A Day And A Night Out On The Town

The Blond and I have been hermiting it since we came back from vacation, but today we broke the spell. We had tickets to see Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight in David Mamet's A Life In The Theater. I'm perfectly happy to watch Sir Patrick just stand there and read the NYC phonebook, but an actual play, with a dialog and everything is even better.

Grandaisy Bakery and dinner at Cafe Blossom, but I know you're not here for the cake. Obviously, in between noshing and admiring Sir Patrick's accent there was some serious perfume sniffing and shopping.

Aedes has the newest Serge Lutens export, Bas de Soie. I didn't expect to love it, but I sprayed it before the show and by the time we were done applauding I was head-over-heels. Uncle Serge knows his iris, but this isn't that rooty carrot and damp dark soil of Iris Silver Mist. Instead, this is dry and piercing with its hyacinth note. Bas de Soie is a lot more sophisticated than it seems at first sniff and proves our favorite uncle hasn't lost his touch just yet. Have I said love already?

The Blond played happily with some CdGs, wasn't too impressed with Diptyque Duelle, but he's just not a vanilla person. I actually liked it, but it reminded me of Le Labo's Paris exclusive, Vanille 44. Well, maybe Vanille 44 on a diet, but still. It's not very tenacious, which is a problem I'm having with most of the newer Diptyque perfumes.

We headed uptown for the Triple B tour (Bergdorf, Barneys and Bendel). A couple of the brands formerly found across the street at Takashimaya have migrated to Henri Bendel, so we can still get our fix of Ineke and Histoires de Parfums. The newest Bendel private label scent, Wild Fig, did nothing for me, and I'm a fig freak, so you know something is amiss there.

The L'Artisan boutique there has one of the two new scents,Traversée du Bosphore. I don’t know if the Blond didn’t spray enough or what, but I could barely smell anything. I’ll have to seriously test again before making judgment, but at this point I was going to give up on L’Artisan. It’s a good thing the day wasn’t over (spoiler alert!).

I never payed much attention to the Profumi del Forte line, but that's probably because the samples I had were of the masculines, which I've found boring, at least from casual sniffing. This time something compelled me to look further and I absentmindedly sprayed my wrist with By Night (White). Oh.

By Night, the feminine version, is a gorgeous orange blossom and vanilla over a sensual wood-musk base. Not the most innovative idea, but it works for me. Added to the wishlist. Because, really, I need more vanilla perfumes.

Speaking of which, Bergdorf will be getting the new limited Edition Shalimar Ode A La Vanille on October 23rd. I'm ridiculously excited, but then again, I've never met a Shalimar I didn't like. Sadly, this is the only exciting perfume thing going on at Bergdorf these days. They don't have the new Serge yet and it looks like they're stocking less perfume brands than ever. The young ladies ready to spray you with Balenciaga don't contribute much to the atmosphere, either. But the other aspects of the beauty level are still as fabulous as ever and maybe more. Le Metier de Beaute will have some new and exciting items soon, and if you haven't seen the latest Cle de Peau eye palettes yet I highly recommend them (a review of Malachite is coming as soon as I give mine an adequate testing).

Barneys has both Bas de Soie and Coeur de Vetiver Sacre, the other new L’Artisan. We both tried it on and were stunned to realize how much we liked it. Of course, one can never have too many vetivers (or leather scents, or dirty musks), but this was different and intriguing enough neither one of us felt it was redundant.

We came back to Barneys after the show and before heading west for dinner to buy our newest loves. Or tried to. The L'Artisan is peacefully resting in our cabinet now, but somehow the SA and I didn’t notice, but he grabbed Ambre Sultan instead of Bas de Soie. I didn’t realize it until we got home, so there’s an emergency  trip to Madison Avenue in my immediate future. Like most Serge groupies, I love Ambre Sultan, but I don’t need a backup bottle just yet. But I do need my iris fix, so there.

All in all and wrong Serge aside, it was a great day.
How did you spend your weekend?

Image: The Swinging Sixties Blog.

A Day And A Night Out On The Town

The Blond and I have been hermiting it since we came back from vacation, but today we broke the spell. We had tickets to see Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight in David Mamet's A Life In The Theater. I'm perfectly happy to watch Sir Patrick just stand there and read the NYC phonebook, but an actual play, with a dialog and everything is even better.

