Beauty and the Book

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a avid book reader. None of the insane people in my house seem to understand that I'd rather read a good book than have their company (just kidding of course). Since I love books so much it's simple to figure out why I am a fan of Latherati Soap. Julie, the (I want to say "Librarian") owner of Latherati Soap combines the love of bath with the love of a good book. Every item she sells is inspired by a good book.



Since Latherati Soap is a fairly new shop, the line is still growing. Soaps dominate the selection but there are also lip balms as well as perfumes and sugar scrubs. I love the book connection, I think it's one of the cleverest ideas I've seen on Etsy in awhile (in the Bath & Body category). The labels remind me of those old book plates my parents used to use, you know the ones that announce that this book is part of the Library of.... If you have no idea what I'm talking about then you're too young, don't worry about it. Just understand that the packaging is cool ok.




I had gotten a soap called "Orchard", which (as it says on the site and label) is inspired by "Cider House Rules." There are other clever names like "Golden Ticket" and "Kimono" (if you don't know what books inspired these then you need to go to the library stat). It's obvious that alot of thought went into the creation of Latherati.





"Orchard" as you can see from the photo, reminds you of a fall apple orchard in its coloration. It smells like clean crisp apples but not overbearing and not perfumey like some can be. This is just straight good old apple. This soap lathers up quickly and very well. I've tried some soaps that don't seem to lather much as all but not Latherati soaps. It lathers well and rinses very clean. No sticky or dull residue on the skin. We like that in our soaps people. $5 per bar.









I also have one of the lip balms (called Lip Lusters here) called "Matchmaker", inspired by "Emma.". It's a strawberry flavor which is very true to what you expect in a strawberry. Not overly sweet but just right on the money. The balm holds up very well in either warm or cold temperatures. I like it when it doesn't get all melted in my pocket. And, I like it when it doesn't get all hard or gritty from being outside in the cold. All in all a very good lip balm. $3.50 per tube and comes in plenty of other flavors.


So, all in all, I like Latherati Soap. ! The prices are on par with most other beauty makers I've seen. I love the themes and hope to see much more in the future. Come on Julie, you need some stuff inspired by "Tales From Margaritaville" and "Interview with the Vampire." :-)

Go On and Indulge Yourself

So, today I'm stuck in the house with EVERYONE because of the snow. I just got back inside after making my wonderful snow fort (I was still out there and the kids had gone back inside already) and need to warm up. So, I will start by warming up my fingers and type up my review of some great organic bath and body products from Indulge In You.

Sue from Indulge In You found me through another B&B site and sent me a nice little sampling of her products. She sent me her Organic Green Tea Antioxidant Scrub, Organic Body Whip and a sample of perfume called Applicious.

The Organic Green Tea Antioxidant Scrub is honestly unlike any scrub I have tried before. When I opened the jar I saw that it was like jelly in there. And it fools you, I touched it and thought that there wasn't much "scrub" to it...then I tried it and there's good scrubbies in there. The exfoliant is very fine but there is plenty in there. And, even though the jelly consistency kinda freaked me out, it didn't break apart coming out of the jar and was easier to apply to my skin than my normal sugar based scrubs.

Here's the key ingredients for the scrub direct from the site:

"Green Tea Extract an extraordinary anti-oxidant that protects skin cells from free radical damaged triggered by environmental factors.

White Tea Extract protects the skin against environmental damage and premature aging.

Olive and Avocado Butters emollients that provide hydration."

It provides a light but good exfoliation and light moisturization. It has a very nice scent to it, not overbearing. An 8 ounce jar normally sells for $11.95 but it's on sale right now for $8.95

The Organic Body Whip is very nice. It goes on very easily and my skin just drunk it up....my skin is always begging for moisture in the winter so it sucks lotions up. To me it is a light moisturizer. Don't get me wrong there is a ton of good oils in there but it's more like a lotion than a body butter. When I say light, I mean that it isn't too thick and heavy..easy to apply and absorbs quickly. The scent Sue sent me was Strawberries and Champagne, which I like alot. It's very easy on the nose and the scent lasts pretty long on the skin. Here's some of the ingredients if you're curious: aloe vera (organic), sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, wheat germ oil, macadamia nut oil, sunflower oil, kukui nut oil and vitamins A and E. Really good stuff. An 8 ounce jar normally would set you back $14.95 but it is on sale also for $11.20.

