Four the love of violets!

Posted by Lipglossiping On May - 24 - 2013

I’ve long held the opinion that I wasn’t a great fan of floral fragrances… at least, that’s what I’ve always thought until I recently took another look at the perfumes I’ve gathered over the years.  You know, for someone who proclaims such nonsense, I own far too many rose, violet, and iris-based scents… and of the three, I think it’s the violet ones that I’m drawn to the most.

I thought that today, I’d share with you some of my favourite violet-based fragrances.  There are actually two missing from the list (PR Ultraviolet & Yardley(!) April Violets) because they’re still boxed up at my Mum’s house and writing this has now made me desperate to raid her garage for my long-lost loves!

violet fragrances

The first thing I should say is that I don’t own any pure-violet fragrances, not the posh ones anyway and I’m still no fragrance expert but hopefully I’ve sniffed my way through enough perfume departments to form a coherent opinion!

My favourite thing about this note in particular is just how fickle it is, sometimes seeming greener than a freshly-mowed lawn and at other times, more powdery than your grandma’s old compacts.  It’s a chameleon of a note, beautifully suited to this changeable Spring season.

It’s also a note that pairs wonderfully with others, and infact (in my opinion) works far better when working as a flanker, as part of a well-structured accord rather than singing a solo chorus.

The first perfume in my list of four, is a great example of precisely, this.

Armani Prive Cuir Amethyste (£145, armanibeauty.co.uk) is not an easily-tamed fragrance.  For a scent that calls into play such a beautiful floral note, it’s a growling animal of contradictions.  From the opening headiness of the sticky, woody violet to the dirty leather, well-worn and battered into a masculine suppleness that shouldn’t work on female skin, but does.

The tenacity and indeed, audacity of this scent appeals to me for its unique take on the genre.  It’s an over the top indulgence complete with powdery nostalgia that makes me feel all the more a “lady”.  Albeit, a slightly sleazy one.

violet fragrances

In stark contrast, YSL’s Paris Premieres Roses 2013* (£25.50, escentual.com) is a recent re-issue that puts the violet firmly in the back seat.  That’s not to say you won’t find it there because it’s confidently lurking, flanking the rose and smoothing the petals until they reach a state of velvety creaminess within the heart of the scent.

It’s the epitome of fragrant youthfulness without the pink-pepper, juicy-fruit explosion up your nostrils.  A refreshing and commendable take with mass-market appeal in an often tired genre.

violet fragrances

For a greener, fresher take on the wonderful floral, look no further than Balenciaga Paris EDP* (£44, debenhams.com) for a new opinion.  You can see that I’m running low on my bottle and it’s not hard to understand why.  Paris is a perfect rendition of how Spring should be, with a clean opening that descends into a softer, sweeter heart and powdery base.  All the while, remaining light, airy and a little bit watery but never so sheer as to be unappreciated.

Floral-chypres can often be difficult to stomach for those under the age of 25, but Balenciaga’s Paris bucks this trend and delivers a grown-up yet flirty scent that takes you on a true violet journey from the sharp leaf, all the way to the sweetshop!

violet fragrances

My final pick of the bunch (gettit?) is for Tom Ford’s Violet Blonde (£45, johnlewis.com) which I picked up not long after its release in 2011.  I immediately fell for its well-projected, prickly opening that blends a green violet with pink pepper before developing into a richly sueded base.

Despite being a wonderful choice for a sharply-dressed young professional woman (you know the type), I don’t mind admitting that my husband wears this with great skill.  His skin chemistry thrusts forward the spice and musk and conjures up something more masculine and vintage-feeling, tempered beautifully by the violet.

Do you like violet-based fragrances?  Please share your favourite!

* press sample


Uh Oh, the bloggers are taking over BuyaPowa!

Posted by Lipglossiping On February - 27 - 2012

Look lively ‘cos the bloggahz are coming.  For the last couple of weeks we’ve been busy contemplating some of the loveliest products on the counters (aren’t we always?) before tasking BuyaPowa with the mission to offer them up for less.  Rising admirably to the challenge, the co-buying initiative have declared this week; Blogger’s Week!

Each day will bring new products as put forward by various bloggers on the interwebz.  I’ve included a full list of bloggers and products below, so if you’re liking the look of any of them, don’t forget to sign up to make sure you’re notified as soon as the co-buy goes live.

Charlotte from Lipglossiping: Tom Ford Lipstick (Scarlet Rouge)

Charlotte from Charlotte’s Obsessions: Benefit Porefessional

Nic from Strawberry Blonde Beauty: Chanel Blush Horizon de Chanel

Yinka from Vex in the City: NARS Gina Blush

Kim from Dottie K: Illamasqua Pigments Trio (Ore, Furore, Android)

Sarah from I Heart Cosmetics: YSL Faux Cils mascara

Jen from A Little Bird Told Me: Chanel le Vernis (Paradoxal)

Amrita from The 6 Inch Stilettos: Benefit They’re Real mascara

Lily from LLYMLRS: Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner (Black)

Bettina from Beauty Swot: Benefit Watt’s Up Highlighter

Jennie from Sailboat: Illamasqua Cream Blush (Promise)

Claire form The Beauty Scoop: YSL Rouge Volupte (#13 Peach Passion)

Khila from Miss Budget Beauty: Benefit Hervana Blush

Zoe from The London Lipgloss: NARS Multiple (Orgasm)

