Moonalisa Easter goodies

Last week I received an Easter basket with various goodies from Moonalisa.  I was excited to get this because the basket I ordered had a few citrus scents I had been wanting to try, the lemony Don't Get Your Knickers in a Twist and all grapefruit Grapefruit Haven, and I was finally one of the first to receive theirs because I didn't become indecisive making my order like in the past, which can be a difference of 2 or 3 weeks (although Moona has hired more staff and to her credit the turnaround time and product availability has noticeably improved).  It arrived Friday, and as I picked it apart I noticed scents I was not expecting....it turned out there was a mix up, the basket was a different theme from the one I picked.  Still smelled nice and looked cute of course. 

 

The foil items are bath melts and solid sugar scrubs.

 

I sent Moona an email that night and when I was awoke in the middle of the night later, decided to leave a note on Facebook and instantly received a message back that she would send out another basket asap.  This was about 1:45 AM her time, and on Monday the replacement came.  So, all in all, it worked out and I got to try some scents I wouldn't have otherwise and it kinda felt like Christmas, so I can't complain.

 

There are a few things I will be giving away, if anyone is interested in them I'll send them either or both of the following, all I ask is funds for shipping, and I will wrap and send them with care in typical Moona fashion.  Actual photos to come, here is one from Moona's bigcartel site.

 





 

 

I have a soap cupcake with a raspberry on top instead of a bird's nest, in Raspberry Lemon Tisane.  It smells great inside the package, sweet and fruity with a very tart lemon edge.  When I took it out, however, it is almost too strong, but maybe it will mellow over time.  I wonder if this could be on purpose because of the size of her fans' collections, she knows things don't always get used right away, LOL!  Anyway, I cut a thin slice off to sample, and the scent throw was a few feet.  The rest of the cupcake in original packaging is available.

 

I also have a 4 oz. 4-in-1 gel, in Snozberry Fizzy Lifter, described as juicy red and purple berry blend with effervescence and a teeny touch of a secret floral , just a tad to give it enough freshness, but barely detectable.  This smelled really familiar to me but I couldn't make the connection for a month or two, but eventually realized it reminds me of Herbal Essences shampoo.  (The 4-in-1's are body washes that can also be used for laundry, as bubble bath, or shampoo.)

 

In addition I have 2 solid sugar scrubs in Lemon Sugar Cookie and Raspberry Lemon Tisane, and a travel-sized sample of Sleepy Hallow 4-in-1 from a prior sale, described as smoldering seasoned oakwood fires, warmed leather from fierce riding through the eastern woodside and the distinct aroma of roasted spiced pumpkin flesh and smoldering marshmallows.

 

If you're a Moonalisa follower, did you place an Easter order or what Moona products are you using right now that you hope to see again? 

 

More S.S. bath salts

Believe it or not, I've switched from taking showers to baths every day.  It started when some of the tiles above my bathtub were coming lose, and taking a bath prevented them from getting worse, and then I figured I'd stick with it because I use less water taking baths.

In a prior post I mentioned Solstice Scents bath salts, and for Valentine's Day I ordered my first jars of Blood Bathory.  The scent is a combination of essential oils of pink grapefruit, white grapefruit, palmarosa, geranium bourbon, peru balsam, roman chamomile, rosewood and jasmine with a few drops of jasmine fragrance oil.  The top notes are the grapefruit and a hint of geranium.  The grapefruit smells like a white grapefruit with the white pith around it, more tart than sweet like the ruby red variety (edit: I was reviewing a jar that was half-full so it had been exposed to air, silly me. When I opened a new jar, the sweeter pink grapefruit came through), and this is not a shy grapefruit.  I don't know what a few of the rest of the notes smell like individually but there is a depth to this blend like Crumbling Crypt so I'm sure they're adding something.  :)  The name of the salts comes from the color added to them which turns your water a deep shade of red; here's some tub photos from another blog.

Like Crumbling Crypt, these are heavily scented...Angela doesn't skimp.  The salts are offered seasonally which is why I have a bunch of jars.  I think next season's release will have the last EO scent blend I'm aware of that I haven't tried, called Wren, described as primarily tart, citrusy, herbaceous and slightly woodsy.

What do you like to add to your bath or shower routine as an extra treat?  Have you tried anything new lately?

You want it, you got it; a giveaway {Closed}

Happy New Year!  Things have been quiet here for a while, but there will be some reviews to come soon.  For those looking to try something new, I'm holding a "choose your own" giveaway.

Below are the mini soaps and samples to choose from.  Also in the giveaway is a sample of Magic Hands Workshop salt soap in Gin Martini, description here.

Clockwise from upper-left are, 

Bodygoodies
        Rooibos Tea, scented with patchouli EO
        Frenchy, scented with lavender EO
        Bar 21 (retired), scented with rosemary EO
        The Salt Bar (retired), scented with peppermint FO & EO, I'll cut a sample.
Haunt & Violette Market
        Lightning Storm & Letters on the Wind - descriptions here, these are lightly scented.

To enter, leave a comment with a product you're glad you discovered in the last 6 months, and what you would pick to receive.  I'll randomly pick a winner on the morning of January 27th (U.S. residents only).

To start it off, this season I'm glad I tried Mirasol Farm's body cream and Upstate Herb Works' lip balm for their formulas, and Arcana's Honey Vanilla soap for scent (all natural yet potent).

What's in your soap dish?

Or dishes as the case may be.

I've been missing "soap chat" lately so I thought I'd check in and see what everyone is using these days.

Sink dish (usually all samples; how many samples can YOU cram on a soap dish?):

Get Lathered - Lime Lager Granola Bar soap
I love lime and I love beer (in soap), so together what more can I ask for. This soap has been in my basement for a couple months and I'm enjoying this now that I'm showing it some love!

Valhalla Soap Co - Norseman and Bergamot & Tarragon soaps
I'm one of those shoppers who is attracted to shops with slick web design, sculptural soap tops, and intricate swirls, but in the end a finely tuned formula wins me over. I like to try to identify the oils that give a soap the properties it has, and I want to say that the castor oil in this gives it its silky quality in use, but I'm sure it's more complicated.

Bodygoodies - Bar None
Love this formula too. I wasn't expecting this to wow me; it's unscented, how much fun is that? But Heidi is the hardest working soapmaker and it's paid off. She mentioned transitioning her entire line to be based on a single formula (the formula used in "crud", gotta love that name), which I'm hoping is the same formula as in this one already.

Maroma Men - Olibanum Citrus soap
This was a bonus in an order from mcfly85 on LiveJournal. It's a melt and pour from what I can tell, and it has a natural woody scent. I'm not familiar with this brand but I just used it and am pleased with it, it has nice lather and is moisturizing.

Tokyo Factory - Beauty Facial Soap with Argan Oil
I just got this one out for the drier, cooler weather. It's gotten a little harder from age/water loss, and I like it but would wait to buy this again when I'll use it right away.

Rainwater Botanicals - Nourishing Facial Soap with geranium and carrot seed oil
Despite the beneficial ingredients added I'm getting some dryness from the base used. This is a melt and pour soap that is alternately offered in an opaque and clear base, and my sample is in the clear base. I'm not sure if the opaque one had butters added or was only colored white but I preferred it.

And outside of the dish waiting for an opening is a 1/2 bar of Arcana Soot soap. I was too impatient to wait to use this - I like the color and it smells like bittersweet dark chocolate.

Bathtub dish:

Moonalisa - Rose Sywch of Virtu soap
The description for this scent is "Four ambers, Frankincense, Pinon Pitch, Copal and a touch of the sacred Damascus Rose." I mostly get the frank and incense; overall I would call this musky. This one has staying power and I like to follow it up with Moona's Mabon body powder, another frank and pine scent.

And finally, little remnants of Bodygoodies Low Tide and Tokyo Factory Caribbean Papaya.

So if you're still reading, what are you using right now??

Soap Giveaway: help me destash

If anyone is interested in soaps from Magic Hands Workshop, I've got a few extra bars and a bath bomb that are looking for a loving home. Magic Hands was a popular shop on Etsy that closed in 2010. If you can chip in for shipping I'm happy to send them to anyone who wants them, just leave a comment and I'll get in touch with you. I have:

Black Raspberry Cream
Pumpkin Spice
Nag Champa
Gin Martini (sea salt bar)
Fruit Slices - limes (main note), lemons and oranges
Petticoats & Parasols - Wild rose and sweet violet, iris, sweet clover, and hint of powder and heather.

Sweet Tooth bath bomb - A buttery cutout cookie with sweet frosting, candied cherries and fruits, colorful sprinkles and powdered sugar.

Here are Gin Martini and Pumpkin Spice:

I thought this would be a fun way for a soap fan to try an etailer they might not have tried before. (In case you're curious what else I have, I have a link in the upper-right.)

All things minty...

For huffability, mint is tops in my book. When it's hot out and I really want to feel refreshed, I reach for mint. Some of my favorite soaps:

Clockwise from upper left:
Haunt - Black Mint Tea, spearmint and peppermint
Cellar Door - Rosemary Mint, spearmint
Haus of Gloi - Madcap Garden 2010, peppermint
My Planet Earth - Get Your Zombie-Like Ass Out Of Bed And Wake The Hell Up!, peppermint & rosemary

Not shown:
Bodygoodies - Low Tide, peppermint
Moonalisa - Snuggler, peppermint (smells like the little wrapped Andes mint chocolates)

On my "maybe I'll try" list:
Arcana - Filthy Viking, icelandic mint & juniper, and St. John's Apothecary soap in peppermint
Mirasol Farm - Double Mint, mystery mint blend
SV Soaps - Mint Madness, peppermint, spearmint and cornmint
Heirloom Soapworks - Mint Mosaic, same as SV Soaps
Villainess - Triple Mint, same as SV Soaps
Petal's Secret Garden - Mint Leaf Tea, spearmint and peppermint
Solstice Scents - Window Box, cornmint and herbs
New Day Soap Co - Peppermint
Cellar Door - Peppermint Mocha

Anything I should add?

One more photo for my pron post!

If it wasn't for the wavy cutter used I would not have known this wasn't edible!

This is from Balsam soapmaker (and talented photographer), Nicole.  Here are more of her mouth-watering and heart-warming photos of food, pets, and children.