Perfume Gifts for My Mom Video

Fragrances to gift my mom. Gifting is hard but I think I’ve chosen things she will like and has an affinity for. I’ve got a safe bet, one that’s her style, and a wildcard.

1. Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady

2. Serge Lutens Fleurs d’oranger.

3. Guerlain L’Heure Bleue.

How did I do? Great. She loved everything but predictably has worn nothing. She’ll probably spray it when she’s going out, as wearing fragrance is something she does for special occasions. What are your thoughts on gifting perfume?

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Boscia Plant Stem Cell and Ceramide Barrier-Devense Moisturizer Review

Nice, if basic, antioxidant moisturizer from Boscia.

TextIf you have oily skin, then their products are for you because they aren’t thick or greasy. You can see from the picture that this has a jelly-like texture that is easy to spread and sinks in quickly. It works well with other water-based products, but not so much with anything too oily because you find it pills. Personally, I think it would be nice for a young person who doesn’t have too much going on with their skin.
$59 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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Chanel Coco Mademoiselle

TextBody smells like Coco Mademoiselle, hair smells like Oribe Gold Lust. I always think of Coco Mademoiselle as entry-level Chanel but maybe that’s because it was MY entry-level Chanel. I could never understand why my mom loved Chanel No. 5, but this warm sweet number got me. The lasting power on this is tenacious, it seems to stick to my skin even after a shower and copious amount of body butter.

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The 12 Days of Christmas

This is what happened: I got talked into participating in the 12 days of Christmas, and I chose December 2 to get it over it. Of course, I decided to pick a perfume for each person and write a little note for them, which is SO me. Of course, I was out of mini spray bottles so I couldn’t decant from my own stash, so out came all the samples. I think of myself as someone who likes to share, but it was hard to gift some of the samples I chose even though I didn’t think the perfumes were full-bottle worthy for me. Even though the samples get packed away, I sometimes feel like I might come back to them at some point, but I had to let go. It’s ok, I’m over it.

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I wrote a card, taped a sample on the inside, and moved on.

The hardest samples to choose were for the person I’ve worked with the longest and the one I don’t know very well, but once I chose the right one, it felt like it should have been a no-brainer. Some people got a sample based on the notes, some on the name, some based on the composition. It was fun but super time-consuming! I had to round up all the samples I have – from 2 separate cupboards, my purse, other places… and go through them to find the right one.

Will the people enjoy the perfumes? It doesn’t even matter right now. They’re off into the world to their new owners.  But I enjoyed this whole thing so much, I might just make it a tradition.

The update is that after I posted this, lots of people reached out to me and said that they wanted one too.  So I had to take the samples out again and make about 5 more cards.  This project took on a life of its own and next year I’m making customized cards.

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Chronotope Perfume Samples

TextI gave away my little sample of Chronotope Perfume Buen Camino because I’ve got a bottle coming and it’ll be here just in time for the really cold weather. I’ve been wanting to smell of incense and this has it in spades.

Calming lavender, and a hint of polysporin come through but without really even announcing their presence. It’s like you’ve been hurt, outside, and oh here’s a waft of some spiritual presence, so now you really know you’re alive. In fact, you’ve never been more aware.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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How it Started and How it’s Going

How it started -> how it’s going.

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This is the one that started it all.

Actually it started it again.

Let’s rewind. I gave up perfume a few years ago. Donated most of my bottles and whittled my collection down to a modest 50 bottles. I know, it’s not modest by any standards but my own. Then I randomly got a tester of this with a Sephora order. I finished it slowly and put this perfume on my wish list, and then one day I bought the travel size. It was fall outside, cool weather, and it felt just right. It was also Fall of 2020, and we felt like we were in the thick of things. Rolling lockdowns, testing, worrying about a sniffly nose, an unusual headache. It was time to find some joy.

Joy came in a little bottle of Margiela Replica Music Festival. It’s smoky and warm, with tobacco leaf, incense, leather. Cannabis and a dry cedar are also in here, but the cannabis only stands out once in a while. Some days I can smell it… most days I can’t. Critics of this scent say that it’s stereotypical of music festivals – hippie festival-goers, but actually, it’s just right. It could be a music festival, or the smoky back of a club.

Anyway, I stopped wearing it so much when I found out that it was discontinued in Canada, but I’ve mentioned it often because I reach for it now and then. My perfume collection has grown a bit, so I have other warm smoky scents to reach for, but nothing like this.

Spraying it this morning took me back to last November… and I had to appreciate how much better things have gotten. I hope they have for you too. Do you remember what scent bubble, what mood you were in last year?

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Clayton ShagalJojoba & Loofa Exfoliating Body Gel Case

Comfort in a bottle with Clayton Shagal Jojoba and Loofah body gel.
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Available online.  $42.

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Kayali Invite Only Amber 23 Review

I had to check myself with this one. Why was I so surprised that it smelled so good and that I liked it so much? Probably because my feed is full of niche, discontinued, vintage, high-end and sometimes hard to find, and this was just a click away.

TextBoozy spicy cherry and perfect for the fall. Don’t be turned off by the cherry note, this scent is not as gourmand as you might think, and the cherry dissipates quickly.

I didn’t have high hopes for this one, and it’s available online only, but it surprised me in a good way, maybe because my expectations were so low.

Kayali is a Huda Beauty brand, so maybe I was expecting it to be unrefined, but I’m thinking they did their market research and are giving people exactly what they want.

You can watch my video review of it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plj0gYE_iVs&list=PLEtaWkrX5pRfikf9-ujYoOOkKug06NY0n&index=48&t=5s

Available at Sephora or from the Sephora website.

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Carolina Herrera Very Good Girl

A bottle you’ll either love or hate, and a scent I can’t stand on myself but smells gorgeous on other people. Carolina Herrera Very Good Girl. A fruity rose with a dry, clean musk base. Starts off with tarte juicy berries, almost like cranberries actually.

The rose is nice and fresh, almost crunchy like an apple. And then, on me, this turns cloyingly sweet before a vetiver-musk dry down that comes hours later. There are moments when it’s a beauty and the fresh rose is a favourite note of mine, and then I gets wafts of cloying sweetness that I get from a lot of other mainstream releases. It makes my throat hurt. If your skin doesn’t sweeten things, then this is more suited for you, and a number of other people who wore this, really wore it well. So great for others, not for me.Also, a beautiful fine mist atomizer, omg, I love that so much. It’s always a nice touch on a new bottle of perfume.

$130 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

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Vichy Normaderm Phytosolution

TextI’m just going to say that Black Friday is great for picking up things you are already using anyway. Skincare is in that category. You’re already going to use cleansers and serums so if you see your favs on sale, it’s a good time to get them.  I’ve gotten a restock of the Vichy Phytoderm Cleanser, and this is a foaming cleanser that smells so good.  I don’t always use a foaming cleanser, but I do like it after workouts so I think it would be good for anyone that has oily skin.  The double action Anti-Acne Lotion is great because it has hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid in it and we love that.  It’s clarifying but also hydrating, just remember to use a moisturizer on top to seal everything in.

Have you tried these? What do you think?

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