Barney's Route du Thé Perfume Is Cool & Clean

I admit it, I like a clean perfume, one that makes me feel fresh and cool, like I just stepped out of the shower. I really enjoyed Clean Provence perfume, the one that smells like French milled soap, and it always got me lots of compliments. I also like the ultimate in fresh scrubbed perfumes, Estee Lauder White Linen. The American squeaky clean ideal, White Linen makes me feel immaculate and, well, almost divinely clean. I adore these kinds of scents the most in hot humid weather. But sometimes I want the cool and fresh without all the soapiness, as much as I love soapy scents.

Enter Barney's Route du Thé. This lovely and simple perfume was created in the 80s, which is hard to believe given most of the heavy hitting perfumes that the 80s gave us. But, a soft and simple scent it is, and it is so soothing to wear.  The name, translated roughly to "way of the tea" implies more of a tea impression, rather than an outright tea perfume. It is nothing like the ubiquitous green tea scents that are everywhere in perfumes. I would say it is more like the wonderful unsweetened iced tea they serve in the southern US. This is not a sugary or creamy tea, but instead brings to mind the delicious unsweetened iced tea they serve in the southern US. Add a squeeze of lemon for tart refreshment and some fizzy soda water as well. The notes listed by Barney's (who sell this scent exclusively) are citrus, muguet and amber. After the lemony iced tea blast softens, I do get a gentle fresh floral note, but it is so soft, and not overly feminine or girly at all. The amber...well perhaps a bit of a powdery note, and by bit I mean tiniest amount ever, settles in as the scent dries down. But not a sweet powder. There is almost an astringent aspect to this scent, which I suppose adds to the cooling sensation one gets. For such an ethereal impression of a perfume, Route du Thé lasts an amazingly long time on my skin, and that fresh feeling goes on and on...and on....

where I spent a good part of my Canada Day long weekend- ahhhhhh

You know those super hot days, and the only way to cool down is to dive into a cool lake and just float and swim until your mind clears and you just want to flop down on your towel, close your eyes and breath? And how the water evaporates slowly from your skin, and the breeze you could hardly feel before you dove in the lake now just kisses your skin with a cool touch? That is the kind of fresh Barney's Route du Thé gives me. 

Barney's Route du Thé is available exclusively at Barney's NY and some Barney's outlet stores.

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 House Smells Beautiful

Take a walk in a calming space...

I am obsessed with scent, not only for my skin but for my environment. I love scented candles and room sprays as I love a beautiful scent to envelop me wherever I am in my home. But it cannot be strong or cloying or smell like plastic berries a la Glade Plug-Ins. Working as a Realtor has allowed me to go into many houses and let me tell ya, I can spot a Glade Plug In from the driveway of a house. It covers up nothing, and is a synthetic migraine inducing cloud of chemicals that is almost certainly messing with your DNA. It is simply not a Good Thing. So I am always sniffing candles & room sprays when shopping, hoping for something that will scent the air without choking me. I also love incense and when I am in the mood for that kind of comforting scent, only one will do- authentic Nag Champa. It is sweet and floral without the smoky notes that I pick up in most incenses. I adore candles but that is another post- I’ve been meaning to write about my fave candles so stay tuned.

Today I’d like to share two lovely room sprays. The first one is a French brand called Geodesis. They are a ambient scent company that sells candles and room sprays. They have based their collections on associating a fragrance with a region of the world. I have fallen for the Black Tea scent, a “slightly fruity tea” from “the province of Yunnan, which is well known for the quality of their teas”. It is a fruity tea, I’m not sure if it’s citrus or a fruit-like floral scent but it is a lovely counter to the black tea. It is non aerosol in a pretty glass bottle, with an apothecary vibe. There is no mistaking the black tea note and I find it soothing and calming. It is a little more than just tea, and that makes for a bit of complexity which I like.  There is a “cool” feel to it so I think in hot summer weather it will be wonderful as well.

Geodesis on left, NEOM (old packaging) on right

The other one I am loving is NEOM Organic Home Fragrance Mists. From their website, “made from a simple blend of pure essential oils, spring water and pure grain alcohol they are 95% organic and free from harsh preservatives, so they will not pollute your lungs, home or the environment”. Organic and natural are not deal breakers for me, I just want it to smell good, but that works for me too. The one I’ve been using lately is Refresh, a blend of Sicilian Lemon and fresh Basil. It is indeed refreshing and so true and natural smelling it feels like you could drink it. It makes a lovely kitchen spray, perfect for tidying up after a big meal. But I use it everywhere. It is soothing and calming yet at the same time uplifting. There is nothing complex about this one, it really is lemons and basil, but they are perfectly balanced in the most pleasing way. It is a happy smell, indeed.

