Saturday, June 28, 2014

Melting Basket 5


That last basket (#4) was a doozy! I would repurchase almost every tart in there... yikes. Here they are: RG- Snowflake and Frosted Streuselkuchen, SMT- Sweet Lavender Mallow Cake/Pink Vanilla Butter Fudge and Pink Noel/Orange Chiffon Cake this one I am excited to have coming in my March 31st order, it is really strong and the scent is the sweetest vanilla cake with orange zest accents and vanilla musk, TTT- Hot Pink Serendipity this was in her new scent shot, the throw was great and the scent was a lime rich serendipity, tropical, UTC- American Cream this one threw super strong all day long and into the night, 12 hours easy, beautiful sweet floral and musk scent, TBG- Beach Bum even after being a year old it was still pretty strong and nice, Coppertone feel, Beezy- Strip 'N Go Naked bright, strong lime and fruit punch scent, happy fruity margarita time.


Streetman- Summer Lovin'
Streetman- Watermelon Cooler
Butterfly Lane Scents- Key Lime Pie/Sarah's Sugar Cookies
Butterfly Lane Scents- Mango Lime Smoothie
Better Homes & Gardens- Tahitian Black Orchid (<3 gift)
Two Timing Tart- Seduction
Rosegirls- Pink Sandalwood
Rosegirls- Vanilla Oak/Vanilla Musk/Wild Honey Bee muffin
Super Tarts- Lucky Lemons
Sniff My Tarts- Zucchini Bread/Peaches 'n Cream/Strawberry Jam
Sniff My Tarts- Marshmallow Cake/Cotton Candy Bliss/Fruity Pebbles
Sniff My Tarts- Frost Bite/Vanilla Bean Noel/Spearmint
iheartwax- Raspberry Cream/Vanilla Wafer Cookies/Marshmallow (<3 gift)
Glitterati- Orange Lace Cake (<3 gift)
Glitterati- White Sugar Plumeria (<3 gift)
Glitterati- Lemon Meringue/Toasted Coconut (<3 gift)

This basket is smaller since we will be leaving for vacation soon and many of these have multiple uses. I will still be posting as regular. If you are curious about any of these scents or previously melted scents in prior baskets please ask! Today marks The Mermaid's one month on the interwebz! 

 





Friday, June 27, 2014

Front Porch Candle Co.

Front Porch is like the gateway wax in the wax vendor world. My path went something like this... Scentsy, Front Porch, then wax mania. Front Porch has many merits: ordering available around the clock, extensive scent list, free shipping, discount codes, and fast turn around time. Lately there has been discussion regarding scent throw and packaging. I did notice that two out of the five bags were new ziptop bags rather than their usual decorated cello. It has been many months since I ordered from Front Porch but last week I gave it a go.


These are triple scented macarons. Left: Gardenia Coconut Cream/Rose Milk/Mountain Honey, the mountain honey is the strongest (of course) but I also smell a lemon note which is weird being there is not lemon in this. I warmed this and the scent throws really well. Nice and strong. Still remains a rather strange honey/floral blend that leaves me uncertain if I like it or not.

Right: Patchouli Nag Champa/Patchouli Teakwood/Lavender Patchouli, come on... how could I resist that?! There is nothing funny or off about this one... very relaxing patchouli blend with the added sophistication of lavender and teakwood. Not head shoppy at all. It actually smells like my favorite gift store The Sand Dollar.


Loopy Cream Cupcakes, these are splendid. Orange lemon cupcakes with thick vanilla buttercream frosting.


Left: Vanilla Sugar Cookie Cupcakes & Marshmallow Buttercream Ice Cream, on cold this is very  much an intense vanilla scent. Not much cookie but plenty of marshmallow. This is so good! I melted this in my bedroom (about a third of it) and it has filled my whole room and into the living room with the most heavy duty vanilla cupcake with marshmallow fluff frosting. I feel like having to do the breast stroke into my room it is so thick. I think I will. Off to lay in my bed, read and sniff.

Right: Home for the Holidays & Sweet Pine Noel, a Douglas Fir Christmas tree sitting right here beside me.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

'Fumes: Summer Favorites




Florida summer heat and humidity can really make a perfume bloom. Unfortunately, I do not want to be strangled by ropes of sillage from an Audrey-esque type of bloom screaming "Feed me Seymore!" Here are some of my favorite 'fumes for summer:

Lush: Karma- The funny thing about this scent... I only like it in solid form. The spray is just too harsh and chemical smelling. In solid form it is a calming patchouli with beautiful sweet orange highlights. It keeps quiet until someone hugs me. That is when I hear how good it smells.

Acqua di Parma: Blu Mediterraneo Arancia di Capri- Citrus and summer heat, like peas and carrots, baby. This lovely perfume is full of bergamot, oranges and lemons with a touch of cardamom and sweetness. It is refreshing and light. It compliments the salty tang of sweat, gross I know, but hey. Let's be real. We sweat in the summer and sour perfume is nasty. This is beautiful.

Atelier Cologne: Orange Sanguine- Another orange scent I am smitten with. This is more of the slightly bitter orange pith that is smoothed by some jasmine and tonka bean, underscored by sandalwood.

CB I Hate Perfume: At the Beach 1966- Want to wear the beach right on your skin? Smell the sunscreen, salt water, and bits of shell clinging to your arms? Try this. It is purely evocative of its name. Actually, it reminds me a great deal of The Bathing Garden's Beach Bum. This is my first water based perfume. Christopher Brosius, the man behind CB I Hate Perfume, prefers water based perfume as he feels alcohol alters the scent. It feels so good when sprayed on directly to the skin. It takes a few seconds to dry. His scents are quite unique; from libraries (book bindings and wooden shelves) to dandelions (bitter green with soil still clung to the roots) you can smell like the most interesting moments.

Serge Lutens: Fleurs d'oranger- I had to wear this a few times before I fell in love. But fall I did. Heady orange blossoms, jasmine and a touch of cumin make this a sexy date night scent. I pair it with Lush's Midnight massage bar and Flying Fox shower gel to create a cloud of jasmine that puts me in rapturous ecstasy. Jasmine is my weakness.

L'Artisan Parfumeur: Vanille Absolument- This is not a bakery sweet vanilla. Ozone and vanilla rum create a deserted beach scene with waves of heat coming off the sand, while you sit with Captain Jack Sparrow as he asks you again where all the bloody rum went.

Prada: Infusion D'Iris- I reviewed this previously and continue to enjoy it.

Sonoma Scent Studio: Sienna Musk- Sweet, sexy skin scent. A musk for musk lovers with a heavy dose of sandalwood.

Tocca: Colette- My best friend gifted me this scent for Christmas in a rollerball and I quickly drained it. Sephora has a great value deal of this scent and Cleopatra in 15 mL each for $18 at their "Impluse Buy NOW" section at check out with all the mini sample sized goodies. I succumbed quickly. I needed more Colette!My husband loves this on me. If I ask him to pick a scent, it is usually this one he selects. It is bright, spicy and warm. Bergamot, juniper, pink peppercorn with vanilla and cedar. There is enough sweetness to make it feminine and snuggly for him. There is enough woods and spice for me to enjoy.

Have you tried any of these? What types of scents do you like to wear in the summer? Are you a "signature scent" kind of person or do you like having a perfume wardrobe?


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Streetman Company Store


Window shopping at Streetman happens quite a bit. Previously, I had only had a scent shot in Honeysuckle Jasmine that I won in a giveaway hosted by Lauren back in November (awesome box of wax that was!), then a couple of scent shots in the Simply Sensational Sampler. I stepped it up to a Streeman Sampler in May. Finally, I placed my first real order. Everything arrived packaged well. I love scent shots placed nicely in bags.


Streetman has the feel of a family run general store on the web. Tony, the husband, makes seasonings and sauces and foody items; Heather, the wife, creates wax and body products. Streetman's Spicy Onion Dip garnishes rave reviews, and at only $0.99 I had to add it to my wax order.


I try to order small if a vendor is open regularly. A bundt cake, a set of snap sticks, 5 scent shots and the onion dip made up my order, with three free samples thrown in. The snap sticks are nice and long, but are only 1.7 ounces each, the same as the large scent shot in the photo. The bundt cake is a beast at 7 ounces, larger than the palm of my hand. The smallest scent shot is one of the samples and weighs one ounce.


In the May sampler, I fell in love with Summer Lovin' and  knew I needed more of it for my bedroom. It is a mellow sandalwood with vanilla, musk, and patchouli perhaps. I do not have a scent description but this is what my nose picks up. Beautiful and soft. I chose that scent for the snap sticks ($8.99). The Honeysuckle Jasmine scent shot gifted all those months ago never left my brain. The bundt cake is in that scent ($7.10). Together, these florals have almost a gardenia scent. Strong, heady, visions of humid southern summer nights spent swaying on a wooden bench swing surrounded by jasmine vines, gardenias in bloom and honeysuckle creeping along the railing, crickets chirping at the moon.


Left to Right: Bomb Pop, Lavender Sheets, Bonfire on the Beach, Cotton Candy Spruce, and Fruit Spritzer.
Of these, on cold, my favorites are Cotton Candy Spruce (sweet candy pine...mm!) and Bonfire on the Beach (strong pine and cedar, a bit of salty tang, and a touch of smokey char).


Free samples! I love free samples! Watermelon Cooler bright sweet candy like watermelon, funny I just made this drink!, Orange Bubble Gum reminds me of an orange Starburst candy and Sweet Pea pretty, delicate floral, similiar to BBW version.

Happy as a clam with my Streetman order. Have you tried Streetman? What are your favorite scents from them? I will probably try more of their spices and cooking products. One can never have too many spices in the kitchen.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Melting Basket 4


Tarts I would repurchase from the previous basket include: TTT- Pride & Prejudice this one melted beautifully, nice throw and long lasting, clean and sweet amber and sandalwood scent, RG- Earth Angel, SMT- Brown Sugar Pecan/Sugar Cookie Brulee/Vanilla Marshmallow Smoothie long name but these 3 blended to make a strong, rich, creamy bakery scent, Sugar & Spice- Pink Noel thank you for this gift Lauren! A wonderfully strong Pink Sugar dupe with extra vanilla that knocked my socks off.


Rosegirls- Snowflake melted previoulsy and would absolutely repurchase, knockout peppermint and creamy marshmallow smoothie
Rosegirls- Frosted Streuselkuchen melted previously and repurchased in a pie
Rosegirls- Manic Mario Madness
Rosegirls- Gilligan's Brew/Vanilla Ice Cream/Florida Key Lime Pie muffin
Sniff My Tarts- Sweet Lavender Marshmallow Cake/Pink Vanilla Butter Fudge I had a whole sheet cake of this from last opening and I have already melted through it, this is my lone, last chunk... very sweet and buttery with a touch of lavender, definite repurchase
Sniff My Tarts- Pink Noel/Orange Chiffon Cake
Sniff My Tarts- Sugar Milk/Strawberry Jam/Georgia Peach
iheartwax- Watermelon Patch/Cotton Candy Guava last chunk!
TTT- Hot Pink Serendipity
TTT- Pink Sugar
TTT- Sea Cotton melted previously, strong clean dupe of BBW Sea Island Cotton
Up The Creek- American Cream
The Bathing Garden- Beach Bum
Sugar & Spice- Fruit Loop Fluff Cake (gift <3)
Super Tarts- Peppermint Cookie
Super Tarts- Ice Cream & Cookies
Beezy- Strip & Go Naked (gift <3)

If you have any questions about these tarts or previously melted tarts, holler! It looks to be good melting. Hope everyone who wanted to get in a Rosegirls order was able to do so, I am excited and thankful for what I was able to squeeze in.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Nest Fragrances- Moroccan Amber




My friend and I were lamenting the lack of candle burning in our lives. Before tarts, I was a candle loving fool. My mom passed the waxy genes down to me. I remember her hosting a few Partylite parties and buying Yankee candles. We always had a fragrant home. I decided there and then to start a smelly fire. There are always a few candles lurking in my closet.

I pulled out the big guns. This Nest candle was a real splurge. Back in December with a 20% off code and a birthday gift card in hand, I hit order on this $34.00 candle at Sephora's website. Moroccan Amber was the scent of choice. Amber makes me weak in the knees. The notes on the box include: Moroccan amber, sweet patchouli, heliotrope, bergamot, and eucalyptus.



Once lit, the candle let off the most lovely scent. Now, take this as you will, but I did not get many of the individual notes listed above. To me, this candle was redolent of resins and spices, pine trees, cloves, and nutmeg. The amber is thick and golden sweet. The throw was wonderful, spreading throughout the living area. It took 45 minutes to melt to the edges of the glass. The flame remained short but strong. After reading a bit with this burning, I realized it was time to pick up the girls. I blew it out and placed it back in the closet for a cooler day... you know... around 60 degrees come November.

I am happy with the Nest candle and have eyeballed Orange Blossom and Moss & Mint pretty hard. Must wait until this December for my birthday. Or ask Santa.

Reading Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Lady by Robert Massie, so far this princess had lead quite the interesting life. The story is non-fiction, which is rare for me. As non-fiction it is written a little clinically but her life events and letters are keeping me turning the pages to see how her story unfolds. Sad that I do know already know? Probably. I am not much up on the Russian nobility of yore... but I am currently working on it!

Friday, June 20, 2014

FuturePrimitive Bar Soap and Bath Bomb Review




The Warrior (on the right) was the first to hit the cutting block and be put to use. The scent description is: "A salty, wooden war ship misted with seaspray. The scent of tarred rope, crates of Isreali figs, citrus fruits, and rich spices, and the rarest Frankincense & Amber resins wrapped in sail cloth." The soap is firm and beautiful; look at those waves cresting in a gradient from indigo to aqua to the creamy white peaks. Water and friction created a creamy soft lather that rinsed cleanly. No tightness or residue. The scent really exploded with lathering. The notes combined to create an extrodinarily beautiful ancient treasure chest of spices and resins. The amber and frankincense come through the best, not earthy and dry but sweetened from the figs and citrus. I do hope this makes her General Catalog.

