Every now and again I wander into Lush and am greeted promptly by the pungent scent of countless bath bombs, soaps, lotions, and potions sprinkled around the store. The story is usually the same: I'll putter around for a few minutes, dipping into an assortment of tester items, sniffing my arm, then sniffing it again and again, until I realize once more that everything smells, well, identical, because the only thing I can truly smell is the scent of the shop itself. I tend to leave empty-handed, and once I return to the outside world, I am pleased to be able to actually smell the various creams I chose to smother on my arms that day.
Lush and I have had an interesting relationship in the past--I truly want to love their products (and some of them, I do love; I'm a huge fan of Lush's Soak and Float Shampoo Bar and refuse to stop insisting that everyone ought to try it), but I haven't had the best of luck overall. I know some people swear by their skincare, but Lush and my temperamental face could never make friends. Even the products specifically targeted to those with sensitive skin seemed to cause flare-ups.So yes, blah blah blah, I've learned that Lush skincare isn't for me, but this post isn't about Lush's skincare items. This post is about the day that I decided to meander over to the perfume shelf and rub my finger in various solid perfume pots and then onto my wrist, to discover that, surprise!, I couldn't smell anything I was applying. However, once I exited the shop that particular day and gave my wrist a sniff, I halted on the sidewalk and turned around to go back inside.
The perfume is called Amelie Mae, and it is the most glorious scent my nose has had the privilege to encounter. I can't describe scents, and I'll always be a bit envious of those who have that superpower, but it smells great. Sweet and warm and like a big ol' hug, and everything I never knew I was looking for. Not the most helpful description, right? I'll let Lush do the talking:
"Take an inspired stroll through a perfume garden in full bloom. Breathe deeply and drink in a sugary bouquet of ylang ylang, rose and raspberry that calls to mind nostalgic summer days. Let this sweet, innocent perfume blossom into a candied, berry-tinged floral on your skin and see the world with renewed awe."
That's a much better description--these kind of things should be left to the professionals. This scent is also available as a solid perfume, and these little pots are awesome to toss in a purse or school bag for use on-the-go. I will say, however, that the solid perfume doesn't have the greatest staying power. The perfume, on the other hand, wowza! A couple spritzes of this puppy in the morning and you'll good to go for the entire day, especially if you spray a bit on your clothes. My sweaters usually don't get washed after each wear, and they still smell like this fragrance days and days later.
Moral of the story: check out Lush perfumes if you are in the market to pick up a new scent. (Lush's website also provides ingredient lists along with information about each ingredient--yes!)
What has been your experience with Lush products? Any favorites that you'd suggest?
With love and care,
Sara
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an ode to amelie mae
7.13.2018
Every now and again I wander into Lush and am greeted promptly by the pungent scent of countless bath bombs, soaps, lotions, and potions sprinkled around the store. The story is usually the same: I'll putter around for a few minutes, dipping into an assortment of tester items, sniffing my arm, then sniffing it again and again, until I realize once more that everything smells, well, identical, because the only thing I can truly smell is the scent of the shop itself. I tend to leave empty-handed, and once I return to the outside world, I am pleased to be able to actually smell the various creams I chose to smother on my arms that day.
Lush and I have had an interesting relationship in the past--I truly want to love their products (and some of them, I do love; I'm a huge fan of Lush's Soak and Float Shampoo Bar and refuse to stop insisting that everyone ought to try it), but I haven't had the best of luck overall. I know some people swear by their skincare, but Lush and my temperamental face could never make friends. Even the products specifically targeted to those with sensitive skin seemed to cause flare-ups.So yes, blah blah blah, I've learned that Lush skincare isn't for me, but this post isn't about Lush's skincare items. This post is about the day that I decided to meander over to the perfume shelf and rub my finger in various solid perfume pots and then onto my wrist, to discover that, surprise!, I couldn't smell anything I was applying. However, once I exited the shop that particular day and gave my wrist a sniff, I halted on the sidewalk and turned around to go back inside.
The perfume is called Amelie Mae, and it is the most glorious scent my nose has had the privilege to encounter. I can't describe scents, and I'll always be a bit envious of those who have that superpower, but it smells great. Sweet and warm and like a big ol' hug, and everything I never knew I was looking for. Not the most helpful description, right? I'll let Lush do the talking:
"Take an inspired stroll through a perfume garden in full bloom. Breathe deeply and drink in a sugary bouquet of ylang ylang, rose and raspberry that calls to mind nostalgic summer days. Let this sweet, innocent perfume blossom into a candied, berry-tinged floral on your skin and see the world with renewed awe."
That's a much better description--these kind of things should be left to the professionals. This scent is also available as a solid perfume, and these little pots are awesome to toss in a purse or school bag for use on-the-go. I will say, however, that the solid perfume doesn't have the greatest staying power. The perfume, on the other hand, wowza! A couple spritzes of this puppy in the morning and you'll good to go for the entire day, especially if you spray a bit on your clothes. My sweaters usually don't get washed after each wear, and they still smell like this fragrance days and days later.
Moral of the story: check out Lush perfumes if you are in the market to pick up a new scent. (Lush's website also provides ingredient lists along with information about each ingredient--yes!)
What has been your experience with Lush products? Any favorites that you'd suggest?
With love and care,
Sara
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
High School Musical, remember? Anyone?
Someway, somehow, I've made it out of my first year of college alive, albeit with my fair share of scrapes and bruises along the way (mentally and emotionally speaking, although there were a couple physical wounds as well--mosh pits are no joke, people). It's taken a few weeks to convalesce after the perpetual state of stress and anxiety it felt like I was existing in for months, but I feel as though I've finally recuperated and am able to reflect on my first year of university with a clear mind. Harvard has, at times, made me absolutely crazy, severely uncomfortable, and certainly a bit mentally unhealthy. I am not the same person that I was 9 months ago, which sounds terribly cliche, but if Sara from last August came knocking at my door tomorrow, I would hardly recognize her. However, this change is unquestionably the most positive one that I have undergone. I am stronger, I am wiser, I am braver, and I'm still not done changing. This was one year; I have three more. I can't even attempt to imagine the person who will be holding her diploma with a wide grin on Commencement Day, but I excitedly anticipate gradually getting to know her as the days tick by.
It's now summer break, or it has been for nearly a month. I opted to stay on campus for the duration of summer, as I knew this break would be much more enriching if it wasn't spent at home in North Dakota. How has it been? So far so good. As of lately, I spend my days working at a library, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, people-watching from the corner of various cafes, and laughing with some of the best individuals that I have the absolute honor to call close friends.
I'm content with my summer thus far, but more than anything, I know that I truly need to use this time to work on myself. Venturing into adulthood has revealed many pieces of myself that I'd like to improve upon and shape differently. Although I've found that I'm easily able to adopt a discouraged attitude about these things, I am attempting to look at them as an opportunity to grow--not the easiest endeavor, but a necessary one. Here's to striving for continual self-improvement!
With love & care,
Sara
p.s. let this post officially mark the rebirth of my blog (again)
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what time is it? (summertime)
6.09.2018
High School Musical, remember? Anyone?
Someway, somehow, I've made it out of my first year of college alive, albeit with my fair share of scrapes and bruises along the way (mentally and emotionally speaking, although there were a couple physical wounds as well--mosh pits are no joke, people). It's taken a few weeks to convalesce after the perpetual state of stress and anxiety it felt like I was existing in for months, but I feel as though I've finally recuperated and am able to reflect on my first year of university with a clear mind. Harvard has, at times, made me absolutely crazy, severely uncomfortable, and certainly a bit mentally unhealthy. I am not the same person that I was 9 months ago, which sounds terribly cliche, but if Sara from last August came knocking at my door tomorrow, I would hardly recognize her. However, this change is unquestionably the most positive one that I have undergone. I am stronger, I am wiser, I am braver, and I'm still not done changing. This was one year; I have three more. I can't even attempt to imagine the person who will be holding her diploma with a wide grin on Commencement Day, but I excitedly anticipate gradually getting to know her as the days tick by.
It's now summer break, or it has been for nearly a month. I opted to stay on campus for the duration of summer, as I knew this break would be much more enriching if it wasn't spent at home in North Dakota. How has it been? So far so good. As of lately, I spend my days working at a library, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, people-watching from the corner of various cafes, and laughing with some of the best individuals that I have the absolute honor to call close friends.
I'm content with my summer thus far, but more than anything, I know that I truly need to use this time to work on myself. Venturing into adulthood has revealed many pieces of myself that I'd like to improve upon and shape differently. Although I've found that I'm easily able to adopt a discouraged attitude about these things, I am attempting to look at them as an opportunity to grow--not the easiest endeavor, but a necessary one. Here's to striving for continual self-improvement!
With love & care,
Sara
p.s. let this post officially mark the rebirth of my blog (again)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It's been awhile since I've written--nearly a year, actually. I can say with overwhelming confidence that this past year has been the most important year for me yet. In mid-March, near the end of my senior year of high school, my father passed away suddenly. Of course, I would never ever have chosen for this to happen, but I am grateful for the opportunities that my grief gave me to grow and learn. Reflecting back, I have become a much stronger and independent individual, and I have a greater appreciation and understanding of life--something that not many people obtain while still a teenager.
Two weeks after my father's passing, I was accepted to my dream university in Massachusetts. I have now completed my first semester, and it was unequivocally the best four months of my life. My winter break ends in a couple days, and I couldn't be more excited to return and get back into the swing of things again.
Although the bustle of my senior year of high school played a great role, one of the main reasons I stepped away from this blog was because I was questioning the direction I wanted to take it in. Although I enjoy discussing makeup, beauty, and the like, I did not want my blog to become a platform that promoted the "buy, buy, buy!" mentality. This past year, and these past few months especially, I have become much more cognizant of who I am in this great big world, and the role I would like to play within it.
With this mindset, I was able to sit down with my blog again and consider what shape I would like it to take. I've finally found a road that seems productive and purposeful, and I am excited to begin blogging again.
I still intend to blog about beauty, fashion, life, etc., but I've adopted a new motto: moments over materials; this is the message I hope to weave throughout my blog writings. I still enjoy a new pair of shoes and lipstick just as much as the next person, but I think it is extremely vital that we as consumers consume with mindfulness and intent. I have also began to pay a greater deal of attention to where products are coming from and how they are being produced. It's easy to let this slip your mind while you stroll through the aisles of Target (trust me, I know all too well), but every item you purchase has a story, and I personally have been trying to take more care in purchasing and supporting products and brands with an ethical and sustainable story. Is every item in my life responsibility sourced and produced? Absolutely not. But being aware and making small steps can make a huge difference.
Thank you for your patience. I'm thrilled to be back in front of this screen, and I couldn't be more excited to see where this new path leads.
With care & love,
Sara
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a fresh start
1.18.2018
It's been awhile since I've written--nearly a year, actually. I can say with overwhelming confidence that this past year has been the most important year for me yet. In mid-March, near the end of my senior year of high school, my father passed away suddenly. Of course, I would never ever have chosen for this to happen, but I am grateful for the opportunities that my grief gave me to grow and learn. Reflecting back, I have become a much stronger and independent individual, and I have a greater appreciation and understanding of life--something that not many people obtain while still a teenager.
Two weeks after my father's passing, I was accepted to my dream university in Massachusetts. I have now completed my first semester, and it was unequivocally the best four months of my life. My winter break ends in a couple days, and I couldn't be more excited to return and get back into the swing of things again.
Although the bustle of my senior year of high school played a great role, one of the main reasons I stepped away from this blog was because I was questioning the direction I wanted to take it in. Although I enjoy discussing makeup, beauty, and the like, I did not want my blog to become a platform that promoted the "buy, buy, buy!" mentality. This past year, and these past few months especially, I have become much more cognizant of who I am in this great big world, and the role I would like to play within it.
With this mindset, I was able to sit down with my blog again and consider what shape I would like it to take. I've finally found a road that seems productive and purposeful, and I am excited to begin blogging again.
I still intend to blog about beauty, fashion, life, etc., but I've adopted a new motto: moments over materials; this is the message I hope to weave throughout my blog writings. I still enjoy a new pair of shoes and lipstick just as much as the next person, but I think it is extremely vital that we as consumers consume with mindfulness and intent. I have also began to pay a greater deal of attention to where products are coming from and how they are being produced. It's easy to let this slip your mind while you stroll through the aisles of Target (trust me, I know all too well), but every item you purchase has a story, and I personally have been trying to take more care in purchasing and supporting products and brands with an ethical and sustainable story. Is every item in my life responsibility sourced and produced? Absolutely not. But being aware and making small steps can make a huge difference.
Thank you for your patience. I'm thrilled to be back in front of this screen, and I couldn't be more excited to see where this new path leads.
With care & love,
Sara
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