Friday, May 31, 2013

Company Dupes New Hires Into Selling Perfume On Streets


MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Online, they advertise management positions offering good pay. But people who’ve been hired told WCCO that’s not what they’re getting.

Anna lives in the Twin Cities. She didn’t want us to use her last name. She says she’s still afraid after where her job search went months ago.

“I just couldn’t believe what they were doing,” Anna said.

Like a lot of job seekers, Anna went to Craigslist to look for work. With her background in management and administration, one position sounded perfect.

“I got a phone call right away from a company and they wanted me to go in right away for an interview,” she said.

The building in St. Louis Park isn’t much to look at from the outside. After two rounds of interviews, Anna got a job, along with dozens of others.

First Response-Boston Perfume Offends


A New York perfume manufacturer has come under scrutiny for selling a new firefighter-inspired perfume, First Response-Boston, by those who believe the scent capitalizes on April's tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon, reports ABC News.

Demeter Fragrance Library launched the new perfume, which incorporates the smell of smoke and rubber, on May 18, a month after the Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three and injured 264 people.

Demeter Fragrance Library, which describes itself as a fragrance company with 250 smells that are “inspired by everyday objects and experiences,” is now selling a scent that could certainly be described as “Boston Strong.”

"We have an unusual approach to fragrances; we're constantly looking for things that resonate. We originally wanted to create a perfume for the New York City fire department, but after the events in Boston we decided to tailor the perfume for the Boston firefighters," says Demeter CEO Mark D. Crames, who has lived in the Boston area.

Nevertheless, some Bostonians are not pleased.

"It's pretty soon after the incident to sell a perfume like that," says Boston resident Lauren Passaro, 21. "I think it's pretty insensitive."

Hayley Gundlach of Norwood, Mass., was working at Sugar Heaven, a Boston candy store located at the marathon's finish line, when she heard the blast outside the storefront. "It was pretty stressful. I was and still am pretty shaken up. For a time I was afraid to go outside by myself. Unexpected loud noises made me jump."

"To me, it's a little offensive to try to put the tragedy in a bottle. The first responders weren't just firefighters but also police officers and runners."

As Gundlach suggests, the perfume could have adverse effects on those who witnessed the tragedy. "That smoke smell is so particular to that day that it can be a trigger for a lot of people emotionally; it strikes me as odd that they would include it."

Crames denies trying to turn a profit with the perfume.

On other news, reviews are already in on the fragrance, which users have said is “not for the faint of heart,” and is very “masculine” in nature, but also gives off, “a long lasting fragrance” that they would recommend to their friends.

Cate Blanchett Armani Fragrance: Actress Chosen As Face of 'Si' Perfume Campaign


Cate Blanchett is the new face of Armani fragrance.

The Oscar winner was chosen to star in the campaign of a new perfume from Armani, which will be called "si", due to hit stores by the end of this summer.

Blanchett was confirmed as the new face after weeks of rumors that Armani tapped the actress for its campaign, according to The Belfast Telegraph.

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The 43-year-old Australian star may be an obvious choice by the Italian fashion house, as she has been known to wear Armani's clothing for many red carpet appearances. Blanchett even wore a gorgeous yellow one shoulder gown when she won an Oscar for "The Aviator".

No details about the new "si" perfume or campaign ad have been released by the two parties, as the launch is still months away.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

An Artist Recreates a Smoking Room With Flowers and Perfume


Maria Loboda’s newest installation, an artfully arranged flower bed called “Smoking Room in a Private Palais in Brussels as Seen From the Entrance, 1905,” greets visitors as they exit the tents of the Frieze Art Fair on Randalls Island in New York. The outdoor exhibition is a tribute to two early 20th-century design phenomena: a smoking room in Vienna, designed by the secessionist production cooperative Wiener Werkstätte, and color-charted gardens, a bygone fad for mapping flowers by shade to create a plot that feels almost like a Pantone chart. Loboda potted groups of different plants in an arrangement that mimics the floor plan of the smoking room. “The idea is to take the domestic situation, an interior, and to translate it into something wild, into a landscape,” she said.

How I Turned My Persona Into the Perfect Perfume



A few weeks ago, a date dared me to take off my "panties" at the Spotted Pig. I smirked then asked, "What do I get in return?" He said, "Anything." Without a moment of hesitation, I struck a deal for a bottle of Jo Malone — making me, officially, a perfume whore.

I've always believed a woman should have a signature scent. In high school, I wore Allure by Chanel, which I deftly stole from the Holyoke Mall; in college, I wore Sonia Rykiel because my British-gayish boyfriend said it was brilliant; in my terrible twenties, I wore Stella McCartney spritzed on stupid Intermix dresses (one whiff and I'm transported to Marquee); as a serious, more successful, thirtysomething, I am no longer sure what my fragrance fling should be.

So when I was invited to meet Sarah Horowitz, founder of Original Scent — a woman who, after listening to my tales of love and life, could essentially put me in a bottle — I was all about it.

I arrive, scentless, at a Hudson Hotel suite-slash-lab. We sit down next to dozens of vials, and Sarah — a warm, earthy Cali girl, who would never name drop Jennifer Garner or Jessica Biel, even though they are fans — starts asking personal questions. As I disrobe my soul ("Most days I wake up happy ... "), she pulls out test tubes.

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Shoplifter stole £300 of perfume to pay rent



A SHOPLIFTER who stole £300 of perfume during two raids on the same South Tyneside shop has been ordered to do community service.

Neal Preston was caught leaving Debenhams in Waterloo Square, South Shields, on February 9, with six bottles of scent worth £220.

The 35-year-old was arrested, and charged with theft and released on bail.

Then on May 8, he was arrested at the same shop with two bottles of aftershave in a foil-lined carrier bag – while on bail for the earlier theft.

Preston, of Rekendyke Mews, South Shields, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one charge of going equipped for theft at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court last week.

Laura Johnson, defending, said: “He did this because of his financial situation.

“He is behind in his rent, which is £450 per month.

“He only receives £82 a fortnight in benefit, and gets other help to pay the shortfall in his rent.

“That doesn’t leave him with any money to buy food and other essentials.

“He stole these items to try to sell on, and help the situation.”

The court heard that Preston previously had a drug problem.

Magistrates gave Preston a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and a £60 victim surcharge.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Perfume is in the air: Lovely lilacs linger on the senses


When it comes to selecting shrubbery that smells good, it’s hard to beat the scent of a lilac bush. They don’t all have a strong fragrance, but those that do can perfume an entire house.

