Juozas Statkevicius (Josef Statkus) Perfume

Like many fashion designers around the world, Juozas Statkevicius from Vilnius, Lithuania, has commisioned an eponymous fragrance. Unlike 90% (or is it 99%?) of them, he actually wanted a good perfume.

My mother was born in Vilnius, and has lived there until she was 18. I've never visited and my mom's stories and memories of the city end in 1965, so I picture Vlinius in black and white with a vintage atmosphere (the sound you're hearing is my Lithuanian readers roaring with laughter). Juozas Statkevicius (the perfume, that is) smells the way I've always imagined the city-rain falling on its cobblestone street, evergreen trees, old buildings and old wood. It's an ambery incense that feels more organic than any of the CDG Incense Series scents with a lightly sweetened vanilla-pine drydown.

The very first time my husband smelled Juozas Statkevicius (or Josef Statkun, as the name appear in non-Lithuanian websites) he said it reminds him of really nice (read: non musty) antique stores. A couple of years ago, when the perfume was first available in the US (it was actually launched in 2004), I sent my mom a sample. She said she couldn't place it, but it smelled familiar. To me it was like a whiff of foreign countries caught in the heavy coat of a traveler.

Looking at the pictures I've found for this review, I think one day the traveler would be me.

Juozas Statkevicius EDP ($180, 50 ml) is available from Luckyscent and Beauty Habit.

A clip from the designer's October 2008 fashion show in Vilnius:




Photos (all are from Flickr):
Autumn In Vilnius by Kritta
Gendimino Prospekt, Vilnius Lithuania by Nige820
Vilnius, 2005 by Frarock

Juozas Statkevicius (Josef Statkus) Perfume

Like many fashion designers around the world, Juozas Statkevicius from Vilnius, Lithuania, has commisioned an eponymous fragrance. Unlike 90% (or is it 99%?) of them, he actually wanted a good perfume.

My mother was born in Vilnius, and has lived there until she was 18. I've never visited and my mom's stories and memories of the city end in 1965, so I picture Vlinius in black and white with a vintage atmosphere (the sound you're hearing is my Lithuanian readers roaring with laughter). Juozas Statkevicius (the perfume, that is) smells the way I've always imagined the city-rain falling on its cobblestone street, evergreen trees, old buildings and old wood. It's an ambery incense that feels more organic than any of the CDG Incense Series scents with a lightly sweetened vanilla-pine drydown.

The very first time my husband smelled Juozas Statkevicius (or Josef Statkun, as the name appear in non-Lithuanian websites) he said it reminds him of really nice (read: non musty) antique stores. A couple of years ago, when the perfume was first available in the US (it was actually launched in 2004), I sent my mom a sample. She said she couldn't place it, but it smelled familiar. To me it was like a whiff of foreign countries caught in the heavy coat of a traveler.

Looking at the pictures I've found for this review, I think one day the traveler would be me.

Juozas Statkevicius EDP ($180, 50 ml) is available from Luckyscent and Beauty Habit.

A clip from the designer's October 2008 fashion show in Vilnius:




Photos (all are from Flickr):
Autumn In Vilnius by Kritta
Gendimino Prospekt, Vilnius Lithuania by Nige820
Vilnius, 2005 by Frarock

Juozas Statkevicius (Josef Statkus) Perfume

Like many fashion designers around the world, Juozas Statkevicius from Vilnius, Lithuania, has commisioned an eponymous fragrance. Unlike 90% (or is it 99%?) of them, he actually wanted a good perfume.

My mother was born in Vilnius, and has lived there until she was 18. I've never visited and my mom's stories and memories of the city end in 1965, so I picture Vlinius in black and white with a vintage atmosphere (the sound you're hearing is my Lithuanian readers roaring with laughter). Juozas Statkevicius (the perfume, that is) smells the way I've always imagined the city-rain falling on its cobblestone street, evergreen trees, old buildings and old wood. It's an ambery incense that feels more organic than any of the CDG Incense Series scents with a lightly sweetened vanilla-pine drydown.

The very first time my husband smelled Juozas Statkevicius (or Josef Statkun, as the name appear in non-Lithuanian websites) he said it reminds him of really nice (read: non musty) antique stores. A couple of years ago, when the perfume was first available in the US (it was actually launched in 2004), I sent my mom a sample. She said she couldn't place it, but it smelled familiar. To me it was like a whiff of foreign countries caught in the heavy coat of a traveler.

