When it comes to buying gum I normally stick (no pun intended) with either the ridiculously long lasting Stride, or Orbit.  So when I was at the gas station yesterday I grabbed what I thought was a pack of Orbit Spearmint.  After taking my first bite, however, I realized that in my haste I hadn’t purchased my familiar Spearmint flavor.  Much to my chagrin I had latched on to yet another new flavor called ‘Mint Mojito’.  I don’t know about you, but all of these new quirky gum flavors flooding the market are starting to make me a little bit loony.

On to the gum…

“For A Good Clean Feeling, No Matter What^™“?  Really?

Wrigley is the owner of the Orbit brand.  I went to their website (boy do they have quite a few products!) and here is what they say about Orbit: “Orbit provides ‘a good clean feeling, no matter what,’ and is recognized by the American Dental Association as beneficial to oral health.”  Pretty standard stuff.  So during the first second of my first bite (yes that is how memorable it was, I remember the first second of the first bite), I cringed and scrunched my nose into what, for people who know me, is my notorious expression of disapproval.  Yuck!  Honestly…the various flavors that meld to give this gum its flavor make about as much sense as a peanut butter and fish oil sandwich.

Think of putting a lemon or a lime in your mouth with some sugar, and then brushing your teeth.  Or better yet, I’m sure you’ve experienced the less than delightful taste sensation that can only come from drinking orange juice immediately after brushing your teeth.  It’s just that, umm, good.   The initial lime taste wears off after about 5 minutes of chewing – and cringing – and chewing.  Once it does, the good news is, this stuff isn’t half bad!

Getting past that  initial taste though…ugh, I think I just threw up in my mouth.  With flavors reminiscent of toothpaste and lime, it’s no wonder the product is labeled “American Dental Association Approved.”  Does Wrigley not have product testers?  Did somebody at Wrigley get punked?  Did I?

So would I buy this gum again?  Only as a prank, or a gag gift.  Actually that’s a good idea.  I’m going to use the rest of my pack to torment friends and co-workers alike.  Making other people try it is about the only way to share the misery, thus making myself feel a little bit better.  Yes, it’s a slow day at the office.  Except for the gag factor (pun intended this time), I would stay far, far away from this particular flavor of Oribit.  Spearmint fans be careful!  Orbit has designed the packaging of Mint Mojito to be remarkably similar to their Spearmint flavor.

See the packs side by side:

Orbit gum is available at a grocery store, convenience store, or gas station near you.

In the world of flatirons there are a few brands that never seem to disappoint.  CHI is one of those brands.  While their products are definitely at the higher end of the flat iron price range, if you are a person who religiously straightens their hair, then it pays to spend a bit more money on a quality iron.  In this industry, word of mouth is huge.

My First CHI…

A few years back, when I was just starting to use an iron on my hair, I purchased a Bion flat iron.  I figured that at $200 it had to be good.  It was even more expensive than the CHI!  So I got it, and tried it, and used it for a year or two.  In college I had a roommate from NYC was was a really city girl.  She was always trying out the latest and greatest new thing.

She told me that her hairstylists always used the CHI flat irons, and that her other friends swore by it.  When she finally broke down and bought one, it meant that I would have my first chance to try CHI for myself. One evening before a Sex And The City-ish night out in her hometown, I put her CHI to the test with my hair.  The difference in my hair was unbelievable!  Unlike the results I was accustomed to with my own, more expensive iron, I didn’t see the dried ends, or the raggedy looking straightened hair that I’d come to think of as normal.  My hair felt like it was able to hold much more of it’s own moisture in…thus making it look much healthier and more natural.

I was so happy with the results that when I got home, I shelled out another $200 for one of my own.  After about 1 month of regular use, my hair looked shinier and healthier than it ever had with my previous iron.  The CHI flat iron was clearly much less damaging to my hair.  Don’t get me wrong though…you put hair under a high heat like this (the iron gets up to 356° Farenheit!) , your going to have some damage.  I don’t care how some of these irons say that they will make your hair MORE healthy…frequently applying heat to your hair and styling it is not going to make it healthier….period.

