Possets Day 7 ~ Silver Violets; Heka

I was pretty close to not posting today. I had an interview, so I didn't wear any perfume. I used my Haus of Gloi butterbomb in A Simple Rose, and that scent lasted on my skin enough to be pleasant but not overpowering. Now that I'm home, I decided to do two Possets reviews for Day 7. Interviews are so emotionally exhausting, and I doubt myself enough as it is without others summing me up in a 10 minute questionnaire. So anyway, I thought it would be fun to talk perfume so I can get my mind in a more pleasant and simplistic reality. Today I'll be reviewing Silver Violets and Heka. Please note the italicized scent descriptions are from the Possets website.

Silver Violets

Imagine the first violets of spring poking their heads up above a thin covering of snow and sparkling with a silvery light. Silver Violets is sweet but refreshing and welcome at any time of the year. Particularly reviving in the heat of summer months. Though violet scents are rather rare anymore, their popularity is enjoying a new vogue. I am particularly proud of this interpretation of this charming blossom. A very popular scent. Characteristics: floral, musky, feminine, scent locket, long lasting.

Cold sniff: Floral, sweet, and musky- really, really musky.

Initial Application/Wet on skin: It's decidedly floral at this stage. The violets are the stars. It's very feminine. I'm quite a fan of musky perfumes, but the musk at this stage is really strong and kind of scaring me away.

Drydown: It's still quite the same. Very sweet, really floral, and extremely musky.

Final Thoughts: Unfortunately, I don't like this perfume. I can definitely see floral lovers going insane for Silver Violets, but it's almost too floral and sweetly musky for me. Something about the notes just don't work for my skin.


Heka

Though the Egyptians didn't have pumpkins as we know them, they probably had gourds, the other members of the pumpkins' family. This perfume starts out with a gourd accord (!) and slides into a fine brew of lavender, oakmoss, and thyme which are twined around a resinous ambery heart. Magical and unexpected.Pretty surprising pairing of different fragrances to make a very solid and beautiful new one.

Cold sniff: So intriguing! The strongest notes from cold sniff are the gourd and lavender.

Initial Application/Wet on skin: There's definitely an herbal air to the perfume at this stage, which I'm assuming is the thyme. With a careful nose, the lavender and oakmoss are also detectable. The gourd accord holds everything together and keeps it interesting.

Drydown: Heka becomes resiny from the amber at this stage. It really is an unexpected fragrance, which ultimately makes it hard to explain. It's also earthy and a bit autumny from the initial gourd. The lavender calms it down, adds a bit of balance and femininity, and makes it downright beautiful.

Final Thoughts: Heka completely made up for the letdown I felt for Silver Violets. Heka is just so interesting, beautiful, unique, and autumnal. It's also extremely comforting, like the first warm cup of cider on the first day of autumn. I just cannot adequately express my adoration for this fragrance coherently. I love the addition of the gourd. Assuming I wasn't poor as hell, this would definitely be a full sizer for me.

Pertinent Links:
Possets Day 1 (The Tisane of the Witch)
Possets Day 2 (Sorrow)
Possets Day 3 (Dark Lady)
Possets Day 4 (The Fascinator)
Possets Day 5 (Death [The Pardoner's Tale])
Possets Day 6 (The Temptress)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)




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 honest. Thanks for reading!

Possets Day 6 ~ The Temptress

I hope these Possets reviews are not completely bugging you guys and clogging up your dashboards. Excluding today's, I have four imps left to sample. I will probably review them in groups of two so that there are only two more posts instead of four.

 Possets description:

This is a dark sparkle like a true temptress. A pink musk provides the fizz and there is an overlay of sweet musk, a brush of lavender (Bulgarian), a bit of fern, and finally a slight bit of amber musk to keep it all going in the desired direction. Very tempting and ripe for falling. Like getting caught with someone you are slightly ashamed of...emboldening.



Image Source- Possets

Cold sniff: I spent quite a bit of time deciphering what exactly I was smelling. At one point, I thought this was a musky, sweet smell from the imp. But my initial guess was a fruity smell, which makes no sense from the description. So I headed to the Possets forum and noticed that the ladies over there were smelling peaches! With another test whiff, I can absolutely verify that it smells like peaches. Sweetly musky, peachy, fizzy, and fun. (that's quite a mouthful!)

