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Monday, August 10, 2015

The Devil is STILL a Liar

Six years ago, I wrote a semi-humorous post about a saying I grew up hearing in church: "The Devil is a liar!"

This is the not so humorous sequel about what the Devil will and won't tell us.

He'll tell you that all money is good money because any money will spend.
He won't tell you that you can't spend money as well if you're dead or locked up.

He'll tell you that money can buy everything you need to look good, eat well, live high and mighty..
He won't tell you that the money that bought your clothes can't buy self-respect; that the money that lets you travel the world can't tell you where to find peace of mind. The money that makes people want to be around you can't buy you one true friend.

He'll tell you that we should try everything at least once. Life is, after all, for living to the fullest.
He won't remind you about the person who OD'd the first time they tried drugs, or got pregnant the first time they had sex with a stranger. He won't tell you that you can go to jail the first time you do something illegal. He won't tell you that the very first time you do something stupid you could end up with a life - your's or someone else's - changed for the worst. He won't tell you that living life to the fullest doesn't have to mean living life to the stupidest and most reckless. He won't tell you that you could end up brain dead, all dead or just wishing you were dead.

He'll tell you, when you are at your peak, that you can do it all, have it all and be it all.
He won't show you how to cope when you hit your lowest point and can't do, have or be anything that you once could.

He will tell you, when you are at your lowest, that no one loves you, needs you, or wants you.
He won't tell you about that you have mattered, or can one day matter, to someone. He won't tell you about a God who loves you. He won't remind you that you aren't the only one who has felt this way and lived past the feelings and the struggle.

He will tell you that because some people who are doing stupid, ignorant, illegal or immoral stuff and seem to be happy, unconcerned, or getting away with it, that you should too.
He won't' remind you that there is a reason some things are considered stupid, illegal or immoral. He doesn't want you to think about the people doing those things who aren't happy. unconcerned or getting away with anything.

He will tell you, especially if you are very young or very vulnerable, that YOLO (You Only Live Once).
He won't tell you that how you live at any age matters and has consequences. He won't remind you that you only live this life once.

He will tell you that you should want to be like the celebrities you see in the media. That you should be living the life they are living.
He won't tell you that, just like the rest of us, those people get sad, sick, worried, heartbroken and, eventually, dead. He won't remind you that feelings - good or bad - are the same whether a person is wearing designer clothes or handed down rags. He won't' remind you that some things cost more than money and that some people have paid for what they have with something more precious than gold.

He will tell you that you'd be happier "if only". He wants you to think that you'd be happier if only you were coupled up, or single; childless or a parent; black instead of white; rich instead of poor; this instead of that....
He won't tell you that there are people just like you who are happy, content, successful and fulfilled. He won't tell you that everything he is saying to you, he is saying to someone else.

Most of all, he will tell you that where you are now in life - whether in success or failure, joy or sorrow, wealth or poverty - is you will remain.
He doesn't want you  to know that everything he tells you is a lie. He doesn't want you to have hope or true happiness. He wants to hold us hostage to our present so that we don't think past it. He will hold our past over our heads so that we live in regret of mistakes or past glory. Most of all, he doesn't want to think that there is any more to life than what we have gained or lost.

Peace
--Free

Sunday, August 02, 2015

**REVIEW** Red Raspberry Seed Oil

You all know that oils are kind of my passion, right? Well, just when I think I have tried almost every oil there is, I find out about one I've never heard of. This is a new try out for me:





Euro dropper

That is Puressant's 100% Pure and Organic Red Raspberry Seed Oil. It's cold pressed and comes with a 'euro dropper'.

This oil reminds me of rosehip seed oil. Except it smells better.

When I tested this on the back of my hand, I was expecting an oily texture. It does go on the skin like other oils, but it absorbs with just the slightest massaging and then it's invisible to the eye. If I didn't feel the difference in my skin, I would have doubted that I had even applied the product.

Here is where that absorbency comes into play for me: this is an oil that I can actually apply to my face without the shine or slickness. This is a great oil for adding to other moisturizers and, in fact, the back label indicates adding this to your existing hair and skin products.


Since I hadn't heard about Raspberry Seed Oil, I wanted to check out what's being said about it:

Of course, I also did a test of applying this to my face. One interesting thing that I noticed is that, using this alone, the product has a toning effect on the skin. That's was a nice surprise because I will be able to use this as a toner in certain spots (such as on my neck and under my jawline), but still add to my moisturizing products for use elsewhere. 

On my makeup-wearing days when I am in a hurry and can't deal with blotting my other oils, I will be able to use this. Right now, I am experimenting with using this on my throat at night (mixed with another oil) and, next time I wash and treat my hair, I am going to apply some of this to my scalp and the ends of my hair. I see here that there are possible benefits to both hair and skin

The Amazon Prime price (about $13 when I ordered) on this was great, though I will say that this is one oil I would pay perhaps another $5 or $10 for. That's mostly because, since I will be mixing this with other oils and products, I will be able to get a lot of use from the 1-oz bottle. Also, I really do like the non-oily moisturizing effect. Nice plus: there is a 100% money-back guarantee offered.

I have to tell you, I'm pretty impressed with Red Raspberry Seed Oil. I'm going to be looking into more uses for this overall. Will keep you posted.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received this product in exchange for providing a fair and honest review. 

Friday, July 24, 2015

**Issues with Email Updates**

I've had more than one person tell me that they are having problems with getting email updates of the blog.

This is one of those irritating issues that pop up from time to time - seemingly for no reason.

Please know that I am looking into how to fix this problem. Of course, Blogger doesn't always cooperate with me! I'm hoping that this is a glitch that I can clear up with tweaking the blog settings.

When you guys do start getting the updates again, I hope you will let me know.

Meantime, I really appreciate all of you who read the blog. Don't break up with me while me and the blog are undergoing repair therapy!


                                    Image result for Please don't go
...The city (or a blog with email updates that work!)


Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** J.R. Liggett Bar Shampoo Moisturizing Hair Formula

When I did the pre-review for the shampoo bars, I didn't think I was going to end up being so excited about them. Well, I am pretty excited now that I have tried the Moisturizing Formula.

I got both formulas to try - the Original and the Moisturizing - and, of course, I tried the Moisturizing first.

This is the first time that I have ever used a shampoo (bar or otherwise) that made my hair feel this good. EVER.

I read somewhere that, once your hair gets used to this shampoo, there might be no need for you to apply conditioner. I put this to the test from the get-go. The first time I used it (sans conditioner), my hair was not anywhere near as dried out as with regular shampoos. While it was still wet, it felt as if I had used conditioner. Once it dried, it was still softer than with other treatments, but needed a little boost of moisturizing spray.

The second time I used this, I didn't need any spray. That may be because the shampoo bar didn't strip my hair of the previously applied moisture. Actually, that is the whole trick to this product: it's non-stripping - no matter which formula you use. The moisturizing one has a boost of moisture to add to the effect.

Results after the third shampoo (and I was purposely shampooing a lot just to test this out), were phenomenal. My hair dried and I resisted putting in any leave-ins or other additional moisturizers. This shampoo passed the test with flying colors. I can add some spray for a little more softness boosting but, really, the only thing I need is to make sure that my scalp is well-moisturized.

It's really rare that I find a hair product that exceeds my expectations this way.

You guys know how I have been disappointed in finding leave-in treatments to soften and moisturize my hair, right? Well, who knew that I could have eliminated a lot of that hassle just by using the right shampoo?

Here's the bonus for me: I can actually wash my hair more instead of doing co-washing and just guarding like crazy against sweating. Seriously. I love washing my hair with this bar.

Bonus 2: I use this on my skin also.

I normally don't use soap of any kind of my face. I prefer cleaning with oils. Sometimes though, I will clean my face with a light and foaming cleanser. It's like a once or twice every other month kind of thing. I like getting the deep clean to take care of blackheads and such, but I hate that it takes my face a whole day to recover.

