Favorites Friday

I had a couple reviews planned for this week but this week has been super busy for me! So sorry about that! I am moving back to Alaska this week, and besides all the packing, there is a ton of traveling to be done. I am actually posting this from my phone while waiting around at the airport! This moving business is crazier than I thought it would be. I have accumulated way too much stuff. I haven't even been able to get much studying done this week! AH!

And since I've been packing up preparing for my move, I haven't had many products out to play with this week. And because of that, I only have two favorites this week...

1. Unscented goats milk cream from Retro Creams & Perfume. I got mine when the company had a different name, so the label is not the same as the ones they use now. I have ordered a bunch of lotions from this shop - there are a ton of fun fragrances! I have been using this sample size cream for my face lately, which has been getting a bit dry. The cream is very thick so a little goes a long way. It takes a little while to sink in but when it does it is super moisturizing! I'm glad I found this in my stash - it has been making my face soft and smooth!
2. Chocolate Candy lip butter (flavor now called Shea Cocoa) from Anita's La La Land. This is one of my all-time favorite lip balms. Sometimes I forget that and then rediscover the amazingness of the balm, like what happened this week! It has the perfect creaminess without being too heavy or greasy. I also love that there's no artificial flavors in this. It's just pure chocolate goodness! Perfect for giving sweet chocolate kisses! ;)

Sorry for the short list this week! I'll probably have a long one next week with all the new goodies I've been ordering that are waiting for me in Alaska. Can't wait! And one more week until Black Friday! What shops are you keeping your eye on?

<3 Alyssa

Favorites Friday

Happy Friday! I thought maybe I'd start doing these weekly favorites posts. I'm really trying to get back into the whole blogging thing and keeping it that way! I've got some plans brewing and reviews in the works and I will be able to spend a lot more time working on my blog next month! Woo! :)

But anyway, onto my favorites for the week!

1. Falter perfume oil from Darling Clandestine. I can't get enough of this scent! It's sweet and mellow and utterly fantastic! I won't say too much here since I am working on a review for more DC perfumes. But I will say that this perfume works perfectly with my body chemistry and I have been swooning over it!
2. Baker's Boy perfume oil from Sarawen (reviewed here). This has been getting some use from me this week on those breaks from Falter! I have been really into leather scents lately and I love the blend in this, with the sweet cake and fruits complementing the warm scent of the worn leather. Wearing this right now and I can't stop sniffing my wrists!
3. Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream body butter from Mad City Soap. I only have a little sample of this, which I received in my last order. I'm not a huge fan of the scent, as blueberry fragrances aren't one of my favorites. But it is sweet and delicious smelling. And the lotion goes on beautifully! I've been enjoying using this on my hands at night. I am definitely going to order some body butter from MCS! Winter scents were just released today too! They sound so yummy!
4. Forest Berry Jam Root Beer lip conditioner from Ella Dean (reviewed here). I have been loving the bright and refreshing flavor of this lip balm. Plus, I've been trying not to drink soda lately. It has so much sugar! I've been getting my root beer fix from this balm. And the silky texture is heavenly, as always!
5. Double Mint soap from Noirliliana (although it looks like the shop is currently closed). I had this soap for a long time before I tried it. By then the minty scent wasn't as apparent so I was a bit sad about that. But I have moved it to my soap dish for washing my hands and it has been keeping my hands super soft! The lather is really creamy and great for this colder weather.

Here's a couple other things that are non-B&B related that have been my favorites this week:

• Spangler mini candy canes. I am so happy that it is candy cane season now! I love candy canes and these are perfect! There's 40 in a box for $2 and a serving size is 4 candy canes for a total of 70 calories and 13g of sugar. I've been stashing them everywhere! Must. Start. Stockpile.
•  Horse Outside by The Rubberbandits (video). I have been loving this song! It has been playing a lot around here lately. I don't know what it is about it - it's amusing and fun and has a slight dancy mood to it. If you take a listen, there is some cursing.

That's it for my favorites this week - hope you enjoyed my first favorites post! I'll do my best to keep it up! Have a great weekend!

<3 Alyssa

Rocky Top Soap Shop Shavin' Soap {review}

I was browsing through some of my photos today that I keep for this blog. I really have quite the backlog of products to review. For some of them it has been too long since I took the photo, and the product has been used up, that I can no longer do an accurate review. But I found one today that I can still review! And oh it has been waiting a long while for one!

Up for review is the Shavin' Soap from Rocky Top Soap Shop.

{the soap}

First of all, I should mention that Rocky Top Soap Shop specializes in unscented soaps. There is no added scent to this soap, but it smells lightly of cocoa butter and that soft, clean soapy smell. It's quite pleasant.

As for the soaping abilities, it is some kind of amazing! Since it is a soap meant for shaving, it produces a lot of creamy lather. And I mean a lot! It is dense and silky and all around delightful. For shaving, the lather stays in place until the job is done. And the glide is beautiful - smooth as silk, but not too slick. No more nicks from shaving!

I had been searching for a shaving soap for a long time and this one made the top of the list. My problem with most shaving soaps is that afterwards my legs feel very itchy. That is not the case with this soap. My legs are left feeling smooth and moisturized and not the least bit itchy.

Now, I don't just limit the use of this soap to my legs. It is far too delightful for that! With all that creamy lather, I just to have to have that good stuff everywhere. It's really a grand ol' shower experience. Kind of like showering with a cloud. It rinses off well, whenever I decide to do such a thing (my cloud!). And I'm left with soft and clean skin.

It is also a great facial soap. It is gentle and moisturizing and leaves my face clean without drying it out. I have also discovered this is a great facial soap for winter months! And really, that's quite the feat for a soap!

I have had this same bar of soap for over a year now and have finally moved onto the last quarter of it. Admittedly, there were a few months in that year that I didn't do any shaving (ahem). That is still a long life for a bar of soap that I use regularly. Overall, amaaazing soap.

{ingredients}

Ingredients include coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, palm oil (organic, sustainably harvested), lye, apple cider vinegar, water, cocoa butter, and bentonite clay.

{conclusion}

I would definitely recommend trying the Shavin' Soap from Rocky Top Soap Shop. Or any of their other soaps, for that matter. All of the soaps are high quality and beautifully crafted. Simple is done perfectly over there. I think that one of my favorite things about Rocky Top Soap Shop soaps is that the soap does everything you imagine a bar of soap should do. If you want a bar of soap perfection, Rocky Top Soap Shop should be your next stop! (Couldn't resist saying that!)

Deep Steep Body Butter {review}

Continuing with my lavender kick, I randomly picked up this Lavender Chamomile body butter by Deep Steep.  It is an organic body butter at a fairly decent price ($7 when I bought it). I found this body butter while browsing Abe's Market. Lots of goodies to be found on there!

{the body butter}

I am not overly impressed with this body butter. It is thick and creamy, as body butters should be. And I like that it's in a squeeze tube so it makes it easier to use. It also spreads on easy enough. However, it takes a while to really sink in and I have to really massage it into my skin. There is also a slight sticky residue left on my skin, mostly noticeable on my hands. I always have to wash my hands after applying, which is a bit annoying.

However, the body butter is fairly moisturizing. My skin has been feeling a bit softer lately and someone even commented on how soft my skin is. This might also be because I have been adding daily moisturizing to my routine, which I often neglect to do. There are bound to be notable differences with this change in routine.

{the scent}

The Lavender Chamomile aroma in this body butter is a lovely scent. The lavender is most noticeable in the tube and when first applying and has that fresh, herbal scent lavender has. After applying, the scent mellows into a softly sweet scent that slightly reminds me of baby bathtime, but not quite. The scent is also light and does not last very long. But that is alright with me because I am not always a fan of strong scents in body butters.

{ingredients}

Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Infusion of Organic Herbs; Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate (Vegan), Glycerin (Vegan), Organic Glycine Soja (Soy) Oil, Caprylic Acid (Coconut Fatty Acid), Aroma (Organic and Wildcrafted Essential Oil Blend), Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) Natural, Organic Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Protein, Cyamposis Tetragonoloba (Guar) Gum, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate.

{conclusion}

I will probably not repurchase this body butter from Deep Steep. The formula doesn't quite do it for me. However, I do like the ease of use and the light scent. And it does a good job of keeping my skin soft. I will use up the rest of this product, but after that I am going to look elsewhere for a body butter. Any suggestions?

Darling Clandestine Aragon Perfume {review}

I don't remember how I stumbled upon Darling Clandestine, even though it was fairly recently. But I am so glad I found this lovely perfume shop! All of the fragrances sound so unique and amazing and I want to try them all! Today I will be reviewing the Aragon solid perfume.

{the perfume}

This is the best solid perfume I have ever tried! It has a great creamy texture and it goes on like silk. But that is not the best part. The scent lasts for HOURS! The scent stays strong for 6-8 hours and then it starts fading off. After 12 hours, there is still a hint of the beautiful perfume! I didn't think solid perfumes could be so amazing. Love it!

{the scent}

Aragon

"It opens crisp and fresh with intense lavender essential oil, mellowed and deepened by sea salt, red wine, a bit of leather, and a touch of caramel and chocolate. It's bold and bright, rich and sweet without being cloying or overbearing."

The scent starts off with the intense and fresh lavender with a bit of zing from the sea salt. The leather is faintly in the background. After dry-down, the fruity note from the red wine starts to emerge and it starts sweetening. It becomes a beautifully warm and sweet scent with a herbal background and a faint whiff of a dark/bitter note, adding a bit of moodiness to the scent. The longer it's on, the sweeter it gets. It is a beautifully complex scent that I find myself frequently drawn to. Lovely.

I would find this scent suitable for every day wear. It is also sexy enough for a night spent with someone special.

{ingredients}

Ingredients include lavender essential oil, fragrance oils, pure beeswax, sweet almond oil, rice bran oil, and grapeseed oil.

{conclusion}

If you are looking for new and unique fragrances, I would definitely recommend Darling Clandestine. I have been loving the Aragon scent and it has intrigued me enough to already place a few more orders from Darling Clandestine. I think I have found a new perfume love! Stay tuned for more reviews of the beautiful Darling Clandestine perfumes!

Buying Stuff!

I really should stop browsing shops and finding more smelly things I want to buy. It's such an addiction! And too much of a distraction!

Today, I just purchased some perfume samples from Firebird Bath & Body and lip balms from Orange Thyme. Yesterday, I ordered a perfume and lip balm set from Ripe Shop. And I also ordered some soaps, a moisturizer, and body oil (which I've been wanting to try forever!) from Chagrin Valley. In the last few weeks I've placed several perfume orders with Darling Clandestine. Who by the way is having an early Black Friday sale for 26% off with coupon code: BLACKEVERYDAY. I also won a giveaway for a set of her perfumes! SO EXCITING! I am going to have quite the collection of DC perfumes! I've also placed another order with Epically Epic for soap, perfume, lip balms, and a solid lotion. AND, I ordered some tarts from Sea Breeze Scents & Things.

Yeah, I've been going a little crazy with my ordering here! And since I am moving back to Alaska soon I've been having everything shipped there. So I'm ordering all these things but have to wait to try them and smell them which makes it harder to control my shopping spree. On the plus side, I'll have a bunch of smelly things to go home to! I hope my mom doesn't judge me for the millions of packages that will be coming in for me... ha!

In other news, I've been getting serious about my perfume reviews (not that I wasn't before but I haven't had so many to review before now). Since I have a lot a new scents to try out and it'll take some time to get through them, I've started carrying around a little journal with me to write down my thoughts on the perfume while I'm wearing it. And I've been having fun with that! I also like to wave my wrists in front of my roomie and ask her what she thinks of the different scents. That's also fun times! :)

Last night I found a random Orange Thyme lip balm in my raincoat pocket. I always have random lip balms tucked away in the pockets of my coats. Those are always fun to find! It reminded me of how much I love Orange Thyme lip balms. I know I don't have a review on here yet, but one will be coming soon. They are fantastic balms! And so that is why I had to order more today. Even though that is the one thing I've been trying not to buy as much of. It never seems to work out though. I have quite the lip balm collection!

I also wore Girl on Fire from Sarawen last night for a loungy movie night with a friend. And I wore my comfy lounge clothes including a flannel shirt. The scent was perfect for the night. All warm and cozy and cuddly! I love it when I can use that perfect perfume for the occasion at hand, no matter how casual it is!

But anyway, I'll stop rambling away here and get back to the homework. And I've been liking these rambly update posts. It's something to post between reviews and I like the casual chattiness. It's also a good for a short study break! So, hope you're not minding these casual posts!

I hope you're having a good start to the week! Happy Monday!

<3 Alyssa

Epically Epic Soap Co. Hair & Body Mists {review}

I've been using these awesome hair and body mists from Epically Epic Soap Co. for quite awhile now and there needs to be a review! The photo is of the most recent set of mists I ordered. And as you may be able to tell, I've been on a bit of a lavender kick lately. Also, the photo shows mini spray bottles although the shop sells larger 2.5 oz. bottles (I think the minis are about half that). I requested these because I love the size and the convenience for traveling! But anyway, onto the reviewing!

{the mist}

I mostly use these mists in my hair and they are bloody fantastic. They leave my hair silky and shiny without making my hair look or feel greasy at all. I will use after a shower, when my hair is still damp. I will use 3-4 spritzes on my hands then comb through my hair, and only a little on my roots. Also should note, I have a lot of hair so you might not need as many spritzes.  I don't even use conditioner anymore. These mists are moisturizing enough to do the job of keeping my hair amazing!

I have also used on my hair when it's dry. When my hair was in that awkward length period, I used to wear it up a lot. Sometimes my hair would be extra frizzy in the morning after I put it up. I would wet my hands, spritz some hair mist on them, then smooth my hair down. It made my hair look smooth and shiny and kept it tame all day!

I haven't used this mist much on my body. I did a few times and it was nice enough. Had a slightly "fizzy" sensation on my skin, if that makes any sense. But I prefer it on my hair. Although I did get a few comments about smelling like vanilla cupcakes (for the vanilla coconut blend) when I used it as a body mist!

