¡Ombligo!

Miel de Bois



Stupid blogger! I wrote a smashing review for this fragrance several hours ago and though it had posted! I'll try to re-hash it from memory!

The notes according to Aedes are:

Top: ebony, gaiac and oak wood
Middle: honey
Base: beeswax, iris and hawthorn.

As soon as I applied it to my skin the wood was quite apparent. It was like walking through the wood section at the hardware store. All of the sudden a burst of Bit-O-Honey waifs in. So imagine yourself humming while walking down the isles and then you stop to pop in a Bit-O-Honey in your mouth. Mash those fragrances together and that's what Miel de Bois is all about!
It's not overly sweet because the woods take up most of the fragrance leaving enough room but not too much for the honey to seep through.

This would be very sexy in autumn or winter and would be gorgeous to wear from morning to night under the cloak of a heavy leather jacket and your legs covered by thigh high black leather boots! It's far too heavy for me to wear this time of year.

It retails for $89.00/1.7 oz. at Aedes or Barneys.

The Problem With Society


I think the problem with society is that nobody wants to admit anything. Take for instance the movie Super Size Me. I've yet to see it because I'm a fast food junkie! I love fast food and I don't care who knows it! "Eww, you like *gulp* fast food?" That's so gross! Yeah, well so are fish eyes! Over a billion served at McDonald's, so I know I'm not the only one! Maybe fast food restaurants should sell special costumes so that people who want to eat fast food but are afraid of being labeled can order in peace!

I didn't want to get on the treadmill yesterday and then I gave myself a reality check and stepped on the scale - that'll do it! Everyone always wants to be on top of the next hot thing in exercise so I was thinking about skipping this morning. I love to skip, it's faster than walking and slower than running. So I think I'm all hot and want to start a skipping revolution. Well, it's already been done! Iskip is a club of people who like to skip, and which organizes skips to benefit charities. Ah, but they haven't tapped into the workout video market yet! *Calls publicist*

Urban Decay Pistol

Today's fragrance is Urban Decay's Pistol. The notes in this one are:

Top: Bergamot
Middle: Gardenia, Tuberose, Pikaki, Stargazer Lily
Bottom: Floral Musk

The bergamot lasts for mere seconds then the fragrance turns into a bold gardenia fragrance. The tuberose and pikaki come out faintly in this mixture but it's primarily a gardenia fragrance. A little goes a long way as it's an oil and sunk right into my skin. This would be perfect for spring or summer as a daytime fragrance. I prefer to wear gardenia in the heat of summer and this is a gorgeous one, it rivals Ebba's Miss Belle but not quite as aquatic.

Pistol can be purchased wherever Urban Decay is sold and at Sephora for $29.50/.15 oz.

World's Problems


I always feel better after taking a shower. I feel like my problems go down the drain with the dirt and filth of the day. I think that if more people let their (minor) problems wash away, the world would be a happier place. :D

Cabin Fever


On Sunday night I couldn't sleep so I turned on HBO at 3:00 in the morning and the only movie I had not yet seen that was playing was Wrong Turn with Eliza Dushku. The main plot of this movie was a group of people stranded in the woods with in-bred cannibals chasing them. Now I know what you're thinking, "Could this plot get any better?" I wanted to cry because the movie was that bad. I can't believe I wasted almost two hours of my life watching this movie which was until that point - the WORST movie I've ever seen in my life. Mind you, I count Spice World amongst my favorite movies.

Well, Wrong Turn was the worst movie I had ever seen in my life until last night when again because of my insomnia I decide to watch HBO at 1:00 A.M. and this time I treated myself to seeing Cabin Fever *sobs.* The main plot of this movie was a group of people are once again stranded in the woods but this time it's a flesh eating virus that's after them. There is one scene where a disturbed little boy screams out "Pancakes, pancakes" then proceeds to do karate and then bites one of the characters! The movie gets worse at every second and should NEVER have been made!

This movie should be shown as a torture device, instead of the death penalty we should lock up people on death row and show them this movie every day for the rest of their lives! *sobs* I need an intervention and a sleeping pill! Please stop me before I see another bad movie!

