Several months ago, I went to the National Portrait Gallery and enjoyed a beautiful exhibit featuring women artists who spent time in Paris during the first half of the 20th century. however this exhibit was not the only one that caught my eye while at the national portrait gallery. Not very far from one of the main entrances was a hallway devoted to the glamorous photos of Hollywood stars taken by George Hurrell. His work perfectly captures both the beauty and mystery of these stars of the Hollywood Golden Age. Here are some of my favorite photos from the exhibit. Enjoy!
This photo of the radiant Jean Harlow greeted visitors to the corridor of photographs
Background information on Hurrell
Dashing Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
This is one of my favorite photos of Gypsy Rose Lee
While in London earlier this year, I finally got to dine at Fait Maison, a beautiful restaurant that is perfectly Instagram-able (picturesque at every turn) and has an incredible menu. The restaurant has a menu that features French-Khaleeji cuisine. It was busier than I like (quieter meals in more spacious settings is my preference) but beautiful, popular restaurants are rarely quiet.
For my brunch, I enjoyed the Balaleet and the Fattoush Salad. The Balaleet featured sweetened saffron noodles that reminded me a bit of chopped up rice vermicelli (I’m not sure what kind of noodle was used: I didn’t ask). The noddles were topped with crumbled pistachios and a few beautiful dried rosebuds. The combination of sweet, savory and earthy was divine. The Fattoush Salad was an intoxicating blend of lettuce, pomegranate molasses, fresh mint, sumac, and pomegranate seeds, served in a crisp flat bread bowl that the server crushed together tableside, before serving it to me. I wish I got a picture before the crushing happened: the presentation both before and after was stunning. This salad continued the sweet/savory/earthy theme, but also added a bit of tart brightness with the pomegranate. Both dishes tasted heavenly. With my meal, I enjoyed some tea and leaned into my people watching hobby: this location is perfect for viewing beautiful people enjoying their beautiful lives.
My serving of delicious balaleet
My Fattoush salad
Fait Maison is such a fresh interpretation of vintage French-inspired dining. A meal here is like eating in a Rococo fantasy: the tables, wall art, and other interior design touches all create a dazzling effect that perfectly presents the Euro/Arabian style fusion that carries through the menu. I relished this experience and I can’t wait to return, so I can dine at some other locations and try some more of Fait Maison’s offerings!
One of my favorite ways to embrace and engage my senses is to wear perfume pretty much every day. I’m always curious about trying new scents: I’m fascinated with how various notes interact with one another, and then how they combine with my own chemistry to create a personal scent signature. A recent trip to Ulta introduced me to Eilish No. 2: a warm, earthy fragrance that’s unlike anything else I’ve ever tried.
Eilish No. 2 is the second in Billie Eilish’s collection of scents, and this one did not disappoint. I smelled the first perfume she released (Eilish Eau de Parfum) and, while I enjoyed it, I didn’t feel confident that the scent would give me the wear time and sillage I desired. I like my fragrances to last a long time but also to project a bit, so I can be enveloped in my preferred scent. Though the first Eilish scent didn’t seem like it would fit my criteria, Eilish No. 2 impressed me right away. I love how this scent has depth but isn’t the typical spicy amber or gourmand: it’s warm and woody, a striking balance between earthiness and sweetness that I’ve rarely experienced. The notes for this scent are as follows:
Top: Bergamot, Apple blossom
Mid: Black pepper, Papyrus, Poppy
Base: Palo santo, Ebony, Vanilla
One look at these scents and you can see what I mean: dry spiciness (courtesy of the black pepper) crisp, fresh slightly tart top notes, and the warm woody base that is sweetened just a bit with a vanilla that is neither syrupy nor sickly. I wore this scent and it lasted all day, and the sillage was fantastic. I loved it! Here’s my video reviewing Eilish No. 2:
This is one of my favorites! I got the 1.0 fl oz (30 mL) size for $52 USD. It’s a bit heavier than I usually wear during the summer months, so I’ll be putting this one away until the cool weather returns. If you’re looking for something different, this one may be worth checking out!
Fresh, clean, easy to wear: of course it was only a matter of time before I bought and reviewed Skin Musk by Parfum de Coeur. As someone that LOVES musk fragrances (like Musk Rose by Al Rehab and Diptyque Fleur De Peau [review coming soon!]), I was compelled to buy this classic perfume. I remember seeing this scent in drugstores and Kmart when I was young, and, as it turns out, it had been around for a long time before I was born (it launched in 1975). Nearly 50 years into its existence, it finally made its way into my review rotation!
