Dream Big!

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. 

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

Ever considered being your own boss?
Wish you had just a little more money in your budget?
Want to learn more about the AVON Opportunity?
Contact me though my AVON website to find out more.

 

I am looking for people in the Columbus, Ohio area who are interested in making a difference in their lives and the lives of those around them.  If you are savvy, motivated and love a good deal on a great look, AVON is for you!  

If you can dream it, then you can do it!

"I'm good enough. I'm smart enough..."

If you can finish the above quote with "...and doggone it, people like me!" chances are that you laughed along with many of the rest of us at Al Franken's SNL bit, "Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley".   Well, laugh if you will, but Stuart had a point.  Positive thinking can change the way that your life goes.

I am, by my own admission, a "glass-half-empty" person by nature.  It is really hard for me to look at the bright side of life in most situations.  However, I have found that sometimes, the way out of a bad mood is just to smile and pretend that I am not in a bad mood until I believe it.


What is positive thinking?  It is simply this: Focusing on solutions, rather than the problem.  It is accepting the situation and then deciding the best way to solve any problems that have arisen from it.  Focusing on the solutions, gets you moving on with your life and reduces stress and its negative impact on your physical health, not to mention your mental health.

Many people attribute their success in life to positive thinking.  The Mayo Clinic has even studied the benefits of positive thinking.  They point to a lowered stress level, lowered risk of heart disease and a higher than average ability to fight off the common cold, just to name a few.  They have no clinical indicators to tell them why it works.  It just does. 

Positive thinking is so much more than looking at yourself in the mirror each morning and saying those magic words, though it can start there.  It's a whole different spin on your world.  It is taking control of your emotions, before they take control of you.  It's being in charge of how you feel about yourself, rather than letting others around you dictate who you are.

For example:  You are tired.  You work hard and you feel underappreciated.  How easy would it be in this cold weather to lay in your bed and do nothing?  Pretty easy.  You could just say you were sick.  And, if you really put your mind to it, you can do a pretty good job of convincing yourself that you really are sick.  Then you will be sick and tired and underappreciated.

But, instead of holing up in your bed, you could get up, take a luxurious bath/shower (if you are the Mom, I give you permission to use all the hot water if you want to), wash your face, and make yourself look beautiful for you.  Not because you want appreciation from someone else, but because you want to feel good about you.  Look in the mirror and focus on your face.  Then tell yourself, "Today is going to be a great day," and believe it.  By doing this, you are setting the stage for how you will deal with your day and not allowing the day to set the tone.  Chances are, starting with a positive outlook will change the course of your day.

There is nothing wrong with reminding yourself  (and you should remind yourself) that this is a "great day" to refocus yourself.  When you run up against a roadblock, think of ways to circumvent it or to solve it.  Don't focus on how miserable it is making you.  When you encounter a person who has a sour disposition, do not assume that you are the cause or the focus of their issues.  Smile at them and treat them as you would want to be treated if you were having a bad day.  Just the act of smiling changes the way your body feels about the situation and the person on the other side of that smile may just need a kind word or a smile to change their own outlook.  And, of course, when you feel good, you radiate confidence and beauty.

That's just a start.  Try it out and watch doors start to open.  To get more information about positive thinking, try this article from the Mayo Clinic and this website.

Have a beautiful day!

Testing a Fragrance and Finding your Fragrance Personality

This is the final installment in a series about fragrances.  You can find the other two installments here and here.

What do you do when you find one of those scented pages in a magazine or catalog?  Do you rub your finger over it a few times and stick your nose on the page like a scratch and sniff sticker?  Or, when presented with a bottle, do you stick your nose up to the bottle or spray it in the air?  Well, you might begin there, but actually, all you're getting is how that scent smells on that piece of paper or in the air or in the bottle.  Do you take a spray bottle or vial and spray it on your wrist then rub it vigorously on your other arm?  All that does is heat the fragrance up more than it should be and destroys the texture of the fragrance.

