I'm a sucker for bath and body products, so when I saw this mango and orange blossom body cream by Bolero at a local shop, I thought I would give it a try. When I say 'local shop', what I really mean is my local Dollar Tree. Yes, my Dollar Tree has finally gotten with the times and decided to stock Bolero products every now and then.

​The bolero line includes body cream, body oil, facial wipes, bath salts, body wash, and bath fizzers. I grabbed a few handfuls of whatever scents my store had left, and as you can see in the picture below, I got a pretty good variety.

I will be reviewing all of those items, but today, we are looking at the mango and orange blossom body cream. What initially caught my eye about this brand is its packaging. It looks like it came from a higher-end boutique, but is incredibly affordable even if you do not buy it from the Dollar Tree. In fact, you can find this cream on various websites such as eBay, Amazon, and others for right around eight dollars.

As far as the consistency of this body cream goes, I would consider it to be more of a lotion. I squeezed out a blob onto my hand, turned my hand over, and the cream dropped to the floor. Oh well. As long as it moisturizes, I'm not too concerned with the consistency.

Despite not being as thick as I would've liked, this cream actually has decent hydration properties. I thoroughly coated my hands with this cream when I got up in the morning, and they still felt soft when I went to bed that night. I will chalk that up to glycerin being the second-listed ingredient on the label. Glycerin is a humectant, so I'm always happy to see it in any body product I use.

The scent is absolutely fantastic straight out of the container, but does not linger. So, if you're looking for a product to give you long lasting scent, you may want to skip over this. It could be a good thing the scent doesn't stick around. If you wear perfume, this could definitely clash.

Ok. Let's go over the ingredient list. I'm not going to go over every single ingredient here, but one thing that bothers me about this brand is their claim to be 'purveyors of natural products'. I'm going to touch base on an ingredient I found in line 5: phenoxyethanol.

This ingredient is actually an aromatic ether alcohol that starts out as phenol. Phenol is toxic in the fact that it is created from benzene (a well-known carcinogen), which is then treated with ethylene oxide, then added into many bath and body products that claim to be paraben-free. Phenoxyethanol is used as a preservative in these so-called natural products because it does not break down and release formaldehyde like many other ingredients.

A lot of companies may claim that their phenoxyethanol is derived from natural sources. Although this is a tad better because it can help prevent ethylene oxide contamination, it is still the same chemical, structurally.

What I'm trying to say from this little chemistry lesson is, if you have sensitive skin or are truly trying to avoid all chemicals in your bath and body products, this cream is not for you.

As far as the quality of the product, I'm pretty pleased. Would I buy this cream again? Maybe. Am I happy with their use of chemicals? Absolutely not. Want to check out Bolero's other products? Visit their website at www.BoleroHD.com.

I've got a ton of other items to review for y'all, and I receive more every week, so keep your eyes peeled on here, and on my other various social media outlets for links to new reviews.

Do you have a hard-to-shop-for cat lover on your list and are scrambling for gift ideas? Don't worry! I was sitting at my computer on a Sunday afternoon and was struck with the idea to see just how many fun, unique cat-related gifts I could find before I had to round up a bit of supper for the kiddos. I came across a few that made me smile, and thought I would share them with my readers.

Cat Wine Glass Charms: How cute are these? These wine glass charms are made of flexible silicone and look like tiny kitties sleeping around your wine glass. Glasses can easily get mixed up at a party, but these will definitely help you to mark your territory. You can buy them from VinoAmante on Amazon. 

Cat Butt Magnets: Ok. These made me laugh. How cute would it be to have a fridge covered in cat butts?? These come in a set of 6, and can be gotten from Kikkerland on Amazon.

Cat Paw Door Stop: Every cat owner has seen a kitty paw slip under the door at some time or other. This door stop is shaped just like a paw, and can be used pad side up or down. You can grab one from Fred & Friends on Amazon.

Ceramic Cat Measuring Cups: I'm always on the lookout for fun kitchen gadgets, and came across this cute set of cat measuring cups. Their tails are the handles! Get a set from 180 Degrees on Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links. I get a small commission on any items purchased through their use. It helps to keep this site running, so I can continue to bring you awesome stuff!

Here it is.... the makeup tool that has been breaking the Internet: a silicone makeup 'sponge'. It's not really a sponge per se, as a sponge (technically) has absorption abilities; however, rather than calling this a 'breast implant-shaped squishy thing', I will refer to it as a 'sponge'.

I was a little hesitant to buy this, as I have heard both good and bad things about it, but I went ahead and took the plunge. Hopefully, this silicone makeup sponge review will help you to determine if you want to buy one for yourself, or stick with what you're already using to apply your foundation.

Size and Shape
First of all, I'm going to talk about the shape of this sponge. In my opinion, I found it a little awkward to hold. It isn't very ergonomic, and I flipped it around several times to try and find a comfortable way to hold it. I honestly never did find a 'comfortable' way to use it. The whole shape is just a bit odd to me.

Size-wise, I really can't complain. Measuring 2.5" long and 1.5" wide, I would say this sponge is pretty large.

Texture
I can't really describe how this thing feels. The best I can do is compare it to a gummy bear. It isn't really soft, but it isn't firm, either. The outer surface is smooth, with no lumps or grooves.

Odor
There is no noticeable odor.

Does it work?
I applied makeup to my arm in a much lighter color than I currently use so you can see it a bit better. On the left is makeup applied using the silicone sponge. On the right, a Beauty Blender. I used the same amount of foundation for each sponge. The foundation I used isn't quite a liquid, but it isn't a solid. It is like a thick cream.

Of course, the silicone sponge deposited ALL of the foundation onto my skin, as it is incapable of absorbing it. I tried just wiping it on, and this left terrible streaks. It seems like a 'patting' motion is best, as that gave the smoothest finish. I was still not too thrilled with the end look, as it is splotchy and uneven. I tried the silicone sponge on my face using half the amount of foundation I usually use, and it seemed to work just a tiny bit better than it did on my arm.

It took a LOT of effort to get the foundation applied smoothly in the crevices of my nose, and it was also a bit tricky around my eyes. Overall, I wasn't very happy with the finished look.

Cleaning
One of the good things about this tool is how easy it is to clean. Simply apply a drop or two of makeup remover, rinse it under warm water, and it's done. No drying time, and no worry of germs or mold growing in it.

Verdict
Would I use this in place of my Beauty Blender? Probably not. One of the main reasons why is (for me) it was almost impossible to get a flawless finish. It may work differently for someone using a liquid foundation, but for someone like me who uses heavier coverage, it may not be your best bet.

The sponge itself is pretty durable, but if you cut or rip it, you need to throw it away as bacteria can set up.

As far as applying and blending out concealer, bronzer, or contour, this item just doesn't cut it. I know the advertisements claim that it can be used in such a fashion, but it just doesn't work for me.

It took me twice as long to apply my foundation with this, as I had to work to get it to blend, so time-wise, it's not worth it to me. The price isn't bad at all, so if you want to go ahead and grab one to give it a try, go ahead. Like I said above, it may work better with a different type of foundation, but this won't have a permanent place on my vanity.