June Favourites

I did a lot more cooking/eating and obsessing over clothing (unusual for me) than indulging in makeup in June, which probably accounts for the lack of posts during the month. Having the house to myself as my parents were overseas also meant exploring my more domestic side, sometimes to laughable results, sometimes in ways that were pleasantly surprising. I can now pan fry a salmon fillet skillfully enough that I wouldn't want to order it at a restaurant. On the other hand, I still can't bake anything successfully the first time. The oven is a temperamental beast.

Chloé Love, Chloé
I don't think I could have anticipated just how much I love this fragrance. It's not like anything from the fruity or floral family that I traditionally gravitate toward. It's distinctly powdery and soapy, but sophisticated, feminine, warm and enveloping. It wears extremely well in colder weather. In the summer, it might be a tad overpowering mixed with heat and humidity. The lasting power is incredible which is always a big plus.

Paddywax Gardenia & Tuberose Jar Candle
I can't even tell you how good this candle smells. If you enjoy gardenia scents that lean a little on the green side, you need this candle in your life. The scent fills the entire room and the wax burns forever. I debated for months whether to buy this after first stumbling upon it at a gift shop last December, but I'm so glad I ended up purchasing it. One of my absolute favourite candle discoveries.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette
I told myself repeatedly I didn't need this. That I had enough eyeshadows. That I probably already had all the colours in the palette already. When it first came out, I was disinterested and determined not to fall for the hype. But we all know how the story ends — with me forking out $68.95 at Kit Cosmetics one weekend. But you know what? I don't regret it. Yes, some of the colours have annoying fallout (Gilded Ganache, Black Forest Truffle), they're not uniformly smooth and pigmented, I'd rarely wear some of the shades (Strawberry Bon Bon, Candied Violet) and I probably don't need two massive highlighting pans, but overall, this palette has impressed and delighted me. My newest favourite eyeshadow combination is Crème Brûlée (such a standout, slightly dirty yellow gold) and Hazelnut, though I appreciate the inclusion of versatile matte shades for less shimmery options.

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Rose Éclat
While rounding up my top autumn/winter blushes, I rediscovered this little gem from Bourjois. I'd previously overlooked it in favour of other shades of the round pot blushes like Rose D'Or and Rose Coup de Foudre, but I've been reaching for Rose Éclat in the mornings to add some much needed life to my pastier-than-usual complexion. This one has just the right amount of warmth and rosiness without bordering on being too red/ruddy or fuchsia/cool-toned.

e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush
Most of my other well-loved blush brushes like the Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush or Real Techniques Multi Task Brush are round and fluffy, but this one provides a useful point of difference. With its significantly smaller size and flatter shape, it's excellent at placing your blush exactly where you want it, avoiding spreading colour over too large a surface and overdoing the intensity. Although it's quite flat, it still blends well and diffuses pigmented blushes with ease. At $8, you won't be breaking the bank.

White Florals, Powder & Musk

Recently, I've started to get back into perfume in a major way. I don't know what triggered it ... maybe I'm a bit over makeup and it's only natural that I return to my first love. In my I Love Perfume Tag, I mentioned that my favourite scents were fruity florals. Since then, my stance has definitely evolved. I'm way into white flowers now. Gardenia, tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom, honeysuckle, frangipani, the whole shebang. I think my obsession with Kai perfume oil was the start. I've even pulled out the ol' Perfumes: The A-Z Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez that I rushed out to buy when it first hit the bookshops. One night, I found myself reminiscing fondly about the fragrant white flowers that I smelled as a kid visiting Shanghai and Beijing. The ones arranged in bracelets and sold by old ladies on the street (after some stab-in-the-dark Googling, I think it's called Michelia × alba or white champaca?). I had this sudden longing to smell them again, though I doubt there exists a readily available perfume that authentically replicates their scent. Despite that, I've been uniformly thrilled with my three latest fragrance acquisitions.

Estée Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia

Top notes: neroli, lilac, rosewood
Heart notes: gardenia, tuberose, orange flower, jasmine, white lily
Base notes: carnation, vanilla bourbon

Luca Turin describes this perfume as one of the few fragrances that actually achieves a real gardenia smell. In his words, the "tuberose note in PCTG is very quiet, while the rest of the fragrance is an utterly lovely gardenia accord on a refined, radiant white-flowers background." I've read other reviews online that express an opposite opinion that this is mainly a tuberose perfume. As much as I try to educate myself on the difference between tuberose and gardenia, the reality is they're probably not that hugely far apart, at least to a casual consumer like me. PCTG retails for a ludicrous $150 for the 30ml eau de parfum bottle in Australia, but I purchased mine from StrawberryNET for $90. It's definitely the most I've forked out for a perfume of that size in recent memory, but worth it. The opening is somewhat sharp and slightly bitter, but give it a bit more time and it's the middle notes that really shine. They're beautifully creamy (no dilution or wateriness here), sweet but not overly so and not at all artificial-smelling. If you like gardenia, you need this. It's a very ladylike, classic fragrance that would be perfect for a spring wedding. Lasts a decent amount of time on the skin as well.

