Good morning! For this edition of Fragrance Friday, we’re going retro with Maja. Created in 1921, I think this scent is familiar to a lot of Latins. Now, let’s not beat around the bush – Maja is a perfume favored by-ahem-older Latin ladies. But when I saw it in Farmacias de Paris in the centro historico of Mexico City, I had to buy it. I mean, with a tag line like that (the scent that seduced the world) how could I not?!
Here’s the gift set, plus I bought a roll-on antiperspirant too. Sadly there wasn’t any body lotion, because I really wanted to go all out and smell like your mima/abuelita/yaya and all the Doñas in your life.
Maja is a warm spicy fragrance with rose, patchouli, and cloves. Patchouli is definitely not my favorite note in a perfume, but for nostalgia’s sake, I’m all over it.
What are you wearing (in a totally non-creepy way)?
You may or may not have noticed a lack of updates on the blog, and that’s because I’m working in Mexico again. Oh Mexico. I love it here, but I do have to put in the hours at the office.
Here’s a roundup of the scents I brought with me on the last two short trips.
Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera – I bought this little bottle in Hong Kong in 2012. When you pop into drug stores in Hong Kong to browse cosmetics (as I am wont to do), you’ll notice big tubs full of miniature perfume bottles, so naturally I bought more than I could carry a few.
This is a sophisticated white floral perfume. I bought it because it’s supposed to have jasmine in it, but I didn’t really smell it. I did smell tuberose which I like, but I don’t think this scent suits me. It’s something an elegant lady would wear to a dinner party; not really for a gym rat who’s trying to perk up during a long work day.
This perfume really lingered, too. I rarely had to reapply, which is probably why a tiny bottle lasted 2 years.
Banana Republic Wildbloom Rouge
Banana Republic Wildbloom Rouge – Somehow I ended up with $45 in Gap/BR/Old Navy credit card points, so I thought I’d buy a perfume! I bought three of these since they were $15 each. I love this scent. It smells like the old Salon Selectives shampoo – clean and a little bit fruity. It’s a good fragrance to wear to work or whenever you need something that really won’t offend anyone.
This scent wasn’t too terribly long-lasting and I had to reapply often. I went through the bottle pretty quickly, but I’ve got two more so it’s okay!
Avon Far Away
Avon Far Away – this is a favorite on the Makeup Alley Fragrance Board, so I had to try it when it was on sale. $5 for this convenient purse spray!
This perfume has a lot going on. It’s vanilla, but not sweet; coconut, but not fruity; and a lot of amber, but not powdery. It’s pretty strong, so I only need a couple of spritzes in the morning and another couple mid-day.
Because this fragrance is warm and cozy, it’s great for chilly days. Avon sells an entire complement of Far Away – shower gel, lotion, powder, deodorant…if I lived in a cold winter climate, I would probably buy and use the entire set.
I recently found out there is a Crabtree & Evelyn outlet in Mexico City! I brought only three bottles of perfume with me, so of course I had to pop in and sniff around. Now, before I purchased anything, I carefully studied the prices on the Crabtree & Evelyn website to see if the outlet prices were indeed a bargain. This task required currency calculators, a slide rule, and some paper, but I’m happy to report that prices at the outlet were ~25% less than the US website’s clearance prices.
I bought a bottle of lavender perfume, a hand cream, and a Summer Hill fragrance set that contained perfume, shower gel, body lotion, and talcum powder. Such pretty scents!
Giovanni DTox System Replenishing Facial Moisturizer – this is Step 3 in a skincare system that I received from Meg’s Makeup that included cleanser, scrub, moisturizer, and a mask. I really liked the cleanser and scrub. The moisturizer is nice too, but without sunscreen I’ve only used it at night. This is great for days when my skin is feeling oily. I’ve seen it at TJ Maxx so if you’re interested in using it, you can pick it up there. Michael Todd True Organics Moisture Lite – I got this in a skincare set from Groupon. I would repurchase if there was another sale like that; otherwise it’s way too pricey. This is nice and light, but no sunscreen so I only use it at night. The lemony scent is divine.
From top to bottom: Eyeko Strawberry Fat Balm – discontinued but I’ve got a backup. MAC Twig – I’ve been using this off and on for years, but I won’t repurchase since this lipstick is just too heavy and drying for me. Avon Glazewear in Charmed Rose – discontinued but I’ve got a backup. I would love to find another sheer rosey lipgloss like this. It’s so easy to wear. Any suggestions? Avon Smooth Minerals in Plum Craze – discontinued (sensing a theme here?). Great formula and I hope Avon brings it back soon. Avon Smooth Minerals in Malted Mineral – It was the perfect nudey shade for me so I’m bummed that it’s discontinued.
Avon Anew Reversalist Day Cream with SPF 25 – nice smooth formula that absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft. I’m already on a new jar. Queen Helene Apricot Facial Scrub – I use this on my body. I can’t tell the difference between this, St. Ives, and the Target generic versions of this scrub (and I’ve used them all), so I will repurchase whichever is on sale.
Avon Magix Face Perfector with SPF 20 – This is my HG primer. I’m already using another tube of it.
Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream – I will definitely repurchase this, but I’m using another cuticle cream from my stash in the meantime.
From top to bottom: Urban Decay 24/7 eye liner in Lucky– Another gift from Meg’s Makeup. A beautiful copper shade that applies oh-so smoothly. I wore this down to the nub! It’s currently on sale at the Urban Decay website for $6. Benefit They’re Real mascara – This year’s birthday gift from Sephora. I wasn’t impressed. Addiction NV Big ‘N Black mascara – this was a winner. I will repurchase when I run out of black mascaras, and I wish it came in brown!
Two perfumes from Arcadian Designs – Campfire and Luck of the Irish. I will definitely be repurchasing both of these scents (but only after I use up what I already have).
Phew! If you made it this far in the post, I thank you for reading!
Today I’m wearing Hay Now from Arcadian Designs. I can smell fresh-cut grass and trees in this perfume oil; it’s a perfect pick-me-up for this gloomy day. I’ve got the sample size and I suspect I will have used it up by the end of this week.
sample size of Hay Now
I’m surprised how much I like scents from Arcadian Designs – I always thought I was a white-flowers-perfume kind of gal, but the fresh earthy scents of these perfume oils really appeal to me. I like that it’s not over-poweringly floral and most importantly, I don’t smell like every other woman in the city. The tiny sample jars are a perfect way to test different kinds of scents to find out what I might like.