Let me give you a rundown on my type of hair.  I have blond curly hair (really curly…like the bane of my adolescence, Shirley Temple jokes, curly).  I actually had a guy try and pick me up at a Starbuck’s with the line, “Is that your real hair?”. It’s thick, but very fine and fragile.  Loooooooooots of whispy baby hairs.  My hair stylist

has told me not to use a  flat iron on it more than twice a week, but I cheat sometimes.  Okay, a lot of times.  Thankfully, my CHI lets cheat without consequence.  I take care to put lots of product in my hair before I flat iron it (CHI’s Shine Infusion Oil works really well, as does Lanza’s Neem Plant Silk Serum and Redken’s Align – I actually use different combinations of the three all the time).  That way if it does get too hot it fries the product and not my hair.

Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty

Now that I have shared with you what I like about the product, here are some specifics.

• The CHI Turbo comes in three different widths – 7/10″, 1″ and 2″.  I have the 1″.  It allows me to get close enough to my scalp to get the little baby hairs I have, but it also doesn’t take forever to do the rest of my hair.  They recommend the wider ones for people with longer hair.  (see the image above for a look at all three)

• I like the swivel cord on the flat iron as well (rotates 360° at the base so that it doesn’t get all caught up and twisted).

• The CHI Turbo line has red felt material wrapped around the outside of the heated plates.  This is supposed to  to keep the outside of the iron from getting too hot in your hands.  I honestly don’t notice the difference with or without the felt, but I do like that the texture of the felt keeps it from slipping off of my sink.

• This series of flat irons do not have the new Tourmaline plates, they are just ceramic.  However, I haven’t had a chance to use any of the irons with Tourmaline plates so I can’t vouch for the difference they make.

• Heat settings range from 170° – 356°.  The iron has a slider button on it for setting the temperature, as well as an on/off button for safety.

• Red LED indicator on the iron flashes continuously once the iron reaches the temperature that you have set it for.  This thing heats up quick too!  Much quicker than my old iron.  This is due to the Flash Heating technology that most modern irons have.

• 1 year limited warranty.

• Lastly…in the spirit of going Green and saving the world and being more energy efficient…the CHI Turbo only uses 20-25 Watts of electricity and runs at 110 Volts.  Many other irons run at as much as 200 Watts.

Can’t Buy Me Love?

The CHI turbo may seem little pricey, but when you compare it to some of the other irons out there (remember the Bion I was telling you about that I had paid $200 for?) it’s right on par.  Unless you have hair like Seabiscuit; the kind that can withstand anything, take my advice and don’t go with one of those Hot Tools $40 flat irons.  You will be sorry and may end up looking like you stuck your finger in a light socket.  Now that’s hot!

Overall Grade: A-

While you can’t buy this iron directly from CHI(or Qwowi for that matter), you can get the 1″ iron from Folica.com for $104.95 with free shipping (it retails for $195).  I love Folica.com and personally use it for all of my flat irons. Many of my friends buy from Folica.com as well.  The price is always low, and the quality of the product is never compromised.  I have never been disappointed.

Zappos gets rid of that!  The only frustration I had with their site was having TOO MUCH to chose from.  It took me a long time to warm up to the idea of buying shoes online.  I had tried buying shoes online  a few times in the past and it always resulted in the wrong size shoe or worse;  footwear that looked really good in the virtual reality of my  computer screen looked hideous in the actual reality of my living room .  When  the day came when I was looking for a pair of winter boots, however, I decided to browse through Zappos website.  At a minimum they offer more of a boot selection than any store, department or otherwise, where I live.

When I found the perfect pair of boots (and it didn’t take long), I clicked…I ordered.  Seriously, it was that simple.  First of all, and much to my surprise, they immediately upgraded my shipping to next day air.  I thought maybe I was being offered this as an introductory thing because I was a new customer, but that wasn’t the case.  Turns out that your order almost always gets upgraded to next day air.  When that doesn’t happen, the order still comes in about 2 business days.  Zappos apparently understands that we girls don’t like to wait for our new shoes, and so they do a remarkable job of making sure we don’t have to.  Awesome.

So I got my boots the next day.  Unfortunately they were way too snug – think fat guy in a little coat, but …but leave it to Zappos to make the swap easy…you can register your return right on their site and print out a UPS return label in an instant.  Of course, Zappos covers shipping both ways, so you don’t have to pay a wrong-size penalty in the form of return shipping charges.  So I sent the first pair back and ordered the next size up.  Here is where the only minor, and I mean minor, annoyance comes in.

