Beautified Blog

To all you local LA peeps, come check out the Unique LA Summer Market. It's a highly curated event with some fab vendors! There's food, jewelry, clothing, candles, art, our fragrances and more....stop by booth #22 to say hello and try our fragrances!

See you there! :))

My top DO'S + DON'TS of Fragrance....

DO’s: Have fun & blend your fragrances, many collections are being made so you can blend to individualize.

DON'T: Never rub your wrists together, it takes the top notes off and only leaves the base notes! (Did you know this…when I was told this, I was like what??!)

DO’s: We’re not supposed to wash our hair everyday…so to keep it smelling divine run a little fragrance through your hair, especially fragrances blended with natural oils (ours are blended with coconut oil:)))

DON'T: A little goes a long way, people don’t want to smell your fragrance a mile away!

Most importantly have fun and experiment!

Jennifer xx

This morning Dawn Gluskin author of Type A Zen posted this on her Instagram page...I thought it was so great that I wanted to share it with you all. Dawn approved of course! xx

In my daily meditation, I usually download a specific message, or theme, or reminder. This morning's thoughts kept going to compassion. Of course, we understand the concept of compassion towards others. Albeit not always easy to engage, it's the skill of being able to feel empathy for another, despite any perceived wrong-doings, unkind, illogical, or hurtful actions. It's understanding that they are human and, at some level, doing the best they know how. It's empathizing with them because they may be struggling in some way. It's lifting them up in thoughts and wishing the best for them. While not always easy, developing this skill is incredibly freeing. It allows us to not take things personally, to find acceptance in others, to not be weighed down by hard feelings and to live a lighter, more joyful life. And, as a bonus, we are sending well wishes to those who need it most, lifting them with our energy, and contributing to making the world a lighter place. Achieving this level of compassion towards others is not easy, but a beautiful thing to strive for.

But, to take things to an even different level, this morning's epiphany was: How often do we show this level of deep compassion towards ourselves? Do we give our own selves a break? Do we let ourselves off the hook saying, " I did the very best I could & that is totally good enough". I know I don't always do this. I realize that I often hold myself up to a higher standard than expected of others. Perhaps you can relate? But aren't we equally deserving of our own compassion? It's realizing that we too are human and letting go of a mistakes. It's giving ourselves credit for doing the best we can & realizing that everything is in divine order. It's freeing. It's liberating. It's empowering. And, finding the deepest levels of compassion for ourselves also allows us to love others even more deeply. So, my goal is to find even deeper levels of compassion for self & others. To love even more fully - inwards & outwards. Perhaps you will join me?

Can you believe Summer is here already?! Where has time gone?!! Summer is a such a great time for trying something new and recharging your batteries. Bringing out summery clothes, sandals, freshening up my look with a new haircut & highlights are some of my favorites.  I also LOVE trying new beauty products, especially new eye shadows, blushes, bronzers, lip gloss and fragrance, like our DEFINEME Sofia Isabel fragrance oil, a perfectly summery scent!  Here's a cool tip, its blended with coconut oil so you can put it in your hair for that just came from the beach, natural look. Make some fun changes this summer & have fun with it! xx

DEFINEME Sofia Isabel with notes of mandarin, black current, jasmine & sugar it's the perfect summery scent! $36 definemefragrance.com

We all have our routines, which usually include work, home, family, friends, etc...but when is the last time you stepped outside of all you know and did something really sort of "uncomfortable"?

Recently, I participated in the Spring Unique LA Market, which is a market place where I have a booth and I sell directly to the public, which I love and its awesome! Before every show we attend a vendor meeting where they go over the details about the set up, show hours, rules etc... This year one of the things Sonja Rasula (Unique founder, girl entrepreneur extraordinaire) mentioned is they have a Unique Camp and she invited all the vendors to attend. The Unique Camp is  in Big Bear, California...they hold  business classes taught by professionals but the coolest thing about it is, it's camp! It's based around fun activities and it's run like an overnight " hi I'm 12 again" camp. When we arrived, they confiscated our phones (WHAT!), can you say "OFF THE GRID"! They then separate us into cabins with a counselor, mine was Margeurite, a lovely actress and speech coach seven plus months pregnant. What a trooper she was! We bunk with, shower, eat and sleep amongst 11 other perfect strangers. They make it fun by having smores by the camp fire, dancing, cocktail hour, games and having us dress up like our favorite emogis for the dance party. Picture a bunch of happy faces, vegetables and furry animals dancing to Queen!

It was humbling, a blast, inspiring and cool. This biggest challenge for me though, wasn't being off the grid, I actually got used to that quite quickly...it was not knowing one single person and living with 11 other women who were complete strangers. I would tell myself, "you've got this", I had to walk up to people and say, "hi I'm Jennifer, what brings you here"?  I don't remember the last time I felt that sort of nervous rush, like the first day of a new school. The only one I had was me...and how would I now , as an adult, a wife and a mom handle this situation? I remember so many times telling my kids, "just be yourself and people will like you"...easier said than done, right?. I'm humbled and I'm proud of myself, even though there were moments where I wish I could have clicked my heals and gone back home to my family, to people who know and love me, a place where I'm comfortable. The cool thing is I stayed and I participated in everything I could. I started conversations with people in the coffee line, people in my classes, people that I passed by. The result was I met some really great people, made new friends and connections and most of all I learned that I could survive out of my comfort zone! Woohoo!