Initial Application/Wet on skin: I don't know where that peach note is coming from, but it's definitely still there. The cold sniff translates almost completely to the initial application. It's just more complex now because I can also detect the amber and lavender notes at this stage. It's very pretty and versatile.

Drydown: Oddly enough, I don't really smell much of a difference from initial application to drydown.

Final Thoughts: This is a really fun, lighthearted perfume that I could definitely could have seen myself wearing when I was in high school; but I don't think it's currently for me. It really saddens me to say that because I do like this perfume quite a lot. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the formula, silage, or longevity. It smells wonderful, and it's really cheeky! I honestly just can't justify buying a full size when I know I wouldn't wear it very often. I am going to let it age a bit and test it again, because I want it to work for me :)

Pertinent Links:
Possets Day 1 (The Tisane of the Witch)
Possets Day 2 (Sorrow)
Possets Day 3 (Dark Lady)
Possets Day 4 (The Fascinator)
Possets Day 5 (Death [The Pardoner's Tale])
Possets Day 7 (Silver Violets, Heka)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)

Disclaimer: This perfume was sent to me as a free sample with my purchase from the company. I am not affiliated or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always honest. Thanks for reading!

Possets Day 5 ~ Death (The Pardoner's Tale)

I am officially halfway through my Possets samples as of today! I was thinking about doubling or tripling up on theses reviews since one per day is pretty tedious, but I fell in love with Death (heh) and I thought it deserved its own post without having to share with any other scents.

As always, here's the scent description from Possets:

The Pardoner tells a tale of how 3 men end up killing each other over treasure in an ironic story.

Suave, sophisticated and as final as Death. A dark vetevyr as you have never smelled it before, mixes with smooth thyme and a good jolt of black amber. A faraway touch of incense and a tiny amount of pure smoke. A beautiful offering of the perfumers' art, would be at home on the Champs Elysees in Paris circa 1955.

A Pardoner was a man who was an itinerant preacher and who was allowed by The Church to sell indulgences so that the faithful could get to heaven more easily without a nasty detour through Purgatory.



Image Source- Possets

Cold sniff: Vetiver!

Initial Application/Wet on skin: There is still a very strong vetiver note. It's so beautiful though. Dark, but not too heavy. Additionally, it is grounded by an herbal/grassy smell that I absolutely adore.

Drydown: Death turns into a beautiful combination of smoke and amber. I can also detect the thyme, which makes it so much more interesting and complex. It also has an incensey vibe that I love. Not a teenage room full of incense clouds-type-of-smell, more of a classic and pretty type of incense. Definitely the kind of incense the Pardoner would be selling.

Final Thoughts: This is by far my very favorite scent I've tried from Possets thus far (except Gypsy Grave, I love that one just as much!) I love everything from the title, to the picture, and (of course) the scent itself. It's right up my ally, and I'm so glad I ordered a sample. It will definitely be on my full size list when I get around to being able to make my next Possets purchase. I love that Death isn't too heavy, as it may seem to be from the scent description. I wore it to work today, and it was not too strong or too subtle. It was absolutely perfect.

Pertinent Links
Possets Day 1 (The Tisane of the Witch)
Possets Day 2 (Sorrow)
Possets Day 3 (Dark Lady)
Possets Day 4 (The Fascinator)
Possets Day 6 (The Temptress)
Possets Day 7 (Silver Violets; Heka)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)


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 honest.

Possets Day 4 ~ The Fascinator

We have reached Day 4 of Possets perfume reviews! Today I have decided to try The Fascinator. It's still dark out and I don't have time to take pretty outside pictures before work, so I have boring dining room table pictures. :(


What Possets says:

Something to tickle your nose and drive you wild. This one is pretty dry but sparkling, very high-key bright crystalline musk combined with a more emollient backup musk, a good spritz of sandalwood, and a small amount of cedar and rosewood. This is very sexy indeed, and grown up. Nothing foody about Fascinator, but it is seductive as it can be. A great novelty for this droopy time of the year.

Image Source - Possets

Cold sniff: I'm officially stumped at this stage. Something floral/musky/powdery.

