It's finally reached 90º here in NY. I still have to install the A/C in my room, because it really is starting steaming up. But what better way to liven up the steam with some fresh fragrances to open up a field of flowers before you?
I've picked out my favorite summer scents, ones that will freshen you up and even the people around you. Of them, my all-time favorite summer scent has got to be the Jo Malone "Lemon Tart". Hands down the best. It is really a sharp note of lemon, but mixed with a kind of sweetness that makes it so delicious, fresh, feminine, and unique.
Another Jo Malone summer-best is the "Blackberry and Bay" scent. Something about this makes it the perfect beach fragrance. It has that salty beach-like scent to it but it isn't too muddled with a strong heavy scent. Rather, it is just really fresh and just another really unique scent.
A brand that does wonders with all things fresh is of course Fresh itself. Goodness, their "Hesperides Grapefruit" is seriously the best most abundant smelling grapefruit scent on the market. I've smelt quite a lot of grapefruit scents, but nothing comes as lovely and feminine and truly well rounded as this one. It is perfect for the gals, a truly feminine scent. I often find grapefruit to smell quite masculine, but this particular one really does wonders in creating that well-bodied fresh sweet succulent feminine grapefruit scent!
Diptyque is and will always be my favorite fragrance brand. I think this brand, along with Byredo Parfums is one of a very few brands that still brings out fragrance after fragrance that really develops by the division of notes. I feel other fragrance brands, even though they talk about having certain many notes in their fragrances, the products themselves don't really live up to the descriptions. They rarely develop, and are quite one-dimensional. But the two brands I mentioned, they really score perfect when it comes to dimension in perfumes. You can watch more of my perfume analysis here. (I will leave the video down below as well)
I recently used up all of Byredo Parfums "Pulp", so I haven't got that to show you, but that is another great summer fruit basket scent. From Diptyque I picked "Oyedo" and "Ofresia". "Oyedo" is a fruit basket, but a really sweet kind. It is on the heavier side, but that it because there are just so many different notes of fruits and flowers. I would consider this a citrus scent. It is exploding with notes of fruits so much that you just smell delicious all day long. Again, I see this as a very feminine scent. And people always come up to me telling me they love what I'm wearing.
Lastly, "Ofresia" is an entirely floral based scent. I know most of what I picked were fruit-based, but "Ofresia" is smells of freesia and other floral notes. It is so light and airy, and so lady-like. I call this my "professional" scent -- one where I wear to professional events where I don't want to make a statement but I want to smell prim and proper, feminine and fresh.
I am spending the day before New Years at home, relaxing and cleaning my room. I thought I'd spend a few hours in the morning to film my Best of 2013 Beauty Favorites video while I could, so that I can post the video by tonight. Filming a video takes longer than one would think, and editing it is just a whole heck of a chore! But now that I've got it done, I feel I can concentrate more on finishing this day with a more reflective note.
As always, it's pretty difficult to pick and choose "the favorites" of the entire year. I am one of those people that buy something after much research and review-reading. Once I decide to keep it in my collection, that means I love it. To choose the best from all the ones I love is seriously difficult. So, I just gravitated towards picking the ones I "used" the most instead.
I divided it up between skincare and makeup bits. Watch the entire video here:
I realize that there are so many products that I love but couldn't mention. I also realized that in the video, I forget to talk about two things that are actually right there! That's what happens, I guess, when you just wing things through. The first one is a hand cream: Rose of Bulgaria Hand Cream and the other is Nars Laguna Bronzer.
I also want to do a special mention to NEOM Candles because I enjoyed them so much this year. Although I wanted to stock up when I went to London, I just couldn't find them anywhere in the department stores I visited. I may have to just order it online! But really, NEOM candles have been just amazing and I highly recommend them as well.
On a final note, I wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2013 has been one heck of a year. Thank you to all my subscribers, readers, and followers. I truly appreciate all of your feedback! I hope to continue blogging next year with better content and format on both my blogs and Youtube channel.
