**REVIEW** Organic Ceremonial Grade Green Tea Powder by Midori Spring

After my failed first attempt at getting my hands on Matcha powder, I was fortunate enough to get a chance to try this one:

Pop top & then a screw on lid for freshness control

This is Midori Spring's Organic Ceremonial Premium Japanese Green Tea Matcha Powder.  It's actual Matcha powder, no fillers and, judging by the results I got, there's no half-stepping on the quality.

Of course, I had to judge my results against what I get with regular green tea and what I got with this tea powder. Here is what the product claims to do:

• Increase energy levels
• Help reduce stress and improve mental alertness
• Support metabolism and help with weight loss
• Support immune system and help reduce inflammation
• Help the body cleanse of harmful elements

Of course, all this is pretty much what regular green tea has been touted as doing. The thing is, a good quality powdered tea leaf is supposed to be more beneficial than regular green tea. This brand claims to have over 7 times the antioxidants found in regular steeped tea.

The first things I noticed about the Midori Spring product was how very talc-fine it is and the vibrantly green color. Let me tell you, this is nothing like that low-grade, filler-pumped product I talked about yesterday...

I received this product at the perfect time to test its energy-boosting claims. My body has been just dragging lately. I've been so fatigued and weighed down by this recurring cold/virus that I could hardly get out of bed for more than a few hours a day over the last couple of weeks. I can tell that the powder is an energy boost, although with the state my body is in, that boost only lasted for a few hours at a time. In spite of this, I was able to judge the results of the powder against the boost I get from my usual dose of caffeine via coffee.

The biggest difference between this powder and my coffee is that the powder didn't jitter me up. I got a nice boost from using just about a teaspoon full of the powder. And that is in spite of the fact that I haven't been following the brewing instructions:

Yeah. I don't own the proper equipment for the traditional brewing method. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a bamboo whisk.

The first time I used the powder, I used a fork as a whisk. The color was amazingly beautiful and I did get the foamy texture, which was pretty cool. The thing is, I think I used too much. The tea was too strong, or at least it tasted too strong for me. Or maybe I'm not used to the powdered version of green tea.

It's upside down (thanks Blogger) but you see the color
and the fine powder

About the taste: it's a very veggie-leafy-green flavor. Think of what regular green tea tastes like and magnify that by 10. Drinking it hot seems to increase that taste, but the tea is made in such small amounts that it's doable even for someone who might not like the flavor. Also, the color is so beautiful. The tea ends up looking very frothy/creamy - even whisking it with a fork.

Whatever the case, because I do want to get the benefits, and I don't always have time to use the suggested traditional brewing method. I was glad to find that there are other ways to use the tea. You can add it to other things (soups, smoothies, etc.), but I found a way to use it more often during the day.

What am doing now is adding the powder to different beverages. I like using apple juice, Ginger Ale or plain seltzer water. The apple juice and ale have calories I don't need, but they have a flavor to mask the powder. The seltzer water is good though because of the fizz. I can add just a little bit of juice or ale to it and get some flavor without all the calories. Adding the powder to meals throughout the day is probably the best way to get a good intake of the powder. I am anxious to try adding it to soups and smoothies.

I've only been using the powder for about a week, so I can't tell anything about most of the claims, but I started the energy boost more and more with each day. I still have this cold and the gloomy weather draining me, but when I replace my coffee with the powder, I feel a bit of a lift. Also, I'm still trying to see if my stress level is evening out. I can say that the powder does not give me the over-hyped feeling of my coffee. It's strange how you can be tired and jittery if you do too much caffeine.

What I like about the Midori Spring brand of Matcha is that their powder seems to be of such high quality. The packaging is made to keep the product fresh. Note that the Midori brand -

• Is certified Kosher and organic
• Is gluten-free, GMO-free 
• Contains no pesticides
• Is free of fillers (such as soy, etc.)

When I posted about powdered tea yesterday, I noted a few things that make for a quality product. Notice that Midori meets the criteria for being from "first harvest" and grown in the shaded conditions. 

I will keep using the powder to see about the other claims (especially the weight loss), but for now, I will take what can get as far as the energy.

From what I have heard about regular green tea, you need to get at least 8 cups a day for full benefit. For now, I'm adding about a teaspoon of the powder into my beverages 2 or 3 times a day (since day before yesterday) to see if it helps. One benefit is that I'm cutting back on my coffee and other less healthy drinks, so at least I'm cutting out some calories. I can't wait to see how I feel in a couple of weeks.

Remember that Matcha - or at least a good one - is made from the whole tea leaf. Think of the benefits of regular green tea:

• Aid in weight loss
• 8 Benefits (a slideshow but worth it)
• 11 More Benefits (some of which are new to me)

Now remember that Matcha is processed differently to boost those benefits to a whole other level. And as far as some of the benefits of the powdered tea:

• Some "proven" benefits
• And some benefits I mentioned above in the post
• Top 3 benefits (with some explanation)

the way I look at it, if I'm going to ingest something or its health benefits, it's nice to have something I can add to food and drink. 

