Candle Review: Yankee Candle Garden Sweet Pea

Hi folks, so I have another home fragrance post for you. 

Candle: Yankee Candle Scented Candle in Garden Sweet Pea

Availability: The candle is currently discontinued. 

Would I buy this again?: Probably not.

Notes: The exact scent notes for this candle are a mystery as of this point - I can't find any info anywhere. 

Here's what I'm getting from smelling the candle cold - an intense sweet pea scent. I bought this off  my bestie's ginormous order at Yankee and she was like, oh this is such a strong and heavy sweet pea scent that she didn't think she could tolerate it. And you think that sweet pea is typically a softer floral. Well... The cold throw on this is pretty epic... however!

As the wax warms and burns, the scent is like... where are you? It barely, if even, fills my 14x11ft room. I can smell it in the little nook corner I burn it in but that's about it.

This candle melts beautifully, no complaints there. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

Recycling Candles Part 1

Today's post will focus on recycling candles and some ideas for what you can do with them. 

 

Candle Cleaning Instructions:

1. Once the wicks on your candle have burned to the end, allow the candle to cool down enough to be handled easily. Get boiling water and pour it over the candle wax until your near the top of the candle - if you have the lid for the candle, close it with the lid. If you don't have a lid, my advice is to find something to cover the candle with so the heat doesn't escape. Marvel at the lava-lamp effect it has when it's still hot and allow it to cool completely. Then you can just fish out the wax at the top and either discard it (boo!), or use it in a wax warmer (yay! because it most likely will still give off a fragrance). 

2. If the wicks don't come out easily, pour more hot water over them and add some dish soap. Allow this to cool slightly and then prod at the wicks with a plastic knife or a butter knife that you no longer wish to use for butter. This should break down the glue. Don't allow it to cool completely because the glue will re-harden, just wait until the water's warm enough for you to handle and pour it out before prodding at the wicks. 

3. Clean out any bits of remaining glue/wax - using a steel wool sponge is perfect for this (be gentle, you don't want to break the candle or scratch it up with the steel wool). Air dry or wipe off with a paper towel.

Now your candle is ready to use for storage. As you can see in the above photo I keep nail polish in them but they're great for lip gloss, lipsticks, cotton balls... I mean I personally would not recommend using them for food or anything else you're inclined to consume (i.e.: medication) but you can store whatever you'd like in them, essentially. It's a great way to store things that can kind of go all over the place or tend to fall over.

If you have any other ideas or questions/comments feel free to leave them for me. :)

Tart Warmers Review & Info

Hello folksickles. Today I bring an all-new possible start of a new obsession and it's the tart warmer. My best friend bought me one as a New Year's gift and I shall discuss it here.

 

She also got me these nifty silicone cupcake liners so I could switch out wax scents :)

This particular tart warmer is from Yankee Candle and  is the Everyday Ceramic Ivory Denby Floral Electric Wax Melts Warmer. It looks to no longer be available but honestly any wax warmer or heater would work.  

    These are a great alternative for those of you who for whatever reason can't have candles around the house be it pets, young children, you simply haven't got a place to burn candles without creating a fire hazard, or you want the scent of a candle when burning a candle may not be the best idea - like when you're sleeping. They're also a good way to recycle candle wax - you know when you get down to the last of the wick but you just know the wax left in that candle is still scented, you can remove said wax and use it in the tart warmer. I've also had it happen twice to me that candles shattered and I had nothing to do with the wax but throw it away, which made me sad. If I had this back then I could've cleaned the shards off the wax, cut it up, and used it in here. 

    Now these come in several varieties. There are tea-light versions of tart warmers where there's an opening under the tart dish to stick a tea light candle under - which in my opinion defeats the entire purpose of these being flame-less; and there are electrical versions that contain heating elements like mine. Now, mine was a gift but if I were to  buy one of these on my own I'd get one where the dish was removable. Now you may start asking - why? And what's a tart? So let's get back to the start.

What is a tart?

      A tart is a piece of  wick-free wax.  

How do you use tarts?

     Simple as can be, you take a tart (you can get them at yankeecandle.com, bathandbodyworks.com, scentsy.com, or candlesbyvictoria.com) and put it in the tart warmer to melt and release its scent. If you buy larger tarts or have larger pieces of wax you can chop them up and melt the pieces until they lose their scent. You can also mix scents if you wish.  I read somewhere that tarts were preferable to candles because you can mix scents in the tart warmer whereas with candles you can't... um... you can totally light several candles at once and have the scents mix. Sure you might get hit with some crazy intense throw but yolo. You can stick a silicone cupcake liner over the heating element and put the tart in there. That way cleanup is super easy and the tart will have cute scalloping as it sets - this way say, you use up a candle but you've got wax remaining, you can get it out of there and make your own tart or even give them away to friends as semi-homemade gifts. I mean if you've got wax and watch any candle-making video on Youtube, you could probably make your own tarts and give them out as gifts too.

I felt like this was fairly thorough information but if you should have any comments or questions please let me know.

Disclaimer: I received the tart warmer mentioned above as a gift. I am in absolutely no way obligated to mention it on here.  

Moisturizer Review: Sephora Collection Instant Moisturizer

'Ello folksickles. Today's review will be for the Sephora Collection Instant Moisturizer.

Availability: At appears as though this has been discontinued.

Would I buy this?: I think I would. 

What is this product designed to address?

According to sephora.com this is what the product is and what it does:

What it is:

An intensive moisturizer, radiance booster, and wrinkle fighter. 

What it is formulated to do:

With its light, non-greasy texture, this exceptional cream moisturizes intensively, gives skin a subtle glow, and helps to prevent signs of aging. Its updated formula includes HydroSenn+, a natural ingredient proven to deliver immediate and long-lasting hydration more effectively than hyaluronic acid. Its light reflecting pigments give skin an instant glow while antioxidants help prevent future signs of aging. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens

- Sulfates

- Phthalates

- GMOs

- Triclosan

What else you need to know:

HydroSenn+ is a plant-derived ingredient that leaves skin feeling soft and luxuriously comfortable. This moisturizer is ideal of all skin types, non-comedogenic, and formulated without mineral oil. 

Research results:

In a study with 30 volunteers, after two hours 84%  observed a +14% moisturizing effect; after four hours, 93% observed a +15% moisturizing effect. In a test of 60 women, 92% reported a comfortable texture, 90% reported quick absorption, and 92% said it felt comfortable after application.

Does it contain any special/beneficial ingredients?

From sephora.com:

-HydroSenn+: Moisturizes intensely. A polysaccharide derived from an Indian plant (cassia angustifolia), this ingredient forms a protective barrier on the skin's surface that is able to harness and retain water for optimal moisture that lasts all day long.

What is the texture like?

This reminds me of my beloved Lancome Energie de Vie except more intensely hydrating. It's like a very thick gel-cream yet is somehow very lightweight despite how deeply hydrating it is. I'm impressed. 

Is it scented?

It has a soft, clean, fresh scent. Almost like clean laundry but not "clean cotton," just very fresh. 

My overall experience/comments on the product:

I want to say that I wasn't expecting to like this in the slightest. When it comes to actual facial products or foundations I'm very picky, as you might've guessed if you actually read the blog. :P Anywho, I thought this was going to be a very thick cold-cream type thing and that it would just clog my pores and I'd have to find a way to use it or get rid of it. 

I was very pleasantly surprised by pretty much everything about it. It smells great, it feels lightweight and yet it moisturizes like a much, much heavier moisturizer would. The great part of that is you don't feel it sitting there on your skin, the moisture goes straight to work and keeps the skin feeling soft and smooth while giving it a gorgeous glow. This doesn't aggravate my eczema at all and really helps smooth out any rough texture. If you have dry skin I think you really need to try this. :)

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: This was provided for testing purposes. In no way, shape, or form am I obligated to mention it on here or am I getting something for mentioning it.

Bath & Body Works Lemon Mint Leaf Candle Review

Hi folks, so I have another home fragrance post for you. 

Candle: Bath & Body Works Scented Candle in Lemon Mint Leaf

Availability: The pricing is as follows:

14.5 oz/429mL - $24.50, burn for: 30-45 hours

Would I buy this again?: Possibly 

Notes: My reasoning for buying the candle: I smelled it in-store (smart huh?) and really liked it. I heard it might have a cleaning-product type smell but wanted to see for myself. 

