**REVIEW** Sweet Almond Oil

 Of all the many, many oils I have used over the years, I never got around to trying sweet almond oil. I have no idea how I missed this one. Now that I have tried it... Wow. It's up there with my favorites like Marula and pumpkin seed. I would have to say that it beats both of those as a treatment for the face. Pumpkin can be too thick and "heavy"; Marula is better, in my opinion, for the hair. Plus, good quality Marula tends to be pricy.

This is the brand of sweet almond that I am trying:

There are, of course, several brands but I chose this one for the positive reviews and cheap price - under $3 for the 4-ounce bottle. It really does only take a few drops to treat my face and neck. If I decide to try it on my hair (as a post-wash sealer/moisturizer), I will be getting a much larger bottle.

I am raving about this over other oils (to use on the face) because of the way it soaks into the skin. There is very little residue detectable and almost zero added shine. How great is it that this relieves my dry facial skin without making me look all greasy?

Another positive: one ingredient and only one.

There are probably a million benefits listed online but I will skip those. What I love about this - in addition to the above-mentioned things - is how soft it makes my skin feel. I will probably use this as my "wake-up" oil. In the winter, the first thing in the morning, I have to pat my dried-out skin with a bit of water from my bedside water bottle. If I don't, it almost hurts to yawn. Seriously. Actually, I sometimes even hydrate my face on my nighttime jogs to the bathroom. 

The summer weather here is much more humid and awesome for the skin. Winter though is incredibly parching. 

This stuff is pretty much a friend to my entire face and neck. I have already put some in a little tube for use on my lips.

Anyway, I wanted to share a short take on this oil. It's going to be my best friend first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If I ever try another brand (doubtful), I will come back and compare.

Peace

--Free

**Quick Post** Hair & Skincare Tip

Sometimes, when you know something, you assume everyone knows that thing. Assumptions are not useful so I'm popping in to share a simple beauty tip with you all. This is for men and women. Here goes:

If you tend to have dry hair or skin, maybe try some of this:

this just happens to be the brand I ordered this time

It doesn't have to be that specific brand. I'm thrifty and have used several brands - all priced under $5. This just happens to be the one I ordered this time around.

You can use this right out of the bottle if you want or you can add it into your other hair and skin products. I rarely use it straight except for on these dry feet of mine. I like to add this to leave-in hair products and skin lotions. I almost don't know what lotion without glycerin feels like.

Glycerin is a humectant. It is ultra moisturizing. Straight out of the container, it feels thick and greasy. Don't freak. Once applied to dry skin, the greasy part goes away leaving a soft and dew-like feel.

Like I mentioned, I rarely use it right out of the bottle on my hair. That's only because it takes patience to apply it. My hair is kinky-curly and thick. When I apply straight glycerin, I have to take my time and apply it to really small sections. That's because you have to smooth the thick glycerin into the hair. It's a pain in the tail, but totally worth it. Applying to damp hair is easier. Mainly though, the easiest way is to apply when mixed in with some leave-in conditioner.

You can use glycerin on your lips and cuticles and rough elbows. I'm not sure of people can be allergic to it so... use common sense and maybe test-swatch or something.

I've been using glycerin for a while, but I did not know until recently that it seems to help perfume last longer on the skin. Score.

So there you go. I've reviewed different brands of glycerin before but assumed most people knew the general benefits. A neighbor of mine never heard of using it for the beauty benefits. It's cheap and versatile, which is why I keep some around.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Majestic Pure Pale Pressed Castor Oil

Yes, I know. I just did a castor oil review a couple days ago. That was for what's called a "cold pressed" castor oil. This is for a "pale pressed" castor oil. Specifically, this one:

                    Majestic Pure's 100% Pure Castor Oil (cold pressed & hexane-free)

I have to admit that, before now, I never paid attention to the different oil "pressings". What I did notice immediately when I got this pale pressed oil is that it's so much thinner in texture.

When I saw just how thin this was, I worried that it wouldn't be a "good" castor oil. Except for Jamaican Black Castor Oil (BJCO), all the castor oils I've used have been either thick or super thick. This one was as thin as table syrup. I love me some Majestic Pure, as you guys know, but I was trying to give this item the side eye at first!

Because I was curious about this (and the color, which is a yellow-ish hue), I went looking for info. All I could come up with was that different "pressings" produce differences in oils.

Okay.

To be honest, I really only care the most about whether this would be moisturizing. It is, and the good thing about it's thinner texture is that it makes a great skin moisturizer.

