Beauty Must-Have: Smell Like Carrie Bradshaw with SJP NYC (Includes Giveaway!)

Back in February, our beloved Sarah Jessica Parker developed a light, fun fragrance inspired by her favorite character, Carrie Bradshaw. The scent, SJP NYC, captures the essence of Carrie: frivolity, freedom, New York, and fabulous style. The scent is impossibly girly, an addictive fruity floral with top notes including Italian mandarin and wild strawberries, heart notes like gardenia and honeysuckle and base notes such as sandalwood and rum mixed with vanilla and musk.  It's complex, sweet, wild at heart and very Carrie Bradshaw.

I'm personally a fan of the fun packaging, which looks like a mixture of the patterns and bold colors one might find in the character's legendary closet. I also love that the scent is small enough to fit into your favorite handbag, a necessity for the girl on the go (which most of us are.)

 Behind the scenes of the advertising shoot for SJP NYC

I also love the ad campaign, featured my beloved SJP in a one-of-a-kind Oscar de la Renta original, evoking the wild, untamed spirit of our beloved fashion-forward tv and movie character. One smell and you'll see what I mean: it's very Carrie.

You can pick SJP NYC up at your local department store in a variety of sizes and scents, but since it's Memorial Day and I haven't done a giveaway in a long time, I'd like to give this to one lucky reader of FSB. That's right, I'm giving away a 30ml eau de toilette spray of SJP NYC to one lucky reader.

How do you win? Leave a comment below and tell me who your favorite SATC character is and why. I'll pick one lucky gal on Tuesday morning and we'll get it shipped right out to you.

After all, since you're going to see the movie this weekend, you might as well have some fabulous perfume to commemorate your viewing of Sex and the City 2. Get Carried away and enter to win now!

Unbelievable Beauty: Breakfast at Cartier to Launch Les Heures de Parfum Collection

 Photo Courtesy of Zhenya Minkovich © Cartier

There are few invitations that a girl can receive in life that turn one into an instant Cinderella story. Getting asked to the Prom is the first. Someone asking you to marry them is another. Recently, I received one of my own. Deep red, leather-embossed with card stock in the middle, delivered in a red bag wrapped in tissue paper:

Breakfast at Cartier.

After I picked myself up off the floor (because, let's face it, things like this don't happen every day), I happily said yes and arrived for my first opportunity to have breakfast in the private conference room of the Cartier Mansion on New York's famed Fifth Avenue to have a Skype conference with Mathilde Laurent, the company's master perfumer, in order to discuss the launch of Cartier's new fragrance collection, Heures de Parfum.

Photo Courtesy of Fred Landry © Cartier 2009

The perfume collection is numbered for the hours of a lifetime, not just those of a day. Inspired by Proust's prose that an hour is not an hour but a time filled with sounds, perfume, climate, emotions, etc, the fragrances are numbered I to XIII, and the expertly-crafted formulas are said to highlight the spectrum of human emotions. Each displays its own unique color and identity in luxury glass bottles befitting their Cartier stamp of quality.The first five of the collection, available now, are:

 I - L’HEURE PROMISE - the Hour of Promise, inspired by new beginnings, possibilities and the thoughts of angels and their protective halos of light. The notes are those of iris, sandalwood, herbs and musk. Laurent crafted the fragrance so that one would feel protected wearing it. I got chills smelling the scent.

VI - L’HEURE BRILLANTE - the Hour of Brilliance, which actually caused me to see stars when I inhaled the fragance (and in a good way). Meant to channel the energy of light, neon, stars. She created it so that the wearer felt as if they were surrounded with something effervescent and delightful, like dipping into a glass of champagne. Notes of this fragrance were citrusy, with lemon and gin notes.

V- L’HEURE FOLLE - the Hour of Folly, described as a time when nature cannot be tamed. Designed for the free spirit, of life not yet fully realized, the scent of unripened fruit about to burst is the best description. The scent is an homage to the House of Cartier's relationship with the US and the roaring 20's, when wealthy American women wore Cartier's Tutti Frutti bracelets, a piece cut with gems that looked like fruits. Laurent described the fragrance evoking an urge to "bite into life." Peppercorns and unripened berries are the jazzy notes in this perfume.

XII - L’HEURE MYSTÉRIEUSE - the Hour of Mystery, is described as "a private perfume." Laurent's description during the breakfast was that it's "about the mystery inside of you, a private hour of life, an invitiation to secrecy." A very intimate scent, it's meant to be enjoyed as close to the skin as possible. Voluptuous incense, jasmine and sandalwood capture the mood.

XIII - LA TREIZIÈME HEURE is a personal labor of love for Laurent, who created a thirteenth hour in the "day" to create what Laurent described as the opportunity to unleash everything she had ever wanted to create in a fragrance. Perfume literally means "through smoke" and she attempted to capture the actual scent of smoke like her master perfumers before her. It draws on the scents of smoky teas, birchwood, leather and the most prominent notes is narcissus. Laurent described it as a scent associated with seduction, something "attractive you fall into."

 

Photo Courtesy of Vincent Peters © Cartier 2009

All of the Cartier fragrances are crafted from the finest ingredients and created with top, middle and base notes that evolve on the skin throughout the day. These are perfumes to last a lifetime and evolve with you as a woman (or man, they're actually unisex to a large degree).  Each perfume comes with a unique poem that describes the fragrance and they're the perfect gift for yourself or for someone very, very special. You don't have to have breakfast at Cartier to know that this fragrance collection, much like any item that comes from the storied luxury house, is an item that will last you a lifetime. Each 2.5 oz fragrance is available for $250 and is available at Cartier boutiques and Saks locations below:

Cartier Boutiques
Fifth Avenue
Beverly Hills
Costa Mesa
Chicago
Palm Beach
San Francisco

Saks Fifth Avenue (which carries X exclusively)
NYC
Dadeland
Houston
Tampa
New Orleans
Atlanta
Beverly Hills


FTC Full Disclosure: small sample of one fragrance received for review

Style Points: Historic Fashion and Beauty Commercials for Super Bowl Sunday

It's Super Bowl Sunday and some of us will be watching the game like it's a religious experience (GEAUX SAINTS!). For others, it's a good opportunity to eat more than you should, drink more than is advisable and feign some level of interest until the commercials come on. Even though most of us have DVRs now and fast-forward through any advertisement possible, this is the one night a year where we look forward to watching Madison Avenue earn its paycheck. I'd like to mark the occasion by paying homage to some of the best classic fashion, beauty and style commercials of yore:



Who could forget the legendary Cindy Crawford commercial with the denim shorts that she was ABLE TO FIT INTO THE NEXT TIME?



And then, of course, we have the Victoria's Secret Commercial for What is Sexy from 2002.



For you perfume fans, how about the Obsession by Calvin Klein commercials with Kate Moss?



And then, of course, Madonna and Missy Elliot hocking wares from the Gap.



Speaking of the Gap, two of my favorite people ever in a Gap commercial: SJP and Lenny Kravitz. Le sigh, le jealousy...



I would be remiss not to list some seriously old school commercials for fashion and fragrance, especially as a child of the 70's. Who doesn't remember these commercials for Charlie?



And we have to end it with my all-time favorite fragrance commercial: Jaclyn Smith in her ad for Epris. It's my favorite of ALL TIME.

Enjoy the big game and the new commercials for this year's Super Bowl tonight, y'all! WHO DAT?!? GEAUX SAINTS!

Holiday Gift Guide: Robert Verdi's Holiday Picks

Remember I sent you the notice to follow me on Twitter for Robert Verdi's Holiday Tweet-Up last week? Well, an epic time was had by all. Robert invited some of his favorite bloggers/social media peeps to enjoy a fabulous night at Luxe Lab where he gave us his picks for holiday gift giving.

Everyone at the party was madly in love with these amazing items and I can vouch for how happy these items make the person receiving them. If you're looking for last minute gift ideas, these are Robert's recommended items:

The Palm Pixi Smartphone (starting at $99 via Sprint), which combines swipe screen technology and a full QWERTY keyboard in one slim, petite little slice of technology heaven.

A gorgeous Carlos Falchi Large Metallic Shopping Tote ($220), which is amazing for running errands or showing up to brunch and making pretty much everyone jealous.

