Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil

                                                                        Tea Tree Oil


I just want to mention that I love Tea Tree Oil and I've been using it for a couple years on and off, so I was very pleased to receive Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil. Tea Tree Oil is a natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial essential oil that can be used to cure everything from nail/foot fungus to yeast infections. It is also an effective treatment for dandruff, ringworm and head lice.

I started using Tea Tree Oil as a treatment for Athlete's Foot. I work approximately 13-15 hours at a time and I wear very heavy boots and consequently got a rather virulent case on my left foot. I tried everything, powders, sprays, creams to no avail. I read online that Tea Tree Oil worked. I didn't have anything to lose, so I gave it a go and I was amazed! Within a week, I noticed the redness was gone and even though the skin was still peeling, healthy soft skin was underneath. I continued to use it and within about a month, my foot was clear! I still use it a couple times a week, as it kills bacteria that causes odor.

Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil is awesome. At 24.99 for a 4 oz bottle, it is a great deal as most drugstores only carry 1 oz. bottles and they are pricey.  It has a very strong, but pleasant scent and can be used in cleaning and disinfecting as well. A definite addition to the first aid kit, medicine chest and cleaning caddy. This post is sponsered by Brand Backer and provided free of charge for an honest review.

Insta Natural Youth Express Eye Gel

Insta Natural Youth Express Eye Gel

I'm becoming quite a fan of Insta Natural Beauty Products! They have great customer service and great beauty products! I've recently tried the Insta Natural Youth Express Eye Gel and it is great. It is a thick gel formula and absorbs quickly into the skin, allowing you to apply makeup or moisturizer almost immediately. I especially like the pump bottle, which I feel allows the product to remain fresher longer as it is not readily exposed to air. I've notice since using, softer, firmer skin around my eye area and also a definite diminishing of a few fine lines. Insta Natural Youth Express Eye Gel can be purchased here.

Raw Shea Butter (Beauty By Shea)

Raw Shea Butter (Beauty By Shea)

Good Morning, Lovelies! I hope that you all had a fabulous week and are ready for the weekend!

I don't know about you all, but I love products with Shea Butter such as lotions, soaps, body butters and the such. I've got fairly pale skin and products with Shea Butter seem to make it glow:) I've recently learned that you can purchase raw Shea Butter for use in homemade cosmetics and/or use it by itself. 

I was very pleased with Beauty By Shea's  Raw Shea Butter. 100 percent organic, it comes packaged simply, in a resealable, lined bag that keeps the product fresh.  At 16 oz., it is a great deal as a little raw Shea Butter goes a long way.  The texture is firm and the Shea Butter has a nutty/natural/dull scent. I used a little on my feet and elbows after my shower and the skin was so soft the next day! Usually, even with using lotions on these areas, there is always dryness...Not so with the raw Shea Butter!

As I mentioned before, raw Shea Butter may be used alone or in homemade cosmetics. It can be whipped and scented with a carrier oil for an amazing body butter. It can be mixed with beeswax for an awesome lotion bar. You can find several recipes on Pinterest for diy hair conditioners, soaps and lip balms. I'm looking forward to trying quite a few of them out!

Beauty By Shea's Raw Shea Butter may be purchased here

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Un-Official Official Homemaking Harlot's Bi-Weekly Cleaning Schedule

The Truth is Strong In This...

Hello, Lovelies! I promised a cleaning series and you shall have it! I have decided to try a 2 week cleaning schedule as it fits better with my job and what I have going on at home. There are just two of us, my Coco Bear and I, and we don't really make too big of a mess. We are both, shall I say, lazy when it comes to housework and have been know to put it off until we can no longer handle the mess, lol. We both work full time plus and generally like to do other things than clean on our days off.
However, this no longer works for me so I am putting together a bi-weekly schedule so I can start a *housekeeping routine. So here goes...


The Un-Official Official Homemaking Harlot's Bi-Weekly Cleaning Schedule:


Week One

     Monday: Kitchen, Laundry Room and Entryway
     Tuesday: Dining Room
     Wednesday: Work
     Thursday: Work
     Friday: Bedrooms and Hallway
     Weekends: Free Time


Week Two


     Monday: Work
     Tuesday: Work
     Wednesday: Bathrooms
     Thursday: Living Room and Desk Nook
     Friday : Work
     Weekends: Work

This is just a skeleton so far, eventually I will schedule things like Laundry, Errands, Menu Planning (for when I learn to cook) and Other Tasks. Also I will be working on Daily Tasks, Once A Month Tasks and Spring/Fall Tasks.

I will be trying this schedule out for the next two weeks and tweaking it as necessary.

*subject to change

Insta Natural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil Review

Deep Cleansing Facial Oil

I know cleansing with oil seems counterproductive for those of us who have oily/combination skin, but if you use the right type of oil, you can actually improve the health of your complexion.

Insta Natural Deep Cleansing Facial Oil is amazing! Made with Jojoba, Olive and other oils, and delicately scented with Lavender and Geranium oil, this cleanser is unlike any I have used before. I thought for sure it would leave my skin an oily mess. I can honestly and happily report that was not the case and I couldn't be more thrilled with the results!

For those of you who have not tried/are curious about how to cleanse with oil, this is how I do it:

1. Remove contact lenses (to avoid oily smudges) and pull back hair.
2. Run a sink full of warm water.
3. Pump a few drops of facial oil onto fingertips. Massage gently into skin. If you are wearing mascara or other eye makeup, use the facial oil on a couple of cotton pads to remove it! This facial oil works great as an eye makeup remover!
4. After massaging into skin, apply a warm washcloth over face for a few minutes.
5. Remove washcloth and rinse face well with warm water. Skin should feel soft and smooth!

I like to use this cleanser on days that I wear makeup as it removes it completely and I love the way my skin feels afterward. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream

Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream

Good Afternoon, Lovelies...It is a grey, rainy, slightly chilly day here in NC and I am reminded that autumn will soon be here and with it, comes the need to change up my skincare regimen to combat the effects of colder temperatures and drier air. Enter Adovia Moisturizing Day Cream!

This cream is thick, yet melts into the skin effortlessly without feeling greasy. The scent is fresh and clean, not cloying. Formulated with minerals from the Dead Sea and natural oils, it is not tested on animals (think of the bunnies!)  and is cruelty free! 

I love the scent and that my skin is left soft and protected from the elements. This cream is a welcome addition to my morning skincare regimen!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

No Rest For The Wicked...ly Awesome!

It's pretty late, Lovelies. I'm just tying up a few loose ends tonight. This past Wednesday, I was finally forced to go to the doctor to take care of my foot issue...and promptly put out of work until Tuesday :(  Lovelies, when you are not feeling well or have an issue with your health, please don't put it off. Take care of yourselves. I should have dealt with this when I first noticed it and I probably would have been prescribed some shoe inserts, now who knows how and when this will be resolved. My Coco Bear has been awesome and has taken very good care of me and I had a lot of time to spend on my blog, which brings me to...

I LOVE THIS BLOG!!! I know it is fairly new and it's probably narcissistic of me to say that, but this blog has given me the opportunity to "meet" and work with some very awesome people and some very awesome companies. I have shared my blog with lots of people and have gotten constructive feedback, that I feel is going to improve my reviews and content. So in the next few weeks you can expect ...

• Weigh-In Wednesday will make a comeback! NEW! IMPROVED! (and perhaps I will stick with it this time;) 

• Homemaking and House Cleaning Series in the works!

•  and more reviews! I have several new products that I will be reviewing and, dare I say, perhaps a few more giveaways?  

Stay tuned, my Lovelies, the best is yet to come!

Keomi Sea Breeze Soap Review

Keomi Sea Breeze Soap

Order Here

I have a confession...I love bar soap! Yes, I know it is old-school and body washes and "poufs" are in just now.  I can't help it, I love lathering a bar of soap with a washcloth and feeling like I got clean! So when I received the Keomi Sea Breeze soap, I was excited to give it a go!

The first thing you will notice is the scent. OMG, I died and went to heaven! You will smell it through the package. Lavender, Oakmoss and Fir...the scent is amazing. It is fresh and relaxing. I haven't even opened the package yet and I was in LOVE! 

The second thing you will notice, if you can stop sniffing long enough, is the packaging is beautiful. Gift-giving worthy, even! Between the scent and the packaging, it has just elevated bath-time into spa time! It even comes with a tiny brochure on how to care for your soap.

Which brings me to the best part...lathering! This soap is a dream, rich lather and clean rinsing. Skin is left soft, no dryness or itchy-feeling and lightly scented. The soap is made with Dead Sea Salt and Clay and several different oils that leave your skin feeling awesome.

Keomi also offers samples and a VIP club on their website, keomiskincare.com/

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Valentia Vitamin C Serum Review

Valentia Vitamin C Serum

Order Here

 I have noticed, since turning 35(yikes), darker spots on my cheeks (tanning beds are the devil!) and of course my dark circles under my eyes (I've had them forever!), not to mention the fine lines and dryer skin that come about as skin matures. It definitely is incentive to step up my game as far as facial care products go! I think the days of washing with whatever bar soap and slathering on the old school Olay are over. 

One of my current go to products is Valentia Vitamin C Serum. This stuff is all-around awesome! The consistency is great, not too thick and not too watery, it is easily absorbed in the skin. A little goes a long way! The best part about this particular Vitamin C Serum is the light citrus scent that makes me feel just a  

little more awake in the morning.

I like that this product has natural ingredients, such as Rosehip Seed Oil and Sea Buckthorn Oil that help retain moisture in your skin. It also contains Resistem, a natural plant stem cell and botanical Hyaluronic Acid, both of which protect and heal skin.

I have used this product, alone and under moisturizer for the past almost three weeks and have noticed softer skin and more toned skin around my eyes and cheek areas.  I consider it an indispensable part of my morning face care regimen.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

A Week In Review

It has been pretty busy the past week since I got back from Virginia...

Last week was my re-cert week at work. I have one of those jobs where they actually let me carry a gun sometimes, so once a year I have to qualify. That being said, you all are safe...I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. I also have one of those jobs where sometimes, I might be expected to "rassle"...so we learned new and exciting techniques for that.  We also learned how to do "burpees"...I'ma big girl, but surprisingly enough, burpees are now my favorite exercise. They require little to no coordination and can be done pretty much anywhere.

Something new this year, we had training on Wellness and Fitness which included a 12 exercise circuit that we completed in 30 minutes. All the exercises are simple but effective and as our instructors pointed out, could be done in the privacy of your own home, no equipment needed. As it stands, my weight- loss journey is kinda at a standstill, but we will be picking up the Weigh-In Wednesday series again ...soon...I hope!

#whatwhat  #20bucksinmypocket

Friday was my only day off and payday so I visited my favorite thrift shop, Dorcas Thrift Shop...and as always found a few goodies.  I found a lovely cross-stitch pattern, 50 cents,  hand drawn on flexible canvas. I am, as you can see, happily filling it in with some pretty rainbow-variegated floss and plan on outlining it all in black to give it a stained glass look. It will be so pretty on my dresser. 

Pretty Wings

The most exciting thing though, was that this weekend, was Coco Bear and I's second anniversary. Even though I had to work, we still celebrated. He made his awesome Chicken Parmesan. I hate that he will have to wait until Thursday for his gift to arrive, but I know he will love it:) 

He says I'm hard to shop for ...