The Applicious perfume is fantastic. I just love this fragrance. Even though "apple" is in the title, this is a very nice Spring/Summer fragrance. Here's the notes from the website: "A fragrance for the free-spirited! This gorgeous blend features mouth-watering green apple and juicy grapefruit melded with a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers--jasmine, rose and freesia cyclamen - and sensual woods." It all blends together so well that it's hard to distinguish the notes. I just love it. Very nice!

I mentioned that there is a sale...yes there is a Customer Appreciation sale going on over at Indulge In You right now. There is a wide selection of B&B products from lotions to perfumes to shower gels and scrubs. Sue has listed the key ingredients on every product listing so you can find out the benefits. Go on and Indulge yourself.

All Wrapped Up with a Pink Bow..Literally!

You all know by now that I'm a sucker for lotions, body butters and the like. The fluffier (and more moisturizing), the better. Well, with the Pink Bow Bath Boutique (also has an Etsy store) you get all that, plus a lil girly girlness.

Amy over at Pink Bow knows how to appeal to the female bath and body nut (like myself). She's got a whole bunch of fresh, feminine scents and like I state in my title, it's all wrapped up with a pink bow.

I had gotten several samples in an order I had placed for Xmas gifts, in the Lemming Central box and Amy sent me some samples to try out as well. First off, I'm very impressed with the fragrances. You know I love Pink Sugar and Amy has quite a few nice Pink Sugar Blends. Her Pink Sugar Noel is grand. But, my favorite of hers so far isn't even a Pink Sugar blend (could it be possible). The Pink Passionfruit Lemonade is really really divine. Even my oldest son, who is picky picky with everything told me it smelled good. The scents are just the right strength. They're strong but not overpowering as you know some can be. And, they last a pretty good long time. They are definitely above average in their staying power.

I've tried the whipped body frosting and the body frosting with shimmer. I like the shimmer body frosting..it's not full of "glitter" as I have exerienced with other "shimmer" lotions. It's got just the right amount of pearly golden goodness to give you a lil glow. The body frosting sinks into the skin nice and easy. It's good and whipped up but it's not heavy or greasy. Great all around moisturizer...plus all those yummy scents.

Amy also sent me a sample of her protein hair mist. A very nice little product that helped me smooth out my winter frizz. A little goes a long way and I recommend you stick to your ends..do not use it in your scalp....you'll end up with greasy looking head (this will happen with any hair product of this type no matter who makes it..trust me though I've tried so I know what I speak of).

Pink Bow Bath Boutique has a very very large selection and you can also get holiday gift sets right now. Gift sets range in price from $6.50 to $19. The Body Frosting will run you $6.75 for a 4 ounce jar and $4.25 for a 2 ounce jar. The prices are very reasonable (prices range from $4 to $19 depending on the product or gift set) and the quality is very good.

Amy was also kind enough to give my readers their own coupon code. So, to sav 10% on your purchase, just use the code "10%off". Time is running out to get things in time for Xmas and Amy is recommending purchase this weekend for a 12/16 shipping date so you can get it in time. If you've got a lady in your life, young or old, I can guarantee there is something here that will be enjoyed!

I Don't Mind Falling in This Crater

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from Sharonn over at Crater Lake Company. She has lovely bath and body products and wanted to know if I'd try them out. You know me, I love bath and body stuff :-)

I perused the site (and the scents) and told her what I would love to try. So, Sharonn sent me her Flutter Butter, Triple Action Body Buffer and True Luster Conditioner. Sharonn has some really good Pink Sugar blends (I have Dark Pink & Bright Pink) and they smell as good as they sound. If you read my blog, then you know I'm pretty much addicted to Pink Sugar so this made me very very happy :-)

The Flutter Butter, I must say, is one of the best lotions I have ever tried. Now, when I try any lotion product for review here on Products..I always test it on my feet first. I have the worst feet, and lately my skin down there has been dry dry dry..so dry that even my beloved PedEgg can't get it all. I put the Flutter Butter on before bed and the next morning there was a very noticeable difference in the condition of my feet. This is very good stuff and there's good stuff in it. The Flutter Butter has alot of natural ingredients and yet still has a nice smooth..easy to apply consistency. It sinks into the skin without leaving any greasy feeling. The scent I got is Sugar Cookie..to me it smells more like an almond cookie than sugar cookie..but it smells good all the same. A 4 ounce jar will run you $9.95 but a little goes a long way. Plus, it's just a dam good lotion!

The Triple Action Body Buffer caught my eye because it's got European Sea Salts, White sugar and ground Apricot Seed. And, as the website description says, it feels like wet sand. It's very scoopable and I did not lose alot to the shower floor. Normally, I have problems w/salt scrubs because I always have a hangnail, but this one did not sting me at all. It has a great scrubbiness (you know I like my grit) and leaves your skin nice and moisturized. It does not leave you greasy or looking like you applied Rain X to yourself but it left my skin moisturized enough that I did not need lotion at all. The only thing that gave me trouble was trying to get the ground apricot seeds rinsed out of the tub. But, you live with little things if the big picture is great. It will leave your tub a bit slippery, but alot less than other scrubs that I've used. A 5 ounce jar is priced at $7.95 which is pretty average for 5 ounces of any scrub.

Now, I'm always skeptical about trying out handmade hair conditioner. I color my hair and I'm very particular about slathering the conditioner on so my hair doesn't get dried out. I usually like it thick and when I apply it to my wet hair I like it to feel nice and soft. So, when I tried the Triple Luster Conditioner, I was very surprised. It isn't thick that the type of conditioner I usually use, yet it really left my hair soft and manageable. I was impressed when I got out of the shower and brushed my hair that I needed NO DETANGLER! It really did a great job on my hair. The first ingredient is Aloe Vera..no water, no alcohol..and that really impresses me. I wish more mainstream brands would realize that all that crap isn't always necessary. And, you don't need to use too much. I have long hair and I realized after a couple of uses that I didn't need as much as I thought I did. You can get this in 2 ounce, 4 ounce or 8 ounce bottles. The 2 ounce is $5.45, the 4 ounce is $7.95 and the 8 ounce is $11.95. Plus, you can get it in any scent...so your hair smells the way you want it.

I know that I try out alot of Bath & Body products, but Crater Lake really impressed me. They use good ingredients and the products really exceeded my expectations. I know that some etailer products are more expensive than what you find in the store, but from my experience brand names don't always make quality products. To me, quality is always the most important thing and Crater Lake really has that quality.

Mountain Mist is the Best Kind of Mist

A few weeks ago, I went to the Craftsmans Classic Arts & Crafts show at the local Expo center here in Northern VA (the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly). I'm scanning the booths to see if I run into any of my Indie friends when I find a new B&B store that's set up shop at the show. The store is called Mountain Mist.

They have a variety of B&B products that we're all used to seeing from Bath Bombs to Scrubs and even candles. What really impressed me was their fragrances. Now, they don't have a lot of scents likes some online etailers, but these fragrances are all wonderful. They're strong without being overpowering and they just smell divine.

I ended up buying their Bath Salts and some Shea Creme. The Shea Creme I bought in their Amber Morning fragrance, which is a blend of Amber, Pineapple and plums. If they didn't list the notes, I never would've guessed that Pineapple and Plums were in it. This is such a beautiful fragrance. It truly lifts the spirits and just leaves an air of enchantment. The Shea Creme goes on nice and smooth. I bought a 4 ounce jar which cost $12. But the ingredients are great and the scent is even better. I must say, their few scents will give some etailers a run for their money.

The bath salts are divine. I bought some in Amber Morning, Rain and Sprig. They were selling the bath salts at $2 per scoop (into these draw string plastic bags) or fill a jar for $12. I bought 2 scoops of each scent. The smell from the bath salts in their bag just fills up my bathroom and it's wonderful. The scents are clean and fresh and again without being overpowering and noxious. The bath salts sell for $14 for a 14 ounce jar.

They have solid lotion bars, bath teas, bath bombs, salt & sugar scrubs, shea butter soap, lip balms and more. Prices are reasonable and if you catch them at a show then you get to sniff and also skip the shipping costs. The prices of their products are pretty reasonable too. I mentioned "sampler boxes" to the owners and I would hope they would participate in one so you all could sample their stuff. Trust me though, these scents are just fabulous and they have more than the 3 I tried. These are just the ones I liked the best and I had a hard time deciding as it was. So go climb the Mountain and sample the Mist.

Disquieting Designs

Recently, Megan from Disquieting Designs, got in touch with me about her bath and body products. Being that she is also from Pittsburgh, we consoled each other in the Steelers Loss and she sent me some samples of her wonderful products.

N0w, I've said before, that I love soaps that don't smell like soap. Even some of the best smelling soaps out there can still have that "soap" smell after you lather up. Not so with the Pink Grapefruit soap I received from Megan. It was a nice pink color and lathered up really well. The fragrance was citrusy with a smidgen of floral, very nice. And, that fragrance remained during lathering. That is always a plus for me. The soaps are $5 a slice.

Megan also sent me one of her solid lotion bars in Toasted Marshmallow. The fragrance was light but nice. Now, I am not partial to lotion bars myself. Some of the ones I've gotten in the past were either difficult to maneuver or hard to hold. This one, however, is in a tube! Maybe there are more stores out there that do this, but this is the first time I have seen a solid lotion in a tube. Much easier to use and much better at getting my skin moisturized. This was really useful on those knees and elbows. $6 for a tube of the Toasted Marshmallow and $8.50 for Lavender.

Lastly, the Lip Balm. Megan sent me one of her shea lip balms in Peppermint. Peppermint is always a good lip balm flavor and I love it. At first the lip balm was a little hard, but once it warms up it is as smooth as silk. I used it for a few weeks and I thought it was pretty good. I'm a lip balm addict so when I can apply one that lasts for a good while, I'm happy. And Disquieting Designs lip balm lasted. The lip balms come in 7 flavors and cost $3.50.

There's alot more to Disquieting Designs that I will probably have to try and post again. I'm always a sucker for bath and body products. Take a peek and see if you find something new.

More for the Hall of Shame

Awhile back I had a short post on Dove's Creamy Oil Body Wash. It's "creamy oil" was petrolatum. So, I was in CVS the other day running an errand and was down the body wash aisle. I thought I'd take a look at some of the other "moisturizing" body washes just to see. What I found really kinda shocked me. Those Oil of Olay Moisture Ribbon body washes..well they have petrolatum in them too. Olay! Wow, that was a shock. I remember when Oil of Olay was it's own company and now it's under some other giant conglomerate. When there's so many other natural oils out there why do these companies put petrolatum in their body wash???
Just in case you are wondering what Petrolatum is..here is a quote from this month's issue of Plenty Magazine (they have a great article on these nasty chemicals in beauty products.)
"Petrolatum
What it is: a mineral oil derivitive used to soothe and soften the skin.
Found in: lip balm, moisturizer, facial moisturizer, products with SPF, styling gel and anti-itch cream.
Why you should avoid it: It's a by-product of petroleum, so it's not biodegradable and comes from a nonrenewable energy source, says Daniel Fabricant, PhD, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Natural Products Association. It also may contain low levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are suspected carninogens."

Avoid it if you can. I've made changes in my life and the way I buy things. Do you look at your labels?

Dancing Dingo Dances into My Life

Awhile back, I received an email from Dancing Dingo regarding their products. I was more than happy to try them out and of course post my review. I was sent some amazing body products including their Shea Butter Hand Cream, Shea Butter Lip Balm, Cocoa & Shea Butter Hand & Body Lotion and a Temple Blend Aromatherapy Oil (which came in the most beautiful little bottle). I'd like to personally thank Kathy at Dancing Dingo for her generosity.

The Shea Butter Hand Cream is by far my favorite. This cream is like silk. It's thick and rich but just glides onto the skin and absorbs very quickly with no greasy feel. I've been using it at night on both my hands and feet. It makes my skin feel soft for quite a few hours. And, my hands and feet are the worst dry skin areas I have, especially in the winter. The fact that my hands have stayed soft and supple really means alot. Usually, this time of year, my hands are dry and look like 60 year old hands. This cream really improved the feel, look and texture of the skin on my hands. I am very impressed. The ingredients include Aloe Vera gel, Sweet Almond Oil, Shea butter, Jojobal oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil and lavender essential oil. I have really taken a fancy to Lavender lately and this cream has a nice, light Lavender scent. A good sized jar of this lovely stuff will run you about $10, but you need to realize that you don't need to use alot each time. A little bit is more than enough. I love this stuff!!

