In the beautysphere, when you say "Robin Coe-Hutshing" it's a bit like uttering the name of Poseidon at water's edge or speaking of "Oprah" at the journalism section of a college job fair. You will get a reaction and everyone instantly recognizes that you are speaking not only of the individual mentioned but also to the reason you are all gathered in the first place. Robin Coe-Hutshing has so defined the beauty industry that it could not actually exist as it does today with out her.
I sit tonight in the same writers studio I've rented for three and a half years. Surrounded by beauty products and burdened by the mountain of debt one accumulates while chasing a dream that pays only in product.
I've been tempted to give up. I've gone round and round about the increasing traffic and decreasing advertising (and even wondered if I am in fact contributing the demise of the magazine industry I so dearly love) but ultimately I land here at this moment with myself and Ms. Hutshing's stunning new debuts and I'm reminded why I do it. There have been other moments like this one. Interviewing Liz Earle, Anastasia (Oprah's eyebrow lady!), and of course Beyonce. Still this moment on the first night of February, is particularly sweet because it brings me directly back to the beginnings of Beauty's Spot.
In early 2008 my dear friends Erika and Kristen introduced themselves to me for the first time at Fred Segal in LA. Kristen had gathered an elite group of the world's rising (or simply promising) beauty bloggers and - being a woman who defined class in the beauty industry - treated each of us to our very own vials of Robin's bespoke Memoire Liquide. I still savor mine, making use of it only for the most promising dates and days that seem to need a nudge towards the celestial or serendipitous.
After 25 years of creating made to order, singular fragrances (read my first ML post for more) Robin and her sister Jennifer have launched five, heavenly, ready to wear fragrances. With no way to access the 15,000 plus other scents made over the years (as they are kept under locked, hand-written card file) we finally have a way to imagine just a piece of the bespoke library housed at Fred Segal. What a dream.
Housed within the pages of five unique keepsake books, each Mémoire Liquide Reserve fragrance tells a distinct story of a precious memory preserved forever. Inspired by the intertwining nature of scent and memory and the irrefutable power of this connection, the collection embodies the story of the beauty and inspiration that have gone into Mémoire Liquide Bespoke fragrances for years.
The Mémoire Liquide Reserve fragrances include:
Fleur Liquide
The memory of dew soaked flowers at dawn and night blooming flowers just before sunset Orange Blossom, Fresh Mimosa, and Night Blooming Jasmine
Vacances Liquide
The memory of a vacation on an idyllic tropical beach with warm, white sand and azure waves lapping the shoreline Tiare Flower, Fresh Coconut Milk and Tahitian Vanilla with Oceanic accords
Soleil Liquide
The memory of warm sunshine on a dazzling, bright summer dayFresh Grapefruit, Tangerine, Blood Orange and Neroli Flowers with Santal and White Musk
Amour Liquide
The memory of exhilarating romantic love, at once soul soothing and breath takingPure Madagascar Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Incense
Encens Liquide
The memory of gently wafting ceremonial incense in Japan, soft smoke trailing its mysterious and sultry veilSoft Amber Resin, White Musk, Black Tea, and enchanting Hinoki Incense
Some of the products mentioned in this post were provided at no cost for editorial review.
