Caldrea Pear Blossom Agave Candle Review

I wanted to do this post yesterday but I was so drained. All I did was sit around and watch those cheesy instagram romances where the guy is extra ornery, possessive, and crazy BUT the girl still ends up with him because he "changes". I'm also ashamed to admit sometimes I root for those guys. I'll probably watch another one when I am done with this post. 

Caldera claims:

Enhance your décor and extend your favorite fragrance into your entire home with our beautiful patterned glass Candle. Made with vegetable wax, beeswax, essential oils and other thoughtfully chosen ingredients. Burn time: 45 hours

Your curious mind searches for the world’s secrets. On your adventures, you discover quiet oases and underwater caves, taking with you the refreshing scent of Pear Blossom Agave.

Paraffin Free

I wanted to try something from the brand because I've heard nothing but good things about their cleaning stuff. I do really want to try their stuff but I have a lot of cleaning junk at the moment and cannot justify buying any more.  But I can justify a new candle. 

I bought this candle off Amazon...and I'm not sure I would purchase their candles again.

I really didn't like the scent...there is something in it that smells like it could be nice. But there's something that smells kinda food like and reminds me of Bath and Body Works candles or something I have smelled before and I really dislike that. So I don't like the scent. Luckily you can barely smell it most of the time and I only get whiffs every now and again. I've been burning it a lot to try and get rid of it. Which is how I treat all the candles I dislike. If I like it, I tend to savor it and not burn it as much or as quickly. 

I can say it smells nothing like any pear or agave (does agave have  smell?) I have ever smelled. It's supposed to have lemon and jasmine essential oil. But I can't say that I smell either of those. 

It has a 40 hour burn time, I think it's longer than that. But I'm not sure. I like that is contains veggie wax and beeswax. I didn't notice any problems with sooting or smoking so it is very clean burning. Sometimes I had to foil hat it but it mostly burned very evenly and was problem free.

It's not a bad candle, I just think the scent could be better. As well as the scent throw. I would still try the cleaning spray because I know it has to smell better than this. 

The glass jar is nice but in comparison to some of the other containers I have kept in the collection it's very basic...feels around the same quality as a Bath and Body Works candle. The quality of the glass can vary by brand and the did not feel as lux as my lux candles. For the price (even cheaper on Amazon, it's not a big deal.)

It didn't work out for me but I haven't written the brand off.

Johnson's Baby Bar Review

 I was just searching through my posts and realized I have never used any "baby products" -well except a body butter by the body shop. I'm kinda surprised by that because baby lotion was a staple for me all through high school- mostly for the smell because it didn't moisturize anything. I love the smell of baby products...I mostly bought this as an add on to get to the shipping minimum though. 

Johnson's claims:

Use bath time to gently cleanse your baby’s skin and have it feeling smooth with the baby bar, enriched with moisturizer to keep baby’s skin from drying out. This mild baby soap bar is grippable for easy bathing and gentle enough to use on the entire body, including your baby’s face.

I remember writing a paper back in college talking about the ingredients in most baby care...a lot of it is stuff I find questionable to use on a baby's skin because their skin is thinner and absorbs everything but it's a personal choice. I'm not using this on a baby- just myself. 

First thing. the scent. I love it. It smells just like a baby. Makes you want one 😂 It's just a nice, mild scent. It smells just like you would think it would. I tend to really like those type scents so I really love this! It's a nice break from some the floral, boozy, heavy scents I have been using lately. 

As for the soap- it works very well without any irritation or reactions anywhere. Lots of lather, rinses clean and only slightly drying some of the time.

I did try it on my face and it does sting if you get it in your eyes. Which is interesting because they recommend it for a babies face.....it was a bit drying. But it works. 

It does make soap scum. And it makes the bottom of my shower DIRTY! I have been in shower gel mode for a minute and I forgot how much more cleaning you have to do with actual soaps. It's OK. Cleaning the shower more often is a good thing.

It's a short ingredient list...I have seen other brands that make cleaner ingredient baby soaps. 

Ingredients:

Sodium Tallowate, Water, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Glycerin,  Titanium Dioxide, Pentesdium Pentetate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Fragrance 

Overall, I really liked it. I would definitely pick up a few more.

Eden's Garden French Lavender Sage Essential Oil Blend Review

 More crazy cold nights, I am already under my blanket on the couch with the tv going and grabbed the computer to knock out a quick post out. I wasn't sure I would be reviewing this because I used the majority of this oil a couple years ago and then decided to save the rest. Then I pulled it out to use up and ended up spilling most of it but not before making a little bottle of massage oil with it.

Eden's Garden claims:

Navigate through life's inevitable challenges with the support of Edens Garden's Forgiveness & Healing essential oil blend. This unique blend encourages resilience, helping you transform obstacles into opportunities for growth.

The Forgiveness & Healing blend exudes a cozy and velvety aroma that inspires optimism and strength. It's an emblem of comfort, reminding us of the potential for better times ahead. Starting your journey to healing and inner peace is just a few drops away with this illustrious blend.

Incorporating Forgiveness & Healing into your everyday life can be as simple as enjoying its calming aroma. For a peaceful and restorative experience, create a custom blend with Epsom salts and baking soda for a soothing bath. Alternatively, dilute it with a carrier oil for a comforting massage. With Edens Garden's Forgiveness & Healing essential oil blend, navigating life's challenges becomes a more serene and uplifting journey.

I was drawn to this because I love Lavender and ever since I had a Blackberry Sage soap I've been interested in more Sage type scents. This blend is called "Forgiveness and Healing" these days. But I am glad to see they at least still sell it even with a new name. Eden's Garden excels on making really nice and interesting blends. I purchase more from Plant Therapy because of their rewards and better prices but I do prefer Eden's blends. 

This one says it's for protection, contentment, and peace.

I'm not sure about all that but I do really like the scent and I do feel at peace when I inhale it. 

It smells very similar to the Grapefruit Pink Pepper one. Except with a hint of Lavender. It smells really nice.

I can't remember how I used most of the bottle since I used it awhile ago but these days I diluted some drops in oil and just massage it in with lotion about once a week. 

I am surprised to see the highest ingredient is Sage. It makes me curious to smell sage on its own. It does kinda smell fruity- and it has a very "bright" scent. I thought the Sage would make it dark and mysterious. 

Ingredients:

Sage- Dalmation (Salvia officinalis), Lavender- Bulgarian (Lavandula angustifolia), Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana), Lavender- French (Lavandula angustifolia), Grapefruit- Pink (Citrus paradisi), Damiana (Turnera diffusa), Cistus (Cistus ladanifer), Osmanthus Absolute (Osmanthus fragrans)

Overall, one of my favorite blends for sure. I only have a few drops to go before it's empty...I definitely want to replace it one days as I use more and more of my oils.

Sugar Biscuits, Low-Fat Tortillas/Tortillas Soup, Japanese Marinade

 Time for yet again another food post- I was looking ahead at my list and there are so many soups I need to get through...somehow it is still soup weather. We had a few days of really gorgeous weather and then Winter came back. Winter, wind, hail, and rain. Yuck! I almost switched out to my summer blanket but I'm glad I didn't...I would quickly went to dig my big heavy Winter one back up.

I actually thought these were some kind of sweet biscuit....I forgot that in the UK they call cookies biscuits. This recipe is from the Unofficial Harry Potter cookbook. So..they were just sugar cookies. I made mine in the food processor and halved the recipe. I think sugar cookies are the most boring of all the cookies....but these weren't bad. Especially after letting them sit a day. They remind me of when I was a kid making the Easy Bake sugar cookies in my room. I tried to get as much flavor as possible out of them by using vanilla sugar AND vanilla extract and they do smell very vanilla-y.  I think I am going to make some vanilla pudding and then make a banana pudding with the rest of them. YUM! 

Next up...more tortillas. The low fat version. Honestly I would make these over the supposed high fat ones. They are so good! Not sure what the baking soda is supposed to do, I think that's the first time I've used it.  Mine  always come out ugly and mis-shaped. I cannot roll a round one to save my life. I can eat them plain right out the pan...and I did! I am probably done making tortillas for awhile but next time I do I am investing in a tortilla press.

