Finally, a freaking review

Hi all,

I am a champion soap slacker.  I have been so involved over at the FOOD blog that I didn't get myself together very quickly on this one.  I've been eyeing my new Angelic Soaps daily and not mustering the photo taking time to make a bath possible.

Well, last night I did.  .

The packaging

I adore the packaging.  The soaps are in individual little gold net bags and cards identifying them inside.  It must be a high touch process and its worth it, in my opinion.  Getting these soaps felt extravagant.

Up close of the packaging and the soap inside

The soaps themselves (and I will talk about them in two separate blog posts) are gorgeous.  Much care obviously goes into the work and it shows.

I love the shop name stamped into the soap.  A small detail that goes a long way

The bad photography doesn't do this soap justice.  It is a deep pink/almost red color and has gold sparkles throughout.  I am hesitant to show you this next photo as my skills are seriously bad here but it illustrates the top of the bar, which may be my favorite part.

Ignore the shadows, look at the GOLD

And it smells divine.  Like jasmine but NOT like jasmine perfume, if that makes sense.  The scent is incredibly strong when sniffing the soap and in the shower but, when it dries on your skin, there is just enough scent to remind you of the awesome shower you took that morning.

The texture on this one is definitely different that what I am used to using.  I realize that this is probably due to the massive amounts of shea butter in it.  You have to get this soap really wet to get it working against your skin and the lather is think and not conventionally "soapy" at all.  But it rinses cleanly and smells so amazing during the shower.

I love jasmine and this is no exception and I just think the work is so artistically gorgeous.  I'm excited to try the other bar...

I Guessed I Missed it When Etsy Got an iPhone App....And Soap Arrived!

Today I discovered that Etsy now has an iPhone app. 

Dear Bank Account,

It was nice having money in you.

Now I don't. 

Blame Etsy.

*le. sigh*

At any rate, in other happy news, two recent soap purchase have arrived in my humble abode...Cedarwood and Cypress Handsoap from Solstice Botanicals and the two soaps I ordered from Angelic Soap.

In other news, I am also the first purchaser of Bacon Bits the soap from Happy Goat Soap which is exciting for so many reasons.  One is that I read the shop's blog, The Maa of Pricilla, religiously (its refreshing and funny and delightful) and another is that I have been watching the progress of this little soap for awhile.  So to order it first is SO exciting.  But more on that later.

Teresa over at Angelic Soap was nice enough to send me some samples with my purchase (which I bought on epic sale so she is just so generous).  I didn't take a picture of the first one I used, which was Black Raspberry Shea, so I am borrowing one from her Etsy shop.  Take a look.

Its like art...real art that smells amazing...

I literally used the whole sample in one shower.  It went something like this...

Wet and lather left arm, rinse, sniff, repeat on right arm.
Decide left arm needs another washing (so I can sniff it)

Repeat process.

I swear the stuff even moisturized my horrible Hobbit feet.  I smelled like raspberries all day but not cloyingly so.  And the texture was simply divine.  The only reason I haven't tried the two I bought yet is that Miss Lazy Pants (yours truly) needs to take some photos of the epic packaging before getting said soap wet.  Tomorrow morning, I swear.

Also, while borrowing the picture above, I noticed that some of the soaps in Angelic Soaps shop are named Black Temple Incense and Grimoire (Book of Shadows).  The description of the latter contains this:

"Grimoire will leave your skin silky and smelling faintly of the rare treasures of antiquity."

 I CLEARLY need to smell like the rare treasures of antiquity.  And so do you.

So much excitement to come!

Stuff I LOVE! (and a little friendly giveaway)

Other people call this soap porn and, while I love that name,  I didn't want to steal it from some of my favorite bloggers. 

So for now its the typically descriptive Erin description "Stuff I Love"

I've been combing Etsy looking at soap and falling in love every five minutes.  Sadly, I have 36 soaps I have yet to review and an impending trip to Europe to pay for so...I can't.

But maybe you can.  And then tell me about it.  In fact, if you buy something from my Stuff I LOVE! lists during the month of November, I would love to have you do a guest blog.  I'll post the blogs during the month of December. Everyone who blogs here will be entered to win a $25 Amex gift card...to buy more soap (or pay bills or whatever but soap is more fun.)

