LUSH-ious New Year!

Ok, ok…. I went back to LUSH again. I can’t help it. I’m addicted. So I went back and asked the quirky sales girl… “What ya got that will make me want to BURST into spring?” She showed me three different items. One was the Green Bubbleroon. Another was the Northern Lights Soap. Last she produced the Stepping Stone. I sniffed in the scents of each of these luxe bath product like a sommelier with a freshly opened Cabernet. The smells were light, citrusy, and made my brain do some sort of thing where it was skipping through a field in a white pinafore. I promptly came back to Earth, snapped up the booty, and headed back home to try them out.

This is the Green Bubbleroon. It was originally introduced on Black Friday along with two other “bubbleroons”  for the holiday season, but all the hullabaloo from the gift sets kind of pushed it aside. It’s shape is reminiscent of a macaroon (Yummy!). This little bubble maker combines the uplifting scents of orange & lime oils with Fair Trade Shea Butter to make for soft, fresh smelling bath water that turns a vibrant green and makes your skin feel amazing. The two halves are sandwiched together with virgin coconut oil “jam” which adds to the skin softening! The LUSH website suggests breaking the two halves apart and saving one for a later bath, so it made my $5.95 go a little further. The Green Bubbleroon was lovely and I enjoyed relaxing in a hot, bubbly tub.

Now this is the Stepping Stone. It has their zesty You’ve Been Mangoed scent and sea salt & pumice to help scrub off that dead skin we all get on our heels and foot pads. Because I play roller derby, my feet look AWFUL! Skate foot is rampant when it comes to derby leagues. This little gem may just change all that! I used it after I had been soaking in my Green Bubbleroon for a while and my foot skin had softened. HHH came in and scrubbed the heck out of my heels, instep, and big toe. It actually fizzed a little, which tickled at first, but was pleasant once I got used to it. The pumice & salt definitely did their duty and worked off a lot of the dead skin that had built up on my feet. after HHH was done scrubbing,(and I was done giggling.What? My feet are ticklish!), I rinsed off my feet and they were much softer than before, but had a left a green tinge. I’d probably have to use it regularly for it to remove everything, but it was pretty nice! I’m going to definitely spend the $3.95 a week to keep this around! My feet deserve it!

My last goodie was the Northern Lights Soap. It smelled divine! I just got a small piece because glycerine soaps don’t do well at my house. They tend to stay wet and fall apart on me. So I used this the next morning in my shower and well… I wasn’t impressed. Oh it smelled great. I definitely caught the hints of pine, cypress, & lime, but it just didn’t lather up well and after I rinsed it off my skin felt tight as if there was a residue causing it to seize up. It wasn’t pleasant. I had to use my regular body wash to get the icky feeling off me! It made me sad that something that smelled sooooo good ended up making my skin feel bad.  When I looked up the Northern Lights on LUSH’s website to see what exactly was in it, it said it was a winter only item anyway and they were out of it for the season, so no big loss there! I guess you can’t win them all, but at $7.95 per 3.5 ounce bar, I would want a little more good than bad, right?

So there you have my latest venture into the confines of LUSH, and like Meatloaf said, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad!

About The Author:  Wife, Mom, Roller Derby Queen. She's not your typical Domestic Goddess! Living in Valrico Florida with her husband HHH and three kids, Blondefabulous, better known as Nicole, stays busy writing, cooking, baking, and playing Blocker for the Bradentucky Bombers Roller Derby League. She also helps with training for the Bradenton Derby Brats and writes a blog called Blondefabulocity. She brings a radical view to beauty, shopping, & fashion when it's mixed with fishnets, tattoos, & roller skates! Blog: Blondefabulocity http://blondefabulocity.blogspot.com On Twitter: @blondefabulous https://twitter.com/#!/blondefabulous Roller Derby Fan Page: Blondefabulous of the SRG https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blondefabulous-of-the-SRG/112622162097711

5 Gift Ideas For Co-Workers

Maybe you have a Secret Santa thing going on. Maybe you have a small office (like I do) and everyone is like family so people routinely buy each other holiday gifts. Either way, you’ve got to get something for someone you’re not particularly close with, but that you still have to see everyday (read: It can’t be cheesy). I’ve come to your rescue. Please don’t be afraid to send money. PayPal is fine.

5 Gift Ideas For Co-Workers

1. Soap. Who doesn’t use soap? The best part is that there are all kinds of soap out there. How about some guest soaps from a Etsy shop like HaldeCraft? (disclosure: My friend Lorena owns HaldeCraft, but the soap is awesome). They’re less expensive and probably better quality and you can even make a custom order if you’d like. Nothing’s better than a personal touch.

2. Stationery Items. Pretty stationery or magnets from a Zazzle shop like mine (shameless plug!) or an Etsy shop like Uncommon are a great idea, especially for your old-school co-workers who still write things like thank you cards. Magnets are great for both home and office. Simple gifts, but useful and thoughtful. Like you.

3. A Calendar. Another practical but always well-received gift is a wall or desk calendar like the Cute Overload calendars. Who can resist all that cute? If cute won’t do, there are always great photography calendars or calendars for just about anything else you can think of. Just remember to keep it clean, OK? This is work, not the fraternity house.

4. Fragrance Gifts. Just about every woman likes a nice scent. A fragrance gift like Bath and Body Works’ Wallflowers can be used both at home and in the office. Pick out a nice, universal scent like lavender (calming) or citrus (energizing). If they don’t like the scent you choose they can always exchange it for another.

5. Gift Cards. If you’re stumped, there’s always a gift card for their favorite retailer or Amazon. The only drawback is they will know how much you spent. But at least they can get exactly what they want. No one can argue with that. Not even the office Scrooge.

 

Featured photo by Creative Tools

Nivea Touch of Smoothness Body Wash

I have a weakness for the drugstore. The makeup, the perfume, the nail polish…okay, fine…and the candy. But my biggest weakness is for body wash. The thing is that I’ve never liked putting on body lotion. The smell is either not right or too strong, and it almost always

feels to heavy. So, to make up for this, I try to find a body wash that’s moisturizing, or at least not supremely drying–and, of course, smells perfect. And by perfect, I mean slightly fresh, not too flowery, kind of sweet, a little bit earthy, devoid of musk, and with a touch of cedar. I’m kind of picky about smell, you see. For a while, my mainstay was Aveeno Daily Moisture Body Wash. However, on a recent trip to Target, they were out of my staple. I was immediately discouraged, because I’d smelled (and rejected) nearly all the other brands before. That is when the heavens parted, sending a light beam to illuminate Nivea Touch of Smoothness body wash.

The scent is a little on the strong side, but it’s clean and a little spicy, which I like. The bottle describes it as a blend of tea rose blossom and almond, but I have no idea what either of those are supposed to smell like.  I certainly don’t pick up on any floral notes, but it’s decidedly feminine. Beyond the smell, the lather is rich enough to use as a shaving cream, I’d say. I use a bath pouf, but I imagine a washcloth would produce a nice lather, as well. Using an amount about the size of a nickel is plenty, so the 16.9 ounce bottle will last quite a while. Best yet is the fact that the soap is not very drying at all. I dry out fairly easily, but I haven’t had to supplement this wash with any lotion so far, and it’s been about two weeks.

Nivea Touch of Smoothness body wash can be found at nearly any local store, or online at Amazon, and retails for about $3.00 to $4.00.

Win Simplehuman’s Sensor Soap Pump

Recently I raved about how in love I was with simplehuman’s sensor soap pump.

You can read that post here.  You know, in case you missed it the first time around.  Or you want to check out what it looks like again… because I have some really cool news for you.

Once simplehuman heard about how much I loved their soap pump, they generously agreed to participate in a GIVEAWAY!  That’s right my friends, simplehuman is going to give away one simplehuman soap pump to one of our very lucky readers.

In honor of my very first giveaway here at Buy-Her, I thought we should do it up right with a little contest.  Tell me about the messiest mess you have found by your sink.  Be it in the kitchen, the bathroom, the laundry room… wherever.   What was the mess you had that left you wishing that when you were finally clean, that you didn’t have to turn around and clean the soap pump too.

I’ll start us off with a story (though I am not eligible to win).  Surprisingly enough, it’s my husband (and not my kids) who has made the biggest mess by the sink.  The boys have made some whopper messes but I don’t think anything compares to trying to clean that non-sensor soap pump after my husband has changed the oil in my truck, leaving dark stinky oil stains on the soap pump.  *Shudder*

See how easy that was?  So leave me a comment about your messiest mess.  The best messiest mess comment as judged by Buy-Her by 11;59 pm on Wednesday, January 19*, wins a simplehuman sensor soap pump.  Yaaayy!  You too, will be in love.

*Entries must be posted by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, January 19th to be eligible. Winners will be notified by e-mail within seven (7) business days.

In Love With Simplehuman’s Sensor Soap Pump

I have a confession to make.

I am in love with simplehuman’s 14oz sensor soap pump.

It’s true.

It is the Christmas present that I did not even know how much I wanted, or needed, until I received it.  And it is wonderful!  I want to go out and get one for every.single.sink. in my house.

Let me rewind to a few weeks before Christmas.  Scene, my bathroom.  Each and every time I got in there, no matter how many times I had already cleaned it, I would find gobs of soap on the counter.  In the sink.  And a mess all over the small soap pump thanks to my three pump happy boys.  We were also refilling the soap pump like it was … well, water.

The simplehuman sensor soap pump has changed ALL of that.

