The Bath and Body Works Phenomena

Sorry...ok- so it's been a while. My first job, being a University Professor and famous artist -ahem-that's me on the right sporting the new lighter hair and my printmaking wardrobe (all black)- has kept me, well, busy. Shocking? It's mid terms and I am about to head out on the road for many different pursuits, little sistah's wedding, recruiting for Grad students and new majors at Wash U in the STL, and panel chair/presenter at an art educator's conference in Mobile, AL. I am sooooo tired that I can't sleep. So, as promised, my Bath and Body Works experience.

None of these are tried and true.

The first is the scent that brought me to it. I was washing my hands in Allison's apartment back in 2004. The smell from her hand wash was so phenomenal that I brought my friend Heather into the bathroom to wash her hands so she could smell it. It was the talk of the evening, including the borscht, depleting bottles of wine, and the fact that the 5 bff's of Mrs. Fowler's art class hadn't gathered together in some time ( at that date I think it had been since 2000).

The scent was from the then New Aromatherapy line-Jasmine Vanilla.












Fast forward to 2008.
Visiting family in Vicksburg and low and behold there is a new Bath and Body Works outlet. Now, I've been a firm supporter of The Body Shop and the causes of Dame Antia Roddick since I was a young beauty product slut. When I found a Body Shop approximately 7 blocks from my studio at the Glasgow School of Art I was in heaven. Hell, I even worked for The Body Shop for a time. So, naturally, my purchasing items from Bath and Body Works was not even going to happen (they were The Body Shop's main competitor) and I was convinced (and may be still) that they had so much alcohol in their body sprays that the cost of using Body Shop products was worth it because the BS (Body Shop shortened) used a higher ratio of essential/perfume oils than B&BW. It was all cheaper than my true love-Chanel, so I really had no complaint.

The smell changed it all for me. When I stepped foot into that store and saw that they had the Jasmine Vanilla in a hair conditioner I bought 2 and went back to St. Louis and used it sparingly. I hid it when I had visitors. I would sometimes put it in my hair when it was dry just so I could smell it.

Fast Forward 2009.
Now that I frequent Vicksburg more often, I bought the body wash. I bought the lotion (in pump form and 2 travel bottles). I bought the body spray (on-line along with hand sanitizer for the swine flu epidemic that has hit my students at Ole Miss and some lip plumping lip gloss with glitter in it...ummm it was only $3). I wanted to layer the scent. So far, the lotion is the only smell that sticks. I will continue to use the other Jasmine Vanilla until it runs out. If BS hadn't discontinued Eau De Zitron I wouldn't be in such a mess. The glitter in the lip plump is too much of a throwback to my days of wearing plastic trousers, halter tops, buffalo trainers, and paying student prices for entrance to dance clubs. The plump feels like you made out with a porcupine or decided to wear wasabi paste because you were out of lip balm. OUCH!

While I was loading the bag down with sensual aromatherapy trial and error, I also grabbed some Patricia Wexler crap. See, Janie, my momma, started using it because Oprah, ahem, yes, Oprah, said it was the best stuff to get rid of wrinkles. Why my mother, who already looked 10 years younger than everyone else her age by sticking with Noxzema and Maybelline Eye Make-Up remover, all of a sudden had to follow the Oprah train, I will never know. On top of that I shake my fist at her for giving me some of the Wexler stuff that she didn't use, and by Golly! Oprah was right (naturally)!










So, that is reason #1. Reason #2-I have mid 30's freakish pimple incidents that I seriously have a complex about. Wexler had some face wash and acne potion and it was 50%off. Done.

Face Wash Reality:
I've been using it for 2 weeks now. I found after day 3 that I can only use it every other day. I got chapped lips. It also smells like the breath of this frat boy in college who wanted to make out with me during Spring Party weekend at the Delta Tau Delta (Delt) House. We had been playing "golf" and we were at the 5th hole (the Delt House) where we were to imbibe Gin drinks. I passed (for those that know -this is no shocker) and took a huge hit to my score card. He, however, made up for it and the smell of his breath was so revolting, I passed on his "sexy" offer, too. The smell of this face wash brought back very un-fond memories of that moment. As I put it on my face I feel my throat begin to swell and I begin to imagine everyone that smelled it on me would think I just left the bar. So, I've been using it in the shower and I rinse very quickly before my admixture of memory and imagination get the better of me.

