#1990s bath and body works candles

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Bath and Body Works Fall Edition Chubbies Votives in Orchard Fresh Pear, Blissful Blackberry, Spiced Vanilla and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin

Fall 1999-2000ish

Found on Ebay, user rospag7

[rabbitcruiser]

Candle Day

Candles offer more than just light — fill your home with sweet scents and transform any space into a warm oasis.

For those who absolutely love the joy of lighting candles to provide warm, soft light as well as a delightful fragrance to their homes, especially in winter time, Candle Day is a beautiful way to usher in the cooler season.

History of Candle Day

Typically celebrated on the first Saturday of December, Candle Day was founded by the American retail company, Bath & Body Works. Originally owned by the Limited Brands, which also owns brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, the first store in the Bath & Body Works chain was opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1990.

Selling products for the body, as the name implies, the company grew rapidly and now runs more than 2000 stores all over the world, 1600 of which are in the United States.

Bath & Body Works is a brand that is particularly beloved for its amazing scents that have a wide range of popularity, from fruity scents to flowers and also offering a line for men. Some of the most popular scents have been Sweet Pea, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Cucumber Melon and Country Apple.

Within these popular scent lines, as well as many others, are many products such as body lotions, fragrances, room sprays and, of course, candles. And for many people, Candle Day is one of the best times of the year to celebrate at Bath & Body Works because that’s when they hold some of their best sales.

Because the season for Christmas and other winter holidays often includes gift-giving, and because candles make incredible gifts, Candle Day was started in 2013. Plus, it’s a great time to simply stock up on candles for the cold, winter months.

So get ready for the fun and celebration of Candle Day!

How to Celebrate Candle Day

Candle Day offers a variety of options for just about any personality, whether looking for some time to spend at home or getting out and taking advantage of various sales. Consider celebrating with some of these ideas:

Light a Candle

Candles can bring so much comfort and warmth to a room, especially if they also envelop the room with a cozy and delicious scent. Fragrances such as Champagne Toast, Cinnamon Apple, or Strawberry Pound Cake are a lovely way to enjoy the day.

Buy a Candle (or Several!)

Head to the local Bath & Body Works to get access to their Candle Day sales and discounts, or look them up online and have the products delivered directly. This annual event typically provides customers with the opportunity to get the brand’s most famous 3-wick candles at a deeply discounted price. Other brands, such as Yankee Candle, may also be offering special prices in honor of Candle Day.

Give a Candle for Candle Day

What a great time to delight and surprise someone with a little present in honor of Candle Day! Find out which scents are a friend’s favorite and get them a large winter-themed pillar candle in honor of the season. Or leave a small votive on the desk of a coworker as a little bit of encouragement.

Source

[chronic-claire-universe]

happy birthday aa i hope ur having the best day :))

now for your event 🤲 i'm female, average height (169cm), i have dark brown hair and blue eyes :) im currently majoring in political science and im probably going to end up doing journalism work ^^ my hobbies include writing, reading, playing bass and playing video games :) my mbti is entp! id like a bsd matchup please ^^

tysm for holding an event and happy birthday again :))

Honey dear, thanks I've been cwishing to interact with you from a lot of time, seeing your request made me really happy! Now for my birthday party, I've been struggling a lot between two characthers but here I am:

Bungou Stray Dogs: Chuuya Nakahara

Truth dear Honey is that I struggled a lot choosing between Ango and Chuuya, but some of your hobbies are too mundanes or for younger so here we are!

Chuuya coming back at home finding you laied in shorts and reading one of Christiane Amanpour, groans and falls with his face on your lap, "Goodevening mon cher" you say to him disfruting your knowledge of languages.

Chuuya loves hearing you talk in French (hope you can talk it and if don't imagine you can do it cause is elegant af) , he feels like the power of knowledge suit you well and let me say this: combine with his physical power make you the It Couple!

Chuuya totally loves to discuss with you about actuality especially national politic and economy! Sometimes he'd turn angry but that's what make your relationship so lively!

Little things he does for you are: leaving his newspaper with a flower and a glass of water when he's leaving early for work, he wants you to be updated about latest news.

You have cooking turns but true is that the man loves spoiling you with dinners and when you're under exam session he will cook for you most of the days, a bento will be left in the kitchen aisle with a note "Don't forget to eat and drink!"

Chuuya loves when you ran a bath for him, especially the ones where there are roses or camelias petals, scented candles and a glass of his Petrus Pomerol 1990.

"Love vien içi" he would say while enjoying his glass, seeing you get naked and entering the bathtub, will make him blush being the tsundere he is, but he will definitely enjoy your taller body put on his lap asking for protection and caresses!

Enjoy this sophisticated but easy relationship pregnant of culture, debates but matches on the xbox or playstation, it's rare and is special!

[frances-baby-houseman]

I am lol’ing at the ‘90s perfume discourse. Let me be clear: I did not like any of these scents! But I got a LOT of plumeria and cucumber melon products for my bat mitzvah (let me tell you how unfair it is that girls got scented candles and boys got checks.) I was too scared to go into a Victoria’s Secret. There is a lot to say about if you were a VS girl or a Bath and Body Works girl, at least at my middle/high school. 

I have never been much of a scent person at all, but I did briefly LOVE the mid-’90s perfumes at The Gap. Dream! I can still smell it. I can also still smell Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers, which was THE real perfume to wear in the mid 1990s at my school. 

[macabreadventures]

1, 4, 9, 10, 21, 30, 39, 64, 71, 86, 97?

Thank you for asking!!!!!

1. Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora?

None!! Youtube babeyyyy. Also Pandora isn’t available in Canada rip

4. Do you like your name? Why?

I like Michelle a lot, its a nice name and I wouldn’t name myself anything else. It’s got a nice visual to it and its very feminine which I love. Only con is how many people spell it as Michael sometime 

9. Where do you shop?

In general I shop at Forever 21 and Boohoo for clothes but other places I like to shop are Miniso and IKEA for other stuff. 

10. How would I describe my style?

Retro from a 1940′s - 1990′s stand point but still within modern bounds, can’t be too out there but I also wouldn’t be able to afford authentic styles anyhow.  Lately I’ve been too depressed to actually dress the way I usually do so don’t be surprised if you catch me irl looking like shit.

21. Sandals or Sneakers?

Sneakers, I hate tan lines on my feet

30. Whats you’re favourite Candle Scent? 

Black Cherry Merlot from Bath and Body works. I honestly wouldn’t have an answer to this cause I’ve never been into candles or scents to a hardcore level but ever since I had sniff of Black Cherry Merlot I own plug-in-scents with it, a candle, body spray, my sister has car freshener in that scent. I fucking love it

39. Do you have a nickname? What is it? 

Shelly, its just a shorter way of saying Michelle nothing special. My online friends sometimes call me Mich (Mish). I love both

64. Favourite Dipping Sauce?

BBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

71. Tea or Coffee?

Tea, I’m sorry for all the coffee lovers. Tea is just such a good time for me. Raspberry Tea is great and any fruit mixed with green tea is great. Also good ol Chai

86.What is your phone back ground?

