all day long, weaving slowly in and out of tuberose and then gardenia notes. It is a mostly green scent, I'd say. I read a review awhile back that said EL PC Tuberose Gardenia was more about the "perfume of a flower" vs "a flower" - could not have said it better myself. It is like the heady air around the flowers - heavy, moist and sweet. The gardenia note takes the floral aspect and makes it headier and greener, but the sweet tuberose is always there. In true Estee Lauder perfume fashion, the concentration of perfume, even in the eau de parfum, is high, and the lasting power incredible. The parfum is divine, as are all the parfums/extraits in her Private Collection series. Seriously, smell them all if you can.

Estee Lauder diva who would LOVE Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia

These perfumes start out quite similarly, but the heart and drydown is where the differences start to show. Something to love in both of them...

Frenchy blow bubbles....

Heeley Bubblegum Chic Extrait de Parfum takes that initial heady blast of sweet tuberose and takes in a different direction with sweet, watery fruity notes. I don't get bubblegum exactly, although if you said it was Strawberry Bubblicious, or maybe Watermelon Bubblicious, then I would say yes! This fruity candy is a perfectly complimentary note to the tuberose. It makes the tuberose ethereal and fairy like - like a tuberose dream rather than a garden overflowing with the perfume of ripe tuberose flowers. I say strawberry because I do detect that note, but I also get a melon note, albeit a sweet watery melon. The jasmine note gently whispers thoughout the drydown and it's progression is soft and dreamy. The perfume is softer than the Estee Lauder, and wears closer to the skin, while still being a sexy whisper of tuberose. I'd say this is the perfect tuberose scent for the tuberose phobic, as the soft yummy fruity notes make this a lovely and wearable scent. "Chic" is an appropriate name as well. As is the case with all Heeley perfumes, this perfume is elegant and refined, even with the word "Bubblegum" alongside it. Not surprising from the company that makes the most heavenly and ethereal incense perfume I've ever sniffed, Cardinal.

So, does one win? No way! I love them both, and both have a place in my collection. Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia when I am feeling like a diva, and Heeley Bubblegum Chic when I feel more ladylike than man-eater.

Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia is available online and at select Estee Lauder counters. Heeley Bubblebum Chic is available online at Heeley and online and in person from MIN New York.

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.

Beautiful Green Perfumes

One of my favourite perfume groups are the Green scents. Green perfumes tend to focus more on the foliage of the flowers and tend to be fresh with a slightly sharp edge as opposed to the sweetness you get with flowers.  This is often due to the addition of aromatic green leaves, grasses and herbs. As you can imagine, they are often shared or unisex scents, as they are simply fresh and invigorating vs traditionally “pretty” or “sexy” feminine scents that have sweeter more floral notes. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good floral, but I also adore the crisp fresh breeze of a scent that comes with green scents. They evoke the feeling of being outside, maybe in a meadow or a garden, either in warm sunshine or even a cool fresh rain shower. Coming into our hot summer months, these are perfect and I crave them. Here are just a few of my most loved Green Perfumes:

Original Vent Vert ad

And the modern one I adore...

Balmain Vent Vert The Mother of All Green perfumes, in my humble opinion. Now, this has been reformulated since it was originally created in the late 40s, and there is much consternation over different versions. I will keep it to the present version that looks like the bottle in the photo ad above. It is simply green perfection.  There is a touch of  floral sweetness in this one, but only a breath of it. It is like sweet grass on a hot summer day with a gentle breeze blowing through it, carrying the scent through the air. A key ingredient in many green scents is galbanum, which is a plant resin. It has an intense green scent  with a peculiar musky/skin accord.  This was heavy in the original Vent Vert and is more gentle in this version but still there. Gorgeous. This is my biggest compliment getter without question and one that just becomes “me”.  The edt has fantastic lasting power and it’s perfect for day or night.

Sisley Eau de Campagne I was telling a friend about this the other day. It was a really hot day & I’d spent the day outside in the sunshine. After showering & changing I spritzed some of this one on. I described it to my friend as “showering with fine, expensive French soap, then settling down to enjoy good food & wine in a garden in provence”. It really has the sense of “garden” in it, which is likely due to the tomato leaf note, which is bracing and GREEN. It was launched in the 70s and has a cool laid back feel to it, with that cool French “je ne said quoi” feel. Very unisex with a soft dry down that stays close to the skin, Eau de Campagne has a cooling calming effect. Perfect for hot summer days and nights, and perfect for sharing.

