When we were doing our bathroom remodel, a couple of times I ran over to my neighbors’ to use her shower. We live in an old historic neighborhood and many of the homes, including ours, only have one bathroom. (Which is why it needed some updating. Ahem.)

Anyway, she had one of those nifty twisty hair towel thingies hanging on the back of her bathroom door. I’ve always wanted one.

(But, of course, I forgot all about it after my shower(s) and never asked her where she found it.)

Y’all.

I was shopping for new bath mats at Bed Bath & Beyond and there they were, right on the wall next to the shower curtains and toothbrush holders. Even better, they were packaged 2 for $9.99. One for me and one for my long-haired daughter, Madeline. Score!

So this is just a public service announcement, in case you’re like me and always wanted a Turbie Twist and didn’t know where to find it.

(They come in white, pink, purple, and teal.)

A few weeks ago, I came back from the grocery store with a cart full of food, and a little something extra for myself.

I mean, I was buying  all kinds of goodies for the kiddos, so why not something for me? I couldn’t help myself. On sale, I saw these.

All  orange and pretty, calling my name. I absolutely love some of the other TIGI Bed Head products, so I was anxious to try this shampoo and conditioner, Self Absorbed.

They smell pretty good. Not like a natural orange scent, but more like an orange creamsicle.  I had pretty high expectations, especially since they say “Mega Nutrient.” Although I’m not quite sure what that means, it sounds promising, doesn’t it?

The shampoo was just ok. It doesn’t do much for detangling, and that’s a necessity for my curly hair. I’m sad to say that for me, the conditioner was one of the worst I’ve ever used. My hair absorbed it, but it did nothing to detangle, smooth or soften it. I conditioned twice, hoping for the best. The best was not to come. I gave it a few more tries over the next two weeks, and ended up giving it to my 11 year old daughter (who, by the way, tried it and didn’t like it either).

It was a major disappointment, especially for the price. (I paid about $22 for the shampoo and condition at the grocery store.)

I guess I’m just not a Self Absorbed kind of girl.

I’m not all that crafty. I love small projects. I like simple and quick. I get too impatient for projects that are too involved. That’s why I was just thrilled when Domino® / C&H® Sugar contacted me about making something from the homemade gift section of their site.

I hadn’t given much thought to using sugar in a gift unless it was for baking something yummy! So, it seemed only natural to give their homemade gifts a try. Domino® / C&H® Sugar was kind enough to send me a $20 gift card to help with the cost, as well!- now who could turn that down?!

After checking out their gift ideas, I instantly knew I wanted to try their Sugar Scrubs!

These easy-to-make sugar scrubs can have all the glamour of a luxurious spa gift. Add a glittery ribbon, a scented candle and a soothing music CD as the perfect complements to your gift basket. It’s just the right way to relax after a long day of baking!

Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar Scrub

(Adapted from White Cane Glimmer Sugar Scrub)

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Using a spatula, transfer mix into the container and secure lid. Contents will settle, mix before using. Scoop a teaspoon or two of the scrub on your hands and gently massage in circular motions onto your skin. Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. The scrub will tighten on your skin.

Sweet N’ Spicy Brown Sugar Scrub

1 cup – C&H® Dark or Light Brown Sugar
1 cup – C&H® Pure Cane Sugar
¾ cup – light olive oil
2 tsp. – cinnamon, powdered
2 tsp. – ginger, powdered
2 tsp. – nutmeg, powdered
1 16 oz. – glass container with lid
Cinnamon sticks, optional

In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients until thoroughly blended. Be sure to break up any lumps from the brown sugar or from the spices. Spoon into the glass container and secure with lid. Scoop a teaspoon or two of the scrub on your hands and gently massage in circular motions onto your skin. Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. The scrub will tighten

Be sure to visit C&H Sweet Ideas Page for more edible and non edible ideas they even have these wonderful gift tags you can download for free and print!

