Some of My "Fun In the Sun" Favorites! :-)

Here in BC, we've already had some very warm days, especially for mid-April.

 It got me thinking about some of my fav summer products/books that I thought I'd share a few of, here today. Hope you enjoy my list and find it helpful too.

And if you have a particular summer book or product that you use year after year, when the sun returns, do share! :-) 

Happy "Fun In the Sun" and here's my list (with reviews/links):

Suncoat Peelable Nail Polish 

Although I don't usually have the time or interest in polishing my fingernails, I DO like to "spruce up" my tootsies, when sandal-season arrives. 

Suncoat Peelable Nail Polish is an excellent alternative to mainstream, highly toxic nail polish. It stays on VERY well and when you're ready to remove it, a soak in warm water for about 10 minutes and voila, easy to peel off. No remover required. Love this stuff!

Dr. Scholl's Exercise Sandals

Remember these sandals from many years ago? 

I was delighted to find them still available when I wanted to order a pair a while back. And they are still as comfortable as I remember them, as a teenager. 

The only thing I didn't like about the new pair I got was the way the buckle opened and closed. The company actually supplies written and detailed instructions for this (upon request) as they are so tricky to open and adjust now. But after that hurdle was passed, I am really enjoying wearing these sandals again. They do feel like they give your legs/feet a bit of an extra workout as you walk! How cool is that?

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme

Still on the topic of feet/toes, this foot creme from Burt's Bees is one of the best I've ever used. You can actually see significant results, with continued use. 

And when summer rolls around, my feet need all the TLC I can give them. My heels tend to get so cracked and dry but with this BB creme, they are looking a lot better, in a short amount of time. Click to read my full review. 

After the tootsies are well taken care of ;-) it's time to chill with a good summer read!

Two books that I usually read every summer are:

Beachcombing at Miramar by Richard Bode

and

Summer's Lease by John Mortimer

Click to read my mini reviews. I just love both of these books! 

Summer beach classics I never tire of! 

Hamilton Beach 1.5 Qt. Ice Cream Maker

I've tried a few ice cream makers over the years and this is my fav to date. Easy to use and clean, Not too big or small. Reasonably priced. And best of all, consistently good results. 

If you've never made or enjoyed homemade ice cream, you are in for a real treat. Store bought ice cream pales by comparison, in a big way after one taste!

Vegan A La Mode

Even if you aren't a vegetarian or vegan, this is one amazing ice cream book! 

First of all, the presentation is absolutely dazzling! All those gorgeous photos are enough to start any ice cream lover drooling. And that definitely would include die hard dairy fans too. And with choices like this, who needs dairy anyways?

Looking extra yummy, for my particular tastes: Cheesecake, Easy as Pumpkin Pie, Sesame Halvah, Gravel Path (what a fun name!!!), Chai Latte and many others.

The instructions are detailed and easy to follow. Anyone can do this, whether you are an avid cook or a beginner. 

The sugar content in most of the recipes is quite acceptable too, something that's often "over the top" IMO, in dessert cookbooks of any kind. And of course, if someone wants a bit less or more in this regard, that's an easy tweak.

This will be a keeper in my cookbook collection for years to come. Would also make a lovely hostess,shower or graduation gift, to go along with an ice cream maker.

Surf Sweets Watermelon Rings

These really do taste like watermelon. 

They are a bit sweet for my taste, so one at a time,  is plenty for me. 

I do like the chewy texture and the organic ingredient list.

I'm guessing kids would love these too. Fun to have at the lake shore or seaside. :-) The little life preserver shape is so cute!

I bought this 2.75 oz bag for less than $4. at a local food co-op. 

Lundberg Fiesta Lime Rice Chips

Great for snacking on at the beach or by the pool. Just add a cool beverage and you're good to go. 

Love these chips with the tangy lime kick. Addictive but in a good way!

***

HAVE A FABULOUS SUMMER! :-)

Smiling Sun clipart courtesy of: Clipart Panda

Badger Foot Balm

I've been on a roll lately (or so it seems) for finding some really great products to try. Long live the Internet! Now that I've got my hair in much better condition thanks to CreaClip, which I recently reviewed here at MRLR; I decided to work on my tired, neglected feet, at the other end of the spectrum LOL!

Badger Foot Balm is one of the best foot care creams, balms or salves I've ever tried. It really does work, as the label proclaims! And oh what a relief for my poor footsies, that were long-overdue for a truly soothing treat!

This is a pleasantly- scented balm, with peppermint prevailing but not over the top. Goes on smoothly, with no heavy, greasy feeling. It continues to moisturize well, long after it's applied. Even a few days after using Badger Foot Balm, without a second application, my feet were looking a lot better! And talk about soothing tired feet. After rubbing in the balm and putting on a pair of cotton socks, my feet felt like they were heaven. Soft, soothed and with a slight warming sensation too.A pleasant, relaxing feeling that helped me nod-off the first time I tried it, for a very good night's sleep. That's an added bonus!