The Cocoa & Shea Butter Hand & Body Lotion is not as thick and rich as the cream. But, I really like using this during the day. I only used the thick cream at night or when my hands were really bad. It's a less intense which I used and still use throughout the day. I have a 2 year old so I'm always changing diapers and using hand sanitizer. To counteract that sanitizer dryness, I kept the pump bottle of this lotion right next to the hand sanitizer. The scent I received was Rosemary Mint, and it is such a refreshing and energizing fragrance. It's a really good pick me up during the day when I start to run down (I have all boys and I get run down!). An 8 oz. bottle is $11 and a 16 oz is $20. I've been using it for a few weeks now and I still have a good amount left. Even though it's a less intense moisturizer, a little bit is still all you need to refresh your skin instantly.

The Shea Butter Lip Balm is to my lips as the Hand Cream is to my hands. I received a 1/2 oz pot filled with lip balm in Mandarin Orange flavor. The flavor is just right, just enough of that orange to make it perfect. It's not too strong but not too weak either. Like the hand cream, this lip balm is like silk on my lips. I found that I only need a tiny bit of it each time. Ingredients include: Sweet almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter and organic Carrot Seed extract (a new ingredient to me in lip balm). Now, I received a pot of lip balm..but on the site you can buy it in the tube form for $3.95. I just perused the flavor list and I really gotta try the Pink Champagne..that sounds too good not to.

A good amount Dancing Dingo's products are Vegan and PETA approved. There's nothing artificial in the ingredients, and that's always a plus for me. There is quite a large variety of products there also including products for baby, products for your pooch and home fragrance. I am truly sold on the Hand Cream and the Lip Balm, so I have a new etailer I plan on being loyal to.

Baubles in my Bathroom

I love finding new etailers through my sampler boxes. It's even better when they give you an awesome coupon! Bauble Bath is one of those etailers. I got some samples in one of my samplers with an incredible 35% off coupon. Well, I didn't hesitate and bought some bath baubles and some Miss Mary Mint Body Scrub (not pictured but this is a picture of their Mango scrub).

I really like this body scrub. And, if you love Wrigeley's Spearmint gum, you will love the scent of this scrub. There's rosemary, spearmint and peppermint oils in this scrub so it feels all cool and minty. There's also the sugar, some salt and finely ground apricot seeds. It did not leave my tub all slippery and gooey. I didn't lose any to the shower floor either. It's thick yet easy to use and rinses off nice and clean. It comes in a nice wide mouth jar so it's easy to scoop out. With the shea and cocoa butter added, it also leaves the skin feeling smooth and refreshed.

Bauble Bath also had a fantastic Black Friday sale with a coupon for either 50% off or buy one get one free (essentially the same thing). So I bought like, 4 more scrubs...some more Miss Mary Mint, Candy Cane, Blushing Pink and Gingerbread. All of them smell fantastic!

The price for a 10 ounce jar of Bauble's body scrub is only $9.25. That is very reasonable. It's a very good scrub and a very good price. There is also a great selection of bath bombs (called Bath Baubles), melts, bubble bars and moisturizers. Start the New Year off right by taking good care of yourself!

All Sugarelled Up

Recently I helped out a fellow Switchboarder and was rewarded with some sugar scrub and scrubby bar samples. Di, from Sugarelle, sent me 3 samples of her duo sugar scrubs and 2 of her scrubby bars.



Now, I have not been a fan of scrubby bars. They usually don't have enough exfoliant for me..sorry I am a scrub diva and I must have large amounts of the ruff stuff :-). But, the Sugarelle scrubby bars are more than what I've come across. These definitely have extra exfoliants in them. The scrubbed me well, didn't fall apart and really felt like a true "scrubby bar." I was very impressed. The full size version costs $7.


The duo whipped sugar scrubs were really cool. I've had whipped sugar scrubs before but they, again, didn't have enough exfoliant in them. Di sent me three samples..Crimson Queen & Licorice Dreams, Parlor Tricks & Cinnamon Sticks and last but not least..Vanilla Pearls & Tango Swirls. All very very nice scents..not too strong but not too weak either..just right I say. They are whipped together in a perfect swirl so you can see the two colors of the scrubs when you open the jar. The consistency is like whipped cream but I have to say even lighter than that. But, if you rub it between your fingers...you really can feel the nice gritty texture beneath the whip. A full 8 oz jar will run you about $17..but I think it's worth it.


