With the holiday season quickly approaching, some of us may end up scrambling for gifts. Let me make a suggestion – give some quality lotion! In this cold weather, there’s really only one thing you can count on: dry skin. Simplicity Bath and Body is absolutely amazing and local to South Jersey. They hardly advertise; I only found out about these all-natural products by looking in the windows of fancy spas around town. So I figured I would get the word out, so far I have purchased Gingerbread Whipped Body Butter which is incredibly rich and actually makes my skin feel supple for the entire day (not to mention it makes me smell like grandma’s cookies). And a Hot Cocoa Mint Candle, which fools every guest we have over into thinking we’re baking brownies.
I am generally skeptical of “all-natural” products in yielding the best results. I feel like either it works (and has some sort of carcinogenic consequence) or its good in every aspect… except what it’s supposed to do! But who could argue with ingredients like: Kokum Butter, Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Vitamins A, E, and F, Organic Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil and Avocado Oil? Honestly, these products are top of the line, hand-made, all natural, cruelty free, local… what more could you ask for? Right now they are having a free-shipping offer, and I am buying all of my girlfriends some delicious sugar scrub and body lotion!
The Magic Ointment?
I once read in a magazine that Neosporin acted as a perfect cuticle repair during the winter. Being a victim of brutal hangnails, I decided to slather my fingertips before bed for a couple nights. My roommate laughed at my dedicated primping, but the results were worth the extra minute before bed! The ointment was a little greasy (it has an White Petrolatum base) and spotted my sheets; but for me, the pros outweighed the cons. Hangnail free, I began to wonder what else Neosporin was capable of…
What I dug up:
- Acne Treatment – Neosporin kills bacteria and promotes healing, so why shouldn’t it work as a spot treatment? Many people seem to swear by it, but I can’t help but consider the company’s warning, “Do not apply the ointment over large skin areas.” Don’t mask your face in this ointment, apparently Neomycin is a highly toxic antibiotic, used sometimes as an intestinal antiseptic in surgery.
- Soothes raw skin and ingrown hairs! Ladies, if you wax or shave this ointment can save you from embarrassing bumps. I personally use this for a couple days after I wax my bikini line, it relieves the irritation and keeps my skin clean.
- Eye Colds and Ear Aches – Surprisingly, a lot of people swear by warming the paste into a liquid and putting it… pretty basically anywhere. However, Neosporin warns that the ointment is for “external uses only” and also shouldn’t be applied to eyes. Hmm…
Ingredients: Polymyxin B Sulfate, Neomycin and Pramoxine Hydrochloride. Inactive – Mythlparaben, Mineral Oil, Polozamer 188, Propylene Glycol, Water Purified, White Petrolatum.
What Neosporin doesn’t tell you:
- White Petrolatum is an inactive ingredient found in many moisturizers, lip balms, sunscreens, anti-itch creams, and even eye drops. However, it is regulated as a moderately toxic mixture and possible carcinogen.
- Polymyxin B is an antibiotic that has been used to treat Strep Throat and Swine Flu. Perhaps this is why some people condone gargling watered-down Neosporin?
In conclusion, I can only recommend Neosporin as cuticle cream and bikini-line soother. Although it is fairly unnatural, it does an amazing job at combating painful skin irritations!
We all witness them on the bus: oompa-loompa-looking girls, fake-baked far beyond any natural state of complexion. Often times, these victims go tanning (I am guilty as charged…) and then use cheap bronzer in an effort to enhance their artificial color (gasp!). You look silly. For me, there are two types of make up that are worth paying more for: foundation and bronzer. A poor quality bronzer can instantly turn a natural-look, horribly wrong. Bronze-N-Brighten, however, creates a “dewy yet matte finish,” without any hint of orange. As you can see from the image above, the compressed powder consists of an array of colors, mimicking the different pigments found in our skin-tones.
Pros:
- This product stays on your face (you don’t have to worry about smudging your look on clothes).
- Versatile – You can “build-up” in darkness of tan with repeated application.
- Safe for sensitive skin.
Cons:
- Expensive: Approximately $30.00 and a container lasts about 6 months.
On the rare occasion that I might sleep out, one fact can be sure: I will return home looking outrageous. The first to suffer is always my eyeliner, which has a nasty habit of smearing and transforming me into some savage-looking raccoon by dawn. A potentially romantic morning can easily turn into a classic “walk of shame” by such a messy face; revealing the nasty secret of just how much makeup I wore last night. With the help of Make Up For Ever: Aqua eyes, these days I don’t come home looking good… but at least I can avoid an eye-disaster.
Save Yourself, Ladies!
Pros:
- Extensive selection of colors, ranging from neon yellow to a sparkly version of black.
- “Generic” to Sephora, so it is affordable ($17.00) and will last you from summer to winter.
- Advertised as a two-in-one eyeshadow and liner pencil, this means it glides on smoothly.
- Doesn’t irritate sensitive eyes (safe for contact wearers).
- Waterproof
- Sephora has an amazing return policy: within 60 days of purchase, they offer a full refund for all used and unsatisfying products.
Cons:
- Must use eye-makeup remover to take it off – I suggest Clinique: Take The Day Off.