After placing my re-order, I realized that it was probably better if I try a 1/2 size up rather than making the leap to a full size.  When I attempted to cancel my order, I couldn’t just click on a cancel button.  On most sites this is an option that’s readily available when you have just placed an order.  Instead I had to login to a webchat thing and ask a rep to cancel it.  I would have preferred just being able to send an email or click on cancel, but perhaps that’s just me.

Regardless, once I made the request the order was immediately canceled.  I was then able to  place my order for the 1/2 size larger (yes, a full size up from where I started I know).  This time I had ordered them over a holiday weekend so it took me a bit longer to receive the package.  When all was said and done,  I had ordered three pairs of boots, and I returned each and every pair.  So even though I wasn’t able to find that perfect boot, I still recommend Zappos.  The customer service is extremely responsive and thorough.  Their return policy (free free free – need I say more?) is wonderful.  And the selection/price combination is out of this world.  I guess I don’t have to say that it was ultra convenient.

This online mega store is definitely a must for all of your footwear and accessory needs.  You literally have not one thing to lose by trying them out…except maybe your boyfriend after all of your Zappos orders start creeping into his side of the closet:).  The prices are so amazing, and if you know exactly what you are looking for then you can bet that you will find it cheaper on this site.  Take a gander and let us know what you think! www.zappos.com

The Description:

Smooth and sweet, full-bodied with nutty overtones.

The Aroma:

Gloria Jean’s Oolong has a fairly strong aroma.  Whether it smelled like “Oolong” or not?  I couldn’t tell you because I have no idea what the heck Oolong is supposed to smell like!

Drinking it Straight:

If you’re an avid drinker of tea, then chances are that you drink your Tea black so that you can get really enjoy the full flavor.  I must say that there really wasn’t much of a unique flavor to this Gloria Jean’s Oolong, which is what I look for.  To me, it tasted like English Breakfast, but less sweet and with a tinge of something else that I couldn’t wrap my tongue around.  Given a choice, I’d would stick with English Breakfast and bypass the tinge.

The Tea was not of bad quality. Considering it’s Tea that comes in a tiny plastic container – I really was surprised.  I didn’t notice any plasticy taste or anything like that. So if you’re at all concerned about the fact that it’s tea in a K-Cup, don’t be; because it doesn’t effect the taste.

With Splenda:

Now that did the trick.  This Tea claims to be sweet on its own, but I really didn’t really feel the sweet when I drank it straight.  The 1 Splenda packet I stirred in made this Tea come alive for me.  I don’t think I would drink it again without the Splenda.  It really enhanced the flavors, and that odd tinge of “something” that I tasted when drinking it straight was much more pronounced.  It went from a tinge, to a good flavor; albeit one I still couldn’t identify. Could it be Oolong?

Final Thoughts:

Gloria Jean’s Oolong wouldn’t be my first choice, but I could see it being a good standby flavor when your favorites aren’t readily available.  If you like English Breakfast, then you should give Gloria Jean’s Oolong Tea a try.  I personally can’t wait to check out some of the more delicate herbal flavors that Gloria Jean’s produces to see how their flavors stack up.

Shameless Plug

Our sample of Gloria Jean’s Oolong (one of several varieties the company has recently discontinued) was provided by our friends at Shoffee.com.  If you have any interest at all in sampling Gloria Jean’s Oolong (or Passion Fruit, or White Tea), I suggest you get your virtual backside over to Shoffee.com and order a box.  As I said, they’ve been discontinued, so when they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

I fee like I’ve said it a million times, but in case you’ve missed it…  Shoffee.com has an outstanding selection of coffee and teas for your Keurig Brewer.  Don’t have a Keurig Brewer?  That’s fine, Shoffee’s got those too.  In addition to the main site, which now offers the opportunity to review all the products Shoffee.com sells (I’m not going to hold the competition against them), you’ll probably want to check out Shoffee’s CupOfTheWeek for outstanding deals on K-cups by the boxful (how else do they come?).

While you’re here at Qwowi.com, check out our growing list of reviews that make up the K-Cup Challenge.