Initial application/Wet on Skin: I think I've discovered the mystery smell, because it's quite strong upon initial application. It's the musks! The light musks in this blend make for a bit of a powdery blend, though the rose and sandalwood sweeten it up.

Drydown: Hello, cedar! I am happy to say the cedar finally showed up to the party. The musks are still there, as they have been from the get go. However, they aren't as strong as the sandal and rosewoods. It really is quite a fascinating perfume. The musks make it unique and unlike any perfume I've encountered before.

Final Thoughts: This would be perfect for a warm summer day, and there will be a plethora of those really quite soon. Like the description said, this is definitely a grown up type of scent; though I'm finding that to be true on the majority of Possets I've tried so far. Additionally, I think this perfume makes for a good bedtime scent. I wore it to bed and found it really rather comforting. I'd like to re-test this perfume after some time passes. I think I need more time with it before I really decide on it. It hasn't won my heart quite yet, but I still think it has potential. We'll see how it fares on a summer day when I need a powdery, beautiful scent to ground me and distract me from this desert!

Pertinent Links

Possets Day 1 (The Tisane of the Witch)
Possets Day 2 (Sorrow)
Possets Day 3 (Dark Lady)
Posset's Day 5 (Death [The Pardoner's Tale])
Possets Day 6 (The Temptress)
Possets Day 7 (Silver Violets; Heka)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)




Disclaimer: The perfume mentioned was a free sample with my purchase. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and honest.

Possets Day 3 ~ Dark Lady

Happy Sunday! It actually has been anything but a happy weekend with all the nasty wind we've been having. Wind is a terrible form of weather, and I do not want to be its friend. It ruins everything from hair dos to what could have been a lovely weekend picnic. Oh, and it also ruins my products photos. Bleh!

Today is day 3 of my Possets perfume reviews! Since the wind has put me in a crappy mood, I decided on reviewing another dark fragrance today- Dark Lady, in fact.

From the Possets website:

This was discontinued at one time, but I found an alternate source for the component which was taken off the market. It was a popular blend and I am glad it's back. When I was a child, I used to have a recurring nightmare of a woman dressed in black walking through a graveyard. She wore and outfit from the 1890's a long dress and a large veiled hat with pigeon wings on it. She had a furled parasol which she used as a walking stick. I could see only her silhouette as she picked her way through the tombstones. I got the definite impression of leather, black finery, heavy perfume, high status, and magnificent sorrow. She is a staple in the Jungian lexicon of characters who appear to sleepers and I made a fragrance which should present her to you just as I saw her as a child. A bright, bitter, dry, chypre-type of a scent, void of sweetness but very beautiful. Lavender, neroli, moss, earth, clove, and a light touch of vetiver. Very refined.

Image Souce- Possets

Cold Sniff: Uhh, the imp was hard to open and I ended up accidentally breaking it. Why me?! The lavender is very strong at this point. I also detect the neroli.

Wet on skin: I smell the earthiness to this blend, though the citrus (neroli) note is still there and it's being annoyingly overpowering. I hope it settles down once we reach the drydown. Go away, neroli note! You and wind can be friends on a deserted island where you can't bother anyone anymore!

Drydown: The oakmoss is coming out, making the neroli a bit easier to live with. The clove is also making an appearance now. The neroli is still there though. It doesn't want to leave.

Final Thoughts: As I'm sure you could easily guess, the neroli is what killed this perfume for me. I think I would have really enjoyed this blend sans neroli. It still is pretty, and I really like the concept and the dream behind the perfume. Just not a full-sizer for me. The oakmoss actually overpowers everything else once the perfume settles for about an hour, which I like. But still, I have enough oakmoss perfumes in my stash to be content. :)

Sudden change of subject- mah boyfriend  worked on making me a signature the past couple days, and he's done! If you didn't know, he also made my banner. So here's my new signature!




Pertinent Links
Possets Day 1 (The Tisane of the Witch)
Possets Day 2 (Sorrow)
Possets Day 4 (The Fascinator)
Possets Day 5 (Death [The Pardoner's Tale])
Possets Day 6 (The Temptress)
Possets Day 7 (Silver Violets; Heka)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)


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 honest!

Thank You, Dee!

