archives: Skincare
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!
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.
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
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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!
Remember a little while ago when I said that dry skin makes me twitch? Well I still stand behind that statement, but what do you do if you need to slough BEFORE lotion application? What then? Go out and get some amazing Scrubz all natural body scrub that’s what you big silly!
I was given 2 oz. jar of their Warm Vanilla and a 2 oz. jar of their Pomberry Zing. I tore into the Vanilla first because it was chilly ’round these parts (even thought it’s officially summer but hey, I’m not bitter) and I figured I might as well embrace it. The scent is warm and cozy without being too sweet and gag-inducing. A little goes a long way and the aftermath left my skin smooth and soft. I went to town on my heels and elbows which always seem to need the most attention and it worked beautifully. The whole scrubbing experience was actually really awesome. Here’s a little nugget from their site:
I love Scrubz because there is truly a scent for everyone: Seasonal and Holiday, Floral, Fresh and Clean, Fruity and Sweet, Woodsy and Mint. If you’re sensitive to smells like I am you will appreciate not only the variety, but also the abililty to customize a Sample Pack consisting of any four scents from ANY line. This actually saves you $1.00 per jar so what better way to either splurge on yourself or buy in bulk for gift giving! You will forever be known as the generous person with amazing skin. HOLLA!
I was already a fan, but after BlogHer this weekend I recommitted myself. Apparently I had a high Cute Factor with my shoe selection, but the Don’t Be Stupid You’ll Be Walking All Over For Twenty Hours A Day You Fool factor was rather low. So my heels were a mess. I lunged for the Scrubz and it didn’t disappoint. With sandal season among us, this is a good go-to product.
A 4 oz. jar is $9.00 which is a heck of a deal.
*In a shocking turn of events, the amazing Roberta at Scrubz has upped the ante! She is generously offering one reader their Sample Pack which is FOUR JARS in your choice of scents. SCORE. (7/28/09)*
To enter, leave a comment on this post. You can get extra entries by following us on Twitter (@livespend) and mentioning the contest with a direct link in your tweet or by blogging about it and reporting back with a link to your tweet or post. And if you refer 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 2nd, 11:59 pm CDT. For full information on how we run our contests, see our Disclosure policy.
I am literally unable to function like a normal human being if I have dry skin. I have lotions stashed all over to avoid such a thing happening, and sitting here even THINKING about flakey, coarse skin is actually giving me heart palpitations. Say what you will, but my neurosis are here to help.
I’m as much of a snob as I can be when it comes to lotion, considering I refuse to pay an arm and a leg for it. Honestly, the first thing I look for right out of the gate is a nice scent. I get headaches easily and if something is too perfume-y I know I’ll get sick. I also don’t want to wear a whole bunch of scents that have to compete with each other, like deodorant, shampoo, lotion blah blah blah. So yes, I’m the one you see at the store doing a sniff check before making a selection.
I was interested in trying the New Jergens Naturals line and was relieved that their Renew Daily Moisturizer smelled great. It has grapeseed oil, and blueberry and pomegranate extracts which give it a fresh and fruity smell leaning towards the blueberries. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not fruity like old skool Strawberry Shortcake where you slip into a diabetic coma from all the sugar. No, this is light and pleasantly refreshing so nothing to worry about.
I always apply my lotion fresh out of the shower when I’m still wet, as I read somewhere that it helps absorb faster. I’ve also found that this makes the lotion go farther so I don’t need as much to get the job done. As soon as I slathered it on the first thing I noticed was that it was a little thinner than the stuff I normally use. At first I was put-off but I rationalized that hey, the real test will be throughout the day. Then the more I thought about it I realized that it’s not as thick because it doesn’t have a lot of goopy petroleum nastiness in it since it’s 93% natural. And really, the goopiness is more psychological than anything. Oh it’s super thick! That must mean it’s working! Well this lotion bucks the trend and really delivers moisture without having to give up natural ingredients.
From their website:
Key natural ingredients used in Renew:
* Grapeseed Oil: relieves distressed skin and boosts its natural barrier
* Blueberry Extract: a powerful source of antioxidants
* Pomegranate Extract: an antioxidant that combats skin-damaging elements that promote aging
I really like the breakdown about what the ingredients are and what they do. The more you know!
