tiny treasures...it's the balm

well, i know if you're in the northeast, you're all set with winter. it was fun, it was pretty, got a snowday (or snow week for the washingtonians), and now we're moving on. even if you're in a climate that doesn't freeze the inside of your nose for a couple months of the year, thoughts of spring and summer to come are always a mood lifter, aren't they?

so along those lines, i stumbled upon this week's tiny treasure (for new readers, tiny treasures are personal luxuries for $5 or under) when i emptied out a bag i last used over the summer, only to be happily reunited with my alba coconut cream lip balm, which is an easy choice for coconut lip product category killer. sounds like an awards category at the peoples' choice awards, doesn't it?

you might remember my perennial coconut obsession we discussed last summer, and although there's nothing like indulging in summer-scented products when the season is right, there's a special kind of anticipatory joy that comes with a little preview. the second i put on my long-packed- away balm, i was transported. not to a tropical island or a sandy beach...the real world is a little harder to shake than that...but i was transported to a frame of mind that reminded me that spring is around the corner, and that it will not always be this cold, wet and windy.

in a way, the soft scent (and lovely smoothness) of the coconut cream balm is like a little secret with myself - sort of like wearing pretty underwear even if you're the only one to see it. and what's nice is that it's under $5 and available in most drugstores and many supermarkets too.

if you're not so into coconut, but you still like vacation kinds of scents, i recommend the palmer's cocoa butter swivel stick, also under $5 and as readily available (these are usually found with the other palmer's cocoa butter products in the body moisturizer section and the tube is inside a cardboard package).

the swivel stick is also recommended for blemishes and rough spots, so is particularly welcome in winter when rough elbows and hands are at their worst. this is a great option for men also, since it's so lightly scented.

i think it's really important that we remind ourselves that there is relief on its way from the cold of winter. it's hard to explain in words, but as i've been using the lip balm and enjoying its smell again for the first time in many months, i've felt a real sense of pleasure and comfort.

if coconut isn't your preferred warm weather smell, think about what is and how you can bring it into your life in this last stretch of winter to soften the blow and ease you into a warmer, easier time of the year and way of life. it's a worthy tiny treasure to give yourself.