bliss lemon+sage body butter

Today we're going to check out a product which, though not exactly new, is from up and coming brand, Bliss. Bliss Spa was the creation of Marcia Kilgore, and while success didn't happen over night, it did come very quickly for this talented entrepreneur.

In the late '80s while studying at Columbia University, Kilgore started out giving facials to friends out of her apartment. As her skill grew, so did her clientele and in 1991 she opened up a one room office. Two years later she opened a three-roomed spa, and by 1996, with demand exceeding her space, she opened the first Bliss Spa in SoHo, New York.

With an emphasis on high quality skin care and services, and offering a pretentious-free environment, Bliss Spa was a hit. In 1999 it was acquired by LVMH, expanded internationally, and then acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Now with spas in ten US states and around the globe, Bliss Spa is truly a success!

But, what about its products? The products that were given out on JetBlue overnight flights and that are also amenities in Starwood Hotels? Well, I got my hot little hands on Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter (purchased at my local Sephora, and also available at Ulta), and it's scent is fantastic...it's just not lemon-y what-so-ever!

Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter (paraben free) is a gorgeously vibrant lime scent which has added depth from its herbaceously-green sage dynamics. It's a compelling fragrance that is both light and fresh; warm and earthy, and while the lotion itself is moisturizing, the scent is dry.

It's very interesting indeed, and makes me intrigued by their other scents! Which one is your favorite?

Have you tried this scent? Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!

Couture fantasy to fragrance: Marchesa Parfum d'Extase

Marchesa designer fashion label was launched in 2004 by Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig. Their oft whimsical and romantic designs are inspired by the life ambition of Luisa Casati, an eccentric early-twentieth century Italian heiress, who aspired to be a living work of art. Upon its launch Marchesa met with immediate success, finding fans in celebrities and critics.

Luckily this exquisite label hasn't kept their fantasy from us every day bods who can't afford red carpet wardrobes! 2012 saw Marchesa pen a deal with J.C. Penny and partner with Target and Neiman Marcus - the results of which should be in shops by the end of this year. But if you can't wait until then to get your own bit of whimsy, head to Sephora now! Just this month Marchesa launched their first fragrance (exclusive to Sephora), Parfum d'Extase.

A light, yet intense floral fragrance, Parfum d'Extase is the exact embodiment of Marchesa's whimsical, romantic, and artistic label. From first whiff of the fragrance you are transported to the most fabulous floral shop you could ever imagine. You're surrounded by a gorgeous symphony of scents that, each in turn, have their own solo. Rose and jasmine meet powdery violet and sweet green iris and meld with the (synthetic) velvety, creamy, yet delicate and elegent base notes of Ambrox and Muscenone.

I don't tend to like foral fragrances, but Marchesa Parfum d'Extase is a light, airy, romantic and powdery-dry floral fantasy. It is everything the Marchesa brand is: fanciful, exquisite, artistic, and while I may never wear it, I can definitely appreciate its harmonious beauty.

Have you tried this scent? Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!

Wrapped in BBW's Cashmere Glow

This past weekend saw the promotion of Bath and Body Works new Signature Collection scent, Cashmere Glow. Did you partake in the promo via Facebook and get your free 2oz sample? I did, and I can't tell you how great it was to walk in the shop, go straight to the cashier and receive my freebie! If you didn't participate, don't worry! It's currently on sale for $1, so if you want to pick one up it won't break the bank! Fabulous!

Cashmere Glow with vitamin e, jojoba, and shea butter is a familiarly pleasant and comforting scent. And, honestly, BBW should be proud (and possibly give a raise to their marketing team!) because for once I have to agree with their marketing! It actually does make me feel as if I'm wrapped in a cashmere blanket, warm and cozy on my couch in front of a fire on a cool autumn night. How did they manage to transport me to such a fantastic place? Why through the fragrance, of course! The scent is a delicate mix of sweet fruit, white floral, vanilla, and musk. The combined effect of these aromas makes a wearable, yet luxurious, scent, perfect for the coming cooler months.

I'm not often a BBW fan as their scents are usually overwhelmingly sweet, but not Cashmere Glow. It's warmingly subtle aroma will have you feeling comfortably confident, and others wondering what that wonderful scent you're wearing is!

Have you tried this scent? Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!

The cutest thing ever!

I was recently wandering through the beauty aisles of Target (or Target Boutique, as I like to call it. Target being pronounced with a French accent, of course:/tɑrˈʒeɪ/!), when I stumbled upon the cutest little thing in the whole wide world! You'll never guess what it is either. Go on, go ahead and try!

Huh-uh, that's not it, and I'm so excited I can't wait, so let me just tell you: Vaseline's Lip Therapy. And no, I'm not talking about the regular lip therapy that has a lipstick shape, but the little, mini-me Vaseline bottle. Check it out:

Can you even see it in there?? Is that not the cutest thing?! I just had to buy it, and luckily it was a new variant in the range, too. Double bonus!

Aside from its cuteness, Vaseline Lip Therapy Cocoa Butter has a great subtle fragrance. Its aroma expresses a creamy-vanilla-with-tiny-hints-of-chocolate bouquet, and there's no sugary sweetness to its cocoa butter balm! 

Vaseline's Cocoa Butter variant definitely gets the thumbs up from me - I'm a sucker for its packaging and the scent is fab!

Have you tried this scent? Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!

A Hawaiian paradise in your home

Shhh. C'mere! I've got a secret to tell you! OK, maybe it isn't that big of a secret, but I thought it was time to tell you the truth. You ready? 'Cause here it is: I am a Costco addict. Food, furniture, electronics, eye glasses, pots, pans, hangers.  You name it, I buy it. Which is why you can't be surprised when I was taking my daily peruse of my favorite warehouse and I got something for you! Well, maybe it was a little for me, too.

Photo from
paradisecandlesofhawaii.com

On my way to the vegetable area to get my 5lb bag of fresh spinach, I was distracted by a simple, unassuming display of candles. Never one to pass up a chance to check out new products, I scuttled over and began smelling the enchanting scents of Paradise Candles of Hawaii.  Made in the USA, these tropical scented soy candles had fantastic cold throws and attractive natural wood containers. Not yet a millionaire, there was no way I could buy a sample of each variant, so after a long debate between Coco-Mango, Gardenia of the Gods, Fruit Stand Wipeout, and Kona Coffee, I opted for Green Tea and Ginger. It's subtle sweet-apricot-ginger-freshness kept me coming back, and was what won its place in my shopping cart.

So, now I have to be honest with you (again). I haven't properly had a chance to evaluate this candle because I used it. I used it and it's all gone. That's how wonderful this candle was - I loved it so much I didn't even get the chance to share it with you. Please forgive me!

What I can tell you is the hot throw of Green Tea and Ginger was just as magnificent as the cold throw. In use, its slightly-sweet-apricot-ginger-freshness filled the space of my large open floor plan (with vaulted ceilings!), and when unlit its fragrance gently filled the air that surrounded it. The website states the candles are scented with 'premium quality oils and fragrances' and there is absolutely no doubting this!

I hope you can forgive me for indulging so shamelessly in this wonderful candle, but if you got your hands on one I'm sure you'd do the same!

Have you tried this scent? Do you love it, do you hate it? Make sure to leave a comment below!