I love exfoliating scrubs, but even a big tub of it doesn't seem to last long for me, so it gets a little spendy. I contemplated making a DIY scrub but was worried the oil would make the tub too slippery and that the scrub would clog the drain. So when I was at Ulta looking for an inexpensive alternative product, and I found these $3 loofah pads, I was pretty excited. 

Earth Theraputics Loofah Bath Pad
$3.34 on Amazon.com (I found mine at Ulta, and I've seen similar items at my local grocery store in the Beauty/Cosmetics dept.)

This loofah is my new favorite shower item! I get pretty bad red bumps after shaving, and my skin can look a little dull, especially on my legs. I knew exfoliating would probably help, but just hadn't found the right product until now. This loofah pad is cheap and long-lasting, and it works wonders on my body! Rub soap on it and then rub wherever you need some exfoliation. Apply more or less pressure, or scrub for more or less time--it's simple but effective. And it really has helped with my shaving bumps. I like that when it gets icky or worn out I can just toss it (the idea of a wet loofah growing germs and getting gross in the shower kind of skeeved out out initially, but it seems to be doing just fine after a month or so in the shower). There are fancier options out there but this one works just fine. I love this product so much that I might even give them as Christmas gifts (with a little handmade soap included with it!). My only complaint is that it isn't as exfoliating now after a month of using it every day, so I threw it away. They're supposed to last a few months, using it a couple of times a week, but I was using mine daily. And it probably would have still been scratchy enough for some people, but it's only $3 for a fresh one. I'm definitely going to keep repurchasing these.

Lipgloss+Spandex rating:

Beautybox5 offered to send me this month's Beautybox to review. I've been hearing about various subscription services for beauty products for awhile, but hadn't actually tried any, so I was pretty excited to test it out!

Here's a quick excerpt about Beautybox5, taken from their website:

"Once a month, we deliver a Beauty Box with four or five handpicked samples directly to your doorstep. Your Beauty Box will contain items like makeup, skin care products, hair care products, fragrances and a few other surprises! Learn more about your samples on our site! You can see exactly what other beauty lovers are saying about the products. Plus, you’ll find special how-tos and beauty tips right at your fingertips.  We think you’re going to love your samples! If you just have to have more, you can purchase products directly from us, or from our partners. Sounds good? Well, here’s the bonus: share BB5 with five of your friends and earn a free one-month subscription! Just head to the Sharing Is Caring page!"

I'm a huge fan of good bath and body products, so I was incredibly excited that Iwona at Best Bath Store was kind enough to send me goodies to review on Lipgloss and Spandex!

Best Bath Store makes all of their 100% natural, cruelty-free products right here in US. Each item is hand packaged, labeled and sealed in recyclable packaging, and the company is entirely powered by wind energy. That's pretty cool!

LIP BALM
$3.95 for 0.15 oz (standard lip balm sized tube)

I tested out both the Lemon-Lime Lip Balm and the Vanilla and Coffee (vegan) Lip Balm. Both balms are quite fragrant, but not in an unpleasant way. They have a soft texture, but the do feel a little slick on my lips.  The Vanilla and Coffee lip balm feels the slightest bit gritty during application, but feel completely smooth on the lips. These keep my lips moisturized for a couple of hours. I like the translucent tube a lot!

Ingredients-Lemon lime: Cocoa Butter, Beeswax, Almond Oil, Lemon Essential Oil, Lime Essential Oil, Vitamin E
Ingredients-Vanilla and Coffee (vegan): Jojoba oil, Cocoa Butter, Candelilla Wax, Shea Butter, Coffee Essential Oil, Vanilla Essential Oil, Vitamin E

ACNE FACIAL BAR
$4.95 for 3.5 oz

The Acne Facial Bar is supposed to "restore and revitalize your skin to its natural balance." It has a definite herbal smell to it, but I didn't find it unpleasant. It lathers nicely. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to help my skin at all. My face went to its typical acne-plagued state. However, the quality of the soap is good, and I've been using it on my bod instead. While this particular soap didn't work on my face, I would LOVE to buy some of the other body soaps. They come in a sheer mesh bag with a tag, which looks nice enough to give as a gift!

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Hazelnut Oil, Castor Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Organic Manuka Honey, Seaweed Powder, White Willow Bark Extract, Australian Olive Green Clay, Vitamin E, Essential Oil Blend

SWEETHEART BATH BOMB
$5.95 for 9 oz.

Can we say CUTEST BATH BOMB EVER?! The Sweetheart Bath Bomb has Neroli, Jasmine, and Ylang Ylang essential oils to help you relax. This roughly tennis ball sized bath bomb is incredibly dense, and creates a powerful fizzing jet in the tub. It doesn't have any glitter or color or other surprises, but it smells great (kind of like Earl Gray tea). This bath bomb will leave a slight residue on your skin, which some bathers may love and some may find too oily. It comes nicely packaged, shrink-wrapped in a plastic box.

Ingredients: Baking Soda, Citric Acid, Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil, Red Beet Juice Powder, Essential Oil Blend

Overall, I really enjoyed the products that I received from Best Bath Store, and I look forward to trying some of their other products.