Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Bath and Body Items from Beaxsavonsfrais!

This is my second order with Beaxsavonsfrais. I placed my first order a couple of months ago for two regular shaped bars of soap in Pink Sugar and Blue Sugar. I tried Blue Sugar first and loved it. It smelled amazing, was long lasting, and cleaned very very well. So when my beloved Blue Sugar bar finally dissolved and melted away, I knew I had to get more.

Whipped Cream Soap

I was so impressed by the quality of the bar soap I decided to try a few other items as well. Since regular bar soap is a bit drying, I ordered a jar of  Luxurious Whipped Cream Soap in the same Blue Sugar scent. I was excited to try it out, and washed my hands with it right out of the package. I didn't get a super bubbly lather, but it went on smooth. The scent stayed on my skin, soft enough so it wasn't overwhelming, but strong enough to be noticeable once my hands were dry. The moisturizing factor was nice too. I will still use my regular moisturizing lotion, but my hands felt much softer opposed to how they felt with regular soap.
The tops are sparkly!

Speaking of lotions, I decided to order a couple to go with my bars of soap. One to match my Blue Sugar, and another to match the Pink Sugar bar I purchased with my last package. Since it's wintertime I got the thicker lotion in the jar. It's creamy, smells great, and isn't greasy at all. It looks like there is a tiny bit of sparkle in it. I can see some on the inside of the jar, and just a tiny bit made it onto my skin. I know a lot of people don't care for glitter, but don't fret! It's very very light.
I've only just received it today, but so far I think its great. I've got Blue Sugar on one arm and Pink Sugar on the other, and a couple hours later I can still smell it.

Bar of Pink Sugar from my previous order.
Wow that sounds great! Right? Right! Can it get better? Why yes it can! I made my purchase, completely in coincidence with the Beaxsavonsfrais' Black Friday Sale. I thought I was only ordering 4 items, but they doubled my entire order. I got twice the amount of items I had originally expected. Most exciting 50% off ever. Other than the fact that it is extra product, I'm especially excited because I'm leaving for Australia soon, and now my soaps and lotions will last twice as long than I thought.

Pink Sugar Thick N' Creamy Lotion
The cherry on top of my order...the samples! One was a scent I requested. Buttercream. I love Buttercream as a wax tart so I thought I would try it in body care.  I wasn't sure I'd like it enough to invest in a full size jar, so a mini size is perfect. I tried to put a little on, but with the hand washing, and the other lotions I've applied, its a little too much scent overload to distinguish this one right now. I'll try it again in a little while and post an update. :)
Next up, two chunks of bar soap in Pink Poundcake and Victoria's Secret Pink Type. (Guess they found out I LOVE pink! Obvious huh?) Last but not least is a little mini bar of soap in a Green Tea scent. It smells light and refreshing, and was molded to say "Thank You" right on top.

Samples!
I'll be posting updates as I use the products more, but everything I have experienced so far has been excellent. If you're not concerned about dry skin the regular bars are great, and if you are, the whipped soap is a creamier way to go. The thick and creamy lotion feels great on my skin, and not greasy in the slightest.
Ordering from Beaxsavonsfrais has been a pleasure. The products are amazing, and the customer service is top notch. My questions were answered quickly and the owner is so sweet. The regular prices are good, and the sales are a steal.
If your looking for great quality soaps, lotions and smellies give Beaxsavonsfrais a try. I'm willing to bet they will be one of your go-to vendors, because they certainly are mine! While I love my Bath and Body Works, there is something extra special about Mother and Daughter Handmade Creations. 

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Respect the Bird! A Short Thanksgiving Day Rant.



