Urban Legend Number Two: The Knockout Perfume

We've all been there. You're innocently walking through the fragrance section of a department store when suddenly, out of nowhere, a sales associate accosts you and spritzes you with a perfume so strong it could knock you out. Now there is an internet email going around that warns people about a perfume that can literally do just that. Only it's not true.

I have received yet another alarmist email from my aunt. Regular readers may remember the email she sent me in April about lead in lipstick that turned out to be an urgan legend. Recently, she sent me this email about this alleged knockout perfume:

MAKE SURE YOUR DAUGHTERS, FRIENDS, RELATIVES, ETC. KNOW!
>
> Th is was written by a guy from KVLY-TV in Fargo; see bottom of msg.
> This is true. Scary!
>
> This is something that happened to us on the way back from vacation
> last week. At first I didn't think much of it until now. The reason we
> were
> a little suspicious is we had been riding in a jeep all day with 100
> degree temps and we stopped at a truck stop for something to drink.
>
> When I was leaving, a young girl followed me out and asked what kind
> of cologne I was wearing.
> Well, after 7 hours in the car sweating, I don't think you could tell
> if I was or was not wearing any cologne. We just got in the jeep and
> said
> no thanks.
>
> Then it was about 3 weeks ago, I was at a service station in Birmingham
> getting gas. It was about 9:30 pm. I was approached by 2 men and 2
> women in a car. The man that was driving asked me 'What kind of perfume
> do you
> wear?'
> I was a bit confused and I asked him 'Why?' He said, 'We are selling
> some name brand perfumes, at cheap prices.I said I had no money. He then
> reached out of the car and handed me paper that was laminated; it had
> many
> perfumes on it. I looked quickly at it and gave it back. I said, have no
> money.
> He said it is OK, we take check, cash, or credit cards. Then the people
> in the car began to laugh. I just got in my car and said no thanks.
>
> Then I received this e-mail yesterday and it sent chills up my spine.
>
> Please read this. It is no joke. Here is the e-mail I was sent:
>
> Dear Friends:
>
> I know not all of you are women that I am sending this to, but am
> hoping you will share this with your wives, daughters, mothers, sisters,
> etc. Our
> world seems to be getting crazier by the day. Pipe bombs in mail boxes
> and
> sickos in parking lots with perfume. Be careful. I was approached
> yesterday
> afternoon around 5:30 PM in the Wal-Mart parking lot by two men asking
> what kind of perfu me I was wearing. Then they asked if I'd like to
> sample
> some fabulous scent they were willing to sell me at very reasonable
> rate. I
> probably would have agreed had I not received an e-mail warning of a
> 'Wanna smell this neat perfume?'
> The men continued to stand between parked cars, I guess to wait for
> someone else to hit on. I stopped a lady going towards them, pointing at
> them
> and told her about how I was sent an e-mail at work about someone
> walking
> up to you at the malls or in parking lots and asking you to SNIFF
> PERFUME
> that they are selling at a cheap price or at least compare to which one
> you
> like best.
>
> THIS IS NOT PERFUME... IT IS ETHER!
>
> When you sniff it, you'll pass out. They'll take your wallet, your
> valuables
> and heaven knows what else. If it were not for this e-mail, I probably
> would have sniffed the 'perfume' but thanks to! the generosity of an
> e-mailing friend, I was spared whate ver might have happened to me. I
> wanted to
> do the same for you.
>
> PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO ALL YOUR WOMEN FRIENDS AND PLEASE BE ALERT
> AND BE AWARE. IF YOU ARE A MAN AND RECEIVE THIS, PASS IT ON TO YOUR
> WOMEN FRIENDS.
>
> Ladies, this happened to me yesterday and I didn't smell the perfume
> either,
> thanks to this email. This is true. Believe me, I know. I was over by
> Big
> Lots in the parking lot at lunch time when I was approached.
>
> So either day or night, it does not matter. There were 3 guys together
> when I was approached. I called the police when I got back to my desk.
> Like
> the email says above, LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS - YOUR FRIENDS,
> FAMILY,
> CO-WORKERS, whomever. It helped me. The first thing that popped into my
> head
> was this e-mail warning.
>
MAKE SURE YOUR DAUGHTERS KNOW

