Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Best fall perfumes and colognes for 2017

     Best Fall Perfumes & Colognes for 2017
Quick anecdote:
Real quick. I had just the most amazing day today. An old fling tried to replace me with someone he didn't even know and got screwed so quick he didn't even have time to realize it. It was nice. Because I've come such a long way and some people want to keep you down on their level and when they can't they move onto the next train wreck wanting to be the savior that they'll be grateful for. I've got a good life and I'm happy. Im not even struggling at all right now financially or otherwise. 
 The point is be grateful for the lessons you've learned. Forget the bad and don't hold it against yourself or others but don't lose the lesson and always learn and grow from your experiences. Be grateful for the good people in your life. Theyre there for a reason. Everyone who's not never deserved to be. 

 Now onto the perfume.

Fall is an amazing time where the old strips away while the new takes time to find itself in the deep freeze before new growth in the spring and before it finds itself flourishing in the summer. 

Fall. For most of us Americans this is a time of making memories or looking back on them. The Thanksgivings we share in our most loved family members homes with the smell of turkey. Apple and pumpkin pie wafting through that almost too warm home with the sound of football through the season in the background. 
 These scents follow us from the moment fall begins. We find ourselves buying apple cinnamon, pumpkin and comforting, warm scented candles and fragrances. Dressing in our warmest most comfortable sweaters and our cutest and most fuzzy boots. 
 We wear our hair down. Our nail polish gets a bit darker and so does our hair. 
 This is a time of pure comfort. 

This comforting feeling is what we want to bring about with the scent we choose for the colder months but especially for fall. Everyone has a "scent profile" where There's a certain type of scent you gravitate to from earthy to fresh to sweet to spicy. 
There are fall scents that bring this comfort abound no matter your preference. 


 Just a little tip before we get started, if you love a perfume chances are you will like the same perfumes another person likes who has that same favorite. A great way to utilize this at home since most of us do online shopping is to check Fragrantica.com and go to your favorite perfume. In a sidebar they show other perfumes or colognes people who liked this also liked and it's a pretty safe bet you will like it if not love it too. 

Now some of these scents are brand new and most are not but they are all amazing and relevant and they hit all price points. Although if I'm honest as a scent connoisseur i don't like most cheap perfumes because they have a cheap smell that comes after the top notes like middle and bottom notes don't even exist. 

 Also a quick lesson in perfume and cologne. Perfume and cologne is only man or woman in American Society. It doesn't work that way on the bottle here in America or anywhere else in the world. 
Check out the chart below for what the names actually mean and how you've probably been using them wrong. We'll just use the american definition of the feminine and masculine scents from here on out for simplicities sake though. 
Please click to enlarge if needed.

 PERFUMES: 
Also don't be afraid of the brand names. All of these sell rollerballs for around 25 dollars US. And the perfumes don't cost as much as you'd think anyway.

1) Michael Kors WonderLust

 This perfume is fantastic. It's a very warm and comforting scent while still being sweet, fresh and classy. It's a sexy and seductive scent that surpasses all time and trends. It would work great on any age group. 
 It has a gourmond scent. I'm sure you've heard this term before but never really knew what it was. Gourmond is a sweet but edible scent. It's then mixed with dianthus flower for the scent of almond milk that gives it a spicy, creamy and floral scent. It leaves the impression of warmth and a spicy note of cinnamon which is why this is one of the best fall scents I've come across in a long time. I recently purchased the biggest bottle i could find. I love it. 
 Michael Kors said of the scent "I wanted something that was feminine. Not in an insipid way but in a streamlined, modern way. It's the same way with the gourmond. The almond milk has something delicious but not edible or sticky. Our girl is looking for a way to experience and have fun but stay within her world."

2) Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline
This is a very fresh and slightly sweet scent that is a bit warm underneath it all. It's a great scent for winter and fall. It's said ti capture the essence of frosted flowers.
 The top and beginning notes are airy bamboo and fresh asian fruit that has a very specific fresh aroma similar to apple and pear. The heart is ruled by soft and feminine notes of lotus blossom while the base notes bring an elegant woodsy warmth. 

3) Juicy Couture Gold Couture

 Like all juicy couture fragrances they have the base of the original with an added twist. This one is a glamorous and decadent twist on the original. It's so warm and sweet and sexy all at once. It's been a favorite for a while now. It is a very sweet almost caramelized scent that is still classy and adult. Great for women who are 40 and under. We've got wild berries, jasmine and honeysuckle as the top notes so it starts of very sweet and then we end with sandalwood, caramel, golden amber and vanilla elixr that together give that remarkably warm, comforting and seductive feeling of fall in a scent. 

4) Donna Karen Cashmere Mist

This perfume can come off a little mature initially with the slight powdery undertone of the perfume but very quickly it becomes very warm and seductive like a cashmere wrap enveloping you in the warmest fall memory you've ever experienced. Other than powdery this perfume is the very essence of the warmth of cashmere. 
It's gentle, powdery and warm with woody notes. It's a very earthy scent. The main notes are Jasmine, Lily, Bergamot for a seductive and feminine feel and sandalwood, amber and musk for warmth.

5) Burberry London for women

This is a very warm and seductive but high fashion scent. They say this scent is a must if you visit london if you want to feel the pulse and contemporary feeling of the city. 
 This is a classic floral scent with jasmine at It's heart. It doesn't smell at all sweet like candy. It's a very expensive and fashionable floral scent. 
 It opens up with rose and honeysuckle harmonized with a slightly fruity tangerine scent. White velvety heart note of white flowers. It ends leaving a trail behind of wood and musk. This perfume has been around for almost 12 years now and has been a favorite of mine for close to that long. It's a go to fall scent of mine. 

6) Victor&Rolf Flowerbomb

 This is unique from the other scents as it is more freshly floral and spring like than any of the others but it does have a high fashion softness that reminds me of a breezy and slightly warm fall day when the leaves start to turn. 
 It's described as an explosive bouquet of floral and sweet notes. It was introduced as an oriental perfume. Top notes tingle with Bergamot flowers and green tea. The heart is a floral scent of jasmine, rose, and a few more of the usual and then it ends with musk and patchouli to envelop us in it's oriental scent. 
It's a sophistacated and glamorous scent for the women who really are an entity within themselves. 

7) Victorias Secret Dream Angels Heavenly

This has been a very popular scent since It's inception. It's perfect for all seasons and all days but i personally feel that it's a warm and sexy scent that brings the seductiveness of a woman to the forefront like only a woman can even on the coldest fall nights. 
It's notes are made of vanilla, sandalwood, peony and vanilla for a warm and sensual but luminous scent of an angel. 

8) Nest White Sandalwood


 This is for those of you who love those earthy and spicy scents. I actually just found out it's made for men but it was on both sides of the perfume wall for men and women and sephora and this is where i fell in love with it for myself. 
 It is a very warm and comfortable scent. It smells like wood by the fireplace while you're wrapped up warm in your softest blanket with the one you love. 
 We've got notes of australian sandalwood, white sandalwood, spices, musk and almond. 

9) Elizabeth and James Nirvana Amethyst


 This is a very warm, spicy and smart but seductive scent. It's mysterious and comforting all in one. This scent is brand new and it's a spicy and earthy scent. It's main scents are honeysuckle, tobacco and cedar.
"It's an intriguing scent of decadent luxury exuding layered depth. It's a sensual scent."

