Tag Archives: nourish

Feb24

Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter Review

Posted on by
Standard
Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter Review

Hi! My parents were so sweet to treat me to a few goodies from Trader Joe’s for Valentine’s Day. My prezzies included a yummy new salsa, a frozen dish, and a tub of their Ultra Rich Body Butter. Back in the day, I lived for the body butter from The Body Shop that used to always be available for a song at TJMaxx. Then, they closed down for a while and it was bye bye, body butter. Since I could no longer have the good stuff from The Body Shop, I became fiercely loyal to Bath & Body Works and can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a body butter. I couldn’t wait to dive into the Ultra Rich Body Butter from Trader Joe’s because if it was anything like their amazing lip mask, I knew I was in for bath and body care delight. Spoiler alert: It was fabulous! Check it out:

^^^ I had to take a product picture after using it because is it just me or does that second picture look like a nipple lol

The Ultra Rich Body Butter features a warm vanilla and orchid scent and it is oh so nice. I love all things vanilla and this body butter has a true vanilla fragrance with the slightest hint of floral thrown into the mix. The scent is incredibly light and just right for slathering on before bed. Speaking of incredibly light, the Ultra Rich Body Butter offers a pillowy soft texture verging on being whipped. I don’t mind a harder body butter but this is definitely the texture that I prefer and it was so easy to apply. A couple of quarter sized dollops slicked on with ease for full upper body coverage.

This past winter, I have noticed that my hands were still red and quite dry in the mornings as I only wear lotion at night. Some parts near my wrists were even bordering on scaly. After using this body butter was the first time I have woke up with my normal skin tone on my hands in months! There was no bright red to be found and my hands are the softest they have been since winter began. In fact, my skin still felt really hydrated after my morning shower too. My only regret? That the closest Trader Joe’s is almost an hour away because I think I just found my new favorite body butter!

If you are suffering from dry skin or simply need a treat, I cannot recommend the Trader Joe’s Ultra Rich Body Butter enough. You will notice an amazing difference with just one use!

What is your favorite bath and body care brand? How do you improve dry winter skin? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb25

Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

Posted on by
Standard
Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

Hey! One of my favorite things to do is test out new skin and bath and body care products. Nothing pleases me more than scouring the shelves of TJMaxx’s beauty department for a good haul and trying a new product or two is a relatively cheap way for me to treat myself. As a fanatic for all things beauty, I couldn’t wait to receive a goodie box from my dear friend, Sujata, to celebrate the launch of her new website. 😀

During my unboxing, I was ecstatic to find a body bar and a bottle of Valinora serum. So much so, that I did something that I literally never do: I stopped using the serum I was working on halfway through to try out the new one! Of course, I’ll return to it later but not until I finish every last drop of the Valinora serum. It. Is. AMAZING! Let’s discuss:

image_50400257(4)image_50368769(2)

During my unboxing post, I used the word “nourishing” to describe the Valinora serum based on sight and scent alone. And, after just one use, I patted myself on the back for using the perfect description because this serum is so incredibly nourishing. I have been using the Valinora serum morning and night for the past week and every time I use it, I like it even more than I did before. All of these sentiments are mine alone and are not said because Sujata is my friend… this stuff is just that good.

The first thing you will notice about the Valinora serum is its scent. Sujata effortlessly combined a shopping list of various oils and essential oils to create this botanical serum. I can really smell the hemp and frankincense but everyone is different and will surely be able to pick up on fragrances that don’t stand out to me. At first, I thought the serum’s scent was a bit overpowering. However, after I gave it a chance, I found it to be invigorating in the morning and soothing at night. I love this, because as a permanently sleepy gal, I need all of the extra pick me ups that I can get in the morning!

This serum is actually quite different from what I usually prefer. While the texture is thin, it is jam packed with skin care magic and takes a decent amount of time to fully absorb. This is something that would normally bother me and it surprisingly doesn’t at all. In fact, I like it! As the serum sets, I know that it is working and the way my skin looks confirms it because it has never looked or felt better.

Yes, the Valinora serum is insanely hydrating and that is awesome in itself, but it is so much more than that. I never have considered myself to have an uneven skin tone and I still don’t. Regardless, whatever was going on with my skin is a problem solved now. Using this serum truly allowed my best face to come forward and my complexion really does look much more even than it did before. I also noticed a HUGE decrease in my designer bags – they are essentially gone! To top it off, my skin simply glows with each use. Like, radiant level glowing and you just can’t beat that!

The Valinora serum by Sujata Gazder is, hands down, one of the best that I have ever used and I cannot sing its praises enough. I have never used a product before and experienced such immediate results and I know all of you will love it too. Shop along at Sujata’s new site and treat yourself to the best in skin care and fashion!

What is the best product you have ever used? Do you like trying new products or sticking to what works? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct22

Face Mask Festivities: Freeman Manuka Honey & Tea Tree Oil Deep Clearing Clay Mask & Cleanser Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Face Mask Festivities: Freeman Manuka Honey & Tea Tree Oil Deep Clearing Clay Mask & Cleanser Edition

Hi! At least every weekend I try to use a new face mask as a pampering treat after a long week. I am currently using up a pack of six Freeman masks I got from Amazon and, unfortunately, the first two I tried were total duds. It definitely made me ambivalent to try the other masks but I am happy to have had some success because it turns out the third try is a charm!

I loved the Deep Clearing mask I used with Manuka Honey and Tea Tree Oil so take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

I’ll be honest, I was a little wary of the honey and tea tree combination because I thought it would smell nasty. However, my first impression when I opened the packet was just how good it smelled! It was seriously like oats and honey and it made the rich and creamy texture feel that much more lush and nourishing. The mask was also really easy to apply, despite its thickness, and that is always a bonus because I hate having a struggle to even put the mask on.

I left this mask/cleanser on for about seven minutes and was curious to see how it would wash off. Like the application, the mask was a piece of cake to remove because it doubled as a cleanser too. As I washed it off, it was kind of foamy which helped take the mask off in its entirety without harsh scrubbing – it was really nice!

Yes, the mask application and removal process was the best out of the three Freeman masks I have tried… But how did it leave my skin feeling? The answer is: EXCELLENT! My skin felt so soft, my pores felt like they got a deep clean, and my skin tone looked perfectly even. I legit couldn’t stop rubbing my cheek because it was baby’s bottom smooth. 😀

I would absolutely recommend the Freeman Deep Clearing Manuka Honey & Tea Tree Oil Mask/Cleanser. I haven’t used a mask that left my skin feeling so nourished in a long time and I would be happy to use it again!

Which brand has the best face masks? How do you pamper yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Face Mask Festivities: The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat Edition

Helloooo everyone and welcome to the final post in my Face Mask Festivities mini series! Today, we’re going to discuss one of my all time favorite masks – The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat. This mask literally smells good enough to eat and it leaves your skin looking peaches and cream perfection. What’s not to love? Take a looksee and let’s talk more:

honeyy1honeyy3honeyy2honeyy4honeyy5

When I think of face masks, The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat is the first thing that comes to mind. This mask is my favorite because it’s so gentle. This is a bit contradictory because I usually tend to go for the more rough masks and exfoliaters because I like to feel it really working. But, I don’t know, when I think face masks I’m thinking about being at a spa and relaxing and the creamy texture of this mask just takes me there.

Not only does this mask feel amazing with its whipped consistency mixed with sudsy oats but the smell is simply to die for. You need only open the lid to catch a whiff of freshly made oatmeal combined with cream and a heaping dollop of honey. It really takes everything in my power to not take a finger full and give it a try. So imagine having to sit with this mask on for ten whole minutes when all you want to do is eat it! IT HURTS SO GOOD.

The best part about The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat mask, though? 1) It is SO easy to wash off. There are some masks that you really have to scrub to get off, but not this one. This mask seems to completely melt away as soon as warm water hits it, which makes for an even more lush experience since you don’t have to claw at your skin to get it off. And 2) Because of said easiness to wash off and the creamy texture of the mask, you’re left with a clean tub, instead of one that’s coated with mask residue. I’ll take it!

Doing this mini series was a lot of fun and, in my opinion, I saved the best for last. I do like the Lush and Charcoal mask from The Body Shop that I featured earlier in the week. However, the game changer with the Honey & Oat mask is the way your face feels after using it. When I washed this mask off, my skin felt nourished. It felt supple and soft rather than tight and dehydrated. The glow that radiated from me was from a mask that worked on my skin from the inside, rather than scrubbing at the surface to remove imperfections. This mask made me feel beautiful and it made me feel like I cared for myself while using it, and you really can’t beat that!

So there you have it, the finale to my Face Mask Festivities mini series with The Body Shop’s Honey & Oat mask! Out of the three masks that I wrote about, which one would you like to try? What do you look for in a face mask? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah