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Calming Scents to Reduce Your Election Anxiety

The right scents can turn your home into an oasis—and who doesn’t want that right now?…

My favorite part of my daily routine is when I finish my work, shut my laptop, burn my sage stick, and let the smoky, herbal scent completely envelop my apartment. Sorry, neighbors, if my hotboxing permeates into your apartment—but it’s the one thing keeping me sane right now! Over the past few months, I’ve made it my mission to turn my micro Manhattan apartment into an oasis, and a big part of this has been upping my scent game. Sure, sight and sound are the go-to senses for transforming one’s home, but smell plays just as crucial a role in affecting our emotions. And with tomorrow’s Election Day consuming all of our minds, why not use every means necessary to reduce anxiety right now?

Turns out, the right scents are proven to actually boost our moods, help us calm down, and relax. “Breathing in the essential-oil vapor instantly changes our brain patterns and can help us feel calmer and more grounded,” Hope Gillerman, an aromatherapist and author of Essential Oils Every Day: Rituals and Remedies for Healing, Happiness, and Beauty, told Vogue earlier this year. “Distinct from medications, they are not a cure but a pathway into taking good care of ourselves.”

Wearing a soft, pleasing fragrance is another easy way to literally surround yourself with positivity. Maison d’Etto’s new perfume, Noisette, for instance, has notes of magnolia flowers, musk, and lavandin; the latter is a type of lavender oil that is especially known for its relaxing benefits. I’ve been dousing myself in it before bed and, call it a placebo effect, but I’ve been sleeping like a baby.

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As far as your home is concerned, the right candle or diffuser can also contribute to your more grounded wellbeing through smell. I’m a bonafide candle hoarder, and while I typically gravitate towards woodier and spicer scents, I’ve found myself lighting more soothing, calming scents lately. I recently discovered Byredo’s Chai candle, which is a warm fusion of tea leaves, ginger, and birch tree; the scent is meant to evoke the smell of your grandmother’s home, and what’s more soothing and cozy than that? Diffusers are also an efficient way to have essential oils waft throughout your space—like living in a spa, minus the fees.

If all else fails, simply burning a stick of sage or a braid of sweetgrass—my personal favorite—is a classic move. Burning the natural plants instantly cleanses the room (and any negativity in it). Growing up around my Indigenous culture, burning sweetgrass was often used for ceremonial purposes or special occasions, but I find incorporating the sweet, smokey scent into my every day brings me unparalleled joy. 

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Below, 14 more soothing scents to calm your nerves including candles, diffusers, fragrances, soaps, and more. 

Byredo Chai candle

Boy Smells Petal candle

$32
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STANDARD DOSE

Susanne Kaufmann De-stress Oil

$41
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BEAUTY HABITAT

Aveda Bergamot Essential oil + Base

Healing Solutions Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Orenda Tribe Navajo-Made Shimá Earth gift box

$40
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ORENDA TRIBE

The Nue Co Functional fragrance

$155
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THE NUE CO

Maison d’Etto Noisette fragrance

$350
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MAISON D’ETTO

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Stress Relief Eucalyptus and Spearmint Body Wash

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Mind Rollerball

$29
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AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES

Vitruvi stone diffuser

$119
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VIOLET GREY

Jo Malone London lavender and musk diffuser

$102
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SAKS FIFTH AVENUE

White sage smudge stick

$9
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SWEETGRASS TRADING COMPANY

Sweetgrass braid

$5
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CRAZY CROW TRADING POST

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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy

Jay-Z

The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.

Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.

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The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.

Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?

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While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.

As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.

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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims

Jay-Z

In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.

Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.

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The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.

Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”

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This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.

The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.

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