Not long ago, I was telling Dee (365 Days of Smells, Miss Prissypants) how bad I wanted to try Twyla; but that I had a hard time deciding what to sample. I usually know what I'll probably enjoy (let's be real, I enjoy a lot of perfumes), but for whatever reason, I didn't even know where to start. Dee totally took me off guard when she told me she'd send me some Twyla samples that she was done testing. I thought that was so sweet and generous of her! Since I've been wanting to send her some OHWTO anyway, and I don't like taking without giving, I sent her a little perfume package that you can see in this post.

I was shocked to open the package and see all the wonderful perfumes that Dee sent my way. She was more than generous, and l am so grateful for her kindness. By the way, it's been disgustingly windy since yesterday, so I wasn't able to set these up with a serene background like I usually attempt to do. I'd hate for all my new samples to scatter across the front yard in an angry burst of wind!

Here is a list of what Dee sent me (this is for my curious and lovely buddy, Nadja!)

Trilogy rosehip oil
Midnight Gypsy - Screamin' Mimi
Enchanticals - The Fat Lady
Enchanticals - Mermaid Cove
Enchanticals - Levesque Burlesque
BPAL - Dirty
Delightful Rot - 67 Chevy Impala
Delightful Rot - Boba
Firebird - Snowdrift
Nevermore Body Company - Vaudeville
Nevermore Body Company - Madame
Black Baccara - Black Lace
Black Baccara - Alice's Tea Party
Possets - Pomona
BPAL - A Murder of Crows
BPAL - Amsterdam
Midnight Gypsy - Boudoir
Alchemic Muse - Deadwood
Twyla - Only Alice
Twyla - Breathless
Twyla - Lirrit
Twyla - The Golden Lilies
Twyla - Soma
Boondock G Soapery - Nyx




Cheese ball alert ahead!

I am so glad I am able to know all of you wonderful ladies through Blogger. You are all such sweet people. Because of you guys, I now look forward to going on Blogger to see what you all are up to and to tell you about what products I've been trying. You make what was once a way to pass time into something I absolutely enjoy spending my time on. I'm glad that I've met each and every one of you! You've really put a beating heart into all of this, and you ladies make me smile so much! So thank you!

Dee, I can't thank you enough for your super duper awesome perfume package. I can't wait to try these scents! I know my package to you truly pales in comparison... I really thought I had more samples than I actually do D: To make it up to you, here is a fluffy behbah panda!

Possets Day 2 ~ Sorrow

Day two of my Possets perfume reviews is already here! As Borat (Sasha Baron Cohen) would say, "Waa Waa Wee Waa!" At random, I decided I would review Sorrow today. Sorrow was one of the four frimps so generously included in my order.

Bottling such a complex emotion seems like quite the task. I wouldn't be able to come up with any perfume oil blend that could describe the feeling of sorrow, when your insides become numb with sadness and your mind falls to the darkest of thoughts.

So let's see what Possets says about this blend!

A grounded, serene, stately perfume carrying all of the dignity of a funereal vision. Galbanum and chypre (which I made from scratch), a hint of a dry amber. This is a deep and long lasting highly sophisticated blend which mirrors the gravity of the sad ending to Dark Matter. It is a perfume for special occasions, serious matters and is strangely alluring.

Cold Sniff: This is very, very beautiful at cold sniff. I honestly don't even know what I'm smelling despite the slight amber note that's apparent.

Initial Application/Wet on skin: To be completely honest, I've never even heard of Galbanum or chypre. So I did a quick Wiki search, and I realized that I probably smelling the Galbanum at this stage. Without cheating on Wikipedia, I would have told you guys that I was smelling a decidedly floral note that I've definitely never had the pleasure of experiencing before. The chypre is a harder note to pinpoint based on its complexity and ways in which it can be used. So if I were to completely dumb this whole thing down, I would say that Sorrow smells like a musky floral scent upon initial application. However, I 'd hate to say it like that, because it's definitely so much more. It's very sophisticated and pretty.

Drydown: There is a strong earthy aspect to sorrow at this point. I still smell what I think is the Galbanum, but also an earthy oakmoss note. It's absolutely a funeral type of scent that I'm always so fond of. It is definitely a night scent or a perfume for special occasions, not that I wouldn't wear it in the daytime; it's just a bit heavy for daily usage.

Final Thoughts: I love smelling perfume that contains notes I've never sniffed before! Though I feel incapacitated when it comes to reviewing such scents, it definitely helps me learn for the future and develop my scent memory. Floral and musk haters probably should avoid Sorrow. I really enjoy it though- it is a very beautiful perfume (definitely a "grown up" scent) that truly does evoke an air of sadness and sorrow. I also enjoy the picture on the imp- it's very appripos!

Well that's day two! I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday that isn't full of sorrow (unless it's the perfume oil, cause then you'd smell so pretty!), but lots of happiness and good times!

See you tomorrow with day three!

~Rachel


Pertinent Links:
Possets Day 1 (The Tisane of the Witch)
Possets Day 3 (Dark Lady)
Possets Day 4 (The Fascinator)
Possets Day 5 (Death [The Pardoner's Tale])
Possets Day 6 (The Temptress)
Possets Day 7 (Silver Violets; Heka)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)


DISCLAIMER: The perfume oil mentioned was a free sample provided with my purchase from the company. I'm not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are always my own and honest.

Possets Day 1 ~ The Tisane of the Witch

Ello! So yesterday, I talked about doing one Possets perfume review each day until I run out of samples. Today is officially day one of my maelstrom of Possets sample reviews! I decided to start with The Tisane of the Witch.

Scent description from Possets:

The Tisane of the Witch:
A cozy tea party amongst the witches. They chortle and gossip about what they are going to wear and what they are going to do at Halloween. They plan this for the whole year and when they get together they try to outdo each other with such a fancy spread, such exotic teas, such dainty pastries, such infinate care lavished on each detail of the tea that you can, without much problem, forget totally why you came and surrender to this magic hedonism. A variety of teas from the darkest black to quite white with the pastries, cream, herbs, sugar, and butter necessary for a proper tea display. Great fun and very witchy. spicy, foody, gourmand, sweet.

Cold sniff- I definitely smell tea and pastries. Possibly more than one variety of tea, though I am not absolutely sure.

Initial application/wet on skin- I mainly get white tea, with perhaps some delicious pastries to sweeten it up a bit (which make their presence in more of a buttery note). There's something about this perfume that makes it a distinct "Possets scent." I'm not sure if it's the dryness, which is how the owner describes her perfumes, but I quite like it!

Drydown- A comforting blend of beautiful cups of tea (both black and white), fluffy, buttery pastries, and a bit of a spice.

Final Thoughts- I'm definitely NOT a foody scent type of girl, but this scent has seemed to bewitch me (teehee, see what I did there?) I think the fact that the tea notes are much stronger than the foody notes is what wins me over. I've mentioned that this perfume is comforting during the drydown- and comforting is the main adjective I'd use to describe The Tisane of the Witch. It's definitely a perfume I'd need to be in the mood for. I can definitely see myself wearing this on rainy days, as what could be more comforting on a dreary day than a warm cup of tea? Speaking of tea, you can take a peek inside my tea cabinet over here!

I'll see you guys tomorrow morning with Possets Day 2! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and thank you for reading!

~Rachel


Pertinent Links:
Possets Day 2 (Sorrow)
Possets Day 3 (Dark Lady)
Possets Day 4 (The Fascinator)
Possets Day 5 (Death [The Pardoner's Tale])
Possets Day 6 (The Temptress)
Possets Day 7 (Silver Violets; Heka)
Possets Day 8 (Lavender Corset; Washington)

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 honest.

My First Possets

Ever since Amanda was kind enough to send me imps of BPAL and Possets perfume, I've been wanting to buy from both companies. I made my first Possets purchase on Sunday, and it has already arrived (four days later)!

I ordered a full size of Gypsy Grave because I knew I loved it from Amanda's imp. Additionally, I ordered a choose-your-own sample six pack.

When I opened the envelope, I thought that my order might have gotten mixed up. I kept pulling out the samples, and the samples weren't the ones I ordered. Well, it turns out that the owner didn't just add 2 free imps, she added FOUR. More than generous, it was. And it is very appreciated by me!

