I received a LOT of mail today!

First up, The Body Perfumery.

I ordered a sampler set in the following scents:
Amour Cocoa
This sinfully indulgent scent is an elegant olfactory confection with a grounding base note of cocoa bean, warm, unsweetened dark chocolate, vanilla, ending on a bright and delectible note of star fruit and orange zest. One sniff won’t be enough! For fans of Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s Amour de Cacao, Amour Cocoa is sure to be a favorite.

Basmati
Inspired by the wonderful aroma of Basmati rice (the term ‘Basmati’ actually comes from the Hindi word “basmat” which means “fragrant”), this subtle yet delightful fragrance is a captivating mix of fruity florals and cedarwood. Delectable top notes of peach, strawberry and lemon, followed by rose, lily of the valley, and cedarwood, on a luscious base of spice and creamy vanilla. Don’t be mislead by all those florals! The end result is a scent that is remarkably smooth and satisfying.

Chocolat de Belgique
World reknowned for its elegant chocolates, Belgium is home to these rich, dark and to-die-for confections! This European chocolate sniff is more robust than semi- sweet, with a true dark chocolate heart that is enriched by cream, not milk.

Essence of Vanilla
If you love Kiehl’s Vanilla Essence, then you must try our Essence of Vanilla. This rich, warm vanilla is enhanced with a touch of honey, smoke and musk. This grown-up non-foody vanilla is swoon worthy!

Midnight Orchid
A floriental of the finest caliber, this one is for Tom Ford’s Black Orchid fans. Multi-layered and absolutely sensational in all our products (but particularly in the shower so be sure to take it into the hot steam with you!). This is a scent for perfume connoisseurs. Spicy florals dance with dark truffle, vanilla, incense, ylang ylang, bergamot, sandalwood and fruit accords.

They included a free sample of peppermint tea soap. I love peppermint so I think it smells fantastic.
Now, a sample set of 5, of which you can only order one at a time, is $7.50. Shipping on that shows at $5.99. However, a day after I placed my order I received a manual refund through PayPal for $3.49, making shipping a reasonable $2.50. It seems like their mail program’s default shipping charge is $5.99 if you’re in the USA, no matter the order amount.

So far I’ve only sniffed and worn Basmati. When I first put it on I can smell the lemon and rose and a bit of creamy vanilla distinctly. The other notes are there but not overpowering. It really is a smooth scent.

Next, I purchased some MAC Pigment samples from The Body Needs, mostly to satisfy some curiousity.

Cornflower – pale pastel blue with shimmering blue/violet pearl
Fuchsia – bright fuchsia-pink
Bright Fuchsia – intensely rich fuchsia with a hint of pearl (not eye safe)
Naked – fleshy beige with golden copper pearl
Helium – light pink with red duochrome
Genuine Orange – rich true orange matte (not eye or lip safe)
Reflects Transparent Teal – sparkling white with turquoise
Crystalled Pink Glitter – very fine light pink glitter dust, reflecting red, violet and blue

I’m fairly certain the only color I don’t have a dupe for is Crystalled Pink Glitter. It’s just gorgeous. Everything else, I have a close match, an exact match, or an even brighter shade. The price for most samples ranged from $1.79 to $2.19, except for Genuine Orange which was listed at one cent. The shipping cost from The Body Needs was pretty outrageous for those samples, as the pigments totaled $13.44 and the shipping was $6.95. Ouch.

Next I ordered some of the Valentine’s colors from Silk Naturals. SN did a small release and will be moving to a new location soon. I was entirely flattered when I read Karen’s note that I’d helped to inspire the colors. That’s so awesome!


Flame – red shimmer. V
Cherry Blossom – a very light cool-toned pink highlight. V
Safety Orange – a bright, vibrant orange, nearly matte. V
Vivid – bright, almost shocking purple. V
Cabin Fever – free with purchase
Yes, all shades are vegan. There’s a vegan red
My shipping costs from Silk Naturals were quite reasonable at $2.95.

Next, I ordered from Aromaleigh to pick up some of the Angels Colors.

Full Sizes
Orion – a plush peach with pinkish/red interference shimmer highlight and brilliant bright sparks of blue
Loretha – deep and rich shimmering metallic vibrant teal with brilliant sparks of aqua and violet
Tanya Angel – a vibrant warm metallic purple with rich sparkle shimmer like a rainbow
Georgiana – muted mid-tone warm gold with the slightest grey undertone and a fine iridescent pink/red shimmer with brilliant red sparkles and burgundy shimmer throughout

Free Samples
Camellia – muted antique rose, rich with a silvery bases
Ginkgo – lively yellow-green with the surprise of smooth metallic finish
Bamboo- warm tan, golden opulent sheen

Next, I placed a custom order with Sobe Botanicals.

I purchased:
Lipstick in Boo Berry – bright blue – raspberry lemonade scent
Lipstick in Monster Mash – bright purple – yuzu scent
Lipstick in Jack-o-Lantern – bright orange – chocolate cherry scent
Lip Scrub in Vanilla Chocolate Raspberry Swirl

Lex was kind enough to send me a gazillion samples of her eye shadows and primers, so that I can give her some feedback on her primers. She also played around with some notes to make me a roll on scent

And this was my mountain of mail!

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