posts by Samantha
For me, the easiest way to experiment with my hair is to change up my shampoo and conditioner regimen. I mean, we all know that if our hair is weighted down by gunk it can be heavy and lifeless and if we use something naughty it can strip all the essential oils away and break more easily. I always start with the source if my hair is suddenly acting persnickety. Instead of spending money on STYLING products first, I make sure my hair isn’t getting the shaft. (HA HA get it? SHAFT? *wipes tear*)
I’ve mentioned before what I’m dealing with up top, which is thickthickthick hair that has a natural wave. I am sensitive to perfume-y smells because, call me crazy, I hate to be followed around all day by a dish of my grandmother’s old and dusty potpourri. Since my hair is so heavy I have to be careful when selecting a shampoo as it needs to rinse clean, and the conditioner has to be thick enough to get out all the tangles and snarls without me stepping out of the shower like a greasy monkey. See what I have to put up with? So it’s a tough match with me and my cleansing products is what I’m saying.
Thus enters Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly line. I have begun embracing my messy waves (that long ago were actual CURLS but apparently having a baby made my body re-set the hair function as well as turning a number that rhymes with blirty.) All I did was roam the aisles at Target and the fabu purple bottles jumped out at me. I was sold by the advertising that said “Embrace your softer side with perfectly imperfect hair” because DUH I could totally do that! I’m soft AND imperfect! I tossed my bottles in the cart and actually looked FORWARD to taking a shower. Seriously, I might have done a casual glassade into the bathroom.
I loved the shampoo and conditioner right away. The wild violet & pomegranate had a clean and romantic aroma which my husband has said on more than one occasion ’smells heavenly’ which, I think we can agree, is never a bad thing. My waves are less frizzy and there is no added weight to my hair. The conditioner is fab in that it’s thick out of the bottle but spreads evenly over wet hair without glumping all over the place. It rinses well too. Herbal Essences also has a bunch of styling products to complete the whole tousled process but I’m not quite there yet. Just still enjoying the freshly clean and messy look I’m rocking over here.
All I’m saying is try it. You’ll like it. Each bottle is around $4.00 depending on where you go. It looks like it’s not sold online but I see it in stores all the time.
No go be imperfect!
(Welcome Allyson from Pocklock! Take it away!)
I live with one rosy cheeked little girl.
My daughter’s skin is super sensitive and it has been since birth. She’s also very allergic (she got that from her mama) to everything. I’ve always been super cautious on trying any new bath or lotion product on her after her hypersensitivity was called out during our first vacation to visit my mother in Miami when she was just eleven weeks old. I had asked my Mom to buy all the same lotions we used on her skin at home which she did, however, on the third day we were there Lyla’s legs broke out in this horrible looking rash. She was too young for sunscreen so we weren’t taking her outside without being fully covered. When I called the pediatrician, they recommended Aquaphor.
The Aquaphor caused the rash to become even more red and BLEED. And the child? Screamed her head off.
My kid is allergic to Aquaphor. Go figure.
In the winter time here in New England, she’s prone to her skin chapping and bleeding much like it did that one time in Florida. I worry most about this when it comes to her face. Most Mom’s recommend using Aquaphor on their kids to prevent chapping in the winter. And um. Well, we know how that turned out last time.
Instead, I’ve started using Boudreaux’s Baby Kisses. I apply it after bath at night before bed and in the morning before we leave the house. She also has a tube that I keep in her cubbie at daycare and her teachers apply it before they go outside and before nap. The ointment is not too think or greasy. It’s quickly absorbed so it doesn’t immediately get wiped off. If I stay on top of the applications, the difference is truly noticeable. And the best part? She has zero negative reaction to the product which is a huge win in my book!
Oh, and I totally have nothing against Aquaphor. It just doesn’t work for us. (Please don’t send me hate mail!)
Boudreaux’s Baby Kisses, $3.99 at local stores and drugstore.com
(The lovely Jen from Jayesel! Take it away!)
I’ve always struggled with my skin. I’ve never had acne so bad I needed professional intervention, but I do have large pores and a pretty uneven skintone, plus the occasional nasty breakout (thanks, PMS!) My skin was never going to be perfect peaches-and-cream, so I knew I’d have to fake it with makeup. And once I started wearing makeup in junior high, I was on a mission to find the Perfect Foundation.
I tried regular foundation in a glass bottle. I tried the weird powder-to-liquid foundations. I tried going with no foundation, just loose or pressed powder. I either ended up with goopy, heavy coverage that felt like I was wearing butter on my face, or I had too little coverage that still showed the unevenness of my skin.
Boo.
I never really settled on a foundation that would ‘work’ for more than a couple of months… either my skin changed, or I grew tired of fooling myself into thinking whatever I was using was working. Basically, whenever the Product Of The Month ran out, I didn’t love it enough to purchase it again. I was on a never-ending carousel of foundations. It wasn’t very fun. And it got kinda expensive.
Then, about 4 years ago, my sister hosted a Mary Kay party for her mother-in-law who had just started selling the stuff. I knew a little bit about Mary Kay but I had never been a User (ha, sounds so illicit!) We had a great time at the party, and after trying it out during the ‘makeover’ portion of the party, I decided to give the Medium Coverage Foundation a shot.
Four years later, I’m still loving it. And this coming from the girl who changed foundation every other month for 15 years? Is a big deal.
It’s the perfect weight for my skin- not too heavy, and it rarely feels greasy and heavy (a little bit in the summer when it’s hot, but I think that’s more because OMG HUMIDITY than anything with the product. I just use a bit less in the warmer weather.) For my weird skin, the coverage is perfect. It’s easy to blend, and it hides just about everything but feels very non-gross (technical term!). I love that I can put it on in the morning, pair it with some concealer for any major blemishes, and just touch-up with powder throughout the day. They also have a ton of shades to choose from, and if you have a local Mary Kay rep, you can easily try a few to find that perfect match.
I have received several compliments on my skin in the past few years since I started using the Mary Kay foundation, and part of me finds that HILARIOUS, looking back on all the years I spend struggling to find something that worked.
And probably the best part is that it’s only $14 a tube and it lasts a LONG time. I think one tube can last me at least 6 months (though I don’t wear make up every single day, maybe 4 or 5 days a week, typically) So for a product that works so perfectly for me and costs so little in the grand scheme of things? I SAY SCORE.
Mary Kay Medium Coverage Foundation, $14.00 at MaryKay.com
So! *brisk handclap* It sure is winter around here isn’t it? Whether we’re in the middle of a snowpocalypse buried under four feet of snow or skidding around on icy side walks, chances are no matter where you live it’s colder than normal and rather dry. It doesn’t take an expert to tell you that this combination can turn your skin all wonky. Especially your lips. And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner (Pssst. It’s Sunday) you need to get your pucker in tip-top shape. Enter ChapStick Overnight.
I have been using ChapStick Overnight Lip Treatment religiously for years before I go to bed and holy geeze can I tell the difference. I’m not going to come right out and say I give Angelina Jolie a run for her money, but you’re intelligent people and can deduce what you’d like. The point is, this stuff works. It hydrates, it protects, and it truly stays put throughout the night. I don’t get any results from regular lip balm because it’s not thick enough to last six to eight hours. With this balm, my lips are shielded from our dry central heat air, and don’t feel like they need a drink of water when I wake up. Another happy bonus? There’s no tell-tale evidence on my sheets the next morning. I’m a tummy sleeper so I always worry about getting my nightly beauty routine all over our bed but by some miracle, this stuff stays on lips and refuses to budge. Sort of like a strip of velcro, if velcro were a lip treatment.