It is very important to know how to test a fragrance correctly, because each of us has different body chemistry and so that fragrance will smell slightly different on every person.  What smells terrific on my best friend may smell like my Aunt Fanny's old tennis shoes on me.  You want to know that the fragrance you are considering is going to smell the same when you get it home as it did when you tested it.

To find out how that fragrance will smell on you, rub your wrist on the scent page or spray it on your wrist.  Wait for a few seconds and then smell it.  That way you be sure to get all the top notes that the fragrance designer intended you to get.  If you smell it too soon, you risk getting a kind of "alcohol wipe" scent.  Wear the scent for a while, taking note of the changes in it.  For the first few minutes, you'll smell the top notes, the first things you smell when you encounter a fragrance.  Usually the top notes are the main family scents, the things that identify the scent.  As your body warms the fragrance up, you'll begin to notice new smells.  These are the middle notes.  These form the body of the fragrance.  They take between 5-10 minutes to develop. These notes are some of the sub-family scents I talked about in my previous post.  Then, after about 20 minutes, the base notes come out.  These are the scents that are the most long lasting and they may linger after the wearer is gone from the room.  Usually these are the heaviest of all the scents in the fragrance.

It is important not to try more than 2 or 3 scents at a time because it confuses your nose and it becomes difficult for you to distinguish between the different scents.  You will want to wear your new scent for several hours to see how it develops over time.  What smells good initially, may not be as good in a couple of hours because a different scent comes to the center stage of the fragrance.


How do you know what to pick for your fragrance?  If you are a lover of fragrance, you probably already have a "scent personality".  But if you aren't, you may be working on developing that personality.  So, in that case, we'll start with a little bit of general information.  Usually, lighter scents are for daytime wear and heavier ones are for night.  You can't really classify them by family for day or night because an Floral with Fresh/Green notes (like Haiku) is lovely for daytime, while an Floral with oriental notes (like Far Away Dreams) is a heavier scent and could be used for evening.  You have to use your own judgement in this arena. Past that, everything depends on you and what you do.

Think about what you do.  Are you kind of an alterna-mom?  Woody and Chypre fragrances with their earth-based notes may be a good place to start.  Are you really into light fresh fragrances that aren't "perfumey"?  Look at fragrances from the Citrus family and Light Florals with Fresh/Green notes. Are you looking for something for a big night out that will leave an impression even after you've gone?  Try an Oriental or Chypre fragrance, or a Floral with Woody or Oriental notes.  Are you adventurous and like a little excitement?  Try something unusual for women like a Woody fragrance with Leather and Floral notes such as "Outspoken".  Are you a woman who is most comfortable in classic clothing and conservative styles?  Try a classic Floral with Floral or Oriental notes such as "In Bloom".

For men:  Light and Fresh?  Aim toward fragrances in the Citrus family, like "Jet Homme" or Woody family with notes of Marine, Fresh, Spicy or Green.  Dark and mysterious? Orientals and Chypre family fragrances are a good choice.  For everyday wear Fougere family fragrances, like "True Force", are great.  They last well and make a good, but not overpowering impression.

I hope that this series has been helpful and I hope to hear some feedback on it, good or bad, about how you did with your fragrance shopping.  Just drop me a line or put a comment below.

Have a beautiful day!! 

Fragrance Families

This is part two of my series on finding the right fragrance.  Part one is here.

The fragrance industry classifies fragrances in to families according to the ingredients used to achieve the scents.  Men's and Women's fragrances have most of the same main categories, but the sub-categories are different.

The main families are usually the dominant characteristic of the fragrance and are included in the top notes and the base notes.

Floral (Women) 

• This is the most popular women's fragrance family.  
• Includes anything flowery  - rose, tuberose, carnation, cherry blossom.  
• Scents in this family are usually flowery and feminine.

Fougere (foo-jer) (Men)

• This is the most popular men's fragrance family. 
• Includes scents like vetiver, geranium, tobacco (no, really...)
• Usually a clean refined scent.

Citrus

• As the name suggests, these scents are vibrantly citrus-y. 
• Often described as fresh and clean.

