Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio

Lively and vivacious, Ninfeo mio opens with a breathtaking vapor of Italian lemon and citron.

The bitter orange tree unveils its leaves (essence of petitgrain), and its fruits (essence of bitter orange). Gradually, the scene begins to unfurl. Galbanum extract and lentisque absolute deliver a sassy verdure full of life.

A faintly aromatic undertone places the scene in a landscape garden, in which conifers thrive alongside lavender, and then the warmth and milky softness of the fig leaf rises up, as if brought by a cool breeze to the nose.

The tempo slows down, and gently comes to rest on the skin. The woody accord of the lemon tree, just as milky as the fig, then knits a reassuring blanket, capurating the freshness of the citrus fruit in a downy cocoon.

Ninféo Mio was inspired by a garden – the Giardino di Ninfa (Ninfa garden) near Rome.

It’s  a very green & evanescent, from the beginning till the end. The opening is sharp green citrus, grassy & dry. There’s a fair amount of lavender in the early stages, and it adds an herbal cast to the scent, but it isn’t harsh or overwhelming; On my skin, the fig notes appears rather early, and it’s kind of herbaceous,acidic fig.

The dry down is citrusy green & wet woody.

It’s only slightly fruity despite the prominent fig notes.

If you like sharp, herbaceous, fresh fig with citrusy twist, Ninfeo Mio is a great choice.

The perfect EDT for spring & summer where one could wear this sparingly. It only lasts about 2 hours on my skin ( great excuse to recharge & spritz myself with this lovely green juice ).

Favorites

JadePaloma had posted a similar article and I decided to do one myself;

Favorite book : Le Petit Prince

Favorite colour : Purple

Favorite women’s perfume : Bond 9 Bleecker Street

Favorite men’s perfume : Sweat mixed with Pheromones, with a faint tobacco stain & alcohol; otherwise I would settle with Tom Ford Tuscan Leather

Favorite painting : Van Gogh’s almond blossom 1890

Favorite tree : Cherry Blossom

Favorite flower : Hyacinth

Favorite quotes : Consistency is the last refuge of the Unimaginative.

Favorite book turned into a movie : Breakfast at Tiffany

Favorite philosopher : Zhuang Zhi

Favorite poet : Byron

Favorite architect : Ieoh Ming Pei

Favorite food : Thai

Favorite country : France

Favorite gemstone : Diamond

Favorite clothing item on a guy : Crisp white shirt

Favorite spice : Garlic

Favorite room fragrance : Byredo Rose Noir

Favorite drink : Mojito

If I were an animal, I’d be a : Peacock

Favorite word : Fuck

And this is what I long for in life ! Power, Sex & Money

Cle de Peau Extra Rich Lipstick

Cle de Peau has a new luxury lipstick collection called “Rouge a Levres” or extra rich lipstick.  It’s the first lipstick formulated with Vitamin A Acetate that creates a creamy, rich texture and makes lips feel intensely moisturized with every application.

The ingredients include argania spinosa kernal oil (argan oil), a nutrient-rich, nourishing, and emollient oil from the Moroccan ironwood tree that cares for the skin and adds shine to lipsticks; and sunflower seed oil, which can help retain moisture in the skin.

The end of the lipstick bullet is cut like a Baguette diamond and embossed with the Cle de Peau logo.

The collection features eight shades – four velvety shades of Red Rose and four silky shades of Tea Rose. Each contains an exclusive transparent red powder whose spherical pigment emits a vibrant colour that does not dull over time. The colour stays true throughout the day and evening.

This gorgeous little thing has a satin finish and adds a gleam to your lips; not to mention it’s lip beautifying benefits given all the skin caring ingredients in its formula.

I loves R2 ( Red Abundance ) & T4 ( Calliope ); My dilemma? 60 USD, what a precious little gem.

Iman Cosmetics

I adore the wide range of shades available for darker skin tones from Iman Cosmetics.

I think most of the European cosmetics houses need to take coloured skin people into consideration ( seriously ) when launching their base make up line. Most of them are appalling when it comes to deeper tone, with one or two so called darker shades that turn ashy and the selection probably stops at mediterranean tones.

Bobbi Brown is good but could do better when it comes to shade selection for darker  ( I mean really dark ) complexion.

Darker skin tone has the inherent beauty that deserve complementing & enhancing ( with cosmetics ); And strong vivid shades really stand outs / pops when applied to darker skin.

Iman cosmetic has a great matching service online which matches your L’oreal, Revlon or MAC foundation shades to their own comparable tones. You will be spoilt by the wide range of deep shades available on most their foundation & powder.

Clarins Everlasting Foundation SPF 15

A comfortable, creamy, fluid foundation that even complexion throughout the day. SPF 15. Packaged in a rectangular frosted glass pump bottle with gold cap.

–  Staying power of 15 hours with a non-transfer formula with High Fidelity System. High Fidelity System : the latest in the marriage of active ingredients and scientific technology. A light, invisible microfilm formulated with silicones and 100% natural and environmentally-friendly white clay and rhassoul. It sets foundation on skin

– Non-oily, smooth texture that evens tone and enhances complexion.

