REVIEW: Burt's Bees Radiance Night Cream with Royal Jelly

After my pretty awesome experience with the Burt's Bees Cream Cleanser I thought I might try one of their creams to help battle my suddenly-dry skin. I know I haven't been drinking as much water as I should, and I know it's cold out and hot inside...but REALLY! My skin is pretty crazy dry.

I spent a considerable amount of time in-store reading the boxes for the various Burt's Bees moisturizers and decided to try the Radiance Night Cream with Royal Jelly.

The good folks at Burt's Bees claim that Royal Jelly is "very nourishing, royal jelly is made of nectar, pollen, flower parts, vitamins, minerals, bee hormones and other natural ingredients". To be honest, I just learned about the "bee hormones" part, which kind of gave me the giggles.

As a minor health fanatic, I have heard lots about the health benefit of Royal Jelly. If you do some research, you will learn that it does some amazing things for bees. Royal Jelly is what is fed to the Queen Bee, it is what makes her so much bigger than the other bees, and it is what makes her fertile (all other female bees are infertile). Royal Jelly is loaded with amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins B5 & B6, as well as the same anti-bacterial properties renowned in honey!

In the end, I figured since I'm the Queen Bee of my household I should try this moisturizer.

And it hasn't disappointed!

Despite a heavy load of oils in the Ingredient List (Sweet Almond Oil is second from the top, and further down you'll find Sunflower and Vegetable oils), this cream feels closer in texture to a lotion. Royal Jelly is the 9th ingredient from the top, and is followed by other awesome natural goodness, like Lemon Peel extract, Horsetail Extract, Rosemary and Pine Tree extracts, hops, etc.

The texture was very light, and even slightly sticky. The sticky feeling disappeared pretty quickly and wasn't off-putting, it just felt a little unusual at first.

The cream absorbed right in and did not feel heavy at all! My skin felt nourished, it looked beautiful and didn't feel dry! My skin has actually been so dry, that I was using this cream either (and sometimes, both) day or night!

This cream's ONLY downfall was its fragrance... it was the EIGHTH (!!!) ingredient from the top...meaning there was more perfume than Royal Jelly in this product. The smell was lovely, dont get me wrong, but surely it can't stink enough to warrant *that* much fragrance, right?

Hopefully that is something the good people over at Burt's Bees can fix sometime soon!

Also, at over $30 a jar, this product is WAY too expensive to not have tester jars out. There are Vichy, La Roche Posay, NeoStrata, etc creams at that same price range... and THEY have testers. **cough cough, are you listening Burt?**

This cream was lovely and nourishing that it actually encouraged me to buy the matching eye cream as well!!! I will review that another time...

In the meantime... TRY THIS STUFF!

REVIEW: Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream

Do you ever read the instructions on any personal or hygiene product and it always states the oh-so-obvious "Keep away from Eyes" warning? And you think to yourself "Well, duuuuhhhh". The folks at Burt's Bees weren't joking! This cleanser has a minty-tingle-factor, which is irritating to the eye area. I'm talking tears-running-down-your-face-oh-my-god-why-do-my-eyeballs-feel-like-they're-freezing kind of irritation. So if you are looking for a cleanser that also takes off your makeup, then keep on looking!

If you are okay with (or prefer) using an eye-make up remover before you wash your face, and want something more natural in your skin care routine, then you are going to LOVE this cleanser.

Minty-warning aside...this cleanser is AMAZING!!!!

It is a non-foaming cream cleanser that deep cleans without stripping your skin, but never feels heavy, greasy or filmy. I have always preferred foaming cleansers because I had such a hard time finding a milky or creamy cleanser that didn't leave an oil slick behind!

All of my make-up (except my eye make-up) dissolved beautifully, and the cleanser felt so refreshing! It rinsed off beautifully, and sometimes I even use a washcloth to massage and exfoliate. Once its all rinsed off, and you've patted your skin dry you will not feel that tight and dry oh-gawd-where's-my-moisturizer feeling.

Even though the words "Deep Cleansing" are on the label, the product is completely non-drying! Most people associate "Deep Cleansing" with drying and stripping, but that is definitely not the case with this cleanser!

I originally bought this cleanser because I have been experiencing record dryness on my face this winter! The ingredient list starts off with water and is followed by a variety of oils, such as Sunflower Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Soybean Oil. Glycerin is in there, along with loads of plant extracts, like soap bark extract, chamomile, witch hazel, aloe; and essential oils like Rosemary, Lavender, Lemon, etc.

The high oil concentration and lack of chemical surfactants have made an amazing difference to my skin. I don't feel as dry as I did before I started using this cleanser, and my skin looks more supple and bright!

I have read other reviews about folks with acne or very oily skin who also loved this product! Sounds like a winner for most skin types!

For someone looking for a gentler and more natural cleanser for your skin, I would highly recommend this cleanser! It's about $15 for a 6 ounce tube (170g) and it should last forever because you need so little!

Have you ever used this cleanser? What did you think of it?

Biotherm SkinErgetic Anti-Fatigue Serum

Biotherm recently launched this all-new, almost all-natural serum to fight signs of fatigue. Their target audience are women 30-45 years old (woo hoo... thats ME!!!) and their tag line is "So signs of fatigue dont turn into signs of aging".

Sounds good, right?

This serum is made with 99% natural origin ingredients, is free of petro-chemicals, mineral oils, silicones, parabens, and the such. This is GREAT news for me!

It is loaded with sulforaphane from Broccoli, Apple Extract, soy protein, and AHAs from sugar and lemon. It is a light serum, that rapidly absorbs, so that you can apply your favorite moisturizer right over top. These plant ingredients work together to fight 5 major signs of fatigue, such as loss of radiance, uneven complexion, visible pores, a grainy skin appearance, and roughness).

I was lucky enough to get a full-sized bottle right when it launched and have really liked using it! For starters, it smells FANTASTIC! The fragrance is natural and smells fruity and fresh! Secondly, you get to "activate" the serum yourself, which is SO COOL! It comes with a special lid that you place on top of your bottle, then *click* to release the broccoli sulfuraphane. You take off the empty lid (I think its recycleable), then you replace it with the dropper, and shake shake shake to release the potency of the fresh ingredient throughout the serum. Pretty fun!

There is a small label that allows you to record the date, because the good folks at Biotherm want you to remember that it is at its maxium efficiency for THREE MONTHS from the date you activated it.

My skin is combination dry, and throughout the winter months I have been LOVING loading thick and rich creams on my face. This serum went on beautifully under my moisturizers! I discovered that the AHAs in this serum dried me out ever so slightly, so I had to use the thickest and richest cream in my arsenal to counteract that! I bet I wouldnt have this problem once spring and summer hit, but because my skin is experiencing record dryness this winter, it felt a bit too taut without a rich moisturizer piled over my SkinErgetic serum.

Did I notice a difference in my skin?

After using the serum for just under a week, I can tell you that my complexion GLOWS. I absolutely adore that it is almost entirely natural and that there are no mineral oils or silicones in it!

If you work hard and its starting to show in your skin, I think you oughta try this serum! It is only $58, and should last you 3 months if you are using it twice a day!

I loved it, and I will be trying the Skin*Ergetic Rich Day Cream next...

Have you tried this serum, or any of the other Skin*Ergetic products from Biotherm yet? How did you like them?

Something EVERY GAL should have in her Shower

Something that EVERY gal should have in her shower is a foot paddle/Pumice Stone. Giving the soles of your feet a quick 30-second scrub near the end of your shower, is a sure fire way to keep your feet in beautiful shape without having to book an appointment at the nail salon.

Just because it's winter-time, doesn't mean you should neglect your feet! It's much easier to KEEP them in great shape, than it is to fight at the last minute when spring arrives to get them there!

I think most beauty companies make them, so they are pretty easy to find. Your drugstore's nail aisle will have at least 2 or 3 brands of foot paddles for sale. The Body Shop makes them, Origins makes them, but the BEST ones are probably the ones you find at Beauty Supply stores, like the Dannyco brand foot paddles. Even a good ole Pumice Stone will do!

A good wooden foot paddle should last you quite some time, but even if you spring for one of the less expensive ones at your drug store, you will keep your footsies looking great!

Near the end of your shower, scrub the soles of your feet - paying close attention to the area on the balls of your feet, the bottom and sides of your big toes, and the heels. Feel for rough spots with your free hand, then gently massage them away with your foot paddle.

Also, when you are at the nail salon, DO NOT EVER let the manicurists take a razor blade to the soles of your feet. Shaving off the skin, makes it grow back thicker! It's less work for them to shave it vs. buffing it, so naturally they shave it! DO NOT let them!

Some of my favorite foot paddles include the wooden ones from Origins, Dannyco, and the cheapie Life Brand ones from Shoppers Drug Mart! Whatever you do, do not use the foot cutters that are disguised as foot paddles. Revlon just came out with one that even has a "Catch Basin" area, where the dead skin that is cut off is contained until you empty it out into the trash. YUCK!
Remember...CUTTING your skin will make it grow back thicker. So do your feet a favour, and buff away the dead skin in the shower with a handy foot paddle instead!

REVIEW: Philips SatinPerfect Epilator HP6570

I have been registered with BzzAgent.com for a few years now, and have reviewed various products for them...come to think of it, I think all of it has been food! FINALLY I received a vanity-related product to review. I was both excited and extremely nervous!

Most girls know what an epilator is...and the thought of it is mildly nerve-wrecking. It sounds painful and...dangerous!

If you dont know what an epilator is; it's an electronic device with a number of "pincers" attached...imagine 100 tweezers, constantly picking and plucking at your hairs, pulling them out by the root. These "pincers" are on a rotating device. Sounds scary, doesnt it?

The idea of epilating is very appealing. All girls I know want to remove their hairs by the root; it leaves you smoother, longer; hair grows back thinner and finer; and therefore stubble is reduced. But we're just afraid of the pain!

When I received my Philips SatinPerfect Epilator in the mail, I was VERY excited! I quickly opened up the box to read the instruction manual and to see what came with it!

The Epilator itself is pretty! It's white and shiny, with a pretty design around the On/Off button, an adapter (it doesnt run on batteries, only when plugged in), 2 additional performance caps, and the instruction manual.

So I turned it on. It sounded SCARY! It wasnt loud, but it wasnt quiet either. The ceramic tweezers whirred around and around. I held my breath, closed my eyes, and....placed the machine against my leg.

You are supposed to slowly run the epilator against the growth, up your leg, while your free hand pulls your skin up. It's kind of like when you are getting waxed...pulling your skin taut. Please dont skip this step, as it really helps your hairs to stand up and therefore make it easier to remove your hair, and it minimizes the pain you feel!

I have to be honest...at first it HURT! It was not an unbearable pain. It was definitely bearable, and with each stroke it actually hurt less and less. After a minute or two, it almost didnt hurt anymore! (the exception being the inside of my legs, below the knee - holy sensitive!)

My legs had not been shaved for about 2 or 3 days prior to my first use of the Philips SatinPerfect Epilator, so it was juuuust below an optimal level of hair growth, but it still pulled out a significant percentage of the hairs on my legs! I used it again the next day to remove some more hair.

I placed paper towels under my legs to catch the hair as it was falling...I wanted to see if it was breaking any hairs. And I couldnt believe it...not ONE SINGLE HAIR was broken - they had all been pulled out at the root! And my fear of being pinched or cut was completely unfounded - I didn't receive a single cut or pinch while using the Philips SatinPerfect Epilator.

Right now, I am not entirely hair-free, there is a tiny bit of stubble; these are the hairs that are just growing in. I will use it again tomorrow to remove some more hair. Even in the manual it said that the first few times you use it will be to remove growth that is coming in at different times. Based on the other reviews I read, women reported less of their hair coming in and with less stubble! I definitely look forward to that!

The beauty with this device is that if you are in need of wearing a skirt and cant let your hair grow for another day or two before epilating, you can just shave it off for the day...then let it re-grow before epilating!

One of the things I love about epilating as a form of hair removal is that you arent ripping off your skin, so ingrown hairs will be less of a concern! I still recommend you scrub well in the shower to minimize their occurence!

In the instruction manual, they recommend you use the SatinPerfect Epilator in the evening. You might get some redness, and if you do it at night, the redness will have disappeared by the morning.

I will continue to use this product as a means of hair removal for my legs! I'll definitely update you all again to let you know if my hair grows in more softly, what the stubble situation is, if I get ingrown hairs, etc.

I have to tell you though... so far, this has been an AWESOME product and I am so happy that I signed up with BzzAgent to review this epilator! At first I was PETRIFIED of this method of hair removal! I am soooo happy I tried it....and I think you should too!

I have $10 off coupons that are valid only in Canada. If you want to try this product and want a coupon, leave a comment with your email address and Ill get your address to mail it to you!

REVIEW: Yes to Cumbers! Shampoo & Conditioner

The good folks over at YES TO CARROTS came out with a shampoo and conditioner for those of us who want to protect hair colour from fading. So they came out with YES TO CUCUMBERS Shampoo and Conditioner (along with facial cleansing cloths, eye cream, masks, etc).

