Beauty and the Heat

The temperatures here are touching the triple digit zone, and it isn't pretty. Even the best intentions and beauty routines melt when confronted with a scorching and muggy reality and we need all the help we can get. Here are a few of things that help me survive days like these:

• A little color that goes a long way: I use a dab of concealer only where (and if) needed, line my eyes with a thick pencil in a rich color that does double duty as a shadow (my favorite has always been Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier in Gold Reef, but all the other colors are just as lovely. Look at the khaki one, Bangalore), black waterproof mascara (I only use them for a few days this time of the year, and the drugstores are full of good ones. I usually buy Max Factor), and finish up the look with a dark colored lip gloss (I love Chanel Glossimer in Force). Only three or four products, but it looks well put-together.

• It's the only time of the year I'm going places with my hair pulled back into a tight bun. Jonathan's Silky Dirt is keeping it shiny and in place. I'll need to write a full review soon (and probably try other products from this line).

• My flat feet can be the bane of my existence, if I let them. They get swollen in the heat which makes wearing shoes a painful ordeal. I keep my regular shoes or sandals in my beg and put them on before getting anywhere, but until that moment, I live in J. Crew's wedge flip-flops. They're much more comfortable for me than regular flat flip-flops, because they provide support and insulation from the ground, two things that the flat-footed among us know to appreciate.

• Perfume. I like to wear something that takes me away to kinder places. Reverie au Jardin from Tauer Perfume is my choice of escape. It takes me to cool, green gardens. This fragrance comes from Switzerland, which helps with the Alpine fantasy.

Lonestar Revisited

One of the first steps in becoming a perfumista is learning that the mainstream categories of feminine and masculine fragrances are nothing but a marketing ploy that was created so men would feel more at ease buying (and wearing) scented products. You learn that the rule is simple: "Wear what you love and ignore the label", and it applies to both men and women. Still, just like I have yet to meet the man who'd want to wear Fracas, there are a couple of ultra masculine fragrances that tend to scare the ladies away. Yatagan by Caron is one of those, waving its sword and stinking up a perfect storm. Lonestar Memories from Tauer Perfumes is another, with its cowboy, prairie and campfire imagery.

The Blond has been wearing Lonestar for months now, to my great delight (his review is here). And here's my dirty little secret: I wear it, too. And on hot summer days, no less.

It's all about skin chemistry. On him, the smoky and leathery notes are dominant, with the Lapsang Suchon aroma that lingers throughout its wear and very masculine air. On me, the smoke is faint and vanishes within minutes, taking with it the old, distressed leather saddle. What's left is very surprising: A collection of dry and clean incense notes, from mildly floral to seductive but gentle woods, something resinous (must be the cistus) and an unexpected minty aroma.

The other unconventional aspect is the fact that all of the perfumes from Andy Tauer's line, save for the beautiful and airy Reverie, are considered to be cold weather fragrances. Leather, incense, smoke and dry woods aren't exactly what you'd expect to find in a summery scent. However, I find the clean and dry notes to be very wearable on a hot day. So much so, that I actually crave it. It's oddly satisfying and refreshing, though I'd probably not take my chances with it when it's not only hot but also humid and hazy. Even I have to draw the line somewhere.

Reveries- Tauer Perfumes Reverie au Jardin

There are several variations on the theme of summer fragrance. The one that seems to be very popular lately as seen in the Estee Lauder/Tom Ford bastard child, Azuree, and in Bond's Fire Island is all about memories of sand in your bikini and SPF-less suntan lotion. It has its charm, but it's just not for me. I also stay (far) away from most scents that boast aquatic notes, as they usually remind me really cheap mall scents (or maybe it's just my Jersey imagination).

My summer love is for dark, shady greens baked in the afternoon sun, maybe with a hint of dust, earth and more than a little South European charm, as seen with both Annick Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien and the far less popular L'Eau Trois by Dipyque.

Andy Tauer's Reverie au Jardin is a gorgeous addition to the second group. It's not really Mediterranean, and the greens are less wild. Instead, the afternoon sun has warmed and enveloped a well-tended flower and herb garden. It's rich and beautiful, has the most haunting lavender note I've smelled since Gris Clair, and manages to transport you to that place and frame of mind that was Andy Tauer's original intent.

I was among the lucky ones who got to meet Andy last Saturday on his visit to NYC. There's nothing quite like listening to a great artist describing his passion, inspiration and deconstructing his work into its components, especially when said artist is very charming and funny. Andy brought with him ten samples of some of the pure notes that make Reverie. It was fascinating to sniff each one of them and examine how they all blend in the final composition. His French lavender was unlike any I've come across. I grow several types of this flower in my back yard, but a Jersey-grown French lavender smells different than the original thing.

(Insert your favorite Jersey joke here)

The lavender isn't limited to the top notes. It's there all the way through the drydown (just like in Gris Clair), where it plays well with the oakmoss, vetiver and tonka beans. I know some people who object to lavender perfumes because they remind them of their spinster Aunt Tilly. But this perfume is far removed from girdles and mothballs. It's a very unisex scent. The Blond wears it just as happily, and it has a whole new twist on his skin. He promises to write his own review soon.

On my skin it's not manly at all, and the frankincense-rose combo gives it the pretty angle. While the fragrance belongs in the clean/green category, there's much more to it. There's depth and magic there, and that special something that I find in all the other Tauers.

The sillage isn't too aggressive, which makes it very suitable for a summer day. It won't linger in the elevator long after the wearer has left. The drydown stays close to the skin for a few hours, even more when I use it apply jojoba oil first.

Reverie au Jardin, as well as the other Tauer Perfume creations can only be found at LuiLei in Brooklyn (worth the visit for the great selection of niche fragrance and skin care, as well as for the friendly service) and Scent Bar in LA. The latter is hosting the West Coast launch party of Reverie this week, where Andy will be giving his presentation. Those who cannot get to either store in person, can still order samples online.

Love- Tauer Perfumes

A cross-blog discussion that has been going lately concluded that some perfumes are beautiful, but very few are really evocative. I'd add that some perfume reviews can be more evocative than the fragrance itself. An olfactory experience that actually takes you on a journey is a very rare experience in recent days. Which might be for the best. Do we really want to be taken anywhere by Britney Spears or Victoria Beckham?

Mentioning Posh Spice in a post discussing Andy Tauer's work is sacrilegious. So, let's put another line break between her and these perfumes.

L'Air du Desert Marocain
If I were into the whole signature scent thing, this would most likely be my choice. It's not about the notes, really (which are all lovely: Coriander, Petitgrain (Bitter orange), Lemon, Bergamot, Jasmin, Cistus, Bourbon, Geranium, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Vanille, Patchouli and Ambergris, according to Luckyscent. Tauer Perfume website also mentions cumin and rock rose). It's about that special thing that happens when I put it on.

I've never been to Morocco, but the journey I'm taken on is a trip into myself. It feels like Andy Tauer knows me. He knows my secrets, the hidden corners of my conscience, my earliest memories, little quirks, hopes and wishes. He created a fragrance that fits into the aforementioned little corners, that envelopes me in half forgotten bits and pieces of myself. It's dry and spicy, and has warmth like no other scent that I know. But I don't think that I'd have a problem wearing it even in the middle of summer, unless it's one of those humid NYC days, when nothing but Eau d' Hadrien would do, if I am to stay alive. Any other time, I suspect that L'Air's dry heat would complement the weather as perfectly as it does now, when it's bitter cold outside and a bit over-heated anywhere else.

This scent is so masterfully blended that while you can engage in a fun Find the Note game and ponder the complex layers and whatever spice and wood that emerge at any given moment, it's not about that. It's the picture painted, the overall experience that you get during the very long lasting wear of this wonderful fragrance. It's an EdT Intense, but it stays on more than many EdPs I know. It's categorized as a unisex scent. On my skin it's feminine and sexy, but considering the notes, most men can wear it happily. The Blond has yet to try it. He's far too happy right now with Lonestar Memories.


Le Maroc Pour Elle
I have no idea if the real Morocco smells like deep, dark roses and rich woods. I suspect that as a Middle Eastern country that is mostly desert, reality might vary a little from this Arabian Nights extravaganza. But, I don't care. In the real world, I'm a big city girl, with a preference for a metropolis that sits on the coast. But this isn't about the actual geographic place. It's more about that legendary Morocco of your heart and imagination.

Unlike L'Air, the notes here are far more obvious, and it's a predominately a rose scent. The rose is touched with lavender, as is felt in the clean, almost sharp opening. As it soften and expands on the skin (you can almost feel the way it opens up to reveal more and more of its beauty), the woods come forward, while maintaining the beautiful sweetness of the rose.

A word regarding the rose: It's not your grandmother's rose, and not an innocent, virginal one either. There's depth, darkness and mystery here. There's sweetness, but very far from a Turkish Delight comfort smell. I'd put it in a similar group with Regina Harris' perfume oil, though it's quite different in the way the notes manifest themselves.

Lasting power: excellent. It's there from early evening till the morning after.


Orris
I'm the happy owner of one of the 200 limited edition (now sold out) bottles. It's exciting to know that I have something so rare and special. Not to mention beautiful. It might not be my favorite of the three right this moment, as this place is now taken by L'Air, but I have a feeling that come summer, Orris will be used far more often.

My nose and my skin see it as lighter and greener than the other scents. The opening to me is almost herbal, like the plants in my garden early in the season. The rose here is lighter and airy, less femme. It turns leathery soon after and the incense rounds it up nicely. More than the others, Orris seems to be changing with the time of day and outside temperature. It's good now, and I'm hoping for great fabulousness later.

It wears just as nicely on my husband, though he wasn't too sure how masculine it is. I guess it depends how much of the rose emerges on a given day. This is temperamental scent, for sure.

City Slickers- Tauer Lonestar Memories

I have a guest reviewer today. The Blond, who has been wearing Andy Tauer's Lonestar Memories lately, has a thing or two to say about this fragrance:

I’d like to thank my amazing non-blonde wife for introducing me over the last year to the fascinating world of niche perfume. I’ll try to contribute here and there my own reviews of the masculine scents I loved enough to buy.
The most recent example being Andy Tauer’s Lonestar Memories.

As Mr. Tauer describes it: “'It’s the scent of a lonesome rider, wearing old jeans and leather jacket, after a long day on the horse in the dry woods, preparing his coffee on the open, smoky fire. I want it to be fresh and light, yet lasting and powerful....”

How romantic! Now, I’ve done my share of camping, hiking and open fire cooking in my days but as I recall, the common reaction of my better half upon my long awaited return home, was always the same :” You stink. Better have a good shower before coming anywhere near me”.

Fortunately, Lonestar Memories delivers a very sophisticated interpretation that combines some of these wilderness attributes with very domestic luxury.

When I put it on, I see myself in front of a burning fireplace, hot cup of Lapsang Souchong tea giving off a rich smoky scent, a whiff of herbs and spices coming off something good that’s cooking on the stove, a vase with wild flowers giving off a sweet earthy smell and of course, a cat in my lap (for the purr, not for the smell).

It’s a unique scent that’s strong but not overpowering. Long staying power with a drydown that is very woody, herbal and surprisingly sweet. I love it.

To me, it's an experience that is as far from Mr. Tauer’s rough and rugged vision as the Non Blonde’s SUV is from seeing off-road adventures.

Urban cowboys and city slickers everywhere, rejoice!


My own reviews of the other three Tauer scents are coming soon.