Babys to Boudoirs: The Beauty of Powdery Perfumes

 

Powdery perfumes are a staple across all age ranges, because powder is one of the first category of scents we come in contact with. Baby powder, baby lotions and even bath oils scent our early lives, and because of this we often reach towards powdery scents as a source of comfort. Funnily enough, despite the social connotations we rarely associate powdery scents with "old lady" the way we do florals, instead they're linked to childhood, innocents, and comfort.


What makes a powdery fragrance? Well simply put: powdery notes. A sort of synthetic note to give that dry smell. But powdery perfumes can also be created with heliotrope, iris/(orris) root, violet, musk, vanilla and even rose.

Le Parfume Poudré is a delicate powdery scent. It's slightly sweet from the vanilla and gives off a very innocent and angelic aura.

Love's Baby Soft is a classic baby powder scent. It smells exactly like baby powder and nothing else. Simple because it doesn't need to be complicated and my very first perfume. There's a reason this is often the first perfume of many, as it's gentle scent and low lasting power makes it a great entryway to fragrance.

Guerlain Insolence smells like violet candies. But more than that it smells like sweet breath after eating violet candies and thats 100% a positive. A classic scent that has had countless bottle changes and is absolutely signature scent worthy. It's soft yet it has a great sillage that is easily recognizable without being overdone. Perfect for those who are dreamy and romantic.

Ombre Rose by Jean Charles Brosseau is a vintage, powdery, boudoir-esque scent. It's the scent of an underage choir girl seeking her big break in a haze of makeup, bouquets sent by suitors, and the tender coziness of baby lotion underneath. It sits close to the skin but lasts a decent amount of time. Very delicate and feminine.

J'ai Ose Baby is unique in that its a warmer, richer powder scent with its ambery drydown. Its the combination of wearing a more 'grown up' lotion under a baby powder scent. It has a fruitier opening with the raspberry that plays off its unlisted spicy notes. Very intriguing.

A Bombshell State of Mind

So you want to be a bombshell, and you're wondering what's stopping you. No matter what clothes you buy, how perfect your makeup is or how good you smell, you feel like something's missing. You look like a bombshell but you don't feel like a bombshell.

Well, it's also a mindset. Have you ever seen someone who on the surface doesn't seem all that put together but people are drawn to them? It's their mindset, it's how they interact with people. You don't have to be the loudest, most extroverted person in the room but we seem to forget how much charisma plays a part.

A true bombshell knows who she is and what she wants. She never feels swayed by trends unless they truly interest her, in fact she may even get to trends years later because she wanted to know if she truly liked it. A bombshell is neither behind trends or in front of them, rather she exists in a parallel time, doing only what pleases her.

A true bombshell knows life is meant to be enjoyed, not weighed down with concerns of aging and weight gain and appearing perfect 24/7. She knows an orgasm does just as much if not more for her skin as a 20 step Korean skincare routine. She doesn't miss out on life because she's afraid of getting fat or looking ugly. Instead she knows each pound is a trip to a new restaurant with her friends, a homecooked meal prepared by someone she loves, a late night snack run because she just had to have white macadamia nut cookies. There's no use in worrying about wrinkles, and having smooth plasticine skin so a "morning shed" routine is unneeded. A bonnet and silk sheets is her late night luxury.

A true bombshell knows it's all about her energy. If you find yourself receiving random love confessions on the street, it's because they sensed you. And I don't mean vulgar propositions, I mean men and women stopping to give sincere compliments, randomly getting flowers placed into your hands, children smiling and terribly whispering to their mothers that you're pretty. That's bombshell energy.

And most of all, a true bombshell knows that even on her worst days, when it feels like the sky is gloomy and nothing is going right, the beauty and love in her heart will shine through every time.

Dirty, Raunchy, Skanky: Animalic Perfumes

 

Death to gourmands!!! I'm making my 2025 all about animalics: leather, musk, civet, castoreum ALL OF IT!!! Throw in an indolic jasmine! Gimme a carnal lily! When i want to smell like a slimy sea creature from the depths of the Mariana Trench i want that ambergris and sea salt mix!


