Gio & Turner: Custom wax haul

Did everyone know that Gio & Turner offers custom wax bags? News to me when happening upon a comment on an unrelated post in May (thanks to the Instagram algorithm for burying unknowable numbers of posts from those I follow). Jeannie from G&T is a kind and esteemed maker who started her small business around the time I was falling in love with vendor wax. Over that short time, she’s nurtured her shop into a prospering enterprise. Garnering lots of votes in my small business vendor poll last August, G&T has been on my to-order list for almost a year. During that poll, Jeannie reached out with an open heart to recommend another’s shop and I’ve personally benefited from her generous spirit when searching for scents from a retired vendor, as she shared her stock and much more in a trade. Supporting small businesses like Jeannie’s makes the painstaking aspects of blogging all worth it.

Bespoke Bakery bags/Made to Order: $11, for up to 3 oils (unable to find oz. information, 15 cubes estimated at 12 oz.)Twilight + Buttercream– Gio is notable for numerous Lush dupes, which is the direction I took when ordering. Buttercream is my favorite in the frosting category, sweet and tangy with a richness which keeps it from being saccharine. Twilight embraces a deep herbal pull of furry lavender buds laced with tonka bean and musk. Intertwining these medium-performing scents was a success, exactly the creamy dreamy blend I search for on Summer nights. Black Sea + Shaving Cream– I goofed when ordering this combo, mistaking the Black Sea fragrance as a Lush dupe for the hard-to-find Black Pearl scent. Black Sea, salty ocean ozone with an undercurrent of amber and vanilla, leans too much toward a contemporary ozonic cologne from CK or Brut. The aquatic accords drown the subtler shaving cream with sharp synthetic tones. Somewhat sexy in aftershave, but not preferable in wax. My mistake for not paying close attention to scent notes, I can’t fault G & T. With a strong throw, I might add vanilla or cedar to sweeten and hope for the shaving cream to surface after an extended cure.

Bespoke souffle cup: $7, up to 3 oils, 4.5-5oz. Cucumber Mint + Green Tea + Garden Mint– Every time I pass by the herb pots sunning on my deck and those newly planted in our small library garden patch, I reach to brush my fingertips along the leaves. There is nothing like the aroma of fresh herbs for uplifting my mood. Dominated by garden herbs with hardy stems, bittersweet grasses, and cool leafy greens. Tender spearmint sprouts alongside a pungent floral bouquet and refreshing green tea make a unique blend. My initial impression deemed it too bitter due to the mixed herbs; basil, possibly sage and thyme, however, it’s verdant composition has grown on me (pun intended?). Imagine a cottage garden filled with aromatic herbal cushions, pockets of watermint and rambling ivy vines and this scent delivers.

1 oz. wax cups: $1.25, no longer available, replaced by 2 oz. cups.Within a week of my custom order, Gio & Turner opened with a ready to ship restock spurring me to grab some scent cups as well. Jeannie graciously refunded my shipping cost for the RTS items, combined them for $10 and shipped impressively quickly (U.S. only). House blends are underlined:

Sticky Sweet– mouth watering mango sticky rice with extra coconut cream and a dusting of brown sugar. Ripe mango slices on a bed of sweet rice smothered in coconut sauce is a heavenly sweet-savory combination. Apparently inspired by a popular Thai dish that I need to try. Mangoes are one fruit I seem to always enjoy in wax form, creamy and vibrant but not the star of this scent, that would be the rice. I swear I can smell the starchy staple, lightly toasted to a nutty fragrance, creamed into a thick, sticky pudding and sprinkled with brown sugar. This scent lives up to it’s name so well that I’m craving some rice pudding fiercely, I may have to save it until I’m on a break from my current diet.Matcha Snow– matcha tea and vanilla snow cream. Unfamiliar with Vanilla Snow, unless it’s an interpretation of actual vanilla sugar ice cream made with fresh snow, I’ll consider this a matcha green tea ice cream scent. The distinct vegetal fragrance of matcha tea powder freshly brewed and streaked with frothy cream. A natural smelling, if slightly dusty grassy blend.Serenitea– hibiscus tea infused with sweet, ripe raspberries and rose petals. Anyone detect a theme? I’m enamored by tea scents and this is the best of the season. Silky soft rose petals color the room with sweet pink nectar, tart hibiscus tea infused with crushed crimson leaves calm the rosiness until the raspberries burst forth, quenching the floral notes with juicy sweetness. My subconscious is steeped in the memory of this scent combination from sunny days spent in my grandmother’s rose garden as a child, plucking berries from the vines. Fruits blended with floral or woods is my favorite way to enjoy them. Room-filling strength.Dream Puff– sweet lavender, pink sugar, and pillow puff (warm vanilla, soft florals, a touch of musk and a hint of clean cotton). Pillow puff must be the Creamy Cotton oil I’ve previously enjoyed blended with an extra touch of laundry clean. Thankfully, the lavender doesn’t get lost as in many blends, but stands-out (in all of Jeannie’s blends actually). An herbaceous floral with delicate sweetness and a heart of airy effervescence. The Pink Sugar is emerging a little sweeter than I like, but remains a well-balanced blend.  

Stardust– lavender, chamomile, pink sugar, delicate citrus tones and soft powder. An excellent mix of lavender and powder with no soapy residue, Stardust was the best surprise in my order. Scented flowers, herbs and sugared citrus possess the elements of a lovely aromatherapy enhanced by the subtle straw-like note of chamomile. A calming and grounding fragrance that I love, bravo Jeannie!

4-pack cubes, a perfect size for sampling a wished-for scent without commitment. Avomelon– creamy avocado, refreshing melon, grapefruit, sugar cane, and sea salt. Second only to tea, my new obsession is with sea salt blends. The saltiness adds that little bit of indescribable something that boosts all of the other notes. Melon would be the only one I’d hesitate over, however, it adds a delicious juiciness that brightens the fleshy avocado. As close to perfectly fresh musky sweetness as any scent I’ve tried.

Mermaid Bay– sea botanicals, salty sea air, blue lotus, and a hint of eucalyptus. Fresh as a seaside stroll, yet I remain undecided on this one. Floral waters can be forgettable, but Mermaid has an exaggerated presence that I just don’t know if I like. Complex blooms of water lily and eucalyptus provide cooling sensations while the salty sea air is robust. A sweet earthiness appears on cold, as a fruity sandalwood perhaps? Warmed however, a bracing note develops that carries alcoholic fumes. The verdict’s still out on Mermaid Bay.

Sample– Paradise– mango, juicy lemons, satsuma, and fresh raspberries. Whopping fruity notes blended together to create a fresh juice. As bright as sipping summertime in a glass. 

Gio & Turner is in day 2 of a pre-order which ends tomorrow evening, June 11th. Don’t make the mistake I did of putting off an order–the scent list is unique and unpretentious, filled with so many gems. Of course the paw print touches and logo silhouette of her pups speak to my heart. I’ve already started writing a list for another bespoke order in a few months, I cannot pass up these lavender and tea scents. I’m also looking forward to trying the bodycare line. If you’ve ordered from G&T, I don’t have to tell you how wonderful and easy it is to support this sweet shop.