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June 18, 2007

Baby-ing your baby

It's like a baby invasion around here! With our newest little one at almost 6 months old, and tons of other moms we know having babies, it was about time to review some baby products that we think are a step above the Johnson's Baby Bath we all grew up with.

Weleda Calendula Cream Bath ($15)
Just like us, our little one has very sensitive skin that dries out easily and gets red, flaky patches as a reaction to pretty much anything. Most lathering or foaming baby washes just make it worse, so we turn to this creamy wash from Weleda, hoping for some relief. What a great product! It is very milky, more like a lotion than a wash, so we wouldn't choose to use it for hair, but we love how moisturizing and luxurious it is for the skin.

Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash ($7)
Just when we think we can't use a foaming wash, we discovered this one from Burt's Bees. Lovely! This tear-free gel works well for body and hair, it smells great, and it doesn't dry out baby's sensitive skin or scalp. Older kids will like this, too, as it doesn't smell baby-ish and they can use it as body wash and shampoo.

Arbonne Baby Care
A friend who sells Arbonne gave us a new baby gift of Hair and Body Wash ($14) and Body Lotion ($14), and both are mildly scented and gentle to the skin. We especially like the body lotion as part of a bedtime massage routine; it has a lovely light scent and doesn't leave a greasy feel on baby's skin.

Weleda Calendula Baby Cream ($10)
For more intense moisture needs, this is a wonderful (mostly) plant-based cream for anywhere baby has dry skin. Our baby has very sensitive skin that gets red and irritated very easily, so we appreciate that this cream immediately soothes and comforts. We sometimes use it on the diaper area instead of diaper cream if the irritated area is particularly dry and scaly.

Weleda Calendula Diaper Care ($10)
This is the only diaper rash cream we have used with our baby and our rather spendy stash of cloth diapers. You only need a small dab, so it is possible to soothe the occasional rash and not clog up the cloth diapers at the same time. We use this cream on rashy patches and it clears up in just a day or two.

Posted by heather at 11:58 AM

June 13, 2007

Marissa gets a little R+R

During the winter months, I received a great care package filled with Renee Rouleau products. I was so excited because my skin was feeling the winter blahs and these products did the trick in perking it up. The only reason I'm writing now is that I had to stop using the products and start over, as in the middle of testing, I broke out in hives all over my face. And while I was 99.9% sure it was the self tanning powder I used from Guerlain (and it was), I wanted to be fair and retest. So I am now VERY happy to report that if you are looking for a complete skincare line that works and won't break the bank, look no further than Renee Rouleau. (For typing purposes, I'm from here on out going to refer to the brand as RR.)

On the RR website, you are categorized into one of 9 different skin types. I ended up being #9, which is Dry/Sensitive/Red/Anti-Aging (yeah, no more oily skin for this 40 something!). Anyway, I like skin care products and try to take good care of my skin, but I'm also one of this quick, slap it on kinda gals (3 boys = lots of sports and late nights). So, I was a little daunted with the different products they suggested I use. However, I found that I liked most of them and could incorporate them into either my daily, weekly or semi-monthly routine.

I have my favorite products in the line like many of my fellow reviewers, and while I've moved on to different products, I always come back to these few. They seem to keep my skin in balance, as not all skin care testing has been as great for my skin as the RR products! I think the RR cleansers are some of the best I've ever used. I have two, the Gentle Gel Cleanser, which I use in the morning and lathers up so nicely in the shower, and the Calming Chamomile Cleanser that I use at night. After cleansing my face, I use the Blue Azulene Toner. Now, I've been hot and cold on toners in the last few years, as I'm getting older and don't feel that my skin needed it. Well, I was wrong and I admit it. I like the way this toner makes my skin feel so much that I'm getting ready to reorder. It smells nice, not medicinal, but not floral perfumy either. Funny, but it just smells like it's going to work on your skin, if you know what I mean.

I also like the Glycolic Serum 10%. If I'm putting something like glycolic acid on my face, I want to feel it working. This didn't sting at all but my face felt as though something was happening to it. RR suggests using this 7 days on and then 7 days off so you're not over-doing it on the exfoliation. I keep this by my bed and slip it on before I go to sleep.

The Pumpkin Smoothing Peel is one that everyone raves about and now I know why. First, the smell truly is pumpkin-y and it doesn't make you nauseous after having it on your face for 10 minutes. My skin was extremely soft and smooth for days after using this mask. Even though summer is just around the corner, I still use this mask at least twice a month.

The other product that I've fallen for in the RR line is the Vitamin C & E Complex. This is one of the gentlest moisturizers with Vitamin C as a key ingredient and for once my skin didn't break out. I've tried La Prairie, Sisley and Chanel products with Vitamin C as an ingredient and always had to return them because my skin couldn't handle the C. I love how soft my skin feels and I think between the Glycolic Serum and this C, my skin's become more even toned and clear. The beauty of all the RR products is that you don't use much - a few drops will do the trick.

The RR salon is located in Dallas, but you can order her products on the web at reneerouleau.com. And here's a tip for all you gals that like to be in the know: RR just launched a new product, Instant Line Filler with Vitamin C. Be one of the first to experience her new injection-free answer to blurring those pesky lines and wrinkles.

- Marissa
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Posted by heather at 7:48 PM

June 2, 2007

Chocolate on my lips? Yes, please!

Who doesn't need a little bit more chocolate in their life? Yes, you heard me right - Chocolate! But I'm talking about chocolate for your lips, not the kind that goes straight to your hips! Ganache for Lips is a fantastic new line of all-natural gourmet lip balms that contain real Scharffen Berger Chocolate!

Unlike many lip balms that are petroleum and mineral oil based, and can actually dry out your lips, the Ganache balms are packed with high-quality natural ingredients like shea butter, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, vitamin E, rosemary, pure peppermint oil, and many more. These delicious lip balms go on silky smooth, and are very moisturizing. The only thing to keep in mind, though, is that because of Ganache for Lips' strict policy on the use of all-natural ingredients, there is no sunscreen in their products. But we all know that it's a good idea to wear a base sunscreen on our face (and lips) every day anyway, right?

I had the pleasure of trying many of the amazing Ganache "flavors". Since I didn't want to be greedy and hoard these great lip balms all to myself, I passed a few out to my friends, who have since thanked me profusely. Some of the yummy flavors that we love are Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Marzipan, Lemon Mousse, Mocha Latte, and Vanilla Mousse. I'm here to tell you, each of these flavors smells as decadent as they sound! Magazines such as Marie Claire and Elle have been singing the praises of Ganache for months now, and as a result, their products are being picked up by more retailers around the country. Check out the Ganache for Lips website at ganacheforlips.com to find the closest retailer to you. Your lips and your sweet tooth will thank you!

- Denise
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Posted by heather at 5:40 AM

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