xoxo, Jen

I just won!

2012-02-29T19:50:00.000-06:00

I just won a giveaway from Soap Obsessions bloggers Lynda and Jean!

I am going to receive two jars of Creme Fraiche made by Savor.

Fresh Snow ~ A bright and invigorating winter scent. Ozone, icy spring water and juniper comprise this scent.
Frosted Spring Orchard ~ Frost clinging to balsam fir and cedar trees with light orange, carnation, lily and a cooling touch of eucalyptus.
What a lovely gift! Some nice snow and then a spring scent chasing right afterward. What a perfect giveaway for this time of year. Jean even asked me to choose a few extras from a huge list! I am so blown away by these gals' generosity!

Thank you ever so much!

Fragrance Friday

2012-02-24T09:54:00.000-06:00

Tokyo Factory Soaps

2012-02-13T18:48:00.000-06:00

Tokyo Factory at Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/TokyoFactory
I stumbled on this soapmaker, I don't really recall how because it was sometime in December. I fell in love with the soap photos on her blog site. The soaps were all so unique and since I am fascinated with Japanese culture and love their art style, I had to have these!

After viewing a few more photos in her gallery, I looked around her blog for a shop link. I found her shop on Etsy, only to see that it was closed and she was planning a trip to Japan. Her note said she'd return in February, so I waited and stalked and waited and stalked.. and the soaps began to appear in her shop, one by one. -gasp- I had already made a wishlist and committed it to memory so I was just waiting for all the ones I wanted to be stocked all at once. As I waited, one of the ones I wanted most had just sold out! I about freaked and then kept watching for a bit to see if it was restocked. After an hour or so, the bar I wanted most had not yet made another appearance, so I thought perhaps I would just ask. What do I have to lose, right?

I contacted AYU, the (awesome!!!) soaptician, and she replied to me really quickly and was so kind and super sweet. :)
She happened to have one bar left and said she would list it for me. (squee!!) So, I placed my order within minutes of our convo on Feb. 9th and it has arrived to me today!
Here it is in all it's beauty, the much coveted (by me) Black Kimono Soap photos and review. :)

What's behind here?!

Soaps turned on their sides with ingredient labels facing up! Also a little packet on the side with a note and something else inside.

Everything laid out, wow she packages well! Two bars per cello bag. Two of these soaps are for my coworker, we saved on shipping by ordering together!

After opening the cello bags, I found that each bar is heat sealed in plastic with a silica gel packet to seal in freshness, and then its wrapped in paper, with a ribbon around the back and sticker on the top! My gosh what a perfect wrapping job! It must take eons to wrap hundreds of bars for her shop!

Japanese Black Kimono Soap - A Beautiful Japanese BLACK KIMONO Soap. One day, I wanted to make some pretty Japanese soaps and came up with "KIMONO Soaps". KIMONO Soaps have been very popular with our Japanese customers. This soap contains Shea Butter which is rich natural plant butter and has moisturizing and softening effects to skin. Also we used Organic Coconut Water to make this soap extra special. Coconut Water is known to moisturize dehydrated skin. It is called "Natural Sport Drink". This soap has a luxury blend of Rosewood, Geranium and Clary Sage scents. Very lovely!
--The bar is a beautiful rich black, is a good size and feels creamy to the touch. I washed my hands with it and it makes grey bubbles! The lather is really nice, has big bubbles and took little effort. The bar smells like fresh black licorice to my nose! The smell of licorice brings back so many of my wonderful childhood memories. After drying my hands, they feel really soft as if I'd put lotion on them.

I haven't opened the rest of the bars yet since they're sealed and I don't think I will be able to use them quickly enough to warrant opening them all. So below are some photos of the naked bars, which I've borrowed from her Etsy shop, along with her descriptions.

Sakura Sake Soap - This soap contains luxury Macadamia Nut Oil which has moisturizing and softening effects to skin. It has our popular Japanese Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) scent. Enjoy!

Organic Green Tea Sake soap - This soap contains luxury Macadamia Nut Oil which has moisturizing and softening effects to skin. It has light clean & fresh Lemongrass and Green Tea scents.

Lavender Chamomile Soap with Chamomile and Shea Butter - A Truly Luxury Lavender Chamomile Soap with Chamomile & Shea Butter.
Chamomile is known to be used for many skin products. It has skin healing and antioxidant properties. We also used Shea Butter which is known to have moisturizing and softening effects to skin. Also we used Organic Coconut Water to make this soap extra special. This soap has a luxury blend of Chamomile and Lavender scents.

Fragrance Friday!

2012-02-04T02:11:00.001-06:00

The name Friday comes from the Old English Frīġedæġ, meaning the "day of Frigg"
But here at the xoxo-Jen blog, its cause for celebration! Its the end of the work week, and the beginning of the weekend! I thought it would be fun to share the scents we wear each Friday; and our thoughts about each.

Body Wash - BBW Exotic Coconut: This takes me away to warm summer days where the sun shines bright and the waves gently wash over the sparkling sand.
After shower Lotion - BBW Dark Kiss: I absolutely love the sweet yet sultry notes in this fragrance. I used up the last of a trial sized bottle this morning. Yay!
Perfume - Bpal Pink Snowballs 2011: Lovely sweet roses and vanilla. I think this is a perfect February scent!
Hand Lotion - Haus of Gloi's Who Needs Love Pumpkin Butter: The perfect treat for a Friday. Espresso dusted dark chocolate truffles filled with raspberry jam. I reapplied this a few times throughout the day and enjoyed it immensely.

What did you wear today?

Happy Button Giveaway!

2012-01-27T10:39:00.001-06:00

If you have loved reading my HBSC reviews and want a chance to try some for free visit Krysten's Blog and enter the giveaway!

Heavenly Soaps quick review

2012-01-22T18:46:00.001-06:00

christiansmom requested photos of this soap, so I figured I would paste my mini review in with these too. I didn't initially review these because they were gifts for Jas, but he has been a dear and told me to use them too! :D

The qtip is for size comparison length/width, the thickness of these is over an inch, probably close to 1.5 inches!

This is the kitchen coffee soap, it has coffee grounds in it!

One recent discovery really surprised and impressed me. Heavenly Soaps are mostly single note scents, natural in color, they bubble up so nicely and feel wonderfully moisturizing. Best of all they are VERY affordable. She sends two gigantic bars (same scent) to you, wrapped in those old timey waxy-like drugstore type bags. And her price? Get this! $2-3 for two HUGE bars + shipping.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/heavenlysoap
or
http://soapbypatti.com/catalog/

I hauled like a jackrabbit from her for Christmas gifts for Jas. My favorite so far is the cranberry scented soap. Its very juice-like and sweet, more than it is tart. I haven't sniffed a cranberry quite like it before. Jas' favorite is the coconut lime.
She left feedback the same day I made the purchase 11/30 and I left her feedback on 12/5 after it had arrived. Pretty darn fast for the time of year it was!

I noticed at her etsy shop just now that she has more complex scents than when I shopped! Also at her webshop off Etsy, she carries bath bombs, salts, laundry soap, liquid soap, massage oil, shampoo bars, mini soaps (ball shaped), and you can even get a custom made soap loaf!

Stop Internet Censorship

2012-01-18T10:01:00.001-06:00

Learn More Here

Buggy Town Candle Co.

2012-01-12T19:08:00.000-06:00

I saw this tart on her facebook page way before Christmas http://www.facebook.com/buggytowncandles and thought I would give them a try. 1.50 w/free shipping, not much risk right? wrong! because now I want to HAUL from them! lol

Here is her website: http://www.buggytowncandles.com/

Christmas Hearth - This scent will take you back to the magic of Christmas Eve and sure to become a classic holiday fragrance. Christmas Hearth combines orange & spices from the kitchen, a touch of Christmas tree and a dash of earthiness from the fireplace. This fragrance oil is infused with natural orange, cinnamon, and pine essential oils
--This is really every scent that Christmas brings with it. Smokey fireplaces, pine, apple cider, and baked goods. Its really a trip down memory lane! So cozy and yummy.

Cindy's Apple Pie was a freebie, which I did not expect for such a cheap order!
Aroma of Cindy's homemade apple pie straight from the oven.
--This one is very cinnamon and very apple, with a touch of sweet sugar but not candy like.

I love the souffle cup packaging, the labels are soo cute and prim, the way the wax looks soft and silky almost, and how heavily scented these appear.
The tart was really easy to pop out of the container and 15 seconds into melting the whole room was scented. The throw is very strong for this scent; I can even smell it over the dinner that Jas is cooking. :D

I think Buggy Town nailed this scent and has done an excellent job with this tart!

This short sweet review felt good, anyone up for another? :)

Etsy SNS is up!

2011-12-17T21:28:00.001-06:00

Etsy is a fantastic network of shops which carry mostly handmade items. I love to browse and shop there, especially when there is a sale!
Each Saturday at about 6pm Central time, a post is created in the Etsy community forums which allows shopkeepers to post their specials for Saturday night! Typically each shop has a special code for their sale, but on occasion you'll find a shop that has already marked their items at the discounted price for you. The sales last until Sunday morning 6am, so you have all evening to browse around and choose things you may want! If you don't have an Etsy membership, its free and really easy to sign up. Just look for the Register link button near the Etsy logo in the top left corner. Once registered, you're ready to purchase and participate!

Well, what are you waiting for? Go check out the Saturday Night Specials for today!

Check out the Etsy SNS

Happy Button Soap Company

2011-11-30T21:45:00.001-06:00

Just got it today and well, this is the first time I've written a same day review - I think. Yep, that excited about it!

First opened

Top layer removed

All out of the box, such a sweet note from Bree!

All unwrapped. And that's my happy lil haul!

Free samples!
We all love samples, yes? So let's review those first!
Gingerbread Brulee - The classic creaminess of a Brulee mingled with Gingerbread...
--On cold sniff I get a hit of goeey caramel and then I smell cookie. Not picking up a lot of spice, but that is fantastic in my book! I cannot wait to use this in the shower tomorrow morning. I think this will really blossom and be spectacular!

Peppermint Frosting - The sweetest Buttercream icing covered in Candy Cane bits!
--Mm Buttercream, sugar and cool refreshing peppermint on top! Gah, I bet this would be so freaking awesome with molten chocolate shower gel in the shower! Can you imagine!?

I love their shampoo and conditioner and so I ordered more in my very favorite scent.
I've reviewed it before but since I cannot say enough about it, here's why I like these:

My hair type: Just past the shoulder, color treated, oily roots, dry ends, some flyaways, thick yet fine, a little wavy but I flat iron it straight. Tangles are usually an issue, I have an allergic reaction (facial skin breaks out in itchy bumps) to most shampoos, some conditioners make my scalp itch several hours after washing or the ends of my hair make my face itch. Volume is difficult to achieve.

I never thought I would ever find hair care to fix all my problems, but I did!
The shampoo and conditioner allow me to have oil free roots all day long, and half the day the next day. Adding a little pea sized amt of conditioner to the ends before I blow dry smooths out the dry ends. It gives enough moisture that I do not see any apparent heat damage from blow drying or flat ironing. Its color safe. No tangles - I can run my pick through after towel drying with no issues. No bumps, no breakouts, no itching. I don't have to use any other products on my hair; and it has volume, is super shiney, soft and squeaky clean!

The conditioner can be compared to IOE's Plush in how it works, but I find that IOE's makes my face itch and HBSC leaves my hair slightly more silky and shiney. Its light and rinses clean and leaves a little fragrance behind, yum!

Definitely my holy grail combo!

"The Cool scent of falling leaves mingled with warm homemade pumpkin pie..."
The lotion is really nice and creamy, holds a stiff peek on its own and is not greasy at all.
Autumn Harvest is intoxicating and comforting, every single time I smell it. So with this order I got both poo and dish AND a lotion. Now my world will smell like heaven all day!

Nazarene solid perfume - The scent of Frankincense, Myrrh, and Patchouli mingled with Orange blossoms and musk in the night air.
--I was really hoping for lots of Frank and Myrrh and less Patch, but the Patch note is predominant after I've worn it for several minutes. I have found though, that by layering this with my Autumn Harvest lotion its irresistable! AH is really enhanced by the Patch note which blends so well it doesn't stick out like a single note anymore. Similar in concept to Haus Peach Mama. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the twist up container, no more icky fingers dipping in a tin. Simple and clean to apply! Definitely wearing this tomorrow with my AH lotion. Yum!

I will admit, I was quite skeptical of the lip butters because I'm particular with lip balm. Greasy, watery, texture, taste, feel, and how do my lips feel when its worn off? I have a huge (over 100) collection so I don't like to order them unless I know its going to be awesome.
I took the leap though, because all HBSC products have been spectacular so far. And it rings true with these! comparable in quality to Haunt and Haus of Gloi. Its creamy, melts to my lips on contact but doesn't turn watery. My lips immediately feel soft and moisturized and it seems to stay on as long as others. They're sweetened so they taste good too!

Red Velvet Cake Lip butter - I opened and tried this one and it smells and tastes like chocolate cake with creamy frosting. Yummy!
Butter Toffee Crunch Lip butter - This will be opened once the rvc is all used up! Keeping it sealed, and oh I left the seal in the photo so you could all see how it looks. One of those heat shrink wraps with perforation. :)

I hope you enjoyed my review!

Happy Button Soap Company (2nd review)

2011-10-18T00:39:00.002-05:00

Short and sweet review, I'm in a rush, but I wanted to put -something- up about this order. Its fabulous! Arrived super fast!

Everything is lovely, the rose scent is sooo fresh picked. I'm in love with it.
The Missus smells clean and fresh, not foody to my nose at all, love it. Autumn Harvest has more pumpkin in it now, I think its perfect and Oubliette is fresh and a little herbal, great for shampoo.

I LOVE everything! Scented so nicely! The shampoo is pearly ^.^ And you Bree was right, Thirteen o'clock is such a beautiful fresh picked rose, I LOVE using it in the shower!
I like how she tweaked the Autumn Harvest scent, I think its just right! Bliss!

Moonalisa Rockabilly Reorder

2011-10-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

Obligatory box opening photos! :D

Some of these scents are reorders and were reviewed in previous blog posts

Perfume Sprays

Lemming Crack - reorder

Mermaid's Tale - reorder (same scent as pacific bath salts)

Potion Lotions:

Blueberry Hill - Delicious, warm blueberry syrup, butter and pancakes, slurp.... this one is a straight up fragrance that is so good on its own, I never had the heart to add a thing. (Rockabilly)

--This smells like a blueberry pastry and is a little too much butter and syrup for my tastes in the pot lot, but I love the soap; where the blueberry is dominant and the maple/pancakes are nearly hidden in the background.

Candied Violets - Sugared violets adorning a Chamborde raspberry liqueur soaked butter sponge cake. (Drive Thru Moo)

--I really love this, I can smell the soft powdery violets and something sweet and sugary. Not getting a cake note, but it could come out when worn. Haven't tested this one yet.

Tea Reader - reorder

Soap - gorgeous, foamy and velvety!

Blueberry Hill - reviewed above

Hair Conditioner - Not sure if this did it or the 4n1, but one of them dried my hair like woah.

Cantaloupe Cooler - reorder

Handmade Creams and Butters:

Monoi Tiare Tahiti Coconut Vanilla - coconut butter cream scented in Coconut & Vanilla. Mmmmmmm, a great oil to go with your coco-coconutty goodness!!! (Rockabilly)

--I was very disappointed in this. Its runny, costly, stays on the surface of my skin and remains greasy to the touch. =/

Perfume Oil:

Duchess of Willowdale - Notes are reminiscent of old Victorian parlors, Honey, Amber, Pipe Tobacco but with added notes of deep, dark, rich chocolates. (Original Scent list)

--I really LOVE this scent! Finally a honey note that doesn't smell like pee on me! I accidentally bought a second one before this order came, and I am glad I did! On cold sniff I do smell the tobacco but when worn its gone and all I smell is glorious chocolate and amber. I'm in heaven! Plus, the extra bottle is prettier (blue w/gold cap) than the one I received. xD

Bath Butter

Peach Paradise - Sweet peaches in syrup doused with creamy coconut milk. (Drive Thru Moo)

--Very very peachy and sweet like candy! Would be perfect for summertime.

4 in 1

Orange Cloud - Lovely and soothing coconut oil, sea salt , almond oil , Baking soda, citric acid, corn starch, toasted orange peel, Sweet Orange Peel, Ylang Ylang and Vanilla essential oils. (Original scent list)

--I can definitely smell the sharp orange peel, but it has been softened a bit by the vanilla. Its not quite dreamsicle-esqe, as I think this is more realistic like a cup of fresh sliced oranges with a dollop of whipped cream. :)

Banishing oil:

Sanctuary - Sandalwood, Agar Wood, Rose and deep forest mulch. (Halloween 2011)

--do not like sandalwood, but this has a heavy rose scent. The drydown is a bit powdery. Its nice for a fresh/floral, but not my kind of "reach for" scent. I can imagine it will make a great massage oil, since the fragrance is not heavy.

Solid Perfume:

Sleepy Hallow - Experience the legend with this solid perfume flying Ointment reminiscent of smoldering seasoned oakwood fires, warmed leather from fierce riding through the eastern woodside and the distinct aroma of roasted spiced pumpkin flesh and smoldering marshmallows. (Halloween 2011)

--I can smell most of the notes in the pot, but when I put it on it goes smoke. Nothing but smoke. I think I might blend my cp marshmallow with this. :D

The whole order together:

Front Porch Candle Company Review

2011-10-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

Tat was a little slow because she had a huge bogo sale, but I think she is generally fairly quick from what I have read. I love her tarts just on cold sniff alone, they were all packed in cello baggies with twist ties, no staples yay!

I did ask about a custom blended scent via email but she didn't respond to me, the sale was going to end so I had to go ahead and order. She still hasn't replied to my request, but I'll just blame the chaos of her sale for that. xD

Black Cherry Bomb - Huge throw from with Black Cherry Bomb! Amazing sharp black cherry aroma.
--This smells just like black cherry kool-aid! (my fave kool-aid) Loving it, and I think its going to be super strong. The cold throw is pretty amazing on this tart!

Lime Citrus - blend of Lime and Citrus Explosion(Strong blend of tangerine, pineapple and kumquats. Watch out for the Citrus Explosion....!! )
--Very lime, very citrus and STRONG cold throw! I think this will be awesome hot!

Funnel Cake - Walk to the Funnel Cake Cart at your local carnival and this is what you'll smell. The wonderful aroma of funnel cake sprinkled with powder sugar. So real it will make you hungry!
--Lighter cold throw than the first two, but definitely fried dough and powdered sugar. yum!

Grapes & Huckleberries - A sweet blend of tart ripe grapes and sour huckleberries. Wonderful fruity aroma!
--Oh this is good! It smells just like one would expect. If you've not ever eaten or sniffed a huckleberr, they are very similar to blueberries on a bit more tart. Mixed with grape for added sweetness, this smells good enough to eat!

Pink Key Lime Pie - description not listed, but I am smelling this through the cello wrap and my gosh its strong! Pink sugar mixed with key lime for a brighter more tart pink sugary treat! Yumm!

Raspberry Lime - Sweet blend of Raspberries, Lime, with Vanilla undertones.
--Mouthwatering! I read about a sherbet made with these two fruits once and have longed for it since. This tart just made that longing into a real craving. I must seek some! I think this tart will be super strong when hot.

Blackberry Bubble Gum - no description available, but it smells like Bubblicious bubble gum if they made a blackberry flavored one! Very yummy and great cold throw on this!

tea & cookies -
--I smell tea, lemon, and vanilla shortbread, nice throw while cold! Very yummy smelling!

tea & crumpets -
--I ordered this to see the difference from the one above, and this one has the tea and lemon but is quite a bit more buttery like an english biscuit. Both of them smell fantasticly yummy and have a good cold throw!

Blackberry Sugar - no description available, Marmalade or sugary jam? yes please! Smells good enough to slather it on a piece of toast and gobble it up! Very good cold throw!

Freebie is not labeled! lol
Its the layered scallop in the photo, it smells very bakery like buttercream and vanilla. :) yum!

Beaux Savons Frais Review

2011-10-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop/beauxsavonsfrais
and on facebook

I actually ordered twice, so part of this is my order and part of it was completely different items than what I ordered, I got someone else's package! I let Lacey know and she promptly refunded me for the package + shipping that was sent in error. I was still a little sad because I was very excited about several things in my real order. =/

I'm only going to review scents that I like, because what could I say good about a scent that I normally do not like? right?

Starbucks coffee clamshell - this is straight up coffee. No cream, no sugar, simply black coffee. Its very yummy and inviting. Lovin it! Haven't melted it just yet, but I'm thinking it might be great for tomorrow morning in prep for the CP sale! :D

Whipped Creme Soap in Fruit Loops - this, I ordered. One for me and one for Teresa. (little did she know!) It smells absolutely delicious, better than real fruit loops cereal. So fruity and sweet! :D YUM! I love the texture of this soap as well. Its quite different than others I have tried.

Bath salts in Papaya Dragon Fruit - another item I ordered and lemme tell ya, this is sooo sweet and tropical smelling, I could live in it! :D I soo need to hit the tub and try these out!

Solid Bubble Bath in Cotton Candy - This stuff smells yummy but the texture is so neat! Its like Play-doh!! This will be fun in the bath! :D (this was an item I ordered)

Tarts in Pink Sugared Vanilla Cupcake - smells like pink sugar and vbn. Yum!

Tarts in Strawberry Shortcake - very yummy and sweet smelling! Strawberries and cake, I could bite this one! I think it will have a pretty good hot throw.

Tarts in Chocolate Chip Cookie - This one is a lighter scent but it smells just like a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie!

Tarts in Blue Cotton Candy - these smell a little raspberry and a little sweet to me. I prefer straight up cotton candy to this, but these smell rather good. :)

Other stuff I received:
Caramel apple foaming hand soap, its good I just don't care much for apple scents.

Bag of Peppermint Patty tart crumbles

Cinnamon Roll Tarts

Pumpkin Crunch Cake clamshells x2 - I am keeping one of these, but I don't care a lot for cinnamon, will see how it melts. :)

Peppermint Candy skull and crossbone tarts

Caramel Lip Balm

Buggy Town Candles

2011-10-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this tart on her facebook page for sale and thought I would give them a try. 1.50 w/free shipping, not much risk right? wrong! because now I want to HAUL from them! lol

Here is her website: http://www.buggytowncandles.com/

Christmas Hearth = This scent will take you back to the magic of Christmas Eve and sure to be come a classic holiday fragrance. Christmas Hearth combines orange & spices from the kitchen, a touch of Christmas tree and a dash of earthiness from the fireplace. This fragrance oil is infused with natural orange, cinnamon, and pine essential oils
--This is really every scent that Christmas brings with it. Smokey fireplaces, pine, apple cider, and baked goods. Its really a trip down memory lane! So cozy and yummy.
The scent description is no longer on her page since I bought the tart, and there isn't a way that I can see my facebook shopping history from what I can tell.

Cindy's Apple Pie was a freebie, which I did not expect for such a cheap order!
Aroma of Cindy's homemade apple pie straight from the oven.
--This one is very cinnamon and very apple, with a touch of sweet sugar but not candy like.

I love the souffle cup packaging, the labels are soo cute, the way the wax looks soft and silky almost, and how heavily scented these appear. I am so excited to melt the CH tart, saving it for right around Christmas though, I'm gonna be antsy! lol

Jojoelle Haul and Review

2011-10-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

I completely forgot to post my review here and on my blog. xD So.. here it is!

http://jojoelle.com/

Ultra Luxe Lotion - Very think, spreads well and takes a while before it starts absorbing so it doesn't take much on initial application; which I think is pretty cool! The scent though is not as strong or long lasting as other etailers I have tried. I really like the base though, its very nice!

Hair and body mist - This fades so fast, it makes me kind of sad. It lasted about 20 minutes if that. I had to press my nose to my arm to smell it. =/ I even did the spray it down my shirt trick and its not clinging to the fabric either. Very very faint. I might use this for a linen spray, it'd be nice for that on my sheets so its not overpowering while I sleep. :)

EDP - Strong, long lasting! Definitely would purchase a full size if I find a fave scent, after trying the minis.

Scrub - Very scrubby, moderately bubbly. Love the jojoba beads! They scrub and scrub even after the sugar has all melted. She mixes these throughout the scrub, so you get lots of them!

English Tea - signature - Black Keemun tea with fresh lemon slices!
--This smells just like Moona's Tea Reader (though I think she adds a shortbread note) and Haunt's Lady Grey! Wahoooooo a dupe! :D I love this scent its just like described tea and lemon slices, soooo yummy! Perfect for summertime, or any time really! Fresh and citrusy! It had kind of faded a little though after an hour, but most citrus scents tend to do that. Very bright and strong at first, then a soft drydown.

Lavender Cotton Candy - signature - Soft lavender floating in sweet cotton candy.
--JJE's lavender is a little on the herbal side, so the cotton candy note really sweetens it up! On application the edp smells more foody and sweet than in the bottle. Oo its changing on me..I smell a toasty note! Yum! :D

Lavender Marshmallow - signature - Lavender and fluffy soft marshmallows!
This is closer to Haunt's than LSC's is, but still different. I love it though! The scrub is really nice and scrubby esp with the little jojoba beads in it! They will scrub til I say I'm done! lol This one bubbles up what I would consider a moderate amount. Not quite enough for shaving, but good enough for cleansing. :)

Magnificent Marshmallow - This is the best marshmallow we've ever smelled! Ooey gooey, fluffy white marshmallows!
--this is sweeter than other marshmallows I have sniffed, and it has a very faint hint of plastic. The scent is quite light and a little difficult to smell in the jar. This is all based on in jar sniff, I have not tried this yet.

Sugar Rush - signature - Lemon sugar, caramel, cotton candy, and vanilla, with a wisp of egyptian musk! Unique!
--Ooo lawdy this is yummy! Its very bright lemon, sweetened up with the cotton candy, and grounded by the musk which is very light in this. The edp is super strong on application and I think the vanilla is coming through a little more now that I've had it on a few minutes. I don't smell the caramel note and if I didn't know to look for the musk, I wouldn't know it was there. This might be a reorder in full size edp!

Lavender Cream Cake - signature - A luscious blend of vanilla ice cream, caramel, marshmallow, sugar, lavender, and cake!
--This smells wonderfully delicious in the jar/bottle and smells great on too! I layered the lotion with the body spray, used the scrub in the shower and after about 20 minutes it has faded. Very difficult to smell unless I stick my nose to my arm. I have to say this smells almost identical to my purple boxed delites blend from sudsy's, only JJe's is softened by the Lavender. I much prefer the pbd from Sudsy's, and I'm sure I could get lavender added to it!

Freebie Ultra Luxe Lotion:
Pink Champagne - A pink iced champagne mixed with raspberry, cranberry, and sweet sugar crystals.
--This smells like a bag of gummy bears upon opening and you catch that first whiff! I LOVE gummy bear and I love this scent!

Tat was fast! She told me 5/7 day and I got my order in less.
8/29 just before midnight is when I purchased. I got cns on 9/1 and it all arrived today 9/3.

She was very friendly throughout communication via email and facebook both. Her products are of good quality for the most part (save for body spray) and she sent a freebie and sucker! :) She packed with those green peanuts, which is awesome because they are biodegradable! :D

Happy Button Soap Co is now open!

2011-10-02T18:31:00.000-05:00

Grand opening day is today! Please do give the products a try! http://www.happybuttonsoap.bigcartel.com/

Happy Button Soap Company review

2011-09-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Button Soap company
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I was lucky enough to swap for a preview scrub from Bree, and boy was I stoked! After having tried a sample from tgirl, I was dying to get my hands on a full size!
Bree was a pleasure to work with, and when the package arrived it was so cute with all the buttons and ephemera!
Happy Button scrubs are to die for! Very scrubby, very foamy and very nicely scented! This and Lasting Scent Candles are my two favorites of all etailer scrubs I have tried.
IOE, SCBB, TBG, Sudsy's, and Sheri's Soap Opera are all a close second.

Now for the scents!
County Fair - All my favorite treats from the County Fair all mingled together for a deliciously luxurious scrub! Sugary Cotton Candy, buttery funnel Cakes, and gooey Caramel apples...
--This smells very yummy, the apple is dominant but I can definitely smell the deep fried dough, powdered sugar and cotton candy as well as the gooey golden caramel. And just look at how its topped! It sparkles like jewelry, its so gorgeous!

Freebies:
Vermont Pecan Pie - Rich maple syrup drizzled over decadent Pecan pie...mmmm!
--Pecans and rich crust, oh yum! This is a very rich treat for the shower!

Autumn Harvest - The Cool scent of falling leaves mingled with warm homemade pumpkin pie...
--Crisp and Clean, maybe just barely smokey, and a bit peppery. I don't smell pumpkin pie, but it definitely smells like fall to me. I really like this one!

Tara's Candle Cottage haul and scent review

2011-09-26T10:17:00.000-05:00

http://www.tarascandlecottage.com/

I ordered tarts when she was doing a bonus bag giveaway w/ a certain number of facebook likes.
The tat was decent based on the huge response she got, 8/11 paid -- arrived 8/27. Everything was packaged very cute and arrive in great condition. I also askedd for custom labels since she advertises they are free on her home page, but she didn't make them or respond to my request. Its ok though, I am sure she was super busy.
I am keeping the review simple so I can pump it out faster. I am backlogged, as you can tell by the dates above. eep!

Canteloupe - no descrip available.
--very sweet and melony

Candy Corn--Just like opening a bag of real candy corn. Capturing the delicious, comforting sweetness of the classic Fall treat.
--smells a lot like buttercream frosting

Peeps--Butter creme and vanilla bean are folded into fluffy white marshmallow and sweet sugar to tempt the senses
--definitely sugary marshmallow

Purple Cow--Remember those grape popsicles with vanilla ice cream inside from when you were small? If so then you'll appreciate this sweet and nostalgic scent.
--this smells delicious and is my favorite from this order. It smells like grape pixie stix to me!

German Chocolate Chip Cookies--50% Chocolate Chip Cookies,25% Caramel Sugar Crunch, 25% Bahama Coconut.
--very delicious coconut and chocolate - I got three of these!

Lime Frosted Marshmallow Cake--50% Toasted Marshmallow, 25% Birthday Cake,25% Key Lime Pie.
--smells like I expected it to, which seems to be a rarity for this scent blend. She does it very well! So glad I got three of these!

Cake Batter Ice Cream - no descrip available.
--smells just like the ice cream from coldstone, yum!

Raspberry Zinger - no descrip available.
--a classic fave for tarts, coconut, raspberry and twinkies! :D

cold throw on all of these is not super strong but decent, and I haven't experienced the hot throw yet. I will definitely be melting some soonish and will try my best to report back with how that went. :)

Bonus Bag contained three tarts, a room spray and some candies!
Cranberry Apple Marmalade Room Spray - smells like apples and red hots! This reminds me of the wassail drink we have around Christmas time. :)

Pumpkin Crunch Cake - The aroma of creamy pumpkin pie filling with rich eagle brand milk; surrounded with freshly baked yellow cake, melted butter, pecans, and hints of spice.
--I get a little pumpkin and a lot of cinnamon in this one

Iced Cinnamon Rolls - Warm cinnamon sticky bun drizzled with sweet white frosting.
--sweet, bready and very cinnamony!

Grandma's Swiggin' Eggnog - no descrip available.
--this one is not overly cinnamony, but is creamy and sweet smelling.

Haus of Gloi Autumn reorder

2011-09-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

http://hausofgloi.com/
Small Autumn Reorder

I've reviewed Pixie Sorcerer and Olde Cider Haus before, and I really wanted to love Pixie Sorcerer. I had heard mixed reviews on it where most of the folks that got the pumpkin butter, liked it. Knowing that sometimes scents smell differently in different products, I decided to get a small jar and try again. I still get very strong peanut butter on initial application and jar sniff. After some wear I can still smell it, but it not nearly a strong as it was. I cannot smell coffee in this at all. I really need to immerse myself in this scent one evening, I think I'm beginning to like it but still on the fence.

Madcap Garden - A lively blend, pure black tea chilled with peppermint and the tiniest spike of honey*.
--I am sure loving tea scents lately, and this is one of them! So yummy I could drink it! This will go perfectly with my Haunt Lady Grey oil spray and Jojoelle edp of English tea. I'm barely smelling the peppermint note, which was the only thing that worried me as my skin is sensitive to peppermint. Should be fine to use on my legs like I usually do w/scrubs. Not sure I'd wear this scent in perfume, but I think it'll be awesome for a morning shower wake up!

Freebie sample (I requested this one and they obliged!)
Satyr - Absolutely fiendish creature! And quite frolicsome: Italian blood orange drizzled with blackened vanilla.
--Definitely blood orange! The dark vanilla mentioned, almost smells chocolatey. I think I'm going to like this when I try it out!

Haus of Gloi never cease to amaze me. You may remember my mention of the missing muslin bags from my prior order? Well, lookie there! :D How awesome is that, they sent them to me!!

Another awesome order, even if I can't yet love Pixie Sorcerer - its not their fault! I am going to try to love it though. One evening soon. :)

Sudsy's Haul and Scent Review

2011-09-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sudsysoapscents
Ordered: 7/12
cns 8/14
arrived 8/20 - she sent extra freebies because of the long tat. She kept me informed throughout. This order had a few disappointments as you'll see in my review. The largest of those though was that the box wreaked of cigarette smoke. The tarts, the plastic overwraps, the plastic bottles and the wooden rose were all permeated with it. I have let it sit, because I have learned that sitting and airing out will rid the smoke smell. All my stuff no longer smells like smoke, except for the wood rose; I can still pick up a trace of it. Out of three packages, this is the only one that smelled like smoke, so I really think that its happening somewhere in the transport.

This is partly why I put off writing this review, I wanted to be truthful, yet tactful. I also did not want to deal with or stir up any drama over these comments. I didn't contact her, because really there isn't much she could do. I don't like giving negative comments, but feel they are necessary to keep the review up front and honest. So there it is, my underwear showing. :P

Will I order from Sudsy's again? Absolutely yes, soon as I'm off this no buy. I really really want a LOT of her autumn scents and I'm probably going to miss out on them, like the black sugar OMG.

(4 oz) scrubs
Pink Flamingo x2 - Fragrance oil for candles and soap. A whimsical blend of citrus and cherry. Like a sunny day in Florida!
When I got the wax tart from Sudsy's in my last order, it smelled just like a scent my mom and I loved that was discontinued. So I placed my order for products for my mom and myself, 2 of each thing. Sadly, the scrub and the lotion don't smell like the wax did to me. This scent is very cherry and very sweet. Its nice, just not what I was expecting. (one jar had no scent label) The spray and shower gel smell like the wax did though. Love those!

4 oz Silky body spray
Pink Flamingo x2 (reviewed above)

Purple boxed deLites-Buttery vanilla cookies covered with intoxicating caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut and laced with chocolate stripes. (Jen's blend, a Sudsy's exclusive)
--This is my scent creation and I absolutely adore it so I ordered a big size of it, but what I received was a 2oz bottle of it instead. It got mixed up with the Sweet tooth fairy scent, which is in the 4oz and was supposed to have been in the 2 oz size. Its ok, because I love them both, just a little disappointing that there was the mix up.

Silky Body splash 2oz (This is similar to a dry oil spray, soaks in pretty quickly and leaves skin feeling powdery soft)
Sweet Tooth Fairy - Strawberry cotton candy with a sprinkling of pink bubble gum. Our interpretation of a fragrance by a popular co.
--I really adore this scent, it smells like cotton candy to me. This was a reorder. :)

Silky Body splash 1oz
Kisses - Rich french vanilla, vanilla extract, 2 types of amber including resin, and dark Egyptian musk. A Sudsy's Soaps creation, you'll find yourself addicted to this! This is strong on the amber and dries down to a sensual blend of all notes.
--I really absolute LOVE this fragrance! Its everything it is described to be and then some! If you like amber and vanilla, this is a must try!

Pink sugar and Watermelon blended - I requested this custom blend and I'm VERY pleased with it! Its sooo yummy smelling, better than I expected! :D Absolutely LOVE it! Perfect for a summer scent, but I am going to wear it through the winter too!

Body Spray 1 oz
Faeries - Luscious blend of confectioners sugar paired with fruit syrup of wild berry, orange crush, black cherries & tangerine are molded into vanilla taffy create a sweet tooth, bubble gum dream!
--I get berries, vanilla pudding and orange slices all mixed in a big bowl and topped with sugar sprinkles. Very yummy scent!

Boston Scream Pie - This spooky treat creates tempting desire. Rich butter cream is warmed with a hint of spice and lifted by fruity tone for gourmand appeal. A vanilla custard background is enriched with hints of coconut milk to support the creamy signature of the creation. A Sudsy's exclusive for Halloween.
--Smells like spiced banana taffy to me. Not exactly what I had expected but I'll probably wear it. :)

bubble gum - An aroma of a sweet, juicy childhood bazooka bubblegum.
--Definitely bubble gum, I can even smell that powdery dust from the freshly unwrapped squares.

egyptian musk- Warm, sensual and very calming. Rich and full-bodied, it is a mysterious and haunting fragrance. You will imagine Cleopatra, herself, wearing this regal fragrance. It is often used to assist your focus on the spiritual side of life.
--I ordered this because I have not ever smelled this as a single note, and I really do love it. Its soft and clean smelling, unlike most musks that I've sniffed. This is definitely the one used in the MM Musk scent from Sudsy's. I could layer this with all kinds of scents! Can't wait to experiment!

fig- Pure essence of Mediterranean Italian Fig sun baked & bursting with fragrance! Earthy essence & oh so sensual.
--I have not ever smelled fig before, so I dont really have anything to compare it to. The fragrance is kind of like a dark fruit, a little on the warmer side and almost musky, but not. It has a certain ethereal clean lingering in the background. Very nice, can't wait to try it out. I think it will be perfect for autumn.

flirty pink - Our Pink Sugary mingling with Egyptian Musk. A Sudsy's Soaps blend.
--I first saw this one reviewed by smiles and it struck my curiosity. I am so glad because it is an awesome scent! The musk really enhances the strength of the pink sugar. Who would have thought?!

koolade - This fragrance takes in the rainbow of flavors and back to that perfect summer day
--Smells a lot like a freshly opened packet of red koolade. Yum!

lick me all over - A wonderful exotic fragrance with base notes of raspberry, cantaloupe, and watermelon, middle notes of jasmine and violet, and fresh top notes of grapefruit and kumquat.
--Smells almost exactly like the Champagne scent that I got from Sudsy's in one of my previous orders. Its clean yet softened by the florals.

scandalous - Our Pink Sugar type flirts with our sweet, Sweet Orange and drops a sexy note with Gardenia. A Sudsy's Soaps blend. Contains essential oil.
--Definitely pink sugar and orange, but I'm not picking up the gardenia as a single note. It must be light and blend well with the other two scents. I like this one, a nice spin on pink sugar. :)

4 oz Lotion (really liking the lotions, they are light and absorb quickly)
MM musk - love this, its a reorder. :)

Purple boxed deLites - reorder
Pink Chocolates - reorder
Pink Flamingo x2 - reviewed above
Pink Macaroon - reorder

4 oz shower gel - very watery compared to prior shower gels I got from Sudsy's.
MM Musk - reorder
Pink Flamingo x2 - reviewed above

freebies
pinkest flamingo on the block 4oz scrub - no scent description
--Very very sweet and very cherry.

fruit loops 1oz body splash - This fragrance begins with top notes of lemon rinds, lime, and grapefruit; middle notes of lemongrass, lily, and verbena; and base notes of vanilla sugar. Wow!
--Just like the cereal! Loving this, so glad she sent it!

bird of paradise 1oz silky spray - Fruity top and middle notes of strawberries, pomegranates with a creamy vanilla base. Everyone who sniffs this falls in love.
--Delicious! Sweet, fruity and yummy! Another one that I'm glad she sent to me! I would not have ordered this one based on decription.

wax tart scallop Vanilla Insanity - The label got smudged by me, so I'm not completely sure of the name of this. It smells like a very caramelized vanilla. Yummy!

wax tart strawberry candy - no description but it smells just like you would expect it to!

a little over 2ml of blood orange eo. - I've never sniffed this on its own, its very very tart and citrusy.

Rootbeer float shooting star - Icy flakes of rootbeer topped with luscious vanilla ice cream and drizzles of rootbeer syrup.
--exactly that! Just like a rootbeer float. Very Yummy!

She also sent a wooden rose that had been scented in Faeries scent.

Lathers & Lights Haul and Review

2011-09-17T00:41:00.001-05:00

Lathers & Lights webshop
Ordered 7/31 arrived 8/20
First, I love their small size sampler packs. I wish all companies did this or something similar. I have so much bath/body product, that I prefer to get smaller sizes when I can as long as they are priced at a good value.
Second, I like their labels, very easy to read, nice quality, full ingredient lists, and are pretty smudgeproof.
Third, I like both the lotions and the creams. Very soft feeling, absorb well, and feel luxurious.
Creams are: 4.5 oz. $9.25 and 9 oz. $16.00
Lotions are: 2 fl oz. Bottle / $5.50 4 fl oz. Bottle $7.50 / 8 fl oz. Pump Bottle $14.00
The lotion is just a hair lighter than the butter, but it is still a fairly thick heavy lotion.
Since they are similar in consistency, I would definitely opt for the lotions if I were going to order full sizes.
I also requested a sample of the coconut saffron, and not only did they include one, but they gave a TON of samples!
They even let a little happy duck ride along in my package! :D too cute!

body cream sampler:
Mexican Lime Pure, sweetened key lime juice.
--Very straight up lime, its not sweet in a sugary way, but sweet like a real lime smells.

Marshmallow Creme (no scent description)
--smells a little chemical-like will let this dry down and come back to it. Yep, its better now. Sweet and creamy, smells a lot like an angel food cake!

