Ten Digit Creations Strikes Again!

I’m reporting to you live from my bedroom after a brief afternoon in the snow. We don’t get snow here in North Mississippi, but today, we’ve gotten 6-7 inches plus! And it doesn’t appear to be stopping. Thankfully, I picked up my mail before the flurries came and in it was a large package from Ten Digit Creations. Yes, again. They’re affordable, there’s always something new, I love the way they blend scents, and it’s super quick! They operate just two states over so the turnaround time has never, ever been more than three days for me. (I love instant gratification!) These scents are different from the brighter ones I normally order, and I ended up with a lot of Lush dupes, which we all know and love! Also, there’s two perfume oils! So, here we go.

Lush Sampler:  (9.75 for 9 singles)

Avobath – “Avobath (L type) ~ a lemongrass scent on steroids”
            I’ve bought this before and I’ll buy it everytime I order. It’s just like the Lush scent I love so much, and just like the scent description. It’s sweet, tart, bright, and clean. Love!

Rose Jam – “Rose Jam (L type) ~ blend of rose, geranium, lemon, and tonka bean”
            I don’t know what Rose Jam smells like; this one may have to cure before I review it. All I’m getting is sweet roses and a plastic smell from the packaging. Sometimes curing helps. I’ll leave this one out for a little while and see if it softens up. 

Vanillary – “Vanillary (L type) ~ blend of vanilla, warm tonka bean, and light jasmine”
            This one is close to the original Lush scent. It’s just as warm, but maybe too easy on the jasmine? Something slightly off, but not enough to bother with. It’s a nice, round vanilla scent. It’s sort of milky, if that makes sense, very rich. 

Jungle – “Jungle (L type) ~ earthy cypress and cedar are wrapped in ylang ylang and green foliage”
            I hadn’t known Lush had this scent, but now that I do, I am on their website looking for it because it’s amazing. If they are at all alike, I need more of it. This one is beautiful. There’s earthy dirt in there, greenery, woodsy notes, oh, it’s awesome. 

Skinny Dip – “Skinny Dip (L type) ~ blend of sage, clove, and white chocolate”
            Cannot compare this one either (really, what good am I?)… This one is kind of spicy, very earthy and herby. No white chocolate of which to speak, and that sucks because I love white chocolate and the way it smells. I’ll maybe let this one cure. 

Sultana – “Sultana (L type) ~ fruity-floral blend balanced with ginger and warm woodsy musk”
            Definitely warm, definitely ginger. The fruit note is prevalent, too, it’s perfect for easing out of my winter scents and into my spring scents. I like this one! No comparison to the original Lush scent, I haven’t smelled it in so long. But the others are on point, I can’t imagine this one is far off.

Sex Bomb – “Sex Bomb (L type) ~ soft white florals blended with violet and sheer musk”
            This one is perfect. I need this in a perfume oil! Very beautifully floral, but soft. Only slightly powdery. This one is amazing. (I do, sooo, wish they made bath bombs!)

Snow Cake – “Snow Cake (L type) ~ warm sophisticated smell of marzipan”
            Again, I’m sorry I don’t know what this originally smells like. I do know what marzipan smells like and this is it. I like this one, it’s sweeter and a bit warm. Smells familiar, too.

The Comforter – “The Comforter (L type) ~ black currant with notes of bergamot and cypress”
            Funny story. After I had ordered Avobath, I thought they’d do well making the Comforter (one of my favorite Lush scents), and just a week after, they released it in Februrary. Wonderful. And it’s spot on. (Again, they should dive into the world of bath bombs – literally!) Very warm and slightly woodsy. The black currant is there and there’s raspberry notes, too. Love it. Spot on.



Wax Melt Sampler (13.75 for 13 singles)

White Lace & Feathers – “White Lace & Feathers ~ sensual blend of white citrus, amber, cashmere, sandalwood, white musk, and a whisper of a warm ocean breeze”
            Lots of amber in this one, it’s very soft and there’s lots of warmth. No citrus on cold sniff, though, but either way. It’s nice, but this may go to someone else. I might have overlooked the amber in this because, frankly, I don’t care for amber at all. 

Sea Salt & Rice Flower – “Sea Salt & Rice Flower ~ sea salt mingled with creamy rice flower, citrus peel, and cotton blossoms”
            This is another spa scent. It’s nice and clean, very bright, and slightly powdery. Not sure what rice flower smells like, but there is a salty element and a tiny hint of citrus. This would make a nice linen or room spray. I do like it. 

Victorian Rose – “Victorian Rose ~ fresh cut roses with base notes of white musk and amber”
            I’m not liking this on cold sniff. I get faux roses and plastic; I’ll let this one cure. (No amber, again, good.)

Lavender & Coconut Milk – “Lavender & Coconut Milk ~ fresh lavender petals and creamy coconut milk”
            Warm, sweet lavender mixed with more warm, sweetness from the coconut milk. This one is already making me sleepy! I love it. It’s slightly powdery but very much an authentic lavender scent. The coconut is not too heavy, either. Well done!

Rosemary Grapefruit – “Rosemary Grapefruit (Votivo type) ~ shards of fragrant rosemary sprinkled onto ripe grapefruit halves”
            Is that a thing? Putting rosemary on grapefruit and eating it? Whatever. I’ve never smelled anything from Votivo. But this is lovely. It reminds me of what my mom uses to clean with and it makes the house smell really nice. I get bright ruby red grapefruit and rosemary altogether. Lovely. 

Olive Blossom – “Olive Blossom ~ fresh and clean aroma composed of fresh olive leaves, green ivy, crisp orange, with subtle notes of sandalwood and musk”

Absolute favorite. It’s green, bright, just the tiniest bit sweet, there’s the citrus note, oh, it’s so yummy. The sandalwood and musk is faint but there in the background. I need more of this in my life. 

Pomegranate & Juniper Berry – “Pomegranate & Juniper Berry ~ tart pomegranate is softened by the earthy aroma of fresh juniper berries”
            I’m not sure what juniper smells like, but there’s definitely pomegranate there and something more soft and muted. It’s earthy and herby, but bright and tart. I like this one.

Wine & Roses – “Wine & Roses ~ a glass of sweet red wine paired with a dozen long-stemmed red roses
            I’ve been craving rose scents since after Valentine’s Day, go figure, and this one does me just right. There’s a deep, red wine note covered in the floral rose scent I’ve been looking for. It’s slightly sweet like red table wine and the rose scent is super authentic. Love it!
Black Oak & Current – “Black Oak & Currant ~ lush black currants and rich forest woods are fused with amber, black pepper, geranium, Clementine, and patchouli”
            Boy, I picked some good ones this time around. This one is lovely, dark, and peppery. I’m getting very little amber, thank goodness, something spicy and slightly floral. I do like this one! Overall, pretty woodsy. 

Smoked Applewood – “Smoked Applewood ~ applewood chips with notes of ginger, pear, maple, and honey”
            This one is definitely interesting; the description is spot on. Smoke, apples, honey, oh, it’s wonderful. This would do great in the summer. It’s very sweet. 

Herb Patch – “Herb Patch ~ a fresh and clean spa fragrance with hints of fresh lavender and rosemary”
            Just right. Very green, clean, and spa-like. I do get the lavender and rosemary right off. This one is nice. Could be one of those stress-relieving scents. 

Raspberry Patchouli – “Raspberry Patchouli ~ sweet raspberries warmed by earthy patchouli”
            This is another one that’s spot on. I love the raspberries here warmed up by earthy patchouli. It’s nice and sweet; I’m sorry but anything with pomegranate in it fits my scent profile like a dream.
Frosted Lime Cupcake – “Frosted Lime Cupcake ~ a vanilla cupcake topped with lime buttercream frosting”
            This one hits the cupcake note right on. It’s buttery batter, bright, fresh lime, and frosting. Everything about this scent is perfect. They always do lime well. 



Extras…Single Tarts x 2.

Egyptian Amber – “Egyptian Amber ~ complex upscale bland of amber, vanilla, sandalwood and musk, with notes of jasmine, lavender, and orange”
            They work so hard on their amber scents. I want to like them but it’s just too warm and sweet for me, any amber I’ve ever come across. Oh, well. It would be nice, I’m sure, if I was a fan of amber. 

Red Lipstick – “Red Lipstick ~ a sassy fragrance composed of sweet cherry, violet, raspberry, cotton candy, vanilla, and musk”
            This is one of my favorites of all time and they do. They blend the scents here so well. And, note to self, get this as a roll-on for the summer time! It’s amazing. Very sweet, red cherries and strawberries right off the top. There’s vanilla, sugary cotton candy, raspberries, but no violets or musk to speak of. Either way, beautifully sweet.



Perfume Oil w/ Jojoba Oil (8.00 each)

Rogue – “Rogue ~ woodsy blend of red oak, patchouli, and cedarwood with hints of citrus and cashmere”
            I positively love this scent, but the description doesn’t stand up to the fragrance at all. It’s so, super clean. It’s a unisex fragrance. I’ve had it in tart form and it’s just as wonderful. This makes a great scent for all over. Love it. May have to have this in a body wash. 

Dead Sexy – “Dead Sexy (Tokyo Milk type) ~ vanilla, exotic woods, ebony, and white orchid”
            I love Tokyo Milk but haven’t tried their original scent. The description is right. It’s deep, dark, and sexy. Perfect for this icy cold winter we’ve been having. Love it.

It is Well with my Nose

I am one of those people totally fixated by my sense of smell. If it smells good, I either want it on me or near me. I may throw a perfume post in later but right now, we're focusing on smells for the home and a few for the car, and how to do it cheap. I don't have a big, fancy house or anything but you'd be surprised how any place can be made to feel like home with the right scents. And I do spend a ton of time in the car for work, school, and just in general so it has to be pleasant there, too.

Electric Warmers
Scentsy warmers are good to have because they're no-flame and when used with tarts are great for scenting a room (or a few) with personalized scents. Scentsational warmers or Better Homes and Gardens warmers are great, too, because they have so many different styles to choose from - they've got seasonal ones, too.

These warmers generally run on an approx. 20 watt bulb that's replaceable and inexpensive and plug right into the wall with a on/off dial. Safe for just about everyone but be warned that the wax does pool and get extremely hot when in use and these shouldn't be left on when you're not at home.

*I prefer these electric warmers fully and recommend these against candles or tea-light warmers that because of personal reasons (see the post written about my house-fire experience early this year). I just don't condone fire in any shape or form now unless I'm lighting an incense. 



Incense Bottle Burners
Incense burners/holder or bottle burners are also very useful and stylish. I bought my first bottle burner at none other than a very famous smoke-shop (affectionately called a "head shop" where I'm from) and it's hand-blown and totally gorgeous. I can't be bothered to get a picture of it right now but here it a unique post on how to make your own with any type of bottles.

It's basically a tall bottle with holes in the top and three or four on the sides at the bottom. They're much cleaner (considered "ash-less") and safer than the standard wooden or soap-stone holders but they're slightly expensive if you're going for hand-blown. Mine was around $20 and they hover around that price just about anywhere. I use a bobby pin to affix the incense burning-side-down into the bottle. The smoke diffuses out of the hole in the top and on the sides for a pretty cool effect. Just dump when finished. The heavily tattooed gentlemen that sold me my first one said they're good for cone-style incense "...yeah, man, just like it and drop it in," but alas, they fall on their sides each time and burn out before giving off scent. Either way, it's a cool thing to have.

Ventilation, Oils, and Room Sprays
Room sprays are quick, cheap options there for those who want a quick burst sometimes - like before guests come over - and they can be found pretty easily just about anywhere. I, personally, like Febreze in many cases. I also like to cram dryer-sheets where ever they'll fit. My air-conditioning unit is useful here, as I can (safely) stuff the vents with dryer sheets to absorb moisture, odor, and have my place smelling nice. One cool trick also deals with dryer sheets is blotting on essential or simply scented oils and sticking these behind vents. If you're interested in boosting your laundry, dot a few blots of oil onto a hand-towel or dryer sheet and throw it in with your clothes while washing. I've never had a problem with these oils transferring in my dryer. The Body Shop carries these but so does Walmart in a less concentrated form.

For the Car

I love for my car to smell as good as my home. There's only a few things I've found to work well over longer periods of time. They have those silly little vent-clips that last for a day. Those cardboard hangers never do it for me. What I do love and will buy in bulk over the course of a year is those Febreze Vent Clips.

In any scent, they're amazing. Rather expensive for a car air-freshener but damnit, these things do work and those commercials are definitely on-point (you know, where they put those people in a dirty cab that's been freshened up with a thirty-day old vent clip?). Look for mailer or Sunday Paper coupons for these, they run at about $4-6 retail, ouch, but on Amazon, they can be bought in larger packages. Also check Costco or Sam's Club for big packages on the cheap. Otherwise, I buy these individually at retail because they work so well.

Also, can't forget Scentportables! I love these - they're adorable! They can go anywhere but you'll find them mostly on my visors in my car. All the cute designs and scents are totally customizable. They sell these at Bath and Body Works and they frequently are on sale (like so many for so much or buy two, get one, etc.). Bigger lots of these can be found, too, online. Ebay, in particular, generally has a small but good selection. For retail, they sell the scent-inserts and holder separately and it can get pricey but these tend to last and last. Also - how cute, right?



Where to Buy
Scentsationals Warmers and Wax
http://www.scentsationals.com/ These warmers work with any wax. Site also sells replacement bulbs but these can be bought in the hardware aisle, too.

Scentsationals Warmers and Wax + Better Homes and Gardens Warmers and Wax
http://www.walmart.com/ These are in-store, too, with a generally good selection. Quality varies, some scents are better than others but it's a great start and here, I've found many favorites.

Other Smell-Goods
https://www.etsy.com/ Scents galore, and I have gotten amazing scents from Etsy sellers. You can find all types of perfumes, home and car air-fresheners, incense burners (and bottles), wax, wax, and more wax! Oh, you're also supporting non-mainstream, indie producers and I've never found anything too expensive. Give it a go!

My Favorite Vendor
http://www.tendigitcreations.com/ I'll just leave my own testament here as to how much I adore Ten Digit Creations. From all things bath and body to incense and wax, there stuff is so amazing and so reasonably priced. I can't get over it. They frequently have sales monthly on their Facebook page. Shipping is so reasonable and their customer service is some of the absolute best I've ever experienced. They don't get enough love! Also, their fellow Southerners, so "love ya'll!" is appropriate here! Also, shop their Etsy store if you want to try just a few things. The shipping is cheaper and they have a nice clearance section. I actually just placed an order for a roll-on oil perfume and a set of 20 sticks of incense all shipped for $11. Ka-razy.

DIY Incense Burner Bottle
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bottle-Incense-Burner/ This is a neat little instructional post (not mine) on how to create your own little bottle burner for incense. This would be great with really neat wine bottles. A cool gift or a cool way to up-cycle, too! Hello!

*I am not affiliated with any companies or vendors mentioned. All opinions are my very own.