Do you ever get dry and scaly skin around your lip line? It’s not a hot look. I have been prone to it more times than I care to admit so before I fall asleep I go to TOWN and apply this beyond my lip line. My husband says I look so shiney he can see me in the dark (which is a total exaggeration, btw) but hey, we’re married. It’s not all perfumed sheets and Victoria’s Secret up in here. Is it a wee bit goopy? Yes. But it’s not like a spider web forms between your lips if you try and talk, because that would be horrific (and kind of awesome all at the same time). It’s more substantial than your basic gloss, yes, but it does it’s job. It doesn’t really have a flavor to it for better or for worse, and after a bit your forget you have it on. Though SOME bedmates may not.
I’ve skipped a few nights here and there if I find myself unexpectedly staying overnight, or if I forget to pack it when going out of town and trust me, I can FEEL IT the next day. Flakey and sandpaper-y and BLECH. It’s easy to become addicted once you start using it, as your lips will feel like they are eighteen again. And with the most romantic holiday rapidly approaching it’s important to make sure they are primed and ready to go. Your lipstick will look better. It will slow you down from looking like a sour puss. Good morning smooches will be all the more enjoyable. And for $3.99 at most drugstores you really can’t go wrong.
Take back the night and show winter who’s boss! Happy and hydrated makes for a good night’s sleep.
ChapStick Overnight Lip Treatment, $3.99 at most drugstores and drugstore.com
Wassup, my livin’-life-on-the-cheap hotties? I really don’t talk like that, but sometimes, I have to get things like that out. Let’s all take a deep breath and move on.
My name’s Sarah Lena, and I write at The Anvil Tree and you can see me at Southern Fried Snark. When the lovely Samantha asked me to do a guest post, she did so for two reasons: 1) she loves me and that feeling is TOTALLY mutual and not just because we’re both married to a man named Bryan and 2) she knows I am a cheap product HO. And then I was all, Gah, how do I narrow down what products I want to tout?! I couldn’t, so I decided to narrow it down to a line. I? Am John Frieda’s lovah.
We’ll start with this: I have curly hair. It was curlier before the kids, but still has a lot of natural wave to it. Also.. get ready .. I don’t wash my hair. A lot. I maybe wash it twice in a seven day period. Judge if you must, but with curly hair? Dude, it TOTALLY looks best after two or three days of grit and oil.
Back to mah man, Mr. John Frieda.
His Curl Around ($5.99) line is a GODSEND for ladies with curly hair. Or, quite frankly, even if you don’t but you plan on adding volume to your hair. (Hot rollers, teasing, what have you.)
Also, his Luxurious Volume Root Lift Spray ($5.99) is a staple in my army. It totally gives you Texas-big hair. Spray it in while your hair is drying (DO NOT TURBAN WRAP YOUR HAIR and DO NOT PUT ANY HEAT INTO IT UNTIL IT’S ALMOST DRY) and trust me. Great lift.
Lastly, the piece de resistance (please imagine me saying that with a french accent):
This produce is aptly named. John Frieda’s Secret Weapon Finish Creme ($6.49) is THE BOMB. After your hair is finished, styled, whatevs, rub a tiny bit of this between your palms and just kinda scrunch your hair. Make sure your tips are hit by this. Amazingly moisturizing, not at all weighty, and your hair looks salon-perfect.
So what’s totally awesome? I just gave you a complete hair routine for about $20 that you can find at places like Target and drugstore.com! You’re very welcome!
(Many, many thanks to the ladies of Live Well, Spend Well for having me!)
Hey there, friends of Live Well Spend Well. Samantha, Katie and Kori were kind enough to let me take over this space for a day. What were they thinking, right? Oh wait, you don’t know me? Therefore, you don’t know the stink I am capable of causing? Well, maybe that’s a good thing. In any case, my name is Nilsa and I have my own little life blog over at SoMi Speaks.