Candy Corn We've sourced the most perfect rendition of this addictive Halloween treat of corn syrup, sugar, honey and buttery vanilla. Our best-selling fall fragrance for several years!
--This doesn't smell like candy corn to me, it smells more like the brown sugar crumbles my mom puts on top of apple pie Or like the pie crust McDonald's pies have. Jas said it smells like sweet bread to him, I could definitely pick up a kind of sweet yeasty baked scent. I sniffed my bowl of candy corn afterward and they smell nothing alike. I still enjoy this scent though, its nice and bakery smelling!

Lemon Squares Tart lemon baked with rich, creamy vanilla and sugar with a garnish of freshly shredded coconut.
--I compared this to my Moona Lemming crack and its missing the crust note that Moona's version has. Other than that, it is the same lemon and coconut. Side by side, this one actually grabs my vote because its a stronger more prominent lemon/coconut, where the crust note in Moo's really tones down the lemon and coconut. Jas prefers Moo's blend, because it smells like a whole pie.

Lotion sampler:
Pirate Booty - cedar and oak, a touch of citrus and tropical fruits, and spiced rum.
--Very fresh smelling to me and familiar but I cannot figure out where I have smelled this before. I thought the wood note would be warm and earthy, but they're really more bright and uplifting. I would say this could pass for a spa type scent. I like it quite a bit!

Ginger Milk Spicy white ginger meets warm amber and smooth vanilla in a light, but wonderful fragrance!
--BBW Rice Flower and Shea dupe, I'd say 100% exact but I don't have rfas here to compare.

Halo Halo - This favorite Filipino dessert combines coconut meat, lychee berries, jackfruit, mango, and other fruits with sugar, shaved ice and milk. A scoop of ice cream on top completes this luscious concoction!
--I got this scent previously in a scrub from MCS and absolutely loved the scent. When I saw it on LL scentlist, I HAD to have a lotion too! Absolutely sweet and candy like but not completely sugary, there's a lot of vanilla in this too. LOVE IT!!

Pink Sand Beach - Pink sugar crystals with rich vanilla creme, marshmallow, and fresh cracked coconut.
--Just like you'd expect this to smell, very lovely! Excuse me while I go huff. xD Super Yummy!

The Bathing Garden Haul and Review

2011-09-07T20:42:00.000-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBathingGarden

The goods:

TLDR: Pleasure to deal with Shannon, Lightening fast tat (3bd) and shipping, wonderful products, nommy scents and heaps of freebies. :)

Long Version, see below.

Tarts

All of these are cold sniff reviews. :)
Pistachio Almond Pudding - This scent is a yummy blend of sharp almond, sweet pistachios, and cake!
--This is pretty heavy on the almond and its very creamy and sweet. This scent is the reason I placed my order. I just HAD to have it! Definitely worth ordering, possible reorder.
1 cube, hot throw is throwing to the other end of the house!!! This is very rare. I think there have been at most, four others that have done this, 2 of them were from PFS and one Aunti Di's. Color me impressed!

The Masquerade - Inspired by my love of Carnival...I bring you a wax tart with bubbling champagne, grapefruit, orange zests, and peppery tangerine; middle notes of strawberries, apples, pears, rose petals and jasmine; with sexy bottom notes of vetiver, white musk, and ylang ylang.
--Wonderfully clean and fresh smelling! I get citrus, but its light and not overpowering. I do get the middle and bottom notes kind of as a blend all together. I think those are what add the soft clean feeling to this scent. I love it!

Parisian Strawberry Fields - Running through the countrysides of Paris you will find the most succulent strawberries ever. This tart is a blend of juicy, fresh strawberries, tropical white peaches, succulent mango fruit, and rich vanilla beans.
--This smells like juicy ripe strawberries dipped in sugar. Sooo yummy! Had I known this, I'd have gotten a scrub in this one too. My gosh it smells good enough to bite! When I stop and try to pick out the single notes mentioned its really difficult to, because I keep smelling that sugared strawberry right in front of my nose, ready to have a bite of it. I can smell the peach/mango and perhaps the vanilla. This is so perfectly blended though, its really tough to pick those out and I would have no idea they were there if it wasn't listed. This is a reorder if it throws well when warmed.

Lavender Martini - Mouth watering martini scent blended with 100% lavender essential oil. Topped with a piece of pretty purple glass and little sparkling flowers.
--my tart's design looks quite a bit different from her photo, but I think it is lovely all the same. It smells absolutely wonderful. Its like a really fruity lavender if that makes any sense. I have not ever smelled anything quite like this. Its citrusy and tart, but I cannot figure out which citrus fruit. Maybe a blend of a few? I get an awesome lavender scent as the middle note and that velvety-like scent of lavender as the bottom. Truly unique, if you're a lavender lover or citrus lover I suggest you try it. I think you'll love it!

Pink Pomegranate - A sparkling, bright pomegranate having a tart citrus note and ending with complex woody notes. Topped with a pretty pink flower. This one is beautiful!
--It really is a beautiful scent, but for me its very sweet up front, a lot like pink sugar. I smell citrus, but its very soft and creamy and I'm not smelling a woody note. Perhaps hot melting it will change, but I absolutely adore how it smells! Right now, I'd put this in the foody/gourmand range rather than fruit. Can't wait to melt this one!

Cranberry Fig - This scent is my personal favorite! Super strong and amazing all year long. The tart bite of Cranberries and the sweet, mild allure of Fig. Cranberries and Figs are made even more striking by adding a smattering of Blood Orange and Pink Grapefruit notes to the mix.
--I remembered her saying that this was her favorite as soon as I saw the iridescent heart shaped glitter on the top! I really like this scent as well and think it would be a great scent for when company is over. Its not too sweet, not too bright. Its very inviting and almost warm, yet the citrus notes perk it up into a happy scent too. I can see why its Shannon's favorite! I am going to share some of this one with my mom too, I think she will love it!

Scrubs:

All the scrubs seem to be moisturizing but not greasy or oil slicky at all. They do contain some butters like shea or aloe, so I can definitely see why my skin feels moisturized after using them. I also noticed that with the two I tried out, the scent lingered on my hands and was noticable. This is the first bubbling scrub that I have noticed this with! Pretty awesome! Speaking of bubbles, they're there but they are scarce. This is more of a creamy lotiony kind of scrub, but not greasy at all. I don't know how she did it! Its unusal compared to my other scrubs, that's for sure, and I quite like it!

Pistachio Almond Pudding - This scent is a yummy blend of sharp almond, sweet pistachios, and cake!
--just as awesome smelling as the tart! So sweet, yet has that creaminess that nuts have. The scrub is a gorgeous color of green topped with little green pearls.

The Masquerade - Inspired by my love of Carnival...I bring you a wax tart with bubbling champagne, grapefruit, orange zests, and peppery tangerine; middle notes of strawberries, apples, pears, rose petals and jasmine; with sexy bottom notes of vetiver, white musk, and ylang ylang.
--same as the tart, wonderfully clean smelling! Tried this one on my hands too, and the scent is lingering after washing! woohoo! She mixed a colorful blend of jojoba beads throughout the scrub and then topped it with more! A fun little party in a jar! :D This was a custom request, but she has listed two more jars of this scrub in her shop!

A Spoonful of Sugar - This scent is almost spot on for LUSH Snow Fairy. Sweet, sugary, and absolutely wonderful!!
--I have never smelled Lush's version but I have sniffed MCS and CFTKRs and they all smell just like this one! I love how it smells so much! I tested this on my hands and the scent was there after I washed. Awesome sauce! This scent is always giong to be a little special to me. The MCS scrub I got in it, was the first big scrub I purchased online and I loved it!

Bubbling Butter Brew - My interpretation of Harry Potter's Butter Beer. Sweet clotted cream, salted caramel, rich butterscotch, and a touch of bubbling cream soda. Not only does it smell divine but the aloe butter makes this scrub feel amazing on your skin too!
--Teresa, you will love this! I can smell every scent note she mentions singly, and when I'm not looking for the single notes it smells simply delicious! I get the salty caramel, the cream, the bubbles, the butterscotch - it smells just like the cupcakes I baked! :) And now I'm off to hunt down a spoon. kidding! This scrub is topped with little pearls and teeny white jojoba beads. Love those jjbeads! :D

Guava & Raspberry Supreme - A bottom layer of fresh raspberry is topped with a succulent layer of guava. Love, love, love this one!!
--Me too!! :D Someone at MUA suggested this would be great in a scrub (was that L?), so I made note of it and finally ordered. So thank you very much whomever you were, you were right. Its freaking awesome! So fruity and bright, with just the right amount of tartness. The raspberry smells real and the guava smells sweet just like the juice I drank for breakfast on my first day visiting Hawaii. Done in split side by side style, the scrub has tiny red jojoba beads blended throughout and sprinkled on top! :D

All freebies:
Cherry Blossom Kiwi and Green Tea - This beautiful sugar scrub weighs over 8 ounces and is full of skin loving ingredients. I have added shea butter as well as ground green tea and rose petals. The bottom layer is scented in green tea. The top pink layer is scented with Kiwi and Cherry blossom and is sprinkled with rose petals.
--I was really surprised by this one, as its not my typical scent choice. However; it smells really lovely! And just look at how beautiful it is! Topped with rose petals and all! Very girly, softly sweet and feminine. The green tea layer is underneath and so I'm wondering if it smells different than what I'm smelling on top. I'm sure I'll like it too though! I love the colors, and I can see those big sugar crystals on the top too. I am so glad she sent this, because I wouldn't have ordered it myself. So very pretty and lovely smelling!

Nantucker Briar Bake Shop - These wax tarts are topped with cute little bakery pieces and sprinkled with cinnamon.
This manages to smell like an exotic bake shop with notes of butter, almond, mandarin orange, lemon, herbaceous lime, and pineapple with nutty notes, maple, clove, cinnamon, spicy berry notes, sage, lavender, jasmine, and ozonic notes, with a dry down of creamy vanilla coconut, amber woods, cedar leaf, cedarwood, sandalwood, and exotic musks.
--This was on my list of possibles when I was narrowing and it got bumped. I'm so happy that Shannon included it as a freebie. I really really like it! I don't get cinnamon on cold sniff at all, which is super awesome and makes Jen happy. :) It really does smell like a bakery that makes everything from fruit tarts, to chocolate ganache cake and coffee. Creaky wooden floors and tropical themed birthday cakes. Oh look! Oatmeal raisin cookies and fresh bread too! Loving this one for sure! :D

Very generous piece of Blue Hawaiian soap, golden sandy top and turquoise blue ocean bottom (forgot to put it in the photo!)

six assorted mini tarts, no idea what scent they are but they smell good, and are quite cute! I get a coffee note, a creamy vanilla, perhaps an almond note and something fruity. :D

Lasting Scent Candles Haul and Review

2011-09-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

This is about my third/fourth order from LSC. Their products are always top notch and this order continued the trend.

You can get yours here: http://www.lastingscentcandles.com
And track for sales and new scents here: Facebook

Tart scents on cold sniff:
(freebie!) Sweet Relaxation...Melt all your troubles away with this irresistible aroma of Fresh Calming Lavender and Sweet Marshmallow Fluff
--smells like herbal lavender and fluffy marshmallows! Quite different from Haunt's same scent, but still very nice.

Roselle Tea & Clover... A exotic drink combines the delightful tangy notes of Roselle, Cranberry, Tamarind and Key Lime with A of Sweet Pineapple, Tropical Mysore Raspberries and Herbal Sweet Clover. This sweet and tart fragrance will surely uplift your mood
--Gah this smells delicious! Tart, fruity, and sweet! I bet this will be a huge thrower!

Lemon Drop Cotton Candy (LSC MIX)...Tart Juicy Lemons and Sticky Sweet Cotton Candy.
--oo this is yummy! Sweet sticky candied lemons, hundreds of them! Very strong and delicious smelling!

Cake Batter Ice Cream....A Delicious blend of Rich Cake Batter, Sugar cane and Sweet Creamy Vanilla.
--Very vanilla and caramelly. Super sweet!

Blackberry Cotton Candy(LSC MIX)...Succulent Juicy Blackberries and Sweet Cotton Candy
--a juicy tart blackberry sweetened up by the candy! I am getting vanilla base in this too.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread (LSC MIX)...One of my favorites.. Warm Banana Nut Bread loaded with melting Chocolate Chips..THANK YOU Jennifer L.for suggesting this awesome smelling blend.
--Jenni(from MUA) you did a great job with this suggestion and Pam interpreted it into a tart so well! I can smell the chocolate, the banana and the bread! I am guessing this one is a pretty strong thrower too!

Sugar Bubbles Sugar Scrub
Sweet Relaxation is the scent I chose for the scrub. I just had to try it out so I could compare it to other favorites of mine. And lemme tell ya, definitely in my top three favorites! First, the scent is very strong and really opens up with the addition of water as I scrubbed. Tons of sugar in this, so it scrubbed for a good while and it started lathering up way before the sugar was dissolved. First, I didn't add much water, just passed one hand through the running water to get started. The scrub lathered up into something like a heavy creamy shave cream! So then I added a little more water, in the same manner as before and I got bubbles!! bubbles everywhere! Soooo foamy and velvety! I didn't want to wash it off! I scrubbed a while til the sugar dissolved then rinsed clean and patted my hands dry. Had to sniff then, to see what lingered; and WOW! My hands smell delicious! Quite strong, compared to what most scrubs leave behind.

If you're a scrubbie addict, I definitely recommend trying LSC scrubs, you'll be soooo glad you did!

Haus of Gloi Autumn Review and Haul

2011-08-28T22:31:00.001-05:00

http://hausofgloi.com

Before I started sniffing, I was a little disappointed. The three perfume samplers were supposed to come in muslin bags with skulls on them. I have a nephew and two nieces and I had planned on giving their weenie treats in those bags.
And I'm envious that someone got a preview sample of a not yet released scent, but I got my third sample of honeysuckle lemon curd. I adore it and am glad that Haus sends freebies, I'm a brat though.
That said, upon sniffing each perfume I didn't find any of those "omg must have more of it right now" scents like I did with spring and summer. I like several, but not enough to order more. This is the very first time I have ever been disappointed in a Haus scent creation. =/ I almost didn't want to post this review, but feel compelled to nonetheless.

Perfume sampler pack #1
Pumpkin Queen (and soap) - Gentle hay pillows, pumpkin, ripe peaches dusted with clove and nutmeg, dried summer herbs, and lastly, a lovely crown of amber.
--Very warm and almost earthy - must be the hay or herbs but it also smells a little smokey/bonfire-like to me. I get the pumpkin, peach, clove and then the amber is laying beneath it all. Drydown is very smokey on me. Do not like this. =/

Saft Ernte - A merry drink of harvest and glowing with warmth: Peach juice simmering with sweet spices, pumpkin, silken hazelnut cream and made completely curious with a drop of orange blossom water.
--definitely picking up the peach, just like the one used in peach mama. I get the hazelnut and pumpkin, but I don't smell the floral. Its very sweet and candy like. Drydown is mostly peach, but its an almost caramelized peach! I think this would be good in any product if you're a peach fan. I have a bad memory of peach scented air freshener, so this is a no go for me.

Samhain (and soap) - Freshly turned earth, wet leaves, and a cool herb laden wind carrying spectres and spooks!
--reminds me of aveda rosemary mint shampoo with a dirt note. Very interesting, I think it might be great as a late night/cool winter weather scrub, but I wouldn't personally wear this scent as perfume. It is quite strong!

Hex - You've been bewitched! Brackish amber, aged vanilla bean and three dark fruits, veiled in darkness and otherworldly secrecy.
--I love how this smells, its quite sweet but the amber definitely comes through. The drydown is soft and almost clean/soapy smelling. Too bad this doesn't come in an other products, I'd be all over that!

Red Roan - Fresh strawberry flecked porridge with maple syrup and adulterated with a splash of white cognac.
--totally smells like sweetened condensed milk to me. Very yummy, very very sweet! The drydown has softened up on the sweetness, but the scent is still very similar to initial application just not quite as strong.

Perfume sampler pack #2
Pixie Sorcerer -They look cute, but beware! Deceptive pomegranate candy floss, beneath that a spiteful blend of coffee co2, vetiver and myrrh.
--I get the sweetness up front, but after I've worn the scent for about 30 minutes I get peanut butter. I am beginning to think that is the Vetiver. Its a scent note that I'm not too familiar with, but a lot of folks do not like it at all. I need to dig out some bpals with vetiver and see if they turn like this on me.

Pumpkin Eater -Cream, glowing pumpkin, rich vanilla bean and the tiniest touch of nutmeg butter.
--this smells like peaches to me when first applied and then turns to straight up cinnamon. My chemistry amps any kind of cinnamon, so I usually avoid those. I had high hopes for this one, but I guess any teensy amount of cinnamon just won't work for me, and that peach note...no thanks!

Ghost Puffs - Buttery popcorn and marshmallow goo orbs, presented on a wooden stick.
--Smells great, I get a very buttery vanilla note on bottle sniff, no marshmallow. When I wear it, the scent fades after less than an hour to that candle waxy scent that my chemistry changes vanillas to. pewps.

Olde Cider Haus - Old oak, sweet drying hay fields, crushed apple pulp and vanilla bean husks.
--I get a bright green, tart apple here with an almost powdery dry down. I like apple ok, but if it was my favorite scent note I think I'd have to have more of this. Its definitely unique from other apple scents. I'm actually digging this well enough to want to wear it to work sometime. yes, the more I smell this the more I like it. I think the complexity of this apple scent is what I am liking. Bonus is there's no cinnamon in this!

Perfume sampler pack #3
Hedonic - Black fig, golden honey, saffron threads and Indian agar musk.
--Smells a bit smokey on me and I'm getting the dreaded pee scent from the honey. drats.

Ceremony - Dusty beeswax candles, frankincense, myrrh, mastic, spikenard, pale honey, a pinch of tobacco and faded musk.
-- wet on the skin this smells like peanut butter to me. There is something bright and clean as a top note, but I cannot help smelling the peanut butter predominately. ok, peanut butter is gone now after about 2 minutes, its turning into something nice. I get a kind of minty scent, I can smell the musk and I am not familiar enough with the other notes to recognize them in a fragrance, but this is turning out to be really nice! I must say I am very pleasantly surprised! Which is why I always skin test oils when I'm reviewing! Never know what they might turn out to be! It smells like silky chocolate and mint now. Really loving this! Wow! Wish it was in pumpkin butter, I think I'd be ordering it.

Queen Mother I - Last years Pumpkin Queen oil with 5 year aged patchouli, jasmine essence and the blackest vetiver, co-distilled with honeysuckle blossom.
--Straight up pumpkin. I don't smell any single notes in this really, it smells just like an unspiced sweet pumpkin with a little bit of richness from the patchouli. This is definitely similar in concept to the peach mama, where patch really brings forth a juicyness. I really like this quite a bit.

Full 5ml bottle of perfume oil:
Queen Mother - reviewed above

Candy Corn - Very sweet and buttery smelling. Its not a dupe of the real thing, but its a nice scent. I am somehow getting a cinnamon note in this. Unfortunately, the vanilla in this one turns to candle wax on me and the cinnamon is amped up like woah. no likey =/

Peaches and Cream Gumball - very peachy, very creamy, totally dessert like! I LOVE this! omg I might take a bite of my arm! Its that wonderful! Wish this was a pumpkin butter and bubbling scrub!

Blood Orange Marshmallow - I am getting a children's bayer aspirin scent in the bottle. I thought this would be my pick of the whole bunch, but actually its second to last. It smells the same wet on the skin. After drydown, all I smell is marshmallow. =/

It may just be my perception, but I really feel like Haus took a different direction with the release than other seasonals. Tons of perfume oils, very few available in other products. It kind of surprised me and isn't the typical kind of release I've come to depend on from Haus. Perhaps it was time to change things up and be spontaneous! It just didn't fair in my favor this time. I still love you Haus, you're amazing in every way, and you're still my number one etailer for bath and body. I look forward to the Winter release and the early year reveries/valentines, which I totally missed out on this year.

Solstice Scents Haul and Review

2011-08-24T19:56:00.001-05:00

This is my very first purchase from Solstice Scents, so this is my complete stash of SS products. :)

Sugared Amber Whipped Cleansing Scrub in Keylime, Coconut Cream and Pineapple:
At first jar opening, I could smell the fragrance rising from the glistening, pure white sugar crystals. Lifting it for a closer sniff, I get a beautiful blend of all three scents. Such a wonderful aroma, I was ready to get a spoon and dig in!
But instead I went to the sink to do a test run of the scrub with a hand washing. Its nice and scrubby, the sugar granules seem to be very similar in size and as I rubbed I saw some bubbles while the scrub became creamy almost like a lotion. Very nice!
After I towel dried my hands I could still smell this tropical scent! Paradise!
Here's a photo of the top of the scrub:

The mini vials in the second photo above are perfume oils. I ordered two, and got two free since it was my first purchase with SS. She even let me choose the scents for the free ones!

Jack & The Devil - Vanilla, Tobacco, Oakmoss, Amber, Patchouli, Sweet Pumpkin & Soft Spice
--I am fairly certain that I can smell each of the above scent notes, they're really well balanced in this blend. I really love amber, and its definitely coming through on my skin; the spice is very soft which is good because my chemistry tends to amp spices. I smell something sweet now which I think is the vanilla but the tobacco is keeping the vanilla grounded in a very nice way. The patch is nearly hidden in here as well as the oakmoss, very subtle for both. I am really digging this scent, I think it'll be perfect for cool weather; a nice and cozy scent!

Violet Truffle - Dark Chocolate, Violet, Violet Leaf & Vanilla Absolute
--Wow! So complex, its difficult to describe. The chocolate is a nice rich bittersweet dark chocolate, nothing fake here. I get a top note that's a little green but not overly so, very well blended in. The violet sits just under the chocolate, as it morphs the violet turns to a soft powdery scent. The longer its on my skin, the more it changes to sweet scent. The vanilla base lingers throughout, making this a very well blended scent.

Cenobite - A Deep & Rich Vanilla for Vanilla Lovers
--Oh Cenobite, how do I love thee! Very boozy smelling in the bottle but once applied the fragrance blossoms into the most wonderful, deep, rich vanilla. The longer I wear it, the more it smells like vanilla extract, straight from the bean. This is the first vanilla that has not turned to plastic on me. Win!

Astral Temple - Sensual Amber, Ginger, Orange & Clove
--This is the fragrance that drew me to SS. I love amber, and this sounded like a wonderful blend to try. Boy am I glad I did! Its a very lovely rich, yet sweet amber paired with orange and clove; which I think really enhance the amber in a wonderful way. I don't quite smell the ginger as a single note, but I am sure its there. Oh yes, now I smell the ginger layered on top of everything spicing it up just a hare. I wouldn't realize it was there, had it not been listed as a scent note. Gah I could totally live in this fragrance, its that good. If you're an amber lover, definitely give this a try!

2011-08-19T00:40:00.000-05:00

Jason just finished making Pesto with basil he grew in his herb garden. I already ate one piece of flatbread of it and its soooo yummy!
He told me that he looked at a few recipes for ingredients and then made up his own proportions for each. I must say this is the best pesto I've ever tried!

Cozy Cottage Scents Haul and Scent Review

2011-08-17T22:30:00.002-05:00

Cozy Cottage Scents or CCS for short.
http://cozycottagescents.com
http://www.facebook.com/cozycottagescents

TLDR scroll to bottom of entry. :)

Baked Alaska Does anyone still serve Baked Alaska? We're here to bring it back! Vanilla ice cream layers of sponge cake and topped with meringue are just the beginning. The drama comes from the spalsh of rum poured on the Baked Alaska and then flamed table side. The meringue takes on an entirely new flavor!
--I ate this on the train ride on our recent trip to Eureka Springs. They shaped the whole cake like an old fashioned steam engine, and put the rum in the smoke stack so it was aflame when they carted it out. It was such an exciting site to see, so I had to have this tart! I smell the meringue and then I get hit with cinnamon. I don't recall any cinnamon in my baked "train" alaska, but I reckon there could be some variation of recipes. Its a nice scent and has good cold throw, just a bit different from what I had expected. :)
What I really would like, is another bite of this!

Blackberry Marmalade Hard to pick which we like better, our Cranberry Marmalade or our Blackberry Marmalade. This has an absolutely authentic blackberry scent so real you can taste them as they burst open with juiciness. Add a little sugar for sweetness and simmer down to bring out the natural flavor. You can picture the handwritten label on the jar!
--Definitely juicy blackberries and I'm picking up a faint vanilla in there too! Very yummy! cold throw is medium

Bonfire Bliss Reminiscent of gentle dusky breezes and bonfires with notes of dried wind-blown leaves heliotrope cedar amber smoky sandalwood and cinnamon musk with a background containing hints of roasted marshmallows brown sugar and soft vanilla. A truly beautiful lightly spicy fragrance with very very subtle smoke in the background.
--Ooo! Woodsy, yet sweet and campfire smelling! Definitely picking out the marshmallow in this and surprisingly, the sandalwood is not turning my nose away! I really do like this one!

Butterscotch Toffee (butterscotch brulee?) Not sure if this will give you shivers of joy or cavities! Perfect scent of creamy butterscotch. This is one of Lulu's favorites!
--Simply delicious! I could eat it, better yet I will just huff it and save the carbs! I do get a little bit of a plastic aftersmell (is that a word? it is now!), but its not horrible, hoping it will be unnoticable while melting. I think this was mislabeled, either way its the same thing! Cooking sugar to a certain heat point makes toffee. :D -dusts glitter off hands- weee!

Candy Corn This is so yummy they now make a version of this for all the holidays. Vanilla maple butter honey and sugar blended for one of a kind flavor and great throw in a tart.
--sniffs tart, sniffs bowl of candy corn- Not exact, but it is very sugary with a touch of butter. I get a barely there maple too, I'm curious how this will smell when warmed. The cold throw is between medium and strong on this one!

Caramel Cinnamon Latte A fabulous blend of sweet caramel hints of cinnamon and espresso with fresh steamed mild and topped with whipped cream. Your home will smell simply unbelievable
--This one was double bagged, and I can see why! Its super strong and super delicious! I want to just drink this up. :D

Cherry Pixie Stix Our Purple Pixie Stix are a best seller which made us determined to make a perfect Cherry flavor. We did it! The right tartness, nothing artificial, all the cherry candy goodness of the sugary treat.
--Luden's cherry throat drops! Yep, I love them though so I adore this tart too! :D

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sometimes even we are amazed at how perfect a scent can be. Whether you're a slice and bake cookie maker or carefully blend your ingredients from scratch, chocolate chip cookies have a one of a kind aroma as they come out of the oven. We promise we have captured that piece of heaven!
--YUM! First I get the chocolate, then I get the cookie dough. I don't know how they did this blend without it smelling like a sugar cookie. Lovin it! (light scent throw on cold sniff) -looks at all the pretty sparkly glitter on the keyboard tray!-

Cottage Mimosa No doubt this will be a top seller. Bubbly notes swirled with berries make for our very own mimosa drink. Sitting on the porch of the summer cottage, watching the sun come up or go down, enjoying this sparkly, fruity drink. Don't wait for Sunday brunch!
--A very nice blend of berries and orange juice. Its sweet yet not overly tart, the orange is kind of hidden in there but I can smell it. Great for a morning burning, quite refreshing!

Cottage Sangria An easy breezy summer wine cooler, cottage style! Mountains of finely sliced and chopped fruits, from oranges to berries, peaches and pears, swimming in sweet red wine. We like to add a splash of Triple Sec to keep the party lively. Come join the celebration! If you'd like our real recipe for your next party, email us!
--Very similar to purple pixie stix but it has this hawaiian punch fruit note to it which makes it have that wine scent! I think I'm going to love this one when its hot! -notices glitter sprinklings now on the desktop-

Custard Cream Cake NEW - Really, you'll wish this was a real cake. Moist yellow cake with inches and inches of creamy custard filling. Sweet butter, bakery vanilla, powdered sugar and cake, cake, cake! A fantasy come true for all our bakery scent lovers.
--VERY strong buttercream notes with a base of vanilla cake, all topped off with sparkling sugar. Very strong on cold sniff!

weeee! I have glitter all over me! woops there it goes down the shirt! oo this baggie is crunchier than the others, oh yeah, scent reviews!

Frosted Winter Berry A juicy, spicy, berry blend with notes of milky amber, creamy French vanilla, cinnamon and caramelized sugar. Much more complex than the name implies, this scent is a must-have for fruit lovers!
--Very cinnamony on cold sniff, I do pick up the vanilla and a teensy bit of berries. Cold throw is fairly strong. I am hoping the amber and caramel will come out to play when melted!

Grandma's Cupboard Cookies baking in the oven at Grandma's house! Is she making Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Chip or Sugar Cookie or maybe all three? Stronger than a Sugar Cookie but not as spicy as an Oatmeal Cookie. Fresh baked goodness!
--I ordered two of these because it sounded like the ultimate in kitchen spiced bakery, and boy is it! Its cookie, its cinnamon, its chocolate all wrapped up in a single super fragrant tart! -goes to wash hands, sooooo much cinnamon!-

Marshmallow Fluff - our own blend Sweet gooey marshmallow! The perfect blend of butter sugar and vanilla. We think our Marshmallow is the best you'll find! Absolute perfection.
--straight up marshmallow goo! SO super yummy! This tart makes me want to get body products in Marshmallow, like, now! -bumps cocoa pink to top of wishlist!- No plastic, no sawdust, just straight-up yummy gooey marshmallow!

**Over the Rainbow This fragrance will take you to the world of wishes that come true. With base notes of white and dark chocolate it smells almost edible! Other notes include violet fresh jasmine musk blackberries and vanilla. Hard to describe and even harder to forget.
--A sprinkle of fairy dust from Tinkerbell, that's what this tart is made of! Bakery, floral, musk I don't know whether to take a bite, feel cozy, or think of a warm summer night blooming with jasmine! Its all here, just like she describes - Very unique, a must have! -daydreams of what paradise might smell like, back to the review!-

Panna Cotta This delicious Italian dessert is a decadent and thick creamy pudding with vanila bean, sugar, and sweet cream. Luscious and delicious, this is a scent every bakery and vanilla scent addict must try! Our version is perfect with outstanding throw.
--Highly recommended by our very own jennistarbrite @MUA, I just had to try it - twice! This is a very very rich sweet gooey buttery creamy vanilla tart. Wow is just about all I can think of to say about this one. Super strong on cold throw, I'm sure its going to be way strong when melted! Thank you for the rec Jenni!

peeps Chicks and bunnies of marshmallow dreams coated in sugar sprinkles. Do you like them fresh and fluffy or a week old and chewy? Save some to toast over a campfire amazing!
--Straight up marshmallow and sugar. No other way to put it. :D I am not sure of how strong this will be melting, as it seems a little soft on cold throw.

**Pink Frosted Layer Cake This is NOT a Pink Sugar Blend - this is a Philosophy dupe. We could hardly wait to finish creating this magnificent scent. Our "philosophy" was to take yummy cake, lots of sugar, sweet berries and vanilla frosting to a level of cake fantasy unlike any other. Bakery lovers will build a little shrine to this one.
--OMG this is soooo delicious smelling! Someone hand me a spoon, stat! Sinfully sweet and quite strong cold throw for a bakery scent!

Pink Bubble (Bazooka) - pink sugar and bazooka bubble gum blend.
--Pink sugar kicked up a notch! A little sweeter and a little pinker! YUMMY!

**Pink Lavender - Pink Sugar and Lavender.
--Bow Chicka Bow Wow! Porn Star! Yep, this is the purple one with all the bling in the macro photo I took especially for MsGoddess at MUA. I hope seeing the porn helps her have a speedy recovery! The scent is heavenly. I love pink sugar blends and I have never smelled one done so well! Its like Lavender was made for pink sugar. I thought I liked pink sguar marshmallow and pink sugar vbn, but this blows them both away. Purple, sparkles, yummy! I cannot emphasize enough how much I really love this one! Its sweet, yet rich, and somehow clean. I'm stumped, I am just glad I know how to order more of them! -adds to wishlist-

Pizzelle Picture a sweet vanilla waffle that is really thin and crunchy and looks like a giant snowflake. That's a pizzelle, a cookie the Italians have made famous. It's made in a pizzelle iron, similar to a waffle iron. Vanilla, sugar, butter baked into a delicate and artistic cookie.
--My very first Pizzelle tart, and I'm quite happy about it! Smells just like a waffle cone baking in the hot cast iron press. A little light on cold throw, but I am excited to melt this one!

**Purple Pixie Stix Nothing else taste like that grape powder candy in the skinny paper tube. It's a grape like no other with a bit of tartness that tickles the taste buds and then explodes into sweet grape candy. This one is spot on and fun!
--A reorder, I got two! Stunning and delicious, just like my first. :)

Red Licorice Marshmallow Red licorice in high gear! Our Red Licorice blended with Marshmallow
--yep, I get both notes in this; creamy vanilla spiked marshmallow and sweet red licorice! It has a fairly strong cold throw!

Rice Krispy Treats Do you have a secret ingedient for your crispy rice cereal marshmallow bars? We like to add a little extra butter and the real secret, a teaspoon of vanilla in the melting marshmallows! Try it! Our blend mimics this childhood treat adults love to sneak. Marshmallow, butter, a little vanilla and crunchy rice crisps is what you get in this yummy treat!
--cooked marshmallows, crispy rice and butter - a real treat!

**Sweet Lime-a-licious Kisses This is a must try for everyone it is that good! A kiss of lime and a kiss of suagr is a kiss you'll crave more of! If you are a fan of Fresh Lemon Sugar oh how you're gonna love this fragrance! Fresh lime infused with sweet sparkling sugar crystals gently kissed by lemons. Incredible!
--no joke, this is the best lime tart I have smelled. Its got super strong cold throw, yay! I cannot wait to melt this I think its going to be a nose hair burner!

Tiramisu with Tony (Tony's tiramisu?) Tiramisu has changed dessert menus forever! Delicate sponge cake, soaked in amaretto, espresso, and chocolate with a kiss of cinnamon topped with whipped cream. Can anything be more decadent and European at the same time?
--Now this is what baked alaska should have smelled like! Sweet Amaretto, the hint of coffee adds that burnt meringue scent, the chocolate smells more like a milky white cream to me, and I'm getting a sort of cake batter in this too. Absolutely no cinnamon note - I wonder if they accidentally swapped labels on these? I love it! This is another one that my scent twins, jennistarbrite and tgirl @MUA will love!

Watermelon Candy Is this the one you reach for when you see a bowl of Jolly Ranchers? Mouth watering watermelon candy and we left out all the artificial notes!
--oh my! The description is very accurate, it smells just like a watermelon jolly rancher!! Its really strong on cold sniff too! I LOVE this!

**White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie We really don't need a description for this one, do we? You really need this scent. Really, you do.
--To answer their question, no! You really need this scent. Really, you do! This is like..Exact and...perfect..in every way! I think this has got to be one of my favorite bakery scents compared to all over tarts I have ever sniffed! No kidding, you need this tart! Definitely re-ordering this on my next ccs order.-adds to wishlist- jennistarbrite, tgirl and all my scent twins @MUA, you will LOVE this! I just know you will. :)

Mediterranean Fig The classic fig scent blends earthy notes with sweet, ripe fig. The fig scent is recreated using cashmere woods, melons, lily, ripe strawberry and greens. This is a deep, ripe fig and not overly sweet.
--Very rich and woodsy yet sweet. Just imagine a teeny wood nymph fluttering near wild berries nestled amongst sweet blades of grass! She's being sneaky as not to alert the campers sitting beside their campire. I think this is a really well balanced tart for someone venturing into the woodsy/warm scent category from bakery or even from clean/fresh as this does have a touch of green. If its not your usual M.O., give it shot - I can almost guarantee you'll like it! And if you don't, feel free to toss them my way!

Pineapple Upside Cake This is always such an eye appealing cake when served, don’t you agree? A rich combination of sweet pineapples, vanilla flavored cake, with hints of orange zests, butter, and brown sugar.
--I'm getting vanilla, sweet molasses from the brown sugar and perhaps a little butter. I'm not smelling candied pineapples or orange zest on cold throw. There is a good unusual scent in this that I cannot figure out. lol the tart smells great and I am very curious how it will smell while melting.

Autumn Spice This is the way home should smell when the air is cold, leaves are blowing and your favorite afhgan is calling your name. Very cozy and comfy, a feel good scent!
--Very very heavy cinnamon.I think I'm picking up a red delicious apple in the far distance. Cold sniff is very strong!

Cactus and Sea Salt Interesting combination as you don't see cactus at the sea shore. I like to think of this one as a long distant romance, so perfect together. One of the most amazing scents you will ever smell. Stimulates the senses with oceanic accords and refreshing and shimmering top green notes giving this fragrance a signature of fresh sea spray. Sea moss and driftwood create a rich undertone. A must try.
--Her description suits this perfectly, very fresh oceanic and the green is very soft like an aloe or sweet grass. Jas picked this one out and I'm pleasantly surprised that I like it! :D

**Southern Tea Cake A beautiful afternoon tea on the wrap around porch of the farm house is what day dreams are made of. Picture yourself sipping sweet tea while nibbling delicate tea cakes filled with plump, sweet raisins and crunchy nuts.
--oh. my. God. yep, this one is worth spelling it all out! Its sooo -sniffs- sooo -inhales- soooooo -considers taking a bite- YUMMY smelling. I have not ever smelled a tart quite like this. Delicate little raisin cake petit fours frosted with pastel colored icing and finished with sprinkles of crunchy nuts. A sip of tea, a cool breeze floating by, yes this one is all that and a bag of chips!

**Fruity Fizzy Pop Yes, you will smell the fizziness! A thirst quenching combination of red fruity berries, effervescent bubbles and fun. A feel good, happy scent!
--this was a "order more to get free shipping" scent, and boy am I glad I did! This tart is wonderful! I get grapefruit top notes (the fizz), with berries at the heart, a little something green perhaps, and the base is a barely there vanilla. cold throw is super strong! I am in LOVE with this fragrance and MUST order another! -adds to wishlist-

Fruity Sugar Sprinkles A sweet and fruity concoction of berries, bananas, apples, melons, and pears blended with French vanilla and sprinkled with sugar cane.
--Wow! What an explosion of sugary sweet fruits! This one is going to be great to melt!

**Herbal Raspberry We weren't sure what to expect with this scent however once we tested it, we knew it was a keeper and future best seller. Wow. Not too sweet, not too much berry! An intoxicating blend of raspberry that is mellowed by the scents of an herb garden. If a fruit scent could be described as fresh and clean, this would be it.
--oh wow, this is like Haus of...well you know, raspberry in the raspberry cream soap. So super happy I got two of these, Its divine!

Cozy Cottage Signature Pictue walking into a warm, welcoming cottage in the country and immediately feeling comforted and completely at home. This is our signature scent! A blend of all thing cozy, delicious and comforting including vanilla, sweet raisins, graham crackers, baking spices, and a bit of caramel.
--exactly how its described! When I first opened the box of tarts, this is what the blend of all the fragrances smelled like. The descriptions mentions spice, but there is very little cinnamon, I barely even smell that note. I love this!!

White - Pure. Cleansing. Refreshing. Uplifting. Captivating. Beautiful. Fresh. Perfect. Impossible to describe, everyone needs to experience this intoxicating scent.
--yep, its all that! This is a crisp/bright white, almost like a hint of citrus in it. Its not like those fresh linen scents, its more like a fresh soap. I really love this and think it would be the perfect melt after cleaning house!

Chocolate Rasberry Drizzle Decadent and aromatic with dark chocolate notes surrounding tart raspberries. Aromatic green notes soften the chocolate accord.
--Heaven sums it up nicely! Pure semi-sweet chocolate covering a truffle center of succulent raspberry. I want to bite into this!

Pink Purple Pixie - Pink sugar and purple pixie stix, how could I not love this one!?

TLDR
Faves are:

Pink Frosted Layer Cake
Pink Lavender
Purple Pixie Stix
Sweet Lime-a-licious Kisses
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie
Southern Tea Cake
Fruity Fizzy Pop
Herbal Raspberry

Villainess

2011-08-07T02:19:00.002-05:00

Ordered August 1, shipped August 2, arrived August 5 - fast!
This was my second order from Villainess and I am very pleased with everything. Its nicely packaged and shipped and just look at the cute stickers they included for me!
Villainess is celebrating their 8th birthday and so the first 200 orders received birthday candles. Some of the candles had a special code with them!

Banana Cream Soap - Fresh Banana and Sweet Pineapple creamed with Crisp Coconut.
--A really sweet, ripe creamy banana scent. Love it! Will go great with my bungalow body butter and Sudsy's Banana cream pie body splash!

Some More soap - Smokey milk chocolate, sandwiched with toasted marshmallow between cinnamon honey grahams.
--Chocolatey and well mostly just chocolatey. Yummy from what I can tell, kind of difficult to smell through the shrink wrap.

Supervillainess Redux - Dry woods, worn-in leather, bittersweet cacao and arabica, succulent blackberry and lime, and a salty thread of cilantro.
--I don't usually buy scents with notes of leather in them, but the blackberry and lime persuaded me. I can't quite decide what I think of it. I like it but, then there's that leather note. Will have to keep sniffing and see if its one of those "acquired" scents.

Freebies:
I opened both of these before the photo and so I messed up the labels a little bit. I just couldn't wait to sniff them! :)

Blush soap slice - A blend of sweet berry and tart lime notes, grounded by a slightly tipsy touch of cheap dry wine.
--I smell the berry, with what seems like something woodsy or maybe a warm floral like jasmine. I am not picking up the lime note. Its a pleasant scent, but not a favorite.

Decadance - An indulgent vanilla - alcoholic, buttery and bittersweet with delightful undertones of tonka and coconut. Our favourite vice.
--This soap smells a lot like another favorite fragrance of mine. I love it!

I opened up my candle and I didn't see a code, but it was fun to participate in the 8th birthday for Villainess Soaps.

Wahm's Scented Wax haul and review

2011-08-04T23:56:00.005-05:00

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This is my second order with Wahm's Scented Wax and I absolutely love everything that Julie makes. From how it looks, to how it smells on cold throw and while melting. She is top notch and has made her way to the top of my list for tart makers. I am already plotting a third order.
Julie is very communicative, fast, and friendly. She's simply amazing, I don't think the gal ever sleeps!

Read on for my scent review!

Christmas Wish - A wonderful Christmas treat. A unique blend of hints of lemon, orange, cedar wood and pine all nestled in a warm, rich vanilla cookie base. It reminds me of a kitchen filled with freshly baked sugar cookies surrounded by pine and pine cones scented in a fireplace.
--Half a dozen donuts! This scent is absolutely amazing. Teresa sent an oil sample to me, and I asked Wahm's if they could find it, little did I know Teresa had asked too! :D So here we are, tart scent heaven. :)

Pumpkin Noel - no description
--Yummy creamy pumpkin, I don't smell any cinnamon at all which is awesome! This scent was done in the scoop w/pumpkins and the whole thing is meltable!

Lemon Buttercream zucchini - no description
--A very yummy sweet lemon buttercream frosting piled high on top of soft zucchini bread. A nice cozy scent!

pumpkin bread (toast 4 pack) - no description
--This smells just like the pumpkin bread my grandmother used to bake! So comforting and warm smelling, this is strong!

gingerbread house (toast 4 pack)- Candied Citrus, Pink Sugar, Ginger Root, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Buttercream Frosting, Allspice, Golden Caramel, Vanilla Sugar.
--a fresh baked gingerbread house decorated with candies, non-perils, frosting, sparkling sugars and spicy gumdrops!

Christmas Cupcakes - You can still smell them baking as the cupcakes are taken out
of the oven and covered in icing and decorated with your favorite Christmas scene.
--This one is the scoop, I asked her to surprise me with the shape and she made cupcakes by hand without a mold! I think she did a wonderful job with them. Reminiscent of vanilla bean noel with a dollop of buttercream frosting. yummy!

limeade - Lime and Sugar
--Definitely fizzy smelling and very limey! Jas and I both love this one, its going to be a strong melter!

Freebies:
Strawberry Shortcake - no description
--Hello Kitty shaped layered in white and pink. The sweetest sugarard strawberries sitting atop a buttery shortcake round. I can't stop sniffing this!

Butter Pecan Ice Cream - no description
--Popsicle shaped. I got this as a freebie in my first order too! Love it!

Bad Banana Jamma - Wahm didn't have a description, so I found this on the supplier's webpage: We combined Banana, pineapple, strawberry, cherry, coconut, vanilla custard, caramel, almond toffee crunch, chocolate fudge and french vanilla.
Then we topped it all off with a super rich and lusciuos whipped cream.
--Straight up sweet, ripe banana, and perhaps a touch of rum. No basey/caramelly/taffy scents in this at all! I would have never thought by the blend decription that this would smell like a real banana! Amazing what certain blended scents can do!

Haus of Gloi - second hand purchase

2011-08-04T23:55:00.002-05:00

Ploughman emulsifying scrub - Well worn leather, dirt n' dandelions, carrot, a pinch of tobacco and a light sheen of feral skin musk
--To me this smells like the earth when its starting to rain. I LOVE that scent and have always wished I could find something like it in a body product. This is going to be so awesome to use in the shower on a cool autumn night.

Honey Tree perfume sample - Quite rich! Right from the bee hive - honey amplified by seductive essence of resinous vanilla, darkened by a passing waft of mild rare wood smoke.
--I get a creamy dark vanilla, but when I asked Jas what he thought of it, well..you know what they say about honey scents. =/ So I will most likely be gifting this one elsewhere.

Earth bar soap -Aged patchouli, three vanillas and the glorious exhale of jasmine blooms.
--This soap smells a little spicy and a little..hmm..perhaps musk but its light. I don't smell patchouli distinctly in it, which is great, cause I don't like patch! However; I think I'll love this when using it.

My Bath and Body Stash from etailers

2011-08-04T23:52:00.000-05:00

only etailer with their own shelf. :D Love me some HoG!

These are all etailer except for the behemoth scrub from bbw. I didn't want it to feel left out. xD
This is almost my whole stash, I didn't photograph shower gels I have five from Sudsy's which are stashed under the bathroom sink, I forgot to grab them for the photos.
Hope you enjoyed!

Alchemic Muse haul and review

2011-07-31T22:46:00.000-05:00

Alchemic Muse Shop at Etsy

Ginger Gelato - Mini Foaming Body Scrub - Crunchy crystals of cane sugar enveloping hot ginger over a heart of sweet vanilla cream swirled in golden amber and Tolu balsam with a pinch of Italian lemon and anisette.
--this looks a little oily in the jar but its not. It foams up really nice and rinses clean. Love the scent as well, a nice sharp ginger sweetened up and then softened by a vanilla base.

Ambrosia - Mini Cream Soap - Surround yourself with the food of the gods! Luscious nectars of apricot and white peach amidst intoxicating mimosa and plum blossoms accented with a splash of ruby red grapefruit and a faint breath of spring air.
--Love how their cream soaps perform, very sudsy and clean rinsing. Leave my hands feeling soft and refreshed. Sweet, yet light and somewhat floral. Very refreshing scent, perfect for springtime!

Bamboo Pear - Mini Body Whip - As refreshing as spring rain… exotic green woods and leaves fused with the scrumptious, juicy scent of ripe pears and refined with a drop of herbal tarragon.
--A hint of green, but mostly creamy with a juicy dripping pear. This one was kind of a risk scent-wise for me, but I really like it!

Perfume oils:
Carnival - Relive the days of swing sets and carousel rides with this fun-loving scent from childhood. Sweet pink grapefruit, cotton candy, and lemon drops afloat a heart of sticky caramel, red berries, and fig leaves in a warm, comforting base of bourbon vanilla and white musk.
--I'm getting mostly a lemon cream type scent. I don't pick up caramel or red berries at all, cotton candy maybe because there is something there sweetening up the lemon, I'm not picking up musk either or the bourbon. Just sweet sugar, lemon and creamy vanilla. I love this type of lemony scent! In the bottle its about the same, but I'm picking up a little greenery, perhaps the fig leaves.

Black Strap - Submit to the sultry and inviting aroma of this enticing creation. Caramelized brown sugar, sweet blackstrap molasses and creamy coconut milk dripping over ripe Moroccan figs floating on a base of vanilla beans and soft white musk.
--sweet and dark, definitely smell the fig in this one. Quite reminiscent of brown sugar and fig, but more caramelized and sweeter. Must be the molasses! I'm now getting a saltiness, still no coconut or white musk. Lovely scent though! In the bottle its about the same as on my skin, I even pick up that saltiness in there. ;)

Lovecraft -Dark mysteries abound, but there are some things that Man was meant to know. Provincial lavender blossoms grounded in fresh pumpkin, sweet cream, and blackstrap molasses with a thick dusting of harvest spice.
--I get a sort of leather top note but it quickly fades to cinnamon pumpkin. In the bottle I can smell lavender but not on my skin. Not crazy about how this changes on me since I don't really care much for cinnamon.

Freebie:
soap sliver in Carnival

Savor small order review

2011-07-31T21:45:00.001-05:00

Savor on Etsy

Savor ran a special through the day where they posted certain products through the day in limited amounts at a discounted price! I had forgotten about it until the last two hours, but it was so fun watching for the items to be listed and being ready to pounce!
I had my eye on this soap for a long while now, as well as the pistachio rosewater cake soap. I was lucky enough to snag a bar! The tat was great, the CS was great - I'm very happy with my purchase!

Lychee Rose Goat's Milk Soap - a fruity and floral combo of exotic lychee and romantic red roses. Almost like a raspberry or cherry in its sweet scent, the lychee note dances perfectly with the lush and fragrant rose.
This soap is made with creamy goat's milk.
Size:5 oz

I got this on the Savor Saver Saturday and I love how this smells. Soft rose with a tart top note of lychee. I haven't used it yet, but Savor gets a lot of raves so I've no doubt it'll be great. :)

I got a freebie of pistachio and rosewater cake soap which smells just like the rose cake I eat at a little greek restaurant every weekend. How did she know?! Loving it, and may need to order more. :)

Sarah's Wax N Wix haul and review

2011-07-31T19:44:00.003-05:00

Sarah's Wax N Wix at facebook
(hopefully the link will work, if not just use the fb search bar!)

Tat was quick, custom blends included!
Very communicative, and fast with emails! Pleasant and very open to scent suggestions.

I requested several custom blends and Sarah delivered! :D The descriptions below are my own.

Lavender Luxury and toasted marshmallow blended - A fresh, not herbal, smelling lavendar blended with toasted marshmallow. definitely yummy! I'm loving lav/marsh blends of just about any kind lately.

hot fudge brownie and toasted marshmallow blended - omg, this smells like hot cocoa, dead on. I absolutely LOVE it!

kiwi watermelon and coconut lime verbena blended - very fruity and cheery, exactly what I was after with this blend!

pink sugar, strawberry cheesecake and toasted marshmallow blended - OMG I am in love here. Sweet strawberries, gooey marshmallows, and rich sinful cheesecake, plus pink sugar! More please! I love this on cold sniff, its a dessert lover's dream!

pumpkin apple butter and toasted marshmallow blended - I asked for this blending thinking that the marshmallow might soften up what is usually a very cinnamony pumpkin, but this one is still very cinnamony. It smells great, I'm just not real crazy about cinnamon scents right now. xD

7 up pound cake - I get lemon, lime and then I get a sweet cakey scent - I'm thinking light and fluffy white cake more so than heavy yellow pound cake. Loving this!

pink fizz- this is pink sugar and 7up pound cake blended, very yummy!

pink pancakes - I get a really creamy buttercream note in this and sweet cake - I'm guessing the pancakes are buttermilk pancakes! There's just a hint of pink sugar, which I think is good, otherwise this might be overly sweet. Very nice blend!

Freebies:
Sweet Orange Chili Pepper - yummy orange with a kick. I like it!
Cucumber Melon - just like the bbw scent.

I've melted a pink fizz tart from this haul and it had good throw and was long lasting like my other favorite etailers. Her wax is quite unusual, its solid and doesn't feel squishy like most soy melts. Its almost got this powdery/silky texture to it. How cool is that? All the scents were very strong on cold sniff. I have had these at least 2-3 weeks, and the cups have cracked on a few, she has since changed containers.
I could definitely see a reorder from Sarah's Wax n Wix in the future.

Sherri's Soap Opera

2011-07-30T22:33:00.002-05:00

Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SherisSoapOpera

The soap and scrub are both scented in pink sugar, my very favorite scent! Sherri's dupe is excellent! Noms!

Bar soap: cold processed, very creamy with great lather. I love it!
Scrub: Nice and scrubby, love the texture and bubbling action going on here! :)
Freebie: a slice of orange creamsicle soap, it smells yummy and is just as nice of a soap as the pink sugar bar.

See the scrub close up!

Both of these photos were taken after use, I just could not wait - had to use them immediately! :) The soap had a piece about a quarter inch thick cut off of one end and the scrub has a huge scoop out of it.

Many thanks to Sherri, for wonderful products, fast shipping and great customer service!

Crazy Rumors Lip Balm

2011-07-22T00:17:00.001-05:00

I ordered these from Heartsy on one of their special sale deals.
I have more than 140 lipbalms, but never tried this brand. I like it pretty well, it has long staying power and its not greasy or waxy feeling.
I have opened up the rootbeer one, and it smells great, and is sweetened so it tastes like rootbeer too!

Moonalisa Haul and Review

2011-07-21T22:34:00.005-05:00

And we're sitting in the theatre awaiting the curtain to rise! (box opening photos)

lemming crack pot lot and hydrating mist - Indulge in a generous slice of a creamy lemon tart with buttery ground walnut scrub crust and topped with soft Coconut Cream.
--I absolutely love this scent, it smells like lemon meringue pie topped with coconut. I even smell a crisp almost sugared crust. Just like the soap I got from the other dtm sale. This pot lot is a new formula which I like, but it needs a lot of time to soak in when using it for my hands. I preferred the older formula more, but this one is nice. The mist is a dry oil and its wonderfully scented and feels great, absorbs really quickly.

bongo poppy cake pot lot - Delicious, lemon poppy seed cake, drowned in an unhealthy dose of lightly spiced cream cheese icing dripping all over it! Does contain real essential and fragrance oils. Due to the heavy use of vanilla in this one, this scent does discolor soaps and scrubs after time.
--very similar to the lemming crack without the crust. I like this one a lot but lemming crack wins between these two.

guava guava goddess dbo - Juicy, ripe and delicious with just a little bit of tartness
--smells really good, it is a fresh ripe guava scent with just enough tartness to brighten it up a little. I haven't tried the dbo yet, but it looks luxurious!

jello shot 4n1 - Strawberry , Rhubarb, Tangerine EO, Passion Fruit and Guava
--very fruity and very red berry smelling. Its juicy smelling too, stashed for later use. :)

chocolate strudel soap and 4n1 - (aka Schokoladenstrudel) - Delicious Chocolate & coconut with a hint of flaky buttery pastry! Oil turns dark chocolate brown in gel and lotion but has no effect on product.
--Someone give me a spoon! This smells good enough to eat, picking up all the scent notes described. I really like her 4n1s they have plenty of slip and huge lather, skin feels soft after use. I haven't tried any of the soap yet, but this bar is huge! Its bigger than the palm of my hand and at least an inch and half thick, if not more. Its gorgeous too, just look at it! Jas has also tried to lay claim to this bar of soap! He's hooked on etailer bar soaps now and has his own stash!

Freebies:
Cantaloupe Cooler detangling spray - this smells so yummy! Very candy like and melony.
Seaspray Toner - reminiscent of sea salts, I've tried this a couple times and I really like it!

This is my second order from Moona and I have really enjoyed everything I have received. She's very communicative and caring about her customers' needs and questions - and just look at how she packs our orders! I did a previous review where I compared the box opening to Disney World, it really is a treat to receive a MooPoo box!

Butterbeer cupcakes? Yes please!

2011-07-19T20:50:00.000-05:00

I made these starting on Sunday and did one step each day.
So Sunday I baked the cupcakes, Monday made the ganache and stuffed the cupcakes with it, Tuesday made the frosting, took some photos and then nommed one! I mostly did these by myself, but Jas helped me out by gathering up ingredients and measuring utensils. :) I hope you enjoy this virtual bite!

Here are the insides:

Recipe from http://amybites.com/?p=623

I noticed that she also has a recipe for golden snitch cake pops! Too cute!
http://amybites.com/?p=1606

Haus of Gloi Haul and Review

2011-07-18T21:06:00.009-05:00

Haus of Gloi
Fast tat as always, less than a week.
Excellent CS.
Loved everything!
TLDR:skip the wall of text and scroll down for eye candy!

We had a little mix up with shipping, I had wanted an order held but my comments asking that didn't go through with my order. I emailed, and Matt was able to stop the package from shipping. Three days later, the package arrived at my house. Woo super fast tat! xD I sent a joking email to Matt, I was happy to have gotten it early anywho. I didn't ask him for anything, but was concerned that perhaps he had held someone else's package by accident and I sent a photo of the leaked Troika pumpkin butter from a prior order because I felt it was important for them to be aware. He immediately sent a code for me to use so I wouldn't have to pay shipping for the order I had wanted to have combined shipping for. Quite a pleasant surprise, as I didn't expect that! So when that second package arrived (this haul) I opened it and immediately spotted a full sized bottle of Moon Dog Perfume Oil. They upgraded it from a sample vial size! Totally unexpected! They just blow me away with their CS. The best I've experienced, hands down.

White Raspberry Soap (two bars, one still in tissue) - Tart raspberry and a clean cream accord.
--I really love this soap's scent and I know I love HoG's soap, win win!

Haus Amber Pumpkin Butter - Rich and sultry amber, our own hand blended accord.
--This amber is to die for, completely sultry like she says and quite intoxicating. I LOVE HoG's hand crafted, made from scratch pumpkin butter and this scent is going general catalog! Woohoo! I won't have to ration it out, after all. :D

Boca Chica Pumpkin Butter - Rich gardenia blossom, red mandarin, coconut cream and ripe banana. This sounds super fruity, but it is surprisingly not so!
--Definitely Gardenia! I think the fruit scents enhance the power of the Gardenia, a very nice compliment to it. This is a floral that I wear despite my chemistry amping it like woah. I love Gardenia, because it reminds me of many things special to me. When I was little, Jungle Gardenia perfume was one of the first ones that I wore, and it belonged to my Grandma. Its her favorite/signature scent. Second to that, I have visited Hawaii twice and this scent really takes me back there to that relaxed and beautiful place. Britton has perfectly captured this scent which has brought back many of my precious memories.

Lavender Sugar Pumpkin Butter - Gentle Bulgarian lavender and a heaping spoonful of pure cane sugar.
--Very yummy smelling, I get caramelized sugar and a soft lavender. I was unsure at jar sniff, but I've worn it now and LOVE it.

Moon Dog Perfume Oil - Solar storms erupt: pure cracked coconut, dry sandalwood essence, heated with nutmeg and clove.
--I really love this scent! It reminds me somewhat of HoG's Picaroon, but warmer - not quite as bright. Its comforting and warm, but I think it'd be perfect for summer time too, quite a flexible scent!

Beguiled perfume oil sample freebie - Lemon cake made with the tang of fresh buttermilk and raspberry coulis - an otherwise innocent cake corrupted by cardamon and deceptive pink peppercorns.
--Love this, my second vial of it woohoo! Many thanks to Matt and Britton :D

I love everything I received, as usual! Haus is one of my very favorite etailers. I absolutely cannot wait until the Fall preview! I hear its going to be up sometime early August and then the products released around mid August. :D

These products were bought with my own money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

Bungalow Haul and Review

2011-07-16T23:02:00.003-05:00

Bungalow Bath and Body
Ordered July 1, Received July 9

I really like her packaging, the clear bottles/jars with black tops are attractive. The labels are cute and nice, ingredients are listed on each product. These were packaged with colorful tissue paper in a priority box. No extras, but that's alright - this was a Heartsy purchase. :) She went out of her way to accommodate a prior request I'd made too, great customer service and fairly quick tat. I love it when they send a handwritten note along with my order, its such a personalized touch and shows they took time and care with my purchase.

Premium Body Lotion - made with Avocado oil, Jojoba and Aloe Vera - feels great on the skin ~ moisturizes but doesn't leave you feeling greasy & it's 96% natural!
--this lotion really surprised me. I didn't expect it to be such a nice lotion. Its fairly thick for a lotion, glides on very nicely and soaks in quickly. It leaves my skin smelling wonderful and feeling soft.

Cake Batter - Smells just like a cake getting ready to go in the oven - cake batter, warm vanilla, and some sugar
--I love this one, its sweet and gooey smelling just like cake batter. I think this is my favorite scent from this order.

Viva La Juicy (type) - A perfect harmony of golden amber, egyptian musk, sparkling citrus, lily of the valley, pink jasmine, and warm woods
--It is everything the description says, I think this one is a little sexy smelling and would be a good evening dinner date scent.

creamy moisturizing body butter - made with Shea butter, beeswax, coconut oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, and vitamin E. Nourishes the skin without feeling overly greasy (great on feet too!). Silicone Free, Paraben Free & SLS Free
--She has discontinuned this because it doesn't play well with all of her scent oils, but she is looking for a base to replace it. She was out when I initially asked her about a listing for it. A few days later she convoed me and said she had two jars worth left after filling the orders that were before mine, so I jumped on them! Glad I did, its really heavy and thick, very luxurious feeling! Its not greasy at all, love it! I just hope her replacement is as good as this one was.

Banana Cream Pie - Smells just as tasty as the real thing - a yummy blend of Banana, Vanilla, Apple, Sandalwood, & Rum
--Can I have a bite please? This smells really great! I'm not picking up the rum but that's alright with me! I totally need a bite of banana cream pie now. xD

Snickerdoodle Cupcake - Snickerdoodle Cupcake is made with rich notes of caramel and cream with a dash of praline and nutmeg that are finished with base notes of cocoa & vanilla ~ can you say YUM!
--Smells just like her description. I was hesitant because snickerdoodle cookies are dusted with cinnamon and I don't usually like cinnamon in my body products. (home frag, yes, body no!) Her description does not list cinnamon so I took the chance and am very pleased! I do not smell cinnamon in this at all, just yummy caramelly vanilla cake - score! A snickerdoodle I can love. :)

These products were bought with my own money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

Sudsy's Soaps and Scents, Haul #3

2011-07-14T23:40:00.003-05:00

Website: Sudsy's Soaps and Scents

I left out about 7 bottles, so there's more scents listed below than pictured. Just too many to fit!

Body Sprays:
Banana Cream Pie - A delectable blend of ripe banana, creamy mounds of vanilla, hint of apple and a base of sandalwood & rum.
-- this is yummy creamy gooey smelling banana cream pie covered in meringue, quite sweet and almost like you had a spoon full of pie in front of your mouth getting ready to nom on it.

