**REVIEW** Baby Bib Set by NinoStar

Since she and her cousin are the ones using these items, let's start by showing off my beautiful new grand-niece...

Sometimes, I call her "Meanie Beanie" 

... And my handsome new grand-nephew...

LOL Go ahead. Caption that expression!

(I was using the term "great" until I realized I like "grand" better!)

Both new additions to the fam are adorable. Baby LJ looks a little stubborn (he is), and Baby Sissy looks mean. We've decided that they both just have a lot of deep thoughts...

Anyway, this is the Baby Bib Set by NinoStar:

You get 5 bibs, the 12 stickers, and that cute giraffe.

When I got the baby bib set for the nieces to try on the kids, I didn't realize that all the colors are more masculine than fem. That aside, the bibs are really cute and, thank goodness, the snaps are way more secure than on most bibs. Also, the fabric is thick and absorbent enough that we aren't missing that plastic backing most bibs have. If you notice, after some washing, that plastic starts to wear and tear and feel icky.

The moms like that the snaps hold so well and that the bibs look a bit different than the usual store finds. Their favorite part of the package has to be the stickers. Every mom (especially first-time mommies like LJ's) want to mark and note everything in albums. The stickers make nice reminders of just how fast the time does fly.

I think that I like the stuffed animal most of all. I mean, if I get a say!

The animal is not very big, which makes it perfect for very little ones. Not that Sissy stays wake long enough to see hers much, I did lay it in her swing with her to see if it would catch her eye. She gave it the side eye! I think LJ is old enough to play with it more and it's small enough for his little uncoordinated hands. The feet are made of bumpy plastic and I know the kids will love gumming on them when they start teething.

 This would make a nice baby-shower gift and it's nice that there is more than just one thing included. With all the positive stuff noted, I have to say that some mothers and fathers might want something more feminine for their baby girls. The first thing Sissy's mom wanted to know was if she hadn't gotten the "Boy" set by mistake. Of course, once she put on one of the bibs, she liked everything else about it. Still, I myself would have liked something in pinks and yellows for Sissy.

The only other thing that threw us off when we got the delivery is that the product description also calls the bibs "snap on drooling cloths", so you might be looking for a separate item. No. The bibs can be used as drooling cloths. So, just know that.

The Prime price will seal the deal for a lot of gift-givers. Because the bibs are well made and so soft, you'd expect to pay a little bit more.

If you buy this and find that you aren't happy, no worries. The products are backed by a "100% money back guarantee. Return it within 90 days for a full refund with no questions asked." That's straight from the Seller.

Here are some more photos I took to show some of the detail of both the front and the soft backing.

Peace
--Free



DISCLOSURE:
In exchange for providing my fair and honest review, I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only review products that I have personally used and can give an opinion of.

Taking Control of Your (money) Hair & Skincare Products

Everybody is probably tight on money sometimes, but we still want to look and feel as good as we can. I'm a big believer in part of the holistic theory of health: it really is all connected. If you look good, you feel better and if you feel better, you look better. Or maybe that's just me.

Since I know that money is tight for me, and I still do like looking and feeling as good as I can, I really like finding ways to balance all that. One way I've found to save money is to stop buying pricier hair and skincare stuff. I also have been happy for the last few years in getting back to a more natural way of taking care of myself. 

With all that in mind, I want to talk about ways to take better care of ourselves and save money at the same time. I'm too lazy tonight to do anything but a bullet list type of post. Here goes with my rambling list of ways to save money and do right by ourselves in our pursuit of beauty:

Stop buying expensive shampoos and conditioner and lotions just because they promise something good. If, for example, you use a pricey shampoo because it does something great for your hair, why not find out which ingredient causes that? Some of us black women like what proteins to for our hair. We'll pay more for Shampoo X when we could be buying the cheaper Shampoo Y and just adding protein to it.

Making Cosmetics is my go-to for finding base ingredients that brand name items use. I think you guys remember how I went from paying so much for a store-bought "blurring" product because I found the much cheaper base ingredient. That was this product from Making Cosmetics.



Just for kicks, go over and browse this page at their site.

