I’ve never met a Skin Free brand skin care product that I didn’t LOVE.  This is a natural beauty line that I want to use constantly and if there’s a product I haven’t tried yet, I won’t rest until I have!

I’ve worked with the wonderful Julie from Skin Free before – you can find my review on their popular Extra Moisturizing Soap & Shampoo Bars, Green Clay Mask, and Corrective Face Nectar here.

For this review, I was more than delighted to receive another group of great beauty products to try out and share my experiences with you!

The first two products I asked for and received are actually natural anti-aging products.  I may be only 27, but this is the age I’m starting to notice that my skin doesn’t look the same as it did when I was 19.  I’m not necessarily worried yet, but I figure that if I can find a nice cream to put on my face that will keep it moisturized and healthy (and hey, firmness can’t hurt), anti-aging products are a good thing to add to my beauty routine.  I’m sure you’ll agree.  :)  So I’ve added both the Nutritional and Antioxidant Synergy for Face and Skin Free Firming Matrix Cream to my shelf.  Both products can be found here at the Skin Free website.  Both products have the best ingredients, one of the reasons I love Skin Free, ingredients that I can recognize and look up online if I so choose like Olive Seed Oil, Macadamia Seed Oil, and Red Raspberry Seed Oil.

My Impressions & Experiences: I love the way the products feel on my face – they’re not too oily at all and I do notice an improvement in my complexion with both products.  The firming complex contains Andean Seed Extract and Ocean Algae Serum to help with firming the skin.  Overall, I love both products.  The Firming Complex does smell better than Synergy for Face, if scent matters to you in a good natural product.  Both are effective – I would recommend them to anyone who is starting to think about fine lines or aging skin.

Niaouli Scrub for Blemish-Prone Skin: I wish I had had a product like this when I was a teen and suffering from severe acne.  Everything I used either made things worse or stung my face.  I hated my skin, it seemed cursed.  There are so many options nowadays, though.  I have hope for my daughter having better experiences than I did.  :)

My Impressions & Experiences: Now this isn’t the most lovely scented sugar scrub I’ve come across, but it is one of the nicest – and boy does it make my skin SOFT!  I love it!  It also doesn’t sting or burn at all, even with the gentle sugar crystals.  The instructions say you can use it daily or once a week, that would probably depend on your skin sensitivity.  I can use it daily, even though I consider my skin fairly sensitive (especially with pregnancy).  Other reasons I love this scrub:  It exfoliates and cleanses thoroughly, contains Organic Niaouli Essential Oil (antibacterial and with a scent like tea tree oil only not as intense), and it contains other wonderful moisturizing oils like Olive Oil.  It cleans without stripping your skin of all oils.  I really really love this scrub and recommend it for all skin types.  :)

Buy it!

You can purchase Skin Free products online at the Skin Free website, or find their products in your local Walgreens!  To see if your Walgreens carries your favorite Skin Free products, click here.

Skin Free Online

To see Skin Free’s complete line of beauty products and to find out how the products are made, visit SkinFree.Net.

Julie of Skin Free wants to give one of my readers a $30.00 Gift Certificate!

{Prize} Gift certificate ($30.00) to be used on the Skin Free website.
{Eligibility} Open Worldwide.

{Mandatory Entry } Check out Skin Free’s beauty products, then come back and tell me in a comment what you would spend your $30.00 on if you won!

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each unless otherwise noted:
(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• Sign up for the Skin Free email newsletter
• Follow Skin Free on Twitter
• “Like” Skin Free on Facebook
• For 3 extra entries: “Like” my Kindred Spirit Mommy Facebook Page
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!)
  You can use this sample tweet: I just entered to win a $30.00 gift certificate to @SkinFree Natural Beauty Products from @kindred_spirit! http://bit.ly/bI59Dl #giveaway
  
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• +5 extra entries: Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and SkinFree.net

Giveaway will be closed on July 27, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website (either in this post or in a new winner’s announcement post).  Winner will then have 48 hours to reply to my email or I will have to re-draw another winner.  Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure:  I was provided with the products reviewed above so that I could share my thoughts and experiences with them with you.  This post is 100% my own opinion and written in my own words, and was not edited or reviewed by anyone.  I do not feel obligated to write a positive review – this website is about honest experiences with products!

I’m a total eyeliner girl.  I love playing around with different brands, and lately I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect pencil eyeliner.  I already love powders – they can be dampened and brushed on for vibrant color – but finding a nice, not-too-pricey pencil liner that goes on smoothly and lasts all day is what I would like to find.

Enter Pencil Me In Cosmetics.  Everything on their site intrigued me – their models have gorgeous eyes, their shade selection is awesome, and their pencils uniquely feature:

• All-natural ingredients, clinically tested
• Anti-oxidants and vitamins to keep the eye area soft and smooth
• A built-in sharpener in each pencil cap
• Smooth, creamy application that doesn’t pull on delicate eye skin

So I wrote to them, and they sent me a few shades to test for myself!  I requested these three shades: Buff, Nutmeg, and Liberty Green (shown below in that order).

What I Like: They go on smoothly, and have a lovely creamy texture!  The sharpener in the cap is so nice and convenient.  The color lasts all day.  And the shades are beautiful! The fact that they are all-natural is a huge plus for me, too.

What I don’t like: My only problem with the pencils is that the shades I chose don’t go on quite as dark as I would like, even with multiple layers.  Also, it’s hard to create a fine, thin line with the creamy texture and size of the pencils.

Overall, I’m very pleased with these pencils – the cons I listed above would not stop me from ordering a few more pencils and collecting some darker shades that will show up more vibrantly, and the colors I chose are great if you want to layer coordinating shades.

My thoughts on the “Buff” Pencil: This is actually not an eyeliner shade meant to be put on by itself, but an accent pencil.  According to the Pencil Me In Website, it has a “creamy pale green hue color which can counteract redness giving the illusion of a bigger brighter wider eye.” I’m a worn out mom who deals with trying to cover up tired, red eyes on a daily basis, so I was thrilled to give it a try.  And I’m happy to be able to tell you that I was pleased with the result!  It truly does help to cover up the red around your eyes, and prepares them for application of your regular eyeliner.  This is a product I love!

Buy it! (And Deal Alert!)

Each pencil is $6.99, and Pencil Me In Cosmetics always has some great deals going on.  Right now, they are offering:

Buy 2, Get 1 Free
Buy 4, Get 2 Free
and so on!

To take advantage of this great promotion, follow these directions:

Log onto www.pencilmeincosmetics.com and choose the pencil colors that you would like to purchase.  Then proceed to the shopping cart page. On the shopping cart page, you will see in purple a link for this promotion. Click on it.  The user name and password for this section is the same word:  “Healthy“  Choose your free pencils and proceed to check out!

You can also find the Pencil Me In Cosmetics line in professional beauty salons, spas, upscale cosmetic boutiques.

Email Newsletter: Sign up for their email newsletter for sale announcements, make-up tips, and more!

I would like to thank Pencil Me In Cosmetics for sending me the products reviewed above so that I could share my experiences with you!  This review is my own opinion and was not edited or reviewed by anyone.

I have had over a month to test out a pair of Pedoodles toddler shoes, size 22-28 months, for my daughter, Emma.  Are you ready to find out what I thought of them?  Continue reading and be enlightened!  :-)

The Brand

Pedoodles.

Sizes Available

Made especially for the tender, growing feet of infants and toddlers from newborn to 4 years.

Examples of Shoes Available to Purchase:

Exact Shoe Being Reviewed

The Sugar Plum Shoes, size 22-28 months.

Ease of Putting On (and Keeping On) Child’s Feet

They’re easy to put on.  The strap is not velcro or removable, but it is stretchy.  It is placed just right so that it stays securely on Emma’s feet.  I don’t have to worry about her losing them on any outings, yay!

Materials, Ankle/Foot Support, & Traction

This particular pair of shoes is made up of a satin fabric – they make me think of soft fairy slippers (and with the name “sugar plum” how can you not think of fairies?).  They are not made of leather like many of their other shoes, so they aren’t the most supportive around the ankles, either.  However, they are made to be more like dainty slippers that would would go perfectly with a spring dress for church or other occasions during which you want your child to be wearing shoes that are pleasant to look at and comfortable.  The soles of the shoes are made of rubber and provide excellent traction, so don’t worry about your toddler slipping and falling.  :-)

Comfort & Design

These shoes appear to be very comfortable, and Emma has no trouble walking in them.  The rubber soles are flat, lightweight, and flexible, and the toe area is wide and roomy.  I think the design is wonderful, I wouldn’t change a thing about them!  I love the tiny flowers and the satin.

We Love That…

• All materials are eco-friendly and safety-tested for children.
• The shoes come in a cute recycled gift box.
• Free priority mail shipping with all orders of $50 or more!
• All shoes are warrantied against defects for six months.
• Pedoodles also sells hats and t-shirts!
  

Would I Purchase?

Yes, my experience with Pedoodles has been very positive!  I recommend taking a look at their shoes, they have a wonderful selection.

Own a Pair!

Pedoodles shoes range anywhere from $17.00 to $44.00.  The Sugar Plum shoes can be purchased for $36.00.

I would like to thank Pedoodles for sending me a pair of their shoes free of cost in order to write a full and thorough review.  This review is 100% my own opinion, my own experiences with the product, and in my own words.

See full review, giveaway, and disclosure policy here.

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I love green and organic products.  I didn’t really care too much before my daughter was born, but as soon as that adorable little bundle was placed in my arms, that all changed.  Soft, sensitive skin.  Trusting, innocent eyes.  A complete helplessness that placed a new sense of responsibility for my decisions on my shoulders.

As it came time to start baby-proofing the house, I took a look at the cleaning products under my sink.  I couldn’t leave all those poisonous chemicals around – I couldn’t take that risk.  Even if I kept them up high and out of reach, the fumes are so strong and unpleasant.  I just didn’t want them around.

So I purged my cleaning supplies and began looking for natural, non-poisonous alternatives.  Which eventually led me to…

EcoStore USA!

Ecostore USA is popular for its gentle but effective household, baby, body, and pet products – all made with “no nasty chemicals.”  And I was happy to be given the opportunity to try two products from their line so that I could share my results with you!

Baby Shampoo

Ecostore USA’s baby shampoo smells SO good!  I always start with smell because that’s the first thing I notice.  It’s not too strong at all and has a lavender/citrus combination that is positively delicious.

Other things I love:

- It doesn’t irritate baby’s eyes!
- It lathers up easily and gives you a lot of nice bubbles.
- It is gentle but thoroughly cleans.
- A little goes a long way!

My only complaint is that it comes out a little faster than I would like.  So I think I’ll put this shampoo in a bottle with a pump dispenser so it will last longer.  And yes, that is my only complaint!  I love this shampoo and would be delighted to purchase in the future.

All clean - and no nasty chemicals! :-)

All-Purpose Household Citrus Spray Cleaner

This lemon-scented spray cleaner is my new favorite!  I looove citrus cleaners – and harmless citrus spray cleaners are even better.  :-)

When you spray a liquid cleaner, you are releasing it into the air and breathing it in, so it’s really important that you find something with no toxins.  That’s one reason I like this cleaner.  It doesn’t make me feel like I’m going to pass out or I have to run out for a breath of fresh air while cleaning.  And it does a great job getting the dirt and grime up!

So Would I Purchase?

Yes!  I would love to try other Ecostore USA products, and will happily purchase their products in the future.  I’m very satisfied with both the all-purpose cleaner and the baby shampoo!

{Prize}  $25.00 Gift Certificate to Ecostore USA!
{Eligibility}  US Only – Winner must have not have won an Ecostore USA giveaway in the last six months.

{Mandatory Entry } Visit Ecostore USA and look around, then come back here and tell me which product(s) you would like to try!

Optional Extra Entries – Get 1 extra entry for each:
(Leave a separate comment for each extra entry!)

• Subscribe to the “No Nasty Chemicals” newsletter by Ecostore USA (right sidebar)
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• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit)
• Tweet this giveaway (daily tweets available!) (50-follower minimum)
  You can use this sample tweet:  “No Nasty Chemicals!” Win a $25.00 gift certificate from @ecostoreusa and @kindred_spirit http://bit.ly/cu1zQs
• Stumble/Digg/Facebook, or share in some other way (email, etc) (1 extra each)

Giveaway will be closed on March 5, 2010 at midnight PST and winner notified by email and posted on this website – good luck, everyone!

I would like to thank Ecostore USA for sending me two of their excellent products free of cost in order to write a full and thorough review.  This review is 100% my own opinion, my own experiences with the product, and in my own words.

See full review, giveaway, and disclosure policy here.

I have to admit that I’m not as “green” as I would like to be.  I use paper towels, and a lot of them.  I have a kid, and kids make messes ALL the time.  I hadn’t really thought too much about trying to cut down on my paper towel usage because there’s no way I wanted to use a dishtowel or even homemade crocheted dishrags to clean up messes.  They get dirty and smelly way too fast.  Paper towels are convenient and you can throw them away – and they don’t smell.  I thought that was my only option.

Until now!

Recently I was given the opportunity to test The Ultimate Cloth.  I wasn’t sure if I would like it or not, but decided it was worth a try.  I’m glad I did try it, because it is awesome!

Haven’t heard of The Ultimate Cloth?  You’re missing out, my friend!

The Ultimate Cloth:

• Cleans with only water, no chemicals (still kills 95% of bacteria!)
• Very durable and re-usable (it comes with a 5-year guarantee)
• Is wonderfully Eco-Friendly (no wasting paper towels, and no unnecessary cleaning products and chemicals)
• Saves you money (obviously, no more buying loads of paper towels and cleaning products)
• It’s streak-free, spot-free, lint-free, and dust-free!
• It can be used on pretty much ANY indoor or outdoor surface (find a complete list here)
• It comes in two different sizes – Standard (13.5″ x 15.5″) and Bad Boy (45% bigger)
• 30-day money-back guarantee – they’ll give you your money back if you’re not satisfied.
• One standard-sized Ultimate Cloth is only $6.00!

What makes it so much better than regular cloth?

(From the website) MiraFiber™ Technology has open spaces between fibers that act as millions of tiny ‘scoops’ that pull dust, dirt, oil & other contaminants into the cloth and hold them until washed away with mild soap or detergent. (Can also be bleached for disinfection.)  Results are spotless, streak free surfaces. Water simply acts as a ‘lubricant’ which helps emulsify dirt & oil making it easier for the MiraFiber™ technology to pick the dirt, grease & grime from your surfaces.

My Experience:

The first thing that impressed me about The Ultimate Cloth was the price – $6.00 for one standard-sized cloth.  I wondered if it could be all that it claimed at that price.  I found the cloth to be a great size (13.5″ x 15.5″) for cutting in half, so I did that right away.  The texture is smooth and very durable – there’s no way this is going to fall apart over time (like some “green cloth” products I’ve tried in the past).  The five-year guarantee tells me that I don’t have to worry about that. :-)

The instructions say that all you have to do is dampen the cloth, so I rinsed it with warm water at the kitchen sink and wrung it out really well.  Then I eyed my semi-clean kitchen, wondering what I should start with.  I decided that my black oven door was a great place to start.  I can NEVER get it streak-free clean!  I ran the Ultimate Cloth quickly over the glass oven door, then looked at it skeptically.  I had to wait for it to dry, so I ran the cloth over the silver chrome surfaces in my kitchen, then wiped down the bathroom mirror.  Went back to the oven to inspect, and was REALLY impressed!  Completely streak-free and shiny!  It makes my kitchen look a lot cleaner, too.  :-)

What you're seeing is all reflection! Very clean.

Then I checked the chrome surfaces and the bathroom mirror.  The chrome surfaces looked great (I dried them right away and that helped, too), and the bathroom mirror looked good, too!

When I read that they could replace your Swiffer Sweeper refills, I was ecstatic!  I don’t love the smell of the cleaner on the refills, but it’s convenient (remember I like convenient, lol) and I like that I can throw them away after.  I worried for a moment that cutting the cloth in half had ruined my chance to use it as a Swiffer cloth, but actually the half size was perfect for placing on my Swiffer!  I dampened the cloth, put it on my Swiffer (easy because you just stick the cloth in the little claw spaces on each corner), and mopped away!  At first I thought it might not be wet enough because it hardly looked wet on my floor.  I was pleased to discover that it was getting everything clean without all the excess water making everything really wet.  It dried really fast, too.

How to Wash:

It’s really easy, just wash it with lint-free clothes in your washer!  You can bleach it, too (probably a good idea if you’re going to be using it to disinfect the kitchen/bathroom).  Just don’t use fabric softener.

To Buy… or Not To Buy?

I definitely recommend buying it!  I’m planning on buying more myself – at that price it’s something I really can’t pass up.  Think of how much I’ll save on Swiffer refills alone!  I really like these and love the idea of using them to wipe down the windshield on our car, wash the windows in our apartment, keep my oven door sparkly and shiny (lol), and use it on pretty much every other surface in my house!  I’m very satisfied with this product and can’t think of anything I don’t like about it!

Head on over to www.ultimateclothamerica.com to purchase your own eco-friendly cleaning cloth.  :-)

Freebie Alert!

Get a free Ultimate Cloth Standard Size – just pay $2.99 shipping and handling!

I would like to thank The Ultimate Cloth for sending me one of their Ultimate Cloths to try out.  This review is 100% my own opinion, my own experiences with the product, and in my own words.

Did you know that one of the least expensive ways of going green is to make your own natural cleaning products, beauty products, baby products, and even pet products?  I did some research on the internet a couple of months ago and found a ton of great natural cleaning recipes.  I was so inspired, I made a special trip to the grocery store and bought ingredients like vinegar and baking soda -  those two products are wonderful for cleaning and disinfecting!

The Problem.

Unfortunately, the vinegar I bought is still under my sink… waiting for me to one day make something with it.  lol  I just couldn’t get started – couldn’t find the containers and spray bottles I wanted to use, and couldn’t seem to make time to look up the recipes again.  And… well, I hate the smell of vinegar!  Yuck.   I think that was part of it.  ;-)

The Solution!

When I first came across Eco-Me’s Starter Kits, I thought it was brilliant! Half of my problem was having everything I needed at my fingertips.  Eco-Me simplifies it to the point that a child can do it.  And the cool part?  It’s safe enough that a child can do it with you!

Eco-Me is all about providing you with know-how and everything you need to make everyday cleaners, beauty products, etc – without any chemicals whatsoever.  It saves you from having to worry about reading and understanding the labels of products that say they’re natural but could be messing with you.  Labels are confusing, aren’t they?  Well, with Eco-Me, you are the one who mixes the ingredients, so obviously you know everything that is in them.

The biggest plus?  They’re wonderfully affordable!

Some of my favorite Eco-Me kits:

Element Home Scrub Kit
(All the tools you need to make your own chemical-free home scrub cleanser.)

—
Body Starter Kit
(Make your own natural Body Scrub, Body Oil, Body Tonic & Body Powder.)

—

They also carry Pre-Mixed Cleaning Products!

A Mom’s Thoughts:

I really wanted to try out their complete baby product kit, and so was excited when Eco-Me agreed to let me test it out and share my results with you!  They sent me the complete Baby Starter Kit Box Set.

The baby kit includes:

• 1 Bottle with Sprayer to mix Eco-Me Baby Room Spray
• 1 Jar & Lid to mix Eco-Me Baby Wipes (35 soft wipes on a roll)
• 1 Jar & Lid to mix Eco-Me Baby Diaper Pail Deodorizer
• 1 Bottle of Eco-Me Baby blend essential oil mix
• Pre-packaged Vinegar and Baking Soda
• 1 Mixer

I was really impressed with the organization and the simple instructions.  In fact, there are no extra paper instructions to keep track of – it’s all on the labels on the containers.  For instance, when it came time to make the Eco-Me Diaper Pail Deodorizer, the directions instructed me to add baking soda to the marked line on the container they provided.  In this kit, they provide the baking soda as well, so I added the package they provided.

Next, I was to add one “unit” of the essential oil baby blend to the baking soda.  The units are marked on the side  of the essential oil bottle, making it simple to add the specified amount.

I used the provided mixer to mix the two ingredients together, and ta-da!

A simple-to-make, 100% natural diaper pail deodorizer!  The lid has little holes in it so you can sprinkle the mixture easily to the bottom of your diaper pail.  It also cleans, so when you’re ready to clean the pail all you have to do is add a little water and wipe it out.

Pros and Cons:

I think what I really love about Eco-Me’s kits is how easy they make it for you to learn how to do it all yourself.  After you run out of their ingredients, you can continue to make the products using your own ingredients!  They do sell essential oil refills, though.

Speaking of the essential oil – I do have to share my thoughts on that.  I didn’t like their baby blend of essential oils.  It just bothered me.  So I decided to use another brand of baby blend essential oil I had on hand, and I loved the results!  I know that not everyone will be bothered by Eco-Me’s blend, but I’m thinking it might be nice to have another type of essential oil around just in case – they’re not that expensive and can be purchased in the health section of many stores.  I recommend lavender as an alternative.  I also love orange and lemon.  It’s really a preference thing.  :-)

Conclusion:

Eco-Me has a definite fan here.  I love how they make it so simple to learn how to make your own products, and I can’t wait to try some of their other kits!  I have my eye on the body kit right now – I think that one will be next.

Ready to Buy?

You can buy Eco-Me Box Kits and other products at Abe’s Market online.  The Baby Box Set is $26.95 there.  Alternatively, you can buy the same baby kit (in different packaging and without the pre-packaged baking soda and vinegar) for 50% off at www.Eco-Me.com.  Those burlap bag kits are phasing out and the boxes will be replacing them in the future.  If you have any questions about this, let me know!

One lucky winner will receive any Eco-Me Box Kit of their choice!  Open to US only.

This giveaway has closed.  Please check the Winners page to see if you’re the winner!

See full review, giveaway, and disclosure policy here.

Today’s featured company is Piggy Paint! I’ve worked with Piggy Paint before and absolutely 100% love and recommend their products! They carry safe, natural, non-toxic nail polish in a myriad of gorgeous colors that goes on easily and is completely odorless (oh thank you!). Piggy Paint was created especially to ease moms’ minds when it comes to toxic chemicals in popular nail polish brands. As the mom of a toddler, I am so thankful for this!

Find out about Piggy Paint ingredients and FAQ here!

In June, I was able to try the Dandelion Dance (golden) nail color and nail polish remover. Click here to read that review and find out more about the Piggy Paint founder, Melanie Hurley!

Now, take a look at this:

Can you believe what the regular nail polish did to that styrofoam plate? Now we know why our fingernails are ruined by the polish and our noses sting when we breathe in nail polish fumes. This was something Melanie discovered by accident, and it spurred her to create a new, safer nail polish and nail polish remover.

For my holiday event review/giveaway, Piggy Paint sent me a different color to try – Candy Coated! This “swirling lavender” is a beautiful shade of purple/pink. I can almost swear that this nail polish goes on better than any other polish I’ve used! It seemed easier to paint on and smooth out, stay “in the lines”, etc. I love it! I would love to collect every shade.

My piggies are lovin’ the Candy Coated shade!

Gotta love free shipping!

Free shipping on orders over $25!

♥♥♥

Discount Alert!

Piggy Paint has an exclusive discount especially for you! Use the code SPIRIT15L and get 15% off your order, including sale items!

Piggy Paint wants to give one of you a $15 gift certificate code to their store!
Free nail polish, yay!

How To Enter (mandatory): Visit the Piggy Paint shop and tell me which color is your favorite! Please leave your email address in your comment so I can let you know if you win!

Extra Entries (Optional) (Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry)

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  Piggy Paint non-toxic nail polish #Giveaway – You could win a $15 Gift Certificate! http://kindredspiritreviews.blogspot.com @kindred_spirit

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Giveaway will be closed on November 28 at midnight and winner notified by email – good luck, everyone!

Disclaimer: The review product was sent to me free of charge by the company or manufacturer in exchange for an honest review. This review is 100% my own content and my own opinion.

If you have a moment, leave a comment -
It’ll make me jump up and down for joy! :-)

I had awful acne as a teen. I mean really awful – sometimes I didn’t even want to leave the house. Thankfully when I reached my 20′s my skin cleared up. For the most part. I’m 26 now and have oily skin, and I still break out now and then.

Totally unfair, you know. I would have thought I had paid my dues as a teen. ;-)

When I was given the opportunity through BzzAgent to try the Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions products, I agreed wholeheartedly and with much excitement for two reasons:

1) I absolutely love Burt’s Bees products! I’ve used their eye gel (for dark circles) and their baby products and it is just the best stuff ever. I. Love. Burt’s. Bees.

2) I wanted the chance to try a natural acne treatment – I figured that if anyone could create a natural acne treatment that really worked, it would be Burt’s Bees!

The Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Treatment Solutions regimen consists of four steps and products. 1) Purifying Gel Cleanser, 2) Pore Refining Scrub, 3) Daily Moisturizing Lotion, and 4) Targeted Spot Treatment.

Natural Ingredients:

Yes, all of the ingredients are truly natural! Burt’s Bees uses black willow bark, a natural source of salicylic acid, as well as ingredients like calendula, tea tree extract, and goldenseal extract. Read more about the ingredients here!

My Thoughts:

I tried samples of the Purifying Gel Cleanser and the Spot Treatment, and was pleased with the results! I love love love the scent of the face wash – it smelled like honey and citrus to me. But not too strong. I love using it and my face doesn’t end up over-dry afterward, either. The cleanser includes the natural salicylic acid.

The spot treatment works well, too. I used it on a spot that popped up ever so inconveniently and the next day it was definitely looking better. It disappeared within a few days. It doesn’t sting and doesn’t over-dry the area. This bottle also will last for a long time so that adds to the value!

Conclusion:

I’ve used these products for about three weeks and am very happy with the results. I wouldn’t say it’s a miracle cure, but it’s the perfect alternative to the harsher treatments available – I think it works just as well if not better. It’s definitely better for and kinder to your skin. I would definitely suggest giving it a try. I’ll be using this in the future for sure and can’t wait to try to the moisturizer and face scrub!

Buy it!

Burt’s Bees is offering a special promotional sale: Buy 3 and get the 4th free! This means you can get the entire regimen for the price of three! Good deal. :-)

Disclaimer: Although I was sent the Burt’s Bees products as mentioned above for review and testing purposes, this in no way sways my opinion or my post. This review is 100% my own opinion and in my own words. I was not reimbursed in any other way for this post.

Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! :-)

I love to promote companies that promote good health, and so I’m pleased to be introducing you to SIRJJ Organics today!

About SIRJJ Organics:

This company was co-founded by a mom who suffered from cystic acne and wanted to find a healthy, organic alternative to chemical-ridden treatments. You can read more about her here.

Now SIRJJ (pronounced “SURGE”) carries skincare products specially formulated for babies, people with or eczema, products for men, and much more. You’ll find lip balm, lotions, body scrub (I really want to try Green Tea Body Scrub), face wash, day and night cream, clay masks, toners – all of these products formulated specifically for certain skin conditions, for men, for women, and a special line of products for baby including diaper rash cream and healing ointment.

There are NO:

• Fillers
• Thickeners
• Carcinogens
• Chemicals
• Parabens

SIRJJ strives to produce products that have the purest of ingredients. They do not use extracts but make their products with pure organic herb powders, organic aloe whole leaf juice, and organic cold pressed unrefined oils and butters.

It’s obvious that they really care about their customers (everyone!) when first entering their site: Information on their ingredients and ingredients to avoid, testimonials, reviews, and regime secrets abound. They even have a blog and Twitter account!

My Thoughts/Review:

I wanted to try SIRJJ’s Green Baby line of products, so they sent me their Green Baby SPF 30 Moisturizing Lotion (Gluten Free). I had been wanting to find a good organic sunblock for my daughter and was delighted to discover that SIRJJ carried this product. It’s a moisturizing lotion and sunblock in one bottle. This lotion, made with raw green tea powder, contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to block UVA and UVB rays. It also contains ingredients that ward off all bacteria and toxins and antioxidants to reduce exposure risks.

Reading the label is not brain-mudifying (yes, I made that word up) – I actually know what most of the ingredients are! See, world!? It can be done! ;-)

We are very happy with this product. It isn’t too strong-smelling (one of my pet peeves), glides on smoothly and actually stays smooth – it isn’t sticky or greasy at all. It blends and leaves the skin dry faster than any lotion I’ve ever tried before, too! Definitely a top pick!

Buy it!

Want to give SIRJJ Organics a try without making too much of a dent in your pocketbook? Try their sampler packs! Each sampler pack is only $7.50 and contains a 3-day supply of four or five different products.

Discount Alert!

SIRJJ has two amazing discounts for you!

Use the code LINDSE50 at checkout and get 50% off the Green Baby SPF 30 Moisturizing Lotion!

Also, use the code LINDSE30 to get 30% off any purchase (no minimum requirements)!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit SIRJJ Organics and tell me what product you would like to try (not listed in this post)! Please either leave your email address in one of your entry comments or make sure it’s in your Blogger profile!

• Add my blog to your Technorati Favorites/stumble this post (+1 extra entry each)
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• Blog about this giveaway (+3 extra entries)
• Follow SIRJJ on Twitter (@sirjjorganics) (+1 extra entry)
  
• Follow me on Twitter (@kindred_spirit) (+1 extra entry)
• Tweet this giveaway/share on Facebook (+1 extra entry each) Copy/Paste this:
  
  

  Awesome Giveaway! @SIRJJOrganics Green Baby and AcaiBerry Package worth $69! @kindred_spirit http://bit.ly/KuOCv

• Leave a comment (not just “good post” or something too generic) on any of my non-giveaway review posts from August (+1 extra entry each – limit 5)

Winner will be drawn on September 9 and notified by email – good luck, everyone!

Disclosure/Disclaimer: Although SIRJJ Organics sent me a sample of their products for review, it does not affect the honesty of this post. This review is my own opinion and in my own words.

See complete rules and disclaimers regarding giveaways here.


Thank you sooo much for sharing this post! :-)