The Scented Paper

Jennifer Lopez - Successful Perfumes and So Much More...

2007-07-20T08:38:00.000-05:00

Celebrity perfumes have been a big hit in the last few years, and we, at BigDiscount.com, love this new trend. Many celebrities including actors, singers, social elite and even soccer players, have joined the multi-billion dollar fragrance market, offering customers the opportunity to smell like a star. However, to develop a new stylish scent that satisfies the demanding market, especially the changing young clientele, is no child’s play. Entertainers have become enterprenurs in the perfume business and they have struck gold selling their luxurious and funky life style captured in an affordable glass bottle. So, we want to give you a closer look on the who and the what of this popular fad.

Today, we introduce multi-faceted entertainer who jump started-this trend back in 2002 with her first perfume, Glow. Yes, the one and only, Jennifer López.

Born on July 24^th, 1969 in Bronx, New York, this Puerto Rican girl had to pay for her own dancing and singing lessons in search of her dream. After dropping out after her first semester in college, Jenny made due by working at a legal office and by performing in local night clubs. It was in 1991, after being rejected twice, that she finally made it as a dancer on the comedy program In Livng Color. Ever since, J. Lo hasn’t stopped.

She has appeared in 6 television programs including this year’s American Idol’s Season 6 and in 23 movies starring in her latest, El Cantante, with her husband, the well-known Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony. She has also released 6 albums, her latest being Como Ama Una Mujer, which is all in Spanish and has had 4 number one singles, 3 Grammy Award nominations, and has sold 48 million records world wide. And her story of success doesn’t quite end here either. She owns two clothing lines, Jlo and Sweetface, as well as her own restaurant in Pasadena, California named Madre’s. This Latina appeared in Forbes magazine this year listed as the 9^th richest woman in entertainment estimating her wealth to be $110 million. Amazing, huh? It seems she really has the Midas touch; everything turns to gold. And her own perfume line is no different.

J. Lo renovated Elizabeth Taylor’s hot trend when she presented the most succesful perfume campaign after Calvin Klein’s CK One back in 1994, with her first scent, Glow. As she describes it herself, this perfume is fresh-sexy-clean – it became a top-seller in the first 4 months. Aimed at teens and women in their early 20s, this scent has a moderate strength (lasting from 6 to 10 hours) and it’s recommended for daytime casual wear. It’s considered a flowery fragrance with notes in orange flower, pink grapefruit, neroli, rose, sandalwood, soft amber, jasmine, vanilla, musk and orris. This first-timer unveiled a chain of successful perfumes since then as well.

In 2003 she introduced Still. Inspired by modern women today, this perfume compliments those who multi-task and are confident at all times; those who manage to make everything work. This sophisticated fragrance developed by the Lancaster Group is oriented towards women who are a little older and still sexy, still themselves. It has a moderate strength, lasting from 6 to 10 hours, and it is recommended for casual evening wear. This captivating scent has sake note, white pepper, mandarin, earl gery, pink freesia, honeysuckle, orange flower, rose, wild jasmine, sandalwood,musks, amber and orris.

Jennifer went back to the basics in 2005, revisiting her original fragrance but adding some sabor from her adopted hometown, Miami. This limited edition of Miami Glow with notes of pink grapefruit, coconut water, passion fruit, heliotrope, sheer amber, crystal musk, vanilla orchid and blonde woods truly represents the Hispanic side of the artist. Recommended for daytime or casual wear and for the younger woman, this perfume also has a moderate strength that normally lasts from 6 to 10 hours and reminds the wearer of lively summer days.

Also in 2005, J. Lo launched Live. Inspired by her own motto, “living the moment, and doing what you love”, this delicious aroma with notes of sparkling Sicilian lemon, vivacious Italian orange, juicy pineapple, fruity redcurrant, sexy spicy violet, fragrant peony, sensual musk, warm vanilla, and earthy sandalwood reminds us to enjoy every minute. It has a moderate strength which lasts from 6 to 10 hours and it is recommended for daytime casual wear. Anyone could identify with this cocktail scent, feeling joyous, energetic and sexy.

