I struggle with adult hormonal acne.  FYI.  As a result, I end up wearing a lot more makeup (foundation) than I probably need to, because I’m constantly battling red and ruddy skin.  Being fair-of-skin is no joke – it often means your skin is prone to rosacea and the resulting blushing, scaliness, and red patches.  It also often means your skin is super sensitive, and will react if you even THINK about putting product on it.  BOO!  Being “old enough to know better”, I had hoped this would go away, but I know that I need to be proactive in treating it.

While we’re working on the hormones and regimen that will make my skin pretty again, I’ve found a seemingly magical remedy for those big, deep, bad-boys that pop up under your skin.  It’s calming, and soothing, while drying out pimples (but not overly-drying my skin).  What is it??

Lavender Oil. 

It started when we took a little trip out to the San Juans – specifically, Friday Harbor. On the island there’s a little place called the Pelindaba Lavender Farm. I’d been recommended a trip there by a friend and since I love the smell of lavender, I picked up a little roller bottle of lavender oil (to be used as perfume, or whatever), and a spray bottle of lavender body mist (AKA: Floral water or hydrosol; basically just the oil mixed with a binder and water).

Lavender Body Mist from Pelindaba Lavender Farm

There was a little card attached to the body mist that said, “Use as a general body fragrance, as well as to rehydrate dry skin, cool sunburn, and soothe minor irritations.  For a special summertime treat, keep cold and use as a facial refresher.”

Of course, it had been hot and sticky, so as I was going to bed, I sprayed some of this mist on my face – hoping it would a) be refreshing and b) would have magical powers.  I patted it in, after my moisturizer and went to bed.

In the morning I woke up and the giant pimple on my chin, that had been there for the last week had dramatically subsided.  In the interest of science (kinda) I decided to continue this same remedy the next night.  By the morning of day 2, the blemish was almost gone – and with none of the ill effects of slathering crazy chemicals on my face, trying to beat it down.

I’ve tried this again since then.  Once a big ol’ zit pops up on my face (usually just a large red lump), I squirt a little of the lavender water on a cotton pad, swish it all over the area, and wait  (after cleansing of course).  By the next morning the lump is almost gone and doesn’t hurt anymore.  If it’s a really bad blemish, I’ll put a little of the full strength oil on my fingertip and pat it into the bump.

I did a little research on the stuff and found out that the reviewers at Makeup Alley LOVE lavender oil for this same reason – giving it a 4.6 out of 5 for facial treatments.  The research I found noted that lavender is one of the gentlest essential oils – one of the only oils that can be put on the skin, undiluted, with very few negative side effects.  It’s both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It can be applied neat on acne or bug bites – which works really well if you’re like me, and are super allergic to bug bites. For spot treatment, just dab a little bit on with a finger, or q-tip.  For larger areas, mix a drop or two of lavender oil with a little bit of lotion, and rub that shit in!

I’m not doing anything different in my routine than I have been doing – the other products I like to use are Lush’s Aquamarina (cleanser), Dermalogica Microfoliant (exfoliant), and DDF’s Moisturizing Dew (moisturizer).  I generally use tinted moisturizer by Smashbox during the day, although sometimes my skin calls for something a little heavier – like a powder foundation.  We’ll see how well this remedy continues to work.

Have you ever tried lavender as a facial treatment?  Did it work?  Did it give you hives?  Let us know in the comments!

So a couple weeks ago, I received an invite to a Body Shop event at Pacific Place and I RSVP’ed.  Celebrity makeup artist (oh, she’s good!), fun products, and a new line of bronzing options so that we sun-fearing, fair-skinned ladies can still rock a golden look during the summer… It sounded interesting, so I said, “yes!”  Let me just say, the Body Shop was a madhouse when I arrived – probably a testament to their line of products.

I met Irene from Couture Petite (who’s super adorable) and their Celebrity Makeup Artist Shalini Vadhera, whose had quite the roster of clients.  Throughout my session, Body Shop associates kept coming up and commenting on how luminous my makeup looked, courtesy of their full line of bronzing products. We were offered goodie bags and photos with professional photographer Paul Nathan. I was really impressed with the quality of their makeup products. Helloooooo Gorgeous!

I was amazed at how much fair trade sourcing they do, and I really liked the idea of “trade,  not aid“.  The Body Shop promotes small and struggling economies around the world by sourcing ingredients, with the objective of “creating trade to help people in the Third World utilise their resources to meet their own needs”.  Having studied the phenomenon of trade in third world economies in Econ, I believe this is much more effective than throwing money at a problem until it goes away. This might be considered anti-capitalist or anti-globalization, but the Body Shop philosophy is actually in favour of international marketplaces. The Body Shop uses its profits and influence to enact fair labour practices, safe working environments and pay equality.  That’s definitely cool in my book, because that’s the best way to boost the international marketplace.

Another interesting thing the Body Shop lists in their values is their Stop Trafficking campaign, calling for a safe harbor law for child-victims of sex trafficking.  In their campaign they say,

The US should change the laws that allow children to be arrested and prosecuted when
they are victims of sex trafficking. Instead of arrest they should be offered support and
protection as they are in New York and Washington states.

A “safe harbor” law can:

• Protect and prevent any person under the age of 18 from being charged, prosecuted or incarcerated for prostitution.
• Refer exploited children to special services and shelters that will support their recovery.
• Require the training of law enforcement, judges and first responders

I think this is a wonderful and worthy campaign so I asked how I could help. Lara, my Body Shop contact, said it’s as simple as getting people to sign the petition.  She offered a couple goodies to give away to participants who’ve signed, so I have 3 items from their Honey Bronze line to give out to you, dear readers.  They are the Honey Bronzing Powder in Medium, the Honey Bronze Face Gel, and the Honey Bronze Brilliance Powder.  Faux, being my preferred method of bronzing, I can say I’ve used all three products (as well as the Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil) and they’re shimmery, but not too heavy – great for a sun-kissed glow without the risk to your skin.

So click below to add your signature to the petition and comment to let me know you’ve signed.  You can also tell people about this petition (and contest) by tweeting:

Help @birdiee and @thebodyshopusa stop Sex Trafficking! Sign the petition (& let us know, to win a Honey Bronze set). http://bit.ly/j6VYsK

On July 15th, I’ll pick a name from the comments and tweets about this post, and the recipient will receive this lovely little care package, courtesy of the Body Shop.  I’m excited to be helping the Body Shop with such a great cause.

Staying stylish isn’t necessarily about carrying around that latest Marc Jacobs handbag (mmmm pretty) or knowing exactly what’s on trend.  At a recent party, I was talking to a francophone friend of mine who mentioned my Style and the Sartorialist article.  She pointed out how inspiring French ladies are with their limited means, even on their day off – because they know, almost innately, how to add a dash of flair to an otherwise every-day outfit.  I thought about it a bit and it dawned on me that anyone can be that stylish by just adding a bit of their personality  and quirks into their every-day look.  You could be tomboy chic, and girl next door glam – as long as you add a touch of your personality to your style, you’re instantly more mesmerizing.

This unexpected touch of personality gets a lot of reactions – for example, I love turbans for their classic (40′s) style and because they’re more quirky than throwing a hat on, or tying all my hair up in a twist.  The thing is – the turban is such a classic piece, but nobody would expect it with, say, denim and a silk vest thrown over a long, floaty tee.  The vintage touch adds a lot of me into an otherwise every-day outfit.  People are instantly drawn to and amazed by it.  For me, it’s a good way to cover up bad hair.

Often, throwing the unexpected into an outfit creates a lasting impression.  And just like with your personality, the more unique and expressive, the more intriguing and magnetic your style will be.  Love shiny things?  Add rhinestones to an otherwise boring outfit.  Love the beauty counter at your local department store?  Do yourself up while dressing down.  Love the comfort of yoga pants?  Wear them under a long, floating top with fun sandals for a lazy day outfit.  Want the ease of that 70′s boho style?  Wear a long printed dress under a motorcycle jacket, or pair it with a giant floppy sun hat while lazing about.  Need to add some brights to your blackblackblack wardrobe?  Try bright bags, or colorful print shoes.  Whatever trend you embrace, often the simplest way to make an outfit shine is to play off your own quirky personality.

How do you add a touch of your personality to your day-to-day style?

You guys know what that’s from – don’t even lie.  (I can hear Alicia over there cackling to herself…)

In a grand gesture of “I DO WHAT I WANT”, last night Scarlet bleached out sections of my hair framing my face and I took the plunge.  See, my hair is this mix of blue demi-permanent dye mixed with a purple-silver-black demi-permanent dye.  You can tell it’s this indigo color in bright sunlight, or – if I’ve got my hair pulled back, you might discover the tiny baby hairs around my face are blue.  When the color fades I mix a little Special Effects blue with my conditioner and my indigo color springs back to life.  That is, unless Scarlet has bleached out portions of my hair, which then turns this manic cobalt color.

I’ve always had hair color that isn’t my own (since I was … 14?) and I think it’s fun to play with color that way.  But it was always a red, auburn, sometimes the color of cherry cola… and then a few years back I lightened up and we put some orange into it.  My job at the time scoffed, but decided it wasn’t my whole head.  It was also a color close enough to real hair color, so that they left me alone.

And then we played with highlights…

And then I decided it should be pink – or at least partly so, in order to keep “the man” off my back about having an “interesting and unnatural” haircolor.  The hilarious thing about that was being called out at work – a passing comment in which our HR person told me, “Well it’s not like it’s blue or purple or green.  It’s close enough to real hair color so we won’t have to write you up.”

It never dawned on me until then that I could maybe be “less” if my hair was a strange color.  I mean, it’s not like the dye alters your brain.  The society we live in is more accepting of tattoos, piercings and things out of the ordinary, so why should I be written up for having HAIR that’s an interesting color.  Of all the things that could be “wrong” about me, as a person, you pick that?  Something as harmless as hair follicles.

Last night as we pulled the blue color through the bleached hairs, I thought back to that feeling.  I’m interviewing for some freelance/contract stuff right now and I wondered for a moment if having fun highlights in my hair might ruin my chances for work.  Because let’s face it – we still live in a world where “the man” can reprimand us for self expression.  So I may NOT get the job – regardless of whether or not I work harder than the next girl who doesn’t use bright colors in her hair.

I had a brief second of “O wow. What have I done?” and then I realized that I don’t want to work in a place that doesn’t accept me head to toe.  I will put my best work forward for that company that says “we don’t base your performance reviews on hair color”.  I realize that comes from a position of privilege – some people may not have the option of saying “I don’t want to work anywhere that doesn’t like my (unnatural) hair color, tattoos… etc”.  But I also think there has to be a way to approach these companies we work for and say, “Listen, I want to express myself this way – You know it doesn’t affect how I work for you”, without fear of reprimand.

And there’s a whole ideology behind that statement – “I whip my hair” is the power of individuality (that, or I’m reading too deeply into pop culture).  It’s the power of you over those who think they can keep you down.  Fear of individuality?  That’s no way to live.

What do you think?  Is your company cool with that? How do you handle self expression at work?

Last Friday, my good friend Mitzi invited me to the Nordstrom Spring Fragrance Festival.  It’s an amazing event – she promised me – with bubbles and snacks and all your favorite scents.  You try, and buy, and usually get a big bag of samples while you’re there.  Of course, it sounded like an interesting event and I had a couple scents in mind that I wanted to try, so I dolled up and hit the town.

I found out that there are a few rules when attending this event that one might follow if one is so inclined… Actually, we made these rules up for giggles (why so serious!?).

