(Review) Melting Snowman: No I Don't Wanna Build a Snowman, Stop Asking Me

I have no idea what my deal has been lately.  Every part of my body has been so itchy lately I feel like I should be a human sized cat scratching post.  While lounging around on one of my rare days off, playing a video game on my newly purchased Playstation 4 (money well spent I might add), I had to pause the game multiple times in order to satisfy the scratchy irritation that was mainly on my legs.  I actually scratched myself to the point of bleeding.  Well what's a little blood if I get some kind of momentary relief from this hell?!  My skin dries out in the winter, but it's NEVER been this bad.  The recent polar vortex that's whipped through my town in a flurry of snow and ice might have something to do with it, or the fact that I've been wearing thick, knee high stockings underneath my work leggings.  Or maybe life just hates me and doesn't want me to have nice things, I have no idea.  But amidst killing a hoard of renegade mages, I put down my controller and sighed.  Time for a bath with a much needed bath melt.

 

Melting Snowman was a fleeting bath melt that my store had for quite a short time.  Not only was it a huge seller, but it sold extremely fast and was like we never had it after our supply was gone.  I was lucky enough to receive one in my staff box, and I was in love at first whiff.  The cinnamon and clove scent is something I love very much, very spicy and not too sweet, so it didn't remind me of bathing in a big, sticky cinnamon bun (which I have no problem eating.  Bathing in...totally different story).  It's actually the scent of Swedish mulled wine, but to me it just smells like chocolate and cinnamon. 

It also surprised me to learn that this little guy contains patchouli, which I couldn't smell at all!  I didn't even know that until I dipped into my training manual and found it listed underneath the ingredients!  I know patchouli is one of those love it or hate it smells (that I love a lot) but don't let that scare you off if you don't like it.  You can't smell it at all!  And of course, what would a bath melt be without lots of nourishing butters and oils like cocoa, shea, and almond to make you nice and soft.

 

Melting Snowman has a bit of baking soda included so when you pop it in your bath it sinks right to the bottom and fizzes.  Meanwhile I flitted around my tub with my camera, snapping pictures for this blog entry and pausing every so often to scratch my legs like a cricket singing his mating song.  When I pulled Melting Snowman from the depths of the tub, I couldn't help but laugh at his eyes and buttons melting everywhere.  His eyes and buttons if you didn't know are vegan chocolate chips, which actually taste quite nice!  The remnants left little brown flecks floating on top of the creamy white water which I prefer to see as freckles and not as something else (you guys are gross).  After he was all gone ("and he waved goodbye saying "don't you cry, I'll be back again someday!") I popped a Fizzbanger bath bomb into the water to give a bit of color and amp up the spiciness of the cinnamon.  This is a cocktail I like to call "The Nostril Stinger" and Holly Golightly bubble bar can be added for more intensity and bubbles!

KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEE

 Once I sat in my tub I was immediately given a massive amount of relief when the softening butters coated my legs in a layer of warm, cozy, and slightly spicy moisture.  The scent was to DIE for (I LOVE cinnamon) and my bath was nice and hot.  I cracked open my book and enjoyed my spicy soak.

When I got out my legs felt so much softer and I didn't even need any body lotion.  My legs, being currently the driest part of my body soaked everything up immediately while my arms and torso needed a bit of massaging since some of the oils were still sitting on my skin.  It left me feeling soft and not greasy and the scent really stuck!

Overall I was very pleased with this product.  It has to be one of my favorites from the holiday range and something I really really hope they bring back next year!  Next time I'm prying out one of those vegan chocolate chips and eating it...just so you know ;)

(Review) Cinders: Snap! Crackle! Pop!

When I woke that morning, it was with a pit of dread in my stomach.  The moment my eyes opened, I knew something was amiss.  I crawled out of my massive pile of blankets and pillows and stood stock still in my pajamas.  The apartment was oddly silent.  I could hear people outside walking...the odd clang of the radiator pipes every so often.  Everything seemed as it should be.  But when I threw up the blinds in my window, I saw what was wrong.  My stomach dropped and my heart ceased to beat.  With a cry I fell to my knees in despair, gazed up at the heavens and cried:

"SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!"

...okay, so maybe I was a little overdramatic.  But if you lived where I live, you'd understand.  Being in a Midwestern state in winter takes a strong, rugged sort to survive.  The cold is biting, it takes forever to clear your car of the smothering white powder, and people magically forget how to drive.  But there's a certain coziness to it I guess.  On my rare days off, I like to snuggle in my blankets in my pjs with a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate, a book or video game, and just forget that winter exists.  Freshly fallen snow is also the perfect weather for a nice, hot (and I mean HOT) bath!

 

I will admit that I'm one of those people that's always freezing cold.  When at work, I'm constantly apologizing to customers for my cold hands, to which they laugh and say it's no problem.  I've been in hot, 80 something degree weather and have been frigid.  I might just be one of those lizard people everyone in those conspiracy theory videos rants about.  So when I take a bath in the winter, I essentially boil myself alive, to where I can see steam rising off of my flushed skin (and it's cool...makes me feel like a dragon!).  So that one fateful day of our first snowfall, I was feeling especially comfy cozy, and longed for a nice hot bath with a spicy winter scent.

 

Cinders to me smells exactly like winter.  With a spicy cinnamon scent, Cinders is like a down comforter for your nostrils.  First released in 2009, Cinders was inspired by Cinderella, as well as a crackling fire burning away in the warmth of your home.  Cinders is supposed to smell like hot fruit punch, but to me it just smells like straight up cinnamon.  Which makes sense because of the cinnamon leaf oil infusion, which warms you up after a chilly day shoveling snow.  I actually managed to snag one last year, but ended up swapping it away for something else, as I wasn't interested in baths at the time.  And if I could go back and kick my butt for giving it away, I'd gladly go and wear steel toed boots.

 

My excitement for this bath bomb was pretty high, since I positively love the scent and found it perfect for winter.  But when I dropped it into the tub, my excitement dwindled a bit.  The smell was quite strong, permeating my bathroom with that spicy warm scent of cinnamon and chai, but the visuals were less than stellar.  Now I've already used a few yellow bath bombs like Golden Egg and Honey Bee, but there was something about this one that just grossed me out.  When I think of warm crackling fires, I think of the orange gold glow of the flames, or the red orange glow of hot coals.  Not neon yellow with a red smear on the bottom from the popping candies.  And I know we're all taught to see one's inner beauty, but with this one...well, let's just say it has a "pretty face" or "nice eyes."

Still determined to take my piping hot bath, I sank in and soaked.  The smell was intoxicating!  It was a nice warm clove blanket on a cold winter's eve.  But when I opened my eyes from my meditative soak, the color snapped me out of it.  I still feel awful about not liking the color, I mean it's such a petty thing to not like about a product, but it was just something I couldn't get over.  When I explained my dilemma to Bossman, he told me the girls at his old shop described it as rust colored water, and I think they matched that description perfectly.  Another coworker of mine informed me to turn the lights off and light candles, which I suppose I could do (I call it the "brown paper bag" of bathing).  But I will admit that despite the color, my spicy cinnamon soak was nice and relaxing and put me in the winter spirit...at least until I had to get up the next morning and drive through snow-ridden roads to work.  But it was nice while it lasted!

 **Cinders bath bomb is certified Vegan
***Purchase Cinders at your local LUSH store or online here