Sunday, April 26, 2015

My Style: Work Outfits






Friday, April 24, 2015

Etiket's Scent of Spring



I had the pleasure of attending the Scent of Spring event at Etiket this past weekend and what a gorgeous day it was! This special event allowed visitors to explore all the different kinds of niche fragrances at Etiket. The boutique was beautifully arranged by olfactive families: Floral, Citrus, Leather, Woody, Oriental, Chypre and Aromatic along with their respective fragrances


It was so fun to rediscover some of my favourites like the classic Vétiver Fatal by Atelier Cologne and also test out so many new scents at the boutique! There were 3 fragrances in particular that I fell in love with immediately, and have been added to my wish list!

1. Sunshine by Amouage 

"Sunshine for woman, a magical moment of joy is like a ray of sunshine smiling upon a bouquet of white floral."

I discovered Sunshine in the Oriental display. This gorgeous yellow bottle, encrusted with a Swarovski diamond on the cap, is so joyous and uplifting - it immediately screamed Spring/Summer to me. I fell in love with this white floral scent at first sniff. I initially thought I smelt coconut, and was very surprised to find out the composition as follows:

Top Notes: Blackcurrant Liquor, Almond Davana
Heart Notes: Osmanthus Absolute, Jasmine, Vanilla, Magnolia
Base Notes: Cade, Patchouli, Blonde Tobacco, Papyrus

Although it may seem very sweet at first, the top layers are perfectly balanced with the base notes which add a hint of bitterness to tame the sweetness. Sunshine smelled very tropical to me and would be the perfect addition to my collection for the spring and summer months ahead!


2. Sel Marin by Heeley

Heeley is a line that I have yet to discover further - but I was immediately attracted to this specific bottle when I saw the anchor. Sel Marin has crisp, clean and refreshing notes of lemon mixed with aquatic green algae.

Top Notes: Lemon, Italian Bergamot, Beech Leaf
Middle Notes: Sea Salt, Moss, Algae
Base Notes: Cedar, Musk, Leather

Sel Marin is another gorgeous scent that I can't wait to get my hands on again. It's so unique in that it's a bit sweet, salty and citrusy at the same time. The freshness of this fragrance makes me want to be on vacation by the sea!

3. Pomélo Paradis by Atelier Cologne

"Was he a fool to drive all night just for a chance to see her? Perhaps it was adrenaline and the lack of sleep, but as he pictured moments they had been together, the word destiny stuck in his mind. The coral sunrise burned bright and he drove faster. There was no choice but to see her again."

Last but not least - Pomélo Paradis, another chapter in the beautiful love story by Atelier Cologne. I have yet to find a fragrance by Atelier Cologne that I don't love. This fragrance was one of the juiciest citrus scents I have ever smelled.

Top Notes: Pink Pomélo from Florida, Mandarin from Calabria, Blackcurrant Bud from Burgundy
Middle Notes: Moroccan Orange Blossom, Bulgarian Rose Essence, Mint from China
Base Notes: Vétiver from Haiti, Iris from Tuscany, Amber

This sweet, citrus-white floral-fresh green fragrance is mouth watering! The star note in this fragrance is pink grapefruit, but it's also structured with notes of mandarin, neroli and rose which soften the acidity of the citrus. I absolutely loved the citrus, floral and earthly balance.






There is something so magical about fragrances. It's amazing how powerful the scent of smell is, and how quickly it can transport you to another place or time. Although the Scent of Spring event is over, I would encourage all of you to visit Etiket, to explore fragrances and to discover which one you love best. You may be surprised!

PS Stay tuned for more fragrances coming soon to Etiket's collection including Floris from London, Le Galion from Paris, and Tauer Perfumes from Switzerland.

Monday, April 20, 2015

The Perfect Manicure


Originally found on Daily Makeover.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

My Style: Recent Outfits






Friday, April 17, 2015

Arm Candy






Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Blog Makeover!

At last, welcome to my new and improved blog - Melissa B Social!!

I have been thinking about this change for a long time since Eau de Cafe no longer seemed to properly fit my vision for the blog. I wanted to create a platform where I could share all of my favourite things, which include more than just coffee and fragrances.

I love all things girly including coffee, fragrances, nail designs, beauty products, fashion and travel.

I feel that as I grow and evolve as an individual, so should my blog. Melissa B Social is an online journal that captures a little piece of me. Thank you all of taking the time to share this with me!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Matte Lilac & Gold Nails




Sally Hansen - Lacy Lilac
S.X.Y. Luscious Gold
Sally Hansen: Big Matte Top Coat

Sunday, April 12, 2015

My Style: Recent Outfits

Hi Everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Here are some of my outfits from the past week. Wishing you all a great week ahead!





Saturday, April 11, 2015

Café Oui Mais Non


 I have to admit, one of the main reasons I wanted to visit this cafe was for its name. Café Oui Mais Non...Café Yes But No (in English). How cool does that sound? My colleague, Charlotte, and I decided to take a little adventure after work to find this cafe in the Villeray neighbourhood of Montreal, by metro Jarry.

Café Oui Mais Non was attached to a little General Store (similar to that in Vieux Port) which sold everything from jams and teas to books and handmade dresses. It's the first cafe I have been to that has 2 floors. First, we checked out the basement, and it reminded me of an old cabin or cottage. There were book cases stacked with board games, kid's toys and books (of course). The furniture was all mismatched and there was even a bathtub in the middle of the sitting area - yes very random. It seemed like a secret hideout spot but unfortunately there were no windows so we decided that it would be better for us to sit upstairs.



The upstairs had way better lighting, and windows, so we found a corner to catch up on life and work. I really liked the relaxed vibe at Oui Mais Non. There were a lot of people studying but also a number of people just catching up. I really liked how extensive the tea menu was, and also the fact that they supported and promoted local products.


We both started with a white tea called Champagne Frambroise which had notes of raspberry and saffron in it. We got individual tea pots and the perfect tea timer to make sure we steeped our tea leaves for long enough. After a little while, we decided we needed a bit of caffeine. I got a classic cappuccino and Charlotte got an americano. We both really enjoyed our coffee and the caffeine kick that came with it.

Overall, a great spot to catch up on work or catch up with friends. Merci Café Oui Mais Non!


Monday, April 6, 2015

Easter Chevron Nails




Dynamite: Cathedral
Sally Hansen: Tickled Pink
OPI: Alpine Snow
Lord & Taylor: Pink Glitter