JUSTIN BIEBER'S NEW PERFUME AD IS THE FANTASY YOU NEVER WANTED

Ladies, Justin Bieber’s got a new perfume ad out and, boy, is it a doozie. In support of his new Justin-time for Christmas fragrance, The Key, Bieber stars in a new YouTube movie about his perfume unlocking some unlucky girl’s dreams and wishes. This perfume ad is the teaser for the movie, which is also (you guessed it) an ad.

But let’s get ourselves in the right mood to watch this masterpiece. Close your eyes and think about your wildest fantasy. Perhaps it’s winning a top industry award or solving political conundrums with Olivia Pope. Perhaps it involves Michael Fassbender or Idris Elba. (Hey, at least one of them’s got to.) I’ll wager it does not involve Justin Bieber giving you the key to his heart in a perfume bottle you had to buy yourself before he wakes up in a cold sweat while dreaming about you, now does it?

Bieber is now a name synonymous with peeing in mop buckets, going Alec Baldwin on paparazzi, and spitting off hotel balconies. Dreamy, ain’t he? So it’s no wonder that when he releases a commercial all about how badly we must want to have him as our very own main squeeze, the immediate reaction is eye-rolling. As in major disapproval. Deal with it, Beliebers.
1. YOU CAN BUY THE KEY TO HIS HEART!

OMG. Only you and millions of other girls with access to Target or Macy’s will have a true connection to the Biebs. How special.
2. AND THE KEY GETS YOU UNLIMITED CANDY FIGHTS!

Isn’t that the hallmark of romance? Sitting in a room filled with the remnants of a Katy Perry video while you giggle and Bieber takes the opportunity to suffocate you with whipped cream?

3. HE SLEEPS IN NOTHING BUT TATTOOS AND CHAINS!

Ouch. Also yuck. Maybe after one of those candy fights you should buy him some pajamas. That is, if you have any money left after buying this scented deal with the devil.
4. WHEN HE’S THINKING ABOUT YOU, HE’LL MAKE HIS “SELFIE FACE.”

Also known as the “I’m not quite sure, but I probably need to poop right now” face.

5. YOU CAN SLEEP WITH A KEY IN YOUR HAND BECAUSE THAT’S HOW THE VOODOO OF THIS WHOLE PERFUME DEAL WORKS.

Just make sure you hold on tight, or all that picturesque candy fighting is going to include you with a key-shaped dent on your cheek.

In conclusion, we see what you’re doing, Bieber, and it’s a smart marketing strategy. But we’re smarter.

 

Image: Youtube

Perfumes Reviews Using Scent Strips Because I’m Not Made of Money, OK?

So new fragrances are everywhere, and I’m currently obsessing over three in particular: Candy L’eau by Prada, Honey by Marc Jacobs, and Down Town by Calvin Klein. I’m not about to buy any of these, partially because I have a million perfumes already colonizing my bureau, but mainly because my current budget is focused on more important things—like, I don’t know,  paying my mortgage and eating occasionally. Yay fiscal responsibility, but my greedy inner baby is all “I don’t care, I want Marc Jacobs Honey because look at the bottle with the yellow polka-dotted cap and the vaguely bee-shaped bauble thingies!” Baby wants Prada L’eau, because, duh, Prada, and even though I’m usually kind of meh on Calvin Klein scents, the packaging looks like a cross between an amethyst and a Weeble Wobble; it just speaks to me.

If you, like me, can’t rush out and buy every new perfume that hits the market, don’t despair. There’s totally a way to get your greedy hands on these scents, therefore perpetuating the lie that you are the kind of person who just throws whatever she wants into her Sephora basket AND smells delicious. You just need to gently lower your general life expectations, buy a couple of fashion magazines, and get to ripping strips. Stacks upon stacks of strips. You are going to make it rain with strips, frankly. That way, at least we’ll know what the new stuff smells like and we can pretend we might buy some soon. Plus, trying on perfume in this way guarantees you automatic membership in the broke ass beauty club—hi, I’m totally the president here.

If you are too broke to buy fashion mags, you’re still in luck, ‘cause I’m reviewing these bad boys strip-style. Now, if I were doing an actual perfume testing, I’d go in with clean wrists and sniff coffee beans between scents. But here’s how this kind of review works: um, I rip the strip, inhale deeply, lightly apply to my wrist, and then try to desperately seal the strip back up so some fragrance remains. It’s totally legit, guys. And bonus review: how much self-loathing-because-I’m-using-scent-strips does each accompanying ad induce?

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A Wickenden Street Shop Blends Custom Perfumes

I love the sense of renewal that comes with the warm weather – clothing, yes, and skincare, and of course swapping my dark lipsticks for pops of color. When I reached for my summer perfume, though, I realized I didn’t have one. Everything I own is either distinctly winter or spring. I wanted something fresh and light, that didn’t overwhelm the room. Those scents are hard to come by, though. Apparently “fresh, clean and light” are code words for “androgynous, soapy and vaguely frat boy smelling” at the perfume counter.

Then Charna Ethier invited me to blend a custom perfume at Providence Perfume Company, and all of my problems were solved. (Well, my scent problems, anyway. Wait, does that make me sound smelly? Because I’m not, I promise.) Charna has been making a name for herself both locally and nationally with her perfume, which started as a hobby and has become so popular that she opened a permanent retail location last month.

Providence Perfume Company sells all-natural perfumes in 11 scents like Cocoa Tuberose, Hindi Honeysuckle and Ginger as well as skincare and hair products. They’re all quite nice, but there’s nothing like complete control. We sat down at the custom perfume bar and set to work. Charna walked me through the process: we’d choose one or two base notes (the strongest scents, which provide the background for the perfume), two to three mid-notes (which are the most prevalent in the blend) and one to two top notes (which are the first things you smell and the first to dissipate). I immediately eliminated anything sweet or heavy like chocolate, vanilla and patchouli for my bottom notes.

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Beyoncé Knowles on 'playful' perfume

Beyoncé Knowles is expanding her perfume line to include a limited edition version of her classic Heat scent in honour of her current world tour.

The superstar has dedicated her latest fragrance to her fans as a reminder of her special performances.

Entitled Heat The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, the limited edition perfume has the tag line 'introducing a new kind of fire,' which is a reference to the original concept behind the 2010 fragrance.

"I love my music, I love performing and most of all I love and appreciate my fans," the singer stated in the official release. "I wanted to give them a special remembrance of this tour and I created this scent to reflect the power, passion and playfulness I put into my performances."

To coincide with the launch, Beyoncé has started a website dedicated to her fragrance pursuits.

Here fans can find out more about her three main perfumes Heat, Heat Rush and Pulse, plus see images from the campaign videos and shop for the products.

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Fragrance Foundation Awards Winners Are....

Kristen Stewart’s Balenciaga Fragrance Wins Prestigious Award The winners for this year’s Fragrance Foundation Awards have finally been announced! Here is the complete list:

CONSUMER CHOICE – Girlfriend Justin Bieber (Elizabeth Arden) and Acqua di Gio Essenza Giorgio Armani

FRAGRANCE CELEBRITY OF THE YEAR – Taylor Swift

INDIE AWARD – By Kilian Amber Oud

HALL OF FAME – Linda Wells, Allure‘s Editor-in-Chief

PACKAGING OF THE YEAR – Florabotanica Balenciaga Paris (Coty Prestige) and Montblanc Legend (Interparfums)

MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR – Dolce & Gabbana Pour Femme and Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men Sport

PERFUMER OF THE YEAR AWARD — LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT – Alberto Morillas (Firmenich)

PERFUME EXTRAORDINAIRE – Robertet

FRAGRANCE HALL OF FAME – Red Door Elizabeth Arden

FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR (MEN’S POPULAR) – James Bond 007 (P&G Prestige)

FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR (MEN’S PRESTIGE) – Tom Ford Noir (Tom Ford Beauty)

FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR (MEN’S LUXURY) – Colonia Intensa Oud Acqua Di Parma

FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN’S POPULAR) – Girlfriend Justin Bieber (Elizabeth Arden)

FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN’S PRESTIGE) – DOT Marc Jacobs (Coty Prestige)

And last but certainly not least,

FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN’S LUXURY) – Florabotanica Balenciaga Paris (Coty Prestige)

Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud + Venustus Water Perfume

Winter closes in on us, it's time to think about buying a warming fragrance. We already know how closely memory and scent are linked, so don't underestimate the power of a new smell to take you on a sensory journey throughout the cooler months. The fragrance sections of both Myer and David Jones can be a minefield (and leave you with a headache!), so we thought we'd highlight two perfumes we're kind of obsessed with right now.

Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud flew off shelves last year as a limited edition flavor in the Cologne Intense Collection, and due to its success, has now been added permanently to the coveted Jo Malone fragrance stable. A smoky wood and floral mix, this baby is not for sensitive nostrils. Spiced with clove, the experts say it's at its best when layered with like-minded notes to increase depth. Yum. Curious? Try it alongside Jo Malone's Dark Amber & Ginger Lily to smell like no one else in the room.

Another favorite right now is Sydney spa Venustus’s Altruism Water Perfume. Mixed from organic essentials oils and pure water, this perfume (and the entire Water Perfume range for that matter) is perfect for sensitive-skinned ladies. The idea here is holistic healing through smell, and Altruism is for the nurturer in all of us. An unlikely threesome, geranium, bergamot and spearmint make for quite the heartwarming combination.

‘First of its kind’ perfume exhibition opens in Doha

Qatar’s first perfume exhibition was opened yesterday evening at Doha Exhibition Centre by Qatar Chamber of Commerce vice-chairman Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Towar al-Kuwari. The event will continue until Sunday.

An official of White Hands Media, the main organiser of the exhibition, said more than 15 local and international companies were exhibiting their products at the event.

Eman Amna of White Hands Media said this was a first-of-its-kind exhibition to be held in Qatar and there were plans to organise it annually for the next five years. “The idea of the exhibition was to bring local and international companies, especially those operating in the Gulf region, under one roof,” she said.

Hani al-Mustafa, executive director Al Mamlaka Perfume Co, is one of the prominent local companies whose products are displayed at the exhibition. “Everybody in the Arab region is a fan of Oud (wood-based) perfumes and our company has engineered special perfumes to cater to this market,” he said.

Al-Mustafa is targeting the high-end market in the Gulf region and some of his perfumes start from QR2,000 for 50ml. He said Arab men look for simple yet strong Oud scents, while he mixes Oud scents with musk, rose and amber for the women’s range.

Originally from Syria, al-Mustafa is one of the success stories of entrepreneurship in Qatar. He came to Doha 10 years ago and worked in the perfume industry for five years before coming up with the idea of starting his own company. “Three years ago, I got this idea to start my own brand. I started small initially, but thanks to Allah I’ve been quite successful in a short span of time,” he said.

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Unboxing Jimmy Choo's New Fragrance, Flash

When the original Jimmy Choo fragrance was launched a couple of years back, it caused quite a stir in the fragrance world. While it was a hit with many of my fellow bloggers and friends, I didn't fall in love with the scent myself, though I did love the bottle.

Out this month exclusively at Nordstom (for less than $100!) is Jimmy Choo's new fragrance, Flash — a fruity-yet-floral scent with top notes of pink pepper and strawberry; heart notes of tuberose, jasmine, and white lily; and base notes of heliotrope and white woods that smells as delicious as it does luxurious. This is a less sweet, more floral concoction. The bottle is designed to emulate paparazzi flashbulbs, and the box is equally as glitzy. I love the box, but the bottle itself is not as nicely made as I expected, or as good quality as the first Jimmy Choo fragrance.

Woody base notes make it a little more sophisticated, but for me, the strong floral heart is just too much. When it comes to staying power (like the first Jimmy Choo fragrance) this is great, but  in my case I'd prefer if it wasn't!

A glitter-filled booklet that accompanied our perfume says the scent is "about the cool rush of excitement and the sense of power a woman feels when dressed in a pair of sexy shoes" . Perhaps with a rich man, among fields of strawberries." (In other words, it's the smell of fancy and yummy colliding.)

M. Asam Eau de Parfum No. 1 German By The Way Of France

Looking for an exotic and high-spirited fragrance? Very fresh and aromatic, M. Asam's No. 1 scent is sure to turn heads wherever you go. An animating blend of citrus, spice and floral, No. 1 is the fragrance used in the VINO GOLD skin care line. Spritz this eau de parfum on your neck, wrists and wherever skin is the warmest. Lovely!

M. Asam is not you typical "perfumey" fragrances but rather clean smells. It's a refreshing clean scent, almost like fresh mowed grass. The scent is very mild and stays with you, although since mine was an Eau de Toilette it was lost after much of the day.

"Looking for an exotic and high-spirited fragrance? Very fresh and aromatic, M. Asam's No. 1 scent is sure to turn heads wherever you go. An animating blend of citrus, spice and floral, No. 1 is the fragrance used in the VINO GOLD skin care line. Spritz this eau de parfum on your neck, wrists and wherever skin is the warmest. Lovely!"

What You Get

3.38 fl. oz. Eau de Parfum No. 1

Beauty fiends can take note that German beauty brand M. Asam, which base their creed on the rejuvenating properties of grapeseed oil in particular, released last year a fine perfume directly inspired by the scent of their cosmetics...

Top Notes: Bergamot, rosewood, lemon, grapefruit, green tea and mandarin
Mid Notes: Lily of the valley, violet, rose, nutmeg, peach, thyme, cardamom, plum and cassis
Base Notes: Musk, white cedarwood, amber and oakmoss