Charli from Charli…: NARS Laguna Bronzer

Lucy from Lucy’s Stash: OPI Holland mini collection

Liloo from Le Petit Jardin de Liloo: Shu Uemura Smoky Layers false lashes

Milly from Pearls and Poodles: Benefit Coralista Blush

Emma from Milkteef: Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh EDT

Stephanie from May Loves Makeup: Pureology Pure Volume Shampoo

Kate from gh0stparties: Smashbox Softbox eyeshadow palette

Charlie from Lady of the Lane: Too Faced Natural Radiance face palette

Karris from Karrisx: Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette

Jen from Beauty Junkie London: St Tropez Bronzing Mousse

 

Choosing my ultimate BuyaPowa co-buy was pretty easy once I’d decided to go down the lipstick route!  The Tom Ford Lipstick in Scarlet Rouge combines my passion for a great red lip with the benefit of having a few pennies shaved off the retail price.  Hooray for posh red lipstick!

What do you think of the blogger choices, are there any you’ll be going for?  What would you have chosen?!

Tom Ford Private Blend Tobacco Vanille

Posted by Lipglossiping On April - 23 - 2011

Smoky, boozy, warm and decadent.  Richly opulent with a vanilla that transcends all.  The vanilla is a true, gourmand vanille as opposed to anything too playful or overly sweet.  It harmonises and mellows the tobacco beautifully.

Tobacco Vanille* is a fragrance that oozes warmth, breathe it in deeply and you’ll feel the scent warm your belly like the sun.  This makes it quite a difficult fragrance for some to wear during Summer months where the headiness may become overwhelming… but for me, it’s the perfect accompaniment to sultry, Summer evenings.

At £118 for 50ml, a Tom Ford Private Blend fragrance isn’t a purchase to be entered into lightly but these exquisitely blended perfumes stand alone with personalities that cut through the myriad of other frags on the market.  Complex and deep, I’ve sniffed the 12 scents in the Private Blend collection and appreciate the quality of each one.  This doesn’t mean I love all of them but it stands out to me that I only dislike certain blends because the personality of the scent disagrees with my tastes and not because it lacks anything in terms of quality.

The line of Private Blends are described as unisex and this is definitely true for Tobacco Vanille that wears just as smoothly on my skin as it does on my husband’s thanks to the craftsmanship displayed in creating the perfect balance.  The spicy tobacco adds a bitterness to the creamy vanilla whilst the vanilla and honeyed tones smooth the rough edges from the tobacco leaf.  The feminine/masculine tones simply dance a tango in the bottle.

My one wish would be for a couple more hours wear from Tobacco Vanille which lasts around 6 hours on my skin whilst my husband manages to achieve around 16 hours from a coupe of sprays!

If you like sweet, rich scents but feel that the majority of mass scents on the market smell a little too young or fruity… you must visit your local Tom Ford counter to experience Tobacco Vanille on your own skin, then make your partner fall in love with it too, there’s nothing like going Dutch 😉

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is available from Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods and priced from £118

* press sample

A very Happy Valentine’s Day from Tom and I

Posted by Lipglossiping On February - 14 - 2011

*cue Barry White* duh duh duh duh duh… duh duh duh duhduh…

Give it up, ain’t no use… I can’t help myself if I wanted to…

I’m hung up, no doubt… I’m so in love with you, for me there’s no way out…

Cause deeper and deeper, In love with you, I’m falling…

I’m gonna love you, love you, love you just a little more, baby…

I’m gonna need you, need you, need you every day…

I’m gonna want you, want you, want you in every way, yeah…

Phew!

So, I got my first Tom Ford lipstick the other day.  I figured that Valentine’s Day was almost here and that you need to love yourself before you can love others right?

So… me and Tom.  Tom and I… it’s an expensive relationship.  Some men are just like that.

I picked up Pure Pink… I hovered for an indecent amount of time over Smoke Red but in the end, figured that I have some really lovely reds already.  What I don’t have is a pink that’s going to make me long for Summer.  I do now!

Pure Pink is a bright POP of colour on my lips, somehow it stops short of looking like one of my Mum’s fuchsia lipsticks from the 80s.  Thank god right?  That would have been an expensive alternative to vintage Constance Carroll by Christ!

It’s creamy but firm with a subtle shimmer and a hue that makes my teeth look whiter than they really are.  It doesn’t feather and fades evenly.  Not moisturising but comfortable.

It’s lovely.  It’s not £35 lovely of course… I haven’t taken complete leave of my senses.  But if you’re as daft to spend £35 on a lipstick as I was, then I hope you thoroughly enjoy it as much as I am too!

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color in Pure Pink is priced at £35 and available online and on counter.

Happy Valentine’s Day beautiful people, love your lipsticks especially hard today xxx

Tom Ford Black Orchid Limited Edition Collection

Posted by Lipglossiping On September - 27 - 2010

If you find yourself a little flush this Autumn, then you may want to check out the new limited edition Tom Ford Black Orchid collection.

Comprising of 3 pieces:

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~ The revamped Black Orchid lipstick (in black casing instead of white)

~ The new Black Orchid Nail Colour – a new venure for the Tom Ford beauty lineup

~ The new Black Orchid Pressed Perfume – the piece that captures my interest… look at that beautifully sexy slimline packaging!

[/stextbox]

The new collection will be available in Harvey Nichols from the 4th October 2010 and elsewhere from 1st December 2010.

Price?  An eye-watering £90.  Did you expect anything less?

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