Boring Stuff

I seriously just walked around my room and tried to find something that would be interesting to blog about. That's kind of sad. This post will just be about my life, so bare with me!

So unfortunately, I'm still kind of sick. I'm actually kind of freaked out about the way these viruses are mutating. My coworker had to go to the emergency room on Monday, and she said there were like 150 people in the waiting room throwing up in trash cans and shit. It's like something you'd see in a zombie or virus movie- not cool. I'm just so ready to feel better. I'm also freaked out that I'll just get sick again. I'm constantly around sick kids and adults, so it wouldn't be a long shot. I guess that's a selfish thing to think, but I've seriously had a fever off and on and cold symptoms for about 3 weeks now, so I'm really fed up with sickness. I never used to get sick until I started working with kids. My mother and I have a loving term for them- "germ carriers."

Also, I have iron deficiency anemia and take iron supplements for it. I'm not as tired as I used to be, but I'm still not "well" I guess you could say. It's really hard for me to wake up in the morning. I really want to start a gluten free diet to see if I can benefit from it health-wise. I guess 1 in 133 people have celiac disease, so maybe I do have gluten sensitivity. I probably sound like a hypochondriac! Anyway, I am really kind of freaked out of doctors, hospitals, and diseases people can get. Sometimes I get panic attacks because I get so worried that something is wrong with me. I am, in short, a mess.

Last week, it was really cloudy, foggy, and awesome. I took a bunch of pictures, but they didn't turn out the way I wanted them to; so I'll just share one!


When I start feeling better, I want to start volunteering at the no-kill shelter at my local pet store with the cats. I already got an application. I think it would be a wonderful way to spend my spare time.

In other news, I already re-ordered from Black Baccara! I couldn't help myself, their perfumes are just lovely. I also placed a Haus of Gloi and OHWTO order. Yes, One Hand Washes the Other is finally open again, and their TAT is really short! I am so thankful, as I was running quite low on my black magic soap. It has done wonders for my skin. I can actually leave the house without makeup and not feel self conscious about it. It's definitely a HG for me!

I think that's about it for now. Until next time, thanks for reading, and take care of yourselves :)

Quick edit: I forgot to mention green coffee bean extract! I thought I'd try it (NOT because of Dr. Oz, whom is an asshole that capitalizes on the weight loss industry and he can screw the hell off) because it has some good benifits such as weight loss and regulation of blood sugar. I'm actually pleasantly surprised, as I've lost like 6 pounds without changing my diet and exercise routine. I know I sound like a lazy fatty, but whatever. I like this stuff.

Black Baccara - Vlad

I was doing a clean rampage of the house tonight. It's scary how fast things can get messy when you're sick! Anyway, since I'm an amazing procrastinator, I decided to sniff Vlad while changing my bed sheets because I got it as a free sample with Boneyard and I haven't tried it yet! Since I already took a picture of this sample with my last post, I'm just going to provide the company's full size product photo of Vlad for reference.

Photo credit- Black Baccara

VLAD: Dark, mysterious and perfectly sinister. Vlad conjures visions of the madman himself. A rich blend of allspice, cedar, leather, tobacco and bay rum, among others. This is perhaps the darkest brew among my men’s colognes.

I know this is a men's cologne. However, as a rule of thumb, I strongly believe in wearing what you enjoy, not what society tells you you're supposed to enjoy. I'm sure I've mentioned that before, but it's important to me. Anyway, Vlad is freaking amazing! Upon initial application(wet on the skin), I smelled a strong leathery note. Mmm, leather. I'm a big fan of leather in perfumes, so I suppose I'm not shocked at how much I liked this one. The leather is mixed with a sweetness that I'm fairly certain is the tobacco. I actually think tobacco in a perfume is a fabulous idea! The tobacco and leather smell absolutely magical together, like I'd imagine Aragorn from Lord of the Rings would smell. I loved it so much that I ran to my boyfriend, who was in the hamster room cleaning their tanks, and I made him smell my wrist. I got a delighted utterance out of him, so I'd say he approves. The dry down reveals the allspice note. I'm not quite sure I can detect the bay rum, though I'm not heartbroken over that fact.

Black Baccara is quickly becoming a favorite perfumery for me. I love the theme and I adore both the perfumes I've tried so far. I might have to place another order soon!

DISCLAIMER- I received Vlad from Black Baccara as a free sample with my purchase. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are always my own and honest!

Black Baccara- Boneyard

Today was a rainy day, which I thoroughly enjoy. It doesn't rain much at all in my neck of the woods, so it's nice when the sun finally succumbs to grey-tinted clouds and rain trinkles down on our city; giving it a breath of fresh air. I can find no greater happiness than snuggling up next to my cat and boyfriend while the rain pitter patters on the roof; optional bonus- a cup of tea in one hand and a good book in the other.

Tonight, I'll be reviewing a perfume from a company I've never previously tried before! I love discovering new companies, and I wouldn't have heard about Black Baccara had I not read some of your guys' recent SADs; and also seeing it on the lovely La Domna's ScentBase! After reading the description, I knew I had my heart set on this little perfume.

I suppose I knew I would adore it without even spritzing the bottle, because it did leak a teeny bit on its journey to me and, therefore, I could already smell its amazingness! I can't detect exactly what it is I am smelling, but I'll post the scent description and try to decipher it. This is from the company's etsy shop:

❀BONEYARD-A long walk through the cemetery in autumn has made its way into this bottle. Cloves, cedar, damp soil, and a whispered offering of violets and wildflowers make way for deep earth, oak moss, and an extinguished candle flame carried on the wind. Dark, brooding, earthy and timeless.

                   

Above- The packaging Boneyard was housed in. :)

 

Above- The perfume came in this pretty black box. 

Above- Boneyard by Black Baccara

                      
                               Above- Boneyard atomizer and sample of Vlad                    




I'm pretty sure it's the cloves I'm smelling at first. After a minute or two, I can smell the earthy
presence to this gem. I'm fairy certain it's the oak moss I'm getting, perhaps with a slight touch of the damp soil. Something about this really grounds it and makes it more polished and not like you're a wet, mossy, Cemetary leaf (nothing wrong with smelling of such, but it is nice to smell more layers upon that). I wish I could say what I'm smelling exactly, but my perfume noobiness seems to be holding me back.

And let me tell you guys, the drydown on Boneyard does NOT disappoint. I can smell the floral notes dancing with a hint of something sinister in the background, and it's absolutely stunning. It's literally one of the most beautiful perfumes I've ever had the pleasure of sniffing. The etsy scent description says you only need one spritz, and that certainly holds true! I only used one spray, and it was quite strong (even with my stupid sick senses).

I would like to honestly comment on longevity, but it wouldn't be a true answer because, again, my immune system isn't at its best. I will say that we spent a couple hours at a cute secondhand/art store, and I can still tell the perfume is on my wrist.

I really love dark and gothic themed things, so I'm really glad I was able to stumble on Black Baccara through you wonderful ladies! Boneyard is really one of those perfumes that make you look crazy because it smells so good, your nose is glued to your wrist all day. This is really a wonderful perfume, in my opinion of course.



DISCLAIMER- All items mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and 100% honest.

Rainbow Candy Canes from Cocoa Pink

It always seem like, no matter how far apart I place my orders with different companies, everything always gets shipped around the same time. My mail lady really must think I'm a hoarder! But this order was mainly stuff I use in my daily hair care routine (that I previously ran out of), so I didn't "need" it, but I really enjoy these products! My favorite conditioner is the Soulmate Conditioning Treatment by Cocoa Pink. Here's my empty jar!

No more conditioner :(

Do you guys reuse your empty jars of products? If so, what do you use them for? I like to keep them to put in things like spare coins, bobby pins, nail polish I use a lot, etc.

I ventured out of my comfort zone with the scent I chose for the products I ordered, which I find is great to do from time to time. You never know what might surprise you! The scent I chose is called Rainbow Candy Canes from Cocoa Pink. Let's take a look at the scent description!

Rainbow Candy Canes - Rows of shimmering candy canes swirled with rainbow stripes and flavored with plump juicy blackberries, succulent raspberries, sugared lemons and limes, satsuma oranges, marshmallow fluff, ribbons of vanilla bean noel & peppermint infused sugar cane.


I ordered one Princess Poo shampoo, two soulmate conditioning treatments, and a perfume in the same scent.

Above from L to R: Princess Poo shampoo, two Soulmate conditioners, and a perfume in Rainbow Candy Canes

In this case, I'm quite happy I ventured far from my normal tastes in perfume. Rainbow Candy Canes has a lot going on with it scent-wise, but not in an overwhelming sort of way. I was worried at first, though! Upon initial application, I thought it was really strong and thought it DID have too much going on. However, it immediately calmed down into a beautiful fruity scent with distinct notes of the sugary lemons and limes with the orange coming into play. It started reminding me of that Sunkist candy- the circular, fruit flavored gummies coated in sugar. I love those candies, so it wasn't bad to smell like them! The peppermint comes out almost right away, and it grounds the intense fruity scent so it's not ALL fruit. After awhile, the fruity scent almost disappears, and the sweet, fluffy marshmallow comes to take the lead role. I really enjoy Rainbow Candy Canes! I wouldn't wear it as a daily scent, but I'm glad I got it and I will get some good use 

out of it! :)

That's all for now! Thanks for reading, my dears!

DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always honest!

Oh, the Oddities!

So, I'm really excited right now because I was tagged by La Domna to do an Oddities list about myself! I've never been tagged before, so this is a first for me! So, let's begin, shall we?

1. My childhood home, where I lived when I was 2 to 17 years of age, was haunted. Some of the stuff that happened was innocent enough, but other times I was downright terrified. The most common thing that happened was I would hear typing in the computer room at night, but every time I peeked to see who was causing the typing, the room would always be dark and empty. Other things would happen such as the lights flickering on and off, electronics turning on or off by themselves, even objects moving by themselves with no logical explanation. The worst part was the point I starting seeing apparitions. I can think of a total of 3 different times I saw such things. One was a shadowy figure of a man in a tophat that walked past the computer room into my room. Another was a misty white, almost human-like figure that swayed down the hallway in my direction. It was terrible, and I ran to the refuge of my parents room immediately. The last was the worst- I saw a doppelgänger of my own mother that woke me up in the middle of the night. It looked and sounded just like my mom, but its eyes were otherworldly and almost malevolent. The weird part about that is my mom is still alive and well, so I don't know what was pretending to be her... But I didn't like it one bit. I've come across the knowledge in my recent years that the old owners were affiliated with the mob, and that the husband of the wife that had lived there had passed away. There's also the fact that the lady across the street ran a nursing home right in the house, so residents there were frequently passing on.

2. I love a wide variety of music. I'll listen from anything from Beethoven to Napalm Death! I also adore Marilyn Manson, and actually have two Marilyn Manson inspired tattoos. One is on my stomach and is a human heart draining into a spade (inspired by the song Spade, with the lyrics, "You drained my heart and made a spade/But there's still traces of me in your veins.") The other is in between my shoulder blades, and it's two angels praying by the shock symbol.

3. I have five tattoos altogether, but they're all pretty huge.

4. I've always been a solitary person, and I really still am. I've never had a huge amount of friends, just one or two that are my true friends.

5. I'm a Virgo, and a tiger in the Chinese zodiac.

6. Growing up, I used to write a lot of short stories. A lot of them were about animals, as I've always loved animals and aspired to be a veterinarian (before I realized how utterly awful I was at math and science). One time, the Disney channel had a story contest that I entered where the winner would get their story made into a cartoon. My submission was about a three-legged cheetah that faced trials and tribulations. I received a Tinkerbell pen in the mail with a letter that thanked me for submitting and kindly telling me I lost. I wasn't really that sad, but I did think my story had more thought than the one that won- which was about a Spanish-speaking spider. Ah well. To this day, it's my dream to write and publish a book. I've also wanted to have a room in one of my future homes with a huge library where I could get lost in a great book and a cup of tea whenever I wanted.

7. Along with my cat and betta fish, I have five hamsters (four winter white and one Syrian). I only intended to have one hamster. My boyfriend and I saw an adorable, tiny white hamster in the pet store that we ended up purchasing even though it had something wrong with its right eye. We embraced his little disability, named him Pi-right, and gave him lots of love! We eventually learned that the poor tiny creature had actually suffered a stroke, and he passed away two days later. I was heartbroken, but also practical. We exchanged it for the largest, healthiest hamster in the store and named it Hammy. We found out two days later that Hammy was large for a reason. She gave birth to seven tiny hamsters, and we had no idea what to do! We researched a crazy amount of baby hamster stuff. It turns out that the mom does all the work, though it was imperative to keep everyone fed and hydrated. They started foraging for food when they were only 9 days old. I had fun giving them all fruit, veggies, and hard boiled eggs. I even did mini video updates on them daily, which was so fun. They will turn one year old this March! Unfortunately, none of the girls survived; so I now own Hammy, her three sons (Christopher Columbus, Katooloo, and Squeakers), and a Syrian hamster we bought named Baby Bear.

Please note: All watermarked photos are my own, the rest are from the land of Tumblr.

And that's it! I'm really not too interesting, haha! I tag everyone reading this (if you want to do it, of course!). I'd love to learn more about you all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lathers and Lights

I think the general consensus is that the mornings and evenings are the *worst* when you're sick, and that has absolutely held true for me. If one were to be a spying fly on the wall, they'd probably think of me as a zombie; as I shuffle around the house, pale as a ghost, making weird sick noises like "ughggggggh" and "ahhhhghhhh" and "unnnnnnnngh".

So anyway, heh. Lathers and Lights! I am super de duper impressed with everything! Like most indie companies around the holiday season, Lathers and Lights took a fairly long (albeit well-deserved) break for the holidays. They re-opened around the 6th or 7th of this month, which is when I placed my order. Since I have never ordered from them before, I thought I was in for quite a wait since the company was closed for so long and the TAT was 15+ days. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a shipping notification less than a week later! I got my package 3 days ago, and I ordered on the 7th, so it was really impressive!

Above: Olive & Honey Shampoo, Soft & Shine Conditioner, Flannel Pajamas perfume

I am also extremely satisfied with the products themselves. I ordered the olive and honey shampoo, soft and shine conditioner, and perfume spray. I got everything in the same scent, which I like to do sometimes when ordering hair products. That way, my perfume doesn't compete with my hair products :) Let's start with the scent I chose. It's called Flannel Pajamas, and is part of the Winter Wonder collection. Flannel Pajamas has the following adorable scent description:

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I must have one of the largest flannel pj collections around...a rainbow of colors in plaid, stripes, paisley, and even snowmen...they are just so comfy, cozy and oddly inspiring! This unique scent reminds me of my favorite creativity-inspiring, candy-striped pair...fresh, clean cotton melds with sweet, sugary vanilla and cool, crisp air.

I really enjoy this scent! While I chose it knowing it is different and much lighter than my usual taste, I think it's a great scent for the hair products. I also used the perfume when I got out of the shower, and it's very lovely. It smells so fresh and clean- the perfect 'fresh' scent. It's more complex than a typical 'clean' or 'vanilla' fragrance, as it has the different layers of cotton, vanilla, and clean air. I get the freshness at first, with the vanilla taking a back seat; but the vanilla comes out rather quickly and unifies with the fresh notes in a very beautiful way. It really is like wearing a fresh pair of flannel pajamas- fresh, cozy, and comforting! I like it!

The shampoo and conditioner are very wonderful. They come with a pump, which I like a lot. The honey olive shampoo cleaned my hair very well. Since I have bangs, my hair gets oily where the bangs are if I don't wash it daily, so it's nice that this shampoo didn't seem harsh one bit. The conditioner also worked well. One way I 'judge' a conditioner is by the ease in which the comb goes through once the conditioner is applied. I know it sounds weird! The conditioner also seemed to make my hair soft and nice. While it's not a deep conditioner like my Soulmate treatment from Cocoa Pink, it works better than regular run of the mill conditioner and is absolutely perfect for daily use. Also, there are not any bad ingredients like SLS or parabens in these products, which I think is important :)

Additionally, I was kindly given a whole lot of samples with my order. I received a total of 8 samples, and each one was a different kind of lotion or body treatment with a different scent. Very awesome!

Above: Samples!

Before I go, I want to thank Amanda for telling me about Lathers and Lights. She is super sweet, and she has a wonderful blog! Thanks Amanda! 

Also, thank you guys so much for being here and reading my blog. All of your sweet comments seriously put a smile to my face and truly make my day. You are all awesome, and I've really enjoyed reading your blogs as well :)

This zombie's signing off for now. Have a good one!

DISCLAIMER: All items mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with/compensated by any of the companies mentioned. As always, all opinions are my own and completely honest!

 

 

Sickness and Randomness

Well, my boyfriend and I seemed to have caught that crazy flu that's been going around. He was absolutely burning up this morning, poor thing. So we ended up not going to the family reunion because neither of us were feeling good and we didn't want to infect a bajillion people because that just wouldn't be cool. We both work with kids, so I'm 99 percent sure that's where the germ culprit lies. Ground zero, if you will.

I don't like to advertise reddit because it gives off a really douchy, hipster vibe that I'm not into, but I cannot deny that some of the subreddits are my guilty pleasure when I'm bored. Awhile ago, I found this story on reddit by the username 1000 vultures, and it was really good! I actually found it in the subreddit nosleep, a place where people write about scary stories and experiences. Some stories are true, others are not; but a lot of them are fun to read no matter what. The one I'm referring to is fiction, and it's really well written. It's so good that a lot of users urged the author (Dathan Auerbach) to publish it- and he did! He called it Penpal, and he added some length and fixed it up a bit in the published version. I bought it on iBooks, and I have no regrets. It's absolutely intoxicating. It's nice to have, too; as I lie here in bed being miserably sick ;(

Above- Penpal by Dathan Auerbach

This morning, I tried my new shampoo and conditioner I ordered from Lathers and Lights, and I'm really impressed. I really like the scent and both worked really well. I got a perfume with the same scent as the shampoo and conditioner, and I'm happy I did! I will make an official Lathers and Lights post soon.

I hope you all are having a more fortunate weekend than I am. Have a very wonderful day/afternoon/evening, and thanks for reading!

Smoky Mountain Mallow (AKA That Smoky Scent!) Review

I just got home from work with a lovely Solstice Scents package waiting for me in the mailbox. It was a delightful way to end a long week (even though I cheated and knew it was coming via USPS tracking). And I am very happy to say that it is a wonderful smoky/fireside smell that is likely to make your heart sing if smoky smells are up your alley!

Upon cold sniff, I smelled the marshmallow/sweet note with a teeny bit of the smokey fireplace smell in the background. Then upon initial application, it completely transformed. The marshmallow smell went away entirely, and I smelled full blown smoke- like that amazing smoke smell you get from a campfire. I grew up camping a lot, so that smell brings back tons of great memories like having sticky s'mores and listening to my dad tell ghost stories. He had a famous story that my friends and I begged for every time- Miramar Mama. My dad is an amazing story teller, so he told this a lot better than I'm about to; but I'll give you the gist. He said he was about 17 and driving with his friends in California. They were in an old VW van, low on gas, and hopelessly lost in the middle of nowhere. A perfect start to any horror story, right? Anyway, they came across this creepy little shack in the middle of nowhere. I use the term shack because it was so small and disheveled, the word 'house' wouldn't be right. At this point, my dad and his buddies were creeped out, because here was this run down little shack that had glowing light inside and the door was wide open. They were certainly apprehensive, but they were also in a bad situation; so they made their way to the weird shack. The first thing they noticed was that upon walking in, the room they stepped foot in was a makeshift dining room. They knew this because there was a table with a bunch of plates on it. But the plates were not empty. There were old, rotten chicken bones on top of the plates; and the smell was putrid. The light they had seen from the road was actually a candle, as if someone was in the house. Of course, they were unsure by then whether or not they actually wanted the help of a solitary person that had rotten food right in the living room, but there was something in the corner that made them all freeze in their steps. In the corner of that dining room, there was a corpse of an old woman who looked like she had recently passed away. Her eyes were shut, but the most out of place thing about the woman was that she was pointing north. Her delicate, bony, probably rigor-mortice induced hand literally pointed north with a single yellow fingernail. My dad as his friend were immediately out the door, but something else strange happened that night. They followed the woman's "directions" by heading north- and they found their way back to a familiar road and were finally safe.

Of course, I know now that there was no old lady pointing in a shack. But there was a creepy shack in that situation when my dad was that age, but he said they just kept driving. I still wonder why the lights were on and who lived there. Creepy stuff!

So let's go back to perfume, cause that's why you guys are here! :) On the dry down, Smoky Mountain Mallow still smells like delightful campfire smoke, but with a *hint* of marshmallow to make it less harsh. It's absolutely beautiful, and it gets even better. After 10-20 minutes, it starts smelling like that amazing chimney-smoke smell you get when you're outside and someone is having a fire in their fireplace. I wish I could give you guys a sample whiff through the screen, it's just so freaking awesome. My favorite thing about it is how it transforms from cold sniff to dry down, and every single scent stage is absolutely beautiful.

Above- my photo of Smoky Mountain Mallow :)

Above: Smokey Mountain Mallow

Image Source: Solstice Scents

Now I'm off to get ready for a birthday party! At least I'll smell amazing for it :) 

Also, quick note of things to come: Lathers and Lights haul/first impression; Bath and Body Works SAS haul, and Cocoa Pink haul

Thanks so very much for reading, and have a very wonderful weekend!

DISCLAIMER- All items mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not
affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are always my own and always honest!

Ermahgerd! Indie Perfume Collection!

Quick intro before I tackle this madness: I've been debating on posting my indie perfume collection for quite a while. One of the reasons I haven't done so is I didn't know the best way to organize it. Ultimately, I decided on posting about my perfume oils in this post, and I'll post about my solid scents another time. Oh, and perhaps someday I'll write about my sample vials too...They're a huge mess at the moment. It would be a fun mess to post about though! I wanted you guys to know that *you* are the inspiration behind this post. I got some awesome new readers out of nowhere, and a lot of you are pretty perfume ladies- so I thought this post would be fun for us all! :D I want to thank Dee from http://365daysofsmells.blogspot.com/?m=1 and http://yearofthetightarse.blogspot.com/?m=1 for inspiring me to finally get my butt in gear and do this collection post. She is so amazing, and I wish I would have found her blogs in the blogosphere sooner!

Also, before I get started, please note that from being clumsy (i.e. spilling perfume oil on said perfume oil label) and from bringing my little perfume oils along in my purse, some of them look a little worse for the wear. You'll notice that some of the labels have worn off, and that I have attempted to label some of them with a sharpie. So yeah, some of them look ghetto, and I apologize in advance ;)

*Solstice Scents*

 

Above from L to R: Library, Moonlight on the Grove, Shoikan Grove, Manor, Attic, Snowshoe Pass, and Lace Draped Spectre

My Solstice Scents collection contains some of my very favorite perfume oils. Manor and Library are my absolute favorite scents, and I always go to one of them when I cannot decide on a fragrance. I have raved about Solstice Scents many times, so I'm sure you guys don't need me to do any more gushing here :)

 

 

*Haus of Gloi*

 

Above from L to R: Ghost Puffs, Samhain, Spring Tonic 2, Selkie, and Spider Silk

Next, I have my Haus of Gloi perfume oils. One thing I love about my HoG perfume collection is that I have a scent for basically every season (sans winter). Spring Tonic 2 is the absolute perfect spring scent. It smells so fresh and lovely. I received it as a perfume sample last year with my Valentine order, and I absolutely *had* to purchase a full size because my boyfriend and I were obsessed with it. Selkie is an aquatic, oceany scent that is great for the summer. I don't even blink at any other ocean type of scents because Selkie is just perfect. Growing up, my dad taught me how to surf; so Selkie also makes me smile and brings back great memories of surfing in California. For instance, there was one time a seal poked its cute little head out of the water and looked at me with wonder. Another time, my dad and I rode the same wave! It was awesome and very precious to me, because he cannot surf anymore for medical reasons. Samhain is a perfect autumn fragrance. It is very dark and not for everyone, but I think it is beautiful and that it really evokes the image of a perfect fall afternoon with fallen leaves and dreary skies. Ghost Puffs is a great sweet, marshmallowy scent. Spider Silk is a good 'fresh' scent that I think could be worn all year.

 

*OHWTO- Halloween Scents*

 

Above from L to R: Down a Dark Path, Final Girl, Jack in Black, Hungry Ghost, Gracie, and Dudleyville

Okay, I really went overboard when the OHWTO Halloween collection came out in 2012. Embarrassingly enough, I even got a few solid scents along with these perfume oils. I'm just really, really obsessed with Halloween, and when you mix Halloween with indie collections, I'm all over that shit! Down a Dark Path is my favorite out of this selection. Since I am absolutely terrible at describing scents, I will provide the scent description!

Down a Dark Path: It's where many a good scary story starts. Fresh figs, Dried Leaves, Carnations, Oakmoss, Amber, Sage, Black Pepper, Pumpkin, Vanilla, Pomegranate, Beeswax, Rhubarb, Lavender, and the scent of an unidentifiable animal stalking you in the shadows between the trees.

I got that description here; and you can find the rest of the OHWTO Halloween scent descriptions there if you're curious! :)

*OHWTO- Other Perfume Oils*

 

 

Above from L to R: Finnegan's Folly, I Smell Like a Witch, and Maura

Mae

I think I like all three of these scents equally, if that's even possible. I already did a quick review on Finnegan's Folly here, so I will say no more about that. I Smell Like a Witch is absolutely amazing. It's a pretty unique scent that intrigued me when it first came out at the end of 2011. It was my first One Hand Washes the Other order, and I was very impressed! I love the little back story that goes along with it, and it smells just wonderful. I already did a post on this scent during the summer, so I will again provide the link if you guys are interested- Clicky Clicky!

I bought Maura Mae (with Finnegan's Folly) when OHWTO re-opened their etsy to sell limited quantities of a previous spring collection. Here is the scent description- Maura Mae: With her curls of copper, her twinkling eyes, her sweet smile- this is what they mean when they refer to "The luck of the Irish". A sweet and fruity scent, Maura Mae is strongly apricot, with supporting notes of green clover, tea, cut grass, a sprinkling of field flowers- lily of the valley, violet, lavender, as well as a dash of berries, vanilla bean, and the faintest, tiniest, entirely lady-like nip of whiskey. Source- OHWTO blog

 

*Cocoa Pink*

 

Above from L to R: Fear of Cemetaries, Fear of Halloween, Fear of Pumpkins, Black Cat in the Pumpkin Patch, Fear of Witches, and Fear of Ghosts.

As you can see, Fear of Cemetaries is the only bottle that has gotten any love, and that makes me really sad. I adore the scent, so that's not what makes me sad. The fact that none of the other scents worked for me (and they're all full sizes because I'm a noob) is the saddening factor. Black Cat in the Pumpkin Patch is probably one I'd keep, but the other four were just meh. I really want to find good homes for these guys where they will be loved and not neglected! :( Someday, I will. Someday. Here's the Fear of Cemetaries description from cocoapink.net because I LOVE IT LOTS-
Fear Of Cemeteries (Coimetrophobia) - Cool damp graveyard dirt with a single white carnation placed cautiously against an old granite headstone, covered by dying crimson and yellow autumn leaves with a soft whisper of wood smoke carried in a crisp breeze.

*The Morbid the Merrier*

 

 

Above from L to R: Horseman, Morton, and Paramour.

This collection also makes me look like grumpy cat because of all the dramz that went down with TMTM. I won't get into it because there's plenty of places that explain the situation. It just made me sad to see a greatly loved indie company crumble before my eyes. The scent I've worn most is Paramour, because it has notes of blood, red wine,  roses, and gunsmoke (how awesome!) and is very uniquely beautiful. Horseman is my second favorite, though I don't recall the notes. I remember there was something leathery about it that my boyfriend absolutely loved. Morton wasn't bad at all, I was just on the fence about it. I need to whip it out soon to see if age has done it well!

 

*Smell Bent and VApothecary*

 

 

Above from L to R: Ice Station Zebra by Smell Bent, Cemetary Snow by VApothecary

And finally, I have two miscellaneous scents from two different companies. I have already done a post for each of them.  The Ice Station Zebra review can be found right here, while the Cemetary Snow review is over here.

If you are still here, thank you so very much for tagging along with me! I hope this post will be sufficient for the next few days (or until next week) because I have a full week ahead. I'm working nonstop, am attending my boyfriend's nephew's 5th birthday this Thursday, and am going to my boyfriend's family reunion-ish type thing on Saturday! My next couple posts will be on the new Solstice Scents Smoky Mountain Mallow perfume and my Bath and Body Works SAS haul. I'm not sure what day I'll get those up, but let me know what you guys would like to read about first! :)

DISCLAIMER - Every single thang I mentioned in this post was purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. My opinions are always my own and always honest!

Easy Makeup!

I, for one, do not like waking up in the mornings. I love the sunrise, the birds chirping, the stillness, and all the beauty that mornings come with; I just don't like the actual waking up part. I am a grumpy asshole in the morning. Anyway, I like to do easy makeup when possible, because I'd rather be enjoying my morning than trying to get my eyeshadow shaped and blended. Therefore, I opt for winged liner and a crapton of mascara, and I like how it turns out.

So... these pictures are going to be awkward as hell because I don't really take pictures of myself and I forget how to 'human'... but yeah, here's pictures of my makeup :D

I'm pretending to have big eyes. I look dumb as hale, but I like how my makeup looks here, so I swallowed mah pride and posted this anyway.

 

Jordana Fabuliner in Black

Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Pure in the inner corners of my lid

A LOT of Maybelline Cat Eyes mascara

MAC Matchmaster Foundation in 1

MAC Studio Sculpt powder in NC15

MAC blush in Pink Swoon

 

 

What do you guys like to use for an every day makeup look? :)

 

Thanks for reading, and have a lovely weekend!

 

DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always 100% honest.

Teeny Weeny Lush Haul and Thoughts

I know there are a ton of Lushies out there, but I'm indifferent to Lush. I've only ordered from Lush twice before, and it was quite a few years back. I did like two of the things I've previously gotten: the Mask of Magnaminty and the Tisty Tosty bath bomb. Both were really nice, and I even reordered the latter for this haul. The reason I'd consider myself indifferent to Lush is because I'd rather support indie companies, and because Lush's prices are a bit steep in my opinion.

There are a lot of staples in my daily hair care routine, and I'm quickly running out of most of them. Though I've ordered backups, the backups won't be here before I run out. Therefore, I needed a little bit of hair ~thangs~ to get me through. I ordered Ice Blue shampoo and Okra conditioner for my hair. I also got the Tisty Tosty bath bomb to spoil myself with a relaxing scented bath full of miniature roses.

Above from L to R: Okra conditioner, Ice Blue shampoo, and Tisty Tosty bath bomb.

 

The following will be a breakdown of my thoughts about Ice Blue and Okra:

What I liked:

*I think both Ice Blue and Okra worked fairly well.
*Ice Blue made my hair squeaky clean.
*Okra smelled really fresh, like mountains with a field of herbs nearby. The scent even lingered in my hair for hours.
*The company doesn't test on animals- a rarity for mainsteam companies these days! Even MAC succombed to animal testing, but I digress...

 

What I didn't like:

*Both products contain both SLS and parabens. Whyyyy?
*They were both expensive. Rach of them costed $9.95 for only 3.3 oz of product.
*Ice Blue smelled a bit medicinal to me.

Final Thoughts: I don't necessarily regret my Lush purchases, but this wasn't my absolute favorite haul in the world. I'm happy to have the shampoo and conditioner to get me through until my regulars get here. I'm also happy to have the bath bomb to look forward to. Though I am mainly a shower girl, I do enjoy the ocassional bath for my relaxation and wellbeing.

Do you guys like Lush? If so, what are your favorite Lush products?

As always, thank you so much for reading! Have a marvelous day!

DISCLAIMER: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always 100% honest.

Nostalgia: Dream Angels- Heavenly

My boyfriend's parents were so kind to me for Christmas. One of the presents they got me was a Victoria's Secret perfume sampler set. This was such a cool present because it included *the* perfume that I mainly wore in high school- Dream Angels: Heavenly. Just a whiff brings back some awesome memories for me. I probably distributed a scent cloud of Heavenly wherever I walked at that time. I had the shower gel, the body spray, the lotion, and the perfume. I actually have a spritz on my wrist right now, and the nostalgia is overwhelming!

There are two main things Heavenly reminds me of: Lord of the Rings and my best friend, Rachel. I know that sounds obscure, so allow me to elaborate. I had a lot of issues with depression in high school, and Lord of the Rings really helped me in a positive way. The first time I saw The Fellowship of the Ring, I was absolutely hooked. I was visiting my relatives in Missouri at the time, and I actually bought all three books because:  a) I loved the movie so freaking much and b) I could not wait a year at a time for the following movies- I had to know what happened next!

My room was pretty much covered in various Lord of the Rings posters. It looked pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. I made word shadows out of regular paper inside my lamp that said, "In Dreams" because those words were lyrics from a song on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

Lord of the Rings was so important at that time in my life because, even though I hid it well, I was dealing with really severe depression. As silly as it sounds, looking forward to The Two Towers and Return of the King really helped me cope with my depression. It was nice to think about the lands of Middle Earth (my favorites were the Shire, Rivendell, and the Grey Havens) and to get lost in another world for awhile.

As I mentioned, the other thing Heavenly perfume reminds me of is my best friend, Rachel. We met in P.E. when I was a freshman and she was a junior. I was wearing a Glittery Willy Wonka shirt with huge raver pants with a rainbow across my butt in thread, and she had amazingly bright red hair (think Manic Panic red). We were both so nervous, and neither of us knew anyone. Me because I was a freshman, her because she was new in town. We both complimented each other (she complimented my shirt, I complimented her hair), and laughed when we came to the realization that we had the same name that was spelled the same exact way.

I still remember the first day Rachel and I hung out outside of school. I was excited because I got the cheesy Otter Pops watch I ordered in the mail, and I was also thrilled to have a new friend over. I got on my guitar and played "Santeria" by Sublime while we both sang the song. We recorded that song on a cassette tape and laughed our asses off while we let my parents hear it. We had an amazing day, and it felt great to connect with a new friend.

Rachel and I were inseparable after that day. We had countless sleepovers listening to Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, and Sublime while staying up late talking about everything. The obstacles she had overcome in her life really intrigued me. She could talk for hours and I'd never be bored. It was awesome. When my parents took me camping out of town, Rachel came with me. She was a huge part of my life!

Of course, Rachel graduated two years earlier than I did. She got a job and lived with one of our friends for a while. However, she ended up moving to Washington not long after that, and I was absolutely devastated. I don't think either of our parents understood our connection or how sad we were about Rachel moving, but that didn't surprise me.

As I reached the end of my senior year, I was getting ready to graduate. We had to rehearse in another school's gym because I went to high school on a college campus my senior year. When I got in the parking lot and starting walking toward the gym, I saw a girl quickly walking toward me while staring at me strangely. I didn't want to make eye contact and have it be awkward, but I finally realized that I KNEW the weirdo and that she was my best friend, Rachel! My parents flew her out for my graduation and vacation afterward. That was seriously the best present I ever received. We probably jumped and hugged for two minutes straight!

Rachel got me a Dream Angels: Heavenly gift set for my graduation, so that special memory of having my best friend there will always stick with me (particularly when I sniff that perfume).

Above: Victoria's Secret mini size of Dream Angels-Heavenly along with Biblo Baggins

 

 

Above: Gandalf and Victoria's Secret mini size of Dream Angels-Heavenly

Scent Description from Victoria's Secret via: http://mobi.victoriassecret.com/beauty/fragrance/heavenly-eau-de-parfum-dream-angels?ProductID=5697&CatalogueType=OLS&search=true
"Capture the radiance. Live the dream. Love the romance of Dream Angels fragrance. Luminous and sensual, Dream Angels Heavenly glows in luxurious warmth. White musk, sandalwood, vanilla and white peony. Domestic."

My question for you guys is what your favorite scents are that bring back memories? If you don't have one, what's one of your favorite memories in general of high school?

DISCLAIMER: The product mentioned was purchased for me as a gift. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always honest.

My (really detailed) Hair Care Routine

Once upon a time, there was an angsty teenage princess whose hair was free from all things detrimental. Unfortunately, 8 years of extreme color changes made her hair heart-wrenchingly hopeless. After buying countless lotions and potions that promised her the world but ceased to change anything but her bank account status, the princess decided to accept defeat and the fact that her hair was simply beyond repair.

But this fairy tale does have a happy ending. Today, the adult version of our young princess is here to tell you about some things that have helped give her hope for her hair's future!


Before I get into the nitty gritty details of my hair care, I want to add a little disclaimer. I am (obviously) NOT a doctor. If you are concerned about any medical issues you may have, I highly advise seeking a licensed healthcare professional. Also, please note that everyone's hair and body chemistry is quite different, so what worked for me might not work for you (just as what works for you might not work for me). However, I did want to share what has helped me with my hair situation in case it might help someone else out there. :)

The first thing I want to talk about is vitamins and minerals. Both are immensely important for your body to function correctly, and they're even important for the health of your hair. If you are deficient in certain substances your hair needs, it does NOT matter what fancy mask or conditioner you use on it- it will look and feel like crap. And that was one of my main problems. A few years ago, I got my blood tested and found out I had iron deficiency anemia. Without going into too much personal detail, my anemia got a lot worse for me recently- which was really scary. So I simply put myself on iron supplements, and I feel like a new person. I'm not as drained as I used to be (I was always tired no matter how much or little sleep I got) and my hair is amazingly stronger, shinier, and healthier. I also shed a lot of hair before I started taking the iron supplements. My boyfriend would literally pull hair off of my clothes all day from my hair shedding so much. It sucked! Now, barely any of my hair sheds, and it only happens when I brush it. It's pretty interesting how one overlooked mineral has the capacity to make or break your health! If you are curious about iron and the many amazing things it does for your body, I highly recommend reading this article:
http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/health-benefits-of-iron.html

Above: My iron supplement! Non-constipating.... Woohoo!

Next, I will be discussing the hair care products that have worked the best for me. The products I use on my hair are all from a company called Cocoa Pink, which is an indie bath and body company best known for their foodie type of scents. Since I am not a foodie scent enthusiast, I opt for the more obscure ones. I say this because for the products I am about to mention, you can choose any scent from their current catalogue and have said products scented with it! It's a pretty neat concept.

My boyfriend gets a kick out of this first product, which is called Princess Poo shampoo. The scent of this particular bottle is "The Night Before Christmas."
Actually, to save redundancy, all the products I'm about to mention are in the same scent.

According to the website, http://cocoapink.net/pages.php?pageid=6, The Night Before Christmas is described as follows:

"Delicate Douglas Fir boughs adorned with sparkling festive ornaments warmed by flames of a roaring fireplace while bright candy canes rest next to a plate of vanilla laced sugar cookies set out for Santa's arrival."

Princess Poo shampoo works really well for me, and it's SLS and paraben free. What the heck does that mean, you ask? This is what I got from Cocoa Pink's product description of Princess Poo " 'Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate: These cheap, harsh detergents, used in shampoos for their foam-building properties, are also used in car washes, as garage floor cleaners, and as engine degreasers. They are often derived from petroleum and can cause eye irritation, scalp irritation, and tangled hair.' ~onesta"

I used my good friend Google to discover what parabens were. Simply put, parabens are preservatives used in a wide array of foods and cosmetics that deter mold/bacteria. There are some studies that link parabens to negative side effects, such as breast cancer. I retrieved this information here:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-and-lifestyle/parabens.htm
So you can click that link if you're interested in leaning more :)

I like that Princess Poo is free from those harmful ingredients, and I also like how well it works on my hair. It makes my hair clean and soft (not to mention smelling quite lovely). This is definitely my HG shampoo. I've been through a few bottles so far. Depending on the size you choose, Princess Poo shampoo is available on Coco Pink's website from $7.50 to $14.00

Above: Cocoa Pink Princess Poo Shampoo

The next product I use on my hair is Cocoa Pink's Argan Therapy Creme conditioner. I received it as a sample with one of my previous orders, and it made my hair so soft and nice that I immediately purchased a full size. I use it as a daily conditioner, combing it through my hair after shampooing in order to distribute the conditioner evenly. I know Argan oil has been incredibly popular for hair care lines lately, and I am pretty sure it's great for your hair. All I know is that it makes my hair feel great and that it works. This conditioner contains Argan oil and coconut oils. :) The price is either $8.50 or $15.00. Again, it depends on the size you select.

Above: Cocoa Pink Argan Therapy Creme' Conditioner

Moving right along, this product is my absolute favorite hair care product ever. It's called Soulmate Hair Rescue Treatment. A few months ago, I read the product description and decided to give it a shot. I couldn't be more happy that I did. This stuff is seriously like magic. It replenished my dry, tangled hair and literally brought it back from the dead. I use this about once a week to deep condition. Sometimes I use it on my dry hair overnight as an extra deep conditioner, which always leaves my hair even more healthy and soft than it usually is. I always get compliments on my hair when I use this little trick! I'm really sad that I don't have much left, as the website is not processing orders until January 14th. I did order more, but I don't want to run out before then! Unlike the other products I mentioned, this treatment is only available in one size at $14.99. For me at least, it was worth every cent!

Above: Cocoa Pink Soulmate Hair Rescue Treatment

Finally, we've reached the last product I use for my hair health, which is the Anti Frizz Styling Serum. I use a nickel-sized drop on my towel-dried hair and comb it through evenly. I have pretty long hair, so most people probably shouldn't need that much. It really gives my hair a bit of an extra "oomf" when it comes to softness, and it also acts as a heat protectant. I don't blow dry my hair unless I am running late for work, but I do straighten my hair once it's dry; so the heat protectant comes in handy. I've accidentally forgotten to use this product in the past, and I noticed my hair wasn't as soft and shiny. This product is either $6.00 for 2 oz. or $14.99 for 4.5 oz.

Above: Cocoa Pink Anti-Frizz Styling Serum

Everything I mentioned (sans the iron, which I purchased from Whole Foods) can be purchased from Cocoa Pink's website: http://cocoapink.net/home.php
Please keep in mind that you can order stuff right now, but it will not be processed until January 14th. At that time, the TAT is 7-10 business days. I think it's important to mention stuff like that just in case anyone decides to try one of the products I write about.

That was A LOT of stuff to write about, but I certainly hope it helped someone in some way. Even if it didn't, I had fun putting this together!

Please let me know what your Holy Grail hair care products are and/or your hair care routine. As always, thanks for reading!



Disclaimer: All products mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always honest!