**REVIEW** Boar Bristle Brushes & Afro-Natural Hair **UPDATE #2**

**UPDATE #2** Okay, this update is about a particular brand of brushes that I have found and like over the rest. 

I happened on an ad for the "WavEnforcer" brand of bbbs. What I like about these over the Diane brand is that the descriptions are more accurate - or rather they are more accurate for my 4C hair needs. When these brushes claim to be firm, they don't lie.  On the Double-Sided Fade Brush, the brushes labeled as "soft" are not flimsy or paint-brush-soft but just soft enough. (And, get this, I paid under $3 for it.)I have been using the Firm side of this double-sided brush for getting to my scalp and the Soft side for regular brushing (to pull the natural oils down the hair shaft). Both sides are just as good as (or better than) the first brush I raved about. Better yet, the Firm side is not reinforced with nylon. The brushes are 100% boar bristle. Thank goodness because I wasn't digging the nylon bristles.

My thinking is that these work better on my hair type because the brand is made for/marketed to barbers (apparently black barbers). Whatever the case, I've found my favorite brand of bbbs. Also, the prices are ridiculously good. This Grooming Brush was under $6 also, and still can't get over paying less than 3 bucks for the amazing double-sided wonder...

I'm pretty set for boar bristle brushes for the next year or more. I did get a bit spend-happy and ordered a bamboo bristle brush strictly for scalp massages. No more Amazon for me this month!

**UPDATE** After washing my hair, I am more in love than ever with boar bristle brushes. The brush really made a difference in my after-wash hair texture. Normally, I would need to use a lot of leave-in products to get my newly clean hair to a soft and workable state. This time, I used a regular detangling brush (with SoCozy Detangler) while my hair was still damp. After detangling and sectioning, I applied some scalp oil and a mix of camel fat and shea to my hair. I also used SoCozy Curl Leave-In. I then brushed the almost-dry sections with the boar brush, twisting each section to finish drying. That was it. When I took out the twists a few hours later (as I normally do), my hair needed no additional softening or curl management products. I will probably be using scalp spray and more curl spray (as I normally do) for maintenance before my next wash day.

I am not exaggerating when I say the boar brush did make a huge difference. I lost much less hair (because the brush didn't snag and pull) and I am really pleased with how my hair feels. Maybe the reason some people think using a boar brush causes hair growth is only because they don't lose hair while using it.

Whatever the case, I am now on board with the boar bristles. I will be looking for sales on small brushes to give as stocking stuffers to family members. By the way, here is another link for information on boar bristle brushes. I tried searching for some before and after images of the effects of boar bristle on African natural hair types but... Google apparently doesn't get the difference between hair types.

I remember that, years and years ago, a lot of men in the black community used a certain kind of hair brush. I noticed it because of the GIs I'd see in the barber shops getting their short hair "tightened up" (aka, shaved, edged, etc.). My father was one of those men. Later on, my brothers joined the Service and they joined that club.

The other week, when I was looking for a brush for my own afro-natural and 4C (aka coarse, dry, curly) hair, I saw a brush that reminded me of one my dad (and brothers) used.

Boar Bristle Military Wave Brush

I swear my father's brush was exactly like this one. I even have a memory of him using the brush on my little brother's hair after a haircut.

Anyway.

I don't know if the brushes the men in my family used were made with boar bristle like the one pictured but... I started looking into boar bristle brushes. As it turns out, boar bristle brushes have some benefits for all hair types, but I like what I read about the benefits for hair like mine:

• Distributes natural oils throughout the hair
• Cleans follicles
• Cleans product buildup from hair

Because of the way the brushes distribute our natural oils, these help to condition our hair in between washes. Also, these natural bristles help keep the hair cleaner in between washing (and we afro-naturals do not like to over-wash and dry out our hair).

I saw some brushes and almost passed out from looking at the prices. However, when I checked the prices on Amazon for one of the most popular brands of boar bristle brushes, I was more pleased. I was able to get a brush for around $5.00. Remember being able to get a full meal at Mickey D's for five dollars? Or the five-dollar footlong? Ah, the good old days...

Since I wanted a brush, I waited until Prime Days. The brushes are already cheap, but I really cheaper out and got 3 of them for around $8.90. 2 of them have yet to arrive (because cheap often means not fast), but the one that I received impressed me right off with the quality of the wooden handle. At first, I was mad because some of the bristles came out while using it, but that only happened the first time. I guess maybe there were some bristles already loose. But then this cheap brush ended up being - - to use an overworked term -  a game-changer. Seriously so.

cheap plastic wrapping

no more loose bristles

I was a bit disappointed at first when I realized this one isn't 100% boar bristle; it's "reinforced" with nylon. Also, it's made in China (but what isn't?). However, after I used it, that's when the game-changing part happened. 

Before now, the only types of brushes I have used in my natural hair have been wide-spaced and (usually) plastic detangling brushes. There's a myth in some circles that using brushes in afro-natural (especially 4C) hair, is taboo. This brush though has changed my mind.

My hair is not only dry and coarse but it tends to tangle badly. When I used this brush, I sectioned it off to work on a little bit at a time. I was really surprised that 1) I didn't get a lot of snags, and 2) how soft the brush left my hair. I also like that it gives a little more of a sheen to my hair. I read somewhere that natural bristle brushes (boar and horse are the main types I guess) have keratin which they impart to your hair. Maybe that's the softness and shine I'm seeing?

