Serge Lutens Bapteme du Feu & Fasciablaster

Serge Lutens Bapteme de Feu is the 2016 export line release.  It comes complete with the usual cryptic quote “My emotion is fluid. Like wax that flows into a mold, it solidifies what attracted me, here, this heart of gingerbread.”  Allrighty then.  This is like a Clue Perfume game.  The notes appearing around the internets are gingerbread, powdery notes (some say gunpowder?) mandarin, castoreum, osmanthus, woody notes.

It opens  with a lot of great ginger, which makes me happy.  I get what is allegedly the gunpowder or what I think must be the gunpowder because, well, it’s nothing else, and this perfume does not smell like that other powder we think of when it says powdery notes.  It is metallic’ish.  Osmanthus and woods show up then and smooth out the ginger/gingerbread. The woods warm up that metallic.

I think it’s interesting. it’s not gourmandy, more woods with the smell of gunpowder.  It’s not really my thing, but I liked what they did with it. It’s not really like Five O’clock Gingembre, which I love, but there’s a very slight nod to it.

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Can we talk fascia and cellulite?  I took rolfing treatments for a couple of years, and then I felt a lot better, went back as needed and then just didn’t go back.  All the good the rolfing had done me sort of went away.  Okay, this is a longer story, but I’ll keep trimming the edges down.  Sometime in the last year my blood pressure, which had been really low all of my life, decided to traverse the normal family path to being high.  I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired for months. Withdrawn, unsocial, the last few months got so bad I didn’t even want to sit up much anymore, just wanted to lay down. It makes sense because that helped my blood pressure go down.  So went to doctor, find out I have HBP, annoyed that I have to start taking a pill a day, but pill a day makes me feel freaking great!  Like I normally am.

It took a while longer to feel social again and outgoing, but started working out again.  With working out came the realization that my body was all jacked up again.  I could either go back to rolfing, which is expensive, or something. Somehow or another a link go some fasciablasting group popped up somewhere on FB. I knew from all of my rolfing that she was working a lot with fascia. We had long conversations about how important it is and how fixing it helped things that I didn’t even know were related.

So I joined this FB group, and start seeing the pictures of people’s cellulite that disappeared after X treatments, bellies that shrank, etc.  It was amazing.  60,000 women (only) in this group talking about this little device to fix your fascia.  It’s $80, so I ordered it without reading anything else.  It’s not like I care deeply about my cellulite at 56.  Though it would be nice to think about wearing a skirt or shorts above my knee again, I didn’t really get it for that. I wanted it to work on my fascia in my arms and legs. My right arm at that point was hurting so bad constantly from being jacked up in the shoulder, down the arm, tendonitis, and lately it was going numb all the time.  It’s a mess.  My knee kept wanting to go out when I was doing my Country Heat workout (Beachbody has it, it’s country line dancing and is the funnest workout ever – I follow it up with serious lifting stuff or yoga, but I had no idea country line dancing was that great of a workout and that much fun) and when I would do some squats.  I *needed* that damn blaster to fix me so I wouldn’t be risking injury in my workouts.

Fasciablaster comes, I had it out of the box and a heating pad wrapped around my arm so fast, even my dogs were dizzy watching. You have to heat the area you are going to blast first  – hot shower, sauna, heating pad, hot bath, hot tub, but you need heat  – then apply oil (natural oils like sesame, almond, coconut, avocado, etc) so the blaster has a slick surface to work on.  It will not work well without doing those two things first. Then you make sure you get it right on your skin and roll.  Always side to side or up and down, never circular. I worked that arm so bad, and it was that hurt so good thing. I knew I had gone too hard on it and it was swollen after. But you know what?  It didn’t hurt anymore, and it hasn’t hurt since.  I still get the occasional numbness tingle in the wrong position, but it goes away. I am hopeful for the first time in 30 years that I may have a right arm that isn’t always in pain or numb.

So, yeah, then I went to town on my legs and calves and feet and hands and neck and face and back. I’m happy to report that my knees and ankles with just a couple of sessions feel more stable than they have felt since my 20s.

Cellulite and menopausal mom belly?  Too soon. I took before pictures, I’ve only been using it a week, so I’m going to give it time before I really take a hard look to see where I was. I do know that my menopause belly that is normally pretty inflexible is now soft and pliant.