Mens Scents

1) Victor&Rolf SpiceBomb

This is a very expensive smelling well made cologne that exudes a very sexy and almost preppy but dangerous feeling all wrapped up inside the sexiest most mysterious man you've ever dreamt of who is also so romantic. 
 This is a spicy and woodsy scent. It's described as being overtly oriental with a woody and spicy composition. They've blended spices with sensual undertones which in turn has created two diametrically opposed scents. 1) the addictive and fiery one and 2) the explosive and icy one. 
Fiery includes saffron, leather, tobacco, chili and a must for all sexy mens fragrances vetiver. 
The explosive includes bergamot, grapefruit, pink pepper and elemi.
 One of the most sexy and fashionable scents I've experienced in a long time. It fits any man of any caliber and any age bringing out his unique seductive and fashionable manly qualities. 

2) Burberry Touch 

This is a very soft, sexy and comforting scent. Like the only man you've ever loved or wanted holding you on a warm night in his warmest and sexiest sweater while he gave you his jacket to keep you warm while you cuddle underneath the stars. 
 It's described as a woody, floral, musk that's been around for almost 20 years and a favorite of many for just as long. Top notes include violet leaf, mandarin orange and artemisia. Middle notes are nutmeg, white pepper and cedar. Base notes finish with tonka bean, vetiver and white musk. Those three are all huge favorites for me in mens cologne. 

3) Cool Water for men

This is a somewhat spicy and fresh scent. Very preppy but stylish and seductive. It really has turned me on for a while and while my loved scents have matured this will always be a well loved favorite. 
It's described as being fresh and sharp. Simple and very masculine. Top notes are green nuances, lavender, mint, coriander and rosemary. The heart notes include geranium, neroli, jasmine and sandalwood. The base finishes with cedarwood, musk, amber and tobacco. A must for all men in my opinion. 

4) Curve for men. 

 This is a very sexy and masculine but preppy scent that's described as green and aromatic. Top notes are pineapple, juniper berries, lavender, neroli and lemon. The heart is coriander, ginger, bergamot, violet, cactus, sage and cardamom. It ends with a beautiful rendition of sandalwood, amber, musk, vetiver, cedar, mahogony and pepper (seeing a pattern here? Lol.)
 It's a very complex and very masculine scent who's warmth is perfect for fall and the colder months. 

5) Dior Sauvage

This is a very fresh but spicy mature and classy masculine scent that's somewhat sporty. Very seductive. 
It's inspired by wild and open spaces. Blue skies covering rocky landscape. Hot under the desert sun. I can see that. Or smell that. Whichever you prefer. Described as radically fresh, raw and noble all at once by Diors in house perfumer. 
The composition is prevalent with carefully selected natural ingredients. Top notes include, bergamot and ambroxam that brings a super fresh opening scent. These ingredients are more specifically picked and taken from specific areas like woody trails and such. If interested feel free to look into it. 

6) Armani Acqua Di Gio 

I realize I'm not breaking any new ground here with these long time favorite and well known men's fragrances but hey, a girl likes what she likes and what envokes a warm and comforting fall feeling from me towards my man is when he wears these. 
 This is a warm but casual and sensual scent. It's masculine but soft in a seductive way as well. It is an intensely carnal scent to be sure. 
 This is a mens scent that focuses on woody and amber scents. The scent opens with a molecule that captures the scent of cold and fresh water. Then we have sparkling citrus bergamot and grapefruit. The heart envelops us in jasmine, basil and sage as well as floral molecules. The base ends the scent with ambrox, cedar, patchouli, vetiver, ambergris, pepper and clary sage all blended perfectly and made complex and expensive smelling. 

7) Paco Rabanne 1 million

 This is a unique scent thats fresh but sensual with the glittering shine of gold and the warmth the color brings in a scent. It represents power, wealth, luxury and durability just as gold has through most civilisations throughout time. 
 The notes are of rose, mint, cinnamon, sparkling grapefruit, red orange, spices, blond leather, blond wood, patchouli and amber. 

8) Burberry London For Men

 An oriental spicy fragrance for men that is both masculine and fashionable. Also unique from most of the listed fragrances. 
Top notes are lavender, bergamot and cinnamon middle notes are leather, and mimosa ending with the base notes of tobacco leaf, oakmoss, guiac wood and opoponax.  
Very warm and fall indeed. 

9) Burberry Brit for him

I am a burberry girl. What can i say. I love my burberry for me and for him. 
 This scent is said to be the fragrance of the quintessential englishman. The perfect illustration of modern english spirit wrought with tradition. This is a laid back and elegant scent perfect for those fall days with family or alone. 
Citrusy perfection of bergamot and mandarin and cool, spicy notes of ginger and cardomom preceed a masculine heart of cedar and nutmeg with a touch of refined wild rose. The base is very sensual due to woods, gray amber, tonka bean and patchouli. 
This is a very laid back fragrance. 

That will conclude the best scents for the fall and winter of 2017 for men and women. There's literally something for every type of scent lover. I purposely picked well known and popular scents as to not alienate anyone and give the best chance of them being loved by the reader. 

 Enjoy your fall. Utilize aromatherapy to enhance your mood and your life and use perfumes and colognes to do that during your days and nights. 
A scent is a way of expressing yourself. Every perfume mixes with each persons ph to make a unique scent only you have no matter who else buys the bottle. Utilize this to show the world your best and most unique you every day. 
God bless!

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Tuesday, October 10, 2017

The Best Mattifying Products for Severely Oily Skin

   The Best Mattifying Products for Oily Skin

 Hi everyone! It's been a while i know but I'm getting back into it along with vlogging on my Youtube channel which i will leave a link to with my other social media down below. 

 So let's jump right in here. Let me start off by saying that the majority of these products aren't drugstore. I've spent years fighting my oily skin and no drugstore product has ever worked to actually control tthe oil and that will be the type of products I will be talking about here. At the end i will leave some tips that I'm sure you already know but just in case i will leave them anyway.  

  Just a general idea of my skin type and what this means for you. I'm extremely oily. So oily that an hour after i wash my face if i don't use mattifying products I'm filling up 3 to 4 large blotting papers every hour on the hour from the moment I wash. I have adult hormonal acne that's no different from the teen hormonal acne i had. I am always broken out to some degree. It's only the severity that changes. I do not have sensitive skin but i am sensitive to my skin as i don't want to hurt it or cause unnecessary problems so these products will work for sensitive skin. 
 What does this have to do with you? Well you get an idea of what I've been dealing with and chances are yours isn't worse than mine. It may be as bad but it's most likely not which is great and means these products will probably perform even better for you than they do for me. But be warned, skin is a living, breathing organ. Everyone's us different. We have different concerns, different colors, different ph, different DNA so some of these products may not work for you like they did for me. That's the joy of skincare unfortunately. There is no one size fits all. 
 Rest assured though that these products will most likely work to some degree on you. If they work on me they definitely work because most products don't work on me.


 Mattifying Skincare:

 So we've all heard how skincare is important. And it is. But washing your face can only take you so far. The stuff that sits on your face will have the biggest chance of making a difference. These items have had a huge impact on my skin. And with these items combined i can get through almost 16 hours with only having to blot once at the end of the day and that not even being that bad. 

As for face washes there isn't much you can do for oil but exfoliation to bring new skin to the front of the line can prevent the oil from glueing the dead skin cells together and causing acne. It may help with oil control as well if your oil problem is minimal. There are just so many benefits to exfoliating everyone should do it. 
 The one that always clears my acne up the most and isn't even an acne treatment is the 

1) First Aid Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser Facial Radiance Polish 3.5 oz $25 Sephora Exclusive 
 This stuff is amazing. It doesnt strip the skin but it's magic none the less. 

A chemical peel is always good. This is one you can actually see it taking the dead skin iff and it's so so gentle. So gentle it can be used daily. 


