fragrance

Favorite Find Friday: Softsoap Limited Edition Maui Coconut Splash Moisturizing Body Wash

Written on May 31, 2013 at 9:00 am , by Molly Ritterbeck

While the majority of New Yorkers are getting a little cranky due to the 90-degree temps, I’m loving the recent heat wave. Though it does make me wish I was jetting off to a tropical island in the middle of nowhere. And while no such vacation exists on my summer calendar (wah!), I made my own quiet little escape—in my shower. It’s not as glamorous, I know, but I grabbed Softsoap’s Limited Edition Maui Coconut Splash Moisturizing Body Wash ($3, drugstores) from the beauty closet and scrubbed up after the gym. The formula is luxurious with a rich, hydrating lather, but the scent is what’ll really get you. The bright floral notes mixed with a hint of sweet coconut intoxicate you like your favorite fruity, umbrella-on-the-side cocktail. This might sound a bit dramatic, but seriously, the experience is so relaxing it might just be enough to hold me over until I can finally get to that white-sanded slice of paradise.

Yogi Elena Brower Launches New Givescent Fragrance That, You Guessed It, Gives Back

Written on February 20, 2013 at 3:04 pm , by Fitness Magazine

Whether you’ve been to one yoga class or one hundred, the importance of breathing is always a vital component—inhaling and exhaling drives the practice and helps you move from posture to posture. Recently, we grabbed our mats and headed to practice with Elena Brower, founder of Virayoga in Manhattan. Yes, we focused on breathing in the good and exhaling the bad, but we couldn’t stop ourselves from sniffing in Givescent, Brower’s recently-launched fragrance, over and over again.
With notes of vanilla, sage, grapefruit and bergamot, this scent “smells like Italy,” says Brower, who called the country home for two years. Sicily’s signature smells—think citrus lemon trees, rich olive oil and the city’s vanilla and butter pastries—served as her inspiration. “It’s a deliciously feminine scent; it has a grounding musk to it that balances the sweetness and makes it completely irresistible.”

So irresistible, in fact, that people would stop both Brower and Alexandra Lyon Perelman, her partner in the creation of this new fragrance, on the city streets to ask about this unique perfume.  So the two decided to sell the scent, under one condition: “Inherent in our business model was a giving component. That was the only way starting a business made sense to us—it had to have giving as part of the plan.”

Since both worked with Women for Women International—a nonprofit that provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from poverty to stability and self-sufficiency—choosing a charity was as simple as slipping into downward-facing dog. In fact, Givescent sales sponsor two sisters and five percent of its proceeds will go to this organization.

Yogis and non-yogis alike have another fragrance to look forward to: Givescent Orange plans to launch in June, perfect for lighter, carefree days.  “[It] maintains the essence of our signature scent, but is supercharged with sun-ripened citrus,” says Brower. Plus, a portion of its proceeds will benefit Every Mother Counts, which aims to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all moms-to-be.

—Carrie Stevens, editorial intern

Petra Nemcova on Giving Back and Staying Fit

Written on January 15, 2013 at 9:00 am , by Molly Ritterbeck

Model and philanthropist Petra Nemcova witnessed just how tragic natural disasters can be. After surviving a tsunami in Thailand in 2004, she returned to the region and was blown away by the mass destruction and devastation that resulted from the Indian Ocean earthquake. Unsatisfied with the response from other organizations, she set out to create her own non-profit, international charity, Happy Hearts Fund, to help improve children’s lives by building and rebuilding schools in areas affected by natural disasters. Now she is teaming up with Clinique to help spread smiles across the globe by introducing a limited edition fragrance, Happy Heart ($37, clinique.com), as well as a T-shirt with the message “Make Someone Happy,” ($16, clinique.com). $10 from the sale of each fragrance, and $5 from the sale of each shirt will go directly to Happy Hearts Fund. I chatted with Nemcova about the partnership and her insider fitness and beauty secrets.

Tell me about the Happy Hearts Partnership with Clinique.  
“The partnership is a match made in heaven, for one, because Clinique is so focused on education. Their consultants are extremely educated, so they can teach their customers. Number two, their consultants are very passionate about education and children, and that is what we are the most passionate about, so it’s a perfect partnership. The philosophies of both brands are very much aligned, even with colors. And what I am excited about is that this partnership will be able to rebuild more schools and create many happy hearts in the lives of children, who have been forgotten after natural disasters.”

What’s your favorite thing about the fragrance?
“The smell is really uplifting. When I get a little down, or tired during the day, smelling it uplifts me. It has sweet notes of mandarin orange and floral notes of water lily, rose and geranium. It’s really a beautiful fresh light dance. And I love the packaging. It was done in a beautiful way where the hearts connect when you put them together. $10 of this fragrance goes to rebuilding schools and the lives of children, so it reminds you that your heart is connected to those children.”

We know you are constantly on the go for work. How do you stay on track while travelling?
“For me, the best way is to go to the gym and do a routine but I also love to go to Physique 57 a lot, so using some of their techniques while I’m traveling helps because you don’t need much and it’s incredibly effective.”

What are some of your insider beauty tips?
“I do actually have a new one: we have a tradition in the Czech Republic that we put honey on our faces during Christmas dinner to be beautiful on the inside for the next year. I went to get a facial last week and the facialist was fantastic. Without me telling her about the honey, she told me a trick which is incredible—put a little bit of water on your face and then cleanse your face with Manuka Honey 16+ ($36, soap.com) and it gives you an incredible glow. So it goes back to the tradition which has some truth in it because honey has lots of antioxidants in it. And I used to put honey on my skin when I was a teenager—I used to go and sleep with it on my face. It was a little bit messy. So this tip is less messy!”

What are some of your favorite beauty products? 
“I absolutely love Clinique All About Eyes Serum ($28, clinique.com) which is an anti-puffing eye serum. It’s amazing. It’s so cooling, even just the cooling effect, it makes a huge difference. It’s one of those products that you get addicted to.”

Favorite Find Friday: L’Occitane Eau Captivante Cologne

Written on June 15, 2012 at 11:55 am , by April Franzino

OK, so L’Occitane Eau Captivante Cologne isn’t gym bag-friendly by any stretch of the imagination, but indulge us: The green-tinged, light-as-air spritz smells addictively like freshly cut mint and basil muddled with lime and orange, warmed up with a bit of lavender (yes— it somehow manages to be earthy, tart, sweet and soft all at the same time). The stunning, hefty art deco-esque etched-glass bottle reminds us of a vintage heirloom and instantly becomes the focal point of any vanity. Plus, at 10.1 fluid ounces, it’s like a Costco-sized bottle off perfume, and as such, should last you far beyond summer.

Tell us: What’s your favorite warm-weather fragrance?

Favorite Find Friday: Tocca Eau de Parfum Viaggio Coffret

Written on May 11, 2012 at 11:38 am , by April Franzino

If you’re on the hunt for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, there’s no more elegant, charming choice than Tocca Eau de Parfum Viaggio Coffret, an adorable trio of three of the brand’s most popular fragrances in miniature vintage-looking bottles that make lovely additions to any vanity or on-the-go bag. The three scents are warm Colette, with jasmine and musk; feminine Giulietta, bursting with florals like rose, lilac, lily and iris; and fresh Bianca, a mix of bergamot, lavender, lemon and green tea. And the gilded box is so gorgeous it requires no more wrapping than the quick tie of a bow.

Tell us: What are your favorite beauty gifts for Mother’s Day?

Giorgio Armani Fragrance + UNICEF Team Up For Clean Water

Written on March 14, 2012 at 10:36 am , by April Franzino

Sweet charity: Giorgio Armani Fragrance is partnering with the UNICEF Tap Project to deliver clean, safe drinking water to children around the world. Do your part— and smell great in the process—by participating in the Acqua For Life Campaign between March 1 and 31st.

• $1 from the sale of each Acqua Di Gio for Men and Acqua di Gioia for Women spray cologne or gift set puchased will be donated
• $1 for the first 100,000 people who “like” the Acqua For Life Facebook page will be donated
• Up to $15— 100 percent of the retail sales price—of each 10ml Acqua di Gioia Rollerball Eau de Parfum purchased will be donated

Favorite Find Friday: Diptyque Eau Rose Roll-On

Written on February 3, 2012 at 11:15 am , by April Franzino

Portable roll-on perfumes are the ultimate gym bag and purse must-have for us. Our latest love: Diptyque Eau Rose Eau de Toilette Roll-On. The chic, iconic French fragrance house has tinged the classic rose with a dash of tart blackcurrant and warm honey and cedar base notes. Just a dab goes a long way and really lasts— as does the generously-sized (gorgeously-adorned!) rollerball itself.

Tell us: What’s your favorite on-the-go fragrance?

Would You Wear Different Scents For Different Times of Day?

Written on December 5, 2011 at 11:19 am , by Fitness Magazine

Perfumer Lisa Hoffman thinks you should. Each of her fragrance collections (spicy, warm Japanese Agarwood, refined Madagascar Orchid, sweet Tuscan Fig, exotic Tunisian Neroli and crisp French Clary Sage) come in four Variations: Morning, Day Time, Evening and Bed Time, which all originate from the same combination of fragrance notes, but with certain ones heightened or subdued depending on the time of day you’re supposed to wear it. So the Morning and Day Time versions tend to be crisper and more invigorating, while the Evening and Bed Time versions tend to be heavier and more soothing. The tiny roll-on vials of fragrance oil tuck neatly into a luxe leather pouch, perfect for toting on-the-go (and as a unique holiday gift for the scent lover in your life).

Tell us:  Do you— or would  you— wear different fragrances for different times of the day?

—By Jaclyn Smock, beauty intern

Sweet Smell of Spring

Written on May 18, 2011 at 10:53 am , by Fitness Magazine

Spring is (finally!) in the air, and there’s no better time to splurge on a special new scent. I’ve gathered a few of my current favorite spring-ready spritzes that combine lush florals like jasmine, gardenia, and even lilies for an invigorating effect.

• Chloé Rosebud This classic fragrance has top notes of freesia, pink peony, magnolia flower, lily of the valley, and, of course, rose. Plus, the limited edition bottle is decked out in a pretty pink bow for spring.
  

• Marc Jacobs Splash in Cranberry is part of the limited edition splash scents collection (which also includes Ginger and Curacao). This crisp scent is inspired by a sweet cocktail on a summer day, and contains notes of pink grapefruit, cranberry and tangerine. (Anyone else thirsty?)
• Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir This elegant eau de parfum is positioned as a lighter addition to the Jasmin Noir line of fragrances. Its seductive blend of jasmine and wood notes lasts all day on the skin.
• Flora Eau Fraîche By Gucci is a more fresh and playful version of the original Flora By Gucci. The aroma is very fruity and an ideal spritz for those who prefer cleaner floral scents.

What’s your favorite scent for spring? Will you be splurging on a new fragrance?

—By Maite Gonzalez, beauty intern

Leighton Meester & Vera Wang Talk Vera’s New Scent

Written on May 5, 2011 at 10:26 am , by April Franzino

Last week, we had the privilege of sitting in the living room of Vera Wang‘s Upper East Side apartment (pinch us!) while she and spokeswoman Leighton Meester chatted about Vera’s newest scent, Lovestruck, launching in August. Here’s peek at what they had to say: