Guerlain Ambre Eternel is the new release for 2016. It’s, well, nice. Can we talk about my new foundation and my bathtub?
Oh, fine. Notes of neroli, coriander, cinnamon, orange blossom, peach, ylang-ylang, woody notes, leather and amber, created by Thierry Wasser. I don’t get a lot of amber from it, but I do get a nice amount of leather. I saw a link the other day to a Luca Turin review of it. I was thinking he wouldn’t be that crazy about it, but he liked it a fair bit. I’m not hating it, and I like the peachy leather thing it’s got going on. It’s growing on me, and the price point on it is not near as bad as that oublie thing that I adore. $200 for 4.2 ounces at all the usual places. Let’s check in on it again after we talk about my bathtub of my dreeeams and my new foundation of my dreeams.
This is a bathtub, yes? It’s from MTI manufactured stone, weighing in at 300 plus pounds, 3 feet across and 72 inches long, and I could sleep in this thing without water, it is so comfy. Also, it passes the No cold Boobies test. You know what I’m saying here. You get in a comfy tub, slunk down in it to get all warm, then inevitable you have to sit up some because you keep sliding down, and your boobies wind up out of the water and start getting cold. The gentle slope on the end of it is perfection for letting you rest your feet on the other side, no sliding down any further, boobies underneath the water AND bubbles. It is perfect, and I need a crane to get it into the second floor of my house, but that’s okay, just a small crane.
I always said, I just don’t care about anything else in this bathroom remodel but the tub. I lied just a little. The bathtub, the heated floors and the corner window on the north and west sides of the tub. If I have to leave the rest of it somewhat done – if I’ve blown my budget on the tub and the windows – until I get around to it, well so be it. That tub is worth everything.
I’m also thinking about an open concept bathroom. I have an entire second floor master. So you come up the stairs, there is a little landing and to the right is a hallway and then the wall and then the bathroom. I think I should just keep the wall down, then I can use all of that otherwise dead space at the top of the stairs to make my bathroom feel larger and more open. I can just use a screen around the bathtub, but it’s just me in this house, so I don’t really need privacy. Yes or am I going all wrong here. I figure put the toilet inside of a little room, which it’s almost there now, so it just takes a door on that, and that feels perfect for that to be private.
Foundation. Most/many of you know I am always looking for the perfect foundation. I’ve gone through a lot, and lately I was using the BB Creams – La Neige, Sulwahsoo. then I grabbed my Armani Maestro out again just for a change and remembered how much I loved that. It was almost empty, that’s how much I loved it. I went to look at re-ordering and saw that mega-dollars Armani Crema Nuda. For, um, $200. What?!?! Luckily I had a $300 GC from Neiman Marcus that covered it, so yes! I’m not the fairest skin-wise, but fair, normally an Armani 5, and I got the 2, Light Glow. It’s perfect. The jar you get it in is huuuuuuge, just make sure to use the little scoop and wash it in between applications so you don’t contaminate the foundation in any way. You need a miniscule amount. I used my fingers to apply once and then used my Armani foundation brush since then, and both work great. This has some of the Crema Nera cream in it (the light version) so it is full of treatment. My skin feels actually better at the end of the day than before I applied.
Unretouched photo probably an hour or so after application. Ignore the eyebrows, I’m due to have those done tomorrow. I normally have a lot of pink tones in my skin that break through, and the Crema Nuda just evens those out. It lasts for a good 6-8 hours. It’s lightweight, but gives nice coverage, never feels like a mask, just like my skin but better. Worth $200? It was a GC! I’ll have to do a lot of thinking if I ever run out. But if this lasts for a year or more, and I’m guessing it will, the cost per wearing is pretty low. I used to go without foundation 5-6 days out of 7, but I’ve applied this almost every day since my skin feels better with it, and there isn’t any facial relieved sigh when I cleanse my face at night to take it off. That’s something amazing.
There, your overpriced I tried it so You Don’t Have To Review.
Back to the Guerlain Ambre Eternel. I think I like this a lot more the longer it’s on. Stays a very soft leather with those incredible peach notes. Nothing is coming to mind that is like that, so I am now revising my initial “it’s okay” to I really sorta am liking this and will keep playing around with it. It’s better than the first one in the dark bottles they did, Santal Royal, the one I can barely remember what it smells like.
What are we giving away this week? I think I can scoop out a couple of samples of the Armani Crema Nuda foundation to add into a draw for three Guerlain Ambre Eternel samples. If you are a guy or have no interest in foundation, just say that in your comment and you’ll be in the drawing just for the Guerlain Ambre Eternel. So just drop a comment to be entered in the drawing for a sampel of the Guerlain Ambre Eternel and optional Armani Crema Nuda foundation sample. Tell me your thoughts on any of the above – bathtub is toooooo much or just right, Goldilocks, or did you love Guerlain Santal Royal, and is there a price limit for foundation, even if it has a great treatment cream in it?
I would LOVE to find a foundation that I didn’t hurry to take off at the end of the day. Unfortunately my budget for makeup is about a tenth of that. Oh well. On another note, I love your new tub! Personally I don’t like the idea of an open bathroom. I like privacy, and I like to feel cocooned when taking a bath. But I have no doubt whatever you have planned it will be beautiful!
The bathtub is clasically beautiful, but as i have dry skin, i dont linger in water too much. I’d prefer a big wet room with pulsing showers. quick and clean is my motto. Re. foundation, i only ever use Olay total effects bb foundation, just to even things out and regularly exfoliate my now slightly dry patchy skin – that’s what happens when you get older! 🙁 I would love to try both of your offerings, the Guerlain and the foundation just to see what it;s like. Cheers my dear.
I’d love to be entered to try both things, particularly the foundation. Now that I’m in my 40’s I’m always looking for that magic foundation that will return my skin to it’s 20’s, lol!!
I think you’re on track to creating The Ultimate Bathroom (I’m just a *tad* jealous, I have to admit…). The leather-peach combo sounds delicious – please enter me in the draw for that! Thank you 🙂
The bathtub is absolutely fantastic! It’s the one I would buy myself if I had enough space in my bathroom because this beauty has to stand in the middle so one could observe it from the distance every time. When I put a bathtub in my bathroom we had to move the bathroom walls because it did not fit in first. Now my daughter’s room has an additional corner 🙂
The Armani foundation sounds great but there’s no chance that I would pay for it but yes, I’d love to try it, of course. I also have fair skin and this slightly pink skin tone (no couperose) and it’s very hard to cover it properly. I prefer foundations with light texture and I used to wear one from Clinique. Nowadays it has all become too expensive and I stick to a BB cream from L’Occitane.
I would leave much open space so you can look at that beautiful tub from many angles. And I would take naps in that tub with or without water.
Love the tub! I wanted one in my bathroom, but you need space to clean all the way round it.
The Guerlain lovelies sound delightful too.
Leather and peach sound amazing. Hello! No need for foundation here but I would love to be entered for the fragrance.
I want that tuuuuuubb!!1! I have a stupid apartment bathtub now and it’s too shallow to take a good bath. Cold boobies indeed. Granted, I’ll probably couldn’t afford a bathroom that could accommodate a tub like that, but a girl can dream.
I’d have reservations about an open-concept bathroom. I live alone too, but I still want to be able to keep the cats from thinking I’m a captive audience while I’m in the bathroom.
And the Guerlain sounds nice. The price isn’t too hideous, though 4.2oz is a horrendous amount of perfume. Would be good for a split, though.
And the foundation thing.. I’m too cheap about makeup. I couldn’t justify spending $200 on foundation even if it is awesome. It would have to just completely blow my mind and leave me in awe of the mysteries of the universe for me to spend that much. Right now I’m using a tinted moisturizer thing from Neutrogena called Healthy Skin Enhancer. Between that and my Almay concealer and a Neutrogena mineral powder, I’m pretty much set.
OMG, NO COLD BOOBIES TEST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BATHTUB TEST. I laughed so, so, so hard when I read that. Thank-you for the draw and the delightful post, as always! Too funny.
LOVE the tub. I’m normally a shower person, but that tub could convert me. If I were you, I’d think carefully about the open-concept bathroom though…it may be perfect for you, but in terms of resale value for your house, it may come back to bite you (this is from a part-time real estate person – that professor gig doesn’t exactly pay well…) Both the Ambre and the foundation sound wonderful. I could use a little luxury right now…
The perfect tub is crucial. When we remodeled our master bath (well, most of the house at once, while living in it, NOT RECOMMENDED) I did a major hunt for the right tub: not too long for a shortie like me; deep (anti-cold-boobies); not cold on the butt when you get in; not set up for faucets at one end. Got me a Victoria+Albert, love it every day.
I’d like to try both the foundation and the fume. I hardly ever wear foundation because of the mask-feeling, it would be nice to find something that makes me look good without making me feel suffocated.
A beautiful bathtub for sure. Someday I’ll have a beautiful bathroom with a beautiful tub… I don’t really use foundation, as BB cream is about as much color I can bear on myself without feeling strange, but as I get older I could probably stand to learn to love foundation. 🙂 I’m not sure how I feel about amber as a note yet either, I still haven’t found an amber that I’ve loved, but I’m sure I just haven’t tried enough!
I love that tub. I usually just shower but I would want that in my house anyway because it’s like really nice sculpture.
I think I could look at the price of the foundation as almost a bargain when I figure in all the less expensive ones I’ve tried and abandoned before I used them up. If you love it and it works for you then the price actually seems pretty reasonable.
Love the bathtub! And when you live in a cold climate, heated bathroom floors are almost a necessary luxury. As far as the open plan goes, I think that as long as you don’t have any plans to sell in the near future, you should do what you want.
I love that bathtub, and I’m a big fan of baths when I have the time. But sadly, our townhouse has really small bathrooms, so I don’t think we’d ever have room for it. Heated floors and a nice window with a view also sound great.
I’m currently using L’Oreal Lumi Cushion in N2 for foundation. I’ve only had it a couple weeks, so I’m not sure what my final verdict is. Good so far. I’ve always heard that Armani ones are great, but I haven’t tried any. Too $$$ for me.
Ambers aren’t my fav type of scent, but I like leathers. A really great one that’s on my wish list is Cuir d’Ange. Loved it and used up my sample really fast.
I love that bath tub and it looks similar on to what my parents are putting in their bathroom. Once they finish remodeling the master bathroom, the kitchen is next. I’m not one to wear foundation or concealer when I wear make up. I know my complexion is too good at 33 to gunk it up. But I do wear sunscreen to keep it nice and use the Skyn Iceland line as well.
The bathtub is gorgeous, would love to take a bath in it although I normally don’t have the patience for baths. The same goes for foundations, and therefore I go for BB creams as they take so much less time and hustle. My favourite is the fairest tone in the Lancome’s Hydra Zen range. It’s quite transparent and perfect for my skin. It’s like the skin perfume of BB creams: you can hardly see it, but it’s there working its magic. This Armani foundation sounds something I’d be interested in, but I am afraid it’s outside my price range. So is the Guerlain perfume you reviewed. But I would love to test it as I love the house. Thank you for the draw!
I think that tub is gorgeous! I take showers most of the time, but I would do baths if I had a tub like that, especially with heated floors. I have fair skin also, but I cannot afford that expense on a foundation. I just use CG + Olay Simply Ageless 3-in-1 foundation in creamy natural, so I do like the idea of foundation that helps the skin. it seems to work good with my skin well. I would love to try the Guerlain fragrance. Thanks for the draw.
Howdy, dear! Wowza — that tub is way beyond cool, isn’t it? Although with my bad back and sometimes wonky leg, it’d take a crane to get me in and out of it! 🙂 I normally don’t enter draws, of course, but I would love to try that foundation as I have fair-ish skin with pink undertones, and it could be a good match. Thanks so much!!
That bathtub is beyond gorgeous. Heated floors rock, too, and would probably grab me over a tub (when is the last time I didn’t just shower anyway?). That foundation sounds pretty good. I guess if it really lasted a year, I could wrap my head around it. I am pretty fair, too, so would love to try. The Guerlain sounds interesting, too. Thanks for the drawing.
Love that bathtub! Ambre Eternal was just “meh” to me. Very nice, rich, non-offensive, but I can’t justify purchasing it when there are so many other excellent, more interesting fragrances at that price point. I personally would have liked it better if it had more of that gorgeous Guerlain vanillin I can’t get enough of, but that’s me. I haven’t started purchasing any of that series, so money saved. I’d rather save for Muguet or something collectible Guerlain on the ‘bay. Wish they’d put that N’oubliez thang in their Parisienne line–love those rich, symphonic Guerlains, and they release so few like that any more!
Love those N-M Gift Cards too! They’re how I justify luxury purchases (holding back one right now for a luxury Frida collar and leash for my beloved Coco) I could not otherwise. The crema nuda sounds awesome. Wish I could try more but with Rosacea, I just cling to my tried and true Chanel and be glad my skin is behaving (don’t want to wake the sleeping monster…lol). !
Every time I think I’ve found my HG foundation something happens to make me not love it quite so much. I think that price tag would be prohibitive for me. It would have to totally transform my skin and I do mean totally. I’d love to try it though.
That tub! I love a good tub. I miss the whirlpool one we had at the other house. The tub in this house is deep but I miss the swirling water.
I LOVE that bathtub. I love baths and rarely take them, due to problems such as Cold Boobie Syndrome. I hope to get to try that tub one day. Please give us reports on whether or not it holds up to your hopes.
I currently only wear foundation to go onstage, but as I get older, I feel like I should start wearing it in real life, too. The Guerlain sounds lovely, but I can’t stand Shalimar and dislike Mitsouko and a bunch of their other well regarded perfumes, so I’ve grown a bit skeptical. Nonetheless, I would like to try it.
Much love for the tub. I never have to worry about the Cold Boobies test, as mine pretty much stay below the water line, if you catch my drift.
The foundation sounds wonderful. Would love to try it. I’m a mineral foundation kind of laydee, which is becoming boring. Liking the Ambre Eternal bottle too.
I like the tub, although I’m a whirlpool sort of person. The foundation sounds great, though I can’t justify that and perfume. I have pink toned skin and can never find a foundation that doesn’t try to make me look yellow. The fragrance sounds like too much money if it doesn’t wow you.
I adore that tub, but I’m pretty sure I would hate the drafts with an open concept bathroom. My mom’s is almost open concept (huge pocket doors that rarely close), and in the winter it’s way too chilly to shower in there. The heated floors and non boob-freezing tub might be enough to solve the problem though.
That foundation sounds wonderful, but way over my budget. I’ll stick with overspending on perfume. The Guerlain sounds nice, but not worth hunting down.
i would like to smell some peachy leather action from guerlain but i m too sick to wear foundation..i am really wanting something that is a really refined rose and leather/suede smell for use in a linen cupboard/wardrobe.i don’t want to be spraying perfume non-stop on bits of cotton wool.i would like something that is made for the purpose but smells sophisticated like a really pleasing good quality perfume.any one have any ideas?any feedback on santa maria novella’s wax tablets or diptyque’s scented ovals would be cool.the leather and peach factor reminded me of wanting some help with this.thanks : )
Just my opinion, but the Diptyque scented oval didn’t work for me – maybe it was the scent itself that was the problem, but it wasn’t very noticeable and completely died after a very short time. I found putting highly perfumed bars of soap in the wardrobe more successful!
thanks for replying jillie.i had a feeling those diptyque scented ovals might not work well.got any soap recommendations?i have been sniffing all soaps that i come across and nothing smells good and strong at the same time.
This is the most wonderful tub I ever saw, and I want one urgently. I also want to try a really good foundation and I don’t live near any stores that carry really good ones ( and am far too cheap to buy them up sampled. The Crema Nuda sounds incredible, and perfect for my fair pinkish skin. But not quite as perfect as that tub is for my whole body!
That should of course say “unsampled,” not “up sampled.”
Now THAT is a tub! Treat yo’ self! And I like your idea of opening up the master suite, and just walling in the toilet. My only question would be, is there enough venting to keep the humidity from doing any damage? But I love the look of it.
I don’t think I could justify spending that much on a foundation — it would take too much out of the perfume budget! But I’d definitely try out that Guerlain Ambre!
I’m a sucker for the Armani foundations. My favorite is lasting silk because it lasts all day and gives a nice glow. I’m sure to try the Crema Nuda foundation within the next two weeks because I try everything. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m loving the Maybelline Dream Smooth mousse. It was a real shock to me. It stays on and on. It’s my budget foundation, I really do love two in one products that save women time and probably money in the long run. I liked Maestro, but didn’t love it because I need more coverage. Wearing Maestro feels like wearing nothing, so it’s very comfortable in my opinion. I LOVE the bathtub and the idea of heated flooring. I like concrete countertops and old distressed dressers fitted with modern sinks. The point of all this, if you really love a product (face or bathroom) so much that you look forward to using it everyday then it’s worth every penny. I thought Santal Royal smelled nice on my husband, but he smells better in the Tom Ford Oud shower gel. The scent stays on him most of the day. It’s $65.00/bottle, but he smells amazing in it and he loves it. Worth every penny.