**REVIEW** Cyclo-Dimethicone

Yes, I know. I didn't know what this was either. I still don't really know what it is, but I can tell you what it does for my hair.

This is what the product looks like:

This is This is Cyclo-Dimethicone - another one of the products I got with my birthday gift certificates, and part of my exploration into becoming a cosmetics kitchenista...

I got it because I was looking for something cheaper than the name brands items (such as those with the word "silk" on the label). My niece, whose hair runs more to a Caucasian straight texture, wanted something to condition and add shine and smoothness. For me, with my nappy locks, I was looking for something to add softness and a nice sheen. We both got what we want - though my niece has to dilute the product to keep it from being too heavy as a leave-in.

This is not a big bottle but, like I said, people with straighter/finer hair like my niece will need to dilute this with a little water before applying. I didn't dilute, but I found it worked much better when applied to wet hair.

I don't know enough about the product to know why or how it works, but I do know that it does smooth down my hair and locked in some of the moisture left from my water rinse. It also felt wonderful.

When my hair dried, adding more of the product didn't really help with anything but adding a bit of a sheen. For finer hair, the product works as well or better than the name-brand "silk" type products.

Where things got interesting was when I used this on my skin. I applied a teensy tiny bit to my hands just to see what the effects would be. The product felt amazing, but I didn't think that it did much moisturizing by itself. When I added about 3 drops to a 0.5 ounce tube of hand lotion, I loved the effects. The lotion is a good, plain, well-known brand and very affordable. Adding this product to the lotion gave my simple hand cream a little bit of oomph. The lotion became silkier and a smaller amount seemed to spread better than before. Very nice.

Though I intended to use this primarily for my hair, I think that I like it better for use on my skin. Like I mentioned, a little bit boosted my hand lotion, but I was in love with its effects body wide. After a shower, I used some regular moisturizer, then I palmed about 3 drops of the cyclo-dimethicone, rubbed it in my hands to warm it and spread it over my legs and arms. I went back and read the product description and, wow, I totally agree with the parts I boldfaced below:

Description: 100% mixture of 2 silicones dimethicone and cyclomethicone (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane); silicones are polymers made up of oxgyen and silicon. Clear, viscous liquid, odorless. Insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol, dispersible in oils and fats. CAS# 9006-65-9, 541-02-6 and 69430-24-6. INCI Name: Cyclomethicone, dimethicone. Properties: Non-greasy conditioner for skin and hair. On hair: detangles and conditions hair, improves wet and dry combing, gives softness and silky gloss. On skin: gives softness, velvety feel and lubricity, better spreadability of emulsions, makes colors better dispersible (solvent). Use: Typical use level 1 - 10% (up to 50% possible), add to oil phase of formulas but do not heated over 50C/125F. Can also be mixed into emulsions after the temperature dropped to 50C/125F. Applications: Hair and skin conditioning products as shampoos, conditioners, creams, lotions, but also color cosmetics (e. g. lipsticks, lip balms, makeup).

What I haven't yet done, but can't wait to try, is to add it to hair conditioner. I might have to add some to the leave-in spray I threw together.

As far as how long this will last, I can't say. I think it will depend on what it's used for. If I were only using this for my hair, it would last a while. I tend to moisturize my skin more than I wash my hair, so... ~shrug~ I'll have to try to remember to let you know.

The only downside to buying these Making Cosmetic products is that they are not Prime eligible, and they cannot be returned. So far, I haven't wanted to return anything I've gotten from this seller.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Greenwald's Glass & Hard Surface Cleaner

The product I got to review a couple of weeks ago is interesting. There seems to be a new trend of certain cleaning products coming with refillable pods. The same morning I got this product, I was at a local store where I saw a common brand of household cleaner that was made to be used with refillables.

Greenwald's Glass and Hard Surface Cleaner is the product that I'm getting to try out for this review. I opened the outer delivery box, thinking how light it felt and saw this:

When I opened the product box, I saw why it was such a light package:

No water weight

You get the professional spray bottle (more on that later) and 6 packs of cleaner concentrate.

