UPDATE

So I haven't really touched this blog since the beginning of July. In July it was mostly that I was incredibly busy with work, family, and events but then at the end of July I was in a major accident, lost all the belongings I had on me (including my camera, along with all my SDCC and new swatch photos), and was heavily injured. I spent 2 months purely focusing on recovering, and now I've been at school for the past month. Apologies for the lack of reviews and general content, but I will definitely be hopping back on as soon as possible :) Hope everybody has a fantastic day!

Review: Givenchy Le Rouge

I got this Givenchy Le Rogue as a 100 point perk at Sephora and it is super lovely! I thought I'd do a post covering it because it is the swankiest makeup item I own and now that I've gotten a taste I see why some people go crazy over high end lipsticks.

First, the packaging.

This was a free 100 point perk yet it is still so freaking fancy. There is a smaller box you push your tiny little lipstick out of, and a larger box encasing it. It is reminiscent of higher quality pens which are individually contained with little cushions. However instead of being surrounded by cushion this lipstick is surrounded by… Le Rogue tissue paper! This is seriously adorable stuff, I was so pleased by it. It has Le Rogue printed on otherwise plain white tissue paper and was cut to perfectly wrap around the lipstick. The lipstick case itself is also very nice. It is really sleek, and has a black case with silver accents. The lipstick itself is also really nice.

It glides on quite pleasantly and stays put on the lips. There's also a surprising amount for this deluxe mini. Though the bullet is small it is quite long and there seems to be a little more product than I've gotten from other brands' deluxe minis.

I was a little iffy about the color because bright pinks aren't usually my thing, but I can easily make an exception for this because application and longevity are so great. I had no idea what color I'd receive and I ended up getting 202, which is described as a bright pink coral. Not usually my jam but this lipstick speaks to me and I will use it. I also didn't clean the swatch off afterwards and it stained my arm for literally over 24 hours, which is magnificent. It lasted through plain water and light physical towel drying which normally demolishes any lipstick remains.

Here it is on my lips with a sheet for balance, it's actually quite wearable! It's pigmented but not overly bright, making it a good dip toes into water pink for a gal like myself. I hope they have many many more higher end deluxe sample sizes. Maybe someday I'll be able to splurge on a full size of one of these beauties but for now having it as a free perk is more than enough. In the meantime I remain envious of people who actually own these and shall admire them from afar.

Review: Jenna Hipp Nail Polish The New Brights

Jenna Hipp is a celebrity nail artist and has a line of nail polishes at Costco, AKA my favorite store! The other day while looking around I bought this set of 8 nail polishes. There were two options, New Moderns or New Brights but since it's summer I figured I'd go for the brights. Costco usually carries decent/good quality items, so I figured these polishes would be ~OPI/China Glaze quality but in smaller bottles and in a large pack.

I was immediately drawn to the pale mint color, and after reading the name I thought it would be love. 

We Are Mint To Be, oh if only.

Unfortunately, though it looks great in the bottle it has terrible application.

2 coats of "We Are Mint to Be" over opaque white nails.

This was it 2 coats later on top of an opaque layer of white. I tried it on a bare nail and immediately removed it because it cannot stand alone.

This was a beast trying to paint dear god. The polish was very goopy and didn't like being spread/painted, plus it applied extremely patchily and wasn't very opaque at all. It was difficult getting a regular layer on and getting a thin layer was completely out of the question, since the brush just left uneven streaks when I tried. It also wasn't fast drying like the box claimed.

In better light you can see how badly the polish applied. The pinky was okay because I basically used one glop and one stroke for the entire nail, but with the pointer finger especially you can see the it just didn't apply smoothly. And when trying to apply on bare nails it looked terrible. The brush wasn't very pleasant, it was rougher and more uneven than Sally Hansen and even comparable Wet N Wild nail polish brushes, except the polish itself was somehow lower quality than $1 Wet N Wild polish. The pack itself was pretty cheap, costing a little over $1 per 5 mL bottle, but I would rather buy 1 or 2 bottles of higher quality polish than this pack of subpar paint. Heck I'd rather get Wet N Wild or Revlon. I would have tested some of the other colors to see if the quality was the same for the other polishes but I plan on returning this and didn't want to waste more than I already had, and after a bit of research I saw that Jenna Hip's creme nail polishes (which all of these are) do not have good formulas. If only I had known that before buying and applying. 

Are there any brands of nail polish you especially adore? I usually don't paint my nails too often but when I do I usually reach for the bottles my nail shop owning aunties gave me, which are China Glaze. 

Quick Review: Whish Shaving Cream

So I received this in my May Birchbox and finally gave it a whirl. Here are my thoughts during the process.

The Packaging
This is pretty darn cute. It's compact and would be good for travel, but I just used it at home before a mini trip and it barely took up any space in my shower. Squeeze tube is handy too.

The Texture
I wasn't sure about it at first, because though it's a cream it didn't spread too easily. It also didn't feel very smooth on my legs, and left them feeling a little waxy and a bit more water resistant.

The Result
Immediately post shave it didn't feel as good as it normally does with foaming shave cream or Olay. During the shaving process it didn't feel as luxurious. However, the end result is glorious. My legs (which usually get prickly again in a few days) lasted nearly a WEEK without another shave. I used the same razor I normally use with the same routine apart from the shaving cream and wowzah was I surprised. So though it isn't great while shaving or immediately after the results later are very much worth it. I'm not going to show before/after of my shaved legs, but believe me they felt fantastic.

Overall
Cute product with meh use but fantastic results. I don't think I'd buy a full-size but I do enjoy taking this when traveling, and if I got it in a different subscription box I wouldn't be displeased.

Review: Darling Clandestine Aequitas, Blue Valentine, Mad As Birds, Monstre Delicat, Serpentina, and Tapadero

Here's the next part of my Darling Clandestine review! Part 1 can be found here. If you don't know Darling Clandestine is an indie perfume company that sells their wares on etsy. The owner Evonne going to start it as full-time gig soon though, which is pretty exciting! Anyways in addition to the samples I had ordered I also got 2 sets of bitsy vials. Specifically I got Aequitas, Blue Valentine, Mad As Birds, Monstre Delicat, Serpentina, and Tapadero. Keep in mind that fragrances are very personal, and scents will react differently based on the individual. I'll just be talking about how each scent reacted to me and my opinions on the scents that were created.

The Bitsies.

Aequitas
Aequitas first! I love the Boondock Saints and this smell was going to be my first fandom scent, possibly bought as a bottle because the square bottles look lovely. Unfortunately Aequitas really did not pair well with my skin and nose. It smelled like whiskey in the vial but mutated to something unpleasant on my skin. Like a mix of cat pee and vomit post heavy drinking. It's supposed to smell like whiskey and musk but unfortunately it was a major miss for me, my least favorite of the entire batch.
One month later - This still does not agree with my skin. May need to find a new home for this one.

Blue Valentine
Fortunately Blue Valentine was much better for me. It kind of curled up and moodied up the place.
It's supposed to smell like violets, figs, hyacinths, poppies, musk, whiskey, and mint which whew is a mouthful. I can't distinguish the individual notes but it melds together to create a delightful mix.
One month later - Smells stronger, also somehow less department store-esque? Smells a bit sweeter, a bit moodier. I think I prefer it after letting it set.

Mad As Birds
For me Mad As Birds smelled like bubblegum in the bottle, and got less sweet on my skin. I really liked it on my skin, still smelled like bubblegum but it was also tampered down by some sort of floral??? And coolness??? I'm not the best at describing scents obviously but trust me, this was excellent. Out of all the scents this was the one that had the least herbal/incensey effect on my skin, which was a plus.
One month later - It's gotten a touch less sweet, a bit more cool.

Monstre Delicat
For me Monstre Delicat turned into pure cigarette smoke. It certainly didn't smell like it out of the bottle but it is what it is. An unfortunate miss, because I was so excited about this scent.
One month later - It's gotten even more smokey. Seems more masculine.

Serpentina
I asked Evonne about what scents she thought I should choose based on my preferences, and she said that Serpentina was probably one of her most popular and well-received scents. For me Serpentina smelled true to the description, strong green tea with a bit of a bite. It isn't really crisp though, it's a bit more thick? Like more matcha powder than green tea leaves.
One month later - Still smells very similar to how it smelled when I first got it, but there's a little less smoke.

Tapadero
Tapadero did not agree with my skin. Like holy cow, it smelled like Grand Canyon gift shop in the bottle and ended up smelling like piss on me. I washed it off and then decided to do a smell test on my knee (similar to how I tested Bete Noire) and even hours later it did not smell pleasant.
One month later- It smells stronger. I must admit I was too afraid to put it on my skin especially after retesting Aequitas haha, so I don't know for sure how it'd react but I'm planning on finding it a new home so less use is better.

Overall
The longevity of these are okay. They didn't seem to last too long when I was active/out and about but they perfumed my sheets pretty heavily. I fell asleep after testing a bit of Serpentina on my wrist and when I got back the next day I smelled green tea on my sheets which was pleasant.

Darling Clandestine's fragrances are described as creating/evoking memories and feelings more than scents. From my experience with them I can definitely say they are unique and unlike many other fragrances out there. I really want to try Tilt-A-Whirl next, which sounds right up my alley, and also pick up larger sizes of Circassian and possibly Mad As Birds depending on usage (so far I haven't made a dent in any bitsie or even the samples so they might be more than enough). Unfortunately a lot of the scents turn a bit medicinal or too smokey on me, so it's really nice that she has smaller sizes you can buy to try. If anyone has any bitsies that don't work for them and want to swap I'd love to try out some of her other ones :)

FotD : Ombré attempt

It has been a bit since my last post, I've been quite busy and haven't had time to do reviews/swatches. I do have a few I have sitting though, but with life it may be a while before I'm able to post them haha. Any ways today I went to Sephora to get a foundation match done, so I just did eye makeups and left my face blank so the SA would be able to do a match without removing makeup haha. Since I'd be entering bare faced apart from my eyes I thought I'd try something a bit more fun. Enter the ombre liner! During my Hello Waffle swatch fest I tried an ombré liner look which I loved. Thought I'd give it another shot today, except experiment with making it brighter since my first attempt was a sad failure.

The Face.

Product List

• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Hello Waffle's Kai, Enchantress, and Lust
• Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Eyeliner
• Shiro It's Called Love (light usage)
• Anastasia Dipbrow in Ebony
• Urban Decay Naked Skin

White balance is a bit off and thus the colors are a bit off as well but you can kind of see the shift from bronze to purple. This is actually a super easy eye look to do! And since it's ombre you don't necessarily have to completely clean off the brush before using the next shadow… Which I like a lot. I think today's face also showcases both the difference foundation makes (my face looks so smooth! Except up close.) and the importance of blush/bronzer (I look so unhealthy! Like more so than usual!). The SA used the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation, which held up during the day well and didn't feel like I was wearing makeup at all. I think the color match is pretty good, especially as I start to get more sun, so double win whoop whoop. And I am still in love with the Hello Waffle eyeshadows. After thinking about it more one of the reasons I think I love them so much is that they actually go really well with each other. It's easy to create cohesive looks, even with shadows from different collections. I'm still playing around with them though, similar to how I'm trying to learn how to use Dipbrow effectively. Liquid eyeliner is also on my to deal with list. For years I used Sephora's waterproof liquid eyeliner with the fine liner brush, but they recently reformulated it and it doesn't work for my eyes as well. I'm using an Urban Decay one at the moment, but the constant shaking and re-dipping isn't great when you're in a rush. 

Are there any liquid eyeliners you swear by? Let me know, I'd really appreciate it!

Monthly Favorites: May's 5+1

Thought I'd do a little feature of 5 favorites of the month so I can look back and see what past me liked to inspire future me. Unfortunately I could never narrow it down to just 5, so it's 5+1. So. Without further ado, my monthly favorites.

