Although there’s still a month of fall left, I’ve already gathered my winter fragrances.
It’s time to let scents like Fire on Ice and Mirsal’s Love Letter marinate for next Fall and bring out some fluffy, powdery, gourmand staples for snow season. A few floral notes never hurts, either!
Here are some of my favorite fragrances I’ll have on rotation this Winter:
If this isn’t obvious enough, are you really a true gourmand lover? Nebras Elixir smells like a sugared marshmallow dream topped with whipped cream. It’s easily one of my favorites- and a compliment-magnet!
In my book, Uhud takes the cake for fruity/fluffy fragrances. Fans describe it as smelling like raspberry baby powder. This is another fluffy fragrance that will be perfect for snowy days.
As if two marshmallow fragrances weren’t enough-here’s a third! Sugar Mallow is a dupe for Kayali’s Yum Boujee Marshmallow, and in my opinion, it’s the best dupe out there! It leans less fruity and more fluffy like Uhud and the atomizer is insane!
With notes of BlackBerry, Violet Flowers, and Musk, Bella is definitely a signature-worthy fragrance. She smells like something an Arabian princess would wear-perfect for winter date nights or special occasions when you want to feel both elegant and modern.
This fragrance, is deep, dark, mysterious, and fluffy all at once. Picture violet marshmallows with a hint of musk- that’s Forbidden Sugar in a bottle. She’s perfect for evening wear and you’ll be sure to stand out with such a beautiful fragrance!
This musky, spicy gourmand fragrance evokes the warmth of chai tea. It’s perfect for daytime wear or anytime you want to smell fresh, cozy and comforting.
I’m surprised I still have this fragrance after a year of debuting it last holiday season at work. If you want to smell like a lemon pound cake, Victoria is your girl. You will have people turning heads asking you what you’re wearing and literally take pictures of your bottle. (Personal testimony.) She might be a little overplayed, but trust me-she’s worth it.
This fragrance is truly nostalgic for me. It reminds me of when my grandmother would pamper herself before running errands (in a good way.) Asdaaf is a bit sophisticated but also feels warm and inviting. She’s perfect for family/friend gatherings and will leve a lasting impression.
Youthful and fresh-a true baby powder bomb. This is another daytime fragrance that lingers for hours. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but you’ll smell like pure self-care and fresh powder.
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.
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.
The 21st Century Girly Blog 