Mrs. Meyer’s Bodywash: Garden-inspired cleansers I love!

Many of you know that I am a bit of a “garden fanatic”, always looking for new herbs, flowers, and veggies to plant in our garden at the Elkhorn Inn, and thanks to being a member of Crowdtap, I recently had the opportunity to sample (and now review) a great garden-inspired product:  Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Honeysuckle Body Wash! http://www.mrsmeyers.com/honeysuckle-body-wash/ I have to say that I am Very glad I got to try it, because I’ve now found a new product- and a new line of products- that I really love and will be buying more of! The natural, garden-inspired fragrance of the Bodywash is really delicious- naturally sweet honeysuckle, not cloying or chemical-smelling, and I love the way it leaves my skin feeling:  smooth, silky, and really clean! I use it in the bath, as well as the shower, because while I find a shower invigorating, at night I really love to soak in a hot, fragrant tub before I go to bed to really relax myself! And I've found that Mrs. Meyer’s Honeysuckle Body Wash is a lovely way to do just that, and go to bed clean and fragrant!

Mrs Meyers Bodywash on my tub...

 Another great plus, is that Mrs. Meyer’s Bodywashes are really inexpensive- a big 16 oz. bottle is only $7.99! (They also have a really good coupon on the website right now:  http://www.mrsmeyers.com/) I do wish that a store in our area (southern West Virginia or Bluefield Virginia), such as Walmart, carried Mrs. Meyer’s products, but as they don’t, we’ll be ordering online…) The Honeysuckle Bodywash contains Aloe Vera Gel, which softens the skin, and a unique blend of essential oils, including flax-seed oil.  It makes a delicate foam that really rinses clean, and leaves my skin smooth and soft.  And it’s been terminologically-tested to be gentle on the skin, as well.

How it arrived from Crowdtap!

Mrs. Meyer’s products are made with essential oils and are truly garden-inspired, and as I am BIG into gardening and love natural scents (who wouldn’t?!), for me this is a major plus!  They have a lot of great garden-inspired cleaning products, such as household cleaners, laundry products, and air fresheners, as well as body and hand care products, and now that I have experienced the lovely scent of the Honeysuckle Body Wash I want to try them all! Check out this list of the natural scents of their cleaning products : Basil, Lavender, Lemon Verbena, Geranium, Sunflower, Rosemary, Bluebell, Radish Honeysuckle, Apple, Watermelon, Parsley, Rhubarb, Baby Blossom, Peony, and Lilac! Don’t these sound wonderful? They’re definitely not the “run of the mill” or chemicals scents you usually find in cleansers and cleaning products! Top of my list to try are Basil, Sunflower, Radish, Watermelon, and Parsley! Check out their webpage here for info on all their different scents: http://www.mrsmeyers.com/scent/

Mrs Meyer’s products are made with essential oils from flowers and herbs- which I love (I even have an essential oil diffuser on my desk next to my computer!), and so they not only smell nice, they really work hard, and are great cleaners! Other very good things are that Mrs. Meyer’s products are “earth-friendly”, not tested on animals, and their products don’t have chlorine bleach, ammonia, petroleum distillates, parabens, phosphates or phthalates. Yay!

Another thing I love about Mrs. Meyer’s, is Thelma Meyer herself! She is the inspiration behind the products: a down-to earth Iowa homemaker and a real, live person! I like her philosophy of being “perfectly imperfect”-  I guess because heaven knows I’m imperfect! LOL  As she says: cleaning is something that just has to get done, so if you can make cleaning more pleasant, why wouldn't you? My sentiments, exactly!

The Mrs. Meyer’s website is really neat, too, because it doesn’t just advertise their products; they have a great “DIY” page with a lot of nifty craft ideas:  http://www.mrsmeyers.com/do-it-yourself-projects/

I also follow their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrsmeyerscleanday/  and Pinterest page, as both have lots of neat ideas, too: https://www.pinterest.com/mrsmeyersclean/

One of the great things Mrs. Meyer’s does is sponsor “green” projects, and this year they are sponsoring events on Plant Something Day, May 19. In Chicago, Illinois and Austin, Texas they will be planting and gardening with the American Community Gardening Association, and online they will be donating $5 for each MrsMeyers.com order between May 15^th  and June 5^th to the ACGA, up to $10,500- AND each order will also come with a little something to help you get your own garden growing- while supplies last, so hurry up and order! How cool is that?! We will Definitely be planting something on Plant Something Day at the Elkhorn Inn- probably our Sunflower Meadow, as well as herbs and veggies! Will you be taking part, too? Did Mrs. Meyer's inspire you to do something "green"? Tell me in the comments! http://www.mrsmeyers.com/our-story/garden-inspired-giving/

Hot pepper plants for the garden!

Our Sunflower Meadow across from the Elkhorn Inn

 

I'm a #CoolAger! Thanks, Philosophy, for pointing that out!

Thanks to being a Crowdtapper- a member of Crowdtap- I recently had the opportunity to try Philosophy's "uplifting miracle worker moisturizer"- their "cool-lift & firm moisturizer for face & neck". 

I'm a #CoolAger, all right!

At 57 (I'm a #Boomer born in 1959), I Do like to think of myself as a #CoolAger - one who at least tries not to let anything stop her, and for whom age is only a number! My mom is THE ULTIMATE #CoolAger- at 94, and a WWII US Army #Veteran, she is a 165 avg. bowler and a Great golfer (see photos below), as well as a professional artist- and a 20-year breast #cancer survivor/thriver! She has been my Cool Aging Inspiration for many, many years- my whole life, actually- and as a result, I have a lot to live up to in the Cool Aging Department! LOL

My belief is that being able to be a #CoolAger, and to keep doing the things you love and want to do, depends a lot on genes- and I'm counting on having my mother's! But it is also an attitude, and a determination not to "let the turkeys get you down", as the expression goes! I HATE when people advise others not to do the things they love and want to do because of their age! As long as you want to and enjoy doing the "crazy" things you've always loved to do, keep doing them!! For me, being a #CoolAger is also doing what ever I can to make myself both look and feel good, and as youthful as possible. No, barring a miracle, I'm not gonna look 35 again (dang! LOL), but I can strive to look as good as possible. Living now in Extremely Rural West Virginia (as opposed to NYC, where I'm from and lived for many years), means I don't have access to monthly facials and spas and shopping, and such, so I really have to do it all myself! I don't wear makeup every day now, either, so it's important to me that my skin look as good as it possibly can without makeup. I do a lot of research on natural medicine, which I rely upon for my health, and I take Ayurveda (Indian) herbs every day as they really do make a difference in how I look and feel. And as an Official Anti-Aging Beauty Product Junkie, I am Always looking for the newest, best, and most 'cutting edge' anti-aging beauty products to hold back the hands of time (at least visually LOL), and so I was really excited to try Philosophy's "uplifting miracle worker moisturizer", as it promises, in only 4 weeks, to make one's skin feel more firm with a better bounce, with one's facial contours appearing more sculpted, youthful and defined. In 8 weeks, 75% of the women who sampled it showed a clinical improvement in skin firmness, radiance, and texture! That is pretty darn impressive!

I've used a number of Philosophy products in the past and have always been pleased with them, and I was pleased with this one, too! (Thank you, Crowdtap!)

I really like the way the uplifting miracle worker moisturizer feels when I apply it- it's cool and lightly firming. You can see from the photo of me applying it, that my skin has a nice, smooth sheen to it. It's absorbed quickly into my skin, my face does feel soft and hydrated all day, I've experienced no breakouts or other issues, and my makeup goes on smoothly on top of it. It is a great moisturizer! To be honest, however, I was, frankly, expecting more... more visible anti-aging results, faster, I guess, especially as it's $65 and not an inexpensive product... I am using it on my face, neck, and decollete, twice a day, and I am going to continue using it to see if I get more "lifting" and "firming" results over time. Philosophy does suggest that for best results it should be used together with their "uplifting miracle worker instant-effect cool-lift & tightening moisturizer booster", which supposedly provides "instant results"...  and I want to try that, along with this moisturizer... Not cheap, but heck- I AM worth it! :-)  

My 94 year old mom- #CoolAger Extraordinaire!

My 94 year old mom playing golf last month...

