Tom Ford Private Blend- Musk Pure

If I were in Tom Ford's place, I'd smack his marketing/PR team. And also fire them. You'd think they'd learn a lesson or two from the way his Private Blend was launched. It took more than a year for the line to get the serious attention (and often love) of the perfume community and for serious buzz to start generating among those who test, wear and buy more than one bottle a year. When the White Musk collection was released there was already serious interest, but it wasn't leveraged in a meaningful way. It took ages before samples were available, forcing Tom Ford fans and other sniffers to test all four perfumes at the counters. We sprayed and almost immediately lost track of what wrist and inner elbow had each fragrance, mixing up the names and missing the delicate nuances of the scents in the general chaos and department store air. Most reports and impressions from the first weeks were: "meh". People moved on and lost interest.

By the time samples became available the White Musk collection was no longer the newest, shiniest thing on the counters and the momentum was lost. It's a shame, really, because as I've been slowly discovering, this collection is worth our attention.

Musk Pure is a variation on a familiar theme. Uncle Serge had already created a powdery soft iris-musk blend in his Clair de Musc. Tom Ford's idea is very similar, which might be why I'm still wavering on a full bottle- do I need a butchier Clair de Musc? Musk Pure has a creamier heart and it feels a little less powdery, especially at the start of the scent's development. It dries down quite sweet on my skin and more feminine than the peppery opening suggests, so I doubt those who object to CdM on grounds of over-fluffiness would fall for this one. However, it has a more sensual feel that suggests "sexy" more than "pretty", so lovers of musks are urged to give this Tom Ford another try.

Musk Pure from Tom Ford's Private Blend ($190, 1.7 EDP) is available from select department stores as well as at Tom Ford boutiques around the world. My samples came with various purchases at Bergdorf and Saks in NYC.

Photo by F.C.Gundlach, 1962

Tom Ford Private Blend- Musk Pure

If I were in Tom Ford's place, I'd smack his marketing/PR team. And also fire them. You'd think they'd learn a lesson or two from the way his Private Blend was launched. It took more than a year for the line to get the serious attention (and often love) of the perfume community and for serious buzz to start generating among those who test, wear and buy more than one bottle a year. When the White Musk collection was released there was already serious interest, but it wasn't leveraged in a meaningful way. It took ages before samples were available, forcing Tom Ford fans and other sniffers to test all four perfumes at the counters. We sprayed and almost immediately lost track of what wrist and inner elbow had each fragrance, mixing up the names and missing the delicate nuances of the scents in the general chaos and department store air. Most reports and impressions from the first weeks were: "meh". People moved on and lost interest.

By the time samples became available the White Musk collection was no longer the newest, shiniest thing on the counters and the momentum was lost. It's a shame, really, because as I've been slowly discovering, this collection is worth our attention.

Musk Pure is a variation on a familiar theme. Uncle Serge had already created a powdery soft iris-musk blend in his Clair de Musc. Tom Ford's idea is very similar, which might be why I'm still wavering on a full bottle- do I need a butchier Clair de Musc? Musk Pure has a creamier heart and it feels a little less powdery, especially at the start of the scent's development. It dries down quite sweet on my skin and more feminine than the peppery opening suggests, so I doubt those who object to CdM on grounds of over-fluffiness would fall for this one. However, it has a more sensual feel that suggests "sexy" more than "pretty", so lovers of musks are urged to give this Tom Ford another try.

Musk Pure from Tom Ford's Private Blend ($190, 1.7 EDP) is available from select department stores as well as at Tom Ford boutiques around the world. My samples came with various purchases at Bergdorf and Saks in NYC.

Photo by F.C.Gundlach, 1962

Tom Ford Private Blend- Musk Pure

If I were in Tom Ford's place, I'd smack his marketing/PR team. And also fire them. You'd think they'd learn a lesson or two from the way his Private Blend was launched. It took more than a year for the line to get the serious attention (and often love) of the perfume community and for serious buzz to start generating among those who test, wear and buy more than one bottle a year. When the White Musk collection was released there was already serious interest, but it wasn't leveraged in a meaningful way. It took ages before samples were available, forcing Tom Ford fans and other sniffers to test all four perfumes at the counters. We sprayed and almost immediately lost track of what wrist and inner elbow had each fragrance, mixing up the names and missing the delicate nuances of the scents in the general chaos and department store air. Most reports and impressions from the first weeks were: "meh". People moved on and lost interest.

By the time samples became available the White Musk collection was no longer the newest, shiniest thing on the counters and the momentum was lost. It's a shame, really, because as I've been slowly discovering, this collection is worth our attention.

Musk Pure is a variation on a familiar theme. Uncle Serge had already created a powdery soft iris-musk blend in his Clair de Musc. Tom Ford's idea is very similar, which might be why I'm still wavering on a full bottle- do I need a butchier Clair de Musc? Musk Pure has a creamier heart and it feels a little less powdery, especially at the start of the scent's development. It dries down quite sweet on my skin and more feminine than the peppery opening suggests, so I doubt those who object to CdM on grounds of over-fluffiness would fall for this one. However, it has a more sensual feel that suggests "sexy" more than "pretty", so lovers of musks are urged to give this Tom Ford another try.

Musk Pure from Tom Ford's Private Blend ($190, 1.7 EDP) is available from select department stores as well as at Tom Ford boutiques around the world. My samples came with various purchases at Bergdorf and Saks in NYC.

Photo by F.C.Gundlach, 1962

Tom Ford Private Blend- Bois Marocain

I can try and analyze Bois Marocain from TomFord's Private Blend until you and I are blue in the face and bored out of our mind. We can be cerebral and talk about the notes, their meaning and ponder if Mr Ford has got a case of Serge-envy, Tauer-envy or whatever. We can snark and say that even if he did, the perfumer who actually created Bois Marocain for him is obviously not as talented as Andy Tauer or Chris Sheldrake. It will be true. The thing is, in the end of the day and as much as I'm not smitten or highly impressed, Bois Marocain smells quite nice on my skin.

Basically, it's a super-resinous incense. Part of it smell very cold and pine-like, other parts make me think I'm sniffing glue. The dry-down is less synthetic and much warmer. It makes me think of nice frankincense-myrrh blends, dark, woody and a little sweet. I find it easy to wear and enjoy what's left on my skin even after 12 hours. The problem is something I hesitate to call a lack of soul, so maybe over-conceptualizing, over-thinking, trying too hard... you choose. It feels more like an idea than an actual fragrance story.

Bottom Line: Encence Flamboyant (Goutal) is a better take on this.

Bois Marocain ($180, 1.7oz) and the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend line can be found at top department stores and Tom Ford boutiques around the world.

Photo of a Moroccan wood door: bladitour.fr

Tom Ford Private Blend- Bois Marocain

I can try and analyze Bois Marocain from TomFord's Private Blend until you and I are blue in the face and bored out of our mind. We can be cerebral and talk about the notes, their meaning and ponder if Mr Ford has got a case of Serge-envy, Tauer-envy or whatever. We can snark and say that even if he did, the perfumer who actually created Bois Marocain for him is obviously not as talented as Andy Tauer or Chris Sheldrake. It will be true. The thing is, in the end of the day and as much as I'm not smitten or highly impressed, Bois Marocain smells quite nice on my skin.

Basically, it's a super-resinous incense. Part of it smell very cold and pine-like, other parts make me think I'm sniffing glue. The dry-down is less synthetic and much warmer. It makes me think of nice frankincense-myrrh blends, dark, woody and a little sweet. I find it easy to wear and enjoy what's left on my skin even after 12 hours. The problem is something I hesitate to call a lack of soul, so maybe over-conceptualizing, over-thinking, trying too hard... you choose. It feels more like an idea than an actual fragrance story.

Bottom Line: Encence Flamboyant (Goutal) is a better take on this.

Bois Marocain ($180, 1.7oz) and the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend line can be found at top department stores and Tom Ford boutiques around the world.

Photo of a Moroccan wood door: bladitour.fr

Tom Ford Private Blend- Bois Marocain

I can try and analyze Bois Marocain from TomFord's Private Blend until you and I are blue in the face and bored out of our mind. We can be cerebral and talk about the notes, their meaning and ponder if Mr Ford has got a case of Serge-envy, Tauer-envy or whatever. We can snark and say that even if he did, the perfumer who actually created Bois Marocain for him is obviously not as talented as Andy Tauer or Chris Sheldrake. It will be true. The thing is, in the end of the day and as much as I'm not smitten or highly impressed, Bois Marocain smells quite nice on my skin.

Basically, it's a super-resinous incense. Part of it smell very cold and pine-like, other parts make me think I'm sniffing glue. The dry-down is less synthetic and much warmer. It makes me think of nice frankincense-myrrh blends, dark, woody and a little sweet. I find it easy to wear and enjoy what's left on my skin even after 12 hours. The problem is something I hesitate to call a lack of soul, so maybe over-conceptualizing, over-thinking, trying too hard... you choose. It feels more like an idea than an actual fragrance story.

Bottom Line: Encence Flamboyant (Goutal) is a better take on this.

Bois Marocain ($180, 1.7oz) and the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend line can be found at top department stores and Tom Ford boutiques around the world.

Photo of a Moroccan wood door: bladitour.fr

Tom Ford Private Blend- Urban Musk

I had a hard time deciphering Tom Ford's White Musk Collection when it first came out last year. I enjoy the entire Tom Ford Private Blend line and love many of the perfumes, but Ford's habit of mass releases is making the sniffing and choosing too overwhelming. Every time I played with the testers at Saks or Bergdorf I ended up forgetting which was which. Add to that the general softness of these scents that gets lost in the department store's air, the fact they all require several sprays to show their true selves and develop right and you get a very confused blogger. It was only when I got larger decants of the four White Musks and started giving them my full attention that things started falling into place for me.

I have no idea what Urban Musk means. Did Tom Ford mean the funk of the NYC subway? The smell in the East Village the night before garbage day? The unwashed hair of some the hipsters in Williamsburg? Where does an urban musk even come from? I mean, after the Mystery Of Musk project I've definitely broadened my musky horizons and learned to identify the feeling of musk, but I can't describe any of it as "urban". Still, there's something about Ford's Urban Musk that's a bit angular, less fuzzy, maybe.

I might be anosmic to some of the musk molecules used in this fragrance. I smell it, but at times the core drifts away from me and then comes back. I feel like I'm missing a piece of the composition, even though I greatly enjoy everything that's around it. I like the floral opening. It's a somewhat abstract jasmine, maybe a bit too synthetic but the whole man-made industrialized feel might also be part of the urban concept. Most of the perfume as I perceive it is about honeyed sweet musk. Any strongly barnyard/animalic aspect is lost on me here. Then again, part of the reason I adore musky perfumes is because they tend to smell cuddly and soft on me, as my skin neutralizes any beastly aromas. The same goes for honey. Miel de Bois is nothing but loveliness for me (note to self and to scent twin- let's try layering MdB and MKK and see what happens), while some people describe it in litter box terms.

While Urban Musk never veers far from skin level, its longevity is very satisfying. I get whiffs of its vanilla and leather dry-down 12 hours and more after application.

Is it a must-have for musk afictionados? I can't say. Sample first to make sure you actually smell all of it and enjoy the entire journey, even if it was sort of meh at the store. Give Urban Musk some air and time before dismissing it. I'm glad I did, even if I definitely don't need a full bottle of this one.

Tom Ford Private Blend, including the White Musk Collection, is available at Tom Ford boutiques worldwide and top department stores. $180 for 1.7oz.

Photo of Natalie Wood in the 1950s from theniftyfifties.tumblr.com

Tom Ford Private Blend- Urban Musk

I had a hard time deciphering Tom Ford's White Musk Collection when it first came out last year. I enjoy the entire Tom Ford Private Blend line and love many of the perfumes, but Ford's habit of mass releases is making the sniffing and choosing too overwhelming. Every time I played with the testers at Saks or Bergdorf I ended up forgetting which was which. Add to that the general softness of these scents that gets lost in the department store's air, the fact they all require several sprays to show their true selves and develop right and you get a very confused blogger. It was only when I got larger decants of the four White Musks and started giving them my full attention that things started falling into place for me.

I have no idea what Urban Musk means. Did Tom Ford mean the funk of the NYC subway? The smell in the East Village the night before garbage day? The unwashed hair of some the hipsters in Williamsburg? Where does an urban musk even come from? I mean, after the Mystery Of Musk project I've definitely broadened my musky horizons and learned to identify the feeling of musk, but I can't describe any of it as "urban". Still, there's something about Ford's Urban Musk that's a bit angular, less fuzzy, maybe.

I might be anosmic to some of the musk molecules used in this fragrance. I smell it, but at times the core drifts away from me and then comes back. I feel like I'm missing a piece of the composition, even though I greatly enjoy everything that's around it. I like the floral opening. It's a somewhat abstract jasmine, maybe a bit too synthetic but the whole man-made industrialized feel might also be part of the urban concept. Most of the perfume as I perceive it is about honeyed sweet musk. Any strongly barnyard/animalic aspect is lost on me here. Then again, part of the reason I adore musky perfumes is because they tend to smell cuddly and soft on me, as my skin neutralizes any beastly aromas. The same goes for honey. Miel de Bois is nothing but loveliness for me (note to self and to scent twin- let's try layering MdB and MKK and see what happens), while some people describe it in litter box terms.

While Urban Musk never veers far from skin level, its longevity is very satisfying. I get whiffs of its vanilla and leather dry-down 12 hours and more after application.

Is it a must-have for musk afictionados? I can't say. Sample first to make sure you actually smell all of it and enjoy the entire journey, even if it was sort of meh at the store. Give Urban Musk some air and time before dismissing it. I'm glad I did, even if I definitely don't need a full bottle of this one.

Tom Ford Private Blend, including the White Musk Collection, is available at Tom Ford boutiques worldwide and top department stores. $180 for 1.7oz.

Photo of Natalie Wood in the 1950s from theniftyfifties.tumblr.com

Tom Ford Private Blend- Urban Musk

I had a hard time deciphering Tom Ford's White Musk Collection when it first came out last year. I enjoy the entire Tom Ford Private Blend line and love many of the perfumes, but Ford's habit of mass releases is making the sniffing and choosing too overwhelming. Every time I played with the testers at Saks or Bergdorf I ended up forgetting which was which. Add to that the general softness of these scents that gets lost in the department store's air, the fact they all require several sprays to show their true selves and develop right and you get a very confused blogger. It was only when I got larger decants of the four White Musks and started giving them my full attention that things started falling into place for me.

I have no idea what Urban Musk means. Did Tom Ford mean the funk of the NYC subway? The smell in the East Village the night before garbage day? The unwashed hair of some the hipsters in Williamsburg? Where does an urban musk even come from? I mean, after the Mystery Of Musk project I've definitely broadened my musky horizons and learned to identify the feeling of musk, but I can't describe any of it as "urban". Still, there's something about Ford's Urban Musk that's a bit angular, less fuzzy, maybe.

I might be anosmic to some of the musk molecules used in this fragrance. I smell it, but at times the core drifts away from me and then comes back. I feel like I'm missing a piece of the composition, even though I greatly enjoy everything that's around it. I like the floral opening. It's a somewhat abstract jasmine, maybe a bit too synthetic but the whole man-made industrialized feel might also be part of the urban concept. Most of the perfume as I perceive it is about honeyed sweet musk. Any strongly barnyard/animalic aspect is lost on me here. Then again, part of the reason I adore musky perfumes is because they tend to smell cuddly and soft on me, as my skin neutralizes any beastly aromas. The same goes for honey. Miel de Bois is nothing but loveliness for me (note to self and to scent twin- let's try layering MdB and MKK and see what happens), while some people describe it in litter box terms.

While Urban Musk never veers far from skin level, its longevity is very satisfying. I get whiffs of its vanilla and leather dry-down 12 hours and more after application.

Is it a must-have for musk afictionados? I can't say. Sample first to make sure you actually smell all of it and enjoy the entire journey, even if it was sort of meh at the store. Give Urban Musk some air and time before dismissing it. I'm glad I did, even if I definitely don't need a full bottle of this one.

Tom Ford Private Blend, including the White Musk Collection, is available at Tom Ford boutiques worldwide and top department stores. $180 for 1.7oz.

Photo of Natalie Wood in the 1950s from theniftyfifties.tumblr.com

Tom Ford Private Blend- Champaca Absolute

Is Champaca Absolute the big  fruity floral in Tom Ford's Private Blend line? Yes and no, I guess. The floral heart notes take center stage and they are accentuated with sweet round plums and a plum liqueur. But, really, this is not something that belongs in a pink bottle on Sephora's shelves. The first blast is very alcoholic and boozy. Something between Armagnac and a plum brandy. It reminds me of the smell of the Slivovitz my father's Bulgarian cousin has brought when he visited many years ago. I couldn't decide back than if it smelled good or not, but it's much easier this time. Champaca Absolute smells really really good.

The flowers (jasmine, violet, orchid, champaca) are blended into a single accord of prettiness.It leans to the tropic side, a little loud and exuberant, but after wearing it enough times and learning to listen I've begun to smell the softness that lies underneath. It feels like a layer of silk, not quite powdery and not quite sweet- I guess that's the steamed rice quality of champaca. I have yet to find it when wearing Ormonde Jayne's Champaca which I like well enough, but Tom Ford's version works better on my skin for one reason or another.

Maybe it's the base. Champaca Absolute dries down rich and sweet. After four or five hours it becomes a full blown oriental, even though the floral accord is tenacious enough to still be hover and appear here and there, especially in the heat. I can't say I get the promised marron glace note, but there is quite a bit of sweet creaminess to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Champaca Absolute, like the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7oz), is available from Bergdorf Goodman, select Saks, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus locations and their online stores.

