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 

Recipe: Homemade Lavender Coconut Oil Salt Scrub

Love Buds!

I previously gave you my recipe for a homemade sugar scrub that I make all the time.  Recently, I have really begun to enjoy salt scrubs too.  Looking around I found this amazing salt scrub featuring coconut oil (have I said that coconut oil is good for EVERYTHING?), lavender oil (one of my favorite natural scents) and ordinary epsom salt.

While sugar scrubs are great for exfoliating skin to reveal healthy, glowing skin, salt scrubs do the same thing with the added bonus of helping to draw out toxins and providing some additional nutrients to skin like magnesium. 

Click on the picture below to get the details on this quick and simple recipe by One Good Thing by Jillee 

 

Try adding some Pink Himalayan Rock Salt for color and additional nutrients.  I wonder how a black salt would work in this?

Tell me what you think!

I know, I know... I have giveaway winners to announce!  I will do that tomorrow along with my Feature Friday post.  

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love & lots of skin softening bubbles!

A.    

#Mashup Monday: Lola, Lola was a Mermaid

What's up Love Buds!  It's back to the grind after an extra long weekend of all kinds of splurging, be it good food, family and friends and grabbing Black Friday deals!  But don't dread it, I've got a new mashup just for you!

This week's mash up is brought to you by Petals Bath Boutique and Clawfoot Bathworks.  

As you may know, I am a product ambassador for Petals Bath Boutique.  Hands down, Kia creates some of the best soap and body custard formulas I have tried.  The amazing, rotating scents aside, the way her products condition my skin has to be one of the best experiences I have had with bath and body products. 

This body custard is a rich cream, not a whipped butter and is perfect for nourishing thirsty skin and keeping it soft and moisturized all day long.  The "Lola" fragrance is a playful, fruity scent that blends summer berries, orange zest and sparkling pink moscato.

I happened upon Clawfoot Bathworks on Facebook.  I was happy to receive the "Mermaid's Purse" soap from them.  The bar is firm and lathers well.  Scented with a combination of orange blossom, honey and grapefruit fragrances, the resulting aroma of this soap has an almost jasmine like scent that is brightened with the citrus.

Together, these two products worked wonders for my senses that aren't quite ready for winter, taking me back to a beautiful spring day with it's fragrance.  The overall combination was like frolicking in a meadow of sweet berries and beautiful flowers while sipping on a glass of bubbly wine.  What could be better?

Until next time ~

Peace, Love & Lots of frolicking Bubbles!

A.

Have you entered to win a chance to review some handmade feminine cleansing products?  Click Here for details

Feature Friday: Moroccan Mint Tea Soap

*EDIT: This was incorrectly scheduled while trying out a new automatic posting system.  Won't be using that anymore, so here it is if you missed the first time...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Handmade in Florida makes some of the most beautiful soap I've seen.  Zahida put extra love into each and every bar.

In this video, she creates "Moroccan Mint Tea" a beautiful minty tea blend that I decided not to purchase during the last release but Zahida included a sample with my order.  I was instantly sad that I did not purchase a full bar.  During Handmade in Florida releases, the inventory sells out in MINUTES, so there was no going back to grab a bar, but the very next time she offers it, I'll be snatching up a few.

Zahida has leaked on Facebook that there will be an October release from Handmade in Florida.  Keep an eye out and get there early or you'll miss out on these gorgeous handmade gems.

Peace, Love & Loads of Bubbles!

For previous Friday Features from YouTube click here

These products are the BOMB! Review of Xplosive CosmetiX

Xplosive CosmetiX

I am not sure what drew me to try these products.  I believe I was browsing Etsy and came across their flamboyant products in bright, dare I say "explosively" designed packaging.  Whatever it was that caused me to purchase these items, I am glad that I was spurred to try this product line.  

Danielle opened the Xplosive CosmetiX shop on Etsy just about two years ago and in that time she produced a line of bath and body products that have delighted thousands of customers with its offerings of handmade soaps, body butters, cosmetic micas, perfumes and wax tarts.  

I received Hawaiian Flower soap, Candy Twist and Sex in the Shower whipped soaps and Rock Candy whipped soap sugar scrub.  

The Hawaiian Flower cold process soap was a very firm bar weight about 5.4 oz and was priced at $6.25, which is very reasonable.  The fragrance was a subtle floral arrangement with a slight spicy undertone.  It lathered very will with big bubbles and a creamy feel.  The bar itself had great slip and my skin felt great after using it.  The soap included colloidal oatmeal, kaolin clay and coconut milk. 

I was excited to try the Fluffy Whipped soap because it is propylene glycol free!  However I tempered my excitement because many cream soaps don't lather very well.  But I was delightfully surprised by this product.  The lather was exceptional not as much as some handmade soaps I've used but there were actual bubbles!  and the candy twist scent is similar to my all time favorite soap fragrance, ever so that was a definite treat!  

The whipped sugar scrub uses the whipped soap as a base so again, my skin was not irritated though it did not lather as well as the cream soap, but that is to be expected because of the added sugar.  The scrub is lightly exfoliating and the Rock Candy scent is LOVE.

I was highly impressed with these products and would recommend them to anyone, especially someone who is looking for a more natural cream soap product.

More Xplosive Cosmetix?