Grandaisy Bakery and dinner at Cafe Blossom, but I know you're not here for the cake. Obviously, in between noshing and admiring Sir Patrick's accent there was some serious perfume sniffing and shopping.

Aedes has the newest Serge Lutens export, Bas de Soie. I didn't expect to love it, but I sprayed it before the show and by the time we were done applauding I was head-over-heels. Uncle Serge knows his iris, but this isn't that rooty carrot and damp dark soil of Iris Silver Mist. Instead, this is dry and piercing with its hyacinth note. Bas de Soie is a lot more sophisticated than it seems at first sniff and proves our favorite uncle hasn't lost his touch just yet. Have I said love already?

The Blond played happily with some CdGs, wasn't too impressed with Diptyque Duelle, but he's just not a vanilla person. I actually liked it, but it reminded me of Le Labo's Paris exclusive, Vanille 44. Well, maybe Vanille 44 on a diet, but still. It's not very tenacious, which is a problem I'm having with most of the newer Diptyque perfumes.

We headed uptown for the Triple B tour (Bergdorf, Barneys and Bendel). A couple of the brands formerly found across the street at Takashimaya have migrated to Henri Bendel, so we can still get our fix of Ineke and Histoires de Parfums. The newest Bendel private label scent, Wild Fig, did nothing for me, and I'm a fig freak, so you know something is amiss there.

The L'Artisan boutique there has one of the two new scents,Traversée du Bosphore. I don’t know if the Blond didn’t spray enough or what, but I could barely smell anything. I’ll have to seriously test again before making judgment, but at this point I was going to give up on L’Artisan. It’s a good thing the day wasn’t over (spoiler alert!).

I never payed much attention to the Profumi del Forte line, but that's probably because the samples I had were of the masculines, which I've found boring, at least from casual sniffing. This time something compelled me to look further and I absentmindedly sprayed my wrist with By Night (White). Oh.

By Night, the feminine version, is a gorgeous orange blossom and vanilla over a sensual wood-musk base. Not the most innovative idea, but it works for me. Added to the wishlist. Because, really, I need more vanilla perfumes.

Speaking of which, Bergdorf will be getting the new limited Edition Shalimar Ode A La Vanille on October 23rd. I'm ridiculously excited, but then again, I've never met a Shalimar I didn't like. Sadly, this is the only exciting perfume thing going on at Bergdorf these days. They don't have the new Serge yet and it looks like they're stocking less perfume brands than ever. The young ladies ready to spray you with Balenciaga don't contribute much to the atmosphere, either. But the other aspects of the beauty level are still as fabulous as ever and maybe more. Le Metier de Beaute will have some new and exciting items soon, and if you haven't seen the latest Cle de Peau eye palettes yet I highly recommend them (a review of Malachite is coming as soon as I give mine an adequate testing).

Barneys has both Bas de Soie and Coeur de Vetiver Sacre, the other new L’Artisan. We both tried it on and were stunned to realize how much we liked it. Of course, one can never have too many vetivers (or leather scents, or dirty musks), but this was different and intriguing enough neither one of us felt it was redundant.

We came back to Barneys after the show and before heading west for dinner to buy our newest loves. Or tried to. The L'Artisan is peacefully resting in our cabinet now, but somehow the SA and I didn’t notice, but he grabbed Ambre Sultan instead of Bas de Soie. I didn’t realize it until we got home, so there’s an emergency  trip to Madison Avenue in my immediate future. Like most Serge groupies, I love Ambre Sultan, but I don’t need a backup bottle just yet. But I do need my iris fix, so there.

All in all and wrong Serge aside, it was a great day.
How did you spend your weekend?

Image: The Swinging Sixties Blog.

A Day And A Night Out On The Town

The Blond and I have been hermiting it since we came back from vacation, but today we broke the spell. We had tickets to see Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight in David Mamet's A Life In The Theater. I'm perfectly happy to watch Sir Patrick just stand there and read the NYC phonebook, but an actual play, with a dialog and everything is even better.

Grandaisy Bakery and dinner at Cafe Blossom, but I know you're not here for the cake. Obviously, in between noshing and admiring Sir Patrick's accent there was some serious perfume sniffing and shopping.

