Beauty pro division

Jean Paul Gaultier is breaking new ground in the male perfume industry not only with his new white design for his latest perfume, Fleur du Male, due out in 2007, but for creating it to contain notes of white orange blossom flowers, which goes against the traditional notes of geranium and lavender.

Jean Paul is showing that fragrance for men doesn't have to be traditional and with the surge of metrosexuality, traditional is the last thing Fleur du Male is. This is the first time that orange blossoms have been used in a male fragrance. Orange Blossoms, a florally citrus scent, has dominated the female fragrance world. So will Fleur du Male prove to continue breaking new ground by being a hit when it makes its debut on the shelves on Jean Paul Gaultier's boutique next March?

I'm not sure what I think of a citrus male fragrance, but for me it may bring back my memories of playing soccer during my youth and eating oranges with my male teammates at half time. As for the white male bust the fragrance comes in, I think it is excellent marketing in a fragrance industry dominated by dark colored bottles. Many times it pays to be innovative and a "rule" breaker.

For a long while the only scent I would wear was Red Door. However, I’ve found that in each season of my life, my preference towards a certain fragrance changes. While Red Door remains my "fall back" scent, I’ve stopped repeatedly only buying that scent and venturing out to discover new fragrances to suit me.

I’m not alone in my less than loyal approach to fragrances. Many years back, if you purchased a certain brand or fragrance, it became your signature scent and one you would replenish each time the bottle went dry. Now perfume addicts everywhere are moving out of their comfort zone of just one fragrance or brand and moving on to having a menagerie of scents in their collection, not remaining loyal to any one in particular.

Due to our fickle nature, perfume powerhouse brands like L'Oreal and Clarins are seeing a decline in their sales figures month after month, making them race to the drawing board to start over and reconfigure their marketing tactics. Not only their marketing tactics, but creating new scents to keep their consumers happy.

Joico K-Pak Smoothing Balm
5 out of 5 Stars
Joico's Smoothing Balm is a hair product that is meant for straightening and protecting your hair, while being humidity-resistant. It is heat activated and comes in a 200ml bottle.
It has a yummy light guava (yet coconut) scent and a creamy texture that looks thick, but as you rub it in your palms, is thin to the touch. I only needed a dime size amount for my just-past-the-shoulder length hair…Read more.

Maybe Baby by Benefit
4 out of 5 Stars
This oh so pretty fragrance has Top notes of apricot and white ginger; Middle notes of water blossoms, lychee, bergamont and Base notes of white musk and warm peach…Read more.

Shea Butter Soap by Hollyrose Aromatherapy
3 out of 5 Stars
The soap was larger than expected and I loved the "Handmade" imprint. Holly's custom Aromatherapy blend is a mix of peppermint, sweet orange, bergamont, lavender and rosemary. I absolutely loved this scent. When using this soap in the shower, the scent was really refreshing and invigorating…Read more.

Brown Sugar Scrub from Bath and Body Bliss
4 out of 5 Stars
When you are pregnant, scents are a love hate affair, especially if they are food-related. Some immediately send you running for the bathroom, while others can create some pretty strong cravings. So was the case when I received some products from Bath and Body Bliss. As soon as I opened their Brown Sugar Scrub, immediate memories of Mulling Spices and wonderful Holiday memories came flooding back…Read more.

Add another celebrity to the mix in the fragrance industry. Christina Aguilera has signed a long–term deal with Proctor and Gamble Prestige Products to create a fragrance line in her name. Aguilera, a Grammy winner and popular singer-songwriter, P&G feels Aguilera targets a demographic they are looking to market to according to Women’s Wear Daily.

Aguilera’s deal comes on the heels of many other recent announcements of celebrities launching fragrance lines such as Gwen Stephani, Kylie Minogue and reportedly Kate Moss. There were 37 celebrity-endorsed scents over the last few years and the trend continues to surge. P&G says that they signed with Aguilera not to keep up with the trend, but because they wanted to reach a demographic and that the loyal fan base of Aguilera that is part of that demographic.

In a previous post I mentioned the surge in celebrity fragrances, but I have to wonder if soon the market will see an over saturation of it. While Jennifer Lopez has show staying power with her fragrance, will the over abundance of celebrity fragrances dilute the success of each new celebrity brand that makes it onto the shelves?

What do you think?

Sharon Bolton Scents
4 out of 5 Stars
Sharon Bolton Scents gifted me with her Body Wash, Lotion and Perfume Oil in Luv. Luv smelled like heaven. It smelled like luxury in a bottle. Luv is the scent of rare pink gardenias, lush Hawaiian white flowers, with a hint of creamy vanilla and a whisper of white musk. The Body Wash is thick and creamy and makes you feel like you are showering at a 5 Star hotel. This scent absolutely lifted my spirits and made me feel like I was being purely indulgent...Read more.

Darshan Beauty: Luna P.M. Creme & Multani Mud Facial Mask
5 out of 5 Stars
Darshan Beauty products are all natural, and because of this, they are only made in small batches to prevent them from spoiling. This thick night cream is made with aloe leaf oil and extract combined with noncomedogenic sesame oil. I can't say it is fragrance free, because there is some scent to it. However, it appeared to be the natural scent of the ingredients and not any added fragrance...Read more.

Pure & Petal Hair Fragrance
4 out of 5 Stars
When I was approached to test out the products I was intrigued because I have never really heard of fragrance for your hair beyond that in your typical shampoo or styling aid. The fragrances are light, so you don't have to worry about smelling like a perfume factory and they are also alcohol-free, so it won't dry out your hair. My favorite was Linden Blossom which is floral linden blossoms and pink grapefruit...Read more.

Booty Parlor Dust Up Body Shimmer
3 out of 5 Stars
Punch Drunk Pink was my favorite because of my fair skin. It provided a light shimmer, that honestly when you dabb some powder on, instantly makes you feel a little "vixen-ish." Punch Drunk Pink is scented like cotton candy and is not glittery, but actually makes your skin glow...Read More.

Intimately Beckham is a his and hers fragrance line that is insanely popular in the UK. Intimately Him has notes of bergamot, grapefruit zest, cardamom, violet, nutmeg, star anise, sandalwood, patchouli and amber. While Intimately Her offers notes of white flowers, bergamot, rose petals, Casablanca lily, tuberose, orange blossom, vanilla, sandalwood and musk.

The Beckham's are going to be signing a $9 million dollar deal to launch the fragrance line here in the states and Victoria Beckham is said to have signed a $6 million dollar deal to design handbags and shoes in the US, as well.

Tarte Cosmetics--Inside Out nutraceutical lipgloss, Sunburst Beaded Bronzing Lotion

Unilever--Dove Pro-Age (Skin care line)

Calvin Klein--Euphoria Blossom (fragrance)

Vera Wang--Truly Pink (fragrance)

Serge Lutens—Rousse (fragrance)

Smashbox--Limited Edition Tokidoki Collection (cosmetic line)

Rimmel--Underground (cosmetic line)

M-A-C Cosmetics--Raquel Welch Beauty Icon Collection, Barbie loves MAC

Guerlain--Terracotta Spray Bronzing Powder Mist

Balmain--La Mome (fragrance)

Chanel--Les Exclusifs de Chanel (fragrance) *Available at 16 select Chanel boutiques and Bergdorf Goodman.

Do you have a beauty product launching this month? Please be sure to let us know so that it can be added to this February calendar.

I thought my parabens rant would be my last regarding claims and beauty scare tactics used in various parts of the press without substantiated and undeniable proof. After finding another press-covered story, by the AP no less, about the possibility of oils in bath products potentially causing breast enlargement in boys, I decided enough was enough.

The study the AP is reporting on was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, which was looking into a condition called gynecomastia, suspected that essential oils such as lavender and tea tree oil could be the culprit for the condition. While the study could not pinpoint any estrogen-like compounds in the oils or make any solid claims to prove that without a doubt these essentials oils cause such a condition, the hormone specialist who oversaw the boys involved in the study went so far as to tell their parents, “I would not give these products to my children.”

