Friday Favorite: Wailani's Body Scrubs

If you've ever spent any time with me, I've probably told you about a product or place I love.  Sharing my favorite things is one of my favorite things.

Want to know one of my new favorite things?  Wailani's Body Scrub

Golden Pineapple and Salty Hibiscus (courtesy of Wailani's)

Here's why:

1. The scents are inspired by Hawaii. If I close my eyes and breathe deeply, it's like a mini vacation in the shower...as long as my kids stay out of the bathroom.
2. The ingredients are all natural and pronounceable. Read: I don't freak I'm poisoning myself for smooth skin. No fear abides in this girl for coconut oil or Kona coffee or organic flower petals.
3. It's not super oily.  Some scrubs I've purchased use ingredients that are next to impossible to remove so that if I forget to put my contacts in before I shower (seriously, who does that?), I spend the day peering through lenses damaged from an oil slick.
4.  Lisa Czlonka, the founder, is a friend of mine who lives in Oklahoma and brought her childhood in Hawaii with her.  Clearly, she likes sharing what she loves with others, too.  I like to buy from "mom and pop" businesses, maybe because one puts food on my own table or maybe because it just seems like the right thing to do. Small business owners are in close contact with what goes into a product and how their clients feel about it.  That matters to me.
5. It's a great gift.  I'm not a great gift giver, but I play one on Pinterest. My mind keeps coming up with different gift baskets. 

The morning coffee for those who drink tea. (courtesy of Wailani's)

 Kona Coffee. I am not a coffee drinker. This scrub is the closest I will ever get to the coffee craze. Maybe it's the smell or the intense scrub, but I am alert and ready for the day after having my morning Kona Coffee in the shower. Unlike me, my husband loves coffee. So, I shouldn't have been surprised when he absconded it for his own use. Gift idea: Pair it with a gift certificate to a local coffee shop and some chocolate covered coffee beans to make any coffee lover--male or female--jittery with joy (and a little caffeine).

Golden Pineapple. Citrus smells make me happy.  This scrub is like opening the window to morning sunshine.  It has a smaller grain than the Kona Coffee so keep that in mind when you consider your preferences.  I'm glad to have both. I like using the pineapple on my legs because my skin is more sensitive, and I like using the Kona Coffee for my elbows and feet. Gift idea: The pineapple is often a symbol for hospitality, so the Golden Pineapple body scrub would be a nice leave-behind after being an overnight guest. For a new homeowner, pair it with bath towels.

Salty Hibiscus. Wow.  Just wow.  I'm extremely picky about floral scents, and I adore this scrub. I wish Salty Hibiscus came in a lotion and a candle and a laundry detergent and.... The smell is not overpowering, but it is distinctly relaxing and feminine. Plus, the scrub is a pretty pink and contains actual organic flower petals. Gift idea: A lovely gift for a girly girl would be Salty Hibiscus and a gift certificate for a mani-pedi or massage. In the spirit of Hawaii, why not toss in a bikini? Yes, I'm serious. Your favorite gardener might appreciate it paired with an actual hibiscus and gardening gloves.

Warning: You'll love being indulgent so much that you might get selfish. Case in point: Lisa gave me the coffee one.  Then I bought the last two with the intention of giving them away, but used them for myself instead. This works in your favor because some lucky reader will get to select a scrub of his or her choice.

Yep. I'm giving one away.

Want a mini vacation?  Here's how you can win one of Wailani's Body Scrubs in three easy steps.

1. Check out the different body scrubs here.

2. Comment below with which one you'd like to win. Leave your contact info.

And...here's where you earn it...

3. Give me an idea for a real mini-vacation.  Tell me your favorite place to go for a long weekend.

Contest is through next Thursday at midnight.  I'll announce the winner Friday, September 13, 2013. 

Lisa Czlonka, founder of Wailani's Body Scrubs

If you missed Lisa's Tasty Tuesday contribution to my summer salad virtual potluck, check out her Kalua Pig here.

Also,  Wailani's Facebook page has all sorts of healthy tips.

Go ahead.

You can enter the contest now.

Aloha!
 

TV Tuesday: United States of Tara

Perhaps it's because, as a writer, I'm accustomed to characters talking to me.

Perhaps it's because I like to go to the next level and ask, "What if?"

Whatever the reason, I'm going to miss United States of Tara.

This three-season Showtime series features the amazingly talented Toni Collette as Tara Gregson, a thirty-something mom of two who struggles with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Her patient and hunky hubby Max is played by John Corbett. The cast is full, interesting, and believable with daughter Kate (Brie Larson), son Marshall (Keir Gilchrist), sister Charmaigne (Rosemarie DeWitt) and family friend Neil (Patton Oswalt).

Tara's primary alternate personalities are a 1950's housewife named Alice, a beer-guzzling Vietnam vet named Buck, and a trouble making teen named T. She also has pop-psychologist Shoshana, child Chicken, and in the last season, evil half-brother Bryce.

Yet, I can somehow relate to her.

She loves her family.  She wants to be a steady mom to her children, give her husband some happiness, have a normal family dinner, hold her baby niece, not meet herself coming and going, and just be able to paint.

Those are normal, sane desires, right?

Since I'm no mental health professional, I can't speak to the accuracy of the potrayal of the mental illness.

However, the show serves a positive purpose by putting it out there for people to examine in a different way. So often, people make off-the-cuff comments about someone being "bi-polar" or "schizo." This show sheds light on a family that loves each other and must cope.

And that reality happens outside the realm of TV Land every day.

 Oprah reminded me of some bits of truth in the show. From two interviews, I saw bits of Tara's character. Does anyone else remember Trudy Chase? She had 92 personalities. She wrote a book, and a movie was made.  Read about Trudy Chase here.  Kim Noble is another mother who has 20 personalities. Like Tara, she's an artist. Read about Kim Noble here.

So many people look for drama, but this show deals with drama in a (sometimes darkly) comedic way.

Check it out.