Badger Foot Balm Ingredient List:: *Olea Europaea (Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, *Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, *Elettaria Cardamomum (Cardamom) Oil, *Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, *Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Oil, and *Abies Balsamea (Balsam Fir) Oil. *= Certified Organic

The Badger Company, based in New Hampshire, is a family-run business that has been in operation since 1995. You can read the interesting story of how their company grew, from it's humble beginnings in the family kitchen, at their attractive and fun to browse website, which also includes a page about their green initiatives.

As is often the case with great ideas and necessity being the mother of invention... Bill Whyte, a carpenter by trade, was searching for a truly soothing solution for his dry, work-worn hands, back in the 90's.. From that personal need, their Original Healing Balm was created. The rest, as they also say, is history.

The company now employees  a team of 40 "Friendly Badgers" and offers a wide variety of natural skin care products. I'm looking forward to also trying their: Sore Muscle Rub, Night, Night Balm, Nutmeg and Shea Moisturizer and Lip Tint Shimmer, Natural Soaps... to name but a few. Everything looks so good! And based on my experience with Badger Foot Balm, I'm confident I'll be finding a lot more Badger "gems" to enjoy and for years to come.

The Badger Foot Balm come packaged in attractive, reusable tins, with .75 oz. and 2 oz. sizes available. Reasonably priced too. The .75 oz tin (which I have) is a good size for a try-out and would allow for many applications; priced on the Badger site for only $5.50.  Would make a thoughtful gift too.

And who doesn't need more pampering, especially when it comes to our often-neglected feet? 

Overall rating for this product: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream

I'm always on the look-out for good hand and foot care products. For the most part, I have relatively normal skin on my face and body but when it comes to the hands and feet there's never enough moisturizer to be had!

Being a fan of many of Burt's Bees products, I was happy to try this Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream, which I recently purchased for the first time, on a shopping trip at our local mall.

Well, there's good news and bad news on this one.

The good news: Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream does the job when it comes to moisturizing and repairing dry, cracked skin. I tried it on my hands and feet too, it really did leave them feeling softer and smoother, after only a couple of applications. So that's all good. I like products that do what they say they will do and deliver.

The bad news, this product smells TRES WEIRD!

 The first thing that came to mind was the bug spray RAID!!! Not that I have any of that around the house but it's a "scent" from childhood days that I've never forgotten. Back then, everyone was spraying chemicals (it seemed) on plants and around the house and RAID was a favorite product. Yuck!!!! I didn't like it then and I certainly don't like a similar smell in a hand cream.

The scent of this did wear off after about an hour so that was good but initially pppp...uuuu!!!!

So, if you can get past the initial "fragrance" of this hand cream, you might want to give it a try. But there are other products out there that work, that smell good right from the get go. One that comes to mind is Burt's Bee Foot Creme that I reviewed previously and still like.

                                

I'm giving this product a 3 for doing what it's suppose to do but with reservations, due to the fragrance.

Overall rating for this product: Good. 3 out of 5. 

Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme

    Living in Canada during the winter usually means months of dry, cracked, uncomfortable feet. I've tried many products to relieve the problem and I have yet to find anything better than Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme.

So many of the similar products I've tried do little or nothing by way of lasting results. Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme is a winner in so many ways. It's very rich and soothing. It also has a lovely, mild coconut scent, not like some of the "pepperminty" over-the-top offerings of many other creams and lotions. I also have had some itching and rash reactions using other products, but with Burt's Bees never any adverse reactions, just soft, smooth, better-looking feet!

I found it most effective to apply the cream liberally at bed-time and then put on a pair of thin comfortable cotton socks to wear overnight. After only a couple of nights, the results were significant. Smoother skin, cracking visably reduced, even helps with cuticles around toenails.

Some information about this product from the Amazon page:

"Combines coconut oil, lanolin and vegetable glycerin to revive and rejuvenate even the driest, most neglected feet. There's also a hint of natural rosemary and peppermint oils to refresh tired feet. Coconut Oil The flesh of the coconut is rich in emollient fat and, when pressed, yields a white, sweetly-scented, super-moisturizing oil, which is a solid at room temperature but easily melts on the skin. "

I've always been a fan of Burt's Bees products. I was sorry when they quit selling cosmetics, they had one of the best natural lipsticks I've ever tried. I'm certainly glad though that they've continued to offer a wide range of skin care items, including this wonderful foot creme. If you've never tried this product and are looking for a way to improve the appearance of your feet significantly, give this one a try. It really does work. Great for the summer too and sandal-season is just around the corner. And there's no hiding rough feet then!

Overall rating for this product: Excellent. 5 out of 5.