Bath and Body Product Reviews and Caturday!
For most of the year, I have kept my bath and body expenses sort of low-ish. I regularly order soaps from The Soap Box Company, because they carry all my favorite brands. But we are now in the land of the Halloween/Autumn updates, and so I stock up on goodies for the year. I ordered a boatload from Fantasy Bath and one Sleepy Hollow scrub (review) from Arcana thus far. I also got a new thing to try-- Mad Hatter Soaps' Midnight In The Pumpkin Patch scrub, which arrived today and smells more like BPAL's buttery pumpkin note than the spicier pumpkin scents I tend to go for. But it is yummy. Haven't put it in the shower yet because I have other things to finish first. MoonaLisa's update goes up tonight... I have yet to try her things because they sell out SO FAST and her TAT is absurd, but after hearing all the rave reviews, I might try to snag something tonight. Plus Haunt is updating next week with their Halloween stuff, and I love the texture of their soaps. And then Villainess is reprising Smashing (review)... my pumpkin crisis is about to be solved and then some. I stock up now to have pumpkin goodness throughout the year.
As it stands, here is my bathroom:
Large jar of Fantasy Bath's Cinderella, basket of Lush and Fantasy Bath bath bombs.
Bath cabinet.
Top Shelf: small Kama Sutra goodies box, oil sprays from Haunt, Fantasy Bath lotion bar, massage oils by Blessed Scents (MDRF vendor), bath oil by Black Phoenix Trading Post.
Middle shelf: another Blessed Scents massage oil, Villainess Whipped lotion in several scents, Mad Hatter Soap scrub, a decant of Black Phoenix Trading Post's bath oil and their Terrae massage oil, Dress Green facial masque.
Bottom shelf: mixed bag of Lush bubble bar bits, soaps and soap samples by Villainess, Alchemic Muse, Blessed Scents, and Savor.
Currently in the shower: Villainess Birth Rite Smack, the dregs of my hoarded Arcana Sleepy Hollow scrub.
Aside from my favorite dance necklace, my bouquet from Gardens of Whimsy, and my headband from The Candy Thief:
Pair-A-Pumpkins handsoap by The Soap Seduction, Villainess's Birth Rite Perfume, and a coconut milk and peach candle by AJ's Country Cottage.
Product Reviews! A lot of these were from ABQ, and it's been awhile since I did a review post, so here goes!
Alchemic Muse soap in Autumn Harvest:: This cornucopia of autumn delights is sure to engage the senses. Juicy sweet oranges simmering with warm spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and coriander complete this autumn treat. This is a new-to-me company. I ordered three of their Halloween/Fall LE's to try and this was the first. I was really pleased with the customer service and the fast TAT. The soaps smelled great in the box. Unfortunately, once I got this into the shower, it smelled plain GROSS. Honest to god, it was Fruit Loops and rail vodka. Jason said it smelled like sweaty feet and booze. This one got tossed, and that is the first time I have ever thrown out a bar of soap. I still have two of their bars to go through, and I'm nervous.
Villainess Soap in Krakatoa:: Flashes of exotic foliage - coconut, banana, papaya, dewfruit, mango - amidst slightly more domestic fruits - nectarine, red apple, peach, plums, pears, and raspberries - and an explosive burst of citrus - mandarin orange, pineapple, lemon, and tangerine. Light musk, salted driftwood, sugar cane, and dry sandalwood work to ground our island paradise. I don't usually do tropical, but between Krakatoa and Paradise Misplaced, Brooke has changed my mind. This smelled of red apple, nectarine, and a little bit of pineapple. It was juicy without being generic. Jason really liked it, too.
Villainess Birth Rite Smack:: Layers of Incense, Buttercream Cupcake and Spicetrade, topped with a scoop of Berry Patch. First of all, Birth Rite is one of my favorite scents OF ALL TIME (sorry, Beyonce). I loooove the soap. I love the candle. I love the perfume. But the Smack just didn't work for me. Rare is the Villainess problem that does not work for me, and the product itself is not specifically to blame. Smack! is Brooke's new brainchild of a customizeable body scrub-- you can pick four "single note" scents, and they all get layered together. They are not like her Smooches where everything is blended together. And the Smack! formula was great-- scrubby and wonderful. It was the scent layers that didn't really work for me. I am not a strong berry person, so a single note berry top layer was absolutely not for me. The Spice Trade layer smelled DELICIOUS, but the cinnamon in it rashed out my skin. Very odd, considering I love all of her other spicy stuff, including Smashing Smooch, which is super spicy. But for some reason, this layer made me red and itchy. I let Brooke know and she said it's not been a problem that's been reported to her, but she'll take it into consideration. It's probably just me, but there you have it. (For the record, she offered me a refund-- I declined because I DID use it all, just on my legs, which seemed immune.) The buttercream was great. Not toooo foody. The incense note also didn't work for me-- it was more of the dry incenses than the juicy ones, like dragon's blood. So I think the problem here is that all of these things work for me when blended together, but not necessarily stand-alone. That said, some of the single notes DO look amazing, and I will likely try again with some sort of sugared roses / coconut milk / peachy mixture come springtime.
Haunt Skin Glossing Oil in Batik:: Smoky beeswax & resin darkened honey. YUM. I was worried that this would be to sweet, what with the honey and all. Nope. All ambery beeswax, delicious. And it sticks around FOREVER, so close to the skin and subtly sexy.
Haunt Corsair Soap:: The spoils of any good pirate’s plundering: Key Lime, Fresh Ginger, Cardamom, sweet coconut milk, black tea and silk. Was all fresh lime and a little bit of cardamom. It was not a biting lime, but a mellow, creamy one. Thumbs up.
Haunt Empire Soap:: Precious vanilla and glimmering amber, entwined with long-forgotten incense. This was in the same vein as one of my other favorite soaps, Villainess's Asphyxiate. A soft, creamy lather, and a thick, sweetened amber fragrance. DELISH.
Savor Sex Appeal Soap:: Mellow, feminine rose is blended with a sweet kiss of ripe strawberry. This was a strikeout for me. It was just too sweet, and the two notes didn't play together as nicely as I thought they would. The strawberry smelled fake, and the rose just amped the sweetness. Not my thing. This was the one time I was grateful that Savor's olive oil base meant it was gone faster.
Savor Ginger Icing Creme Fraiche:: Nutmeg. A sprinkle of cinnamon. Ginger, but of course. Sweet sugar. Allspice. A hidden dash of clove. I am a big fan of their Ginger Icing soap. The creme fraiche was not nearly as light and fluffy as I'd expected based on the pictures and descriptions, and the scent was far sharper than the soap-- not the mellow, creamy spice I loved. It took several tests to get used to, which I think is a little too offputting. I'll stick to the soap version... though I am tempted to try another scent. Hot Buttered Oatmeal just sounds too good to pass over.
Dress Green Clarifying Facial Soap with Activated Charcoal and Evening Primrose Oil:: I got this because my skin totally freaked out earlier this month. It's much less ruddy since I started using this as well as their charcoal mask. It's mild and smells nice-- soothing primrose with a subtle antiseptic tang.
The Soap Seduction hand soaps in Pair-A-Pumpkins:: This is a melt-and-pour soap. It sweats (though, given the pretty mica, this actually enhanced the look!). However-- both Jason and I love the scent (a orangey pomander pumpkin), the lather is creamy and moisturizing, and the customer service was top notch. Not at all bad for a cute powder-room handsoap.
Bath products by Layla:: The bath bombs did zippo. I could barely smell them after they went in the water and the moisturizing was negligible. The bubble bars were a little better on both counts. Will not venture back.
BPAL LE Halloweenie:: Boo:: Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream:: This is pretty much Chaste Moon 2.0. A light cream with a little bit of the roundness of marshmallow. Not too caramelly that I can't wear it, but still lightly foody. I like it but suspect my husband will like it more. It had really wonderful staying power-- a comforting, sweet white scent for someone who is craving a bakery scent that's not foodie overkill.
BPAL LE Halloweenie::Pumpkin II:: Pumpkin, rosewood, red sandalwood, and tea rose:: This works unexpectedly well! It almost smells like two single notes layered together-- pumpkin and tea rose-- but the pumpkin warms and the tea rose gives it a nice, refined air. It's delicious!
BPAL LE:: Under the Harvest Moon:: Blue and white musk, summer roses, wild crimson leaves, grey amber, carnation, lavender bud, and vanilla bean:: I definitely smell the blue musk and the carnation. The amber and vanilla are more of an afterthought, a very subtle sweetener for this dry, floral scent. It's pretty enough for floral lovers, but not full and voluptuous enough for my tastes.
Is it possible to have a paying job as a bath and beauty reviewer? 'Cause I'd be so all over that.
It's Caturday!
The ladies and their daddy.
