I’m the first to admit I’m not a hardcore bar soap fan. They take more time & honestly more coordination than my poof or sponge early in the morning. I’m lazy & I admit it. Dr. Woods sent me a sample of their Raw Shea Butter Soap in Garden Cucumber & I gave it a shot. Keep reading to see what I thought!
From Dr. Woods:
Our Garden Cucumber Soap with mint leaf exfoliant gently cleans and rejuvenates your skin to a fresh garden glow. Organic shea butter, crushed mint leaves and Vitamin E complement this refreshing fragrance with antioxidants and natural soothing properties that maintain your skin’s health and youthful clarity. Dr. Woods Garden Cucumber Shea Butter Soap utilizes nature’s essential elements to strengthen and refresh your skin.

This soap comes packaged in a simple cardboard box with lots of facts & writing around the outside. I personally appreciate a nice, recyclable box but this one arrived to me quite beat up. This is a pr sample so that might not be how yours arrives if ordering from the site but I can’t help but point it out since it is clearly visible in my photos.

Let’s just address the main issue I have with this soap: the scent just isn’t for me. At all. I’m not quite sure what garden cucumber is but to me it smells like basic hotel soap. The kind that makes me itchy. Do you know the scent I’m talking about? Flat, hard, cheap soap. Obviously this soap isn’t any of those things (okay, it is a bar of soap so maybe it is hard actually…) but it is hard for me to get past the scent since I’m such a fragrance person. Let me try to look beyond that though okay?

This soap is all natural, contains no animal ingredients, no artificial colors, cruelty free, sulfate free, & paraben free. All of those things are very good attributes to have! Raw shea butter is one of those ingredients that is so “in” right now because it penetrates even dry skin & already naturally contains vitamins A & E. You’re likely to find shea butter (but not always in its raw form which is even better) in soaps & lotions. My skin rather likes shea butter in general. I have dry skin so it soaks it right up!

The Dr. Woods Garden Cucumber Raw Shea Butter Soap is triple milled & contains crushed mint leaves to exfoliate gently. If you have sensitive skin, I think this would be a nice option while I usually use something a bit more scrubbing. I think the printing on the bottom is cute, it says “All Things Good” which is clearly what this company strives for.

While the scent isn’t for me I can appreciate the fact that it is both gluten free & 100% vegan, two things you can’t always find in soaps. I also like that the Dr. Woods brand is available at many convenient retailers which I had never noticed like Walmart, Walgreens, Vitacost, & even Sears! The retail price seems to be around $4.50 which isn’t nearly as expensive as many other natural brands I’ve gotten my hands on. I’d definitely be interested in trying some more products in varying scents!

From the Sephora website: 
What it is:
A gentle makeup remover suitable for all skin types.

What it is formulated to do:
Remove every trace of even the most resistant makeup with this soap-free formula. There’s no need for cotton pads—simply pump into the hands and rub onto dry skin. Add water to change the oil into smooth lotion. Effective yet gentle, this cleansing oil is suitable for sensitive skin and leaves the face soft and perfectly cleansed, without an oily film.

So first let me explain how to use this: Pump into hand. Apply to DRY skin. Rub in with fingers, especially in the heavy makeup areas like eyes. Apply water with hands which transforms product into a lotion. Wash clean.

When I first bought this I tried to use it like a regular oil…which totally didn’t work. This seriously needs the water to activate it because without it I was extremely disappointed & found it useless. That is what I get for thinking I know more than the back of the bottle though right? Note: You are never too good to read the darn bottle. Lesson learned.

From the reviews I’ve read on blogs & the Sephora website there are very mixed views. A lot of people had issues with this product leaving some kind of film on their face. While I personally didn’t experience this I am not shocked. Here is my tip: Use this as a makeup remover, not as your only cleanser. I appreciate the fact that this gets off my long wear foundations, waterproof makeup, & other things I absolutely hate removing in a snap without drying or irritating my skin. I then follow up with my normal cleansing routine, normally my Clarisonic & my nighttime cleanser. This doesn’t leave residue on my skin after it is rinsed away, doesn’t leave my combo/dry skin feeling any more dry or tight, & it is also formulated without parabens, sulfates, or synthetic dyes.

I feel like you have to make up your own mind about this product but using it my own way I am extremely happy with it. I barely need to use any of the oil to remove my entire face at night so the 6.4 fl oz will last me quite awhile. The $15 price tag had me wary but intrigued & now I think it is worth every penny. I highly recommend using less than you think & using the pump slowly since it can get a tad messy & you don’t want to waste it either. This is also a fraction of the price as many other high end cleansing oils & works the same & in some cases much better than other brands I have tried.

You can purchase the Sephora Supreme Cleansing Oil for $15 from the Sephora website & in Sephora stores.

