A new femme fragrance by Lancôme will be launched in September 2012, and who better to front La Vie est Belle (life is beautiful) than the beautiful actress Julia Roberts.  The face of the new fragrance, and their mascara ambassadress, says during the press launch of the perfume that, “The perfume smells so good, which is the only reason I agreed to it. I believe in smelling good, and as my husband said, ‘people will think this is what you smell like’… It is a small-town girl’s dream to be in a place like this. Thank you all for being part of it”.

It opens on notes of blackcurrant and pear leading to a heart of iris, jasmine and orange blossom before trailing off with tonka bean, vanilla, praline and patchouli.  The perfume was formulated by perfumers Dominique Ropion and Olivier Polge.

For some, wearing makeup is a mood booster in itself, but brands like Physicians Formula and Jesse Girl are bumping it up a notch.  Beauty brands are now putting "feel-good" ingredients in their products that are said to make you happy and enables the body to respond to your mood.

For example, a product that may include the ingredient euphoryl may claim to promote "a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of endorphins".  Feedback from the moodboosting hopefuls? Very little actually, and not much information was released up to date about whether or not these products with this specific ingredient would boost the mood of the makeup wearer. 

What's your take on the mood boosting makeup?

Did you know that looking into the puckering pout from one decade to another can tell one about the economic and financial status of the American society and many other factors, like emphasis on particular body parts and the celebs of the time.  Let's take a glimpse back and see how the color and shape of a woman'slips could be so telling of the times!

The 20's -- Prohibition & Rebellion
The Trend: Lip colors include black and garnet red and the shape is a matte-finished, heart shaped mouth.
The Telling: It's the Roaring 20's and women are going out to dance, drink, and push the envelope more than ever before. 
The 30's-- Economic Depression
The Trend: Silky/Glossy Reddish brown lip colors, Mouth drawn outward with square edges
The Telling: During the Great Depression, women emphasize sternness with the square edges around their mouth. The 30's is full of glamourous women who are thrifty, austere, but not afraid to determine their own fate.
The 40's-- Wartime
The Trend: Lip color is brilliantly glossy vermillion, a full mouth shape with symmetrical curves
The Telling: The lip symbolizes strength, disguising sorrow.  While men were at war, women were forced to fill their roles, giving them a new sense of identity and responsibility.
The 50's-- Post War Period
The Trend: Lip colors are bright reds and pinks. The shape is a voloptuous mouth with lip liner extending beyond the natural shape.
The Telling: Embracing their sexuality and feminity, while revealing their newfound independence, the lip shape is significant in being relective of this period of reconstruction.
The 60's --Flower Power & Rebellion
The Trend: Lip colors are beige, like baby pink and silver white and the shape is a full, large lip pout
The Telling: The period of hippies in the '60s is full of exploration of outer space, sexual revolution, Woodstock and the anti-war movement. Lipstick is applied, but discreetly for the rejection of conventional beauty, prosperity, and consumption.
The 70's -Disco Rules
The Trend: Glittering crimson or burgundy red with an outlined, shiny mouth shape.  
The Telling: It's time for women to break out and explore their boundaries! Women are not afraid to become single mothers of fight for their rights...to party!(and their social and political rights too)
The 80's -- Emancipation
The Trend: Lip colors are dark black with metallic effects and the lip shape is a wide mouth, representing the provocative punky look.
The Telling: Punk music was the first anti-beauty movement.  Women and men alike play with reversing gender foles, for example the transvestite chic of boy George or the fashion of Vivienne Westwood.
The 90's--Individualism
The Trend: Brown lip color undergoes a revival, with both dark and bright lip colors
The Telling: In the 90's, fashion and beauty trends were evolving on a daily basis, so anything goes!
The Decades Ahead
According to Li Edelkoort, history will continue to repeat itself. She predicts that, for now, generous, whitish beige lips will reflect our nurturing desire to live at a sustainable, slower pace. “Thinner lips will take us into the 2020’s,” she says. “Eventually, perfect red lips with harmonized proportions between the eyes, lips, and body will balance our beauty in the new era of post-recession and reconstruction.”

Illustrations & Text: Beautypress.com

Some exciting news is stirring up within the fragrance industry.  Elizabeth Arden acquired the global fragrance licenses of Ed Hardy, True Religion, and BCBG Maz Azria from New Wave Fragrances LLC.

Arden also holds designer fragrances, including Juicy Couture, Alfred Sung, Geoffrey Beene, Kate Spade, Lucky Brand and Rocawear.

The company said it expects almost no impact on it's 2012 fiscal results, but what do you think? Will things sky rocket, hardly change, or hang a little low?

With Essence marking it's 10th anniversary, they have proudly and excitingly announced they will be entering the fragrance market! Starting this month, Essence will launch six eaux de toilette for girls and young women, with a slogan, "Choose your mood -- It's just one spray away!". 

Scents include: Like a Walk in the Summer Rain, Like a Trip to New York, Like a Day in a Candy Shop, Like a First Day in Spring, Like a New Love and Like a Girls’ Night Out.  These scents were created by 5 perfumers from Robertet and the packaging of the bottles was designed by German based company, Sulzbach. 

“We did a lot of work to create unique Essence fragrances, as we do not want to smell like another brand or perfume. Our perfumers worked exclusively on the briefings we gave them — inspiration was our special concept, mood pictures and the target group itself — no other fragrances. Same for the design of bottle, cap and folding boxes: we have built our own molds for the flacons and caps to differ from the other fragrance brands in the market,” explains Christina Oster-Daum, co-founder and chief executive officer of Cosnova.

We love nothing more than to announce a launch of a new fragrance, and none the less, Moschino is launching another fragrance into the market, Pink Bouquet.  A flirty, fruity, floral scent, this fragrance will be on every young woman's wish and want list.

“One characteristic of our fragrances is the reference to a woman with a strong personality, sparkling and decisive,” said Rossella Jardini, Moschino creative director, adding: “I believe the freshness of this fragrance and its elegance are classic elements of the Moschino world.”

Who is the Moschino Pink Bouquet girl?
Moschino's licensee who developed the scent is Euroitalia, and their president Giovanni Sgariboldi defines her perfectly. “It’s for all women who think, love and live ‘in pink,".  Kendra Spears, the American model in the ad campaign and television commercial is the personification of Pink Bouquet: “bubbly but sweet and romantic at the same time.”

Ulrich Lang has created and launched three new New York fragrances.  Each are very different from the other and portray New York perfectly, in three different ways.

First, there is Anvers, a minimalist, contemporary, yet timless and instrospective scent.  It consists of a fusion of fresh aromatics and provocative spices, classic florals and modern leather notes. 

Photo Courtesy: Ulrich Lang New York Fragrances

Then there is Anvers 2, a sensual, warm and very inviting scent.  This scent has notes of bergamot, lime, lemon, black pepper, wild basil, rhubarb and cypress.

Photo Courtesy: Ulrich Lang New York Fragrances

The third of the three scents is Nightscape, a modern take on patchoui.  It's sensual, mysterious, and a long lasting scent. 

Photo Courtesy: Ulrich Lang New York Fragrances

While we weren't able to attend, you bet your bottom that we were LiveTweeting with the attendees of the event. The FiFi Awards is literally the Oscars ...for fragrances. With Jane Lynch as the host, and attendees such as Martha Stewart and the lovely Nicole Richie, the excitement was more than anticipated at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

The complete list of 2012 FIFi Awards winners is as follows:

Luxe Women
WINNER: Tom Ford Violet Blonde - Tom Ford Beauty

Luxe Men
WINNER: Gucci Guilty Pour Homme - P&G Prestige

Nouveau Niche Women

WINNER: Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge - Private Blend - Tom Ford Beauty

Nouveau Niche Men
WINNER: Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge - Private Blend - Tom Ford Beauty

Broad Appeal Women
WINNER: Heidi Klum Shine - Coty Inc.

Broad Appeal Men
WINNER: Curve appeal for men - Elizabeth Arden

Specialty Brand Women
WINNER: Anthropologie 1922 Lily Sanguine Eau de Parfum - Inter Parfums USA

Direct To Consumer Men
WINNER: Comme une Evidence Green - Yves Rocher North America Inc.

Best Packaging of the Year - Luxe Women
WINNER: Prada Candy Eau de Parfum Spray - PUIG USA

Best Packaging of the Year - Luxe Men
WINNER: John Varvatos * USA - Elizabeth Arden

Best Packaging of the Year - Broad Appeal Women
WINNER: Victoria's Secret Angel - Victoria's Secret Beauty

Best Packaging of the Year - Broad Appeal Men
WINNER: Curve appeal for men - Elizabeth Arden

Media Campaign - Men
WINNER: Gucci Guilty Pour Homme - P&G Prestige

Media Campaign - Women
WINNER: Coco Mademoiselle – Chanel

Bath & Body Line
WINNER: Acqua di Gioia - Giorgio Armani Beauty

Interior Scent Collection of the Year
WINNER: 34 boulevard Saint Germain – diptyque

Perfume Extraordinaire
WINNER: International Flavors & Fragrances

Fragrance Hall Of Fame: Women’s

WINNER: 24 Faubourg – Hermès, Beauté Prestige International

Fragrance Hall Of Fame: Men’s
WINNER: Acqua di Gio - Giorgio Armani Beauty

2012 FiFi Consumers’ Choice Award – Women’s
WINNER: Victoria’s Secret Angel – Victoria’s Secret Beauty

2012 FiFi Consumers’ Choice Award – Men’s
WINNER: BBW Signature Collection for Men Classic – Bath & Body Works

Congratulations to ALL the fabulous 2012 Fifi Awards winners, each and every award rewarded was well deserved. For more information on the Fragrance Foundation and the FiFi Awards, check out their site.Information provided courtesy of Fifi Awards.

From red soled shoes to red lipped sticks, Christian Louboutin has announced a launch in beauty products and it’s slated to hit stores in 2013. The fact that Christian Louboutin is entering beauty is a huge deal, the company will be called, Christian Louboutin Beauté.

These products will not just be thrown out there until they are perfectly and precisely ready. Louboutin is a no-mess around type of guy and is quite the perfectionist, unless the products meet the designers exacting standards, those products won’t be out, not matter what the approximate date is launch.

“Very constructed, quite different and unexpected,” Louboutin teased in an exclusive interview, skirting questions about specific categories he is plotting.

No matter what it may be up his sleeve, we know it’s big and its luxurious and unconditionally clever.

Not only did Gwynnie look stunning at the Met Gala this past week in Prada but we know she will look just as stunning as the new face of new Boss scent, Boss Nuit Pour Femme. She will star in their TV, print, and online campaigns, all inspired by the elegance and sensuality of the little black dress.

“We are [pleased] to welcome Gwyneth Paltrow to the Hugo Boss family as the face of our new Boss Black female signature scent,” said Gerd Von Podewils, global marketing director for Hugo Boss Fragrances, P&G Prestige, who is in London for the press launch today. “She is the perfect complement to Boss Fragrances.”

According to WWD, Gwyneth said, “I was honored and very happy to be chosen as the face of Boss Nuit Pour Femme,” said Paltrow, who will be presenting the fragrance later today at Sanderson Hotel in London.

“To me, the Boss woman is driven, ambitious and goes after what she wants, but she balances being strong and very feminine at the same time — characteristics that I strive toward in my own life.”