L.A.M.B. ~ The L Stands for Love

New on the celebrity scent block:

Gwen's Signature Fragrance L: Sparkling green freshness and warm sensual musks. Additional notes include freesia, pear, violet leaves, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, sweet pea, orange blossom, frangipani blossom, peach skin, heliotrope and musk.

Coty's celebrity partnerships include: Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwen Stefani, JLo, and most recently supermodel Kate Moss.

Scentless Perfume

"For $112 you can now buy a perfume that smells like ... nothing. The "perfume", which has virtually no scent, is to go on sale at Selfridges this month priced at £40 ($112) a bottle. The creation by trendy label Dadadandy contains 100ml of liquid made from an alcohol base which, when sprayed, has only a slight smell of alcohol which soon evaporates. The "non-perfume", called Choix, goes on sale as part of the store's surrealist-themed event."
-New Zealand Hearld, Sideswipe, 03.13.07

"Choix is a dressing table artwork, a collector's item that will appeal to lovers of surrealism and objets d'art, and is an affordableway for our customers to buy a piece of Dadadandy's work."
-Karen Wells, Selfridges

Pencil Smencil

American schools have discovered Smencils for fundraising. Smencils are gourmet scented pencils that are made from rolled sheets of recycled newspaper instead of wood. Smencils come in flavors like Bubble Gum, Strawberry, Orange, Cinnamon and Grape. How cool!

"Saving tree's, one pencil at a time."

Les Exclusifs de Chanel

Les Exclusifs de Chanel, a collection of ten small-batch perfumes made from some of the world's scarcest materials debuts this month. Jacques Polge, the Chanel perfumer based his new collection on the places Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel lived in and the objects she loved. Crafted for those who believe in luxury and scarcity and real design and a perfumery about creative fragrances.


The Collection:


Rue Cambon 31
A chypre -named after "Mademoiselle's" elegant Parisian apartment.

Nº 18
Centered around hibiscus seed, harvested in Venezuela exclusively for Chanel - an angular construction with a crystalline character like a translucent stone.

Bel Respiro
Hyacinth and fresh-cut grass, named after Chanel’s country house in Garche.

Coromandel
Unclassifiable rich scent of tangy fruit peel, amber and, naturally, burnished wood.

Eau de Cologne
Lots of zesty lemon. An essential for any fragrance wardrobe.

28 La Pausa
Named 28 La Pausa after a house Chanel built on the Côte d’Azur, whose gardens were filled with Iris pallida, another costly material.

Restored Classics:
Gardénia - Green floral
Cuir de Russie - Leather
Nº 22 - Green
Bois des Iles - Spicy

Nose:
Since 1978, Mr. Polge has exercised a unique power in the industry. He alone both curates and guards the work of his two (only two) Chanel perfumer predecessors, Ernest Beaux and Henri Robert. He also invents new Chanel perfumes.

Details:
Exclusively at Chanel Boutiques and Berdgorf Goodman stores
All the scents are in the eau de toilette concentration, $175 USD
6.8 fl. oz (200 ml) spray bottles, with a fancy magnetic top
There will be no marketing and no ads.
(Source: House & Garden, NY Times - Perfume Editor Chandler Burr, 'Aromascope')

Did You Know?
800 new fragrances are expected to make their appearance in 2007.

Pitahaya, The Fruit of the Dragon

This unusual fruit grows in south-east China. It has an exotic, slightly aqueous scent - still rare in perfumery. Its a fruit of the cactus species and the flavor is sometimes likened to a kiwifruit. The perfume can be found in Escada's limited edition Tropical Punch and Comptoir Sud Pacifique's Vanille Pitahaya.

My current perfume pick is a gentle and cheerful fragrance, Kenzo Amour. The bottle (white, orange or fuchsia, depending on the size) is a stylized evocation of an unusual bird: abstract, imaginary and colorful.

The Story: "The slow and sensuous journey of a couple through Asia, punctuated by encounters, bursts of laughter and smiles, soft sensations, pictures and perfumes brimming with life. Kenzo introduces a soft, sensual, happy fragrance with a woody, musky scent. Olfactory evocations of traveling through Asia, with memories of India, Indonesia, Japan, Burma and Thailand. Lovely places, filled with vibrant colors and aromas."

The Notes: "Frangipani blossoms from Bali or Borobudur, cherry blossoms from Japan, tanakha wood used decoratively in Burma by women and children, incense, Thai rice steam, vanilla of la Réunion and white tea from China."



Gorgeous scent and design, I love it.

Other Tidbits:
British Actor Clive Owen recently signed a 4 million dollar deal with cosmetic giant Lancôme to promote a new fragrance and skincare line for men. The new ads debut this spring.

Angry Retail sells 'Celebrity Scales' - guess we all need a laugh after the holidays...good luck!

Eau de Play Doh

Demeter, those crazy cats, collaborated with Play Doh and have bottled the famous modeling compound's aromas into a fragrance:
‘Eau de Play Doh’

For its 50th Birthday, Hasbro’s famous modelling compound Play Doh cooperates with fragrance brand Demeter to launch ‘Eau de Play Doh’. “One of PLAY-DOH compound's most notable characteristics is its scent," said Leigh Anne Cappello, vice president of marketing for the PLAY-DOH brand. "When you open a can of PLAY-DOH compound, you are instantly transported back to childhood’. This limited-edition scent for 'highly creative people' is available at Sephora or at www.demeterfragrance.com.

The childhood memories scents of Play Doh, with its sweet aromas remembering almond, vanilla and balms. Signature bottle wears the yellow Play Doh label. Only in the USA.

Also new in the Demeter Fragrance Library:
Mojito
Pomegranate
Kahala Kamikaze

A Mist of Fragrance, New Sampling Technology.

Yes, they've done again. Estée Lauder to debut a new sample technology.

"The Estée Lauder Companies has collaborated with Valois of America to develop Imagin, a single-use atomizer that can be inserted into magazines, providing consumers with a true representation of the fragrance experience.

Imagin's design can be presented flat for magazine inserts. Once the package is opened, air enters, allowing the consumer to squeeze the Imagin sample to emit a mist of fragrance. The Estée Lauder Companies has obtained an exclusive one year deal for distribution in magazines. The company debuted the technology in the December 5 issue of Us Weekly. More information: www.valois.com."

-Beauty Packaging

Tom Ford Update

On the coattail of a recent entry...

Lauder/Ford, Part Deux: The Original Azurēe
(NEW YORK) Get ready for part two of Tom Ford for Estée Lauder. At Thursday night’s launch party for Amber Nude, his first of two design collaborations with Estée Lauder, Ford revealed some details on his forthcoming second venture for the cosmetics giant, called Azurēe. “It was Estée’s own made up name,” Ford said, “for this sexy, beachy thing.” That might be Ford’s interpretation of the updated Azurēe, but the original scent—a mix of fresh citrus, basil, sage, oakmoss, and spearmint—was created by Estée Lauder in 1969 and recommended for eveningwear.

According to an Estée Lauder spokesperson, the next—and last—collection of Tom Ford for Estée Lauder, which will bow next spring, will not contain a new fragrance the way Ford reinterpreted Amber Nude this season. Ford has, however, already shot the images, straying not too far from his first campaign players. “We shot it with Carolyn Murphy again,” said Ford, who art directed alongside photographer Craig McDean. “But this time it was done out in Montauk, last winter, and I felt so bad for her because she was freezing.” When asked if he could reveal any details of the imagery, Ford declined, but said, "Let's just put it this way: I rarely find anything too risqué."

But that might just be “take one.” Known for his attention to detail, Ford admitted that he was thinking of reshooting it. “I like to shoot the ad as close to the launch date of the product as possible,” he said. “This way, it’s fresher and more of the moment.” -Jim Shi, The Daily News

Amber Nude

Last Spring Estée Lauder, Inc. announced a partnership that sparked excitement in the beauty industry, hoping to reinvent itself and attract a new younger customer —a problem that has plagued the company for years. Estée Lauder has long suffered from the "grannie" reputation with its seafoam packaging and bubble gum pink color palette.

Renowned designer Tom Ford, formerly the creative director at Gucci, and responsible for reviving both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, was tapped by Estée Lauder executives for the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of the newly-created TOM FORD company.

