NEST Fragrances Lemongrass & Ginger Home Fragrance Collection

NEST Fragrances has a new Home Fragrance Collection, Lemongrass & Ginger. When I first saw it at Facebook, I had an immediate sensory reaction: Asian food. I had no idea whether I would like that combination in a home fragrance, even though I love both ingredients in food. I was confused.

Then, last week, I received a sampling of the products from NEST as a gift. Was I excited as I unpacked the box! I could smell the most divine scent emanating through the packing peanuts. I had a July 4 present - and was I happy! Many thanks to PR for thinking of me.

In addition to lemongrass and ginger, NEST added an herbal infusion of eucalyptus, thyme, and sage to the blend. It is fresh and clean. The overall effect is citrus, but it has a slight earthy side to remind us that the notes - the central ingredients - all grew from the earth (and some are adored by wild bunnies).

I have burned the Lemongrass & Ginger Classic Candle ($34) in the collection for a short time so far. I have to be careful because curious Charlie could possibly tip a burning candle over - even though it's heavy and bottom-centered. He's a muscular furboy. So I stay in the room in which the candle is burning.

I was sitting in my bedroom reading a Kindle book and enjoying the freshness of the candle, which was invigorating and actually the only thing keeping me awake. I'll tell you about the book sometime. It should have been interesting since it was related to beauty over 50, but it was a dud (in my humble opinion). The candle gave me an opportunity to revel in a daydream of foreign lands and exotic fragrances.

I have to admit I haven't used the Lemongrass & Ginger Reed Diffuser ($38) yet. I adore NEST's diffusers, but I think my mother adores them just as much. I'll have to decide whether I'm generous enough to give it to her. She has an advantage: my love for her. Her age trumps me too. I did take a sneak whiff of the diffuser and had a transporting moment. I can always buy one for me and give Mom my gift. Right?

Now, I have to share that I live with NEST's Liquid Soap ($22). I have one in the bathroom, one in the powder room, and one in the kitchen at all times. I rotate through the various scents because I love all of them. I'll also tell you about one of my little secrets. Occasionally, NEST has special discount offers (some through magazines, e.g., Lucky), and I always stock up when that happens. I'd pay full price, but I love discounts. Make sure to follow NEST on Facebook, where you may learn about special offers.

The new Lemongrass & Ginger Liquid Soap is currently residing in my kitchen. I moved the Sicilian  Tangerine that had been there upstairs to the bathroom because my Moss & Mint had hit bottom. Lemongrass & Ginger is a perfect scent for a kitchen soap. I wash my hands frequently, and the fresh scent is perfect for food preparation. Suddenly, opening cat food just became more pleasurable. I can clean up the bits that stuck to my hands with Lemongrass & Ginger.

I have always been a huge fan of home fragrance. I think it's a necessity of life, not just a luxury. Once I discovered NEST (I had known Laura Slatkin's earlier brand), I had an abundance of choices. By rotating them, I've always have a new scent in my life - even if it might have passed through a year before. Then, with new introductions a few times every year, I'm always happy with the way my house smells - and looks. NEST's products are elegant and enhance the decor, no matter where they are placed.

My next in the rotation? Beach. It's perfect for this time of year. Beach captures the essence of sparkling turquoise water and lush coconut married with juicy melon and a luminous base of lotus flower and sensual woods. It's divine. There is a Beach Room Spray that I could purchase to instantly turn my house into an oceanfront paradise. It will be perfect for August.

You can find the new Lemongrass & Ginger Collection at NEST Fragrances' Web site, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and select Nordstrom stores. Take a look and let us know what you think of Lemongrass & Ginger. You may end up as devoted as I've quickly become.

Photos courtesy of NEST Fragrances

NEST Sicilian Tangerine Home Fragrance Collection

NEST Fragrances has introduced a new home fragrance collection, Sicilian Tangerine. I had heard from PR it was coming. Based on a verbal description, I knew I would love it, and I do!

The first time I was able to get a whiff was at Neiman Marcus, when the representative from another line took me over to smell NEST's newest, which he had bought the moment it arrived. He was very excited about it. He purchased multiple diffusers and is enjoying them in his home. He told me how sublime it was to awaken in the morning to the fragrance of Sicilian Tangerine. When I got that whiff, I knew instantly that it would have the same effect on me.

So far, there are only two pieces in the Sicilian Tangerine Collection, but more are coming. Votives, a three-wick candle, and NEST's liquid soap will debut in September. Today, you can find a Classic Candle ($34) and a Reed Diffuser ($38). NEST sent me the Sicilian Tangerine Classic Candle, which transports me - even before I light the wick. Cue Rachmaninoff and roll Somewhere in Time.

