Oh You Fancy Huh

A couple weeks ago I got a raise and lots more responsibilities at work (Yay me!). As a result, for the next few weeks I'll be traveling for work Monday through Friday around New England. When I got my first check with my new pay rate this Friday, I decided it was time for some celebration and a some special treats. So, I scheduled a facial and have spent the past couple days picking up some accessories to make myself a real lady traveller.

For the facial (my first ever) I went to Mario Badescu  salon. They proclaim they have the best facials in NYC. I can't say it lived up to that, but it was relaxing. My beautician massaged my face, neck, and shoulders, put my hands in special hand warmers, and misted my face with steam in between treatments. I fell asleep a couple times to the tune of relaxing music with cucumbers on my eyes. Sigh. If only every Saturday afternoon could be like that. As a bonus, I scored some travel size samples of Mario Badscu's own Super Rich Olive body lotion, Botanical Body Wash, and Citrus cleanser. It's like they knew I needed mini products for my trips. I came out refreshed with a glowing complexion.

Next stop was Sephora to pick up travel size perfume. I will not go several weeks without smelling pretty. I chose Stella McCartney Rose Absolute, my go-to fall scent an a .33 oz roll-on.

While I was there I scored some travel size make up removing cloths and supported endangered animals with Josie Maran's Bear Naked Wipes. A portion of the proceeds from every sale goes to NCRD's Polar Bear SOS Initiative to keep the animals from becoming endangered.

Final stop was TJ Maxx for some lady luggage. I do not want the hassle of checking a bag every time I run through the airport, so I picked up an adorable mini hard side carry on by Travel Concepts in Fuchsia.

Lady traveller package complete. 

Reasons why you shouldn't put on that extra spritz

I have a very sensitive nose. I can typically smell things before other people. If I’m walking near a bakery with the smell of fresh bread wafting out. I generally smell it about 5 minutes before the people I am with. My sister is the same way. Her husband is always accusing her of making scents up, until his nose catches up to her acute sense of smell (with a 5 minute delay). I am often assaulted by the scents of others, and have very strong perceptions of each little scent (partially why stinky NYC in the summer time is so awful for me). Sometimes I put a little lip gloss on under my nose just so I don’t have to smell what is around me.

And yet, once I spritz on my perfume for the day (Dior Pure Poison, or Stella McCartney Rose Absolute depending on my mood), after about 10 minutes or so, I can’t smell it anymore unless I pointedly sniff the area where I just sprayed. Sometimes I have to ask someone else to sniff me to see if I actually put it on, since it has become such a part of my routine that I do it completely unconsciously. I’ll occasionally get whiffs of it throughout the day if a strong breeze blows up, or I toss my hair the right way, but for the most part I disappears once it is on my skin.

Why can I smell other scents so strongly, and not the one that I have picked out, love, and spend quite a pretty penny on to wear daily? Well, I did a little googling this morning and here’s what I found out.

Your body has a natural defense mechanism in which your scent receptors stop signaling the brain after they have been exposed to the same sensation for a prolonged period of time. It’s a way of helping you function more acutely by ignoring stimulus that do not change so you can take in the changing environment around you. You other senses do the same thing. Think about it. Your nose takes up a significant part of your face, and your field of vision, but you don’t see it unless you make a point of looking directly at it. It’s your eyes blocking out a constant stimulus so they can look around and take in everything else.

Now stop staring at your nose already.