Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion... So Soft.

When the folks at Skin MD Natural asked me if I would like to review their Shielding Lotion, I was truly excited to see what it could do. Living in the desert means dry skin is a major problem for my family at any and all seasons. Regular lotions do not work very well in this climate which leaves my whole family walking around looking like a bunch of lizard people (think of the TV movie "V" from when we were kids).

Since I was expecting just a small sample imagine my surprise to see a big 4 ounce bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion in my mailbox. From the moment I opened it, my daughter and I fought for possession of the bottle like two Red Sox fans over a box seat! She has a habit of carrying away all the lotion and hoarding it in her room but I felt this one was worth fighting for.

When we first tried the lotion we found that it had a very silky feel to it even before doing anything with it. Once rubbed in it absorbed quickly and left my hands feeling very smooth. I also noticed that it took very little lotion to moisturize my hands which was a nice change because usually you have to put on tons of lotion to get the same effect.

I was happily surprised to find that there was no residue or greasy feeling after putting it on. My husband even got in on the review and used a small amount on his very rough feet. His feet are always so dry that they crack and bleed at times but after three days of using the Shielding Lotion we saw a remarkable difference on both feet. Since my heels had started to dry out as well I put some on the bottoms of both feet and then put cotton socks on while I slept. After even one night my feet felt so smooth and soft. It was an amazing feeling and having your feet feel that good just puts a glow on you.

From items I've read, what makes Skin MD different is that its not a moisturizing lotion but a, shielding lotion. What the lotion does is bond with your skin to create a shield that will protect the skin from the elements while it allows moisturizers to remain inside the skin where they are needed.

If you live in the desert like I do or if you have problem spots that nothing seems to help, I really recommend you try Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. We are in love with it in this house and at least three times a week I have to go hunt down the bottle because someone else is using the lotion. Is it weird to want to put a bottle of lotion in a lockbox? Just kidding.

Just other great things about this lotion is that it's not tested on animals, is fragrance and colorant free, dermatology tests, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and paraben free. In my opinion, that makes this a shielding lotion for pretty much everyone including those with eczema.

Thank you Skin MD for allowing me the chance to discover this fantastic lotion. I really enjoy doing reviews when the products are simple everyday things that are useful to us in our daily lives. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is one of those reviews and I’ve already spread the word to a few friends and neighbors about it.

Parent Bloggers Network: Beauty Confidential

When Parent Bloggers Network said they needed bloggers to review the book Beauty Confidential by Nadine Haobsh, you better believe I jumped at the chance! Usually I join in on book reviews because I’m a total bibliophile but this book I knew I really needed to read.

When it comes to fashion and makeup I’m about as low maintenance as a person could get. I hardly ever wear makeup because to be honest, I’m not very good at choosing colors or putting it on. My sister works in hair and makeup but me? Yeah, so not happening! While I might be low maintenance it’s only because I’ve never been very good at doing my makeup. I even had a makeup artiste try to teach me about 5 years ago and I’m afraid none of that knowledge stuck.

Up until three years ago I was able to pride myself on “natural beauty”. If I didn’t wear makeup it was no big deal but when a sudden hit by cancer came all that went down the drain. After my second surgery I was left with a very big and very ugly U-shaped scar taking up most of my neck and leaving me feeling immensely ugly. So ugly that I felt makeup was no longer needed because even it couldn’t help stop the stares I get and make people focus on my face again.

Recently though I’ve come to terms with my scar and while I can’t hide it I can do something about the rest of me. I’m 32 years old and have no wrinkles or gray hairs so I’m already better off than many of my compadres (even my sister has a few wrinkles and gray hairs at 30. Is it evil that I laugh every time I think about that?). All I have to do is feel better about my appearance and that is all that matters- feeling good for me.

So the offer to review Beauty Confidential came along at a perfect time and the moment I got it I started to read it from cover to cover. I’ll be honest and say that usually I would lose interest in a beauty book before even getting halfway because they are most times pretty boring but not this one Nadine Haobsh has written. Nadine (or “Jolie in NYC" as she is known the internet over) has something the other books don’t and that’s a very witty and funny sense of humor. She jokes throughout the whole book and really tries to let you know that she’s just as human as the rest of us. Heck, she even reveals her own flaws in the book and makes sure you can relate to her as a person first and beauty expert second.

When the book says “The no preaching, no lies, advice-you’ll-actually-use guide to looking your best”, well it’s truly how Nadine tries to come across. She doesn’t pull any punches yet she doesn’t make herself sound better than anyone else like in most beauty books I’ve read. This is a gal I could sit down for lunch with and probably end up laughing hysterically at her stories. She’s one funny chic!

Ms. Haobsh was a beauty editor for Ladie’s Home Journal until they found out that as “Jolie In NYC” she was exposing secrets of the beauty industry to everyday women just like you and me on her blog. The horror of it all right? Well this led to her being “let go” by said magazine as well as having Seventeen rescind an offer they had on the table. Ouch.

While at the time I’m sure it sucked, she can sure thumb her nose now can’t she? With a successful blog and what I see as a successful book as well added to her resume, those same magazines may soon be banging on her door again. Hopefully she’ll tell them to "bite her" though. Why? It’s the sassy thing to do and she hits me as a sassy kinda gal.

In Nadine’s book she talks about beauty blunders we all make, how to fix several of them, step-by-step instructions on many things like home waxing and make-up selection, and even a product price guide at the end of every chapter so you know the price range you’re looking at if YOU want to have the products. While some of the products she lists are expensive to your average stay at home mom (like moi), she does also list several that are more in our price range as well thus proving that you don’t have to be a beauty editor to look good. We ALL can do it.

Reading this book gave me something that all the beauty magazines I’ve tried reading couldn’t- a guide essentially for dummies also known as the "beauty product challenged" like myself. With her straight foreword advice and tips I found it much easier to get the look I want without all the tears and cringing. Who knew beauty was such a pain in the ass! Thanks to Nadine though it’s only a mild irritation in my life now and I’m actually wearing makeup again.

Since my friends are very much like me (stay at home moms, no time for beauty, feeling frumpy), I will definitely recommend this book to them and even tell my sister to read it and see what she thinks. Heck, after seeing some of the orange eyeshadow sister dear has worn maybe it will help even her! So I will recommend it to them but bitches better not even ask to borrow it! It’s mine and Beauty Confidential is staying close to mama for a long while to come!