Oriental

• Warm, sensuous and long-lasting, 
• Typified by notes of amber, resin, tobacco and exotic woods.  
• They are usually spicy and exotic.

Woody

• Think sandalwood, patchouli, cedarwood and vetiver.  
• Sometimes blended with leather notes in men's fragrances and floral notes in women's fragrances.  
• Rich and Sophisticated

Chypre (sheep-ra)

• Dominant patchouli and mossy tones blended with florals
• Warm and earthy

Where fragrances start to take shape, however, is in the sub-families.  The sub-families give the scents their unique character and depth.  You'll find these sub-families featured in the top notes or middle notes, usually. Sometimes you'll find a scent that straddles categories, like a "Floriental". 

For Women:
Floral Sub Families:

• Floral: Heady floral bouquet and blend
• Fresh/Green: Bright with citrus accents or green notes
• Woody: Textural woody notes for added sensuality
• Oriental: Notes of amber and spices to add richness

Citrus Sub-Families:

• Floral: To add depth and femininity
• Woody: Textural woody notes for added sensuality

Oriental Sub-Families:

• Floral Opulent florals are the dominant notes
• Fruity: Fruitiness to add texture
• Fresh/Green: Fresh citrus, fruits or green notes add sparkle
• Woody: Textural woody notes for added sensuality and depth
• Gourmand: Amber and other spices to enrich the scent.

Woody Sub-Family:

• Floral: Feminine florals balance the woody texture

Chypre Sub-Family:

• Floral: Florals lighten the earthy base

For Men:
Fougere Sub-Families:

• Fresh: Notes like grapefruit, lemon or bergamot
• Woody: Notes of patchouli, sandalwood or vetiver
• Ambery: Amber notes add warmth and sensuality

Citrus Sub-Families:

• Fougere: Bamboo and woody musk add extra pop to the citrus
• Woody: Notes of patchouli, sandalwood or vetiver

Oriental Sub-Families:

• Spicy: Nutmeg, clove, cinnamon or cardamom
• Woody: Notes of patchouli, sandalwood or vetiver
• Gourmand/Ambery: Vanilla and amber for texture
• Leathery: rich spicy notes that smell like, well...leather.

Woody Sub-Families:

• Marine: freshened with marine and airy notes kind of like the smell after a thunderstorm.
• Fresh: Lemon, grapefruit or bergamot brighten the heady wood scent.
• Spicy: Nutmeg, clove, cinnamon or cardamom
• Green: Herbaceous scents like basil or grass.

Chypre Sub-Family:

• Fresh:  Brightened with fresh notes of lemon, grapefruit or bergamot.

You may be thinking, "Well, that's nice, but what do these things all really smell like?"

To expand your fragrance selection, you may want to take something that you know that you like and look up what it really smells like in a review.  You can Google the scent's name and the word "review" and usually find a  breakdown of what goes into it.  Sometimes, they'll even classify it for you as a "Floral" or "Oriental" or what have you.  Then you can go through the scent list in the review and find out what notes are in it.  Using the information above you can come to some conclusions about what will work for you in other scents and what to stay away from.


Of course, AVON has a full line of fragrances that fit into these categories and I'd be happy to send you or bring you samples if you'd like to try out something new.  Check out my AVON website and find the fragrances page for more information about all our great scents!  And as always, write me if you have any questions.

Check back tomorrow for how to test a fragrance and how to smell the top notes, middle notes and base notes. 

Have a beautiful day!

Choosing a Fragrance

Until recently, I almost never wore fragrance.  I still don't wear fragrances every day.  It's a taste issue and a matter of other people's allergies, and my own allergies.  I used to think that I was allergic to all scents, but that wasn't so.  I am really only allergic to certain things that are put into perfumes.  My husband, who loves fragrance, always wanted to buy me expensive perfumes when we were dating and first married.  Sadly, the more expensive the perfume, the more allergic I seemed to be.  I had given up hope all together of ever wearing anything that smelled pretty again.


But, when I became an AVON representative, I learned about "fragrance families" and what the difference was between an Eau de Parfum versus a Body Spray.  Suddenly, I was able to discover how to make the choices I needed to make to keep myself from having an allergic reaction.  I discovered what to look for and what to avoid. It turns out that I am allergic to the "amber" notes used in many fragrances.  Now, I just know to avoid fragrances with Amber base notes.  Some of them I can get away with as long as I use a very light concentration or the amber is in the top notes or middle notes of the scent. 

It's been wonderful to be able to purchase a fragrance and really enjoy wearing it, or to purchase one for my husband and enjoy it on him all day long.  Now, instead of running away from the perfume counter, I have fallen in love with fragrance for the first time!


I'd like to share some of that knowledge with you over the next couple of days.  Today, I'll be talking about the differences between the levels of fragrance.  Tomorrow, I'll cover the families of fragrance for women and for men and how to properly sample a fragrance (Did you know there was a proper and improper way?  I didn't!).  And I'll revisit fragrance again on Friday to explain how a fragrance is constructed.

Maybe I'm the only one in the world who didn't know this stuff, but I thought it might be helpful information with Valentine's Day coming up.  If scents have always been a problem for you, read on and follow-up tomorrow.  You may discover that you don't have to hide from fragrance anymore!


Fragrance Concentrations:
The three most common fragrance forms are Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum.  Each one has a different percentage of the essential oil of the fragrance in it.

Eau de Cologne is the lightest interpretation of a fragrance with concentration of 2% - 6% essential oil in it.  It is also sometimes referred to as "Body Spray" or "Cologne Spray".  Because it's so light, Eau de Cologne can be reapplied often throughout the day.

Eau de Toilette is a concentration of  8% - 16% essential oils.  Eau de Toilette is sometimes referred to as EDT.  It's stronger than a Eau de Cologne, but less potent than Eau de Parfum.

Eau de Parfum is the most concentrated form of a fragrance at 16% - 21% essential oils.  Because it has a higher concentration of fragrance, it does not need to be applied as generously or as often.

One way to make your fragrance last longer is to use layering.  Layering is when you use a body wash, lotion, powder and/or deodorant  that utilizes the same fragrance.  By layering, you can add hours to your scent-life.  This can be used with any concentration, but is probably most important to keep in mind if you like Eau de Cologne or Eau de Toilette fragrances.

Well, tomorrow we'll talk about Fragrance Families and how to find the right one for you! 

Have a beautiful day!  Stay warm and cozy!

Simple, elegant and ice-free

Today we in the Midwest woke up to an ice covered world.  A Winter Wonderland...if you're staying in!  But, if you have to be up and out early and don't want to risk being caught out chipping ice off your windshield at 4 in the morning, here's a simple trick:

• Take an old bedspread or blanket and spread it across your windshield and driver's side/passenger doors.  If one blanket won't do it, use more.
• Close the blanket edges in the doors.  
• Be sure to cover locks and handles so you can unlock your door.
• In the morning, simply take the blankets off and throw them in your trunk.  

 Voila!  An ice free windshield and car doors that open!

Many people go and get tarps to do this with, but blankets are usually a readily available household item and tarps aren't cheap.  If you don't have a blanket to use, you can get one at the thrift store very inexpensively.  Just throw it in your trunk for just such an emergency.

Another handy tip to keep those doors from refreezing (for example, if your car is parked in the cold all day) is to spray the gaskets with cooking spray then rub the oil in with a paper towel.  The oil repels water and keeps the gaskets from freezing.  This is a good thing to do every so often as a preventive measure in the winter and keeps the gaskets from deteriorating, too.
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Are you taking the Skin-So-Soft 14 day challenge? 

If you aren't, you should think about it.  Just 14 days to softer, smoother winter skin!  Try Skin-So-Soft Body Lotion for 14 days and then tell me what you think.  If you don't love it, you can return it for a full refund.  No problem. 
Write to me (katieavonlady at gmail dot com) or see my website for more details about the Skin-So-Soft family of products.