Because I absolutely adored the YES TO CARROTS shampoo and conditioner, I was really excited to try this one as well! The ingredients differed a little bit, there seemed to be less of the Dead Sea Mineral Mud as it was lower down on the ingredient list, but maybe thats just the way it appeared... either way, there was also Green Tea and all its antioxidants, Cucumber with its Vitamins A & C, Aloe Vera to hydrate, and its star ingredient, Centaurea Extract; a powerful ingredient that protects color-treated hair yet brightens and prevents brassiness.

That sounds really awesome.

It is a lovely shampoo and conditioner, I gotta say. But does it compare to the YES TO CARROTS? Not even close.

Not to say that this shampoo and conditioner arent good...its just that theyre not as good as the original YES TO CARROTS line.

After using this shampoo, I felt the need to double-wash. After using the conditioner, my hair still felt a tiny bit tangled. Out of the shower my hair looks and feels GREAT... it just doesnt feel right in the shower, compared to the YES TO CARROTS. My hair felt tangled and a bit coarse. I never got that feeling with the original YES TO CARROTS duo...

If you are really concerned about brassiness in your hair, or if you really colour your hair religiously, then I say give this baby a try! I think people with really fine hair would probably benefit the most from this very light feeling shampoo and conditioner.

I just wonder if people with seriously processed hair would want something thats RICHER and more moisturizing than this one.

Regardless, it is still a great shampoo and conditioner and definitely worth a try! If you have tried the YES TO CARROTS ones first, you may be underwhelmed by the YES TO CUCUMBERS line...

If you have tried both and feel differently, let me know!

REVIEW: Yes to Carrots! Shampoo & Conditioner

I finally decided to give YES TO CARROTS Shampoo and Conditioner a try, after it had been staring me down for MONTHS as I walked down the hair care aisle.

What first got me was its lack of SLS, that it was loaded with plant extracts and Dead Sea Mud and that it was missing Dimethicone, a silicone that gives the illusion of shine and health. It also looked like a really good value...what with that huge bottle going for $10 or less.

From the very first shampoo I have been IN LOVE!

The instructions indicate to leave the shampoo on your scalp after lathering. I thought it was weird, but figured, what the heck. So I left the shampoo on for a minute before rinsing it off. For a second I was dumbstruck... had I just shampooed my hair? Or was that conditioner? I was pretty sure it was shampoo....

Yes. My hair was THAT soft. So I placed a tiny bit of conditioner in the ends of my hair and massaged it up. I didnt leave it on...just rinsed it.

My hair was amazingly soft and shiny, right from the very first use!

Those with very fine hair might even skip the conditioner, Im not even joking!!!

If you havent tried this brand of shampoo and conditioner yet, I beg you to give it a try! This stuff is AMAZING, an awesome value for the size, and has far far far fewer chemicals than many of its counterparts in the hair care aisle where you buy your shampoo!

REVIEW: Shiseido The Skincare Instant Eye and Lip makeup remover

Some people don't like oily make-up removers because they worry about causing break-outs, which to a degree I find ludicrous because **NEWSFLASH** you're supposed to wash your face after you use a make-up remover...even if you have one of those non-oily ones.

Ever since I was very young and first dabbled in make-up (and therefore makeup removers), I had a minor obsession with minimizing exposure to oils. After all, thats what all the magazines said...back when I read YM and Cosmo. ha! Fast forward many years, and I love me some oils in my skincare routine.

Anyway, the one thing I discovered when I was very young, and that I've reitterated throughout the years is that non-oily make-up remover always made my lash line feel like it was on fire.

Has anyone else ever had that reaction?

And just in case you don't know me, I'm a dark haired, dark eyed, olive skinned gal who is allergic to pretty much... NOTHING! Having a burning reaction to make-up remover like that was mind boggling. After having experienced the same reaction to a multitude of non oily make up removers, I finally gave up on them.

The make up remover from Shiseido is a "dual-phased" product. This means that the oily mixture sits on top of the watery mixture, so you gotta give it a really good shake before you squirt some onto a cotton pad. Hold the lightly dampened cotton pad over your closed eyelid and hold for 5-10 "steamboats", then give it a gentle outward swipe.

Fold the cotton pad in half (dirty side in), look up to the ceiling, and wipe under your eye. Nobody likes that Britney-Spears-I'm-still-wearing-last-night's-makeup look.

