I bought Amouage Fate Woman back in August, but it was too hot for something so big. I knew I’d want to wear it once there was snow outside so here we are.
A gorgeous iridescent bottle with juice that has the richest incense drydown. The powder in it is polarizing but the incense is always complimented.
It’s not too late to find a good holiday present.
Here are some options.
Kai fragrance oils. I have the original which is a gardenia, and the rose one. To be honest, the original is better and best, and I wouldn’t say that I’m a white floral person. The oil sits close to your skin and it’s nice to have on hand to dab on your pulse points. I like to put it on my wrists.
Makeup brushes from Charlotte Tilbury. I love these. They have very long handles, they’re incredibly soft, and created to target specific parts of your face. I like that they give me more control over where I’m putting the product. These would be great for any makeup lover in your life. Even if they already have brushes, even if they already have THESE brushes, another set never goes waste because you can use them when one set is dirty. Trust me, brushes are always appreciated.
If you’re going to your hairdresser to get your hair done anyway, or maybe you’re walking by one, then check out the gift boxes they might have. I’ve got the Alterna Anti-Frizz collection here, which is great for anyone who likes to blow their hair a lot (me). I literally blowdry my hair twice a week, after I go swimming, and I love a good blowout balm so the fact that this is included with a shampoo and conditioner is great.
I hope everything is merry and bright. We are so close to the holidays!
My perfume today is a basic but super addictive musk, and the Original oil from Riddle is still my favourite which is why my little bottle is almost empty. I kept a bit for reference but maybe I just need to use it up. Don’t trust an influencer with pristine makeup and full bottles – they’re not using their stuff. Here are a few things I’m using daily and loving.
The latest from Charlotte Tilbury – the new Brightening Airbrush Powder. I use it to set under my eyes and it’s the best. Just slightly brightening and not shimmery.
The Fenty Beauty Double Cheek’d Up Freestyle. Lush duo. I said this was my favourite blush and I just can’t get enough and guess what? It blends in perfectly with the Eaze Drop Foundation and with the Hydra Vizor Sunscreen. The sunscreen is pretty glowy and not at all matte, but I’m also using it as a moisturizer so I really don’t mind. Everything works seamlessly.
Also, obsessed with the Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Lips in Pillow Talk. It’s a balm but also has a tint, and it’s glossy. I think some people would consider it to be lipstick but it’s too sheer and very moisturizing. I actually put this into my bag every morning and then take it out at the end of the day to use. Love it.
Florida water soap. Spending $2 for a special soap can make you feel fancy.
Is there anything you’re obsessed with right now? Like absolutely mad about? Tell me.
Empties from the week – and I would not use Eos lip balms on kids.
Eos lip balm – of course, it’s winter, and the weather in Calgary is so so dry. I love Eos lip balms because they make my lips soft, you could even use them on your face, but because they’re a little bit sweet, I would NOT use them on kids. I find kids just lick their lips too much to eat the sweet lip balm, and in the end, it makes their lips more chapped. Have you seen this happen?
Wyld Magnesium Bali Bath Soak salts… these are part of my Friday ritual and I love them. They are quite large chunks of salt, but I do like how they smell, which is fresh and spa-like. Kind of like eucalyptus…
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation – I can’t remember the last time I finished a foundation because I bounce between them so much, but this one is tops and I love using it. I think the glowy finish is especially great for people with dry skin.
Strivectin Retinol serum. I like that they pair it with NIA-114 which is their patented molecule that helps brighten skin. This is the retinol I was using on nights that I wasn’t using my prescription retinoid.
Finally, Boscia Firming Body Serum – loved it, especially for the summer. I just reviewed it recently, and I really did love it.
Some fancy things that smell like roses – but these roses are fresh and sweet, which is a departure from a gothic rose that one might expect in the winter, and definitely preferable to the cooling summer rose.
I’ve been enjoying this Dr. Vranjes home diffuser in the Rosso Nobile scent. This is rose blended with sweet strawberries that remind you of the summer. The scent is strong, filling my room with the highest ceilings in a matter of minutes. This is a happy cheerful scent and I was glad to be surrounded by it, but after a day I did take the sticks out and leave them to dry because the scent was that strong.
If you like a sweet rose, Guerlain’s new Cherry Oud is a sugary rose that’s lightly spiced with cardamom. It’s easy to wear, very feminine, young, and feels different than some of the other offers at Guerlain’s L’Art et La Matière counter. I have a little sample of Oud Nude that I’ve been trying too and that’s another sweet perfume, with tonka and vanilla in the dry down.
Have you smelled the new line? Do you have a favourite?
Night is supposed to be romantic, sexy, carnal, but if this is how a first date smelled, I there wouldn’t be a second.
It’s a musky rose-oud with animalic cumin in the mix. I have a few rose-cumin and rose-oud perfumes that I love, but this doesn’t smell like any of them because the musk is quite dirty, almost pissy. Thankfully, it’s cleaner and sweeter in the winter, easier for me to wear. The rose is sweet but thin… not quite a bouquet, more of an idea, and I keep wishing I had the real thing in my hands.
This is from Olivier Cresp’s line of perfumes. He’s known for being the perfumer behind Mugler’s Angle which is revered in the perfume community, and is a best-seller. The entire Akro line is inspired by “addictions” that we have. Coffee, booze, partying, etc. The latest one is Ink inspired by tattoos.
YSL Lash Clash mascara. Yes, this is everything by I want out of mascara but when I was testing it out for the first time I put it on at 8 am and it was smeared on my lids by 10… so, I might try layering it because I do love how it looks. If smudging is not a problem for you, try this mascara! I love the way it looks! So glam.
In India, ginger is known for being a hot spice. You start adding it to your chai when the weather gets colder, and it’s probably why we break out the gingerbread cookies around this time of year. My nose starts itching for my gingery perfumes and these are my favourites. I like the contrast of zingy pungent ginger with the warm cozy ambers in the base – all of these are amber perfumes and they’re perfect for fall and winter.
The ginger in these is a top note and manifests differently in each scent.
Discontinued Ginger: SJP Stash. Also the cheapest of the bunch, this 100ml bottle was much less than $100. The ginger is married with a cedar base so this reads dry. Not very strong or long-lasting, but still a great perfume.
Accessible Ginger: Jo Malone Dark Amber and Ginger Lily. The ginger is mellow and smoothed with an almost lactonic fig, a woody incense drydown.
Niche Ginger: Maria Candida Gentile Cinabre. The ginger here is more strong and also sweet. The drydown is a lot of incense. This is a ginger that makes my mouth water, and I’m going to upgrade to a larger bottle when this finishes.
Honorable mentions are Hermes Twilly Ginger which is so yummy but I never needed up buying it, and Eau de Sisley No. 3 which has a spicy ginger note. Have you tried these?
I had the most dm’s ever about the Matiere Premiere samples I posted about. Someone had sent me a bunch, and I finally decided to spray them all on paper to see what they were all about, and honestly, each and every one reminded me strongly of something I’d smelled before. Fully half the people who messaged me had smelled them and agreed that there was nothing special, and the other half had something sitting in their shopping cart and they were about to check out, mostly thanks to rave reviews on Instagram.
I get the hype.
The perfumer is one who has created lots of perfumes for other brands, so it’s no surprise that he branched out on his own. The company also produces their own floral oils and that’s part of the marketing. It is cool when a brand has access to their own materials and can do quality control. That’s part of what makes Chanel and Guerlain so successful. Also, if you’re proud of what you’ve created, you’d definitely try to get them into as many hands as possible so that might be part of the reasoning behind the intense PR where everyone seems to get the latest release at the same time.
I went through a few posts with the tag, and yeah, some were raving about the perfumes, especially the tuberose one, but many just described the perfume without saying one way or another what they thought of it. A good review should describe it without really pushing you in one direction or another, but if you’re talking about Radical Rose without mentioning other rose-patchouli combos, then you’re not giving a sense of what the big picture is and that seemed to be missing. Among people who have tried these perfumes, Radical Rose did seem to be a favourite because of how spicy it is.
Ultimately, if you sampled a scent and loved it, and it moved you immediately, then you should get it and not worry about anything else. But if you’re looking for something unique, then keep moving. And if you’re sensitive at all to certain aromachemicals, then beware. All of these were rather potent and will stick around for a while. Also, they’re not cheap!
I would love to know if people have tried this line and if they have a favourite. I will definitely try these again and see how they wear on skin.
The caramel hot chocolate of the perfume world, the kind made with water, not milk.
I didn’t realize that the new Billy Eilish perfume was available at The Bay, so when I saw it the other day, of course I had to spray some on.
Here’s how it’s supposed to smell:”Delicate sugared petals invite you to experience the alluring fragrance as you immerse yourself in the sensorial appeal of vanilla, soft spices, and cocoa. Sleek woods and musk leave a lasting impression that is warm, sensual and powerfully you.”
But honestly, it was straight-up caramel on my skin, tons of vanilla and very sweet.
It wasn’t sold out and it seems available at a few place online too. I know this was one of the most hyped launches of 2022, and then people forgot about it.
I get that creating celebrity scents is a challenge… mostly they are licensed out and the big perfume companies are looking to launch something that will be easy to wear and successful. Sweeter scents always seem to do well and since this is one-dimensional, in a spray people can decide whether they’re buying it or not.
Have you tried it? Do you own it?