But thats not to say animalics are easy to get into. Theyre daunting in a world filed with vanilla buttercream gourmands and “my skin but nothing” clean scents. Despite their prevalence at the start of perfumery, animalics have fallen out of vogue. And due to our associations with scent and time, people consider them dated or “old ladyish” which I don't find fair! Theyre intriguing, mysterious, and sultry. 2025 is the year of the grown woman, no more kids games. This is for those who want people to use the words “vixen”, “minx”, and “sex kitten” to refer to them.


If you want to join me on my raunchy journey here's some beginner animalics to help you out.

Sex and The Sea is a relatively easy animalic to get into. It's almost comforting and very nostalgic as it was inspired by Francesca Bianchis' childhood growing up at the beach, smelling her sea-salty skin. There's a warm sweetness to it, and it's very skinlike but not a skin scent. h\Honestly great for the summer months. Definitely not blind buy safe BUT I think this is a great entry point.

Most peoples first animalic, Original Musk is a pretty “clean” musk as its almost floral. A white musk if you will. You’ve likely smelled this without knowing. Super easy to find and it's not likely to be too daunting if you blind buy but like with anything still test it.

Many don't know that honey is an animalic but it is! And while im not a fan of the Kardashians I’ll admit this is a stunning scent and it's easy enough to find on resale sites so you don't have to give them a cent. Its rich and warm, an almost cozy animalic and the waxiness from the beeswax prevents it from being syrupy sweet. Super affordable and easy to find its in many stores like tjmaxx and ross etc and a decently safe blind buy as its still a familiar smell.

My personal favorite Divine Perversion is a rich, heady leather-raspberry. I’d say it's almost powdery due to the iris which makes the leather very suede like. But the animal notes really come through on the dry down as it's almost like how your body smells when you sweat after a shower. Absolutely not blind buy safe but it's sweetness provides a good entryway for those who still wanna cling to their fruity scents.

The Lover's Tale is a rich, potent leather smell that reminds me of a mans leather jacket. That isn't to say it's super masculine, I consider it very unisex! As if you're wearing a mans leather jacket after spending the night with him. But it's a scent you’d have to get your nose used to. Sample first like always but it's a wonderful experience.

State of the Union SS25

INS

• animalic perfumes
• big, rich meals and snacks
• deep cherry red and royal blue
• wearing your dads clothes
• deep aubergine lips
• glittery black eyeliner
• independent black cinema
• going to the theater
• tech from the 2010s
• whiskey shots and modelos
• tailoring your clothes
• being a disagreeable woman
• horrorlit
• outrageous eye contacts
• bellybutton rings and american traditional tattoos
• tumblr
• short hair
• vulgarity and eroticism

OUTS

• fake tiktok styles
• no makeup makeup
• performing hyper femininity
• “sad white girl” lit
• asexuality and prudeishness
• slick back buns
• shopping hauls
• “what i eat in a day” videos
• video essays that say nothing
• discourse without action
• chlorophyll drops and “clean” perfumes
• new tech
• spotify algorithm music
• every blonde woman except zitacherry
• “aesthetics” and “cores”
• lululemon/skims (esp at the club)
• not dancing to songs you dont know
• sea moss/supplements/weird diets

Looks That Kill: Sex Kitten

Who doesn’t want to look like a kitten? Pouty, mysterious and effortlessly cool? The look is all about killer eyes, rounded lips and a devious smirk. There's a delicate balance you have to strike--can't be too cute, but can't be too harsh either. Here's how you get it.

Base

Let the skin peak through, lean towards a satiny finish with a skin tint or a light/med coverage foundation stick. Ideally under eyes are bare to let the dark circles peak through, but adding concealer is fine too.

Face

Blush should be lightly applied, but ideally a soft berry or pink color. Don’t “snatch” the face but apply on the fullness of the cheeks. Remember we aren't going seductive wild cat, but mischievous and sweet kitten.

Brows

Keep the brows thin, bonus point's if they're lightened. They don't have to be bleached blonde but should be your skin tone or lighter. If you have that cherry cola hair color, use Nyx Powder Louder Brow Pencil in Black Cherry. Fill them in to be straighter with a slight arch for that slightly surprised and devious look.

