Category Archives: Chanel

Discovering the perfumed scent of tuberose in the garden

Posted in Chanel, In the garden, Perfume, Scent, Wellbeing by

Polianthes tuberosa, growing in the garden, flowering late in September this year.

It’s been a while since I last posted anything on this blog. Since my last entry, we’ve been in lock down and during this time, I’ve spent more time in the garden, planting for the joy of watching nature come alive.

In May, I planted 5 tubers of the precious Polyanthes tuberosa ‘The Pearl’ in pots. Instructions were simple, put in pots around 3 inches deep in a sunny spot. I put them into 3 pots and waited. I chose them because the scent was described as highly scented and found in many perfumes

Within a month the tubers started to push through the earth and their leaves began to emerge and grow tall. Out of the 3 pots, only one of the tubers I planted showed small buds and bloomed.

In the early morning, brushing past the bloom, it releases a heady scent which I can only describe as sweet, combining the scents of flowers such as irises, roses, lilacs into one floral scent, that feels like sunshine, almost alcoholic as it hits the back of the throat and nose.

Monotheme Tuberose

You’ll find it in Monotheme’s Tuberose Eau de Toilette, a budget perfume that is available in Marks & Spencers in the UK or on Amazon.

For more indulgent luxury, I love the new perfume from Chanel, Gabrielle Chanel.

It has a softer citrus start and includes my favourite scent of Grapefruit, Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, and the rich floral scent of tuberose.

Since the flower has now faded and it’s time to dig up the tuber and store it in a warm place inside the house, it will be a long time before it’s possible to plant it in the garden and watch it grow.

It’s the first time I’ve planted this flower this year, so I’m not sure if I’ll be successful in saving the tubers and getting it to flower again and whether it will be possible to enjoy it’s heady scent in the garden next summer.

So for the time being, I’ll be bringing the sunshine scent back now that the days have grown shorter and colder.

A first perfume and a decade of firsts

Posted in Chanel, Perfume, Scent by

Chanel & Sony WalkmanIt was on the first holiday abroad, that I discovered what I consider my first perfume. Until that moment, fragrances were the sort that you wore because your friends at school wore them, like Le Jardin by Max Factor or the Avon perfumes that one of my friends who was an Avon rep sold to some of us at school.

As we looked around the duty free shop, I was drawn to the simple yet elegant bottle square bottle shape of Chanel No 5. As I sampled the scents however, it was Cristalle that I liked most.

It reminded me of the strong scent of Jasmine that grew at the front of the house that I lived in briefly as a young child.

Cristalle is a light floral fragrance, delicate and powdery fresh. I wasn’t sure I could describe it well enough to bring the scent to life, so I got in touch with Chanel’s PR department and they very kindly provided me with a description of the perfume. As I read the words, I was overwhelmed by their significance. The Perfume was created over 40 years ago in 1974 by Henri Robert, which means it has stood the test of time.

Then, it struck me how similar the description of a perfume is to the way I used to write essays around music. Perhaps this would be a good way to explain how the combination ingredients combine to create it’s distinct character and personality and why it’s a personal favourite.

So here goes:

The melody in any music composition is instantly recognisable, you can hum a tune and recognise it immediately. Cristalle’s tune is delicate, the lemon’s citrusy scent acts as the top notes, honeysuckle acts as the harmony, the sweetness and fresh outdoor nature it invokes is at the perfume’s heart. Finally, the bass and accompanying rhythm is integral to the completion of any piece of music.

Scented Jasmine

I think the bass in music is so important that sometimes it defines whether it is a hit or not, like the bass in U2’s song “With our Without You”. It is the same with Cristalle, the base of Jasmine is the scent that hits me the moment I spray the perfume on.

I think of Cristalle’s personality like a music composition by Mozart. At the time that Mozart was composing, symphonies had yet to fully defined. His influence on Beethoven can be heard. I think Cristalle’s influence is evident in a number of perfumes.

There is a crystal like transparent quality, there is also hidden depth, like a diamond with many facets to make it sparkle. When you hear a piece by Mozart, it has that same quality, the melodies are easy to recognise, but they have depth and complexity that manages to capture a range of emotions. I think of Cristalle in a similar way.Music Score of Don Giovani by Mozart

Through the years, I have tried many perfumes, but there is always a bottle of Cristalle in my small collection. I cannot part with it. It reminds me of so many firsts, a time when everything lay ahead, career, experiences, travel, love, marriage, kids, making a home.

If you were a child of the 80’s, you’ll remember some of these things. We were righteous; causes were our thing – Live Aid, Comic Relief, lots of demonstrations against the establishment.

Chanel Cristalle, Eau de ToiletteIt was the first time I felt independence, living away from my parents.

Music of the time was both bright and shiny as well as a commentary of the political times we lived in.

Before U2 became the global brand they are now, their songs were of urban unrest in Ireland. Madonna blazed the trail for future female singers. There are so many tracks from the 80’s and there were so many music genres.

I’ve made a play list, chosen for a variety of reasons – some just because, others well, lets’ just say they meant something deep at the time, but now no longer represent the youthful angst that I felt.

If I’m wearing Cristalle and listening to these songs, I am transported back to a time when I think I was the most optimistic.

The tracks are in a playlist on spotify and is included in this post if you have time to listen. You’ll find a Classical selection to listen to as well.

There’s a phrase in one of the lyrics by Black, that I think we’d all like our experiences to feel like:

Becuase Life Should Never Feel Small - Black

Please come and share your memories of your favourite scent, by adding a comment, or you can create a new playlist or follow the account here:

https://play.spotify.com/user/birdonthehill

(NB – At the time of writing, Prince has withdrawn his music from a number of music sharing sites, so I have removed the following from the playlist – Mountains, Kiss and Starfish & Coffee)

I’ve included a listing of the music selection on a Pinterest board if you’d like to download it here

photo credit: One of the Jasmine Family via photopin (license)
photo credit: Composer’s score for Don Giovanni via photopin (license)

Perfume – the ultimate accessory

Posted in Chanel, Perfume, Scent by

Perfume, Jo Malone Jasmine and Mint Cologne, Chanel Crystalle, L'occitane Vervine

I’ve been holding off writing about the very essence of this blog, scent and perfumes.

I think when you are wearing a great perfume, it becomes a part of your personality and describes better than words how you want to be known.

Over the years, I’ve chosen to wear a number of scents, some have been a passing fad, others, have stayed with me longer.

No matter what life throws your way,  a spritz of perfume, or a slick of a favourite lipstick, a hug from your child as you leave for work, these things have the ability to make a day less ordinary.

I think most will agree that anything that makes you feel great is something to hold onto and treasure.

“No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory.” Gabrielle Chanel

I came across this quote by Gabrielle Chanel, she spoke eloquently about fashion, about life. She was also one of the most elegant women of the 20th Century.

Embed from Getty Images

Elegance is something that some are born with. For me it’s a work in progress and I’m still working on it. So, for now, a spray of perfume, together with a hug from my daughter is the daily ritual that carries and prepares me for the day that’s ahead.

I thought I would write about some of the perfumes I’ve encountered, from past to the present and share some of the things of the period, discoveries, experiences made. Come back if you liked this post, and check out the next post about Perfumes.

Summer Party and 10 tips for stay put make up

Posted in beauty, Chanel, eye care, Foundation, Health & Wellness, Make-up, Skincare by

Summer Heat Proof Make-up tips

Summer Heat Proof Make-up Tips

Although this post is not particularly about scent, I feel it might be helpful now that we are in high summer, to share 10 beauty tips I’ve learned over the years.

The company that I work for decided to throw a summer party this year in celebration of it’s 150th year anniversary, it also happened to be on my birthday.

While everything was being prepared, what we hadn’t accounted for, was that the date scheduled for the party happened to be the hottest day of the year.

Since I was determined to enjoy myself without having to worry about  makeup sliding off my face, I applied every tactic I’ve learnt to keep my make-up intact and ready for the party.

Some years ago, I had a number of make-up lessons for my wedding from various make-up artists from various brands. What I learnt about wedding make-up was that it needed to be flawless, fade resistant and take you from day into evening with the minimum of touch-ups.

Here’s the 10 tips I’ve learned for stay-put make up:

1) A good Oil Free Moisturiser: Before applying make-up, and after you have cleaned, toned your face, the moisturiser should be oil free and best quality you can afford as this would protect and act as the base for any primer and foundation.

No7 Beautifully Matt Make Up Base

No7 Beautifully Matt Make Up Base

Chanel’s Makeup artist’s tip on applying makeup was to let the moisturiser sink into the skin before applying a primer or base.

2) Mattifying primer/base: To maintain a shine free complexion, apply a mattifying base over the t-zone area or whole face. The one I have discovered recently which works very well at keeping my face shine free is from Boots No7 Beautifully Matte Make-up Base.

3) Oil Free Foundation with high SPF: Leave the primer to settle for just a little while before applying any foundation. The one that I am currently using is the CC Cream from Clinique as the oil free formula, combined with the SPF30 is a great way to have coverage whilst keeping everything looking natural during the day. As soon as I finish this however, I am going to try the Chanel Vitalumière Acqua that I discovered on Ravishing Roses’ blog here. and use it along with Clinique’s oil free Super City Block SPF 40 that I use alone at the weekends.

4) Concealer for eyes: Apply a primer over the eyelid area, this will prevent eyeshadow from creasing and blur any wrinkles. I always use a base for my eyes – Clinique’s All About Eyes concealer, which I find works great as a concealer and primer in one.

5) Set with Powder: Applying a light dusting of powder will set and help make-up last longer in heat and humidity – the one I’m using is Clinique’s Blended Face Powder, Transparency 3.

Clinique Transparency 3 face powder with CC Cream and Foundation

Clinique Face Powder, CC Cream & Foundation

Over the years I have tried many face powders, but this one is the one I keep returning to. It is mineral based and natural looking, you forget that you’re wearing it and is also long lasting.

6) Use good quality products for eyes:  The tip from my make up lesson from Chanel was to use a tiny bit of water to mix in with the eyeshadow to create a more intense look, it will also last longer. You can use it even as an eye liner, with the darkest shade in the eye shadow palette.To line the eyes, I used Bourjois Khol and Contour eye pencil in a dark grey, I find this is a good quality pencil and easy to blend. I took the Bourjois Smoky eye trio in Gris Party a very dark instense grey pallet to use for the party.

Kanebo Sensai 38°C Mascara

Kanebo Sensai 38°C Mascara

7) Smudge free mascara: To compete the eye make-up, the mascara that I use is Kanebo Sensai 38°C in black, this stays put in any heat. As it is smudge proof and suitable for contact wearers, it’s helped me avoid the dreaded panda eyes. Best of all it only comes off with warm water that is over 38 degrees. I have been known to bulk buy this so that I do not run out. You can now order this online through Harrods website. I have also discovered that Clinique has a similar product called Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing Formula which I’ve not tried yet so can’t tell you if it stays put as well as Kanebo’s.

8) Lip line the whole of your lips: The final tip from the make-up artists, was to use a lip-liner, a natural shade close to your own lip colour and fill in the entire lip, that way you don’t get the circle of colour around the mouth.

9) Long lasting lipstick: My all time favourite lipstick is Chanel’s Rogue Coco in Légende which has a slightly blue tone and is a perfect match to my lip colour, it adds a slight iridescence and I love the subtle scent of rose.

It tends to last and last so I never really have to remember to re-apply more than one or two times in a day. Although it’s pricey, I find it lasts 2-3 times longer than budget brands and that means for me, better value and a little bit of luxury that makes me smile.

For the evening, I chose Revlon’s Super lustrous lipstick in Revlon Red 730, which is a vintage red, that suits any skin tone. This is also a great quality moisturising lipstick which has very dense pigment is also very long lasting.

10) Use blotting paper or loose fine powder: Finally, I have always kept blotting paper in my bag for the occasional touch-ups. My favourite is the little booklet of Lehacresor Papier Poudre which is now only available to buy online. Since I had run out of this, I took the Bourjois Java Rice Powder that I use occasionally as

Bourjois Java Rice Powder

Bourjois Java Rice Powder

a subtle highligter for days when I think my skin needs help.

This powder looks like powdered mother of pearl. Although it is a soft delicate pale creamy pink, it is very fine and is translucent with a lovely light rosy fragrance which as you apply wafts around you, making the air feel soft and fragrant. I love the retro packaging.

By the time of the party, the office had literally melted in the heat, we had a power outage in the morning which meant most of the building had been without power and with it no air conditioning or fans to keep everyone cool.

I gave up on any idea of taking off the day-time makeup and re-applying fresh make-up for the party. Instead, I opted to dust the Bourjois powder over my face to revive my skin.

As the heat of the sun begun to fade, the open roof-top terrace was transformed into the maritime themed party, complete with a bar in the shape of a ship’s deck serving cocktails. The humidity and heat was forgotten as everyone turned up in fancy dress and partied on the lawn. I slipped away to get home early enough, just in time to unwrap a few of the birthday presents my kids had made for me before their bed-time.