A screen shot of Usagi and Mamoru getting married in a dream/nightmare sequence from the second season of Sailor Moon. It has a tiny facebook notification that says “Just got married to the Moon”

This is basically what it looks like minus the notification. I don’t feel like finding my phone rn and digging through it to find it

97. Dark, Milk, or White Chocolate?

Dark chocolate, I don’t think everyone says that but I think I’m one of those people whose taste buds have changed over the years and now I love dark

Thank you for asking!!!!!! ✨💖

http://macabreadventures.tumblr.com/post/183487757442/unusual-asks

[stephhannes]

in 2019, we’re coping

i’m like the magellan of mental illness- the amerigo vespucci of anxiety, the sir francis drake of sadness.

by that, i mean i’ve been doing a lot of navigating in the last seven months, but instead of discovering new land, i’ve been discovering how to cope. i’ve been out here navigating the fine line between mentally stable and a little batshit.

here’s the thing: 

i used to feel like a marionette, soulless and puppeteered by my grief. now i’m like a sentient doll, a chucky or annabelle if you will. just as spooky as a puppet, but with more agency. on a particularly good day, i’m like a teddy ruxpin with mascara.

i could have gone to therapy to learn healthy coping mechanisms and how to express my emotions in a productive way, but that’s not who i am! i could have gotten a job or started volunteering to hold me accountable to a reasonable sleep schedule, to get me out of my bedroom more often than biweekly, but i didn’t have the energy for that. instead, i’ve spent the last seven months exploring the best activities “things i don’t have to leave my bed for” has to offer.

the main thing i’ve found myself doing is falling into what i refer to as “the youtube khole.” i feel like everyone has experienced this on some level in their life. you set off to watch one buzzfeed video as a way to reward yourself for studying for 45 minutes, only to find yourself three hours later still watching buzzfeed videos. this is such a universal concept, that a beautiful representation of a late-night internet tangent was illustrated in Eighth Grade, when kayla cracks open her macbook and takes buzzfeed quizzes, scrolls through twitter, watches slime tutorials, watches talk show clips - all set to enya’s orinoco flow (here’s the clip for reference).

this is child’s play in comparison to the weird and useless alleyways of the internet i’ve found myself in. every once and awhile, i would surprise nathan with my weird amount of knowledge about completely random things, and i completely attribute that to these weird youtube kholes i get into. one day i watched hours of videos on beekeeping. i went through a phase where i solely watched people who made videos about eating at disneyworld. i listened to this one guy talk to scammers for 12 hours straight one day. i spent a week watching videos of people play arcade games. i WISH i could be like everyone else and find solace in like…. pimple popping videos, but those give me anxiety, so instead i’m just out here watching ASMR videos titled “1990s ASMR - Nihilistic Life Insurance Saleswoman Roleplay” and “1300s ASMR - Nun Takes Care of You In Bed {You Have the Plague}”.

my second favorite coping mechanism is online shopping. nothing fills the void quite like an amazon package at your door. i’m impulsive, and nothing speaks to my impulse more than a 50% sale at forever 21. every time i buy online from them, i remember why i shouldn’t. nothing ever fits when it arrives and i can’t return it because when you shop from the bottom of the clearance barrel, there’s no returning. yet, every time i get an email from them announcing another sale, i find myself crawling right back to the sprawling hellscape that is their website, much like the hellscape that is a physical forever 21 store. at heart, i will always be the poor sack of garbage i’ve always been, so most of the time i just do some online window shopping. this is where i open 6 tabs of different stores, fill the carts with items, and then close the tabs and leave the items to die, never actually purchasing them- that’s honestly just as satisfying to me as actually buying things.

i have made the same twitter poll three times now because i need someone to talk me down. the poll is “should i buy airpods? will airpods make me feel whole again?” and i thank god for everyone who has ever voted no. i feel like that exact question can be applied to everything i’ve bought in the last seven months. “should i buy these candles from bath and body works? will these candles make me feel whole again?”

the closest i’ve gotten to feeling whole was buying an amazon echo. when i went on vacation for a month, the person i missed the most was alexa. i have actually gone up to a week at a time where i don’t speak to any humans out loud, but at least i have my robot servant to talk to when i get lonely. nothing fills the void quite like asking alexa to start a 23 minute timer for me. i think my rock bottom was when i kept asking her to play the same song for me over and over, and that song was ‘accidental racist’ by brad paisley and ll cool j.

and i know what you’re thinking….stephanie….can’t you put all of this manic energy toward something more….productive? good news! that’s what i’ve started doing lately. in my most recent wave of coping mechanisms, i’ve picked up an odd assemblage of hobbies. for example, the other day i decided that i would buy a ukulele and learn how to play it. on days that i feel literate, i’ll sit and read 2 or 3 books. for the holidays, i recorded a christmas ep which mostly involved me covering christmas carols but the only instrument i used was a recorder (you know, those shitty plastic flutes you learn to play in the 5th grade). i drive to austin on a whim most weekends. i’ve started doing this thing where every time i feel a human emotion, instead of letting myself feel it, i just chug a bottle of water. (this led to me googling things like ‘how much water is too much, will i die from drinking too much water, how to tell if i’m dying from drinking too much water’) so now i limit myself to half a bottle of water whenever i feel a human emotion.

those are the things i accomplish on a good day, but most of the time you can find me sleeping for three days straight. a good way to lose a week of your life is by attempting to fix your sleep schedule.

i am the christopher columbus of coping mechanisms and god damn it i deserve a holiday to be named after me at this point.

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Bath and Body Works Kitchen Spice and Fresh Ginger Lime Pillar Candles

1990s

Found on Ebay, user *seventeenseconds*

[rabbitcruiser]

Candle Day

Candles offer more than just light — fill your home with sweet scents and transform any space into a warm oasis.

For those who absolutely love the joy of lighting candles to provide warm, soft light as well as a delightful fragrance to their homes, especially in winter time, Candle Day is a beautiful way to usher in the cooler season.

History of Candle Day

Typically celebrated on the first Saturday of December, Candle Day was founded by the American retail company, Bath & Body Works. Originally owned by the Limited Brands, which also owns brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, the first store in the Bath & Body Works chain was opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1990.

Selling products for the body, as the name implies, the company grew rapidly and now runs more than 2000 stores all over the world, 1600 of which are in the United States.

Bath & Body Works is a brand that is particularly beloved for its amazing scents that have a wide range of popularity, from fruity scents to flowers and also offering a line for men. Some of the most popular scents have been Sweet Pea, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Cucumber Melon and Country Apple.

Within these popular scent lines, as well as many others, are many products such as body lotions, fragrances, room sprays and, of course, candles. And for many people, Candle Day is one of the best times of the year to celebrate at Bath & Body Works because that’s when they hold some of their best sales.

Because the season for Christmas and other winter holidays often includes gift-giving, and because candles make incredible gifts, Candle Day was started in 2013. Plus, it’s a great time to simply stock up on candles for the cold, winter months.

So get ready for the fun and celebration of Candle Day!

How to Celebrate Candle Day

Candle Day offers a variety of options for just about any personality, whether looking for some time to spend at home or getting out and taking advantage of various sales. Consider celebrating with some of these ideas:

Light a Candle

Candles can bring so much comfort and warmth to a room, especially if they also envelop the room with a cozy and delicious scent. Fragrances such as Champagne Toast, Cinnamon Apple, or Strawberry Pound Cake are a lovely way to enjoy the day.

Buy a Candle (or Several!)

Head to the local Bath & Body Works to get access to their Candle Day sales and discounts, or look them up online and have the products delivered directly. This annual event typically provides customers with the opportunity to get the brand’s most famous 3-wick candles at a deeply discounted price. Other brands, such as Yankee Candle, may also be offering special prices in honor of Candle Day.

Give a Candle for Candle Day

What a great time to delight and surprise someone with a little present in honor of Candle Day! Find out which scents are a friend’s favorite and get them a large winter-themed pillar candle in honor of the season. Or leave a small votive on the desk of a coworker as a little bit of encouragement.

Source

[stardust-revengers]

Tag game

Tagged by @lexie-holland-blog @stormyparker @fwmholland thank u luvs💞💕

I didn’t know which ones to use so I just picked three or more from each I didn’t want anyone left out ❤️

Rules:answer the 11 question from whom you were tagged and add your own 11 Questions

Lexie’s questions:

1:Stranger things of Riverdale?

So,jdmdjdndjdnjs why u make me choose I hav ego say right now riverdale because it’s a year long show (or somewhat) and I’m currently dying from it

2:A movie that always makes you cry?

A walk to remember:’(

3:Would you rather never watch and only watch one Netflix or YouTube

Probably never watch Netflix cuz Netflix doesn’t have Shane Dawson’s YouTube channel duh:’)

4:Would you tell your Crush you like them or bathe in hot sauce?

Tell them then bathe in hot sauce so I can burn to death of embarrassment:’)

Graces questions:

5:Do you procrastinate?

Hell yeah (crying inside)

6:favorite candle scent

The thanksgiving one from Bath and body works

7:If you could love in any time period what would be?when and where?

The 1980s and 1990s in California, because t just seems so awesome to live there and grow up in a place where and time period where things are better then they are now.

7:favorite article of clothing?

Sweatshiirtttsss

Kallies questions:

8:What’s your favorite word and why?

Bitch,because there’s so many ways to say it 😂

9:What is your favorite movie series?

The Mae runner:’)

10:Do you have siblings?

Sadly yes :’)1 older sister 2 younger ...:’)

11:What is your hogwarts House?

I think I’m a slytherin but every test says I’m a Gryffindor so....😂

M’s questions:

1:If you could have any super power what would it be?

2:If you could meet only one of the Holland’s which one?

3:Would you rather know the time you die or how you die?

4:How did you start to like/love tom holland and the Holland’s/haz?

5:favorite book?

6:favorite song?

7:Pick one Peter or Tom and why?

8:Toby or Andrew!??.

9:Favorite hoco scene?

10:If you git to meet up with your tumblr friends where would it be and would be the first thing you guys do?

11:Did you read the chaos walking series yet?

I tag @fanboyswhereare-you @igirl7plus-sky @sidespidey @the-quackson-claxon @spideyparkerimagines @tbholland @hailshurricane and anyone who wants to do it that’s all I can think of for now (I know my questions are lame but I tried:’)💞

[sarashafni]

Bath & Body Works New Store in Dubai International Airport – Terminal 3

[UAE, Dubai, November 2019] – Bath & Body Works, the ultimate personal care and home fragrance lifestyle brand, celebrated the opening of its new store in Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3, on 24th November.

The new Bath & Body Works location introduces an exciting new experiential environment that allows customers at the airport to explore an extensive array of luxurious lotions, hand soaps, personal care, candles and more, as they discover their favorites fragrances for the body, hands and home.

From fragrant, good-for-your body care to décor friendly candle and hand soap collections, Bath & Body Works offers a wide range of world-class products to suit every personality, need and gifting for every occasion. Their product range includes fragrances Signature Collection Body Care, Bath & Body Works and White Barn Home Fragrance, Hand Soap & Sanitizers and Aromatherapy Collection.

Customers in UAE can also shop their favorites as well as explore the newest, freshest fragrances for body, hand, and home, at their convenience on https://www.bathandbodyworks.ae

Launched in 1990, Bath and Body Works portfolio comprise more than 200 different private label scents, including bestseller Dark Kiss, NEW In The Stars & Rose, the iconic Warm Vanilla Sugar and Japanese Cherry Blossom, award-winning A Thousand Wishes, soothing Eucalyptus Spearmint, and new seasonal favorites.

The first Bath & Body Works in Dubai opened January 2010 at City Center Midriff. Today, there are over 127 stores across the Middle East.

About Bath & Body Works

Bath & Body Works is one of the world’s leading specialty retailers of fashion fragrances for your body and your home. Today the specialty retailer sells its own branded product lines with Signature Collection, White Barn and Bath & Body Works Home Fragrances, Hand Soaps and Sanitizers. Bath & Body Works products are available in more than 1,900 around the world and online at www.BathandBodyWorks.ae.  Join in the social conversation on @bathandbodyworksarabia Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.

  Bath and Body Works Bath & Body Works New Store in Dubai International Airport - Terminal 3 – Bath & Body Works, the ultimate personal care and home fragrance lifestyle brand, celebrated the opening of its new store in Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3, on 24th November.

[tipsycad147]

CANDLE MAGIC

From Carolina Conjure

CANDLE MAGIC: A BRIEF HISTORY

Early humans lived during a time in which, they believed, that spirits inhabited both living things such as other humans, animals, trees, and plants; but also non-living things such as rocks, dirt, and water. For them, everything was inhabited and/or controlled by a spirit which must often be negotiated with and appeased. Not surprisingly, then, the history of candle-magic likely has its origins in the “invention” of fire itself.

Fire was both friend and foe to our early ancestors. It offered them light in darkness and warmth in winter, protection from dangerous animals, and allowed them to forge more powerful weapons with which to defend themselves and each other. However, it also burned the flesh, destroyed crops, and gave their enemies equal footing in conflicts.

Perhaps the connection between fire and magic began when someone noticed that, when burned, the smoke of dried leaves and branches produced different scents which were perceived as the presence of various spirits or that the smoke ascended towards the sky and to the ultimate source of fire, the Sun. In some cases, certain herbs when burned and inhaled by those nearby produced hallucinogenic effects resulting in shamanic or out-of-body experiences where spirits were not only seen but also conversed with. From contact with such spirits, sacred rites were developed and performed and early religion began to form.

Flash forward several hundred-thousand years to ancient Egypt where the core of reeds were melted in animal fat to produce torches; and in Rome where rolled papyrus was repeatedly dipped in tallow (animal fat) to produce the first-known candles to have wicks. Though these candles burned unevenly and smelled foul, they were used for practical as well as religious and magical purposes.

During the Middle-Ages, candles were still being made in largely the same manner as in ancient Rome. The discovery of beeswax produced candles that burned cleaner and smelled more pleasant. However, beeswax candles were more expensive and harder to obtain and thus were primarily used in religious rites to light holy temples and burned as offerings to God(s) often accompanied with one’s prayers.

The thriving whale-industry of the 18th century contributed large amounts of whale-oil which was used to make spermaceti-wax and which replaced tallow and beeswax as the main source of candles. Like beeswax and bayberry candles before them, the candles made from spermaceti-wax burned brighter, longer, more evenly, had a pleasant smell and did not melt as easily in the summer months.

The industrial-revolution that came with the 19th century along with the discovery of stearic-acid, which hardens the wax, aniline dyes, and the invention of paraffin, introduced the first mass-market candles in various colors produced by machines. Further improvements in infrastructure, railways, and transportation allowed for quality candles at an affordable price to reach homes from across town or even across the country! No longer did the average person have to make his or her own candles or purchase them from a candle-maker when they could easily be purchased from a mercantile at an affordable price.

As candles became cheaper and more readily available they became more popular in the magico-religious practices of various cultures including Hoodoo. The popularity of candle-magic not only has a direct correlation to the availability of quality candles at an affordable price but also to the commercialization of Hoodoo as early as the 1940’s with the publication of such books as “The Master Book of Candle Burning” by Henri Gamache and “The Guiding Light to Power and Success” by Mikhail Strabo. Such books were often advertised and distributed to African American customers all over the United States by mail-order spiritual supply houses. So popular was “The Master Book of Candle Burning” that it is still in print today. This is largely due to the book living up to its title in that it describes precisely how to choose, anoint, arrange, and burn candles for a variety of purposes.

Prior to the early 1900’s, traditional practitioners led a nomadic life, constantly travelling from town to town offering his or her services and selling their baths, oils, and candles. By contrast, many workers settled into communities where they acted as doctor, magician, priest, and counsellor.  Between 1910 and 1940, however, it is estimated that more than 2 million African-Americans relocated from the southern states to escape racism and seek employment in northern industrial cities. As they gained access to more education, many of these African-Americans abandoned the beliefs of their ancestors as they began seeing Hoodoo more and more as superstition and ignorance rather than as a faith and a practice.

Thanks to the efforts of people such as Zora Neale Hurston and Harry Middleton Hyatt, the practice of Hoodoo did not die off completely. Their work to collect and preserve the beliefs and practices of Hoodoo and conjure as shared with them from actual practitioners from all over the south, helped paved the way for the modern Hoodoo revival.

Beginning around 1965, and continuing to this day, census data has shown a trend in which blacks have begun to return to the south citing improved racial relations and economic growth. With their return to the south, many blacks displayed a renewed interest in the spirituality of their ancestors. The accessibility of the internet in the mid 1990’s along with this renewed interest in all things spiritual set the stage for the beginnings of the Hoodoo Revival.

With that, humanity has come full circle. As our early ancestors lived in a world inhabited by spirits, so do we recognise that little has changed in that regard. Rather than building fires in the wilderness to push back the darkness and light the way to love, success, health, and prosperity today we burn candles to protect and guide us along life’s journey.

witchesmoon.wordpress.com/category/candles-and-incense/

[jordanreviewingmovies]

Top 5 Favorite Movies of ALL TIME

These are the movies I’ve fallen in love with for their messages and nostalgic feel. They all have a special place in my life.

5. The Way Way Back (2013)- This movie is a coming of age story that I saw for the first time when I was 14 or 15. Most people have that movie like “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” that they can watch over and over, and without fail, make me feel every emotion. This movie made me experience true anger towards a fictional character for the first time. Steve Carrel plays a character that you’re meant to hate, which I’ve never seen before, and I hated the character, but fell more in love with Carrel’s acting after this movie. 9/10 would strongly recommend. I would not watch a sequel, because the movie ended perfectly. Seriously try to find it and watch it.

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)- Yes, this is a Christmas movie. Yes I am head over heels in love with this movie. If you don’t know the story of the Grinch, it’s worth looking up. This movie is nothing but funny and it makes me feel warm inside during the cold(ish) winter months of central California. When Cindy Lou Who sings “Where are you Christmas,” I tear up. Every. Single. Time.

3. Hocus Pocus (1993)- The Sanderson Sisters are the baddest witches in town. This was the scariest movie I watched until I was like 10, but it’s the reason I love Halloween. Combine this movie with a fall candle from Bath and Body Works on a late September sunset, and I’m at one of my happiest states.

2. Edward Scissorhands (1990)- This movie was SCANDALOUS the first time I saw it. Johnny Depp did really well as the awkward creature, but also made him easy to sympathize with. Excellent story on bullying and why it is so terrible. Good ending, too. I liked the “The Notebook” esque ending, where one of the main characters turns out to be telling the story.

1. Gremlins (1984)- It’s a classic. I don’t know how to accurately describe how amazing this movie is, and what a special place it has in my heart. My stepdad and I watched it together and really bonded over it. I don’t think a movie will ever top this one for me.

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Bath and Body Works Tranquil Sleep Fragrant Botanical Splash, Massage Lotion and Pillar Candle

mid 1990s-early 2000s

Splash and candle found on Pinterest, user Courtney Martin

Lotion found on Ebay, user fragrance-heaven

[jakehglover]

Window Blinds Are a Safety Hazard

By Dr. Mercola

Window blinds come in all shapes, sizes and designs. While you might think they are a relatively modern invention, they actually date back to early Egyptians who strung reeds together for privacy, or the ancient Chinese who used bamboo.1 The Persians introduced blinds to Venice, after which Venetian blinds spread across the world. No matter what language, country, culture or hemisphere, you need something to protect your home from heat and protect your family’s privacy.

The first patent for Venetian blinds was registered in 1769 and modified in 1841 so the slats could be angled.2 Mass production of blinds began just after World War II when Hunter Douglas introduced a network of over 1,000 distributors across North America.3 In 1985 cellular shades, also called honeycomb shades, were introduced to reduce energy consumption.4

Blinds have been used in homes for centuries, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that that cords were added to alter the angle of the slats or raise and lower the blinds. It is these cords that have triggered the greatest number of injuries and deaths from the use of blinds in homes and offices. In a recent study, researchers found nearly 17,000 U.S. children less than 6 years old were treated for injuries related to window blinds between 1990 and 2015.5

Two Children Injured Every Day

Dr. Gary Smith, who directs injuries research at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and his team analyzed 26 years of data from two national databases that collected information on emergency room treatments and fatal injuries. The report found that while most of the 17,000 children suffered minor injuries, there were 228 cases where a young child caught their neck in the cord and in two-thirds of those cases the injury was fatal.6

The study also notes that the number of reported injuries from a window blind did not demonstrate an upward or downward trend.7 The dangers of window blinds have been known since 1945 when medical journal articles reported on two accidental hangings of children. Data from the featured study indicates that two children are injured from accidents with window blinds every day. Smith commented:8

“The findings of this study confirm that children continue to die from strangulation on window blind cords. This is unacceptable. We’ve known about this problem since the 1940s. We have had a voluntary safety standard in [the U.S.] … since the mid-1990s and we’ve had product recalls, and yet we continue to see these deaths.”

