OBSESS- All things Exotic

My definition of exotic probably isn't all that correct, but I label these few things that I have been obsessed with and been enjoying all summer as such.

Incense
Specifically Sandalwood, Nag Champa, and few anonymous smells I got from Whole Foods (15 cents a piece... cheap. How you like dem apples!?) They smell so musky, mysterious, magical, mellow... alright, alright, enough alliteration. But fo reals, they smell so delicious and put me in the most peaceful mood. Not to mention when I burn them, the dogs almost pass out because of how tranquil everything gets in the room. Beautiful smells. Exotic obession number 1. Also, In burning them I get to use my brand new elephant incense burning sculptures. So cute. I love elephants...

Essential Oils
 I hate, hate, hate perfume. I hate when you can smell it on people and automatically think synthetic fragrance. They don't smell natural, sexy or alluring. Maybe to some people, but not to me unless its a perfume made of more earthly or fruit scents. This aversion leads me to essential oils. They are obtained directly from the source of the smell. Example, orange EO comes from pressing the oils from the peel and collecting them into a concentrated oil of bright, sunny, happiness.
            I first started obsessing over them when I was reading this novel concerning a scandalous love affair between a Victorian era British socialite and her Oh so sexy Arabic sex teacher. About 5 pages in, I realized it was an erotic novel (Not romance... WAY more graphic. Southern ladies would swoon and faint upon reading those words, but I kept going. Holy shit...Hot. Thus, the writer became a favorite. The Lady's Tutor by Robin Schone. Read it.) Anywho, in the book the Arabic guy was teaching the uptight Londonian how to seduce her husband and suggesting using oils in unmentionable areas.... *eye brow raises suggestively*
             You can find them in almost any smell imaginable; bergamot, sandalwood, cherries, lemon, cinammon, etc. And because they are natural smells (of things one can find roaming the earth, not stumble upon in the beaker of a cosmetics lab) they are so much more sensual and pleasurable. Its said certain smells can invoke memories, feelings and moods so using these to scent yourself can make for some interesting times. When you buy them, either online or even Whole Foods has some, they are super concentrated and can irritate your skin so it is best to dilute them with carrier oils, like macademia nut oil, jojoba, avocado, rosehip oil etc. Usually about a 2% dilution for use on the skin is a great place to start. Exotic because the Arabic said that women in harems use them instead of perfume because the men enjoy that better. (Of course not all people hate perfume, including men, so take this as a different perspective if thats you...) Perhaps you can mix your own oil and use it as a signature scent? A perspective significant other will always remember your smell, so make it a good one!

Tea
Hot tea; green, white, oolong--- so yummy! I hate iced tea, especially sweetened. I know there aren't many others like me, but c'est la vie. So I enjoy hot tea and turned onto it more intensely when I was web surfing and found great articles on the antioxidant and health benefits of different types of tea. (Ranging from cancer prevention, weight loss, beauty and mood benefits. Google it, you'll see.) Most studies are on green tea, which is delicious, but if you read more intently on tea you'll find that white tea actually has way more of the antioxidants that give green tea its health punch, and so you get more for your cup! Mostly because white tea is obtained from picking tea leaves when their really young, whereas green tea is obtained from picking the leaves after they've matured a bit. White tea has a supremely delicate taste, to the point of "Can you taste anything?" but I double brew and have good faith that Im getting all of my antioxidant dose. I especially love since I bought this awesomely beautiful cast iron tea pot from San Fransisco's Chinatown. So awesome. Im getting my whistling tea kettle soon... I got an AWESOME ( I wont say amazeballs because everyone says that now and its so annoying) 1.5 Qt tea kettle from Le Creuset. Originally 80$ on Macys.com, but homegirl here got it for $20 using a RARE sale online and some great money saving coupon/cards from my moms Macys account. It whistles, too. Pretty cute, and will last forever. YAY! I use tea time as my excuse for 'Kristina time.' I don't watch TV but either sit outside, lay with my dogs, or just breathe. Tea time is time for rest and relaxation, so make it last!

So those are my 'Kristina's definition of exotic' items that I am obsessed with right now... Try them out and maybe you'll come to love them too! Do you use any of these things? What are your favorite ways?