Showing posts with label arbonne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arbonne. Show all posts

Saturday, February 9, 2019

Reviewing TrueSport Workout Fuel - A Vegan Pre-Workout Supplement

Reviewing Arbonne's Truesport Workout Fuel
TrueSport Workout Fuel by Arbonne
When you're training for an event or just working out the one thing you don't want to do is find your energy flagging partway through.

Enter the world of the pre-workout supplement, there are basically two different types of pre-workout those with caffeine and those without.

Arbonne's TrueSport Workout Fuel is a non-caffeine pre-workout, so how does it give you energy?   

Basically, this formula includes the amino acids arginine, glutamine and carnitine for optimum performance as well as B12 for energy and their own patented botanical formulation of cayenne, ginseng and tumeric.

My Personal Thoughts on Arbonne's Pre-Workout Supplement


I do like the TrueSport range although I didn't initially use the Workout Fuel, but I have decided to take up running at the age of 49 (yes, probably a little crazy!) and so gave myself 5 weeks to go from not running to doing a 5km event.   I thought it was time to see what the Workout Fuel was all about.

After 2 weeks I can honestly say that the day I forgot to take my Prepare & Endure was the only day I didn't manage to finish what was on my program to do.

As an Arbonne consultant, I have held a couple of taste testings of the TrueSport range at my gym and the Workout Fuel is a popular choice as far as the flavor goes.  Personally, the flavor isn't my favorite as it's orange and pineapple, but what I do like is that it doesn't taste overly sweet like some of the pre-workout drinks are.

It does include some sugar in the form of cane sugar and there's a very good reason why cane sugar is used as it contains electrolytes.   

I mix my sachet up with 500 ml of water (it's recommended to use between 250 - 500 ml) and I usually start sipping it about 30 minutes before I start working out and continuing to drink it throughout my run.

More Details on How Workout Fuel Works


When you combine the amino acids arginine & glutamine in a pre-workout you'll find it helps to increase your performance if you're using weights and attempting to build muscle and strength.   There have been some detractors over recent years, but a study by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that not only were they able to train longer before becoming exhausted they were also shown to recover quicker between workouts.

As far as athletic performance (aka my running) carnitine is the winner in my opinion.   This amino acid has been popular with both athletes and weight builders since the 1980s and for lots of good reasons.  When I first heard about carnitine it was in the 90s when I managed a health food store and we sold it as a fat burner to weightlifters.

There are lots of different ways in which carnitine is invaluable as a pre-workout supplement - 

  • Fat metabolism
  • Increases athletic performance
  • Aids in recovery
  • Protects your brain from stress while also increasing adrenaline levels so that your motivation levels stay high while exercising
  • Improves cardiovascular health
  • Improves your skin
  • Burns visceral fats
For more information about carnitine - Fitness and Power

More TrueSport Products


I use the Workout Fuel in combination with TrueSport Muscle Recovery.   There is also a third supplement called TrueSport Hydration which I also love.

But I NEED A Pre-Workout with Caffeine!


If you feel that you really need to have a caffeinated pre-workout then you can try what I used to use which was combining TrueSport Hydration with an Arbonne Fizz Stick in 1 litre of water.  I found this worked really well (although I'm now preferring the Workout Fuel).   

The Fizz Stick contains caffeine derived from green tea and guarana, the added bonus with this is that it's a more alkaline caffeine (as opposed to the acidity found when it's derived from coffee beans) and it's more stable so you don't experience the caffeine crash.







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, January 26, 2019

How to Keep Post-Workout Soreness At Bay - The Easy Way!

Phytosport After Workout Supplement to reduce post workout soreness
Arbonne's Phytosport After Workout
2018 was my year of rebooting my body and building up strength again.   I joined a gym halfway through the year and go every second day.

Now if you are a gym-goer you'll know that after a particularly good workout you can feel quite sore  over the following days!   I remembered that when I was a couple of decades younger and was 'gyming it' I would take BCAAs to help reduce and/or stop the soreness.

I was really happy when I found that Arbonne had a Phytosport range that included their After Workout - guess what one of the ingredients were?  BCAAs!  I knew this would help and the fact that it's a sachet that you mix with water to make a drink is even better because you need to keep your water intake up.

What's in Arbonne's Phytosport After Workout?


So what exactly is in this product and how do they help is probably what you're all wondering.

