Posted by Jessica
on
12 September 2010
A number of years ago, when I still shopped for most of my toiletries at drugstores, I received a gift of some fancy lavender-fragranced body cream in a prettily decorated tube. It was one of the first upscale bath-and-body items that I had ever tried, and it was made by Thymes — or rather, The Thymes, as the company was then called. I thoroughly enjoyed it, because it felt and smelled so different from my usual products, and since that time I’ve had a fond feeling for Thymes (even though the Filigree collection, my eventual favorite, was discontinued last year).
The Ambersweet Orange collection is a fairly recent addition to the Thymes range of body products and fragrance, and its Body Lotion sounded like an appropriate pick for early autumn. According to Thymes, in this lotion “the healing properties of creamy yogurt and the warm blush of honey combine to richly moisturize your skin while the harmonizing aromas of delicate orange blossom, creamy almond milk, tonka bean and vanilla swirl gently in the zest of nutmeg, sandalwood and cardamom for a natural goodness that radiates well-being.” Ambersweet Orange Body Lotion gives off a gently sweet almond scent when it’s first applied…
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Posted by Jessica
on
10 January 2009
Ah yes, the last-minute impulse purchase. I’m still not immune to it, especially at Sephora: when I’m waiting on the inevitable line to pay, I can’t help browsing through the items that the beauty superstore has so thoughtfully placed in bins leading up to its cash register. Hershey’s Almond Lip Balm was my most recent such purchase.
I don’t know anything about the manufacturers of this balm and the others in its line, other than that they’re called On10, they’re located in midtown Manhattan, and they create “fun novelty lip balm…using authentic flavors from some of America's favorite confection and beverage brands.” I might have bypassed this particular impulse purchase if I hadn’t sniffed the Hershey’s Almond tester. This lip balm has an unexpectedly deep and wonderful scent…
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Posted by Robin
on
1 March 2007
Lea St Barth is by Calypso St. Barth, and the notes include almond, vanilla, and musk. Background information on the Calypso St. Barth line is scarce, but it seems to be a boutique on the Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy, not to be confused with Christiane Celle’s Calypso, which also hails from St. Barth. The island is also home to Ligne St. Barth. There must be something in the water there that inspires fragrance creation, or perhaps it is just the island’s status as stomping grounds for the rich and famous; W Magazine notes that it is “a Caribbean paradise where they can bask on the beach (with other people just as rich) and score impossible-to-find Hermes bags” (11/1/2004).
Anyway, back to Lea. The top notes are very nearly a dead ringer for almond extract. Vanilla extract joins in fairly quickly, and for a brief time, it smells very much like those crunchy little Amaretti cookies topped with sugar. After that, it softens and gets milky-powdery and a bit less foody. There is lots of very clean (almost soapy clean) musk and the tiniest blur of sheer florals. It gets warmer the longer it is on skin, and after an hour or so, there is a subdued undertone of dry cocoa powder…
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Posted by Kevin
on
27 December 2006
“While traveling the Silk Road between Asia and the Mediterranean, explorers ate almonds to maintain health. Thought to promote fertility, the Romans showered the bride and groom after a wedding with almonds.” (from the Claus Porto description of the Alface candle)
The almond tree (prunus dulcis) and its blossoms and fruit have had symbolic meaning for cultures in Asia (the tree’s native habitat), the Middle East and Europe. The long-lived tree represents endurance and the wish for a long life. The abundant, fragrant almond blossoms of late winter convey the promise of coming spring and proclaim the ability of the earth to renew itself. In China, white almond blossoms symbolize feminine beauty…
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Posted by Anjali
on
27 December 2006
Claus Porto is a Portuguese soap manufacturing company that, since its inception in 1887, has become one of the most prestigious soap makers in Europe. As of recent years, they have began to offer their products to American consumers in fourteen fragrances ranging from Favorito (Red Poppy) to Lelite (Orange Amber) and Ilyria (Honeysuckle), all encased in the most beautiful vibrant art deco packaging.
Being somewhat of an almond addict, the first scent I had to try was Alface. As Kevin found in his experience with the Alface candle, it is actually quite an unusual almond fragrance…
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