Cristobal Balenciaga may have set up the first couture house in Spain, but far from being a dyed-in-the-wool fashion establishment figure, he was known for being innovative and revolutionary; he was chic and impertinent at the same instant. The brand may have languished after Balenciaga’s death in 1972, but it’s been revived with a passion since 1997, when Nicholas Ghesquiere took over as creative director, creating an enviable niche in Ladies Fashion, and with its to-die-for handbags. This same devotion to attitude, and more attitude, is seen in the fragrance Balenciaga Paris. Ghesquiere collaborated with perfumer Olivier Polge, and with French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg as its image model, it’s “nectar trapped in a bell jar.” As for the scent, it’s a bouquet of violets, truly floral, until the heart notes of pepper and mossy wood come into play — a paradox, because it’s light and spring, but complemented by darker elements; and sold exclusively at the Balenciaga store at Greenbelt 5.
Paul Smith’s fashion vision also finds roots in whimsy color and innovation. His Sunshine Limited Edition fragrances come to us with a variant for Men, and one for the Ladies. The one for Men (with the green markings) is all about energy and vitality. There are top notes of coriander leaves, grapefruit and black pepper; with heart notes of nutmeg and starfruit; and bottom notes of incense, moss and cedarwood. For the Women (with the red markings), it’s citrus and floral simultaneously; achieved by combining the head notes of bergamot, pink grapefruit and peach; with the middle notes of jasmine, peony and Bulgarian rose; and a base of musk and sandalwood. And the two scents really complement each other, vastly different and yet one of a kind! While the two scents are great stand-alones, as a pair, they’re also a perfect gift for couples.
Going the ‘one natural’ Watsons way
There’s a quiet revolution going on at the Beauty Section of the SM Department
As one of the major shareholders of Rochar Cosmeceuticals, Inc., Charade (along with director for product development Rommel Villapa) gamely admitted that when they first approached Watsons Philippines, what they had in mind was to be one of the contract manufacturers/suppliers of the chain; but Watsons’ Jared de Guzman had other things in mind, putting Charade’s name on the label of the O.N.E. Naturales products and creating market identity and equity for her and Rochar via the Naturales line. This early in the game, it has paid dividends, as the line has engaged customers and users with its unique formulations, the catchy names for its products, and how they utilize paper-crafted packaging and recycled material for its molds. The solid shampoos and conditioners may be foreign to this market, but given it only takes two to three swipes to create sufficient lather, and its solid state allows for better stability of the essential oils, it’s also ideal for when one has to go out of the house or travel, as there’s no danger of spillage. Goldilocks, Hair Biscuit and It’s Green (for dandruff treatment) are the three variants of the solid shampoo. The after-shower bars make one feel like one is soaping oneself after having towelled off, but the silky, moisturized after-feel can’t be beat! The aluminum tubes and cans for the lotion and body butter respectively also make for attractive packaging and minimum waste.
Admittedly, Charade and Rommel create the formulations. But in order to maintain standards and quality of production, they had to go abroad. It was in China that they could also secure the packaging and molds that bestow Naturales with its eco-friendly look. While plans are afoot to diversify into solid fragrances and perfumes, and other more advanced skincare products, Rochar can proudly lay claim to the fact that with O.N.E. Naturales, they have a line that has the “legs” to make a run, and be one of the first Filipino brands that could be carried by Watsons worldwide.