Aerin Lauder

A lot of you are probably thinking, who is she?

Aerin Lauder, grand-daughter of Estée Lauder, is arguably the most influential figure within fragrance. 

After doing a bit of digging on the Estée Lauder website, I discovered the multitude of brands that they now own. You'd be surprised at how many seemingly independent and quirky brands are controlled by them also!

Clinique, MAC, Michael Kors and Smashbox to name just a few.

"For over 60 years, The Estée Lauder Companies has built an unrivalled portfolio of brands. Our products are sold in more than 150 countries and range from entry-level prestige to ultra-premium luxury".

If you'd like to check out the full, detailed list, follow this link: http://www.elcompanies.com/pages/our-brands.aspx

Mrs Lauder hasn't just chosen to overlook and control all of these brands, she's also created her own, simply named 'Aerin'. 

"Launched in late 2012, Aerin Beauty is a luxury lifestyle beauty and fragrance brand inspired by the signature style of its founder, Aerin Lauder. Based on the premise that living beautifully should be effortless, the brand develops makeup, fragrance and body products that are curated and luxurious."

It cannot be denied, this lady has some serious power when it comes down to what fragrances we smell and as a result purchase. If I was in her position, I would 100% have thought that creating my own brand was a good idea. She has the ability to truly reflect herself, creating and formulating products how she wants them. A breath of fresh air from producing for all of her other brands which already have values and guidelines in place. 

Follow Aerin on Instagram @aerin 

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images, Estée Lauder Website.

Quote Credit: Estée Lauder Website.

Marc Jacobs: Fragrance Stories

Welcome back! 

If you follow me on social media (Instagram @lanaskyecaven Twitter @LanaCx) then you'll know that I've recently begun researching for my next FCP brief!

Although not official in the professional fragrance world, the course leader for FCP Tim Rundle has come up with 4 different stories which I feel perfectly categorise the multitude of products out there.

1. Sensuality & Indulgence

2. Trust & Honesty

3. Humour & Kitsch

4. Tradition & Heritage

This got me thinking. Are there any brands out there that have produced fragrances which fit into all of the different stories?

Thats when American fashion designer Marc Jacobs popped into my head.

1. Sensuality & Indulgence

This new fragrance is said to elevate the irreverent spirit of Marc Jacobs fragrances into a new level of luxury, making a statement with bold styling, luxurious craftsmanship and design inspired by one of Marc's iconic handbags. 

The ad, starring Adriana Lima, comes across as both seductive through the models facial expression and forbidden through the low-key lighting and use of shadows. 

2. Trust & Honesty

This design is said to be filled with youthful sophistication and vintage charm, the bottle being topped with a playful scattering of daisies that appear to bloom from the rounded gold cap, with retro petals that bend to the touch. 

Daisy Dream is elegantly crafted with an embellished daisy detail that creates an airy, lace-like effect, complimenting the ethereal blue colour palette. 

Daisy Eau So Fresh is a taller and slimmer re interpretation of the original. The exaggerated gold cap is topped with six pink daisies that are soft to the touch. 

These 3 fragrances are often marketed as a trio in advertisements, all of them coming across as natural and pure through the settings, props and minimal makeup looks on the models. 

3. Humour & Kitsch

In celebration of Marc's beloved icon, this fragrance comes in a red tinted bottle with a cheerful composition of round shapes in a polka dot motif. Butterflies of different sizes adorn the bottle while a luminous pearl adds polished detail.

Here Marc reinvents classic lines and patterns, putting a fresh spin on stripes with Honey. Playful and polished with vibrant butterflies and radiant accents, Honey channels the eclectic appeal of Dot and adds her own golden touch. 

It becomes clear through the advertisements that Honey is a much more playful fragrance, having a whimsical and almost theatrical feel, whereas Dot seems to have stronger links with the Trust & Honesty story which is strange due to the outlandish nature of the bottle. 

4. Tradition & Heritage

This simply named fragrance channels Marc's personal style, with a scent that is young, fresh and sensuous.

Here, Marc challenges the traditional boundaries of men's fragrance with a scent that is unexpected, warm and sensual. 

Interestingly, I didn't come across any ad's for these two fragrances, perhaps because the designer felt there wasn't much to work with? Nevertheless, a vintage and almost classy feel comes across through the simple nature of the bottles, as though the quality of the fragrances can speak for themselves. 

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

Fragrance Descriptions Credit: Marc Jacobs Website. 

Mini Trend Alert: Spider Eyelashes

I really don't know how I feel about this trend re-surfacing.