So instead of making a huge post on my first impressions of Possets perfume, I thought it would be MUCh more fun and easier to read if I reviewed one perfume imp per day! So tomorrow morning, I will have a Possets perfume review up, and one per day after that, until I am out of samples! :)

The samples I ordered are:
Dark Lady
Death (The Pardoner's Tale)
Heka (Magic)
Lavender Corset
Silver Violets
The Tisane of the Witch

The frimps I received are:
The Temptress
The Fascinator
Washington
Sorrow

Let me know if you guys are interested about any of the perfumes I listed from this order, as I will review those first for you. :)

A Peek Inside my Tea Cabinet!

I know some of us have confessed our adoration for tea, which isn't surprising considering the fact that we love things that smell nice! You can view Nadja's tea collection over here, it's awesome and makes mine look puny!

Tea is great because it smells wonderful, tastes fantastic, and can provide a whole slew of health benefits. I will warn you now that this will probably be a long and picture-heavy post, so it won't be for you if tea isn't your... cup of tea, hurr hurr.

I'm going to organize this like my perfume collection post (by brand), but first I'll show you my tea cabinet itself because it's cute!


I got the little button from Nut and Bee, a stationary store based in New Zealand. Sadly, the owner closed the store, so I can't link it for you guys :(

First tea company up is Teavana!

~Teavana~

Tea descriptions are from Teavana.


Lavender Dreams tea in the most awesome container on the planet!

Lavender Dreams:
Enjoy a relaxing evening with this delicate white tea infused with the tranquility only lavender can create. Sweet floral enriched dreams are just a cup away with aromatic lavender blossoms, candied violets, rose buds, and sweet peach. A magical lullaby of soft, silky, smoothness awaits in every sip of this peaceful, dreamy blend.



Next is Teavana's Tranquil Dream, Strawberry Paraiso, and Azteca Fire teas.

Tranquil Dream:
Relax as comfort inducing Egyption chamomile mixes with lemongrass and hibiscus. Curl up in your favorite comfy blanket sipping orange blossoms and pleasant mint that will have you relaxed and ready for a night of the sweetest dreams.

Strawberry Paraiso:
Shangri-la awaits in every sip of tempting strawberries, papaya with snowy white popcorn. This paradise of soft white tea is a skyward temple to 'superfruits'. SUPERFRUIT ENHANCED

Azteca Fire:
Gorgeous feather headdresses, exquisite turquoise jewels and the famed Latin cocoa and spicy chilies were all used as money to satisfy Aztecan nobility. This tea is a drink worthy of the gods with the taste of hand-dipped chocolate- covered strawberries emboldened with a kick of chilies that summon the Aztecs favorite luxuries. Each sip is as decadent as the last in this tasty, chocolaty treat.

Last in my Teavana collection is White Ayurvedic Chai.



Both these containers contained White Ayurvedic Chai. Presently, both are sadly empty; waiting to be refilled when I'm not so poor :(

White Ayurvedic Chai
Journey to India and take in all its exotic pleasures with this modern twist on a sweet and spicy classic. High quality white tea combines with cinnamon, coconut, pineapple, ginger, cardamom, and cloves giving this tea complex, sweet, full-bodied flavor. This proud chai's aroma and spicy flavors deliver a melange of deliciousness sip after heavenly sip. CONTAINS NUTS.

This is possibly my most favorite tea I've ever had. It smells heavenly and tastes even better. It's perfect for fall, but I'd drink it every single day if I had the money to. I really miss this tea!

I have a bittersweet relationship with Teavana. On one hand, I absolutely adore Teavana. Their teas are generally outstanding and well made. The employees seem like they truly care about their customers and try to help them to find the right tea (based on flavor and health benefits). However, the tea is absurdly overpriced, which sucks. It's also not as convenient to purchase as local supermarket teas. Lastly, I can tell the employees are pressured to up-sell customers like crazy. Not everyone needs a tin container or cast iron tea pot! I know that's more of a corporate fail than anything. The big wigs gotta make their millions while us peons slave away at minimum wage! ;)

~Celestial Seasonings~

Tea Descriptions are from Celestial Seasonings.



Nutcracker Sweet, Sleepytime, and Green teas.

Nutcracker Sweet:
Irresistibly delicious black tea with vanilla, nutty flavors and a pinch of cinnamon.

