Bath & Body Works Massaging Oil Review

This Valentine's Day, make time to relax and pamper yourself! If you're lucky enough to get your own private massage, I would recommend the Bath & Body Works Sensual Massage Oil in Black Currant Vanilla. It is simply divine for Valentine's Day. Massages can really loosen any tension you may have in your back or shoulders and the scent is sweet & soothing and is perfect for romance. (Available at BathandBodyWorks.com, $16, USD)

I'm a huge fan of oils, from using Grapeseed Oil, Argan Oil to Lavender Oil these past 2 years, so I am always looking for them. Bath & Body Works has an amazing collection of scents in the massage oil, including Jasmine Vanilla, Tranquil Mint & Vanilla Verbana. I personally like the scent of Vanilla so anything vanilla-based & citrus I absolutely love. The Black Currant mixed in makes it smell a tad bit fruitier and very pleasant.

Overall, this massage oil is great to have because it has such calming scent. It absorbs into your skin and when you close your eyes, the sensual notes makes you feel like you stepped into a spa. It doesn't feel greasy at all which is lovely b/c who wants to feel like that? :) The ingredients include Sunflower oil, loaded with lots of Vitamin E, so it's also good to use as a moisturizer especially after taking a bath or shower. You can also use it if you take bubble baths.

Happy almost Valentine's Day! Check out the rest of my Valentine's Series here.


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Tammy Fender Lip Guardian

Depending on where you are, winter's upon us and for some, it's really warm. Wherever you are, everyone needs moisturized lips and why not nourish and protect your lips from the heat or wind with the Tammy Fender Lip Guardian? It's formulated with lavender cacao with organic rose hip seed oil. (Have you tried the Tammy Fender Lavender Body Oil?)

It's packaged in a regular lip balm tube like the original chapstick, but instead of the balm being clear, it's a dark brownish green. The main ingredient is olive oil, so it's no wonder! When I first tried it, the application was not smooth (maybe it was my chapped lips?) but after a while it got better. (I guess I'm used to a gloss that applies easily.) However, the results? Moisturized lips without any flakes! I felt like the formula sank in and worked its magic, rather than sitting on my lips and doing pretty nothings, if you know what I mean.

If you're looking for a luxe lip product that works, then you should try this! Why luxe? B/c it costs $16.50 per tube!


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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California Baby supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month

If you're a mother, know of any expecting mothers, then you should recommend California Baby to them! They have personal care products geared towards babies, kids and sensitive adults. Their natural skincare products are not only made of organic ingredients that are safe and gentle for your skin- they also feel good on your skin. My California Baby favorite is their Everyday Lotion!

October is coming soon and if you didn't already know, it's also Breast cancer Awareness month. California Baby is supporting this cause by donating a portion of its proceeds from their "I Love You" line to the California Breast Cancer Research Program. The "I Love You" skincare line is all-natural & organic like the rest of their products, and is especially aromatherapeutic. It's meant for mothers and anyone else who wants to relieve stress/tension, when they use the Bubble Bath, Massage Oil and Spritzer.

I Love You Bubble Bath review...
I was sent the I Love You Bubble Bath to try and so far I am liking this scent! I don't really take baths so I use this more as a body wash. A quarter sized amount dallop on a sponge is more than enough to create a good lather. It's very calming and I recommend this after a long day of work. :) It contains ylang ylang and sweet orange to give you the zen you need to relax and have a good night's rest. Since it is all natural, the bubble bath does not over-dry your skin with synthetic fragrances/ingredients.

Right now- you can save 10% off the entire line of I Love You products on californiababy.com/i-love-you.html with the code: SUPPORTTHEFIGHT2010
P.S. The Bunny Tote is SO CUTE.. check it out!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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100% Pure Cosmetics- Eye Shadow Palette

When I first learned about 100% PURE cosmetics from Meg's Makeup (where else would I learn about the latest and greatest brands?), I was intrigued by their concept. Making cosmetics from fruit pigments? I wasn't quite sure how it would work... but t

So when I discovered the brand at a local store, I was psyched! Their body collection looks to die-for. Why? They offer delicious pomegranate, chocolate, strawberries, peach and more flavors in their sugar scrubs, lotions and body washes. Their simple packaging also makes it look very clean and fresh. I haven't tried them though, but if they're all natural.. must be good.

The Cosmetics are also a bit pricey than what I would pay per single item right now. I have way too much in my collection, so I cannot justify spending $14 for a single eye shadow pot even though I really want to try this creamy formula! I did go back after a few months and the tester still looked pretty nice- so I know it will last longer than I expect.



What caught my eye was their sets and palettes. They had a Chocolate lip palette, a Pretty Naked palette (neutral shades) and gift sets with brushes/eyeshadows/face powder and more! In addition, they had this lovely Plum Eyeshadow set.

If you don't know already, purple is going to be hot this fall. Whether you're rocking the violet on your nails (stay tuned for my Fall Nail trend article) or clothing, this Plum palette has enough neutral and plum shades to wear everyday. What pleasantly surprised me the most is that the color stays! At first, I thought the colors would be too sheer, but the trick is to pat the colors on your eyelids. Obviously the lighter shades don't show as well, but they make great highlighters under the eyebrows.



Looks like this palette is discontinued, but I definitely recommend seeking out and trying to get this if you can!

Their Cosmetic line also includes mascara, lip/cheek tints, tinted moisturizers, powder, cheek pots, and lipsticks!! I would buy everything if I could! :)

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Softlips PURE 100% Natural line

Looking for soft, luscious lips this summer? Get it naturally with Softlips! Best known for their lip care products in skinny tubes, Softlips have come out with their PURE 100% Natural line- including flavored lip balms, lip tinted balms, lip tinted glosses, a lip butter and a lip polish! With their variety of products and flavors, there is something that you can definitely use to get your best summer lips yet!

With every beauty routine, you need to start off with a clean slate. Use their Lip Polish ($6 USD), to slough off dead skin cells, made with organic coconut flakes (smells yummy!) and sugar to get your lips super soft. I haven't tried a lip scrub before but I think this is necessary to keep them healthy looking and keeping your lipsticks look smooth without any flakiness. Tip: Use once a week for smooth lips! To win all these products mentioned, enter the Celebrate Summer giveaway until June 20, 2010!

To get sun protection naturally, you have to try their tinted lip glosses or lip tints balms($4-5 USD). They come in three colours- Coral Charm, Natural Honesty, and Shell Pink. So depending if you like gloss for shine or tints for the balm-effect, they will both give you the sun protection you need from Iron Oxides, great natural colour to show off your sexy, natural pout, and the non-stickiness goo they many other companies' glosses feel.

The gloss and tints do not contain any synthetic ingredients that are harmful to your health,( so no parabens or artificial colours!), because it's literally 100% Natural. The natural moisturizers made my lips felt moisturized with the perfect shine for the summer!

If you're looking for more Sun Protection for your lips, check out the SPF20 lip balms. (These are contained in the original skinny tubes.) They come in several great flavors such as Cherry, Vanilla, Strawberry, Raspberry with Green Tea extract, new Mint and new Wildberry.

The Softlips PURE lip conditioners are probably the most popular since they have great flavors with the new formula of their original lip conditioners. I have fallen in love with these (carry them in all my purses/bags and even keep one by my nightstand!) These lip conditioners contain organic oils, beeswax, shea butter and vitamin E that are USDA-certified organic so I know even if I lick my lips, it's ok!

If you're looking for a lightly flavored lip balm to moisturize, try their Softlips Lip Conditioners- in new flavors such as Peppermint, Acai Berry, Papaya and Chai Tea! One of the first ones I opened up (which is why it is missing) is the Pomegranate flavor! Smells light and fruity!

To win all these products mentioned, enter the Celebrate Summer giveaway until June 20, 2010!



