Artisan by John Varvatos

I opened my November Birchbox to find a men's cologne sample. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little perturbed. The theme for the month was "Give" and the idea was to give this little sample to a special man in your life. (I hope you're reading that in a bratty voice.) I figured I could pass it off to my dad or one of my brothers, but boys just don't get it, you know?

To a girl, a perfume sample is a little slice of heaven. It's excitement, adventure, the opportunity to try something new without the commitment of a whole bottle. To a boy though, it's just a shrunken vile of scented water. Guys just don't appreciate stuff like that and removing the miniature cap is often more trouble than it's worth (I tend to agree to some extent, those caps are a royal bee.) 

I decided to smell it before giving it away though, and I instantly fell in love with the refreshingly clean, citrusy scent. I dabbed on just a little (feeling 1 part rebellious and 1 part transgendered) but my mom and sister both confirmed that it smelled really wonderful. I will admit it is masculine, but in a sexy, irreverant kind of way. Nothing like my high school days when pubescent boys doused themselves in Axe to mask the stench of their post-PE sweat.

I've never been a fan of overly sweet perfumes, and I certainly believe less is more when it comes to the fragrance department. That's why I really love Artisan by John Varvatos.   

So dish. What do you think of women wearing men's fragrances? What do you wear? My everyday is Twirl by Kate Spade, but I'm really tempted to mix it up with Artisan. 

twirl

I got an early Valentine this past weekend...

Twirl by Kate Spade. Doesn't it just look like the perfect little Valentine? (Confession: I haven't been able to part with the box yet! Ahh somebody sign me up for Hoarding: Buried Alive!) But seriously, I am loving it. I am not usually the type of girl who wears perfume every day, but I have been wearing this stuff nonstop since I opened it! Here's part of the description from Sephora.com:

Created to evoke a flirty feeling of "joie de vivre," Twirl by Kate Spade encapsulates the floral fragrance of a garden in bloom, finished with a twist of fresh fruit. 

Infused with a dash of happiness and embodying that final twirl a girl does before she heads out for the day, this fragrance's fruity top notes sparkle with pink watermelon, blackberry, and red currant. Heart notes of fresh flowers take the next dance, including orange blossom, jasmine, and magnolia. The fragrance dries down to a base of luminous musks and a touch of a French macaroon—straight from the patisserie, of course.

And of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't mention OPI at least twice a month. Lately I have been wearing this hue...

it is perfect for Valentine's Day and it earned the approval of one of the little boys I babysat yesterday morning. He put down the airplane he was playing with to grab my hand and say, "You have pretty nails."  Adorable. Question: at what age do boys learn that this behavior is unacceptable? And who is teaching them this nonsense?