Wanted to share this letter that I received last week.  It is from a college student who ran out of her Wonderbar and never got around to replacing it.  Here is what she found out:

“Dear Wonderbar,

I had to write in and tell you how great I think your product really is.  I used the bar for my whole sophomore year and ran out at the beginning of this summer.  My skin was looking great, but I guess I just thought it wouldn’t make that much difference if I went back to my old routine, just a cleanser from the store and some toner.  Boy was I wrong!  It’s not that my skin went crazy or anything, just that it looked so rough and uneven and blah.  I tried a few different things, but I was traveling all summer, so I was at the mercy of whatever I could get my hands on.  Last week, when I got back to my parents house, I found a little sample bar that my Mom had gotten in a promotion a while back. I was very excited.  My face by that point was breaking out, nothing major, but would not go away for anything!  I’ve been using the bar again since Thursday, so in four short days my skin looks 1000 times better.  It’s almost like being reunited with a long, lost friend!  Thank you Wonderbar for making such a perfect product that I will never make the mistake of being without again!  I’m going to order another right now.”

-Kara, Atlanta

Raw Coconut Cream by RMS Beauty!  We cannot wait to get our hands on this do-it-all moisturizer to go with our do-it-all bar!!  Made with 100% pure, certified organic, raw, unrefined, virgin coconut oil, it could make a very nice companion to the Wonderbar, acting as a makeup remover AND moisturizer for face and body.

We will report back with our results as soon as we give it a test drive.  If you have tried it, please share your thoughts… 

Like in Goldilocks, real life is sometimes filled with second and third tries before we get it “just right”.  The same is true with the Wonderbar.  Your routine can be tweaked and tweaked until it is perfect for you.  Some people sleep in it, some people use it twice a day, and yet some people feel that once is enough for them.  Our skin will guide us and the more we listen, the better off we will be.  For example, during the winter months, when the air is SO dry, I use the bar once a day (at night) with a little extra facial oil for moisture.  During the summer, I like to use it twice daily with my sunblock as a moisturizer during the day.   That is what works for me.

We are always telling people to get to know their Wonderbar, how it works best and which products work best…for them.  Don’t give up if you find you are breaking out a little, simply adjust the combinations of products you are using with the bar.  After the initial dry phase in the first 2-3 weeks of use, your skin should become balanced.  If you find you are still too dry, just cut back a little until you do find that balance.  Everyone is different, climates are different, our genes are different and we have different habits and diets.  One thing is for sure though, with so many functions and variations of use, the Wonderbar can fit into almost any routine for any type of person, young or old.  A wonderful skin care routine, just right for you!

Before I ever started using the Wonderbar, I could be found in Sephora once a month digging for something…anything, to help reduce the size of my pores. I had a little rosacea happening which only made my pores look more pronounced. Using expensive products like Murad and Obagi made my skin look healthier for sure, but NOTHING helped with the redness and PORES. Then the Wonderbar came along. It was immediate. Redness and pores were drastically reduced. If you happened to be in the Houston area at the time, I think you might have heard me screaming from the rooftops about this amazing Wonderbar. I was selling it out of my car because it was all I could talk about. People just rolled their eyes when they saw me coming. :)

Flash forward two years and here we are. I still use the Wonderbar every day, and I wanted to share my latest Wonderbar trick. My skin is balanced, so the need for powder is minimal. I only dust some on my nose if my sun block is making it shiny. I ran out of powder last week, though, so I decided to just wet the bar and dab that on my nose instead. To my surprise and amusement, it ended up having the exact same effect as the powder- a little coverage, a matte finish AND it made my drastically reduced pores look even smaller than before. I just leave it on all day without needing to reapply. How easy is that? Try it and share your results…and if you have any other Wonderbar tips, share those too! We love hearing from you!!

