Thierry Mugler perfumes are not for those without a sense of adventure and wonder; if you’re looking for sweet fruity scents of “I don’t want to impose” style florals then walk away…there’s nothing to see here. If you do, however, enjoy perfumes that are eccentric bordering on difficult, then you should definitely explore the Mugler line.
Mugler’s latest creation Womanity is an odd scent, it mixes elements of feminine and masculine together, blurring the lines between our ideals of man and woman. The opening is strange; a mixture of salt and fruit that assaults my nostril upon first sniff. I’m taken aback, it’s definitely not what I had expected.
Womanity apparently has a ‘caviar’ note which seems to be the point of much discussion, although there is nothing fishy or even foodie about this scent. The salty aspect reminds me of the scent on one’s skin after a day at the beach, where the ocean water has dried leaving a rough, salty layer.
Womanity also contains a fig note, but it’s not the sweet type of syrupy fig that I’ve smelled in other perfumes. Here, it’s subtle and sits in the background creating a subtle fruity facet. In many other reviews people reference the sweetness that Womanity has, I get a touch of sweetness which only appears further into the the fragrance’s development. Surprisingly it doesn’t come from the fig note but it’s more of a subtle candy-like scent. Having said that there’s nothing gourmand about this scent, it’s not an Angela replica by any means!
As it wears Womanity turns into a woody scent with a touch of smoke. Again, it’s an odd scent when mixed in with the fruit and sweetness, it feels as though the composition was developed purely to create as much sensory contradiction as it could.
Overall, I like Womanity the further it wears on. The opening is abrasive and harsh, not my style at all and I really dislike it for the first 15-20minutes of wear. But give Womanity time and it morphs into a relaxed, woody scent with a hint of sweetness. At this point it’s quieter, more subdued and just a little masculine.
While it don’t think it will illicit the same strength of reaction as Angel (Mugler’s most famous creation) I do think that Womanity is a unique and creative addition to today’s perfume industry. It’s certainly not a ‘please all’ fragrance so I highly recommend giving it a sniff in-store before you purchase.
Valentine’s Day special, when you purchase this perfume, you’ll receive a Thierry Mugler Womanity Silver Vanity Case
Our old friends, Pantene Pro-V have had a make-over. The revamped Pantene range features a new lightweight formula, a stylish new look, as well as their first overnight treatment, Night Miracle Leave On Crème Serum, as reviewed here.
The new Pro-Vitamin formula is meant to target the most damaged parts of your hair to help strengthen it from root to tip, whilst injecting moisture without weighing it down. More specifically, the Daily Moisture Range helps repair the look of damage, helps prevent split ends from forming and leaves your hair soft and shiny.
I have to say I used to love Pantene when I was younger because my hair felt super silky as soon I rinsed out the conditioner. I thought it was the best thing since Bonne Bell lip balms (gosh, I used to love them). After growing somewhat wiser, and more finicky in my hair needs though I realised my old Pantene’s weren’t doing a good enough job.
So the question is, does the new formula rectify all this?
Pantene Expert Hair Stylist, Barney Martin (who did a gobsmackingly good job on Ponikuta’s hair) says ““I’ve tried and tested the new Pantene Shampoos and Conditioners over the past few weeks and there is definitely a noticeable change in the formula. From applying the products to blow drying, you can really feel and see the difference. It’s so much lighter and I’m happy to see that the conditioning benefits are better than ever.”
Well it definitely leaves my hair soft and silky, I cannot fault them on that. In all honesty though, I’ve never felt any of the shampoos and conditioners I’ve used have left my hair feeling weighed down so as far as the lightweight formula goes, I didn’t really notice a difference. The intensive treatment however, would have to be my pick of the bunch. Left a definite improvement in my hair, my ends were smoothed and it is welcome relief for all the heat styling I do.
All in all though while I think it’s a good improvement on the old formula, it’s not enough to tear my allegiance away from other S & C’s.
Night Miracle Serum RRP AUD$10
The two most important things I look for in a night cream are that it gives radiance to my otherwise dull and quite lifeless skin, and that it’s thick and rich enough to last me through my self induced hibernation (some might call this sleep). Clarins Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Cream has both of those in spades.
It’s designed and targeted at women from the age of 30 and onwards who have “no time for early wrinkles, signs of fatigue or dull complexions upon waking” (FYI Clarins – I’m a little way off 30 and I don’t even have time for these things. Just saying.)
Containing a potent combination of kiwi extract which optimises nutrition and cellular energy, Imudilin ®, widely acknowledged for it’s ability to encourage cellular renewal and natural carob extract which encourages the production of collagen fibres, the night cream helps to reduce the appearance of early wrinkles and reveal younger looking skin.
While I’m in no real position to comment on the diminished appearance of wrinkles, I can say that not only is my skin smoother but it’s also brighter, clearer and looks more refreshed.
The multi-active night youth recovery cream has a generous, silky soft texture and although it’s quite rich (you only need to use a little, so it will last and last) the cream melts into the skin quite quickly so there’s no need to worry about any potential pillow residue.
Available now on counters
One of the biggest things that you can do for your skin is to ensure you’re wearing sunscreen. Every. Single. Day. Regardless of whether it’s actually sunny or not.
To make this ever so simple notion that much easier, Invisible Zinc have put forward their Tinted Daywear: a sunscreen, moisturiser and sheer foundation all rolled into one squeeze-easy little tube.
Primarily an SPF 30+ sunscreen, Invisible Zinc contains Zinc Oxide, which is generally regarded as one of the best screening agents of both UVA and UVB rays. With such good broad-spectrum coverage not only will your skin be protected from the harsh climate we Aussies call our own, but also Tinted Daywear will help to reduce the appearance of premature ageing caused by UV exposure. Now if that isn’t music to a beach goers’ heart, I don’t know what is.
Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear is rather thick when you first put it on, so you don’t need to use too much. Fret not however, as it is by no means heavy on the skin. It gives medium coverage and imparts a nice, dewy sheen. You can easily mix it with your regular foundation if you prefer more coverage and because it’s low on chemicals it shouldn’t irritate those with sensitive skin.
The only downside some might find with Tinted Daywear is that it’s only available in two shades: light and medium, so there might be some difficulty finding a perfect match.
Having said that, Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear would be a perfect option for lasses who are a) time poor and/or find it difficult to remember to slap on the sunscreen daily, and b) low on funds as this nifty little tri-prod (he he, see what I did there?) is at the relatively low end of the cost scale, leaving you with money to spare.
Available on counters now
What are the first things that come to mind when you think of Black Eyed Peas singer, Fergie?
Confident, sexy, bold, feminine, she snagged hottie Josh Duhamel from Transformers? (I know, the mind boggles!)
Well, Fergie (real name Stacy Ferguson) is the latest in a string of celebrities to try their hand at perfumery, teaming up with Avon to release Outspoken By Fergie. Now I can’t promise that Josh Duhamel will fall at your feet when wearing this, but I can say that you’ll come away smelling like one seductive little minx. Fergalicious perhaps?
Here Fergie and Avon have attempted to create a fragrance that embodies strength and courage coupled with sensuality and femininity. It features notes of frozen blackberry and wild saffron that contrast quite nicely indeed with the floral tones of jasmine, tuberose and passion flower all enveloped in base notes of ebony, vetiver and racy, black leather. (Yes, apparently you can bottle it.)
While it’s definitely not one of my favourite perfumes going around, it does happen to be quite a good offering from a market that is heavily saturated with celebrity scents. The dark and luxurious looking flacon, complete with diamond shaped stopper (apparently inspired by a crystal decanter from Fergie’s wedding) might lean a little towards the not so sleek and sophisticated side of things, but it’s still a fine smelling perfume nonetheless.
With its bold, intense scent Outspoken By Fergie would be a great option to spritz on for a night out on the town. Racy, black leather optional.
Available on counters now
