Carrière Frères Industrie Paris Couture Candles - A Story of Two Brothers Fascinated by Wax & Nature

Ever since I got my first bottle of Carrière Frères candle in Paris, I've falling in love with their fabulous fragrance, the minimalistic candle jar with beautiful hand drawn graphic in front of the bottle. These candles not only look and smell beautiful, but have an interesting history behind it, too!

Founded in 1884, by the inquisitive and entrepreneurial minds of two brothers, Carrière Frères Industrie is the keeper of wax craftsmanship from the XVIII century. At the dawn of the industrial revolution, obsessed with patents and new inventions, the Carrière brothers revamped wax-making.

They pioneered the famous Carrière night-light, which burned for six hours with a constant beam and without smoke, and turned the indoor candles into an object of comfort and quality. Awarded a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1889, the "Madeleine" candles, Carrière Frères Industrie has supplied them to the Basilique du Sacré Coeur ever since.

Erudite and demanding the Carrière brothers developed and modernized the manufacturing secrets they inherited from past wax masters. They selected the finest waxes and the most durable wicks, and brought them to the masses. Fascinated by Botanic, they strenuously sought out a formula for a purely vegetal wax. The result was a recipe, free of paraffin and other petrochemical derivates, which does not produce smoke or unpleasant odours, and is easily blended with perfume. This wax, still used today in the fabrication of our Carrière Frères candles, allows for their slow combustion and clean burning.

Carrière Frères Industrie botanical candle - Lilium Regale - Royal Lily

Centuries of botanists and explorers have enriched Carrière Frères Industries scented candles. Soliflore scents, inspired by exotic or indigenous oils, and reminiscent of the romantic “language of flowers”, in vogue during ‘la Belle Epoque’. The candles evoke the flower markets of Les Halles of Paris, where at the turn of the XIX century, the most beautiful and rare specimens were brought from faraway lands. The Century was avid of sensations of intoxicating bundles perfuming cargo ships, freight trains, and the backs of porters.

Carrière Frères Industrie botanical candle - Damascus Rose

Damascus Roses, Jasmine of Grasse, rare Tiaré, Ebony, Vanilla, vertigo of spices… traders and audacious merchants garnished the baskets of flower girls with these small treasures to accessories ladies necklines and gentlemen’s buttonholes, and in turn introduced new colours to wealthy Hausmannian homes. From that day on, Paris would never expect any less than for the world’s fragrances to drop at its doorstep, and Carrière Frères candles captures the rare essence of botanical aromas.

Carrière Frères Industrie botanical candle - Lichi Sinensis - Lychee

These fabulous couture candles are so hard to find and is only available at few fine boutiques in the U.S. ! You can get it from our favorite luxury candle store at LuxeGifts.com

Until next time, be well and look fabulous!

XOXO

Alan & Mei-Mei the Pug

Please visit our online store for luxury candles & gifts at www.LuxeGifts.com

Photo courtesy by : WatsonKennedy / Frenchblue / Carrière Frères Industrie

SK-II Cellumination Mask-In Lotion is Luminosity in the bottle!

I live in the beautiful California, where every day is sunny and perfect for the beach! The weather is great but the constant sun exposure has left some marks on my skin. Also because of my acne marks, it made my skin tone looks uneven and lack of luster. So I’ve been looking for some skin brightening products that will help me to get rid of the dark acne marks and make my skin tone more even looking. I recently got a bottle of the cellumination mask-in lotion, OMG! is like a "Magic" in a bottle!

Many might be confused about what exactly is this for? It’s light & liquid consistency makes it not really a mask (but it does offers mask-like hydration benefits) or a lotion texture kind of moisturizer… but it is a very great Toner / Softner for all skin types.

The whole Cellumination collection (Cream, Mask-In Lotion & Aura Bright Essence) delivered just as they advertised! A brighter, crystal clear skin that has an “Aura” glow from within (maybe that’s why they make the bottles has this rainbow aurora borealis effect) and adding luminosity to your skin.

Here is the commercial from Asia for the SK II 2 Cellumination Aura Bright essence



Not like other brand’s "Whitening & Brightening" products, this cellumination mask in lotion contains a nice mix of water-binding agents, an anti-irritant, the cell-communicating & whitening brightening ingredient such as Niacinamide, and vitamin C (ascorbyl glucoside).

