Hard Night Good Morning Facial Cocktail

I received a sample for Hard Night Good Morning Facial Cocktail. It is made by D'Andra Simmons. I had not heard of this company before. It is aloe based, and it contains powerful antioxidants, essential oils, and a proprietary blend of botanical extracts. It also has Gatuline and Osilift in it. I'm still unsure of the exact ingredients, as they are not listed in the literature or website. The product promises to tighten, tone, and firm the skin. It also is supposed to invigorate and hydrate the complexion. According to the company it is formulated with the finest ingredients to address the visible signs of aging.

My work schedule varies. I work many late nights and early mornings. I'm also a mom to 2 busy boys. When I heard about this cream I thought it sounded like a miracle in a little jar. The price told me that it'd better be a miracle. A 1 fl. oz. bottle sells for $155. There is a whole line with am cleanser, pm cleanser/makeup remover, facial cocktail/serum, eye cream, detox toner, daytime moisturizer, nighttime moisturizer, and detox mineral mask.

I've used the facial cocktail for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks of use, my wrinkles are less pronounced and my skin is smoother and softer. It smells really good. I did get complements about my complexion. I have always had dark circles under my eyes that it did nothing for (as it says to avoid contact with the eye area.) In all fairness, though, I did not try the cream specifically for the eye area. I have searched my entire life for something to help the purpleness under my eyes go away.

The Hard Night Good Morning line is currently on sale for 50% off. I tend to be a thrifty shopper and would buy it on sale. I have a problem spending $155 for a little jar of face cream.

I have a sample packet left and will give it away to the first person to leave a comment here. Just leave a comment about how you try to look refreshed in the morning when you've had a hard night.

http://www.dandrasimmons.com

Is POM Wonderful Wonderful?

I've seen the unique bottles of POM in the grocery store but didn't try it until recently. I was asked by POM if I would like to sample their juice. So upon receiving a small package in the mail from POM, I tried POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice for the first time. The tartness reminds me of cranberry juice, and it's not as sweet as concord grape juice. ( I love cranberry juice and usually drink a glass of concord grape juice each day.) POM sells a variety of juices, POMx tea, even POMx iced coffee, POMx bars, POMx pills. A 16oz bottle sells for between $4-$5.




According to POM's promotional literature:

• POM juice has more antioxidants than red wine, concord grape juice, blueberry juice, black cherry juice, and acai juice.
• POM Wonderful is the only brand guaranteed to contain 100% authentic pomegranate juice.
• POM contains to added sugar, preservatives, colors, or cheap filler juices
• POM grows their own fruit (in the San Joaquin Valley,) squeezes it with their own presses, and manufactures their own bottles.
• POM is guaranteed to be made exclusively from the "wonderful" variety of pomegranates. The wonderful variety is known for it's unique combination of superior antioxidants, delicious taste, and deep crimson color. There are different varieties of pomegranates, not all have the health benefits of the wonderful variety.
• POM Wonderful has proved $32 million to fund medical research (primarily in cardiovascular, prostate, and erectile health) 45 published clinical studies in peer reviewed journals document the benefits of drinking 8oz of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice daily. It is important to note that the medical claims are based on medical research that POM financed. One study appears to have been conducted using only 13 test subjects and 2 others with only 10 test subjects.

For more information you can check out POM's website at http://www.pomwonderful.com/. There's also some great recipes there.





*A word about antioxidants - antioxidants are nutrients and enzymes that prevent oxidative damage to the body. When our cells use oxygen they naturally produce free radicals which can cause damage. The body also picks up free radicals from sun exposure, pollution, stress, alcohol, and cigarette smoke. The oxidative damage done by free radicals can cause heart disease, macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's, and rheumatoid arthritis. Antioxidants can prevent and repair the damage done by free radicals. Common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, flavenoids/polyphenols, lycopene, lutein, lignan, and co-enzyme Q10.
POM Wonderful did support using lab tests on animals until PETA lodged a boycott, The company issued a statement in January 2007 saying that it would cease all further animal testing. They are now listed on PETA's list of "Good Guys." http://www.caringconsumer.com/products_juice.asp
here are some more links about the controversy: http://www.energygrid.com/action/2007/01-pom.html#pomleter

Recipe - Pumpkin Bisque Soup

The first time I had pumpkin bisque soup was at a Christmas party about a week ago. I fell in love with it. It is now one of my favorites & I wanted to share.

3 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/8 c. chives
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
dash of pepper to taste
pepper to taste
2 cans of unseasoned pumpkin
32 oz. of chicken broth
2 cups of milk

melt butter in a large pot; add celery seed, chives, bay leaf, and thyme. Saute for a few seconds until chives appear wilted. Add the pumpkin, broth, pepper, and basil and bring to a simmer. Stir in the milk and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

A new discovery Endless.com

I'm a sucker for shoes & handbags, especially when they are eco-friendly. I've found a new website (at least it's new to me, lol) at Endless. They sell lines like SAK's Eco Harmony that are made bamboo yarns that are dyed with non-toxic and azo-free pigments with recycled cotton linings.

Just type in "eco" to the search bar at the top their website & it will pop up with tons of eco-friendly shoes & handbags. There are much more than I ever knew existed. Some items look more eco-conscious than others.