Perfume Blog

Bad-boy designer Jean Paul Gaultier’s new floral perfume Ma Dame features his familiar torso icon, this time suspended within a square pink bottle, as though frozen in a block of ice.

He Says:
The first spritz reminds me a little of cK one with notes of orange zest. It’s almost unisex to start. Then I smell grenadine and rose. It’s definitely a youthful scent that will appeal to those who like gourmand scents but want a new twist on the theme.

She Says:
The face of the perfume campaign is retro platinum pixie Agyness Deyn. In the TV commercial she morphs from bourgeois madame into punk tomboy by altering her outfit and chopping her hair. The perfume tries to do the same, starting with a sparkly feminine orange, grenadine and rose, then notes of cedar and musk (and maybe marzipan?) –trying (and failing) to deepen into a more sophisticated floral. What lasts and lasts is the original energetic, fruity, powdery but pretty young bourgeoise.

read comments (0)

The Perfect Scent” and “The Emperor of Scent” author will be putting his olfactory where his mouth is in Decatur this Thursday, August 28.

Scent and flavor go hand in hand, and it’s actually close to impossible to taste without your sense of smell (a condition called anosmia). The Dekalb Library Foundation is hosting a benefit dinner at Sage restaurant in Decatur on August 28 a t 7 p.m. to benefit the Dekalb County Public Library. The subject? Smells.

New York Times perfume critic Chandler Burr will be on hand to talk about perfume scents and raw materials used in the perfume industry that will be highlighted in the dinner. So if you’ve ever had the notion of smearing yourself in vanilla or tucking a little cinnamon and chocolate behind your ear, this $200 per person event is for you. Call 404-370-8450, ext. 2238 for more information.

read comments (0)

IT’S difficult to trace the history of makeup, and even harder to find out when women in Shanghai started to use cosmetics. But it’s common that ladies all over the world are desiring to make themselves more beautiful.

From ancient times to the present day, women have been sitting down in front of a mirror to put on makeup.

Around 1840, cosmetic products such as powder and rouge were usually handmade in family-run firms. The quality was low and couldn’t be guaranteed.

Later in the second part of the 19th century, Lao Miao Xian became one of few beauty stores in old Shanghai to sell women’s cosmetics. It enjoyed the same fame as Kong Feng Chun in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Yue Zhong Gui in Suzhou and Xie Fu Xiang in Yangzhou, both in Jiangsu Province.

Those stores were also known as “fragrance powder store” by people at the time. But they were still not able to compete with foreign cosmetics imported from Japan, Europe and the United States since the 1870s.

In the era before today’s state-of-the-art cosmetic products, there were not many choices with different functions. There were either no products designed for women in different ages. In the makeup boxes of most women at that time, there were probably merely a basic cream lotion, a box of fragrance powder, a lipstick and a bottle of perfume.

In the 1930s-40s, cosmetics were mainly used for skin whitening as well as hair blackening and smoothing. For skin care, women used cream in winter and fragrance powder in summer for hair care, hair tonic and Vaseline oil were widely used.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the establishment of Guang Sheng Hang was considered to open a new era for the Chinese cosmetics industry. One of the products that first became well-known was their Shuang Mei (Twin Sisters) toilet water, which was similar to perfume.

Gradually, Shuang Mei lotions, cosmetic powders, perfumes and hair tonic also gained popularity in Shanghai.

In 1925, Shuang Mei cream lotion even overtook Hazeline, which was imported from Britain and had taken up the major share of the market in Shanghai for a long time.

The whole 1930s can be regarded as the flourishing time of Guang Sheng Hang, with the annual turnover averaging around 5 million yuan (US$700,000). Now Guang Sheng Hang has turned into today’s successful Shanghai Jahwa.

Since the 1930s, different cosmetic brands had been imported from Europe and the United States. American brands Max Factor and Cotex, Bourjois from France and 4711 from Germany were among the most popular in Shanghai at the time.

“What made people deeply impressed was Max Factor,” says Jiang Jinling, 88. “It attracted so many people because of its successful marketing and advertising strategies.

“It was a brand that showed up most frequently in the lifestyle magazines at the time,” recalls Jiang. “People were fascinated by the images of Hollywood film stars in the advertisements.”

Although many other foreign cosmetic brands were available in Shanghai, such as Elizabeth Arden from the US, they were so expensive that only few people could afford them, according to the elderly.

“At that time, a perfume was regarded as the best gift for a young lady,” Jiang smiles.

All the cosmetics, he says, were available in big stores. “Like the four big department stores on Nanjing Road E., namely Sincere (established in 1917), Yong’an (1918), Shin-Shin (1926) and Da-Shin (1936),” says Jiang.