Fragrance Festival Rule One – you pay $25 to be there.  Therefore, we decided it’s equitable to drink at least 5 drinks and taste every snack that comes around to break even – even the rhubarb pastries.  (I don’t generally eat rhubarb, but these were pretty good.)  By the end of the night you’ll be having a hilarious time with the lady you met in the bathroom who totally just bought the Dior scent you’re wearing.  Or you could just purchase a yummy new scent and get your money back on the purchase!  Everybody wins.

Fragrance Festival Rule Two – Make best friends with the ultra stylish, very awesome guy who’s working the Chanel table – he has the hook up.  While they have the best scents, they don’t always offer gifts with purchase.  But because your Chanel guy is a sweetie, he may slip a trial size Chanel Rouge Coco lip color in Mademoiselle into your shopping bag if you pick up a bottle of N^o 5.  This is my new favorite lip color.  OH and did you know that the French government reports that a bottle of Chanel N^o 5 is sold every thirty seconds and generates sales of $100 million a year?  Also, he might let you set your bags down while you go retrieve another drink from the bar.

Fragrance Festival Rule Three – Are you a blogger?  Did you bring your camera?  Leave it in your bag.  I took ONE lousy photo.  LOUSY.  The lighting is no good… But the film grain on the Chanel bottles looks romantic, right? Trust me, don’t even try.  However, do carry cards because there are a million billion interesting people to talk to.  Also, you’re more interesting when you’ve got a drink in hand, right?  You know the bar is free?  (And it’s nice to discreetly tip your bartender).

I made this photo extra small so you couldn’t see the horrible lighting/graininess of the photo.

Fragrance Festival Rule Four – Try and buy.  But try it on a card… or spritzed in the air or… anywhere not on your bod. Trust me, if I had let them actually spritz me I might have hurled after about 10 minutes.  There’s a LOT of fragrance in that little room and you don’t want to spray something on you that might turn sour in an hour.  Oh, and if you think you like it?  Just put it in your bag (along with all the samples and free gifts).  You can sort it out later when you’re a little buzzed and trying to add up just how much cash that bag of pretty bottles is going to cost.

Fragrance Festival Rule Four… The Sequel – The one thing you DO want is that bag with the Donna Karan Cashmere deodorant in it because it’s hot, and you’ve been drinking, and I felt the need for an emergency application about halfway through the night.  I know nobody will notice, because you’re in a room full of perfume, but peace of mind is priceless.

Fragrance Festival Rule Five – Bartering… that might work?  Maybe if I retrieve a drink from the bar for this nice lady standing next to the Gucci table….

Rule Six – You’re never going to be able to use all the little samples you got, so share them with your friends!  Mitzi hands them out at parties (and I’m in the process of giving a bunch away).  Sending out gifts?  Great addition if you know someone’s signature scent.

So, tell me – whats your favorite scent?

I found this in my written archives and after reading through it, I thought the message was poignant.  At the same time, I’ve seen recent fashion shows – like Betsey Johnson – where REAL models walked the runway.  I’ve seen beauty ads – like Bobbi Brown – where real women are used.  And I sort of wonder – have fashion’s fictitious standards changed that much in the last few years?  Read on, and let me know!

–

There was an article in Newsweek asking what the media standard of super-thin models is doing to our society.  With the close of NYFW that February, Newsweek reported that an epidemic of slimness was on the rise again! They mentioned the symposium at Bryant Park on weight guidelines in the fashion industry – noting harrowing stories of models who were only allowed to eat “lethally small amounts of lettuce and Diet Coke“.  The article reports that, although the industry claims to be monitoring girls for unhealthy habits, designers are hesitant to impose minimum weight guidelines for catwalk models – Diane Von Furstenburg, most notably, saying weighing runway models would happen “over my dead body.”

