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)!

Review: May Birchbox and LAQA & Co Sheer Lip Lube Pencil

So I purchased the May Birchbox expecting to get the Kate Spade Saturday necklace since I used the code and it went through. Unfortunately, when I received the box I did not get the necklace. 

*EDIT(6/22): So it turns out Birchbox overestimated the number of people who would use the code and didn't have enough to send out. However they did send a mass email explaining (if you used the code) and included a code worth $20 to use either on a subscription or on some of their full items! Which is actually probably more useful/practical than a necklace would be to me, but really I think this shows outstanding customer service. They said that the necklace would only be given to the first 250 people using the code, so if more than 250 people used it (which probably happened) they could've just sent out a note reiterating that but instead chose to placate us with replacement codes. Now to decide whether to get 2 months of boxes or get full sizes of products I already know I like.

Honestly I didn't really like most of my products. I got 2 gummies which were promptly eaten, a tiny bottle of shampoo that I may use for travel, a packet of conditioner that I may use one day, a small bottle of shaving cream that I'm planning on testing out soon, and a $25 off $75 purchase coupon for Kate Spade Saturday. I adore Kate Spade and the packaging for this box was adorable, but I don't know if it's in my budget, even with the coupon. But it is what it is, so here are quick thoughts on the products I received followed by a more in depth review of the LAQA & Co Sheer Lip Lube Pencil.

• Smarty Pants Gummies - Pretty tasty but I prefer MultiVites, also with the Smarty Pants you need to eat 6 daily? And though I like gummy vitamins I'd rather eat fewer a day.
• Number 4 Shampoo Bottle & Conditioner Foil Packet- Not used yet, bottle will be nice for travel, pretty meh about the foil packet. 
• Whish Shaving Cream - Haven't tried it yet but I have high hopes for it. I've only used Skintimate and Olay body wash as shaving cream before so we'll see how it pans out.

Now onto the LAQA & Co Lip Lube Pencil in Menatour! Here it is fully extended so you can see how much product is in the mini.

Lip Lube fully extended.

Here are my bare lips.

Plain lips, no makeup or lip balm.

Here are my Lip Lube'd lips.

Lip Lube on lips.

Here are my Lip Lube'd lips 2 hours later. No eating, but I did drink some water.

2 hours later, after drinking water sporadically, no food eaten.

To be honest, I was pretty disappointed. It didn't last very long at all, faded so there was the outer ring, and actually dried out my lips more even though it claims that it moisturizes lips. On the plus side it was super easy to use and the color was quite pretty/opaque, it didn't need multiple layers though blotting and layering may have made it last longer (but that kills the point of it being easy/quick to use). It's a fun purple for beginners but the lack of longevity and drying properties make me personally not want to use it again.

Project Minimize: Wastes of Space Hair Product Edition

A companion to the Top 5 hair products post, here's a list of hair products I bought and am now donating or forcing myself to use/repurpose because I'd feel terrible throwing them away. A reminder of how much I waste and how sales don't mean buy.

LOOK AT THEM. MIRALO.

• Tresemme Dry Shampoo
• Aussie Split End Treatment
• Garnier Fructis Body Boost Root Spray
• John Freida Root Awakening Root Spray
• John Frieda Root Awakening Smoothing Lotion
• Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Mousse
• Dove Frizz-Free Shine Cream Serum

Thoughts on all of the items that didn't make the cut.

Review: Notoriously Morbid Cosmetics Eyeshadows

So time for my second ever indie cosmetics haul ah! I heard/saw great things about Notoriously Morbid  (link here) on various message boards, and when I saw their 40% off sale I knew I had to take the plunge. Since it's indie I decided I would order a bunch of bright colors, though I got 2 larger sizes of more neutral shades. They've been sitting in my desk for a while now but I figured I should start swatching/using them haha. All of the cosmetics have geeky themes, which is really fun and they vary greatly, including pop culture, history, and even mythology.

Here are the two larger ones. I got a mini of My Log Saw Something and a full sized Sometimes My Arms Bend Back which are both from her Twin Peaks collection (!!!). These two are very practical colors, and though MLSS was a bit more orange in the jar than I expected it wasn't as orange on. Though one is full sized and the other is mini they're actually pretty similar in size, which I was disappointed by since the full size cost $5.50 and the mini was $2.75.  The jars are the same, and the amount of eyeshadow looked very similar as well, there was a little bit more of SMABB but it was nowhere near full. Closer to the mini size than the top. I also weighed them both on my kitchen scale and they both weighed .2 oz so if I order larger sizes again I would go for the mini, unless I really loved the sticker. And even then I think I'd rather get two minis versus one full size with a cool sticker since a full is double the cost of the mini.

On the left My Log Saw Something (mini), on the right Sometimes My Arms Bend Back (full). Pretty similar amounts...

So swatches first, comments after. All of the swatches are done over Pixie Epoxy and $1 elf eye primer. Here are all the colors besides the reds I got. L to R: Sometimes My Arms Bend Back, My Log Saw Something, Shadow of Things, Gypsy Curse, Boe, Victorian Gypsy, Noble, He's Going Through Changes, Belle's Bounty, Welcome to Vinnland, and The Doctor's Wife.

Swatches in indirect light

Swatches in Direct Sunlight.

Rainbow of colors~ I messed up swatching The Doctor's Wife, but there's a cleaner one next to it. I was really impressed by the pigmentation of the eyeshadows, especially the shimmery ones. They were a bit difficult to work with since I'm unused to loose shadows but I made do. Quick thoughts on all of them:

• SMABB - Looks much better in person. Really like this. Light neutrally color but still lots of dimension and not dull/boring.
• MLSS - Decent neutral color. A bit too warm toned for my skin by the looks of it though.
• Shadow of Things - Reminds me of Midna which I LOVE but don't know when I'd use. Shifts color a lot in the light.
• Gypsy Curse - Seems like a good crease shade. Matte coolish toned taupe.
• Boe - Gorgeous, photos can't even do it justice. Sort of coppery rosy multidimensional color?
• Victorian Gypsy - The perfect princess pink, gorgeous finish. This was also one of the easiest to put on. I wish all of them applied like this.
• Noble - Whoa, orange. I have no idea when I'll use this but if I ever need orange I know I'm set. Very pigmented matte orange, might be good for a Giants game?
• HGTC - Looks like it'll be a nice neutral! Going to try it on face first before making final decision though. Not too sparkly, but not completely matte (which I actually prefer).
• Belle's Bounty - Gorgeous. Gold with a slight yellow lean, this applied similarly to VG except I like this color way more.
• WtV - A really nice forest green, surprising amount of glitter but I like it.
• Doctor's Wife - A pain to apply but a very nice true blue. Applying wet is easier but surprisingly pigmentation is better dry.

Time for the reds and I also redid some of the "brown"s. Though I was waffling a bit about buying so many different reds I'm actually glad I did. Though they look really similar in their bags once they're on skin the differences between them become really apparent. I feel like these photos are also better at showing how gorgeous Boe is. L to R: Quiet in the Dark, Crimson Horror, Dita, Boe, Gypsy Curse, and Shadow of Things.

Direct Sunlight

Indirect Sunlight

Close up of the reds. L to R Quiet In the Dark, Crimson Horror, and Dita. Still can't quite use Pixie Epoxy.

Lone photo of Dita, Quiet in the Dark, and Crimson Horror to showcase the differences. You can see the Pixie Epoxy. Applied wet on the left.

These are nice quality eyeshadows. Personally I didn't find any of the products to be life changing or holy grail-esque, but it was really fun getting to test out (and now own) a bunch of unusual eyeshadow colors, and I think I may try mixing some of the reds with lip balm because I adore the colors but really can't wear red around my eyes. Some of them had more fallout than others, but really there wasn't anything obnoxious. I can't say anything about lone lasting power because I usually wear my eyeshadows with primers and couldn't leave the swatches on my arm all day because of work and life. They washed off really easily though, no staining after rubbing with plain water. Also I didn't take a photo of the water as I washed off the swatches but the blues and reds were quite pigmented, as I was washing them off the water was like I washed out used paintbrushes it was pretty cool. My favorites of the batch are Sometimes My Arms Bend Back, Belle's Bounty, and Boe. I think Victorian Gypsy was the best quality, but personally I just don't go for pinks.

It took a bit of time to receive my order, I placed it April 2 and received it in the mail on April 18. However I did place it during a MASSIVE sale, 40% I'm sure many people were placing big orders. I never emailed her with questions so I don't have any raves about customer service, however she did write a personalized message on the receipt that was mailed to me and she's pretty active on the Facebook account for Notoriously Morbid so kudos for that. Also others have said she's been great when they contacted her but I don't want to say she's fantastic without contributing my own experience. People raving or hating on objects/people/things they haven't gotten themselves throws me off a bit. There was this post about the best etsy shops to buy indie perfumes from and the poster said that she hadn't tried any products from all but one of the stores she listed (which was her own). Why would you do that. Why promote a product you've never tried, why put out information that isn't backed by experience?? It's like being a reference for a person you've never really talked to. Bleh.