Not to be outdone, Nox has decided he likes to cuddle, too.
Kitten naptime.
Zombie Olive, fast asleep.
Mim, making herself at home.
A less than happy Olive after her bath.
Mim was just happy to be out of the water.
A Nox in a box! He likes to nap in an empty ULINE.
In other news, J & I just finished season 1 of Dexter. We are addicted to this show. I could spend all day analyzing his psyche, and Doakes really grew on me. At the beginning of the season, I kept yelling, "you're such a stereotype! Get layers or die!" But then he got layers. And then I loved him.
As it stands, here is my bathroom:
Large jar of Fantasy Bath's Cinderella, basket of Lush and Fantasy Bath bath bombs.
Bath cabinet.
Top Shelf: small Kama Sutra goodies box, oil sprays from Haunt, Fantasy Bath lotion bar, massage oils by Blessed Scents (MDRF vendor), bath oil by Black Phoenix Trading Post.
Middle shelf: another Blessed Scents massage oil, Villainess Whipped lotion in several scents, Mad Hatter Soap scrub, a decant of Black Phoenix Trading Post's bath oil and their Terrae massage oil, Dress Green facial masque.
Bottom shelf: mixed bag of Lush bubble bar bits, soaps and soap samples by Villainess, Alchemic Muse, Blessed Scents, and Savor.
Currently in the shower: Villainess Birth Rite Smack, the dregs of my hoarded Arcana Sleepy Hollow scrub.
Aside from my favorite dance necklace, my bouquet from Gardens of Whimsy, and my headband from The Candy Thief:
Pair-A-Pumpkins handsoap by The Soap Seduction, Villainess's Birth Rite Perfume, and a coconut milk and peach candle by AJ's Country Cottage.
Product Reviews! A lot of these were from ABQ, and it's been awhile since I did a review post, so here goes!
Alchemic Muse soap in Autumn Harvest:: This cornucopia of autumn delights is sure to engage the senses. Juicy sweet oranges simmering with warm spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and coriander complete this autumn treat. This is a new-to-me company. I ordered three of their Halloween/Fall LE's to try and this was the first. I was really pleased with the customer service and the fast TAT. The soaps smelled great in the box. Unfortunately, once I got this into the shower, it smelled plain GROSS. Honest to god, it was Fruit Loops and rail vodka. Jason said it smelled like sweaty feet and booze. This one got tossed, and that is the first time I have ever thrown out a bar of soap. I still have two of their bars to go through, and I'm nervous.
Villainess Soap in Krakatoa:: Flashes of exotic foliage - coconut, banana, papaya, dewfruit, mango - amidst slightly more domestic fruits - nectarine, red apple, peach, plums, pears, and raspberries - and an explosive burst of citrus - mandarin orange, pineapple, lemon, and tangerine. Light musk, salted driftwood, sugar cane, and dry sandalwood work to ground our island paradise. I don't usually do tropical, but between Krakatoa and Paradise Misplaced, Brooke has changed my mind. This smelled of red apple, nectarine, and a little bit of pineapple. It was juicy without being generic. Jason really liked it, too.
Villainess Birth Rite Smack:: Layers of Incense, Buttercream Cupcake and Spicetrade, topped with a scoop of Berry Patch. First of all, Birth Rite is one of my favorite scents OF ALL TIME (sorry, Beyonce). I loooove the soap. I love the candle. I love the perfume. But the Smack just didn't work for me. Rare is the Villainess problem that does not work for me, and the product itself is not specifically to blame. Smack! is Brooke's new brainchild of a customizeable body scrub-- you can pick four "single note" scents, and they all get layered together. They are not like her Smooches where everything is blended together. And the Smack! formula was great-- scrubby and wonderful. It was the scent layers that didn't really work for me. I am not a strong berry person, so a single note berry top layer was absolutely not for me. The Spice Trade layer smelled DELICIOUS, but the cinnamon in it rashed out my skin. Very odd, considering I love all of her other spicy stuff, including Smashing Smooch, which is super spicy. But for some reason, this layer made me red and itchy. I let Brooke know and she said it's not been a problem that's been reported to her, but she'll take it into consideration. It's probably just me, but there you have it. (For the record, she offered me a refund-- I declined because I DID use it all, just on my legs, which seemed immune.) The buttercream was great. Not toooo foody. The incense note also didn't work for me-- it was more of the dry incenses than the juicy ones, like dragon's blood. So I think the problem here is that all of these things work for me when blended together, but not necessarily stand-alone. That said, some of the single notes DO look amazing, and I will likely try again with some sort of sugared roses / coconut milk / peachy mixture come springtime.
