Stress = talkin' bout retail therapy
Reviews for scented stuff I've tried in the last few months.
Lathers & Lights::
I placed my second order here for hair stuffs. I was less than thrilled with the Soft & Shine shampoo's lack of lather, but I got over it because though my hair doesn't feel astringently clean the way it does with SLS shampoos, it is clean and soft, and the smelling good is also nice. I got the Soft & Shine Shampoo (Amber Glow) & matching conditioner (Ambre Vanille). Both are really nice. Add to that the conditioning treatment in a re-order of Egyptian Dragon and also a dark rosey scent. They sent a ton of lotion samples again, and I have to say that their LUSH American Cream dupe is looooovely.
Villainess:: So, Brooke worked out an agreement with her UK retailer, PoshBrats, to sell the two exclusive scents (Posh & Brats) on her website as well. Most customers have never smelled these two. Here are my reviews.
Posh: A rich heart of dragon's blood resin, white peach, and crushed pomegranate washed with sheer plumeria and lightly spiced with sarsparilla.
I tried the sugar scrub, and it was interesting. I'm a big fan of Villainess's summer, LE, Trauma, which is all sticky ripe peach and big roaring dragon's blood. Posh has both white peach and dragon's blood, yet is a completely different scent. Not even remotely the same. The scrub came out with a very fresh fruity-floral that's a mix of white peach with a liiiiitle bit of pomegranate & plumeria. It's very cohesively blended, and those three notes meld together almost seamlessly. What surprised me is that the drydown wasn't at all dragon's blood (and lordy, my skin amps resins). It was sarsparilla! Surprising and nice. As for the scrub itself, it was very moisturizing while still being softly scrubby. Somewhere between Jai Mahal & Ginger Snapped on the scrub-ability scale.
The perfume is about the same, although I get more of a dragon's blood-y drydown (subtle, though, and smooth) instead of sarsparilla. This is a great daytime scent, and I could see fruity-floral lovers wearing this one spring through the end of fall. It's well-rounded and not at all boring.
Brats: Ribbon candy spliced with butterscotch, salted caramels and a resinous melange of sticky sweets.
I tried this one in perfume oil form. HOLY MACKEREL, this is sweet. Right off the top, there's butterscotch, then seriously-- you can smell the salt in the caramels. Somewhere underneath there's a warm, sultry resin note, but it's a faint note under all of the sugar. In the end, this is not for me because I tend not to go in the foody direction, but I know several of the foodie afficionados will be all over this one.
I have hand soap slivers of both to try, as well. I've found, though, that it's useless for me to review Brooke's bars as-is. They release their scents the best when wet and scrubby.
Haus of Gloi::
Insalata Nocturna:: Oh man, I wish I'd known about this earlier in the season! I tossed a little sample in my card completely on a whim. Basil, tomato leaf, and a squeeze of bright lemon. So fresh, so clean, so unexpected. The basil is just so clean smelling. If my brain were not already firmly in Autumn-land, I would be buying this in full-size. Love.
Aduwa:: Were you (like me) a huge fan of Haunt's Rasa? This is the closest thing you'll ever find to it.
Flourish Bath & Body::
A local Baltimore shop. I am addicted to their lip balms. Lemon Sugar is my everyday love. I went and took a chance on two of their bar soaps, Applewood (goat's milk) and Vanilla Amber (glycerin). Applewood was faint but moisturizing. Vanilla Amber smelled amazing and resin-y, but it was glycerin! Glycerin melts sooooo quickly. At least the scent lasted down to the last little sliver. I'm still tempted to try Moroccan Fig, but I have to say, I'd prefer a more lasting cold process formula.
I also bought an MAC lipstick in 'O' recently. I saw a swatch online that was supposed to be a purple russet with bronze overlay... well, this thing looks straight bronze. BUT. It also looks amazing on me with this red hair. A lot of my lipsticks are in the russet family but are very clearly performance lipsticks because they stand out. I am not the kind of girl who can pull off a red lip on a daily basis. This pretty bronzey copper is so wearable. Love it.
Also-- a question for my bellydance ladies. I am soon to be in the market for a Gahwazee coat/entari. The only thing is that I'm curvy and don't want an ill-fitted one that will gape weirdly in the boobage/tummy area. While I would kiiiiill for a Velvet Peacock one, there is no way I have that kinda cash. Shawaza looks to have some pretty ones for a reasonable price (as well as really reasonably priced 25 yard skirts!), but does anyone else have recs? I am looking for a burgundy/earthtoned one that is suitable for both a cover-up and chillier days at Faire.
DO NOT say "oh Christina, I have a pattern. You should make one." My sewing skills (and patience for sewing) are negligible. This is a time I will PAY someone to sew for me.