Montale Sweet Oriental Dream


Today's fragrance is Montale's Sweet Oriental Dream. I was able to test this one thanks to Maximina! I am in LOVE with this fragrance! It's gorgeous! This fragrance is described as: An oriental woody chypre perfume based around Eastern roses, sandalwood from Mysore, spices from Sri Lanka, on a sensual base of musk and benzoin.

I however smell honey in this, it reminds of they honey scent in Ginestet's Botrytis but the spices really take hold of the sweetness of this fragrance. I applied very little and this fragrance has lasted all day and through frequent hand washings!

I think this fragrance could easily be worn year round and would be suitable from day to night. I just love this one! Available at FIRST IN FRAGRANCE for $105.99 (As of 3/29/05)/3.3 oz.

My 2nd WW weigh-in


I weighed myself before I stepped on the treadmill and afterwards - no change! Which really gets me mad! I think you should at least lose an ounce or something after an hour! Anyhow, I logged in my weight and I got the following message:

FABULOUS! You've lost weight this week and we hope you're thrilled with the result. Isn't it a nice feeling to know that all your hard work is paying off?

Have a great week! P.S. Keep in mind that after the first three weeks on a new diet, a safe rate of weight loss is up to 2 pounds per week. You've lost an average of over 2 pounds, so be prepared in the next couple of weeks if your weight loss slows down a little.

Are you freaking kidding me? You better believe my ass is going to lose more than 2 lbs next week or someone is going to get seriously hurt! I got lazy this week and skipped three workouts and I dipped into my all my weekly points. I think I could have done far better this past week than the week before. So, I'm going to add weights to my workout this week - there is no way I'm giving up now!

I'm going to kick some serious ass and I am NOT going to take any names!

Updated to include my fragrance:

Today I'm wearing Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's The Apothecary. The notes in this fragrance are: Tea leaf with three mosses, green grass, a medley of herbal notes, and a drop of ginger and fig. (Gender neutral).

When I first applied this I got a mild dill scent from it but I waited for it to warm and cling to my skin. After that, this chypre really took my heart. It's similar to Flora Napa Valley's Cielo but without the strong honeysuckle that is what Cielo is all about. This is a beautiful fragrance and would be beautiful worn year round. I myself would wear this as a daytime fragrance during warmer months. This would be gorgeous worn while with a light cotton dress while attending the spring harvest wine festival.

It retails for $12.50/5 ml or $19.50/ 10 ml.

Flowerbomb

I decided to wear Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf today thanks to Sali who sent me a sample. The notes are according to the following article are:

Top: tea and bergamot
Middle: jasmine, hints of orange tree, orchid, freesia and rose
Bottom: patchouli

By the name alone, I expected it to be more floral, less patchouli. I now can see why so many people were comparing this to Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle, as both share citrus notes and patchouli. However I find that the citrus to be much heavier and sweeter in Coco Mademoiselle which hide the patchouli more in that fragrance. The patchouli in Flowerbomb however is more predominant and it is then rounded off by the citrus and then the floral notes. I think this would be best suited for a day to night fragrance in autumn or winter but I think it could be incredibly sexy on a cooler spring or summer night. Here in the states it's currently sold at Saks and retails for $95.00/1.7 oz. or $150/3.4 oz.

Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb surprises the fragrance biz

By Samantha Critchell, Associated PressMarch 3, 2005

NEW YORK - Viktor & Rolf, fashion's dynamic Dutch duo, pride themselves on doing the unexpected.

They describe their designs as "surreal twists on convention." Last spring's collection, for example, featured goddess-style evening gowns morphed into tailored trousers.

And when they presented their current spring line in Paris, the look was a sleek all-black wardrobe with models in motorcycle helmets - until halfway through the show when what turned out to be a revolving runway spun to reveal a colorful garden full of gowns.

Knowing their penchant for drama, even the designers' own appearance is surprising. During a recent interview in Manhattan, they could have passed for tourists in their casual clothes while drinking coffee in their hotel lounge.

But their most unforeseen move yet might be the launch of their debut fragrance, Flowerbomb.
Eschewing the haute-couture or avant-garde routes that would seem natural for them, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren teamed with cosmetics giant L'Oreal.

"It was unexpected but very exciting," Snoeren says about the partnership. The designers say they share L'Oreal's goal of introducing Viktor & Rolf to many more consumers than the fashion insiders who make up most of their current client base.

"There always was a clear understanding that we didn't want a niche fragrance. We wanted quality and beauty, with a story to tell, and we wanted it to be big," Horsting says.

Finishing the thought, Snoeren adds, "You can have quality and still be big." They think a broader audience will understand their message of dissecting cliches they have so far conveyed by putting models in chic evening wear while wearing antlers on their heads. "The story we have to tell is universal," Horsting says. "The essence of our work is complexity. There's humor, there's seriousness. We mix the explosive with the romantic, the unexpected with the classical."

They note that despite the theatrics of their fashion shows, they grew up in a suburban neighborhood and can can speak the language of the masses. (The 35-year- old designers acknowledge, however, that as teenagers they were fascinated by Hollywood glamour and that they no longer are in touch with their childhood playmates.) The big picture of fashion has room for pieces that are wearable, others that are "art" and some that blend the two, Snoeren says. The designers did indeed graduate from the Dutch Arhnem Academy of Art.

Flowerbomb was three years in the works, and Viktor & Rolf started with the name.

"We were drawn to flowers, but we knew that we didn't want one flower. We wanted an explosion, and 'Flowerbomb' is a a message for the times we live in. It's positive, it's finding a positive in negative," Snoeren says.

The scent includes top notes of tea and bergamot, a heart of jasmine, hints of orange tree, orchid, freesia and rose, and a base of patchouli, which has been made more woody than earthy by redistillation of the essence. The bottle mimics a diamond.

Horsting and Snoeren were very involved in each stage of Flowerbomb's development, saying they're not the type of people who would simply put their name on something. "The fragrance is part of the DNA of Viktor & Rolf," Horsting says.

In fact, Snoeren says, Flowerbomb was treated as if they were creating one of their collections.
"We always start with a story. We treat our show as a performance, and the clothes are actors in the show conveying our message. The collections are reflections on each other, and they are very personal."

"It's all about us and where we are and where we're headed toward the future," Horsting says.

Who do I love more?


Man, do I love forensics! If I didn't hate math and science and faint at the sight of blood I'd love to be involved somehow with forensics! Maybe in a different life but for now I just sit by and admire the work of both Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Henry Lee. For years I have been in love with these two men so you could imagine how excited I was to find a picture of the two of them together! As much as I love and admire Nancy Grace, you better believe that I'd give her a smackdown if the four of us were ever stranded on an island!

Easter


The year that my sister was born my parents decided to wake me up by putting her on my back. There is a picture of me with my sister on my back and an Easter basket on my side!

Easter has always been my sister's favorite holiday because of all the candy! Sure, at Halloween you get more candy but you actually have to work for it! At Easter you get a big basket filled with candy and goodies left at your door where at Halloween you end up instead with pennies and raisins!

I sent the basket above to her but because she was too lazy to be bothered when it arrived yesterday and now has to wait until tomorrow to see what I sent her!

Lazy Saturday


I hate that the Encore channel dubs foreign films instead of adding subtitles! I saw Crimen del padre Amaro, El with Gael García Bernal but I felt that so much was lost on the dubbing because the characters ended up sounding creepy. I also saw Décalage horaire also known as "Jet Lag" with Juliette Binoche and Jean Reno. I loved that movie but the person they got to dub Sergi López's voice really made me laugh! Clarins had product placement through the movie as we see Juliette Binoche splash herself with Eau Dynamisante and she also applied Clarins's eyeshadow.
Juliette Binoche is my favorite actress so I'll probably buy that on DVD.

I took a sleeping pill for the first time in a long time 1/2 a Unisom and once again I had a crazy dream! This time I was a publicist trying to help JMu out after her career had faltered! In my dream she was single so things with Marc Anthony didn't work out. But her career was in ruins - I happen to be half psychic so I wouldn't be surprised if this really happened.

Years ago I had a dream that Bill Cosby died and it was all over the news. When I woke up I asked everyone if anything had happened to Bill Cosby but realized it was only a dream. Then a few days later Bill Cosby was in the news because his son was murdered. That was the only time my half-psychic powers have come into play. A few years ago I was in love with Russell Crowe and had a few dreams about him but they never came true - which is good because I've since changed my mind about him!

I woke up to find my bunny package from the uberfabulous Kirstylux! She included so many awesome suprises including the plush bunny "peeps" you see above! I've always loved those bunnies and when I was at Target my heart was crying for them! They are so adorable! She also included my favorite Japanese treats: Pocky and Botan Rice Candy! Thank you so much Kirsty!

Updated to include today's fragrance: Today I'm testing Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL)'s Whip which is described as: Agony and ecstasy: black leather and damp red rose. (Gender neutral).

This is truly beautiful the rose is incredibly fresh in this fragrance and is the boldest note but the leather adds the sexiness to this fragrance. Imagine a leather jacket that has been scented by years of a person wearing rose perfume and that's what you've got. I usually can't pull off leather fragrances but this is incredibly unique and I'm really loving it! I think this would be nice as a day to night fragrance year round. It sells for $12.50/5 ml or $19.50/10 ml.

All in all it's been a good but lazy Saturday!

Do you dare?


I dared alright! I tried it because I too was Curious! Curious enough to test Britney Spears' fragrance Curious by Elizabeth Arden. It is described as an exhilarating white floral accented with Louisiana Magnolia and wrapped in the sensuality of vanilla-infused musk.

There is a fruityness to this fragrance that is hidden by the magnolia and tuberose. I'll be honest and say I think that the bottle is a adorable. I didn't have high expectations for this fragrance but in all honesty it isn't half bad. It would be a nice fragrance to wear in spring or summer for daytime use.

This is something I can imagine Britney wearing four years ago before she walked into public restrooms while barefoot, made out with Madonna and married KFed. I once went to a party at a house that smelled like a mixture of vomit, years of cigarette stench and an unclean fish tank and that's the type of smell I imagine her wearing now.

I feel a bit sorry for Britney, I think her Mom has taken advantage of her fortune and I think in a desperate effort to "grow up" she rushed to get married. I don't know what she sees in KFed but whatever he's offering I don't want any of it!

Curious is currently sold at all major department stores and retails for $39.50/1.7 oz. or $49.50/3.3 oz.

Magnolia Cupcakes


I love cupcakes! They are the perfect food as they can be eaten any time during the day, are easily portable and have both carbs and protein!

I had a friend who told me once that she baked cupcakes and then tried to put the baked cupcakes into the clean cupcake liners. I tried not to laugh at her but ended up doing it anyhow!

I think before I lose any more points on WW, I better make and eat as many cupcakes as I can! I heard that Magnolia Cupcakes are the best and here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

CAKE
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three 9- x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.

2. To make the cake: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide batter among the cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

3. If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a rack before icing. When cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice top and sides of cake.

4. To make the icing: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may very well not need all of the sugar). If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled. Can store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Yum Dessert!


Aren't these the cutest things you've ever seen? I want to gobble them up but I can't, they're erasers and they're sold at Fredflare for the low, low price of $8!

Route du Thé
 

I finally went through the famous Barney's gift bag and today's sample is Route du Thé. According to the website: Our signature "way of the tea" fragrance. A crisp eau de toilette of citrus, muguet and amber. Exclusively ours.

Before applying this to my skin I didn't much like the scent but when I applied it my opinion changed! This smells very light and clean, like an herbal shampoo (not Herbal Essence). The notes in this are incredibly pure. I just adore the lily of the valley in this fragrance, very subtle yet enough. I wouldn't be able to tell there was amber in this fragrance if it weren't listed on the site - I can't smell it at all! As it warms to your skin the staying power dwindles but it doesn't make this fragrance any less beautiful! I think this is a fragrance that is suitable year round but would be best worn in warmer months and can easily go from day to night.

I'm thinking I may have to buy this one and the best thing is that it's incredibly affordable! It retails for $55/3.4 oz only at Barneys.

Floris Cefiro


While digging around in my sample box I discovered I had not only one but two samples of Cefiro by Floris. Not only had I never tried this before but I'd never even heard of it. The notes for Cefiro are:

Top: Lime, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Lemon
Middle: Green Bergamot, Neroli
Bottom: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Green Tea, Musk

Upon opening the sample vial I could smell the lime right away. Once applied to my skin however, I just smell a bold mixture of citrus. I can't detect each note individually as all the notes somehow mesh into one fragrance. After a while, the woods and musk do come through with enough impact to change the fragrance but not enough to hide the citrus!

People who love Hierbas de Ibiza would easily love this as well! It's a fabulous unisex fragrance that would be perfect for summer and can easily be worn from day to night. This is certainly one I'm going to have to test again when the weather really warms up!

It retails for $40/1.7 oz. or $60/3.4 oz. for the Eau de Toilette. The Eau de Parfum is $85/3.4 oz and the line is available at most major department stores or Floris.

For those who are interested in a bargain, on the Floris site there is a Lulu Guinness Cefiro Giftset being sold for $35. The description on the site: Exclusively designed for Floris by Lulu Guinness, this small, practical bag will slip easily into a handbag and contains a Cefiro 50ml EDT, Body Moisturiser and Foaming Bath & Shower Gel. They are selling the set for $5 less than what they are selling the EDT alone! It's item #82909

Update: After wearing this for over an hour, the green tea emerged from out of nowhere making it an even more interesting fragrance!

Maria Olivia da Silva
 

Maria Olivia da Silva is believed to be the oldest woman in the world, she recently celebrated her 125th birthday and I wonder if she would be offended if someone told her she smelled like an old lady?

I always wonder the specific age of these people who throw around the term "old lady." What constitutes an old lady to them? If I were to go to my former elementary school tomorrow, the kids there would probably think that I'm an old lady compared to them! What if I went to a nursing home instead? I certainly couldn't be considered an old lady there or can I?

And what exactly does an old lady smell like? My attitude is a lot like my Grandmother's was when it comes to fragrances. My Grandmother owned many, many bottles in her lifetime and one of the fragrances that she wore in heavy rotation before she passed away was Happy by Clinique. I'm sure those who wear Happy wouldn't like to hear that listed among old lady fragrances!

I think the people who throw around the term "old lady" don't realize that they themselves will one day be referred to as an old lady!

Today's fragrance is Carthusia Fiori di Capri Eau de Parfum. This is a gorgeous fragrance with notes of lily of the valley and wild carnation are blended together with the enigmatic allure of sandalwood, ylang-ylang and oak.

The lily of the valley is more apparent at first than the carnation is in this fragrance. Then the carnation seems to seep through the fragrance. It's not the spicy powdery carnation that I'm used to smelling in fragrances. This is more a fresh carnation which is a welcome change. As my skin warms up to it, the ylang-ylang seems to be more apparent. It finishes off with a very clean woody fragrance that is more of a light sandalwood than oak.

This is a really gorgeous fragrance and is perfect year round, that could easily be worn from morning to night. I'd have to sample more before giving in to a full bottle but it is in contention!

It retails for $110/1.7 oz. at Aedes.com

Fiori Di Capri 

WW


WW stands for Wonder Woman, WW also stands for WeightWatchers! I love Wonder Woman, I hate Weight Watchers! Today makes a week that I've been on WW, so I had to weigh in this morning. I logged in my weight this is the message I got: CONGRATULATIONS! You've reached your first 5 pound milestone! Your weight loss is off to a great start! In the meantime, here's a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt to keep you inspired: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Keep up the great work this week! They also took away a point from my daily points!

I was on the treadmill every day for an hour, ate salads like they were going out of style and instead of being rewarded with cake, they punish me by giving me one less point a day! Seven less points this week! For that I can have a whole serving of Pocky (5 points) and one box of Botan rice candy (2 points)! What the hell? A quote and one less point! Is that supposed to be motivation?

It just makes me angry and fills me up with rage! Ok, so I lost some weight, but what did I gain? Well I now know 3 oz. of beef brisket is NOT worth 9 points! Goodbye beef brisket! 1/2 a cup of rice is 2 points! No thank you, goodbye rice - I never really liked you anyway! A cup of skim milk is 2 points - not worth it unless you're eating Oreos!

