June Soap of the Month from Petals Bath Boutique *GIVEAWAY WINNER*

Fresh citrus notes of sweet valencia orange and fuji apple slices with a hear of anjou pear and cassis on a base of guava nectar and mediterranean fig.

Hi Love Buds!

I can't stop sniffing this bar of soap!*  The June soap of the month from the Petals Bath Boutique soap of the month club is BUTTERFLY KISSES and it is just what I imagined kissing a butterfly would be like in my head.  It is a slightly tangy, fruity and sweet scent combination but it is not overpowering.  It's as if the scent was just lightly wafting through the air  ~ similar to the way a butterfly flies.  

The purple swirls and butterfly are gorgeous and since Kia and I share a love for both the butterflies and the color purple, this soap, which she created because her birthday is in June is just as near to my heart as it is here.

This bar is a whopping 6.7 ounces which is no small thing.  If you haven't already, you need to run to the Petals Bath Boutique website and purchase a three of six month Soap of the Month Club subscription.  The boxes ship the second week of the month, so you still have time to grab this one!

Petals Bath Boutique Soap of the Month Club shipments ship the second week of each month, so you still have time to receive June's amazing soap.  Click below to purchase yours now!  Shipping is included in the prices.  You can't beat the price, get each of these huge bars shipped directly to you (or a loved one) for as little as $7.50 each!

6 month subscription for $50                                             12 month subscription for $90

If you read my last post, you're highly aware that I am giving away the soap from the Petals May soap box.  And the winner is....

SHERRY PRIDDY!

Congratulations Sherry!  Please send an e-mail to 4theloveofbubbles@gmail.com with your shipping address so I can send out your prize.

I'll be taking a couple of weeks off for family events, my final paper and a couple of workforce readiness presentations I must prepare and conduct.  When I return, I'll give you a full update on my foray into cold process soap making.  I should entitle it "The Hard-Headed Soaper", LOL!

I hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day and until next time~

Peace, Love & Loads of butterfly kissed Bubbles!

Ayieta

P.S. Don't forget the Petals Summer Release on Thursday, June 9th at 8:30pm EST

Visit Petals Bath Boutique:

    On the web

    On Facebook

    On Instagram

*Soap reviewed in this post was provided to by Petals Bath Boutique in exchange for my honest feedback.
**Edited 5/30/16 7:25pm EST to include links to purchase Petals Bath Boutique Soap of the Month Club 

Feature Friday: Lavender Cold Process Soap

Hey Love Buds!

It's Feature Friday and today we look back at a soap offered by Petals Bath Boutique a few years ago called "Serenity Falls", which is a lavender scent.  In this video, Kia demonstrates a Taiwan swirl, which I think is gorgeous, and she does it in under 15 minutes! LOL

This soap is gorgeous in its complex simplicity and lavender is a favorite fragrance of mine.  What do you think about this one?  Should Kia bring it back?

Don't miss the autumn release from Petals Bath Boutique, it's TODAY at 6:30 EST!

For previous Friday Features from YouTube click here

Until next time,

Peace, Love & Loads of Bubbles!

A.

8 Reasons You NEED to Shop the October Petals Bath Boutique Release!

 As the days shorten and the temperatures drop, my anticipation grows and I'm so excited that the Petals Bath Boutique autumn release will soon be upon us.

As I've made evident in previous blog posts and videos, Petals Bath Boutique is one on my favorite handmade soap companies and this is most evident during their Fall release.  Four, yes FOUR of my absolute all time favorite soaps are apart of the Petals' Fall release.  With my current collection of soap now topping more than 150 different bars of soap, for 4 of my top 10 to be from one company speaks to much I truly enjoy these particular soaps.  And actually 2 more of my top 10 are a part of the Petals Bath Boutique winter release.

The Petals Bath Boutique is a MUST shop release for anyone who loves artisan bath & body products or even someone looking to try a great brand for the first time.  Here are 8 reasons you CAN'T MISS THIS LAUNCH:

Reason #8: THE GREAT PUMPKIN ~ Now, I will say that I am not a huge fan of pumpkin scents, but this one is to die for!  It smells like candied yams - sweet and robust with an almost buttery finish.  Such an awesome salute to Autumn!

Reason #7: GUMBALL ~ OMG, when I first saw this one, I thought to myself "I don't want to smell like bubblegum", but then I tried it and I was soooo wrong.  This one smells exactly like it's name, like a big 'ol wad of Hubba Bubba and it is fantastic!  Perfect this time of year when we kinda start feeling like kids as we rummage through our kids trick or treat stash!

Reason #6: THE INGREDIENTS ~ Petals Bath Boutique soap bars are firm bubbly bars.  Made with heaping helpings of coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil and shea butter, this well rounded basic recipe is made creamy and rich with added goat milk.  Skin softening and nourishing additives of silk, sandalwood, colloidal oatmeal and avocado oil help skin to feel conditioned after use.  The kaolin clay creates incredible slip.  Combined, these ingredients create a bar of soap that is exactly what your skin needs!

Reason #5: HONEYBEE HARVEST ~  This scent is one that I include in my must have "neutrals".  It is a soft nectar scent with some bright bergamot and citrus notes sweetened with honey and toffee then grounded with a white musk.  The scent is unique and complex, yet light and simple.  A perfect companion for the cooler weather. (No. 6 on my top 10 favorites list)

Reason #4:  MASQUERADE ~ So beautiful, previously she dawned top hats and fans, but the soap remains amazing in it's fruity, floral combination featuring of notes of orange, pink grapefruit, strawberry, pear.  The scent to me has hints of grape and lilac even though they are not listed in the description.  This soap is daring and beautiful. (This one is number 4 favs list)

Reason #3: Hypnotic ~ Bright melon notes intermingle with sparkling mandarin, jasmine, orange blossom (neroli), violet and heliotrope.  Vanilla and amber round out the bottom notes of this intergalactic blend.  When I close my eyes, I imagine this is what flowers on Mars would smell like, lol. (my no.2 fav).

Reason #2: VENOM ~ This gorgeous, skull adorned, fizzy, cherry, citrus beauty is my all time favorite soap, of ALL TIME!  The smell is so addictive and intoxicating, if you have not tried this, trust me you haven't lived!

Reason #1: THEY WON'T LAST LONG!  Many of Kia's soaps sell out on the night of the release and then they could be gone until next year!  You don't want to miss out on any of these or the many other delightful items that will be available on OCTOBER 16th!

Make sure to follow +Petals Bath Boutique  on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to get teasers and updates and the time (usually in the evening) so that you can be first in line to try all this awesomeness!

DON'T FORGET, THE RELEASE IS THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16TH!

Oh, and Love Buds, just for you, as a part of SOCIAL MEDIA FAN APPRECIATION BONANZA giveaway, I have 2 Petals Bath Boutique Prize packs worth over $25 each.  One includes several soap released previously this year that are no longer available and the other features all of the lovelies I talked about above!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel and other social media outlets to gain chances to win of the amazing prizes then click on the link to the giveaway to enter!

Until next time,

Peace, Love & Loads of Bubbles!

A.

*UPDATE 10/14/15 RELEASE TIME CONFIRMED AT 6:30 PM EST!

What a Revolting Discovery!

I came across Soap Revolt Naturals on Etsy.  Immediately, I was drawn the the wholesome goodness that just seemed to be emanating from their product catalog.  Jean, the owner, like many other handmade bath and body product makers began creating products due to her own health concerns.  While battling with cancer, she became aware of the toxins in many commercial products and decided to do better.

And that she did.  Her collection of handmade products include soap, moisturizers, face care and men's items.  All are made with no artificial colors or preservatives.

When reviewing these products I was suffering with a cold, I thought it would be a great time to use the lavender mint, dead sea clay soap...AND IS WAS RIGHT!  The exfoliating qualities of the dead sea clay really helped to stimulate blood flow while absorbing impurities and the lavender mint scent opened up my sinuses.  The lather was amazing and my skin was smooth and silky after using it.
 
I used the big pumpkin soap as a face cleanser and I really love how it cleaned without stripping.  With continued use I had clean bright skin.  Great Stuff!

The shower oil is a light blend of natural seed oils that penetrates quickly and conditions instantly.  It is a great blend for both skin and hair and is light enough to use in the shower prior to drying off as well as after drying off (using for both works nicely as well).

The only downside to this entire experience was the scent of the shower all.  With it being named "orange blossom",  I was expecting a neroli (actual blossoms from orange tree essence) scent, which I find to be very refreshing.  This was scented with orange along with what smells like clove essential oil.  The clove is a turn off for me.  After using the shower oil, to me, I smelled like a holiday ham - you know the ones with the sweet red glaze and cloves stuck all in it.  But that was the only downside.  I really love the way this oil feels when I use it and might try so #mashup ideas with it to lessen the clovey scent.

More Soap Revolt Naturals?  Check them out on:

FACEBOOK    WEBSITE     ETSY    INSTAGRAM    TWITTER     

Later Love Buds!

#Mashup Monday ~ Age of Innocence

This week, I combined products from two wonderful companies, Handmade in Florida and Alchemic Muse.  

When I first received my order from Handmade in Florida's last release, I wasn't too sure whether I liked this scent or not.  But the more I sniffed it, the more it grew on me.  Innocence is described on Handmade in Florida's website as "A delicate blend of peonies, hyacinth, day lilies, apple blossoms and soft bergamot". The apple blossom in this scent is really prevalent with bergamot adding an a greenery sort of essence bottom to the fragrance.  

The scent just seemed to beg to be paired with something fruity and earthy.  Why?  What came to mind was an orchard where the breezes were scented with fruit trees and freshly tilled earth.  Thinking of a moisturizer in my stash that filled these two criteria, Alchemic Muse's Razzouli came to mind.  Razzouli is a perfect blend of ripe raspberry and patchouli.  

Each of these products performs awesomely on it's own.  Soap bars by Handmade in Florida are always gorgeously designed with delicate swirls highlighted with mica.  The bars are firm, bubbly and have a nice amount of slip.  These leave your skin clean yet silky smooth and moisturized after using them.  

Alchemic Muse was the first company that I found whose whipped soap I could use without having irritated skin afterward.  Her Body whip is a rich body cream that instantly penetrates and hydrates skin.  

The resulting experience was just as I expected, reminiscent of a stroll through one of the many popular orchards indigenous to my local area in Maryland.  A Fall delight!

What are you mixing up this week?  Me, I'm working hard on posting a few new YouTube videos and getting a HUGE giveaway organized for you!

For more #MashupMonday posts click here

Until next time Love Buds,

Peace, Love & Loads of BUBBLES!!!! 

Exxxxcuuusseee BAMI!

Earlier this year when I visited the Laurel Main Street Festival, I was introduced to BAMI products.  This small bath and body product company is truly all about family.  This budding company makes some great handmade items for your skin and I am happy to spread the word!

BAMI was started by Ms. Bernadette.  After experiencing issues with dry, irritated and sensitive skin as the result of some medical issues, she researched and began making her own bath and body products.  Soon, like most cottage businesses, she was making it for family and friends and then it took off from there.

Truly about family, BAMI is an acronym for Ms. Bernadette's name and the names of her three children (A)lisha (M)arvin & (I)niko  (hopefully, I spelled those correctly).  Each of the children help in some way in the ongoing operations of the company.

I was taken aback by the shear size of these bars.  Each soap weighs in at 7.5 to 8.5 ounces!  For $10 each, which is marked down on their website to $7.00, the price is outstanding.  The sandalwood scent is intoxicatingly  (yes, I made up a word for it) rich.  A smell of true sandalwood in dense, firm bar.  The razzleberry is a fun an fruity scent with added raspberry seeds for exfoliation.  For my sensitive skin, I found the seeds to be a little too much, though I really love the scent.  The level of exfoliation is similar to Lush's Figs & Leaves soap - which is a bit too much for regular use for me.  But also like Figs & Leaves, I love the scent and will use it occasionally. 

The BAMI fragrance is a custom blended scent created by Bernadette herself.  I fell in love with it as soon as I smelled it.  It is a very soft, feminine musk scent with a powdery finish and ever so light floral undertones.  An absolute must try scent.  I also picked up the BAMI scented body butter.  Now this butter is a thick, shea butter based butter.  A little goes a long way and definitely use after you've added some moisture to your skin to seal it in and leave you smelling fabulous!

I highly recommend trying BAMI Products, they are small but the quality and value is AWESOME!

What small business items have you been using lately?  I really want to know! :)

Later Love Buds!

A.

More BAMI?  Find them here: 

  Website           Facebook  

Uncle Jon's Soap Shop

Love Buds,

I recently traveled to the sweet little town of Berlin, which is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland about 10 minutes outside of Ocean City.  I was there to visit Uncle Jon's Soap shop. 

Uncle Jon is a great guy and he makes soap, so that's a bonus in my book!  One of his soaps will be in the soap bundle prize for my social media fan giveaway.  If you haven't entered yet, do it now!

Until next time,

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles!

A.

Check out Uncle Jon via

Facebook              YouTube            Twitter

Review: Purplee Products

Purple is my favorite color, so I was elated to receive a package with complimentary Purplee Naturals items in exchange for my honest review.

Keeping with my favorite color, I received a 2.5 oz slice of purple sunset cold processed soap and a 2 oz spritzer of orange blossom face mist toner. (Neroli, also referred to as "orange blossom", is another favorite fragrance note for me and orange is most likely my second favorite color ;)

courtesy Purplee Naturals on Etsy

The Purple sunset soap smells heavenly!  The fragrance is reminiscent of a favorite scent blend of mine that smells like a purplely cocktail ~ an intoxicating blend of "sparkling strawberries, raspberries, citrus greenery, and soft florals."  I really enjoyed using this bar and the scent was perfect for layering with my handmade body cream with the similar fragrance.  

The soap had a lovely glide to it, a property I normally attribute to bars that contain silk and or clay. However this bar's ingredients list does not include either of these. What it does include is maracuja oil, which I was unfamiliar with until receiving this product. Maracuja oil is extracted from the fruit and/or seeds of a variety of passionfruit. This expensive oil is a light, highly emollient oil that is easily absorbed by the skin and offers numerous health benefits. The addition of this and jojoba oil really made this soap a unique and enjoyable cleansing experience. BONUS - Nicole, the owner of Purplee Naturals sells these in full 5 oz bars for only $5.75 or you can purchase a half bar (2.5 oz) for $2.95. This is an awesome price for an amazing bar of handmade soap!

courtesy Purplee Naturals on Etsy

The orange blossom face toning mist features aloe, white willow bark, orange blossom distillate, and tea tree oil. A 2 oz mister retails for $7.00 in the Purplee Naturals' Esty shop. The toner worked well, providing a refreshing mist after cleansing my face while tightening my pores. The only downside is that the scent is very medicinal from the tea tree oil. I was expecting a nice neroli scent and that is not present at all.

I HIGHLY recommend you give Purplee Naturals a try, these products are masterfully blended and exceeded my expectations. You must experience these gems for yourself and you can indulge without breaking the bank.

Have you used Purplee Naturals products before? Tell me how you like them! If not, run now and grab some. Don't forget to tell Nicole that 4 the love of bubbles sent you!

More PURPLEE NATURALS?

Etsy         Facebook           Twitter

Until next time Love Buds,
Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles!

A.
 

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.