Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Ralph Lauren is betting that some people will be willing to pay over $4,000 for a bottle of perfume this holiday season. His “super premium” perfume titled simply “Love” will be launched at Harrods in October. The fragrance will come in a gold-plated bottle and wlll be aimed at luxury consumers over the age of 25. I haven’t been able to find out any details on what it actually smells like yet.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Perfumer Mathilde Laurent has created a couple of new fragrances for women in the past couple of years and now turns her hand to the first men’s fragrance for the jeweler in nearly a decade. Roadster is inspired by Cartier’s Roadster watch. The cap resembles the Roadster’s watch crown and the bottle is meant to be laid on it’s side, evoking the look if a car tailight. The fragrance has notes of bergamot, mint, patchouli and vanilla and will be sold in Cartier boutiques and Bloomingdale’s stores for a suggested $105 for a 3.3-ounce bottle. There’s currently an interesting thread on Basenotes debating the scent.

[via Daily Breeze]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Leonardo DiCaprio’s gorgeous Israeli model girlfriend Bar Refaeli appears in the ad campaign for Sean Combs‘ modestly-named new fragrance, “I Am King.” The pix (above) portray Puffy (or Diddy or whatever he’s calling himself this week) tooling around in Saint-Tropez and Monaco on helicopters, yachts and so forth with Refaeli (left) and another model in typical mega-mogul fashion. New York magazine reports the new cologne will launch exclusively at Macy’s in December with a global launch set for February, and a women’s fragrance (”I Am Queen”) to follow in 2009; global sales are expected to total $100 million in the first year alone.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Spas

Gemstones have been used by various cultures for healing for millennia but now the Acugems Facial Rejuve treatment throws a modern twist on this ancient therapy. The therapy involves the use of gemstones, microcurrents and therapeutic light to re-educate facial muscles, encourage collagen production, smooth wrinkles and improve skin tone. The stones and color frequencies used depend on the individual consumer. Tourmaline is frequently used in the treatments because of its ability to maintain a positive charge on one end and a negative one on the other.

It takes a number of treatments to see lasting results. The Revive You spa in Stoneham, Massachusetts which offers the treatments suggests a set of 10 treatments which sells for $2,550. Their version of the treatment also includes a custom mask, exfoliating fruit enzyme, pore cleansing and brow design. Reporter Amy Saltzman of the Stoneham Sun tested out the treatment and describes the sensation of the Acutrone machine as a sharp tingle which is not painful. She found the treatment quite relaxing.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

I’ve never really associated Andy Warhol with shoes but he was actually a dedicated shoe illustrator before becoming a Pop Art phenom. To celebrate Warhol’s 80th birthday, Bond No. 9 has created Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue, the third of the Warhol Collectible eaux de parfum from Bond No. 9. (the first two are Silver Factory and Union Square). The shoe covered bottle holds an eau de parfum that is a modern floral woody chypre combined with an epicurean brew of fennel, cardamom, roasted almonds, peony, Florentine orris, creme brulee, patchouli and sandalwood. Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue will be available in 100ml and 50ml sizes in September and starts at $135.

Read | 

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Angela Kim may have started with a successful career as a concert pianist but an allergic reaction spurred her to add the creation of Om Aroma & Co skincare and spa products to her resume. Crafted with caviar, champagne, truffles and chardonnay her luscious line of products sound like a fancy dinner for two but combined with amino acids and organic vitamins and minerals the decadent creams make a luxurious spread for your skin instead. From Arizona to Florida, California to Vermont Om Aroma products are available for sale in thirteen states and online as well. Her products are expensive but sound delicious — I’m thinking the Sachet de Chamomile organic eye tea bags would be a great way to end the day.

[via ForbesLife]

Read | 

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Makeup collectors will be swooning over the latest line from MAC. MAC has enlisted designer Manish Arora on a line with a palette brighter than Bollywood. The new Indian-inspired line includes lipglasses, lipsticks, blush and a colorful eye shadow set in a jeweled case. It will be available from October 2008 at Harrods.

Read | 

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

British designer John Galliano is introducing his debut scent some 20 years after launching his fashion brand. “We had about 360 tests — more than for a couture collection,” he noted in Women’s Wear Daily.

Galliano was involved with every step of the scent’s development. Its outer box is designed to look like a collage or a book, reminiscent of travel tomes he makes following fact-finding voyages undertaken before creating fashion collections. The bottle’s neck was inspired by collars appearing in Galliano’s first fashion collection, Les Incroyables, and the flacon is topped with a Gothic G. Model Guinevere Van Seenus is the face on the box.

Galliano, who also is the couturier at Christian Dior, had thoughts of flowers, particularly of rose, peony, iris with its powdery side, and violet. The scent will be launched at the end of September in the U.K., through an exclusive with Harrods, and in Germany. On October 11, it is to be introduced in France, exclusively at Sephora, and then a few days later in Switzerland. The launch in the rest of the world will take place in 2009.

Prices vary: 90-ml. eau de parfum spray, 100 euros, or $158; 60-ml. edp spray, 80 euros, or $126; 40-ml. edp spray, 60 euros, or $95; 200-ml. body milk for 38 euros, or $60; and a 200-ml. shower gel, 33 euros, or $52, will be available at launch. A 150-ml. body scrub, 39 euros, or $62, will come out after the initial fragrance introduction.

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Cosmetics and Fragrance

Kate Moss may be losing her modeling contracts but she is still powerful as a brand name. She has announced her second fragrance, Velvet Hour which is being done for Coty. The fragrance celebrates dusk, and Kate’s love of the nightlife, with scents like patchouli, sandalwood, amber, nutmeg and freesia. Sounds very bohemian. The fragrance is set to launch in the fall with a magazine ad campaign shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, and and TV ads directed by John Mathieson.

Moss isn’t the only one with a new second scent. Mariah Carey is readying her second fragrance, Luscious Pink, for Elizabeth Arden. Carey’s scent is described as a “sparkling floral” with notes of Sicilian bergamot, Tahitian Tiare petals, lily of the valley and pink peony, sandalwood and white musk.

Read 

More: continued here

Filed under: Decor, Dining, Journeys, Spas, Holiday Guides

Have you been to the Hotel Oceana in Santa Monica? This revamped gem is one of my favorite LA hotels, it’s nestled among apartment buildings on Santa Monica’s beachfront boulevard. The style inside is amazing, if you appreciate decorating you should check it out, I’ve borrowed a few great ideas from their inspiring (and huge) rooms. My favorite part and the must see feature has to be the heart shaped pool! If you haven’t done so already book yourself a delux ocean view suite with a balcony (around $500) at this romantic and stylish get away next time you are in LA! Hoteloceanasantamonica.com

Read 

More:

Filed under: Spas

First it was organic food. Then, last year, we saw a flood of organic liquors and wines hit the market. Could this be the year of the organic spa? The Today Show profiles Priti the only all-organic spa in New York City, What does organic mean when it comes to spa treatments? For one thing. many of the ingredients in nail polish are fairly toxic. The polishes and polish removers at Priti are free from dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde. Their teas, creams, scrubs, essential oils and even their cleaning products are all organic. Even their website is hosted by a green web hosting company that plants a tree for every person who joins.

Priti offers a variety of services including the Priti relaxing manicure or pedicure which starts with a bath of fresh flowers and organic lavender oil followed by a scrub with lavender chamomile foot polish, a massage using a lavender chamomile organic cream and finally a polish. The manicure is $40 and the pedicure is $50. A spa day package including an hour-long massage, facial, manicure and pedicure is $300.

