NAVAlloween Part I

I've wanted to try Nocturne Alchemy for a little bit, but I never got around to it.  Then I was lured in by another decant circle.  I like decant circles: I get to try new things without committing to full sizes.  Also instead of agonizing over the full catalog, it's like: "This is all you get and you only have X amount of time to pick shit.  Hurry up."  I need a deadline or I'll hem and haw for ages.  I missed out on the last NAVA circle, which had Gardenia Crimson.  When I saw this was up and "add ons are welcome, leave a note in the box!" on the form and that I could get Gardenia Crimson as a sample still, I was all in.  

Besides GC, I picked up Black Crystalline Fig, Cemetery Ivy, Graveyard Dirt, and White Zinfandel.

Poesie Perfume Dark & Stormy Collection

I just love this time of year when the mornings are always brisk and a little windy, it's bright yet cool, the air is crisp, and the leaves are just starting to consider falling. I call it Apple Weather because it feels like biting into one. Or maybe I'm just weird. The only thing better than when it starts feeling like fall is smelling like fall. When Poesie announced the release of their new Dark & Stormy Collection along with a $2 off sale of her sample packs, I was all in. 

I settled on Byronic Hero, Haunted Past, Sinister Light and I asked for The Abbey as my free sample. I placed my order on 9/15, it shipped on the 22nd, and arrived on the 24th. Pretty impressive.

Future Primitive Soap Co.

I can't remember when I first heard about Future Primitive.  Most likely, it was as a listing in a swap thread.  I was intrigued, but the problem is Future Primitive is U.K. based.  Shipping can be a deal breaker for me with US companies;  Now add to that the cost of shipping a bunch of big bath and body care bottles across the Atlantic and you'll see why I never pulled the trigger.  Fortunately for me, I was able to get in on a group order.  

In case you're wondering what the heck a group order is, it's pretty much what it sounds like: a bunch of people will get together and place a big order at a shop.  It makes sense because you can split an otherwise prohibitively large shipping cost among a bunch of people so that it's more reasonable.   One person will collect all the monies from everyone, make an order, and then re-bag and ship everything out to all participants when it arrives.  No muss, no fuss (except maybe for the organizer who's mad nice enough to run the whole circus).  This one was run by Angi of Ajevie's Decants.  She seems (now that I'm paying attention) to do group orders from different shops every month or so,  along with her regular awesome decant services.

Kheimistrii

Kheimistrii is a newish bath and body shop on Etsy.  It'd been on my radar for a little while, but I finally decided to take the plunge during her big New Year's sale.  It's a good thing I waited for the sale because I ended up hauling quite a bit.  I settled on a bar of the Ginger Glace Handmade soap and 2 oz samples of the Whip'd Body Wash in Sleepy Hollow, the Macademia Body Souffle in Dreamcatcher, the Sugar Exfoliant in Cimmerian, and the Body Butter Cream and Bubbling Scrub in Ultra Violet.  I also received a free sample of perfume oil in Kyoto.  

All my goodies, fresh out the box

Kheimistrii shipped lightening fast.  After several days worth of dithering over sizes and types of lotion, I placed my order on January 10th, and it showed up on my doorstep on the 15th.  The shipping costs were pretty reasonable too: she uses USPS Flat rate packaging.  Orders that fit into a padded envelope or small box are $5.95 and medium is $10.  

Quickie: L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte

I absolutely was not going to try this foundation.  This soon anyway.  I was interested in it, every Youtube blogger I follow has been raving about it, but I never thought I'd get my hands on it.  It's almost impossible to find swatches in my color range, most people have been reporting that anything darker than Classic Tan was hard to find and seeing how it's pretty expensive for a drugstore product at $12.99 to $14.99, I thought I'd pass for a little while.  Plus I already have way too damn many foundations as it is.  

That was until last night.  I was out running errands and ended up stopping at a Rite Aid to pick up a few odds and ends for my skincare routine.  Lo and Behold, there was a full display.  And L'Oreal was Buy 1 Get 1 50% off.  AND there was a manufacturer coupon on the display for $1 off one product or $4 off two.  Clearly, it was a sign that I needed to buy it now.

Quickie: Blackbird Cosmetics Skulpting Powders

I feel bad.  I've had, loved, and been wearing all twenty of Blackbird Cosmetics matte eyeshadows for months.  They're my favorite matte eyeshadow formula hands down.  I don't know why I haven't bothered to review them yet. (spoiler alert: you need them).   I keep meaning to and telling myself that I'll get to it someday soon.

Aaaaand today is still not that day.  When Maleah, the super awesome force behind Blackbird Cosmetics, announced she was coming out with a line of six(!) contour powders, I was extremely excited.  I finally placed an order last week and they just got here in the mail today.  I can never resist playing with my new things, so I thought I'd do a quick swatch post.  Mostly because I'd already swatched them on my arm.