**REVIEW** Afrofy Afro Twister

I. Cannot. Stop. Raving. About. This....

This.... - over there to the right →→→

It's a sponge. For your hair. Well, for naturally kinky/curly hair anyway. If you want twists, coils, dreads, curls, locks, This is so the thing.

Who ever would have thought that you could style your natural hair with a sponge? (I'm too lazy to look up the info but, to whoever did invent this: THANK YOU!)

As you can see, the sponge I am now loving for twisting/coiling my hair is the AFROFY Afro Twister.


First of all, what a simple concept. But one that I never would have thought of. I wasn't even convinced that it was going to work.


The trick to using the sponge to achieve twists and coils is in the design.



There are holes in the sponge. And that's the genius of this product.

To use the product, you dampen your hair very lightly, then rotate the sponge over your hair in a circular motion. It doesn't take a lot of pressure - in fact, I've noticed that the less pressure the better. The way that I have been using it (with great results) is to use a light but constant touch.

By the way, this works on hair as short as 1/8 inch and as long as 7 inches.

I have heard that some users will use the sponge to achieve the start of twist/coiling, then apply a little styling gel as they continue. I have not used styling gel yet because I get really good results without it.

Let me share some photos that I got the first time I used this.

The pic right below is the un-styled state of my hair. The photo is taken about 4 days after a shampoo and condition. I just moisturized my scalp, then combed out the hair so that you could see what it looks like without styling.

The next photo is of my hair coiled lightly with the Afrofy sponge. I only had about 5 minutes to get ready to go somewhere, so I spent very little time with the sponge. 

The results were so good after such minimal efforts, I had to do another set of "After" photos when I had more time to spend using the sponge. I took 15 minutes to work on my hair for the following photos. I took photos at different stages. Sorry that they are out of order, but you can see progress in the tightness of the twists and coils.

near crown of head. I loosened some coils for styling

along my side edges. I could have continued, added gel and gotten
a really nice pattern of elongated twists

was still working
on my hair that was drying out

not sure at what stage I was at here
but I really like those coils!

a collage for Instagram and such

Now that I have used this a few times, I can tell you that I'm learning some tricks for styling. While I like that I can get such nice twists in a little time, I really like the idea of putting more time into this. After all, when I do my twists manually, I'm putting in a lot of effort without promised results. I hate when I spend all that time the night before twisting my hair and tying it into place only to wake up with a bad style. Sometimes that's because the twists loosened (or, more embarrasing, I slept the scarf right off my head!) - or just that I did a rushed or bad job and the twists are impossible to style... The struggle, as they say, is real. Here are my personal suggestions:

• Work in sections. I separated my hair into sections of 4, then worked on halves of those.
• Use light pressure and go in the same direction for each section of hair
• Make sure not to over-dampen your hair with water or other products. 
• Well-maintained hair gets better results. Trim your split ends and make sure your hair is well-moisturized/conditioned. This will result in a nice shine. (Notice that the hair closer to my roots look better than my raggedy ends? Yeh. I'ma work on that!)
• I got away with wearing my sponge twists for at least a couple days the last time. That's without tying on a scarf at night (though I should). I just re-styled my hair with my fingers.

Another issue I have with manually twisting my hair is the damage to my already fragile tresses. My medications have damaged and thinned my hair. I really don't like making matters worse. I thought that might be a concern in using the Afro Sponge, but after using it a few times already, I can see that I'm still not loosing hair to the process.

You can see from this photo of the sponge that there's not a lot of hair collected. And I don't notice any tugging at all when I am actually using the sponge. Thank goodness. I don't need to lose any of this hair!

I mentioned to my niece today that, if I wanted, I could sponge for a longer period of time on smaller sections of hair and get a super-styled look. If you notice, in one of the photos, I had some really cute, small lines of twists going. I could have gone on for that look all over.

This sponge is BIG. I was worried at first that it was going to be tough to grip. No problem there. It's actually designed the way it is for a good grip. The sponge itself is pretty flexible while the lavender and orange bottom piece allows you to hold and control it easily.

I didn't have anything else handy to show size comparison, so I used a standard toothpaste tube to give you an idea of size and width.

Finally, I just want to say that I love this product SO much. I don't never, ever, ever want to be without one. At the time I ordered this (using Prime), it was priced at just under $15. Un.beat,able.  Also, there is a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee of a replacement or refund.

Now. Go get your coil on!

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** Spike Seasoning Gourmet Natural Seasoning

This review took a while to prep because there was so much to sample. The Spike Gourmet Natural Seasoning I received was like a deluxe package of goods!

Those of you who know me personally, know that I don't eat spicy "hot" foods. But you also know that I love spice and flavor to my food. Those who know and really love me earn extra credit for loving me after I use my two favorite seasonings: garlic and onion.

Spike Gourmet Natural Seasoning had some goodies for my taste buds and for those of my family. Those guys have mouths lined with asbestos. I am pretty much the only one in my family who can't eat flamingly spicy foods.

Since garlic, onion and tenderizer are powders that are standard in our house, I was able to compare our usual brand to Spike's. The biggest difference I noticed (in Spike's favor) is freshness. The smell of the garlic and onion was much more rich and pleasing. The tenderizer I normally use has a deeper color than Spike's but the ingredients in mine were not as varied.

I really like the "all purpose" salt-free seasoning for my snacks. I used it on some seaweed that I toasted, and on some popcorn. That was tasty. For some reason, I have to season my seaweed in order to enjoy it - no matter how good it is for me! I'm loving trying out the Spike for that reason.

There are some "Vegit" seasonings in the package, but I actually liked the all-purpose so much that it took a couple of days before I got around to using the Vegit Magic. Once I did use it (on some steamed frozen veggies), I was glad I did try it. Not only does it add so much flavor to even bland frozen vegetables, but the ingredients list was a pleaser:

Nutritional yeast, kelp, hydrolyzed soy protein (NO ADDED MSG), toasted onion, powdered dill seed, white pepper, celery, parsley flakes, beet root powder, mushroom powder, orange & lemon peel, papain enzyme, plus a delightful herbal bouquet of the best oregano, sweet basil, marjoram, rosemary and thyme.

Yep. There is nutritional yeast - first on the label - which is something I had blogged about before and still use.

Because my package from Spike contained so many seasonings, I think it's best to let you check out info on them individually. There really is something for each one of your taste buds!

Here is what all was included in my Spike package:

• Original
• Hot 'n Spicy
• Vege-Sal (more for seasoning stuff, - see the Vegit below)
• Onion
• Lemon-Pepper
• Salt-Free (herbs and spices - think "amped up" Mrs. Dash)
• Vegit (this has vegetable in the seasonings, including beet root...)
• Garlic
• 5 Herb
• Tenderizer  (love that this has spinach powder in it!)

When you look at the names of these seasonings you might, like me, think that they are same as what you find on any shelf at the grocery store. However, when you look at the different herbs and spices that Spike blends, you can see a big difference. Like I said before, the first thing I noticed was freshness and smell. Plus, I love how they use some things that just aren't found in a run of the mill jar of seasoning. I'm talking about things like spinach, beet root, mushroom powder, tomato powder... Lots of yummy stuff in blends that I never thought about before.

Spike's is great for any kitchen or cook, but I kept thinking that they are especially good for some particular types of people:

• "Non cooks" or someone who isn't familiar with a variety of spices and seasonings. You can jazz up even simple dishes (baked meats, steamed vegetables and salads, etc.) without being a gourmet cook.
• Someone who has to be careful of sodium in their diet will appreciate the salt-free products offered. 
• Anyone who is interested in trying different blends and twists on common (and uncommon) herbs and seasonings...
• This mention from the Spike page speaks to the origins of the seasonings:

 "SPIKE® MAGIC! Seasonings were created by world-renowned pioneer nutritionist, author and speaker GAYELORD HAUSER in his beautiful test kitchen in Taormina, Sicily."

• Modern Products, the company that produces Spike, has some more information and FAQ's for some specific health and nutrition concerns on their site.

So, there you go. If you are interested in spiking things up with your food, give Spike a try.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one of more of the above-mentioned products via Giveaway Service in exchange for a fair and honest review. When reviewing products, whether sponsored or not, my main goal is to inform my blog readers of my honest and personal opinions.

***REVIEW*** Tamanu Oil (Foraha Oil) by Puressant

This latest review is for an oil that treats conditions I don't normally have problems with:

• Acne
• Eczema
• Scaly skin
• Sunburn
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatism
• Diaper Rash
• Skin eruptions
• Abrasions
• Burns
• Insect bites
• Scrapes

Tamanu Oil (or Foraha Nut Seed Oil) is a "traditional healing oil". This one is from Puressant via Amazon. I've always received good products and great service from Puressant, by the way. However, as many oils as I have used, I had never heard of Tamanu oil before.

What caught my eye was that this is supposed to be "ideal for use in creams, ointments, lotions and other cosmetic products". That's because I have been making some products for myself from various natural oils and other ingredients.

aka: Foraha Nut Seed Oil

When I took a closer look at the product, I saw that it's also good for reducing foot and body odor.

