BPAL Metamorphosis 2011

Since my computer is currently in a bin in my father's garage and my loaner doesn't have MS Office on it, I'm trying to keep up with my spreadsheets by at least entering the data here.

Last summer, Beth Barrial of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab did an amazing series of moth & butterfly scents called "Metamorphosis," and she's done it again this year. I got decants of all 8, and am working my way through testing each of them. The scents are limited edition, available until August 15th, and you can buy them here.

THE MOTHS:

ATLAS
Mallow, oak bark, coffee bean, hinoki wood, and khus.

This is odd but beautiful--vanilla and wood.

BRAHMIN
Rose otto, red ginger, caraway seed, myrrh, orange peel, mandarin leaf, black peppercorn, and vanilla orchid.

Very spicy vanilla.

IO
Red musk, pomegranate, cranberry, blackberry, mango, purple sage, thyme, and angelica root.

On my skin, this is a soft, well-blended berry scent with just a tiny herbal edge to keep it from being too sweet.

PUSSY
Orange blossom honey, brown sugar, saffron, tonka absolute, and tobacco leaf.

Since I tend to amp sweet scents, it is no surprise that this is all honey and brown sugar on me, but I'm bummed that I can't find the saffron and the tobacco.

THE BUTTERFLIES:

BLUE MORPHO
Wild orchid, pikake, honeysuckle, calla lily, agave nectar, pink geranium, violet leaf, and white amber.

Soft, well-blended floral.

GOLIATH BIRDWING
White sage, lemongrass, lemon balm, dusty beige musk, and drops of anise.

On me, this is almost entirely sage flowers--not the leaves, but the faint floral of the flowerheads, which smell like a very light lilac. It's stronger than sticking your nose into a sage plant, where the flowers get overwhelmed by the herbal/cookery scent of the leaves. I wish I got even a hint of lemonbalm in this one, but it's pretty.

MOURNING CLOAK
Opoponax, kumaru, cocoa butter, Mysore sandalwood, verbena, almond milk, guiac wood, beeswax, and myrrh.

On my skin, this is sweet dusty sandalwood with a bit of spice.

PURPLE SPOTTED SWALLOWTAIL
Black plum, opium poppy, dusky amber, opoponax, castoreum accord, dried berries, tolu balsam, clove bud, and lime.

Oooh, this just does not work on my skin--very astringent with an undertone of fleshy flower petals.

Summer Salvation

Today in NE Ohio, the heat index was 110ºF/41ºC. I started my morning with a shower, using Lush Washday Greens (spearmint) as both shower and body wash, followed up with Skindecent conditioner and scrub in Moroccan Mint (spearmint and black tea). Then I spritzed on some of Lilypad Bathwork's Glace in Menthe Nymphe (peppermint and lavender) and added a dusting of Skindecent body powder in Spearmint/Peppermint EO (spearmint and peppermint essential oils). Finally, I dabbed on a bit of BPAL's Lick It One More Time and headed off to work.

The air-conditioning at work wasn't working. :(

After a hideously sweaty drive home, in which the air in my car tried and failed to compete with the oven-like temperature, I opted for a quick cold shower with some Twisted Peppermint 3 in 1. Tonight, I'll have a cool bath with a Lush Ice Hotel bubble bar, and then dab on some Lick It Again.

And tomorrow, I get to do it all over again. I hate summer, but thank dawg for all the lovely bath & body companies that make minty heavenly products!

Pure Ice Strike a Pose review and swatch

By now I think everyone has seen the Pure Ice crackle polish displays in Walgreen's, and for $3.99, I took a chance on the turquoise, Strike a Pose. The China Glaze cream turquoise crackle polish, Crushed Candy, looked so awful on me that I didn't even take a picture, just got out the remover and then sold the bottle below cost. Then, of course, Michelle over at All Lacquered Up has to make me go and want it again with her turquoise jewel nails! I had to sit on my hands to keep from getting another bottle. :D

Because I could not for the life of me decide what color to wear it over, I asked my BPAL buddies and decided on copper. I used two coats of China Glaze In Awe of Amber, then the Pure Ice. It went on very smoothly, about as thick as the China Glaze cream crackles, and dried quickly, although it stayed dentable for about twenty minutes. I finished off with a coat of Nubar Diamont, and ta-da!

Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoat: Review and Swatches

I got really lucky and nabbed the three Sally Hansen crackle polishes I wanted at my local Discount Drug Mart when they were still $4.99 each. When that display was exhausted and the next one came in, Drug Mart bumped their price up to match Walgreen's and CVS at $7.99!

The colors are great, the crackle is pretty standard (fine cracks in a thin coat, bigger cracks in a thicker coat) and the brush is a flipping nightmare. It's long, skinny, and utterly unwieldy. Once I got used to it, I managed to get medium-thick coats on, but my first few attempts were awful.

All pictures are pre-cleanup, and I'm sorry they're not better. Unfortunately, my computer died, and in the time between getting a loaner from my dad and figuring out how to get the pictures off my camera, I changed manicures several times.

I wore Cherry Smash over China Glaze White on White (and I'm still looking for a white that takes fewer than three coats!):



Antiqued Gold looked good over China Glaze Lasso My Heart:



I wore Distressed Denim over Zoya Luna, and really enjoyed this combo: