Musings of a Muse

Do you shop Indie?

Indie shops are a celebration in creativity. Most of them are owned by a single person who basically puts their heart into creating either makeup, bath and body products, or skincare just for the joy of doing so, this would be the thing that makes Indie shops so very special. But let’s not forget in many cases Indie products are extremely unique and inexpensive!

Here’s Five of my Fav Indie Shops.

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Got a soap lover in your life?  Want a little stocking stuffer or two that will only set you back $5 bucks?

Check out Villainess Soap!

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The Muse loves a mud mask. Must stem from her childhood days as a tomboy as playing in the mud was a favorite pass time as I recall it. Some of that branches into adulthood as mud masks are so my thing.

I particularly love ones that promise to detox my skin and make me all fresh faced and glowy again!

I recently introduced you to Villainess Soap. Villainess is known for making fine soaps and scrubs but they are also venturing into the land of skin care as well recently with a makeup remover and now mud masks…humff…who knew!

I ordered a few of the masks for myself several weeks ago and I’ve been fiddling about with them for some time. Jump ahead to finally here what I think!

At $12 per 2 oz jar these are an inexpensive mask as you can get tons of use from the one container. The “muds” come packed in a gorgeous little plastic container with vintage label. These are powdered in formula and need a tablespoon or two of water to get them worked up into a fine paste for your face. There are several muds to choose from that work in different ways and for different skin problems. These can be used on face or body. All three that I tried seemed a bit strong so sensitive skin types do beware as most of these caused a mild stinging while setting on my face but I didn’t mind much as my skin is virtually bulletproof, really takes alot to break me out or upset my skin. The three I purchased were Blush, Dulces En Fuego, and Scintillating.

I want to say that Scintillating is my absolutely favorite mud but sadly it’s not. Scintillating is a fabulous scented soap and scrub from Villainous that I adore. It’s a mix of vanilla and mint which is fresh, crisp, and cooling. I was skeptical about it appearing in a mud form but I was determined to love it. The mask supposedly purges oils, toxins, and buildup from the pores and is a combination of powdered mint leaves and essential oils to encourage healthy blood flow to skin. Sounds incredible right? Problem is I couldn’t bare to leave it on my face for more than a minute because it stung terribly. OUCH! I assume it’s the mint that’s a little too intense for me but this one I can’t really rate because it was just too painful to keep on long enough to see any sort of results. All three masks I tried did have a sting but this one was the worst of the lot.

Next on my list was Dulces en Fuego which smells like a herbal hot chocolate cocktail. It’s a mix of rhassoul and white kaolin clays which supposedly draws impurities from the skin. This is supposed to brighten dull completions and promote sluggish circulation. The results are quite good. Can’t speak for any impurities being drawn out of my skin but after use twice a week my skin glows in the mornings after use. This one also stings a bit but nothing as intense as Scintillating. I liked this one very much as the results were visble in my glowing skin.

Lastly my favorite of the lot for is Blush. This is slightly soury sweet smelling mud with a combination of white and pink clays to draw out toxins and marshmallow root to soften skin. Fruit acids help to shed dead cells. The results are also quite visible with this as well. It’s supposed to be very good for cleansing congested pores but for me it did a rather nice job with the flaky patches on my face (chin, between my eyes, etc…) and also gave a fresh, glow to my face. This tingles but doesn’t sting thankfully.

The masks all start out wet when first applied but quickly dry out and tighten on the face. None dried my face out or caused any other skin havoc during use or after but of course results will vary so use caution when trying. Depending on how you mix the mask and how much water you use versus powder you’ll end up with either a runny or thin paste. Below the photos show only a small amount of powder used with way too much water so you’ll want to use enough powder and water to create more of a paste as it makes application easier when you aren’t working with a runny consistency such as this.

All in all I generally liked these for the price. Two of three worked fairly well and I think I’ll indulge further when I complete the three I do have as they are friendly little masks for getting my skin back in order after a rough day of city air. I don’t highly recommend them as they probably aren’t for everyone since the stinging could present a problem but if you’re an experimental skincare type of person these may appeal.

If you’re like to try them for yourself they can be found at www.villainess.net

The Muse recently shared with you one of her favorite soap companoes, Villainess Soaps. If there is anything Villainess Soaps knows how to do, it’s create soaps that’s for sure. With many scents to discover Villainess Soaps keeps a boring bar of soap very exciting and fresh.

Today I’ll be reviewing for you two limited edition scents available from Villainess right now.

Skip ahead for it!

With swirly marble designs and pretty colors, Villainess Soap not only smells nice but looks darn beautiful too! These moisturizing soaps are an extra large size and create a ton of lather plus they come in incredibly unique scents. For $5 USD each they won’t break the bank either. To get more from a bar I normally slice them in half as they are quite a large size.

Two scents that are rotating in my shower at the moment are Krakatoa and Hoarfrost both of which are great for Spring or Summer with their fresh, fruity blends.

Krakatoa is a pretty off pink with swirls of cream and a metallic pink finish on top. The scent combines exotic coconut, banana, papaya, dewfruit, and mango with normal fruits such as apple, peach, plumps, pears, and raspberries. Topping these fruits is a shot of citrus orange, pineapple, lemon, and tangerine. Alot going on in this soap and it really comes through. With a light musk and a hint of sugar and a tiny bit of sandalwood to tie it altogether you’ll feel like you’re in paradise with this soap gracing your shower.

Hoarfrost brings just the opposite to the table with it’s pale, pink marble design. Combining the fruity scent of several berries and a cool blast of peppermint and eucalyptus you’ll end up with a cool, fruity experience. This one is sure to please anyone who likes cool, minty blends. The base notes of strawberry, raspberries, and blueberries blended with the coolness of peppermint and eucalyptus makes me think of cough syrup for some reason, but not in an unpleasant way. It’s quite an invigorating blend and it’s literally cooling on your skin so obviously ideal for your Summer shower!

If you’re looking for unique soaps with tons of character def check out Villainess Soaps. The Muse suggests Hoarfrost and Krakatoa to start with, both are yummy! Likey!

Check out more at http://www.villainess.net