When done right, mascara being applied a little on the heavy side can actually look ok...

But more often than not, people take it way too far and end up looking like this...

For so many years we've been told that the dreaded clumps are the enemy, but it seems that the exact opposite is now being deemed acceptable!?

I don't think I'll ever be able to adopt this trend, especially not into my daily routine. 

Can you imagine how much extra makeup remover you'd go through?

Each to their own, but I just really couldn't be bothered.

Leave your thoughts below!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images.

BBC Perfume Documentary

Our new uni brief is all about fragrance.

FRAGRANCE, FRAGRANCE, FRAGRANCE. 

I recently watched an old documentary series surrounding perfume.

Here are some of the key things I learned, setting me up for the next few months perfectly:

1. Smell is the most primitive & least understood scent.

2. Perfume manipulates people, being a reminder of moments and memories past.

3. Fragrance is a multi billion dollar global industry.

4. The market is extremely saturated now making standing out all the more difficult.

5. How you market your fragrance is just as important as the smell itself.

6. Young people are the most important customers - get them hooked while their young.

7. Mother's Day is the key date in the perfume calendar.

8. Perfume houses such as Guerlain now hold only a tiny share of the market.

9. Consumers want to smell clean - divorcing themselves from their bodies natural scent.

10. There are more astronauts in the world than perfumers - very specialised business.

11. You can teach technique but not creativity.

12. Perfume is a magic worked by science. 

13. Perfumers meddle with memories - their craft is a mystery.

14. What we like in a scent is determined by our culture and environment.

15. Asia is a very important fragrance market.

16. In order to create a successful fragrance you need to know what your target market want.

17. Teenagers taste in scent changes fast.

18. Perfume usage in countries with hotter climates is extortionate.

19. Perfume doesn't just come in a pretty bottle.

20. Macy's fragrance department in New York is the most important scent retail space in the Western world. 

If you have an apparent interest in fragrance or are perhaps thinking of going into that particular industry then I really recommend you watch the documentary!

The episodes can be found on YouTube.

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Myself. 

How Much It Costs To Be Kylie Jenner

For an 18 year old, Kylie Jenner lives an extremely luxuriant lifestyle.

Through a social media perspective she seems to have it all, from a ferrari to her own mansion.

I recently read an article on Teen Vogue which explored the costs of some of the items Miss Jenner owns, and I thought I would do some investigating myself. 

1. Her Mansion In Calabasas.

Rumoured to have costed her around $2.7 million. Yep. Because she just
has that kind of money lying around.

2. Her Rolls Royce.

This beauty would have set her back $320,000. Standard. 

3. Her 3 Italian Grey-hounds - Norman, Bambi & Sofia.

Perhaps $1000 each for these pretty pricey pets - thats expensive even for a high quality dog.

4. Her Hermes Birkin Bag.

She was given this $10,000 Birkin as a casual pre-birthday present.
Very casual indeed. 

5. Her regular spray tan's.

Kylie told The New York Times that she goes to Jimmy Coco's salon
for her regular glow. Treatments are $350 a time. 

6. Her regular nail treatments. 

Coffin shaped nails seem to be Kylie's thing at the moment. She normally
appears to go for a simple nude shade, but sometimes splurges on some
decorative nail art.
She once invited LA based manicurist Britney Tokyo to her house,
who charges $125 for two hours as well as a $50 house call fee. 

7. Her multiple Cartier Love bracelets. 

Kylie owns six of the bracelets in total - 3 18k yellow gold and 3 18k white gold.
The bracelets cost around $5,000 each, so expensive that Kylie had one
locked onto her wrist for safety precautions.

8. Her array of colourful wigs.

Self proclaimed hair artist Tokyo Stylez charges $600 to $5,000 per wig
depending on how much work each wig entails.

9. Her white Ferrari from boyfriend Tyga. 

Allegedly costing around $320,000 - Tyga is definitely not one for giving
cheap gifts.

10. Her contact lenses.

It's thought that Kylie wears Solotica NC Quartzo contact lenses which cost
around $90 dollars per set.

Yes, Kylie was born into a very wealthy and well-known family, making her part of a minority, but its inexplicably clear that she doesn't just sit around doing nothing - she works very hard for what she has and for that I don't see any issue!

I am very jealous to say the least!

What are your thoughts on Kylie and her lavish lifestyle? Leave your comments below.

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Google Images. 

Two Of The Best Books I Own

FCP life is back in full swing, with multiple new and exciting deadlines being set leading me right up until the end of my first year at university. 

