**REVIEW** Nivea Skin Firming Moisturizer

This product is labelled as having "advanced Q10 complex."* Whatever that means. You know how so many of us consumers will try a product that seems to have the advantage of something mysteriously scientific. That's probably why lots of cosmetic products add labels with words like "formulated" on them. Gets me almost every time...

My friend bought this lotion in a double pack when shopping at Sam's Club. How nice that she shared with me, right? (What's she trying to tell me, I wonder? LOL.)

Tried this on my thighs and buttocks. It's an amazing moisturizer. Most of the Nivea products are. I love the way it gives my skin that silky feel. I kept, um, touching myself! Also, it really didn't have any fragrance that I could detect.

If you want skin that feels wonderful, this could be the stuff. But if you want firmer skin, plain old exercise is the best remedy. (Kinda sucks, don't it?) As far as lotions and potions, just about any moisturizer will work as well as this one did - as long as you use it regularly, especially when you are either gaining weight (maybe because of pregnancy or medication) or dieting and losing a weight. This is why generations of expectant mothers use cocoa butter, olive oil and vitamin E on there stretching abdomens.

Basically, that's all I can tell you about this product.

PROS:
Will soften and "silken" your skin.
Doesn't stink.

CONS:
Doesn't do any more than other decent lotions.
You might spend a few dollars more for it because of the labelling.

As far as body lotions, I still prefer the inexpensive Genes Vitamin E Creme that we get at Sam's Club. You can also go directly to Genes site.

Peace
--Free

* Q10 - This is supposed to have many benefits. My opinion is, it might have great benefits in several areas, but if it worked magic on skin, every woman who could afford it would be wearing it like clothing. I've known all my life that the best way to make your skin look good is to take care of it with good food and good habits. Having good genes doesn't hurt.


DISCLAIMER: I have not received any form of compensation for any product mentioned and reviewed in this post.

**REVIEW** Bally Fitness Band

Since I am trying to get in back in shape and stay there, I don't want to get bored with my workout routines. Walking is my favorite exercise and thanks to these apps from Google Play, I have learned to like doing a variety of indoor exercises. Because I can be too lazy to get my butt to a gym and use their equipment, I have now fallen in love with this "fitness band" from Bally Total Fitness.

Cute, ain't it? Nice color, sturdy handles, but if you look reeeeal close, you can see what my favorite part of it is.

That's right, baby. $7.99 from Burlington's. I had a gift cert and a voucher from returning some boots from Christmastime. One day I'll be rich and I will still look for a bargain.

The PROS:

• Simple to figure out & easy to use
• Instructions for some exercises are printed right on the band
• Seems super sturdy
• Fun to use
• Can use it anywhere (even in small spaces)
• Can use it anytime (I like to use it while watching TV)
• Reasonably priced if you look around online (or from Burlington's)

The CONS:

• The included free 7-day pass to Bally Fitness only helps is your town has a Bally Fitness
• The instructions (on band and on an insert) are a little murky and not very varied
• I did have to check out a link about recalls on this type of product. Mine passed.

That's it for the downside, I promise. I mean, I could gripe that there aren't enough online videos for using this flat type of band (instead of the cord type), but that's what I get for over-relying on YouTube. Since I never learn, here is a link for some exercises to do at your work desk. At least it's not from YouTube.

Seriously, I can't tell you how much I enjoy using this band. On the days (like today) when it was just too icy out for a walk, the band was my rescue.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** L'Oreal's Magic BB Creme

Got my sample of this in the mail a few days ago from SheSpeaks (love those guys). Has only taken using it twice to know that it's not really for me. (BTW: My sample came in the "Deep" shade.)

Cons:

• The creme had a sort of gritty feel when applying it. Almost like a very fine-grained exfoliating cream. (That freaked me out because I almost never use anything exfoliating on my face. No. No. No.)
• The shade was a lot lighter than what most dark-skinned women would want. I would say it best suits someone with a darkly olive tone than someone with a dark red or blue coloring. (I'm just plain dark, with red tones.) I decided I could only use this as an under-eye brighter. ~shrug~
• Once on, the creme dried my face to the point of being uncomfortable. I was afraid to smile because I was sure my smile lines would look like cracks on the bottom of a dry lake bed. The drying effect also made my skin break out just a little. (I don't know what the hell the word "hydrates" is doing in the description on the tube!)

Pros:

• While not for my skin-color or type, this might be okay for someone with very oily skin. Matter of fact, I imagine it would be perfect for the oily skin type. Maybe L'Oreal should break this out (heh heh) by skin types - label this one for oily skin and formulate another that actually does hydrate.
• The tube is cute and will tuck nicely into a handbag. 

Seriously, those are the only positives I can think of for this product.

The one thing I envisioned when I heard about this and other "correcting" creams, is that I could get good effects with minimal coverage. I'm not a full-on makeup type of woman. There are just days when I think I could just use a little bit of help to look my "natural" best. 

No worries yet. I have heard of similar creams by Garnier (comes in only 2 shades, but bound to be reasonably priced) and those put out by Asian companies. See if you can get samples from several producers so you can find your best match. As for me, this one ain't it.

For the other brown gals out there (love that), this might help get you started on a search for your own.

Peace

--Free

Pssst Script:

In case, like me, you were wondering, the "BB" in the name stands for Beauty Balm or Beauty Blemish.

The creams are trendy. In other countries, they might be used differently, but here in the U.S., they seem to basically be tinted moisturizers. Olay is honest and cops to the description. (You know I will be all over the Olay one - depending on the price and shades.)

**DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample to review as part of my SheSpeaks membership**

**REVIEW** Face & Body Care

Haven't done one in a while, and I really have been meaning to do a review of Bio Oil. It's just about one of my favorite things to keep on hand. Living in Alaska can suck the moisture out of a camel's hump. Imagine what it does to our skin. Bio Oil isn't the only thing, but it's one of my faves. Here it is with the rest of my personal arsenal:

Bio Oil  - Every skincare product does not work for every person, so I can't say what this will do for you. For me, this stuff is like magic. I use it on my face before I go to bed and first thing in the morning. Sometimes, depending on what type of Sahara effect this place has on my skin, I use it once or twice during the day. It goes on oily (duh), but rubs in so well that, at least for me, doesn't stay oily. I'm pretty sure all that massaging it in does good for the circulation. I mostly use it on my face, but when I have concerns about other parts of my body, well, it works good anywhere. (I originally heard about it from women worried about stretch marks after pregnancy. I've never been pregnant, but when that 65 milligrams of prednisone kicked in back in 2011, I looked like I was having somebody's triplets.)

I don't use it on my hair because it's too expensive for that (the oil, not my hair, which is all mine), but I have one friend with dry and kinky-but-I-mean-nappy hair. She doesn't process her hair in any way and says the Bio Oil keeps it soft and moisturized. I have started using the oil on my lips at night and in the morning along with a rub of lemon juice. (Getting these motherpuckers ready for Valentine's Day.) I also use the oil on my elbows and knees. I'd use it on my feet if I thought it would help, but that would be like trying to feed a continent with one Cheese-It. For the normal person with normal feet, Bio Oil is probably perfect. My feet need a quarterly appointment with a lady and her chisel and acid. Yeah. I have no real secrets left.

By the way, if the oil by itself does seem to be too oily for you, but you still want the conditioning of it, just use it on wet skin only. My income-poor ass has done that just to stretch out my supply.

Note that the the website hails Bio Oil as "America's #1 multi-use skincare oil." That may be true, but if you plan to "multi" anything with it and not go broke, try buying it in the 3-pack at Costco or Sam's Club. It's $10 for a 2-oz bottle at the Anchorage Walmart. I paid around $21 at Sam's for a pack with 2 2-oz and 1 4.2-oz bottles. Score!)

***

No 7 - This skincare product  line is by Boots. (Don't ask me. I never heard of this Boots. I thought the product was made by a company called Numbers.) There is a whole range of skincare, makeup, etc. Like I said, I didn't know. I just use the anti-aging serum called "Intense." (Makes me sound like I need a lot of help, don't it?) I literally stumbled over this stuff at Target's. Literally. A tube of it had fallen or been dropped on the floor and I stepped right on top of it and damn near slid to the furniture aisle. Whatever. I recovered my cool gracefully. My friend is the one who looked stupid, giving herself laughing cramps.

What I like most about the product is that it's cheap (about $12), hypo-allergenic, is cheap, goes on smooth, feels amazing and is cheap. It really does feel great on the skin - not greasy but very-- it's true so I have to say it-- intensely moisturizing. On top of being cheap, a little dab goes far. If you live in a normal climate, you probably will never have to use anything along with it. I probably won't in the summertime up here, but right now, I do use it over my Bio Oil in the morning only. (Remember, the Bio Oil soaks into the skin - or that's what it feels like.)

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Body Oil - (My mouth dried out just saying it!) This is cheaper than Bio Oil so I use it on the rest of my body.  Actually, I would use the Palmer's on the rest of my body even if I was Bill Gates' wallet. It's just the best stuff. But I can't use it on my face. Also, I wish it didn't smell all cocoa-buttery, but, hey, the smell doesn't linger too long. This is something I do use on my feet as well just because, between chiselings, it does make those dogs look a little less... arid. Not summer-sandal-worthy, but it keeps them from being bad enough to shred paper with. (Why am I putting myself on blast like this?)

The best thing about this product is how silky it makes you skin feel. You watch, your skin will feel so good, you'll walk around touching yourself. (But don't. At least, not like that. At least, not in public.) I will warn you women: if your man is picky about how you smell, give this oil some time to mellow out before you add any perfume or such. Maybe because I have a thing about perfumes, I find that adding any scent too soon after the Palmer's is like "good + good = funk." Also - and I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this - do not get this crap on fabrics. I have a favorite sheet set that I now can only put on the bed top-part down. Shit. Got a big old bed out of a hooker-motel-looking stain the size of my ass on the sheet. That's because I sat my naked, oiled-up ass on the bed one day.

Anyway.

So, that's the lowdown. Get out there and be cheap and beautiful. You know what I mean.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: my friend pointed out that I didn't mention Oil of Olay's serum this time. That's because they don't pay me. Let me quit fronting: NOBODY pays me to talk up this stuff. I just feel like sharing the news. At any rate, I've talked enough about Olay before. Apparently, the serum is only working for me during the summers now. I guess my skin had a mood swing about seasons or something.

**REVIEW** Sephora Favorites Sampler (for her)

**Full name of product: Sephora Favorites Deluxe Fragrance Sampler For Her**

PRO: This is a nice gift to give someone who likes trying different fragrances. Here's the deal: You purchase a gift box containing various scent samples and a certificate redeemable for whatever amount you paid. I believe the prices range from around $40 to over $100. Once the giftee has tried the samples and chosen a favorite, they take the certificate into Sephora's for a full-size product.

Nice. Thoughtful.

PRO The gift boxes are very pretty and the samples are each adequate for several days' use. I looked up some info on the different sets offered and one thing I noticed is that they change quickly. For instance, I got my set for my birthday in June; I can no longer find a set advertised with the same set of fragrances. Here is what I received in my particular box:

COACH Poppy Flower
DKNY PureDKNY A Drop of Vanilla
DKNY PureDKNY A Drop of Verbena
DOLCE & GABANA The One
ESCADA Especially Escada
GIRGIO ARMANI Acqua Di Gioia
GUCCI Guilty Intense
JENNIFER ANISTON Jennifer Aniston
JUICY COUTURE Viva La Juicy
MARC JACOBS Daisy Eau So Fresh
MARC JACOBS Oh, Lola!

Let me just say right now that I almost picked (heh heh) the Marc Jacobs "Daisy" just for the cute name!

All the fragrances are actually nice, but I have a scent-type preference for perfumes in the "Woody/Oriental" family.  Think "Dune" or "Shalimar." Just for the record, I will probably go with the Escada.

CON: One minor gripe I have is that for the two DKNY scents, you better have a good nose since the samples are not distinguished from one another except by color: green or white.  Well, damnit, I can barely see the print on a STOP sign without my glasses, so I had to go outside, hold both samples up to the light and have a discussion with my alter ego before I figured them out. And - oh, yeah, I think you're supposed to just know that the green is Verbena and the white Vanilla, at least, that's what I came up with. (I have a disease that messes with my thought processes; you think I had fun with this little exercise?)

Now, like I said, this is a great gift idea, but (other than the DKNY trick), I have a couple problems with it:

CON - There are various sets in Sephora's gift collection (I saw a set with a lot of florals and another with a lot of "clean/cool" scents a'la Calvin Klein, etc.). I drooled over one box that included Versace's Yellow Diamond. CHOOSE CAREFULLY because the certificate can only be redeemed for a product represented by the samples in your set. (I have a problem with this because I feel the money that was paid should be applied any way I'd like.)

COND - If your sample box was bought at Sephora "inside JC Penney," that's the only place you can redeem your certificate. Not online or in a stand-alone Sephora. I don't know what that's about. Personally, it's a real pain in my patience to go to our local Sephora's. I'd rather go online and pay the shipping and handling.

A big "Plus" is, there is no time limit on redeeming the certificate. Good thing for me since I am having a heck of a time deciding on a favorite.

And, by the way, this review might sound a little harsh. I'm a little testy because of another issue I had with Sephora. Belonging to their little online "club" (or whatever it is), I was due a free birthday gift. When I went in to pick it up, the store had run out of whatever the gift was. They had me leave my name and contact info so that they could mail my gift. Yeah. Never heard a word from anyone at Sephora. They have no problem slamming my Inbox with their ads.. That's cool though, they did let me pick out some samples. I should have been greedier and chosen more than two. Hmph.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: I'm going to apologize for any incoherence in this post; I am having a rough day with the Sarc.

**REVIEW** Avon Anew Ultimate Age Repair Cream

**Let me say up front that I did not have to pay for mine. I got it courtesy of a friend who bought several products and put together gift baskets for a group of woman we hang with. I was not paid to write this review.**

It's a bit pricey (around 30 bucks), but because it takes so little per application - and the moisture lasts all day - it might be cheaper in the long run. (If you don't have an Avon Lady, you can buy online from Avon or other merchants.

While this is an "age repair" product, I think it's a great cream for anyone with dry skin or those who spend a lot of time in extreme weather. My skin hasn't really begun to age, but I live in a cold-weather state and I believe in being proactive.

Me. 51st b-day. Post hair-cutting session!

My favorite thing about this cream is that it has such a smooth and silky feeling. Another thing is that a tiny amount really does go a long way. I actually just touch two fingers on top of the cream, then apply to one section of my face at a time - one side of my nose and sweeping under the eye, other side, around the mouth and chin, and so on.

I like that the cream is not oily or sticky, thanks to that silky texture. I do suggest that, as with any cream, wait a couple of minutes before applying any type of powder foundation.

My skin is very sensitive and unlike some creams with sunscreens included, this caused me no irritation. It has SPF 25 UVA/UVB*.

Pros - Nice texture, the moisturizing lasts, the product lasts, has sun protection.

Cons - None.

Bottom line - this cream is worth every nickel.

Peace
--Free

* UVA/UVB - Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B definition at Free Dictionary.

**REVIEW** Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2012

With the new laptop I received for my birthday, Best Buy threw in a few freebies and discounts. I had a choice of anti-virus software. I chose Kaspersky because the clerk suggested it, saying that it had a handy desktop widget. (I had no knowledge of any of the other choices. I can't even remember which ones I was offered.)

I now wish I had chosen any other software but the Kaspersky. Having a widget on my desktop for software I don't  understand is completely useless. (Did that even make sense???)

I previously have used both the free and paid versions of AVG Antivirus. (It was not one of the choices offered.) I loved AVG. It told me when something was wrong and what I needed to do about it. It was simple and user-friendly.

Kaspersky might be really good, but I have no idea. The "dashboard" or interface was so confusing that I couldn't tell where to find information. With AVG, I knew when the last scan had been run, if there were any problems, if the problems had been automatically taken care of or if I needed to do anything. Then, dangit, it even told me what it was I needed to do. In language I could understand. This Kaspersky? I could barely tell whether or not it was running. I basically ended
up looking at a dashboard that made no freaking sense to me. I could tell that it scanned and found problems.


Pros: Talks a good game. If it does what it says, it would be pretty boss.
Cons: I can't figure out how to make it do all it says it can.
Suggestions: It needs to be more "Push & Click" friendly. Push to scan, update and 
see the results. I don't want to have to go through a fighter-jet checklist just to scan
 my computer for viruses. 
Bottom Line: Maybe it's just me, but it was a bit too complex. I want to spend time
 using my computer,  not playing around with security software.
Rating: 1 star of 5 (1 because it did scan thoroughly)


So, yeah. I uninstalled the software.  Pronto. At least that was easy.


I'm now trying out a trial of Avast! (because a friend went ahead and installed it
while he was over). I'm giving it a try, but I might be going back to my  good old 
AVG. How I have missed it. The Avast! is kind of cool. It's certainly a hell of a lot
 more user-friendly than that freaking Kaspersky.


Peace
--Free


Don't ash what the hell is wrong with Blogger right now. It's doing some weird crap so just
roll with it.

**REVIEW** L'oreal EverCreme

Okay, it's that time again.  I have tried a new product & here's the breakdown:

Once again, I love belonging to the Word-Of-Mouth sites which allow me to try so many different products. I really needed something for my hair. Like a lot of women, I have been at war with my hair from way back when Mr. Leon used to do my press-and-curl every week. (As a teenager, I went through a period of using weird things like body lotion on my hair.)

This month has been a horrible one for my hair. First, I tried that Keratin treatment (which bombed), then, when picking up my usual treatment, I grabbed the wrong one (and actually used it) and ended up stripping out my natural curls. Right now, I am having to baby my hair to get it back in shape and back to it's natural texture.

Yeah. I needed serious help.

This EverCreme is wonderful. It's being pushed by L'Oreal as being "sulfate free." I should probably care about that but I don't. All I care about is the hydrating qualities. The Nourishing Shampoo is super gentle but very cleansing. Even before applying the conditioner, my hair felt not-as-fragile yet very soft. Remember, I had done some damage with the other products I'd used.  Usually, a good conditioner will leave the hair soft while still damp; this Nourishing Conditioner left my hair soft even after I let it dry.

The Leave-in spray is amazing. For a looong time, I (like a lot of women with a natural coarse-curly texture) have searched for a spray that doesn't leave my hair sticky or with a slightly hair-sprayed feeling. This is it. I sprayed on just a little bit and my hair felt soft all day. I have previously used sheen sprays, oil sprays, curl sprays and on and on. All of those were just "Too" something - oily, stiff, wet, etc. The EverCreme is spot on perfect.

After using the products for two weeks (one shampoo & conditioning and the Leave-in spray every day), I can tell my hair is "healing." I know that the scientists all say that the hair we see is dead, but at least mine is now not dead looking. Since I am staying "natural" and letting my hair come back into its original texture, the EverCreme system is working for me. It's keeping my hair moisturized and breakage-free. My natural texture is normally very tightly curled and over-dry. I use a light texturizer every now and then to loosen the curls. (I've given up on years of bone-straight "Oprah" hair that I achieved with relaxers.) This lineup of EverCreme products is going to be my new weapon in the war on my hair!

By the way, the products I used smell really nice. They have a soft, clean scent.

As you can see, there are 7 products in this line . I want to try them all, but will have to wait a while. I really want the Deep Nourishing Mask (or, you know, masque if you're French or rich). The Creme line also includes the Cleansing Conditioner, Intense Nourishing Conditioner and an Intense Nourishing Shampoo. Along with that new wardrobe, all are on my "Wish List."

I think that for black women and others with a kinky-textured hair, the EverCreme is the way to go, while for those with relaxed hair, the EverSleek might be the best. You can check out all the systems here:

EverPure - Color-preserving
EverSleek - Frizz-control
EverStrong - Strengthening.

For anyone in doubt about whether or not L'Oreal's products are suitable for black hair (and I know some of you), keep in mind that the Soft Sheen products are made by the same company. So put that attitude away.

Finally, I rate EverCreme a 10 of 10.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Online Fragrance Sources

I belong to quite a few programs that let members try new products for free (in order to get honest feedback and, they hope, spreading the word about the product). Recently I was able to try out some online sellers of perfumes. I thought I'd review them for you - in case you love perfume as much as I do, but have to live on a tight budget.

I visited 3 sites and rated them based on how easy it was to navigate & use their website, what the customer service was like, prices (including Shipping/Handling), and overall value. Of course, nothing is perfect, so I looked for the biggest pros and cons, giving a possible of 5 ☺ 's. Here goes:

******

Bath Bar ☺ ☺ 
(I sort of reviewed B.B. before in this post, so I will keep it short here cos you know I already love them.)

Pros: 

• The customer service will "Wow" you & owner is amazingly nice.
• Ability to customize your own scent.
• A LOT of scents to pick from & mix and match.
• Good range of products to choose (shampoo to body wash)
• Super-fast help as close as an email.
• Website very easy to navigate.
• Excellent S&H costs (even to Alaska).

Cons:

• Not for the inexperienced. (Ask owner for help, please!)
•  Fragrances not as close to an idea one might have.

Bottom Line: I'd recommend Bath Bar in a heartbeat - just know your scents or consult with the owner first.

******

The Fragrance Shop  ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

Pros:

• Huge selection of designer and "House" scents.
• They will replicate a fragrance from your sample. (Good for scent you can no longer find or buy.)
• Fragrances are "Pure perfume oil with no alcohol or fillers. Ever."
• The oil scents are long-lasting.
• Fragrances seriously as close to the originals as promised.
• Good range of products (including aftershave).
• Instant help via a "live-person" Chat system.
• Resources for understanding and selecting a fragrance.
• A "Fragrance Finder" resource.
• A Customer Review section.
• Excellent S&H costs.
• A Try-Before-You-Buy program.
• Top notch customer service.

Cons:

• Awkward site design
• difficult to locate "Account" & "Log In" tabs
• "Wish List" almost hidden far down on product pages

Bottom Line: A definite "Recommend." Site problems aside, these guys are my favorite.

******

Luxury Aromas (aka Golden Ventures) ☺ ☺ ☺

Pros:

• Nice selection of imitation fragrances'
• Oil-based product.
• Reasonable price for amount of product.
• Website easy to navigate.
• Fair S&H costs.

Cons:

• Scents are pleasant but not as intense as expected for "oils."
• Not "hot" or "cold" in any aspect - just so-so.

Bottom Line: I would recommend, but would give a stronger recommendation to The Fragrance Shop.

--Free

*REVIEW* Keratin Power "Hair Tamer"

***UPDATED***

Okay. I did the wash (no shampoo, though) and a deep conditioning so that I could see what the "curly" look was going to turn out like. Honestly? Not so good.

My hair is so dry at this point that I have to fall back on products I'd tucked away in a bottom drawer. When I say my hair is dry, I don't mean it's a little bit dry. I mean my hair is dry to the point of being horrible to touch. The look isn't bad, but who wants the look if it's killing the hair?

The straight look was a pain to achieve because of the extra flat-ironing to be done. Also, adding that heat to hair that the product already dried out... Whoo! Sahara Desert dry!!! 

The curly look is (to me) not as bad looking, but that dryness is still there. I liked my curls, texture and manageability better with the texurizer I had. I could do everything with the texturizer that I can (or should be able to) do with the Keratin product - plus, my hair feels and looks a lot better.

Yeah. I'll pass and stick with Soft & Beautiful's "Just For Me" product.

_________________________________________________________________

This was a campaign Bzz Agent invited me into. (I have told you all about BuzzAgent before, so don't look all lip-hanging sad when I talk about all the stuff I get to try - for free.)



The product we were given to try is actually called (take a deep breath!) "Smooth 'N Shine Keratin Power Semi-Permanent Hair Tamer."

Long name for a looong (but simple) process of smoothing the hair - without harsh relaxers.The no-harsh-chemicals bit is what nabbed me.

Lately, I've cut my hair very short. Prior to the Keratin Power, I have been using a texturizer and am wearing a short "Natural" (some folks used to call it as Afro). Texturizers do have chemicals, although they seem to be a lot more gentle on the hair than relaxers. This Keratin Power is a good solution that will let me keep my curls or wear a straight style occasionally. At least, it will allow for curls after the initial 3-day period of wearing it straight and not washing.

This process seemed super-long to me - what with the 8-minute rinses and the waiting required between steps. (I can have a relaxer or texturizer done in under 40 minutes.) The Keratin Power instructions are very well-written and very precise (though this caused a bit of confusion later on) down to when and when not to shampoo.

First step is the Strand Test which takes around 45 minutes. Next, a 5-minute shampoo. The rest takes just over forever - correctly applying smoothing treatment (wait then rinse for 5 to 8 minutes), applying neutralizing Milk (wait then another long rinse). This is not to mention the time it takes to apply the different parts of the product. 

At the almost 2-hours mark, I was personally wishing I'd been able to have this all done at a salon, letting someone else do the work because, guess what? I wasn't done.

The last part of the process is to blow-dry then flat-iron the hair. Even if you (like me) are opting for the curly style, this initial straightening has to be done - and worn for at least 3 days. I can't wait for Saturday so that I can get back to my wash-and-wear routine (I know, I know, I should wait until Sunday, but I have pics to take with the family). (I abhor - yes, abhor - flat-ironing my hair. Number One: I'm lazy. Number Two: It's stress on my hair.)

Summing up about the product, I'll say that it's a great system with some drying I really don't like. The instructions were excellent - except for the fact that there was no mention of the included pack of "Nourishing Deep Recovery Conditioner." The instructions were so precise about advising when and when not to use shampoo that I was surprised there was no mention of using the conditioner or when to use it. I stayed true to the product's directions and did not use the conditioner. Because it is a "deep" conditioner, I assume I should use it after this initial 3-day "curing" period. It is odd, though, that not only is the conditioner not in the directions but (I just checked) shown nowhere on product's entire packaging. It's not even on the list of  items enclosed. Odd. Probably just an oversight.

I would recommend the product to someone looking for a way out of using harsher products. (Actually, I already have. I've even handed out one of the coupons BuzzAgent provided. I am not sure what the general pricing is going to be but I have heard reports of it being somewhere in the $9.50 - $10.00 range, which is about average for such products. It will probably, as usual, be a couple dollars higher here in Alaska.

--Free

**REVIEW** Pedi-Spin

Brought to us by: Idea Village Products

What it's advertised as: the "Ultimate foot-smoothing miracle you've been waiting for."

Cost: $16.67 from Walmart in Anchorage. (Extra cost: 4 AA batteries not included.)

Product Website: Pedi-Spin (Note: It's one of those sites that tries to talk you out of exiting when you're ready to move on. Ah-noy-ing.)

My take:

Right out of the box, I liked the way the Pedi-Spin was made. It didn't feel "cheap" and it had a really nice shape for holding it. However, it was a bit irritating to put together. Ignore the written directions for inserting the battery and just go by the diagram on the product itself. It was not easy to figure out right out of the box (it would have been if I had ignored the directions).

The Pedi-Spin comes with attachment "heads." I had the ones for getting the really rough spots buffed away and some for the "finishing" or smoothing process. There was this odd head already attached that I never did figure out the purpose for (except being a pain to get off to replace with the rough spot attachment). I finally got the thing off (would have been nice to have some directions for doing that) and   managed to attach the rough spot thingie.

Now - I had brand new batteries, right? So why did the Pedi-Spin slow to a halt any time I put the barest pressure to it? It's as if it only moved at a decent speed as long as I didn't touch it to my feet. That kind of defeats the purpose, I thought. In case I was doing it wrong, I tried holding the gadget at different angles while trying to keep from wrenching my back. No go. The thing just wouldn't work the way I thought it should. It took me forever (adjusting pressure, changing angles) to get one foot somewhat "buffed."

The smoothing attachment worked a bit better - mostly because I'd gotten the hang of twisting myself into the right position to apply just the right amount of pressure. Still, I noticed a slowing of the rotation head as I tried to move the thing around my feet.

Basically, it was just a frustrating experience. I kept thinking that I could get any rotating gadget - maybe something from the tool chest - that would do a better job. Did my feet look any better? Yes, they did. When the thing worked, it actually did smooth away the rough areas leave my feet feeling smoother. Was the end result worth the cost and the personal irritation? Nope. I took it back and bought a $2.12 Ped X "European pedicure file" (Bassett Brands) that worked so much better and faster.  

My Rating: 

✔✘✘✘✘

--Free

My She Speaks Product Review {Simple Skincare}

I have said before that I belong to a word-of-mouth site or two. The one that allowed me to try a new skincare product {a gentle scrub by Simple}is called She Speaks. I have been able to try quite a few products with them since 2008. {If you are interested, She Speaks will give you a forum to review almost any product. You also get to participate in 'campaigns' like the Simple products one I just mentioned. If picked for a campaign, they send you a full-sized product to try and, usually, coupons to share with friends.}

Back this facial scrub - and, yes, I suppose this is a bit of a 'plug,' but since I'm not being paid, so what?

The big sell of this Simple line is that there are no dyes, artificial colors, etc.  I love that. I have used Oil of Olay's Regenerist Serum along with Ambi's Even and Clear moisturizer for a looong time. They were a perfect combination for my skin. The problem is, Olay can be expensive enough where I can no longer justify the purchase and Ambi doesn't work as well on its on {at least, not for me}.

I have gone back to my remedy my younger & broker days of olive oil - along with a new find: coconut oil. {Laugh if you want, but a lot of us southern ladies grew up using Crisco, olive and other kitchen oils for our skin.}Olive oil is one of the best body moisturizers for almost any type of skin. I discovered from a friend that coconut oil is a little milder and nice for the face and neck. And, no, you don't feel all greasy and you don't smell like you just left a blessing line at a Pentecostal church! Olive oil has that odd smell only until it soaks in, and you can always use dusting powder or whatever when it does soak in. Coconut oil's pretty mild as far as the smell and it feels really nice on the body and face. You don't have to buy the priciest kind, just make sure that the olive oil is extra virgin and cold-pressed. Since I never wanted to walk around lugging a jug of oil, I use little cheapo containers from Walmart or wherever - or put some of the olive oil into whatever lotion or sunscreen you are using. {Coconut oil should be in a solid state, so do what you can.} And, please, make sure to use a sunscreen all the time.

 So, while the pantry oils are taking the place of my moisturizers, I still needed a cleanser. Castile soap is pretty good, but it can be really drying for certain skin types. So this Simple line looks like it's going to work out for me. It's very reasonably priced - between $4 and $7 around the U.S. That's kind of amazing.

By the way, I have tried out the scrub {and I almost never use any type of scrub on my face}. It was extremely cleansing and gentle at the same time. It felt as clean and, well, simple as advertised. I liked that there was no scent. I don't like scents on my face. {Can you tell that I'm picky about what I put on my face?} I will probably only use this once a week or so. I don't think I need a facial scrubbing that often...

On a side note, it's interesting that the Simple product line was a hit in England before it reached our shores. I remember from living in England that those women had the most beautiful skin. Of course, the weather is similar to the the Seattle area and the women there have that great skin and hair going on too.

So, there you have it. My little plug and review of a new-ish product is now over.

Peace
--Free

**DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample to review as part of my SheSpeaks membership**

She Speaks!

I don't often plug things, but...

She Speaks is a great place for the ladies to check out product reviews, interact with other members and try products (often for free). If you have a blog, you can also join their blogger community.

I belong to the site and really like the interaction and being able to try new stuff (for free! lol).

(Notice my nifty new badge here on the page)

Maybe I will see you all over there...

Peace
--Free