My ex-boyfriend used to be the worst backscratcher ever, leaving me to find another alternative (and eventually, another relationship). This bath brush gets the job done and cleans me at the same time; I just squeeze a little Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap on the nicely sized brush and I get a rich lather on contact. The handle is long enough to let me reach areas in the middle of my back, it also has a hemp string on the end that allows you to hang the product in the shower. This brush allows me to confidently show the clean, smooth skin on my back.
Pros:
- EcoTools donates to environmental organizations.
- The bristles on this brush aren’t too rough on my sensitive skin, they lightly scrub. The construction of the brush is solid, allowing me to scrub as hard as i like.
- The bamboo handle is eco-friendly.
- The brush is affordable: approximately $5.99
Cons:
- There isn’t any way to clean this product, soap scum will eventually build up on the brush and I will have to replace it.
Immediately after Labor Day, I start to get chronic itchy-leg syndrome. The weather changes and my skin is left a little drier than usual – and shaving? Forget it, the scratching starts as soon as my sensitive skin is dried with a towel. I used to apply lotion after my shower, but by the time I got out I’d usually forget, or just become too preoccupied with doing my hair that I didn’t feel like actually rubbing the lotion in. Olay In-Shower Body Lotion saved my legs! Just slather this lotion on, rinse it off, and PAT (not rub) your body with a towel when you get out of the shower. You’ll be moisturized until your next shower, no need to rub lotion in – SO MUCH EASIER! Plus, hot steamy water opens up pores, making the shower a prime location for moisturizing. Thank you Olay for coming out with such an amazing (and affordable) product!
Ingredients: Water, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Mica, Polysorbate 60, Titanium Dioxide, DMDM Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, Tin Oxide
Pros:
- Doesn’t have a strong scent, so it doesn’t interfere with my perfume.
- I prefer the Age Defying lotion to the other types (Quench and Ultra Moisture) because it has a slight gold shimmer to it. When the sun stops coming out and I start to look pale, this little tint goes a long way to make my skin look flawless in the light.
- This lotion won’t make you break out, I use it everywhere after my body wash.
- This lotion contains: Vitamin E, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B5.
- Olay advertises the body wash being infused with “VitaNiacin” – mind you, this just means “vita” = Vitamin, “niacin” = niacinamide or a fancy name for B3. Vitamin B3 is necessary in our diets, although I haven’t read much about the benefits of topical applications.
- Inexpensive: $6.99 – This bottle lasts me about a month.
Cons:
- Although this lotion is advertised to be for “aging skin,” I recommend it for everyone. The only difference between this product and other Olay In-Shower Lotions is that it has a little bit of shimmer (which wonderfully makes up for losing my tan) and it is infused with vitamins.
First of all, this liquid isn’t lotion. I use it as a toner with a cotton ball. Secondly, it smells straight up like alcohol – so badly that I almost threw up using it after washing my face with a hangover. Clinique advertises that this stuff is “exfoliating lotion developed by Clinique’s dermatologists de-flakes to reveal clearer skin. Smooth[ing] the way for moisture.” Even if the word lotion is misleading, this WORKS. I swab it on after i wash my face, then let it dry and apply moisturizer. Amazing. When i use it every day, my skin is ACTUALLY as soft as a babies bottom… and that makes everyone happy. =)
Pros:
- One bottle lasts a couple months.
- My skin feels so much smoother after using this product.
- This liquid “clarifies,” by wiping off any residue left from my face wash.
- Reasonably priced: a big bottle costs $11.50
Cons:
- You have to hold your breath while you apply it because it smells so freaking strongly of alcohol.
- This IS NOT lotion, I don’t know what Clinique was thinking when they titled the product.
You’re probably thinking, why would someone buy clear mascara? When I first passed it in the store I felt the same way – totally pointless product. Then I read an article in CosmoGirl about how clear mascara (basically hair gel in a tube) is perfect applicator to tame baby hair fly-aways! Sure enough, the beauty-gurus were right and I keep this in my bag now. The little wand is great, I can tame the hair around my face when I wear a ponytail, without making it look greasy or stiff!
Pros:
- The wand offers exact application of gel.
- Holds hair in place like a dab of hairspray.
- Portable and long-lasting!
Cons:
- Pointless for eye-lashes.
- Kind of expensive: $5.99
Filed under: Soap | Tags: Body, Eco-Friendly, Fragrance, In-Shower, LOVE IT
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps offer a luxurious lather without any harmful detergents. The peppermint fragrance is my favorite, upon contact the smooth bubbles give an icy-tingling sensation and i feel squeaky clean the rest of the day. The entire bathroom smells like a mint candy after i use this as body wash, but no scent remains on my skin; this soap does not interfere with my perfume.
Ingredients: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut* & Organic Olive* Oils (w/ Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Jojoba Oil, Natural Fragrance, Citric Acid, Vitamin E.
Pros:
- Certified Fair Trade Ingredients*
- No synthetics or detergents.
- Eco-Friendly: 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic Bottle and 100% Vegan.
- Sold in a variety of Fragrances: Peppermint, Almond, Rose, Eucalyptus, Citrus, Lavender, Baby Mild, and Tea Tree .
Cons:
- I do not recommend the bar soap, the lather is not full-bodied and the fragrances are weak.
- Price is slightly higher than competitor’s, a 32 Oz. bottle costs approximately $13.99
- The packaging is unusual, covered with radical quotes about unity, “We’re all-one or none!”
- The nozzle of the bottle can get clogged if you don’t close the lid tightly.
