TownandCountryMag.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on TownandCountryMag.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Eau d'Italie Scented Candle: Town & Country To Die For

Style Features Director Erik Maza shares his must-haves

Eau d’Italie Scented Candle

A candle that captures, improbably, the scent of the famed Amalfi Coast hotel Le Sirenuse.

TheGentlemanRacer.com

Ligne St. Barth as seen on TheGentlemanRacer.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Ligne St. Barth Homme Eau de Toilette for Men: 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

In putting together our 2021 we decided to follow the lead of what we did last year featuring products we have tested, personally bought, or used throughout the year. No affiliate links or sponsored inserts, each product here is something we have personally tested, used, and believe in (with the exception of the Janus Motorcycle which we will be riding soon, we just loved it too much to not include it).

From our favorite watches, boots, and books, to the only fragrance we have all universally agreed on, this list is made up of unique gift items that most men would love to find under stuffed in their stocking or perhaps parked in the garage. 

Ligne St. Barth Homme Eau de Toilette

Finding the right scent can be hard, but this classic from Ligne St Barth has been a staple since the 1980s and is the signature product of the St Barth Homme brand. This is one of the first fragrances we have sampled that was universally liked by everyone in the office, the simple clean scent captures the sophisticated country lifestyle we love.

nypost.com

Jasmine Leather as seen on nypost.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie: The 9 best fragrances from Italian luxury brands

Shopping for a luxurious new scent to give or receive this holiday season? From Dolce & Gabbana and Versace to Acqua di Parma and Giorgio Armani, these are our favorite new Italian fragrances.

Eau d'Italie Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum Spray

CV Lux Magazine

Jasmine Leather as seen in CV Lux Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie: Fragrant Finds

There’s love at first sight, and then there’s love at first scent. Not only do all of these fragrances stun on your dresser, but they are also true beauties in a bottle and the perfect spritz for yourself or someone special. Smell is the strongest sense for memory, so give a gift that has a lasting impression.

Eau d'Italie Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum Spray

JustLuxe.com

Ligne St. Barth as seen on JustLuxe.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Ligne St Barth: Laid Back Luxury for Body & Soul

If a trip to Saint-Barthélemy is not in the offing, try the next best thing: Ligne St Barth. This luxurious line of spa and skincare products enjoys a global following of those who well know the seductive charms of the French West Indies Caribbean island. Princess Charlene of Monaco, Steven Spielberg, Melanie Griffith, Claudia Schiffer, and every supermodel who ever partied on Leo's yacht are all fans of the products founded by Herve Brin.

Luxe, effective, and naturally Caribbean, the St Barth line is imbued with the “spirit of nature.” Brin, who started his company in the 1980s, originally handcrafted natural oils pressed from the island’s fruits and flowers and sold his wares on the beach in re-purposed rum bottles. The brand has since developed iconic status; every jetsetter who has set foot in Saint-Barthélemy has surely crossed paths with the line’s famed Avocado Oil, a regenerating, replenishing product without which a beach vacation is incomplete. Other cult favorites include the Papaya Peeling Cream and the Aloe Vera and Mint Gel, which works as an aftershave or an invigorating, moisturizing after-sun skin soother. With 40 indulgent choices, there’s literally a skincare option for everyone.

For men, the Ligne St Barth Homme line is tailored to specific needs. Lightly scented with the intoxicating essence of the exotic island for which the brand is named - a hint of lemon, subtly tangy and aromatic, with a soupçon of salty surf -  these products provide an effective boost to skin's natural collagen production. Each product is packed with natural active substances like tropical mango, coconut oil, and shea butter. For women, the Sea Breeze Collection is a great introduction featuring a fragrant shower gel, toner, and body oil.

Ligne St Barth is available in 30 countries around the world. In the United States, find the full line at Beautyhabit.com or in the new Beautyhabit boutique in Montecito, California.

All photos courtesy of Ligne St Barth

rd.com (Reader's Digest)

Child Perfume Roll On as seen on rd.com (Readers Digest)...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

87 Gifts for the Mom Who Says She Needs Nothing—But Deserves Everything

Looking for the perfect present for the most important woman in your life? You're in the right place for the gifts that every mom wants.

Child Perfume Oil

Best for: The beach-loving mom

Maybe you can’t bring mom to California, but she will feel the beachy vibe every time she rolls CHILD perfume oil on her skin. Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston, and Nicole Kidman are just a few of the celebs who are fans of the intoxicating aroma of vanilla, jasmine, and magnolia, with demure hints of lilac, rose, and violet and just enough patchouli to remind her of the good old days.

Forbes.com

Ligne St. Barth as seen on forbes.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

It all started in repurposed rum bottles  — it’s become a cult classic — and it’s quite the story.

In fact, the brand is luscious, gorgeous, and very French – sort of like Brigitte Bardot in her heyday.

Ligne St Barth is a family-owned business and Herve Brin is its CEO. Mr. Brin started the company in the 1980s selling pure, pressed avocado and coconut oils in re-purposed rum bottles to tourists on the beach. It is now a global phenomenon available in 30 countries, with 40 products in the line, including a collection tailored just for men. Beloved of celebs, tourists, and locals, Ligne St Barth has a spa at the Eden Rock, offers dockside yacht service of spa treatments in St. Barth – who wouldn’t love that? – and they offer natural sun and skincare products made from all that is local - mango, papaya, lily, vanilla orchid and more - with recipes handed down in their family from descendants of the Arawak Indians.

When you do arrive in St. Barth, you can enjoy a little slice of Ligne St. Barth at the Eden spa at the tony Eden Rock hotel.  Mind you, this gorgeous getaway was the first hotel built on sunny St Barths, and for more than 50 years it has welcomed a privileged clientele seeking tranquility and white sands. I spoke with spa manager Laura Derozey, who told me, “We offer lots of treatments with Ligne St. Barth – it is an olfactory journey.” The most popular treatment, she told me, is the Eden Flower Treatment, a relaxing massage with frangipani (plumeria) flowers. “We chose an iconic local brand because we are an iconic hotel in St. Barth.”

I also conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Brin by phone from his office in St. Barth. Here is what he told me.

What made you decide to start a product line with ingredients from St. Barth?

It’s a funny story – it was a tradition in my family to produce our own coconut oil and avocado oil – my grandma was well-known physical therapist helping local people with health problems. I grew up with my grandma who taught me about plants and herbs. My nanny was my grandma. Later on I started in the discipline of science – and decided to make a business out of it – at that time my grandparents used to produce coconut and avocado oil – I decided to do something with it and modernize the presentation. I used rum bottles as the packaging – I hand-wrote the name of the products with a golden marker – I opened a small shop for locals and tourists.  It took time but it prospered through word-of-mouth. Even celebrities come to my shop for the products.

What are some of the bestsellers?

In summer it’s the roucou oil – a tanning oil.  (The deep red seeds of the roucou shrub were used as a traditional form of sun protection by the Arawaks due to the high proportion of Vitamin A.) And now we are developing a sun spray with SFP 30. The Avocado Oil with the tiare flower fragrance – people love it as a skincare oil. And the Mango Butter Cream.

What are some of the indigenous ingredients used in the brand?

Avocado oil from Martinique, roucou seed from Dominica, the aloe vera from Curacao, and some bottles from French Guyana. We have two shops  — one in Gustavia by the harbor and one at the facilities where they are produced. It’s in the countryside. 

Tell me about the products offered dockside for yacht service??

We have a full spa service such as at the Eden Rock– and at five-star hotels around the world. Spa service, upon request from clients on their yachts  — our teams of spa therapists can go dockside and provide treatments from our spa menu — that works very well Our clients love it.

What is your bestseller for men?

The Aloe Vera Gel With Mint. Men love it as an after-shave. It’s very refreshing with spearmint.

What celebrities use the products??

Princess Charlotte of Monaco (Prince Albert’s wife), French actors and Steven Spielberg used to order a lot of products from us. Claudia Schiffer. Melanie Griffith.

Why is St. Barth so loved by celebrities?

It’s very peaceful - a very relaxing atmosphere –  no one will try to sell you anything – they are captivated by the beauty of the landscape, the brightness, friendliness, cleanliness. No advertising billboards or fast-food-chains. Very good infrastructure and very good Internet services, and a good food supply chain from the US and Europe – we have world-class gastronomy with great chefs and great choice of restaurants. Plus French cabarets in a beautiful atmosphere. Here, women can wear their most beautiful jewelry and men can wear their most expensive watches.

Ligne St. Barth, I would say, is the epitome of fragrant flowers, exotic fruits – and Caribbean nonchalance. It is available at beautyhabit.com but the brand site at www.Lignestbarth.com is also extensive. Voila!

Montecito Country Mart

Welcome to the Mart, Beautyhabit Modern Luxe Apothecary...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Beautyhabit Montecito is an intimate, jewel box beauty destination offering skincare, bath + body, hair care, candles, makeup, fragrance, natural + organic, along with many hard-to-find products, including Diptyque, Oribe, Susanne Kaufmann, Vintner's Daughter, Santa Maria Novella. A curation of the best in global indie beauty, cult-favorites and wonderful new discoveries scouted from around the world, Beautyhabit is truly a modern, luxury apothecary.

LuxuryTravelMagazine.com

Ligne St. Barth as seen on luxurytravelmagazine.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

CEO Herve Brin started Ligne St Barth in the 1980s, selling coconut and avocado oil on the beach in re-purposed rum bottles. Using only local fruits and flowers and recipes handed down for generations, he has built a natural skincare line coveted the world over.  From dockside service on arrival to pampering spa sessions at the Eden Roc, Ligne St Barth is a must have when it comes to making time on the Island an extraordinary indulgence.

Q. Who does Ligne St Barth appeal to?

With a following - for decades now - of world travelers who seek natural luxuries wherever they go, Ligne St Barth is one of those “in-the-know” brands that’s quietly, secretly coveted. From fashionistas to CEOS and Supermodels Ligne St Barth’s healing oils, gels, and creams have been a “bring home from St Barth” must have since the collection’s early days when it appeared on the beach in repurposed, hand-labeled rum bottles. Ligne St Barth has its origins in a time well before ounces mattered and plastic was - when traveling - preferred.

Q. Why does Ligne St Barth have staying power?

It’s results-driven. The skincare is made from the local plants and flowers and it’s made to deliver olfactory rewards as it keeps our skin and bodies youthful -- with perfect travel-ready packaging.

These super emollient-based unisex skincare creams and lotions are indeed impressive. Essentials - a “maintenance tier” - are indulgent basics from Ligne St Barth. Whether you’re a sunworshipper or a shade-seeker, after a day at the beach what revitalizes? A head-to-toe scrub for regeneration that also keeps an even skin tone. Start revitalizing aprés sun and before cocktails with Papaya Peeling Shower Cream. Follow with Ligne St Barth Cream Mask with Pink Clay and Passionfruit. The Frangipani Flower Cleansing Milk is a blissful treat twice a day, aloe vera, mango butter and sweet almond oil soothe while they refresh, certainly this cleanser is a lusg treatment for all, but a necessity for fair, sensitive, or sun-parched skin. Make your shower the best part of the day with Amber & Vanilla Shower Cream or Extra Mild Shower Gel With Vetyver & Lavender. Post-sun and surf, the Melon Tonic Lotion is perfect for a reset, just spray and head out the door!

Still family-owned, Ligne St. Barth’s formulas date back generations. Made from raw and potent fruits and flowers the line has hardly diverged from the original naturopathic remedies. What will you discover in the line? Pure avocados, aloe pulp or squeezed mango-lime juice with herbs - an excellent a topical antiseptic that helps soothe burns, relieve aches and, naturally help repair mature complexions. Years, even a century or so has passed since these natural cures were first used, so naturally, their effectiveness is proven over time.

Q. What is the basis of the Ligne St Barth formulas?

CEO Hervé Brin, who founded Ligne St Barth in 1983 and continues to steer this family-owned business, wants us to understand that Ligne St Barth “products and their healing properties come from plants with purpose.” Today, his grandmother’s concoctions are still the barometer for maintaining levels of excellence. “Potent, live actives” is Brin’s mantra for Ligne St Barth’s curative skincare, after all the line is genuinely a reflection of a childhood spent with a botanical pharmacy growing in his backyard.

Jumping off a sailboat or splashing in the pool, what to have handy? Sunsplash Face & Body Splash for dockside refreshing; Aloe Vera Gel With Mint as an after shave or post-sun soother; Avocado Hair & Skin Oil or Coconut Dry Oil as a daytime/sun hair treatment and pre-shampoo protectant. For that citrusy pick me up, bring along a travel size of Ligne St. Barth Eau De Toilette Homme spray just in case, or Patchouli Arawak Eau de Toilette if a sunset cocktail is next on the agenda.

Q. Ligne St Barth skincare/bodycare is unisex but aren’t there ALSO choices just for men?

For sure, men may shortlist Ligne St Barth as go-to necessities on land or at sea. Mango seed oil, Caribbean sea water and shea butter are a potent healing combination for men, they smoothly deliver pure unsaturated fatty acids in the Moisturizing Facial Fluid boosting natural collagen production —where we need it most— where men can see the ravages of time from neck to pecs. Even though this easily absorbed facial fluid hydrates as well as a cream, it’s light and matte, a shine-free treatment. You could say it is a yachtsman’s best friend. The wind and sun, St Barth’s natural elements, deplete the skin, robbing it of elasticity and hydration, Rich Mango Butter Cream restores firmness, replacing stolen nutrients. When the sun sets and those legs ache from a hard day sailing or a few too many hours spent splashing among the waves, the evening elixir to take the edge off is the Relaxing Body Oil with Camphor & Menthol.

Q. Where can one find Ligne St Barth?

Of course, you can find Ligne St Barth locally on the Island at the fabulous and famous, Eden Roc Hotel. Arriving with immediate gratification being your goal, book for on-yacht service the moment you dock. A facial, body treatment, full range of massages or a men’s rapid head, hands, and foot service is sure to help you face the music for a night of dancing at Nikki Beach. Back home and needing to replenish? Head to Beautyhabit.com and Island indulgence straight from St. Barth will be yours for days, weeks, months to come.

805 Living

Mind, Body, Soul - A New Beauty and Skincare Hub in Montecito...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Beautyhabit (beautyhabit.com) opens a brick-and-mortar outpost this month in the Montecito Country Mart. Beautyhabit Montecito offers skin- and hair-care, bath and body products, makeup, candles, and fragrance, along with many hard-to-find natural products.

