i had heard of relatively-new indie brand Black Hearted Tart quite a few times previously with their opening late last year and thought that their blends sounded really interesting, though purchasing from them was never an option for me as they only offered shipping within the Contiguous United States.
that all changed when i received a message from the owner Anneliesa, who had reached out to me on Instagram to ask if i would be interested in taking part in one of their first test runs with international shipping, to share my experiences and also feedback from an overseas perspective. i was honoured that she had thought of me, and given the distance involved (with more than one flight and many ground miles covered to and from the airports), i thought that a test run from Austin, Texas to Singapore would be a good exercise to see how well their products held up on the journey.
no expectation of review was set out for the products; the only condition was just to share my feedback on receiving the package so that she can work towards offering international shipping in future. i greatly valued the opportunity to share my experience with Anneliesa and i respected how she was adaptable and open to suggestions on how to ensure a smooth and safe delivery process for all the various items.
i was stunned by the attention to detail that was put into all the beautiful packaging in their pink-and-black colour scheme, all consistently bringing the theme together and being such a joy to take out of the package once it arrived!
i purchased six 1ml oil roller samples of their scents, and was pleasantly surprised when Anneliesa offered a free upsize of some of them for me, so that i could experience the different packaging and also so that she could test how the different bottle sizes fared with international shipping. in our discussions by email, she initially offered an upsize of two of them to 2ml bottles, one to a 5ml rollerball and one to a scent cloud spray; no one was more surprised than me when i found that i had in fact been generously sent so much more than this.
i received:
- 1ml oil roller in Such Great Heights (A heady blend of roses, violets, and lilacs. Fresh rosemary and cannabis add an herbaceous element. Incense of sandalwood and cedar comprise the base. Elevated with clove and a dash of black pepper.)
- 1ml oil roller in Boys Wanna Be Her (Uplifting basil and bergamot add freshness. Enhanced with an earthy blend of buddha wood and oak moss. Tonka bean and white patchouli evoke a bohemian vibe.)
- 5ml oil roller in Dance on the Moon (Creamy magnolia flowers with a spritz of lemon, and a sprinkle of jasmine petals. Notes of shea and cocoa butter blended with coconut cream and pistachio milk. Cashmere, sandalwood, cedar, and tonka bean create a soft, comforting base.)
- 10ml oil roller in Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (Nostalgic aroma of an extinguished campfire comprised of charred wood, a hint of ash, and one lone scorched marshmallow. Notes of soft dirt and fallen leaves comprise an atmospheric forest floor. Sweetness of daybreak is represented by ozonic elements of dew drops and fresh air.)
- 10ml oil roller in Number of the Beast (Ylang ylang, neroli, and lemon. Powdery civet musk enhanced with notes of leather. Spiced sandalwood incense and patchouli.)
- 1 oz scent cloud in Girlfriend in a Coma (Herbaceous blend of lavender leaves and flowers. Calming touch of vanilla musk. Warmed with tonka bean, cedar, and sandalwood.)
i had also purchased a wax tart in Lay All Your Love On Me (Sinful red velvet cake with subtle notes of cocoa powder, warm spices, and cream cheese frosting. Sticky frutti rossi preserves comprised of sweet and tart red fruits - pomegranate, strawberry, and red currant. Luscious black amber with notes of labdanum, patchouli, and benzoin.)
in addition, Anneliesa had also generously included some samples of her bath and body products:
- limited edition 'Sugar Bubbles' whipped soap body scrub in 69 Roses (A modern rose scent created with freshly cut long stemmed pink roses. Light touches of peony and violet soften the scent further. A bit of garden greenery adds an herbaceous essence.)
- a couple of mini silk & argan soaps in Punk Love (Warm golden amber blended with sandalwood and light musk. A splash of vanilla sweetens the prominent tonka bean base.)
- 'Lay It On Thicc' body butter in Punk Love (Warm golden amber blended with sandalwood and light musk. A splash of vanilla sweetens the prominent tonka bean base.)
and last but not least, it was so lovely that my package also included a little black heart charm, the signature element of the brand!
i was super happy to report back to Anneliesa that everything arrived in prime condition, without any leaks or spills, and that there was no damage to any of the lovely packaging that she had taken great efforts to put together. Anneliesa had, out of an abundance of caution, decided to go for parafilm on the bottles followed by shrink wrap around the outside and ziploc bags to contain any spills - though based on the success of this trial run, it looks like either shrink wrap or ziploc should be sufficient for any other overseas deliveries!
i'm going to be uploading a couple of unboxing videos on my Instagram to show the lovely packaging and share my experience receiving these lovely products - do check them out if you're curious!
Black Hearted Tart's website is well-organised and easy to browse. there's a section dedicated to perfume oils and several for bath and body products with 'choose your scent' options. unfortunately each listing doesn't contain a dropdown or other way of selecting the specific scent, which presumably would have to be entered in the 'notes to seller' at checkout. it's a lovely idea that highlights the made-to-order specificity of the brand and allows for a good deal of customisation, though in my view having a dropdown or other approach for customisation would help streamline the process to avoid requiring follow-up emails to confirm the order details.
their website also has a clear turnaround time (currently 15 business days) with status updates of which orders are currently being processed, and their Instagram also has updates from time to time on changes in their turnaround time and product stock status. shipping is calculated separately at prevailing rates (currently only domestic US orders are accepted, though international offerings might be coming soon!)
also, another big plus for their products is that they are sustainable and cruelty-free, and almost every product made is vegan (unless otherwise stated). it's always a good feeling to be able to shop with a conscience as clean as the bath and body products, and i'm really excited to dive in and try out everything. stay tuned for more reviews to come!
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this review is of products that i had purchased at regular price with my own money and which were generously upsized by the brand afterward. i didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with Black Hearted Tart and as always, all opinions remain my own.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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