Normally my grocery shopping occurs on my way home from the gym.  It’s a great plan really, because after the gym who wants to ruin all that hard work by purchasing junk food?  Wellllllll…sometimes I do.  On a recent trip to my local Price Chopper, I had made it as far as the checkout lane without grabbing any snacks, when I saw it…

Odwalla's "Berries GoMega" Bar

So What’s In This Thing Anyways?

It’s really a great marketing move.  As our world becomes more globally and health conscience, when people want something sweet they don’t want to sacrifice nutrition by settling for junk food.  So during that last minute temptation at the grocery store checkout, when faced with the option between a healthy snack or a few ounces of sugar and tablespoon of self-loathing, I went with the healthy snack.  Was it actually healthy though?  The Odwalla Berries GoMega Bar certainly looks healthy, but let’s see what the nutritional info reveals.

Brown Rise Syrup, Ground Golden Flax, Organic Rolled Oats, Dried Sweetened Cranberries (Apple Juice Concentrate, Cranberries, Sunflower Oil), Date Puree, Organic Oat Flour, Fig Puree, Whole Dried Sweetened Blueberries (Apple Juice Concentrate, Whole Dried Blueberries And Sunflower Oil), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Soy Butter (Organic Soybeans, Organic Soy Oil, Sea Salt), Plum Puree, Oat Bran, Raisins, Less than 2% of: Natural Flavors, Calcium Carbonate, Soy Lecithin, Dried Strawberries, Dried Raspberries, Salt, Baking Soda, Beta Carotene, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate) and Folic Acid.

21% ORGANIC INGREDIENTS

The Taste Test

So it wasn’t quite as healthy as I had originally thought, but that doesn’t mean that it was unhealthy!  Especially considering that it’s marketed by Odwalla as a meal replacement, and not just as a snack.  Rounding out at 220 Calories, with only 45 coming from fat, I didn’t feel bad about eating this as a substitute for dessert (because let’s face it…220 calories is only a meal at Naomi Campbell’s house)!

Everyone knows that those “good for you” bars often taste like cardboard, so how did this one fare?  Not bad I must say.  No, it doesn’t taste like candy, but Odwalla does have other varieties of the Bar to satisfy different palates: Banana Nut Bar, Choco-walla Bar, and the Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bar.

The Berries GoMega Bar was pretty heavy, I almost could have just eaten half of one and been full.  I was hoping that the berries and fruits would be more prevalent in the overall flavor, but they were not.  The grains definitely came through in the taste, as well as a type of honey flavoring (which must have been the brown rise syrup).  Also, my hands got a little sticky, which made it a bit of a challenge to eat while I was driving.

I would purchase this Bar again.  It filled me up more than I thought it would, and when compared to the other healthy food bars out there (which is really what it was, despite the candy marketing) it’s pretty good.  The Odwalla Berries GoMega Bar definitely did the trick for me, and it didn’t contain an obscene amount of calories.  Needless to say, I did not feel guilty about eating it.  I can’t wait to check out the other varieties of this Food Bar.  They also make juices and smoothies that you can find in most grocery stores.  Try their Superfoods line of products for a Green way to get your days servings of veggies and fruits too!

OVERALL GRADE: B+

OVERALL RATING: C+

When it comes to doing my dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, I have always been a die hard Palmolive fan.  The other day in the store I got frustrated when there were no more of the tiny sink top Palmolive containers that I like to use (I dread lugging huge heavy bottles up to my apartment).  This prompted me to pick up a Clorox bottle with a design that I had not seen before.  The price was right…it was cheap.  It came in 5 different scents: Original, Water Lily, Tangerine, Free & Clear, and Simply Lemon.  I chose Water Lily, which had a nice light smell that you could tell was not just there to cover up the chemical smell.

I was a little hesitant when I grabbed this product.  Every time I try one of these new “Green” products, it never seems able to hold a candle to my “Non-Green” old school products.  But come on…this was CLOROX!  If Clorox isn’t clean, then what is?  So I went for it.  Now for the real test.  Will it be able to stand up to my greasy pots and pans?

What classifies this stuff as “Green”…

Some products claim to be “Green”, but when you read the label closely you will see that they are about 50% Green – meaning that 50% of their product is biodegradable.  That wasn’t the case with Clorox’s Green Works line.  After researching the new products on their website, I was surprised to have found each product they advertise as being Green was actually that!  In fact, 99% of each of their products in this new line (which range from toilet bowl cleanser to glass cleaner) are biodegradable and natural. Also, they do not endorse animal testing and they use recycled materials to package their products.

