I Might Have A Coffee Mug Obsession...

I drink loads of coffee, tea & cocoa. I need an arsenal of coffee cups so I always have one on hand.

I have mugs from various vacation spots, different fandoms and I can't forget the owls! Silly novelty mugs are definitely a favorite. I fell in love with this one when I saw it.

I've never had a glass mug before, so I didn't know what to expect. I was initially worried about how hot it would get. 

The glass is very thick. I haven't held the body of the mug right after pouring my beverage in, but the handle stays cool. After a few minutes, I'm able to hold the whole thing without discomfort. 

The handle is thick and sturdy. There is a seam down the middle of it. I'm assuming it's from a mold. It's only bothersome on days my hands are hurting me. Damn you, Neuropathy! I don't know if this is something that would irritate someone with normal nerves. That's not a dealbreaker for me though.

Even though I have a ton of mugs, this one has been my go-to since I recieved it. At 13 ounces, it holds plenty of hot beverage. It has held up to lots of washes. The print is bold, clear and great quality. 

As a photographer, who constantly says and writes "Today I shot a baby, a family, my sister, etc.", this mug was just too perfect! I think the quality is great and it is quite durable, even in my clumsy hands. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and would totally recommend it. I would even check out Make Em Laugh's Amazon shop for more silly drinkware.

Grab one here.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

Poison Candle Video Review

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 

Autumn! 

Chilly weather means it is time to light a ton of candles. 

I got an amazing Halloween candle from 

Sugar Creek Candle Company.

Check out the video review here.

Grab a Poison Candle here...

or check out Sugar Creek Candle Company

This candle gets 5 out of 5 stars. It's a great quality candle with a great scent that throws well, lit or not. Plus the label is adorable! I love it and would recommend!

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

Sucker For A Red Lip

I am obsessed with all red lip color period. I also love natural, organic products. It's an added bonus if it smells and tastes good. Skin2Spirit combines all of these things and now I am in lip gloss heaven! 

Skin2Spirit is a small, women run company in Pennsylvania. They use certified organic ingriedients like Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil and Cocoa Butter in these lip glosses. These glosses are Lead Free, Petroleum Free, Non Toxic, Cruelty Free, Vegan and Phthalate Free!  I am all for supporting such a business. 

There are several colors available, but as a red lover I got this Botanical Lip Gloss in "Merlot"! How perfect?

You can buy your own here.

This lip gloss comes in a 0.23 fl. oz. tube with a standard wand. It opens and closes perfectly and the wand applies the perfect amount of gloss. It sweeps on silky and smooth. The color is translucent, but you can build it up if you want it darker. I love the versatility of it. All the ingredients are listed right on the tube. The photo on the top right is right after application and on the lower right is after four hours of wear with no reapplication.

I also applied the gloss over a red lipstick. It brightened it up and gave it a nice shine. I will wear this both alone and over lipsticks for several different looks. This gloss smells and tastes delicious! It is made with vanilla and I have to try really hard not to lick it off of my lips. It is hardly sticky at all, and feels really moisturzing. The color stays for a few hours, even with food and drink. I was surprised at how well it held up.

The gloss came in a cute little bag with Skin2Spirit's card detailing the company. What a great gift idea! I give this lip gloss 5 out of 5 stars. The color is lovely. It lasted longer than I expected. It's all natural without all the harmful ingredients found in most makeup. The scent and taste are to die for, and they even have more colors! I would definitely recommend these to any makeup fan. I'm in love!

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

More Matcha

I tried Matcha for the first time last year. I have been hooked ever since. I am always excited to try out new brands. 

I still haven't gotten around to getting the tools to make Matcha the traditional way. I just fill my tea infuser with one teaspoon of powder and steep and stir until it dissolves. I drink ceremonial matcha several times a week and I add culinary matcha to smoothies as well as baked goods. 

Minister's Morning Matcha is organic ceremonial Matcha. It's on the pricey side, but it comes in a gorgeous storage container. Even the box it comes in is fancy with gold lettering. It would be great as a gift!  

The Matcha powder comes sealed in a bag for freshness. I emptied mine into the cute storage container. It is currently filled to the top, so it is very messy when opening and closing. Matcha dust goes everywhere even though I am gentle, so be ready for clean up.

This Matcha tea is no different than the others I have tried. It is finely ground powder. It is a beautiful bright green color and has a fresh, earthy scent. It dissolved better than a few other brands I have tried. This is great because I don't make it traditionally, so I end up with lumps.

The flavor is on par with other brands as well. It has the fresh, sort of sweet, green flavor that I love. It comes with more powder than other brands I have tried, so that helps explain the price. It also is the nicest packaged Matcha I have had. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it, especially as a gift.

You can order some from Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

New York Biology Essential Oils

I will never stop expanding my essential oil collection, so today I'm going to talk about the two new oils I received from New York Biology.