Traditionally, there are two major holidays this time of year, Thanksgiving and Christmas (or Hanukkah for my Jewish friends). But has anyone else noticed that "Black Friday" is becoming a holiday in its own right? Each year Black Friday seems to start earlier and earlier, with stories on the news about shoppers get more and more violent. While it's not my place to judge or tell people what they should or shouldn't do, I admit I'm disappointed. We spend an entire day giving thanks for what we have, then get up at the crack of dawn to get purchase more tangible items, and "stuff".
Black Friday isn't for me, but I understand that many are on tight budgets and are able to get more bang for their buck with these door buster type sales. My beef however is that some stores are now opening at midnight Thanksgiving night. Why can't we keep Thanksgiving and Black Friday seperate? As the "chef" in my family after the big dinner I want to relax, not get the kitchen cleaned, take a quick nap then go out and battle the crowd. So this year I decided to "Respect the Bird" and pledged to not let Shopping and Black Friday sales gobble up my Thanksgiving! I know Black Friday can be a tradition for some families, but please, lets keep the two holidays separate. Friends, family, and giving thanks are one of the most important things to us not only as individuals, but also as a nation. The retailers can have their day, I would just prefer that it doesn't run into one of the best holidays we celebrate.
It's a little late, but you can check out Respect The Bird here.

On a similar rant, I love Christmas just as much as everyone else, but can we please wait until after Thanksgiving to be bombarded with carols, commercials and merchandise? Hey Christmas! Wait your turn!
End of rant! I promise :)

While this year was bit different that most, it was still a great holiday. Tyler is in Australia, but our friends Austin and Jess came over for dinner. Since it was only the three of us I made a chicken instead of a turkey, but we still want all out on the fixins'. We had all the traditional favorites, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits.
We gathered around the dinner table and watched the "Slapsgiving" episode of How I Met Your Mother. We ate, we laughed, we had a great time.











Vanilla Pumpkin Pie!






Our Thanksgiving spread. Notice my warmer on in the background. Thanksgiving day I melted Vanilla Pumpkin Pie!

While I didn't spend Thanksgiving this year with relatives, I did spend the day with Family :)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Tonight in my Warmer; Iced Lemon Cookies!

My Box-O-Tarts must be a rough neighborhood!


I wasn't planning on writing anything tonight, but this scent has "wowed" me so much I managed to get myself off the couch. My husband is on a business trip for the moment, and my big plans for the evening were to watch Housewives while eating some Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream.
I feel a little bad I smooshed his face
During a commercial break, I was rifling around my Box-O-Tarts looking for something sweet, yet different. I ended up deciding on Iced Lemon Cookies
This tart is from Wahm's Scented Wax in an adorable yellow Troll doll shape. I believe this is one of Wahm's most popular scents. It's because of this, and the glowing recommendations I've heard from both Julie and many of her other customers, that I ended up purchasing it.
AAAAhhhhh!!
I will admit, I was a bit spooked about the "Lemon" in the Iced Lemon Cookies. I don't usually buy lemon scents because they often remind me of cleaning products. But tonight was the night, I was ready to take the lemony plunge. So I find him, and he looks a little worse for wear.  He's been rattling around my Box-O-Tarts for a few months and has gotten smooshed and decapitated. This poor little guy has had it rough!

So now that I have finally given him a try, I am glad to say there is no cleanser here. This little guy, although now in a warm puddle in the bottom of my electric warmer, packs an amazing punch. Sweet and creamy with just a bit of zing, I can smell this enticing aroma in multiple rooms of my apartment.  Which leaves me wondering to myself, why the heck have I not tried this scent sooner?!?!
 I'm breaking out of the box one scent at a time. Thank you Wahm's!
He's not quite as cute now, but he smells even better!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Will it blend? Pink Sugar and Sunflowers!


Welcome to my second edition of "Will it Blend'! Just about everyone loves Pink Sugar, and it is arguably one of the most mixed scents out there. With good reason too, PS makes just about everything smell amazing. But what about putting it together with things that are a little out of the norm? Last time I blended Pink Sugar and Spiced Cranberry, so now I wanted to try something a little different. I decided on blending Pink Sugar with Sunflowers.  
Sunflowers isn't your run of the mill floral. This is a Elizabeth Arden type from Briar Rose Soy Candles. Briar Rose describes Sunflowers as ": Sunflowers* Elizabeth Arden type (women) A refined, aquatic fragrance. Contains a blend of fruity, fresh florals. It is recommended for evening wear." 
My Pink Sugar from Wahm's
The Elizabeth Arden Website says; "Sunflowers symbolizes the sun, capturing its goodness, naturalness and energy."
I have never tried the perfume, but the tarts smell like a lighter sweeter version of "Butterfly Flower" from Bath and Body Works (Which has recently been discontinued). It's a soft fruity floral that I like more than I thought I would. I'm a little surprised that more vendors don't carry this scent, as it seems like one that could become popular.

