That Bomb has a Nice Ring to It! ~ Pearl Bath Bombs

Hey Love Buds!

Before I went on hiatus, I was asked to give my opinion on a wonderful new product.  Tessa, the owner of Pearl Bath Bombs reached out to me to collaborate on testing and promoting these awesome "pearls" of joy.  Since then, Pearl Bath Bombs have been reviewed, praised and promoted by media outlets far greater than my little blog, but a promise is a promise and I did receive this gem in exchange for my honest review and by golly, even though this is six months late, I am going to post my review.

So, Pearl Bath Bombs are of course bath bombs, like most, they act as huge alka seltzer tablet for your bath tub, fizzing and bubbling to soften, scent and add bubbles to your bath.  However, these bath bombs all include a sparkly surprise inside!

Each bath orange sized bath bomb includes a ring and the chance to win a ring worth up to $5,000.

I am not an avid bath enthusiast, but to be able to give my opinion on a product, I've got to use it and I must say my bath with a lemongrass scent Pearl Bath Bomb was pretty refreshing!

The lemongrass scent was sweet and citrusy, I really enjoyed it and it left my bath water looking like this:

Since my bath bomb was for promotional purposes, the ring was not included.  None the less, my bath was fantastic, the whole bathroom was filled with yummy fragrance.

I really like that everyone is a winner with Pearl Bath Bombs, even if you don't qualify for one of the high value rings, you still receive Pearl Points that can be used to redeem additional bath bombs.

One aspect of this item I'm not crazy about is that you cannot choose the size of the ring included in the bath bomb you purchase.  Its a bit of a bummer to receive a cute ring but it doesn't fit at all.  Other than that, I highly recommend Pearl Bath Bombs, they are a great way to treat yourself and they make great gifts.

These are pretty large, about 4 to 6 ounces and the prices run from $14.99 to $24.99 (which is for a bath bomb called "The mother of all dragons", a tribute to TV series Game of Thrones), with packs of three or five offering a nice discount.

I'm off to make more soap, going to work on a project for Brambleberry's #soaptherainbow campaign.

Until next time,

Peace, Love and lots of yummy, citrusy, sparkly Bubbles!

A.

  

 Visit Pear Bath Bombs:

On the Web

On Facebook

On Instagram

On Twitter

Handmade Cartel and Hot Coco Box and...

It's all about subscription boxes today.  My first YouTube video in a couple of months, I know, I know, I have definitely got to step up my YouTubing.  I will, I will!

 I'm excited to share my new YouTube intro and outro with all of you, hope you like them!

I'll post a more in depth video of the October sub boxes I receive, but personally, I hate to see someone sitting trying to open the box, trying to read the labels and inserts, etc.  So yes, I will do more subscription box videos but no, I'm sorry, in the videos I will have already opened the boxes and will share my first opinions. If a YouTube video is over 15 minutes it should be considered a short movie!

 Enough about YouTube, you want to enter the giveaway, right?  Real simple, check below.


Social Media Fan Appreciation Bonanza!   Please share with others, the winners will be chosen as soon as I have 1000 Facebook Fans, 2500 Instagram Followers, 100 Twitter Followers and 100 YouTube Subscribers.  

Tomorrow, I'll give you the deets on the Petals Bath & Boutique Autumn release and some more good news!

Until next time Love Buds,

Peace, Love & Loads of Bubbles (and good luck!)

A.

Click Here for more of my YouTube videos and Friday Features 

#Mashup Monday Lei'ed Down Under

Today I my adventures take me to lands far, far away.  But how can you visit the land down under and the tropics in a single day?  On #mashupmonday, anything is possible!

I started with this cool Koala soap which combines tropical fruit, chili pepper, and eucalytus scents and the result in an energizing and refreshing bath time treat!  Hejin Body Works offers a huge variety of awesome handmade soaps at the best prices I have found to date!  I adore their bars for delivery maximum suds and soft skin with minimal pocket purging.  Visit them soon, I recently got word that they may be shutting down operations.  Trust me, their items are something you don't want to miss!

I then used Mango Hibiscus sea salt scrub.  This delightful scrub exfoliated well with plenty of skin loving butters and oils and the fragrance is to die for!  The sweetness of the mango is balanced with the tart floral essence from the hibiscus flowers.  The Black Tie Market can be found on Etsy, however this particular scrub is not available at this time.  I do hope it makes a come back for summer, until them I am rationing it carefully.

What crazy bath adventures do you have planned?  This week, I've got a new YouTube video sharing some great sub boxes and a special surprise (it's about the giveaway) so stay tuned because I will also give you several reasons not to miss the upcoming Petals Bath Boutique release!



For more #MashupMonday posts click here

Until later, Love Buds ~

Peace, Love & Loads of Bubbles!

A.

#Mashup Monday: Burn, Berry Burn

Cream & Coco's Infused Glazed Tinctures are some of the most decadent hair/body oils on earth!  Nourishing oils are Infused with botanicals that beneficial both skin and hair as well as a bit of glycerin to help draw in and retain moisture from the environment.  They are a head to toe way to soften and seal in beneficial hydration. I love using these right after a bath or shower when my skin has absorbed its fill of moisture and it keeps my skin hydrated all day. 

The Strawberry Bamboo fragrance isn't one of my favorites.  I purchased it to go with a soap from Cream & Coco by the same name.  From pictures of my soap rack, Cream & Coco soaps are definitely in heavy rotation with me. The soap had a very tangy fragrance, but I find that this tincture is heavy on the jasmine notes and light on the strawberry and tea notes.  However, waste not, want not what does not coordinate (shoot, this stuff still works great even if the fragrance isn't quite what I expected).  So it was an excellent candidate for this week's #MondayMashup.

"Fire Fruit" is a luxurious goat milk soap from the Clean Line Soap Company.  The fragrance combines the sweetness of valencia orange and tangerine with black and chili pepper.  The result is a complex blend of spicy and sweet that was a delight to use.  The soap lathers great and leaves skin feeling smooth. 

In tandem, these products leave behind wonderfully clean, conditioned and hydrated skin.  The resulting fragrance experience is hard to describe - sweet fruits meet soft florals meet spicy undertones.  I REALLY enjoyed the combination of these products and recommend giving products from either of these two artisans a try.

What mashups do you have planned or would like to share?  I want to know what I should try next!

Love Buds, if you're enjoying this blog, would you mind taking a moment to subscribe?  Just hit the "follow me on bloglovin" button or the "join site" button in the followers section.  It would really help me be able to keep bringing you reviews and insights about new products. (and sharing them via giveaways ;)

For more #MashupMonday posts click here

That's it for now -

Peace, Love & Lot's of Bubbles!

Mashup Monday: On My Waves to My Grandma's House

Today's #MondayMashUp takes me back...back to the summer's I spent at my grandmother's house in Jersey City, New Jersey.  In the heart of the city, just outside of New York City, in the sizzling summer sun, this urban landscape was riddled with people trying to beat the heat by hanging out on fire escapes and dancing in gushing fire hydrants.  But wait, this doesn't sound much like the beach or apple orchards, does it?  How does this week's MashUp take me back to those memories?

It's the fragrance combination. The soap, from one of my favorite soap makers, Kia at Petals Bath Boutique, is sweet and tart, but reminds me more of apple candy, than the fruit.

The Beach Hussy cream of the crop body cream, by Farm Hussy, in the "Don't Make Waves" scent is described on the website as "fresh currants of strawberry, raspberry and quava swirl around breakers of mandarin, dates and a sweet swell of coconut milk".  When I first smelled it, it reminded me of peach flavored Rock Creek Soda.  

In my grandmother's neighborhood, there was a local corner store, Jack's.  Every morning, I would go to Jack's to get a buttered roll for breakfast, the newspaper and to stock up on my candy stash which included my favorite apple now & laters and you guessed it, delicious, refreshing peach Rock Creek soda!  This combination of scents took me right back to those hot days of summer where I hung out on the brick steps of my grammy's home with my "summer friends" and tried my best to learn to jump double dutch (which I never did, so I always wound up just turning, lol).  There on the block where I fell in love with my first teen aged boyfriend, Charles Austin - yup, I still remember his name - and his initials were mine in reverse so we knew it was destiny. On those same brick steps is where Hip Hop was introduced to me in its infancy.  But that's a whole other story....

Thanks to my soap partner in crime, Tracy, for introducing me to Farm Hussy.  I can't wait to try more from their line!

Until next time, Love Buds,

Peace, Love & Lot's of Bubbles,

A.

Its My Birthday

It's My Birthday! 

