Review Series - Part 2 - Arbonne Cosmetics

I didn't buy a whole lot from Arbonne, but I did try a few things.

First, let me tell you about my beauty routine.




Um, yeah, that blank spot... that's it. I don't really have one. Isn't that awful? I thought all women had beauty routines.

I use Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser on my face in the shower, toner at night, toner in the morning, and most definitely Doterra's Melaleuca oil on any random oily spots and zits (especially my forehead and chin after I've been biking!). I still get zits, sometimes bad ones, I still have oily skin in spots, I break out randomly, and I have larger pores than I did when I was younger.

So, since I don't really have a beauty routine, I decided to go ahead and try it.

The Arbonne rep gave me a little sample bag (I think they may be called friendship bags?? Not sure, I didn't pay that much attention...) with the Calm Collection in it.

Let's just say that it didn't go well. I stopped using my usual stuff since the acne stuff doesn't mix well when you use it with other acne products (I get a little itchy, I've used two acne products at once before and I didn't want the same thing to happen again). I don't use much on my face anyway so when I did 3 steps, I'm not sure what did it but my face was as red as a tomato and it seriously looked like I spent hours in the sun without sunblock on. So it didn't go well.

However, there was this gel eye roller thingy that was pretty cool. I used that on its own after my face looked like a tomato and decided I really liked it, so I bought it. In four months, I can see that the bags under my eyes aren't as dark (I use it at night and in the morning), the skin is softer, and I think it's maybe helped combat some wrinkles. Maybe. I'd buy it again. Especially in the winter since my skin gets so dry here in Minnesota.

But here's the catch - I was looking at the bottle and it only lasts 6 months. If you don't use it every night and day, you'll end up tossing a whole lot, so I've really forced myself to use it, which is why I think it's working. I'm really not great at following through with skin routines. If it's easy, you've got a 50/50 chance that I'll continue it.

I also bought eye shadow. I decided to try something new so I bought a green eye shadow. It's ok. By that I mean, I'd much rather spend more money on MAC, Clinique, or STILA. Arbonne's eye shadow is matte and I prefer shimmer shades over matte - I did have to sort of layer it on because it can be pretty powdery depending on what you use to apply it (I used a sponge brush first, hated how it turned out, then used an angled brush, hated that too, and then I used a round small paint brush and I liked that, what can I say? I'm an artist, if I can't find a brush in my make-up bag, then I raid my fabulous assortment of expensive paint brushes!). It's also a single shade so I did apply a layer of a shimmer powder over it. I don't think I'd buy it again, I'll just use it up.

Overall, I would say, if you like trying new beauty products, go for it. Buy something you want to try and let me know how it went. I'm interested in trying the mascara next, but I just bought a new one from Clinique (I buy mascara often, my eyes can tell me when it's old before I even have to look at the expiration dates). I do like trying anti-aging products, but I'm also not interested in paying over $300.00 for a set. I'm not quite that into the anti-aging stuff yet. I will buy the gel stuff again, maybe I'd try out the nutrition bars (but it's $25.00 for 10 bars, when the Luna bars at Target are 6 for $5.00 right now). Maybe if I have extra fun money later this year I'll order a pack.

I've never been to an Arbonne party or anything like that - I just ordered from the rep and put her number into the website when it asked for your information. If you want a referral for any of the products I mentioned, let me know and I'll get you connected.

Have you tried any Arbonne products? What did you try? Did you like them? Would you recommend them? Order again?

Review Series - Part 1 - PartyLite Candles

I have bought so much stuff from people that I know who have home-based businesses. Like, well, boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff. I'm going to do a series of all the products that I've bought and what I liked, didn't like, didn't work, tasted great, tasted horrible, etc...

Why?

Because I didn't know shit about these businesses before going to a party and I ended up buying a lot of stuff. I thought I would be helpful. Plus it's pretty fun to read reviews.

Onto the good stuff -

Part 1 - PartyLite Candles

If you don't like candles, don't read this. If you like candles, then please, carry on.

