I’ve heard of Haus of Gloi from friends for a little over a year now, but was hesitant to order, because I already have a massive addiction to BPAL and didn’t need more smellies to lust after. Well, last week I caved.
Ordering:
The site is well set out, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to shop. There’s lots of pictures (dear gods, I am lusting after the pretty soaps), clear descriptions of the scents, and sample sized offerings of the oils.
Packaging and Shipping:
My sample vials arrived in a small cloth bag, and were well padded with plenty of brown paper (yay for environmentally conscious packing!). The owners included a handwritten note, as well as a piece of candy! Shipping was incredibly fast, and I was updated with a tracking number.
Scents:
Absinthe-The Gloi interpretation of the fae vert! Hauntingly herbal. Wormwood and anise swim in a creamy green sea of lemon balm, green lemon, soft glowing mints, a hefty lump of sugar and the tiniest drop of suggestive deep green moss.
My thoughts: Woah, that’s some serious anise! It smells very similar to the last bottle of absinthe I had. On my skin, the anise softens, and I can make out mint, lemon, and sweetness. It has fairly good throw, and lasted about 4 hours before I needed to re-apply. It’s a very different scent-not foodie, and not something for everyday, but for a night out? Perfect.
Apothecary-Old books, bubbling concoctions, herbs and creaking floor boards! A pure essential oil blend of: Lemongrass, rosemary, blood cedar, sweet basil, lavender and the tiniest drop of vetiver.
My thoughts: Out of the bottle, it’s sharp and bright, almost astringent. On my skin, again, it settles. I can smell lemongrass and rosemary the most, with a hint of lavender in the back. It’s like sitting next to a herb garden on a sunny day! Gorgeous. After an hour or two, the rosemary is much stronger, switching with the lemongrass.
Depravity – A bewitching ladies boudoir! Pure corruption: clove, nutmeg lurk amongst the sweetest offerings of coconut, on a bed of rich golden amber, laden with a dusting of sandalwood and spilled wine.
My thoughts: Oh, that’s sexy! The coconut is at the front of this blend and sweet, but it’s not so sweet that it goes into sugary. The amber and sandalwood keep it from smelling like candy, and on my skin, the clove is nowhere to be found. I’m ok with this, as I didn’t want to smell like coconut rice pudding! It sticks close to my skin without a lot of throw, and doesn’t last very long, unfortunately. I like it, and wish it would stick around longer.
Haus Amber-Rich and sultry amber, our own hand blended accord.
My thoughts: I love you! I’m a huge fan of amber. I keep pieces of the resin in my clothing drawers, and it’s the main base note of many of my favourite scents. Haus Amber is everything I love about an amber blend. Rich and deep, with a touch of sweetness, but not so sweet as to lose the depth of the scent. Amber is usually a skin scent on me, and this is no exception unless I slather it on. I need a big bottle of this. Maybe three. Or six. (What. I don’t have a problem. My amber addiction isn’t out of control. Shush.) You may want to wear this as a scent locket, though, as it does stain skin a little.
Honey Tree-Quite rich! Right from the bee hive – honey amplified by seductive essence of resinous vanilla, darkened by a passing waft of mild rare wood smoke.
My thoughts: Sweet and clear honey in the vial with a little bit of an edge. I’m assuming that’s from the vanilla. On my skin, I have no idea what happened, but it turned into slightly sweet cat pee. 
Yay for odd body chemistry-I may try at a different point in the month and see if it smells better/different then. But for now, I’m not loving it.
Lavender Sugar (free sample)-Bulgarian and French lavenders with a heaping spoonful of pure muscadovo sugar
My thoughts: Holy lavender bitch-slap, Batman! That’s pretty much pure lavender in the vial, and while the sugar does make it a bit less “ZOMG LAVENDER”, it’s still pretty potent. I have issued with the scent, as it triggers some unpleasant memories, but a friend of mine who loves lavender says that it is wonderful!
Litchi Milk Tea-Tart lychee fruit and black tea met with a splash of coconut milk.
My thoughts: It smells *just like* my favourite boba (bubble) tea! I wanted to lick my wrist while I was wearing it, and my fiance even commented on how good I smelled! I honestly was shocked that I liked it as well as I did, because I’m not normally a fan of foodie scents. This is almost candy-sweet, but not cloying, and on me it has a moderate amount of throw. Again, I need a bottle of this.
Madcap Garden-A lively blend, pure black tea chilled with peppermint and the tiniest spike of sweet honey. Very unisex, stimulating, addictive, and bright.
My thoughts: This is a delicious summer scent…it’s light, the mint makes it refreshing and keeps the honey from getting to be too much. I’ve tried it on my fiance, and on him it morphs into a delicious honey and tea scent. I’ve actually had to steal my wee sample vial back out of his bathroom! Two bottles of this are in my future…so he’ll stop stealing mine!
White Peach-Reverie collection (free sample)-Cream, pale peach skin and ginger root.
My thoughts:
Wow, that’s sweet and peachy. Definitely foodie, and while it’s not a candy sweetness, it’s a bit too much for me. I do get a tiny bit of ginger from it, so it’s true to the description! It’s just not for me.
Customer Service:
There was a small issue with my order. I contacted their CS, and was told that they were sorry that they hadn’t shipped one of my vials, and sent it out the next day with a second bonus sample scent! Thanks, guys! Excellent customer service is the best way to keep me coming back to a company, and yours is excellent!
I loved several of the scents I picked up and will be buying bottles (and soaps and scrubs and…) of the ones that worked for me.
pixelatedbeauty 