Things I’m loving in May and Giveaway

There’s a smell, and I’ve always thought it was timothy hay, but never really knew for sure.  We would be driving down the country roads with the windows down in the old beater pickup at one certain time of the year, and it was just this sweet smell, not floral exactly and not hay exactly, but just delicate and stunning. We stopped the pickup several times and would try and figure out what it was for sure, but it is still a mystery, and I haven’t smelled it in many years.  I really would like to smell that one more time.

Patti (aka Cavewoman) at Blogdorf Goodman’s in her foundation primer marathon suggested two that really worked for me. The second one that I’m almost loving more than the La Prairie primer is the Smashbox Photo Finish primer. This one I’ve been electing to wear just by itself some days. It just gives a glow to the unfoundationed skin that’s lovely, filling in all the rough patches and leaving the skin so smooth.  Odd how something becomes a staple so fast. Just two months ago, I didn’t even know I needed a foundation primer, now I wear them on their own on the days when I don’t wear foundation. Make sure you get the new pink one that has the UVA/UVB SPF 15. They have a new Photo Finish Bronzing Primer that has caught my eye too, which sounds really wonderful for “I have no interest in wearing foundation” days in the summer. Luckily it is out of stock for now — oh, hell, QVC has it.

Colombina the Terrible suggested Comodynes self-tanning towelette a week or so ago when I asked for a self-tanner recommendation, and I dutifully ordered some from eBay.  These are amazing. I took one out last night and quickly applied them to my legs just to see how it would look.  Quickly only to test the “ease of application factor” and because I wasn’t going to be wearing shorts this week.  Normally when I do this so quickly, I get a mess of streaks and blobs of dark tanner.  This stuff just gave me a nice, even golden glow. Not too tan, but a good base, and there are no streaks or blobs, even with the speedy application. This is what I had hoped that Jergens slow tanner thing would be, but that pretty much sucked on me, leaving horrible streaks and dark blobby spots.  The Comodynes is perfection, I’m going to need to order up a case and test reapplication to get a darker tan.  They are available on eBay and several other sites, including their own.

Pilot razor point extra fine pens color pack.  I’m a pen freak. Roller ball, felt tip, standard tip, fountain pen, doesn’t matter.  Office Depot is a place I don’t go when I have no time to leisurely lollygag because I can burn through hours just going through the pens, selecting something fun and new and colorful that is just writey perfection.  Pilot does a pack of all different colors of the razor point ultra fine pens — pink, purple, green, brown, red, orange — and I love to write in color. The little razor tip on it is the right fineness — not so fine that you can barely see the lines, but thin enough that you get a nonblobby application (having an anti-blobby day).  BTW, Pilot also has a fake fountain pen pen that is wonderful. I’m having trouble tracking down any more of them, and my sons are now working out elaborate schemes to steal the ones I do have.  If you see them, snag a pack, they have all the charm of writing with a fountain pen without all the mess.

Perfume in more often than regular rotation has been Ormonde Jayne Frangipani and TDC Sel de Vetiver. Not sure why, but I’ve been grabbing for these two with regularity. I expect the Sel de Vetiver to pick up as the hot months hit.  That salty/earthy thing is doing it for me.  In other perfume new, my sister talked me out of my backup bottle of Serge Lutens Un Lys. Ever have that sinking feeling you’re going to regret something as soon as you do it? Yup, that’s pretty  much how I feel about this bit of stupidity on my part, but she is totally in love with that scent and begged and pleaded and looked at me with those accusing big sister eyes. I caved.  Other bit of news, I have my bottles of Plus que Jamais and Sous le Vent on their way from Paris, woo-hoo!  Hopefully I’ll get the call next week that they have cleared customs from what is now my new best friend, Christine, who arranges delivery for DHL shipments that come into the airport.

Okay, this week the drawing will be a choice, and I’ll throw out something additional to see if there is any interest.  First, the winner will have a choice of either a sample of Guerlain Metalys, Guerlain Attrape Coeur,  Guerlain Cuir Beluga, Guerlain Angelique Noire or Guerlain Vega. To enter, just leave a comment and indicate you’d like to be in the drawing. I’ll have my husband or son or puppy help me pick out a name, and I’ll announce the winner in Friday’s post.  Also, I’d like to offer to the winner, if they want it, an empty Attrape Coeur bee bottle or an empty Serge Lutens bell jar (Rose de Nuit, Bois de Violette or Fumerie Turque).  I can’t seem to bring myself to throw these away, but I’m not a collector of anything except the juice inside the bottles, but I think some people do collect these things and would like them.  If y’all would like to see these included in regular drawings, I’m happy to do that, just let me know in comments.