Business partners and sisters Teresa Mitchell and Paula Vazquez have shared finds from their global beauty excursions at their Westlake Village–based online company for 25 years. “We’re looking forward to interacting in a beautiful, relaxed setting where clients may sample our products,” says Vazquez.

In addition to featuring the latest launches from fragrance creators, such as Eau d’Italie Le Sirenuse Positano, the boutique will host monthly pop-ups, beginning in October with a limited-edition candle collection by British-American designer Harris Reed. “We’re totally smitten with the ’70s rock-and-roll vibe from this hot London fashion designer,” says Vazquez.

BeautyIndependent.com

Asklepios Garden as seen on beautyindependent.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

New Brand Asklepios Garden Showcases The Luxury Of Plant-Powered Skincare

Asklepios Garden founder Nicholas Bradford Fritz has always gravitated toward creative fields. He’s designed furniture, handled marketing, made chocolate and, before launching his gender-fluid, vegan, luxury skincare line in April of this year, entered the beauty industry at haircare, skincare and body care brand Sangre de Fruta Botanical.

“This small beauty brand offered me a position to make their product because there are a lot of similarities in the way that skincare and chocolate are made,” says Fritz, who joined Sangre de Fruta in 2017 when it was a fledging business run out of a friend’s kitchen. “We kind of grew up together.” When his role at the brand ended in 2020, Fritz figured he’d return to marketing, but realized his thirst for building beauty products hadn’t been quenched.

“I thought to myself, ‘You know what, I’m really loving this clean beauty world,'” he recounts. “It just lit a fire within me, but I also felt that I needed to educate myself.” To educate himself, Fritz enrolled in online organic cosmetic formulation school Formula Botanica as the pandemic hit last year. “It was an incredible experience. It taught me all the foundational skills for skincare formulation, for product stability, for ingredient sourcing and safety,” he says. “It really gave me the confidence to create my own formulations from scratch.” While studying at Formula Botanica, Fritz began developing the brand that would become Asklepios Garden.

Rooted in his passion for art history and ancient mythology, Fritz designed a logo for Asklepios Garden that references Asclepius, the Greek god of healing. “His symbol is the serpent because he learned the secrets to healing from watching a serpent carry medicinal leaf to another serpent,” explains Fritz. “I made my logo a take off that. I really wanted to create a brand that touched on the history of ancient skincare routines and use some ancient ingredients, but I also wanted to incorporate modern skincare technologies.”

Housed in Italian glassware, Asklepios Garden’s debut collection features $79 Oleum Deorum Nourishing Oil Cleanser, $59 Creme Fraiche Gentle Creme Cleanser, $98 Jardin Flaneur Light Creme Moisturiser and $128 Prima Materia Phyto-Actif Facial Serum. A toner called Élixer de Philosophe Herbaceous Facial Toner, which took 20 renditions to get right, is up next. It’s been delayed due to a pump issue in Italy, not an unusual predicament given the supply chain chaos disrupting the beauty industry. After the toner, Fritz plans to release an exfoliating scrub and mask, and an unscented moisturizer.

Asklepios Garden products contain ingredients such as shea butter, pomegranate seed oil, aloe vera, ashwagandha and helichrysum. They also contain hyaluronic acid, organic, cold-pressed oils and herbal extracts Fritz draws from organic herbs, including licorice and dandelion roots. Some of Asklepios Garden’s products use aloe vera as a “richer, more nutrient-rich” alternative to water, according to Fritz.

Preservatives aren’t off limits. “There’s a scary trend in the beauty world where some brands are going preservative-free. This is actually quite dangerous, but I use preservatives that are approved by the European Union standard of organic green beauty,” says Fritz. “There’s a natural preserving agent in all of my products that contain water, which is very important.”

Asklepios Garden’s skincare consciously crosses gender boundaries. “I really wanted to bridge the gap between the genders and create a high-quality, organic, vegan product that men, women or non-binary people can all use without feeling alienated by gendered marketing,” says Fritz. “I stand behind inclusivity—aging inclusivity, gender inclusivity—that’s just something that’s very, very important to me.” Giving back is integral to the Vancouver, B.C.-based brand as well. It donates a percentage of each sale to the LGBTQI support organization Rainbow Railroad and environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservatory of Canada.

Asklepios Garden is primarily sold via direct-to-consumer distribution on its website, but has picked up wholesale accounts. Notably, it’s carried by beauty e-tailer Beautyhabit. “I’m trying to keep the growth as organic as possible and trying to partner up with some great retailers that have the same point of view on clean beauty,” says Fritz. “I’m in talks with a lot of really exciting retailers. I can’t really say everything right now, but there’s definitely exciting things ahead, and I definitely plan to expand the the product range to complete the whole skincare routine.”

wwd.com

Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA as seen on wwd.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit - Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA

The Couple Instilling the Essence of Italy in Fragrances for 20 Years

On occasion of the 20th anniversary of beauty brand Eau d’Italie, founders Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena launched a new fragrance and revamped packaging, setting the tone for the label’s next chapters.

MILAN — Even through a screen, talking to Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena is an energizing experience.

The couple behind the beauty brand Eau d’Italie and fragrance label ALTAIA were all smiles throughout an hourlong Facetime call during which they shared anecdotes and reflected on the evolution of their businesses.

Their setting likely played a role in their upbeat mood, too: rays of Mediterranean sun coming through the windows of the legendary Hotel Le Sirenuse in Positano, Italy, lent them a natural glowy filter (and certainly elicited envy from the other end of the phone).

Sersale and Alvarez Murena’s story is inherently intertwined with the the iconic location — an 18th-century palazzo that was turned into a luxury hotel by Sersale’s father and his siblings in 1951. Ever since, it has attracted an international audience of renowned intellectuals and celebrities, and, in modern times, dominates the Instagram accounts of influencers, high-flying travelers and fashion lovers alike.

As the hotel turned 70 this year, the Eau d’Italie brand marked its 20th anniversary by continuing its mission to exemplify the Italian lifestyle in its fragrance collection, which also includes ambiance scents and body care products.

“In 2001, the hotel was turning 50 and big celebrations were to be staged in October with 400 international guests in attendance, but 9/11 changed everything. The whole world stopped,” recalled Alvarez Murena. In the following months, the younger generation of the family conversed and shared ideas on how to mark the milestone in lieu of the event when Sersale and Alvarez Murena came up with the concept of creating a fragrance that could “bottle the feeling of being at Le Sirenuse in summer.”

Although the couple didn’t have a background strictly focused on beauty — with Sersale boasting a career as a documentary filmmaker and Alvarez Murena with a past as journalist — the duo stepped into the niche perfumery arena to develop the juice and packaging of both the celebratory scent and related body care line for the hotel.

“We didn’t want a classic citrusy fragrance, but thought of replicating the smell of our terrace in summer, defined by the smell of terracotta warmed up under the sun,” continued Alvarez Murena, underscoring that the duo wanted to shy away from stereotyped representations of the Amalfi coast.

They embraced the same approach while designing the minimal packaging. “We are in a baroque palazzo but this place has a contemporary quality in it, such as our spa designed by Gae Aulenti. So we wanted the scent’s look to mirror this appeal and be modern in order to fit in every house, not just here,” said Sersale about the essential, white flacon.

The Eau d’Italie fragrance got immediate — and unexpected — visibility, as requests started to come through by the likes of 10 Corso Como in Milan and Colette in Paris.

