Sensory Expeditions- Journey to India with Kenzo Amour's Indian Holi

Ladies and Gents, it is time to pack our bags and embark once more on a fragrance expedition. Pack your sari and your sunscreen, for we are travelling to India by way of Kenzo Amour’s Indian Holi fragrance. Inspired by the Festival of Colors (Holi), this deliciously girly scent lifts the spirits and takes you away to the land of the Taj Mahal and maharajas.

Epic Fragrance Journeys- Travel to France with Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs

Ladies and gents, climb on board the sensory express. I am taking a trip to Paris by way of fragrance, and I am taking you all along for the ride.

First stop is the Eiffel Tower, and lucky you, for you are with your sweetheart. As the two of you stroll hand in hand on this warm, peaceful evening, you can’t help but be sucked into the romance and whimsy of it all. You take a deep breath, and sigh with satisfaction. This is springtime in Paris.

The perfect scent for this magical evening comes to us in the form of Balenciaga’s signature. Not only a maker of fine bags, oh no- but this luxury house has also created an intoxicating scent that is both demure and sexy.

Balenciaga is all soft violet and powdery musk. On first spritz, the fruity sweetness and soft notes of crisp fruit immediately lured me in. As the scent wears on, the fruit notes fade away to reveal soft violet on a base of powdery musk. This floral scent is not in the least bit overwhelming, but rather settles onto the skin like a flirty layer of sheer pink muslin. Balenciaga is a soft, flirty floral that whispers promises of romance. Your sweetie catches a whiff, and he is hooked on you too.

After an evening of romance and a full night's rest, you awake feeling adventurous. You leave your sweetie pie  sleeping in bed as you venture out on your own for a stroll along the Champs Élysées. Your stomach rumbles, telling you that it's time for breakfast. The smell of fresh, crusty bread and flaky pastries waft through the streets  and leads you straight to a posh french bistro. With a book in hand, and dreams of sweet treats and cafe au lait in mind, you take your seat and inhale your surroundings. Your scent of the day is just as sweet and intoxicating as the scene, Biscotti from Marc Jacob's Patisserie collection.

When spritzing on a perfume that is named after a confection, I tend to tread lightly for fear of smelling too sugary sweet. Happy was I when I discovered that Biscotti is everything but, too sweet that is. The scent is a warm floral with hints of vanilla, pistachio and white flowers. Unexpectedly, the fragrance opens on an invigorating citrus note thanks in part to Orange Blossom, and with longer wear, the citrus gives way to vanilla, iris, and a slight hint of woodsy musk. Think cozy patisserie meets outdoor garden, and you have the very essence of Marc Jacobs Biscotti Splash. 
 
Fragrance is a powerful thing, for it has the ability to transport us to places unknown. Parisian splendor is just a spritz away, thanks to Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs.




*Products provided for consideration.

Wrap Yourself up in Donna Karan Cashmere Mist

Chic, elegant, and as classic as the fabric it is named for
A sleek frosted bottle gives up hints of the soft, the silken, the sensual
A whisper of the woods with a hint of amber, and a dash of musk
Her name is Cashmere Mist, and she is pure sophistication

Sniff, Inhale, Take a Bite of Be Delicious by DKNY

Ladies and gents, I am venturing into new territory here. I am almost ashamed to admit to you all that while my color and skincare knowledge is both varied and vast, I am a perfumery putz. For lack of a proper fragrance vocabulary, I have been terribly remiss in providing you all with proper fragrance features. No more!

I am going to try my best to convey the feelings that each scent inspires in me. From the notes as listed on the bottle, to the type of woman I see wearing this scent, I will try to cover it all as best as I can. I would really appreciate some feedback, letting me know if you like this style or if I should change it. No longer will Krasey Beauty be without proper parfum amor.

So let's get started, shall we?

Sweet to me
Like sugar to my heart
I'm cravin' for you
I'm missin' you like candy

- Candy by Mandy Moore

Beauty Adventures, and a Sneak Peek of What's To Come

So last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to do a bit of beauty touring in this fair city of mine. As a result, here is what you can expect in the coming weeks here at Krasey Beauty.

La Prairie's Whisper Shades for Spring and Summer

The Henri Bendel Fragrance Bar Experience, and Discovering Boadicea The Victorious Fragrances

And completely unrelated to beauty but just as fun, here is a dessert that I enjoyed over at the China Grill in NYC. Say hello to the gut busting deliciousness that is the Great Wall ice cream sundae.

What beauty adventures have you been on lately?

Holiday Beauty Gift Guide- Crazylibellule and the Poppies Fragrances

I am a firm believer that fragrance gifting options shouldn't be limited to typical forms or brands. In fact, it sometimes irks me to smell something I consider my "signature" spritz on someone else. A bit irrational, I know, but it ruins the scent for me. On that note, I have been turning my nose towards scents that aren't as common, in both scent combinations, and in appearance. For a good variety of unique scents, cute packaging, and a certain kind of French allure, Crazylibellule and the Poppies ventures slightly off the beaten path to bring holiday gifting options that go beyond the usual scented suspects.

Born in Paris, Crazylibellule and the Poppies specializes in solid stick fragrance. The 'crazy sticks' as they are called are alcohol, paraben, and artificial color free, and come in a vast variety of scents. Each push-up scent stick comes in its own decorated tube.  

Out of the scents that I had the opportunity to try, my favorite has to be Vanilla Lemon Pie. I always gravitate towards florals, but the hints of lemon and warm vanilla sugar in this scent have their own endearing and invigorating qualities.

For a fun, quirky, unique gifting option that looks and smells great, these are it. You can find Crazylibellule and the Poppies Solid Perfume online and at your local Sephora.


*The products in this post were provided as samples by a PR firm for post consideration. Rest assured that the opinions expressed in this review are 100% sincere, honest, and genuine. I do not accept payments for posts.


This post contains an affiliate link. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at KraseyBeauty@gmail.com

Holiday Beauty Gift Guide- La Prairie's Life Threads Fragrance, Skincare Gift Sets, and an Event!

Luxurious, decadent, and just plain delicious. All 3 of those adjectives describe my current fragrance obsession, Life Threads Silver by La Prairie.

La Prairie Releases the Life Threads Fragrance Collection

In a fragrance release that is as sumptuous and luxurious as the iconic house that is releasing it, the Life Threads Fragrance collection from La Prairie takes perfumery one step further with a full-on sensory experience that combines smell, sight, touch, and sound. The fragrances themselves unfold to reveal distinct notes that call to the senses, progressing much like the important stages in a woman's life. Having had the ultimate pleasure of sampling the scents at a recent event, I must say that it was love at first sniff.

Known for it's exceptionally innovative skincare and stunning color collections, La Prairie sought to take the existing line one step further with a trio of fragrances that goes places fragrance doesn't traditionally venture to. The Life Threads experience goes beyond scent, stimulating other senses such as sight (with video), touch (with beautiful bottles encircled with their namesake threads), and sound (with a distinctively beautiful soundtrack). As for the scents themselves, each one is unique and beautifully crafted. I think of the fragrance trio as a progressive series, with notes in each that call to distinct, fundamental elements of the feminine personality.
My absolute favorite of the bunch, Life Threads Silver is a sweet floral that is both warm and flirtatious. To me Silver is your twenties. The scent represents that stage in your life where you are simply enjoying life and all of the pleasures it has to offer. You aren't sure where you are headed, but you are definitely enjoying the ride. The citrus notes provide a burst of energy, while the strong floral notes lend a hint of flirtation. I happily wore this scent all weekend, and received dozens of compliments.
The second fragrance, Life Threads Gold is a spicy floral scent that instantly draws you in and wraps you in its silken embrace. A twist on the traditional citrus floral, the spicy notes add just the right amount of intrigue and mystery. Gold is your thirties, representing that time in your life where you are comfortable with yourself, and confident in your abilities. The Gold woman is ambitious, strong, powerful, and fiercely feminine.
The third fragrance of the collection, Life Threads Platinum is a musky floral. The fragrance personifies assertiveness, sophistication, and elegance. The leather and musk provide the 'strength' of the scent, giving the otherwise sweet floral a bit of a kick. This is a scent for a powerful woman, both radiant and confident. To me, this scent was a bit more mature than all the others, yet nonetheless beautiful in both execution and tone.

To compliment the release of the fragrances, La Prairie is launching a website on October 1st, appropriately titled lifethreads.com. Providing the visual backdrop of the launch, the life threads site will house a total of nine featurettes that embody and exhibit the very essence of each scent. The first video to launch will be 'Top of the World', the embodiment of the Platinum fragrance.

The voice of this launch is none other than soulful songstress Lucy Kaplansky, whose beautiful ballad "Life Threads" provides the auditory backdrop for the launch. Lucy will be touring starting next month, so be sure to check her out at a La Prairie counter near you. Her first appearance will be on October 1st, at Bloomingdales SOHO (504 Broadway) from 5pm-7pm, so don't miss it! Visitors will receive an autographed CD and the chance to meet Lucy herself with the purchase of any Life Threads fragrance.

For tour dates and more information, be sure to check out Lucy's tour schedule here. I have listened to her album, Red Thread, and it is truly something special.

The full Life Threads Fragrance Collection officially launches in October, and will be available at Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and LaPrairie.com

The Best Hint of All

So you all know how I try to feature a little bit of everything when it comes to the world of beauty. From products I am loving, to products I can't wait to love; I truly do try to cover it all.

Well I learn something new everyday. The newest function of my blog: helpful hint generator on just because gifts for my boyfriend.

A few of you may recall that I blogged perfumes a couple of weeks ago (for a reminder see here). Well, this weekend I arrived at my boyfriend's and went to put away my clothing in the drawer I have in his room.

Lo and behold, this is what I found.
Long story short, lesson learned. Sweet Boyfriend + Helpful hints= New goodies for me :-D

And it smells very sweet indeed <3