My Black Friday Summer ScentSations Haul

During Summer ScentSations' Black Friday sale I placed an order.  I had purchased some soaps from her on TopHatter and love how long her scents linger on the skin after you rinse them off.  Plus I wasn't allergic to her glycerin soaps.

My order:
Soaps in French Lavender (3) and Coconut Citrus Sorbet

Lip Balm in Orange Sorbet

Lip Sugar Scrub and Polish in a Tube in Vanilla Icing (2)

Lip Scrub and Balm Set in Black Cherry

Mineral Eye Shadows in Sea Pearl, Smoke, Turquoise, Aquamarine,

Shamrock, Mermaid Sheen and Iris

Solid Perfumes in Oh So Juicy, Simply Delicious and Be Number One

Now on to the reviews!


Coconut Citrus Sorbet Soap - This bright fragrance cleanses your senses with the refreshing notes of soothing lemon, zesty lime, creamy coconut milk and sweet vanilla bean. It's the perfect combination of sweet and citrus that that will make you dream of summer days!
My Review:  Smells like coconut and lemon with a hint of vanilla and twist of lime.  It is the perfect summer soap but at the same time soft enough to use during the cooler months.  Its a pretty soap - white with yellow in it with pretty yellow curls on the top.  I love a great amount of lather as it scents the air.  This soap does just that and makes the shower smell tropical.  In the dead of winter it makes you forget that it's -20c outside.  It has all the scents to brighten your spirit and senses.  A great wake me up soap to use in the morning or throughout the day to lift your spirits.

French Lavender Soap
My Review:  Smells like a beautiful lavender garden.  I have grown to love lavender over the last year and this soap is the precise reason why.  The soap is a pretty white and lavender colour swirl cold press bar of soap with lavender on the top.  It is very pretty and a nice soap to display in your bathroom.  This soap lathers nicely and makes the shower smell like a beautiful spa.  Very relaxing, great before bed.

Orange Sorbet Lip Balm - A juicy burst of orange with a slightly sweet background that will cleanse the palate and refresh the senses.
My Review:  Smells like heaven. Its a great summer scent.

Lip Sugar Scrub and Polish in a Tube in Vanilla Icing
My Review:  I got two of these as my lips get chapped pretty bad in our Canadian winters and love lip scrubs.  The scrubby part is sugar.  Smalls just like vanilla icing.  Very sweet but warm due to the vanilla.  It comes in a tube so it doesn't get messy like some pot scrubs do plus its easier to carry in your purse and apply.  Works good.  I used it last night and did a gentle rub and have very soft lips this morning.

Black Cherry Lip Balm and Lip Scrub - Mmmm, the aroma of ripe black cherries to carry around with you all day. Delicious, smells good enough to eat - but don't, lips only!

My Review:  This is a gift for my mom as she loves black cherries.  The lip scrub came in a container.  The organza bag matches the lip balm and scrub.  Smells good!  The scrub works great and gets rid of chapped lips in 1 or 2 uses.  Gentle enough to use daily if they are rather chapped and it takes more than 1 or 2 uses to get them soft again.

The mineral eye shadows look just as they are pictured.  I love this because then you know what you are getting.  My favs are Shamrock and Mermaid Sheen.  I love bold blues and greens and I wear a lot of silvers and purples so they all are great additions to my loose shadow collection.  The lasting power when applied dry without primer is average, no different than my other loose shadows.  When applied wet or on top of primer you get awesome results.  The colours are so true and last all day.  You get quite a bit in the small clear jar.  The price was great and I would definitely reorder mineral eye shadows from Summer ScentSations.

The solid perfumes are stocking stuffers so I won't be able to opened to smell or test them.  They are the perfect purse size and will get some for myself in my next order.

I am very pleased with my order and look forward to my next one!  I really want to try her solid lotions, shave bars and body scrubs.  She is very good with customer service and will work with you if a product isn't available to ship to your country.  She is located in the Cayman Islands.  Shipping to Canada is about 2 weeks.  She ships the same day.  I would expect shipping to the US to be 1-2 weeks as they receive mail quicker than us Canadians.

Moonalisa December 2012 Order Details - Winter Sale

I made two orders from Moonalisa over two days.  The top 3 items the morning of December 3rd, 2012 before I received my very first Moona order in the afternoon from the September sale.  I then ordered the bottom 3 items the next day as I wanted the 4-in-1 Gel to match the body powder I had gotten in my previous order and couldn't resist the conditioner and mister.  As an international now double I probably won't receive my items til March 2013.  My previous order took 3 months to reach me and that was when I was just an international single.  It is still cold and appropriate to wear winter scents for a couple more months.  Once it gets warm here then wearing some heavy bakery scents is out of place.  Plus I might be low on what I got in my previous order and in need of some new items.

Qty Item Options Price 1 4 in 1 Gel - 8 oz Item # 26231157 Option: Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel $10.95 USD 1 Spray-In Detangler - 4 oz Item # 26231802 Option: Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel $7.95 USD 1 Hair Conditioner (NOT WHEAT FREE) - 4 oz Item # 25832583 Option: Candied Violets $7.95 USD

Qty Item Options Price 1 4 in 1 Gel - 8 oz Item # 25819305 Option: Marzipan Corn Cake $10.95 USD 1 End of the World Mayan Collection ~ Holy Ka'kau' ! Item # 26230344 Option: Holy Ka'kau' - Hydrating Mister $14.95 USD 1 Hair Conditioner (NOT WHEAT FREE) - 4 oz Item # 26078019 Option: Marzipan Corn Cake $7.95 US

End of the World Mayan Collection - Holy Ka'kau !

4-in-1 Gel

Hydrating Misters

End of the World Mayan Collection ~ Holy Ka'kau' !  Foaming rich dark chocolate , brewed with sweet sugar and corn meal , with a touch of heavenly aromatic spices.

Marzipan Corn Cake : sweet creamy corn sugar which is a really rich and sweet creamy scent, and blends beautifully with these oils. Don't let the word corn scare you:)

Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel

Candied Violets:  Sugared violets adorning a Chamborde raspberry liqueur soaked butter sponge cake

I will do a review of the order when I receive it.  I can't wait!

Moonalisa September 2012 Sale - Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection

I decided to see what all the hype is about and tried out Moonalisa with her Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection Sale in September 2012.  I made a single order and was an international.  I placed my order on September 17th.  It was shipped on November 9th and received December 3rd.  It was a long time to wait for goodies to come but opening the package and smelling all the items was well worth it!  Here is my order:

Qty Item Options Price 1 Mini Puff Powders! ~ Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection 2012 Item # 23010209 Option: S'mores and Hot Cocoa $5.95 USD 1 Mini Puff Powders! ~ Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection 2012 Item # 23010207 Option: Marzipan Corn Cake $5.95 USD 1 Sleepy Hallow Collection Scrub / Bath Cream Parfaits - 9.5 oz Item # 22974775 Option: Pumpkin Batter * Old classic~ $12.95 USD 1 Spray-In Detangler - 4 oz Item # 23010837 Option: Pumpkin Batter $7.95 USD 1 Mini Puff Powders! ~ Sleepy Hallow & Gypsy Cirkus Collection 2012 Item # 23010213 Option: Pumpkin Batter $5.95 USD

I also got extras of Blood Orange Cotton Candy bath brew and Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel cream.  Along with a ball with confetti in it and a Fortune Telling Fish and the usual Moona cards.  The package was filled with tissue paper with stamps on all the items.  It was like a creative birthday gift that smelled like heaven.

Scent Reviews - Extras:

Blood Orange Cotton Candy:
My Take: Smells like an orange creme sickle!! 

Winter Porridge with Apple Strudel 
My Take: Smells like Apple Oatmeal, you can smell an apple juice note to it, sweet and apley but can also detect the oatmeal.  I ordered this in various items in my December order before I smelled this extra.

My Scent Reviews:

Marzipan Corn Cake: sweet creamy corn sugar which is a really rich and sweet creamy scent, and blends beautifully with these oils. Don't let the word corn scare you:)

My Take: It smells like a lightly spiced cream cake, definitely no corn scent to it. Very sweet and creamy! It is great in the body power and reacts well with the heat of my body during the day.  I smell sweet and creamy with a hint of spice.

S'mores & Hot Cocoa Cream: Scrumptious classic crust & ooey, gooey treat , accompanied with a piping hot side of Hot cocoa, sure to satisfy!

