Bobbi Brown Summer ’12: Miami

Bienvenidos a Miami!

With its Art Deco architecture, South Beach, vibrant nightlife, and perfect bikini-clad bodies in the sand, it’s hard not to be inspired by Miami. For her summer collection, Bobbi Brown took her cue from the Florida coastal city, and created shades that reflect the best of what Miami has to offer: its beautiful beaches. These products are great for a natural daytime look, and transition beautifully when the sun sets and Miami really heats up.

Items from the collection

First up: redesigned packaging for Bobbi’s iconic (and my favorite) fragrance, Beach ($67.50). Gone is the sleek, tall round bottle; now the scent is in a square-shaped bottle with clean lines. But the scent inside remains the same: beachy, sandy, and reminiscent of suntan lotion. (Technically, it contains notes of sea spray, sand, Mandarin, and jasmine.)  It’s the perfect summer scent. (Image via Nordstrom)

Miami Beach Shimmering Fragrance Oil ($34): This glimmery oil combines subtle shimmer and Bobbi’s lovely Beach scent. Although it looks pretty sparkly in the bottle, it applies very sheer, with just a hint of shimmery sheen. (Just be sure to shake it up before you spritz.) And since it’s an oil, it will leave a residue on your skin until it dries, so be sure to wait until it dries before getting dressed (I learned that the hard way!). The only downside of this product is the price; for $34, it’s a really tiny bottle. The upside is that a little goes a long way. (Image via Nordstrom)

Miami Shimmer Cheek Glow ($39): This skin-illuminating powder/gel hybrid gives that back-from-the-beach glow. Use it like you would a luminizer, and sweep it over the high points of your face to add definition and give your skin a boost. These are pretty shimmery, so best to use them conservatively to avoid the disco ball effect. Available in Gold (pictured) and Miami (pale rose-pink). (Image via Nordstrom)

There’s more summery goodness after the jump.

Adara Virgin Coconut Oil

With all the liquid restrictions on international and domestic travel these days, stashing your beauty products is easier said than done. Downsizing is key when traveling (even if you’re just tossing your bags into the trunk for a quick road trip.) Eliminate piles of clanking plastic bottles and streamline your dopp kit with Adara Virgin Coconut Oil ($12). Ditch the body lotion and instead, massage this into your skin. Nix the conditioner and smooth this from scalp to ends for an intense deep conditioning treatment (wrap it under a hot towel for maximum impact). Got flyaways? No need to pack 15 hair products to get sleek strands; smooth this on ends for frizz control. It can also be used as a massage oil to soothe tired, overworked muscles. You can even use this as a base to create your own perfume by mixing a few drops of essential oils into the unscented version. In fact, there’s very little this pure, organic, all-natural oil can’t do; it’s nature’s remedy for nearly every beauty ailment or mishap. And the 2-oz. bottles are approved for air travel. What more could you ask for?

If you want to stay all-natural, there’s an unscented version, but for a hint of fragrance, there’s also heavenly peach, soothing lavender, refreshing green tea, innocent rose, and oriental jasmine.

Love Is In The Air With…Viktor & Rolf’s Valentine’s Petite Flowerbomb

Viktor & Rolf have released a limited-edition version of their popular perfume. Petite Flowerbomb ($50) arrives at Sephora just in time for Valentine’s Day. The scent inside remains the same as the original, but the revamped packaging features a smattering of hearts just for VDay. It’s perfect for giving — to someone else, or yourself.

Image via Sephora

Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Perfume Is Pretty Much a Dream Come True

One of my boyfriend’s Christmas gifts to me was Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Perfume ($22). He knew how much I was slathering on the brand’s lotion in the same scent (review here), and how intoxicated I was by how it actually smells like real coconuts — and not the fake, manufactured coconut scent that’s so prevalent in bath and body products. I adore this stuff; speaking of bath products, if I could bathe in this, I would! It smells truly coconutty and on me, it fades gently into this gorgeous, light scent that doesn’t overpower, but doesn’t disappear entirely, either. Perfection in a bottle.

Now if only I could afford to book that plane ticket to the tropics…

Juara Candlenut Perfume Oil is a Fragrance Dream

At the start of this year, I wrote a post about Juara Candlenut Hand & Body Balm ($10-$35). I have been saving that tube, using it only for special occasions, because I absolutely adore its intoxicating scent. Juara describes it as a blend of “delicate freesia, white blooming jasmine, sparkling bergamot and gentle rose with just a hint of fresh coconut.” I think of it as a coconutty, tropical paradise. (I adore coconut — it’s one of my favorite things in the world, yet it’s so hard to find a truly cocoutty scent. This is it, mixed with a hint of vanilla — in my opinion).

So naturally, I’ve been obsessed with Juara’s Candlenut Perfume Oil, a rollerball loaded with the lovely fragrance, for quite some time. Every time I’d go to Terrain, I’d dab a little on my wrists; it would brighten my day. But it was $28, and I just could never bring myself to buy it — Terrain is a wonderland, and I would always buy gifts for other people when I was there. (It’s impossible not to!)

Last weekend at Terrain, there was one little box left, standing all by itself amidst the other Juara products. I saw it was on sale for $16.95, with an additional 40% off. SOLD. I got it for just over $10, and I couldn’t be happier. When I opened the small box, nestled beside the rollerball was a deluxe sample of Candlenut Body Creme, which I promptly rubbed into my hands and arms. I’ve been dabbing the rollerball on my wrists and neck every day, and people keep telling me how much they love the scent. I’m in coconut heaven. I never want this little vial to run dry!

Wanna give this scent a whirl? Juara is offering a complimentary mini tube of Candlenut Hand & Body Balm with any online purchase of $50 or more.

Fall Favorites

Now that the weather has officially shifted into chillier temps and the leaves are turning vibrant shades and falling from their branches, I find myself turning to things that are quintessentially autumnal.

My Digby & Iona Stag Ring feels so right for autumn. (The manicure is OPI Axxium gel in Malaga Wine.)

One of my favorite Halloween decorations that I pull out year after year: a glittering devil that holds a tiny tealight for eerie illumination.

I did something a little different with my lantern this year, adding faux leaves and a spooky little black cat.

I signed up to receive a sample of Burberry’s new fragrance, Body, on Facebook. I received it a few weeks ago and have been spritzing this tiny vial on almost daily.

What are your fall favorites?

Burberry Body Fragrance Launches

Burberry is gearing up to launch their new fragrance, Body. The bottle, designed by Burb’s chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, features the signature Burberry nova check pattern. Inside, you’ll find a fragrances that combines top notes of green absinthe, peach, and freesia; rose, sandalwood, and iris at the core; and creamy vanilla, musk, and amber as the base.

Want to get a whiff of Body? Like Burberry on Facebook for a chance to sample the fragrance. It officially launches this Thursday, September 1.Images via Burberry

MAC Repackages Turquatic Fragrance

MAC’s Turquatic fragrance smells pretty damn good. Officially, they say it’s “crisp and energizing…a splash of clear, sparkling mineral water brought chilled through an infusion of fresh lotus leaves and Corsican cedrat, finished with a warm blend of anemone, orris and blue cedar.” I say it’s light, crisp, fresh, and doesn’t give me or the people around me a headache.

MAC has repackaged this light-as-air fragrance just in time for the last days of summer. Along with the standard 20ml size, they’ve upped the ante with a 50ml size, and for those who like to tote their scent in their purse or pocket, a convenient, travel-friendly rollerball.

Available today tomorrow in the U.S., September internationally.From left: rollerball ($20), 20 ml ($27.50), 50 ml ($49.50)

Summer Scents: Acqua Di Parma’s Blu Mediterraneo Line

Italian perfumer Acqua di Parma is known for their striking, long-lasting fragrances and quality perfumes. The fact that they’re housed in gorgeous blue bottles reminiscent of the Mediterranean Sea doesn’t hurt. But what will really draw you in are the lovely scents housed in these crisp blue bottles and jars, all inspired by regions of Italy and what they represent. They capture the beauty of the country in a sniff (not including the decadent tiramisu, crunchy pizza, pillowy pasta, and lush wines Italy is known for). Now is the time this blog needs smell-a-vision! Here is a sampling of what you can expect from these intoxicating fragrances.

Arancia di Capri: Fresh and bright, this scent evokes the oranges and citrus trees and the shimmering blue water lapping at the shores of sunny Capri.

Fico di Amalfi: a blend of figs, lemon, tangerine, and grapefruit that takes you to the citrus groves and white-roofed houses that dot the Mediterranean coastline.

Summer Scents: Victoria’s Secret Summer Bombshell Body Mist

For the past few weeks, I’ve been wearing Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Summer Body Mist (LE, $10-25). I don’t think anything will ever get me to permanently stray from my beloved Bobbi Brown Beach fragrance, but this one is coming pretty darn close.

This light fragrance packs in notes of grapefruit, lilly of the valley, and black current. It seems like an odd mix at first, but when you smell it, it’s positively intoxicating. It’s so crisp, summery, and downright delicious-smelling. In fact, it’s so light, I wish it packed more of a punch. I’ve been spritzing this on daily, and loading up on it before heading out at night. Misting it on my hair helps the fragrance last throughout the day (or most of it).