I'm in a garden in Sicily - the garden of a large estate that houses my hotel by the sea. I feel like I've been here before, although my mind tells me that's silly. I'm surrounded by greens, an orchard, and walking paths, and their aromas mingle with the Mediterranean air to convince me there may be no better place on earth. - Flight courtesy of NEST.

Sicilain tangerine and bergamot are entwined with the tropical nuances of exotic mango and passion fruit blended over a base of musk and praline. The citrus scents are dominant, producing a fragrance that is fresh, crisp, and beckoning - tranporting.

The Classic Candle offers 50 hours of burn time, ensuring that I'll return to that garden frequently. I think Henry Van Dyke was there before me, for he wrote...

O garden isle, beloved by Sun and Sea,
Whose bluest billows kiss thy curving bays,
Whose amorous light enfolds thee in warm rays
That fill with fruit each dark-leaved orange tree...

I won't be traveling to Sicily (again) any time soon, so I'm grateful to NEST for the luxurious addition to my life. Beauty originates within. I'm convinced that tranquility does as much as skin care to help us look and feel our best. The luxury that NEST Fragrances brings to my home is incomparable.

You too can experience NEST's new Sicilian Tranquility - err, Tangerine. The collection is available now at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and their Web sites, as well as at NEST Fragrances.

Photos courtesy of NEST Fragrances and homeaway.co.uk

NEST Fragrances White Narcisse Collection

NEST Fragrances, one of my very favorite designers and manufacturers of luxury scented products for the bath, body, and home, has introduced an indulgent new collection for spring: White Narcisse. Last week, I received a gift box from NEST filled with NEST's new beauties and immediately applied the Body & Soul Spray and the Body Cream. I was suddenly transported to a spring garden, with daffodils, lilies of the valley, and other narcotic scents from the flowers blooming all around me. Then I took the elegant candle out of its box and let it perfume my bedroom. I was a very happy gal - and I still am. I've been wearing the Body & Soul Spray every day since.

The limited-edition White Narcisse Collection debuts in a Luxury Scented Candle and three personal care products: a Body Wash, a Body Cream, and my beloved Body & Soul Eau De Toilette Spray. The White Narcisse Collection products are available for purchase separately, and the personal care items are being offered for purchase together in a chic, luxurious gift box. If your mother has tastes anything like mine, she will be thrilled. Here are the items and prices for these beautiful new products.

• Classic Candle - 8.1 oz., $48
• Body Wash - 6.7 oz., $34
• Body Cream - 6.7 oz, $34
• Body & Soul Eau De Toilette Spray - 3.4 oz, $48
• Luxury Gift Set - $98

Laura  Slatkin, Founder, Creative Director, and CEO of NEST said, “After seeing the floral artwork I commissioned for White Narcisse, I was inspired to create another NEST scent that would translate beautifully into both a personal and home fragrance. The sheer beauty of the artwork is matched by the intoxicating, modern white floral fragrance; I am so excited that White Narcisse is debuting in April…just in time for spring hostess and Mother’s Day gift-giving!”

White Narcisse is an elegant fragrance composed of white narcissus blended with hints of French mimosa, dewy muguet, and creamy sandalwood. The collecton features original artwork by Russian artist Alexander Solodukho. The White Narcisse Candle is housed in a fine, handmade porcelain container with an intricately sculpted interpretation of the floral artwork on the packaging. It's elegant; it looks like a fine carved antique cup. The boxes signal the luxury we've come to associate with NEST.

The White Narcisse fragrance is divine. It's fresh. It brings springtime indoors and close. It exults in the dappled shade as the sun rises over the horizon at dawn, and it sparkles with the sunlight that dances in the garden during the day. As the day fades to night, the white narcissus serve as the garden's beacons - a testament to a glorious day. There's something about this scent that's mood-enhancing. See if it enchants you the way it does me.

The new White Narcisse Collection is available for purchase at select Neiman Marcus stores and NeimanMarcus.com, Bergdorf Goodman and BergdorfGoodman.com, Shop.NESTFragrances.com, and select specialty boutiques and retailers nationwide.

With apologies to William Wordsworth for a slight modification to his lyric poem, I offer "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" to explain the emotion I attach to the White Narcisse Collection.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of narcissus daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

When I'm up to the task of assigning the emotions of White Narcisse's scent in a way that might equal Wordsworth's, I'll be back with my attempt. Perhaps I'll be inspired by the Narcissus of Greek mythology, a young man who pined away in love for his own image in a pool of water and was transformed into the flower that bears his name. Don't think that nails it. The White Narcisse Collection evokes happiness.

