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MAC's Asphalt Flower is like the gravelly crunch of new leather boots afoot a freshly paved street. An edgy, cool incense and sweet berries (mulberry and currant, to my nose) adds a dimension of femininity to this revamped version of one of MAC's earlier 1999 fragrance releases. Asphalt Flower reminds me of Pam from True Blood: feminine and fierce. The rollerball packaging feels very appropriate as this is a sensual, textured fragrance that lends itself well to dabbing on rather than spraying. Asphalt Flower is perfectly reminiscent of the brand it represents, and a must-have fragrance for fall.

• Asphalt Flower is available for $20 in a 6 mL rollerball from MAC Cosmetics
• Questions? Comments? Got something you'd like me to sniff? Hit me up at kristy.victoria@gmail.com.

There are tons of lip smoothers and plumpers on the market, all with varying degrees of effectiveness. Some are multi-taskers and provide other effects, others are straight up pillow lip inducing products. ERNO LASZLO TranspHuse Lip pHixative is a multitasker...providing both hydration and plumping effects along with those ever important anti-aging and smoothing effects.

Anya's Garden is a perfume house that creates fragrances inspired by gardens both real and imaginary. It was founded as Anya's Tropical Essences in 1992 by natural perfumer, Anya McCoy.

I had the opportunity this past week to sample two of Anya's latest releases, and am pleased to share my impressions with you all.

The powdery soft violet, tuberose and jasmine of Moondance smell like emerging twilight. The violet has a distinctly vintage feel and the smooth, fluid tuberose floralcy is accentuated by jasmine. This tuberose isn't buttery or rubbery, but viscous and sweet. The combination of violet and tuberose is somewhat unusual, and I wonder why, as it's really exquisitely beautiful. The spiciness of the tuberose emerges more on the drydown. As a lover of intensely floral scents I can see myself reaching for this in the future, it's the kind of fragrance you can really sink your teeth into. The transition of this fragrance is like a nod to the masters of classical french perfumery and its aldehydic heavy handedness, which is surprising and refreshing considering it is composed of completely natural aromachemicals. If you love Chanel No. 22, this is a must-try.

Starflower is something of a gourmand floral. It's not intensely sweet and dessert scented, however: the foodiness of this one is subtle and this is why it is such a successful composition. The almond is heavily saturated but unsweetened, feeling more like a cordial than a cupcake. The introduction of lemon to the almondy-tuberose accord brings out the tropical feeling of the flower. The amaretto-floral topnotes of this scent are utterly intoxicating bliss, followed by a slow descent into a lemony spicy-floral.

My biggest qualm about natural fragrances is their lack of longevity, but I was pleased to report that these fragrances lasted at least 6 hours, which puts them up to par with their synthetic counterparts.

• Moondance and Starflower are available from Anya's Garden, for $125 or $100 respectively for 15 mL of Eau de Parfum, or $5 per sample.
• Questions? Comments? Got something you'd like me to sniff? Hit me up at kristy.victoria@gmail.com, I'd love to hear from you!

*Vintage Merlot – a deep berry
*Radiant Sunset – a mid-tone red
*Precious Coral – a light peachy coral
*Golden Charm – a warm sheer gold

I love glittery gloss...I do...I just hate sticky glittery gloss. Stickiness is what keeps me from succumbing to temptation for other lines. Stila's 24kt Luxe Glosses inspire no such strength in me...as they're not sticky. And they're shimmery. And they feel really nice. And they wear well. And they're SO DAMN PRETTY!

Anyway...

at $30 this is a STEAL. They're full size and they're amazing. My only quibble (and it's a small one, really) is that I wish the 24kt glosses used the click pen like Stila's other glosses do. It makes controlling how much product is released SO much easier.

*plum fairy - a sheer plum with pink pearl
*candy - sheer pink-coral with subtle rainbow shimmer
*marmalade - sheer peach with pink and white pearl
*pinkle twinkle - sheer mid-tone pink with rainbow shimmer
*kitten - nude pink champagne shimmer with golden pearl
*starfruit - neutral pink-coral with white pearl
*cranberry - sheer brick red
*blackberry - deep purple wine

I have to tell you guys how much I love this set, it's got a range from sheer to decidedly pigmented, and the shimmered glosses satisfy anyone who loves a bit of glimmer. They smell fantastic (some of them are fruity, some of them smell like vanilla cupcakes...it's yummy).
The set is a great value, get it at Stilacosmetics.com for $25!!!

Givenchy Play is a perfectly suitable fragrance for a modern young man. The target audience of this Eau de Toilette is most apparent in the packaging: the bottle is fashioned after an iPod, which is likely to attract a younger, more tech savvy man. Fresh topnotes of bergamot and grapefruit slowly morph into a woody amalgam of vetiver, tonka and amyris wood with has just the right amount of warmth. The official notes list includes coffee flower and patchouli, but these are imperceptible at least on my skin. Play was tenacious and long lasting on my skin, lasting throughout the day without needing to be reapplied. My impression of the development of Givenchy Play was something akin to unwrapping a present: the fresh topnotes are likely to entice your attention, but the warm and woody base beneath is what you want out of the experience.

• Givenchy Play is available for $53 for a 50 mL bottle at Sephora, Nordstroms, Dillards, Macy's and Bloomingdales.

Stress, exhaustion, poor diet, and an abundance of work mean I've got lots of reasons to be embracing the anti-aging products on the market these days. Throw in some kiddos with multiple activities and one with questionable report cards and bam. Stress lines and headaches abound.

I've been using Erno Lazlo TranspHuse Topical ($165) for a couple of weeks now, just applying at night before bed and then in the morning before my makeup/work routine. I like it...quite a lot actually. First, it doesn't take much product to cover the entire face, second, it's not greasy or heavy feeling...which is a NICE feeling at night, and third, I'm seeing results. Obviously, the third reason is the best reason, but hey, who am I to discount the other two?

I've lamented...often...loudly...about how dirty my work environment is. It really really is one of the most grody places I've ever been, just because of the type of work we do. Because of how groiky we get, I'm pretty picky about a) wearing something on my skin as a barrier (foundation, tinted moisturizer, whatever) and b) making sure to cleanse my skin really well at night. Sometimes, this is a trial for me because lately I've been going to work at 8 a.m. and not getting OFF work til after 11 p.m., then I have to get home and get cleaned up and get in bed so I can restart the day.

Ever the multitasker, I'm all about making the most of what little time I have to get the most out of the few minutes I can take. Products like the Clean & Clear In Shower Facial are perfect for busy schedules, because it gets slapped on, the shower steam activates the product, and after a minute, it can be massaged off to reveal a fresh face.