Venerable perfume company Krigler has set up shop in the Plaza Hotel in New York City offering not just scents but also candles, scrubs, lotions and other body care items. The perfumes come in old-fashioned glass bottles with simple golden tops. The brand's most famous scent is Sparkling Diamond No. 22. The scent was created in Monte Carlo in 1922 and the original had a diamond in the bottle. Now the scent of champagne, strawberry, musk and coconut (it's actually more subtle and less fruity than that description makes it sound) comes in a bottle that has Swarovksi crystals bouncing around in the bottom. Other scents to try include the Dolce Tuberose which is full of summer's heady deep florals. The Sparkling Diamond No. 22 is $170 for the 3.4 eau de parfum. Other scents including Mediterranean Peach and Manhattan Rose are $110.

Temptu has designed a home airbrush makeup kit which is safe and easy to use, and the results are virtually flawless.

It's not very often that we feature makeup on this site (unless it's a makeup bracelet), but this is a development that must be covered: For 28 years, Temptu has been airbrushing makeup onto celebrities, models, and socialites for movies, TV shows, magazine covers, fashion shows, and more, and now? You're going to have that luxury available in your own home -- you're going to be able to airbrush yourself.

This is no under-the-table, infomercial-fueled waste of time; the kits will be on sale at Sephora in September with the tagline "Flawless pro results, without the pro" and an educated staff member to show you how to use it.

I had the pleasure of not only seeing the kit demonstrated but of being airbrushed myself, and I have to say: there is a difference. No lines that need blending, no excess makeup -- you can easily adjust the spray-level to apply more or less makeup -- and the coverage is truly flawless. Airbrushing is not only the method Temptu used to make "The Stepford Wives" look perfect, they also created Rebecca Romijn's Mystique in "X-Men" (in which she was all blue and scaly). Airbrush makeup is serious. And it doesn't look like makeup.

Last October we told you about Secret deodorant's Flawless Diamond Giveaway where they're giving away 10 1-carat flawless diamonds valued at $15,000 each. The diamonds (fake 'stand in' diamonds, of course) are hidden in specially marked Secret deodorants just waiting to be discovered by the lucky winners. Sound exciting? It is, although time is running out -- the promotion expires at the end of this month (June 30th) and as of now only 1 diamond has been found. That means there are 9 more hiding out there somewhere.

Don't let a flawless diamond that should be yours go unclaimed! And no worries about not using up your deodorant stick fast enough -- you can log on to the website and punch in the UPC code to find out if it's a winner the same day you buy it.

As the recession began to dig its claws in last year, the NY Times ran an article on how plastic surgery was becoming a luxury that some were cutting back on. It seemed like vanity just might be yielding to practicality.

But now six months later, how are people feeling about plastic surgery? We asked Dr. Gabriel Chiu, the surgeon behind Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc to tell us what he's been seeing in his office. Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery is a full-service plastic and cosmetic surgery practice offering services that range from skincare and injectables to more invasive procedures such as breast augmentation. Their spa-like office is located on Wilshire Blvd. and has a retail skincare lounge, valet parking for medical appointments and the all-important private VIP reception.

It seems that while people are cutting back on some things, no one really wants to look badly. As Dr. Chiu puts it once they have "gotten used to looking a certain way and they don't want to risk losing it." In fact, in an increasingly competitive job market, some people are now coming in so that they can look younger and hold their own against floods of eager job seekers. What are people cutting back on most and what new treatments is Dr. Chiu most excited about? Our full interview is after the jump.

Nobody likes a smelly dog in the summertime (or anytime for that matter). For your pooch freshening needs, Pepper & Tanky offers relief. This new brand of dog perfume uses natural oils and less alcohol so as not to irritate sensitive skin. The brand creators recommend that you spray Pepper & Tanky eau du parfum onto your hand or washcloth and gently massage or pet your dog. The scent should be applied after bath and can last several days. Today we are giving away a two-ounce bottle of Vanilla Woof, a chypre floral fragrance, with fruity hints and sweet vanilla. To enter the contest leave a note telling us about your dog.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before Friday, June 12, 2009 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the Pepper & Tanky Vanilla Woof dog perfume valued at $44.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

This contest is closed. Thank you for your participation.