Once again I have consulted my trusty mythbusting source. Sure enough, like the lead in lipstick story, this one is also an urban legend. And there are several variations on it. There's the Little Rock, Arkansas variant. The Australian variant. The Singapore Variant. The Canadian Variant. All of them involve the same ether-disguised-as-perfume-to-take-advantage-of-you ruse. Bottom line, if you get an email about this, do what I do. Hit the "Delete" button.

Mineral Magic

I stopped wearing foundation over a year ago. My complexion is so prone to congestion that I thought perhaps liquid foundation was contributing to the problem. So I cut it out of my makeup regimen. My skin cleared up somewhat, but I still battle blemishes on a regular basis. Because my skin still doesn't look as flawless as it could, I decided to try mineral makeup.

My package from Erth Mineral Makeup arrived last week and I've been dilligently using the products ever since. I've been using their Mineral Makeup Foundation, Mineral Concealer, Mineral Blush, Moth Veil, and two Mineral Eyeshadows. They're easy to apply and I can "do" my face in two minutes from start to finish.

By far my favorite product is the Mineral Concealer ($7.50). I've been using the shade called Wheat. In the pot it looks very yellow, but this is to neutralize any redness in the skin. When I apply it to the areas of my face that are red or broken out, it evens out my complexion and minimizes the appearance of breakouts. I apply it with a small flat brush as the first step in my mineral makeup routine. The concealer comes in four colors - three neutrals, and a green shade.

Next I apply the Mineral Foundation ($13) with a large fluffy brush. I use 1.0, which is the lightest shade. It looks natural with my skin tone and makes my complexion look smooth and even. The effect reminds me of that old Hollywood trick of filming aging actresses through gauze to minimize fine lines and wrinkles - not that I have a lot, mind you. But the mineral foundation definitely improves the appearance of my skin. And it has an SPF of 15 with titanium dioxide, so it protects against both burning and aging sun rays. The foundation comes in 7 shades.

After using the foundation, I top it off with the Moth Veil ($11). It's a colorless finishing mineral veil that helps minimize pores and further even out the complexion.

I add a bit of color to my face with the Mineral Blusher ($12.50) in Bloom. It's a bright pink color that, when applied, gives my cheeks a healthy rosy glow. The color is subtle and natural-looking, but it definitely makes a difference in brightening my complexion. There are four colors to choose from.

I also bought two Mineral Eyeshadows ($5.25) in Turquoise and Fern. Although they appear sparkly in the jar, they actually go on as a sheer wash of color for a natural, not overdone look. There are 16 colors to choose from, including brights, neutrals, and pastels for a variety of looks.

For $32.95 you can also try the 5-piece Mineral Makeup Kit. It contains three shades of the Mineral Foundation, a Moth Veil, and a mineral Warm Bronzer.

Erth Mineral Makeup retails for about half the price of other mineral makeup lines, and the quality is just as good. In addition to mineral makeup, they also make lip glosses and a line of natural skincare products, as well as several brushes for application of the mineral makeup. For quality and value, give Erth Minerals a try! And between June 8th through the 15th, any order over $35 will receive two free full-sized mineral eyeshadows. Erth Minerals's website is www.lushbrush.com.

Tea with Sugar

Spring always makes me rethink my skincare and makeup routines. The weather is warmer, and I like to switch to lightweight products. On a recent trip to Sephora, I decided to try products from Korres, the line of natural apothecary products from Greece. I have never tried Korres products before but I've always been curious about them. So I purchased a cleanser and moisturizer.

White Tea Facial Fluid Gel Cleanser, $19.50, is non-drying, unlike many gel cleansers. My face feels fresh and clean, but not tight. And it smells comfortingly like tea. Sugar Crystal Cream Multivitamain Skin Shield, $36, contains vitamins A, C, E, F, and B5. It's lightweight but moisturizing.

The Korres white tea cleanser and sugar moisturizer feel great and smell divine. Basic, natural skincare that feels good and is good for the skin. Isn't that what everyone wants in a skincare routine?

It's Hip to Be Square

My apologies for the Huey Lewis and the News reference.

Method, that eco-friendly line of house and home products, have introduced a line of personal care products. Called Bloq, this line of body wash, body lotion, shave cream, and soap come in square containers (hence the name - geddit?). The body wash, body lotion, and soap come in four fragrances: Beach Sage, Citron Leaf, Green Mint, and Water Flower, while the shave cream comes in the Green Mint and the Citron Leaf. I bought the body wash in Beach Sage and the shave cream in Citron Leaf. The body wash is very creamy and makes loads of rich lather, especially when you use it with one of those net lather poufs. The shave cream is unlike traditional shaving creams. It isn't a foaming lathering mess in an aerosol can, like most creams on the market. Instead, it's a non-lathering lotion that is very moisturizing and gives a smooth, close shave. And I adore the fragrances. Beach Sage is so comforting. It's reminiscent of those "oceany" perfumes, but with woodsy notes as well. Citron Leaf is both citrusy and green. As wonderful as the fragrances are, they are surprisingly unisex, so men as well as women would enjoy them. I look forward to trying more of the Bloq products. For under $6 each, they're a little bit of heaven in the bath.

Bloq by Method can be found at Target stores, or at the Method website.

Hello Pretty-Expensive

If you're like me, but afraid to admit it (also like me), you're old enough to remember Hello Kitty when she was just for little kids, and you were among her first generation of fans. But beyond elementary school, you would have been considered too old to like Hello Kitty. Back in the day, if I had brought a Hello Kitty notebook or pen with plastic Hello Kitty dangly charm to class when I was in junior high, I would have been teased worse than the kid in the Star Wars t-shirt and floods. Heck, even he would have made fun of me. But now that Hello Kitty has reached such iconic status, it's cool for women of all ages to love her. Take Kimora Lee Simmons, for example. The model, cosmetics mogul, and fashion designer for Baby Phat has her own line of gem-encrusted Hello Kitty jewelry. This pave diamond pendant (above, below left) is available at Nieman Marcus online, and retails for $4,250. Too rich for your blood? Mine too! That's why I have Avon's version (below, right) for the low, low price of only $9.95.



I know what you're thinking. Sure, the Avon version doesn't even come close to the Kimora Lee Simmons version, but with the money I've saved, I could put a down payment on a car or take a vacation to Europe. Remember, cute doesn't have to cost a lot.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

With spring here, and summer just around the corner, now is a good time to make sure you protect yourself against the harmful rays of the sun. The months of May, June and July have more hours of daylight than any other time of the year. Not coincidentally, the month of May is skin cancer awareness month. Check out this article from the American Cancer Society to learn how to detect and protect your skin from skin cancer, including the proper use of sunscreen.

Always remember, no matter what your skin tone or type, no matter what the weather or season, it is important to apply sunblock every day. Make sure that your sunblock contains either Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, or Avobenzone (also called Parsol 1789). These three ingredients have traditionally been considered the only ones that provide broad-spectrum sun protection, shielding the skin from both UVA rays (the ageing ones) as well as UVB rays (the burning ones). For the face, try a lightweight facial sunblock like the new Clinique City Block Sheer SPF 25, the latest in Clinique's City Block line of facial sunblocks. You can also protect your face with a daily moisturizer or tinted moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher. And in the warmer months, when short sleeves and pants mean more skin is exposed, apply sunblock to your arms, legs, back, and any other exposed area. Neutrogena has launched their new line of Sun Protection products containing Helioplex (TM), which can also protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Try Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 30 or SPF 45, sun protection for the body in a lightweight, sheer mist forumula for easy application.



And while you're protecting yourself from those harmful UVA and UVB rays, don't forget to protect your children. As a redheaded, pale complexioned person, I can still remember the horrible sunburns I used to get every summer as a child. Consequently, I was the nerd who wore a t-shirt over her bathing suit at the pool, but that was the best my parents could do at the time because there just wasn't that same level of awareness of sun protection that there is today. And experts say severe sunburns from childhood often are the cause of skin cancer later in life. Now, however, there are many excellent sun protection products for children. Crunchy-granola brand California Baby offers Water-Resistant, Hypoallergenic Suncreen SPF 30 that won't come off in the pool or at the beach. And it's free of chemical sunscreens.Remember to apply sunblock at least 30 minutes before leaving the house, and always reapply after swimming.



Of course, if you insist on looking like a bronze goddess instead of Casper the Ghost this summer, self-tanners are the way to go. There are many great formulas that look natural, not orange. Origins' Great Pretender Shimmery Self-Tanner for Body uses sugar-derived DHA to create a natural-looking tan. Use their Faux Glow Radiant Self-Tanner for the Face to ensure that your face matches the rest of your body.



In addition to preventing skin cancer, another benefit of using sunblock is that it prevents premature ageing of the skin. Skincare experts agree that there is really no such thing as an "anti-wrinkle cream," except for sunblock. So if you spend a lot of time outdoors and don't want to end up looking like one of the California Raisins, don't forget to "block up" before you leave the house. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of tretinoin.

Sheerly Beautiful

I've grown weary of new fragrances that try too hard to be modern and different. They'll mix an odd combination of notes, taking something traditional like florals and blending them with something "edgy", like black pepper, or tobacco, or hemp. The result is the same: a not-unpleasant but instantly forgettable fragrance that smells like every other new fragrance out there. I'm talking to you, Rock 'n Rose by Valentino, or anything by Calvin Klein. But I'm always willing to try out a new fragrance just the same, in case there's an exception to the rule that pleasantly surprises me.

When the original Stella fragrance by Stella McCartney debuted a few years ago, I spritzed myself with some at my local Sephora and decided I didn't care for it. It was too heavy on the amber. I prefer lighter fragrances to those exotic, "sensual" ones. As a result of this experience, I never bothered with the subsequent Stella McCartney fragrances. And what did I miss as a result of my perfume pickiness?

I think I must be the last woman in the world to try Sheer Stella by Stella McCartney. I recently bought some at Sephora.com when I saw it was a new offering. The Sheer Stella eau de toilette is a lighter, more "floral-y" (not a word, I know) version of the original Stella. Sheer Stella's notes are lemon, green apple, celestial rose, and lastly, the amber which features so much more prominently in the original Stella fragrance (which is why I didn't like it). But I am loving the Sheer Stella. It's a bit strong at first, but it fades to a lovely soft citrusy-floral fragrance that is delicate and romantic. Sometimes I detect the fruity notes, which remind me of a green tea perfume I bought years ago at Barney's, even though there are no green tea notes in Sheer Stella. Other times, I detect the rose, which reminds me of the rose notes in the long-discontinued Laura Ashley No. 1 perfume, which I still miss twenty years later. Coming from such a modern young designer, Sheer Stella is surprisingly traditional, but not stuffy. And in my book, traditional has a better chance of becoming a classic than edgy does.

Being a new convert to Sheer Stella, I also didn't realize that the perfume is a limited edition. Each year around springtime Stella McCartney perfumes releases the scent in a different bottle. This year's bottle is of clear pink glass with a delicate floral design in gold. The bottle is as exquisite as the perfume. And, oddly enough, Sheer Stella has become somewhat of a panacea for me. I sometimes suffer from insomnia, and I've found that if I spritz myself with Sheer Stella about a half an hour before bedtime, it dries down to such a calming and relaxing fragrance that I fall asleep sooner. And at $52 for 3.4 ounces, it's more cost-effective than Ambien, without those pesky sleep-driving or sleep-binge-eating side effects.

I still haven't tried any of the other Stella McCartney fragrances, but I'm sure as heck going to the next time I'm in Sephora.