Paraben Free Skin Care

As I do my online browsing every day, I've been coming across news about Parabens, a very popular cosmetic preservative. It's not good news I can tell you. And, I have alot of products with parabens in them. There's other chemicals too that can be found in almost everything we use.

Here's a paragraph taken directly from the FAQs at The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

"Parabens are a group of compounds widely used as anti-microbial preservatives in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics products, including underarm deodorants. Parabens are absorbed through intact skin and from the gastrointestinal tract and blood. U.K. researchers found measurable concentrations of six different parabens in 20 human breast tumors. The study highlights the need for more research on the potential link between products containing parabens and increased breast cancer risk.
Many companies, including Compact signers, have begun phasing out parabens from their lines by marking their products as “paraben-free.” Parabens are commonly listed on product ingredient labels as methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben."

I even looked at my toddler's baby lotion (from Huggies) and yes there are parabens in the baby lotion. That just made me feel ill.
I know that for years I've been using all kinds of stuff with these chemicals in them. Sometimes it's unavoidable and I'm just going to have to accept that they are in there. Sounds bad I know, but there's not much else I can do. There are some products I can buy that are paraben free but others that aren't.

And, of course, you're thinking...doesn't the government do something about this? What about the FDA? The FDA, I found out, does not regulate the cosmetics industry. Beside, this is the same FDA who knew about the contaminated spinach farms and the contaminated Peter Pan Peanutbutter plant for YEARS before people got sick and died.

But, I digress. I have found many many wonderful products, made by Indie etailers that are Paraben free!!! I'm going to focus on two online stores that are fast becoming two of my favorite places to shop....
Flour City Bakery at www.flourcitybakery.com
Aloha Coconut at www.alohacoconut.com

Here's what Karley at Flour City Bakery says about Parabens and her commitment to her customers:
"I have made a commitment to sell products that are free of sulfates, parabens, any unnatural preservatives, and any other potentially harmful chemical agents....Flour City Bakery has agreed to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. I am awaiting the approval process, which should be complete by the end of the month. No major companies including the major US lines will sign this, because it could result in a loss of sales dollars.As you know, Flour City Bakery is actively involved in donating to charitable causes funding cancer research. To maintain my personal integrity as well as my business mission, I refuse to sell products that contain any of these ingredients found on the Safe Cosmetics website. " (FYI: you can click on this Post's title and it will take you to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website.)

Karley makes everything herself and her products range from soaps, lotions, baby bath products, facial care and wax tarts.

Aloha Coconut is really becoming one of my favorite online stores. I love Jennifer's Monoi de Tahiti oil (see my archived post on that "miracle product") and have been using her lotions and her new 3-in-one body wash. And, the scents are really really good!!

Here's what Jennifer says about her paraben free site:
"Philosophy: High Quality Ingredients - Exceptional Customer Service.

The Concept: Natural Paraben Free products with a fun tropical flair!

The Story:
"After turning over countless bottles of my store bought lotions and shampoos - I started wondering what exactly was I putting on my skin?
I started researching all the ingredients at www.ewg.org in the
"Skin Deep" section. I also read dozens of articles mentioning the estrogenic effects of Parabens on the body and a possible link between Parabens and Breast Cancer. I decided to create a fun tropical "Paraben Free" Haven where you know everything you buy has been thoroughly researched and tested. I truly care about my customers. I would never sell anything that I wouldn't feel comfortable using for myself, my friends or family. I want you to feel beautiful inside and out!"

So there you go, two wonderful online stores that are Indie Etailers and committed to making chemical free products. I have personally used products from both of these women and have developed some loyalties such as the Monoi de Tahiti from Aloha Coconut and Flour City Bakery's eye care products.

If you know of any online store that is "paraben free" let me know so I can take a look and add them to the blog. If I find any more sites I will definitely let you know.

Welcome Scents of Yourself!

I want to welcome my newest advertiser: Scents of Yourself!

Scents of Yourself is a woman owned business run by April Cline. Here's what you need to know about Scents of Yourself right from April's site:
"My mission is to empower women through the use of Positive Affirmations used on the products that I sell. All fragrances are light, clean, fresh. I don't like heavy fragrances - so I'm certainly not going to sell any. All sales are final, however, if you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact me and let's see if we can work something out so that you are happy. "

She has all kinds of wonderful products from Bath and Body and Fragrance to wonderfully Inspirational gifts. So please visit April and Scents of Yourself by either clicking on the Title of this post or by clicking on the banner in my Shop Shop Shop section.

From A to "Z", New Jewelry Designs from Z Creations

As I continue this journey of online shopping, I am continuously amazed at these jewelry "artists". I'm not going to call them "designers" because in my view they are designers they are artists!

I used to find myself going ohh and ahh over the stuff at Kay Jewelry or even at JC Penneys. Now I'm bored when I look at the weekly ads and the jewelry the big stores sell. There's just no pizzazz. It all looks dull and boring to me after I've been perusing all these handcrafted jewelry sites.

The latest jewelry site I found is Z Creations. The site is really new so I'm assuming there's going to be alot more designs and pieces soon (there's alot of images coming soon, so that's why I say that). As soon as the page loaded up, I found my favorite piece...

...this beautiful necklace made of lampwork beads and Swarovski Crystals. Yes, all that is Swarovski crystals in this wonderful topaz color accented with the turquoise crystals and the lampwork beads. The rest is made with Sterling Silver. This piece sells on the site for $165. I know it seems high, but it's all Swarovski crystals. The design is so simple yet oozes with elegance.

And, thankfully, she has matching earrings to go with this work of art. The earrings sell for $40 and you can get them as you see them here or with clips for those without pierced ears. Nice to have the option (I have pierced myself but it's good to have options!). Here you get a better view of those fabulous Lampwork beads. They all go so well

together.

One of the other pieces I fell in love with (if only my husband would read my blog, sigh) is this piece made with Freshwater Pearls and Swarovski crystals. The pearls have a tinge of purple to them and for some reason it provides a stunning contrast to the blue and copper colored crystals. This piece sells for $155.

Valerie, the artist behind Z Creations, was also featured in a magazine article in Direct Magazine. Here's a link to it so you can learn a little bit more about the artist behind these beautiful pieces.
http://directmag.com/directtips/marketing_jewelry_online/

Once again, there are so many wonderful and talented artists out there, all you have to do is look. You'll find jewelry designs you will never find at the mall. Get yourself some art to wear!

A Face Scrub That's Gentle

Back in the day I was so paranoid about the skin on my face. I still am. I have blackheads, hyperpigmentation, large pores you name it. I used to use St. Ives apricot scrub and realized it was making things worse (I later found out that it's way too harsh on the skin). So needless to say I laid off the facial scrubs for a long time.

Now I'm in my old age lol no I'm just turning 35 this weekend so no I'm not old. But, my skin is starting to show all those problems that come with aging. I realized that it's time to exfoliate my face once again.


The facial scrub that I am now a huge fan of is The Great Face Polish by Elementals. Now, it has alot of natural ingredients including nuts so those of you with nut allergies should probably stay away (I do recommend some facial scrubs via Avon if you have nut allergies). For those of you without allergies this is a fantastic and gentle scrub. It's made with both brown and white sugars and had Rice Powder (which the description says aids in complexions) and coconut powder (again according to the product descripstion it helps to retain moisture and vital nutrients in the skin). There's also cinnamon, honey, Vitamin E, Grape Seed oil, Sesame oil, Milk, Oatmeal, Apricot Kernel Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Safflower Oil and Sunflower Oil.

When I first opened up the jar I could've sworn there was coffee beans in it. That's honestly what I smelled upon my first sniff. Nope no coffee beans but there is a wonderful nutty fragrance to it as a result of the combination of ingredients. There's no artificial colors or fragrances which is good because those things can be hard on the face.

You really only need a small amount to get your face good and scrubbed. A little does go a long way. But, the results are wonderful. Your skin will feel refreshed, smooth and soft afterwards. The moisturizers leave a nice soft feel after rinsing and I did not feel any oily or greasy residue.

