travel beauty

How to sample fragrances online

 in Beauty / Fragrance / Shopping  tagged fragrance reviews / tips / travel beauty / twisted lily by

pictured: Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack c/o Twisted Lily /

Have you ever wondered how to sample fragrances online? It can be challenging to see a perfume online and wonder what it smells like. Should you commit to a full bottle by spending a few hundred dollars? Should you wait to check it out in person but finding the time to go to the mall doesn’t seem to happen? Yup. I’ve been there! While I know which fragrance notes I love in perfume, it can still be a gamble to order a full bottle without testing it first in person. Thankfully, Twisted Lily sells sample packs!

The sample packs online at Twisted Lily take the guesswork out of online fragrance shopping. They have tons of sample packs to choose from on their website! So, when Twisted Lily offered to send me their Best Sellers Sample Pack, I was thrilled! This sample pack features best sellers from their website, and some of them are niche, so they are hard to find in person and sample. This is the best way to test them out! Love!

Most of the fragrances in the pack are unisex, so it’s easy to use one pack for the whole family. We had fun testing the same fragrances on all of us and seeing how they smell different on different people, as well as the difference between how they smell on men vs. women. For example, Montale Parfums Arabians Tonka smelled warm and rich on me yet light and spicy on my husband. It’s amazing how one perfume can react differently on different people. Nevertheless, we both loved how it smelled! I believe my husband is now hinting I invest in a full bottle.

Although the Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack is sold at a modest price, there will be a coupon sent to you after purchase it which can be used towards a full bottle of the scent you fall in love with. So, it’s actually a great deal! Not to mention super convenient for online fragrance shopping. Love that!

The Twisted Lily Best Sellers Sample Pack includes both famous and niche fragrances which are best sellers at Twisted Lily. Here is a list of what I received: MAISON CRIVELLI Hibiscus Mahajad Extrait, VILHELM PARFUMERIE Poets of Berlin, JUSBOX PERFUMES Carioca Heart, MANCERA PARFUMS Amore Caffe, ROJA Elysium Parfum Cologne, MONTALE PARFUMS Arabians Tonka, FUGAZZI Angel Dust Extrait, CASAMORATI Dama Bianca, MATIERE PREMIERE Vanilla Powder, ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE Story of Your Life, XERJOFF Torino 21, and MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN Baccarat Rouge 540.

In addition to using this sample pack to test out fragrances before investing in a full bottle, the samples are perfect for travel. They are the perfect size to thrown in our clear bag of beauty products in our carry-on that we use to go through TSA. Love that!

So, if you have been wondering how to sample fragrances online to help you shop for fragrances online, this is the best way!

Thank you for stopping by, and I would love to hear which fragrance you sampled and loved!

XOXO

Cathy

Traveling to Central Pennsylvania for spring break

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged central pa / sfo museum / spring 2025 / travel beauty by

Pictured: view from my airplane seat / SFO Museum display /

Off, off, and away! I took a red-eye east and landed in Central Pennsylvania with my daughter for a week of exploring the middle of the state. SFO Museum kept me intrigued with a display of historical information and artifacts all about San Francisco. It was a fun display, so don’t miss it if you fly through SFO!

I took a layover in Chicago and then continued on my way, landing just before noon at my destination. There isn’t enough coffee in the world for taking a red eye when you are middle aged. But I digress. . .

After picking up my rental car, I went to pick up my daughter, grab lunch and then check into our hotel. Thankfully the hotel has free coffee all day, so I indulged.

We got settled, took a walk, and then headed off to dinner! We enjoyed a delicious meal at Gigi’s Southern Kitchen in State College, PA. I had the blackened salmon, and my daughter enjoyed fried chicken. The decor is amazing, and the food is always delicious. Yummy!

After dinner, we relaxed in the hotel. After all, a red eye takes its toll, and my daughter was ready to crash since it was her spring break from school. I painted my nails, and we watched TV together. We were all set to start our adventures in PA the next day!

By the way, this topcoat is amazing. My manicure lasted all week long without chipping. Love that!

Stay tuned for my blog posts all about our trip!

XOXO

Cathy

What’s in my spring break suitcase

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged outfits / travel beauty / travel style / travel tips by

What’s in my spring break suitcase from top left: short sleeve sweater / nail polish / top coat / pink earrings / long sleeve top / wide leg trousers / mocha scarf / spring sweater / wide leg jeans / sneakers / (“IT bag” tote pictured below) /

Spring break as a GenX mother of three is much different than spring break as a college student. My spring break trip is not going to be on a beach filled with a wild MTV party. Did I just date myself? haha Does MTV still do spring break parties? Serious question. . . OK, I digress. . .

This spring break I am headed out to central Pennsylvania with my college-age daughter who does not party like it’s 1999. Instead, we are exploring places around the middle of the state. It will be fun! So, stay tuned. . .

What am I bringing on my spring break adventure? I am carrying on my suitcase and using a small portion of my spring capsule wardrobe to mix and match throughout the week. I am wearing my coat and a pair of jeans. Inside my suitcase is a second pair of jeans, trousers, boots, and several tops. When temperatures cool down, I will have a scarf and my coat.

What’s inside my spring break suitcase:

What’s inside my travel beauty bag (I have travel sizes of all these items):

Stay tuned for my adventures in central Pennsylvania!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy