Ebb & Flow: May 2018

The highs and lows of the month.

Perfume:

Tauer L'Air du Desert Marocain

Perfume Oil:

Nocturne Alchemy Giganotosaurus under everything. 

Candle:

Bath & Body Works Myrrh, killer throw and gorgeous scent. 

Wax:

Sniff My Tarts Pink Peppermint for bedtime.

Soap:

Tauer Solar Engineer

Lotion:

Cosmic Cleanse ScentSations They're Heeeere

Scrub:

The Bathing Garden Sleepy

Skin Care:

The Coal Miner's Daughter Mystic Mountain sage toner spray, bought a back up! It feels so good right before bed. Smells amazing too.

Eating:
dried tangerines

Drinking:
hot tea

Watching:
Nothing really. I have been reading and trying to be outside as much as possible despite the rain. So watching birds. Watching my wildflowers bloom. Watching my girls read. Watching the rain emboss the windows. Watching my husband laugh with our daughters. Watching candles flicker. Watching my grey hairs emerge experience by experience, day by day, with the knowledge that I am ever revolving.

Reading:
Anything I can get my hands on. I read Wonder (then watched the movie with my girls since we all read it) and Needful Things (not sure if I want to watch the movie). Reading Neverwhere and gearing up for my summer reads.

Listening:
To Bob Marley as we garden and landscape.

Awaiting:
A break in the rain so I can take the girls to the beach or some springs. Also. Maine.

Dreading:
The dentist. I ran out of my gum tonic. Flossing as not been my habit. My front teeth are starting to separate too. Is this common? Soon I will be sporting a smile like Madonna.

Hit:
Life Flower bath bombs... boy howdy... I am in trrrrouble! I will talk more about these soon. Plus I am really enjoying some shirts I picked up at Curbside Clothing. Super soft. I love the Men's 3/4 sleeve shirts.

Miss:
Can't think of anything I tried this month that I didn't like (other than some dried orange and lemon slices from Trader Joe's). I will say that garden bugs are getting a hard pass from me right now. Our corn was infested with roaches and beetles, our watermelon with weevils and stink bugs and being organic is a tough row to hoe. We dug up most of our crops that were past harvest. We enjoyed the fruits of our labors for the most part but now I am paranoid that roaches will make the short trip from our backyard to into our home. Ew. So far the tomatoes, okra and carrots are doing well still.

Low:
Nothing much. The last weeks of school were crazy but here I am still breathing and functioning so it wasn't all that bad.

High:
Visiting my grandma. Seeing an Indigo Bunting. And that wonderful sore feeling when you engaged in a lot of physical activity (landscaping). I forget how good it feels to push your body. 

How was your May? Is it warming up? Is it your rainy season? What are your plans for June?

Giveaway Winners! Plus Coupon Code

Today marks 4 years that I have been typing into this old keyboard and sniffing copious amounts of delicious things. To celebrate and pick up one of my favorite Timberwicks, or anything that might strike your fancy for that matter, at 15% off at Hanna's Candlemart use code: REDMERMAID15

No expiration date.

In the meantime, congrats to all the winners!

The blog winner is Karen Smiley!

The Facebook winner is Jennifer O'Brien Brock!

The Instagram winner is literaly witchy!

Thank you so much for hanging out and supporting my ramblings. I don't have ads and very rarely affiliate links and there is no money coming in so this is all from the joy of the experience. <3

The Redolent Mermaid's 4th Birthday Giveaway!

Four years!

1,223 posts

576,270 views

Top Posts: Tutorial of Paper Piecing and Fandom Quilts, Serge Lutens Water Lip Colour, and Witch Baby Soap

1,000 comments

friends made

memories recorded

amazing things smelled

I am hosting three giveaways. One here for all the items above (and more!), one on my Facebook page and one on Instagram. 

