archives: Eco-Friendly

Throwdown: eco-friendly toilet bowl cleaners

October 28th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Kitchen & Home | Comments (3)

Is it too much information for me to share with you, the internet at large, that we have been having some plumbing problems at our place?  Until we convince our building/landlord that they should perhaps address this situation like YESTERDAY, we have become a household where cleaning the toilet has gone from a “once a week when we clean the bathroom” activity to a “every day, sometimes twice depending on how much coffee a certain someone has been drinking” kind of thing.  It’s enough to drive one to booze, frankly.

But I am a giving person, and instead of drowning my sorrows in Makers Mark, I have figured out a way to turn my pain into your gain.  Since all this scrubbing has us going through toilet bowl cleaner at a rate that dramatically exceeds our normal usage, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to test several of the various “eco-friendly” toilet bowl cleaners on the market.

In the old days, we were all so naïve, weren’t we?  We all cleaned our toilets with bleach- and chemical-based products that used animated anthropomorphic bubbles in their advertisements, and we never thought much of it.

We’ve all grown wiser, though, and have come to realize that “chock full of chemicals and fumes” is perhaps not how we’d like to describe a product that we use in small, non-ventilated spaces mere feet from our toothbrushes.  Great brands like Method, Mrs. Meyer, and Seventh Generation have stepped in with great natural alternatives designed to keep some of those nasty chemicals out of our kitchens and bathrooms.

But: when it comes to cleaning a toilet, I really want the product to WORK.  I want shiny, clean, disinfected toilet.  I just can’t deal with a cleaning product that doesn’t make the toilet sparkle, no matter how earth-friendly.

Thus began the quest for the perfect eco-friendly toilet bowl cleaner.  Our contestants today shall be graded on value, fragrance, bottle design, eco-friendliness, and performance, plus any other factors I feel you ought to know. Let’s begin, shall we?

Method’s Lil’ Bowl Blu

lil bowl blu

Value: $7.49 for 24 ounces, or 31.2 cents per ounce

Fragrance: Smells fine, a little herbal, but mostly not very strongly scented

Bottle design: has the skinny end for squirting up under the rim, but the large bulbous disc-shaped main bottle was a little hard for me to grip securely, and was awkward to maneuver in the 360 degree turn around the bowl.

Eco-friendliness: High. Method’s blog explains that they use xantham gum, a natural ingredient, to thicken this product, plus plant-derived lactic acid (way less sketchy than the battery acid used in other toilet bowl cleaners).  Method also gets mad props for their super-honest and up front disclosure policy.  You never have to wonder what’s in their products- they tell you.

Performance:  meh. While I can vouch for the naturalness of xantham gum (I use it in baking for my sister who can’t eat gluten), it didn’t really do a good enough job of creating a thick goo that sticks to the walls of the toilet.  Once I started scrubbing, it didn’t foam up at all, and it took a lot of elbow grease to get the job done.  Not my fave.

Overall: while I love Method’s commitment to eco-friendliness, and I give them MAJOR props for being so up front about what they put in their products, this particular product just doesn’t do it for me.  (BUT, if you are not using method’s stainless steel cleaner yet, get out and buy some.  A.mazing.

Seventh Generation’s Emerald Cyprus and Fir

7th generation

Value: $5.39 for 32 ounces, or 16.8 cents per ounce

Fragrance: The “fir” in the name was a huge reason why I bought this one, because I am irrationally enamored of anything that smells like pine trees.  Sadly, the scent here was pretty mild, and mostly like citrus with a little herbal tone to it, not at all like the thicket of pine trees I’d been hoping for.

Bottle Design:  The shape of the bottle is pretty standard, and the flip-top squirter is long and skinny and does a decent job of getting up under the toilet bowl rim.

Eco-friendliness: Also good.  Like method, uses xantham gum and lactic acid, plus “plant-derived demineralizer and cleaning agents.”  Non-toxic and biodegradable

Performance: Well, it’s a little hard to say.  The liquid is clear, so it’s hard to tell how well it clings to the wall of the toilet bowl.  But it foamed up nicely and got the toilet looking sparkling and smelling fresh with minimal effort on my part.  I was pleased.

Overall: Nice big bottle + plant derived natural ingredients + excellent foaming action + pleasant, if mild, scent = happy user.

Clorox Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

green works
Value:  $5.49 for 24 ounces, or 22.8 cents per ounce

Fragrance: strongly citrus scent, no chemical undernotes (that was a happy surprise; Clorox regular toilet bowl cleaner used to require me to leave the house for an hour after I used it just to get some fresh air.)  Some users at drugstore.com seem to HATE the very strong citrus-y smell, but I found it pleasant.

Bottle design: the best of the bunch.  Clorox has clearly learned some lessons from its years of non-eco-friendly product experience: this bottle gets right up under the rim easily, squirts smoothly, turns well.

Eco-friendliness: a little tougher to tell.  It, too, uses xantham gum and lactic acid, and also uses citric acid.  The website has a lovely display showing some of the ingredients, but not all.  A look at the label also lists a “cocunut-based cleaning agent”, and tells us that it contains no bleach or phosphorus.  That’s good: those are both no-no ingredients that are common in non-eco-friendly toilet bowl cleaners.

Performance: very good.  The gel squirts on thickly and sticks well to the sides of the bowl.  It’s green (clever, Clorox peeps, dying this stuff green- but don’t think you’re fooling me, I know that that color comes from the “yellow and blue dye” that you list on your ingredient list, not from its inherently natural properties) but the color lets you see that yes, it’s sticking well.  It foams up nicely with scrubbing, and got my toilet sparkling clean.

Overall: I was happily surprised at both the performance and the fact that this was an environmentally low-impact product from a brand that has historically not really been known for it’s earth-friendliness.  Probably the best cleaner of the bunch.

So, which one will I buy again?

Well, there are actually two additional eco-friendly brands that I want to try – Mrs. Meyer and J.R. Watkins – but I’m hopeful that we will have this plumbing problem resolved before I have to buy two more bottles, so I didn’t want to wait to share my findings thus far.  (Have you tried either of the ones I haven’t tried yet?  Email me!)  But of the three I’ve tried so far?  For performance,  Clorox Green Works was the clear winner.  If you’re looking for the best combination of value and performance (like maybe if you aren’t facing plumbing problems) I’d go with the Seventh Generation.

Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme Review

October 5th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Oldies but Goodies, Skincare | Comments (2)

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!)

Lands End Lunch Bag Review and Giveaway

September 30th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Kids | Comments (13)

Sometimes I think that if I hear another sentence that begins with “in these tough economic times” I’m going to have no choice but to jump off our 21st-floor balcony.  The phrase has just gotten so overused, and is being attached to so many ridiculous things that it’s kind of run its course, for me.

Except, of course, these ARE lean times.  For many of us, that means evaluating our day-to-day spending and trying to make smarter, more frugal choices.  One of the easiest ways to do this, as I’m sure you’ve heard, is to bring your lunch instead of buying it.  This holds true for adults and kids, though I’m thinking specifically of adults here- I don’t know about your town, but in Chicago it’s alarmingly easy to drop $8 or $10 on a fairly average, not-particularly-healthy lunch from a downtown purveyor.  Not awesome.

So I try to bring my lunch most days.  This has led to a comical parade of lunch-toting products that I’ve tried over the years.  I’m looking for the right balance of function and non-nerdiness: it’s hard to convey a professional image when one is toting a My Little Pony lunchbox, or when one’s soup has leaked all over one’s important files.

That’s why, when Lands’ End offered to send me one of their lunch bags to test-drive, I happily agreed.

lunch sack

And I have to say: it’s been a while since I used a basic insulated lunch bag, and the design of these things has come a LONG way since I was in junior high.

The first thing I noticed were all the little design features designed to make the bag more useful: a front pocket that closes with Velcro, perfect for holding a napkin, (or a note if you’re the kind of parent who leaves notes in your kids lunch); a sturdy reinforced handle and mini-carabiner at the top so you could clip the bag to another bag; a cushioned bottom to prevent fruit bruising; a lining that pulls out so it’s easy to clean; and a nice long band of velcro along the top to close it securely.

It’s got the right look, too- it’s slim and low profile and comes in many colors, including a bunch of neutrals.  And this may seem like a small thing, but there’s no big logo on the outside, just a small reflective patch and a very subtle “Lands’ End” badge on the side.  This thing would blend in, is what I’m saying.

It’s not perfect, though.  I tend to bring a lot of leftovers in my lunch, and this bag’s slim design can be a liability- it’s a little too small to comfortably accommodate most of the Tupperware I use, so  I end up putting them in sideways and then awkwardly carrying the bag sideways to keep the containers inside upright.  Not ideal.  Because of the hefty insulation inside, it’s also a little bulky- it doesn’t fold down all that small for when I have to put it back in my bag to take it home at the end of the day.  The handle on the top seems more kid-sized than adult-sized (fine if you’re using it for your kids, and not a huge deal even for adults, but when your hands are already full it would be nice if it were a little bigger so you could slide the bag over your wrist).