Aedes has the newest Serge Lutens export, Bas de Soie. I didn't expect to love it, but I sprayed it before the show and by the time we were done applauding I was head-over-heels. Uncle Serge knows his iris, but this isn't that rooty carrot and damp dark soil of Iris Silver Mist. Instead, this is dry and piercing with its hyacinth note. Bas de Soie is a lot more sophisticated than it seems at first sniff and proves our favorite uncle hasn't lost his touch just yet. Have I said love already?

The Blond played happily with some CdGs, wasn't too impressed with Diptyque Duelle, but he's just not a vanilla person. I actually liked it, but it reminded me of Le Labo's Paris exclusive, Vanille 44. Well, maybe Vanille 44 on a diet, but still. It's not very tenacious, which is a problem I'm having with most of the newer Diptyque perfumes.

We headed uptown for the Triple B tour (Bergdorf, Barneys and Bendel). A couple of the brands formerly found across the street at Takashimaya have migrated to Henri Bendel, so we can still get our fix of Ineke and Histoires de Parfums. The newest Bendel private label scent, Wild Fig, did nothing for me, and I'm a fig freak, so you know something is amiss there.

The L'Artisan boutique there has one of the two new scents,Traversée du Bosphore. I don’t know if the Blond didn’t spray enough or what, but I could barely smell anything. I’ll have to seriously test again before making judgment, but at this point I was going to give up on L’Artisan. It’s a good thing the day wasn’t over (spoiler alert!).

I never payed much attention to the Profumi del Forte line, but that's probably because the samples I had were of the masculines, which I've found boring, at least from casual sniffing. This time something compelled me to look further and I absentmindedly sprayed my wrist with By Night (White). Oh.

By Night, the feminine version, is a gorgeous orange blossom and vanilla over a sensual wood-musk base. Not the most innovative idea, but it works for me. Added to the wishlist. Because, really, I need more vanilla perfumes.

Speaking of which, Bergdorf will be getting the new limited Edition Shalimar Ode A La Vanille on October 23rd. I'm ridiculously excited, but then again, I've never met a Shalimar I didn't like. Sadly, this is the only exciting perfume thing going on at Bergdorf these days. They don't have the new Serge yet and it looks like they're stocking less perfume brands than ever. The young ladies ready to spray you with Balenciaga don't contribute much to the atmosphere, either. But the other aspects of the beauty level are still as fabulous as ever and maybe more. Le Metier de Beaute will have some new and exciting items soon, and if you haven't seen the latest Cle de Peau eye palettes yet I highly recommend them (a review of Malachite is coming as soon as I give mine an adequate testing).

Barneys has both Bas de Soie and Coeur de Vetiver Sacre, the other new L’Artisan. We both tried it on and were stunned to realize how much we liked it. Of course, one can never have too many vetivers (or leather scents, or dirty musks), but this was different and intriguing enough neither one of us felt it was redundant.

We came back to Barneys after the show and before heading west for dinner to buy our newest loves. Or tried to. The L'Artisan is peacefully resting in our cabinet now, but somehow the SA and I didn’t notice, but he grabbed Ambre Sultan instead of Bas de Soie. I didn’t realize it until we got home, so there’s an emergency  trip to Madison Avenue in my immediate future. Like most Serge groupies, I love Ambre Sultan, but I don’t need a backup bottle just yet. But I do need my iris fix, so there.

All in all and wrong Serge aside, it was a great day.
How did you spend your weekend?

Image: The Swinging Sixties Blog.

News From 5th Avenue

Makeup:
Le Metier de Beaute's growing success has earned the brand an upgrade. The Bergdorf Goodman counter is relocating to a much more central space on the beauty level. There are some beautiful new summer products coming out, a skin care miracle and a lot more to talk about. Stay tuned.

Perfume:
The fragrance department at Henri Bendel is slowly but surely reclaiming its rightful place in the city's shopping scene, thanks to Giuseppe, its new(ish) manager. There are plans to move and change the current floor plan and allocate more (premium) space to perfume. New brands have been added and there are some exciting surprises in the works, including lines that have never been seen in NYC before. I'll report the details as soon as the launch dates are set.

In the meantime, there are a couple of interesting events scheduled at Bendel for the next few weeks that should interest many of us-
6/12 A personal appearance of Robin Coe Hutshing of Memoire Liquide
6/15 (5:30PM) OsMoz Workshop (see bellow)
6/17 (5pm-7pm) Tilda Swinton will sign bottles of Like This, her perfume collaboration with Etat Libre d'Orange.

As for the perfume workshop:
Perfumer Sabine de Tscharner of Firmenich will conduct a fragrance workshop where attendees will learn about notes and accords in perfumery. The  $100 fee includes an OsMoz kit of 12 accord bottles. Naturally, space is limited. To reserve a spot call 212-904-7990.

News From 5th Avenue

Makeup:
Le Metier de Beaute's growing success has earned the brand an upgrade. The Bergdorf Goodman counter is relocating to a much more central space on the beauty level. There are some beautiful new summer products coming out, a skin care miracle and a lot more to talk about. Stay tuned.

Perfume:
The fragrance department at Henri Bendel is slowly but surely reclaiming its rightful place in the city's shopping scene, thanks to Giuseppe, its new(ish) manager. There are plans to move and change the current floor plan and allocate more (premium) space to perfume. New brands have been added and there are some exciting surprises in the works, including lines that have never been seen in NYC before. I'll report the details as soon as the launch dates are set.

In the meantime, there are a couple of interesting events scheduled at Bendel for the next few weeks that should interest many of us-
6/12 A personal appearance of Robin Coe Hutshing of Memoire Liquide
6/15 (5:30PM) OsMoz Workshop (see bellow)
6/17 (5pm-7pm) Tilda Swinton will sign bottles of Like This, her perfume collaboration with Etat Libre d'Orange.

As for the perfume workshop:
Perfumer Sabine de Tscharner of Firmenich will conduct a fragrance workshop where attendees will learn about notes and accords in perfumery. The  $100 fee includes an OsMoz kit of 12 accord bottles. Naturally, space is limited. To reserve a spot call 212-904-7990.

News From 5th Avenue

Makeup:
Le Metier de Beaute's growing success has earned the brand an upgrade. The Bergdorf Goodman counter is relocating to a much more central space on the beauty level. There are some beautiful new summer products coming out, a skin care miracle and a lot more to talk about. Stay tuned.

Perfume:
The fragrance department at Henri Bendel is slowly but surely reclaiming its rightful place in the city's shopping scene, thanks to Giuseppe, its new(ish) manager. There are plans to move and change the current floor plan and allocate more (premium) space to perfume. New brands have been added and there are some exciting surprises in the works, including lines that have never been seen in NYC before. I'll report the details as soon as the launch dates are set.

In the meantime, there are a couple of interesting events scheduled at Bendel for the next few weeks that should interest many of us-
6/12 A personal appearance of Robin Coe Hutshing of Memoire Liquide
6/15 (5:30PM) OsMoz Workshop (see bellow)
6/17 (5pm-7pm) Tilda Swinton will sign bottles of Like This, her perfume collaboration with Etat Libre d'Orange.

As for the perfume workshop:
Perfumer Sabine de Tscharner of Firmenich will conduct a fragrance workshop where attendees will learn about notes and accords in perfumery. The  $100 fee includes an OsMoz kit of 12 accord bottles. Naturally, space is limited. To reserve a spot call 212-904-7990.

Beauty News: Le Metier de Beaute and Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

Today was all about good news. If you remember the stunning Roopal Patel Collection (a Bergdorf Goodman exclusive)  from Le Metier de Beaute (the woman not only has the best job in the universe, she also got a palette named after her), the most coveted part of it was Magic, a cream glaze that transforms any color, including powder shadows, into sheer stains and glosses for the cheeks, lips or eyes. Apparently, I wasn't the only Magic-obsessed soul, so the company is about to release it as a stand-alone product. I'll take a pint or two, thank you very much.

My second surprise of the morning came from Henri Bendel. No, they have not invested in a fabulous e-commerce system (they are on Twitter and Facebook, though, so at least they acknowledge that new Internet thing), but there is something new in the striped halls. Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics isn't a really new line- it was actually launched in 1996. But this is a first time they venture out of spas and clinics and into a department store setting. Youngblood is going to be Bendel's only mineral makeup line, and that's a very wise decision for a store that clearly doesn't want to compete with Macy's.

I was never a fan of mineral makeup, mostly because of the weird finish most products took on my face, but Youngblood products seem to be free of any shine and shimmer where you don't want it and there's a wide range of colors and textures, including a liquid foundation and pressed version of all the powder-based products (try applying a loose powder-anything when a cat or two are rubbing against you. Fun times). The Bendel launch was two weeks ago, an event that brought Philip Luque, Senior Educator and Makeup Artist to NYC. Today, just before he left back to Los Angeles, Philip did my makeup and showed me a couple of things outside of my normal comfort zone (details soon). It was a wonderful, relaxing experience and I loved the final results.