When I used this on my face, I did need to re-apply my facial oil, but my skin never got that tight, dried out feeling like it does with other soaps. As for my body, it was gentle and effective.

I have really scored in finding this shampoo bar. Can't wait to try the other formula.

My hair feels like it's being healed from its natural dryness. I plan to keep using this moisturizing formula for the next month or so (since I will be washing my hair more), then when I think my hair is completely "healed", maybe switching up every other washing with the Original formula.

If you are looking for something to re-nourish your hair and help keep it that way, you should consider giving one of these shampoo bars a try out. With my hair being 4B/4c and extremely dry, this is like a miracle product. Now I don't have to keep searching for every new leave-in product that promises to relieve my hair issues.

Since this is a non-stripping shampoo, hair color will last longer. I like that because I only dye my hair every now and then, but it never lasts past more than a few washes with regular shampoos.

A few more things to let you know about this shampoo:

  • It's not as long as the average bar of soap. 
  • I saw some reviews that said it didn't lather much. It lathered plenty for me. I think you have to wash rinse off the outer "skin" first.
  • Like any soap (or maybe more so), this will dissolve if left in water. I keep mine in a plastic baggy in between uses.
  • Some people advised cutting the bar into sections. That sounds like a good idea. I will be cutting my new bars, but I just used this one right out of the wrapping.
  • I read somewhere that each bar lasts as long as a 32-oz bottle of liquid shampoo. (Even if it doesn't, I'm thinking of what I save on conditioner!)
Since it might be a while before I post a review about the Original formula, I will list the ingredients for it now along with those for the Moisturizing one. Both bars are 3.5 oz. They are 

Moisturizing Formula   ($6.99)                         Original Formula ($6.58)
Olive oil                                                                 Olive oil
Coconut oil                                                            Coconut oil
Castor oil                                                               Castor oil
Pure New Hampshire spring water                        Pure New Hampshire spring water
Organic jojoba oil                                                  Sodium hydroxide (a binder)
Almond oil                                                             Essential oils for fragrance
Pure essential oils for fragrance                                    

If any of you do try any of the shampoo bars, do let me know how you like it (or not).

Peace
--Free

Thursday, July 23, 2015

**REVIEW** Day by Day Beauty Luxury Blotting Paper for Oily Facial Skin

Fact One: Oil can be good for the skin - any type of skin.
Fact Two: The problem for some skin is having too much oil.
Fact Three: For any type of skin, oil leads to shine.

I love oil. I love moisturizing my skin with it, and I love to clean my skin with it. What I don't like is when too much oil interferes with my makeup or with my efforts not to look like I'm having an oil slick breakout.

These...
                                                   
...are Day by Day's Luxury Blotting Papers.


Mine came in a 2-pack set with 100 sheets to each packet.



They're awesome for getting rid of that shiny, new penny look I sometimes get during the day. Even when I am using oil as my primary moisturizer (which is almost always), once I've absorbed all the oil my skin needs, I like to blot the excess.

Of course, I've used all kinds of blotting papers. Some have been good, some have not. Here's what I like about these by Day by Day:

  • They are thin but not flimsy.
  • One sheet does as good a job as 2 (or even 3) of some of the papers of lesser quality.
  • There's no powdery residue to mess up my makeup (or just look creepy on my bare face).
  • They don't stick to my face or tear (like one brand did, no kidding) when I'm blotting.
When I did the Amazon review for these, I rated them at 4 stars because I couldn't show 4.5 stars. The only reason I am withholding a half star might be because of something that's my own fault: I find it tricky to remove the sheets from the packet. Really. That's the only flaw with this product for me.

At first, I was concerned about the price. At the $9.97 Prime price, these are about twice what I paid for a brand from a local beauty supply store. Then again, that cheaper brand is the brand that was so flimsy the sheets tore while I was using them... And, to be fair, for 200 sheets of the Day by Day brand, the price works out lots better than I realized - especially since one works so much better than several of the cheapie kind.

And, if you think blotting papers can't make a difference in skin appearance, here's me...

No makeup, just blotted one side
The left side is blotted while the right side is not. This is a few hours after I had applied my morning facial oil. You can tell that the blotted side looks less lined and aged. There is a type of smoothing effect going on there.

I'm really considering going back and editing my Amazon review after using these more and more. I'm pretty sure that the slot on the bottom of the packet has something to do with making it easier to remove the sheets. Even so, that's not such a hassle when I get such good use from these.

Every year, the ladies in my family end up buying things for at least a couple of gift bag type presents - you know, for the folks who are hard to shop for, or for the extra people we invite for the holidays... I'm thinking that these blotting papers are going to be perfect additions to those bags. They are reasonably priced (for the quality), very handy - for men or women - and what I don't give away, I can always use.

Peace
--Free

(P.S.: I am going back over to edit my rating to a 5-star review. I found the little notch at the back that assists in removing the sheets... Doh!)

DISCLOSURE: DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Watch Your Mouth

Talking, over-talking, and just being a  little too loose with words is a subject that keeps coming up lately. My nephew and I were having a conversation the just yesterday about people who don't know when to shut up. Recently, I read in a Bible devotion about the mouth being all kinds of trouble.

I've been working hard myself lately to guard what comes out of my mouth. It's a challenge.

Image result for being a smart mouthWe are conditioned to believe that it's a sign of strength to "speak up" and be aggressive. The problem with that is, we've all lost our way and we tend to be bold when saying things that do no positive good, but we get real  quiet when we might ought to be shouting from the rooftops.

If you sit and think about it, I bet you can name the last time you "cracked wise" or "put somebody in their place" when it came to something silly. Can you tell me that last time you spoke up when it was not a popular thing to do? Go ahead. Take your time. I'll wait.
It's easy to "pop off" at the mouth when we are trying to be cute. We do it all the time in group conversations, on social media, or when we are at the club. It's not so easy when it comes to, say, speaking to someone face-to-face. one-on-one about something that could be life-changing.

Image result for being a smart mouth
The Lord knows I needed kindness
As a Christian, I am finding it easier every day to start biting my tongue and not always saying the first thing that pops into my head when someone makes me mad. (I'm finding it easier, I said, not always done.) What I still have trouble with is talking openly about my faith with someone who might look at me like I'm crazy.

My niece had guests in town recently. They are very dear friends of ours - like family, really. I wanted to share the Gospel with them, but they spent most of their time here out of town, seeing the sights. When I did get a brief moment with one of the ladies, I managed to ask if she "loved Jesus". She replied that she did and I told her that maybe the next time she comes to visit, she could go to church with me.

That exchange took all of 1 minute 10 seconds. Then we were interrupted with the noise of the kids and other people and other things. Life goes on, right?

I am getting better about sharing my faith with people, but I still get a little tongue-tied and nervous that they will be offended or react badly in some other way. Funny how I never worried about that when I shared other things with people. I can remember having had in my past some casual conversations about very intimate things with people. Sometimes, I wasn't even great friends with these folks.

So.

What I am doing to "watch my mouth" these days is basic stuff:

  • Thinking before I speak is harder than it sounds. So much of what we do and say is habit. We've been conditioned to respond out of pride, self-defense and in thoughtless reaction.
  • Trying to first imagine how what I am saying is going to be heard by the person I am speaking to. If I am making a point, is my attitude drowning out my words? 
  • Trying to "keep it real", as folks used to say, while still keeping it true. 
  • Knowing that every sentence out of my mouth does not have to be an opinion. Sometimes, I learn more from what I ask than by what I state.
  • Realizing that conversations are made up of dialogue, not monologues. 
  • Understanding that anyone I speak to has their own ideas about a subject and might want to share them with me as much as I want to share mine with them. And that people want me to give as much thought to their words as I'd like them to give mine. 
This is stuff that I am still working on and I am reminded to work harder at it every time I fail. I fail quite a bit.