Midori Spring offers a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee of refunding or product exchange.

Matcha has been used in Asia for centuries, and I'm glad that we are picking up on the benefits of this powder here. Just remember: go for quality.

I want to mention that you might want to check out this link. Midori Spring is having a giveaway. Good chance to try out the product...

Peace

--Free

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.

**REVIEW** Organic Rosehip Seed Oil by Aveya Beauty

I just reviewed another oil by Aveya Beauty that I was pretty happy with, so I was anxious to try their Rosehip Seed Oil. It's certified 100%  organic and there's a 30-day, no-risk guarantee attached.



 The Prime price for the 2-oz bottle (which is plenty) is excellent considering the quality and the no-risk guarantee.








This rosehip seed oil is labelled for multiple benefits (as are most good rosehip seed oils), such as for helping with:

• Anti-aging (I'd think "pro-active" care)
• Wrinkles and fine lines (maybe if you were not pro-active)
• Healing acne scars and burns
• Age spots
• Brittle hair

I do like to be pro-active when it comes to taking care of my skin because (though I hate to say it), I'm a bit vain, and because I don't want to get damage that could cause serious problems. This oil fights a lot of skin and hair issues because of the fact that it replenishes moisture and prevents skin dehydration. That's the basic key to preventing (or alleviating) common skin problems.

By the way, here is some good info on rosehip seed oil, and more usage info here.

This oil is absorbent, and that's important since any oil that just sits atop the skin or hair does no good. I tested this one by washing my hands and letting them dry completely. I then applied some of the rosehip seed oil to a spot on the back of one hand and used a bit of petroleum jelly (PJ) on the back of the other hand. I waited a few minutes to see which product seemed to do best at moisturizing my skin. Here is what the results looked like at each step:

This is my dry hand

This is with the Rosehip and the petroleum jelly just after applying

Rosehip near my knuckles, PJ near my wrist

This is after about a minute and a half

The rosehip was absorbing with no blotting
The PJ is still as heavy as when applied (no blotting)

 And this after about 10 minutes

The rosehip has pretty much soaked in (still no blotting)
The PJ is still as heavy as when applied (no blotting)

I tried to keep my hand in the same position for each photo so that you could get the best idea of how the different oils worked. Of course, I would rather not use PJ on my face but, even on the body, I don't want something that won't absorb. (By the way, for this post, I used a common brand of store-bought petroleum jelly.)

Petroleum jelly (PJ) will obliterate skin "ash", but the problem I have with it is that I can't use it on my hair and I don't really like using it on other parts of my body if I have a more natural alternative. PJ basically only seals the moisture already present in your skin, but it doesn't actually moisturize it. Also, PJ is made up of something called "hydrocarbons" (thank goodness for Wikipedia!) and I don't even know what that really is.

Once again, quality and price are the main considerations when it comes to choosing good products. This one scores on both counts. I also like that I can stand the smell of this one. Ah! Happy days! Rosehip seed oil has its own very special, um, scent. Some people like the stronger scented ones, but I just don't like the particular odor rosehip seed oil has. I was so glad that this one was scented so mildly that I could stand to use it on my face without holding my breath. By the way, the milder scent doesn't seem to indicate a lesser quality.

So, yeah, this one gets a five-out-of-five star rating in my book. This is one of two Aveya products I've used and I've been happy with both.

Since I've heard that rosehip seed oil is so beneficial to acne scars and burns, I dug around a little to see why that would be. Apparently, the fact that it's high in certain fatty acids plays a key role. I don't claim to understand the science behind it all, but I can tell you that it does wonders for my skin. I don't think that enough people use it on their lips or on their hair. Actually, I don't use it on my hair as much as I do on my scalp when it gets dried out after from washing or product buildup. I do think it would make a moisture sealer for the ends and edges for natural hair wearers. I do know that it's nice good for adding underneath your lipstick to stop the chapping caused by some of the "long-wear" lip colors.

This is another of those oils that makes for a wonderful cuticle treatment. It goes a lot farther than some of the store-bought cuticle oils that are only for use on the nails and cuticles (and is a lot more cost-effective). Also, it lasts longer than those types of products.

Lots of ways to use this one bottle of oil, so that's just the final Plus.

As with the other Aveya product I use, the one gripe I have is about the tiny printing on the label. Other than that, this is another winner from the brand.

If anyone else has found other ways to use rosehip seed oil, do share with me.

Peace

--Free

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.

**REVIEW** Indian Healing (Bentonite) Clay

This Indian Healing (bentonite) Clay product by Majestic Pure is to detoxify and cleanse the pores. I've heard about clays for this purpose and there are supposed to be many benefits to using bentonite in face and body care. This brand of clay is supposed to be more detoxifying. (NOTE: This clay is not labeled for internal use/ingestion!)

(My jar was damaged in transit. I'm sorry that I didn't get a photo of the clay itself, but I notice that this blogger did in her review of this same product. I hope she doesn't mind my linking to her page. I love her blog's name!)

