Sunday, July 31, 2016

Ebb & Flow: July


Soap:
Sea salt bar soap from Handmade in Florida

Body Oil:
Solstice Scents Lavender Vanilla Glace'

Bath Bomb:
Lush's Titsy Totsy bath bomb

Perfume:
Dame Perfumery Gardenia, Lime and Benzoin

Skincare:
Lancome Bi-Facil eye makeup remover

Makeup:
Dior Addict Lip Maximizer High Volume Lip Plumper, not really for the plumping but I love the tingle and high gloss finish.

Wax:
Sniff My Tarts Pink Peppermint Swizzle Sticks

Eating:
The most amazing homemade marshmallows that were sent to me by Gretchen: vanilla, apple cinnamon, and chamomile. I die.

Drinking:
Ice Water, nothing quite like it quenches.

Reading:
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Watching:
Mr. Selfridge, only one season left to watch.

Wearing:
Mini skull earrings handmade from Marta Oms in Spain. A deal for only 15 Euros. I will feature them later.

Awaiting:
Starting my new job and getting in the swing of things. I am ready to start fresh and start saving for some trips for 2017. 

Dreading:
The ultra hot sauna days of August and September fast approaching. 

Hit:
Essie Good To Go Topcoat

Miss:
Sassy Girl Aroma Body Cream

Low:
The leg injury was painful and set me back on vacation a little but it is finally healing well though it will leave quite the scar.

High:
Getting the girls' rooms redecorated has been a high point. The painting and hard work were challenging at times but the end result has been enjoyable. 

I am going to try and pick up The Cursed Child today. I was lax and did not pre-order it like a proper Harry Potter fan. Are you planning on reading it? How was your July? Any hits or misses, highs or lows? What are you reading, watching, eating, drinking? Please share!

Oh, and happy birthday Harry! Yer a wizard!

Friday, July 29, 2016

Olfactif Artisan Perfume Subscription: July


Olfactif has changed their signature slide drawer ebony box to a magnetized lid that lifts so that it can be reused to house little treasures. I have saved every Olfactif box I have ever received (well over a year's worth!) but now I will be able to put things in them. The subscription costs $18 a month for three artisan perfume samples and includes an $18 coupon code to apply to any scent featured that month.


This month's theme is Day to Night. The placards now include the price of each scent as well as the cost if the code were to be used.



Summer by Dasein- Notes include: Cilantro, grapefruit, jasmine, orange blossom, grass.
Torn cilantro leaves braced by bitter yellow grapefruit pith and sweet tangy pink grapefruit pulp make for a daring and fresh take on a summer inspired fragrance. This scent sings summer. The vivid green cilantro imparts a touch of soap, bergamot and lime, paring well with the grapefruit. Gauzy orange blossoms and jasmine hover in the space above and the dry down shifts ever so slightly to include grassy vetiver tones. This scent stays green and fresh and botanical all the way through. Summertime, rolling down the grassy hills of childhood. Unique and strikingly realistic. $95

Geisha Vanilla Hinoki by Aroma M- Notes include: Bergamot, hinoki, lavender, leather, patchouli, amyris, cedarwood.
I had the extreme pleasure of getting this fragrance from Maria, the creator of Aroma M, in May when she released this newest icon in her Geisha fragrance line. My thoughts can be seen here. It remains one of my favorite Geisha's and a few of my friends have fallen in love with it too. If you have a proclivity towards vanilla and woods, you will love this beauty. $90

The Red by The Sun- Notes include: Fire, saffron, sandalwood, amber, sterling silver.
Live copper threads of saffron charged with electricity ignite a fire that burns warm and red. Slowly, ashes swirl and drift among the embers. A thread of silver gleams in the flame, metallic and cool. The burn down reveals fire smoothed sandalwood and ash stricken amber resin nuggets. A warm scent The Red, is. Glowing, unique, and other worldly. $75


What a fabulous box for July. Vibrant and saturated, each of these scents have the ability to transport one to enchanting places. I would love a bottle of any of these three scents and with the discount they all fall into the $77-$57 range. Quite affordable. 

Which of these three stand out to you? 

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

ReVibe Box: July


ReVibe is a subscription service that features handmade, cruelty-free and natural products that induce relaxation and rejuvenation. Each box holds 5-7 items from small businesses worth over $60, the service is $39.95 per month.They also have a Tri-Me box for $20.00 that contains 3 items. I follow ReVibe on Instagram and entered a giveaway of one month and won! I did have to pay $2.50 to pick it up at the post office as it was under paid on postage., but once I saw the outside of the box I got excited. Look at that lovely pattern.