2) Boscia Exfoliating Peel Gel and the Exfoliating Peel Gel with Volcanic Sand for extra exfoliation.  Both $34 for a 5 oz bottle that will last a while both actually work unlike more expensive peels that just make your face red and show no peeled skin. It sounds bad but its just the dead skin. You dont feel a thing. 

Next is a face mask. The only face mask I've ever used that actually can clear out my acne, pores and make me significantly less oily with no extra products is this mask. It is expensive but I've tried way more expensive masks with way less results. This actually pulls the oil and gunk from your skin and you can see it in the mask as pictured below.

3) GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Mask .5 oz $22, 1.7 oz $69 (regular size), 3.5 oz $99 Sephora.
Glamglow pulling oils and gunk (mine are much worse but ive never pictured it lol i left it on overnight once. The entire mask was filled black when i woke up 5 hours later.):






Next we have a toner. I don't notice many results with this other than that it helps to mattify and i like using a toner just for the extra skincare. This would be a great work alone option for those with skin thats not too oily but just to sop up the little shine you get throughout the day and try to prevent acne and heal your skin.

4) Sunday Riley Mattifying Martian Water Gel Toner 4.4 oz $55 Sephora

Next is a moisturizer. Now i have come to the conclusion that with how oily my skin is this BS about adding moisture to trick my skin into being moisturized and not producing oils is just that. BS. When your skin produces as much oil as mine does ot would have stopped itself long ago because it moisturizes the heck out of itself. That's never gonna work for me and tends to only break me out. So normally i wouldn't ever recommend a moisturizer but then i found this. I've been using it for months and my skin hasnt gotten used to it and It's the one item out of all the skincare items that can keep me matte for hours by itself. Around 8 by itself and 16 with the toner and mattifying primer a full 24 hours if i used the mask the night before or that morning. 

5) GlamGlow Volcasmic Matte Glow Moisturizer 
1.7 oz $54 
 I know that seems like a lot for a little but again I've used this daily for months and a little goes a very long way. Obviously dont be wasteful with any of this stuff. Its too expensive. Make it last by putting on too little. You can always add a little more. But you can't put it back if you use too much. That's unsanitary lol. And if you continue to do that that's a lot of wasted product. 

Now we move onto makeup that actually works. I've realized i really hate the look of flat matte makeup. It looks like a mask and so unrealistic. I look dead if it gets to be too many layers and it's uncomfortable. So I've found what works for me which i will end with but all of these products work well.

Makeup:

Primer. I've tried just about every pore refining and mattifying primer Sephora carries and only one works to keep me matte all by itself with no mattifying skincare for hours and totally matte with the skincare mentioned above for an entire day. It's not hyped up and i had to test many and spend hundreds to get to this mostly unheard of primer. 
This one! The pore eraser because there's like 3.
1) Lancome La Base pore refining & mattifying primer 20 ML $38 Sephora
Its amazing.

Next we have foundations. I'm super picky with my foundations and have tried almost every foundation at Sephora as well.


2) Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation 1 oz $40 Sephora
 the most mattifying but also most fake looking...er.. I mean offers the most coverage. Just know a little goes a long way and you have to blend it out well and get perfect matching color if you don't want to look like a zombie or an orange. I do wear this on days when i need the coverage to stay literally all day and all night if i need it with no touch up and to keep me matte all on its own. This stuff is a workhorse but you do compromise a bit of comfort since it's heavy and any realistic coloring to your face since it's almost like a concealer for your entire face. 



3) Dior Forever Foundation 1 oz $50 Sephora
 this is one of my favorites. A realistic look with great coverage. Not too mattifying so perfect for those who are using other mattifyers or are not super oily.



4) Dior AirFlash Airbrush Foundation Spray 2.3 oz $62 Sephora Mattifying, full coverage and looks great all day. Not too drying. 



5) Lancome Teint Idole Stick Foundation .31 oz $42 Sephora
it's super long wearing and Mattifying all on it's own. Super easy to apply with the stick onto the skin and blends out in a jiff looking perfect with just your fingers. Perfect for moms and women on the go. My current favorite. It better be that great for that price per ounce though. Ouch! Use that daily and youre spending that every 3 to 4 weeks. Next please!



6) It Cosmetics your skin but better CC Cream (original not radiance) 1.08 oz $38 Sephora
This is my daily wear foundation. It lasts a good 6 to 8 hours, doesn't break me out, pretty amazing coverage and isn't a matte finish but doesn't make me oily or slip off my skin if im a tad oily. Only to be used with other mattifying products since this alone is not mattifying.



7) Dr Jart Premium BB Cream (gold label) 1.5 oz $39 Sephora for you K Beauty Lovers.
amazing coverage but not mattifying. Has great skincare and helps with acne and blemishes. Only to be used with other mattifying products. Same rules apply to this as with the CC cream above.



8) Burberry Cashmere Soft Matte Foundation 1 oz $52 Sephora
Amazingly soft and matte but natural looking. Very pretty with full coverage that doesn't look fake. Mattifying works pretty well here. 



9) Makeup Forever Mat Velvet Foundation 1.01 oz $40 Sephora great looking medium to full coverage matte foundation that keeps me matte for a while



And since im not totally oblivious to the seemingly outrageous costs of these amazing foundations that i spent thousands of dollars and hours of shopping and testing to find the best of here's a drugstore option that's been around for years. It does help with oil control and is mattifying although im not sure if it's advertised that way but it was my go to for years as a teen and young adult. 



10) Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation .64 oz approx $8.99 Ulta, Walmart, Target, etc. (If a drugstore makeup is amazing it's always maybelline. Think Eye Studio Gel Liner pot, Eye Studio Master Precise Liquid Liner, etc.)

Concealer:
There's only two i deem as mattifying and matte but realistic enough and full coverage enough so i can cover my imperfections and use a more realistic looking foundation since that's how it's supposed to be done. You're not supposed to have full blown concealer all over your face and you don't need to unless you really are just a big acne blemish. 


1) Anastasia Beverly Hills Concealer Pot
Unsure of weight but I'd guess around .5 oz $20 now seemingly only available at AnastasiaBeverlyHills.com and Macys.



2) Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer .21 oz $30 Sephora
an amazing realistic concealer that needs hardly any blending and so comfortable to wear despite the full coverage.

Powders:
This is how you take away shine throughout the day and set your makeup and prevent shine to begin with. Keep this with you at all times. 


1) Laura Mercier Translucent Powder .33 oz w/ powder puff $23 (travel), 1 oz $38 in both dark and translucent Sephora
This is the Holy Grail powder for many of us oily's for a reason. 


2) Too Faced Peach Perfect Mattifying Setting Powder 1.23 oz $32 Sephora *smells like peaches yo!

And i haven't tried this so i can't recommend but I've heard really good things.

3) Coty Airspun Full Coverage Powder 2.3 oz approx $5.97 Walmart

Finishing Powders:
Not as useful as setting powders but still work and make your skin look flawless.

1) Makeup Forever Ultra Hd Finishing powder (Compact not loose they act different for some reason to me.) .07 oz $23 or .21 oz $37 Sephora 
also available in other colors but we are going translucent here.

Setting Sprays:
These will make sure your makeup looks flawless all day despite your greasiness. 

1) Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray Original 1 oz $30 .5 oz $15 Sephora
Amazing!


2) Urban Decay Deslick Setting Spray 1 oz $30
Supposed to mattify and set but i only notice slight mattifying so i prefer the original. 

Now daily i use my Exfoliator, toner and volcasmic along with my primer and foundation and setting spray dabbing with powder throughout the day and using these other products randomly depending on my needs. These are all great but you have to find what works for you. I've spent over 10 grand at sephora the last 18 months and i wont ever be doing that again. But in that time I've found what works and since i did have the opportunity to do that you can benefit from my stupidity! Lol. Enjoy!

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