Photos courtesy of NEST Fragrances, hgtv.com, and by Best Things in Beauty

NEST Fragrances Beach Home Fragrance Collection

Want to go to the beach, but you cant? Bring the beach to your home with NEST Fragrances newest home fragrance collection: Beach!

The essence of sparkling turquoise water and lush coconut, married with juicy melon and a luminous base of lotus flower and sensual woods.

It's a lovely description, evoking the sights and scents of the beach, but it doesn't begin to convey the lusciousness of the Beach fragrance. Laura Slatkin said, "Beach reminds me of tranquil turquoise waters and warm ocean breezes...it transports me to where I want to be most of the time."

It reminds me of my trip to Barbados, many years ago. Barbados had all the scents of the beach, including the gorgeous blue-green ocean water. I loved walking that beach, right at water's edge, with the warm sand under my feet and the beautiful water nipping at my toes. In the late afternoon, we repaired to the hotel bar, where they served fresh coconut slices with our cocktails. I will never forget those pleasures. Beach brings them to the forefront of my mind - every time I wash my hands.

Beach Liquid Hand Soap ($22) currently occupies a place of honor in my bathroom. It was my first Beach purchase, but won't be my last. Beach is available in a candle, diffuser, and soap. Pick your pleasure.

Inspired by the natural and elegant beauty of sea urchins, the Beach Collection's refined handmade porcelain containers are polished with a luxurious bisque finish and presented in unique gift boxes that are wrapped with a contrasting texture of fine, mesh linen over a natural-colored paper.

Everything about the collection is inspired by the beach - the fragrance, the containers, and the packaging. Take a trip with NEST Fragrances. You can find these wonderful products at Neiman Marcus (where I bought my divine Liquid Hand Soap) or online at NEST.

Photo courtesy of NEST Fragrances

New Additions: Jo Malone Home Collection

Any room, any occasion, transforms when it’s styled with scent. Fragrance is a way to personalize your home and shape the mood. To uplift, to wind down...or simply to add an air of luxury, there's nothing like a candle or diffuser.

Because the ambiance of your home should be as inviting as the fragrance on your skin.

This spring, Jo Malone is offering exciting new introductions to its Home Collection.

• Scent Surround Diffusers ($75), understated, and sleek, effortlessly and continually add an enveloping scent to any space. Available in Lime Basil & Mandarin, Pomegranate Noir, and my personal favorite, Red Roses.
• Scent Surround Room Sprays ($55), which instantly create an ephemeral impression with a burst of enticing scent. Available in Lime Basil & Mandarin, Pomegranate Noir, and Red Roses.
• Limited-edition Scent Surround Drawer Liners and Sachets ($35) that infuse clothes and linens with the signature fresh scent of Lime Basil & Mandarin.

I am on the hunt for the Red Roses diffuser. The candle has always been one of my favorites. Now I can have the scent without the flame.

You can find these new treats at Jo Malone Boutiques, jomalone.com, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and select Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and Nordstrom stores nationwide. They are available exclusively from Holt Renfrew in Canada.

Photos courtesy of Jo Malone and Southern Living

Jason Wu Orchid Rain Candle by NEST Fragrances

Jason Wu, internationally renowned fashion designer and favorite of Michelle Obama, and Laura Slatkin, founder and CEO of NEST Fragrances, one of my very favorite luxury home fragrance manufacturers, have launched Jason Wu’s first fragrance, Orchid Rain, in a scented candle that combines style with a divine fragrance. I was burning it as I wrote this feature yesterday, and I was intoxicated by the fruity-floral fragrance that filled my room and spilled into the next.

Decorated with an understated floral print inspired by Wu’s Spring 2012 fashion collection, Orchid Rain features a unique, exotic combination of notes. The new Jason Wu Orchid Rain Candle debuted this week.

“Florals play an important role in my designs, so for my first fragrance, I wanted to create a floral scent that would reflect my feminine design aesthetic,” said Jason Wu. “As a long-time fan of NEST Fragrances, I knew that Laura Slatkin and her talented team would be the perfect partner to create a luxury scent that would represent my ideals.”

For his first fragrance, Wu wanted an exotic fragrance mix highlighting the crisp freshness of rare, fragrant Cattleya orchids infused with Asian nashi pear, pomegranate, and goji berry. The fruity-floral essences are enhanced with blonde birchwood and hints of pink pepper and coconut. To create this multifaceted combination, Slatkin tapped master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, who has created
fragrances for some of the biggest names in the business (including the CEW Award-winning Elton John Black Candle).

The sophisticated, custom-made porcelain candle vessel features Wu’s signature grey, black, and white floral petal print with a light bisque finish. In colors that will fit into any color scheme, the candle is topped with an elegant, gold-plated lid. The classy lid protects if from dust, cat and dog fur, and any debris that might be floating around the house when the candle's not in use.

“While reading a feature article about Jason Wu last February, I was delighted to learn that his favorite scented candles are from NEST Fragrances,” said Laura Slatkin. “After exchanging notes with Jason, I learned that he was very serious about home fragrances, which led us to this collaboration. Having worked closely with Jason on this project, I have come to respect his tireless work ethic, boundless creativity, and genuine kindness. He is a true visionary and a very special person.”

Packaged in one of Jason Wu’s classic soft grey, ready-to-gift textured linen paper boxes - beyond elegant - the Jason Wu Orchid Rain Candle by NEST Fragrances is available in a seven-ounce candle for $48. You can find it at Neiman Marcus (where shipping is currently free with code FSMAR), Bergdorf Goodman, and select luxury boutiques nationwide. It would make a nice gift - if you could part with it. I would find that very hard to do. Mine was a gift from NEST.

More about Jason Wu...

Jason Wu launched his Ready-to-Wear Collection in the spring of 2006. Fast forward to today. Only six years later, he has emerged as one of the leading global talents based in New York. He is committed to making beautifully crafted clothes, and the idea of creating a collection that merges American sportswear with old-world glamour. Influenced by the classic photography of Richard Avedon and the works of Charles James and Jacques Fath, his collections aim to revitalize the art and perfection of dressing with a relaxed and youthful attitude. He is committed to maintaining strict quality standards and produces over 80% of his collections in New York's Garment District, which is also the home to his design studio and showroom. You cannot have escaped the news that Wu is one of the First Lady's favorite designers.

I'll have more to tell you about Laura Statkin soon. I hope to interview her next week.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus

Antica Farmacista Hotel Bel-Air Candle

An e-mail must be very special for me to place it here. Today's e-mail from Antica Farmacista was so special, I immediately called my Neiman Marcus sales associate, Kathy, to see if they've received the Hotel Bel-Air Candle ($42).

"Listen" to this.

A breathtaking fragrance that captures the magnificence of the gardens of the Hotel Bel-Air. Bright notes of tart lemon and cassis are accented by delicate floral highlights of jasmine, orange blossom, and lily of the valley. Sparkling water notes blend with the hotel's signature bougainvillea, evoking the lush floral splendor of the Hotel Bel-Air.

Having been to the Hotel Bel-Air and marveled at the glamour of the luscious gardens that have entertained Hollywood royalty, I must have this candle (preferably more than one - what if it were to sell out before I run out?).

I'm a candle addict. The owners of Art with Flowers, which sells luxury home and personal fragrances at Tysons Galleria, joke with me that I may have as many candles as they do. Scented candles (when placed safely) give me a feeling of luxury and peace of mind that is hard to match. Hmm, the word "match" just slipped out. No pun intended.

Anyone who reads Best Things in Beauty regularly knows that I live in perfumes graced by notes of jasmine, orange blossom, lily of the valley, and other white flowers - my weakness. Combine them with a whiff of citrus, and I'm intoxicated by the fragrance. That's what I'm expecting from Hotel Bel-Air, and I hope Antica Farmacista will follow the candle with a perfume soon.

Kathy doesn't think her Neiman Marcus store will receive the Hotel Bel-Air Candle (they carry Antica Farmacista, but not the candles [I'd change that if I were the buyer]). Perhaps I can find it at Nordstrom. I know that if my search doesn't yield it locally - really quickly - I'll be ordering online from Antica Farmacista. I need one (or maybe three).

Incidentally, if you do order from Antica Farmacista online, through December 7, you'll receive a complimentary 25 mls of Sandalwood Amber - unfortunately not my scent.

Photos courtesy of Antica Farmicista

Antica Farmacista at Costco!

I always scout the healthy and beauty section when I go to Costco. Sometimes, I find the most amazing things. Friday the "find" was this gift set of Antica Farmacista Home Ambiance Diffusers ($29.99). I bought one and need to go back to buy more of them. What a perfect holiday gift!

The sets were all alike. Each contains two 200 ml boxed bottles, filled with exquisite home fragrance and two sets of white birch reeds.

Noël captures the beauty of the holidays with a fresh rendition of a traditional holiday spice fragrance. Fresh mandarin, French verbena, and blood orange top notes brighten the classic holiday notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and spruce.

Casablanca, one of the most regal lilies, is a warm, floral, intoxicating scent of lush lily and exotic floral ylang ylang, with a subtle hint of clove.

These diffusers go from the powder room to the bedroom with elegance. They are also lovely layered throughout the home. Put Noël in the kitchen and Casablanca in the living room. Your home will smell like holiday splendor.

These are going to be hard to give away, but I will. I think the sets are lovely gifts. A 250 ml diffuser usually costs $62.00. Imagine, two for $29.99! I can't guarantee that your own Costco will have these amazing sets, but if you are headed that way, make sure to look.

Photo by Best Things in Beauty

Lisa Hoffman Gifts for Your Holiday Shopping

I spent yesterday with Lisa Hoffman - sort of. I think it would be great fun to hang out with Lisa, but I got the next best thing - a Lisa Hoffman Madagascar Orchid Candle ($46) that came with a gorgeous box of long "old-fashioned" matches in a custom Lisa Hoffman Beauty box. The gift from Lisa arrived Monday, and I worked from home yesterday. I burned this divine candle while I worked, and it made the day so special!

Even though I love to burn candles while I work, breathing in the intoxicating scents, I can't when I'm in my "real office." In order to have any kind of fire, however small, I would need a "burn permit," a one-time deal to have an open flame in the building. Can you even imagine Security's guffaws if I were to request a permit to burn a candle in my office - even for one day? I think they like me, but I'm sure I would earn the fruitcake award and squander a lot of good will as they discussed my eccentricities.

Madagascar Orchid is one of Lisa's two Variations fragrances. The Variations are a unique concept created by Lisa Hoffman that features four pulse point oils that can be used alone or layered to create a custom fragrance. The Morning Blend is light and refreshing. The Daytime Blend is rich and multidimensional. The Evening Blend is deep and sensual, and the Bedtime Blend is gentle, powdery, and subliminally relaxing.

There are two Variations: Japanese Agarwood and Madagascar Orchid. Both were inspired by the rain forest. Japanese Agarwood was inspired by the lush, natural oils from the rain forest, with subtle hints of Italian bergamot, spiced ginger accord, and warm amber. Within this complex, one will discover mysterious earth nuances that are a delight to explore.

Madagascar Orchid, more my personal style, is a rich, full-bodied, and lush floral symphony. Madagascar Orchid is a delicate white flower fragrance, containing notes of sheer jasmine, ylang ylang dew, mimosa mood, and pink peony to envelop the senses in a "floral decadence." Decadent it is! I felt decadent all day - pampered too - as I've burned this sublime candle.

Using a proprietary soy wax blend, Lisa Hoffman's candles contain a very high concentration of fine fragrance oils and will burn for over 50 hours. You'll breathe in peace and tranquility as the gentle scent and the soft whisper of the unique, crackling wood wick entice your senses and transport you to a garden oasis. Lisa's candles are a serious treat. I started this feature with the idea that you should buy a few for family or friends on your holiday gift list - and you should - but pick up one for yourself too. Otherwise, you'll struggle to give them away when you catch a whiff of the scents in their gift boxes.You can purchase both Variations Candles singly for $46. Lisa's Gift Sets, each containing a candle, are bargains, though. Available in both Japanese Agarwood and Madagascar Orchid, you can purchase the Soy Wax Candle with a Brazilian Agate Coaster for $46, a $14 savings. You can also buy your favorite people a Gift Set for $85, a $110 value. Each set includes the candle plus Daytime and Evening Perfume Oils, a leather case for the rollerball scents, and a Brazilian Agate Coaster. Order just one Gift Set, and you'll get free shipping (free shipping is available for any Lisa Hoffman purchase over $75).

Lisa has a three additional Variations fragrance I'm dying to try. Tuscan Fig is a slightly sweet gourmet's fragrance. Notes of fig, French jasmine, honeysuckle, vanilla bean, and gardenia are warmed by amber, wood, and musks. I'm hoping that one of my friends reads this feature (hint!). Another one I haven't tried yet is Tunisian Neroli. Imagine bright, modern neroli notes that are captivating, lush, and intoxicating. Notes of French ylang ylang, French golden amber, Italian lemon, South African buchu leaf, and Tunisian neroli (orange flower) have been blended to create a fragrance that I'm not going to be able to resist. French Clary Sage sounds equally enticing, with a bright, fresh personality. Linen and cotton accords are blended with notes of French clary sage and Sicilian bergamot. This might be the perfect scent for anyone burning sage, a folk remedy, to improve her luck!

