Is it worth sacrificing customer service to score a commission?

This is a little bit of an unusual blog post, because I'm not really critiquing or reviewing one of the products that I sell, but I do want to share what happened to me this weekend that reminded me of just WHY it is so important to me to make sure that all of you are happy with the items that you purchase from me and why I make sure and take the extra few seconds before sealing the bag after purchase to double-check that the seals are intact, to verify that you are getting exactly the items that you asked for and to make sure that everyone knows that you are more than welcome to return your purchase for a refund or exchange if you are absolutely not in love with what you got. 

So....the theme tonight...is it worth sacrificing customer service to score a commission? 

My answer? NO. I will never, ever, ever shop at Neiman Marcus again. EVER. 

Last year I had researched the best orange blossom perfumes on the internet and Jo Malone London kept coming up. I went to Neiman Marcus at my nearby mall, checked out their testers, narrowed it down to English Pear and Freesia, Nectarine Blossom and Honey and Orange Blossom. My husband went and bought me English Pear and Freesia. 

About two weeks ago, I went shopping with my tween and checked out the two I didn't get last year. 

 My husband and I went out Saturday night and we decided on Nectarine Blossom and Honey. 

Christmas Eve at midnight I opened my gift to discover English Pear and Freesia. The exact same perfume sitting on my dresser. 

So what happened? I honestly don't know, and I know that this post is going to seem REALLY obsessive and fixating, but I swear to all that is holy, I am convinced that this perfume counter consultant did this on purpose. And if you are wondering why in the world we spent as much time looking at perfume as we might have spent looking at a car, Jo Malone's 3.4 oz bottles retail for $135. I freaking LOVE my perfumes. And it's tradition! My dad gave me a bottle every year for Christmas until I got married, and then he and my husband overlapped for a while, and now my husband Philip gives me one. Every year. Without fail. Quality perfume is worth the money.

For the story's purpose, let's call her Becky. As in OMG BECKY WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? My theory: She wanted a quick commission. 

Believe me, I don't know her real name and I sure wish I did, but the receipt didn't have her name on it. 

Facts:

1) My twelve-year-old daughter M, being the curious tween that she is, picked up her perfume of choice (English Oak and Hazelnut) sprayed it all over herself. I don't think Becky liked that because she immediately pulled a Wayne's World/May I help you? riff move and offered to spray a card down for us instead. Mmphm. Note, Becky, perfume smells better on PEOPLE than cards.

2) Saturday night she was really trying to sell us on one of the other scents like Wild Bluebell and the sultry "nighttime" scents even though I had already come in with my final two picked out. But she was really trying to get us to buy something else. (Yep. I know I should have clued in on that one.)

3) I distinctly made it clear during our fifteen-minute "sell" that I already owned English Pear and

Freesia. I made it clear that I really think Jo Malone perfumes are quality and that's why I wanted a second scent. When I like something, I really like it! And this was the only thing I wanted for Christmas. Once Philip and I settled on Nectarine Blossom and Honey, she went over, picked up the last bottle of what we thought was Nectarine Blossom and Honey, checked it and immediately whisked it away to do the Love Actually routine with the wrapping. Not once did she allow us to look at the bottle before she started wrapping it. 

4) She rang up Nectarine Blossom and Honey. It was ON THE RECEIPT.

So now knowing my love affair with quality, beautifully floral and citrusy perfumes, you can understand my disappointment when I unwrapped the Love Actually bag complete with a cute little ornament and cute little bow to find the same English Pear and Freesia sitting on my dresser. 

Tonight, I took it back to Neiman Marcus to exchange it. Who knew I'd be returning it for a refund? 

More fun facts that I was informed of by "Alicia", since Becky was not there. 

1) Neiman Marcus was sold out of BOTH Nectarine Blossom and Honey AND Orange Blossom for a week. A WEEK. We were there three days ago. That was never mentioned. 

2) No, they have no idea when they are getting more in.

3) She REALLY wanted to give me a "merchandise credit" even though I do not shop at Neiman Marcus. Neiman Marcus is where I park to go to Lush. It's not where I shop. I only shopped there to begin with because last year at the time I became interested in Jo Malone, Neiman Marcus was the only store that carried those perfumes. 

4) She was sure that "Becky didn't do it on purpose" and that "she was probably just busy". Right. We were the ONLY ONES at the Jo Malone counter Saturday night. 

5) She was sure that "Becky just mixed it up with another bottle of perfume". No, she did NOT. I watched her! She picked up the last bottle of English Pear and Freesia and there were no other bottles on the counter. 

Whatever. I asked her to credit my husband's card (which took her about six times longer than it should have) and send an email receipt (how hard is it to type pxgonz70?) and that I would just order it online. She did so after assuring me that she just "wanted to give me the highest level of customer service" (right) and then wishing me a happy holiday. I just gave her the stink eye. I was honestly afraid to open my mouth.

To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was SO MAD that I actually teared up on the way to my car. Philip, being the great guy he is, insisted on calling around and we found Nordstrom's at Stonebriar Mall in Frisco that had three bottles of Nectarine Blossom and Honey. That perfume attendant was SO nice, not only did she manage to cater to three customers at once, she actually sprayed my tissue paper with the tester to make the bag smell nice after I told her it was okay not to wrap it since it was after Christmas. AND she said thank you. (Yep, I teared up again! My faith in perfume counter attendants was restored!)

I know that one of my downfalls is always expecting to be treated the way that I treat others, but I always make sure that I verify my client's purchases with them before they leave my table, I always show them the items to make sure that they are exactly what they want and that the seals aren't broken, and I never, ever make excuses when people ask to return or exchange items. 

I sure hope that commission was worth it to Becky. Neiman Marcus lost a client for life. Nordy's, even though they already had my loyalty thanks to their awesome shoe department and lingerie service, has me forever. I never would have known what bra size I really was if their lingerie department hadn't offered to measure me!

Anyway, the moral of the story, especially if you are in customer service: keep in mind that karma never forgets. Becky may have gotten her little commission from me, but how many people will read this blog and remember it every time they walk by Neiman Marcus? 

I hope that if I ever pull a "Becky" with any of my customers, you all will take me to the carpet and remind me...because that is NOT why I decided to start selling cosmetics and skin care. The whole reason why I decided to split the Abundance parfum trios was based on feedback from MY CUSTOMERS! That is just how I choose to do business. 

On that note as we wrap up 2017, I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas and best wishes for a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am moving in Canton!

Starting this month with the next First Monday Trade Days in Canton, I'll be moving to row 48, spot 3257 which is right behind my old spot. 

My plan is to be there Friday and Saturday at least, so please come visit me in my new location. 

If it's frigid that weekend, I won't be going out, but I'll announce if I won't be there this time. 

Please come visit me if you are shopping that weekend!

The Ultimate Facial: Detoxifying and Moisturizing Mask

I never really enjoyed face masks until I discovered the wonder and joy of the fresh face masks that LUSH makes. If you don't have a LUSH by you, unfortunately you can't get them since they have to be refrigerated and they make them fresh, but for about $6 you can get a face mask at Lush that has enough for about three masks and expires in about two weeks. The upside: the ingredients are all fresh and organic (think seaweed, asparagus, blueberries, garlic, honey, oats). The downside: it expires in two weeks. 

However, what I learned from using these face masks:

1) They feel AMAZING cold. If you have a day where you got too much sun, slap a cold face mask on and let it sit for fifteen minutes and it will greatly reduce the redness and help prevent peeling. 

2) They are incredibly great for your face, no matter what their designed purpose. Every face mask I have used, whether it is designed for exfoliation, moisturization, cleansing, etcetera, always makes my face feel like it's been buffed with a nail emery board in a very good way. 

3) It's a lot cheaper than getting a facial at a spa (which I also really enjoy). 

Since I started using masks, I now keep all my masks in the refrigerator, regardless if they are LUSH, Perfectly Posh, Arbonne or my favorite, our Detoxifying and Moisturizing Mask. However, I do admit that I have ones from all of the manufacturers in my refrigerator because like shampoo, I believe that your face needs variety when you are treating it and the same routine day after day will stop shocking your skin and getting it to improve. So while yes, I use all of our skin care products, I don't use them every single day with the exception of our face wash. 

Tonight I have a date night with my husband since it's his company Christmas party and I'm going full-out with my makeup and doing full face. I started preparing last night with our Facial Resurfacer but today? Mask time!

I have had this mask container in my refrigerator for nine out of the eleven months that I have been a distributor and I've used it at least three to four times a month each month. And look how much is still left. It's about half full. It is not going bad since I keep it in the refrigerator, and it still smells and works wonderfully. The directions suggest a thin coating (usually a good fingerful is sufficient since it spreads well) and to use it no more than 1-2 times a week. 

Math time: 

Cost of the mask: $50
Use: 4 times a month x nine months = 36 masks
I have half of it left. 
$50 divided by 72 masks = 69 cents per mask

Not a bad rate for a prestige skin care item that really works and is fortified with anti-aging complex. 

So it feels cold, it works, it moisturizes your skin, it helps with anti-aging....and....it smells great. To me, it smells very much like cucumbers, so from reading the ingredient list, I gather that some sort of cucumber extract must be in it. However, what is actually IN it? 

Top ingredients that caught my eye: 

1. Kaolin. I'm not surprised at all to see this as this is a top clay ingredient used in most cosmetics. It's job? Absorbing excess oil and water into itself as well as making a paste when mixed with water that has a texture. You will see this used in virtually every facial mask, even the ones from LUSH. 

2. Vegetable oil. Also not surprised to see this one either...the mask isn't greasy or oily, but a little bit of oil is needed for spreadability and the mask does direct you to use a cleanser after you take it off. I use our 3 In 1 Normal To Oily Cleanser. 

3. Yeast extract.  This is an antioxidant, and antioxidants strengthen skin structure and help prevent environmental damage. 

4. Vitamins A, B, C and E. These are NEVER bad for your skin, but Vitamin E especially is great. 

5. Orchis mascula (flower extract). This is going to be found in a lot of our products, including LipSense. Flower extracts have varied purposes but many of them stimulate microcirculation, improve dryness, reduce redness, and revitalize aging skin.

6. Jojoba seed extract. Surprise surprise, this has Vitamin E in it as well which can be used to treat sunburns! It also speeds up cell regeneration which will help with treatment of scarring, acne and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. 

7. Arnica montana. Arnica traditionally is used to treat injuries and soothe muscle aches, but it also will reduce inflammation!

8. Camellia sensis (leaf extract). Another antioxidant! See #3 above. 

9. Zinc. Remember zinc oxide? The white cream people still occasionally put on their noses to prevent sunburn? It is also used to treat skin irritations such as diaper rash and other issues, but also can be used as a mild astringent. 

10. Volcanic ash. I know this is a strange thing to see in skin care products, but if you haven't seen any skin care products with charcoal or other carbon-based products in them, take a look if you have especially oily skin. I have found for me that any facial wash or scrub with charcoal in it is especially effective at helping control oily skin, which I have in abundance. Activated charcoal'when used in a face mask magnetizes to and helps extract the dirt out of your pores, making them less visible. If you have ever had a professional facial, part of the facial usually is a manual pore extraction where the aesthetician actually manually extracts the dirt and oil clogging your pores. This will help in the same way and I have noticed my pores are less noticeable by using products with ash or charcoal in them. 

So my routine this morning? I used a gentle facial scrub to take off the products from the night before, put the mask on my clean dry face, let it sit for twenty minutes, and then washed it off with clean warm water. After that, I washed with our 3 In 1 Normal to Oily Cleanser, moisturized with our Daytime Normal To Oily Moisturizer and then topped that with our Silk Pore and Wrinkle Minimizer. The after picture was taken just after washing the mask off and before cleansing and moisturizing.

The end result is that my face is clean, moisturized, soft, and ready for full face tonight!

This mask would make a wonderful Christmas gift without a doubt! Don't forget about the people in your life that love facials! This is a gift that will give all year long!

The Detoxifying and Moisturizing Mask retails for $50.00 USD. Please contact me to order! (And no, I have no idea why the flyer shows it blue. It is white.)

How would you like an individual private consultation?

Good morning and happy Monday!

Many of you have met me at an event where I have helped you pick out your first LipSense (or your tenth!) or recommended skin care, eye colors, etcetera, but if you haven't and would rather do it in a quiet relaxed setting, did you know that I do individual private consults?

I'm pretty comfortable picking out makeup from a computer screen, but a lot of people just aren't, and I totally understand that. In this world of technology, nothing beats one-on-one personalized styling session when it comes to cosmetics. 

Here is a testimonial from one I did last night with one of my new clients, Cecily Howie. We met at a Starbucks in Waxahachie, I brought my entire stock, testers and applicators plus cleaners, and we tested about a dozen colors on her hand and three colors on her lips. She ended up purchasing Party Pink, Caramel Apple Diamond, Mauve Ice and Pink Glitter Gloss, and is very happy! And went home wearing Caramel Apple Diamond which her husband loved!

I have come to people's homes, I have opened my own home up, and I have done individual consults in vehicles, in the parking lot of Target and at Starbucks. Next year I plan on starting to have monthly open houses with wine and snacks, so I look forward to seeing a lot of you there as well!

If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, are curious about LipSense, and really want to try it, please reach out to me. You are welcome in my home. I'm happy to drive to you. If you want to meet on neutral ground, Starbucks are a perfect setting for trying on LipSense! For this week if you would like to combine some shopping along with LipSense, I will be in Wylie Thursday night and in North Richland Hills on Sunday. Please check my calendar above for locations. 

Have a great day and a great week! 

2017 Christmas Giveaway!

Last year at this time I was not in direct sales, and I always thought all the Christmas giveaways were such a neat way for small businesses to thank their clients for their loyalty over the year. 

Now it's my turn to thank all of you for the same. 

You all have so many choices on the internet for purchasing LipSense and other products by SeneGence and your loyalty is more appreciated by me than you know. I hope that all of you enjoy being a part of my Facebook group and being one of my clients. This giveaway in addition to the 25 Days of Christmas and our A-Z giveaway which will be complete by the end of the year is my way to say THANK YOU for your loyalty.

On December 26th, after all the gifts are unwrapped and the leftovers put away, I will be doing a drawing for one person in my Facebook group to win a color and a lip gloss of your choice. There is no purchase required to enter the giveaway, but you will earn more entries based on purchases and by playing the various games that I will be posting over the next three weeks. You will also have additional chances to enter this giveaway by adding your friends to my group.

You can join my Facebook group by clicking on my picture to the right or by navigating here. 

Guidelines:

1) The winner will be announced on December 26 and will be able to choose ANY color and ANY gloss that I have in stock. If you are one of my customers that can not wear LipSense, you have the option of changing this to a $45 gift certificate to be used towards a purchase.

2) No purchase is required to enter the giveaway. However, any member of my group that purchases between 12:01 am on December 1 and 11:59 pm on December 25 will earn an extra entry for every $25 spent with me after discounts and prior to sales tax and shipping. 

3) The winner will have 24 hours from the time of announcement and being notified of winning to claim their prize by providing me with their choice and address if I don't have it. If no response is received, I will draw again. 

4) The winner MUST be a member of Erica's Butterfly Kisses at the time of drawing. All entries that are not a member of my group at the time of the drawing will be taken off the list. 

5) Active ordering SeneGence distributors are not eligible for entry, but any former distributor who is no longer active is eligible to enter.

Any questions, let me know. Let's have some fun over the next few weeks!

25 Days of Christmas!

Early Merry Christmas! 

Starting today, I'll be posting a daily discount or special that you can take advantage of on any orders placed and paid for by midnight that day in my Facebook group. We will go all the way through Christmas Day!

Please note that I can only honor one discount per order due to my company's policy and procedure so I can't combine a coupon with a discount. Thanks for your understanding!

In order to start saving and taking advantage of these great deals for Christmas, please join my Facebook group at Erica's Butterfly Kisses. 

More Found Treasure!

I'm very, very surprised that I was able to round up a few more retirees, but I have one C. Coral, one Crimson Red Diamond, one Crimson Red and one Snow! Only one of each, but they are perfect for the holidays! Colors like these....it's like finding buried treasure on a beach.

I'll keep working on seeing what else I can find! If any of these interest you or you are missing Crimson Red Diamond from last year's Diamond Collection, contact me! I have testers for all four!

EDITED: C. Coral is now sold.

Found treasure!!!

I know I've been seriously AFK the last ten days...it's been nuts with the holidays and Black Friday! Thank you to everyone that came out to spend time with us at the Shops at Willow Bend this past weekend while the North Dallas Shopping Extravaganza took up residence in suite A112 across from Janie and Jack! We had a great time and got some great girl time, great trades, and great sales! We appreciate everyone's support!

First things first! The Diamond Collection is in, it is beautiful and the color formula is unalterated, so if you are running low on your Sheer Berry Diamond from last year, never fear because it's the same! 

And now, to the found treasure! In my efforts to acquire some gloss for this weekend, I was able to add some retired colors to my inventory that have been unavailable since the spring when SeneGence cut their color line to 36! If you are interested in any of the following colors, please contact me right away as I only have one or two of each one! Normal pricing, no mark-ups for unicorns! 

Kind of funny, the below list almost reads like a pie list! 

Brick

Burnt Orange

Coral Reef 

Cranberry

Party Pink

Pumpkin Spice 

Red Cherry 

Rhubarb

SheLaLa

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! More to come, I have a review coming on the Polishing Exfoliator which is great for not only the face but as a lip scrub as well!

LipSense Diamonds: Frost yourself!

Last year when I signed up to be a distributor, the Diamond Collections were just being released. It was quite the elusive highlight of the SeneGence line up! However, due to the extreme popularity I never really got the opportunity to enjoy demos or really even wear these gorgeous colors while they were available for purchase.

Today, I was sitting here working when my phone beeped to signal new inventory. Lo and behold, welcome back to Caramel Apple Diamond, Sheer Berry Diamond, Bombshell Diamond and the highly coveted and never duplicated DIAMOND KISS GLOSS!

Since I got a Diamond collection last winter, I was lucky enough to still have my old testers of the four returning Diamond items. And some of my customers that bought them last year shared selfies with me!

Since these colors are made with diamond dust, they are higher priced than the normal colors and glosses. Each color retails for $30 and the Diamond Kiss Gloss retails for $22. 

Each color is very similar to the original with the exception, being of course, the diamond dust that has been added to the tube. 

All three pictures below are a comparison between the original color and the diamond color, both with Diamond Kiss Gloss layered on top: 

Caramel Apple Diamond with Caramel Apple

Bombshell Diamond with Bombshell

Sheer Berry Diamond with Sheer Berry

All beautiful, all classy, and all very glittery and sparkly due to the diamond dust!

But....my favorite part of this collection? The Diamond Kiss Gloss!!!!

Unlike the glitter glosses, Diamond Kiss Gloss is not a suspension of glitter in clear gloss, but is a complete mixture of an opaque silver gloss with diamond dust in it. It's frosty, it's glittery, it's sparkly, it's perfect, and it will enhance the diamond collection as well as make ANY LipSense color sparkle like it is made with diamonds. 

The only thing I would mention about the Diamond Kiss Gloss that is different from the other glosses is that it does have a slight texture to it due to the diamond dust whereas the other glosses which are variations of the slick and smooth Glossy Gloss.

But the effect? Truly worth it. 

I have Diamond Kiss Gloss in stock which retails for $22. The Diamond Collection colors are available for order through me or here at my website which retail for $30 each. They are higher than the standard glosses and colors due to the fact that they contain genuine diamond dust in them. I do have testers available of all three colors and the gloss if you would like to visit me this weekend in Cleburne at the Pioneer Days event or next weekend at the Willow Bend Shopping Extravaganza at the Shops at Willow Bend and will be happy to order any color that you like for you! These are limited edition which means that once they are sold out, they are gone!

So....frost yourself!!!! It's time for the holidays!

The ZIT ZAPPER: Spot-On Acne Treatment

I have sold two of these now after just giving a fingerful of it to people to put on their monster friends that have popped up since our bodies have not gotten the message that we are no longer thirteen years old. Glitter nail polish or not. 

Here's a survey for you:

a) Are you over the age of thirty?
b) Do you have generally pretty clear skin EXCEPT at certain times of the month when your body thinks that you are thirteen years old?
c) Do you want an acne treatment that works at the speed of light without pain, irritation, or staining of your fingers? 

If you answered yes to two of the above questions, trust me, our Spot-On Acne Treatment IS YOUR ANSWER. 

Right. We're not teenagers anymore, I get it, I know it, I understand. Clearly our hormones don't understand. So every once in a while you get this Matterhorn mountain zit on your forehead or cheek or chin that just SITS there. It won't come to a head so you can pop it. It won't reduce in swelling. It just SITS THERE and waves hello to everyone. 

Yeah, I get it. I'm there with you at the age of 42. Clearly MY body doesn't know that thirty years have passed by EITHER. And I don't even menstruate anymore! I'm not joking! I'll admit it, I have had Mirena in my uterus for four years! But yet, every now and then, Mount Everest in a beautiful shade of rose arises from the Pacific Ocean like a volcano on my forehead or chin and WILL NOT GO AWAY OR POP. 

Enter the Zit Zapper A.K.A. Spot-On Acne Treatment. 

I have yet to try this on anyone that hasn't noticed a noticeable difference within 24 hours. For me, it's the first thing I grab when I notice Mount Everest starting to rise. It doesn't sting. It doesn't smell. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't stain. It just does its job. You don't need to use it every day. Just keep it in a cool dry place (medicine cabinet works just fine) and when you need it, it's there to help! I've had mine open for seven months and it still works as well as it did the first day I opened it.

Don't believe me? Take a look. These are REAL PICTURES taken from from my last Mount Saint Helens. Please note that these are real pictures taken without makeup of myself using this product. I had a zit pop up on Saturday morning and by today? GONE, GIRL, GONE!

I don't think I really need to say anything else. It's $50. If anything I said above spoke to you, contact me and order yours today!

SeneDerm Body Wash...I need a little freshness in my life!

Get it? I need a little freshness in my life? I need a little sugar in my life? A la Maroon 5? 

I'll admit it that when I got my first bottle of SeneDerm Body Wash waaaaaaay back in February when I started being a distributor I kind of chuckled a little bit.

Then I ran out of shower gel last week and stopped laughing.

This stuff is GREAT! It smells so fresh and clean and doesn't leave any kind of irritating flowery residue behind. I don't feel dry or scaly. I was smelling it and the only descriptive I could come up with was fresh like the ocean. My husband's first reaction? Clean, fresh, and beachy. My daughter's first reaction? Clean, beachy and fresh clean laundry. See a theme here? 

So being the total nerd that I am, what do I do? I had to read the ingredients to figure out what is making this different from all of the other shower gels and body washes that I have used that make me itch. In other words, why should I use this over any other shower or body wash from any other company? Why is this worth $20 when I can buy 3 shower gels from Bath and Body Works for the same price?

Well...it turns out that there are FOUR ingredients in our body wash that were QUITE a surprise to me! I never would have guessed these four ingredients! And of course, what DO THEY DO?

1) Glucosamine. 

So yeah, the only thing I've ever heard about this mysterious vitamin is that it is really, really great for joint pain. Who knew that it was also great for skin care? According to my GTS research, glucosamine is actually great to be applied as a topical application. One of the most important skin glycosaminoglycans is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a powerful, natural humectant that has the capacity to bind and hold onto water. Awesome, so it helps with moisturization! In addition, glucosamine is a nutrient that is a natural component of healthy cartilage, and glucosamine compounds have been reported to have several beneficial effects on the skin or skin cells. Because of its stimulation of hyaluronic acid synthesis, glucosamine has been shown to accelerate wound healing, improve skin hydration, and decrease wrinkles. In addition, as an inhibitor of tyrosinase activation, it inhibits melanin production and is useful in treatment of disorders of hyperpigmentation. Mechanistically, glucosamine also has both anti-inflammatory (reduces swelling!) and chondroprotective effects. Glucosamine could prove to be an effective topical treatment to reverse the effects of skin cells damaged by UV exposure. Glucosamine has anti-aging benefits for skin care both as a cream and as oral supplement.

Lots of science in there, but what sticks out in MY mind the most is anti-aging and possible reversal of sun damage. Two points right there!

2) Orchid Extract.

Orchids are beautiful, and I've always seen orchid extract listed as an ingredient in many skin creams and lotions, but I had no idea that there was actually a purpose behind it other than fragrance. Apparently orchid extract is known to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles and act as an anti-oxidant and humectant that moisturizes, soothes and conditions our skin. 

3) Algae Extract.

No, not the algae that grows in a fish tank....we're talking about seaweed. Nutrient-rich seaweed. You eat it in ice cream, it's in face masks, and it's in our sushi. Algae conditions, hydrates, softens and detoxifies the skin, all while replenishing essential vitamins and minerals. Rich in antioxidants, algae also helps to protect skin against free radical damage and prevents the formation of an enzyme that causes the deprivation of collagen. And....what is SenePlex? It is the collagen regeneration system developed by SeneGence that is in all of our skin care. Algae is very high in essential amino acids, proteins, and a variety of vitamins—including vitamins A, B, C, and E. Skin types that benefit most from algae-infused products are dry skin, sensitive skin, and those who want to combat and prevent signs of aging. The algae extract in these beauty products helps to fight the signs of aging skin, improve elasticity and nourish. Yup, yup, sign me up!

4) Aloe Extract

For me, you say aloe and I picture putting straight aloe from an aloe plant on my skin when I was thirteen and suffering from the worst sunburn of my life in San Diego. With anti-inflammatory and cooling properties, Aloe Vera gel is the perfect remedy for sunburned skin. It provides a protective layer to the skin which helps retain moisture. Aloe is also rich in antioxidants and minerals which can help speed healing. It contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants that work wonders for the skin. But, did you also know that aloe extract is used effectively to heal chronic skin problems, such as psoriasis, acne and eczema? 

So, there are all the cool things about our shower gel that are beneficial. However, on a non-scientific level, I just really like it. It's not overly foamy or sudsy and just  a little bit goes a long way. I noticed after a few uses that it left my skin soft and moisturized, smelling fresh like a day at the beach and not at all dry which I do experience sometimes with shower gels that are a little sudsy. 

Looking for something fresh and different with wonderfully delightful benefits for your skin? Give this a try today!