Smell Bent Perfumes Review !!!

I recently came across a new line of fragrances called Smell Bent (an indie, niche line created by Brent Leonesio). I checked out the fragrances online and they looked very interesting and out of the ordinary. The names, illustrations, and descriptions of the perfumes were humorous and witty. And the blends of scents/notes sounded a bit unusual so of course I had to try them. Besides I love trying products that are from indie companies ( especially those that think outside of the box and are a little offbeat).  I ordered about 6 samples and here are the ones I chose :

*Gelty Pleasures- sultry, spiced amber mixed with rich milk chocolate

Miss Panda-pikake flower, fresh soil, a bit of pink pepper and a twist of key lime

*Hippie Holidaze- a late night combo of tangerines, maple syrup and aged patchouli

Sunshine- sun warmed blood oranges over rich sandalwood, vanilla-drenched resins and a golden musk base

Commando-a motley crew of animal musks rounded out with a base of tonka bean absolute

Hungry Hungry Hippies-freshly baked pot brownies dusted with cassia over an earthy dose of finely aged patchouli



When I received my order I did not waste any time; I opened it up and started sampling. And I thought the scents were wonderful and was pleasantly surprised by how well I enjoyed them. My favorites were/are Gelty Pleasures, Sunshine, Commando, and Miss Panda.  And I must say that I have never been big on patchouli but I had to see what pot brownies, cassia, and patchouli (Hungry Hungry Hippies) smelled like in perfume form; I thought it was quite nice especially after it dried down a bit. I purchased my samples at Luckyscent.com, which carries only some of the available scents, so I must go back to Smell Bent to order a few more samples
(Blimey Limey, Incensed, Mama Cassis, and Debonair). And I will definitely be getting full sizes of some of my favorites in the near future and they are only $20 for 8ml .

Lastly, I want to mention that $10 of every bottle of *Felix Navidad sold goes directly to an organization called Under the Bridges which helps to feed the hungry.

Visit Smellbent.com , become a fan on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.


Note: Perfume descriptions & illustrations are from Smell Bent's website

*One of 6 Limited Edition Holiday Scents that will be available until Jan. 1, 2010

A New Fave Etsy Shop: Beija Flor Naturals

One of my new favorite Etsy shops is www.beijaflores.etsy.com (also Beijaflornaturals.com) which is filled with natural/vegan/vegetarian products for skin, hair, and body. I first learned about Beija on...can you guess...? Yup! Twitter again! @CaliBeijaFlor and I (@jazjewelz) were/are following each other (and please note that I follow all Etsy tweeps who follow me). And she made a tweet about one of her products. This product was the Amazon Antioxidant Treatment (4 Brazilian Butter Blend Plus Acai) which is a non-greasy moisturizing balm for face, body, and hair. And although I don't usually put straight oils or butter on my face, (because I had really oily skin in the past) except to remove makeup, I really wanted to try this product. So I ordered it along with the Agave Aloe Polisher w/Rosemary which gently exfoliates face and body.

Amazon Antioxidant Treatment



Agave Aloe Polisher w/Rosemary


When I received my order I tried the Amazon Antioxidant Treatment (on my face) that very night and the following night. And I must say that I really liked the results. It was moisturizing but not greasy at all. I did not experience any breakouts or any oiliness. And my face looked great in the morning; skin was smooth and glowing. Then, a few days later, I tried the Agave Aloe polisher which was really nice on my skin and not harsh at all like some other exfoliate rs/polishers. Overall I really liked both products especially the Amazon Antioxidant Treatment and I will definitely by more from this shop. In fact there are a few items I have my eye on now. Here they are:

Acai Mango Light Face Lotion

Cali Peach Pomade and Body Balm

Creme Brulee for Kinks, Curls, and Coils

Licorice Root Scalp Elixir

Follow Beija Flor Naturals on Twitter (@CaliBeijaFlor) for deals, specials, and discounts.

Hey Crafters/Artisans, I'm Trade Friendly!

FYI: I just wanted to let all the crafters/artisans to know that I am open to idea of trading items. I am mostly interested in natural bath/body/skincare products, clothing, and accessories (hats, scarves, gloves, wallets, etc...), and gourmet food items. I am open for suggestions too. Please check out the photos on my Facebook fan page and on my Etsy and Flickr see if there are any items that you might be interested in. Please contact me through etsy conversations, on write on my facebook wall to let me know your interests and then we can talk further. Thanks.

Yum Yum Candles!

Soy Tin Wax Candles


Soy Massage Candles


In a couple of older posts I mentioned that I once worked as a wardrobe assistant on a road tour. And where do people on road tours sleep? In stinky hotel rooms of course! Well.... Not all of the hotel rooms we're smelly but quite a few were. And that meant it was time to pull out the scented candles. So this is sort of where my love for candles started because I hardly ever used them before this tour. However, I use them all time and one of my new favorite places to buy them is Yum Yum Candle.

I first heard about them on Twitter (yes Twitter again) where I am finding a lot of new cool small/indie businesses. One of the popular beauty bloggers I follow on Twitter (@afrobella) mentioned Yum Yum so I decided to follow them(@YumYumCandle) and check out their online shop. And the first items I noticed were the soy massage candles which are the best of both worlds; fragrance for the air and your bod plus moisture. So when I placed my first order I got the soy massage candle in the Clean fragrance (also comes in Coco Lavender) which is light, fresh and indeed smells clean. I also got a soy wax candle in a scent called Cashmere which is warm, cozy, and a little woodsy. I really liked both candles a lot and I especially loved the scent Cashmere. In fact, I loved Cashmere so much that I asked Yum Yum if they could make a custom massage candle in that scent so I could smell like it; they made one for me and I am soo happy with it.

Needless to say I am pleased with my candles and look forward to getting more.
I must also mention that they offer other home fragrance products such as Reed Diffusers and Room & Linen Sprays and they also have seasonal items and holiday gifts.

Follow Yum Yum Candle on Twitter and become a Facebook Fan to get info about deals, discounts, and new products.

I Got Free Juara Skincare Samples!

I have a little joke about Twitter being my enabler because I am following sooo many bath/beauty/skincare companies. And these companies usually tweet often about their products, sales, discounts, etc..., and I usually end up buying something sooner or later (depending on my budget). Well, one day @JUARAskincare made a tweet about free skincare samples and of course I emailed them quickly. And a few days later got a package with 5 generous samples:
Lime Puree Cucumber Clarifying Mask
Candlenut Hand and Body Balm
Sweet Black Tea & Ginger Mattefying Moisturizer
Rice Facial Cleanser
Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner
I have only tried the hand and body balm so far; feels nice, light, and has a warm nutty scent.
I will be trying the rest soon!
You can visit their online store at http://www.juaraskincare.com/

I Got Smells Goods!

Over the past couple of weeks I have gone on little shopping spree. And what did I buy on this spree? Smell goods of course. And it just so happens that the company I bought my products from is called Smell Goods 98. I came across Smell Goods 98 on Twitter and Facebook and decided to browse their online shop. I saw plenty of items that I wanted to try and although I did not buy anything right away, I kept them in my mental wishlist (yes I have a mental wishlist and I don't forget items that I'm interested in ). So, one day I was on Twitter and the Smell Goods owner, @smellgoodslady, made a tweet about one of her products. This item sounded like something I wanted to try so I ordered it along with a few other products. And here is what I got:

Rubdown
A multiple purpose (massage, hair,scalp, moisturizer) herb infused oil.

I really like this oil and have used it on my hair, scalp, and body and it is quite hydrating. I chose the citrus scent.


Mojito Sugar Smoother
An exfoliant made with sugar, marine minerals, and fruit oils.

This exfoliant has a nice balance of oil and sugar and the lime/mint fragrance is just right.


Signature Oil Sample Pack
A sample pack of the Signature oils- you get to choose 12 fragrance sample vials for $6.

This a quite a steal and a great way to try before you buy and there are lots of fragrances to choose from. So far the Sheba fragrance is my favorite.
Note: Every Wednesday you can buy 2 fragrances and get one free



Raw African Black Soap
A deep cleansing and nourishing soap made from palm leaves, dried plaintain leaves, cocoa pod powder, and kernel oil.




Um... all I can say is...Where has this soap been all of my life? I have used other black soaps and black soap products (that are actually black in color) and they have never done anything for my skin; Raw African Black Soap is a whole different story . After only a few uses I noticed smoother, clearer and more even toned skin. Also, I used it as a shampoo and my hair was squeaky clean. And I must mention that it comes in chunks (see above photo) so I would recommend cutting or breaking it into small pieces because a teeny, tiny bit goes a long way. Oh, and it it quite the value at only $8 for a pound.
Note: I'm serious when I say a little goes a long way. I use a very, very small crumb to wash my face at night and a small chunk to wash hair.

Overall, I am quite pleased with my purchases and will definitely get more Smell Goods in the near future. You can browse their online store and see what suits you and there are plenty of trial sized items if you'd like to try before you buy.
Also, follow them on Twitter and become a Facebook fan for info and discounts.

My Latest Creations!

Here a few photos of some of the jewelry I've made lately. I've been using a lot of leather (recycled from other items), brass and copper ( because their much cheaper than other precious metals), and other materials that I have had for some time but have never used. I did have these items available for sale at the last craft show worked but, they did not sell *sadface*
And I am not sure If I want to list to Etsy right now either. We shall see what happens! Please let me know what you all think. And if anyone is interested in any item just let me know in the comments, on Etsy conversations (jazjewelz.etsy.com), or on my Facebook Fan Page.

Labradorite, Leather, and Sterling Silver Necklace


Flourite and Copper Necklace



Leather, Agate, and Sterling Necklace


Rainbow Foourite and Sterling lariat



Black Tourmaline and Sterling Necklace


Leather and Chrysoprase Earrings



Leather, Brass, and Chrysocolla Necklace


Leather, Agate, and Brass Necklace


Leather, Carnelian, and Brass Necklace

It's Been Almost a Month? WOW!

