Cult of Pretty

So bear with me, I promise it will make sense in a sec: I dislike drinking water, unless it is an exact temperature and taste experience - not too cold, obviously not warm … thirst-quenching yet virtually without sensory quality … so that you barely experience it going down. This is a similar feeling to going outside when it’s ~74 degrees and you can feel no warmth nor chill on your body. Do you know what I mean? Perfection.

If you have any issues wearing fragrance - if it gives you a headache, you can’t find the right balance between smell-able and subtle, or you just get sick of smelling yourself, I have found 74 degree delicious water for you, aka THE ANSWER.

I went to the Arquiste launch at Aedes de Venustas (cult fragrance shop - go there) a few weeks ago and kind of missed this, I was too distracted by their Fleur de Louis scent (my husband’s name) … then Flor y Canto showed up at my house in sample form.

This is described as an opulent floral which gives me a headache just to think about … but don’t be confused. There is something so amazingly fresh and pure about this white floral scent, it’s like taking a shower in gardenia-infused water.

I know a scent is great when I put it on alone in my house just to smell it; when I want to put it on before I go to bed even though believe me no one in the bed cares.

If you’ve been seeking a flawless floral scent for summer or ever, co-sign x 1000.

Does this: Refreshingly beautiful, light but opulent white floral with Mexican Tuberose, Magnolia, Plumeria + Marigold
Is this: Arquiste Flor y Canto Eau de Parfum
Get this: Above
Price: $165

Image: Laure de Sagazan <- btw, amazing bridal

Let’s talk about love for a minute: how much I love picking the brains of beauty innovation gurus like Victoria’s Secret’s Mark Knitowski, and how much I love giving away almost $100 worth of the new Love is Heavenly fragrance. Also, gotta love models in the flesh and an epic array of fresh flowers.

                 Toni Garrn + VS Angels Erin Heatherton + Lindsay Ellingson

I was so excited to go behind the scenes with Mark Kitnowski, the VP of Product Innovation over at VS.  Think of Mark like you think of Pharrell, Timbaland, The Dream etc. … the perfumers are the talent, but Mark is the producer - and hitmaker.  Never turn up your nose (literally/figuratively) at a VS scent, they’ve got the best people in the biz working on this stuff. PS My jam this winter was flipping up my usual niche 3 zillion dollar oud fragrance [which I only have a sample of, obvs] with VS Bombshell.

Mark explained the birth of Love is Heavenly, which was a marriage of two directions from two perfumers. One mod had the fresh, sparkling vivacity in the top notes … exactly what Mark was seeking for the “daughter” of the classic Heavenly scent … and the other had a rich, sensual base with this hint of masculinity that I’ve really been loving in these recent scents.

The result makes perfect sense - isn’t it funny what the first stage of falling in love is all about?  That mix of innocence, wanting to get to know someone, do anything for them, that bubbly feeling in the tum … and then, indulging in the dark side! Listening to depressing music when they don’t call you, turning into an uncontrollable beast whenever you’re alone with them … HA. You know what I mean, right?  Definitely a dichotomy. 

A couple gems in the juice: dewberry in the top notes, which to me is synonymous with youth; water lily (grown and captured in a hydroponic setting - so it’s very pure and clean, without the earthiness of dirt!); and a triumvirate of woods including ebony that dries down to a very evocative “I kept his sweatshirt on all day” kind of feeling.

                 Pretty pretty launch luncheon!

Mark also pointed out that unlike the mega fragrance brands you buy at Sephora or the department store, there’s no middle man with VS, which means the money’s in the juice, not the markup or the ad campaign.  And it’s in the packaging too, apparently - you’ll see what I mean when you get your hands on it. SO premium.

Today you can win the EDP ($52), Body Lotion ($20), and Body Mist ($25).

TO ENTER YOU MUST COMPLETE BOTH OF THESE STEPS … PLEASE READ EVERYTHING BELOW.

1. Do ONE of the following…. follow Cult of Pretty on Bloglovin’ OR be follower of Cult of Pretty on tumblr OR subscribe via email.

2. Leave a DISQUS comment below [click through if you’re reading this in tumblr] and tell me one memory from the beginning of falling in love, any time in your life … you don’t have to name names!  I’ll put mine in the comments. Don’t comment in “Ask Me Anything” OR in the “FAN NOTE” area of tumblr <—- guys, click through please, leave a comment on the blog not inside tumblr!

3. You must be 18 or older to enter.  (You can ask someone to enter on your behalf if you like, up to you, but the prize will be sent to their attention).

Contest ends next Friday April 27, 2012 at 11.59pm Eastern.  If you subscribe or follow to enter, you must be subscribed or following at the time of the drawing. Multiple comments DO NOT increase your chances of winning but love ya. Winner is drawn at random.

Images: my own; product via the brand.

This time of year is full of awesome excuses: have to go shopping, have to eat marshmallows shaped like birds, have to get some new perfume.

With this, I bring you a few inspirations and new cults-to-be for your Spring scent wardrobe updates:

1. Orla Kiely Rosie - Limited Edition.  Her designs manage to be feminine and at the same time ungirlie. So it is with this interesting woody floral based on natural rose.

2. Narcisco Rodriguez For Her Eau Délicate - Limited Edition. Narcisco could make Shoe Stank for Her and I would buy it.  I think the fundamentals of this fragrance are a masterpiece that so many have copied.  A delicate version = air freshener, pillow freshener, air freshener, lingerie drawer freshener, etc.

3. Flora by Gucci Glamourous Magnolia - To me, a green/white floral is the essence of the new season - it’s literally the scent of Spring!

4. Ferragamo Signorina - Jasmine plus panna cotta. Just saying! And the bottle is too good. Let’s buy 2 and tape the tops on our ballet flats. What. I think it would work.

This post is brought to you by Debenhams. Visit their women’s designer fragrance destination online - or IRL, if you’re lucky and/or British. All editorial content my own; image: Ella Bella Floral.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, we’re going to switch it up and do For Her and Then He Steals It.

Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling is inspired by London Dry Gin … and let’s all remember: dudes like anything that references drinking, or getting you drunk. It opens with a clean, crisp scent that calls to mind a classic men’s cologne, then warms to soft brown sugar and amber notes.

I think we’re lucky to live in a time where sexuality and gender are increasingly blurred (I believe that’s called freedom … or at least, we’re getting there). I love a fragrance that references cologne - I think it lets your own modern femininity tell a story, rather than laying some outdated idea of “woman” on you.  The same is true were he to steal this … I think the warmer notes would merge so interestingly with a man’s skin to create something really sexy.

But more importantly, it comes with a note that says “Keep Me” - and it’s in a robin’s egg blue box like something else - so basically: you get this, you’re engaged now. In your mind. For 2 minutes. Whatever. Modern woman. Fiancé sounds like a car name. Anyway. [Chugs gin & tonic].

Despite the silver bow, this is definitely a unisex fragrance, so don’t hesitate to pick it up for him yourself, then obviously steal it.

Does this: Stunningly fresh and sexy scent inspired by men & gin
Is this: Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling
Get this: Above
Price: $110

Product via the brand; image via

So, for today’s GIVEAWAY, I’m going to drop a bomb on you - which is that I’ve been wearing a Victoria’s Secret fragrance in heavy rotation amongst my usual obscure niche favorites. CONTEST OVER THANKS FOR PLAYING!

I got Bombshell as a sample at VS and of course I tried it (I try everything), and I got really into it sort of in spite of myself - because I don’t think of myself as a “sexy” fragrance person.

On paper, this fragrance is a fruit floral: passion fruit, peony and vanilla orchid.  But … do you you guys know what a lenticular is?  One of those old-school plastic picture card things where you look at it at one angle and see one picture, then the image changes at another angle.  That’s really what this is like: once on your skin it’s very dynamic … at one moment it’s soft and milky like Ralph Lauren Blue (one of my favorites of all time); at another it’s directly sexy in that it evokes a man … something about it is a dead ringer for L’Eau D’Issey Pour Homme which a lot of hotties from my life wore at one time or another.

Anyway, it was a Fifi award winner (that’s like the Oscars of the fragrance world), so I feel validated, because I think it’s brilliant too.

This week you can win the Deluxe Gift Set ($96 value), which contains a full size EDP, a cute little mini EDP (stocking stuffer for someone in your life?), and the body lotion and body wash. 

TO ENTER YOU MUST COMPLETE BOTH OF THESE STEPS …

1. Do ONE of the following…. reblog this post OR follow Cult of Pretty on Bloglovin’ OR follow Cult of Pretty on tumblr OR subscribe via email.

