Review: Nivea In-Shower Nourishing Body Lotion for Very Dry Skin

I was intrigued when the Nivea In-Shower Nourishing Body Lotions came out. I had been wanting to try the LUSH ones for ages, but they are super pricey, in tubs and don't come in smaller sizes so you're stuck buying a huge one even if you just want to test it out (and the truly free sample pots at LUSH wouldn't be enough to get a good idea if I'd want to purchase). Nivea on the other hand, is super inexpensive (I've seen these around the $7 mark and you can even order a free sample on their website if you're unsure - I've also seen the sample packets floating around at some drugstores) and there are often coupons in the Sunday paper that add to the savings. Nivea also goes on sale quite often, so between coupons and in-store promotions, I didn't wind up paying very much for mine.

There are three different options for the product; one for normal to dry skin, one for dry skin and one for very dry skin. I chose the one for very dry skin although I preferred the scent of the other two because I knew I needed as much moisture as they offered. This one has a scent that is a bit floral for my liking, although the scent doesn't stick around.

I've used this several times and I can say that now I'm happy I didn't even bother trying the LUSH. After shaving, my legs generally feel super dry and itchy, pretty much the moment the water evaporates. This kept my legs from feeling like that, which is pretty incredible. They felt just as comfortable the next morning which is also a bit unheard of. I've mentioned before that I usually have to slather them with moisturizer after shaving for them to feel some semblance of normality.

I like that it comes in a squeeze bottle instead of a tub, so it's unlikely that water will get in the product. My only other issue besides the scent (and it's completely personal and due to my own lack of space and not the product) is my shower is tiny and it's very hard to find a location to apply it and allow it to sink in without it being washed off immediately unless I were to exit the shower (and get water everywhere), so it involves a little shower gymnastics (there's a reason I don't shave in the shower!).

That being said, I find this an awesome product and I am finding my legs a lot less dry these days. At the moment, I'm really only using it on my legs, but I have applied on my arms and other dry areas and found it equally as effective. Glad I have this and definitely want to make sure I have a back up so I'm never without it!

How to: Spread Your Unspreadable Lotions and Butters

You may recall that I was complaining a bit about thick lotions and butters. While I need these things on my dry sky (especially in the winter), applying them isn't always easy. I know many people say to rub your hand together and what-not to warm up the product but let's face it. It's cold, ever since I lost weight, I'm always cold and my hands are freezing. So the hand warming-up method doesn't exactly work.

Well, I figured it out! It came to me when I was trying to heat up some wax to wax my eyebrows since the eye wax warmer I bought didn't exactly work. I took some boiling water, stuck my wax pot in a glass pan and magically, my wax began to melt. Now, boiling water isn't necessary, but I tried this on some Egyptian Magic which is partially wax based, some super thick The Body Shop body butters and ran a bit of a steaming bird bath in my bathroom sink and low and behold, not only does the consistency get more application friendly, but I use less product, it sinks in faster, and it's warm when I apply it!

I don't think I'll ever apply super thick body butters straight from the tub again.

2014 Empties Part III

It's Part III of my 2014 empties (reference Parts I and II here and here). This time it's Bath and Body (and sorta miscellaneous - but they involve the body, so they mostly count).

Cuticles & Super Dry Skin

• Tarte Maracuja Oil 5ml - While I do love the tarte oil on my face, I found this little baby size perfect for applying to my cuticles.
• Atopalm - This came in a beauty box or a free sample with an order. I think I may have another one hiding somewhere. I hated it on my face. It was too sticky and thick and hard to spread (repeat for any other skin), but when it came to my cuticles, it was awesome! Seriously, I have to go digging for my other jar. Also, I did like it on kind of dry and crusty (ew sorry) blemishes to kind of gently exfoliate them on the go. I carried this with me and used every last sticky drop.
• Shea Terra Menthe Cardamon Ultimate Moisturizing Body Cream - Similarly to the Atopalm, I found this simply too thick to spread, even though my body tends to be super dry. But then I tried using this on my cuticles and loved it! I think in my favorites post I mentioned that I'd likely try another scent, but I wouldn't say no to one of these little jars again.

I don't think I've technically reviewed it, but I love the Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream as you can see above. I literally got every last drop out of that tube and now I give it and the lip balm to all of my friends as gifts since they are so awesome. This was the 2.5floz size in the old packaging.

Someone remind me for the zillionth time that I should only buy small minis of products so I actually use them up and don't get bored. Not that I'll listen, but I should!

• The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Butter (50ml) and The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub (50ml) - These were delicious. My only qualm was the body scrub lasted for maybe 2 or 3 showers and the butter lasted much longer. But unlike some TBS scrubs in the past, this one was actually scrubby! I'd rebuy both products, but again, I should stay with the small sizes.
• The Body Shop Satsuma Beautifying Oil - I love these oils. I usually use them as a shaving pre-treat (which is reasonable only if you get them on sale) or after shaving. I don't really use them on my hair or my face though I have occasionally. Something about putting a fragranced product on my face, I don't know, it just seems strange to me. Anyway, I will certainly repurchase, although for the first time in many years, I have let my Love Your Body membership lapse; trying to declutter a bit in the bath & body department.
• Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Honey & Coriander Body Lotion 27ml - Apparently I was into citrus scents last year. Anyway, this was actually a hotel sample which I thoroughly enjoyed while traveling and used up. I think I may have another lurking somewhere... hmm... Not sure I'd repurchase, but it was quite nice!
• Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream in Blueberry - As I mentioned in my review, I wasn't a huge fan of this, but I did use it up. Not only did I use it up, I cut the tube since it was rather thick and I know I didn't get all of it out. There are cheaper shaving creams out there that are superior, especially for ladies with dry skin so I wouldn't purchase.
• Le Couvent des Minimes Skin Softening Honey & Shea Body Balm 50ml - (I am having a minor freak out as I can't find this on their website - thank goodness for back ups!) So if your legs feel as freaked out as mine do on the daily and especially after shaving, then you would (sigh) love this stuff. It's a balm, but the butters actually melt in your hands unlike some high intensive body care items (hint: the items I wound up using as cuticle butters) and it easily spreads over even the roughest of skin. I like shaving (well actually, I hate shaving), but after shaving, I slather my legs in this and put on a pair of comfy pajama pants and in my morning, I don't feel like I want to claw my legs off. Now where are those back ups... all this cleaning has messed up my messy organization. 

 

• The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Bath & Shower Gel - I used this as a shower gel and it lasted forever. But I got through the full 8.4floz bottle! Go me! This was lovely and a bit thicker than The Body Shop's normal shower gels (which are a bit more runny). But I seriously don't need anymore shower gel and I don't know how some people get through them so quickly!
• LUSH Happy Hippy Body Gel 3.3floz - I don't know why I expected this to smell like patchouli, but it was a lovely citrus scent (again with the citruses). The only annoying thing was my exfoliating gloves kept on getting caught in the cap.
• Philosophy Love Sweet Love 1oz - I love these little 1oz sizes and they are great for traveling. It doesn't hurt that I've found the Philosophy shower gels some of my favorites as they tend to be slightly thicker than the others. I'm going to keep this little bottle around since I have a big (I know I know) Love Sweet Love to decant.

And finally, some slightly random bits that don't really fit into any of the other categories:

 

• Butter London Powder Room Lacquer Remover - Well they weren't kidding about the name. This stuff smells vile (well unless you love the smell of acetone mixed with baby powder). This came free in a set and as you can see, there's still some left - but I won't subject myself or my husband to anymore of this. Just no.
• Fancy Dove Deodorant that's supposed to make your hair not grow as fast... meh
• Spongeables Pedi-Scrub Foot Buffer - Awesome in the summer and lasts for way more than 5 washes. Sorry for the packaging. It got a little damp. Anyway, these are great if your feet are feeling a little funky; either from socks and boots in the winter or sandals in the summer. A little bit of scrubbing (though be gentle the first few times - they are rough), some warm water and your feet will be looking and smelling like new. Love.

Two 2014 empties posts remain! Now to toss these!

Review: L'Occitane Cleansing And Softening Shower Oil With Almond Oil

A rare moment occurred which made me cash in some of my Sephora Beauty Reward points. It was the L'Occitane 500 point perk from March. Primarily because it contained a pretty generous sample of the above product, the Cleansing and Softening Shower Oil with Almond Oil (yikes! Mouthful) and second because it contained a pocket or book bag friendly size hand lotion, which I accidentally got my husband addicted to (he won't use anything else - though he won't even try the scented ones).

Anyway, I recently used up a shaving cream (massive empties post on the horizon btw) so I thought I would give this a whirl. I do really like it. I was a bit surprised at the scent. I was thinking it was going to smell like marzipan, but it's more of a fresh scent, it doesn't even really remind me of almonds, but that's ok. I like that it rinses away fairly clean but still leaves my legs soft and not irritated, but it reminded me of shaving with something else and that something else somehow compelled me to blog after a nearly 7 months hiatus.

The L'Occitane is pretty luxurious and priced accordingly. The 8.4oz bottle will run you $25. I actually find that rather reasonable but only if you plan to use this sparingly. I can't even imagine someone using this as a daily full-body cleanser, though I'm sure some do.

So, you're going to think I'm a little crazy when I say what this reminded me of. But back during the winter months when my legs were so itchy that during the day, I would try to find ways of getting a good scratch at them under my work pants without anyone noticing, I tried using The Body Shop's Beautifying Oil to shave with and aside from not foaming up and rinsing away, it is very similar. You're probably thinking why I would be so excited since that product is even more expensive per ounce. Well, of course you've heard of The Body Shop's sales and promotions. And then you know that you get more than one scent option... and well. The L'Occitane is nice but I foresee getting tired of the scent. What if I want strawberry or mango or satsuma? Tough cookie.

