Stash for an obnoxiously beautiful fall day. Truly, this would be an amazing home scent because of the way that the cedar in it has a dry creamy radiance. You can’t be in a bad mood when you wear Stash but you also can’t overthink it too much. It just … is… ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
New, Hermes Barenia. I wouldn’t have minded it 20 years ago, but today it smell ike an uninteresting throwback. The blackcurrant note is tarte but I prefer the way that it’s more mellow in Diptyque’s L’Ombre Dans L’Eau. This smells like an 80’s chypre, but they’ve updated the oakmoss with Akigalawood, a synthetic molecule adjacent to herbaceous patchouli. Akigalawood is strong and durable, overtaking more subtle parts of perfumes that it’s in. It makes its presence known and once I smell it, I have difficulty not smelling it. It’s one of those smells that you either love or hate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So while Barenia doesn’t reinvent the 80’s chypre perfumes, it recreates them with updated materials that might impress the noses of today – people looking for presence and longevity rather than anything new and interesting. I hope that this brings back the 80’s chypre genre, but I won’t be reaching for this one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Instead of buying a bottle of Barenia, I’ll take out some of my old-school 80’s perfumes and wear those. If you’ve got lots of perfume, you’ll have a hard time being impressed with this one. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you want to elevate your shower experience, get a soap that’s made with melty white clay that coats your skin instead of just foaming. It’ll be like you’re at a spa.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I don’t know what I expected the Fenty Hair products to smell like – fruity since the perfume is a throwback to the fruity patchouli scents from the ‘90s – but The Rich One Fenty Hair shampoo smells like gardenia. I’m surprised they chose such a classically feminine scent for the hair products but there you go. The Comeback Kid conditioner doesn’t have the same tropical floral scent but it’s still pretty as a warm floral. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
The scent makes the products a joy to use – yes, I’m swayed by nice-smelling haircare – and the two products I have are moisturizing and best for dry or coarse hair since they are heavy on the conditioning agents in the products. I’m still using them and probably, this is my new favourite haircare line that’s available at Sephora.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I started writing about beauty in 2006. I haven’t tried everything but I know I’ve tried a LOT more than the average person, thanks to brands that send me sunscreen to try. I dug out all the sunscreens and put them all in one place for this – and I still forgot the ones near the back door and the new It Cosmetics one because it was in a handbag. Also, there’s one in my work desk.
The total count in this picture is 18! Some were gifted like the Neutrogena, Tatcha, Cerave and others I bought myself, like the Lierac, the Supergoop, and Vichy. The question people ask is what I’m REALLY using and that’s why I post my empties. The Vichy serum sunscreen (pump bottle) has been a favourite and I’ve gone through 3 bottles so it’s not pictured. It’s very moisturizing.
I’m using the Tatcha mineral sunscreen right now (little purple bottle) on my face. It’s clear. On weekends I use the Neutrogena tinted mineral sunscreen instead of foundation. The Lierac sunscreen oil is so good but smells strongly of fruity gummy candy so I don’t always reach for it. I did use it this morning though! The best sunscreen is one that you like and can afford to buy lots of. More expensive sunscreen has more elegant formulas meaning that they can be moisturizing and less chalky in feel.
The Neutrogena matte sunscreen was a game-changer when it came out in the 90’s because it was the first sunscreen that wasn’t greasy. I do find that it has a white powder that can get on clothes and cars, so I don’t love it as much as I did 20 years ago. That said, you can find it cheaply especially if you shop at Costco. I’ve also used a lot of the Neutrogena Hydroboost line and I loved that because it was so light and water-like but it is also highly fragranced. It also stings if you have dry skin. Again, available cheaply.
Mineral sunscreen is not better than chemical, but it’s good for sensitive skin. Most of the drugstore formulas of mineral sunscreen leave a white or purple cast.
Sephora has better options, and you can try them on right there in the store before you buy. I try everything on myself but also share with friends and family. When I have to restock (believe it or not, I do) I buy the cheapest sport sunscreen I can find. They always go on clear, are water resistant so more versatile, and they don’t run and get into your eyes.
Sunscreen is a drug in Canada, so I recommend buying “legit” products rather than anything off brand. I don’t recommend powders or sprays because you don’t know if you’re applying enough. Sunscreen is a drug, it is dose dependent which means that you have to use the amount specified to get the benefit from it. Use 1/4 tsp on your face and neck, a shot glass full for your whole body. I always use at least spf 30, but spf 50 is what I prefer. Right now I’m still using the Tatcha Silk Sunscreen. It’s a clear mineral option. Yes, it’s $80 but it’s so good. If you have other questions, leave them in the comments.
Oil Infatuation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’m going through a period (we all are) of being infatuated with oils in skincare. After spending the 90’s obsessed with banning oil on our faces and even in our food, the pendulum has swung in the other direction. Despite having oily skin, I’m here for the oils, even on my face. They just feel so good and you’ll never wake up with flaky spots if you use them. My favourite thing is to pair them with my usual skincare actives so that my skin benefits from the actives but also gets a dose of cushiony skincare, either to help with barrier repair or to prevent your barrier from being compromised in the first place.
Cerave Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser is finally available in Canada. Think of this as a cleanser that foams but just a bit. It can’t remove makeup like an oil but isn’t as drying as a regular foaming cleanser. I can use it as an end-of-day wash, but I do two rounds. If you have dry or very dry skin, you might love this. If you have sensitive skin, the regular CeraVe cleanser will still be the most gentle. (Gifted). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
While I was in Milan, I picked up an oil sunscreen and then found out that Lierac is available here, but I haven’t seen this particular product in Shoppers Drug Mart . The sunscreen is moisturizing but also absorbs into skin and ends up being matte instead of greasy. It’s heavily scented (a fruity-floral?) so I wouldn’t say that it’s my favourite kind of sunscreen to use but I like it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Finally, I’m still using my Odenium Skincare oil serum. This is a true oil, rather than a dry oil, and I use it at night. It’s great on top of any serum you might be using. I even used it in the hottest weather this summer and my skin loved it. Odenium company is out of Montreal, Canada and they use organic oils in their skincare. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Odenium Skincare reached out to me to ask if I’d like to try their serum made specifically for scar healing and of course, I said yes. This brand is out of Montreal, Canada and they use natural and organic ingredients. The scar serum is said to reduce pigmentation and improve the skin barrier while soothing the skin. Having melanated skin means that I’m surely going to have some sort of hyperpigmentation from the burns, but I’m willing to try anything right now.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The scar serum is a blend of oils – rosehip, argan, calophyll, and lavender oil. With the mist and serum, I also received extensive instructions on burn care to aid skin with its healing. The Soothing Mist has vegetable glycerin in it to aid with hydration. Glycerin helps pull moisture into the skin and works well under (or in) any kind of oil or ointment that can seal the moisture in. As much as I hate it, I’m also taking some “before” pictures so that I can keep track of how things are going. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Anyway, that’s enough of that. I appreciate the brand reaching out to me, and I know that massage with oils has documentation of being effective for burn scars. The testimonials on the brand’s own webpage are encouraging. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
One day you walk into your bedroom and realize that it’s full of crap for little kids! So you grab a big black garbage bag, and into it you start tossing everything that seems “kiddish”. Gone are the dolls, stuffed animals, and all the cheap body sprays. You stare at your room: now it’s a blank canvas for you to add something from your past and who you are now – you’re still a kid but not as much as you were before. You reach for: Confetto. Bitter almond but with a vanilla that makes it palatable. The sweetness paired with an almost plastic cherry reminds you of the dolls you’ve just gotten rid of, so you’re satisfied that just because they’re gone doesn’t mean they’re forgotten. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What a week and what a month – here’s one of my most worn perfumes for September/
This Prada Infusion d’Amande did some heavy-lifting because though it was understated, it’s perfect for when you want your scent bubble to read clean and fresh instead of overbearing. Truthfully, I might be a bigmouth on social media but in a gathering you’ll find me at the bar or with the snacks. Most people come to chitchat there and the Prada suits those occasions perfectly. A touch of almond, lots of powder, a green iris, and what I like to think of as blond woods. It almost blends in as clean dry cleaning and lasts long enough for you to make a quick getaway.
These are three of my favourites. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This luxurious line from Guerlain gets a lot of hate for its price point, but I like that the compositions are simple. They’re not simplistic by way of being boring, rather they have some easy-to-define notes, a structure that has a beginning, middle, end, and the appropriate wear time of 6-8 hours which is essentially a work day. There’s an elegance to each one (at least to these three) in that they don’t announce themselves too loudly and then don’t overstay their welcome. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Neroli Outrenoir is the latest in my collection. I bought a perfume ages ago and the seller threw in a little sample of Neroli Outrenoir as an extra. I would have never picked up a bottle because of the Neroli in the title. It’s not a note that I have an affinity for, but a dab of this juice brightened my outlook. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Wearing Neroli Outrenoir means being surrounded by a bright but diffused light. You’re calm and sitting outside drinking a cup of black lemon tea. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
While Neroli is often super green and a little bitter like grass, here, it’s brighter because of the presence of bergamot which keeps things zippy. It’s like smelling the lemon oil from the skin of the lemon while you’re squeezing the juices into a glass. The tea here isn’t sweetened with milk, but a touch of vanilla is in the background to make it palatable.
Good things can be that simple.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you’re wondering what the difference is between Neroli Outrenoir and Neroli Plein Sud, I’ll tell you that the difference is huge. Neroli Plein Sud is greener and sharper, the green facets of the neroli sharpened by the spices, the almost “curry-like” notes, coming from ginger and turmeric. They aren’t the spices that I want to smell in my perfume. The sharpness makes this neroli perfume more masculine than others. I prefer Neroli Outrenoir. It’s smoother, and easier to wear. The black tea notes feel chic, and genderless, zen and easygoing. The Neroli Plein Sud would be great for a tie and blazer, a day at the office. Neroli Outrenoir is what you wear when you get home and are going to have a fantastic summer evening chilling out.