On the whole, though, if you’re looking for a basic, sturdy, thoughtfully-designed lunch bag for you or your kids (which doesn’t cost a bloody FORTUNE, like some of the lunch bags I’ve seen out there), the Lands’ End model is a good bet.

The Lands’ End folks have graciously agreed to sponsor a giveaway for one LiveWellSpendWell reader.  If you’re interested in trying out this bag for yourself, leave a comment on this post (mandatory) describing your favorite things to pack in a brown bag lunch (for you or your kids).

You can get additional entries to the contest if you:

–Mention this contest on twitter with the following text: “Win a free Lands’ End lunch bag from @livespend – check out http://livewellspendwell.com/?p=375” and be sure to come back and in a separate comment and leave us the link to your tweet

–Link to Livewellspendwell.com in a blog post and leave a comment linking back to your post.

–Refer others to this contest- if 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 October 5, 11:59 pm CDT. For full information on how we run our contests, see our Disclosure policy.

Lands’ End School Uniform Lunch Sack, $10.50 each or $8.50 when you order 2 or more, on landsend.com

Novena Maternity Skin Care Review and Giveaway

September 14th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Skincare, Splurge-Worthy | Comments (28)

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.

novena_bag

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.

Generic v. Name brand?: Polling the people

September 4th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Gift Items, Hair, Health & Fitness, Kids, Kitchen & Home, Makeup, Oldies but Goodies, Skincare, Splurge-Worthy | Comments (12)

This morning while I was wrestling a very pissy 15 month old, Husband comes into the nursery and says, “Hey!  I have something for you to put on your blog.” Lordy.

“What’s that?” I say.  Meanwhile wishing he’d just contend with his son who recently decided I’m chump change and his father is King of All That’s Better Than Mom.

“You should talk about name brand things versus generic!”

(Blank stare from me.)

“You know that deoderant I used earlier in the week?  Well, that was a store brand and I was stinky by 2pm.  The other stuff is fine through the day and I’m not rank.”

And there you have it:  one man’s experience with Old Spice deoderant v. jenky store brand.

I’ve been mulling it over all day and have decided to not do a review today, but simply put it out to the masses for you to tell us what’s been better in your experience:  generic or name brand?

Leave your feedback in the comments section and be sure to mention a specific product and let us know whether you thought the generic or name brand version was better.

Burt’s Bees WINNER!

August 17th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Makeup | Comments (2)

I guess I knew that so many people love Burt’s Bees (even the Husband uses it), but it was great to read in the Comments section what exactly people use and why.

Via random.org, the lucky winner is…

Lisa G.

Congratulations!

Brittanie’s Thyme WINNER!

August 17th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Skincare | Comments (0)

Thanks for all the interest in the organic yumminess!  And don’t forget, Brittanie’s Thyme is happy to announce that they are now certified USDA Organic, which means its manufacturing facility and 85% of its products are now certified at 95% or higher.  And because of that, they are celebrating by offering all items 20% off through the month of August. 

Our lucky winner is:

 

True Random Number Generator


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Kristin C.!  May your face enjoy some extra pampering!

Brittanie’s Thyme Review and Giveaway

August 10th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Skincare | Comments (28)

The thing I love most about perusing the ol’ Internet and looking for fun skin elixirs is stumbling upon smaller companies that fly under the radar.  One such discovery was Brittanie’s Thyme, a fabulous women-owned company that produces natural and organic products without it costing an arm and a leg.  That’s what we like to see right?

I was sent a few things to try out and I’m not even kidding you, I fell in love instantly.  The first thing I tore into was the Organic Almond Oatmeal Facial Scrub with Yogurt.

This is only $12.00 for a 4 oz. jar and what is just so genius is it’s dry.  You put a small amount in your hand and add a smidge of water to make a paste and then you’re off to the races.  So this jar is less expensive because you’re not paying for water and it costs less to ship.  Ah-MA-zing!  It worked wonderfully and had a faint oatmeal-y scent.  My skin felt smooth afterwards and some of the bothersome flakey bits were gone too.

I was also given the French Green Clay with White Tea mask and my eyes may have very well rolled into the back of my head when I felt my skin afterwards.  Tight!  Smooth!  At least ten years youngerRefreshed!  This also comes dry so you put a small amount in your hand, add some warm water and apply.  It is $7.00 for 40 mls.  Is it wrong that I liked that it was green because I felt like I was in the movies?  That I should have had a white towel wrapped around my head just-so with cucumbers over my eyes engulfed by a terrycloth bath robe?  Wait, don’t answer that.  MOVING ON!

The last thing I was able to review was their Organic Acne Treatment which is $9.00 for 2 oz.  I’m lucky in that I am finally to the point of not breaking out all that often (blood sweat and tears to get here my friends), and when I do it’s usually not too bad.  Maybe a few on the chin or around my hairline.  I noticed one or two problem areas cropping up and applied the treatment using a cotton ball.  It’s made with tea tree oil which has a distinguishing scent, so if you’re not a fan be advised.  The smell didn’t bother me.  I also liked that it didn’t sting my face when I put it on, as other acne treatments usually do.  Now, I can’t say this worked and I can’t say that it didn’t.  My chin cleared up within a few days.  Would it have done that anyway?  Or was it because of the treatment?  No one can know for sure.  But it didn’t make my face any worse, that’s for sure, and I liked knowing I wasn’t drowning in chemicals.  All natural FTW!

Brittanie’s Thyme is happy to announce that they are now certified USDA Organic, which means its manufacturing facility and 85% of its products are now certified at 95% or higher.  And because of that, they are celebrating by offering all items 20% off through the month of August.  How great is that?

I have a fabulous giveaway to offer, thanks to Brittanie’s Thyme.  One lucky reader will have a chance to win an Organic Facial Care Gift Pack!  It consists of: 4 oz Almond Oatmeal Scrub, 1 oz French Green Clay and 4 oz Organic Facial Cleanser valued at $25.00.

To enter, leave a comment on this post (manditory).  You can get extra entries by:

–Following us on Twitter (@livespend) and mentioning the contest : “Organic facial gift pack #giveaway @livespend  http://tinyurl.com/mpq8cx” 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.

–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 August 16th, 11:59 pm CDT.  For full information on how we run our contests, see our Disclosure policy.

Burt’s Bees Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil Review and Giveaway

August 7th, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Makeup | Comments (32)

Lip balm is not on my “NEED TO WEAR” list.  Mascara and concealer are (as well as underwear).  Lip balm–meh.  I wear lipstick, lip gloss, etc. so I sort of feel like my lip care needs are being met by those myriad of products. 

What I do love, however, is a tinted lip balm.  Something with a dash of low pigment color that I can slather on and not worry about coloring inside the lines. 

Awhile back I read a mention of Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil and was intrigued.  It looked slightly tinted, but not overly so and has the Burt’s Bees name behind it.  The next time I ran across it in the store, I scooped one up.

I tried it that next morning and really liked it.  If you’re familiar with Burt’s Bees original Beeswax Lip Balm, you’ll know that that product has a minty smell.  The Replenishing Lip Balm doesn’t, however, the scent is not off putting; just different than the original.  Both feel equally smooth and non-waxy on the lips, making it a great first layer before adding lipstick.

With the slight tint, I find that I notice the hint of color more after the first application, first thing in the morning.  Later in the day, the color–for whatever reason–is less noticeable.  It could be because I’ve already worn a stronger shade of lipstick or lipgloss, I’m not sure. 

Also, should you put lip balm on before you go to bed–the tint is not something you need to worry about rubbing off onto your sheets at night.  Again, after a good teeth-brushing, I’ve put a bit on before heading to bed.  We have white sheets and I’ve never noticed a smear of whatnot when I wake up in the morning.

I find it a great alternative to the original lip balm and I think you’ll like too.  I recommend.

So that you can try this product out for yourself, Live Well Spend Well will send one winner their own tube of Replenishing Lip Balm along with a small parcel of other Burt’s Bees goodies.

To enter, leave a comment on this post.  If you refer others here and they tell us you sent them (”Amy sent me!”), both you and the person you referred will get a BONUS entry.

You can also receive extra entries by following us on Twitter (@livespend) and by mentioning this contest by typing: “Great Burt’s Bees giveaway@livespend (insert link) pls RT.”  Comment back with a link to your tweet and consider that extra entry yours.

Giveaway will run until August 14, 2009 11:59 EST.  For full information on how giveaways are run, please see the Disclosure Policy.

Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil, price varies but almost always under $3.00, found at burtsbees.com, drugstore.com and Target stores.

Scrubz Winner(s)!

August 3rd, 2009 | Eco-Friendly, Skincare | Comments (0)

True Random Number Generator


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So our winner of the 4 jars with custom scents is Jen!  Woo!

BUT!  Since I originally had the one 4 oz jar in the Breeze scent before Roberta was so generous to up the giveaway prize, I am selecting a runner up!  And that winner is. . . .

True Random Number Generator


15

NGS!  Hooray!

Winners have 72 hours to contact me or it’s back to Random.org!  Thanks to everyone for playing, and an extra-special thanks to Scrubz for the generous giveaway!