Sunday, February 13, 2011

Arbonne Delights Gift Bag & $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway REMINDER!!!

In about 9 hours, my 500 posts/Two Year Blog-o-versary giveaway #1 ends and I want to make absolutely sure that every single one of my followers has a chance to enter, hence this reminder post.  Click here to enter...

Some of you may be wondering what I would buy if I had a $50 gift certificate to Arbonne, after all, I am a consultant and have had the pleasure of trying and/or owning most of the items you see on the website.

For those of you still on the fence about what you would buy and that is why you haven't entered the giveaway yet, here are my favorites for around $50...

1. Sheer Finish Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 ($36) & 2. Eye Liner, Olive ($22): I use the sheer finish tinted moisturizer instead of a more full coverage foundation because I prefer to let a bit more of my natural skin tone peek through. This is a preference, and I have heard from many a devotee of Arbonne's foundations, but in the end, I will always jump at the chance to buy this moisturizer (plus--it eliminates the need for a separate moisturizer that day--ding, ding, busy moms!).

The eye liner in olive is my go to color when I want to wear something on my eyelids but don't want to spend hours making my eye makeup perfect. The formula glides on super-easy (no tugging with this liner--cough, cough, other brands I have tried in the past that I won't mention for fear of them getting mad at me...). The olive works well with my green-blue eye color, but the liner also comes in black, purple, brown, etc.

3. SeaSource Detox Spa Renewing Body Gelee ($47.50): My kids, during the summer, would beg to have this put on their mosquito bites after being bitten. It worked every time and the "itch" time would be drastically reduced. I am a huge sufferer when it comes to being bitten, so I was thrilled when we got this product in the full-sized tub (we had been using the sample size for a while). I have also used it on burns from the stove and grill, and after a bath for a ting-y moisturizing treatment for my post-shaved legs.

4. Makeup Primer ($36) & 5. Lip Polish ($22): Some of us admit to going without any makeup on a daily basis, but even the most natural of us Arbonne consultants will use at least the primer and lip polish to keep our faces looking matte and our lips shiny. The primer is meant to create a smooth surface for the application of other makeup, but well, by itself, it just takes our pretty, shiny complexions to pretty and not so shiny. The lip polish helps remind the world that we do indeed have lips, just not overly made-up ones. LOL. ;)

6. RE9 Advanced Intensive Renewal Serum ($58): If I had to pick one item from the many in the RE9 Advanced Line and I could pick no other, it would be this serum. It contains a higher percentage of the nine active ingredients (including vitamin c--a well-known antioxidant) so it boosts the anti-aging power of the entire line. Sometimes I will wash my face and JUST apply the serum (obviously on the days I stay home--otherwise I pull out my SPF products--sun is pretty but so very damaging). It smells divine and it feels so light and silky on my skin. It is a true treat. And it's great for your face, too!

7. Revelage Intensive Pro-Brightening Night Serum ($60): The product that has helped my skin the most is this serum. Although I love the RE9 serum, I am still at the age where I have little noticeable wrinkling. That said, I suffer from some pretty nasty rosacea, especially around my nose and my eyebrows. It used to be that I would be beet red around those areas of my face on a near daily basis, especially in the winter. Since I have started using this on a daily basis (sometimes I will even use it in the morning even though it is a "night" formula), I only suffer from rosacea on a monthly basis, if that.

Turns out that the licorice root is the answer for us rosacea sufferers. Dr. Oz profiled rosacea a few weeks ago on his show and said that licorice root was a great way of calming the skin down during a flare-up. Since this serum has a high concentration of the licorice root, I am not surprised that my skin is looking and acting better!

It also has the added benefit of lightening sun spots. But I will get into that more with product #12 of my favorites.

8. Arbonne Essentials 7-Day Body Cleanse ($49.50): My dad and a whole bunch of other people I know are now on this cleanse. It is a great way to jump start a diet and/or change in eating habits. I have *not* used this, but am planning to, fairly soon. You add one bottle to a quart of water daily for seven days. You are meant to drink the quart of water over the course of one day, and the ingredients in the cleanse are helpful in flushing the system.

This is not a product to be used while nursing, pregnant, or under the weather, so bear that in mind! :)

Here is one story: One of the friends I know who has used it, conjoined it with a 30 day Detox plan (of which I can get anyone copies), and lost 20 pounds of postpartum weight. As someone who knows how hard it is to lose "baby" weight, I applaud her and plan on trying this the next time I have had another child. NOTE: The detox plan is RIGID, very whole-foods oriented, and nearly vegetarian. So if you are big fan of meat and potatoes and want to lose weight but are not prepared to go down the to the other side, so to speak, this is not the plan for you!!!

9. Arbonne Essentials Chocolate Protein Shake Mix ($59): Every morning since I have received this protein shake mix, I pull out my shaker cup and fill it with the right amount of mix, 9 ounces of water, shake, shake, and shake. I then drink, drink, drink. Turns out pea protein (vegan alternative to animal protein) is EXTREMELY filling. I am usually more than satisfied till lunch.

Sometimes I will even take out my blender, put in the mix and water, and a half a banana, mix, mix, mix, and have a VERY tasty dessert.

All for 180 calories (breakfast version) and 225 calories (dessert version).

10. Arbonne Essentials Digestion Plus ($49): I was beyond bloated at the Arbonne Conference in Las Vegas. Not only does traveling make me retain water, I had my "special" girl time while there, too. Add to that a mix of some salty restaurant food, and I felt my digestion was beyond challenged. This is a new product, and they had a "tasting" area set up for all of us consultants to try the products. I made a bee-line to this table and sucked it down, and got a couple of packets for later. Within a few hours, I actually started to feel less awful. The belly was not as big and I knew that any skirt or pants I put on would probably fit. It literally was a relief!

It has the same active ingredients as you find in all those yogurts and yogurt shakes that are on the market nowadays, but no added sugars, calories, and these are gluten-free, which is fab for those who suffer from gluten intolerance.

11. FC5 Ultra-Hydrating Hand Creme ($18) & 12. Revelage Age Spot Brightening Hand Therapy with SPF 30 ($37.50): My hands hate me in the winter. So I pamper them with these two products all winter long. The first is extremely moisturizing and it smells beyond good. (When I wear that hand creme, I do not wear perfume, I like the smell that much--kind of fruit-y, but not cloying, the way some fruit-scented body and hand lotions can be.)

The Revelage hand therapy is great for outdoors, it protects, moisturizes, and has an SPF. I need the SPF, especially, because for years, I forgot to apply SPF to my hands and now I have sunspots, which are like freckles, but not as cute (sad face). Now I am religious with the SPF, and I appreciate the fact that the ingredients in the therapy reduce the pigmentation of the sunspots. (Really! I have used this Revelage line for over two years and I definitely have seen a reduction in the intensity of the color of the spots!)

I hope that this look at my twelve favorites around a total of $50 have helped you decide what you would do if you won my giveaway. :)

P.S. If you don't win, but would like to find out more about any of these products, or get on my Arbonne e-mail list, please do drop me a line at dinagideon@myarbonne.com.

P.P.S. Check out this write-up on why Arbonne made the #1 spot of most favorite clean and green skin care and cosmetic lines.

P.P.P.S. Good luck!