Haus of Gloi 2015 Fall Release

I know, I know. HoG Yule is out, and has been for awhile. So why the hell are we talking about Autumn? First it was I didn't want to talk about what I got because I shopped HoG for my exchange partner during IMAM's Fall Exchange. I didn't want her to see and guess all the fabulous and good smelling stuff coming her way. While I was shopping for her, I snagged Blood Orange Marshmallow, a Bubbling Scrub in Pumpkin Queen, and a Vanilla Nag Champa Butter Bomb. Then, I snagged a few more Autumn scents in swaps. So we are talking about Autumn now because it is technically still Autumn, so there. 

sixteen92 Winter 2015

Sooooo I would have had this up ages ago, but my allergies decided it would be fun if I couldn't breathe through my nose for 5 days straight.  Fun times.  It didn't help that USPS held my Circle shipment hostage for an extra week.  I can't say as I blame them, since it smelled amazing before I even opened the package.  Also, it worked out nicely in that they got here in time for me to test them out on my mom again.  This isn't her first sixteen92 experience.  After smelling it, she made me buy her a full size of Goody Proctor and I've given her at least three of my freebie samples.  I think she has Black Sugar and Grimm.  It's been awhile so don't quote me on that. 

My Circle shipment consisted of the five Winter perfumes and a preview sample from the upcoming Holiday Collection of Candy Cane Mocha.   I was really glad I got that one because I wondered how it compared to Peppermint Hot Chocolate. 

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.

Arcana Halloween 2015

Gods all bless decant circles.  I really wanted to pick up All of the Things from Arcana's Halloween release, but I couldn't afford to splurge on full sizes.  Thankfully, Angi of Ajevie's Circles ran a decant circle so I could pick up Most of the Things.

sixteen92 Fall Bath & Body Mini Haul

I meant to have this one up weeks ago, but life has been crazy here.  I've been dealing with family drama, I have some of them staying with me for the next few weeks, and a little bit of depression brought on by the start of "Goddamn it's only 5pm and it's dark already" Season.   Things on the family scene have calmed down a little bit.  At least enough that I finally have time to work my way through the mountain of Fall stuff that I bought last month.    

So far I haven't spilled this one. *knock on wood*

I wasn't planning on picking up anything from the Fall Release.  That was because I forgot about the lotion only scents and the hair serum.  I'm still working my way through my Black Violet Detangling Spray; finding out Last Exit For the Lost was going to be one of the fall hair scents was what decided me.  I thought it may help me to finally use it up if I had some apple scented hair oil to use with it.  Along with the Supernatural Serum, I picked two minis so I could check out some lotion only scents. 

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.

Smelly Yeti Hellmouth Part 2 & Assorted Fallish Smelling Scents

Autumnal probably would have been a better descriptor, but we're doing Buffy scents and so I will use the Buffy Speak to describe all the things.  Plus, making up words is fun.

Pretty samples all in a row

Last month, I added this in to the Group Order where I picked up my Future Primitive goodies.  This time around, I opted for another five pack sampler of Gosh, Glorious, Inferno, Proserpine, Veronica, and received Dame It as my free sample.  

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.

Haus of Gloi Ghost Puffs, Tobac, & Persephone's Descent

So remember when I made that joke about Haus of Gloi shopping being a full contact sport? Last Sunday, the Haus released Part 2 of their Autumn release. I was all set to do battle: I was already logged in and had the few things that I wanted that were still in stock preloaded into my cart. It took me less than ten minutes to sort through everything and load up my cart, and yet, by the time I hit checkout every scent I wanted in perfume oil samples, pumpkin butter, and whipped soap had sold out. 

I actually felt a little bruised after all of that. 

I did manage to pick up a few other things (and I'll post a review when they get here). I was lucky enough to find two of the samples I had wanted the most up for sale in IMAM's Sunday Swap thread last week. So in preparation for the restocks, I'm happy to give you my impressions of three more of the Autumn scents: Tobac (which I also had and forgot about), Ghost Puffs, and Persephone's Descent. You'll have to find your own helmet and sheild, though. 

Ten Three Labs Salve Sticks

For years and years and years Carmex was my favorite lip balm.  Carmex was my Bae.  My HG, My OTBalm, if you will.  Our love affair was long and storied, yet I dumped it like a bad habit after the first time I tried Ten Three Labs Salve Sticks.  

My OT3

At this point, I've gone through something like eight tubes since Cara opened her shop last year.  I think that I only lost one, and ended up giving one away because it smelled awful (pro tip: The warning that the scents that go into the Mystery Machine pack can be extremely odd and random is not there to be cute).  At first I thought I was just going to review my latest salve packs, but then I thought, fuck it.  The only one I've ever written up was The Bubbler; I ought to do all the other ones I've gotten since then.