Thank you Julia at Arcana Wildcraft, Freja at Nocturne Alchemy and Tracie at The Candlemart for all contributing to this giveaway. <3

The following are a few of my favorite things and I wanted to share them with you as well:

Arcana Wildcraft 5ml perfumes in Bonfires At Dusk and Filthy Viking

Nocturne Alchemy 5ml perfume in Crystalline and 2ml in Bastet's Amber

Timberwick wood wick candle in Ember Glow from Hannah's Candlemart

Blooddrop Froth Milk Bath and Merci No. 141 5ml perfume

Solstice Scents whipped soap in Lavender Vanilla

ArtiSun natural deodorant in Lavender/Tea Tree

Lasting Scent Candles Aroma Mist in Pink Sugared Spruce

Sunshine & Ravioli bookplates

Candles From The Keeping Room Fresh Picked Strawberry

Glitterati, three chunks of wax in various scents

Alchemic Muse Hair Mist

Dame Perfume samples

Bohemienne Life wax samples

Adagio tea tin

Handmade pottery tea mug

and various wax samples

Hannah's Candlemart gifted ALL my readers a coupon code for 15% off that will never expire. I love their variety of wax and especially love the Timberwick wood wick candles. 

Use code: REDMERMAID15

This giveaway is open to all US readers (I have an international giveaway on my IG account). To enter this giveaway please tell me one of your favorite skincare items. I just made my first ever Paula's Choice purchase for some trial sizes of her retinol goodies and a sunscreen for summer time. 

After commenting, please make sure to follow commenting so when the winner is announced you can claim your prize. If it isn't claimed in 24 hours from announcing, then a new name will be drawn. 

A winner will be randomly drawn on May 29th. 

Check-In

Hey there. I just wanted to pop-in and let you know that I will be taking a small break for about a week or so. The last week of school is this week and it is a tad hectic. I am also using my free time to quilt for my sister's wedding and I really don't have the extra time to post like I want to at the moment. I do have some wax and bath bombs and such to share, plus when I return I will have a nice giveaway to post (in a few days) I hope. The blog's 4th birthday is May 29th. But in the meantime I need to be sitting in front of my sewing machine every chance I get. 

It is raining here. Peaceful and maybe a touch melancholy. But rainbows and good things to come. 

How are you doing? 

Sixteen92: Spring Collection Order

Claire released an opera themed spring collection for Sixteen92 and though I know nothing about opera, I found a scent that had my heart singing a passionate aria. While I was placing that particular scent in my cart I also decided to try out the Texturizing Sea Salt Hair Mists. 

I chose Mercy Lewis and Black Sugar for my scents. I adore the honeyed almond and floral musk beauty of Mercy Lewis, and Black Sugar has been on my radar for ages. The mists are $9.50 each and contain coconut oil, dead sea salts, aloe vera and mallow root. It is recommended to use either on damp hair for scrunching and styling or on dry hair to add texture and separate the locks. I used Mercy Lewis first on dry hair to refresh my curls after the second day of washing. It didn't dry my (already naturally dry) hair and it worked wonderfully! I used it mainly on the ends where my hair tends to frizz and be overly dry and avoided my scalp which tends to be oily. Ah the joys of thin, damaged, dry curly hair. I didn't notice the scent lingering too much but it was nice and fresh smelling.

E Lucevan Le Stelle- "And the stars were shining" from Tosca by Giacomo Puccini, 1900 

Notes: Dark earth, night gardenia, starlit cobblestone, ambergris, galbanum, tree moss. 6ml for $14

From the vial wafts a foggy blend of diaphanous earth and elegant gardenia. Dampened onto the skin the gardenia unfolds into a sharp white and green blossom. The galbanum adds the greenness and a touch of tuberose lingers in the gardenia. As it settles in, the breath of soil and moss rises up to smooth the sharp edges of the heady white flower. The cobblestones are real and offer their smooth worn coolness to the perfume. What sets the stars in my eyes is the ambergris drydown that adds a touch of salty suede to the stunning bouquet of gardenia and moss. The scent as a whole has a dreamy haze overlaying the whole fragrance, like viewing it through the scratched lens of time. I am very happy with this aroma and will wear it joyfully this summer. 

Free sample:

Mein Herr Marquis- Notes: Violet macarons, silk tulle, pearlescent powder, orris root, heliotrope.

Initially this violet beauty brought to mind Bruised Violet, another Sixteen92 violet fragrance, but this one has more vibrancy than its brooding shadowy sister. Orris root offers its dark leathery hues and heliotrope does its apricot and floral nectar thing, but ultimately this is all about the violet. And she is beaut. 

I believe the first shipments for The Circle will be going out soon and I am stoked to be a part of it this year. What Sixteen92 goodies do you love experiencing?

Twilight Alchemy Lab: Bath Oil and Perfume

Twilight Alchemy Lab is an off shoot of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab that crafts oils for body, bath and more. I picked up a bath oil and two other oils to use. 

Moonset- To be used to clear your mind of noisome thoughts, relax your conscious inhibitions and increase receptiveness. This bath formula includes mugwort, clary sage, bay laurel, organic lavender oil, lavender absolute and yarrow oil extracted from plants grown in the TAL garden. (4 oz $30)

This bath oil smells amazing. It has a minty coolness that reminds me of eucalyptus or menthol or camphor. The invigorating steam that rises from the hot bath water when this is dripped in lifts the spirits. The herbs and lavender and sage all mix to calm and delight. I am extremely content with the bathing ritual born of this oil. 

Fire of Passion: 2001 Private Stock- Notes: Cubeb and 17-year aged patchouli. (5ml $40)

This is quite possibly the best patchouli centric oil I have encountered. I dab some behind my ears and fly off into the ether. It smells of fecund earth and aged herbs, slivers of smoldering kindling and a silvery edge of metallic iron. It is a patchouli lover's dream. When I wear it I sniff myself constantly. This is geared towards being a aphrodisiac and it does ignite some fires but I just love it for the scent itself. The cubeb is a plant related to pepper and does have a peppery and camphorous tone to it. I will use this one sparingly. 

These are both sold out at the moment but the bath oils do get restocked from time and time and various oils are released in the Etsy store as well. Do you like bath oils? A new one from Nocturne Alchemy arrived at my house and I cannot wait to wallow in it. 

Bohemienne Life: Wax Crack

What?!?!? Wax?!?!?! Yes. Yes ma'am, indeed. Kyme has been restocking some Wax Crack here and there at Bohemienne Life and I saw the desire to pick a few bags up. Thus, I did. Her Wax Crack comes in a 5 ounce bakery bag for $5.00 each. Affordably priced, superb wax in divine scents with a quick TAT. My kind of shopping.

Tobacco- Notes: A warm, sweet, smoky, comforting melange of vanilla, patchouli and honeyed pipe tobacco.

This smells of honeyed tobacco and a shot of bourbon to my nose. It has a boozy quality that I love. Sweet and a touch dark with the ebony edge of patchouli. It threw at a solid medium in my bedroom. An excellent tart.

Twisted Hard Cider- Notes: Baked apples, cinnamon, clove, caramel, nutmeg, butterscotch, oak barrel, whiskey and toasted marshmallow. 

Yum. Velvety spiced apples and rich vanilla caramel and woods. This one will be brilliant for fall melting. I am going to stash this one away for a fall treasure to encounter later. 

Cedar Honey- Notes: A blend of cedar woods and sun warmed honey.

I fell in love hard with this one. The honey is sweet and thick with an almost caramel lean to it. Add the cedar woods in with the sticky drops of honey and I am in hog heaven. I will be keeping an eye out for this one again. One chunk of brittle threw medium-strong in my bedroom.

Fraser's Ridge- Notes: Blackberry, peach, raspberry with a hint of violet grounded with earthy patchouli.

This is one of the best dark fruity-florals I have encountered. The floral is not much at all, but the violets and patch ground all the sweet and over-ripe berries and fruits perfectly. This is juicy and plump, ready to be bitten into. There is almost an effervescence in it on cold that reminds me of a fruity mead. It melted with a medium-strong throw in my kitchen and living area. Gosh how I have missed this scent. 

Soap Samples:

Raven's Myst is one of my favorite blends that Kyme makes and in soap it is still just as spectacular. Spiced woods and musk with a frothy lather.

Coconut Rose was a surprise hit for me. I love the creaminess of this one as far as lather goes. It is super soft and supple. The scent is stunning and perfect for these hot spring/summer days. The coconut is milky and softly sweet while the rose is youthful and vibrant. 

Lullaby is the last soap and it smells just like that Lush almond marzipan scent... is it Rock Star? No! It is Snowcake! Yeah. This smells just like Lush's Snowcake. Not my fave for sure. But the girls will use it up.

I love my order from Kyme to pieces, as usual. I will be keeping an eye out for her restocks. I am over the moon she will still be making some goodies here and there. What Wax Crack is your favorite? 

Hand to Earth Ceramics: Planter and Cup

I admit this... I am a stalker. A class "A" creeper who constantly checks in with Deanna of Hand to Earth Ceramics to see what she is up to. Because I truly admire her work. It resonates with me. She restocked recently and I was stoked to be able to finally snag a pink moon piece in the form of a planter and a mountain and moon scene cup. 

I love that the strawberry moon is sandy textured and loaded with dimensional details. The color really pops against the gauzy bluish greens and ivory. 

This planter has a nice capacity. It is about medium sized I would say, and includes a drainage hole. I love the precision of those feet. The etchings of the plant life are lovely.

When I was checking out with this guy I got excited. Moonlit mountain scenes are my jam and I didn't have one by Deanna. What surprised me most about this gorgeous striated cup was that the combination of clear glaze and cloudy plants with the azure ombre made for a jelly like appearance. I love how squishy it looks and it feels so smooth and glassy. 

Check out this beauty! Those details. My heart. 

I have been sipping my smoky pine teas out of this fella and dreaming of the mountains. We won't be going there this summer and I am already pining for them. Savannah, Georgia will be our destination this year but the mountains will always be calling. I am thinking the Blue Ridge Mountains need to be visited next. 

What mountains do you love? What are you sipping? Are you sipping from anything special?

Mermaid Treasure: Gather and Flow

Ashley at Gather and Flow forges beautiful silver pieces with a focus on the natural and great detail. I have one of her mountain and moon necklaces that I love to wear frequently. When I noticed she came out with the mountain and moon(stone) shadow box ring a while back I immediately fell in love. I had planned on treating myself to this ring once I had lost a certain amount of weight, and even though I have made gains in reclaiming my health I had not met that number goal. Ashley convinced me to go ahead and treat myself though. Life is too short and this ring is just right for me.

I love the dainty size of the ring and gazing into it helps assuage some of the blues I feel at not seeing the mountains or getting to visit them this summer. I can carry them with me where ever I go.

Summer Daydreaming

Every summer I like to make a wish list of things to do both with my girls and in general since I have the summers off. I find if I don't at least jot some things down, the summer spins away and I have not accomplished anything I would have loved to have done. The last day of school is May 24th for us, which seems super early, but no complaining over here. No ma'am.

- Not fun but necessary, dental appointments. 

- Aquatica trips to make use of our passes

- Art camp for Savanna

- A state park hike

- Swim in a never-before-visited spring

- A summer concert with my girls

- Play in the rain

-Bake cinnamon rolls with yeast

- Beach day/getaway

- Finish a quilt

- Paint with watercolors and/or acrylics

- Attend a teacher workshop

- Read as much as possible

- Birdwatch

Given how short I feel like this summer will be I am happy with a short list. We will be going to Maine for my sister's wedding, which will be AMAZING and we will vacation in Savannah, Georgia this year. I have spent many fun moments creating an itinerary for both trips. 

Are you looking forward to anything in particular this summer?

Blood Moon Botanica: Perfume and Deodorant

Britton at Blood Moon Botanica is back from her hike and has moved into a rural community so she has slowly began getting back into the grove of creating thoughtful and wild harvested body care items for her store. She added several items she had been brewing and concocting to her store back in April and I picked up two that called to me after the initial rush was over.

Dark Winter Amber- Notes: Brewed up over long dark wintery days and warmed by the hot glow of woodstove heat. This scent started with aged poplar bud oil with added Ponderosa pine pitch. These two mingled in a base of amber accord and infused for a time. Twenty year aged black patchouli along with red spikenard, western red cedar, a distillation of earth, vanilla and tonka bean joined the brew. This perfume will continue to age well over time, soften and deepen. ($35)

How could I resist this siren song? Britton took pure rugged nature in this scent and elevated with her alchemy to supernatural. In the bottle the dark hazy liquid is a deep brown with a viscous layer of sediment on the bottom that promises to be epic with age. Shake before applying. Opening the vial releases waves of deep forest whisperings. Steely black patchouli. Sticky golden resin. Broken evergreen boughs. Soaked into the skin this scent opens up and rises about the senses and floats around the body like a golden veil of cedar and pine infused amber. It flashes like the brief winter sunlight that barely warms the primitive forest floor before it sinks back into the darkness again. The metallic yet earthy patchouli is evocative of the dark hidden burrows and warrens that run like veins just under the surface of our knowing, flowing with life in the blackness. I will use this one sparingly to experience how maturation elevates it, as it is bound to do. This is a brilliant natural perfume at its most unabashed. 

North West Blend Deodorant Oil- This oil is meant to keep you feeling fresh and is easy to apply. This scent mixes with your natural smell to create something that is very uniquely you. It will smell different on everyone. This blend contains a high grade tea tree oil, fir needle, frankincense and western red cedar heartwood. ($18)

I am loving my all natural deodorant from ArtiSun in Tea Tree and Lavender for day time use, but I am a weirdo and like to wear deodorant at night too so when I saw Britton's version of all natural deodorant I had to try it out. This turns out to be the perfect bedtime arm pit care for me. It smells strongly of cedar and tea tree and I adore it. It is highly aromatic and a little goes a long way. I have a feeling I will be wearing this in heavy rotation during the summer months too. It melds beautifully with my skin chemistry and does linger for a while. When those arms go up, a heady waft of cedar and evergreens and tea tree greets my nose. I would buy this again in a heart beat. 

I am thrilled to have these fragrant experiences. Did you partake of Britton's Blood Moon Botanica restock? 

Silver Run Ceramics: Incense Burner

Michelle's work over at Silver Run Ceramics has been making my heart pound for ages. She crafts these wickedly sharp foxes that double as match strikers, knotted snakes on plates and detailed animals on mugs, her artistry is truly amazing. But what has had me all heart eyed from the get-go was this wolf incense burner. I mean. Look at him. Wouldja just look?! 

He came with a ceramic plate that has a touch of glaze in the center to make incense residue clean up easier. He lifts his head and howls skyward, letting the incense smoke stream from pursed lips. 

The crescent moon on the top of his head is just dreamy. 

He is around 3-4 inches tall and fits cone incense perfectly. I have been using my Paine's Pinon incense cones in him and I think he likes it. I know I do. 

Do you have a ceramic artist you have been wanting to collect from?

Sawdust & Embers: Candles

Sawdust & Embers is a Texas based indie candle company that was founded in 2015 that I have been following on IG for a while now. I like the sustainable ethics behind the brand and the scent blends are right up my wheelhouse. Various woods, resins and leathers often feature in their fragrances. 

I found myself running low on candles and itching to try something new when I remembered I had meant to order from Sawdust & Embers for some time now. After browsing the modern and easy to navigate website, I settled on two travel tins which hold 7.5 ounces of coconut wax and run $18 each.  I did pick one up on sale for $14. Shipping was free (on all candle orders) and the candles came packaged wonderfully.

You know how much I adore my wood wicks.

Spice Birch- Notes: Black birch, tobacco, hay, ginger root, white citrus, spiced rum and cassia bark.

This one is beautifully sweet with the tobacco and citrusy rum notes. The woods are soft and round, almost vanilla-like. I love the semi-tropical vibe I get from this one. It is perfect for spring and summer. It has a medium-light throw in the bedroom. A lovely burn for the bedside table.

Rosewood- Notes: Rosewood, Otto rose, cassis, cinnamon, green olive, cedar, sandalwood, musk and black amber.

Remember my favorite wax tarts from Ten Digit Creations in Rosewood & Amber? This is that scent in a wood wick candle and I could not be happier. I love, love, love this scent. The rosewood is bright and aromatic and marries elegantly with the amber and subtle spice. The throw is medium in the bedroom. I will be back for more with this one. 

Free samples of mini candle tins:

Weathered Teak- Strongly scent classic mahogany and teakwood. Brilliant.

Muir Woods- Lush green woods and ferns and aquatic florals that smells of coastal forests.

Skulls in the City- Smoothly blended grapefruit, labdanum and patchouli that holds a sweet edge and mellow amber.

The crackle of the wood wick is pleasant as always. The candles burned evenly and pooled beautifully. Easy peasy.

There are also wax melts, at 3.5 ounces for $12, which is a tad on the high end side, but I have not tried them out yet to see how they perform. 

I am eyeing up more candles, specifically Texas Cedar, Homestead and Redwood Creek. What can I say? I have a weakness for wood wicks and woodsy aromas. 

Are you burning any candles? What do you think about wood wicks?

The Coal Miner's Daughter: Mist Love

My sister Darby and I have been on the search for reputable and knowledgable all-natural apothecaries run by women. We landed on one just to discover some unsavory bits after digging around in reviews. I kept searching and somehow The Coal Miner's Daughter came across my awareness. She happened to be having a sale but the code wasn't working for me. I sent over a message and a few days later she responded with an apology and a working code. She also sent along a crystal as a thank you for the delay of response. 

There were a few things that I wanted to try from teas to balms and perfumes but I ended up drifting to the mists. These can be used as toners, pillow sprays, room sprays, body sprays or pretty much anything. 

Love by the Moon Surrounding Mist contains organic rose water, patchouli, jasmine, vanilla and lavender essential oils ($18). This is mostly for a bedtime routine as it promotes a better night's sleep. This does need to be shaken well before use as the oils separate from the rose water. I enjoy spraying this on my arms, neck and chest before bed. The oils combine to create a citrusy toned lavender and patchouli blend. There is a subtle coolness to it so I want to say there might even be a mint or something lurking about. I love the scent and it is a nice addition to my bedtime routine. 

Mystic Mountain Sacred Smudge Mist is ethically wild harvested and contains black spruce hydrosol, pine and vetiver and was infused with quartz crystal ($24). Mystic Mountain can be utilized as a room mist or a skin and face toner. The solution requires shaking before use. I prefer spraying this on my face as a refreshing toner before bed or if I am going naked faced for the day. It smells smoky and earthy with a touch of dank forest floor. The ingredient list on the website doesn't state sage, and the label is a bit vague in stating there are "essential oils" but I would assume (and hope?) sage is in there somewhere. I do like how it feels on the skin. 

These bottles are one ounce each, so they won't have a terribly long life span with frequent use. I love the handmade nature and the aroma of these two mists and will happily use them up. 

Do you have any natural apothecary type places you enjoy purchasing from? I am in the market for womb balms and whatnot. You know... self care for the lady bits.

Sihaya and Company: Arcana Tammany Hall and Arcana Candle

Since Arcana Wildcraft farmed out their perfumes to stockists I have been having a fun time buying from various stores. This order came from Sihaya and Company While I was shopping for this particular scent I couldn't resist picking up a candle to come home with this perfume. But I will get to that in a minute. 

Tammany Hall- Notes: Vote early and often! Honest graft, New York tough talk, and a whiff of green auld sod. Bay laurel, sweet green clover, fresh tree sage, dark, dirty musk and black patchouli. $26

From the bottle wafts camphor and peppery spice, cloves and ancient ivy. Tammany Hall is redolent of ivy- Ivy Leagues and Ivy Club, ivy clinging to the notorious walls. Politicians clinch clove cigarillos between teeth that bite on words of benevolence and betrayal in turns. Spicy pomades and camphorous ointments scent the hall where the mighty and disadvantaged mingle in a deceitful dance of power. Dressed on the skin, the notes speak of cobblestones and dirt packed roads, lichen growing between bricks and an underbelly of dank musk. Old sweaty bills of money clinched in frustrated fists. The dust and earth lifts a bit and the softly camphorous bay laurel appears. Dusky musk and patchouli laced pools of shadow slink in as the sun sets on Tammany Hall. 

This is a brilliantly unique scent and unlike any other I have in my collection. It has a dark anise and spice and earth muskiness that shifts and changes. 

Sihaya and Company creates imaginative and beautiful candles. I enjoyed the one I burned from the Sisterhood of the Moon box I ordered back in October so I decided to enjoy another one. 

Arcana- Notes: Blood orange shrouded in a haze of dragon's blood incense. $12

The candle performs wonderfully, burning strong and steady with a sturdy wick and a nice wax pool. It does take a while for the wax pool to form but once it does there are no issues at all. I have come to love the layer of glitter on the surface. It makes for magical illumination when the flame jumps and twirls. The scent is soft and subtle, more suited for my nightstand by the bed than a large cathedral ceiling living area. Aged peels of blood oranges and sugary dried wedges of citrus mingle with the faintly earthy aura of incense. The dragon's blood incense takes a backseat to the blood oranges, but lends a deep complexity. A very lovely candle. 

Any new candles or perfumes in your life? What smells are you loving right now?

Nocturne Alchemy Summer Tea Service: Cardamom Chai Sandalwood and Lavender Sugar

Cardamom Chai Sandalwood by Nocturne Alchemy- Notes: Chai spices, Sri Lankan and Guatemalan cardamom EO, Indian black tea essence, Basamati vanilla, nutmeg EO, Pyramid Santalum, and four variants of sandalwood. 

In the bottle, woody spice. On the skin, the spice blooms into a thick warm cup of fiery chai tea, lightly sweet and limpid with comfort. Woods creep in brun and twilight and the black tea leaves foreshadow portents in the bottom of the china cup. It dries down into a soothing cinnamon bark and sandalwood scent. Dusted with subtle bits of cardamom and rich with wood. I simply adore this spicy woods sweet scent.

Lavender Sugar- Notes: French lavender essential oil, sugar accord, Crystal infused sugar accord and Bastet's amber. 
Herbal lavender is tempered by a very subtle sweetness and the dry aroma of crushed resins. This is a simple and linear scent meant to be layered with the other Summer Tea Service scents. I enjoy wearing it on its own before bedtime.

The Summer Tea Service will probably return in the next few months and I wanted to have these up in case tea based scents might be your cuppa. Currently, Nocturne Alchemy has their Purpose Oils up for sale for a limited time and I happen to have two of them so I plan on featuring those soon.

Happy May 1st! I have some candles and wax and smell goods to blog about this month and look forward to diving into it. My weekends are pretty shot right now but hopefully I can get on the ball and squeeze some blog time in. Any plans for May?