Rocaille Reviews: Sande Handmade Natural Soaps

As regular readers of this blog may know, I am a bit of a natural skincare afficionado: if I can find a natural product that's just as effective as its more chemical-laden brethren, I'm going to treasure it for a long time. I've been on the lookout for natural bar soaps for a while now and have tried a number of small, independent companies, so when Pam from Sande Handmade Natural contacted me and graciously asked whether I'd be interested in reviewing her products, I jumped at the chance - and was very pleasantly surprised!

First off, the soaps came snuggly wedged in a mountain of peanuts with pink tissue and individually wrapped in bubble wrap. That's possibly one of the few things I would suggest changing; I hate packing peanuts with a passion and they are detrimental to our environment, so there. The full-sized soaps came all with cardboard sleeves with a bit more information about the product, and the very generous sample size soaps came wrapped in brown paper, as you can see above. I received 7 of the big soaps and 4 samples, all in different scents, and a natural washcloth.

One of my immediate favorites when I opened the box was the Hearts Desire Soap ($6.95), complete with a pink heart jutting out the top and some iridescent glitter. Heart's Desire is a 'romantic delicately scented soap, formulated with essential oils of rose geranium, tangerine, and lavender' and to me, it would make a perfect Valentine's Day gift. It's a very feminine, fresh soapy floral without the usual green tomato vine aspect of rose geranium. As far as I've noticed, all of Sande soaps feel quite creamy and soft to the touch, thanks to a mix of base oils (olive, coconut, palm and sweet almond oils) but lather well to a dense, rich foam that rinses with no residue but also without leaving the skin 'squeaky' clean. They're not as moisturizing as my Shikai shower gel or L'Occitane Shower Oil but a lot less drying than something like Lush bar soaps.

The suspiciously dark Cocoa Mint Soap ($5.95) smells just like After Eights, or Starbucks Peppermint Mochas. 'This luxurious soap smells subtly of peppermint and chocolate. Cocoa Butter is a rich emollient that moisturizes your skin while the peppermint essential oil energizes and awakens the mind and adds in a refreshing cooling sensation'; this would be just perfect for a quick morning shower. Apart from cocoa butter, this soap also contains aloe, shea and illipe butters and truly feels very decadent and pampering on the skin. Another favorite!

Now, something for lavender lovers: the Lavender Oatmeal soap ($6.95) is 'beautifully scented with lavender essential oil and textured with oatmeal to make a mild exfoliating soap scrub'. As opposed to rock-hard Porridge from Lush, the oatmeal particles are much smaller, softer and scaterred more sparsely throughout the bar so that the soap feels more knubbly than scratchy on the skin. The top of the soap is decorated with lavender buds and the soap smells of fresh, slightly sweeter lavender without the pungent herbaceous notes that I tend to dislike in lavender scents.

The Patchouli Rose ($6.95) is probably the single soap I don't love from the selection I received; it smells of extremely earthy aspects of both patchouli and rose, a bit like kaolin clay and geranium, which again, I quite dislike. 'A dreamy blend of citrus oils with warm lavender and added lemon balm leaves makes this soap one of a kind'. I don't get any of the lemon and lime used, to be honest, and I wish the scent was a bit brighter - but I'm sure there are soap fanatics out there who love this.

'Strong and sultry, our rosemary soap gives off a powerful, refreshing aroma to stimulate the skin and mind. Made with botanical oils, shea butter and pure rosemary essential oil to energize and renew' ($3 for travel size). Again, this would be fantastic as a morning and/or summer soap, as the rosemary is both vivacious and herbal with a touch of coolness. My only complaint is that after a couple weeks, the rosemary aroma is a bit less pronounced than when I first got it but I'm not sure if that could be helped.

The Kitchen Blend soap ($6.95) is a pleasant mix of lemon, lime, orange and rosemary essential oils that help to neutralize cooking odors; you know, like when you have this lovely combination of onion and garlic from your bolognese sauce right on your fingertips? Kitchen Blend is also nicely textured with coriander, sesame, poppy, fenugreek and celery seeds - it's almost like the contents of my spice and herb drawer in one lovely soap.

 

I also received four sample-sized soaps, from left to right: a Lemongrass soap ($6.95) with orange peel, cedarwood and of course lemongrass essential oil, which health benefits include helping the nervous system, toning, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. This is also blended with cornmeal to mildly exfoliate the skin. Next, the Sweet Hearts glycerin soap ($6.95) is a musky pink lotus and golden amber blend with moisturizing mango and shea butter, and it looks super cute with its dark pink hearts design although the color transferred onto my skin slightly. The unassuming creamy bar to the right is another favorite, a Gardenia & Grapefruit soap ($6.95) smells like an exotic getaway with clean floral and citrus notes. And lastly, the Dark Amber soap has a spicier, more sensual scent with maybe a touch of vanilla and it's the one I currently keep in my soap dish.

Pam also included a 100% Natural Ayate/ Agave Washcloth ($6). When dry, it looks absolutely terrifying and scratchy but when soaked in warm water, it turns soft and pliable and makes a great exfoliator for the skin. It also helps to spread the lather on your body nicely without wasting too much soap. Personally, I'm not a big fan of washcloths in the bath/shower, although this makes for a great natural and more durable alternative to a loofah.

All in all, I really enjoyed trying Sande Handmade Natural soaps and I've definitely found a couple of new favorites among her scents. Sande Handmade Natural now also carries natural perfume oils, bath salts, mineral mud masks as well as lots and lots of other delicious soaps; I particularly like the sound of Honey Almond Oatmeal soap and Eucalyptus & Lemongrass soap with Dead Sea Salt. If you're looking for a new soap company to try, definitely check out Sande's Etsy shop, link here.

Do you prefer using bar soaps or shower gels for your body? What is your favorite soap brand?

Disclaimer: The article above features products I received for review consideration from Sande Handmade Natural. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. Thank you for reading!

Haul and Review: Ophelia's Apothecary

Have you heard about Heartsy, lovelies? It's a voucher website that features handmade goodies, from jewelery, stationery, home decor to bath and body products; I found out about it at the beginning of September, got super excited (who doesn't love an awesome deal?) and prompty purchased my first voucher ($19 for $41) to Ophelia's Apothecary, an Etsy shop with bath, body and cosmetic products - my Haus of Gloi stash was running low and I wanted to give a chance to another company.

I placed my order on Sep 2 and the shop clearly stated their turnaround time was 'at least' 14 days - I didn't mind waiting a bit longer, I still had other things to use up. On Sep 28 I received a copy and paste convo saying they were aware that they'd surpassed the stated turnaround time, but that 'all orders through the 7th (Sep) would be shipped out by the 1st (Oct)'. By this time I had to go and purchase something else to use in the shower. Finally, my order shipped out on Oct 15, with a note apologizing for the delay and thanking me for my patience. What I'm trying to say is that this is a REALLY long TAT; while I understand the shop owners had their difficulties (there were so many of them that they started to seem more like excuses) due to the move to a different state, I don't understand why they'd decided to run a Heartsy deal at such a time when obviously they would be getting slammed with orders. All right, rant over; you probably want to know whether the products were worth the wait...

I purchased a Whipped Cream Soap (4 oz) in the Vanilla Noir fragrance ($8.25), a No 9 Sea Salt and Sugar Body Buff (4 oz for $18) and a Caramel Chai Latte Lip Tint ($7.75). I'll start with my least favorite product - the salt & sugar body scrub. I've used it once so far, and won't be able to use it again for quite a while; basically, it really hurts my eczema covered hands. It's more of an oily formulation compared to other scrubs I tried and it's also rather abrasive, I guess way too abrasive for my tastes. The scent is a strong rose with a touch of glycerin; more on the grandma-ish than the sexy side.

The whipped soap is a nice, smooth, creamy consistency, it doesn't feel drying on the skin and I was quite pleased with my choice of scent, although I suspect Ophelia's Apothecary uses readymade fragrance oils instead of their own in-house blends (like most sellers on Etsy). The soap is definitely comparable to Haus of Gloi's whipped soap formulation.

My favorite from the bunch is definitely the Lip Tint - it's a silky smooth moisturizing formula that melts onto the lips, with a very fine and delicate gold shimmer running throughout. The shade 'Caramel' is a reddish brown, very natural and a perfect everyday color for the season. It hasn't left my purse since I got it and I live under the impression it just goes with everything :) The scent is subtle vanilla, maybe with a touch of spice - I wish it was a bit more like chai latte, but I still really like it.

Overall, I'm not sure whether my order with Ophelia's Apothecary was worth the looong wait; there was just one product that I'm really loving, and the price points are significantly higher than other sellers', including my beloved Haus of Gloi. Have you ever tried anything from Ophelia's Apothecary? What are your favorite indie bath & body companies?

Review: Madame Scodioli's Solid Perfumes

One of occupational hazards of working at a perfumery is certainly trying more perfume, which in turn leads to buying more perfume. Case in point: Madame Scodioli's set of 3 Solid Perfume Wee Samples (yes, ironically, they're actually called that - just look at the photos comparing to other brands!) I purchased at Madame's Etsy shop for $16.

Let me start by saying that I just love the image and design of the brand. The travelling circus troupe vibe with its imaginative characters, including Madame herself (the bearded lady) is fun, unique, and certainly a bit geeky. We like.

For my set, I chose the following scents: Dust Shaker (mahogany and sandalwood), Cloven (amber, sandalwood, vanilla) and Boheme (vanilla oak) - isn't the woodsy theme quite obvious here? The scents are ordered, coincidentally, from the most to the least favorite; let me tell you why.

Dust Shaker is a gorgeous, faintly masculine scent in the pot; a bit reminiscent of mahogany-panelled cigar room with opulent volumes on the shelves, and a touch o' travels to the East by way of elephant figurines and plush carpets. The mahogany is almost reminiscent of tobacco here for me, whereas the soft, sweet sandalwood that the fragrance settles into on the skin brings images of flowered temples and monsoon weddings. I like this a whole lot and find it layers beautifully with other fragrances as well (like my classic Burberry EDP).

Cloven is a beautiful, grown-up, non-gourmand vanilla with a touch of feminine woods. This almost feels like a femme fatale kind of fragrance: one that requires a dark lipstick, seamed stockings, high heels and lots and lots of confidence - which, let's be honest, I don't really have. That's why I can't wear it all that often; it just isn't very me and sometimes even feels a bit cloying.

Boheme, unfortunately, is the black sheep here; it reminds me too much of a cheap old-fashioned cologne. The scent is quite pungent, more refreshing than soft, and the vanilla is almost imperceptible to me. Interestingly enough, I know there's a ready-made fragrance oil named Vanilla Oak that many independent perfumers use - I'm not saying this is what Madame used herself, I'm saying Boheme might need something extra for me to like it.

Moving forward, the formulation of the solid perfumes is lovely: they're very solid in the pots, but quickly melt to an oil with the warmth of your fingers and spread on the skin beautifully. I'd say they last good 2-3 hours on the skin, but somehow managed to perfume my dress for full 2 days!

Something to bear in mind: due to the beeswax content, these are not suitable for vegans :)

Compared to other solid perfumes in my posession, they're much easier (softer) to apply than Lush's solids and quite comparable to Sweet Anthem's new formulation (without the coconut oil). I literally have to use my nails to scrape some of Snow Fairy out from the pot; it's certainly not the case with Scodioli's scents. Overall, I think Madame Scodioli's perfumes are definitely worth a try and outstanding quality for the price; I'm thinking of picking up Laudanum (tobacco + black tea) some time soon.

Have you ever tried Scodioli's solid perfumes? What are your favorite scents in the solid form?

Finally...! Some Empties

I've been hoarding a collection of empty pots and bottles to silence my guilty conscience by visibly proving that I actually do use up my products - if very slowly. I'm a very strange woman indeed, empty cosmetic packaging makes me happy...

Here's a little round-up of some make-up and skincare bits I've used lately, together with mini reviews for your enjoyment:

1. Haus of Gloi Vice Soft Bubbling Scrub - I gushed about this before, and I still stand by what I said earlier. A deliciously soft scrubbly goodness smelling of hazelnut ice cream - I do miss it now actually that it's gone, but (shock horror!) I veered from the righteous Haus of Gloi path and ordered some bath goodies from another indie company - a review coming soon.
2. Haus of Gloi Spring LE Milkmaid Whipped Soap - I do like HoG's whipped soap a lot and this was a very nice, feminine, musky floral scent that left me feeling clean and refreshed. A little too clean smelling, maybe, but it's just me; I think I prefer gourmand for the bath.
3. Haus of Gloi Spring LE Lassi Bubbling Scrub - I'm glad I only got a sample pot, because I swear to you, this smells of gummy bears. I do love gummy bears, especially biting of their heads first so that they don't suffer unneccesarily (told you I was strange!), but not so much in my bath.
4. Haus of Gloi Madcap Garden Perfume Oil sample - I surprised myself here by enjoying a peppermint fragrance, but then got bored quite quickly, so I don't think I'll repurchase. Great quality though.

5. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - A classic, but it does go extremely gloopy after some time (I think I had this bottle for a year or so). I'm currently testing a diffrent top coat, I'll let you know my thoughts eventually.
6. Allafia Rooibos & Shea Butter Antioxidant Facial Cleanser - read a detailed review here. Awesome cleanser by a local skincare brand that deserves much more recognition.
7. Mario Badescu Ceramide Eye Gel sample - A pleasantly scented, fast absorbing eye cream that wears well under make-up, but made me break out around my eye area. I think my eyes are just very sensitive, I've had this before with different eye creams, so I wouldn't completely write it off.
8. GOSH Eye Liner Pen - Meh, it's all right, I guess. The felt tip tends to splay out though, making it very difficult to apply, plus this baby will run down your cheeks at the mere sight of water. Not very practical in the Pacific Northwest.

9. Angel Face Botanicals Angel's Balm Body Butter - I didn't get on well with this one. I disliked the herbal scent and the grainy texture, and on top of that, it wouldn't sink in well into my skin, so I just had the feeling I was rubbing it off on my bed sheets all night. You might enjoy it though if you like more oilier body moisturizers such as Lush's Massage Bars.
10. Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere & Silk Hand Cream - Ooh, this one I did like, we've used every last drop with the husband, and even my dad liked it. I am aware that the silky feeling upon application is due to a crap load of silicones, not the silk proteins; that said, silicones form a barrier preventing moisture loss from the skin, which is important if you have severely dry hands/ eczema.
11. Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Shower Cream - read a full review here. Nice enough, but quite pricey for what it is; therefore, I don't think I'll repurchase, unless I have an awesome B&BW coupon burning in my pocket.

Not bad, huh? I hasten to add that using up those four soaps/scrubs that I had on rotation in my bath took me good 4-5 months - quite pathetic. What have you emptied recently?

September Favorites

I know, I know - there goes my resolution to post three times a week. But at least I can offer an excuse/update on what's been going on in here, I thought you deserve to know! But before I go into that, some favorites of the past month. I've started to enjoy wearing make-up a bit more again now that my skin is not breaking out with the speed of a machine gun, and these are my most worn products:

1. MAC 226 Tapered Blending Brush - I will admit that I got this over 2 years ago and haven't used it that much since, for no reason other than I keep it in my non-everyday brush cup. However, I picked it up recently and it really is perfect for smaller creases, it just fits right in and deposits most of the color exactly where it should.
2. Clinique Plum Eyeshadow Quad - This was part of a last year's Gift With Purchase and contains the following shadows, available separately (clockwise from top): 'Stone Violet' from 'Sunburst' duo, darker shade from 'Beach Plum' duo, 'Night Plum' Stay Matte Eyeshadow and 'Frosted Blossom' Soft Shimmer Eyeshadow. I don't think these are very unique, I've just been loving plum shades on the eyes and these are easy to grab and good quality eyeshadows.
3. Wet'n'Wild Kohl Brow in Taupe - I waxed lyrical about this before, but I'd been using a different pencil for a bit and had actually forgot how much I loved it until I started using it again. The formula is quite soft and somehow manages to look natural while defining my brows.
4. OPI Brisbane Bronze Nail Polish - My first ever OPI! I do enjoy the formula and the wide brush, very easy to apply. But the color! A gorgeous dark copper reminiscent of falling leaves and campfire.

5. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo - How funny, I actually wear this one that I found in the woods more than the one I bought. This has been my shade of choice if I don't know what to wear on my lips. Monte Carlo is a sheer pink berry shade that feels comfortable and moisturizing, but doesn't last long on the lips.
6. NYX Powder Blush in Mauve - Not mauve at all, but still very pretty. It's a matte brownish rose that compliments post-summer skin perfectly and suits a variety of looks. I love how warm the shade is without making me look orange like many corals tend to do. Plus, you know how I love my NYX powder blushes!
7. Sweet Anthem 'Anton' Parfum Solide - I kind of feel like it deserves its own review, but I'm not sure if I want to draw attention to my perfume reviewing skills... Warm, spicy, smoky, striking with a hint of fruit, Anton was actually designed as a men's fragrance. Yes, I do sneak it from my husband, I just can't get enough of that perfect fall scent; plus, it's a perfect purse size.

Now, here goes my news/excuse: I'm actually busy interning at Sweet Anthem; for those of you not in the know, it's a West Seattle-based micro perfumery run and owned by Meredith Smith. So, in the spirit of transparency, 'Anton' was a gift, or as Meredith would have called it, a bribe; however, I promise to try and not pitch Sweet Anthem fragrances on the blog too often, even though they truly are beautiful and unique. But more importantly, Sweet Anthem is opening its flagship atelier on October 12 - there will be champagne, swag bags for the first 25 shoppers, and lots and lots of lovely indie perfumes to smell. Well, my lovely local readers, you're all invited to the party! You can find more info on the Sweet Anthem's website and Facebook page.

How's the month of September been for you?