Looking at the pictures I've found for this review, I think one day the traveler would be me.

Juozas Statkevicius EDP ($180, 50 ml) is available from Luckyscent and Beauty Habit.

A clip from the designer's October 2008 fashion show in Vilnius:




Photos (all are from Flickr):
Autumn In Vilnius by Kritta
Gendimino Prospekt, Vilnius Lithuania by Nige820
Vilnius, 2005 by Frarock

Bespoke Chocolates NYC

The Blond and I were walking from the East Village towards Elizabeth Street when we spotted the sign directing towards Bespoke Chocolates in an alley we've never noticed before (reason 7592 why I love New York). Artisan-made chocolate is one of the things neither one of us can resist, and this kind of store is my favorite- the chocolatier, Rachel Zoe Insler (no, not that Rachel Zoe. Can you even imagine?) works right there and you can watch her make the truffles while swooning from the delicious scent.

We tried several of the chocolates and all of them were excellent. My favorite one was Chai Spice: milk chocolate, black tea blend of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I'd wear a perfume with these notes, but eating it was just as good.

Address: 6 Extra Place, New York, NY (closed Monday). Extra Place is a tiny, sign-less alley in the East Village that runs north from East 1st Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue

Photos: bespokechocolates.com and The New York Times

Bespoke Chocolates NYC

The Blond and I were walking from the East Village towards Elizabeth Street when we spotted the sign directing towards Bespoke Chocolates in an alley we've never noticed before (reason 7592 why I love New York). Artisan-made chocolate is one of the things neither one of us can resist, and this kind of store is my favorite- the chocolatier, Rachel Zoe Insler (no, not that Rachel Zoe. Can you even imagine?) works right there and you can watch her make the truffles while swooning from the delicious scent.

We tried several of the chocolates and all of them were excellent. My favorite one was Chai Spice: milk chocolate, black tea blend of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I'd wear a perfume with these notes, but eating it was just as good.

Address: 6 Extra Place, New York, NY (closed Monday). Extra Place is a tiny, sign-less alley in the East Village that runs north from East 1st Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue

Photos: bespokechocolates.com and The New York Times

Bespoke Chocolates NYC

The Blond and I were walking from the East Village towards Elizabeth Street when we spotted the sign directing towards Bespoke Chocolates in an alley we've never noticed before (reason 7592 why I love New York). Artisan-made chocolate is one of the things neither one of us can resist, and this kind of store is my favorite- the chocolatier, Rachel Zoe Insler (no, not that Rachel Zoe. Can you even imagine?) works right there and you can watch her make the truffles while swooning from the delicious scent.

We tried several of the chocolates and all of them were excellent. My favorite one was Chai Spice: milk chocolate, black tea blend of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I'd wear a perfume with these notes, but eating it was just as good.

Address: 6 Extra Place, New York, NY (closed Monday). Extra Place is a tiny, sign-less alley in the East Village that runs north from East 1st Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue

Photos: bespokechocolates.com and The New York Times

Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Lip Kit And Creme Lip Gloss

Le Metier de Beaute lip products are exactly what you'd expect them to be- beautiful and luxurious.

The Lip Kaleidoscope Kit is a palette of four gel-like liquid lipsticks. The colors are intense and can be used separately, but like most Le Metier de Beaute products, they are meant to be mixed and customized according to your preference and mood, and the texture makes blending very easy. They apply smoothly, feel light and soft and stay on relatively well (there's still some color left after lunch). The one you see here is Red Rapture, a limited edition. Last time I was at Bergdorf they still had a couple of them stashed under the counter.




The Creme Lip Gloss is exactly what you see- shiny and shimmery. The one I have, Cocoa Creme, is a warm, light bronze. I got it as PR freebie, so I didn't get to choose the color (I'd probably get the Framboise Creme), but somehow it became my go-to gloss on many summer nights. I wore it on its own, but I've also been experimenting with it over several lipsticks and it adds a lot of depth to them.

The custard-like scent seems very attractive to cats. I've had more than one feline of unusual size get in my face and try to lick the gloss. It's quite cute, except for the tuna-breath issue.

Bottom line: Top notch quality. What's not to love (other than the price)?

Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Lip Kit ($95) and Creme Lip Gloss ($36) are available from Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman on my side of the world, and Liberty in the UK.

All photos are mine.

Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Lip Kit And Creme Lip Gloss

Le Metier de Beaute lip products are exactly what you'd expect them to be- beautiful and luxurious.

The Lip Kaleidoscope Kit is a palette of four gel-like liquid lipsticks. The colors are intense and can be used separately, but like most Le Metier de Beaute products, they are meant to be mixed and customized according to your preference and mood, and the texture makes blending very easy. They apply smoothly, feel light and soft and stay on relatively well (there's still some color left after lunch). The one you see here is Red Rapture, a limited edition. Last time I was at Bergdorf they still had a couple of them stashed under the counter.




The Creme Lip Gloss is exactly what you see- shiny and shimmery. The one I have, Cocoa Creme, is a warm, light bronze. I got it as PR freebie, so I didn't get to choose the color (I'd probably get the Framboise Creme), but somehow it became my go-to gloss on many summer nights. I wore it on its own, but I've also been experimenting with it over several lipsticks and it adds a lot of depth to them.

The custard-like scent seems very attractive to cats. I've had more than one feline of unusual size get in my face and try to lick the gloss. It's quite cute, except for the tuna-breath issue.

Bottom line: Top notch quality. What's not to love (other than the price)?

Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Lip Kit ($95) and Creme Lip Gloss ($36) are available from Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman on my side of the world, and Liberty in the UK.

All photos are mine.

Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Lip Kit And Creme Lip Gloss

Le Metier de Beaute lip products are exactly what you'd expect them to be- beautiful and luxurious.

The Lip Kaleidoscope Kit is a palette of four gel-like liquid lipsticks. The colors are intense and can be used separately, but like most Le Metier de Beaute products, they are meant to be mixed and customized according to your preference and mood, and the texture makes blending very easy. They apply smoothly, feel light and soft and stay on relatively well (there's still some color left after lunch). The one you see here is Red Rapture, a limited edition. Last time I was at Bergdorf they still had a couple of them stashed under the counter.




The Creme Lip Gloss is exactly what you see- shiny and shimmery. The one I have, Cocoa Creme, is a warm, light bronze. I got it as PR freebie, so I didn't get to choose the color (I'd probably get the Framboise Creme), but somehow it became my go-to gloss on many summer nights. I wore it on its own, but I've also been experimenting with it over several lipsticks and it adds a lot of depth to them.

The custard-like scent seems very attractive to cats. I've had more than one feline of unusual size get in my face and try to lick the gloss. It's quite cute, except for the tuna-breath issue.

Bottom line: Top notch quality. What's not to love (other than the price)?

Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Lip Kit ($95) and Creme Lip Gloss ($36) are available from Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman on my side of the world, and Liberty in the UK.

All photos are mine.

Divine L'Homme Sage

Maybe it's the weather, but I'm in a mood for wearing masculine perfumes this week. Divine is a niche brand from Dinard, on the north coast of Brittany, France. L'Homme Sage is among their masculine offerings, and one I like to borrow for myself. A spicy, woody leather? I have to, really.

I usually avoid L'Homme Sage during the summer. Hot weather brings out the fruit notes (lychee!) with intensity, and that's not necessarily a good thing. But any other time, it's all about delicate spice and sweet leather, and the result is a softer, more powdery version of Daim Blond. The note list doesn't mention orris, but I could swear I smell an iris accord. There's something plush and warm in the heart, with just a hint of manly raggedness. Wearing it feels like borrowing a man's leather jacket that surprisingly fits me well, and snuggling in it on a brisk day. It's quite romantic, actually.

The "sage" in the name refers to wisdom, not to the herb. This is a lovely idea- to celebrate intelligence and good judgment instead of whatever it is that makes one name a fragrance "I Am King". It's sexy in a Patrick Stewart kind of way. I wear it, the husband wears it, and I could see Captain Jean-Luc Picard wearing it. Or so I wish.

L'Homme Sage by Divine ($125, 50 ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent and the company's website, divine.fr.

Divine L'Homme Sage

Maybe it's the weather, but I'm in a mood for wearing masculine perfumes this week. Divine is a niche brand from Dinard, on the north coast of Brittany, France. L'Homme Sage is among their masculine offerings, and one I like to borrow for myself. A spicy, woody leather? I have to, really.