So there you have it- a fabulous beauty day. And I was floating on a cloud of vintage Mitsouko which definitely added to the fun.

Photo of the Youngblood Mineral Mineral Cosmetics counter at Henri Bendel from the company's Facebook page.

Beauty News: Le Metier de Beaute and Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

Today was all about good news. If you remember the stunning Roopal Patel Collection (a Bergdorf Goodman exclusive)  from Le Metier de Beaute (the woman not only has the best job in the universe, she also got a palette named after her), the most coveted part of it was Magic, a cream glaze that transforms any color, including powder shadows, into sheer stains and glosses for the cheeks, lips or eyes. Apparently, I wasn't the only Magic-obsessed soul, so the company is about to release it as a stand-alone product. I'll take a pint or two, thank you very much.

My second surprise of the morning came from Henri Bendel. No, they have not invested in a fabulous e-commerce system (they are on Twitter and Facebook, though, so at least they acknowledge that new Internet thing), but there is something new in the striped halls. Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics isn't a really new line- it was actually launched in 1996. But this is a first time they venture out of spas and clinics and into a department store setting. Youngblood is going to be Bendel's only mineral makeup line, and that's a very wise decision for a store that clearly doesn't want to compete with Macy's.

I was never a fan of mineral makeup, mostly because of the weird finish most products took on my face, but Youngblood products seem to be free of any shine and shimmer where you don't want it and there's a wide range of colors and textures, including a liquid foundation and pressed version of all the powder-based products (try applying a loose powder-anything when a cat or two are rubbing against you. Fun times). The Bendel launch was two weeks ago, an event that brought Philip Luque, Senior Educator and Makeup Artist to NYC. Today, just before he left back to Los Angeles, Philip did my makeup and showed me a couple of things outside of my normal comfort zone (details soon). It was a wonderful, relaxing experience and I loved the final results.

So there you have it- a fabulous beauty day. And I was floating on a cloud of vintage Mitsouko which definitely added to the fun.

Photo of the Youngblood Mineral Mineral Cosmetics counter at Henri Bendel from the company's Facebook page.

Beauty News: Le Metier de Beaute and Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

Today was all about good news. If you remember the stunning Roopal Patel Collection (a Bergdorf Goodman exclusive)  from Le Metier de Beaute (the woman not only has the best job in the universe, she also got a palette named after her), the most coveted part of it was Magic, a cream glaze that transforms any color, including powder shadows, into sheer stains and glosses for the cheeks, lips or eyes. Apparently, I wasn't the only Magic-obsessed soul, so the company is about to release it as a stand-alone product. I'll take a pint or two, thank you very much.

My second surprise of the morning came from Henri Bendel. No, they have not invested in a fabulous e-commerce system (they are on Twitter and Facebook, though, so at least they acknowledge that new Internet thing), but there is something new in the striped halls. Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics isn't a really new line- it was actually launched in 1996. But this is a first time they venture out of spas and clinics and into a department store setting. Youngblood is going to be Bendel's only mineral makeup line, and that's a very wise decision for a store that clearly doesn't want to compete with Macy's.

I was never a fan of mineral makeup, mostly because of the weird finish most products took on my face, but Youngblood products seem to be free of any shine and shimmer where you don't want it and there's a wide range of colors and textures, including a liquid foundation and pressed version of all the powder-based products (try applying a loose powder-anything when a cat or two are rubbing against you. Fun times). The Bendel launch was two weeks ago, an event that brought Philip Luque, Senior Educator and Makeup Artist to NYC. Today, just before he left back to Los Angeles, Philip did my makeup and showed me a couple of things outside of my normal comfort zone (details soon). It was a wonderful, relaxing experience and I loved the final results.

So there you have it- a fabulous beauty day. And I was floating on a cloud of vintage Mitsouko which definitely added to the fun.

Photo of the Youngblood Mineral Mineral Cosmetics counter at Henri Bendel from the company's Facebook page.

Ellis Faas- New At Bergdorf Goodman

Ellis Faas work as a makeup artist has graced the cover of top magazines and created the look and feel of many fashion and perfume ads (from Moschino to the Kate Winslet ads for Lancome). Her contract with L'Oreal has ended in 2007, paving the way to her own high-end niche makeup line which is coming to Bergdorf Goodmen (and Liberty London next month).