Crazy, huh?  I have zero financial interest in this company, I don’t get anything if you buy one, etc.  I just like to tell you guys about stuff when I find something I really love.  Now watch y’all tell me you’ve known about this for years and use it.  I’ll feel so hurt that nobody told me if that’s the case.

There is this other benefit that I’ve figured out.  I’ve spent the last week warming my boy, oiling it up, massaging it, loving it. It’s been many years since I have been my body’s friend like that.   Maybe it isn’t responding to the tool as much as it the love and attention coming in a good way.  And my skin has never been smoother with all this oil!

I will post some pics of what I’m doing with it on my face when another couple of weeks go by. So far I can see it working on the marionette lines and forehead lines.  I’m not sure I will ever be bold enough to post before and after body pics.

 

home-section1aOh, get one here. $89 plus shipping.  They just have the regular ones in stock now, they are waitlisting for minis and the face blaster coming out in early 2017.

 

 

Winners of the Serge Veilleur de Nuit samples – Tandaina, Vonnie and Bastet.  Just click on Drop Us a Note at the top, send me an e-mail, remind me of what you won and get me your mailing address. I’ll send you a quick e-mail to let you know I got your e-mail and it didn’t land in a spam filter and then get it on the way to you.  I only check Posse e-mail like once a week, so it can take a few days sometimes to respond there.

So let’s do a giveaway of Serge Lutens Bapteme de Feu samples. I’ll do four, drawing the winners from comments.  Just tell me if you’ve ever heard of this Fasciablaster, if you’ve tried it, etc.  Info dump, please.

  • Kimbo says:

    I got a fasciablaster a few weeks ago and can hardly believe the difference it has made on my thighs. I haven’t been in a pair of shorts in at least a decade because even though I’m in pretty good shape and have lots of muscles in my legs they have been really dimply for a long time. The first time I used it I bruised like crazy and it really hurt; I may have been overzealous. But the skin smoothed out nicely and after letting the bruises heal I started in again. I made a mixture of 30% DMSO and 70% fractionated coconut oil and that is what I use before I “blast” and the bruising is much less now. My legs just keep getting better and better including the little fatty pockets I had on my inner knees. Love this thing and plan to move on to other parts of my body soon (kind of waiting for winter so I can wear long sleeved garments to hide any bruises that show up!)

    • Patty says:

      That is awesome! I’m already seeing some changes with just two weeks of use. I’ve rented a infrared sauna Thursday, and in I go with my FB for a serious session!

  • Katherine says:

    My son uses something like fasciablaster that he got at a running store to help him with cross Country running. It seems to help. It’s much smaller though. I’m very interested in fasciablaster.. It’s interesting that you have more energy now, I very happy for you.

    • Patty says:

      I think anyone who runs should use it. Running is tough on fascia, it’s very jarring, and sorting out your fascia seems to help people run with less pain, shin splints, etc. I don’t run anymore becuase of hip, knee, ankle problems as well as shin splints, but I’d love if I could get back to it.

  • hajusuuri says:

    I’ve never heard of FasciaBlaster and anything that could cause bruising would be a concern for me. Glad it worked for you!

    • Patty White says:

      yeah, if bruising is a problem, it may not be for you at all. it’s very surface bruising in the fascia, not deep bruising. For instance, my bruises go away pretty quickly and aren’t painful to the touch. It’s not for everyone, though.

  • Molly says:

    As far as not feeling yourself, I imagine some of it is grieving for your brother, but I’m glad youve found something to help you with your physical self, too!

  • HeidiC says:

    Hi, Patty! Thanks for the drawing, but please don’t include me — this doesn’t sound like my thing at all. But I’m curious about your experience with your arm, before you used the fascia blaster. I run a lot, and I feel like my right shoulder-to-neck has been tightening up so much that it pinches my arm and makes it both achy and sometimes numb — is that what you’re describing? I love deep-tissue fascia massages — they hurt, but really seem to help. Maybe the blaster would help?

    • Patty White says:

      Mine originally took on problems in a car wreck when I was 17, really messed up my right shoulder. it’s just something that has perpetuatred, and I tighten it. Then I spent a couple of decades as a court reporter then a captioner, and developed bad tendonitis in it probably from the impingement up in the shoulder area. But yes, what you describe is exactly it. Aches, then in certain positions gets tingly numb or just numb. It had gotten so bad that all positions led to that numbnes, it was really awful.

