The new fragrance duo Gentle Fluidity by Maison Francis Kurkdjian depicts the creativity and height of innovation from the master himself. What I mean to say is the same 49 ingredients with six main notes used in various proportions to create two separate olfactory descriptions. This is something very new to me and I felt so intrigued to try the creativity where a slight variation of an ingredient totally changes what the end result smells like.
‘Working the ingredient to express its full potential and meeting the challenge of composing two different Eaux de
- Juniper berries
- Nutmeg
- Coriander
- Musks
- Ambery woods
- Vanilla
The Gentle Fluidity duo was born of the perfumer’s imagination to offer two distinct olfactory silhouettes, for her or for him. Neither feminine nor masculine nor unisex, Gentle Fluidity reflects a changing society where the expression of personality takes center stage.
The two signatures differ in the unique balance of their formulations, as well as the colors and letters employed for their names. “Gentle fluidity”, an aromatic woody fragrance, is in silver, with a capital G, while “gentle Fluidity”, an oriental musk interpretation, opts for gold and a capital F. ‘
Gentle fluidity, Silver Edition – nutmeg, and ambery woods are dominant and release a vibrant, comfortable trail. As for juniper berry essence, it leads to an ascending, ultra-fresh, aromatic note, similar to a “gin frappé” effect, balanced by the dry, slightly balmy, spicy notes of nutmeg. The base notes reveal ambery wood facets ranging from sweet and enveloping to powerful and dry. On me, this fragrance feels relaxed, clean, and composed, the aromatic warmth makes it comfortable to wear. The longevity for this is really good on
gentle Fluidity, Gold Edition – generous, enveloping trail, we can find coriander seed essence and an overdose of musks and vanilla. The floral, spicy note of coriander seeds brings, just like musks, ethereal volume, and a lingering trail. In the base notes, the gourmand, reassuring notes of the vanilla accord enhanced by the ambery woods reveal a radiant, bright silhouette. It is a very nice – sweet, aromatic, and sensual scent on me – very well balanced. The longevity on my skin is good, stays for over 6-7 hours before I feel the need to reapply.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris fragrances are available at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and online at
One of my favorite lip balms is in a new ‘avatar’ and the feature I am most excited is the new shades and finish. I have shared it a few times here and on my Instagram, I have one in my bag and one on my vanity and bedside. If you do not know about it, Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto is a three-in-one lip balm for nurtured, fuller-looking, and vibrantly-colored lips.
Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto is available in two finishes: Skin PH reactive shades which enhance natural lip color and offer a made-to-measure look and vibrant shades for a sophisticated look. It intensely envelops lips with a creamy texture and leaves them deeply hydrated, smoothed & fuller-looking. In keeping with Givenchy’s codes, le Rose Perfecto is sheathed in a slim pink leather tube with a matching outer case and the metallic stud signature.
The formula of these multi-use lip product is creamy and glides on gently onto the lips, even when the lips are parched, dry, and in dire need of care. Lips feel nourished, plumped, and comfortable. Along with shea extract, it also contains hyaluronic acid spheres which fill in the lines and capture water molecules found on the surface of the lips. The spheres increase their volume by up to 50 times and the result is beautiful, smooth, and plump lips.
The palette reveals eight essential shades – Glazed Beige, Timeless Pink, Cosmic Plum – a range of pinks from nude and rosewood to deep purple and coral, accompanied by an iridescent translucent shade called White Shield.
I can totally see myself wearing all the shades and do keep in mind all the shades look different on different people, bringing out the best shade after reacting with your lip’s pH and something that suits your undertones. It is not sticky and does benefits the lips even after it has worn out.
Out of 7 available shades, all can be used alone or topped up with the White Shield No. 000 on the top for a holographic shine.
Givenchy Le Rose Perfecto is available at Sephora,
Winter might limit some activities due to the cold dark days but there are some essentials that make the elongated staying home routine fun and pampering. I am referring to the skincare essentials, treating the skin to the much-needed moisture due to the indoor heating, outdoor cold weather. There are two new launches from StriVectin that are not only amazing for pampering the skin but also to help to get ready for the spring. StriVectin Blue Rescue Clay Renewal Mask and Skin Reset 4-week Intensive Rejuvenation System.
StriVectin Blue Rescue Clay Renewal Mask is a massage activated, color transforming clay mask. This is not my first massage activated color transforming clay mask, I have used one in the past and really like the concept. With the massage, first there is a physical exfoliation, and then the color of the mask changes from white to blue. Any typical clay mask might dry the skin, but I did not feel any dryness on my skin neither any irritation with this mask and the exfoliation.
My skin feels nourished, hydrated, balanced with the small pore size, comfortable, and radiant. This is exactly what I expect from a mask, especially for my combination skin. I did feel it helped my congestion clear out fast. I did test this mask for over few weeks sometimes weekly or bi-weekly.
The formula is encapsulated Blue Algae Extract and pigments activate upon application, transforming from white to ocean blue color as it renews skin and boosts radiance. To use, apply evenly to clean, dry skin avoiding the eye area. Gently massage in a circular motion until the mask transforms from white to blue. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse off thoroughly and follow with the rest of your routine.
Skin Reset 4-week Intensive Rejuvenation System is a skincare system designed to reboot, rejuvenate and get skin back on track in just 4 weeks. It includes four unique serums, each with their own targeted technology to address a core factor of skin aging and fatigue. ‘Brand’s
- WEEK 1: rebuild by restoring optimal, lasting hydration – visible luminous, hydrated skin, signs of dullness and fatigue are eliminated as hydration levels improve.
- WEEK 2: boost skin to improve elasticity & visibly relax fine lines and wrinkles – Skin feels softer, smoother and more nourished.
- WEEK 3: balance skin for a radiant, even-toned complexion – skin feels firmer and more toned.
- WEEK 4: restore resiliency & improve the look of sagging skin & deep wrinkles – skin will appear smooth, soft & plump, healthy-looking tone and texture, and totally rejuvenated results.
To use, over the month, each week’s Reset serum formula is to be used as the daily serum—after cleansing and before moisturizing. At the end of four weeks, regular skincare routine can be resumed but is recommended to stick to the routine. I have not used this system for the time recommended, which is 28 days continuously but my initial thoughts for the few days, I went up to completing over 2 weeks and moving on to the third week now. Based on my skin’s needs, like congestion I do add up toner or layer the serums. I have both the new launches from the brand in my skincare routine and really liking the results.
StriVectin is available in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart and beautyboutique.ca
*Press samples