The photo below was taken the last night, they serenaded us to dinner through the majestic woods to rows of long beautifully dressed candle lit tables. I'm near the front with the white sweater, scarf and ripped jeans.

I highly recommend every once in awhile getting out of your comfort zone, whether that means traveling somewhere new, speaking in front of an audience, going to a movie alone...whatever it is...it keeps you humble and reminds you of your resilience.

Inspiration can be a beautiful thing. It can take you from the depths of sadness to the joyfulness that hope brings to the soul. With that in mind, we wanted to share some tried and tested ways to inspire not only yourself, but those around you. By consciously choosing to inspire others, you can have a great effect on your community.

1. Self-Improvement: People often try to change others before changing themselves. This can be a mistake, as the first step towards change must be with yourself. Therefore, if you want someone to start doing something, set an example and start doing it yourself! Your actions will definitely rub off on those around you.
2. Listen: It's hard to inspire others when you aren't listening to what they're saying. Be sure to listen to what people are telling you if you want to help them in any way. In fact, sometimes listening alone can be a huge help to people. Most of the time people just want a sympathetic ear, someone that will listen to what they're going through. A kind word of encouragement can inspire others to take control of the problems in their lives.
3. Share Knowledge: A great way to inspire others is to share knowledge with them. As the old saying goes, knowledge truly is power, and when you increase someones knowledge you are definitely giving them inspiration and tools to improve their lives. Great leaders know this, and consistently share their powerful insights with those that listen.
4. Compliments: Remarking on how great someone is doing or how talented they are in a certain area is a great way to inspire them to reach their potential. Many people have issues with self-confidence and that in itself can hold them back from doing the great things they are capable of accomplishing. By reminding someone how great they really are, you can empower and inspire them to reach their dreams
5. Positive Energy: Nothing is more powerful than bringing positive energy into a room. Energy can change the dynamics of any situation! By bringing a smile and a positive attitude with you, you can inspire other people to be happy and positive too. Once they assume this attitude, they will be more likely to succeed and do well at whatever they are interested in.

So in conclusion, there are many ways to inspire the people around you. Set a good example and bring positivity into any situation. Keep increasing your knowledge and share helpful information that could inspire other people to improve their lives. Encourage others by believing in them and pointing out their gifts and strengths. It's amazing how much of an effect this can have on the lives of other people.

And of course, pay attention to the needs and concerns of those around you so they know that someone cares about them. If you do all of the above, you will DEFINITELY make a difference and inspire many many people. Enjoy making a difference in your community and go inspire someone today!

Hiram Green shows off some of the raw essences that go into his perfumes. He's at Twisted Lily, a fragrance boutique in Brooklyn.

​At Twisted Lily, a fragrance boutique in Brooklyn, I learn that things quickly get personal when you’re talking about perfume — like when co-owner Eric Weiser explains why I won’t like one of his favorite perfumes.

Player utilities“It has one word [in] the name, and it’s stercus," he says. Stercus, in case your Latin is rusty, means “feces.”

But I take a whiff — and it smells nice. Not fecal at all.

Stercus is just one of the words perfume fanatics use to describe something that smells really great. “Skunky, dirty, fecal, urine-y, barnyard-y,” Weiser says. "It can be a compliment to a perfumer.”

Asking personal questions of a perfumer is actually what brings me to Twisted Lily today. They’re unveiling a new scent by Hiram Green, a perfumer based in the Netherlands. Most of the perfumes sold here don’t come from Chanel or Christian Dior. They're handmade by individual perfumers, most of whom are self-taught — which I find striking.

You’re awash in options if you want to study piano or cooking or painting, but there are barely any perfumery programs. Scent remains the most enigmatic, least explored of senses. So I wondered: How does one go about joining this mysterious self-initiating cult?

“It hasn’t been an easy or a quick quest,” Green says. He spent 10 years experimenting with natural oils before finally launching his perfume line.

Before that, Green ran his own perfume shop. People kept coming in asking for “all natural perfume” free of synthetics, but there just wasn’t much out there.

“I guess it’s a bit of authenticity, if you like,” Green says. “Chanel No. 5 [and] a lot of the perfumes that you buy in department stores, though they may smell like flowers, they don’t necessarily contain the essences of the natural flowers.”

Green's own perfumes took years of trial and error to develop, in part because natural extractions are a lot more volatile. But there's also no perfume textbook, no ideal scent, he explains. It’s just you chasing down your own olfactory dream, and that can get pretty abstract.

But that hasn't stopped micro-perfumeries from becoming a major force in the fragrance market. Last year, Alia Raza and Ezra Woods launched their new perfume company, Regime des Fleurs, in Los Angeles. A year ago, they were at Paris Fashion Week, practically broke, gathering orders for hand-made scents they’d bottled themselves. Today their perfumes are on the cover of Bergdorf Goodman’s spring beauty catalog.

One of their signature scents is “nitesurf.”

“Think of like an orange blossom, but on steroids," Raza says. "Very, very, extra-special bright, almost industrial cleaner. Highlighter markers, orange Tic-Tacs — but with a feeling of orange blossom as well."

I can’t say nitesurf conjured the same hyper-specific references for me, but when I sample “Floralia,” a fragrance meant to evoke a white marble statue, I swear it smells like white marble.

I realize perfumers are actually painting with scent. And as with painters and punk rockers, being self-taught can be a mark of pride. “By its very nature, what we do is going to be experimental and different and weird and out of the box,” Raza says.

Making experimental, even radical perfumes means critics won’t always approve. A trained “nose” expects perfumes to have certain characteristics and to unfold in a specific way. One critic described Regime des Fleurs’ perfume “water/wood” as an artless cavalcade.

Raza’s partner, Ezra Woods, explains that critics complain that it doesn’t have “structure.” “I don’t even fully know what that means, but I know that this doesn’t because it was made to smell good,” he says.

“We wanted to make the smell of a forest underwater and so we did it," Raza says — and people who want to smell like underwater forests seem to agree. At $165 an ounce, water/wood is their best seller.

Green, Raza and Woods may have bootstrapped their education, but at least they can tap today’s booming market for niche perfume. That wasn’t the case when Andy Tauer launched Tauer Perfumes in Zürich, Switzerland, 10 years ago. When he put a bottle of his first perfume for sale at a local bookstore, his friends wondered what he was doing.

“[They said] 'There’s enough perfume out there and nobody knows you and what do you think is going to happen? Do you think somebody is going to buy that?'” he remembers. Today, Tauer perfumes are sold in 15 countries, and many consider him to be the Godfather of niche perfumers.

So what’s his advice to those starting out? Never ask for advice.

“The very moment you ask somebody for help, you have already lost the game," he says. "You really have to try to be as independent as you can be as a creator. It comes with a price to pay but you do not learn by doing everything right. You learn by the mistakes, by things falling apart in your bottle, in your formula.”

Got that, wannabe perfumers? Fail harder — and be brave.

Remove obstacles and start realizing your full potential

We recently found a great blog from http://www.cornerstonedynamics.com/top-5-obstacles-to-self-empowerment/

Check it out below!

Self-empowerment…we all want it but do we know how to get it? Sometimes the best way to get what you want is to know what you don’t want, or in this case, to understand what stops you from achieving empowerment.  Self-empowerment is removing the obstacles that prevent us from realizing our potential.  These obstacles/barriers can prevent us from being all we can be. There are many factors that can keep us from achieving our goals. It could be practical things like shortage of money, education or training. Or one’s that other people put up for us; like a parent that steers you away from your dreams and into the career they recommend. But the most difficult barrier for us to penetrate are the ones we construct ourselves.  In my pocket/e-book, Opening the Doors of Empowerment I outline the top 5 barriers we put in our own path. I share them with you to help you avoid them and to allow you to change your habits, resulting in you reaching your true potential.

Barrier #1: Lack of Vision - A clear guiding vision is the strongest tool for empowerment. Without it, it’s easy to put far too much effort into activities that don’t contribute to your progress. The result is wasted time, money and energy.

Barrier #2: Fear - The hardest fears to overcome are the ones we create. We can be our own worst enemy. Fear can stop people from moving forward and when this happens you are immediately disempowered. Learning how to let go of fear is critical for personal empowerment.

Barrier #3: Impatience - Patience is needed to watch ideas grow and to see what needs to be tweaked in order to become successful.  We live in a world of immediate gratification but this can lead to a feeling of emptiness. Sometimes waiting for the right thing to come around, vs the first thing to come around, will give us the greatest satisfaction and truly address our desires and needs.

Barrier #4: Perfectionism- The perfectionist may delay opening the door of opportunity in front of them until they are absolutely certain they can do it perfectly, resulting in missed opportunities. Similar to barrier #3, perfectionism is on the opposite scale of impatience. Finding the right balance between them is critical to moving forward in life and being empowered.

Barrier #5: Workload- A spiralling workload disempowers everyone it touches, at home and work.  Sometimes we feel like we’re on the hamster wheel of life…constantly busy but not really going anywhere. Becoming empowered is to stop this cycle and to ensure every action has purpose.

Like any game, the rules may be simple enough; but to remove the barriers takes discipline and commitment. The key to sustaining the removal of a barrier is to do it consistently and repeatedly. Empowering yourself isn’t something you do only once. Empowerment is a process of continual improvement. So take the first step, look at yourself, remove your barriers and become EMPOWERED!