Monave: Beautiful New Year Giveaway :: CLOSED

Welcome to a New Year and a new you right? Exactly!

I say new you because so often with a new year many men and women resolve to make the year a mulligan of sorts, start over, start fresh. Well I like to say that a new year and a new you means that you are reinventing yourself. So if you are reinventing yourself why not do so with a new look?

The wonderful team at Monave was so gracious to let me review the New York gift set, which includes the powder blush, foundation, eye shadows and corresponding brushes. I also reviewed the lip glosses if you recall correctly. I found Monave on my quest to find a better, healthier cosmetic line for my already "going green" reinvention of myself last year. As most of you know, I am a skeptic. I am always wanting to see the proof in the pudding with products; marketing is always great and sounds great, but I am a results driven individual. I want to see how the product really works for myself first hand to share with you, how well (or not so well) the product stands up past marketing.

If you read my gloss post you know how wonderfully rich and luscious the products are for women. Well the mineral line is just as fabulous. Honest! What I have found in using mineral products is that they tend to be cakey looking, albeit they make you look older, MUCH older, because the mineral powders settle into your fine lines and wrinkles. Especially if you use too much powder and your face is not properly hydrated and or moisturized. Not to mention that the coverage is not all that fantastic with some mineral powders; again the problem of too much or too little and a non-even look.

What I have thoroughly enjoyed about Monave mineral cosmetics is the amount of coverage with such little powder. This product is truly the swirl and tap that other powders claim to be. I have used everything too from Bare Minerals, Sheer Cover, Pure Minerals, Arbonne, you name it, I bought it and used it and was never satisfied. With Monave, my skin and make-up looks natural, bold, daring, or subtle if I want it to just based on application. But the bottom line is that the mineral foundation does not sink into my fine smile lines (yes I do have some even though I am in my 30s...the downfall of being a former smoker) around my eyes the powder does not look cakey and best of all, the tone is totally natural, totally true to the color of my skin.

Have you noticed that makeups have a pink hue? Um, the only person I know with pink skin is generally plastic and is branded with a toy name of sorts. Our skin has a yellow base, we all do, not pink, and the Monave line has wonderful products that are true to the tone of a woman's skin no matter how fair or how dark.

Do you want to win this beautiful mini set? Oh you do? Well I am happy to say that THREE, yes you got it!

3 LUCKY ladies (well men too if I don't want to be discriminatory here) can win this wonderful set of cosmetics from Monave! Here is how:

Mandatory Entry: Visit Monave cosmetics, peruse the site, come back and tell me what products you want in addition to the set and lippies I mentioned.

Before ANY entries can be accepted please follow the mandatory entry and be sure to make your Blogger profile public so I may view your email address or leave a valid email addy so we may contact you with your winnings.

Extra Entries:

• Follow my blog
• Follow me on Twitter
• Daily Retweet entries available by Tweeting this:  New You in the New Year and a new look with Monave Cosmetics! Win a Monave.com NewYork set from @KariewithaK http://www.thefivefish.com
• Subscribe to my feed
• Add my button
  
• Fan The Fish
• Blog this Giveaway (worth 5 entries)
• Stumble my blog (not this post...its against TOS with StumbleUpon...lets keep it fresh)
• Leave a relevant comment on a NON giveaway post (2 entries for each comment on a post)
• Email this giveaway to a friend for them to enter (worth 2 entries)

CONTEST ENDS JANUARY 20TH 

@ 11:59 PM ARIZONA TIME 

Best of luck

SEED Power Winner

 

Congratulations to Susan Varney!

Thank you so much to the Buzz Cooperative Crew and SEED Power body care products!

Gifts for Everyone: Stocking Stuffer Fun :: CLOSED

Are you stumped for the last minute stocking stuffer ideas well look no further since these ideas cover you literally from head to...bum?

Do you recall your parents protecting you from the elements each year by stuffing Chapstick into your stocking? Okay, so maybe my nurse of a mom was the only woman to give Chapstick and Lifesavers. But boot the Chapstick, really, when you get the fabulous feeling and oh so chic look and feel of Softlips lip conditioner.

Why Softlips? Well why not? The packaging is super friendly and with the duo packs you cannot go wrong. They slip ever so discretely in your stocking, purse, or pocket. Above all Softlips lip conditioner keeps your lips moisturized, soft, conditioned, and has a SPF20 for really fighting the elements. Softlips has a limited edition winter flavor duo pack in the following flavors:

• Sugar and Spice
• Vanilla and Mint
• Sugar Plum Berry
• Sugar Cookie

 The Softlips packs retail for $2.99 to $3.99 for the duo pack and they are available at your local Walgreens and Target stores. Hurry though if you or your family love Softlips as these flavors are only available for a limited time.

