Fragrance Friday: Costes

(image via Hotel Costes)

I've never been to Paris, so I've never visited the insanely cool-looking Hotel Costes. This stylish place to stay also has a signature scent which can be purchased in perfume and candle form. It's been described as sultry, dark and mysterious. How could I not want to bathe in this?

I am ultra-careful in applying scents so I don't overdo it. So I splashed a tiny bit on in the morning and it was completely gone in two hours. I don't mean it had faded to barely-there. It was gone, almost like I hadn't put perfume on at all. Outside of the short stay, I was oddly addicted to it. It has a very soapy smell and for me there is no darkness here, nor would I describe it as sultry. But mysterious is the perfect description. There is just something about Costes.

Notes: Lavender, bay tree, coriander, white pepper, rose, incense, woods and light musc.

You can't quite put your finger on the notes, you just crave it. I'm seriously hooked on this. It smells exactly like a page out of an old scratch and sniff book I had as a child. I can't keep from smelling my wrist when wearing it. It's for sure a keeper.

Next up: Escentric Molecules, Molecule 01

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Fragrance Friday: HEELEY Hippie Rose

(image via Collette.fr)

I love roses. I always have. They remind me of my childhood. We had a white picket fence in front of our house and three beautiful rose bushes along the fence line. When we moved, I dug them up and transported them to the new house, that's how much I loved them.

How many times have you sniffed a rose fragrance and found it to be a little too old smelling? For me it's been far too many. I don't like watered down rose scents, or the ones that make you smell like you've been with grandma all day (no offense to the all the grannies out there). I want something that actually smells like roses warmed by sunshine on a summer day. HEELEY Hippie Rose delivers that and more.

Notes: Bergamot, green moss, Bulgarian rose, patchouli, incense, Haitian vetiver, amber and musk.

This perfume is modern and sensual. Initially smelling solely of pure rose, it dries down to sheer perfection with each note mingling effortlessly. To call the dry-down sweet is wrong, there is something ethereal about it. It becomes part of your skin, your own natural smell. I wasn't ready for this perfume when I chose it but I knew I would adore it from the moment I put it on. Even if you're not a rose fan, I suggest you try this one. It's irresistible.

Next up: Costes

Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector

Lancome recently came out with a new skin serum, Visionnaire. Serums are great. Most are so incredibly light and absorb instantly, helping to get all those good-for-you ingredients into your skin. Visionnaire is labeled as a skin-correcting serum. It's supposed to help moisturize, minimize pores and fine lines, and even out skin tone.

Being that I'm pretty much the target audience for any "miracle" product, I figured I would give this a try. My skin has been in less than stellar (ok, downright terrible) condition this past year and as a result, I've been left with a few reddish marks from blemishes passed. I've also notice my worry-lines are sticking around longer these days. So of course when I heard about a serum that could multi-task for me I was already intrigued.

Sadly, I have to say as of right now this has been nothing more than a moisturizer for me. I so desperately wanted it to be a fix-it-all for my skin issues. My red marks are still visible and my fine lines are in the same condition as when I started using Visionnaire. It for sure makes my skin super soft and glowy but that's where it ends. No miracle working here.

I'm happy to use the rest of the bottle but considering the price - $84!!! - I won't be using this again. My search for skin salvation continues. Has anyone else used any corrective serums or skin care products that have had miraculous results? Do tell.

Fragrance Friday: BLOOD Concept B

Last week I reviewed BLOOD Concept's O; this week it's B. I'm enamored with the uniqueness that surrounds these perfumes. I knew I would like B as soon as I saw one of its notes is patchouli. I might be a little obsessed. But all the notes combined to create this perfect scent that I can only describe as home-y.

Notes: Apple, black cherry, artemisia, pepper, pomegranate, black tea, patchouli, teak wood and metallic notes

These scents are touted as being unisex, and while I'm not really sure I would enjoy either O or B on a man, B is decidedly more "masculine." It's spicy, a little seductive and just beautiful. It wears strong throughout the day. As it softens, a touch of sweetness comes out leaving the initial woodiness to take the backseat. The fruit notes are not sticky sweet, and the metallic notes are so subtle I barely noticed them.

I am loving this fragrance and a little sad I will be moving on tomorrow to my next one. Only time will tell if BLOOD Concept's B is the last man standing.

Next up: HEELEY Hippie Rose

Fragrance Friday: BLOOD Concept O

(photo cbsnews.com)

No floral notes here. Based on the individuality of blood types, each scent "type" has a story. BLOOD Concept O is sweet, but not overly so. There is something about it you can't quite put your finger on but can't help but love.

Notes: Thyme, Raspberry, Rose Hips, Leather, Birch, Cedar, Cyperus and Metallic Notes

The raspberry note was very prominent on me. I love the smell of raspberries. It reminds me of summer afternoons spent picking berries at my grandparents' farm. There is something magical about it. And I really love the metallic notes, it keeps the scent from being overly sweet.

Be careful though, with this one a little goes a very long way. The first application I tipped the vial over onto the sink and not wanting to waste it, I just dipped my wrist in the tiny puddle. Mistake! The metallic smell was overpowering. So apply sparingly, you want to be able to smell the other lush notes and not just metal.

Next up: BLOOD Concept B

The Search for a New Scent

Fragrance is deeply personal, at least to me. I feel connected to each fragrance I wear. Tons of my memories are tied to scent, so much so that a familiar smell is able to bring on feelings of deja vu instantly. I connect other people to scents as well, some good and others not so good.

I need to feel something deeper for a fragrance other than simply liking it. I used to be a one-scent gal, but these days I like to change things up from time to time but all of the scents in heavy rotation are things that I adore. I gravitate to musky, subtly sexy scents where a little goes a long way. I'm sucker for anything patchouli. And for each person it's different. The process of choosing a scent is different, the emotion it evokes, the way your choice makes you feel, all uniquely different.

Some people parade their fragrance around, allowing the world to smell it while others hold it close to themselves like a secret. I do not enjoy the overpowering, I-just-doused-myself-in-perfume-instead-of-showering, subway-clearing assault of the olfactory sense that some insist on doing. Even after you've adjusted to your perfume, trust me, the rest of the living population can still smell it. Fragrance instead should gently waft, and before you're able to put your finger on it, it's gone.

I'm taking you along on a personal adventure with me. I'll be testing and comparing lots of scents in hopes of finding a new smell that is just, well, perfect.

Temptu Retouch Blush

Convenience is always a key factor in beauty products, especially in the mornings. We all want to look good before walking out the door but we also want that extra 15 minutes of sleep.

I can't say I'm one of those people who wake up looking good. Actually, sometimes I might actually resemble a zombie with dark bags under my eyes, tangled up hair and a pale complexion void of a healthy, living glow. And more often than not, I'm like a tornado tearing through my apartment trying to get out the door on time. When things need to get cut out of my routine, it's time consuming beauty steps.

Blush is an absolute must for me. I usually go with powder blush since it's simple and a quick swipe with a fluffy brush and I'm good to go. Liquid blush has real staying power but it can be a bit of pain with application and blending and building up color to the desired vibrancy. Well, Temptu has taken all the work out of liquid blush.

This handy little contraption has a built-in brush for easy application and blending. Simply push the button on the bottom to dispense the color (one is enough for both cheeks). Swipe on and blend away for a sheer wash of beautiful, long-lasting, natural color. I picked up two, one in Blushing Coral (shown above) and one in Hot Pink. Sephora has these babies on sale for $15 each; you can get the same deal on Temptu's site as well. Go now!