When I’m not drinking wine, I’m obsessed with makeup, lotions and potions and of course, perfume. I’ve been a product junkie ever since I can remember, and my bathroom cabinets are overflowing with skin and hair care and all sorts of beauty products. This year I’ve tried and tested many a cream, and dabbed and spritzed all sorts of fragrances. I’ve come up with a list of my top 12 beauty products that really work — and make great holiday gifts to boot. 1. Beauty DNA. I’ve tried just about every beauty subscription out there. I usually end up with a pile of unwanted stuff. So I was skeptical about Beauty DNA’s claim to make a perfect match for you every month. I signed up for the $25 per month subscription. My first delivery was the SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF — a full size which sells for about $150. Then I…
An Aromatic Afternoon in Carmel
I always love walking around downtown Carmel. It’s fun to go down the little alleyways off the main roads or pop into courtyards hidden from street view. That’s where you’ll find Ajne, an organic perfume apothecary that’s tucked into a peaceful courtyard with a gurgling fountain. This is a gem of a boutique, filled with natural scents and skincare, all beautifully displayed. I could spend hours in here, and I always discover something to add to my perfume collection. Last time I was in Ajne, perfumer Jane Hendler had just released Big Sur, a warm, sultry scent with champaca, patchouli, rosewood, sandalwood and vanilla. It has become one of my all time favorite perfumes. On this visit I was really liking Desir, one of Jane’s first fragrances. The notes are Moroccan jasmine, sandalwood, oud and cacao. Calypso was intriguing to me — it has frangipani, jasmine, cardamom and vanilla -…