If you are on Facebook you can fan Softlips and get all their updates on new flavors, offerings, giveaways, and more! However, since you are reading all about Softlips as a fabulous gift idea on my blog, read on to find out how to enter to win THE SET of Softlips winter flavors!

Now this part of the stocking stuffer I had a ton of fun reviewing while I know a lot of my blog friends and "The Chad" were laughing and skeptical.

In the summers of Arizona we have what you may call "swamp ass" or "swamp crotch" and the feeling is not so fresh or friendly. I mean what else do you do? The wonderful folks of Anti Monkey Butt solve this problem. HANDS DOWN! Seriously, you think I am kidding? I am not afraid to say that I hate the rubbing, sweaty feeling of my inner thighs, or ladies...the sweaty bust? You know what I mean. Laugh it up chuckles! Here is the low down:

Anti Monkey Butt Powder is a new product, invented by motocross riders, designed to treat friction and irritation that can result from excess sweat. Excessive sweat can cause irritation of the buttocks and inner thighs, also known as "monkey butt". Unlike other powders, Anti Monkey Butt has calamine and talc which gives it a cooling sensation instead of the burning that you might get from other products. Anybody who has used those other powders will know what “the burning” is we are referring to. [RobinLeedyAssoc, 2009]

Lady Anti Monkey Butt is fabulous and really silky smooth. I really was a bit embarrassed to open and try but heck, I am all about trying products, what can they hurt? So I was PLEASANTLY satisfied at the feeling, smell, and sensation of feeling dry. I am a jogger so this was fabulous for me, I truly do not like the icky feeling. The ingredients are ever so simple too, corn starch, calamine, and talc. Sweet! "Butt" hey, Anti Monkey Butt was originally for men and they have the great ladies edition in pink! So while you are still laughing, grab your composure to enter this great giveaway for these fantastic items because ONE winner will receive both Anti Monkey Butt and Lady Anti Monkey Butt.

Here are the deets for these giveaways to stuff your stockings (though these will be a bit late for Christmas, I apologize for the delay in posting):

Mandatory Entry: Let me know which product you want and why? Aside from the information I told you above.

Extra Entries: Follow my blog, enter my other giveaways, follow me on Twitter, tweet this giveaway (daily RT's available), blog this giveaway with a link back to me (worth 5 entries), Fan The Fish on Facebook, Fan Softlips if you want Softlips, Fan Monkey Butt if you want Monkey Butt

CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 23RD

@ 11:59PM ARIZONA TIME

*The Five Fish did receive products in conjunction with the post,

however, my opinion was not swayed in any manner

Unilever Beauty Products Giveaway :: CLOSED

Do you recall the beauty tip of the day? Where some wonderful tips were posted on keeping fresh looks, beauty tips, tricks, and even some fabulous new ideas? Well I am ever so thankful and grateful to bring you this post of the wonderful products that were reviewed and now presented in a giveaway! I shared with you my post on my beauty tips using these products and now I am able to share with you the ones I enjoyed using the most and I will share an assortment pack (much like the one I received) for you to receive as well.



The Unilever assortment of products ranges from Ponds cleansing cloths, Dove deodorant (in a smashingly fresh smell which is now my favorite!), Dove hair care, Vaseline and QTips to name a few. These wonderful products can be used daily as part of your beauty regiment or as needed.

I have to confess that my favorites are the deodorant in the fresh citrus, the QTips and the cleansing cloths that I use ALL the time for removing makeup in my daily and nightly routine. The Vaseline is fabulous for removing sometimes stingy eye makeup and even for moisturizing the rough areas like knees or elbows. I also like to use on the twins bums as they need a little TLC from time to time. The QTips are fabulous because they are the vanity pack with the slide box. They fit snugly and perfectly on your counter-top for easy access and use. Now win an assortment pack of Unilever products, beauty, hair, and all health!



Mandatory entry: Tell me what your beauty regimen is and what products (even Unilever products) you like to use in addition to the products mentioned above.

Extra Entries: Follow my blog, follow me on Twitter, Fan The Fish, Tweet this giveaway with @KariewithaK so I can track your tweets (to be fair, and can tweet daily, enter one of my other current giveaways, blog about this giveaway (worth 3 entries)

CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 23RD

@ 11:59 ARIZONA TIME.

Graine de Vie SEED Body Care & Giveaway :: CLOSED

Some of you may know I am very particular about my body care. I truly like products that I can read and understand the name of the ingredients, not some laboratory name that requires a kindergarten phonetic to pronounce the words. I recently had the opportunity to review SEED Body Care courtesy of Buzz Cooperative.