Unfortunately, the blooming season is only a couple of weeks long. It varies between midspring to early summer, depending on the species. Or you can buy an early, mid- and late-blooming variety and cut flowers for more than a month. The good news: Lilacs like colder weather and do well in New Jersey.

Some of the most interesting work with hybridizing lilacs today is being done by Russians in Siberia, said Anne Haines, a manager at Rare Find Nursery in Jackson.

“Lilacs are really native to colder areas, and New Jersey is on the lower edge of that area,” said Haines, whose email address includes the word Syringa, the Latin name for lilac. “Syringa vulgaris (si-RING-ga vul-GAY-ris), or common lilac, is what breeders work with when creating hybrids, and some are now working on lilacs for warmer areas.”

Lilacs don’t much like it below the Mason-Dixon line, where they are more susceptible to disease and insects. The most common problem here is powdery mildew, which doesn’t look great but won’t hurt the shrub.

Barbara Bromley, a horticulturist with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, said one of the most important things to consider when planting a lilac is how many hours of sun it gets and the surrounding landscape. Some gardeners will plant them as stand-alone specimens or as a hedge.

“They will not bloom in partial shade,” she said, recommending full sun for the best success, but no less than six hours. “Remember, those 10-foot-tall trees planted near the lilacs will be 30 feet tall 20 years later.”

Brad Pitt’s Perfume Stinks, New Film Might Smell Too


Has Brad Pitt lost the magic touch? It isn’t any huge secret that the 49-year-old Mr. & Mrs. Smith actor has been struggling with some professional and personal issues lately.

A new poster for the upcoming June 21 release of World War Z has some observers wondering out loud if Pitt is no longer Hollywood’s golden boy. The poster looks a bit like a bad PhotoShop, leaving people to wonder if Pitt still has the same respect he once enjoyed as an A-list star.

By the way, The Inquisitr has posted a ton of images from the upcoming film, so don’t forget to check them out.

Anyway, questions go all the way back to last October, when Brad Pitt became the first man to advertise the woman’s perfume, Chanel No. 5. The ad was meant to be arty or romantic, but it may have come across as just goofy. The then 48-year-old Brad Pitt, called “the sexiest man in the world” by Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld, just rambled on about fate and stuff. So whatever.

The perfume campaign flopped, although a funny Saturday Night Live skit came out of it.

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Brad Pitt's 'Odd' Chanel Perfume No. 5 Commercial

Ethiopia: Smokey Perfume


The small scale retailers and the larger scale distributors are both found in the narrow section of Mercato where local and export standard incense is available for retail on a large or micro scale

Zemenay Yilma, a young mother of two, is a regular buyer of incense, although she rarely steps foot in Etan terra - Merkato's own market for small and medium incense retailers.

For her, the use of incense is an integral part of the Ethiopian coffee ceremony, which is performed twice daily in her home. This makes the purchase of incense a weekly errand for Zemenay. Since she only uses a small amount, however, she mostly buys her incense from vendors that line the streets outside churches.

But, on Wednesday May 08, 2013, she had a court appointment that took her to Merkato, where she decided to buy a larger supply of Etan.

"It is more expensive here, but there are many varieties," she told Fortune. "But, even with the vendors near churches, prices are increasing and I get a smaller portion for the same value of money, especially over the past year."

Merkato's Etan Terra is in a small nook on a narrow and dirty alleyway, just off the main road by Me'rab Hotel. Unlike the bigger niche markets; Military Terra and Kimem terra, which occupy several blocks, only half of the narrow alleyway is dedicated to selling incense.

But, in this narrow corner, most of Merkato's incense retailers congregate early, starting at six in the morning, to participate in a trading activity that has been common in the country, as far back as the Axumite Kingdom. Ethiopia's rich natural gum resources, which include; gum Arabic (Mucha), gum olibanum (incense), myrrh (Kerbe) and opaponax (Abeked), were being transported past the Red Sea, using camels and ships, even then.

Currently, 2.8 to 3.5 million hectares of land in Ethiopia, predominantly in the Northern and Eastern Part of the country, is covered by trees that produce natural gum resins.

Gum, especially incense, still remains a major export commodity, with 3,500tns, worth around 11.8 million dollars, sold in 2011/12. In the west, it has many industrial purposes, including - in the production of confectionery, food and beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Gwyneth Paltrow Hugo Boss Perfume: 'Boss Jour Pour Femme' Fragrance



Gwenyth Paltrow recently interviewed with Women's Wear Daily about her family, business life, and newest role as the face of new Hugo Boss perfume Boss Jour Pour Femme. The Goop founder and wife of Coldplay's Chris Martin is the queen at balancing work and play, and continues to add projects to pad her ever-growing resume while raising her two children Apple, 9, and Moses, 7.

Gwenyth Paltrow will be the face of the new Boss Jour Pour Femme, which is designed to complement the Boss Nuit Pour Femme perfume. With top notes of grapefruit flower and lime, lily of the valley, heart of freesia and honeysuckle, the "floral-fruity" scent has woodsy notes of white birch and creamy amber at its base. Why did Hugo Boss choose the ubiquitous Gwyneth to front the campaign for the new fragrance?

"I wake up at 7 a.m., I get [the kids] fed, and I get them dressed in their uniforms, any bits of homework are finished," Gwyneth Paltrow explained. "I take them to school. [Apple] gets dropped off at 8:25 a.m., and [Moses] gets dropped off at 8:45 a.m., so we have a croissant together in his school dining room and we do reading together. Then I go home and I work for one hour on all the e-mails that come in overnight from L.A. Then I exercise from about 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Then I work on Goop pretty much the rest of the day until I pick up my kids and then they have various activities."

But just because Gwyneth's day-to-day is more domestic than anything these days doesn't mean the star won't be jetsetting as a part of her new Hugo Boss fragrance gig. "I'm going to Spain next week for two days [for the official launch of Boss Jour Pour Femme in Valencia] so I still get to travel and meet really interesting people and have a work interaction. But it's not like I am out of the house for three months," Paltrow told WWD at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Boss Jour Pour Femme will be sold as an eau de parfum at 30 ml. for $46, 50 ml. for $59 and 75 ml. for $75. Other Boss Jour Pour Femme products include a shower gel, body lotion and deodorant.

The Ellen Show- Gwyneth Paltrow 2013

Barclays Center in Brooklyn pumps its own “signature scent"


Looking to help build your brand? As one corporate toucan would say, “Just follow your nose!” According to DNA Info, Barclays Center in Brooklyn pumps its own “signature scent” into the air in an attempt to identify that smell with the arena and help build brand identity.

This isn’t necessarily a new trend, even in the sports world. The scent is the work of a company called ScentAir, which creates customized smells and provides the technology necessary to spread that scent in a large venue, like, say, a basketball arena. According to DNA Info, similar strategies have been implemented everywhere from the Hershey’s store in Times Square to Cowboys Stadium and Edward Jones Dome.

Many fans had noticed the scent wafting around the hallways at Barclays Center, voicing their interest or disapproval on social media. The Barclays’ scent has been described as having citrus hints, possibly akin to a high-end men’s cologne.

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Burberry profits drop on exceptional charge


The Associated Press


LONDON —  British luxury clothing and accessories maker Burberry said on Tuesday that annual net profits fell 3.4 percent after it took a large exceptional charge.

But shares in the Burberry Group PLC rose just over 1 percent to 14.83 pounds Tuesday after the company reported an 8 percent rise in revenue to 2 billion pounds ($3 billion) and said it was pivoting toward emerging markets in Asia and Latin America.

The company says its China sales growth hit 20 percent and says it has signed new franchise deals in Colombia, Chile, and Barbados.

Burberry's profits have been hit by the end of its licensing deal with French perfume Interparfums SA, which the company says has cost nearly 83 million pounds over the past year.

"Burberry believes that beauty will be a key contributor to future growth, as the brand is under-penetrated relative to peers and direct ownership will enable opportunities to be pursued more rapidly," it added on Tuesday.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Bespoke Perfume You Mix Like A Cocktail



It’s impossible to test and review every single beauty product on the market, so that’s why we’re just highlighting the good stuff. You know, those lotions and potions with which we’re currently obsessed, and the beauty counter buys we believe everyone should know about. Today’s pick is a perfume literally catered to your personality.

I’m not a big perfume person, mostly because I think most of them smell the same, but I came across a great find while visiting friends in Los Angeles — Bath Bar. The store was created by makeup artist Kristina Vogel, and stocks all sorts of — what else? — soaps, scrubs, lotions, and lots more.
My absolute favorite is the customized perfume. I spent a good half hour in the store’s mixology lab testing and mixing little vials of essential oils and fragrances for a seriously one-of-a-kind scent. The finished product came in a convenient roll-on tube that was perfectly sized for my plane ride back to New York City, and I still reach for it months after my trip.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Paul Rudd Brings Out "Venom" New Cologne In "Ancherman 2" Trailer


Once upon a time, there was a San Diego anchorman named Ron Burgundy, and a movie called Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and the phenomenon launched a myriad of catchphrases that spread across frat parties and Facebook pages faster than cold germs on a commuter train. This December, Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Paul Rudd and Christina Applegate return to the big screen as San Diego's finest news team.

The former four appear in the latest teaser for the film, done up in their news team finery and offering sound advice, as well as iterations of beloved tropes from the last movies. Paul Rudd's Brian Fantana has swapped out the pungent and 60% irresistible Sex Panther for a new cologne, called "Venom," that is literally just snake venom. And, fresh off his The Office encore appearance, Carell reprises another beloved role, Brick Tamland, offering some sound advice and wishing everyone a Happy Easter. Watch the trailer below, and brace yourselves for the catchphrases, hype and the existential dread that comes with a new onslaught of parody Twitter accounts, that will appear in the months to come.

Anchorman 2 Official Teaser Trailer #2

Scents and Sensibilities By Jean-Claude Ellena




There's a scene in "The Diary of a Nose" in which Jean-Claude Ellena, one of France's foremost perfumers, is on an airplane next to a woman who is wearing one of his scents. The perfume, he says, is "struggling to cover the smell of cigarettes impregnating her clothes," while her husband's periodic hiccups release wafts of "undigested garlic."

But for Mr. Ellena, who is the exclusive perfumer for Hermès, going through life with an overdeveloped sense of smell generally seems to be more interesting than irritating. He often enjoys even disturbing scents. When other visitors to the French Alps flee a field of clary sage, because the flowers are emitting a "human sweat" odor, Mr. Ellena stays behind to let the smell of "bestiality" and "non-eternity" wash over him.

After reading "The Diary of a Nose" and another new olfactory memoir, Denyse Beaulieu's "The Perfume Lover," I'd like to smell a bit of clary sage too—and a whole lot more. It's hard to write about perfume without sounding like breathless advertising copy. But both writers look seriously at the creative process behind familiar scents and force you to appreciate the much-neglected sense of smell. Clearly it's a richer world when we're sniffing it—even when it doesn't smell good.

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New Bond No. 9 The Sweet Fragrance



For a while now, Bond No. 9 has looked to New York's park system for its distinctive line of fragrances. Its Fifth Avenue scent celebrated Central Park's eastern edge while the Central Park West fragrance evoked images of the west side of the mammoth park.

Now, the fragrance maker has introduced Central Park South, the third of Bond's No. 9 Central Park series. The new fragrance, which combines grapefruit flower with a hint of green ivy, jasmine, and vibrant jonquil to create a scent that is reminiscent of early spring bloom in Central Park, recently debuted at Saks Fifth AvenueHouston.

The brand's owner, Laurice Rahme, told the Wall Street Journal she has 58 scents for different neighborhoods in the city. While some Central Park observers associate the area with horse manure, Rahme said she comes up with fragrances from the symbolic feelings she gets in the neighborhoods she loves.

"Forget the horses," Rahme said. "It's very grand."

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Chinatown by Bond No. 9: Perfume Review / Fragrance Review
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Friday, May 24, 2013

Police: Man hid stolen perfume in helmet


VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Virginia Beach Police are asking for help identifying a man who they say stole several perfumes from the Sears store at Pembroke Mall.

The suspect went into the store around 4:30 p.m. on May 10, 2013, selected several fragrance items and hid them in his helmet, according to police. He left the store without paying, and Loss Prevention Officers were unable to stop him.

If you have any information that may help police, you’re asked to call the Virginia Beach Crime Solvers Office at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887). All calls will remain anonymous and callers are eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 if the information leads to an arrest.

Original Scent And The Stars and Fragrance Fanatics Who Love It



Blue and green glass bottles fill shelves against a stark white backdrop. Mixologists hold bottle stoppers out for people seated at the bar to smell. They wear white lab coats that say "Be Original Be Fabulous." They seem to be conspiring with the guest brewing a concoction. Clear glass bottles are filled with amber colored liquids. You'd think that a special Cognac or Bourbon is being blended for a cocktail at a hipster bar. Instead, the people behind the bar are perfume gods and goddesses, waiting to help you find your own Original Scent.

