**REVIEW** Niacinamide Vit B3 Moisturizer (InstaNatural)

InstaNatural has great products and outstanding customer service and customer rapport. Naturally (heh heh), I was happy to give another one of their products a try. This time is was the Niacinamide Vitamin B3 Moisturizer.

I had to remind myself that this is a night cream because that's not mentioned on the front of the bottle. Also, the instructions indicate that it's best used "morning and night" - which was confusing. Because it is so very rich though, I used it primarily as a night cream anyway. As I've mentioned in other posts of late, I was using so many skin products - one right after the other - at the time that I reviewed this. That might be why I found that I became sensitive to this before the end of the first week's use. I had to wait a bit before I could resume using for this review.

That said, this is one of the best moisturizers that has Vitamin C in it. In my opinion face care potions that do include Vitamin C can be a little bit much and I usually test them out on an every-other-day schedule. This one has Vitamin B3 in the ingredients and I'm thinking that helped make it a little less harsh than other creams. The other thing I like about this one is how clean it smells.

I'm not really sure if this "plumped" my skin at all, but I know that it did help to keep it feeling hydrated through the night. That's a big deal for me because our winter's are normally cold enough that we run our heat pretty high. Heat is always draining to my skin - even humid heat tends to make my face feel salty and in need of more moisture. I can't testify to the relief of dark spots, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone issues, but I notice that it does seem to be balancing out my normally combination dry/oily T-zone. (Did that make sense? Hope so.)

I had a friend try this out for a few days to get some feedback from someone with an oilier skin type. She loves this because she says it really helped moisturize without aggravating her skin. When I took a closer look at the ingredients, I noticed that this contains Avocado oil (which my friend uses) and Evening Primrose oil, which I've heard is good for soothing the skin. Apparently, this is a perfect product for my friend.

This cream seems like it's going to work well for me when I'm not using any other Vitamin C creams and serums. I figure I will be able to use this one on a more regular basis then. That will be nice because, like I mentioned, I love how moisturizing it is, and I'm going to need that for the winter.

As always, I want to mention that InstaNatural offers a 100% Money Back Lifetime Guarantee. I can tell you that I have always received prompt attention to any questions I might have about their products. 

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** Priority Chef Citrus Squeezer

Okay, this is a product that was out of my normal range of items to review. I wanted to try it though because of my healthier eating habits. I've discussed before how I do a lot of juicing to get a good intake of fruits and vegetables. My blender is awesome for when I want to do a large amount of juicing, but I don't always want a large amount of what my nephew likes to call "mulch". (Yes, he does think he's funny.)

Because I do my juicing in the blender on a sort of two-weeks-a-month schedule (and do a non-"mulch" diet the rest of the time), I wanted something for the times when I only want a cupful of juice. Sometimes, we ladies at the house just need enough lemon or lime juice for a recipe. Never mind that those "recipes" usually involve tequila and salt! Ha.

Enter this handy gadget:

Sturdy piece of equipment

That's the Priority Chef Citrus Squeezer that you can find on Amazon. (Keep that in mind for later...)

First thing I thought when I opened up the box was that the squeezer was bigger than I expected. And really sturdy. It's stainless steel so there's nothing flimsy about it - which is a good thing because it's large enough to handle larger-sized lemons, limes and even small oranges.

A standard tape dispenser for scale

By the way, the box it comes in is perfect for gift-wrapping. And I know a lot of folks who need this for their fresh drinks, I mean, juices.

At first, I thought this was tiring to use until someone let me know I was holding it all wrong! This might be silly of me to admit, but this is the first manual juicer I've ever used. It took me a couple tries to get the hang of holding it correctly but, once I did, I managed to ring enough juice from one lime to handle more than a few drinks! Seriously. And no more tiring out my hands like before. Duh. What's kind of cool is that it's not messy - I had expected. I've watched other people use juicers that drip everywhere. This one totally inverts the fruit and with that deep-dip design, all the juice runs into the measuring cup.

I can see some of the lushes in my family putting this to a lot of use. Meanwhile, I will maintain my healthier habits... Heh heh. At any rate, the stainless steel design is going to be great for tossing this in the dishwasher without worrying about rust and wear.

Now, here's a nice little extra for you readers: You can go over and get a $7.00 discount if you use this code to order on Amazon. That's courtesy the nice folks at Priority Chef. Cool, huh? Here's the code for your $7.00 coupon: CITR7OFF

Enjoy and don't drink too much "juice"! LOL

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** Age Delay Serum (by Morea Naturals)

For a product with a long name - Hyaluronic Acid Age Delay Serum with Vitamin C + Green Tea - this works fairly simply.

loooong name, good results

One of the reasons I wanted to try it out was for the claim that it would make my skin instantly "glow". I can tell you that the minute I first applied it, I could feel something happening, and I was a little bit concerned because that "something happening" was a sort of tingling sensation. I wondered what that tingling meant - that I was allergic? or just that my skin was too sensitive for this serum? - but it wasn't too intense so I just applied some of my usual moisturizer over it. That took care of the tingling. The next time I tried it, I waited to before applying any moisturizer - just to see how long the tingle would last. Not long. It seems as if the sensation abates as soon as this dries.

My skin had been having a "dull" look for a while - as it does at the start of every of cold weather season, when the outside temp goes down and the indoor heat goes up - and after probably the second or third use of the Hyaluronic serum I noticed a little bit of relief from that. After about a week and a half, I could tell that my skin was not as dull. I haven't been using it as faithfully since that (just off and on) because of other products I'm trying out. I want to get on a regimen with it later to see if it does help boost the collagen levels in my skin - or at least from what I'll be able to notice visibly!

Overall, I really like this product quite a bit. Since this is a serum, and even though it provides moisture, I still use my regular moisturizer over it and, since it has Vitamin C in it, I make sure my moisturizer has sunscreen. I do think that because of my sensitive skin, I'll have to use on a on/off basis. That goes for most products with Vitamin C in it though.

This is not the first product I have tried from Morea Naturals, and I'm always happy with the brand and product stance. Finally, you might notice that this is not nearly as expensive as most serums of the same good quality. That's always a bonus, right? Plus, it's made in the USA. And then there's the Money Back Guarantee, just in case this doesn't work for you.

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.

Doing a Giveaway!

My

first ever giveaway is happening tomorrow & you're going to 

it. 

The giveaway item is amazing. You can read my review of it in tomorrow's Giveaway post. In order to win, you'll need to comment on my Google Plus posting. If you don't know where to find me on G+, here I am:

Me. On Google Plus.

This is going to be a quick-win situation, so be ready.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** iArrow Tempered Glass Screen Protector (Galaxy S5)

This is the screen protector by iArrow -

It's got some good qualities so less look at the ones I liked right off:

• Clear as, well, glass. It really could be invisible to the glance.
• Unlike some other protectors, it didn't hamper the touch screen capability at all
• Comes packaged really nicely so that it doesn't get all bent up in transit.
• The price (currently $10.99) is incredible for a quality protector.
• Comes with a double guarantee (in case you are as slow as I am).

Okay. It's a pretty cool screen protector, and I could not get over how clear it was. Plus, it's such a reasonable price.  However, I have one issue with it too.

Although the protector is super duper clear, that's only in the places where it went on smoothly. Normally, with a protector, you get the kit that contains a fiber cleaning cloth, maybe some sticky dust-removing tabs, and that little card-thingy to smooth out all the bubbles. Somehow I was missing the cloth so I had to use one of my own - it was not that great. Apparently. I ended up with a couple of dust bubbles that, because they were near the edge, left my protector with a couple of loose corners. 

Back to the best about this: the clarity. I swear that the phone screen looked better (in the places where the protector adhered) than when the phone was unboxed. And, while I am extremely careful with my cell phones (no drops or spills for me!), I do tend to slide them into purses and tuck them into my bras and computer bags where the screen can get scratched up. This seems like it would do the trick. If it stayed on. Unfortunately, either because I am stupid (could be), or I needed a better cleaning cloth, I ended up removing this.

To summarize: I do think that I was somewhat at fault for mis-applying the product. If you want a screen protector that will also leave you with a clear and beautiful screen, this is a great product at a really good price. It sure beats those cheaply made, flimsy protectors that I've used in the past. I've seen horrible quality protectors at local drugstores that cost as much as $12.

If you are like me and could really love this, but have any problems with it, there is a "Double Guarantee" - which means iArrow will not only refund your purchase price but also send you a replacement screen protector. (I got mine in exchange for this review, so I don't really feel right asking for a replacement. #dangmyconscience)

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I had to update this with a note about the excellent follow-up customer service from the actual co-founder. He wanted to check on my satisfaction with the product. That's pretty cool, right? To me, the people behind a product says a whole lot about whatever that product is. I have to add a star for this kind of attention.

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** Orthopedic CushionCare Memory Foam Seat Cushion

This is one product that I did not fully review for myself. My sister is the one who needed this she was the ultimate judge.

By the way, this is my sister

My sister & I (with her son looking enthusiastic)

She's a pretty amazing person. Despite the fact that she is stuck in a wheelchair for about 70% of her waking hours, she stays busy cooking, cleaning, chasing our toddler nephew around the house and, well, doing more than most of us who aren't in a wheelchair. (Actually, there are some days she makes the rest of us look downright lazy!)

Since she's stuck in that chair, we are always looking for ways to make it more comfortable. We have tried different pads and cushions and, one time, a niece and I even tried making a cushion. I'd show you pictures of the one we made but it kind of fell apart after a couple of days. Besides, it was so ugly that Stephen King could write books about it. Anyway. The cushion that comes standard with the chair wouldn't be awful if it wasn't in constant use. After a few months, it breaks down and feels like there is just the barest support. My sister has actually had more discomfort from sitting in her chair than from the issues that put her in the chair.

Enter the CushionCare Memory Foam Seat Cushion.

I wish the photo was 3D

 My sister is using this, but you know that I just had to do a little bit of a try out.

Except my car hasn't been this clean since it left the showroom

And, of course, my niece gave it a try in her office chair.

She works from home, so add a few toys and crumbs

In our real life (where our cars aren't ever clean during the winter and a crazed toddler has marked all the other chairs as his personal territory), but this is what the CushionCare looks like in the wheelchair.

this chair has some mileage, let me tell ya!

My sister (and her butt) are very happy!

This is the standard cushion she's been using:

matches the chair, but not the most comfy

Notice that the standard cushion is sized to fit the chair. That's helpful when my sister is using her transfer board -

this is the simplest & best idea ever

- to move from the wheelchair to, say, the car's passenger seat. She was a little worried that she'd have problems with the CushionCare cushion. She thought it might shift around or not meet the edge of her board. We did a test transfer from the chair to the car and from the chair to other seating she uses. We had no problems with that at all. As a matter of fact, the CushionCare didn't slide around as much as the standard cushion. I think that has to do with the cover material.

Since this review is based on my sister's use, I should tell you what she says she loves the most:

No, we didn't cut up the cushion!
Notice the contours.

The cushion is shaped in such a way that (forgive me for being sort of crude) her butt gets some air. Also the raised part offers nice support for her thigh area. This is awesome for someone that can't brace or adjust their sitting weight by shifting their feet. Because... no feet. (Humor is our therapy, people! Remind me to tell you about the time a woman in a shoe store almost slapped me for joking with my sister about which tennis shoes she liked best...)

All kidding (mostly) aside. We grew up attending a Holiness church. And if you've ever gone to church that started just after breakfast and ended somewhere around dinnertime, you might understand what it feels like to sit in a wheelchair all day. I sometimes imagine that my sister has flashbacks to those days we spent in church. And we didn't have seat cushions. Or air conditioning. Just those paper fans with pictures of MLK, JFK and Jesus on them...

Sorry. I got distracted for a moment. Back to the review.

Sis says that the foam in the cushion in so comfortable that she wishes there was a matching pad for the back of her chair. Speaking of backs... My sister wanted the comfort provided for her butt, but (ha!) this cushion provides amazing back relief. According to my sister, her back just didn't feel so strained and tired as it usually does.

As you can see from the product photos, anyone can benefit from the support this cushion provides. I'm sure this is a wonderful solution for folks who do a lot of driving or who spend hours at a desk, but I'm glad that we've found something for my sister to use in her wheelchair. I'm hoping that word gets around to healthcare providers so they can recommend to their clients.

Because this cushion will get so much use, it's great that it is machine washable. Also, there is an excellent lifetime guarantee.

This is one of those products that is so good I had to write a thank you to the company for letting me (my sister) try it.

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** Sano Vitamin C Serum & Eye Gel

Because I've been trying out so many facial products, I had to take a break and let my skin rest before I even wanted to post about them! #firstworldproblems.

I was a little bit surprised by a duo of products I've been using and keeping notes about:

I love when things come in sets. This one comes from the Sano Naturals brand that is also sold on Amazon. I have learned elsewhere online that a very loose meaning of "Sano" is "healthy". At any rate, I like what Sano has to say about their brand. Now on to these products I tried:

First. let's talk about the Serum.

Some days, I get patches of dryness on my cheeks and around the sides of my nose and I don't want to use anything labeled "anti-aging". A lot of anti-aging products can be somewhat drying. I think this is because they are sloughing away old dead skin cells. That's all good, but I hate dry patches anyway. My surprise with this serum is that for something containing hyaluronic acid, it turned out to be as gentle as it was. I think this is because the formula also includes aloe. Smart move. My skin loves aloe because it is as soothing as my mother always told me it would be. Another thing that is different from other Vitamin creams I've used is that this one is so much thicker. This is a clear serum that took just one tap to soak my fingertip because of the moistness and consistency. That's good when it comes to not applying too much. And this product isn't cheap so you're going to want to be stingy with the applications. Or maybe that's just me and my broke self! Maybe you'll be able to just glob it on!

 Of course, I'm kidding. This is expensive, and I am stingy with my applications but, even if you can afford to, you won't need to over-apply. I hate using this tired old saying but, it's true that a little bit goes a long way. I do wish that with expensive products, there were more options as to container size. Thank goodness it works the way it promises. I don't have lots of lines and wrinkles, but I have had bouts with areas of dull-looking skin. (I blame it on winter. I blame everything on winter.) This serum delivers on the "revitalizing" promise. I'll use it intermittently throughout winter as I need to.

Now, on to the eye cream - which was actually an optional product for me to try out in addition to the main feature of the serum. Glad I did try it because I like it more than most eye creams I've tried. For one thing, it's not greasy or heavy - something I hate for an eye moisturizer. No one wants to have that sticky kind of feeling that you have to blot away before applying eye makeup. This eye cream is light and moisturizing. With a lot of eye creams, I will apply them a while before I do my eye makeup - just to make sure I'm not going to have that streaky effect. When I used this one, I noticed that it had absorbed withing moments. Everywhere I applied it (eyes, cheeks and forehead, because the instructions say I can) was soft but not sticky. It's hard to explain but the ladies who wear eye makeup know what I mean. This is important to me because I do like to use an eye cream - especially in the morning.

Both products are on the pricey side but, using my formula for judging what's "expensive" or not, they are more affordable in the long run. Okay, I don't really have a "formula". What I have is a simple system that I apply when buying necessities: 

A pair of $10 shoes might end up costing you way more than a pair of $100 shoes. As long as the $100 pair is worth it. Think about how much comfortable use you can get out of a good pair of shoes. Think about the damage to your feet you cause by wearing a bad pair of shoes. Then think about how often you will need to replace that cheap pair.

(Now, if you can ever score a great pair of shoes for $10, remember that I wear a size 7 1/2 to 8. )

When you opt for a more expensive product, you hope to get what you pay for. With these products, you will. And it's very easy to go light on the applications to make them last longer.

I just noticed that Sano is offering a discount on Amazon if you use the code they currently have posted on the product page. (This limited offer is mentioned in the product description section.)

Peace
--Free

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.

Struggling and Coping

This morning on Twitter, I caught up with someone I connected with long ago during my first days online. This is a smart, go-get-em kind of woman. It seems that she, like me, is going through some trials. I know that she, like me, is going to come through just fine. But, probably, for both of us - for anyone- it`s not knowing how strong you are before a struggle, or that you will be better afterwards, it's that whole period of 'getting through' it. The being in it. The whole truth of these periods of struggle - which always feel like a battle to hang on to the best of what you are - is that you have to go it alone. The only thing you have is your faith and your trust.

So, to my buddy from way back (you know who you are), I don't know what you're going through. I don`t know how you feel while  you`re getting through, but I know that you can make it through.

My current struggle? Fatigue from and exasperation with this damn sarc. Trying to focus through this haze that clouds my mind every time I attempt to write or pray or just think. I figure I'm getting a couple hours of energy each day (at the most) to spend time enjoying my family, keep up with the blog, and taking care of myself. The rest of the time, it`s a terrible effort to do anything. Sleeping doesn't help because I'm not tired. I'm not tired, I'm simply fatigued and fogged.

I need this on a t-shirt

When you get an odd disease, one that's not so recognized and understood in general, your doctors do all they can to fight the progression. You get medicine to keep you alive - and, in my case, to keep me from walking into walls. What you don`t get is lessons in how to cope with the damage that`s been done. Or how not to be so irritable that you begin to hate yourself.

They got a drug for brain fog?

No decent person would expect someone on crutches to run, a blind person to drive, or a mute person to "speak up". It's tough for people to know that I have a disease that comes with its own issues. I don't realize that I'm annoying because I might be asking you the same question now that I asked 10 minutes ago. If I get quiet and still in my body because that helps my mind get quiet and still then, yes, I might get edgy when you pierce that quiet and stillness with a lots of loud noise.

Stop. Please. Or at least PAUSE.

 

Because, while my disease is being treated, no one is teaching me how to cope. I am learning as I go and the going gets ugly. Having to concentrate so hard when I do anything - drive, clean, write, read, pay bills, make appointments- is tiring.

Before this disease, writing was my coping therapy. I wrote short stories and long stories and even novels and, whether they were never going to be read by another person, they were my therapy. Now I can`t even keep grasp of one thought long enough to weave it to another. Before, if I wasn't writing, I was reading. I still read, but listening to audio books is better because, somehow, hearing stays with me longer than reading. If I don`t get frustrated because the audio is more 'noise' than I can take sometimes.

I can deal with most of my symptoms, but this fatigue piled on top of it all is too much. Not being able to sleep well - or to feel rested when you do sleep - and not being able to find the energy to function when you are awake is just too much. I have been meaning to clean the bathroom for over a week now. I did spray cleaner on the shower walls yesterday. That's something. I rinse today. Maybe.

So. I am struggling, but that in itself is a positive. Struggle is action. Prayer is medicine. God is good. This struggle, this fatigue, this strain are just symptoms. They are not the whole of me. My main coping mechanism is one that can't be polluted: faith. I have faith that this, all of this, will pass.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: I promise that the whine session is now over. I'm going to try to get back to posting reviews asap. I have just finished a couple weeks of trying out and using 3 products. Just have to get my notes together. You now know how that will go!

**REVIEW** Oleavine Konjac Facial Sponge (for skin)

I'm going to go ahead and say right now that this Konjac Sponge from Oleavine is about to be a trend in face-care products. Even though the word "Konjac" makes me think of computer hacking, I am pretty hyped about this sponge.

Looks like a pumice stone, right?
Feels that way -  until wet.

Very thick and, well, sponge-y
(The string is for hanging & drying)

Why do I like this so much? Well,for one thing, like most folks I like the way my skin feels after a good exfoliating scrub but hate the idea of abrading it with razors or other harsh tools. (Maybe that's just me, but didn't your skin crawl a little at the word "abrading"?)

Before I got the chance to review this sponge, I'd never heard of anything like it. I wanted to try it out because I like the idea of cleaning my face without too many soaps and additives. I definitely like the idea of using something as gently as a sponge.