Who couldn’t use a little pampering around the holidays? Let me tell you, my 13 year old daughter and I both tried this, she was pretty skeptical about it and has very dry hands……she LOVED it! It made our hands very soft and silky!! – now she wants a jar of it! LOL

Disclosure: C& H Sugar provided me with a $20 gift card to help me with expenses in this project.

Have you finished your holiday shopping yet?

Yeah.  Neither have I.

Although, I do have a good chunk of it done, there’s always a few people on my list that fall into the “Impossible to Buy For” category.

I’m sure you have a few of those too.

So, here’s a suggestion that might help a few of you out.  How ’bout some products from Soap & Glory?

If you’ve ever browsed the beauty aisles at Target, you’ve no doubt noticed this product line with its quirky, retro packaging and tongue-in-cheek product names.

Soap & Glory is the brainchild of Marcia Kilgore, founder of Bliss Spas (and former beautician to Uma Thurman, Madonna and Demi Moore).  The irreverent, pun-filled products are based on the belief that “a good laugh can take off as many years as a good lift.”

And laugh you will.  With a slew of products such as Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss, Scrub Your Nose in it Face Scrub, and Great Shakes Hand Cream, it’s hard not to smile.

But it’s not all about the packaging.  The products themselves are surprisingly good.

Soap & Glory sent me its Scrub Actually Body Buffer and, I’ve got to say, it’s unlike any scrub I’ve ever used before.  As soon as I applied it to my legs, I could see immediately why the UK’s Daily Mail named it 2009’s Best New Mass Market Bath and Body Product.

Unlike other scrubs that have fine scrubbing beads, the beads in this sugar-based scrub are much more substantial.  (Just like the tube says, “underneath it all, it’s one heck of a scrub.”)  This scrub is also thicker than many other exfoliating scrubs, which makes it easier to use in the shower, as it doesn’t immediately wash off.  It left my skin feeling soft and moisturized.

(And don’t just take my word for it.  You can read many more glowing reviews of Soap & Glory products here.  I’m tempted to try the aluminum-free One Pit Wonder Deodorant next.  One smitten reviewer claims she loved the scent so much, she was smelling under her arms all day!  Ha!)

But the best news of all?

The price point.

Soap & Glory products are designed to beautify…without breaking the bank.  Says Kilgore, “At Soap & Glory, we believe you shouldn’t have to spend an arm and a leg just to moisturize one.”

Amen, sister.  Amen.

Prices start at around $5.99 and there are some fun gift sets that are no more than $30.  It’s a great — reasonably priced — gift for a fellow beauty addict.

Or a great little gift to yourself — in the event you find your stocking is in need of a little filling.

Just sayin’.

Soap & Glory is available exclusively at Target stores and online at Target.com.

I was recently fumbling along on Glamour.com when I ran into some fabulous at home spa tips! I thought what a great way to relax with the hectic holiday season upon us when most of us are trying to watch the all mighty dollar as well!

No special tools are needed

Turn your shower into a sauna “Just turn your shower on and run it at its hottest temperature for about 20 minutes. While the water is running and the steam is building, take a warm washcloth and spray with your favorite relaxing oil. (Lavender, vanilla or rosemary are all great de-stressing aromas.) When you step into your shower, put the washcloth up to your face and take a deep breath of your soothing, oil-scented steam. It’s a great way to unwind right before bed—and it also helps clear up sinuses.”

Heat things up “Before jumping into the shower, stash your daily body lotion on top of a radiator or heating vent so it’s warmed up when you rub it on. There is nothing better than getting out of a hot shower and rubbing on the heated, soothing lotion. Just be aware that your lotion will get much more liquidy when it’s warm, so it might rush out of its container faster.”

Sugar Scrub “Once a week  give your whole body a nourishing scrub. Mix one cup of granulated white sugar with enough vitamin E oil to make a thick paste.  Head to the tub and scrub it in circular motions all over your body. This simple-to-use scrub helps rid your skin of dead cells while taking in the nourishment of the vitamin E oil. Simple and sweet!”

How about you, do you have any tips to give you that spa glow from home?

The cold wave has hit us early here in NC.  There’s not much about cold rainy days that I like, but a warm bath always seems to make things better, doesn’t it?

I love a long soak in the tub. For years I’ve stuck with the same few bath products – all organic and lavender scented.  (Just call me adventurous.) 

Then my girls surprised me a few months ago with new bath salts for my birthday. They sat for weeks on the bathroom counter, until I ran out of my usual bath gel. I’ll admit that I had low expectations, but Burt’s Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals did not disappoint!

I know so many people who love Burt, and all of his bees, but I never understood why. After using these bath salts, I do understand why. I love them, too.

First, check out the ingredients. Sea salt, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), lemon oil, rosemary oil, eucalyptus oil, tocopherol (vitamin E).  Completely natural, and not tested on animals.

No, these are not lavender scented. But I think the smell is divine – a mixture of lemon and eucalyptus. Just drop 1 to 2 tablespoons under hot, running water, and your entire bathroom will be filled with the relaxing scent. The combination does wonders for a cold or a stuffy nose. And the oils leave my skin feel refreshed and moisturized. They also really help when I have sore muscles.

Here’s what Burt has to say about his bath crystals: “Indulging in a warm bath of salt crystals and essential oils after a workout helps release lactic acid which builds up during physical activity causing muscle ache. The penetrating action of essential oils helps stimulate the elimination of waste products and relieves soreness. 100% natural.”

I’ve climbed in a few times before the tub was filled, and the salt crystals had not completely dissolved yet. Make sure you don’t feel them on the bottom of the tub before you get it, or it will feel like you’re sitting on a million little pebbles, which is not so relaxing. Also, you’ll want to keep the metal can away from water. These cans rust, and if you keep it right by the bathtub, you may find yourself with a rust ring a few weeks later. Seriously, a small price to pay for how much I like these bath crystals.

Thankfully, these are easy to find. I buy them at Target, and I’ve even seen them in some grocery stores. You can also get them online at Target,  Amazon,  and Drugstore.com.

Thanks to Burt, my chilly weather bath is even better. Of course, the candles and glass of wine are nice, too! Now run out and get some for yourself and your friends, and let me know what you think!

UPDATE:  Congratulations commenter #46 — wooster!  Your Kiss My Face Kids products are on their way to you!

For a while now, I’ve been on a bit of a mission to “green” up my beauty routine.

Yet, while I’ve managed to find some great products free of synthetic ingredients, parabens and sulfates, I’m by no means a die-hard green convert.  There are plenty of beauty products I still use because, frankly, I like them.  And — this is how I reason it in my head — I’ve been using these synthetic products for years without issue.

But.

When it comes to the products I use on my own children, I tend to be a tad more picky.  A child’s skin is thinner than an adult’s.  It absorbs anything applied to it at a much faster rate.  A child’s skin is often much more sensitive, as well.  So, when given a choice of using a synthetic product on my kids, or a product that is free of the chemical “junk,” I almost always opt for the latter. 

Problem is, those types of products have been pricey and difficult to find.

Until now.

Kiss My Face has just released a line of bath and body care products for children.  The best part?  The entire collection is free of artificial colors and fragrances, parabens and sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates (SLS). 

I’ve been using the products on my kids for the last several weeks.

I think I’m in love.

Here’s what they offer:

Self-Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash:  My kids loved that this product did the lathering for them, making it super-easy to use.  It was gentle enough to use on my daughter’s eczema-prone skin without incident.

Bubble Wash:  That eczema-prone child?  She’s been bubble bath deprived pretty much her entire life.  Every time I’ve added bubbles to her bath, her skin breaks out in a red, itchy rash.  This Bubble Wash is the answer to prayer.  All of the fun, none of the itching.

