My Candy Panda: Samper Pre-Order

My Man Bun Sampler finally landed! Huzzah! This was my first ever order from My Candy Panda (Yuli who runs this extension of Candy Panda offers pre-order samplers and 5-packs) and I placed it on March 20th and it arrived just a week or so ago. I purchased the Man Bun Sampler for $19, a 5-pack for $6.75 and shipping was $10.75.

Mint Condition- Lavender, oak, peppermint.

Incredible. Sweet peppermint is laced with the barest breath of smooth lavender and woods. It throws beautifully at about a medium-strong to strong and fills the bedroom with mint and woods glory. I am besotted.

Man Bun Sampler included 13 scents plus a mystery scent. 

Papi Chulo- Juniper leaves, fresh woods, dewy musk and bergamot.

Smells more like an aquatic than I anticipated. A nice fresh scent with watery juniper. Probably not my favorite but great for the bathroom.I ended up melting it in the living area and it gave off a medium throw.

Million Dollar Man- Sweet herbal sage with dark honey and fig.

Deep and smoky sweet with the sage smelling more like warm dollar bills and the honey and fig are rich and dark. Brilliant.

Lumberjack- Oakmoss, sandalwood, musk, citrus and bergamot.

Reminds me of Abercrombie and Fitch stores and whatnot. That nice woodsy masculine scent. It threw medium-light.

Silver Haired Fox- Freshly shaved, powdered and smelling of rich vanilla and musky sandalwood.

Vanilla sandalwood meets Bay Rum and shaving cream. It is a joy to sniff and I am drooling all over it.

Birch and Black Pepper- Oriental woody blend smelling of cool spiciness. (Jo Malone dupe)

Oh heck yes baby. Peppery and spiced with a nice amount of slightly smoky guaiacwood and vetiver hints. Dreamboat.

Team Aiden- Sheer woodsy scent, on a base of crisp citrus, pure florals and aged driftwood.

Another one that is a little too aquatic for my personal tastes. The florals and woods add a nice depth and tang but the water is still all around.

Mahogany Cotton- Clean cotton, coconut, oakmoss, vanilla and mahogany.

This one is so creamy and sweet. I want mounds of this. Coconut and woods. Delicious.

The Other Woman- Rich cedar, dark amber, sheer musk and rosewood.

A great blend of Rosewood and Amber that I always enjoy. 

Fine Leather Goods- Light amber, musk, coffee beans, and a light aroma of leather.

More suede like than leathery. Supple, sweet and that touch of milky latte is perfection.

Aqua Di Gio- Aquatic aroma of bergamot, neroli and tangerine musk. 

Watery citrus freshness. A mild and mellow cologne type of scent. Very clean and great for a light scent to freshen the home. Not a favorite but I knew that going in. It threw medium in the kitchen.

Pool Boy- Creamy coconuts, vanilla and mahogany.

I love BBW Mahogany Coconut. This is so darn good. Just good old coconut and woods, musk and yum. This is more masculine and sharp than Mahogany Cotton. I like both but the sweet creaminess of Mahogany Cotton is sooooo dreamy. 

Mark No. 2- Sea moss, musk, wild spicy mint and blue spruce.

The blue spruce is the star in this one with an airy clean mist surrounding it. Very nice and well blended. 

Honeymoon- Vetiver and beach wood.

I think this is the Calypso scent from The Bathing Garden. I didn't pick it up this year (guys I skipped Take Me to the Sea... what is wrong with me?!) so it is nice to have this on hand. It threw medium to medium-light.

Gunslinger- Amber, woods and ocean mist.

I was kinda hoping this would be a creosote and tar, leather and sand type of scent. Wild wild west style. This gunslinger is scrubbed squeaky clean and has been dozing on the sand dunes of a beach. The salt notes keep it from being too watery. It melted at about a light or medium-light.

Fly Me Out- Fresh dew drops, sunny citrus, salty sea air and sweet amber. 

Oh this is goooood. The amber really makes this special. It almost has a tobacco lean to it. Plush.

Blue Suede Shoes- Fizzy Blue Hawaiian and Blonde Moment.

I forgot how much I missed Blonde Moment. The touch of Blue Hawaiian in this is nice. I am looking forward to popping this one in the bathroom warmer. 

Candy!

I did notice that these tarts were hard to pop out. I have had this happen once or twice before from other vendors when the formula was being tweaked. Not sure if CP is tweaking formulas but these either had to be cut out or put in the freezer for a bit to come out. 

The Dirty Goat: Probiotic Deodorants

My friend Jay over at The Candle Enthusiast alerted me when The Dirty Goat offered some new deodorant scents for a limited run and I hustled myself on over and picked up one of each. Thanks, Jay!

The Dirty Goat does offer probiotic deodorant in Rose, Yuzu and Vetiver most of the time but Mermaid, Coconut Milk and Tonka Bean were ones I really wanted and could see myself wearing most of the time. They ran $9.85 each and arrived in great condition. I was a little worried about melting since it has been hovering around 100 degrees of late, but everything was perfect.

Tonka Bean smells incredibly snuggly. Warm almost sandalwood toned vanilla bean pods and musk. It is a medium light projection and strength so it won't overwhelm your perfume choice of the day. After about 3 hours of wear I cannot even detect it when I do the pit sniff test. 

Mermaid comes on a bit stronger than Tonka Bean. It smells like the most summery version of vintage Coppertone ever. Beach front scents of sand, sun and salty air and water meshed with jasmine and white florals and a touch of sunscreen. I love it. Perfect for summer. 

Coconut Milk is a balance of Mermaid and Tonka Bean, not too soft and not too flamboyant. It shimmers with sweet coconut and vanilla and maybe the barest hint of other tropical fruits and greenery. 

The texture of these deodorants is a bit more soft and pillowy than the Handcrafted Honeybee ones I have been using. I have to rub in the white creamy glops it leaves behind to better spread the deodorant evenly and keep from having balls of stuff under the pits. Jay did mention cooling and solidifying hers in the fridge as an option but I am a super huge weirdo and hate putting anything non edible in the fridge. Call it a quirk. But it may be an option for you if you have these. The texture is not enough to give it a negative mark but it is a step I don't relish doing. 

I find for the most part these last about 4-5 hours on me until the effectiveness starts wearing off and I have to reapply. Just shy of the full day that the other brand I am using gives me. The scents, packaging and 99% natural ingredient list makes me very happy. I enjoy using these and will continue to both day and night and supplement with the Handcrafted Honeybee on days I am working out and need the stronger option. These have a shelf life of one year. Between these three full sizes, my full sized Honeybee and three travel sized ones, I am set on deodorant for at least a whole year. If not more. 

I look forward to exploring more of The Dirty Goat's offerings. High quality ingredients, hand crafted creations, stellar branding and packaging and great customer service are all hallmarks of the company. Do you have any Dirty Goat favorites? 

MoonaLisa: Ostara Candle and Lavender Bath Salt

May 6th I ordered a couple things from the MoonaLisa early summer release, a candle and some bath salts. They arrived a couple weeks ago so it was just under two months. I wasn't in a rush so the delay didn't bother me at all. 

Lavender Absolute Bath Salts ($10.95) created a soothing bathing ritual with the essence of real lavender oil. While fragrant and nourishing to the skin, the aroma was rather ephemeral in the water. It swirled about for a few minutes then dissipated. I got about 3 uses from this jar and would consider buying more again.

I adored the Ostara wax tart I got in the MoonaLisa Goddess bag earlier this year so when I saw a candle in it, I knew I wanted to take the plunge. It is an 8 ounce candle for $13.95. 

Ostara- Notes: Cedarwood, lavender, rose, clove and a touch of Dragon's Blood.

It smells like a beautiful earthy and woody floral with a smooth sweetness. No one note sticks out for me and I love it. The spice is not obvious but lends a warmth, the rose is not obvious but adds plushness, it is just a well wrought scent.

And how cute is that bee embed?! The frosted glass is hefty and reminds me of the frosted glass containers that Arcane Bunny Society utilizes. 

It burned well and took a while to pool to the edge, nice and slow. No tunneling, strong flame. It was a lighter throw in the living area so I took it to my nightstand and I burn it there. I get about a medium to medium-light throw in the smaller room and it gives off a lovely atmospheric aroma. I quite enjoy it.

Two free tart samples in a paraffin formula:

Almond Milk and Blackberry Bramble Tea- Divine. Purple and plump blackberries drizzled with vanilla and almond cream. The fruity tea adds a touch of depth and sweetness. Great blend.

Vanilla Orange Blossom- A touch of neroli bitterness sharpens the white heady orange blossoms and the vanilla just barely hovers like a soft marshmallow musk to take off some of the bite. I look forward to melting this one. 

I may pick up another candle in the future and more bath salts as well. Have you tried the MoonaLisa candles? Buy any of the Faery Realm or Witchy bags this restock? I kinda want the Forest Faery but need to behave. I see they are offering candles again too but at a dollar more, though they have Bohemian Velvet and Warm Hearth and Butterbeer, Halloween Hayride and Enchanted Forest! Swoon. 

Single Tooth Stoneware

Noelle Hoover crafts stunning ceramic slipware pieces via Single Tooth Stoneware on Etsy. She hand paints and forms scenes and patterns taken from nature and molds everyday usable works of art with them. My friend, Jean, pointed me her way when I asked about favorite potters on IG. This stunning Cloud Mug with Gold 14 was listed and I desperately wanted it. 

At $45 it is a bit of an investment but not too over the top given the craftsmanship. I did end up sleeping on it to see if I really wanted it. Or if it was meant to be. Sure enough, she loved me too for there she was still waiting on my when I awoke the next day. So I brought her home. 

I love the drippy glaze, the one large shiny gold sun and the matte clouds and golden orbs peeking through whimsically. I enjoy the shape and size of the cup (it will hold 2 cups of beverage within). Overall, it looks almost Japanese in the aesthetic. 

The drippy glaze has some white speckling that just barely shows over the ivory stoneware. 

I am thrilled with this new addition to my handcrafted mug collection. She will be petted and used for years to come.

Do you have any favorite ceramic or pottery artists on the internet or locally? Hoping to find one in Tennessee when we are there for vacation like I did in North Carolina. 

Haus of Gloi Marshmallow Woodsmoke

Marshmallow Woodsmoke by Haus of Gloi- Notes: Fresh marshmallow enveloped by curls of campfire smoke. ($15)

Candied tonka beans nestle in the vial, sparkling with vanilla sugar crystals. Smeared onto the skin,  vanilla cedarwood smoke wraps thin threads around the crystalline vanilla. There is almost a soft salt note that balances the sugar. The drydown calms into a pale marshmallow and smoke sweetness. 

This is not a rendition of Marshmallow Fireside, it is less woody and deep, less smoky and gooey and intense. Marshmallow Woodsmoke wears more transparently, more vanilla with a merest veil of cedarwood smoke. It feels like fur on the skin. Soft and fuzzy. It has a medium strength and wears near to the skin, so a great one for the workplace. It lasted about 4-5 hours on the skin. There is a whole line of marshmallow and lavender centric scents on the Haus of Gloi site right now. Check them out. 

Are you wearing any Haus of Gloi lately? 

Melting Basket 101

Wax tarts from the last basket that I wouldn't mind having on hand again include: RG Americana Wafers, Rosegirls/Raspberry/VBN, CFTKR Fresh Picked Strawberry and Blue Lavender Cedar, TBG Beach Bum and TDC Patchouli Mint. 

Lasting Scent Candles- Below Zero

Lasting Scent Candles- Candyland Dreamin'

Timberwick- Night Musk

Rosegirls- Blackberry Gilligan's Brew

Rosegirls- Treat Yo Self

Rosegirls- Strawberry Raspberry Guava Gilligan's Brew

Rosegirls- Sweet Lemon Confection/Pink Sugar/Gilligan's Brew

The Bathing Garden- Raspberry Hearts

The Bathing Garden- Glacier Blue <3 gift

The Bathing Garden- Candied Peppermint Petals <3 gift

Vintage Chic Scents-Cheshire's Grin <3 gift

Vintage Chic Scents- Bogie and Bacall <3 gift

Vintage Chic Scents- Rosemary's Baby <3 gift

L3- Winter is Coming (blue sugar, peppermint, eucalyptus) <3 gift

L3- Naughty (black pepper, bergamot, pink sugar) <3 gift

Rocket's- Purple, Pink and Blue Sugar <3 gift

Little Pony Wax Creations- Blue Sugar and sandalwood <3 gift

If you would like any of these reviewed, please drop me a line! I would be happy to do so just for you. 

Good morning, friends. In less than a month it will be back to work and the beginning of a new school year. The girls and I got about half of the things accomplished on our summer bucket list. A few will not be crossed off and that is ok. 

I didn't get as much crafting or sewing done as I wanted to and that is ok. 

The days were filled with water balloon fights, making lunches and bike rides around the neighborhood. For the past two days the girls have been off camping with their Mimi and Papa and the house has been very quiet and still. Adam pads around in circles asking where his babies are. I realize now that even when they are playing outside I can hear their laughter and pounding of feet as they run around the yard carry through the windows and cracks in the door frames. But not right now. Now it is eerily quiet. 

Adam and I took advantage and had a Tuesday night double date and we watched Vikings and Sherlock on the big TV when we normally wouldn't. But we miss them. Our babies that are not longer babies, going into the 3rd and 5th grade.

What is going on in your neck of the woods? 

Nui Cobalt Designs Arcana Exclusive- Venus Exalted: Tenderness

A picked up a second bottle from the Nui Cobalt Designs exclusive line of Arcana perfume oils after I fell so hard for Mars Exalted: Courage ($21)

Venus Exalted: Tenderness- Notes: Sandalwood, high altitude French lavender, sheer vanilla and soft cinnamon-laced chai spices. 

An incredibly beautiful woody lavender brushes up against the comforting warmth of a cup of chai tea. In the vial, the chai lacks the sometimes harsh bite of pepper that renditions of chai sometimes possess. This is a mellow vanilla blend that soothes rather than stimulates. Once drizzled on the skin the lavender opens up and the once hazy wood note comes into relief as a pine wood forest within the lavender cocoon. An amber vanilla thread weaves through the lavender forest and connects to that sweet porcelain cup of chai. Mellifluous vanilla hugs airy pale sandalwood in the dry down and does indeed inspire tender thoughts and feelings. What more warm hearted and benevolent notes are there than lavender and soft vanilla spice? Some chai tea and sympathy for the soul and skin.

Every single time I wear this, my girls tell me how wonderful I smell.

Only a few bottles are left. If lavender and diaphanous spice are your cuppa, best hurry along now. 

Do you enjoy the lavender and spice combo? Please, do tell me you have at least tried Arcana!