Any way, overall I would recommend buying, especially since she has so many sales (there's a thing called Free Day Friday where she posts a one day Friday deal which is quite cool). The quality is great, and I feel like I'm just not super stoked about my order because I didn't choose any colors that I can actually wear daily besides SMABB. There's always next time though! And on the plus side if you do have any issues based on the Facebook page her customer service seems great. For example she just posted a notice concerning a slight mishap with a product and said that anybody who ordered the defective product can contact her which is pretty awesome of her. Some people would sweep problems under the rug or send out private notices or something but announcing it publicly and acknowledging that there was a problem takes chutzpah, and I like that. Might have to go back for minis of some of these and try out some of her new duochromes and other neutrals. Like there's a mostly matte Buffy collection that is calling my name. I do not recommend buying the full sizes at all though.

TV Tuesday

I spent 12+ hours studying accounting today. I need a mindless break. So I went to Netflix. And started a TV show I always wanted to watch. Chuck. Its been out for several years and many people have probably already seen it but I'm still putting spoilers below the cut. For people like me who don't have time to watch all the TV.

Project Minimize: 5 Hairstyling Products

Trying to minimize the amount of products I have in my bathroom since I have a load of fragrances/makeup. Realistically I cannot cut my makeup stash down to 5 items, but hair products I can totally do!

My hair isn't too fussy, and I usually don't do enough to my hair to care about it all too much. Unlike my skincare routine which I can get intense about my haircare routine is pretty chill and I like to focus more on making sure it stays healthy. I only tried dyeing my hair once, and that was only the tips and it was a major fail since I have very dark black hair. I also don't usually use heat styling, only for special occasions, so I think its stayed pretty healthy. It's partially because my hairstyles never stay for long without hairspray, and I haven't found a hairspray I really like so ┐(´∇｀)┌ I'm also on a quest for a good dry shampoo that doesn't leave too much residue or doesn't show up in black hair so if anybody knows some good ones please tell me.

Anyways, here are the 5 hair styling products I will be keeping.

The 5 products in the yellow cast of my bathroom lights aw yes.

#5 Tresemee Heat Protectant Spray

Lets be real, I don't heat style often and I think I've had this bottle for over a year now but if I ever need to heat style you can bet I'll be using heat protectant.

#4 Batiste Dry Shampoo

I hated this the first couple of times I used it. Even spraying from over a foot away I'd still get an intense white cast in my dark black hair. However, after much trial and error and last minute showers to wash out the Batiste I've found a way to make it work for me, and work it does. I've realized it looks terrible 15-45 minutes (brushing it out led to no absorption of oil) but if I do many light layers all over 1 hour before going where I need to go before brushing out whatever leftover white spray there is it actually looks pretty darn good and last quite a while to boot. I am not attached at all though. I don't like the smell and as someone who wants a spray and go within 15 minutes type of product this is NOT holy grail status. On the look out for a product that works better for me, but this'll do for now.

#3 John Frieda Frizz-Ease Leave-In Conditioner Spray

This works well with my hair. I usually spray on a load of it post shower and there is a noticeable  difference between sprayed & unsprayed hair a few hours down the line. It smells okay, nothing bad but nothing to write home about either. I've gone through multiple bottles of this spray and it hasn't let me down yet.

#2 John Frieda Flawless Finishing Cream

I usually use this when "styling" my hair, or basically whenever I want my hair to look more put together. I usually don't like using product around the top of my head because it weighs down pretty quickly but this works well.

#1 Organix Argan Oil

I use this daily from the middle to the ends of my hair. I'd go for roots but my scalp is amazingly oily and slicks up again within 24 hours, don't want to take even more frequent showers. This is lovely, my hair always feels smoother and looks glossier after using it, even a couple hours later. It also tamps down on my hair's tendency to frizz. I put around a dime's worth on my fingers and run it through my hair. I find it easier to spread the product around if it's on my fingers rather than on my palms like the directions say to do. This is the only brand of Argan Oil I've tried, and I quite like it.

So that's it! The 5 hair styling products I will be keeping & taking with me when I leave. All bases except hair spray/texturizer are covered, whew.

Project Minimize: Desk Objects

My desk is a hot mess. My love of pens, pencils, and writing utensils in general is hurting me and I need to let go of some of them, especially before I move out. I already did a major toss out where I tested literally every pen/pencil I owned (which took way too long) to make sure they could still write and tossed those, so the ones that don't make the cut will likely be bundled and donated once school season begins in August/September. And if places don't like used goods I'm sure I could find a shelter or person who would love my plethora of goods. Anyways, on to the aforementioned goods! In addition to writing utensils I also have organizers and whatnot.

So! Before~

My desk before.

And After!