However, Original Scent is not a typical fragrance blending bar. Nicole says, "we offer a very chic one-on-one perfuming experience. It's tailored to creating an unique scent wardrobe that includes an on-site custom candle bar," filled with your scent. Sarah says that they are offering a condensed version of her "Fragrance Journey," an in-depth personal perfume discovery that she has developed for her clients.

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Steal Perfume, Go To A Stinky Jail


In the Massachusetts town of Hingham At 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday (March 12), Officer Robert Stockbridge was dispatched to Kohl’s at the Derby Street Shoppes where loss prevention at the store had detained two women for allegedly shoplifting. Officer Heather Hermida arrived to assist. In speaking with loss prevention, the officers learned that the two women being detained were observed on closed circuit TV. One of the women looked to be pointing out jewelry and perfume to the other, who actually picked the items up. The woman with the merchandise, later identified as Devona Washington, 46, of 30 Walnut Park #17, Roxbury, went into a fitting room and came out a short time later. Store security checked the fitting room where they found empty packaging for the jewelry and perfume. They followed the women out of the store and both were initially detained.

After the items were found in Washington’s purse, she was arrested and charged with larceny over $250. The value of the jewelry and perfume totaled $290, police said. The other woman, who is 41 and from Chelsea, was not arrested because if was not clear if the two women had been acting together, police said.


Read more http://www.wickedlocal.com/hingham/newsnow/x1522343336/HINGHAM-POLICE-Perfume-jewelry-add-up-to-larceny-charge#ixzz2QGni7Ky5 

The Strongest Colognes for Men


We all want longevity  and we all want something strong to scream who we are and how much we pay to smell appealing,

Cologne, at this point, is not much more than a generic term. While it originally referred to a specific, mostly citrus fragrance made with water from Cologne, Germany, in the 18th century, now it's basically just a category name. So saying that you wear cologne is kind of like cooking a delicious roasted chicken and telling your guests that you'll be serving meat.

What most of us spray on our neck and chest each morning is actually eau de toilette. Besides sounding fancier, the name denotes the percentage of essential oils used to make your scent, which can be anywhere between 5 and 15 percent. (The rest is mostly alcohol and a little water.) The next step up is eau de parfum, at 10 to 20 percent, followed by perfume extract, which can be as high as 40 percent. This is the ideal in terms of what a man should wear: something strong and refined that will last for years. Plus, it's where perfumers consider their fragrances to be ideally showcased. According to Mandy Aftel, author of Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume, with less dilution, extracts really highlight the ingredients.

There aren't a ton of options out there — this is a niche market, after all, and an expensive one — but my favorite is Terre d'Hermès pure perfume ($118 for 2.5 oz; usa. hermes.com). Although it's not among the stronger perfume extracts, with only 21 percent concentration, the price is a little more accessible as a result. The Hermès is dominated by citrus, with wood, pepper, and just a bit of spice. It reminds me a little of sambuca that you can (and will want to) wear. Bond No. 9's New York Amber ($260 for 1.7 oz; bondno9.com) is more concentrated at 30 percent, and very smooth. If a scent can smell creamy, this one does, like a pear dipped in honey. At 40 percent, Eccelso's Profumum Roma ($339 for 3.4 oz; osswaldnyc.com) is the most potent option I tried. It's not as earthy and deep as the Amber; the scent is spicy and floral, like you're carrying a fresh bouquet that's been sprinkled with nutmeg. For something even more spicy, try Clive Christian No. 1 for Men ($865 for 1.7 oz; clive.com), which has a potency of 25 percent and smells like an orange dusted in baby powder and the contents of the spice rack at an Indian restaurant. Apparently, what makes it worth three car payments is what Clive Christian describes as a "precious" sandalwood, which, at this price, must have been harvested from the top of a remote mountain by an endangered Amur leopard. With full union benefits.



Read more: Perfume Extract - Strong Colognes for Men - Esquire http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/best-cologne-for-men-0413#ixzz2QGmHuLlo

Thursday, May 23, 2013

My Discoveries About the Perfume Allergy



I was out with friends the other day and the conversation turned to allergies because my little girl had recently been diagnosed as having eczema, or contact dermatitis, caused by a perfume allergy. We all agreed that it seemed that a lot more people suffered from allergies than they ever used to when we were younger. In fact I alone could immediately think of 5 people who were suffering from an allergy, or thought they were. But like my friend pointed out the symptoms of sensitivity, intolerance and allergy are often very similar so how do people know which one they have? I decided to look into perfume allergy further to get a better understanding of what causes it and what the symptoms are.

My first discovery about a perfume allergy actually surprised me. I had read that it was the introduction of a new fragrance that tended to be the cause of a perfume allergy (parfume allergi is the Danish term). In fact this relates to sensitivity and intolerance and not to allergy. The reason that a person suffers from an allergy is because their immune system has become extra sensitive and identified an everyday and harmless ingredient as a threat to our body – this is better known as an ‘allergen’. The immune system then goes into attack mode and releases histamines into our blood stream. These histamines then attach to cells and create the allergy symptoms. However the immune system needs to have come into contact with the specific allergen at least once in the past. Many people find that they have used products containing the allergen for months or years with no problem at all.

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Vintage perfumes hold their allure



While helping my 81-year-old mum clear out unwanted clothes from her wardrobe to take to the local Oxfam shop, we came across three half-used bottles of perfume stashed in their boxes since the 1980s and 1990s, when she stopped using them.

Kept in the dark, the trio were still fresh – it is exposure to sunlight and heat that makes perfumes go off. None of the scents was to my taste but, rather than throw them out, we wondered if they might be of use to someone else.

An hour or so searching the internet revealed the existence of a healthy vintage perfume collectables market where enthusiasts are willing to pay good money to get their hands and their noses on old scents that have been discontinued or reformulated. It transpired that my mum's three bottles could be worth around £80.

To find out more about the market, I contacted self-taught perfumer and vintage scent collector Sarah McCartney. Following 14 years as head writer for handmade cosmetics retailer Lush, during which time she read 200 books on essential oils and herbalism and played with the materials her boss gave her to learn what everything smelled like, McCartney gave up her day job to start creating fragrances.

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Meet Olfactif: The Exquisite Perfume



Just when you thought subscription beauty boxes reached their saturation point, fragrances get into the game.

New subscription service Olfactif lets subscribers test three fragrances each month for $18. If you've been struggling to find "your" scent for what feels like forever, it's not a bad deal. Or, opt for a 6 or 12-month subscription for $16 and $15 per month, respectively.

Extra incentive: When you find one you love and purchase a full bottle, the $18 you spent that month goes toward your purchase on Olfactif’s website.

The fragrances come packaged in a sleek black box, in tiny spray bottles that last between 6 and 8 wears — enough time to learn about the perfume (there’s literature included) and decide if it suits you.

The surprises are delivered every month, and you can cancel anytime.

Perfume Announcing Second World Tour!





The popular unit Perfume had their first foreign concerts in 2012, touring 4 Asian countries with "Perfume WORLD TOUR 1st". This time, following last year, the ladies announced "Perfume WORLD TOUR 2nd".

In 2000, three young girls formed a group together in their hometown of Hiroshima. They were Nishiwaki Ayaka (A~chan), Kashino Yuka (Kashiyuka), and Kawashima Yuuka (Kawayuka). Because all three members had the Japanese character for fragrance in their names (香), they named the group Perfume. However, before the group could even debut, Kawashima decided to pull out of the project and pursue her studies.

This time Perfume will land to Europe for the first time, having lives in 3 European countries; German, England and France. The performance of Perfume, now even more powered up after "WORLD TOUR 1st", is something to look forward to.

Perfume WORLD TOUR 2nd
07/03(Wed) Cologne (German) @ GLORIA
07/05(Fri) London (England) @ O2 Academy Islington
07/07(Sun) Paris (France) @ Le Bataclan

More info 

FLORIS FOR HOME BERGAMOT & GERANIUM


Floris is introducing a new special edition fragrance to their steadily growing ‘Floris for Home’ collection - Bergamot & Geranium, which is available as both a scented candle and a room fragrance. New for Spring 2013 Floris have introduced a limited edition to their Floris for Home range, Bergamot & Geranium, available as a scented candle £40/ 175g and room fragrance £25/ 100ml.


Described as ‘a light sparkling aroma’, the new scent combines ‘the revitalising and sophisticated accord of bergamot, with notes of bitter orange and the warmth and depth of geranium flowers’.

According to Floris, their candles contain ‘a high level of pure fragrance to ensure a quality aroma and strong dispersal whilst burning slowly and evenly’, and are still individually hand poured; meanwhile, the wicks are made of pure braided cotton.

Top notes for the Bergamot & Geranium candle are: citronella, orange and bergamot, with heart notes of geranium and rose.

Each candle has an average burning time of 35 hours. The scented candle retails at £40 for a 175g candle and the room fragrance is £25 for 100ml. The Floris for Home collection of scented candles and room fragrances are all made in England using time-honoured traditions. Each candle is hand poured and has a wick of pure braided cotton ensuring that they burn slowly and evenly. All of the candles and room fragrances are richly scented using only the finest quality ingredients.
Source

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

New Perfume For Men Charriol Royal White



In May 2013 the house of Charriol is launching the new fragrance for men, Royal White. The fragrance is available in a milky white bottle with a beautiful stopper in gold color. The new fragrance is part of the Royal collection and is inspired by a generous man full of spirit, a sensual esthete. He likes airiness and timelessness and wants to be surrounded with luxury. White is his favorite color because it reminds him of a magnificent villa decorated with white furniture and of the yacht sailing on the Mediterranean Sea.

The reportedly "particularly sophisticated" and "addictive" perfume, which is also said to be both "radiant" and "rich" was inspired by a definite palette of symbolic colors, "White and gold are his colors and the colors of his world; he loves their radiance and timelessness."

The woody-floral eau de parfum appears to have been devised to appeal to the tastes of the Middle Eastern clientèle as well as to men who enjoy Orientalist perfumes as can be felt from the description of the universe of the Royal White man, and from the mix of fragrance notes hinting at a modernized conception of oud-based perfumes.

The scent opens on top notes of fresh grapefruit and fruity, tangy rhubarb leading to a heart featuring an Oriental rose, white patchouli and violet blossom. The sillage is said to be intense, resting on deeper notes of oud wood, oakmoss and vetiver.

Royal White by Charriol is a Woody Aromatic fragrance for men. This is a new fragrance. Royal White was launched in 2013. The nose behind this fragrance is Annick Menardo. Top notes are grapefruit and rhubarb; middle notes are rose, violet and patchouli; base notes are agarwood (oud), oakmoss and vetiver.

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro



What can you tell us about your new book The Perfume Collector?
Set in London in 1955, The Perfume Collector tells the story of a young woman, Grace Munroe, who inherits a flat in Paris from a complete stranger - the mysterious Madame Eva d'Orsey. Upon going to Paris to rectify what she's certain is a mistake, Grace discovers that Eva was muse to one of the most famous and misunderstood perfumers of his age and that she is indeed the intended recipient of this bequest. Determined to discover how their lives intertwine,Grace seeks out an old Russian perfumer, Madame Zed, who knew Eva. Madame Zed uses the three iconic perfumes that Eva inspired to tell the story of Eva's life. And, in uncovering more about Eva's past, Grace is confronted with secrets and choices about her own life.

The book travels between two decades of 1920's and 1950s, so tell us about your research into these eras?
This is a favourite period of mine - from the 1900's to 1950's because it's so incredibly jam-packed with events, dramatic shifts in world views and innovations. The research itself is fairly easy and straightforward; I read books about and written during the time period and create timelines of events. Much more involved was the research that I did on the creation of perfume.

Full Interview

The 10 best shops in the world: #1 Penhaligon’s English Perfume House


Forget the high street doom and gloom and come with us on a journey around the 10 best stores in the world. In this new series, Georgia Barretta-Whiteley, head of design at Saatchi & Saatchi X, introduces us to 10 awe-inspiring stores that are redefining the shopper experience.

Penhaligon’s English Perfume House, London

As if anything dreamt up in the 1860s after inhaling the steamy, sulphurous aromas of a neighbouring Turkish baths was going to be anything other than a jovial affront to the constrained moral values of Victorian England.

Lo-fi, high-experience and even higher-tech manufacturing make Penhaligon’s English Perfume House a kaleidoscopic piece of ‘sensation design’ ... ahh, the sweet smell of 153 years of just getting it right.

All this amidst the needy bun-fight for a shopper's attention down there on Regent’, Penhaligon’s is at once a highly functional space in a high-traffic environment and, well, a transformative Alice's Wonderland - unlocking memories and opening doors.

rest of the article 

Getting Intimate With Dita Von Teese


Entertainer, stunning beauty, savvy entrepreneur — Dita Von Teese is truly a modern Renaissance woman. While bringing back retro glamour, she single-handedly re-introduced the world to the long-forgotten art of burlesque. Not content to be just a pretty face with a knack for shimmying, Von Teese (née Heather Sweet) capitalized on her momentum by launching her own line of fragrances overseas. Now, with the help of HSN, she's finally bringing her signature scents and a lingerie line to her home shores.

We got the chance to talk to DVT about the launch, her reputation as a master of seduction, and her surprisingly no-nonsense beauty routine. Read on to learn more about this bewitching babe, and be prepared to fall under her spell — we sure did.

Tell us a bit about how this collaboration with HSN came about?
"I have an existing fragrance line in Europe and lingerie collection in Australia. I'm more of a household name in Europe, so this was a great opportunity to open me up to a wider audience. I'm still a bit more risqué here and have a more underground fan base. For me, it's a great way to be introduced to the HSN woman. Maybe she hasn't heard of me before and hopefully she will understand what I preach — obtainable, everyday glamour."

Can you describe the fragrances?
"I'm currently in the process of creating my fourth — they've been on the shelves in Europe and Fred Segal has been carrying them, but [nowhere else in the U.S.]. HSN is going to carry my first two fragrances, Dita Von Teese and Dita Von Teese Rouge."

What made you want to create your own perfume?
"I had been wearing the same fragrance for 20 years — Quelques Fleurs — since I was 15. My boyfriend at the time [Louis-Marie de Castelbajac] confessed to me that his mom wore the same perfume, so I tried other perfumes, but nothing really grabbed me. At the same time, I had been approached to create my own. I was able to work closely with the perfumers and create my signature scent from scratch.

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The $4,200 Bottle of Perfume


The pitch:

Ah, Chanel No. 5. The perfume that’s considered the world’s most iconic by many a fragrance fan. But if you’re still shopping for Mother’s Day, why settle for just any bottle of the “now and forever” scent when you can purchase it in “its rarest, most collectible form”? That’s how the brand refers to its Grand Extrait edition, which runs $4,200 in its 30-ounce bottling — yes, nearly two pounds of perfume. (A 7.5-ounce Grand Extrait bottle can be had for $2,100.)

But it’s not just the quantity that counts. The Grand Extrait bottle is itself of “exceptional quality,” says Chanel spokeswoman Ruthie Vexler. Each is created through the use of molds, but also benefits from a glassmaker’s individual touch. To complete the package, the bottle is placed in what Chanel describes as a “hand-assembled, artisan-crafted case.” Chanel doesn’t provide exact details as to how truly rare the Grand Extrait is, but Vexler says “very few pieces are produced” each year.

Of course, there’s also what goes in the bottle. Company founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel asked legendary perfumer Ernest Beaux to create “a fragrance for women that smells like a woman.” And the complex, floral No. 5 – unveiled on the fifth day of the fifth month of 1921 – was the result. Chanel says No. 5 is still made with care and precision, pointing to the fact that the brand sources the may rose and jasmine that go into the fragrance from its very own fields in France.

But regarding whether or not that $4,200 bottle could last a Chanel fan for years, the brand has a somewhat different take. As they see it, the Grand Extrait bottle is really a collector’s piece — more for show than for use. Says Chanel spokeswoman Ruthie Vexler, “I think that most people buying the Grand Extrait would not actually open it and would prefer to keep such an investment intact.”

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Jasmine: Feel the fragrance



Every person likes jasmines. The fragrance of the flowers brings divinity, be it in a church, mosque or a temple. Few people, however, know the life cycle or journey of the flower from the time it is ‘literally’ nipped in the bud on the farmland to its end use.

Krishna district is home to more than 5,000 acres of jasmine crop and exports majority of it to Hyderabad, West Godavari and East Godavari.

Fields in Mylavaram mandal present a picture of the beauty of this queen of flowers.

Just before dawn, farmers of Pulluru and Chandapadu land in their jasmine fields directing women engaged to pluck buds of the right size. It is an art to pluck the right bud.

Women pluck 10 kg per day (from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.) with a single bush giving between 250 grams and 450 grams.

By 9 a.m. the Pulluru Jasmine Flower Marketyard, run by Sri Veeranjaneya Rythula Sahakara Sangham, buzzes with activity with farmers bringing jasmine buds to get them weighed on an electronic scale and pouring them into a heap on the floor.

Suresh, director of an NGO Nestam, who brought these farmers together as an initiative of Nabard, feels happy that farmers are able to earn good profits.

source

Bourbon Perfume/Cologne: The Smell Of Being Drunk Legally



Not sure if this one is such a great idea, particularly if you're at all worried about everyone in your life (including that traffic cop) thinking you're sloshed all the time. But regardless, we thought it was worth bringing to your attention, just in case you love bourbon so much you want to reek of it even when you haven't spilled it on yourself or consumed so much of it that it's coming out your pores.
Behold: Bourbon perfume/cologne. Made by Scodioli and available through their Etsy shop, the perfume carries this descriptor:
Madame has based this alluring scent on her favorite single barrel bourbon: delicate floral notes on top of richly aged wood and warm vanilla, earthy spice and the slightest hint of cherry and caramel. Cheers, darlings.

For only $14, what's not to love (except maybe getting fired for being drunk at work)?

source

Monday, May 20, 2013



Warm weather and the first buds of spring have been slow to arrive in much of the country. But even if your garden has yet to grow, you can add beauty, fragrance and a sense of springtime to your home by decorating with lush plants and potted trees.

Decorating with plants “kind of fell out of vogue” for a time, says California-based interior designer Molly Luetkemeyer. “It was such a ’70s thing, or I think people associated it with the ’70s,” but it’s become popular again.

Today, “designer spaces pretty much always include some element of life,” says interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, founder of decordemon.com. “While that can be anything from coral to tortoise shells, pressed leaves or even a tiny bowl with a goldfish, the most common way to add life is with potted plants and trees.”

We asked Flynn, Luetkemeyer and Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design in Los Angeles for advice on choosing the right plants, potting them and keeping them blooming with minimal effort.

Where To Start?

Read more

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Givenchy Releases "Gentlemen Only"




"These days being a gentleman takes a different kind of style and finesse" read the tagline for Givenchy's 1974 ad campaign for their robustly masculine scent Givenchy Gentleman. The concept charted the evolution of modern man, explaining that everyone should aim to ape Sir Walter Raleigh's manners, Casanova's seduction technique and Beau Brummel's wardrobe.