Art by the wonderfully talented Kirsty Mitchell 

Tom Ford Private Blend- Champaca Absolute

Is Champaca Absolute the big  fruity floral in Tom Ford's Private Blend line? Yes and no, I guess. The floral heart notes take center stage and they are accentuated with sweet round plums and a plum liqueur. But, really, this is not something that belongs in a pink bottle on Sephora's shelves. The first blast is very alcoholic and boozy. Something between Armagnac and a plum brandy. It reminds me of the smell of the Slivovitz my father's Bulgarian cousin has brought when he visited many years ago. I couldn't decide back than if it smelled good or not, but it's much easier this time. Champaca Absolute smells really really good.

The flowers (jasmine, violet, orchid, champaca) are blended into a single accord of prettiness.It leans to the tropic side, a little loud and exuberant, but after wearing it enough times and learning to listen I've begun to smell the softness that lies underneath. It feels like a layer of silk, not quite powdery and not quite sweet- I guess that's the steamed rice quality of champaca. I have yet to find it when wearing Ormonde Jayne's Champaca which I like well enough, but Tom Ford's version works better on my skin for one reason or another.

Maybe it's the base. Champaca Absolute dries down rich and sweet. After four or five hours it becomes a full blown oriental, even though the floral accord is tenacious enough to still be hover and appear here and there, especially in the heat. I can't say I get the promised marron glace note, but there is quite a bit of sweet creaminess to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Champaca Absolute, like the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7oz), is available from Bergdorf Goodman, select Saks, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus locations and their online stores.

Art by the wonderfully talented Kirsty Mitchell 

Tom Ford Private Blend- Champaca Absolute

Is Champaca Absolute the big  fruity floral in Tom Ford's Private Blend line? Yes and no, I guess. The floral heart notes take center stage and they are accentuated with sweet round plums and a plum liqueur. But, really, this is not something that belongs in a pink bottle on Sephora's shelves. The first blast is very alcoholic and boozy. Something between Armagnac and a plum brandy. It reminds me of the smell of the Slivovitz my father's Bulgarian cousin has brought when he visited many years ago. I couldn't decide back than if it smelled good or not, but it's much easier this time. Champaca Absolute smells really really good.

The flowers (jasmine, violet, orchid, champaca) are blended into a single accord of prettiness.It leans to the tropic side, a little loud and exuberant, but after wearing it enough times and learning to listen I've begun to smell the softness that lies underneath. It feels like a layer of silk, not quite powdery and not quite sweet- I guess that's the steamed rice quality of champaca. I have yet to find it when wearing Ormonde Jayne's Champaca which I like well enough, but Tom Ford's version works better on my skin for one reason or another.

Maybe it's the base. Champaca Absolute dries down rich and sweet. After four or five hours it becomes a full blown oriental, even though the floral accord is tenacious enough to still be hover and appear here and there, especially in the heat. I can't say I get the promised marron glace note, but there is quite a bit of sweet creaminess to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Champaca Absolute, like the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7oz), is available from Bergdorf Goodman, select Saks, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus locations and their online stores.

Art by the wonderfully talented Kirsty Mitchell 

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color- Bruised Plum

I usually take more time to review a lipstick- I prefer to test over several days, meals and weather conditions, but I've been getting so many emails and requests about the new Tom Ford lipsticks so here it is. I pre-ordered this one after a visit to the Tom Ford counter at the Saks 5th Avenue NYC store (my local Saks doesn't have Tom Ford). I swooned over the presentation box with all 12 shades though I could certainly live without Ford's oversexualized promotional image. Seriously, Tom, sometimes a lipstick is just a lipstick. And since your potential customers are ladies who know luxury and can afford $45 for one tube, maybe you should rethink how you approach them.

But all the Tom Fordiness aside, we are talking makeup here. The current colors go from the palest beige to deep brown. There are some Betty Draper worthy reds and several pinks. I tested a few and ended up with Bruised Plum, which as you can see is a red-based purple. It was the only one that really looked flattering on me. I certainly hope for more shades in the future.

The texture is very soft and smooth and the pigment is intense. Despite the softness and the comfortable feel of the lipstick it is not moisturizing, so I prefer to wear it over either Chantecaille or Sensai lip base. The color holds very well, doesn't transfer to my water bottle and stays on without feathering for several hours. I know there's a hint of shimmer in the tube, but it doesn't appear on the lips except as a hint of brightness. The look is actually almost matte after a few minutes, which adds to the drama and retro vibe.

Bottom line: Tom Ford is the only man who can make an Estee Lauder lipstick look and feel exciting.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipsticks ($45) are available at select Tom Ford counters and online from Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos are mine.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color- Bruised Plum

I usually take more time to review a lipstick- I prefer to test over several days, meals and weather conditions, but I've been getting so many emails and requests about the new Tom Ford lipsticks so here it is. I pre-ordered this one after a visit to the Tom Ford counter at the Saks 5th Avenue NYC store (my local Saks doesn't have Tom Ford). I swooned over the presentation box with all 12 shades though I could certainly live without Ford's oversexualized promotional image. Seriously, Tom, sometimes a lipstick is just a lipstick. And since your potential customers are ladies who know luxury and can afford $45 for one tube, maybe you should rethink how you approach them.

But all the Tom Fordiness aside, we are talking makeup here. The current colors go from the palest beige to deep brown. There are some Betty Draper worthy reds and several pinks. I tested a few and ended up with Bruised Plum, which as you can see is a red-based purple. It was the only one that really looked flattering on me. I certainly hope for more shades in the future.

The texture is very soft and smooth and the pigment is intense. Despite the softness and the comfortable feel of the lipstick it is not moisturizing, so I prefer to wear it over either Chantecaille or Sensai lip base. The color holds very well, doesn't transfer to my water bottle and stays on without feathering for several hours. I know there's a hint of shimmer in the tube, but it doesn't appear on the lips except as a hint of brightness. The look is actually almost matte after a few minutes, which adds to the drama and retro vibe.

Bottom line: Tom Ford is the only man who can make an Estee Lauder lipstick look and feel exciting.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipsticks ($45) are available at select Tom Ford counters and online from Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos are mine.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color- Bruised Plum

I usually take more time to review a lipstick- I prefer to test over several days, meals and weather conditions, but I've been getting so many emails and requests about the new Tom Ford lipsticks so here it is. I pre-ordered this one after a visit to the Tom Ford counter at the Saks 5th Avenue NYC store (my local Saks doesn't have Tom Ford). I swooned over the presentation box with all 12 shades though I could certainly live without Ford's oversexualized promotional image. Seriously, Tom, sometimes a lipstick is just a lipstick. And since your potential customers are ladies who know luxury and can afford $45 for one tube, maybe you should rethink how you approach them.

But all the Tom Fordiness aside, we are talking makeup here. The current colors go from the palest beige to deep brown. There are some Betty Draper worthy reds and several pinks. I tested a few and ended up with Bruised Plum, which as you can see is a red-based purple. It was the only one that really looked flattering on me. I certainly hope for more shades in the future.

The texture is very soft and smooth and the pigment is intense. Despite the softness and the comfortable feel of the lipstick it is not moisturizing, so I prefer to wear it over either Chantecaille or Sensai lip base. The color holds very well, doesn't transfer to my water bottle and stays on without feathering for several hours. I know there's a hint of shimmer in the tube, but it doesn't appear on the lips except as a hint of brightness. The look is actually almost matte after a few minutes, which adds to the drama and retro vibe.

Bottom line: Tom Ford is the only man who can make an Estee Lauder lipstick look and feel exciting.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipsticks ($45) are available at select Tom Ford counters and online from Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos are mine.

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver

Grey Vetiver, Tom Ford's 2009 masculine release, is an attractive and intelligent scent. It had to be, since it was launched into a market that already has several vetiver perfumes that are considered classic. Most vetiver fans own more than one (or six) of them, so seducing us isn't that simple. We've already experienced the bracing (Vetiver Extraordinaire, Route du Vetiver, Turtle Vetiver), the light and uplifting (Guerlain, Racine), the dark (Sycomore, Encre Noire) and the unusual compositions (Vetiver Oriental, Vetiver Dance). Tom Ford had to offer us something that was still missing.

And he did.

While the opening notes are familiarly citrusy and bright and you can't miss the grapefruit , this is not a new variation on the classic Guerlain theme. The scent quickly takes new direction, first with spicy and herbal notes (most noticeably sage), playing the warm and cool game vetivers often do. From green to wood and back, but Grey Vetiver has a certain mellowness, making the ride smoother and more calculated. But to me the big story here is the orris. It's not quite powdery and not earthy carrot-like as some can be. It feels like the orris note fills the gaps and spaces between the green and woody patches, giving the scent incredibly soft. It makes you listen and pay careful attention.

The drydown is also not your average vetiver. The official notes speak of oakmoss, but as much as I try, I can't smell any. I doubt any perfume from the last couple of years that is intended for mainstream retail has enough oakmoss in it to make a difference. What I do smell here is an incredible dry amber. The salty resinous kind, not the garden variety powdery vanilla.

Tom Ford's interpretation might be the easiest to wear among the vetiver colognes in my (well, the husband's) collection. It has no jagged edges or any semi-objectional notes. It's clean and modern enough to befriend the younger (but discerning) crowd, just as it has what it should appeal to those familiar with the classics, men and women alike. I bought a bottle for my father after testing it myself a couple of times. Got a mini which the husband and I used for a while before going for a full bottle.

Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford ($85, 1.7 oz EDP) is available from most department stores- basically you can find it everywhere Black Orchid is sold, including Sephora, which is probably your best bet for a free sample.

Photo of Anderson Cooper: cnn.net

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver

Grey Vetiver, Tom Ford's 2009 masculine release, is an attractive and intelligent scent. It had to be, since it was launched into a market that already has several vetiver perfumes that are considered classic. Most vetiver fans own more than one (or six) of them, so seducing us isn't that simple. We've already experienced the bracing (Vetiver Extraordinaire, Route du Vetiver, Turtle Vetiver), the light and uplifting (Guerlain, Racine), the dark (Sycomore, Encre Noire) and the unusual compositions (Vetiver Oriental, Vetiver Dance). Tom Ford had to offer us something that was still missing.

And he did.

While the opening notes are familiarly citrusy and bright and you can't miss the grapefruit , this is not a new variation on the classic Guerlain theme. The scent quickly takes new direction, first with spicy and herbal notes (most noticeably sage), playing the warm and cool game vetivers often do. From green to wood and back, but Grey Vetiver has a certain mellowness, making the ride smoother and more calculated. But to me the big story here is the orris. It's not quite powdery and not earthy carrot-like as some can be. It feels like the orris note fills the gaps and spaces between the green and woody patches, giving the scent incredibly soft. It makes you listen and pay careful attention.

The drydown is also not your average vetiver. The official notes speak of oakmoss, but as much as I try, I can't smell any. I doubt any perfume from the last couple of years that is intended for mainstream retail has enough oakmoss in it to make a difference. What I do smell here is an incredible dry amber. The salty resinous kind, not the garden variety powdery vanilla.

Tom Ford's interpretation might be the easiest to wear among the vetiver colognes in my (well, the husband's) collection. It has no jagged edges or any semi-objectional notes. It's clean and modern enough to befriend the younger (but discerning) crowd, just as it has what it should appeal to those familiar with the classics, men and women alike. I bought a bottle for my father after testing it myself a couple of times. Got a mini which the husband and I used for a while before going for a full bottle.

Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford ($85, 1.7 oz EDP) is available from most department stores- basically you can find it everywhere Black Orchid is sold, including Sephora, which is probably your best bet for a free sample.

Photo of Anderson Cooper: cnn.net

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver

Grey Vetiver, Tom Ford's 2009 masculine release, is an attractive and intelligent scent. It had to be, since it was launched into a market that already has several vetiver perfumes that are considered classic. Most vetiver fans own more than one (or six) of them, so seducing us isn't that simple. We've already experienced the bracing (Vetiver Extraordinaire, Route du Vetiver, Turtle Vetiver), the light and uplifting (Guerlain, Racine), the dark (Sycomore, Encre Noire) and the unusual compositions (Vetiver Oriental, Vetiver Dance). Tom Ford had to offer us something that was still missing.

And he did.

While the opening notes are familiarly citrusy and bright and you can't miss the grapefruit , this is not a new variation on the classic Guerlain theme. The scent quickly takes new direction, first with spicy and herbal notes (most noticeably sage), playing the warm and cool game vetivers often do. From green to wood and back, but Grey Vetiver has a certain mellowness, making the ride smoother and more calculated. But to me the big story here is the orris. It's not quite powdery and not earthy carrot-like as some can be. It feels like the orris note fills the gaps and spaces between the green and woody patches, giving the scent incredibly soft. It makes you listen and pay careful attention.

The drydown is also not your average vetiver. The official notes speak of oakmoss, but as much as I try, I can't smell any. I doubt any perfume from the last couple of years that is intended for mainstream retail has enough oakmoss in it to make a difference. What I do smell here is an incredible dry amber. The salty resinous kind, not the garden variety powdery vanilla.

Tom Ford's interpretation might be the easiest to wear among the vetiver colognes in my (well, the husband's) collection. It has no jagged edges or any semi-objectional notes. It's clean and modern enough to befriend the younger (but discerning) crowd, just as it has what it should appeal to those familiar with the classics, men and women alike. I bought a bottle for my father after testing it myself a couple of times. Got a mini which the husband and I used for a while before going for a full bottle.

Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford ($85, 1.7 oz EDP) is available from most department stores- basically you can find it everywhere Black Orchid is sold, including Sephora, which is probably your best bet for a free sample.

Photo of Anderson Cooper: cnn.net

Tom Ford Private Blend- Italian Cypress

Tom Ford had famously said that Italian Cypress, one of his Private Blend perfumes, was conceived as an homage to 'a seventies gentleman … that you never see any more,’. You don't smell many scents like that, either.

Italian Cypress is a very polished fragrance. It has a sense of purpose from the very beginning and it's clear it was composed in order to impress and seduce. It's cool- both in attitude and in the air it gives. The top notes are green and herbal with a hint of spice. When I wear it I smell a hint of sweet cinnamon, but I suspect it's a skin chemistry thing- on my husband, the rightful owner of the bottle- it's all green, all the time.

I love a good cypress note. Eau d'Hadrien in its original, pre-IFRA days used to have a beautiful cypress emerging from under the crisp and tart citrus, smelling like an afternoon nap in a cypress grove somewhere warm and beautiful. Goutal's Hadrien is (was. Nowadays it's just a poor excuse of a scent) a lot more casual, though. Tom Ford's interpretation of the note and the Mediterranean garden is more elaborate and refined. It's sweeter, spicier and dries down into an incensy, mossy wood that speaks of Italian landscapes just as much as of sophisticated dining rooms where witty conversations, laughter and beautiful people are in abundance.

I bought the bottle for the Blond, who fell in love with it the first time he tested Italian Cypress at Bergdorf, but I wear it happily myself. I know that some women might find it too masculine, especially if they never enjoyed wearing sneaking spritzes from old bottles of the original Ralph Lauren Polo (in the green bottle. My dad went through countless of them. I helped). All that green stuff works well to cut the heat on a summer day, but I like it year-round. The drydown is especially stunning and almost chypre-like, the way very few scents, masculine or feminine, dare to be nowadays.

Italian Cypress as well as the other Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7 oz EDP) are available from Tom Ford boutiques around the world, select Saks and Nordstrom locations and, of course, Neiman and Bergdorf.

Photo of Alain Delon (I just made my mom really happy): stirredstraightup.blogspot.com
Photo of Italian landscape just outside Viterbo is mine. Taken with my first digital camera in 2003. I miss Italy.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Italian Cypress

Tom Ford had famously said that Italian Cypress, one of his Private Blend perfumes, was conceived as an homage to 'a seventies gentleman … that you never see any more,’. You don't smell many scents like that, either.

Italian Cypress is a very polished fragrance. It has a sense of purpose from the very beginning and it's clear it was composed in order to impress and seduce. It's cool- both in attitude and in the air it gives. The top notes are green and herbal with a hint of spice. When I wear it I smell a hint of sweet cinnamon, but I suspect it's a skin chemistry thing- on my husband, the rightful owner of the bottle- it's all green, all the time.

I love a good cypress note. Eau d'Hadrien in its original, pre-IFRA days used to have a beautiful cypress emerging from under the crisp and tart citrus, smelling like an afternoon nap in a cypress grove somewhere warm and beautiful. Goutal's Hadrien is (was. Nowadays it's just a poor excuse of a scent) a lot more casual, though. Tom Ford's interpretation of the note and the Mediterranean garden is more elaborate and refined. It's sweeter, spicier and dries down into an incensy, mossy wood that speaks of Italian landscapes just as much as of sophisticated dining rooms where witty conversations, laughter and beautiful people are in abundance.

I bought the bottle for the Blond, who fell in love with it the first time he tested Italian Cypress at Bergdorf, but I wear it happily myself. I know that some women might find it too masculine, especially if they never enjoyed wearing sneaking spritzes from old bottles of the original Ralph Lauren Polo (in the green bottle. My dad went through countless of them. I helped). All that green stuff works well to cut the heat on a summer day, but I like it year-round. The drydown is especially stunning and almost chypre-like, the way very few scents, masculine or feminine, dare to be nowadays.

Italian Cypress as well as the other Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7 oz EDP) are available from Tom Ford boutiques around the world, select Saks and Nordstrom locations and, of course, Neiman and Bergdorf.

Photo of Alain Delon (I just made my mom really happy): stirredstraightup.blogspot.com
Photo of Italian landscape just outside Viterbo is mine. Taken with my first digital camera in 2003. I miss Italy.