Festival is the catalyst that ignited my order with FuturePrimitive. Here is the scent description on the wrapper: "A heady waft of Nag Champa incense dipped in thick, black Indonesian Patchouli with a passing puff of smoke from a travellers' house on wheels." This is tucked away for late summer bathing.


Tilting deck, hit the crest of a wave... hold on to the railings!

 The Summer Sampler was the second thing to hit the cart... I love trying everything! Left to Right: Cold Pillow, Rolling Hills, The Warrior, Black Sands, and Trade Winds. After The Warrior, my favorite is Trade Winds; it is tropical in a sophisticated cocoa butter and coconut way.


Lavenders Black (on the right) was used last night. Floating lavender buds, ghostly lilac colored water, and the relaxing aroma of fresh, real lavender was the result. It fizzed strongly and for a decent amount of time. I was surprised to find it was emollient as well. There was a slight slickness left on my skin upon emerging from the waters. After towel drying, my skin did not feel dry or "thirsty" like it usually does post bathing.

Rook and Raven (on the left) is being saved for vacation.

I would happily repurchase soap and bath bombs from FuturePrimitive with no reservation. High quality, fantastic scents, beautiful presentation.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

FuturePrimitive Soap Haul and Review


As a bit of a Britophile, the receiving of Royal Mail is an adventure in and of itself. Here is the extent of my love of all things British: BBC America is the default TV station in our home, I order scones at every opportunity, saving for a trip to London in 2015 (next year already?!), and bedtime stories are often accompanied by a British accent (DORK alert!!!: Spanish for Ferdinand the Bull, Italian for Strega Nona- who ends up sounding like Dracula half the time but the kids endure, French for Madeline, Scottish brouge is a work in progress). I have to tell this story so you can get a peek into the nerdiness of thyself. I like speaking in a British accent and so does one of my sisters, who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent. Apparently we do this often and do not even realize it. Downtown Disney has a great bath product store called Basin. Sister and I walk in, I look at her and say "Oooo sistah, let's troi sum of this 'and scroob ova 'ere!" Sister pipes up "Ooooh yes! Let's! It lukes fah-bu-lous!" Or some such nonsense. The lady who works there comes grinning over to us and asks us "Hi Ladies! Are you from the UK?" We immediately laugh through our shame and admit, no... we live only 30 minutes away. So... yeah. Onto the great British stuff!!! FuturePrimitive!



My soap enabler, Deb, turned my attention towards FuturePrimitive.  Thank you Deb! FuturePrimitive Soap Co. is run by a lovely lady, Tiggy. Prices are in pounds (so it will be more expensive in US dollars ex: 10 pounds = $16.96 US). Shipping is a bit hair raising too but it is ROYAL MAIL! She hand makes all of her product.

 My maiden voyage consisted of the following (L to R): Rook & Raven Foaming Bath Bomb, Festival Body Whip, White Witch Aromatic Oil, Lavenders Black Foaming Bath Bomb, Indian Temple Attar Conditioning Hair Rinse, Tobacconist Body Whip, Shadow Show Olfactory Bathing Grains, Indian Temple Attar 3 in 1 Whipped Soap, Traditional Handmade Soap (Summer Sampler), The Warrior Traditional Handmade Soap, and Festival Traditional Handmade Soap.



The 3 in 1 Whipped Soap got a run the other night as shampoo and as a body wash. The jar feels nearly weightless and I despaired for a moment thinking it was mostly air and that it would collapse into nothingness once I used it. Not the case at all. It is surprisingly firm to the touch, I liken it to Crisco in texture, not greasiness. On the body it creates tons of soft fluffy bubbles and releases the most amazing sweet rose scent. My only regret, the label is not waterproof and quickly slipped off.

I followed the 3 in 1 with the conditioning rinse. This was a leap for me as I am majorly picky about conditioner. I have very fine, curly, damage prone hair. I use the Curly Girl method of washing my scalp every few days and conditioning like a mad woman. No brushing, no heat, lots of gel. I am happy to report that my hair loves these two products. I was able to finger comb my hair in the shower with the conditioner in and once my hair dried overnight with gel in place (I go to bed with wet hair and when I wake up it is dry and "styled" for the day, which just means I have crazy Hermione hair) it looked pretty good! The best part? It smells great too (huffing my hair at the computer, don't mind me). Indian Temple Attar is a lovely rose that is not at all matronly. I already have a perfume pairing in mind.

Tobacconist Body Whip was up next in the post shower/pre bedtime routine. This lotion feels more like a butter than a whip. The consistancy is thick and custardy. It slides on well with maybe the merest hint of waxiness that melts into the skin pleasantly. No greasiness, feels nourishing. This scent. I want to smell it all the rest of the days of my life. Soft vanillic sandalwood, dry oak, and a slight poke of vetiver to keep it from being too delicate and feminine. It really does smell like an old tobacco store, having strolled into Edward's Pipe and Tobacco a few times. 


