The Fragrance Moodboard: Find Your Next Signature Scent Based on Your Personality

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Are you a cozy gourmand, an effortless minimalist, or someone who likes to leave a little mystery behind?

You know those people who always smell incredible and somehow their scent just fits? There's the expensive hotel friend, the fresh-out-of-the-shower one, and the “wait, what are you wearing?” mystery. Think of fragrance like a personal style. You might be soft and comforting on some days and a little more magnetic after dark. Instead of chasing bottles or trends, start with personality. From viral favorites to niche discoveries, here are twelve fragrances to match how you move through the world. And don't be surprised if more than one feels like you.

Find Your Fragrance Personality

+ For the One Who Makes Sweet Look Sophisticated

Juliette Has a Gun | Powder Love

Your vibe: Cashmere sweaters, fresh sheets, slow Sundays, and a sweet tooth you never hide.

Marshmallow and cotton candy bring the sweetness, while sugared almond and orange blossom keep Powder Love soft rather than sugary. Tonka and powdery musk settle close to the skin, making this feel like a cozy hug with a flirtatious streak.

You'll love it if: For anyone who loves a sweet, powdery gourmand without the candy-store overload. Shop the scent

+ For the Person Who Always Knows the Coolest Places

Fulton & Roark | Flower District

Your vibe: Flower markets, vintage finds, and a neighborhood restaurant you knew about first.

Flower District smells more like a flower market than a bouquet. Grapefruit and tart rhubarb open bright, while tomato leaf and violet leaves bring that crisp, green scent of freshly cut stems. It's fresh and a little unconventional, just like the person who always knows where to go.

You'll love it if: For the floral lover who wants something greener and more interesting. Shop the scent

+ For the One Who Believes in Everyday Indulgence

Athena Club | Bare Gold Hair & Body Mist

Your vibe: Candlelit evenings, plush robes, and always ordering dessert.

Bare Gold smells like dessert dressed in cashmere. Marshmallow, spun sugar, whipped cream, vanilla chiffon, and white chocolate make it creamy and delicious, while sugared musk, benzoin, and sandalwood give the sweetness a warmer finish. The hair and body mist is an easy way to make an ordinary routine feel indulgent.

You'll love it if: For fans of creamy, warm gourmands who want a little luxury every day. Shop the scent

+ For the One Who Wants to Know What All the Hype Is About

Commodity | Milk Orchid

Your vibe: Beautiful basics, a carefully curated routine, and a few TikTok discoveries that actually lived up to expectations.

Commodity Milk Orchid has earned its viral reputation by making a familiar idea feel unexpected. A cool milk accord meets marshmallow, mahogany wood, and tonka bean, while toasted sesame and benzoin add a gently nutty warmth. It's creamy, woody, and grown-up, not simply sweet.

You'll love it if: For anyone curious about the viral milk-fragrance trend who still wants sophistication. Shop the scent

+ For the Hopeless Romantic

LoveShackFancy | Just a Girl

Your vibe: Silk dresses, handwritten notes, and making an ordinary Tuesday feel like an occasion.

Sugared apricot and vanilla orchid give Just a Girl its playful opening, while jasmine, almond, and madeleine evoke a tiny Parisian pastry shop. Tonka milk, French vanilla, and amber keep it warm and romantic. It's unapologetically sweet, with a soft, polished finish. 

You'll love it if: For someone who loves romantic, pastry-inspired fragrances and a little everyday fantasy. Shop the scent

+ For the Art Lover Who Appreciates the Unexpected

Maison Millais | Clementine and Edward Steal a Painting

Your vibe: Independent galleries, interesting dinner guests, and clothes nobody else owns.

The name alone sounds like a great story. Black pepper, liquor, and olibanum give this fragrance a spicy, resinous opening; geranium, jasmine sambac, and immortelle add a floral twist. Patchouli, guaiacwood, and musk make the finish deep and intriguing. It feels creative without trying to prove it.

You'll love it if: For someone who prefers a niche scent that starts conversations. Shop the scent

+ For the Romantic Who Lives Like She's in a Movie

Maison Millais | Citiette

Your vibe: European city strolls, tailored coats, and fresh flowers just because. 

Citiette opens with pink pepper and Italian bergamot, then moves into Egyptian jasmine, hyacinth, and peony. Sandalwood, white woods, amber vanilla, and musk give the florals a soft, powdery finish. It's romantic and polished without being overly sweet, the fragrance equivalent of looking effortlessly put together.

You'll love it if: For lovers of elegant florals with a warm, woody softness. Shop the scent

+ For the One Who Makes Effortless Look Easy

ELOREA | Git

Your vibe: Crisp white shirts, understated jewelry, beautiful skin, and always looking pulled together.

Git brings an airy elegance to the fragrance wardrobe. Lychee and lotus leaves create a dewy, gently fruity opening, while peony, lotus blossom, iris, and rose make the heart soft and floral. Ambrette and musk keep the finish delicate and close to the skin. It smells clean and polished without feeling like laundry detergent. ELOREA describes its fragrances as vegan and cruelty-free, which is distinct from a clean-formulation certification.

You'll love it if: For someone who prefers a fresh, quietly elegant floral that feels effortless. Shop the scent

+ For the Mysterious One

Octavia Morgan | Room 33

Your vibe: Intimate cocktail bars, late dinners, and knowing when to say less.

Room 33 doesn't need to shout. Pink pepper, violet leaf, and pear create a fresh, subtly spicy opening, followed by jasmine and tuberose. Sandalwood, amber, and vanilla make the finish warm and sensual. It's the sort of fragrance people notice when they lean in a little closer.

You'll love it if: For someone who likes warm florals and a quietly magnetic presence. Shop the scent

+ For the Dreamer With a Dramatic Side

Liquides Imaginaires | Morning Star

Your vibe: Old hotels, mythology, and conversations that stretch past midnight.

Morning Star plays with contrast. Bergamot and pink pepper meet cinnamon and incense for a bright but smoky opening, while jasmine and a milky accord soften the edges. Cedarwood, vetiver, patchouli, and musk give it an atmospheric finish. It's complex, memorable, and made for someone who likes a little drama after dark.

You'll love it if: For lovers of spice, incense, and fragrances with a story to tell. Shop the scent

+ For the One Who Feels Most Alive After the Rain

Fulton & Roark | Cloudland

Your vibe: Misty mornings, quiet getaways, and that earthy smell just after a storm.

Cloudland takes inspiration from the air after rainfall. Citrus zest and transparent jasmine open the scent, while jasmine sambac, ylang-ylang, and cashmeran soften it. Ambrox, skin musks, and moss give it an intimate, earthy finish. It's fresh without smelling like detergent and floral without resembling a bouquet.

You'll love it if: For someone drawn to airy, mossy, skin-like fragrances with depth. Shop the scent

+ For the One Who Turns Every Night Into an Occasion

Ellis Brooklyn | PLUM TONIC

Your vibe: Last-minute reservations, rooftop cocktails, and always staying out for one more song.

PLUM TONIC opens with sparkling mandarin, juicy plum nectar, and açaí, then brings in peony, iris, and violet leaf for a polished floral twist. Amber, cashmere woods, and sugared musk warm up the finish. It's fruity and playful, but sophisticated enough for the dinner that turns into a whole night out.

You'll love it if: For someone who wants a glamorous, juicy fragrance with a soft, musky finish. Shop the scent

So, What's Your Fragrance Personality?

Maybe you're a minimalist who secretly loves a sweet gourmand, or a hopeless romantic who sometimes wants to smell mysterious. You don't have to choose one version of yourself. The fun is finding the scents that feel like you, whatever the day has planned.

The post The Fragrance Moodboard: Find Your Next Signature Scent Based on Your Personality appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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The Best Fall Candles to Make Your Home Feel Instantly Cozier

Some of the links in this story are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you choose to purchase, helping us continue to share mindful, inspiring content.

Fall candle season can go wrong surprisingly fast. One minute you are trying to make the living room feel cozy, the next it smells like a pumpkin pie got into a fight with a cinnamon broom.

This year, we are taking a more interesting route. The candles we keep reaching for are woody, green, smoky, floral and occasionally gourmand, but never predictable. There is pumpkin for people who swear they hate pumpkin candles, vanilla that smells more jungle than bakery and a fir scent for anyone already eyeing the holiday decorations.

In other words, canceling plans just got considerably easier.

Blueme Comfort Wild Sage & Pumpkin Candle

Pumpkin Got a Very Good Makeover

If the words “pumpkin candle” immediately make you think of whipped cream and cinnamon, meet the exception.

Blueme’s seasonal Comfort wraps harvest pumpkin in sage leaf, wild thyme, warm spice, ambered acorn, vanilla and cashmere woods. It is still unmistakably autumn, but in a quiet, expensive sweater kind of way. Light it on the first genuinely chilly night and suddenly staying home feels less like a lack of plans and more like excellent judgment.

SHOP BLUEME COMFORT WILD SAGE & PUMPKIN

Flamingo Estate Jurassic Vanilla Candle

Vanilla Has Left the Bakery

Flamingo Estate would like you to forget everything you know about vanilla candles.

Jurassic Vanilla was inspired by a wild vanilla varietal growing in the Yucatán, and it smells appropriately untamed. Green vanilla meets cypress, guaiac wood, smoked saffron and vetiver, creating something lush, earthy and just a little mysterious. There is sweetness hiding in there, but absolutely no cupcake.

This is the candle for someone who says they do not like vanilla. We would enjoy proving them wrong.

SHOP FLAMINGO ESTATE JURASSIC VANILLA

Jenni Kayne Topanga Glass Candle

Fall, Los Angeles Edition

Some of us are waiting for sweater weather while it is still 78 degrees outside.

Jenni Kayne’s Topanga understands. Green leaves, eucalyptus, moss wood and grapefruit make it fresh and outdoorsy, while vanilla quietly warms everything up. Inspired by horseback rides through Topanga Canyon, it smells like opening the windows on a perfect California afternoon and deciding that, yes, this absolutely counts as fall.

Bonus points for looking extremely good on a coffee table.

SHOP JENNI KAYNE TOPANGA

NEOM Sparkling Joy Scented Candle

For Anyone Who Does Not Need Another Sleepy Candle

Not every candle needs to whisper, “perhaps you should lie down.”

NEOM’s Sparkling Joy is all ginger, lime and vetiver, bright enough to wake up a room without losing that cozy seasonal feeling. It is particularly good around that late afternoon hour when the sun has disappeared, your energy has followed it and dinner still needs to happen.

Consider this the candle equivalent of changing out of your daytime sweatpants into your nicer evening sweatpants.

SHOP NEOM SPARKLING JOY

Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Candle

The One That Makes People Ask What You’re Burning

No.04 Bois de Balincourt does not need to announce itself. It simply makes everything around it smell better.

Sandalwood and cedarwood give it that creamy, woody base, while vetiver, nutmeg, cinnamon and amber add just enough warmth. The result is polished, sexy and quietly addictive, the fragrance equivalent of someone whose house is always mysteriously immaculate.

Light it before people come over and accept the compliments.

SHOP MAISON LOUIS MARIE NO.04

Beauty Pie Rose Libertine Luxury Scented Candle

For the Person Who Likes Their Roses a Little Darker

Part of Beauty Pie’s holiday collection, Rose Libertine is one of three signature home fragrances alongside Champs D’Erables and Fir Balsam. While the collection brings back seasonal favorites and introduces limited-edition treats, this is the one for anyone who prefers their holiday atmosphere with a little romance. Juicy raspberry meets saffron, agarwood and patchouli, with vanilla softening the edges. Think chic hotel suite, not a bouquet left on the kitchen counter.

For the nights when fresh flowers simply are not dramatic enough.

SHOP BEAUTY PIE ROSE LIBERTINE

Kai Skylight Candle

For the Person Who Is Not Ready to Give Up Flowers

While everyone else is piling on the woods and spice, Kai is still bringing flowers to the party.

Skylight is built around gardenia and white exotic florals, giving the room something creamy, fresh and transportive. It feels especially good in a bedroom or bathroom, where a giant smoky fireplace scent can occasionally feel like overkill.

Fresh sheets, skincare done, candle lit. The evening may now begin.

SHOP KAI SKYLIGHT

Cedar & Myrrh Sun Salute + Stillness Wellness Candles

Choose Your Post Work Personality

Cedar & Myrrh has created two very different answers to the question: how are we ending the day?

Sun Salute is deeper and moodier, with citrus, cardamom, charred cedarwood, olibanum, oakmoss, patchouli and vetiver. It is the one to light when you want everything to feel grounded, woody and a little ceremonial.

Stillness is softer. Lavandin, chamomile, sweetgrass, vanilla musk and clary sage make it feel more like dim lights, a robe and a phone that has finally been placed face down.

Get one depending on your mood. Get both if your mood changes hourly.

SHOP CEDAR & MYRRH SUN SALUTE

SHOP CEDAR & MYRRH STILLNESS

Voluspa Noble Fir Garland Classic Candle

Your First Step Toward Holiday Mode

There is a point every year when fall quietly becomes “maybe I should put the tree up.”

Noble Fir Garland is for that exact moment. Fir needles and cedarwood give it that crisp evergreen smell, while amber and cashmere musk keep things soft and cozy. It feels festive without making your home smell like peppermint bark or a Christmas cookie tin exploded.

You are not decorating early. You are simply setting an atmosphere.

SHOP CEDAR & MYRRH SUN SALUTE

Snif Way With Woods Candle

Nature, With Better Seating

Snif describes Way With Woods as woodsy, but thankfully it does not require hiking.

White tea and mandarin keep things airy at first, then sandalwood, amber woods, vetiver and musk settle in and make the whole room feel warmer. It is outdoorsy without being rugged, cozy without becoming heavy and ideal for anyone whose preferred relationship with nature involves looking at trees through a window.

Rain optional. Sofa strongly encouraged.

SHOP SNIF WAY WITH WOODS

The post The Best Fall Candles to Make Your Home Feel Instantly Cozier appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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What’s in Our Cart: The Beauty Finds Worth Shopping During Sephora’s Savings Event

Some of the links in this story are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you choose to purchase—helping us continue to share mindful, inspiring content.

Consider this our master list of everything our editors are adding to their carts for the Sephora Savings Event. From skincare staples we keep coming back to and makeup that earns its place in our routines to fragrances worth discovering and beauty tools we've actually put to the test, these are the finds we're shopping, and why we think they're worth your attention.

SKINCARE

Dieux: Deliverance Serum + Instant Angel

We've covered Dieux before, and what we appreciate is the brand's thoughtful, fragrance-free formulations. Deliverance combines niacinamide and peptides to help improve the appearance of redness and uneven tone, while Instant Angel delivers serious moisture with barrier-supporting lipids. Two strong picks for anyone focused on keeping their skin barrier healthy.

SHOP: Deliverance Serum | Instant Angel

YSE Beauty: Your Favorite Ex + Xtreme Glow Serum

When we interviewed Molly Sims, she shared that Your Favorite Ex is one of her go-to products before events. The glycolic acid pads help smooth texture, while Xtreme Glow Serum adds hydration and a dewy finish. Two smart picks for getting skin makeup-ready.

SHOP: Your Favorite Ex Pads | Xtreme Glow Serum

Caudalie: Resveratrol-Lift Firming Serum

Caudalie's Resveratrol-Lift Serum is a solid option for anyone focused on firmness and fine lines. Its lightweight texture makes it easy to incorporate into a routine without adding another heavy treatment.

SHOP: Resveratrol-Lift Serum

MERIT: Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

MERIT's Great Skin Serum combines niacinamide and hyaluronic acid for hydration and a naturally luminous finish. We especially like it as a makeup-prep step when you want your complexion to look fresh without relying on heavy foundation.

SHOP: Great Skin Serum

Paula's Choice: Skin Perfecting 2% BHA

There's a reason this exfoliant has remained a favorite for years. Its 2% salicylic acid formula helps unclog pores, address blackheads, and smooth uneven texture. A particularly good option for congested or oily skin.

SHOP: Skin Perfecting 2% BHA

Then I Met You: Living Cleansing Balm + Snail V-Fill Eye Cream

Living Cleansing Balm is a standout for removing makeup and sunscreen without leaving skin feeling stripped. The Snail V-Fill Eye Cream combines snail mucin, peptides, and Volufiline to hydrate and smooth the appearance of fine lines around the eyes.

SHOP: Living Cleansing Balm | Snail V-Fill Eye Cream

Tower 28: SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray

We've featured Tower 28 before, and SOS Spray remains one of the brand's most useful products. Formulated with hypochlorous acid, it's an easy addition to your routine for calming the appearance of redness and irritation.

SHOP: SOS Daily Rescue Spray

Summer Fridays: Lip Butter Balm

Lip Butter Balm delivers the comfort of a nourishing lip treatment with the finish of a gloss. The tinted versions are especially good for everyday wear when you want a little color without committing to lipstick.

SHOP: Lip Butter Balm

EADEM: Le Chouchou Peptide Lip Balm

Le Chouchou combines gentle exfoliation with moisturizing ingredients to help smooth dry lips. The glossy finish and cooling metal applicator make it feel more elevated than your average lip balm.

SHOP: Le Chouchou Lip Balm

Tatcha: The Milky Sunscreen SPF 50

Tatcha's The Milky Sunscreen SPF 50 brings a lightweight, milky texture to daily sun protection. It's an easy choice for anyone who wants high SPF without the feel of a heavy sunscreen.

SHOP: The Milky Sunscreen SPF 50

THOME: The Glow SIGNATURE

This at-home skincare device uses dual-frequency ultrasound and is designed to support the appearance of hydration, firmness, and radiance.

SHOP: The Glow SIGNATURE

MAKEUP

Rhode: Pocket Blush + Highlight Milk + Pocket Bronze

Hailey Bieber's Rhode has been all over social media, but beyond the hype, there are a few products we genuinely love. Pocket Blush gives cheeks that fresh, just-pinched flush, Pocket Bronze adds believable warmth, and Highlight Milk delivers the kind of glow that makes skin look especially good in natural light. These are the three we'd actually put in our cart.

SHOP: Pocket Blush | Highlight Milk | Pocket Bronze

Kosas: Revealer Extra Bright Color Corrector + Cloud Set Powder

Dark circles are no match for a little pink color correction. We especially love the pink shade Magic for helping neutralize dark circles and brighten the under-eye area without piling on concealer. Finish with Cloud Set Powder to soften shine while keeping skin looking like skin.

SHOP: Revealer Extra Bright Color Corrector | Cloud Set Powder

Rare Beauty: Soft Pinch Liquid Blush + Brow Harmony Gel

Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is famous for its pigment, and a tiny amount goes a long way. Brow Harmony Gel keeps brows lifted and defined without looking stiff. Two easy upgrades to an everyday makeup routine.

SHOP: Soft Pinch Liquid Blush | Brow Harmony Gel

VIOLETTE_FR: Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick

Bisou Balm is for the days when you want a soft, blurred lip without the precision of a full lipstick look. Its sheer matte color gives that effortless, lived-in French-girl finish.

SHOP: Bisou Balm Sheer Matte Lipstick

Makeup by Mario: F4 Dual-Ended Foundation and Face Brush

A good foundation brush can make just as much difference as the foundation itself. Mario's dual-ended F4 brush gives you control for blending complexion products seamlessly, with a smaller end for more precise application.

SHOP: F4 Dual-Ended Foundation and Face Brush

HAUS LABS: Triclone Skin Tech Foundation

Celebrity beauty brands don't always live up to the hype, but Lady Gaga's HAUS LABS has earned its place in the conversation. The brand's clean beauty approach is compelling, but it's the Triclone Skin Tech Foundation that really stands out. With buildable coverage and one of the most skin-like finishes we've seen, it evens out the complexion without looking like you're wearing much foundation at all.

SHOP: Triclone Skin Tech Foundation

Tower 28: MakeWaves Mascara

MakeWaves Mascara uses a curved brush to lift, lengthen, and define lashes without an overly dramatic finish. We especially like that Tower 28 develops its products with sensitive skin in mind.

SHOP: MakeWaves Mascara

Saie: Glowy Super Gel

For a natural glow without obvious shimmer, Glowy Super Gel is worth trying. Wear it alone, mix it with foundation, or apply it as a subtle highlighter.

SHOP: Glowy Super Gel

ILIA: Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

For days when a full face of foundation feels like too much, ILIA's Super Serum Skin Tint is an easy favorite. It gives skin a sheer wash of coverage with a fresh, dewy finish, plus mineral SPF 40. Think your skin, just a little more even and luminous.

SHOP: Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

Ciele: SPF 30 Primer

For makeup that does a little more, Ciele's SPF 30 primer brings sun protection into the complexion routine.

SHOP: SPF 30 Primer

HAIRCARE

RŌZ: Foundation Shampoo & Conditioner + Santa Lucia Styling Oil

Celebrity hairstylist Mara Roszak knows what makes hair look good, and we explored her approach in our interview. The Foundation Shampoo and Conditioner provide gentle cleansing and hydration, while Santa Lucia Styling Oil adds shine and helps control frizz without weighing hair down.

SHOP: Foundation Shampoo | Foundation Conditioner | Santa Lucia Styling Oil

Crown Affair: The Hair Towel + The Leave-In Conditioner + The Texturizing Air Dry Mousse

The appeal of Crown Affair is how these three products work together without turning haircare into a ten-step routine. The Hair Towel absorbs water without the rough rubbing of a regular bath towel, making it especially useful if your hair is prone to frizz or breakage. Follow with The Leave-In Conditioner for slip and softness, then The Texturizing Air Dry Mousse for touchable volume and definition when you want to skip the hot tools. It's a particularly smart trio for making air-dried hair look intentional.

SHOP: The Hair Towel | The Leave-In Conditioner | The Texturizing Air Dry Mousse

OUAI: Bond Repair Balm

We've reviewed OUAI's Bond Repair Balm, and it's worth considering if your hair has been through frequent coloring or heat styling. Unlike a traditional conditioner, it's designed to target damage within the hair fiber.

SHOP: Bond Repair Balm

K18: Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

If your hair feels brittle after bleaching, coloring, or frequent heat styling, K18's Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask is worth considering before buying another rich conditioner. Its peptide-based formula is designed to help repair damage within the hair, rather than simply coating strands for temporary softness. You apply it after shampooing, skip conditioner beforehand, and leave it in, making it a focused treatment for compromised hair rather than an everyday moisture mask.

SHOP: Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask

DAE: Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream

The reason to add DAE's Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream to your cart is versatility. It can tame flyaways on a sleek ponytail, bring definition to natural waves, or act as a smoothing styler before a blowout, so you don't need a separate product for every look. If your bathroom shelf is crowded with half-used styling creams, this is the kind of multitasker worth considering.

SHOP: Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream

Vegamour: GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum

If thinning hair or a widening part has you rethinking your routine, Vegamour's GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum is a more targeted purchase than another shampoo promising volume. It's a leave-in scalp treatment designed for consistent use, so the appeal is treating the scalp directly rather than temporarily making strands look thicker with styling products. Results aren't instant, but for someone ready to commit to a daily scalp-care step, it's a more purposeful addition to the cart.

SHOP: GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum

T3: Aire 360 Ceramic Air Styler

The Aire 360 is the pick for anyone who wants a bouncy blowout or soft curls without juggling several hot tools. When we interviewed T3 founder Dr. Julie Chung, she told us this is the tool she reaches for every morning, praising its easy one-handed styling and interchangeable curling barrels. That firsthand founder insight makes it an especially compelling addition to the cart. Read our interview with Julie Chung for more on the technology and the thinking behind T3.

SHOP: T3 Aire 360

Dyson: Supersonic r Hair Dryer

After years of using Dyson's original Supersonic and the Nural, we tested the Supersonic r to see whether the upgrade was actually worth it. Our verdict: the lighter, curved design made drying and styling noticeably easier, especially around the roots and back of the head, while the Powerful air attachment became our everyday favorite. You don't need to replace a dryer you already love, but if you're shopping for a premium tool, this is one we can recommend from experience. Read our full Supersonic r review for the comparison.

SHOP: Dyson Supersonic r

FRAGRANCE

PHLUR: Vanilla Skin

If you love vanilla but don't want to smell like frosting, PHLUR's Vanilla Skin is the one to try. Creamy vanilla meets warm woods and a touch of spice, giving it a soft, lived-in warmth that feels more grown-up than a typical gourmand. It's especially appealing for everyday wear or layering when you want something comforting without being cloying.

SHOP: Vanilla Skin

Ellis Brooklyn: PLUM TONIC Eau de Parfum

Ellis Brooklyn's PLUM TONIC is a fresh take on fruity perfume, with sparkling mandarin, juicy plum nectar, and açaí up top, softened by florals and warm, musky woods. It's a great choice if you want something playful and juicy without the one-note sweetness of a typical fruity fragrance. Think of it as an evening scent with sparkle, not syrup.

SHOP: PLUM TONIC Eau de Parfum

Juliette Has a Gun: Pear Inc.

Juliette Has a Gun's Pear Inc. is an easy recommendation for someone who wants a clean, fresh scent that still feels distinctive. The juicy pear note brings a little sweetness, while the musky finish keeps it airy and close to the skin. It's a particularly good choice for daytime, warmer weather, or anyone who finds richer perfumes overwhelming.

SHOP: Pear Inc.

by/rosie jane: ROSIE

For anyone who loves the idea of a signature scent that doesn't announce itself across the room, by/rosie jane's ROSIE is worth a sniff. Soft rose and clean musk give it that just-showered, naturally-good-smelling quality. It's subtle enough for the office and easy to wear alone or layer, especially if you prefer skin scents to statement perfumes.

SHOP: ROSIE

LoveShackFancy: Secret Crush Eau de Parfum

LoveShackFancy recently introduced Just a Girl, but Secret Crush remains our favorite. We featured it in our gourmand fragrance edit for its combination of champagne, Chantilly cream, bourbon vanilla, and soft musk. Sweet and romantic, but with enough depth to keep things interesting.

SHOP: Secret Crush Eau de Parfum

DedCool: Mochi Milk Eau de Parfum

We included Mochi Milk in our favorite gourmand fragrances, and it's still one of the more interesting interpretations of the category. Marshmallow, rice milk, peach nectar, and warm woods create a soft, comforting scent without becoming overly sugary.

SHOP: Mochi Milk Eau de Parfum

Henry Rose: London 1983

Henry Rose's London 1983 is worth exploring if you want a fragrance with a little more character than your everyday clean musk. Its warm, polished feel makes it a compelling option for evenings or cooler weather, especially if you prefer an intimate scent over one that fills the room.

SHOP: London 1983

BODYCARE & GIFT SETS

Dolce Glow: Aqua Mist

If you want a believable, sun-kissed complexion without baking in the sun or committing to a full-body self-tan, Dolce Glow's Aqua Mist is an easy addition. The fine facial mist lets you build color gradually and refresh your glow between tanning sessions, with less fuss than applying a traditional tanning mousse to your face. It's especially useful when your face fades faster than the rest of your body.

SHOP: Aqua Mist

PHLUR: Heavy Cream Body Butter

PHLUR's Heavy Cream Body Butter is worth considering if you want a body moisturizer that doubles as a fragrance ritual. Its rich texture suits dry skin, while the cozy scent makes applying it after a shower feel like a treat rather than another chore. It's especially appealing if you enjoy layering scented body products with perfume.

SHOP: Heavy Cream Body Butter

Josie Maran: Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

Josie Maran's Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter is worth stocking up on if regular lotion never seems to be enough for dry skin. Its whipped texture feels more indulgent than a basic moisturizer, while argan oil helps soften rough patches and leave skin feeling supple. It's an especially useful everyday staple for elbows, legs, and skin that gets tight as the weather cools.

SHOP: Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

Soft Services x DedCool: Theraplush Xtra Milk Gift Set

This collaboration pairs Soft Services' Theraplush Retinol Hand Repair Cream with a travel-size DedCool Xtra Milk fragrance. It's a thoughtful combination of treatment-focused handcare and a soft, musky scent, making it one of the more interesting beauty gift sets this season.

SHOP: Soft Services x DedCool Gift Set

The post What’s in Our Cart: The Beauty Finds Worth Shopping During Sephora’s Savings Event appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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The $115 Bubble Bath That Makes Staying In Feel Like a Five-Star Vacation

What exactly goes into a $115 bubble bath? In the case of Seed to Skin Tuscany's new The Cloud Nectar, the answer begins in the gardens of one of Italy's most celebrated countryside retreats, where botanical skincare and luxury hospitality have become closely intertwined.

The latest launch from the Italian beauty brand is a fragrant foaming bath infused with neroli, rose, and jasmine, inspired by the gardens of Borgo Santo Pietro. Think Tuscan summers, beautiful florals, and a little five-star escapism without the airfare.

From One of Tuscany's Finest Hotels to Your Bathtub

For luxury travelers, Borgo Santo Pietro needs little introduction. The intimate, 22-room estate near Siena has earned three MICHELIN Keys, the guide's highest hotel distinction, and a place among Tatler's 101 Best Hotels in the World. It's also a recurring favorite in Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards.

But beyond its beautifully appointed suites, acclaimed restaurants, and award-winning spa, the property has something rather unusual: its own organic farm, botanical gardens, and skincare laboratory.

It's here that founder Jeanette Thottrup developed Seed to Skin Tuscany, a beauty line rooted in the relationship between nature and science.

When we spoke with Jeanette for our Living Well interview, she shared how the brand's philosophy grew from a desire to combine traditional botanical knowledge with modern skincare research.

The brand oversees much of its process, from cultivating plants to developing botanical extracts, bringing a distinctly Tuscan approach to its formulations.

Where Botanical Beauty Meets Science

Seed to Skin calls its formulation philosophy Green Molecular Science, combining plant-derived ingredients with techniques including fermentation, extraction, and bioconversion.

These methods are intended to help preserve and optimize the properties of botanical ingredients. It's an approach that informs the brand's broader skincare collection, although The Cloud Nectar is more about the sensory experience than intensive skin treatment.

The sulfate-free formula uses plant-derived cleansing agents to create a generous foam, while glycerin helps support hydration. Its blend of neroli, rose, and jasmine draws inspiration from the fragrant gardens surrounding the hotel.

A Little Luxury for Doing Absolutely Nothing

At $115, The Cloud Nectar is certainly not your everyday bubble bath. But luxury bathing has never been entirely about getting clean.

There's something appealing about borrowing a little of the experience that makes a hotel like Borgo Santo Pietro so memorable. Beautiful fragrance, thoughtful details, and the rare luxury of having absolutely nowhere else to be.

For anyone shopping for the person who already owns every candle, serum, and silk pillowcase imaginable, it's also an unexpected holiday indulgence worth considering.

Tuscany can wait. Tonight, the bathtub will do.

Discover The Cloud Nectar by Seed to Skin Tuscany, $115.

The post The $115 Bubble Bath That Makes Staying In Feel Like a Five-Star Vacation appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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Why Does Some Perfume Give You a Headache? What a Fragrance Founder Wants You to Know

Perfume is deeply personal. A scent that feels effortless on one person can feel completely overwhelming on another, and for some, that difference can come with an actual headache.

Octavia Morgan knows that experience firsthand. Before founding Octavia Morgan Los Angeles, the former hospice and palliative care nurse began developing sensitivities to certain fragrances, which changed the way she thought about scent, formulation, and what performance in fragrance should actually feel like.

We spoke with Morgan about why some perfumes can feel more triggering than others, what “clean” fragrance does and doesn’t tell you, and how she thinks about creating scent with presence without letting it take over. We also got into her newest launch, ROOM 33, and where it fits within the world she’s building.

In Conversation with Octavia Morgan

You were a registered nurse before moving into fragrance. How did that background influence the way you thought about ingredients, sensitivity, and what you wanted your own fragrance brand to stand for?

Being a Hospice and Palliative Care Registered Nurse shaped so much of how I think about fragrance. I worked closely with patients and families during incredibly sensitive moments, and I became very aware of how our environment including scent can affect how people feel

I also have my own sensitivity to certain fragrances, so when I started Octavia Morgan Los Angeles, I knew I wanted to approach fragrance differently. I wanted beautiful, luxurious scents, but I also wanted intentionality behind the formulation. Clean and cruelty-free became non-negotiables for me. I wanted to create fragrances that could have presence without feeling like they had to overpower a room.

My nursing career taught me to listen, observe and lead with empathy. I still bring those principles into everything I create.

When someone says perfume gives them a headache, what have you learned from your own experience and years developing fragrance about why that happens, and what factors tend to make one scent more triggering than another?

I always start by believing the person. Fragrance is incredibly personal, and people can respond very differently to the exact same scent.

From my own experience, I learned that it isn't necessarily as simple as identifying one “bad” ingredient. The intensity of the fragrance, how much is applied, the environment you're wearing it in, and the overall composition can all influence the experience. Certain scent profiles may also be more challenging for an individual than others.

That is why I encourage people who know they are fragrance-sensitive to discover fragrance slowly. Start with a small amount, experience it on your skin, and pay attention to how you feel rather than assuming that because everyone else loves a fragrance, it will work for you.

And if fragrance consistently causes headaches or other symptoms, that's something worth discussing with a healthcare professional rather than trying to diagnose through a perfume label.

When a perfume feels overwhelming, what is usually happening from a fragrance perspective? Is it more about projection, concentration, certain notes, the way ingredients are layered, or some combination of all of those things?

It can absolutely be a combination.

People often assume concentration alone determines whether a fragrance will feel overwhelming, but fragrance is more nuanced than that. Projection, dosage, the materials being used, how those materials interact, and even where you're wearing the fragrance can affect the experience.

I think of fragrance almost like music. You can have many instruments playing together beautifully without any single one screaming for attention. That's what I'm looking for when we develop a fragrance. I want complexity and longevity, but I also want balance.

Luxury doesn't have to mean loud.

Natural versus synthetic is another area where consumers hear a lot of conflicting information. Is it a mistake to assume a naturally derived fragrance will automatically be easier for a sensitive person to wear? What do you think about that distinction when you formulate?

Yes. “Natural” doesn't automatically mean that something will be better tolerated by every person, just as “synthetic” doesn't automatically mean something is harmful.

Natural fragrance materials contain chemical constituents too, and an individual can be sensitive to naturally derived materials. High-quality synthetic materials can also be incredibly important to modern perfumery. They can give a perfumer precision, consistency and creative possibilities that aren't always achievable with natural materials alone.

For me, the conversation is less about natural versus synthetic and more about thoughtful formulation, ingredient standards, balance and transparency. I don't believe consumers should be taught to fear an ingredient simply because of where it comes from.

“Clean fragrance” is everywhere now, but the term can mean very different things from brand to brand. What do you think consumers should actually be asking instead of simply looking for the word “clean”?

I think consumers should ask, “What does clean mean to this brand?”

That's the important question because there isn't one universal definition being used across the entire beauty industry.

Look beyond the marketing language. What standards has the brand established? What ingredients or practices does it prioritize or avoid? Is it transparent about its philosophy? Does it explain why those decisions were made?

At Octavia Morgan Los Angeles, clean fragrance is part of a larger philosophy that includes being vegan, cruelty-free and intentional about how we formulate. But I also think brands have a responsibility to communicate what their terminology means rather than expecting one word on a package to tell the entire story.

You just launched ROOM 33, which we love. What made ROOM 33 the fragrance you wanted to create next?

ROOM 33 came from wanting to create a fragrance that felt like entering a private world.

There is something intriguing about a hotel room—the anonymity, intimacy, anticipation and the idea that for one night, you can become whoever you want to be. I wanted to capture that feeling in fragrance.

ROOM 33 opens with pear and pink peppercorn, moves into tuberose, and settles into blond wood and amber. It's sensual, but it doesn't reveal everything immediately. It draws you closer.

That's why our invitation is simply: Step Inside ROOM 33.

When you picture the person wearing ROOM 33, who are they? What do you imagine about their energy, style, or the way they move through a room?

They don't need to announce themselves.

There's an effortless confidence about them. They understand that presence isn't necessarily about being the loudest person in the room. Sometimes it's about the person everyone notices without quite knowing why.

Their style is polished but personal. They're sensual without trying too hard. There's also a little mystery there. You may meet them and immediately want to know more.

ROOM 33 is that energy in a bottle. SHOP ROOM 33 HERE

How does ROOM 33 sit alongside the rest of your collection? Where does ROOM 33 sit for you personally?

Every fragrance in our collection has its own personality, but they're connected by intentionality, layering and emotional connection.

MIDNIGHT ORCHARD has this warm, decadent quality. DARK ROSE is deeper and provocative. VANILLIN SUPREME explores vanilla in a more sophisticated and unexpected way. LEGENDARY has an especially personal history because it connects directly to my time as a nurse.

ROOM 33 introduces another side of the house. It's intimate, sensual and transportive. It feels like an evolution of where Octavia Morgan Los Angeles is today while still being unmistakably part of our fragrance language.

Personally, ROOM 33 represents stepping into the next chapter. There is something very special about creating a fragrance at this stage of the brand, after everything I've learned as both a founder and a perfumer.

Which fragrance in your collection feels most like a reflection of you, and what about it feels the most personal?

LEGENDARY. It will always have a deeply personal connection to me because its story goes back to my life as a Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse. I wanted something I could wear in that environment that felt polished and sophisticated without dominating the space around me.

LEGENDARY has amber, cocoa and vanilla layered with cedar, spices, musk, sandalwood, papyrus and cardamom. It's warm, grounded and quietly confident.

In many ways, it represents both chapters of my life the nurse I was and the fragrance founder I became. My career changed, but the intention behind what I do never really did. I still want to create something that makes people feel seen, considered and cared for.

The post Why Does Some Perfume Give You a Headache? What a Fragrance Founder Wants You to Know appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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The Chicken Salad You’ll Actually Want to Meal Prep

Chicken salad has been back in the spotlight, showing up in chopped versions, piled onto toast and scooped straight from the bowl with crackers. It is nostalgic, easy to make ahead and endlessly adaptable, but the best versions still need enough brightness and texture to keep things interesting.

Rachel Mansfield’s version understands the assignment. The cookbook author, founder of the kids’ snack brand cadootz and recipe creator has built a following of more than 1.5 million by making healthyish food feel practical, family friendly and genuinely delicious. Her staple chicken salad from More, Please! is creamy, bright and just tangy enough from Dijon mustard. It also gets even better after a night in the fridge. Serve it with crackers, pile it onto sourdough or tuck it into lettuce wraps and consider lunch handled.

MEAL-PREP-WORTHY CHICKEN SALAD

Images and text with permission from More, Please! by Rachel Mansfield, photography by Lauren Volo. Published by S&S/Simon Element.

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS
Gluten free

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, plus more as needed, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, dill, and/or chives (optional, but I am team chives!), 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts), 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken, such as Jordan’s Foolproof Spatchcock Chicken (page 109) or store-bought rotisserie chicken, 1 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup chopped cooked turkey bacon, 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, herbs, scallions, Dijon, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken, celery, turkey bacon, and almonds and use a silicone spatula to combine. Add more yogurt if desired, plus additional salt and pepper as needed.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve on your favorite bread or in wraps, use in lettuce wraps, or on a bed of arugula or other mixed greens, topped with avocado, tomato, and any other fixings you like. My personal go-to: a toasted everything bagel, a scoop of chicken salad, Pickled Red Onions, and arugula—boom!

The post The Chicken Salad You’ll Actually Want to Meal Prep appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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How to Choose the Best Castor Oil: 4 Things to Look for Before You Buy

If your algorithm has recently suggested putting one sticky amber oil on your face, scalp, brows, cuticles and stomach, you have officially met castor oil.

Once an old school beauty and wellness staple, castor oil is suddenly everywhere again, along with a growing shelf of bottles promising to be “pure,” “premium” and “natural.” The catch is that those words do not actually tell you much about what is inside.

At its simplest, castor oil is oil pressed from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant. But where those seeds come from, how the oil is extracted, how it is tested and even the bottle it sits in can make a meaningful difference.

To explore those details, we spoke with the team behind Elham’s Castor Oil about how they source, test and bottle their own product. Below, we break down what shoppers can look for, using the brand’s approach as an example.

So before another bottle earns permanent real estate in your bathroom, here are four things actually worth checking.

First Things First: What the Heck Is Castor Oil?

Castor oil is a thick botanical oil pressed from castor beans, and if you have never used it before, the texture is probably the first thing you will notice. It is richer, stickier and much more substantial than the lightweight facial oils you may already have in your routine.

Its signature fatty acid is ricinoleic acid, which makes up the majority of castor oil’s fatty acid profile and gives the oil much of its distinctive feel. That richness is why people reach for it for dry skin, scalp care, brows, cuticles, heels, massage and longer rituals like castor oil packs.

A few drops can go a long way. Most people use it strategically rather than splashing it everywhere: pressed into dry skin at night, worked into the scalp before washing, massaged into rough areas or used with a cotton pack for a slower self care ritual.

The resurgence has also brought plenty of ambitious claims along with it, from hair growth to detoxification and hormone balance. Some have more evidence behind them than others. Before getting swept up in what castor oil is supposedly going to do, it is worth starting with something more useful: is the bottle you are buying actually a high quality oil?

4 Things to Look for

+ Start With Purity and Traceability

Flip the bottle over before you look at anything else. A pure castor oil should have a very short ingredient list. Ideally, there is only one ingredient: Ricinus communis, or castor seed oil, with no added fragrance, fillers or unnecessary additives.

Purity is only part of the equation, though. It is also worth asking where the oil comes from and whether the brand can tell you how it was produced. As the Elham team puts it, “premium” or “pure” language without an origin or process behind it is one of the biggest things to question.

When comparing bottles, look for three basic pieces of information: what is actually in the oil, where it comes from and how it was extracted. A transparent brand should be able to answer all three rather than relying on vague claims.

This is where Elham starts to separate itself from a shelf of bottles that can otherwise look very similar. Its ingredient list stops at one: Ricinus communis seed oil. The oil comes from an organic farm in India and is manufactured in small batches in the United States, with no fillers, added fragrance or additives. Nothing particularly flashy, which is exactly the point.

+ Look Beyond the Word “Tested”

“Tested” sounds reassuring, but the more useful question is: tested for what?

Plenty of products use testing as a vague quality claim. Elham can tell you what that testing actually includes, which is where the distinction becomes more meaningful. The oil it sources is evaluated for freshness, identity, microbial safety and heavy metals.

For freshness, the brand tests peroxide value, free fatty acids and acid value. These measures can help show how oxidized or broken down an oil has become, and Elham says all three met specification at the time of testing.

The oil is also tested for its fatty acid profile. Castor oil is naturally dominated by ricinoleic acid, and Elham’s testing showed it at approximately 90%, within the expected range. That number itself is not what makes the oil special. Ricinoleic acid is naturally the dominant fatty acid in castor oil. What matters is having testing that helps verify the identity and composition of what is actually going into the bottle.

Microbial testing covers total bacterial counts, yeast and mould, along with organisms including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas and Candida. Heavy metal testing includes lead, arsenic and mercury. According to the brand, the oil met the specified limits in each category.

Elham says its fatty acid and chemical testing follows AOCS methods used to analyze fats and oils, while microbial testing follows ISO methods.

For us, that level of specificity is more useful than another “premium” badge on the front of a bottle. If a brand says its oil is tested, it should be able to tell you what was tested, how it was tested and why it matters.

When comparing bottles, look for a brand that can explain what its testing covers and what the results mean for the oil you are buying.

+ Pay Attention to How the Oil Is Extracted

You will see “cold pressed” on plenty of wellness products, but with castor oil it is worth understanding what the term actually means.

Cold pressing uses mechanical pressure to extract oil from the castor seed rather than relying on a solvent extraction step. Elham’s oil is cold pressed and hexane free.

Hexane is a petroleum derived solvent that can be used during commercial oil extraction to pull more oil from plant material. If avoiding solvent extraction is important to you, look specifically for cold pressed and hexane free rather than assuming a label that says “pure” tells you how the oil was made.

The larger lesson here is transparency. A brand should be able to explain how its oil got from a seed to the bottle sitting in your hand. If the extraction method is nowhere on the label or website, that is worth asking about.

Elham makes that information easy to find, which is an admittedly unglamorous detail that becomes much more compelling once you realize how little the word “pure” tells you on its own.

+ Freshness and Packaging Matter More Than You Think

Buying a good oil is one thing. Keeping it that way is another.

Every botanical oil changes over time. Exposure to oxygen, light and heat contributes to oxidation, and as that process continues, an oil can eventually become rancid. You may notice that as a change in smell, color or overall character.

Castor oil is relatively stable compared with many other botanical oils, but it is not indestructible. How it is processed, bottled, shipped and stored still matters.

Fresh castor oil should have a relatively light, neutral scent. If a bottle develops a sharp, stale smell reminiscent of old crayons, or noticeably darkens, it may be past its best.

Packaging helps here. Dark glass protects the oil from light, one of the factors that can accelerate oxidation.

Elham bottles its oil in amber glass and produces it in small batches. According to the brand, bottles typically ship within about a month of production. That may not sound as exciting as a sweeping wellness promise, but for an ingredient that changes over time, knowing your bottle has not been sitting around indefinitely is arguably much more useful.

Once you have it at home, keep the cap tightly closed and store the bottle somewhere cool and dry, away from direct sunlight and heat. Your sunny bathroom windowsill may look pretty, but your castor oil would prefer somewhere less photogenic.

So, What Actually Makes One Castrol Oil Worth Choosing Over Another?

Elham brings the four criteria together: a single ingredient sourced from an organic farm in India, cold pressing without hexane, detailed testing and small batch production with amber glass packaging. Those are concrete reasons to consider it when comparing bottles.

If you’re looking for a rich oil for dry areas, cuticle care or massage, Elham’s combines that everyday versatility with the sourcing and testing details outlined above. Shop Elham’s Castor Oil with code TCM15 for 15% off.

Once You Have a Good Castrol Oil How Do You Actually Use It?

One reason castor oil has endured for so long is its versatility. Its rich texture works especially well for nighttime skin rituals, targeted moisture and massage, and because it is so thick, a little really does go a long way.

For the face, neck and chest: Elham recommends pressing two to four drops into damp skin after cleansing, usually at night as the final step in your routine. On the body, massage a small amount into damp skin after showering, especially over elbows, knees, heels and other areas that tend to run dry.

For hands, nails and cuticles: Work a drop into the cuticles and nail beds before bed. For feet, warm a little between your palms, massage it into the heels and soles and follow with socks.

It can also be used as a makeup remover by massaging a small amount over dry skin and wiping it away with a warm, damp cloth, taking care to keep it out of the eyes.

For brows: Brush a tiny amount through the hairs with a clean spoolie. Castor oil is often associated with brow and lash growth online, but conditioning hair and actually stimulating new growth are not the same thing. Think of it first as a conditioning ritual rather than a miracle serum.

Its thicker consistency also works well for massage. Warm a little between your hands and work it into the shoulders, neck, calves, hands or anywhere you want to spend a few extra minutes winding down.

And What About Castor Oil Packs?

If you have been seeing castor oil packs everywhere lately, you are not imagining it.

A castor oil pack keeps the oil in contact with the skin for an extended period while helping contain the inevitable mess that comes with using a very thick oil. Elham recommends pouring about one tablespoon onto the soft organic cotton side of the pack, or around two tablespoons the first time to prime the fabric.

Place the pack against the desired area with the protective outer layer facing outward. Beginners can start with about 30 to 60 minutes, three to five times per week, rather than assuming more is automatically better.

Elham also makes a reusable pack with an unbleached organic cotton inner layer and a protective outer layer, which gives all that oil somewhere to go other than your favorite sheets.

The most useful way to think about a castor oil pack is as a longer topical ritual. Claims around “detoxing” organs, balancing hormones or treating medical conditions have traveled much faster online than the clinical evidence behind them, so we would not choose a castor oil based on those promises alone.

Choose it based on the things you can actually evaluate: ingredient purity, sourcing, extraction, testing, freshness and packaging.

Whether you're incorporating castor oil into your skincare routine or exploring castor oil packs, you can shop Elham's collection here.

A Few Safety Notes Before You Start

Castor oil should be used topically on intact skin, not on open wounds or broken skin. Patch testing first is smart, particularly if you have reactive or sensitive skin, and you should stop using it if irritation develops.

Keep the oil out of the eyes. If you are pregnant, Elham recommends avoiding castor oil over the abdomen or lower back and checking with your healthcare provider before incorporating it into your routine. Anyone managing a medical condition should also speak with their healthcare provider before using topical wellness practices as part of that condition’s care.

The bigger takeaway is simple: when shopping for castor oil, skip the biggest promises and look for the most specific answers. With a single ingredient product, how it was sourced, made, tested and stored is the story.

The post How to Choose the Best Castor Oil: 4 Things to Look for Before You Buy appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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