Favorites Friday

I am supposed to be working on a homework assignment right now. So obviously that means it's time to blog! I know I didn't have a list last week but I wasn't really into anything last week. Thinking about how I might change up this weekly post as well. Stay tuned for that! Anyway, onto favorites!

1. Hot Cocoa lip balm from Wild Rose Herbs. I almost didn't order this flavor but I am so glad I did! It is super chocolatey and smells exactly like hot cocoa! I love me a good chocolate lip balm and this is one of the bests I have found. I can't stop using it! 
2. Sharkbender solid perfume from Darling Clandestine. This was one of Evonne's limited edition releases - I don't know if it'll make another appearance. It is a blend of her Love & Sharks and Hellbender fragrances. And I love the blend! It is a good balance of sweet and spicy that makes it quite intoxicating. I got a compliment on this one the other day!
3. Valiant Heart perfume oil from Sarawen. I am completely in looooove with this one! It might possibly earn a spot on my list of very favorite perfumes. The main notes are lavender, plumeria, citrus, English apples, and almond cake. And it is HEAVENLY! It is sweetly floral and spicy and sultry. Sexy! I want to wear this all the time. Oh, and it's currently on sale!
4. Suave Kids Naturals Head to Toe body wash in lavender. I don't usually use a lot of commercially produced items. I was desperate when I first tried this - I was traveling and needed shampoo and my only place to get some was at a department store. I am really sensitive to most commercial shampoos. The fragrances are too much for me and give me headaches all day. This was the least offensive one I found. And I found out it performs really well on my very picky hair. And the scent is gentle when in use, and leaves no lingering scents. My hair is always soft and silky when I use this shampoo! I was very sad when I ran out and had a hard time finding it in stores up here in Alaska. I gave in and ordered some online. While I do love shampoo bars, and still use them, shampoo bars are not good for washing your hair everyday. And now that I am working out, I have to wash my hair everyday or else I'll go around smelling like sweat all day. This is perfect for every day washing! Maybe I'll do a full review on this later on instead of writing a book here...
5. Small Saga solid perfume from Darling Clandestine. I am not a big fan of this when I first apply, but after a few minutes it is a beautiful fragrance! I am not even sure how to really describe it. It is sweet with a bit of zing in there. And a bit of creaminess and lightly fruity background. It definitely makes me happy!
6. Sra. Rosemary soap from Epically Epic. Of course I had to try the new EE soaps! And I have been into rosemary lately and this bar is perfect! It is a bit medicinal in smell but I really like that about rosemary - it's soothing and relaxing. And it is very strongly scented - I was surprised and impressed! It completely fills the shower when I use it and the rest of the bar I'm not using is making my room smell really good. Can't wait to try more EE soaps!

Pretty decent list this week! I recently placed another order with Darling Clandestine as well. I just can't stop myself! Looking forward to playing with new goodies soon. Also, in other news, I will be traveling again next week so I am not sure if I'll be able to post much next Friday. We'll see though.

Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful weekend! It is finally starting to get cold here. I pulled out my winter socks! Stay warm everybody!

<3 Alyssa

Epically Epic Soap Co. Solid Lotions {review}

I love me some Epically Epic. Seriously, one of my favorite shops ever! I have tried every product line from Epically Epic and have loved them all! Trust me, there will be many more reviews of these products on this blog. But for today, I will review the solid lotions.

{the lotion}

Honestly, I am not the biggest fan of solid lotions. I will always try them (and so I continue to buy them!) but they are not one of my favorites. Something about the waiting for it to sink in and the greasiness and just the whole process. But now now, don't get scared here! I am still a huuuge fan of Epically Epic solid lotions!

While it does take awhile for the lotion to sink in - and that should always be expected of any solid lotion - it is not as unbearably long as other solid lotions. Depending on how much you use, it could be a minute or so. A little does go a long way but sometimes I like to slather on and massage in, which is great to do at night while relaxing on the couch. I mostly use on my hands, with a little extra focus on my cuticles, and sometimes other areas that are needing a little more loving.

As for the greasiness, it is almost nonexistent in this lotion. It is there for a second and then it is gone! After it is all settled in, it doesn't make me feel like I can't touch anything without leaving greasy fingerprints everywhere. My hands are good to go and that is fabulous because I absolutely hate having any sort of greasiness lingering on my hands!

Another great thing about this solid lotion is the long lasting wear. It really sinks in and stays put! Sometimes when I put on lotion, it wears off quickly and after any hand washing I feel like I need more. With this lotion, it lasts through at least three hand washings. Which is awesome because reapplying constantly is not something I want to be doing.

And now for the best part - the epic moisturizing abilities! It keeps my hands super soft, especially in this dry wintertime weather. It is also the best cuticle butter, keeping it all tidy and perfect around there. But seriously, I might have the softest hands ever. People are always amazed and shocked. True story.

{the scents}

The scents in Epically Epic solid lotions are always lovely and never overpowering. I have tried these in a few scents, including some custom blends.

Coconut Vanilla - My first EE purchase ever! This is a classic coconut vanilla scent, all warm and sweet and buttery tropical goodness.

Hazelnut Donuts - I received a sample of this custom blend someone else had ordered. And I used up the entire sample tin of it! I love the scent of hazelnut and combined with the sugary donut it was just pure deliciousness. Good combo to whoever came up with this one!

Lavender Marshmallow - Probably my favorite EE scent ever! For now anyway! The fresh, herbal scent of the lavender blends so well with the sweet marshmallow. Completely lovely scent! After awhile the lavender wears off, but the marshmallow lingers sweetly on the hands. Love!

Peanut Butter & Vanilla - Custom blend here! I was really into peanut butter scents at the time so I asked for a peanut butter solid lotion with just a touch of vanilla. This is deliciously nutty and creamy! I kind of want to eat it.

Pumpkin Pie Red Apple - Another custom blend! I got it into my head that pumpkin pie with red apple would smell delicious. And it does! It has the warm, spicy scent of pumpkin pie mellowed with the sweetness of the red apple. One of my friends said "This smells like a candle!" Perfect fall-time scent.

Shamrock Shake - I don't think I've had an actual shamrock shake. Who makes them? I should try. This one is a blend of peppermint and vanilla. Perfect balance of minty freshness and creamy vanilla. 

Vanilla Bean - I custom ordered this scent because I love the Vanilla Bean lip balm! (Also custom ordered this scent in the hair & body mist - fantastic!) It is a lovely vanilla scent without being too sweet. It's a classic!

Yellow Cake - I got a sample size of this one. And you know what? It really does smell like yellow cake! All the sweet, fluffy goodness. It is more delicious than I thought it would be!

{the ingredients}

The ingredients include macadamia nut butter, jojoba seed oil, pistachio butter, candelilla wax, vitamin e, olive squalane, and fragrance/essential oils.

{final thoughts}

I absolutely recommend Epically Epic solid lotions! Even if you're not a fan of solid lotions, give these a shot! They are hands down the best solid lotions I have tried and I love all of the scent options. And they are very long lasting! Actually, I have yet to use up a single tin of lotion. And I am still thinking about which one I want to try next. Ah, the life of an EE addict! But really though, any Epically Epic products are amazing!

Favorites Friday

Sorry for another late in the day post! It's been a crazy day around here. Full of appointments and waiting and dragging kids around busy holiday events. Finally at home relaxing! Although there won't be a photo for this post. Relaxing feels too nice! But anyway, here are my favorites for the week:

1. Vintage Lavender perfume stick from Dollface Perfumes (scent currently not in stock - I believe the owner is working on restocking her shop). I have been loving this scent this week! There's something fizzy about it that blends so well with the lavender. And it was such a great deal!
2. Yuletide at Baker St. perfume oil from Sarawen. I have only used this once this week but fell completely in love with it! I think I even fell asleep huffing it on my wrists. It has so many great scent notes that all take their time to shine. But, to be fully reviewed later (before Christmas!).
3. Whipped Squalane Face & Eye Mousse from Chagrin Valley. The texture of this mousse is amazing! I have only been using this for about a week so I'm still testing it out to see how it's working for my skin, but so far I have been loving it. It feels super moisturizing and I have a feeling this will be great for wintertime! 
4. Ginger Ale lip balm from Epically Epic. This really does smell like bubbly gingerale! And I love gingerale! And EE balms! Win win here, really.
5. Lavender Marshmallow solid lotion from Epically Epic. I'm not the biggest fan of solid lotions but I love the EE ones! And I believe I still need to review these. I will at some point because I have a lot! They are great for keeping my hands soft in this harsh, cold winter weather. Super moisturizing - they take a while to sink in (as can be expected), but totally worth the wait! And the Lavender Marshmallow scent is lovely! I can't get enough of it!

Let's see... what non-B&B favorites of the week do I have...

• Hot cocoa! And of course it has to be extra chocolatey! With whipped cream! It's that time of year when a mug of hot cocoa is one of the best things in the world.
• Prejudice by Tim Minchin. This never fails to amuse me! And it's so catchy. Tim Minchin is kind of a genius! 

And so there are my favorites for the week! And back to the relaxing thing for a bit. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I have one more weekend of homework then I'll be on break! Wish me luck on getting everything done! :)

<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!

More Epically Epic Lip Balms!

(I know, I said I was going to post a review by now... but I have the BEST reason for my further delay! It was sunny and HOT here for 3 days straight! I live in a temperate rainforest, so it's pretty much rainy here all the time. But it has been especially rainy here these past few months - something like 60 days of rain out of the past 65 days. So, when the clouds went away and the sun showed its pretty face, I took full advantage! Swimming, boat rides, kiddie pools, and smoothies. Ah, summah time!)

But yes, now that I'm back to the world of rain and mist, I can get back to my goal of keeping up with my blogging duties! And today, I am going to be talking about Epically Epic lip balm flavors. I'm not going to review the balms, as I've already done so here. However, I do feel that I need to update the list of balm flavors I have because the balms are just so amazing they need some more recognition on this blog! :)

Here are the flavors I've added to my collection (I have tried more, but will only be discussing flavors that are still being sold by Epically Epic Soap Co.):

Chocolate Malt: This is a deliciously creamy, mild chocolate-y scent. To be honest, I have no idea what a malt smells/tastes like, but I can tell that this is not just a plain ol' chocolate scent. It has a sweetness to it. It's kind of like a dessert for your lips!

Mango Lassi: The scent is a mixture of mango and cardamom. I find it to be fruity and surprisingly refreshing. It kind of reminds me of a cough drop. It's not my favorite, but still pleasant enough.

Mango Lychee: This one is a boldly fruity scent that is heavy on the mango. I like to wear it on rainy days when I need some cheering up from the dreary weather.

Peanut Butter & Jelly: Peanut butter is oddly enough one of my favorite scents and I was thrilled when this lip balm came out! It smells almost just like a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. I say almost because the jelly is blueberry-acai jelly - not my regular jelly! But I greatly enjoy the extra fruity twist it gives the balm. Definitely a successful peanut butter balm.

P.O.G (Passionfruit Orange Guava): I was a little hesitant about this one - feedback said it was floral. And I don't like floral. And it does smell a bit floral, but only in the tube. Once it's on my lips, it turns into a true tropical scent, being delightfully fruity without being over the top. It's perfect for summer!

Sleepy Time: This balm is meant to help you relax with the scents of spearmint and chamomile. I can't speak to the effects of that since I have a hard time falling asleep no matter what! But I love to use it after brushing my teeth - it's fitting with the flavor of my toothpaste. It's mildly minty, in a soft and sweet sort of way. Totally not overpowering at all, which I can appreciate in a minty balm.

Vanilla Bean: I've spoken of this one before, but should mention again! This happens to be one of my favorite EE balm flavors! It's a fantastic vanilla scent, which you may know can be hard to find. It's a straight-up vanilla that is perfectly creamy and sweet. And delicious!

Vanilla Coke: This balm is another one of my favorites! It smells just like a sweet cola. I love to use it when I have the flavor of food in my mouth and using some fruity balm just doesn't seem fitting. Is that odd?

I am hoping to add more flavors to my collection. I am patiently awaiting the day when new summer balm flavors are released! What flavors have you tried? Or want to try?

Epically Epic Soap Co. Lip Tints {review}

This is one of my most popular posts on this blog. And because of that, I am editing this post on 2/9/2014 to follow the current review format and the new lip tint review standards (more pics!).

If any shop deserves multiple reviews, it is Epically Epic Soap Co.! I am completely in love with this shop! One of the best on Etsy! (Also read my review of Epically Epic lip balms here.)

Allison Hill (who is EPIC!) runs Epically Epic Soap Co. out of her home in New Mexico. Besides lip tints, she sells lip balms, soaps, solid lotions, perfumes, and hair & body sprays. I've never been disappointed with any of her products! Hurry and check out Epically Epic Soap Co.!!!

{the tints}

These tints feel soooo good! They have a very smooth application and glide on beautifully! There's a lot of shine and moisture without feeling greasy. The formula used is of the perfect consistency; it feels very creamy. And I actually think that these feel smoother than the balms! The extra shine, perhaps? :)

Just like the balms, these tints also keep my lips super moisturized! I always have soft lips with Epically Epic products! And this stuff lasts FOREVER! It keeps my lips moisturized for hours! I let my cousin use one of mine once and she was so amazed! The next day she was telling me that she could still feel the balm on her lips at the end of the day (and then she had to buy her own)! They are seriously very long lasting! However, I still apply them often just because I like 'em! ;) 

{the colors}

One thing I love about EE lip tints is that all of the colors come with delicious flavors to go along with the delicious colors. Following are photos taken of how the lip tints look on me. All of the photos were taken in natural, afternoon lighting. Sorry if some of the photos are a bit blurry - it's a bit difficult taking close-ups of your own lips! 

Here is the before shot with no lip tints. Okay, now that you have seen that, quickly look away and go onto the other photos with all the pretty lip tints! 

Bullfrog - This is a peachy pink color in the tube, but on my lips it is a light pink color with a nice bit of shimmer. The shimmer makes it seem lighter and brighter. The tint is peach and cherry scented, and it smells wonderful! All fruity sweet and delicious. My sister-in-law had to have one of these ones for herself!

Guava Pie - This one is probably the brightest EE lip tint I have tried. It is a bright pink on my lips with some good shimmer. It almost reminds me of bubblegum pink. Without natural lighting, it looks even brighter. Fun color for a night out! I can't speak too much about the scent as it is very, very light.

Pink Frosting - Can you just see all that shimmer?! This tint is a very girly one - all pretty pink with tons of shimmer. It is definitely a playful one, but still very wearable. I love that the pink isn't too bright but still has a nice pop to it. The scent is a sweet buttery frosting with a hint of strawberry - quite delicious without being too sweet!

Red Velvet - This tint adds a nice wash of red to the lips. It's not too dark, despite how it looks in the tube. It's a natural looking color, like bitten lips. The scent is red velvet cake and it is delicious and decadent but not overwhelmingly so.

Strawberry Rhubarb - This is very much a "your lips but better" color. It makes my lips look pinker and brighter and more alive, but in a natural-looking way. With a good hint of gloss. Very pretty. The scent is strawberry rhubarb, in which I mostly detect the strawberry. It is a nice, sweet scent that is almost a bit candy-like.

{the ingredients}

Ingredients include pistachio butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, castor oil, vitamin E, candelilla wax, flavor, natural sweetener, and mineral colorant.

The Strawberry Rhubarb has a different formula. The ingredients include olive butter, olive oil, cadellila wax, castor oil, olive squalane, vitamin e, flavor, natural sweetener, and color.

{final thoughts}

I will definitely buy again from Epically Epic Soap Co.! I wasn't sure if I'd really like lip tints, but I'm so glad I tried 'em! And I will continue to do so when I spot colors I like! Allison's lip products are the best and I recommend them to everyone and anyone! It's a must have because it's EPICALLY EPIC!

Epically Epic Soap Co. Lip Balm {review}

Who hasn't heard of Epically Epic Soap Co., right? We all know that Allison, the owner, makes amazing products! And the lip balms are just all around phenomalness in a tube. Ohhh yes.

And if you don't know, then continue reading my friend...

{the balm}

Epically Epic lip balms have the perfect consistency. They are soft and oh so creamy. Seriously, such a lovely creaminess they possess. Sometimes I layer it on THICK and just rub my lips together. Is that weird?

However, the balm is not too thick, although it is at the low end of the thickness scale. If you can image so. They glide on smoothly and leave a gentle gloss on your lips. I also find the non-vegan balms with honey to have a bit more smoothness to them.

As for the wear, it's pretty stellar. I can go for hours and hours without needing to apply more balm. Although, I usually don't wait that long. The applying part is just too much fun!

{flavors + ingredients}

This is not a full list of the balm flavors I have. Be on the look out for update posts!

• Marshmallow: This smells just like marshmallow fluff! It's a very creamy scent, if ya know what I mean! Also, it's not too sweet smelling, which I really enjoy.    
• Mimosa: I don't know what a mimosa smells like, but to me, this balm smells like a light, sweet orange juice. Orange flavored/scented lip balms have never appealed to me, so this is perfect for me! It's more sweet than tangy. Also, it has a slightly sweet flavor. Mmmm! 
• Pistachio: In the scent description, it says this is supposed to smell like pistachio ice cream. I have no idea what pistachio ice cream smells like. I expected this to smell more nutty than it does, but I can only detect a hint of nuttiness when it's on my lips. However, it still smells really awesome! Kind of sweet and fruity. It's actually one of my favorites! :) 
•  Pumpkin Pie: You know, I actually don't like pumpkin pie. But surprisingly, I DO like pumpkin pie scented things! Weird? Well, this balm smells like a sweeter version of pumpkin pie.

Ingredients include pistachio butter, castor oil, vitamin e, sweet almond oil, and honey in the non-vegan balms.

{conclusion}

Epically Epic Soap Co. balms are amongst the best. And quite possibly my favorite lip balms ever. If Allison ever stops selling these balms, I just might cry. If you like luxuriously creamy balms, it doesn't get much better than this. And if you haven't tried them yet, you are truly missing out, so go check out Epically Epic Soap Co. right now!

Also check out my review of Epically Epic Lip Tints!