I like candles. I don't burn them all the time but lately since I have a shitload of them, I burn them daily. I have a ton of tea light candles which I like better than the larger candles because I hate leaving out wide candles because I don't burn them, they end up dusty and when I do finally manage to light them, they end up sparking so badly from the dust and they just don't smell right. So, tea light candles it is for me.

I use a tea light oil warmer when I use essential oils (there will be a post on essential oils in the future) so I mainly buy unscented tea lights. Colors don't matter for me because the flame is hidden in a little marble candle holder thingy. PartyLite tea lights come in packs of 12, the wax and wick are contained in a plastic case (which is recyclable!). The wax doesn't move around like the tea lights from Target in the package of 100 with cheap metal to hold the wax. The ones from Target suck. The little cases also seem to be a bit taller than the wax which makes them easier to move and not spill hot wax all over. I've done that before and that sucks. Overall, if you use a tea light oil warmer, buy these tea lights. You will be pleasantly surprised at how long they last and at the strength of the wick. There's nothing worse than dropping your last tea light before lighting it and the wick breaking off when all you want to do is freaking smell something good in your house.

I have also bought several candle holders. I bought a set of three bug tea light holders for our outdoor patio set. They're way too small to hold anything that has citronella that repels bugs. They're just for home decor. If you're looking for something to hold citronella candles, do not buy any tea light holders. They won't do a damn thing to keep away mosquitoes. You're better off getting a bat house.

The other indoor candle holders that I've purchased work as described. They hold tea lights. They look great! I bought them all from their sale section since I'm a pretty cheap person and I like to find great deals - if you don't mind paying full price, then go ahead and get what you want, otherwise hold out for awhile and you'll get a great deal on candle holders. If you weren't invited to a party, ask your host if you can just order from someone else's party to get a good deal. I'd love to get some outdoor lanterns but we just don't hang out after dark outside enough for me to justify buying any large lanterns.

The scents are pretty good. I like the Perfect Pet, Fig Tree, and one with Blue Lotus something or other, and I also really like the smell of cucumber so I bought some of that scent too. Nothing is too over powering unless you stick your nose into the wax (especially burning tea lights, they're small anyway, so not enough melted wax to spread scent all over the house). If you want more scent, just burn more candles.

I recommend hunting down a representative and asking them to bring out their scent box so you can actually smell everything before you buy. I realized that some of them just started smelling the same to me so I ordered whatever I remembered that I liked. I'm not really a "girly" smell girl, I don't have too much scented stuff around the house so ordering the scented candles was a bit out of my comfort zone.

Questions? Comments? Anything that you want to share about PartyLite Candles?

BioBag vs. Bag-To-Nature

Since beginning the organic waste program with our local city, I'm in love with it. I can throw so much stuff in the organic waste instead of the garbage can. It's freaking awesome. If you have the option, please do it! We do pay $10 per month for it, but it's worth it in the amount of waste reduction going to landfills and the burning plant. Examples of items we can toss - all leftovers, paper towel cardboard, egg cartons, fish, bones, paper towels, take out containers, paper q-tips, tissues.

I've used two brands of compostable waste bags and these are my (short but sweet) reviews:

Hands down, Bag-To-Nature is my favorite composting bag for the kitchen organic waste bags. They feel a little more like the plastic bags you get from Target and are much more stronger, easier to tie with the ends, and definitely contain the smells of organic waste tenfold over BioBags. These are a bit harder to find - I haven't seen these at Target but they are sold at Frattalone's Ace Hardware and the Lakewinds Co-op. I haven't bought any at the Linden Hills Co-op yet, so I don't know if they sell these or another brand.

BioBags are great for your regular compost when you take it out every night - these ones start composting immediately. As in, they don't work for your regular organic waste (leftovers, etc...) because once wet, well, it's all over for the strength of the bag. I can barely make it to the organic waste cart behind our garage without it breaking. Use BioBags for your greens for your backyard composter. These ones feel a bit more rubbery and softer - they've got a little stretch to them which means if you're tossing chicken bones, the bones will punch a hole right through the bag.

Below are pics side to side of the bags -