Spa and Beauty Favorites from 2009

2009 is the year that I began to actively seek handmade spa and beauty products. Before that I had seen few of them, and hardly knew that anything beyond handmade soap was available. I have developed favorites.

Dress Green makes soothing, chemical-free body creams. My favorite is the coconut. But a number of other scents are available if the sunny smell of coconut doesn’t do it for you.

Mascara from Funkey Monkey and Mum Mum’s Crafts are gentle to the skin and don’t run into the eyes at the first sign of humidity. The Funkey Monkey mascara is a bit smoother. The Mum Mum’s Crafts mascara is a bit thicker.

Heathen’s Hearth is my favorite seller of facial soaps. Tea Tree formulas and Oatmeal formulas are available to address a whole range of skin difficulties. I especially like the Chamomile Lavender and Tea Tree Essential Oil Facial soap.

Karen’s Soaps makes beautiful and fresh smelling bath soaps. I love that she offers samples – I got to try so many nice soaps. I love the look of the novelty soaps and think they would make great gifts.

The All Natural Face makes extra gentle mascara, and vivid mineral shadows. But my very favorite things in the product line are the vegan concealers. In particular the Midas for under eye circles and the Patina to hide the occasional blemish.

Sudstress is my favorite seller of gender-friendly soaps that won’t scare away the boys in the house. Her Mint Meditation soap smells fresh and clean and looks very artistic in a soap dish. And if you can convince the boys to wash their hands, they’ll smell really good.

My biggest surprise handmade product for 2009 is The Pitts, all natural deodorant by Bunny Butt Apothecary. It is free of aluminum and works.

And finally, don’t leave home without a Soap to Go by Angie’s Suds N Such. These are the best little soaps to carry around when you have small children who cannot reach the soap dispenser, or frequently visit parks and public places that run out of soap. And when the Soap to Go runs out you can order a refill, and keep the dispenser out of the landfill.

Here’s to a great year of handmade products in 2010.

Christine Eclavea Mercer

Where other people see worn out shirts and grandma's sheets, Christine sees little girls pajamas and a new purse lining. Read all about it at Christine Sews and follow her on Twitter.

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