In my day-to-day beauty grind of running from press event to press event, product launch to product launch, and everything in between, I am often asked the following question:

What are you wearing?

Sometimes the question “What are you wearing” applies to my outfit of the day, but most times the person asking the question is referring to one of two things:

1)  My Red Lip – Stay tuned for a soon to publish EPIC post

2) My current fragrance crush du jour, Thierry Mugler’s WOMANITY

WOMANITY’s intoxicating blend of caviar and fig is unlike any fragrance I have ever owned.  Ever! The scent is mysterious and engaging. Whenever I wear WOMANITY people can not help but to stop and inquire.  I am usually rather secretive when it comes to signature scents, but WOMANITY I share. Why? Because the fragrance represents and celebrates the feminine power of women and the invisible bond we share. WOMANITY is all about the unique kindred spirit of women. When wearing WOMANITY I feel fearless, confident, and like the sexiest girl in the room! For the ultimate sensory experience, I love the layering trifecta of WOMANITY body wash, body creme, and fragrance.

During the month of October, Thierry Mugler will donate all, yes ALL,  proceeds from sales of the WOMANITY Bath & Body Collection to benefit Look Good Feel Better, a free support program that helps individuals with cancer improve their appearance and self-esteem, and manage their treatment and recovery with greater confidence.

I encourage you to join in and support the efforts of Thierry Mugler WOMANITY…and possibly discover your new signature scent!

xo, Felicia

In September Avon is set to launch Hervé Léger Femme and Hervé Léger Homme.

The version for women is a woody, floral fragrance that features top notes of Chinese magnolia flower and Sicilian pink grapefruit, with heart notes of Moroccan orange flower and honeywood, and a dry-down of warm benzoin tears, cypress wood and vanilla. Drawing inspiration from Hervé Léger’s famous bandage dress, the glass bottle is etched with criss-cross lines across the front and back. If the form flattering dress with cult-like following is financially out of reach, perhaps Hervé Léger Femme will fill the void.

Hervé Léger Homme, the spicy men’s fragrance, features top notes of Indian ginger and Japanese yuzu, woody middle notes, and ends with a woody, amber aroma.

Of the fragrance launch, Hervé Léger designer and CEO Max Azria, says this: “These fragrances capture the iconic style of Hervé Léger, which evokes the very essence of sensuality.”

Are you adding this his/ hers collection to your list?

Celebrate mom with flowers that won’t wilt at the end of the week. Give philosophy field of flowers ultra-rich body lotion and spray fragrance gift set….perfect for layering the fresh, floral, scent of peony. Mom will love the luxurious hydration of field of flowers body lotion and the delicate, classic scent. Savvy Frugalistas, perk up….this exclusive Mother’s Day offering from philosophy is only $35!

www.philosophy.com

Use code: motherslove and save 15% off all orders over $65

Kimora Lee Simmons has recently launched a Frugalista Friendly ($12.99-$28.00) fragrance and ThisThatBeauty’s got the full run down!

DARE ME is a floriental inspired scent with a coconut top note that blends into a core of velvety blackberry crème and vanilla orchid with a sophisticated warm drydown of crème de musk and sandalwood.

Of the fragrance Kimora says this:

“I wanted to create a fragrance that makes women feel like they can conquer anything their hearts desire. To me, DARE ME, is the absolute essence of girl power. I went from being a shy teenager to the woman I am today by daring to be bold, fearless and comfortable in my own skin. My new fragrance embodies all of these aspects of how I want women to feel and I can’t wait to share it with my fans.”

Do you dare to try DARE ME? It’s a great summer scent that’s easy on the pocket-book. Go for it!

Jo Malone has joined forces with Farrow & Ball to launch a collection of limited-edition scented candles – Jo Malone and Farrow & Ball Limited Edition Scented Candles are available at Farrow & Ball outlets, Jo Malone boutiques, and www.jomalone.com.

For the collaborative launch, Jo Malone’s signature candle fragrances – Lime Basil & Mandarin, Wild Fig & Cassis, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir and Blue Agava & Cacao – have been re-packaged to reflect various Farrow & Ball colors that match the aesthetic that inspired the scents.

The complete collection includes:

• Lime Basil & Mandarin -  A Jo Malone signature aroma: Fresh, zesty scent , lime, mandarin, peppery basil and white thyme. Farrow & Ball Breakfast Room Green No81 color
• Wild Fig & Cassis – Sensual, woody, cassis, hyacinth, pine and cedarwood. Farrow & Ball Pelt No254 color.
• Blue Agava & Cacao – Lime, grapefruit, vetiver, cinnamon and cacao. Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue No85 color
• Grapefruit  – Fresh, zesty, citrus fruit, rosemary, peppermint and pimento. Farrow & Ball Farrow’s Cream No67 color
• Pomegranate Noir – Raspberry, plum, pink pepper and pomegranate. Farrow & Ball Eating Room Red No43, a deep red color

According to the good folks over at GoodwillNyNj, yours truly is a STYLE ICON! Can you even? I guess they don’t call ‘em “Goodwill” for nothing. Well I am absolutely honored! I am a faithful Goodwill supporter and truly believe in the work they do.