Graine de Vie SEED Body Care is co-founded by Rebecca Gournay in an effort to find a detoxifying and healthy alternative lifestyle when she was on her quest to conceive a child. During her research she and her husband began discussing the health benefits of wine and of course grape seeds. One day Rebecca came upon a spa product made with grape seed and the rest is history. Grape seed is packed with powerful antioxidants, Vitamin E, and beneficial essential fatty acids, ingredients shown to promote healthy skin and help prevent premature aging.

The full size products I reviewed were the grape seed enriched conditioning hair shampoo bar, grape seed enriched moisturizing body soap and the grape seed enriched moisturizing body lotion. When I received the products I immediately tore into all of them, I wanted to know how they smelled. I have a thing for the way items smell. I was in heaven. The body soap and lotion each have a wonderful citrus scent, very true to the smell of grape seed oil and or grapefruit. The shampoo bar had a tinge of scent even though it was the unscented bar.

I showered with each of the cleansing products and overall here is how they stacked up for me:

Shampoo Bar
I can honestly say that I was overly excited about the shampoo bar until I finished using it the first time. My hair felt almost stripped and very unmanageable. I chalked up the results as just the products initial use and that after styling and drying my hair would be easier to manage. I was highly disappointed that the result was not to my liking and my hair still felt brittle, dry, unmanageable, and I quite literally had an afro after the initial use. I even made sure to use when I was on my four day stretch of no wash days to ensure maximum results. I firmly believe in washing your hair only once or twice a week, so I was disappointed. However, the shampoo bar is wonderful for my son and husband who each have very short hair. I will say that the lather and bubbly are fantastic, a smooth creamy lather and not too bubbly but enough for my personal liking. The conditioning quality was less than I had expected, but again, could be the product was not jiving with my hair as I have very fine, thick, dry hair.

Body Bar
I love the body bar and the exfoliating seeds. I quite literally used this bar until only a smidge was left. Again the creamy, bubbly, and lather are excellent, but the bar is a bit drying. I noticed the primary ingredient is sodium palmate and sodium cocoate which is a palm and coconut based oil which tends to be on the drying side however, palm is EXCELLENT for lather and cleansing and coconut is excellent for creating a nice hard bar of soap. So all in all I felt wonderfully clean but a bit dry.

Body Lotion
Now, the lotion is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! I love the smooth, creamy, almost silky feel to the lotion. Very nice when applied after the use of the body bar, they definitely compliment one another if your skin is a bit on the dry side after use. The fragrance is a light citrus, envigorating, awakens your sense of smell and is just a wonderful feeling on your skin.

All of the SEED Body Care products are paraben free, preservative free, and contain no artificial colors or animal products, a truly vegan experience.

You now have the opportunity to experience SEED for yourself here is how:

Mandatory entry:
Go to the SEED website and tell me which products you would like to try because you are getting THREE full size products to win yourself!

 Extra entries:

• Fan SEED on Facebook
• Fan The Fish on Facebook (to your right)
  
• Follow my blog and tell me you do (again, stage right)
  
• Follow me on Twitter, tell me you do
• Tweet this giveaway using @KariewithaK & #seedbody so I can see your Tweets and give you credit

Want extra chances to win? Well The Buzz Cooperative and Global Influence (@ResourcefulMom) are holding a Twitter party on December 10th @ 2:00PM EST using the above hashtag and giving away gift cards to Amazon.com and Drugstore.com where you can order SEED+ products (SEED only available @ Amazon.com currently).  

CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 17TH 

@ 3:00PM ARIZONA TIME. 

Beauty Tip of the Day

Mothers are always trying to find ways to simplify their beauty routines. Busy schedules and hectic lifestyles leave little room for the vanity and up-keep of being a beautiful woman. However, I have found the simplest tips and tricks to be a time saver and I can still be beautiful without spending hours getting ready.

I am always rushed to get to bed or get ready in the morning because I have twins and a school aged son. I have found that the Pond's Wet Cleansing Towlettes are fabulous because the cleanser is already in the towelette and removes make-up so I am not trying to rush through two steps of make-up remover and then a cleanser. All in one step, just wash and go.

Plus whatever eye make-up may be left behind, I like to use Q-Tips and a dab of Vaseline that I roll along the bottom of my eyes that help collect the extra mascara and eyeliner without smearing, smudging or leaving extra make-up requiring extra time for removal. I just wipe clean with a cloth or the other end of the Q-Tip.

I also love to use Q-Tips when applying my eyeliner as I can wet the tip of the Q-Tips stick to clear away any mistakes or excess eyeliner or mascara as I am applying. Leaving my look flawless and polished. I also use Q-Tips for lipstick application where I apply some to my lips and some to the Q-Tip and smooth along like a lip brush but without the buildup on a makeup brush which can collect germs and other lipstick colors which could turn into a bad clown scenario if you don't clean your brushes daily.