I’ve been using this once a day for a few weeks and my skin has stayed hydrated, without feeling like it has a film on it. (How gross is that when you put a lotion on and it’s like another LAYER all over you? Uck.) For 16.8 ounces it’s around $6.99. When I bought it it came with a $1.00 off coupon to be redeemed at check out. Um, just remember to actually USE it, ahem.
You know, sometimes you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Sure, there might be a newer, sexier wheel out there but the original still delivers. And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it so on and so forth.
I feel this way about toner. Luckily my skin isn’t crazy and high maintenance, demanding the essence of a freshly picked flower atop a mountain in the West Indies. No. I just need a little extra swipe of something to control the oil and get rid of any flakey bits that might be lingering. Enter Sea Breeze (dun dun DUN!) .
This toner got me through my high school years, which I don’t want to get into details but my face? It was angry. Sure, I dabbled into something a little more expensive and oh-la-la in college but when the funds ran out I came crawling back and you know what? Got the same result. It does the job. No need for specially timed trips to the department store when I can get hooked up on my weekly jaunt to Target.
I run a cotton ball over my face in the morning after I wash and at night before bed. It keeps the oil under control and gets the last remains of make-up off. My break-outs are few and far between and very manageable when they do come out and play. And is it just me, or do you also get some gunky crud around the crevices of your nose from time to time? (And if it IS just me then please play along for the sake of my feelings. Kisses!) Well, Sea Breeze gets rid of the build-up and really honestly and truly smoothes and evens out my complexion. I shall never stray again.
A 10 oz. bottle is around $4.99 and lasts a few months. In my opinion (and isn’t that what you came here for?) you can’t get any better for your money. No need for fancy schmancy brands–this totally works and very well at that.
I don’t consider myself a dirty smelly person, but I still enjoy a good soap. And by ‘good’ I mean one that makes me smell nice and doesn’t leave a lot of gunky residue behind. Because really, why come out of the shower with more ich on you then when you went in? Thus enters ecostore, a fabulous company out of New Zealand that has mastered the art of joyful body care products that are also environmentally friendly. Holla!
I am in the process of converting our family over into Green territory. But it takes some time, as I can’t just throw out everything we own and start over. So I was excited when we finished the last of our soap to jump in and try two of ecostore’s amazing bar soaps, Manuka Honey and Kelp and Lemongrass. I love the packaging, as it says clearly “No nasty chemicals” on the front with a running detailed list on the back: “No toxic petro chemicals, no animal fats or tallow, no synthetic dyes, no sodium lauryl sulphate, no propylene glycol.” The ingredients in the soap are all things I recognized and could understand too. This in turn made me feel smart which is an added bonus.
As soon as I opened the package I was greeted with such happy smells. My husband even commented immediately and said “Hey, those make me want to hurry up and go take a bath!” True story. I tried the Manuka Honey and Kelp bar first and was impressed right away. I could feel it exfoliating so I didn’t need to bust out my pumice stone. It had a light fragrance that made me feel pampered, without worrying about being too perfume-y. But the best thing? I was squeaky. As in CLEAN. The other soaps I had been using, presumably WITH nasty chemicals, never made me squeak. And I can only assume it was because it left behind petrochemical residue which skeeves me out. I don’t want that lingering on my skin! From the website:
- overexposure to petrochemicals can contribute to health problems like skin irritations, eczema, allergies, weakened immune system (children with developing immune systems can be even more susceptible), chronic fatigue, endocrine system upsets and even cancer
- many petrochemicals persist in the environment and do not biodegrade
- petrochemicals are an unsustainable, non renewable resource
I don’t want any part of that thankyouverymuch. So I’m glad I found ecostore. They also make awesome household cleaners, laundry detergent and baby care products. If all this sounds amazing then hold on to your hats because ecostore has generously offered one of our readers a $25 gift card to select whatever products tickle your fancy. Their prices are amazing–the soaps I tried are only $3.70! So toodle on over to get clean and healthy!
Mandatory entry: Leave a general comment. You can say anything, especially if it’s nice!
Bonus entries:
Subscribe to LiveWellSpendWell and leave a comment stating you did.
Follow LiveWellSpendWell on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Come back and leave the link in your comment.
If you found us through someone else, leave a comment with that person’s name and you EACH get a bonus entry.
You must leave your email in with your comments so you can be easily contacted. Only open to US and Canada residents. Winner will be selected by random.org and contacted by email. Winner will have 48 72 hours (thanks, lisa, for catching that gaffe!) to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Contest will run July 6th-July 12th 11:59 CST.