The Great Face Polish is available in several sizes and prices to fit any budget. The 2 oz sells for $3, the 4 oz sells for $5.50, the 8 oz sells for $10 and the 16 oz (as seen in the picture) sells for $18.50.
And, for those with nut allergies I recommend Clearskin® Invigorating Cleansing Scrub from Avon. It has menthol and eucalyptus and anti-bacterial properties. I also use this scrub on days when my skin is having a greasy day. This sells for $4.29 at avon.com.

The Only Place for Italian Ice

If you live along the East coast then you should know about Rita's. If you don't know about Rita's well keep reading and you will be educated. I apologize to my readers west of Ohio as there are no Rita's out your way. If you guys have a great place like this then please post it in the comments for all to see!

I was basically raised in New Jersey and Rita's is THE Italian Ice place. Whenever you come home from the beach, you are obliged to stop at the closest Rita's to end your beach day on the right note. They have great traditional flavors like cherry, lemon and strawberry. But, they've got non-traditional flavors like Island Fusion (my favorite), Passion Fruit and Banana. And, they do have alot of other flavors. The texture is the perfect texture for an Italian Ice, not gritty and no large frozen chunks. Alot of flavors do have real fruit pieces in them like the Twisted Melon so if you get a frozen chunk, it's a piece of fruit baby.

Rita's has added alot more products to their menu since I was in NJ. Now they have Cream Ices, Gelati (which the layer the bottom with vanilla or chocolate custard, followed by your flavor of Italian Ice and more custard - my personal favorite!) and a Misto Shake (a shake made by fusing the Italian Ice and the custard).

This isn't Dairy Queen and this isn't Carvel ok. This is Rita's!!!! You will get great flavor and you will be happy! The service is great and fast. You can also pick up club cards for each product..get it stamped each time you come in and after 10 you get one free. They also celebrate the First Day of Spring each year (this is the day they open as Rita's is a seasonal operation) by giving everyone a free regular Italian Ice. And, they also support Alex's Lemonade Stand http://www.alexslemonade.org/.

So chill out and if you can go on and give Rita's a try. I promise you won't regret it.

Read This! T-Shirts with a Message

My husband came home yesterday with a new t-shirt. It's a blue t-shirt and it says "I Love Hot Moms". I just roll my eyes, a lot! lol.

I love these kind of t-shirts. I usually only buy them for my kids, but I'll buy them for whomever if it's fitting. These type of shirts have to be funny..not obnoxious funny, I mean good sense of humor funny. I've bought soo many for my youngest son I think I'm putting someone through college. For example, here's a picture of him last year in his infamous "Shh..I'm downloading" shirt:

and more recently: The "Stud Muffin" (note the gothic font on "Stud").

I've purchased such other lovelies as "Tax Deduction" (a hit with grandpa), "Chick Magnet", "I do all my own stunts" and "It's my brother's fault". Most of these I've found at Target or Kohl's and they do have a nice variety! Kohls has a good selection of boys and girls. I've gotten most of these for around $6 at both Target and Kohls so the price is reasonable and the statement is priceless.

Of course you can find many many places online that sell these type of shirts for kids. You want to be sure you find something original and not just some pencil pusher making money.

Here's one I found at Punk N Pie that I wish they had in a size for my 6 year old too (they are both TV addicts).

I'm not sure what the price is as it wasn't listed but probably around $24. So original!!!! Find it at http://www.punknpie.net

They have alot of other styles there too and this one is available in the blue you see here and also in PINK.

There's also this one from Buggles Baby Wear. There are plenty of P.H.Ds going on in my house all the time! This one sells for $18 in either tshirt or onsie form. There are plenty more where this one comes from including "I only cry when ugly people hold me" and "Someday I'll be dating your daughter". http://bugglesbabywear.com

They also do custom shirts!

This one I found via Rare Bird Finds and is available at Milk Bomb:

For all you families that travel...this one takes the cake. If you can't read it, it says: "Congratulations! You get to sit near me." with the airplane in the middle. Depending on the size the price ranges from $20-$24. http://www.milkbomb.com

There are so many more Indie stores and other online stores that sell them. So goto Kohls, goto Target or visit the above etailers and see what else your kid can say without saying a word.

