Despite being a novice perfume collector, I have already (unintentionally) run into some fragrance clones. These fragrances are not dupes of high-end perfume; they have similar aromas. For reference, I love gourmands, vanilla, and powdery scents!
Here are a few in my current collection that remind me of other fragrances:
Arabiyat “Blueberry Musk” for “Dark Kiss” from Bath and Body Works.
As a Fenty perfume lover, I went online looking for another blueberry gourmand. After watching a few videos and reading user reviews, I bought “Blueberry Musk.” I remembered reading a review on Fragrantica that read, “This perfume smells exactly like Dark Kiss from Bath and Body Works.” This perfume is literally Dark Kiss on steroids with nice longevity. It leans more towards sweet and powdery blackberries, but it is a top 10 fragrance!
LoveShackFancy “Sugar Blush Hair & Body Perfume” for Skylar “Boardwalk Delight.”
This perfume/mist will hands down be another one of my personal favorites! I’ve always loved Skylar Boardwalk Delight and always received compliments when wearing it. However, it is on the pricier side. I unintentionally bought Sugar Blush, and it took me a week to realize that it smells almost identical to Skylar Boardwalk Delight. It’s sweet, sugary, and smells like cotton candy. This is a youthful fragrance, however, it doesn’t last very long on the skin. I pair this with a vanilla roll-on oil for more longevity.
Al-Rehab “Soft” for “Delicious Cotton Candy” by Gale Hayman.
This was another one of those “aha” moments where I realized Al-rehab’s “Soft” smells similar to “Delicious Cotton Candy” by Gale Hayman. To me, both smell more like brown sugar; however, they are sweet, youthful, and a bit powdery. Al Rehab does have a decent longevity of around two hours. Since the bottle is travel-sized, you can carry it with you anywhere to freshen up! This fragrance works well for Winter or in cooler months, but I have been wearing it recently. It’s very affordable as well!
Ellis Brooklyn “Vanilla Milk ” for Lattafa “Eclaire.”
Tjmaxx has many interesting beauty finds. Ellis Brooklyn’s Vanilla Milk was one of those. Although Eclaire is a dupe for Bianco Latte, Vanilla Milk gives off similar vibes to Eclaire. Both remind me of vanilla mocha with a hint of caramel and chocolate. I am not a huge fan of Eclaire despite it being in my collection; however, I am waiting for the colder months so I can pair these two together!
When shopping for fragrances, I usually buy from Amazon (if available) for their quick delivery. As mentioned earlier, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls are other options. Before blind buying, I always watch as many perfume review videos as possible. Lately, I have been watching Paulina & Perfumes and Sniff with Steph for in-depth reviews.
My eight-step, Daytime, Pre-makeup, Skincare Routine.
(A picture of my skincare products by Renee Medina)
Yes, my daily morning skincare routine consists of eight products. It is not necessary to use eight products; realistically, one to three products will suffice (for dry or combination skin). However, (for someone with dry/oily t-zone skin), I find that having a multi-step routine works best.
For reference, I’m not a certified dermatologist; I’m just sharing my routine! Health.com published a medically reviewed article on how to layer your skincare for maximum benefits. These are the steps to follow:
Cleanser
Toner
Spot Treatment
Serum
Retinol
Eye Cream
Moisturizer
Face Oils
Sunscreen
I don’t use retinols or face oils in the morning. I save them for nighttime since oils can make foundation separate. I also avoid spot treatments in the morning unless needed, as many contain benzoyl peroxide, which dries out the skin and can be less effective when layered with moisturizer. So, here’s how I follow the recommended routine with descriptions:
This cleanser removes sebum, dirt, and skin cells for clear and healthy skin. I use this almost daily to remove excess oil on my face and to help calm my skin during acne breakouts.
After cleansing, I apply this toner to my skin to retain moisture and adjust my skin tone. It also gives the appearance of slightly brighter skin after prolonged use.
