Sensaria Body Butter VS Lemongrass Spa Body Icing

I have been lax in updating the blog haven't I? Well, I must say that even though I technically sell skin care ... I don't! I have found that my new business with Private Quarters has far surpassed my expectations and it has been keeping me VERY busy! Anyway, I thought I would revive the blog with some new content and asked some of my Sensaria Sisters to write a review of their favorite Sensaria product which they have found a replacement for with their new company. The Sensaria Body Butter was definitely one of my favorites and I look forward to having another option once my supply runs out!

Sensaria Body Butter VS Lemongrass Spa Body Icing
By Lakia Pearson

I have been asked to do a review of these two “Natural” body creams. I have used both and here is what I have found.

Usage & Results:
Sensaria Body Butter: Sensaria promoted that their body butter was an intense, ultra-rich cream formulated to deeply penetrate and restore essential moisture to dry skin. I used the product daily especially during cold winter months. After the shower I would massage generously over clean, slightly damp skin to seal in the moisture. This was one of the top selling products because of how well it hydrated body skin. Sensaria’s signature scents included Cherry Almond, Mango, Green Tea, Coconut, & Vanilla Bean. In my opinion, most of the flavors were not overly scented, however I was not a personal fan of Cherry Almond (most people either loved it or didn’t). You could also layer two or more of the body butters together and it still had a pleasant fragrance that wasn’t overpowering.

Lemongrass Spa Body Icing: This product just launched in January 2012! Lemongrass Spa promotes that this velvety-soft body icing will soothe winter dryness. This is my new favorite daily moisturizer because its consistency is creamier and goes on smoothly after the shower. I enjoy applying the icings after the shower; your skin feels silky smooth and hydrated for a very long time. Body Icing flavors includes Freesia Blossom, Pina Colada, Sugar Lily, Chocolate, Berry Smoothie, & Lavender Mint (top three favorites so far are Sugar Lily, Freesia Blossom, & Lavender Mint)! They are not overpowering, the blends are natural and pleasant however the Chocolate icing depends on your personal preference in my opinion.

How Natural is it:
Sensaria Body Butter: Water is the first ingredient followed by Soybean Oil, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Fragrance, PEG-100 Stearate, and a list of other ingredients.

Lemongrass Spa Body Icing: Aloe Vera gel, purified water, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, vegetable emulsifying wax, evening primrose oil, stearic acid, phthalate-free fragrance, vitamin E oil, and optiphen.

Value:
Sensaria Body Butter: It retailed for $24.50 for 8 oz or $3.06/oz.

Lemongrass Spa Body Icing: Retails for $18.00 (only $16 through Jan.31, 2012) for 6 oz or $3/oz.

Lemongrass Spa Body Icings are the perfect replacement for Sensaria’s Body Butters. In my opinion, the body icings deliver what it promises. Thick, creamy texture that is perfect for all skin types (sensitive skin as well), it contains no nut oils, glutens, parabens or synthetic colors. What you’ll love is that the ingredient “Cupuacu” (coo-poo-wa-soo) butter comes from the oil inside the seeds of the Cupuacu Tree in Brazil. This highly sought-after ingredient holds moisture well resulting in extra-hydration during the day!

ABOUT LAKIA: Lakia Pearson is a Wife, Mom, & Spa Diva. She started using Sensaria 3 years ago when a product worked well for her son’s eczema skin. She finally signed up as a consultant in order to get products at a reduced price for her family. What she found was that this opportunity drove her to quit her full time job and “Spa Party” for a living while enjoying more time with her family whom she adores. After weeks of searching for a new company once Sensaria closed its doors, she found an exciting new home with Lemongrass Spa Products, a company that makes fresh handmade products weekly using the best natural ingredients without harmful chemicals. For weekly spa tips visit her facebook page at www.facebook.com/SpaDivaLakia!

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What Products Do I Use for Beauty Society?

One thing I noticed when I first opened up a Beauty Society catalog was the overwhelming selection of skin care products! I thought Sensaria had a lot of repair products but Beauty Society blew them out of the water. So, if you were like me and had no idea what to use and what order to use them in then hopefully this will help you out. The great thing is that you can create your own personal combination of products that work best for your skin!

Of course, almost anyone can benefit from Our Little Secret which is very similar to Sensaria's Advanced Firming Treatment. It can be added to the "Rebuild & Repair" step along with any other product recommended below. Another product that anyone can use is Immortal Eyes which is again very similar to Sensaria's Optimize Eye Serum. I would use that right after cleansing. You might also notice there is no toner in the line but there is an astringent called Stripper if you have acne prone skin. The reason is that all the cleansers are PH balanced for your skin so no toner is necessary!

NORMAL SKIN:
CLEANSE: Set Me Free (gel based for combo/oily) or Easy Going (creamy based for dry/sensitive - AM/PM)
RESURFACE: Fake ID (daily) and Crystal Ball (do not use both on same day - weekly)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Baby Calm Down (soothing gel mask - weekly)
MOISTURIZE: Anytime Anywhere (time release moisturizer - AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)

DRY SKIN:
CLEANSE: Easy Going (AM/PM)
RESURFACE: Fake ID (AM/PM)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Mission Accomplished (AM/PM)
MOISTURIZE: Love Thy Face  (AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)

OILY SKIN:
CLEANSE: Set Me Free
RESURFACE: Fake ID (AM/PM) or Crystal Ball (do not use both on same day - weekly)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Mission Accomplished (AM/PM)
MOISTURIZE: Keep It Lite (oil free- AM/PM) or Anytime Anywhere (time release moisturizer - AM/PM)
TROUBLESHOOT: Let's Face It (clay based mask - weekly)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)

COMBINATION SKIN:
CLEANSE: Set Me Free or Easy Going (AM/PM)
RESURFACE: Fake ID (AM/PM) or Crystal Ball (do not use both on same day - weekly)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Mission Accomplished (AM/PM)
MOISTURIZE: Anytime Anywhere (time release moisturizer - AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)

MATURING SKIN:
CLEANSE: Set Me Free or Easy Going (usually it is Easy Going - AM/PM)
RESURFACE: Fake ID (AM) and All Nighter (PM)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Our Little Secret (AM/PM), Drama Free (AM/PM), Perfect Form (eye, neck and décolétte crème - AM/PM), Mission Accomplished (AM/PM), Uptight (hyper firming mask - weekly)
MOISTURIZE: Love Thy Face  (AM/PM) and Immortal Eyes (AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)
SPECIALTY: Poker Face (wrinkle eraser - AM/PM)

SENSITIVE SKIN:
CLEANSE: Easy Going  (AM/PM)
RESURFACE: Fake ID (AM) and All Nighter (PM)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Baby Calm Down (soothing gel mask - weekly), Drama Free (AM/PM), and Mission Accomplished (AM/PM)
MOISTURIZE: Anytime Anywhere (time release moisturizer - AM/PM) or Love Thy Face  (AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)

SUN DAMAGED SKIN:
CLEANSE: Set Me Free or Easy Going (usually it is Easy Going - AM/PM)
RESURFACE: Fake ID (AM), All Nighter (PM) and Crystal Ball (do not use on same day as Fake ID or All Nighter - weekly)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Baby Calm Down (soothing gel mask - weekly), Drama Free (AM/PM), and Mission Accomplished (AM/PM)
MOISTURIZE: Love Thy Face  (AM/PM) and Immortal Eyes (AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)

ACNE/BLEMISH PRONE:
CLEANSE: Set Me Free (AM/PM) and Stripper (astringent - AM/PM)
RESURFACE: True Salvation (AM/PM)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Drama Free (AM), and Mission Accomplished (PM)
MOISTURIZE: Keep It Lite (oil free- AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)
TROUBLESHOOT: Let's Face It (clay based mask - weekly) and Blemish 911 (spot treatment)

ROSACEA:
CLEANSE: Easy Going  (AM/PM)
REBUILD & REPAIR: Baby Calm Down (soothing gel mask - weekly), Drama Free (AM/PM), and Mission Accomplished (AM/PM)
MOISTURIZE: Anytime Anywhere (time release moisturizer - AM/PM) or Love Thy Face  (AM/PM)
PROTECT: Making Shade (SPF 28 sunscreen - AM)
SPECIALTY: Photo Shoot (foundation primer - AM/PM)

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Sensaria Sea Silk Mask VS L’Bri Facial Masque

The Sea Silk Mask was one of my favorites from Sensaria and it will be sad when I use the last of it. Beauty Society doesn't really have a great replacement for this product so I am so happy to have another option with L'Bri! Kelly was kind enough to write up a review of the two products and she was also a Sensaria Representative so she is very familiar with both products!

Sensaria Sea Silk Mask VS L’Bri Facial Masque
By Kelly Bermingham

I have been asked to do a review of these two “Natural” skin care masks. I have used both and here is what I have found.

Usage & Results:
Sensaria Sea Silk Mask: Sensaria promotes that their Sea Silk Mask contains red algae, a sea plant rich in nutrients, that has been known to regenerate and hydrate the skin to dramatically improve firmness, smoothness and elasticity. The mask is touted to revitalize the complexion and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The mask can be uses by all skin types. The product isn’t heavily scented and is clear in color. The mask dries on the skin (leave on about 10-15 minutes), but is easily washed away with tepid water. I used the mask as directed and my skin felt smooth afterwards, but I didn’t notice any dramatic effects on lines, wrinkles or firmness. My skin felt refreshed.

L’Bri Pure n’ Natural’s Facial Masque: L’Bri’s non-surgical face-lift will tone, smooth and clear away dead skin cells. Skins smoothness returns and wrinkles and enlarged pores are diminished. Helps speed the healing of blemished skin. For all skin types. The product doesn’t have much scent and is golden in color. The first time I used the masque, I could feel my skin tightening as the masque dried. The masque is left on the face for 10-15 minutes. When washing away the masque with tepid water, I could feel a silky smoothness. My skin felt soft and refreshed. I applied the masque to just half my face. The results were dramatic! I could see that the skin was lifted, toned and tightened. I am amazed at the instant effects of this masque.

Main Ingredient:
Sensaria Sea Silk Mask: Water is the first ingredient.

L’Bri Pure n’ Natural’s Facial Masque: Aloe Vera Barbadensis Leaf Extract is the first ingredient.

Value:
Sensaria Sea Silk Mask: It retailed for $24 for 1.7 oz or $14.12/oz.

L’Bri Pure n’ Natural’s Facial Masque: Retails for $26.50 for 4 oz or $6.50/oz.

L’Bri Pure n’ Natural Facial Masque provides more dramatic results than Sensaria Sea Silk Masque. In my opinion, L’Bri Facial Masque delivers what it promises. If loss of firmness, sagging skin, blemishes, or age spots are of concern to you, L’Bri Facial Masque is a must. Using this product twice a week in combination with a proper skin care routine, you will see instant results. Highly recommended for those trying to prevent damage and those trying to repair damage.

ABOUT KELLY: Kelly Bermingham is a wife and mom of one grown child. She started using Sensaria 8 years ago when a product worked well for heeling cracked feet. She later found the face system to be the only thing that worked for her aging skin and was hooked. She finally signed up as a consultant in order to get products for a reduced price. What she found was that the earnings provided her family some little luxuries otherwise out of reach. Kelly has found L’Bri Pure n’ Natural, a company that uses Aloe Vera as the main ingredient in skin, bath, body, hair and cosmetic products. After both her and her mother saw the immediate results with every product they tried, Kelly found her new skincare home.

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Sensaria Citrus Cleaner VS Daisy Blue Daisy Breeze

I have had many requests for people to buy my Citrus Cleaner and I am not parting with any of them! I have used it in my laundry, general cleaning, stain removal, outdoor furniture cleaning and more. A past Sensaria Rep has joined a new company and one of the items they offer is a very good replacement for Sensaria's Citrus Cleaner. I am happy to say that I will be trying this product once my supply runs out! Here is the review that Sarah Gabrielson wrote for me to post on my blog. Come back and post in the comments if you ordered this product from her and tell me what you think!

Sensaria Citrus Cleaner VS Daisy Blue Daisy Breeze
By Sarah Gabrielson

I have been asked to do a review of these two “Natural” Cleaners. I have used both for many purposes and here is what I have found.

Laundry Detergent:
Sensaria Citrus Cleaner: It worked well as a Laundry Detergent. It worked great directly on spots. It didn’t always get out missed spots but worked moderately well. It had a citrus scent. When the laundry was done, the fragrance was done. It did not linger. It worked in a front loader but it did bubble some. Buildup was minimal when I did my cleaning cycle. Usage suggestion is 2-3 Tbsp per load of laundry. This worked for most people with sensitive skin.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze: Daisy Breeze is actually formulated for this purpose and this is where it really shines. Clothes are noticeably brighter, and noticeably softer. If you are using fabric softener, you won’t need to anymore. If you’re not you will love how soft your clothes are. It works great as a spot treatment, but if you miss one, it will most likely take it out anyway. The citrus fragrance does not linger but clothes smell fresh. It works awesome in a front loader and buildup was non-existent when I did my cleaning cycle. Usage suggestion is 1-2 oz (or 2-4 Tbsp) per load of laundry. I have never used more than 1 oz and I have a very large capacity washer. This works for most people with sensitive skin.

Hard Surface Cleaning:
Sensaria Citrus Cleaner: Usage recommendation is 2 Tbsp per gallon of water, wash and rinse. I usually used this in a 16oz spray bottle so I would add ¾ tsp of the Citrus Cleaner. It worked really well for sinks, and counters etc. It made bubbles when you used it for dishes and the water stayed clear.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze: Also works awesome in a spray bottle, so add 1 Tbsp and fill it up. You can add a few drops of tea tree oil or lemon juice if you would like too, but it is not needed. It makes everything shiny. It can also be mixed with baking soda for a 100% natural “soft scrub”. This works awesome as well. It will sometimes separate a little. Shake before using. It washes a sink of dishes shiny and clean. It does however, not bubble as much as you are probably used to and will make the water cloudy.

Fruit and Veggie Wash:
Sensaria Citrus Cleaner: I didn’t use this as a fruit and veggie wash after I noticed that it contained Propylene Glycol and synthetic fragrance.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze: It can be used as a fruit and veggie wash and it is 100% natural.

Hand Soap:
Sensaria Citrus Cleaner: I didn’t use this as a hand soap.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze: Works awesome mixed with water in a foaming hand soap pump. Go green and reuse one that had other foaming hand soap in and refill with Daisy Breeze for a 100% natural and safer alternative.

How Natural is it:
Sensaria Citrus Cleaner: Contains Propylene Glycol which is a derivative of natural gas. It is used because it is very cheap. It can be irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. There are many other “claims” to whether it is safe or not. Citrus Cleaner also contains a synthetic fragrance. I called and asked about it and there was no explanation given. Some companies will use a natural fragrance that is “tweaked” a little and it needs to be listed as fragrance. Sometimes things that are listed as fragrance contain Phthalates which have been linked and claimed to cause many things from obesity to cancer. Sometimes fragrance is phthalate free but again, no explanation was given to me when asked other than it is a synthetic fragrance and that it is not all bad because sometimes people with skin sensitivities can handle the synthetic version better.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze: Is 100% natural. It contains no parabens or artificial preservatives, no phthalates or artificial fragrances. It contains no sulfates, sulfites, or phosphates. It contains no silicones, paraffin or mineral oils. All Daisy Blue Products are cruelty free and gluten free.