At the same time, domestic cosmetics were also trying to catch up. With the development of the productivity of Chinese cosmetics in the 1940s, lower price and good quality became the biggest advantages of domestic cosmetics.

“A local cream called Die Shuang (Butterfly Lotion) was very popular in Shanghai during the 1940s,” recalls Ren Ci, Jiang’s wife. “It was named after a famous actress in old Shanghai, Hu Die (1907-89).”

Meanwhile there were other local brands of skin-care products, such as Ya Shuang and San Hua (Three Flowers).

In the 1930s, besides lipsticks and ordinary fragrance powder, women in Shanghai started to pursue long and curly eyelashes. They also tried to form dark eye sockets by using dark-color eye shadow.

Even for today’s young people, they are still using some brands from the 1970s-90s, which they recall from their childhood, such as Maxam cream lotion, Yu Mei Jing lotion, Hai Er Mian lotion and Queen Pearl Cream.

Most of them were produced by Shanghai Jahwa which once dominated China’s domestic cosmetic markets for a long time. Local brand Shanghai Sofea also became famous at the beginning of the 1990s.

“Yeah, of course, I remember Hai Er Mian lotion,” recalls Zheng Yin, 27. “It has a very sweet smell, and the box looks like a mushroom. I think it was the most popular skin-care lotion for children in the 1980s. Almost all the kids at the time used it.”

read comments (1)

For weeks, his absence in the much-anticipated and controversial flesh-cum-fashion show Bench Blackout was the talk of the town. Why, of all the actor-models signed to hawk the brand, was it only Piolo Pascual who didn’t show up? A case of an inner diva getting in the way of all that fleshy fun? In several interviews following the show, he mentioned that joining the Bench biennial disrobing event was the exception he asked when he signed on to lend his face and his body to the company. He reasoned out that although he has done rather risque sittings for TV and print commercials and publicity shoots, along with  movies and soaps that sometimes required him to show a generous amount of skin, he still feels uncomfortable doing so on the runway.

Adding to that is his being a devoted Born-Again Christian.

He didn’t mention it but, obviously, the image of Pascual strutting down the runway half-naked can trigger lots of evil, carnal desires among his legion of female and gay fans from all ages, religious beliefs, political ideologies (women working for left-leaning NGOs have been known to act like silly high-school girls whenever he’s on TV) and social status.

We can say that such was the reaction one recent Saturday evening at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia, when Pascual walked the ramp—fully clothed—with dozens of Caucasian-looking half-naked male models. He also sang three songs, signed autographs and posed for pictures.

It was the launch of Bench’s new line of apparel and perfume, designed by and named after who, to many, is arguably the one and only national heartthrob.

The new line of clothing is called It Just Gets Better, while the perfume is Pure Passion: Piolo Pascual Eau de Toilette, which the actor-singer described as “the scent of passion.”

The idea of spraying the scent of Piolo Pascual on your body—however morbid that may literally sound—or having the same smell like he has, is very tempting, the perfect weapon to attract that person you want to spend the rest of your life—or at least for the night—with. Or, smelling like Piolo is as simple as feeling better than your neighbors who chose to save up and be content with using Green Cross Rubbing Alcohol and White Flower.

Going back to the launch, as expected, all the spaces were occupied at the Music Hall. We saw kids squeezing themselves in dangerous corners, like behind those fiberglass barriers in the second and third floors.

That night, Pascual was more than a showbiz heartthrob but, as many veteran gay members of the press described him, “a celebrated local fashion icon.”

Bench’s main man Ben Chan told the press that Pure Passion Eau de Toilette is the result of a remarkable collaboration between Pascual and his company.

For his part, Pascual thanked talent manager-society figure Keren Pascual (no relation) for introducing him to Chan to become one of the celebrity endorsers of the global retail company known for its apparel and lifestyle products.

More than the fragrance, Pascual was also honored with the exclusive It Just Gets Better clothing collection. And here’s the revelation of the night: He conceptualized all of them. Maybe he should consider going to New York to audition for a slot in the next season of the fab runaway hit reality series Project Runway.

The clothing line has two groups of tops: shirts and dressy polos. The emphasis is on clean and defined cuts, veering away from business-stiff and wacky-outrageous. The shirts, though, have splashes of colors and prints, perfect for the usual night out or a casual-smart moment. In a nutshell, the line fits the so-called modern gentleman who can swing both ways.

For a better description, just watch Piolo Pascual in his various TV appearances-shows in coming days, and you’ll get the drift.

