Thursday, April 30, 2020

Ebb & Flow: April 2020

The highs and lows of the month.


Perfume:
Wylde Ivy Like Sugar and Flowers

Perfume Oil:
Whisper Sisters Frankincense Dark Cedar

Body Oil:
Wildroots Winter Ritual Body Oil

Sleep Spray:
Old Ways Healing St. John's Wort Magnesium Spray

Room Spray:
Poesie Perfumes Queen of Air and Darkness

Skin Care:
Forest & Fjord Moon Serum and Sea Silk Face Cream (reviews to come soon)

Soap:
Future Primitive Magpie

Scrub:
The Bathing Garden Starlight and Soda Pop

Candle:
Sihaya & Company Amber Woods

Wax:
The Bathing Garden Magician's Bonfire

Markers:
Koi Coloring Brush Pens

Plant:
A dwarf version of Madagascar Periwinkle that I found at Home Depot when we had to pick up an air filter. It is the cutest teeny tiny thing ever. Flowers the size of dimes. Reminds me of the tiny alpine plants I see on my British garden shows.

Eating:
Spicy Trail Mix from Walmart

Drinking:
Iced lemongrass tea

Listening:
Old Jimmy Buffet albums when painting and cooking, relaxing Celtic music when blogging or drawing.

Reading:
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Watching:
My computer screen the vast majority of my day when working, other than that not much besides the butterflies in the flower garden. 

Awaiting:
Rain. Bookstores. Coffee shops. Seeing friends. Seeing sisters. Seeing family. Summer break. 

Dreading:
The thought of loved ones getting ill, especially my parents. 

Hit:
My Tudor Planner for doing daily doodles.

Miss:
Trying to build a lattice trellis on the side of the house. Not very home improvement inclined I suppose. Fell back on a stick-in-the-ground trellis. Hoping it will work.

Low:
Knowing that there is so much heartbreak going on in the world right now.

High:
The stillness and family time this season has brought. And a new mattress. That is a high for sure.

How has your April been? One you will never forget, I imagine. Any good news? Any sadness you want to share the burden of bearing? How are you doing? 


Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Wildroots: Body Care


This is not the first time I have featured Wildroots Body Care on here (I raved about Megan's deodorant last time). I placed another order to stock back up on my official Holy Grail natural deodorant. I picked up one each of her two formulas. But I also grabbed some body oils I saw she had in stock. I have really become a huge fan of using body oil in place of traditional lotions. I still have some lotions here and there I will use up but body oils are my jam. 


I chose Lavender + Rosemary ($22) and it smells so serene. Peep those lavender sprigs in there. The lavender and rosemary essential oils float in a base of organic apricot and almond oils along with meadowfoam seed oil and vitamin e. The halcyon aroma of lavender greets the senses. Nuances of sweet pine and pillowy green herbs mingle with the plump purple lavender buds. The rosemary is light and gauzy, almost translucent. It feels wonderful on the skin, leaving it soft and perfumed. A bedtime treat to be sure.


The hand sanitizer was a generous freebie to those who placed an order while she had stock. It is a pray gel formula that nourishes and imparts softness. The scent is rosemary, thyme and sweet orange, so very uplifting and sunny. Great formula. 


This last body oil had to come home to me. 

Winter Ritual Body Oil (on sale $18) sports juniper, rosewood and citrus oils in a base of sunflower, apricot, sesame, avocado seed and grapeseed oils along with vitamin e and additional essential oils of lavender, fir, vetiver and cinnamon essential oils. This blend promotes circulation and nourishment. The juniper, woods and soft grapefruit shines through the most in this blend though the lavender  and cinnamon can be subtly detected. I love the scent and feel of this blend. It is comforting and natural.


I am so very pleased ordering from Wildroots. I look forward to being a customer for a long time. I do want to try some of her salves soon. 

Do you like body oils or are you more of a lotion or body cream type of person? 

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Sihaya & Company: Spring Box

This box was sent free in exchange for photographs, all opinions are my own.


Christina at Sihaya & Company continues to roll out one of my very favorite curated indie maker seasonal boxes. I love how she not only includes bath and body but all tasty treats, home fragrance and more with a very cohesive feel. This spring her box was called: The Mystic's Dream.


Christina crafts some of my favorite candles. I love to burn them on my nightstand and on my desk. They throw nicely and look lovely with her shimmering glitter overspray. 


The Mystic's Dream- Notes: A blend for those seeking adventure and wonder behind the veil of slumber. Spicy cardamom, Bulgarian rose, soft cedar, warm vanilla, and a touch of pistachio under a swirl of smoke. 9 oz $13

A lovely gourmand rose. A dusting of cardamom and vanilla tinted pistachio graces the rounded fullness of dark roses. It smells like browsing a quaint French bakery where vases of homegrown roses mingle with the meltingly tasty scents emanating from the display cases.  I look forward to burning this one right after I finish up Amber Woods from Sihaya & Co. that is on my nightstand.


Sihaya & Co. moisturizing lip color in Oneroi- A sheer wash of lavender tinted mauve with delicate purple sparkles and lavender caramel flavor. $6.50
A very flattering shade of plummy dark pink on my lips. The shimmer adds a touch of sheen and the flavor is very mild. I love the cushiony slip of the lip color. It feels light and easy on the lips as well as moisturizing. I enjoy wearing these for an easy pop of color. 

Leccare Lollipops on Etsy in Honey Cardamom, Peppered Plum and Blood Orange Ginger. $4.05 for three.
I love tiny gourmet lollipops. I sampled the Honey Cardamom and it was divine. The cardamom was peppery and bright and paired with the sweet mellow honey it made for a tastebud tingling treat. I look forward to the plum on next. 

Deconstructing Eden perfume in Dream- Notes: Tonka bean butter, Bulgarian lavender, lavender maillette, chamomile, and helichrysum. 9ml for $15.50
I have been meaning to sample Deconstructing Eden for a while now but the samples I picked up ages ago ended up languishing too long and then I misplaced them somewhere. I love that is a lavender based perfume. The lavender is floaty and supple, smells just like the lavender growing in my garden. It is braced with buttery shortbread cookies. I know that is not in the notes but that is what comes to my nose. The delicate feathery chamomile petals come into the background reminding me of sleepy tea. This is a wonderful scent to wear for calming and for sheer joy to those lavender lovers like myself.


Nui Cobalt Pathworking Bath Potion- Notes: Angelica, frankincense, copal, calendula, and a gentle touch of jasmine in a homespun infusion of mugwort. 20g is about $5 (4 oz is $22)
I don't have a bath in which to pour this beautiful bath potion but I did rub some on my skin kind of like an exfoliant and it was heavenly. The frankincense and jasmine are a match made in heaven. The oils in this potion left my skin soft and lightly scented. If I could buy this in a large amount and bathe in it I would be one happy camper.  


Paintbox Soapworks soap in The Distant Stars and the Violet Flame- Notes: Purple incense, crystalline violet, amber, and sweet blackberry. $7
I used to poo poo glycerine soaps but between Paintbox Soapworks and Moonalisa, I amend my ways. Paintbox Soapworks' luxury glycerin soaps are just that, a luxury. They bubble and froth in copious clouds of suds and they smell amazing. Plus the ease of cleaning and rinsing is pretty sweet too. I admit I do fall into a semi-state of mesmerism when I gaze into the mica swirls that look like galaxies of stardust inside these bars of soap. I put this bar in my shower along with my Future Primitive soaps so add a fruity balance to the mints. This bar smells of dark, sweet blackberries and a sigh of violet incense. It is truly a lovely fragrance. The berries come forward most prominently for sure. 


Luvmilk sugar scrub in Dream Walker- Notes: Sun ripened apricot, creamy coconut milk, oak, cedar, moss and a squeeze of citron. (Not sure of cost as their website is down.)
I enjoy the consistency of the Luvmilk scrub. It is like a slurry of sugary scrubbiness. The scent in the jar smells of bready coconut and I am not a huge fan of it, but once I slather it on in the shower it does bloom into a peaches and cream. I think the milk component and the apricots combine to initially make a strange melange of yeasty scent but then it does mellow and the apricots plump up into their fuzzy, peachy, juicy form. The creaminess smooths out into something more yummy. I don't ever really get the oak, moss and cedar though.
 I noticed when trying to locate the cost on these that the Luvmilk owner is going through a rough patch with a loss of a loved one and some massive COVID-19 shipping delays on supplies. My condolences, my thoughts are with you. 



I love this box! It is dreamy and lush. So much magic to behold! This box ran $60 shipped and the product value exceeds that amount given an estimate on the scrub. Christina's next box will come out in May and you should treat yourself to it. <3

Monday, April 20, 2020

Future Primitive: Hair Products and Soap


I was running low on my favorite conditioner and shampoo bar so it was time for a Future Primitive visit to see Tiggy and stock up on some goodies. I picked up three conditioning hair rinses, one shampoo bar and two bars of soap. 

Winter is Dead is the first conditioner I popped open and is being used in my shower currently. This is a sunny and vibrant fragrance with cascades of honeysuckle and jasmine that simply must be buzzing with bees and humming with spring growth. I wish I had pocked up two in this scent. I know I have been talking about this product for years now, but I think I would honestly cry a bit if Tiggy ever stopped making this. It is light and thin, easily slipping through the tangles of my curly hair. The lightness keeps my hair bouncy and shiny. The smell lasts amazingly through the day. I just love it. My hair loves it. Me and Tiggy's Conditioning Hair Rinse? BFF


Bell, Book and Candle I have not had in a long while but I remember loving the scent. These are sealed so I am not going to open it, but if you like moody, magical scents, try it.


Four & Twenty Blackbirds is new to me but the notes make it seem like a dark fruity scent with some woods and earthiness to it. I look forward to using this one after I am done with Winter is Dead.


Again, accolades for the Conditioning Shampoo Bar. Is is affordable at just under 7 pounds ($8 and change when I bought another one a few days ago). It lathers in bountiful masses, cleans my hair of all oils and lasts ages. No dryness, no funky build up, just good stuff. Tiggy is running low on the means to make this due to delays in getting products so you can only purchase one at a time. I broke into this one and then picked up one a couple days ago to have for when this one is done. I believe she scents these lightly in Rook & Raven, but the scent is not overpowering. I tend to smell my conditioner more for some reason.



I used up my last Future Primitive Soap a while ago and was missing some in my shower. Now I have two!!

Magpie is a gorgeous black and ivory soap that is scented in spearmint and patchouli. It has a slight scrubby clay feel, but is not an overt exfoliant, just like the subtle texture of running your fingers along the opposite nap of a short velvet. The scent is eye-rolling good for me. The spearmint is fresh and bracing while the patchouli grounds it in a minty mineral tang. 


I put all caution to the wind and added Rosemary & Mint to my shower line up already too. This bar is Gulf of Mexico blue and smells lovely. A soothing mint and lush rosemary experience. Classic beauty and refreshing to lather up in on these sultry spring evenings. The cicadas are starting to sing, the air is pregnant with humidity, the more refreshing the bar of soap, the better it feels on these hot days.


Tiggy crafts a rustically beautiful soap. They lather abundantly and feel amazing on the skin. I am never left feeling dry or sticky. Tiggy did mention that she has been accidentally cutting her bars too big and had to get back to to her normal sizing so that is why I have two bars that look so different. I don't mind one bit. I am thankful she has her livelihood and can keep making her products for us. 



Sorry about last week!!! Man, these virtual teaching stuff is hard work. I find after spending from 8am to 4pm staring at a screen (either teaching lessons, helping students individually or reading their works) that my eyes and body are worn out. Worn plumb out. I keep Saturday computer screen free. That leave me Sunday to get some posts going. Now we have word we will be virtual schooling the rest of the year so I imagine that will be my routine for the last six weeks of school. 

How are you guys doing? Do you have littles at home? Are you working from a computer? 

Friday, April 10, 2020

Vapid Wax: Peeps Sampler

This sampler was given gratis from Vapid Wax for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.


How cute are these wee fellas?! This is the Peeps Sampler available at Vapid Wax right now. It is called "Hangin' with my Peeps" and runs $10 for 10 various peep blends in these rabbit molds. They come individually packaged in ziptop bags and are labeled with their respective scent.


Peep! Peep!- Notes: Sweet marshmallow fluff, butter creme', and vanilla bean topped with sugar. 
This is the peep base that all the others are blended with. I appreciate that the base was included so that a feel could be had for the "peep" scent in general. Turns out I like this version of Peeps, it smells along the same vein as Vanilla Bean Noel, which I enjoy. It doesn't smell anything like an actual marshmallow peep candy but I am quite -ok- with that. This one is a nice smooth and toothsome blend of vanilla with a touch of buttery depth. It melted strong in my bedroom, making for a pleasant bedtime aroma. 

Wild Watermelon Peep
The watermelon is juicy and sweet and a touch tart, like watermelon flavored AirHeads. There is that creamy sweetness in the background and it begins to remind me of a Rosegirls Muffin Club muffin that Deb blended with watermelon, marshmallow smoothie and peppermint I think. It was a creamy watermelon and it worked really well. This one does too. 

For Peeps Cake!- Notes: Rich blueberries and creamy NY cheesecake mixed with marshmallow fluff, butter creme', and vanilla bean topped with sugar.
A cheerful and bright blueberry candy scent with creamy vanilla to round it out.


Very Strawberry Peep
A nice taffy smelling strawberry scent. It leans a touch Strawberry Shortcake doll, making it a cheerful scent. 

Toffee Peep- Notes: Sticky Vermont maple syrup, butter, creamy vanilla and toffee blended with Peeps base.
This one has a salted caramel and dense bakery aroma to it. Perhaps like salted caramel pancakes with syrup and butter. Very rich. Very strong.

Cotton Candy Peeps
I very much enjoyed melting this one in the bedroom. It is a cotton candy frosting aroma with sugary candy floss blending with vanilla fluff. Very yummy. Threw strong. Lasted 3-4 hours.


Sweet Heart Peep- Notes: Tart yet sweet treats blended with the Peeps base.
Definitely like SweetTarts. Not getting much of the creamy vanilla marshmallow Peeps but the tart and fruity crunchy candies are there.

Jelly Bean Peep- Notes: Signature, sweet wild cherry blended with spiced fruits of strawberry and peach, along with the Peeps base.
The cherry pulls through the strongest. It is a vibrant scent that I know my friend Ashley will love since she is a huge cherry fan and alas, I am not. 

Fruity Loops Peeps
Good gravy it has been a hot moment since I last had a Fruit Loop scented wax tart on hand. Citrusy cereal and cream that hints at milk. Nice combo!

Cherry Crush Peep
Strong blending of Maraschino cherries and touch of vanilla to smooth it out. Not like Serendipity, which is creamier with the coconut. This one is cherry slushy. Cherry lollipops. Cherry bomb. 

These were fun scents with nice throw and cheery blending. Once I get some more blog time this weekend I cannot wait to show you guys the scent shots I bought from Vapid Wax. 

Do you like vanilla as a home fragrance? I forgot how much I missed a really good, simple vanilla. Yum!!

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Vintage Chic Scents: Small Business RTS Order



Kirby posted on her Facebook page about a small business sale she was hosting with a 20% off coupon code. I was curious about what all was on offer so I popped over to Vintage Chic Scents and found some treasures. 

Sabrina Spellman- Notes: Palo Santo, Vanilla Lace, Cashmere Fig $4.70 (two-pack)
I have only had palo santo in wax in a blend from Jay I believe. I love palo santo in real life, but concerns over ethical harvesting have me looking for that minty creamy coconut smelling wood in other forms. Being a Sabrina fan too was a nice bonus. This is a beautiful scent. The coconut aspects of fig and palo santo bring out the milkiness of the woods and vanilla musk. I wish I had more.


Central Park Snowglobe- Notes: Peppermint creme' noel $5.60 (4-pack)
Icy mint and cool vanilla. I missed having some of this on hand. 


Lavender Moonstone- Notes: Eucalyptus, Spearmint, Lavender Vanilla, and Peppermint $19 (loaf)
Soothing minty herbal life giving essence. Yup. It actually smells like Bath and Body Works Stress Relief mixed with their Aromatherapy lavender vanilla scent. I like it very much. Happy with a big honkin' loaf of it. 

Grandma Mackinson's Blackberry Patch- Note: Sweet Juicy Blackberries $5.60 (4-pack)
This is a rather straightforward blackberry blend. It is tart, a tad grapey and very sweet. I think this would be best suited to blend with so that is what I will do.

Free Sample:
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom- Notes: Strawberry Pound Cake (type)
I believe this is the scent of the hour in the wax world. Peeps been ravin' 'bout strawberry pound cake. I did pick it up from Dessa yesterday but having this scent shot as a freebie was pretty sweet. Thanks, Kirby! It is a nice strawberry scent with soft floral notes and pinch of greenery grounded by mounds of whipped cream and a blanket of fluffy white cake. I can see the appeal. I don't normally go for fruity but I am a sucker for a good strawberry scent.

I am happy with my order from VCS as usual and will be melting these goodies with a smile on my face. Did you take advantage of the small business sale? What did you get?

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Candles From The Keeping Room: March Order


More wax?!?!?! Yes, ma'am! Hey. If I am going to be inside my house melting 24-7 I am going to need ammunition. Of the waxy variety. Carol opened up Candles From The Keeping Room on March 21st and even though I was about an hour late I was still able to find some amazing scents to bring home. Each bag of tarts is $6.50 and is very long lasting and strong throwing due to Carol's paraffin wax formula. 

Merry and Bright- Notes: Oranges, cinnamon, clove, and vanilla.
A warm and cozy scent heavy with fiery spice and thick rinds of dried orange peels. These types of scents always speak of home and hearth, hygge and family. It is a brazen pomander aroma with nuances of strong black tea swirling about.


Apple N Spice- Notes: Mac apple, cinnamon, and clove.
This is a repurchase. I love this one. It brings to mind another favorite, Apple Dumpling, but this one has a slight low light of woods and a highlight of juiciness. A brilliant apple cinnamon scent that will be melted all year.


Spearmint and Basil
The herbal greenness of this fragrance is pared serenely with garden mint. It brings to mind cottage herb gardens and pots of mint and basil growing in a tangled riot by the front door. Excellent spring and summer harbinger.


Strudel and Spice- Notes: Warm bakery with notes of vanilla and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
Cinnamon bakery? Mmmmm hhmmmm. The bakery is a touch bready but extra flakey and sweetened with cinnamon. I think I have had this one before. I think I will enjoy it again.


Basil Sage and Mint- Notes: Basil leaves, clary sage, and peppermint sprigs with hints of citrus, spring flowers and soft musk.
This is one I had ages ago and enjoyed. It is an herbal, fresh aroma with a hint of powdery musk that creates a dry haze about it. I love how clean and uplifting it is. Another pleasant spring and summer wax tart to melt.


Rosemary Mint
Are you seeing a pattern yet? I did mostly try for herbs, mints and fresh with a dash of fruit and spice. This rosemary mint is sweeter and stronger on the mint than the Aveda version you will see below. Given the beautifully icy mintiness of this one I will probably save this one for my bedroom. I crave sweet sugary lavender and mint, rosemary and pillowy vanilla scents in my bedroom for soothing sleep experiences.This one will fit perfectly.


Fig and Rhubarb- Notes: Strawberry, blackberry, and currants with tart rhubarb.
The currants are always hot or miss for me. They are so dry and tart. But the other berries and soft fig help to tame some of that zing. I do like this one but only once in a while when I am craving something a little different. It is tart and powdery, soft and tangy all at the same time. 


Ultimate Vanilla
I am not sure if I have had this one or not but I can say I was missing out if I hadn't. Ultimate is no lie. It is robust with vanilla. Creamy and strong. It has a backnote of vanilla extract that I adore. I have a feeling this is going to be a fast favorite. I was just lamenting my lack of simple vanilla scents in my stash. Well, hello, nurse!!!


Strawberry Martini- Notes: Fresh picked strawberry with club soda spiked with citrus, rosemary, balsam, ginger, and crisp cedar.
I noticed this one was still available and was shocked. I love, love, love this version of FPS. The martini note is like bubbly champagne woods with plump berries floating about. 


Apple Jack and Peels- Notes: Grapefruit, orange peels, apples, spices.
I love the nostalgia factor with this one. This is like one of the OG scents I feel like. It is strong rustic country store charm with some clove and anise to make it darker and more deep. Happy to have this on hand for dark fall evenings. 


Rosemary Mint Aveda
A spa-like blending of mint and rosemary with some light touches of amber musk. A lovely relaxing scent.


Black Magic Sangria- Notes: Refreshing black grapes, orange, black plum, berries, apple, and pineapple drenched in chilled red wine.
I very much enjoyed this scent as a free sample Carol gifted in my last purchase and was happy to see a bag was open for the taking. This is a wonderfully rich berry scent that resided within sweet grape wine. For days when I need something vibrant and lively.


Free samples that Carol generously and abundantly gifts:

Candied Citrus smells just like those gummy orange slices that are coated in a sparkling blanket of sugar. There is even that gumminess scent.

Day At The Spa is a lush green scent with herbs and lime along with a soft musk that keeps it from smelling like the kitchen garden. I almost pick up an alcohol smell, maybe juniper?

Watermelon In The Rose Garden is lovely. Softly sweet roses and fresh watermelons. It smells like a watermelon sorbet made with rosewater.

Sweet Orange and Sriracha pulls no punches. It has an almost amber perfume feel to it but the Sriracha is pure red peppers, the sweetness of the orange rounds the scent but it is without a doubt a red pepper.


Sea Minerals is beautiful. Long, long ago Bath & Body Works used to have this Aquatanica line (or something like that) and it was comprised of this silken, fresh take on sea minerals and sea silt. This reminds me of that. A cool, plush sea aroma that is a touch perfumy but not aquatic or ozonic.

420 Strawberries is dang good. I like this blending of fresh berries and cannabis. Earthy, sweet, smooth.

Black Spa is a sexy man scent. Polished vetiver, amber musk, maybe some guaiacwood thrown in there. Smoldering.

Cactus Flower and Jade is a soft watery bamboo/aloe type of scent with some fruity sweetness.

Rainbow smells like SweetTarts and Skittles had some babies with flowers.

Fluffy Hawaiian Pineapple is a creamy sweet pineapple, almost like a pina colada but with out the coconut. It smells like a gelati with pineapple sorbet swirled with vanilla soft serve. Dole whip?


Kumquat Ice Cream is a citrus and guava melding with some vanilla underneath.

Sparkling Grapefruit is a bright sugarcoated pink grapefruit. Yummy.

Bubblegum smells pink and sweet, like the tiny round baubles in the machines that ping and clank as they roll out the metal chute. 

Pink Sugar Cookie is thick and rich, bready and crisp with pink sugar.

Bramble Berry is lovely. I think I have a thing for these powdery musky berries. It smells like unripe blackberries on the vine made into a perfume.

Pineapple Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting smells like pineapple and soft coconut, I don't get the frosting or cream cheese but perhaps it appears when melting.


Apple Coffee Cake is always a beloved type of scent. I adore cinnamon rich bakery and coffee cake takes the... well... cake. Cinnamon cake with apples too? Yep. Recipe for Julie love.

Mulled Berries is another soft musky berry scent. But this one is a little more playful.

Lemon Tree is a powdery lemon scent with a touch of soft woods that remind me of bergamot a little tiny bit.

Grapefruit Glow is downright yummy. Airy pink grapefruit with berries and sugar and sweet florals like peony or something. Lovely!

That is my big CFTKR order from a couple weeks ago. Like I said, even though I was way late to the party I was still able to place a very nice order. Not sure what Carol is doing but it is working for me. I hope you are doing well. Finding some small joys in fragrance or tidying, in reading or watching programs, or simply cackling to the latest silliness Leslie Jordan has been up to. 

Monday, April 6, 2020

Textbook Repository: Herbal Tinctures


I have been on an herbal excursion as of late. I have sampled essences, tinctures, and elixirs from Blood Moon Botanica, King's Road Apothecary and other various online shops and makers. I have not been featuring these products, but recently my mind has been adamantly striding along the path of mental and physical and emotional health aids in this extraordinary time. I have been curious about herbalism for quite some time now. My sister and I have often sat and browsed courses and classes, lamenting the cost prohibitiveness and far away locals (don't worry, Darby, we will do it!!). I am content for now to be a self-learner. I have dozens of herbalism books and have found myself reading and scanning, stoking that curiosity into something more. 

A friend of mine, April, often features some of her herbal purchases and the Textbook Repository appeared not too long ago. Lauren only operates out of Instagram (linked above) but she is very easy to order from. Clicking on her "SHOP" highlight story will guide you to what is currently available. Send her a DM with your choices and it all goes from there.


Lauren generously sent this free tin of tulsi lip balm. I love the drab olive shade of this balm. It goes on clear and smooth. It smells of cocoa butter and soft green sweetness. It is now my nightstand staple for nocturnal lip pampering.


I ordered the Goldenrod Tincture because for a while there I thought I was struggling with allergies. Historically, I have never had allergies nor even allergic reactions to things, even common things like poison ivy. But this spring was such a doozy on my nose and breathing. Lauren kindly included directions for use on her products. This she says aids allergies, sinus blockage and acts as a kidney flushing/diuretic. This was $10. 


Bitches Brew Elixir aids regulation of menstruation and helps ease the physical and emotional concerns that can accompany it. It is to be taken at onset of ovulation until beginning of menses. I am hopeful about this tonic as you may know how I struggle with ovarian cysts and awful cramping and pain. This was $10.

The main reason I have not showcased the herbal care items I have been purchasing and using is because efficacy is something that can be tentative and dynamic. So many factors come into play. I will say ultimately, that I have stepped forward with this is because I am feeling more softness. More peace and ease in my body and mind. I am by no means stress-free but I do think these tonics are helpful to me. They also make me more aware of other ways that I can be helping myself: drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables, getting more activity in, finding moments of quietness and meaningful rest. 

Do you take or make any herbal care items? I am tinkering with the idea of making fire cider again, especially since it is good for the lungs. I just need to locate some burdock root online. 

Thank you, April! I love following along on your journey.