As part of my reign as Goodwill NyNj STYLE ICON I was interviewed for Goodwill.com. In my two part interview I share sage advice on developing personal style, talk to how I got my start in fashion/beauty, define what “style” means to me, and share my thoughts on the best way to stretch 20 bucks. CLICK HERE for part one of my two part interview with Goodwill NyNj…then leave a comment for me and/or Goodwill. I would love to hear your thoughts!

And for more Goodwill goodness, check out their facebook page.

Cheers,

Felicia

One of my most beloved Spring time beauty rituals is the “switch over”. What is the “switch over”, you ask? It is basically the rejiggering my beauty routines to suit the upcoming season. The “switch over” applies to everything from hair and wardrobe to makeup and fragrance. With Spring fast approaching (Thank Gawd) I have set my sights on switching over my beauty routines.

With respect to fragrance, the beginning of Spring signals the “switch over” from Woody and Spicy to Floral and Fruity. Van Cleef and Arpels Oriens Parfum completely satisfies my fruity jones with a sparkling blend of ripened raspberry, bold black currant and praline in the top notes. The middle notes of jasmine and fresh cut white flowers satisfy my floral fixation. While I am generally not a fan of Patchouli, it surprisingly works in Oriens. The balance is beautiful.

Last, but certainly not least, Oriens’ exquisitely ornate bottle begs to be touched and held. The intricate design is inspired by Van Cleef & Arpels tourmaline and diamond ring. This luxurious fragrance is a Spring must!

Between you and I, every time I reach for the tourmaline and diamond ring inspired bottle, I hum this song:

Available at Bergdorf Goodman

$110 – $150

For the first time in ten years L’Occitane unveils a brand spanking new make-up collection that draws inspiration from the peony. To accompany the color collection, the beauty brand collaborated with French nurseryman, Jean-Luc Rivière, to create a peony focused scent. All of the fragrance and make-up products in the collection are infused with the scent of peony.

Paeonia Eau de Toilette boasts top notes of bergamot and grapefruit, heart of peony and rose, and a base of sandalwood and white musk.

The complete fragrance collection includes:

• Paeonia Intense Eau de Toilette Roll-on, a concentrated version of the scent for on-the-go use
• Beauty Milk enriched with grape seed oil, shea butter and peony extract
• Shower Cream enriched with shea butter and peony extract
• Petal Soap in the shape of an opening peony bud
• Limited-edition Beauty Powder an ultra-fine fragrant powder with iridescent shimmer finish

The full, limited-edition makeup collection includes:

• Peony illuminating powder
• Peony healthy glow face powder
• Peony face color powder in four shades
• Peony face color powder duo in three shades
• Peony lipstick in four shades
• Peony liquid shine lip color in four shades
• Peony lip balm
• Peony Tinted Water

Wow! After ten years L’Occitane brings you color. Who’s adding this to the Spring makeup budget?

The haute couture fashion house, Balenciaga, known for its Parisian elegance, recently unveiled a new scent – Balenciaga Paris. The fragrance is a collective merger of three French talents – Perfumer Olivier Polge, Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière, and French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. Nicholas Ghesquière, who has been with Balenciaga for over a decade says this about longing to create a fragrance for the brand, “As soon as I arrived at Balenciaga, over 10 years ago, I wanted to create a fragrance. A classic and chic fragrance worthy of a prestigious couture house, but a fragrance that also tells an unprecedented story. I wanted Balenciaga Paris to be a fragrance that makes a mark and jaunts the memory. I also wanted Balenciaga Paris to be a fragrance with delicate mystery.”

Balenciaga Paris is packaged in a simple yet architecturally stunning bottle. The lines are simple and clean. You will find no adornments to distract the eye. Some [me!] might say a fragrance this beautiful needs no announcement. Simple packaging suits the scent best. Subtle notes of violet, cedar and patchouli are masterfully blended to deliver a fragrance that captures the classic elegance that one would expect from Balenciaga. If you’re in the NY/NJ area, I highly recommend a trip to Bergdorf’s to experience Balenciaga Paris in person!

Just last week I had the honor of covering an exclusive spring beauty soiree at one of my favorite New York City haunts, Bergdorf Goodman (more affectionately known as “Bergdorfs”). During my delightful beauty breakfast I spent quality time with experts in beauty, skincare, and fragrance from lines by Ellis Faas, Balenciaga, Van Clef and Arpels, Sulwhasoo, Strange Beautiful, Ivo Pitanguy, and many others.

My exclusive press breakfast is your front row ticket to access to all things beauty at Bergdorfs. Stay tuned for my in depth coverage of the latest skincare discoveries and cosmetic breakthroughs to hit the beauty counters at Bergdorf Goodman. Trust me…you don’t want to miss this. Like…..the nail polish that the New York Times calls an “art piece for your hand”. And the fragrance inspired by an actual tourmaline and diamond ring. And the full service cosmetic line that is entirely liquid. And the…..you’ll just have to stay tuned:)

But in the meantime and in between time, ditch your mundane lunch time errands and take a much needed beauty break at Bergdorfs. The Beauty Atrium is a feast for the senses. Immerse yourself in their luxurious abundance of skincare, color, bath/body, and fragrance offerings. Go on, treat yourself!