Today is the best day... My birthday!  It's a day I take a little time out to reflect on what has happened in my life up to this point this year and to look toward where I want to be next year and how I need to get there.  I know this is something most people do at the beginning of the year, but to me, my birthday is the beginning of my year.

After over 40 times around the sun on this ever moving planet, I've done some great things and some not so great things.  Everything is a life lesson and I choose to learn from my mistakes.  Why am I saying all of this?  I don't know, getting a little introspective, I guess.

My loved ones go out of their way to make this day special for me and I truly appreciate it.  Not once on my birthday have I ever awaken without an immediate acknowledgement of my day.  In years previous, usually I was awaken by my mother and grandmother with a soulful renditions of "Happy Birthday" - even when across the miles that may have separated us.  More recently, I wake up to balloons and a cake - a mani/pedi and/or a hot stone massage and then of course dinner at my favorite restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory.  (Shrimp Scampi and Red Velvet Cheesecake, YAAAASSSSS!)

One ritual that I have come to enjoy all by myself is the restock of my bathroom soap rack.  I previously wrote a post about my soap dish.  In it, I detail the way that I store my soap.  As a lover of variety, I just can't use one bar of soap consecutively until it is finished.  My bathroom soap rack holds 40 or more bars of soap at any given moment.  To ensure room enough for those bars and to help preserve them, I cut most of my bars of soap in half, storing one half in a glassine bag in a plastic storage bin outside of the bathroom and the other half goes on the drying rack in my bathroom to be used.  However, after about six months of being in the often damp environment of my bathroom, the bars tend to deteriorate.  So twice a year or so, I go through and do an overhaul.  Most of the soap does not get thrown away, I transfer some viable bits to a soap saver sponge for use when I just can't make up my mind which soap to use.  

I completed this process yesterday, just in time for my birthday.  So I decided to share with you what my soap dish looks like now.  Of course, once I took the picture and started labeling it, I found a few more bars I wanted to add, so they are listed as "honorable mentions":  

What's on your soap dish?  I would love to see pictures, share it with me on Facebook and/or Instagram!  Oh, don't forget to enter the giveaway and check out my YouTube channel for my visit to Uncle Jon's Soap Shop!

Talk to you soon!

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbly Birthdays!

A.

Review: Sistah Soaps and Such

Sistah Soaps & Such is a small bath and body boutique offering cold process soap in a variety of scents, colors, shapes and ingredient combinations.  They also offer various other aromatic, hair and body products.  I was excited when Monique, the owner, sent me a complimentary sample package in exchange for my thoughts about her products.
 
Let me get right to it, I LOVED these items!  I received, by my request, the "Fresh Sunshine" soap and Cantaloupe Lily sugar scrub.

The Soap:  The smell is so fresh.  It starts off with clean ozone like notes blended with sweet and tangy orange juice that is rounded out with a smidge of earthy, spicy coriander.  It is a really refreshing scent combination.  The soap is a good firm bar that lathered well.  I received a sample size, but Monique offers generous 6 to 8 ounce sized bars ranging from $6 to $7 each, which is a great price for the size of these bars.

The Scrub: This scrub came wrapped in insulated bubble wrap to help keep it from melting in the heat and it seems to work really well in conjunction with the double walled jar.  I am absolutely IN LOVE with this fragrance!  The mix of sweet cantaloupe and light floral notes from the lily have made this a new favorite of mine.  TO DIE FOR, I'm not kidding!  The scrub was creamy and exfoliating and I want to smell like it all the time!  
These are available on the website in 2, 4 and 8 ounce options for $6, $9 & $15 respectfully.

Sistah Soaps & Such has something for everyone.  One thing I've noticed is that the soaps feature different ingredient recipes including some vegan options and some without palm oil.  However, none of the bar sizes are featured in the descriptions.  That is something I would like to know, especially if I am giving it as a gift.  By the way, my products came beautifully wrapped so if you're sending these as a present for someone, the items presentation will be suitable for gift giving.

 I definitely suggest you give them a try and tell them I sent you!

That's it for now,

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles!


More Sistah Soaps & Such?

 Facebook    Instagram    Twitter

Review: Mandelin Naturals

 Many of us are looking to simplify our lives.  To pursue happiness and fulfillment without harming ourselves or the environment is a goal many now aspire to achieve.  The first steps along this journey may be laborious, but soon, you look again and you're miles away from where you began.  

Enter Mandelin Naturals.  This small soap boutique creates handmade natural soaps with nothing artificial.  Pure, Natural Soap.  I received a complimentary package of soaps to sample from Mandy, the owner, so that I could share my honest review.

 Mandy was like many, very quickly going from a careless existence to one of doing small things to make a big impact on her lifestyle and environmental impact.  As a new wife and mother, in her quest to use more natural products, Mandy began making soap.  Very soon, like other soap makers, she was sharing it with family and friends and was inspired to share it now with the world.

From Mandy, I received a bar of Peppermint Sunrise, Outstanding Orange Castile, and Charming Charcoal Eucalyptus Soap.  Definitely loving the names!


The Peppermint Sunrise soap was uplifting to use.  It lathered really nicely and cleaned very well.  Evident during my shower was the tingly, peppermint essential oil that opened my sinuses and was cooling and refreshing to my skin.  It was a great soap to for a dreary morning.  The labeling says that it also features lemon essential oil, but the citrus notes were very faint.

I decided to try the Cleansing Charcoal Eucalyptus soap on my face.  It was amazing!  As with the Peppermint Sunrise soap, it lathered well and left my face feeling clean and soft.  The eucalyptus essential oil help clean out my pores, leaving my skin tingling!

I haven't used an all olive oil castile soap before.  Minimally, all of the castile soaps I have used included some coconut oil to help with lather and cleansing properties, but in reality, those were not true castile soap.  True castile soap uses only olive oil, lye and water. 

Mandelin Natural's Outstanding Orange Castile soap was definitely a different experience for me.  There was very little lather.  Really, it was more of a foam and the bar had an overly slick feel.  The orange fragrance was not evident at all and I just didn't get the same feeling of being clean after using this.  100% castile soap is definitely an acquired taste and for some with extremely sensitive skin, this is the best and only way to bathe.

Mandelin Naturals' soap bars come in small (1.5 to 2 oz) and large (3.5 to 5 oz) bars for around $3.50 to $6.50, this runs just above average in my eyes for handmade soap.  They also offer an assortment of bath and body products for women, men and babies.  

Have you used castile soap?  Tell me how you liked it!  I really love using the minty soaps, how about you?



More Mandelin Naturals?

        Facebook           Tumblr            Etsy

Review: Custom Blends by Nine

Jeanine of Custom Blends by Nine (Now Inviting New Energy) sent me a carefully packaged complimentary sampling of her products in exchange for my honest review.

 The bath and body products I received were all scented with Mango Melon.  I found this fragrance to be an amazing fruity combination that I really enjoyed.  I LOVE ability of a product line to provide me with several different products in coordinating fragrances.

Included in my bath and body bundle were bath salts ($4.99), Sugar Scrub ($8.00 for a 4 oz jar), Whipped Body Butter ($4.00 for 2 oz, 4 oz jars also available), and glycerin soap ($2.99).  I also received the hair butter balm ($6.00 for 2 oz), which has a slightly minty, herbal fragrance that I like as well.

I really enjoyed the body products, the scrub exfoliated well, the bath salts were relaxing and the body butter applied easily and was quickly absorbed, leaving no greasy feeling to my skin.  I smelled amazing and was silky soft and moisturized.  What did surprise me was the soap.  It is a glycerin soap and I usually shy away from those.  Most glycerin soaps are formulated with a high content of propylene glycol - used as a humectant.  I have found that propylene glycol in high levels irritates my skin.  The soap lathered well and left me clean without feeling like my skin was stripped.  While I did notice a little more dryness in my skin than I have when using my preferred handmade soaps, it was not to the levels I have experienced with other glycerin soaps.  

The hair butter balm worked very well as a sealant in my weekly hair ritual of cleansing, deep conditioning then braiding my hair while damp after applying a leave in conditioner and sealing it with an oil or butter, in this case, the hair butter balm.  I also used it to oil my scalp.  This balm is really light it was great for use during our really damp summer so far, but I think in the winter, I would need something heavier.

One issue I do have with these items is the abbreviated ingredients lists.  Several ingredients are listed and then "and carrier oils" concludes the list.  I think its important to know the ingredients in your products so that you can decide if the properties of those ingredients are things you are willing to put in/on your body.

The website is also a bit difficult to navigate and comprehend.  Ingredients are not listed at all on the website.

I did find these products to be overall enjoyable with just a few minor labeling adjustments that I would make.

How do you feel about product labeling?  Should all ingredients be listed or can some things be taken for granted?

More Custom Blends by Nine?

               Facebook        Website

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles!

A.

Review: Cedar Ridge Soap

Naturally gentle, naturally inspired

During my recent day trip to Western Maryland, I visited with Joan Taylor, proprietor of Cedar Ridge Soaps.  She invited me to visit her home and soap studio in KEEDYSVILLE, Maryland. (In the video, I mistakenly call it Dickerson, MD).  We experiences some technical delays, but were able to salvage the video of Joan answering some questions about the business. Below the video, I'll review the complimentary products I received from Joan. Check it out:

I left Cedar Ridge Soaps with a goody bag filled with soap, body butter, lip scrub and the most awesome Air Freshener!

 Cedar Ridge Soaps offers firm, cold process, soap bars that are formulated for use as a soap and shampoo bar.  Available a variety of scents with options that are essential oil only fragrances as well as others containing fragrance oils.  The orange blossom fragrance I received is a combination of orange essential oil and honeysuckle fragrance.  It was a refreshing and sweet combination that I truly enjoyed.  Another variety I received was Rosemary Cinnamon.  Scented only with essential oils, this combination is a MUST TRY!!!!  I love the warm and herbally aroma from this bar.  

The soaps are 4.5 ounce bars and sell for $5.50 each. The lather is amazing and they work great as a shampoo bar.  My hair and skin were both cleansed without being stripped.  For a great combo bar with no frills, just really good stuff, this is the bar for you.

As a lover of lavender, I was excited to try the Lavender body butter.  It is a thick butter formula featuring shea butter and beeswax.  Not whipped, it is a moisture sealant that contains no aqueous (water based) ingredients.  I recommend using only after bath, shower or hand washing to ensure moisture is applied before this sealant.  It could be a little too heavy for some in the summer, but it works great as a sealant for my hair twist outs!  It sells at $8.00 for 3 oz, I believe 1 oz sizes are also available.  A little definitely goes a long way.

I suffer from dry, cracking lips, especially during the winter months and appreciate a good lip scrub.  This lip scrub works great, softening and conditioning my lips with just the right amount of exfoliation.  I received it in peppermint, which leave a little bit of a bonus tingle!  These are available for $6.50 each





Last but certainly not least, are these awesome air fresheners!  I receive the sunny citrus and for 3 weeks it has scented my small office at work with this most amazing citrusy aroma.  Just this week I added a touch more water to it, replaced the cap an shook it up and the scent was completely renewed.  I am in love with this - there's no heat or flame, making it a safer option than a wax melter or plug in for my office.  For $7.50, this 8.5 oz jar of air freshening jelly bliss is a must have!

I really enjoyed my trip and these products!  Let me know if you do!

More Cedar Ridge Soaps?  Check them out:

Website      Facebook      Instagram      Twitter     

Until next time, Love Buds ~

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles!

A.

 

Review: 8pm Beauty

8pm Beauty

With a name like "Give Peach a Chance", how can a soap go wrong?  This little diddy does not disappoint.  I received this quaintly named soap from 8pm Beauty along with a few other complimentary items in exchange for my honest opinion on them.

Give Peach a Chance is a cold process soap that has a wonderfully peach aroma.  The key ingredient is sangria, which adds a bit of a tart fruitiness to the fragrance.  The wine component of sangria is full of antioxidants that helps with keeping skin soft and supple.  

I also received another alcohol infused soap, "B is for Beer!".  Made with "Man of Law" Beer from the Southern Pines Brewing Company, this soap also contains goat milk.  The ingredients list does not list any type of fragrancing ingredients, so I attribute the light aroma to it being unscented.  It smells faintly like the give peach a chance soap.  At first I thought that was because they were in the same shipping package, but after a few weeks, the beer soap maintained an almost fruity aroma.

Both of these soaps are 5 oz bars and are priced at $6.00.  They lathered well and are firm.  These are good, hardy soaps at a good price.  To me, there was no exceptional "WOW" factor, but overall, especially at this price point, this soap is a great value and a must try!

Another item I received was a pina colada lip balm.  Now, I am not a coconut fan, but I did not find this lip balm to be offensive at all.  It has a subtle hint of coconut, but not over powering and gave me great coverage without over shininess.  There are several flavors available from 8pm beauty at $3.00 each.