 I never understood exactly what bentonite clay was so I had to do a little checking. Wikipedia describes it as an "absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate, impure clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite". Of course I didn't look up all those words, but I get the gist of the description. What I didn't realize is that there are different types of bentonite - each type depending on their dominant element.  I think that your chosen clay type would depend on what your skin type is. This particular clay that I reviewed has is a sodium bentonite. From glancing at characteristics of the 3 types of the clay, I gather that sodium bentonite expands when wet; calcium bentonite absorbs fats and oils; and potash (potassium bentonite) is potassium rich.

Like I said, I had heard of clay being used for skin care. I remember that, years ago, my mother mentioned that "bathing" in clay was good for the skin. Of course, my mother also used to eat clay dirt so...

Anyway, getting back to this particular clay, I did use it as both a facial mask and as a body treatment. I mixed water to make a paste for the facial and, for my body, I did more of a scrub. I was too impatient to clean up the mess I'd make by doing a whole-body mask.

As a facial treatment, it worked well. The mask didn't get rock hard and uncomfortable the way most drying/drawing masks tend to do. Rinsing it off wasn't too tedious either and I got the extra benefit of some exfoliation in the process. When I used it in the bathe as a sort of scrub (mostly just using a wet washcloth to run the clay over my torso, elbows and knees), I didn't get as much benefit as from the facial. I probably should have stood in the shower first and done a more thorough scrubbing. Sitting in a bath, the clay just made a muddy mess to sit in.

As you can see from the photo on Dreadfully Divine's page, this clay is super, super fine-grained. One of the things that would have made it easier to use/dispense would have been a handy scoop. I also had a bit of frustration in trying to get the right balance of water and clay to make my mask. So maybe I should say that a measuring scoop would have helped. I eventually stumbled upon a good consistency for a facial mask, but I didn't keep track of the measurements so I'll have to go through the same thing next time.

My preferred way to use this is to make a little paste in the palm of my hand and then use it as an exfoliating cleanser. One reason for this is that it's easier to get a usable consistency with this method. Also, I don't always want to do a mask treatment - waiting for it to set and dry, then rinsing.

The clay did make my face feel good. I plan to do the next body treatment as a oil-and-clay scrub, and this time I'll use the shower method.

Like I mentioned, the drawback is that, with such a fine grained clay, there's potential for a mess. On the upside, the customer service team is responsive. The jar I received arrived with a cracked lid. Some of the clay was silting out into the mailing container. Someone got back to me immediately and offered to replace my jar. I haven't heard back from them yet, but I am waiting.

If you are unhappy with the product for any reason, contact the Seller within 60 days for a 100% guaranteed refund.

Peace
--Free

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.

Do Yourself Beautiful (Naturally)

So many things to do with some of the products I get a chance to review. A friend of mine came to visit today and we were sharing and exchanging beauty products. She fell in love with the organic coconut oil I shared with her. She was telling me about a sugar & coconut oil skin treatment she's been wanting to try. All that talk of beauty products and recipes got me to thinking about putting together this post.

There are a lot of yummy-sounding recipes for and ways to use Coconut Oil, Argan Oil, Lemon Oil and some others ingredients. Here are some of the ones I've run across that I really like the sound of:


Coconut Oil

• Homemade hand scrub
• A face cream also using Shea Butter & Tea Tree Oil
• A non-toxic eyeliner
• Some beauty tricks using Coconut Oil

Argan Oil

• A hair serum treatment
• 3-ingredient customizable facial oil
• Cuticle oil cream

Lemon Essential Oil & Lemons

• 43 uses for this oil
• 10 uses for it
• 11 beauty uses for lemons
• Household uses for lemons
• Uses for lemons "that will blow your socks off" (love the title)

Other Essential Oils

• Always good to know cautions of using essential oils
• And to know surprising uses for them...
• A ton of ways to use essential oils in almost every way

Good stuff, right? 

I will do more posts on using some of the other products I have either reviewed or just run across in my daily life. 

By the way, many thanks to all these sources for some good and useful info! If any of you have more DIY stuff that you like or have heard about, please share with the rest of us.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Poppy Austin Eye Cream (with Green Tea & Vitamin C)

It might sound a little silly that when I received this product to review, all I could think about for the first ten minutes is how good it felt on my skin. I didn't think about smell, ingredients, or if it would irritate my face. I was mesmerized by the texture of the cream. Nothing else.

please ignore my dirty laptop screen!

It's Poppy Austin's Eye Cream with Green Tea and Vitamin C. And, by the way, according to my sister, it's very faintly scented and smells of... green tea? (I have a cold so I had to get her opinion.)

Okay, that photo sucked just a little, so...

Thankfully, I pulled myself together and got back to the job of doing an objective review for this eye cream - (though it's not just for the eye area).

This comes in a pump jar. I like products in a pump jar, but only if I can get a lot of use with minimal pumps. So, the first question, for me, was: How much coverage would I get per pump? Answer: one pump to do my undereye area and across my nose. One pump. Nice.