Blue Sugary - A wonderful harmony of caramelized sugar and vanilla blended with heady notes of cedar and tonka bean. The heart of the fragrance is rich with energetic notes of licorice, patchouli, lavender and coriander, freshened with crisp bergamot and mandarin, and finished with soothing notes of anise. Our interpretation of a scent by a popular co.
--Not my typical choice of scent, but I thought I'd take a chance with this one. I smell just about everything listed except the patchouli. The licorice is warmed up by the caramel/vanilla, cedar brightens it just a bit and I get a hint of lavender though difficult to detect - I don't smell orange and dono what bergamot smells like on its own. I'm thinking fun halloween scent with this one!

Champagne - Smells so much like the real thing that you could swear the bubbles are tickling your nose! The is a slightly sweet and effervescent.
--soft and a little powdery to my nose, definitely girly and feminine. Surprisingly, it did not make me sneeze! I wore it one day this week and loved every minute of it!

Frozen Margarita - Essential oil of Lime and Mandarin Orange; including notes of Southern Valencia, Lemon, and Sea Salt; followed by middle notes of frothy iced Guava Nectar, Strawberries, and Pineapple; all sitting on base notes of Brown Sugar, Vanilla Rum, and Musk.
-- I get straight up tart lime. I really like this one! Tart and lime don't sound to me like something I would like, but I totally do. :) I get a hint of the strawberry, orange and pineapple but I'm not detecting musk, brown sugar or rum. I am pleasantly surprised at this one!

Jamaica Me Crazy - Top notes of mandarin, Mexican lime, tangerine, and kumquat; middle and base notes of watermelon, tart green apples, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon.
--Very fruity and bright, ready for summer! I think this would be awesome in a scrub for that morning wake me up feeling while showering. Very refreshing!

MM Musk - A special blend of marshmallow with secret notes. Very much a "Gourmand". A Sudsy's Soaps blend. Our #1 best seller!
--Bottled heaven! I don't typically like musk much but this got so many raves here I had to try it and they're absolutely right. This is the most wonderfully well balanced marshmallow scent ever. Its clean, sweet, I can just imagine biting into a giant fluffy marshmallow when I sniff this. Gah its yummy, I've already ordered more products in this scent.

Pinkberry Mimosa - Sweet strawberries, fuchsia raspberries, tart pomegranate, sparkling citrus fizz and effervescent mimosa. Delish!
--Very sweet and very fruity and pink! I really like this one a lot. Great for summer time, its sweet but the floral lightens it up so that its not too heavy.

Sweet Strawberry - A farmer's fresh blend of strawberry, raw sugar cane with a hint of green apple and vine.
--I'm not crazy about apple but I ordered anyway. This smells to me like a blend of snow angel and apples. I might try wearing it, but not lovin bottle sniff.

Violet Cotton Candy - Fluffy mounds of cotton candy laced with sweet, shy violet. A Sudsy's blend.
--Just like the description, sweet fruity cotton candy with a hint of a soft powdery violet. I haven't tried it yet but I would guess that this is one of those scents where you need to be intimately close to smell it. ;)
Galaxy of Stars - An explosion of citrus and floral. Uplifting aromas of lime, orange and cognac. Our intrepretation of a scent by a popular company.
--another shot at stretching my scent limits. This one smells like a cleaner I used to use, maybe Fantastic brand or an orange cleaner. I don't recall but I am thinking I probably won't want to wear this one.

Raspberry Zinger - This wonderful creative scent begins with sweet raspberry and toasted coconut, middle notes of buttercream frosting, and bottom notes of freshly baked yellow sponge cake. Makes you very hungry!
--a new favorite of mine for sure. This is so super yummy smelling I could totally eat it. Very close cousin of my Pink Macaroon!

Shampurest - Capturing the calming and relaxing aroma of soft rose petals surrounded by lavender, jasmine, ylang ylang and bergamot on a background of exotic patchouli. Our version of a scent by a popular company.
--another "outside the box" scent for me, its really really green and herbal smelling. I'm thinking I need to layer it with something sweet, it smells a bit clinical to me. =/

Shelter Me - After a crazy day away from home there's nothing better than the comfort of your home. Instant relaxation with this uplifting and comforting fragrance blend of black currant, cassis and fresh citrus tones of orange and bergamot. Our intrepretation of a scent by a popular company.
--trying to step outside my sweet fruity foody box with this one, but...no dice. First I get licorice, then I get pot. Yep, it smells like cannabis to me. blech, Jas sniffed and understood where I got that scent idea, so maybe its not just me. Anyone want a decant?! rofl, j/k

Sugar Plum Dreams - A sweet mixture of plums sprinkled with sugar as they dance through the dreams of a child as they lay asleep the night before Christmas.
--this is spicy and very plum like and sweet. No cinnamon notes, just some kind of rich spice. Perfect for autumn and perhaps Christmas time. I could totally see layering this with peppermint to frost it up or with white chocolate to make it richer. mmmm!

Wood Berry - An explosion of wild blackberries and strawberries, combined with just the right amount of earthy woods.
--at first I wasn't sure about this one, but I really like it now that I've had it for a few days and sniffed it a few more times. Its definitely got a lot of berries going on and the woodsy scent is soft, not sharp or super earthy. Its well balanced, and I think will be great for a kind of pre-fall scent or early spring.

Berry Vanilla - This summery blend includes wild blueberry, bergamot, juicy blackberry, vanilla cream, raspberry sugar and buttermilk musk. Our interpretation of a scent by a popular company.
--I ordered this hoping for a bbw dupe, as they were out of the spray when I hit the sale. This does not disappoint! It smells just like it, if its not exact its pretty darn near!

Pink Macaroon - A mouth-watering blend of our Pink Sugary surrounded by fresh shredded coconut and warm baked sugar cookie.
--sinful! I had to have every product in this scent, ya know. lol

Custom blends I requested:
Lavender dream cake blend - scent notes: vanilla ice cream, caramel, marshmallow, sugar, lavender, and cake. I requested this because of all the talk about the no longer obtainable jje scent I've never sniffed. (jje sold and will be reopening btw) So I can't compare it, but I can tell you that it smells very much like the Haus of Gloi Lavender Sugar scent. I wore the HoG pumpkin butter today and this spray and they were perfect together. :) I was on the fence about this one and the hog pb at bottle sniff for a day or so, but I really do like it. Its got a caramel note which is distinct, a nice floral lavender and some vanilla to soften it up.

ripe raspberries and chocolate blend - She's named it Chocolate Raspberry Drizzle, and it smells just like a dark chocolate truffle with a raspberry center. Yum!

pink sugar and chocolate blend - She's named it Pink Chocolates and it is delicious smelling! Its like dark chocolate and milk chocolate swirled together all melty and gooey then sprinkled with pink sugar. I really LOVE this one. :)

banana cream pie and chocolate blend - Now named Chocolate Banana Cream, smells just like you'd expect - good enough to bite! :D I'm happy with this one too.

shower gels - I love her shower gels! So bubbly and slick enough for my bath pouf to not scratch me. Ya know, some soaps just aren't slick enough for my tastes. lol I've already reviewed these scents in previous reviews, so I'm only gonna do that last one, and its an awesome one!
pink macaroon
purple boxed delites
escape
tropical guava
sweet tooth fairy - Strawberry cotton candy with a sprinkling of pink bubble gum. Our interpretation of a fragrance by a popular co.
--why did I not order this sooner? It is absolutely wonderful! Very sweet, very yummy - I've already ordered more products in this scent. :)

clamshell tarts-
Mt. Dew - Soda with a jolt, this classic lemon & lime fizzy pop is so good you will swear you can smell the caffeine and feel the bubbles tickle your nose.
--definitely lime and lemon! Smells fresh and citrusy, yum!

Pink flamingo - Ripe cherries, freshly squeezed orange juice and pink lemonade!
--my gosh I've been melting this since the day I got my order, which I think was Monday. Its still throwing in the room its in and its still absolutely lovely! Ashley suggested this scent to me and I am so glad she did.This is a dupe to my mom and I's beloved Roseberry scent that has been so elusive to us. I am so super happy about this, I could hug and kiss her if she were here! Mwaks to you Ash!

Black Currant - A simply amazing fragrance with strong top notes of black currants, strawberries and mulberries; middle notes of Granny Smith apples; bottom notes of rose and jasmine.
--I like this one really well, its a soft kind of berry scent. It will be great to melt on a chilly fall evening. :)

I got a free sample of sugar cubes and these are way better than the first batch I got. These are perfection! I mushed a piece off to wash my hands with and I love it! I am excited to try them out in the shower.

These products were bought with my own money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

CFTKR Haul and Review

2011-07-11T21:25:00.002-05:00

http://candlesfromthekeepingroom.com/
Ordered 7/1
Arrived 7/9

Before I get started, I've not smelled any of the original LUSH scents mentioned in my review so I can't give a comparison.

I also didn't take a family photo, it wouldn't all fit on my mini studio table. o.o

So first up, freebies!

I was pretty overwhelmed at how many were in this box! My first order with her was about the same size and I received three or four single tarts. This blew me away. :)

Trisha's Pink Cake - my friend Trisha came up with this blend...and it is yummy....a mix of our yummy sweet white cake and our infamous pink sugar....this is excellent.
~~oh my, this is delicious! pink sugar and cake, yes two helpings please!

Caramelized Apple Praline - our sweet apple mixed with a caramel and pralines..sweet yet has the apple to tone down the sweetness.. excellent!
~~oh yeah, this is very yummy, very autumn! Saving this one for fall!

Vanilla Sugar Cookie - A super rich, buttery vanilla cookie with sugar crystals on the bottom notes
~~definitely super rich, and perhaps a touch caramelly smelling to me.

Pink Sugar Passion Berry - a fabulous new blend, many different kind of sweet berries...and blended with our infamous pink sugar..after melting this scent...you will have a passion for berries
~~yay for a dupe in my order! I love this scent and will probably order more when these are gone.

Amish Friendship Bread - the aroma of fresh baked bread with notes of raisin, nut, and a hint of strawberry. This is not a yeast type bread, more of a sweet dessert bread.
~~Very cinnamon-y with a sweet bread background. Very nice and homey smelling.

Raspberry Coconut Cake - our yummy cake, topped with sweet raspberries..they coconut mixed with a sweet cream cheese frosting
~~Yummy as described, but the coconut has a barely there bit of a plasticy smell to it. I like it anyway!

Exotic Passion Fruit - A body shop type-a exotic tropical blend of pineapples, strawberries, peaches, orange and coconunt making this a fun flirty scent.
~~I smell banana in this too, its super yummy! perhaps a reorder.

Cranberry Zucchini Bread - our sweet spiced cranberry with our fresh Zucchini Bread, with notes of freshly grated zucchini, cinnamon and spices.
~~ a little spicy a little tart and sweet comforting zucchini bread. yummy!

Carol offered these samplers as a one time deal, so I got two of them. There are ten tarts in each bag. I thought it would be a great way for me to get acquainted with Lush scents. :)

candy cream - interpretation of Candy Creme type. Fresh citrus highlights thisrich blend of fruit and sugar. Hints of cinnamon create a warm accent for the wild grape accord at the heart of the scent, as rich undertones of fruitwood adds deminsion. Sugared musk blends with creamy strawberry at the base of the fragrance.
~~Just as described, but I'm having trouble picking up the grape scent. I like this one, it'll be a strong melter!

tick tock - interpretation of Tuca Tuca...Orange and Clove add a bright accent to this rich blend of herb and flowers....Sweet Basil balances with the jasmine a theheart of the fragrance, as exotic appeal of patchouli and balsami tones. Amber and sugared vanilla beans are surrounded by sandalwood for a rich, creamy base to the scent.
~~I get jasmine, amber and vanila, not really picking up the patchouli or sandalwood. I like this one pretty well.

I want cake - interpretation of Let them Eat Cake-by Tokyo Milk-This is a delicious upscale vanilla scent. It opens with a soft, sweet blend of sugar cane, coconut milk, vanilla orchid, ending with a note of white musk.
~~I have another dupe of this but from LSC, and they are similar, but I like this one better. Its a little fresher smelling and a little lighter on the musk notes.

Kazi Kazi - interpretation of Karama..best way to describe this fragrance it is a powdery blend of Dragons Blood and Patchouli. This scent is for all you earthy loving fragrance lovers..
~~definitely not for me.You don't want to know what I think this smells like!

Blue Bubblegum Crush - an interpretation of Candy Fluff-remember the days of the blue bubblegum snow cone with more..top notes are fruity with a hint of rose, middle note of jasmine and violet and bottom notes of musk and vanilla.
~~Smells just like the candy fluff in my MCS scrub. This is super yummy and I think it'll burn really strong.

Snow Drops - an interpretation of Snow Cakes. this oil is limited. This is scent is a warm scent, honey,marzipan-almond, rose, cassis and benzoin.
~~I've wanted to sniff this scent for a while now! I like it pretty well, I am getting some cinnamon in this as well as the other notes mentioned.

Liquid Crack - interpretation of Rock Star..Funky and fun frgrance with sweet, fruity notes that leave a fizzy taste in your imagination-pure sugar, reminds me of the old fashion ribbon candy suckers. Yum
~~I really like this one, it smells similar to my mcs scrub of the same scent. a little bubble gummy but mostly fruity, really nice!

B. Better than Ever - an interpretation of B Scent type..This indulgent blend of spice and flowers is sure to please. Grapefruit and orange lead to a classic blend of jasmine, ylang, petit grain, and rose. a blend of warm spices adds intrigue. Soft undertones of moss and musk sweetened with vanilla to create lingering appeal.
~~definitely not for me.You don't want to know what I think this smells like!

Fluff is never enough - interpretation of Keep it Fluffy. Fresh lemon adds sparkle to this luxuriously soft blend. a spiced floral accord at the heart of the fragrance leads to the base of velvet musk, as hints of wood create caressing warmth. A final touch of vanilla sweetens this fragrance.
~~a soft, yet warm inviting and clean scent. Reminds me of something from my tween years, Debbie Gibson Electric Youth perfume.

Cloudy Skies - interpretation of Silver Clouds. A hint of mint lifts this complex blend of fruity floral and spice. Wild rose and orange flower to get a fresh accent of the fir needle, as a spiced wood accord creates dimension with this scent. Rich fruit notes of creamed berry and peach linger with the base notes of clear musk and sensual amber.
~~smells like those spiced gumdrops from around Christmas time! I'd take a bite but I reckon it wouldn't taste like I expect.

1 Im in the Pink No. 43
Pink sugar licorice - a great blend of sweet realistic licorice and our infamous pink sugar
~ as described!

Pink sugared milk - a blend of our yummy sugar milk and pink sugar
~~sweetened condensed milk and ps, yum!

Pink sugared confetti - our yummy pink sugar mixed with confetti frosting... A wonderful, fresh sweet fruity wild berry with top notes of mixed berries, tart lemon, pear and strawberry, a rich, milky butter cream middle note with hints of coconut, banana, plum - rose and maple, and a woody, ambery, musky and sweet sugary vanilla base note.
~~yummy ps and frosted birthday cake!

Pink sugar serendipity - this is a super sweet concoction....sweet thick creamy vanilla with powdered sugar..sweet cherry, sweet orange and citrus...and a hint of fresh coconut...and then all whipped together with our infamous pink sugar
~~this is like the fruity version of pink macaroon, very yummy!

Pink sugared passion berry - a fabulous new blend, many different kind of sweet berries...and blended with our infamous pink sugar..after melting this scent...you will have a passion for berries
~~very nice and fresh, a little greapfuity smelling. I think this will be a nice strong burner!

Pink sugared blueberry - a yummy blend of sweet blueberry and our infamous pink sugar
~~refreshing, I get a light fresh blueberry and ps, I think this one will be strong!

1 New Cakes No. 45
Cotton candy party cakes - our sweet blend of sweet spun cotton candy and a delicious white cake.
~~as described, yum!

Absolutely fabulous cake - The creme de la creme of cakes! Rich, moist white cake with hints of silky, white chocolate and sweet cream; shredded, toasted coconut coated with sweet vanilla nestled inside. This fabulous creation is topped with luscious mounds of rich sweet butter cream frosting.
~~as described, very yummy smelling!

Pink frosted layer cake - Philosophy Type. So decadent! A whisper of sweet pink tickles your nose with your first sniff! A rich accord of cake batter flirts with fresh strawberry jumping head over heels into the sweet undertones of butter cream and vanilla sugar to complete this totally decadent delight!
~~as described, very yummy!

Lemon summer cake - a sweet cake with little zests of lemon and sweet sugars.
~~Wonderfully scented! The best lemon meringue pie you'll ever sniff! This is a reorder and a must have.

Apricot party cake - a sweet baked cake with sweet apricot jam layered in between and an apricot glaze on top..a summery fruity cake.
~~gah this smells so good! It reminds me of those peach ring gummy candies.

Velvet brown sugar nut cake - This fragrance begins with top notes of dark chocolate, strawberry syrup, and red currant; followed by middle notes of cocoa powder, buttermilk, brown sugar , sugar cane and sweet bakery nuts..while sitting on base notes of creamy Tonka bean, and vanilla extract
~~as described, yummy!

Baked Banana Cake - A new creation inspired by one of my wonderful customers, a sweet baked cake, swirled inside the batter sweet ripe bananas and then iced with a creamy banana cream frosting
~~To me this smells just like real bananas, sweetened up a touch by the cake and frosting. I really like this one! blondeangel, have you tried this one out yet?

Creamy comfort - this is a house blend, sweet sugars and sweet cream, blended with bakery flours and love, give you this wonderful comfort scent..creamy and rich.
~~Yep, I really like this one it definitely is comforting. Its kind of a subtle/softened up sweetened condensed milk kind of scent. Lovin it!

Strawberry Milk-This is yummy..sweet cream milk, mixed fresh strawberries..all stirred together to give this a realistic aroma..it really does have the aroma of strawberry milk.
~Smells exactly like strawberry milk, pretty amazing!

Blackberry Jam Flapjacks-we have blended our sweet yummy blackberry jam butter cookie with our yummy flapjack ..a real comfort scent
~~hoooMG! I love this scent! It smells just like buttery pancakes drizzled with maple syrup and blackberry jam. Gah I want to eat this!

Fresh Picked Strawberry-what can I say, this is the best most realistic strawberry around..lingers for hours..and will fill the room right out with this delicious aroma
~~Very very sweet sugared strawberries. I really love this scent but its more of a candy-ish scent to my nose, almost cotton candy like. Gah I should have gotten more than one cuttable cake in this! reorder!

I am very pleased with my purchase and feel that Carol has outdone herself! Her tat was super fast during her grand opening sale and she was very generous with freebies. I love most of what I ordered and can't wait to melt these!

I would definitely recommend CFTKR to others and will may a third order myself eventually!

For my other reviews, hover my username and just click when you see "my reviews" pop up. It will take you to my review mega thread. This review will be added there shortly. Thanks for reading!

These wax melts were bought and paid for by me with my own hard earned money; my opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone.

Latherati Haul and Review

2011-07-09T01:55:00.001-05:00

Latherati - http://www.etsy.com/shop/LatheratiSoap
ordered 6/25 arrived 7/7
(one week to make the ambition body cream for me, it was out of stock)

Shipping overage of 1.90, and a broken lotion pump, dented cream lids.
I contacted her and within minutes she refunded the shipping and offered to replace the lotion and all three creams.How above and beyond is that for cs? I replied thanking her and said that a replacement pump or flip top cap would be just fine for my lotion bottle. She said she'd probably send a new bottle of lotion if she didn't have an extra pump. Waiting for that to arrive, but I totally trust what she has told me. Her quick action, apologetic and soft toned emails, along with her offer to replace more than half my order totally wowed me.

Body Cream - These are pretty thick and nice, but not overly heavy. They do take a bit to absorb, but when they do my skin feels very soft and smells lovely. They're about the consistency of a thick pudding, and contain some really great skin loving ingredients. Avocado oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, mango seed oil, and glycerin - yes please!

Body Lotion - loose pudding is how I'd describe this but it can still hold a stiff peak. Absorbs quickly and feels nice on the skin. Contains cyclomethicone for that soft powdery/silky feel, shea butter to moisturize, glycerin to draw moisture to the skin and jojoba oil.

Edp - haven't tried it yet. sorry!

lip balm - Sinister - cotton candy and black licorice.
~~I really like this lip balm. Its similar to lip smackers in how it applies and stays on, it doesn't turn greasy/messy like most etailers I've tried. I really dig the oval shaped tube, no more rolling around all over my desk. This one is definitely staying on my desk at home, for that very reason. I wish more etailers would use oval shaped tubes. The flavor is great and her balm contains avocado oil and mango seed butter, two great moisturizing ingredients. It also contains coconut oil (long shelf life) and caster oil but I haven't read about the skin benefits of those two.

sample of Gloom lip balm - honey rose flavored. I sniffed and like it! :D

solid perfume - CELEBRATION - The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald - a party of sparkling champagne, creamy orange and a hint of juicy strawberries
~~I really like this scent the best of all those I ordered. I wish I had gotten it in a body cream too. I have only tried it once so far and I'd say this one didn't have as much longevity compared to an edp or oil, and was quite light after applied.