(Img courtesy of NY Magazine)

The article pointed out the discrepancy between fashion models and the average woman.  On average, an American woman stands 5?4? at 155lbs, where the average model now boasts a height of 5?10? and weighs 23% less than that.  No wonder women today cling to fad diets and unhealthy eating habits that could eventually lead to more weight gain in the end.

(Img courtesy of LongStation.com and Amber Mac)

The models themselves can’t even keep up with their own images – the article notes that even after hours of hair and makeup styling, their photos go through hours of rigorous photo-manipulation to look perfect on the cover of popular fashion mags.  No wonder women feel a little outdone by runway and magazine models – their images are unreal.  They’ve had their freckles erased, every stray hair photoshopped into perfection, their legs and necks lengthened, their faces slimmed and realigned for symmetry, their nose shaped, their breasts lifted – and all of it is done through the click of some editor’s mouse.

(Img courtesy of Jezebel.com and David Airey)

In the end, these images we’re bombarded with on a daily basis may contribute to how we perceive ourselves.  In Dove’s “Real Truth About Beauty” study, Dr. Nancy Etcoff of Harvard University says:

“Only the minority of women see themselves as above average in appearance, and only 2% claim to be beautiful… Indeed, the study shows that women are less satisfied with their beauty than with almost every other dimension of life except their financial success.“

And Dr. Susie Orbach from the London School of Economics states,

“The overwhelming majority of women … [do not] wish to be excluded because they fail to find their beauty reflected in the images which bombard them, on average, in 2000 advertisements per week.… Beauty itself must be revitalized to reflect women in their beauty as they really are rather than as portrayed in the current fictions that dominate our visual culture.“

Indeed, the study did show that women feel that the ideal standard of physical attractiveness is almost impossible to obtain, and that weight and proportions are inextricably linked to that standard of beauty.

The best part of the Dove study was that women do consider beauty a combination of factors (including physical attractiveness).  Women do know that beauty is about who you are, not just how you look according to some fictitious standard set by the advertising industry – but with the continuing bombardment by mainstream media, we sometimes find it hard to believe.

Perhaps we are judging ourselves a little too harshly against some false standard set by people who want to sell us product.  The truth is, beauty IS on the inside as well as the outside.  If you feel good about yourself, and feel confident in your lifestyle and choices, that inner radiance will shine through.

It’s time we recognize the unrealistic standards our media and fashion industries set, and begin to love our selves, despite what anyone else thinks is beautiful.  Appreciate people (including yourself), not solely for their physical attractiveness, but for that beauty they possess that isn’t based on weight or proportion.

Sources:
Newsweek.  Why Skinny Models Could Be Making Us Fat.  Feb 28, 2007.
Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.  The Truth About Real Beauty: A Global Report. September 2004.

I was riding the bus downtown last weekend for lunch and some light window shopping. I had a window seat and a girl sat next to me. It wasn’t anything remarkable, until we passed a little house, with a sign for haircuts out front. The sign said “Haircuts, Men & Women: $40.00″.  I was surprised when she looked agape, and said to me, “Fourty bucks for a HAIRCUT!” as if the sign was some insult to her sensibilities.

$40 for a haircut… I looked at her, and wrinkled my face. Is that expensive, I wondered?  I spend a little more than that on mine and they’re worth it every time.  I learned long ago, from my fair share of shitty haircuts that it was worth it to spend the money for something so precise.  I wanted to ask how much this girl’s haircuts normally cost (to be frank it didn’t look like she’d had a trim in a while) – and the differences between what she considered essential and frivolous.

Where do you draw the line at the cost of beauty and what do YOU consider essentials to your routine or look?

I often dye my hair myself, if I’m in a solid color.  I do pay for professional dyes because they’re not as harsh, and the color holds better (and if you want to go from black to blonde, apparently it’s easier to do with professional color?).  I keep the color fresh with veggie dyes (Special Effects).  This, in itself, isn’t overly costly…

But then, sometimes, I get bored of the same old color and want something fun – I want to be pink or orange or fire engine red, and I don’t balk much at paying for that.  In that case, the price jumps considerably for a color and a cut.   Even if we do home hair, I still try to pay full price for a good cut and color if I can.  I still have no problem going to Vain and paying out $45 + tip for an amazing cut (because Scarlet at Vain only gives me amazing cuts).  Oh and let’s not forget, I have featherlocks in – and the price for feathers is continually climbing.

Does my choice in hair styles seem steep when you add up all the maintenance involved?  Is my vanity overriding my wallet by paying so much just so I love my look?  That’s what I started to wonder when this girl sounded so appalled that the price of a haircut could be around $40.  I felt conflicted about this because I’m on a limited budget.  I could go get hack-job haircuts for cheap, but I don’t.  And what if I wanted fairy hair?  Would I continue to spend the money on that?   The thing is –  I probably would.  Part of paring down my budget should be rethinking what I consider essential services that I spend money on, right?  But when it comes to that mess of hair, I have a hard time giving up the luxury.

I guess I consider that an essential part of me.  There are girls who say, “I’m broke, but I cannot give up my weekly manicures.”  I look down at my own sadly chipped nail polish and scoff.  But aren’t I doing the same thing, essentially?  I am still committed to playing around with my hair style, but the interaction definitely gave me something to think about. What do you think, readerland?  Would you pair down on hair color if you had to, or do you consider the money well spent?

Looking out my office window I can see as the sun comes up on the buildings in our neighborhood, some of them still clothed in shadow.  I feel like that’s what this coming fashion year will be for all us girls who loved, but are fatigued of the ultra minimal, paired down, “greige” looks that have splashed across all our favorite fashion mags for the last couple years.

Holly Spring 2011

Enter the sweeping, almost ballooning sillhouettes of fun frocks.  Enter long, lean and wide palazzo style pants.  Enter citrus, raspberry, orange crush.  Enter the flavors of summer and a look towards a brighter year.  Enter a little bit of sparkling excess, and a whole lot of fun…

Image via Refinery29

And in a word, can we just say we’re going to also strive to make this our best summer ever – not just on the outside but on the inside as well? Let’s start our own summer of love?  I know, I know, it seems a little late for a “this year let’s…” post, but with today being the second day of spring, and all, I’m feeling quite refreshed!

So, things we all love for the coming season!?  Mine are:

• Big fun wedges
• Bright color
• Crazy-big sun hats
• Oversized sunnies (again, still!)
• Volume (hair, dresses, music!)
• Vitamin D (orange colors, SUN!)
• 70′s inspiration
• Colorful vintage bags
• Oversize jewels

What’s on your list?

Psychedelic – Img via GalaDarling

I was flipping through titles at the book store the other day and something caught my eye.  In Entre Nous, the author Deborah Ollivier insists that French women have more “je ne sais quoi” than American women.

American women ask themselves, “How do I remake me/my wardrobe/my life…”

French women who possess that “je ne sais quoi“, ask themselves, “How do I make me/my wardrobe/my life more me?”

See what I did there?

Apparently, Parisian women are so much more intriguing and mysteriously seductive because they know who they are, without a doubt.  They work on building that character instead of pretending to be a different character.  They use that to their advantage, creating a world based around themselves; as a metaphor, “cultivating their inner garden”.   Let this strike a chord with you for a second.

Apparently, Parisian women continually work to refine themselves, not to change themselves, or to become something different like the rest of us spend so much time doing.  Ladies, don’t deny that sometimes we sit around, all starry-eyed, wishing we could be the next Mary-Kate, when instead we should be cultivating ourselves and refining our style to reflect exactly what it is that draws us to that image.

Know thyself.  Discover thyself.

These words ring out from every self-help and style book on the planet.  Yet we spend all our time and efforts trying to be different.  We try to be  unique, cool, interesting.  It’s cool to be special.  Individualism is the norm.  Maybe it’s not about trying to be a certain ideal of cool, but instead embracing that inner individual, that wonderful weird that we try to bury to be this and/or that.

