Death is not worse pain than an empty life. -- Lun Tha

Latest in a sporadic (highly!) series of Product Reviews by The Quill:


Alluna.

A sleep-aid, the active ingredients are Valerian root and hops.  This product does not cause me to pass out into utter oblivion, to awaken with a hangover. It does not require me to spend half the following day "getting over it" as I function.  Neither does it allow me to awaken in the middle of the night with the walk-abouts, wherein I fidget uncontrollably unless I roam the house for an hour or so. In the middle of the night. On sleep meds. 

Instead, Alluna just lets me keep falling back asleep, every time I awaken. Without that foggy-feeling. 

Negative:  I wake up with a headache.  Every time. Is it the hops?   I pop 2 Tylenol Rapid Release and I'm fine.  And rested!

After being so well rested, it's time to get cleaned up.  I have lately found a  new shampoo that I am liking very much. 


Giovanni Tea Tree Oil Shampoo and Conditioner.

What I like about this, first of all, is that it is cruelty-free and contains no animal by-products. With many certified organic botanicals (you can FEEL the peppermint, let me tell you!) it has a great many helpful components. 

The shampoo certainly does leave my hair feeling extremely clean while the light conditioner is perfect for detangling the current long locks on my head.  And long after I'm dressed, I still feel that "tingly" sensation from the peppermint oil in the shampoo. 

Negative:  It says to avoid eye contact. OBEY. It is very uncomfy if some slides under and eyelid or something.  Not recommended for children at all. 

All clean and shiny, I now have to protect the skin. For this, I have been using:


Burt's Bees Day Radiance Creme.

In these,  my middle years (cough!), my facial skin has become very sensitive to many products I used to be able to enjoy without trouble.  In consequence, it has become hard for me to find a moisturizer that doesn't make me itch and doesn't leave me feeling coated in something unpleasant.  Additionally, I prefer to use "natural" products (insofar as I can) on my skin as it is then absorbed into the body.  So I try to be careful. 

I have enjoyed Burt's Bees products for years and I can recommend this "day creme."  It is a tiny bit more "present" than perhaps I might like, but that's the price you pay for having hard-to-please skin. And, too, I feel good supporting the company, which is committed to sustainability in their production as well as caring for their employees and being financially responsible.  I like that.

I now return you to your regular programming, which is currently in progress....