Monday, December 22, 2014

Loving Lately - December 2014

It's a little early, but early is better than late and I have every intention of staying away from my laptop over the next week or so. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season! Onto this month's standout products: 

Diptyque Eau Duelle 



I've commented on how I'm not really a gourmand fragrance lover, but I've had my moments where a particular vanilla note captivates my attention without nauseating me. I bought Diptyque's Eau Duelle perfume solid (pictured above, which I dug up from my Instagram circa Feb. 2012) and travel-friendly purse sprays (set of 3) from a Diptyque warehouse sale in NYC in my Parsons days. The perfume solid and travel sprays seem to be unlisted on the Diptyque site currently, so I suppose they were discontinued. If you can track it down, note that the perfume solid has a less spicy aspect to it versus the travel sprays (which are eau de toilette concentrations). The standout notes (at least, to my nose) are cardamom, bergamot, pink pepper, black tea, musk and bourbon vanilla. I've kept the perfume solid in my bag for a little dab every so often this month, as it's a perfect winter scent in my opinion. Tip: if it's too sweet or spicy for your taste, try layering it with another Diptyque scent to mellow it out, such as sandalwood-driven Tam Dao or floral Do Son.





As I wrote this particular product blurb, I was facing a gnarly case of rhinitis, which involved ploughing through boxes of tissues (among other joys, such as cleaning my nasal passages with saline) from nose-blowing.  My parents began to call me Rudolph because my nose was bright red. This balm has saved me a number of times since it launched, and I can't give it enough love. Skin-soothing and reparative vitamin B5 aka panthenol is my nose saviour. Keep this stuff on hand. It's perfect for cuts, nicks, scrapes, burns and generally irritated skin.

Chanel Jardin de Chanel Camélia Rosé Blush



Blush is a personal thing. Some people love vibrant shades, other don't mind blending in a bit more. I find myself identifying with the latter group these days. This blush (probably launching by the time this has gone live - I say that because Chanel Spring hit counters on Christmas Eve last year) is my ideal mauvey nude soft rose nothingness blush, akin to past Chanel stars like Joues Contraste in Rose Dust. The finish is natural satin, no detectable shimmer, but prepare for a higher price tag for this embossed pan ($50 CAD). It'll move fast, so you should too if this is up your alley. 



I begged my brother to get me a far-too-light-but-I-didn't-know-better-then nude Rouge Volupté Shine lipstick for my birthday half a decade ago and have been hooked since. YSL's lip game has been pretty awesome in my eyes for a while, but the last two years have been outstanding. I don't own each iteration of lip product (high gloss shine is not my jam, though I did own a Golden Gloss that I never wore due to gloss grit), but I admire the formulations of YSL's Vernis À Levres, Gloss Volupté, Baby Doll Kiss & Blush, Rouge Pur Couture and Volupté Sheer Candy. The latest addition to the Volupté family is this range of tint-in-oils, designed to be a happy medium between a lip tint and hydrating lip care. The formula is comprised of Apricot Kernel Oil, Coriander Fruit Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, and Possiflora Edulis Seed Oil for moisture and shine without any stickiness whatsoever. If you're after pigmentation, go for the Vernis À Levres or Gloss Volupté formulas, but personally, I love the super subtle nature of this product range. Some people seem to be put off by the lack of pigment, but I just view it as a type of gloss I can finally embrace wholeheartedly without rage over my hair sticking to my lips or a weird residue being left behind. 



Have I raved about this scent? I'm sure I have. I find it to be an invigorating scent as far as fruity floral citrus stuff goes, and this shower gel interpretation is getting me through winter doldrums quite effortlessly. The Fresh shower and bath gel formula is quite possibly my favourite, and has been since my dear Colour Theory professor at Parsons (who is a graphic designer at Fresh) shared her goodie bag from an LVMH holiday party with the class. She insisted I take two items since I was such a beauty fan (I tied most projects to the beauty realm), and I picked this shower gel (in the Citron de Vigne scent) and a Dior gloss. The gloss was a fleeting interest, but I couldn't get enough of this shower gel! The formula contains shea butter as well as vitamins C and E for soft skin and a bit of a lingering scent. Even if you aren't into this scent, definitely check out the other options available in this formulation, because it's bound to be a welcomed addition in a winter shower routine. 

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