Browsing Tag

valentine’s day

Beauty, Body

The Sexiest Scents to Spritz for Your Valentine’s Day Date

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While most would consider either sight or touch as the sexiest sense, I say it’s all about smell. Afterall, as humans, we naturally secrete pheromones through our sweat that on a subliminal level can attract potential partners via scent. In fact, Bustle discovered one famous study that found participants rated the smell of the sweat of people ovulating to be sweeter and more attractive than those who weren’t ovulating. Hell, I once caught a whiff of a guy walking by who smelled so good that I had to ask what he was wearing — it was John Varvatos’ eponymous cologne, btw. So with scent and sex going hand in hand, especially around Valentine’s Day, it makes sense to spice up your perfume wardrobe if you have a hot date tonight!

And when it comes to sultry scents, I’m not talking about bouquets of fresh florals. When I’m in the mood for love, I tend to reach for notes that blend a bit of the masculine, like spicy and warm notes of cardamom, pepper, oud, and leather, with the feminine, like oriental notes of jasmine, honeysuckle, and citrus, to get the best of both worlds. But I’m always pleasantly surprised to find notes that blend together to make something mysterious, intriguing, and utterly irresistible. As such, I wanted to share a few of my favorite sultry scents that are sure to set the mood with just a spritz. And don’t worry if you can’t add to cart immediately, either. If you can’t get your hands on one of the bottles before your big date, swing by your local beauty counter on your way over for a sample spritz-down.

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Beauty, Makeup

#OnMyVanity: The Red Lipsticks I Love to Rock on Valentine’s Day

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I receive a slew of samples, and when I find something I like, I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

I’ll admit that since I started covering backstage beauty at New York Fashion Week, thoughts of Valentine’s Day has floated to very back of mind. I usually don’t have the time to gather gifts, let alone try to make a reservation at any restaurant in the Big Apple that day as I’m running from show to show, but I try to at least dress up my look a little more on February 14th even when I’m ready to fall over with exhaustion (concealer is a BIG help!). Regardless of your relationship status or your schedule, there’s no reason why you can’t get all dolled up for Valentine’s Day! All you really need is a swipe of a great red lipstick to channel the look of l’amour — no crazy cut creases or hearts necessary (unless you want to, of course). After playing with a slew of fabulous formulas over the years, I wanted to share a few of my favorites reds that you’ll want to stash in your bag should the need to pucker up (or add polish to your look in an instant) arise.

Scroll on to start seeing red!

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Beauty, Body

#OnMyVanity: KKW’s Crystal Gardenia Perfume

I receive a slew of samples, and when I find something I like, I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Let’s face it: In the past 10 years, the Kardashians have gone from just a reality TV show family to a veritable empire, with the sisters banning together for a flurry of early collaborations — remember their Nicole by OPI polish range? — and eventually branching out into each of their own brands. While Kylie has a huge hold on beauty in recent years, she definitely scored her business acumen from big sister Kim, who’s been in the beauty biz for longer than many might remember.

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