News: 582 posts

Comme des Garçons recently launched Black Eau de Toilette. It includes notes of black pepper, Somalian incense, leather, licorice, birch tar, vetiver, and cedarwood.  The original concept was developed in 2009 “in response to the general negativity engendered by the recession and to counter the feeling of things being blocked or stopped because of the crisis” (as quoted in the press release). A tall order for a perfume, perhaps, but Comme des Garçons excels at dark and smoky blends.

Already available in Comme des Garçons boutiques and luckyscent.com. 100ml spray bottle/$100

The French tea house Kusmi Tea has released a new flavor called BB Detox. It’s a blend of green tea, maté, dandelion and rooibos inspired by the “all-in-one” idea of BB (beauty balm) creams. Kusmi makes grand claims that the ingredients will detoxify, protect and hydrate the skin, but I can only say that the flavor is very nice–zesty, bright, and refreshing.

BB Detox de Kusmi Tea, 125gr, 14,80€. Available at www.kusmitea.com and directly from Kusmi boutiques.

Neela Vermeire Creations has recently presented its new fragrance Ashoka. Inspired by one of India’s greatest emperors, perfume was created by Bertrand Duchaufour. It is “a tribute to an emperor who was conquered by his own compassion at the moment his victory was assured. He converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spreading the Buddha’s teachings, to truth, to justice and to compassion for all living creatures beneath the sun…. His own evolution from ruthless conqueror to benevolent emperor is reflected in Ashoka’s journey from the fierce opening to a softly floral heart & the gentle embrace of its richly complex drydown.”

Ashoka includes notes of fig leaves, leather, white and pink lotus, mimosa, fig milk, osmanthus, rose, water hyacinth, vetiver, styrax, incense, sandalwood, myrrh, tonka bean, and fir balsam. Ashoka will be available in select stores from early autumn 2013.

In other news, Mohur will be released in a higher extrait de parfum concentration. Its amethyst glass flacon and other bottles from Neela Vermeire’s collection were recently re-designed by Pierre Dinand, a renowned bottle artist. Via press release (the image of King Ashoka via wiki-images, some rights reserved).

This spring, in addition to Caligna, L’Artisan Parfumeur will add two new candles to its Grasse Collection: Le Printemps (spring) and L’Été (summer).

Le Printemps (spring)

Inspired by spring in Grasse, this candle blends laurel, rosemary, lentisk and thyme, and accents the herbs with spicy star anise.

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Christian Dior has added a new fragrance to La Collection Privée. Gris Montaigne, developed by perfumer François Demachy, is a classical mossy chypre with notes of bergamot, jasmine sambac, Turkish rose, Indonesian patchouli, moss, and amber.

Gris Montaigne is currently available at Harrods in London, alongside the England inspired makeup collection:  Claridge’s 48 eye shadow palette and lip gloss, My Lady powder, Windsor nail polish. Gris Montaigne will launch at Dior boutiques worldwide later this spring. Via elle.fr and dior.com