Ever wondered what my Topshelf actually looks like? It's actually a double-Topshelf since a glass separates what's actually on top and what is displayed below. You can see some of my favorite items that I in fact frequently talk about. Fragrances are of course, a must. Need I mention Diptyque as my all-time favorite? Watch. It takes the largest and center position of it all! I have a few candles placed here and there, ones especially from Cire Trudon, Diptyque, Tocca, and Neom. I have a glass mirror box on the left side, holding some of my favorite jewelries from Catbird.
Below my glass cover are assortments of unopened boxes and opened treats that I like to leave on for display. A new collection piece is the Larsson & Jennings watch that I am absolutely loving right now. I also have a few grab-and-go essentials like my Tangle-Teasers and hair-curl things for quick fixes.
All of my makeup is stored in the drawers right below this topshelf. As for skincare, that's stored in another compartment. If you want to see a gist of the setup, you can watch My Makeup Collection video if you'd like! Here, I'm linking it down below:
Life has been pretty busy. But, I made time to feature some of my current favorites. I tried to keep them away from the usually featured products, but there are some products that have been able to weasel themselves into this month's favorites!
Watch the video! :)
So here they are: [Click on each to see the individual reviews]
Ideally, I would like to do a monthly favorites. But I know for sure that I can't commit to scheduling a favorites post every month. So, until I think of a name/title to call these series of random-recently-loving posts featuring just that, I'll just call it my "Current Favorites". Bland, boring, but for sure, the products I mention won't be! :)
First off, skincare. These two are a must. I do have other products I would have liked to mention, but nothing stood out as much as these two. It's actually hard to say that my skin improved because of only these two products. It is probably the combination and routine of all that I use day and night, which you can probably get a glimpse of it here in this blogpost. Anyway, still moving on with just two to mention- both are Origins products, which I love. I've tried only a few from their range, but each time, I've been way more than impressed! At a time when even the facial specialists kind of felt irritated that they couldn't get my skin to improve fast and well enough, I thought I had to take matters into my own hands and figure out what to do. I wasn't rejuvenating, and none of the serums I was using was working. Why? Because I probably had a surface layer of dead skin that no matter how much I tried to exfoliate, wouldn't cut it.
So my first goal was: DETOX. I bought this Origins Active Charcoal Mask aka "Clear Improvements". I was hesitant to try this because my skin is sensitive and the last time I tried a charcoal mask was way back when I found some masks can strip my skin and all. But, I knew I needed to detox. And boy, am I happy I tried this out! One day, best results. So, though it says use once a week ("or as needed") I find that I cannot go a day without using this. I'm not sure if that does bad things to the skin, but for sure, it's been helping me. LOADS.
Second skincare item is the Origins Make a Difference Plus + Treatment. Best for combination skin I hear. It's the perfect combo for the mask because once I have stripped the dead dull icky layer off my skin, I tone it and then put on this hydrating treatment that kind of sorts out my skin and keeps it really soft and supple throughout the day and night. I'm not sure how it works, but it's working miracles on me so need I say more? :)
As for makeup, I've got a few! Chanel Eyeshadow Stylo in "Moon River" and "Pink Lagoon"- part of their Summer Collection 2013. I'm not a huge follower of seasonal collections, but I happened to be there when it first launched and I really liked it. That like grew to a good healthy respect for these eyeshadows! Review of them are here.
Another things pertaining to the eyes is the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind/ Eraser for Dark Circles. I am loving this thing! I have the 2nd lightest shade and I love to just chuck this in my bag and apply it throughout the day. Review of this here.
MAC Cosmetics always has something nice to snatch up. I've been obsessed with two certain lipsticks, both in the orange family. One is actually part of the Orange Collection 2013 from not too long ago! It's the shade "Tangerine Dream" which is a dreamy, true pastel orange. It gives the illusion that you are some pastry goddess. The other orange is the shade "Saigon Summer". Looks really vibrant but it's actually pretty vividly-natural. Meaning, it's nothing like a neon shade but a really pretty wearable, yet different color!
Another MAC item is their pressed pigment in "Beaming". One of my most read posts here on my blog has been the review of my pressed pigment in the shade "Day Gleam". Unfortunately, my sister stole it and just won't return it! So, I went for a shade a tad darker and actually more suitable for my skin. The sparkle gives a wet look on the eyelids, and it's simple flattering.
Blush. Summer is about blushes, as well as lipsticks. The blush I find myself gravitating towards every single summer is the Benefit "Coralista". Amazing shade. Wonderful finish. Love the gleam and shine. It's perfect. Wore it every day this summer. Strangely, I didn't even reach for it all winter and spring. But once that heat wave began, there I was putting this without end! It's a must-have. Really...
Let's talk Fragrance. You know by know, if you ever read my blog, that I am a fragrance-philia. What is that you say? Well, a word I made up meaning: fragrance-lover. I recently did a whole series of my Perfume Collection video/posts. It went down really well :) Anyway, one of the featured fragrance was the Jo Malone "Lemon Tart". Sharp citrus/lemon zest with a hint of sweetness that makes it a perfect summer scent. I am not that fond (yet) of the beach-scent for the summer. For summer, I go for something zesty, fruity, sharp, and fresh. I mean, if you live in NY, you'll know that humidity sucks and I don't know about you, but I hate to have a scent weigh me down in the heat!
Talking about heat. Whew. Who here has bangs? Because I do, and when it's hot out and you've got oily skin, bangs aren't going to last "fresh-looking" all day long. I end up usually carrying a bobby-pin around and pinning up my bangs by the 8th hour or something. But hey, I found this thing called dry shampoos something I'm sure everyone but me uses! I use the Batiste dry shampoos and this is the first and only one I've tried. So, I can't say it's the best one on the market. But it's cheap. It smells cute. And it does the job so darn well. I can have my bangs down and lookin' fresh all day long. That's something right there. Yep.
Another necessity for the summer heat is a good primer. A fool-proof primer. Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer does just that. It's a heft price and so I began with the smaller bottle so I could be sure it's as good as the reviews say it is. Indeed. Right after I used even to the last pump and scrap of that small bottle, I went and got the big chunky one. I love it, but for sure I don't love the price! ($52)
Though I live in NY, I'm also around AC's a lot. I also travel. That means I may go to places that are actually parched dry. That happened recently. But though my skin, nails, and lips were starting to chap I did not worry. Why you ask? Well, because I had my new must-have-for-handbag Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream with me. Best for lips and cuticles. This all/multi-purpose cream is divine.
Last for the beauty things: Jurlique Hand Cream. I have the scent in Jasmine. Love it. A bit thick and luxurious, but it will definitely seep in give your hands a really lady hands :) I recommend the smaller size though. It's never ending and not as cute as the smaller travel size!
Then for some random bit: FOOD FAVES!? One isn't really a food. It's the Starbucks AfterCoffee Mints. They are mind-blowingly strong. Like, Altoids can't even compare! I love to pop that small mint in and be mind-blown with a minty breath and awakening the senses effect.
The other is a food. An addicting food. If you're going to try this, you better be prepared to get addicted. It's the Popcorners "Kettle" Popped Corn Chips. I'm not going to say much. Just go get it. And try it. Because in both two of the supermarkets I went to yesterday were sold out of this. Just in the flavor I wanted- the "Kettle" one. It's that good.
I didn't mention the last food in my video, but I thought I had missed a big part of the favorites out if I didn't mention it one way or the other! Anyway, that is all for now. Please follow me on Instagram for random updates and Twitter for more substantial updates! See y'all next time :)
Left to right: Grapefruit, Earl Grey & Cucumber, Blackberry & Bay, Lemon Tart, Wild Bluebell
I have finally gotten around to filming and writing up this JO MALONE fragrance collection post. Whew! What took so long you say? (Or maybe you didn't care at all :)) Well, I had weeks and weeks of dilemma of whether I wanted and needed two more fragrances added to my already 3-some collection. I had samples of these two. Sprayed them until they were gone. Went to the Jo Malone counter several times to sniff and sniff. And finally, I caved. I purchased the Lemon Tart (Limited-Edition) and Grapefruit Cologne!
The package finally came today, and so it was only until now that I could film and get on with this perfume collection series! I was so pleased to see that my first video on my Diptyque collection went so well. Sure, nothing compared to those major beauty gurus' counts, but still, enough to fill my belly! :) So, hoping y'all like my new video on just my Jo Malone fragrances, I am writing this on up! (Make sure to watch the video, it's easier than reading I'd think?)
As a short, very short brief- Jo Malone is a British fragrance brand that has fragrances, body products, room sprays, candles, and the like. I first found out about Jo Malone when I started watching Tanya Burr's videos (she's my idol, FYI). They are major in the fragrance industry today and it hasn't been that long since they started selling at Bloomingdales and such! Anyway, due to their really elegant packaging, fresh and elegant scents, they have become very popular everywhere. Though Diptyque stands in a level of its own, I can see Jo Malone rising in popularity and fame over time (though, to me, it just won't be anything like Diptyque).
So, as I say in my video, Jo Malone is a bit of a love-hate relationship for me. I fall for it all the time, even though none would satisfy as much as Diptyque does. Yet, something is very very alluring about them. However, I haven't found them to be exactly "whole" on its own. Jo Malone is very well-known for its "combining" system(?). Though each and every scent can stand on its own, they are marketed and told to be better if combined with their other scents. They have a whole chart on this if you go to their website!
This means that their fragrances aren't entirely dimensional. Some definitely are, but most I've experienced are more simple. For example, my first Jo Malone fragrance was Wild Bluebell.
Wild Bluebell is in the family of light florals, and indeed it is very fresh and light. It is not a complex scent at all. It legit smells like bluebells. There aren't that many notes to them, and so even though they are great for just spritzing all over and smelling delightful, feminine, floral, and fresh-- I'd recommend combining it with something more structured and "based". Unfortunately, all the other four fragrances I picked up seem NOT to match with my Wild Bluebell (since I wasn't going for any combining anyway), and so I just wear it on its own. It's great for days you want to smell like something, but you don't really want to be overpowered by that scent.
Blackberry & Bay cologne was next on my list. I was wanting something fruity and a bit exotic, not the tropical kind but the plain summer breezy water kind, and I found this. This is succulent blackberries mixed in with balmy woods and scent of the bay! It just sounds refreshing doesn't it? I would say this is more of a gender-neutral scent and guys would do just well with this scent just as women (not that any of these have to have any standard for such!). It's definitely fresh and fruity, but I wouldn't say it is "sweet" fruity. It's more of a really juicy blackberry without hints of some sweetness-- because you know, blackberries aren't actually that sweet in taste. It has this slight bitterness and tanginess? It has a bit of that, based with some bay wood scent.
I bought the Blackberry & Bay cologne along with this elegant thing: Earl Grey & Cucumber. Holy moly! This is definitely as BRITISH as you can get with a fragrance, and it's exactly why I love it! I mean, come on... earl grey tea? Yes, I say, yes. I absolutely love anything British, and so this completely drew me in. It is the "creamiest" out of all the Jo Malone scents I have. There is a freshness of cucumber along with the beeswax, vanilla, and musk! It's definitely the most "complex" and "dimensional" out of all the ones I own. It is such a statement scent that I can legit, only wear it on days when I want to feel that extra bit polished, refined, sophisticated, mature, and well, lady-like :) I wear this on more formal days because it just seems appropriate for that situation! Also, on rainy-days? Oh boy, my hands just reach for this! Something is truly British here. Definitely though, not a girly, fruity, sweet scent at all. It is really mature so sometimes I fear I may even smell a bit too mature. But still, there are days when it fits just right with the occasion. And besides, I found it so intriguing with the scent of earl grey and cucumber combined!
The next two I am thrilled to write about. They are most recent purchases (the ones I've been waiting for to actually get this post up and going!) and ones that I can actually combine to get them to be a better more appealing scent to me. It is the Lemon Tart (cough cough LIMITED EDITION) and the Grapefruit cologne. I have seriously been eying the Lemon Tart for so long because the whole concept was just perfect, and the packaging? Goodness. And the description was quite captivating. When I first took a sniff at the counter, I thought: whoa, very sour and "tingly"... It was definitely fresh but it felt a bit too sour?
Then, an one occasion, I received both the Lemon Tart and Grapefruit. I don't know what it was, but I thought, hey maybe these two could work together? So, I spritzed them together and layered them. And... oh my goodness, I ended up sniffing my wrist the whole day! Something made that combo so attractive! They are both citrus-y but somehow they complement each other so well!
The Lemon Tart has of course, citrus and also verbena, meringue and lemon thyme. It has this really addictive sharpness that I think is so needed in the humid summer. This will definitely awaken the senses and I just love it! The interesting thing is I've read some reviews and people say they were disappointed that it doesn't smell as sweet as "lemon tart" supposes. I have to agree. It has nothing of a pastry-like sweetness (but if it did, I'd hate it!). I actually love the sourness of it because it makes it that fresh. But that is not to say that there is absolutely no sweetness whatsoever. There is that sweet tart subtly detectable in-between the citrus notes.
The Grapefruit is a really nice one as well. This again, like the Blackberry & Bay cologne has a pretty large male followers! Though it is a fruity scent, it is based with a lot of musky notes: vetiver, rosemary, some spice, all circulated with the citrus notes! Lovely, but I can definitely detect the "masculinity" of it.
And... that's the reason why I love to combine them. Grapefruit on its own seems a bit too "guy-smelling" for my like! It's so attractive, but on me, I feel like I'm wearing a guy's cologne! (I'd like it on a guy, and not so much by itself just on me!) So, when I pair it with the rather feminine citrus of the Lemon Tart, goodness... there is this explosion of fruits, musk, herbs, spice, sweetness, citrus, on and on... It's rather lovely!
I don't know if these two are recommended in their "combining" chart, but regardless, I love pairing these two together!
So, you know I have an unhealthy obsession for fragrances and rings. Rings are a fairly new thing, and I blame it all on Catbird because before I discovered this little shop in Brooklyn, I never had an "obsession" for jewelry. That's all changed now, and I've collected about five Catbird rings thus far. Still, there are more I want to purchase. I've restrained myself and chose the two top rings I am dying to have! It's the rose-gold Cat-ring ($150) and a twisted ring ($65). It will be perfect for staking the rest of what I have!
As for fragrances, I mean I'm name my favorite three brands. Diptyque. Byredo Parfums. and Jo Malone. It's all pretty European since one is French, another Swiss(?), and lastly, English. For Diptyque, I have three eaux des toilettes but because they are so light, I wanted to try the colognes. I couldn't choose between the three they had. I will pick one up though for sure! My giftcard to Saks will get pretty handy soon :) As for Byredo Parfums, I have two from them: Pulp and Seven Veils. But recently, my big sister has been eyeing my Pulp. I'm afraid I'd eventually have to hand it over. So, in replacement I have been thinking of getting Blanche. When I went for a test sniff at Barneys, I was truly mesmerized of the purity and clarity of the scent. Still, I was set on getting the ones I had decided beforehand. Also, Bal D'afrique, one of the top-selling fragrance was another excellent sniff! Due to the fact that it is really expensive, I am thinking of choosing between the two. I still haven't made up my mind! Lastly, Jo Malone... the most affordable of the three is also a safe yet luxurious English fragrance. I have the large Wild Bluebell scent, but it seems oh-so-lonely on its own! I want to find something that will give it more dimension. Since the weather is getting warmer, I am thinking of picking up something that has a floral and/or fruity family scent! So far, I am thinking of the Blueberry Bay. I have yet to have a test sniff!
Finally, just because it looks really elegant & chic, I want to buy Catbird's roller-ball perfume case. I currently use Travelo to carry around my perfume, which is excellent. But just look at that long white elegant stick. Doesn't it look so classy? Another must on my wishlist I have to say!
So, this is some of my fragrance & jewelry wish products! If I were to add beauty products, it'd cause the collage to BURST. So I kept it as minimal as I could. What are some of your wish products?
Living in New York, blogging about beauty to de-stress from everyday life and nurture the girl within ♥ My love for makeup and all things beauty inspired me to create this blog. Here I share my beauty trends, tips, and reviews.
