The Unique Scents of CB I Hate Perfume

A couple of months ago I found out about a quaint, perfume studio located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The name of the place, CB I Hate Perfume seemed like an unusual name to me, but then I realized the message the founder was trying to get out. Christopher Brosius makes his perfumes with blends of essential oils and water. There is no alcohol in them like most perfumes. So, even though he is technically selling perfume, in a sense, he's not.

When you walk in, plan on being there for at least a half and hour; you'll be busy sniffing all of the scents that are in stock. What stands out most about these fragrances is how the name matched the scent. For example, Burning Leaves actually smelled like burning leaves. Most would think, who wants to smell like that? But trust me, it would smell great on a guy.

Some of my other favorites were I Am A Dandelion (pictured top left), Tea of Rose, Winter 1972 and In The Library. Oddly enough, In The Library smelled exactly like that. It's like he took his memories and bottle them up. But the scent I fell in love with was Strawberry Shortcake. I had to buy it or eat it, and since I couldn't do the latter, I bought it. Once you make your selections, the kind staff will fill up a fresh bottle and wrap it up right in front of you.

If you're in the NYC area, take a trip and see (or smell) for yourself. Don't worry, if you're long distance, you can buy online.

Bee Beautiful!

Affordable, Last Minute Stocking Stuffers by Kiss

The economy has so many of us in places where we've never been before. Some of us aren't even exchanging gifts this year, but some of us are trying to keep up the tradition without breaking the bank. I found out about something yesterday that might help us cross a few more names off our Christmas lists. They're cute little manicure and pedicure sets from Kiss:

Manicure Set, $9.99!

Contents:

Nail Scissors
Nail Brush
Nail Clipper
Cuticle Nipper
Cuticle Pusher & Cleaner
4-Way Buffer
Nail File
Manicure Sticks

Pedicure Set, $9.99!

Contents:

Toenail Clipper
Cuticle Nipper
Foot Brush & Stone
Cuticle Pusher & Cleaner
Toe Separators
4-Way Buffer
Nail File
Manicure Sticks

Look for these gift ideas at most drugstores. Happy Holidays!

Bee Beautiful!

Slatkin & Co.'s Reed Diffusers

I'm a dork for the holidays and I love decorations and window displays, snow (light snow), hot chocolate and especially Christmas trees. But I'm not putting up a tree this year because I'm going away. My alternative? I bought Slatkin & Co.'s Perfect Christmas Reed Diffusers from Bath & Body Works.

The company has a variety of scents and now my living room smells like a Christmas tree, I absolutely love it. These diffusers works really well and it doesn't take that long for the scent to waft through your home. So far I've had them for a week and the scent is supposed to last for a month. I hope it lasts so much longer.

The price isn't bad either-$19.50-and the scents are Winter, Spice and Frosted Cranberry. This would make a great gift-- for yourself.

Bee Festive!

Clear My Head 2Go

I have a new addiction. Clear My Head 2Go is my drug of choice. A while ago I felt like I was coming down with a cold (which wasn't good since I was going of town in a few hours) and my boss gave me this roll-on oil. She told me to try it and so I did. All I did was roll the tube underneath my eye area. Then I prayed that it would work so I'd feel well enough for the trip.

Of course it stung my eyes for a few moments, but after about 10-15 minutes I noticed a difference. Slowly, I started to feel better and actually felt renewed. This roll-on only contains jojoba and essential oils and its intended use is for colds, flu and allergies, but I can't help but sniff it all the time. It's aroma-therapeutic and I always feel refreshed afterwards.

Clear My Head opens sinuses and kills airborne bacterial and viral pathogens. In addition to the roll-on, it also comes in a jar, soap and in bath salts. I'm so tempted to try the bath salts to have an at-home spa experience!

Bee Beautiful!

Alex Rodriguez: What Are You Wearing, Dude?

Alex Rodriguez showed up at a Madonna concert recently wearing a scarf around his neck.

Look at the picture on the left. The scarf appears to be tied in a slip knot (photo on the right). Call me ignorant, but I didn't know men wore scarves in this manner. The Material Girl (or, should I say The Kabballah Girl) must really have a hold on A-Rod!

Bee Fashionable!

Celebrations.com: Here To Help

There are so many reasons to have a party―whether it’s for a housewarming, birthday, retirement, etc.―and now that the holiday season has officially arrived, there'll be plenty of parties going on. I suggest you check out Celebrations.com for some help in planning the best party. They have top-notch experts that dish advice and fun and simple planning ideas that won't break your budget. I met a few of the experts at their launch party a few weeks ago and they were all down-to-earth people. But I was most impressed with the food (I was starving by the time I arrived) and the décor.

I had butternut squash soup, mashed potatoes and turkey pot pie. It may sound ordinary, but the soup was served in a little pumpkin and the mashed potatoes were stuffed in a pear-shaped, breading. I thought it was unique but more importantly, delicious! They have easy-to-follow recipes, so you could do this at home and impress your guests. The décor amazed me because it looked so complicated, but once the experts broke the process down into simple steps, I saw that it's easy to recreate and easy on the wallet too.

If you're already a savvy party planner, you can share your recipe and ideas with the site's online community as well.

So, party on!