I Need a Support Group!!!

OK, I admit it ... I am a bath and body product junkie (is there a support group for that??) ...

My favorite scented body products are of course from Bath and Body Works (which I admittedly have too many of), plus I have a new favorite that I picked up as a birthday gift to myself last month - Laura Mercier's Creme Brulee Body Souffle (this smells sooooooo yummy ... who knew I liked smelling like dessert!!).

One of the coolest bath/shower products out there (I think it is anyway), is Lush's Shower Jellies ... unfortunately as most of you know, Lush's products can be a bit pricey. So, I started a quest to see if I could duplicate these shower jellies for myself.



... I am happy to say I have found a recipe (and the appropriate ingredients) to try and make my own ... so as soon as the "special" ingredient which makes these into jelly arrives in the mail, I am going to try my recipe.

Another of Lush's products that I am absolutely in love with are the Lush Bubble Bars ... unfortunately these too are pricey so I am in search for a homemade recipe for these as well ... hmmm I love a challenge!!



I'll report back in a while and let you know how I make out! Wish me luck!!!

Bath and Body Works is EVIL

I tried to stay away from B&BW for awhile, I really did. But they know just how to suck you back into buying their products! Props to their marketing department for that.

I have been shopping there for a couple years now, and will likely continue to for a long time. I've sampled pretty widely from their line, but especially love the lotions, which I use as fragrances. Saying that, I have found the fragrances to be hit or miss, but the ones I love I really, really love. And I am very picky about scents.

Some favorites: Black Amethyst, Midnight Pomegranate, Orange Sapphire and PS I Love You, I also love their whole Aromatherapy line. (I'm sure the future I'll be adding more to the list)

On the downside, some of their fruity scents are very artificial smelling (Country Apple and Sun Ripened Raspberry come to mind) while others are too musky (Winter Candy Apple, Moonlight Path).

B&BW are masters of upselling as well ... it's very hard to stay on budget once you walk in the door ("why buy one bottle of lotion, when you can buy two and get a third free?").

Ah, well. I love this place. Their stuff makes great gifts, and besides, it makes me happy to smell good :)

The Ultimate Make-up Sponge?

Do you want to have that perfect, flawless face? Do you want your makeup to go into your skin effortlessly? Do you actually want your makeup to look like your skin? Well, problem solved! The BeautyBlender is a must have if you want that flawless, perfect skin finish.

What is it? It’s a sponge, but not just any sponge. It’s the latest makeup secret. When you use your fingers (or the infamous triangle sponge or a foundation brush), you can get streaks and that makeup look we all hate. By using the BeautyBlender, your makeup will actually look like your skin.

This sponge is made to have no edges and is latex free, non-allergenic, and odor free. You can actually use this same sponge to apply your concealer, foundation, tinted moisturizer, pressed powder, bronzer, and even blush.

How do you use it? The key is to dampen the sponge first and bounce your product across your face. By doing this, whatever you are applying will actually get into your skin, actually improving your tone and texture so you can have that flawless finish. Look at the shape. The pointed side is used for all those hard to reach places like around your nose, under your eyes, and where your eyes and nose meet. This side is also great to cover blemishes. The rounder part is used for your larger areas like your cheeks, forehead, and chin.

How do you clean it? It is suggested to cleanse it after every use in order to remove excess product and bacteria. There is a cleanser specifically for the BeautyBlender called the BeautyCleanser but some people use either Baby Shampoo or Anti-bacterial soap.

Is it really the ultimate make-up sponge? I can't live without these! Nothing applies foundation better than these pink bouncy cuties. They are very long lasting as well (might sound gross but I have been using the same one for about a year - don't ridicule me, I wash it really well with anti bacterial soap and have never broken out). If anything it isn't as vibrant as it was when I first bought it, but it still does it's job. It's easy to get under the eyes, around the nose brows and hairline with this sponge. Flawless natural finish every time. It helps your makeup look like perfect skin. I will definitely repurchase (I already bought backups for travel).