My Take:  Just like a night in front of the camp fire with s'mores and hot chocolate.  It is definitely a sweet chocolate scent.  There is a hint of marshmallow but I mostly smell ooey gooey chocolate.  It smells heavenly.

Pumpkin Batter
My Take:  Smells exactly like my Spiced Pumpkin Pie with a hint of batter.  The detangler makes my hair smells so good.  It is the perfect Christmas scent!  Who wouldn't want to smell like pumpkin pie.

Product Reviews:

The scented hair detangler lasts all day unless you put anther product on top of it.  I usually use it to start and then spritz it again when my hair is all done.  It definitely helps with tangles and keeps the fly always to a minimum.  I love it so much that I ordered another one during the December sale.  You don't need much even with long wavy hair.  I use it everyday and not much is missing from the bottle.  The oil is the perfect amount to not make my hair greasy with use.  Most oil products make my scalp oily and dirty looking.  This product even holds style as many don't on my hair after being applied.

The body powders are great.  I have been using them after I shower in the evening and put it on my decolletage area.  All 3 smell so good.  The powder is finely milled and easy to apply.  They help if I sweat any during the night.  Plus they make my bed smell delicious if I roll over any on my pillow.  I used to included puffs for a few days but found that a nice fluffy brush works better.  The powder doesn't stick to the brush as it does the puff.  As I have 3 of these I don't know if I would order more anytime soon but they are cute.  I might repurchase them during her Autumn sale next year if she has them.

I am definitely in love with Moona products.  Many of her scents have elements to them that I can't wear such as Musk and Amber but she always has foody scents that I love to try.  I can't wait to get my next order!

Black Friday Musings - Sales and Such

Black Friday has come and gone.  In Canada, Black Friday turns into a 4 day sale in stores and turns into a 5 day cyber sale on Monday. Canadian Retailers a couple of years back decided to have their own Black Friday sales to keep Canadians north of the border.  It has been a big hit plus in Canada the doors and sales can start Thursday night at 8pm or earlier for Black Friday sales.

Some websites for handmade items start their BF sales the week before BF, so on Monday, November 19th.  That way they can get the orders in and then send them out the last week of November.  I love handmade soaps, body scrubs and fragrances.  They don't have preservatives or sulfates in them.  Due to my severe sensitive skin these days any sulfates causes me to break out in a rash.  I snagged a Black Friday sale from ScentSations out of the Cayman Islands.  The owner of the Etsy store was having a sale already but added free shipping with orders over $25.  I was able to get twice as much since shipping to Canada is about half the cost through her site.

I also made a purchase from Yves Rocher with a $20 off $60 purchase and free shipping.  I needed a couple more stocking stuffers and some face wash.  I received my order within 3 days as they have expedited shipping.

It seems that all stores and websites were having sales that were really good.  It is hard to pick which ones to buy from.  I always pick the ones with the best prices, products, good CS and quick shipping.  If I know that 1 website will ship out within 1-2 days and has the same price as another website that ships in 4 -5 days I will purchase from the first one.  Canada Post at this time of year is slower than usual and you want to be sure that you get your stuff in the mail in time to wrap it.

One thing I don't understand is spending half the night out in the cold, standing in line so you can rush into let's say Walmart and snag some toy for 70% off.  If you watch on youtube or the news there was so nasty fights over toys.  Isn't your time worth more than $20 or even $ 100?  I would rather spend that time and aggravation in the comfort of my own home and purchase items on those companies' websites.  I wanted to purchase a new HDTV for my parents so instead of going to The Brick for 6am I purchased the same tv online at 8:40pm for the same price.  I still would of had to wait to pick it up BUT I didn't have to get up early and deal with grouchy sales people and customers.

I don't find getting in line all night and rushing in with mobs of people worth it any amount of money.  Black Friday sales aren't the only ones of the season.  People get trampled on, others get violent and get arrested if the stores have the proper security, many get pick pocketed.

Did you participate in Black Friday?  Tell us your experiences.

Happy Thanksgiving! Holiday Time!

I just wanted to wish all my American friends Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn and the start of winter is a wonderful time of year.  Cooling down of temps and wonderful smells in the home.  Cozy clothes, warm fires and Holidays with family.  I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it. The leaves changing, falling and Halloween is the start of it all.  We always have a big wind storm that within a week of the leaves changing colours so we don't get much time to enjoy the colours.

The middle to end of November is when I start to get out my Christmas stuff.  I start to melt my bakery and Christmas scented tarts.  Cranberries are a must as is cinnamon and clove scents.  The tree goes up this weekend and so does the lights and window decorations.  I can't wait!

Everyone have a great Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday.  People get crazy when it comes to sales.

Ponds Cold Cream is the Best for Facial Skin

Do you ever wonder why some ladies have beautiful skin while you spend $$$ to get yours like theirs?  There is a reason why Ponds Cold cream is still around from our grandmother's days.  It is a tried and true skin care do-it-all!

I have spent a lot of money to figure out how to deal with my oily skin that has cystic acne.  I have tried Clinique, Bioderma, Biotherm, Clarins, Yves Rocher, Avene, Oil of Olay and so on.  Only to be left with oily skin that breaks out all too often.  Purchasing a makeup remover, cleanser, toner, night time moisturizer, daytime moisturizer becomes very expensive even with drugstore brands.  I have many half used creams, cleansers and even toners that broke my skin out or made it oilier.  I would use it for a month and have to give up.  The cystic acne flare-ups were very painful.

Earlier this year I found a bonus 2 pack of Ponds Cold Cream with the green lid on sale and decided I should give it a try, what's the worst it could do?  Give me oily skin?  I had read great things about it and how it can transform your skin.

So at night before I got in the shower I would apply a layer to my whole face and leave it on for 5 - 10 minutes.  I would use a wet crocheted wash cloth and wipe the cold cream off.  I would then rinse the cloth out and use it as an exfoliate and wipe my face with it wet a few more times.  Not only would the cold cream remove all the makeup but the dead skin cells as well.  No more flaky skin in places.  The mineral oil would leave a beautiful moisturizer layer on my skin where I didn't need moisturizer anymore. 

My skin has since cleared up and I don't get oilies.  I don't need rice paper at 10 in the morning either.  My skin isn't tight or flaky due to a moisture imbalance.  I tested this theory of the cold cream fixing my skin in 1 product when I ran out of my second jar and didn't have time to get any for a week or two.  My skin went back to oily, flaky and breaking out.

I highly recommend that you give Ponds Cold Cream a try for a month and see if you are a believer.

What are you waiting for in the mail? Christmas Orders

I have started to order Christmas gifts online.  Usually I order in October due to shipping delays closer to the end of November and early December  The internet has better deals than Canadian stores do.  I am currently waiting on various different orders.  Mostly for my my mom and friends and even a few for items for me.  We are all beauty junkies and its fun to get different things for them that aren't available in Canada.

On Tophatter I won:

Beautiful 6 in 1 Steampunk Glass Pendants Necklace.  My mom will just love these.

Gorgeous Vintage Style Cameo Cuff Bracelet:  

100 European Style Beads.  I have various Euro bracelets I have been making to give away as giftst.

Mystery Hoodoo Grab Bags Lot.  The auction was for 2 out of the 3 in the picture. 

BMGM Oshun Spirit Mystery Box.  My previous mystery box from this seller had the gorgeous salts in it along with bangles, red salt and delicious teas.

I have an order I put in from Sumer ScentSations on Etsy that includes gorgeous bars of lavender soap, solid perfumes and lotions.  These are for the ladies at work.  I know that box of goodies will smell wonderful.

I also have an order from Moonalisa from September I think that was mailed out last week.  Includes body powders and hair mists and a delicious scrub.  Another order that will smell awesome when it arrives.  

Most of these orders should be here this week.  I hope to wrap alot of gifts this weekend and get them done before we put the tree up Sunday.

What do you have coming in the mail?  

Hurricane Sandy in Toronto

As Hurricane Sandy makes landfall in New Jersey/New York, all of the East coast is being hit with terrorizing winds and heavy rains.  In Toronto we are preparing for a mega storm.  Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 100 / km today, tonight and tomorrow as the storms passes through the GTA.

Have your emergency kit prepared and up-to-date, warm clothes, a fully charged phone and being prepared for power outages.

My Use It Up List for September 2012 with Product Reviews

For the month of September, I plan to keep a log of what products I use up and include reviews after finishing each item.

The Body Shop Pumpkin Nectarine HFO
Dove Go Fresh Cool Moisture Body Wash with NutrimuesMoisture - Sample
Ponds Cold cream with the green lid - Full size (6 oz)
Jaqua Passion Fruit Cocktail Hydrating Shower Syrup (8 oz)
Nivea Smooth Sensation Lotion sample
Lasting Scent Candles Tart in Voodoo Doll
BBW Simply Divine Cherry Pie HFO
Jaqua Pink Champagne Shower Syrup (4oz)
BBW Pumpkin Pie Scrub
Trapp Rain Candle
C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Cream - Sample

Reviews:


TBS Pumpkin Nectarine HFO is a nice refreshing Fall and even as a Winter scent.  It has a good balance between the pumpkin and nectarine scents.  I would use it during Spring as it is a refreshing fragrance.  I would purchase this HFO again.

Dove Go Fresh Cool Moisture Body Wash with Nutrimmoisture is an ok product.  It smells refreshing but with the lotion included in the body wash it doesn't lather at all.  I prefer my soap and body washes to lather. My skin was somewhat softer when I got out of the shower.  The last thing I do in the shower is wash my body.  I prefer to put lotion on after I dry off.  I don't see myself using this product int he future.  If you don't care if a body wash lathers and you need moisture for dry skin then this product would be great for you.

Ponds Cold Cream with the green lid is a fantastic product!  When I purchased this one I also got a bonus of a second container of it.  This stuff is awesome.  I have oily skin and wondered if using an oil base cleanser would help stay hydrated and be less oily.  It worked!  My skin looks plump and hydrated and I have very little oily days.

Jaqua Passion Fruit Cocktail Hydrating Shower Syrup smells so good.  I would definitely purchase this scent again!  It is a thick body wash that lathers well and is moisturizing.  My dry skin soaks up the moisturizers that are in this body wash.  The scent alone is worth the price you pay for a bottle of this pure heaven in a bottle.  It has a true passion fruit scent.

Nivea Smooth Sensation Lotion sample feels nice on the skin.  I would consider purchasing this lotion in the future.  It is absorbed quickly into the skin.  It has a gentle scent and nice texture.  I wish the sample was more than a few ml in a packet.  It would of been better to give it a better try in a small tube or container.  I keep a list of lotions that I like for after I use up my stash of lotions and creams.  I have severe dry skin, esp on my hands, elbows and legs.  When applied to my hands at bedtime I instantly felt them softer and moisturized.  When I woke up in the morning my hands were still soft and moisturized.  This is a huge deal to me.  I want to be able to feel the softness the next morning.

Lasting Scent Candles Tart in Voodoo is a good sized tart in a circular dixie cup with a lid.  Sometimes the lids come off or the fragrance oil leaks out of the tart.  LSC tarts are very strong in scent and have an awesome throw.  You need less than a quarter of a tart in a tart warmer to scent a small room like a bathroom.  As this was my first LSC tart I was impressed by the throw and strength of scent.  However, I did not like this spicy kind of scent.  I have other LSC tarts and look forward to melting them.

BBW Simply Divine Cherry Pie HFO is awesome!  I am not big on cherry scents but this scent is simply divine.  It smells exactly like cheery pie.  You can smell the pie crust scent in this HFO.  The lingering note is the baked cherry.  It smells tart and sweetened by the pie crust scent.  I wish I was able to buy this HFO still but BBW hasn't carried this scent in years.  I got it at the bi-annual sale five years ago.  I didn't think I would like it so I only purchased one bottle. It did not give me a headache.  When I purchased this HFO I also purchased HFO in Pumpkin Pie Paradise, I got 5 or 6 of them as the body products in this scent was awesome but unfortunately the Pumpkin Pie Paradise HFO gives me an awful headache.  I now wish I had purchased 1 of those and 5 or 6 in the Simply Divine Cherry Pie scent.

Jaqua Pink Champagne Shower Syrup (4oz)

BBW Pumpkin Pie Scrub

Trapp Rain Candle

C.O. Bigelow Lemon Body Cream - Sample smells absolutely delicious.  I love citrus scents and this cream fits that bill.  It is thick and luxurious.   