I should also mention that the scents have some good wear. They make my hair smell delightful but not overwhelmingly so. I never get headaches from the fragrances (which is a problem for me with other hair products). There's a few that are longer lasting than the others. I've found that the sweeter or fruitier the fragrance is, the longer the scent will last. 

{the scents}

Most of the scents I have tried have been custom blends (an option Allison offers with tons of fragrances to choose from). Actually, I think all but one have been custom scents. I always think it's fun to hear about what others have come up with though, so I'll share my custom blends!

Apples & Almonds (blend of green apple, almond, and marshmallow) - I love the combination of green apple and almond in this. It starts off a bit sour and candy like from the green apple scent but then the sweetness of the almond comes out with an extra bit of sweetness from the marshmallow. This makes my hair delicious and I thought it would be a great hair scent and it really is!

Apricot Frosting (blend of apricot, hint of peach, and vanilla icing) - I wanted a sort of "apricots & cream" scent and this is perfect. It's a creamy sweet scent that's not too overwhelming. It's also a bit warm and cozy. I don't know why, but scents like this feel more like fall time scents to me.

Blackberry Tea (blend of blackberry tea and hint of lemon) - This is probably my least favorite custom scent I've ordered. It smells good, but it's a bit strong for me. It's also a bit perfumey. But it does smell like a good scent to have on your hair - it's sweet and fresh. And it definitely lingers.

Hazelnut Mallow (blend of marshmallow, vanilla, and a bit of hazelnut) - I want to eat this one. It smells sweet and decadent with all of the scent notes I picked. It is warm and all around deliciousness. It's kind of a weird scent to have in my hair but I still really enjoy it.

I Love Lychee - (*This is the only stock fragrance I have) I have never tried or smelled real lychee fruit, so I don't know how this compares. But I can tell you this is a lovely scent that is bright and sweet and fruity and I fell in love with it the first time I smelled it. Great for summer days! 

Lavender Marshmallow - I love Allison's Lavender Marshmallow fragrance. So, so good! The beautiful lavender blends well with the marshmallow. They balance each other out perfectly and create a sweetly soothing scent. And lavender is one of those perfect scents for you hair. Well I think so anyway!

Lavender Peach Peppermint - I thought these would go good together because of my recent lavender kick and my love for Sarawen's Georgina perfume that has scent notes of peaches and peppermint. I am really enjoying this blend - it's bright, fresh, and fruity.

Lavender Vanilla Cinnamon (blend of lavender, vanilla bean, and hint of cinnamon) - This might be my new favorite fragrance for my hair. I picked the scents with Chagrin Valley's Lavender Spice in mind and this definitely smells just as delightful. The hint of cinnamon adds that little bit of spice that makes the whole fragrance simply intoxicating. I can't stop smelling my hair after using this one!

Mint Heaven (blend of peppermint, spearmint, bit of tea tree, bit of rosemary) - I was in a huge minty mood when I ordered this one. And it truly was mint heaven. So very refreshing and soothing. All essential oils in this one and it satisfied all my minty cravings. I have used it all up now and it was much loved!

Peaches & Cream (blend of peach, vanilla, and coconut) - I wanted a tropical peaches & cream scent and this one was great! I loved the warm sweetness of the peach and vanilla with the tropical twist of the coconut. My only complaint is sometimes coconut fragrances can smell a bit plasticky. This one had a bit of that, but it was still a great scent I enjoyed in the summer!

The Cake (blend of yellow cake, apricot, strawberry, and marshmallow) - I know, I picked a terribly unoriginal name for this one. But aside from the bad name, this is a wonderful scent! It smells like a delicious slice of cake topped with a fruity whipped cream frosting. For real, it truly does smell like cake! Yummy!

Vanilla Bean - I love vanilla and this is THE perfect vanilla for my hair. It is a true vanilla scent and it makes my hair smell dreamy all day long. One time after giving one of my guy friends a hug, he said: "Mmmmmm, you smell good! Like hardcore vanilla!". Pretty much sums up how amazing this vanilla is! :)

Vanilla Coconut (heavier on the vanilla) - This is a pretty stellar vanilla coconut scent. Again, the coconut is a bit plasticky, but just barely. What is most notable in the fragrance is the buttery vanilla. The scent is super sweet and I always got comments when I wore this one. Quite a few people were telling me that I smelled delicious!

{ingredients}

Ingredients include argan oil, cyclomethicone, jojoba, sweet almond oil, macadamia oil, essential oils, fragrance, and vitamin e.

{conclusion}

I completely and 100% recommend these hair & body mists from Epically Epic Soap Co.. Because I am completely and 100% in love with them. I use these mists after every hair washing and I don't know what I would do without them! My hair would be a sad case. That's a true story. You should check these out (and the other awesome items!) at Epically Epic Soap Co. Go crazy with it and create your own scent blend! It's guaranteed awesomeness!