Value:
Sensaria Citrus Cleaner: It retailed for $18 for 32 fluid oz or $0.56/oz. You use 1-3 Tbsp for most things.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze: Retails for $19.50 without a measuring cup for 64 oz or $0.30/oz. Usage is 1 Tbsp for most purposes and 1-2 oz (2-4 Tbsp) for laundry.

Daisy Blue Naturals Daisy Breeze is better than Sensaria Citrus Cleaner in all areas in my opinion. It is more natural, and it works better. It is a better value. The only negative I have found is that it turns the water cloudy and bubbles minimally when used as a dish soap. It still cleans but it’s just not what we are used to.

ABOUT SARAH: Sarah Gabrielson is a wife and mom of three young children. She started using Sensaria 7 years ago when a product worked well for her daughter with extreme ezcema. She later found the face system to be the only thing that worked for her sensitive skin and was hooked. She finally signed up as a consultant in order to get products for a reduced price and hopefully fund her dream to publish a book. That dream became a reality this summer with the release of her book Love God, Live Life - 7 Principles for a Victorious Christian Life in a Busy World. The book is now available world-wide on all major online bookstores and as a Kindle book. Since the close of Sensaria, Sarah has found Daisy Blue Naturals, a company that has 100% natural bath, body and home products. After both her and her daughter were able to use everything in the product line they tried, Sarah found her new skincare home.

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Why I Picked Beauty Society

I don't think I ever got around to explaining why I picked Beauty Society out of everything I tried did I? Well, honestly it was the most impressive to me in how my skin felt after using it the first time. It was that same feeling I got when I first tried Sensaria 7 years ago at my friend's spa party. It was nice to have that feeling of soft, smooth skin that just glowed! Also, when I started looking at the products in more detail I noticed how similar certain items were and some were almost identical! Here are just a few...

Set Me Free ~ I haven't done an exact ingredient to ingredient comparison but just how it feels and smells it is VERY similar to Sensaria's Balancing Cleanser. It is a gel cleanser that foams up and smells minty. I like it a lot and the minty scent helps wake me up in the morning when I use it in the shower. Plus, it gets this song stuck in my head which is fun too.



The price on Set Me Free is $29.50 for an 8oz bottle which works out to $3.69/oz. Sensaria's was $19 for 6oz which works out to $3.17/oz. The Beauty Society product might seem like a lot more but really it is only $0.52 more per ounce! I wish this item came in a refill but it seems like they were having too many issues with the refill pack leaking so it is on hold for now. I love that this company offers refills which means you can save 15-30% and feel good about being eco-friendly too!

Crystal Ball ~ This one is almost identical to Sensaria's Microdermabrasion Creme but it feels creamier to me. Again, I haven't done an ingredient comparison but it has the same volcanic micro-crystals suspended in a light blue lotion-type base. The really nice thing on this is the price! Crystal Ball retails for $34.50 for 3oz of product which works out to be $11.50/oz. Sensaria's retailed for $28 for just 1.25oz which means it cost $22.40/oz or about double Beauty Society's!

Our Little Secret ~ Now this one again seems almost identical to Sensaria's Advanced Firming Treatment! I don't know what percentage Sensaria had of the Matrixyl peptides but Beauty Society has 4% which is the most you can have without a prescription. I also seem to recall that Sensaria claimed results in a few months but with Beauty Society they say you get results in 2-4 weeks. Impressive! Sensaria sold theirs for $55/oz and Beauty Society sells theirs for $59.50/oz. The great thing is it is only a few dollars more and you get faster results plus you can buy the refill packs and save 15-30%!

Making Shade ~ This is another item that is almost identical to Sensaria's! I really could not tell a difference at all between the two and the great thing is that you get 4.5oz for just $28.50 ($6.33/oz) with Beauty Society. Sensaria's cost $25 for just 2oz or $12.50/oz which is practically double the price!

There were other items too that I can highlight later that will make good replacement items for your Sensaria favorites. I just need to play with them more and some I need to buy still too. However, in the meantime I am asking past Sensaria reps to be guest bloggers on my site. They will highlight one product from their new company that they feel is a good replacement for a Sensaria one and post their review. I have one to post tomorrow so look for it!

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Adventures at the mall: Origins vs Aveda

Last Friday I grabbed two of my friends and headed to the mall. First we started with a cocktail, appetizers and dinner so we could catch up with each other and visit. It was a night out that we all needed so I am happy we were able to make it happen. I was also excited that they were interested in trying out two department store lines that were recommended to me. I was an Origins user before I started with Sensaria so I was pretty familiar with it but it has been 7 years since I looked at it. Aveda was another line that people raved about over the years and my friend's SIL is a huge fan and wanted her to check it out.

We hit the Aveda store first because my friend had already checked it out (due to her SIL recommendation) and we all wanted to see what the fuss was about. We started out in the hair care section and found a Rosemary Mint Shampoo. We miss the shampoos Sensaria had to offer and we really liked the scent of the Aveda one. It was definitely more minty than the Sensaria one which we liked. Next we hit the essential oil section and it was definitely a bit strong for us so we didn't linger long. They did have a really yummy tea that we sampled! Next up was some of their body care products and I really liked their Caribbean Therapy Body Scrub. It was very much like Sensaria's Sweet & Smooth as it is a sugar and salt scrub and you have to stir it up before using it. It didn't smell as wonderful as the Sweet & Smooth but it was a pleasant, soft, tropical smell that I liked. Again, they had a nice minty Rosemary Mint Body/Hand Wash but we were disappointed how much it cost. I am not sure I would pay $16 for just 8.5 oz of body wash? I guess I am just spoiled! Finally, we headed over to the skin care section and started playing around with that. It was nice to see familiar lines like "Sensitive", "Acne", "Anti-aging", etc. It was a bit confusing because there were quite a few lines that seemed to overlap each other. The products felt nice but there was definitely a strong essential oil scent to most of their skin care products. It wasn't a smell that appealed to us.

After the Aveda store we headed over to the Origins store which was right around the corner. The gal there was very perky and helpful. Maybe a bit too helpful? We headed right over to the skin care items and looking over the lines I remembered all the different products I used way back when. There were of course some new anti-aging things too. We were all much more excited about the smells of these products and they also felt really nice too. Our favorite cleanser was Checks and Balances and my friend almost bought one but took home a sample instead. I really have to get her to try Beauty Society! We did a price check and the Origins line is a little more expensive ($3.90/oz) than Beauty Society ($3.69/oz) and plus you can't get Origins on sale or earn it for free for having a party. ;) After the skin care we checked out the body care items. We really liked the apricot smell of the A Perfect World line but didn't like their prices. The shampoo line was yummy smelling too but again the prices seemed high.

Bottom line? We liked a lot of products in both lines but I think our preference was Origins in how things smelled and the skin care line was more reasonable than Aveda.

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Even more research!

I swear this list never seems to end! I was barely through my second week of trying new product lines. It was so crazy that it is no wonder my head was starting to spin! Here goes the final four lines...

First up was Noevir which to be fair I only tested one product because I had picked up a free sample at one of the many events I did last year. The sample was the Quick Recovery Mask which I tried one day in the shower. This is supposed to cleanse, mask and exfoliate. It smelled ok so I slathered it on my face then let it sit and do it's job. It did feel heavy and perhaps made for people with dry skin? It also reminded me of when I used to play with my grandmother's makeup. She used to use some sort of cold cream and some Shiseido products and this is what this mask reminded me of. It also started to sting my eyes. I now see that you are supposed to avoid the eyes (which I did) but when I was rinsing some got in there anyway. It must have been the menthol or eucalyptus which is probably why I liked the smell. However, I really didn't care for how it felt on my face. I just wasn't wowed by this product and for $52 I better feel some wow. I didn't so I moved on.

Next up was NouVara which a friend of mine recommended to me. She recently joined this company and knows the owners of the company so she really believes in this company. However, it is a brand new company which concerned me. They also only had a skin care line available which was not very big. They do have plans for more products but this is the one they launched with. This company was looked at by the Sensaria leaders ... or at least I think so since there is another company with a similar name with very few products in their line. I did like the fact that the samples came with a personal letter to me explaining a bit about the company and the products. They also sent a good amount to sample. The products were nice and I liked the smell of it all. They did recommend that I try it for a week or two before I see dramatic results. I just couldn't wait that long but I did try it for a few days. Unfortunately, I was already wowed by the Beauty Society products so if that hadn't happened maybe I would have stuck with it more. I also saw the high prices and the comp plan didn't excite me so again I moved on.

The next line I tried was from BeautiControl and I agreed to try it since the lady contacted me from an online forum I have been a member of for a few years now. I had tried some of their makeup a few years ago and it was just okay for me. Since I never tried their skin care I thought I would give it a try. She sent me quite a few samples to try but I just tried their SPA line products. Their products smelled good and were reasonably priced but the line left my skin feeling a bit tight after using it. They did have these really neat skin sensors that you just touch to your face and it tells you what products to use on your skin type. It wasn't news to me to see that I had combination skin with lots of oil in the t-zone. It was a long survey to tell me what I already knew. Still, I thought it was interesting! I looked through the catalog and it looked kind of Avon-esque to me and since the products didn't wow me ... I moved on.

Last up was a line that many Sensaria reps were raving about which was Lemongrass Spa. It wasn't on the leaders list to consider but there was a whole group of reps in Florida who fell in love. I had my doubts as I sampled just a few items at the Jordan Essentials party and it seemed very similar to JE. I got the travel facial care set for normal skin. I didn't like the smell of the cleanser, toner, or moisturizer. I did like the pomegranate mask and face polish but I really don't like the feel of jojoba beads which have been used in some other products I tried. I didn't feel like the mask did anything for me other than smell nice. I also tried the body polish which is a sugar scrub with some oils in it. The scent I got was pink grapefruit and while it was nice at first, the scent really lingers after using the scrub and I didn't like the after smell. The scrub was also very hard to scoop out of the jar. It was dense and just packed in really well. I got a sample of their whipped body butter which had a nice vanilla-orange scent but it was way too greasy for my skin. Nothing like Sensaria's body butters! They also included a Pink Shimmer lip balm but it was very sweet and it seemed to just sit on top of my lips. My 3 year old daughter loved it so guess who has it now? This line was very inexpensive and great for anyone looking for a line that is really natural. This wasn't a line for me but lots of Sensaria gals did like it so maybe if you are into the all natural thing then it could be for you too?

Now on to my adventures at the mall with some friends!

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The research continues!

As I mentioned before, I tried a LOT of different skin care lines after I got home from Sweden. The previous blog post was about my first week back and now I will now tell you about my second week. Also, if I can squeeze it in I will include a little excursion my girlfriends and I took to the mall to check out a few department store brands too. Although, I have a feeling I will need to make a separate blog post about that trip.

My week started off with evaluating a company called Pink Papaya. It is not a new line to me as I have heard about it online and at least one rep of mine joined their company only to call me back a few months later to join Sensaria. I am pretty sure she liked the products but there wasn't enough training and support for her with Pink Papaya. Also, a good friend of mine was invited to a party a few months ago and gave me her opinion plus shared her samples with me. Neither one of us liked the lotion samples she had. Both in the smell and how they felt. She really liked the Cranberry Orange hand scrub but she was really hoping for more products available in that scent. She also didn't like the skin care line but she is also a die-hard Sensaria customer of mine. Anyway, I got an invitation from a former Sensaria rep to attend a Pink Papaya team meeting which was held in Bothell. It was just literally a few minutes away and while I was really burned out from trying new skin care products, I figured I had to go and make sure for myself. There were probably about 10 people there and most of the evening was spent sampling the new products that just got announced at their convention. It was a LOT of new products and they seemed to be mostly body products and a new skin care line for men. I still didn't care for most of their scents but there were 1or 2 that I did like. However, I really wanted to try the skin care so the leader sent me home with some samples. I got a cleanser, toner, am moisturizer and a pm moisturizer. The products did smell pretty good to me but I thought they left my skin feeling a bit tight. I also looked through their catalog and saw very few skin care items and the ingredients that I saw weren't all that impressive to me in regards to anti-aging. Most of the catalog was on body products and lots of scents. They also had a large selection of makeup which didn't interest me that much either. Price wise they seem fairly similar to Sensaria with some items slightly more expensive. When I priced a few items it worked out to be more per ounce but their body wash was double Sensaria's! Otherwise, if you like the scents of this product line then this would be a reasonable alternative to Sensaria in regards to the body care line. Maybe if you were using the Signature line with Sensaria then maybe Pink Papaya's skin care would appeal to you too. It just didn't appeal to me so I moved on.

Next up was Jordan Essentials. Another Sensaria rep had joined this company and invited me to her launch party. It wasn't too far away so I decided to go. Sometimes it is easier to try it in person than asking for a bunch of samples from all these companies. She had a great turnout at her home and she even had a few items to sample from other lines she had tried. One was Lemongrass Spa which I was getting samples from them soon and the other was L'Bri which I had samples for but hadn't had a chance to try it yet. So, I went around and sampled Jordan Essentials. It looked like they had about 15 or so different scents that were available in all their products. I didn't like most of these scents again but there were a few that appealed to me. The scents reminded me a lot of Bath & Body Works. I tried the body wash, body scrub and a lotion at the sink. The scent was really nice which was Oatmeal, Milk & Honey. However, the wash seemed very thick and sticky and the lotion was a bit tacky after using it too. There were a few other Sensaria reps there too and they wanted to try the products on their face. I smelled the face products and didn't like it enough to put on my face so I watched them try the products and see what they thought. They liked the way the products smelled but after putting them on it also seemed to have that tacky feeling that I got at the sink. Perhaps they just used too much of the product? The gal hosting the party said the skin care products were coming out unscented at the end of August but then I wondered how they would smell. I don't really like unscented items either and I wonder how bad they smell if they had to make them with a scent added to it? The product prices were very reasonable and they definitely cater to those people who are looking for natural, made in the USA products. They just didn't appeal to me.

Next up was L'Bri which I actually had in my house for about a week before I realized that box was for me! I had asked for samples to be sent and I was expecting a small box to come in the mail. I thought that this huge 20lb box belonged to my husband until I looked at the label and it was addressed to me! I couldn't believe the amount of stuff they sent me! It looked like a consultant's kit with many full size items, catalogs, books, samples and more. I was really overwhelmed by the amount of products sent! I took out some skin care samples and some body care items like the shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body butter. I couldn't stand the smell of the body butter so that item stayed in the kit. I wasn't crazy about the shampoo and conditioner either but a friend raved about them so I thought I would give it a try. I have to say that the shampoo and conditioner were very nice but I still couldn't stand the smell. It felt like it lingered after my hair was dry and that meant that it was a no go for me. As for the skin care, it also had a scent that didn't appeal to me either. In fact, most of their products had a similar smell which frankly reminded me of an old lady scent. I tried the skin care anyway but thought it left me feeling tight. There was a product that I did like the scent of which was the Facial Peel but I admit that I haven't tried it yet. I really didn't like most of what I saw with this line including the smell, packaging, and products offered that it was off my list right away.

Ok, what was next? I see three more lines sitting on my table but it is time to get dinner ready so I will save those for another blog post!

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The research begins!

I got home from our trip from Sweden on Saturday 7/30 and Monday Aug 1st I tuned into as many conference calls as I could. I think there were three that day ... Beauty Society, Chartreuse and Joan's call. Joan is one of Sensaria's top leaders and she had a call to announce who she tried and who she went with. It was a popular call and very informative. All these calls were wonderfully informative but it sure made my head spin. I was still tired and jet lagged from the trip and it didn't help that my son was going through some medical issues that we thought were more serious than what it actually turned out to be. My whole week was quite the whirlwind and this is what I checked out during this time.

During the last two weeks of July I had been reading about what other leaders in Sensaria were considering and I followed their progress. One that surprised me was Private Quarters because it was so radically different than anything else. It was high quality bed and bath linens plus other things too. I dismissed this company at first but then heard what great things the leaders were saying and then Sensaria's Training Director got hired on there so that started to peek my interest. The more I read about them the more I liked what I heard. I could see myself fitting right in with their message and it seemed like a wonderful company with heart. More on this later! :)

The company that Joan picked was Votre Vu and my Sensaria leader had a get-to-know Votre Vu party with Joan to sample the products. So, I made the 1.5 - 2 hour drive like I often do to attend the team meetings. I figured there wasn't any more team meetings and I already planned on going before Sensaria closed its doors so why not? It was a good opportunity to find out more about why Sensaria shut down so suddenly and also to see what the fuss was all about. I knew about the company of course because Sensaria's former President joined their team a few years ago. I had also tried some Votre Vu products before but only lotions and things like that. I wasn't impressed with what I tried before but I wanted to see if the skin care was as good as they say it is. We sampled all the products and heard about how they are marketing the products too. I didn't like most of the skin care scents and didn't feel compelled to try it on my face. It reminded me of an expensive department store brand and some of the products felt very heavy to me. The prices seemed a bit high too and I didn't like the fact that hardly anyone pays retail for the product. Most people join their preferred customer plan to save 30-50% or they become a Brand Ambassador and sell the product. Why inflate the prices to give a false sense of getting a good deal? I am not a fan of binary compensation plans so all of these things ruled out Votre Vu for me. However, it did appeal to a lot of people in that room as most of my upline team decided to join.

Another consideration for me was Beauty Society which a few leaders decided to join. They seemed to be the most similar to Sensaria's skin care and their compensation plan was similar too. I was put off by all the hot pink and cutesy tongue-in-cheek product names but if some of these die-hard Sensaria leaders picked this company then I had to try them myself. I called their home office and asked for samples and waited for them to arrive. In the meantime, a few gals were getting together to talk about Beauty Society so I went. After seeing the products in person and touching and smelling everything I had a better feeling about this company. I was definitely willing to put them on my face to test them out. I just wish I didn't have to wait a week before getting my samples but they did come at last. It was a bit confusing to figure out all the product names and what to use when but they told me to call back when I got the products so I did. It really helped and I must say I was super impressed after the very first use. I remember touching my face like that 7 years ago when I first tried Sensaria's products! I liked the way they smelled with the exception of the Anytime Anywhere moisturizer. It was a soft fragrance but maybe I would use the oil free moisturizer instead? Overall, it was an immediate and fabulous feeling that I had! Definitely a top contender! It is too bad they didn't have any body care products ... just a little makeup and lash growing serum which looked pretty cool.

Ok, next (I don't know the order I tried everything but let's just go with it) I tried Chartreuse which is a small company based out of California. This company came recommended from another Sensaria rep that I have known for years and it was a company she considered before going with a non-skin care company. They were very eco-friendly and had lots of nice sounding items. I really wanted to like their products. I really did! The prices seemed affordable but after listening to a info call from the founder I got a funny feeling. She was a little too green and eco-friendly for my tastes. Also, they were the only company who was not willing to send me free samples. We had to order them ourselves and the shipping was rather high on a small box of samples that didn't weigh very much. The discount code they gave me only paid for the shipping so it didn't feel like I was getting any sort of deal. Then when the stuff arrived the eye cream had totally separated which wasn't appealing at all. I think perhaps I ordered the wrong samples for the skin care as I don't like creamy cleansers but it said it was for combo/sensitive skin. It smelled very natural (which wasn't always good) and it looked like someone made it in their kitchen. I had to wash my face again with my Sensaria cleanser to feel like my face was clean. I also didn't like their moisturizer either as it was too greasy and didn't soak in. I also tried some body washes and lotions too and I actually liked the Vanilla Almond Shea Butter body wash. I loved the smell and it was wonderfully moisturizing without being sticky. I tried the kid's body wash and it was just okay for me. I wish the smell was more appealing as it was an odd combination for me. Sweet orange, aloe and rosemary? I didn't like the Lemongrass body wash as it was very runny and I just don't think the scent meshes well with my body chemistry. I even tried the Lemongrass lotion and it was the same. It feels nice however but I just didn't like the smell. I also really liked the Vanilla Almond Shea Lotion but it needs to come in a tub or something as it was very thick. I would consider ordering lotions and body wash from this company and maybe the high shipping is more justified if they are heavier items?

