Sunday, May 6, 2012

By Kilian Asian Tales Giveaway Contest - Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony

Thanks to the wonderful and generous Mindy Yang at MiN New York Apothecary & Atelier, an amazing emporium of niche fragrances and a gathering place for perfume lovers, I have 10 sample sets of By Kilian's new Asian Tales fragrances to give away to Best Things in Beauty readers! I featured Kilian Hennessy earlier this week, and I told you about his two latest introductions, Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony - both of which I adore. Spray samples of both fragrances are enclosed in these fold-out stories.

Kilian Hennessy's newest collection, Asian Tales, was first conceived as a spiritual journey, with significance and relevance behind the meanings of symbols and words. All of his collections have a narrative. As the first two creations in Asian Tales, Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony, took shape,"every detail was placed with careful attention and with the intent to pay homage to this great [Asian] culture.”

Kilian confirmed for me that both fragrances were developed to appeal to an Asian aesthetic that includes a preference for light fragrances. Those who want their fragrances to announce their presence in a room and leave a trail behind them probably won't like the new By Kilian scents. I love them! I appreciate a light, perfectly crafted harmony of notes that's personal. I don't want others to smell me from four feet away. I'm looking for a more intimate connection with fragrance. I want to enjoy it, and I'm happy if anyone within a few feet of me can enjoy it. I may overuse the term "office-friendly," but Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony are office-friendly.

Water Calligraphy Eau de Parfum ($225) is an "olfactive impression of an aquatic flower sitting next to a pond of water lilies...a moment of delicacy. A harmonious duo of sparking grapefruit zest and reseda blossom underlined by dewy water lily awaken the senses. In the heart, the majestic jasmine sambac enhances the evanescent magnolia, giving an impression of quiet water sliding over cardamon and vetiver, like Chinese ink slides on rice paper."

Bamboo Harmony Eau de Parfum ($225) wears an aura of subtle sips of white tea taken in the heart of a bamboo grove, "a moment of spirituality." "Bamboo Harmony opens with luminous notes of bergamot, bigarade, and neroli. It evolves through a comforting heart combining white tea leaves and mimosa, highlighted with a very light touch of spices. The character of the trail is given a rare mate essence interlaced with sensual fig leaves and oak moss." Like Water Calligraphy, Bamboo Harmony is light, but long-lasting on my skin.

I haven't formed the words yet to tell you in personal terms how much I love these fragrances. Yesterday, I wore Bamboo Harmony to meet up with friends for a late lunch. We were outdoors on the terrace, and with the humidity, I caught an occasional whiff of the wonderful fruity white tea fragrance. It's so fresh. Water Calligraphy, is an elegant aquatic floral with a touch of fruit that gives it a sparkling presence. If you separate your fragrances by season, these are perfect for summer.

Members of the Kilian Club at Facebook were sent complimentary samples of both fragrances right before they arrived at the fine stores that offer By Kilian (such as MiN). If you didn't know about that club, you have a second chance - here. How can you enter to win this contest (technically a sweepstakes)? Just leave a comment on this feature (not in another BTiB post). After you comment here, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com (the contest address, not my "personal" e-mail) and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing an e-mail address you care about on a blog, so feel free to follow this step (an alternative is to code your e-mail, e.g., myname at gmail dot com, in your comment). Please make sure I have your e-mail. If I can't notify you, you can't win - even if your number is drawn.

You can earn extra entries. Follow this blog (through an e-mail subscription, GFC, or though one of the many Google readers - see sidebar at right) to earn a second entry. If you are a follower, it would help me tally entries if you tell me in your comment how you follow. You don't have to follow to enter. I want everyone to have a chance, but I also want to reward my followers. I must be able to track this entry.

You can earn a third entry by tweeting this contest. You must include "@BTiBeauty" (without the quotes) and the contest title in your tweet. Remember, tweet the contest title - if you don't, that entry won't count. I will tweet the contest this evening, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry - if that's easier.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, May 12, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winners - all 10 of them. I will e-mail the winners on Sunday morning. The winners will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide a shipping address. After 48 hours, any unclaimed prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected. Make sure to check your e-mail - and look in your spam folder - when the contest ends.

This contest is open to anyone anywhere. Here are the terms. I will carefully pack and ship the prize (as I always do). I cannot insure the prize for overseas shipment - it's amazingly expensive to do so because of the way I have to send insured mail. If it's lost or stolen in transit, I may not be able to replace it with another prize. I really can't even identify the contents on customs forms. I'll do my best on this end; let's see if your mail service does right by you on the other end if we have an overseas winner.

For all the legalese related to this contest, please see the Contests/Sweepstakes page at the top of the blog. Good luck!

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

62 comments:

Dovey said...

Hi Charlestongirl, The Kilian scent sounds beautiful--- a zen scent sounds perfect for this season! I follow with GFC and my gmail is cuteandmundane

Rusthawk said...

The Bamboo Harmony sounds wonderful!

rusthawk at gmail dot com

Tara said...

Both of these scents sound wonderful.

tmk228(at)yahoo(dot)com

Rusthawk said...

I am one of your email subscribers.

rusthawk at gmail dot com

The Beauty Godmother said...

I follow your blog via GFC and via e-mail at xenamcr at gmail dot com - and the Kilian scents sound delicious and refreshing!

JMay said...

Thanks for the giveaway!
email: jmay1223 at gmail dot com
I follow you through an email subscription and bloglovin

Evelyn said...

They both sound very interesting and a change from my usual perfumes that...ehem...announce my presence to the room. lol evangelia at aol dot com.

lovethescents said...

What a kind offer! Thank you so much for this opportunity :-)

Mary Ann said...

Great Giveaway. Love Kilian! Both sound pretty for summer.

MAM608@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

I never had the opportunity to smell any of Killian's fragrances and these two sound like such a treat.
I am an e mail subscriber and will tweet the contest.
reneeg at discoverymail dot co dot
za

Stephanie said...

I'm intrigued! I've been wearing only Lisa Hoffman's Japanese Agarwood, and think I need to explore other scents.

I follow through email subscription and can be reached at ladymariana23 at gmail dot com

Wendy said...

Bamboo Harmony sounds lovely.

I also follow you through my yahoo email account. I'll email you about the sweepstakes you mentioned. Thanks!

WavesandShells at yahoo dot com

sunnlitt said...

These scents sound so lovely.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review and great giveaway.

I am at sunnlittlane at yahoo dot com,
and I subscribe using that address.
What fun!!

Maggie said...

Both of these sound lovely!

mbhs (at) att (dot) net

Tania said...

I really would love to try these, they sound so wonderful. I am an email subscriber.

Jo said...

Hi I'm an email subscriber and would love to get these samples.

AZ said...

Kilian has some of the best advertisements for fragrances.. it's hard not to want to try them. I just have this fear that once I try one, I'm going to want to own them all

tarotcafe(at)gmail(d0t)com

Glogirl said...

These fragrances sound wonderful! I'd love to try them.

ajmizen(at)hotmail(dot)com

Glogirl said...

I subscribe to your RSS feed in a Google Reader.

ajmizen(at)hotmail(dot)com

Glogirl said...

Tweet~ http://twitter.com/glogirl3/status/199324575601930243

ajmizen(at)hotmail(dot)com

Cathy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cathy said...

GFC: Cathy
cathnev at gmail dot com

Cathy said...

They both sound wonderful!
cathnev at gmail dot com

Liz said...

Those fragrances sound gorgeous! I follow by email, twitter, etc etc.

kittylitter1 at gmail dot com

Leigh said...

Such a marvelous giveaway! I've retweeted the contest, and I follow via GFC.

code dot epic at gmail dot com

Elysse said...

They sound wonderful!

I follow you through GFC and my email is elyssianbeauty at gmail dot com

Perseph0ne said...

I've really been wanting to try By Kilian. I follow with GFC and my email is mustbinsane at gmail dot com.

Barbara Danner said...

Thanks for offering this giveaway. I love some of the Kilian fragrances but they are not office-friendly. I joined the blog with the email subscription and Google friends. Technical problem with Tweeting this morning. bpdanner at aol dot com

b.clay1 said...

i would love to win! i follow your blog GFC bill clay
b.clay1@yahoo.com

Lorna said...

I would love to win the fragances. They sound amazing!
Thanks for the opportunity =)
EMail: dupy80(at)yahoo(dot)com(dot)ar
GFC: Lorna
Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/LornaBB/status/199500136668344320

Biz Morris Haselwandter said...

So lovely! missbiz at gmail dot com

Camelia Andrasescu said...

