Look What I Got--Flameworks!

Do you have a signature scent? I do...I have been wearing some sort of vanilla since I was in high school (I am allergic to perfumey scents!). For the past 10 years or so, I have been using Comptor Sud Vanilla Abricot...a delicious sweet smell that reminds me of bakeries and candy stores. I get stopped all the time by people, men, women and children, asking what "that smell is." The downside...very expensive! I was totally thrilled to find FlameWorks, a fabulous Etsy shop that sells soap, body lotion, lip balm, body mist spray, even deodorant (!), in this absolutely devine fresh fruity fragrance. I have every item...and I love them all. The scent lasts the entire day and I smell as good in the evening as I did when I walked out the house in the morning! The deodorant is one of my favorite products...all natural vegan ingredients and...it actually works! Check out the entire product range HERE including other scents like Lemon Sugar, Pink Sugar, Brown Sugar & Fig....YUM!!

Kazam

My skin is so dry in the winter since the bitter cold here in Cleveland is very harsh. To combat this, I faithfully moisturize my face and skin. The latest body lotion that I have been using is Desire by Kazam...an all natural body product that is enriched with pure plant extracts such as jojoba, sage, yarrow, aloe, jasmin and sandalwood. It has a very feminine and slightly spicy scent (not like my usual vanilla or fruity scents, although they have those scents too!) which is a nice change during the winter season. The lotion contains tons of cocoa and shea butters, so it gives an immediate hydration to my skin and a very pleasant cooling and soothing feeling. Kazam has a full range of other products that I will definitely be checking out in the future. See the full line HERE.

Shiny Happy People

I just got back from two weeks in Mexico and I just have to rave about Burt's Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment. I have dry hair to begin with, but add the daily chlorine, salt water, and sun to the mix, and I knew my hair needed some extra TLC. I have always liked Burt's Bees products (99.3% natural!), so I decided to give this hair treatment a try. Boy, am I glad I did. Every morning, I would take a shower and wet (not shampoo) my hair. I have pretty long hair, so I would put about 2 tablespoons of the treatment, a thick green gel-like substance with a nice mild scent, on my hair and comb it through. Without washing it out, I would wrap my hair into a bun and then go to the pool or beach for the day. Before dinner, I would take a shower and wash the treatment out. The result? My hair has never looked so soft and silky...even in the humid Mexico air! Now, I don't have scientific proof that the treatment protected my hair from the chlorine and salt water, but I can tell you that my hair never looked better! This is definitely a product that I will keep in my routine, although it will probably be just once a week now!

Klean--A Scentual Journey

With the busy holiday season officially upon us, there is nothing better than a quiet relaxing hour to myself. One of my favorite things to do? Get a pedicure. Unfortunately, with my busy schedule, and the hefty price tag of salon pedicures these days, this is a luxury that I don't often indulge in. However, I now have the products to give myself a luxurious pedicure. The Peppermint Pattie Pedi Set by Klean Bath and Body is a complete set that gives you the salon feel right at your home.

I started my experience by soaking my feet in a tub filled with Peppermint bath syrup. Rich and extremely sudsy (a small bit of the syrup makes a ton of bubbles!), I let my feet soak up the all natural ingredients while the room was filled with the wonderful scent of peppermint.

Next, using the scrub brush, I gently exfoliated my feet with the Devil Made Me Do It chocolate sugar polish. The all natural ingredients felt so invigorating on my feet and filled the room with the delicious and decadent scent of cocoa. The smell is so amazing, I wanted to eat it! I also used this on my elbows in the shower to slough away dry flaky skin.

After drying my feet, I slathered them with the Peppermint Dream whipped shea body butter, an ultra rich and thick cream that nourished and instantly softened my feet. The overnight moisturizing socks went on as a last step to keep all the softness on my feet! I am normally not a big fan of pepperminty smells, but this is unlike anything I have ever smelled! The aroma is fantastic. I have been using this cream on my hands every night before bed because the smell is so good and calming.