MY FIRST CONTEST!

Since my birthday is coming up soon, I thought this would be a good time to announce my first "Best Of" contest here at Products of the Day.

So...Announcing the Best of Sugar Scrubs contest from Products of the Day!

If you are a bath and body artist or know someone who is then this is a great contest for you. From now until May first, anyone interested in participating in the Best of Sugar Scrubs contest should contact me via email at bjhsmith2001@yahoo.com. Please be sure to put "Best of Sugar Scrubs" in your subject line. SO SPREAD THE WORD!

Here's the GOOD STUFF.
First Place: Will receive 1 year of free banner advertising here at Products of the Day in my Shop Shop Shop section. Also, 1 week per month (the first week of each month for that year) in my Shop of the Week spot located at the top of my blog. (Based on my fees that's $300 worth of advertising). And, of course, the bragging rights as the purveyor of the Best Sugar Scrub!
Second Place: Will receive 6 months of free banner advertising in my Shop Shop Shop section and will get one week (the second week of the month for those 6 months) per month in the Shop of the Week section. (Ok so that's $150 worth of advertising..gee I'm glad I still remember how to add lol)
Third Place: Will receive 3 months of free banner advertising in my Shop Shop Shop section and will also get one week (the third week of the month for 3 months) per month in my Shop of the Week Section. (That's $75 woth of advertising)

Now the fine print..aka the RULES

1. Your sugar scrub must be your creation. That means YOU MADE IT. And just plain sugar scrubs please (Foaming ones will have to be another contest)

2. If I've already reviewed and posted about your scrub in my blog then you can't enter..sorry it's just not fair. NOTE: This includes any posts on my old blog address at http://productsoftheday.blogurple.com. Good news is I haven't posted on many scrubs.

3. Anyone interested in participating must contact me via email no later than 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on May 1, 2007.

4. I think the fairest way is to try and have all the samples in the same scent. So, let's go with Pink Sugar or any Pink Sugar blend. If you don't have Pink Sugar in your list or if you have a small scent selection, then you can send me your choice of fragrance.

5. I am requesting at least a 3 ounce sample so I have enough to judge your product fairly.

6. I am the only judge. All decisions are final.

7. Samples must be postmarked no later than May 5th. If you are outside of the US please contact me if you want to ship something earlier so that it arrives here on time.

8. Winners will be announced (depending on how many I get) on May 30th, 2007. That way winners can get their banner ads to me in time to begin on June 1st.

9. Winners will also be featured in a post on Products of the Day (not on the same day but 1 per day for 3 consecutive days)

10. Only winners will be posted on the site. Anyone who did not win is more than welcome to request a personal review. Just don't ask me "Why didn't I win". I will offer you all my honest opinions on your product and will do so privately!

11. Judging will be as follows
50% for exfoliation ability/quality
30% on the scrubs moisturization qualities (ie: how the
skin feels after being rinsed.)
10% on the scrubs appearance (packaging, how the product
looks and feels, color)
10% on the scent of the scrub

12. I am not responsible for lost entries. I recommend delivery confirmation or signature confirmation. I will email entries to let them know the product was received by me.

13. Please submit a list of ingredients (unless they are already on the label) with your submission.

I welcome any questions, comments or suggestions. Please email me at bjhsmith2001@yahoo.com.

Cupcakes:The Good, The Bad and the Just Too Cute

I have been eyeing these "Fancy Cupcakes" at the local Whole Foods market grocery store for quite some time. These are works of art. There have been nests filled with eggs, flowers, roses, animals, fish..you name it, they've made it out of icing on top. So today I gave in and bought three: a rose for me, a fish for my kids and a pig for my husband (yes a pig for my husband lol).

While I was at my PTO meeting my husband had his and told me that it was the worst cupcake he ever had (he refused to eat his pig and ate the fish instead). I thought, how could this be possible??? These must taste good they must!!! For once, I'm going to have to agree with my husband. The icing was more butter than cream. It had an ok flavor, but it literally felt like I was biting into a stick of butter. Not the right texture you want in a good buttercream. The cake part of this cupcake was the driest, least flavorful piece of cake I have ever had! I really expected something from Whole Foods to be of much higher quality than this. And, for $2.99 per cupcake, I really expected it to taste really good. I was very very upset...but ate it anyway lol.