Here's what I'm getting from smelling the candle cold: it smells like fresh spearmint, you know... like with that earthy note fresh mint has and a sweet, almost slightly sugared lemon scent. 

As the wax warms and burns, the scent intensifies - that earthy mint quality kind of emerges more and the lemon brings a fresh tartness but its sweetness kind of disappears. It's a very clean scent and one I think would work well in a kitchen or bathroom or anywhere you want it to smell like you've been cleaning. I wish cleaning products smelled this nice though. The throw was pretty strong; it filled up my entire room - 14x11ft. Very nice, very nice indeed! :D

This candle melts beautifully, no complaints there. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: I paid for this myself.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Review

Happy 2014 folksickles. The year ended with me developing a wonderful second degree burn on my leg from hot tea. Fun!

We are on part 3 of the Naked trilogy. Please enjoy. 

Availability: This retails at $54 and is available at ulta.com, macys.com, jcpenney.com, nordstrom.com, sephora.com, and their respective physical store locations. It is also available at urbandecay.com.

Would I buy this again?: Possibly.

Notes: Alright so this was one I was torn on when I first saw promo photos but the moment bloggers released their swatches I KNEW it belonged in my life. This palette is truly unique in its premise that all its shadows are rose-toned. It's still incredibly neutral though, especially on someone like myself with a pink undertone. Most colors that are rosy but not fully pink/red tend to neutralize themselves on my skin because the pink in my skin absorbs the pink in them - if that makes sense. Like say you put a blackened green shadow over a black base, it'll look more green - same here. I think this is such a beautiful palette and is very versatile as well. If you like rose gold, this will definitely be up your alley. 

I'll speak a bit about the packaging before I show you the shades - this comes in the tin packaging just like the Naked 2. I really don't like how the back is wrinkled yet has a smooth section, it makes it look like it needs ironing. Other than that though, my feelings on the packaging are neutral.

This is my second favorite in the Naked collection. I think it provides so many beautiful, flattering looks and possibilities. 

I also have to tell you that each pan here is a .05 oz, the same as a full-sized Urban Decay eyeshadow which currently retail at $20 each. Meaning if you were to buy each shadow separately, the palette would cost you $240.

Without further ado, swatchfest!

Strange is described as a pale neutral pink-matte satin. To me it's a white with a pink undertone. It makes the PERFECT highlight for me. Love it!

Dust is described as a pale metallic pink shimmer with iridescent micro-glitter. I'd describe it as a soft pink with an intense white pearl. 

Burnout is described as a light pinky-peach satin. I'm gonna go on ahead and agree with that.

Limit is described as a light dusty rose matte. Right on point. I thought I wasn't going to like the mattes in this palette but they're so pretty and unique. :D

Buzz is described as a metallic rose shimmer with silver micro-glitter. It reminds me of a softened, almost pastel but not quite, cranberry color. The shimmer to me is more gold than it is silver.

Trick is described as a light metallic copper shimmer with tonal micro-sparkle. What in the world is "tonal" micro-sparkle?!? To me it's a copper-y, although mostly true rose gold. I concur though, rose gold is created by adding copper to gold. I love it. It's my favorite shade in the palette. Absolute gorgeousness.

Nooner is described as a medium pinky-brown matte. I'd describe it as a matte rosy taupe.

Liar is described as a medium metallic mauve shimmer. Yes, that's exactly what it is. Not to mention absolutely gorgeous!

Factory is described as a pinky-brown satin. It's a gorgeous taupe-y mauve with rose gold micro-glitter.

Mugshot is described as a metallic taupe shimmer with slight pink shift. I'd describe it as taupe with an intense silver pearl and rosy undertone.

Darkside is described as a deep mauve taupe satin. Agreed. 

Blackheart is described as a smoky matte black with rosy red micro-sparkle. Possibly the most beautiful, unique and gorgeous color in the palette. It's indeed a matte black with rose and gold glitter (separately, not one rose-gold). Kind of makes me think of embers dancing around coal in a fire. So utterly beautiful! I want to do a smoky eye with it. 

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Disclaimer: I bought this myself with my own funds.