So does it blend? Absolutely! What I like about this combination (as opposed to my previous one), is that it mixes almost evenly. One isn't overpowered by the other. Sunflowers and Pink Sugar are similar in that they are both sweet scents, but it's a different kind of sweet. PS is a cotton candy type and Sunflowers is more of a citrusy floral. The combination works, as the cotton candy notes mix in so well. It adds an extra dimension to an already complex scent.

The only downside is that perhaps it's a bit too complex now. It's not well defined and can be a bit confusing to the nose. Every time I go out of the room, it smells a bit different when I return. Floral, Sweet, Fruity, then back again. 
If your not into perfumey types this may not be for you, but it is soft and sweet enough that it may change a few minds.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Tonight in my Warmer; Wedding Night!

Wedding Night is a yellow 2 ounce "soy shot" from Sinful Scents. If you haven't tried Sinful Scents yet, I recommend you put it on your list. All of the tarts I have tried have had an impressive throw and lasted quite a long time. There is a wide array of different fragrances available (all with adorable and creative names too!) so there is something for everyone.
I did a interview with the owner Lindsay a few months ago. If your curious, you can check it out here. She is super nice, and is one of those people that make you proud to support small businesses.


Floral scents aren't the most popular type, but for some reason they have always been one of my favorites. I've been in a cupcake and cookie theme for so long, it's a little like coming back to a good friend.
Sinful Scents describe Wedding Night as  "An innocent and loving blend of soft rose petals, baby breath, and white flowers, with perfect accents of clove, nutmeg, patchouli, sandalwood, and Madagascar vanilla."  

This is my favorite kind of floral, it's flowery enough to be identifiable, but sweetened enough to stave off the "Ack!" factor.   The vanilla sweetens it so it isn't so harsh on the nose, and the sandalwood is an excellent base note that grounds the scent by adding extra depth. The throw is strong, but not overpowering. (As a side note it also passed the "husband test". My husband only asks what I'm melting if he doesn't care for it.)
If you are interested in trying a floral but have been turned off by others in the past, Wedding Night might be a good way to test the waters. 

 

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Halloween 2011 in pictures!

 2011 has been the best Halloween ever! Tyler and I usually don't do anything, so this year was a lot of firsts. Our first party! Tyler went as Pac-man and I was Inky the ghost.
Inky

































Every nook and cranny was decorated with spooky touches. Even the ceiling was coated with black and red balloons.
The Halloween inspired treats were incredible! There are cookies that look like bones.




The wall of Rice Krispy treats with SEVERED HAND!! Grosser than that, used Q-Tips! Okay, so they were really marshmallows tipped in a bit of caramel (for the wax) but they tasted way better than the real thing! (or so I would imagine) Tyler ate a few just by himself.



Can't forget about the Chocolate Rats on a Stick!
I admit it. I ate one, and it was delicious!


This has to be the scariest bathroom ever! They were trying to recreate the drug addict's last stop. You name it, it was there, pill bottles (They were filled with candy. Yeah I was curious and looked!) Fake blood, plastic that looked like broken glass, plastic needles, empty cigarette boxes, bottles of booze and even a fake plant that looked like marijuana! The spookiest thing of all are pictures of dead celebrities on the wall (Amy Winehouse anyone?) with Rob Zombie's album on loop in the back ground.



Our Hostess Laura (the Mail Order Blow Up Bride) is an amazing singer. She broke the karaoke ice by singing first. I got up there and sang myself (my first karaoke!). It was probably the worlds most tone deaf version of Come Sail Away by Styx ever, but the audience seemed to enjoy it. Although they had an open bar, so that might have had something to do with the screams and thunderous applause....





 Last but certainly not least, my little mini Halloween pumpkin. I know some people get all fancy and do some pretty elaborate carvings, but I decided to keep it simple. This was the way we always did them when I was a kid, and the lopsided face makes me smile.
I only got 3 trick or treaters this year, (and they all came together!), but this hands down was my favorite Halloween ever.