Last month one of the NST’s community projects was Fantasy Vacation Friday: “pick a destination and wear the scent that takes you there.”
It reminded me of a couple of products I wanted to tell you about that fit into this topic – even though those weren’t perfumes.
When it comes to buying perfumes, I’m easier persuaded by a sale (15-20% off) than by a Gift with Purchase option, because usually I do not need those additional goodies that are offered with perfumes in which I’m interested. But it’s a completely different story if we’re talking about skincare and other beauty products: I love getting GWPs there.
I keep using the same products for years, so unless one of the trusted sources recommends something especially enthusiastically, I rarely try anything new. Even less so in the recent couple of years, since following our big fires in the region, I developed strange sensitivities and allergies that cause me to be especially cautious with anything new I use (because from time to time even proven products cause my skin to react with itching and not that attractive puffiness).
Probably because of that I’m usually tempted by those skincare GWP from department stores that feature many different products. This is my chance to try something new without risking wasting money on something that I simply cannot use (see, I’m not even talking about products not delivering the promise).
Also, it works well with those products that I wouldn’t have tried otherwise. For example, having longish fine normal to oily hair, I would have never even considered trying Moroccanoil Hair Treatment. If it weren’t for a small sample that I got in one of the GWPs.
From the brand’s website:
Moroccanoil Treatment is the original award-winning hair product that created the worldwide buzz on argan oil and pioneered oil-infused hair care. Rich in antioxidant argan oil and linseed (flax) seed extract, this iconic hair treatment instantly nourishes and helps strengthen hair, leaving it shinier and healthier-looking with each use.
We all know that it’s nonsense, right? Nothing that you apply “from mid-length to ends” can do anything meaningful to your hair other than temporary mask some imperfections or help with styling. But that “treatment” smelled so wonderful that I kept using it from that test bottle. And once I finished it, I bought a full-size bottle. And then another one.
And then I realized that since I was mostly attracted by the scent of the product, it didn’t have to be something I use for my hair… And that’s how I discovered Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil. It has exactly the same scent and it nourishes my skin.
I brought Dry Body Oil to my last Hawaiian vacation, and it was just perfect: with all the swimming, sweating and showering, I had enough opportunities to enjoy this scent, apply my beloved Bronze Goddess, and still wear other perfumes for evening meals.
I do not know when I will be able to get to Hawaii again, so from time to time I spray Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil right after shower, and the scent memory vividly reminds me of great vacations I had in Hawaii. I wouldn’t want to wear this scent as perfume, but it’s perfect as a body product. So recently I added to my self-care ritual one more product from this line – Moroccanoil Hand Cream.
Now I have a perfect set to go on my fantasy vacation whenever I want.
Images: my own
Undina's Looking Glass 
I didn’t know you had perfume/skincare sensitivities Undina, what a bummer.
This set sounds so lavish for holidays.
I’m not really much of a skincare range kinda guy but I always have a couple of body moisturisers in the cupboard. With my terrible psoriasis it sometimes helps to keep it moisturised so that’s what I mainly use it for. Currently I’ve got a Kiehl’s Original Musk and an Australian Sandalwood lotion that both smell so gorgeous.
Portia xx
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No-no-no! Luckily, it’s not perfume sensitivity but just some skincare ingredients (e.g., some ingredients that are used for SPF purposes). But since I still can find those that don’t irritate my skin, I’m fine – just have to be careful.
I like Kiehl’s body products though I prefer those that don’t have their own fragrance since I use them every day.
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You know I never knew Keihl’s did a scentless range. LOVE reading that you like their stuff too. I’m going to check their scentless body moisturiser out. Thanks for the tip.
Portia xx
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Take a look at this one (1L is the best deal) and this one.
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WOW! Thanks Undina. It would take me five years or more to use a litre. I might start small.
Portia xx
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i’m with you on GWP. It will make me buy, for sure. However as more department stores close, options are lost, like Barneys. I must admit, the only time I ever purchased from them was for a gwp. Now I’m worried about Saks and Neimans, who also have good ones from time to time.
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Those brands/products that are sold everywhere for the same price, I usually go to Nordstrom (store or online), but I rarely buy anything without GWP since I try to buy products that I need when the offer GWP even if I don’t need it yet.
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Same here! Hardly ever purchase unless there’s something free!
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Isn’t it fantastic to be surprised by a product that works so well for you even though you didn’t expect it to work.
And even better news if you can find a product with the same scent but one that you would actually use woth joy.
I don’t have much experience of these type of products but I surely enjoyed the soap bar from Atelier Cologne in addition to my perfume bottle.
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I’m yet to get any of the Atelier’s soaps: I planned to multiple times, but their size stops me: I usually cannot use up a soap of this size without it drying and cracking. But I will go for it one day.
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Not interested in GWPs nowadays, just discounts. I occasionally get a free sample of something I like. Lately it was the Josie Maran sunscreen with argan oil that I actually purchased after trying the sample. It does have a slight whitish cast which I hate, but nearly all of the 50spf ones do nowadays and my face burns easily, so I can’t do without.
My fantasy vacation right now is a hermit’s cabin in the woods with no TV or internet access. Slumberhouse Norne would be about right for that.
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I have an extremely fair and sun sensitive skin, so SPF50 is a must for me for summer. The one I’ve been using for the last couple of years – Paula’s Choice Resist series SPF50. They have it for dry and for normal/oily skin, and it doesn’t leave a residue. They often run promotions on the site (up to 20% off), and they have travel sizes, so you can buy a smaller one to see if you like it.
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I think I have a small sample of that hair oil somewhere – I tend to ignore hair products because my fine short hair gets cut before it seems damaged. But if the smell is that good – I’ll try it. I have a large box of GWP samples from Sephora and ULTA – part of my no-buy this year is to use them up (gave away anything that didn’t look useful). I also order shower gels and body sunscreens from Yves Rocher and there is always a free full size product included (with an alternate choice). Some of those are hard to resist, but my no-buy has instilled the discipline to not “stock up” so I will only take advantage when I’m truly out of the products I actually need.
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If you look at the ingredients of that “hair treatment,” there’s nothing in there that makes it hair-specific product. So, in principle, you can use your sample as a hand lotion. It’s just too expensive to buy it as such, but to use up a sample for the scent and care purposes, it should be just fine. If you do like the scent, their hand creams can be bought on eBay for much less – and they have the same scent.
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I have finally been getting round to using GWP samples – and some you kindly gave me – during lockdown. That oil sounds fantastic, and the mention of oil has triggered a memory of the bath oil of Jo Malone’s Dark Amber and Ginger Lily perfume. Am about to jump in the bath in fact, but Epsom’s Salts is what I need today, after 7 hours spent clearing out the garage. ;)
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Let me guess… You started out with taking to the garage something from the deep-cleaned kitchen, then one thing led to another… ;)
Dark Amber & Ginger Lily should be an ideal scent for the bath oil! Maybe even better than for perfume (though, I still enjoy wearing that perfume from time to time).
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A great choice of FVS (fantasy vacation scent), Undina. I’ve been wearing Berdoues Guaria Morada for the same reason. It’s got a tropical, Costa Rican vibe, so perfect for these times when travel is pretty much verboten.
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I didn’t know there was a new Berdoues. Hopefully I’ll try it at some point (as I see, the bottle is gorgeous, as all of their bottles).
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It was launched earlier this year, Undina. Love their bottles, too.
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I missed this thread. Since my fantasy vacation involves traveling in winter and/or travel to a place with forests and mountains my fantasy vacation perfume is Annick Goutal’s Nuit Etoilee’, both the EDP and the EDT. Love the smell of green and conifers!
If I had to pick a summery beachy vacation scent it would be Chantecaille Frangipani, delightful and very tropical!
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I recently wore Nuit Etoilee after a long break and was amazed at how much I liked it! Just to think that initially I bought it mostly for its bottle :)
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This is a great post and now i want to try this oil! I have often worn things that are my fantasy Hawaii vacation, I’ve always wanted to go there. Bpla did a scent called Hi’iaka which is all white flowers and tropical nights, potent, stunning. I wear this in the summer. It’s discontinued now but I need so little of it that it will last forever. They also have one called Pele that is delicate muguet and white ginger, this is my sitting on the porch pretending I’m in Hawaii scent. Elizabeth Barrial (the perfumer) is very good at capturing places and ideas of places. I’ve been wearing these both for years for a fantasy vacation. I’ve also worn Bronze Goddess a long time ago for the same reason though not specifically for Hawaii fantasies. Just, BEACH fantasies. It’s a glorious scent!
And the odd thing is when I have traveled I never wear scent at all.
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I love Hawaii. The main reason why I prefer it to other tropical destinations is that it is the US, so people who live there and work in places I visit are not extremely poor. I know that poverty exists in a large part of the World, and that I spend on those vacation an equivalent of several families income for a year (if not more) in those places, but I don’t have to “rub it in” coming there with my discretionary income.
I can’t imagine not wearing perfumes when I travel! I’m being conscious about scents (and their quantity) that I put on for a plane ride, but other than that – I’m all in! :)
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I like to smell everything when I’m traveling in the air.. also having only traveled with carry on luggage for years I am very conscious of stripping down what I take. The list of things I don’t take with me is endless, for instance have only every used the shampoos provided by wherever I’m staying. Now if I went to Europe I’d be buying fragrance so that’s a different story!
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I have a co-worker who manages to travel for weeks with a carry-on baggage only. I can barely fit into a carry-on for a three-days business trip! :)
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I think my record was 5 weeks with a just a backpack. I admit I enjoy the challenge. I’ve only done that in the summer and I plan my clothes to be easy hand wash and quick dry. I don’t wear them except for travel. Years ago I came back from a trip and realized I’d not used half of what I’d brought with me and after that I’ve gone minimalist :)
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I’ll admire you from afar ;) For the life of me I wouldn’t be able to do it and not to suffer or feel uncomfortable.
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(Oh and on planes.. something that caught my fancy in the duty free, I think it’s been a Chanel Exclusif most times)
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