Ellis Faas makeup revolves around the concept of using colors that exist in the human body and are part of our natural look- the colors of skin, blood and freckles. Sounds interesting and at least the stock photos look gorgeous. The star of the collection is Ellis Red- a true red that comes in three different finishes- glazed, creamy and milky and promises not to be too orange or too blue. This is something I want to see and try.

I'm planning to be at Bergdorf some time next week. Looks like there's a new counter to visit. I promise a full report.

Image: ellisfaas.com, info: WWD

Ellis Faas- New At Bergdorf Goodman

Ellis Faas work as a makeup artist has graced the cover of top magazines and created the look and feel of many fashion and perfume ads (from Moschino to the Kate Winslet ads for Lancome). Her contract with L'Oreal has ended in 2007, paving the way to her own high-end niche makeup line which is coming to Bergdorf Goodmen (and Liberty London next month).

Ellis Faas makeup revolves around the concept of using colors that exist in the human body and are part of our natural look- the colors of skin, blood and freckles. Sounds interesting and at least the stock photos look gorgeous. The star of the collection is Ellis Red- a true red that comes in three different finishes- glazed, creamy and milky and promises not to be too orange or too blue. This is something I want to see and try.

I'm planning to be at Bergdorf some time next week. Looks like there's a new counter to visit. I promise a full report.

Image: ellisfaas.com, info: WWD

Ellis Faas- New At Bergdorf Goodman

Ellis Faas work as a makeup artist has graced the cover of top magazines and created the look and feel of many fashion and perfume ads (from Moschino to the Kate Winslet ads for Lancome). Her contract with L'Oreal has ended in 2007, paving the way to her own high-end niche makeup line which is coming to Bergdorf Goodmen (and Liberty London next month).

Ellis Faas makeup revolves around the concept of using colors that exist in the human body and are part of our natural look- the colors of skin, blood and freckles. Sounds interesting and at least the stock photos look gorgeous. The star of the collection is Ellis Red- a true red that comes in three different finishes- glazed, creamy and milky and promises not to be too orange or too blue. This is something I want to see and try.

I'm planning to be at Bergdorf some time next week. Looks like there's a new counter to visit. I promise a full report.

Image: ellisfaas.com, info: WWD

A Quick Shopping Tip- Neiman Marcus vs. Bergdorf

You probably got the email newsletters about the 40% sale going on at both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Since the Bergdorf one was at the top of my inbox, I clicked on it first to check what DVF items they had on sale. I found a top I really liked so I proceeded. During checkout, I realized they were about to charge me $16 for shipping and I couldn't find a free shipping coupon anywhere.

Now, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus share not just the user interface but basically the entire site. As far as I could tell, the 40% sale is the same at both online stores, so I switched to Neiman, found the blouse- same sale price and used the current free shipping Coupon, SHOPNM.

So, if you're planning to indulge, do it at Neiman.

A Quick Shopping Tip- Neiman Marcus vs. Bergdorf

You probably got the email newsletters about the 40% sale going on at both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Since the Bergdorf one was at the top of my inbox, I clicked on it first to check what DVF items they had on sale. I found a top I really liked so I proceeded. During checkout, I realized they were about to charge me $16 for shipping and I couldn't find a free shipping coupon anywhere.

Now, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus share not just the user interface but basically the entire site. As far as I could tell, the 40% sale is the same at both online stores, so I switched to Neiman, found the blouse- same sale price and used the current free shipping Coupon, SHOPNM.

So, if you're planning to indulge, do it at Neiman.

A Quick Shopping Tip- Neiman Marcus vs. Bergdorf

You probably got the email newsletters about the 40% sale going on at both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Since the Bergdorf one was at the top of my inbox, I clicked on it first to check what DVF items they had on sale. I found a top I really liked so I proceeded. During checkout, I realized they were about to charge me $16 for shipping and I couldn't find a free shipping coupon anywhere.

Now, Bergdorf and Neiman Marcus share not just the user interface but basically the entire site. As far as I could tell, the 40% sale is the same at both online stores, so I switched to Neiman, found the blouse- same sale price and used the current free shipping Coupon, SHOPNM.

So, if you're planning to indulge, do it at Neiman.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadow

The Edward Bess lovefest continues.