Sleepytime:
A soothing blend of chamomile, spearmint and lemongrass, Sleepytime® is the most beloved of our herbal tea recipes.

Green tea:
An authentic green tea with the best of both worlds: green tea benefits like flavonoid antioxidants and great taste.

Sleepytime is definitely one of my favorite teas. I love to drink it before bedtime and just when I need to relax. And the bears on the packaging are so dang cute! My only complaint is that the tilia flowers in this tea make me have to pee every two seconds!



Top- Mandarin Orange Spice
Bottom L to R- Candy Cane Lane, Madagascar Vanilla, and Tension Tamer.

Mandarin Orange Spice:
With an aromatic blend of oranges, herbs and spices, this herbal tea has a distinctively Eastern flair.

Candy Cane Lane:
Our smooth decaf green tea with the festive flavors of vanilla and other holiday tastes.

I'm sad about Candy Cane Lane. I've had it in the past and quite enjoyed it, but it contains an ingredient I'm not supposed to have with the medication I'm taking :( Shame on me for not reading the ingredients!

Madagascar Vanilla:
Authentic rooibos tea with rich vanilla flavor for a sweet twist on your everyday red tea blend.

Tension Tamer:
A traditional ginger tea with a tranquil twist from chamomile, eleuthero and B-vitamins.

Other Brands

Republic of Tea product description is from their website
Tazo product descriptions are from here


Republic of Tea- Get Relaxed, Tazo Earl Grey (I stash this one in a Mickey Mouse tea tin), and Tazo Zen

Get Relaxed:
Herb Tea for Relieving Stress - Stressed out and feeling kind of edgy? Join the club. Ours is a fast-paced, demanding world. The good news is this caffeine-free, herbal blend delivers composure in a tea cup - if only you'll take a moment to brew and sip.

The mood-mellowing begins instantly with the calming aromas of lavender and rose petals gently wafting up from the steaming cup. Ahhhh. With each sip, a blissful blend of health-promoting organic rooibos laced with nerve-soothing chamomile and passionflower, along with stress reducing eleuthero root that helps you chill out, unbend and unwind*. Simply brew and breathe. Deep.

Earl Grey:
Black tea kissed with bergamot’s lavender essence.

Zen:
An enlightening blend of green teas with spearmint and lemony flavors.


Only two more to go!

The Red Rose product description was retrieved here, while the Traditional Medicinals description was found here


Red Rose black tea, Traditional Medicinals Chamomile Lavender tea

Red Rose:
For generations, family and friends have shared some of life's special moments over a cup of Red Rose Tea. With a unique blend that has been enjoyed for over 100 years, Red Rose brings together premium tea leaves from the world's finest mountain estates for consistent quality and great taste. Like the people that matter most in matter most in your life, it's one more thing that you can always count on to be there for you.

Chamomile Lavender:
A friend when the going gets tough, this herbal blend of beautiful and fragrant flowers with soothing lemon balm will stand by you when you’re troubled by nervous tension or upset stomach,* or simply when you need to step out of the stream of life for a moment and take a well-deserved break. We love this dynamic trio of gentle herbs for their ability to help you slow down and savor the moment.

I'm going to end this post immediately, as that was immensely long. I hope it was fun though! Thanks for reading!

~Rachel

Disclaimer: All items mentioned were purchased by me for my own personal usage. I'm not being paid by any of the companies mentioned. I'm also not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. As always, my opinions are my own and honest.

False Nostalgia ~ Winter is Coming

Not long ago, the lovely Nadja from La Domna wrote about some awesome Game of Thrones inspired perfumes right here. Not only did she influence me to start reading the first book in the series, she also inadvertantly motivated me to purchase one of the perfumes she posted about: Winter is Coming by False Nostalgia. False Nostalgia is an awesome etsy store that makes soaps and perfume oils inspired by fandom books and series such as Hunger Games, Doctor Who, and (of course) Game of Thrones! I think it's such a neat concept. Their etsy store has quite a variety of fragrances at incredibly affordable prices. Winter is Coming came in a 7ml rollerball for only $7.95 USD.

