Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre

I wonder how things would have turned had Serge Lutens released Five O'Clock Au Gingembre in 1998 and not 2008. I have a feeling this spicy oriental tea scent (orientea?) would have been accept with a lot more enthusiasm ten years and twenty or so perfumes ago.

I think of Five O'Clock Au Gingembre as the civilized version of Arabie (which I absolutely cannot stand). In Arabie, Serge Lutens and his prophet, Christopher Sheldrake, take you by the hand touring the back alleys of an Arabian souk. You walk the narrow streets, see and touch everything- from the sublime to the grime. Your exotic tour in Gingembre is done aboard the Orient Express. You see the sights from afar and the smells get mixed with the ones of your train car. The butler brings in your tea and cookies on a silver tray, there's an endless supply of starched linens, hot water and various delicacies.

The sharp ginger note in the opening is the only part of which I'm a bit iffy. Ginger tends to do that. I love it in ELdO Like This (and in my food), but usually it's not my favorite perfumery trick. Here the top notes are quite astringent for a brief second before the familiar Lutens magic appears with its cinnamon, honey, cookies and dark chocolate. There's something reminiscent of both Rousse and Feminite de Bois, but the black smoky tea takes the perfume in a different direction and gives it its own special character.

Five O'Clock Au Gingembre has an understated elegance. It's not quite in your face as several of the classic Lutens perfumes, which might be why some were so disappointed upon its release. I'm grateful they held back the cumin and instead explored a kinder route.

Five O'Clock Au Gingembre ($120, 50ml EDP) is available everywhere they sell the Serge Lutens export line- Bergdorf, Barneys, Aedes,Luckyscent and others.

Burberry Warm Glow Natural Bronzer 01

I actually bought the Warm Glow Natural Bronzer from Burberry in August, which makes sense considering one usually wants a bronzed look in summer. But I'm finding myself reaching for it even more often now that my complexion really needs some warming up. It might be a psychological thing or simply the change in light, hard to tell. Besides, Warm Glow #01 (this specific shade is also named Warm Glow. Obviously Burberry wants us bronzed and confused) doesn't make me look tan, it just gives a little color and life, especially when applied with a light hand and blended carefully.

It's hard to describe and define bronzer shades- they vary by their levels and ratio of brown-gold-orange. I find Warm Glow #01 to be the less orange on my skin* and most natural. It really doesn't look like makeup, which is probably why it's such a great choice for the season. It can be built up, though, for a more sun-kissed effect.

Burberry bronzers, like their other powder products, feel very luxurious and finely milled. They have a satiny finish that makes skin glow with no actual shimmer or any visible shiny particles. The texture is the silkiest imagined and a pleasure to apply. I've been using several bronzer and face brushes and it works with all of them- I can't say I have a specific favorite for this bronzer, but Edward Bess Face Brush is probably the best.

*I'm often asked about my exact skin tone. It's a pale olive with both green, yellow and pink undertones and no blue. I don't wear MAC makeup, but I've been told that I'm around NC30-35, but there was no exact match the last time I visited their counter, but that was years ago. I can wear several shades of Chanel foundations, as long as they're on the pale yellow beige side. In Nars terms the best match I found was Stromboli (though I don't own it, so my testing was limited), and in Cover FX numbers I'm M40 (Honey).

Burberry Warm Glow Natural Bronzer ($48) is a Nordstrom exclusive.

All photos are mine.

Chanel Allure Homme

Both versions of Chanel Allure, the masculine and the feminine, were launched in 1990s and have been around for a while. If I were forced to choose one for my personal use I wouldn't hesitate for a second and reach for the men's version any time. It's not that I'm that big of a fan, but the women's Allure hates my skin and turns into a screechy synthetic fruity mess upon contact. A mediocre oriental men's cologne is a huge improvement.

The zesty sharp citrus opening wasn't new and unique in 1999 and it certainly isn't now. Chanel simply went with the safest, easiest top note composition a department store shopper would never find objectionable while still detecting it clearly above the general smell of the place. This stage is so generic I'd have the hardest time picking Allure Homme in a blind lineup unless I spent a lot more time wearing it exclusively. But things get considerably better if not more special. The peppery wood, patchouli and a light ambery dry-down make it pleasant to wear and warm enough to enjoy. A man wearing this Chanel cologne to the office would get a reputation of smelling nice and it would probably work just as well on a date. It's a friendly scent with no jagged edges- it remains clean and crisp for a full day.

It's also boring, safe and lacks any individuality. Just look at the original 1999 ad campaign. Chanel took successful and accomplished men and posed them in a series of black and white shots without their names or anything to actually make them stand out. They sort of blend in with the brand and the others participants. From the New York Times:

The print ads are black and white, except for the enlarged Allure bottle, which is in color. The ads for both the men's and women's lines feature attractive people who are identified only by their professions, pursuits and residences, not by name, in an effort to add an element of mystery.