As you may have read, I recently switched to a simpler (and gentler) haircare routine. My hair was already feeling and looking better but this brush elevated the game. I am now hooked. I can't wait to see if the other 2 brushes are any good.

The hardest part about getting one of these brushes is choosing which one to get. Because the brushes (bristles) come in various levels of hardness, I had to weed through a lot of soft ones that are made for finer and thinner hair types. Then there are the reinforced ones (like the one I'm currently using). There are different styles of handles. This one has a nice, easy-to-grip wooden handle that doesn't hurt my hands. 

Knowing what I do now (after doing some light research), I am glad that I got this reinforced one and the 2-sided one I have coming. That one has a reinforced (medium strength) side and a 100% boar side that is very firm.  (This one*** is the cheapest of the 3, but I see that the prices on 2 of them have gone up since I got mine. I have a feeling that the cheap one might end up being a favorite.)

If you decide the get one of these, the good thing is that they are cheap. The other thing is to shop around. If you have a local beauty supply, I think the Diane brand will be easy to find. I am really happy with my 5-dollar brush. I see no need at all to pay for one of the $20 - $60 (or more) brushes. 

Of course, I will let you know about the other 2 brushes when I get them. I hope I will have something good to say about them both!

Peace

--Free

*** The brush linked arrived but was not what I ordered. The brush is not extra firm (it is "medium" and actually much too soft, IMO). I am working with the seller to resolve the issue and am surprised that it is taking so long. I expected they would just replace the brush with the correct one. I will try to update.

P.S.: I found one source that explains hair brush types in general and one about boar bristle brushes. 

DISCLAIMER: I am not/will not be compensated in any way for any product mentioned in this post. I am also not connected to information sources linked in this post other than to my own blogs.

**REVIEW** La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser

 I can't believe that I forgot to post this review (it's been 7 months since I started using this) so I am going to do a quickie...

The cleanser is, no doubt, the most gentle one I have ever used. It's even more gentle on my face than the oil cleansers I've loved. The best thing about this is that as gentle as it is, it cleans like crazy. 

The first time I used the product, I over-used it. I thought that because it felt so creamy and gentle I needed to use more. Also, the cream does not produce any foam. Bottom line: it only takes a small amount of the product to clean my entire face really well. And, as well as it cleans my skin, it doesn't dry it out. I don't have to make a mad dash afterward to apply a moisturizer. 

As with other LRP products, this one has a really good list of ingredients. There is no scent - another plus - and the texture is so lux that I feel pampered. And, for such a good product, I am surprised at the affordable price (about $17 for almost 14 ounces of product). It only takes less than a nickel-sized amount of the cream to clean my entire face. I have plenty of product left and I've been using this bottle for over 7 months.

Look at what's not in this product

By now, I have tried a few LRP products - the Cicaplast, the Double Repair with UV Sunscreen, and the Lipakar lotion. I really like the moisturizers except I do prefer Neutrogena's sunscreen over the LRP Double Repair, but I am sticking with this cleanser. 

This cleanser has an expiry date of 2025 and the way it lasts, I might still have some then!

Check out the ingredients

There's not a lot else to say about this. It feels great and doesn't irritate my grouchy, bipolar skin. Have I mentioned that it's odorless? It is and I love that.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Believe it or not, this cleanser is currently cheaper at Amazon than at Walmart! Walmart seems to have it marked down from $25 to almost $19 currently. Amazon still has it for the $17 price that I paid months ago. Make sure to check the official LPR site though. I see that they have subscription prices.

UPDATE & APOLOGY **REVIEW** CAMILLE ROSE NATURALS Honey Hydrate Leave-In

UPDATE & APOLOGY - 

First, I have to backtrack on all the trash I talked about the product. As with so many other things in my crazy life, most of the problem was due to user error. I need to remember that every product can't be used the same way for every person.

The Honey Hydrate saved my hair after I dried it out trying to wash out an unfortunate dye job. Clarifying shampoo is awesome for getting rid of buildup - with a good single wash. After using it 3 or 4 times in a row on my hair, I ended up with tresses like those straw-headed dolls. And the dye was still horrible.

My hair was so dried out that it felt like damp steel wool. When all the water evaporated, I was afraid to comb it for fear of strands just snapping off.

Honey Hydrate to the rescue!

I sprayed my hair so that it was very damp then I applied the Honey Hydrate to my hair in 4 sections. I ran my palms from root to tip to make sure I was coating the hair well. Then I wrapped my hair in a satin bonnet for the night. In the morning, my hair was softer and felt less damaged, if that makes sense. Still, I avoided combing it for a few days. I just sprayed my hair lightly with water every morning and wore a scarf and let the Honey Hydrate do its thing. 

Now that I have more respect for the healing power of Honey Hydrate, I try to use it more. I don't use it full strength because that's still just too much. What I do is add a couple of drops to my sprayer and use it for curl refreshing or for softening after applying those hard curl gels. I also tend to add it to almost every other hair product I have! 

Basically, I have to use the product sparingly. Otherwise, it's too hydrating.

So, yeah, I had to come back and give Honey Hydrate credit where credit is due.

P.S.: My best friend says that I never tell this update story the same way. Probably. But gist is the real deal! LOL

**********************

 Oh, the hype out there about this stuff! I read, watched, and listened to probably more than 50 reviews about Camille Rose Naturals Honey Hydrate Leave-In. Well, hype is hype but results are what count. The price of this ranges from $14 to $20, depending on where you buy it. I got it from Target for 14 bucks and Amazon has lost its mind and has it for around 17 bucks with free shipping (and up). So, is it worth it? Let's take a look at everything about the product:

The look: It looks exactly like the amber-colored supposed-to-be-honey you find on most store shelves. Well, it might be a touch darker.  When you hold it up to the light, it looks even more like honey because of the tiny bubbles and what looks like sugar granules.