I was excited to try out some new footwear for fall/winter since we actually get snow here. Kushyfoot sent me one pair of their Fleece Trouser Socks & a pair of their Fleecy Leopard Flats to Go. Keep reading to see if these might be perfect for you or to give as a gift this chilly season.
Honestly I liked one pair & didn’t so much like the other. Sad face. But first let’s talk about the product I really do like!

From Kushyfoot- Ultra soft fleece tights give you total opaque coverage so you can brave even the coldest of days. Perfect to wear under your favorite boots!

I think these tight/socks hybrid are a really cool idea. On the outside you see opaque black tights (only to below the knee) but on the inside there is a thin layer of very soft fleece. I really like that they look professional on the outside & don’t great odd bulges if you wanted to wear them under skinny jeans or slacks. They aren’t thick so they didn’t make my shoes feel tight. All in all, a well thought out product perfect if your feet get a bit chilly during cooler months.

From Kushyfoot- Fleecy leopard Flats to Go® are the newest addition to our Fall 2012/Winter 2013 collection. These lightweight and ultra portable flats have a soft sole which allows them to be rolled up or folded so that you can tote them in your purse ready for any potential shoe emergency. Designed for indoor use and occasionally on smooth outdoor surfaces. Great for travel too!

For me these just weren’t what I was expecting.For one thing, I got the 8-10 because I normally wear around an 8 1/2 & they’re way too big. The elastic on the heel feels really flimsy & doesn’t always stay on my foot. Bummer. My biggest complaint is that I would assume these would be flats I could throw on when my heels start hurting but you can only use them “occasionally on smooth outdoor surfaces”. So basically they’re house slippers? The bow on the top makes them look more like slippers as well, not something I’d rock in an office environment.

My biggest worry is that the material on the bottom is SO thin that they feel like they might break any minute. In fact they’re so thin that I could feel the cold concrete (a flat, even outdoor surface mind you) & yikes was that a shock to my system. No wonder they don’t want me wearing these slipper socks outside! It is nice they come with a case & they are indeed thin but I don’t think I have a use for them personally. If I’m going to rock slippers I’ll wear slipper socks inside & wear something with some kind of sole to take the dogs out if need be. Plus. Again. They didn’t really stay on my feet anyway. I think I’ll keep them in the trunk of my car in case I desperately need to change shoes or don’t want to drive in heels. Then again…I could also throw some cute flats in the back of my car & not feel like I’m wearing cheap slippers.

You can purchase both of these items from the Kushyfoot website here.

What do you think of these products? What kind of socks do you wear with your boots or pull out in the cooler months?

After reviewing a bummer product this morning I am really excited to bring you a total love match! Vitabath has come out with some holiday duos which include Spice is Nice, Cheery Red Apple, & Sweet Pink Peppermint. After reading the scent description for Spice is Nice I was practically drooling & giddy. This is hands down my favorite scent of the season. I’d use this as a hand soap, body mist, shampoo, candle, coffee, perfume, & pretty much anything else scented! Keep reading to see why Spice is Nice has stolen my holiday-loving little heart!

From Vitabath-
NEW Vitabath Spice is Nice™ scented Holiday Set is a perfect blend of fresh pumpkin and allspice mixed with delicious cream cheese icing and finished off with notes of rum and maple syrup.

Vitabath’s new spicy holiday fragrance is the perfect treat for anyone on your list, even yourself! Each Holiday set contains a perfect pairing of moisturizing sulfate and paraben free Body Wash and Hydrating Body Lotion in a limited edition 16.9 fl oz /500 mL size bound together with holiday cheer.
A $21.50 value for $16.99 – That’s 25% More for FREE!

Okay but seriously YUM! This is quite a warm, strong scent. I don’t find it overwhelming at all but I love products like that! This really does encompass all the notes into both the body wash & the lotion leaving me in holiday bliss. My husband was really impress as well & could smell my soap over his! & it smells like a rich pumpkin cupcake treat topped with ooey gooey cream cheese icing. I have to make those this weekend.

The body wash is sulfate & paraben free but still lathers up quite nicely. This filled the whole bathroom with scented warmth & even lasted on my skin. I like to use it with a shower poof. This reminds me of family holidays & my insane pumpkin obsession, big time love. The body lotion really seals the scent into my skin & the texture is lovely. It isn’t too thick or too thin & melts into my skin with very little effort.   

Vitabath has been around for over 55 years & I’ve been loving their products for the last few of them! With scents like Pomegranate & Blood Orange or Asian Orchid & Coconut I’ve been very satisfied. Plus they offer lots of different types of products along with their body wash & lotions like hand products & body mists. All of these products I find affordable & can easily be found on the Vitabath website or many other local stores to me like Ulta & some grocery stores! You can use their store locator, I bet there is one near you that you didn’t even know of! With tons of unique scent blends you’re bound to find something from Vitabath to love…maybe even as much as I am infatuated with Spice is Nice? I don’t know if it is possible…but you can try!