Farmhouse Fresh Haul and a Mother's Day Gift

Disclaimer: I purchased this.

I've been a fan of Farmhouse Fresh products ever since I picked up a few of their products from a local spa about 4 years ago. So, when I received an email letting me know they had a special going on, I moseyed on over to see what new products they might have. I picked something new and an old favorite, so let's take a closer look!

The old favorite is the One Fine Day Shea Sugar Face Polish ($25). It's a gentle cleanser and exfoliator that is targeted towards dry and sensitive skin, but I find it works well for oily skin as well.

I like using it a few times a week as my morning cleanser, although it s gentle enough to use daily if you prefer. The scent (grapefruit and citrus oils) is lovely and puts me in a good mood, and my skin is left feeling smooth, clean and soft. My first jar lasted me well over a year, and I'm happy to have another!

The something new are two All-Purpose Shea Butter Balms ($12.50) in Marshmellow Melt (scented with all natural tonka bean and sandalwood), and A la Mode (reminiscent of old fashioned vanilla churned ice cream). 

The fragrances on both of these is soft but does linger for a while, and indeed I need to sniff my hands in order to detect them. I'm okay with that, as I will wear them mainly at night, when I tend to have my hands near my face. I wore Marshmellow Melt last night and could smell the scent when I woke up throughout the night due to thunderstorms. 

There are several oils and seed butters in these balms (coconut, soybean, shea butter, mango, cocoa, and apricot) so they are oily in texture. While they do sink nicely into the skin after a few minutes, they are not the kind of balm I would put on when I need to do something with my hands right afterwards. Hence, perfect for night time when I want a more emollient and heavy duty moisturizer for my hands and feet. I bet these will work wonders on my cuticles as well.

For the free shea butter body lotion, I chose Marshmellow Melt ($30) as a Mother's Day present for my mom. She loves body lotions and I keep her in good stock :-) The glass pump bottle feels luxurious and the packaging is lovely.

I love the ethos of Farmhouse Fresh, with their focus on natural/organic ingredients and animal rescue (you can read about those here), and appreciate the little extra touches on the packaging and a $5 off code for my next purchase. They were also extremely generous with samples, including some lovely postcards! 

The free shea butter body lotion GWP runs through May 7th if you would like to indulge, and mine arrived 3 days after ordering, so you should receive it in plenty of time for Mother's Day if you are gifting. You can also check out my reviews on Hello Yellow Shea Butter, Fresh Honeysuckle Blood Orange Custard, Honey Heel Glaze, and the Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Hand Lotion if you need other gift ideas. I've yet to be disappointed by any of the products I've tried, although I will say the Whoopie! Cream scent is not my favorite :-)

One Fine Day Flawless Face Polish by Farmhouse Fresh

I've got another facial sugar cleanser/exfoliator to show you, this time one that is supposed to the good for those with dry or sensitive skin as well as those with rosacea.  Now, I've got oily skin, but I still love the One Fine Day Flawless Face Polish, as it's mild enough to use daily if desired.  I'll probably be using this more in the winter, when my skin gets a tad less oily.  I do break it out for once a week use right now, when I want to nourish my face with a bit of extra moisture.

Farmhouse Fresh products are paraben and sulfate free and are composed of 90-99% natural or naturally derived ingredients.  One Fine Day is 96.5% natural and features shea butter, sugar, castor and sunflower oils.  It is lightly scented with a variet of citrus oils, and I see vanilla in the mix as well.  I personally love the scent and find it really adds to the experience.

To apply, I wash my hands, and then put a nickel size dab of the scrub in my still wet hands and apply to my dry face.  I find that this gives enough moisture to emulsify the scrub but not so much that the sugar crystals dissolve too quickly.   After rinsing, my skin is super soft without a hint of greasiness, so the water seems to do a good job of rinsing away the oils in the scrub. 

One Fine Day is $25, and I think it will be my winter time sugar scrub with Suki being my summer time sugar scrub (you can see a review of Suki here).  Both smell delicious, are naturally based, and cleanse as well as exfoliate. Apropo of nothing other than they are also white and smell delicious, below are some ginger lilies that are blooming in my yard. 

Ginger Lilies

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Fluffy Bunny Shea Butter Hand Cream by Farmhouse Fresh

I've found my holy grail night time hand cream, and it's called Fluffy Bunny.  As described by Farmhouse Fresh, this hand cream will

will swirl you into a dreamlike state with mint-julep, cream and just a hint of lavender. - See more at: http://www.farmhousefreshgoods.com/fluffy-bunny-hand-cream.html#sthash.CyFTyhyC.dpuf

"swirl you into a dreamlike state with mint-julep, cream, and just a hint of lavender."

When I put this on right before bed, I end up sniffing my hands and instantly relaxing.  I also tend to sleep with my hands near my face, so I end up drifting off to sleep smelling this soothing scent, also described as "comfort in a tube".  For me, it really is!  There is some science to back this up as well, as

of several fragrances tested by aromatherapy researchers, lavender was most effective at relaxing brain waves and reducing stress. It also reduced computer errors by almost one-fourth when used to scent the office. (Source:  Aromatherapy: Lavender)

Fluffy Bunny hand cream contains 90% of natural ingredients, absorbs nicely into my skin, and is not greasy.  The 2.4 oz tubes retail for $14, but I was fortunate to get mine free with any Farmhouse Fresh purchase at the spa I discovered the line at.  Farmhouse Fresh also has occasional deals at their website, where you can sign up for alerts via email. 