As you can see, I received the full-size product to try from Crowdtap, which was great, because to see results with a product like this you really do have to give it a fair shot and some time to work- it's unfair to judge a product after only sampling it once or twice. I HEARTILY recommended joining Crowdtdap if you enjoy market research and giving your opinions on products- sometimes you get to try them, too!
SO: the bottom line is: YES, I really like Philosphy's uplifting miracle worker moisturizer, and the cool, firming feeling it gives, and the way my skin looks and feels after I've applied it, and YES, I'm going to keep using it! AND I'm going to lash out and buy the serum, too! :-)

Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer works for my Super dry skin!

Crowdtap sample of Curel Hydra Therapy Moisturizer

I have very dry skin, including "scaly" Psoriasis on my elbows and knees, which is why I was very excited when I was selected by Crowdtap to try Curel's HydraTherapy Wet Skin Moisturizer- and I was not disappointed! In Israel, at the Dead Sea, which clears Psoriasis in 30 days, we'd rub baby oil into our skin under the showers to keep our skin moisturized, and so I am familiar with the concept of wet-skin moisturizing, but Curel's moisturizer is SO much better than greasy baby oil! It's not greasy (like baby oil), and it's absorbed readily into my wet skin. It keeps my skin moisturized, soft, and smooth, and doesn't make me itch like so many other moisturizers I have tried! And I am going to keep using it!

As you can see from the photos, my arms and hands and elbows (as well as my knees) are now all nice and smooth! No redness, no flaky, dry skin, no scales! Just nice, smooth, normal, hydrated skin! I can wear sleeveless tops again! YAY! for Curel! This is really a Great product for anyone with dry skin! 

Applying Curel Hydra Therapy Moisturizer...

I keep my Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer in the bathroom on the sink, so it's ready for me when I get out of the tub! I use it every night after my bath, while my skin is warm and wet, and while I use it on my entire body, I focus on my arms and legs, as they are the driest- especially my knees and elbows, where I get "scaly" Psoriasis. I massage it in, and I don't towel off- I let it soak in. It's absorbed really quick, and it's not greasy, so there's no staining of clothing or sheets!

I have been Very pleased with all the Curel products I've tried so far (thanks to Crowdtap I was able to try their excellent "Itch Defense" products- Spray, Body Wash, and Moisturizer- products which I love and use regularly), but this is so far the best one yet!

As I've written before, Crowdtap is a great program if you are interested in giving your opinion about products, as well as being invited to sample and review them! Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments- and let me know if you've tried any Curel skin care products, and what you think of them!

RoC Multi-Correxion Night Cream & Eye Cream: The anti-aging babe's review!

I recently had the opportunity, as a member of Crowdtap, to sample two new RoC anti-aging skin care products: their MULTI CORREXION 5-in-1 Restoring Night Cream and RETINOLCORREXION Eye Cream, both of which I've now added to my daily skin care regimen.

As many of my readers know by now, I'm an Official "Anti-Aging Product Junkie", always interested in trying the latest and greatest new products in my quest for Eternal Youth! Yes, that's a bit of a LOL, but I am serious about trying to stave off the aging of my 57 year old face (and neck and chest and hands and- hell- all of me! LOL), and so I have been using a regimen of RoC anti-aging products for some time now. Back in February of this year I did a blog post on the RoC 5-in-1 Multi Correxion Chest, Neck & Face Cream, and the results were dramatic enough that I've continued to buy and use it:  http://southernwestvirginia.blogspot.com/2016/02/hows-my-neck-i-used-roc-multi-correxion.html 
So now, in addition to using Roc's 5-in-1 Multi Correxion Chest, Neck & Face Cream and Deep Wrinkle Serum, I've added their RoC's MULTI CORREXION 5-in-1 Restoring Night Cream and RETINOLCORREXION Eye Cream to my "arsenal" of anti-aging products, and I have to say that I'm pleased enough with both of them to go out and buy them once my samples are done! The night cream is light, but rich and very creamy, and I now use it every night, in place of another cream I was using. I like its moisturizing properties, and that a little goes a long way! The scent is very light and nice, as well, and it's not heavy, pore-clogging, or sticky. I've been using the eye cream morning and evening, also in place of another eye cream I was using, as I've found it to be a light and creamy eye cream that moisturizes very well, and again, that a little goes a very long way! The scent is very light and pleasant, and I've had NO problems with irritation- I mention this because I do know that some people have reactions to Retinol. 
As I said, I HAVE have seen excellent, visible results from RoC's 5-In-1 Chest, Neck & Face Cream, especially on my neck and decollete, so I am going to continue to use their products- and they are affordable enough that I can stick with the program! 

Not so bad for 57! :-)

That is seriously one of the best things about RoC products: that they are affordable and easy to find in stores, so you can actually afford to not only try a complete regimen, but to stick with it long-term, so you really do see results! Perusing their website I've discovered several other RoC products I want to add to my anti-aging arsenal- heck, I AM worth it! :-)
Have you tried RoC skin care products? Which ones have YOU seen great results with? Let me know in the comments!

Folgers BOLD Coffeehouse Blend- we love it!

Thanks to my being a member of Crowdtap, we recently had the chance to sample and share a new coffee from Folgers: their "Coffeehouse Blend" Medium Roast. I really wanted to sample it because my husband and I both  LOVE Really Bold Coffee- and Folgers promised this coffee would be really bold- and it was! :-)

Folgers Coffeehouse Blend on our Coffee Table!

Our love of coffee is such that we have sought out interesting coffees all over the world- most notably in the Caribbean, where we especially love Alto Grande coffee from Puerto Rico, in Italy, where I lived and studied and first learned to adore coffee, and in Vietnam, where we actually took a tour through the Central Highlands coffee region with tastings of their famed coffees! "Regular" coffee in the USA is often waaaaay too bland and flavorless for us- so bland that we often refer to it as "hot water with a brown crayon"! So I'm happy to be able to say that Folgers Coffeehouse Blend is really bold, tasty, and terrific! Frankly, I don't know if we would have tried it if not for Crowdtap, and we are so glad we did! I usually only put milk or cream in my coffee (I'm sweet enough, LOL), but Dan likes his with milk and sugar, and many of our Elkhorn Inn guests like to add Folger's Flavors or other sweeteners or flavorings to their coffee, and Folger's Coffeehouse Blend stands up to all of them! It's smooth and not bitter, and "bold" really is the right word for the taste- both we and our guests like it Much better than the "regular" ground coffee we used in the past! It comes as ground coffee (in the canister pictured with my happy hubby and his coffee!), in "brick" bags, and as K-Cup Pods; as we usually use our coffee-maker to make coffee, the ground coffee is perfect or us.


This is how my sample of Folgers Coffeehouse Blend arrived from Crowdtap. Crowdtap really is a great program- thanks to being an active member, I've been able to sample a variety of great new products that I didn't even know existed, and most of them have become things we now buy regularly! Check it out, sign up, and join in the fun!

One of the things I like to do if there's leftover coffee is make coffee ice cubes. You can, of course, make them in a regular ice cube tray (or even freeze coffee in a glass, which I do sometimes, too...), but I got a cute little silicone ice cube tray online that turns out totally adorbs coffee bean shaped ice cubes, and that way when I make ice coffee (my "summer staple", as it were), I can cool it without diluting it! And Folgers Coffeehouse Blend coffee is great that way! Try it- you'll love it!

Folgers Coffeehouse Blend Ice Coffee!

Coffee bean ice cube tray

The Anti-Aging Babe Tries Garnier Miracle Anti-Fatigue!

The three-product Garnier Miracle Anti-Fatigue regimen

I'll admit it- I'm an Anti-Aging Product Junkie! I'm 57, and I like to think I don't look it LOL, and I'd also like to keep it that way! I'd also like to (of course) take off 20 years, LOL, so I'm always interested in trying the latest and greatest anti-aging products to hit the market. As a member of Crowdtap, I recently got to sample (and share with my gal pals) the new Garnier Miracle Anti-Fatigue three-product regimen: the Miracle Anti-Fatigue Wake-Up Hydra-Gel Moisturizer in the morning, and the Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleeping Cream and Miracle Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel-Cream at night. I really liked that I am getting to sample all three products, as they are meant to work together, and so I'm hopeful I will see some good results over time.
I very much like the light and silky texture of all three products, how they feel on my skin, and how my skin feels after I've applied them.
The morning Wake-Up Hydra-Gel Moisturizer has a really light, gel-like texture, and it feels very good on, and leaves my skin soft and smooth. I have worn it successfully both under makeup and without makeup. It contains 15% Hydra-Glycerin, which is a humectant (a.k.a. "moisturizer" LOL), Hyaluronic Acid, and an Antioxidant Complex of Wild Berry, Vitamins C and E. After one use, it is supposed to plump skin and provide all-day, deep hydration, and after one week, to have improved your skin's signs of fatigue, re-activated your skin's radiance, and smoothed your skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines. I can say that it does keep my skin smooth, soft, and hydrated (without being greasy or shiny) all day, and I hope to see more results as time goes on! The other great thing is that it's only about $17, so it's affordable, and readily available at places like Rite-Aid and Walmart, as well as online- so you can afford to stick with the program!