The smell: I've heard other reviewers describe the smell as "nothing", slightly sweet, and "just like honey". Sniffing the jar, I thought it smelled faintly of honey and amber with the tiniest hit of... chocolate??? It's not stinky and it's not strong. However, once I used this on my wet hair, the scent got much stronger and sweeter. It was more candy-scented than perfume-like. When it dries, it retains the sweet scent but is not overwhelming or unpleasant.

The texture: I  saw where other reviewers said that this felt just like honey - very sticky and unpleasant to the touch, in some opinions. Maybe I got a different batch but I don't find this to be sticky at all. It's not lotion-like, but it not overly tacky. You can see from the photo what it looks like just smoothed across my palm and the back of my hand.

A test strand: Before I did my entire head, I tried applying this to some strands of my hair. The first thing I noticed is that it brings out the curl pattern. Second, it seems to have an elongating effect. The hair was *not* sticky but had a slightly "coated" feeling that I didn't mind because it seemed to protect the hair and make it feel stronger. 

Doing my hair: The instructions are to apply to conditioned hair. I use a leave-in conditioner - which seems like overkill but... I use the Hydra Steam that I reviewed here so I applied that first, then applied the Honey Leave-In.

As I always do my twists

I want to note here that, just as mentioned by other reviewers, there really is a warming effect when rubbing the Honey between my palms. I didn't notice this when I was just applying it with my fingers to the test strands. It must be a chemical reaction between the ingredients and it actually feels nice. As I applied this to my hair (I did it in sections), there was that slightly sealing/elastic kind of feel left on the hair that I previously mentioned. 

I was spraying my hair to keep it from drying out as I applied the Leave-In. At the finish, my twists - which are normally only damp at this point - were dripping wet still. I took that as a good sign.

By the way, I have fairly thick hair and I ended up not using a lot of the product. 

Overall results: I am not that impressed. See for yourself. My hair is very moisturized but looks dry.

This did leave my hair incredibly soft but it also 'floofed' out any curl definition. I love the way my hair smells and feels, but it looks like I haven't done any styling at all. 

I ordered this online but, after one more test, I plan to return to Target when I go back into town. It's just not living up to the hype. The other "test" I plan to do? Since this suggests applying to conditioned hair and I used a leave-in, maybe the low-quality results are on me. Next week, I am going to do a "traditional" wash and wash-out condition and see what happens with the Honey Leave-In. 

Keep in mind that I used this in conjunction with Hydra Steam Curl Designing Cream - which is highly moisturizing by itself.  This next photo is the 2nd-day results of the Honey Leave-in used as described and then the Hydra Steam product used by itself (no Honey Hydrate).

Top - Honey Hydrate Leave-In applied over Hydra Steam Leave-In
Bottom - Hydra Steam Curl Design Leave-In by itself

Look at how those curl pop! with the Hydra Steam. My curls have never been so defined and shiny with less work...

Summary (and to be fair): I saw where some reviewers used Eco Styler and other aids to help with curl definition. As I said, maybe the other leave-in I used over-softened my hair and ruined the curls. Maybe. 

I am not totally knocking this product. I think that results depend on how you use it and what your hair type is - or maybe just your styling method. I don't want to have to buy another product (styling gel) to use with one that costs this much. I would like to use just this and get all the benefits it's hyped for.

I will update this when I use it solo.

To summarize:

Natural hair needs moisture. Afro natural hair needs lots of moisture. Moisture retention is important for hair growth, length retention, and hair health. 

Peace

--Free

**Update of a REVIEW** Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture (for the HAIR)

Originally post November 2018 here 

UPDATING and RE-POSTING

My brain got weird the other day and thought I just discovered how great this stuff is on natural hair. Turns out that I first got it for my hair way back in November of last year 2018. Wow. I went back on Amazon and updated the review to rant about using this on my hair. Anyway... I did start using this on my hair (again?) the other day and, wow. I can't even tell you how moisturizing and detangling it is. My hair is like a tangle of tumbleweed after I wash it. I have tried other products to help with the initial comb-out so that I can do my twists or whatever comes next. Keeping my hair damp with water while twisting is great but the water dries too quickly. The Kiku lotion keeps my hair moist much longer. I do use one of those special fine-mist sprayers (another product I love, love, love) to apply this.

 This not only softens my hair and makes combing it out easier, but when it dries, that funky product smell goes away and my hair is nice and soft. My twist-outs aren't as tight and crunchy. Win, win, and win.

So, yeah, go ahead and maybe see what this does for your hair and face...

The following is a copy/paste of the original review from November 2018

This is a copy/paste of the review from my Amazon Reviews blog.

Full Product Name & Link: 8 Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture

SELLER REVIEW (3 stars)

PRO: Arrived quickly. Large size for the price.

CON: My first bottle came in one of those plasticized mailing envelopes. The bottle had gotten crushed or something so that the plastic over the pump was torn. The bottle leaked quite a bit as you can see from the pic on the right. Amazon did give me a refund so I was able to reorder.
NOTE: The bad packaging could be a fluke. I will see when the second bottle arrives.

PRODUCT REVIEW & PHOTOS (5 stars)

Why I ordered: My hair is finicky and starts to dry out as soon as the weather begins to cool. Age probably has something to do with this too. I heard about this product via a Reddit forum for black hair - even though the product is made for the face.

 I will just cut right to the chase and let you know that I LOVE this stuff.

Remember, the bottle had leaked into the mailer so when I opened it, I got the liquid all over my fingers. I knew that the leaking was caused by the bottle getting banged around in the mail so, being me, I wiped the liquid right onto my face. Waste not, my loves.

Let me tell you wot. Yes, "wot". This stuff is truly a game changer.

Once I applied this, I didn't need to use any other lotion, cream, moisturizer - nothing. My skin was magically and instantly hydrated.

The texture of this - we will just call it "lotion" from here on out - is almost that of most thin serums. Like water with just a touch of something. The appearance is just like cloudy water.

I couldn't identify the smell at first until I remembered the full name of the product and, yep, the smell is very much like Sake - which I have had - but I cannot describe that smell to you. It's not pleasant or unpleasant, in my opinion. The scent is mild in this product and fades as soon as it starts drying.

This is good stuff. If I could, I would give it ten stars. I am awaiting the delivery of some "Speedy Oil" that was mentioned by someone, but I have no plans to get any of the other Kikumasamune type items other than this lotion. And I do plan to stay stocked up on this!

I had to update this because I forgot to list the ingredients as shown on the Amazon product page:

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, rice ferment filtrate (sake), glutamate, arginine, leucine, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, placenta extract, arbutin, Glycyrrhizic acid, soy protein, maltitol, methyl gluceth-10, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkyl styrene/acrylic acid copolymer, citric acid, sodium citrate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, fragrance

Peace
--Free

NOTE: Since I got my first bottle, I noticed that the price went up almost a dollar. Maybe the popularity will affect the price???

This is a copy/paste of the original review/posting

**REVIEW** MiraBerry Miracle Berry Tablets

Last week when I reviewed the amazing Miracle Berry in freeze-dried form, I mentioned that I would be getting a chance to try the tablets. These are the MiraBerry tablets I am reviewing:

I was kind of excited. The first time I checked the product page, the MiraBerry tablets were described this way: "each tablet is made with approximately three miracle berries" Uh, no way. The freeze-dried berries I tried were game-changing. While I loved the idea of getting the same taste-switching effect from something in a tablet form, I wasn't sure about the hype. As awesome as they are though, the freeze-dried berries are tricky to carry in your purse if you don't want to crush them.

The tablets, I figured would be easy. Like packing some Midol or Excedrin, right? Absolutely. The tablets certainly are conveniently packaged. Not only are they in a box, but the tabs are individually protected. This is good. And... that's about it for the positives.

Now, I don't want to badmouth all brands of Miracle Berry tablets but I was really disappointed with these. I went over and read a bunch of reviews for various brands of tablets. Looks like, with most tablets, it's a kind of hit or miss deal, regardless of who makes them. People generally seem to either really love the effect or are totally disappointed. I don't know. I might at some point try a different brand of tablets.

The worse thing about these tablets is that they took forever to dissolve - I timed it out at over 5 minutes and there was still icky residue on my tongue. In contrast, the freeze-dried berries just kind of melted with my saliva. Also, they tasted nice. These tablets were seemed to be made of compressed grit and have very little taste. The slight taste they have is nasty.

I had planned to try the tablets with the same items as with the berries: lemon water, straight lemon, apple cider vinegar, and some hot sauce. I never got past the lemon water. From the first sip, I knew that the tablets were nowhere near as effective as the berries. I even added 2 more tablets to see if that would help. They took so long to dissolve that I think the effects of the first tablet had worn off...

Even with the 2 tablets, the lemon water tasted pretty much the same as it does without any enhancer. No way was I going to do straight lemon or any of the other stuff.

So these tablets were a bust.

Now to be fair, I have also read some negative reviews of the freeze-dried berries but the negatives usually are to do with customer service and not the berries. One customer felt their bag had been short a few berries and another was annoyed that their package arrived damaged. Negative reviews about the tablets were similar to mine - all about the effectiveness.

I also have to commend the seller of these tablets. Once I let them know that I was unhappy with the product, they issued a full refund. Good customer service matters. I have to point out that my review was the only one (as of today) for this particular brand. So there's that.

Here's the thing: these berry products are, I believe, really useful in some cases. For myself, I cut so much sugar from my diet on the days I used the berries. I didn't think that I was taking in that much sugar every day because I've been using Monk Fruit sweetener a lot of the time. It's the sugar in all those dessert-like coffee creamers I love that was bad. When using the berries, I was cutting back on my coffee and drinking more lemon-infused water. I find it so much easier to drink the lemon-water than to drink lemonade. When I drink lemonade - you know, sugar-sweetened lemon-water - I add too much sugar. Yeah, I know, I need to be more disciplined.

The main thing I like about using the berries is that it just cuts the sugar totally out of a beverage. No artificial sweeteners or possibly dangerous substitutes but just sugar-free. Sadly, the tablets did not compare with the berries.

If I get a chance to try a different brand of the tablets, I will post a review.

