Canadian Beauty

New Aveda Scalp Solutions Mask

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Henna

Hands up if Aveda Shampure is a core scent memory for you. It is for me, and the refreshing scent of this Aveda Scalp Solutions Hydrating Scalp and Hair mask is taking me back in time to a decade where anything outside of the drugstore was a splurge. Most of the time I used Pantene from the drugstore, but if there was a time to splurge, it was time for Aveda. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This mask is unique in that the directions are for you to massage it onto your scalp. If you’re used to your usual scalp massage at the salon, then this is the same idea. It’s a first for at-home haircare because although we have scalp serums, this is the first product I’ve seen that is an in-shower treatment. Massaging the mask into the scalp is supposed to help with scalp hydration, hopefully helping balance that skin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Texture-wise it feels like your traditional thick conditioner, leaving hair coated with an anti-tangle, smooth residue while being silicone-free. I use this almost like a traditional conditioner except I do massage it into my scalp and then leave it in for a bit before I rinse it out. Did you know that even just 4 minutes of scalp massage a day can stimulate hair growth? I don’t always manage to get my 4 minutes in but at least in the shower I can fit in a minute or two. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Maybe it’s the freezing temperatures, but I’m not finding this formula to be overly heavy the way that some silicone-free formulae can be. So now I’ve taken care of my hair and a core scent memory is unlocked. It’s my way of beating the winter blues. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Posted in Hair | Tagged Aveda | Leave a comment

Balenciaga Paris Perfume

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Henna

Violets in the rain. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

My scent of the day on this rainy day is Balenciaga Paris, which basically became a modern classic. For a designer perfume, this felt very old-school and not mainstream at all. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Balenciaga, Perfume, Perfume Blog, Violets | Leave a comment

Molinard Ambre Perfume Review

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Henna

I’m wearing Molinard Ambre on repeat and working my way through as many Elizabeth Strout books as I can find. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Molinard Ambre is a simplistic take on the amber genre, mixing a dry dusty patchouli with minimal amounts of benzoin and vanilla. If you’ve tried other famous ambers like Ambre Sultan then you’ll notice the same type of amber notes but without any of the herbal top notes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I sampled this before I bought it but my sample must have been much older because it smelled so different to this. The jammy labdanum base is gone, and my bottle is patchouli-heavy and doesn’t really sweeten up as I wear it. Having worn so much vanilla recently, I wish that this was a sweeter, more vanillic amber but if you want something that’s not very sweet or strong, this will be the one to reach for. I have grown to really like this version. Having worn so much rose-patchouli scents in my life, wearing a patchouli-centric perfume for the winter makes this the perfect cool-weather easy reach. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The Elizabeth Strout books are fun to read if you want something quick for the holidays. They have a colloquial style that lends them a gossipy tone which makes it easy to get to know the characters and immerse yourself into their world. I finished Tell me Everything in two nights, and read I Am Lucy Barton yesterday. I’ve got The Burgess Boys too, and I’ll read that tonight. Each book stands on its own but the characters in all the books are connected. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Amber Perfumes, Molinard, Patchouli, Perfume Blog, Perfume Review | Leave a comment

Noir Epices and Stocking Up on Frederic Malle Perfumes

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Henna

Noir Epices was included in the initial nine scents that the Frederic Malle brand came out with way back when, because the formula was sold as a bundle with Edmond Roudnitska’s Parfum de Therese. Edmond had made that scent for his wife and Malle wanted the perfume in his collection of perfumes since Roudnitska was a legendary perfumer and cultural critic. With the formula for Parfum de Therese, came Noir Epices, composed by his son. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Although they’re all loved by perfume lovers, let’s face it, Noir Epices and Parfum de Therese were not best-sellers at the Malle counter in recent years, and I hardly hear anyone talk about this one. I can understand why. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Spices are hard on the palate and surprise and shock people instead of gently wooing them with sweetness. Noir Epices opens with a spice box – cinnamon, cloves, almost mentholated and refreshing. Geranium adds to the herbal nature to this box of fun, and a tangerine note that’s sweet and mouth-watering, the tartness adding another layer of freshness to the cool spices. A woodsy base with patchouli that reminds me of Portrait of a Lady but this one isn’t as bracing and sharp thanks to the mellowing effects of vanilla. It’s a cross between a Chypre and an amber, oranges taking the place of more typical citruses, the surprising warm spices in the middle, and a more mellow finish. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

When I saw that Malle was leaving his brand last summer, I had to get this bottle, because I knew I’d have regrets if it disappeared and I never got to smell it again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Frederic Malle, Perfume Blog, Perfume Blogger, Perfume Review | Leave a comment

Gucci Memoire d’Une Odeur for All Seasons

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Henna

I wonder if the things that remind me of you, remind you of me.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Gucci’s Memoire d’Une Odeur is for anyone who wants a perfume that smells like it could be a hand cream or face cream. Maybe it reminds you of your mom or your grandma…. I think it smells a bit like Glysomed which I’ve seen in a woodworking shop and in the back room where I get my car serviced, so maybe it’ll remind you of something other than your elders. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The familiar comfort of chamomile tea, a quiet musky jasmine that feels timeless. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Gucci | Leave a comment

L’Erbolario Meharees from Italy

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Henna

It’s vanilla season, and Meharees is my daily driver. Not only does the lemon-sugar accord work well on its own, but it layers well without almost every other vanilla in my collection. The hint of cinnamon is just right and adds a sparkle that doesn’t go overboard. This is such a happy and sunny scent that nothing can go wrong on the day I wear Meharees.
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L’Erbolario is an Italian retailer that’s kind of like The Body Shop. They have bath and body products at their own stores and I picked up this bottle when I was in Italy earlier this year. It’s well-known in the perfume community but maybe not everywhere else, and it often gets compared to Musc Ravageur but without any of the purr of musk in the drydown, and the use of incense that reminds me of Shalimar. It smells a little thin and not as full-bodied as the Malle, but for a 1/10th of the price, I can let that go.
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If you go to Italy, it’s worth popping into L’Erbolario to seek this one out.

Posted in More Than Beauty | Tagged L'Erbolario, Perfume Blog, Perfume Review, Vanilla Perfumes | Leave a comment

Dior New Look Perfume Review

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Henna

If nobody was talking about Kurkdjian and Dior before, they’re certainly talking about them now. Francis Kurkdjan, famous for BR 540, has been remaking some of the Dior perfumes while also launching his own scents for the brand. While his interviews with fashion magazines would have you believe that he’s invested in the heritage of Dior perfumes, the perfume lovers are stocking up on old Dior bottles before they’re impossible to find, because one by one, Dior is taking some well-loved favourites and having Kurkdjian remake them, instead of launching the perfumes under a new name. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

The only thing worst than a reformulation is a remake because at least the former shows an attempt to respect the original, while the latter just creates confusion. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

New Look is a remake and just like the former, references Christian Dior’s debut collection but the perfume is anything but nostalgic. A simple blend of aldehydes and incense, New Look reads clean and effortless, bringing to mind concrete and glass. The juice would have worked as a Lutens or a Malle, that’s how strange it feels, built around a concept instead of raw materials. It’s a designer made for niche lovers.

It also reminds me of why Kurkdjian became famous – the hit BR540 is famously a simple formula that is an overdose of just a few materials, and New Look feels the same. I’m not an expert in figuring out what’s in it, but the aldehydes stick around longer than in any other perfume I’ve had, and they’re cold and metallic. It’s an effect that’s pronounced instead of fleeting, and harkens back to the bold style of Baccarat Rouge. I really like it, even if it isn’t very forgiving. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This one is for anyone bored of gourmands, vanilla, stereotypical churchy incense. Maybe it will attract a new set of perfume lovers ready to give Dior’s La Collection Privée a new look. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Dior, Francis Kurkdijian, La Collection Privee, Perfume Blog, Perfume Lover | Leave a comment

Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Henna

An amber for the last day of November, Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan. The amber for those who want their ambers dry and herbal, not sweet and syrupy. A reference amber for its use of aromatics paired with resins. Oregano and bay leaf from your spice cupboard, a dash of vanilla paired with dry and dusty patchouli. Almost musty so that it reminds me of old books or a forgotten wooden desk drawer, so that’s the sandalwood peeking through. The muskiness of benzoin so that everything feels alive.

I wonder if the Sultan is referring to this being the best of the greatest of all ambers or is it that Amber is the sultan, the best of fragrance. Amber always bring out the grandiose side of people, so I’ll concede that in the dead of winter, Amber is king.

Posted in Perfumes | Tagged Amber Perfumes, Serge Lutens | Leave a comment

Salt & Stone Santal and Vetiver Hand Cream review

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Henna

Here’s my reminder to myself to not buy scented hand cream, especially when the notes are written write on the packaging. I thought I had smelled the Salt & Stone hand cream in the Sephora but things always smell different once they make it home. Santal & Vetiver smells like a creamy green fig, like the department store counter with the snobby sales assistant, everything hidden away under glass. It’s like the woman in gold accessories and red lipstick and lacquered nails who knows more than she’s given credit for but chooses who she shares with. It’s the smell of the bottom of expensive shoes, the leather soles unworn and smooth. The ampersand poorly attempts faking pedigree while the sans-serif font gives everything away.

Posted in Skin Care | Tagged hand cream, Salt & Stone | Leave a comment