Hmmm...

Since it takes a while to review products' results for certain things - like help with alleviating certain skin conditions - I took the direct route and tried this for a couple of uses:

• Insect bites 
• Foot odor
• Scaly skin

Though we are closing out on the worst of our insect season here, there are still a few pests around (like spiders and whatever it is that bit my on the foot the other day). Also, there is no shortage of stinky feet with a 3 year old in the house (and, okay, my feet aren't lovely after a day in sneakers). Then there is the issue I sometimes have on my left elbow. It gets scaly from leaning on it while reading or watching TV in bed. Usually, my other oils keep things smooth, but I did a 3 day period of avoiding them on just that one elbow for this review.

Okay. So for the insect bite I had on my foot, I can't say that it instantly took away the itch, but it worked as well as the stuff you can buy at the store. Maybe it depends on the bite. I think my was a spider bite.

For seeing how this worked with stinky feet, I added some of the Tamanu oil with the argan oil I usually put in my feet in the morning. As long as the weather is warm, I tend to wear my slip-on trainers without socks. That time of year is coming to a close, but I was able to test this product for a couple of day. Result? I like it! Usually, at the end of the day, I do have some foot odor. It's not so bad for a couple of days after I have washed my shoes. The odor is not as bad as, say, a teenage boy's shoes after a rough day, but even faint foot odor is not pleasant. The Tamanu oil did work really well for that. I ended up adding a couple of drops to my shoes for overnight and I will probably make a habit of that, as well as applying directly to my feet. With winter coming, I will be wearing my boots and socks a lot more, so....

The most interesting thing about this oil is how it worked on my elbows. Because of the way it did soothe and smooth that rough patch of skin that was there, I think there must be some sort of natural exfoliating properties to the oil. I will have to look into that. I got good results after one application, but I have been using it on my elbows (almost) every night for about a week and I really do like the results.

Now, that's all the Pros. There is something I have to mention: the smell. It's... unique. I can't really even describe it now, but I'm glad that it fades pretty quickly after application. (I have loaned the oil out to a friend for a couple of days and can't take a fresh sniff to describe it better.)

I have not tried it yet as an additive to my other creams and potions, except for using it with argan oil on my feet. I want to try it out on my scalp, just to see what happens.

The price is up there but, since this can be mixed in with other oils and lotions, I don't think that I will be using it up fast - even using for a couple different issues every day. It takes the smallest amount for my elbows and shoe/foot applications.

Check it out. If anyone has used it for the other skin issues that are mentioned, do let me know what results you got.

Peace
--Free



DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for providing a fair and honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Red Raspberry Seed Oil

You all know that oils are kind of my passion, right? Well, just when I think I have tried almost every oil there is, I find out about one I've never heard of. This is a new try out for me:

Euro dropper

That is Puressant's 100% Pure and Organic Red Raspberry Seed Oil. It's cold pressed and comes with a 'euro dropper'.

This oil reminds me of rosehip seed oil. Except it smells better.

When I tested this on the back of my hand, I was expecting an oily texture. It does go on the skin like other oils, but it absorbs with just the slightest massaging and then it's invisible to the eye. If I didn't feel the difference in my skin, I would have doubted that I had even applied the product.

Here is where that absorbency comes into play for me: this is an oil that I can actually apply to my face without the shine or slickness. This is a great oil for adding to other moisturizers and, in fact, the back label indicates adding this to your existing hair and skin products.

Since I hadn't heard about Raspberry Seed Oil, I wanted to check out what's being said about it:

• It's possibly effective as a sunscreen
• High in lots of properties beneficial to the skin
• And that dang sunscreen issue keeps popping up!

Of course, I also did a test of applying this to my face. One interesting thing that I noticed is that, using this alone, the product has a toning effect on the skin. That's was a nice surprise because I will be able to use this as a toner in certain spots (such as on my neck and under my jawline), but still add to my moisturizing products for use elsewhere. 

On my makeup-wearing days when I am in a hurry and can't deal with blotting my other oils, I will be able to use this. Right now, I am experimenting with using this on my throat at night (mixed with another oil) and, next time I wash and treat my hair, I am going to apply some of this to my scalp and the ends of my hair. I see here that there are possible benefits to both hair and skin. 

The Amazon Prime price (about $13 when I ordered) on this was great, though I will say that this is one oil I would pay perhaps another $5 or $10 for. That's mostly because, since I will be mixing this with other oils and products, I will be able to get a lot of use from the 1-oz bottle. Also, I really do like the non-oily moisturizing effect. Nice plus: there is a 100% money-back guarantee offered.

I have to tell you, I'm pretty impressed with Red Raspberry Seed Oil. I'm going to be looking into more uses for this overall. Will keep you posted.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received this product in exchange for providing a fair and honest review. 

**REVIEW** Day by Day Beauty Luxury Blotting Paper for Oily Facial Skin

Fact One: Oil can be good for the skin - any type of skin.
Fact Two: The problem for some skin is having too much oil.
Fact Three: For any type of skin, oil leads to shine.

I love oil. I love moisturizing my skin with it, and I love to clean my skin with it. What I don't like is when too much oil interferes with my makeup or with my efforts not to look like I'm having an oil slick breakout.

These...
                                                   
...are Day by Day's Luxury Blotting Papers.

Mine came in a 2-pack set with 100 sheets to each packet.

They're awesome for getting rid of that shiny, new penny look I sometimes get during the day. Even when I am using oil as my primary moisturizer (which is almost always), once I've absorbed all the oil my skin needs, I like to blot the excess.

Of course, I've used all kinds of blotting papers. Some have been good, some have not. Here's what I like about these by Day by Day:

• They are thin but not flimsy.
• One sheet does as good a job as 2 (or even 3) of some of the papers of lesser quality.
• There's no powdery residue to mess up my makeup (or just look creepy on my bare face).
• They don't stick to my face or tear (like one brand did, no kidding) when I'm blotting.

When I did the Amazon review for these, I rated them at 4 stars because I couldn't show 4.5 stars. The only reason I am withholding a half star might be because of something that's my own fault: I find it tricky to remove the sheets from the packet. Really. That's the only flaw with this product for me.

At first, I was concerned about the price. At the $9.97 Prime price, these are about twice what I paid for a brand from a local beauty supply store. Then again, that cheaper brand is the brand that was so flimsy the sheets tore while I was using them... And, to be fair, for 200 sheets of the Day by Day brand, the price works out lots better than I realized - especially since one works so much better than several of the cheapie kind.

And, if you think blotting papers can't make a difference in skin appearance, here's me...

No makeup, just blotted one side

The left side is blotted while the right side is not. This is a few hours after I had applied my morning facial oil. You can tell that the blotted side looks less lined and aged. There is a type of smoothing effect going on there.

I'm really considering going back and editing my Amazon review after using these more and more. I'm pretty sure that the slot on the bottom of the packet has something to do with making it easier to remove the sheets. Even so, that's not such a hassle when I get such good use from these.

Every year, the ladies in my family end up buying things for at least a couple of gift bag type presents - you know, for the folks who are hard to shop for, or for the extra people we invite for the holidays... I'm thinking that these blotting papers are going to be perfect additions to those bags. They are reasonably priced (for the quality), very handy - for men or women - and what I don't give away, I can always use.

Peace

--Free

(P.S.: I am going back over to edit my rating to a 5-star review. I found the little notch at the back that assists in removing the sheets... Doh!)

DISCLOSURE: 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*** CJS Dash Mate Cell Phone Vent Mount

Sometimes I get to try a product that is just okay for me, but I can tell that it's going to be perfect for someone else.

very cool, yes?

                                       
That right here is the CJS Dash Mate. It's a vent mounted holder for cell phones. I will first tell you that it's a great concept, but why it's just an okay product for me: my car vents are awkwardly placed.

~sigh~

I drive a Honda Accord. I've always hated only one singly thing about that car: the vents. They are too high up for getting the heat or air conditioning aimed at passengers. Whenever I am in someone else's car, I get vent-envy. Seriously. This is Alaska, home of freezing winters and scorching summers. The only time I am comfortable in my car is on overcast summer days...

So.

I have nothing negative to say about the Dash Mate. Not their fault about my car vent placement.

Now, for the Pros to this product:

• Simple (deceptively simple) design
• Easy to attach & detach to the vents
• Held my heavy Note 4 with the also-heavy Pelican case attached

Even with my awkward vents preventing me from enjoying all the features (for instance, I can't really see the screen well enough when phone is mounted), I still like using this. It's cool to be able to keep my phone in view. I often forget and leave it in the car until my headset reminds me. Also, the only other convenient place to set the phone is on the passenger seat or crammed somewhere into the center recessed under the radio. I liked being able to mount the phone while it was charging without having that cord dangling around the gear shift.

This is such a nice, handy, simple product that I have to recommend it. My concerns that it would not hold my phone or that it would be too flimsy were calmed. I rode around for about an hour (on our infamously raggedy roads) without problems. It did take me a little practice learning to detach my phone without also removing the Dash Mate. 