Not so fast - I can get a similar product, pay less (more than likely) and still get a close shave which doesn't leave my legs looking like the sidewalk (and probably a similar result with any body oil on the market - especially for us dry-skinned folk).

So there, hiatus officially broken. What's up, oh beauty world?

Review: Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Creamy Oil Body Lotion

Organix was one of the first drugstore ranges to introduce ingredients that were getting a lot of buzz in the beauty world, perhaps the most popular being argan oil. I've often passed by the range but I happened upon a good coupon at CVS and purchased the Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Creamy Oil Body Lotion. I'm very particular when it comes to body lotions as I tend to steer clear of heavy, sticky or greasy options, unless I know that I can pull on a pair of sweats and let the moisture really sink in. My biggest pet peeve is putting on lotion after an evening shower and getting into bed with legs that stick to the sheets. I gather that my husband generally isn't pleased with perfumed sheets either. The Organix Hydrating Moroccan Argan Oil Cream Oil Body Lotion comes in a 13floz squeeze bottle and retails for a very reasonable $6.99. It has a light slightly fruity floral scent, actually I picked up a hint of something resembling anise which isn't my favorite, but it's far from overpowering. Some of the reviews I read online indicated that the scent is quite strong - obviously those ladies have never tried The Body Shop lotions or any other fragranced products!

Either way, I have been pleasantly surprised with this lotion. Lightly scented and it sinks in very quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue. This is great for showering in the evening and also anytime it's slightly warm. I've quite enjoyed using my bottle and would repurchase.

Review: (Zoya) Smart Spa Grapefruit Surprise Sugar Scrub

Zoya and its mini sub-brands, Qtica, Smart Spa and Callus are very generous with their gift with purchases. The best part is you don't need to remember any codes and items are automatically added to your order if you make a high enough purchase. It must have been several months ago that they were including these Smart Spa sugar scrubs as their GWP. Between a couple orders, I managed to get two of their sugar scrubs, the Grapefruit Surprise I'm reviewing today and the Cool Sugar (which I think might be discontinued). The 7oz tube usually retails for $18 so it was a pretty nice freebie.

I'm a big fan of scrubs and my favorites are sugar scrubs, but I'm very picky with my scrubs. I don't like oily residues and prefer fairly abrasive scrubs that really do the job. If there's only a few scrubby bits, I may as well use my gloves and regular shower gel and save an extra step and money!

The Smart Spa sugar scrub is a little weird. It's a thick gel and within the gel there are tons of little sugar particles. Upon first glance, I thought it wasn't going to be that great but when I actually used it, I was pleasantly surprised. The Grapefruit Surprise is a zingy slightly sweet scent which is great for mornings, it doesn't leave a residue as promised, it has medium "scrubbiness" and it's true, it's non-irritating. Even though this is marketed for professionals for pedicures and manicures, I used it all over my body without a problem. Because it's so thick, it's actually ideal in the shower and doesn't get washed away quite as easily as thinner or drier varieties.

The first thing I thought when I squeezed it out was that it looked exactly like a gum drop!

Anyway, I have quite enjoyed using mine though I'm not sure I'd repurchase as I already have a back up and it's a little pricey. If you received one as a freebie and stuck it in the back of your cabinet like I did, you should pull it out and give it a try!

Review: The Body Shop Coconut Beautifying Oil

I don't recall when The Body Shop launched these but they are fairly new to the product line. The Body Shop Beautifying Oils are dry oils that can be used on hair, face and body. To be honest, I haven't tried this on my face as according to the ingredient's list, there is added fragrance, but I have used it on my hair and body.

The Body Shop Beautifying Oils come in a 3.3oz flip top bottle and retail for $14. They aren't cheap full price but if you ever shop at The Body Shop, you should know that they have crazy deals fairly often and you can usually get their products 40-50% off at least once a month. I'm not the biggest fan of the container, but it's light weight and does the job. The opening is small enough that a quick shake gets the right amount of product out but given the delivery method, the bottle does get oily so bear that in mind if you are clumsy!

The line currently has 11 different scents, most of The Body Shop's popular scents are included. The Coconut one is a nice, light tropical scent. It's not overly strong or overpowering. It does stick around for awhile which some may like more than others.

I've been making a point to moisturize while my body is still slightly damp as my skin in general has been super dry with fall and winter upon us. Because this is a dry oil, it sinks in super quickly and doesn't leave a greasy residue. As long as you're careful with the bottle, it's great for those of us that want to quickly moisturize and not wait eons for super heavy creams to sink in. All in all, it's a nice product and I've enjoyed using my bottle. 

Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Emollient), Dicaprylyl Carbonate (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (Skin Conditioning Agent), Parfum/Fragrance (Fragrance), Cocos Nucifera Oil/Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (Emollient), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil/Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil (Emollient), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (Antioxidant), Coumarin (Fragrance Ingredient), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil (Emollient), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Antioxidant).

Review: Shea Terra Organics Menthe Cardamon Whipped Shea Butter

The Shea Terra Organics Menthe Cardamom Whipped Shea Butter came in the June Glossybox. I wasn't terribly excited about using this product but cracked it open after I finished one of my other body moisturizers. The Shea Terra whipped shea butters come in a variety of scents and this 1oz size retails for $6 on their website. Mint is not usually a favorite of mine for body products so I didn't think I would like this scent but there's something about it that I quite like. Maybe it's the base of the shea butter but there's a creaminess to it that makes it quite pleasant and far from the overpowering scent I was expecting.

Per the name, you'd expect this to have a light whipped consistency, but I found it rather thick and somewhat heavy. It does sink in, but at first, it feels waxy and somewhat sticky on the skin. I also felt that it was a little hard to spread, probably due to the wax content.

I've been interested in trying the Shea Terra Organics line in the past, but I'm not sure that I would repurchase this product though I will use it up. If I'm going for a thick butter, I prefer the Mor line as it is thick but it does melt into the skin a bit better than this Shea Terra butter. Still, I've heard great things about their skincare and I have a body wash to try out too from another beauty box so all hope is not lost (plus, this is ideal for my tired sandal wearing feet).

Disclosure: Received as part of a PR sample (Glossybox).

Holy Grail: Exfoliating Bath Gloves

If you read Jeweled Thumb with any regularity, you should know that I don't fake tan nor go out in the sun with great frequency, yet even for me, the summer is a time to get beach-ready legs. Usually I go for a physical exfoliant (like the Haus of Gloi sugar scrubs) but I don't like to waste product and to get my legs in the shower, I'd waste quite a bit. Enter exfoliating bath gloves (mine are from The Body Shop). Not only are they inexpensive (The Body Shop's are $5 and the store always has sales) but they allow you to use your own body wash to exfoliate. No loofah to drop, no scrub to wash down the drain and by the time you use these for a few weeks, your cost per use is nearly nothing.

I always have a pair of these around. Right now, my hands can be seen sporting a green pair that I picked up at one of their semi-annual sales. Somehow I find these less germy than bath poofs or loofahs since you can get the insides real good with water before hanging them up to dry. If you haven't been able to find a scrub you love, give these guys a try.

Review: Grecian Oil Body Cream

I recently received a jar of the Grecian Oil Body Cream to try as part of the Bloom Ambassador program. The body cream contains olive oil and I was a bit worried as it's nearing the summer months and the last thing I want on my skin is a heavy cream. I was pleasantly surprised. The texture is light and almost feels like a gel but it sinks in quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue. 

One of the things I love about the cream is the scent. It smells exactly like almond biscotti but it doesn't linger so long to interact with perfumes or scent your sheets or clothing. The only complaint is that it doesn't appear that almond oil is in the product, and instead it claims "enriched with almond oil scent" which is a bit misleading. Given the claims of the product, I would have liked the scent to be more natural than simply added fragrance.

The body cream comes in two different sizes. There's the 2oz jar that I received that retails for $9.98 and an 8oz jar which retails for $24.98. The line offers a body lotion as well containing 8oz of product for $14.98. The limited range is definitely on the high end of the spectrum. Nonetheless, I have really enjoyed the cream and even with the synthetic scent, it's been a go-to with the recent high temperatures.

Disclosure: This was received as part of the Bloom Ambassador's program for review (used referral link).

Review: Mor Emporium Body Butter in Italian Blood Orange

Mor products used to be sold in Sephora a few years ago but I was reintroduced to them through Bloom. A sample of the Emporium Body Butter in the Belladonna scent was included in one of my Bloom Bonus boxes and while the scent wasn't something I fell in love with, the texture was divine. I managed to get a full size of the Italian Blood Orange scent in one of the Platinum Bloom Bonus boxes and I love it.

First of all, opening up a Mor product is like opening up a present. The paper used to wrap up the product is thick. There is a black box holding the jar and then an outer wrapping with the label which looks like a wax seal and beautiful textured paper depending on the scent. The ribbon on the top has the name of the scent in gold as well. Basically, it's super luxurious before you even open the lid.

The body butter includes 5.1 fl oz of product and retails for $25. it's definitely not cheap so it's more of a splurge item or it makes a great gift. The texture is super thick and buttery but not greasy. It absorbs into the skin quickly and leaves skin soft and smooth. One of my favorite things about this is the scent. It smells very similar to the Goldwell products I've used (the tart yet vanilla creamsicle scent) which I love. The scent sticks around some but it's not obnoxious. 

I've been very impressed by the Mor line and if price is an object, I sometimes see it as Marshalls, Tjmaxx and Nordstrom Rack stores at a discount. It is also available at Bloom, Nordstrom, Zappos, and I found some discounted at Neiman Marcus Last Call.

Disclosure: This was free as part of the Bloom Bonus since I bought $100 worth of stuff from Bloom.com. I also used my referral link.

Review: Karess Krafters Chai Tea Sugar Scrub

I forget who actually introduced me to Heartsy, but I've been scoping the sales for several months now and have partaken in some deals. If you haven't heard about Heartsy, it's very similar to Groupon however the sales are for small independent web shops or for Etsy sellers. To be honest, I've run into good and bad through Heartsy (and Etsy for that matter). For as much as I like to support small business owners and especially artisans, sometimes the level of customer service isn't up to snuff or the goods themselves are substandard. Right now I'm actually dealing with a shop that never sent my order from November and it's been quite a headache. Karess Krafters was a good experience and I would definitely recommend their web shop to purchase from.

The shop itself has several different types of products; I ordered soap and scrubs (if you've been reading for any length of time that won't seem unusual at all to you). The sugar scrubs come with 5oz of product and retail for $7.99 which I feel is very reasonable. The plastic tubs are sturdy and the labels are water resistant. Each tub is sealed as well. The Chai Latte scent is milky slightly spicy scent, but stops from being overwhelming and doesn't burn or irritate the skin.

The scrub itself is nice and thick with lots of exfoliating particles and it seems as though the sugar crystals are either larger than in other scrubs or they haven't been doused with liquids that dissolve them before you actually use the scrub. This is not a bubbling scrub like the Haus of Gloi version and skin needs to be cleansed after using this (while the HoG is really a soap and a scrub in one). It also makes my shower floor a tiny bit slippery but not as bad as the LUSH scrub.

The scrub itself leaves my skin exfoliated but not stripped or irritated. It doesn't dissolve immediately during use either so you can get a nice exfoliation. 

All in all, I'm fairly pleased with this product and the customer service I received from the shop.  Definitely check out Karess Krafters if you've been looking for a new indie bath & body line to support!

Ingredients: Sugar, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Safflower Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Jojoba Oil, Polysorbate 20, Fragrance, Orange Peel Powder, Non-Paraben Preservative

Disclosure: Referral links were used.

December Empties

It's now the beginning of 2012 and I'm here once again with my empties post for the prior month. I'm definitely going to continue these into 2012 and hope to use up even more products in 2012.

I've learned that items like skincare, body care and lip balm are things that I know I will use up. Makeup is a little harder. I've tried to devote my weekdays to specifically using products I want to use up, with some flexibility of course. I also never have more than 1 mascara in rotation. Who knows if I will ever use up an eyeshadow, it's not looking likely at this point though technically I have the whole year in front of me.

 

Nuance by Salma Hayek Detoxifying Facial Cleansing & Toning Towelettes - I know my initial review of these wasn't super favorable but I've since bought a few more packs on sale and I quite like them. Due to the packaging, even if I don't use these every day, they seem to remain more moist going towards the bottom of the pack. I mentioned them again when I reviewed the Ponds wipes. Also, the last time I was at Big Lots, I couldn't find my beloved Epielle due to the massive Christmas beauty sets so I'm hoping the next time I'm there, they will make a reappearance. As much as I like the Nuance ones, I would never pay full price!
CVS Soft Cloths Supreme Unscented -  I'm sure you've all heard at one point or another that baby wipes can double as makeup removing towelettes. It's true. These are really nice and very cheap.

Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer - I swear this bottle never ended. I will try to stop buying these 10floz bottles! It also left a bit of a film on my skin and never seemed to fully penetrate. Neither I nor my husband was a fan of the scent and because it didn't truly sink in, the lotion (and the scent) stuck to our sheets. Very happy to see this empty! I won't be repurchasing!
The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Butter - This on the other hand, I love! It's a great fruity tart scent that sticks around after applying but not in a bad way like the Jergens! This is the smaller 50ml size I brought with us to Georgia. It feels light on the skin but is extremely moisturizing and sinks in quickly. I love The Body Shop body butters and will continue to repurchase them!
Mor Basil & Grape and Sugar Rose Tiger Lily Hand Cream sample packets - Oh my goodness. I'm so glad I discovered the Mor brand as I've enjoyed everything I've tried from them thus far. These scents are to die for, the texture is rich and moisturizing yet sinks into the skin. I've never been a big fan of rose scents, but even I like the Sugar Rose Tiger Lily likely due to the sweetness of it. The Basil & Grape isn't something I would normally be attracted to, but it's a nice sweet, yet fresh scent. I am definitely going to be buying more Mor (teehee) in the future. Really enjoyed these. I received these both in one of my recent Bloom orders as the Bloom Bonus.

On10 Schweppes Club Soda lip balm - The On10 made a brief debut in Sephora but has since disappeared. This lip balm is very nice and also something I took with me to Georgia. It is lightly scented/flavored and has the slightly thicker more waxier texture I enjoyed. It is reminiscent of the Fresh Sugar or the Caudalie as far as texture is concerned. And one can not fault the cute bottle cap inspired sleek metal packaging. I would repurchase if it was available.
Woody's Citrus Lip Ice - I really like this lip balm, as with the prior, it is a slightly thicker textured balm. I know this balm can be gotten online but I think the Woody's line might have discontinued it as I haven't seen it in stores. I know it's a mens line but this lip balm is really great for everyone.
Becca Luminous Skin Color in Sand - If you remember, I finished the Porcelain shade of this back in June. This is basically a fancy expensive tinted moisturizer. Even though the Sand shade is a tiny bit darker, I feel as though it didn't oxidize as much as the lighter, more pinker shade. As I mentioned in June, I don't think I'll repurchase as less expensive BB Creams such as the Missha offer a similar product at a fraction of the cost.


Not too shabby. I will be happy to discard the Becca as the emptier it gets, the harder it is for the product to come out! Onto the next foundation/tinted moisturizer victim!


Is there anything that you've finished recently? Feel free to link your own empties posts below! I love to look!

Review: Softsoap Bar Soap in Coconut Scrub

The Softsoap Bar Soap in Coconut Scrub came in the Influenster Holiday Vox Box as I previously mentioned. Due to numerous CVS sales including this product, I already had a decent sized stash of them but I figured I'd review them either way as they are inexpensive and readily available at least to those in the states.

As some of you may know, I am a bar soap kind of gal. I find it much easier to use and like that it doesn't require something like a loofah in the shower as I have limited space (also the bars are significantly smaller than body wash bottles). My favorite kind of soap is one with some scrubby bits in it as it can do double duty. Unfortunately, the Coconut Scrub soap doesn't have tons of scrubby bits so I wouldn't truly classify it as an exfoliating soap but it's still nice. It is very creamy and quite soft. This is kind of a double-edged sword, it lathers up beautifully, it's non-drying but due to the soft texture, it needs to be kept far from water so it doesn't disintegrate.

The coconut scent is very light and pleasant and it doesn't leave my skin dry or tight, nor feel like it is coated in a film after showering. All in all, it's a nice soap for a very reasonable price. You can get a pack of 4 soaps (each weighing 4oz - they didn't skimp) for just over $4 making them around $1 each.

Disclosure: This was received for review purposes and I have also bought quite a few myself.

Review: Lierac Hydrofilia Fluid Body Cream For Dry Atopic Skin

I picked this up on a whim at my local CVS one day as it seemed right up my alley. The Lierac Hydrofilia Fluid Body Cream is specifically formulated for dry and atopic skin and promises "immediate comfort" and "prolonged hydration". If you didn't already know by now, I have dry skin. While the skin is dry on my face, it's even worse on my body (it's so dry when I pull on tights, I get a cloud of dry skin - sorry TMI and gross but true). The issue that I've had recently is that some lotions that say they are formulated for dry skin simply leave a film on top of the skin and don't truly hydrate it. The Fluid Body Cream is a great name for it, as it's thick but once on the skin, it becomes thinner and more fluid and rubs in quite easily. It sinks in quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue like other lotions. The best part is it has done a great job of keeping my skin hydrated and I rarely have periods of intense itching when I use this.

The smell is a light floral and isn't offensive however the lotion is definitely fragranced so those sensitive to scents or fragrance additives should probably steer clear. I quite like this lotion, although for the price, I would prefer a few more ounces. It looks as though it was repackaged recently and now comes in a 4.97 oz pump bottle for $32.00 (I have the squeeze tube which was probably the same retail price but I got on sale).

If you suffer from extremely dry, itchy, flaky skin yet don't like super heavy, greasy and sticky lotions (who does really), I would consider giving this a try. I'm not sure I'd repurchase only because I tend to get tired of different lotions and potions, but I'd definitely consider it cause this stuff works (even with the crazy price tag).

