My Favorite Candles

I'm not a huge home scent person. I was never the girl in college with a zillion candles covering her dorm room, am scared of plug in wall fragrances and have had asthma attacks on the few occasions I've entered Yankee Candle stores. Heck I don't even own Febreeze. However, there are 3 candles that I absolutely adore and implore everyone to try, even non-candle people like me!

Deco Candles Sweet Mango- If you've ever walked into a Ritz Carlton lobby and wonder what that absolutely intoxicating scent was, it's Deco Candles Sweet Mango. It smells like a rich, true ripe mango but is not at all cloying. Bu this while you have company over and they'll never want to leave!

Voluspa Saijo Persimmon- I have absolutely no idea what a Saijo Persimmon actually smells like, but but the candle is deep, fruity and oddly mysterious. This scent works in all seasons and the throw on the candle is amazing. The small votive size scents my whole apartment easily.

Archipelago Pineapple Ginger- I love both ginger and pineapple but have to admit that I do not smell any ginger in this candle. The pineapple is not overly sweet and is just heady enough to evoke the tropics. The scent on this is so strong that I store it in the box--out in the open it can scent an entire room without even being lit.

Some Non-Makeup Items I'm Loving Right Now

Even though I generally focus on makeup, I'm also into skin care, body products, clothes and accessories. Here are some products I feel are worthy of accolades:

• Rapid Lash- I have short, thin lashes but have shied away from Latisse due to the high cost of risk of "Brown iris pigmentation which is likely to be permanent." Rapid Lash ($29-$49.99 depending on where you purchase it) uses peptides, protein and vitamins to lengthen and nourish lashes. While I'm sure Latisse would provide a more dramatic results, I've definitely noticed increase length on Rapid Lash and like the affordable price, lack of permanent side effects and paraben-free formula.
• Archipelago Botanicals Pineapple Ginger Candle- The ginger in here isn't spicy, it just prevents the pineapple from being too sweet. This candle ($20-$23) turns my apartment into the lush tropics! The scent is strong and does carry and the candle is made of soy wax not parrafin.
• Pangea Organics Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom Lip Balm- that has done what many balms before it have been unable to do--keep my winter-weary lips from cracking and bleeding (ick, I know). It's super light on the lips but the healing formula really works. Worth the $12.
• Enviracaire Germ Free Humidifier- the forced air heat in my apartment has usually turned my skin into the Sahara by now, even when using a cool mist humidifier. This one ($99-$129 depending on where it's purchased) uses a warm mist but also has filters to prevent the mold, spores and bacteria that warm mist can generate. I'm not smearing Aquafor all over like I usually to do in the winter!
• Rachel Weissman Double Braided Headband- this silk headband ($58) is super-comfortable thanks to the soft silk and generous elastic portion but is stunning and versatile. You can separate the two braids slightly or push them together for the appearance of one thick headband. A super chic fix for bad hair days.
• Lululemon Gratitude Wrap- I rely on Lululemon for my workout clothes, but I've fallen for this adorable outerwear/lounge piece ($128). The line is expensive but everything fits and functions perfectly. The site only has the wrap in pink but check your local store for the gray or ivory!
• Kate Somerville Exfolikate Gentle- this does a fabulous job at removing the dry winter flaky skin that can interfere with moisturizers and makeup but it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin the way the regular Exfolikate did. This is a hybrid manual/chemical scrub so you get the best of both worlds in three minutes, twice a week.
  

Bergdorf Goodman Beauty Event

September 16th through 20th, Bergdorfs is having one of their Beauty Events, held several times a year, where you save $25 off a purchase of $100 on the Beauty Level. I had a very difficult time deciding what to buy. I originally wanted the new La Mer concealer, but the shades did not work out for me. The coverage and texture are divine, but the light looked too white under my eyes and the medium was very dark and very orange. Edward Bess has some new lipsticks shades and I contemplated them as well, but none grabbed me. I decided that in honor of the Prescriptives lines being discontinued as of the end of January 2010, I'd try show support and purchase some products from the line.

I wanted a custom concealer, custom lip gloss and mascara. The artist I worked with was Neptune. I told him that I wanted a concealer with a lot of coverage and light reflectors for my horrifically dark, recessed circles. He got to work mixing, adding pigments to create the perfect shade, light reflectors to bounce shadows and darkness, and a white powder for opacity. The end result is a dead on match. I took off my makeup and tried it on at home on clean, moisturized skin waiting to see the miracle and hmmm...it seems to ball up when I try to layer it. I'm not sure if it's the powder that was added or the overall formula, but I'll have to play with this one some more. No angels singing. Bergdorf Goodman has the worst lighting of any department store and so what looks okay there may not fare so well in real life. I'll try it again tomorrow. The custom concealer is $34.

For the lips I asked for a liquid lipstick type product--not too sheer, not sticky, and heaven fobid I branch away from my usual peachy pinks. Neptune created a lovely sheerish natural peachy pink with a beige pearl and Bellini scent. There are several shades to choose from including Latte, Cocoa, Tropical, Mint and Berry. You can also select a doe foot want of slant tip applicator. The custom glosses are $34. Here is my gloss:

I needed a new mascara since my beloved Korres has dried up and am trying Prescriptives False Eyelashes since it is now paraben-free ($19.50).

I had to spend a bit more to qualify for the discount (sounds kind of ridiculous, doesn't it?) and I purchased a Nest Candle in Freesia Kiwi. Nest Candles are by Laura Slatkin. Many of the scents are reminiscent of the famed Slatkin & Co fragrances. The are soy wax and packaged in lovely stiped clear and frosted glass jars. Freesia Kiwi is a blend of freesia, jasmine, muguet, Asian Pear, kiwi and cassis. I had a hard time deciding between this one and Wasabi Pear, which turned out to be out of stock, making the decision for me.

Overall it was a fun night having products custom blended and and coming home with a pretty purple bag of goodies. I hope the concealer works better tomorrow than it did tonight! Have you ever had Px custom blend products for you? How did they work out?