Transition

I began to lose interest in blogging here when I started using Instagram a few years ago. I think it's less daunting; less wide open space and less pressure to be formal. I may still post here from time to time, but for now, I will be concentrating my efforts as efficiently as possible.

If you would like to continue following For Strange Women's creative outbursts, please find us on Instagram or Tumblr.

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Thank you!
xo
jill

* Violet lip balm in a Victorian Compact *

This limited edition batch of Violet lip embellishment has a powdery, sweet floral accord that lightly flavors your lips. This soft and silky gloss is made with shea butter, nourishing plant oils, and beeswax. The balm is lightly tinted with alkanet root, and is sheer when applied. This arrives in an 8g brass compact engraved with an intricate floral pattern. 

This classic Victorian indulgence is only available in a limited supply.

Energy Cleansing Hydrosol Smudge Kits

I came across these rare hydrosols and began using them in my home, but then I knew if I loved using these to enhance the good chi of my objects and surroundings, I should probably share :)

So I procured more and put this set together for others who have the sensitivity to pick up on the more subtle realm of the vibrational energies of plant life. 

Hydrosols are not like perfume, it is the distilled water that is produced alongside essential oils, and they are very subtle in their scent. I decided to combine these pure waters infused with earth with Palo Santo (wood), it's smoke (air), and a beeswax candle (fire) for a set that balances the elements.

This set contains a powerful healing combination of sacred plant hydrosols, palo santo wood incense, and a pure beeswax candle. To cleanse crystals, auras, and physical spaces of unwanted energies, burn the palo santo wood over the candle flame and allow the smoke to surround the space of objects. Follow with the energy clearing mist and focus on a renewed vibration.

There are still some of these kits left in the Limited Edition section

Lunar Amulet for the 7-4-16 New Moon: July

The lunar amulet perfume this month is a dark floral bouquet smothered in the extreme heat of summer. Jasmine Sambac is one of my favorite materials to work with, and it is the heart of this bold assemblage of dry and musky base notes. African Sandalwood melds with a musky Oud and hay base that emulates the earth baking in 100+ degree heat and fierce sunlight.

There are several locket refills leftover from this limited edition batch so if you are not on the lunar amulet list you can still grab one of these here.

Sweetgrass Perfume oil

After months of trying to figure out how to find the ingredient in London Fog that is no longer produced, I had to embrace the idea that I had to let go of my best selling perfume. I knew a lot of customers would be unhappy, because I know how hard it is to find a scent that is the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, soft, and uplifting. It was a very neutral scent that managed to smell great on just about everyone.

So I became determined to come up with a replacement. Several customers had been asking about sweetgrass scents, and I love burning the vanilla-like braids as incense at home. In the past couple years I had made limited edition"Bird's Nest" perfume and candles, which included a Sweetgrass accord that I developed, and at first I thought I would add Birds Nest to the lineup...but then Tara and I just started to obsess over the accord itself... and Tara convinced me to stick to the Sweetgrass scent alone. I love it even more than London Fog, and I really hope the perfumistas out there agree. ;)

 I also love the new perfume oil letterpress labels, with artwork by Kelly Louise Judd.

Moongardens

About this time last year I began working with the scent of moongardens. I had not fully explored the realm of florals in the past, partly due to the high cost of materials. I finally invested in a vast palate of blooms and six months later, I finished three perfumes based on pale moonlit gardens filled with botanicals from three distinct regions. These were released in October, but I waited until your moongardens began blooming to blog about it ;) 

These are double the concentration of my other perfume oils, because florals tend to be so light, and each comes with a tin of fixative balm to help them stay on as long as possible.

The Northern Moongarden is filled with the softest bed of lilac and hydrangea blossoms with casablanca lilies showing off in the distance. Stepping stones meander through the garden, creating a path over the ground covered in mosses and tiny phlox blooms. A backdrop of birch trees lend a sweetness to the chilled night air while a glasshouse protects a collection of three lavender varieties. As the sun sets, the nocturnal creatures emerge, finding their way to the reflections of moonlight as this garden comes alive.

The Midwest Moongarden envelops you in a sultry landscape of white rose and white iris. This creamy floral heart is woven with tangled honeysuckle vines climbing the wooden fences and wisteria blossoms falling through an overhead pergola. The overtones of floral musks are captured in the humid air while a dark border of valerian pulls the base of the blend deep into the earth. This collection of pale blooms creates a glowing nighttime bouquet accompanied by the songs of the cicadas and crickets. 

The Southern Moongarden is a bold, empowering floral that opens with a breathtaking chord of gardenia and jasmine. The garden extends from a wooden veranda scattered with terracotta pots and woven wicker furniture to large mimosa and mandarin trees in full bloom. Moonflower vines weave through the trellises of jasmine to reveal their blossoms at night, while their intoxicating scent attracts moths and bats. Fireflies create flickering lights throughout the dark landscape of these aromatic reflections of the moon.
 

Lunar Amulet Perfume for the 4-7-2016 New Moon: Terrarium

Although some people have one signature scent that they wear year round, most perfume devotees (especially here in the midwest) like to follow the seasonal shifts and complement their changing surroundings. I wanted to capture a scent that is "spring" in the same way that you would capture a miniature version of spring inside a terrarium.

The scent has sweet overtones of fresh green leaves sprouting from a damp soil mixture and a soft carpet of moss. Tiny violets weave a floral motif into a perfect balance of perpetual spring.

There are a few leftover perfume locket refills from this batch here (the lunar amulet subscribers get these mailed to them each new moon).

Lunar Amulet Perfume for the 3-8-16 New Moon: Detox Perfume

This perfume has a heavy dose of detoxifying, uplifting lemongrass essential oil, widely used for its health benefits. When I apply this I can instantly feel its effects on my mind, clearing out anxieties while simultaneously inspiring me. Lemongrass is also known to be antibacterial, antifungal, reduces fever, detoxifies the organs, stimulates digestion, relieves insomnia, and balances the mind. These cheerful top notes are sweetened with the slightest touch of tobacco leaf, while a thick hay undertone offers a smooth transition from fresh to dry grass. The evolution is slow and seamless, and you will find yourself inhaling more deeply as the scent develops.

There are a few of these locket refills leftover from the batch available here.

Lunar Amulet Perfume for the 2-9-16 New Moon and New Year: Prosperity

This new moon also marks the new lunar year, which is of course the real New Year! We are celebrating the Chinese (as well as many other eastern countries') tradition of citrus fruit offerings as a blessing of prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. This perfume has a heavy dose of clementine and tangerine, their deep orange color symbolizing gold. Sheer overtones of Ylang Ylang and other fruits sweeten this cheerful palate, while a sustainable sandalwood oil lengthens the duration of the fleeting citrus. Applying this one is like a a burst of optimism, just in time for the New Lunar Year.

There are several leftover refills from this batch in the Limited Edition section. I hope these make their way into your ritual of prosperity this year.

Roses for Valentine's Day

I just went through a stupid, stupid breakup. So I know how some of you feel about Valentine's Day stuff. But you know what, rose makes me feel great whether I'm alone or not. So this gift box is for the rose obsessed, Victorian ladies in their element. Featuring the Rosehip Elixir face and hair oil, Midwest Moongarden perfume featuring a heart of white rose, a brass locket with a faceted black onyx on top and pure rose solid perfume inside, and a limited edition brass compact filled with Moroccan rose lip balm, made from scratch by yours truly.
The Lip balm compacts are also available on their own for a Limited Time!

Lunar Amulet for the 1-9-2016 New Moon: Crushed Violets

"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it"

The lunar amulet perfume that I made for this new moon is in tribute of the new year. It is important to let go of the past in order to move forward toward creating new intentions and embracing new experiences. This powdery base of orris root paired with the delicate and fleeting sweetness of violet creates a soft aura to meditate in while moving forward. 

There are a few of these leftover from this batch in the Limited Edition section.

Lunar Amulet for the 12-11-15 New Moon: Winter Solstice

I love letting the seasons dictate my lunar amulet perfumes as I make them each month. This moon's scent is a tribute to the upcoming Winter Solstice, with notes of yew, mistletoe, holly, and scotch pine in a warm base of Tonka. An oak Yule log and dried spices hold on after the soft garlands fade away.

There are several locket refills of these leftover from the batch and they are in the Limited Edition section of the web shop until they are all spoken for. Enjoy your holidays, lovelies.