La Via del Profumo In The New York Times

For most of the New York Times readers, this article is probably the first time they've heard about La Via del Profumo and the nose behind it, Dominique Durbana. Perfume nuts in general and those interested in natural perfumery in particular might already know him as AbdesSalaam Attar. I couldn't be happier to see him get the exposure he so deserves.

Photo: The New York Times

Natural Perfumery In The NY Times

I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to read this article about natural perfumery in the NY Times. It features a couple of my favorite perfume artists and highlights their work, art and gardens.

Photo of a red plumeria in Anya McCoy's garden: Bob McCulley for NY Times

Tauer Perfumes- Un Rose Chypree (and a giveaway)

Today's article about the woes of the perfume industry from the NY Times, The Hunt for That Genie in a Bottle, was very aptly timed, as far as I'm concerned. The big companies and industry leaders are busy soul-searching and naval-gazing, trying to understand where they went wrong (most of us actually have an answer or two, including what they can do with some of their bottled dreck). While they ponder how to win back our hearts, the independent perfumers have been doing things right for a while now.

Quoted in the article, Veronique Gabai-Pinsky, president of Aramis and the Designer Fragrance division of Estée Lauder, said: “We have to make sure what we bring to market is meaningful and relevant”. Ms. Gabai-Pinsky is right, of course, and I highly recommend that she gets herself a sample (or two or three) of Andy Tauer's work, especially his new perfume, Un Rose Chyprée, because this is exactly the kind of emotional, meaningful and luxurious fragrance so sorely missed on the shelves of mainstream stores.

Part of a new series, Mémorables, and a new concept: smaller bottles of the highest quality juice, Un Rose Chyprée is uncompromising in its intention to capture your heart and take you someplace wonderful. It's a real perfume and doesn't try to pretend otherwise. It will make you smell like you know what you're doing, the way perfumes of yore used to be.

Andy Tauer has taken one of the classic structures, the chypre (an accord built on a base of oakmoss and labdanum and topped with bergamot), and gave it a new life. Chypre lovers will be thrilled to find their old, elegant acquaintance here. But it's also a modern perfume that feels very much alive, young without being juvenile, and hopelessly romantic.

If you've smelled Tauer's Incense Rose, you're already familiar with the uplifting, radiant clementine note. Here it's the perfect accompaniment to the roses, making them appealing even to someone who rarely wears rose well (that would be me, though I've never met a Tauer rose I didn't like). Technically speaking, Un Rose Chypree is an elaborate study of rose: The absolute and the steam distilled essential oil. A 15 ml Rose chyprée bottle contains one pound of fresh rose petals. Emotionally speaking, this roses are full of beauty and longing.

An interesting aspect of Un Rose Chypree is how while the perfume opens up and develops on skin, both the juicy citrus and the opulent rose are constantly present. From the spicy heart to the distinct Tauerade base, the metaphoric brushstrokes in a rich but slightly sheer orange color, are always there.

Another wonderful trait of the perfume is its strength and tenacity. One spray scents me for the day (or evening. It's a wonderful date night fragrance). When I wear it, it's big and feminine. A tiny half a spray on my husband's skin is just as beautiful, only quiet and withdrawn, with a more pronounced oakmoss note. In both cases, it has that feeling of a real luxury item, handmade by an artist who knows and loves his craft and respects his customers. It simply doesn't get any better than this.

And now for the giveaway:
Thanks to Andy's generosity, I have two samples to give away. If you're interested, please say so in the comments. The one and only condition is that you haven't won a sample of this very perfume through any of the other blogs that offered it. The winners will be announced by the end of next week.

Un Rose Chypree($75 for 15 ml) will be available July 1st from Luckyscent.com (Scent Bar in L.A.). They currently accept pre-orders for bottles and samples. If you live in Europe you might want to order directly from tauerperfumes.com or check the site for distribution in your country. The samples and bottle I received were a gift from Andy.

Art: Rose Closeup by Declan McCullagh

Chandler Burr on why so many new perfumes stink

"What would possess a brand to destroy its own marvelous creation, to ask
its perfumer to take a hatchet and hack out a flanker...
...The answer is, of course, money. You put cheaper raw materials in the limited editions than in the original, which lowers your costs and gives you a quick profit bump, and you sell that cheaper product on the back of your quality brand."

The entire NY Times article by scent critic Chandler Burr is a must-read for anyone and everyone who has ever bought a mainstream perfume from a luxury or designer brand. It answers the question I keep getting from people who have accidently stumbled upon this blog while trying to google and find out what has happened to their favorite scents and why they no longer like anything they sniff at Sephora or Macy's.

Excuse me while I snicker

Earlier this year, when the NY Times went straight for the Pulitzer by revealing that beauty bloggers sometimes get free samples, there were people who questioned our ability to review products in an objective manner (despite all the evidence to the contrary, in this blog and many others).

A big part of why that article felt so insulting was the underlying accusation that bloggers have no ethics, unlike print media that has strict rules, and therefore is more objective. When I say it was insulting, I mean insulting to readers' intelligence, because (just like many of my commenters noted), one look at the traditional media is enough to confirm its obligation and dependence on advertisers.

That's why I couldn't help myself from feeling a smidge of schadenfreude when reading Natasha Singer's much braver article over the weekend. This quote says it all:

“Boy, they really sold out — Hearst — didn’t they?” said Allan Mottus, a beauty industry analyst who publishes the Informationist, a trade publication. Mr. Mottus added: “You have to take your hat off to Lauder. It is an enormous coup.”

Red

Emily Blunt is barely recognizable in this New York Times Style Magazine article, but it's an interesting look. She's (supposedly. Most often the products used in photo shoots are mixed and blended from more than one source to achieve a certain effect) wearing Chanel Rouge Hydrabase Creme lipstick in Fire.


Later today I'll post a review of another red lipstick. In the mean time: What do you think of this look? And the eyebrows?

No, mascara didn't make me do it: My response to the NY Times article

In a display of brave and brilliant journalism, the NY Time has uncovered the truth about beauty bloggers: We get free samples!

Take a second to absorb the fact. I'll wait.

This comes after an interesting week for bloggers in the media. First there was that WWD article in which a rep for Sephora told us we must have the right credentials in order to to express our opinions. Then came Target, announcing they do not respond to inquiries from bloggers and only willing to deal with the traditional media.

But it was Thursday's article by Kayleen Schaefer that has managed to get to us. Being portrayed as a group of opportunistic gold diggers was especially insulting in the wake of all the coverage from Sundance Festival. You know what I'm talking about: the gossip blogs kept running pictures of the most loathsome D-listers posing with loot from various "gifting suits", while the previous prestige of the Utah event flew out of the window. So, let's face it: having parallels drawn between Kim Kardashian and me was not exactly the highlight of my week.

I started this blog nearly two years ago because I felt I had something to say. There were already about two dozen successful beauty blogs around in early 2006, but after reading them for months, it seemed to me that I had a somewhat unique point of view and was eager to express it, even though I wasn't exactly sure who might be interested in reading it.

Somehow I found an audience, and as it grew and as my name got out there, I was found by various companies and PR reps who offered me samples.

Now, let's make a couple of things clear:
*I have never ever made the first contact or reached out to a company.
*I have never asked, nor have I begged, for a freebie.

I still buy the majority of the items you read about here. I do accept products to test and in most cases write about them. I also review things I get as a gift-with-purchase during beauty events at my favorite stores, samples that a nice sales assistant tosses into my shopping bag and beauty items that I get as gifts from friends and relatives.

While I don't put a disclaimer in each post, I don't hide the fact that some products were sent to me for review (if you want to know, just ask). I try to make my writing interesting and not formulaic, while offering as much information about the pros and cons of each cream and makeup item. Getting something for free doesn't make me blind, and I've written when a face cream I was sent made me break out, when an eye shadow creased and flaked or when a body butter left skid marks on my sheets.

I also make it a point to say again and again that while I have some holy grail products, they come from different companies, and even my favorites have their stinkers here and there. I wasn't shy telling the world what I thought about Lancome's dead-people-lips Proenza Pink, an opinion that actually made its way to the NY times. Same goes for that ridiculous Smashbox mood blush, O-Glow.

In case anyone wondered, there's no "hand that feeds me perfume", and when it comes down to fragrance, I buy most of the high-end samples I write about. In some cases I even used my middle name in those purchases, so that a perfumer wouldn't know who I was and wouldn't feel pressured to give me anything for free.

The idea that my opinion on a company can be bought with a free mascara or shampoo is insulting. Not just to me but also to my readers. I like what works for me, and if I don't you'll hear all the reasons why. Laurice Rahme can show up on my doorstep in person with a basket full of kittens (that's the real way to my heart, not lip gloss), but I still think of her company, Bond no. 9, as shady.

I don't take advertisement, never sell posts and all requests to "help promote" whatever product or service (I kid you not. I get these kind of emails every day) are politely but firmly declined and I also tell them why. As for big swag, I was never offered any, and the one time someone wanted to send me a purse I had to tell them their stuff was really not to my taste (it was ugly as hell).

The point of all this is that I write for fun, and only about what interests me. If "notoriety" means receiving feedback and communicating with readers, then yes, I love it. If you mean coloring my hair blue and playing Perez Hilton on TV, then not so much.

Images of Gary Coleman and his loot at Sundance: Quick's Catch Up

Sole-less

This slide show from today's NY Times not only brings new meaning to the phrase fashion victim, but also proves to us that even runway models aren't perfect. Someone here is in a dire need of a good pedicure.

And no, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. These YSL shoes (designed by Stefano Pilati, shown in Paris fashion week) don't have a sole. Only the metal rod you see in the picture, which keeps both part of the sandal together .

Quoted

Remember Lancome's Proenza Pink? It's still making headlines. This time, The New York Times has something to say about it, and in the process they quoted several bloggers, including me. I'm tickled (pale, chalky) pink.

P.S. thanks to Kerry from Lancome for letting me know.

An interesting article in the Times. Somehow, I don't think it's going to impact sales at your local La Mer counter.