As our sister blog, Stylelist reported earlier this month, wildly popular shoe and accessories brand Jimmy Choo is launching the brand’s first fragrance, exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue this month. The scent is known simply as Jimmy Choo and the lovely Tamara Mellon, the co-founder and chief creative officer of the brand, is also the face of the scent. The behind-the-scenes video, shown above, features Tamara Mellon in the fragrance ad campaign, photographed by leading fashion photographer duo, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The ads are appearing in the February issues of top fashion magazines.
The scent has a green top note, a heart note of tiger orchid and base notes of toffee and sensual indian patchouli. The juice is encased in a Murano-glass-inspired bottle. The Stylelist article states that Mellon was inspired by her love of rich, sensual but soft scents like Opium and Anaïs Anaïs that she loved when she was a teenager. The scent is like Mellon herself, exotic and elegant but also approachable. Echoing the combination of strong and sweet in the scent, the orb-shaped bottle is capped with a silver-edged black cube. The box resembles the pattern of a python skin shoe in the current collection, an homage to how it all began. The eau de perfume 3.3 fl.oz sells for $95.
This latest bling-encrusted product gives new meaning to the term “bathing in riches”. Artist Lori Gardner spent three years creating The Diamond Bathtub, shown at right.
Comprised of 44,928 imported pink crystals (and one real diamond), the 19th century-style claw foot bathtub is currently on sale for $39,000 at Fleur de Lys in Costa Mesa, California.
Naturally, the tub also has a charity tie-in. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to breast cancer research or the charity of your choice.
Don’t care for pink? You can also custom-order your own version by contacting lori AT thediamondbathtub DOT com.
The desire to do something extraordinary for Valentine’s Day often clashes with the cold reality of no time to travel somewhere truly exotic. We’ve found the U.S. Virgin Islands to be an ideal escape without having to cross borders (and all that entails) to get somewhere special. The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas manages to be a magical oasis despite its relative proximity to the area’s only major airport - a big plus when time is of the essence. The resort’s secluded setting on 30 acres fronting an intimate white-sand beach and the gracious elegance of its main building, the Italianate Palazzo (above), set the scene for really romantic getaways. In front of the Palazzo are landscaped gardens leading to a stunning infinity pool overlooking the beach and turquoise waters of a sheltered bay.
For those seeking the ultimate in luxury, The signature Ritz-Carlton Club Level at the property has 55 Deluxe rooms featuring standing rain showers and soaking tubs and unobstructed ocean views from private balconies. The Club Level accommodations in St. Thomas also include one-bedroom Executive suites, a top-floor Ritz-Carlton Club Suite and three stunning 1,850-square-foot Presidential suites boasting a dining and living area and fitness room with treadmill, where Barack Obama and family have stayed in the past. All Club Level rooms and suites include access to the elegant Club Lounge with a spacious outdoor terrace, offering elaborate culinary presentations throughout the day and evening, chic cocktails and a dedicated Club Concierge.
Once ensconced in your luxe accommodations there are several options for making your getaway even more magical. A particular favorite for celebrating Valentine’s Day is a champagne sunset sail aboard the Lady Lynsey, the resort’s luxurious 53 ft. catamaran. You can take a cruise to Honeymoon Beach across the bay on St. John featuring some of the finest snorkeling in the Virgin Islands, and then hop back on board for a leisurely lunch for two complete with a champagne toast. Stay out on the water to watch the sunset and then finish the day with a starlit dinner in a private gazebo on the beach with a chocolate and wine tasting, or enjoy a private dinner for two at Bleuwater restaurant, one of four distinctive oceanfront-dining options as unique and colorful as the Caribbean scenery that surrounds them. [cont’d]
Auberge du Soleil, California wine country’s most luxurious country inn, has created the ultimate indulgence for its guests who also happen to be chocolate lovers.
During the month of February, its 7,000 square foot spa, which was built for the exclusive use of the inn’s guests, is offering a milk chocolate bath for two in a private outdoor garden—of course while eating sumptuous desserts and sipping on a specially paired wine.
This antioxidant rich body treatment is supposed to stimulate the senses, soothe the mind, and rejuvenate the soul, according to Auberge du Soleil. The treatment begins with a delectable cacao and grape seed exfoliation. Guests then slip into a milk chocolate bath for two in a private outdoor garden while indulging in dessert and specially paired wine. Finally, the couple is given a full body massage using a decadent massage oil of chocolate and spice.
The cost of the treatment varies depending on the length of the massage. The treatment with a 90 minute massage costs $570 per couple, while a 90 minute long massage costs $760 per couple. The treatment is available throughout the entire month of February.
Our morning routine is no time for self indulgence. Typically, five minutes is all most of us can afford to devote to skin care before we head out for the day. However, incorporating these five skin care rules into your daily lives will ensure that you’ll never need more than those 5 minutes to keep up that ageless appearance.
Rule #1: Avoid the sun!
Sure we all look better with a tan, but before this trend was popular, paleness was a sign of beauty and wealth. So where did we go awry? Well leave it to Coco Chanel to ignite a complete reversal of the image when arriving home from a vacation looking bronze. This must have been the birth of the freckle, sun spot, and skin cancer. Thankfully, with the advent of sunless tanning, we can achieve the sun kissed look sans the damage. However, it does not protect our skin from those nasty ultraviolet (UV) rays. So, never leave the house without applying sunscreen, at least SPF 15. Most facial lotions already have it mixed in, but be sure to double check the label. Additionally, avoid the sun during the “Prime Tanning Hours” of 10am-4pm. If you do expect to spend an extended period of time out during this time frame wear sun glasses, and a wide brimmed hat. Squinting leads to the development of crows feet, and UV rays also cause eye damage. Hats provide an extra layer of protection, and will also keep color treated hair from fading prematurely.
Zabeel Properties recently opened the new Jumeirah Zabeel Saray hotel in Dubai. The hotel is managed by Dubai-based luxury hospitality company Jumeirah Group and sits on the west crescent of Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, the palm-shaped manmade structure off the coast of Dubai.
The five-star property has hand-painted frescoes, Turkish artworks and lavish murals meant to conjure up the magnificence of the Ottoman Empire. The centerpiece of the hotel is the Talise Ottoman Spa, a large spa with 42 individual spa rooms and suites, an indoor swimming pool and three authentic Turkish Hammams. The hotel’s Mehteran Theatre & Event Centre will play host to live shows and events. There will also be 38 villas on the beach around a lagoon pool. The property has ten restaurants, bars, a night club, boutiques, tennis courts and a fitness center. This is the first hotel developed by Zabeel Properties to open its doors in Dubai.
The global economic crisis has resulted in a tourism drop in Dubai but the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing is hoping that 2011 will be a better year. A recent report said that hotel guests in Dubai in the first nine months of last year reached 5,991,660 guests, up six percent from the same period in 2009.
Last January we profiled Dunton Hot Springs, a unique retreat in Colorado. This year we are taking another look at this mini-Western town comprised of 12 cabins. The Dunton Hot Springs Winter Yoga Retreat runs from January 29 to February 3. In this tranquil setting near Telluride guests will work ‘from the ground up’ to connect alignment, balance, and structural integration with safe flowing yoga sequences to suit all levels. For beginners, there will be a one-hour beginner’s session at the start of the each day. Morning classes will be challenging and energizing Vinyasa yoga,while evening classes will be focused on relaxation, alignment, and meditation.
London-based yoga teacher Liz Lark is in town to help students explore the beauty of spacious stillness within yoga postures.Lark has been teaching Yoga intensively since 1995. Between classes, guests will soak in the natural hot springs, snowshoe, and treat themselves to hot stone massage. Prices start at $6,300 per person based on double occupancy and include all meals and classes.
It’s awards season in Los Angeles, the time of the year when red carpet appearances for stars are even more frequent than usual. And it’s not just the people in front of the camera, the many unsung heroes who make our television shows and movies also get their moment in the sun this time of year. Makeup&GO!, a full service professional makeup studio, has announced two Los Angeles area pop-up locations to provide makeup application to customers throughout the awards season. The stores will are opening January 6 (Beverly Hills) and January 12 (West Hollywood) and will remain up through the end of the awards season.
Makeup&GO! is the first-of-its-kind, full service walk-in studio that provides affordable and fast professional makeup application for any occasion. It offers efficient makeup application by professionals using the newest makeup lines. Because Makeup&GO! doesn’t sell makeup, there is never pressure to buy anything, but they do provide how-to sheets with each application, ensuring customers can recreate the looks at home.
Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana has announced the opening of the new Secrets Spa by Pevonia at the luxury resort in the Dominican Republic. The 20,000-square-feet facility offers a complete spa experience with nine treatments rooms, a thermal hydrotherapy circuit, fitness center, yoga and pilates studio, full-service salon, beauty boutique, juice bar, outdoor relaxation garden and locker rooms.
The design of the spa sets a restful tone with the use of rich materials like natural stone and wood and hand-made blown glass chandeliers. Treatment highlights include the Myoxy-Caviar High Performance Facial with pure caviar pearl and a blend of phyto extracts; the Tropical Oasis Body Wrap which uses mango and passion fruit extracts for smoother, firmed and vividly brighter skin; and Sabai Mineral Therapy that blends micronized minerals of malachite and zincite with the guest’s choice of neroli, lavender and rosemary essential oils to stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation.
The nine treatment rooms, inclusive of 13 massage tables and two treatment tubs, are divided between the main spa building (three) and exterior private spa suites (six). The spa’s thermal hydrotherapy circuit consists of a sauna and steam bath, cold rain showers, whirlpool bath, cold plunge bath, swimming pool with cascading waterfalls and a tubular air lounger.
Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana offers guests 14 different suite categories, an array of dining options, 24-hour room and concierge services, pool and beach wait service, activities and live evening entertainment. The resort has a variety of special offers including girlfriend getaways and golf packages.
Gossip Girl star and Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen is the face of John Galliano’s perfume Parlez-Moi d’Amour. The ads, shot by Ellen von Unwerth, show the young starlet in her signature raccoon eyeliner crooning over a love letter while her own song “You” plays in the background. The ads, which seem a little like outtakes from “Burlesque” or “Moulin Rouge” are a companion to the print ads showing a lingerie-clad Momsen with the envelope-shaped bottle with a floral Galliano stamp. The fragrance name means speak to me of love)and the sweetly romantic scent has notes of rose, jasmine, cypress, ginger and blueberry.
Looking for a unique gift for the holidays or an early purchase for Valentine’s Day 2011? Look no further than Shanghai Tang, the luxury Chinese which is offering pocket-sized, pump-action refillable atomizers in coordinating leather pouches for men and women.
Shanghai Tang collaborated with Travalo, the innovative producer of pocket-sized, pump-action refillable atomizers, to create one with a patented PumpFill valve that refills in seconds. The atomizer, which provides up to 50 sprays, can be refilled in seconds from any pump-spray fragrance bottle. The pressure regulator within ensures no leaks making it extremely convenient to carry in your handbag or pocket. Each Shanghai TangTravalo set includes two capsule
atomizers, encased in a skillfully embossed leather pouch elegant enough for all occasions.
The Shanghai Tang Dragon Travalo Set for men (seen above) comes with a black leather case embossed with a dragon—a traditional symbol of power, strength and good luck. A dragon is also engraved on the black and gun-metal capsule atomizers which are filled with Shanghai Tang’s signature Mandarin Tea fragrance for him.
This Luxist writer has spent more than her fair share of time in the spa - working hard to provide readers with the best information possible, naturally. A combination of exploration and research (plus a week at the International Spa Association’s annual conference) has yielded the following favorite five spa trends of 2010:
Mini Treatments Rule Spa-goers are busy and budget conscious. Booking mini-treatments, whether in “sample packs” of several different experiences or single-service models, allow visitors to experience a variety of services without blowing their budget. Since many spas offer extra amenities, like steam rooms, saunas and relaxation areas, a single service can often allow visitors to spa “all day” at a low base cost. These quick treatments have also become popular lunchtime breaks, where working women (and men) can escape for a pick-me-up facial, Botox treatment or shoulder massage and get back into the workday without missing a beat.