Good eating habits I've learned so far are: spinach doesn't have be drowned in dressing to taste good, only about 2 tablespoons per 5 cups of spinach is fine! Strawberries taste good mixed with bananas, I'm not missing the shortcake...too much! Lean cuisine meals are more filling if I actually drink my water with my meal instead of scarfing down the meal first.

Since I signed up for three months, I guess I have to keep this up with one less point for this week! Will it kill me? I kinda think it will ever since I found out that 3 cups of air popped popcorn is only worth one point!

Pink!


I want these sunglasses! Man, I wish I could wear contacts without looking like someone scratched my eyes out! It's a shame they don't make cool frames like this for presciption glasses, then again I'd look foolish wearing these year round when clearly they are only meant for spring - this spring - my pink spring! *sobs* No fair! For those interested they are sold at fredflare for the low, low price of $8. They are out of stock for now so clearly I'm not the only one lemming these! I can't really see without my glasses so it's not an option, then again crashing into everything won't be so bad in the name of fashion!

Caterina dè Medici
 

Today I'm wearing i Profumi di Firenze's Caterina dè Medici Eau de toilette. I first tried this last fall and didn't like it at all but decided to keep the sample to test when the season changed. I'm glad I did because my mind's changed on this fragrance.

The description on the website is: Extravagant ambrosial floral bouquet, named for its benefactress and faithfully replicated from the 16th century secret formula. Deliciously lush, its floral elegance evokes all that is luxurious and royal. Enduring elegance - day or night, winter or summer.

The notes according to the website are: Damascus Rose, Lily of the Valley, Iris of Florence. The rose is apparent as soon as I applied it to my skin but once it dries down there is only this is blend of lily of the valley and iris left. I used to dispise lily of the valley, it used to smell very bitter to me. But now I think that I never smelled a good lily of the valley until recently.

The one thing that would keep me from buying this is the staying power! I'm dissapointed in the staying power of this fragrance which is all but gone in less than an hour. I do happen to have incredibly dry skin which doesn't help staying power much but I would expect it to still last longer than an hour.

Oh well, one less fragrance to buy! Caterina de Medici is available at LusciousCargo or Beautyhabit.com for $79/1.7 oz.

Pink Manhattan Purrfume


In the past couple of seasons there have been fragrances that have been released in collaboration with singers. Beyonce with True Star, Brittney Spears with Curious and JMu with Glow, Still, Glow Miami and her unreleased Fluide. For the most part you wonder how much input these singers actually had in the making of these fragrances.

This is not the case with Pink Manhattan Purrfume. You see the singer involved in this collaboration is Sali Oguri who is a New York-based singer-songwriter, electronic musician and perfumer and she created Pink Manhattan: Sensorium of Song and Scent, Act I (Petit-CD) and Act II (PURRFUME).

Those on the board probably know this singer best as her MUA name Songscent. Pink Manhattan PURRFUME is a trip into ambient pink hues. Fresh peach, pink hibiscus, gardenia and French vanilla lift off with sensual skin musk, the beat that leads to rapture.

As soon as I applied the fragrance a mixture of peach, gardenia and French vanilla are the most apparent notes. I love the smell of peach which is the main reason why I bought both Floret and Maybe Baby. To my nose, the peach in Floret smells more like canned peach juice and the Maybe Maybe has more of an apricot fragrance to it than peach. So, I'm very excited that this has a predominate peach note.

The French vanilla reminds me of French vanilla ice cream. Take note though that it's not as foody as LMDLV or CDP fragrances because the gardenia and hibiscus take enough precedence in this fragrance. The gardenia and hibiscus smell very true in this fragrance and this would be perfect to wear as an all day fragrance during spring and summer. The musk is very pale in this fragrance and I'm having a hard finding it.

Because the oil is very concentrated in this fragrance, this would be perfect to wear out in the sun. The reason that they advise people to wear fragrances with little to no alcohol content while out in the sun is because the alcohol can cause hyperpigmentation in the skin.

My color for spring is pink and my goal for this spring is to hop into health so this was a perfect choice for the perfect scent for the first day of spring. This spring, Sali has some very important changes in store for her as well. They say that it isn't the things you've done that you most regret, it's the things that you've never done. Most people in this world are never given a chance to have taken any steps to make their dreams come true. This can't be said about Sali, this is her season of change for so many reasons but instead of seeing it as adversity, she's seeing this as an opportunity.

Let this be your pink season as well, make this the season your own change for the better! If there is something you've been putting off, do something about it! ¡OMBLIGO!

Pink Manhattan Purrfume retails for $40/0.15 oz. and samples are $3 plus shipping. Pink Manhattan Petit-CD retails for $6.98. Details can be found at http://www.salioguri.com/ or page Songscent at MUA.

Update: Sali is offering the following special discount for MUA members who visit ¡OMBLIGO! Your choice of either: $10 off a full size perfume, free shipping for a sample (short vial, full) or a free sample included with the purchase of $6.98 CD. Shipping will be calculated based on destination. Please contact Sali through either MUA or her site, just mention ¡OMBLIGO! and Sali will hook you up. Sali thanks everyone for taking time to read about her life project!

Miss Danielle


The fragrances by Ebba Los Angeles aren't talked much about on the boards. If you don't like white flowers, you won't like the Ebba collection. The scents in this collection are in my opinion underrated gems because the perfume oils are very pure and long lasting.

While I like many of the fragrances in the Ebba collection, I had not yet sampled Miss Danielle. There are two notes in Miss Danielle: Pikake which is Hawaiian jasmine and grapefruit. I'm not one to like grapefruit in fragrances, so my expectations were a bit low.

When I first applied it to my skin I could smell the jasmine right away. I don't know exactly what the difference between regular jasmine and pikake are but this has a more green scent to it rather than the powdery jasmine I'm used to smelling. What is supposed to be grapefruit smells like citrus but I wouldn't pin point it as grapefruit.

The pikake and citrus melt into the skin and you're left with an incredibly sweet fruity fragrance. While I think it would be nice worn in spring. I personally would reserve it more as a summer fragrance. I think of this more as a daytime fragrance unless you are going to a casual evening outdoor concert or fair.

I don't own any Ebba fragrances in my collection but this certainly won't be among the first I purchase. While it's a nice fragrance, it's just not my type of fragrance. If you want it in your collection however it can be purchased on the Ebba website, Luckyscent or Beautyhabit for $58/.5oz

Kevyn


I can honestly say that in my life most of the things I've wanted in life I've gotten, over time of course. I remember as a child shopping with my Grandma and she always bought me whatever I wanted! I of course did not realize that most grandparents spoil their grandchildren. However, most grandparents were not like my Grandma, it's fair to say I was her favorite and I always got what I wanted!

When I was little I wanted an older brother more than anything to push me on the swings (the world revolving around me of course). Since I couldn't have an older brother I then set my sights on something better, a little sister to play Barbies with. When my Mom told me that I was going to have a sibling I knew that I was going to have a sister because that was what I wanted!

While my Mom was pregnant everyone kept telling me that I was going to have a brother! I didn't want a brother, I had to have a sister! I didn't understand why everyone kept telling me that I was going to be so happy with a brother! I kept correcting people that I was not going to have a brother, I was going to have a sister!

So the day finally came and my Mom called me from the hospital and told me that I got a sister! I remember my Dad buying me a gift that day, going to see her and I couldn't wait for my sister to get home! She had to grow up a bit before she could play Barbies with me!

Growing up Sar loved to play dress up and I was the one who loved to play with makeup. There was a Barbie makeup kit that my Grandma bought me, it had different eyeshadows, blush and lipsticks. There are pictures of me with dramatic blue eye shadow and cherry red lipstick.

My sister only liked her Tinkerbell makeup which had pale pastel colors. BORING! I wanted color! I couldn't wait to grow up and wear real makeup. And over time some of my choices have been questionable. Sar always had the same look - smokey eyes and lip liner over lipbalm. It never changed!

When we first saw Kevyn Aucoin on television we were both in awe of this genius! He made ordinary looking women look extraordinary! I thought it would be a blast to be famous just to have my own makeup artists. But the next best thing would be to have a makeup artist in your family. One of my dreams was to have a makeover my Kevyn Aucoin one day. My sister would ask me if she could apply makeup to my face and I'd end up looking like either Siouxsie Sioux or a hooker! Sadly, Kevyn Aucoin passed away in 2002 and that was one dream that I had that will never be fulfilled. But, Kevyn's motto was "Anything is possible!"

My sister last year mentioned that she'd love to be an Esthetician and last fall she started school for it. I was most excited of course for her to take the makeup classes, especially since her school specialized in fantasy makeup. Yesterday, she finished her last makeup class. This week she won 3rd place in her class for her makeup look. She copied Kevyn's makeup for Gwyneth Paltrow from the Making Faces book (pg. 150).

So, my dream is coming true in a way, I'll now have my own personal makeup artist! I get what I want...most of the time!

Bois de Paradis


Today's fragrance is Parfums DelRae's Bois de Paradis Eau de Parfum. The notes in this fragrance are: Citrus, French rose, blackberry, fig, spices, woods and amber.

When first applied to my skin I could smell the blackberry and fig right away but those were overshadowed by the scent of strong cinnamon (more like stick than ground), cedar, pine and amber. After a while my skin warmed the blend and the blackberry and fig mix with the cinnamon and cedar. I can smell a powdery rose very faintly but no citrus at all.

If you'd like a sweeter version of Hot Couture, you'd like this because the fig really makes all the difference in this fragrance. A little goes a long way with this one because it is a heavy fragrance. I think this would be beautiful worn day to night in deep autumn or winter. It's definitely a cold weather fragrance and I'm really loving it! I wish I had discovered this several months before but it's certainly something to look forward to in several months!

Bois de Paradis retails for $125.00/1.7 oz. and can be purchased online through Lusciouscargo or Beautyhabit.

Fracas


By coincidence? I happened to grab this sample of Fracas given to me by the white flower goddess on MUA: Songscent! Plus everyone on MUA knows this is Keeter's favorite so how could I not review it? >:D

Anyhow, when I first applied it on my skin I could smell tuberose and even the orange right away but that seemed to be taken over by a mixture of jasmine and a buttery gardenia. After wearing it for a while the sandalwood and vetiver make a quiet appearance. This is a total white floral party and if you don't like white florals you won't like this one. The notes that are most predominent in this fragrance are jasmine and gardenia making this a wonderful spring or summer fragrance and it can easily be worn from day to night.

I'm liking this one even if it gives my second self nightmares! Then again she used to wear Electric Youth and Clinique Happy so I wouldn't be too surprised if she does have Fracas juice in an empty bottle of Matthew Williamson's Incense! :D

Fracas retails for $65/1.7 oz. and $95/3.4 oz. and is found in most department stores but can be had for much less online or through Ebay.

Today's fragrance choice is Perfect Love EdP by Creative Scentualization. This is the first Creative Scentualization fragrance I've tried. When I first applied it to my skin there was a sort of familiarity to this fragrance. It smells like something I've smelled before, but I can't remember what!

The notes in this one are:

top: Mandarin orange, bergamot
heart: Moroccan red rose absolute, honeysuckle, pikake
base: amber, vanilla, musk, patchouli, sandalwood

The citrus blends right into the rose and I can smell a little bit of light honeysuckle. I really don't know what pikake is supposed to smell by it's own but I don't detect any jasmine in this. The amber is light in this one as it's overpowered by the patchouli and musk.

If you don't like patchouli - odds are you won't like this one much. I seems to be the heaviest note at first but once drying down it falls in the backround. I think this would be more suitable for autumn or winter and unless worn with a light hand, I'd only wear this at night. I must add that this sample seems to have a lot more parfum than other EdP's I've tried and it really clung to my skin. This is certainly one I'd like to try again in colder weather but I feel it's too heavy for this time of year.

It retails for $80/1 oz. and can be purchased through Luckyscent or $56/.5 oz through Beautyhabit or of course through Creative Scentualization.

Update: After this has been on my skin for about half an hour now I feel that this would be lovely as an evening fragrance year round and could easily be a day to night fragrance with a light hand of course. I didn't warm to this one at first but having given it some time it's winning me over a bit.

Perfect Love