Bond No. 9 New York -- Awe-Inspiring Gift Sets

Hey friends! Woooo-eee, it's getting close, just 5 more sleeps until Christmas! If you've been salivating over the other Bond fragrances I've reviewed, or if you just can't decide, this post is for you. Perhpas you really really want to knock the socks off of a very special fragrance-lover in your life. Or maybe you want your giftee to completely forget the fact that her present is late! Whatever the reason, here is the most decadent gift set of all




The Bond I Love New York Double-Decker Sampler Box

Oh my. Would you just look at that thing. 12 "Downtown" fragrances, in mini (50 mL) Superstar bottles, all in one cleanly luxurious 2-layer box.

I see (starting from the middle of the top layer, clockwise) Scent of Peace, Chinatown, Fire Island, and Westside. I see The Hamptons and Bryant Park. I see Wall Street, Nuits de Noho (?), and Coney Island. I see Bleecker Street, and 2 more lovelies hiding under there unseen. I see a gift that will inspire speechlessness followed by hysterics. I may even see fainting. I also see a $1600 USD price tag. (Hey, art and decadence doesn't come cheap! Besides, isn't that the definition of a great gift? Something they'll love, but would never get for themselves?)


No doubt, the double decker set is the height of luxury. For those of you who want the variety, but can't quite afford the price tag, consider the Bond Bon Bon Box, or the Perfumista Blending Box, each at $250.


The Bon Bon Box features 18 fragrances in 6 mL refillable spray bottles. Each bottle is gorgeously wrapped in metallic foil, and are presented like the most sumptuous candy box you have ever laid eyes on (except enjoying these won't ruin your diet!). Included scents are: Chelsea Flowers, Chinatown, Wall Street, New Haarlem, Park Avenue, So New York, Riverside Drive, Fashion Avenue, Broadway Nite, West Broadway, Chez Bond, Hamptons, Eau de Noho, Nuits de Noho, Central Park, Madison Soiree, Little Italy, and of course, Eau de NY.





The Perfumista Blending Box includes all the scents in the Bon Bon Box, except for So New York and Riverside Drive, in 1/4 oz. refillable spray bottles. Packaged in a similarly gorgeous way, it includes an empty bottle to allow for custom blending. Either of these sets will keep any fragrance lover happily occupied until next Christmas!


If you're in New York, you can purchase Bond goodies at one of Bond's 4 boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, Harrod's of London, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong are also retailers. As for the rest of us, we can order through the Bond website.

This review was posted for me by the ever-fabulous Ex-Roomie, who is kindly administering the blog while I am gallivanting around Asia. I will respond to comments and emails when I get back. Promise!

Perfect Presents: Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory Perfume

The last 2 Bond No. 9 fragrances I reviewed were pretty easy to like, and while incredibly well done, they're not revolutionary. If you're looking for something really out of the ordinary, then you simply must check out Bond's latest release.





Andy Warhol Silver Factory:

Perfect For: The perfumista; the soul sista; the art freak; and the very devout (or those who just want to smell devout).

Why it's Perfect: This smooth sweet incense scent is not your typical perfume. Its slight strangeness is sure to appeal to that fragrance connoisseur who's always looking to excite their nose with something new and unexpected. Nothing says "groovy" more than incense, and Bond's concoction is hip, not head-shop. Finally, it just smells... church-y to me! Read on!

In a fitting homage to Warhol, who covered the walls of his New York studio (aka: "The Factory") with aluminum foil and silver paint, Bond packages Silver Factory in an aluminum-look bottle. The bold graphic colours mirror those used in his pop-art, and the fragrance is labeled "Perfume Concentrate", both as a wink to his immediately recognizable Campbell's Soup Cans painting, as well as to indicate the higher percentage of perfume oils within. The packaging alone should make any Warhol fan smile!

But what about the actual scent? The listed notes are: Incense, Wood Resin, Amber, Jasmine, Iris, Violet, and Cedarwood. To me, this starts out sharp and piney, but it calms down quickly to smooth glowing incense. Being a child of the 80's, the only times I really ever smelled incense were at Catholic churches, and so it is unsuprising that this smells church-y to me. However, it is not super smokey. Rather, it is like being near the altar after a special mass, where incense was burned from a censer. The lingering smell of incense mingles with the scent of the flowers and metal vases and candle holders still on the altar. It is the memory of mass, rather than the mass itself. It also reminds me of a church piano, for some reason.

Despite my own associations, I don't think this is any high and pious perfume. The metallic note ("molten silver", what a gorgeous description!) brings a coldness to the otherwise warm incense and amber, making it surprisingly wearable, even for a typically aquatic-fruit-florals girl like myself. As it dries down (we're talking like 10 hours later, this is potent!), the scent softens further, and I get more of the florals, in an almost soapy incarnation. So different from most perfumes where the drydown has the heavier notes. Certainly one of the most interesting scents I've ever come across, I feel like I need to get to know Silver Factory more!


If you're in New York, you can purchase Silver Factory at one of Bond's 4 boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, Harrod's of London, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong are also retailers. As for the rest of us, we can order through the Bond website.

This review was posted for me by the ever-fabulous Ex-Roomie, who is kindly administering the blog while I am gallivanting around Asia. I will respond to comments and emails when I get back. Promise!

Perfect Presents: Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace Perfume, Christmas Edition

The second of my Bond No. 9 holiday reviews (check out my post on West Side if you missed it) is very seasonal indeed. With all the talk about peace on earth and the glory of mankind and whatnot, it's only appropriate that you should smell the part!


Bond No. 9 The Scent of Peace (Special Edition Swarovsky-Encrusted bottle)




Perfect For: Pretty much anyone who likes perfume, and maybe even those who don't!

Why it's perfect: This uplifting fruity-woody scent is a sure-fire crowd pleaser, without smelling like every other perfume out there. And that bottle! With a Swarovski dove soaring high, it's bound to be the shining star of any dresser or vanity table!

The name of this scent begs the question: Just what does peace smell like? Well, according to Bond, The Scent of Peace is a brief splash of zingy grapefruit, followed by a warmish, clean blackcurrant. The floral heart (Lily of the Valley and Hedione*) and the base of musk and sandalwood are all subtle -- on me, this is a fruit fragrance, moutwatering and firm, without any adolescent sugary overtones. The woods and musk, while maintaining the clean quality of the scent, give it some depth and sophistication.

Delicious, refreshing, uplifting, and airy, even a friend who "doesn't usually like perfume" was enchanted by The Scent of Peace. This one might end up being my favourite Bond scent... it is a jus I could drink!


If you're in New York, you can purchase Scent of Peace at one of Bond's 4 boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, Harrod's of London, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong are also retailers. As for the rest of us, we can order through the Bond website.


* I had always thought that hedione was an ingredient rather than a note, and I am embarassed to say I don't really know what it does. Regardless, it smells wonderful here, whatever it is!

This review was posted for me by the ever-fabulous Ex-Roomie, who is kindly administering the blog while I am gallivanting around Asia. I will respond to comments and emails when I get back. Promise!

Perfect Presents: Bond No. 9 New York West Side Candle

Hello you lovelies! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend full of shopping success (or peace and quiet if you're the type to have done all your Christmas shopping early). Yes, I know it's Wednesday already, but that the thrill of retail can follow me for days. If daydreaming about past and future purchases isn't working for ya and "hump-day" has got you down, I've got just the sight for sore eyes! Check out Bond No. 9 New York's Special Edition holiday offerings!




I'd heard so much about the Bond line, and I finally got the chance to try some recently. I seriously think they may have changed my life. Or at least my nose. I'd always thought of the Bond fragrances as being impossibly exclusive, deliberately crafted, and maybe a bit too sophisticated for me. After all, since I'm generally pretty happy with department store scents, I tended to associate "niche" fragrances with difficult, avant-garde, and even jarring notes that are hard to wear.

I could not have been more wrong.

The famous Bond "Superstar" bottles were meant to represent the shape of an exuberant human body, conveying the message that there is a Bond for everyone. And there truly is! From the fragrance-phobe to the connoisseur who's seen smelled it all, you're sure to find something just right in the Bond line. I'll be posting about 3 scents in particular that are just perfect for gift giving, as well as some gift sets over the next few days, so be sure to check back for more!


First up....

Bond No. 9 West Side Candle

Perfect For: Your casually elegant boss or gracious hostess. The girl that's as down with the indie circuit as she is with the opera scene; the one who mixes vintage finds with designer threads and carries it off with grace and insouciance.

Why it's Perfect: This rose scent is like no other -- rich, creamy, vanilla, and smooth, it is a fragrance that you just want to sink into. And for someone you might not know that well, the candle format lets your giftee envelope themselves with this delicious scent, without being quite as personal as a gift of perfume.

A totally different class than "typical" rose scents like Stella or Une Zeste de Rose (both lovely in their own right), West Side has none of that youthful floral springiness. While it is certainly not an old fashioned scent, its maturity comes from the masterful blending and effortless sophistication -- you can wear this to the most formal of balls or to your school picnic, and it wouldn't be out of place. Lasting power is phenomenal, I can still smell it 8 hours after application.

The top notes include Rose, Ylang Ylang, and Peony; Heart notes are Sandalwood and Amber; and it's all anchored to a base of Vanilla and Musk. The peony and rose weave harmoniously, and the softly sweet vanilla is present from the start. For me, this starts off powdery, and the florals don't come through until a little later on, along with a subtle new-leather-glove note. The musk drydown is genteel and restrained... I just get soft glowy rose-amber with more powdery woods. This is definitely a gourmand's rose ... I can't get enough!


If you're in New York, you can purchase West Side at one of Bond's 4 boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols, Harrod's of London, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong are also retailers. As for the rest of us, we can order through the Bond website.

Product Review: Dior Crème de Gloss

Run... RUN, do not walk, to your nearest Sephora or Christian Dior counter. Because Dior's latest lipgloss is worth the workout.




Dior's Crème de Gloss is touted as a creamy lipstick in a gloss. The description from the Dior website, which is obviously and charmingly translated from French to English:

"Its soft and gentle texture as a cream, with the lightness and freshness of a gloss, gives to your lips a "cocooning effect", and offers, with its new ultra flexible applicator, a smooth comfortable film without sticky effect.

With all the wealth of a nectar, Crème de Gloss offers an absolute comfort, thanks to a concentrate of ultra-nourishing ingredients. Immediately smoothed, the smile is durably cared and shaped for perfect lips. Ultimate exploit, 6 hours after application, the hydration of your lips increases by 25%."


This creamy gloss is absolutely gorgeous. It feels AMAZING. (And yes, I have tried other Dior glosses and they're fine, but this knocks them out of the park.) It's a doe-foot applicator, but it's extra bendy, which makes it feel softer on the skin. The gloss is silky and luxurious, without even a suggestion of stickiness. I put it on when my lips were feeling kind of dry, and to my amazement, it felt nicer than some lip balms. A gloss that actually improved the condition of my lips. I couldn't stop smushing my lips together, it felt so good. (Oh yes, quite the sight in Sephora I was.)

I tried on Creamy Almond, the lightest shade, which is a somewhat frosty cool pink. Normally, a colour like that would go on chalky or streaky on me, but this applied like a dream. Crème de Gloss comes in 8 different shades, and they all look elegant and lovely. I'm in lust. I'm in love. Dare I say it? This is the BEST gloss I've ever put on my lips!

The price? Not so best. A cool $31 CAD. But I must have a "smile that is durably cared and shaped for perfect lips"! I simply must! Of course, I can't comment on staying power, but you can bet that I'll update this review as soon as I find that $30 Sephora gift card I have somewhere (xoxo, Ex-Roomie!). I've held on to that baby since last January, and clearly this is the sign I've been waiting for. Cha-ching!



Seriously, why are you still sitting there? Run! Run now! RUN!