I hope everyone’s having a wonderful holiday season so far! A lot has been going on in this neck of the woods since my last post!

Work related: my promotion was finalized (finally), so I’ve been learning my new added duties. It’s fun, but it’s also a bit of a crazy time for it! We’re dealing with one of our busier times of the year and quite a few people seem to have an extra chip on their shoulder. I’m noticing that the holidays tend to bring out either the best or the worst in people, and we don’t see much of a middle ground where I work!

School/Work related: this semester was the first time I’ve taken a college class since I graduated with my degree back in 2012. These classes are in a completely new field (accounting), and I managed to pull out an “A” somehow!!!! I’m so excited!

Life related: My birthday is coming up! Also, we’re gearing up to go see my family for a few days over Christmas. It’s been longer than I’d like since I last saw them, so I’m excited for that! We’re also trying to get our puppy accustomed to being at his grandparents’ house, as he’ll be staying over there while we’re gone. He has a bit of separation anxiety, so this might get interesting!

In the indie world, Christmas has been in full swing for quite awhile now! I ordered quite a few things over Black Friday, many of which have already arrived, so you can be expecting quite a few reviews/swatch posts between now and the new year (I would love to say I’d do them all by Christmas, but I know myself too well)! I also have a few days off work when I get back from my travels, so I’ll be able to carve out some dedicated time to getting good swatch pictures and such! For now, I have a Solstice Scents review for you!

For those who aren’t familiar with Solstice Scents, it’s a Florida-based indie perfume/bath/body company (emphasis on the perfumes), themed around the fictional town of Foxcroft, ME. I waxed poetic (just a bit) about the town in my review of their Autumn release, so I won’t make you go through that again! The first winter release took place on November 29th, and I was at the ready, mostly because I NEEDED a full size of Winslow’s immediately! My order was shipped on the 1st of December and arrived to me on the 6th. This quick turnaround time is absolutely the norm for Solstice Scents, though USPS took longer getting things to me (we can blame this on post-black Friday shipping). ON TO THE REVIEWS!

Note: I added in the official descriptions after trying my hand at describing these myself. If I had an “aha!” moment while reading the description, I adjusted my review accordingly (Bayberry, I’m looking at you!).

First up: Snowshoe Pass

Official Description: “A chilly white blend of an ethereal snow blanket and cold winter winds, Snowshoe Pass combines pale white amber, delicate and smooth white musk, a sweet touch of vanilla and a faint whisper of creamy cold peppermint. The result is a unique take on a winter scent inspired by heavy snows and desolate rural regions.”

The Random: I got a sample of this perfume when I made my first SS order back in August and fell in love with it; naturally, when I found out there would be a whipped soap (my new obsession) in the scent, I wanted it!

The Review: In a nutshell, this scent is very sweet, chilly, and creamy. More specifically, the peppermint is noticeable, but it’s never quite in-your-face-menthol-y like a lot of peppermint scented things. It also seems that peppermint soaps always make my skin feel cold and tingly – not the case here! Along with the peppermint, I get a whiff of musk and a bit of amber.

The whipped soap is very dense. I found it a bit hard to spread straight onto my skin (it wants to clump together when the water hits it), but love how much lather I get from it when using a loofah! Scent wise, I can’t detect any difference between the whipped soap and the perfume oil once they’re on my skin. The scent is very nice once my skin dries – it doesn’t have much sillage, but it does have a bit of staying power to it! One thing I would like to note: in the tub, this scent is pretty strong, and almost overly sweet!

Next up: Spiced Cranberry & Spruce

Official Description: (this is the short version from the master list, as the full listing is down right now): “Tart plump sugared cranberries with a whimsical wisp of spice in the background and a soft and subtle Spruce Essential Oil”

The Random: I am completely unashamed about just how much time I’ve spent with my nose stuck in this jar. Spiced Cranberry & Spruce sounded like a quintessential Christmas scent to me – right up there with Winslow’s – so I had to try it. And now that I’ve smelled it, I really wish there were a perfume version! There is so much winter packed into this! I want to hoard it like I’m Smaug! If they re-stock this with the next next part of the winter release, you don’t EVEN understand how fast I will be all over it. Multiple tubs. I want to luxuriate in this scent all. winter. long.