Haunt Skin Glossing Oil in Batik:: Smoky beeswax & resin darkened honey. YUM. I was worried that this would be to sweet, what with the honey and all. Nope. All ambery beeswax, delicious. And it sticks around FOREVER, so close to the skin and subtly sexy.
Haunt Corsair Soap:: The spoils of any good pirate’s plundering: Key Lime, Fresh Ginger, Cardamom, sweet coconut milk, black tea and silk. Was all fresh lime and a little bit of cardamom. It was not a biting lime, but a mellow, creamy one. Thumbs up.
Haunt Empire Soap:: Precious vanilla and glimmering amber, entwined with long-forgotten incense. This was in the same vein as one of my other favorite soaps, Villainess's Asphyxiate. A soft, creamy lather, and a thick, sweetened amber fragrance. DELISH.
Savor Sex Appeal Soap:: Mellow, feminine rose is blended with a sweet kiss of ripe strawberry. This was a strikeout for me. It was just too sweet, and the two notes didn't play together as nicely as I thought they would. The strawberry smelled fake, and the rose just amped the sweetness. Not my thing. This was the one time I was grateful that Savor's olive oil base meant it was gone faster.
Savor Ginger Icing Creme Fraiche:: Nutmeg. A sprinkle of cinnamon. Ginger, but of course. Sweet sugar. Allspice. A hidden dash of clove. I am a big fan of their Ginger Icing soap. The creme fraiche was not nearly as light and fluffy as I'd expected based on the pictures and descriptions, and the scent was far sharper than the soap-- not the mellow, creamy spice I loved. It took several tests to get used to, which I think is a little too offputting. I'll stick to the soap version... though I am tempted to try another scent. Hot Buttered Oatmeal just sounds too good to pass over.
Dress Green Clarifying Facial Soap with Activated Charcoal and Evening Primrose Oil:: I got this because my skin totally freaked out earlier this month. It's much less ruddy since I started using this as well as their charcoal mask. It's mild and smells nice-- soothing primrose with a subtle antiseptic tang.
The Soap Seduction hand soaps in Pair-A-Pumpkins:: This is a melt-and-pour soap. It sweats (though, given the pretty mica, this actually enhanced the look!). However-- both Jason and I love the scent (a orangey pomander pumpkin), the lather is creamy and moisturizing, and the customer service was top notch. Not at all bad for a cute powder-room handsoap.
Bath products by Layla:: The bath bombs did zippo. I could barely smell them after they went in the water and the moisturizing was negligible. The bubble bars were a little better on both counts. Will not venture back.
BPAL LE Halloweenie:: Boo:: Eerie billows of spun sugar, fluttering white cotton, and sheets of cream:: This is pretty much Chaste Moon 2.0. A light cream with a little bit of the roundness of marshmallow. Not too caramelly that I can't wear it, but still lightly foody. I like it but suspect my husband will like it more. It had really wonderful staying power-- a comforting, sweet white scent for someone who is craving a bakery scent that's not foodie overkill.
BPAL LE Halloweenie::Pumpkin II:: Pumpkin, rosewood, red sandalwood, and tea rose:: This works unexpectedly well! It almost smells like two single notes layered together-- pumpkin and tea rose-- but the pumpkin warms and the tea rose gives it a nice, refined air. It's delicious!
BPAL LE:: Under the Harvest Moon:: Blue and white musk, summer roses, wild crimson leaves, grey amber, carnation, lavender bud, and vanilla bean:: I definitely smell the blue musk and the carnation. The amber and vanilla are more of an afterthought, a very subtle sweetener for this dry, floral scent. It's pretty enough for floral lovers, but not full and voluptuous enough for my tastes.
Is it possible to have a paying job as a bath and beauty reviewer? 'Cause I'd be so all over that.
The ladies and their daddy.
Not to be outdone, Nox has decided he likes to cuddle, too.
Kitten naptime.
Zombie Olive, fast asleep.
Mim, making herself at home.
A less than happy Olive after her bath.
Mim was just happy to be out of the water.
A Nox in a box! He likes to nap in an empty ULINE.
In other news, J & I just finished season 1 of Dexter. We are addicted to this show. I could spend all day analyzing his psyche, and Doakes really grew on me. At the beginning of the season, I kept yelling, "you're such a stereotype! Get layers or die!" But then he got layers. And then I loved him.