I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day! Now it’s time for another soap giveaway! Check this out:

About the Giveaway:

Open to US residents only. We only ship to the United States.

Prize: 1 bar of Myrrh Glycerin Soap

Winners: 2

How to enter (required): Visit MagicSenses.com and then come back and leave a comment telling us the name of your favorite soap!

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
1. one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
2. one additional entry if you sign up for our Newsletter (the form is on the sidebar);
3. one additional entry if you join our Fan Club on Facebook;
4. one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter (we have a new Twitter name!!);
5. one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
6. one additional entry if you fave us on Technorati;
7. one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to MagicSenses.com
8. one additional entry if you follow our Blog via email.

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The giveaway ends on Tuesday, March the 9th, 2010 (end of day). Don’t hesitate to tell your friends!

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winners will be chosen via random.org and announced online and via e-mail.

Good luck!!

At Magic Senses, it’s easy for us to sing the praises of vegetable glycerin soap, but for readers looking for the cold, hard facts – there’s nothing like hearing the opinions and recommendations of a medical professional. With the help of two certified doctors, we hope to shed light on the top reasons to add vegetable glycerin soap to your daily skincare regimen.

Dr. Raphael Darvish, founder of Skinpeccable (Dermatology and Cosmetic Laser Center), shared with us his top five reasons for using glycerin soap. “Vegetable glycerin is beneficial for softening the skin, helpful for retaining moisture, and is non-irritating and hypoallergenic.” He also mentions that vegetable glycerin contains no animal products and provides a natural alternative for skin care. This characteristic of vegetable glycerin soap not only provides an effective choice for people with sensitive skin, but also satisfies the personal beliefs of vegans, who refrain from using products that contain animal by-products.

Since vegetable glycerin soap helps retain moisture and soften the skin, it possesses the ability to alleviate common issues, such as dry skin problems. Dr. Cynthia Bailey, a practicing dermatologist and skin care expert in Sonoma County, California, recommends glycerin soap to her patients. Due to its mild cleansing action, Dr. Bailey notes that glycerin soaps also correspond with a healthy winter skin care routine.

The majority of commercial soaps on the market contain harsh chemicals that rob your skin of its natural protective oils. Washing your hands in hot water and coming in contact with other sources of irritation also contribute to your susceptibility to the unforgiving elements of colder weather.  In the end, you’re left with itchy, chapped skin plagued with dryness. These harsh chemicals come in many disguises.

For instance, hand sanitizers become increasingly popular during flu season, but what many don’t realize is they typically contain at least 60% alcohol – affecting your hand’s natural oils and drying out your skin. To cut down on irritation and excessive dryness of the hands, Dr. Bailey suggests using gentle, non-drying cleansers, such as bar soaps made out of glycerin.

From infants to sensitive skin users, anyone can benefit from using vegetable glycerin soap as part of their skincare routine. Whether you’re looking for a product that gently cleanses the skin, encourages soft and supple skin, provides non-irritating sanitization, or accommodates skin conditions (such as eczema and psoriasis) – consider using doctor-approved vegetable glycerin soap to meet your skincare needs.

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Dr. Raphael Darvish founded Skinpeccable in 2004 to provide the highest quality dermatology care in a setting that is relaxing and comfortable. A graduate of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Darvish completed his post-graduate residency training at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center. Having worked with the latest advancements in cosmetic lasers, Dr. Darvish has rapidly become a pioneer in the world of cosmetic dermatology and laser medicine.

Dr. Cynthia Bailey opened her general and surgical dermatology practice doors in 1991 with an emphasis on skin cancer and wholesome skin care. Prior to opening her private practice, Dr. Bailey was on the full time clinical teaching faculty at University of California San Diego Medical School. While there, she also conducted laboratory research on the effect of sunlight on skin.

This morning our Orange Clove soap was reviewed by Jennifer at The Dirty Shirt. Here is what she wrote:

“I had the great opportunity to be introduced to this company and received the Orange Clove soap to review. From the second the package showed up at my door I could smell the heavenly scent through the box and it only got better when I opened it. I loved the bright colors of the soap and after using it for the first time liked the scent even more. I love the special uniqueness of this soap and looked around their site for Christmas this year. I found so many great shapes, scents and more that I had to share the website with my friend who loves unique soaps. My next purchase will be their Gardenia soap, my favorite scent of all the floral scents. I recommend Magic Senses to everyone. Their soaps make the perfect gift!”

This month we decided to give away some seasonal novelty soap so if you like snowmen and snowflakes, keep on reading!!

About the Giveaway:

Open to US residents only.

Winners: 
- First prize: a soap set of 1 snowman and 2 snowflakes in our beautiful branded gift box. (1 winner)
- Second prize: a snowman soap!! (10 winners)

How to enter (required): Visit MagicSenses.com and then come back and leave a comment telling us the name of a product you would buy as a gift this Holiday Season!

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
- one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
- one additional entry if you sign up for our Newsletter (the form is on the sidebar);
- one additional entry if you join our Fan Club on Facebook (log in to see the page);
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter (we have a new Twitter name!!);
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you fave us on Technorati;
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to MagicSenses.com
- one additional entry if you follow our Blog via email.

The giveaway ends on Tuesday, Dec. 29th, 2009 (end of day). Don’t hesitate to tell your friends!

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winner will be chosen via random.org and announced online and via e-mail.

Good luck!! Merry Christmas!!

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Find out if you won!!

What is Body Butter?

Photo by abreathoffrenchair

Body butter is a type of skin moisturizer used by many for extremely dry skin, particularly in the winter. It is usually much heavier than creams and lotions as it is made with a lot less water. Most body butters use a seed or nut oil as their base ingredient to produce the most hydrating formula possible and because it is made with nutrient-rich ingredients, it protects as well as hydrates the skin.

To make body butter, the seed or nut of choice is ground up to release its oil. The oil is then extracted from the pulp and mixed with other ingredients to produce the fragrant body butter.

Benefits

There are many different benefits to using body butter, when compared to creams and lotions. Natural body butter is made using only natural ingredients, which are better for your skin and your body in general. They contain a higher level of emollients, which are absorbed into the skin and keep it moisturized. Body butter forms a protective layer over the skin, helping reduce the effects of the sun and hot and cold air. Many find that their skin is much softer and less prone to cracking or becoming inflamed when they use body butter.

Shea body butter, created from Shea nuts, has high levels of vitamins A, E and F. These vitamins help to keep the skin moisturized and clear, plus they help to protect and rejuvenate the skin. Shea body butter can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and is beneficial for many skin complaints, including sun damaged skin and some skin conditions, such as eczema.

Shea nut oil smells great on it’s own, but it is also very versatile. Other fragrances can easily be added to shea butter without being overwhelming. With a range to choose from, why not indulge your skin with a treat of one of the Magic Senses’ shea body butters?

Today I’d like to thank all of our customers who sent us feedback on our products via e-mail or left messages on our voice machine while we were on vacation. Your feedback means a lot to us and we appreciate you taking the time to get back to us!

Here is what Janet J. e-mailed us:

“Dear Betty, 

I love your soaps! I am so glad that I found your company. They look and smell wonderful! They arrived in just a couple of days. Thank you also for the free soaps.

You have a new customer. Everything is done first class down to the free soaps and the note. I will be back for more.

Merry Christmas,

Janet J.”

Thank you! Happy Holidays!

If you are looking for a special gift to give to family and friends, why not include a handmade soap?

Why Handmade Glycerin Soaps Make Great Gifts

With so many colors, designs and scents to choose from, you can really add a personal feel to your gift. Based on the person you are buying for, you can choose a soap that is unique to their tastes. Plus, with the large range of choices, everyone on your list can get something different.

The fact that you have taken the time to pick the perfect soap for each person is just one way to show how much you care. Added to that is the fact that handcrafted glycerin soaps are much better for the person using it. Gone are all the nasty chemicals that can be found in commercially produced soap. Instead, all natural ingredients are used to make each soap.

With vegetable glycerin used as the base, the soaps are highly moisturizing, making the skin of all who use them much softer. Everyone will love the feel of the soft lather of the glycerin soaps and will be thanking you for the improvement of their skin. The tone, the texture, everyone about the person’s skin will look healthier and younger.

Handmade glycerin soaps are truly the gift that keeps on giving. Each time the soap is used, thoughts will turn to you and your thoughtful gift. From gift baskets to stocking stuffers and everything in between, the personal touch of adding a handmade glycerin soap from Magic Senses will be felt by all.

Thank you all for participating! As always, it’s been a lot of fun reading your comments! It’s time to find out who won a bar of our beautiful Holiday glycerin soap. We used random.org to choose the lucky winners. If your comment # is any of the following, then you are one of our winners:

55
19
58
44

Congratulations, Johannah B., Sharon Rooney, ali and Rebecca Graham! You’ll receive an e-mail from us shortly. Please get back to us before Monday, December 30th 2009 1pm PST or other names will be chosen.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

UPDATE: One of our winners did not get back to us so here is a new winner: comment no 124. Congratulations, Denise D.!! You’ll soon receive an e-mail from us. Please respond within 2 days. Thank you!!

Probably one of the quintessential fragrances of Christmas is myrrh. Known by many as one of the gifts provided by the three wise men to at the birth of Jesus, the use of myrrh dates back much further. As far back as 3000 BC, the ancient Egyptians used myrrh resin for embalming their dead, as an antiseptic treatment and for burning during religious ceremonies. What many don’t realize is that, of the gifts provided, myrrh was recognized as the most highly valued, even more so than frankincense and gold!

Today, myrrh is a popular fragrance that is added to incense, soaps, candles and massage oils. With its sultry and seductive vanilla undertones, myrrh is popular with both men and women alike. It is known to help relieve feelings of stress and apathy, or of being stuck in a rut. The lingering scent is of great benefit both emotionally and spiritually. Combined with our all natural vegetable glycerin soap, this is a great way to lather away all your cares and concerns.

The whimsical design of our myrrh glycerin soap brings to mind ribbons and celebrations, making it an ideal addition to your Christmas bathroom. Guests will love the scent that fills your rooms, helping to make what can be a stressful time a lot more relaxing.

This soap is a great gift idea for the holidays. Add it to the stockings of your loved ones, so the lovely fragrance will fill the room even before the gifts are opened. Family and friends will always want to stay with you, if you include it with their linens on arrival.  With the quality of the scent and look of our myrrh handmade glycerin soap, you will be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t love it!

Delivering the essence of a Mediterranean floral gem, we’ve captured the vibrant colors and distinct fragrance of the sweet pea with our handmade Sweet Pea Delight glycerin soap. Emerging in 17^th century Italy, the sweet pea fragrance we know today was later crossbred during the 1800s to create a Victorian era sensation that still captures the attention of gardeners, and appears in a variety of health and beauty products.

Thanks to skin-soothing vegetable glycerin and fragrance oils, our Sweet Pea Delight soap gently lathers into a relaxing foam, urging your body to surrender to the enchanting scent of one of the most aromatic flowers in the world. We’ve also harnessed the rich, delicate nature of the sweet pea with natural coloring and a translucent pink base decorated with lavender, pink and white curls – all handmade and hand cut with love.

Breathe in the entrancing floral scent of Sweet Pea Delight to prepare the body and mind for a soothing escape into newfound relaxation and rejuvenation. There’s something almost sensuous in the way the fragrance of sweet pea envelops the body. Vegetable glycerin soaps provide beneficial moisturizing, softens the skin, and accommodates medical sensitivities, such as eczema and psoriasis. The gentle nature of vegetable glycerin soaps also makes Sweet Pea Delight a safe, stimulating experience for babies and children.

From holiday gift giving to thoughtful gestures, spread the joy of handmade vegetable glycerin soaps by choosing the mesmerizing floral scent of Sweet Pea Delight. Keep in mind that the flower is also special to friends and family celebrating birthdays in the month of April. In aromatherapy circles, the unique scent of sweet pea has the power to uplift the spirits, instill courage and strength, as well as inspire love and devotion. While the popular flower typically blossoms between March and November, you can enjoy the sweet fragrance all-year round with Magic Senses Sweet Pea Delight.