2. Leave a DISQUS comment below and tell me WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BOMBSHELL?  COULD BE MARILYN, ANGELINA, YOUR MOM… ANYONE!  I think mine is Anita Ekberg. Don’t comment in “Ask Me Anything.” 

Contest ends next Friday December 16th, 2011 at 11.59pm Eastern.  If you subscribe or follow to enter, you must be subscribed or following at the time of the drawing.  XO

Image via; gift set courtesy of Victoria’s Secret

So you guys know Jo Malone perfume right?  That company is actually owned by Estée Lauder … Jo herself, who originally started the brand mixing oils in her bathtub, actually just launched her own brand again.  It’s called Jo Loves.

I was reading about her Pomelo fragrance and it made me think of this awesome clip of Katherine Hepburn and her bad self.  It’s a must-watch.  I will take b*lls over grace any day.

Anyway, this is Jo’s description of Pomelo:

“Pomelo is clean and crisp; it’s my best friend made up of memories and moments. It’s that feeling of fresh linen sheets or a glass of bubbling fizzy water with a slice of lime and lots of crushed ice. Like me, Pomelo has a masculine side to it, it’s confident and sharp.”

It’s available for 95 pounds (pre-order) on her new site. The other fragrances are Green Orange & Coriander, Orange Tulle and Gardenia…

Does this: Clean and crisp
Is this: Jo Loves Pomelo
Get this: Above
Price: 95 pounds UK

Like many women who run their own business, I basically worship to the g-d that is Diane Von Furstenberg.  Look at her!  Such an icon of biz savvy, cool, smarts, sex appeal, staying power, confidence … the list goes on.  Here are a few facts to go along with this GIVEAWAY!

CONTEST OVER THANKS!

1. Supposedly if you’re her close friend, you can pronounce her name in the European way (Dee-ahn), but if you’re not … it’s the good old American way, Die-Ann. (source)

2. Her new fragrance Diane (pronounced … well, in the case of this Body Lotion, I’d say Dee-ahn … you’re going to get pretty intimate with this stuff) is what I would call a “new classic” blend of frangipani, violet, patchouli, musk, and myrrh. Smells so timeless and incredibly upscale.

I’m giving away this 6.7 oz Body Lotion ($45 value) for you to wrap yerself in much like one of her signature dresses ; )

TO ENTER YOU MUST COMPLETE BOTH OF THESE STEPS …

1. Do ONE of the following…. reblog this post OR follow Cult of Pretty on Bloglovin’ OR follow Cult of Pretty on tumblr OR subscribe via email.

2. Leave a DISQUS comment below and tell me WHAT WOULD YOUR EMPIRE BE IF YOU HAD FUNDING TO START ANY BUSINESS? FASHION, BEAUTY, DONUTS? BICYCLES? ANYTHING!  Don’t comment in “Ask Me Anything.” 

Contest ends next Friday November 4th, 2011 at 11.59pm Eastern.  If you subscribe or follow to enter, you must be subscribed or following at the time of the drawing.  XO

Image via; product care of Vogue Influencer Network

I’ve been listening to a ton of Bruce lately (Tunnel of Love much?) so I think I might have to pick some of this up.

Does this: A clean, sweet lavender with vanilla and musk - inspired by Chanel’s favorite state fabric
Is this: Les Exclusifs de Chanel - Jersey
Get this: Above
Price: $110.00 (2.5 oz), $210 (6.8 oz)

It’s funny how inspiration happens.  I found this image this morning and it reminded me of one of my favorite perfumes, a vial of which has been hidden away for a while now in my jewelry box. It’s a warm, almost juicy blend of vanilla and orchid that dries down to a sultry spice - girlie and womanly, sweet and sexy … the best of all worlds.

Van Cleef & Arpels Orchidée Vanille certainly has that eat-me quality of a great gourmand, but the vanilla/chocolate/almond notes are tweaked with a pop of tart litchi, then warm to Bulgarian rose and violet.  I only know this because Lucky Scent is so great at describing fragrances … I bought this online, smell unsmelt, like so many discoveries I’ve found there and fallen in love with.

Does this: Delicious gourmand with a surprising tart twist and a warm sex appeal
Is this: Van Cleef & Arpels Orchidée Vanille
Get this: Above
Price: $185 (I have the $4 sample vial)

Image via