These are just my personal beauty tips that I am happy to share with you, but you can visit the Unilever brands site where they have the Beauty Tip of the Day with the various products from Ponds, Q-Tip, Dove and more!

Gifts for Her: Monave Cosmetics Lip Gloss

 *Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE! 
Ladies do you have a hard time finding the right cosmetics? I know I have. I always have. Just when I think I have found my right color, my right blend, my right ingredients, I find something horribly wrong with either the product, the way the product reacts with my skin, or the company is not as they seemed. I went on a quest to find a vegan, if not organic, cosmetics company. Because really what woman does not enjoy the gift of cosmetics, especially quality cosmetics.

Some of you may know I make my own soap. I love it. This way I know what is in my soap that is used on my family, not some fancy chemicals and perfumes. Honest to goodness vegan products. So I wanted a cosmetics company to do the same. Offer rich wholesome products that I knew the ingredients and I knew they were fabulous.

I found Monave and I researched everything they have in inventory as best as I could. What I saw I loved. The company is owned by a woman. PLUS! She formerly worked in cosmetics and knew what women loved in a mineral, vegan, and natural cosmetics line. PLUS! The owner also supports other women owned businesses and entrepreneurs. PLUS! The name is even derived as an acronym for "Modern," "Natural," "Versatile." Needless to say I was head over heels when they told me I could begin by sampling and reviewing their liquid lip gloss line.

Who doesn't love lip gloss. Girls and women of all ages love lip gloss. But as long as the lip gloss is not goopy, sticky, messy, all the troubles we run into with lip gloss. I personally used to be a HUGE, die hard fan of Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush lip line. LOVED them. Until I tried Monave. From now on I will be shopping with Monave, I am brand loyal when I find a fabulous product. I mean Victoria has gone with me to San Francisco and back, so sad that I have to retire her.

I personally LOVE the way the glosses feel. They are smooth, silky, no sticky feeling, no build up, no curdling like some glosses do as they dry up and wear away, leaving those nasty chunks in the corners of your lips. Ladies you know what I am talking about. Often a result of a petroleum based product. Just ick!

The lip glosses are fabulous because they deposit a minimal amount of sheer color that enhance your lips without being a lipstick and without being too sheer for a standard gloss. Plus with the majority of the glosses are almost all vegan, I felt the product truly moisturized my lips as opposed to standard glosses that truly just glossed over and never moisturized. I say almost all vegan because some do have beeswax in them, however, I was assured by the ladies at Monave that the beeswax is from a fourth generation apiary that ethically harvests and sun bleaches as opposed to chemical bleaching which is HUGE considering most cosmetics are made of nasty fillers and chemicals.

I tried out these fabulous colors:

• Merlot 
• Divine
• Cool Maple
• Neutral
• Autumn Leaves

What I really enjoyed about all of these colors is that they are versatile enough for any skin tone, make-up blend, and of course they are smooth, silky, and long lasting. I want to be able to wear make-up without looking like I am wearing make-up, I want a fresh natural look, where my make-up enhances my beauty, not where I have to wear it to make me look beautiful.  As I said these glosses are silky, not sticky or drying like standard glosses because these have fabulous vegan products, not petroleum which causes stickiness and curdling and dryness.

Not to mention, not great for the environment.

Monave launched a fabulous holiday theme that every woman (and man for his wife or girlfriend) could appreciate! The theme is "Give the Gift of Healthy Beauty" where you my faithful and beautiful readers are able to enjoy. For every purchase that is made at Monave a matching sample product for a friend is delivered; their choice of color, FREE with any purchase of a full size product from our website. How fabulous is that. So if your husband is out shopping for you, he could kill two birds with one stone by buying for you and sending the full size free gift to say his mother or sister. Or ladies you could do the same if doing any personal shopping for yourself! So go now, go "Give the Gift of Healthy Beauty" with Monave.

Don't forget to DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog HERE and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!

Skin Free Review

While I think I may have been doing a giveaway on this one....I lost the email for all the info....it happens. You have more than one kid and you seriously start losing it. I have post-it notes for everything. But here is my review. So I apologize for my failure....but at least I am getting this fabulous information to all my beauty loving ladies out there....oh and men too! I have caught the hubs sneaking in on my goods....and I can smell him!

This review is "overdue" by some standards, but in my opinion, you cannot do an HONEST and full review of a skin product without trying it for at least 30 days. Did you know it takes 30 days for your skin to acclimate? Yup, your skin has to get used to the new product which is why most women think that they breakout because of the product, when really the breakout is because their skin has to become accustomed to the product itself. The same can be said for makeup. Don't believe me....go try it and come back to me. ;)

Anyway, the folks over at Skin Free contacted me about trying out their products. Perfect timing too on their part with me making my move to organic and healthier products for me and my family. Here is what I love the most about Skin Free:

Skin Free Skin Care Products are Recommended to Individuals with:

• Extreme Dry Skin
• Skin or Fragrance Allergies
• Psoriasis
• Dermatitis
• Eczema
• Pregnant Moms
• Elderly
• Diabetics
• Renal Patients
• After Radiation or Chemotherapy

Additionally Skin Free has these to boast about in their products:

• All Natural, Vegan Ingredients
• No Perfumes
• No Petroleum Products
• No Harmful Chemicals
• No Steroids
• No Colorants
• No Greasy feeling
• No Animal Testing, Cruelty Free
  

A little more about Skin Free:

All products distributed by Blue Ridge Gypsy Studio™ are designed and formulated by owner and practicing pharmacist, Julie Hilton, who has over 30 years experience in compounding and natural skin care. “I started the Studio in 2000 when my husband and I moved to the Blue Ridge of Virginia. Our friends were calling us “gypsies”, so the name evolved naturally.”
“Working in a typical retail pharmacy setting, I was constantly frustrated when asked to recommend products for patients with difficult skin problems, especially those with fragrance allergies. I recognized a void in the market and knew that I could offer effective and affordable products to fill it. Atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis are life-long conditions and need to be addressed for the long term. Patients with diabetes or renal disease, pregnant women, babies, the elderly, and patients treated with radiation therapy can all benefit from quality natural products. Even people who just have dry, sensitive skin can appreciate wholesome natural skincare products.”
“Since I personally suffer from chronic allergies and eczema, I understand that it is very important for people with these conditions to maintain the integrity of their skin and reduce their exposure to antigens to help prevent acute outbreaks. These diseases can be quite debilitating and cause increase depression, work loss, and pain."
Naturally occurring vegetable oils and butters contain indigenous nutrients, antioxidants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), and antibacterial agents that petroleum-based oils just don’t have. Natural oils absorb into the skin and do not feel greasy. They also come from replenishable sources, which is a great environmental concern.
"I hope that SkinFree™ products will become widely used and be truly helpful to the ever increasing patient population who need products such as these."

Now the products that I chose to review were the After Shower Moisture Spritz, Niaouli Scrub for Blemish Prone Skin and the Lite Moisture for Blemish Prone Skin. I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff. I know EXACTLY what all the ingredients are. I didn't have to try to pronounce the chemical names, I knew what they were and are! I could feel the truth in the product and they smell GREAT! What some companies do is they try to stick too much to the vegan aspect and forget that not everyone enjoys that "au naturale" experience. I on the otherhand do, but I love a great smelling product too.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scrub. The facial scrub was like getting micro-derm. If you have ever had micro-dermabrasion this is the closest and least expensive treatment to it! Enjoyed it and my skin felt fresh, not dry and not tender. I am buying more I loved it so much.

The lite moisturizer was phenomenal! I love the Niaouli. If you don't know what Niaouli is...Google it! The product is excellent as a natural antibiotic. That is what they use it for in the outback of Austrailia. It is also a natural anti-inflammatory which is fantastic for acne prone skin. If you have a bit of irritation...this stuff will clear it right up! Not to mention your nasal passages with the fabulous scent.

Finally, I love love LURVE the after shower. In Arizona the heat is brutal. A hot shower is brutal. The winters here...are brutal and this wonderful mixture of vegan and moisturizing oils is exactly what my skin called for. The oils will not clog your pores if you are worried about that, and you don't feel greasy....EVER! Just smooth supple soft skin right out of the shower. Literally you apply this while your skin is still a little moist (towel dried) and it smooths right in and you are left feeling totally quenched!

Now where can you buy these FABU products. Well at the Skin Free site, CVS, Drugstore.com, and Walgreens! Talk about Super Duper on where to buy and they are affordable. Most products of this caliber will cost you, but Skin Free offers you a valueable product at a reasonable price. Which in my household we love a great deal!


*Disclaimer: For all The Five Fish transparency and disclosure policies, 
be sure to click the link Looking in the Fish Bowl.

I am never bored....

Not true....I am actually bored quite often.

My therapist Patricia "Pat" always tells me,
"Bored is healthy, bored is good."

Bored is good for the boring. Pft! No really, I like being bored, but I feel unaccomplished. I know, sounds crazy, which is why I pay $75 a hour for a great therapist! Anyway, I have found a new project! Actually I am planning on, OK seriously hoping, that my little project turns into a successful venture.

