Marilyn Monmoe

Day 29: Happy mo, Mr President

I've saved the scariest best for last. Marilyn. Chanel No 5. Prostate cancer research. And a moustache. In other words: a blog post made in heaven.

Bottega Veneta from Bottega Veneta, Esprit d'Oscar from Oscar De La Renta & 1697 from Frapin (2011)

[Reviews based on samples of eau de parfum obtained in 2011*; fragrances tested on skin.]

The first perfume for Bottega Veneta has been made by Michel Almairac. The 2003 version of Gucci Pour Homme was also made by Michel Almairac. As far as I'm concerned, this is reason enough to take the Bottega scent very seriously indeed. His masculine for Gucci remains one of the most refined takes on incense, cedar and amber I have ever encountered. Distinctive and sophisticated, it exudes all the qualities one would hope to find in a brand synonymous with luxury. With BV's eponymous fragrance, he's pulled off a similar trick, albeit in a quieter manner.

Carmo Miranda

Day 23: Mo samba

I must start today's post with an apology. You'll see from the photo above that I didn't go for a pencil thin mo after all. So if you were hoping to see my John Waters impression this morning, I'm very sorry to disappoint you. The fact is that the man to whom I have entrusted my hair for over a decade (Andrew Tosh of Hair @ Andrew Tosh) decided that due to the - ahem - faintness of the colour of my not-so-hairy effort, reducing it to a thin line would effectively cause it to disappear. So in the end, we decided it would be best to stick to a simple trim.

King Henmo VIII

Day 21: Anti-Catholic mo

Fear not, patient readers: the mask parade will soon be over. Movember is about to enter its final week, which means I haven't got long to go before I can shave off my top lip's hairy friend. However, it also means that if you'd like to make a donation - but haven't managed to yet, for whatever reason - then you need to get your act together. Click here to visit my Mo Bro space where your credit card will be given a warm welcome.

 

 

Almo Einstein + Next Year's Perfume Releases

Day 19: Nobel Prize winning mo 

It's Day 19 of Movember and I think the time has come for me to start styling this itchy addition to my face. Question is: what look do I go for? I'm quite tempted by a pencil thin 'tache, but I wonder if it would make me look less like Errol Flynn and more like a spiv. All will be revealed on Wednesday, which is when the good folks at Hair @ Andrew Tosh have agreed to give me a free mo trim.

The Taste Of Fragrance: A*Men, Alien, Angel & Womanity from Thierry Mugler (2011)

[Reviews of Womanity, Angel and Alien based on samples of eau de parfum; review of A*Men based on a sample of eau de toilette; all samples provided by Thierry Mugler in 2011; fragrances tested on skin.]

Even though I hardly ever wear any of the brand’s fragrances myself – with the exception of the discontinued B*Men – I’ve got a lot of time for Thierry Mugler. Bearing in mind that it’s a resolutely mainstream house whose wares are available in the most unglamorous perfumeries imaginable, it remains consistently surprising and offers encouraging proof of the fact that it pays to polarise. Its latest attempt to spice up the high street comes in the form of a limited edition quartet entitled The Taste Of Fragrance: explicitly ‘foodie’ versions of four of its most recognisable creations: A*Men, Angel, Alien and Womanity.

Julius Caemo + Jean-François Laporte Obituary

Day 16: Ave mo

Another day, another photo. (And in case you're wondering, yes, I've got plenty more masks.) I think it's safe to say that the 'tache is now in the 'why does my face feel funny?', 'what's this hairy slug under my nose?', 'how much longer till the 1st of December?' phase. It's also remarkably high maintenance which a) reminds me why I got rid of the goatee when I left Uni and b) re-affirms my belief that I really haven't got much free time on my hands. But let's not get back to the topic of ticking clocks.

Queen Mobeth I



Day 14: Shakespeare's favourite mo

As I type these words, it's Day 14 of Movember and my upper lip has got its own winter coat. For those of you who've only just tuned in, I'm taking part in a campaign to raise money for research into prostate and testicular cancer. This involves growing and grooming a moustache, which I have been dutifully doing since the 1st of this month. The alarming mask you see in the picture above is part of an insane attempt to reconcile my desire for internet privacy with a wish to show you the fruits of my hairy endeavours... although there's a part of me that thinks I've been clinging onto the privacy thing long enough now, and that I should unmask myself at the end of the month.

Clint Eastmo + Back On The Topic Of Time

Day 12: Plenty mo

Yes, all right: the picture above is a fake. The handsome moustache I'm sporting in it is part of a set given to me by one of my Movember supporters who obviously felt my follicles needed a bit of help. Here's the real photo:

Amouage Home Scents

[Review based on samples of home scents provided by Amouage in 2011.]

It’s not often that I publish a review of home scents on Persolaise.com – keeping up with ‘skin fragrance’ releases is hard enough – but every now and then, it’s worth providing a reminder that there are plenty of candles and room sprays out there whose smells have been created with as much care and precision as can be discerned in the finest perfumes. Amouage’s are a case in point. What’s more, they offer a handy summation of the entire brand’s aesthetics.

Clemopatra + Thierry Wasser Interview

Day 9: Have mo, will seduce Roman emperor

As I type these words, Day 9 is coming to a close and I think it's safe to say that there's mo turning back now. I have a 'tache. It may be quite thin and it may not yet know whether it wants to be a Freddie Mercury or a Clark Gable, but it's a 'tache. Now I just need to put up with it keep growing it and groom it for the next 21 days. Thanks again for all your donations. If you haven't yet visited my Mo Space, please consider doing so and making a contribution. It doesn't matter how much or how little you can spare: every single penny counts.

Dame Edmo

Day 7: Mo down under

Here’s another photographic update for you. (I hope your enjoyment of these is equal to the embarrassment I feel when publishing them.) Feel free to say what everyone else has been saying: “Oooh, I would’ve expected a much more impressive growth by now.” “Haven’t you got any testosterone, then?” “Is that your moustache? Oh, bless.” And if I hear another woman telling me that she could grow one faster herself, I shall nip to the nearest Boots and purchase a tube of Veet.

Shermo Holmes

Day 5: No pipe; a bit more mo

I'm beginning to think the Middle Eastern half of my genes hasn't got an altruistic nature. As I type these words, it's Day 5 of Movember and I honestly believed that, by now, I'd have a more impressive growth with which to impress you, but my upper lip seems to be quite sluggish. Do they do Baby Bio for human skin...?

Santal Blush & Jasmin Rouge from Tom Ford Private Blend (2011) + Jersey Winner

[Reviews based on samples of eau de parfum obtained in 2011; fragrances tested on skin.]

Oh, I do so enjoy a perfume that takes me on an interesting ride (even if it's to a destination that's popped up a lot on Persolaise.com). For a start, Yann Vasnier's Santal Blush opens with a wholly credible depiction of India - albeit from a tourist's point of view - which is no mean feat, considering that it probably contains a bare minimum of Mysore sandalwood (if any at all). Somehow, by virtue of an intricate cocktail of synthetic substitutes, fenugreek, cardamom and possibly incense, the scent’s opening manages to convey the weighty, milky creaminess that emanates from the hand-carved trinkets which, these days, are kept under lock and key in Mumbai’s souvenir shops.

Ziggy Modust + Chanel Reminder

Day 3: Not much mo

Well, well, well, who would've thought that a few days' worth of shaving abstinence would get such a fantastic response? It's only Day 3 of Movember, yet I've already raised more than £150, thanks to the generosity (and promptness!) of several kind people. You will see from the picture above that I have also decided to destroy all my credibility by donning what can only be described as an extremely frightening mask in order to display my follicular progress... which isn't terribly impressive at the moment. Perhaps I need to make an appointment for an upper lip massage, to get the old blood circulation going. And just in case you were thinking that today's photographic display is a one-off: fear not! I have purchased a large set of similar disguises with which to alarm entertain you for the next 27 days. No, no, there's no need to thank me.

Ready Steady Mo

Okay, further to my post from Sunday, I've decided I'm going to do this thing: for the next month, I shall attempt to raise funds for research into prostate cancer by embracing the hairy caterpillar beneath my nose and learning to love him... or it... or whatever. So here we go: it's the 1st of November, and as per the rules, my face is currently a clean slate. Yes, that's right, I did say "rules"; this is a serious business: