Mini Blurb

Hello dearies!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've been traveling and dealing with tough things because goddamn life is hard. And I really need to get caught up on school work (story of my life). AND, today I am sick in bed. I am actually writing this from my phone. I am too sick to get up and do anything productive, but not so out of it to be consumed by sleep. So here I am!

I've been getting back into perfumes again. I have been reading perfume reviews all day. And I got a couple new Darling Clandestine perfumes yesterday. Have I mentioned before how much I loooooove DC perfumes?! I am becoming a DC hoarder. Must have them all! One of the amazing things about DC perfumes is that Evonne can take scent notes I don't like and make me love them. She has done this several times now - cantaloupe, strawberry, cherry. She builds such complex and beautiful fragrances I just can't get enough.

Well now I'm curious about Tapadero. The description says: "Tapadero begins bold and bright with sage and roses, and ends with dusky sweet smoke and leather. Unisex, clean and cuddly." Now I am not a fan of roses at all. I very much dislike the scent. I don't even like real roses - the scent is too much for me. However, lately I've been discovering it's not too terrible when blended right with other things. And I am wondering if Evonne is magical enough to make me love roses too. I think it might have to be something I give a chance! And I do have a fondness for leather in perfumes. This might be next on my list. Tis very shocking. 

Anyway, enough ranting about perfumes. Imma get back to those reviews. Just wanted to be a bit blurby since I'm in bed all day being bored! Hope y'all are feeling better than me!

<3 Alyssa

EE Update

Just a little note - I've updated my Epically Epic lip tint review! I decided to update it instead of creating a new review because it is one of the more popular posts on this blog. I've added in photos to follow my new lip tint review standards. Meaning, there's more photos! And just thought I'd let you all know! Check it out here.

I will also be working on going back through some old reviews and updating them to follow the current review format. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and want everything to be consistent!

Anyway, Happy Sunday!

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

Elegant Rose Boutique Splash in the Sun Soap {review}

I have been having some new soapy adventures lately! I ordered a bunch of samples and a couple full size bars from Elegant Rose Boutique. Today I will be reviewing one of those soap samples: Splash in the Sun.

I was drawn to Elegant Rose Boutique because the scents all sounded so delightful and they are all created using essential oils. However, some of the descriptions of scents are a bit lacking. Some products simply list an "essential oil blend" in the ingredients without providing more information on the scent. I was curious about one of the scents and contacted the seller to ask for more information. I never received a response. A bit disappointing, but I went ahead and ordered anyway.

And I was definitely not disappointed with my order!

{the soap}

The soap lathers up quite beautifully. It has a soft and gentle lather that builds up quickly. And what I mean by that is that it doesn't take a lot to get a nice layer of lather to play with! I probably use more than I need to, but I like the silkiness of the lather and I just can't help myself.

There are also calendula flowers in this soap. It offers a gentle scrubbing that is not irritating in the slightest. It is soothing and very pleasant. I also think the calendula flowers make it very pretty!

The soap rinses off well and doesn't dry out my skin, even in this wintertime weather. My skin feels soft and clean after my shower. I have also used this a few times on my face and it works well without leaving my face dry and tight.

And for a sample, this is decently sized. I've been using this soap for almost two weeks now and there's still enough left for one more good shower!

{the scent}

The Splash in the Sun scent is heavenly! It is a blend of bergamont, orange, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and clary sage. I mostly detect the citrus and mint in this soap, but in a sweet and mellow way. It is bright and refreshing with a soft zing to it. It's quite a cheerful scent. And I think I've mentioned before, I am not usually drawn to citrus-y scents. But I am completely in love with this and I just might need me some more!

{the ingredients}

The ingredients include olive oil, coconut oil, organic palm oil, unrefined shea butter, water, sodium hydroxide, essential oils, and calendula flowers.

{final thoughts}

I would most certainly recommend Elegant Rose Boutique. I have been enjoying all of the samples I have tried so far and the Splash in the Sun soap is quite a fantastical soap. The lather is delightful, it keeps me feeling soft, and the scent is bright and cheery. It is definitely a feel good soap so if you're looking for some good feelings check out the soaps at Elegant Rose Boutique. 

Favorites Friday

You know, after I went through that perfume phase and bought all those perfumes, I haven't been using them too much lately. Maybe it's because in a small town I don't really go out and do anything so I never get around to feeling like I should put on perfume. I should wear it anyway even if it's just for me! Er, and to review! I've been noticing that I haven't been having any perfume favorites every week. I'll try to change that next week!

Anyway, enough rambling and onto my favorites for this week!

1. Bifrost Coconut Peppermint lip balm (currently unavailable) by Darling Clandestine. I reviewed this (here) earlier this week and am still very much in love with it! It's sort of a neutral flavor that I can use at anytime. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for all the other flavors I have that are foodie or fruity or sometimes floral. This is one I never tire of! I seriously need to try more of her balms.
2. Citrus Zest Beer shampoo bar by Elegant Rose Boutique. I am tentatively putting this on my favorites list. I really loved it the first few times I tried it - it left my hair feeling soft while adding some body to it. I also didn't need an ACV rinse which is awesome! But my hair also got greasy quickly and it needed to be washed more than I like doing. But there were other factors in that too, like hot water running out and maybe not rinsing as well as I should have. And I also have to test out how it works with an ACV rinse. The smell is bright and citrusy though!
3. Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil by Nutivia on Amazon. I'm sure you've been hearing a lot about coconut oil! I just started using some myself. I put it on the ends of my hair to keep my hair healthy and hopefully avoid split ends. I am also planning on deep conditioning my hair with it. I've also recently started using it on my hands. Despite being an oil, it is surprisingly non-greasy. And it is so silky! And I love the coconut scent, it's so yummy! I've tried a little bit as a facial moisturizer and I think I'll continue testing that out for awhile. Overall, I've been loving the many uses for coconut oil!

Yeah, short list this week! What's up with that? Guess I haven't been straying too much lately. Hm, I have plans on trying a few new things this next week though! Maybe I'll have a list of newer things next week. We'll see!

But onto the other favorites of the week...

• Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism workout video. I've been getting into working out again lately and with no gym, I've been using workout videos. This one is great! Jillian Michaels is intense and she gets me sweating! There's also a lot of jumping in the workout which I appreciate because it makes the workout more fun. I really like jumping! 
• Plain, non-fat Greek yogurt by Fage. I love the thick, creamy texture of Greek yogurt! And it can be eaten in so many ways, I've been having some every day all week in some form. Sometimes I'll mix in raw honey with it and eat it like that. I've been mixing it with stone ground mustard for a quick, easy dip for crackers. I've used it to marinate some chicken, making the chicken juicy. It's just a great thing and I've been loving it!

I am going to have a super busy weekend. Which I should have started hours ago, but oh well! So, onto that! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! :)

<3 Alyssa

Darling Clandestine Bifrost Lip Balm {review}

Darling Clandestine is one of my newest favorite shops. Evonne's perfume are unique and beautiful. BUT, she also makes lip balms and you know me - I love me some lip balm! And while I don't usually spend this much on lip balm (a single tin is $8-$9), the tins are huge and I have faith in Evonne's products so of course I had to try!

{the balm}

The balm comes in a sliding tin. I'm not exactly sure how much balm these tins hold, but they are huge! I mean, look at that!

The one thing I don't like about this balm is it is a bit too soft. Applying with my finger, there is more balm left on my finger than I would like. But I figured out a solution to this problem so it doesn't bother me as much any more. I rub the excess on the back of my neck! I don't know why I chose that spot, but it works. And I'm sure my neck smells delightful!

The softness may just be in this batch/flavor though. I have noticed that about lip balms from other shops. Some flavors have a softer texture than other flavors in the shop. Maybe it's just that batch or maybe it's the flavor. Although, I think the softness plays a part in the other things I like in this balm. 

I really do love the texture of this balm once it is applied. It is super smooth and silky. It is also very glossy, but not in a greasy sort of way. It almost has the "wet" sort of feeling which I really like. The wear isn't super long. Actually, it wears off very quickly. BUT, my lips are left super soft that I don't even feel the need to put any more balm on for a long time afterwards. Seriously, this might be one of the best lip softening balms I have ever tried.

And just a little note, this balm is perfect for kissing a certain someone who doesn't like to get lip balm on his lips after every kiss. I still get to use my balm, it wears off quickly, and my lips are soft and kissable!

Despite the huge size of this tin, I have already used up a surprisingly large amount. I've used up almost half of it! The balm really is quite fantastic.

{the flavor}

The flavor of this balm is called Bifrost. I love that this flavor is based off of Thor's story. The Bifrost Bridge is the rainbow bridge in Asgard (does this remind anyone else of Rainbow Road in MarioKart?). I haven't seen all of the Avenger movies (I know, I know - don't disown me!) but I have seen all of the Thor movies and love them! Mmm Thor...

Anyway, the flavor is a combination of coconut and peppermint. I thought this blend was quite a brilliant idea and one that I hadn't seen before. The flavors work very well together - the coconut adds a sweet, tropical twist to the peppermint. It also warms it up a bit so it doesn't seem too icy. The peppermint is strongest at first and then the coconut comes out, ending on that sweet coconut-y note. Also, while the peppermint scent is stronger, it is not too tingly once it is applied. I always appreciate this in balms with peppermint because I don't really like the tingle. The tingle in this is mellow and barely noticeable.

My mom also really liked this flavor. She tried this balm and said: "You always have the coolest things!"

{the ingredients}

Ingredients include shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, vitamin e, and peppermint essential oil.

{final thoughts}

I definitely recommend Darling Clandestine lip balms! The balm is smooth and silky and makes my lips super soft! Sometimes I just have to feel my lips because I am amazed by how soft they are after using this balm. The flavor is delightful and I can't wait to try more! The Violet Pear lip balm is quite intriguing. But yeah, ANYTHING from Darling Clandestine earns high recommendation from me!

And Evonne is always having awesome sales! Go 'like' her page on Facebook to find out about her sales! And jump - yes, really jump! - at the chance to order!

Favorites Friday

I know, I was supposed to post some reviews this week. I will get a few up soon, I promise! And now that I am back home, I have more variety in the products I've been using. Still, it might be a short list of favorites this week. But yes, onto those...

1. Mocha Marshmallow lip balm from For Goodness Grape. I'm not a fan of coffee, I never drink it. But I like the way it smells and the light coffee scent mixed with the sweetness of the marshmallow is delicious! Plus, I am really enjoying the creaminess that For Goodness Grape balms have.  
2. Splash in the Sun soap from Elegant Rose Boutique. I recently ordered some soap samples from this shop and this is the first one I've been trying out. I'm usually not one to go for citrus-y scents. Well, they don't usually appeal when I'm thinking about them but once I get them under my nose, I always like them. Weird, I know. But anyway, the scent of this is completely delightful. It is bright and refreshing from the citrus and mint. I might have to get a full-size bar. And the lather is heavenly!
3. Neem Tea Tree & Rosemary shampoo bar from Fresh as a Daisy Soaps. It's been awhile since I've used shampoo bars. With all the traveling, it's difficult to use them because I can't carry around apple cider vinegar for rinses afterwards. But now that I am home, it is back to testing out different shampoo bars. And I have really been enjoying this one. The light tea tree & rosemary scent is lovely and there is a surprising amount of lather, which is always nice for shampoo bars! And my hair has been clean, soft, and shiny. So much better than the roughness it had when traveling!
4. Lavender essential oil from NOW Foods on Amazon. I am still very much in love with the scent of lavender! I have been putting this in the ACV rinses and mixing with coconut oil that I use on the ends of my hair. I probably use more than I need to, but it makes my hair smell like lavender all day! 

And let's see, what non-product favorites do I have this week...

•  Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind. I am enjoying having time to read for pleasure before school starts up again next week! This is the third book in the Sword of Truth series. If you are a fan of epic fantasy series, this is an awesome one. There is even a show based off of the first two books, called Legend of the Seeker. Great show! 
• My bed! I've been traveling so much it is always good to come home to my own bed in my own room with my millions of pillows! After sleeping on a couch for over two weeks, my bed feels completely amazing and I have been sleeping way too much lately!

That's it for my favorites this week! What have yours been? Or maybe you shouldn't tell me, because I have an ever-growing list of things I want to try! ;)

Hope you have a magical weekend!

<3 Alyssa