Thick castor oil (like the one I just recently fell in love with) is great for dealing with hair and skin at it's driest. Because a thick oil is heavier, it takes more time for it to absorb. What I learned using this thinner oil is that it's easier to apply on my skin in place of lotion because it absorbs much faster. It still does a the job of moisturizing my skin (and holding in more hydration from, say a shower or bath).

When I applied this to my hands, it only took a couple of minutes before it was absorbed and I could touch paper without staining it. Cool.

I decided that there's a place for both types of oils in my routine. Still, I wanted to understand more about this whole "cold vs pale" pressing thing. I'm no expert, so take what I learned with a few grains of salt:

• Cold pressing leaves the oil more "virgin" because there's no heat used in the process.
• Pale pressed oil has a lower acidity. Pale pressed oil is from the first pressing of the castor bean.
• (source for info includes this specific page)

Um, that's about all I learned! Sorry. Hahaha...

If any of you know more about the subject, be sure to fill me in. 

For now, I am loving this oil. I like the fact that I can apply this to my hands and the rest of my body just before I get dressed. I like that it absorbs almost like a lotion (I just need to fill a small bottle to fit in my purse and gym bag), and most of all, I like that it really does work.

One warning: Don't over-apply. Just because this is thinner, I went a little overboard when I put some on my hair. My body heat begin to warm the oil and I had it dripping down my neck! A little bit goes a looong way, trust me.

Again, I have to say that I've used quite a few products from Majestic Pure by now. They seem to be a real stand-up brand and they do stand behind their products. By the way, this castor oil, other than being "pale pressed" is also hexane free.  There is a 100% refund guarantee.

Peace
--Free


Disclosure: 
In exchange for providing my fair and honest review, I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using AMZ Review Trader. Regardless, I only review products that I have personally used and can give an opinion of.

**REVIEW** Zim's Crack Creme ***UPDATED WITH CONTEST***

Well, I got this just at the perfect time, didn't I?

Zim's Crack Creme in the 2-oz pump bottle.

First reaction: I got a fit of giggles at the name. I can be so freaking juvenile when I'm tired.

Second reaction: Um, this is some goooood stuff...

After using it the very first time, I knew that it would be easy to tell you why I like this creme so much

• Absorbs super fast
• Not oily or sticky/tacky
• Worked immediately (on my driest skin, which you'll get to see)
• No icky smell (and what's there fades off fast)
• Really softens the skin for a long time
• Works a little bit like a skin conditioner (I'll explain in a moment)

What's hard is to describe this product. It's not really a cream/creme at all, but a liquid.

Interesting, right? The ingredients list is short & fairly natural:

• Glycerine
• SD Alcohol 3-C
• Purified Water
• Arnica Extract
• Myrcia Oil

I noticed that the FDA classifies Myrcia Oil as Bay and vice versa, so I am assuming it's the same as Bay Oil. This reference seems to support my assumption. What I found so interesting is that both Bay Oil and Arnica Extract seem to be used more for analgesic and soothing properties than for moisturizing. (Always be careful with ingredients that you might have a reaction to.)

I had no negative reactions at all and, since I just fell in love with the callus remover I recently reviewed, this cream (or creme) was just what I needed for a follow-up.

Time for another callus treatment!

After the Zim's

Seriously, my feet looked new after the Zim's. I mean, removing the dead skin and calluses worked wonders, but the Zim's was the finishing touch.

Okay, okay - enough about my feet. I did use the Zim's on my hands and elbows. I really like the way it not only took away that parched look from around my cuticles, but it even moisturized my fingernails. Once again, it's hard to describe the difference between this and oils or lotions. For one thing, this absorbs much faster. Also, the moisturizing feels different. The best way I can describe it is to compare it to how my hands feel after they have been washed and before all that moisture dries up. 

Zim's is not sticky/tacky. It does leave your skin feeling conditioned. I actually think that's the best way to describe the results. You know how your hair feels different compared to just being shampooed to being deeply conditioned? That's what this did for my skin. And for my nails. That was really nice.

Another thing I like is the price. This is really affordable. It occurred to me that this 2-ounce multi-use bottle would last me for quite a while for use on my feet, hands, nails and elbows. The thing is, my family is going to love this so I will be sharing. (Tell you the truth, I'm thinking of trying it on my scalp and the ends of my hair.) I was glad to see that I can get this in different sizes and even in multi-packs. There are different varieties and formulations that you can check out here. Also you can check out their site here, or their social media presence:

• On Facebook
• and Twitter
• and on Pinterest

If I try their lip creme, I'll be sure to do a review for you. For now, let's take a closer look at these feet of mine...

Now, that's a product testimony right there! LOL

Peace

--Free

*** CONTEST***

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.