Detangler Creme:  Up until this point, detangler was the one product that I had to compromise on.  I just simply would not give up using detangler on my daughter’s hair (that would be waytoo painful an experience for both her and me).  But, when I read the ingredient list on our old detangler bottle, I found myself wondering, “Is it that difficult to make a detangler that doesn’t have all the chemicals in it?”  Well, apparently it’s not, because Kiss My Face has done it.  It.  Rocks.

2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner:  Years ago, I remember reading that those 2 in 1 shampoos were among some of the harshest you could use on your hair.  I’ve always thought that was a shame, because the 2 in 1 concept is great.  Here’s the old time-saving 2 in 1 approach in new SLS and paraben-free form.  Awesome.

Self-Foaming Hand Wash:  Frequent handwashing takes its toll on tiny hands.  My children suffered through many a winter with dry, cracked hands until I realized it was the sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates in the antibacterial hand soap that was tearing their hands up.  It used to be virtually impossible to find an SLS-free soap.  The fact that this one is SLS-free and self-foaming?  Well, I feel like I died and went to heaven.

Lip Balm Duo:  My daughter’s lips can get very dry and chapped.  This is the only lip balm she’ll let me put on her lips without a fight.  It remedies the situation in just one or two applications.

A Whale of a Soap Duo Pack:  Another SLS-free soap option, only in bar — or should I say, whale — form.  These adorable whale-shaped soaps lather beautifully and are gentle enough to use head to toe.

The Kiss My Face Kids line comes in two scents, Orange U Smart and Berry Smart.  Many of the products are also offered fragrance-free, for the super-sensitive.

And — before you go writing off these products as being just for the kiddies — I’ve used all the products myself, as well.  I loved them all.  If you have sensitive skin, or if you’re just looking to add some “greener” bath and body products to your routine, don’t shy away from this line just because of the packaging.

The Kiss My Face Kids line is available at Target, Whole Foods Market and other places where natural products are sold.  Prices range from $5.95 for the Lip Balm Duo to $9.95 for the Bubble Wash.

WIN IT!  Now — here’s the best news.  One lucky Chic Critique reader will win one of every product listed above — all of which have been generously donated by Kiss My Face.   Here’s how to to win:

1) REQUIRED:  Leave a comment on this post telling me what product you’d most like to try from the new Kiss My Face Kids’ line.

2) OPTIONAL:  Tell your friends about this contest on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or via email.  Leave a 2nd comment telling me which you did.  You can do more than one if you desire.

3)  OPTIONAL:  Give yourself a 3rd entry if you’re a subscriber to Chic Critique.

You MUST leave separate comments for each entry; it’s the only way I can count them.  

This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern (8:59 p.m. Pacific) on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009.  Winner will be determined by the good ol’ random number generator.   Good luck!

I’m not exactly sure what’s been wrong with me this week but I seem to have a case of the blues. I have been feeling very sorry for myself and just can’t seem to shake it. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and pulled out my all time favorite secret weapon for those times when things just seem to get you down:

REN’s Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil. (It is such an amazing secret I spent far too long on Google trying to find a website that sells it in North America – don’t worry I succeeded). I first discovered this bath oil in Liberty’s of London when I lived there and it is to DIE for. (Or prostitute yourself for but I’ll get there in a minute!)

I’ll let you read what they say about it before I tell you what I have to say about it:

Rose Otto, known as the Queen of Flower Oils, is one of the world’s most expensive and revered essential oils. This bath oil contains Moroccan Rose Otto Oil which is steam distilled from petals harvested at dawn (OMG!!!) and is beneficial to dry and sensitive skin.

I know. How can you not laugh when you read “harvested at dawn” but seriously? I have never used a bath oil that leaves me feeling so revitalized and relaxed as well as having skin that smells incredible and is luxuriously, silky smooth to the touch. The smell alone will make you feel like a queen after 15 minutes in the tub!

Now remember what I said about prostituting yourself for it? The downside to such an incredible secret is that it sure ain’t cheap.  REN does ship outside of Europe (for a price) and the original product price is in British pounds but, depending on the exchange rates, it could be cheaper than buying it from eSkinCareStore who were one of the only options I could find in North America. (If you know anyone who goes to Europe on business then its worth getting them to pick you some up!)

Of course I wouldn’t tease you like that and not offer an alternative. In fact I have two options for you. The first one is Body Shop’s own:

Moroccan Rose Bath & Massage Oil and its really not a bad substitute. The scent doesn’t linger on the skin like the REN version and the oil doesn’t seem to feel as luxurious but for the price ($18) its a bargain!

Alternatively if you want a little bit of luxury AND the heavenly scent of Moroccan Rose Otto then its definitely worth investing in:

REN’s Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash ($27) available at Sephora. Same gorgeous smell, same brand luxury but smaller price tag! Despite being sold as a body wash it also makes a wonderful bubble bath so you can soak your troubles away without compromising your morals. There!  I feel better already!

I am drawn to shampoos for several different reasons.  Sometimes it really is the scent!

I went to Target and browsed around in the hair section (son kept asking,”Are you done yet??”) for quite a while as I needed something new.  Finally I saw this shampoo and it was the scent that caught my eye – Coconut Milk.  I LOVE the scent of coconut – so tropical and summery.  Even better, it turned out to be an organic shampoo!

I decided to try this new shampoo.  It’s Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo.  I got the conditioner too.  There were a few “flavors” to choose from, but I thought the Coconut would work well for my hair and still was hung up on the coconut scent.  The shampoo is organic, sulfate-free and this particular one uses organic coconut milk and ultra-whipped egg white proteins.

I have to be honest – one more thing helped me make my final decision to buy both the shampoo and conditioner.  I get one of them for free!  Excellent!

I am really loving this shampoo and conditioner!  It has been a long time since I’ve noticed much of a difference in any shampoo I’ve used.  My hair is so soft now!  I will be interested in trying some of the other kinds of Organix shampoos in the future.

You can find them very affordably priced at Target.  Look for the ones with the tag hanging to get one for free (by rebate)!

To complete my tropical-scented shower experience, I bought Tahitian Renewal Body Wash by Caress since Lisa {Take 90 West} had recommended it right here on Chic Critique.  Even the Target cashier said this body wash was great as an exfoliator and a shaving cream for the legs.  But the best part?  I like the scent!

Have you tried organic shampoo yet?  Are you drawn to shampoo for the scent?

Lisa 

After a long day at work, I enjoy coming home and relaxing with a glass of wine at dinner.   But, I never thought to treat the outside of my body with red wine too.  That is until I came across a Red Wine Body Scrub by Abrione. 

The Red Wine Scrub contains anti-oxidants from red wine extract, green tea, cranberry, grape seed oil, and vitamin E to help skin look radiant and fight against the aging effects of the environment.  Hey, if a glass of red wine can calm and soothe me, I figure I had a chance of the same thing happening to my skin.

The first time I used the scrub, I must confess that I was a bit turned off by the scent.  When it comes to bath products I like smelly products and by smelly I usually go for fruity or flowery.  The Red Wine Scrub had more of an earthy smell that didn’t do much for me.  However, if you prefer bath scrubs without much scent then this would probably work for you.

I enjoyed the exfoliants on the skin and couldn’t help, but think how much dead, winter skin that it was removing.  The peppermint oil along with the menthol gave my skin a slight tingle feeling which I liked because it made my skin feel so clean after a scrub!  After using it for only about a week I can’t truly speak about the anti-aging effects it supposedly prevents, but I can say that every time I use the scrub my skin feels wonderful. 

So the next time you fill up your wine glass, don’t forget that red wine isn’t just for drinking, but makes a great Body Scrub too. Cheers!