Fabulous cookies from Tasty Morsels Bakery (which can be made into a menagerie of shapes, including the ones shaped like his famous cranium, complete with sunglasses).

Fragrances from Ralph Lauren Polo Red White and Blue ($52.50) for men and the Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies Special Edition Collection ($30 each for full sized scents) for Women.

Sherpa for Sharpie Pen Covers ($29.95) for those of us who are writing utensil snobs and cannot live without large buckets full of Sharpies (which is not uncommon for those of us in fashion media...I'm not kidding).

A Portolano Cashmere Hat, Gloves and Mittens Set (various prices), which I haven't taken off since I got them.

Victoria's Secret Miraculous Push-Up Bra ($48-$52) and The Lacie Panties (3 for $30). This amazing bra can add up to two sizes to your bustline and the panty is truly one size fits all. Genius.

The Fresh Brown Sugar Bath Set ($75), which is perfect for the overworked bath lover. You know, like me.

The RJ Graziano Go Glam Set of 10 Crystal-Accented Bangles ($59.95), which are absolutely gorgeous. It's a big thing for a jewelry designer to acknowledge another one. They're simply stunning and are fabulous for evening. Hello, New Year's Eve is rapidly approaching.

Warm footwear is an absolute necessity. I admit to being an Ugg virgin until that night but now I live in this Ugg Australia Bailey Button Ankle Boots ($150). I'm also getting miles of wear from these absolutely beautiful cropped Moc-Toe boots from The Vintage Boot Company.

The movie lover in your life would sing your praises over a one-year gift subscription to Netflix ($167.88). If you want them to scream like they're in Oprah's audience, gift them the ROKU Netflix player ($79.99), which wirelessly streams movies from a Netflix queue to your television.

We all have to consult the experts and if you're an astrology reader like most of us, famed astrologer Susan Miller's 2010 Calendar ($15.99) is where it's at, people.

 

More photos from the event can be seen here.

These are genius last-minute gift ideas and coming from a celebrity stylist, how can you resist giving something that's red carpet approved? Print this list and take it shopping. Tell 'em Robert Verdi sent ya!

Holiday Gift Guide: Presents for Tween and Teen Girls

Ah, the mysterious tween and teen. This part of our species has baffled gift givers for years with mercurial tastes and their insistence that you are the most uncool human that ever lived. What to get these complicated young ladies? Read on...

Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies 5-Piece Set with Dollhouse ($99.95) is the uber-cool rock star/designer's fragrance collection reissued in adorable snow clothing. She'll be able to change her scent with her mood with this collection of perfumes inside an adorable dollhouse. Just try to keep from borrowing them.

This is kind of a layup but chances are that you have a Twilight fan in your midst. The Bella Beauty Set ($40) is perfect for your lovelorn young girl and, even better, it doesn't matter if she's Team Edward or Team Jacob.

Unless you've been given very specific instructions, I would avoid purchasing clothing as a gift but if you want to make sure our favorite girl stays warm and looks cute at the same time, I would stick with anything from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's new line for JC Penney's, Olsenboye. This Distressed Flannel Shirt ($24.99) is super cool and way less expensive than your obsession with Elizabeth and James.

Video games are always hilarious fun and I'd recommend either Rock Band or my new fun obsession, the karaoke game, Lips.

Last but not least, you'll need stocking stuffers. This is another layup. iTunes Gift Cards are the best gift you can give them along with a solemn promise to give them one day a week where you won't complain the music is too loud.

They'll love you forever for these super cool gifts...until you make them clean their room. You're on your own at that point.

Contest Alert: Hypnotize Lancome With Your Fashion Sense

Hypnotize Lancôme with Your Fashion Sense by ♫♥Ale♥♫Join My Group ;) featuring Lipsy

Have you ever thought about what it might be like to be a fashion or beauty editor, a stylist or a buyer for a prestigious store or boutique? Well, you can get the feeling via one of my favorite sites, Polyvore, a fun, fashionable (and highly addictive, I warn you) site that lets you create looks and layouts until your heart's content. You can play Creative Director and Fashion Editor all at once by creating you own layouts called “sets," complete with products and images from the web, then publish them for all the world to see.

