bubble and geek
today was the "official" start to my summer break because yesterday was spent outside, and recluse me needs a celebratory holing-up-at-home day whereby i don't leave the house at all, for it to be considered proper rest. i don't know, going out or even the mere thought of going out is always super draining. i'm certain its my severe introversion but whenever i'm in europe or australia and left alone, i love to get out and explore and just walk around by myself with preppy tunes playing from one ear and the natural world sounds rushing past the other. it's probably due to the whole knowledge of the "tourist lens/limited time" that gets me motivated to make the best use of my time overseas, and whenever i'm back home i just want to hide away from the rest of the world. i swear, the city life was not meant for me. everything is too loud and too fast and my house is always so quiet when i'm alone, it becomes so therapeutic.
today i stayed in bed just reading really cheesy stories on wattpad until a ridiculously late hour that is seriously too embarrassing to even think about. after a shower i made some avo toast and brewed peppermint chai before preparing for a set that i wanted to shoot.
i received the most amazinngggggg pick-me-up package from Bubble and Geek last thursday right before my final paper and i was SO happy i had a smile on my face the whole evening. the moment i pried open the cardboard box, an amazing fragrance wafted into the air and i knew that i was in for a treat. Bubble and Geek is a scent company that creates the most alluring and scrummy fandom scents in the form of soy candles, melts, soaps, perfumes and lip balms. they feature scents inspired by books, movies and tv series and even video games.
i received a lovely package that included two large candles - "I Need a Vacation" (how appropriate lol) and "Earl Grey Tea" which smells really sophisticated. When I sniffed the earl grey tea candle i could detect layers of scents such as the tea leaves and the different spices. tea is my favorite thing ever and i go crazy for earl grey milk tea, so i'm going to have a field day burning the heck out of this pretty jar.
i also received a mini candle inspired by my favorite, Game of Thrones! "Watcher on the Walls" smells like a godswood forest on a winter night. i can't describe the scent to you... it literally smells wintery and woodsy and campfire-y and i can totally imagine this scent wafting up from the forests below to Jon Snow standing on the Wall ahhh. i'm definitely popping this candle into my suitcase when i head to australia because it'll be right smack dab in the middle of winter when i go this june/july and it'll be the perfect time to burn it!
the last two items i received were the "Butterscotch Brew" lip balm and "Mr and Mrs Pond" roll on perfume. you can actually take a quiz on their website to discover which of the over 40 scents would suit you best and i got Butterscotch Brew! i was so happy that it was included in and now i can taste butterbeer on my lips all day err day.
my fav item by far would be the roll-on perfume. i don't watch Dr. Who (although i probably should) so i have no reference point for what this is but when i tried it on, i immediately fell in love. i'm not sure exactly what i was detecting but it triggered some seriously nostalgic feels and i'm still not even sure what i'm reminded of. i've been sniffing it and trying to remember but i can't! but trust me, it smells heavenly. sweet and fresh and a little floral. it includes notes of driftwood (oooooh ooooh), ginger, tea, bergamot, lemon, clove, and my favorite - lavender. the best part is that the scent lasted 12 hours! it was ridiculous. i put it on in the early afternoon and when i went to sleep (late by the way, i was up past 2am studying) it was still on me, even after a shower. the layers of notes all gave way after some time to reveal a new dimension to the perfume. its made of coconut oil so its good for the skin too ;) i highly recommend trying out one of their perfumes!
you can check out Bubble and Geek's website here and if you find anything you like, Cathy was kind enough to offer my followers 10% off any order above $20 with the code "CRIMEOFRHYME". i would purchase a ton of stuff in a heartbeat so i'm sure it'll be no problem for you guys, especially because their products are so decently priced and so well made. make sure to take their quiz to find out which scent you are!
the rest of the day was spent lazing around on the wooden floor of my room, sipping tea, snapping photos of my flowers before they wither/get hung up to dry and just basically chilling and recuperating for the first day since all my essays and exams were over and school let out. its been a rough and crazy two months leading up to this week and a ton of shit went down in uni that i'm glad to be distanced from. given that school is a two hour's journey away, i'm certain i won't need to return until truly necessary. some time spent down under with the huge stack of books im planning to bring to my house in the quiet australian country/suburbs will do me much good! i can't wait to breathe in the amazing australian winter air. there's truly nothing like it.
for now though, i'm about to watch episode 2 of the new Game of Thrones and i'm so excited but also kinda need to ready myself for the gore and all that jazz. i'm going out for japanese with a bae tomorrow afternoon before the second stage of my root canal treatment (UGH not looking forward to it AT ALL) so hopefully tomorrow will still be a great day.
i wish you all a lovely tuesday wherever you are!
xoxo, ali.