The conditioning hair rinse, 3 in 1 whipped soap and body whips will be repurchased at some point.
Reviews of the other products will come as I use them.

I fell for FuturePrimitive... hook, line and sinker. Have you tried FuturePrimitive? Do any of these products look interesting to you?

*Links for convenience only, no benefit to myself if used.








Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Sniff My Tarts: Mystery Box

MMMmmmmm... it's no mystery... these tarts need a' sniffin'.

This is my second Mystery Box from Sniff My Tarts and I am happy with it. If the list was open I would hop right back on. But alas, it is not. So I will wait patiently until my name on the Mystery Bag list scoots on up. Meanwhile, let us peruse the goods, shall we?


A half sheet in Sweet Lavender Marshmallow Cake. I honestly could not be anymore happier to have this! SMT created a lovely creamy bakery lavender with this blend. Not herbal or detergent. Those buds. They may end up in my bath.

These chunky scallops are in Fresh Strawberry/Pink Sweet Cream. The strawberry is jammy and sweet. The pink sweet cream has a milky component that I am not sure of on cold, luckily the pink is powerful. I don't really jive with milk scents, but I will try one melted. Adventure awaits!



L to R: Vanilla Waffle Cone/Iced Pineapple/Strawberry Jam- Mostly pineapple with a touch of vanilla cone floating behind.
Pina Colada/Serendipity/Blueberry- Wonderfully tropical fruit. Serendipity in this is forefront with pina colada and blueberry mixing nicely as harmony.
Cotton Candy Bliss/Honeydew Melon/Pina Colada (the last two)- Dominate pina colada that is nicely rounded out by the candied melons.


L to R: Vanilla Marshmallow Smoothie/Caramel/Celtic Moonspice- large chunk, strong butterbrickle type scent full of cinnamon and spices.
Zucchini Bread/Pumpkin Pecan Waffle/Sticky Marshmallow- pumpkin pecan waffle is sweetened by the marshmallow but not creamier, it is also amplified in strength from the zucchini bread (no corn chip note).
French Toast- mild cinnamon dough scent.


L to R: Peppermint/Spearmint/Pink Sugar- gorgeous, I am so biased, pink peppermint. Mm. Ok, strong and refreshing sweet spearmint gum scent with an extra dose of coolness. Pink is toned down for the moment but nicely in the background.
Sticky Marshmallow/Peppermint/Coconut Cream Pie (next two)- creamy coconut and marshmallow with minty accord. Almost the slightest buttery note.
Frost Bite/Vanilla Bean Noel/Spearmint- teeny tiny yumminess, I will use this blend next opening. White chocolate hot cocoa with peppermint swizzle sticks. Great Christmas time scent.


L to R: Cotton Candy/Watermelon/Orange Sherbet- Summer gelati mix of orange and watermelon Italian ice.
Vanilla Sugar/Pomegranate/Fresh Strawberry- these scents combine to create the best possible Strawberry Shortcake doll scent ever... I have huffed quite a few. Soft sweet strawberry.
Raspberry Guava/Mango Sorbet/Acai Berry- Wow. Bright concentrated mango accompanied with red, red berries bursting with juice. I am slightly picky with fruit scents and this one is a winner. So tiny! :-( Lament.
Pink Noel/Orange Chiffon Cake- reminisceint of a Bath and Body Works scent; sweet cakes, citrus, vanilla, and musk.


L to R:  Marshmallow Cake/Fruity Pebbles/Cotton Candy Bliss- creamy sweet lemon lime, not much cake or cereal on cold.
Sugar Milk/Strawberry Jam/Georgia Peach- A peach cobbler milk shake. But again, not liking the milk aspect.
Zucchini Bread/Peaches 'N Cream/Strawberry Jam- Strong corn chippy zucchini bread. I am pretty sure it is the overpour. Maybe this will mellow a bit over time. 
Ice Cream Cake Batter/Wildberry Mousse/Pink Sugar- I love this. Mostly creamy vanilla pink sugar with a touch of sweet berry.




