Neo pagan festivals in January often center around the celebration of the winter season, nature, and the beginning of a new year. These festivals, also known as sabbats, draw on ancient pagan traditions and incorporate modern interpretations. One prominent festival celebrated in January is Imbolc, which usually falls on February 1st or 2nd. Imbolc marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and signifies the gradual return of light and life to the Earth. It is a time to honor the goddess Brigid or other deities associated with fertility and creativity. During Imbolc, neo pagans may perform rituals to welcome the growing sun and awaken the land from its winter slumber.
During Imbolc, neo pagans may perform rituals to welcome the growing sun and awaken the land from its winter slumber. Fire is often a central element, symbolizing both light and warmth. Candles, bonfires, and hearth fires are lit to signify the return of longer days and to seek blessings for the upcoming year.
Brand Spotlight: Rituel de Fille, Spellbinding Natural Color
“Kamat wimings!” said Allora, tapping Artemis on the shoulder with the Wand of Skunkrillis. Instantly — POOF! — there was a burst of twinkling golden magical ✨ energy, and a pair of raven’s wings sprouted from the black cat’s back.
“Mrow,” said the cat, unfurling his new appendages to stretch them out.
“Good kitty,” said Allora, scritching him under his chin, and the cat-raven purred in delight.
Makeup is a kind of magic. Our eyeshadows and lipsticks and blushes are modern day potions, and our makeup brushes are like magic wands. And when we sit down to put on our face, in a way, there’s a bit of actual mysticism involved, because there is that aspect of transforming oneself. I think the coven of cosmetic lovers at Rituel de Fille probably also see it that way.
I’m wearing the Ash and Ember Eye Soots in Viscera, Night Shade and Serpent de Mer; as well as Frenzy Blush and Bittersweet Lipstick
Rituel de Fille (pronounced “ritoo-el-day-fee”) is a fairly new indie makeup brand. They’ve been around since 2015, but in that time, they’ve done some really cool things.
Their approach to makeup? — minimize ingredients (99% natural and no fillers) and maximize the pigment, so there are plenty of punchy colors and products with short ingredient lists. Their makeup is made without synthetic dyes, fragrances or parabens, and it’s all cruelty-free. They aren’t a vegan line, though, because some of their products do have beeswax and lanolin in them.
They list all of their ingredients on their website, which is cool because a lot of brands, especially bigger brands, aren’t always transparent about that kind of thing.
The brand is available all over the U.S. now, as well as online at ritueldefille.com and credobeauty.com.
I get a witchy, astrological vibe from them, and I think that’s what they’re aiming for. The founders are three sisters (they call themselves “The Ramos Sisters”).
Here’s a picture of them from their website pouring what looks like magic fairy dust…
The Ramos Sisters (P.S. I would like to petition to become the fourth Ramos Sister)
They look like three super cool gals who listen to Stevie Nicks and have probably seen The Craft a hundred times. Perhaps they have a secret room in their house where they keep all of their love potions (because in the story I just made up in my mind, they all live together in a ramshackle Victorian, obviously).
I’ve tested a few pieces from the line, and the Ash and Ember Eye Soots ($38 each) really stand out. They’re pigments held together with a touch of oil, so they have a consistency somewhere between a cream and a powder.
The Ash and Ember Eye Soots, clockwise from the red jar on the left: Viscera, Night Shade and Serpent de Mer
They come in jars with an opening that’s about the width of a fingertip, which is great, because they’re designed to be applied with a fingertip (or a flat eyeshadow brush or angled liner brush). You just press down to pick up some of the product, but because the opening of the jar is narrow, you’re forced to apply downward pressure, as opposed to swiping your finger back and forth.
They say that it’s the best way to get the product out of the packaging and onto your lids.
The Ash and Ember Eye Soot in Viscera…
The shadows, which are easy to blend and VERY pigmented, come in a bunch of different colors, and even the darker colors don’t have any fallout. Just for fun, the other night before I washed my face, I took dark red Viscera and dark purple Night Shade and did this intense smoky eye. I didn’t notice any fallout whatsoever.
The Ash and Ember Eye Soots from the left in Viscera, Night Shade and Serpent de Mer
I wouldn’t call them waterproof, but they’re extremely long-wearing. To take them off, I gotta bust out the big guns — either oil-based makeup removers or eye makeup removers that are made for waterproof.
And the finish is perfection. The astronomically fine pigment particles make them look almost glossy, and now I want every single shade! LOVE.
Inner Glow Cream Blush in Frenzy
I also like the Inner Glow Cream Blushes ($24 each). Like the Eye Soots, they’re versatile. You can use ’em as blushes, eyeshadow and/or lipstick.
The shade I’ve tried, Frenzy, is a dark burgundy, which I’ve mostly worn as a blush, and it’s CRAZY pigmented.
Inner Glow Cream Blush in Frenzy
As for the Lip Sheers ($21 each), they’re…interesting. The thing is, they’re drier than I expected.
Lipsticks in Bittersweet, Rue, Whitethorn and Night Wanderer
I have to work them back and forth across my lips to warm and soften them up because they feel stiff at first and don’t have a lot of slip to them. I do like how evenly they apply once you get them on and that they don’t look super heavy.
They taste and smell faintly of beeswax and lavender, and they don’t dry out my lips (although I wouldn’t go so far as to call them moisturizing).
Lipsticks from the left in Bittersweet, Whitethorn, Rue and Night Wanderer
I can’t wait to see what else they come up with in the future. Whatever it is, I suspect it might be magical…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Brand Spotlight: Rituel de Fille, Spellbinding Natural Color / Originally published December 15th, 2016
The products in this entry were provided by the manufacturer for consideration. For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.
Another festival celebrated in January is Yule, which corresponds to the winter solstice, usually around December 21st. Yule is a time to honor the darkest time of the year and the eventual rebirth of the Sun. It is a festival of hope and renewal, celebrating the return of light and the promise of spring. During Yule, neo pagans may decorate their homes with evergreen trees, holly, and mistletoe, symbolizing the ongoing cycle of life. Yule logs are burned to keep the hearth fire sacred and to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year. Gift-giving and feasting are also common during Yule, as a way to celebrate the abundance of the season. Overall, neo pagan festivals in January are a way for practitioners to connect with nature, honor ancient traditions, and celebrate the changing of the seasons. These festivals provide an opportunity for reflection, renewal, and community, as neo pagans come together to celebrate the cycles of life and the Earth..
Reviews for "Neo Pagan Festivals in January: An Opportunity for Community Bonding and Support"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I attended the Neo pagan festival in January and was disappointed with the whole experience. First of all, the location was not suitable for such an event in the winter. It was held outdoors, and despite the organizers providing heating lamps, it was still freezing cold. The schedule of events was also poorly planned, with long breaks between activities and not enough variety to keep attendees engaged. Overall, I found the festival to be dull and uncomfortable, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 1 star - I had high hopes for the Neo pagan festival in January, but it turned out to be a complete letdown. The event lacked organization and seemed to be poorly planned. There were only a handful of activities to participate in, and most of them didn't live up to expectations. The performers were unimpressive, and the workshops felt rushed and unprepared. It felt like the organizers simply wanted to cash in on the pagan trend without putting much effort into creating a memorable experience. I would not waste my time attending this festival again.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I attended the Neo pagan festival in January and was disappointed by the lack of authenticity. Instead of feeling connected to nature and spirituality, I felt like I was attending a commercialized event. The vendors were selling mass-produced items that had no real significance or meaning. The rituals and ceremonies felt staged and lacking in genuine spirituality. Overall, I was left with a sense of disappointment and would not recommend this festival to those seeking a true neo pagan experience.