Lancome wants to give you a chance to explore your inner editor/creative director with a little contest. They've partnered with Polyvore for Hypnotize Lancôme with Your Fashion Sense, and the prizes are really pretty sweet. Celebrating the launch of their sexy new fragrance, Hypnôse Senses, you create a layout that best illustrates your own sense of style and Lancome spokemodel Daria Werbowy will pick the winner. What do you win? How about a $250 lancome-usa.com gift card and a bottle of Hypnôse Senses, signed by the spokesmodel herself? Five runners-up will each win $100 gift cards plus a bottle of Hypnôse Senses.

Want to see if you've got the goods to enjoy the sweet smell of success? Then head to Polyvore right now and enter to win! Good luck!

NYFW: The Fashion Week Beauty Palette

New York Fashion Week is upon us in 48 hours and counting, and that means everyone is slightly crazed coordinating every last detail so we can look our fashionable, fabulous best when we hit the tents. Right now shoes, handbags, dresses and accessories are coming in at 900 mph but my beauty look is completely set. Over the next week, I'll be doing a daily featured called "What I'm Wearing" that will tell you about my look for that day and how to get it/where to buy it (if available). Here is the makeup you'll be seeing:


For day, I'm doing a gently smoked eye with a dramatic red lip. The LORAC Red Carpet Reveal Collection is going to be my daytime staple at the tents this year. I am positively loving the Breakthrough Performance Lipstick SPF 15 in Leading Lady ($22), a moisturizing, stay-put and universal red, and I'm mad for the Red Carpet Reveal Eye & Cheek Palette ($35). Amazing formulations and so compact I can use them on moving transportation between events with no errors.

Running from the tents to after-parties will require me to amp up the glamour a bit. I'm working a very rocker-chic vibe this year, so I'm using my bad-girl makeup bag staple, Urban Decay. Their Ammo Plus Primer Set ($39) has gorgeous formula, dramatic pigment shadows coupled with their secret weapon Shadow Primer Potion to give it maximum staying power and smooth application that will make my eyes dramatic and gorgeous. Coupled with their 24/7 Super Stash ($39), a collection of nine of their stay-put-and-stunning eyeliners, my eyes will be center stage.

I have three other amazing staples that will accompany me to the tents from Smashbox, NARS and Kiehl's. For mascara, I need lengthening and curling to make my eyes pop, so I'm absolutely loving my Smashbox Lash DNA Mascara in Midnight Black ($19). I'll use my cheeks mainstay, the NARS Multiple in Orgasm ($37) and I'm rocking my new favorite scent weapon, Kiehl's Essential Oils with Roller Ball Applicator in Coriander 1946 . This essential oil comes in a fabulous purse-size and has an amazing, sexy fragrance that settles into skin easily without overpowering.

Just a little preview of the glam routine that will be keeping me sane and sexy during Fashion Week. Feel free to steal a few of these fast, fabulous beauty items for your own get-fabulous-fast routine!

FSB Poll Results: Sexiest Men’s Cologne

From time to time, we like to hop on Facebook and quiz our nearest and dearest about what really makes them tick. We recently asked what is the sexiest cologne a man can wear. Our ladies (and men who had an opinion about the matter) weighed in and the response was overwhelming.



By a landside vote, Azzaro Chrome ($32) won this competition. We did a drive-by of the fragrance counter and we have to agree: it’s sex on a stick. The contemporary citrus and spice cologne sends anyone interested in men into a flat-out frenzy with ingredients like Bergamot, Neroli, Ginger, Ivy, Rosewood and Sandalwood.




Honorable mentions go to Burberry London for Men ($53), Bulgari Pour Homme ($58) and Acqua di Gio Pour Homme ($35).



Most surprising was the number of votes we got for Drakkar Noir! Evidently ladies from Generation X and Y still hold quite the soft spot for the prom and homecoming dance grooming staple.

Bottom Line: Whether it’s a nostalgic scent from youth or a more metropolitan scent of today, a man’s cologne is very important to us ladies. Gentlemen, try one of these recommendations and see what happens. We think you'll like the results.