(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Yes To SPF by Yes To Carrots

Yes to Carrots came out with a new line of products- AGAIN! I last told you about their Yes to Baby Carrots, products developed specially for babies! :)

This time, it is Yes to SPF- skincare moisturizers with SPF for your face and body, and a lip butter with SPF in it. I cannot wait to try these out. I have super sensitive skin and I usually don't use products with SPF in them because they contain many other harsh ingredients. However, these contain zinc oxide only and are very natural! I think I will be getting the Yes to Baby Carrots 100% Natural Sunscreen SPF30 :)

Starting in April, the website will be taking online orders so you can buy from them directly! Can't wait!


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Burt's Bees Grab bag

For Christmas, I got a special gift- a Burt's Bees Grab bag! It's like many, many gifts packaged into one! It has about 25 different products from their new collection that you can sample and try. Most of them did not disappoint. There were some that I would have been fine if they didn't add in there, but most of the products I have never tried.

Be on the lookout for upcoming reviews on these products!
So far, I have tried their Orange Essence Facial Cleanser (read review here), their Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar (Read review here) and a few more including lipglosses, soaps, etc.

This reusable bag is also made of hemp material! It's awesome!!

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Bear Naked Cereal in Cranberry Raisin

A few months ago, I requested a sample of the Bear Naked 100% Pure & Natural Cereal in Cranberry Raisin. I had a choice of either this flavor or Banana Nut. I finally received it several weeks ago and it came in this little orange box, along with a coupon.

Based on the box, you can already tell what kind of company Bear Naked is.

Needless to say what I had for breakfast the next day... Review: I had my first Bear Naked granola experience this summer while I was on vacation- it was quite good. When I heard about the free sample offer, I figured-why not give this a try? The cereal is definitely delicious- it contains good for ingredients such as whole grain flakes, crunchy clusters and real cranberries! There is no artificial anything used to make this cereal so you taste all-natural flavors.

You can purchase your breakfast here for $4.49 for a 12.5 ounce bag at their Store website, or at your local market. If you become a Bear Den member (free to join) you get automatic discounts of 5% (may vary) every time you purchase on their web store. Enjoy!



(Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link.)
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Product Review: LAVANILA The Health Deodorant

Source: www.sephora.com

I have to admit I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't need to use a deodorant all the time. :) You all know I am all about using natural products when possible so when I received this All-natural, free of chemicals, healthy deodorant by LAVANILA Laboratories to try, I was pleasantly surprised that it worked just as well as others I have tried in the past. To truly test its effectiveness, I used it while doing a 30 minute (intense-hehe) workout. Results? Passed with flying colors.

I first heard about LAVANILA Laboratories when I tried a sample of the Vanilla Grapefruit fragrance from Sephora. Vanilla smells clean and crisp and with the fruity grapefruit scent; the citrus flavor gave the overall scent a great kick. Its sweet scent is subtle enough for everyday wear and also strong enough to wear on a night out.

This is available at Sephora for $18, which is a bit pricey compared to a ~$5 one you can get at your local drugstore. But this one will last so long and it's natural ;)


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

(Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link.)
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Where do you start??

So, if you are the parent of a mixed child and have no experience doing hair, especially hair different from your own, you may be a bit overwhelmed and not know where to start.

No hair is the same. Whether a person is mixed or not. So, firstly... what kind of hair are you workin with? In just my own home, i have three children all with different hair types. My son has course, tight curls, like his dad. My oldest daughter has soft textured hair, but inherited medium tight curls. It looks like my hair with a perm. The baby, welllllll... she hasnt gotten her hair yet. She still has baby fine hair. I cant wait to see if she gets tight curls like her brother or medium curls like her sister.

For my son we use coconut oil jelly to keep his scalp and hair moisturized and soft. We keep his hair pretty short because the poor kiddo is tender headed like his daddy.

For my daughter, we use coconut oil jelly every once in a while... but it can weigh her hair down if we use it a lot, so i just use it once a week or as i need to. It really helps keep her scalp soft. Especially since we do her hair everyday.

Here is a picture of my daughters hair... :o)


And here is a picture of my sons hair... :o)



As my children are still young, i try not to use chemicals in their hair. I dont perm, press, relax - nothing... I prefer the natural look and feel. I also do not want to burn them or cause hair loss. There are so many things you can do with natural hair that i see no reason to use harsh chemicals.