The Allure Homme ads, which carry the headline, ''Real men. Real Allure,'' feature a writer in New York City, a professional golfer in New York, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Calif., an architect in New York and an around-the-world solo sailor from France.

By Courtney Kane, Published: December 21, 2000

Bottom Line: The last time a bought a Chanel men's cologne for my father, I chose Antaeus. Make your own conclusion.

Chanel Allure Homme ($72, 3.4oz EDT) is available from most department stores and chanel.com.

All images from Chanel 1999 Allure Homme ad campaign: couleurparfum.com

Esteban Paris- Ambre (Matieres Collection)

Ambre by Esteban Paris is a sparkling easy-to-wear amber perfume. It's not too aggressive, too sweet or too anything, really. The composition feels very well-balanced as it moves between spices, flowers and a vanilla-amber base without ever becoming powdery (making Ambre quite suitable for men). It almost has a light-reflecting quality, like a piece of jewelry worn for an evening soirée.

One day I might want to draw a diagram, some kind of a graphic representation of amber perfumes according to their place on a spectrum- sweetness, powderiness, gender-orientation, complexity... It's becoming a 3-D model the more I think of it (there's only so much distance one can put between herself and her math teaching days). In any case, Esteban's Ambre would probably occupy a spot in the low-to-medium complexity area, with medium values in most other criteria.

This kind of amber, clear and mildly woody/sweet is ideal for beautiful fall days. It's not too cozy or woolly, has absolutely no smokiness but still warm and rich enough to feel perfect for this weather. Ambre is en EDT and light enough not to get in the face of cranky coworkers. When worn indoors or in an area with less olfactory distractions I get to enjoy the nuances a bit more- a light honeyed floral touch that lingers until the dry-down and clings to scarves, jackets and pillows. People who like the idea of amber but shy away from the heavier ones (Ambre Sultan, Amber Absolute) should give this one a try.

Official notes from the company's website:
Top notes: pink peppercorns, nutmeg, rhubarb
Heart notes: patchouli, freesia, hawthorn
Base notes: vanilla, amber, sandalwood

Ambre by Esteban Paris ($95, 50ml EDT) and the rest of the collection (including a very tempting home line. I see some diffusers in my future) are available from estebanparis.com. I haven't seen this brand in stores since the closing of Takashimaya, so I was thrilled to see a fully-operating website.

Photo: Model Joanne McCormick for McCall's Pattern Book winter 1957-1958, myvintagevogue.com

Weekly Roundup- It's November!

My beauty routine is officially in fall/winter weather mode, which means slathering, protecting and moisturizing within an inch of my life. So far it's working, including facing some serious wind on a day trip up north this weekend. Of course, all of us are on the lookout for more items to test and here's the latest crop:

This one is for germaphobes among us:  Kari from  Fab Over Forty found an organic hand sanitizer that works without drying out your skin.

I haven't bought anything from Stila in ages, but Charlstongirl from Best Things in Beauty is very happy with the new 24kt Gloss, so it looks like this one is a real winner.

Sabrina from The Beauty Look Book has photos, swatches and a great insight into the new Dolce & Gabbana Ethereal Beauty Collection.  In this case she tried it all so I don't have to.

Does your skin when you get freak out when you're out of your normal routine?  Mine sometimes does and then I spend a week or so doing restoration work. Laurie from Product Girl tried Vorte Vu Au Revoir Trouble Spot Treatment.   See if it worked for her.

Surfing beauty websites can be a learning experience.  Kelly from Gouldylox Reviews tested Wen Re-Moist Hydrating Hair Mask after seeing Wen on QVC.  See what she thinks about the results.

Kristin from BeautyXposé shows us some fun nail polishes for fall to give you the "it" factor. I can never resist nail polish. It's a sickness, really.

Debbi from DivaDebbi has a "Don't sweat the small stuff" mantra.  I wish I could adopt this attitude. Not sweating, however,  means cellulite .  See if Avon Anew's Cellulite Slimming Treatment worked for her.

Jane from Daly Beauty has a wonderful interview with fashion designer, Rachel Sin.  See what her beauty must-haves are in this insightful interview.

Trish from Scent Hive has a review and a giveaway of Osmanthus Oolong from indie natural house Providence Perfumer Co.

Manolo the shoe blogger has added a beauty blog to the Manolosphere, written by Glinda. It definitely started out with a bang.

Here on the Non-Blonde, I was not impressed with Lancome's eye primer, Put some color in my cheeks with Burberry Warm Glow bronzer, brought you a smoky eye alternative from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics and shared with you a favorite Ava Luxe perfume, No. 23. Oh, and there was also a new YSL lipstick among lots of other good stuff.

Happy  week! Stay warm and beautiful.

Image from the movie The best Of Everything, 1959, via stirredstraightup.blogspot.com