My first advice here: stay away from Whole Foods Fancy Cupcakes. If you have a Wegman's store near you, go there and get one of their cupcakes. I know not many of you have a Wegman's near you as it is a limited East coast chain. But, a week ago I ate lunch there (great Chinese food at Wegman's) and bought a "personal cupcake" I saw at the food bar checkout. It was a beautiful cupcake, piled high with a perfect rose. This one took the cake literally. The buttercream had the perfect light texture and sweet (but not too sweet) taste. The cake was light, fluffy and moist. It just melted in my mouth. I tried to find a photo online but couldn't. Sorry! The "personal cupcake" from Wegman's cost $2 and well worth the money.

Now for the just too cute cupcakes. I just checked my email and got a newsletter from Bonnin Designs, one of the online Indie Jewelry sites. Check out her Jewelry cupcakes:

She's got rings and earrings

She also has a yellow cupcake set as well. They are just too cute and very very creative. The rings sells for $20 and the earrings sell for $29. Since I was talking about cupcakes, I just had to add these to my post. You can find them and the yellow ones at

http://www.bonnindesigns.com

FREE ICE CREAM TODAY

What could be better than ice cream??? FREE ICE CREAM!

That's right, today is Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry's.
Every year Ben and Jerry's gives away free ice cream all day from 12-8pm on April 17th! It's their anniversary and they are kind enough to share it with everyone.

So if you're lucky enough to have a Ben and Jerry's near you, then go get your free ice cream. I already had mine! If you aren't sure if there is a Ben and Jerry's near you then goto their website at
http://www.benandjerrys.com and click on "Scoop Shops"..you can do a search there.

Happy Eating!

New Revlon Makeup Eraser Pen

I had the luck to be able to product test this new Revlon Makeup Eraser Pen via Allure Magazine. If you wear makeup and leave the house, this is the product for you. It's basically makeup remover in a pen. Easy to use, easy to hold and you're able to take it anywhere. There's no mess, no pouring liquid on a q-tip etc.
Anytime you make a boo-boo (which I do sometimes if I blink when I'm putting the mascara on) or have smudges/flakes whatever...you just draw it off. Just take the pen and rub it lightly on the makeup and off it comes. Really easy and you're able to focus just on the spot you need to. The only thing you have to do is wipe it off when you're done, otherwise when you use it again you'll be reapplying your last booboo that you removed. This, to me, was the only downside and not a very big one at that.

This is brand new so it may not be out in all the stores yet. The price seems to range between $7.49 and $7.99. That does seem a little pricey but I've had mine for a few months now and it's still going strong. So it does seem to last for a long time. The decision for spending that money seems to fall on its convenience factor and it's ease of use. But, you are the final say as to whether you want to try it or not. I've got mine for free that's true but I will buy another one once this one is done.

More Jewelry Sites

I wanted to add on to my earlier post on Indie Jewelry sites. I've come across a few more in the past days and wanted to share their beautiful work with you. Remember, these are all handmade. They are created from the imaginations of brilliant creators and most of these are one of a kind pieces!


Here's a really nice bracelet from Roxi Designs. It's called Sweet Inspiration and it's made with Swarovski crystals. The juxtaposition of the pinks and the green is a great combination. And, for those of us who are supporters of Breast Cancer awareness, there's pink ribbons on each large flower bead. This one sells for $18. I suggest you move fast cause this one might be mine by the end of the day. Roxi Designs also has earrings, necklaces and more. http://www.roxidesigns.com


Check out these custom Braille Pendants. These are custom made with your name and are done in Swarovski crystals. Very different, very unique! And, very reasonable, only $10. You can purchase the chain for only $2 ore. $2 donation goes to the American Federation for The Blind... so nice jewelry, nice cause!
http://julieann.etsy.com



I just discovered this site recently as she is brand new. Her website is not up all the way but I thought her designs were just so captivating. Her name is Corina and her store is Aniroc Design. These earrings are named Maui after the place where the bright pink coral that she uses here is from. The bright orangish or the coral is offset by the turquoise. These just pop out at you from the page. These cost $25 and her earrings range from $15 on up. She's got bracelets too and will have necklaces and rings..can't wait to see those. http://www.anirocdesign.com/


OMG just look at this necklace! This would be my ideal Diva necklace. If I had this on my neck with it's matching earrings and bracelet, I think people on the street would stop and bow before me. This beautiful design is by Jen of Weekend Jewelry. She has alot of intriguing pieces on her site as well as her Laquered Jewelry (I have a small charm that I got with another sites order, I think it was included with Indie coupons and such but a cute little piece). Here's a link to her site: http://www.weekend-jewelry.com/


I posted a link to Crazy Dreams Studio in my previous jewelry post. Here is one of those adorable rings called Delicious Pink Ring. She's got all kinds of unique items on her site. I think her rings are just fascinating and I'm more than likely going to get one now! I just got a wonderful surprise from Kristen at Crazy Dreams...a 15% discount at her website: http://www.crazydreamsstudio.com
Just enter the code FRIEND07 at checkout.

If I find anymore sites that have great designs I'll definitely let you all know. I don't own these pieces myself but they just jumped out at me and I wanted to let everyone know of more wonderful handmade jewelry!

Crafty Cube Came Today

As promised I wanted to share with you the goodies I received in the April Crafty Cube.

A Cranberry Almond Spa Manicure Set (1 month supply) from Handmade Natural Beauty. (I have actually gotten a sample of this once before and it it marvelous)

A very very nice pair of earrings (light green beads with silver wire coiled around them) from Ariana Jewelry (Most of her earrings on her site range from $15-$18).

2 oz Refreshing Foot Spray, Berry Mint exfoliating Foot Soap and a Lotion Bar Sample in Mango Papaya from Coon's Farm. (Also got a 10% off coupon!)

Glycerin Soap in Sweet Juicy Pear and All natural Lotion with Emu Oil from Bath & Body by Tracy.

Whipped Body Cream Sample in Palm Island from Donna's Candle & Body Shoppe (along with a 10% off coupon)

Scented Soy Beads (for my tart warmer) in Buttercream and a tea light & tart in black cherry from J&L Creations. (with a 5% off coupon).

Foaming Milk Bath in Green Tea & Cucumer from Goldie's Glory in this cute Chinese Take out like box.

Spa Pills in Hot Chocolate and a beautiful handmade Cell Phone Charm (her charms sell for $12) from Foster's Creations (along with a 10% off coupon).

So as you can see this was well worth the $25 I paid for the box. The earrings and cell phone charm alone add up to more than the purchase price.

As far as I know there are still 3 Cubes available right now!!! Remember they are only $25 and that includes shipping (unless you're in Canada, check the site for details). Not only do you get some great things, you get to discover new places to shop!!!!

Handmade Jewelry, Made to Please

I've acquired a few pieces of handmade jewelry over the past few weeks from some wonderful Indie etailers and I could not be more pleased with the designs, the workmanship and (hey let's be honest here) how they look on me. It's time for me to give credit to these wonderful women who work so hard. So bear with me as this is going to be a long post.

I was lucky enough a couple of weeks ago to be one of 3 people to take advantage of a fantastic sale at Manic Trout. I was able to get 50% off any one of Sierra's beautiful pieces. I'm from New Jersey so this Surfer Girl necklace caught my eye and I just love it (Retail value $50). Just looking at it you can see how much hard work goes into making jewelry. It's not just putting beads on a string and calling it a day. Sierra has alot of different pieces on her site including earrings, bracelets (safety pin bracelets that are really unique), necklaces, rings and she paints too! Her designs incorporate alot of bright and lively colors. I think there is something for everyone on her site so take a look at http://www.manictrout.com/!




These adorable earrings I won in a trivia contest a few weeks ago from Below 14th Designs. The design is so simple yet just so unique in its own right. I love these earrings. I'm just looking at Elisa's etsy store as I'm writing and she has some really unique designs..take a look at this necklace she has up for sale called Maui:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5131379

She creates necklaces, earrings and bracelets and you can find them on her etsy shop:

http://www.myboutique.etsy.com

or her website at:

http://www.below14thdesigns.com


The last piece that I recently acquired is a small ring from Ariana Jewelry. She contributed in the last Little Black Box sampler and that's how I got this ring.



Jennifer's also participating in the current Crafty Cube sampler and I think she's going to be in this month's Little Black Box as well. Hey, you don't often get jewelry in any of the sampler boxes so take note and you may want to keep checking those sites.
Anyway, there are many unique designs on her site including bracelets, pendants, rings and earrings. She works with alot of gemstones and wire, making some very unique flowing pieces. And, FYI she makes custom rings, you pick the stone and the wire and she makes the ring..for only $15! That is a fantastic price!
Here is a link to her shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=71423

There are many many many jewelry makers in the Indie world. You must remember that these pieces are handmade! They are not made on a machine or an assembly line. These wonderfully gifted craftswomen work hard and long on their designs and you can see it. So, the prices are not on the low end of the spectrum. Don't be discouraged by that. These are such unique works of art that no one is going to have but you. No two pieces are the same.

Here are some othere jewelry sites that I know of besides the ones I've posted about. I have not had the chance to own any of their pieces yet but I admire them greatly (like everyday I'm drooling over them). Don't forget Mother's Day is coming next month and for anyone who's interested my birthday is at the end of April (lol). Enjoy

http://wearablesculpture.com/available.php

http://www.growild.net/index.php?cPath=46

http://www.stunningdetails.com/index.html

https://www.staxx.com/default.asp

http://www.crazydreamsstudio.com/store/index.php (her rings are just adorable!)

http://www.isabelsrose.com/jewelry.html

http://www.ellejule.com/index.php

http://www.bonnindesigns.com/ (FYI: she's having a 50% sale right now thru the 15th! Many are on of a kind pieces!)

Welcome Mandrake Apothecary!

I just wanted to take the time to welcome my first advertiser here on Products of the Day: Mandrake Apothecary.

For those of you who don't know, Mandrake Apothecary is a woman owned, green business. Sara makes wonderfully natural perfumes using aromatic and botanical traditions. Her perfumes are made with natural oils and there are some really interesting blends. I have several samples of her perfumes from various Sampler boxes and they all are very unique and very beautiful.

So please visit Sara at Mandrake Apothecary. Click on her banner in my Shop Shop Shop section on the right!!!

Drop That Chapstick and Pay Attention: Lip Balms

Until recently I just bought Chapstick or Lip Smackers by Bonne Bell. I'm a lip balm addict and have been for years. Then I learned that most of these name brands use petroleum products as a main ingredient. How gross is that? I mean I never realized that that is what was in a product I use 10 times a day. I have been putting that into my body. Even Sephora has petrolatum as the first ingredient on their Lip Butter..and I just bought a 3 pack back in December!!! UGGH!

Don't fret my friends. I have learned much from my e-tailer friends and I'm here to help. There are plenty, and I mean plenty of Indie Etailers all over the place who make all natural lip balm/lip gloss products. And, in just about every flavor you could possible imagine. I currently have a great stash in chocolate mint, peppermint, bubble gum, green tea, cinnamon bun, Tequila Sunrise and a bunch more. A few I got in sampler boxes like The Lemming Central Sampler and The Crafty Cube and some I just went searching for and bought.

Here's a list of ingredients that I got off all of the labels. This doesn't reflect just one but all of them so there's going to be different combinations for different makers. They all have their own recipe and use different ingredients.but you can see what you're getting is good for you.

Olive Oil
Beeswax (seems to be the base for a majority)
Vitamin E (in many of them)
Sweet Almond Oil
Shea Butter
Cocoa Butter (in a few)
Coconut Oil
Mango Butter
Castor Oil
Meadowfoam Seed Oil
Sweetener
Natural Flavoring or just "flavoring"

See what's missing: petrolatum or white petrolum!

Now some of them may seem expensive when you go shopping. The average seems to be $2.50 per stick or $3 for a pot (I prefer the stick but the pots are ok, like I'm gonna turn down good lip balm sheesh). MOst of the ones I have bought personally, I got 3 for one price which was ok. But you have to consider what you are putting onto and into your body. I know you can buy a Chapstick for 99 cents at Target..but in the long run you might want to spend a little to keep those chemicals out of your body!

Here's a list of stores I know that sell Lip Balm. The ones with the "*" by them I have personally tried. You can also search on etsy.com for "lip balm" and I'm sure you'll be up to your eyeballs in lip balm choices! Happy balming!

http://www.fosterscreations.com *

http://www.flourcitybakery.com *

http://www.mi-spa.com*

http://www.inkristinesshower.com (Lava Gloss) *

http://www.madgabs.com*

http://www.thornappleridgesoaps.com*

http://www.sbsteas.com

http://www.gudonya.etsy.com* (Bubble Gum, good flavor!)

http://www.martinsvilleemporium.etsy.com * (good but needs stronger flavor)

http://www.baglunchco.com

There are probably many many many more out there. Like I said, search on etsy and I'm sure you'll get a days worth of searching.

Crafty Cubes are on SALE Now!

If you've been reading my blog since is was on blogurple you'll know I love the Crafty Cube. If you don't know what the Crafty Cube is, the Crafty Cube is a sampler box. Every couple of months the Cube goes on sale and is full of samples from lots of Indie Etailers. I have it on good authority that this months Cube is going to be fantastic! Quantities are limited so go to www.craftycubes.com now and get yours! Cost is $25 (includes shipping) and I know that it's going to be well worth the money!
You can take my word for it. I'm going to buy mine right now.
I will post my goodies here when I get my box.

Again the site is:

http://www.craftycubes.com

Happy Sampling!

My New Miracle Product!

I have found a miracle product, I really have.
Now, if you've read my blog, I've admitted that I color my hair. Yes sir I'm a bottle blonde. And being such bottle blonde, my hair is dry, damaged and has the "frizz". Coloring my hair has been such a burden. I'm always looking for something to tame that frizzy look my last few inches always seem to have.

So, I'm cruising Lemming Central's forum and saw a new indie etailer I hadn't seen before: Aloha Coconut. And, being a woman and a shopper I always like to check out new stores. I was browsing their products when I came across their 100% Monoi de Tahiti oil. This oil has 2 ingredients: coconut oil and the Tiare flower. If you've ever smelled the Aloha Tiare scent that is on the market, well this is the real stuff baby. It's got such a wonderful scent. It's not overpowering, it's gentle and exotic. Anyway, I'm reading the uses they state for this oil and it includes a pre-shampoo hair treatment. That's in addition to facial moisturizer, after tan treatment, tan accelarator (no spf mind you it's for people alreayd tanned) and a bath oil.

So, you know I had to try it. HAD TO! It sells for $10 for a 4oz bottle and a little goes a very very very long way.

I will make a note here, if the oil gets below 72 degrees it will solidify! This is a natural thing people ok. IT looks weird but you just put it in a bowl of hot water and it's an oil again.


For the pre-shampoo hair treatment you are to apply generously to your hair, put on a plastic cap (I have none so I've been saran wrapping my head lol) and to help that along wrap a towel around your head. The recommended time is 30 minutes or if you color your hair LONGER. I've done this three times now (today being the third) and I've left it on my hair probably an hour. I just set myself up and then went about my chores and stuff. Then you shower, shampoo very well (I shampooed twice) and voila. The first time I didn't notice any difference, I should know better that it's not a quick fix. But after the second time and after today there is a really noticeable difference in my hair. The dry/frizzy appearance on my last few inches of hair is reduced and my hair is much easier to brush. It shines more and is much more bouncy. It really works. Those Tahitian women really go it going on.

I've also used it in the bath (WOW) and around my eyes and on my hands. It is truly simple yet amazing stuff.

This website:

http://www.monoi-institute.org

will tell you all about the Monoi de Tahiti oil and how it's made, if you're curious.

I highly recommend this product. Aloha Coconut is the only indie etailer that I have seen this product sold. They have made a customer for life out of me. Oh and don't forget this stuff smells amazing.