The day after Christmas I put the four AA batteries in the bottom, filled and primed the pump.  What amazed me first is the choice of settings for the volume control.  That’s right, I control how much soap comes out of that pump now.  The next feature that had me falling in love?  The touch free sensor!  No more messy hands all over the pump.  No fingerprints.  No germs. The boys turn the water on, put their hand under the soap pump and are even entertained as it comes out.  It’s like magic!

As a mom, I am thrilled I am no longer cleaning up a mess on the sink.  Multiple times a day mind you.  I also feel good about it cutting down the spread of germs.  I never really did like the thought of touching that soap pump after the kids had already had their little hands on it.

Don’t have kids?  That’s OK too.  Think of how pretty and sleek it will make your counter top look.  When I tell you it is the gift I didn’t know I wanted until I received it, I mean it.  Plus, you are really saving on soap by using just enough each time AND you are helping the environment by refilling the pump - which means less waste.  It’s been a week and a half and I have Still not had to refill the pump.  Progress people.

Check this out.  While this product retails on simplehuman’s website in silver for $39.99 you can also check out Amazon.com and get the black one for about $25.24.  Awesome deal!

Twisted Peppermint? Yes, Please!

I tend to shy away from Bath & Body Works these days. Ever since I emerged from my Sun-Ripened Raspberry addiction, the place just didn’t hold the same sheen for me, and I’ve pretty much cast it off as a place for, ahem, young people.  However, their holiday stuff is a whole ‘notha thing. Last year, I was hooked by their scent, something simply called Winter. And this year? Ah, this year. Guys, I’m kind of obsessed with the smell of Twisted Peppermint.

Now, I’m not going to blow any smoke here. I happen to have the shower gel and I’m not claiming to like the stuff for its hydrating qualities or anything like that. But, dear SANTA, the smell! I have taken to using it daily in the shower, completely uncaring about whether my son’s preschool teacher thinks I hoard candy canes in my pockets. Daily.  I’m not even bothered by the thought that anyone else in the house might be overwhelmed by my regular peppermint parties in the shower.

Which is odd, because I’m not necessarily a mint fan, per say. However, the smell of this stuff is not as intense as a candy cane, I’d say, but a bit softer and sweeter, as if mixed with either sugar or vanilla.  And really, as I type that out, I realize I sound like a 12 year old girl. I usually hate those sugar-cookie-vanilla-yum-yum scents.

But, if you couldn’t tell, this one is an exception.  Find it at your local Bath & Body Works, or online at their website.  The scent comes in lotion, soap, candles, and a variety of air fresheners. I’d like one of each, please!

Feature image via SpacePotato on Flickr.

5 Gifts for Minimalists

I may be one of the few people in the world who hate when someone asks, “what do you want for Christmas/your birthday?”

It’s not that I don’t like people buying me presents; it’s that I don’t like people buying me crap.  And my threshold for what constitutes not crap seems to be higher than most people’s.  I’m very picky about the stuff that I let accumulate in my life, and I’m only getting more picky with age.  I don’t want candles or bath salts or kitschy home decor items.  I don’t mean to be a bitch, but owning stuff means having to clean, put away and make room for stuff.  I try to ensure that the stuff I will end up cleaning, putting away and making room for is stuff that is really, really important to me.  Scented candles?  Not even close.

What do you get a minimalist crab like me?  Of course, you can always give gift certificates and “experience” gifts.  But if you absolutely have to have something to wrap up in pretty paper, try some of these gift ideas.

5 Great Gifts For Women Who Hate Stuff (Or Call Themselves Minimalists)

1. Great sheets

I love sleeping in other people’s houses when they have better bed linens than I do, especially because I almost always end up going cheap on my own sheets.  A gift of high quality sheets would get enjoyed over and over again and is really a gift of every day luxury.

Style & Co makes a 300 count cotton percale sheet set that is soft, durable and easy to care for.  Available at Macy’s.

2. Leather driving gloves

These leather driving gloves from Saks ooze cosmopolitan style and they’re practical!  Fingers get cold!  A quality pair of gloves will last a woman years.

3. A Miche Bag (and shell, or two)

My mother has one of these and I am craving one of my own.  I need to get rid of the closet full of handbags I currently own, but a girl still  needs a purse!  This lets me be fashionable without taking up any space at all.  You see, the Miche bag allows you to change the outside of your handbag while reusing the same base over and over and over again.  If you haven’t heard of this yet, checkout their site.  Then buy me one.  Please.

4. E-reader

Whether it’s a Nook, Kindle or a Sony, an e-reader takes the bulk of a bookshelf and puts it into a slim, portable reading device.  A Nook may be the best bet for your favorite minimalist if she likes to lend and borrow books or make use of her local library.  You can find refurbished Nooks on eBay at a significant discount.

4. Handmade soaps

Bath salts?  No.  But soap?  Even minimalists wash up and handmade soaps will get used and be loved.  They’re also relatively inexpensive.  LUSH makes the absolute best soaps (and other body products), but you’ll get a better product if you purchase in store than you will if you order online and have to have it shipped.  Bath & Body Works is a satisfactory substitute if necessary.

5. Scarves

I may be pruning my closet in preparation for my big trip around the country, but I am keeping every single one of my scarves.  A collection of colorful scarves prevent minimalists from walking around in the beatnik black uniform.  Bonus? You get find tons of great colors and fabrics for a steal all over.  Target is my favorite place for scarves (and tights!).

Gift Guide: Buy Me Stuff!

Oh, yeah readers! It’s time for the winter holidays and for my family, that means Christmas. So what would I like to see under my Christmas tree this year? World peace, an end to hunger and disease, and no more coral bleaching! Besides those altruistic gifts, there are a few other items I wouldn’t mind having. Let’s just take a look-see!

• Bloom County: The Complete Collection, Vol. 3: 1984-1986
  I am a huge fan of anything Berke Breathed does and I loved his daily and Sunday Bloom County strip that was published in newspapers around the nation during the 1980s. After a long wait, every single Bloom County comic is finally being published, some even as they were originally intended (Bah! Newspaper censorship indeed.) If you’re a fan, put this on your list. And don’t forget Volumes 1 and 2!
• Epiphanie Camera Bag
  Want. Badly. Now. Specifically the Lola. In red. Thanks!
• Geeky Clean Soap
  Seriously. I want some Tentaclean Cthulhu soap for the half-bath and then I’d like a few Death Bars for the guest bathroom and for moi? Some Zom-B-Gone, if you please!
• iTunes Gift Card
  You can never have too many songs, apps, TV shows, movies, or books for your iPhone, iPod, iPad, or whatever Apple product you own. Me? I want books. Lots. Because reading keeps me off the streets.

What do you want for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Saturnalia/Winter Soltice/Festivus? (Did I forget any? Whew!) Feel free to steal any of these ideas for your list. I’ll be flattered!

Featured photo by: Stephen Depolo

Friday Flop: The Tide Bounce Bar. Or, where I look a gift horse in the mouth and say “BOOOO! Hiss!”

Disclaimer: I love Tide laundry detergent.

It’s the only detergent I use to wash my clothes.  I adore the way it smells and it is the only laundry soap that my husband’s overly sensitive skin can handle.  We’ve tried every product under the sun, and we always come back to Tide.

So when Tide had a booth at the BlogHer conference in Chicago this summer, you can bet your sweet behind I was front and center with outstretched palms gathering up every single free sample they would give me.  I got tiny packets of laundry detergent and some new boost packet thingies.  I also received a sample of their new product, the Bounce Dryer Bar.

What is a Bounce Dryer Bar?

It looks like a bar of soap stuck in a mounting device.  You stick it to the inside wall of your dryer and it stays there for 2-4 months working as a constant fabric softener.  In other words, it’s a replacement for dryer sheets.

Oddly enough, this is not my picture.  This picture of a Bounce Dryer Bar is courtesy of rockinfree on Flickr.  I don’t even think he has a review blog.  He’s just taking pictures of his dryer bar.

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Cleansers for oily AND dry skin?

I love it when people ask me questions.

It makes me feel smart and better than you.  I mean, helpful.  It makes me feel helpful.

My point is – someone asked me a question.

Elizabeth asked:

“do you know of any good facial cleansers that control oily and dry spots? As in, both at the same time? My forehead is both. I have no idea how this is scientifically possible, but my old cleansers aren’t working anymore. Help!”

Allow me to pretend to be an expert in skin care.

My immediate answer is your skin is probably not actually both oily and dry.

Truly oily skin is very, very rare.  And while cosmetic companies have been talking about “combination” skin for pretty much EVER, that is also pretty rare.

And yet, you’re breaking out AND having parts of your skin flake off, right?

Been there.

In fact, I actually had black heads and zits once right not top of skin that was dry and flaking off.  I googled and googled and then finally broke down and scheduled an emergency facial.

And then I rolled around for a few minutes in the idea that I was someone that scheduled emergency facials.  I started imagining myself using terms like “the help” and “my Jimmy Choos” and “that lovely woman who does my toes.”

But back to my schizophrenic face.

As it turns out, what was actually going on was that my face was really, really, really dry.  The blackheads and zits and oiliness were a result of my skin trying to work overtime to make up for the fact that I was stripping away the moisture in my skin by trying to fight the zits.

At least, that’s what the very expensive esthetician told me.

I didn’t believe her, of course.  Because it doesn’t make sense that dry skin would have blackheads and oil slicks.  And also – maybe I made my skin more dry by trying to fight the acne, but I had to do that because the acne was there in the first place, right?

My very expensive esthetician told me to shut up and do what I was told.

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