After nearly four decades the French fashion house has decided it's time for a reboot and bottled up Givenchy Gentlemen Only. Ditching the signature yellow bottle for a much calmer blue (as well as replacing everyone's cloak ready English aristocrat with Simon Baker), this new fragrance takes that trademark tree bark undercurrent from the Seventies (cedar, patchouli and vetiver) and lightens it up with a blend of green mandarin orange, pink peppercorns and nutmeg.

 Available 29 April. £41.50 for 50ml. 

Friday, May 17, 2013

Sugandam Music The Fragrance of Devotion


Thematic concerts seem to gain significance nowadays. So there are artists using their ingenuity to research and identify certain special aspects in compositions and try to present them with a common thread of idea in focus. Lakshmi Rangarajan and Savitha Narasimhan presented a concert on ‘Sugandam’ (fragrance). While our compositions are basically structured on bhakti, they naturally connect them with the temples, the God and his/her fascinating disposition with embellishments. Generally, we associate the fragrance of incense, sandalwood, camphor, flowers and chimes of bells with an aura of purity and devotion. These aspects have reflected and referred in many compositions of our illustrious composers and the singers were ably assisted by Gowri Ramnarayan in the choice of selection.

Opening the concert with a couple of slokas from ‘Sowndaryalahari,’ where the aromatic bath of the Goddess was described, the duo presented ‘Sri Mathrubootham’ of Dikshitar in Kannada. Here in the charanam, a swara string was added in the line ‘Vasitha Nava Javanthi Pushpa,’ the favourite of Lord Siva. The raga essay of Mayamalavagowla was neatly drawn by Savitha Narasimhan for the Tyagaraja kriti ‘Tulasi Dala’ where the composer lists a host of flowers which he wishes to offer Rama along with the sacred ‘tulasi.’ The exhaustive niraval on ‘Sarseeruha Punnaha’ created the right impact sans swaras. This was followed by ‘Cheta Sri Balakrishnam’ in Dwijavanti by Dikshitar which described the striking and scented presence of Krishna in the last stanza of the song. The swara bouquet was added on ‘Nava Thulasivana.’ A comparatively fast ‘Pahi Sada Pankajaksha’ in Mukhari of Swati Tirunal preceded Lakshmi’s Ritigowla treatise. A finely etched Ritigowla provided a beautiful preface to Othukadu Venkatakavi’s rhythmic ‘Brindavana Nilaye.’

CATCHY AKARAS

Hamir Kalyani was offered the centrestage, with the exposition shared by both Lakshmi and Savitha. The long swirling phrases and the catchy akaras integrated in the right proportion built up a serene ambience. Can there be a better choice than Dikshitar’s ‘Parimala Ranganatham’ detailing the aura of the Lord lying on a bed? The poignant niraval and swaras were attached to the ‘Sugantha Vipinantharanga.’ Azhwar’s ‘Karpooram Narumo’ in Khamas came towards the end.

Was there a sense of completely laid back presentation on the whole? Well, it was. The theme ‘fragrance’ needs to permeate slowly and steadily and ultimately should leave the listener filled with a smell and satisfaction without any heady mix. Lakshmi and Savitha performed without any over indulgence in their parts. However, they could have given a brief prelude to each kriti emphasising the reason for its selection. Satisfactory support came from R. Hemalatha on the violin, J. Vaidyanathan on the mridangam and Anirudh Athreya on the ganjira. The thani avartanam was precisely structured and dynamically executed. The programme was held as the part of the Annual Music Drama Festival of Hamasadhwani at the Youth Hostel, Adyar.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Perfume Got Wood By Technotraf Packaging


LuxePack New York will see the official US introduction of Technotraf wooden components for fragrance and cosmetics packaging. The Spanish manufacturer, a Quadpack company, will showcase its exclusive family of products, beautifully crafted from sustainably-sourced wood. The range includes bespoke fragrance caps, jar caps, bottle caps, boxes and powder compacts that complement make-up, perfumery and cosmetics packaging.

Technotraf’s components will also be shown complementing the perfume bottles of Italian fragrance specialist Premi, offering a complete solution for perfumery packaging. Premi’s bespoke service and innovative technology and design have placed the company in a leadership position in the European cosmetics packaging market. Its Rectangular, Cilindro and Hollywood range will be displayed adorned with the best of Technotraf’s wooden caps.

Technotraf spokesman Jaume Ordeig said: “Wood bestows a real mark of luxury to beauty brands. It sends a message about quality, about dignity and about caring for the environment.”

Visitors to the stand will be able to pick up and experience the natural sensory appeal of wooden components, pleasantly contrasting with the cool sensation of a glass fragrance bottle.

Technotraf is a manufacturer of wooden components based in Torelló, Spain. The company pioneered the use of wood in beauty packaging in 2001. It sources all its raw material from PEFC-certified sustainable forests and processes it at its 10,000m2 production facilities. Fully equipped with woodturning and computer-numerical controlled (CNC) milling machines, it manufactures bespoke fragrance caps, jar caps, bottle caps, boxes and powder compacts that complement make-up, perfumery and cosmetics packaging. Established in 1983, it was acquired by cosmetics packaging provider Quadpack Group in March 2013. 

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Spring Blossom In A Bottle From Van Cleef & Arpels Féérie


There are several reasons for writing a review of a perfume. Among those you can invoke arguments like current affairs, trends knowledge, following the evolution of a house, or outing a dud. In this case, the reason for writing about Féérie Spring Blossom by Van Cleef & Arpels is very simple: it smells very good. We are not talking masterpiece of the imagination, but rather of reminiscences and daydreaming, as well as referring to this aesthetic and technical imperative which is not easy to achieve fully yet is laid out in its crystalline simplicity by veteran perfumers: a perfume deserving of its name MUST SMELL GOOD - how hard is that? It's hard. In the fullest sense of the expression, it is really hard an ideal to attain.


Féérie Spring Blossom is simply put a very good composition created by perfumer Antoine Maisondieu of Givaudan. If you hesitated a bit at the foregone conclusion that a cherry blossom perfume whose bottle features a Tinker Bell sculpture is definitly not for you, then you'd be missing out on a delicate floral composition replete with qualities, which gets better overtime as you live with it. Too bad it's a limited edition...

