My Favorite Health & Beauty Products are Frugal with a French Twist!

Hello all! Just wanted to stop by with a quick post about one of my favorite health and beauty lines. Most of you have heard of Mary Kay and I am sure all of you have heard of Avon. But have you heard of Yves Rocher? 

No, I am not some hokey paid spokeswoman. I am also not here to tell you how I now look 25 years younger using a European brand of wrinkle cream. Because you know it is impossible for me to look 25 years younger, since I am only 24….wink wink….nudge nudge…..

About a year ago my mom introduced me to Yves Rocher. I have learned a lot from my mom about taking care of my skin, since her skin honestly looks better than mine. The main lesson that I have taken away from observing her over the years, is the art of combining high end items with more budget-friendly products. Because when Crème de La Mer costs what it does per ounce, you will find yourself busting open that sample tube like it is the antidote to old age. 

That is where Yves Rocher enters the equation. These products have a distinctly more European feel to them than their more well-known counterparts. Just reading the labels of the products I have ordered, I have found they contain less ingredients overall and have a lighter fragrance. Sometimes when I shower or put on lotion, I do want some scent, but I don’t want to feel like I just rolled in potpourri while in a Yankee Candle store. 

The other reason I enjoy Yves Rocher is that the company appeals to the frugal “need to get a deal” side of me with coupons and freebies! Heck Yeah! Okay, so once you order something you will get these crazy mailers filled with 25 pieces of paper advertising products you might not need. However, every time you order, the site will: have a sale/clearance going on, have a coupon code for free shipping and will let you pick multiple freebies from bath salts to body lotions. 

While I have to admit, I still get most of my hair care products for pennies at CVS, my hypoallergenic deodorant at Whole Foods; I love grabbing a deal at Yves Rocher a couple times a year to change up my routine. Here is a link, so feel free to browse and check out their site!

My Top Three Yves Rocher Products

1. Provençal Lavandin Shower Gel

2. Repair Lotion Extra Dry Skin

3. Vanilla Fizzy Bath Cube

I'm Back! How is Your Garden Growing?

I’m back! I’m sorry it has been so long. This summer has been quite the adventure, filled with some ups and downs. I’ve worked on getting in shape, perfecting my sauce recipe for a possible business venture and getting my garden going. To be honest, all I want right now is a pumpkin spice latte and some Trader Joe’s pumpkin loaf. But alas, it is 90 degrees out and even though kids are back in school, fall feels like it is eons away.

However, I will say that one of the benefits of this time of year is not having to pay high, grocery store prices for my produce. This year I planted a variety of herbs and vegetables and some things have fared better than others.  A series of cool, damp nights have definitely slowed the progress of my tomatoes, which like wine grapes, need a steady, small amount of water to develop their sweetness. Luckily, I have a decent farmer's market to feed my tomato addiction, just minutes from my house. My romaine came in nicely and my cucumbers and zucchini make me feel like I should be entering some sort of state fair competition.  I’ve enjoyed making pesto from my basil and not having to pay $2 every time I want a smidge of parsley or tarragon.

I will go ahead and keep this entry short and sweet. However, feel free to check out a simple tomato recipe and zucchini tip below that I have been utilizing this summer. Also, please feel free to share any recipes or thoughts on your gardening experiences!

Warm Tomato Salad

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pint or 2 handfuls of cherry (or other small) tomatoes, rinsed and halved  
1 small shallot, diced
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 pinch of sea salt
¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil, shallots and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Turn heat to medium-high and add the tomatoes and cook until skins begin to wrinkle. This usually takes two to three minutes. Add vinegar and remove from heat. Add salt and parsley. Toss and serve.

How to Freeze Zucchini

Dice your zucchini or summer squash into one inch cubes and blanch for one minute in a large pot of unsalted boiling water. Immediately transfer the zucchini to and ice bath and once cool spread it onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and place it in the freezer. Once frozen, separate the zucchini into individually portioned freezer bags for later use. I love to sauté up these cubes with some chunky tomato sauce or add them to homemade minestrone.