If there is one thing that I wish I had learned sooner (while my parents were trying to teach me), it is that being a "smart mouth" is not the same as being smart. Or kind, or respectful, or mature.

If any of you catch me "mouthing off" without decent motivation, please care about me enough to remind me that it's not "cute". From now on, my response to people who are being unkind is to say, "There. Feel better now?" (Just kidding. That is my self-defensive pride talking.) What I will do is try to be as patient with them as I would want someone to be with me.

Peace
--Free

Thursday, July 16, 2015

**Pre-REVIEW Post** Shampoo Bars

Since I have had mixed results with the last few purchases I've reviewed, I thought I would try something different. Instead of just reviewing my next beauty product, I decided to give a little preliminary information.

I am going to be reviewing a shampoo bar soon. Maybe I'm just late to the party, but I had never heard of shampoo bars before. Unless you count the times that I had to use an actual bar of bath soap in place of shampoo. (Long story. Traveling, Bad motel. No shampoo... Yeah.) Anyway.

The other day when I was shopping on Amazon with the very last bit of my birthday money, I ran across this:
Sulfate- and detergent-free


                                                                                
Huh. Interesting, right? I mean, have you ever heard of this brand - or any other brand - of a shampoo bar? Me either.

For the last hair product I tried, I ended up feeling duped by the reviews I read prior to making the purchase. Too many glowing reviews for such a ho-hum product. This time, I read the reviews and still can't decide if I can hope for good, bad or just plain ugly results.

Some of the reviews (on Amazon as well as on other sites) are plain rude. There are people saying that the product made  their hair feel, look and smell horrible. Most of the rest of the reviews aren't bad. I keep gravitating toward the ones that claim the product will soften the hair and eliminate the need for using a conditioner. So... sign me up!

The most candid review I read was one that advised using the product for a while. The reviewer stated that it took her hair time to "get used to" the shampoo bar. A similar reviewer said that they hated the way their hair felt while wet (after using the bar) but that, once dried, their hair felt pretty amazing.

I'm kind of excited to try the product (or, rather, both formulas of it) because I do need a change in shampoos. Because, like a lot of women with my type of hair (4B/4C - or nappy/kinky/dry) I try not to strip the natural oils from it. It's for this reason that I don't wash my hair as much as I rinse or "co-wash" it.

The shampoo bars come in different formulations. I can't, of course, try all of them for now, so I have just ordered 2 of them.

This is the description for the Original Formula:
Refresh your shower and shave routine with this amazing bar shampoo original formula from J.R. Liggett. This old-fashioned formula was discovered in an old New England cookbook by the Liggett family who has since been creating these all-natural, safe-to-use bath products. Its unique formulation lathers and quickly cleans, leaving you with healthy, beautiful results. This sulfate-free product is safe to use on all hair and skin types with no risk of irritation. Enjoy this old-fashioned recipe with your family.
And this is for the Damaged Hair Formula:
Refresh your shower and shave routine with this amazing bar shampoo damaged hair formula from J.R. Liggett. This old-fashioned formula was discovered in an old New England cookbook by the Liggett family who has since been creating these all-natural, safe-to-use bath products. Its unique formulation lathers and quickly cleans, leaving you with healthy, beautiful results. This sulfate-free product is safe to use on all hair and skin types with no risk of irritation. Enjoy this old-fashioned recipe with your family.

The Damaged Hair Formula is also labeled on Amazon as a "Moisturizing Hair Formula". That's the main reason I wanted to try that one. Just in case the original one is not enough for this dry nappy mess of hair that I have. Also, I was thinking of the product reviews. I wanted to review at least 2 of the formulas until I can do more.