Polo anyone? Meet you at the club...

Estee Lauder Aliage Another oldie but a goodie, with a super duper dose of galbanum, Aliage is also from the 70s. It was created as the first ever “Sport Scent”  as it had a real outdoorsy feel to it, and was not a fancy schmancy ladies floral to wear when you are sitting around having tea. Aliage plays tennis, golf and probably hikes too. There is a slight butch feel to this scent I find, but I love it. This may be the uber does of galbanum which is so earthy, but is helped along by pine, vetiver and oakmoss. It IS earthy and a wonderful scent to wear in the heat. Its sold “under the counter” at Estee Lauder counters in the US (sadly not in Canada) as you have to ask for it, like a dirty little secret. At less that $40 for a bottle, this is a brilliant and unique scent that every green perfume lover needs to own. In true Estee fashion, it goes on strong and stays all day. Perfect!

Coco & a cute dog just hangin' at her country home...

Chanel Bel Respiro From the Chanel Exclusif collection, Bel Respiro is named for the week-end house that Mademoiselle Chanel bought in Garches in 1920, which means “nice breathing”. Great name when you consider it does smell like standing outside in a lush green garden inhaling the scents around you.  It evokes leaves and wet summer air after a shower, and does have a clean soapy accord. There is a touch of the sweetness and galbanum of Vent Vert in this. I am reminded of VV whenever I wear Bel Respiro. This one is soft and gentle and easy to wear, perfect for summer.

Lean in a little closer, Big, I'm wearing Cristalle...

Chanel Cristalle Another iconic Chanel scent, this one from the 70s, Cristalle spells green, fun yet elegant and stylish. To me this is a light airy green, like a soft summer breeze. It smells just like summer, with a dash of citrus to keep it cool. Caveat- only the Eau de Toilette is worth wearing in my humble opinion. They made an Eau de Parfum in the 90s in order to deepen the original scent to make it "wearable" during cooler months and to perhaps make it last longer on the skin. Light airy scents tend to lack longevity but in my opinion Cristalle fails as an Eau de Parfum. It looses it's spirit and soul and becomes heavy and weighted which to my humble nose, does. Not. Work. Keep it light, wear a Halston flowy wide leg pantsuit or wrap dress and you are ready for a hot summer day. Remember, this is the perfume that Chris Noth once said- aka Big on Sex & The City- brings him "to his knees". Duly noted... (ps- another obscure 70s scent by Molyneux "Quartz" smells sooo close to Cristalle, even the names are similar. Worth sniffing out if you can find it. It's usually quite a deal...)

Betcha she's wearing YSL "Y"...cool

YSL “Y” This beauty is a green chypre from the 60s and I adore it. It is cool green and sexy, and for someone feeling confident and standing tall. It has a slight sweetness to it from flowers but there is a cool dry accord that comes from the aldehydes and perhaps the woody notes. It tends to have a slightly soapy accord on me but not everyone pulls soap from this. I happen to love soapy notes so I’m good with that. It is soft and quiet, never loud, and would be perfect for any occasion.  It does have some patchouli in the base which I find lends it a slightly sexy feel in the dry down. I can’t explain why it feels elegant but it just does. It lasts hours on my skin too. Worth trying as it is available for a song online. My friend Dane generously gave me his big bottle. Get it while you can.

Pass my glass of champagne, sil vous plait..

Creed Aubepine Acacia I *think* this one is discontinued so I apologize in advance if, after reading this, you decide you want it. It is quite sad that they took this one out of rotation as it is so lovely. Simple, clean and green with gentle floral notes, it was created in 1965 and worn by Brigitte Bardot ( I prefer to think of her in her 1960s incarnation as opposed to the clazy rady she is now…) and it has an endless summer on the beaches of France feel for sure. There is a slight fruit note that comes from the bergamot on the top but otherwise it is galbanum, hawthorn and mimosa. Vetiver isn’t listed but it seems to smell vetiver-ish and there is a bitter green note that is somewhat addictive in this. Love it, it is just gorgeous and made more so perhaps by the fact that it feels so rare when I wear it. This is another compliment getter and I feel like sultry Bardot on the beach in capris with messy hair drinking wine when I wear it. Fun fact- she also wore Vent Vert so she was a lover of green scents...  I have heard rumours that it is only available in the Creed Mothership shop in London (or is it Paris?) in the massive jugs for around $800 in case you REALLY want some.