I have always had a love of all things homemade. I am a big fan! I mean I try to homemake a lot of our family meals among other things in our home. So one day, while sitting in my bathroom.. thinking...I had an idea. I will try to start my own little business.

I won't do catering.....too many issues and I don't have a big enough kitchen. Although I know I can do it...just a lot can go wrong. Will go wrong. and I do not want to clean that mess.

I won't do a franchise....not right now at least.
Too much initial investment and too little return on the initial investment.

I can do homemade bath and body. I love bath and body. I live for bath and body.

Seriously, in my bathroom I have at least 30 different designer perfumes....not counting all the samples I have received here and there. Soaps?! Yeah, I got soaps from the homemade French savons to the local farmers market cold processed. I love soaps. Maybe has to do with my OCD of cleanliness but I love feeling clean, smelling clean, or using the soaps for just a great fragrant accent in a drawer, bathroom, or just as a decorative accent in a bathroom.

So here has been my little project and of course the little linky on the right hand sidebar.....yeah the brown box...Little Bitty Soaps....that's me:

Cold Process "Sweet Pea Pie" Hot Process "Spa Massage"
(honey, oats, sweet almond oil)


Hot Process "Boyfriend" Bath Soak Salts & Teas
Lavender & lavender leaves

Hot Process "Honeymoon"
Lavender & Rosemary

Day 4 "FREE" Week Product Review - Dr. Ron's Ultra Pure Body Care Body Lotion

Good Morning for Day 4 of The Five Fish "FREE" Week!

Okay so we are showcasing the talented Dr. Ron again because why.....well we love his preservative free, super smelling products, and well they were FREE to try out so why not?

Today the review is of the Dr. Ron's Ultra Pure Body Care MSM Body Lotion in Kiwi. Sounds delish right? Well it absolutely is! Here is why I love lotion so much and wanted a preservative free lotion. I am a native of Arizona, when you think of Arizona you think Grand Canyon, Phoenix, HOT.....BLOODY HOT!! Then if you have ever met a native we always tell you, "It's a Dry Heat." We are truly full of it when we tell you this.....it's so hot you can bake yourself and a batch of cookies, your lipstick can melt in seconds, and your cell phone can be cooked so fast you have to put it in the freezer just to see the screen again. Plus shorts....forget it, when you get in your car the bottoms of your thighs just took a scorching too, they are now "tender loins"! Anyway, being that the weather here is so...dry...our skin is as well requiring lots of re-hydration. Plus swimming in the summer further parches our environmental armor, which means we need more lotion. Not all lotions are exactly alike. I have used Vaseline, I have used Nivea, I have used Aquaphor, I have used Aveeno, I have used everything known to man to soften and quench my poor skin. I am lucky I don't look like saddles bags walking my skin is so leathery. My skin also is prone to break outs, by break outs I mean all of the sudden I will have a rash........not sure where it came from, which product, but more than likely from my lotion or perfume so I have to be safe in what I use so I don't look like a spotted red leopard.



If you don't know Dr. Ron, check him out and here is some background and info on the

MSM Body Lotion in Kiwi:

MSM Body Lotion - Unscented or Kiwi

• A 15% MSM solution and botanical extracts in a base of apricot, almond and jojoba oils moisturizes, refreshes, restores and protects your skin.
  Soothing to aching muscles and joints.
  Use as a hand lotion, or after a shower or bath over the entire body.
  Unscented is a gentler formulation, for those with sensitive skin.
  Kiwi is scented with a higher concentration essential oils, including kiwi oil. Unscented and Kiwi, each eight ounces

When Dr. Ron sent me the shipment of all the beauty products, my first true product that I tried was the lotion. I am a lotion whore!! Ask my sister, she saw my endless collection of designer perfumes and lotions. But this lotion was like no other that I had tried. I put some on immediately after opening my bag of goodies. At first I smelled.....love the smell. A very soft, subtle, delicate hint of kiwi that isn't overbearing where you end up smelling like a tween at a school dance or like that stripper from your DH's, buddy's bachelor party....girls you know the smell! Anyway, I was reveling.....and then I applied.



Hmmmm, silky, soft, smooth, glides over every inch without having to reapply more, hmm, not sticky, still damp. So I gave the lotion a bit more time so I could really gauge the effectiveness and overall results. The damp feeling subsided which was very nice, I hate feeling like I just lubed up with something, I want to feel like a woman, not someone who is attempting a circus feat. Some lotions leave this greasy, heavy residue and often all the perfumes and other additives make my skin feel weird and even more dried. Or the damp and sticky feeling stays and when you get dressed your clothes stick to you. So I liked that Dr. Ron's lotion dried but without drying me out. So ladies and gents if you love you some lotion but don't want to smell like you put on perfume, but you still want to smell fresh then Dr. Ron's is the way to go.

Make it a great Thursday!! The week is almost up...tomorrow is internal review day!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

Day 2 "FREE" Week Product Review - Dr. Ron's Ultra Pure Body Care Body Scrub

Here we are Day 2 of the Five Fish "FREE" Week!

Alright so I have lots to show this week courtesy of Dr. Ron. He was so generous to provide all these wonderful items to try out!! So in addition to shampoo and conditioner we have body scrub.

Now scrubs can be a bit precarious because of their dual action. First of all scrubs scrub, they exfoliate all the dead cells and eliminate the free radicals looming on our skin. Then the scrubs cleanse, leaving our skin feeling fresh and supple. However, some scrubs have the harsh chemicals and rather than leaving your skin soft, supple, and refreshed, your skin in left barren and dry and literally exposed.

You know about Dr. Ron and his pioneering of these fantastic beauty products, so here is the info on his body scrub straight from his website and his catalog:


MSM Body Scrub

• Jojoba beads with crushed Apricot Seeds and Walnut Shell Powder creates an invigorating whole-body treatment. Peppermint oil, a natural deodorizer, makes the skin feel cool and fresh. Eight ounces.

Now I have to say again, I love me some beauty products!!! I mean I have tried St. Ives, Dermalogica, the whole gamut of beauty scrubs and this one was like lightning. The peppermint leaves you feeling more than cool and fresh, my skin was tingling almost as if an electric current was running across it after I had applied and rinsed. The scent is super invigorating with a soft citrus scent, apricot, and the eye awakening, get your blood moving scent of peppermint. I mean my body felt like my mouth had after a good cleaning and gargle of mouthwash. I was jazzed and energized and ready to take on the day. But I do have to admit that the tingle is something to get used to. While I am all about a sensual feeling and experiencing all things new the peppermint was interesting, especially when the temperature outside is 90 degrees and you have the air conditioning on in the house and you have the peppermint to add......interesting. I did feel like my skin was very warm and then cool, much like Icy Hot or Bengay, but curiously wonderful and like I said, leaving me feeling jazzed. Be sure to check out Dr. Ron, let him know that Karie of The Five Fish sent you and check out all of his wonderful products, remember he also has many many other products not listed in his catalogs and he gives private consults! How fantastic is the man who offers us preservative free!!

Make it a great Tuesday and be sure to check back tomorrow for a

look inside a preservative free home makeover!!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.

Day 1 "FREE" Week Product Review - Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure Body Care, Shampoo and Conditioner

Welcome to Day 1 of The Five Fish "FREE" Week.

Today we are going to explore the preservative free products of Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure Body Care. You might be asking how can body care products such as shampoo and conditioner possibly have preservatives. Well I wondered as well and began to research and found that almost every shampoo on the market has this #1 nasty ingredient, ready, "SODIUM LAUREL (LAURYL) SULFATE".

Okay, so I know you are wondering what this compound mineral is in our hair products. Sodium laurel sulfate is a cheap detergent and is what makes our shampoos as sudsy as they are. You know what I mean, that great foaming action that makes us believe our hair is getting so clean...WRONG! In fact sodium laurel sulfate is an irritant and is a carcinogen...yup washing your hair can cause cancer, who would have thought. The second preservative is paraben which prevents bacteria and fungal growth in almost all beauty products, again another irritant, allergenic, and carcinogen.

So I came about researching this because I have been trying to find organic or as close to organic as possible for my family. Buying organic products not only reduces our overall carbon footprint, but the products are absolutely superior for your overall health. Big G has eczema so I have to be careful with what I use on his skin or he is a mess and takes months to clear him up. The Squids are also new babies, but have so far (so good!) been a-ok with standard OTC products. I, on the other hand, I have to use glycerin type washes or my skin is a mess as well.

The staff and Dr. Ron sent me the MSM Shampoo and MSM Moisturizing Conditioner. Here is some information straight from the Dr. Ron website about the products and about Dr. Ron:


MSM Shampoo


With herbs, nutrients and essential oils, MSM strengthens hair and restores elasticity. A rich supply of mucopolysaccharides and protein in our conditioners leaves hair soft, light and shiny. We avoid the use of sodium laurel sulfate, a cheap, harsh detergent often derived from petroleum and disguised in pseudo-natural products with the phrase “comes from coconuts.”