Whew!  That was close.   It’s the sweet potato and it’s the “it” vegetable of 2011!   Since you can’t eat the Wonderbar (as far as I know), I wanted to share this great little post with you that I found on SELF.com about sweet potatoes and the many benefits of eating them …to our skin.  Plus, some great recipes to boot!  Here you go…

The Sweet Potato-Perfect Skin Connection as seen on Self.com:

Did you know that snacking on sweet potatoes can help your skin stay clear, smooth and young-looking? The reason:  Crayola-colored orange in sweet potatoes comes from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in your body and switches on DNA that’s in charge of producing new skin cells and shedding old ones. A regular influx of new cells keeps the surface of your skin smooth, fresh-looking and resistant to irritants and damage. (It’s no coincidence that some of the best topical healthy-skin ingredients in beauty products, retinoic acid and retinol, are derivatives of vitamin A.) Plus, beta-carotene acts like Pac-Man, eating up free radicals that cause DNA mutations that can lead to wrinkles.

Read on for five healthy, tasty ways to get a sweet potato on your plate.

Cheesy sweet potato crisps
Potato pancakes get a makeover! These appetizers are flavored with cheese and rosemary and have only 5g of fat per 3 crisps.

Sweet Potato and Avocado Sandwich
A scrumptious vegetarian sandwich that beats your worn-out turkey on wheat by a mile. Bonus: Boiling a potato is the only cooking required in this recipe!

Miso soup with sweet potato dumplings
This spicy soup from Shawn McClain, chef at Green Zebra in Chicago, is low in fat and loaded with fiber and vitamins – definitely a win-win warm dinner.

Filet mignon and sweet potato fries
Stay in to eat for your next special occasion! This healthy take on a steakhouse fave upgrades any evening. Though this recipe suggests serving with asparagus, use any green that’s in season.

Sweet Potato Soup
Use up a leftover cooked potato with this recipe for soup for one. Eat with a whole wheat pita for a well rounded, fiber-full meal.

1) No wonder here!  The Wonderbar gently cleanses, exfoliates and detoxifies.  It keeps your skin clean and balanced and promotes cell rejuvenation.  It’s a great alternative to harsh topicals and five-step routines!

2) I’ll drink to that!  Hydrate by drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. This will help to keep your skin moist, refreshed and supple, which will help the skin fight off developing wrinkles and blemishes.  Vita- Coco is our favorite way here at WonderbarUSA to get there, boasting the five key electrolytes found in blood, there’s not a more effective or delicious way to stay hydrated!

3) Count your sheep!  Sleep allows the body to restore itself and in turn re-energizes the organs, the largest of which is your skin. By maintaining a regular sleep pattern, you will feel more energized and your skin will retain a healthy, fresh look.

4) Work it out!  Exercise increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the skin cells. When you sweat, your body expels toxins through the skin with ease from the opened pores. Sweating effectively cleans the pores from dirt, dead skin cells and excess sebum.  Plus, you’ll get that healthy glow that looks so young and vibrant!

5) Lock it in!  Moisturize in conjunction with the Wonderbar, and that should do the trick. Most moisturizers are mainly oil and water-based and work to keep our skin’s natural oils from escaping the skin. No matter how much lotion you slather on, it won’t put moisture back into your skin. With the Wonderbar, a plain one is all you need, so skip all of the fancy extra ingredients.  The most basic moisturizer will help you retain the moisture you need to stay looking young.

6) Rock that block!  Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. Sunshine and tanning beds are the main reasons for premature aging of the skin. By applying a physical sun block and keeping your face well protected from UV rays, you can help to prevent premature aging.  With the Wonderbar, make sure the active ingredients are Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide, as they won’t penetrate your pores like chemical sunscreen will and you’ll get better coverage.

7) Move to the “No Smoking” section permanently! Smoking causes premature aging and yellowing of the skin. The tobacco that is released into the air dries out your skin, while the smoke you inhale constricts the flow of blood to blood vessels, therefore preventing your skin of essential nutrients that your body supplies.  You can do everything else on this list, but if you continue to smoke, your skin will reflect it.

8)  Go the “whole” way!  Whole foods that is… your outside appearance reflects what’s on your inside. Maintain a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  See my post here on how to eat your way to gorgeous skin!

9) Go Fish Oils! Essential Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are known to play a critical role in promoting healthy skin.  They help to regulate cellular function and maintain elasticity and suppleness in the skin.   Take the supplements daily and see an improvement in your skin, nails and hair!