I just used it for 1 month and already seeing a big difference! My acne scar has faded dramatically and the uneven skin tone has transformed to a more even and “brighter” shade! It hydrates and brightens my skin, just having a healthier glow to it. Here is my before and after photo just after 1 month uses of the Cellumination Mask-in Lotion ( I use it twice a day, morning & evening). I promise! there are no photoshop effect or touch-up on the photo!

 

For those who wants to know the ingredients of this product

Aqua (Water), Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Niacinamide (Brightening & whitening), Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ascorbyl Glucoside (Vitamin C for brightening & whitening), Centella Asiatica Extract, Nylon-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance).

I highly recommend the Cellumination mask-in lotion to use as a toner. With great result like this, I am going to go buy the rest of the Cellumination collection for a complete brightening benefit.

Cellumination Mask-In Lotion

Available at Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue

Cellumination Aura Bright essence

Available at Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue

Cellumination Cream Illuminating Moisturizer

Available at Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue

Until next time, be well and look fabulous!

XOXO

Alan & Mei Mei the Pug

Please visit our online store for luxury candles & gifts at www.LuxeGifts.com

Crème de la Mer the Miracle Cream of the Sea - My 1 week Transformation Review

I’ve heard all of the amazing reviews and miracle stories about the legendary face cream " Crème de la Mer " ever since I was in my early 20s. Now I’ve just turned 40 this year, I start to noticed my face starts to droop & sagging downwards, enlarge pores & uneven skin tone; due to old age but also daily stress from work during the day and staying late at night finishing up my design projects. So one day I decided to splurge and treat myself a bottle of Crème de la mer! OMG! the "miracle" transformation stories you’ve been hearing are all true and plus more! I am truly impressed by the result I got just with 1 week use of the original moisturizer version of the crème de la mer!

So before I show you my before and after photo of my zoom in close up shot of my face, let me tell you a little history about the crème de la mer. Half a century ago, aerospace physicist Dr. Max Huber suffered burns in a laboratory accident. Neither medicine nor science offered the benefits Dr. Huber sought, and he began a personal quest to transform the look of his skin. 12 years passed. 6,000 experiments were conducted. Finally, he perfected the precious, nurturing Miracle Broth™ using sea kelp, which he incorporated into the very first La Mer formula, the Crème de la Mer.

  

They harvest the sea kelp at Vancouver Island, BC. They fermented sea kelps for 3-4 months (like fermenting grapes to wine) and this is what went into creating the main ingredient, Miracle Broth. Here is a video about the process.


 

Here is the photo of my face before using the crème de la mer (left) and 1 week later (right); and what a big difference! As you can see I have some redness and irritation on my skin on the left also the wrinkle on the side of my nose, under my eye bags and some age spot on my cheeks. After 1 week day and night usage of crème de la mer, the cream calms my irritated skin! The redness has faded, my skin tone looks more even, more clear and has a healthy glow to it! The skin around my nose & cheeks feels more firmer, less sagging also the wrinkle next to my nose and under my eye bag is not as visable. I am totally beyond satisfied and impressed by this “miracle of the sea” crème de la mer’s healing power!

Click on the photo to see larger size to really see the difference!

La mer also just has the new “Treatment Lotion” came out about 2 weeks ago, of course I’ve already order one bottle! It’s a miraculous source of vitality, the essential first step toward transformation. Like “liquid energy,” this rich and silky hydrator visibly awakens the complexion and drives moisture deep into the skin to improve texture and even tone. Skin is perfectly prepared to receive the full benefit of the La Mer regimen that follows. I use it right after I wash my face as a toner to prep my face to absorb all of the nutrients from the crème de la mer I am going to apply on to my face next. It feels amazing!! Click here to buy it from crème de la mer official online store ~ Crème de la Mer Treatment Lotion

I know la mer products are pricy, but for me it’s worth every penny! You should go to the la mer counter at your local mall and ask for a bottle of sample, you’ll be amazed by how fabulous your skin will look after just one week of use!

Don’t forget to visit the official website Crème de la Mer  

Until next time, be well and look fabulous!