• Soft, shiny hair results from superior nutrition – but our great shampoos and conditioners will bring out your hair’s natural qualities like no other products.
  Our unique blend of oils, herbal extracts, and nutrients strengthens hair, restores elasticity and repairs split ends.
  MSM Shampoo contains a rich concentration of sulfur in the form of MSM for maximum benefits

MSM Moisturizing Conditioner

• For dry or damaged hair, our MSM Moisturizing Shampoo and MSM Moisturizing Conditioner have an extra high concentration of essential oils. Eight ounces each.
  Blended with coconut and olive oils, herbal extracts and nutrients, essential oils have exceptional moisturizing qualities and help restore beautiful luster to your hair.
  Essential oils contain characteristic plant aromas that leave a gentle fragrance and help hair stay fresh between washings.

Here is a little about Dr. Ron, straight from his website:

Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure began in 2000 to provide our patients with the purest and most effective nutrients, formulas and special foods. Many other people now use Dr. Ron’s products. We thank all of you, especially members of the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, two organizations that are doing so much good work to further accurate understanding of nutrition. We are committed to providing the finest supplements to complement traditional diets.
We Source Materials from America, New Zealand and Europe
Most of our source materials are from America. We secure organs and glands from free range, grass fed New Zealand animals raised without pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. High-vitamin cod liver oil is imported from Norway and meets the strictest standards of purity. Other materials are occasionally sourced in Europe, Japan and Korea, depending on quality and availability of supplies. Contamination of source materials for supplements and pharmaceuticals in recent years has led us to avoid sources with potential problems. Careful and selective sourcing of raw materials provides an extra measure of safety. You may be confident that all Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure products contain only and exactly the nutrients listed prominently on the labels.
The Ultra-Pure Promise of Purity, Quality, Potency and Value
Dr. Ron’s Ultra-Pure products are designed and manufactured by a team of supplements professionals and health care providers with extensive clinical experience in natural medicine. Source materials are carefully tested for purity and potency. Many of our products, including Doc’s Best and other innovative formulas, New Zealand organs and glands, and high-vitamin Norwegian cod liver oils, are unique. In our formulas, we combine synergistic ingredients at optimal doses to create maximally effective products. We use no lubricants, fillers, binders, coatings, flowing agents, or other added ingredients of any kind. Because we use only the pure nutrients, our supplements achieve maximum absorption, and are truly hypoallergenic.

Ron Schmid, ND, has practiced naturopathic medicine since 1981. He served for two years as Chief Medical Officer and Clinic Director at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. Ellen Triplett , Lac, has a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine.
Dr. Ron is the author Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine and The Untold Story of Milk. He is on the honorary board of the Weston A. Price Foundation and has written for Wise Traditions, the quarterly journal of the Foundation.

You must be itching to know......how did a "free" shampoo and conditioner measure up? Well I have tried a lot of salon shampoos/conditioners, claimed "organic" shampoos/conditioners and I have to say that Dr. Ron's is by far the most enjoyable and fabulous product I have ever used. Like I said I have used the expensive salon shampoos, and we all know how our hair feels after leaving the salon...like silk.....well I got that same feeling from this shampoo and conditioner.

The best part was the smell. I am such a smell oriented person, I mean I smell all of my produce, meats, etc at the store before I buy it, so when I cracked open the package and my hair smelled like I was rolling in herbs I was in heaven. It was clean without feeling stripped and my hair smelled fresh without the harsh smell of added perfumes, and I had to get used to the little to no sudsing since the nasty emulsifiers and detergents aren't in these products.

Then I conditioned. Mind you I have the worst hair known to man. I have chemically treated it since I was oh.....8 (I grew up in the 80's, perms were so HOT back then, I was rockin'!) I color it and then add that I live in the driest state of the union, Arizona, so I swim half the year which wreaks even more havoc on my hair. So I have to use a lot of conditioner, anti-frizz, and smoothing products. With Dr. Ron's I didn't have to use my daily routine of "Tame the Beast" smoother's. The conditioner has a wonderful citrus scent that energized me in the shower and was a great morning pick-me-up. Plus when I rinsed my hair didn't feel just soft, but smooth and silky and stayed that way even after I blow-dried my hair. Most products leave your hair feeling weighed down or they rinse out immediately leaving your hair barely conditioner or feeling repaired. All day....no fly aways, no tangles, no dry feeling, just smooth, soft, manageable, touchable, play with my hair type hair. I am in love!

Be sure to head on over to Dr. Ron's and check out all of his wonderful beauty and health products. In addition to all over well being he does offer consultations! How awesome, get a consultation on how to live an all around healthy life. Also if you go to buy his products like I am going to, be sure you let him know you found his product review on The Five Fish and that Karie Herring of The Five Fish sent you. Thank you again Dr. Ron for sharing this wonderful product with me and my family!

Make it a great Monday!

The views and opinions expressed on this blog belong purely to Karie Herring. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party in question.