I really enjoyed trying items from this small entrepreneur and I look forward to seeing her business grow and prosper.  If you're looking to try some thing new and affordable, check them out!

More 8pm Beauty?  Check them out:

Etsy      Facebook       Twitter    

Review: Planned Perfectly

courtesy www.plannedperfectlyllc.com

I felt like "Pookie" when I received my complimentary items from Planned Perfectly.  Given to me in exchange for my honest opinion of the items (like how I got the mandatory FTC statement for disclosure of the receipt of free products in exchange for a review? LOL). Back to what I was saying... Don't front, you know who I mean - scratching my neck while doing a dance waiting on my next hit, lol!  Nicole, the owner of this bath and body company, lives in Jessup, Maryland - which is actually the same city in which I work.  She works in Laurel, Maryland, the city in which I live!  With her being in close proximity, Nicole offered to meet me in Laurel to hand deliver the samples to me.  Schedules clashed for a few days, but finally she was able to make the drop!

The package smelled amazing!  I really love the soap packaging!  It's like a little tray card that cradles the soap.  The little flower on the front was just cute as a dickens.    On the back, a sticker displayed the company logo, name of the soap and ingredients.  This 5 oz bar (nice size) sells for $6.00 on her website (nice price!).

I received the Pink Grapefruit Sorbet bar along with a sample size (2 oz, I believe) of the Green Tea Citrus Sugar Scrub (available on their website in 4 oz ($7.50) and 8 oz ($14.00) sizes).  Even though the Sugar Scrub was a sample size, I really appreciated the clear, easy to read label along with clear, easy to read, ingredients list on the bottom.  
 

The soap was really enjoyable.  It lathered nicely and is scented naturally with grapefruit and litsea essentials oils giving it a bright and uplifting fragrance.  Added sugar and paprika are to give light exfoliation during use.  I could barely feel it, which is great considering my sensitive skin does not like anything to abrasive.  Goat milk powder is also included on the label. Though this bar was delightful to use, I have found that I enjoy soaps that include a little clay helps give a bar more "glide".  All in all, I will continue to use this and would recommend it to those looking for a good soap at a good price.

As stated in my review "Three Scrubs in a Tub" I prefer creamy scrubs, but I was excited to try the green tea scrub.  The fragrance is a bit disappointing.  I expected to have a citrusy, green tea scent but the smell is almost medicinal.  Checking the ingredients, it includes green tea, but the only fragrancing agent is bergamot essential oil, which can be a bit sharp when not mixed with another fragrance or essential oil.  The scrub was nicely exfoliating, though a bit drier than I would like.  

Overall, I truly enjoyed my little bag of goodies from Planned Perfectly.  The price, especially for the soap is quite nice and their natural product line has some great options for those of us who want to treat themselves to wholesome body treats without breaking the bank.

Would you like to know more about Planned Perfectly, LLC?  Check them out on:

Website         Facebook          Twitter         Instagram

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles, LoveBuds!

A.

Company Profile: Alchemic Muse

 

As I travel down a long winding path, my nostrils fill with the heady jasmine and honeysuckle scented, damp, autumn air.  I skip along through the rolling mist as my game of tag ensues with the colorfully glowing sprites who light my way.  Under the cloudless night sky dotted with stars and anchored by a brilliant full moon, a sultry dragon flaps its wing as it flies overhead - first darkening the sky with its heavy presence, then quickly filling it with hot orange, yellows and reds with its breath of fire.  Our impromptu game of tag is joined by garden nymphs and playful fairies.  As I follow the gravel trail around the final bend, I see the gypsy's opulent trailer which is surrounded by a luminous glow from an unidentifiable source.  At first I am hesitant... The trailer is so beautiful, but ominous. I tiptoe closer and the door opens, fragrant air engulfs me, laden with ripe juicy fruits, warm spices and mystical aromas.  Her shadow proceeds her majestic presence and then she appears in the doorway.  Stretching out her manicured and adorned hand to me - with a wink and oh so welcoming smile, she guides me into her chamber where a glorious array of bath treats await...

This is how I feel every time I make a purchase from Alchemic Muse. I am unsure if this is the imagery Karen, the owner, wants to evoke, or if I just made it up in my mind, but her branding and labels always remind me of the gypsy fortune teller trailers of folklore - fully of mystery and mystical treasures.

Alchemic Muse opened up its doors on Etsy in 2008 and in the approximately seven years since then, can proudly boast (but never does) having over 17,000 sales.  Fans can now visit either the Etsy store or on Alchemic Muse's website to indulge themselves in the seasonally varying scented potions, lotions and concoctions offered.  From natural ingredients and coloring agents, Alchemic Muse creates cold process soap, body oils, body creams, cream soaps and perfumes in unique and intoxicating fragrance combinations.  Reading the artfully penned fragrance descriptions is an adventure all of its own.

   

 I have numerous favorites from this company including the body whips, cold process soaps and body gloss. My skin tends to be irritated by high levels of propylene glycol.  It can be used as an humectant (an agent that helps draw moisture into your skin and retain it) as well as an ingredient in preservatives.  As a preservative ingredient, the level of propylene glycol in a product is minimal and those I tend to be able to tolerate.  However, if used as a humectant, the levels of it in a product will actually cause me irritation.  This rules out a lot of commercial products and thus my extensive use of handmade body products.

 

photo credit: Alchemic Muse

One handmade product that tends to have high levels of propylene glycol are whipped soaps. Many, but not all handmade products makers tend to use a commercially prepared base for these, which in most cases use propylene glycol as a humectant. This being the case, I always shy away from them. Alchemic Muse changed that for me.

As you may be aware from following my blog and social media, I am a fragrance junkie.  Alchemic Muse only makes cold process soap for their general catalog of items - scents that are offered all year long.  Any of the seasonal scents only come in the cream soaps.  Absolutely loving the Peach Bellini scent, Karen forced compelled me to try their cream soap so that I could have a cleanser and a moisturizer in this fragrance.   Alchemic Muse's cream soap formula is gentle and cleansing and most importantly, non-irritating to my skin.  It does not lather like bar soap, but it is definitely a great alternative, especially when a bar is not available in a specific scent.

For my scent junkie jones, I love their Peach Bellini & Beguile (valentine's day collection),  Pomona (spring collection), Carnival, Mystique, Razzouli & Tropicana (general collection).

Reasonably priced (a 4.5 to 5.5 oz cold process bar is $6.50, 6 oz body whips are $10), high quality items with exotic fragrance offerings make Alchemic Muse an absolute must try for any fan of handmade bath and body products!

Have you tried Alchemic Muse?  What items do you love or are thinking about trying?  Have a recent product haul from them?  Post them on Facebook and tag me, 4 the love of bubbles and I'll share it with the world.  On Instagram, tag me and/or use the hastag #bubblelove and I'll share it as well! 

Peace, Love & Dragonfly wing breezes, LoveBuds!

More Alchemic Muse?  Find them here:

  Website   Facebook   Etsy

Instagram   Twitter

Musings: My Soap Dish

In her group for soap enthusiasts, a friend asked us to share a picture of our soap dish.  Initially, I was hesitant because this friend, loves to see a list when you post your soap haul, of all the scents in the picture.  I looked at my soap dish for a couple of days.  This list was going to take awhile...

A few things about me:

1. I LOVE variety! (I say that a lot...but only because its true).  I cannot open a bar of soap and use it until it is done.  I use a different bar of soap each day, never repeating the use of the same bar on consecutive days.  I can honestly say that I may easily go a month or more before using a bar for the second time, unless I am doing a review of a new soap.  Then I use it 2 to 3 time consecutively to truly get a feel for it before writing a review,
2. Because of this love of variety, I handle my soap a little differently than some.  I store all of my wrapped bars in three drawer storage containers (yes, plural).  When I open a new bar, I usually (unless it is really small) cut it in half.  I store one half in a glassine wax bag in the storage container and the other, after using, goes on my soap rack in the bathroom.  

Hence:

This is my soap dish

Looking at this, it was hard to conceive a way to label each one of these beauties currently in my shower rotation.  However, after working at it for a couple of day, I came up with this:

 So here it is, my soap junkiness in all of its splendor.  This does not include uncut bars of which I have over 30 other varieties that are not even represented on this rack. I've heard some people say that their soap looses its scent rather quickly.  Storing my bars the way I do, 99% of my soap keep their scent for 2 years or more.  The Pear Tarlet soap on this rack hasn't been produced for over two years from Cream & Coco and is smells just as amazing as it did when I received it.  Sigh... this is probably the last bar on the planet of that great smelling soap.  Vic, if you're reading this - you really should make a batch of this.  I can wait until you return from maternity leave, lol!