The first phase rolls out this fall, under Lauder's flagship brand, with a color and fragrance group, christened 'Amber Nude'. The collection is to debut at 250 upscale specialty stores, such as Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bergdorf's (available next month).

The golden-themed collection will feature a revamped Youth Dew Amber Nude (the original fragrance was Estee's first big success) and a sizzling take on the golden compacts, along with a very sexy ad campaign modeling spokeswoman Carolyn Murphy in gold body paint—nude. No, this is not your grandmother's Estée Lauder.

Phase two will be launched in Autumn 2006, when Ford launches his own stand-alone beauty brand. Ford joins Lauder's other impressive portfolio of celebrities: Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Sean Coombs, Beyoncé, André Agassi, Donald Trump and Enrique Inglesias.

Did you know?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
"The pink ribbon is one of the world'’s best known charity symbols. It has helped to remove the stigma that previously surrounded breast cancer, and also inspired huge fund-raising efforts around the world for research into breast cancer and support for its victims.

The pink ribbon was the first initiative of The Estée Lauder Companies Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. It was created in 1992, in conjunction with Alexandra Penney, then editor of Self magazine. To date over 45 million have been distributed worldwide.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation has raised nearly US$100 million to support the work of leading investigators at major medical facilities worldwide. In 2003 it awarded US$14.5 million in grants to 80 breast cancer researchers at medical and academic institutions in the US, the UK, Spain and Israel." -The Moodie Report

Fall Fragrance Trends

As the sizzle of summer fades away, we change from a blosomy sun dress to a cozy sweater and wrap around scarf. The favored iced latté is soon replaced with a hot Chai tea latté, and socks get pulled out from the back of the drawer.

The shifting of the season's brings a change to all of our senses, including smell. Pushed aside are the cool citrus and melon potions;
the lush tropical florals are simply to cloying for this time of year.

Current trends report scents with longer lasting accords (oil compositions) are being sought out by market consumers. Vanilla, amber, and musk top the list of most desired notes in fall's modern orientals.

Fragrance Warming:
Narciso Rogriguez For Her, Crystal Noir by Versace, Allure Sensuelle by Chanel, Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb, and Obsession Night by Calvin Klein.

Another trend already underway in advertising, entertainment, fashion, and fragrances is spirituality. Angelic models will be seen in fashion magazines photographed in ethereal light, Tom Hank's stars in the controversial Da Vinci Code and Daniel Radcliff returns in one of the most anticipated holiday blockbusters. Fragrance, too, has converted.
A new congregation of beauty products have arrived, 'in talisman bottles, promising mystical and protective virtues.' *

On the Spiritual Side:
Alien by Thierry Mugler (Shamanistic theme), Nina Ricci's L'air de Temp, Euphoria by Calvin Klein, Blue Notte Femme by Bvlgari, and Mandragore by Annick Goutal.

Last, on the trend horizon is luxury. There is a resurgence of the 80's ostentatious brands that are being reintroduced with ferver (Obsession Night, Pure Poison, Gucci's 'Envy Me', Trésor). The new scents, however, are not as powerful as their predecessors and are definitely worth checking out. You will discover the materialism is more apparent in bottling and package design.

Tied in with luxe is, of course, celebrity. "We are now in the midst of a celebrity scent explosion," reports Tara Kraft, beauty director, STAR magazine. In the 80's, it was Elizabeth Taylor's Passion that paved the way in diamonds and gold. In 2005, we will be introduced to new fragrances from Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Antonio Banderas, Sarah Jessica Parker, and several others.

Megastars can also be seen in the fall campaigns of major fashion and cosmetic houses: Gwyneth Paltrow/Esteé Lauder, Drew Barrymore/Lancôme, Charlize Theron/Christian Dior, and Nicole Kidman continues her partnership with Chanel.

Glam it Up:
Lovely By Sarah Jessica Parker, Donna Karan Cashmere Mist (new) Eau de Parfum, Michael Kors White Luxe Bath Oil, Dior Addict 2, Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline, and J.Lo's Live.

Resources: CFSS Newsletter, The Fragrance Foundation, and Osmoz*