I expected this oil to have a straightforward history, but as it turns out, the fragrance’s backstory is a bit muddled. Skin Musk was originally released by Bonne Bell, and at some point the scent was made by Prince Matchabelli (the company that I remember from my youth). At this point, I’m not clear on whether Prince Matchabelli still makes this scent, or if the company that currently makes Skin Musk – Parfums de Coeur – is the sole producer. Aside from the manufacturing history, the formulation itself has changed, and there are plenty of dissatisfied users that have commented on the thicker consistency and slightly more complex notes present in the original version. While there are plenty of discussions online that debate the current iteration of the scent and how true it is to the original version, I decided to just stick with and review the recent version.
I ordered the fragrance on Amazon, and I eagerly tried it when I got my bottle. I took off the cap and I was immediately hit by the familiarity of the scent: I couldn’t place it at first, but then it occurred to me. This scent was quite popular when I was younger (definitely ubiquitous) and I’m sure I was often in the presence of people wearing it. More impressive, however, was how much this scent reminded me of my mother. That’s when it occurred to me: Skin Musk was just like Egyptian Musk (the popular oil available at many incense seller stands and beauty supply stores) but without the light spiciness.
I wore this all day and it lasted beautifully. It wasn’t overwhelming: it remained soft and powdery, but with just a touch of base to it (the sandalwood in this formula is elegant and not too woody). The sillage is lovely, and this is the perfect scent to wear when you want something tasteful, pretty and not too aggressive. It’s a perfectly polite fragrance. I love it!
Here’s my review of Skin Musk on YouTube:
Have you tried this lovely fragrance before? I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!
Perfumes have really been a mood lifter for me recently, and I’m so happy that I’ve had this very long streak of delightful scent purchases. I’m always interested in fragrances that can tell a story, and this lovely one is no different.
I got Rare Vanilla Blossom by Jones New York from Marshall’s last year, and what a buy this was! The bottle is substantial – 3.4 fluid ounces, or 100 mL- and it only cost $12.99 USD, Because this came from a discount store, I cannot guarantee you’ll be able to find it for the same price, but it is available at Walmart.com, so if you’re interested, you can pick it up from there.
I’ll share the notes, how long I could smell it on my skin, and overall first impressions. Here are the notes as listed by Walmart:
Mandarin & lemon blossom
Jungle lily & Vanilla bouquet
Musk & Brown Sugar
I was excited to see that musk and vanilla are some of the notes in here, but my excitement turned to something much . . . milder. While I could pick up on the musk and vanilla, the brown sugar was the most prominent note to my nose. If you don’t like gourmands, avoid this one: there isn’t enough lily or musk to balance against the sweetness of the vanilla and brown sugar. However, if you love gourmands, this may be a scent worth checking out!
I found that I had to reapply this a couple of times. I understand going “nose blind”, but this was not the case, and I wasn’t surprised: I generally don’t get fantastic wear time from any vanilla perfume unless I layer generously with complementary products. So, I tried wearing it alone, and I also tried layering it, and it still didn’t last very long. I was a bit discouraged that I didn’t get significant wear time, but I am realistic about value for dollars, and for the price, I’m not surprised it didn’t last as long as I prefer. Fortunately, this bottle has a lot of product, so you can spray a lot and it will take a while before you exhaust your supply.
I loved that this came is a lovely, heavy glass bottle and it looks elegant on my vanity. It has very luxurious packaging: my weakness! It smelled cozy, like warm baked goods, and does a great dance between timid and syrupy sweet. Because it’s so gourmand forward, I would wear it more during the cooler months than in the summer. However, vanilla and brown sugar are fairly versatile notes, so if you really enjoy this scent profile, it can easily be worn during the warmer months, too. I enjoyed it, though I wouldn’t purchase again (it just didn’t suit my personal scent preferences). I’d also gift this to some of my family or friends that enjoy smelling like caramel candies.
If you want to see my video review on this, here you go:
That’s it for Jones New York’s Rare Vanilla Blossom? Do you have it? What do you think of it? I’d love to hear your comments!
Last year, there was a huge TikTok trend that promoted Al Rehab’s Choco Musk perfume as the IT fragrance for the IT girls. I never enjoyed being a slave to trends, so I usually avoid them like the plague. However, my YouTube channel features a ton of fragrance reviews, so I figured I’d learn more about Al Rehab and figure out what’s the big deal with their perfumes. I had to know for myself: are Al Rehab scents worth trying?
As it turns out, Al Rehab is a company under the Al Rashad parent brand based in Ohio. According to the Al Rashad website, the Al Rehab perfumes are sourced from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The products feature both concentrated oil (alcohol free) formulations, as well as denatured alcohol in the spray formulas. The sprays are determined to be halal (approved for use by Muslim customers). The company has a wide range of scents in both spray and rollerball dispensers. I checked the Al Rashad website, as well as Amazon and Fragrantica, to see reviews and fragrance notes for some of the most popular scents available through the Al Rehab brand. Most of the reviews were overwhelming positive, and the fragrance notes had me intrigued.
After doing a far more exhaustive than expected level of research, I purchased several scents from the line. I got 5 fragrances: Dalal, Dehn Al Oud, Musk Rose, Sabaya and Soft. I purchased three of them – Dalal, Dehn Al Oud and Sabaya – in a gift set, but the set is no longer available (it is still possible to purchase them, just separately). You may have noted that Choco Musk was not one of my purchases: while I thought it could be a nice fragrance to have in my rotation, I wasn’t convinced that I wanted to wear such a popular scent right now. Also, I’m a little picky about my gourmand fragrances: anything too “sweet” smelling tends to annoy me. So I decided to focus on the scents that seemed to fit my typical preferences, and I’ll review Choco Musk on another day.
I wore each of these fragrances and, though the scents vary wildly in their notes, I did notice a few things that each of Al Rehab’s perfumes had in common:
Insanely affordable. Each of the perfumes I bought were from Amazon, and they cost less than $8 each. In fact, the price of the trio gift set (Dalal, Dehn Al Oud and Sabaya) averaged out to $4 USD per roller ball. The “priciest” of the fragrances I bought was Soft at $5.20 USD! On the Al Rashad website, the prices are similar, landing somewhere between $5 USD and $8 USD per fragrance. I didn’t do the all of the math to compare these perfume prices to some of the other “bargain” perfumes I’ve tried (comparing cost per ounce seemed specious, especially once you read the next bullet point). But, as far as the costs of getting new fragrances goes, the financial investment is quite low.
Minimal product application needed. Since these scents are concentrated, I used a light hand to apply them, and I could easily smell the various top, mid and base notes of the fragrance while wearing them. Sometimes, when I purchase a “bargain” perfume, I have to apply liberally or pair with other products (like companion body washes, oils or lotions) in order to get a “sense” of the fragrance. That is not necessary with Al Rehab: dabbing a bit on the pulse points is sufficient to experience the complexities of the perfume. Which leads to my next point . . .
Lovely sillage. These fragrances will get compliments, even when applied lightly. You don’t have to ask anyone, “How do I smell?”: if they aren’t congested, they will pick up on your fragrance easily. Consider this when applying: you may want to use significantly less if you’re going to the office or any other space where heavy perfume is not encouraged. For what it’s worth, the scents themselves aren’t “heavy”, but a heavy application can take them from lovely and fairly perceptible to bold and impossible to ignore. But what good is great sillage on its own? The sillage is always best when it’s paired with . . .
Incredible wear time. Full disclosure: while each of these scents can be purchased as a spray, I chose to do the concentrated rollerball dispenser for each. I wanted to ensure that the dispensers and, hopefully, the formulation, for the perfumes were fairly equal. I applied these in the morning and could easily smell them 8 to 12 hours later. NONE of these scents faded on me. I don’t consider myself someone that struggles to keep a fragrance vivid on my skin; however, there have been times where I applied a lovely perfume that has completely vanished within 4 or 6 hours. I generally expect about 1 hour of wear time for every $20 USD I spend on a fragrance. If I purchase a perfume for $100 USD, I expect to be able to detect it on my hair, clothing and (hopefully!) my skin in 4 or 5 hours. If I spend more, I expect the scent to last longer. For scents that are less than $20 USD per bottle, I fully expect that I will need to reapply every hour or so. Imagine my surprise when these $5(!) scents lasted all day. I wish other perfumers would take notes!
So, I’m back to the question I posed earlier: are Al Rehab’s perfumes live up to the hype? I can confidently say “YES!” I’m still in awe of how the company manages to offer such lovely, high-performing scents for such a nominal cost. In any case, I won’t look the gift horse in the mouth: I’m thankful for Al Rehab, and I won’t question how they do it! My most recent video is a review of Al Rehab’s Soft: you can check it out here. I’ve also embedded the video below. If you are interested in the other four reviews, they are linked in the cards as well as below the embedded video:
Instead of making lengthy posts about every single thing I did in 2023, I decided I should just give you a high level overview of each month, and save the long posts for some of the highlights. Without further ado, here’s my 2023:
January – I went to see “Wicked” for the first time, and I started tinkering with generative AI. My prompts are so much better than they used to be. I made time for self care, and enjoyed the beginning of the year.
March – I did First Friday at the Library of Virginia, and I volunteered behind the scenes with a local aerial arts company. My daughter performed in the aerial production of Alice in Wonderland.
April – I turned my attention to my yard: spring had sprung, and I needed to identify what was growing wild outside. I started experimenting with cashew cheese recipes, and we officially celebrated the end of “Alice in Wonderland” season with a cast party. At the end of the month, we did a quick getaway to Tysons Corner VA, where my daughter enjoyed a day at American Girl Place.
May – I continued to improve my generative AI prompting, and planned for my end-of-the month trip. I spent a week in St Lucia, sunning and getting eaten alive by the sand mites. The trip to St Lucia will be its own post, because the location was heavenly and the accommodations were perfection.
June – My jasmine bush bloomed, and all was right with the world. I attended a gala event for a local nonprofit, and had a fantastic time. The rest of my flowers started to bloom, and I was on cloud 9! This was the first year that my hydrangea bush had blooms, so it was an especially exciting season!
July – I tried some new (to me) perfumes, and spent a fun day with friends in DC. And, I went to London and Edinburgh! These cities deserve their own set of posts, so look out for those soon.
August – My birthday month! No travel, but I did have a great dinner with someone special. I also visited the Mansion at O Street museum in Washington DC with one of my friends.
September – Besame Cosmetics launched the Ella Fitzgerald collection, and I was too excited to try it. I ended the month in New York City, tooling around at the Museum of Modern Art, The Brandy Library, and Patent Pending (this too will be its own post).
October – A trip to Atlanta was just what I needed as the weather started to turn from warm to cool. I went to the Highland Games, which included a whisky tasting and the Tartan Ball. FWIW I did not wear a tartan, but I did have a splendid time.
November – I did the highland games in central Virginia, because Scottish events in my backyard cannot be missed! I returned to London for a week, and had an amazing time.
December – A quiet month: the perfect way to end a busy year.
And that’s my 2023 in a nutshell! Look out for some longer posts in the near future, with LOTS more pictures and some fun ideas for how to best experience some of the places I went. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all soon!
More style chat! I’m still doing a deep dive into the Four Essence System as developed by Rita (of Style Thoughts by Rita).
The video I’m referencing for this post describes four tools within the system. These tools are used to clarify where individuals fall within the system, by interpreting who they are, how they look and their style process. The third tool of the system (tool 1 and tool 2 have their own posts) is style logic, which examines the style process itself. The logic portion of the video starts around 5:10.
Rita mentions style logic, specifically, how you think about style. So I decided to personalize this, and ask myself how I think about style.
This touches on my, “process for shopping, putting outfits together, and getting dressed”. This is all about how the effort involved with shopping and styling myself show up in the real world. If I enjoy complicated, almost ritualistic approaches to shopping and styling myself, then laid-back clothing is a fundamental mismatch. Likewise, if I prefer quick, uncomplicated, casual shopping and styling, then formal, effort-ful ensembles won’t match my energy.
According to Rita, Right Essence has “Inspiration from outside; a conceptual approach”. Meanwhile, the Up Essence highlights “Emphasis on external impact, and deliberate, lookbook approach”. The result of combining Right and Up is “Situation-focused, Conceptual, Deliberate”. As someone who has a Right-Up Essence, my style logic needs to have a good bit of effort, some ritual, and an intentional effect when completed. I’m fortunate: my style logic matches my clothing and styling approach (for the most part). Even my casual clothing tends to look like I’ve put a good deal of effort into it (because I have!) I select my clothing, makeup and hairstyle with care, and it shows, even when I’m dressed down a bit.