It was hard to choose between the eye shadow colors, but I settles on Dusk, a grayish brown (or brownish gray, depending on the light) with a subtle khaki undertone. It's the second darkest in the line, and works beautifully in the crease, on the lid and even to lightly line the lower lashes (using Nars smudge brush). On a lighter skin, Dusk could easily be used to line the upper lashes as well.

Edward Bess' perfectionism is extremely obvious in his eye shadows. The colors are the most elegant you would find- all are neutral and subtle but with enough character, pigment and rich undertones to create beautiful effects that aren't obvious makeupy, if that makes any sense. I guess it's the total opposite approach of lines that dazzle you with trendy colors and appeal to one's experimental side. With Edward Bess' work, the makeup items are so perfect that it's no longer about the makeup, but about the wearer. Which, come to think about it, that's the way it should always be.


The texture and quality are the best. Smooth and finely milled, the eye shadows apply as lightly or as thickly as you want, and the color is buildable without caking (in the swatch pictures, no. 1 is the color applied as a light wash, no. 2 is two layers with a dense brush) . Used over a primer, the only way to get get it off is with a makeup remover. Otherwise it stays on.

Bottom line: I need at least a couple of other of these.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadows ($29) are available exclusively from Bergdorf Goodman and edwardbess.com.

All photos are mine.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadow

The Edward Bess lovefest continues.

It was hard to choose between the eye shadow colors, but I settles on Dusk, a grayish brown (or brownish gray, depending on the light) with a subtle khaki undertone. It's the second darkest in the line, and works beautifully in the crease, on the lid and even to lightly line the lower lashes (using Nars smudge brush). On a lighter skin, Dusk could easily be used to line the upper lashes as well.

Edward Bess' perfectionism is extremely obvious in his eye shadows. The colors are the most elegant you would find- all are neutral and subtle but with enough character, pigment and rich undertones to create beautiful effects that aren't obvious makeupy, if that makes any sense. I guess it's the total opposite approach of lines that dazzle you with trendy colors and appeal to one's experimental side. With Edward Bess' work, the makeup items are so perfect that it's no longer about the makeup, but about the wearer. Which, come to think about it, that's the way it should always be.


The texture and quality are the best. Smooth and finely milled, the eye shadows apply as lightly or as thickly as you want, and the color is buildable without caking (in the swatch pictures, no. 1 is the color applied as a light wash, no. 2 is two layers with a dense brush) . Used over a primer, the only way to get get it off is with a makeup remover. Otherwise it stays on.

Bottom line: I need at least a couple of other of these.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadows ($29) are available exclusively from Bergdorf Goodman and edwardbess.com.

All photos are mine.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadow

The Edward Bess lovefest continues.

It was hard to choose between the eye shadow colors, but I settles on Dusk, a grayish brown (or brownish gray, depending on the light) with a subtle khaki undertone. It's the second darkest in the line, and works beautifully in the crease, on the lid and even to lightly line the lower lashes (using Nars smudge brush). On a lighter skin, Dusk could easily be used to line the upper lashes as well.

Edward Bess' perfectionism is extremely obvious in his eye shadows. The colors are the most elegant you would find- all are neutral and subtle but with enough character, pigment and rich undertones to create beautiful effects that aren't obvious makeupy, if that makes any sense. I guess it's the total opposite approach of lines that dazzle you with trendy colors and appeal to one's experimental side. With Edward Bess' work, the makeup items are so perfect that it's no longer about the makeup, but about the wearer. Which, come to think about it, that's the way it should always be.


The texture and quality are the best. Smooth and finely milled, the eye shadows apply as lightly or as thickly as you want, and the color is buildable without caking (in the swatch pictures, no. 1 is the color applied as a light wash, no. 2 is two layers with a dense brush) . Used over a primer, the only way to get get it off is with a makeup remover. Otherwise it stays on.

Bottom line: I need at least a couple of other of these.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadows ($29) are available exclusively from Bergdorf Goodman and edwardbess.com.

All photos are mine.

Today In NYC: Sniffs And Snippets- September Edition

• There was an odd smell outside the Sony store on Madison Avenue. Something synthetic and green, and not entirely pleasant. Apparently, Sony now has a store fragrance, Green Bamboo, that ties in with their eco-friendly, environmentally conscious campaign. Whatever.
  


• The new Nasomatto perfume, Black Afgano, still hasn't arrived at Barneys NYC.
  