– Unrivaled radiance, with Clarins exclusive Light-Optimizing Complex. This complex combines soft focus pigments and mother of pearl to capture, diffuse and magnify light, so that skin appears smooth as fine lines and imperfections are optically “erased”.

In 1 sentence – Double Wear, but better.

In 2 sentences – The perfect full coverage, long lasting foundation that still look natural. If you could find a good color match.

Simply everlasting, 15 hours of impeccable coverage and total comfort thanks to a non-oily, melting, smoothing texture which evens tone and enhances the complexion. For a flawless complexion under any circumstances.

Matte finish. Full coverage. For all skin types.

I have the preconception that full coverage foundations with a matte finish always tend to look mask-like and after a couple of hours they get muddy on the face. Matte foundations also tends to accentuate flakiness and oxidise / turn darker.

Most of the current foundations are light and luminous, so Clarin’s Everlasting is a surprise !

I love the formulation, I have a sensitive combination skin, with dry and red areas. The color range  is very good for light skin, but darker skin will have a problem finding a good match.

I couldn’t find a good match, 105 is too pale for my skin tone, and its shade doesn’t change, even with 10 hours wear. The shade that appears on my skin when I first applied it is the shade I noticed by the end of the day.

It has a nice consistency, dense liquid with excellent slippage & blendability. It melts into the skin in seconds. It comes in a classy heavy glass bottle, with a pump. There is a notable sweet fruity + powdery scent, very similar to the YSL scent.

The coverage is superb ( opaque ), but still gives the illusion of sheerness & radiance. Everlasting is not ashy /chalky / dull / overtly powdery. I like the soft matte finish.

The staying power of this tenacious foundation is amazing! I only wore it for 10 hours, so I can not say if it really stays put for 15 hours; However during my wear, there was no change in its appearance – It didn’t slip / crack / cake / melt.

It manages to stay fresh and clean. It didn’t dry up my skin and feels rather light & comfortable despite all day wear. It feels very silky & sheer on the face, with a feather like weight.

I am very impressed by its formulation, totally indispensable for days when I want great coverage & excellent lasting power. My problem is 105 is too pale for my current skin tone. I am going to buy another deeper shade to custom blend my very own Everlasting foundation ( Yes, I like it that much )

And just a fact to cheer you up – This foundation is 25% cheaper than other high end foundations.

LPB recommend this to all of you that want a polished porcelain like complexion that still looks fresh & natural; the finest wear that stay true & last from dawn to dusk.

Illustration from behance.net

NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment

NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment nourishes and hydrates chapped lips, while giving a sheer yet noticeable tint. Infused with SPF 15, the rich and creamy texture protects lips throughout the day.

The convenient slim stick can be applied directly to lips or with the NARS Retractable Lip Brush for more control. Either way, Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment is sure to provide kissably soft lips.

– Wild Mango Butter, with superior moisturizing benefits, leaves lips feeling soft and supple

– Vitamin E, Polar Berries and Acai Oil provide antioxidants and long lasting hydration

Available in 6 deliciously sexy and subtle tints.

I loves Greta ( Mauve ) & Lara ( Pastel Pink ); It’s great to be fun ( fruity light stain, vibrant shades, sheer finish ) & safe ( SPF 15 ) this summer.

Trilogy Very Gentle Calming Fluid

An exceptionally gentle and calming fluid designed for intolerant, easily irritated skin in need of peace, comfort and soothing hydration.

Combines natural spring water and calming extracts of Chamomile and Calendula with moisture-repairing plant oils ( Sweet Almond, Olive, Evening Primrose , Soybean ) to help calm your complexion and protect the weakened skin barrier of sensitive skin.

By now, you probably know how much I love Trilogy’s sensitive skin range; This Calming Fluid is no exception.

It’s a very light yet nourishing fluid that manage to hydrate, smooth, soothe & calm my skin. This fragrance free fluid absorbed almost instantly, leaving my skin comfortably moisturised.

Very concise, very basic fluid that delivers what it promises.

INGREDIENTS:

Aqua (Purified Spring Water), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ormenis Multicaulis (Chamomile Flower) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Camilla Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Art work by Candybird.

M.A.C. Give Me Liberty of London Collection

I finally got to review my  M.A.C. Give Me  Liberty of london collection.

I like Prim & Proper powder blush, this neutral nude, matte finish blush is great for daily wear; It instantly boost the peachiness of my complexion.

I use Beauty Powder Summer Rose as a cool pink blush; This compact powder is saturated with pigments and a light layer is sufficient to infuse rosy freshness to my cheek. I find this powder slightly pearlised and Summer Rose  is a pale violet, lilac-pink.

Trilogy Very Gentle Cleansing Cream

An extremely gentle cleanser designed to care for even the most sensitive and easily irritated skin. Delicately cleanses and thoroughly removes all make-up.