Alternatively, understanding my style logic can help me determine when I’m choosing clothing and styling options that do not match my essence. I’ve actually found myself hurriedly getting dressed, and realizing that my ensemble falls flat because it needs a little extra effort. So I’ll reach for an accessory or two, a more elegant pair of shoes, or even a striking coat, to give my outfit the polish it needs to look like I put more effort into it. If it looks like it took me only a few minutes to get ready, then that’s my cue that I need to do MORE, if I want to look like my Right Up self. When I do less, I noticed that no one comments on how good my casual-chic outfit looks (even if I took 45 minutes to tousle my hair or to look less formal and more chill), but when I look like put in just a bit more effort (even if it only took me 15 minutes, it should LOOK like it took me an hour or two), everyone I see will mention how great I look (go figure!)
Understanding your style logic goes a long way in determining whether you’re in harmony with your essence. I’m thankful for this great explanation of style logic – and the other tools – as used within the Four Essence System!
We’re discussing Style Thoughts by Rita’s Four Essence System again, because I’m fascinated by how this system explains the energy and soul behind personal style. There are four tools within the Four Essence System (I’ve already discussed tool # 1 here). Today, I’m on to Tool # 2 – Archetypes. The section of the video that broadly talks bout archetypes is found at minute 3:33.
Anyway, I’m exploring archetypes that fit my Right-Up essence. This quadrant contains women that tend to have a regal energy, that can run the gamut from intimidating to adorable. The keywords for Right-Up women that resonated most with me were Luminous, Refined, The Sun, Effort, Persona and (in my mind) Glamorous. Building upon those keywords, I took a look at the archetypes to see where I fit in. Fortunately for me, Rita has already posted a video explaining the five archetypes within the Right-Up quadrant.
The archetypes for this quadrant are the Role Model, the Icon, the Priestess, the Power, and the Playful Dame/Princess. I knew, immediately, that the Playful Dame/Princess did not suit me: I don’t have the girlish energy needed to pull off this archetype. The next archetype I struck off of my list is the Power: while I do feel energetically powerful, I don’t think this is an energy that I project well out into the world. My friendly Southern nature makes it hard to have the intimidation needed to embody this archetype well.
The process of elimination left me between two archetypes: the Icon and the Priestess. I most resonate with Icon, because there is a level of mystery and ceremony with the Priestess that doesn’t suit my personality and energy. When describing the Icon, Rita says, “Her style is an extension of her mission in the world”, and, “the main thing […] is this willingness to be seen and have this comfort with your power”. As someone who has studied personal style and is constantly implementing strategies to refine and perfect the image I want to communicate to others, I can confirm that I use my style as a calling card for my mission, and I also use it as a support when communicating who I am to others.
In short, the Icon is ME! I love this archetype and I enjoyed how Rita emphasizes that the celebrity examples she uses in her videos aren’t there to show anyone “what to wear” for their archetype, but to determine the role that personal style plays in their lives. It’s this desire to understand how style supports us that drives the need to uncover our archetypes, and I’m thankful that Rita has created such great content that explains these things in depth.
That’s all for today. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!
The first tool Rita mentions is keywords. Keywords allow us to laser focus on the elements of the essence, without getting lost in minutia. These also function as a compass of sorts, constantly guiding users to the heart of the effect they are trying to create through style. The keywords for my essence are as follows:
For Right women: Dreamy, Radiant, Inspiring, Luminous, Refined, The Sun, The Ice Queen
For Up women: Intimidating, Effort, Extravagant, Persona, Glamorous, Mysterious
The words that resonate with me were Luminous, Refined, The Sun, Effort, Persona and (in my mind) Glamorous. I started comparing these words against some of the things that I own, and whatever doesn’t make the cut, was placed into a giveaway (charity) bag. It was a simple metric for seeing which items suited me, and which ones are not harmonious with my style vision.
There are a lot of great keywords mentioned in the video that can help calibrate your style approach, so you can make choices that resonate with your core style ID. I loved experimenting with the many ways that keywords show up in my style. It also exposed ways that I’m falling short of my style vision, too.
That’s all my friends! What keywords from the video suit your style?
Bronze Butterfly 