The Body Shop Beauty Product Advent Calendars and Interactive Online Calendar

Affiliate Link Press Sample

The Body Shop Beauty Product Advent Calendars and Interactive Online Calendar:

The countdown to Christmas is on!!! The Body Shop has some super cute Beauty Product Advent Calendars including the Body Shop 24 Days of the Enchanted Advent Calandar that I got to try out and a Countdown to Christmas Interactive Calendar on the Body Shop's website that gives you a tip each day as you count down to Christmas! 

I am super excited that The Body Shop reached out to me to provide a beauty tip for their online calendar. I have literally been a fan of the Body Shop for years! From awesome bath and body products, to beautiful makeup, and fantastic skincare, the Body Shop has it all for head-to-toe beauty! 

Advent Calendars:

I adore the Christmas Season. Ever since I was a child, I have had the tradition of doing Advent Caldendars. Advent Calanders are a fun and exciting way to count down to Christmas Day. Plus, they give great daily reminders for grattitude, thankfulness, and (if you celebrate Christmas religiously) are a great addition to your daily Advent devotions. I have the kids' chocolate Advent Calendars all ready, and now I have my Body Shop 24 Days of the Enchanted Advent Calendar ready for December!!! 

If you are not familiar with Advent Calendars, basically you coordinate them with the December Calendar. You start on December 1st and you open one door a day leading up to Christmas Day. Inside each door of the Body Shop's 24 Days of the Enchanted Advent Calendar is a travel sized beauty treat! It is literally like a little present every day. So fun!!!

These Advent Calendars are a fun treat for yourself, or a super fun gift (that keeps giving for days) for a friend or loved one. The Body Shop has 3 Advent Calendars, Advent, Deluxe Advent, and Ultimate Advent this year at three price points: $70, $110, and $225. I got to try out the cute $70 purple one. It is fantastic!!! 

I started opening up the calendar to preview it for you guys. So, I opened 8 doors just to take a peek at what is inside. However, I left the rest of the doors closed as I plan on opening a door of the calendar each day and I want to surprise myself! ;) If you are really dying to know what is inside when you get the calendar, the contents are listed in fine print on the back of the box. 

Be sure to head over to the Body Shop's website to check out my tip of the day and the Interactive Online Calendar! Curious? Here is my tip:

My tip was inspired by the Almond Hand & Nail Manicure Cream:

During the busy Holiday Season, life gets so hectic! It is important to take some time to pamper yourself. However, we are often struggling to find that time, right? Sometimes even a moment of self pampering and mindfulness can recharge you for your busy schedule ahead. So, I have a great tip for you and you can build it right into your nighttime routine. Put your favorite hand cream or moisturizer right next to your alarm clock on your nightstand. Before you set your alarm for the morning, grab your cream and apply to your dry hands, cuticles, elbows, ect. Enjoy your moment of self-care and go to sleep knowing you will wake up with softer skin! Right now I have the cute little Almond Hand & Nail Manicure Cream from The Body Shop's 24 Days of the Enchanted Advent Calendar on my nightstand. I just love it! 

Affiliate Link

Makeup Wars: Stocking Stuffers: His & Hers Edition!

 Press SampleAffiliate LinkBlogger Ambassador

It is time for a Holiday Themed Makeup Wars! As we all know, the Holidays are the *best* time of year for beauty shopping. From the gift sets, to the stocking stuffers, to the limited edition items, there are so many great things to choose from and so many good deals out there. I just love stuffing stockings for my loved ones. So, this post is so totally "me"! 

For this year's Makeup Wars Stocking Stuffers post, I decided to give you guys some ideas for both Women's and Men's stockings: the His & Hers edition!

Stocking Stuffers for Her: 

Want to hear the scoop on my His & Hers Stocking Stuffer ideas? Keep reading to find out details about each product! This post is massive!!! So, grab a cup of coffee...sit back, relax, and get some great ideas! :) 

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: The Body Shop "Feel So Good"!

 Affiliate Link Press Sample 

Holiday 2015: "Feel So Good" with The Body Shop! 
Pammy Blogs Beauty's Holiday Gift Guide 2015 Continues with some great gift ideas from The Body Shop!

The Body Shop has a great charity lined up to correspond with this year's gift sets! Proceeds from specially selected gift sets from the Body Shop will go towards the International Charity WaterAid. WaterAid helps provide access to safe water to families in Ethiopia. One gift = one day of safe water in Ethiopia for a family.

The Body Shop has always been one of my go-to stores for bath products, hair products, and makeup. They have some really fun new items, gift sets, and scents for the Holidays! There is a ton to choose from. I will share my thoughts on a few things that I tried from The Body Shop's Holiday lineup!

New Scent: Frosted Plum:
What a lovely new scent for Wintertime! This is an elegant blend of ripe plum, magnolia, and peony. I like that this scent is fruity and fresh without being overly sweet. It is just right! Items available include Body Butter, Bath Fizzers, Sugar Scrub, Body Lotion, and Shower Gel. I got to try out the Shower Gel and the Bath Fizzers and I just adore them! I take lots of baths in the Winter as well as long showers. So, bath products are always an ideal gift for be to both give and to receive. In addition to this awesome new Frosted Plum scent, the Body Shop has also just introduced Frosted Cranberry and Glazed Apple.

Fuji Green Tea Ultimate Collection:
Wow! What a gorgeous gift set. It all comes wrapped up with a big red bow in a cute green cylindar box: no need for additional wrapping. :) This box includes so many products to indulge in! This collection was inspired by the traditional Japanese green tea ceremony. The scent is refreshing and reviving. Perfect for Winter as well as year-round! The scent contains everything you need to envelope yourself in this lovely scent: Fuji Green Tea Eau de Cologne, Fuju Green Tea Body Scrub, Fuji Green Tea Body Wash, Fuji Green Tea Body Butter, Fuji Green Tea Body Sorbet, and Fuji Green Tea Body Lotion. Plus, this gift provides one day of safe water for a family in Ethiopia. Amazing!!! There is nothing better than a gift that gives back!

This is just a small sampling of what The Body Shop is offering for Christmas this year! In addition to body products, they have some really beautiful and limited edition cosmetics as well. Be sure to check out the Body Shop's "Feel So Good" Holiday Collection in store and online! Great gifts and tremendous values!

How are you doing with your Christmas shopping so far? I hope I gave you a few ideas! :)

Affiliate Link

Spa Night at Home: 2 Great Masks from The Body Shop!

Affiliate Link Press Sample

Looking to add a new facial mask to your Spa Night routine at home? I have two great, and very different, masks from The Body Shop in my collection that I would love to tell you about! 

For my Spa Nights at home, I like to first "diagnose" my skin and then determine what type of mask that I need for the evening. With my combination skin, I can feel anywhere from oily to dry to in-between. So, I choose my mask accordingly. For nights that I want to deep cleanse and purify my skin, I choose the Blue Corn 3-in1 Deep Cleansing Mask. For evenings that I feel a little dry, I choose the Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask to nourish my skin while I sleep. 

The Body Shop Blue Corn 3-in-1 Deep Cleansing Mask:
I love the unique and creamy-yet-scrubby texture of this mask! This a great mask to use when my skin needs a little bit of clarifying. I think that this mask is a perfect fit for my combination skin. It deep cleanses, exfoliates, and leaves your skin feeling conditioned. I think that this mask achieves a nice balance. It can suck the gunk out of your pores and lightly exfoliate your skin without overdrying it.

How I Use:
I use this mask after washing my face in the evening about once a week. I leave the mask on my skin for about 20 minutes while I relax. I like that this mask dries, but does not dry in a way that leaves your skin feeling tight or uncomfortable. Then, I wet my hands to re-emulsify the mask and use circular motions to gently exfoliate my skin while gradually adding more water to the mask to remove it while lightly scrubbing. After completely rinsing, my skin is left feeling super soft and nourished. I follow up with a moisturizer. 

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask:
This mask is completely different and unique! I honestly do not have any other masks like it in my facial mask arsenal. As a bit of a skincare junkie, I was immediately intrigued by the unique qualities of this mask. Plus, I am a busy stay-at-home Mom of a 3-year old, and a 1-year old...I am often too tired in the evenings for any complicated skincare routine. So, the idea of a facial that works *while I sleep* is so appealing!

This mask comes beautifully packaged in a large and somewhat flat glass jar. The mask itself looks a bit like glue. For some reason, I was expecting a clear gel. However, it is a white bouncy-feeling cream. The texture almost reminds me of jello with that bounce-back quality. It has a light and somewhat floral scent that I enjoy.

Tips for Use:
After washing your face, use these application tips (suggested in a video on The Body Shop's site), to get the best results from this mask. Before applying, get a small amount of the mask out of jar with the spatula (I, of course, lost my spatula, lol..so, I used a plastic spoon). Warm up the mask in your hands by rubbing the mask in your hands. Then massage the mask over your face using sweeping circular massaging motions with your hands.

I think the trick is to really use a very small amount of this mask. It has a somewhat sticky feeling on your skin. So, you don't want to overdo it or you will feel very sticky and greasy. I do notice that I wake up to very hydrated skin when I use this mask. Since it is the Summer right now, my skin is more on the oily side of combo. I think I will like and use this mask the most in the Fall and Winter when my skin feels more dry. I think this mask can be a very nice hydration boost for your skin! Plus, you need such a small amount of this mask for each use, that this jar will last me forever. So, this product is a great value for the price. You will get a ton of uses out of one jar! If you are looking for a unique overnight mask for hydration, be sure to scope this one out!

So, those are my thoughts on these two very different masks from The Body Shop. I enjoyed using them so much that I would love to explore the rest of their masks! Are you a The Body Shop fan? What are your favorite masks, skincare, makeup, or body products from the line? I always like hearing your recommendations! :)

XOXO! :)

Affiliate Link

My Home Spa: The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil Bath & Body Collection

Affiliate Link Press Sample

image source: The Body Shop

I am a bath person. Especially this time of year! Nothing beats a soak in the tub for a little bit of relaxation before bed. While I will fully admit that many times I am too tired in the evening for a bath. When I do motivate to take one, I am never sorry! Using decadent bath and body products is my little treat to myself. This is how I indulge and self-pamper. So, I just love exploring new bath and body products...such great bath motivation! ;) 

The Body Shop is one of my long-time favorite stores. It has long been a go-to for me for not only bath products but also skincare, makeup, and fragrance! So, I am super excited to try out their new Wild Argan Oil product range! 

Fair Trade Argan Oil:
Argan Oil has been used for centuries in Morocco. It is their beauty secret for conditioned hair and fabulous skin.

The Harvest: 
Even the process of extracting the Argan oil is an age-old tradition. First, the fruits are sun-dried and then the nuts are hand-cracked open. Then the kernals are pressed and are slowly filtered over 48 hours to extract the purest oil possible for the Body Shop's products. The result? A truly high-quality Argan oil goes into the products!

The Body Shop uses Fair-Trade organic Argan oil hand- harvested by Berber tribe women in Southeast Morocco (the remote Atlas Mountains). This trade supports rural agricultural communities in Morocco rather than using large city factories. This partnership is through the Tangarine Cooperative which strives to raise the standard of living for the Berber women in Morocco. Pretty cool, right?

The Body Shop Wild Argan Line:

The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil line:
This line has such a beautiful and unique scent! The Body Shop's Wild Argan scent is hard to describe: it is a soft and comforting scent. To me, the Wild Argan scent is rich and feminine with hints of almond and musk and a slight hint of powder. It is a scent that I really enjoy wearing. So much so that I wish that it came in a body mist or eau de toilette! I would totally wear this as my everyday fragrance!

I tried out a variety of products from the Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil Range. To find out more about each product and how I liked it, please click "read more" below! :)

Spring Beauty Favorites!

Affiliate Link Press Samples

It has been awhile since I have posted a favorites post! There are just so many products that I am loving for Spring right now that I just had to share!!! This month I am all about products that help me get ready quickly, lip products for both color and moisture, and fabulously gentle anti-aging skincare products. 

We are in the midst of trying to sell our house. So, I find that I am always trying to get ready super quick. I need to be ready to get myself, the baby, and the dog out of the door at a moments notice, lol...stress! Also, since I am no longer nursing my baby, I can finally dive into some great retinol-based anti-aging products. The great news? I have found some that produce fabulous results with no negative side effects! Yay!!! Lips? Bring on the color!!! I am all-about looking natural and putting the pop-of-color no my lips. It is actually much quicker to do a simple eye and bold lips. Plus, I just love the lip shades this Spring! So fresh and pretty!

Spring Beauty Favorites with Paula's Choice, Tangle Teezer, Neutrogena

The Scents of Spring and Summer from The Body Shop! New Products for Spring 2013!

 Affiliate Link Press Sample

I will fully admit to being a bit obsessed with The Body Shop! I have literally been a fan of this brand for almost 2 decades. It all started with my love of the Oatmeal Facial Mask and the Banana Shampoo & Conditioner. Funny enough, those are still favorites of mine! I literally cannot walk into my local Lenox Mall without being sucked into the Body Shop because of the amazing scents wafting out of the store. So, you know that I was excited when The Body Shop offered to send me an assortment of gorgeously scented products from their Spring/Summer lineup! I have even found some new loves!!!

