Bendel’s, the quintessential New York City department store on Fifth Avenue, offers a surprisingly fun, informal atmosphere along with amazing quality brands. Located on Fifth Avenue at 56th Street in a gorgeous Beaux Arts building, Bendel’s is open, light and airy. The first floor–cosmetics–is most crowded, but my destination was fragrance. I climbed the spiral <... >
About a year ago, I might have shunned even designer fragrances simply because the thought of one more socialite or designer scent was unbearable. However, my view has changed. These fragrances, from the likes of the Beckhams and Trump, aren’t all generic scents banking on the brand power of the creator. Even still, it’s not <... >
March heralds the onset of spring, when slivers of new green make their appearance. Here are some refreshingly fragrant ways to celebrate the scents of spring. Hay (Fieno) Acqua Colonia from Santa Maria Novella is the olfactory version of a Beethoven symphony. Delicate but nuanced, complex but straightforward, this is a sweet way to mark <... >
February is fragrance month for Beauty News, but in honor of my devotion to skin care, I’ve chosen the best new product that marries a tasteful scent with an excellent consistency, Gianfranco Ferre’s bath and body collection. From the imaginative mind of a fashion designer, to the technical brain of a scientist, we welcome the <... >
All notions of tropical paradise include fragrance: the smell of clean water as the wind sprays it on your face from the ocean, the hopelessly lush scent of tropical flowers, the fresh green grasses, leaves and overripe trees, and the scent of sweet coconut and thirst-quenching fruits. It’s not surprising that we can indulge ourselves <... >
Ever wonder which fragrances Madonna likes? Neither do I, but just for the fun of it, here’s a roundup of celebrities and the fragrances they have been said to prefer: * Jennifer Garner , Madonna, Jennifer Morrison and Tatijana Patitz: Perfect Veil by Creative Scentualization. This fragrance was designed to smell like clean, nude skin, <... >
This stunning bouquet of fine perfumes will inspire some love on Valentine’s Day and every other day of the year. Annick Goutal’s Vanille Exquise delivers a sensual olfactory experience of memorable warmth. This soft oriental has undertones of vanilla, angelica and almond, along with whispery hints of white musks, benzoin, and gaiac wood. Ultra-feminine and <... >
There’s no dearth of chocolate fragrances available now, and rose scented perfumes have been around since the dawn of woman, so take your pick below from the best of the two categories–all available at www.LuckyScent.com and fine boutiques–for stepping out on a cloud on Valentine’s Day. Piment Brulan by L’Artisan Parfumeur is a red hot <... >
The GiftyBox “Chocolate Addiction/New York” is the perfect way to say Happy Valentines Day to anyone who loves chocolate – which would be just about everyone. This unique new way to savor New York City allows you to choose from twelve chocolate-tasting options,, including chocolate fondue for two at Fondue Lounge, pastry-making demonstrations at Francois <... >
French prestige has reached our shores in the form of Molinard fragrances. Each retailing for $185, with the exception of Habanita (Black) for $295, these perfumes are the Chanel handbags of fragrance. Founded in 1849 in France, this line includes Iles D’Or (a youthful fruity floral), M De Molinard (a floral green), Habanita (an elegant <... >
Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to treat yourself to something special. Victoria’s Secret Mood Candles provide the perfect way to relax while engulfed in mood-altering aroma. Choose between sweet fig, Hidden Fire/amber, Succulant/blackberry spice, Slow Melt.dark chocolate, Yearn/creamy gardenia, Beguiling/bright freesia, and Hunger/crisp apple. All of these whet the appetite and set <... >
British designer Paul Smith has unveiled a new fragrance, simply dubbed Paul Smith Floral. Paul Smith Floral is a fruity floral mix designed to invoke the flower power spirit of the 70s. That may be so, but this universally flattering fragrance is chic enough for elegant ladies, hipsters, and barefoot hippie chicks! The flirty top <... >
Anyone serious about fragrance, or buying perfume as a gift, absolutely must check out http://www.luckyscent.com. This is the source for many of the rarest, finest, or most interesting perfumes in the world. For the holidays, wrap yourself in one of the perfumes on this site. I recommend Nanadebary Bronze, which is light for daytime use, <... >
Staying true to form, Burberry has designed a fabulous new scent tocomplement their Brit line. Burberry Brit Gold is a limited edition fragrance now available for the holiday season. Spray this scent and be enveloped in rich scents of magnolia, neroli, black currant and bergamot, and then subtle notes of pink orris, amber and sandalwood <... >
HAKANSSON has just launched The Scent, a pure, unique-smelling skin fragrance designed to bridge the gap between fragrance and nourishing skin care. Created by celeb makeup artist Katarina Hakansson, and devoid of alcohol, The Scent is made with milk, fresh freesia and lilac florals, orange and lime, soft musk, clary sage, bergamot and hydrating skin <... >
Friends and loved ones will feel like royalty when receiving Alexander McQueen’s My Queen this season. This fragrant elixir is indeed fit for a queen, with a kaleidoscopic mixture of Parma violet, sweet almond, white musk, heliotrope, white flowers, powder, Florentine iris, vanilla, orange blosom absolute, cedar, patchouli and vetiver. The result is a dazzling, <... >
Parfums Caron’s Tabac Blond New Yorkers have a lot to feel thankful for this month, including Manhattan’s Parfums Caron Boutique, the charming jewel box nestled in all of its splendor near Hermes and Floris on the upper east side at 675 Madison Avenue. Stopping here to sample the Caron perfumes from Baccarat crystal perfume urns <... >
In our chaotic, commercial world, fragrances are the last place I’d expect to encounter spirituality. While the term aromacology may be new, the philosophy is not. As referenced in our hand cream article, the term refers to the connection between scent and mood. Kenzo’s latest fragrance, FlowerByKenzo Oriental, reminds us there are temperaments between elation <... >
Thanks to the Fragrance Foundation, New Yorkers were celebrating all things fragrant last month from October 17 through the 22nd, and engaging in a series of events that made sense of scents, spotted trends in the industry, doled out awards, and offered a variety of scent seminars. A citywide public art installation of over-sized perfume <... >