The reason one pump of this covered so well is because of the texture I was raving about right off the bat. The cream is super moist (I think I described it as almost damp. Most creams - even the most moisturizing - don't have that kind of "wetness"). I believe - and this is just me - that it's what the label calls its "enriched blend" of ingredients. The aloe could also lend to the high moisture level.

Whatever the reason, the texture and the feel on my skin is what really wowed me. The cream itself looks like just about any other facial moisturizer: white, thinner than body lotion, and really creamy.

Because what dispensed with one pump was more than enough for my undereye area (and because the cream can be used as a full-face product), I went ahead and, well used it full-face.

Dispensing the cream onto the back of my hand, I used my fingers to just dot tiny amounts around my face, then rub it in. Know how we are warned to be so gentle with the eye area? So that we don't tug at our skin? Well, there's no tugging with this. It's so moist that it just glides over the face, Good coverage, small amount. Love that this will last a long time.

This is how the product defines its use:

 Directly Tackles Dark, Sagging, Baggy Eyes as well as Fine Lines, Crows Feet and Wrinkles.

Well. I don't have the dark or sagging or baggy eyes, but I do have the fine lines, crows feet and... Well not a lot of wrinkles.

#SmileLinesAreNotWrinkles!

Moisture is the biggest weapon against fine lines on the skin, so I think this is going to be great for minimizing, or at least keeping those lines in check. I'd love to hear from someone else about whether this works as well for dark circles. Lord knows, we are all living with enough stress to develop some of those skin problems.

Now. That is all what I love about this product. I didn't have any negative issues with it, but ran into something that is my personal flaw: I have combo skin. Depending on the weather, my face is "Normal/Dry" or "Normal/Super-dry". (As in arid as the Sahara.) This cream worked amazingly well as a moisturizer of the Normal and Dry parts of my face...

... Except for my chin. My chin is just ri-dic-cu-lous!

The Poppy Austin cream actually did soothe the dryness of my chin, but after a while, I had to add more product to that one area. Who knows, maybe with continued use, even that part of my face might get better? Let us hope.

Now, for the other important stuff, I'm going to leave you with a list (well, a photo) of the ingredients, and the happy note about the manufacturer's guarantee of a FULL refund if you are not happy with the product.

Also be sure to check out the actual Poppy Austin site! I like what they have to say on the "Our Story" page.

Here is a partial list of ingredients from the product page on Amazon, and a photo of more ingredients as shown in the product page photo:

"Poppy Austin® revitalizing under eye cream contains a cleverly combined blend of 72% organic and natural ingredients. These include our luxurious organic Aloe, Grapeseed Oil, organic Jojoba Oil, Green Tea, Lemon Citrus, organic Rosehip Oil, Vitamins E and C and many other sumptuous moisturizers and natural antioxidants. A full list of ingredients is located on the product packaging" 

Since I had trouble with the image copy, my photo attempts to better show all ingredients listed:

Peace
--Free



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.

**REVIEW* Adovia Dead Sea Bath Salts (UPDATED)

Since I have tried (and mostly love) many Adovia products, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one:

INSERT PHOTO

Ta-da! Adovia's Dead Sea Bath Salts.

Nice, big, 1.75lb pouch. At least I could tell that was the weight when I weighed the bag for myself. You see, there was no label indicating the weight on the package. I also had to rely on the product page to get any information on how best to use the salts.

But.

Once I did get the information...

"The mineral rich salts of the Dead Sea are wonderful to use when attempting to naturally soothe aches and pains from dry skin disorders, joint pain disorders, and muscle pain disorders. They're also great to use when unwinding from a long stressful day or week and your body has been overexerted. Salts of the Dead Sea have been used for centuries to provide soothing relief and now you get to enjoy the benefits of the Dead Sea, too! Use them to sooth painfully dry skin due to Psoriasis, Dermatitis, or Eczema. Use them to relax after a long day at work. Use them to sooth overexerted muscles after a long workout at the gym. And you could even use them to sooth pains from Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. This natural muscle soother is even perfect to use when creating a spa like setting in the comfort of your own home. All you have to do is set the mood in the room where you plan on soaking in the Dead Sea salts, fill the tub, pour in the salts, soak and enjoy. Using Dead Sea salts to soothe dry skin, joint and muscle aches and pains is a fast, effective, and natural way to find relief. Did you know that you can soak in a tub full of these natural salts and warm water to find relief from stress and insomnia as well? Directions for Use of Dead Sea Bath Salts 1. To use these natural bath salts, simply pour 1 cup of salts into a bath tub that is filling with warm water or that has already been filled with warm water. 2. Allow the salts to dissolve before getting in to the bath tub. 3. Get into the bath tub, relax and soak for about 20 minutes. 4. Follow-up with a warm rinse. Dip your body into a Dead Sea salt enriched bath tub every evening before retiring to bed, or at the end of a very long week at work. Use them every day or as needed. The choice is yours. One thing's for sure, regardless of how often you use these naturally soothing bath salts you'll never regret their investment thanks to the many rewards you'll discover." (straight from the product page at Amazon)

...I was happy to see that the salts "Contain absolutely zero additives, colors, or scents. Higher Level of Minerals and Relief than Epsom Salts", but I was still curious about the "over 26 essential minerals the body needs for natural soothing and relaxation" and such. I want a list of the minerals.

