**Perfume** Emeraude Has Been Discontinued... Now What?

 I love perfume, but have never been influenced by the price or brand. If I like the way it smells, I don't care who makes it. I felt that way even when I could afford to splash out a bit. Other than Shalimar, most of my favorite perfumes have been on the more affordable (or even cheaply priced) side. Right now, Lattafa is my go-to for perfume. They make beautiful scents that won't make you feel stupid for buying them when you will never have your name in the Social Register or have access to a Black Card. I like to say that Lattafa makes broke girls (and guys) feel beautiful. The fragrances are not cheap, but are not totally ridiculously priced. Also, I usually find mine via Amazon or eBay.

I'm rambling, so let me get back to my point.

They went and discontinued the poor woman's Shalimar. Yes, people, Emeraude is no longer being made and people are selling their stash for ridiculous prices... Cue my tears! I'm glad that I had gotten a couple of vintage Emeraude gifts. (I now have a "regular" Emeraude, and two vintage bottles. (Maybe I can trade them for eggs if things get tougher!) To be honest, you can still find some deals on eBay, if you want to chance it.

About two or two and half years ago, I bought a bottle from Amazon and also copped a couple of "vintage" bottles from eBay. I did it on a whim and, thankfully, I didn't really use any of the vintage bottles and didn't use up the newer one. Now I look at them and am so happy I have the 3. 

The Shalimar is what's left of a gift from
a niece when I lived in Anchorage.

By the way, I will probably never use the tiny bit left of the Shalimar. I appreciate so much that my niece got that for my birthday years ago!

Anyway. I had to dry my tears and get over it. There are other scents that fill the hole left by Emeraude. For ladies who wanted that Shalimar/Emeraude vibe for drugstore prices, I would suggest:

• Chantilly by Dana
• Youth Dew by Estée Lauder

I do think that Chantilly (the cheap one by Dana, not the vintage from Houbigant) comes closer than Youth Dew. Chantilly has the powdery softness of Shalimar and Emeraude while Youth Dew is "harder" and spicier. Both are lovely, and I find that Youth Dew has better longevity.

Now, here is where it gets wild. I tried layering Youth Dew and Chantilly - just for kicks - and... Wow! It elevates both scents to new levels. It's now become my favorite blend. Keep in mind that both fragrances can be found for under $35-$40. Seriously.

I will be honest and say that I actually like my YD&C blend better than Shalimar. That's because it has such good longevity. Even though my remaining Shalimar has aged to a point of deliciousness, it does not last long on my aging skin. That could be because of improper storage(?). My YD&C blend will last at least 5 hours before it dries down to a skin scent.

Go over to Fragrantica, Basenotes, or Wikiparfum and get the notes and accords for Emeraude (or whatever perfume you love). Look for the list of similar perfumes. Read comments for suggestions for dupes. Reddit is another good source of perfume info. Trust me, there is usually something similar out there.

Speaking of finding similar fragrances, I looked for the longest for anything even a little bit like Blanche Bête. Reading about it on Fragrantica, it's not a scent I would normally seek because it doesn't sound sweet or edible-like, but I got a sample from ScentSplit once and... Oh, mercy! That was such a gorgeous fragrance! The price, though, is nowhere in the range of my budget because... no Black Card, remember?

Blanche Bête is in a whole other galaxy away from my budget that the Webb telescope couldn't find it. It's hilarious that I didn't even know what the name translated to and assumed it was "Not For Broke Folk" (it's actually "White Beast").  I was some kind of thrilled when I found that some people think that Lattafa's Her Confession is a bit of a dupe. Well, now. I do love me some Lattafa, don't I? Hopefully, I will get my hands on some HC and find out how close to BB it is...

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I am working on a post about Lattafa perfumes. I like the affordability and quality. Over the course of about 3 years, I have built up a nice collection.

**CKD** Things I Will Be Asking My Docs About

 I've gotten better about taking care of my health this past 8 or 9 months. I've also been hearing about a lot of supplements and other sources that might help slow the progression of my CKD. Of course, I won't be dabbling with anything until I ask my doctors, but I do have questions and here are some:

1. Is Nicotinamide something that I could be taking? I've heard that it might or might not be helpful in lowering creatine levels and/or promoting better GFR. I wonder if there is any harm in giving the supplement a shot. It is also supposed to be good for other things. (I only have "peek" access to some of the info - like this - and don't understand it anyway.)
2. What about N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)? I've heard about some of its potential benefits, but I don't know if it's safe for me with the other medications I take. If it's not helpful for CKD, is it helpful for anything else in my situation?
3. Saffron is supposed to be a good antioxidant - among other benefits. I also have seen info showing potential benefits for renal issues. This blurb from a National Library of Medicine page has me hopeful: "It seems that saffron supplementation had no significant effect on Cr as a renal function factor. However, BUN reduction was significant in the saffron group compared to placebo." Notice my emphasis. I also remember some hearsay from people in the East Indian and Mediterranean communities back in Anchorage that saffron is a medicinal herb for them.
4. What are some other herbs and spices that I can use in my food that might also benefit my kidney function? I already heed the warnings about what I can't have - turmeric and too much cacao are the two that surprised me...

So, yeah, I have quite a few questions. The frustrating thing is that I think I have asked about some of these before with other doctors. I can't remember though because my doctors keep leaving me! This time I am going to have my notebook ready.

What really frightens me these days is that, with the current White House administration, I might lose some (or all?) of my care. What if I'm out here having to fend for myself with ONLY herbs and supplements. It's a very real possibility, I think.

Anyway, make sure that you are not taking any of the information in this post as advice - other than telling you to always consult with your care team before you try anything! Please stay as healthy as you can and, if nothing else, be peaceful.

Peace

--Free