July's box theme was Meditation. The multipage color booklet detailed every product.


As soon as I uncovered the crocheted owl eye mask I cooed.


Owl Sleep Mask by Pixistics, $13.00, is too cute for school. Sadly I must have a large noggin because it is very tight. It fits Savanna perfectly. I may end up nipping the elastic and sewing in an inch more, if Savanna ever gives it back. It is lined with a smooth silk and hand stitched. Sweet dream inducing for sure. Hoot hoot.


Relax and Refresh Myst by UrbanMysticism, $20.00 for 2 ounces, holds a relaxing brew in a lovely cobalt glass sprayer. Full of lavender, vanilla and peppermint essential oils, sweet pea flower essence and even a couple amethyst crystals for extra measure. The all natural blend is safe for pets and children as well. I appreciate the thought and detail that went into this spray. I love the minty lavender scent it imparts. I spray it on my pillowcase and a little on my chest before bed. 


A closer peek at the crystals. Have you seen the water bottles with a huge crystal in the middle? This made me think of them for some reason. Savanna's birthstone is amethyst. I think she will enjoy having these once the bottle runs dry. Which won't take long. I see myself using this frequently. 


Gold Lava Oil Diffuser Bracelet by ReVibe, $24.95, to be sprayed with the Mental R&R Myst or any essential oil of your choosing. I do not really use essential oils medicinally like some of my DoTerra friends do so I will pass this on to one of them.


Meditation Candle by Knockout Candle Company, $5.00, blends soy and beeswax with cedarwood, patchouli and lavender essential oils and inserts a seasoned pecan wood wick. Sadly I could not get this guy to stay lit and burn for any length of time. The oils smelled amazing on cold and I was crushed I could not get it to work.


I kept at it. For like, 10 minutes I kept relighting the wick and the flame refused to thrive. I may have gotten a dud. The quality ingredients and scent alone would have me willing to try again. 


Lavender Sachet by Coffee and Lavender, $7.00, is a tiny little fragrant thing. It is about 3 inches tall and holds some seriously lovely lavender buds within. This guy will be living in my car soon.


The last item in the box was this packet of Balancing Bath Tea in Green Tea & Lemon by CerealFly, $4.00, This bath tea contains: chamomile, hibiscus flowers, lavender, lemon balm, oatsraw, orange peel, rose petals, lemon, green tea, dead sea salt, epsom salts, baking soda, and citric acid.

The total value of products in the box was $73.95, pretty good for a $39.95 box. Overall it was a lovely experience that indeed would assist in relaxation. As with all subscription boxes, not every item will fit every taste or lifestyle but that is to be expected. My favorites of the bunch were the lavender sachet, the myst, and the owl mask. Could you use a relaxation box? Do you use essential oils? 

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Melting Basket 70


Wax tarts from the last basket I would buy include: Lasting Scent Candles  Sweet Dreams, Lemon Wedding Cake, Coco Pink, Lemon Love, Southern Belle, The Bathing Garden Sea of Tears and Gardenia Coconut Cream, CFTKR Cinnamon and Spice, Glitterati  Pink Serendipity, Vintage Chic Scents Johanna.

The Bathing Garden- Pirate Punch
The Bathing Garden- Pink Sands
The Bathing Garden- Serendipity Cream Pie
The Bathing Garden- Pearls of the Ocean
Beezy- Apple Clove Butter
Vintage Chic Scents- Queen Anne's Lace
Glitterati- Citrus Sunrise
Rosegirls- Pink Peppermint Milkshake
Rosegirls- Pomegranate Cotton Candy Frosting <3 gift
Sniff My Tarts- Marshmallow Noel/Vanilla Marshmallow Smoothie/Sweet Lavender Marshmallow Cake
CFTKR- Fresh Picked Strawberry
CFTKR- Serendipity Marshmallow Delight
CFTKR- Toasted Marshmallow Fruity Loops
CFTKR- Citrus Vanilla Pound Cake
CFTKR- Pomelo Sage

I think I am diving into a bit more of my beachy summertime scents in this basket. I will probably hold on to the rest of my beach Bathing Garden order for next summer. I won't be melting fall scents quite yet but I will move into more earthy and herbal scents probably. Melting all these fruits has me ready to move on from the genre. If you would like a review of any of these please let me know in the comments and I would be happy to oblige.