If something has great ingredients and there are different ways to use a product, I want to know without having to do a lot of research. Basically, with this product, I wish that all the information had been printed on a cheap piece of paper and slipped inside the bag of salts. Or taped to the back. Or stapled to the bag. Something. You know? (I'm having issues lately with products not coming with adequate information included. Just a peeve of mine.)

Anyway, I don't suffer from any serious skin conditions and I don't (thank goodness) have problems such as Arthritis or Fibromyalgia. What I do have is (selfishly) a love of soft skin. And feet that are more high maintenance than a trophy wife.

Now, my feet are doing better (thanks to a nifty little item I found at a local store, but that's for another post), but I decided to treat them with a soak using these salts. (Okay, here's the deal: I already had a shower today and I'm too lazy to do the whole-body bath thing this late at night.)

So... I tested the salts on these troublesome dawgs of mine. Since I was just doing my feet (and using a foot tub), I went with a quarter cup of salts dissolved in very warm water. I soaked my feet for about 15 minutes. I would have gone the whole 20, but my phone battery was going low and I was expecting an important call. Whatever. 15 minutes or so was apparently good enough because, wow. My feet came out so soft. Actually, I got my feet and ankles, which is good because the backs of my ankles get so dry and irritated from my footwear that the skin is always flaky. (And now you know too much.)

I don't know and cannot tell you if these salts work for the more serious issues addressed in the product description but, baby, if you want something to soften your skin - well, these salts will do it. My feet are like the go-to part of my body for testing a product! If these can soften my feet, well...

Another benefit to these salts is that they actually softened the water. When I lived in Arizona (and some parts of Texas), the water was so hard that you could almost beat someone with it. Here in Alaska, we have some of the best water in the world, but these salts did give the water a soft and almost silken feel. That's going to be heavenly when I take a nice, long bath.

If I have one caution, it's this: I know that some people use Epsom salt to get rid of excess water (by ingesting or by soaking). If these salts do the same thing, just take precaution when using. Besides, I'm not sure what all 26 minerals are involved.

Adovia is great about standing behind their products, but I didn't see any kind of guarantee on the product page. However, this is set at a great price (about $12) for such a hefty bag of salts.

Enjoy!

Peace
--Free

P.S.: The temps here have been sticking at single digits here for the past several days. I have a nasty cold and the chills, so I took a nice, hot soak in the tub last night. Added about 1 cup of the bath salts and fell asleep for about 40 minutes. (Yes, 40 minutes. No kidding. When I woke up after the first 25 minutes, I just added more hot water.) The rest of my body love these salts as much as my feet do. One other thing I noticed: when I moisturized right afterwards -and promptly went to bed - my skin stayed better hydrated throughout the whole night. I don't bathe often in really warm water because it's not good for my skin and I have to double-down on the moisturizer. This bath was long and warm, but I made it to late morning before I had to re-moisturize. Last of all, I don't think I slept any better than usual, but the bath was relaxing.

**UPDATE** I forgot to add something. This tends to leave the skin ashy and dry. Make sure to rinse your body thoroughly and moisturize very well after using.

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.

**REVIEW** Seaweed Complex Lotion (with Blue Green Algae)

To tell you why I wanted to try this lotion, I have to explain that I became fascinated with blue-green algae first as a nutritional supplement. That's because I heard that the algae might boost the immune system. I also saw mention of its energizing effects, among other interesting things. However, since I never got around to checking with my own doctors about this, I never tried it as a supplement.  

When I saw that this Seaweed Complex Lotion contained blue-green algae and "ocean minerals" (which sound like the same thing, right?), I wondered if the ingredients would be as good for my outside as claimed for my insides. I still don't know much about the nutritional properties, but I can tell you that I am loving what these ingredients are doing for my skin.

By the way, I like Foxbrim as a brand. I've tried many of their products and have never once had any problem with customer service, questions being answered, or anything - regardless of  however I have reviewed their products.

While I don't think that I would use this regularly as a body lotion (it's a bit too pricey for that), I do know that it works better than a few of my facial creams as a moisturizer. For one thing, the texture is perfect for the face.There's no "slick" feeling to it (which also means there is no sheen or shine left behind), and the lotion really blends right into the skin. That sounds weird because I'm trying hard to explain what I mean. When you apply the lotion, it doesn't rub or glide all over your face. It goes on and you can massage it for a few seconds before it's absorbed completely.

Another thing I'll saw about the texture of this lotion is that it's best to apply it in small dabs. Because it does absorb fairly rapidly, I am finding that it's best to apply in small patches - instead of just slathering it on. The moisturizing properties are so good (and this absorbs fast), that it's a waste to use more than you have to. 