After my first use, here is what I like most about the Konjac sponge & why I think it will be the next beauty trend:

• Easy to use. Just rinse & wring, then massage your skin with it.
• Clean. No need to add soaps, oils or other cleansers.
• Sensitive. Does not scrape at the skin the way most exfoliating/scrubbing products can do.
• Affordable. In the $10 price range on Amazon. It's supposed to be replaced every 2-3 months.
• Can use on your face or all over your body if you want.

If you just want to try this out, know that Oleavine offers a 100% money-back guarantee and they encourage customer feedback, which is always a good thing.

Since I tell you guys way too much about myself, I might as well let you in one the one super-annoying beauty problem I have: blackheads. Right on the tip of my nose. I am always tweezing and scrubbing at those pesty little things. The blackheads were the first thing I checked for after using the sponge. They are mostly gone, no tweezers or scrubs required.

Oleavine has other sponges (with different properties), but this particular sponge is infused with Bamboo Charcoal which contains activated carbon and minerals. According to the product box, this will purify the skin and draw out anti-oxidants.

I can verify that when I didn't have to use as much of my facial moisturizer after I treated my skin with the sponge. I guess because I had cleared away some of the dead skin that was blocking my face cream. Not sure, but I like the overall results.

Add to that the fact that these sponges are natural, eco-friendly and bio-degradable and I think even more people will want to give them a try. For the super-concerned folks, these sponges are not tested on animals and are vegan-approved.

I had a question about whether or not I needed to remove my makeup before using the sponge. Someone else asked and received their answer on the Amazon page. The answer is that, basically, you don't have to remove makeup beforehand. Some folks use the sponge as the remover. Nice.

One thing I will point out: in my case, I have sensitive skin and I can tell that I will only be able to use this on my face maybe once a week. I plan to use on my lips and other less sensitive areas of  my body more often. My knees and elbows? Oh, they are going to get a daily treatment!

You know your skin better than anyone so I will only recommend that you use the sponge just as often as you would use any other exfoliating product. At least, until you can tell how your skin will react. I noticed that it doesn't take a lot of massaging of the facial area to get good results. I went over my face twice when once would have been fine. I could tell when I noticed a slight sensitivity in one spot. I'm guessing that the natural state of your skin (oily, dry, or combo) will be a factor in how often you can use this. That makes sense because, according to the labeling, this product is supposed to be especially effective for "oily and acne-prone skin".

Like I said, I think this is going to be the new beauty trend, but it's one I can say I like.

Peace
--Free

P.S.: By the way, "Konjac" is the name of the fiber used in the sponge. Once I did a quick search, I found quite a bit of information online about this fiber and the various ways in which it's used (and some hazards of eating the fiber...)


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** ExceptionalSheets.com

This has been a pretty busy day for me, but I had to stop and post this review because I am so pleased with the towels I received from ExceptionalSheets.com. SO pleased.

my camera is horrible so...

...This is a better photo from the product site:

Yes, they are that thick and soft

Someone needs to invent a "feel-o-vision" camera so you could tell how soft and thick these towels are. Seriously. I have bath mats thinner than these towels and not as absorbent.

The towels I received are 900 grams per square meter (referring to the density of the towel), which puts them in the "luxury" category. Because this towel is so absorbent, it will take longer to dry, but, boy, it feels so good against the body. With the bath towel, I just felt like I was being hugged. I wish I had one of those towel heaters in my bathroom.

Now, I'm no heathen. I've lived well at times and enjoyed some very nice things in my life. I know what luxury towels feel like. I also know what cheap towels and nice towels and so-so towels are like. I even know what expensive towels can be like when they don't live up to those ridiculous price tags. I've bought those towels and thought the price had been worth it  (even when I had to put some on layaway once just so I'd have nice stuff for house guests). Now that I've felt these towels, I'm kicking myself because they are actually affordable. (All this has to do with the fact of why the owner started this business. You should go and check out the company profile on their site.)

Before I go on about the towels, let me say something about how this company shows that it values customers. As you can see, they take customers and service serious. I think that they offer such wonderful service and satisfaction guarantees because they know they have quality products. Why else would they offer a 125% cash guarantee?

I could go on and on trying to describe these towels to you, but I think they best way to convey how happy I am with them is to tell you that I will be getting some more to give as gifts. I'd better,  or else my sister is going to steal mine! Like me, she can't get over how soft and pampering they feel. Also, we both thought at first that they were larger in size than the average face, hand and bath towel, but I think it's just the thickness that gave me that impression.

As far as price: I've paid so much more for towels that are not anywhere near as plush as these. I think these are affordable enough to have a set for your own use and another for special guests. And I know that guests will be impressed. Matter of fact, don't put them out for guests. They might steal them.

At the time that I am posting this, I notice that there is a sale going on at the site. Time to get some Christmas gifts checked off my list.

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** Dot & Dot Packing Cubes

In all the moving I've been doing lately, I find myself living more out of my suitcases than I like. I'm an organizer by nature, so I've been struggling to keep things in order until I have lot of storage space to work with. (Of course, the more storage space I have, the more stuff I buy to store. #AmItheOnlyOne)

Since I have been traveling as if I actually have lots of money (but don't), when I saw these Dot and Dot Slim Tube Packing Cubes on Tomoson, I literally jumped at the chance to review them. Jumped because I have storage problems and because I'm forced to live so frugally that I first judge things based on use and affordability. (Well, okay - looks also matter. No use having something you can use and afford if you don't want it seen by nosy people.)

thought they were stackable

not stackable but cute

These run in the neighborhood of about $7.50 each, I jumped so fast at my keyboard that I almost spilled hot coffee on my laptop. Thankfully, my laptop is safe, so here is my review:

The first thing I noticed when I looked at the online photos was that the cubes looked stack-able. I thought that, even though they arrived separated as 4 individual bags, that they might interlock in some way. They don't. They are separate bags (or "cubes") with sturdy zippers and nice little fabric tote handles.

Here they are, empty and right out of the package,

empty & roomier than it looks

view from the top

the handle is stitched on tight

nice mesh to see what's inside

I like that the cubes are made of fabric (and pretty good fabric at that) because plastic would not have been as flexible when I want to squeeze in just one more thing. The cube that I stuffed, just to see if the fabric or seams would give way, held up to the challenge. Nice.

Part of the cube is netted so it's easy to tell what's stored without having to dump out the contents. Unlike another storage bag I've used, these have really good zipper pulls (and are attached with thin cords) that don't threaten to slip off. Just because some of the things I store in my luggage can leak (makeup, lotions, etc.), I often use plastic baggies. The problem with that is that the baggies eventually break down from  - usually at the closure. The only thing I would like more about these cubes is if they were waterproof. In the meantime, I am still loving them. I keep my baggied items inside these just because its nice to have something so uniform and attractive.

and the zipper pulls that won't pull off

There are really no "Cons" I can point out about these storage bags. I wish I had gotten to try the waterproof storage too. For now, I use the ones I have to organize what's in my luggage. When I'm more settled, I know that I will like using them to organize things in my bathroom pantry and drawers.

Once I used up this first set of packing cubes, other uses for them occurred to me:

• To use as what frequent travelers call "go bags" to keep makeup, undies and other personals at the ready for short trips away from home. ("Go bags". Doesn't that sound all "Criminal Minds" of me?)
• As storage for the various things we keep in our cars. Even when I am in a place of my own, I tend to use my car as a second residence, keeping spare everything in the back seat. This is Alaska. It's always good to be prepared. 
• For storing documents (such as passports, bankbooks, etc.)  that you don't want to leave in obvious and open places. These bags can be hung from a hanger in the closet between clothes.
• For traveling with kids. You can get everyone their own color to identify their items when packed in one suitcase or while staying away from home. Matter of fact, you can use this strategy to identify family member items around the house for toys, bath items, etc.

The storage options come in different sizes of cubes, folders and other organizers.

my tag shows the sizes and the waterproof bags I want

The particular cube set I have comes in 10 different colors. I think I want to go for the red and the black sets. You can get more information and purchase the bags here. Check out Dot & Dot Travel here for their other organizing solutions. I think parents will be interested in the stroller items that I thought would even be handy for bikers and such. Just an idea.

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.

For the Love of Glycerin

Recently, I've posted about hair care products that have not lived up to my expectations. During one of my product tryouts, I ran across information about using glycerin to improve some of the products that I won`t be able to return for refunds. Because I am a strange kind of person, I got curious about why glycerin was so recommended. I did a little bit of research.

According to much of the info I ran across on various sites (focused on everything from beauty care to healthcare), glycerin is like a do-all, solve-all kind of item. Of course, when I use the word "information", I'm talking about internet information where everyone is wise and wonderful and knows exactly what they are talking about. So I take it all with caution, a grain of salt and a medical hotline on speed-dial.

If lots of internet wisdom is to be believed, we should all be buying glycerin by the gallon because it can be used in just about every part of a normal person's day. I'll stick with the few things about glycerin that interested me:

• It's great for adding not just to hair products, but it can improve lotions and soaps too.
• Also (and this really surprised me), some people take glycerin orally to relieve constipation. 
• Surprise again - Some people use glycerin to treat dry mouth and gum tissue problems.
• Tired of being surprised, but some folks believe that glycerin can (when taken orally) encourage weight loss. (Maybe that ties in to the constipation relief?)
• (NOTE: did you know that glycerin is sometimes prescribed? So don't just let the internet be your healthcare guide. Check with a doctor about anything you plan to use that could have a negative effect. I myself don't even like to breathe the air without a prescription!)

Anyway. This glycerin. Who knew it could be used so many different ways. And why the heck had I not heard all this before!?

I've used this before
& never thought about it

Since I am paranoid about believing even a tiny part of what I read on the internet, especially when it comes to my health and well-being, I'm super-cautious about ingesting anything without my doctors' approval. But I can't wait until my appointment next week to ask about trying oral uses of glycerin. In the meantime though, I'm sure even my docs sometimes wonder what the hell is going on with this hair of mine so I am already testing glycerin in my beauty products.

Did I mention that glycerin is a fairly cheap purchase? At least for now. Soon as everyone starts getting hot about it, the price is going to be jacked up like crazy. Just you watch for it. In the meantime, I paid too much and still, for just under 12 bucks, I was able to get a 4oz bottle each of "100% Pure Vegetable Glycerin" and a Rosewater Glycerin mix. My first test was on my skin. I picked my knees because, well... See I had been playing cars with my nephew. This means a lot of crawling around on the floor and getting all ashy-kneed in the process.