BusinessMirror was able to pitch a few steaming questions at the reigning heartthrob-turned-perfume endorser-fashion designer.

Tell us about the Pure Passion Eau de Toilette, or Piolo Pascual the perfume.

It’s the scent of wanting and going for your dreams. I would say it’s me placed in a perfume bottle.

Specifically, how does it differ from other fragrances for men?

Pure Passion has perfume oil from Grasse, France, the perfume capital of the world.  I am not an expert, but from what I know, the result is a fragrance with the perfect chemistry between musk and fruit. It’s neither overwhelming nor too sweet, making it suitable for any occasion. You can be wild, or prim and proper—depends on your mood.

How about It Just Gets Better, your designs and their target market?

My design targets the modern Filipino man who prioritizes style while seeking comfort, without compromising on quality, all the while adding a boost of confidence.

Why were you not in Bench Blackout?

Like what I’ve said before, it was never included in my contract. I never wanted to do it. It’s not just me. But still, I apologize to those who expected me to be there.

Among other concerns, let’s go to a more serious business, some highly philosophical questions, if you don’t mind.

Ok, go.

So how many girlfriends have you had?

(Giggles) More than a handful.

Specifically, say, about a dozen?

More than a dozen.

The longest relationship you had?

Four years.

Really, that’s long. With whom?

With the mother of my kid.

Have you ever been dumped?

(Thinks for a long time) Uhmmm, not officially.

How do you court a girl?

I’m very traditional…I go to her house. I send her roses. I send her flowers. I treat her like a princess.

For sure, you’ve received lots of indecent proposals?

(Giggling) Yes, you can say a lot. But nothing that I can’t handle.

Anything that you actually took?

(Laughs) Of course none. I wouldn’t want to.

Have you ever gone out with a fan? Outside work….

Not yet. I go to parties. I go to friends’ parties, but I’ve not really tried going out with someone who’s actually…hmmm…a fan.

What attracts you most about a woman?

Sincerity, faith…uhmm…and brains, of course.

Physically?

Looking for it…I wouldn’t want to set a…requirement or a….For me, if it happens, it happens. I know she’s just around the corner. But I don’t know if I’ve seen her already. I’m still looking.

Boxers or briefs?

It depends…I guess both.

Are you a boob guy or a butt guy?

Uhmm…I’m a good guy. You can say that.

For my last question, I’m giving you the freedom not to comment, or give no answer at all. This you may find very difficult and heart-wrenching. Ok lang?

Ok, game.

So where can we find Pure Passion perfume and It Just Gets Better clothes?

All Bench outlets nationwide.

read comments (0)

Russia’s gold-medal winning pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva has two burning ambitions — to compete in the 2012 London Olympics before retiring and to launch her own perfume for strong, determined women.

The striking athlete, who used to be an officer in the Russian army, dazzled crowds in Beijing with a flamboyant, world-record breaking display of pole vaulting, clearing 5.05 metres on her third attempt for a world best.

Isinbayeva, who also won gold at Athens in 2004, said she had five more competitions this year before taking a holiday then would be back in competition next year with her sights set on competing at London in 2012.

“It is my goal to be there and I would like to win them and then retire,” Isinbayeva, 26, told Reuters in an interview in the Omega pavilion at Olympics Green.

Exuding glamour in dangling pearl and diamond earrings, tight jeans and a glittering Dolce & Gabbana belt, Isinbayeva said she would also like to launch her own perfume and was in talks with Adidas about her own fashion line.

“I am really passionate about these things,” said the woman widely viewed the best female pole vaulter of all time.

Isinbayeva said she already had a name worked out for her own perfume but no company yet to work with.

“I will talk to my agent and explain my wishes and look for a top company that can do it for us,” she said.

“It is for women who have strong spirits not for glamour women who are like babies but for women who know exactly what they want and keep going to achieve their goal.”

Isinbayeva had already set 13 outdoor world records before arriving in Beijing to win gold and said she remained as motivated as ever to continue.

“I love to be on the top and I love to do pole vault at a high level,” said the Monaco-based athlete whose website says she loves to read philosophy and has a collection of dolphins.

Asked what motivated her, she said it was her young fans.

“I receive a lot of emails and letters from them saying ‘Yelena, you are a role model for us, we follow you and we start pole vault because of you.’ It is really great.”

read comments (0)

In an attempt to further move its business model from doorstep to digital, the ‘digital Avon lady’ will go live tomorrow. It will feature make-up artist Jackie Tyson and real life Avon representative, Hannah Rowlett.

The podcast aims at addressing Avon’s customers, through the two women who will answer the typical questions posed by customers. The content will also include tips and handy hints on how to get the latest looks and which new products are a must this Autumn.

The opening podcast will focus on Avon’s collaboration with Marimekko, the Finnish design house which lends its floral motif to Avon’s colour collection.

A discussion on Avon’s new fragrance launches: the exclusive Bond Girl 007 perfume will be featured. In May this year, Avon Products for women, Bond Girl 007, announced the launch of a new signature fragrance for women.

The perfume will be available in the United Kingdom from October. The partnership between Avon and leading French design house, Emanuel Ungaro, which has produced ‘U by Ungaro’ will also be announced and discussed.

With $10 billion in annual revenue, Avon’s product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, and Mark.

read comments (0)

Considered one of the hottest Status Story Brands by Trendwatching.com, the secret to My DNA’s fashion buzz is in its unique formulation process designing perfume form your DNA genetic code.

Some are curious about how fragrance can be created from your DNA genetic code raising questions like; “Is it a science? Is it generic? Can it possibly be unique to just me? What if my DNA stinks? Is my DNA safe?”

Fragrance formulations give each perfume company a competitive advantage and are protected by trade secret laws. Carlton Gerrod Enoch, the company founder and CEO states, “It’s amusing how many people want us to disclose our trade secret because they can’t imagine how we can create a unique fragrance from your DNA genetic code. Some imagine their DNA may stink, but DNA has no odor. Each fragrance undergoes an individualized formulation process, which begins only when the blueprint, your DNA profile is submitted to the perfumer by the lab. To assure the customer that a DNA analysis is performed we provide each of our customers with a copy of their DNA profile at the time the analysis is completed and those results are going into the formulation process. Everyone wants to know how we do it, but then that’s the secret.”

My DNA Fragrance (mydnafragrance.com) is aligned with one of the most notable and highly accredited labs in the world, which was solely responsible for DNA identity for victims of the 9/11 tragedy, Katrina and the Tsunami victims. Customers are sent a DNA home collection kit to collect a cheek sample and a self-addressed return envelope to mail their samples directly to the lab. Having DNA samples handled exclusively by the lab ensures the customer’s genetic privacy, guards against sample contamination and guarantees DNA samples are destroyed in accordance with federal regulations to protect customer’s privacy.

To learn more information about My DNA Fragrance visit the company’s website. Your Fragrance is in the bottle, but the Scent is in You!

read comments (0)

You may have seen this ad already on any number of other blogs, but I find this too funny to pass up. If this isn’t embracing a bubble gum pop image, Britney Spears has never worn pigtails. It’s new ad for Christina Aguilera’s perfume is out, and while the bottle would be pretty on my nightstand, the description manages to offset any desire I might’ve had to sample it.

Christina Aguilera INSPIRE brings a little of her self-assured confidence and sexiness to every woman’s life.

But only this much, because you couldn’t possibly even dream of possessing more than a thimbleful of the awesomeness that is Christina Egolera.

The fragrance will remind you not to drift along with the crowd, but will inspire you to stand up for what you believe in and strive for your dreams.

I.e., everyone will be standing so far away from you that they can’t help but pay attention to you. Stand up for what you believe in is quite possibly the worst part, though. A perfume can cause a person to actively pursue their goals? I’m too lazy for that.

Hey, I don’t have anything against Christina. She has an amazing voice. She just needs some new marketing people.

read comments (0)

Encre Noire by Lalique comes in a wood-capped bottle inspired by an inkpot called the ‘Dark Inkwell’ that artist René Lalique created in 1913. A woody aromatic composition, it features two kinds of vetiver: Haitian (dirty, smoky) and Bourbon (leathery, spicy). The cologne won several awards and was a staple on many perfume “best of” lists when it came out last year. But do our experts give it full marks?

He Says:
Run, do not walk to purchase this scent. It’s a modern masterpiece: a fragrance both sexy and sophisticated because Lalique has achieved the rare feat of blending several varieties of vetiver with cashmere woods and musk. Every time I wear this scent, people comment on it. 4 / 4 noses

She Says:
Encre Noire is an extravaganza of vetiver, an earthy root oil that’s historically found in upscale fragrances (like Vétiver Babylone by Armani Privé, Frederic Malle’s Vétiver Extraordinaire and Sel de Vetiver by The Different Company). I’d liken Lalique’s take to the pungent smokiness of wood burning in the distance, carried over by the wind; it’s very, very dry but without being bitter because of the warm musk drydown — like the first chill of autumn. It’s unisex and therefore interesting on women, but probably sublime on men.

read comments (0)