Some entries will now have an extra tag, Catherine. The reason for this is quite simple. As you may have noticed I sometimes tap into memories, recent or not, where some are about her father while others have been or will be about me. Just like the food blog I started back in August where I intend to write down some of our favorite recipes for if/when she starts to cook, these anecdotes are for her. With the tag she'll be able to go directly to the posts where something personal is mentioned.
Fear not, I'm not transforming this blog into a personal journal and so I will try to make sure the memories are beauty related as is the case with what follows...
Fragrant memories of my father...
My dad's birthday would have been on August 18. September 28, yesterday, was the anniversary of his death and it was quite a blow when it happened especially since it was an accident. I've mentioned recently that my father used to wear foundation (here), surprising I know but what can I say, I guess in a way he was a little eccentric. He was one of the first to wear flashy colored shirts when they came out. Powder blue, salmon, yellow, he loved bright colors. I guess he was an all or nothing kind of guy and this was the case for the fragrances he chose as well.
He wasn't discrete about them. Vetiver and Habit Rouge de Guerlain where among his favorites as was... Fabergé's Brut 33!!!
When I was a kid, this was one of the most popular fragrance for men and it was sold in drugstores. Created in 1964 and still available today, it's what I would call an "in your face" type of fragrance. Unapologetic, one could not be left unnoticed wearing it. At about 10 yrs old I of course didn't know anything about fragrances and didn't have my mother's budget to buy gifts. I don't remember what was my weekly allowance but I would think that it must have taken more than a few weeks to save enough money to purchase a bottle of Brut for Father's Day. It was the one I wanted! While other kids aimed for Old Spice, I wanted the green glass bottle with the silver medallion. I mean come on, the little chain was sooo elegant, wasn't it?
Now again, at such a young age I didn't know much about fragrances but one thing I did know, Old Spice was boring and Brut tickled my nose in a very pleasant way. Developed by Karl Mann, reading about it's components it's no wonder it pleased me so much. Lemon, bergamot, lavender, anise and basil are it's top notes and the base notes, sandalwood, oak moss, vetiver, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla. These information where taken from Fragrantica.
I can't honestly say when was the last time I smelt it but it's there, in the back of my mind along with an image of my dad wearing a pair of grey trousers paired with a bright pink shirt smiling at me! The slogan of Brut was "The essence of men". Well, putting aside all the fragrances he wore after this one, I can definitely say Brut was the essence of my dad!
What caught my attention this week...
Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Comparisons for #100, #103, #105 and #508, The Beauty Look Book. If you're looking for a nude lipstick, they seem to be kind of the rage at the moment, here is a great place to start and it's not just about Armani. Sabrina goes almost overboard with swatches, just almost.
5 MAC Nudes, Expat Make-Up Addict. Want more nude lipsticks? Well here you go! Stacey seems to have recently crossed over to nudes.
The Dilemma: Are Multi-Tasking Beauty Products Failing Us? Beautygeeks. Janine has a case of *scratching head*. Moisturizers, tinted moisturizer, BB, CC, primers etc. Which to use and in what order?
Sweet Honey Honey, My Lucite Dream. Taylor tells us about the rising popularity of honey in beauty products.
Sketchbook: Adventures in Prolonging Nail Polish Wear, Café Makeup. Dior or Guerlain, which top coat would you go for?
The Weekend Post #91: Top 10 Beauty Blogs, Vivianna Does Makeup. Looking for good blogs to read? Anna gives us 10 to consider and tells us why she loves them.
Garde Robe High-End Clothes Storage, New York Times Fashion & Style, by Stephen Heyman. This is interesting. I would think that if you have $4200,00 to spend per year to pamper some designer gowns or Gucci bags that is would be possible to organize your closet, have as little built in climate control area to keep them pristine in the comfort of your own home but apparently this seems to be a type of service that is on the rise. I can understand it being a good thing for those who live in small apartments but I just don't get it if the owner of the clothes lives in a mansion. I guess it's becoming a status thing.
A bit of art history...
Titian identified as Risen Christ artist, BBC News. This is the kind of news that makes me smile, the discovery of a new masterpiece! Oh how I wish I could have found a Rembrandt in the basement!
For your viewing enjoyment...
Another dose of fragrant memories...
Funny how this happened. As I realised yesterday that it was the anniversary of the death of my dad, I stumbled upon this new ad for Jean-Paul Gaultier fragrances. Le Mâle was André's favorite and I must say he wore it well. Whenever someone would ask him about the perfume he was wearing he would of course respond by Le Mâle. It made people laugh. You see, he was a joker and a good looking one at that so even if he was serious in giving the information it always took a bit of persuasion and some explaining. What didn't help was the fact that both André and the designer share the same last name! It's no wonder he wasn't taken seriously!
On The Docks Jean Paul Gaultier video for Le Mâle fragrance. Just click on the picture for the link. I'm sorry I could not post it directly here.
Love you and miss you both!
Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo
