This week's random thoughts ~I had a revelation today. I love Baghari. I've had it for a long time and never really worn it, spent time with it. I wore it today and it's sublime. It's a big aldehydic floral akin to Chanel No. 22, Le Labo Aldehyde 44 and Mariella Burani. I'm not sure when this shift happened, but I love aldehydic fragrances now. Baghari doesn't have the most amazing longevity, but for the first hour it's blissful. It lasts on me about 3 hours which is decent.
Now that I live in such a dry climate I use a lot of moisturizer and for the first time in my life I wear SPF 30 every.single.day. I'm so close to the sun at this altitude. I'm wondering if I should get higher than 30?
I have never ever ever ever ever found a mascara that I think is excellent. I've never worn a mascara that does all the great things it claims to do. I received a free Chanel mascara with a recent fragrance purchase. This stuff is the best mascara I've ever used. It's called Exceptionnel de Chanel, Intense Volume and Curl mascara, in Smoky Noir. I know it's just mascara but I'm astounded it actually works. Here's a link in case you're interested. It's $30 bucks and I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing it from now on.
Speaking of Chanel, I've sorta bashed No. 5 in the past because I don't think it deserves it's exalted status. I have tried it in all concentrations previously but I just bought a bottle of No. 5 parfum that is really much better than I remembered. Did this change and actually get better? With all the complaints of reformulation I want to log this very positive note that I think No. 5 in pure parfum is better than it ever was.
At the risk of seeming like a Laurie Erickson stalker, I would just like to mention that Jour Ensoleille is yet another Sonoma Scent Studio gem. Does she make one single bad or boring perfume? I think not. She is gifted. Jour Ensoleille is a light chypre, with sunny, happy floral notes of orange blossom, tuberose and jasmine. When it dries down the florals lessen and it becomes an easy and gentle oakmoss base with some green-ish resinous notes. In the drydown it has a nice hay note that I find dreamy. I'm all kinds of crazy for hay.
Brian and I have discussed this and we agree that Dexter is just not good this season.
I thought Diorissimo eau de parfum (edp not edt) was discontinued but I purchased it for The Posh Peasant this week. I also got some Diorissimo parfum extrait. I'm afraid to open it because I will surely want to keep it for myself.
I will be volunteering at the local animal shelter soon. I feel responsible (because it's our fault, as humans) that there are so many neglected and unwanted animals. I will be walking dogs and playing with them and cleaning up their stalls. I'm really looking forward to it but I know there will be sad moments. And I know I must be strong because I have 2 pugs and cannot have another dog. Cannot. Reminding myself that I cannot.
This week I've been on an oatmeal kick. Sugar-free, good old fashioned oatmeal, sprinkled with slivered almonds, orange essence cranberries, sliced bananas, cinnamon and a dollop of maple syrup. It doesn't seem possible that this is good for me because it's oh-so-yummy.
Does anyone out there watch Friday Night Lights? OK, a show about high school football in Texas would *never* be my thing but a friend urged me to watch it a few seasons ago and it is such a great series. It actually makes me interested in football a little bit and I know nothing about football. The characters are terrific. Have I already mentioned this? Sorry if I'm repeating myself.
I was not impressed with CdG Artek. Seems rather similar to the CdG made for H&M. I am, however, still in love with CdG Daphne.
Have a fragrant weekend everyone! :-)
PS: Above and side photos are Taylor Kistch, aka Timmy Riggins from Friday Night Lights. So...enjoy a little eye candy folks.
Re your relevations- now I want to try Baghari!!
ReplyDeleteI think Dexter jumped the shark with that stupid wife and a baby. Really?
Sounds really fabulous. And thank you for the eye candy at the top and bottom of your post *le sigh*
Baghari I have not smelled yet, although it's on my list. I do like aldehydic florals very much (thanks again for the MB rec, as No. 22 was way sweeeeeet on me). And I thought I didn't really like No. 5 until I bought a vintage bottle of parfum which is drop-dead gorgeous - very floral, with exquisite sandalwood.
ReplyDeleteI've been testing samples sent to me by Laurie at SSS, in pursuit of tweaking Tabac Aurea to my personal taste. How wonderful of Laurie to offer such a service! In the course of the endeavor, I'm getting to try different musks and ingredients she uses, and it's fascinating to then identify them in composition. I'm going to have to try more of her fragrances; Femme Jolie and Winter Woods are calling my name.
I am *strongly* tempted by that Alahine parfum... wallet says no. Not even for Christmas.
I am crazy for narcissus these days... and I have to ask, am I losing my mind? Narcisse Noir does NOT smell of narcissus to me. It smells like green tea and lemons and orange blossom, very springlike, but not Noir at all.
And the eye candy... whoo. Funny, when I was younger, that wouldn't have appealed to me at all; I'd have found it exhibitionistic and over the top. But now that I'm 41, I've come around to that brand of in-your-face sexiness. The young Matt Dillon looks fabulous to me now... I should be ashamed of myself, but somehow I'm not.
Can I tell you that I actually ordered Baghari blind last week? Still waiting for it to arrive...but you've given me hope!
ReplyDeleteI stopped watching Dexter after Season 1...it all went downhill from there I found.
Can't say I've ever disliked No. 5, but I took recently bought 2 bottles of the parfum and am smitten (always loved the EDT). Sadly though, one of the bottles is great, while the other is merely nice. Stupid reform's.
That was an adorable, random and kooky post....I just loved it!
ReplyDeleteLoving aldehydes too these days! Everything Lauder suddenly smells great!
3xasif,
ReplyDeleteOMG, I'm with you on the mistake of having a wife and baby for Dexter. Rita is way too 1950's ideal of womanhood for me. She makes me gag. She has no real edge or personality, she's like a doll.
Mals86,
I worry about how often I mention SSS Laurie Erickson in case I'm veering into stalker status but she is Amazing. You are essentially getting a bespoke perfume from her since she's tweaking Tabac for you. How cool is that?
re: Caron Narcissus Noir. No, there's nothing Noir about it anymore. I got a vintage off ebay and there was much more skanky Noir in the past. Now it's all happy/sunny orange blossom with just a tad (I mean you need to look for it) darkness in the dry down.
Have you tried L'Artisan Fleur de Narcisse? It's the most true to Narcissus fragrance I've ever smelled. But it's also uber-expensive (their harvest series) and rather weird overall. It's not a straight forward floral by any means. In fact, I like to sniff it but would never wear it.
And, honestly I cringed a bit when I posted the Taylor K. eye candy photos. But then I decided, whatever, he's just so cute. More so his face than his body but we truly ought to stare at his bod considering how many hours the guy must log at the gym. For the record, I checked his age lest I seem a pedophile or something and he's 28 so I'm safe.
Dane, I can't imagine your eyes won't roll back in your head during the first 30 minutes of Baghari... :-)
Foodie,
Yep, TWRT is meant to be sheer stream of consciousness kookiness. Glad you appreciated it :-D
Glad you like the Baghari! I don't know why it doesn't get as much love as the other Piguet's. To me it just goes to show how great the entire line is- there is something for everyone.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Dexter Season 1 was phenomenal. I think somewhere in Season 2, with Lila and Agent Lundy they went really astray. And as bad as this sounds, Rita was way more interesting as a character and plot device when she had issues and ptsd. . .but that can only go on so long, I guess.
If you want to take care of the skin- SPF 55+ (barrier version, not chemical) is the only way to go. I use it twice a day some days- and I don't go outside much.
Laurie Erickson is a secret treasure genius. I'm torn between wanting her to blow up huge vs. keeping her a secret.
I've never been one to enjoy the male model physique. And now, looking at the amazing, young bodies just leads me to feel more self conscious about my gently aging one. lol.
i do think cillian murphy is the most amazing guy to look at- but yeah, that's no beefcake.
RIGGINS!!!
ReplyDeleteAhem. Sorry. I will try and compose myself now... ;-) But that man is all kinds of hot. Especially his eyes. But sure, if he's worked out a lot, we may as well appreciate the bod, too!
Yes, I watch FNL, as you may have guessed. I love it, and not just for the eye candy. Has there ever been a better onscreen married couple than the Taylors?
I haven't properly tried Baghari, because I am afraid I will like it and it will have to join the small army of little black bottles on my dresser. Bandit is my favourite though.
My revelation perfume of the week was Be Never Too Busy etc.'s 1000 Kisses Deep. I've had it a while, and for some reason rarely wear it. But today I dusted it off, and, damn, it's great for autumn. Then I remembered that BNTBB is closing down at the end of the year, so I've ordered a backup bottle! Revelations can be expensive.
As for no 5, I have a bottle of the perfume, but I'm not sure it's real. I found it in a charity shop, they had a few, and the volunteer working the till swore they were the real deal. It could be, I can't tell, as I've nothing to compare it to! You don't normally find testers of the parfum in stores.
As for the sunscreen, I've heard that anything above spf 15 is a waste of money, as no product can really protect your skin from the sun much longer than that. Maybe you just need to use 15, and apply more often?
Oh, I have a bagful of tried and discarded mascaras! I think I expect too much of them, given the material I have to work with (my lashes used to be long and lush, now, sadly, they are neither. They are also dead straight, so curling mascaras are usually on a hiding to nothing). But that Chanel one does sound promising.
I love Jour Ensoleille, too. I have a tiny bottle of the old formulation.
Hmmmm, Dexter... I tend to agree. Though I have been enjoying John Lithgow's guest spot. Rita used to be relatable, but she's a shrew now, and that's bad for the show. The plots are getting a tad too soapy. Unless it's all building up to Dex offing Rita, in which case, have at it Dex!
I'll keep watching, though. For Michael C Hall's performance, for the black humour of his voiceovers, and for the pleasure of seeing him don the Olive-Henley-of-Serial-Slaying. Damn, he looks good in that shirt....
(Now look, you've started me thinking about hot men, with all that Riggins!)
Hi Abigail,
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Santa Fe and am pretty fair--if you love your SPF 30 moisturizer then keep using it because I sure haven't found anything with a higher SPF that didn't make my skin freak out, but keep in mind that at higher elevations your UV exposure is greater, so keep your skin covered of you're outside for any length of time. Buy a ridiculously large hat or something. (Ok, that first sentence would probably have made my freshman English teacher cry. If you're reading this, Ms. McCrary, I'm sorry.)
I've *always* been a huge fan of aldehydic fragrances and was surprised to did them generally considered difficult in perfumista land. Maybe it has something to do with how they wear in that environment. No. 22 does smell diffeent to me here in the Midwest. Love Baghari, though I don't wear it much.
Thanks for the heads up on Dexter. Was bored with the second season but was holding out some hope since the very darling guy at Video Library told me he was really enjoying it, but um. A baby? Really? Isn't that just TV writer for "we've run out of ideas?" I had to give up on Weeds after the 3rd season too; snore.