Crossing the Blues
Showing posts with label Handmade Soaps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handmade Soaps. Show all posts

Friday, July 9, 2010

3 Simple Weekend Eye Looks + LUSH HIWTK Soap :)

 

 

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Found Honey I Washed The Kids ( HIWTK)  on ebay! It was so much cheaper than buying it off the UK Lush site and man oh man since the seller was local I got this in 2 days ! Yippie!

I’ve been meaning to get a whiff of the original HIWTK cause all I had to go by were the dupes I had been ordering from Etsy and man oh man, I LOVE the TOFFEE RICH smell and Honey Comb Top!! Adorable People :) The stuff permeates my bathroom with the most amazing rich toffee treat scent and I love it ! It makes me want to eat it !! Bad bad bad…

Anyhoo, I’ve just received a few more parcels too. My family thinks I’m going nuts ordering so much stuff online but in actuality I haven’t been out shopping for months and every parcel that comes marks a date approaching my baby’s arrival! hehehe Excuses Excuses!

I’ve got some Haus of Gloi Sugar Scrubs( Smells Divine) & MakeUpArtistChoice TCA Peels & Glycolic Products!  I ordered the TCA  and Glycolic 40% and will use them only after delivery. Really excited about these but I heard the peeling can get pretty nasty. My  skin tolerated 35% glycolic pretty well the last time so I don’t think 40% is going to really make me look scaly but I’m not quite sure about TCA. It will be my first time using it.

The long awaited weekend is here babes!!! I’m going baby shopping and here are 3 looks I did – one brownish black, one blue and a brownish yellow look! * Note to self – I will trim my brows soon :P   Loreal Super Liner works so well!! I was using a Sephora liquid liner initially but I had to switch !

:(  Sephora liquid liner stings my lids and that sucks! :< 

 

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Products Used:

Coastal Scents palettes /Mac Brushes/ Loreal SuperLiner/Fairy Drops Mascara

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Enjoy your Weekend Sweeties!!

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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Soap Seduction

I waited patiently for 10 days.

And my soaps have reached!!

 

Every Etsy soaper I have bought from has something distinct about their products and the smell of the soap seduction parcel  is: Exotic and Decadent

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I was first attracted to this Etsy seller because of her gorgeous and exotic looking soaps  and her customer service is fast and prompt.  Also, I have a habit of checking with soapers, on the safety of their items for pregnancy. Patrice the owner of the Soap Seduction actually remember my question and sent me this very lovely card together with the parcel :

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Sweet :) Patrice is so sweet, I love her thoughtfulness!

 

First Impressions: I love how everything was wrapped up in pretty pink paper and I absolutely love The Soap Seduction Style. Just going by the wrapping and smells, you feel that everything is meant to entice and seduce you into using them.

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The first item I took a bite out of, hehe , was the free sample of a Lip Bomb. The packaging is so convenient because you can turn the base and the balm glides right out and there are only 4 ingredients in it. It’s ultra ultra moisturizing & long lasting  but I wish she would have included the scent name. It smells of cranberry bubblegum. Nothing synthetic & very light :) No smell of any oils or beeswax or anything like that. Only drawback is that it’s a little mushy due to the heat. I think this lip balm needs some refrigeration before I apply it on again.

 

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Next up are the sample size sugar scrubs! I got 2 flavors – Sniker Doodles & Lemon Chiffon. I wish I wish I wish I had bought the larger version of the Lemon Chiffon. It is to die for. The smell is SO SO good, I can’t even describe it.

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Both sugar scrubs are very smooth and the sugar particles in it are very fine and gently exfoliate the skin. Both scrubs lather well but differently. Packaging wise, I would have preferred the labels to be waterproof cause the ink from the ingredients label ran when I brought this into the toilet with me.

Snicker Doodles smells like a rich cinnamon bun mixed with a sneaker bar and the lather is  creamy.It can be a little overpowering and it makes my skin smell like warm vanilla with some notes of cinnamon.

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Lemon Chiffon is a MUST HAVE!  It looks gorgeous in the sample sized jar and the smell is just decadent. It smells like the most sinful  lemony, vanilla chiffon cake ever, without all the calories :) The lather is truly amazing and leaves your skin feeling clean and silky smooth afterwards and if you are anything like me, you’ll be smelling yourself continually . I swear this is the sexiest food scent I have ever used. OMG> to die for people.IMG_5313

 

Next up are The Soap Seduction Soaps!

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The first Soap I got was Holiday Serenade and this was not the smell I was expecting. It smells like Spicy exotic Potpourri :( The soap looks gorgeous though and I have a friend in mind to give this soap to. She prefers deeper muskier scents, while I adore sweet rich ones. 

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The second soap I tried was Killa Vanilla and man oh man, this is one strong sexy smelling vanilla. It looks and smells good enough to eat. It’s cut like a small cake and the color  reminds you of coffee and chocolate. I think I might be a vanilla scent convert! Never would I have ever imagined that vanilla could smell so comforting and dead sexy at the same time!