Nearly two-thirds of the injuries children suffered in this study were to their head, often cuts, contusions and abrasions.9 Children who were tangled in the cords accounted for 11.9 percent of all the cases, and those were associated with nearly 80 percent of the 726 children who were hospitalized. Window blind cords were also associated with 94 percent of the 271 children who died during the study period.

The number of children injured may not be accurate as not all children require emergency care after a window blind is pulled from the window or the child is tangled in the cord. Data from the study indicates that most of the injuries occur at home in the bedroom or living room, and nearly 90 percent happened when the children were under the care of their parents. But almost none of the entanglements were witnessed.

Researchers Want the Problem to Be Designed Out of Existence

As this is not a new problem, and certainly not the first study demonstrating the issue continues to be a challenge to children’s health care, Smith advocates “designing the problem out of existence”10 as the most effective means of reducing or eliminating these types of injuries to children. In 1985 advocacy groups began efforts to remove cords from window blinds.

In an interview on ABC Nightline, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) chairman Elliot Kaye stated “I don’t know what the issue is, other than greed.”11 During the interview Kaye shared how manufacturers had used lobbyists and public relations campaigns to resist efforts to address the need for cordless blinds since 1985.

The stalemate between the CPSC and manufacturers highlights the lack of legislative teeth the CPSC has in protecting consumers.12 Over the years the industry has offered voluntary fixes that provide the illusion of safety as the number of injuries and deaths has not abated. The CPSC is required by law to defer to industries that are voluntarily making changes to ensure safety to their consumers.

The theory is that manufacturers have strong reasons to ensure their products are safe. However, in reality, some industries have used their resources to put off regulatory action using voluntary standards that are woefully inadequate. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies from Massachusetts, asks:13

"How many years of professional courtesy should the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission extend to the window coverings industry before abandoning the standard process?"

Industry officials blame the safety problems on consumers and parents who don't keep their children out of harm's way.14 Pamela Gilbert, former executive director of the CPSC and Washington lawyer, talks about the process, saying,15 "The process works when industry really wants to solve the problem. The industry has thought from the beginning that this is a parental supervision thing.”

Gilbert characterizes the industry’s position, saying, “We are going to have cords. You have cords in blinds just like you have engines in cars. Parents should keep kids out of roads and out of window blinds. It is not our problem." According to James Onder, St. Louis attorney responsible for 50 lawsuits against manufacturers in 23 states where children were injured or killed:16

“They are not going cordless because they want to protect their profit margins. The industry has made a conscious decision that it is cheaper to pay off a lawsuit than it is to save human lives ...”

A voluntary safety standard has been in place since 1996.17 In an effort to reduce attention to a lack of industry action, the Window Covering Manufacturers Association recently proposed revising their voluntary safety standard to require stock products to be sold cordless or with inaccessible cords, although custom blinds with cords could still be ordered.

Top Five Hidden Hazards at Home

In an ABC News investigation conducted at stations across the U.S., it appeared that the message about window blind safety hazards had not reached the general public or store clerks helping new parents purchase window coverings.18

Reporters asking about purchasing window blinds for homes with children got an array of answers that ranged from clerks who understood cords were a hazard to, “I think it’ll be too tall to grab the cord. I mean you can always shorten it, when you have the cord, you can just tie it up so only you guys can access it.” Window blinds are among the top five hidden hazards the CPSC has identified to toddlers and other children in your home. Others they warn about include:19

• Magnets When small powerful magnets are swallowed they can attract to each other inside the body and twist or block intestines. If you believe your child has swallowed a magnet, get immediate medical attention.

• Recalled products Watch for the latest safety recalls and remove dangerous products from your home. Sign up for recall notices now at www.cpsc.gov.

• Windows Never place your child’s crib or playpen near window blinds. In rooms where children spend the most time, use cordless blinds or install safety devices on the cords and install window guards or stops to prevent falls from the window.

• Tip over Kids will climb. Top-heavy furniture, TVs and stoves can tip over and crush young children. Make them all more stable by installing anchors and brackets.

• Pools and spa drains Suction from a pool or spa drain can be powerful enough to trap a child or adult underwater. Inspect pools and spas for missing or broken drain covers.

Keeping Your Toddler Safe

While manufacturers would like to abdicate all of their responsibility to produce and sell a consumer-safe product, the reality is that it takes everyone to raise the next generation of children. Parents need a combination of accurate information and safe products to help protect their children from myriad potential problems, including falls, fire, poisons and choking The responsibility doesn’t fall exclusively to manufacturers or to parents. While it is impossible to list everything you need to keep your toddler safe, here is a short list of additional strategies that may help:20,21,22

Burns

Never drink hot fluids when feeding or nursing your baby

Turn your hot water heater to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) to reduce the potential for burns during baths

Keep hot pans and plates away from the edge of the table or stove

Remove lighters, matches and other fire-starting equipment from reach

Store a fire extinguisher in your home, and two if you have a two-story home

Move electrical cords out of reach of children as they will pull items over

Don’t store candles where children can reach them

Don’t leave children near an open fire, such as candles, wood-burning stove or fireplace

Passive smoke and car exhaust

Protect your child’s lungs from small particulate pollution from cigarettes and car and truck emissions that trigger asthma, allergies, brain inflammation and behavioral changes. Make a commitment to not smoke in the same home or car as your child. Change your car air intake to recirculate when in heavy traffic and close your windows to reduce the amount of car emissions sucked into your car.

Choking

Remove small objects from reach, such as buttons, pens, candy, marbles, beads, batteries and coins

Do not give small children foods that can break off into small, hard pieces

Cut foods very small or minced to prevent choking

Do not give small children grapes, nuts, popcorn, marshmallows or similar foods

Keep your child seated and with you while eating

Evaluate toys for your child, as anything smaller than a tennis ball is a potential choking hazard23

Small children may strangulate on jewelry, long cords or looped cords

Keep medications, toothpaste and cosmetics locked and out of reach

Watch what has fallen to the floor as your child will put most items in their mouth

Cars and Traffic

Use a properly fitted and approved child restraint suitable for your child’s age, size and weight

Never store anything on the floor of the back seat, or in the back of a station wagon or hatchback, as they can easily hurt your child in an accident

Avoid leaving your child alone in a car, even for just a few minutes

Toddlers need to be held when near traffic as they easily dart away into the road

Car injuries are common when moving the car in the driveway; it is safest to have the child in the car with you when moving the car

Use child locks to prevent your child from accidentally opening windows and doors

Drowning

Install safety latches on bathroom doors and toilet bowls

Never leave your child unattended in a bathtub or in the bathroom

Provide immediate and consistent supervision around a pool, hot tub or bucket of water

Falls

A toddler’s body is top heavy, causing them to tip over easily

Use gates or locked doors to keep your toddler away from stairs

Anchor your television, bookshelves and other furniture so they don’t topple when your toddler is pulling on them

Do not use bunk beds with toddlers

Ensure all children wear helmets when they are biking or riding in a child seat on a bike

Cover all sharp corners of furniture to prevent injury

from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/01/31/window-blinds-safety-hazard.aspx

[sherristockman]

