When I was invited backstage to the Reem Acra show this season it wasn't to cover the beauty look. Instead, it was to speak with Ms. Acra prior to the show about her first fragrance launching this October called Reem Acra Eau de Parfum. Yes! This I'll cover! Something fresh! Excited, I headed backstage and had a one-on-one chat before the scene got hectic with the designer about why her new fragrance gives power to women.
"It's about giving power to woman," Ms. Acra remarks. "This scent creates a sense of addiction."
With the essence of the fragrance being amber, notes of orange blossom, pear, and bergamot open it, followed by ginger and florals such as jasmine, lily of the valley and peony. It's dried down by amber, patchouli and musk.
"This is not just a fragrance," she states. "It's part of my lifestyle, because I grew up collecting amber and regularly drink orange blossom so it's very true to who I am."
Ms. Acra went on to explain that as a child in Lebanon she and her father would dig and pick amber from the ground, which is now part of a collection is at the Museum of Natural History in NYC.
Since I'm super picky about my fragrances and normally don't share what I'm wearing, I asked Ms. Acra how she felt about keeping fragrance a secret. Her response, "I usually tell people what I wear. By sharing, we're empowering women. It's a powerful secret to pass on from women to women and the more powerful women we have around us the more power we'll have in the world."
*Reem Acra Eau de Parfum will be available exclusively at Saks in October.
Ladies, I'm really excited because I had the pleasure to interview Colombian Songstress, Shakira! She was kind enough to take some time out of her tour schedule to fill me in about her new fragrance, S by Shakira Eau Florale, which she says is, "a very simple fragrance with few accords and few notes, but which blended together manage to say a lot." Check out the interview after the jump:
Known for their fragrances inspired by the unique neighborhoods of New York, Bond No. 9 just launched an I Love New York collection. To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't do this sooner!
My first Bond No. 9 fragrance was their Nuits de Noho 
Normally at 9 am I'm just beginning my day at the gym or taking my first sip of coffee, but this Tuesday was different. I joined Betsey Johnson for brunch at Milk Studios as she launched her latest fragrance, Too Too. With a "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" theme, Betsey was accompanied by ballerinas from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and pink frosted cupcakes went hand in hand with champagne (yes, this was brunch).
The fragrance, Too Too, is very youthful in packaging and scent, which made the atmosphere of the event relevant. It's very Betsey! Loaded with sweet fruity notes of mandarin, ginger and strawberry layered over jasmine, bulgarian rose, patchouli, sandalwood and vanilla. The fragrance retails for $42-$82 and also comes in a body lotion and roller ball form.
I'm super picky when it comes to scent. Typically I don't like using scented products and love amber or vanilla fragranced candles or maybe a light spritz on my decolletage for nighttime. However, with my profession, there will be some days where I smell like a concoction of scents for better or worse.
When it comes to fragrance and seduction there are many different scents that are credited to turning men on, but according to research conducted by the Monell Chemical Senses Center the sexiest ones are those that bring out a woman's natural scent. The gems – rose, musk, mint, green apple and oak moss.
I have to admit, when I hear the word "preppy" two things come to mind, first my best friend Adrienne who has the chicest Upper East Side style with a downtown attitude and then I think "ew, not me".
That's probably why we're still best friends after 20 years, because as different as we are we're very alike. I'd far from Upper East Side style, but definitely have the downtown girl attitude! So when I first received the press release for this new fragrance by Vera Wang I thought it would be something Adrienne would buy just for the name.
Fragrance is a gifting staple – but not just any fragrance. I know I'm super picky about what I wear and I'm sure the people on your list are too. One fragrance that has stood the test of time is Calvin Klein Euphoria . I've always appreciated the scent on men and women because it's classic.
The Euphoria 
Just like the right pair of shoes can take an outfit from day to night; the right scent can help you get noticed and be remembered. How? There are certain scents that are complete turn ons.
“Pleasant aromas can actually stimulate parts of the brain directly connected to sexual desire,” says Alan Hirsch, MD, director of Chicago’s Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.
Last week I was talking about flirting with Flirt! cosmetics and besides mascara being a flirting secret weapon (wink) I have to say a sexy scent is an ultimate flirting must have. Better yet, forget flirting. One whiff of an intoxicating blend can create a complete throw-me-down-on-the-kitchen-counter reaction. Ladies, you know what I mean.
As a matter of fact, according to a study done by AXE, two out of three women admitted they would be more likely to make out with a guy on a first date if his scent was right. I'm asking what's wrong with the rest of them? There's something so captivating about a good fragrance, but a difference between a good scent and an I-want-you scent. If men were smart, they'd all use scent as their secret weapon. Hey, I do.