The entire set is available for $55 and makes a wonderful holiday gift, hostess gift, or just to treat yourself! Check out more of the amazing products that Klean has to offer HERE.

Cool Site of the Week--Bath Desserts

I love dessert after a meal. I don't, however, love the extra calories that come with it. Now, I can have guilt free "dessert" with the fat-free skin care products of Bath Desserts. 100% natural, all of the products are infused with hemp seed oil, a rejuvenating and luxurious plant oil that allows for a non-greasy, deep cellular hydration treatment. The sorbet sugar scrub (pictured below) lightly exfoliated my skin, removing dead cells, and really gave my skin a healthy glow. Available in 12 yummy flavors, I tried the lemon, which has a fabulous fresh, clean and tangy scent. Mild enough for every day use, this scrub instantly softened my skin. Available in 3 different sizes, this is beauty treatment that can be used everyday.

Next, I tried the lip-butter (below) in peppermint. My lips are always chapped, and I am addicted to lip balms. This is one of the best I have tried. Loaded with hemp seed butter, mango butter, beeswax, and peppermint oil, this is a true treat for dry, chapped lips. And, with winter approaching, I will be carrying this handy tin around with me everywhere I go.

I also got the body butter (below) in lemon. Incredibly rich and thick, this body butter is a real treat for dry skin. Packed with hemp oil and mango butter, this butter melted onto my skin and instantly made my skin feel like 20 years younger. Plus, I love the light fresh scent of the lemon. Available in 4 sizes, and 12 delicious scents, this is a must-have as the weather starts to get colder here in Cleveland. A little goes a long way with this extra rich cream.

The handmade bath fizz balls were amazing! With 2 kids, I love to take some time to myself, and a bath is one of my favorite ways to treat myself. Individually wrapped, one fizz ball is the perfect size for a bath! I dropped it in the tub and it instantly started to fizz and dissolve thereby releasing the hemp seed oils and a heavenly citrus-mango scent into the air. My daughters, of course, were fascinated by the fizzing, and jumped into the tub with me. Ah...so much for my relaxing "alone" time. However, the upside is, we all smelled amazing when we got out of the tub, and our skin was incredibly soft!!

Finally, my favorite product, is the body melt truffles. Packaged in a box designed to look like real chocolates, my kids tried to eat them at first! I have to say, I was a bit skeptical at first, but I am SOLD! I used these immediately after getting out of the shower. I toweled off, and while my skin was still warm from the shower, I took one of the truffles and began to rub it over my skin (like I was greasing a pan). The truffle literally began to melt on my skin. The scent was amazing, filled the whole bathroom, and truly lasted all day. One pat goes a long way and can be used several times since it really is a rich skin treatment.

This is a wonderful new product line that I am thrilled to have found and incorporated into my daily routine. Check out all their products, including monthly specials HERE.

Take Care of Your Froot

Manor Hall Soap Company, one of my favorite soap and skin care lines, has introduced a new line of pedicure spa products specifically for the feet. "Your feet walk thousands of steps a day", says Susan Mann, owner of Manor Hall, and creator of the brand new Froot line. "And your soles don't have any of their own oil glands to soften them. This is why feet and heels so often become dry and cracked." Mann combined her love of the beach, her adoration of the sweet juicy scents of tropical fruits, and her experience with skin soothing synthetic-free beauty goodies to create Froot. All natural (NO synthetic ingredients!), the new line has a luxurious Froot polish, a Froot Tube (an all natural soft butter balm in a handy push-up stick), a deodorizing Froot Wash, a revitalizing Froot Soak and a soothing Froot Spritz. All are available in two lively tropical flavors, Lemon-Lime and Grapefruit-Tangerine. Truly, what a wonderful way to indulge yourself (because you are worth it!!) and whisk your feet away to the tropics, all from the comfort of home, all year round. The prices are extremely reasonable, and, in fact, are being offered at introductory prices right now!! Check it out HERE.