1. NEST Fragrances Passiflora

Oh man, I didn't think I'd ever find a "signature scent" but I seriously think this may be it for me. It smells like greenery and flowers and I LOVE IT. This is the mini size from the coffret but man is it fantastic. Getting a full size if I still love it after using it up completely haha.

2. Urban Decay Primer Potion

I never used a decent eyeshadow primer prior to this but this has been pretty great for swatching and whatnot. Also it's kind of adorable??? This month has been full of lots and lots of swatching. It also increases the longevity of non creasing eyeshadows on my greasy lids so I count it as a winner.

3. Trader Joe's Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad

I have been obsessed with this salad lately. I've eaten it at least once a week, which is pretty major for food I have to buy individually. It just tastes like perfection.

4. Midol

Who could have known that this worked so gloriously. Weird to include in monthly favorites but this is like magic and deserves the public praise.

5. Coach Bag

Got this during a Mother's Day sale and it's surprisingly great. It makes me feel like Zoey Deschanel hahahaha. It has a magnetic flap and also has a decent amount of space.

5+1. Audible

Audible is glorious. I finally caved and bought a couple months subscription and there are zero regrets~ I've been wanting to read The Goldfinch for quite some time now, but now I can listen while driving and also while editing :)

Project Minimize : 30 Day Declutter Challenge

Apparently getting rid of one thing a day for 30 days is a great way to start minimizing the amount of things you have/get. I decided I would do this from June 1 til July 1. Here are photos and thoughts on the first week of declutter.

Item 1

True impulse purchase here. I bought this because it reminds me of Harry Potter's/Daniel Radcliffe's track jackets. I have never worn this in public, and it is gloriously unflattering. But Harry Potter!! But useless to me, and somebody else will probably actually be able to wear this. Donate pile it goes.

Item 2
Keeping with the purging of the clothes here's a top I have from Middle School. It's pretty worn out now, and hits me at a gloriously unflattering place. I really needed to get rid of this but was pretty attached for reasons unknown. 

Item 3
I think this first week may end up being a clothes purging. Here's a skirt I bought online that was cheap and looks atrocious in real life. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is too good to be true.

Item 4
Skirt #2, cotton and unflattering. Also billows in the wind very easily which was annoying.

Item 5
Found bags I need to get rid of! These are a bit too youthful for me, though the circle one has some good memories. First small concert this bag protected me from the throng. Oh Circa Survive. Oh funnel cake.

Item 6
A polo? I look like a grade schooler in this.

Item 7
Headphones? These are super cute but they take up a lot of space and the quality isn't fantastic.

This actually was not painful at all, and it felt really refreshing to remove items that were clogging up space. We'll see how the rest of the month goes!

Review & Rave: Hello Waffle Cosmetics

Warning, this post is going to be pretty long and also photo heavy.

Today I'll be reviewing Hello Waffle Cosmetics, a fairly new indie cosmetics brand that opened earlier this year. There's a blogger pack available, which included 2 full sized eyeshadows, 1 full size lip balm, 10 eyeshadow samples, and 2 lip balm samples. It's a pretty fantastic deal, and she recently had a flash sale that I simply could not pass up. I've always seen the owner Christine answering questions and posting swatches and reviews of other companies and she just seemed so lovely, so I figured that even if I didn't like the products at least I'd be supporting somebody who was genuinely nice. Fortunately, the products are absolutely fantastic. Like I heard they were good but these are my favorite indies thus far, and actually favorite eyeshadow colors in general (except for Climbing Chaos, Climbing Chaos is right up there with some of these). I also really really like the lip products.

The Haul
So I bought the blogger pack, an extra set of 5 samples, and one extra lip balm sample. Unfortunately I completely forgot to include which lip balm samples I wanted in the note to seller and thus didn't get them :( I had it all typed out but ended up backtracking from paypal because it said I had a different address, and when I tried to go back the entire note was erased and I had to type it from memory. Afterwards I never double checked my order, so that was my fault. She did include an extra sample and also upgraded one of my samples which was nice of her! However, I was sent the incorrect lip balm sample. I'd contact her about it, but I actually quite like the accidentally sent one so I'm planning on just buying a full size during her next free ship sale. Also since she included all those additional freebies I kind of want to let her have the extra $2, especially since she covers the difference in shipping out of pocket! There was also a GWP in an absolutely gorgeous color included. SUPER generous.

The goods.

Lippies
So I got two lip products. A full size of Roses of the Vale and a sample of Seedless. I had ordered a sample of Vamp, but based on swatches and now after testing the others on my own lips I feel safe getting a full size next round :)

Rubbing a bit of Seedless, that tiny amount tinted my lips that much.

This formula is a lot more slick and pigmented than the Shiro tinted lip balms. It's a bit grainy, but the colors are great and work well with my favorite lip application. Instead of applying them all over my lips and having my entire lips heavily pigmented I prefer to have a sort of stained style. Like the "I've been eating popsicles and so the inside of my mouth is slightly more colorful than the outside" look. It's really easy to maintain and I don't have to worry about feathering or precise application.

One swipe of Roses of the Vale on bottom lip, rubbed lips together and voila! Tore the wrapping so you could see how much is included in a full size (which is a lot!) and also took a photo of it before applying so you could see how it's not quite flat and actually sinks a bit.

These also were good at actually moisturizing my lips. They clung a bit to dry skin patches but it somehow made them peel off???? Like what I imagine treatments and scrubs are supposed to do but this is a lip balm. They were also minty, which I enjoyed a lot.

Eyeshadows 

So here are 19 EYESHADOWS. 19!! And four of them are full sized! And the stickers on the full sizes are GORGEOUS.

The full sizes: Sloth, Greed, Rainforest, and Rose Champagne (which she upgraded from a sample!)

I confess I chose Sloth and Greed as my full sizes because of the stickers, but the new logo is pretty darn cute as well. Here are swatches of the lot. UDPP on the left side of arm, small stripe of Pixie Epoxy on the right side of arm. Indirect sunlight on left, direct sunlight on right.

Swatches of the browns.

Reds and purples.

Gold and pink.

Misc others and the full sizes. 

Application for all of these was actually really great. Not quite as buttery as Morgana's Crypt's Selene, but easier to apply than the Notoriously Morbid and Shiro samples I have. Also more pigmented than the pressed Tarte eyeshadows which I had been using prior to this indie adventure. The sample sizes themselves were also really generous.

Trying to capture the pretty that is Rainforest.

Quick thoughts on the colors

• Gluttony - Deep brown, more sparkly than expected but also more interesting.
• Locked Doors - Actually a really nice crease color.
• Bach - This is quite pleasant in person. I don't think I built it up enough to tell in the swatch but it has a pretty shift and I like that it's more muted.
• Bartok - UGH IT IS SO NICE. Like this exquisite coppery shimmery explosion of gloriousness. Bit of fallout though.
• Tchaikovsky - Not as gold as I was expecting, good for a toned down look.
• Fey - Everybody raves about this, and while it is pretty it wasn't my cup of tea. The color shift was fantastic though, I tried but failed to capture it in the photos. The smallest movement would make it switch which was SO fun.
• Mendelssohn - Quite pink. Unfortunately I'm not a big fan of pinks, but it applied smoothly.
• Enchantress - The moment I started swatching I knew this would be a favorite. This is stunning. Deep burgundy color with just the right amount of flicks. So good.
• Kai - A coppery version of Enchantress which I adore. It's a lot more copper in person and I want to wear this every day. Every. Day.
• Wastelands - Not as glorious as Enchantress or Kai but it's still fantastic. More brown than purple, I don't know why I swatched it with the purples. Has different multicolored glitters though which makes it more interesting than your ordinary deep brown. 
• Silk - Sparkly prettiness. This also had quite a shift that was hard to capture on camera.
• Lust - I liked it, but it was hard to appreciate it after the glory of Enchantress and Kai. A bit more red toned than the others and I actually really want to try it on my lips.
• Pride - Pride kind of reminded me of Bach, a more cool toned taupey wearable shade.  
• Chopin - Holy god this is gorgeous. I couldn't capture the shift but this was my favorite of the Musicians collection that I tried. It is ethereal and shifts so beautifully, highly recommend.
• Schubert - I want to try Schubert with Pride and Bach, I feel like the three would look good together. Shift is more prominent over Pixie Epoxy.
• Sloth - Mmm, pretty. Glad I got a full size of this one, it's neutral and wearable but has a lot of dimension and has a slight shift as well.
• Greed - A gold, honestly not too impressed but I was spoiled by the gorgeous purples.
• Rainforest - SOOOO PRETTY. I want to try this as a liner. 
• Rose Champagne - I used to think gold and champagne colored eyeshadows were my favorite, but after many eyeshadow samples I think I actually prefer coppers and bronzes. Still very nice though, will look good with Sloth or possibly even as a highlight.

