Author: awrensays
-
I tried toty sunscreen. Here’s what my dry skin thought.
Based on my constant admonition on this site for you to wear your sunscreen, you could guess that I’m pretty into wearing mine. As you might imagine, I was intrigued when I came across a brand that I hadn’t heard of before and got to try it out for myself. The product was toty. Solaria…
-
Let’s talk about Cassili by Parfums de Marly
Just looking at the bottle of Cassili from Parfums de Marly, I expected something fruity, definitely smelling strongly of peach. I can tell you now there is no peach, and I’m disappointed. But I duped myself, so that’s what I get for judging based on appearances alone. When I sprayed the fragrance, I could tell…
-
Maintain your light
“Don’t dim your light just to avoid dealing with someone else.” It was a conversation about a workplace issue and how I handled it, but it became much more profound than just a critique of how I go about my job. I immediately expanded and poeticized the saying in my head. “Don’t dim your light…
-
Same factory but not the same thing
“I heard that because Sephora and Dior are both owned by LVMH that means they are made in the same factory. That means that Sephora Collection is basically the same as Dior Beauty products.” Easy on the transitive property. It’s not that simple. First let me say that just because two brands have the same…
-
In defense of good packaging
I picked up the store brand oatmeal container to make my breakfast for the day. Going to pour the grains into my bowl, I could feel the cardboard start to give way in my hand. I steadied it with both hands to avoid disaster. Perhaps they are the exact same oats as the premium brand,…
-
The hotel for people who don’t just want to eat their chocolate but experience it
My first introduction to the brand Hotel Chocolat was a review of their velvetiser. It was contraption promising the silkiest hot chocolate you’ll ever have in your life. I looked on, wanting one of my own. But based on the name, I was even more intrigued by the idea of a chocolate themed hotel. Now,…
-
The three most important books to me
There are three books you need to check to get an idea of how my life is going. Even just a cursory glance will do. You can easily tell how successful I am based on how full each of those books are. If my journal is empty and has gone untouched for several days, that…
-
Darker skin needs sunscreen, too
Knowing how into skincare I am, she asked, “Is sunscreen actually a racket?” “I beg your pardon?” “I mean, do you actually need sunscreen if you have darker skin?” It’s a good question, and she certainly is not the only one to ask it and probably won’t be the last. Before I dive in, let…
-
Giving Fleur de Peau by Diptyque a chance
I will admit, Fleur de Peau from Diptyque is a scent that really put me off. On first spray, I regretted the spritz. There was something about it that was overpowering in a bad way. As a result, I refused to wear the scent, until today. I sprayed the scent on just one wrist, to…
-
Me centric life design
I have been diving in the user centered design this week. Essentially, it is thinking about how the people who use a product will experience it and using that to help you design the product. That is an over-simplification, but it gets the job done. I couldn’t help but wonder, am I centering me in…