Ralph Lauren is celebrating thirty years of its signature fragrance with a new sensational scent, Polo Modern Reserve. Today's gentleman can embrace a fresh yet sensual combination crafted for the next generation of Polo men. The eight ounce bottle showcases 24-carat gold details and arrives in a luxurious leather box making a bold statement. Nobody wants to smell just like everyone else -- here's your chance to stand out in the crowd wearing a subtle yet tantalizing limited edition scent that only Polo can create available for $200. There is also a four-ounce bottle of the eau de toilette for $62.50.

Now here is an idea that will likely appeal to at least some people. Though I have a feeling many of the interested people are guys who wear too much jewelry and frequent night clubs while wearing too much cologne. This however is a collection of watches for women, and are the "Perfume Watches" by Venexx. The watches come in four model ranges and feature many strap and dial options along with 39mm wide and 36mm steel case sizes (with 60 and 50 sprays accordingly in each). You can visit their site to see the many different styles available. The Perfume Watches comes with a little filling kit complete with a funnel, vial, and pipette to load the watch with your favorite perfume. To spray the perfume you need to twist away the shield over the atomizer at 2 o'clock and press down on the pusher.

The watches have Swiss quartz movements and are remarkably wearable from a design standpoint given their dual purposes. They look decent too, with a lot of acceptable dial and strap options that aren't exactly design award worthy, but attractive nonetheless. I like ideas like this, but I hope it isn't a signal for people to stop taking showers. It is probably a good idea for women who want to go out carrying as little possible, but still being able to have their favorite scent handy. Also, the watches are cost effective enough to have the option of owning a few for each of your favorite perfumes. Priced at about 110 - 150 euros with additional straps being about 20 euros each. Also comes with Venexx's own perfume sample.

Ariel Adams publishes the popular watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Jeweler Chopard launched its latest fragrance, Cascade, this week in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival. The event at Cannes' Eden Roc Hotel also included an haute jewelry collection specifically for the event. The new scent is an oriental with notes of Belle de Nuit, pink pepper, grapefruit, mandarin and orchid. It will launch in July (although a bottle has just popped up on eBay already). Over at perfume blog, Now Smell This, they are currently debating the merits of the bottle which features a design that looks a bit like a 1980s-style rhinestone earring has been draped over the top.

The Cannes event featured beautiful women and beautiful jewels, check out a few in the gallery below.

Soap is an essential but it can also be a way to pamper yourself in a relatively inexpensive way. The "A Year In The Country" box set of goat milk soaps is a set of 12 soaps that offer scents for each month. Pine, patchouli, orange, wildflowers, thyme, lavender and cinnamon are just some of the scents. The soaps are made from the milk of the contented Beekman goats of the Beekman Farm in New York. You may have seen Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, the talented men behind Beekman farm in the May issue of Vanity Fair. This small splurge will run you just $64.

Lately there are so many celebrities designing apparel, shoes, wine, fragrances, and so on, it's hard to keep up. Can't read all the tabloids and style rags? We're here to help.

Here are a few celeb designers we've covered recently: Gwyneth Paltrow - apparel; Fergie - shoes; Charlie Sheen - shirts; Scott Weiland - apparel; Sting - wine; and Jason Timberlake - tequila.

And here are the newest I could find, though some have been around year or so: Sofia Coppola - Louis Vuitton clutches and small purses; David Arquette and Ben Harper - Propr apparel for Kitson (said to be eco-friendly); Lauren Bush - Lauren Pierce apparel; Paris Hilton - rumored to have a sunglass line be in the works, already has a shoe line; Kate Moss - apparel for UK store Topshop (a store opened in Soho recently to a crazed crowd); Nicole Richie - rumored to have a maternity line in the works, already has House of Harlow 1960 jewelry; Kimora Lee Simmons - Fabulosity apparel for JCPenney; Tori Spelling - Little Maven by Tori Spelling children's clothing; Taylor Swift - L.E.I. sundresses for Walmart; Kanye West and Rihanna - inked a fragrance deal with Jay-Z's licensing company, Kanye and Rihanna each will have their own scent; more Kanye - Nike Air Yeezy sneakers; "Bachelorette" Trista Sutter - Trista Baby diaper bags; and Snoop Dogg -- Rich & Infamous apparel.

I must stop now or risk link overkill (too late, maybe?). If you know of other new celebrity designers Luxist readers might want to check out, please share in the comments section.

La Prairie's Skin Caviar Crystalline Concentrate isn't the most expensive product the company has ever launched (after all, last fall saw the launch of a $1,000 moisturizer) but it does give your skin an added shimmer through the addition of diamond, mica and quartz crystals. The nutrient rich serum promises to firm and plump with amino acids, plant extracts, peptides and caviar extracts as well as La Prairie's exclusive Cellular Complex. The serum sells for $375. They say that skincare is recession-proof but this is stretching it.

[via Vogue UK]

The Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside, California will show an intriguing installation designed not for the eyes but for the nose. Institutional Wellbeing: An olfactory plan for the Oceanside Museum of Art runs from March 29 – August 9, 2009 and was created by conceptual artist Brian Goeltzenleuchter. The exhibit is meant to explore the perception of fragrance as an art media for interior environments whether it be in corporate aesthetics (like Westin's white tea scent perhaps) or in aromatherapy. The end result is a scent named OMA which is meant to capture the olfactory experience of Oceanside Museum of Art.

The fragrance will accompany the exhibition as both a scent presented in the installation and as a retail product available in the museum's store. This isn't Goeltzenleuchter's first scent as installation project, he also created "Institutional Wellbeing: An Olfactory Intervention for the GAU," Grafisch Atelier Utrecht, The Netherlands in 2006. The OMA scent will cost $20 and Goeltzenleuchter describes it in the San Diego Union-Tribune as "a sweet, green smell that immediately transitions into a warm, atmospheric tone underneath with hints of tobacco and tea."

Bastion of top-drawer British style Bamford Ltd., known for its beautiful customized Rolex watches, has opened an understatedly luxurious new beach boutique in Barbados. Bamford founder Carole Bamford was inspired by her "longstanding love affair" with the posh island resort in creating the airy, bright Barefoot on the Beach boutique from a traditional chattel house in St. James. The luxe boutique (above) is a treasure trove of Bamford's naturally luxurious women's and men's ready-to-wear and body collections, home wares and lifestyle products from the hands of skilled artisans. The shop offers elegant, hand-worked silk kaftans, organic khaki cotton accessories from India, ceramic rosary beads, quirky slogan beach baskets, straw hats and sandals, as well as the brand's beloved men's collection, Bamford & Sons, and the Bamford Body product line.

Famed Italian jeweler and luxury goods firm Bulgari plans to cut jobs, close stores and pare down its collections in the wake of a disastrous 45% drop in profits. The company, which was founded in 1884, has seen its watch business suffer badly in the economic downturn, with sales plunging 10.6%, Vogue UK reports. Accessories dropped 1.5% and jewelery, the company's core business, dropped 2.5%. On the plus side, perfume sales have increased by 12%, perhaps an indication that consumers see fragrance as a relatively affordable luxury. Sales in America and Europe were particularly poor, though the Middle East was up by 9%.

The company, a red carpet favorite of stars like Halle Berry, Keira Knightley and Kate Hudson, describes its jewelry as "pure luxury obtained by means of daring combinations, precious materials, purity of design and meticulous attention to detail." "[This year] will be a very difficult year," states Bulgari CEO Francesco Trapani, adding that future earnings are impossible to predict. "We don't feel able to give a number of any meaning because the situation is so very complicated." He is no doubt feeling somewhat overextended on the retail side with over 230 locations worldwide.

Amanda Lepore, the glamorous transsexual bombshell who has worked with MAC Cosmetics and walked the runway for Heatherette has joined the celebrity fragrance bandwagon with a rather expensive offering. Lepore's scent is from Artware Editions and was designed by perfumer Christophe Laudamiel of Les Christophs.

The scent includes notes of Tuberose absolute, orris butter, violet and a touch of Cristal champagne. It comes in a disco-ball-shaped bottle wreathed in Swarovski crystals in a black satin coffret with a pink satin atomizer and a booklet full of photographs of Amanda. The fragrance is a limited edition of 5,000 bottles.

NY Times reporter Eric Wilson didn't seem entirely smitten with the fragrance saying that it "Amanda is supposed to be art, as opposed to, say, the weirdest celebrity fragrance ever." It doesn't seem like that much of a stretch to me, everyone from jazz musicians to race car drivers seems to have their own scent these days. But the $950 price point puts it out of the range of many shoppers. Whether or not there are 5,000 people interested in smelling like Ms. Lepore is another matter.