It was just last year when Jenny released another deviation of her original aroma, Love at First Glow. Oriented toward a really young crowd – 12 to 18 year olds - and inspired by first love, this delicate scent has notes of bergamot, neroli, Georgia peach, pink jasmine, wild rose, osmanthus, freesia, sheer musk, blond woods and vanilla absolute. This lighter version has a subtle strength lasting from 1 to 5 hours. Girls can wear it everyday and feel innocent and loved.

Again in 2006, “Jenny from the Block” launched ANOTHER by-product but this time from her original Live, called Live Luxe. Inspired by her “uninhibited indulgence” according to her webpage and her passion for dancing, this aroma has juicy pear, luscious peach, exotic melon, electric citrus apple twist, satiny muguet petals, amethyst freesia, sun-sweetened honeysuckle, precious diamond musk, creamy vanilla, and soft sandalwood. Oriented towards women in her 20s, this pampered scent is suggested for evening casual wear. It does have a moderate strength to it and this glamorous smell can last up to 10 hours.

Finally this year, this non-stop entrepreneur launched her latest version of Glow, Glow After Dark. Resembling the same original bottle but in metal, this funky upbeat perfume was inspired by having fun with friends and enjoying the nightlife. It has notes of mandarin, melon, white cherry, passion fruit, jasmine, peony, freesia, rose, orange flower, pink musk, tree moss, blonde woods and patchouli. This subtle fragrance lasts up to five hours and should be worn by party girls who love going out.

So this celeb did give us A LOT to talk about due to her non-stop creativeness and proactivity. We are sure we are going to see, hear and smell lots more of her this year. Curious to try out what this ambitious and flirtatious entertainer has brought to the fragrance market? Don´t hesitate to contact us! www.BigDiscount.com

Ray-Ban and the Aviator: Then, Now, and Beyond

2007-06-04T15:32:00.000-05:00

Founded in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb and on commission by the United States Air Force, Ray-Ban is a high-end manufacturer of sunglasses which are known worldwide for their quality, design and value. Two of Ray-Ban’s most well-known styles, the Ray-Ban Aviator and the Ray-Ban Wayfarer, are still in high demand today.

Ray-Ban creates sunglass models, not only with style, but with functionality as well; the Aviator model is a perfect example of these attributes. In the 1940s and in the midst of World War II, this brand worked along with Air Force and Navy pilots to develop a pair of sunglasses that would be comfortable to wear and offer maximum eye protection. As a result of this research, a dark anti-glare lens was developed that would reflect the sun’s harsh glare. This lens bulges out slightly, covering the entire eye range, thus preventing the entrance of sunlight from any angle. In addition, the tear drop metal frame with wire temples was composed to hold this lens in place (which is two or three times the size of the eye sockets, thus offering more protection for the eyes). These slim temples help hold the sunglass in place by hooking behind the ears. The “Aviator” model was named after its resemblance to the shape of the original flying goggles that pilots wore at that time. However, the original goggles would create an undesirable tan on pilots, resulting in a dark face with white eye mask. To solve this problem, the Aviator model was created. The oversized nature of this model used gentle curves in its frame to allow a limited amount of sunlight in the eye area - just enough to allow the skin to tan.

The Aviator model, while fashionable and practical, is still used today. In fact, the overall style is often seen on fashion runways and in different contemporary versions which have been adopted by many different design houses, including Giorgio Armani and Versace. With various lens treatments and different frame colors available (ranging from shiny gold to the original gunmetal), the Aviator model, even after more than half a century, is still a hot fashion accessory for both men and women alike.

Ray-Ban, owned by the Italy-based Luxotica Group since 1999, has also made it big in the entertainment industry, creating unmistakable accessories for both artists and actors. Some of the most notable entertainers to adorn Ray-Ban sunglasses are the Blues Brothers, Don Johnson in Miami Vice and Tom Cruise both in Risky Business and in Top Gun. In Top Gun, Tom Cruise popularized the Aviator model which was later worn by characters in the movie Pearl Harbor and The Aviator. The main characters in Reservoir Dogs and the characters in the trilogy The Matrix, also wore Ray-Ban sunglasses. These examples demonstrate that this worldwide, 70 year-old brand can still produce modern, versatile and functional sunglasses that transcend time and fashion trends.

How To Wear Perfume 101

2007-03-22T09:36:00.000-05:00

So, you got a new bottle of perfume but you don't know how to wear it properly. Don’t worry. Like you, many of us have the same issue and we, at Big Discount, have decided pitch in and help. After some research and exploration into the fragrance world, we came up with a few tips on how to apply your preferred scent and pin-pointed some common mistakes. We're sure this list of helpful hints will assist you in making good use of your favorite perfume - making it an enjoyable and sexy experience.

Uncap your perfume and get ready to indulge yourself:

Apply perfume on your skin preferably after a bath/shower since your skin is nice and clean and can absorb your favorite fragrance more thoroughly.
Less is definitely more. Your fragrance should attract people to you, not the other way around. Discretion is the key regarding amount. If you are using a splash, moisten your fingertips and dab perfume lightly on your pulse areas. These are your wrists, décolleté (neckline in French), behind your earlobes and neck, on your chest, elbow area, behind your knees and in your inner thighs. Why these areas? Since blood is closer to the surface, skin is warmer causing the scent to be more rapidly diffused.
If your favorite perfume comes in a spray, you may want to squirt some on pulse areas from one foot away to get an even distribution. You could also spray it into the air 2 or 3 times, form a perfume cloud and “walk” right in.
Heat does rise, so you should perfume yourself from the bottom up. This allows the scent to last longer throughout the day.
It is a fact that men and women with dry skin don’t retain scents as long as people with oily skin. This is due to the fact that oils in the skin join with the perfume oils thus making it a slower process of evaporation. Solution: reapply your preferred scent once or twice a day or use a good moisturizer before applying your fragrance.
Allow the scent to dry. Many people put on perfume and immediately dress, which rubs some of it off and prevents the fragrance from really being absorbed. It takes about an hour for the perfume to develop with your natural scent.
Many men and women are not conscious of the different scented body products they use - shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, deodorant, after shave balm, etc. - they use them all at once which causes a mess of smells. It is almost impossible for the perfume to really stand out or even last long when it's mixed with everything else. So, if you want to make your perfume or cologne last longer, then "layer it". Use body products scented preferably like your perfume or better yet products from the same brand. Start with a shower gel and then seal the scent with body lotion or after shave and finish by locking it all up with your favorite fragrance.
Be aware of the weather. On hot summer days, scents tend to last longer whereas cold weather has the exact opposite effect. So, vary the amount of perfume you wear with each season.

Now you know what to do, but it isn’t everything if you don’t know what NOT to do. Here are some pointers you should watch out for:

Don’t perfume with clothes or jewelry on. Some fragrances do tend to stain cloth, metals and pearls, ruining your favorite apparel. Also, you are perfuming yourself, not your clothes.
Don’t rub your wrists together when applying perfume in this area, since the scent does change considerably.
Don’t perfume ALL your pulse points. You might just over do it, so choose carefully. Madame Coco Chanel did say, “Put on perfume where you’d like to be kissed.” Advice from an expert should never be ignored. Three sprays for Eau de Parfum or five sprays from Eau de Toilette perfumes should be more than enough.
Don’t spray perfume directly into your hair. Some hair products might react to the fragrance negatively causing strong odors.
If you did all the right steps and you still don’t smell like you want to, don’t reapply your favorite scent. It is most likely that your olfactory glands are already used to the fragrance, therefore not recognizing it. Solution: Vary your scent from time to time. Expand your perfume wardrobe.

So there you have it, Big Discount’s helpful tips on perfume wearing. Now you have one less thing to worry about, and more time to pamper yourself with your favorite fragrance. Enjoy!