Winter Skin

Winter is the hardest time of year on the skin.  From long, hot showers to the forced air in your home and car to the rough scratchy clothes we wear to keep warm, our skin is under assault.  Here are a few tips to keep the moisture in the air and in your skin.

Make Soup - No seriously.  Homemade soup is a great way to humidify your home.  Putting on a brothy soup on a low temperature for several hours raises the humidity in your house.  My favorite is Chicken Noodle soup.  You can see the recipe below.

If you don't like soup you can boil water on the stove.  I like to put an orange and cinnamon stick into the water to fragrance the air.

WARNING:  Be sure to watch your pots.  Don't leave them on while you are not in the house and never leave them on while you sleep.

Moisturizer -   The best time to moisturize your skin is right after a bath or hand-washing.  The moisturizer locks in the moisture that is left with the water, making it even more effective.  Simply wash and dry your hands as you normally would and then put a dab of moisturizer on your hands.  Make sure to take off your rings before doing this.  (You don't want to make your "bling" look cloudy.)  Rub into the backs of the hands first being sure to cover all the natural lines in your hands.  Then do your palms.

If moisturizing before bed, sometimes it is helpful to wear a pair of cotton gloves over the moisturized hands.  this keeps the moisture where you want it, on your hands, and not on your sheets or face.

Of course, I have several moisture remedies in my on-line store, so please take a look.  

Lemons -  Petroleum jelly is often used to soften elbows and knees.  Simply apply it to the problem area before bed and let it soak in. But, another sharp little tool is the lemon.  Really.  Cut a lemon in half and rub it for 1 - 2 minutes on each trouble spot.  This moisturizes and exfoliates because of the acids and oils in the lemon.  It's amazing!

Exfoliation - And speaking of exfoliation...your shower scrubby can be your best defense against all-over dry skin.  While you don't want to over exfoliate (only 1 -2 times per week for actual exfoliation treatments like sea salt scrubs and such) a soft shower scrubby can keep your skin clear of dry patches in between times.

Cool it down -  Try to cool down your shower.  Taking blazing hot showers may feel good in the short term, but it robs your body of valuable moisture in the long term.  Also, keep you thermostat set at a reasonable temperature.  Anything over 70 degrees and you may be drying your skin out just by being in the house.

Drink lots of water - Water is your best friend.  Now, my husband seems to think it's the cure for everything, including bad moods.  But, I assure you, if you drink enough water, you will see a difference in your skin and in your energy level.  It's remarkable.  

How much water is enough?  Well, most people think that 64 oz. of water a day is enough. But, you may need more.  I had a Yoga instructor one time who told me that I needed to take my weight and divide it in half and that is the number of ounces of water I needed per day.  For me, that's a lot.  But when I get it all in, I feel great and I look great.  Try it!

Make today a beautiful day and take care of yourself!

Chicken Noodle Soup (from scratch - sort of)

Take a left over rotisserie chicken and put it in a pot  (you can also use a whole fryer that has never been cooked, you'll have more meat in your soup that way - but this is a nice way to dispose of left overs)

Cover it with water

Add:

2 Carrots cut into 1 inch pieces

1 stalk Celery cut into1 inch pieces

1/2 Large Vidalia Onion - whole or chopped

1-2 Tbsp of white wine or vinegar

Bring this to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer and simmer this mixture uncovered over low heat for 2-3 hours.

Drain the chicken into another pan, reserving all of the broth you have just made.  Let the chicken cool.

You can either throw out the veggies or put them back into the pot with the broth, as you wish.  As soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle, strip all the meat from it and put the meat into the broth.  Bring the broth back to a boil.  You may need to add bouillon or stock to the broth to bump the taste up a notch.  Use your own judgment.  

Once the broth is boiling again, add a 1 lb. package of egg noodles.  My favorite are medium or wide Amish style noodles or kluski, if I am not making my own.

Boil the noodles in the broth for as long as it takes them to cook (see the package for directions) and then serve it up.  

Serves 4 really hungry people or 6 sort of hungry people or 8 people who eat like sparrows.