“We thought it was so cool but the demand got unmanageable, so we had two options: either let go of this project or evolve it and open a small company,” said Alvarez Murena. The couple went for the latter and since 2004 has been expanding the Eau d’Italie offering, which currently counts 10 scents bearing names such as “Easy to Love” and “Un Bateau Pour Capri.” Drawing inspiration from different, Italian experiences, the range was enriched this year with the newest “Jasmine Leather” scent paying tribute to the country’s artisanal traditions.

Distribution gradually expanded, too, with products currently available at the hotel’s emporium as well as roughly 300 doors worldwide, ranging from Bergdorf Goodman to platforms such as beautyhabit.com in the U.S. The brand also has a flagship in Rome and e-commerce shipping in all Europe.

Throughout the years packaging underwent three revamps, the latest of which was designed to mark the 20th anniversary and set the tone for the brand’s future chapters. Transitioning to a more luxe interpretation, the founders maintained the linear silhouettes but revisited proportions. They additionally scaled back on the popping colors that used to distinguish the different scents: Now colored accents just outline the new labels that adorn the white lacquered glass flacons and mark the textured paper of the restyled outer boxes.

Each bottle is topped by a mirror-polished solid brass cap, which nods to the look of the hotel’s bar counter and is engraved with the two mermaids of Le Sirenuse’s logo.

In sync with the image elevation, the couple also adjusted the price positioning to be more in sync with the brand equity and market conditions, which over the last years registered a spike in the demand of niche perfumes. Prices for each 100-ml. sized edp switched from 125 euros to 150 euros, or around 170 dollars.

Beside Italy, key markets for the label include the U.S, the U.K., Germany and especially Australia, where the brand is available at Mecca Cosmetica.

“We have had a little exposition in the Middle East, maybe because our look was perceived too Occidental. But over the past 10 to 15 years, Middle Eastern consumers have changed a lot and had such an interesting evolution, also in terms of taste, so it makes sense that we now explore that market,” said Alvarez Murena about future plans.

The company is also implementing a pilot launch in Japan to test the local market. “Even if Japanese consumers don’t have a long tradition in using perfumes, they appreciate the attention to details. We noticed in our sales points that these customers purchased our products not much for the fragrance per se but as a sort of sculptures to keep at home,” he said. “Plus, they love storytelling and we have plenty of that. So not sure what will happen in that market but it is worth a try.”

Meanwhile, with the experience gained from the Eau d’Italie project, the duo also launched a second, higher positioned brand. In 2012, Sersale and Alvarez Murena discovered by chance that their families crossed paths in Argentina centuries ago — the former is the great-great-granddaughter of entrepreneur James Morrison and the latter the great-great-grandson of General Bartolomé Mitre, who became unified Argentina’s first president in 1862 and opened the country to foreign investments, including Morrison’s.

The ancestral link inspired the couple to create ALTAIA, acronym for “A long time ago in Argentina,” and celebrate their storytelling through fragrances. The brand now includes seven scents, ranging from “Don’t Cry For Me” to the newest “Atacama” fragrance.

The Altaia scents are distributed via the same channels as Eau d’Italie’s, but the couple’s ultimate plan for this brand is to keep it strictly focused on perfumery rather than exploring other categories.

IdentifyLA.com

Child Perfume Heir Roll On as seen on IdentifyLA.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Enjoy #HotGirlSummer With These Top Picks

After spending the past 16 months on lockdown due to the quarantine protocols in place, Los Angeles is finally opening up. With that said, we’re MORE than ready to hit the road and pretty much go anywhere! Even better, Summer is officially around the corner! We can smell the rosé and sunblock from a mile away. Get ready for Summer with our top picks this season!

Heir Roll On

We couldn’t complete this list without an amazing product that will have you smelling your absolute best. Heir is full of aromatic notes of forest woods, buttery-soft leather and sparkling lime create a transcendent scent enjoyed by both men and women. The best part is it’s an alcohol-free blend of natural and nature-identical perfume essences. It’s light yet present, with a lingering scent that will last.

New York Lifestyles

Ligne St. Barth Homme Collection as seen in New York Lifestyles Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Life & Style Dads & Grads Edition

Scent His Way

Ever since guys realized dry, dull skin is not exclusive to women, they’ve joined the quest for an appropriate and, in their case, dude-specific solution—preferably involving ingredients sourced from nature. The skincare line Ligne St Barth Homme has it all, from its ingredient list made up of plants indigenous to St Barth to the products themselves, including a cleansing/moisturizing shower gel and a lush body lotion. As for the fragrance, its citrus meets tangy meets surf.

Photo by: David Taylor

Forbes.com

ALTAIA Atacama Eau de Parfum as seen on Forbes.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

NYTimes.com

Eau d'Italie Rosa Greta as seen on NYTimes.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

52 Fragrances and How to Think About Them

An encyclopedia of some of the most interesting floral, woody, fresh and spicy scents around.

How do you organize perfume?

Michael Edwards, the perfume historian and author, founded and runs what is arguably the most extensive database on perfumes, fragrancesoftheworld.info. It contains over 38,000 scents and counting. This is nuts. How is anyone expected to make sense of these things? You organize them into categories. OK, pretty obvious — categories exist explicitly to give us a common language we can use to talk about things with one another. The less obvious question, then: How do you create your categories?

Floral

The Italian fragrance house Eau d’Italie could already lay claim to one of the most beautiful rose perfumes, Paestum Rose — a richly textured late-evening fragrance created by Bertrand Duchaufour in 2006 — when its founders and creative directors, Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena, commissioned what would become Rosa Greta, named for Greta Garbo’s home on the Amalfi Coast, from Fabrice Pellegrin. Around his central structure, Pellegrin applied fresh, pure lychee and white tea, which lift the rose, making it glass-smooth and almost weightless.

LuxuryCard.com

Ligne St. Barth as seen on LuxuryCard.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

What's Next - Beauty Finds

Ligne St. Barth

Dreaming of St. Barths? Rosemary-and-lime-scented LSB Homme from Ligne St Barth (famous since the 1980s for bringing avocado and coconut cold-pressed oils to sunbathing tourists) will transport you to the sands and surf of the Caribbean.

LuxuryCard.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on LuxuryCard.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

What's Next - Beauty Finds

Eau d’Italie

The signature fragrance of Positano’s Le Sirenuse, a five-star hotel with the atmosphere of an old, family palazzo. The scent translates as spicy-musky mixed with oranges-in-bloom and magnolia notes carried by the salty sea breeze.

Signature Bride

ALTAIA Wonder of You Eau de Parfum as seen in Signature Bride...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

The Eau d’Italie fragrance collection stems from a single signature fragrance that celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of the Amalfi Coast’s most beautiful hotels, Le Sirenuse, and now comprises 10 scents that explore the romance of Italy. ALTAIA, the brand’s newest venture, turns your attention to the passions of Argentina with its seven fragrance collection, including Wonder of You, with hints of citrus and light florals capturing the subtle details that make us fall for that special someone and bring the sense of awe that only love can create. The elegant collection of liquid soaps and home fragrances is equally suited for gift giving.

EastHampton.com

ALTAIA as seen on EastHampton.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Atacama Eau de Parfum: A Sensual Awakening

Precious, rare, a sensual awakening…Atacama Eau de Parfum…It’s often said that true love waits…And indeed, this romantic notion inspires the luxurious new scent, Atacama, which takes Italian Fragrance House ALTAIA back to South America. There, beyond the Northwest Argentine border, lies Atacama, the highest desert on earth, a majestic extension of salt and sands. Rain is scarce yet the slightest amount awakens the seeds which patiently await underground, turning the arid landscape pink with flowers. The fragrance is a woodsy floral with oceanic nuances.

Unnamedproject.com

ALTAIA, Atacama, Eau de Parfum, Beauty Frontier ALTAIA as seen on Unnampedproject.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Atacama by ALTAIA

This new fragrance from ALTAIA, – a long time ago in Argentina, captures the beauty and lasting allure of the driest places on earth. The Atacama, on the Northeast Argentine border, is the highest desert on earth, a stunning expanse of salt and sand. The fragrance notes include salt grains, freesia, jasmine, clary sage, and cashmere wood. Photography by David Lewis Taylor.

JustLuxe.com

ALTAIA as seen on JustLuxe.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Last Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

If you are looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift for that special woman in your life and have run out of ideas, we have got you covered.

For the woman who loves a luxuriously indulgent fragrance, be sure to check out the new fragrance by ALTAIA known as ATACAMA. The seventh fragrance in the line that launched this spring has notes of salt grains, freesia, jasmine, clary sage, Tonka bean and cashmere wood.

Out

Eau d'Italie as seen in Out Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Sometimes The Perfect Scent — In The Perfect Spot — Is Precisely What You Need

Fragrance, by definition, is moody. It should be defining and sensual, create a positive response, and (hopefully) produce sexual attraction. But how much of the right scent in the right place makes you memorable, powerful, or confident? The best scent should appear to be part of your very DNA. Sounds easy enough — but it’s not!

Know this: Enormous amounts of behind-the-scenes love, science, herbology, passion, romance, and sexuality are poured into testing these olfactory creations. To keep up with the high-end rarity of the luxury boutique fragrance markets, big-name fashion houses have rolled out some exquisite couture scents for those who rule the world. And now so can you.

The fragrances that follow are worthy of our attention. The herbs, flowers, oils, and foliage that go into these masterpieces have a very long list of top, mid, and base notes. I’ve noted a few standout ingredients but didn’t want to get too much into the weeds. 

One quick note: Spray on fabric, not yourbare chest and neck for lung longevity and to avoid skin spotting. Also, the more formal, decidedly evening fragrances are strong and can arrive well before you do. So one small spritz between the wrists then smushed behind your ears is precisely just enough for daytime use. Let’s see where that takes you.

Eau d'Italie presents an unstoppable sex scent, Jasmine Leather (doesn’t it sound like a winning contestant’s name on RuPaul’s Drag Race?). It features elemi, saffron, jasmine, patchouli, and cedar, which defined a level of Renaissance-era class when people scented leather wardrobes.

Out

Ligne St. Barth as seen in Out Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Sometimes The Perfect Scent — In The Perfect Spot — Is Precisely What You Need

Fragrance, by definition, is moody. It should be defining and sensual, create a positive response, and (hopefully) produce sexual attraction. But how much of the right scent in the right place makes you memorable, powerful, or confident? The best scent should appear to be part of your very DNA. Sounds easy enough — but it’s not!

Know this: Enormous amounts of behind-the-scenes love, science, herbology, passion, romance, and sexuality are poured into testing these olfactory creations. To keep up with the high-end rarity of the luxury boutique fragrance markets, big-name fashion houses have rolled out some exquisite couture scents for those who rule the world. And now so can you.

The fragrances that follow are worthy of our attention. The herbs, flowers, oils, and foliage that go into these masterpieces have a very long list of top, mid, and base notes. I’ve noted a few standout ingredients but didn’t want to get too much into the weeds. 

One quick note: Spray on fabric, not yourbare chest and neck for lung longevity and to avoid skin spotting. Also, the more formal, decidedly evening fragrances are strong and can arrive well before you do. So one small spritz between the wrists then smushed behind your ears is precisely just enough for daytime use. Let’s see where that takes you.

Ligne St. Barth

Homme could be another contender. It’s extraordinarily manly, fresh, and nonchalant. Meant for the dynamite who might go from beach walk to country club lunch to denim-chic happy hour cocktail. It’s rich in old family shaman heritage with rosemary and lime, and the aromatic notes of aniseed and orange blossom, hay, royal fern, and moss di use beautifully.

Caviar Affair

Ligne St. Barth as seen in Caviar Affair Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Global Brand, Local Luxury - Unisex Anti-aging botanicals keep it simple—for men, too

Product beauty shot Top Left: Ligne St. Barth’s curative formulas are based on naturopathic remedies dating back generations. CEO Herve Brin is quick to say “our products’ healing comes from plants with purpose,” noting that his grandmother's concoctions are still the barometer for maintaining levels of excellence.

Product beauty shot Bottom Right: the unisex anti-aging botanicals in Ligne St.Barth keep it simple—for men, too. Packed with natural active substances from tropical mango, coconut and shea butter, each product is lightly scented with the Eau de Toilette’s fragrance – a hint of lemon, subtly tangy and aromatic, with a soupçon of salty surf.

Ligne St. Barth is one of those in-the-know brands that has empowered many an understated, prestigious group of jetsetters for decades. It’s common knowledge that fashionistas, business titans and supermodels had carry-on bags full of Ligne St. Barth healing oils, gels and creams in repurposed, hand-labeled rum bottles—before the whole world was forced to change packing habits. The solution? These olfactory emulsions have remained and evolved into resultsoriented, targeted solutions in perfect little packages that keep our skin and bodies youthful.

These super emollient-based unisex skincare creams and lotions and their maintenance tier of Ligne St. Barth are impressive. Sunbather or not, I urge everyone (especially men) to do a head-to-toe scrub for regeneration and to keep even skin color just from being in the outdoor tropics. First, use PAPAYA PEELING SHOWER CREAM and their CREAM MASK WITH PINK CLAY AND PASSIONFRUIT. Twice a day I’d use FRANGIPANI FLOWER CLEANSING MILK with Aloe vera, mango butter and sweet almond oil, a luxurious treatment cleanser for anyone, but really great for fair, sensitive or sun-parched skin. Showering can be the best part of our day. Heighten that experience with AMBER & VANILLA SHOWER CREAM or EXTRA MILD SHOWER GEL WITH VETYVER & LAVENDER. The MELON TONIC LOTION is the perfect post-cleanse spray toner or gym/sport item for any human needing a fresh reset while out and about.

The brand’s St. Barths origins have been producing raw and quite potent formulas dating back to the founding families’ generations of medicine women’s type of naturopathic remedies. Why is it that we still use pure avocados, aloe pulp or squeezed mango-lime juice with herbs as a topical antiseptic, to cure burns, soothe aches or slow down skin aging? Because they work. Ligne St. Barth’s founder, Hervé Brin, was quick to say “our product’s healing comes from plants with purpose” noting that his grandmother’s concoctions are the barometer for maintaining levels of excellence. While our conversation toggled my poor “Frenglish,” we laughingly landed on the same thing: A childhood spent with a botanical pharmacy growing in his backyard is precisely why the brand’s curative skincare ethos revolves around potent, live actives. No wonder.