Now. As for the smell. (And you all knew I'd get around to this.) I love it. Maybe because of the mention of blue-green algae and "ocean minerals", I detect a really nice "blue" scent that reminds me of those fragrances that mention "cool" and "ocean" and "blue". It's not strong, but it does linger a bit. I find it pleasant so I'm not bothered by it. I just wanted to mention it.

The bottle is nicely sized for use as a facial lotion (and the label directions are to use a dime-sized amount), but I can't justify using this for body care. At the current (moderate, sale) price, I would use it occasionally as a body lotion but, at the non-sale price, I couldn't justify that. The bottle is 1.7 ounces, which works for using dime-sized amounts at a time. (I personally used about 2 dime-sized amounts to treat my face. I applied those amounts by finger-dabbing spots of cream all around my dry spots before rubbing in.)

I like that I can tell the difference in the way my skin feels before and after applying. It leaves my face feeling nice to touch. My favorite thing about this lotion is that I can immediately apply any of my makeup over it. When I used a little, tiny bit of this behind my knee (to test it as a body lotion), the results were just okay. That could be because that part of my skin is drier than my face or (and this is what I'm thinking) I was too stingy to apply enough lotion on my leg... 

I'm going to do more reading up on how blue-green algae benefits the skin but, in the meantime, here are the claims specifically for this product:

• Age spots fade while filling in existing wrinkles. 
• Boost collagen production. 
• Restore firmness and youth to skin elasticity. 
• Leave your skin clear, smooth and glowing.
• Restorative and healing agents from ocean 
• Perfect for all skin types. 

And, as for what the respective ingredients offer (their description, my linkage):

The answer from nature... Ocean Mineral Lotion includes:
+ Phytochemicals - Effectively prevents premature aging of the skin.
+ Polysaccharides - Essential building block for skin repair and renewal.
+ Organic Spirulina (Blue Green Algae) - Reduce skin inflammation while boosting antioxidants and defending against free radicals.
+ Hyaluronic Acid - Unmatched natural moisturizer for plump and smooth skin

Last (and always most important), Foxbrim guarantees a full refund of your money if you are not happy for any reason.

Peace
--Free

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.

**REVIEW** Organic Rosehip Oil by Valentia

When you think about using natural products - either for health, beauty or nutritional purposes - you start to think of some of those products as staples. Just like you have basic cooking ingredients, you will start to collect basic health and skincare items. Rosehip oil belongs in that collection.

And when you talk about rosehip oil, you have to talk about quality. I pick this one:

A little goes a looong way

I've done a few posts on Rosehip oil and I'm learning more and more about its benefits. This particular Organic Rosehip Oil by Valentia Skin Care is of the best quality that I've tried so far. That't the good news. Some more good news are highlights of the benefits:

• Has naturally occurring antioxidants promote healthy cell development (think: help for lines, wrinkling and early aging)
• The essential fatty acids may reduce appearance of scars and burns and improve damage from acne and other skin issues
• Hydrates the skin to keep it soft
• Great for hair and fingernails (and cuticles)

I like this oil so much that I am using it despite the fact that.... I can't stand the smell.

In general, rosehip oil has a very distinct odor that you're either going to like or hate. Personally, I just don't like the extremely powerful earthy smell. I have read the opinions of other people who really love the scent. Either way, no worries because the scent does not last long. 

With other brands I tried, I had a hard time even using the oil because of the scent of it. I was determined to use this one because I like it so much more. I think there is a difference if production and, possibly, quality. The absorption for this one is wonderful. At first, I didn't want to use it anywhere near my face (read: nose), but after using it on my nails and feet, I was pretty impressed. 

Because I wanted to give this a full review (and because I will do a lot for the readers of my blog), I dived in and, smell be damned, tried using this in every way I could think of:  

• Fingernails. I have only done one hot oil or "glove" treatment so far, but I have applied the oil directly to my nails and cuticles more than once. This works really well if done after using polish remover. It's really quick and easy to rub in a little of this oil on your nails every day. I think I could see a big difference (in shine and feel) after about a week.
• Hands. If applied (very sparingly) about half an hour before I'm going to be out in the cold, I don't get as much drying - either from my gloves or the weather. I don't like to use too much unless I'm going to have time to massage the oil in really well. 
• Body. Using it underneath my usual lotion is great. Some of my body lotions are not as moisturizing as others and using the oil with them seems to "boost" their usefulness. Beats tossing out thin lotions. 
• Knees and elbows. I don't worry about skimping here. I massage in a lot of the oil and let it rest while I moisturize the rest of my body. My elbows are especially dry and just drink this up. After about 2 months us using various rosehip oils (the latest being this one), I am seeing a lot of improvement in the look and feel of my elbows. Before, they used to always feel dry and a little scaly at the end of a day.
• Feet. I'm working on my feet. That's one of my goals for this new year - to get these dawgs back into sandal-wearing shape. I'm using the rosehip oil at least once a day. This helps because I am regularly using various tools and creams to get rid of calluses.
• As a makeup remover. I use various oils for this. With the rosehip, I like to apply and let the oil rest for a while (sometimes for 15 minutes or more) to remove any heavy foundation. When I have the heavier makeup off, I will use just 2 or 3 drops of rosehip to massage the "dry" part of my combo skin. It sbsorbs really quick. (And that smell goes away fairly fast!)
• Hair. I can't use a lot of this on my hair, but I do like rubbing just a couple drops in my palm and smoothing over my hair if I'm going to be tying on a scarf for the day. It helps keep my hair from matting too badly.
• Booster. The oil is really nice for boosting my other face creams and skin care products. I have a ton of face creams that aren't moisturizing enough. I've already rescued two jars by adding just a little more than one full drop of rosehip. Makes a huge difference. 

