Another eccentric company that appeals to my dark side, Villainess is a small operation out of Waverly, TN that specializes in sinfully decadent soaps, body creams and cleansers with unusual names that range from the slightly off-kilter (Ennui, Paradise Misplaced) to the downright intimidating (Chloroform, Asphyxiate, Blood). The first thing that strikes me is that their website, like the products themselves, is very dark and pretty. The second thing I notice, in their Manifesto, is their staunch commitment to creating luxuriously indulgent bath and body goods that are also completely chemical- and cruelty-free, choosing "raw and unrefined components - vegetable fats, nut butters, fruits, herbs, essential oils and precious absolutes" over ingredients made in a lab whenever possible. Villainess, I'm yours. But what sorts of tempting products do they offer, exactly?
The Villainess soap, a big hunk of crimson shot through with streaks of gray and wrapped in their trademark vintage-look paper, is the company's signature scent, which they describe as "all ball gowns and combat boots." The fragrance features notes of leather, vanilla musk, and florals including lilac, tuberose and jasmine - sounds feminine yet mysterious, which is precisely how I want to smell in the coming months, as the weather cools down. The moss green Wasabi soap, named after my favorite sinus-searing sushi enhancer, smells like "green tea with a black pepper burn and a splash of citrus." The Pyromania Smooch!, a moisturizing exfoliant that warms on contact, is described as "peculiarly spicy," with black pepper, brown sugar and a "veil of smoke." Other complex, unusual scents that I'm dying to try include Ginger Snapped (a "slightly psychotic" blend of cinnamon, cardamom , ginger and vanilla - chai tea, anyone?), Arsenic & Old Lace (black cherry tarts with honeymusk, roses, honeysuckle, gardenia and chamomile) and Bathory, which is described thusly: "The cloying sweetness of a covetous lust for misspent youth, offset by a geriatric touch of rose and carnation, and underscored by a malevolent insinuation of sandalwood." (I'm telling you, Villainess has one outstanding copywriter on their hands.)
Villainess even has their own version of a Bath Bomb (cleverly called Kaboom!) and a small but growing collection of facial products, including mud masks and an oil-based cleanser/makeup remover. If you're not already staring slack-jawed with desire at all of the amazing indulgences that Villainess has to offer (and at such reasonable prices!), click over now. There are only 100 shopping days left till Halloween!