Read 

More:

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Cosmetics and Fragrance

Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury goods monolith LVMH, says that despite dire economic predictions and reports of a falloff in parts of the luxury sector the company expects profits to actually improve in 2008. “We are in a position to meet our objectives for a sharp rise in earnings in 2008,” Arnault just announced at LVMH’s annual shareholders meeting, according to Women’s Wear Daily. “Every time we’ve been [in a difficult economy] we’ve increased market share. We’ve started the year strong. We will not pull off [of the accelerator]. We are focused on innovating.”

Arnault, whose company recently added Swiss watchmaker Hublot to its portfolio of luxury brands, singled out handbags as a strong earner. “There are tons of new leather goods,” he declared. “The Richard Prince bag for Vuitton” - one of our Handbags of the Day — “has been an immense success and we won’t be able to meet demand,” Arnault said. “We can’t produce the pieces fast enough.” He also predicted strong sales this year for Fendi, calling it “one of the most important Italian brands on the market,” and Dior as well — no doubt thanks to Charlize Theron’s captivating fragrance ads (above).

More: continued here

Filed under: Services, Spas, Water

The Grand Mauritian, a Luxury Collection resort and spa from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, “invites you to experience the magic of Mauritian hospitality in a truly luxurious setting.” (I accept!) Located on the northwest coast of the island of Mauritius on Turtle Bay, on the Indian Ocean, the resort is set to open on July 1 and is the the Luxury Collection’s first foray into the Indian Ocean and Africa.

The resort will offer 193 guest rooms and suites, all of which offer ocean views (some have private terraces and tropical outdoor showers); a kids’ club; a 1,500 sqm Mandara spa with 11 treatment rooms; and a selection of upscale restaurants and bars. Spread over 10 hectares, the resort is bordered by the reef and ocean nature park on the coast with sugar cane fields behind. You’ll find water sports and diving in the two swimming pools and on the natural sandy beach.

For business travelers, the resort has plug-and-play high-speed Internet access in the guest rooms; wireless high-speed Internet access in public areas; a business center; and venues for conferences, meetings and social events.

Check rates and availability here.

More:

Filed under: Journeys, Services, Spas

I’ve heard of signature spa experiences or hiring your own chef to cook at your vacation home but a luxury bath menu? Imagine soaking in a decadent bath at the St. Regis hotel while enjoying La Maison du Chocolate truffles, Krug Grand Cuvee champagne, perhaps some Caspian Osetra caviar and one of the most relaxing moments money can buy (for about $1,650). Choose from four signature baths while in residence at these grand hotels — and don’t worry about the hour, it is available around the clock.

Read 

More:

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Charity

NYC socialite Tinsley Mortimer (at left in photo, with her sister, Dabney Mercer) is pretty busy these days: a handbag line (Samantha Thavasa by Tinsley Mortimer), a clothing line (Riccimie by Tinsley Mortimer, sold exclusively in Japan), a design consultancy and the ambassadorship of her favorite fashion house, Dior. But “Tins” isn’t too busy for a makeup launch with a purpose — last month she debuted her namesake “Tinsley Pink” ultra-gloss for Dior Beauty ($24.50) at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York. A portion of the sales of this limited edition lip gloss will benefit Mortimer’s charity of choice, Operation Smile.

[Thanks to my friend Rose for this tip. We love Tins!]

More: continued here

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Charity, Charity of the Day

Peace Keeper Cause-Metics is the first cosmetic line to give all of its after tax profits to women’s health advocacy and human rights issues. This outstanding company has earned some serious bragging rights! They don’t test on animals and their mineral based products contain no harsh chemicals or additives and are considered some of the most effective, yet gentle products on the market. They closely monitor the company’s they work with over seas to make sure workers earn fair wages and are offered health care and retirement. Peace Keeper was started after founder Jody Weiss read an article about female genital mutilation, saddened and angered by what she learned, she immediately left her career as a sports agent in order to devote all her time to raising awareness and funds for women’s issues. You must check out what this awesome line has to offer, their lip gloss is simply amazing ($16.50). I only wish I had discovered Peace Keeper sooner!

Read 

More: continued here

Filed under: Spas, Real Estate Developments

Spa living comes to Hollywood in the form of the W Hollywood Hotel & Residences. The newest Bliss Spa will be located at the new complex and will be a 4,800 square foot indulgence with seven treatment rooms, a retail beauty boutique, a nail lounge for manicures and pedicures and Bliss trademarks like a a signature menu of tension taming treatments, rhythm and blues tunes and legendary brownie buffet. Residents of the W Hollywood will have the benefit of in-home services and perks like priority booking.

The W Hollywood will have 300 rooms and 150 W Residences, a signature restaurant, a rooftop bar and pool, a PURE nightclub, fitness center, business center, concierge services and a real Hollywood detail, an outdoor silver screen for viewing movies. Owners will receive VIP access throughout the hotel. Prices range from $800,000-$8 million+ and opening is scheduled for October 2009. Check out Curbed LA for pictures of the construction.

Read 

More:

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

His appeal is rather lost on me but scruffy young actor Josh Hartnett has been chosen as the face of Emporio Armani Diamonds for Men, the latest men’s fragrance by Giorgio Armani. The new scent will be unveiled in June during the Spring Summer 2009 Men’s Fashion Week in Milan and will be on sale worldwide starting in August. Armani is quoted as saying that Hartnett has “a charm and charisma that is magnetic. His individuality, allure and nonchalant way of being are all qualities which inspired me in the creation of this new fragrance.” The face for the female version of Emporio Armani Diamonds is Beyonce Knowles.

More: continued here

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Men’s Style

The first scent from Porsche Design Group will debut this fall. The men’s scent — “The Essence by Porsche Design” — was developed jointly by the Porsche SE subsidiary producing high-end accessories and Groupe Clarins’ Parfums Azzaro. As reported in Women’s Wear Daily, “It is a name everyone knows; next to ‘Porsche’ is the word ‘design,’ which is something modern and in the l’air du temps,” said Gérard Delcour, president of Parfums Azzaro and Porsche Design Fragrances.

OK … but what does it smell like? One molecule — Artical, from International Flavors & Fragrances — was the starting point for the scent’s “fresh aromatic woody juice.” Azzaro executives envisioned an urban, cultured, intelligent, sporty, sensual man in the 25-50 age range as the user (that means you, Luxist reader). In addition to Artical, other top notes are juniper and blueberry. Among heart notes are Russian coriander, black pepper and Siberian pine, and in the base are notes of fir balsam, patchouli and incense. (I’m sure that clears things up for you.)

Around early October, the scent will be introduced in selective distribution, plus Porsche Design sales points and travel-retail locations in Europe, the Middle East and North America. In the United States, the scent will be launched in Bloomingdale’s during the first week of October, then in Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom during the first week of November. The second phase, starting in early 2009, will include Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The Porsche Design U.S. collection will include a 1.7-oz. eau de toilette spray for $54, a 2.7-oz. eau de toilette spray for $70, a 6.7-oz. hair and body shampoo for $28, and a 2.5-oz. stick deodorant for $20. A 2.7-oz. “luxury” eau de toilette spray (in black glass, as compared to the blue glass in the rest of the collection) for $80 is scheduled to come out in the U.S. in November. Just in time for the winter holiday gift-giving season, of course!

Filed under: Decor, Cosmetics and Fragrance, Preferred

Jo Malone is famous for their luxurious skin care products and delicious fragrances. Products are always presented exquisitely, the signature cream packaging evokes a similar response as the little blue Tiffany & Co. box! This mothers day, Jo Malone has designed the perfect luxury mothers day gift. Candle Trousseau offers a collection of the most popular scented candles (Pomegranate Noir, Grapefruit, Wild Fig & Cassis) and Jo Malone matches, along with a sterling silver candle snuffer and a key, all presented in a timeless leather box. This is a stylish and stunning gift that will be remembered for a long time. Available on BergdorfGoodman.com for $575.

Read 

More: continued here