Ingredients: WATER( AQUA). LECITHIN.GLYERCIN.BUTYLENE GLYCOL. GLYCERL STEARATE. PEG-100 STEARATE. CYCLOMETHICONE. ETHYLHEXYL ETHYLHEXANOATE. CHONDRUS CRISPUS (CARRAGEENAN). GLUCOSE. XANTHAN GUM. MINERAL OIL (PARAFFINUM LIQUIDUM). MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) EXTRACT. HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL. PROPYLENE GLYCOL. STEAROXY DIMETHICONE. DIMETHICONE. POLYACRYLAMIND. C13-14 ISOPARAFFIN. LAURETH-7. CAMELLIA KISSISEED OIL. HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE. TOCOPHEROL. PEG-10 RAPESEED STEROL. FRAGRANCE (PARFUM). PHENOXYETHANOL. METHYLPARABEN. ETHYLPARABEN. BUTLPARABEN. ISOBUTYLPARABEN. PROPYLPARABENBOTANICAL ORIGIN (D’ORIGINE VÉGÉTALE)

Review: Haus of Gloi Plotter's Breakfast Bubbling Scrub

I treated myself to a small Haus of Gloi Soft Bubbling Scrub haul last week. I have missed this scrub! It's the perfect consistency and since it's "bubbling" it washes away and doesn't leave any sort of residue. The one I used first was the Plotter's Breakfast scent, described by Haus of Gloi as "Oatey porridge, stove smoke, kindling wood, a hint of gunpowder and pinch of sweet pipe tobacco" this definitely made my think of another version of Snow Wolf - a favorite of mine.

To me this smells exactly like a fireplace. If Haus of Gloi ever got into home fragrances, this would be the ideal scent for candles during the winter season, especially for those of us that don't have fireplaces. It misses the wearable vanilla and cedar notes of Snow Wolf so I wouldn't actually want to wear this as a fragrance which makes me happy I didn't buy the body butters or perfume oils with this scent. Only a tiny bit of smokiness stays around after using it, but it's very faint. I really like this and would repurchase but not consider wearing it for any lingering fragrance purposes.

Review: Madre Labs Body and Hair Care Line + Giveaway

I was recently contacted by a representative of iHerb regarding the Madre Labs line of Body & Hair products. iHerb is an established retailer of natural products based out of California. As someone who appreciates the benefits of natural products without tons of preservatives or fillers, I was happy to see that the Madre Labs brand features the "No No-Nos" Seal which means the products are free of sulfates, parabens, dyes, animal ingredients and animal testing. The products are meant to be gentle and the packaging is biodegradable. I know lots of people in the beauty community have made an effort to be more green and while I'm not there quite yet, good affordable products make it that much easier.

I've been testing the products for a number of weeks now and I thought I would share my thoughts and I have very exciting news as well. One lucky reader of Jeweled Thumb will win the complete set of Hair and Body products from the Madre Labs line. Simply scroll down to the rafflecopter widget, wait for it to load and enter to your heart's content!

And if you can't wait to find out if you've won and need one of the products right away (hint leave-in conditioner) you can use the code WOW123 to get $5 off your first order if you're a first time iHerb customer!

Onto the review:

Body care
Moisturizing Body Wash, Rosemary Mint, 12.5 fl oz $12.95
Hand & Body Lotion, Unscented, 12.85 fl oz $10.95
Hand Cream with Argan Nut Oil, Unscented, 2.5 oz $8.95


As many of you probably know, I have very dry and sensitive skin so I was happy to see the majority of the body care range is unscented. I found the moisturizing body wash refreshing without being stripping though as some of you may know, mints are not my favorite in the shower. Both the hand and body lotion and the hand cream are moisturizing without being overly greasy; however, the one negative is while the hand and body lotion is definitely scent free, one of the ingredients in the hand cream give it a bit of an earthy scent. I believe it may be the olive fruit oil - it smells a bit like olives. It didn't bother me but I prefer the hand and body lotion as it is fully unscented.

Haircare
Moisturizing Shampoo, Strawberry Oasis, 12.5 fl oz $13.95
Moisturizing Conditioner, Strawberry Oasis, 12.5 fl oz $10.95
Leave-In Conditioner, Tangerine Melody, 8.7 fl oz $7.95

I'm going to review the Moisturizing Line (& the leave-in) as that's what I used extensively.

While I enjoyed the bath and body range, I was most impressed with the hair range. The moisturizing shampoo and conditioner smell like strawberry bubble yum and are hydrating without wearing hair down. The leave-in spray reminds me of the one I reviewed and loved from Goldwell though instead of a creamsicle scent, the Tangerine Melody is a bit more tart. My hair routine involves shampooing every other time with the moisturizing shampoo in the line and using the conditioner every wash and then spritzing the leave-in generously while my hair is still a bit damp, throwing it up in my microfiber towel and leaving it for the night. By the morning, my hair is soft, bouncy and has formed nice ringlets. My frizz has significantly lessened as well. If you are going to try only one item from the line, I'd definitely order yourself a bottle of the leave-in spray and at $7.95 (it's actually on sale right now for $5.96) it definitely doesn't break the bank!

The two other items in the hair care line are below for your reference:
Balancing Shampoo, Pomegranate & Mellow Mint, For Normal Hair, 12.5 fl oz $12.95
Balancing Conditioner, Pomegranate & Mellow Mint, 12.5 fl oz $9.95

And now for the giveaway!

Review: LaRocca Champagne and Shimmer Acai Sugar Polish

I know I literally just got this in my November Birchbox but I thought I'd share my first impressions which I imagine will be my long-term impressions of the product as I only have another use out of the sample pot. I'm referring to the LaRocca Skincare Champagne & Shimmer Acai Sugar Polish.

I'm a bit conflicted about this product. First of all, it is super expensive, clocking in at $37.50 for 6.76 ounces. Second, the consistency is quite weird. It's almost like you whipped up some egg whites made meringue and then made it look like it was jelly. Third, it leave a bit of a residue, but not nearly as bad as some of The Body Shop scrubs or at least the last time I tried them. However, after showering and cleansing my body with body wash, my skin was super soft. So soft I didn't feel compelled to slather moisturizer on which is a feat with my dry skin. So, I've got to say it works. I found that this didn't have enough sugar crystals to my liking and they evaporated rather quickly (so I had to use a lot of the scrub) but that simply means it's more gentle. I don't know. If I magically came into a full size jar, I would definitely use it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy this. I prefer the Haus of Gloi Bubbling Scrub just because it's so convenient and is the ultimate in scrubbiness.

If you also received this in your November Birchbox, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 


Ingredients: Organic Sucrose, Cocoas Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, 24K Gold, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Fragrance.
Not tested on animals, paraben free.

Review: Nuance Salma Hayek Walnut Body Scrub

I should probably just go ahead and deem this Salma Hayek Nuance week!

Nuance Salma Hayek Walnut Body Scrub retails for $7.99 online and comes in an 8oz squeeze tube (I paid $8.50). I've found that the prices are a bit higher in store, so if you can manage without the immediate gratification, it may be worthwhile to order from the website especially if they are running a coupon code.

Given my lackluster opinion of the Nuance line so far, I wasn't expecting to like this. I will go through my reactions:

"Salma - again with the brown color? Ugh"
[applies scrub]
"Oooh"
"Ahhh"
"I wonder if they make a facial scrub like this!"

Really. Would you want to rub that all over your body? I did in the name of blogging and I'm glad I did!

Originally I wasn't really excited as I couldn't see any visible exfoliating bits but when I started to rub it on my body, I noticed the texture reminded me of the MAC Microfine Refinisher! It has tiny little sand like particles within the cream and does a great job of exfoliating. The color I could do without. The smell is pretty unoffensive and is pleasant enough. What I love about this is even though walnut is in the product, there are no obnoxious large bits of walnut that don't really do much for your body unless they happen to scratch you on a jagged edge, but manage to get caught in your drain. A plus, it's not a sugar or salt scrub so the particles don't actually dissolve the minute they hit water and it's not oily so it doesn't make your floor slippery.

If you have been wanting a scrubby yet not abrasive body scrub, I'd definitely try this one. I was quite impressed and if the review online is any indication, the facial scrub in the line is similar. Possible a replacement for my much loved MAC facial scrub?! We shall see!

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Polyethylene, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum), Caramel, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Annatto (CI 75120), Red 40 (CI 16035).

CVS Haul

There are quite a few good sales at CVS this week, although I've only participated in 1 of the beauty related ones. I'm referring to the buy $20 worth of Salma Hayek Nuance get $10 in Extrabucks back. I would also recommend that you look around for the temporary displays as they have samples which include $2 off coupons for her skincare and cosmetic items. I was able to use 2 of these coupons that brought my out of pocket expenses (after extrabucks) to around $6. These coupons are great either way, as the line is quite expensive.

I also highly recommend to seek out your store's clearance displays. It changes depending on your store. Sometimes they are in the back in bins, sometimes a shelf is selected randomly where items are marked down. Some of the items in today's haul were from these sections (I also found some batteries on clearance but they aren't included in this post).

I love my microfiber hair turban so much that when I found these towels on clearance, I quickly scooped them up. Microfiber is much more gentle on hair than a regular towel and cuts down on frizz for us curly girls. These towels were regularly $5.99 which is pretty cheap anyway but since they were marked down to $1.49 a piece, they were definitely a steal!

In the clearance section, I also found Orly Here Comes Trouble marked down to $1.74 - bargain! Body & Soul blogged about this Pin Up Collection back in April. The opacity of this glitter looks amazing.

And the Salma Hayek stuff I picked up: I bought the Walnut Body Scrub ($~8.50), the Light Camera Action Eye Trio in Pewter/Silver Shimmer (~$8.89) and to put me over the $20 mark the mini size of the Blue Agave Curl Cream ($~3.50). I sincerely hope these impress me more than the other Nuance items I've tried but considering the price I wound up paying, it won't be a huge loss.

Also, the red machine of awesome was spitting out coupons for free Newton Thins cookies, and a $10 off $50 purchase coupon. Between that and the free allergy pills, free tampons and other great deals, CVS is definitely a great place to stock up on essentials this week!