The Review: This scent is really straightforward. The predominate note is the cranberry, with just enough spice to give it some depth. The spruce isn’t as detectable in the tub, but I could smell it quite plainly when it was on my loofah and on my skin. I also think I detect a hint of rosemary. Or maybe my nose is making it up, but I swear it’s there! The scent of this one isn’t quite as strong as Snowshoe Pass, in the tub or on my skin, but MAN IT IS AMAZING! It’s very Christmassy, but will transition nicely into a general winter scent as well!

This whipped soap is significantly less dense than my tub of Snowshoe Pass. It’s a little bit lighter and frothier to the touch. Of the two, I prefer this texture. It’s not as light as Haus of Gloi’s whipped soap, but it spreads straight onto the skin easier [than Snoweshoe Pass did] and still provides a fantastic lather when you want to use a loofah or washcloth! I also used this one for shaving and my legs feel soft and aren’t super dried out (huge bonus points)!

TO THE PERFUMES!

Winslow’s

Official Description: “Winslow’s Christmas Tree Farm sits at the base of Mount Willow in the town of Foxcroft. The annual winter crafts festival at Winslow’s offers handmade bayberry candles, rustic wreaths, orange pomanders and much more. Meandering down the lane leading into Winslow’s, you pass rows upon rows of fragrant Christmas trees ready for harvest.

Winslow’s is the scent of winter. Fir, woods, bayberry and mistletoe meld with spicy clove and blood orange essential oil and the result smells effectively like bottled winter.”

The Random: I have been waiting for this scent for so long. So, so long, reader, and I mostly blame it on /u/swimmingmonkey (who is seriously awesome for it)! The description of this one sounded so much like childhood Christmases. I remember sitting at the table, sticking clove studs into oranges and making paper garlands for the trees and doorways; Winslow’s sounded like it perfectly captured that type of moment! So of course, I blind bought a full bottle!

The Review: This perfume completely melds together in the bottle. It was a bit difficult to pick out any notes until it unfolded on my skin. On my skin, I get sharp pine and other woodsy/greenery smells and cloves and the teensy tiniest bit of orange. I also get something deep and berry-esque which on review, I’m assuming is bayberry. Most Solstice Scent perfumes tend to be at least a bit sweet on my skin, but this one tends to be more rugged and sharp (not to be confused with smelling masculine, though it would smell spectacular on a dude). This one really is Christmas in a bottle! It’s been on high rotation since I received it and I’m so, so glad I ordered this in full size!

Last but not least, free sample: Outpost

Official Description: “A Best Seller! A beacon of light amidst cold, desolate wilderness. Pass through a copse of young evergreens into a warm cedar cabin and thaw out under a soft Afghan blanket by a blazing fire while sugared treats from the kitchen fill the air. Notes include sugar crystals, spruce, fir, a medley of soft woods including sandalwood, agar, cedar, aloeswood, patchouli, guaiacwood, bayberry, mistletoe and a touch of amber.”

The Random: I chose Outpost as my free sample to give it a second chance. The first time around I ordered a body ganache in Outpost, and while it was nice, the cocoa butter skewed the scent quite a bit. Once it had soaked in enough for me to actually get a real feel for Outpost, the scent had almost faded away completely. I always had a feeling it was something good, but I was never sure!

The Review: If Winslow’s is a nicely organized Christmas tree farm, Outpost is trekking out in the wild woods! On skin, Outpost is a sweet, deep, wild evergreen forest. I also get that bayberry smell again, but something is behind it in this perfume – it’s spicier, but not in a straightforward spicy way. There’s not immediately any other word that comes to mind to describe it. I really like this scent, though it won’t be as much of a go-to as Winslow’s. There’s something a bit lonely and desolate about it, which I think I will really enjoy over the rest of the winter!

Alright! That about sums everything up for now! I’m hoping to get a Hello Waffle swatch post out tomorrow, so keep your eye out! In the meantime, I’m going to make a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the view from my couch