The Prime Price is perfect, but the list price is too high.

Dash Mate has a 100% guarantee so you can get a refund or replacement for whatever reason. I can say that I had chance to communicate in general with the Seller before ordering the product and he was very courteous and quick to respond.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received this product via Giveaway Service in exchange for providing a fair and honest review.

**REVIEW** Organic & Vegan Ultra Hydrating Facial Moisturizer

Of all the beauty moisturizers I have tried - and there have been a lot - this is the first time I tried something vegan. This is what the product touts:

Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Non-Toxic, All-Natural Face Moisturizer for Dry, Sensitive, Eczema, Combination, Mature Skin

How could I resist?

This is Nouveau/Organica Ultra Hydrating Facial Moisturizer.

Though my review of this got off to a bumpy start, I'm glad that I gave the product a try.

I'll address the one issue I had with this before I get to the rest of the review.

When the package arrived, we were having one of our famously warm days here in Anchorage. And I mean it was warm. For a week, we had temps that ranged from 80 to close to 90 degrees. Yeah. Warm.

melted

1 hour in fridge

The jar is slightly smaller than I expected (because I am bad a visualizing sizes by volume amounts) and I tilted it to get a better grip when I opened it. Lucky that I turned it right side up before the lid came off. Because of the warmth, the contents were completely liquefied. (There is a mention on the label that "softening" can occur.) I ended up spilling only a tiny bit o the product, but I am warning other users ahead of time.

Now.

This is more of an oil than a cream. I don't mind that at all because I love using oils on my skin. For people that tend to avoid oil products, I will tell you that the results are not what you might think.

The moisturizer is very non-clogging. My skin is not only a combo that runs from dry-to-oily, those zones fluctuate, but my nose is the spot that suffers when I use anything that irritates my skin or clogs the pores. The Organica passed that immediate test. When I used the moisturizer as an overnight treatment, I was even more pleased.

There is a faint smell to this that reminds me of used cooking oil. It's not unpleasant and I don't notice it when the moisturizer is in a solid state. When it's all liquefied, the scent is more pronounced. The important thing is that it doesn't linger on the skin.

I am surprised that I like this so much. I don't know what I expected. For some odd reason, I've never had the same positive view of 'vegan' products that I do of those labeled as 'natural'. It's a mindset of mine.

This product has me anxious to try others like it. Of the benefits I noticed in a few days' use, the main one is that this absorbs well. I didn't have to use a lot. I just scraped my fingernail over the surface to get slivers to apply. The oil melts on contact with my skin. I ended up being able to control how much I was applying to the different areas of my face. I like that.

Organica (which is just what I call it!) softens and nourishes. I noticed that it seems to work with my skin. It moisturizes deeply where my skin is driest, yet it didn't "grease" up my skin where it was already hydrated. Very weird but, again, I love the results.

I read reviews by other users and saw that people with various skin issues and they seem to have had positive results. I don't suffer from serious facial skin issues, but I do have 'mature' skin (hah!) and this has turned out to be a nice treatment.

When I went on a water challenge recently, my skin felt better, but I noticed that it tended to dry out a lot whenever I drank less water. It's as if, having gotten so much natural  hydration, my skin rebelled whenever I dropped back to my usual water intake. Since then, my regular moisturizer hasn't been working as well. This brought some balance back to my skin.

I've been using this on my elbows as well as the area at the back of my ankles to soften the skin. The most surprising way I've found this to be helpful is to oil my scalp. Because of the melting factor, the oil really soaks in without getting all over my hair. I just make little parts in my hair, apply the oil, then massage my whole scalp with my fingertips.

I like this a lot. I do wish that I didn't have to keep returning it to the fridge. Actually, I don't have to. I could just use it in the liquid state, but I like being able to better measure out applications by slivers.

For users who prefer truly vegan properties, this product hits high marks:

• Raw food grade
• 100% USDA Certified organic
• vegan
• gluten-free
• soy-free
• dairy-free
• cruelty-free
• No animal testing
• made with ingredients sourced from USDA certified organic farms

The ingredients:

Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Organic Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Organic Rosa Mosqueta (Rosehip) Fruit Oil, Organic Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Organic Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Oil, Organic Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang) Oil, Organic Boswellia carteri (Frankincense) Oil, Organic Pelargonium roseum asperum (Geranium) Oil

Kind of nice that I didn't have to provide links to explain any of the ingredients, right?

There is a "no questions asked" guarantee in place. Can't beat that on top of all the other benefits.

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** 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.