Smell Like A Sexy Oatmeal Cookie

I cannot tell you how long it's been since I bought a new shower gel. 

Years...actually years. For real.

I worked for a pretty popular skincare and beauty company for a long time a few years ago and at the time one of the perks was lots of free product and a great discount so I did have quite a large stockpile of favorites to work through. (Many of which are now discontinued :( )

Finally after finishing my last, probably expired, bottle of sweet smelling gel I looked to a newly re-branded Soap and Glory for shower time inspiration.

Wishlist: Best of the Giftsets

October offers many things for beauty lovers to get excited about. 

Halloween makeup (obvs) upping your skincare stash for the cold, and last but not least the advent of ALL the Holiday gift sets. 

It's early yet but there are some really beautiful things floating out there in retail land and so you don't miss out I've compiled the best bang for your buck. 

Transition Scents

 During the warmer months I tend to put candles away in favor of quicker burning and altogether less "hot" ways of scenting my spaces. I like a bit of incense or a reed diffuser but when it starts to get cool the candles come right back out. 

I have sort of moved on from my days of the Bath and Bodyworks candle and have stopped trying to find sophisticated and unique scents in the sea of sugar-y frosted donits and pumpkin coffee. 

Enter the wonderful world of small batch candle life. 

No Such Thing as Signature

I don't like to plunk for new fragrances too too often, I find that it's one of the few beauty arenas (along with mascara and face powder) that I ever really finish in a timely way. 

As I've gotten a little older my tastes seemed to have changed pretty drastically. 

My desire for variety has not.

The new baby is Bella Freud's Ginsberg is God.

Hippie Business

Do you know how sometimes you're really excited and intrigued by a product but then you just don't buy it?

For whatever reason you justify leaving it on the shelf with things like "I'll never use it" or "I already have things like that and I don't need another." 

All of these are really smart conversations to have with yourself when you shop. In my experience it minimizes unnecessary spending but, every now and then, you cave and you buy the thing that you know is probably not going to get used or finished. 

Except this time...I should have picked this up ages ago. 

My Favorite Way to Smell Like a Man

I love a really strong fragrance. Not only do I like a strong fragrance but I love a masculine scent. Nothing overly "cologne-y" just with a strong wood, moss or, spice factor. 

This could be because after trying to wear them for years I realized all of those fruity and candy-like saccharine scents just didn't work on my skin. Maybe it was because I moved to New York at 18 and decided, among many other things, that I needed a "grown up" scent. 

I'm not sure what it is but one thing is for sure for all the strong, earthy, sexy smells I love the only one I go back to time and time again is Fresh's Cannabis Santal. 

Good Smells| White Sandalwood

I made a point of not asking for beauty gifts for the holidays this past year. 

I don't know if it means I'm growing up but, the way I see it, I'm a big girl who can more or less buy the makeup she wants whilst still caring for herself and her expenses. So this year my list had things like a cast iron skillet, down comforter and a plant that I can't kill on it. 

While the family came through on the list front I am so glad I had one friend who saw fit to ignore me. 

Keeping Warm in Style

 I am a bath girl from way back. Not on the regular or to get clean particularly but, when it comes to taking time out to turn off having a bath is top of my list.

As an avid Lush fan and one time employee I have run the bathbombbubblemelt trend into the ground so; as I get more mature maybe bath-time should too?

I have been after some grown up bath-time luxury in the form of the Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower oils since they took over every YouTube holiday gift guide video three years ago. They promise insanely concentrated scent, deep hydration and, obviously, aroma therapeutic properties at a premium pricetag.

When I was poking around the Space NK post-holiday sale I found their Bath Jewels gift set for half price and immediately placed them in my cart.

The Replacements|The Bathroom Counter

Now that I have my own bathroom I get really excited about things like candles and hand soap. Especially when they match.

I was at my local Target and making a beeline to repurchase my favorite Mrs. Meyers Hand Soap Scent-Radish (Yes I know I'm the only one.) when low and behold it is not in stock. 

Lame.

After a quick sniff of all of the other hand soap options (I flirted briefly with something from J.R. Watkins.) I settled on the Mrs Meyer's Basil scent and after a few days getting used to it I thought I would commit to the matching candle for a couple weeks. Just to hold on to the warm fresh summer feelings for a little bit longer. 

I will say the Basil scent doesn't quite out do my Radish-y favorite but it will be nice for a while. 

As far as the candle is concerned.

Mr Meyer's seems to do a nice candle with good throw but...the Vineyard Hills Natural Candle I had before this in Mandarin Lavender puts the Mrs. Meyers to shame. 

If you can find these (mine came from Target) They are only a few bucks and are perfect for small spaces that need a little something extra.

I realize that this isn't a strictly beauty related post but I know I can't be the only one who looks forward to re-upping the bathroom counter must haves.

Am I?

Summer Essentials 2014| TheUnanimousMolly

What has been on you this summer? Clothes, skincare, makeup I want to know! 

Me personally; I hate summer but, I have managed to compile a small selection of things that definitely make the whole experience bearable. If you love this time of year by all means enjoy but as for me...is it October yet?! 

The Repurchase: TokyoMilk Dark Bulletproof

Shut up this perfume is perfect and everything I want Summertime to be always and foreverrrrr!

Clearly my love for this scent is not a secret.

Minty Fresh

I am having a serious mint moment this Summer. As an ingredient that is.

Specifically body care but I am also really loving it  in my skincare. 

Now we all love a good mint nail polish but, I think it does a better job in essential oil form.

It is so refreshing and cooling, which this time of year is welcome in every way shape and form. 

As an added perk it is amazing for your circulation. 

Sold.

I'm Talking About B.O. Again

Oh the great deodorant debate. I have hemmed and hawed and tried and failed with the natural deodorant bandwagon a lot this year. The quest if by no means over but, I wanted to see how an easily accessible drugstore find stacks up against the competition. So when put to a simple work day test how did the Tom's of Maine Long Lasting deodorant in refreshing Lemongrass work?

Smells of Great Men

Ever since my collegiate epiphany that a good candle makes a cheap apartment 1000x better I have been on the hunt for amazing, sophisticated smelling candles that don't make me feel like I'm just setting my wallet on fire once every two months.

After much consideration I landed on Etsy. Through quite a bit of trial and error I came across Henceforth.  Not only do they have a tremendous sense of humor, but they offer up a nice selection of candle scents for those of you who don't love the vanilla-bakery-icing-cinnamon-vanilla again-butter-nutmeg-more vanilla combos that are hogging home scent aisle shelves everywhere.