This Month In Beauty: Prada Releases A New Sister Fragrance To Paradoxe & More
The 4-1-1 in the beauty world right now
By Keng Yang Shuen,
It's a fragrance-heavy month – plenty to choose from as we head into the festive season. Fans of Prada's original Paradoxe perfume, for example, can look forward to a richer version that's just been debuted – the ambery woody Paradoxe Intense. More details below.
Sublimage is Chanel's most premium skincare range and its signature L’Extrait de Nuit serum ($1,026 for 30ml) has just been upgraded. The Sublimage serum focuses on deep repair, especially during the night when it's the optimal time for the body to recuperate, using hero ingredients such as vanilla from Madagascar and polyfractioned Vanilla Planifolia, an active ingredient that is derived from the plant and exclusive to Chanel.
Now however, the souped-up version includes Himalayan swertia, a plant that is said to bloom just once every three years in Bhutan – so convinced is Chanel of the plant's reparative powers that it's dedicated one of its newest open-sky laboratories, located in Bhutan, to studying swertia's properties. According to the brand, when swertia extract is paired with Vanilla Planifolia, it limits the spread of cells that are responsible for the signs of aging, and then promotes cell regeneration, with reportedly 73 per cent of tissue being repaired.
Aside from the improved formula, the serum is now also refillable, with the refill ($872) also crafted from thin and delicate glass, much like the bottle itself.
Available now at Chanel Fragrance and Beauty boutiques, counters and online store
Gucci's popular Guilty line of fragrances has welcomed two new entrants – cue the Gucci Guilty Elixir de Parfum Pour Femme and Pour Homme flankers, which the brand designed as an homage to self-acceptance. The duo amplifies the original's signature notes like patchouli and makes them more contemporary.
The Gucci Guilty Elixir de Parfum Pour Femme is an ambery floral scent, with wisteria accord and fruity mandora blended with vanilla absolute and tonka beans, while rose and violet accord rounds out the concoction. Its Pour Homme counterpart, on the other hand, is an ambery leather design, with a heavy focus on patchouli. Other key ingredients in here include vanillin extract and orris butters, which help to add warmth, while Ambrofix, nutmeg and benzoin create further depth.
Both come in specially designed 60ml flacons ($265 each), with the Pour Femme coloured purple and the Pour Homme an absinthe green.
Available now at all Gucci Beauty stores and counters
Prada's Paradoxe perfume, distinctive for its striking triangular bottle and sweet bourbon vanilla vibes, was received with much fanfare last year. Now it's got a new sister: the Paradoxe Intense ($160 for 30ml; $205 for 50ml; $295 for 90ml; and $230 for 100ml refill), which is a floral ambery and woody number that contains top notes of bergamot essence, neroli bud and pear accord, middle notes of neroli essence, jasmine infusion, and moss accord, while a base of amber accord, vanilla infusion and white musk accords round things out.
Also worth noting: the glass bottles have been designed to limit their weight and use of glass, and boxes are made out of FSC certified paper, ensuring a more sustainable choice of paper and paperboard. The entire franchise range is also refillable, allowing for less packaging material.
Available now at the Prada Beauty boutique at VivoCity
Sulwhasoo is best known for its expertise in wielding the goodness found in ginseng and now, they’ve heightened that expertise into what they call the pinnacle of ginseng skincare: the Ultimate S collection. Joining the recently launched Ultimate S Cream is the complementary Ultimate S Serum ($330 for 30ml, $550 for 50ml), which is similarly formulated with Ginseng Berry SR, a proprietary complex formed by concentrating Syringaresinol (an extract from the ginseng berry) over 200 times. According to the brand, the ginseng berry takes over 1,000 days to ripen, and only a single gram of Syringaresinol can be extracted from 600 kg of ginseng berry extracts. When used together with the Ultimate S Cream, the brand says the combination of the two products will visibly smooth out fine lines and plump the skin.
Available now at all Sulwhasoo boutiques and online store
Lancome has released a new variation of its Idole fragrance, named Idole Now ($150 for 50ml) – the new flanker is designed to be richer than the original, thanks to the infusion of a trio of ingredients. The first ingredient is rose – Lancome's take on this flower features a larger-than-life olfactory profile, achieved through blending the essence with the distillation water for the first time.
The second ingredient is the powdery scent of a Malaysian orchid, which adds warmth to the perfume. This accord is obtained via headspace technology - according to the brand, this captures the composition of the flower's scent in nature like an "olfactory photograph." This technology allowed perfumers to reproduce the orchid's scent without having to harvest or harm the plant.
The third ingredient is vanilla - Lancome's version features vanilla infusion and natural origin vanillin made of repurposed ingredients. Using biotechnology, gives vanillin a second life while reinventing it. This adds sensuality to the perfume's vibe. The Idole Now's bottle too, is distinguished from the original with its new gradient lacquering that grows in intensity from top to bottom and features a new cap.
Available now at all Lancome counters and online store
Just in time for the upcoming festive season: French beauty label Clarins has released a new line of SOS Primers ($60 each), each in a different shade to address a specific skin concern and different skincare ingredient to add further benefit to the skin beyond just colour.
For example, white enhances radiance for a natural glow, pink corrects dullness for a refreshed appearance, peach blurs dark spots and imperfections for an even skin tone, classic green counterbalances redness with a soothing effect, while mattifying gives a matte complexion by controlling shine.
These primers can be used with or without foundation and offer long-lasting skin protection and nourishment through the inclusion of the brand's exclusive Lumitech Complex, which incorporates soft focus powders to smooth the complexion and reflect light for a more luminous glow. They also contain the Clarins Microbiote Complex and Anti-Pollution Complex to fortify the skin against the adverse effects of external aggressors.
Available now at all Clarins boutiques, counters and online store
New York fragrance label Le Labo is known for putting on a twist on classics; their works often come across as very different from what's on the label – for example, their popular Rose 31 subverts all the traditional connotations of femininity with its earthy, musky interpretation of the flower.
Now, they've come for the lavender flower with their latest work, Lavande 31 ($136 for 15ml; $325 for 50ml; $460 for 100ml and $1,560 for the 500ml size, which is exclusive to the brand's Marina Bay Sands store). The perfume opens with a fresh burst of bergamot and neroli, which gives way to a heart of pure lavender. Only the flower buds are distilled for this fragrance, resulting in a lavender that is both vertical and rich. The base of Lavande is pure Le Labo with its mix of ambery, dirty, and musky notes blended with tonka bean.
Available now at all Le Labo stores
The American sunscreen specialist has rolled out its first-ever lipstick, dubbed the Lipshade 100% Mineral SPF 30. Described by the brand to be highly pigmented with buildable, bold colour payoff, the lipstick is available in five shades ($38 each) and is infused with natural peppermint oil, peptides, shea butter, and rosehip oil to soften and moisturise the lips. And of course, there's mineral SPF 30 protection, thanks to the inclusion of zinc oxide. It's a smart move – the lips are often said to be the most neglected part of our faces, even for those who make it a point to wear sunscreen on a daily basis.
Available now at Sephora stores
Fragrance heads, rejoice: the niche French perfumer L'Artisan Parfumeur is now officially in Singapore, with the brand recently opening its first store at Takashimaya. For the uninitiated, L'Artisan Parfumeur was started in 1976 by French chemist Jean Laporte, when a friend asked the nose if he could create a banana scent for him – for the purpose of attending a costume gala reportedly.
The French native arguably was among the pioneers of the niche perfume trend, which of course has become a major movement today. It's now known for its artisanal approach to the world of perfumery, as well as a focus on using natural ingredients. Innovation too is another hallmark of the brand – for example, the brand's classic Premier Figuier scent, launched in 1994, was the first-ever fragrance based entirely around a fig theme and has inspired countless copies since.
L'Artisan Parfumeur is located at #B1-33A Takashimaya S.C.
This one is for the dry skin girlies: M.A.C's latest product, the Studio Radiance Serum-Powered Foundation ($76 for 30ml) that's said to deliver plumper, smoother, and more radiant skin with a lightweight, cushiony formula that provides medium, buildable coverage.
The foundation is powered by an 80 per cent skincare base with 33 skincare ingredients, including a whooping 10 per cent hyaluronic acid solution to lock in moisture and a cocktail of goodies such as olive, jojoba oil and Vitamin E to further moisturise the skin.
There are also silver and gold pearlescent particles that are specifically crafted to complement unique undertones of light and deeper skin tones, which reportedly helps to add a natural, glowy finish to the skin. In addition to its skincare benefits, the foundation is available in 25 shades, all of which are said to be water-, sweat-, and transfer-resistant, and provide 12 hours of wear.
Available now at all M.A.C stores and counters