Aaaaand after. Also dusted & cleaned it with wipes as well which was nice.

This took a lot, I am a craft hoarder and having so little on the desk feels a bit strange. It's for the best though! And I still have to tackle the things below my desk but little steps right?

Review: Madame Scodioli Scents

Madame Scodioli's is an etsy shop that specializes in soaps, perfumes, and bearded things. I am liking solid scents right now and decided to get a couple samples from her since I liked their store theme/packaging and there were many positive reviews. I was also interested in picking up a gift for my brother, so I thought I'd try out a couple scents to get a feel for the store. I'm thinking that their male/shaving products might be better than their more feminine scent offerings, since they specialize in all things bearded. Note that all statements expressed below are my own opinions. Scents can be very tricky and very personal so take the scent reviews with a grain of salt.

The 3 samplers on top of my iPhone 4 (in case) for size comparison.

I got a sampler pack of 3 solid scents for $18 (plus shipping). Now $6 for a sample may sound like a bit much, but the samples are actually pretty generous and will probably last me literally years. They come in lovely little round tins with really well done labels. I was actually a little sad that I had to tear the sides of the labels to open the tin because they just looked so great. They are a little more than half filled with the solid perfumes. The texture of these are lovely. I got them on an 80 degree day and they hadn't melted in the tin/gotten everywhere, yet when I rubbed my finger on them the perfume went on really easily. They err a little more on the waxy/hard side though. Beautiful. My only disappointment with the solids was because of the scents. With their branding I was expecting scents that were a little unusual, however all three of the scents I got were actually pretty generic, which can be both positive and negative. They're not the best treat yoself things because they don't have that spark, but I can see them being great gifts since they are the way they are. 

You can see the tins are a little more than half full.

I chose to get Euphorium, Boudoir, and Ill Repute. Euphorium is described as having the "scent of almond coupled with milk and a touch of honey. A truly romantic and decadent blend" and had "Almond, Milk+Honey" as the quick descriptor. To me it smells hella sweet. Actually it smells almost exactly like Costco Poppy Seed muffins, which is a very very very good thing and it didn't change too much on my skin. This was my surprise favorite of the three I ordered, and I actually almost didn't order it at all because it seemed like it might be too foodie for me. Turns out it is very foodie, and though I wouldn't wear it all the time I can see myself wearing it while studying or having a lazy day. The almond, milk, and honey were very there and it didn't change too much on my skin. I just kept smelling like a bakery/of muffins. Unfortunately though Euphorium had the least staying power on me. It lasted maybe 2 hours on my skin before fading completely. There also wasn't much throw. 

There's also a slight color difference, with Ill Repute being a little more yellow than the others but it really didn't make any difference on my skin.

Boudoir is described as "pink peppercorn", "lightly sweet and floral, ultra coquettish, with just a touch of petulance". To me it smells like teeth-rottingly sweet candy and middle school girl. I didn't really enjoy it, as it was very one note and strong. I'm going to experiment with layering it, but honestly it was kind of a miss for me. However I can see myself growing to like it after layering with muskier or deeper scents, it just really needs more depth. This lasted slightly longer than Euphorium, lingering for around 2 and a half hours.

Close up of them, you can see they're very smooth.

Ill Repute is described as "Mandarin, Pennyroyal + Clove, Madame Scodioli's own version of citrus and mint, Ill Repute is quite feminine but a touch of clove lends a little seduction." I think this was the biggest disappointment of the order. They listed quotes from reviews that really talked it up, but when I opened it (and this was the first scent I opened because I was very excited) I was struck by how much it smelled like generic hotel soap. Hoping it would smell different on my skin I rubbed a bit on a took a sniff but it still smelled like hotel. Not shabby hotel mind you, like quality hilton hotel status, but hotel nonetheless. I tried smelling myself after an hour to see if it just needed time but it still smelled the same. I get a bit of orange, and a bit of what I think is the clove but man. No mint, and definitely no seduction. Of course the scent I liked the least lasted the longest on me. I only put a little bit on since I disliked it but the scent lingered around me for hours. TAT was incredible though, my package was shipped a day after ordering which felt amazing after my other 2+ week waits with other indie companies.Overall I really liked the quality and packaging of the products, but the scents were just too much for me. I can see Madame Scodioli being really good for gift giving though. The scents (though not to my taste) seemed actually pretty safe/generally likable, and would be a fantastic alternative to your normal Bath and Body Works soap set. I've yet to try any of their unisex/male scents, but some of those seemed promising. Great brand, great packaging, and I'm really thankful they had samples as an offering instead of just full-sized products. I don't think I'd buy anything for myself again, but if I need a gift for an acquaintance I might go for this.  
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