I saw somewhere online where a user suggested applying a bit of rosehip oil on your eyelashes to get them thick and healthy. I haven't tried that one yet because I forgot about it until I was writing this post. If I try that, I'll hopefully remember to let you know how it goes.

By the way, this bottle is smaller than some of the other brands I've tried, but I have to tell you that a little goes a long way. I use by drops and I don't think that I've had to use more than 3 drops for any application. Sometimes, I just touch the end of the dropper to whatever area I'm treating. 

Bottom line is, rosehip oil is versatile. I have to hand it to Valentia for producing one of such good quality. And, yes, there are some that don't work as well. I'm going to be adding this one to my "favorites" list of rosehip oil. 

Peace

--Free

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.

**REVIEW** Pure Body Naturals Peppermint Oil

Since I was able to use and review Pure Body's Lemon Oil (and am loving it), I noticed when they posted another product. At first, I wondered if I'd be able to find any use for a big bottle of Peppermint Oil -

Pure Body's Peppermint Oil. Nice, big bottle, just like their Lemon Oil. 4 ounces might not sound like a lot, but this stuff is so concentrated that I'll be good for a while.

Of course, I did find a way to use the Peppermint Oil. There are about 3 million of us here in the house for the holidays, and... Okay - there are really only 13 of us that have been hanging out under one roof but, still. What happens when 1 person out of 13 catches a nasty cold? That 1 person plays tag and passes their cold around to the rest of us. That's what happens.

By Day 4 of our family festivities, I think it was 3 of us who were down for the count. Enter me. And my magic Peppermint Oil. And a q-tip.

oil & q-tip

Plus

a stuffed up sniffer

That really helped get the sick folks around here breathing better. Then, because we were taught by my Mama to do hot liquids for a cold, when my turn came around, I put my oil to use again. Since I already had the Lemon Oil, I added a drop of it with a drop of Peppermint Oil into my tea. 

I love this oil. Both of them, actually - the Lemon and Peppermint.

I was so busy finding uses for the oil on my own that it wasn't until yesterday that I got around to paying attention to the other many different uses. Pure Body's list includes:

• Quick Relief from Stress
• Migraines
• Headaches & Anxiety
• Helps Treats Indigestion, Nausea, Diarrhea, Heartburn, IBS and More
• Delivers Fresh Minty Scent & Aroma For House, Home & Office 
• Also Serves as great repellent to SPIDERS, MICE, FLEAS & ANTS

If I check other sources, I find more:

• As a fragrance in soaps & cosmetics
• As a flavoring in foods & beverages

And the oil MIGHT  help with:

• Bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine
• Gas
• Colds
• Coughs
• Inflammation of the mouth and throat
• Sinus and respiratory infections
• Menstrual problems
• Liver and gallbladder problems

Of course, you have to use some common sense before you go off using any product. Also, I did see somewhere (probably online) a warning that some essential oils can break down the rubber in the stoppers they come with. To remedy that, I replace the stopper with the screw-on cap when I'm not using the oils.

By the way, I just mixed some of the 2 oils together for a hot tea. Getting some double benefits in the fight against whatever this nasty cold/virus is that I have.

A couple of final notes: This product is suitable for vegans/vegetarians, and Pure Body offers a Lifetime Money-Back promise if you are unhappy for any reason. I guess you could beat that with a stick, but I don't think you'll want to.

Peace

--Free

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.

**REVIEW** Havens Arc Organic Argan Oil

When I first got into oils for skin and hair care, I didn't pay much attention to argan oil. I don't know why. Maybe I thought the other oils were sexier-sounding or the benefits for them were just trending harder. (Then, of course, there was my run-in with an argan conditioner that was horrible. Turns out that was just a bad batch of something from a brand that otherwise has great products...)

Anyway, I have since come to appreciate the benefits of a good argan oil. You can add it to your lotions and body butters for a little extra oomph.  Also, I live in a cold climate and I like the idea of nourishing my skin and hair with oil. This Organic Argan Oil by Havens Arc is a quality one. What I like about this one is that it's fast absorbing and I am able to use it on my hair while still damp from washing. I get a lot of moisture retention (which I definitely need with this "natural" hair choice I've made!) without any weighty greasiness.