I spritz the air, over upholstered furniture (it can also be used as a linen spray) and on light bulbs (cool bulbs that are not lit!) which makes for a waft of fragrance later on when I turn my lights on. A little tip I like is to spray my entrance mats so visitors get a soft scent when they come in the house. I must be choosing the right scents or have extremely polite friends, as my friends and my daughters as well always comment on how good our house smells. For me, that is the ultimate compliment. 

What are your favourite room sprays? 

My Beautiful Hair by Living Proof No Frizz

Last week I decided to finally take the Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner for a test drive. I have been really skeptical, as I made what I now know was the mistake of using only the styling cream without the shampoo and conditioner. Which I had been told, but I tend to think that is hype so I had purchased a tiny bottle of the Wave/Curl Cream for Thick/Coarse hair only to be disappointed. After going through the Brazilian Blow Dry mania I thought I would at least make an effort to smooth and control my mane with products as opposed to a very expensive semi permanent treatment.

Color me SOLD on Living Proof. I have been making a concerted effort to rid my hair and my styling routine of sulfates, which strip and dry out the hair, and of silicones, which coat and weigh down hair. Sulfates have a place in my routine as a bi-weekly clarifying treatment but the fact is 90% of shampoos contain these chemicals. They offer a lovely lather that people seem to need to feel clean, but other than that they are far too harsh for our hair. I have long thick hair that is highlighted so dry ends are a reality for me. Sulfates exacerbate this condition. So in an attempt to calm and smooth my stripped and dry ends, I would apply silicone products to my hair to coat and smooth. Now it’s true that the first few times we use silicone it seems miraculous. We get silky smooth flowing hair….for awhile. Then, the silicone builds up and our expensive favourite conditioners cannot even touch our hair let alone be effective. So the cycle begins…sulfates to strip, then deep condition, then smooth with silicone because even the deep conditioner doesn’t work on your poor hair that has been stripped dry of every ounce of healthy shine and bounce.  Living Proof touts a miracle ingredient that coats the hair that is a teeny molecule hardly visible when compared to silicone. I am no scientist but you can learn more about it here.

So I have purged my shower of sulfates except for one clarifying product to be used sparingly. I only use conditioner without silicone, spray on/leave in conditioner without (yes silicone is in almost every conditioner out there) and I use a smoothing and curling product without silicone (yes…it is everywhere). But still, there was the frizz, the pouf , the flyaways. I would have to coat my hair with conditioner after shampooing and leave it in….it was ok but let’s just say there were a lot of steps. My path to low maintenance hair was fraught with obstacles…

Enter Living Proof No-Frizz. All I can say is OH MY GOD. Trust me when I say I have spent thousands of dollars on products and treatments to smooth my hair over the years. And all it took was one shampoo, one conditioner, and one styling product? They do have a scent, so if you like scent free, these are not. But it is a benign soft citrus woody scent that does not smell like plastic fruit or candy, which is my issue with most hair care products. And it doesn’t last long at all so it won’t interfere with your perfume- key for me as my friends will attest. I did one thorough shampoo and then used a wide tooth comb to distribute the conditioner throughout my hair and left it on for a few minutes. Wow. For the first time in memory, after I used the shampoo and conditioner, I did not need a spray on detangler to comb my hair after I took it out of the towel. I combed it out, applied the Living Proof Wave/Curl Cream for my hair type (thick to coarse). Coarse might be applying to the ahem, few greys that are scattered throughout my hair. I gently combed and scrunched the curl cream to distribute it well. I let it air dry while I applied my moisturizers, lotions and potions, and make up. I then lightly diffused and blew dry a few sections on the top to give a slightly styled feel to my curls and stood there amazed. Smooth silky hair. But that is not the best part. The best part is waking up the next day with the same smooth waves. And the next day. I read somewhere that the miracle ingredient in Living Proof somehow repels oil and dirt and I can attest to this. Here is the kicker. Day 6 of my test drive was in Toronto where for some freakish reason the weather was 34 degrees with gusts of 80km/hour winds. And guess what? My hair, after I combed it (that wind!) was perfect. No frizz!

So. If you are frizz challenged, run, don’t walk, to Sephora and get thee some Living Proof. You can also purchase from their website and The Shopping Channel. You can get nifty little trial kits for your hair type, which is what I got. I plan to reuse the little bottles for travel because I have purchased the big bottles. SOLD!

Stay tuned for my review of the Living Proof No Frizz Straight Styling Cream. I’m still dubious that any one product will be able to achieve a straight smooth frizz free finish on my hair, but, after my experience with Living Proof so far, I am willing to try!


Hair courtesy of Living Proof, and my No Make Up Make Up look :)

disclosure: all products used in this review were purchased by me