XOXO

Alan & Mei Mei the pug

Please visit our online store for luxury candles & gifts at www.LuxeGifts.com

Cartier’s New Romantic Short Film Destinée Enchants You about a Second Chance at Love in Paris

Cartier puts the most beautiful love stories in the spotlight again just in time for the Valentine’s day. Discover the new romantic short film “Destinée” telling the story about a second chance at love in Paris. This international production stars the English actor Oliver Jackson Cohen and the Taiwanese actress Michelle Chen 陳妍希.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino & screenwriter Drake Doremus, tells a story about a group of childhood friends gathers together for the reception at the wedding of two of their friends. Which enable the two stars’ characters Nick and Claire to meet again and eventually fall in love for the 2nd time.

Ok so go your handkerchief or box of Kleenex out and ready for some tear jerking moment at 3:54 ~ 5:24 ….. OMG, can anyone say “NO” to Oliver Jackson Cohen in this short film? He is so dreamy!!

Here is this beautiful short film “Destinée”

Don't forget to click on the "CC" button at the bottom of the video to pick the subtitles of your language! They have Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, German languages.

Here is the behind the scene of this short film with director's comments

Don't forget to click on the "CC" button at the bottom of the video to pick the subtitles of your language! They have Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, German languages.



This is the beautiful Cartier diamond ring featured in the film!

Just 4 more days then it’s the Valentine’s Day again, We want to wish all of you a wonderful Valentine’s day! If you are single, don’t give up! Just like the name of this year’s Cartier short film “Destinée”, there is someone out there destine to love you and he/she will show up at the right time and right place when it’s meant to be!

Don’t forget to check out and see Cartier’s romantic short film from last year in our previous blog posting! Click on the link below to see it!

Cartier Love Stories - True Love Has a Color And a Name

Until next time, be well and look fabulous!

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the Pug

Please visit our online store for luxury candles & gifts at www.LuxeGifts.com

Perrier Jouët Unveils Belle Epoque Florale Limited Edition by Renowned Japanese Floral Artist Makoto Azuma

Perrier-Jouët champagne House recently made history in Japan, through the international unveiling of Belle Epoque Florale Edition by Makoto Azuma—the first Limited Edition design of cuvée Belle Epoque, since the creation of its iconic anemones by Emile Gallé in 1902.

Created by a renowned Japanese floral artist Makoto Azuma, Belle Epoque Florale Edition is a reverential homage to Emile Galle’s famous Art Nouveau design. The delicate anemones that decorate the bottle chosen by Gallé embody the elegance of the brand and celebrate Japanese art that is closely linked to the art of floral composition.

Makoto Azuma created a three-dimensional frame where flowers are suspended like some fantastical & futuristically hanging garden. This reinterpretation expressed through the beauty of the anemones, creates a magical tale that connects the past to the future.

Makoto Azuma explains: "I wanted to make something extraordinary, taking inspiration from the sensation of champagne inside the mouth, and the delicate movement of the ivy and leaves with a special attention and tribute given to Emile Gallé’s anemones."

The unique Limited Edition was revealed as part of a very exclusive international event attended by over 150 media and VIP guests, at the most beautiful and traditional Japanese Happoen-garden in the heart of Tokyo city.

On September 12, 2012 the Perrier Jouët Unveils Belle Epoque Florale Limited Edition is unveiled in Los Angeles. (Photo courtesy by John Sciulli/WireImage)

Here is the short film of Perrier Jouët Belle Epoque Florale Limited Edition by Makoto Azuma


A little information About Makoto

Azuma Born in 1976, Makoto Azuma grew up in the country and became a guitarist in a rock band before falling in love with floral art. In 2002 he opened "Jardin des Fleurs", an haute couture floral workshop in Tokyo, then from 2005 he developed his activities internationally. Exploring every facet of flowers and plants, Azuma worked with them in a "bespoke" spirit, elevating them to the heights of a work of art.

He expresses this philosophy in his extraordinary creations, combining his personal and resolutely contemporary vision with the time-honoured Japanese art. His works have gained acclaim at his exhibitions, events and performances across the world, at Colette and the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris, and at the NRW Forum in Dusseldorf.

To see more of Makoto Azuma's creations, please visit his official website Azumamakoto.com

Let’s watch an interview with Makoto Azuma about his inspiration of his creation and collaborations with Perrier-Jouët


For more information, please visit www.perrier-jouët.com

I am going to go order a bottle of this limited edition Perrier-Jouët before it ran out!

Until next time, Be well and look fabulous!

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the Pug

Please visit our online store for luxury candles & gifts at www.LuxeGifts.com