4 oz bottle size (with a dropper/stopper)

Simple Ingredients List

Notice that Havens Arc Argan Oil is described as:

Extra virgin Grade I - 100% Pure, Certified Organic, Cold-Pressed, Unrefined and All Natural Argan Oil. No fillers, binders or artificial ingredients.

The company explains that they produce their oil in small batches to ensure the quality of the product. And, before I go any further, let me mention that they offer a "Lifetime Money-Back Guarantee", regardless of where you purchase the product. I don't think that you're going to be asking for a refund though. This really is good quality argan oil and, even though it's produced in small batches, the 4oz bottle size is great. I needed a good size because I've found a few ways to use it.

First, this argan oil turns out to be an amazing hand and cuticle treatment. What I did was rubbed on quite a bit of the oil all over my hands (making sure to soak my cuticles with it), put on a pair of latex gloves, then ran warm water over my gloved hands for a few minutes. I didn't let the water get too hot, but I had it as warm as was comfortable. Afterwards, I left the gloves on for about half an hour to 45 minutes. Then I removed the gloves and massaged the oil into my nails and cuticles, waited a couple minutes, then blotted the residue.  The results were nice. My hands and nails were moisturized and softer. After I used a little hand lotion (to sort of seal in the oil), my hands retained the effects for hours and hours.

For my hair care, I don't like a lot of product build-up - especially of anything oily. Still, I need to keep my hair and scalp nourished so I get less breakage. Also, softer hair is prettier and easier to style, in my opinion. This oil is "light" enough that it doesn't weigh down my hair while adding needed moisture. Actually, I used it (sparingly) as a sealant after washing and noticed that my hair didn't lose its softness as fast as it dried. I did use other products on top of the oil, but I think the oil helped overall. I'm going to see how it works as far as helping keep down the amount of breakage I get.

The other way that I used this argan oil is as a lip treatment. I don't know why, but I have to exfoliate my lips all the time (maybe because of the cold and chapping kind of weather we are having???) I made a scrub by dabbing some of the oil on my my lips - heavily - then dipping my finger into some sugar and (gently) massaging the mixture around. (Someone once suggested adding honey to any lip scrub, but I didn't try that with the oil.) The results were amazing! When I rinsed away the sugar and rubbed in the remaining oil residue, I didn't need balm or anything. Also, instead of blotting my lips afterward, I just kept massaging until the oil was almost completely absorbed.

If you use it as a facial treatment, keep in mind that it is an oil. There will be a bit of a sheen on your skin until you rub it in well and let it rest. I recommend blotting well before applying makeup.

I will have to keep using it for a while to see if I get the hair growth and nail strengthening benefits but, for now, I do like what it does as a moisturizer and softening agent.

Peace
--Free

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.

**REVIEW** pureSol Konjac Facial Sponge

You might remember my saying that the Konjac fiber was going to be a trend. Well, I have now been lucky enough to try Konjac more than once. This time, I tried the Konjac Facial Sponge

from pureSol.

Good thing in a small package

I can't help but think that these are perfect stocking stuffer gifts!

As I just said, this is not the first Konjac sponge I've used. The Konjac fiber seems to be a beauty care wonder-find and I just know it's going to trend in 2015.

This sponge by pureSol is a quite small and handy. I do prefer something a little bigger because I tend to be clumsy with small items, but my friend loves this one especially for its size.

shown dry & still in plastic wrapping
(along with the handy hook)

On top of the amazing things this does for your skin, another thing to love about the Konjac sponge fiber is that it's natural, and is eco-friendly. This particular one is produced to be softer and better suited to super-sensitive skin (again, my friend loves this part the most).

It's so gentle that I opt to use it only on my face and neck because it wouldn't be as exfoliating for the rest of my body. Where the other sponge I tried is big enough (and more exfoliating) for all-over use on a once-weekly basis, this one is perfect for regular use on extra-sensitive skin. It is shaped nicely for working around the contours of the face. My personal routine is to use this sponge daily to get ride of the blackheads and pores around my nose area. I use the other sponge less often.

It took quite a bit of soaking for this sponge to soften up for use and it didn't expand very much once it was ready. Even though the fiber is soft and gentle, the sponge is very firm and seems like it will last quite a while.

There are lots of reasons that folks are going to love what this sponge does for their skin but there are additional positives:

1. Natural fibers (biodegradable), and
2. No added chemicals
3. Cruelty free & vegan
4. You can compost the sponge, (try adding it to your flowerpot)
5. Even the packaging is 90% compostable

Another nice little touch was the suction hook for handy attachment. For me, I like the idea that this sponge is effective but still gentle enough for daily use on my face. I can see a difference in the amount of icky blackheads on and around my nose. 

Check out more about the sponge on Facebook and on pureSOL's site. They also have a Konjac sponge that's infused with bamboo charcoal.

When you start hearing all about Konjac next year, remember that I predicted the trend! 

Peace

--Free

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.