1772 Cold Cream Orange Flower Toilet De Flora Body Cream/Makeup Remover A life-long repurchase reunited once more upon my vanity table. I can't recommend this cold cream enough, it's the best I have found from anywhere, takes on the most stubborn eye makeup (even waterproof just melts gently with this formula), never breaks me out and smells heavenly with a soft orange flower/almost less sweet dreamsicle quality scent. One jar lasts me about 6 to 8 months. This is my choice pick on my vanity table and my favourite part of my morning (after work shift) routine. 1901 Rose Cold Cream- Victorian Recipe/Bulgarian Rose Essential Oil Full honesty- I tried this rose cream once as a traditional cold cream/makeup remover and didn't see the results I always notice with my 1772 Orange Flower jar and promptly switched back, however, I found this thick cream worked wonders on my under eyes, on my cheeks for rough and dry spots and that sublime real rose scent now slathers my elbows and back of my arms before I go to bed. It may have not exactly worked out the way I intended with removing all of my stubborn eye makeup in one easy swoop like the 1772 jar but it still has found a place upon my vanity table and recommendation list. 1918 Violet Massage Cream For The Neck & Shoulders Aphrodisiac/ Makeup Remover Violet Cream This was an impulse purchase that has held several benefits in store but above all it has tremendously helped with my RA hip pain that always springs up with the rising humidity and storms sweeping through this time of the year and tackled my knee and muscle tight/sore spots after intense workouts. That right there says it all. A little dab goes a long way as it's more of a slick textured formula and spreads easily. In terms of scent, if you adore the fragrance of Sixteen92's Hydromancy- meet a cream you can slather to your heart's content with an oddly similar aroma (yes, it can be overpowering on me as I amp this particular floral and I can clearly smell the medicinal almost metal violets when I wake up after rubbing this cream into my skin before falling asleep but it helps my annoying aches and it still falls as a 100% recommendation.) LittleBits/LBCC Historical Apothecary Let's be honest, no living being can completely turn back the horrid hands of time in the looking glass but we can look back on those before us that we admire and find their own special brand of glamour as inspiring and take a few beauty tips from them. It's all about what you see and your own power (and those imperfections that make you unique or tell your life story) and I think that every time I grab a jar or tin from LBCC Historical Apothecary and feel reconnected to lost times and various alluring secrets captured on canvas and photographs. These are my latest additions to my vanity table and have warranted high recommendations just for those above-listed reasons. LIMITED EDITION Night Cream Lily Myrrh Wrinkle Pomatum Skin Moisture Ultra Hydrating Treatment Dark Circle Reducer Firming Eyes Another stellar product from this little charming pampering shop. It smells divine in the jar of powdery lily, honey and sweet resins and the results are equally impressive with a noticeable lightening of worry lines I acquired over the last few years, it also softly smooths out and tames my cheeks with my hereditary Rosacea. It's the perfect marriage of 2 amazing existing formulas of the 1772 Lily Pomatum for Wrinkles Fine Line Salve and the 1896 Cleopatras' Enamel. I hope this night cream comes back in rotation, until then I'll be hoarding this limited treasure. 1931 Flesh Vanishing Cream Healing Soothing Natural Foundation Cream/Makeup Primer I raced through my sample of this rose cream in a week and had to order a full jar, the frosted jar looks right at home on my vanity table, smells heavenly of pressed roses and it really serves as the perfect foundation for my daily makeup routine and blends so well under the 1908 complexion and Regency Era Pearl Powders gently easing the look of scars and worry lines in the mirror and under different lights. A staple now on my vanity table. Highly recommend! LBCC Historical Apothecary/LittleBits It is a truth universally acknowledged that a lady in possession of unwanted creases and dry skin must be in want of a fabulous cream and serum. Whether that lady (or gentleman) is only just noticing them for the first time in the mirror or has lived with skin changes for awhile because they do not believe there can possibly to a solution or relief to such a common unwelcome thing, LittleBits is there for us when you need a little special something from researched nature (the tried and true historical recipes) and thank goodness because this lady needed that little something badly. Being a certain age when my skin seems to have a mind of