Anyway.

The pure glycerin is a thick-ish syrup-like substance that I expected to be sticky (based on some user comments at review sites). When applied straight, it does have a slightly tacky feel on my skin - like a thin coating of petroluem jelly - but it's not unpleasant or too noticeable. When applied with my body lotion, there was very little tacky-ness. I actually love the way it feels applied straight, no chaser. Another plus: no odor at all.

probably cheaper than my 4oz bottle...

The Rosewater glycerin mix is as thin as water. Directions are to shake well prior to use - I guess to distribute the glycerin. This is something that I will definitely be using on my face prior to applying my regular moisturizer. When I applied to my han

ds, there was zero tacky-ness. The rosewater (which is a scent I'm not usually wild about) is not over-strong or unpleasant. I actually  kind of like it because I was about to be testing this one on my hair as well.

To get a good idea of glycerin's moisturizing benefits, I wanted to make sure my hair was really clean and completely dry. I did a shampoo and rinse-out conditioner to get every strand nice and clean. Thanks to some of the other products I`d tried on my hair these past several days, the being dry as a bone part was no problem.

I tried the pure glycerin on a hank of hair on the left side of my head and worked it in real good. Without looking in a mirror, I did a "touch test". Wow. Big difference between the treated and un-treated hair. Lots of instant softness and the sort of bouncy feel I get with really good products.

Still not using a mirror, I treated a hank of hair on the right side with the rosewater mix. Nice enough, but not nearly as moisturized (by feel) once it dried.

Finally, I took a look in the mirror and... Both side looked lots better than my un-treated hair. Hair can definitely look as dry as it feels. My un-treated hair was about as crunchy as fresh potato chips.

Bottom line: I think that using glycerin is going to be good for my hair simply because the moisture retention will help reduce breakage. Also, I'll be applying both the pure and the rosewater mixed version to my scalp as well. And, because I can use less of other products, I won't need to wash as often (to get rid of their odor and buildup). Less washing, less drying out and handling.

I will have to report back on how this does on my skin over the longer term. I`m going to be using the rosewater on my face and the pure product on the dryer areas of my body. For the rest of my skin, I will add glycerin to the regular lotions I am currently using. What I can tell you right away from using the pure glycerin is that my hands didn't dry out every couple of hours like they normally do. Usually I am reapplying lotion after every hand-washing or time out in the cold. Love that.

If you are thinking of trying glycerin, I understand that it`s available (for reasonable prices) at most drug stores and chains. I happened to get mine at our local health food store just because I was in there to pick up some honey! Even though I will be able to stretch the use of a 4oz bottle for weeks and weeks (because a teensy bit goes a loooong way), I paid too much for such a small container, so... shop wisely. Also, just think of being able to maybe salvage some products by boosting their properties (and your lotions) with a bit of glycerin. I think this is money well spent. As far as ingesting the stuff.... I would check with a doctor first! I'm just saying and I'll keep saying it as long as there are people who believe everything they see online. 

Peace
__Free

**REVIEW** Adovia Anti-Wrinkle Facial Moisturizing Cream

First, let me tell you how much I like the previous products I`ve tried from Adovia. I adore their conditioner and shampoo (even though I never did get my promised free bottle of conditioner :-) 

Now, about this anti-wrinkle moisturizer: our weather up here in Alaska is getting dryer and colder as winter creeps up. My skin is not happy with that. Also, I have to point out that I have been trying some facial products with Vitamin C in them, so that could account for some of the effectiveness of this Anti-wrinkle Facial Moisturizing Cream.

love the Dead Sea minerals

The ingredients: Demineralized water & dead sea water, stearic acid, cetearyl alcohol. butylene glycol, propylene glycol & charmomile (anthemis nobilis) extract & algae extract & papaya (carica papaya) extract & aloe vera arbadensis gel, sweet almond (prunus amygdalus dulcis) oil, caprilyc/caproc triglyceride, glycerin, dimethicone, carbomer, benzoic acid, chlorphenesin, dehydroacetic acid, benzalkoinium chloride, urea, vetiver, myrrh (commiphora myrrha) extract, rose absolute, lactic acid, dead sea salt, retinyl palmate.

This does moisturize a bit, but it worked better on my neck and (man, how I hate using this word) "jowl" area.  ('Jowl'. Ewww, right? Who wants to admit to having 'jowls'? Sounds like I have a face like a hunting dog. There's gotta be a better word than 'jowls', but I'm  just  too lazy to go look it up.

Anyway ...

So the cream was fine on certain parts of my face but didn't moisturize my forehead and inner facial area  as well. I had to  reapply  it a couple  of time  throughout  the day - which  was  a pain because  it   meant  having  to  touch up  my makeup  also. To compensate  for the moisture  problem curing  the  day, I made sure to do a liberal  application just before bedtime . 

