Glamour revisited
October 21, 2005 | 12:00am
Scents are truly fascinating in the way they are able to transport you to a particular moment in time. One whiff is equivalent to a click of Dorothy’s heels. Now if only life could mimic movies and clicking Manolos could lift you off to someplace else! That’s why I use fragrance as a vehicle – a personal time machine if you will – to invoke memories from the past and bring me elsewhere. The faintest trace of retro fragrances instantly sends me back to junior high when pubescent boys were stealing a spritz from their father’s bottle.
Fragrances and colognes have the ability to conjure up associations and destinations, the House of Guerlain captures this mantra to a T. All the fragrances Guerlain has created have been based on that premise, specifically formulated from a particular inspiration and designed to have their patrons return to and reinterpret that very inspiration.
The epitome of luxury, French cosmetics giant Guerlain has a history deeply entrenched in fragrance creation. Founded in 1828 by a young chemist named Pierre Francois Pascal Guerlain, the first shop opened in Paris on the Rue de Rivoli. The fortunate French sniffed Guerlain out of all the perfumers of his time and catapulted the brand to fame. This institution has been blending perfumes ever since, spanning five generations of the Guerlain family for over 175 years. Over 700 fragrances have been produced, several of them are classic geniuses.
Each fragrance is a homage to a personal story at a specific moment. Jicky was created by Aime Guerlain in reverence to a crush he had on a British gal (lucky girl!). Mitsuoko, which means "mystery" in Japanese, was inspired by the heroine in the novel La Bataille, a beautiful, married Japanese lady who secretly loved a British officer. One of Guerlain’s masterpieces, Shalimar, was also inspired by the Orient. Created in 1925, Jacques Guerlain found fascination in the love the Indian Emperor Shah Jahan had for his wife for whom the Taj Mahal was built – Shalimar was named after the Shalimar Gardens in Kashmir where the emperor and empress fell in love. Samsara, which means "the eternal cycle of life", represents a symbol of harmony and spirituality, seduction and femininity, combinations no one can resist. It’s a voyage leading to inner contemplation and serenity. As fashion designers use clothes to tell story, so do perfumers.
The latest fragrance from the powerhouse is L’Instant de Guerlain. This perfume is created and named for capturing instances of intense emotion and for the awakening the senses. Imagine that instant when you meet someone you love and having that moment of romance bottled in a perfume. Feminine and enchanting, it combines three elements: a citrus-honey blend of bergamot, mandarin and green apple, a white floral bouquet of magnolia and jasmine, and a sandalwood amber mist.
Housed in a modern classic bottle uniting purity and sensuality, it’s no question that the scent sparks and envelops the tender awareness of beautiful times.
It was only natural for Guerlain’s vision to carry over to makeup and skincare. This move transformed the brand to the luxury purveyor it has been and continues to be. Introducing lipstick, eyeliner and mascara to the market, the prolific brand has always been known for innovation. Products such as Meteorites and Terracotta are synonymous with the brand and have been international bestsellers since their inception.
Meteorites is the ultimate in finishing powder, instantly adding radiance and luminosity to the skin. Pink, green, lavender, beige, gold and white come together to veil the face in sheer softness with a dust of a brush. Each pigment has its own property and function, uniting to deliver the inner glow only true love can bring.
Terracotta, a pioneer in the bronzing world, provides a healthy all-over glow and, when used to contour, highlights the features of the face. A velvety pressed powder, it enhances existing tans or can create the illusion of one.
For liquid coverage, the latest from Guerlain is Fleur de Teint, a moisturizing foundation made with rose extract that smells great and makes your skin feel like rose petals: dewy yet powdery. Light but effective coverage has made this foundation a staple in my makeup bag. It smells as lovely as the perfumes they concoct!
To top it all off, the essential everyday accessory, lipstick, has been launched as Kiss Kiss, a silky and delicious lip treat. Seducing and dazzling, Kiss Kiss comes in 30 vibrant shades that all fall into the gold family: metallic moments perfect for the upcoming holidays. The casing looks like a gold jewel itself, with irregular and rounded golden facets designed by Herve Van Der Straeten. Creamy, long lasting, and lightly smelling of vanilla, violet and red fruits, this lipstick is one your lips will crave.
Vitamins A and E protect and moisturize the lips while providing elasticity and suppleness. Between these alluring makeup finds and L’Instant de Guerlain, you’ll get instant gratification as fast as you can click your heels.
Guerlain is available at Rustan’s Tower. It is exclusively distributed by Luxasia.
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