Peace
--Free


P.S.: I have just now noticed that the seller has submitted the following comment to my online review:

Thank you for that review! We are processing your refund - I believe you'll enjoy our powder much more! The pills require a lot more processing and we find it not as effective as the powder or actual berries; however, there has always been a curiosity and demand for the pills, which we felt necessary to provide. Our powder is simply pure berries crushed and mixed with a small amount of organic arrow root to keep from clumping. We did our best to make sure it's as close to the eating the berry as possible. Finally, we removed the language about each pill taking three berries. Even though it's true, it's not a good comparison. AS A NEW SELLER, YOUR REVIEW IS WORTH GOLD TO US. THANK YOU!!!

I thanked them for their honesty and I have to admit that I might even try their powder. Also, the product has been removed from sale.

Not sure where my emotions are lately, but some of these lyrics seem to fit

**REVIEW** UPDATED Cleaner Steam Cleaning System ThermaPro 10-in-1

UPDATE (latest)

The company did reach out to me. They not only solved the issue but was unaware of the customer service problem I was having. An email got misdirected. At any rate, they have already shipped out a new unit. I'm still upset that the first machine crapped out, but I can't even be mad at the company - not after they straightened everything out. I believe in giving credit as loud as you give criticism. Thank you Home Moderne and Pursteam!

UPDATE 

Original review was written in June 2018

Sadly, I have to downgrade my glowing review of this product. There are 2 reasons: 1) it quit working with no warning, and 2) there is poor customer service from the seller.

When I went back to try to change my review on Amazon (which I was unable to do), I read some of the newer comments from other buyers. My machine is not the only one to just suddenly refuse to power up. Every mention of this problem noted that the machine is less than a year old. 

Usually, I purchase the warranty but didn't this time. I am going through the credit card company instead.

I am really sad because I LOVED this machine.

Just wanted to revise this review. 







Whew! That is a looong name for a product and I even left off part of it. If you look this up on Amazon, the entire name is PurSteam Steam Mop Cleaner Steam Cleaning System ThermaPro 10-in-1 Floor Steam Cleaner, Pocket Mop System with 20FT Cord.

Mouthful much? But I get why they want the title to be descriptive. This thing does it all. Pictured here is how the PurSteam functions as an upright steam mop:

But for all those other little jobs, you can see the hand-held that detaches from the center of the mop:

That's a neato design

I think that the hand-held is my favorite part of the ThermaPro. Today, I cleaned my windows which were filthy from where I'd been spraying my plants for the past few months. I even steamed my mattress and pillows when I stripped the bed to do laundry. I hear that steaming the pillows beats back germs.

This is my second new appliance. In the past couple of months, I have needed to replace my vacuum (which was a Dirt Devil that I snagged at Dollar General) with an adult one. I reviewed the new vac here. After getting the vac, I really needed a steam mop because my back has been giving me problems and I can no longer properly clean the bathroom and kitchen linoleum.  I didn't think I could love anything more than the vacuum I got, but... Wow.

This is a Before and After of the carpet near the entryway. I vacuumed several times, then spot-cleaned with some spray on (using the steam to scrub it in), and vacuumed again. The carpet looks and smells so much fresher.

BEFORE:

And AFTER:

a slightly different angle, but you get the idea

There is still some wearing down in the high-traffic spots, but it's a big improvement in the staining.

I LOVE this steamer machine. It does everything but cooks dinner. Not only can I clean the floors really well without having to get down on my knees with a rag to get the stubborn spots, but that detachable unit allows me to get hard-to-reach spots that my regular mop missed. The handheld unit has all these attachments that let take cleaning to the next level. This is what that little snap-off part allows me to clean with hot (and possibly semi-sterilizing) steam:

• windows and sills
• mirrors
• countertops
• the stove and microwave
• sinks and showers
• the toilet seats and backs
• shower curtain liners
• faucets
• mattress 
• carpets and rugs
• furniture
• garments and curtains

It's a pretty amazing machine. However... there are some negatives. Of the Pros and Cons, the latter has more to do with the instruction manual and locating contact information outside of Amazon. Let's just go over the cause of a headache I incurred while trying to assemble and use the machine.

This is what all comes with the machine. Right out of the box, it's not that intimidating because you realize the machine came with a bunch of attachments.

The first thing I always do with a purchase like this is to make sure I have all the pieces I should and that nothing is broken. (I hate tossing out the shipping box only to need it in a couple of days for a return/refund.) I take a look at the manual to check for all the parts that should be included. As I flipped through the first time, I thought I was having a "bad brain" moment.

To start with, the manual I got had some duplicate pages that ran in the order of This is how the pages are ordered: Cover Page, Pages 2, 3, 2, 3, pages 4-11, then 12, 13, 12,13, and the back cover. (Since the manual ends with the Troubleshooting page and Limitation and Exclusions page, I don't suppose anything is missing.)

Next up, the assembly went great until I was ready to use the attachments.

I couldn't find this vital piece called the "attachment adapter". Like I said, I had checked and counted off all the parts listed. That dang adapter was only listed (elsewhere in the manual), but not illustrated. Or rather it was illustrated but was labeled incompletely...

I had to email the company to learn that the "Steamer jet" piece is also the attachment adapter. They said that they were already working to correct the manual.

Thankfully, yes, I had the steamer jet thing so I was in business. The only thing other than that crazy manual that I dislike is that there is no place to store the attachments. I have put mine into a plastic zip baggie to keep in the pantry with other tools and small appliances.

I cannot say enough how much I like the machine, but I'm sure you're getting tired of that. I will do a quick summary of Pros and Cons.