I do have to say that just one little sample jar or sample scrubby bar was enough for a full body scrub. So the larger versions should last you fairly long time. Christmas is almost here...there's still time to shop..so check out the scrubs at Sugarelle.

A Body Wash With B-O-D-Y

I'm always perusing Etsy.com. I love that site and on Saturday nights there's always the "Saturday Night Specials." On one particular Saturday, I was perusing the SNS thread on the Etsy forums and found a really major impressive deal. Known as ZAJA Natural and also by the seller name aromaticbodyoils on Etsy was the Indie etailer with the deal. I was able to choose any 4 items (as long as they were all different..my first blonde error I picked like 3 of the same thing duh) that were $11 or less...for only $25!!!! I'm truly sorry you all missed out on the deal..she only does it for a very limited time (I think when I got mine it was only up for like 1/2 hour).

So I got some lotions, body butter and this Body Wash.

This body wash is kickin! Here's the ingredients: 100% natural made with saponified oils of canola, olive, coconut oil, and castor. I chose Pink Grapefruit and Sugar (sparkling citrus blend based on pink grapefruit with hints of sugary, sweet cotton candy; wild honey; touch of vanilla; and ending with a note of fresh, spring rain) as my fragrance and it is such a light, refreshing scent. The suds that this stuff makes is amazing. You only need a smidgen to wash up right. Make sure you have a puff or sponge and just love the suds. I'm always amazed at how much it makes. And, I feel really clean after rinsing.

The regular price for 8 ounces of body wash is $11. I was very happy to get the deal I got since I also have other products to try. But, a little goes a long long way on the puff sponge so that bottle will last you a pretty long time. And heck, there's no parabens in this one..and you pay what for like Philosophy stuff and they have parabens. Naah, you gotta try this body wash. I highly recommend it.

Bara Naos Sugar Scrub: Treat Your Body Like a "Temple"

Bara Naos. Translated, it means "created temple." How did I get so smart you might ask? Because I read stuff on the websites whose products I try.

Bara Naos is also a line of bath and body products at TC and Company. I was privileged enough to receive and use their Shea Butter and Soy Sugar Scrub. The "C" of TC and Company is Cassandra Stanley and she wanted me to try their scrub and review it. I love sugar scrubs, so of course I agreed.

She sent me a full size jar in Brown Sugared Figs fragrance, and it smells exactly like the Bath & Body Works version. Right on the money.

It's a thick, creamy scrub that is loaded with good stuff. In addition to the sugar you get aloe vera, soy oil, shea butter, olive oil, avacado oil, jojoba, primrose oil, seaweed, green tea and more. I always like it when my scrubs have unique, natural ingredients. The sugar is a very very fine grain and even though you hardly notice it, it exfoliates really well.

And, because it's got all that great stuff in addition to the sugar, soy and shea butter...you get a real jolt of moisturization. It's always nice when you don't have to take the time to slather on that lotion because your scrub did it for you.

For an 8 ounce jar, it'll cost you $12.99. The jar and packaging are really top notch and what's inside the jar is even better.

Lemming Central Holiday Box

What a wonderful day when large packages appear at my door. The Lemming Central Holiday Sampler arrived today and let me tell you, the etailers went all out this time. It is truly one of the best sampler boxes I've ever gotten. It was well worth the money. Plus, all those samples are in gifty bags and boxes so it's like opening 20 little Christmas presents. Here's my list of goodies and the wonderful etailers they came from:

SBS Teas
SBS Teas, always a favorite of mine, sponsored the box.
Chocolate Cinnamon Cocoa, Holiday Dreams Tea, Gingerbread Cream Tea and a White Chocolate coated Pretzel. Also go at 15% off coupon good till May of 2008

Blue Raven Tea
I got 2 samples of their Chocolate Covered Berries tea and a coupon for a free one ounce bag of tea with any purchase.

Hollyrose Aromatherapy
I got a Sweet Orange Lip Balm (I love lip balms!).

Morgan Street
I got a sample of Pink Sugar Bath Salts, a White Tea & Ginger Soap and a coupon for 15% off.

My Lip Stuff
I never tried their lip balms before and wanted to so bad. I'm so happy I got a sample! Winter Cake is the flavor I got.

Party Gals
Oh my...lol...a sample of Slick and Silly....it's in my husband's nightstand drawer if you know what I mean..nudge nudge wink wink...and a $10 gift certificate whoa.

Soapy Hollow
I got a Pumpkin Soap, a glycerin Honeysuckle Bear shaped soap, an essential oil spritzer of Babylonia and a 15% off coupon.

Things That Make Scents
I got three tarts: Sweet Potato Pie, Snowman Poop (it does not smell like poop) and Berry Noel. I also got a coupon for free shipping.

Scentsational De' Lights
I got a tart in Cinna-Bons scent and a 10% off coupon.

Cobalt Blends
I got two perfume vial samples of Lux Vixen and Discordia.

Bauble Bath
I got a Peppermint Tea Lip Balm (yay more lip balm), a Bath Bauble in Sweent Sandy and a Gingerbread scented scrub. There was also a coupon for 35% off!

Cottage North Collection Ltd.
Another etailer I have not tried yet. I got a vial of Zen Oil, a Tupelo Honey Soap and Carrot face cream.

Mandrake Apothecary
I got two perfume vial samples of Rosemary and Muse. I also got a coupon for 10% off any order of $25 or more.

Flower Peddler Bath & Beauty
I got a full size bar of Sugar Plum Fairy soap (looks and smells great) and a coupon for 20% off.

Rain Barrel Soap
A sample of their China Rain Soap

Joyful Girl Natural Products
I got a sample of their Pumpkin Souffle salt scrub and a Strawberry Cocoa lip balm.

Cheryl's Candles
I got a Cupid soap in Fizzy Pop. I also got a bunch of tarts: Gingerbread Village shaped like Gingerbread ment, Spice of the Forest, Mango Sorbet, Balsam Spruce Musk shaped like trees and a Frosted Snow Drops tart shaped like a mitten. I also got a coupon for 15% off of a $25 order.

As you can see, I got a lot of good stuff in my box! The next Lemming Central box doesn't come till January 2008.

Juniper Tree Naturally: Bath Gelatos

In the September Little Black Box I had a coupon to Juniper Tree Naturally for BOGO on their Bath Gelatos. BOGO!...How could I resist that. You know me by now..always looking for a good deal.

I love Bath Bombs (which are what these are) because they just smell so darn good in the tub. Usually they're made of Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda to you all) that gives them the "fizz", citric acid, coloring and fragrance. Juniper Tree goes a little further by adding not only Shea Butter but also Coconut Oil to these Gelatos. I can attest to the fact that you will leave that tub and not even need any lotion. Your skin will be well taken care of.

The fragrance selection is really nice. There's 29 different fragrances to choose from. I got Pink Grapefruit & Sugar Cane, Night Cap, Strawberry Cotton Candy and a few others. This is a very large bath bomb and the cost is only $4. I've seen bath bombs of this size go for up to $6. Plus I had the BOGO coupon so I got a bunch. Very nice!

I had also gotten a sample of their lip balm in my LBB and let me tell you...it is really really good. Now, I have alot of lip balms on hand right now and this one (which is all gone now sniffle) just went on smoothly. I didn't have to reapply as often as I usually do. The flavor I got was Chocolate Butter Cream and it was fantastic. The Lip Balms at Juniper Tree sell for $2.75 which is about an average price from what I've seen for online lip balm.

I do highly recommend the Bath Gelatos. Make sure you have some of those magic erasers..they work wonders at getting the residue off your tub when you're done.

Stinky Whip Whips My Skin Into Shape

Recently, I did a Lab Rat test (via Lemming Central) for Cocoa Pink. Ilona sent me a few samples including a sample of her Stinky Whip. Ok, the name throws you off, I understand. However, this is medical grade shea butter. Grade A from what she tells me and she had to pay an arm and a leg to get it. She combines this Grade A shea butter (unrefined) with coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, kukui nut oil, meadowfoam oil, evening primrose oil, pomegranate seed oil and red raspberry seed oil. As you can see, it's full of good all natural stuff.

Even though it was just a sample size (A Flirt as it is called at Cocoa Pink), you really only need a little and it goes a long way. When I test a product for someone I test it. When I get a lotion or body butter to test I test is on my driest parts: my feet, knees and elbows. Now, I've tried alot of different "shea butter" products from different etailers..from refined to unrefined, but the Stinky Whip works the best. I applied the Stinky whip to my feet, my knees and my elbows right before bed. They were still soft and moisturized in the morning..that hasn't really happened to me before so I was really amazed. If something can keep my feet soft all night and into the morning after one application...I'm sold!

So, don't be fooled by the name...this stuff is awesome. 2.5 ounces will cost you $5.99 and if you want a 1/2 ounce flirt, it will set you back $1.99.

There is much more on the site besides Stinky Whip...there are soaps, hair products and a lot more. It's a new site and there is more products coming from what I read on Cocoa Pink. I have bookmarked the site and I'm planning on going back to see what other things I can find. You should too! At least try the Stinky Whip..there's Stinky Feet too.

Caress Me Karess

As you all may remember, I've got a soft spot for anything with Manoi de Tahiti oil in it. I love how it smells, I love how it feels and I love what it does for me. So of course when I saw Karess Krafters was selling a body butter combining Shea Butter and Manoi de Tahiti..how could I possibly pass that up?!?

Ok, so you're looking at this and checking out the site and you discover that this costs $6.50 for a one ounce jar of the Shea Manoi lotion. I was a bit wary when I got mine thinking it looked rather small for the price. However, the stuff inside the jar is what counts..how it feels and how well it works. Don't be fooled by size, size doesn't matter in this case.

The texture is liked whipped cream and it just melts on your skin. The scent of the Monoi is just lovely and I can never get enough. The site says a little goes a long way and I can tell you YES IT DOES. I used this primarily on my hands, elbows, knees and feet before I go to bed. My skin felt so soft and silky, even my feet..and trust me that is saying a heck of a lot (I hate my feet!). It really does what it says it will and does it well. I'm sad that I have none left and I'm cash poor for a while so I have to wait to get some more.

I had also purchased some of the Pure and Simple Body Butter and the fragrance was so light and beautiful. The lotion is very nice and kept my skin hydrated just about all day.

All in all, I'm very pleased with just the two products I purchased from Karess Krafters. There's alot more that I haven't tried but I must wait till I get some more of my own money.

September Little Black Box

Today my mailman brought me my September Little Black Box. So this has been a week of sampler boxes.

Here's my take from the Little Black Box this time:

Frost Fish Cove Soaps
20% off coupon, orange ginger soap and a vegan Apricot Plum Lip Balm

Anne Lee's
Bulgarian Lavender Soap (full size)

Alchemille's Garden
Timeless Tea sample and 15% off $30 coupon

Cottage Hill Creations
Wildberry Zinger Hand Sanitizer and 15% off coupon

Four Seasons Fragrance
Sensual Autumn perfume sample and a half price special on a Perfume Sample Vial collection coupon.

Capella's Garden Soap Co.
Goats Milk Soap and 20% off coupon

The Serene Dream Shop
10% off coupon, a very cool pen and a Downey Water Lily & Jasmine Turtle shaped soap sample

Juniper Tree Naturally
Chocolate Butter Cream Lip Balm and a BOGO coupon for bath bombs

Karess Krafters
10% coupon and Body Butter sample in Lovely

Craftheart (etsy)
15% coupon and a mini crocheted face scrubbie

Bead Patterns 4 You
Chain drop earrings pattern

Texas Scentsations
25% coupon, Flat Rose Votive in Mango Papaya, a Texas shaped tart in Cantalope and Melon and a heart shaped guest soap in Peaches N Cream

Just Peachy Candles & Soaps
Iced Lemon Danish Soap

Chunky Butt Candles
Body frosting samples in Seven Layer Bars and Sugar Cookier and a 10% off coupon

Cheryl's Candles
15% coupon and a huge sampler pack of tarts in various shapes and scents.

Paradise Cosmetics
$5 off of $50, a tea light in Yuzu, Body Butter sample in Tahitian Vanilla and a flip flop sopa in Palm Island.

This was a really good take for a Little Black Box. I had samples that just couldn't fit in the black box and were in the main shipping box. Plus some of these coupons were really good. I try to keep an eye on the sampler box sites to see what etailers are going to be in them. I try hard to buy a box when there are several new to me etailers contributing and this box had several etailers that I hadn't tried yet. Looking forward to it!