The story of my life, basically, is that I have champagne taste on a beer budget. Of course, this has forced me to become a better shopper, and "never pay retail" are words I've come to live by. There are exceptions to this, however, and here's where we come to my kryptonite: perfume. Like most beauty products, it almost never goes on sale, and when it does (discontinued, gray market), you probably don't want it. I find everything about perfume seductive: the back-lit shelves, the scent strips, the pretty bottles, the way the scent interacts with your own chemistry, the fact that you can look like an absolute wreck, but the second you envelop yourself in a cloud of scent, you feel as glamorous as you want to be. All of these qualities are magnified with niche scents, and one of my favorite lines is Bond No. 9, whose MO is to name their rapidly expanding roster of fragrances after NYC neighborhoods and streets. Bond No. 9 tends to draw the most attention for its bottles, but, thankfully, they chose a more subdued (yet still totally glam) design for their new Bond No. 9 Signature perfume. I say thankfully, because the perfume is so fantastic, I'd hate for it to be overshadowed by the bottle. The star of Bond No. 9 Signature is the trendy oud, plus notes of rose, tonka bean, and musk; it sounds simple, but the result is incredibly rich, warm and creamy. The lasting power is fantastic--I sprayed it on my arm in the early afternoon, and by the time I went to bed that night, it was still in full effect, not to mention the coat I was wearing that day still carries a faint trace of the scent. (It reminds one of a line about women and their perfume from a Sondheim song: "Even when they leave, they still are there.") Ingredients that smell so divine and last so long do not come cheap, however, and at $330 for 3.3 oz., Signature is Bond No. 9's most expensive scent (save for those that come in Swarovski-crystal-encrusted bottles). Still, that much perfume will last a long time (especially when it's so potent), and the cost is a fraction of what, say, a designer handbag would cost. And while it might not be on sale, it's currently Beauty Week at Saks, meaning you'll at least get a sample-filled tote bag with your purchase--which, in the beauty world, is almost as good as a sale.
Object of Desire: Bond No. 9 Signature Perfume
Monday, March 01, 2010
The story of my life, basically, is that I have champagne taste on a beer budget. Of course, this has forced me to become a better shopper, and "never pay retail" are words I've come to live by. There are exceptions to this, however, and here's where we come to my kryptonite: perfume. Like most beauty products, it almost never goes on sale, and when it does (discontinued, gray market), you probably don't want it. I find everything about perfume seductive: the back-lit shelves, the scent strips, the pretty bottles, the way the scent interacts with your own chemistry, the fact that you can look like an absolute wreck, but the second you envelop yourself in a cloud of scent, you feel as glamorous as you want to be. All of these qualities are magnified with niche scents, and one of my favorite lines is Bond No. 9, whose MO is to name their rapidly expanding roster of fragrances after NYC neighborhoods and streets. Bond No. 9 tends to draw the most attention for its bottles, but, thankfully, they chose a more subdued (yet still totally glam) design for their new Bond No. 9 Signature perfume. I say thankfully, because the perfume is so fantastic, I'd hate for it to be overshadowed by the bottle. The star of Bond No. 9 Signature is the trendy oud, plus notes of rose, tonka bean, and musk; it sounds simple, but the result is incredibly rich, warm and creamy. The lasting power is fantastic--I sprayed it on my arm in the early afternoon, and by the time I went to bed that night, it was still in full effect, not to mention the coat I was wearing that day still carries a faint trace of the scent. (It reminds one of a line about women and their perfume from a Sondheim song: "Even when they leave, they still are there.") Ingredients that smell so divine and last so long do not come cheap, however, and at $330 for 3.3 oz., Signature is Bond No. 9's most expensive scent (save for those that come in Swarovski-crystal-encrusted bottles). Still, that much perfume will last a long time (especially when it's so potent), and the cost is a fraction of what, say, a designer handbag would cost. And while it might not be on sale, it's currently Beauty Week at Saks, meaning you'll at least get a sample-filled tote bag with your purchase--which, in the beauty world, is almost as good as a sale.
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2 comments
awesome post cheryl I like oud but afraid this might give me a migraine. Looking for a sample, sev.
Sev, you might be able to sweet-talk your way to a sample at Saks or at a Bond No. 9 boutique. Otherwise, they have them at The Perfumed Court (http://theperfumedcourt.com).
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