I would love for this last week of July to drag out like the sunlight on an exquisite summer evening. Once August 1st hits I will need to be brushing up on some reading and studying for work. 


Even though I would like to wallow a bit more in lazy indulgent days I do look forward to the new school year. A new start. New people to meet and new beginnings. I realize to most people, the New Year starts in January, but for me it starts with the first day of school. 


But before I start musing about my goals and new leaves and all that... I am going to keep my cat slippers on and my makeup off for a few more weeks. How is your July going? Are you keeping cool? What types of scents are flowing in your home?

Friday, July 22, 2016

Lush: Rosie Gift Box


Adam bought me this beautiful Lush gift box for our anniversary this year. You can find it here on the Lush USA site. Rosie offers up five lovely products to pamper yourself both in the shower, in the bath and after for $39.95. 


Rose Jam is a perennial favorite and I have waded through many bottles and this one will be enjoyed just as much. Raspberries and strawberries mashed into a sweet preserve with rose petals and citrus zests. Potent and lingering and a perfect to layer with many rose perfumes.

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner is built around the same scent as Rose Jam and I love using it in the shower after I shave my legs. I slather it liberally all over then rinse and pat dry with a towel, cutting out my need to lotion up my skin post-shower. 

Ultrabalm is a product I will use but I never really get much noticeable results from. I usually apply it to my cuticles and feet before bed. 


Really, the two most exciting things I rubbed my hands over in the Rosie gift box were the bath items. 

The Rose Jam Bubbleroon got a make over a little while back. I love the Rose Jam Bubbleroon, it bubbles like mad and smells incredible (like Rose Jam of course). It is now larger and in a rose mold shape rather than the older two mochi looking balls squished together. I love the dash of glitter and extra creamy center. Normally I would use the whole thing in one go, but since the size increased, I will split it up and get an additional use out of it.


Titsy Totsy calls itself a love potion bath bomb that is imbued with the scent of rose and orris root. I have never had this particular bath bomb but I really enjoyed it. It had a much darker and soft rose and leather scent than Rose Jam. I would say it is different enough that I would love it in a shower gel. But then again, I do love orris root. 

Have you had a Lush splurge lately? Do you enjoy Rose Jam? Have you tried Titsy Totsy?

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

The Bathing Garden: May Order


Shannon, at The Bathing Garden, is running right on time with her 6 week TAT, if a little under. I ordered these beauties on May 31st and they arrived just after July 4th. In my opinion, she has some of the most beautiful tarts and scent blends. It is always a joy to get a package from The Bathing Garden.


I wanted to order a lot more of the Take Me To The Sea scents but needed to be prudent and whittle my order down to a reasonable amount. I behaved. Six clamshells, one shape and one jar of lotion comprised my order. 


Marie Antoinette's Boudoir scrub and tarts came to live with me not too long ago, but for some reason I skipped over the lotion. I sought to rectify that oversight and I am glad I did. The 4 ounce lotion cost $8.50 and offers light and soothing moisture to summer thirsty skin. I love how airy and dreamy the particular fragrance is on the skin. Sadly, this scent is no longer offered but I am sure will come back around next spring.


Pearls of the Ocean, a 2.5 ounce tart for $2.00, mixes pink sugar, suntan lotion, salt water, breezes and mandarin. The sweet cotton candied pink sugar and soft mandarin create a melodious harmony with the aquatic and ozonic notes of the fresh seaside experience. I should have grabbed two of these sand dollars. 


Beach Bum is all about the vintage jasmine strewn Coppertone sunscreen. A scent I absolutely adore. Fresh, heady and beach in a tart. The clamshells are $3.75 each.


Pirate's Punch overflows with creamy sweet coconut and tropical fruits. The pineapple does not dominate but adds a slight pina colada shot to the punch. But really this punch is not at all Hawaiian Punch. It is way too milky coconut for that. Maybe it is a Pirate Punch float. Mmmmmmm. I recommend this one.


Pink Sands makes my eyelids flutter. Heavy on the pink sugar and laced with coconut suntan lotion, this is a summertime favorite of mine.


Widow's Walk will be bought in multiples. Violet, clove and cedarwood create such a hauntingly beautiful aroma, I would have never guessed. The clove almost starts to bring holiday images to mind but then the sugared violets quickly add their soft powdery ghosts. Violet and cedar are the perfect yin and yang, sprinkle them with clove and I am floating on billowing mists of fantasy. I am buying more of this. If you enjoy spice, woods and slight floral, you will want to try this.


Calypso I enjoyed so much that I knew I needed more. After I melted my Calypso free sample from my last order and it threw such a beautifully serene coconut and vetiver aroma around my home, I ordered the full clamshell. I can see this becoming a summer favorite for next year too. I hope she brings it back. 


Sea of Tears has been my favorite clean scent for a few years now. I had one clamshell left that I was hoarding until this guy came into town. If you enjoy a well constructed breezy fresh, clean white musk scent, try this one. So lovely.


Free Samples:

Guava Berry Gelato- Sweet berry syrup that really does smell like a sorbet or gelato. A cult favorite.

Storybook Mint- Peppermint and cake with almost a white chocolate spearmint ganache richness pull through the most. I don't get the apple or cotton candy. 

Coffee Sprinkles- Strong coffee, spice and caramel with an almost bakery tinge. It still is that slightly bitter coffee that I can't jive with but it is a well blended scent. 


Pink Sands scrub for a sample. I used up my other Pink Sands scrub rather quickly, so I am happy as a lark to have this second one. 


I have had really great luck with Shannon's tarts in the throw arena and look forward to ordering from her Halloween scents that should be emerging pretty soon here. I will melt a few of these before summer ends but will probably by and large save them for next summer. Shannon's tarts keep pretty well. I melted my Sea of Tears from last year and two cubes threw strong in my bedroom. 

Did you partake of her summer scents? Have you ordered from The Bathing Garden yet? What are your favorites?

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Tauer Perfumes: Rose Delight Body Oil


I follow Tauer Perfumes pretty closely on Facebook, so when Andy posted about debuting a rose scented body oil I zoomed right over to his website and ordered a bottle. He mentioned the month of June would hold a special introductory price of $20 but as I see it on his site it is still that amount. Even though he is based out of Zurich, Switzerland I find it very easy to order from his website, as Paypal takes care of the currency exchange and he ships to the US at a nice low rate. This $20 (1.7 ounce) bottle of body oil shipped for $5. 

Rose Delight features 90% cold pressed jojoba oil expertly blended with natural rose absolute and geranium essential oil. A little goes a long way. I went buckwild and spritzed 3 or 4 times on my arms and even though I smelled amazing and dripped golden honeyed oil like a goddess, it was a bit much. Take my advice, start slow no matter how excited you are to get it on your skin. But once it is on your skin you will be in heaven. Highly emollient, the body oil glides on like sunshine, leaving a gleaming nourished complexion in its wake. The bare soul of rose shines through in this oil. Ripe, lush, stark and pure. 

This oil is great to wear on its own, the fragrance lasts for about 4-6 hours on my skin at a subtle but present strength, or layer it with a beloved perfume. I love mine with Tauerville's Rose Flash.

Are you a rose lover? I am deep in my rosy love affair. Can you tell?


Monday, July 18, 2016

Sonoma Scent Studio: Rose Volupte'


Sonoma Scent Studio Rose Volupte' was a sample I purchased several months ago when I bought a larger size of Yin and Ylang. Given my weakness for sweet beautiful rose concoctions I am happy I did. Featuring notes of rose, plum, amber, labdanum, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, heliotrope, clove, cinnamon, oakmoss, and subtle aldehydes, it brims with plushness and alluring notes. 

A single magenta Bourbon rose lies on a gleaming satinwood dressing table. Slender porcelain hands hover about the vanity, attending to her lady's evening face powering and rouging. The lady's eyes keep sliding to the rose as her plum and lilac scented lipstick is uncapped and gracefully meshed into the curves of her mouth. She holds slightly oak flavored bubbles of champagne under her tongue from the slender glass consumed earlier in the afternoon. A bowl of sweet Turkish Delights rests in a cut crystal bowl next to her face powder, tempting her with their deep fruit and sugar incense, but the reminder of the rose always lingers. She rises and walks to her closet to gather her mink lined kersey cape to keep off the night chill, the aged cedar paneling and subtle spices in sachets greets her as she opens the doors, reaching for the cape. After a seconds pause, she retrieves the sweet deep purple rose and takes it with her, out the door and into the waiting carriage. Long after the sweetness of the bloom has faded and the rush of the dark amber sky and copse of oak trees dripping with fragrant moss push through the open window, the warmth of the single rose lights her smile.

I love the sweet plummy beginning, the velvety rose filled heart and the amber musk base of this gorgeous scent. I will add a travel size spray to my collection. One ml daubers are $3.50, 3 ml sprays are $11, 5 ml travel sprays are $18.00, 17 ml bottles are $45.00 and full sized 34 ml bottles are $80.00. The sillage is medium and the longevity is several hours. 

Do you have a favorite rose scent? Have you tried Sonoma Scent Studio yet? 

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Dessa's Homespun Scents: June Order


Deb enabled me again. She mentioned buying some fall favorites from Dessa's Homespun Scents and I knew I wanted to grab a few myself. Well... a few turned into "ooo, I want to try this! And this! And this!" I was in the mood for apples, pumpkins and spice and if there is anything Dessa has an amazing selection of it is fall scents. She will be closed the last two weeks of July for personal reasons but will be open again August 1st. She rarely ever closes, but needed to this time.


Pumpkin Gingerbread blends pumpkin pie and gingerbread in an original house blend (that is when vendors hand mix fragrance oils to achieve a custom scent rather than just using a straight pre-made fragrance oil). Deb mentioned this being one of her fall must-haves and I can see why. Deeply spiced and rich, the gingerbread is good enough to lure Hansel and Gretel inside. It brims with zippy ginger, peppery nutmeg, licorice hued allspice, fiery cinnamon and star shaped clove. Underlying the decadent gingerbread is caramelized pumpkin. This bag 'o cutie pie punkins weighs 5.2 ounces and cost $5.25.


Autumn Campfire brews a cauldron of cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin pie, apples, gingerbread, hot cider and marshmallows roasted over a campfire in another unique house blend. Deb gifted me this scent in the past and I knew I enjoyed it, so I ordered a bag of Mason jar shapes in it, weighing 4.6 ounces at the cost of $5.25. Macintosh apples stand out at the forefront to my nose, followed by mellow spices, and then toasted marshmallows. The campfire does not come off as smoky or acrid, but just woodsy. I thought I remembered this being more fireside and less apple last time, but maybe my memory fails me. Either way it is a pleasant autumnal scent that throws at a healthy medium-strong.


Pumpkin Harvest- Notes: Vanilla, pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, creamy milk.
I think I may have gotten the wrong scent in this cup. I get a strong spicy zucchini bread vibe. It could be the milk notes but if so they are slightly sour and bready. If you love zucchini you will love this. 

Pumpkin Cider Lane- Notes: Spicy pumpkin pie and caramel Cider Lane.
Pumpkin pie spices lend a kick to this creamy sweet caramel dupe of Bath & Body Works Cider Lane. Very nice!

Pumpkin Pie- Notes: Pumpkin puree with cinnamon, ginger and cloves baked into a flaky pie crust.
The pumpkin reminds me of caramel but heavy with yummy hot cinnamon. Not much on the crust notes but that does not deter me.


Apple Pumpkin Streusel- Notes: Homemade apple pie blended with pumpkin ginger streusel.
Delicious. A more mellow and smoother version of the Pumpkin Gingerbread. Not as much ginger vim and cinnamon fire. It reminds me of apple cake baked with a touch of ginger and spice.

Cinnamon Sugar Fried Apples- Notes: Macintosh apples lightly sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
Sweet Macintosh apples are the star of this tart. Very soft spice. 

Apples & Cinnamon- Notes: Fresh apples slices generously topped with spicy ground cinnamon.
Sometimes simple is truly best. The apples here have a clarity and nectar like quality that is enhanced with ultra concentrated cinnamon oil. This is one of my favorites. Very spicy and like baked apples.


Fall in the Country- Notes: Crisp apple cider, oak, oranges, cinnamon, and clove spice. 
Dessa mentions in her description that this is similar to Bath & Body Works Leaves scent, but I do feel it is different enough to warrant noting. The apples are more concentrated like a toddy and the spice much more rich and deep. This is one of my favorites of the bunch that feature apples and cinnamon, right behind Apples & Cinnamon.

Autumn Breeze- No longer listed on site and no description.
I went back to look up the components of this scent and I can no longer see it listed. Not sure if it will be offered again. It smells lovely. Crunchy red leaves, cool earth, curled cinnamon bark and a slight pine infused gust of wind that lifts the ends of your scarf. 

Farmhouse- Notes: Hot apple cider, zesty mandarin, cloves and spices.
Dried orange peels and slightly musty cabin wood with echoes of the spice cupboard wafting out of the primitive kitchen greet the nose. The mandarins hold the intense flavor of a blood orange, dripping red. Really the mandarin holds reign here. Maybe it is a farmhouse in an old orange grove. I like that.


Cider Barrel- Notes: Apple cider, warm mulling spices, clove simmered in a wooden barrel.
Comforting and cozy. This cider blend is brewed with Honeycrisp apples, Madagascar cinnamon sticks and love. Lightly amber sweetened wood cups impart their aroma to the cider. 

Mulled Hot Cider- Notes: Macintosh apples and mulling spices.
This version is less sweet and spicy as Cider Barrel. It actually has more of the wooden undertones and a slight muskiness. I prefer the vibrant quality of Cider Barrel to this. 

This Old Cabin- Notes: Spicy hot ginger, warm applesauce, cinnamon and outdoor pine.
Memories of cabin living in the Smoky Mountains float to the front of my mind when I sniff this. The pine note holds more bark than green needle and jives wonderfully with the sweet apple tones. Not very spicy at all, more of a subtle depth.


Harvest Moon- Notes: Nutmeg and cinnamon sticks, applewood and cedar, a Bath & Body Works Autumn Night dupe.
Yum! That applewood smells like apples and rosewood with a hint of dry cedar bark, the spices are kept to a minimum but there is a sweet amber nectar threaded throughout. I need more of this.

October- Notes: Apple cider, caramel, pumpkin pie, cinnamon and cloves.
The caramel makes this a nicely unique scent. It does evoke October, bubbling with caramel candies and spicy apple cider. The pumpkin pie lies a little dormant. Another scent I would buy again.

Haunted Hayride- Notes: Hay, leaves, Macintosh apples and cinnamon.
This one reminds me of Bath and Body Works Leaves scent, but blended with sweet hay and earth and watery apples fresh from the bobbing trough. 


Cinnamon Broomstick- Notes: Crushed cinnamon sticks and a hint of fresh clove.
Pure sweet cinnamon oil saturating the twiggy broomsticks that herald fall. I buy one or two every year and this tart smells just like them. Amazing.

Honey Glazed Gingerbread- Notes: Gingerbread with clove, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, topped with honey glaze.
This scent is one of my top bakery fragrances. Buttery moist gingerbread baked with extra pinches of aromatic spices and the sweetness of honey drenching the cakey bread.

Cranberry Spice- Notes: Tart cranberries accented with cinnamon and spice.
I am terribly picky about my cranberry scents. Too artificial, too candy, too tart and I am out. But Dessa's Cranberry Spice is a keeper. A holy grail spiced cranberry. Plump burgundy fruit equally tart and sweet with a perfect amount of cinnamon sugar. 


Country Christmas- Notes: Clove, apple, cinnamon and oranges. A dupe of Gold Canyon's Cozy Christmas.
Red hots! Atomic Fireballs! Blazing hot, fiery cinnamon! I love it. Love love love it.

Main Street Christmas- Notes: Tart cranberries, bayberry, cinnamon, orange zest, and freshly cut pines.
A beautifully complex scent where spiced cranberries garnish a wreath of camphorous bayberry and sweet honeyed citrus swirls about. Not overly spicy and nicely sugared. Almost apple enhanced as well. An excellently balanced fragrance that will bring the holidays into your home. 

Cinnamon Garland- Notes: Bayberry and spicy cinnamon.
A favorite. Slightly piney and robust bayberry mingles with pungent cinnamon to make my spice loving heart pound.



The free samples, so sweet!


Coffee & Donuts- I mostly get the puppy paw bitter coffee scent I am accustomed to but with a touch of cinnamon.

Smoky Mountain Berries- I LOVE this one! It smells like cranberries, apples, bayberry and evergreens. A wistfully nostalgic Christmas scent! And I quite love this tart shape. 


Rootbeer Float- Yep. That molasses, rooty and oh so sweet syrupy scent of rootbeer. 

Country Store- This was supposed to be another quintessential apple and spice scent but smells a bit more mellow than that. It melted strong in my bedroom and smelled like cozy fall bliss. In fact, when Savanna strode into my bedroom she said "It smells like fall in here!"

As usual, I love my Dessa's order. If you have a hankering for fall scents you can't go wrong with Dessa's Homespun Scents. She recently had a 4th of July sale and I picked out a handful of scents. She is also working on releasing more autumn and holiday scents in August (I requested  cedarwood and spice blend I think she might try to make! Woot!). Her TAT (turn around time) is fast. Less than a week. Any scent and shape can be ordered as well as custom blending. Shipping was $10.77. Have you begun stocking up for the fall and winter? Are you a seasonal melter? Spice hater or spice lover?