I was recently set a few books to study during my reading week. I found them all really interesting but two of them in particular really struck a cord with me.

The two I'm talking about are written by Paul Arden. He was the Creative Director of Saatchi and Saatchi as well as becoming a very successful author - being responsible for the worlds best selling book.

I thought it would be cool if I shared with you all the top 10 things I learned from each book!

Paul Arden - It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be

1. Your vision is your greatest asset.

2. Aim beyond what you're capable of.

3. Being exceptionally clever while at school doesn't secure success in life.

4. Put your all into what you're doing RIGHT NOW.

5. Don't be afraid to work with the best.

6. Knocking your competition publicises them more than you.

7. Energy is everything.

8. Be ambitious.

9. Don't promise what you can't deliver - anything extra is a bonus.

10. Solve your problems by not playing by the rules. 

Paul Arden - Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite

1. Making bad decisions is a learning curve.

2. Be different - people will notice you more and remember your name. 

3. Don't be trapped by sensible decisions. 

4. Stop wishing and start doing. 

5. Don't live excitement through other people. 

6. Stop being a perfectionist - fix it as you go. 

7. Present yourself in a way you want others to value you. 

8. Ideas are a matter of taste.

9. Don't delay tactics - GO TO WORK.

10. Turn up to everything, all of the time. 

I hope that after reading that you've got the same feeling I had - that you're capable of doing anything as long as you focus and work proactively towards any goals you may have!

I'm so thankful that these two books were on my reading list, I urge everyone to go out and buy them.

They're so easy to read but leave you feeling ridiculously positive.

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Myself. 

Beyoncé The Businesswoman

This lady is not stupid. 

On the Eve of her 2016 Superbowl performance, Beyoncé dropped the music video for her new song 'Formation' which is full to the brim with designer outfits, a long with some of her strong social views.

But was that enough for her? Of course not! She has also released a range of new merchandise in a bid to capitalise on the shock hype she had (of course) created, called 'The Formation Collection'.

Said collection consists of jumpers, t-shirts and caps along with other accessories - all bearing Formation lyrics on them, becoming available to pre-order not long after the music video was dropped. 

Here are some of my favourite looks from the video:

B in a Fendi fur coat

B sporting a Dylan Lex Necklace paired with a Givenchy hat

B and her ladies in Gucci "inspired" attire

B in a Gucci S/S Skirt & Shirt

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: The Fashion Law. 

Gucci Overload

Gucci's Creative Director Alessandro Michele is clearly doing something right. 

It seems that the world is sick of Dior's supposedly groundbreaking florals, people instead connecting with their inner child. So much so, that the same exact dress from Michele's S/S16 range has been worn on models across a bunch of magazine covers over the world.  

Rooney Mara for ELLE January 2016

Lexi Boling for VOGUE Korea February 2016

Edie Campbell for VOGUE UK March 2016

I find it so bizarre that these magazines, especially VOGUE who has used it TWICE, would overlap on their covers. I mean, its not like they haven't got a billion different options to choose from!?

In 2015 a Prada dress was seen on 5 consecutive September 2015 issues. The employee that sent the dress to the various magazines was allegedly let go from the company!

 So, was this cartoony, sparkly, fancy dress box esqué piece really that worthy? Leave your thoughts below!

Hopefully GUCCI see this imitation as a compliment!

Love, Lana Skye x

Photo Credit: Google Images.

Pancake Day Creation

Welcome back! I thought I would share with you all the deliciousness I created yesterday!

Fluffy pancakes covered in melted Toblerone and a handful of fresh raspberries - yummy. 

For the pancakes, I followed one of Jamie Oliver's recipe's which has never failed me yet.

Ingredients:

3 large free range eggs

115g plain flour

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

140ml milk

1 pinch of salt

First I separated the eggs, putting the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another.

I then added the flour, baking powder, milk and egg yolks - mixing them together to create a thick batter.

After this, I whisked together the egg whites and salt, before adding them to my batter.

Then, like any normal pancake method, I heated a non-stick pan on a medium heat before pouring in some of my batter and frying them for a couple of minutes on either side. 

On this occasion I made plain pancakes, but you could add whichever flavouring you like!

For the topping, I melted about a third of a Toblerone in the microwave, adding a splash of double cream! I simply drizzled this over the top of my then stacked pancakes and then placed a handful of raspberries on the top - perfection! 

This recipe is super easy and quick to complete!

I hope you liked this mini baking blog post, let me know if you want to see more of these!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Myself.

Recipe Credit: Jamie Oliver.