 Kind of cool, right? Not to have the heavy, liquid-filled spray bottle is nice. It's a lot easier to store until you are ready to use it. That's probably the main feature most people will like.

As for how this cleans, I was able to test it out right away. On the awning of the travel trailer. That's the dirtiest surface I could find to clean.

Yeah. That's only one side. I wanted to get a close up so I just got the one side here, but there are older photos of the whole awning so that you can at least see that both sides looked the same before cleaning:

                                           left side                                               right side

So... I cleaned the left side with Greenwald's, and the right side with a common brand from the store.

Results:

Can you tell the big difference? I certainly could.

I could have gotten the right side cleaner by scrubbing more, but that would have tilted the testing. As far as the "test", I just sprayed each side (one at a time) with its respective cleaner, let it sit for a few seconds, then I used a sponge to rub down the awning. I finished by spraying on clear water to rinse. (By the way, I used a sponge that is soft on one side and a scrubber on the other. The scrubber is safe for non-stick cookware.)

For a less tedious job, I cleaned the little mini-fridge that we keep in the garage. It's plenty dirty for an appliance because we use it to hold juice boxes for kids.

The top half with Greenwald's only

This is the test of cleaning the bottom part of fridge with the Greenwald's on the left, Brand X on the right. (Middle part left untouched.)

See? Hard to tell. The Greenwald's is a bit cleaner. (Middle part, I left untouched.)

It was harder to get photos that really show the difference. In addition to those pics of the appliance, I am going to include photos of the paper towels I used with each cleaner.

These are the dampened (but unused) paper towels:

I used 3 sprays each. Brand X just looks wetter.

Greenwald's on the left, Brand X on the right. You can tell that the Greenwald's seems to have picked up more dirt, but that could be because the fridge was dirtier on that side. I only judged by the finished results I could see on the appliance.





 As you can tell, the Greenwald's cleans a bit better than the usual glass cleaner we keep around the house, but there were a couple of things I liked most about the Greenwald's:

• The smell is not as unpleasant as unscented glass cleaner (though it's about the same as other scented cleaners).
• I didn't notice the residue our usual (scented or unscented) brand left behind.
• The mixing was easy because I could make the formula as strong or weak as I want it. (On the other hand, I do have to use the entire pod, regardless.)
• The non-smudge factor is nice. 
• The storing of Greenwald's is easier because of the concentrated packets. You only add the water when you are ready to use the product.
• The spray bottle was superb. It was great to be able to more finely adjust the nozzle and intensity of the spray.

By the way, these are the ingredients:

Greenwald's works out, (at the Amazon Prime price) to be about $3.30 each for 6 32-ounce bottles. At our local retailer, a popular brand (at Alaska prices) is around $3.50 for a 32-ounce bottle. 

Since the price is comparable, this comes down to other factors. The Greenwald's is made for multi-surface cleaning, where my usual brand is for Glass - though that brand does have a multi-surface product also. I don't have any in my home, but I checked online.) For one thing, if I have to use more of one product to get the same cleaning effect, I'm not saving money. From my tests, I could tell that I got better cleaning (although just slightly) from the same amount of Greenwald's as for the Brand X. And I have to add that, with a toddler in the house, I like being able to hide away the concentrate until I need to use it. For the usual brands (that come pre-mixed), we have to keep them up high and out of reach.

The Greenwald's is backed by their 100% Money Back Guarantee. They also have a few other cleaning products worth checking out, including a citrus cleaner. In addition to their products on Amazon, you can check their site (and sign up for coupons there).

Peace
--Free


Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

**REVIEW** Natural Lash Growth Enhancing Lash & Brow Serum

This is what I have started using just recently. It's  this Growth Enhancing Lash + Brow Serum called Natural Lash from Protege.

On the 28th of last month, I posted about a fiber lash product I'm using (which I love, by the way). I thought that this growth serum would just add to my goal of thickening up my lashes and brows.

In the past five or six years, my brows have started to thin out. I used to have nice, thick and well-shaped brows. I never did pluck or pick at them because of the shape so the only reason I can give for the thinning is... well, aging. Makes sense, I guess. My eyelashes were never very lush...

Anyway, this product is supposed to work for lashes and brows. I've just begun using it and will have to update this post when I see some changes. Since I just took the photos for the fiber mascara, I decided to use one of them for a Before shot:

Taken for a post done on May 28th

Today is Day 3 so I can at least tell you about using the product.

Application is easier than I expected. For one thing, the brush is really thin and fine so that using it on the lashes is a lot like applying eyeliner. For my brows, I just applied it in the spots where I have the most thinning.

The liquid is a light brown-ish color but does not show once it dries. It's thin and sort of watery so I was a little worried about it getting into my eyes. That turned out not to be a problem because, though the liquid feels thinner than eyeliner, it goes on like eyeliner.

Although this isn't something most users will every apply near their noses, I still wanted to check the smell. The scent is odd and reminds me of a leather conditioning product I once used and a hint of garden soil. Like I said though, this is not something I even caught a whiff of when I was applying it as it's meant to be.

When I apply it, I get no negative skin reactions. Once it dries on the lashline, it feels much like an eyeliner does - as in, you can tell that it's there only because you know you put it on. The first application of the day made my lashes feel as though I had shaped them with a very light styling gel - which I have done in the past so don't judge me! After the second application, I could feel it more. My brows were a bit stiff. It was not unpleasant or uncomfortable. (By the second day, I decided to use the serum to shape my brows, since I wasn't going to use the styling gel with it.)

I can't wait for the time to go by so that I can see what results I get.

With twice per day applications, the serum is supposed to produce results in 5 weeks' time. The bottle is expected to last for up to four months. That gives a user plenty of product to see results and to continue using for a while.

There are a few reasons I wanted to try this versus the brand that's been seen in so many commercials:

• Price is more affordable 
• Growth remains even after you stop using product
• A year-long guarantee

I see that the product states "all-natural" ingredients but, since we all have our own ideas of what is 'natural', I want to list them here for you to judge:

• Distilled Water (Aqua)
• Lactobacillus/Kelp Ferment Filtrate
• Carnitine (L-)
• Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
• Soy Isoflavones (Non-GMO)
• Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) Fruit Extract
• Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins (Vitis vinifera Extract)
• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Endosperm)
• Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) Seed Extract
• Nettle (Urtica dioica) Root Extract
• Indian Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) Resin Extract
• Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract
• Apigenin
• Amino acids
• Caffeine
• Glucose
• Porphyridium Extract
• Fucoxanthin notice what is said about the color of this
• Astaxanthin
• Keratinocyte Growth Factor (KGF, sh-Polypeptide-3) I found this to be interesting
• Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)
• Catalase
• Phenoxyethanol
• Caprylyl Glycol
• Sorbic Acid

I do like that the ingredients I could easily recognize as being natural are listed first.

And do remember: there is a 365-day guarantee for a FULL refund if you aren't happy with this product. I do love that.

There you have it - for now at least. I will come back with an update in a few weeks.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

**REVIEW** PolarGel Cool Pillow Mat

This is going to be a fun review to write just because I didn't expect to love the product for the reason that I do. I'll get to that, but first, let's do the review.

And, by the way, this is what I'm going to be talking about:

PolarGel Cool Pillow Mat

A little bit of a backstory on how I got to try this (and to show you the goofy state of my mind):

I reviewed a product that I'd bought at a local store. Loved the product, raved about it in a blog post here, raved about it on Amazon, and told just about everyone I know or met anywhere about it. Not long after I reviewed that product, I was contacted by the husband of the woman who came up with it. There was a mention that they might send me other products to use and review. Not long after that contact, I was invited (via email, not one of the product sites I use) to review the PolarGel Cool Pillow Mat.

That's how I got to review this product. The goofy part of my brain comes in at the point where I honestly can't remember (or trace back through emails) whether or not the first product and the PolarGel came from the same distributor.

Ah well... At any rate, I'm really super glad that I got to try out the PolarGel. I thought I was just going to like it because it's such a cool (heh heh) thing to have around during the summer.

I don't care where I am or how warm it is, I just do not sleep well without cover - and not just sheets. I need some sort of a light blanket to feel comfortable. That's not a problem 9 months out of the year here. This is Alaska. However...

Summers here can be warm. (Even during the winter, depending on who you share a home with, the heat is going to be cranked up like the entryway to Hades, so there's that.)

Warm is great during the daytime. It's even fine for most people during the night. Unless you are a fanatic about not "sweating out" your hair.

Right about now is when I have the attention of any woman who hates having to re-straighten or re-wash her hair because she "sweat it out" during the night.

I won't speak for every black woman out there but, personally, I don't like to wash my hair more than once or twice a month. I will co-wash (or even just rinse my hair) instead. This keeps my hair - which, because of genetics, tends towards dry - from drying out even further. If anything, I like to retain as much moisture in my hair and oil on my scalp as possible. Sweating it out means I have to wash or co-wash it, or use more products to re-moisturize.

So. Do I love this PolarGel or what? Yes, I do.

I was going to take a photo of mine,
but it's still tucked inside my pillow case! lol

The product comes with 2 straps that you can use to attach the pad to your pillow. I just slid my pad under the pillow case. Also you get an eBook (about getting better sleep) that you can download as a PDF or mp3 audio. I have not downloaded that yet.

I originally was just hoping that the PolarGel would help keep me cool at night. There's no air-conditioning in most Alaska homes. What we have are ceiling fans. What we also have in the home are people who like to blast the heat even when we are having one of our nice summer days. We keep the heat locked on a steady temp during the summer, which is great - if you like sleeping half nude and with no covers. Not me.

The first night I used the PolarGel (and I actually had to wait til after that blast of cold that we rarely deal with in the summer, which +prissy d d can tell you about!) I was just hoping for relief from the heat in general. Being fuzzy-brained the past several days, I forgot to chill the mat in the fridge until a couple hours before bedtime. What I realized the next day is that I didn't have to put it in the fridge. The gel inside keeps the mat cool enough as it is. On really warm nights, it will be nice to chill it in the fridge though.

I did stay nice and comfy-cool all night (even with my little blanket on), but what I also got was hair that wasn't all sweated and matted the next morning. Nice.

Usually, I have to either moisturize my hair fairly deeply with some leave-in and tie it up overnight, or just deal with the heavy moisturizing the next morning. Then, every few days, I might even have to do a rinse-out. That's because of the sweating.

The PolarGel is probably something that lots of folks will like just because it does a great job of keeping the pillow cool through the night. I have some extra love for it just because of how it saved my hair.

So. I can recommend this for that reason, and I'll step back in my memory to the first months of menopause.... I still get the night-sweats but, a few years back, I nearly lost my mind because of them. I wish I'd had this cooling mat then.

Anyway, there's not much to say about the specifications of the pillow. It's a simple concept that works better than I expected. My head sweat even during the winter months - probably because we run the heat so much and definitely because of the blanket thing I have going on - so I will be using the cool right out of this PolarGel.

The PolarGel Cool Pillow Mat is something you can use over and over, even as you go through new pillows. The best part of any purchase? The guarantee. Here it is, straight from the paged:

If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your new cool pillow after 30 days, simply return it for a FULL REFUND. No questions asked!

I always love a good guarantee.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one of more of the products mentioned in exchange for providing my fair and honest review.

**REVIEW** Zim's Crack Creme ***UPDATED WITH CONTEST***

Well, I got this just at the perfect time, didn't I?

Zim's Crack Creme in the 2-oz pump bottle.

First reaction: I got a fit of giggles at the name. I can be so freaking juvenile when I'm tired.

Second reaction: Um, this is some goooood stuff...

After using it the very first time, I knew that it would be easy to tell you why I like this creme so much

• Absorbs super fast
• Not oily or sticky/tacky
• Worked immediately (on my driest skin, which you'll get to see)
• No icky smell (and what's there fades off fast)
• Really softens the skin for a long time
• Works a little bit like a skin conditioner (I'll explain in a moment)

What's hard is to describe this product. It's not really a cream/creme at all, but a liquid.

