Fragrances of the Week
• Bath & Body Works Vanilla Noir
• Lattafa Pride Raw Human
• Lattafa Ramz Lattafa Silver
• Bath & Body Works Inner Angel
• Body Sprays: Lattafa Asad, Bath & Body Works Inner Angel, Bath & Body Works Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte
• Body Wash: Bodycology Cozy Fireside S’mores
• Shampoo: Suave Tropical Coconut
• Lotion: scentXscent Solar Flare Sunset Samba Body Butter
I almost worked against myself with my fragrance selections this week. I had assumed that Ramz Lattafa could carry the weight of my daytime needs, while Vanilla Noir & Raw Human would be good options for evening wears. I had misjudged the notes, thinking Ramz Lattafa’s citrus open would feel fresher than it did. That fragrance is cozier than that, the lavender and vanilla really making it better for relaxing than for working. Inner Angel is spicy, but bright enough to mix in. Still, spicy isn’t my favorite option early in the day. And the Ramz Lattafa increasingly felt like an early evening fragrance at best. Everything was a bit too deep overall, even though I enjoyed all of the individual scents.
The Asad deodorant spray was a lot better this time than when I paired it with Lattafa Ameer Al Oud Intense Oudh. Those two enhanced one another in strange ways, but as a base layer for this tray of evening fragrances, Asad worked well. The body sprays I layered on top this week, Inner Angel & Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte, likewise were too heavy as my only options. Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte isn’t too strong at this point; it’s several years old, but what remains is sugary sweet. Like with the perfumes, there wasn’t really anything to lighten things up.
Vanilla & leather was an interesting theme for my week, but it lacked the playfulness I prefer in my selections. Vanilla Noir should have been swapped out for something brighter and fun, like Al Rehab Dalal or Art Al Zaafaran Turab Al Dhahab. This might have been a perfect week for Turab Al Dhahab actually. It can be a little plasticky, but it is both vanillic & bright. Missed opportunity. Another option would have been a marshmallow or cotton candy body spray to liven everything up.
I followed some advice and experimented with antiperspirants this week. I don’t actually have much issue with body odor, but I wanted to test out some things I had read. I avoid using most products because I don’t like the residue on my clothes and I think it feels weird on my body throughout the day. Of course, that sometimes means having to shower more often. Using a combination of Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood stick antiperspirant and Lattafa Asad deodorant spray, I applied just before bed. I did not apply following my shower in the morning, but I did lightly spray the deodorant spray once I had dried off. Honestly, this might be the best advice I’ve followed in a while. It did a couple of things. Even after working out, I didn’t feel slimy in the way sweat can make me feel. Not at all throughout the week. But more importantly, I got that benefit without any residue on my skin. I was washing that off in the shower, but the antiperspirants were in my skin for the day. It all also made my skin feel smooth and I felt like it smelled better. I’ll keep trying that technique out, maybe switching to a stick with no scent to see how it affects things.
New acquisitions this week: Eves St. Claire Pineapple Papaya Shampoo; Personal Care Coconut Vanilla 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner