Talk About Body Care - Route One Pumpkins

I meant to get this review up a few weeks ago but a lot of life things have gotten in the way, which also means I'll be taking a few weeks off to get everything sorted (and to enjoy the holidays), before I jump back into writing but I promise I will have a lot of new DIY posts and fun things to share in the new year. I will also be posting on the Facebook page.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand – today I'm sharing my thoughts on Route One Pumpkins. I got to try out some of their products and I think you will really like their line of natural handcrafted soap and skin care products that are made with Organic Sugar Pie Pumpkin Seed Oil and other pure and healthy ingredients. You will never find parabens, phthalates, soy, gluten, nut oils, petroleum based ingredients or anything artificial in their products. They also believe in sourcing their ingredients locally. They are located in Half Moon Bay, Ca and their pumpkins come from Tunitas Creek Family Farm, just South of Half Moon Bay.



In addition to being clean their products are also Leaping Bunny Certified and they even have an English Setter named Finnegan (Fun Fact: I have a cat named Finnegan) and an Irish Red and White Setter named Madeleine on their "staff". How cute is that?



Their soaps are ph-balanced and made with sunflower and pumpkin seed oils as well as avocado, shea butter, organic jojoba, and meadowfoam seed. I got to take the Bee's Knees Bar Soap for a test drive… err, a test shower? Hmm, that didn't work but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say. This particular bar of soap is made with locally and responsibly harvested beeswax and honey as well as blue chamomile. If you have been around Beautiful Basics for a while now you know how obsessed with honey I am, but if you're new around here just trust me when I say I'm crazy for all beauty things related to bees. This soap has a slightly sweet and floral scent. It lathers well, rinses beautifully, and leaves skin feeling lovely. It's perfect for sensitive skin!



I also got to try the Coastal Lavender Crème and Ultra Sensitive Hand and Body Crème; each of these comes in an adorable 4 oz tin with a gorgeous label. The Ultra Sensitive Body Butter is made with shea butter, avocado infused with calendula, cocoa butter, and beeswax. This one has a little sweet orange oil so it has a very light fragrance. The Coastal Lavender is made with organic coconut, shea butter, avocado oil, cocoa butter, pumpkin seed oil and beeswax. It has a wonderful and true lavender scent. They provide intense hydration and work best when applied to skin directly after a bath or shower. It locks in moisture and keeps skin looking and feeling wonderful. I like to use the Sensitive one during the day on my hands and chest in particular and love the Lavender at night before bed. I really enjoy them!

To learn more about Route One Pumpkins or their lineup of products you can very their website by clicking here.

Talk About Subscription Boxes - Yuzen Winter and Holiday Boxes

I think Subscription Boxes, like Yuzen, make a fantastic gift for any special event you can think of. Birthday? Check. Anniversary? Of course. Just because? Perfect! Christmas? Yes, please! And you might be thinking, "It's probably too late to order a box for Christmas," but you would be wrong. To ensure it arrives by Christmas Eve you just need to get your order in by the 19th.

I first reviewed Yuzen (If you're curious about the name of the box, Yuzen is a beautiful Japanese paper, also known as Chiyogami, and is included in each box) back in July 2012, but I was recently sent their Winter Box and their One Time Holiday Box to review on Beautiful Basics. Both boxes are awesome and I'm excited to get to talk about them today. Included in each box, besides the gorgeous paper, are natural and/or organic and eco-friendly products that are good for your skin, body, home and peace of mind.



Before we get into the contents of the boxes let's talk business. You can purchase a subscription to Yuzen for yourself or as a gift for $33 a box, with a box arriving at your home every season. You can also purchase a single gift box, like the Holiday Box, for $33. The price includes shipping.



Let's talk about the Winter Box (which is for Nov-Jan) first since it is part of the regular subscription. I wasn't as impressed with this box as I was with Holiday Box but my Mom really loved a lot of the items in this one! So, what did I find when I opened the box?

Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub

This is my favorite item included in this box. I have tried a lot of Acure Organics products but never this scrub. I had heard a lot of good things and I'm so glad I got to try it because it's really, really great!

Cowgirl Extreme C Serum

Essence of Vali Sleep

JJ's Sweets Chocolate-Covered Cocomels with Sea Salt

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Cream

SALUS Shower Bombs in Eucalyptus and Lemongrass

Zents Mandarin Soap 

This soap was what my Mom was most excited about. She loves the scent!

As for the single Holiday Box – I loved it and everything in it! This might be my favorite box that I have ever received because I liked every single item that was included.