And last, but not least…

10) Kill ‘em with kindness!  Goodness, generosity and kindness all breed contentment. I have a friend whose skin literally shines, along with her eyes and smile.  She would give you the shirt off her back, she oozes love and goodwill and it shows in her face. Contentment shines through your eyes and skin and helps you stay young!

Hip Hip Hooray!  FREE shipping on purchases throughout January 2011 with promo code: Jan11FreeShip.  We had an incredible response with the December free shipping and as a result, are seriously considering offering free shipping all year long!  Place your order this month as a way to let us know that you like free shipping and we will see if we can offer it for all of 2011!

Many great things have happened in 2010 and we have big plans for 2011.  Sales among males have jumped as we were featured in our first publication geared towards men, DETAILS, repeat business is at an all-time high and we are hearing from more dermatologists whose interests are peaking due to the Wonderbar’s surprising effect on rosacea, eczema, acne and more!

We’ve come a long way since 2009 with thousands of customers and hundreds of testimonials. Along the way, we’ve discovered that many different varieties of skin and dermatological situations can be addressed with the WonderBar. You spoke, we listened and it’s clear that the Wonderbar represents more of a customizable skin care routine than even we realized! We figured out pretty fast that with some customer hand-holding and a better description of the whole “healing” process, we could teach America how to get the great skin they had always wanted….and at a fraction of the cost of the typical skin care regimen!  Once you get to know the bar, you use it based upon what YOUR skin is telling you….you learn about what works and with which products you can get the best results.  There are no hard and fast rules and once you get into the groove, there’s no livin’ without the Wonderbar!

So, HAPPY, HAPPY New Year from WonderbarUSA!  Reach out to us with any question or need…no matter how small.  We want to know our customers, so you all can better know our product.

Clearer skin, smaller pores, more even-tone…HERE, HERE! (get it? )

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  Now that we are headed into the holiday season, take advantage of Cyber Monday by typing in the Promo Code “WONDER” and receive 15% off all Wonderbar orders!

The Wonderbar is a perfect stocking stuffer or gift for daughters, sons, husbands, wives, sisters, friends…even Grandmothers!!

Get your skin glowing in time for the 2011!!

Nothing a baby washcloth can't handle!

The Wonderbar, as you all know by now, is a cleanser, toner and exfoliate. If used on a regular basis, with compatible products, there is really no need to add much more than a very basic moisturizer (if needed) and a good physical block to your routine.  Problems can arise if you complicate things with other products that can be too much for your skin while using the Wonderbar.  As an example, if you try to exfoliate your skin, especially with a harsh scrub, it can be too much.  During the dry phase in the first 2-3 weeks, it would seem that in order to speed things up, you should scrub the dead skin off.  However, doing so is not recommended.  With patience you will see that the dryness passes and the dead skin comes off on its own.  Later on, it can become appropriate on occasion to gently exfoliate once every two weeks or so, but not until you are fully adjusted to the bar.

Exfoliation is the removal of the oldest dead skin cells that cling to the skin’s outermost surface. It is an important part of both facials and body treatments.  When done correctly, exfoliation leaves the skin feeling smoother and fresher looking. It also aids in the penetration of expensive facial products like antioxidant and vitamin serums.

The following are two ways to exfoliate your skin:

1) Mechanical- the dead cells are physically rubbed off with an abrasive.  Examples include salt scrubs, jojoba beads, washcloths and facial loofahs.

2) Chemical- Enzymes or acids are used to help slough the dead cells away.  Examples include AHAs, BHAs, Retin-A and different fruit enzymes.

As mentioned above, you can try one of the two ways and have great results once adjusted.  Using a baby washcloth is my personal favorite…it’s very gentle, not to mention inexpensive.  We hear from many clients that the Clarisonic works well too!

As for Chemical exfoliation, you can try to introduce a product while making sure you pay close attention and look for any adverse reactions such as redness or breakouts…if this occurs, then stop.  Some retinol devotees, in an effort to keep all of their anti-aging weapons in their arsenal, have found a way to use the product with their Wonderbar and are thrilled with the results.  So, you never know how your skin will react, but keep experimenting to find what works best for you.   You can also email us for tips on tweaking your routine!