5 Luxe Life Goals for the Venus-Mars Connection

Oooh, and it gets better. From June 27 to July 21, this dreamy duet of Venus and Mars takes place in Leo, the zodiac’s most passionate sign. And on July 13, they make their first exact conjunction in two years (at 19º Leo), sparking a new cycle of synergy and connection for us all! 

There’s hardly a more luxurious or lionhearted placement for this planetary power couple to sing their love ballad. And as restrictions lift in many places, this couldn’t be better timing. Maybe you’re “working from work” again or planning a long overdue vacation. This Venus and cycle transit activates every sense, from the visual to the olfactory. (So maybe that’s why you suddenly wanted to customize every basic piece in your wardrobe, debut a sleek hair style and perfume the air with a signature scent?)

Speaking of Leo-powered style and decadence, we recently had a chance to collaborate with the luxury Italian fashion house Bvlgari. They invited us to be part of a summer celebration of two new fragrances, the Le Gemme Collector’s Edition Duo. And let us tell you, this Bvlgari “twin set” elevates power pairing to an ethereal level!

With the celestial sonata of Venus and Mars soaring in the background, we’ve had fun incorporating the luxe life goals that we learned from Bvlgari. And we wanted to share them with you. May you hit the most beautiful notes this summer!

1. Curate Your Collaborators

An indescribable magic emerges when talented forces unite. Individuality is prized without sacrificing partnership. Ideas and voices blend in harmonious chorus, celebrating each person’s contribution to the whole. 

That’s pretty much how it works when Venus and Mars click in the same sign. Although they share an ethos (in this case, the sumptuous sovereignty of Leo), these planets express the energy in opposite ways. Venus is the soft touch while Mars drives a hard bargain. When properly balanced, their combined powers keep us inspired and alert.

Venus is the soft touch while Mars drives a hard bargain. When properly balanced, their combined powers keep us inspired and alert.

For the Le Gemme collection, Bvlgari brought together two master perfumers, Jacques Cavallier and Alberto Morillas, both of whom have created some of the most iconic fragrances of our times. While they might technically be “competitors,” they consider one another “brothers in perfume.” Born in Grase, France, Cavallier is the third generation of perfumers. Morillas’ provenance is Seville, Spain where the seaside patio of his childhood home informs his work to this day.

When Venus and Mars get in sync, soulmates—and soul friends—start popping up everywhere. Now is the time to form your own imitable pairing, a la Cavallier and Morillas, with someone who stirs you on a sensory level.  Curate collaborators thoughtfully! Perhaps you begin testing the waters with a small summer project. You may discover untapped potential within existing relationships too as the Venus-Mars duo reveals hidden synergies.

2. Elevate the Narrative with Venus and Mars

Why say it simply when you can spin an enchanting narrative? Leo is the zodiac’s storyteller. And under its spell, the mundane becomes magical. To captivate hearts and minds, elevate the story with lush, imaginative touches. What’s the tale behind the vision? What inspired you to move from point A to point B? And what enchantment did you experience along the way? Think like Alberto Morillas who said, “Perfumery is the mirror of society. I am the interpreter of those emotions.”

For the Le Gemme collection, Cavallier and Morillas charted a sensory voyage for us. It begins with a mythical journey along Bvlgari Gems Road. This path leads to the marvels of India and the Ural Mountains where Bvlgari discovers nature’s rarest beauties, from precious stones to unique fragrance ingredients.

In their words, “The iridescent gemstone aventurine sparkles, and the cherished spice saffron looks striking, its eye-catching red color vivid against the lavender petals of saffron flowers. From the innate harmony of aventurine and saffron, two new magnificent gems are born: Le Gemme Astrea and Le Gemme Azaran.”

Two tickets to Bvlgari Gems Road, please!

3. Spice it Up

Speaking of those lavender petals, this pair of Bvlgari fragrances is unified by one precious ingredient: saffron. Billed as the world’s most expensive spice, saffron is also called “red gold” because it takes 100,000 hand-picked flowers to render one kilo of the spice. How Leo is that?Can someone point us to a field of purple crocus flowers to hand-source saffron? (Hey, a girl can dream…) Okay, maybe that’s not happening in 2021, but when Venus meets Mars, everything gets a whole lot spicier. From love affairs to creative productions, go the extra-extra mile with high-end gifts and elevated flourishes.

4. Play with Venus and Mars Contrast

Venus and Mars are the ultimate power couple. They balance the yin and the yang. Together, they represent the archetypal feminine and masculine that flow throughout us all to varying degrees of fluidity. Bvlgari played with this concept in their Le Gemme Collector’s Duo, giving each perfumer one fragrance to create.

Le Gemme Astrea—the Greek word for star—is inspired by the feminine aura and the nighttime mystique. For this fragrance, Alberto Morillas began with a dusky saffron essence, a rare form of spice. These notes give way to the “star-like radiance of Sambac jasmine absolute tinged with a golden base of honey.”

If you’re exhausted from the burdens of life, hard-driving Mars is at play. Venus can turn a laborious effort into a heartfelt and magical experience.

Le Gemme Azaran, which means “like fire,” is the genius of Jacques Cavallier. To capture the fresh vitality of nature in this “masculine” scent, Azaran opens with a burst of sunny bergamot. After that saffron “smolders with warmth, the sultry scent of spice and leather swirling fireside.” After the “blaze” subsides, the fragrance releases the alluring aura of red cedarwood.

Yes, you may choose to draw archetypal lines in a different way. But how can you equalize contrasting energies? For example, if you’ve been obsessing over details (so Venus!), amplify Mars by taking a direct action. It’s worth it, even if it makes your heart skip a beat. If you’re exhausted from the burdens of life, hard-driving Mars is at play. Hit the brakes and gather with collaborators. Venus can turn a laborious effort into a heartfelt and magical experience.

5. Make it Sparkle

It’s no secret that fire sign Leo loves to sparkle in the spotlight. And anything that shimmers and glitters is definitely gold when planets sashay through the Lion’s gate. While beauty queen Venus amplifies our aesthetic radiance, vital Mars ignites our inner glow.

Bvlgari’s shimmering Le Gemme Collector’s Duo is housed in aventurine bottles. The secret to this gemstone’s sparkle? Mineral deposits, known as spangles, are suspended within the stone. As they bounce back light, an irresistible iridescence is created.

While aventurine is most commonly found in green, Bvlgari sourced rare blue for Le Gemme Astrea’s decorative flacon. With its spangles, it mirrors a starry night sky. And taking the curvaceous shape of an ancient “amphora,” it evokes the Roman vessel used to transport gems, silks, spices and perfumes.

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A pillar-like red aventurine bottle houses Le Gemme Azaran. With glittering particles that look like flecks in a flame, it exalts the Roman obelisk that once guided merchants into the thriving city.

How can you add more “aventurine” to your life? As Venus and Mars join forces, amplifying sparkle is both an inside and outside job. Polish up your presentation and take more care with your beauty routines, looking and smelling good! Have fun styling yourself. Every day is a costume party when Leo is at the wheel. Get creative with your personal style and move your body often to release the glow-up of endorphins. 

Self-care is the kind of luxury doesn’t come with a price tag. Treat yourself like royalty and watch the world roll out a red carpet for you.