What about pool-hopping, a beach or sail day? Here’s what I’d toss into my sailor’s duffle: SUNSPLASH FACE & BODY SPLASH for dockside refreshing; ALOE VERA GEL WITH MINT as an after shave or post-sun soother; AVOCADO HAIR & SKIN OIL or COCONUT DRY OIL as a daytime/sun hair treatment and preshampoo protectant.

And definitely pack a travel size of LIGNE ST. BARTH EAU DE TOILETTE HOMME spray just in case, or PATCHOULI ARAWAK EAU DE TOILETTE if a tête-à-tête is on the horizon.

Lucky me. Almost a decade ago, a hotel chain owner in St. Martin gave me the entire Ligne St. Barth Homme men’s line as a welcome basket from his luxury resort. As a veteran beauty editor covering antiaging skincare and spa, I have to use and test my mature skin with hundreds of products regularly. I use layers of serums, plumpers, lifters and line reducing creams because I have to. And I love that.

Here’s the rub; as a man, if my career didn’t demand such a complex regimen, Ligne St. Barth would be shortlisted as a go-to mainstay. Because the potency that comprises MOISTURIZING FACIAL FLUID for men is primarily mango seed oil, Caribbean sea water (genius) and shea butter, there’s an unrivaled delivery of pure unsaturated fatty acids that feeds the skin. This penetration boosts our body’s natural collagen production—where we need it most—on our face and decolletage. The latter applies to men’s shrink marks, from necks to pecs. Further, this absorbable facial fluid hydrates just like a cream, but feels light and matte as a shine-free treatment. A yachtsman’s best friend? After a full day of wind and sun, RICH MANGO BUTTER CREAM restores elasticity and facial firmness, replacing nutrients robbed by the island’s natural elements. But the best evening elixir by far is the RELAXING BODY OIL WITH CAMPHOR & MENTHOL for soothing aches or sore legs.

Ligne St. Barth’s body line is renowned for supple skin. While featured locally at the famed EDEN ROCK HOTEL, you could also have your island host or concierge book a spectacular facial, body treatment, full range of massages or a men’s rapid head, hands and foot service, on-yacht or poolside. Back on the mainland? purchase at Beautyhabit.com. You may never just towel-dry yourself again.

EastHampton.com

ALTAIA as seen on EastHampton.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit.com

Wonder Of You Eau de Parfum by ALTAIA: Valentine Gifts FOR HER

ALTAIA Fragrance Brings the Romance of Argentina Home

Imagine if you met and fell in love in Italy only to discover that your families were intertwined long ago in Argentina? How would you celebrate? How about creating a fragrance collection weaving past and present in a magical olfactory tale? Introducing Wonder of You from ALTAIA –  the name is an acronym for “A Long Time Ago In Argentina” – when extraordinary events centuries ago linked the families of these two lovers. This elegant celebration of the art of perfumery balances the freshness of citrus with caressing florals as the fragrance captures the joy of being in love every day. Speaking straight to the heart, Wonder of You  evokes the smile, the kiss…the look of love.

EastHampton.com

Ligne St. Barth Homme Collection as seen on EastHampton.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Homme Collection by Ligne St. Barth: Gifts To Go Out Or Stay At Home In Style

Inspired by St Barth, shower gel, body lotion and a light facial fluid are tailored to the specific needs of men’s skin. Lightly scented with the essence of St. Barth – a hint of lemon, subtly tangy and aromatic, with a soupçon of salty surf – each product is packed with natural active substances, tropical mango, coconut and shea butter.

EastHampton.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on EastHampton.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie: Gifts To Go Out Or Stay At Home In Style

Jasmine Leather Florentine fashionistas embraced the fashion of scenting leather a long time ago. Eau d’Italie Le Sirenuse Positano reinvents the luscious marriage of exotic jasmine and sensual leather.

The Melissa Clark Show (Podcast)

Eau d'Italie as seen on The Melissa Clark Show Podcast...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie

See the Interview: https://youtu.be/eMlDtTKHlO4

Jasmine Leather is a marriage meant to be: Jasmine and Leather belong to each other, each contributing its own uniqueness to a timeless personal note.

Notes: Elemi, Saffron, Jasmine, Leather, Patchouli, Cedar Wood.

Champagne Living

Eau d'italie as seen in Champagne Living Winter 2020...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Eau d'Italie Eau de Parfum Spray - Holiday Issue Gift Guide: A Little Luxury

Eau d'Italie Eau de Parfum

Help her experience the Amalfi Coast daily with a fragrance that says she lives la bella vita every day of her life. Initially a secret between those in the know, Eau d’Italie quickly traveled the world from the iconic Le Sirenuse Hotel on the Amalfi Coast in Positano to her vanity. The key… a truly Italian ingredient: la passione, that same burning passion that gave the world beauty and excellence in art, fashion and design. Eau d’Italie works with the greatest creators in the world, to create fragrances which are always contemporary, always original, and always inspiring.

Champagne Living

Child Perfume as seen in Champagne Living Winter 2020...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Child Perfume Limited Edition Extrait de Parfum - Holiday Issue Gift Guide: A Little Luxury

Tell her she's as intoxicating as the scent she wears with a gift of Child. The formula for Child is rich and intoxicating. This uninhibited fragrance is derived from brilliant exotic flowers. Give her a personal fragrance that reflects who she is - beautiful and always understated.

Downtown

Eau d'Italie as seen in Downtown Magazine...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie: It's A Gift

Downtown’s editors gathered the best and the brightest for the most festive time of the year.

IT’S THE SEASON OF GIVING, and we have selected some of our favorite items to give (and receive!), from accessories and home decor to comfort food and jewelry. Our holidays will look very different this year, but a gift from the heart can brighten the season and let your special someone know that you are thinking about them. Celebrate the holidays in style, or book a trip to Space, for the ultimate in socially distanced giving! From our homes to yours, we wish you the best of the season.

Jasmine Leather is inspired by Italy’s storied past, deriving from the tradition of scenting Italian leather goods with jasmine. Today, they come together in an elegant blend by Eau d’Italie in a way that is both refreshing and timeless.

Grungy Gentleman

Ligne St. Barth as seen on GrungyGentleman.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Ligne St. Barth Aloe Vera Gel With Mint: 2020 Holiday Gift Guide | Grungy Gifts

Grungy Gentleman's 2020 Holiday Gift Guide highlights the best apparel, accessories, gadgets and equipment on the market.

Ligne St. Barth Aloe Vera Gel with Mint

The aloe vera gel with mint is an excellent after-sun and after-shave product suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Manufactured without alcohol, it is not greasy and has a pleasantly refreshing effect. It supplies the skin with intensive moisture and soothes the skin after sunbathing relieving that “prickly skin” feeling.

kuwcoco.com

Child Perfume as seen on kuwcoco.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Child Perfume Roll On: Last-Minute Beauty Gifts That Will Arrive in Time for Christmas

Let’s face it, you never plan on waiting until the very last minute to start holiday shopping. Yet, every year, you end up scrolling through endless last-minute gift guides in hopes of finding the perfect gift days before your holiday celebration. 

Unnamedproject.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on unnamedproject.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie: Holiday 2020

This Holiday 2020 gift idea from one of the most beautiful places in the world where the fragrant air is a mix of lemon trees, rosemary, wild herbs, and bracing breezes from the sea below comes Eau d’Italie.

