The Soap Diaries

Le Couvent Des Minimes Lavande & Acacia Vegetable Soap Review

I am a shower gel kind of girl. I require great bubble volume and intense lather action. Soap bars are dainty and pretty but I need a beast in the shower.

Then I was introduced to a soap bar that provided great lather and delivered the most amazing scent. Lavande & Acacia is a stunner. This lavender note is not medicinal or masculine. It is quite lovely with a soapy sweetness touched with a dusky clove green. The lather was substantial and strong. This was not weak. This product was so lovely that it made me contemplate my stance on bar soaps.

The history of Le Couvent Des Minimes is interesting. It was originally a convent for Franciscan sisters. The order was known for their charity and cultivated gardens. Today it is a hotel/spa with a thriving beauty business.

Visit the site http://www.lecouventdesminimes.us/ for more details on the bath care line.

Visit this site http://www.couventdesminimes-hotelspa.com/uk/index.php for deets on the stunning hotel.

Disclosure: This soap bar was part of a Christmas gift.
***waves to C***
Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Hermèssence Vanille Galante

My fragrance of the day is Hermes Vanille Galante. Hardcore fragrance lovers name this scent among the best vanilla notes captured in a bottle. It is a quiet mix of a unsweetened vanilla, a significant dash of salt, a bouquet of non-morbid lilies and a slew of herb greens. There is an aquatic, resplendent background vibe. It is nothing annoying or jarring. The sillage is whispery and ethereal . I am smitten.

This fragrance is sold at Hermes boutiques. It retails for $235 a bottle. There is also a travel set for $145. The pictured bottle is originally from a travel set.

The picture is from my new Nikon camera. Does it not look photoshopped?
I swear on my Lancome Erika F shadow....this is a unaltered photo.
No tinkering.
Just good light and a better zoom feature.

Disclaimer: This product was a holiday/vacation gift from a dear friend.
Thanks L!

John Galliano: A Fragrance Review

What you're paying for is technique. And the opportunity to look truly wicked. Isn't it worth it as long as you look wicked and feel good? (Galliano quote)

For perfume junkies the wait for John Galliano's fragrance has been quite long. Rumors have swirled for years and there have been debates on various beauty boards. Which direction will he go? Will it be an incense like his Diptyque candle or will it be a grand floral explosion ? I never knew what scent recipe to root for. I imagined that it would be like a Galliano-ized Dior gown. The right mixture of exquisite beauty and craziness. I assumed that the ingredients would range from iris with added sprinkles of leather and spice. A mixture of couture with naughtiness.

It is a slight surprise that the reality is a mix of violet and aldehydes. It is far from wicked and is quite prim and proper. The main star of the show is a sugared candy violet.

The violets are sweet with a strange baby doll head effect. It could be off-putting to many. The iris note is very exceptional. It has a Chanel-like quality.

The aldehydes are strong and bright like Bond's Broadway Nite.

The drydown is very similar to the discontinued Barbara Bui signature fragrance. A lovely mixture of powdery woods. It is nothing unique or mind blowing. I really expected to be smitten with his first launch.

The bottle is a hot mess but the box is adorable.

It launches in the US in 2009. The prices will range from $158 to $126.

Disclaimer: This product was gifted to me by a friend.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 38, Lancome's Erika F

I feel that I might have said all that can be said on the merits of Lancome's Erika F.
How much more can the readers take of the swooning and gushing over this eyeshadow?
But there is no way I can ignore this shadow in the cult series.
It is a cult classic in every sense of the word.
It is discontinued in the states but available in Europe under the number G40 Erika F-133.
It sells for serious money on Ebay.
It is heartbreakingly lovely and creates the most spectacular smoky eyes you will ever witness.
Erika F is a dirty olive/mushroom shade. One moment Erika F is a mouse brown and then it evaporates into a green tinged smoke.
The effect is unique and quite breathtaking.

The texture is cashmere like. It feels like no other formula.
It glides on like silk and lasts for hours.
Erika F is a must have in any beauty junkie's arsenal.
It is damn perfect.

Tell us what you think of Erika F in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: Beauty Addict gifted me this Lancome gem.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 33, MAC's Parrot Eyeshadow

You can not have a beauty cult classic project and not include the famous MAC Parrot.
Parrot is a legend among beauty products.
This is a tealish eyeshadow that has managed to sell out twice and fetch three figures on Ebay. Patti aka Cavewoman had to swap a boatload of products to gift me Parrot. I joke that she had to swap a grandchild.
Parrot is not exactly a neutral or safe color.
It is a rich peacock blue.
A teal shade with oomph.

Parrot is surprisingly workable for all it's intensity and power. It looks amazing with browns, golds and greens. I generally use it as a crease shade or as a liner.
Many Specktra and MUA members have created looks that are just spellbinding.
I am constantly amazed at it's beauty and versatility.

The texture and pigment power is above average.
It has a velvet-like feel.

MAC relaunched Parrot in the Originals collection. My local MAC counter quickly sold out of it. So far I have not spotted anyone in Youngstown sporting this eyeshadow. I have a horrible habit of making a scene when someone is wearing Parrot. I make a fuss worthy of the Beatles. I gush and ask 1000 questions.
Parrot just makes me lose my mind.

There are many dupes of Parrot. I own Shu Uemura's ME Blue 638. This is a fairly close shade but lacks Parrot's glow.

Tell me what you think of Parrot in the comments. Also list any dupes that come to mind.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: Parrot was a gift frpm Cavewoman. She swapped a lot of stuff to get it for me!

Bond's Union Square Review by Patti aka Cavewoman

The second fragrance in the Andy Warhol series by Bond No. 9 is called Union Square, following the launch of Silver Factory at the end of last year. If Silver Factory was the flash and color of Warhol's downtown scene, evoking the feeling of his famous movie and art studio and general hipster gathering place, then the new Union Square is the shy observer himself. Warhol loved to gather people around him who would be interesting and inspiring --- those would be the Silver Factory scent types -- but he would often just sit on the sidelines and just watch what was happening around him. Warhol was actually a very shy man, and I thought of this side of his personality with my first try of the new Union Square.
Andy Warhol Union Square starts softly and gently with hints of green. That's unusual for a typical green scent, which usually shout, not whisper. The florals of lily of the valley and freesia are delicate and easy, as light as air and lending a happy feeling to the mid notes. As the scent develops, the woods and amber tend to play off of each other, at times I'm smelling the woods, and then the amber, back and forth they go, in a most unusual exchange. The scent is anchored in what is called "silver cloud musk accords" -- it's barely there on my skin, and it's a minor presence.

The first time I tried Union Square, I was reminded of another amber scent that I like. They are not sister scents, but I got a feeling of the same amber as I have come to like in Paul & Joe Bleu. The scents themselves are not similar, but often I get hints of other scents with the perfume that I am wearing. There is nothing powdery going on with the amber in Union Square. I'm glad of that.

Union Square is light, breezy, soft, shy, unpredictable, happy, and seems to have several personalities all in one. It's the perfect scent for a Saturday afternoon stroll through a flea market or antique show, which was one of Warhol's favorite pastimes. Union Square would suit him perfectly.
It's as delightful and charming as the man himself.

Note from Blogdorf: Union Square launches in March and will be available at all Bond boutiques. There will be ten bottles to choose from. I personally adore two. The prices and sizes are $195 for 100 ml/3.4 oz. and $135 for 50 ml/1.7 oz. Robert Lee Morris designed 400 limited edition covet worthy flower necklaces in sterling silver for this launch. The necklace and 100 ml bottle will retail for $575.

Sponge Worthy: The Beauty Blender Sponge

Who were the early fans? Patti aka Cavewoman and Julia from All About The Pretty.

What makes it "sponge worthy"? It might look like an ordinary sponge. But I think there might be some pixie magic in the pores. It manages to give a flawless application within minutes. You also use less foundation. This is a huge benefit when you wear La Mer every day. It covers imperfections in a way that I did not know was possible.

How do you use it? You dampen the beauty blender sponge and then towel it dry to remove excess water. You then dip it into your favorite foundation, concealer, creme blush and powders. I have only tested it with foundation so far.
You bounce the sponge up and down your face. This bouncing technique leaves your make up looking smooth, even and actually flawless. I have never been able to achieve results like this with a brush or my fingers.
The pointed end of the sponge is used for hard to reach areas and gives more controlled application.

How do you clean it? They created their own called blender cleanser. It is scented with lavender.
When you are ready to replace your sponge, you can send it to blender sender to have it recycled.
The sponge is latex free and is soy based.

Where can I score one? beautyblender.net

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: I was given a beauty blender as a gift from Cavewoman.

Le Labo's Jasmine 17 Review:

This jasmine scent is quite lovely. It is not complicated with a mishmash of notes. It is a straight up jasmine with just a dash of musk.

Jasmine 17 is not a man catcher fragrance.

I have never caused any "havoc" or riots wearing it.

It is just a bottle filled with pretty.

Le Labo fragrances are available at Barneys in NYC and at the Le Labo boutique at 233 Elizabeth Street.

Description from Le Labo website: This natural Jasmine is the floral perfume par excellence, and was created as a modern alternative to the old-fashioned traditional floral signatures. Its short formula gives it such a distinctive character that once you wear it, you’ll never forget it.

A unique floral impact whose sensuality and femininity is amplified by a majestically harmonious chord of musk, sandalwood and vanilla. We refuse all responsibility for any havoc this perfume might create in your circle of male friends…

http://www.lelabofragrances.com/

Disclaimer: This perfume was a gift from my friend Griffie.

JAR's Diamond Water

JARS scents are complicated, intriguing and one of the most hush hush fragrance lines I have ever encountered. This is not you every day "skull and bones" society-like company.
Behind the artful smoke and mirrors are some of the most amazing scents I have ever experienced.
I am a Nancy Drew kind of girl so give me a good mystery and I will crack the case. The JARS can not be solved. No amount of detective work, CSI, or pouring over Agatha Christie novels can get you the answers.
Your screwed.
You will never fully know what is in your fragrance.
You might smell honey...you might get a whiff of cinnamon but no one will ever fess up what is in the scent concoction. You just have to give up the questioning and lose yourself in the fragrance. It is easy to do.
JARS are not boring or run of the mill.
Some are unwearable and puzzling.
Some take your breath away with their beauty.
All of them command your respect as works of art.

Tbone insisted that I visit the JAR boutique when we were prowling the beauty floor at Bergdorf Goodman. She promised that it would be a scream and that the SA was lovely to look at. I love a good laugh and cute boys so there was no hand twisting to get me in there. There was a handsome man but there was no giggling.
The boutique is dark and strangely cavelike. The kind of cave that the musical artist Prince would live in.
I defy anyone to not think of the song Purple Rain when they visit.

The hustle and bustle of the beauty floor is strangely on mute in there. The SA is more than kind to share the JAR experience with the customers. He presents each scent with a flourish of the wrist. You want to clap and cheer it is done so well.
No matter how you to try to trick him...he never reveals one note.
Yell carnation...and he does not blink.
Coyly, mention cinnamon, and he shows not an ounce of emotion.
I tried all my Sherlock Holmes tricks but was foiled by his poker face.

The scent that I fell for was Diamond Waters. It was love and lust at first whiff.
Try as I might I can never get a full grasp of the notes. It is so well blended that it is seamless to me. The notes glide over one another. I get the peppery carnation and a subtle whiff of osmanthus. The rumored tuberose, honey, stocks and cinnamon notes might be there...but I am no nose. The best reviews that I have read on this have been at three perfume based blogs. They are Robin at Now Smell This, Victoria at Bois de Jasmin and Katie at Scentzilla. I have posted all three so you can see how stunning the fragrance really is.

http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/2/17/325919.html
http://scentzilla.com/?p=166
http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com/_/2005/08/perfume_review__2.html

Photos: Blogdorf Goodman


Disclosure: I received this as a fift from a friend. Best gift ever!