Growing up, I adored my grandmother. I looked forward to the annual trips from St. Louis to Washington DC, where she would dote on me for a week at a time. We’d go to the many museums downtown. We’d visit my grandfather at his liquor store, mere steps from the Capitol, where I was always put in charge of lottery ticket sales. I played dress-up with her jewelry. Watched while she put on her make-up everyday.
One memory emblazoned in my mind from that time is her bottle of Oil of Olay. She used it for as long as I can remember.
When I finally graduated college, I decided it was time to be a grown-up. That included beginning to care for my skin. Since I really didn’t know where to start, I started with what I knew. Oil of Olay. Throughout my 20s, I used this moisturizing cream. Day and night. Not realizing I was supposed to be using something different depending on whether the sun was up or down.
During those years, to be honest, I had great skin. Well, after that little acne attack that I took care of through lethal drugs from my dermatologist. But, I’m not here to talk about that. That time of my life gifted me with smooth, supple skin. It was never dry. It always felt smooth. Little did I know, it’d all change in my 30s.
My skin this decade has been more challenging. Granted, I’m not as diligent about washing and moisturizing twice daily. Shame on me. But, my skin, it’s gotten dryer. Some creases have begun to show. It’s no longer smooth and beautiful the way it once was. I varied my washing and moisturizing routines, but was having trouble finding one that worked. One where I really noticed a difference, an improvement in my skin.
A couple years ago, I got a good tongue-lashing from the woman I was using as a make-up artist for my wedding. My skin was DRY! She gave me a very expensive, designer moisturizer for the months leading up to the wedding with strict instructions to use it every night. Wanting to be a beautiful, glowing bride, I followed her instructions. For months. I even purchased the $70 tub of cream when her donation ran out.
And you know what? I didn’t really notice a difference. And so, about a year ago, I was done with the expensive treatments. I wanted the ease and inexpense of over the counter. And more importantly, I wanted a product that worked. So, I returned to that handy jar of Oil of Olay (though, now I think they’re calling it Olay Complete).
It’s taken some time, but I really have noticed a difference in my skin. It’s not as dry as it once was. And while some of the wrinkles are here to stay, I have noticed a slowing in their growth. So long as I continue with my daily morning routine of Oil of Olay (and my night routine of a moisturizer made specific for night), I truly believe my skin will continue to improve.
Olay Complete. $8.49 – $10.99 for 4 oz at local drugstores and Drugstore.com.
Aside from the fact that I have highlighted my hair since I was 15, I’d say I have virgin hair. I hate blow drying it, flat-ironing it, and I am most certainly NOT a product fan (I like being able to still have touchable tresses throughout the day). However, I have come to accept the fact that in certain instances I need to use something in order to achieve the results I want. But first, let’s get the lowdown on what I’m working with:
- It’s crazy thick. Even as a wee babe I never had baby-fine hair; right out of the gate it meant serious business. My hair stylist actually had to purchase special wooden wide-toothed combs just for me as I’d break all of her other ones with my wet and tangly hair. True story.
- It has a natural wave. Throughout high school all I had to do was scrunch it with some water and I’d have some texture. I liked this as I could go either straight or wavy without a whole lot of execution or, who am I kidding, SKILL. I never had to master the art of ANYTHING relating to styling my hair because it was essentially easy. Well, aside from up-dos and don’t even get me started on THOSE because any gal with thick hair will tell you that maintaining an up-do for the length of time a formal event requires is enough to evoke a panic attack.
- It is happy to be highlighted. I first highlighted my hair in highschool and have never turned back. My natural color is brown, but I have two-tone blond/carmel coloring throughout to brighten it up a bit. LOVE. I will never go back to a single flat color again. And even with all the processing my hair has always been healthy. No split ends or nasty flakey bits. Hooray!
I understand that with this flowing mane comes great potential, and yet I am lazy. I love a styled and polished look but hate the actual styling part. That is, until I discovered Guts by Redken.
Guts is a spray mousse. Did you catch that? A mousse. . .that SPRAYS. It adds volume! Isn’t heavy and gloppy! It’s genius is what it is. I love it because it still provides a good amount of hold without making me feel like I’m wearing a helmet, all while not weighing me down. I’ve tried water wax in the past and it was too heavy, and I didn’t like how my hands felt afterwards if I touched my hair. Remember, I have thick hair so anything that can add voume is key. The smell is friendly and not overpowering which is an added bonus.
I didn’t like putting this on when my hair was totally wet, so I’d dry it about 75% of the way through and then spray it on. I’d scrunch away, dry a smidge more and be done. When I use this product I am trying to acheive this look with a bit more volume and messiness in the back (still waiting for that medal to arrive though):
It works fantasitcally. The Redken site says you can also use this product with a round brush if you wanted a smooth look, but I think it is perfect for a messy tousled ‘do.
Redken Guts Spray Mousse, $18.00 for 10.58 oz. on drugstore.com. Can also be found wherever Redken products are sold.
And don’t forget to enter to win a $20 beauty.com gift card over here.
I am a bit of a fanatic when it comes to my cuticles. I refuse to allow them to become dry and flaky and I am religious when it comes to moisturizing them. I once saw a greeting card with a woman holding out her hand to show off her engagement ring. And my eyes were immediately drawn to her cuticles which were DISGUSTING! I may have convulsed in the card aisle because c’mon! If YOU knew you were going to go on a modeling job and SHOW OFF YOUR HANDS wouldn’t you at least put some lotion on? And don’t even get me started on the quality control factor. Who approved this photo? Are they not well-versed with Photoshop? GAH. *shakes mental image out of head. On to happier thoughts* I like to think that having nice cuticles detracts from my ability to get a manicure in a timely manner, but moving on. . .
I used to use random cuticle oil before bed every night and it worked fairly well but stained my sheets. It also got all over whatever book or magazine I was reading before I passed out in a mouth-breathing coma. When perusing the Burt’s Bees section I noticed they had Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme and was excited to give it a try.
I’ve always been a big Burt’s Bees fan so I knew this was a product and company I could trust. What I immediately liked about the creme was how it smelled. I’m sensitive to strong scents and this is light and fresh, with the slightest hint of lemon. It smells clean, and doesn’t detract from any other scent I may have on which is fabulous. I put it on prior to bed, pawed through my People Magazine, and didn’t have any newsprint on my hands. Thumbs up. I also woke up with noticeably softer cuticles and no oily residue, all after a single use. After using it every day for a few weeks I had stronger nails that didn’t split as much. That’s like extra credit!
This product is listed as 94.91% natural on their website (ya’ll KNOW how important that is to me) and they explain their qualifications:
“At Burt’s Bees, we label every product we make with what we call a “natural bar.” This bar discloses exactly how natural that specific product is. Our products average 99% natural, with half being 100% natural. We will continue to strive for 100% natural on all our products, investigating all ingredients and the latest technologies to create the best products for your greatest well-being.”
I’ve been trying to go as Green as possible when selecting beauty products and I like knowing that their cuticle creme is as natural as can be (or bee. HA!). I don’t want nasty chemicals and petroleum-based products on my nails that can get in my eyes and mouth if I’m not careful. Not that I exhibit toddler-like behavior and stick my fingers all over my face, but I wear contacts so yeah, my fingers do go into my eyes at least twice a day.
A .6 oz tin is around $6.00 (total steal) and lasts for-evuh! I’ve had this thing for months and it’s not even close to half gone. It’s way easier for me to invest in something when I know it has longevity, which this product clearly does.
Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme, drugstore.com (and others) $5.99
Oh, and don’t forget about our Lands’ End reuseable lunch bag giveaway. Pack a lunch and save money while going Green: http://bit.ly/tw29n (ends tonight!)
I have probably tried and put my faith in every single product under the sun to help control breakouts spanning my adolescence, college years, and roaring twenties. They usually work for a short amount of time then fail me miserably. Or even if they do work, they burn the skin off my face or dry it enough to make the Mojave look like a cool and refreshing tide pool. Not only do I hate what sampling all these products ends up doing to my skin, but dropping a pretty penny on a myriad of potions drives me insane. When I find something that works that also doesn’t make my checking account weep, I get tingly.
As much as I’d like to take full-credit for discovering Safeguard Bar Soap to combat breakouts, I can’t. My mom did and was kind enough to pass a bar along for me to try. At first I was all, “Pshaw, Mother. I’m expected to use this cheap and common bar of soap to transform my skin? Puh-LEESE.” (Insert dramatic eye roll here. /scene). But I used it and gee wiz willikers it really worked! (Thanks Mom!)
Picture this: an early twenty-something (*coughmecough*) with a spattering of bumps on her forehead region from excessive sweating over the summer. Clogged pore central. This is clearly unacceptable, as this young woman is trying to find a boyfriend who isn’t a jerk that only cares about her when he doesn’t have anything else to do, though he swears and swears she’s a priority, no really! So she must get her skin under control for the sake of her dating record. Being a spinster with thirty cats isn’t in the Life Plan, so thus enters Safeguard.
I didn’t want to use it on my entire face and off-set the delicate pH balance I had worked so hard to achieve, so I only used it on my target areas, in this case my forehead. Sometimes I needed it on my chin or around my nose, but getting a lather on my hands and applying it wasn’t difficult. Wash off and you’re done. At first I only used it once a day before bed just to see how I responded and it was enough to do the trick. Some might need to use it twice a day, but in case of drying I’d start with once and take it from there. The rest of my skin care routine stayed the same so I didn’t have to alter anything. Once everything was back to normal I lovingly placed my Safeguard in the medicine cabinet, sort of a “Break Open In Case Of Emergency” type situation.
Added bonus: this stuff can make your pits not stink and your feet less raunchy. Talk about the little engine that could! I actually haven’t had to buy this in a store for awhile, as a bar only used for breakouts lasts a long time. I did find it online a few places and it averages a little more than a dollar a bar.
Safeguard Bar Soap, Box of 4 on Amazon.com $5.49.
Three years ago when I knew we were gearing up to start trying to get pregnant, I started slowly making better decisions about what I would put into my body. I started seeking out more natural products that didn’t contain junky junk like paraben and sodium lauryl sulfate because I didn’t want anything harmful to enter my bloodstream. I slowly started eating better, and watching what I used to clean our home. This is not to say that I avoided Cheetos as much as I should have but that’s another post entirely. Small steps people! This slow attempt at a transformation was because I knew my body needed to be in tip-top shape in order to grow little Campen 2.0, and I wanted to do it to the best of my ability. The only thing I regret about all of my preparation is that I didn’t know about Novena Maternal Skin Care, which is Vegan, cruelty-free and Organic and designed specifically to help preggo mamas be as healthy and beautiful as possible. Well my lands who wouldn’t want that?
I received a few products to sample and even though I am not pregnant, I do have some slight skin discoloration as a result so I was excited to see if the brown pigment spots around my eyes and mouth would fade or disappear all together. Ah pregnancy, the gift that keeps on giving! This line is also ideal for nursing mothers, as anything applied to the skin eventually enters the bloodstream. But my line of thinking is this: if a product is safe and recommended for gestating women, wouldn’t you want to use it even if you’re not expecting? Why not be safe and healthy regardless? I actually have a friend who uses that as a rule of thumb for staying healthy, but instead of “What would Brian Boitano Do?” it’s “What would a pregnant woman do?” Works out well.
First up was the Organic Cucumber Cranberry Eye Gel (30 ml $30.00) and let me just say, it has been my mission in life to find the perfect eye cream/gel. I have puffy dark circles under my eyes and I dream of one day having taught and refreshed eyes much like any model on the cover of a magazine, photoshopped of course. I’ve tried creams and gels and I fall firmly in the gel camp. The creams moisturize yes but I like the gel for the cooling and taught aspect. The directions say to use one pump but I found that to be too much. Half a pump worked great and hey, it makes the bottle last longer too! I used it day and night and it really does make my eyes feel refreshed. Now, is it a miracle product that somehow erases the last eighteen months of sleep deprivation? No. But does it make me look a hojillion times more refreshed and jovial? Oh you better believe it.
I also was able to try the Organic Fruit Face Wash (120 ml $28.00) which came not a moment too soon as my other face stuff had just run out. Side note: I LOVE it when that happens. Another side note: I love washing my face. I geek out reading the ingredients so I can know what kind of magical experience I will have when all the gunk gets wiped away. I eat up all the promises made about ‘newer, younger looking skin!’ and adjectives such as ’supple’ and ‘firmer’ and ‘dewy’. I am a marketing savant’s key demographic. So I was clearly pleased as punch when I read Novena’s description of this face wash. All those ingredients are things I could, in theory, eat! So my face could be a yummy organic smoothie of goodness in theory, if you choose to make food analogies when describing facial care products. Which I do apparently! When I used it it didn’t make my face tight and dry like some other washes out there. The first few times it didn’t really get rid of all of my make-up and I was pretty bummed. But then I read the directions. FOUR PUMPS! I was only using two and it clearly mattered, so take it from me–go straight to four pumps and you’re golden.
The last product I was given to sample was the Organic Skin Care Spot Brightening Moisturizer (120 ml $28.00). This was what I was the most excited to try because of the aformentioned pigmentation around my eyes (thanks Theo! Mommy loves you!). Now, let me say that the discoloration isn’t dark enough for anyone else to see, especially if I have make-up on. And lemme tell ya, if you’re going to see me I WILL be wearing make-up. My husband even claims he doesn’t know what spots I’m talking about, but they are there and they shouldn’t be thankyouverymuch. So I might have globbed a little extra on in my ‘troubled areas’ and watched them like a hawk for any change or variance. I honestly think I see a difference, but since everyone else around me is all “Wha? Guuuurl what choo talkin’ bout?” it’s hard to get a second or third opinion. So just trust me. It’s not a Magic Eraser for your face but it does even out skin tone and reduce visible pigmentation. It’s not a heavy lotion by any means so it won’t weigh you down or cause break-outs. I did find that my make-up didn’t go on quite as easy since it was so light, but it wasn’t horrible by any means. I guess I’m used to being a greasy monkey. Don’t judge.
Novena Maternity Skin Care was voted one of the top five organic maternity products in 2009 by Fit Pregnancy Magazine. That’s pretty sweet. They also offer samples of each of their products if you want to dabble first before making a purchase. Each of these three products fall under our Splurge Worth category and I think if ever there is a time to indulge it is when you are pregnant or a new mom.
Novena Maternity Skin Care is generously offered their 5 Product Kit consisting of the three above mentioned items in addition to their Organic Citrus Blemish Lotion and Tangerine Cocoa Belly Butter Cream all in a cute pink insulated bag. This is valued at $135.00! If you’re pregnant, thinking of getting pregnant or KNOW someone who is pregnant, you’ll want to enter this amazing giveaway.
To enter, leave a comment on this post (mandatory) letting me know why you’d like this product kit. You can get extra entries by:
–Following us on Twitter (@livespend) and mentioning the contest : “Organic Novena Maternity Skin Care #giveaway valued at $135.00 @livespend http://tinyurl.com/pez3k7” and be sure to come back and in a separate comment leave the link to your tweet
–Blogging about it and in a separate comment leave a link to your post.
–Subscribe to our RSS feed and comment letting us know. If you already subscribe, mention that in the comments.
–Referring others here and they tell us you sent them (“Sam sent me!”) both you and the person you referred will get a BONUS entry!
Contest will run until September 21st, 11:59 pm CDT. For full information on how we run our contests, see our Disclosure policy.
