Nail Polish Changed My Life - episode 206
Who knew? Some would consider this change too small to make a difference, and yet there it was. Christine Nicole Cooper found out that keeping her nails looking nice led to a boost of confidence that she didn’t expect. Going from low self-esteem to empowering other women was not in the original blueprint either. Yet you can go from diesel mechanic and volunteer firefighter to helping other women feel better about themselves, all through the power in self-care. The nails are a good place to start.
Cheerful. Enthusiastic. Empathetic.
— Christine Nicole Cooper
Something in the Air
Thoughts from Nail Polish Changed My Life
I’ve been trying to think of something small that boosts my confidence. For Christine it’s nail polish. What is it for me? The first thing that came to mind was how I feel when I spray a couple of spritzes of perfume on as the last thing I do after getting ready, right before I walk out the door. Here’s the thing. I don’t wear it every day. I’m not sure when I decide to do it, it just sort of happens - no real rhyme or reason.
Back in the day I wore Love’s Baby Soft because all of us did. I think we felt kind of grown up wearing a scent. Check out this description: “Delicate florals are surrounded by soft powdery notes and sheer musk. It has a clean, ‘baby-smell’ but is still sufficiently mature to be sexy. As cool and fresh as a gentle summer breeze. As soft and gentle as a kiss.” How about that? It makes me giggle reading it. We definitely thought we were all that and a bag of chips long before that phrase became popular.
Next was Charlie which if you are of a certain age you will remember. Shelley Hack of Charlie’s Angels endorsed it so that’s all we needed to know. She was an angel, a gal next door and cute to boot, the kind of woman you like to like, not one you are intimidated by. The fragrance “exudes watermelon, peach, jasmine, violet and lily of the valley. The fruity, floral notes are balanced with just a hint of sandalwood.” Don’t you kind of want to know who can identify the notes of an aroma and then write about it? A very specific talent I’m guessing for finding said notes with just a bit of hyperbole to keep things interesting.
In later years my mom bought me Chanel’s Cristalle. I went from wearing it during the day to spritzing after my nighttime bath or shower. It has citrus tones and is very light. (In later years Ron would tell me it smelled like bug spray so I chose to 86 it. I certainly didn’t want to repel him.) At some point I graduated to Calvin Klein’s Eternity described as “a harmonious blend of white flowers and creamy woods with floral top notes of freesia, mandarin and sage.” During the Eternity phase I had two fragrances (oh the decadence!) as I had added Perry Ellis for Women (classic original) “a sparkling floral with a crisp and clean sunny nature, a brightness all its own.” Not sure how Perry came on my fragrance scene.
I’ve got a “meet-cute” story that involves the Perry Ellis perfume. I was leaving a restaurant-bar one night with a friend and in the window was an attractive man. He asked me, “Are you wearing Perry Ellis?” and I said, “Yes, I am,” surprised that one, he could smell it, as I pride myself on not overdoing it, and two, that he could identify it. He then shared he was also wearing Perry Ellis. Perry Ellis for Men. And if you’re wondering if we dated after that the answer is yes we did. It was a fun way to meet but not one destined for the happy ending.
These days I’ve retired Eternity, along with Perry and Cristalle. My choice now is Clinique Happy. “Clinique Happy is a fragrance of joy, the essence of a sunny, happy morning. Wear Happy and be happy! Fresh apple, plums and bergamot mixed with the fresh-air accord as top notes proceed into the egzotic floral heart composed of freesia, lily, rose and morning orchid. Musk and amber are in perfume's base.” Wow, I did not realize I was wearing all that when I spritz it on! Who knew?
One last thing I do know as I wrap this up. If you are a woman who wears Chanel No 5 I implore you to go easy, very easy. It is a very overpowering scent and can overwhelm those of us with sensitive noses. This goes for men also who are heavy-handed with any cologne. We should not smell you before you physically arrive and we should not still smell you long after you leave. Your scent should be a lovely afterthought that goes with you. Like when Ron picked me up for our first date. He came in the front door looking very handsome in his jeans, white button down shirt and blue blazer. He spoke and then came a waft, a subtle scent - manly, enticing and oh, so yummy. I thought, I think he’s wearing Calvin Klein Eternity for Men. And there you have it for I was wearing Calvin Klein Eternity for Women. What is in a scent? Endless possibilities.
The allure of scent brings endless possibilities.
— RCN