Sunday, June 15, 2014

Moon's Harvest Bath & Body Shop

Moon's Harvest Bath and Body has piqued my interest for several months now. I have read reviews and watched some hauls but nothing was ever conclusive. A couple of weeks ago during my bathing goods drought I decided I needed to just give them a go. I felt like Madison missing the ocean and just needed a bath fizzy fix.
I ordered on 5/28/14 and it arrived on 6/12/14. Shipping can be steep if only ordering a couple of items: $9.85
In the photo above, foreground L to R: 
Herbal Bling Melt: Relief Drop- There is tulle netting around this little melt. It is nice if you do not want petals floating around your bath, but I actually like petals in my bath. It is romantic, until one gets caught in a fold or something. The peppermint and eucalyptus scent prompted this choice. This lil guy purports to relieve: sinuses, sore throats (I could have used this a few days ago!), chest colds and acts as a topical antiseptic. Hm! Melts are meant to be more moisturizing rather than foaming or bubbling. After Use: This little melt released a very pleasant cooling scent which was a strange juxtaposition with the hot water. Moisturizing and relaxing. One use. $2.50
Moon Glo: "Sweet Lucidity: A Vampire Masquerade"- I had a weird moment with these guys. I saw the name Moon Glo, and on the site they look all squishy in texture so I associated them with Moon Sand. In reality they are very dry and powdery. Not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting in my brain. The vendor desciption is: "Hidden behind ornate masks, all hungry eyes will be upon you as you experience dancing on air surrounded by sweet flowers, embraced by the arms of your immortal." Again, I was expecting some type of gardenia or jasmine. (Aunt Smellman's Vampire Kiss did it!!! Sooo gooooood). What I smell is a floral SweetTart. After use: I used half of this in the tub under running hot water. It created a beautiful light blue and sparkling water. There was a thin layer of fizzy tiny bubbles that dispersed as soon as I got in. The scent became less floral SweetTarts and more slightly aquatic floral. This product really did impart a wonderful moisturizing effect. I shaved my legs and did not need to apply lotion after getting out and drying off. That is unheard of for me. I only wish it had more fun bubble/fizz/foam action. Oh and beware: glitter was still clinging to me the next morning. Two uses from this. $4.95

sample of Foaming Whipped Sugar Scrub in Sugar Sugar- A sweet marshmallow scent, but some strange plastic or artificial quality lingers. After use: It scrubs nicely, slightly larger granules than The Bathing Garden scrubs. It does lather a bit but not really a lush foam. Rinses well with no film.
Moon Glo: "Sleep Time Lullaby"- This scent is wonderul. It is a very herbal lavender sage blend with bit of wood and forest coming through. Two uses expected. $4.95
Herbal Bling Melt: Rosey Drop- A beautiful, vintage, proper, Victorian rose. I think of rose talc powders and rose scented lipsticks in gold tubes, hybrid tea roses in English gardens. One use, $2.50
Background L to R:
Bubble Bar: I <3 Lavender- Why yes, yes I do <3 lavender. Straight up, herbal lavender. Reminds me of The Bathing Garden scent Aromatherapy Relaxation with the lavender buds strewn across the top. Pure lavender. After Use: Broke this in two and glad I did. Wonderful bubble production, dark purple waters, and very strong lavender scent. The scent was borderline too detergent and too strong but not quite so much that I disliked it. Should probably have broken into three pieces. Two uses from this gal, easy. $5.25
Bubble Bar: OMG Olive- This hunk a hunk bubblin' bar is a dupe for Lush's Olive Branch and it is well executed. I will break it into two uses. $5.25


Moon's Harvest does have a nice value for the money. The sugar scrub is not my favorite, but I am thankful to have had it as a sample. I am open to ordering more bubble bars and possibly trying other bath items. There really is a wide selection of goods on the site.


Saturday, June 14, 2014

Up The Creek Scents


Up The Creek Scents is a vendor I enjoy. My first UTC tarts came in a lovely destash from a waxy friend. The strength, longevity and scents themselves were impressive. This is the second small order I have placed with them.

Sunnee over at Fragrance Obsessed reeled me right in with her recent order full of yummy smells and blends from UTC. I found myself perusing the website (their 4 packs are great) and landed on one of the last bags of pecan waffles. For $10.00 plus shipping, the bag includes 12 tarts. I was refunded some of my shipping expense due to placing a small order, which was really sweet.

The scent is strong, authentic and perfect for a chilly rainy day. These waffles are thick, with a fat pat of real salted butter melting into the center. The pecans are baked right into the waffle. I do not get much sweet sauce or praline feel to these.

The free sample was in American Cream... I am shaking my head with the wonder of it. Smelling this wax next to the actual conditioner, I can safely say this is an excellent duplication. Vanilla, not just the bean but more of the orchid laying alongside of it. Refined, elegant florals, subdued, not shrieking. Truly a beautiful scent.

Happy melting today! We will be praying the summer storms hold off a wee bit so we can have some water fun for Scarlette's birthday. Filled all the warmers with RG Monster Cookie Fluff Puffs, could there be a better birthday smell?

Friday, June 6, 2014

Petals Bath Boutique: Soap




Petals Bath Boutique was recommended to me by my friend Deb, from It's Always Something. Deb has quite a talent handcrafting soaps in her own right. I have had the pleasure of purchasing quite a few bars from her that I quickly ran through this past winter. My hubs and I both like a rub a dub dub with bar soap. I chose three scents for my maiden voyage with Petals Bath Boutique: Duchess, Pirate's Cove, and Magic Detox (from L to R in above photo).