Arbonne's Phytosport After Workout Sachet - an easy to use way to reduce muscle soreness after a workout
Phytosport After Workout Sachet
Branched-chain amino acids, commonly known as BCAAs are one of the key ingredients.  To explain how they work let me tell you what happens when you work your muscles.   The muscle fibres actually pull apart, when you stop exercising they have to go back together.   It's actually this action that causes people to develop bigger muscles, but the time when they are knitting back together is when you can experience muscle soreness.

Where BCAAs come in is that they help the muscles to knit together faster thereby supporting muscle repair while also alleviating muscle soreness.

Now a side effect of exercising is that your body produces something called free radicals.  Free radicals can cause aging - I once heard someone talk about them with this analogy; if your body was a car, free radicals would be the rust!

This is why when people exercise a lot they're encouraged to increase the intake of anti-oxidants either through their diet or supplementation.   In After Workout there are also anti-oxidants formulated from pomegranate.

Also included are calcium, magnesium and vitamin B12. 

How to Use Phytosport After Workout


When you buy this supplement it comes in a box full of sachets, you add the contents of one sachet to approximately 500ml of water and mix.   The drink is a mixed berry flavor and has a pink color as you can see in this photo of me.

Louanne with Phytosport After Workout Drink in tow!
Louanne with her After Workout Drink

I have just finished my usual circuit PLUS started a running program when this photo was taken so I knew I needed to have something to stop myself from feeling sore the next day!

It even tastes nice, which is true of all three of the Phytosports range (yes I use all of them!).

What Isn't In Phytosport After Workout?


Sometimes what makes a product great is just as much about what isn't in it as what is in it!   This sports drink is certified vegan and also has the BSCG certified drug-free stamp of approval.

All of Arbonne's products are also gluten-free.   The After Workout contains no artificial colours, flavours, or sweeteners.


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, December 15, 2018

Reviewing How To Reboot Your Body

reviewing how to reboot your body
The end of the year is often a time for reflection and our New Year's starts off with promises to ourselves of keeping good habits, kicking bad habits, taking time out for gratitude and other things.

This year I started my January by doing Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living and Beyond plan and I felt fantastic being on it.   This plan is a great way to basically give your body a reboot!

I will be 'rebooting my body' again in January 2019 and I'm going to review the reasons why as well as the what, whys and hows of the plan.

Why I Love The Basic Principles of The 30DTHL Plan


There are three principles behind the plan as I see it -
  • First foods that are often allergenic, acidic, or hard for the body to digest are eliminated - don't worry it's only for 30 days!
  • Second, you nourish your body with good, clean food and quality supplements.
  • Thirdly you support your body as it goes through its rebooting process.
Doesn't that sound good?  This was what attracted me to this plan as I had discovered over 10 years ago that certain food could cause my Rheumatoid Arthritis to flare up and yet other foods that cause other people to flare up didn't appear to affect me.

The idea of eliminating and then (this plan does include the words and beyond) re-introducing the different foods gradually so that you can see how they may or may not affect you, this idea is one that I think is brilliant.  Everyone is different, but I do think that everyone would benefit from a reboot at least once so that they can find out how different foods affect them.

I also love how the importance of nourishing your body correctly is handled.  This program provides you with protein powder to use twice a day meaning you only have to prepare one meal a day (and snacks).  Initially, I was a little unsure how I felt about this, however, if I had to prepare three meals to the proportions recommended and not including processed foods I would probably not have lasted the whole 30 days.

We live busy lives and that's what Arbonne gets.   The protein powders are specially formulated (and by the way all of the products are vegan, gluten-free & kosher) and although I was skeptical about them filling me up they really do!   If you don't want shakes that's fine as you can cook with the protein powder too and there are recipes available for protein porridge, pancakes, waffles & lots more ideas.

Personally, I love making up a shake in the morning as I find it quick, easy and filling.   On the weekends I will often treat myself to delicious protein pancakes or a smoothie bowl -

https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2018/05/reviewing-smoothie-bowl-recipes.htmlReviewing Smoothie Bowl Recipes
A smoothie bowl is essentially a thick smoothie that is served up in a bowl with a variety of toppings. It is delicious and feels like a decadent treat while also being a very healthy choice.

Gently supporting your body in a delicious way with their herbal tea and body cleanse is also great.   

Who Needs to Reboot Their Body?