This product is one of my favorites! I never skip a day without using salicylic acid. I feel as if it creates a barrier under my makeup to prevent clogged pores. It is drying, so I follow up with serums and moisturizers. It also helps with acne!
According to their website, this serum is clinically proven to brighten and even skin in two weeks. It also helps reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and smooths out skin texture. I love this serum! It gives my skin such a nice glow! Definitely a top-tier skincare product!
I am not a huge fan of eye creams. I feel they don’t do much for the dark circles under my eyes. However, I do like this eye cream for the hydrating and brightening effect. It was the Allure 2024 Best of Beauty Award Winner. I have recently started using this product and have only positive feelings towards it!
Tosowoong’s Arbutin Cream is a glowing moisturizer that gives the appearance of radiant skin. After seeing ads for it on Amazon (with almost 5-star reviews), I decided to try this product myself. Although I don’t have glass skin, this cream gives that appearance after application. It leaves my skin feeling plump! You can also layer this 2-3 times!
This moisturizer is light and airy. It has calming green tea and aloe vera for hydration. It doesn’t suffice as a heavy-duty moisturizer, but it is perfect for summer and warmer weather. I apply this on top of a heavier moisturizer for dewy skin.
Mixsoon is a viral Korean Skincare brand. So when I ran out of my Innisfree sunscreen, I bought Misxoon’s Bean Sunscreen. This is a light sunscreen texture that gives a glowy appearance and is suitable for all skin types. After layering this over my moisturizers, my skin is tacky and ready for makeup!
(Image of Skincare Products by 588ku on pngtree.com)
I always patch test on my wrist before using skincare on my face, as it might not always be suitable for everyone. Typically, I like to wait at least ten minutes before applying makeup immediately after skincare. I haven’t had any reactions when layering these products, even with sensitive skin!
Most of the products I use are Korean. Korean skincare is excellent, and I love many of their products. They’ve really improved my skin! My skincare routine might seem expensive, but I usually find cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and serums at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. As a former Allure Glam Bag subscriber, I got eye creams and moisturizers for about $25 a month. Amazon is also a good place to find discounted skincare.
Only one thing holds back athletes from becoming better players: themselves.
As a young athlete playing basketball, I saw every game as a mountain I had to climb. The greater the stakes, the stronger the pressure, and the less air I had to breathe. Constant trips to the restroom to throw my brains out in the toilet pre-game were a reminder of how anxiety-filled my thoughts were.
I felt choked by a game I loved, and never fully understood why.
Even with limited skills (no left, low free-throw accuracy), I constantly felt I was the determining factor in every game. I thought, “If I don’t make any shots, we’ll lose.” I always put myself down, but realistically, I was a great player with limited physical capabilities that I could improve.
Even when I practiced dribbling,left-sided lay-ups, and free throws, I was still nervous for every game.
It took me years to realize that my mental struggles held me back the most. The fear of uncertainty and the outcome of the game was my biggest worry. I also did not have the best sports intellect and only practiced physical technique and skills. Many young athletes are not mentally equipped to understand and process the meat and potatoes of sports. Criticism (especially when ineffective) seems like bashing and can discourage athletes with high hopes, such as myself.
In my brain, it was either winning or losing, nothing else. If I didn’t perform at a level that was good for me, then I didn’t win. I also didn’t understand that having a sports intellect could shape how I played the game.
Kobe Bryant puts it best in this one-minute clip:
Kobe Bryant’s Preparation Mentality Video on YouTube
Brant mentioned that he would watch games and study them. This is key when learning and understanding any sport. You gain insight into different strategies and also observe areas for improvement.
Another strategy that mentally strong athletes use is “visualizing.” Michael Phelps describes it as visualizing the outcomes of a game, whether positive or negative. This way, he is already mentally prepared for any outcome.
Phelps goes more into depth about this in an interview at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in 2019.
After quitting basketball because of severe sports anxiety, I noticed that it affects professional athletes, too. A popular name that gets thrown around regarding this topic is NBA player, Ben Simmons. During his time on the Philadelphia 76ers, it was evident that he was going through some mental health struggles:
Simmons giving up the ball with an open shot.
Commentators noticed that Simmons would do well during practice but would miss open shots during games. Simmons opened up about his mental health struggles and how he was seeing a therapist while on the 76ers but did not feel supported by the organization. As a result, he was underperforming, and got dragged by fans for such blatant and rookie mistakes on the court.
With this knowledge, looking back on my athletic years, it is easy to understand how I got caught up with the pressure to succeed and do well in every game. Fear, uncertainty, and limited intellect on the game caused my mental health to suffer while doing something I loved. The goal was to always win but sometimes losing can change your perspective. Mental health is important for any athlete to succeed as they need to be in the right headspace to perform well physically. Studying games, famous athletes, and practicing mindfulness and pre-game mental techniques can help ease any sports anxiety. Without the proper preparation and mental health guidance, an athlete may never discover their true potential on/off the court.
Anyone can become a YouTuber. However, it takes a special YouTuber to amass millions of views over controversial content. Whether it’s lying about an oddly high spice tolerance, Trolling viewers about your weight in Mukbang videos, or being a self-proclaimed “girls-girl,” there really is no end in sight to what anyone will do for fame…or infamy.
If creators like these managed to impact your opinion on them (whether negatively or positively), they’ve done their job.
They’ve managed to grab your attention…and randomly show up on your social media feed as suggested content. They’ve influenced you. And they make you believe they are self-proclaimed “experts” or “pros” in their content (if you are naive enough.)
The theory (even if it’s obvious) is that problematic content creators make content to reach a goal, good or bad. The public may not know why but there is always a hidden meaning behind content.
For example:
Content creators like Ramizein admitted that he does not like spicy food. Every spice tolerance video he posted was fake. It was all for views to get signed to an acting agency.
(Video Posted By “Channel X” on YouTube.)
Logically (and with conscience), if you look at Ramizein’s content, how could you not think that at least some of his “no reaction” videos were fake?
(Video of Ramizein Adding Different Types of Hot Sauce to His Jalapeño on YouTube.)
By watching the video above, common sense says this is not real. It is dangerous and hazardous. Who in their right mind would add so many extremely spicy toppings to a jalepeño? Especially, to eat it for views to fool the viewer as if it were all done without any reaction? Even if Ramizein were part of the 83 percent of people from New Mexico (which has a higher-than-average spice tolerance), this video shows a conscious viewer just enough to know that this is clickbait.
(And would most likely require immediate medical assistance after consumption. But you already know he did not eat what he presented in his videos.)
Typically, many of the spice dressings (or foods) Ramizein consumed have health risks. Just by researching ONE of the many sauces he consumes, there is a disclaimer:
Ramizein has accumulated over a million subscribers on YouTube. Whether those millions of people speculated about his content, many still enjoy watching his videos, especially after knowing that they were faked. (Maybe it was for the better.)
The next YouTuber on this list is Jazmin Tan, a self-proclaimed “girls-girl,” with around 2.5 million followers on YouTube, who has been exposed for her toxic femininity.
(Video By: Kelly Scholas on YouTube)
If you haven’t seen any of her videos, for context, this is most of her content:
It didn’t take long for the YouTube public to realize that she is not who she claims to be on her channel. At a glance, Tan’s content is catered towards female empowerment however, she may not be going about it in the most sincere way. YouTuber “CocoCrazy” also made a video about Jazmine Tan regarding her toxic femininity and hypocritical content. If you do a deep-dive into Tan’s content, it won’t take long to realize that it is problematic. One of the main issues viewers have with her videos is that she consistently puts men down to build women up.