Like the garden metaphor, the authors of Style Statement suggest we spend too much time “out there” (p45) – not working on what feels right, what feels like us, and what feels authentic.  We try too hard to be special, unique and ultimately cool.  We stray away from our “inner homes” wanting so badly to be more stylish, prettier, wanting to have more friends and be more of an influencer.  We invent these crutches to escape our inner home, confused by the mixed messages about who we are and who we should be.  When we’re confused about who we are, we latch onto ideals of beauty, weight, purchasing power that have nothing to do with, and little to no bearing on who we truly are, inside.

Style Statement’s authors simply say, “Style is an expression of personal truth – never without meaning” (p76).

I confess, I did pick up both books, because realizing I haven’t put that “je ne sais quoi” into words is like realizing I haven’t been serious about cultivating my inner-self.  I want to know how to make my life more “me”.  I don’t think I’ll learn it from a book per sé, but I feel like I’ll have an interesting perspective to start building my life, my way.

Today I’m spending a little bit of time meditating on that personal truth.  What is that overall theme that defines me, guides my life, draws me towards deco-inspired prints, futuristic shoes and crazy fur hats?  It’s not something that I’ve really thought of – even though I’ve spent time coming up with a style direction for the new year.  I’ve never stopped to think about the unifying “me-ness” of every thing I do, so I know exactly what part of me to cultivate.

Have any of you tried their method?  What did you think?

The scent you wear definitely has the power to attract, and just like my previous scent post, I ponied-up to try out some magnetic scents, known for attracting the object of your desire…

Gucci Flora

The tag says:

Gucci Flora is a subtle, sophisticated, floral fragrance inspired by princesses from the past, present, and future. The Flora Donna is a young, classic, and refined woman with the ‘Gucci edge’ of power and sensuality. The first Flora scarf was exclusively designed for Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966 and soon became one of the most popular Gucci icons. This scent is an expression of the Flora legacy. Its seductive layers mirror the playful details and bright colors that channel the heart of a fashion empire.

Flora smells like amber with a hint of brightness.  I found notes of sandalwood and roses, old world and old money.  Seductive it is not, however it is both elegant and natural as the packaging suggests.  I didn’t spray this scent directly on since it was fairly strong straight from the bottle – it made the Mr sneeze and is not for the faint of heart or the headache prone.  I thought it was a little predictable on a lady.  And mister confirmed that it smelled like old ladies – probably the peony and rose scents.  But there was something about the scent that seemed “irresistible”; just like that girl you fell in love with in Martha’s Vineyard last summer.  Gucci tried to balance the deep rose and amber scent with hints of powdery youth.  It’s reminiscent of the nearly-30 girl who carries Kate Spade totes, wears twin sets and relentlessly orders merlot with every meal (“It’s easy to drink, and it goes with everything!”).  It even seemed a little unisex after a few hours, and we wondered how the boys would take to wearing something made for the girls.

Versace Man Eau Fraiche

The tag reads:

This fresh, sexy interpretation of the Versace Man fragrance is a softer, more subtly sexy version of the original. Smooth fruits spiced with green leaves and warm notes of musk, amber, and sycamore wood, make this a scent for today’s more introspective man.

A “mens” smell, this fresh mix had notes of greenery and lush fruit over the musky man-scents. It’s a deep scent that won’t drive the object of your affection to tears by being over potent or cloying. The guys like how it smells on, the girls go nuts over the complex, but subtle scent. The words “chick-magnet” came to mind.  I say, yeah! If the chick magnet is a modern Hemingway or Ian Fleming with a soul full of burning, interesting and unanswered questions. You’ll like it.  For the ladies who’d like to try it, wear it out at night – possibly layered with something more floral for an intriguing and sultry mix.  The  softness and depth of the scent works on a true lady!