What does your soap stash look like?  How do you store your soap?

Bubble Spotlight 2015 Laurel Main Street Festival

My first "BubbleTube" Video. Check out these amazing

soapmakers:

Sade of Emily's Bath & Body

www.Emilysbathandbody.com

Marcus of BAMI Products

www.Bamiproducts.net

 

Giveaway: 100 Facebook Likes!

WE HAVE OVER 100 Likes on Facebook!

I want to thank you all for this #bubblelove by giving some back.

Enter to win one of THREE prize packs below.

Contest ends May 1st!

 

100 Facebook Likes Giveaway

Company Profile & Review: Hejin Body Works

courtesy hejin body works

Hejin Body Works

PREMIUM HEALTHY SKIN CARE

When I stumbled across this company, I was instantly happy!  Not sure if it's the cute little pig or the bubbles in the logo, but when I saw it, I immediately wanted to take part.  Great marketing on the part of Christina and her husband Matt.  Although I've not communicated with them much, just from the look of their shop and the products they produce, their fun-loving spirit endears me to them and hopefully soon, I will have the honor of meeting them (big plans in the works ;). 

 Hejin (pronounced "Hedge In") Body Works' origin story has to do with a pig that liked mud but not using harsh chemicals to clean himself.  Thus he began a journey to create great natural skin care products - Sounds perfectly sound to me!

Every facet of company is creative and playful. I fell in love with the product names just as much as I enjoy the great quality of their soap and the fantastic price!  Hejin body works makes a wide variety of cold process soaps (and yes, variety is the spice of life!) as well as lip balms, lotions, massage oils, bath teas pet shampoos and other skin goodies.  At $3.95 per bar of 4 oz bar of soap and $8.95 for 12 oz of body butter, this company has to have one of the lowest price points I have seen for handmade body products.  Don't let the price fool you, I truly enjoyed their products from the groovy names to the bubblocity (it is a word and I'm sticking to it).  If you're ever in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, stop by their shop, it will be well worth the trip!

REVIEW

I received my box of Hejin Body Works products quickly - their website is clean, and easy to navigate as well as fun to read.  All orders are shipped priority mail with free shipping on orders over $30 and $5 flat rate shipping for orders under $30.

In my box were a bar of Pina Koala, Go Bonkers and the Pink Himalayan Salt Bar. 

courtesy hejin body works

I had been dying to try Pina Koala, it seemed like an extremely unique scent combination of tropical fruit, chili pepper and eucalyptus.  Who would think up something like that?  When using the bar, the scent was great.  Not one of the scents listed stood out or overpowered the others, what I smelled was a cool tropical scent when was reminiscent of a day at the beach.  The bar was firm and lathered well.  It was an excellent shower experience!

courtesy hejin body works

Go Bonkers was next on my list to try.  The description on the website of a deep, fruity scent is pretty accurate.  It was like a tropical fruit explosion of fragrances reminiscent of a fragrance I've used before - "Butt Naked" or even "Jamaican Me Crazy". This bar, though with the same basic recipe as Pina Koala was not as firm as I would have liked.  It however lathered nicely and the color did not transfer on my white wash cloth.

Last, but certainly not least was the Himalayan Salt Bar.

courtesy hejin body works

This bar was like the great awakening, I felt myself coming out of the showering with a ray of light from above and that glorious "ahhhhhhhh" sound echoed in my bathroom.  I am a believer in the need to exfoliate and this bar is perfect for that.  It is scented with peppermint and lemon essential oils that really give you a lift and leave your skin tingly.  Being mostly salt, this bar was extremely firm and just delightful to use.  Because my sensitive skin cannot handle daily washing with soaps that include exfoliants, this is not an everyday cleanser, but is an amazing pick me up when you're feeling a little blah.



 More Hejin Body Works?  Find them here:

   Website   Facebook   Twitter
 Etsy
 

These profiles are compiled based on my personal experiences and research; and unless otherwise noted, do not express the views, opinions or positions of the owners, employees or representatives of this company.  I do my best to thoroughly research all information prior to publishing, however, any of the information contained in this profile may have changed.  All logos and product pictures posted, unless otherwise noted, are my legal property or I have obtained proper authorization for posting.  For further information on this company, its products and services, please contact them directly.