Disclaimer:  This was a gift with purchase.

will swirl you into a dreamlike state with mint-julep, cream and just a hint of lavender. - See more at: http://www.farmhousefreshgoods.com/fluffy-bunny-hand-cream.html#sthash.CyFTyhyC.dpuf

will swirl you into a dreamlike state with mint-julep, cream and just a hint of lavender. - See more at: http://www.farmhousefreshgoods.com/fluffy-bunny-hand-cream.html#sthash.CyFTyhyC.dpuf

Honey Heel Glaze by Farmhouse Fresh

Would you like a honey-based serum for your feet?  One that smells like cinnamon, cloves, and honey and contains moisturizing honey and aloe vera juice along with pineapple and papaya fruit extracts?

Well, there is such a thing, and it's called the Honey Heel Glaze by Farmhouse Fresh.  I discovered Farmhouse Fresh products at a local spa where I get deep tissue massages, and I'm now a fan.  Voted in January 2013 by spas, hotels, and resorts as one of the top 5 body care lines in the US, I've definitely enjoyed the products I've tried! 

This Texas based company specializes in paraben and sulfate free beauty products (90-99.6% natural and naturally derived ingredients) packaged in retro style glass jars and cruets. The Honey Heel Glaze comes in a 3 oz. quilted glass jar with an applicator, although I just use my fingers to apply this goodness.

Designed to combat that chalky white look dry feet can get, the heel glaze has an almost gel like texture.  It is not greasy and leaves no residue.  I would not classify this as a deep moisturizer, but as more of a treatment for your feet, as the pineapple and papaya would help to break down  dead skin buildup.  By far, my favorite aspect of the heel glaze is the scent, making it a delightful sensory experience. At $24 a jar, I wouldn't call this a necessity, but more of a luxury.  On the other hand, now that my feet are in sandals and on full display most of the time, maybe it is a necessity :-)

Ingredients:  Water, Glycerine, Polysorbate 20, Polyquaternium-37, Fragrance, Honey, Natural Rice Bran Oil (Orza Sativa), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E),Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Panthenol, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Diazolidinyl Urea, DMDM Hydantoin, Caramel, Annatto. (96.2 natural ingredients)

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

90% - 99.6% natural and naturally-derived ingredients - See more at: http://www.farmhousefreshgoods.com/info.html#sthash.Rq58D295.dpuf

90% - 99.6% natural and naturally-derived ingredients - See more at: http://www.farmhousefreshgoods.com/info.html#sthash.Rq58D295.dpuf

Farmhouse Fresh Honeysuckle Blood Orange Custard

This sounds almost like a a dessert, doesn't it?  Actually, Honeysuckle Blood Orange Custard is a body cream with "a 2-part blend that includes 1/2 whipped shea butter and 1/2 live fruit cells suspended in a nourishing aloe gel that brings vitamin-packed softness to skin".  I was intrigued, plus anything that smells like honeysuckle will get my attention!

This double moisturizer is 92% natural and is paraben and sulfate free.  As you can see, it comes unmixed, and you just swirl the two together with the included spoon.  I also use the spoon when I'm applying the cream, as it saves me from sticking my fingers in the cream and potentially contaminating it. 

The scent is delicate and dissipates after an hour or so, which is actually okay for the days when I want to wear perfume.  The cream is thick but not greasy, and it absorbs well into the skin. 

I'm guessing the significance of "live fruit cells" has to do with the uncooked, unprocessed nature of the strawberry fruit extract used, which preserves their skin softening goodness.  Packaged in a reusable jelly jar, there is also a Strawberry Mash Double Moisturizer version, and both retail for $26. 

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Hello! Yellow Shea Butter Cream by Farmhouse Fresh

Yum, vanilla custard with a little lemon zest mixed in.  That's what Hello! Yellow Shea Butter Cream by Farmhouse Fresh reminds me of - lovely, delicious custard.  Fortunately, this is the kind that you spread on your body, as I have no need for more desserts after indulging a little too much over the holidays. 

I love discovering new products, especially those with a natural or organic emphasis.  Farmhouse Fresh products are made in Texas with 90%-99.6% natural or naturally-derived ingredients and are paraben and sulfate free.  What's got me really excited about the items I've tried so far, however, is how wonderful they feel and smell!  I also love the nostalgic packaging, which includes glass jelly jars, milk bottles, and cruets. 

Hello! Yellow is what first captured my fancy, with it's natural vanilla and citrus scent.  What impresses me to no end, however, is that I can still smell that same delicate scent at the end of the day.  It's not strongly scented even when you first put it on, but it has some impressive lasting power.  I like wearing it on days when I know I'll be in and out of the hospital for meetings, as I know the scent is unobtrusive but I'll still be able to smell it when I sniff my arm.  It's a comforting and happy scent, as the jumping on the bed image on the box really captures. 

Hello! Yellow is 95% natural, vegan, and gluten free.   The shea and cocoa butters, jojoba and soybean oils leave my skin soft without a greasy after feel.  Other scents and formulations are available, and I picked up one called Honeysuckle Custard today.  Hello! Yellow costs $30 for a 10 oz. jar and can be found online at Farmhouse Fresh.  A spa I frequent has started carrying some of the products, which is how I discovered them.  I'm smitten!

Disclosure:  I purchased this.