How to get the BEST and CHEAPEST Shave

How to get the best shave for the cheapest amount of money. After many many years of shaving my legs I have finally come up with the best shave for my busk. I have dry skin and if I shave too often my legs get itchy and scaly. It's hard to fight this problem when you want to wear shorts everyday in the summer. I am very light skinned and have dark leg hair. So I show a shadow after 12 hours.

What I have found that works for an awesome and long lasting cheap shave is:

1.  Exfoliate with a good scrub infused with moisturizing oils and ground up apricot seed - I was given a tub of Orgins' scrub as a gift and been using it up (it's not cheap) but I will return to my regular homemade salt or sugar scrub.

2.  Use a 3 blade razor - I only purchase Schick Xtreme 3 for Women Sensitive. It has 3 blades, so enough for a close shave but not so many to irritate the skin.  The razor has a strip with Aloe, Vitamin E and Shea Butter to give you a comfortable shave. I buy the all pink Schick Xtreme3 razor in the plastic bag with pink writing that are cheaper. They are the same razor but without the plush handle. You get more razors for less.

3.  I quit using shaving cream - Instead I use a moisturizing hair conditioner. I have been buying Tresseme for $3.99 for a huge bottle. I put a layer on my leg and let it sit for 30 - 60 seconds for it to condition my hair and skin then I start to shave.

4.  After I shave I pat dry and apply a layer of Degree Body Responsive Deodorant in Fresh Oxygen - The deodorant keeps the skin from drying, becoming itchy and moisturizes.

I have found this to be the best shave that doesn't irritate my skin.

How to Build a Chicken Coop

Have you ever wondered how to build a chicken coop?  My friend moved up to the country and it came with chickens and a few other farm animals.  The chicken coop was almost falling down after so many terrible storms the area recently had experienced.  My friend had never built a chicken coop and wanted to build one that would withstand the storms in her area.  While browsing the internet for helpful ideas we came across this great book:  Building a Chicken Coop  This book even tells you how to keep your chickens happy and their home in perfect shape.  There is yearly maintenance necessary that new owners to chickens might not know about.  Many different coop styles are includes in the book for all sizes.


My friend purchased this book and she has a well made chicken coop and lots of other chicken oriented information.  Her chickens are safe from storms and warm in the winter.  She knows how to take care of them properly.  This book includes all the information needed.

You can have a chicken run attached to the coop or just leave the door open and let them roam your yard.  A warm coop and open area to rn around keep the chickens happy and egg laying.

Forest Apprentices Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory and Golden Salves Order Review

I made a purchase from Forest Apprentices, From the Forest they also are called, a couple of weeks ago. TAT was fast and I got my items from the US to Canada in about 10 days. That is a record for Canada Post these days. My husband has problems with his back and the doctor told him it was arthritis. I did a quick search and found this fabulous store and made a purchase of 1 each of the Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve and Golden Salve. My entire order came to $14.20 including shipping to Canada.

Product Info and Reviews:

Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve

Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve 1oz plastic jar $ 5.00

(Populus balsamifera & Capsicum sp.). For topical use on arthritic and stiff joints. Do not use on broken skin. Due to the Cayenne used in the salve, this product burns when it comes into contact with mucus membranes. Due to it's capsaicin, Cayenne help to relieve the pain of arthritis and other forms of joint inflammation when gently massaged onto the affected area. Cottonwood reduces pain and eases inflammations due to rheumatism and arthritis.

Review:

After rubbing this salve on my husband's entire back the first night he was able to sleep more than 3 hours all night. Closer to 4 hours. Usually he only sleep off and on for three hours and ends up getting up because he is in so much pain. After three nights of rubbing it into his entire back he is able to sleep closer to 5-6 hours. This is a huge change for him. I will continue to purchase this salve for him. It is a good price and arrives quickly.

Golden Salve 1oz plastic jar $ 5.50

Golden Salve

(Curcuma longa & Abies balsamea). This golden colored salve is excellent for reducing scarring, preventing infection in open sores and as a follow-up after using an escharotic product. This product has a tropical ingredient, Tumeric (Curcuma longa).

Review:

I was bit a few times in the garage by a spider and the bites became itchy. That night after my shower I rubbed this Golden Salve on the 5 different bites. They instantly became non itchy. The bites are healing quickly and it has now been four days and they are still not itchy after only two application of this salve. My one issue with this salve is that it turns your skin yellow for a week and that is with daily washing in the shower. It works but it makes you yellow.

Shop Review:

I will be purchasing from this shop again. I know that the Arthritis Anti-Inflammatory Salve will get used up as they only come in 1oz jars. I will see if the shop owner will make a larger batch for me. She has other great items that I want to try.

I have found that this store sells on various sites, including the big auction site.

Burt's Bee's Sensitive Skin Cleanser and Daily Moisturizing Cream

As a part of BzzAgent, I was given the ability to sign up for the Burt's Bees Sensitive Solutions Campaign. I was very excited by this as I have sensitive skin that is very red all the time. When my Buzz Kit arrived I was pleasantly surprised by the full size products they sent for me to try. In the package I received:

A full-size Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin Daily Moisturizer

A full-size Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser

Samples and coupons to pass along!

Skin Daily Moisturizer: This moisturizer is clinically proven to moisturize sensitive skin all day without causing redness or irritation. This day cream is formulated with Cotton Extract to minimize the effects of irritants and to replenish the outer layer of skin to keep it supple. Rice Extract moisturizes and Aloe soothes your skin. This daily moisturizer is perfect for daily usage.

I have been using this for awhile now and it has cut back my bright red face I get throughout the day. I also have dry patches on my forehead yet oily patches on my cheeks and nose. In addition I get cystic acne on my chin with oil. This cream has brought all those problems into check in about a week of daily morning usage. IT seems to me that no matter what skin problems you have this cream will work for you. It is very creamy and goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. You do not need much for your face. I use half of what I use of my gel moisturizer.

Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin Facial Cleanser: This is a soap-free cleaner that is clinically proven to moisturize skin while cleaning away dirt, oil and makeup without over drying or causing redness or irritation. It is formulated with softening Cotton Extract to minimize the effects of irritants and to replenish the outer layer of skin to keep it supple. Rice Extract moisturizes and Aloe soothes your skin. This cleanser is gentle enough for daily usage on the most sensitive skin.

I used this a few times and felt that this cleanser would not wash off my face and did not get it clean. As it was specifically formulated for sensitive skin that is dry, my skin does not fit the bill. I imagine if you do not have oily skin this cleanser would do wonders for you. I really wanted to like it as it is very gentle.

My over all thoughts on this product line: I will continue to use the cream until it becomes to hot out and need to go back to my light weight gel moisturizer in the next couple of months. I will repurchase the cream in October when it becomes chilly and windy out again. The cleanser is not for me but I have oilies so that does not mean it is a bad product. You need to find what works for your skin and its needs. The night cream would be great for dry skin and needs a deep moisturizing at night.

Sweet Pine Soaps Order Review

I finally got around to purchasing Cold Pressed (CP) soap off Etsy.  I ordered from Sweet Pine Soaps.  TAT was very fast.  I was searching Etsy for unscented organic soap and came across this nice store.  I ordered 3 soaps to try homemade soaps before making a bigger order in case I didn't like them.

It's official!  I will no longer buy store bought soaps, other than the Dove Sensitive Skin soap bars for my husband.  The lather and fragrance is amazing!  I got unscented, Triple Lemon and Orange Grapefruit Clove.  These are all cold pressed.  She also included a small slice of Primrose Orange soap.

The Triple Lemon has three different lemon essential oils in it.  I cut the bar into thirds.  I used it in the shower and it has fantastic lather.  It smells fantastic.  I also used part of the bar as hand soap.

First sniff of Orange Grapefruit Clove is very strong of citrus and spice.

I cut the unscented bar into thirds as well and used it also in the shower on my sensitive skin on my upper arms.  It moisturized my skin greatly and has a very organic scent to it.

Unscented soap ingredients: saponified oils of olive, *coconut, *palm, (sustainably harvested) & *castor; filtered water.
*denotes organic ingredient

Note: 'saponified' is a term to indicate sodium hydroxide (lye) has been used to turn the oils into soap, none left in the finished bar. 

For the triple lemon, the base ingredients are the same, organic turmeric to color it and scent it with lemon, lemongrass & litsea cubeba essential oils.

For the pink grapefruit, the base ingredients are the same, rose clay to color it and scent it with orange, pink grapefruit and clove essential oils.

What soap brands do you prefer? What scents do you like? Leave your answers in the comment section below.

What is Etsy all about?

Have you ever wonder what Etsy is? You have heard about it but not sure what it really is. Etsy is a mall like website. There are many shops all in one place. What do all the shops have in common? They only sell handmade or vintage items.

Jewelry, lotion, soap, makeup, toys, quilts, beading, art, frames, home decor, candles, fragrance oils, essential oils, clothing, hats, scrap-booking materials, paper items, wedding items, laundry soap

I first heard of Etsy.com on makeupalley.com on the wedding board. They were discussing their headpieces, wedding jewelry and hair clips. I had looked at some links to various etsy.com shops to give opinions for the posters. Being married myself, I didn't really need to browse for myself. I didn't spend much time on the site thinking they only sold items for weddings.

A few months back I started to develop severely sensitive skin and was directed to Etsy on MUA for homemade bath products, soap and shampoo. I searched a bunch of different stores and found that most of them had cute soaps and packaging and fairly decent shipping to Canada. Some places have $15 for the first item and $5 for each additional item which is very high. I would not be willing to pay that amount as there is many many other shops with more reasonable shipping rates. I know that it's more work to ship internationally.

The good thing about Etsy when it comes to bath and body products is that SLSs aren't used and everything is gentle on your skin. Ingredients are either listed or you can ask for them. My skin problems have gone away for the most part since using homemade products.

The jewelry is beautiful and you can see the time and care put into the pieces when you receive them. Many items are one-of-a-kinds or there are very few out there. You know you will have unique pieces.

You are able to contact the seller and do special orders with most sellers. The TAT may be a bit longer if they are having to make it for you specially but you get what you want.

I love to browse and purchase on Etsy.com. There is so much variety and the customer service is fantastic. Take a look yourself. Have fun!

Pogo.com Review

I get easily bored and prefer to play games online where I can collect tokens or stars or something. I found Pogo.com when my husband and I were looking for a new place to play Euchre and Cribbage after we had an issue with Yahoo games. We searched for a free site that offered card games for multiple people.

Want to play free onine games? www.pogo.com is a great site to join. I have been a member of this site for over 6 years. The website has added new games that add to the excitment to this already wonderful free gaming website. Not only can you play games on the website and interact with others, you can also download games as well.

Pogo.com has card games that are both single player and multiplayer. There are many different versions of solitaire. They offer word games and puzzle games. Pogo.com also has Bejeweled and Monopoly and Clue. You can even play Bingo and casino games. You can play multi player games of Euchre, canasta and cribbage. Bingo is an interactive games with others online. You can invite your friends and play all games in game rooms with them and be able to chat while you play.

My favourite games to play are Spider Solitaire, Mahjong Safari and Lottso! Express. Lottso! Express is a game where you get a board and at the top you get balls that have numbers on them. On the board you have numbers and you want to fill the board with corresponding balls. The more you fill the more points you get. The 6x6 gameboard is divided into 6 different 3x2 cards, which some players also call trays. If you fill up one of these 3x2 cards with 6 balls, you will earn a scratcher. Scratchers earn you extra points when you scratch them. You can increase the value of a scratcher by placing balls in the multiplier area next to the scratcher. The scratcher could be increased by placing an 8 and/or a 2 in the multiplier area.The 6x6 gameboard is divided into 6 different 3x2 cards, which some players also call trays. If you fill up one of these 3x2 cards with 6 balls, you will earn a scratcher. Scratchers earn you extra points when you scratch them. You can increase the value of a scratcher by placing balls in the multiplier area next to the scratcher. The scratcher could be increased by placing an 8 and/or a 2 in the multiplier area.

Players score points by placing balls and completing bingos (row, column or diagonal and using all 6 balls in the rack

The 6x6 gameboard is divided into 6 different 3x2 cards, which some players also call trays. If you fill up one of these 3x2 cards with 6 balls, you will earn a scratcher. Scratchers earn you extra points when you scratch them. You can increase the value of a scratcher by placing balls in the multiplier area next to the scratcher. The scratcher could be increased by placing an 8 and/or a 2 in the multiplier area
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