The oils come in amber glass bottles, which will keep light out, and make the oil last longer. They have regular screw on caps and glass droppers! Droppers are my favorite, because they are easier and more fun then the bottles you hold upside down. These oils also have their scientific names on them, which is always a plus! 

This Sandalwood Oil is yellow in color. It has a very strong, sweet and woody aroma. It is more masculine than the other oils I use. I'm not the biggest fan of the scent, but the benefits outweigh the opinions of my highly sensitive nose. I have actually mixed in some of the Lavender and actually enjoy the blend. I will continue to use it.

Sandalwood is said to be good for anxiety and Insomnia. It can be soothing while also increasing alertness. I feel like a different person after diffusing it this past week. I've slept better than I have in years. I feel rested and relaxed while also getting a lot done! I will definitely be using this more. 

Grab some Sandalwood Essential Oil here!

I will always love Lavender, and Kashmir is my favorite by far! I couldn't wait to get another bottle! The Lavender oil is clear and has the soft sweet, floral scent that I love. As of yet, I have only used these oils for aromatherapy purposes. I love the Lavender a ton and will eventually make some perfume and body wash with it. 

My favorite use of Lavender Oil is for perfume, and also as an air freshener. It is also said to be great to help with Insomnia, stress, headaches and even your mood.

When I added it to my diffuser with Sandalwood Oil I noticed a difference with all those problems. 

Grab some Lavender Essential Oil here!

I enjoyed both of these oils a lot, I give the Sandalwood 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it to those that like a more woodsy, masculine scent for their products or aromatherapy.

I give the Lavender 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to Lavender lovers and fans of sweet floral notes. It's lovely. 

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

Super Markers

U.S. Art Supply always has the coolest stuff, so I was super excited to try out their Super Markers Set! 

The set comes with 100 different colored markers. They are twin tipped, which means each color has a 3.0mm tip and a tiny 0.7mm fine liner tip.

The set comes packaged in a box with a neat idea for storage. However, it only has a flap, so the two sides are still open. Another downside; almost every time I pull out a marker, the cap stays stuck in the bottom of the box. The box keeps all the markers color coded and easy to find, but it's a pain to slowly lower each marker back into the slot in order to get the cap back on.

I tried to solve one of these issues by removing the outer part of the box, and lowering the slotted section into a box I already had that came with a lid. It's a neat storage idea, but the caps are still getting stuck. I don't know how long I'll keep it like this. I think I'll eventually just dump them into a box. It's a bummer because they look so nice organized.

I sketched out something to color on a nice piece of drawing paper. I colored most of it, but then the flesh tone marker instantly tore a hole right through my paper... 
This is paper I use for painting, pencils, pastels...but the marker ate through it and destroyed my piece. 

I tried the markers on three other types of paper. The markers collected a lot of buildup. What a pain it was to have to wipe the tip off every few seconds or it would ruin my lines. This happened on all types of paper I used, so I think it's a problem with the markers and not all of my paper. 

There was also a problem with a few of the markers arriving broken. The fineliner tips where pushed in, and the bigger tips pushed out with no way to keep them in place.

I had better luck filling in with the fineliners than the bigger tips. The markers seemed to dry out so fast. Even using them for the first time, the coverage was pretty rough. The pieces I colored were much smaller than any coloring page. The ink flowed much better from the tiny tips.

Available on Amazon.

The variety of colors are great, but that is pretty much the only thing I like about these markers. 

I give them 3 out of 5 stars. I think they would be alright for adult coloring books and children, but I would not recommend these for artists. 

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious

Diamond Studded Leather Headband

I won tickets to see Guns N' Roses last month. I wish I had found this rad diamond studded leather headband a little bit earlier. It would have been the perfect accessory for my wild, teased out, unruly hair that night. 

As a lover of Rock and Roll, leather is almost always a part of my outfit. In the hot summer months, a headband is much more comfortable than my leather jacket. As a woman that loves shiny things, the diamond studs are a great feminine, dressy touch. This headband is a Win/Win!

This headband is made of genuine leather, with the typical leather scent. The faux diamond studs are a good size and they are so sparkly! They are attached securely and the backs are covered. 

The inside of the headband is lined with polyester. It keeps the diamond stud backs away from your hair. It also is a comfortable fabric to have against your head. The elastic is a bit on the bigger end for me. I have to wear the band all the way forward to keep it in place the longest. Nothing a safety pin or a sewing kit can't fix. 

This headband is great quality, it's durable, and really cute. Let's not forget the sparkles!

Grab one on Amazon!

I love the look and feel of this headband. It's super versatile and can be worn around the house, to a concert, or paired with something more dressy. Overall, a great product. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend it. I will be wearing mine a lot! 

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own.

~Crystal Vicious