The first fragrances created by Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena was for the silver anniversary of the legendary Le Sirenuse Hotel in the stunning 18th-century palazzo in Positano. The entire line of their luxury fragrances is passion-filled and opulent. Jasmine Leather combines the delectable floral of jasmine with the intoxicating warmth of leather for a scent that brings the essence of both masculine and feminine sensuality to the forefront.

Photography by David Lewis Taylor

Bella Magazine

Ligne St. Barth as seen in Bella Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

 Peeling Cream with Papaya by Ligne St. Barth: Ohm for the Holidays

Treat yourself at home with all the posh and pampering of a world-class spa...

Tropical Treat

Ligne St. Barth Peeling Cream with Papaya is the perfect treatment to reveal radiant skin. The gentle exfoliating action of the jojoba pearls is the perfect treatment for the more delicate areas of your face, including your lips. It leaves the skin looking smoother, more supple, and brighter.

Departures.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on Departures.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather Eau de Parfum by Eau d'Italie: Gift Guide: Small Luxurious Gifts Perfect for Stocking Stuffers

Tiny unexpected objects done in luxurious materials make perfect holiday gifts for the most discerning people on your list. To create this list we thought about the moments in between the big adventure—listening to music, resting your eyes, putting on makeup—and selected pieces that bring ease, inspiration, and a little bit of luxury along the way.

Eau d’Italie Jasmine Leather

This new fragrance from the owners of Positano’s iconic Le Sirenuse hotel takes inspiration from a centuries-old Italian craft—scented leather accessories that emerged during the Renaissance in Florence. With notes of jasmine, leather, patchouli, and cedarwood, it is a complex and intriguing fragrance perfect for the colder and darker months.

Caviar Affair

Eau d'Italie as seen in Caviar Affair Magazine...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Jasmine Leather by Eau d'Italie: La Dolce Vita - Eau d'Italie Le Sirenuse Positano captures the essence of Italy in a bottle

Growing up in Rome, as a child Marina Sersale spent summers at her family’s fabled resort, Le Sirenuse, in Positano on Italy’s Amalfi coast. One of her most cherished memories was of racing her sister and cousin, Antonio, barefoot on the hotel’s terrace, which was made of handcrafted terracotta tiles. They gave off a distinct mineral scent when heated by the warmth of the sun. Years later, that became the foundation of the first Eau d’Italie Le Sirenuse Positano fragrance. 

Sersale’s family opened Le Sirenuse in 1951. They had a 60th birthday celebration planned in 2001, but 9/11 happened just weeks before, so the affair was canceled. The family still wanted to commemorate the hotel, so they decided to create a fragrance. At the time, Sersale was a documentary filmmaker and her husband, Sebastián Alvarez Murena, used to work in tobacco, so he had experience in scent, though neither had dabbled in perfume. The project landed in their laps, so they reached out to perfumers. “It was complete creative freedom, exploring a new world,” Sersale says. She wanted to capture that memory of racing on the terrace as a child, so the scent featured a mineral note of French clay, incense from the nearby church, black currant, and yellow sweet clover, one of the local wildflowers. “It really encapsulates Positano and Le Sirenuse in a bottle,” Sersale says. “It has a warm heart and a very fresh start.” Launched in 2004, they named it Eau d’Italie, which became the brand name for the collection of exclusive fragrances and body care products. After staying at the hotel, David Bowie became a fan of the scent. 

Eau d’Italie now has 11 fragrances and they recently rejuvenated their packaging, in white refined yet contemporary lacquered bottles. Their new launch is Jasmine Leather, inspired by the Florentine art of scenting leather during the Renaissance. “Catherine de’ Medici introduced the art of scented gloves to the French court,” Sersale says. “The perfumer did something very special with these notes. She added elemi, a resin that comes from a tree, that adds a deep, zesty note to the top of the fragrance. She added saffron, giving it a mellowness. Sometimes leather and jasmine can be quite sweet, but ours isn’t. It’s zesty and fresh, quite exotic in the way she worked these notes together. Patchouli and cedarwood create a lovely dry down.” 

Like all Eau d’Italie fragrances, Jasmine Leather instantly transports you to a specific time and place in Italy. Sersale says, “We are taking our clients on an olfactory journey to places that mean something special to us.”

UnnamedProject.com

Ligne St. Barth as seen on unnamed project.com...

... and available online at Beautyhabit.com

Ligne St. Barth

Caribbean Homme Care

The warm tradewinds from the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea intermingle over the stunning Island of St. Barths. From the stunning beaches to the rugged south-eastern tip, this French Riviera styled paradise is an enclave of luxury and natural beauty. The Pampering Ligne St. Barth products are all handcrafted with natural oils, ingredients, and soothing botanicals. Homme by Ligne St. Barth is tropical, sunkissed, and woodsy. Created with a seductive base of fern, a floral and Rosemary top note, and richly masculine middle notes their eau de toilette is delightfully warm and evocative of the island’s romantic sunsets. St. Barth Homme’s Shower Gel and Body Lotion are bracingly refreshing. This all natural line was first created to invigorate, moisturize, and soothe the effects of the tropical sun on skin. Ligne St. Barth. 

Location and product photography by David Lewis Taylor

SirenuseJournal.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on SirenuseJournal.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit.com

Eau d'Italie: New Look, New Fragrance

Twenty years ago, when Le Sirenuse was celebrating its 50^th anniversary, an idea took root among its owners, the Sersale family, one inspired by a wish that has been expressed by so many of the resort’s guests over the years: “If only we could take this place home with us”.

Scent is perhaps the most emotional of our senses. It’s also, researchers tell us, the sense that is most closely connected to memory, along with taste. Would it be possible, wondered Marina Sersale and her husband Sebastián Alvarez Murena, to distil the essence of high summer at Le Sirenuse into a fragrance? To transport the wearer onto that terrace above the sea with its heady floral aura and warm terracotta notes, but also to weave in hints of other Positano aromas, from the incense of the town’s mother church to the yellow clover that grows wild in the hills above?

It took three years to answer those questions in the affirmative, years of unceasing testing, planning, and development. The result was Eau d’Italie – the name given to that first fragrance, and to the collection and body line that it would inaugurate.

Launched in April 2014, Eau d’Italie represented a groundbreaking novelty in the exalted world of fragrance design. Before long, some major players began to sit up and take notice. Milan’s fashionista concept store 10 Corso Como added that original fragrance to its meticulously curated selection, and soon other prestigious stockists followed – Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Liberty in London, Colette in Paris, and many others. Meanwhile, Eau d’Italie was growing and evolving into a collection of fragrances and associated body products that took the brand’s growing band of aficionados on an olfactory tour of Italy, from Sicily to Lake Maggiore. Each fragrance aimed to capture a place, a mood, a memory of the bel paese. 

Two decades on from those first animated converations at Le Sirenuse that planted the seed of the idea, the brand has become, in the words of Sebastián Alvarez Murena, “the ambassador of a certain very cosmopolian Italian style, equally at home in Positano, Milan, New York, London or Los Angeles." To celebrate the milestone, Eau d’Italie is presenting a new fragrance and at the same time changing the look of its entire line, while remaining true to the new dolce vita spirit that has always informed it. For the brand’s other co-founder, Marina Sersale, the redesign is not about changing tack but about staying true to its core values: “Since the very beginning”, she says, “one of our great joys has been that of keeping Eau d’Italie always new, beautiful, relevant and part of our times”.

Its smart new livery rejuvenates the Eau d’Italie collection, giving the reshaped white lacquer bottles a more luxuriously intimate feel and crowning them with a mirror-polished solid brass cap that exudes discreet glamour. This echoes the recent mise au jour of Le Sirenuse’s Don’t Worry bar with its opulent, burnished brass detailing, onyx counter and gold-leaf ceiling.

The boxes are made with artisanal watercolour paper, which has a lovely tactile quality and allows the colours to shine in a particularly chic, muted way. Line the boxes up, and they immediately bring to mind the chromatic dance of Positano’s houses as viewed from the terrace of Le Sirenuse.

Making its bow in these stylish new clothes, Eau d’Italie’s latest fragrance, Jasmine Leather, is a contemporary tribute to the ancient Florentine tradition of scented leather. In the city that gave birth to the Renaissance, to step out with a pair of jasmine-scented leather gloves was once considered the epitome of fashion and refined taste. Jasmine Leather blends notes of elemi, saffron, jasmine, leather, patchouli and cedarwood in a seductive blend that also pays homage to Italy’s great artisanal traditions. It’s a captivating new addition to a line with a gorgeous new look.

Vogue.com

ULILI Moroccan Scents as seen on Vogue.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit.com

ULILI Moroccan Scents: These Made-in-Casablanca Soaps and Diffusers Offer an Olfactory Escape to Morocco

Omar Benjelloun can still recall the smell of the earth after a rainstorm in the Atlas Mountains, where he spent holidays as a child; the heady orange blossom water that his grandfather would sprinkle on his palms; the wild oleander flowers of the ancient Berber city Volubilis. “I wanted to play with these memories,” muses Benjelloun, who set out to capture his native country’s signature aromas six years ago with the launch of his label, Ulili Moroccan Scents; now, the collection boasts an olfactory feast of candles, bar soaps, and a trio of diffusers, which are finally available for sale in the U.S. “The objective—the challenge—is to source more and more from Morocco,” adds Benjelloun, who enlisted the help of Marianne Nawrocki, a perfumer in Grasse, France, to blend the likes of local artemisia, rose, Atlas cedar root, and pennyroyal mint.

In fact, the products are a veritable celebration of Morocco’s heritage from start to finish. The Hand of Fatima-decorated diffusers arrive in ceramic jars produced in Tangier, just as the candles, which are equipped with wooden lids crafted in Essaouira, are printed with characters from Ronda, a card game that has been played by several generations of Moroccans. Containing vitamin A-rich beeswax, exfoliating prickly pear seeds, and olive oil harvested from a family field, the cold-processed soaps, meanwhile, are adorned with Arabic calligraphy inspired by classic Maghrebian coins by Ayoub, a young illustrator from Casablanca. Wrapped in recycled paper that was once used in school notebooks and to carry sugar loaves, they are sure to strike a chord with anyone who grew up in Morocco—not to mention those who are eager to explore its vast terrain. “I try to remind people about our forgotten traditions,” says Benjelloun, who is currently working on a new range of perfumes. With international summer travel suspended, rest assured: Morocco is just a sniff away.

The trio of diffusers feature Hand of Fatima designs drawn by Benjelloun’s sister.

UnnamedProject.com

ALTAIA as seen on UnnamedProject.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit.com

Insider by UnnamedProject brings the best Mother's Day gift ideas to life.

Wonder Of You by ALTAIA (A Long Time Ago In Argentina)

From a love affair, the Wonder Of You is the joy of a being in love. Created by Sebastian Alvarez Murena and Marina Sersale the delightfully elegant fragrance is both fresh and flowery. The symphony of blackcurrant, pink grapefruit, freesia, watermelon, ambrox, and musk notes evoke nearness, warmth, and joy. The regal and contemporary bottle is beautifully boxed and timeless in its appeal. Photography by David Lewis Taylor.

PureWow.com

Cosmetics 27 as seen on PureWow.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit.com

Plasma 27 - Regenerating Mask by Cosmetics 27: 15 Winter Beauty Products Celebrities Swear By

Celebrities: They’re just like us, winter skin woes and all. From dryness to dullness and everything in between (irritation, anyone?), frigid temps and excessive wind can take a toll on anyone’s complexion. But that’s nothing a few nourishing skin care products can’t help. Take it from 15 superstars, these are the best winter beauty products around.

LADY GAGA: COSMETICS 27 PLASMA 27 MASK

Winter skin is notoriously dull, dry and inflamed, but this face mask remedies all three conditions. Lady Gaga swears by it, not just in winter, but also for red carpet appearances. She recently told Refinery29, “Before a red carpet, I like to use Cosmetics 27's Plasma 27 Mask. It's formulated with plant stem cells for calming inflammation and brightening skin."

BeautyandWellbeing.com

Eau d'Italie as seen on BeautyandWellbeing.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Interview: Capturing the Spirit of Italy: A Journey with Eau d’Italie

This story begins on the Amalfi Coast at Le Sirenuse, an award-winning 5-star hotel in Positano. After the second World War, four Neapolitan brothers moved to this small village and opened up their home as a petite hotel. Quaintly decorated according to the family’s personal taste, the hotel became a haven for elegant guests to indulge in hospitality and a “delight of the senses.” After spending her childhood at Le Sirenuse and becoming a filmmaker, Marina Sersale teamed up with her husband Sebastián Alvarez Murena to incorporate the memories of her seaside childhood into a fragrance. From Mediterranean shrubbery to sun-kissed terracotta, Eau d’Italie takes you on olfactory journey through Southern Italy and beyond with blissful pit-stops in Positano, Venice, and Paestum.

From scent diffusers, bath salts, and candles to shower gels, shampoo, and milk, Eau d’Italie captures the romance and passion of the seaside in each product and fragrance. The best part? You get to keep a little piece of Italy in your own home, in your luscious locks, and in your silky skin. We joined Marina to retrace her steps and break down the stories behind Eau d’Italie— and made a few stops in Positano on the way.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Eau d'Italie Eau de Toilette

Eau d'Italie Easy To Love

Eau d'Italie Scented Candle

MarieClaire.com

Paul & Joe as seen on MarieClaire.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit.com 

Pearl Foundation Primer Muscadet (004) by Paul & Joe: 12 Wine-Themed Beauty Products That Won't Give You a Hangover

We're drunk in love.

I recently learned the term glou-glou, an onomatopoeic French word for casual wines—usually light, chillable reds—that go down easy (glug, glug). It got me thinking that the beauty world has its own version of glou-glou: easy-to-use wine-inspired products that lack the complication of face-contouring makeup kits or multistep acid peels.

Paul & Joe Pearl Foundation Primer Muscadet (004)

This is no ordinary skin-prepper—it uses light-reflecting gold and silver pearls to reduce redness and even out your skin, all while hydrating your skin and smelling deliciously like grape.

Elle Magazine

Avocado Oil as seen in Elle...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Avocado Oil by Ligne St. Barth: Beauty Picks

Ligne St. Barth Avocado Oil $64.50.

OK! Magazine

Embryolisse as seen in OK! Magazine...

Limited Edition New York Lait-Crème Concentré by Embryolisse: Latest & Greatest

BeautyandWellbeing.com

L:A Bruket as seen on BeautyandWellbeing.com...

...and available online at Beautyhabit

Shop Body by L:A Bruket