Green Genes Natural, eco-friendly and “green” treatments are growing increasingly popular among consumers. After all, they already shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, recycle, and drive hybrid cars — why shouldn’t the environmental consciousness translate into their spa routine? Paraben-free and organic products have exploded in the marketplace. Salt-based treatments, either in the form of scrubs or ultra-modern detox rooms made of salt blocks have also risen strongly in popularity.
We’ve already seen Chris Evans steaming up the screen with Evan Rachel Wood in the ads for Guilty for Women. Now ads for Guilty for Men have been released showing some of the same sultry images but this time with the focus on Evans. The masculine metal and glass bottle contains a fairly soft-sounding juice. It’s described as opening with lavender and lemon, a heart of orange blossom and a base of cedar and patchouli. The 1.7 ounce eau de toilette spray sells for $75. The perfume aficionados over at Basenotes are already dissecting the new offering and the ads. One thing up for debate is Evans’ ample carpet of chest hair. After years of waxed smooth pecs in fragrance and clothing ads, is the world ready for the return of hair?
Dutch designerMarcel Wanders is one of the hot sellers in cosmetics this season. The designer, who has created glassware, furniture and all sorts of whimsical yet practical designs, has released a line of cosmetics with M·A·C. The M·A·C and Marcel Wanders line, is a limited-edition collection that offers everything from a sleek and scrolled black tapestry clutch to mascara, lip glosses, lipsticks, pressed powders and makeup brushes. The cosmetics cases are done is faceted high-gloss compacts and the brushes have little architectural flourishes that give them the look of furniture legs. Prices range from $18 to $75 and some of the pieces have already sold out.
The holidays mark the perfect time to update your look, your scent, or simply to protect the skin on your back. We rounded up the top luxe beauty gifts this season that will be a joy for anyone on your list to play with and experiment with. Help your friends and loved ones ring in the new year with a gift that will last well into 2011.
The first name in Japanese skincare, Sensai, has earned a named synonymous with rich, moisturized skin. Whether dealing with harsh winter conditions or drying sun, nothing works better to moisturize and heal delicate skin. A new limited edition set ($245) features two of the most popular products from Sensai’s new Lifting series, Lifting Cream and Lifting Essence, and a revitalizing Lifting Radiance 3D Mask. Featuring a near entire bottle of the Sensai Lifting Radiance Concentrate, formulated with Sensai’s Natural Musculifter and Golden Camomile Extract, the mask guarantees a fresh, youthful face by New Year’s through its trademark energy activation of muscle cells and microcirculation of the skin.
Sensai has another Limited Edition Gift Set from the Cellular Performance line ($130), which features Cellular Performance face and eye countour cream, inflused with Koishumaru Silk and Shilan Extract to protect against wrinkles and discoloration. The special box set also includes the Total Lip Treatment, which Scarlett Johannson calls her “favorite thing in the entire world…feels like a million bucks.”
New York City’s Museum of Arts & Design is launching a new center that will explore scent as an art form. The Center of Olfactory Art opened at the Museum of Arts and Design last week. Chandler Burr, author of “The Emperor of Scent” and the former NY Times fragrance critic, has been chosen as the nation’s first curator of scent. The center’s first exhibition, “The Art of Scent, 1889-2011″ will debut next November, examining some of history’s best-known perfumers through 10 seminal scents, displayed as works of art. The AP reports that visitors won’t be sniffing elaborate bottles, instead they will experience each fragrance along a 6-foot-wide path where buttons on an atomizing machine will release scent.
The center will also host public programs including discussions with scent artists and perfume industry executives. Other planned exhibits will focus on the technology behind synthetic scents and the raw materials involved in scent creation. There will also be an artist-in-residence program that will have perfumers working in the museum’s artist studios creating new fragrances over a period of several months.
Looking for a rock solid spa treatment? How about The Spa @ Equinox’s new 24k Gold Facial?
“While our new gold mask is simply beautiful, its real benefits are a matter of complex chemistry and biology,” said Nicole Vitale, senior director of The Spa @ Equinox. “Gold powder, when combined with the proper level of silk extract, blocks free radicals to help the skin regenerate quicker and fuller. After a single treatment, your face will look and feel firmer, fresher and vibrant.”
Sure. But does it feel good? The answer is yes - the $165 treatment includes full signature spa facial, which includes a detailed skin analysis, custom facial and décolletage massage. The 24K Gold Collagen Mask caps off the treatment to moisturize, firm and whiten the skin.
The facial is currently being offered at Equinox spas in cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Boston, Dallas and DC.
Birchbox is a service which, for the low price of $10 per month (or $110 if you’d like to give a year’s subscription as a gift), provides you with brand new luxury beauty products to try right in your mailbox. It’s like moonlighting as a beauty editor for a women’s magazine, only you get all the perks and none of the pesky deadlines.
Basically, you know how you see all those fabulous beauty products on the shelves and wonder what using them would be like, and whether they’re worth it? Stores have become so stingy with samples and rubbing a little lotion from a tester on the back of your hand doesn’t really give you any indication of long-term results. Birchbox eliminates this problem by sending you samples — big, fat samples, not the weensy ones — of new high-end beauty products every month. You can even personalize your selection by indicating your coloring, skin type and personal style.
And, if you like something Birchbox sends you, you can go to Birchbox.com and buy the full size directly from the site. This, as well as referring friends and completing surveys about products (both totally optional), earns you reward points, 100 of which results in a $10 gift card good for anything on Birchbox.com. Brands include Naturopathica, Luxist favorite Laura Mercier, Tatcha, Kiehl’s, NARS, Stila, Too Faced and more.
I wasn’t sure that Birchbox was necessarily the right fit for Luxist, but then I saw the glee on my friend Beth’s face when her Birchbox, made of 100 percent recycled materials, arrived. As she rifled through the sizeable samples, excited to try out the products chosen especially for her, I realized that Birchbox has all the makings of a luxury gift: high-end products, generous servings, personalization and delightful packaging. It’s like getting a special present every month. Birchbox is truly the luxe beauty gift that keeps on giving.
Miraval, the one-of-a-kind Tucson, Arizona resort and spa, is the ultimate destination to indulge and rejeuvenate. Likewise, it is the Luxist Editors’ Choice Winner for Best Spa.
Offering beautiful grounds, spectacular amenities and delicious cuisine, Miraval is an award-winning “destination retreat” that is like no other. Guests unwind and relax at Miraval. The resort has a no tipping policy and thus there is no need to carry a credit card or cash. The resort offers all-inclusive stays which includes everything from airport transportation (to and from the Tuscon airport), welcome gifts, and accommodations to meals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages and “growth activities”. A daily $130 resort credit is extended to each guest to be used toward spa services, private consultations, dinner with the chef, or even a round of golf.
The 14 year old resort is situated at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains in the High Sonoran Desert. Its focus is healthy and sustainable living and it offers everything from spa and beauty experiences to nutritional counseling and horseback riding. It is famous for the personalized attention it extends to guests, as well as its luxurious accomodations. Guests are housed in 177 casually elegant casita-style accommodations and suites grouped in six separate villages.
For a beauty and fashion conglomerate whose founder distained fragrances, Chanel has had quite a run. “Women perfume themselves only to hide bad smells,” said Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, shortly after founding her eponymous company.
That was 1909. A century later the iconic Chanel No. 5 is not only Chanel’s flagship fragrance, but one of the most recognizable products in the world. Today, the Chanel empire (LINK: www.chanel.com ) spans cosmetics, haute couture, jewelry and swimwear. The company boasts more than 160 boutiques and seven ateliers (through subsidiary Paraffection) across the globe, from Paris and New York to Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Though Coco herself has long since passed on, the company’s creative vision comes from head designer and creative director Karl Lagerfeld. Billionaires Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, grandsons of Coco’s original business partner Pierre Wertheimer, continue to control the corporate side of Chanel, which takes in an estimated $3 billion or so in annual revenue.
The Making Of The Jimmy Choo Fragrance Campaign originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Our morning routine is no time for self indulgence. Typically, five minutes is all most of us can afford to devote to skin care before we head out for the day. However, incorporating these five skin care rules into your daily lives will ensure that you’ll never need more than those 5 minutes to keep up that ageless appearance.
New York City’s Museum of Arts & 
Looking for a rock solid spa treatment? How about 
