Monthly Giveaway Galore

Congrats to Lena from Virgina for tweeting with us and being our Giveaway winner in February!

Here is how you can win this month!

 Just for commenting you are automatically entered in our monthly giveaway.

1. Be our fan on Facebook and leave a comment about the topic or website.
2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about us using nikkicandles or Nikki Makes Scents (sorry private tweets can't be seen and therefore cannot be counted)
3. Follow our Blog and leave comment about any of our post for the month (sorry private follows cannot be verified therefore cannot be counted) .
4. If you made a purchase, leave comments on our "what people are saying" page
5. Follow us on Pinterest and pin and comment on our board "my creations."

It's that simple to win 5 candles from us!! (Please provide a way for us to contact you.)
Do all five this month and that will count as 5 entries to increase your chances!!

Comments such as "comment" or "I'm following you" are not considered comments! Please comment on our post, our products or whatever subject we are chatting or tweeting about this month.You must supply a valid email address. Email addresses should be put in the private field and not in the public comment box.

(Previous winners within this year are not eligible to win again although we appreciate your support so let's hear from you too!)

Giveaway ends March 31, 2012



New Features!

I buy a lot of stuff online and I rely heavily on the ratings and reviews given by those that bought the product.  I also make a point of rating the product to help assist the next potential buyer.  I am happy to now offer rating and reviewing to my customers.  Not only will you be helping other browsers, you will be helping me too!  If you bought a scent and thought it stinks let us know.  This can help me consider looking for another scent manufacturer, lessen the amount of scent I use in the product (candle, bath & body), or remove it entirely.  At the same token, if you love something please tell us how much you love it and why.  Etsy and ArtFire customers already have the option to give feedback and now my website has that same option!  Customers will have to log into there account and there they will find ratings and review options for their orders.

Now my website allows your Tweet, Like, Pin (my new favorite thing), Email or Google your favorite products with a simple click of the mouse to your friends, family and followers.  It has been something I've been requesting from my webhost for quite some time and I'm so glad it is now an available feature on my website.  I have hundreds of products therefore you will have ample opportunity to use it like crazy on my website. 

Please note: when using the the Facebook "like" button it may display the wrong pic.  This is a Facebook issue although I believe it allows one to pic the correct pic on the page or none at all. 

Hope you enjoy these great new rating and social media features!

It's Back!! Monthly GiveAway Galore!!!

This month we are giving away
3 Special Edition perfume body oils!

(a $20 value)

Here is how you can win

Just for commenting you are automatically entered in our monthly giveaway.

1. Be our fan on Facebook and leave a comment about the topic or website.
2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about us using nikkicandles or Nikki Makes Scents (sorry private tweets can't be seen and therefore cannot be counted)
3. Follow our Blog and leave comment about any of our post for the month (sorry private follows cannot be verified therefore cannot be counted) .
4. If you made a purchase, leave comments on our "what people are saying" page

It's that simple to win these perfumes from us!! (Please provide a way for us to contact you.)

Do all four this month and that will count as 4 entries to increase your chances!!

Comments such as "comment" or "I'm following you" are not considered comments! Please comment on our post, our products or whatever subject we are chatting or tweeting about this month.
You must supply a valid email address. Email addresses should be put in the private field and not in the public comment box.

(Previous winners within this year are not eligible to win again although we appreciate your support so let's hear from you too!)

Giveaway ends 2/29/12

Lip Balm Addiction?



This is obviously a issue that many people share that there are nine FaceBook groups dedicated to this topic (who knew!).  In addition, I saw a Dr. Oz segment about lip balm addiction and thought I would share my thoughts. 
Before I started making my own lip balm I had many of the "symptoms of addiction" he listed:

• One applies lip balm more than three times per day. >>  check
• You have more than one lip balm. >> check
• You keep lip balm in multiple places. >> check
• After a long, passionate kiss, the first thing your mind thinks about is re-applying your lip balm.  >> Um nope! That's the last thing I'm thinking about after a kiss (but that's another story)!

Here is the scary part.  Dr. Oz states if you keep applying the wrong lip balm the layers of your lips will start to look and feel like a croissant (flaky, dry & hollow).



Luckily I already knew this as I researched my recipe for lip balm years ago.
Those lip balms with camphor, menthol and alcohol that may initially feel good on your lips actually draw the moisture out.  Thus you keep reapplying.  Hence, the addiction.

Lip balms with natural ingredients such as Shea butter, coconut oil or Castor oil are natural moisturizers and sun screen and won't coat or draw out the layers of ones lips.

I still love my lip balm and I always reapply just as one would lipstick after food or drink.  I even found some cool lip balm holders to attach to my key chain, belt buckle or bag for easy access. 



So am I addicted?  Yes.  But I can think of far worse things to be addicted to and my addiction promotes shiny-healthy-pucker up lips!

Some other tips to keep your lips kissable are to stay hydrated, use a milder soap on your face and stop using that commercial lip stuff!

What is your addiction?

Temporarily Closed

This has been the sign in almost all aspects of my life for the past  6 weeks anyway.

We are in the midst of closing on a house that we were to move in in August.  It's been a nightmare since then.  I am seriously thinking of starting a blog on venting about house buying and what NOT to do.  We moved out of our old home the end of July and we're currently living with family out of suitcases as all of our belongings are in storage. 

Oh, then there was the earthquake.  I thought I was just dizzy from all the chaos in my life but he felt it too.

Then there was the hurricane and the mandatory evacuation of our temporary home.  Then no electricity, flooding and road blocks that make it impossible to get to anyplace on time.

But then I put it all in perspective and I'm thankful that I am able to purchase a house when so many are losing theirs.  Even though I joke and say I'm homeless I'm greatful for for the roof over my head and that my friends and family are safe and sound.   Watching all the coverage of that 10 year old tragedy knocked some sense into me that I don't have it so bad.

We hope to be opened back up in 6 weeks (toward the end of October).   Hope you enjoyed your summer!

Soapy Sensation! Giveaway

Over the past few weeks we have been adding a whole new line of SLS-free and Paraben-free Mega soap bars! Many of these are vegan-friendly, made with natural and organic ingredients, smell amazing and clean amazingly well too!

So far we have 11 new soaps but hope to add over a dozen more by the end of the year.
Citrus Sunrise,  Cranberry Vanilla Peach, Cucumber Melon, Grapefruit Aloe Surprise, May Chang, Melon Mango Sugar,  Pacific Reef,  Peppermint Tea Tree, Star Anise, Vanilla Mocha.   Several of these are currently at introductory prices for a limited time so grab them while you can!  Which is your favorite and which would you like to try?

Feeling Lucky?  We are giving away two soap bars of your choice this month!

 Here is how you can win

Just for following & commenting about our soaps you are automatically entered in our giveaway!

1. Be our fan on Facebook and leave a comment about the topic or website.
2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about us using nikkicandles or Nikki Makes Scents (sorry private tweets can't be seen and therefore cannot be counted)
3. Follow our Blog and leave comment about any of our post for the month (sorry private follows cannot be verified therefore cannot be counted) .
4. If you made a purchase, leave comments on our "what people are saying" page
   

It's that simple for a chance to win two gourmet luxury soaps from us!!  (Please provide a way for us to contact you.)

Do all four this month and that will count as 4 entries to increase your chances!!

Comments such as  "comment" or   "I'm following you" are not considered comments! Please comment on our post, our products or whatever subject we are chatting or tweeting about this month.

(Previous winners within the year are not eligible to win again although we appreciate your support so let's hear from you too!)

Giveaway Ends June 26th 2011 (11:59pm)

Giving

I'll miss the Oprah talk show as well as the Oprah the host.  Her warm real personality made you feel like you knew her.  Through the years I have loved and admired her, been sick of her, respected her and questioned her.  However,  I think one of my greatest lessons from her and her show was the enormous power of giving.  Although I have had many struggles throughout my life I recognize there are many with far worse problems and have been able to give back or encouraged others to give back like I have many times on this blog.  Nikki Makes Scents and out customers have been able to give through donating money, volunteering time and knowledge or donating products from Natural disasters around the world to disease and war.
Recently we found a program that allowed us to donate 2 dozen soap bars to domestic violence and homeless shelters in Connecticut and realized that a donation of some bath & beauty products could brighten their esteem with just showering and smelling like one of our fantastic fragrances.  My mom has always been a great giver of her time to organizations and friends and so the seed was already planted to give but I think Oprah's show showed me visually why it was so important for not only the recipient but the giver as well.

"What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you."

                                                          ---Oprah Winfrey