Before I go any further, it should be noted that this was one study only done on three boys. It confuses me how this federally funded study without substantiated claims made it into the New England Journal of Medicine and then got picked up and distributed among the news media by the AP. We contacted Paula Begoun, founder of Paula's Choice and well known for several best-selling books such as The Beauty Bible and Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, for her input on this story. Paula told us,

"We looked at this story too, and your reaction was mine as well. Three kids is hardly a study by any standard and it doesn't prove a thing about those two ingredients. There can be many reasons why a male child might have enlarged breasts. This is not direct evidence and it would take hundreds of children in controlled, monitored environments to prove the possibility (soy milk would prove a bigger risk for phytoestrogens). The news media's job is to grab our attention and keep us on the same channel regardless of truth, reality, or balance."

Josh Holloway is pure bad boy, yet immensely sexy. Being on Lost, where he is on an island surrounded by beautiful aquatic waters where his rugged good looks and bad boy charm make me tune in each week, somehow make perfect sense with his new label as spokesmodel for Davidoff’s Cool Water Cologne worldwide.

Cool Water Cologne, known as the perfume that launched a thousand other aquatic perfumes, is fresh and crisp with notes of lavender, menthe, iris and musk. It’s a fragrance I’ve loved on a man since my younger days. Holloway who prior to his acting credits, was a model, is the perfect match for this fragrance.

French brand L’Artisan Parfumeur is venturing into skin care with an organic line based on the Himalayan nard plant Jatamansi. Jatamansi is wrapped in essences of blue chamomile, saintwood and rose, as well as, jojoba extracts and is said to be an herbal-scented luxurious fragrance to wrap your body in with this skin care line.

The Jatamansi plant is said to have healing and relaxing properties and is used in Ayurveda, an Indian practice that deals with the measures of healthy living, along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. L'Artisan Parfumeur’s Jatamansi skin care line has received organic certification by France's Eco Cert. Jatamansi consists of a Body Oil, Shower & Milk Bath and Body Cream.

Jatamansi will be launched in the US next month. It is currently available in France and the United Kingdom. An eau de toilette based on the skin care line will be available in May.

Les Exclusifs de Chanel is the new fragrance from Chanel marking key dates and places from the legendary life of Coco Chanel. As reported by Jason Jobson in my interview with him last month, Les Exclusifs will include 10 fragrances of which 4 existing fragrances will be relaunched and then there will be 6 new ones.

The 4 existing scents that will be relaunched are No. 22, Gardenia, Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie. The six new scents will be Eau de Cologne, 31 rue Cambon, No. 18, Coromandel, Bel Respiro and 28 La Pausa. These scents range from floral to oriental to a fresh clean scent, which is sure to captivate the hearts of all perfume addicts. Each fragrance comes in identical 200ml and 100ml bottles with magnetic caps.

Les Exclusifs launched this week at 16 select Chanel boutiques and Bergdorf Goodman in New York. You can read all about Aromascope’s Blogger, Ina, first hand account of what each scent is like when she went to her local Chanel boutique to try the fragrances out for herself. From her review, it sounds like Les Exclusifs will be a success.

After months of speculation about a possible deal between fashion model Kate Moss and powerhouse beauty brand, Coty, today it was confirmed that Moss has indeed signed a long term contract to create a house of fragrances under her name. The fragrance line itself has yet to be named, but the fragrance concept is said to be a smokey rose and black undertones with a vintage English feel.

This comes at a time when celebrity fragrances have inundated the market and caused over saturation to the point of declining sales. With so many celebrity fragrances amid designer fragrance launches, retail shelves can only hold so much, making retailers pick and choose which brands will grace their stores.

While celebrity fragrances duke it out, classic and designer scents are beginning to make a comeback according to WWD. Celebrities come and go, and while JLo has proven staying power, can you imagine wearing her scent 30 years from now? It is classics like Chanel and Elizabeth Arden that have the track record of being “in” no matter which celebrity is all the rage at the time.

Korres Hair & Scalp Scrub
5 out of 5 Stars

Between my pregnancy hormones wreaking havoc on my skin and hair and this super cold winter weather, my scalp is so dry. This was the first time in my life that I actually had dry skin coming off my scalp into my hair. I was mortified. I tried so many deep conditioners hoping that it would resolve the issue, but unfortunately the outlook for flakeless hair was looking dim. Then I received a boxload of products from Korres, one being their Hair and Scalp Scrub, an intensive treatment with green silt and corallina oligoelements..Read More.

Love N.1 from The Soul Collection
4 out of 5 Stars

Love N.1 is a handcrafted (by Andrea herself) organic perfume available in a base of organic jojoba oil or organic grape alcohol. It is available in an eau de parfum spray, body oil and whipped body butter. The fragrance is comprised of: Cocoa Absolute, Pink Lotus, Cassia, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Tuberrose, Rose (Turkish) Vanilla and Blood Orange...Read more.

Max Factor Erase Secret Cover Up
4 out of 5 Stars

The color I tried out, was perfect for my skin color. I received Medium, which is for cool and warm tones. I fall somewhere in between. I loved that I could “erase” some of the ruddiness to my skintone and cover those red blemish scars on my chin. I also loved that the color blended with my skin, not making it obvious that I had concealer on. I’ve used concealers in the past that just looked orange, cakey and just plain obvious...Read more.

Absence by Jane Iredale
4 out of 5 Stars

Once I applied Absence prior to using my Liquid Minerals, I noticed a big difference. While Absence feels thick and balmy at first, it absorbs into your skin and becomes lightweight, just like the Liquid Minerals. I then used the Liquid Minerals over it and brushed on the Pure Pressed Powder (review to come). My face looked matte, with no shine present...Read more.

I’m sure Simon Cowell is just wishing that Jennifer Hudson would’ve made it all the way through with American Idol now that she is has become a household name. Her celebrity status has outshone all of the Idol winners combined. Not only did her star shine in Dream Girls, soon after winning an Academy Award for her role, now Avon has scooped her up as spokesmodel for their best-selling fragrance.

Imari, a perfume that has been part of the Avon line for 20 years, is described as petal-light flowery overtones that grace an opulent oriental blend of wood, amber and vanilla. The Imari line comes in an anti-perspirant deodorant, shimmering body powder, perfumed skin softener, body lotion, bath & shower gel, Eau de Cologne spray and Eau de Parfum Cologne Spray. This August Avon will be launching Imari Seduction in the US.

Fresh is the beauty brand that was created by a husband and wife team in 1991. Their lines includes everything you need in beauty products from makeup to skincare to fragrance. I love how Fresh has taken the well-rounded approach to their products. By this I mean, they don't create a product that just sounds nice, it is a product that delivers on its promise, has packaging to match the feeling of the product and creates a multi-sensory experience that is not soon to leave your thoughts.

Here are some of the products that are new to the Fresh line, do post a comment if you have tried any of them and let us know what you thought.

Hesperides Eau de Parfum Top layer sparkles with Italian lemon, orange and grapefruit to give it a bright citrus zest. The middle layer bubbles with effervescent bergamot, lotus flower and transparent jasmine. The bottom layer warms with rhubarb, musk, and peach to enhance the sensuous yet sweet hints of this accord.

Hesperides Bath & Shower Gel and Hesperides Body Lotion Contains grapefruit extract and vitamins C and E revitalizes and gently cleanses the skin. It is enhanced with shea butter and lemon extract while capturing the citrus notes found in the Hesperides Eau de Parfum.

Hesperides Soap Pure vegetable oil base enhanced with nourishing shea butter. The soap is milled twice making it dense, luxurious and long lasting.

Sniffapalooza is an event-based group of fragrance aficionados that originated in New York City and now unites perfume passionatas from around the world. What started as a small group of women getting together to shop and share their enthusiasm for fragrance, has grown into a phenomenon that has attained national recognition through CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, Women's Wear Daily, and WWD BeautyBiz.

Sniffapalooza is the creation of Karen Dubin, and now with the collaboration of Karen Adams, the event is reaching new proportions. Sniffapalooza occurs several times a year and draws hundreds of kindred spirits, both men and women, and spans an age range of 16 to 76. Members meet perfumers, representatives from fragrance houses, fragrance journalists and authors, they preview new launches, are privy to special motion picture screenings, and participate in fragrance workshops.

Past events have been held at Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, Takashimaya, L'Artisan Perfumeur, Lafco NY, Le Labo, Bond No. 9, and Aedes de Venustas. In February 2007, Ron Robinson at Apothia of Fred Segal/Melrose hosted Sniffapalooza for its West Coast Premiere. Sniffapalooza in NYC on March 31st/April 1st will have its biggest attendance yet with 125 fragrances lovers taking part. This event is currently sold out, but you can check out their website for details on future events.

I recently got to speak more in depth with Karen Adams regarding this event that I know many of my fellow Beauty Bloggers rave about...

So you shampoo your hair and wish to keep that fresh smelling fragrance all day long. Most of us would love to have fragrance for our hair, but without drying it out or weighing it down. Elizabeth Pyshnov, owner and creative mind behind Pure & Petal hair fragrances, felt the same way and decided to do something about it.

Pure & Petal, located in Canada, is the one online store that women seeking gloriously smelling hair can flock to without the worries that they are adding product to their hair that will alter their hairstyle, weigh it down or frizz it out with any drying alcohols. This also means that there is no alcohol-related smell, as you would get with a typical perfume. The Pure & Petal hair fragrances contain silk protein, Vitamin B5 and are silicone-free and alcohol-free.

Having tried this product myself when the company first launched in November of last year, I can tell you that I absolutely think Elizabeth’s product is genius. The mist itself is very light and the scent is not overpowering. You spray it on about 8 inches away from your head once you are done drying and styling your hair. The fragrance lasted most of the day and had absolutely no negative effects on the condition of my hair.

Pure & Petal offers 4 fragrances: Linden Blossom, Sublime Citrus, Summer Passion and Heavenly Clean. My favorite is Linden Blossom, which is a combination of the linden blossom and grapefruit. Heavenly Clean comes in second, literally smelling like I just washed my hair.

At the beginning of this month, Pure & Petal began selling its hair fragrances at retail outlets in Canada. Soon we will be able to find them at retailers here in the states. For now, we can still order them online, and believe me, I’m sure you will love this product as much as I do.

Avon sure is doing some major collaborations for its brand these days. While Avon is a MLM and direct sales company, those who turn their nose up at such companies really need to look beyond stereotypes and admire Avon for their ability to be innovative. And honestly, I think many other niche beauty direct sales companies should pay attention to Avon and follow suit.

From the Avon News Room:

Avon Products, Inc. today announced a collaboration with French couture fashion designer Christian Lacroix and with Interparfums, its worldwide fragrance licensee, to create two signature fragrances, Christian Lacroix Rouge (for women) and Christian Lacroix Noir (for men), bringing Avon consumers worldwide the opportunity to experience Christian Lacroix through a fragrance that reflects the designer's originality, creativity, sophistication and elegance. Christian Lacroix Rouge and Noir will launch globally in 2007, debuting in the UK in September. In the US, Christian Lacroix Rouge will launch in November 2007, followed by Christian Lacroix Noir in February 2008.

Avon has been heightening their premium fragrance offerings over the last year with select partnerships and alliances. This exclusive collaboration with Christian Lacroix gives Avon the extraordinary opportunity to create elite designer fragrances for its fragrance portfolio, and bring a premium range of fragrances imbued with high fashion to the Avon consumer.

Christian Lacroix Rouge and Christian Lacroix Noir, both created by the perfumers at IFF, are striking, audacious and provocative, reflecting Christian Lacroix's original haute design sensibility. Christian Lacroix Rouge is a strikingly bold floral chypre with exuberant top notes of wild red peony blended with zesty citrus accents. Rouge's heart is rich with modern florals with a drydown consisting of warm, passionate notes such as cashmere woods, patchouli and musks. Christian Lacroix Noir is an elegant fougere design with fresh and spicy topnotes of ginger and saffron. Noir's heart consists of cardamom and textured orris with a drydown composed of a woody blend of cedarwood and vetiver. The luxurious packaging is distinctive of the House of Christian Lacroix, reflecting a passion for embroidered motifs with the bold use of red and black.