Chloé Love, Chloé

Top notes: orange blossom, pink pepper
Heart notes: hyacinth, iris, lilac, wisteria, heliotrope
Base notes: musk, talc, rice powder

I remember when this first came out in 2010. It wasn't like anything I was used to smelling at the department store. I wasn't quite sure if it was my type of fragrance, but the more I sprayed it, the more it grew on me. There are a few perfumes that I've liked for a long time (and eagerly reach for whenever I encounter a tester), but haven't taken the plunge to purchase. I'm so glad I finally bit the bullet with Love, Chloé because I've ended up surprisingly loving this. At first, it announces itself as a distinctly powdery, almost soapy fragrance (a little bit like the original Chloé from 1975), but it takes on a more complex quality the more it melds with the skin's chemistry. There's just something about it that I can't put my finger on. I find it comforting and mellow, not typically sweet, floral or fruity, but slightly woody on a musky, powdery cloud, very clean smelling without being sharp or green, womanly, soft and sensual. The bottle is also pretty close to perfection.

Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne

Top notes: cedrat, green notes, clementine leaf
Heart notes: orange blossom, water lily
Base notes: orange blossom, lilac

I've been eyeing a Jo Malone fragrance for ages, but I wasn't prepared to spend $90 for a 30ml bottle here. I finally allowed myself to splurge in their boutique in the Marais, Paris, where it's €45.00 or about $65. It was truly a battle to pick out just one, but in the end I opted for Orange Blossom because it was one of the first Jo Malone fragrances I heard about from Allison of amarixe in her April 2012 Beauty Favourites video. This perfume is quietly glorious. It's bright, fresh, fruity, zesty, sweet, uplifting and a little soapy in the best way. Spraying it on a thin cardboard strip at the shop (with a few other fragrances competing for your attention) simply won't do it justice. It needs to be spritzed onto skin and worn in isolation for the whole day to be properly appreciated. I don't think I have anything in my collection that tops this as the ultimate springtime scent. The tall, rectangular bottle is also particularly handbag-friendly.

I Love Perfume Tag

I've seen this tag floating around (most recently on noiredame and Boho Vanity) and have always wanted to do it myself. Long before I became interested in clothes or makeup, I was fascinated by and drawn to fragrances. Perfume was my first love, so to speak. As a child, there was just something inherently alluring and grown up about perfume. I love how it powerfully evokes memories and moods, how the same scent can smell different depending on the individual, how there's a fragrance to suit every emotion and occasion. Perfume can instantly uplift the senses, bring you comfort, make you feel sensual and enigmatic, and invite both nostalgia and escape. (In addition to simply smelling nice.)

1. What was your first perfume you ever purchased?
That would be Ralph Lauren Ralph. I remember when it first burst onto the scene with Lonneke Engel appearing in the ads and on the covers of all the teen magazines. I was obsessed.

2. What's your signature perfume?
I don't really have one because I frequently change up my perfume depending on what I feel like. I do wear the following quite a bit as my everyday fragrance: Elizabeth Arden Pretty, Liz Claiborne Liz, Chloé Chloé, Estée Lauder Pleasures, Ralph Lauren Romance

3. What's your most recent perfume purchase?
Versace Bright Crystal, and before that, Lady Gaga Fame. Bright Crystal smells kind of samey to me (reminds me of Burberry Brit Sheer and DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom, which are pink as well). I'm much more enthused about Fame.

4. What perfume would you wear at nighttime/date night?
Mariah Carey M (potent, sweet and spicy), Lolita Lempicka Lolita Lempicka (a little out there with the liquorice note, but feminine and whimsical), Chloé Chloé

5. What's your favorite spring/summer perfume?
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue (wish the fresh citrus top notes lasted longer), DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom (combining two of my favourite scents, grapefruit and cassis)

6. What's your favorite fall/winter perfume?
Narciso Rodriguez For Her EDP. A really special perfume to me.

7. What's your favorite scent category (fruity, floral, fresh, oriental, woody)?
Probably floral, or more accurately fruity florals

8. What perfume are you currently lusting after?
I have a few, including Kai perfume oil, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, Christian Dior J'adore (a long-time fav), Estée Lauder Sensuous, Chloé Love, Chloé, Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh

9. What fragrance/cologne do you like on your significant other?
I don't know that many men's fragrances, but I like Chanel Allure.

Lychee & Rose

My favourite perfume for the past few weeks has been Chloé Chloé Eau de Parfum, released in 2008. When I first smelt a whiff of this years ago, I was largely unimpressed. I found the scent to be unmemorable and unoriginal, which was doubly disappointing given how much I wanted to love it because of the beautiful bottle. It wasn't until fairly recently when I asked a friend what scent she was wearing and she told me it was Chloé Eau de Parfum, that I started to smell the fragrance differently and give it a second chance. Upon repeated exposure, I began to like the fragrance increasingly more, until I was positively enamoured of it and eager to acquire a bottle myself. Since then, I've been wearing it as my chosen fragrance almost every day over numerous other perfumes in my collection.