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shala_beads
12 May 2008 @ 01:19 pm
The Bath Bucket Soap  
Picture of soap )
That's not the bar I took my shower with, I used the Vanilla Mint. That bar is the one E picked, and it's called Glacier, also very minty and cool smelling.
First off, how it looks, the picture doesn't do it justice. Because this is a HUGE bar of soap. She sells smaller bars less expensively, but I like the huge chunk of soap. The packaging is minimal too. A tag, a piece of embroidery floss. It smells amazing. The Vanilla Mint was more mint then vanilla, but a sweet mint. It smells like mint candy.
It's not superfatted, or at least not terribly so. Sometimes handmade soaps can be a bit TOO moisturising to use on my face. This wasn't. I feel clean, my skin doesn't feel dried out, but it also doesn't feel oily. It smelled so good using it, I almost scrubbed a second time just to enjoy it again.
If you like patchouli, she makes one called Earth Goddess (I think?) that's patchouli and ginger that smells fantastic. Unfortunately, patchouli makes me sneeze. I was tempted though, it smells that amazing.
I think this soap will be what I use all summer. My skin can get oily and dirty in the summer and prone to breakouts, but since this isn't full of extra fat it won't aggravate the problem. During the winter, I'd use a body butter after showering I think.
It's 4 BIG bars for 30.00, or 5 little ones for 20, the little ones are 3-4 oz each (about the size of a standard bath bar) and the big ones are 7-8 oz each, so it's really reasonably priced. She does make vegan soaps too, including a vegan unscented bar if you've got sensitive skin or allergies.
She doesn't have a website yet, but you can contact her at bathbucket at alaska dot net if your interested in trying some for yourself. I'm not sure what shipping charges will be. If you live in Anchorage, she's planning on having a booth at the Saturday Market this summer.
I'll ask W what he thinks of the bar I gave him and let you know.
 
 
Feeling: happy
 
 
shala_beads
11 May 2008 @ 12:31 pm
 
Well... I mentioned to some of you, I got a bottle of rum, this stuff. SN 938514 if you're curious. I also have a smaller bottle up too high for me to reach it to see if I can find a review of it, also from the Dominican Republic. I don't drink. Mike doesn't drink. This stuff got a review that makes me wish I did, I used to like rum and cokes. You know, when I drank.

I'm not sure if I'm going to the zoo today. The hotel is being renovated, and Mike had to work. E and I went to the Saturday Market though yesterday. First day and it was a blast.
cut because this could get long )
In other news, last time I bought cologne, I got a bottle of violet. The scent is totally not making it for my family. Mike says "It's nice, just not what I'm used to." and E flat out says she doesn't like it, and wants me to wear rose or that other stuff (Opium). Ah well.
 
 
Feeling: happy
 
 
shala_beads
29 March 2008 @ 10:55 am
Soap sudsy happiness..  
Well.. [info]singingwolf had life going on last week when we ran out of soap. Since the car has been broken down, we haven't had a chance to get soap from any of my favorite local sellers, and I need to do something. So I bought 4 bars from Special Needs Handmade Soaps, one of the bars was peppermint, which is a good thing, because since I've been using Mike's Dr. Bronner's, he was out too, and forgot to get more. I LOVE the bergamot citrus which is the first bar I opened.
I was trying to explain soap to a friend a few weeks ago.
soap )
When Mike and I got together, he was an Irish Spring user. Since he switched to real soap, he hasn't looked back. He uses Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap. To him, clean is a tingly feeling all over.
Well.. now that I've told you more then you *ever* wanted to know about soap..
Currently working on:
Update for Beadwork at BellaOnline
More boxes. Nearly done with boxes. Thank goodness. Had to redraw a lot of art in the last couple of days.
Thinking of: Melting crayons and maybe making some caramel popcorn later. I don't actually want to EAT caramel popcorn, but it's so pretty to make.
 
 
Feeling: happy
 
 
shala_beads
08 February 2008 @ 03:41 pm
Ahh..  
Instead of doing dishes, I'm in youtube land again.
a couple uses for vodka )
I love it so much, plus the music is just great.
I get, as I've mentioned before, my cologne from Laura's Body and Soul. They custom mix my "signature" rose scent to my specifications, plus a few other scents I wear when I'm feeling a bit more creative then just roses. They use a glycerine/alcohol/water base I believe. The glycerine makes the scent stay on like you wouldn't believe, alcohol is just a carrier and evaporates pretty quickly, but the glycerine makes it stick.
psoriasis stuff cut for the uninterested )
Bead chat tonight at 6pm PST. I probably won't make it, since I didn't make it to the gym this morning and I was *bad* yesterday. I had a soda and potato chips and a cup cake.
 
 
Feeling: amused
 
 
shala_beads
27 May 2007 @ 04:53 am
I still need a bath icon  
At some point, I'm going to put all my Alaskan product reviews and commentary under the tag "Buy Alaska".

But today, you all know my aversion to commercial soaps, and other then Dr. Bronner's (which Mike uses), we buy handmade soaps locally. I love trying out different types, and found one recently at New Sagaya. One of the things I love about New Sagaya, other then being the only big locally owned grocery store is that they carry LOTS of local products. Not just the big ones. We go there very regularly because they carry my coffee. Unfortunately, they don't have a location on my side of town, or I'd do a lot more of my shopping there.
Alpenglow soap is a recent find in there. I bought a bar of the shea butter soap, and one of their shampoo bars. I had mixed feelings about the shampoo bar because my results are so mixed. The Burt's Bees one is wonderful for my daughter's hair because it does leave a waxy build up that helps keep her curls under control. It's less stunning on mine. I use it with a vinegar rinse afterwards.
Just took a shower with my new things. The soap? Of course I got the Alaskan Wild Rose. It's so fragrant, I thought I'd goofed. I thought for sure it had to have fragrance oil in it, which is fine in colognes, but I'd rather not scrub my face with extreme amounts. No, it really is just that fragrant. It uses wild rose petals and rose geranium e.o. for scent. For an anti-bacterial, this stuff uses rosemary e.o., not chemicals. It smells so good. I felt decadent. It did leave my skin just a little on the dry side, but I used some moisturiser and it's fine. The dryness isn't enough to put me off of it when the scent knocked me out. No itchies which commericial (read: detergent) soaps can do.

So the shampoo bar. I got the lavender. I've got a weakness for floral scents and I love layering them. It's got lavender and ylang ylang e.o.s in it, and if you know about aroma therapy, you know how sexy ylang ylang is. The lavender of course is soothing. I've got nearly waist length very fine straight hair if you don't know. So build up is absolutely my worst enemy, any sort of build up on my hair shows. I didn't use a rinse or conditioner after, and was able to pull my detangling comb through without any issues. Dry, it's not at all oily or waxy, which happens with some shampoo bars. It's clean, and shinier then I've seen it since I was a kid.

I still need a bath icon.
 
 
Feeling: happy