The Merry Spinster

I recently had the opportunity to try some products from The Merry Spinster.  Heather has an awesome shop on Etsy full of natural body products.  I tried a couple of lotions, a body butter, and a lip butter.  They came beautifully packaged, and she is offering free gift wrap through the holiday season.

The first product I have is a body butter in Vanilla Sandalwood, which is $12 for a 4 ounce jar.

The scent is strong in the jar, but on the skin, dissipates to a light, long lasting sandalwood scent.  The body butter contains shea butter and coco butter as well as other natural oils.  I typically don’t use a lot of body butters because I don’t like the heavy feel, but this feels very light on the skin.  It is super thick and creamy in the jar.  On the skin, it spreads evenly and a little goes a long way.  It soaks in very quickly and doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy.   This is a great choice for an all over body lotion.

I also tried a couple of lotions, also $12 for a 4 ounce jar.

I tried Orange Vanilla and Coconut Lime Verbena.  Again, these are strongly scented in the jar, but on the skin, the scent dissipates nicely so that it’s not overpowering.  Orange Vanilla is my favorite scent of the products I tried.  The orange is citrusy, nice and light, and the Vanilla adds a bit of warmth.  They are a thicker lotion full of shea butter, perfect for dry winter skin.  The lotion soaks in quickly leaving hands and skin feeling moisturized.  I did notice that the Coconut Lime Verbena left my hands a bit greasy feeling, but not the Orange Vanilla.  Personally, I prefer these as a hand lotion.

The Black Cherry Mango Butter Lip Balm is also a great product.  It is a potted balm for $3, a mix of butters and oils, including (my favorite!) coconut oil.  This lip balm feels nice and thin on the lips, but is super moisturizing.  This last a couple hours on me before I need to reapply, less if I am eating/drinking.

Overall, I have really enjoyed these products from The Merry Spinster.  Not only do they work well, but I love supporting small businesses whenever I can.  The Merry Spinster can be found on Etsy, where she sells naturally died yarns in addition to her Bath and Body products.  She also has her own blog, and you can follow her on Facebook.

*The products in this post were provided by the company for review.

Dr. Jart’s Ceramidin Liquid and Cream

As a long time sufferer of dry, dry skin, I’ve tried a lot of moisturizers.  In the summer, I can keep the dryness under control, but have yet to find anything that keeps the flakes at bay throughout winter.  Until Dr. Jart’s Ceramidin came into my life, that is.  I first saw this reviewed by the Muse, and knew I had to have it.  I was a bit hesitant, as the Dr. Jart BB Cream, while amazing, broke me out like crazy.  But the Ceramidin combination is a miracle.  After one use, my stubborn dry spots were gone, leaving my skin was super soft.

The Ceramidin Liquid is like a liquid primer for the cream.  A little goes a long way, and it soaks in quickly and feels light.  After the liquid soaks in, I apply the cream to add a heavier layer of moisture.  A little goes a long way with the cream as well, and the combination leaves your face soft and moisturized.  I do prefer to use this overnight, as it’s a bit heavy under makeup.  If my skin is feeling extra dry, I will use a very light layer of this in the morning as well.

These do have a pretty strong scent, and after testing it out on the back of my hand, I thought there was no way I’d be able to handle this on my face, as I’m pretty sensitive to scented products.  But on the face, it was bearable.  A bit strong at first, but it dissipated quickly.  After a few days of use, I no longer noticed the scent.

Dr. Jart’s Ceramidin has quickly become my HG moisturizer for winter.  Since I started using this, I have not had a problem with drier skin, it also keeps my skin looking brighter and healthier overall.  My makeup goes on smoother, and the condition of my skin is steadily improving.

If you struggle with dry skin, you need these!  Dr. Jart Ceramidin Liquid and Ceramidin Cream are both available from Sephora for $39 and $48, respectively.

Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment

Glamglow Youthmud has quickly become one of my favorite masks.  I love face masks, and probably have 20 different masks in my bathroom drawer at any given time.   This mask is pricey, but with Sephora’s VIB sale, and all the fantastic reviews, I decided this was worth a shot.  I bought the .5 oz size ($20) before committing to the $69 full size, which I will definitely be purchasing now.

Glamglow claims this mask will brighten, smooth, soften, tighten skin and pores, absorb impurities, and deliver a more youthful appearance.  That’s a pretty hefty claim, but this mask delivers on every single one.   This is a 10 minute mask, and my skin was visibly brighter and super soft after one use.  It cleared out my stubborn pores, and after a few uses, my skin is glowing and my pores are noticeably smaller. Between this and my Luna mini, I almost don’t even recognize my own skin in the mirror!

Youthmud dries quickly and removes easily.  While it is exfoliating  upon application, it is even more so during removal.  I recommend using this mask after a warm shower, or using a warm washcloth to open up your pores.   A lot of mud masks can be stubborn during removal, but this washes off very easily.  It is a bit tingly while on, but nothing uncomfortable.  I have seen some reviews where people say this mask is hot or burning, so I really think it just depends on how sensitive your skin is.

Glamglow Youthmud can be purchased from Sephora for $69.