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7NEWS
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
DB Cosmetics drops the dupe collection of the year with $12.99 fragrances inspired by cult perfumes
Aussie shoppers are obsessed with this new perfume collection that's only $12.99 each but smells like a $611 cult favourite. The six-piece fragrance range that launched this week is already making waves for delivering luxe-level scent experiences without the sky-high price tags. Inspired by best-selling perfumes from prestige houses like Frederic Malle, Fenty, Kayali, and Maison Francis Kurkdjian, this collection makes it possible to smell like a designer label — on a drugstore budget. The standout of the collection is Painted Lady, DB's bold and romantic take on Frederic Malle's Portrait of a Lady, a fragrance that typically retails for a staggering $611. Painted Lady recreates the beloved scent with a lush blend of rose petals, spiced amber, and juicy dark berries. The result is an opulent, complex perfume that feels every bit as elegant and sophisticated — at a fraction of the cost. Amanda Connors, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Total Beauty Network, says the new range is about changing the perception of what affordable beauty can be. 'We wanted to show that smelling incredible doesn't have to cost a fortune. Our new fragrance range is luxurious, long-lasting and crafted with care. It's everything you'd expect from a high-end perfume, without the high-end price.' And Painted Lady is just the beginning. The full collection includes: Fancy: A zesty, floral-musk scent inspired by Fenty Eau de Parfum, blending fruit-forward top notes with a sensual musky base. Burning Love: DB's version of Kayali's Burning Cherry, leans into smoky sweetness with cherry, praline, and rich woods. Fluidité: Inspired by Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Gentle Fluidity Gold, offers warm vanilla, nutmeg, and amber in a comforting, gender-neutral blend. Chaos: A bold white floral homage to Robert Piguet's Fracas, stars lush tuberose with soft gardenia and jasmine. All six fragrances are vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated to last, ticking every box for modern beauty lovers who want ethical elegance without compromise. From the packaging to the performance, DB's Winter fragrance drop is being hailed as one of the most successful designer-inspired perfume collections to ever land in Australian stores.
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The Independent
22-03-2025
- The Independent
Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing hotel review
Location In a maze of hutongs in central Beijing, the Mandarin Oriental has opened its second hotel in the capital city. Some of the residential courtyards that make up these small alleys have been transformed into luxury rooms, but they are peppered in and around courtyards where locals still live. Buggies carry hotel guests from their rooms to the restaurant for breakfast, stopping to allow locals on their mopeds or swerving around a table of elderly mahjong players. The hotel is ideally located to explore all of historic Beijing's attractions while experiencing what life is like in the hutongs among the locals. Cool independent bars, noodle restaurants and vintage boutique stores line the traditional streets just outside the residential area which are a delight to explore and duck into for a cocktail or coffee break. The vibe The small winding alleys are cosy and feel secluded and peaceful compared to the hubbub of Beijing just a few streets over. The lobby courtyard is breathtaking, with towering old trees jutting from the centre. There isn't a grand porte-cochère at the entrance, instead the main building is quite unassuming. The reception area once you're inside is tastefully and elegantly decorated, allowing the wooden beams of the ceiling and walls to become a central feature of the decor. The buildings in Beijing's hutongs are protected and cannot be built upwards, so every part of the hotel is on the first floor like in the old times. Sculptures and artworks throughout allow moments to pause, with an overall feeling of serenity permeating the main building. Concepts of feng shui were employed when the hotel was first built as small square houses, that reveals a calming connection to nature with a focus on plant life in the middle of the courtyards. The service Whether chatting cheerfully when carting guests through the hutongs in the buggies, ensuring the cleaning is up to standard, or taking breakfast orders, the staff are all clearly trained to a very high standard to ensure a smooth, enjoyable and peaceful experience. Almost all the staff encountered have good English. Although it's fun to explore the hutongs by yourself, after a boozy dinner, a nice buggy ride back to your room is just the ticket. Bed and bath To live among the Beijing locals in a private courtyard villa is truly a unique experience. The courtyard rooms (just 43 in total) cover three sides of the square, meaning you can see across from the kitchen/living room to the bedroom with pretty foliage in the middle. The floor-to-ceiling windows allow plenty of light, while the tall wooden ceilings and grey brick reflect the traditional Chinese style. Modern comforts include a rainfall shower, toilet with heated seats and bidets, Dyson hairdryers, and Frederic Malle products in the bathrooms. The interiors are chic and understated. Cream linen wallpaper creates a neutral backdrop to nature-focused artworks. Furniture is trimmed in gold and features traditional Chinese floral motifs with fabrics throughout in tones of blue, grey, creams and burnt umber. There's a complimentary minibar including wine, beer and soft drinks. Sitting out in the courtyard is a lovely way to while away an hour or two, and some larger rooms even have a private teahouse. Food and drink Yan Garden is the Michelin-starred restaurant serving Cantonese and Chaozhou cuisine. Chef Fei creates diverse set menus bursting with Chinese flavours. Think wok-fried wagyu beef with Sichuan peppers, rich chicken broth with Shanghai noodles and the chef's signature deep-fried pigeon eaten with your hands. Up to seven courses are meticulously served with style and substance. Tea is a major feature of the restaurant too, with a dedicated tea station. The interiors evoke old China with deep burgundy walls, fresh orchids on the tables and quiet traditional music playing – it's utterly blissful. Breakfast is served daily in Vicini, the Italian restaurant hidden down one of the alleys that doubles as a tasty pasta spot for lunch and dinner. With a terrace that overlooks the city, this restaurant is headed by an Italian chef, who creates dishes such as tagliolini with Tibetan truffle and aged parmesan, wonderfully tender lamb saddle, and Italian desserts like sgroppino: lemon sorbet topped with prosecco and limoncello. The Tiao bar is where the cool Beijingers come to sip on cocktails inspired by Chinese legends in the atmospheric low-lit room. At least three people around us ordered a cocktail made famous by social media, created by a barman at your table with a burst of edible glitter dramatically lit up by a lamp. Facilities From sound bath therapy, to massages to tea ceremonies and a gym, wellness of body and mind is a focus at this hotel. There is no pool due to building restrictions. There are a number of tranquil rooms accessed via a quiet courtyard where massages and treatments can take place in peace. Tea ceremony and tea meditation classes can be booked in at the spa. Accessibility The hotel is not accessible, as the traditional doorways, including the lobby, have a steep plank to step over and some rooms have steps to enter. Pet policy Pets allowed by request, but charges apply. Check in/check out Check in from 3pm; check out by 12pm. Family friendly? Yes, there are plenty of family rooms with extra beds for free for children under 12, and cots for babies up to two years old. At a glance Best thing: Hearing the buzz of the locals as you explore the hutongs. Perfect for: Experiencing a slice of old Beijing in luxury.
The Independent
11-02-2025
- The Independent
Rissai Valley Ritz-Carlton Reserve, China hotel review
Location Surrounded in all directions by snow-capped mountains, this remote hotel is worlds apart from China 's towering neon metropolises. Two hours on the high-speed train from Chengdu, followed by an hour's drive, the hotel's villa hotel rooms have breathtaking views of the Minshan mountains and old Tibetan villages. Just half an hour's taxi ride from the hotel is Jiuzhaigou National Park. A popular Unesco World Heritage Site, it remained untouched for centuries, inhabited only by Tibetan people, until loggers came across the area in the 1970s. Logging was banned in 1979 and it became a protected area. Meaning 'nine settlement valley' in English, the 180,000-acre area is a patchwork of sweeping mountain ranges, crystal clear lakes and cascading waterfalls. The vibe The late interior designer, Jaya Ibrahim, known for his dark and subtly luxurious style, with a distinctly Asian influence, has left his mark in the carefully constructed lobby. There's mindful use of natural stone and dark woods throughout, with partitioned areas that are cosy and intimate. Throughout the building, guests are struck by mountain views at every opportunity; floor-to-ceiling windows allow guests to drink in the view from the lobby, bar, restaurants and spa terrace. The local culture is imbued into the design, with art inspired by Tibetan pattern work, staff uniforms in traditional style and a moody library with a central fireplace that's packed with books on Tibetan and Chinese history, art and culture. Nature is a major theme, whether that's blazing red foliage through the window or using flowers and plants as decoration. The service Immediately swept up with a warm welcome, we were greeted with yellow sashes and a traditional Tibetan dance by a smiling performer. Some staff don't speak English so a bit of extra effort (translation apps, pointing) can be needed if you don't speak Chinese. However, there is a 24-hour messaging service in English where you can request buggies to take you to breakfast, let staff know you're ready for evening turndown service, order food to your room and more. Bed and bath There are 87 villas on the property which face out across the valley and are accessible by buggies driven by staff. Guests arrive at the villas through small private courtyards decorated with beautiful dark wood, Chinese-style furniture, warm lighting and furnishings with natural hues of orange, red and brown. Cloud motifs on rugs and bed headboards evoke matters celestial and good fortune. The interiors invoke a calming feeling, particularly the incredible spa-like bathrooms that come with oversized black bathtubs that offer exceptional views of the surrounding mountains. Guests can lather up with with Frederic Malle bath and hair products. Beds also offer megawatt views of the mountains, which can be revealed at the touch of a button come morning. All rooms include terraces and balconies that feature fires pit with ample seating for evenings spent watching the sun set over the Minshan peaks and gazing at stars undisturbed by light pollution. There's a kitchen area with a Nespresso coffee machine, complimentary beer, snacks and soft drinks. The lighting is somewhat confusing, however, and not laid out in the most ergonomic manner. Food and drink Bo Ri Village is the restaurant where the semi-buffet breakfast is served. Dim sum, spicy noodles and Chinese porridge can be found in abundance, plus a delicious selection of pastries, granola, yak milk yoghurt and juices. This restaurant also has hot pot in the evening with individual bubbling pots of broth in which diners can boil paper thin slices of meat, including local beef from the nearby grazing cows, vegetables and seafood, such as squid, abalone and fish. Cai Lin Xuan is a fine-dining Szechuan restaurant with a variety of great local dishes; highlights include soft yak beef steak fried with chilli and buttery pork in a peppercorn sauce. There is also a Mediterranean restaurant La Montagne and a cafe/bar Lobby Lounge. Facilities An entire building is dedicated to the spa, pool and fitness facilities, where dark wood, candles, plants and foliage create a suitably relaxing environment in the waiting area. The pool is built to reflect the Jiuzhaigou lakes in colour, with large windows surrounding it enabling guests to gaze at the picturesque surroundings. There's a personal trainer at the gym (kitted out with TechnoGym equipment) and spa facilities with facials, foot baths, massages, plunge pools and more. Curated cultural experiences can be arranged daily by the hotel, from fan-making in the library, to pony rides in the mountains. Disability access There are accessible rooms available with step-free showers. Pet policy No pets allowed. Check in/check out Check in from 3pm; check out by 12pm. Family-friendly? Rollaway beds/cribs available for kids. There are kids activities available including kite-flying, treasure hunts and more. At a glance Best thing: The cascading views from the bath. Perfect for: Absolute escape from reality. Not right for: Those seeking a fast-paced, buzzing environment. Instagram from: The restaurant while eating hot pot next to the mountain view.