"Avon believes all women should have access to great style and fashion, and by bringing Mr. Lacroix's creations to the Avon consumer, we are helping women feel more special, and more beautiful," said Geralyn Breig, Senior Vice President and Brand President for Avon Products, Inc. "Avon is the global beauty company unmatched for its understanding and appreciation of its clients' sensibilities and aspirations. Together, Avon and Christian Lacroix will enhance and realize their respective visions, expanding their objectives of offering inspiring and quality fashion to women everywhere."

"I consider that every woman is a red carpet star and nothing gives me more pleasure than celebrating their individuality: their inner spirit, their seductiveness, their lives and loves," adds Mr. Lacroix. "By partnering with Avon, the company whose heritage is a virtual celebration of women, I can connect with women everywhere. I envision Rouge becoming the Avon woman's signature, one that's utterly feminine yet mysterious and bold."

Born in Provence, France, Christian Lacroix studied at both Paris' prestigious Sorbonne and Ecole du Louvre with the ambition of becoming a museum curator. Then destiny intervened: influenced to draw, Mr. Lacroix shifted his focus to haute couture, eventually establishing the House of Christian Lacroix in 1987. Today, its brands are sold in over 60 points of sale in France and 1,000 points of sale worldwide. Distinguished by their exuberant patterns, sensuality and attention to detail, his designs have been coveted by A-list celebrities, including award winning actresses and singers.

Christian Lacroix's imprint is apparent in every phase of Rouge's development: the scent, the packaging, even the name. Says Mr. Lacroix, "I believe fragrance reveals a woman's character even more than fashion. I was inspired by my love of red to create a powerful and fiery fragrance, the ultimate accessory embodying the energy of life, sensuality and passion." For men, the color black inspires mystery, elegance and desire.

Christian Lacroix's Rouge and Noir will be featured in the company's brochure, which is distributed through over 5 million Avon Representatives around the globe.

Summersent is an ethereal floral fragrance based on a fairytale, mystical bloom. Designed as a celebration of beauty, intelligence, grace, vision and individuality, Summersent is a tribute to femininity.

The inspiration for Summersent is a rare, guarded flower never before used in the fragrance industry. The robust scent of the secretive flower bloom is blended with heart notes of Italian jasmine, Moroccan orange blossom, cassis flower and genet for a rich floral bouquet. A light infusion of mandarin provides a sparkling top note. Fresh petal “greenness” enhances the magical quality of the scent and a blend of white musks intertwined with a honey nectar accord provides a haunting dry down.

Summersent comes in an exquisite glass bottle with sparkling hand-applied Swarovski crystals, Summersent parfum is capped in a crystal dome for optimal pulse point application.

Summersent is the first launch from Marjorie Midgarden Fragrances LLC and is available at Takashimaya NYC, Von Maur stores, and www.vonmaur.com.

Summersent Media Contact:
Ivy Cartagena: Pierce Mattie Public Relations Beauty Division

You're having a bad hair day, you’re late, and suddenly without warning your umbrella just breaks leaving you stranded in the middle of a torrential downpour so now you’re also sopping wet. It’s moments like these that sometimes make it a little hard to just put on a happy face.

Luckily though, there’s Smiley, a line of French beauty products infused with antidepressants, now available online. Taken from pure cocoa extract the formula contains Phenylethylamine, which sets off a feeling of joy or euphoria, and theobromine, which blocks adrenaline, decreasing the affects of stress.

As part of your self-prescribed happy therapy, choose from a perfume, tanning simulator, body gel, shampoo and body wash, bath tablets, and body lotion. The line also offers a deodorant, so on a hot day everyone else will be smiling too.

The Smiley line also offers to contribute a percentage of its sales to the Smiley World Association, an organization that assists terminally ill patients, children, the unemployed, drug addicts and the homeless. Just knowing that you’re putting a smile on somebody else’s face should already add a little spring in your step.

So put on a little Smiley in the morning and prepare to face anything that might come your way. Angry bosses, long lines, and traffic jams have nothing on you.

