You know that feeling you get when you smell a fresh batch of baked cookies? Or the scent of your significant other’s favorite t-shirt fresh out of the dryer? Certain aromas really take you back to a very specific time in your life with just one sniff–like for me the smell of freshly baked sweet bread reminds me of the holidays when my mom feverishly baked a few loaves for me and my sisters—yuuuuum (Homer Simpson voice).

Leslie Blodgett—yes, THE Leslie Blodgett of Bare Escentuals mineral makeup mania—knows exactly how I feel about certain scents. She kept a journal since she was a young girl to capture the essence and aroma of every trip she’s taken. Using the memories of these trips, she was inspired to create a line of fragrances, the first of which is called Bare Skin and is in Sephora stores and sephora.com today!

Bare Skin, the first scent in the series, is reminiscent of an experience during a trip to Mexico, where Leslie cart-wheeled fancy-free down a sunny beach while emanating true, unbridled joy. “When I have an experience, I like to have a scent behind it. Bare Skin, which is what Mexico reminds me of, is the way you feel when the sun is beating down on you during the day, but then you go out at night and you’re still sizzling from the warmth of the day which mingles with the night air and the music.”

Bare Skin Product Offerings

* Bare Skin Eau de Parfum 1.7oz ($55): With emotional undertones throughout, the scent takes you from day to night with top notes of Black Pepper, Freesia and Anise that evoke the morning breeze coming through the window and the anticipation of the day ahead. The heart notes of Iris, Vanilla Orchid, Plumeria and Patchouli conjure walking to the beach and being on hot, hot sand. While the dry down notes of Sandalwood, Labdanum and Musk tell of the soft, sexy chatter between couples and the music that surrounds. Leslie recommends spraying the fragrance on your pulse points and behind your neck – the heat from these areas will permeate the scent with every breath.

* Bare Skin Solid Perfume Compact ($35): This pocket watch captures a moment of time in Leslie’s life and interprets it into a heady scent. Dab on pulse points for the ultimate exhilaration.

* Bare Skin Perfumed Body Cream ($30): To perfectly compliment the fragrance, a luxurious body cream has been created. To extend the fragrance sensation, apply the hydrating body cream after showering and follow with a fragrance spritz near your heart.

Well, I *was* looking for a new scent so I’ll be checking this out at Sephora soon. How about you?

P.S. A little birdie told me Bare Escentuals will soon be adding more colors in the deeper end of the spectrum—they must have heard my cries…lol.

Normally I have to swat away the department store perfume lady by politely/aggressively telling her “no thank you” through a tightly clenched and forced smile. But yesterday while at Bloomingdale’s the perfume lady nearly had to tell me to back off after she gave me a sample of Marc Jacobs’ newest scent “Lola”! The instant my senses met the fragrance’s intoxicating scent, I immediately new this would be my new perfume for fall. So before security was called, I managed to pick up a bottle.

Lola is described as “A modern free spirit with an irresistible attitude. Lola is an intoxicating swirl of rich layers, wrapping the skin in sensuous florals blooming with a signature note of fuchsia peony. Playfully alluring and irresistibly tempting“. And if you know me I love anything that makes me feel like a high fashion supermodel and this scent makes me feel like I’m walking the runway alongside the likes of Naomi Campbell (with my hands covering my face—just in case).

Lola is available exclusively from Bloomingdale’s for the month of August.

Over the weekend I headed over to one of my many obsessions–Lush–to check out their new Sugar Scrubs. In the past I had successfully avoided being sucked into the lure of Lush even after many other girls on beauty sites I frequent did nothing but gush over how much they loved Lush. I decided then I really didn’t need another obsession. But then one fateful day–the day after Christmas to be exact–while in Atlanta’s Cumberland Mall they were having a buy one get two free sale. And that’s when the love affair began. *sigh*

Anyway, so after I made the trip to my local Lush, I get home and can’t wait to get in the shower to try out my new Sugar Scrubs. I tried Sugar Babe first (because it smelled nicer) and to my surprise, after barely lathering my body the whole thing disintegrated! And it also made my NW 47 skin a very bright red–yikes! After I got out the shower and dried off, I did notice my skin was glowing. Hmmm….

Then I tried Sugar Scrub (the green one) and it actually held up in the shower! My skin also glowed, but it also became red *sigh*. Maybe I scrub too hard?

Oh well–the love for Lush is not lost. My go-to scrub will still always remain Sandstone Soap. And Honey I Washed the Soap smells do divine I almost want to bite it–but then I remember it’s soap.

I also just noticed that there’s now a solid perfume with the Honey I Washed the Soap scent! I’ve been looking for a true honey scent (that I thought MAC’s Naked Honey collection would give me, but didn’t). I am sooo on this!

Spend $100 on any beauty or fragrance purchase,
and earn a $25 gift card with code GLAMCARD

*Online: To receive the $25 BG Gift Card, use promo code GLAMCARD at checkout. Offer valid on in-stock merchandise when shipped, based on merchandise total only: sales tax, gift wrap, and delivery and processing charges will not count toward Gift Card amount. The value of your order must total $100 on beauty and fragrance before shipping and tax. Orders must be placed by 12/6/08 at 11:59 PM CT. Gift Card and redemption instructions will be delivered via the e-mail address that is used when placing your order in 6-7 weeks. Returned or cancelled merchandise will reduce the amount available on or disqualify eligibility for gift card. Gift card must be used by 3/13/09. One BG Gift Card per customer. Not applicable on prior purchases.