Fanciful - a gorgeous blend of relaxing lavender, cedarwood, cardamom, warm amber, spicy pepper, vetiver and tonka bean. Herbal and earthy but sweet.
~~She included a solid perfume sample of this so I'll have to compare this to celebration's longevity and throw. This smells like rosemary, lavender and mint to me - reminds me of something I've smelled at a Ren Fair before but I can't place it. Its yummy though. :)

CURIOUSER - Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll - sweet orange marmalade, white cake, tea and a hint of black pepper
~~This is similar in description to HoG's Elevenses and slightly similar in scent, but different enough that its not a dupe. I can smell each single scent in this, except for the black pepper. In the jar, I could take it or leave it but when I wear it I like how it changes on me, to a kind of white chocolatey scent with a hint of orange.

MATCHMAKER - Emma, Jane Austen - ripe strawberries, orchid and a touch of plum
~~I like all the single notes in this, but blended there is something I just don't really love about it. I don't know if its the orchid or plum but one of these things just doesn't belong, at least to my nose. I really want to like this, so I may let it cure a while and come back to it.

Ambition - warm, tangy ginger and tart lemon with a bottom note of cedarwood
~~Lemon fresh pledge is what I get - needs to cure so the cedarwood and ginger can come out to play. :)

Alter Ego Dr. Jekyll version - light and airy with ozone & sea spray notes intermingled with linden blossom
~~I like this one, its light and fresh, almost breezy. If you were relaxing on the front steps of beach house with a nice flowerbed nearby, this is probably how the air around you would smell.

Wahm's Scented Wax haul and review

2011-07-05T20:49:00.006-05:00

Site for now: Facebook
Future site: http://www.wahmsscentedwax.com
Tat: super fast for made to order
Overall impression: Made of win!

I stumbled on this company completely by accident - won't you join me in this journey of a new (to me) tart maker?

First I have to say, I was blown away at the cold scent throw these gave -through- all the stuffing and wrapping. It left me quite speechless before I even saw or sniffed everything.

Mmmmmmm YUM! Smell that? Get a good whiff! And just look at the way she has packaged everything, so cheery an bright! I love it!

I spotted the souffle cups first, so reached for those.
Vanilla Berry Mocha - This smells like heaven! (just like its name) The berries, I believe are raspberries, and the coffee in this...omg! It smells like a fresh latte from starbucks - nothing artificial about this. I could totally drink it if it was liquid.

Banana Bread Pudding - A hint of cinnamon, a touch of yeast, and a little banana. Very yummy scent!
If these throw hot like they do cold, I will be a loyal customer for as long as I melt wax. Yep, these two little teeny cups were that impressive to me.

These were all freebies:
Ocean Breeze (frosted cookie, too cute!)- I keep saying I don't like fresh, ozone, or clean smells but I keep finding more of those types of scents that I DO like. So there must be variation within those scent groups. This one, I do like. Its a nice soft, calming oceanic scent.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream - A whole scoop! This certainly smells just like the real thing! Buttery, Vanilla and pecans. And just look how cute!

Pink Strawberry Shake - omg heaven in a tart, strawberries, pink sugar, vanilla shake -- really what could be better? Its a scalloped cute tart, she layered it with red white and blue for july 4th. :)

More frosted cookies, yay!
Pink Sugar Noel - why have I waited so long to order this scent from any tart maker? someone bop me over the head! I absolutely love it!

Coffee Noel - How could I resist this? It also has the wonderfully realistic just made latte scent along with vbn. And just look how cute they are! NOM!

Now for the really special shaped tarts -- PIES!

This one is Banana Berry Zucchini Bread and lemme tell ya, it is made of win. Four layered slices decorated with candies and little wax spheres and the scent, to DIE for! Its a nice sweet banana, berries and Zucchini bread. Its blended in a way that the scents are very well balanced.

Divine Cake - Yummy white cake laced with traces of marshmallow fluff, sweetened raspberries and strawberries, topped off with a delicious buttercream frosting.
~~ Just like its name, its divine! This is a close your eyes and take a huge whiff kind of scent. :)

And lastly, Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Now this one smells just like bittersweet chocolate covered raspberries taste, I kid you not. No plastic or fake fruits here. I absolutely love this one too.

And the family photo:
Those colors in the background is the tissue paper from the box. I ironed and folded it for reuse.

Julie included a hand written note, a typed out thank you note, a business card and a 10% off next purchase, plus three freebie tarts all in scents I adore.

Overall, I am quite blown away. She was very responsive (within minutes) on both facebook and email. Tat was fast for made to order: order placed June 27 // received July 5. Her shipping packaging was top notch, and rivals some high end bath and body etailers. Super friendly, quite a gem.

Opening that box left me completely speechless. Took me two hours from start to finish to write this review. Yep, speechless.

How to find her:
Her website isn't up yet, but if you visit her facebook page then you will be able to check the discussion tab for scent lists and pricing. :)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wahms-Scented-Wax
She has sale on occasion, so check her place often!

These products were bought with my own hard earned money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

Haus of Gloi - Summer reorder

2011-07-05T20:41:00.001-05:00

My second order for Summer items, had to get some Sanctum PB in full size. It was that good!

Sanctum - I get a crisp lime top note and the rest glorious almost candied smelling watermelon. This is a wonderful blend for summer!

Troika - you all know I love this one! :D

Insalata Nocturna - I really am surprised at this scent. I do not like greens or fresh scented things to wear but I really dig this scent. HoG has pleasantly surprised me once again. This is a really bright crisp scent, reminds me of something similar in brightness/tartness as a grapefruit. I barely smell the tomato leaf smell that I expected would be overpowering, but with this its like an afterthought and very subtle. Beautiful scent!

Apothecary - I don't like the smell of leather so I was quite skeptical about getting this one, but its my goal to sniff every scent HoG makes. I'm on the fence with this one - all the other scents in it are really nice, its just when that leather creeps in toward the end, my eyes shut and my face wrinkles up. lol

Depravity (perfume oil) - In the vial, its pretty pungent and the clove is really strong, but I wore this for a day and was so pleasantly surprised with how it developed on my skin. Perhaps not a "go to" or "reach for" scent but I enjoyed wearing it and will use on occasion.

Honeysuckle Lemon Curd free sample - I already have and love this one so, score!

Love their lip balms, not greasy or messy. Just the right amount of soft/firmness and they stay put well.

The Sweet Rosa lip balm is everything I had hoped for. I go to a little Greek restaurant where the owner makes Rose Cake on occasion, but she has been so busy she hasn't had it the last 3 or 4 weeks I've visited. Now I can get my fix til I can get more of her cake!

Haven't opened the Lime soda balm yet, but read rave reviews on it so I got it too. :)

These products were bought with my own hard earned money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

Sugarcandie Beauty Bar

2011-06-30T15:21:00.001-05:00

http://www.sugarcandiebeautybar.com
Paid 5/23, delivered 6/27
I ordered scrubs during a sale with Sugarcandie42 for 42% off.

From the sundae shoppe:
girly girls love pink cotton candy - pink cotton candy+strawberry sugars
~ I really love this scent, just as described! Sweet and sugary strawberry cotton candy. The scrub is white and pink swirled together and topped with blue turbinado sugar and iridescent glitters!

bahama banana cotton candy - banana, coconut, cotton candy
~Definitely getting banana and coconut, not so much cotton candy but I love it. It reminds me of banana flavored snow cones from when I was a wee kiddo. Swirly yellows mingle in this jar which is also topped with blue turbinado sugar. Neat how the blue and yellow made some green there! Iridescent glitter finishes it off. :)

From the dark carnivale:
Mistress of the mansion - amber, vanilla, cotton candy (haunted mansion)
~I love foody and I love amber, so I could not resist ordering this one and I am definitely pleased with it. I cannot stop sniffing it. I didn't want to rinse and get out of the shower the day I tried it. Its heaven in a jar. If you like cotton candy and you like amber, this is a must have scent. This jar is swirly purple and white with spots of blue here and there, I believe it was topped with the blue sugar which appears to have kind of melded into the purple. It also has the glitter, like the other two.

And I took a macro shot of the scrub so you can see close up.

The samples are so yummy too, I didn't do a scent look up so I'm relying on the ol sniffer here. :)

Fresh and Flirti Romance Cake - I get lemon right off, and maybe grapefruit or ginger - something that has that sharp bite to it. I don't really smell cake but this is a sweet scent. There is a very light hint of something dark at play, perhaps a brulee of some sort but I'm not sure.

California Sunshine & Sugar - This is almost vitamin C smelling to me. There's definitely some sort of sugar there, but the vit C smell is sticking quite strongly to my nose. This may have lemon in it too, but I can't get past the vitamin smell. I totally loved this one two days ago, so maybe my sniffer is borked!

Pina Colada in Paradise - Straight up! Just like the name says, I could eat this. totally.

These products were bought with my own hard earned money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

Pink Bow Bath Boutique - Haul and Review

2011-06-24T20:02:00.004-05:00

Website: pinkbowbathboutique.com
Order placed: June 16
CnS: June 22
Arrived: June 24
In photo: Everything that I ordered plus two freebie extras in the plastic wrapping. :) Very cutely packaged and surrounded by light pink tissue paper in a bubble envelope. Invoice and copy of my custom listing were enclosed with a nice note from Amy. I love it when shops include freebies, I know its an extra cost to them and totally do not expect them. Its such a generous and kind act and a very nice surprise!

Freebies:
Beach Time Body Frosting - The perfect blend of sand, sea, and warmed golden suntan lotion with hints of tropical fruit. This fragrance is sure to evoke cherished memories of Summer's past!
Body Frosting is a medium consistency and leaves a noticeable difference on my skin when absorbed. It feels soft kind of like those silicone livestrong bracelets. xD The scent is a mix of pina colada and something clean and fresh, and perhaps a vanilla base. Its not overly sweet or heavy and will be a good summer scent.

Pineapple Cilantro Beautiful Body Butter - This one may be a new fragrance, I could not find it on her fragrance list.
This scent is very refreshing, not heavy or sweet. I get pineapple but its not the bright overpowering pineapple I'm used to smelling, its almost got a creamy smell to it. There's something softening it in here and I almost want to say jasmine or some other really soft floral - this does not smell green or herbal at all. Its very refreshing, a little comforting and I think will be great for spring or fall.

On the flipside of that, I don't particularly like that there's tape over the scent label holding the ribbon in place. When I try to remove the tape, the scent label rips. I am having to cut the tape between the label and ribbon to be able to get the ribbons off without harming the label. After two containers I figured out I could remove the cap and just pull the ribbon off the tape, much easier. A bit of a pain to mess with still and I'd leave the ribbon there (its so cute!) if it wasn't taped in such a way as to where once the cap is removed the ribbon is on top of the threads of the jar mouth, making it impossible to screw the cap back on without catching the ribbon in between - so yep those are coming off. ;)
Also, those big tags that were tied on with ribbon were ingredient lists, so now I either have to save one of each or do a web lookup for ingredients. I have seen much smaller jars labeled with company name, website, scent, product type, and ingredients all on the sticky label and easily readable. Its not a deal breaker by any means, I just prefer it all to be on the product container for quick access should I need it.

Hydrating body emulsions
HBE is pretty light as you can see in the photo, I snapped that as soon as I lifted my finger and about 2 seconds later, that soft little peak fell. Its a light feeling lotion, spreads really well, moisturizes nicely, absorbs quick and leaves my skin silky feeling and not greasy. This will be awesome when I want a light moisturizer, like before a workout or on a really hot day where I will be spending time outside, or for my hands when I need the lotion to absorb quick. Though not the Moo dupe I was hoping for, I do really like it!

Pink Polka Dot Bikini – One sniff and this fragrance will be your ultimate Spring and Summer wardrobe staple! Plump juicy strawberries, fresh island-grown passion fruits, and sweet guavas mingle with tropical vanilla bean pods, lemon-lime soda bubbles, and sparkling pink sugar crystals! This fragrance is funny, flirty, and super sweet :)
--I can really smell the guava and lemon lime in this one. Maybe a little of the strawberries or sugar - its sweet smelling. I really love this, because I love how guava smells and the lemon lime brightens it up just a hair.

Pixie Dust - This is an over-the-top girly-girl fragrance with sweet notes of fruit and a fun candy-like essence! Sugary, sweet and playful!
--Definitely smells like sweet sugary candy, picking up a faint hint of cherry here too. Very nice!

Maui Sunrise - Imagine lush and tropical island grown guavas mingling with sweet and juicy passion fruits, topped with fresh cracked creamy coconut milk, and studded with a toasty macadamia nut crunch. Then add in a hefty dose of sunshine and the unmistakable scent of the beach just steps away and you’ve found you’ve woken up in paradise…to a Maui Sunrise
--This is the one I was most curious about. Toasty macadamias are what I smell first and foremost, not really getting coconut or passion fruit - but now I know what sunshine and beach smell like! Sunshine and Beach are soft clean scents, fairly light yet noticeable. They blends really well with the toasted note. I think I will really love this one to wear all over.

Beautiful Body Butters
BBB is thick but not solid, very nice consistency you can see in the photo how the butter has stiff peaks which hold their shape forever. This is a really nice butter, it absorbs well and leaves my skin moisturized and very soft feeling. I LOVE this stuff!

Banana Buttercream Parfait - Smooth and creamy banana custard smothered with indulgent fresh whipping cream, banana slices, and rich buttercream pudding makes for an irresistibility sweet treat!
--Highly recommended by jennistarbrite at MUA and I can see why. Its a yummy sweet scent. I'm getting something caramelly and I don't really smell the banana note in the jar at all, but I can smell it once I've applied it to my skin. I like this a lot! Its sweet and yummy.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies - Ooey, gooey, and delicious! This scent captures the essence of it’s namesake perfectly. Fresh baked buttery cookies loaded with sinful white chocolate chunks and tropical macadamia nuts.
--Another scent highly recommended by jennistarbrite. I get a heap of white chocolate and very light almost hidden nuttiness. This reminds me of the Ulta White Chocolate body butter from a few Christmases ago. Yum!

Strawberry Velvet Cake – Rich chocolate cake, frosted high with creamy vanilla infused marshmallow frosting and decorated with freshly picked strawberries.
--The strawberry note in this reminds me of IOEs 7 strawberry lane scent. While my nose is not picking up a distinct chocolate note, there's definitely something warm smelling in there and oh yum, marshmallow! I'm on the fence with this one as a blend, but dissected each note is heavenly! I think I like it, its really unusual smelling and doesn't really seem that bakery/gourmand to my nose its a darker more sensual scent, similar in concept (not scent) to midnight pomegranate.

These products were bought with my own hard earned money and my review was not influenced by anyone or anything other than the products and my own experience.

Coco & Lola haul and review

2011-06-16T22:35:00.002-05:00

Coco & Lola's shop

Soap Bars:
Strawberry Delight - Strawberry dessert soap has a fresh and delicious scent of fresh strawberry's, just in time for Summer.

Lavender and Rose - This soap has a delightful lavender and rose scent to it. It includes French lavender from my garden and is great for sensitive skin types. It has a beautiful purple hue on the bottom and a sky blue color on top.

Citrus Coffee - It's like drinking your coffee with a twist of citrus. This soap has a beautiful green color to it with coffee blended in.

Pacific Ocean - Has a great smooth texture to it which includes coffee and oatmeal. Color of this soap is a beautiful ocean blue color with swirls all around.

Bath Salts:
Midnight Blue - Midnight Blue Bath Salts have a nice lavender scent.

Freebie:
Caramel lip balm - Anyone that loves caramel, will really enjoy this lip balm. Has a rich flavor of caramel with a little bit of vanilla added in.

The descriptions are from their website and are very accurate. The soaps all smell lovely and their bars are so gorgeous. Their scents are light and delicate, the soaps are creamy to the touch yet are nice hard bars. I tried the strawberry one and the lather it produces is so awesome. I swear there was a 1/4 inch of frothy bubbles all over my hands. Perfect for shaving with. My hands felt soft and clean after rinsing. I am in LOVE with their soaps! I also adore how the soaps are all cut a little differently. It really lends a handmade touch to them.

I think Coco & Lola's soaps are also perfect for gifts because they're not heavily perfumed, yet they smell really good and they're gorgeous! The outer wrapping is clear and really allows the beauty of the artisan soap to be showcased.

I haven't tried the bath salts yet, but they are a gorgeous dark blue and while the listing says lavender I think they smell like milk, honey, and cherries - really creamy and yummy. Love that scent!

The lip balm is so very nice! Its very similar in texture and hardness to a lip smacker balm. The scent and flavor is yummy, Jas swiped it from me and he usually will only use chapstick brand. This one is a little softer than chapstick and does not turn to an oily greasy mess after application. It stays put!

By the way, Jas picked the citrus coffee and I gave him the ocean bar as a kind of surprise. Yep, he's into homemade soaps now! :D

The only thing that disappointed me a little was they were shipped in a flat rate priority envelope which the post office banged up on its way to me. Only one of my soaps was dented on a corner, but a box or something a little more sturdy might be better for shipping.

Moonalisa Haul and Review

2011-06-04T18:00:00.002-05:00

I photographed the box opening since this was my first direct from Moonalisa order. (I've gotten Moo product in swaps, but this is my first order from her)

TLDR -- check photos and scroll to bottom for summary!

Long Version:
This is what it looks like right after I got the box opened. I didn't smell any product yet, just the usual paper/box.
I love how she uses the golden tissue paper, you know something good is behind it and its a really neat way to unveil it with a single colored paper which doesn't appear to be special on its own. Its kind of like entering the gates of Disneyworld. You know what lies ahead, but you can't see it just yet!

When I removed the golden paper, this is the next thing that I saw. Fun Mardi gras ephemera, even a necklace! Lots of colorful tissue papers and shredded paper grass for extra padding. The Mardi gras prints smelled soft and clean, yep I sniffed them! This part of the package opening is like the walk through the tunnel at Disney where you see the "movie posters", advertising what you're about to see. So now you've got confirmation that its gonna be awesome and fun!

After I lifted the shredded paper and mardi gras prints, I found the precious! All wrapped up in colorful tissue papers with shiny confetti all around! As I unwrapped each item, I noticed the tissue paper had been stamped with a golden Fluer de Lis, X marks the spot! After unwrapping, each item was also enclosed in a heat sealed plastic bag. This is comparable to the walk down main street at Disney - looking in shop windows, hearing the music and realizing you're really there! Every once in a while you get a whiff of the waffle cone and taffy coming from the ice cream shop!

And now that we've walked through the tunnel and down main street, we can see the Disney Castle! Hooray!!
xD It was kind of bold of me to compare this to Disney, but Moona really is an experience from start to finish and I believe that the unveiling of Moo is very similar to how Disney does it.

Here's what's in this haul:
Lemon Tart and Coconut Curd pie slice soap - definitely like crack, I want lemon meringue pie now. stat!
Banana Tarte Tatin Parfait Scrub - smells caramelly on top, can't wait to see how all the layers smell!
Cafe Du Monde Parfait scrub - oh this one smells soooo yummy! Like coffee and chocolate, can't wait to sniff the layers of this too!
Tea Reader perfume (it has the cutest little roller ball top!) Smells beautiful! Just like fresh, sweet tea, with a teeny floral note. Very unique!
Samples in Witches Tea Pot Lot (new formula) - This is a sandalwood vanilla scent, so I'm not crazy about it. I've already offered to swap this away to someone on another forum.
Pacific bath salts - These smell really clean and fresh, and soft. I really like this one! (I don't usually like the sharpness of most clean scents, this one is very soft and sweet!)

I posted a message to Moona at FB and kind of a summary of what I've already told you guys, so if you want the short of it, here ya go!
My very first Moona package arrived today! I love everything in it, and Jas does too. He's threatened to take the Lemon Crack soap when I'm not looking! That bar is huge, so we can share...maybe! I love the two scrub parfaits and the tea reader perfume is so beautiful! Everything is so special, and lovely! I love the packaging and how its themed. It was like watching the curtains rise, seeing the set, and then seeing the performers come on stage! The samples are great; I do prefer the original pot lot formula and I can't wait to try out the Pacific bath salts, they smell amazing through the plastic! Truly a magical first purchase and a customer for life. ♥

Nfu-oh 61

2011-05-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

Nfu-oh 61, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand:Nfu-Oh
Color: 61
Coats: 2
Application: easy peasy
Finish: Holographic blingo!
Base Coat: Nfu-oh aqua base
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 2 days before I got the chip on the index finger
Purchased From: fabuloustreet.com
My Polish Spreadsheet

cftkr-plumberry spice

2011-04-26T23:26:00.001-05:00

cftkr-plumberry spice, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Company: Candles From the Keeping Room
Etailer link: stores.ebay.com/Candles-From-The-Keeping-Ro
Proprietor: Carol

Shipping: Combined shipping for about six different bags full of tarts and some singles, was very reasonable. Flat rate priority.

Presentation: Shipped with bubble wrap, the tarts come 7 or so in a double cello bag, and tied off with homespun. The outer bag has a label on it with company name and scent.

Scent Description: If you love Balsam and Citrus you will love this one.....fruit , berries, some spiced mixed with a sugared spruce.

What I smell: I definitely get the Spruce, different from pine - I love it! I also smell light spices, and a light fruit. Smells delicious and reminds of Christmas, but could be a good scent year round because of its freshness.