Photo Credit: Smileybeauty.com

As I was reading through the blogosphere today, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw this post on one of my favorite beauty blogs, BellaSugar. Tom Ford's ad campaigns for his Fragrance For Men are about to debut in the fashion and beauty magazines as his fragrance launches on September 24th...but will sex sell?

The ads are something you would find in Playboy or the like (the above picture is the G version), definitely not something you expect to see displayed at you local retail outlet selling the fragrance. While Tom Ford exudes sex appeal, and I honestly don't know one woman who doesn't think he is sexy, I'm surprised that he would push the envelope this far. Ford is extremely creative and talented, yet these ads spell tacky with a capital T. Sure, they are not meant to appeal to women, it is a men's fragrance after all, but does Mr. Ford believe that a fragrance bottle between a woman's thighs that is about a centimeter shy of being considered porn, will garner him success with his first fragrance for men?

He's definitely gotten attention for these ads, mainly from women like myself who are just a little put off by them. However, maybe he is on to something. Women and men are different in the way they shop. For women, it is emotional and for men it is about meeting a need. Men are visual creatures, as well, and these ads definitely speak to them (maybe Tom has taken a page from Hugh Heffner?)

You can get an idea for the ad images by visiting Tom Ford's website.

What do you think? Will the adage be true--sex sells?

The Silver Factory, also known simply as "The Factory" was in operation from 1964–1968, Andy Warhol’s original studio, hangout, and club central, located in a nondescript building on East 47th Street, of which acquired visual uniqueness with its aluminum-foil walls. These walls evoked silver-backed mirrors, emblems of the narcissism that suffused the times. The Silver Factory served as a galvanizing forum for artists, silkscreeners, actors, filmmakers, debutants, activists, hustlers, and misfits, all of whom somehow contributed to the creativity. It was here that Warhol emerged as an avant garde filmmaker, pop art progenitor, and all-around superstar.

Bond No.9's Warhol-inspired fragrance, Silver Factory, is that of an ambiguous male-female gender. Silver Factory is a smooth, smoky, spicy blend of interlacing incense (a key scent of the ‘60s), wood resin, and syrupy, seductive amber. It has a heart of jasmine, iris, and violet—a scent that Warhol was especially fond of. These slightly dissonant florals combine to evoke a metallic effect—that of warmed-up, molten silver. For the merest hint of coolness, a handful of cedarwood is thrown in.

Like all Bond No.9 fragrances, their bottles are a work of art. Much like Warhol's mission to challenge the world to see art differently, Bond No.9 takes on that challenge by creatively capturing Warhol's essence of being in both Silver Factory's fragrance and in the design of the bottle. The slender bottle, with a background of textured silver (so fashionable this season), displays a unique graphic inspired by the Campbell’s Soup Can design in bold colors as created by Warhol in a series of his colored Campbell Soup Can silkscreen paintings in 1965: dissonant blocks of turquoise and purple, with the distinctive Campbell’s script in mustard yellow.

Silver Factory will be available in December for $230 for 3.4oz. Available only in a 100 ml flacon, Andy Warhol Silver Factory will be sold at Bond No. 9’s four New York boutiques, at www.bondno9.com, at Saks Fifth Avenue nationwide and at saks.com

With Memorial Day come and gone, the unofficial start to summer is upon us. Before you head to the beach, it’s time to groom some unkempt [bikini] areas, get your body bronzed and dress up your beach wear for a trip to the shores that will rival summers past.

Bronzed Babe
Waxing “down there” is only half the prep for your day in the sun. Unless you’ve been lying in damaging tanning beds, chances are you could use a little color to help camouflage dimples and accentuate all the right curves. JOICO Skin Luxe Golden Shimmer allows you to show off your tan in its entire golden splendor, without the harmful effects from sun exposure. This luxurious, coconut-scented lotion builds an even, natural-looking tan without the dangers of sun bathing, while imparting a light touch of sexy, tan-enhancing shimmer on the skin.
For retail info, call 1-800-80-JOICO or visit www.JOICO.com; $15.95