The following is the scent description from False Nostalgia:

Winter is coming: The scent of the North.
A cold woodland breeze, icy snow, Weirwoods, and moss with smoke and ash.

Above- Winter is Coming by False Nostalgia

Upon cold sniff, I detect an earthy, sexy moss (oakmoss?) note, along with a bit of smoke to liven things up.

Initial application is to die for. Is it possible to smell a cold woodland breeze in a perfume? I don't know, but this is what I suspect it would smell like. I am honestly taken to the harsh, icy lands of Winterfell with direwolves howling in the distance. Even at this stage, I am certain this would be classified as a masculine scent; but it would be an absolute crime for us ladies to miss out on such sexiness!

The drydown features the smoke note, perhaps from a fleeting fire to keep unlucky wanderers warm. Every stage of this scent truly captures what I imagine Winterfell would smell like: Cold, harsh, and foreboding (to say the least).

The smoky scent fades to ash, like it truly would during winter in such a harsh environment. I also get a snowy note, or what I assume to be the snow. Of course, the snow is likely what put out the life-saving fire!

I cannot praise this perfume enough. I know I have a lot of positive reviews, but this is already without a doubt up there in my gallery of favorite scents. The shop owner is truly a talented person, and I would absolutely purchase from False Nostalgia in the future!

Now, I am eager to read the next chapter of the book! Thanks for reading, and I hope you had a wonderful Tuesday!

~Rachel

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 always my own and honest!

Smile! :)

I thought I'd share some pictures that make me smile and laugh. I know some of you deserve a smile right about now!

Haus of Gloi ~ Vice

Hello and happy Monday! I'm definitely happy this Monday because it's Presidents Day and I'm off work. Weehee! So I will be enjoying this extra day off, as tomorrow morning I have a meeting and other responsibilities to tend to.

Today, I will be going out of my comfort zone with a free imp I received with my Haus of Gloi Valentine order- Vice! Vice is a fragrance I wouldn't choose for myself, but I think every perfume deserves a chance!

Let's explore the scent description together! :D

Steam billows rolling off a vessel of fresh made Turkish coffee, marshmallow goo tainted by graham cracker crumbs, toasted hazelnuts and blanketed in black chocolate.


Vice by Haus of Gloi

Vice is a perfume from Haus of Gloi's general catalogue, so I have happened upon the scent description before. The reason I have not given this little guy a chance yet is because I'm usually not into foody scents, I don't think I'm into coffee scents (as I'd rather smell like tea, but I've never explored the realm of coffee fragrance until right now), and I'm not a big fan of chocolately scents. Therefore, Vice is a combination of things I tend to avoid in a fragrance. Sorry, Vice!


Preparing myself for the worst!

When I opened the imp, I smelled coffee and marshmallows!

Initial application is interesting and perplexing. Where are the foody notes I so dread? This smells nothing like the description. In fact, I'm actually rather liking what I smell! Maybe the notes melted together and made a super fragrance that's not foody, but just balanced and sexy! I almost smell something that's not in the scent description, like maybe a floral note? I can't put my finger on it!

The drydown reveals the coffee once again. I think I can smell the dark chocolate and a bit of the graham cracker notes as well. Okay, this is more like the description. I definitely don't dislike it as I thought I might. I still can't quite put my finger on this perfume. I don't know if I like it or I don't like it. Is that weird?

Once the perfume is dry and settled on my skin, it's a lot more subtle and the mystery note comes back for me. What am I smelling?! I do detect hints of the scents in the description, but it's still not what I particularly expected.

So, have I been converted? Not really. I think Vice is a nice scent that I had fun trying out. I bet it's absolutely perfect in a pumpkin butter, which I'd be willing to purchase. However, Vice will not make its way into my full size collection. I can absolutely see it working for people that are more into this kind of perfume, but it's still not really my thing. I give Vice a lot of credit though, as it's so much better than I expected it to be (not that I thought it would be bad- just that I didn't think it would be a scent I'd enjoy).

I hope you all have an amazing week! I am waiting on a couple orders I made, and I can't wait to review them for you wonderful ladies!

~Rachel

DISCLAIMER: The perfume I mentioned in this post was a free sample with my order. I am not affiliated with or compensated by any of the companies mentioned. All opinions are my own and always honest! Thanks for reading!