CVS Giveaway winners

CONGRATULATIONS to LCGreen and Cheryl F. Thank you so much for participating in the CVS giveaway your grab bag of makeup goodies are on the way.

CVS Deals & Giveaway!!

I can never go into a store and NOT check out the beauty section. So my most recent trip to CVS was no exception. Now the funny thing about this visit was I was standing in between two women, both diligently checking off of a list as they added liner and lipsticks to their baskets. As I point to the sign, I ask aloud " Do you SEE this? 75% off, seriously?" one women pushed her glasses back up over the bridge of her nose and said " How on earth did I miss that?" She immediately contemplated her next move looking from the list to her basket; should she keep what she had or put it back? Meanwhile, the other lady looked at us as if we were paupers lost in an upscale department store. (yeah..lol whateverrr!) Lady with the glasses and I began to find the comparable sale items to her list items. We even helped another beauty aisle visitor find a mascara suitable to her daily routine. Oh, I had a great time talking makeup with my beauty aisle Buddy. I invited her to check out TGI but she said she is tech illiterate, her hubby checks her email for her. She graciously thanked me and went on her way. I grabbed up a nice mix of products (see pic below) and not one item priced over $2.99. Now, let me tell you how I plan on creating two grab bags and sending it to two of YOU!! All you have to do is: follow this blog (box over on the right--->), then leave comment below telling me about your favorite drugstore beauty deal. Giveaway ends Friday, February 12 @ 11:59est (U.S residents only) **winners will be drawn randomly

What are Essential Oils?

A few years ago I found myself standing in the aisle of a store totally disappointed at a brands claim to having essential oils in their product that would make my hair stronger and more manageable. I remember going over bottle after bottle reading the ingredients that had only one or two oils (that by the way were vegetable, NOT essential) waaaaay down on the bottom of the list. Now, you remember my post on reading labels? Well then you remember an ingredient listed at the bottom means very little to no benefit. So you know my dollars stayed right in my pocket just as the product stayed right on the shelf. Fastforward, I had a conversation today which bought me back to that day. The conclusion drawn from the dialogue was: misclaims of brands is nothing new so we must aspire to be informed consumers to ensure that our dollars are spent wisely. I was inclined to go dig into my archives for a quick essential oil reference that I could share with you.

What are Essential oils?

*Essential oils are potent, volatile liquids extracted from plants, flowers, leaves,bark, stems, roots, and fruit.

*Essential oils are not greasy. They are more like water in texture, they evaporate quickly and penetrate the skin easily. They are made up of very small molecules, which enable the oil to work on a cellular level by passing through the skin layers and entering the blood and lymphatic systems.

*Essential oils provide both psychological and physical therapeutic benefits through methods of inhalation, skin absorption, and ingestion. Each essential oil has its own special effect of how it reacts internally, based upon its chemical makeup. The one common factor among all oils is that they enhance the immune system by encouraging the body to heal itself.

*3 common grades of essential oils: therapeutic(highest quality), food, and cosmetic/perfume

A few common Essential oils found in products:

Tea Tree Oil -anti bacterial, disinfectant, anti fungal

Lavender - calms, heals & relieves, great for oil control

Rosemary -controls oil, good for dandruff, aids relief in joints

Peppermint- relieves itching, stimulates

Lemon- astringent, disinfectant

Chamomile - anti inflammatory, great for dry itchy skin & acne

*Commonly, essential oils used topically on skin and hair are diluted with carrier oils, which guards against skin irritation.

Carrier oils are pure vegetable oils that “carry” the essential oils into the skin. Perfume and fragrance oils are not the same as essential oils. Perfume and fragrance oils are made of synthetic (artificial) substances and they have no healing benefits.

A few common carrier oils:

Coconut oil- soothes, moisturizes, and nourishes skin

Grapeseed Oil -antioxidant, mild astringent

Jojoba Oil- similar to the oil (sebum)produced in our bodies, soothing the only carrier oil that penetrates all 3layer of our skin

Olive Oil- antioxidant, moisturizes, helps retain moisture in the skin

Sweet Almond Oil -high in nutrients, soothes, nourishes and softens

So whether you are looking to make your own products or buying some I hope this little reference helps.

essential oils