Tocca

The Day in Beauty, Vol. 20: Roses and Tea with Annick Goutal, and a Bouquet of Lovely Lavender

July 2nd, 2016 by Karen 21 Comments

Hey, sweetie boo, happy Caturday! 🙂 It’s a sun-shiney day in Novato today, and I’m up bright and early because babylove is all about that rolling over lifestyle. She figured out how to roll over, and now it’s all she wants to do, so she got up at 6 for her morning meal and workout.

Do you have any plans for the Fourth? We’re thinking about driving up to Petaluma for the afternoon.

How was your week? Mine had a lot to do with scents, first with those TOCCA hair perfumes, and now with these two scents by Annick Goutal, which are kind of on the new-ish side.

Annick and I go waaaay back. I first started wearing her perfume back in 2005, I believe it was. It was on the whirlwind European backpacking adventure when El Hub proposed. We were in France at the time, and even with my broke-down high school French, I still managed to buy the biggest bottle of Des Lys perfume (which was limited edition), as well as a SECOND backup bottle. WHA?? I know. The power of beauty compelled me, even across international lines.

I like Annick Goutal’s scents because they’re usually light and refreshing. I mean, you know I love heavier, full-bodied scents in fall and winter, but lighter scents are really nice when it’s hot. When I’m perspiring, it seems to amplify whatever scent I’m wearing, and when I wear lighter scents, it doesn’t overtake the room…

Rose Pompon is like a peppery peony rose (super dainty and feminine), and L’Ile au Thé (Oooh! My fave!) smells like a lemony iced tea with dash of sugar.

So freakin’ good.

Speaking of scents, you might’ve noticed this beautiful bouquet of lavender in the background. I picked it up the other day at Trader Joe’s for $3.99.

I couldn’t wait to get it home, but as soon as I did get it home, I was like, “What the heck am I gonna do with this now?”

I put it in some water, but now I’m starting to rethink that strategy, because I have a lavender plant on my back deck, and it absolutely hates being overwatered, so now I’m thinking that I should take it out of the water and let it dry. I dunno… If you have any experience with lavender, please hook a cat lady up.

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Mist Me, Please, With the TOCCA Hair Fragrance Collection

June 27th, 2016 by Karen 10 Comments

I can imagine seeing these bottles laid out on a vanity in Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, all nestled amongst the feathers and powders and potions and other opulent things…

Every time I spray one of these TOCCA Capelli Profumatis fragrances, also known as the scents in the TOCCA Hair Fragrance Collection, which is available now exclusively at Anthropologie, into my hair, I can’t stop sniffing my strands!

I’m an unapologetic TOCCA super fan, and these hair mists are just as lovely and fresh as the other fragrances I love in the line.

You mist them on your hair for scent, obvs, but they’re also supposed to moisturize and add a subtle shine, too, which comes courtesy of coconut oil.

There are five $36 scents in the collection, all of which are inspired by fragrances in the TOCCA line, but they aren’t exact replicas, as TOCCA pulls on some of the notes to bring them to the forefront.

I think these versions smell a little lighter and a little fresher than the original TOCCA fragrances on which they’re based.

I can’t get enough of three of the five. Those are Liliana, which has notes of peach muguet; Collette (which is my FAVORITE, favorite, ahh!), which has notes of vanillla and sandalwood; and Stella, which has notes of Italian blood orange (which is different, ya know, than California blood orange…).

There’s also Cleopatra (grapefruit and cucumber) and Florence (bergamot and gardenia), but I haven’t smelled those two yet. I’m hoping and guessing they’re also lovely.

Official fragrance notes

Florence: an alluring combination of bergamot, crushed violet petals and blond wood (floral)

Cleopatra: rich amber patchouli blends royally with vanilla musk and hints of tuberose and grapefruit (spice)

Colette: a lush mix of bergamot, citrus, juniper and pink peppercorn mingle with florals, musk and woods (fresh)

Liliana: neroli, gardenia and faint peach (fresh)

Stella: a flirtatious combination of sheer musk, white freesia, blood orange and spicy lily (fresh)

— anthropologie.com

I bet these would make great gifts for a girlfriend’s birthday or… Oh, I gotta remember this! — for Mother’s Day next year. Or maybe this Christmas, but I’m not always sure about giving perfumes as a present because they’re so personal, and because an entire bottle of perfume seems like such a huge commitment on the receiver’s end, ya know?

But a hair scent, I dunno… For some reason, that seems more like an accessory. Plus, TOCCA’s scents have been pretty universally pleasing, in my experience. I’ve never run into a girl who doesn’t like TOCCA.

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Mother’s Day Gift Ideas: 5 Fantastic Fragrances

May 3rd, 2016 by Karen 15 Comments

From the left: Gucci Bamboo, Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua, Clean Reserve Velvet Flora, Maison Martin Margiela Replica Lipstick On and Tocca Emelia

There’s something so comforting about hugging mom and getting a good whiff of her scent.

Why is that? Maybe it’s some primal leftover from childhood that never quite leaves you? Hmm, deep thoughts…

Mother’s Day is this weekend! If you’re looking for a gift, here are a few of my favorite mom-friendly scents.

For the sophisticated mom — Gucci Bamboo

Gucci Bamboo is like a perfect pair of nude pumps or a tan trench that goes with everything. For moms with a classic style.

Official notes: Italian bergamot, Casablanca lily, ylang ylang and Comoros sandalwood.

Unofficial notes: A great day at a job you love, cocktails with good friends after a long week, and looking at yourself in the mirror and totally feelin’ your current outfit.

$92 for a 1.6-oz. bottle, available now at Sephora.

For the fun-lovin’ mom — Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Acqua

This playful perfume smells like summers on the beach. If your mom’s a water baby, I bet she’ll love it.

Official notes: Citrus and amber

Unofficial notes: Sand between your toes, saltwater on your skin and endless summer days that lead to sultry summer nights…

$150 for a 1.7-oz. bottle, available at Sephora.

For the no-nosense mom — Reserve Velvet Flora, by Clean

For moms who like their scents on the not-so-sweet side, Reserve Velvet Flora could almost pass for a men’s cologne.

Official notes: Green bergamot, jasmine lily, saffron flower, cedarwood, moss, musk, amber and patchouli.

Unofficial notes: Old books, Sunday brunch on a crisp spring morning, and standing next to your current boy crush and catching a whiff of his cologne.

$90 for a 3.4-oz. bottle, available at Sephora.

For the flirty mom — Lipstick On, by Maison Martin Margiela

A girly-girl scent for moms who never leave home without a tube of red lipstick.

Official notes: Bergamot oil, heliotrope accord, neroli oil, orange flower absolute, orris concrete, galbanum oil, tonka bean absolute, vanilla bourbon extract and patchouli oil.

Unofficial notes: Matte red lips, black cat eyeliner and a single strand of pearls. *meow*

$125 for a 3.4-oz. bottle, available at Sephora.

For the easygoing mom — Tocca Emelia

I think this is a scent for almost anyone of any age. You’ll be tempted to “borrow” this fresh, easygoing scent from mom to wear it for yourself.

Official notes: Watery clementine, loquat fruit, bucchu leaves, fig leaf, geranium coeur, magnolia tree leaf, amaryllis, Kadota fig, maté absolute Paraguay, bison gross, florentine orris, praline, ambrette seed absolute and coconut water.

Unofficial notes: Chatting on the phone with your best friend and laughing at all of your inside jokes, long walks in the afternoon on a sunny spring day, and your favorite maxi dress.

$68 for a 1.7-oz. bottle, available now at Sephora.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday, friend. 🙂

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

September 2nd, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

1. Pears

Mmm… Sweet green, juicy pears. I love them so much right meow! I got a huge bag of organic pears at Trader Joe’s last Sunday, and most of them have already managed to find their way into my tum. 🙂 I might be on the verge of a full-on pear obsession.

I get that way sometimes about certain foods, where I ravenously crave them every day, over and over for weeks or months, and it’s starting to happen with pears.

I still haven’t succumbed to the temptation to “borrow” any from the huge pear tree I pass every day on my walk, but today may be the day… We’ll know by around 7 o’clock tonight.

2. Tocca scents

I keep a bunch of perfumes on this cake stand display on top of my dresser, but the only one I’ve been wearing lately is Byredo Gypsy Water, and I’ve been wearing it for months.

Hmm… This might be a good time to try a different scent every day with a scent of the day series on Instagram! That might be fun.

In the process of sniffing some of these today I discovered that a couple of them had gone sour. 🙁 The ancient bottle of Estée Lauder Private Collection perfume I’ve had forever smelled like moonshine, OMG!

It broke my heart to ditch it because it was a gift, but in the process of test sniffing these, I rediscovered some old faves, like, basically, EVERYTHING from Tocca.

Why did I ever stop wearing Tocca?? Their scents, while delicate, still have such presence, and whenever I wear one I just feel…chipper and glad. And, hello! — they last all day long too.

Today I’m wearing Violette, which I really like (but I like Bianca and Graciella even more).

3. Aveda Clove Color Conditioner

I have caramel highlights in my hair from about the mid-shaft to the ends, and I’ve been using and LOVING this Aveda Clove Color Conditioner ($21) to keep ’em looking vibrant and fresh.

All I do is wash my hair, then use Clove instead of my regular conditioner, and I leave it in for a few minutes before rinsing it out. I think it makes my highlights much richer (Clove in place of my regular conditioner once a week is enough to keep the highlights poppin’), and it has a fresh, very Aveda-esque herbal scent that I like. The only thing is…it’s kind of pain to keep the shower stall clean when you use it because it’s pigmented, so it’ll leave a stain in the tub if you’re not careful.

That’s why I bring a scrub brush with me into the shower, and after I rinse my hair, I’ll quickly scrub the shower walls to remove any spots or smears.
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5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

August 21st, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

1. Tocca Cleopatra Candela Luxe ($54)

Kind of a sucker over here! Yep, I’m a sucker for fancy candles, and this one is from Tocca, the makers of Bianca, which is one of my premiere most perfect perfumes of all time. Candela Luxe is a new collection of luxury candles inspired by their fragrances, and each one comes in a gorgeous glass you can repurpose. They’re also rated to burn for 60 hours (!).

The one I have is the Cleopatra, which fills my immediate vicinity with the aromas of clean, crisp cucumber and sweet grapefruit.

Ahh… 🙂

2. L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Nailcolor ($9.99)

These dynamic nail polish duos have twin tips! One end has a colorful base shade, and the other end has a (very lightly) tinted top coat. The idea is that you can skip an additional base coat, and just use one of these with its accompanying top coat.

They come in a variety of colors (I’ve been wearing them a lot in videos). I’ve tested a creamy light blue shade called Endless Sky and a creamy taupe called Timeless Taupe, and Endless Sky chipped on me pretty quickly (like within a day!), but Timeless Taupe made it about five days before the first chips appeared at the edges, which isn’t bad for me, considering the heck I put my nails through every day, all day.

I’m going to try Always A Lady next, which is a dark reddish brown… I guess I’m in the mood for fall!

3. Trader Joe’s Sour Gummies ($1.99)

ERHMAHGOSH! There’s a key lime sour gummy!

I think I may have mentioned that I’ve been all about sour flavors lately (especially lime), and that’s why I put this in my shopping cart the other day.

Man, oh, man! — I’m so glad I did. They’re delicious. They’re gummier and firmer (furmier? LOL!) than regular sour gummies… They also stick to my teeth worse/more, which isn’t ideal, but I can overlook that on account of them being so tasty.

The flavors are lemon, grapefruit (YUM), lime and tangerine, and they’re all in little “T” or “J” shapes.

I WILL be getting another bag on my next trip to Trader Joe’s.
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Bonjour, Mon Amour: With Tocca Violette Eau de Parfum, It’s Chic to Be Shy

May 30th, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

tocca violette

It’s her smile you notice first.

You’re strolling across the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris on a crisp, clear spring day when you see her standing by the railing, a shy smile on her lips, her hair swept in a chic chignon. A scarf is draped effortlessly around her neck, and she’s holding a bouquet of violets by her side.

She pauses to take in the City of Light and the River Seine below, leaning against the railing with her hands tucked beneath her chin and staring off into the distance, her eyes faraway and dreamy.

Ah, you know that look…the look of first love, when the mere thought of your beloved awakens every cell in your body with a tingling that begins at your toes and works its way up through your spine.

A breeze turns toward you, bringing with it an intoxicating aroma of vanilla, rose, musk, black currant berries and violet.

The girl breaks from her reverie, caught by your gaze, and smiles warmly. You return the feeling, knowingly, as you pass her along the bridge, recalling another time, so many years ago, when you, too, stood in almost the same spot, basking all-too-briefly in the same glow with your American writer, so tall and beautiful, with his brown hair and hazel eyes.

Whatever happened to him? you wonder. Does he still think of you, like you think of him?

Almost across the bridge now, you close your eyes once again and breath deeply, drawing in as much of the scent as you can, letting it sweep you up in its loving embrace.

Another happy girl on the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, 2005
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Mother’s Day Gorgeous Gift Ideas: Tocca Bagno Profumato Body Wash and Crema da Corpo Lotion

May 8th, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

tocca giulietta bagno profumato body wash and crema da corpo body lotion

Some of my clearest, fondest childhood memories are of watching travel shows on PBS with my mom, and I think those great times we spent together exploring the world via taped broadcasts from the comfort of our couch at home are why I’ve had such a fierce case of wanderlust as an adult.

Back then my mom and dad were busy making ends meet and raising my brother and I, but now that they’re both retired, and my brother and I have flown the coop, Mom and Dad have been able to embark upon more travel adventures.

Later this month, they head to the Philippines for a visit, where they both still have lots of family, and next year, they’re hoping to explore the Great Wall of China!

They’ve yet to make it to Italy, but just as soon as I win the lottery (fingers crossed!), I’m sending Mom on an all-expenses paid, luxury vacation to explore the Italian countryside.

Until then — until my lucky numbers hit! — Tocca’s new Bagno Profumato Body Wash ($18) and Crema da Corpo Body Lotion ($20) will have to do.

If your mom dreams of faraway lands and international adventure, take a look at Tocca for Mother’s Day this year. Their products are some of my favorites for gift giving all year round, not only because they always look lovely sitting on a counter, but also because of their fragrances, whiffs of which whisk (say that fives times fast, haha!) me away on day dreamy adventures.

tocca giulietta bagno profumato body wash and crema da corpo body lotion

I think my mom will like Giulietta. One of three new Tocca Body Wash and Lotion fragrances, it’s a light and crisp fruity floral with notes of pink tulip and green apple.

(Psst!. They’re also available in a grapefruit and cucumber scent called Cleopatra and an Italian blood orange scent called Stella — ya know, in case you also feel like picking up a little something for yourself.)

tocca giulietta bagno profumato body wash and crema da corpo body lotion
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