A Few Looks
I decided I'd try a wash of color which is my usual daily eyeshadow look, and also a more graphic ombre cat eye since the colors just begged to used that way. First, Sloth, Greed, and Looked Doors as a neutral wash. Hard to see it in the photo but you can see how it covered my eyeliner. Think I'll have to experiment with application methods (maybe foiling? Pixie Epoxy?).

Bit of Sloth, Greed, and Locked Doors layered over bare skin & liquid liner.

Also, Enchantress, Lust, and Rainforest as an ombre liner. Again a bit hard to see but it was my first attempt at this! This was just with water/a wet brush, Rainforest wasn't as vibrant without primer.

Enchantress, Lust, and Rainforest. Again, not as pigmented without primer.

Finally, Kai, Enchantress, and Lust as an ombre liner.

Kai, Enchantress, and Lust as an ombre liner atop my black liquid liner. Roses of the Vale on lips, 2 hours after initial application. Also brushed my brows and tried a bit of eyeshadow in them!

I think my favorite application method for these colors is the ombre liner. I need to practice more obviously, but I find it quick, subtle, and delightful. I'm going to experiment with making it more opaque and thicker as well because these colors work SO well for this.

Overall
Overall this haul had the most hits out of all my indie hauls thus far, and actually probably the most hits out of any makeup splurge in general. Like I've had mini Sephora hauls in the past that ended in general disappointment but these shadows and lippies were all great. Highly highly recommend giving Christine's products a shot. My absolute favorites were Enchantress, Kai, Bartok, Chopin, Rose of the Vale, and Rainforest but honestly I think I was pleased with everything except for Greed (because I already have a bunch of golds, but the sticker makes it worth it haha).

Are there any brands you've found where you adore all or most of the products tried? Also, does anybody have any tips for getting more vibrant color payoff without using NYX Milk or Pixie Epoxy? Milk doesn't agree with my oily lids and Pixie Epoxy is too difficult for me to use in the morning, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated~

Review: Morgana's Crypt Eyeshadows and Swatches

So Morgana's Crypt is another indie cosmetics company. They recently decided to downsize so they could focus on their lipsticks (which look gorgeous) and had a $3 for 1 tsp which was a pretty sweet deal, especially considering they have semi loose shadows instead of just loose. I thought these would make them easier to use, or at least faster since the semi loose wouldn't require a sticky base.

6 baggies of eyeshadows

I weighed them on my food scale and noticed slight differences in weight, 4 of the baggies measured .1 ounces, however two of them (Selene and Pyramid Scheme) didn't even register, which was a bit disappointing. However they were the two regular lose shadows I ordered, which may account for the difference. Also, Selene exploded a bit in transit (which of course would happen to my favorite one) but it still measured the same as Pyramid Scheme.

Spiritus Vini on my food scale.

Selene on my food scale.

But onto the swatches! From left to right it's Peeping Angels, Spiritus Vini, Labyrinth, Shrieking Angels, Pyramid Scheme, and Selene. All swatches were done with UDPP on top, bare skin in the middle, and a small stripe of Pixie Epoxy on the bottom.

Swatches indirect natural light.

Swatches in direct sunlight. 

So, quick thoughts!

• Peeping Angels (SL) - Rich, deep color. Less glittery than expected which is quite nice! Also is great even without a base which is fantastic. 
• Spiritus Vini (SL) - Really gorgeous multifaceted color, lots of glitter. Didn't perform as well on bare skin but is nice over primer and great over a sticky base like Pixie Epoxy. Kind of reminds me of Notoriously Morbid's Boe.
• Labyrinth (SL) - Quite sparkly. Though the base is purple it has magenta/pink sparkles, which makes it interesting.
• Shrieking Angels (SL) - This was an absolute pain swatching. It was more clumpy/wet than any of the other shadows, and getting it off the brush and onto the skin was trying. The color is very vibrant though, a very orangey red. 
• Pyramid Scheme - Really nice pink/champagne color. Applied like butter.
• Selene - Great neutral, applied like butter. A bit more golden than Pyramid Scheme and has a more metallic finish in person.

I was surprised that I preferred the "loose" to the semi loose shadows. It may have been the brush I was using, which was flat, but the two loose shadows applied much more smoothly than the others. They also applied a lot more smoothly than other loose indie shadows I've tried, and had less fallout. I also generally prefer more neutral shades, so the colors are much more wearable for me. I don't think you need both Selene and Pyramid Scheme though, since they are pretty similar. Peeping Angels seems like it'll be a good blending/outer color for Labyrinth.

TAT was a bit disappointing as well, I ordered on the 25th, got a shipping notice on the 15th, and received my package on the 19th. The estimated delivery when I placed the order was a solid week ahead of when I actually received it, and I placed my order really early in the sale, like wee hours of the morning I hadn't gone to sleep for the night yet hours. I also left a note to seller asking about jars (which she stated to do on Facebook) but she never contacted me about it and thus I received baggies, though I really would have preferred jars (especially since one of the baggies died in transit).

Overall it's a good deal (when she reopens, all of these shadows are final sale ah!) but none of the shadows I ordered were really mind blowing. The colors and the textures for all the eye shadows were good (except Shrieking Angels) but again, nothing screams amazing. It's worth checking out if you'd like a non loose shadow, or even a more buttery loose shadow. Selene may be incorporated into my go-to casual/daily makeup look if I can find a jar for it. Honestly though my experience wasn't too great, and I would rather recommend a company that I did have a good experience with over one that was subpar.

Review: Darling Clandestine Inked, Bête Noire, Circassian, and Love & Sharks

Hello! Today I'll be reviewing Darling Clandestine's Inked, Bete Noire, Circassian, and Love & Sharks. I contacted the lovely Evonne through etsy chat and she listed fragrance samples for me, which was really nice of her! I bought 3 samples, 2 sets of 3 bitsies and one solid in this order, and in this post I'll be covering the samples (which come in a set of little vials) as well as the solid. These vials are actually larger than other sample vials I've seen, which is rather nice considering the complexity of her scents. Obviously fragrances are very personal and will react differently on other people's skin so I'll just be describing how they reacted for me and if the scents were true to description. But onto the review!

My Haul. With candy!

First off the quality of these vials was nice. They were sturdy and didn't leak, and also the lids have these little handles that make them easier to open without spillage. She also used tickets to label them, which I thought was a cute touch. They take a bit more space but it's easier to read than if they had been on the vials themselves. Also it lets you see how much you've used, which I consider a major plus.

The 3 sample pack I ordered.

Inked - "A sting of sea salt and leather, splashes of communion wine, the essence of raw skin. Inked is one of my favorite little sex machines. Unisex---smells amazing on gents and bold ladies."
For me Inked was really strong haha. It started with a sort of medicine-esque bite but then unfurled into the smell of actual ink. The main medicine scent faded away soon and I was left with something I really can't my finger on, but it's positive. It really reminds me of late night studying, which is sort of sad but WHATEVER. I prefer writing in pen over pencil, and combined with my sweaty hands I usually end up having pen ink literally smeared all over the side of hand and pinky. There's also this cool late night bite that brings back 2 AM walks in the LA air. Overall I really like this scent, I don't think I'd wear it on its own because it just isn't me, but I layered it with Boudoir from Madame Scodioli and it made Boudoir smell 5x better.
Thoughts after letting it sit for a month - It got quite a bit sweeter! Still smells like pen ink and ozone, but it seems a little more mellowed out/smoother. Also developed a bit of a cigarette-esque note an hour in, similar to how Monstre Delicat smelled early on.

Size comparison to Starburst.

Bete Noire - "... four kinds of pepper grounded in artemisia, greened with herbals and juniper, stretched taut with a sharp bitter carnation, and "purpled" with violets and orchids. Moody and intriguing, Bête Noire draws attention in that "can't put my finger on it" sort of way."
For me Bete Noire was overwhelmingly black pepper. Didn't get any floral or green scents at first whiff. Also I couldn't handle it on my wrist and put it on my knee instead which led to amusing sniff tests. I sniffed it again 2 hours later and was still punched in the face with black pepper. It's interesting to say the least, and though it was a bit much for my nose. This scent clung to my skin for quite some time though, which is good.
Thoughts after letting it sit for a month - Still very black peppery but not quite as strong. Instead of being like WHOA BLACK PEPPER it's somehow the perfect I am going to sneeze in 5 seconds strength.

Amount left in Circassian vial after generous smattering on skin.

Circassian - "Bitter black coffee, spiced chocolate, ceremonial resins, with an intriguing floral note. Deliciously feminine. This is a “boy pleaser,” for you girls who are into that sort of thing."
I tend to be a bit weary of foodie or gourmand scents because of past experiences, and I was especially weary after reading the polar reviews Circassian (where some said this was their favorite scent and made them smell like a coffee shop while others got headaches and had to sell theirs) but for me Circassian was actually quite nice. I'm not a fan of the chocolate but soon after I put it on the chocolate became overpowered by this great floral scent. I looked up the description to try to find the specific flower and it said lily of the valley on the side? Which I now know I like haha. Unfortunately I didn't really get any coffee, which I was looking forward to, but the floral makes up for it. Might get this in a solid depending on how much of the floral comes out.
Thoughts after letting it sit for a month - At first whiff it seemed like the chocolate got stronger, but after letting it sit a little longer the floral was once again amped. Unfortunately I still don't get any coffee at any point while wearing it but it is what it is. This is my favorite of the four scents now, and I will definitely be picking up either a solid or a full size depending on which has stronger floral/coffee scent (which I will be asking Evonne!).

Solid comparison to Starburst.

Love & Sharks - "An amazingly complex blend, in honor of the customers who've carried this little hobby so very far. Notes of salty smooth sharkskin, pink and black pepper, true black cherries and apricots and clove . . . oh, man, it's really indescribably wonderful, like all of you. "
I really like this scent. It actually smells like love and sharks. It starts with this lovely cherry and vanilla that is quickly enveloped by this musk and salt that reminds me of sharks. Like I picture a shark and that tone is what comes. Not fishy, nor shellfish like. Shark. My only dislike was that I had a loooot of vanilla in mine which actually stained my skin when not fully rubbed out haha. I also didn't get any almonds, which was a tad depressing because I really love almonds and almond scented goods (as evidenced by the giant bottles of almond scented lotion that I have stocked up) but I love the scent regardless. I'm interested in buying it again when she makes another batch to see if this batch was not particularly almond-y. Side note, I bought this hoping to wear it while watching my Sharks advance in the playoffs BUT WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THEM I think I understand a little more how Leafs fans feel dear god. 3-0 to 3-4 hooooooow.
Thoughts after letting it sit for a month - This actually is getting stronger the longer I let it sit. I've found that I need to use less and less of it to get the strength I want, which is really nice. Still smells very similar just more potent.

Lots of "shark bites" in my Love & Sharks solid. Also my fingerprint.

If you are making a decision based on customer service I would highly recommend Darling Clandestine, like holy cow is it great customer service. Personally, one of the things that appeals to me about buying indie is that you're directly supporting a person while getting a unique and quality product. And Evonne is just SO lovely. If you have any questions or don't see a listing you can shoot her a message and she responds quickly :)

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Darling Clandestine review (the 6 bitsies)!