The Acne Night repair gel, however, is pretty good. The smell is not repulsive and I've used it on other areas than my face and the frontne/backne is going away successfully.

I got some of the 30 SPF moisturizer and it feels good, smells like the acne repair stuff. So far, so good. No stinging like others with SPF. Thumbs up for that.

Wrinkles? None, yet.

May need a bit of change

It was brought to my attention that I rarely update my blog (thank you Sandy) and my response was that I didn't think anyone really read it. Whether that is the truth or not has been on my mind lately. Between what I do all day and into the evening, I rarely have a chance to check my e-mail or Facebook, even with my I-phone. Not really a tragedy unless there are work items involved. So, I decided to dedicate more time to it and give focus to the blog. I promise that my life is really not so spectacular that you would want to read about it, well, actually some may, but I am not about to put those type of things out for public consumption. If you want the real dirt you should just call me and catch up.

Here is the thing...
According to my dear friend Evie, I am a beauty product whore. I will buy any product (within my budgetary constraints) that has interesting packaging, bold logos, quirky typography, or is generally advertised to me. Back in the day, when we saw each other more often on trips or in the dorm, she would benefit from my more than quirky habit of trying something, just for the sake of proving an advertisement wrong or being delightfully surprised, or if it was on sale. She wasn't being mean, she actually loves that about me, and still does. It's 2009 and I am still a product whore. If one were to peek into my shower right now I have 5 different types of hair conditioner, 3 different types of shampoo, 4 body washes, 4 face soaps (2 bar and 2 liquid), and one type of razor. (Well, the search is over on that one. We all know you get your monies worth with razors.) That, my readers, is what you will find in my shower. I have a plethora of other goods stuffed underneath the sink, in a travel case, crammed into cabinets where towels should be, and in a plastic Tupperware tub underneath the guest bed. I have old Clinique bags, old vanity cases filled with this crap, too. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, I hope.

That being said, I felt that it would be more entertaining to write about my finds with these products. Sharing my ups and downs with the old and new products that come in and out of my life would definitley be worth typing away furiously rather than droning on about my escapades as me. I may even use a metaphor or two just for funzies.

I will begin (I am waiting on a student who "needs to talk to me about her class work.”).

The Tried True:
Products With Which I Will Stick or Have Stuck With for Longer Than Usual

The Aforementioned Razor: The Gillette Venus
http://www.gillettevenus.com/en_US/products/venus_disp/index.jsp
$7 for a 3 pack-yes I use disposable ones-shut it-I recycle like hell otherwise
What? 3 out of 5 stars? What-ev. For what it costs and what it does I give it 5 stars. Not that I am some bizarrely hirsute woman or anything, but I've been shaving my legs and pits since I was roughly 11 years old (for all of the math whizzes that is 23 years). I've been through some razor hell. I also lived in Scotland where finding a decent affordable razor was difficult for my student ass. Contact lens solution was about ₤7 and the exchange rate then was $1.85 to ₤1. I was hairy but I could see.



Aquafresh brand toothpaste
http://www.aquafresh.com/Products_Main.aspx
Well, it could be the 3 patriotic stripes that hit the T.V. ads back in the early 1980's that first reeled me in. I remember asking for it at the Jitney Jungle when I was shopping with my mother and 4 siblings on the weekly Thursday after-school grocery trip. I've tried others since and I find that I like the tingly, foamy, not too minty, just right feeling of tongue against tooth with the Extreme Clean line. I was originally intrigued by the clear plastic packaging back in the early 2000's (is that how to write it?) and then I saw the tube in a friend's bathroom while I was taking a break from the festivities of an Oxford, MS late night back in the early days of graduate school. Silver, sleek, and could be placed upside down and balanced on the countertop. I was all over that and still am to this very day. I have 3 varieties by my toothbrush at home. I alternate between the Extreme Clean, White and Shine, and The Advanced Enamel Lock. I have purrrttty teeth.

Must stop for now. Student never showed and I must use the ladies room. Going for social time with friends around 8 and need to change out of Professorial gear and into something better suited for martinis.

Until then be on the lookout for new posts. I hit the Bath and Body Works Outlet and bought some Patricia Wexler face crap. Boy, do I have tales to tell.

What a difference a weekend makes

In one fell swoop my good intentions and stamina with the "Flat Belly Diet" jump-start diet went from this mantra:









to this on Friday night (last day of the 4 day diet):












and this today:












what was it that Scarlet O'Hara said about tomorrow?

Summer Time

Here is a little video of my summer

my 29th Birthday, revisited for the 6th time

Here is a picture of my birthday cake courtesy of Lancer!

Fortitude.

The Film Festival

What an awesome experience I had last weekend at the 6th annual Oxford Film Festival! It was my first and it will not be my last. The weekend began on Thursday night with the Martinis on Ice Art opening. There were so many people there, including my mom, aunt, and cousin. I drank moonshine martinis all evening and then on to the after party for the film fest. Many apologies to Thad for missing his movie that opened the festival. Friday started with the film The Beekeepers and then a great film Rattle Basket! Wow, was I pleasantly surprised by the moving story of sisters and friends that are growing up and ignoring the process. Felt a bit like my life, but the movie has a much better soundtrack. After the movie, I stayed for the Q and A with the director/producer Thomas Phillips and he was great, too! I asked about the title Rattle Basket and he said that it was named after a trick the Egyptians used on slave children to work on the pyramids. They would fill the laden work baskets with rattles and the children would think of the work as play. I had never heard of this and immediately I got the connection, very nice. Then it was time to see Prom Night in Mississippi and then to the after party at the Powerhouse. Late nights persisted with time spent with T (Texas) W (Women) A (Art) T (Travelers) who steamed up some tamales and provided Texas Beer and Wine!!! On to Saturday where I saw another great film Luke and Brie on a First Date. Very funny and commendable on portraying an absolute bitch of a girl and a very nice guy. Next was a sneak peek at Craig Brewer's new Mtv project $5 Cover. Then off to Ajax with the ladies for some grub and drinks. The awards program began at 9 and the Lyric was packed with festival goers and townies. Dj Lober started the tunes and the dance party commenced! Beer Pong, free booze, and lovely goodbyes happened at the party house where the weekend ended for most of us at 5am. What a lovely time!

insanity

Is insanity being happy that graffiti is written with proper punctuation when you expect it to be incorrect?

There was some talk on Facebook that I look like Jane Russell. To be so lucky. I have often wondered how it would be to go on a cruise ship and have an entire Olympic team woo me like they did in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Been a busy bee-moved house and am preparing for a rush of events for the new year. One in particular will be fantastic! On February 5th there will be an art show and martini party in honor of my work and the work of my new friends and colleagues, Brooke White and Lou Haney! 4 floors of martinis and deliciously inspired prints, photos, and paintings! The same weekend we will get to spend time with directors and producers of films we chose for the Oxford Film Festival! Hoorah! February 23rd (a painful day in the calendar of my life-the day my father passed away) my first solo show at the University since graduate school will open at the University Gallery and I will give a lecture on the work on March 3rd. To follow that I will be in Chattanooga for Evonne's wedding and then I may (fingers crossed) be in Venice Italy for the opening of Brooke's photo exhibit during the Spring Holidays. In April I will be jurying a show for St. Louis Community College at Wildwood and curating a print show at the Good Citizen Gallery in St. Louis. I think there is a conference in Chicago mixed in there, too. I will have to look at the calendar. Whew. My stomach is churning from all of the excitement and anxiety. Maybe I should find some good meds to help me through this.