Scent Beauty Has Incredible Fragrances!

November 17, 2020November 16, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

I’ve been working with Scent Beauty as one of their brand ambassadors for several months now, and I absolutely love the fragrances they sell. So far, I have seven scents from their line:

Intention, Transcend, and Balance from the Phluid Project
Rise and Shine, I Am Bright, and So Serene from Scent Organix
Cher – Fragrance Foundation’s 2020 Awards Winner

Here are links to the fragrances I just mentioned:

https://scentbeauty.com/collections/house-brands

https://scentbeauty.com/products/cher-eau-de-couture

So you may be asking, do I actually use any of these fragrances? The answer is a resounding YES.

Intention by The Phluid Project

Intention from the Phluid Project is the perfect blend of spicy, floral and sweet, with the following scent profile:

–

SCENT PROFILE

Pink Pepper, Rosebud

TOP

Cherry, Saffron

HEART

Tonka Bean, Cedarwood

BASE

Intention has only a hint of sweetness which comes from the cherry, but is well balanced with the other tones. I love this fragrance and wear it often.

—-

I also love the dual phase feature of all three fragrances in the Phluid Collection. They are just gorgeous! All you do when you need to use a Phluid Collection fragrance is to shake the bottle to mix the phases, then spray onto your skin!

Transcend by The Phluid Project

Then there’s Transcend, which is mildly reminiscent of Prada Candy, but is a much softer expression, a tropical beach with hints of fruit and sea salt and sultry warm notes like vanilla. It is my current favorite!

–

SCENT PROFILE

Dragonfruit, Pineapple Leaf

TOP

Tiare Flower, Sea Salt

HEART

Palo Santo, Vanilla Orchid

BASE

Balance by The Phluid Project

In stark contrast, Balance is a very clean, crisp fragrance, and one which to me is a men’s fragrance, despite Scent Beauty’s claim that all of its scents are unisex. Here are the notes:

–

SCENT PROFILE

Cardamom, Iced Grapefruit

TOP

Black Tea, Clary Sage

HEART

Vetiver, Atlas Cedar

BASE

Rise and Shine by Scent Organix

Rise and Shine from Scent Organix is a beautiful, light, clean fragrance which just makes me happy when I smell it. Here is the scent profile for Rise and Shine:

–

SCENT PROFILE

Tangerine, Lemon Spritz

TOP

Hibiscus

HEART

Peach Blossoms, Orange Zest

BASE

I Am Bright by Scent Organix

I Am Bright from Scent Organix, while also light and fresh, has more of that tropical citrus vibe. This is more fruit-forward than Rise and Shine, but not in an overt fashion. I love it as well!

–

SCENT PROFILE

Juicy Pineapple, Salted Coconut

TOP

Tiare Flower

HEART

Orange Flower, Lemon

BASE

So Serene by Scent Organix

Then there is So Serene, which I love to wear when I go into the office. It is very subtle, and no note overpowers any other. It imparts a relaxing vibe which keeps me at an even keel.

–

SCENT PROFILE

Mandarin, Violet Leaves

TOP

Wild Freesia

HEART

Green Tea, Lime

BASE

Cher Eau De Couture_Icon

The last scent I have in my Scent Beauty collection is Cher Eau de Couture, which is a very intense, smoky, deep and complex fragrance. It’s as commanding as Cher is! It just declares itself, as a sultry, clove-dominant scent. I do love it, but I don’t think I would ever dare wear it during the day. This is something I can imagine someone of either gender wearing on a steamy date night!

–

SCENT PROFILE

Bergamot, Clove, Neroli

TOP

Jasmine, Rose, Orange Flower

HEART

Vetiver, Sandalwood, Vanilla Orchid

BASE

To order any of these amazing fragrances, please use the following link so that Scent Beauty knows that I referred you:

https://tracking.scentbeauty.com/SHr

Let Your Heritage Lead You To Travel Destinations

November 10, 2020October 26, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Source: 123rf
Image ID : 35177538
Copyright : Borislav Marinic

Though I thoroughly enjoy international travel for a multitude of reasons, the most meaningful trips I have taken have admittedly been the ones I took in an effort to learn about my ancestral roots. The first time I went on a heritage trip was in September of 2014, exactly six months after I had ordered genotype testing through 23andme. Despite the fact that I already pretty much knew the bulk of my heritage (Japanese and Hungarian), I was even more determined to visit Japan and Hungary after I received the test results. It took me a full six years to visit Japan, but I was able to do so in March of this year, and made a point of visiting both prefectures which my grandparents were from.

Source: 123rf
Image ID : 8705805
Copyright: ginasanders Budapest, castle hill and castle. city view

It turns out that my determination to visit my ancestral countries, occurred right at the beginning of the surge in heritage travel which has swept the globe. One of the driving forces behind this boost in travel to ancestral lands has been the popularity of genetic testing kits such as the ones offered by 23andme. From personal experience, I can definitely tell you that a trip which is taken in an effort to learn about one’s heritage is definitely different from a trip which is taken for vacation purposes.

Source: 123rf
Image ID : 121655857
Copyright : pitinan
Beautiful morning at Yasaka Pagoda and Sannen Zaka Street in summer, Kyoto, Japan. Yasaka Pagoda is the famous landmark and travel attraction of Kyoto.

Thanks to AirBnB, people can stay in dwellings which are more reflective of the culture which they are visiting, and thus more authentic and rich. According to AirBnB, there has been a 500% increase since 2014 in travelers who use the AirBnB service to book accommodations and experiences. Close to 80% of these trips are taken either with one travel partner or alone, which suggests that these treks are indeed meant to establish connection with mother cultures.

It’s no surprise that AirBnB and 23andme have joined forces and are offering services specific to heritage travel on their websites. On 23andMe, customers who receive new ancestry reports, are now able to click through to their ancestral populations and find Airbnb Homes and Experiences in their countries of origin. Correspondingly, Airbnb has dedicated pages which correspond with 23andMe’s genetic populations, making it a breeze for customers to book accommodations in the countries which emerge on their reports.

If you’re thinking of booking a heritage trip but are hesitant, take it from someone who has not only visited her two main countries of origin, but who has also visited the other countries (Italy, Greece, Germany, France) which had popped up on the genetic testing report, and just GO.

Why Some People Ghost

November 3, 2020October 20, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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Image ID : 52651500
Copyright : Nebojsa Markovic

Has someone ever just completely disappeared from your life, without any explanation? It is an incredibly confounding experience, and has occurred more than once for me. What blows my mind is that older adults, people in their forties and fifties, have exhibited this bizarre and rude behavior in recent years, so the phenomenon of “ghosting” cannot be pegged as a young person’s habit.

I honestly think that when a person ghosts anyone for reasons such as, they’re not feeling the same way about the other person (usually a dating scenario), or they have become bored with someone, the act of ghosting is truly a sign of immaturity and lack of emotional availability, which means that the ghostee is actually lucky to be cut loose. However, when someone completely disappears without an explanation, whether it’s a dating situation, a more serious relationship, or a friendship, the person being ghosted often grapples with extreme mental anguish because there is no closure.

Even if the explanation for the person’s ghosting on another might be painful to hear, I bet most individuals would prefer to hear that explanation instead of scratching their heads in bewilderment, thinking, what in the world HAPPENED? I completely understand that feelings can change, but I also was raised to believe that you should offer a reason why you no longer wish to talk to or associate with someone. If you don’t respond to texts, etc., and the ghostee can clearly see that you are doing fine, you are basically indicating to that person that they aren’t even worthy of any bit of respect. And while there are situations in which the ghostee might have done something egregiously wrong, in most situations, the person doing the ghosting is merely fickle, disrespectful, and narcissistic. That’s been my observation in every situation in which I have been ghosted.

What are your thoughts on being ghosted? If you have ghosted someone in the past, why did you choose to ghost someone instead of providing a reason why you wanted to discontinue communication?

Plant Protein Face Off August 2016

October 27, 2020October 10, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Back In The Day…Attending Concerts

October 20, 2020October 8, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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Image: 46963270
erika8213

Among the memories from my childhood, teenhood, and early adulthood are all the incredible concerts I had the good fortune to attend. I grew up in the 1970’s – 1980’s, and was exposed to all kinds of music during that time. I was able to see most of my favorite artists perform live, some in front of massive coliseum-sized audiences, and others in cozy local venues like the Troubador. Little did I know that when I was cheering Poison and Ratt that those bands were about to hit it big on the music scene.

Here is a partial list of some of the artists I was able to see live between 1976 and 1989:

Elton John (Dodger Stadium, 1976)

Rolling Stones (1981, 1989)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1980, 1981)

Pink Floyd

Mötley Crüe

Talking Heads

David Bowie

I thoroughly enjoyed being in the audience, rocking with the music, lighting my lighter (who remembers doing this?), and singing along when the lead singer would prompt the crowd to join in. There was always a palpable energy at concerts, a buzz, and I’m not talking about the burning weed which circulated through the air. The audiences were always so pumped, so excited to hear a favorite band play live.

I also remember wanting so badly to attend the US Festival on Labor Day weekend in 1982, but my mother staunchly refused. Then there was another US Festival which I desperately wanted to attend on Memorial Day weekend in 1983, but my mother once again refused, pointing out that I had final exams the following week. Some of the girls in my class threw caution to the wind and attended the festival, so I was able to live vicariously through them when they described the experience. An estimated 570,000 people attended the 1983 Labor Day weekend US Festival, which is no surprise since tickets were a mere $20 for each day of the event.

Here’s a video of the full concert which Van Halen performed during the 1983 US Festival:

Other festivals have come to the forefront in popularity in, recent years, but now that we have spent the bulk of the year in lockdown, avoiding COVID, live concerts, with the audience standing in front of the band members, are nearly extinct. We now rely on livestreams and virtual concerts, which don’t even come close to creating the same magic that a live concert in front of a packed audience can do.

Ventura County Fairgrounds recently hosted a drive-in setting for a live concert which apparently went pretty well. The audience was limited to 500 cars, I wonder if this will be the new norm for concerts? At any rate, I am thankful that I was able to see so many incredible artists live, when concerts were still fun.

Binge Watching

October 13, 2020September 29, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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138782070
Valerie Garner

How many of you have gotten sucked into a TV series during this year’s lockdown? I have to admit that I definitely fell into the binge watching abyss back in June, when I watched season 1, episode 1 of Grimm. It didn’t grab me immediately, but after several episodes which I watched over three separate days, I noticed that I was developing that all-consuming curiosity, that compulsion to watch one episode, and since the next episode would be ready within seconds after the previous one concluded, I allowed the binge-watching to occur over and over.

Source: 123rf.com
38210971
Piotr Adamowicz

Since I don’t really watch a lot of television, the Grimm sessions haven’t distracted me from essential things I need to address in my life, but I have definitely spent more than one Sunday evening glued to the tube, learning about all the wesen (aka, creatures) which are only visible to the Grimms. For those of you who are fans of Grimm, check out the site which offers an encyclopedic list of wesen.

I began to wonder what the wesen see when Nick Burkhardt shows up. There is a scene between Nick and Monroe, and Rosalie which explains what the wesen see in the Grimm when they woge (show their physical selves to the Grimm):

Monroe: It’s your eyes.

Nick: My eyes?

Rosalee: It’s how we know you’re a Grimm after we woge.

Monroe: They turn black.

Rosalee: Not exactly black.

Monroe: No, you’re right, actually. Black’s too weak a word. It’s more like infinite darkness. And we see ourselves reflected in that darkness. We see our true wesen nature.

Since I love fairy tales, fantasy and certain types of horror (vampires, etc.), this show is right up my alley. Especially now that lockdown has really put a damper on going out at night, I truly enjoy sitting at home and watching what is currently my favorite television series. It doesn’t matter that Grimm aired from October 28, 2011 to March 31, 2017, for 123 episodes, over six seasons. It also doesn’t matter that Grimm was canceled due to the writers’ strike. I have been immensely entertained by the series, and since I am only on season 2, I still have quite a few episodes left to binge watch!

Pet Dental Health

October 6, 2020September 29, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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122857374
Yuliia Sonsedska

I’m sure the majority of you are well aware about the importance of good dental health, but have you ever thought how important good dental health is in your pets? Just as in humans, the mouths of your pets are teeming with bacteria, and some of those bacteria can enter the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and bloodstream, and cause disease, particularly in the heart, lung, and kidneys.

Another factor to consider in our pets is the fact that we have domesticated these animals over the millenia, and as a result, they no longer depend on hunting to procure their food. This means that the natural form of teeth cleaning, in essence, gnawing and tearing at the flesh of their prey, has, for the most part, been eliminated, and replaced with dry kibble and canned foods. Eighty percent of pet dogs and cats who have had no dental cleaning or intervention show signs of oral disease by the time they are 3 years old.

I take all of this very seriously with my pets, and I am diligent about taking them in every six months for non-anesthetic dental cleaning. It’s worth the financial expense, even though I struggle to pay for their dental care twice a year. The way I see it, I’d rather take them in for regular dental cleaning than to put them at risk for a myriad of diseases, and have them suffer needlessly as a result. I’ve been taking them in for regular cleanings from the time they were young adults, and they have had mild issues with no need for a more aggressive cleaning with anesthetic. I realize that they may at some point need cleaning under anesthesia, but until we cross that bridge, I will continue to take them in for the anesthesia-free option.

There are definitely some limitations with non-anesthetic teeth cleaning for pets, such as the fact that only the plaque above the gum line can be removed. The veterinarian examines the pet’s teeth and gums to determine if there is any inflammation or sign of infection, and if there are any findings which are beyond the scope of the non-anesthetic cleaning crew, the pet is referred for cleaning with anesthesia.

Overall, if you aren’t paying attention to your pet’s teeth and gums, you should. It’s a good idea to ask your veterinarian at your next visit what he or she recommends in the way of dental care. There are dental chews which help to clean the teeth, and some very brave pet owners actually brush their pet’s teeth. Your vet will help determine the best care regimen for your beloved pet.

Stop Sweet Cravings In Their Tracks With Welltopia’s all-natural Sugar Detox Spray

September 29, 2020September 24, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Please check out my review of Welltopia’s all-natural Sugar Detox Spray which stops sweet cravings in its tracks. This stuff really works!

Link to order is: https://menotypes,com/products/sugar-detox-spray

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menotypes

Smart Homes, Or Invaders?

September 22, 2020September 1, 2020drstaceynaito Leave a comment

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Image ID : 106747142
Copyright : Daniil Peshkov

How many of you have jumped on board the smart home wagon? I have to admit that I have tiptoed through setting up my home with smart home devices, starting with two Roku Ultra units I purchased last fall after breaking up with Spectrum Cable. It hasn’t been completely seamless, and I already had a Roku remote stop working after only 5 months, but overall, I have gotten accustomed to watching shows on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.

My next step was setting up a Wyze Camera which I had received as a Christmas gift. I figured it would be a good way to watch my cats while I was away, and also ensure that no unwelcome guests were lurking in my bedroom. What I did not expect was that the camera would randomly scan the room when I wasn’t using the app, and after a couple of unnerving scans, I unplugged the thing and haven’t used it since.

Then I really took the plunge this past July, when I set up two Google Nests and several TP-Link Smart Plugs. I decided to plug in certain key lamps and three humidifiers, and programmed some of them to turn on and off at specified times. I have to admit that I love the convenience, and if I need to override the automated settings, I am able to do so easily simply by telling Google to perform a certain action.

If you are considering setting up your home with smart devices, make sure that you have a strong internet connection and a high quality internet router, or you will not be able to successfully connect your devices. The possibilities are almost endless when it comes to setting up devices in your home, and it can get pretty expensive. But the automation which you can establish in your home is pretty impressive.

Source: 123rf
Image ID : 132883048
Copyright : Lacey Barton

I honestly dig the convenience of asking Google for the current weather, and I also love being able to start Spotify or SiriusXM on the Google Nest, so that I can have music playing in the background throughout the day. But there is a part of me which still thinks it is rather bizarre to speak to Alexa, Google, and Siri while we are in the comfort of our own homes. I am also concerned about the collection of information which I am sure is occurring every time we use these devices. It is already pretty unnerving to have a conversation with a friend and mention something like pizza, only to have supposedly random ads pop up in an email browser which feature pizza from Numero Uno. Coincidence? I think not.

At any rate, the convenience of having lights and humidifiers turn on and off automatically is worth it to me. For example, I had set up a series of lights behind my sofa when I moved in over 2 years ago so that I could have cool mood lighting, but I rarely turned them on because I had to do so via a power strip which was wedged behind the sofa. Now that I have the power strip plugged into a TP-Link Smart Plug and have it connected to Kasa and Google Home, I can just tell Google to turn the “uplights” on and off whenever I choose. Consequently, I use these mood lights almost nightly.

What do you have set up in your smart home?

Funny English Signs In Japan

September 15, 2020August 26, 2020drstaceynaito 1 Comment

Here’s a collection of some of the signs I encountered during my visit to Japan in March. Clearly there is a need for more accurate Japanese to English translation!