Finish off with using your favorite cleanser, then serums/treatments and moisturizers.

I love its effectiveness and I love its scent! The fragrance is VERY mild, and if you check the ingredient list, it's actually the last ingredient. It didn't feel as intensely oily as the Lancome Bifacil (which is still one of my fave makeup removers), but it was JUST as effective.

The importance of using a good make up remover cannot be undermined. The skin around your eyes is ten times thinner than the skin anywhere else on your face, which is already much thinner than the skin on your body. Rubbing and tugging, and pulling and pushing at the delicate skin around your eyes can...AGE YOU! gah!

Price-wise, it'll run you about $30 and is well worth it, both for those of us who don't use it often, and for those of us who use it every day. A little goes a long way, so one bottle of it will you last a long time and put off your eye-lift for at least a decade.

Just kidding.

Kind of. :o)

Review: SMASHBOX Halo Bronzer

If you havent heard of SMASHBOX's famous HALO line, then you've been living under a rock for quite a while now. They have these amazing mineral foundations that completely disappear on your skin to create the illusion that you REALLY do have perfectly incredible skin... but only if you're one of the 4 shades that it comes in - which unfortunately, 90% of the population won't fit into...

Are you listening SMASHBOX?!?! Its time to bring out another 2...or 8 shades in HALO. (says the girl who falls between Light and Medium).

All that aside... if you haven't tried their HALO Bronzer, you dont know what you're missing. It's perfectly matte, a most natural tanned-tone that suits most skin colours. My favorite part? Its utter lack of SHIMMERY SpArKlEs... My second favorite part is that under the little built-in blade, is a pretty much solid bit of mineral bronzer that you shave fresh for EVERY use! Plus the blade has a built-in anti-bacterial film so you have FRESH and CLEAN make-up everytime you use it.

It looks so natural on because YOU can decide where you will apply shimmer to highlight and define.

My favorite way to apply is to frame your face with it, blending it well into the hair line as you go. Apply a little extra at the temples, right on your cheekbones, and blend under your jaw line for a little extra definition. Make sure you finish with a tiny bit of blush on the apples of your cheeks for a most glowy finish! I recommend Smashbox's CHIFFON blush; a perfect peach tone that EVERYONE can wear!

It's about $45 in Canada, and is the size of THREE bronzers, so it's not only a fabulous product, its INCREDIBLY well-priced!

BLACK FRIDAY SALES ON JEWELRY @ ETSY!

REVIEW: Bourjois Volumizer Mascara

This is the coolest little contraption! At first glance it appears there are TWO brush wands inside this little tube, but upon further investigation, you realize that the same wand is pushed through a thicker hollow wand on the inside.

Check out the pics:

You have the mascara tube with TWO twist off tops. The first option is to screw off just "Step 1", the second option being to screw off "Step 2".

Step 1 gives you black eyelashes, long, full, feathery, natural. Did I say long and thick? but definitely more on the NATURAL side (if you consider big huge fluffy feathery mascara that makes your eyelashesh look like they've multiplied, "natural") :o)

Step 2 gives you big bad black eyelashes. The kind you wear out to a bar. Or a make-up counter, if you're a make-up artist. Or to work, if you loooooove big bad eyelashes.

When you pull the "Step 1" wand out, it goes through the extra tube that's attached to the "Step 2" lid, so the brush gets an extra-thorough "cleaning" of excess product. You get a super clean mascara wand, that deposits JUST the right amount of mascara, and NEVER with clumps.

I'm amazed that no one thought of this before!

"Step 2" gives you big thick eyelashes, but I've discovered a couple of things:

a) You can get crazy thick, but natural-looking eyelashes if you apply TWO coats of "Step 1"

b) You can get crazy thick, but natural-looking eyelashes if you apply "Step 2" first, and then comb it through with "Step 1" next.

c) Even though they guarantee "No Clumps", "Step 2" might still be too much for some people. I still like to wipe the mascara wand on the lip of the tube to remove excess product.

d) This is not for the demure...it only comes in BLACK. No brown available.

For a "prestige product" this mascara has an AMAZING price-point of $20. It competes with Dior's best mascaras ($31-$35), blows Lancome's classics out of the water ($31-$35) and is just a few bucks more than the great mascaras you can get from even L'Oreal ($13-$18).

It's only available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale in Canada, so I HIGHLY recommend you try this stuff!!! You'll love it!

Goddess Jewelry on ETSY