NEW Spring Lineup from The Body Shop:

• Eau de Toilette 2013: Strawberry and Coconut
• Lip Gloss 2013: Mango, Plum, Raspberry, and Watermelon
• Absinthe Hand Gel
• Chocomania: Deluxe Body Lotion and Lip Butter
• Eye Shadows: Something Blue, Oh Honey, Coconuts About Your

To find out how I like these products and to hear more details, please keep reading!

Pammy Loves Products! June Favorites and Monthly Reflections

I am going to try something different with my Monthly Favorites Posts! Ya'll let me know what you think! :)

I want to open it up each month with a "Monthly Reflection". This will just be my non-beauty related musing on life at the moment. If you want to skip my musings and get right to my top-product picks, please just skip over my ramblings and jump the page break to get directly to my top products list (and check out the cute new "list" graphic! Thanks Christine!!!)

Whatever is going on in my life always segues into my beauty needs! Having a hectic month? I need quick and easy beauty products! In the mood for self-pampering? You might see a lot of body products that month. Is there a change of season? Then I will shake-up my beauty routine too. For me, my beauty products are always refelctive of what is happening in my life. Some months I shop more...and have more new products to try. Sometimes a new season will hit, and I will have access to new makeup collections and samples. You just never know!

There is one constant: My beauty routine is always changing! Beauty routines really are "fluid": they change and evolve as we do.

Monthly Reflections:
I know that having a young baby at home makes time go by on warp speed. I mean, last year at this time I was busy with nursery preparations, baby classes, and baby showers. Now I have a 6-month old? That is just crazy-pants! She is growing so fast. Awwhhhh!!!!

Motherhood is the most amazing journey I have ever been on. Every day is a new experience or a first. I feel very lucky and blessed to be experiencing the art of Motherhood. I know that it is a state-of-being that will take a lifetime to perfect.

Another Year Older:
As I write this post, I am on the eve of yet another Birthday. Another year has gone by. I can't even believe that I am in my (cough) late 30s! Sometimes I can't believe it because I still feel like I am 15 on the inside. But other times, I feel old as the hills! LOL! There is one thing that is for certain, this past year has been the most amazing of my life with the birth of my first daughter! There is no question that I feel lucky and blessed to have this beautiful child in my life. While I get older ever day, I realize that, in many ways, my life is just beginning. I am only at the beginning of my long journey as a Mom. It is a dream come true for me!

Lets Talk Products!

So, those are my musings for the month of June! Now, lets talk products!!! June has been a great month for favorites! Some of the items on my list are repeats from previous months (there is a particular item from Pixi that I am particularly obcessed with!) and some items are new products that I either purchased or fell in love with while testing for review. Either way, these products are all flippin great!

To find out what made this month's "Pammy Loves Products" list, keep reading after the jump!

Get Glowing! with The Body Shop and Lily Cole: Collection Launch and Glow Products

What happens when activist/model/actor Lily Cole and Body Shop get together for a makeup collaboration? A flirty, fresh, and totally cruelty-free makeup collection is born.

I have been a fan and supporter of the body shop for almost 2 decades (showing my age here!). Their Banana Shampoo/Conditioner and Oatmeal Scrub/Mask are two products that I almost always have in my bathroom. So, with all my Body Shop love, I am happy to try out their new makeup collection!

(photo source: Body Shop)

This limited edition collection with its girly packaging and get-glowing products is not one to be missed! These products are just as cute as a button!

This fun collection features:

• Shadows that are not just in plain-old (boring, ha ha!) pan form, but formed into Shimmer Cubes! Like a sugar cube but shimmer! : $22.00 Each container contains 4 cubes. The one I tested contains Think Pink, Live Lilac, Go Violet, and Tint It Pink
• A shimmery primer that looks like little pearls: Pearl Radiance Primer 22
• Highlighting pearls with the cutest puff ever: Puff on Radiance
• Liquid Eyeliner in a pretty and vibrant violet:$13.50
• Lip and Cheek Domes (so cute!) in Pink me Pink and Crazy for Coral: $15.00.
• Mini Hi-Shine Gloss: Available in Go Pink, Go Wild, Go Play, and Go Naked

For more details on the collection and product reviews, photos, and swatches, please keep reading!