In response to the backlash, Tan posted an apology video on YouTube, taking full accountability for her actions, which she explains here:
(Jazmine Tan’s Apology from her Channel on YouTube)
Admittedly, it’s difficult to see any YouTuber apology video as sincere. Apology videos mean nothing after damages have been done. So, say what you will about her apology…
In one of her first posts on YouTube, she described what her channel will mainly consist of. She captioned, “On my channel you’ll see videos about self-love, women empowerment, beauty tips and etc. If you are looking for inspiration, I am here for you. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy!”
It seemed as if Tan had good intentions from the start. However, good intentions don’t always lead to successful outcomes.
Even Nikocado Avocado (no need to explain) managed to troll almost everyone on YouTube.
(Video Posted by “Winners_Mentality” on YouTube.)
Just watch his “Two Steps Ahead” video for more context. It has 50 million views.
Originally a vegan content creator, Nikocado shifted to creating Mukbang content where he’d consume large amounts of food. Ultimately, weighing up to 411 pounds at his heaviest. It was only last year when he shocked the world with his 250 weight loss transformation.
Here is a video showcasing his Mukbang content:
(Video Posted on YouTube By Nikocado Avocado.)
In a blog post, The NewsHouse.com said, “In both the original and current reveals of his experiment, Perry details the real reason for secretly hiding his weight loss: to show his viewers how they’ve fallen victim to consumer culture. “People will consume these stories year after year…stories that influence the ants, stories that brainwash the ants. You are the ants,” he said.
In his email to the Times, he elaborated further: “In reality, people become completely absorbed with internet personalities and obsessively watch their content. That is where a deeper level of over-consuming lies, and it’s the parallel I wanted to make. ””
Each of the YouTubers listed has (or had) an end goal when it comes to making content. Even if it is almost unbearable to watch, or borderline clickbait, they have managed to impact a percentage of the public. As a result, they may be even closer to reaching their goal because they have gained millions of followers/views. The main goal may not be monetization, but that is a plus when it comes to viral content. Some creators (such as Logan Paul) even end up having semi-successful careers after their YouTube controversy.
There is no doubt that creators use social media to their advantage to leave a lasting impression. Nonetheless, despite how problematic famous (or infamous) YouTubers are, lessons will be learned which will lead to a new generation of content creation.
You’ve probably stumbled across this XG XYPHER Tape on YouTube and, after watching it, thought, “There is no way they just did that…”
If you’ve done other research after viewing the tape, you’d know that’s how most reaction videos start when listening to XG. For example, here’s a very genuine reaction by Sebastine:
Screenshot of Sebastine reacting to XG Xypher
This wax XG’s version of a cypher: when rappers come together to freestyle over music.
The tape features XG rap-line members Cocona, Maya, Harvey, and Jurin freestyling using famous rap beats from songs like “Sourround Sound” by JID, 21 Savage, and Baby Tate.
Two years ago, after the Xypher tape was released, it went viral. It has 42 million views.
Truly, no one expected to hear these ladies pop off lyrically. To introduce XG (before debut), members performed covers that were released on YouTube. Different members performed covers based on their vocal strength. To watch Chisa, Juria, and Hinata’s amazing vocals here is a cover. Some of XG like Jurin and Maya are skilled at rapping and singing.
(Not to mention they are all skilled at dancing too)!
In the words of many, XG is futuristic, heart-stopping, and iconic.
Having met through “X-Galaxy” at XGALX (an idol project aimed at debuting a global girl group), XG has paved a new pathway in the K-Pop industry.
With 4 million listeners on Spotify, XG has released singles with Japanese-Korean producer Jakops known for producing genre-bending music. (If you know anything about the K-Pop industry this is very common in K-Pop music.) XG’s music is hard to place into one genre though it is strongly influenced by hip-hop and R&B. (Spotify classifies their music as “pop.”)
Technically, they are highly regarded as a K-pop girl group as they promote in South Korea. However, XG releases music in English, whereas typical K-Pop music incorporates English in many choruses or a few lyrics throughout a song. Regardless, they are a global girl group trying to refine the K-Pop scene.
The 21st Century Girly Blog 