PROS:

• The company's support staff responded quickly and courteously to my emails. I contacted them twice and received a reply within hours. Their contact info is in the manual.
• The water gets really, really hot. I only use the machine when I'm having a very clear-headed day. You could easily scald yourself with the steam so I also wear heavy kitchen gloves as an added safety measure.
• The machine heats up pretty quickly initially. I can turn the machine off for a couple of minutes to move to a different area and it will reheat almost instantly.
• The steam is hot enough (again, IMO) to kill surface germs. It makes cleaning grout, scale, and grease easy.
• The cleaning pads for the mop are easy to attach. Basically, you just fit them onto the bottom of the mophead and they are held on velcro-style. Other mops I've used required you to fit the cloth around the mop head.
• The mop heads are washable and look sturdy enough to last through several washings, IMO.
• The mop head swivels enough to clean close to the walls and in the corners.
• What you miss with the mop, you can reach with one of the attachments.
• The machine is lightweight and easy to lift and move around,
• The cord is 20 feet long and I was able to use in my small-ish apartment without having to change to a different outlet.
• Steam is adjustable so you can use more or less. I used a lot for cleaning the sink and shower and less for cleaning stove burner covers over the sink.
• Because of the design, storage is easy and doesn't take up much room in a closet/pantry.
• In my box, there was more than the usual "thank you" from the Seller. There was actually a nice little gift extra - while supplies last.

CONS: 

• The brand's website is not really a standalone site. For products, everything links to Amazon. The warranty page didn't work for me and I was told that the product's warranty is timed by my Amazon ordering info. That's fine, but I did go ahead and get one of those Square Trade plans. Just in case.
• Steam does get so hot that people will need to be extra careful, especially when there are small children around. This is seriously not something you want a kid to grab hold of.
• There is nowhere on the machine to store the assorted attachments. You will need to keep track of them somehow. I suggest a zip-type baggie.
• I don't yet see where to buy extra cleaning pads for the mop. I plan to contact the company about this.
• When using the upright mop, Power/steam adjustment knob is down low. You have to bend to reach it.
• The mop head lifts a little on the pull during the push-pull motion.
• The mop swivel will get stuck if you swivel it too far right or left. It unsticks easily, but...
• Those instructions need to be fixed immediately.

The bottom line for me is that the Pros outweigh all the Cons. This is the best design for a machine of this type. I have not just a mop, but also the other attachments for about the same price as most steam mops along. This one cost $59.99 at the time that I made my purchase.

Peace
--Free


DISCLAIMER: I was not paid or in any way compensated for this review. 

**REVIEW** Eco Friendly Machine Washable Reusable Bamboo Towels

As with the milk powder I tried, this is another item that I am counting on to save waste and money.

That is a roll of Bamboo Towels - Heavy Duty Eco Friendly Machine Washable Reusable Bamboo Towels (my emphasis)

I was a little skeptical about these washable and reusable bamboo paper towels. Basically, I wondered if they would work without falling apart. I also wondered if they would really work as claimed.

My first test was to wet a towel and clean one of the kitchen counters. I used soap for the first wipe-down, then I used a spritz mix of alcohol and water. The towel held up really well. It didn't shred or leave any fuzz/residue on the surfaces.

The next test was to rinse the towel out with some soap and let it dry. I wanted to see if it retained its original strength and cleaning properties. It did.

At this point, I was feeling pretty impressed. I don't know how long these will last but I'm going to treat them exactly as the packaging suggests and update this review down the road. If they last longer than a month, that would be saving my use of at least 3 rolls of these Viva paper towels I have preferred - and which cost about $9.50 for 8 rolls (with 88 1-ply sheets per roll).

Here's a little more info about the reusable towel:

• There are 20 sheets of 11x12 perforated sheets to a roll.
• They are made of a sustainable "bamboo source" (made into a type of rayon material, apparently)
• For concerned folks, these aren't made of wood from "normal" trees.

What about the "rayon" in "bamboo rayon"?

Some Amazon reviewers noted that there is actual rayon in the product and when I checked my package, sure enough, there was a note about rayon.

 Did you see it? Me either. Until I squinted.

Now, I myself am not troubled by using rayon to clean items in my home. Also, for those who are concerned, I found an article that somewhat clarifies the issue of bamboo rayon fibers. What does bother me is that the rayon part seemed to be hidden. This is a copy/paste of the product description on the product page:

Our heavy-duty bamboo towels are stronger, more absorbent and durable than regular paper towels. They are made from sustainable certified organic bamboo source with each roll can save up to 60 conventional paper towel rolls and fits in your regular paper towel dispenser. These 11" x 12" perforated tear off sheets are machine washable and reusable up to 120 times before discarding. Use these bamboo towels just like how you normally use conventional paper towels. Hand or machine wash and air dry for best results and longer life. They are soft enough to be used on skin and tough enough to be used as shop towels, our bamboo towels can be used almost anywhere. Perfect for household cleaning, travel, car, bathroom, pets, camping, personal care, daycare and more. Unlike normal trees, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing up to 3 feet or more day and is grown without pesticides, fertilizers or irrigation, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable choice over cotton and other plant materials. (emphasis mine)

The positives of bamboo and lack of certain items are played up but the rayon is not mentioned. That just seems sneaky. Notice the emphasis I made in showing the listed product name at the head of this post.

Care and Upkeep

Because these are reusable, I wasn't expecting them to be totally easy to care for, but I am glad I paid attention to the packaging. My instincts would be to toss them in a washer/dryer, then iron them. That would be wrong.

These are to be machine or hand washed but with no fabric softener. They must be air dried and not ironed. 

Bottom Line

PROS - 

• Softer and more pliable than I expected, making them great for cleaning and drying items
• The size is large enough that one is adequate for most cleaning
• They are quite absorbent and thick
• They are tough and don't tear or shred easily (at least not after my first use)
• Will replace a lot of traditional paper towels
• They rinse out well - even after wiping stain-like messes
• There isn't a lot of shrinkage after wetting or drying

Top - dry towel
Bottom - wet towel

CONS -

• They have to be air dried so need a place to hang
• The sort of hidden rayon issue bothers me

Honestly, I really like these a lot. I am going to mention to the seller that the note about the rayon shouldn't seem so hidden. At any rate, I will most likely purchase these in the future - maybe from another seller.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Marrakesh Hair Care Original Skin Butter

Let me start this review by saying that the seller I got this from on Amazon is The Beauty Box. It's important to know the seller because, well, some sellers might not be as good as others. Recently, I was extremely unhappy with the Marrakesh Hair Care Argan and Hemp Styling Oil that I got from a particular seller. (The review for that will be up soon. I wrote it a while back but messed up the scheduling of the publishing... My bad.) Anyway, keep track of sellers you do an don't like! Now, on to this review.

If you love the smell of Marrakesh Oil (in the original scent) and I have never met anyone who does not love it, then this is a nice product to have.

Marrakesh did an awesome job on this skin butter which, on the product page, has this full title: Marrakesh Hair Care Original Skin Butter.  You can tell they know that people are buying the skin butter for the scent of the hair products!

It has that amazing soft and sultry and kind of sugar-musk scent or the hair oil and it's surprisingly more moisturizing than I expected. Because I love the Marrakesh scent, I would probably loved this as a lotion anyway, but thankfully, it is highly moisturizing. I used to rub some of the hair oil on my cleavage just because of the scent. Now I have the lotion and don't have to waste the more expensive oil just for the fragrance.

While I can only ever buy the oil ($22.99) when it's on sale or when I have a gift card or something, the $12.99 Skin Butter is more in my price range. And it will last a lot longer. (By the way, I also tried the Marrakesh Leave-in and will not be buying it ever again because, well, what a waste. It only does a so-so job and only if you use a LOT of it. No thanks.)

It's hard to tell from a photo, but the butter is medium thick but has a lot of slip on the skin. I kind of wish it came in a glass jar instead of the plastic one, but...

There is not much else to tell you about the Skin Butter. Like I said, I can tell that it is going to last a while because it only takes a little dab to moisturize both my hands. I can also rub my palms across my hair for a nice fragrance. The downside is that the scent is not long-lasting. That might totally be my fault. Since I've aged, my body chemistry kills perfumes like crazy.

Bottom line is, the price is good and the quality (from this particular seller) was good. Also, I don't have to buy the hair oil just to get that lovely fragrance.

Peace
--Free

UPDATED **REVIEW** Marrakesh Oil from Amazon Seller SleekHair

*UPDATED** I finally found a candle-fragrance oil that mimics the smell of this hair product. I don't think that the producers of Marrakesh Oil would appreciate my sharing that info. I can tell you that if you shop for fragrance oils containing various Amber blends or Egyptian-African-type scents. I think that if you can find some of these fragrances separately, you could come up with your own Marrakesh-type fragrance. I have been mixing my oil into my lotions and hair products.



Ugh.

Nothing worse than getting a bum product. Well, maybe it's worse when you needed the product asap and when it arrives, it's a bum product.

This right here is what I am talking about

I LOVE Marrakesh Oil, but I am not happy with this seller. And, yes, since I review so many Amazon products, I am going to start calling out poor seller performance. I got this particular oil from Amazon seller SleekHair. They seem to have a good rating but there are a couple of complaints. Anyway, on to the product.

Marrakesh Oil and I are old friends. It's great stuff for 2 reasons: it smells delicious and it does a good job on my hair. Of course, like so many things I like, the oil tends to be pricey. I only indulge myself every blue moon.

When I got the oil (I also ordered another Marrakesh product from a different seller), I was so happy that it arrived on time and intact that I went ahead and gave the seller with a 5-star rating. That was a mistake.

As soon as I opened the oil and I should have known something was wrong. It felt like Marrakesh Oil and the bottle looks legit. The giveaway was the scent - or I should say lack of scent.

Anyone who has ever used (good) Marrakesh Oil knows what I mean. The oil has a unique, smoky, musk-ish fragrance that I'd love to have in a perfume. I was so busy treating my hair that it took a moment before I realized that I wasn't being soothed by that lovely aroma. Matter of fact, there was no aroma at all with this oil.

Now understand that a small 2-ounce bottle of the oil goes for around 22 bucks - no matter where you buy it. In the past several years, I've gotten it from Sephora, Ulta, beauty supply stores, and Amazon. I think that at one point some years ago, I got a bottle for around $17. Times change.

At any rate, this oil lacked the distinctive fragrance and that scent is a big part of why I splurge on the product. Since I had it though, I decided to go ahead and try using it as a part of my moisture sealing routine.

It looked normal.

My hair was freshly washed and towel-dried. I worked in a little bit of leave-in conditioner - the Marrakesh that I will review in another post - and then applied the oil in sections. It looked and felt a lot like legit Marrakesh but... something just wasn't right. I checked in the mirror and saw that the oil had added none of the usual shine.  First, no smell, then lackluster performance. I pulled out my magnifying glass and flipped the bottle around.

Huh.

That's odd. Most labels like this on Amazon-purchased products are very clear. I couldn't see an expiration or sell-by date or anything. And my feeling was that this bottle was either old and expired or just not the real deal. Most likely, the former. I want to think that I probably smeared the label when I was using the oil, but it doesn't matter. I'm not happy with the product.

I finished applying the oil to the rest of my hair, wrapped it for the night and awaited results. Next morning, no shine and none of the sealing I am used to.

Of course, I got in touch with Amazon and they refunded my money. I'm scared to buy any more of the oil online so I will wait until I go to Arizona and look for some in a beauty supply or (if my family is feeling generous) a Sephora or Ulta.

By the way, I deleted the Seller rating and am waiting to be able to update it. If nothing else, they need to be better about quality control.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: For those who just love the smell of (a legit) Marrakesh Oil Orignal Scent, I found a whipped body butter. The scent doesn't last as long as I would like, but the butter is actually very moisturizing. I use it as a body cream and as a light hairdressing.

**REVIEW** Orimerc Feet Self watering Wick Cord for Vacation Self-watering Planter Pot

This is a copy of the post from my other blog (Banned by Amazon). Until that blog starts getting more traffic, I will be mirroring the posts here.




PRODUCT LINK: Feet Self watering Wick Cord for Vacation Self-watering Planter Pot
PRODUCT ASIN: B07FS6TRXJ
MANUFACTURER: Orimerc
SELLER & LINK:  Orimerc

SELLER REVIEW (4 stars for customer service)

(I have to update this Seller Review. I contacted the seller to tell them that the wick cord still had not arrived as of this past Sunday - 10/21. I received a very sincere apology and was immediately refunded the entire price and told to keep the wick when it arrives. The seller told me that they contacted the Postal Service and was told that the shipment was late due to high volume and low staffing. Whatever the case, I appreciate the seller making an effort to remedy my inconvenience. I have to give this seller a 4-star rating for their customer service. What you see about the seller in the next paragraphs is what I wrote prior to their contacting me.)

When I ordered this, I didn't realize it would be shipped from China. I don't mind getting items shipped from China, but I like to know it beforehand. For one thing, you will have a much longer shipping time. For another, tracking is a pain in the tail.

Anyway, I ordered this on October 3rd and I just saw on the Amazon page today that this will be "arriving tomorrow". So, yeah.

While I can no longer submit reviews on Amazon, I am still able to give Seller feedback. If the product is as expected, the only thing I have to say about the seller is that shipments from China should be very visibly flagged as such.

NOTE: The product arrived on the morning of the 22nd.

PRODUCT REVIEW & PHOTOS: (5 stars SOLID)

Why I wanted this: I wanted this because I'm trying to plan for when I need to be away from my plants for any significant length of time. I already have the timers and some of those inserts that are meant to slowly water plants.  I will be reviewing - or re-reviewing older orders like these in separate posts. The wick cords are supposed to be a better method. So... let's review.

In addition to the 200 feet of cord that I ordered, the shipment included 2 gift packs of cord made for smaller sized plants. That was a very unexpected and pleasant addition!

The smaller cording doesn't look much different from the thick cording but it feels different and does seem like it was easier to use in my smaller potted plants.

This is a shot of how the water levels went down from 11:43 to 12:00 - using time stamps on camera - with the wick watering my Peace Lily (which is a very thirsty plant).

Bottle almost full at 11:43
I forgot to pre-water the plant.

She drank a LOT of water in 15 minutes!

PRO:
This cording does work and it works well. I have to admit that I am a little surprised at how well this works. You can see from some of the photos and times how fast the water levels dropped. That's probably because I didn't water the plants as well as I should have done before inserting the wicks. No worries. Once the plants did get enough water, they stopped pulling in more.

The one thing you have to figure out is how to level your water containers (higher or lower than the plants) so that your thirstier plants get more water while the less needy plants get a little less. I'm starting to test different levels so that I am set for when I leave. For now, I have the plants in their usual spots in the living room; when I leave for more than a few days, I will put them all in the bathroom on the shower floor. That will make using a wicking system simpler because I can leave larger pots of water and have them raised to the various levels needed for the different plants. That also simplifies using the plant lights and timers since everything will be enclosed in one room.

What I like most about the wicking cords is how easy they are to set up. I am even considering doing a little experiment using the cords along with the "watering devices" I didn't realize are called hydro spikes! LOL. As you can tell from my review, I wasn't in love with relying only on those.

I have no major negatives to relate about this wicking cord. As a matter of fact, I will feel very comfortable using them (alone or with the spikes) whenever I have to be away from my plants.

Another huge positive about this cord is that it's priced really well for the amount and quality of the cord. This soaked the water right up and was working from the start.

Okay, there are no major negatives, but...


CON: The printed instructions were pretty detailed but a little off-putting because I have cognitive issues. Can't blame the seller for that, but since I do better with visuals I watched this YouTube video (water wicking method starts at 01:35 mark)

Bottom Line: Though this item shipped from China and I was frustrated with the late arrival, the seller followed up with a lot of concern and courtesy. I have gotten other things from China that didn't arrive lightning fast, but not so slowly. This makes me believe that, like the seller explained, there were some uncommon postal/shipping problems. At any rate, because of the price and quality (and customer service), I will order from Orimerc again.

If you are interested in plants, please check out photos and info about my green collection over at The Planted Earth.


Peace
--Free