I can't believe it has almost been a month since my last blog post (which was on 11/17/09). And I actually made about 3 posts on that day, one of which explained how busy I was, therefore not having anytime to blog. Anyway, I'm back-at least for now. I am done with craft shows until Feb. so I am taking a jewelrymaking hiatus and will therefore have bit of free time to blog. So be on the lookout for some new posts about new favorite things, wish list items, my latest creations, and other random stuff. See ya around.

Coconut Bliss-A Yummy Treat!

I was walking through a Whole Foods one day (and I say through because I had not planned to do any shopping there but was on my way to Micheals which is in the same building) when I saw a table of samples for Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss which is a non-dairy frozen dessert made with coconut milk. Anyway, I walked by picked up a sample, tasted, and it was so yummy. The flavor I tried was Cherry Amaretto, and I am not usually a fan of fruity fruity flavors (more of a chocolate, caramel, coffee, chai type gal) but this was pretty awesome. It was not too sweet and was very creamy and I wanted to buy some then and there but I spent too much money buying stuff for craft shows and holidays. However,I did buy some this weekend-I got the Vanilla Island flavor which was quite yummy. I plan to try the other flavors too which are :Pineapple Coconut, Naked Almond Fudge, Naked Coconut, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Island, Mint Galactica, cappuccino, Cherry Amaretto, Hazelnut Chocolate Fudge, and Strawberry Lemon Love. I'm especially excited to try Naked Almond Fudge and Cappuccino-I'll make sure to update with how I like them.

I've Been Quite Busy!!!

Well it's the holiday season and If your are a crafter like me it's a really busy time. Especially when you've got craft shows to do, boutiques to submit to, and gifts to make for family and friends. Personally, I have spent the last month making jewelry for the aforementioned reasons. I've had one craft show already which took place this weekend (The Handmade Market) and I did quite well but I did not take many pics because I am still working on getting my table display to look better (it's still a little messy as you can see). I am doing this same show next month on Dec. 12. Also, the owner of the one shop where I sell jewelry (Habit, 1951 W. Division, Chicago), wants me to submit a few more pieces so that there is a nice amount of stock for the holidays. Plus, I've got few custom orders to fill. So I have allowed myself to relax for the last couple days because I know it's full speed ahead from here until January! Whew!

I Got My Prize from Weleda!!!

In my previous post I informed you all that I won a gift set from Weleda during a Twitter contest. And I got that prize last Thursday (I know I'm late posting about this but I've been a little busy). What I received was a gift set which included the Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash,Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil, a loofah, and info about their products all encased in a lovely little reusable bag. I used the body oil immediately and it felt really great, quite moisturizing, and had a lovely scent. The body wash is great too and lives up to the name "creamy" and it smelled really wonderful also.Overall I really like these products and I love Weleda, their philosophy and mission.

I Won a Gift Set from Weleda! Woot!

I am pretty excited because I won a gift set from Weleda (from their new Pomegranate line). It all happened on Twitter. I was reading through tweets as usual when I saw their tweet which was sort of like a trivia question. Their followers were asked to retweet the question along with the correct answer-so I did! And I do these types of Twitter retweeting contests all the the time so I answered the question and didn't think much of it. In fact I got off of Twitter shortly after, but of course I got back on later and saw Weleda mention me. They needed my mailing info so that they could send me my prize. Needless to say I was very glad to win and I can not wait to try the pomegranate products. I'll let you all know how I like them.

My First Volume Order! Yay!

I made these earrings a least a month ago. However, I didn't get around to listing them on Etsy until last week. And soon after I listed them I had someone contact me about possibly buying several pair of the them for their bridesmaids. The buyer also wanted to know if I would offer a discount if they bought several pair. So of course I said of course-especially since I had only 4 lonely sales. Lol. I'm still trying to make it to 10 sales. Anyway, the customer paid for the earrings and now it's time for me to start making them. Needless to say I'm pretty exicted about this sale and hoping to get another one soon. Please visit my shop at http://Jazjewelz.etsy.com

Am I Following Your Blog!

Hi everyone! I follow quite a few blogs and I know that many of you do too. I also know that many of us follow each others' blogs because of
"Follow You, Follow Me" forum posts on Etsy and other sites. So if you are following me and I'm not following you back it's probably because I don't see your blog link when I check your profile. So please leave a comment with the link to your blog and I will make sure to follow.

My Newest Jewelry Creations!

Here are a few photos of my newest jewelry creations. They are available here in Chicago at a lovely boutique called Habit (1951 W. Division) . Habit has does have an online store but my pieces are currently only available in store.

Carnelian & Sterling Silver Necklace

Carnelian & Gold Filled Necklace

Coral, Brass, And Gold Filled Necklace

Cubic Zirconia & Gold Filled Necklace

Aqua Terra Jasper & Copper Necklace

Whiskey Quartz & Gold Filled Earrings