What I do like so much  about this cream is what I  like about Adovia products  in general: it has a nice faint smell, good ingredients and is mild on sensitive  skin. Also, the company  has good customer service   (money back guarantee  ) and good practices (no animal testing). You can check out Adovia products either here on Amazon or on Cleopatra's Choice. Be sure to look into the incentives they offer, such as free shipping on certain orders, samples and referral rewards.

Finally, another note about what may have  affected  my results with this cream: my skin is in flux. I have a product that I have used for years because it works really well for me. Every now and  then, I have to take a break from that product and use something else for a while. Well, right now, my skin is craving that product  - probably  because  of  the  weather. In another  month or so, I will probably be able  to  use this Adovia  cream with better results .

I'd  recommend  this cream for someone with  sensitive to normal skin and living in a climate not as dry as mine is.

Peace
--Free

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** Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls

Well, shame on me. Isn't that the way the saying goes? "Fool me once..."

~sigh~

Here's what happened: I was strolling through one of the local malls and, since I was having one of those days when my hair couldn't decide whether it wanted to curl or coil (and, yes, there is a difference), I let my feet take me into one of my favorite beauty supply shops. Damn feet.

If you remember, we Alaskans just received our annual Permanent Fund Dividends. I can't go crazy and spend mine like most people do/did, because I have too much financial instability going in my poor, pitiful, nothing-like-Oprah life. What I can do though is combine 3 months of my normal pittance of a budget for miscellaneous expenses into a lump sum without starving. With Christmas and some birthdays in the family coming up, this is perfect. And I gave myself a small allowance. So...

As I'm browsing the store and asking the clerk (who knows a little something about black haircare) if she can recommend anything for the current state of my hair which seems to be off its medication, she points out two products: Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls and Mizani's Curl Stretch Cream. (I hope the Mizani's will be as good as the other stretch cream I've used!)

Now, I have tried (and liked) a couple of Mizani products. They are expensive so I only get them on deep sale or on that Burlington's Coat Factory shelf where just about everything is discounted. I hadn't ever tried this particular Mizani product though and it was priced at $19. Oh boy. The Jelly Soft was $17.

Of course, I have tried (and not loved to death) Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls. I didn't like the same way most folks hate skin on their pudding. After using that product, I spent too much time wondering what the hell kind of prison-issue, stiff and crunchy pillows Miss Jessie slept on.

I relayed all this to the clerk. She told me that she did nt carry Pillow Soft but that she had heard back from other customers that they liked Jelly Soft. And since I didn't have access to any handy Amazon reviews just then, I hemmed and hawed. The clerk promised that I could return and get a refund on any product I didn't like. I stopped mid hem-haw and went for it. I got both. 

I will review the Mizani in another post, but let's talk Miss Jessie's, shall we?

Obviously, Miss Jessie has as much of a problem with understanding the softness of jelly as she does pillows. Pillow Soft was not as horrible as Jelly Curls. In the case of Jelly Curls, at least the name fits. After I applied the product (according to the directions) and let my damp hair dry, I wondered if there wasn't actually a little bit of jelly in the ingredients. Jelly, yes. Soft, no. Not soft, but dry. Dry as if I had sat with a hair bonnet connected to a dehumidifying machine that could suck all the moisture from an ocean.

Lies, lies & more lies

Take one more look at the pic and read that description of Jelly Soft again. Know what's missing? The word "DON'T". As in:"For people who don't want..." all that soft and touchable hair that the product is promising.

Damnit.

What the hell is with all the hype over Miss Jessie's products? Was she ever one of Oprah's favorite things or something? I mean, how did these products get so much positive recognition? So far, all I can tell you about them is that they are expensive and don't live up to the descriptions on the labels. 

truth-free hype

After using the gel, my hair felt gunky and stiff. I had to wash it out and deep condition just so that I could detangle the desert that was my hair. Thank goodness I can return this mess.

With the Pillow Soft, I could at least say that I found a way to make it work. And it seemed to function as a conditioning agent. Once I rinsed that product out, my hair seemed as if I had retained some moisture. With the Jelly Soft... nothing good. I wouldn't have wanted to let anyone touch my hair because it was so stiff and icky feeling.

***Forgot that I got a pic. This is after using Jelly Soft. My hair has dried & you can almost hear the crunch through the photo***

Shame. Shame on me. 

So, all after the fact, I went over to take a look at some Amazon reviews.

Guess what? Only 7 bad reviews, but they all echoed my sentiments. Of the good reviews, I am thinking that maybe some folks have never experienced a good hair day. (That was mean of me, but Miss Jessie's does not deserve any good thoughts from me at this point.) Even for reviews that were positive on how Jelly Curl worked for them, the complaint was that the same results could be had with more reasonably priced products. 

With the returned funds I wasted on Jelly Soft, I picked up 2 other products (and had change left over). Even though I got my refund, I am holding a grudge against that other store and made sure to buy my replacement products at Sally Beauty Supply. They have never mislead me about products before.

I will soon be reviewing the Mizani and the other two products I got. For now, I have to go and release my hair from the ICU into rehab. Damned Jelly Curl almost put it into flatline...

I have learned and been burned. No more Miss Jessie's for me.

Peace

--Free