Yeah, so I'm pretty excited to see how these are going to work out and let the blog readers know about them. In the meantime, if you are interested in making your own shampoo bars, here are a few links I ran across:

Peace
--Free

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

**REVIEW** Aunt Jackie's Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner

If there is a really good hair moisturizer out there, I haven't found it yet. And I have tried several. This is the latest:
                                                       
That's Aunt Jackie's Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner. Let me break that label down in light of my personal experience -

Moisture - Well, it's wet, so I suppose that's where that came from. It's wet in the bottle and still wet when I apply it. Wet = Moisture. Until it doesn't.

Intensive- I'm kind of mad that that word is even in the label next to "moisture". I am intensively upset with that.

Leave-In - That's true. You can leave it in. I could also leave talcum powder or dry rice in my hair. Same effect.

Conditioner- I dunno. Between this one and Miss Jessie's, I'd have to say that M.J's at least left my hair feeling conditioned once I washed it out. This one just washed out.

I think that my hair actually made the sound "quench" once this stuff dried...

I mentioned to someone that I will probably never stop looking for a moisturizer that actually works, but I have now actually put together a list of requirements:
  • Must actually leave my hair feeling moisturized once the product has dried.
  • Must not require that I take out small personal loans in order to purchase the product.
  • Absolutely cannot leave my hair feeling as if it's been shellacked so that it can double as a combat helmet.
  • It would be helpful if the product worked at least 1/2 as well as described.
Maybe the next product will be one by "Mama Sue" or "Sister Betty" but, hopefully, whoever produces it will be selling something that really works instead of just having a folksy name and nice backstory.

By the way, I'm irritated by the rave reviews I read about Jackie's on Amazon. I really wish that more people would be clear and honest when they do those reviews. Or that (for hair products) they are grouped by hair type. Or something.  I'm not saying that most reviewers don't play the honesty game, but I sometimes wonder if some reviews are written by people with some kind of agenda. (Or just really good hair.) I get products for free to review, yet I will tell the good, bad and ugly, no matter what. After all, that is the purpose of reviews, right?

Whatever.

You know what? Maybe I  should come up with a homemade formula under my Cosmetic Kitchenista line. Hmmm...  I could call it "Your Play Cousin's Remedy That Actually Works".

~sigh~

Seriously, about this Aunt Jackie's Quench (or, as I call it "Crunch"), it wasn't as bad as Miss Jessie's. Matter of fact, when I applied to to my towel-dried hair, it felt so good that I had high hopes. Then my hair dried and I was left with that slightly crunchy-not-soft result.

I wasn't ready to give up on good old Aunt Jackie yet. Since applying the product straight didn't work out, I decided to mix some in a spray bottle with a bit of water. Water = moisture. Result: Fail.

Still not ready to disown Jackie, I added a couple of drops of argan oil to the spray bottle. Result: slightly better - not because of Jackie but because of Argan.

I finally did give up on Jackie. Here's the thing, I am so disgusted that I'm not even bothering to return the product. I'm going to start a museum of failed product. Jackie's going right to the left just behind Jessie's.

The best thing I can say about Jackie's is that it is at least more affordable that M.J.'s product. It also didn't leave my hair feeling like a helmet, but it sure didn't satisfy my hair's thirst.

As a last word, I have to say that I am starting to get a complex about my hair. Maybe my naps are just so dry that I will need to walk around with a spray bottle of water? Or - and this is what is keeping me from total disappointment with products - I can just keep stocked up on this product (available at a local big box retailer):
                   Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner, 8 fl oz
I love other Aussie products (I've used the shampoo and 3-Minute Miracle), but had never noticed this one. When I saw it (and its price) at the local Walmart, I whipped out my phone and did a quick search of reviews.  (Then DJ accidentally knocked my phone out of my hand, so... )

Whatever. I went ahead and snagged a bottle of the Aussie Hair Insurance anyway. (Because, I can always return it easily). It was under $4.00 and I won't have a hard time restocking if I like it.

Verdict: This black and nappy sista just disowned the Jackie's and Jessie's to adopt my new favorite cousins from Down Under.

