Chad White as Icarus for OUT

For OUT’s September issue, photographer Francois Rousseau remade the myth with Chad White as a fashion forward Icarus. Icarus was the son of Daedalus, who crafted two sets of wax wings so he and his son could escape exile in Crete. He warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, which Icarus did. Icarus fell into the sea. Of course, he wasn’t wearing a feather scarf by Burberry Prorsum at the time.

See the full set of photos at OUT

Amy Winehouse at Madame Tussaud’s

Okay, so she wasn’t, but the sober wax version of her is now standing in Madame Tussaud’s in Central London.  Her parents, Mitch and Janis were there when it was unveiled.

The Press Association reports: Mitch said he was “stunned” at the “incredible” likeness to his daughter. He said his daughter was in the middle of working at the moment but would go to see the waxwork in the next week or two, when she would be “as blown away as we are”.

Tips on Scent and Candles

So you want to set the mood with scented candles. May it be a fun gathering, family visit, a date or just a home alone relaxation, there are some things that you should note:

For the Candles:

1. When selecting a candle by scent, don’t smell the wax. Smell the inside of the lid or container because that’s where the scent collects. The full body of the scent drifts up and collects in the underside of the lid.
2. Although candle warmers work well for releasing scent in large dosages, you’ll be left with unscented wax after a few uses. So, burning a candle is a more efficient way to release scent into a room. Scent will continue to be released throughout the entire life of your candle.
3. Plan ahead if you’re counting on having a room enveloped in a candle’s fragrance. A candle’s scent is released through it’s wax pool, and it can take 15 to 30 minutes to develop a pool sizeable enough to fill a room with fragrance.
4. To combat soot keep your candle away from drafts, keep your wicks trimmed to 1/4 inches and use a candle topper.
5. To increase the life or your candle, burn it in longer intervals, two, three or four hours at a time. Burning it in short, frequent intervals – ten minutes here, 30 minutes there – actually decreases a candle’s overall number of burn hours.

Now we move on to selecting a scent, sometimes the sales person is helpful and sometimes they are not. Here are some of the effects of different scents according to Dr. Hirsch, otherwise known as Dr. Smell.

– Lavender: Studies show that the smell of lavender triggers alpha waves in the posterior part of the brain associated with a relaxed state. Use this scent when you want to create a relaxing mood in the bathroom or in the family room areas.

— Jasmine: Jasmine’s scent triggers beta waves in the front of the head, which stimulates alertness. Jasmine has been proven to help focus and increases hand-eye coordination. Jasmine should be used at work stations or while studying or doing homework.

— Roses: There are over a hundred varieties of roses and not only is this flower a symbol of romance, but the scent of roses also increases olfactory-evoked nostalgia that will bring happy moments back to memory. Dr. Hirsch recommends using roses in social areas as well as when you have a visitor at your house.

— Violets: Dr. Hirsch’s studies also showed that violets enhance learning speed by 17 percent, and improve concentration when used in study rooms. Violets can be placed on studying and working areas, when reading or doing homework. The fragrance of violets on clothes is a good way to take this flower essence with you to places where you need to stay focused.

— Lilies: The scent of lily has been proven to increase wakefulness and help you stay alert. An arrangement made of lilies in the study area or living room can do the trick when you want to stay alert.

— Cinnamon: According to Dr. Hirsch, cinnamon may also bring happy moments back to memory and may lift your spirits. You can use in your kitchen area after cooking to evoke joyful memories.

Make your own Lip Balm, Hairspray & Body Scrub

Feeling organic and in the mood for DIY? Try making your own eco-friendly everyday cosmetic products. ThreadBanger shows you how and where to get the materials. Honey lip balm (Shea butter if you’re vegan) , lemon hair spray and sugar cane body scrub sound natural and fruitful. It’s about time to pamper yourself without killing the planet. Oh and they meet vegan standards too!