Karami-ai (1962)

 

karamiai_bornunicornSenzô Kawahara (Sô Yamamura) is a rich businessman who has been diagnosed with cancer. His wife rejects his sexual advances, so he starts an affair with his secretary, Yasuko Miyagawa (Keiko Kishi). She doesn’t like him, but he pays her (“10 brand-new 10,000-yen bills” on their first encounter), so she quickly gets used to it. The first purchase she wants to make is the most expensive perfume by Guerlain.

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guerlainvoldenuitLater in the film, we get to see what she bought: the inimitable flacon rayonnant of Vol de Nuit! The director Masaki Koyabashi shows the perfume bottle with a perfect shot.

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karamiai_theinheritance_bornunicorn (3)Senzô sniffs the perfume and declares it’s “not bad.” He could have shown more enthusiasm for the Jacques Guerlain creation, a homage to the second novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, but I guess the “not bad”, coming from a ruthless businessman, can be considered a compliment, after all.

karami-ai_bornunicornAt the end of the scene, the bottle is on the floor, next to a bottle of Courvoisier cognac.

Christina Aguilera’s Dresser (2018)

Screenshot_2018-01-06-10-14-36.jpgChristina Aguilera recently posted a short video collage on Instagram to commemorate the late Stinky, one of her beloved dogs. In one picture, some fragrances can be seen. We know that the singer loves floral, fruity and gourmand scents, and the one here are enough evidence. o.4773.jpgThe faceted bottle with the pink label is the first version of La Chasse aux Papillons by L’Artisan Parfumeur, a white floral eau de toilette created by Anne Flipo and launched in 1999. o-4616.jpgThe bottle with the beige cord around the neck is Artemisia by Penhaligon’s, a lovely powdery fragrance launched in 2002. I’ve been wearing Artemisia for years and I can totally see why Christina uses it: it’s a romantic perfume with a very peculiar warm milky note, very reassuring and comforting.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S01E08 (Thank You and Good Night)

themarvelousmrsmaisel_s01e08_bornunicornThere are two products on Maxine’s dressing table which have roses on their packaging.

veltarosetalc_bornunicornFirst, a Velta rose talc in a tin.

mennenbabyoil_bornunicornSecond, a box of Mennen baby oil from 1957: the rose is in the graphics, with a baby head in it. Creepy, I know.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S01E05 (Doink)

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lanvinarpege_tallbottle_bornunicornWhile Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) is walking through the beauty department at B. Altman, we get a glimpse of two factice bottles. The tallest one is Rochas Madame Rochas; the one with the squared black stopper is an eau by Lanvin (it could be either Arpege or My Sin).

Marlene Dietrich’s Make-Up Case

marlenedietrichmakeupcase_bornunicornOne of the most interesting pieces displayed at the Deutsche Kinemathek Museum für Film und Fernsehen is a leather make-up train case owned by Marlene Dietrich. The museum has a beautiful selection of personal objects of the German diva (clothes included), but this case has always attracted my attention. I’ve visited the museum several times, but there’s always been one enigma: a lipstick from Marlene’s case I couldn’t identify (you can see it in the picture above, behind the hair brush, on the right). Until last summer, when I finally was able to read the writing on the bottom of the case.

houseofgouriellilipstick_bornunicorn (1)houseofgouriellilipstick_bornunicorn (3)houseofgouriellilipstick_bornunicorn (2)It’s a lipstick by House of Gourielli in the shade Rose Topaz. The metal case is lovely – it’s decorated by two hands clasped – but the story behind the brand is even better. It was named after Prince Artchil Gourielli-Tchkonia, second husband to Helena Rubinstein, for whom she created a beauty line which included men’s skincare and haircare (sold from the Grey Room of Rubinstein’s beauty salon), women’s skincare, make-up and perfumes.

 

Mr Selfridge S04E02

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florisroyalarmsdiamondedition_bornunicornTwo different Floris perfumes can be seen on the counter in the cosmetics department – one has a red label, the other has a purple one. Both of them are limited editions.

The first – Amaryllis – was launched in 2010 as part of the brand’s Private Collection; the second – Royal Arms Diamond Edition – was launched in 2012 but has got a longer history. It was originally created in 1926 to celebrate the birth of George V’s grand-daughter’s birth, who was to become Queen Elizabeth II. In 2012 Floris re-issued the historical fragrance to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S01E06 (Mrs. X at the Gaslight)

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maxfactor_mermaideyes_bornunicornOne of the most ground-breaking eye shadow colours – the jade green Mermaid Eyes by Max Factor – gets a mention in this scene, set at the make-up counter where Midge works. Too bad this namecheck is historically inaccurate: the story is set in the late 1950s, while the Max Factor product was released in 1962.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S01E05 (Doink)

themarvelousmrsmaisel_s01e05_bornunicorn (8)themarvelousmrsmaisel_s01e05_bornunicorn (9)Even before starting to work at B. Altman as sales assistant, Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) puts herself in the spotlight by recommending a lipstick to a customer. She actually mentions two shades, both by Revlon – Raven Red and Cherries in the Snow.

revloncherriesinthesnowad_bornunicornThe first, launched in 1945, has been discontinued, while the second, launched in 1953, is still among the most popular colours of the brand.

A growing archive of beauty products and perfumes in movies and tv shows