Here are the rules:

1.  You must review a soap listed on my Stuff I LOVE! blogs during the month of November.
2.  You cannot review a soap you made
3.  You must notify me by emailing me at kennedy.rodriguez@gmail.com no later than December 1st, 2010 of your intent to blog.  Please let me know which soap you will review.  I will confirm your email by replying.  If you did not get a reply, I did not receive the email and you should re-send.  No confirmation means I did not receive your entrance.
4.  A list of guest bloggers will be listed on this blog on December 2nd, 2010.
5.  Completed blog must be received no later than December 15th, 2010.
6.  Please try to keep the reviews as positive as possible.  We are not trying to humiliate or embarrass anyone or put a soaper out of business.  I reserve the right not to publish a blog that I think will harm the soap maker's business or mental status.
7.  All Guest Blogs will be posted between December 16th and 31st.
8.  Guest bloggers who blog about this competition will get an extra entry.  9.  Guest bloggers who blog about this competition will get an extra entry.
9.  Winner will be chosen by a random drawing (using a computer generator) on January 5th, 2011 (giving me time to get myself home from Georgia).

10.  Winner's prize will be shipped via USPS between January 6th and 10th, 2011. 

And now for Stuff I LOVE!  I'm going to be prolific in order to give you tons of choices! (Please note all photos are from soapmakers soap.)

Cute Little Duckie Soaps on Ponds by Sheri's Soap Opera:
These typically come in lemon verbena scent but you can choose a different one.  They are SO CUTE!

Blackstrap by Alchemic Muse: 

Beyond the fact that this is called Blackstrap, which makes me think of all sorts of naughty things but it contains figs.  And we all know I would buy poo if it smelled like figs.

 Cereal Killer by Anderson Soap Company is an olive oil soap and it smells like fruit loops.  Since many of you don't live in NYC and therefore cannot have cereal milk soft serve at momofuku milk bar, this one is for you.  It SAYS it's great for the kids but I say eff the kids.  Erm...what I mean is use the soap for yourself!  Alternately, I am totally into the Spring Salty Bar (second picture)

Vegan friendly Rose Quartz Gem Chunk Soap by Angelic Soap!  This one cannot be described.  Observe:



For the show obsessed people among us, I recommend SudsNSuch's Magic Slipper Rubberband Bracelet and Ring Bubblegum Scented soap.  Not only does it smell of bubblegum, one of my favorite shower time scents but it has take away gifts inside.  Give them a friend and say "I thought of you while I was in the shower this morning."

 

And from my secret favorite soap blogger, Anhoki, Life is Beachy.  Reading this incredible soaper's blog always reminds me of how short and important life is.  Look at this beauty:

 

I will just copy her description of this soap because it makes me laugh:

 

As I sip my flirtini I see the tiki hut filling with babes in bikinis and dudes in Speedos. Guido is at the bar spinning and tossing around bottles. Free drinks! An ukulele, bongos and a few of Eduardo's closest buddies are serenading us as the sun begins to set. As I take it all in the aromas of fresh ocean breezes and bird of paradise fill the air. A tap on my shoulder has me startled. I turn to see Eduardo with nothing more than a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a smile. Life is beachy.

Life is beachy is a wonderful oceanic blend of bird of paradise and ocean. Made with olive, coconut, canola, palm and soybean oils with mica for color. Fresh, clean, simple.
 
Aunt Nancy's Soap brings you Chocolate Serendipity which sounds like a fudge brownie for your skin.  Yum Yum YUM.
 

 

The most crunchy all natural sounding soap on my list is Honeyed Lemon Magnolia Granola Bar by Etsian GetLathered.  It combines so many things I love and makes me kinda hungry for breakfast.  So it's PERFECT for morning.

 

My last one for this week is in honor of my upcoming trip to Europe.  Capricorn Soap Company's With Love From Paris.   I'd buy this one for the packaging alone.

 

 

This should be plenty to get you started.  I hope someone is willing to turn their $10 into $25 and get a new soap.  Come one, come all guest bloggers.