Random Beautiful Thoughts...

Brigit on St Jean de Luz boardwalk last summer...

Music: Well, its a pretty mainstream choice but right now I am thoroughly enjoying Adele. I “liked” her first cd and recognized her as quite the talent but “21” (also her age BELIEVE IT OR NOT) is transcendant. She writes songs with the feeling and intensity one would expect from a long lifetime of heartache. There is a mellow jazzy-y meets country vibe to her music that makes Adele’s 21 a perfect soundtrack for whatever you are doing. This particular video is a brilliant modern dance interpretation of this song by Casey Ford Alexander. LOVE

Book: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This is her debut novel (2005) and is based on stories her father told her as a child…about Dracula. There is nothing cheesy or done-before about this book.  It is a terrific read and somewhat of a metaphor for evil deeds in history that cannot be undone, and the role of history, and how it is recorded for future generations. Her writing is wonderful and just draws you in. It is a dense and heavy book, both literally and figuratively, and I’ve picked it up to read twice and put it down again each time. This last time hooked me and I cannot put it down. Not light reading, yet it pulls you in as if someone was telling you a bedtime story you didn’t want to end…

Food: Well, I finally mastered a homemade peanut sauce! I adore spicy peanut sauce and have always been intimidated to try to make one. Thanks to my Dad's recipe I have finally achieved it.  He is a mean cook, as long as there are no vegetables involved. I make sure to add the veggies as I love them, but they only serve to make his amazing recipes better. Here is his recipe, I added tons of different coloured peppers, onion, carrots,  and celery. The great thing about Dear Old Dad’s recipes is they take well to customization. Enjoy!

500g                          Ground pork (I used lean ground beef, you can add meat of your choice)

3 T                              Soya Sauce

2 T                              Dry Sherry or Saki

                                    Ground white pepper

2 T                              Oyster flavored sauce

4 T                              Peanut butter, chunky if available (I used smooth...yum)

1 T                              Rice vinegar

1¼ cups                     Chicken stock  (I was all out & used vegetable stock)

1 T                              Peanut oil

1 inch                        Fresh ginger root, minced

2 inches                     Leek, white part, chopped finely (I had no leeks...it was fine)

6                                 Medium garlic cloves, pressed

3/4 t                           Red chili flakes

                                                      OR

1 t                               Sambal oelik (Chinese red chili sauce, Indonesian actually)

1 t                               Sesame oil

350 gm                      Dried noodles

3                                 Medium Scallions sliced thinly

1 cup                          Bean sprouts

1 t                               Sichuan  peppercorns, toasted & ground ( didn't have these...seemed ok)

1) Combine pork, 1 t of the soy sauce, sherry and white pepper in small bowl, stir well and set aside. Whisk together oyster sauce, 2 t of soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, good pinch of white pepper in medium bowl. Whisk in chicken stock.

2) Bring 4 L water to a boil in large saucepan. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil separately.

3) Heat oil in nonstick pan, gently saute ginger, leek and garlic. Add pork and fry til cooked breaking it into small pieces. Add red pepper or sambal and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter/chicken stock mixture; bring to a boil; reduce heaat to medium and simmer til reduced somewhat. Stir in sesame oil.

4) Add noodles to4L boiling water; cook until tender. Pour 2 cups boiling water over bean sprouts and leave for 1 minute.

5) Drain noodles and bean sprouts, ladle noodles into bowl, cover with bean sprouts, ladle ½ sauce over each bowl; sprinkle with scallions and ground Sichuan pepper corns; serve immediately.

Fashion: Ballet flats! These are simply something we cannot have enough of, and for me, soft pliable comfort and the perfect neutral tone is something I am constantly on the search for. Repetto have so far been my fave flats, the leather is like kid-glove leather so they end up fitting your foot like a glove, and I have yet to find a colour I like more than their soft metallic gold. What are your fave flats? Share!

Skincare du Jour: Thanks to Janine at Beautygeeks for introducing me to La Roche Posay Cicaplast. This is a miraculous healing cream/balm/lotion intended to heal post-chemical peel (ouch!) skin that I have been using for my blemishes (I try not to pick…I really do!), sunburn and any irritation or cut I have (bad cat!). It also works miracles on chapped lips when I use it at bedtime and let it soak in. This probably deserves it’s own post but I just had to share!

