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Perfume Post: Scents for Every Situation

I’m a firm believer that you’re never fully dressed without perfume.  Maybe it’s just because I’m one of those weird/awesome people who tie scents to certain memories, or maybe I just like spending money on smelly water in pretty bottles.  Either way – I’m a huge fan of perfume and like to switch up my scents depending on the situation, the season or how I want to feel.

I’ve amassed a sizeable collection of perfumes over the years and to me, each one sends a different message and has its own time and place to be worn.  I’m definitely not one of those people who sniff a scent and can smell the notes of citrus and amber and unicorn sunshine or whatever else perfume companies tell you to make you buy their product.  Instead, I categorize my perfumes by the situations I wear them in and the feelings the scent invokes.

So, here are four of my favorite scents and what they say to me. Let’s get to it:

Guilty – Gucci

gucci guilty

Photo credit: Sephora.com

Perfect for: Night time, going out, date night, drinking, flirting, dancing, possibly regretting your decisions

Guilty by Gucci smells like Saturday night in a bottle.  I affectionately refer to this scent as my “Vegas perfume” because I’ve worn it in Sin City many, many times.  It’s a sexy smell that’s not too overpowering or too mature (not cloying like Chanel No. 5).  The scent lasts FOREVER on clothes/skin and mixes quite well with sweat and vodka cranberries.


Light Blue – Dolce & Gabbana

light blue

Photo credit: Overstock.com

Perfect for:  Day time, beach, pretending you belong to a country club, spring/summer, work, first date

If sunshine and fluffy white clouds had a smell, it would be D&G’s Light Blue.  It’s an airy, delicate scent that honestly smells good on every human being.  Man or woman.  It’s not sickly sweet but it definitely gives you “first few days of spring” vibes.  Happiness in a bottle.

Miss Dior Cherie – Christian Dior

miss dior

Photo credit: Fragrantica.com

Perfect for: V. important work meetings, feeling like a capital “A” Adult, winter, fancy dinners, diamonds & pearls (shout out to Prince)

Miss Dior Cherie is expensive as hell and rightly so, because it smells like WEALTH, darling.  This is a heavier scent that I tend to only wear in the fall and winter, or when I want to feel all classy and sophisticated.  Bonus – smell sticks with you all day long.  Cherie feels very grown up and put together.  Wear it when you’re asking for a raise or to be bumped up to first class.

Alien – Thierry Mugler


alien 

Photo Credit: Sephora.com

Perfect for: Feeling feminine and mysterious, day or night, being memorable, any season, Me

I feel like a gigantic tool saying this, but Alien is my ~*~ SiGnAtUrE ScEnT~*~ and I wear it almost every day.  It’s unique, moody, sultry and definitely a “love it or hate it” type of scent.  I honestly don’t know how to describe Alien’s scent because I’ve never smelled anything like it.  Every single time I wear this perfume, someone stops me to ask “Oooh, what are you wearing? It smells so good!” Alien truly is the most fitting name for this scent because it isn’t heavy, it isn’t light, it isn’t flowery and it isn’t musky.  It’s completely unique and not of this world.  Smell it and see for yourself.

And there you have it.  What other perfumes do I need to add to my collection?  Let me know!

Posted on by chelskers · 1 Comment

Review: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask

 

aztec mask

I’m back, it’s a new year and I have a new favorite face mask.  And this product couldn’t have come at a better time.  I won’t bore you with the gory details but I’ve been sick for roughly the last month (but am finally almost better, yay!) and when my body isn’t feeling well, my skin likes to go absolutely insane.  Not fun.

But there are perks to spending hours in bed feeling like garbage. The universe smiled upon me and I fell down the Amazon beauty reviews rabbit hole and discovered the immensely popular Aztec Indian Healing Clay.  With 4.5/5 stars and over 7,000 reviews I knew this stuff had to be good, but now I’m convinced this one pound tub of dirt has actual magical properties.

So what’s so great about this stuff?  Here are the basics, per Amazon:

  • World’s most powerful facial
  • Deep pore cleaning
  • 100% natural calcium bentonite clay
  • Does not contain: additives, fragrances, animal products

 

Az1

                 Photo credit: inhautepursuit.com

They forgot to mention that it’s cheap!  A one pound tub will set you back $9, and when you only need one tablespoon per mask, it’s going to last you a loooong time.

Now let’s get down to business.  Here’s how to make the mask:

Az2

        Photo credit: labmuffin.com

You’ll need the clay, a non-metal bowl and spoon and apple cider vinegar.  All of the Amazon faithful suggested Bragg’s Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar so that’s what I’ve got.  It smells a bit like rotting apples but hey, it works.

A couple tips before you mix your mask:

  1. Put your hair up or out of your face because, duh.
  2. Eat or drink something if you want because once this baby is on your face, you can’t eat/talk/drink/smile for a good 20-30 minutes. That’s how intensely this mask dries and pulls the junk out of your face.

Once that’s out of the way it’s time to get started. Mix clay with equal part of raw apple cider vinegar (I use 1 tablespoon of each) in a non-metal bowl. Stir the mixture into a smooth paste.  Apply all over the face.  You should look something like this:

Az3

    Photo credit: uk.pintrest.com

Now the fun part begins.  As this mask dries, you will feel your face pulsate like crazy.  This is good.  Don’t be scared.

The mask will become very tight while it dries and hardens.  If you have oily skin like me, keep the mask on for 30 minutes.  Normal and more sensitive skin can get away with 10-20 minutes.

Pro Tip: While your mask dries, take advantage of your green face and channel your inner Jim Carrey.  I suggest dancing around to this song:

Once enough time has gone by and your mask is dry, soak a washcloth in warm water and lay it over your face for a minute or two to begin loosening everything up.  You don’t want to try to start washing it off right away or the chips of mud will clog your drain and no one wants that.

Apply a nice, heavy moisturizer post-facial.  I usually do my masks at night in the bathtub with a glass of wine I drink through a straw and follow up with the Olay Classic Night Cream.
Az4

Photo credit: amazon.com

You’ll notice that your face is very red after the mask is off but this is normal and will go away in 30-ish minutes.  You’ll probably also notice that your face is beyond smooth and soft, and that’s just one of the benefits.  The others include:

  • Smaller pores and cleaned-out blackheads
  • Reduction in excess oil production
  • Elimination of acne. Honestly, I have not had a spot since using this mask 2-3x per week for the past month and a half.  And that, my friends, is a goddamn miracle.
  • Softening of fine lines and wrinkles
  • Skin tone is more even, rough patches are smoothed
  • Glowing skin like the light of a thousand suns

In short, this tub of clay is the real deal.  It’s definitely worth the money and I’m excited to try other uses for it – hair masks, foot soaks, you name it.  If you’re a fan of face masks or just want to give your skin a detox to start 2016 off right, I very highly recommend picking up some Aztec Healing Clay.