Functionalab at Bendel
by Jessica M

On my last visit to Henri Bendel in New York, I noticed a new display on the beauty floor: it’s a wall of shelves dedicated to products from Functionalab, a Montreal-based brand of “beauty-nutrition supplements.” Functionalab promotes the idea of inner health as the foundation of outer beauty, and it offers a wide range of formulas. You can shop “à la carte” by selecting individual supplements to target specific needs. Or, for a more complete analysis, you can consult with a Functionalab representative, take a ten-minute questionnaire, and receive a personalized program with a month’s worth of daily doses.

Functionalab’s vitamins and tonics are the most chic-looking health products you’ve ever seen: they’re all labeled with vibrantly colored symbols and lettering on pure white containers. The product codes imitate the Periodic Table of Elements (remember that, from high-school chemistry?) and some of the bottles are shaped like beakers and flasks from a futuristic science laboratory. And I noticed that one of the images in the display is a take-off of Robert Mapplethore’s iconic portrait of rocker-poet Patti Smith, but at least Functionalab is stealing from the best!

After looking through the shelves, I took home some brochures for further reading, and one basic product from the line: a bottle of Health Drops in the Antiox blend. Health Drops are concentrated liquids that you add to any beverage for a boost of vitamins, minerals, and natural extracts. One dropper-full of Antiox Health Drops contains as much antioxidant power as fifteen cups of green tea, which is wonderful if (like me) you’re more of a coffee-drinker but you still want to take in more of these super-nutrients. I’ve been adding my Health Drops to a glass of water with a lemon slice (where it gives a fresh, zingy flavor) or to my morning orange juice (where I can’t really taste it through the orange). Three other blends of Health Drops are available: Detox (with natural orange flavor), Focus (with peppermint), and Immune (berry-flavored).

I’m thinking of going back to Bendel for some Functionalab vitamins, such as the Pure Skin Beauty Dose (for balancing and revitalizing oily skin), but in the meantime, I’m feeling wellness-conscious – and cool – with the Health Drops bottle standing on my kitchen counter.

Functionalab Health Drops sells for $30. For more information, see http://www.functionalab.com. To contact Functionalab at Henri Bendel, call 212-247-1100 or 1-800-HBENDEL.

Product photo via Functionalab. Store photo by Jessica M.

Lavender’s blue: Summer comes to Caron
A review by Jessica M

A trip to the Caron boutique in New York is always a treat for me, and I haven’t been there in a few months, so I was looking forward to my latest visit. The occasion was the United States release of Caron’s newest fragrance: Les Plus Belles Lavandes (“the most beautiful lavenders”).

Les Plus Belles Lavandes was created by the Caron “nose,” Richard Fraysse, as a lighter, more unisex interpretation of Pour Un Homme de Caron. It was inspired by the lavender fields of the South of France, and its notes include Provençal lavender, amber, vanilla, and musk. Les Plus Belles Lavandes is unusually lush and aromatic for a cologne. The freshness of the lavender is married with the creamy sweetness of the vanilla, and the hint of musk gives the dry-down a “skin-scent” feeling.

Lavandes is a delicious-smelling fragrance, but it’s not too heavy for warmer weather. If you’re always sorry to put aside your rich gourmand perfumes in the summer, this is something you should try. It’s available in a 3.4-oz. spray bottle ($80), and it’s only being offered in limited quantities in America at this time, so don’t wait too long if you’re interested!


While I was browsing in the boutique, I had the chance to admire Caron’s recently-added range of one-ounce, faux-shagreen atomizers. Ten fragrances are available in these bottles, and each one has its own color (black for Narcisse Noir, purple for the violety Aimez-Moi, and so on). Bellodgia, my favorite, is encased in carnation-pink.


And I had a sneak peek at an upcoming product line: Later this year, for the holiday season, Caron will be releasing limited edition bottles decorated with Swarovski crystals. The lay-down atomizers, standing bottles, and travel vials will be sold in several colors, to be filled with the fragrance of your choice. I can’t even imagine how sparkly these will be in person!

For more information, contact Diane Haska at Caron in New York. The phone number for the PhytoUniverse salon, where Caron is located, is 212-308-0270 and the address is 715 Lexington Avenue (enter on 58th Street), New York, NY 10022.

Bellodgia photo and store photos by Jessica M.
Swarovski-bottle image courtesy of Caron.