Eyes

While its tempting to darken the whole eye and do a sharp wing if you want a real kittenish look, avoid completely closing up the upper and lower lash, instead darken the inner corner (keep it rounded not sharp) and thicken the outer corner for a shorter, sharp wing, if you have round eyes make top of the wing slightly downturned before flicking upward. When lining the lower lash line, keep it under the lashes. Mascara and lashes should be primarily applied to the outer corner. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Liner in Perversion is best for a super dark and creamy liner. If you want to dress it up more, apply a brown shadow or a bronzer to the crease.

Lips

Outline your lips with a grey or cool brown liner, (Mac Stone or Chestnut) focus mostly on the cupids bow and really define it. Don’t completely round the top lip. When lining the bottom lip keep it softer. Fill in the lips with a nude close to your skin tone (Essence 8H Matte Liquid Lipstick in Silky Hazelnut). If you want a darker lip, use a berry or black liner ( Mac Caviar or Nightmoth) and follow the same steps above, then fill in with a blotted berry/plum color or a greyish-brown gloss like Mac Bittersweet Me.

my sex kitten look throughout the months

It Girl Series: Cultivating Style One Perfume Combo at a Time

Perfume is more than just another item to own. For me it's a ritual. It's a crucial step in becoming the version of me I know exists deep down, even if my outfit of the day may be bummy. As much as I love fashion styling, I know the right scent will really tip it over the edge and truly create the overall image you want to present.

If you've been following me on Tumblr, you know my it girl series is fairly popular. It focuses on using perfumes not to fulfill an aesthetic per say, but to tie together your personal style. And I've decided to expand that here but not only will it be perfume, I'll also include makeup and fashion as well. I can't take complete credit for this, as I was greatly inspired by Hannahejo on tiktok, but I focused primarly on fragrance while she does a variety of clothing, jewelry, makeup and miscellaneous items. I found her ability to create niche aesthetics to be very inspiring, and very akin to what I've been doing on Polyvore/Shoplook for over a decade. I'm not saying I started this of course not, she's older than me and has no idea what I am, but instead that I felt a connection knowing there was someone in the world who does the same thing i do. A collective consciousness if you will.

Starting soon I will be transferring my it girl posts onto here and expanding them, and in fact, this will be tied into my bombshell guide so I hope you all enjoy and maybe even find something that resonates with you!

The Nu-Bombshell Guide: Foreword

Often times we think being a bombshell is all about only being one type of woman. Glamorous, with big bouncy hair and a stereotypically feminine aura. But if anything, the 2010s-2020s has proven a bombshell can come in many forms. She doesn't have to only saunter when she walks. She can stride, stomp and bounce her way into our heads and our hearts with a hearty cackles as much as a coy giggle. Being a bombshell isn't only a look. It's a state of mind, an attitude, a way of commanding attention and leaving a crowd in awe even when it seems like you're not trying. Being a bombshell starts with confidence, earnestness and charm. The material things come later.

This series is inspired by 'The Bombshell Manual of Style' by Lauren Stover. A lighthearted beauty and lifestyle book that takes inspiration from stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood to give women a taste of glamor in their day to day lives. I myself own that book, it's a favorite read of mine whenever I've been in the dumps and need a pick me up. It reminds me life is only as drab or as fab as I make it. And I wanted to give it a modern twist. I want to make it more accessible for the women of now, coming of age in a time where it feels like there's only one correct way to be and we're drowning in too much information, desperate wannabes, and a search for how to feel at one with ourselves. I want to update the book to be more inclusive as well--more Black icons and icons of color, greater body rep, and ways to show there's more than one type of femininity to aspire to. Like with the original book, you can take or leave my tips. This isn't a rulebook so much as a guide, little tips and tricks I've picked up that I want to share with you all.

I'll cover perfume, makeup, fashion, hair and other miscellaneous lifestyle tips. Some will be taken from the book and revamped. Those I will mark clearly so as it is not misconstrued. I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave comments discussing what I post and what you would like to see!