Tag Archives: mark

And My Scent Is….

27 Jun


Man, I am a writing slug. I will write blog posts every day for a week, and then disappear for a month. Of course, life has been ruling everything lately. I’ve had birthdays, holidays, my baby girl’s high school graduation, doctor appointments, car repairs, you name it. Right now, I’m watching an episode of “America’s Next Top Model” and Mr. Sassy is napping next to me. That is actually the best time to watch shows like that because Mr. Sassy says that engaging in the viewing of senseless reality shows just eats your brain. I’m not sure if he is right or not, but it gives me writing ideas and that in turn gives me blog ideas, which helps me on my dream of being a big-time writer someday. So we’ll just call this reality college. Nice.

Today on ANTM, the contestants had to choose a fragrance with notes that represented them and their personality. And that got me to thinking: If I had to create a perfume that represented me, what would it be like? What notes would it contain? What would the bottle look like? And WHAT would I name it??

So let’s go through these questions. First, what would it smell like? Well, I probably own over 25 different perfume scents right now. I wear something different every day. Depends on my mood. But there are some things I know I don’t like in my fragrances. I don’t like heavy notes of musk, and I don’t like heavy notes of rose. I like things that smell light and fresh. With that being said, my perfume would most likely have floral notes of magnolia, peony, jasmine, apple blossom and/or gardenia. To keep it fresh, I would add hints of things like berries, pear, peach, mandarin or other citrus notes. Of course, I would want some under notes of vanilla or caramel for a bit of warmth. I’m sure if you checked, all the fragrances in my collection would have one, two or more of the aromas I like. Now even I know that all of those scents I like, mixed together, would probably smell like muck, but with the right guidance and noses, I’m sure I could blend up something that would be to my liking.

Now, the packaging. I vowed if I ever made it famous, the color pink would NOT be on anything with my name. I’m sticking to that. It’s hardly in my wardrobe, and almost never on my lips. I think I would want something that catches the light… a narrow bottle that is made from yellow glass that lightens as it tapers down. And the cap? Hmmm. I’m a fan of silver and I love disco music, so I think I would want to top to be in the shape of a mirrored disco ball. Bright fading yellow bottle with a disco ball cap. I’m liking this so far.

Oh, onto the name. I thought that would be the hardest. I could call it “814” which is my anniversary. Hubby would like that. I think. With the disco ball cap, I could go 70’s and call it “Le Chic”, “Stayin’ Alive” or “Superstition” but young kids wouldn’t have a clue to the references. I could be a wiseass and call it “Stink Pretty” showing my humorous side, but I could see me having difficulty getting stores like Saks or Macys to carry it.

Then it hit me. Duh! I’d call it “Sassy”. I mean, that IS me! It would be exactly like its name… fun, light, and sassy for daytime wear and also warm, sexy and sensual for evening. Versatile-just like me. I mean I am the girl who can wear a pair of $700 shoes with a pair of thrift store jeans and consignment shop sweater and you’d never know! I would have a fine, silver chain that hung off the bottle with a tag that said “Sassy” so you’d know the name of the perfume, and have an interactive bottle to play with. So unique. Damn I’m good.

I think I will go play around with my picture programs and design my bottle right now. Who knows, maybe someday you’ll be able to buy “Sassy” at a store near you. Until then, though, I suggest you pick up and try one of my favorite scents that I really like. Out of all the perfumes/scents that I own, these are definitely some of my faves:


  • Viva la Juicy by Juicy Couture
  • Dior J’Adore by Dior
  • Stella by Stella McCartney
  • Coach Poppy by Coach
  • Daisy by Marc Jacobs
  • Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift
  • Michael Kors by Michael Kors
  • Pink Chiffon by Bath & Body Works
  • Ibiza Sol by mark
  • Someday by Justin Bieber
  • BCBGMAXAZRIA by BCBGMAXAZRIA



So share with me….. what are your favorite scents? Do you have a “signature scent” or do you have many that you coordinate with your style of the day or the occasion of the night? Have YOU ever thought about making your own perfume? And what would you call it?

Advertisement

Marvelous Finds In March

14 Apr

My husband just asked me what today’s date was. I honestly had to pull up the calendar app on my iPhone because, frankly, I had no clue. Time seems to have stood still for me because no matter what I am writing—a check, a bill, a letter, a gym excuse my for my kids—I have been putting down “March” on everything. Then it dawned on me when my husband had me check today’s date that I had been writing the wrong date for several weeks. Maybe it is because it just doesn’t feel like spring too much here in Upstate New York yet. Maybe it’s because all of the days feel the same to me lately. My guess? If I refuse to write the real date, life will slow down. Yeah, well, not so much.

So since I am already two weeks behind for all of my April writings, I figured I better chime in quick with my awesome March discoveries before I get them confused with April’s. If I don’t watch myself, I will be writing that my latest fashion find in July was a pair of cashmere gloves. Without further adieu, here are a couple of things that I added to my glamour and fashion collection during March that you may want to look into as well:

1. Grape Seed Oil— I have never hid the fact that I think that several natural oils are fabulous for medicinal, nutritive and moisturizing purposes. Grape seed oil is derived when the light oil is extracted from the seeds of several different kinds of grapes. Mainly, the seeds left over from making wine are used for this purpose. It is wonderful when the oil is used for cosmetics and skin care because the natural anti-oxidants and age-fighting properties found in grapes then get transferred directly onto the skin. Grape seed oil has a built-in astringent quality so it is great for naturally tightening the skin. It also contains linoleic acid which is known for cell repair and renewal, keeping skin at its most youthful state. And finally, because it is a lightweight oil, it is easily and quickly absorbed into the skin providing excellent moisturization—even around the delicate eye area—without clogging pores. I now use grape seed oil every night before bed to moisturize my face and neck, with a little shot on my cuticles as well. My skin has never been so soft and smooth! Available at most supermarkets in the organic oils section

2. NYC (New York Color) Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil— A while back, I had found a great sharpen yourself eyeliner that I insisted would be the pencil I would use for the rest of my life. It wasn’t a big, well-known brand and I could only get it at one store locally. Yeah, well, that changed when I saw the display with my eyeliners in it wearing a big “Clearance” sign on it last month. Damn. Time to start hunting once again. While shopping at my local Wal-Mart one day, I saw a big display for the NYC brand. They had an extensive variety of products and colors at a price that was more than reasonable. I liked the fact they had a waterproof eyeliner that was the kind you sharpen yourself, which is the only kind I will use. After using it only once, I knew it was my new favorite liner. It was soft, easy to apply, and had superb stay power. The color was true and still sharp and strong even when it was time to take it off at night! For those who like these kind of liners, this is a must try. Available at many local retails for less than $4

3. mark Save The Day Anti-Acne Concealer Stick— I wish I could take the credit for discovering this item, but all the love has to go to my daughter. She has often asked me if I knew of any acne-treatment companies that also made a concealer that would hide a stubborn pimple while treating it as well. To be honest, it really wasn’t my department. I am the queen of the dry skin, not really a breakout princess. But after doing a bit of research, I saw that mark. had a product that was just what she was looking for. Not only does the concealer stick contains 2% salicylic acid to treat the culprit, but it also comes in four medium-coverage, buildable shades. This little item has become a cult favorite with her friends as all of them love how it hides and treats little flare ups at the same time. Available at Avon.com and through local Avon representatives for $6.

4. Steve Madden’s Shelbi Wedge Sandal— Okay, here’s the story behind this purchase: I had won a gift card from DSW during the holidays. I thought it would be fun to buy a pair of peep-toed boots when they went on sale after the holidays. When the pair I liked arrived at my house, I realized I didn’t like them at all. By this point, it was March and the thought of buying boots was silly and I knew I really should look for a pair of sandals instead. So I went to my local DSW store, returned the boots, and tried on anything and everything that caught my eye. Originally I shied away from wedges because… well…. they just didn’t jazz me. HA! That was until I tried on these little cuties! The heel isn’t too high (2” stacked wedge), they were comfortable as heck and they looked chic and stylish! I grabbed a pair in black. The weather around here finally allowed me to wear them for a full day this week. My feet loved them as much as my eyes. A perfect shoe to wear with jeans, capris or shorts! I love them so much, I think I’ll grab them in the color taupe sometime in the near future. Available at DSW retail stores and DSW.com for $49.95



I think I can finally say that spring is beginning to show itself after a long, hard winter. People are breaking out their bright colors, packing up the heavy sweaters and coats, and everyone is sporting the fashions and glamour of the new season. But as April evolves, are we serious when we say that the dark, cold gloom that hung its head over us for so long must surely gone? Well, if we listen to the gospel of the late Leslie Nielsen from the ever-popular movie Airplane, we would believe it one hundred percent:

“I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley.”