its own I started noticing lines, dryness with dullness in places which all began to make me self-conscious and that is a terrible feeling. To my favourite marketplace platform I went a haunting and I really do believe in perfect timing because one of my first searches brought me the listing of the 24kt Gold Egyptian Serum from LittleBits and I honestly couldn't leave the page alone, so after contacting the owner with quite a few questions and personal concerns about how well her products would fair well on my sensitive skin, I purchased my first introductory sampling which shortly after became the largest haul I have ever ordered from any indie shop. Long story short, these amazing items have worked wonders for me and like my mom, grandmothers and aunts whom all found their own favorite skin creams/serums/powders that never left their vanities and handbags, I have found mine! 24kt Gold Egyptian Serum Egyptian Oil Listed Materials: 24kt Gold, Myrrh, Frankincense, Egyptian Geranium, Grape Seed Oil Appearance/Fragrance: In the amber bottle that comes with a handy long cosmetic pipette the contents are a yellow colour with actual gold flakes floating in the oil that fill the entire space of the bottle when shaken (you are sure to get flashes of gold in every application). The scent is true frankincense that is a sharp smelling resin and this serum also has an intoxicating lemon-like note present. It's instantly relaxing for me and I love to wear this oil to go to sleep. Performance/Results: THIS is the product I sorely wish I found years ago so I could have staved off some of the unpleasant permanent signs on my skin but overall this serum performs amazingly well and I love adding this bottle to my morning routine before I slip back to bed to get ready for another shift. The gold actually dissolves into my skin and I noticed positive results within a week of using this item (I can wear this all over my face even my chin, along my jawline and nose). It doesn't fight my sensitive skin but soaks right in and even helped with the annoying roughness on my cheeks and helps keep acne at bay. I think this is the oil that has helped soften the crease in my eyebrows the most in conjunction with the 1896 Cleopatra's Enamel. Would I repurchase?: YES *Side Note: In addition to the positive results I have noticed in the mirror and can feel when I touch my face, I adore the history that is incorporated into the selection of the materials used and I found the facts supplied on the product's pages absolutely fascinating (I could read all day long about the healthful properties of herbs and resins). A Lily Pomatum For Wrinkles 1772 Fine Line Salve Listed Materials: Vitamin E, Jojoba Oil, Almond Oil, Therapeutic Grade *White Lily Oil, Organic White Beeswax, Organic Natural WI Honey Appearance/Fragrance: I first received this item in a small beautifully labelled bag then I upgraded to a jar size as soon as it ran out. The cream is a creamy white that requires a quick stir with a plastic spoon and the fragrance is a dreamy delicate lily with powder. The adorable jar is about the size of a lip balm. It's not very large but the contents last quite a while and I can't argue about the moisturizing effect it holds. Performance/Results: I readily admit I have no idea what I'm doing with creams/serum/salves or know if I'm overdoing it with layering everything but I do love to experiment where these items perform best and the Lily Pomatum seems to go best on my cheeks, along my jawline (my skin is tight as a drum again!), neck and on that blasted line between my eyebrows that was so deep looking before I found LittleBits. Would I repurchase?: YES Side Note: *I do take caution when I use this pomatum around my cat (it does contain actual white lily oil and ground root) so I make sure to wash my hands and keep him away from woozing around my face (same with my dogs)- it never hurts to be a little more careful when it comes to lilies and cats (or dogs). 1896 Cleopatra's Enamel Listed Materials: Almond Oil, Rose Water, Myrrh, Honey, Bees Wax, Rose Appearance/Fragrance: As the same with the Lily cream, I first ordered this as a sample then upgraded to a small jar that looks so lovely displayed on my 120+-year-old vanity. The scent is hard to truly describe, it's very light and sweet creamy wax with a hint of almond. The contents of the jar are opaque ivory that is thick and pliable (can be rolled around your fingers to make a ball before applying) but quickly spreads when gently pushed into the skin. I like to use this one of the most noticeable lines as it fills the creases in completely and (in my mind) plumps up those areas. I use a small plastic spoon to take small scrapes of the salve before applying. A little goes a long way. Performance/Results: As you probably can