Combines natural spring water, Camellia oil and Chamomile, ingredients chosen for their non-sensitising and soothing properties with pure plant oils to thoroughly cleanse without drying and protect the weakened skin barrier of sensitive skin.

Trilogy Very Gentle Cleansing Cream is enriched with Spring water, Camellia, Avocado and Almond to gently and effectively remove all traces of make-up while soothing sensitive skin. Gentle pure plant oils replace soap and detergents so the skin is not stripped of vital lipids.

This creamy cleanser is mild enough to be used on sensitive skin, I had been using it for the past 2 weeks as I started my pulses of anti-wrinkle Retin A Regime. My skin usually gets flaky & reddened when I initiate the treatment. This cleanser manage to keep my complexion smoothed & hydrated.

Its non foaming but very emulsifying; It claims to be able to remove  make up but I would use a separated make up remover if I am wearing long lasting or waterproof  make up; It’s efficient in removing light make up only, in my opinion.

I enjoyed massaging this creamy emulsion over my face and rinsing it off with a flannel cloth. This gently cleansing, intensely nourishing yet invigorating ( manual exfoliation with flannel cloth ) step leaves my complexion soothed & purified.

I would say this could be the Eve Lom’s version for sensitive / irritated skin. I highly recommend it to reactive, inflammed or extremely dehydrated skin.

INGREDIENTS:

Aqua (Purified Spring Water), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Camellia Sinensis (Camellia) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado Fruit) Oil, Ormenis Multicaulis (Chamomile Flower) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Camilla Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Art work by Candybird.

L’Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream

Since this is my 200th post, I decided to post about a brand that I had never tried before. I knew about L’Occitane, but I had never tried its face products before. I am very impressed by its Immortelle range. I wish my blogging life would be like the Immortelle flowers; resilient, bright & never fades.

Divine anti-aging skin care that fights the signs of aging, so you can face up the passing of time with absolute serenity.

The divine combination of organic Immortelle and Myrtle essential oils offers complete regenerating skin care. This combined action stimulates the production of collagen and improves skin microcirculation, which helps reduce damage caused by time and restore substance and vitality.

With three patents pending, this product provides complete rejuvenation of the skin by lifting the features and redefining facial contours with precision, smoothing wrinkles and providing intensive action to visibly firm the skin and ensuring the skin retains its youthful properties for a longer period of time.

Organic myrtle essential oil helps stimulate fibroblasts (the key cell in the dermis which produces collagen and elastin), which contain longevity proteins but become less active from the age of 35. By stimulating the longevity protein in fibroblasts, it will stay active and produce collagen and elastin for longer.

The L’Occitane Immortelle Divine Cream:

– Rejuvenates: from Immortelle and Myrtle essential oils

– Adds radiance: from the Vitamin C derivative

– Adds nutrition: from the high percentage of vegetable oils

Application of the product restores freshness, brightness and radiance to the face and meets the needs of even the most demanding skin by providing immediate comfort and well-being. This is a luxurious cream that unites pleasure with performance.

Key benefits:

• Tightens facial contours

• Improves firmness

• Brightens dark spots to even skin tone

• Smoothes lines & wrinkles

Consumer satisfaction tested on 53 women:

Immediately:

– The cream deeply nourrishes (98% of agreement)

– The cream deeply moisturises (94% of agreement)

– The complexion is radiant and luminous (91% of agreement)

After 4 weeks:

-The skin is revitalised (90% of subjects)

-The skin is smoother (94% of subjects)

– Skin slackening is reduced (84% of subjects)

Effectiveness:

Clinical test conducted on 32 women during 8 weeks:

– Reduction of the intensity of dark spots: -32%

– Reduction of the size of dark spots: -10%

Clinical test conducted on 25 women during 4 weeks

– Reduction of the volume of wrinkles: -24%

Corneometry clinical test conducted on 30 women:

+70% of increase of the hydration rate 2 h after the application.

+30% after 8 hours

+18% after 24 hours

Now, back to the cream; I knew I got to have it the moment I touch the jar & tried the product on the back of my hand. The designer jar looks & feels luxurious, almost a jasper like jewel ( great for decorating my vanity table )

The texture of divine cream is like a velvety butter sans the heaviness & greasiness; It actually leaves a powdery veil on my skin given the corn starch it contains.

The aroma of this ultra spreadable cream is heavenly soothing & relaxing.

Due to the micro-encapsulated essential oils, I was advised to apply this cream with a special massage technique ( a rather pleasurable manoeuvre given the inherent texture & fragrance of this cream ).

It leaves my complexion instantly hydrated, richly nourished and my features well rested. I find myself appears less fatigue the next morning after using this as a night cream ( I was trying this cream out while on a hectic business trip ). I also use it during the day, divine cream is an excellent day cream as it primes my face for make up; The only down side is it has no SPF.

I had not used this long enough to comment on its ability to fade dark spots, diminish wrinkles & lift slackening facial features… yet.