Hi,
I'd like to try these fragrances.
Email subscribed : andrasescu.camelia@gmail.com
GFC : Camelia Andrasescu
Follow you on twitter : @cameliaadriana
Tweeted : https://twitter.com/#!/cameliaadriana/status/199523513927864320
Email : andrasescu[dot]camelia[at]gmail[dot]com
Thank you

Anonymous said...

Oh how I'd love to win Water Calligraphy!!
I follow as Tracy@Beauty Reflections
I follow you on twitter as BeautyReflectTS and tweeted the contest and I will send you an email for my contact info!
Thanks so much!

Isla said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sherry B. said...

These sound great for summer! Thanks, CG.

GFC: Sherry Brooks
Bloglovin': Sherry Brooks
Email subscriber: crystesmom@yahoo.com

Sleepy Beauty said...

GFC Bebe
Bloglovin Bebe Lee

Email bebe03 (at) live (dot) com (dot) sg

Tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/pllee88/status/199658995835879424

Lean said...

Thank you so much for this! I've wanted to try these fragrances out!! LeanS12(at)gmail(dot)com

Lean said...

I subscribe via email, GFC and RSS (google reader) LeanS12(at)gmail(dot)com

Lean said...

https://twitter.com/#!/LeanS12/status/199691903812382720 tweeted.

Jess said...

AWWW they both sound wonderful!!!
I follow GFC Jess Ruan
email= jess.herrera08@gmail.com
thanks much

Hugues said...

Beautiful contest, I am one of your e mail followers. My email is hugueslegrand at yahoo dot co dot uk
Thank you again

mim said...

miriam dot nussbaum at gmail
please count me in! I love scents and these sound like nothing I have already, I would love to try

mim said...

miriam dot nussbaum at gmail
gfc follower

Bellascribe said...

....they both sound just gorgeous....please enter my name to win !
bellascrittura@verizon.net

Kammi said...

I love perfumes. I am a huge fan of fragrances. I wear them everyday to work and play.

dropastitch@yahoo.com said...

The Bamboo Harmony sounds lovely

dropastitch ///at\\\ yahoo dot com

dropastitch@yahoo.com said...

https://twitter.com/#!/dropastitch/status/200738912975585281

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the giveaway!
email: foongwaiyoke at gmail dot com
I follow you through gmail subscription.
I retweeted this giveaway.

Iva said...

OooOH! A giveaway, thanks! First time poster, but will definitely stick around :) Love almost all By Kilian scents, my favorites being Beyond Love and Rose Oud. Haven't had a chance to try the new line yet so am stoked about a chance at winning.

KathyT said...

These fragrances sound wonderful. Thanks for the drawing!

I follow by email subscription and Google reader.
kdtisdale14 at gmail dot com

Larie said...

These sound amazing! I follow as Larie (through GFC) and my email is: eyeheartit[at]gmail[dot]com

Tkaste said...

They all sound lovely. Never tried Killian but have recently been reading about the line.

Jennifer said...

I've only sniffed Water Calligraphy and am seriously tempted...I'm eager to try Bamboo Harmony. They seem perfect for spring and summer.
jenniferposton(at)texasbb(dot)com

suchi k said...

what an exciting giveaway!! thanks a ton!
i have subscribed to your emails and also follow on twitter.
crzysuchi4u at yahoo dot com

tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/BTiBeauty/status/199515336654069761

Z said...

Both sound beautiful. I've never tried Killian but will have to look for these.
-Z.

NiqueK said...

I would love to win the contest, please pick me ^_^

Marley's Mom said...

What the heck, I wasn't going to enter, but here I am!

Marleys's Mom said...

Oh and I'm an email subscriber.

Anonymous said...

thank you for the chance. I mailed you.

Victoria said...

I've been a silent reader up till now and have never participated in a contest/sweepstakes, but gosh, how can I possibly pass this one up? For one, I fall into the demographic that Kilian appears to be trying to target with these 2 Asian-inspired fragrances. Heck, I even practice calligraphy (although I can't claim to be any good at it ;). So please count me in!

Oh yes, and I am also located in the Northern Virginia area. :) Hello, fellow DC-ite!

an ika said...

Great Giveaway!

Anna

anna_k67 at yahoo dot com

an ika said...

GFC-anna_k67
anna_k67 at yahoo dot com