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The last soap I bought was the sweet nothings. It is huge! I like the light floral and fruity scent it imparts and it’s perfect for days when you just feel like doing nothing and lazing about. I don’t find the soaps moisturizing enough and the scent of this bar is very very light.IMG_5327

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Overall, I LOVE the SUGAR SCRUBS.

I like the soaps because they look very exotic and have a unique smell but the scent disappears too quickly after I bath unlike the sugar scrubs. Also, they are not as moisturizing as Bare Bumm Bath. Still, I have to say the scents are unique & seductive( can be overpowering to some I suspect) , the sugar scrubs are lovely and Patrice is a very sweet seller !

It’s midweek! Countdown to Friday people!

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Thursday, June 17, 2010

De Shawn Marie & Papaya Scrub

Lilac Rose Vegan Handmade Soap, made with real roses, lilac and coconut milk base.

Picture by De Shawn Marie Soaps

If ever there were a designer soap, this would be it. This particular soap is called Lilac Rose and it has the prettiest  rose petals gorgeously embedded in it. The soft hues of pink & creamy white make it the most sensual looking soap ever. It smells like soft sweet rose petals. Lovely.

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Won over by the pretty presentation, I bought 5 soaps from De Shawn Marie for 25 USD. Most are going to be given as gifts and only one bar is meant for personal consumption * My bar smells yummy & I want to eat it. These soaps look like they were individually handcrafted and deserve their very own shelf space  solely for admiration purposes.

If you love the smell of fresh flowers, fruits or simply want to be reminded of  an aromatic garden scent, you will love De Shawn Marie Soaps. They aren’t as huge  or as creamy as BareBummBath but the lather of the soap is amazing. It makes you feel squeaky clean and very refreshed. Her scents will caress and soothe your senses:) She also has a little letter in the parcel talking about her latest discoveries for green teas and oils while holidaying in  Vietnam and assures that that her ingredients are of the highest quality. Just as much as I love to pamper my face, I love to pamper my skin and I think it’s time for me to ditch the parabens and detergents that are found in commercial soaps.

 

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The soaps I purchased were Lilac Rose, Limoncello, Grapefruit Orange, Lavender Cloud and Vanilla Coconut. I took 4 pictures from her Etsy page cause the rest are meant as gifts. My mom chose Grapefruit Orange and when she took it out of the box it looked exactly like this Etsy picture. Smells and looks pretty beautiful. Nothing over powering, just a very nice whiff of light grapefruit and citrus.

Grapefruit Orange Handmade Soap made with Coconut Milk, Grapefruit Oil and Oatmeal
Picture by De Shawn Marie Soaps

Vanilla Coconut

This soap smells a little like a mild vanilla and coconut cake. I could smell it through the box so this was a little tempting!

 Vanilla Coconut Handmade Soap made w/real vanilla and coconut milk
Picture by De Shawn Marie Soaps

Lavender Cloud

Nice whiff of mild lavender. Very therapeutic and relaxing…

Lavender Cloud Handmade Soap made with Coconut Milk, Dried Lavender and Lavender Oil
Picture by De Shawn Marie Soaps

Limoncello!

This rolled soap looked too cute for me to resist . The novelty of this rolled soap wears out pretty quick cause if you cut it into smaller strips to use, it becomes so awkward to use ( I have to unroll the soap  to get a nice rectangular piece)  and if you do use the whole bar than there’s going to be some amount of wastage. I would prefer this in the regular soap shape for practical reasons :)

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Overall, I give her soaps an A+ for packaging, freshness and aromatic scents with great lather.Her soaps gets creamier with use. Unfortunately, ever since I’ve been using Bare Bumm Bath * amazing * Soaps, I can’t help but feel that the Limencello is a little bit too drying and cleans my skin a little too well for my liking. I prefer my skin to feel clean yet nicely moisturized after a bath. On the other hand, I know my mom loves De Shawn’s Soaps because she is crazy over that “squeeky clean feeling”.  As I said before, soaps are very personal and there’s a PERFECT bar of handmade soap for everyone, you just need to find it!

Lastly, her shipping cost a little tiny bit more but shipping was super quick and her customer service is excellent. These soaps make excellent gifts and whoever is receiving it will be very pleasantly surprised!

I have some body scrubs, body lotions and of course more soaps coming in a few weeks time! Meanwhile, I am using a different soap for every bath and I love it!

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I have been using this scrub for 2 months now and have found it to be an extremely effective facial scrub cum Enzymatic Exfoliate :)  PEEL ME A PAPAYA was lying around my home and I think it was purchased from Highonhealth.org  some time ago( I don’t think she stocks it anymore and you would have to check Simply Divine Botanicals website) . As you know papaya contains the enzyme papain and is full of vitamins that can regenerate skin.

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I love all the ingredients listed as they are all great for the skin. Sometimes, papaya or pineapple based facial products can be very harsh and can result in redness or rashes, especially for sensitive skin types. As such, ingredients such as Chamomile, Calendula, Lavender and Coconut Milk are very soothing for the skin when incorporated into a papaya based facial peel.

After I pour out some peel, I add Dr Bronners (*Lavender Scented)  into the dish and mix with some water. It’s all a matter of guestimation but I have to warn you, this mixture STINGS. If you have thin sensitive skin, please skip Dr Bronners or use more water to get a runny consistency. If you have thicker, dull looking skin or some acne scarring, try a thicker consistency with a little water only. The first few times I tried this scrub, I used equal parts Dr Bronners and the papaya peel and my face felt like it was on fire. It was very red afterwards but I noticed that a red scar healed very quickly. Currently, I use Dr Bronners and this papaya peel but it’s more like 3 parts Dr B. to 1 part Papaya peel. After I do a gentle scrub, I usually proceed to letting it sit on my face for 2 minutes or so.

Directions:-

* I recommend that you try DR B. + Papaya Peel + Water, if you have sensitive skin or have never done any form of fruit peels before. Be very gentle with your skin. It should look very runny and there is little to no stinging sensation.

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* For acne scarring, dull, thick and non sensitive skin types, try Dr B.+Papaya Peel. Feel free to add a little water if you are unsure at first. Once confident, you can omit  water, mixing more papaya peel to Dr B.  Once you feel the effectiveness declining, up the proportion for Dr B.

Be warned though, this concoction gives off a very strong smell.

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This scrub can be used twice a week . I wouldn’t recommend anymore cause it does a very good job of exfoliating. Afterwards, slap on some Aloe Vera or your favorite moisturizer and feel it sink right into your skin!

I think my skin looks clear and refreshed after this scrub( ignore my red veins, they have been with me since young) :

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Have a Soapy + Scrubby Good Weekend!!!

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

BAREBUMMBATH SOAPS on Etsy

OMG. I am on a handmade soap roll and BareBummBath is amaZING.

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I placed an order sometime on 23rd May and Dianne (owner of barebummbath) shipped it out super quick and it reached me yesterday! If you have any questions at all, just ask cause she replies asap. She even gave me a small education on handmade soaps:-

 

Worried about the heat over here, I asked Dianne if the soaps would melt if they were left out in the mailbox too long. Since my mailbox is constantly exposed to the sun, I didn’t want to risk not checking for a day or two, only to find a bag of melted squishy soaps!


Dianne promptly replied that:

 

“If it's hot where you live don't worry about these soaps melting if left in your mailbox, they won't…. It would take a constant 200 degrees for several hours for my soaps to even think about getting soft. The real soap, like I make either hot or cold process, won't melt easy, but if you ever order soap that is made from a pre-made glycerin base, it will be a mess if left in your mailbox, didn't know if you knew that , so no worry about your soaps melting before you get to them. Hope they arrive all safe and intact, please let me know.”

 

This truly is attentive and informative online customer service.

 

I have purchased some stuff from  Etsy over the past few years and they were always for bags or some home accessory and I’ve never experienced such customer service (despite the fact that they were more expensive).

 

For generously ( HUGE) sized bars, I paid an estimated total  54 SGD for 7 soaps. She also offers a flat rate shipping fee for up to 7 bars, which I thought was great considering the total weight of these luscious soaps.

 

SO--->> I was bursting with excitement because my hubby actually brought the parcel up to my room and I COULD literally SMELL the soaps from a few inches away. They smell divine, nothing synthetic or fake. Just amazing smelling yummy soaps that had me salivating ( *almost ).

 

Even my hard to please hubby approved of the soaps and lovely packaging :) They look like  individually cut cake slices that have been carefully packaged with tons of love and care. I think these soaps are going to be seriously hard to beat! 

 

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CREAMY SOAPY BLISS:-

 

Let’s start with the 4 cute & generous sized samples:

 

Lime  Coconut Verbena * One of  my favourites

Smells: Interesting, Tropical

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Jasmine Neroli * One of  my favourites

Smells: Mild, Slight jasmine scent, Soothing

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Acai Berries & Satin

Smells: Very Sweet Berries

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Euphoria

Smells: Woodsy, Earthy, Flowery

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Onto the Huge Full Sized Bars (Creamy & Lathers so Well):

PLEASURE’S DELIGHT * One of  my favourites

Smells: Amazing, Caramel, Mild Flowers,  Berries

 

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**I have really fat hands right now and this bar is almost the size of my hand. That’s how generous this bar is!

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ENCHANTED APPLE* One of  my favourites

Smells: Sweet, Apples,Citrusy

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SWEET LOVER’S CRACK

Smells: Intoxicatingly sweet, Berries,Bubble Gum

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HONEY WASHED TOFFEE

Smells: Edible, Hint of Flowery Scent, Chocolatey

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PINEAPPLE RUSH

Smells: Pineapple BubbleGum

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BLOOD SUCKER* One of  my favourites

Smells: Creamy, Luscious,Seductive, Sensual

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CHOCOLATE COCONUT YUMMIES* One of  my favourites

Smells: Warm Coconut Chocolate Cake

 

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Try these soaps, I promise U will Love it!

 

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The silly ants are running all over my table wondering where the hell all the gorgeous smelling cakes are!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

One more thing, AtelierGal is having a giveaway with very attractive prizes! Zip on over to her blog to check out the giveaway details people!

6-9-2010 12-16-04 PM