Throw: I could smell this in the kitchen and living room while melting in the back bedroom. (My home has an open plan, centralized living room, master in front, kitchen on opposite side and two bedrooms at the back of the living room. I melt my tarts in one of the back bedrooms. So its a three room throw, at least.

Duration: approx. 24 hours. Started the tart yesterday around 5pm and replaced it today around 6pm. We left it on all night and could catch a faint whiff of it just in the back bedroom before replacing.

Extras: I received several freebies with the order, one of which was an out of stock scent that the board raves about, Caramel Swirl. I was quite delighted with that!

Overall Experience: Carol was a delight to work with, her tarts smell wonderful, she does combine shipping and sends freebies. Wonderful etailer!

apaw2 1/52

2011-04-24T23:06:00.004-05:00

apaw2 1/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Butter London
Color: All Hail The Queen
Coats: 2
Application: effortless, seriously!
Finish: shimmer, but I think it wants to be holo - not enough light to tell for sure, but I am seeing a purple flash in there.
Base Coat: SH Nail Quencher
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: Just applied, so we'll see!
Purchased From: Ulta
My Polish Spreadsheet

I've decided to continue with my polish a week project for a second year! This is the first week's mani. I've lemmed this for ages and finally was able to get it, thanks to Ulta for stocking it locally!

Here Comes Trouble!

2011-04-10T19:03:00.002-05:00

Via Flickr:
I got some great advice recently from Birgit, Kaz and Steffels about what kind of bulbs or lamps to try.
I took a few test shots to see how my new lights would affect my photos. I really like them!

What do you think?

2011-01-22T17:49:00.000-06:00

Brand: 10 Professional Nail Lacquer
Color: Pinky Promise #415
Coats: 3
Application: Excellent
Finish: Sheer
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 2 days so far so good.
Purchased From: CVS
Konad: Plate m66
Konad polish used: Rimmel Black Satin
My Polish Spreadsheet

APAW - 26

2010-10-30T16:21:00.000-05:00

APAW - 26, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Elianto
Color: Grape Wine
Coats: 3-4
Application: very nice
Finish: squishy jelly!
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: one day so far
Purchased From: swapped with happyberrynaiad.blogspot.com

APAW - 26/52

2010-10-26T16:24:00.000-05:00

APAW - 26/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: China Glaze
Color: Zombie Zest
Coats: 3
Application: a little sheer, but builds well
Finish: glass fleck
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: no comment, I only wore it for one day.
Purchased From: Admiral Beauty Supply

APAW - 26/52

2010-10-25T16:23:00.000-05:00

APAW - 26/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
(Indoors w/flash)

Brand: China Glaze
Color: Ick-a-bod-y
Coats: 2
Application: cuticle drag with first coat, second was all good.
Finish: glitter in a black jelly base
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: unknown - I've worn it one day and taking it off.
Purchased From: Admiral Beauty Supply

For Halloween week I'm going to try and do a different mani every day; so I won't be able to comment on the wear for these. I'm also only going to count all of these as one for my apaw goal, instead of 5.
I'm really diggin this whole Chg collection, which one to try next!?

APAW - 25/52

2010-10-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

APAW - 25/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Essie
Color: Demure Vixen
Coats: 2
Application: smooooth! self leveling, no streaks = awesome! I like the brush too!
Finish: creamy, sheer, hint of purple shimmer
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: photo taken at 4 days, pretty good I'd say!
Purchased From: Ulta

APAW 24/52

2010-10-13T16:19:00.000-05:00

APAW 24/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Mac
Color: Bad Fairy
Coats: 3-4
Application: Quite sheer, otherwise wonderful. Love the brush!
Finish: Foil duhochrome
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: photo is 2 days
Purchased From: Dillard's

APAW 23/52

2010-10-02T16:16:00.000-05:00

APAW 23/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
In the shade, this is usually what they look like, but in different lights I see green, red, gold and copper.

Brand: Nfu-Oh
Color: 51
Coats: 1 coat over black, accent nail is three coats no black.
Application: Awesome ap for a glitter :)
Finish: multi chormatic flakie glitter
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: Like freakin iron! 8 days no chips very little tipwear, amazing!
Purchased From: A gift from Jason for my birthday on 9/19.

APAW - 22/52

2010-10-01T16:13:00.000-05:00

APAW - 22/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
(shade)
Brand: Pure Ice
Color: No Means No
Coats: 2
Application: Awesome, like butter :) self leveling and all.
Finish: rich purple shimmer with a glowy middle
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 7 days no chips! Perfecto.
Purchased From: A gift from Sarah for my birthday on 9/19.

APAW 21/52

2010-09-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

APAW 21/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: OPI
Color: Sparkle-icious
Coats: 4
Application: like any other glitter
Finish: glitter
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: really well so far! 5 days no chips. :)
Purchased From: Admiral Beauty Supply

This polish release date is late October or early November but I found the whole Burlesque collection at my local beauty supply. -angels singing- I had decided I wanted this one before I saw it in person, and I picked up another one called Show It and Glow It, its more pink/fucshia colored glitter like this one. I absolutely love it and have worn it all week. Very little tipwear and no chips. Wearing like iron!

I've been slacking on mani photo uploading. this one's a week late because I've been working 12 hour days. I'm exhausted when I get home and just couldn't bring myself to edit and upload the photo I took last Sunday, til now. So exhausted, and its time for me to find some dinner! (yep at 9pm, ugh)

Oh and bye bye long nails, hello nubbins! I cut them because they were just getting too long to type with. I think I cut them a bit shorter than usual so now I'm letting them grow out again. xD

APAW - 20/52

2010-09-19T15:03:00.001-05:00

APAW - 20/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Nina Ultra Pro
Color: Unteal You (opi catch me in your net, accent nail)
Coats: 2
Application: like butter
Finish: shimmery
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 7 days no chips, very little tip wear. Awesome polish!
Purchased From: Sally's Beauty Supply

Photo in full sun

APAW - 19/52

2010-09-09T15:01:00.001-05:00

APAW - 19/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear
Color: Mystic Lilac
Coats: 3-4
Application: sheer and uneven, but by coat three or four I had no vnl. Otherwise awesome :)
Finish: Green shimmer
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 1 week
Purchased From: Ulta

I love this polish, its so unusual!

APAW - 18/52

2010-08-30T20:54:00.000-05:00

APAW - 18/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Photo taken in full sun

Brand: Ulta Professionals
Color: Always A Bridesmaid
Coats: 3
Application: smooth and even, could have gotten away with two.
Finish: shimmer with a barely green flash
Base Coat: Jessica 2 in 1
Top Coat: Sally Hansen Insta Dry (red bottle)
Wear: 3 days, some tip wear so far.
Purchased From: Ulta

APAW - 17/52

2010-08-21T22:08:00.000-05:00

APAW - 17/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Orly
Color: Space Cadet
Collection: Cosmic FX
Coats: 3
Application: Smooth and even
Finish: triochrome sparkly
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear:
Purchased From: Ulta

I love this polish! At front it sparkles purple and golden but the base is a teal green. Its so unusual and gorgeous!

APAW - 16/52

2010-08-15T22:05:00.000-05:00

APAW - 16/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: OPI
Color: My Private Jet (holographic version)
Coats: 3
Application: Very smooth, though a bit sheer
Finish: Holographic (charcoal version)
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 1 day so far, so good
Purchased From: Thrift Beauty Supply

I thought I'd try doing square nail tips this time and though it took a little getting used to, I think I like them this way!

OPI MPJ Holo is a much sought, very hard to find polish. I have seen it priced over a hundred usd on ebay. I stumbled on mine at a local beauty supply, got both bottles they had in stock. Yay for unexpected finds!

APAW - 15/52

2010-08-13T22:04:00.000-05:00

APAW - 15/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: China Glaze
Color: DV8
Coats: 2
Application: awfully gloppy, but it self leveled.
Finish: holographic
Base Coat: Seche Clear
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: Started chipping a little at the sides on day 5. Touch up helped it last another two. ;)
Purchased From: Received in a swap

Savvy Femme Couture - Green with Envy

2010-08-08T22:02:00.000-05:00

Savvy Femme Couture - Green with Envy, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
I added this green foil over my existing mani on Thursday night, and dubbed it Funky Friday the following day at work.
It was fun and spruced up my mani a little. As you can see, I had some tip wear from the base color, but other than that, it wore like iron!
I haven't decided whether I'm going to do a funky friday each week or not. We'll see!

APAW 14/52

2010-07-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

APAW 14/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:

Brand: Avon
Color: Olive Green
Coats: 2 (opaque in 1 though!)
Application: Awesome, could use a better brush
Finish: Cream
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: Applied last night
Purchased From: Avon online

APAW - 13/52

2010-07-24T21:58:00.000-05:00

APAW - 13/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Full Sun

Brand: Chanel
Color: Paradoxal
Coats: 2
Application: A litle goopy
Finish: Barely there purple shimmer
Base Coat: Seche Clear and Essie Fill thte Gap
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: one teeny chip on day 7
Purchased From: Dillard's

I swore I wasn' t ever going to spend more than $10 on a bottle of polish but with this new release, I caved. I love this polish in the sun, as it really shows the shimmer off!

APAW 12/52

2010-07-17T21:56:00.001-05:00

APAW 12/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Photo taken in the sun

Brand: Sally Hansen
Color: Opulent Cloud
Coats: 2
Application: A little streaky at first, the second coat fixed that.
Finish: shimmery, A taupey smokey sometimes plum base with a flash of gold shimmer.
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Poshe which caused major shrinkage. So I did another coat of OC and added Barielle Manicure Extender.
Wear: 6 days no chips
Purchased From: Walgreen's

APAW - 11/52

2010-07-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

APAW - 11/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Sinful Colors
Color: Rich In Heart
Coats: 2 (although one is enough for a quick mani)
Application: Gloopy, I think some thinner is in order.
Finish: Shimmer
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 5 days when photo was taken
Purchased From: Walgreen's

I saw Eclipse on Saturday morning last weekend so I chose this vampy color to suit. Its really a gorgeous deep color and looks nearly black indoors, but outdoors wow! I am loving SV topcoat, just look at those cloud reflections in my nails. ^.^

Happy 4th of July America! APAW 10/52

2010-07-04T21:50:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July America! APAW 10/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brands and color names:
OPI Absolutely Alice (blue glitter)
Love My Nails French White (white)
Wet N Wild Kaleidoscope (iridescent glitter)
Orly Star Spangled (red jelly glitter)

Coats: Approximately 2 of each color
Top Coat: Seche Vite and Barielle Manicure Extender
Wear: 3 days so far :)
For this nail art I used painter's tape to get the straight lines. This is the first time I've done nail art, and although it was difficult and time consuming, I'm quite pleased with the results!

Mini haul!

2010-06-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

Mini haul!, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Left to Right:
SH Opulent Cloud (x2)
Maybelline Jean Jacket
Maybelline Zip Fly
Ulta Always a Bridesmaid

APAW 9/52

2010-06-28T21:48:00.000-05:00

APAW 9/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Rimmel
Color: Night Life
Coats: 3
Application: A little thick, probably because its a fast dry. 3rd coat was to smooth out streakiness.
Finish: creamy with a coppery/gold flash
Base Coat: Seche Clear
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: One week, not chips, slight tip wear or possibly shrinkage I can never be sure!
Purchased From: Ebay seller floridacosmetichouse (not sure I'd buy from them again. Slow shipping and no replies to my four messages - scarey transaction)
Comments: I love this color and its subtle shimmer.

Polish Haul June 24, 2010

2010-06-24T21:48:00.000-05:00

Polish Haul June 24, 2010, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Left to Right:
Rimmel Street Wear, Rimmel Don't Touch, Rimmel Night Life, Rimmel Killer Queen, Milani Digital, Milani Hi Tech

The Rimmels are long awaited from an ebay seller. I was worried they weren't going to arrive. They're finally here though and I love them!

Polish Haul June 24, 2010

2010-06-24T21:47:00.000-05:00

Polish Haul June 24, 2010, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Left to Right:
Sinful Colors Pinky Glitter, Sinful Colors Green Ocean, SH HD Spectrum, WnW French White, and WnW Black Creme

Color Club Polish

2010-06-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

Color Club Polish, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Polish I got today at Ross for 5.50 total, on clearance. I couldn't believe it was so cheap for all of these. My experience with color club has been a good one so far, so I could not pass these beauties up!

Misc Polishes

2010-06-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

Misc Polishes, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
The Milani was impossible to find here so a nail boarder found it for me and sent it. Its absolutely gorgeous!
Next, is colored after a Tiffany Jewelry box - free Nina color with purchase of the base coat I got. The silver and white are for an experiment and were buy one get one half off, and the base coat was necessary for my current mani of the Grin and Berry It polish. The teeny bottle came free with the base coat.

APAW 8/52

2010-06-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

APAW 8/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Nina Ultra Pro
Series: Pearly Brights 2010
Color: Grin and Berry It
Coats: 3
Application: Streaky at first, better by the second coat but still had vnl, so I applied a third coat.
Finish: Matte with blue shimmer flash
Base Coat: Instant Artificials
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: Chipping on the fourth day, like woah. I've done some touch ups and more top coat to preserve it for the remainder of the week.
Purchased From: Sally Beauty Supply

I absolutely love love love this color.

APAW 7/52

2010-06-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

APAW 7/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Savvy Femme Couture
Series: Shimmer Time 2010
Color: Magic Pumpkin
Coats: 4
Application: Very nice! No issues.
Finish: Sheer with a gold shimmery flash
Base Coat: none
Top Coat: Seche Vite
Wear: 7 days, tip wear but no chipping.
Purchased From: Sally Beauty Supply

The color is absolutely gorgeous, all its glory couldn't be captured in my photo.

Intervention, stat!

2010-06-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

Intervention, stat!, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
In two days I've amassed quite a haul of nail polish. Four more are on their way so they can't be in the photograph. And I bought another one today that I forgot to put in the photo.

Bottom row: Icing pastels collection- these don't have color names but they do have a subtle shimmer. Peach, pink, mint green, blue, barely grey

Middle row: L.A. Color Craze - Nuclear Energy, Live, Magnetic Force, Phenomena, Atomic, Radiation, Current, Electrified, Wired

Top row: CQ Angel, Tahitian Green, Violet Frost. Orly Plastix Collection - Viridian Vinyl, Purple Pleather. Hot Topic has no name but its the most sparkly dark purple I've ever seen. Pure Ice - Free Spirit, Heartbreaker. Sally Hansen Adoring Amethyst. Love My Nails Dazzle. Claire's Mood polish has no name, its a purple with sparkles that turns pink when warm. Hard Candy - Sugar Daddy, Envy. Claire's Burple. Love My Nails Frosted Pink. Icing Skinny Dip.

The two in the back are Hidden Treasure by SH. I got these for swaps on MUA but haven't posted them there yet. I've already got one of my own. :)

APAW 6/52

2010-06-07T20:32:00.000-05:00

APAW 6/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: CQ
Color: Tahitian Green
Coats: 2
Application: Streaky, bubbling, the brush picked up the first coat and left bare spots behind
Finish: Very slight shimmer
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener and Hardener
Wear: 7 days, a little tip wear no chipping
Purchased From: Walmart

Although I had issues with the application I really love the color and how well it wears.

Weekend Haul

2010-06-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

Weekend Haul, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
LTR: Claire's Magic which is a gorgeous dark purple with pink and green duochrome shimmer, OPI I'm Fondue of You is a reddish brown with a bit of a dark pink shimmer, Nicole Fanatical Fuchsia is fuchsia with flashes of blue/purple pearl, Nina Ultra Pro Grin and Berry It is an insanely fluorescent purple with shimmer, Sanrio Hello Kitty is baby pink with a pearly finish.

The Nicole polish was free with my Ulta coupon from Seventeenclicky to get yours!

These polishes didn't photograph true to color. =/

APAW 5/52

2010-05-30T20:26:00.000-05:00

APAW 5/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Milani
Series: 3D Holographic 2010
Color: Cyberspace
Coats: 2 (one would have been ok for a quick mani)
Application: Smooth, no issues
Finish: Holographic shimmer
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat
Wear: No signs of tip wear or chipping
Purchased from: CVS

Very nice formula and wear duration and smooth to the touch.
I am impressed with this one!

APAW 4/52

2010-05-25T20:25:00.001-05:00

APAW 4/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Sally Hansen
Series: HD Hi-Definition 2010
Color: Byte
Coats: 3
Application: Very gloopy and a bit sheer
Finish: Shimmery with a blue flash
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat
Wear: 7 days minimal tip wear no chipping
Purchased From: Walgreen's

APAW 3/52

2010-05-17T20:24:00.001-05:00

APAW 3/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Sally Hansen
Series: Xtreme Wear
Color: Rockstar Pink
Coats: 2 (over WnW Moonstone)
Application: slightly bumpy due to glitter and each coat was packed with glitter!
Finish: a rainbow of glitter in a clear base, slightly bumpy
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat (2 coats no more bumps!)
Wear: 7 days no tip wear or chipping
Purchased From: Walmart

I nearly overlooked it, and boy am I glad I took that second glance. ^.^

APAW 2/52

2010-05-12T20:24:00.001-05:00

APAW 2/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Sinful Colors
Color: Aqua
Coats: 2
Application: Little bit gloopy but ok after 2nd coat
Finish: shimmer
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat
Wear: Very well! Minimal tip wear after 7 days
Purchased From: Walgreen's

Brand: Sinful Colors
Color: Nail Junkie
Coats: 1
Application: As expected for glitters :)
Finish: gold, blue, green and iridescent glitter in a sheer teal base
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat
Wear: Very well, 7 days no tip wear or chips
Purchased From: Walgreen's

Aqua on bottom and Nail Junkie on the top. Absolutely an electrifying color! My fingertips were constantly catching my eye while I wore this.

APAW 1/52

2010-05-11T20:22:00.001-05:00

APAW 1/52, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Brand: Zoya
Color: Pru
Coats: 2
Application: A little goopy
Finish: gold shimmer
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat
Wear: 7 days slight tip wear no chipping
Purchased From: Zoya.com

Brand: Sally Hansen
Series: Tracy Reese 2010
Color: Hidden Treasure
Coats: 1
Application: Smooth, I love the wide brush
Finish: Glitter Flakie
Base Coat: None
Top Coat: Beauty Secrets Thickener Hardener Top Coat
Wear: 7 days no chips, can't really tell if this had tip wear
Purchased From: Walgreen's

This is about day 6 of polish wear and you can see that I've had some tip wear here. I really love this flakie polish and with it being so hard to find now, I'm really glad I snagged it when I had the chance.

Color Club Fashion Addict

2010-05-10T20:18:00.000-05:00

Color Club Fashion Addict, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
A breeze to apply and lovely color.
This went on very smooth too.

The color is a really barely there lavender, it looked silver to me in the bottle but this photo really picks up on that hint of lavender. Two coats, but could get away with one if you're in a rush.
its definitely holographic, just really difficult to pick up on camera. >.>

Ulta Chic Peek

2010-05-10T20:14:00.000-05:00

Ulta Chic Peek, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Via Flickr:
Application was ok, the polish wasn't very fluid so I had a little trouble with coverage on the side edges of my nails.

Pure Ice Mint Dream

2010-05-10T19:34:00.000-05:00

Pure Ice Mint Dream, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Application was very smooth, however; I think this is around 5-6 coats an I still have VNL. Eh, its alright though sometimes its nice to see that. ;)

OPI DS Extravagance

2010-05-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

OPI DS Extravagance, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Application was quite globby, I nearly gave up on it but when it dried I couldn't even see the brush strokes. Go figure!

Sally Hansen Purple Pizzaz

2010-05-10T18:50:00.000-05:00

Sally Hansen Purple Pizzaz, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

A very fun jelly glitter! It was easy to apply, though the brush tends to hold a lot more than needed. So if you get this, watch for drips! Went on smooth, and I think this is about 3-4 coats.

Pure Ice Dreamy

2010-05-02T19:33:00.001-05:00

Nail Polish Swatch, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

I took two snapshots and had to use this one because of the bling factor from my flash. I giggled when I saw it!

Dreamy by Pure Ice is a coral colored jelly like polish with iridescent glitter in it.

OPI - Hawaiin Orchid

2010-02-25T19:31:00.000-06:00

OPI - Hawaiin Orchid, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

This is a very sheer pink, at least four coats in this photo. The color wouldn't photograph right so I had to do a little photoshopping. Its still not exact, the pink is a really soft feminine pink. I think I have it too bright or something in this photo.
It has a purplish iridescense to it when the light hits it just right.

Arissa - Rockin Amethyst

2010-02-23T19:30:00.000-06:00

Arissa - Rockin Amethyst, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

I just happened upon this gem of a polish this weekend at Family Dollar. It was well worth the 2 bucks!
The polish is lovely, goes on smooth and coats in two aps, though I used three to get just a little more depth and coverage.
Its pretty dark for the most part except when the light hits it.

Mannequin Hands

2010-02-17T19:22:00.000-06:00

Mannequin Hands, originally uploaded by Jen ♥.

Sarah told me about mannequin hands and then showed me a few photos so I just had to try it!

I used about 5 layers of the cream and put my own spin on this by using 1 layer of glitter on top. Bottom photo is same mani with matte top coat added.