Next up on my sampling list was NYR Organics. A networking friend had suggested them and gave me a local gal's name. Not too long after that very same gal found me on Facebook. I thought it was definitely a sign for me to try out this product line! I had heard of other people in Sensaria trying it too so I thought I would give it a shot. I met up with the gal and she was extremely nice and very helpful. It seems like a nice company and it is one of the few certified organic companies out there. They came from an apothecary background and their product line is heavily based on essential oils. Yes, the products were strongly scented but at least they weren't heavily perfumed. It was just different. I did take some samples home and try them out but I would rather see great results than have an organic, essential oil skin care. I love what they are doing and how much they care about the environment! I am just not organic enough to truly love these products.

So that wraps up the first week!

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What I loved about Sensaria

It is hard to talk about Sensaria in the past tense but that is the reality. They are gone and I am sad I lost a lot of my favorite products. At least I stocked up on the ones I really can't go without! They closed their business while I was on vacation in Sweden but now that I am home and recovered from my jet lag, I have been researching other skin care companies like crazy! I have been reading and watching where other reps have gone so I had a good list to start with. Also, I have mostly focused on skin care as that was one of my main loves. I figured I could find a lotion, body wash and body scrub much easier than a good skin care line. I am done with my rigorous testing of many different product lines and found one that I really like. Before I go into why I like that company and their products, I feel it is necessary to explain why I loved Sensaria so here we go!

However, maybe I should go back a little further first? I was blessed to have been introduced to some good skin care in my teens as I started out with using Clinique. It was great for my skin at the time and established a good foundation for me. However, when I went to college it wasn't always in my budget so I tried other things. I even sold Mary Kay for a short while too but that ended up irritating my skin after a while so I stopped selling it. I don't remember having problems with bad acne in my teens but there certainly was a problem with breakouts like any normal teen I suppose. I do remember having oily skin. I know my acne problems developed as I got older and especially flared up when I had kids. In my mid-20's, it was bad enough that I tried Proactive but that didn't last long as it was too harsh on my skin. I ended up settling on Origins for a few years before I tried Sensaria. I liked that they were sort of natural and stuff smelled good and it also seemed to work well for my skin too.

So, I was in my early 30's when a friend invited me to my first Sensaria spa party. I had never heard of them nor did I know what exactly a "spa party" was. My friend told me we were going to get pampered, soak our feet and drink some wine. That was all I needed to know! I ended up going with very little expectations and was very pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. I really loved the mango body butter and the skin care which really shocked me! I couldn't stop touching my face as it felt so soft. I think my husband thought I was a bit crazy for asking if he could feel a difference too. I ended up trading parties with this friend for about 2 years before I decided to join Sensaria and sell the products myself.

That was 5 years ago and I still love the products. I loved the way the skin care products smelled and how soft they made my skin feel. I loved the Citrus Cleaner and it was one item that could do so much! I could use on everything from blood and ink stains to washing windows and veggies. I even did my laundry with it! I loved how the body butter was never greasy or sticky and hydrated my skin all day. I loved the Nourishing Moisturizer and how it helped my son's eczema. I loved the mango, coconut and rosemary mint scents. I miss that sweet orange scent too that they had for a while. It was the best shampoo & conditioner until they discontinued it. I loved the Sweet & Smooth body scrub because of that orange scent and it was great to shave with. You get to exfoliate with the sugar and salt and then shave with the remaining oil. I loved the Optimize Eye Serum for getting rid of any puffiness and dark circles. I loved the Men's Face Scrub as it was sort of citrus-y and foamed so it cleaned and exfoliated at the same time! I also loved the Microdermabrasion scrub too as it was the gentlest scrub I have ever used and it made my skin so soft. I loved the foot scrub too as it was so minty and fresh and it made my feet feel great too.

Honestly, I could go on and on and on about what I loved. However, since I focused mainly on skin care during my search maybe I should tell you exactly what I used so maybe you can get a better idea of what all the other companies had to compare with? Here goes!

- Balancing Cleanser (PM ~ I felt it took off my makeup better)
- Mineral Genesis Cleanser (AM)
- Mineral Genesis Conditioning Mist (AM/PM)
- Optimize Eye Serum (AM)
- Line Diminisher (AM ~ even though it was discontinued, I still love it)
- SPF 28 (AM)
- Night Cream (PM)
- Mineral Genesis Gold (AM/PM)

Also, every other day or so I would exfoliate with either the Men's Face Scrub or Microdermabrasion depending on what I felt like. I also tried to mask with the Sea Silk Mask in between the days I scrub but I fell out of habit with it and used it about once a week. So, I think that about covers it!

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