Lisa has a talent for creating scents that are balanced, extraordinarily pleasing to the senses, and unique. Her fragrances are swoon-inducing. Madagascar Orchid is stunning with its lush floral attraction. I can't think of a better gift for a gal who loves flowers or for that friend who has everything. I'm very hard to buy for. Only my closest friends - not even my family members - get it right. If I want something really badly, I will go buy it myself (unless it's way out of gift price range, and then no one is going to buy it for me anyhow). Still, my friends can't go wrong when they buy me a nice candle or diffuser. I always have a fragrance diffuser at work, and colleagues stop by just to inhale. It's nice to have that short break to say "hey."

Go explore Lisa's Web site. Let me know which fragrances grab you! Oh, and don't forget your gift list. If you're anything like me, your gift shopping goes something like this, "One for me, one for them." Or "Two for me, one for them." I can assure you, your hard-to-please family and friends will think you were brilliant and sophisticated to select a special Lisa Hoffman Gift Set.

A final note from Lisa...

I like to think that each of our lives is our very own work of art. And, like every great artist, we are all looking for the simplest means to create and express beauty. That is why every product in the Lisa Hoffman line is designed not only to yield the most exceptional results, but also to make the process as simple as possible.

Photos courtesy of Lisa Hoffman

Jo Malone Holiday Gift Guide

Every year, I give some of my friends (and myself!) something new from Jo Malone for Christmas. Jo Malone makes fabulous, limited-edition gift sets. I think they look classy, with their heavy cardboard boxes and black ribbon, and what's inside is even better. If you know anything about your friend's tastes in fragrance - or lifestyle - there will be a set that works.

Last night, I went to an "intimate" Jo Malone event at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. Held off the beauty floor by the artistic Diana Foerster, Jo Malone representative at Neiman Marcus, it was a lovely introduction to the Jo Malone Gift Collection. I want to share some of my selections with you - just in case you need some inspiration for your holiday shopping.
This year, the Bath Oil Collection ($85) caught my fancy. I know Jo always recommended that you use her bath oil on your skin after your bath, but I love to soak in bath oil-fragranced water. I leaves my skin hydrated and with a subtle scent that lasts for hours. This collection contains six amply sized (30 ml) bath oils: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir, Red Roses, Orange Blossom, and Vanilla & Anise. I am going to have to keep it for myself. It's on hold for the In Circle event.

The Cologne Collection ($95) is almost as nice. Not quite as good a buy (since I can't pour it in my bathwater and the sizes are smaller (9 ml)), the Cologne Collection has six harmonious scents that can be mixed and matched to suit your mood or the season, just like you would with your clothing and accessories. It includes the same popular scents: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir, Red Roses, Orange Blossom, and Vanilla & Anise. Red Roses and Orange Blossom are two of my favorite Jo Malone fragrances.

I've already purchased The Candle Collection ($85). I buy one for myself every year. I've finally stopped the charade that I might give it away, and I've acknowledged to myself that I can't.

Jo Malone's Candle Collection has a palette of six distinctive, delicious scents to infuse any room in your home with a Jo Malone miniature candle for an uplifting sensory experience. This year, the collection contains: Lime Basil & Mandarin, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Orange Blossom, and Wild Fig & Cassis. I've already promised the Pomegranate Noir candle to Loyd Cassler. It's interesting to me that it's the favorite Jo Malone fragrance of my guy friends. They would probably love the Pomegranate Noir Fragrance Chronicle ($95).

The Pomegranate Noir Fragrance Chronicle tells the story of an intriguing pomegranate accord blended with notes of delicious fruits, spicy florals, and warm smoky woods. Transform Pomegranate Noir with the accords of Raspberry, Casablanca Lily, and Guaiacwood in the set to create a daily, personalized blend of this iconic fragrance. In the chronicle, Jo Malone provides the Pomegranate Noir Cologne in a 30 ml size and three 9 ml individual note fragrances: Raspberry Cologne, Casablanca Lily Cologne, and Guaiacwood Cologne. I gave a friend the Red Roses Chronicle last Christmas and converted her to Jo Malone!

A colorful collection (and I'll admit not my fragrance "cup of tea") is Jo Malone's Travel Candle Collection with Farrow & Ball ($95). Since there's something for every taste, this will please those who like scents that "smell and look like the holidays."

Jo Malone's partnership with Farrow & Ball, color experts and supplier of elegant decorative paints, produced. The collection combines three scented and colored, amply sized travel candles in Pomegranate Noir in Eating Room Red (No. 43), Wild Fig & Cassis in Pelt (No. 254), and Pine & Eucalyptus in Green Smoke (No. 47). It's a nice gift - or a very generous hostess present.

There's so much more! The Tea Box Deluxe Candle Collection ($425, perhaps way out of gift range) is a limited-edition keepsake that is luxuriously nestled in a beautifully textured cream-colored tea box. Three uniquely scented deluxe candles (400 grams) come complete with their own engraved Jo Malone candle lid and a silver-plated wick trimmer and candle snuffer. The collection includes Eau de Cologne, Parma Violets, and Sweet Almond Macaroon.

One gift set that I can't find on the Web is a precious little set of bath oil and shower gel, beautifully bottled, in either Lime Basil & Mandarin or Grapefruit ($35). Both of these fragrances should please anyone - men and women alike.

Another Jo Malone gift I like to give is the Vitamin E Nourishing Hand Treatment ($40), appreciated by those who like a touch of pomelo and cassis to leave the hands leave deliciously scented.

You can see the gift collection at Neiman Marcus online and at Jo Malone's Web site. Who wouldn't love to receive one? If you live anywhere near DC, you'll love Diana. She will take great care of you at Neiman Marcus at Tysons. Make sure to introduce yourself!

During In Circle, there will be many gifts with purchase at Neiman Marcus - one of those "one for me, one for them" times. The Jo Malone gift is particularly attractive. In Circle runs from December 7 to 10. There's also a "Scent Event" at Neiman Marcus that runs from tomorrow, November 21, to Sunday, November 28. During the event, you'll receive a nice clutch bag (I've seen it - pretty) plus deluxe fragrance samples with an $85 purchase of cosmetics and/or fragrances.

Diana is holding another evening event on December 4. Call 703-761-1600 and ask for the Jo Malone counter to make reservations.

Photos courtesy of Jo Malone

Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia - Now Available for Bath, Body & Home

Jo Malone's English Pear & Freesia is a beautiful fragrance. Introduced this summer, it was an instant hit. English Pear & Freesia is said to marry poetry and perfume because it was inspired by the ode To Autumn by John Keats. It's a fruity floral and as pretty as it gets.

Upon first spray, there's a burst of King William Pear in its top notes. White freesia (always one of the most fragrant flowers in a bouquet) is among the scent’s heart notes. Amazingly, its dry-down includes patchouli, white amber, and musk. I don't smell the patchouli, which I normally despise. I do smell the musk.

I purchased the cologne the minute it became available, but I wanted body crème too. My friends who purchased the cologne all wanted the body crème. It wasn't available at first. Now it is! The body crème ($75), shower gel ($50), and a home candle ($65) are now available at Jo Malone's Web site and in department stores (Loyd called me the second they arrived at Saks).

Now you can surround yourself with this lovely, easy-to-wear scent. I can't wait to tell my friends who purchased the cologne!

If you order online from Jo Malone, the current special is a free, deluxe sample of Pomegranate Noir Body Crème, along with free shipping and two fragrance samples of your choice. Use code GOLDEN at checkout.

Photo courtesy of Jo Malone

Botanicus - The Evolution of Fragrance

Botanicus is a splendid company that was founded in 1982 and is located in Rockville, Maryland - so they are neighbors! Botanicus offers notable, botanically accurate fragrances composed with complex scents and essential oils to decorate your home and body with beautiful fragrance.

I have an old Jasmine Perfume Oil from Botanicus. I'm not even sure where I bought it. It's a concentrated and pure essence of jasmine blossoms. I can't find that perfume oil available now, and I'm not sure whether it was "born" to go on my body or a lamp ring diffuser (a wonderful device that turns an incandescent light bulb into a source of olfactory delight - reminds me of a light in the dark attracting insects - only it's a light in a home attracting people).

No matter that pure Jasmine is history because they offer Night Jasmine and many other heavenly fragrances, including a personal favorite, Guava.

Guava, a complex apricot, wild strawberry, honeydew, banana, passion fruit, and cyclamen aroma, can be purchased in a Three-Soap Set ($13) that will leave you certain you have spent time in an orchard! Guava is also available in other products available from Botanicus, including its Candle Jars ($23) and Room Sprays ($11).

You can find Botanicus online. Read about their other fragrances at this link. Imagine Champagne, Fig, Clementine, Lavender, Lemongrass, and Red Fruit - can you smell them as you read?

You can also find their products at Amazon, Bloomingdale's, and Uncommon Scents (where there's a 15% discount sale on Botanicus!). The Botanicus price points are appealing - great quality at a great price!

Photo courtesy of Botanicus

Royal Apothic Interior Perfume

Royal Apothic's Interior Perfumes ($25) are a model of elegance. Everything about the spray fragrance is classy - the packaging, the label, the atomizer, the bottle, the fragrance itself. Even the edited descriptions below are enticing.

Not too long ago, I ordered two of these from b~glowing, A Cutting Garden and Venetian Grove. Since they came, I have been spraying with abandon!

A Cutting Garden has notes of tuberose, gardenia, star jasmine, lily, iris, and rose. Behind the walls of Windsor lies a botanical masterpiece whose fruits have graced the vases of royalty for centuries. The magical garden is home to white flowers of an indeterminable number of varieties. Planted originally for the monarchy, the blooms yield their scents year-round, delicately perfuming the air with a court full of scent.

Venetian Grove has notes of currant, orange root, orange blossom, and orange fruit. This one's an orange grove the minute you spray it. Behind a palatial Villa in Santorini, Italy, lies a grove where royalty has been known to frolic for centuries. It is in this magical place where the vines of sweet currant intertwine the roots of orange trees, the fragrance of the blossoms blending with the ripe fruit at its base. If you close your eyes, you can almost see the twinkle of lights and flicker of candles as the masked court takes the floor to dance under the stars.

It is said that if you spray these home fragrances liberally throughout your space (home or office), you will adorn your rooms in heady fragrance and evoke the feeling of passed times. It's true! I spray my office, and the first person who walks in says something like, "Your office smells like a garden!" They think the orchids on my desk are providing the heavenly fragrance. They don't realize that the gorgeous orchids have no scent.

I need to order Topiary too! It must have been made for me, with its notes of ivy, hydrangea, and rose. I have to admit that I have always regarded room sprays as too ephemeral, preferring diffusers or candles. These sprays have converted me. I'm hooked now.

You can purchase Royal Apothic Interior Perfumes at b~glowing. There are candles too. What great gifts they will make - if you can stand to give them away! The presentation is as nice as the blissful product.

Photo courtesy of b~glowing

Home Fragrance Diffusers

As I spend more time indoors over the winter, I turn to home fragrance diffusers to make indoor time more pleasant. There's nothing like walking in the front door to the fragrance of blooming jasmine or entering a kitchen filled with the scent of fruit.

While they used to be "exotic" and hard to find, fragrance diffusers are widely available today. I have so many favorites, I will only mention a few in this post. I have bought many at Art with Flowers at Tysons Galleria, but they are available in department stores, boutiques, and gift shops; at Amazon; and on company Web sites. They have become mainstream.

How does Tuberose, Hyacinth & Lily of the Valley ($62 to $92, depending on size) sound? Antica Farmacista makes a heavenly floral diffuser in these scents. It's the scent of spring, but I love it year round.

You may remember that I wrote up the Art with Flowers star of the show, Rosse Nobile, in July. Elegant and expensive, the fragrance fills my home with an indescribably enticing and voluptuous fragrance. I have never smelled anything quite like it! The top notes are dominated by strawberry and blackberry, but mixed in are tannins from red wine, citrus, violets, and roses. This short description doesn't really do it justice. It's just heavenly. It wraps you in luxury. Men and women find it intoxicating - we keep sniffing at the bottle!

Anthousa makes a wide variety of fragrances, and I have bought several over the last few years. I am anxious to get a whiff of a new limited-edition signature fragrance inspired by hand-painted wallpaper created by de Gournay of London in a creative alliance with distinguished artists in China. Touched by the elegance of one particular piece of original art, Jardinières and Citrus Trees ($114) is a blend of top notes of Italian mandarin, Sicilian tangerine and Valencia orange, with subtle hints of mountain fir, petitgrain, peppermint, and lemon leaves grounded with dry notes of cedarwood, woodland moss, and white musk. I can almost smell this in my kitchen! Shown to the right, doesn't it look gorgeous? Even the box is pretty.

One more that I have to mention is Agraria's Mediterranean Jasmine ($110). This exquisite bouquet of florals includes Mediterranean jasmine, blooming honeysuckle, gardenia buds, freesia, lily of the valley, and tuberose. The presentation in an Italian crystal perfume bottle with glass stopper is classy.

The concept is simple. There is a fragranced liquid in the container, and the porous wooden sticks soak up the liquid. You turn the sticks over every day (or every other day), and the fragrance spreads its luscious scent throughout the room.

Do you have to spend a hundred dollars or more to purchase fragrance diffusers? Absolutely not. They are available in a wide variety of price points, with scents to match your tastes. Try one!

You can find the diffusers described here at Art with Flowers at the Tysons Galleria, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Amazon, and other sources. Or, just try your local fragrance or home furnishing shops.

Photos courtesy of Saks, Nordstrom, and Anthousa