Interesting, right? The ingredients list is short & fairly natural:

• Glycerine
• SD Alcohol 3-C
• Purified Water
• Arnica Extract
• Myrcia Oil

I noticed that the FDA classifies Myrcia Oil as Bay and vice versa, so I am assuming it's the same as Bay Oil. This reference seems to support my assumption. What I found so interesting is that both Bay Oil and Arnica Extract seem to be used more for analgesic and soothing properties than for moisturizing. (Always be careful with ingredients that you might have a reaction to.)

I had no negative reactions at all and, since I just fell in love with the callus remover I recently reviewed, this cream (or creme) was just what I needed for a follow-up.

Time for another callus treatment!

After the Zim's

Seriously, my feet looked new after the Zim's. I mean, removing the dead skin and calluses worked wonders, but the Zim's was the finishing touch.

Okay, okay - enough about my feet. I did use the Zim's on my hands and elbows. I really like the way it not only took away that parched look from around my cuticles, but it even moisturized my fingernails. Once again, it's hard to describe the difference between this and oils or lotions. For one thing, this absorbs much faster. Also, the moisturizing feels different. The best way I can describe it is to compare it to how my hands feel after they have been washed and before all that moisture dries up. 

Zim's is not sticky/tacky. It does leave your skin feeling conditioned. I actually think that's the best way to describe the results. You know how your hair feels different compared to just being shampooed to being deeply conditioned? That's what this did for my skin. And for my nails. That was really nice.

Another thing I like is the price. This is really affordable. It occurred to me that this 2-ounce multi-use bottle would last me for quite a while for use on my feet, hands, nails and elbows. The thing is, my family is going to love this so I will be sharing. (Tell you the truth, I'm thinking of trying it on my scalp and the ends of my hair.) I was glad to see that I can get this in different sizes and even in multi-packs. There are different varieties and formulations that you can check out here. Also you can check out their site here, or their social media presence:

• On Facebook
• and Twitter
• and on Pinterest

If I try their lip creme, I'll be sure to do a review for you. For now, let's take a closer look at these feet of mine...

Now, that's a product testimony right there! LOL

Peace

--Free

*** CONTEST***

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

**REVIEW** Glass Roll-On Bottles by 2PM Essentials

Until I tried compared these roll-on bottles against the ones I have been using, I didn't know how much difference a steel roller could make.

Okay. That sounded a little bit strange, so let me show you the product I'm posting about:

That right there to the left is one of the roll-on bottles I'm going to be telling you about.  It's Frosted Glass Roll On Bottle.

It's prettier than any roll-on bottle I've used for my oils and perfumes, but pretty is not all it's got going for it.

Actually, what I got was a 2-pack set of the 10ml bottles from 2PM Essentials.

You guys know how I am about my oils. I use them for everything - for moisturizing my face and lips to using them as natural fragrances. Over the past year or so, I've been learning a lot about the various essential oils - or E.O.s. 

 What I learned about the containers I've been using to carry my oils in my purse is that they will leak. The biggest Oops I've had happen was when I unscrewed one of my old bottles and had oil leak from the cap right on to my jeans. I had to walk around the store with a icky-looking stain down the front of my leg. I usually know to check the cap because my oils will leak and drip out, but...

When I opted to try the bottles by 2PM Essentials, I just wanted to see if they were as pretty as the photos. I wasn't really thinking too much about the steel rollerballs.

These really are some elegant bottles. Much nice than the plain ones I have bought here and there.

The glass is lightly frosted and, because it's not a painted on frost, I won't have to worry about a lot of scratching from the keys and other junk in my purse. The cap is brushed aluminum with just a touch of smooth embellishment to add some flair.

But the steel rollerball is the real bonus. I'm not a mechanically inclined person so I don't much care why or how the metal ball works as a seal to stop leaks. I don't care, but I like it. (If you care, you can read about it on the product page.)

I do care that I don't have to remember to check for oil pooling in the cap before I unscrew it. This design does the trick. And the metal looks a lot nice than the plastic ones.

Something I never considered is that, though I use glass bottles for my E.O.s, the plastic caps probably affect the oils. And maybe the reason the caps leak is because the oils affect them.

At any rate, I really do like these bottles. The steel ball and all the technical stuff aside, the bottles are just so pretty. The fact that I'm not wasting my oils from leaks and spills makes me glad for the techy stuff, but I'm mostly loving the look of the bottles.

The price for these is just a bit more than what I've paid for some with the plastic balls, but saving oils evens out the cost difference. Now that I'm aware of the oil-plastic mix, I going to stick with the steel rollers.

I have to mention that, while you might be aware of the common ways to use a roll-on applicator (oils, deodorants, etc.), I tried something new (for me at least) with this one. Because the metal ball works so smoothly, I got the idea in my head to try applying some oil in the area under my eyes. You know how you want to avoid pulling or rubbing that thinner skin when doing your beauty routine? Well, I wanted to test out how well the roller would work. Results were great. (You do need to get the ball going a bit. Remember, it's made not to leak.)

Let's take one more look at that steel roller

The test with the under-eye area worked so well, I got carried away and used the applicator on my lips. Now I just want to mix up some specific oils for a lip balm to carry in my purse. (I'm thinking this will be a great way to pack some coconut oil without worrying about ruining the inside of my purse.)

To get down to the final nitty gritty, just in case you are not as impressed as I am, there is a super sweet guarantee in place for this product. It's not just a "No Questions Asked" guarantee, but a 100% Lifetime guarantee. Can't beat that with a plastic or metal stick.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Rechargeable Foot File & Callus Remover

Wow!

I just got to try out this little life-saver here...

This is the Naturalico Rechargeable Electronic Pedicure Foot File & Callus Remover.

Now, I talk about my feet so much because they are the least favorite part of my body. I used to have beautiful feet: nice arches, soft, smooth heels and lovely nails. My feet were made for sandals. At one time.


About 13 years ago, I took on an extra job that was part-time perfect. It was just for the Christmas season, paid great money, and the hours fit with my full-time job. The best thing about it (other than the extra money) was that it was like getting paid to work out and stay fit. The worst thing about it was something I discovered on about the 3rd day: it was ruining my feet. Standing and walking on a concrete floor for around 9 to 10 hours each night was just brutal. I worked the job past the initial 1-month casual/temp contract and lasted around 4 months.

Was the job worth it? In the short term, it was. I paid up and saved up and our family had some extra financial breathing room for about a year. The damage to my feet has lasted longer. When my arches dropped, I started developing calluses and corns. ~sigh~

Anyway. That's the story of my feet.... This is the story about this product:

Let me go over what I really like so much about this:

simple & effective right out of the box

1. No tricky set-up. Can use right out of the box, even if it's not fully charged, because...
2. ... You can use it while it's charging. 
3. Uses a grinder head instead of blades. (I do not like blades!)
4. The grinder head (2 are included) is effective but gentle on even the less callused areas.
5. Very easy to use. No learning curve.
6. Does a great job without me having to exert a lot of pressure.
7. Doesn't jam up like some other similar products.

This works better than I expected. I was probably surprised because I once used a similar product that was really quite useless.

On the technical side, this callus remover spins 360 degrees at the rate of 40 turns per second. 

This callus remover comes with a light that is built in. I really didn't need the light, but it's nice that it's there. I did use the included cleaning brush quite a bit. It's just a small brush with soft bristles that I used to clean out all that icky dead skin from around the grinder and off my feet as I worked.

The product comes with information for registering the product for a Limited Lifetime Warranty on the machine, not the roller. 

Once again, I was more than surprised by the ease of use and effectiveness of this product. I'm glad I got to try it and I will be buying one to give out as a gift for someone who has an upcoming birthday :-)

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

My reviews will also any negative feedback that I have regarding a product.

**REVIEW** LG G4 Wallet Case by Abacus 24-7

As promised, I have some more product reviews ready (though not in the order I expected!)

This first item up is this phone case I plan to give to a friend when this review is finished.

It's the LG G4 Wallet Case from Abacus 24-7. The case has four functions:

1. Case
2. Wallet (holds cards, ID and cash)
3. Stand (for viewing videos, etc,)
4. Protects the out part of the phone

And, best of all, you could get it for under $10 if you catch the discounted price. 

Now, that said, I have bought cases in the same price range that were a total waste of the money. Get what you pay for, right? One case that I paid around $20 for (still not too pricey, but...) and the clasp didn't work if you put more than one card in a slot. Another case I bought literally started to come apart at the seams. My library card sliced right through one of the slots because the "leather" was like paper.

This case is not real leather. Of course not. It's a $10 item. The product info describes it as "premium quality artificial leather". Okay.

On the plus side, the artificial material is not that shiny, cheapest-looking kind.

What I like about this is that, for the price, it's not bad. The clasp does work, even when you put a card in each of the slots. I only had three bills to test the cash slot with, but... the magnetic clasp still closed.

The artificial leather is thin. When the description indicates protection for your phone, I take that to mean that it will protect the outer parts from scratching. This is not one of those cases that keep your phones safe from being dropped on hard surfaces. Not a lot of cushioning.

It looks good. Though it might not stand up to a lot of long-term wear and tear, this is actually a decent case. Best uses will be for when you don't want to carry a big purse (or a purse at all) and just need to keep your phone, ID, cards and some cash nearby.

Like I said, I got this to give to someone who likes the case I keep my phone in. I'm always dashing to the store or just up the street, and I love having my essentials with me without hauling the luggage I use as a purse! LOL

Also, this comes with the assurance of "30 day risk-free buying" and there is a 1 year warranty. You don't always get that with a product triple the price. Not a bad gift for yourself, a friend or a young person. By the way, Abacus 24-7 has cases for various phone models.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**App REVIEW** DocuSign

This is a very cool app. It's not something that everyone can use but, for those who can, it's kind of awesome.

It's called DocuSign



Have you ever had someone use email to send you documents that need to be signed and returned? I have. While I do have use of a printer/fax machine, I share it with others. Sometimes, I am not at home and don't have access to the machine. These are all good reasons for having the DocuSign app.

Even when you have access to a printer or fax, the bothersome part about emailed documents is the, well, bother. You have to print out the doc, fill it out and sign it, and you're still not done. You have to scan it to mail it back, or (and this is a real pain), fax it or snail-mail it back to the other person.

Tiresome.

The DocuSign app saves you time and bother. Once you set it up. And once you get the hang of using it.

'Setting it up' means creating your signature and saving it to the app. That's actually a pretty easy process. 'Getting the hang of it' requires a little bit of patience.

The first time I tried it out, I found that it was simple to attach my signature.  For filling out the other parts of the document, I had to get used to aligning the text boxes correctly. That wasn't awfully hard except when the text box would disappear as I entered information. Of course, I would open a new text box and carry on.

When I completed my first document and saved it, all was fine. Until I reviewed my work and saw that the text boxes that I thought had disappeared, um, hadn't. They were just scattered around the page of the document in random places.

I figured out the problem - that I had somehow misaligned the text boxes out of my view when I was creating them - but I haven't figured out how to fix it. As far as I can tell, there is no way to edit a saved document.

I'm not saying there isn't a way to edit a saved document, but that I haven't figured out how to do that.

Still, this is an awesome app. Now that I have a better grasp of using the text boxes, I won't have as many errors. Even if I do have to scrap a document in the app and start over, that's better than the print/fax/scan option I'd be stuck with otherwise.


Once you complete a document (fill it out and/or sign it), you can then send it back via email. I'm still playing around with the app, so any nitpicking might be premature. It might help if I go and take a closer look at the Demo showing how it works, right?  Any app is subject to user skill...

So, to summarize my experience with DocuSign -

PROS:

• Saves time (once you get the hang of using it)
• Saves money (on printing, faxing, or scanning)
• Allows users to respond more quickly with signing on the go
• ISO compliant to security standards
• Complies with the eSign Act (basically, your signature this way is legal)

CONS:

• Bit of a learning curve in using
• Can't upload documents to the app via Dropbox
• Editing feature is either hidden or unavailable

This app is not without flaws and doesn't do everything that everyone might want it to, but it is FREE, so how much can you complain about anything it lacks? 

I gave this one 5 of 5 stars. 

Peace

--Free