Words + Pics by Sam, CN Body Care Buyer
As the days brighten and lengthen with the approach of New England’s eventual spring, it is important to take time for mindful reflection on sunlight and green growing things - and also their opposite: darkness and gloom. On this first day of April, as the crocuses begin to peer unnervingly from the depths of the earth, we welcome you to Cambridge Supernaturals, your beloved boo-tique for all things spooky, creepy, and bump-in-the-night. Listed below are some ghoul-tastic goth highlights, all the better to help you ring in a spooky spring!
Body Care
Noyah Lipstick in Currant News
On the first pass, this satin-finish lipstick starts as a beautiful berry, but can be built to a rich dark vamp shade. Embalm your lips with this clean castor oil-based formula for that fresh out of the coffin look. Perfect for a day hiding from the sun, or a night lurking in the shadows.
Death By Lavender Deodorant North Coast
You may take “you look dead!” as a compliment, but that doesn’t mean you want to smell the part. Enter this remarkably simple formula from North Coast Organics: a coconut, arrowroot, and baking soda based deodorant that’s gentle on the pits and kind on the nose. Death By Lavender will leave you smelling like lavender and citrus instead of doom and gloom.
Bulk
Activated Charcoal Powder
Darkness in a jar. Powdered night. Perfect for throwing a handful in front of you as you enter a room to establish a spooky ambience. Or you could maybe not do that, and instead use this wonderfully pitch-black powder for its drawing and cleansing properties. Mix a little into a french green clay face mask or homemade face cleanser, and take a spa evening to yourself.
Bold as Blood Tea
Whether you think vampires are cool or passe, I think we can all agree, at least, that their diet is deeply questionable. Instead of drinking someone else’s blood, why not boost your own? This blend relies on mineral-rich herbs such as nettle and beetroot to naturally support healthy iron levels in the blood. A long steep of this tea brews up to a savory concoction that’s a lovely dark rust color in the cup, so hey, you can at least pretend.
Groceries
Sweetpea Farms Buckwheat Honey
Don’t let Sweetpea Farms’ innocent labeling fool you - behind the bright, picnic-evoking label is a dark and ominous ichor with a deep molasses taste. Perfect in coffee or tea, liberally drizzled over pancakes, mixed into your favorite barbecue sauce, or for calling forth eldritch creatures in your favorite midnight ritual under the full moon.
Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice Ramen
This toothsome gluten-free ramen is made with Forbidden Rice, and cooks up (in a matter of minutes) to a rich dark violet color with a satisfyingly chewy consistency. The dark noodles, swimming in a savory miso broth, call to mind the tentacles of the long-lost Kraken, lurking below the waves. Also, the conveniently-sized packet fits easily into a purse or backpack for lunch on the go!
Supplements
Megafoods Blood Builder
Again, while vampires may be in vogue, their diet certainly is not. Circumvent their brand of sanguine satiation by looking after your blood health! Megafoods’ Blood Builder formula is focused on providing food-based iron, folate, vitamin C, and B-12, extracted from beets, broccoli, and oranges. And unlike vampirism, Blood Builder is accessible to vegans, vegetarians, or anyone unironically looking to boost their iron.
Raw Forest Foods Wild-Harvested Black Ants
This nutrient-dense supplement rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine can help you fulfill the dream of calling an army of insects to do your bidding! Granted, the bidding in question would have to be “providing a rich supply of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to support overall health,” but as long as you stay within those bounds, you too can be Leader of the Amassed Ant Hordes.
Lifestyle
Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel
As HP Lovecraft might have possibly once said, “Yoga can be a beneficial part of one’s daily exercise routine, and an excellent chance to pause and meditatively reflect on the seething horrors of the unknowable void.” Lest you slip and fall into that void during your practice, consider this wonderfully witchy towel from Manduka emblazoned with the moon’s many faces against a roiling night sky. The partially-recycled, sweat-absorbent towel is designed to provide an extra layer of grip on top of your yoga mat.
Miso Handmade Attack Cat’s Organic Catnip Creepy Zombie
A little monster for your little monster. Teach your cat the vital skill of zombie home defense with this catnip-filled poppet from Miso Handmade, lovingly stitched from wool felt for maximum creepy cuteness. Prepare your cat for societal collapse while engaging them in play!