Then I made Vitamix Tortilla Soup. I think they demo'd this when I first saw the Vitamix. Their version was good. Mine was not. Vitamix does some soups really well, others not so much. And this one was one that didn't work for me. Glad I tried it though.

Then we have Japanese Marinade. I missed one  ingredient which was Mirin...but I chose to marinade salmon and unfortunately it was salty. I usually like to buy this: 

Probably better for heartier meats. Glad I tried...wish it worked out better for me! I think it would work well with beef or chicken though

I feel like except for the cookies I had an off week...it happens sometimes! 

Voluspa Jardin De Verveine Candle Review

I didn't plan on doing a post today but I want to get this candle review out the way. Somehow it is still candle weather so I am still burning my candles like crazy and recently bought quite a few to replace the last few I used up.  I want to get through at least two before the summer heat hits because I do not want to have them for months and months. Mostly because I don't like them.

Voluspa claims:

Fragrance Family: Green

Notes of Lemongrass, Verbena, Lime & Herb Cuttings.

Peer through stalks of lemongrass and verbena as you enter the overgrown threshold of an alchemist’s sanctuary. As you soak in your surroundings, a zesty citrus and herbal accord cultivate your curiosity and enlighten your spirit. Stimulate your senses with notes of Lemon, May Chang and Lemongrass. Softened with a heart of Verbena, Lime, Geranium and a hint of Jasmine. Your thoughts and energy are suddenly refreshed by green Anise notes and a flash of Mint. This is where the magic happens…

Voluspas unique coconut wax blend is hand-poured into a 9.5 oz. glass and topped with a matching lid that keeps the candle dust-free when not in use, and doubles as a base when lit. The single wick allows you to enjoy fragrance throw for 60 hours. Our candles are hand-poured in the United States and feature our proprietary, clean-burning coconut wax blend and 100% natural wicks. Our products are free of phthalates, pesticides, parabens, and sulfates and are never tested on animals. Up-cycle this best seller into a keepsake after the last burn.

Hand poured in the USA

I really like the Voluspa brand...although their candles tend to be lighter in scent- they burn nicely. No smoking or sooting etc. Also  they are a luxury candle brand that aren't cheap but compared to other luxury candle brands the prices are a bit more affordable. Still expensive though.

I went for the classic candle size but I really wish I had opted for the mini tin candle. It would have saved me some cash, It's outside of the usual candle scents I would go for..but it's good to branch out sometimes.  This is a green scent. Or in my opinion it's citrus. When you first get it and sniff it cold it smells complex- I was fully expecting to like it. I don't know what I was smelling but it had depth to it. Burned it and all I get is Lime. So disappointing. I could literally get a bottle of lime essential oil, dilute it in some alchohol and water and spritz it around and it would be the same thing.  For the price, I expected more. Much more.

The packaging is really nice though. I do really like the black glass jar and will be keeping it to repurpose. It also comes in a really nice box that makes it really giftable. The box is really so pretty with images of a lush green garden. You can tell they put a lot of thought into the design of the box and the imagery on it. I think this is supposed to be from an elevated collection than just your everyday Voluspa scents. 

It is supposed to be Coconut Wax. I don't know if it's a blend or what it's blended with but this one feels softer than their normal wax. I also usually notice with this brand the first light I get zero scent and then it starts scenting the room for subsequent lightings. The candle is light but it will travel to other rooms when I have it on- very lightly however. 

It claims 60 hour burn time...and I don't think it's quite that high. It definitely seems to be burning quicker than their regular classic candle. Since I don't love the scent, I'm not too broken up about it except for it does feel like a waste of cash.

Overall, wasn't worth the money. Glad I branched outside of the scents I usually go for but it wasn't worth it for this one. If I try more "green" scents and find something better I will link it here later on. 

Rockie Robbins

 

Quick music post....Rockie Robbins. He was one hit wonder for me...but this song is so underrated. I don't know where I first heard it but it's one of those songs you would play at a wedding reception. Love it! 

Smooth Grooves.