Posted by Robin
on
25 April 2013
La Collection de Grasse is a new quartet of fragrances from L’Occitane, all of them developed by the house’s newly announced in-house perfumer Karine Dubreuil. On Tuesday I reviewed Jasmin & Bergamote and Magnolia & Mûre; today, Vanille & Narcisse and Thé Vert & Bigarade.
Vanille & Narcisse
blackcurrant, bergamot, narcissus, gardenia, vanilla and tonka bean
Vanille & Narcisse is the floriental of the collection, and was probably the one I had the least interest in before I smelled the set, but I’d say it’s the best (and the most unusual) of the four, and the only one I would be tempted to buy — if these weren’t so expensive (see the end of last Tuesday’s review for a discussion of the price). The opening is bright, the dry down is a spicy, medium-weight creamy floral that earns the “sensual, enveloping skin scent” of Dubreuil’s description. I would never have noticed the gardenia were it not listed in the notes…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Robin
on
14 February 2013
We haven’t talked about chocolate around here in a good long time, so in honor of Valentine’s Day, here are quick reviews of five chocolate bars. Plus two Kusmi teas just because. Do share any of your own chocolate or tea favorites in the comments!
MarieBelle Dark Chocolate Banana (65% cacao)
This is a spendy New York brand that reportedly makes great hot chocolate, but I’ve never tried any of their products except this admittedly sort of strange bar. Numerous little bits of dried banana translate into an oddly bumpy exterior similar to a puffed rice chocolate bar, and lend a satisfying chewy-crunchy texture. I frequently complain that bars don’t have enough “additives”, but this one arguably doesn’t have enough room left for the chocolate — chocolate purists would probably not like it, but then, chocolate purists probably wouldn’t like any of my favorite bars…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Jessica
on
8 February 2013
Valentine’s Day is February 14th, of course, and you may be thinking of giving a small gift or two to a special someone. I don’t mean only romantic partners, either; I think that certain friends and family members deserve a little extra display of affection once in while, too. Here, then, are ten scented treats for all sorts of Valentines, each priced under $30.
Sweets to the sweet: the ever-popular Philosophy has assembled a limited edition X’s and O’s Trio just for Valentine’s Day…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Kevin
on
30 May 2012
Day number two of my Father’s Day gift ideas post focuses on fatherly types personified by the likes of Ward Cleaver, Rick Steves, and J.I. Rodale.
Traditionalist
Fathers who still insist on safety razors and shave creams might appreciate the Edwin Jagger Shaving Cream Gift Set ($55) at Luckyscent; the boxed set contains the Edwin Jagger DE89L chrome-lined razor, a 75 ml tube of Edwin Jagger natural shaving cream, two sample sizes of shave creams, and five Derby Safety Razor Blades. Choose between Aloe Vera or Sandalwood shave cream formulas. Another good shave cream at Luckyscent is Crema da Barba Almond Shaving Cream ($10/150g).
Carbon 2 Cobalt black coffee soap is not “prissy” ($8/5 oz bar) and the Gents Shave Kit is also “macho;” it includes a 4.5 oz shaving soap (in a glass tumbler) made with Rhassoul clay and Sierra Nevada Stout Beer, a 5 oz spiced rum body soap, a 1 oz bay rum aftershave, and a pure badger hair shaving brush…
Read the rest of this article »
Posted by Robin
on
15 July 2011
Much of the money that I don’t spend on perfume goes to other household staples, like tea and chocolate. I have “collections” of both that rival my perfume collection in terms of profligacy, but I don’t feel guilty because I do manage to use them all up before they go bad. I wish I could say the same of the perfume.
Today, reviews of two oolong1 teas from from indie natural perfume house Aftelier, and very brief descriptions of two floral chocolates from the British brand Rococo.
Aftelier Rose Ginger Oolong Tea
This is a lovely flavored Tie Quan Yin oolong. It’s lightly oxidized but with a warm finish, accented with rose (quite noticeable, mostly in the aftertaste) and ginger (subtle but adds a nice kick). If you’re not used to floral scented teas (or foods), it might, at first, seem like drinking perfume, but you’ll get used to it quickly, and if you’ve ever had jasmine tea it will not seem so unusual.
Rose Ginger is reminiscent of one of my favorite Mariage Frères teas, Lune Rouge, but made with a much higher quality tea, and it quickly became one of my favorite scented oolongs of all time.2 It smells fabulous, with just the slightest hint of smoke…
Read the rest of this article »