• The new Tom Ford tester bottles are at Bergdorf. Grey Vetiver smells like an instant classic. Woody, salty, clean without being dumbed-down. I love it, the husband who has several vetiver scents in his collections wasn't sure it's different enough to justify the shelf space. We'll see.
  


• The four Tom Ford Private Blend musks are nice, but I wasn't slayed by any particular one. I liked the Urban Musk best. It's the sweetest and sexiest, I think, with a honey-plum thing going on there. Pure Musk has a powdery orris note that reminded me of Uncle Serge's Clair de Musc. I also liked White Suede, which feels very smooth (and didn't remind me of Daim Blond). Jasmin Musk didn't entice me to allocate any skin for testing.
  Am I all musked out? I don't know. I'll need to do more testing.
  


• The funniest thing: Bergdorf is now carrying and promoting Balmain Ambre Gris. Seriously. Those of you who don't know why I had to scrape my jaw off the floor should check out my post from last year. Bergdorf is selling it for full retail price, so no matter what you do, don't buy it there.
  


• Two words: Chantecaille lipsticks. I bought two more. Reviews coming soon.
  


• By Killian Back To Black made me want to layer Miel de Bois with Fumerie Turque and maybe Louve or Luctor et Emergo. It's very sweet on my skin, in a pleasant way. A bit more foody than I expected and utterly pleasurable.
  


• The husband lusts after the other new By Killian, Pure Oud. It's magnificent.
  


• There are still a few bottles of Mona di Orio on sale at Bergdorf, mostly the 100 ml for $60. Lux is all gone.
  


• Why (oh why oh why) does the new Michael Kors, Very Hollywood, suck so much? And why is so much floor and counter space devoted to this dud that will be at the discounters in four months and would probably be discontinued with most of the generic fruity florals in a couple of years?

Crappy cellphone picture of a beautiful 1956 DeSoto Fireflight just outside of Bergdorf Goodman: all mine (many thanks to my scent twin, Tom, for identifying the car )

Today In NYC: Sniffs And Snippets- September Edition

• There was an odd smell outside the Sony store on Madison Avenue. Something synthetic and green, and not entirely pleasant. Apparently, Sony now has a store fragrance, Green Bamboo, that ties in with their eco-friendly, environmentally conscious campaign. Whatever.
  


• The new Nasomatto perfume, Black Afgano, still hasn't arrived at Barneys NYC.
  


• The new Tom Ford tester bottles are at Bergdorf. Grey Vetiver smells like an instant classic. Woody, salty, clean without being dumbed-down. I love it, the husband who has several vetiver scents in his collections wasn't sure it's different enough to justify the shelf space. We'll see.
  


• The four Tom Ford Private Blend musks are nice, but I wasn't slayed by any particular one. I liked the Urban Musk best. It's the sweetest and sexiest, I think, with a honey-plum thing going on there. Pure Musk has a powdery orris note that reminded me of Uncle Serge's Clair de Musc. I also liked White Suede, which feels very smooth (and didn't remind me of Daim Blond). Jasmin Musk didn't entice me to allocate any skin for testing.
  Am I all musked out? I don't know. I'll need to do more testing.
  


• The funniest thing: Bergdorf is now carrying and promoting Balmain Ambre Gris. Seriously. Those of you who don't know why I had to scrape my jaw off the floor should check out my post from last year. Bergdorf is selling it for full retail price, so no matter what you do, don't buy it there.
  


• Two words: Chantecaille lipsticks. I bought two more. Reviews coming soon.
  


• By Killian Back To Black made me want to layer Miel de Bois with Fumerie Turque and maybe Louve or Luctor et Emergo. It's very sweet on my skin, in a pleasant way. A bit more foody than I expected and utterly pleasurable.
  


• The husband lusts after the other new By Killian, Pure Oud. It's magnificent.
  


• There are still a few bottles of Mona di Orio on sale at Bergdorf, mostly the 100 ml for $60. Lux is all gone.
  


• Why (oh why oh why) does the new Michael Kors, Very Hollywood, suck so much? And why is so much floor and counter space devoted to this dud that will be at the discounters in four months and would probably be discontinued with most of the generic fruity florals in a couple of years?

Crappy cellphone picture of a beautiful 1956 DeSoto Fireflight just outside of Bergdorf Goodman: all mine (many thanks to my scent twin, Tom, for identifying the car )