Inhale
Bottega Veneta: Alta Eaux de Parfum
Some perfumers find their inspiration in poetry, painting, mythology, music. At Bottega Veneta, the muses are often closer to home. The house’s new Alta collection of 10 eaux de parfum takes two components—one from Italy, one from another corner of the world—and weaves them into different moods and times of day. Bare Morning combines the scent of Borotalco, the baby powder common in Italian nurseries, with sandalwood from Oceania. Ricordami, which means “Remember me,” takes its notes from stracciatella, the vanilla gelato dotted with shreds of chocolate. Balliamo, “Let’s dance,” mixes Italian fig with American sandalwood, becoming a soft, lush, pillowy scent that may be my favorite. I’m also drawn to Always Now, a bright, light way to greet the day, built on Italian basil and earthy vetiver-bourbon essence from Madagascar. The glass bottles carry the house’s Intrecciato pattern topped with a wooden cap and a broad gold band. For those who can’t decide, a set of miniatures solves that problem and is also perfect for travel. ($300, bottegaveneta.com)
Brush
Violette_FR: Plume Blush
A bright-purple blush doesn’t exactly look friendly. “Intimidating” is one word. “Jellicle Ball” are two more. But Violette_FR has performed a sleight of hand, turning a blush that’s as purple as Prince’s Paisley Park into an incongruously sheer pink veil of color when brushed on the skin. Its texture metamorphoses, too, starting as a cream and drying into a lightweight powder. Violette Serrat, the makeup artist and founder of the line, drew on a glazing technique in Renaissance painting in which thin layers build luminosity from within. Titian and his ilk had to labor for months to achieve the effect; with Plume Blush, it’s one, two, and you’re out the door. If purple is too much, it also comes in rose, caramel, red, and brick. ($34, sephora.com )