Peace
--Free

Monday, July 13, 2015

**REVIEW** MILLIARD 100% Pure and Natural Avocado Butter

This....


.... is one of my new favorite products because, unlike a lot of multi-use skin and hair care products, this can be used by a variety of people.

It's 100% Pure and Natural Avocado Butter from Milliard.

Since this is the first avocado butter I've used, I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it would be a lot like Shea butter, but I was hoping for something better. I was right on both counts. It is similar to Shea but it's a lot better IMO.
semi-hard butter 
that melts at touch
 Previously, I was okay with using Shea on my skin - or rather, parts of my skin, like my feet and elbows. Shea is just a bit too heavy and coating for me. No way did I like using it on my hair - not even on my scalp.

Avocado butter (or at least this brand) is everything I had hoped for in a thicker moisturizer. I love coconut oil (cooking, organic and fractionated), but it's almost too light for some uses. The avocado butter is a perfect match of thickness and absorbency that I am falling in love with for a multi-use product.

Let me just run down my experience with it in the different ways:

  • On my dry hair, it's a bit too heavy, but it's wonderful when applied sparingly to fresh-washed/conditioned/treated damp hair. 
  • On my scalp, it is amazing. It takes very little & I was able to part my hair in quarters, apply the butter, then just massage to spread around the moisture. (It's even better if you wrap your head in a plastic bag then apply a little heat with a warm wet towel or dryer.)
  • On my face as a cleanser, it worked nicely. I like that it's a little thicker than the other oils I apply and wipe away with a baby wipe because some of the moisture remains.
  • As a facial moisturizer, this works for me if I go light with it and use a little bit of warm water to massage it in. Otherwise, it's just much better used as a night treatment. I think it could be used for day if I were not going to be applying a foundation also. I understand that avocado is a great sunscreen. (Part of the product info online states: "Applying the smooth avocado butter as a natural sunscreen moisturizes and nourishes your skin while providing complete protection.")
  • As a cuticle cream this is SO good. 
  • For all over body moisturizing, I used this 2 ways. First, as a regular "lotion" type application (though it takes very little), this worked better than coconut oil because of the thickness combined with the absorbency. As a "deep conditioning" skin treatment, I applied some after a warm shower, then stood in under the heat in the bathroom for about 10 minutes. That was really moisturizing and is going to work well for days when I've let my skin get dehydrated.
  • Added to shampoo: this was tricky because I didn't know whether to add it to the bottle or just add it to my hair while shampooing. I opted for the latter. Results: wonderful. Did not leave my hair greasy or weighed down so I went ahead and did the conditioning treatment.
  • For hair conditioning: added a bit of the butter to my hair after I had applied my regular conditioner, then let it sit while I finished showering. Results: my hair was so "crispy" once it dried and before applying moisturizing product.
  • Added to my moisturizing product: I put a little in my palm to melt, then added my usual curly moisturizer. Results: either because of the shampoo/conditioning with the butter, my hair was really super soft. When it completely soaked in, I had a little more sheen to my hair. I still used my homemade leave-in spray. I liked the results, but this is where I learned that a little bit goes a long way. I had forgotten that I had added some of the butter (and some argan oil) to my homemade spray... In a couple of days, some of the oil should wear in! LOL
So there you have it. A wonderful multi-use product for all skin types (and possibly all hair types - hope someone out there will let me know!). 

Trust me when I saw that a little of this goes a long way. As a matter of fact, I highly suggest using the smallest amount first then working up if you think you need more. It would be easy to overdo it. The price is well worth it because even with using this for more than just my hair, I can get a lot of use from the 16-oz jar for $12.00. 

I got this for the Prime price and think that I will just do the "Subscribe and Save" deal for re-orders as soon as I figure out how often I'll need to restock.

By the way, when I checked out Milliard's Amazon page, I noticed quite a few "professional" use products for hair care. Worth checking out that Seller's page.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: I really have to thank my niece and nephew (J.P. and +Gabrielle B again for the gift certs. Best gift ever for someone like me!)