Browsing Category: Scents

Musings about perfumes, colognes, and other beauty-related aromas

LUST-HAVE LIST: December 2022

LUST-HAVE LIST: December 2022

LUST-HAVE LIST: December 2022 | STAINED COUTURE

Happy Holidays! It’s the last month of 2022 and I’m ready to wrap it up! LOL Nothing bad or detrimental has happened this year, but I just love the fresh start of a new year.

As for this month, I’m actually feeling a little more festive this year than past years. I even put my tree up this past weekend and planning to buy some decorations this weekend. As usual, this month’s Lust-Have List is basically my Christmas wishlist and I’m going to try to get them all. Yes, even if I have to dig in my wallet, too.

Keep reading to see the items that I’m wanting this month and year for Christmas!

LUST-HAVE LIST: December 2022

  • Black & Decker Cordless Handheld Vacuum – One Consumer Reports top rated handheld vacuums. Asking for a cordless vacuum for Christmas is peak adulting, but this is a need. This is the only gift that I asked my sister and brother in-law to get me this year. So, I feel confident I will be vacuuming with this beauty in 2023.
  • REPLICA By The Fireplace perfume – I recently treated myself to the Sephora Perfume sampler set, which features samples of their top seller perfumes. It also comes with a certificate so that you can get a full size of any of the scents. This scent by REPLICA was in there, but I opted for different scent. However, this is the perfect warm vanilla perfume and I want it so bad.
  • Rice Dispenser – This is definitely a “TikTok made me want it” item. Not only is this functional, it would look great on any kitchen counter. I’m West African and Mexican, which means rice is life.
  • ORLY GELFX Builder in a Bottle Kit – I’ve been trying other gel nail builders, but the ORLY GELFX is still the best one I’ve tried. So, I hope I can get one of my Santas to get another kit for me.
  • ME Manifesters Satin Jacket – I’ve been wanting a satin bomber style jacket for awhile and this one by Melody Ehsani is just right. Lowkey obsessed with this!
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EMPTIES: October 2022

EMPTIES: October 2022

EMPTIES: October 2022 | STAINED COUTURE

October felt really long, which I think helped me used up a lot of products. Of course, that doesn’t make sense, but I still used up a nice amount of products. So, please keep reading to see which products I emptied out last month.

First up, I have to start with this bottle of Donna Karen Cashmere Mist, which I scored on sale back during the pandemic. Back in mid-to-late 2020, I found some really good deals, including this bottle which I paid about $20. Nice. However, the price wasn’t the only reason I got – this is one of my favorite winter scents. Cashmere Mist is a warm fragrance that has floral, jasmine and vanilla notes. Plus, it was one of my mom’s favorite scents, which also makes me think I will buy this again.

Honestly, I can’t say enough about how Olaplex has really helped my hair over the past couple of years. In the past, I didn’t consistently used it, but I would notice some good changes. However, this past summer and early fall, I was using it at least once a week – mostly twice. The combination of washing my hair twice a week with Olaplex definitely helped my color-treated hair grow. Even my co-worker pointed it out to me. I’m an Olaplex girl now and I’ve already bought and started using a new set of Olaplex shampoo and conditioner. Not to mention, the Olaplex hair oil is superior, too.

The next item is Bliss Makeup Melt, which I did buy as a quick fix. I usually use the Dermaflage Makeup remover, which is an oil cleaser. Although I tend to prefer oil cleansers, I did enjoy this cleansing melt. It has a jelly texture and did do a pretty good job melting and removing makeup.  My waterproof mascara gave it a hard time, but it still did a decent job. What I didn’t like was having to remove it, because it didn’t easily rinse off. I had to actually use a face wash to make me feel like it was removed. Still, I would buy it again…IF there wasn’t an oil cleanser available.

I’d been wanting to try some scents from Mix Bar, which is only found at Target. On an impulse, I picked up the Sparkling Hibiscus body and hair mist on initial sniff. The scent was floral, but juicy thanks the mixing of hibiscus and bergamont. I use body sprays like they are meant to be worn – on your skin. I sprayed it on as soon as I hop out the shower, which means I didn’t smell it. However, I did love the scent enough that I will probably buy the perfume version next summer.

Another beauty brand exclusive to Target is Jozi Curls, which caters to all different types of curly hair. I picked up a couple of their products to give it a try, which included their Jozi Curl Refresher spray. Jozi Curls is a clean brand that’s vegan and sustainable. Honestly, the refresher spray was alright and pretty similar to most curl refreshers. I tried to use it as a detangler, which was nice since it helps smooth the hair as well. Unfotunately, I don’t think I’ll buy this again.

The COSRX Snail Mucin moisturizer is too good! The perfect daily moisturizer that helps soften skin and keeps it glowing. So, obviously, I will be buying this again!

The last 2 products are eye products – a newbie and throwback. I’m a liquid eyeliner girl and I’d been wanting to try the Benefit Roller Liquid Liner. I got the mini option to give a test run, which I’m glad I did. Although this liner claims to be waterproof – it wasn’t. It started to smudge within an hour. So disappointing!

Next up is an oldie that I hadn’t bought in years, but glad I picked it up a few months ago. This Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser concealer had late 20s and early 30s me in a chokehold. When bright undereyes and “baking” became a thing, this was my go-to concealer. Thankfully, it’s still really good and I will buy it again.

Have you tried any of the products in this EMPTIES post? Share below.

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What’s In My Sephora Cart

September is my birthday month! Yes, I am one of those people that live for collecting all my free birthday gifts from stores that offer. One store’s birthday gift that I’m always looking forward to is Sephora. I love that they have deluxe samples of best sellers and options! I love options! Although I’m not which Sephora birthday gift 2022 I want, there are some items in my Sephora Cart waiting on me.

SEPHORA CART: Birthday Month | STAINED COUTURE

Keep reading to see what items are currently in my Sephora shopping cart, which I’m planning to purchase as a gift to me!

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Layering Scents w/ Demeter Fragrances

I’m a scent girl! I love scents – for home and body – and this includes perfumes. A few months, I received a few options from Demeter Fragrances and have been enjoying them. The scents are great on their own, but they are also perfect for layering.

Demeter Fragrances | STAINED COUTURE

If you want to find out more about each and which scents I like to layer them with – keep reading.

My favorite types of scents are clean scents, because they tend to enhance the natural scent of your skin. So, the first scent I picked from Demeter was Clean Skin fragrance, which lives up to the name. However, I found out that Demeter Fragrance name their scents the perfect name, but more on that. The Clean Skin smells like freshly cleansed skin after a bubble bath. A gentle scent that has become my go-to scent after a night time shower. However, when I wear it during the day, I pair it Ouai perfume in Melrose. Both scents have rose and bergamot notes with delicate sweet notes. Therefore, they really compliment each other well for a rich, but soft scent.

Next up from Demeter is their Salt Air scent and as the name suggest, it gives all the beachy vibes. As soon as I smelled it, it instantly reminded me of every visit I made to the beach. It’s pretty much smells like a summer vacation to the beach and makes you want to be there immediately. Surprisingly, I wore this scent solo most of the summer, but at times would pair it Beach Walk by Maison Margiel ‘REPLICA’. Both scents smell like a beach, but totally different. The REPLICA scent has notes of coconut that’s similar to your favorite beachy sunscreen, whereas Salt Air smells like being in the salt water on a sunny day. All vibes that I loved!

While I was browsing the super vast list of scents and before I knew the names were true to the scent, I selected the perfume Cannabis Flower. Wow. This smelled like every boy that I had a crush on in junior high and high school, who probably love celebrating 420! Although I can’t imagine why someone would want to smell like they just smoked a blunt, I had fun playing around with this one. I tried quite a few scents with this one, but I love the way it smelled when combined with my signature scent – Romance by Ralph Lauren. Romance is clean floral scent that when paired with the cannabis scent created a soft musk unisex scent. So many men told me I smelled good when I wore this combo. LOL

The final scent I selected was the scent called New Zealand, which is interesting, too. Unlike the previous scents, I have/had no clue what New Zealand smells like. However, when I do think of that country, I think of rain and foliage. So, this scent does match my thoughts and it’s very masculine scent. To soften the scent, I paired this with Derek Lam 10 Crosby in Silent St. which is super soft scent. The soft musk scent helps blend these 2 scents together perfectly.

Has anyone else tried Demeter Fragrances?

 

*gifted but opinions are my own

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EMPTIES: February 2022

EMPTIES: February 2022

EMPTIES: February 2022 | STAINED COUTURE

As you can see, I didn’t really use up that many products last month.  Still, they are all worth sharing. So, keep reading to see what products I used up last month and my final take.

First up is the Benefit Precisely My Brow eyebrow pencil in the shade 2.75. Now, this my favorite eyebrow pencil, because it does a great job at filling in my brows with a natural look. However, this was a new shade for me, because my hair is more red/copper now. That’s also the reason I bought the mini size, because I didn’t need a full-size. Well, I was wrong, because this didn’t last as long I think it should’ve – I didn’t use much. The product and results were still great, which is why I will be rebuying in a full-size next time.

Next up is Mary Kay matte finish setting spray, which was actually pretty good. This spray is by the former it finishing spray brand Skindinavia, which probably explains why it was so good. Although it mattifying product, it didn’t make my skin feel dry, which is a problem that some matte sprays do to my skin. So, this is a winner in my book and I would buy it again if I’m approached my another Mary Kay seller.

Next up is the Lancome’ eyelash primer, which is one of my favorite eye products. This primer helps all my mascaras work a little better and staying on longer. Plus, it makes the mascara pop against my eyes, which can be hard to do with my straight lashes. I love this primer so much that I buy it in 2s.

Finally, is the Trader Joe’s Lemongrass body oil, which took me months to use. I bought this product because the girls in the Black Girl Trader Joe’s group was hyping this up like crazy. Unfortunately, for me, it smells just like lemon Pledge wood cleaner. I love almost anything lemon flavored or scented, but this definitely needed to be combined with another scent. Smelling like a freshly dusted coffee table is not my vibe. So, I will not buy this again if/when they bring it back out in the summer.

See anything in this month’s EMPTIES post that you’ve been wanting to try or have tried? Share below.

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