Facebook        Esty        YouTube    

Until next time Love Buds,

Peace, Love & Loads of Fluffy Bubbles!

A.

#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 ~ 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  

#Mashup Monday Super Black Ops

One of my other loves is super heroines.  (Female super heros, not awesome narcotics - stop it! LOL).  My tee shirt collection is filled with shirts featuring the likes of Wonder Woman, Storm, Spider Gwen (look her up), etc.  I felt like a secret agent woman with this weeks' #MashupMonday combination.

From my visit to Hejin Body Works, I decided to pull the Alpha Girl soap and lotion.  Hejin Body Works is a quirky little store that was an absolute joy to visit!  Their products are high quality, reasonably priced and smell scrumptious.  Alpha Girl "has a mystifying rare scent that combines floral, peach, and Egyptian Musk", as quoted from Hejin's website.  This combination seems odd, but it is indeed super.  The scent is really a sultry musk with a little playful kick.  

Sandwiched in my process between the Alpha Girl soap and lotion is Black Orchid frosted sugar scrub from Antoinette's Bath House.  Antoinette's Bath House creates great bath and body products in a variety of scents that I adore.  Their soaps are very firm, bubbly and huge!  But more on those in another review...

The Black Orchid fragrance embodies the rich, heady scent of an exotic orchid.  This scent is to die for!  The frosted sugar scrub is similar in texture to the Mermaid Hugs scrub I highlighted in a previous #MashupMonday post, in that it feels like moist sand - it can actually be molded almost like play doh.  The exfoliation factor is very mild, especially if your skin is very wet because the sugar melts almost instantly.  There is very little lather - which is fine, because I did the heavy cleansing with the soap. 

The combination of these two seductive scents is magical.  I smelt like a goddess and that's a huge boost for my ego!

What products are you mashing up this week, Love Buds?

For more #MashupMonday posts click here

Peace, Love, & Loads of Lather!

A.

Loads of Samples: GIVEAWAY!

Hi Love Buds!

By now, you all know that I am a handmade soap addict.  I purchase tons and receive even more as gifts from loved ones who know I love it, as well as companies who want my opinion.  This year, I have received a crazy amount of sample items.  Look, here is my sample drawer and these are all from just this year!

Samples really pull me in, specific scents prompt me to go back and make additional purchases all the time, but usually, there is no need for me to use the sample.  I most likely received the sample along with other soaps, so I know pretty much how the soap will perform, I just want the new fragrance. 

So I'm going to give, yes I said GIVE, my WHOLE, ENTIRE sample drawer away to one lucky winner!  Samples included come from Petals Bath Boutique, Wyldewood Soaps, Willow & Honey, Handmade in Florida, Antoinette's Bath House, Sunlit Soap, The Soap District and MANY other product makers.  Also included in this prize will be a few FULL SIZED ITEMS.  But wait, not only are there soap samples in this drawer, but fragrance samples, bath bomb samples, body butters and other body treats!

Now here's the kicker, what hoops do you have to jump through to enter this drawing?  Just one (or two if you so choose).  All you have to do is subscribe to this very blog - yes, the one you are reading right now!  You can do that in one of two ways:

1. Through Google Friend Connect:

 

Just look on the left hand side of this page (It may be elsewhere if you're reading this on a mobile device) and under the "Followers" Tab, click the "Join this Site" button. Follow the steps to the end and Voilà! You should have a pic in my followers feed, you'll get first hand updates from my blog and most importantly, you'll be entered into the giveaway!

2. Through Bloglovin

Under my picture on the left hand side of this page (it may be elsewhere if you're reading this on a mobile device) In the "Bloglovin" tab, click the "follow me on bloglovin" button.  This will prompt you to set up a bloglovin account (if you don't already have one - if you do, it will be much easier to just add my blog) and Voilà! You'll get first hand updates from my blog and most importantly, you'll be entered into the giveaway!

Doing both doubles your chances of winning and if you'd like to quadruple that, please post a comment on any of my individual blog posts for 2 additional chances to win.

The winner will be randomly chosen on  September 9th, so don't delay!  Good Luck!!!

Peace, Love & Loads of Lather!

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!

My Visit to Petals Bath Boutique!

When I visited Kia last week, it was like Christmas, I absolutely LOVE her products.  She has a constant rotation of so many great scents that if I could only use one brand of soap again for the rest of my life (though I can't think of any crime I could commit or amount of reward that would result in receiving such a heinous punishment) it would Petals Soap.

 

I was chastising my hubby and therefore look like a rabbit here, but Kia loves how it came out, so I'll let her have this one.

Kia, the sweetheart that she is, send me on my way not only with my fill of the Mid Summer's release soaps, but a loaf of my absolute favorite soap of all time, VENOM!  

She is my friend for life!

Don't miss the Petals Bath Boutique Mid Summer's Release starts Friday 8/14 at 8:30pm TONIGHT! (hope you're reading this today, lol) I witnessed with my own eyes that this release is definitely "mini", meaning Kia did not make her usual amount of these soaps, so they will sell out fast!

Shop Petals Bath Boutique Here!

Oh, I forgot to add a few pictures from her studio:

Have you tried Petals Bath Boutique soap?  What's your favorite?

Check ya later Love Buds!

Peace, Love & Lots of Bubbles~

A.

*edited 8/14/15 @ 12:11pm to include additional photographs

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

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: 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.