I usually avoid L'Homme Sage during the summer. Hot weather brings out the fruit notes (lychee!) with intensity, and that's not necessarily a good thing. But any other time, it's all about delicate spice and sweet leather, and the result is a softer, more powdery version of Daim Blond. The note list doesn't mention orris, but I could swear I smell an iris accord. There's something plush and warm in the heart, with just a hint of manly raggedness. Wearing it feels like borrowing a man's leather jacket that surprisingly fits me well, and snuggling in it on a brisk day. It's quite romantic, actually.

The "sage" in the name refers to wisdom, not to the herb. This is a lovely idea- to celebrate intelligence and good judgment instead of whatever it is that makes one name a fragrance "I Am King". It's sexy in a Patrick Stewart kind of way. I wear it, the husband wears it, and I could see Captain Jean-Luc Picard wearing it. Or so I wish.

L'Homme Sage by Divine ($125, 50 ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent and the company's website, divine.fr.

Divine L'Homme Sage

Maybe it's the weather, but I'm in a mood for wearing masculine perfumes this week. Divine is a niche brand from Dinard, on the north coast of Brittany, France. L'Homme Sage is among their masculine offerings, and one I like to borrow for myself. A spicy, woody leather? I have to, really.

I usually avoid L'Homme Sage during the summer. Hot weather brings out the fruit notes (lychee!) with intensity, and that's not necessarily a good thing. But any other time, it's all about delicate spice and sweet leather, and the result is a softer, more powdery version of Daim Blond. The note list doesn't mention orris, but I could swear I smell an iris accord. There's something plush and warm in the heart, with just a hint of manly raggedness. Wearing it feels like borrowing a man's leather jacket that surprisingly fits me well, and snuggling in it on a brisk day. It's quite romantic, actually.

The "sage" in the name refers to wisdom, not to the herb. This is a lovely idea- to celebrate intelligence and good judgment instead of whatever it is that makes one name a fragrance "I Am King". It's sexy in a Patrick Stewart kind of way. I wear it, the husband wears it, and I could see Captain Jean-Luc Picard wearing it. Or so I wish.

L'Homme Sage by Divine ($125, 50 ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent and the company's website, divine.fr.

Spotlight On A Blog: Inspire

This must be the coolest idea I've seen lately: A blog devoted to perfume-inspired art.

The bloggers sends the artists an anonymous perfume sample, not disclosing the brand, the name or the notes and without the original packaging. And they create... something: a photograph, an illustration, a recipe. The blog is new, but the handful of entries already there are beautiful and I can't wait to see more.

If you're creative and want to contribute to this project, send them an email.

Photograph: Osmanthus Interdite (Parfum d'Empire) by Molokostar.

Spotlight On A Blog: Inspire

This must be the coolest idea I've seen lately: A blog devoted to perfume-inspired art.

The bloggers sends the artists an anonymous perfume sample, not disclosing the brand, the name or the notes and without the original packaging. And they create... something: a photograph, an illustration, a recipe. The blog is new, but the handful of entries already there are beautiful and I can't wait to see more.

If you're creative and want to contribute to this project, send them an email.

Photograph: Osmanthus Interdite (Parfum d'Empire) by Molokostar.

Spotlight On A Blog: Inspire

This must be the coolest idea I've seen lately: A blog devoted to perfume-inspired art.

The bloggers sends the artists an anonymous perfume sample, not disclosing the brand, the name or the notes and without the original packaging. And they create... something: a photograph, an illustration, a recipe. The blog is new, but the handful of entries already there are beautiful and I can't wait to see more.

If you're creative and want to contribute to this project, send them an email.

Photograph: Osmanthus Interdite (Parfum d'Empire) by Molokostar.

Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush- Rhythm

There is a lot to love about the new(ish. It's a fall 2009 release and has been out for a couple of months now) Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush: The velvety texture, the ability to mix and customize the two shades in the compact, the colors themselves- vibrant and flattering. But the size and shape drive me crazy. It's a small stripe of color which limits the shape, size and movement of the brush. I like using big and fluffy brushes and lightly swirl them over the blush for natural looking application, but it's utterly impossible here. The Shu Uemura compact is only slightly bigger than your average single eye shadow, so I'm using smaller and narrow brushes, like the Sephora angled blush brush you see in the picture, and make sure to carefully blend the color with the other face products I apply to avoid that streaky 80s look.



The Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush comes in three shades. There's a peachy option and a brownish one that I liked but found to be too dark. My color of choice was Rhythm, a warm medium pink with the golden/light bronze supplement. It adds just the right amount of perkiness to one's face, but I can't help thinking it would have served me better if it came in a round or even square compact.

Bottom line: Very pretty, flawed design.

Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush ($24) is available from Barneys, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus.

All photos are mine.

Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush- Rhythm

There is a lot to love about the new(ish. It's a fall 2009 release and has been out for a couple of months now) Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush: The velvety texture, the ability to mix and customize the two shades in the compact, the colors themselves- vibrant and flattering. But the size and shape drive me crazy. It's a small stripe of color which limits the shape, size and movement of the brush. I like using big and fluffy brushes and lightly swirl them over the blush for natural looking application, but it's utterly impossible here. The Shu Uemura compact is only slightly bigger than your average single eye shadow, so I'm using smaller and narrow brushes, like the Sephora angled blush brush you see in the picture, and make sure to carefully blend the color with the other face products I apply to avoid that streaky 80s look.



The Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush comes in three shades. There's a peachy option and a brownish one that I liked but found to be too dark. My color of choice was Rhythm, a warm medium pink with the golden/light bronze supplement. It adds just the right amount of perkiness to one's face, but I can't help thinking it would have served me better if it came in a round or even square compact.

Bottom line: Very pretty, flawed design.

Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush ($24) is available from Barneys, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus.

All photos are mine.

Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush- Rhythm

There is a lot to love about the new(ish. It's a fall 2009 release and has been out for a couple of months now) Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush: The velvety texture, the ability to mix and customize the two shades in the compact, the colors themselves- vibrant and flattering. But the size and shape drive me crazy. It's a small stripe of color which limits the shape, size and movement of the brush. I like using big and fluffy brushes and lightly swirl them over the blush for natural looking application, but it's utterly impossible here. The Shu Uemura compact is only slightly bigger than your average single eye shadow, so I'm using smaller and narrow brushes, like the Sephora angled blush brush you see in the picture, and make sure to carefully blend the color with the other face products I apply to avoid that streaky 80s look.



The Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush comes in three shades. There's a peachy option and a brownish one that I liked but found to be too dark. My color of choice was Rhythm, a warm medium pink with the golden/light bronze supplement. It adds just the right amount of perkiness to one's face, but I can't help thinking it would have served me better if it came in a round or even square compact.

Bottom line: Very pretty, flawed design.

Shu Uemura Primal Mix Blush ($24) is available from Barneys, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus.

All photos are mine.

Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale Eau de Parfum

Look at the notes of Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale (from Luckyscent):
Cardamom, mandarin, tagette, coriander, cedar, smoked tea, royal calla lily, violet, vetiver, fir balsam, leather and amber. This spells dark, delicious and warm, but to me that's genderless. The whole masculine image, cognac and cigars, is a marketing spin. Just as the Courvoisier cognac isn't necessarily limited to people who think they're Napoleon.

One of the nicest things about L’Edition Imperiale is the perfect balance between elements that each could have taken over the perfume. I absolutely adore the opening with its cardamom-coriander-tagette (marigold). It's spicy and different, and morphs beautifully into the honeyed spiced tea heart. I don't get any of the gentlemen’s clubs association or any traditional, Cary Grant-ish cologne. It's all in the skin and nose of the beholder, and for me this is a resinous amber with hints of leather, spice and everything nice. It's not a casual perfume and probably not the thing to wear on the subway in August. But as far as I'm concerned, it can work equally well on a date as in a board meeting. And on a guy.

Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale Eau de Parfum is avaialble from Luckyscent and Bergdorf Goodman ($110 for 75ml, $165 for 125ml), but I dearly suggest that you check with the online discounters for a (much) better price. Also, at the PXA perfume expo last summer, the company's reps were showing two new versions, an EDT and an aftershave product. Both had the lighter top amplified and the good parts greatly diminished. I was not impressed.

Image: A 1972 Courvoisier ad from Found in Mom's Basement
L’edition Imperiale ad: harlingenboeit.nl