I think most of us need to reboot our bodies at some point so that it's working efficiently.  I think of when my internet connection is dropping out or just seems to hang, the first thing I do is hit the reset button on my wifi router and 99% of the time that's all it takes.

So why would you need to hit the reset button on your body?  Well, let me list a few symptoms that may show your body isn't working as well as it could be -


signs you may need to detox
  • Bloating
  • Bad Breath 
  • Feeling Tired
  • Dry Lips 
  • Insomnia
  • Sore Muscles 
  • Hormonal Imbalance
  • Low Libido 
  • Brain Fog
  • Skin Breakouts 
  • Headaches
  • Depression 
  • Gas
  • Skin Rashes 
  • Low Energy


What Do I Get with the 30 Day Pack?


When you order the plan you will receive 2 x bags of protein powder, 2 x boxes of CleanTox tea, 2 x boxes of Fizz Sticks, 1 x Gut Health and your choice of 2 out of the three following - Gut Health fibre, Body Cleanse, Be Well Superfood Greens.

You also get access to a private coaching group on Facebook, a downloadable recipe book, 30 days' worth of meal plans (both vegan and non-vegan plans) and you can message me any time.   I've actually done this plan a few times so can help with any questions you have.

30 days to healthy living and beyond - rebooting your body the healthy way
30 Days to Healthy Living and Beyond

Changes I Have Personally Experienced


When I did my first 30 days to healthy living I found that I had lost 5kg (11 lb), I had lots of energy, I wasn't experiencing any mood swings (I am menopausal and these had been quite bad), my hot flushes had stopped, my sleeping had improved, my energy levels were really high and (as a total surprise) I was no longer sore or stiff in the morning when I woke up.

Now that last point was a big surprise to me as I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis approx 16 years ago.  I had come off of my medications about a decade ago and had been managing my condition with diet & lifestyle.   I had accepted, however, that I would be stiff in the mornings and sometimes a little sore - a combination of RA and getting older.   I have discovered that while doing this plan that was no longer the case and hasn't been all year!

Now I'm not claiming that this will work for everyone, but I can't think why you wouldn't give it a try!

What Happens After the Reboot


Part of the health reboot is eliminating certain foods for 30 days, now if you want to maximize the effect of this plan you need to gradually reintroduce these foods one at a time over the following few weeks.   This way you can pinpoint which foods (if any) affect you.

Foods can affect you differently as you age as well.  When we get older our bodies produce fewer digestive enzymes and this is why when I was on an elimination diet over a decade ago only one food seemed to affect me.   I now know that I have to reduce how often I eat other foods too.

The other thing that will happen after you've been making your clean meals for one meal a day (most people have dinners, but you may have chosen lunch) is that it's much easier to make your second meal as well.   I admit that a number of people I know actually continue to have a smoothie for their breakfast after finishing the plan.   In my case, it's because it's easy, yummy and keeps me full!

Interested in Learning More?


Contact me via messenger on my Facebook page or leave a comment below and I'll get back to you with more information including how to order it at a discount.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, August 11, 2018

Reviewing Arbonne's Focus Blend - An Aromatherapy Blend of Essential Oils

Focus Oil
Purchase here!
I do love using essential oils so when Arbonne released a new blend of essential oils I couldn't wait to see what it smelt like!   Their Focus Oil has a very pleasant fresh & herbacious scent that isn't overpowering or divisive in aroma.

This blend of oils contains basil, rosemary, frankincense, bergamot and lemon.   The combination of these oils helps to clear the mind and uplift your emotions which is perfect for increasing your focus and productivity.

I have been using it in a diffuser while my daughter studies (she's in her last year of high school).  Now I think her attitude has changed as she's been more diligent even before I got the focus blend, however she does seem to be able to concentrate a lot easier since I started using the blend and is really excelling with her assignments.

So why these particular oils?


Basil oil is great for clearing the head as well as being uplifting, let's face it when we're happier we can concentrate better so this is a good start for the blend.  Don't take my word for it though according to Robert Tisserand (The Art of Aromatherapy) basil oil 'clears the head, relieves intellectial fatigue, and gives the mind strength and clarity.'   He goes on to say that the oil is ' uplifting, clarifying and strengthening.'

Now we add Rosemary oil to the blend.  Rosemary has traditionally been used for memory and is also a classic remedy for headaches and migraines.  I think this makes it ideal for use when we need to focus on something as that can lead to headaches so another great addition to this Focus blend.

Frankincense was one of the most highly prized substances of the ancient world hence the offering of frankincense by the Magi to the infant Jesus.  Although in centuries past frankincense has been revered for it's skin care preparations it also has an elevating and soothing effect on the mind and emotions.

Bergamot doesn't really seem to help with focus and concentration as such, but it is one of the more uplifting oils and is regularly used to help with depression and states of anxiety.  I think the inclusion in this blend is because of it's uplifting qualities.   You can concentrate on things a lot easier and your mind stays a lot clearer if you're happier than if you're sad.

Lemon is another oil that is uplifting - all of the citrus oils seem to promote happy feelings.

When to Use the Focus Blend

Anytime you need to focus or concentrate on something you'll find that the Focus Blend is ideal so whether you're writing a blog post, a proposal for work, studying for an exam or trying to balance the books - Focus Oil is the one for you!

Another time when I would be using this blend of oils is on a long car trip.  You can easily buy car diffusers these days and I would definitely advise investing in one if you travel alot.  This blend can keep you focused on long journeys or if driving home from work after a long day.

If you don't have a car diffuser you can still use the oil in a car, back when I first discovered the power of aromatherapy I couldn't find an affordable car diffuser so I simply placed a few drops of oil on a handkerchief (or even a tissue on occasion) and attached it over the air vents of the car.
You can also use this oil in the home when you feel people need more focus or clarity, like if they're suffering from grief, depression, recuperating from sickness.

If you're an anxious person, or you have an important meeting, event and are nervous about it then you could use a few drops of the focus blend in an aromatherapy necklace or on a tissue in your pocket to sniff throughout the day/ before the meeting.

Could You Use Some Focus Blend in Your Life?


I definitely have days when my mind feels like it has about 50 browser windows open and a 100 sticky notes stuck all over it so I really do need to use the focus blend in order to get things done!  I'd love to know if you need this oil or not.


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, June 16, 2018

Reviewing BeWell Superfood Greens by Arbonne

Reviewing BeWell Superfood Greens by Arbonne
BeWell Superfood Greens
We all know that we need to eat lots of veggies, most of our moms would tell us to eat up our greens when we were growing up and I know I used to challenge my daughter to eat a rainbow every day when she was younger (I made sure to let her know M&Ms did NOT count!).  Sometimes it is hard to get as many serves of fruit and vegetables as we should have into our daily lives though.

It can't just be a problem for me can it?  I didn't use to have any veggies with my breakfast until I discovered green smoothies, which meant I had to up my game come lunchtime.  Dinner has always been easy to fit lots of vegetables into and fruit can be consumed as a snack, but I would still have days when I came up short on my 5 serves of veg and 2 of fruit.

Next, I heard that instead of 7 a day we should be eating 10 a day and I must admit my first reaction was to throw my hands up in the air and give up!

Now some readers will know that I embarked on a healthy weight loss journey in December 2017 and this has been successful in both weight loss and health benefits - I have so much more energy it's like I've rediscovered my inner spark!  My journey uses Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living and Beyond plan and it was through this plan that I was introduced to the BeWell Superfood Greens (or Greens Balance as it used to be called).

So, What exactly are BeWell Superfood Greens?


The BeWell Superfood Greens is a deep green powder that reminded me (in color and smell) of spirulina when I first saw it.  This is hardly a surprise when you look at the ingredients and see that it contains this nutrient-dense alga along with wheat and barley grass and an array of different fruits and vegetables.

In just one scoop of this powder you really can say you're eating a rainbow!  A few of the fruit and vegetables that are in this powder are kale, broccoli, pomegranate, tomato, pumpkin, mango, blueberry and purple sweet potato.   As well as containing all the nutrients different colored fruit and veg provide, this powder also contains a powerful prebiotic fibre to help support a healthy digestive system.

BeWell Superfood Greens
BeWell Superfood Greens

How Do I Use BeWell Superfood Greens?

As it's in powder form this makes it very easy to use, some people mix it in a little water and drink it like a shot of wheatgrass.  When I first saw and smelt the Greens Balance (as it was originally called) I thought people were crazy taking it this way so I did the following ...

I like to add a scoop into my breakfast smoothie, when I add cacao powder or a handful of berries I find that I can't even taste the greens balance, yet I'm getting all of that goodness.

