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Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne

"Parisienne is a scent that suits this eternal woman: she has personality, she is paradoxical, and she plays with convention. There is nothing obvious, only hints..."

I was really excited to try this new perfume by YSL. Normally I'm not a fan of 'rose' scented products, but it's a very subtle note in this perfume and it's not over bearing. It's a very girly, classy scent that I can wear to work and out at night.


THE TOP NOTE adds the shine of vinyl, an ultra
modern wink to gloss, varnish or the metal of a spike
heel, before the tartness of cranberry adds a point of
bitter sharpness - the evocation of a certain
impertinence softened by sparkling, succulent, fruity
blackberry, symbol of an epicurean PARISIENNE.

THE FLORAL HEART beats wildly with the absolute
femininity of the Damas rose, which harmonizes
perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and
carnal like leather worn by Kate Moss. In contrast,
the peony gives a breath of PARISIENNE youth and
a hint of morning freshness.

THE BASE NOTE brings tumult and intensity in
its woody wake. First with patchouli, the ultimate
in mystery. And when the masculinity of vetiver
flirts with the feminine eroticism of musk and
sandalwood, one knows that this PARISIENNE
knew a “night of love”.

Note: This review includes products that I received as samples, provided by the brand company or a PR rep. Please click here for more information regarding my disclaimer.

Alterna at LA Fashion Week

Alterna created the recent hairstyles for fashion designer Kevan Hall at LA Fashion Week. Designed exclusively to complement Hall’s vintage-inspired designs, Alterna created modern-day beehives using Alterna’s CAVIAR Working Hair Spry and HEMP with Organics Spray Shine.

Here are the steps to recreate the modern-day beehive seen at the show:

1. Mount volume-enhancing mousse, such as Alterna’s Life Solutions Volumizing Spray Mousse, into damp hair from root to tips.

2. Blowdry hair straight with a round brush.

3. Backcomb the hair to achieve tons of volume and height on the top of the head, while keeping the sides of the head smooth and sleek

4. Secure the hair into a bun in the back of the head with pins

5. Smooth the top layer of the hair to gently shape the look, combing hair over the bun and securing with a pin, to give a smooth beehive style.

6. Finish with a flexible hair spray, like Alterna’s CAVIAR Working Hair Spray, and shine spray, like HEMP with Organics Spray Shine, for intense shine.

Total Beauty Break

The Cure for Dry Winter Skin

Find out which top hand hydrators our testers found desk drawer-worthy

We spend hundreds on youth-enhancing face lotions -- but when's the last time your hands got some love? "Hands show aging more than the face," says Los Angeles-based dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad. Good point. So we had 10 testers review hand creams for two weeks. Which ones offered the best hydration -- and which were just greasy? Find out in the ratings. See products

Finding The Perfect Fragrance

Holidays are all about families and fragrance certainly fits right in. Here’s a guide that puts personality style together with the fragrance family to ensure the perfect fragrance gift.

First, know your nose! Perfumes are like musical compositions. The overture is the ‘top” note or the first impression when you try the scent on or open the bottle. The impact is immediate and sets up the next chorus of the fragrance which is the “middle note”. This is the very heart of the fragrance that stays with you longest before the final “base note” comes into play signaling the moment when the fragrance has truly developed to its fullest, lingering on the skin for many pleasurable hours.

Next, let’s talk fragrance like a pro. According to The Fragrance Foundation, who wrote the book on all things fragranced, perfumed and scented, fragrances are grouped into “families”. Florals, Orientals, Chypre (pronounced Sheep-ra), Woody, Fruity, Floriental, Citrus and Green are the most well-known. “It’s the magic and alchemy of the perfumer’s art to blend and mix the hundreds and thousands of ingredients that can make up an infinite variety of “scentsational” scents. Just like a composer does with music”, explains Rochelle Bloom, President of The Fragrance Foundation.

Now that you get the idea, here are some personality types that you might recognize on your holiday gift list and the fragrance “family” ingredients that would appeal to them:

For Her

Sporty		Look for a fragrance that is light and sparkly. Citrus and green. The crystal-clean fresh tang of such fascinating ingredients as lemon, orange and lime. The zest and energy of freshly cut grass and dewy-green leaves.
Classic		Think Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel. Often single florals like rose or gardenia, sometimes balanced by a variety of contrasting, sophisticated notes from the perfumer’s palette.
Fashionista		A cutting edge Italian designer. A little black number from Paris or a style maven from the US? The fashion designer today uses individualist notes that range from sophisticated and mysterious to spicy and oriental. Get their style through a signature scent.
Romantic		Chypre and Floral Orientals work their magic. Often an uninhibited blend of exotic flowers, herbs and spices.

For Him

Athletic		Citrus. Fresh and Brisk. Clean and simple.
Earthy		Fougere forest notes from oak moss, resin and geranium oil.
Dynamic		Smoky, pungent,masculine leather notes.

BeautyPress.com November 2009

Pearlescent Perfection - Bare Escentuals & Honora

Two QVC favorites have come together this season to offer amazing holiday items at budget-friendly prices, perfect for gift-giving or dressing for the season. On November 7, viewers will enjoy two perfect presents for one-time-only prices, delivered in plenty of time for the holidays! This year, give the gift of beauty without breaking the bank or treat yourself to a glamorous accent to that holiday outfit with Bare Escentuals, Honora and QVC!

BareMinerals “Beautiful in Pearls” 10-Piece Collection

QVC Item #A92182 Approximately $54.00

For the Glamour-ista on the list, Bare Escentuals offers this 10-piece collection with rich depth and texture, reminiscent of fine pearls. Each shade in the collection matches a hue of pearls on the “Beautiful in Pearls” necklace created by Honora.

Includes:

• Brightening Pearl Mineral Veil
• Blissful Pearl eye color (seashell peach)
• Magnificent Pearl eye color (charcoal taupe)
• Precious Pearl blush (dusty pink)
• Big & Bright Mineral Eyeliner Pencil
• Flawless Definition Mascara
• Sugared Strawberry 100% Natural Lipgloss
• Precision Eye Defining Brush
• Tapered Blush Brush
• Flawless Application Brush

Honora "Beautiful in Pearls" Cultured Pearl 18-Inch Strand

QVC Item #J143756 Approximately $ 52.00

Ideal for the woman with classic style and sophisticated taste, Honora presents this single-strand necklace crafted from cultured freshwater pearls. This piece is timeless with a modern twist, using mocha, caramel, and peach colored pearls throughout. Each colored pearl matches a shade of the bareMinerals “Beautiful in Pearls” collection. Measures approximately 18-inches long by one and ¼ - inch wide.

Tune into QVC a Nov 7^th at Midnight for the kick-off, and noon, 4pm and 10pm ET or shop online all day atQVC.COM

November is National Healthy Skin Month

The American Academy of Dermatology has designated November as National Healthy Skin Month. In honor of this, I'll be highlighting different skin care products, for body and face, all month. If there are any that you are specifically interested in, let me know in the comments, and if I've never tried it, I'll reach out to my fellow beauty blogger friends to see if they have feedback on it.

Take care of your skin ladies!

Giveaway Break - Maybelline Great Lash Big Gift Pack

'Maybe she's born with it...maybe it's Maybelline.' Probably one of the most catchiest makeup slogans ever!

Check out this behind-the-scenes sneak peak at Maybelline's new commercial for Great Lash Big (same formula, bigger brush)! The Great Lash Big mascot trekked the streets of NYC to find charismatic, aspiring women to make a big impression and appear in the Great Lash Big Gig.

***Giveaway***

Comment below to win a Maybelline Gift Pack filled with Great Lash Big and other Maybelline NY Products ($75 value!). Leave a comment on this post to enter. For extra entries, you can sign up for my mailing list, post a link to this giveaway on your blog, follow my blog, follow me and retweet on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook; just make sure to list your extra entries in the comments.

This contest is open to US residents only. The contest will end on Friday, November 20th. I will randomly select one lucky winner and announce them on Lipgloss Break, so keep checking to see if you're a winner - Good Luck!

Total Beauty Break

Hot Celebrity Hairstyle Trend: Twists

From tight knots to loose coils, these hairstyles put a new twist on practical elegance

"The Twist" is more than just a popular 60s dance. It's also a look practically anyone can wear. So check out this celebrity hairstyle that's fun to sport and so easy to copy. See hairstyles

Clarins is on Facebook

Clarins has finally joined the cult known as a Facebook :)

Become a fan of the Clarins Facebook page by Sunday, November 8th, and you'll be able to find out about an exclusive treat just for official Clarins fans.