Bath and Body Review: Ophelia's Apothecary

Today, I received my order from Ophelia's Apothecary.  You can find Ophelia's on Facebook, at their Etsy shop, or at their website.

THE VERDICT:

THE ORDERING PROCESS

I discovered Ophelia's Apothecary on Heartsy.  You should all know how I feel about Heartsy by now.  It is THE place to get a good deal, especially if you are hesitant to purchase from Etsy or Artfire.

I try not to focus too much on these details, but it has been brought to my attention that a "good review" even writes about the boring details.  So, with that said, the ordering process was a breeze.  If you haven't used Etsy before, it is like any other online shopping experience.  You add things to a cart, checkout and pay.  There really isn't anything new to add there.  I received all the confirmations and invoices.  Communication was great.

THE VERDICT:

SHIPPING and TURN AROUND TIME

My first caveat.  I typically do not take pictures of the packaging.  I receive my items at work and open them at work to ensure everything is alright.

With that said, I ordered Pumpkin Spice Whipped Body Butter, Indulgent Pumpkin Sugar and Shea Scrub, Butter Toffee Crunch Lip Scrub, and Shea Butter Lip Balms in Lemon Cheesecake, Red Velvet and a lip tint in Caramel Chai Latte.

My products arrived in a USPS flat rate padded envelope.  Inside there were three bundles of product wrapped in shipping paper.  In the first bundle was the sugar scrub sealed in a clear cellophane bag tied with a string.  In the second bundle was the body butter in a clear cellophane bag tied with a string.  The third bundle was all of the lip products in a clear cellophane bag tied with a string.  Simple, cute and thoughtful.  I recently received products just willy-nilly in my envelope from a different company and I was kind of taken aback that the thought was not put in to separate the type of products.  You don't put cleaning chemicals in the same bag as your vegetables when you grocery shop, so I appreciate the extra effort to separate the different types of product.  

I'd really like to see body butters and scrubs mailed in a box, but I understand that small businesses are limited to what they can effectively do and handle.  I get it; however, if I do have a suggestion, it would be to box heavier items.

Turn around time - I feel I must give ample warning.  Be prepared to wait on your order.  The shop is going through some major changes and setbacks.  I had placed my order on September 1, 2011, and just received my order on October 11, 2011.  When I placed my order, I knew that there was close to a month wait because Ophelia's was moving.  Then it seemed like the sky kept falling in for the store from dog injuries, laptop malfunctions and PayPal shipping label crashes...they literally went down everything in the list of "what could go wrong".   With that said, they are still recovering, but almost caught up.  I would visit their Facebook page for shipping updates and setbacks if you're in a hurry to get a product.  Just be warned that it might not be the fastest turn-around-time, but I knew this going in.  I was not upset or offended that it took so long to get to me.  It is the price you pay when you go Indie.  Life happens.  It is irritating to me that this business advertised all the shipping delays and you see/hear/read how many people hounded them for their product.  Don't be that guy and this is my warning to you.  CHECK THEIR FACEBOOK FIRST!

THE VERDICT:

PUMPKIN SPICE WHIPPED BODY BUTTER

I immediately opened the body butter in my office.  The scent was heavenly.  Not overpowering.  The body butter was smooth and silky.  I am fairly new to the world of Indie bath products.  Compared to my last Indie body butter purchase, this completely blew them out of the water.  It isn't thick and greasy, but instead, light and airy.  It melted into my skin and didn't leave my skin feeling like I lathered it in Crisco.  That is the problem I found with my last attempt at Indie body butter.  It smelled so good, but my skin was shiny like a Crisco'd pig.  Not the case with Ophelia's body butter.  When I applied it, it was almost like applying water, but not in a negative way.  It is kind of hard to describe into words.  It was creamy and airy on my fingertips, but when I went to apply it, the body butter just melted and moisturized.  The scent lasted the remainder of the day, but not overpowering.  A 5 ounce jar of the whipped body butter set me back $14.25.  Much more expensive than the last Indie shop I purchased from but Ophelia's is SO much better.  Worth the price.

THE VERDICT:

INDULGENT PUMPKIN SUGAR AND SHEA SCRUB

So far, I have ordered from three different Indie companies and have received three very different body scrubs.  I will have to say that Ophelia's is my favorite.  According to Ophelia's:

This all natural pumpkin scrub is super indulgent.... we've blended organic vegan cane sugar, turbinado sugar, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter with calendula petals, black currant tea, and real pumpkin to bring you this super luxe sugar scrub.

This scrub had the right amount of everything for me.  It wasn't too harsh.  I like the scent.  It was not, to me, a pumpkin scent.  When I re-read the material, I realized that it didn't advertise a pumpkin scent.  Only that pumpkin is contained in the product.  It has a very earthy scent.  I mainly smelled hints of pumpkin and the tea.  You can definitely smell the hints of tea.  It was luxurious.  Not just some sugar thrown in a jar with scented oils.  A 4 ounce jar of this set me back $16.00, but it is worth it.  My skin was soft and fragrant.  By far, the most luxurious bath product I've purchased off of Etsy.

THE VERDICT:

SUGARED LIP SCRUB - BUTTER TOFFEE CRUNCH

Ophelia's lip scrubs come in a .15 ounce oval tube decorated with a beautiful label that lists the ingredients.  A tube of the sugared lip scrub will set you back $7.75.  It's like eating candy out of a tube that gives you soft lips at the same time.  Did it taste like butter toffee?  Yes.  Did it slough off the dead skin.  Yes.  Does it moisturize?  Yes?

Unfortunately, this is my first sugar scrub lip product, so I cannot compare to other shops/brands.  I will say that I enjoy this product and I will purchase it again.

THE VERDICT:

SHEA BUTTER LIP BALMS

Love, love, love Ophelia's lip balms.  I have received lip balms from other shops and so far, Ophelia's is my favorite.  A .15 oval tube of Ophelia's lip balms run $4.00 a tube.  This is the first balm I have received that doesn't taste like castor oil and fake sugar.  I really do love the lemon cheesecake.  I wasn't very impressed with the red velvet.  I can't really put my finger on what I don't like about it.  It smells wonderful though.  

The caramel chai latte lip tint is a keeper as well.  It adds just a light hint of color and tastes wonderful.  A .15 oval tube of Ophelia's lip tint cost me $7.75.  I like lip tints, so I think it is worth the price that is asked.

All the balms I have tried are moisturizing and high quality.  I definitely recommend.

Overall, I am very pleased with Ophelia's Apothecary.  They are definitely a shop I will continue to order from.  I would classify Ophelia's as more of an upscale product.  They are definitely more pricey than other alternatives, but you get what you pay for.  All of Ophelia's products are superior to past Indie products that wielded a more pocket friendly price.