Carmex Skin Care - Review & Giveaway

Last October, Carmex contacted me for the first time about reviewing their new line of Skin Care Lotions and Creams.  At that time I had nothing but great things to say about their product.  I loved the smell, the non-greasy feel, and the moisturizing qualities.  It was a product that I liked using in the fall and even into the winter.  Whether it was just the Carmex or the severity of the winter, I can't be sure, but I can say that I did NOT experience the cracking on my hands that I normally experience during the winter months.  

Flash forward to this October.  Carmex again contacted me and sent me their Healing Lotion and Cream to try and review.  I was thrilled.  I loved it last winter, and was looking forward to using it again this winter.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), the weather has been pretty mild so far this fall.  The heat hasn't been on much at all and my skin hasn't experienced any significant dryness.   Because of that, I haven't used the products too extensively yet.   However, the experiences I have had with the lotion have all been positive.

Pumpkin, my youngest daughter, has been using the Carmex Healing Lotion after her showers.  She tends to have very dry and somewhat sensitive skin.  So far, this product seems to be enough to stop her from itching her irritated skin.  While she hasn't said anything about the smell of the product, I still love it!  The other night after her bath, we were cuddling together while we said our prayers and I noticed the scent.  It isn't overpowering, but it is definitely a "warm" scent.  I love that it isn't a floral or fruity scent.  While those are great for the summer months, I prefer something warmer for the winter months.  The smell of Carmex lotion reminds me of cuddling in front of a fire while cookies bake in the kitchen.   It is a familiar smell, a nostalgia smell, and a smell that says "comfort" to me.

Do you have dry skin?  Have you tried Carmex Healing Lotion and Cream?  Would you like to?  I'm curious to see if you will have the same success I have had with it.  I know that some people really don't like the smell/taste of Carmex Lip Balms.  I wonder what you will think of the smell of the Carmex Skin Care products.  If you would like to try these products, then this might just be your lucky day.  One reader will win the same kit that I received to facilitate this review.  It includes a full size lotion, a full size cream, a small size lotion, and a small size cream.  The full size products retail for around $5.99 and should be available at Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart.  

Here's what you have to do to enter:

Mandatory Entry:  What is your favorite Carmex product?  If you don't have a favorite, tell me what you are most excited to try.  Leave me a comment.  Be sure to include your email address if it is not visible in your profile.

Optional Extra Entries: 

1. Like me on facebook.  Post your initials in the comments.
2. Follow me on Twitter.  Post your username in the comments.
3. Tweet about this giveaway using @rmgm and #carmex  Post a link to your tweet here.  This can be done once daily.  
4. Follow me publicly via Google Friend Connect and post a comment with your username.

Details:

• Only open to US residents
• Winner will be chosen using random.org
• Giveaway ends 11:59pm ET on December 5, 2011
• Include your email address in your comment if it is not available on your profile page.  If an email address in not in the comment or on your profile page another winner will be chosen.  
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
• Prizes will be sent directly from the sponsor.  I am not responsible for prizes that are lost or damaged during shipment.  If you win a prize and do not receive it, please let me know

*Disclaimer:  Carmex sent me the kit pictured above in exchange for my honest review.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are my own.  Others may have different experiences.

Crafty Kiddos - Fall Fun

This fall we have been busy, busy, busy. So busy, in fact, that I haven't had the time or energy to post much. Since I had a couple of reviews I wanted to get up, I thought I'd also take a minute to update you on some of the fun crafts the girls and I have been doing this fall.

Here are our adorable Fabric Pumpkins!   Made with toilet paper, half a toilet paper tube, fabric, yarn, ribbon, a stick, foam stars, and a leaf, they were fun to make and easy too.  In fact, we made these with Peanut's entire class at school.   The end result was so cute that I didn't want to take it down when it came time to put up our Christmas decorations.  You can make them in any size or color, and they are easy to modify and make your own by adding little "accessories".



Glass Pumpkin Candle Holders.  How cute is this glowing family of pumpkins?!  With any glass container, acrylic paint and a candle you can make these adorable decorations.  I think I had as much fun as the kiddos with this project!  We originally put tape on the jars for the faces, so that those parts wouldn't get painted.  While they looked great not glowing, we found that when illuminated, you couldn't see the features.  By adding black paint to the face, we created pumpkins that looked gorgeous in the light of day or dark of night!  :o)

Check out the ghost in the middle of our pumpkin family.  Made with cheesecloth, starch, and little black foam stickers, these happy little ghosts found homes all over the house.  We even sprayed these ghosts with glow in the dark paint so that they could be seen at night.  These were a little more frustrating to make than expected because the starch didn't dry as hard as I'd hoped.  I think perhaps we made a few too tall and my starch solution wasn't as stiff as I would have hoped.   I think that next year, with a little tweaking, they'll turn out even better!

Nothing says "Welcome" like the hand prints of my two favorite turkeys!  Using a carpet sample from the local carpet retailer, acrylic paint, sponge letters and the girls' hands, we made this adorable mat.  Actually, we made four of them.  Three were given away as gifts.  The girls did a great job sponging the letters onto the mats (though I did the letters on the one pictured here) and loved when I painted their hands so they could press them down to make the turkeys.  We also got some puffy paint so they could draw the legs, beaks, eyes, and the red thing that hangs from the neck area (I don't know why I can never remember what that is called).

Did you do any new or fun crafts this fall?  Are you getting ready to try some winter crafts with your kids?  Do you have an old standby that you know always turns out great?  I'd love to hear about them!  I'm always looking for new activities to try with my girls.  

Disclaimer:  I cannot take creative credit for any of the crafts pictured above.  All craft ideas came from magazines, previous school projects, and items I've seen online and/or in person.  Most have been modified to fit supplies I have on hand or ideas I have in my head.  I wish I could give credit to the original people that created these ideas, but since I don't know who they are, I cannot. If you know the originator of one of these crafts, please let me know and I will happily give credit.

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Disclaimer: I will be receiving a coupon in exchange for this post.