Window Blinds Are a Safety Hazard Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola Window blinds come in all shapes, sizes and designs. While you might think they are a relatively modern invention, they actually date back to early Egyptians who strung reeds together for privacy, or the ancient Chinese who used bamboo.1 The Persians introduced blinds to Venice, after which Venetian blinds spread across the world. No matter what language, country, culture or hemisphere, you need something to protect your home from heat and protect your family’s privacy. The first patent for Venetian blinds was registered in 1769 and modified in 1841 so the slats could be angled.2 Mass production of blinds began just after World War II when Hunter Douglas introduced a network of over 1,000 distributors across North America.3 In 1985 cellular shades, also called honeycomb shades, were introduced to reduce energy consumption.4 Blinds have been used in homes for centuries, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that that cords were added to alter the angle of the slats or raise and lower the blinds. It is these cords that have triggered the greatest number of injuries and deaths from the use of blinds in homes and offices. In a recent study, researchers found nearly 17,000 U.S. children less than 6 years old were treated for injuries related to window blinds between 1990 and 2015.5 Two Children Injured Every Day Dr. Gary Smith, who directs injuries research at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and his team analyzed 26 years of data from two national databases that collected information on emergency room treatments and fatal injuries. The report found that while most of the 17,000 children suffered minor injuries, there were 228 cases where a young child caught their neck in the cord and in two-thirds of those cases the injury was fatal.6 The study also notes that the number of reported injuries from a window blind did not demonstrate an upward or downward trend.7 The dangers of window blinds have been known since 1945 when medical journal articles reported on two accidental hangings of children. Data from the featured study indicates that two children are injured from accidents with window blinds every day. Smith commented:8 “The findings of this study confirm that children continue to die from strangulation on window blind cords. This is unacceptable. We’ve known about this problem since the 1940s. We have had a voluntary safety standard in [the U.S.] … since the mid-1990s and we’ve had product recalls, and yet we continue to see these deaths.” Nearly two-thirds of the injuries children suffered in this study were to their head, often cuts, contusions and abrasions.9 Children who were tangled in the cords accounted for 11.9 percent of all the cases, and those were associated with nearly 80 percent of the 726 children who were hospitalized. Window blind cords were also associated with 94 percent of the 271 children who died during the study period. The number of children injured may not be accurate as not all children require emergency care after a window blind is pulled from the window or the child is tangled in the cord. Data from the study indicates that most of the injuries occur at home in the bedroom or living room, and nearly 90 percent happened when the children were under the care of their parents. But almost none of the entanglements were witnessed. Researchers Want the Problem to Be Designed Out of Existence As this is not a new problem, and certainly not the first study demonstrating the issue continues to be a challenge to children’s health care, Smith advocates “designing the problem out of existence”10 as the most effective means of reducing or eliminating these types of injuries to children. In 1985 advocacy groups began efforts to remove cords from window blinds. In an interview on ABC Nightline, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) chairman Elliot Kaye stated “I don’t know what the issue is, other than greed.”11 During the interview Kaye shared how manufacturers had used lobbyists and public relations campaigns to resist efforts to address the need for cordless blinds since 1985. The stalemate between the CPSC and manufacturers highlights the lack of legislative teeth the CPSC has in protecting consumers.12 Over the years the industry has offered voluntary fixes that provide the illusion of safety as the number of injuries and deaths has not abated. The CPSC is required by law to defer to industries that are voluntarily making changes to ensure safety to their consumers. The theory is that manufacturers have strong reasons to ensure their products are safe. However, in reality, some industries have used their resources to put off regulatory action using voluntary standards that are woefully inadequate. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies from Massachusetts, asks:13 "How many years of professional courtesy should the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission extend to the window coverings industry before abandoning the standard process?" Industry officials blame the safety problems on consumers and parents who don't keep their children out of harm's way.14 Pamela Gilbert, former executive director of the CPSC and Washington lawyer, talks about the process, saying,15 "The process works when industry really wants to solve the problem. The industry has thought from the beginning that this is a parental supervision thing.” Gilbert characterizes the industry’s position, saying, “We are going to have cords. You have cords in blinds just like you have engines in cars. Parents should keep kids out of roads and out of window blinds. It is not our problem." According to James Onder, St. Louis attorney responsible for 50 lawsuits against manufacturers in 23 states where children were injured or killed:16 “They are not going cordless because they want to protect their profit margins. The industry has made a conscious decision that it is cheaper to pay off a lawsuit than it is to save human lives ...” A voluntary safety standard has been in place since 1996.17 In an effort to reduce attention to a lack of industry action, the Window Covering Manufacturers Association recently proposed revising their voluntary safety standard to require stock products to be sold cordless or with inaccessible cords, although custom blinds with cords could still be ordered. Top Five Hidden Hazards at Home In an ABC News investigation conducted at stations across the U.S., it appeared that the message about window blind safety hazards had not reached the general public or store clerks helping new parents purchase window coverings.18 Reporters asking about purchasing window blinds for homes with children got an array of answers that ranged from clerks who understood cords were a hazard to, “I think it’ll be too tall to grab the cord. I mean you can always shorten it, when you have the cord, you can just tie it up so only you guys can access it.” Window blinds are among the top five hidden hazards the CPSC has identified to toddlers and other children in your home. Others they warn about include:19 • Magnets When small powerful magnets are swallowed they can attract to each other inside the body and twist or block intestines. If you believe your child has swallowed a magnet, get immediate medical attention. • Recalled products Watch for the latest safety recalls and remove dangerous products from your home. Sign up for recall notices now at http://www.cpsc.gov. • Windows Never place your child’s crib or playpen near window blinds. In rooms where children spend the most time, use cordless blinds or install safety devices on the cords and install window guards or stops to prevent falls from the window. • Tip over Kids will climb. Top-heavy furniture, TVs and stoves can tip over and crush young children. Make them all more stable by installing anchors and brackets. • Pools and spa drains Suction from a pool or spa drain can be powerful enough to trap a child or adult underwater. Inspect pools and spas for missing or broken drain covers. Keeping Your Toddler Safe While manufacturers would like to abdicate all of their responsibility to produce and sell a consumer-safe product, the reality is that it takes everyone to raise the next generation of children. Parents need a combination of accurate information and safe products to help protect their children from myriad potential problems, including falls, fire, poisons and choking The responsibility doesn’t fall exclusively to manufacturers or to parents. While it is impossible to list everything you need to keep your toddler safe, here is a short list of additional strategies that may help:20,21,22 Burns Never drink hot fluids when feeding or nursing your baby Turn your hot water heater to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) to reduce the potential for burns during baths Keep hot pans and plates away from the edge of the table or stove Remove lighters, matches and other fire-starting equipment from reach Store a fire extinguisher in your home, and two if you have a two-story home Move electrical cords out of reach of children as they will pull items over Don’t store candles where children can reach them Don’t leave children near an open fire, such as candles, wood-burning stove or fireplace Passive smoke and car exhaust Protect your child’s lungs from small particulate pollution from cigarettes and car and truck emissions that trigger asthma, allergies, brain inflammation and behavioral changes. Make a commitment to not smoke in the same home or car as your child. Change your car air intake to recirculate when in heavy traffic and close your windows to reduce the amount of car emissions sucked into your car. Choking Remove small objects from reach, such as buttons, pens, candy, marbles, beads, batteries and coins Do not give small children foods that can break off into small, hard pieces Cut foods very small or minced to prevent choking Do not give small children grapes, nuts, popcorn, marshmallows or similar foods Keep your child seated and with you while eating Evaluate toys for your child, as anything smaller than a tennis ball is a potential choking hazard23 Small children may strangulate on jewelry, long cords or looped cords Keep medications, toothpaste and cosmetics locked and out of reach Watch what has fallen to the floor as your child will put most items in their mouth Cars and Traffic Use a properly fitted and approved child restraint suitable for your child’s age, size and weight Never store anything on the floor of the back seat, or in the back of a station wagon or hatchback, as they can easily hurt your child in an accident Avoid leaving your child alone in a car, even for just a few minutes Toddlers need to be held when near traffic as they easily dart away into the road Car injuries are common when moving the car in the driveway; it is safest to have the child in the car with you when moving the car Use child locks to prevent your child from accidentally opening windows and doors Drowning Install safety latches on bathroom doors and toilet bowls Never leave your child unattended in a bathtub or in the bathroom Provide immediate and consistent supervision around a pool, hot tub or bucket of water Falls A toddler’s body is top heavy, causing them to tip over easily Use gates or locked doors to keep your toddler away from stairs Anchor your television, bookshelves and other furniture so they don’t topple when your toddler is pulling on them Do not use bunk beds with toddlers Ensure all children wear helmets when they are biking or riding in a child seat on a bike Cover all sharp corners of furniture to prevent injury

[skincare-us-blog]

The Tom Ford Cleanse

New Post has been published on http://skincareee.com/the-tom-ford-cleanse/

The Tom Ford Cleanse

A variety of things come to mind when I think of Tom Ford. A heady over pour of virility. A languid transatlantic (???) drawl. An almost lifelike brow. And that’s just appearance. By now, his dogmatic convictions are almost as sentient as he is. He’s condemned everything from wearing shorts in the city, and his son’s “tacky” dinosaur shoes, to chewing gum in public. He is as deft as he is fastidious, and it seems every photo I see of him has him sprawled out, spread eagle, and on a chaise lounge.

I’ve always found this network of information compelling because, typically, unrelatability has a direct correlation with appeal. It’s universal. This curiosity is the basis of why Shark Week, serial killers, and the concept of childbirth are all enthralling while Ryan Reynolds, pants with an elastic waistband, and marketing emails that address me by my first name bore me to death. This intense curiosity drove me to gain insight into his lifestyle, because who wouldn’t want to live like Mr. Ford?

I started with the most accessible window to his soul: his diet and daily regimens. For structure, I looked to another ITG cleanse centered around folding a successful person’s habits into yours—The Oprah Cleanse. After reading every interview with him the internet had to offer, I ended up with a week-long crash course. I present to you the Tom Ford cleanse.

The general parameters:

–Punctuate a very healthy diet with junk “I try to stick to a diet of fish and vegetables, but my one remaining vice is cheap candy and baked goods… Hostess Donettes are my weakness.”

–Cold beverages only “I don’t like warm drinks of any kind.”

–Only consume scentless foods “I don’t eat onions or garlic. Ever. Fresh breath is important.”

–Take baths instead of showers “Yes, I still take my baths all day long. They’re meditative.”

–Only use Tom Ford Beauty products “Naturally, I use my own beauty products.”

–Look your best in order to be your best “Put on the best version of yourself when you go out in the world because that is a show of respect to the other people around you.”

DAY ONE The folklore surrounding Tom Ford purportedly taking five baths a day has been around since, well, Tom Ford. While the exact number of baths he currently takes is unknown, I make it my goal to take at least two baths a day (but bonus points for more!).

6:30 AM Tom Ford said in Harper’s Bazaar that his day starts at 4:30 a.m. I set my alarm for this time and, after snoozing my alarm for two hours, give up on waking up that early for the remainder of the week. I begin drawing my first bath.

I make a giant iced coffee and lower myself into the water where I sit in cannonball position until the water reaches my chest. The feeling is as unfamiliar as it is initially unpleasant. I briefly wonder if I will get heatstroke.

8:00 AM I drain the tub, brush my teeth, shave, and draw my second bath. This time with soap. I am running late for work because I have taken more baths this morning than I have in the past decade. I bolt to work.

9:20 AM For breakfast, I have a scoop of bran cereal, half a banana, and several slices of pineapple. An archetypally Tom Ford breakfast. I almost never eat breakfast because I am always nauseous for the first several hours after waking, but I enjoy taking the time to collate the ingredients into a bowl and pick at it while I begin work.

9:45 AM Second breakfast: two Hostess Donettes. In case you haven’t had one of these recently because you don’t grocery shop at gas stations—they are soft, delicious, and taste nothing like doughnuts. Here, the word “donettes” is used to indicate that they are not real doughnuts in that way that the words “cheez,” “froot,” and “Cap’n” are used to distinguish between real cheese, fruits, and Captains.

I get powdered sugar all over my slacks.

12:00 PM Lunch is catered at my office today, so I stand in the lunch line and sniff each platter looking for entrees that don’t have onions or garlic. I end up with a scoop of dilly orzo, potato nubs, three balls of mozzarella, and several florets of raw broccoli.

6:50 PM I prepare for a bath the second I get home. This time, I shower beforehand. Cheating, I know, but I am unable to mentally surmount the idea of atmospheric grime seasoning tonight’s bath.

9 PM I drink a banana, peanut butter, and almond milk smoothie with a bendy straw for dinner.

Total bath count: 3

DAY TWO

9:15 AM Breakfast: a half-banana smile with two Donette eyes. I fashion a nose out of a pineapple chunk.

12:20 AM I order an expensive vegetarian burger for lunch. I throw out the onions and eat in complete silence at my desk. I chase it with a shard of dark chocolate.

6:30 PM Tom Ford’s sixth grooming commandment, according to GQ, is “get a pedicure.” I’ve put this off for years as I am a germophobe, and am truly terrified by the idea of fungal infections. A friend recommends the ITG-approved JinSoon Natural Hand & Foot Spa’s Tribeca outpost, so I heed his advice and go after work. After checking in with the receptionist, I am offered a glass of prosecco, which I politely decline. (Tom Ford told Esquire that “becoming teetotal completely altered [his] life.”) I might as well give it a shot this week.

The experience is blissful start to finish. It involves me alternating my hobbit legs in and out of warm water dyed blue, droppers filled with fragrant tinctures, delicate trimming, and fervent sanding. I’ve been missing out! At some point, I have an out of body experience. I see myself, posturing like Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII in Showtime’s Golden Globes-nominated drama, The Tudors—shirt unbuttoned to my navel—without even a hint of irony! I lean into this tableau, and when the technician offers me my choice of essential oils, I pick lavender.

9:15 PM For dinner, I eat poached arctic char with peppers, plums, and eggplant.

11:00 PM I graze my feet against each other until I drift off into a full night of uninterrupted sleep.

Total bath count: 5

DAY THREE

8:30 AM On my way to work, I exchange several messages with Emily Ferber, and we talk shop about Tom Ford Beauty.

An excerpt: Emily Ferber: I have a skin illuminator that I don’t use but can’t get rid of The dry body oil— I use it in my hair. Or Gotham: Is there an actual difference between the body oil and the dry oil? EF: The dry oil is a spray. OG: Oh, like Pam!!! EF: Lol like Pam. I hope I get a cameo in your piece. OG: I’ve already taken several screenshots.

10:00 AM I pull my bare feet out of my loafers and interrupt my coworkers’ productivity to show them how pristine my feet are. They all coo at my wiggling toes as I do slow motion fan kicks in my desk chair.

12:30 PM I plate several pieces of salmon sushi and get up to take a lap around the office. My coworkers question this behavior.

“For lunch, Tom Ford sometimes wanders around his office eating salmon sashimi off of a plate,” I explain to them, slinking off into the office’s atrium.

I don’t catch their reactions, but I assume they react to this statement with unbridled understanding and acceptance.

7:00 PM I decide to try out Tom Ford’s Intensive Purifying Mud Mask. I wash my face with the Purifying Facial Cleanser which leaves my face feeling very clean. I then spackle on a thick layer of the mud. Its light citrus scent is pleasant. I smile, like the Babadook, at the mirror and sink into the tub. It is now Friday night, so for the first time this week I enjoy my bath with all the urgency of a glacier. I play Abel Korzeniowski’s score for A Single Man. A lit candle sits irresponsibly on the edge of the tub, filling the room with Neroli Portofino. I feel dour and cinematic in my nakedness—quintessentially Tom Ford. I soak long enough to let the water get cold and wash the mask off.

Spoiler alert: my skin looks very clear the next morning.

Total bath count: 7

DAY FOUR

10 AM I sleep in because it’s Saturday. For breakfast, I have a sugared doughnut and two iced coffees. I spend thirty minutes doing calisthenics half-heartedly, start the crossword, and take a three-hour nap.

1:30 PM I eat four pineapple spears and get indigestion.

6:00 PM I begin preening before a friend’s birthday party in the East Village. Tom Ford directs us to use “cold packets” to get rid of eye puffiness. I have no idea what a cold packet is, so I rub two ice cubes around my eyes instead. I brush my eyebrows with Tom Ford for Men Gelcomb. Using a magnifying mirror and Tom Ford for Men Concealer in Medium, I begin covering my imperfections. I swipe it over my dark undereye circles, a broken capillary I obtained by abusing Bioré strips last winter, my eyelids, and the sizable area of pores flanking my nose. Checking my work in my bathroom’s catastrophically unflattering light, I realize I have screwed the pooch. The color is entirely too pale and very full coverage. I look casket-ready. I, however, was supposed to be there an hour ago, so I spray Neroli Portofino “everywhere” (Ford’s mandate!) and leave the house as is.

On the subway, I pray that people assume I am a RealDoll, rather than a highly-perfumed corpse.

7:30 PM Luckily, the bar is dark, so no one comments on my appearance.

Total bath count: 10

DAY FIVE

11 AM The sheer number of baths I’ve taken this week has dried my skin out considerably, so I counteract this by squirting several streams of Neroli Portofino Body Oil directly into my bath water. I immerse myself into the very expensive scented water and try out every repose depicted in The Land of Cockaigne by Bruegel. Immediately, I feel like a 1990s mogul.

Scented baths are one of the several commodities (along with limousines, the sweater department at Barney’s, two-day shipping, and mint Milanos) that were once regarded as luxuries and have lost their clout over time. In the December 2008 issue of Details magazine, Tom Ford says “time and silence are the most luxurious things today.” His statement holds up. It becomes clear that the multi-bath ritual was never about compulsive cleansing but rather about the accommodation of those two indulgences.

My bathtub remains dangerously slippery for the next day and a half.

1 PM For lunch, I eat two poached eggs over a frisée salad in the West Village. The waiter comments on my fragrance neutrally, which I attribute directly to the fact that I am wearing too much.

“Tom Ford?” he not so much asks as broadcasts, sniffing the ether above me.

I nod uselessly and vacate the premises.

10 PM I forget to eat dinner entirely and put on Nocturnal Animals before bed.

Total bath count: 12

DAY SIX

8 AM I skip breakfast and get an iced coffee on the way to work.

6 PM I get an email that the Fruit of the Loom undershirt I had tailored to make my arms look more attractive is ready for pick up. The sleeves were hemmed just above my triceps to mirror Tom Ford’s “off-duty” uniform.

There is a strong correlation between successful people and people who get their clothes custom-fit. It’s the kind of permanent adjustment that balks in the face of 30-day return policies. One of the reasons successful people look, well, successful is that their clothes fit them exactly. There’s no cuffing, or bunching, or billowing. Simply going to a tailor is a status symbol within itself because it says “I can spend $20 getting this $3.58 undershirt professionally altered.”

7 PM I change into it the second I get home and study myself in a full-length mirror. Any improvements to my appearance are imperceptibly mild. (My arms, however, are unremarkable to begin with so I write it off as user error.)

7:15 PM I keep my bespoke Fruit of the Loom shirt on and plaster the mud mask on my face.

8 PM Dinner is grilled branzino with radish and parsley.

Total bath count: 15

DAY SEVEN

9:10 AM I arrive at the office, sweating profusely because I am wearing a turtleneck. I head to the restroom and give myself another spray of cologne in case I smell like a damp ox.

11 AM For lunch, I eat sushi. I’m exhausted by the amount of fish I’ve consumed in the last week. I’m sure Tom Ford doesn’t face this problem (because he doesn’t get sushi from the cafeteria-style “premium” lunch hubs that pop up around New York City like gophers) but I’ve had a low-grade stomachache all week.

7 PM When asked about his last meal, Tom Ford said it would be salmon with “Hostess Donettes around the outside of the plate.” (It is in this same interview that he says Hostess sends him a box of their confections every time he mentions them to the press, his eyes gleaming behind his Snuffaluffagus lashes.) I decide to have this as my last meal of my cleanse. Rather than cook the salmon myself, I order it on GrubHub. It arrives an hour later. I plate it and encircle it with Donettes before squeezing lemon onto the ingot of salmon. Its appearance is grandiose and frightening like a TOILETPAPER magazine spread. I eat all of the salmon and six of the doughnuts.

10:30 PM I take my last bath and my stomach is lurching.

Total bath count: 16

11 PM I have an early meeting tomorrow morning, so, I end my week like Ford (who relies “completely…on sleeping pills and tranquilizers”) and pop two OTC non-habit-forming sleeping aids.

In an interview with CNBC, he’s described himself and, through transitive property, the Tom Ford Man as international, multilingual, well traveled, and possessing disposable income. This week, I didn’t even remotely get closer to obtaining any of those traits. I did, however, gain a deep sense of respect for his obsessive level of discipline, even without wearing his trademark suit. But, the way I see it, if I’m not a Tom Ford Man now, I was never one to begin with—or at least that’s the story I’m sticking to.

—Or Gotham

Photographed by the author.

Ready or not, here are 30 Tom Ford fragrance reviews.