Desperately Seeking B&B BFF

This post was inspired by a recent e-mail exchange I had with one of our lovely customers, Jamie R. from FL.

Jamie wrote to tell me that her boyfriend isn't really too crazy about her b&b addiction and that on top of this, he doesn't really like any of the scents she wears. Well, she finally experienced a breakthrough when he one day commented that he actually liked a scent she was wearing earlier that day. She runs through her FOTD inventory and realizes that it was Fig Tea & Cucumber! She was overjoyed. I was ecstatic. If we were anywher near each other at the time, we would probably have jumped up and down for joy while hugging each other. Throw in a tear or two for dramatic effect.

This e-mail exchange went on for a while and I lamented on my sad predicament that I didn't really have anyone with whom I could share and revel in my B&B addiction. Like Jamie's BF, mine has simply given up trying to talk any kinda sense into me. "But do we really need to go to Lush in this bad snowstorm?" he asked me on cold winter day. "Yes, because it's the last day of their BOGO sale," I insisted. That night, one of the coldest in NYC, we walked 20 blocks to catch the last day of the Lush sale. I walked away with 2 bags full of goodies, all for $40. Yes it was worth the awful cold I caught as a result.

As for my friends, I love you all dearly, but seriously? Y'all are lame when it comes to being a good B&B friend. Sure, I know you've been there for me through bad breakups, periods of unemployment and numerous drunken nights, but ladies, come on...good friends don't let their friends shop the BBW Semi-Annual sale alone.

So I've made a list of what makes a good B&B BFF:

1) Must excitedly count down and eagerly await the semi-annual sales of the following stores: Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, The Body Shop, Origins, Lush and L'Occitane to name a few.

2) Must be able to spend HOURS at Sephora, spritzing perfume and applying make-up until we both emerge, looking like drag queens and smelling like we were assaulted by 398 department store perfume assasins.

3) When I ask you to sniff a blend I've been working on, don't just sniff it and say, "I uh really like it!" I need details people. Details! I want to hear about the topnotes, the drydown, the wear, etc. What Sharonn doesn't want is a 5 word description, a shoulder shrug, deer-in-headlights look and a final response of, "Uh I don't know! I just like it!"

4) There is life after vanilla or florals or citrus or bakery scents. My B&B BFF must be open-minded and willing to push the envelope; to try a scent that's a little out of her comfort zone. Basically you must be a fragrance whore. A cheap one at that. The easier the better. The more you're willing to try a scent, the better off our friendhship will be.

5) Must find joy in sharing and swapping our stash o' B&B goodies. We'd meet for brunch, each of us bringing a bag of goodies that we delightfully share and swap with one another. Then after brunch, I accompany my B&B BFF to 2 or 3 stores to window sniff and possibly help her shop for some lotions and body sprays because she's down to only a 3 year's supply of this stuff.

I'm sure there's more qualities I'd like to add, but this should suffice for now.

To my dear friends who read this blog, sorry! And although you're not officially fired from our friendship, consider this a written notice that I expect you to take immediate action to address this obvious shortcoming in your ability to be a good friend to me. You are officially on probation and if after the probationary period, you have not shown any improvement, I will have to take away the Friends and Family Discount that you enjoy so very much, for obvious reasons.