Hermes – The Beautorialist

MY WEEKEND Of FRAGRANCE DISCOVERIES

August 8, 2016 by The Beautorialist, posted in Fragrance, Uncategorized

I headed over to Nordstrom this past weekend to check out the latest fragrance launches. I find the entire experience of fragrance shopping delightful. Amidst all of the beautiful bottles and the soft scents that mingle with each other, I find my happy place. I especially love when you find those few out of the dozens that stand out. Most of the time nowadays if you have smelled one, you have smelled them all. I was so surprised to find more than a couple that just wowed me.

Aerin Tangier Vanille Eau de Parfum $115-160

I am drawn to any fragrance with a vanilla base, and this vanilla is so sensually rich. I know some people do not like rich vanilla bases simply because the fragrance ends up smelling either very generic, too synthetic and artificial, or like overly sweet baked goods. You won’t get any of that from Tangier Vanille. Bulgarian rose gives the blend a hint of floral character, while amber and soft musk balance and add more depth. This is actually soft enough for a daytime fragrance, but so appropriate for evening as well. It rather reminds me of Kenzo Amour, and I love that! This is surely my new favorite from Aerin.

Prada LaFemme Prada Eau de Parfum $95-$130 — Prada La Femme Prada Eau de Parfum $95-$130

Move over Prada Candy, you may have just been outdone! This is such a beautiful floral and sweet fragrance. Frangipani is the front-runner of the blend. You just do not see that flower utilized very often in fragrances due to its rather sharp note. The way the floral is blended with sweetness completely mellows it out and lets you appreciate the flower at its best. If you have a rather sensitive nose like I do, then you will be able to pick out the hint of beeswax. I go to a local bee store to buy the fresh raw honey that they make. The best part of going in there is the smell! They make beeswax candles. If you have never smelled a natural beeswax candle then you don’t know what you are missing. The fact that I can catch a hint of it in this fragrance makes me love it all the more. Even the liquid is a honey gold color!

Heremes Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate Eau de Cologne $129-$175

At first I wasn’t sure if this was intended to be a men’s fragrance or not. It certainly could be considered unisex in my opinion. It is actually really hard to describe this one. It smells fresh and crisp with a hint of floral and fruit, but not in an overly feminine way. I get soft woods and white musk, which softens the sharp citrus note of the rhubarb. This is one of those fragrances that you would wear if you truly want to smell unique.

Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Eau de Parfum $92-$122

Did you ever have any of those Body Fantasies sprays as a teen? My favorite was the raspberry spray. At first spritz this fragrance brought me back to that. Mon Paris is a “an all grown up” and sophisticated version of that body spray, a creamy, fruity floral. I say all grown up, but the fragrance maintains a youthful flirtiness that still manages to pull off sophisticated. My favorite Nordstrom SA mentioned that she didn’t like it because of the patchouli. When she said that I was worried it was going to be another version of Flowerbomb, but not so. It has its own distinct aroma. I love that is great for warm weather. This is definitely my favorite fragrance from Yves Saint Laurent now.

I used to joke with my husband that I would eventually need some sort of fragrance closet inside of my closet, now I think I actually might!

POP THE CLUTCH

March 30, 2016March 30, 2016 by The Beautorialist, posted in Handbags, Uncategorized

I once came across an article about a 700 year old handbag, which is believed to be the oldest bag in history. It is supposed that the bag originated from Northern Iraq and was crafted around the 1300’s.

This masterfully detailed piece made of brass, silver, and gold was put on display at the Courtauld Gallery in London two years ago. Call me crazy, but this work of art uncannily resembles a clutch.

The skilled craftsmen of the 1300’s got it right then, and Ralph Lauren is getting it right now in our modern age with the creation of his latest accessory, The RL Clutch.

This is probably one of the most sleek and sophisticated clutches since the Hermès Jige and Yves Saint Laurent Monogramme. It is beautiful, classy, and timeless with clean lines and one simplistic detail, the gold-tone logo; which I say is in no way overdone or gaudy.

This is a generous sized clutch with dimensions at 10″l, 5″ h, and 1 1/2″ d, perfect for necessities. Quite fortunately, this happens to come in only one size. I love having options as much as the next person, but when it comes to all of the different sizes available in the exact same bag, it really does make it hard to choose. It took me months to decide on the size of the Marc Jacobs Baroque bag, eventually I went with the XL, and the colour I wanted was almost sold out due to my indecision. Incidentally, I just had a talk with my sister yesterday about more being lost by indecision, than wrong decision, she was mulling over a shoe purchase!

There is only one slip pocket to speak of inside the clutch, but the fact that all of these clutches come with an engraved Ralph Lauren compact mirror and matching shoulder straps, far outweigh any negatives one might find with the lack of organization.

After mentioning the ease of only one size to choose from in this bag, there is another problem; there are so many colours and textures to choose from!

The RL Clutch in Navy Lambskin

The Rl Clutch in Red Lambskin

The RL Clutch in Black Nappa Leather

The RL Clutch in Multi Nappa Leather

The RL Clutch in Cream Nappa Leather

The RL Clutch in Berry Suede

The RL Clutch in Denim

The RL Clutch in White Python

The RL Clutch in Black Python

If I was to choose a favourite I would have to go with the Black Python, I am overly fond of sleek snakeskin textures There will be so many more colours and textures to come I am sure. I am going to go ahead and peg this as an “It Bag”.

My final word on the subject is…….this clutch is perfection!

FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

May 28, 2015May 28, 2015 by The Beautorialist, posted in Random Musings

The notion that men are easier to shop for than women is confounding. If you are anything like me, you are always stumped when it comes to finding the perfect gift for a man. With Father’s Day fast approaching, I though it would be advisable to do a gift guide to take out the guesswork.

: The Hunting Party-Alexander F. Rolfe

For the outdoor adventurer:

: The North Face Wasatch 20 Degree Sleeping Bag $89-99

I have actually been inside one of these, and I can say with certainty that they are amazing! The mummy style keeps you warm and cozy. These have the added bonus of being easy to pack. Perfect for that camper in your life!

: Nikon Monarch 5 8×42 Binoculars $299.99

Nikon makes some of the best binoculars. This pair got amazing reviews. They are lightweight, and O-ring sealed for water-proof and fog-proof performance.

: Cabela’s Gift Card

Sometimes you just need to get him a gift card. Getting one from Cabelas’ however, ensures that he will be able to get exactly what he wants.

: Parasailing lessons

If you are near the water this might be a fun idea for your guy. I do not know what man would not want to go parasailing, and it could be a fun thing for you to do together as well.

: GoPro Hero4 Black $499.99

If your man is the outdoorsy type, at some point in his life he is going to want a GoPro! Why not surprise him for Father’s Day?

: Cow-pocalypse Crate $109.99

It is a right of passage that when men are camping, they eat beef jerky. This is a particularly awesome gift idea from mancrates.com. It is stuffed to the brim with all kinds of premium beef jerky. They also have several other crates to choose from for every type of guy in mind, check out their awesome gifts for men page! The crates are sealed shut with no gift wrap or anything. It has to be opened with a crowbar! You can’t get anymore manlier than that. How much would he love this? I am thinking this would be something I would most likely purchase myself.

: Fitbit Surge $249.95

This is more than just a watch, and it does so much more than the regular Fitbit bands. If your guy is an exercise fanatic he will love it!

: A Game of Chess-Jules Jacquet

For the steadfast gamer:

: Gamefly subscription

This is pretty much self-explanatory no? What else could he want for?

Xbox One $389.99

Xbox One $389.99

Of course he will need a game console to play all of his Gamefly games on. If this is indeed something you are considering, make sure you shop around because you can usually find some great deals on bundles. Gamestop or Best Buy are usually the best places to find the better deals.

: Oskar Media Tower $128.65

He will of course also need a cabinet to store all of those said games!

: X Rocker II Wireless Video Game Chair $198.90

I do not play video games, but if I did, I would definitely want this chair! This chair got great reviews and is compatible with most gaming systems. It is equipped with side speakers!

: Portrait of a Man Reading-Gerard Terborch

For the learned reader:

: Kindle Voyage $199

This is something I would like to have myself. This is the thinnest Kindle model to date. It features a high-resolution 300 ppi display, an adaptive front light, and an unprecedented battery life. This got outstanding reviews as well.

: Audible Subscription

If he is on the go most of the time, he might like to listen to audiobooks. My husband particularly enjoys it. He has to travel for work frequently and always has all of his devices with him so that he can listen to his latest download.

: Carpenter-Thomas Rogers

For the DIYer:

: The Home Depot Gift Card

Think of this as a win win scenario for the both of you. He might use it to buy the tile for that new backsplash you have been wanting!

: Craftsman 15″ Drill Press with Laser and LED Light $419.98

If your husband is anything like mine, then he reads reviews before he buys. This is one of the best reviewed drill presses I have been able to find. My husband loves his!

: Mechanix Wear Cg Heavy Duty Glove $41.10

These leather work gloves feature a multi-zone padded palm, flexible molded rubber ribbing, and a low profile wrist cuff.

: Kazbek Polarized Safety Glasses with Copper Lens $24.99

These polarized safety glasses would be good for transitioning from inside projects to yard work.

: Portrait of George Vernables Vernon, 2nd Lord Vernon-Thomas Gainsborough

For the metro man:

: Burberry Brit Henry Trim Fit Stretch Cotton Sport Shirt $250

This shirt is so undeniably suave. I love the classic Burberry print cuffs!

: Tom Ford Noir Extreme $100

I do not care what type of man you are, you will smell like a million dollars wearing this impeccable new fragrance from the impeccable man himself, Tom Ford. I love men’s fragrances that include a leather accord in their makeup. The leather gives it that soft distinctive depth. Love this fragrance for men!

: Cole Haan Grant Canoe Penny Loafer $168

Cole Haan makes some very comfortable and durable shoes. These are very nice loafers. They are casual, yet are still simplistically elegant. The added extra treading would make these ideal for walking for a good part of the day.

: Ted Baker London Multi-function Leather Strap Watch $165

I love these watches from Ted Baker. They are classy with a modern edge.

: Portrait of Sir Isaac Newton-Godfrey Kneller

For the gadget lover:

: Logitech Harmony 650 8 Device Universal Remote $59.99

According to my husband, every man would love one of these; and if he doesn’t, he will once he knows what it’s like to have one. It does exactly what it says by controlling 8 different devices.

: Beats by Dre Powerbeats 2 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones $199.99

Also according to my husband, you apparently cannot beat the sound quality of these headphones. The bluetooth feature makes them very ideal for a runner or someone who is on the go and finds wires cumbersome.

: The Court of Chancery During The Reign of George I-Benjamin Ferrers

For the business professional:

: Jack Spade Grant Briefcase $398

This leather briefcase is sleek and practical. It features so much space and organization. As a brother company to Kate Spade, you can rest assured that the quality will be amazing.

: MONTBLANC E-Starwalker $525

Montblanc is certainly a luxury item, but it is that special kind of one that will last a lifetime. When I think of Montblanc, I think of Don Draper signing loan documents or something.

: Hermes Tarmac PM Passport Holder $240

Does your guy do a lot of travelling that requires him to whip out his passport? If so, imagine how suave he will look doing it with a passport cover from Hermès!

Well I think that about covers it. What do you think are some great gift ideas for Father’s Day?

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