Operation Caron Powder Puff: 2012
My trip to NYC.
Hidden in a difficult to find tropical oasis in Midtown East is a Caron boutique. The Caron boutique hides above an ordinary Express in a Phyto Universe. It’s hot and humid with tropical plants growing up the walls. Inside this strange ecosystem in the city is a gilded oasis within an oasis. It’s Caron. This small space is filled with decadence, with luxuries, with pale peach powder puffs, rose scented powders, fountains filled with thousands of dollars of French perfumes, chandeliers and glimmering mirrors.
The only thing that I wanted from my visit to NYC was a Caron goosedown powder puff. The color selection was limited. Before going, I decided that I wanted a magenta, pale pink or pale peach small powder puff. All that was in stock was white, cream, light blue, a shade of yellow the color of a baby chick and a pale spring green. I couldn’t decide between the delicate yellow or the pale spring green. I ended up purchasing a sheer loose powder in Translucide, one of the pale shades with a slight peaches and cream undertone. Once I made my powder choice, I could decide on the puff. The pale spring green went the best with the slightly peach powder. I was only in love with the pale yellow because in my hand it reminded me of holding a fuzzy, soft and helpless chick. The Caron face powder smells strongly of Bulgarian roses and has a lovely texture and sheer finish. These two purchases were worth the trip.
I didn’t purchase any perfumes while visiting the boutique. I regret not buying Farnesiana, an old-fashioned sweet mimosa. I have rules. No purchasing without wearing on the skin first. This was my first time wearing Farnesiana. I also liked Or et Noir, an amber rose, but didn’t try it on the skin. But, I’m not worried. I can always call the ambassador that helped us, Diane, and make an order.
I’m a Caron fan. I love their masculines and I love any of their violet based perfumes. It was lovely to visit the NYC boutique in person. I recommend that if you are ever in the city, visit this small boutique. The staff is wonderful and you’ll have fun sniffing the entire Caron line.
This sounds like heaven! I am becoming a bit of a Caron fangirl, and the fact that it’s hard to find their full line just makes me even more obsessed. We always want what we can’t have, right? Thanks for sharing your visit with us, so I can live vicariously! I’m looking forward to hearing more about the trip, too.
I am a Caron fangirl 🙂 And I was shocked to see that there are so many feminine fragrances of theirs that I didn’t know about until the visit! It’s a beautiful line.
And you’re so right about wanting what you can’t have. That was my obsession with the puff and powder. The only other place to get those is Paris.
So happy that you were able to get your beloved items, and thanks for the peek into that gorgeous place!!
bloody frida recently posted..Times they are a’changing
It was fun to get out of WA…and buy frivolous things.
I find NOTHING frivolous about a goosedown powder puff… 😉
Kathleen recently posted..Valentines Day Fragrance Guide for The NON-Ooey-Gooey-Lovey-Dovey Set
Haha and that’s why you’re awesome.
Next time I go to NYC, I am absolutely going to Caron – it’s at the top of my NYC perfume shopping list, which is saying a lot.
Just in case anyone from Austin is reading, there’s a Caron event at Atelier 1105 this week and apparently with a bottle purchase you get a free powderpuff (or maybe a powder? unsure):
http://www.atelier1105.com/Articles.asp?ID=282
breathesgelatin recently posted..Diane by Diane von Furstenberg
Thank you for including the link about the event. I’ll try to spread the word 🙂
Victoria, I’m so jealous of your powder puff purchase! Would it be shameful of me to ask how much they cost?
Also wanted to tell you that I love that photo of you standing in front of the display with all of that crystal behind you. It looks like it’s a photo that could have been snapped in Paris, and at the same time, you look like a young girl caught up in a fairytale moment. (I hope you don’t mind me saying that you look like a girl; I guess what I’m trying to say is that there’s something very enchanting and timeless about the photo.)
I don’t remember the prices exactly. I think the puff was $50 and the powder $45. I have the puff stored now in an antique jadeite candy dish. The green looks great with the jadeite.
I admit that I did feel a bit like a girl. I’ve never had a princess complex but I did feel like royalty in that environment.
I love the Impact that I bought – pretty much blind at Caron with you. Thanks for the picture! Great memories of NYC.
DJ Ron Slomowicz recently posted..Illuminum Black Musk Fragrance Review
I need to send you the pics of you there.
Stop encouraging blind buys on my blog! 😉 I try to tell people that blind buys will ruin your life…oh, well.
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