      So far it is helping me. It gives me a lot of pain relief and has made me forget my arm is jacked up. I’ve heard a lot of runners use it because running really messes up fascia with all the jarring.

      I think it would, if it helped me, but no guarantees. I figure It’s $89, and I spend more than that in just one visit to the rolfer or a couple of visits to the chiropractor or acupuncturist – all of which I’ve used trying to get relief for a couple of decades. It’s better, it is staying better, and each time I work it, it feels better yet

      • HeidiC says:

        Thanks for explaining! I hadn’t thought about it until you mentioned it, but I was in a car accident almost 20 years ago that gave my right arm some nerve damage from a cervical spine twist. It’s been years, but maybe that’s why it goes numb so easily. I’ll have to check this out! You’re absolutely right, that I’d easily pay $89 in a doctor’s visit and/or a massage appointment. I’ll have to check it out! It’s crazy how many people are really responding to this thread!

  • Shiva-woman says:

    I have never tried the fasciablaster but I do have something similar that was given to me by Fleet Feet, a shoe shop here in Sacramento that gets rid of pain in one’s calves and loosens up the ligaments and tendons and it looks very similar to the fasciablaster. I have to try and find this new tool now. Mine works for the pain, but is awkward and smaller than your pic. I also have a large foam roller too. Now you’ve got me interested in this, drat it!
    SL’s Bapteme was an instant FB buy. I’ve had it for over a month and find it odd. A little Mandarine, Gingembre, and I sense both a very dry potpourri and rosine jammy and fruity quality along with something kind of watery which is perhaps the gunpowder smell that I’m not used to. Still making up my mind on this one. I like it more and more, but it is different. For you Serge lutens lovers out there it is a definite return to his original spicy warm oeuvre.

  • Artist says:

    Hi Patty!
    I’ve seen the FasciaBlaster posts on FaceBook but never clicked on them….I think now I will.
    Clicked on the link but have a question…
    how on earth does one use the thing on one’s arm???? especially with ones non dominant hand???? I wish there was a video of that…
    and almost impossible to imagine that big roller on ones face!
    Please explain or link, thank you!!!!

    • Patty White says:

      It’s a private group, but I guess it shows up somewhere. I still cant’ figure out how I got there, but glad I did.

      it’s not a roller. It’s stationary. I haven’t had any problems using it on either arm. I just take it in one hand, make sure you have heated first, then oiled up a ton, and then just run it up and down or side to side, never in circles. Right now I’m still working pretty lightly because of how much damage I have, and I can’t do it for very long, it just gets painful. Seems weird how painful it is with minimal pressure. Ashley has tons of videos. Just youtube ashley black fasciablaster or just fasciablaster to get to her youtube page. she demos everything, including to tighten that area around the down there zone to get that skin to tighten up. It’s harder for me to do my back. I can get my low back, but mid-back is neglected right now until I get more flexibility back.

      On the face, I just use two fingers on one of the claws. never going all over my face and with it tight, that will remove fat in your face, which you don’t want. So two fingers of a claw over the jaw line, one finger of a claw on my forehead and my marionette lines, face not tightened. Then I do it up and down on my throat and neck.

      Joint that group, though, you have to request to join and then Ashley approves you. They just want to make sure it’s all women in there because people post pictures. People will like to tons of videos and Ashley does like a demo video a day of some other way to help things, like varicose veins, frozen shoulder, blasting feet and ankles, etc.

  • Millicent says:

    I’m really curious to try the Bapteme, especially if it’s one of those crazy-expensive new ones.

    Never heard of the blaster, but like many others, I’ll be eager to hear more as you use it.

  • SamanthaL says:

    I’ve been wanting to try Bapteme du Feu…I’m a sucker for the gingerbread. I’ll take any help I can get as far as cellulite goes, I’d love to wear a shorter skirt without tights again someday!!!

    • Patty White says:

      Agree. No way will I go tightless. Shorts always to the knee, there’s just weird things going on above my knee that I don’t want to think about anyone else but me seeing. 🙂

  • Musette says:

    okay. Let’s start with this: I want to come back as Uncle Serge, bless his heart (and his $75 lipsticks). He seems to have a Very Nice Life.

    And omg – the blaster! I. Am. In. I am lucky to not have much cellulite but things are going wiggly in the Batwing Dept. And let’s not talk about Teh Belly.

    I am so glad you are feeling better (this post proves that you are back amongst the Upright, I hope).

    xoxoxoA

    • Patty White says:

      Sent you an e-mail about it. All that wiggliness when I’ve been working out almost every day for four months is driving me insane. I mean, I know I need to lose more weight, but it just is refusing to move. Diet is great, exercise is great. I am throwing everything at this now. 🙂

  • Claudia S says:

    I’ve never heard of this device but I’m sorely tempted to get it! I hate this belly !

    • Patty White says:

      Same. I sorta remembering wondering how older women let themselves go in the belly area when I was younger. You know, until my mid-40s. then I felt like an idiot. I get it now.

  • mikasminion says:

    If I ever ran across the fasciablaster, I’m sure I wrote it off as a gimmicky piece of overpriced junk. Now, of course, I want to hear more about it. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t buy one without my husband laughing me out of the house so I will just have to enjoy it vicariously through you.

    • Patty White says:

      Same. I must have seen it at some point and ignored it. Not sure what possessed me to click on whatever it was i saw and join that private group, but seeing those women’s pictures of before/after convinced me to roll the dice on $89 plus postage to find out for myself if it was a gimmick. Even if I have no results on cellulite or belly, fixing my arm is a blessing I’ll never forget, and shoring up my ankles and knees is a revelation in remembering what it is to walk around pain free. So I’ll use it forever for more improvements and maintenance.

  • AnnieA says:

    I think I have seen it around if the name is not familiar.

  • Ann says:

    Howdy, dear! I’m with Pats above, I never heard of this and thought fascia was just a part of a roof. So sorry to hear you’ve been in pain and struggling, but thrilled for you that this is helping. Do keep us posted on your progress. Hang in there! (And of course, DNEM.)

    • Patty White says:

      LOL. I know. I would have been more of a skeptic, but I knew a lot about fascia because of the rolfing and understood how critical it was. We also covered it in Yoga teacher training as well. I think of it as sitting on a bump. If you were sitting on something with a bump or crack in it all day long, by the end of the day, you would be so irritated. LIke the pea in the mattress. Fascia is like that. If anthing is bound up, twisted or otherwise constrained, since it is the suit we live in 24/7/365, it is irritating us. We just get used to that low level irritation. This is like taking a good iron to your fascia suit.

  • pats133 says:

    Wow – i have never heard of a fasciablaster (all i could think of was a fascia [a bit for round a roof] here in the UK]. Anyhow, i’m glad it is working for you. I recently joined a boxing club where we do the usual circuits, squats, running and boxing exercises as well. I find it is great for the upper arm flabby bits and also for general fitness – it really gets the heart rate going and the sweat…. well loads of that too. I really feel i have done a great workout after an hour there. Can i suggest Joe Wicks, the Body Coach – he has a FB page with great videos etc plus a website and books with great recipies. Good luck with it all.
    Oh and the new Serge Sounds fab – out in time for Guy Fawkes night – ‘Gunpowder, treason and plot’. 🙂

    • Patty White says:

      I do an MMX workout that I love too. I have workout ADHD, I like to change it up a lot. Les Mills has a bunch of that stuff, and those Aussies do a brutal workout with boxing gloves. i always feel way cooler when I have my MMX gloves on.

  • Ellen M says:

    Never heard of it. Please continue to let us know how it works.

  • finanna says:

    Never heard about fasciablaster before, but I am a regular foamroller (does not cure my cellulite, but makes my legs feel lighter). I think I need to order one of these and try to find some time to use it (occasionally challenging with a two-year old& full-time job). Thanks for the tip& giveaway!

    • Patty White says:

      I have, use and love my foam roller, but this is different, because it is hard and has no give, so it makes the fascia move, breaking out stuck places, I guess? I assume that’s why the bruises, which almost never hurt. I’ve got them all over my belly, and I’m guessing the menopause rapid fat storage in that area really twisted up the fascia a lot and trapped it. so breaking it up is going to leave a few marks. Doesn’t hurt, just looks nuts.