Acure Brightening Facial ScrubLike I mentioned above, this scrub is great and I love the size!

SpaRitual Cuti-Coctail Pen & Pusher 

My cuticles have been an absolute mess and this has come in handy! I really like the formula and the applicator.

Eminence Wild Plum Eye CreamI seriously love Eminence and this eye cream is fantastic. It smells great and it actually makes a huge difference in my under eye area.

Kneipp Balancing Lavender Herbal BathI have always wanted to try Kneipp so I was so happy to see this in the box! It's seriously great!

MyChelle Dermaceuticals Ultimate Lash and Brow SerumI haven't used this yet, but I will and I'll let you know what I think.

Sencha Naturals Pink Dragonfruit MintsThese are yummy!

Sranrom Urban Wellness Calm Down Hand CreamThis leaves hands feeling ridiculously soft and hydrated while smelling really nice. It actually smells a lot like Tazo Zen Tea.

If you would like to read more about the products and why Yuzen selected them you can click here. You can also visit their website to learn more about Yuzen or to purchase a subscription or individual box.

Even Hunter likes Yuzen!

Talk About Cosmetics - Noyah Lipstick

I'm not sure whether it's the fact that a swipe on the lips can change your entire look, or they way it can make you feel more put together, or whatever it may be but I really love lipstick. There is something really special and magical about finding the perfect tube of lipstick that compliments your skin tone and makes you feel great!

Like I said, I really love lipstick and right now I'm really loving Noyah and their stunning lipsticks. With 5 awesome shades of all-natural and kosher lipstick everyone can find the perfect shade to suit them and their tastes. With ingredients like Castor Oil, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Candelilla Wax, Sunflower Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, and Vitamin E the lipsticks have a smooth formula that applies like a dream.



I was recently sent all 5 lipsticks and I'm absolutely thrilled that I'm able to tell you all about them. They're amazing! The shades are Empire Red (a true red), Apricot Swirl (a light apricot), Valentine Pink (a soft pink), Hazelnut Cream (a rose), and Deeply in Mauve (a rich mauve). The shades are all creamy, semi-matte shades with the exception of Hazelnut Cream, which has a slight frost to it.



Like I said above, they apply seamlessly and flawlessly. They also wear extremely well throughout the day. I haven't worn them for more than a few hours at a time but they last really nicely! I have found that they can be applied and blended out with a finger for a more sheer look, applied in a single layer for a wash of opaque color, or built up to look more rich and vibrant. Color wise, I originally thought that I was going to love Empire Red the most (it's a gorgeous color but I don't think I can pull it off!) but I was pleasantly surprised by Deeply in Mauve and Valentine Pink. These 2 shades have become my absolute favorites and I have been wearing Deeply in Mauve quite a lot when I go out. It's a little bit vampy while still being classic and easy to wear.



I'm not completely sold on the packaging of these lipsticks but I can deal with it since the lipsticks themselves are so wonderful. I just think it feels a little bit like cheap plastic, but like I said – I can deal. As far as the smell and taste goes there is nothing really to mention on this front since there is only an extremely faint scent that I can't quite place my finger on and no taste.

If I was a teacher and these lipsticks were my students they would be at the top of their class. Where did that weird teaching reference come from? Not quite sure, but what I'm trying to get at is these rock my socks off and I highly recommend them. They would make fabulous stocking stuffers or gifts for the holidays too!

Stuffed Stockings Giveaway (CLOSED)

I love everything about Christmas. The music, decorations, time with family, cookies, and of course the gifts given and received. I can't forget to mention my love for stockings though. There is something really magical about stocking stuffers. I can't explain it but my love for them is deep and rooted in me by my Mother. My Dad likes stockings (although he calls them "socks") but my Mom and I are absolutely crazy for them!

I love giving things away to you Beauties so it only seemed appropriate to make a prize pack (or two!) full of items perfect for stuffing stockings, whether it is for your own (I promise I won't judge you if you want to keep them for yourself!) or someone else's "sock". One is a makeup and skin products and the other is body and pampering products. The first randomly selected winner will get to pick the set he or she wants and the other winner will receive the remaining set.


This giveaway is open worldwide. To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter form below. By the way, I know the changes in Rafflecopter are kind of iffy so if you encounter any problems feel free to e-mail me or contact me about it. There is only one required entry, all others are optional and you can do as many or as few as you like but keep in mind that the more entries you have the more chances you have to win. Give this post a like and get your entries in! Good luck!




a Rafflecopter giveaway