A cherry blossom accord is not novel; in fact it is fast becoming a recycled, even trite idea before it gets to the next iconicity stage of signalling emblematicity. What this composition benefits from however is its layering over a white floral accord of magnolia developed previously by perfumer Antoine Maisondieu, in particular in Acqua di Parma Magnolia Nobile.


It is certainly one of the very best cherry blossom perfumes you can hope to find on perfumery shelves at this point in time. One can muse that it would be interesting to see Frédéric Malle or Serge Lutens develop a highly creative and haute-parfumerie style of cherry blossom one day, but meanwhile, even if you can still expect to be surprised by an unconventional, complex and deconstructed cherry blossom scent in the future, this is a composition which is typical of the best of designer perfumery, yet not that commonly found: it is about understated originality and intuitive and technical mastery of the elements of perfumery.

Fragrance Notes: cherry blossom, cranberries, pink peppercorn, lychee, magnolia, peony, wild, delicate raspberry, silken musks, tender tonka bean, sandalwood.

source


Thursday, May 9, 2013

Smelling Good At The Kuwait International Perfume and Cosmetics Exhibition




Bahrain's renowned perfume house Junaid for Perfumes demonstrated their strong presence at the Kuwait International Perfume and Cosmetics Exhibition that was held at the Kuwait International Fair Ground (KIFG) in Mishref from 20th to 30th March, 2013.

Inaugurated by The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Kuwait, H.E Abdul Aziz Al Khaldi, this year's exhibition witnessed a remarkable turnout of about 10,000 visitors.

The Kuwait International Perfumes & Cosmetics Exhibition is one of the most colorful events of its kind in the region and provides an excellent platform for professionals from prominent perfume and cosmetic companies in the west including France, UK and USA and various regions across the GCC, to introduce their current and future products and services.

At this year's exhibition, Junaid for Perfumes showcased a number of their latest exquisite fragrances that included Ateeq, Hanako, Sanaya Aqua, Sarab Gold, Essence of Arabia and many more.

"We have been participating in the Kuwait International Perfume & Cosmetics Exhibition for over two decades now and our participation this year has yet again seen an excellent turnout. This exhibition gives us a unique opportunity to tap into the local and regional markets and further consolidate our position as a pioneering perfume brand in the Middle East," said Mr. Hamad Fouad, Director of Sales & Marketing of Junaid for Perfumes.

With a number of successful participation over the years, Junaid for Perfumes continues to be an active member in this event where several new products produced by the company every year are exclusively launched at this exhibition.

Founded in 1910, Junaid for Perfumes still continues their deep rooted family traditions of excellence as a leading perfumery offering distinctive and unique fragrances of high and exceptional quality that exude elegance, class, tradition and sophistication.

source

Here Comes The Whale Sperm, The Perfume Is Elated


Supply shortage, price inflation and the the fact that sperm wholes are an endangered species had lead European perfume formulators to develop alternative to Ambergris.

But a while washed ashore just off the Texel back in December and was dissected by Ecomare, a group that looks after the conversation and restoration in the North See, uncovered the uncommonly large amount of Ambergris in the mammal's intestines.

Those chunks excreted by the intestinal tract of the while are extremely rare and are tremendous value for the perfume industry. This is a 30 ton adult male who died at sea and washed ashore. About 83 kilograms of ambergris.

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Digital Health Pioneer, Alere Don’t buy perfume



Alere has become a popular name for a digital health sector that’s hoping to see some early-stage acquisitions. But every read-between-the-lines comment from Dr. Craig Keyes, the company’s president of health management, says Alere is likely standing pat (for now).
Keyes wouldn’t comment on the most recent rumor – that the company would snap up the digital diabetes solution WellDoc. But Keyers, attending the World Health Care Congress in Washington, D.C., did say: “We have a lot of pieces to execute on a connected health strategy. We do feel we have an ample portfolio and are headed in the right direction.
“The way we look at things – it’s a function of what capability, what talent, what techniques, what tools and tactics have have been refined,” Keyes said Tuesday. “It has to fit into this notion of creating information, sharing information or influencing behavior. We’re quite open to evaluating that spectrum.
“At this point, we have lot of things to work with. We have an ample portfolio in the work of engaging health.”
“One piece of advice I would give (digital health): focus on the results,” Keyes said. “That is where healthcare is headed. It isn’t enough to generate imagination and hope. We’re not selling perfume. This is health. While creativity will be hugely valuable it will be so only to the extent it can translate into real change that will it be sufficiently valued.”


Smells Like a Million Bucks For Just 15 Dollars


I'm not sure it's possible to convey how much I love Demeter's brand new Rice Paddy fragrance in a single blog post. Perhaps an interpretive dance would help. No, no, I'll spare you my rhythmic stylings and just tell you this: It's not like anything perfume you've ever smelled before and everything about it is amazing. Oh, and like all Demeter fragrances, it's just $15.

CEO Mark Crames came up with the the mix of young, green shoots, rice and water after hanging out by a living rice paddy outside a Taiwanese factory. He says, "At the first chance I slipped away and spent 30 minutes contemplating that paddy and inhaling its scent. It was that experience I tried to capture in this fragrance.”
And capture it he did. Now, I know you might be thinking that it smells like the inside of a rice cooker, but that's not it at all—there is an element of rice in there, but the best way I can describe the scent is toasted sweet heaven. It's a mix of savory, caramelized and totally fresh. I'm obsessed. So if you're looking for a new spring fragrance, go take a whiff and see what you think. I won't mind if you guys are walking around smelling like me at all—the more things that smell this delicious, the better.

Photo: Courtesy Demeter

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Marc Jacobs' New Fragrance Guarantees A Buzz


Not like you'd ever get tired of Dot, but Marc Jacobs' iconic fragrance just a whole new smell — and a look to match. The New York City-based luxury label Marc Jacobs is going to launch a fresh new scent this August, Honey.  The adorable bottle that's earned a permanent place in our hearts is going yellow for Marc Jacobs' new fragrance, Honey. With notes of pear, fruit punch, and mandarin, this is a dream for anyone with a sweet tooth.

The multi-layered scent profile also includes golden vanilla, honeysuckle, and orange blossom. The one drawback? You'll have to wait until August to pick it up, just before the launch of MJ's new cosmetics collection with Sephora. We're as upset as you are — this feels like a perfect summer fragrance, right?

The parfume will appear in 30, 50 and 100 ml sprays as well as a shower gel and body lotion. Honey will come in a re-imagined bee-covered version of the Dot bottle, and there's no official word on the campaign yet
(WWD)