Sunday, July 26, 2015

Beyond the Bottle: Perfume as a a lifestyle enhancer




SENZA FINE for Women by Profumi di Firenze
Sometimes I determine my "scent of the day" by how I feel in that moment or how want to feel the duration of the day. Today, I was going to the Jersey shore to have dinner with my girlfriend to celebrate her birthday. I woke up this morning feeling rested, even spirited, and a little getty, if that makes sense. I originally decided to wear a one piece dress but voted against it after realizing I wasn't feeling the look. I went into the bathroom to apply my makeup. I attempted a cat eye and suprisingly it came out perfect, almost. I was feeling myself (in my BeyoncĂ© voice). I wanted to feel and exude sexy. I went back to my room and started shifting through clothes. I wanted to show legs and skin, after all I just spent a small fortune treating it to a thermal body wrap and scrub!  I wanted high heels. I wanted oil skin. I wanted to feel tall...strange but that's the vibe I was going for! I pulled out a light weight grey/white symmetrical stripped skirt with a mean slit up the thigh! I paired it with a white tank. It was casual, sexy, and very summer! So sexy as I walked (or strut) all you see is my thigh. Yes, in the comfort of my apartment I was completely comfortable but walking outside I was like, "ok, these thighs may cause a slight problem." Before leaving I spritzed on, Senza Fine. It's an Italian perfume from the house of Profumi di Firenze. I got this a few months back from Twisted Lilly in Brooklyn. I've worn it a few times but was waiting for it to pair nicely with everything, from my mood to my style. What I mean by that is, perfume plays multiple roles in my life. It's not something I spend a lot of money on only for it to sit on my dresser and collect dust. For me, it's a mood stabilizer or energizer, it compliments my outfit, is part of my style, projects my personality, evokes my originality, serves as a gift to others, holds fond memories in tact or enables the creation of new ones, it allows me to explore myself or tap into a reserved part of who I am. A great fragrance will do wonders for you; it's much more than the scent it gives off.

Today everything was in unison and when it happens like this, I want to capture and share those feelings and emotions on the blog or IG. For me, this is essentially why I started ReminiSCENT and continuing with MUSE. I want to offer unique perspectives on scent ( in various ways) that changes the way people perceive, relate to, and discover perfumery, while simultaneously inspiring a lifestyle of scent. For example, if this particular post or anything I may share peaks someone's curiosity so much that they take the time to explore Twisted Lilly or Senza Fine EDP on their own time, I am happy and smiling HARD…like dimples and all.  At my core, all I want to do is expose others to luxury and original perfumery in a way that they can identify…get them excited as much as I am about it! I truly believe when a person can look beyond the bottle to see perfume as another form of individual expression, an extension of who they are or wish to be, it becomes a game changer, a style changer and a life changer. A great bottle of perfume (or two, three, or four) needs to be part of the urban lifestyle and I'm on a mission to make it happen.

Fragrance Notes:
Bergamot, Mandarin, Ylang-Ylang, Orchid, Water Lily, Musk








Thursday, July 23, 2015

Fragrance Chronicles: boyfriend vs. girlfriend

I snapped this picture of him after we shared a good laugh
This morning I hear multiple squirts of something coming from the bathroom. In my mind, I'm hoping it's not one of my fragrances that is being used in excess by my boyfriend, AGAIN. I yell, "what are you squirting?  He replied, "I'm making my own fragrance combination." I take a deep breath before asking, "what fragrance are you using?" He ignores me and I become instantly annoyed. I sit up in the bed and the agitation seeps in with every spritz I hear. He continues to ignore me…

 See, majority of my perfumes are unisex. He loves to smell good and I appreciate that but he doesn't appreciate my collection or what they represent to me. For him, as long as it smells good, he will wear it. For me, I don't want him bathing in my expensive scents without any regard! Instead of making quick decisions, I feel, he should put some thought into it but I learn men are not as insightful as women.  Karim has a heavy hand. He does not know how to apply fragrances with ease. He selects one and then sprays it 10 times on himself. When he finds "the one," he lives with it and drains the bottle. His latest obsession is MY, "Jazz Club" by Maison Martin Margiela, which almost gone! 

Back to the story. He comes out of the bathroom carrying a vial of fragrance in his hand. I'm giving him the screw face as he approaches the bed smiling and laughing. He sees my reaction but shows no regard. He leans in to spray the concoction on my arm and I instantly smell, ByKilian's Lemon Zest perfume and it sends me to into a rage. I don't recall giving it to him; instead, I passed it along for him to try out.  Now, he altered the scent by mixing it with multiple fragrances! The hand and head gestures start and somehow in between them I managed to  knock the vial out of his hand. It drops, glass shatters, and the liquid covers the wood floor. Now, I'm really upset. We argue (I'm upset that my perfume is now on the floor and he doesn't get it ) he yells, "see, what you did! I have to make a new one." He exits the room, while glass is everywhere, and proceeds to search for another empty vial to refill. I hear more squirts and I just shake my head realizing it's no use in exerting the energy arguing with this guy. 

He's happy so I let him indulge. Besides, he gets as much enjoyment and satisfaction from smelling good as I so he gets a pass this time ;)


Do you share mutual items with your partner? Do you ever fight over those items?

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Turning passion into a thing of Beauty

I really appreciate coming across women who are living their passion to the fullest. I find it inspiring and motivating in so many ways. Next Monday, which happens to be my 34th birthday, I will be attending The Beauties and Brains Behind the Brands event in Brooklyn. Presented by Essence and In Her Shoes blog, it's a photography exhibition showcasing 25 "fly entrepreneurs" from NYC! Pretty dope, right?!

While browsing the In Her Shoes blog for additional information on the event, I came across a beauty by the name of Desiree Verdejo. She is an attorney, wife, beauty junkie, entrepreneur, and the new owner of Harlem's first luxury beauty boutique, Vivrant Beauty. I read her story and went to Instagram to look her up. I found out she was having a soft opening today and decided to go check it out. 
Desiree Verdejo 

Touré
My friend (Toure) and I strolled on over to 220 Saint Nicolas Ave to pay her a visit. Not only is Vivrant located in a brand new building, it's chic modern design, large windows, and easy to navigate layout is very appealing and welcoming. We met Desiree, her staff, and her husband, who happened to be behind the scenes putting the last minute touches on the merchandise but was kind enough to peak out to say hello.  She showed us around and we spent time chatting about the neighborhood, corporate America, entrepreneurship, beauty, fragrance, and what it takes to commit fully to your dreams. Desiree was so expressive, enthusiastic, engaging, and full of positive energy.  She had me  feeling encouraged and optimistic about my own potential. I'm excited to attend her grand opening in a few days and look forward to shopping at the boutique for my beauty needs, especially the Mario Badescu facial spray with rose water (a staple). More insights to come!

All smiles (pic from @adjah_l)