I usually only have one scoop a day, but when my family (and a number of work colleagues) were sick with a flu virus earlier this year I actually added a scoop to my lunchtime shake as well.  I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, but I always believe that a good immune system requires good nutrition which is why I did this.   It may just be a coincidence, but I never got the virus despite being surrounded by all the germs!

After I had been adding it to my shakes for several months I did try it as a shot and I quite liked it that way, until I discovered something called the Green Ogre Drink and now that's the way I like to take my shot of Superfood Greens every day!

You can also add the Superfood Greens to dishes when cooking to increase the vegetable content, I haven't personally tried this, but it sounds like a great idea.

Does It Really Help Though?


"It sounds good, but how do I know if it's doing anything for me?"  This is often a problem when you're doing lots of things to improve your health and you're not sure which ones are really necessary, but I will NOT be giving up my greens balance ......

I am feeling a lot healthier this year and my energy levels are fantastic, my immune system is awesome, my hormones are balanced, my rheumatoid arthritis is not only under control, but I wake up to no pain or stiffness at all.   Let's just say that what I'm doing is working really well.   Of course everyone is different and you should always contact a medical professional. 

A few weeks ago I actually ran out of my BeWell Superfood Greens (I thought I had another tub, but didn't), my order was delayed and I went 1 day with only half a scoop and 3 days with no greens.   Now I didn't think much of it until I got home from work on the 2nd day of not having any and I was really tired.   When I said to my husband how shattered I felt his first response was have you eaten enough?  I had eaten plenty, but that's when I realized that what was missing was the greens balance.

I am not letting the tub get too low before re-ordering again!

Do I Need BeWell Superfood Greens if I Have a Good Diet?


I think I have a good diet, I have at least half a plate of vegetables with my main meal every night, lunches have been a problem in the past, but the past couple of years they have usually included either a salad or a vegetable soup (depending on the season).  Breakfast would often be my downfall, in the summer I would have some fruit and occasionally some veg included, but in winter when I used to have porridge there wouldn't be any fruit or veg. 

I still feel I need greens balance.   Only you know how much you eat, but I personally don't think you can ever have too much good nutrition.  I seriously am now considering it to be as important as my health insurance.

Where to Get BeWell Superfood Greens?


You will need to purchase your Superfood Greens online through any of the links I've provided, but if you want to contact me via my facebook page (Louanne Cox Business) then I can let you know how to get 20% off the standard retail price   Well worth looking into if you're planning on taking this every day.

How Long Does the Tub of Greens Last?


At one scoop a day a tub of greens balance will last you 30 days.


Have More Questions?


If you want to know the full list of ingredients or have any questions that I haven't covered here then go straight to the website - here - and look at the product sheet.  Alternatively, comment below or message me privately (via my facebook page or instagram).

Another Fun Way to Increase Vegetables in Your Diet


If you're not a fan of adding a nutritional supplement to your diet then you have to get creative with ways of increasing your veggie count and one way I do this is by using a spiralizer ...

easily increase your vegetable intake with a spiralizerEasily Increase Your Vegetable Intake with a Spiralizer
A fun way to increase the vegetable content of your meal is to turn vegetables into noodles. This is really easy to do with a spiralizer.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, April 21, 2018

Reviewing Uses for Tea Tree Oil

Reviewing uses for tea tree oil
Click here to buy some Tea Tree Oil
I was first introduced to Tea Tree oil over 20 years ago and absolutely love it.  At the time that I was introduced to it I was managing a health food store in New Zealand and the brand I used was Thursday Plantation.  Thursday Plantation was the first company to make tea tree oil commercially, but over the years many other companies have followed suit.

I was really excited when Arbonne released their new products for the year and tea tree oil was one of them.  As a company I love the ethics of Arbonne, the fact that all of their products are of high quality, PETA approved, vegan and so much more means that I will be using their tea tree oil.

How Do I Use Tea Tree OIl

Treating Things with Tea Tree Oil


Over the years I have used tea tree oil in many ways, from household uses to medicinal uses and there are lots of other uses that I haven't tried.

Tea Tree oil has antiseptic properties and is both a germicide and a fungicide, in fact according to Valerie Ann Worwood (The Fragrant Pharmacy) it's antiseptic properties are thought to be 100 x more powerful than carbolic acid.

I have used it in a diffuser or burner when I've been sick (although to be honest I prefer lemon oil as it doesn't make the house smell like a hospital!).

My husband used to get a recurring fungal infection on his toe nail and was constantly using a cream from the doctor which would help it, but it would never go away completely.  I decided that we should use tea tree oil (much to the dismay of my sceptical husband!)  I put one drop of tea tree oil onto a dampened cotton bud and wiped it over the nail twice a day.  Much to my husband's disbelief it actually worked and the fungal nail infection went away completely.

The owner of the health food store I managed used to get dandruff and he found that once he used a tea tree shampoo and conditioner it cleared up.  Well to be honest I didn't think my husband would like the smell of the shampoo and conditioner and I already had the oil so I told him to put the shampoo onto his hand and then add one drop of tea tree oil, mixed it together and then use it on his head.  Lo and behold his dandruff disappeared.

It's amazing how over the years my husband has been much less of a sceptic!

Beauty Uses for Tea Tree Oil


When I worked at the health food shop there were a few products for acne that were based on tea tree oil that were very successful for our customers, but I heard of a couple of cool ideas on a training I recently attended.

Tea Tree Skin Tonic

2 drops of tea tree oil
40 drops of witch hazel

Use this on your skin in place of a toner.  I think this is awesome as I know a couple of years ago I worked with a young lady and she used straight witch hazel to clear up her problem skin, coupled with my previous customer's experience with tea tree I think this is a winning combination.

If you have blemishes anywhere on your body you could add a couple of drops to coconut oil or jojoba oil and apply to your skin.

You can add 1-2 drops to your existing masks, scrubs or face creams.  The only thing you can NOT do is add it straight onto your skin.  This is a pure essential oil which means it's highly concentrated and should always be diluted before using.

Steam Bath for Acne

Of course you can always add hot water to a bowl with 2-3 drops of Tea Tree oil and then pop a towel over your head and the bowl and let the combination of steam and tea tree work it's magic.  As a disclaimer although I remember my friends steaming their face as an 'acne cure' as a teen I didn't suffer from acne so I'm not sure if it worked.  My daughter tried it a couple of times, but didn't like the smell as it reminded her that I used tea tree on her when she had nits!  (I can't remember the ratio I used for that).  As she wouldn't give it a chance it didn't work.

Arbonne Essential Oils
Purchase Arbonne Essential Oils here

Household Uses for Tea Tree Oil

My favorite way to use tea tree oil around the house was in the toilet!  I would lift the cistern up and pop a dozen drops of tea tree oil to the water in there.  Every time you flush you get a very faint odour of the tea tree oil, when I couldn't smell it anymore (or a week had passed) I would add more drops.

Now I wasn't doing it for that fragrance by the way, I did it because it really helped to keep the toilet bowl cleaner.  I haven't done this in a while because with our last toilet I couldn't easily access the cistern, but with our newer toilet and Arbonne releasing their tea tree oil I will start this again!

I have also used tea tree oil for removing scuff marks off of lino floors (add a drop to a damp cloth and wipe).  Talking of floors you can also add 1 tsp of tea tree oil to 1 1/5 gallons of water and use that to wash your floors.  My husband's response was that it smelt like a hospital, so the next time I also added a couple of drops of lavender to try and mask the smell.  I no longer do this because my husband really didn't like the smell and sometimes you just accept defeat in some areas!

If you like the smell of tea tree oil you can also add it to your vacuum bag when vacuuming - I tended to only use lavender essential oil (see above re husband's complaint!), but I now have a bagless vacuum so I don't get the lovely smell as I'm cleaning the house!

Dogs & Tea Tree Oil

Now dog's have very sensitive skin so do NOT put tea tree oil directly onto a dog's skin, but it can help if they have sores or are itchy, it just must be diluted.  If your dog is itching a bit then simply pop 1 drop into the shampoo before washing him/her. 

My late dog got a nasty sore on his tummy so I diluted a drop of tea tree oil in a natural base cream (I can't remember the name of it) and rubbed that on it.  It worked really well.  For my current dog I've always used pawpaw ointment (no need to mix anything).

Have You Used Tea Tree Oil?


There are lots of uses for tea tree oil which I haven't even touched on, I'd love to know if you've used it and what your experiences of it have been.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, February 10, 2018

Reviewing Arbonne's RE9 Advanced Cellular Renewal Mask

RE9 Advanced Cellular Renewal Mask
Let's talk about my experience with Arbonne's RE9 Advanced Cellular Renewal Mask, but first, try and say that three times really fast! I tried this product a week ago and in one word I would say - Wow!

I could not believe how smooth and soft my face felt. I used it on a Saturday night and all day Sunday I was constantly touching my face, so much so my teenage daughter started rolling her eyes at me! Mind you, she did lean over and touch my face herself and all of a sudden was telling me how soft it was (I'd been telling her that, but ... ).

So what's so special about this mask? Well, all of Arbonne's products are botanically based and the Botanics in this mask are pineapple and papaya.

They have used pineapple and papaya because they are both natural sources of Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and this works as a natural exfoliator.

Who should use this mask? Anyone over the age of 30 or 35 depending on who you believe, but especially people over the age of 50.

Skin Rejuvenation


Let's talk about our skin rejuvenation because this explains why using this mask is a fantastic idea.

Our skin is made up of layers of skin cells and as they die they slough off without us even knowing.  When the old skin cells slough off the newer cells come to the surface.  This is skin rejuvenation (well very basic understanding anyway!).

As we get older this process takes longer, going from 14 days (as a baby) to 37 days (as an over 50's person).  It's after the age of 30 or 35 (depending on who you believe, let's face it scientists may like absolutes, but humans are all unique so they can't be completely exact!) that we really start to notice it.

Our skin gets dry, looks tired and sometimes we can even get skin blemishes and acne.   This is where we really should pop a cape on our tube of RE9 Advanced Cellular Renewal Mask and call it Super Skin Rejuvenator!  This may not quite have the same ring as Superman or Batman, but your skin will definitely thank you.

The Magic of AHAs


What's so special about 'Super Skin Rejuvenator'?  Well, you see AHAs remove the top layer of skin which means you look younger - your skin isn't as dry or tired looking.  It also means that any dead skin won't be blocking your pores and causing blemishes.

But hang on, what about 'normal' scrubs?  Now you could use another type of scrub that contains some type of abrasive granules, but using AHAs is a more gentle way of removing the dead cells and according to the Harvard Medical School AHAs are a much more effective solution over abrasive scrubs.

There was also a study at the University of Maryland Medical Center that suggested that Alpha Hydroxy Acids may also enhance your body's production of collagen.  Collagen is the protein that plumps and firms the skin surface so if this is correct you can put another tick next to our Super Skin Rejuvenator!

Back to Arbonne's RE9 Advanced Cellular Renewal Mask


Okay, so I'll stop calling it Super Skin Rejuvenator (even though I think it should be renamed that) and just start telling you what it's like to use.

When you use it you'll see it just looks like a day cream and when you rub it onto your face it feels like that too!

I left mine on for 5 minutes (it says to leave it on for 5-6 minutes) and it really didn't feel like I had a mask on.  I was expecting my face to feel like it would crack should I talk, but nothing like that at all.

They do say that some people experience a little tingling, but I didn't have any of that.

After the 5 minutes, I simply rinsed it off with water.

Now it does say that you may experience a little redness and I did have a little bit on both sides of my nose just up from the nostril.  Now I did my mask before going to bed and when I got up the following morning there was no sign of the redness at all. 

Will I be using it again?   Absolutely I will, I just had a sample tube that I used, but I have now ordered a full-size tube of this mask because I just can't get over how great my skin felt.

Alternatives to Arbonne's Cellular Renewal Mask


Now pineapple and papaya can be used on their own to the same effect apparently (I haven't tried this though)  When I was researching these two ingredients I found that you can get fresh pineapple, crush it and apply it to your face.   My first thought was what a sticky mess!  I won't be trying this, give me my tube of Arbonne Cellular Renewal Mask, please.

The other thing I was told was that you could take papaya, eat the flesh and rub the skin on your face.  There was some debate about how effective this was as opposed to just using crushed papaya.   Now to be honest if I liked papaya (which I don't) I may have tried this as I do like to find uses for skins etc to reduce waste (like my veggie skins for example that I freeze).

As far as other commercial masks in this ilk, I haven't found one that makes my skin feel this nice, however, I must admit that I haven't tested hoards of masks just a handful.

Have you tried this mask?  If you have please share your experience below, if you haven't what are your thoughts on it?




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