Here are the ingredients for the dish washing detergent: fragrance with essential oils, blue and yellow colorant, filtered water, corn-based ethanol, bio-degradable preservative, citric acid, and coconut-based cleaning agents (anionic and nonionic surfactants: alkyl polyglucoside, sodium lauryl sulfate and cocodimethyl amine oxide).  Whew!  Now that’s a mouthful.  Basically…the coconut cleans:)  Now that we got past the ingredients, let’s move on to the real question – how well does it actually clean?

Here’s what I found…

I was NOT blown away by the cleaning capabilities of this product.  My dishes have to soak longer, sometimes (but not too frequently) I need to rewash things, I always have to scrub everything, and it does not work as well when wiping up my counter tops.  This Green Works dish washing cleaner just does not work well enough on grease for me.  I feel like a film is left on all of my pots.  I also have to use a lot more to get anywhere near the same effect of my Palmolive.

The fact that it is less expensive than the leading cleaners is nice, and it is gentle on my hands.  Another plus is that I feel good about using a product that is natural, especially with the new addition to my apartment (the four legged meowing kind) that runs all over the place.  I am not sure if the promise of being “Green” can make me buy this product again though.

And that’s the question – Will I purchase this product again?  Possibly.  It really depends on the price of my normal “go to” brands.  If I can save a dollar by using this product, and save my hands in the meantime, then I don’t mind scrubbing a little extra.  But if there is no price difference, then there is really no incentive for me to go Green with Clorox.  As for now, Clorox is winning the race by a hair by being cheaper than the other leading brands like Palmolive.

I wasn’t born with those full, long, curly eyelashes (unlike my college roommate who looked like she had eyelash implants, and could get out of anything with a bat of her eyes).  So I tend to look for mascaras that lengthen and separate and don’t get all clumpy and gooey.  The reviews on the Too Faced Lash Injection Pinpoint Mascara claimed that this new product rivaled Dior’s infamous mascara line.  While I have never owned any Dior mascara (I know I know, shoot me) I have tried it, and I certainly have read about it, and had tons of friends that swear by it.  So when I heard the comparison, I decided to try the Too Faced product.  Here we go…

Eyes

LASH INJECTION PINPOINT MASCARA: B+

So far I am very happy with the product and it is my new “all the time” mascara.  I got it in black, but it comes in brown as well.  It wasn’t as great as I was hoping for though (I have high expectations), and I am beginning to believe that short of getting lash extensions, no product is ever going to give me the quick and easy perfect lashes that I long for.

The mascara is not alcohol based, unlike most of its competitors, which makes it a lot healthier for your lashes (especially if you are using one of those wonderful heated eyelash curlers).  As soon as I removed the wand from the tube, I could see a difference.  The applicator is small enough so I can coat my lashes from base to tip without any problem.  It can also grab onto those little baby lashes some of us have and make them look longer.   The short bristles on the applicator, combined with the tight lip inside the bottle that squeegees any excess off the wand, make it very user friendly.  I had been using Kiss Me mascara and some Covergirl product.  I got the Covergirl mascara because of the brush (the new silicone ones), but I found that after awhile it would get clumped up.  The Too Faced brush is a step above the new silicone applicators that many mainstream companies are touting.  The brush wins it for me.

The ink.  I like it.  Some people reported flaking, and I do notice ,that after a long day, it will flake a little bit, but a lot of the newer mascaras that are healthier for your eyelashes do.  Many companies have stopped using Alcohol as an ingredient in their mascara because it is damaging and drying to the lashes.  Now we have these new mascaras that form “tubes” around the lashes, and they tend to rub off easily.

I can deal with the occasional black speck if I accidentally rub my eyes.  The ink is much more fluid than other lines I have used.  It is a bit thicker than the Kiss Me mascaras I had used in the past (which is a good thing because they were a bit TOO thin and required several applications), but thin enough where I am not worried about big clumps coming out on the brush all of the time.  I still get the occasional clump on my eyelashes but the wand is so small that it easily removes any “oopsie”

All things considered, I like it.  I think 55% of the value is in the bottle and applicator, and the other 45% is in the ink.

BAKED EYESHADOW: A

I have been using my new Too Faced products for about a month now, and I have to say that the Baked Eyeshadow is my fave hands down.  This product pleasantly surprised me, as I wasn’t really expecting anything better than the Chanel eye shadows I have always used.  I have the eyeshadow in Magenta Moon, which is made up of magenta and brown swirls.  What is cool about this stuff is that you can use just the Magenta for a funky look, just the brown for a more earthy look, or combine them for a glamorous smoky eye.

Not only will this product last forever, but the color is just as vibrant on your lid as it is in the jar (which is pretty cool looking itself).  I definitely recommend this product to anyone looking to get some new eyeshadows.  I have never used a baked shadow before, but this one has me sold.  At  only $19.50 a pop, I will be getting this in some more colors…and soon.

Lips

LIP OF LUXURY: B

Now I am not a huge fan of lipstick.  I do lip liners, glosses, gels, etc…  But lipsticks have always been too drying for my lips.  Too Faced’s Lip of Luxury lipstick line was not too different.  It caused my lips to become dry and parched after a short time.  Even immediately after application I felt like I needed something else on top that was smoother.  So why do I give this product a B?

Well to be fair, out of all of the lipsticks I have used over the years, this one was not bad, it just wasn’t great.  I think that it would have gotten a lower score had it not been for the color.  I tried it in Pink Flamingo, which is fairly unique shaded as pinks go.  It really isn’t as overpowering as the name suggests.  Pair it with a gloss over top and the shade is quite perfect…and again…funky and fresh.  It even has a light bubblegum scent to it!

MIRROR MIRROR LIP GLOSS: A-

As a woman with over 5 lip glosses in her bag at any given moment, I feel like I am pretty well versed in this category.  I tried the gloss in Envy Me, and it gave great light and sheer coverage.  The color of the gloss was so sheer, that you could really use it over almost any color lipstick to create a whole different look.  This product also has a nice fresh scent to it that is in no way overpowering.

If you do not like lip glosses that are very fluid, then you probably won’t like this one.  If you are looking for something with a lot of color to it, this isn’t it.  If you ARE looking for something light and fresh and versatile, then I would grab one of these.  I wouldn’t mind trying this one in a Nude to get that great shiny bare looking lip that is so “in” right now.

Overall, I think that the Too Faced line is young, hip, full of unique colors and qualities that make the brand fun to own and even more fun to wear!  The presentation of their products, along with the color, and even the scent (come on now…scented mascara?  I totally did not expect it – it takes away the blah smell of lipstick and powders!) leaves me wanting something more from my products from other lines.

Too Faced gets an B++ from me!  For the older woman trying to add some spice to their day to day makeup routine, or for the younger woman experimenting with new colors, this is a line for all.  And be sure not to miss their winter line that just came out.  You can check it out here: http://www.toofaced.com/launchPad.asp

I have used a great variety of cleansers over the years – well, since I became a teenager and got blessed with fluctuating hormones.  I was never one to have crazy breakouts, and my friends were constantly reminding me of how lucky I was.  Eventually though, I did start getting minor blemishes here and there.  What bugged me the most though (and continues to) were- you guessed it – black heads!  Yuck! (Am I sounding like a cheesy Clearasil commercial yet?)

The last product I was using before I switched to Dermalogica was a Murad foaming cleanser that my esthetician recommended.  It was “OK”, but not good enough to get me to buy another bottle.  New esthetician means new cleanser, and Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel hit the spot.

I am the kind of person that has to wash my face in the morning and at night, and this product was light enough to allow you to do that.  It also never dried my skin out (even during the winter).  Here is what Dermalogica has to say about the product:

A soap-free, foaming gel designed to thoroughly remove impurities without disturbing the skin’s natural moisture balance. Calming Balm Mint and Lavender extracts soothe the skin, while natural Quillaja Saponaria gently foams away toxins and deep-cleanses debris. Contains no artificial fragrance or color.

The verdict?  I am a believer.  I use this product religiously.  In fact, I recently attempted to try something new (don’t ask me why, maybe I was just bored with looking at the same bottle every morning), and it was a BIG MISTAKE.  Within a week it was breakout city.  I humbly went back to my Dermalogica and a couple of days later I was completely clear.  Use it alone or with other products.

This product gets an A from me (I am reserving the A+ for the miracle product in my imagination – because hey, you never know).

Try it with Dermalogica’s Precleanse for an even more thorough wash.  You can get this as a sample with some of the larger bottles of the Special Cleansing Gel.  It’s a lemony smelling oil-based cleanser that they tout as being “the professional’s deep cleaning weapon.“  You put it on before using the Special Cleansing Gel to melt through oil and oil-based toxins that have accumulated on your skin throughout the day.

Qwowi recommends drugstore.com where shipping is free on orders of $25 or more.

Special Cleansing Gel (8.4 oz)

Special Cleansing Gel (16.9 oz)

I recently had the opportunity to try a variety of skincare products from up and coming the company, Verikira Naturals.  As the name implies, all products they distribute are 100% natural.  The line was created by a woman who had been diagnosed with a complex muscle illness.  In her search for a healthier lifestyle, she developed Verikira Naturals.

Since I was a child I have had dry skin, I am very fair and “me + over perfumed lotions” is not an equation that mixes.  When I read some of the rave reviews on this new line, I had to try it to see if the hype was true!  When it comes to skincare products, I am not an easy win for any brand.  I use a menagerie of products that I stand behind fairly firmly.  It follows that when I try something and like it, especially with all of the products flooding the market nowadays, it is a rare occurrence.

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty behind the Verikira Naturals line, and start with some product reviews.

And the winners are…

Spicy Citrus Walnut Body Scrub

What they claim

As you gently exfoliate with fine crushed walnut shells, the Scrub foams and cleanses. Excellent for all skin types. This body scrub is made with Organic Lavender Hydrosol to soothe skin irritations and help inhibit inflammation; Organic Jojoba which contains protein, minerals, and a waxy substance that mimics collagen and our human sebum (the natural coating our body produces to protect the skin and keep it supple); and Organic Aloe to help improve hydration. This scrub is soothing and healing to all skin types. Scented with Essential Oils of Lemon, Lime, and Ginger for a refreshing experience.

What I found

Absolutely my favorite Verikira Naturals product.  Ladies – we all know how hard it is to find a good body scrub.  One that doesn’’t leave your skin too greasy.  One with a fine, smooth grit.  One that goes a long way in terms of application, and lasts forever.  One that does not have an overpowering smell.  Well, this is it!  The grit seems to be made from the finest sand you could ever set foot on; it feels so luxurious.

You may be saying to yourself that “at $38 a jar it better feel luxurious” but, trust me ladies, this product is well worth the cost.  The aroma alone made me feel so relaxed; …like I was at a spa.  It’’s all natural too!  No chemicals!  I can even shave my legs before I use it and get NO stinging.

As far as body scrubs go, this one has far surpassed any others I have tried.  I used it in combination with their Spicy Citrus Herbal Body Lotion (see below), and my dry irritated skin was soft, smooth, and irritation free after only a couple of days!

Spicy Citrus Herbal Body Lotion – Paraben Free

What they claim

Great for all skin types. 87% Organic content consists of herbal extracts such as Organic Green Tea, which contains compounds that have an antioxidant effect; Blue Green Algae to help skin store moisture and improve elasticity; Organic Nettle Leaf, rich in minerals and plant hormones to help stimulate the skin and improve circulation; Organic Chickweed useful against skin irritations and inflammation; Organic Slippery Elm, which is emollient and has a slight astringent property; and several others that aid, soothe, and refresh the skin. Scented with Essential Oils of Lemon, Lime, and Ginger for a refreshing experience.

What I found

This was the first product I tried from Verikira.  The consistency is unlike any moisturizer I have used before.  As opposed to a normal lotion, this was very runny.  It definitely made me question its ability to moisturize.  What I found though, was that it felt more oil based than normal moisturizers. Not greasy, just lighter.  It was as though they had cut out all of the junk additives that other moisturizers use, and just kept the good stuff.

While some people were overpowered with the smell (it does have quite a strong lemon smell; as one person across the room from me put it,  “Why do I smell lemon joy?””), it definitely dissipates a minute or two after you apply it.  It continues to amaze me that these products can be as fragrant as they are and do not irritate my skin!  The company gets a major Bravo from me for that alone.

Once I got used to the unique consistency, my indifference became an affinity for this moisturizer.  Potential cons are– the strength of the fragrance (to some) and the quantity, which does not seem like it will last too long for anyone who uses moisturizer on more than just their hands.  I recommend using this after you have showered using the Spicy Walnut Body Scrub.  The combined effect trumps the results of using either one on its own.

Vitamin C Toner

What they claim

The antioxidant levels of this toner bring an ideal balance to a skincare regime. Great for all skin types. Blended with Essential Oils of Bergamot, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Mandarin, Tangerine, Litsea, and Neroli to help fight against aging.

What I found

Growing up, my mother always instructed me to shy away from toners.  She thought they were a waste of money and didn’’t do anything.  I’ve tried a few in my time (Chanel, Estee Lauder, Clinique, etc…) and came to the conclusion that the burden of adding yet another product to my routine outweighed any advantages that could come from using it. I immediately felt different with this Vitamin C Toner though.  I have used it as recommended (after the Verikira Green Clay Face Cleanser), as well as with some other cleansers that I have.

My conclusion is that it works well with anything and is a great standalone product.  This toner visibly reduced the size of my pores (the older we get the larger they seem to get right?) and made my skin feel very firm.  I use this product about twice a day now, because I just love the way it makes me skin look and feel.  Of course, the fact that I know any tingling isn’’t due to chemicals helps too.

The Runner-ups…

Lip Smoother & Plumper Lip Balm

What they claim

DMAE, combined with antioxidants (Ascorbyl Palmitate and Vitamin E), can help with thin or aging skin around the lips. This compound can plump up the lips to make them look fuller. Antioxidants are believed to remove the free radicals that have been associated with skin cancer and premature skin aging due to sun exposure.

What I found

I’m always willing to try a new lip balm, especially one that claims to plump!  This product goes on very smooth and feels silky on my lips.  It also doesn’’t have that tingly feeling that many other lip plumping concoctions do.  Unfortunately, like most other lip plumping concoctions, this Lip Smoother & Plumper Lip Balm didn’’t do much plumping!

I also found that it’s one of those lip balms that you have to reapply very frequently, or else your lips feel dry.  I do continue to use it, because I love the way it feels and the scent of it after I first put it on.

If you are looking to try something new that offers a smoothing effect, give this a whirl.  At $7.00 a pop, what do you have to lose?

Green Clay Face Cleanser

What they claim

Vitamin C Esters, Vitamin E, and Green Clay create a synergetic blend that helps fight off the assault your skin encounters on a daily basis from free radicals.

This cleanser is made with French Green Clay derived from volcanic deposits, which is the richest in mineral compositions and the most drawing of all clays. It has a high mineral content, rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium.

This cleanser will gently, yet effectively stimulate and increase the lymph flow and circulation; enabling oxygen and speeding the elimination of wastes. Blended with Essential Oils of Bergamot, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Mandarin, Tangerine, Litsea and Neroli to help guard against aging.

What I found

So, at first I really liked this product.  Using something totally natural to cleanse my skin made me feel good.  That, of course, doesn’t really have anything to do with the effectiveness of the Green Clay Face Cleanser.  So before I made any definitive conclusions, I needed to use it for 2 weeks.

At the end of the two week period, I had a few breakouts, and was not too happy with the way my skin was looking.  Was 2 weeks a long enough trial period?  Maybe not, but I think we can all agree that when you start seeing breakouts on your face after trying a new product, the last thing you are going to do is keep using that product.  I discontinued use of the Green Clay Face Cleanser and went back to my Dermalogica product.  My skin cleared right up, and felt a lot less oily.  Everyone’’s skin is different, so while this product did not work for me, it may work quite well for others.

Would I recommend Verikira Naturals?  Sure.  I am definitely interested in trying some of their other products. If I had to choose only item from their line though, it would without a doubt be the Spicy Citrus Walnut Body Scrub. This is a must, so go out and buy it so you can fully appreciate what it is I am talking about.

I am guessing that their Aromatherapy line, which includes Reed Diffusers and Soy Candles, is pretty fantastic as well, given the amazing scents of some of the products I have tried!

With Verikira you can always be certain that you are getting a product of the best quality; whether it is the right one for you or not.  And if it’s not the right one, then share it with a friend!  They will be coming out of the woodwork.