              

Perfume du Jour: It’s definitely a tie between two gorgeous new faves. I have been LOVING Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia- wow this is drop dead gorgeous with creamy white flowers that just wrap around you like pure silk. I also have the body lotion in this which I love to use on my hands at bedtime and to layer with the eau de parfum, it just makes it last longer. The other one is Acqua di Parma Colonia Assoluta. Ok. This line has several concentrations, Intenza, Essenza and Assoluta among them, and shopping for one can be “confusa” to quote my perfumista friend Kevin. Seriously. All I know is the Assoluta is the most floral of the collection- read a nice review here. Acqa di Parma is just your basic, classic eau de cologne and Assoluta is my personal favourite version. Refreshing, clean and gentle and totally unlike what I usually go for. Dane at Pere de Pierre laughed at the thought of me in such a butch scent but it is pretty, sexy and understated and works for me. Go figure!

Beautiful Beauty Roundup

And here is the Daly Beauty weekly round up from the Beauty Blogosphere- enjoy! 

BeautyExpose made me fall in love with the entire Fall 2010 Essie Nail Polish Collection. Merino Cool and Sew Psyched are on my must-get list for sure.

BeautyEditor tells us about the Bestest New Fall 2010 Scents to come across her desk- there is something for everyone in that list so be sure to check them out!

EauMG gives us a comprehensive guide to 2010 Best Dark Chocolate Nail Polishes. There is something in every price range from under $9 and up. Who doesn't love chocolate....

ProductGirl is loving Trish McEvoy's Voyageur travel make up set- be prepared for any beauty emergency, anytime, anywhere. This set has it all and I want it. 

BeautyReflections shows us the perfect plum lip with Estee Lauder Pure Colour Gloss in Golden Violet. I like the gloss/lipstick combo and this colour seems perfect for fall.

The Non Blonde is speaking my language when she rhapsodizes about the Guerlain Meteorites Perles d'Or Holiday 2010 powder....I need this. And thank-you, Gaia for listing my Jicky review on your round up...your review of Jicky was responsible for me trying it in the first place xo

Beautygeeks shows us how to make our eyes large and doll-like. Kind of crazy? Maybe. Magical, pretty and ethereal? Definitely.

FabOverForty has me wanting to head on down to Sephora and check out Tarte Cosmetics Matte Lip Stains. Paraben and pthalate free, they are made from at least 70% natural ingredients. Sounds FAB to me...

Best Things In Beauty shows us Bobbi Brown's Bare to Bold Limited Edition shadow collection- wow these colours are gorgeous.

And here is a bonus beautiful photo of fall in Ottawa....in my backyard, to be specific....

Beautiful Blogs of the Week

There are some great folks writing fun stuff out there and I would love to share my favourite beautiful blogs with you. So, in the tradition of the weekly roundup, the weekly blogroll etc, I will be posting my Beautiful Blog Posts Of the Week for you. Life is busy and not everyone is as obsessive as I am about scouring the interwebs so I am happy to give you some quick links to some great reading!

The wise & beautiful Gaia over at The Non-Blonde revisits Estee Lauder Beautiful, the classic 80s floral perfume. I wore it...did you? 

So happy to discover that Abigail of I Smell Therefore I Am wrote about the new release from Diptyque,  Eau Duelle, the "vanilla for those who don't like vanilla". I have been dying to try this and Abigail's lovely review makes it sound like something I might need....

The fabulous Michelle over at The Beauty Editor has been updating from New York Fashion Week with looks that are making sexy 70s hair and come hither make-up look like a great alternative to the flat iron and boring daytime make up....

Chanel nail polish hysteria continues and the lovely Christine at Temptalia tempts us (well me anyways, I am a sucker for Chanel nail polish...) with the new for fall Chanel Soho Story Limited Edition polishes Steel and Strong. These dark dramatic colours seem perfect to wear with cozy sweaters and fabulous boots...

Over at Beautygeeks, the beautiful and not geeky at all Janine chats with stylist Phillip Bloch about Style Lite and going on a Shopping Diet. As I look through my closet and see stuff with tags still attached, I'm thinking this is a diet I might want to try....

I hope you enjoy these beautiful tidbits of wisdom as much as I did. It's a gorgeous sunny fall evening here and I am SO going out for dinner. Have a lovely weekend!