Pirate's Cove- This is only half the bar, as I wanted to test out the soap for blogging purposes purely... ummm... no. Who am I kidding?! I broke a chunk off the bottom as soon as its wonderous scent hit my smelling gland. This scent was a collaboration with Petals and Future Primitive (who I placed my first order with a week ago... dang you Deb and your great recommendations). The description according to packaging is: Ocean Air, Grassy Dunes, and Aged Wood. Now do you see why I needed it STAT? It is the epitome of the best purest "soap" smell. Nothing fancy. Just clear ozonic notes and cleanliness.

Duchess- Orange Blosson, Jasmine, Vanilla. Adam does not get to have any of this bar, it is all mine. The jasmine is the loudest in this scent, but the bloom is more green than white and mature. The orange blossoms come across as orange leaves and zest. Vanilla is the anchor holding this scent together, all creamy sexiness. The mermaid likes.

Magic Detox- Tea Tree and Activated Charcoal. The tea tree is camphoric and clears my head the minute I sniff. I am interested in activated charcoal for providing a deeper cleanse than normal. I am excited to use this bar.

Having used Pirate's Cove for about a week I am happy to say I love Petal's soap formula. It is a hard soap that lathers well and leaves no residue or tightness behind. Her bubble bars will be the next to fall into my net. Muahahahahahaaaa!!!

Oh yes, and she gave three free sample slivers of summer up and coming scents that launch soon I believe. I recommend the Pomona and Moonwater scents.



* All links are for convenience only; there is no benefit for me if you use.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

'Fumes: Incense Pure & Ancient Resins


Choosing my perfume each morning is something I look forward to, almost as much as I anticipate that first sip of fresh hot coffee... almost. Niche, unusual and evocative scents are what I crave. It does not really matter what the perfume evokes, as long as it is appealing to me and not mundane. Incense Pure and Ancient Resins is a pairing I adore that lasts me all day long... even through PE coaching in the hot Florida sun in the dead of afternoon.

Sonoma Scent Studio is my hands down favorite artisan perfumer. Laurie Erikson has a wonderful nose, and handmakes and bottles all her scents. I not only appreciate her talent but also that I can order small sizes, anywhere from a 1mL sample, 3mL, 5mL, 17mL, or 34mL. All are parfum strength so a little goes a long way, with great sillage and longevity. Incense Pure is redolent of ruined ancient altars draped with fecund moss, tucked away in a virgin forest long forgotten. I feel peaceful and closer to the Spirit when I wear this or even just smell it. My husband, the former Catholic, says I smell like baby Jesus. Eh. I like my interpretation better.

Aftelier Perfumes is an artisan perfumer in a similiar vein as Laurie Erickson. Mandy Aftel hand makes and bottles all her scents in small batches as well. She is very talented and works with natural essences mainly. One of my favorite perfume/beauty bloggers, Gaia, from the Non-Blonde  highly recommended Ancient Resins Body Oil & Hair Elixir. I heeded her advice. I have not used the oil in my hair yet but I do apply it to my hands, arms, chest, and neck. Sometimes my legs. Ancient Resins siddles along really nicely with Incense Pure. Ancient Resins has more of a green note, a freshness, than Incense Pure. This is the ancient altar before it was forgotten.

 This paring has been worn on numerous occasions and both are so concentrated and high quality that you can see I have yet to really make a dent in the quantity. Do you have any perfume or body care recommendations? How do you feel about incense?

*Links provided for convenience only, none are referrals or beneficial to me in any way.


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Melting Basket


I have been using a melting basket recently to help me choose my scents quickly and make sure I am using my oldest scents first in some cases. This is my 3rd basket I have melted from. I have 5 warmers in my home. Only two get changed regularly, my bedroom and living room/kitchen (both are hotplates). The guest bathroom can go days without changing, as well as the girls' rooms (all 3 are bulb warmers). My wax stash is probably medium to medium small for a waxy lady. It all fits in a medium 3 drawer Sterilite organizer.
Here are the scents I will be melting in the next week and a half or so:
RG Peppermint Noel (only 2 chunks left) melted before, great strong creamy mint
RG Snowflake (will only use 2 chunks)
RG Donkey Kong Destruction
RG Life Could Be A Dream
RG Frosted Summer Breeze
RG Berry Lovely Birthday Cake
iheartwax Fruit loops/Fruity pebbles/Lemon cookie melted before strong lemon cereal scent
iheartwax Pistachio fluff/Coconut cream pie/Toasted marshmallow melted previously, not as creamy as I wanted it to be
iheartwax Pink strawberry/serendipity blended from Lolo's review, amazing scent!
Daphne's Carnivale
Daphne's County Fair
Daphne's Melon Madness
Sniff My Tarts (SMT) Mallow Zucchini
SMT Sweet lavender cake/Pink vanilla butter cookie melted before, lovely creamy bakery lavender
Beezy Paradise Bay
Beezy Iced Lemon Cookies
Beezy Chubba Dubba
Streetman Beach Party
Streetman Lemonberry Fields Forever
Streetman Mallowolf
Super Tarts Gooey Gardenia Explosion
Better Homes & Gardens (BHG) Lemon Peppercorn
Candles From The Keeping Room (CFTKR) Marshmallow Fluff
Crabby Candle Co Nag Champa
Wilma (OLC) Pink Chubba Dubba
Butterfly Lane Scents Vanilla Waffle Cone
If you are curious about how any of the scents perform please feel free to ask about them. Fins up!



Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Two Timing Tart

Two Timing Tart: I love this name! What I really enjoy even more is how ding dang fast this order came. Y'all. I ordered on her site at 2:36 and got a CNS and confirmation from the owner that it was dropped off at the post office (NOT just printed!!) at 2:50. TAT like a beast.
 
I have this dream of getting high end smelling wax. Dupes of Serge Lutens, L'Artisan or JAR perfumes. (Ok, JAR is a bit much at $280.00 for only 5 mL but still...) TTT fills that gap for me. I have ordered from her before in her FB group. The product was Sea Cotton in brittle, which is phenomenal by the by. I got it by answering a Game of Thrones question. GREAT books. Do not ask me about the show. I don't partake. But back to TTT...
I am a sucker for handwritten notes. The handwriting is a stunning bonus.
 
 
I ordered 6 clamshells during a 25% off sale (she is transitioning to scent shots). Her scent desciptions are great fun to read. I will include just the notes below. The scents I ordered are:
MaeWest's Diamonds- musk and caraway. Mm. Heady, rich, dark Chai tea. Almost soapy in its spice. Softened by the musk.
Frankly, My Dear- Indonesian patchouli, sweet Egyptian amber, and Madagascar spices. Smooth and almost vanillic (the amber accord?). Soothing.
Pride & Prejudice- linen, amber, sandalwood, dusty, musky vanilla. Every. Gorgeous. Note. At first the creamy sandalwood hits me, then amber creeps in... right when I say "Linen?" it all blends into the highest thread count five star hotel sheets. But don't worry. No Downy in sight.
Satin Sheets- black coconut and Arabian sandalwood.Coconut. Rich, pure, no bakery, no funky plastic or dry back note. Instant visions of Anna Maria Island. Mermaid happy.
Seduction- Madagascar vanilla, orchid, blondewood, cardamom and teakwood. Can't stop smelling it. Bois de Vanille. In wax.
Captain Tightpants- rice flowers, sandalwood, patchouli, and seasalt. Beach dunes, sea oats, salt foam. Anna Maria Island again...

 
Free Samples in Icy Lemon- lemon and mint, the mint makes the lemon more clear, almost clean. No. Not Pledge with the chemical note, just purified. Neat scent.
 Polynesian Red- sweet Hawaiian fruits, uncut, with a bit of sugar frosted tropical flowers (plumeria? sweet pea?) and a hit of musk to deepen it. No idea if any of that is true but that is what these nose hairs gathered.
 
My cat likes them too.


 
Looking forward to creating a romantic atmosphere with these smelly goods.


Monday, June 2, 2014

Super Tarts

I placed a very small order during Super Tarts last restock (I want to say sometime in April?). Having ordered two samplers, two super pans, one large flower and one website order previously, I am pretty familiar with the tarts.
Flower Funsies: sweet lavender/peppermint cream/marshmallow
 
There was one scent is this go 'round I knew I had to try:Gooey Gardenia Explosion. The rest of the scents are:
Lucky Lemon- reminiscent of Fruit Loops but with a brighter lemon note.
Magically Delicious- has a more bready, cereal note than Fruit Loops, I feel like I can even get the little candy marshmallows in this.
Fake N Bake- the top of the shot smells like a creamy zucchini bread and the bottom gets a deeper almost cherry-almond note to it.
Lavender Citrus Dream- mostly citrus with a hint of lavender, a beautiful cleaning day scent.
Gooey Gardenia Explosion- this is a gardenia that has that true indolic note of a noir type gardenia based perfume, sweetend with sugar.
Free Sample in President Snow- creamy sweet rose with a mint back note. I have been thowing a mint/rose pairing around in my mind for a bit now, it is nice to smell it executed.
All descriptions are based on what I smell on cold. These may not actually have the notes listed and may change when melted.


 
Super Tarts will be doing a huge Fandom Frenzy next weekend with clamshells.