Danke!
Lathers & Lights::
I placed my second order here for hair stuffs. I was less than thrilled with the Soft & Shine shampoo's lack of lather, but I got over it because though my hair doesn't feel astringently clean the way it does with SLS shampoos, it is clean and soft, and the smelling good is also nice. I got the Soft & Shine Shampoo (Amber Glow) & matching conditioner (Ambre Vanille). Both are really nice. Add to that the conditioning treatment in a re-order of Egyptian Dragon and also a dark rosey scent. They sent a ton of lotion samples again, and I have to say that their LUSH American Cream dupe is looooovely.
Villainess:: So, Brooke worked out an agreement with her UK retailer, PoshBrats, to sell the two exclusive scents (Posh & Brats) on her website as well. Most customers have never smelled these two. Here are my reviews.
Posh: A rich heart of dragon's blood resin, white peach, and crushed pomegranate washed with sheer plumeria and lightly spiced with sarsparilla.
I tried the sugar scrub, and it was interesting. I'm a big fan of Villainess's summer, LE, Trauma, which is all sticky ripe peach and big roaring dragon's blood. Posh has both white peach and dragon's blood, yet is a completely different scent. Not even remotely the same. The scrub came out with a very fresh fruity-floral that's a mix of white peach with a liiiiitle bit of pomegranate & plumeria. It's very cohesively blended, and those three notes meld together almost seamlessly. What surprised me is that the drydown wasn't at all dragon's blood (and lordy, my skin amps resins). It was sarsparilla! Surprising and nice. As for the scrub itself, it was very moisturizing while still being softly scrubby. Somewhere between Jai Mahal & Ginger Snapped on the scrub-ability scale.
The perfume is about the same, although I get more of a dragon's blood-y drydown (subtle, though, and smooth) instead of sarsparilla. This is a great daytime scent, and I could see fruity-floral lovers wearing this one spring through the end of fall. It's well-rounded and not at all boring.
Brats: Ribbon candy spliced with butterscotch, salted caramels and a resinous melange of sticky sweets.
I tried this one in perfume oil form. HOLY MACKEREL, this is sweet. Right off the top, there's butterscotch, then seriously-- you can smell the salt in the caramels. Somewhere underneath there's a warm, sultry resin note, but it's a faint note under all of the sugar. In the end, this is not for me because I tend not to go in the foody direction, but I know several of the foodie afficionados will be all over this one.
I have hand soap slivers of both to try, as well. I've found, though, that it's useless for me to review Brooke's bars as-is. They release their scents the best when wet and scrubby.
Haus of Gloi::
Insalata Nocturna:: Oh man, I wish I'd known about this earlier in the season! I tossed a little sample in my card completely on a whim. Basil, tomato leaf, and a squeeze of bright lemon. So fresh, so clean, so unexpected. The basil is just so clean smelling. If my brain were not already firmly in Autumn-land, I would be buying this in full-size. Love.
Aduwa:: Were you (like me) a huge fan of Haunt's Rasa? This is the closest thing you'll ever find to it.
Flourish Bath & Body::
A local Baltimore shop. I am addicted to their lip balms. Lemon Sugar is my everyday love. I went and took a chance on two of their bar soaps, Applewood (goat's milk) and Vanilla Amber (glycerin). Applewood was faint but moisturizing. Vanilla Amber smelled amazing and resin-y, but it was glycerin! Glycerin melts sooooo quickly. At least the scent lasted down to the last little sliver. I'm still tempted to try Moroccan Fig, but I have to say, I'd prefer a more lasting cold process formula.
I also bought an MAC lipstick in 'O' recently. I saw a swatch online that was supposed to be a purple russet with bronze overlay... well, this thing looks straight bronze. BUT. It also looks amazing on me with this red hair. A lot of my lipsticks are in the russet family but are very clearly performance lipsticks because they stand out. I am not the kind of girl who can pull off a red lip on a daily basis. This pretty bronzey copper is so wearable. Love it.
Also-- a question for my bellydance ladies. I am soon to be in the market for a Gahwazee coat/entari. The only thing is that I'm curvy and don't want an ill-fitted one that will gape weirdly in the boobage/tummy area. While I would kiiiiill for a Velvet Peacock one, there is no way I have that kinda cash. Shawaza looks to have some pretty ones for a reasonable price (as well as really reasonably priced 25 yard skirts!), but does anyone else have recs? I am looking for a burgundy/earthtoned one that is suitable for both a cover-up and chillier days at Faire.
DO NOT say "oh Christina, I have a pattern. You should make one." My sewing skills (and patience for sewing) are negligible. This is a time I will PAY someone to sew for me.
Danke!