tell I've never used many skin care products (except acne creams and generic makeup) so I'm still learning where and how to use everything. Through some morning testing, I found this enamel does not fair well on my cheeks, chin or nose but it does work nicely on my forehead, elbows, back of my hands (even as a cuticle oil/cream) and this is another item I love to fall asleep wearing. Would I repurchase?: YES 1772 Cold Cream Orange Flower - Toilet De Flora Body Cream Listed Materials: Virgins Wax, Jojoba, Almond Oil, Orange Flower Water, Ben, Jasmine, Orange Appearance/Fragrance: When I opened my first parcel from LBCC I think this cream leaked a tiny bit from the small sample bag (soon then after replaced with a large purchased jar) as it was the first heavenly aroma that greeted me when I opened the box. I believe this scented item (along with MoonaLisa's creation known as Whole) is what set me on a frantic search for anything with orange blossom listed. It's incredible and so historically important if you take the time to read about the famous women who favoured that fragrance. The cream is thin and is an almost transparent white in colour (and it is the same in the jar). Performance/Results: I had to research how to correctly use and delve into my memory to remember how my Baba used her creams but I think I have it now: a nice slightly thick application over my makeup (concentrating around my eyes), a few minutes of enjoying the aforementioned amazing scent composition then a hot to touch washcloth to wipe the cream away starting at my cheeks then leaving my eyes last. This cold cream works wonderfully well at melting away my stubborn mascara and I definitely notice a moisturizing effect when I use it. Would I repurchase?: YES *Full Disclosure: Makeup scares me. There I said it. I've never really worn that much and when any other time I played around I would look like well more of a horrific parody of a lady of the evening versus polished or never felt like myself and that I had this heavy itchy mask on I couldn't wait to get off. I've also never had any luck finding a shade that would match my skin (I'm extremely cool toned) or one that didn't look like cake batter when applied then later left me with painful welts. I've used a gamut of commercial makeup brands over the years and my most recent was Bare Minerals for powder, blush and lipstick. 1912 Sultana Cold Cream Listed Materials: Jojoba Oil, Bees Wax, Almond Oil, Cocoa Butter, Orange Flower Water, Peru Balsam Appearance/Fragrance: This was one of the only products I didn't get to purchase as a smaller sample first and I had no idea what to expect when I opened the beautiful frosted jar so I'm thrilled to say this light fawn coloured cream smells like expensive melted gourmand chocolate! The consistency is simply fascinating as it starts out somewhat solid for a cream but as soon as it touches the skin, it melts like butter (a little goes a very long way and there is a trace of balsam and orange if I concentrate to find the notes). Performance/Results: I would love to sing the praises of the results for this cold cream on myself but sadly this is the only product I purchased that I had a negative reaction to (figures). So instead of my face or elbows, I use this cream on my feet and I really like the softness around my heels and I also have been experimenting with this jar on my cuticles and on my legs. I did get one-half day of use for this formula as an intended cold cream and yes it works to remove makeup, so ignore the rambling lady who has weird unpredictable skin; you want a jar and want to feel you are slathering your face in expensive chocolate, get it. Would I repurchase?: Sadly, no. Only due to the fact that my skin still delights in tormenting me. 1908 Rose Complexion Powder Listed Materials: Rice Powder, Rose Powder, Sandal Wood, Organic Rose, Organic Rose Petals, Natural Essential Oil Appearance/Fragrance: The finely ground powder is a delicate shade of fitting rose and the scent is an equally light floral with a barely-there touch of warm sandalwood. The tin is nicely sized (gorgeously designed) and I feel I will get perhaps a full year out of the contents. Performance/Results: Where has this product been all my life!? It matches my skin tone perfectly and even blurs some imperfections. I love I can touch my face and actually feel my skin versus a greasy mask and I'm impressed it actually absorbs the oil that I work up when I'm dashing about the floor at my workplace. The real test will be this summer and I may have to reapply here and there throughout the day but we shall see. Would I repurchase?: YES (this is a lifetime repurchase for me and I hope it is never discontinued) 1922 Setting Powder Listed Materials: French Talc, Organic Lemon Oil, Organic Bergamot Oil Appearance/Fragrance: Finely ground powder with minute dark specks in it. There isn't a discernable scent to it but maybe it does in the tin which I don't own. It also has a silky feeling to it when touched. Performance/Results: Alone this powder achieves the ethereal appearance that was popular during the 1920's so I think I will use this for events and if I'm lucky be wearing this for the Great Gatsby New Year's themed parties at the end of this year. In the meantime, I do like to carefully layer this over the 1908 powder in spots as it adds a little more protection against oil on my forehead and along my hairline. I really need to buff and blend to get an even look if used all over but I do like this product. Would I repurchase? YES especially if the 100% Pure Pearl Powder was ever discontinued. 100% Pure Pearl Powder Listed Materials: As it says on the tin- PEARLS Appearance: I don't how she did it but I'm holding actual crushed pearls with this product and about to blend them over my face. You can't get more fancy feeling than using real 24kt gold and crushed pearls in self-care and makeup. I love this shop! Performance/Results: Here is another item I have searched years for and wish I found much sooner. This powder works so well over the 1908 formula and blurs some of my scarring. It also softens the pores on my nose that I can't seem to get rid of completely. Finally must mention a few words about the handy mini cosmetic puff that is included with this tin, it adds another touch of refinement and again I feel so fancy and "right" when I use these products. Would I repurchase?: YES Liquid Bloom of Roses 1780 - 1958 Vintage Lip Stain/Cheek Stain Listed Materials: Carmine, Rose Water, Essence of Roses, Organic Rose Oil Appearance/Fragrance: The contents are a deep red with an undertone of blue. The scent is incredible, to say the least, I wish I had a perfume that matched this bottle exactly. It's floral of course but it's so much more and that is true rose water I can smell; you seriously need to smell it for yourself to understand. In terms of the bottle, it's perfect to display and I love that the packaging is a reproduction of the actual label that was used in the 18th century. Performance/Results: Confession time- one full application of this stain and I threw away my powder blush and lipstick I have been using for years. There is no comparison and I can't recommend this bottle enough for those out there that are cool toned (this stain was made for us). I'm still puzzling out how many layers to apply but I think I'm satisfied with 4 to 6 and I'm happy to say that even though I apply the stain with my finger it doesn't transfer to my work clothing if I happen to adjust my name badge or the bedding which I was worried about (if it does I don't notice or it's a very light spot of pink). For durability, this stain lasts the whole night and if I would let it go I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted into the next afternoon- never had that happen with any commercial blush. I also never had a blush that well made me look like I'm blushing and this Liquid Bloom of Roses does just that, it looks so natural on and yes it also adds a fresh bitten look to my lips (no lipstick I ever tried produced that before). The only negative is this product is drying to my skin and lips but I feel that is a small price to pay and easily remedied when I don't have it on plus that's what lip balm is for. Would I repurchase?: YES (another lifetime repurchase item) 1922 Vegetal Red Rose Liquid Rouge Listed Materials: Carmine, Natural Rose Oil, Organic Rose Water Appearance/Fragrance: Very similar to the 1780-1958 stain but it's brighter in that deep red and can be described as "berry pink" (think freshly squeezed or mashed strawberries). The scent is the same as 1780-1958 formula but it may be a little subdued in ways. Performance/Results: I purchased a sample vial as I loved the red "fresh bitten" look on my lips but wanted it darker, this rouge works and I get my desired look after about 3 coatings. Oddly this stain transfers more when I touch things so I do use caution. Should mention with both stains they last all night even with eating and drinking. Finally, I'm sure to keep a lip balm near with this liquid rouge/lip stain. Would I purchase a bottle?: YES One Note at a Time 1920's Lilies & Lilac Toilet Water This ultra-delicate oil leaves just enough of a lovely spring imprint on my mind and I keep returning to it. I love this one all for different reasons than what I was initially looking for in an oil (I want this bottle for after shaving and to sprinkle on my bed sheets, so into the basket it goes for my birthday or Black Friday). For a perfume to wear throughout the day, it's pretty as a lilac perfume should be but hardly has any longevity (even in my hair I get 2 hours tops) and as much as I love lilies, they upstage the lilac. I have my fingers crossed the upcoming lilac perfume will be exactly what I'm looking for. Bouquet de I'Imperatrice Josephine perfume (Natural Rose Oil, Natural Rosewood Oil, Organic Rose Petals, Natural Jasmine Oil, Natural Sandalwood, Organic Almond Oil and Musk) I only have a sample of this magnificent perfume but soon I will have a bottle as this is a timeless fragrance which transports my imagination far away and I feel like absolute royalty when I wear it. There is a delicate rose that brushes the skin and the jasmine with sandalwood adds a warm romantic complexity to Bouquet de I'Imperatrice Josephine that I haven't experienced in anything within my collection. I appreciate this is by no means a brash rendering of the notes that would usually give me a headache or scream soap to my nose, every note is blended so well creating an elegant softness that I have been searching for and finally found. Jane Austen's Garden perfume (Rose, Lavender, Forest, Orange, Lilac, Rose Geranium, Jasmine, Rosemary and Voilet) Ahh! This is what I could only imagine a real English garden to smell like (velvety roses overhanging a garden wall and woody lavender bordering the walk with geraniums and deep purple violets in the window box) and I will be taking this enchanting oil with me when I travel to Bath and Hampshire someday. This is the type of perfume to wear on those days when you have many responsibilities but for a time you would rather let my mind relax and enjoy the sunshine. Jamie's Passion perfume (No listed notes but it described as: "This lovely light amber perfume oil is uniquely based on an original 18th-century love potion and mixed with the popular scents of the 1940's.") I'm still trying to decipher this oil as I get a waft of lemon thyme of first application then a clean warm amber emerges and amps (or glows) then it fades down to something akin to violets. It lasts about 2 hours on my skin and about 4 hours in my hair. Here is another oil I will be taking with me when I travel. Orange Flower Oil *I can't speak highly enough about the customer service practices at this shop because when I fell hard for the scent in 1772 Orange Blossom cold cream I sent a message to the shop owner to see if I could get a perfume to smell exactly like the jar. Not only could she recommend an oil but she even offered to dilute a specially prepared oil for me and add it to my custom order (thank you so much, Alicia!). Marking down another note I'm completely enamoured with and need more of in my collection. This oil is fantastic for everyday wear (especially in the workplace setting) but I've found I prefer to keep this gem at home and allow this bottle to banish any negative mood (that citrus note is sublime) and revitalize my creativity (wearing it right now as I type away). Bulgarian (Otto) Rose Oil *Here is another oil that was specially recommended by Alicia at LittleBits as I asked if she had a perfume that matched the scent in the Liquid Bloom of Roses, she suggested the Josephine Perfume along with many others including this oil. Overall Bouquet de I'Imperatrice Josephine comes the closest to matching but I still like the Bulgarian (Otto) Rose Oil. When applied it isn't the sharp caustic florals it's actually a dainty rose and reminds me more of petals rather than a full stemmed rose. I am finding that rose oils fade fast on my skin so this is another fragrance I love to brush into my hair (my hair also seems to unlock the hidden spiciness from the roses which I love). I will definitely be wearing this when I attend different events this year. There you have it, my whole current trove of self-care, oils and makeup from LittleBits/LBCC Historical Apothecary. I've had tremendous success overall and I will be heading back to visit this charming shop again soon, I feel like I have reconnected with a lost piece of myself when I use these items and there are still so many other products I want to explore and learn more about.
LittleBits/LBCC Historical Apothecary |
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28th of January 2023) NOTES/COMBINATIONS and Stones CURRENTLY ON THE HUNT FOR: Naughty Licorice/Star Anise Cardamom Cardamom Cake with Roses Smoky Honey & Leather Leather and Florals Pomegranate Colder Tuberose scents Smoked Florals with Cinnamon and Honey Graham Cracker and Incense Double strand of Rose Quartz or Moonstones or Black Tourmaline Chainmaille Jewellery Houses of Fragrance and Interest on the Horizon (shops that contain such temptations): LurkerAndStrange Good Spirit Wolf Rapt In Maille ToadStoolSoaps DSH Perfume Baphomet&Co Harvest Moon Haven Granny Hootenanny's Shop
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