Wake-Up Hydra-Gel Moisturizer in the morning

Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel-Cream

Applying the Eye Gel-Cream at night

In the evening I am using the Miracle Anti-Fatigue Sleeping Cream and Miracle Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel-Cream. The Sleeping Cream is creamy, but (thankfully) quite light, easily absorbed, and not heavy or greasy, and it doesn't clog my pores or cause me to break out. It contains Lavender Essential Oil, Hyaluronic and Hydroxy Acids, and it's meant to renew and firm skin, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles- while you sleep! I do like the way it feels, and will continue using it, as I'm hoping for more results the longer I do! The Eye Gel-Cream I think is the most unique of the products, for its extremely light and silky, gel-like texture, which I really like. It's not greasy or oily, the way so many eye creams are, and it's absorbed immediately into my skin. It's also infused with Essential Oil and Hyaluronic Acid, and Caffeine, as well, and its goal is to help fight signs of fatigue and reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. And that's exactly what I'm looking for! And these products are only about $17 each, as well, so for about $51 you can try the entire regimen and find out if it works for you, without spending the hundreds (or thousands) of dollars that so many skin care regimens cost!
Through this Crowdtap sampling opportunity, I also had the opportunity to share the Wake-Up and Sleeping Creams with my gal pals, and as they are all over the country I shared it with them on Facebook, and sent them samples in the mail! One of my girlfriends really loved it- she wrote: "I tried the morning cream this morning and really liked it a lot. It made my skin feel soft all day. I am going to try the night cream tonight... Where can you buy these products?" So I told her! :-) (Check out the Garnier USA website, which has deets on all the products, as well as a Store Locator interactive map you can use to find out where to buy the products near you. I often order online, as here in Extremely Rural southern West Virginia there's basically no place to shop- our nearest Walmart is one hour away!)

My "Crowdkit", including samples to share with my friends

The samples I sent to my friends...

As I've written before, Crowdtap is a great program if you are interested in giving your opinion about products, as well as being invited to sample and review them! Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments- and let me know if you've tried this Garnier anti-aging skin care regimen, and what you think of it!

Chef Dan makes Johnsonville Grillers!

I am a member of the Johnsonville Crowd on Crowdtap, and so I recently got to sample their new Johnsonville Grillers- and Chef Dan got to make us several yummy suppers with them at the Elkhorn Inn! 

Our Johnsonville Grillers Supper!

Chef Dan gets ready to grill!

Johnsonville Grillers on the grill...

Yes, as you can see from the photos, Chef Dan grills at night- he also grills in the snow! He grills all year 'round! :-)

Yes, Real Men DO read directions! LOL

We often buy Johnsonville Sausage- both for us and our Inn guests; we love their Hot Italian Sausage, for example. This time we got to try something we'd never tried before- their Swiss Cheese and Mushroom Johnsonville Grillers...















and they really were delicious!
KEY is not to cook them too long- they grill up REALLY fast, and if you want them to stay tender and juicy don't cook them too long!
What I liked most about them was the Swiss Cheese flavor was very subtle- as I'm not a fan of Swiss Cheese! I would have Loved more mushrooms, however! 

Ready to grill!

Grilling our Grillers!

Chef Dan flipping Grillers!

Our Midnight Johnsonville Grillers Supper!

Dan served our Johnsonville Grillers on crusty French bread with lettuce and tomato slices; I put Schug (a delicious Yemenite-Israeli hot sauce) on mine! He added an iron skillet of French Fries, and we had a really yummy Midnight Johnsonville Grillers Supper!
Johnsonville Grillers are a great thing to have in the freezer for impromptu and quick-to-fix meals.
Now I want try the other Griller varieties- especially Steakhouse Onion and Steakhouse Seasoned!