If I wanted, I could probably whip up a liquid version of Garnier's  Second Blur. Once again, I'm lazy. I prefer to just use the M.C. Blur powder under or over my foundation.

Another example of using base products to amp up a cheaper store brand item is to buy Collagen Protein or *** or *** and add it that less expensive product. You could get the same results (at a cheaper cost) of some salon version product. So, why the heck not?

By the way, I hype Making Cosmetics because they are one of the companies out there offering base products that I know who have excellent customer service to go with their quality products.

Perfumes are another feel-good item that can rip a budget right to shreds. I know because I am a fragrance freak. Love, love, love to smell good. In the past few years though I've been substituting oils for brand name scents. Also, I love taking advantage of the Travalo refill from Perfumania. But, better yet, there are places like The Fragrance Shop, where you can get really good imitations of popular perfumes. You can also pick up some nice E.O. blends there, but they tend to be pricey. (And, I notice that, as I've gotten out of my 30s, I need oil-based scents if I want lasting effects of a fragrance. Hormonal changes are a sonofagun!)

Another way to smell wonderful without smelling broke is to do a little research on mixing oils to create nice scents.

Source

Source

• Some general info on making EO perfumes
• Goes with the "Start Making Scents" graphic above
• This EO perfume post goes a little bit deeper
• Scroll down to see categories of EOs in this post
• This is probably the most informative on details

I like checking Pinterest for some of the best charts and info, like this one:

Source

One thing that I still haven't ventured into yet is actually mixing and making my own cosmetics. Well, that's not really true. Anyone who has trouble finding shades in lipsticks and foundations has probably done a little blending and mixing to get what they need. What I'm talking about here though is actually making a product from scratch.

• Mind, Body, Green has some great recipes for makeup (right out of the pantry)
• Not exactly cosmetics with this link, but Wellness Mama is a great info resource
• Make your own aluminum-free deodorant (love the name Pit Paste!)
• This is a gathering of links and recipes
• A charcoal powder/coconut oil eyeliner
• Since I love Pinterest, just go over and go wild

I love the idea of this blush that you can deepen in color...

Check source for more

Making your own B.O. fighter?
More recipes at the Pin page

As far as taking care of your skin and hair, I've adopted the policy of "If I can't safely eat it, why would I want it on my hair or skin?" (Did I do that right?) Seriously, I think it's fine to use some chemically enhanced things to care for our hair and skin, but I just don't want to be lathering myself with layers of chemicals and toxins. I'm starting to wonder if all the years of processing my hair and spraying myself with deodorants and other things didn't help lead to this chronic disease I now have. At any rate, I figure I can stop and do better now. So I'm trying to. I've pretty much stopped using anything but dye on my hair (and that might be over with), and I try to use natural rocks and other forms of deodorant. I'm even brushing my teeth with natural oils and butters.

I'm really curious about ways that other people find to "hack" their health and beauty routines. I spoke with one lady in a store recently and she told me that she replaces fancy foot files for sanding blocks from Lowe's and Home Depot. What are some ways that you all find to save money and deal with your beauty needs?

Yesterday, a woman told me that she refreshes her eye-shadows and other such cosmetics by spraying them with rubbing alcohol. I'd never heard of that before now, but, yep, it's a thing. A serious thing.

Another tip I picked up somewhere online was to add a little Lavender EO to your mascaras. I guess it helps lash health and growth. Who knew? I didn't.

I did know about adding a little bit of oil to the tips of pencil type eyeliners to make them easier to use. Back when I was using them as a teenager, we'd either warm the ends with a cigarette lighter or tap the end in a bit of Crisco or olive oil from the kitchen.

What I need is for you guys to share your little beauty tips and secrets with the rest of us!

Peace
--Free

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24h Wear and My Insane Makeup Drama

I was temporarily insane and in desperate need of foundation when I bought this. Never fear. It's going back to the store, ASAP.



That's Lancome's foundation in the shade of 555 Suede C.

PROS:

• Excellent texture out of the bottle
• Matches my dark skin shade to perfection
• Lasts through the day (and even through the night, if it has to)
• Would probably last a while because a little bit covers well

CONS:

• Price is ridiculous. Outrageous. ($47 at Ulta)
• The finish is too drying when it has set
• The price would cover a weeks' worth of my groceries, including coffee and toiletries
• I had to add some oil to give my face a more natural look.
• The price, the price, the price.

For someone that can afford this (and who wants a very matte finish), this is probably a perfect foundation. I had buyer's remorse even as I got my cardholder discount (paid around $30 instead of the nearly $50 tag). 

So why did I get this in the first place? Typical dilemma. I was feeling blah on my way to a meeting about job prospects. The sun was out in full force (which, as you know, will highlight both the best and worse of your facial features), and I was almost out of my favorite foundation. Oh, and, I have to add this: my favorite and most perfect (and most affordable ever) foundation is no longer available anywhere except for on Ebay. Ugh.

This right here is what I have been wearing for around 5 or more years:

It matches my skin tone (and even has the slight read under shading I love). And it's only ever cost me $10 at the most. Sometimes, I've gotten it for $8.99 online. One tube would last me 6 months, even if I was using it every day (which I don't usually do). ~sigh~

I tried using a similar product from the same Black Radiance brand. 

The shade is also "Ebony", but I don't know why the two shades are so completely different. This is about a shade and a half darker than the other "Ebony". The texture is also much thicker (and heavier). I guess it's supposed to be for heavier coverage. Whatever the reason, it doesn't work for me. 

I'm not knocking Lancome. Matter of fact, I'm happy that a major brand bothered to have a shade in a darker color. Real happy. I just wish I didn't have to see that price tag! LOL

If  you compare all three, subtle differences are enough

Before I even headed into Ulta, I tracked down every other possibility of shades and brands online. Imagine my shock when I realized SheaMoisture offers a foundation in shades a lot of women could love...

I see you down there, Madidi Mocha

I've badmouthed SheaMoisture before for their over-hyped/over-priced hair products. Never thought I'd even consider buying anything again from that brand. That makeup is the bombtastic diggity though. Unfortunately, the Anchorage Ulta doesn't carry it. I could order it online and return it to my local Ulta (which is what I am considering when I return the Lancome, pronto), but buying a foundation online is tricky when you've never used it before. 

My niece turned me on to another online brand that looks promising. It's called BH Cosmetics. Looks very interesting (especially those prices!).

Right now, the BH foundation is $4.50 (reg $9.00).

Once again, there's that problem of trying to get the right shade... This brings me to another issue with makeup companies:

Why on earth don't these brands offer realistic shade charts? I'm sure that women of every shade and hue gets frustrated by trying to match one brand to another. I did find this one site called Foundation Matrix that helps with that. 

Isn't that a beautiful thing?
I need that shade 4th from the left

The only thing is, because there are so many brands and shades, you might not find yours in the mix. I give them big props for even attempting to keep their database current.

Bottom line, it is just getting too hard to obtain decent basic makeup at affordable prices. My next step is going to be learning how to make my own. Pinterest has some interesting information on that.

                        

(You can get almost everything you need from Making Cosmetics.)

In the meantime, the hunt is still on for a foundation that I don't have to trek back to the store with for my refund :-(

Peace

--Free

UPDATE: Just a couple hours after writing this post, I made up my mind to get back to Ulta for my refund (as soon as this snow lets up). With the $30-something that I will be getting credited back to my bank, I found all this on BH Cosmetics for about the same price. That's FIVE products (2 foundations) for less than the price of a single high brand - including the shipping to Alaska. Take that, you other brands...

Product Description	Quantity	Ext. Price
BH Liquid Foundation: Deep Espresso	1	$4.50
Studio Pro Perfecting Concealer: Dark	1	$5.50
BH Liquid Eyeliner: Black	1	$4.00
Forever Nude Aqua Gloss: Chai Latte	1	$5.50
BH Liquid Foundation: Deep Ebony	1	$4.50
Subtotal:		$24.00

Notice that I got TWO of the foundations (to be sure of shades). Even if I have to return this stuff, it's going to be worth it to find what works for me. I will surely be back to do reviews on the products once they get here.

**REVIEW** Clove Essential Oil (from First Botany)

Before now, whenever I thought of cloves, only two things came to mind: 1) Toothache relief, and 2) Teen cigarettes.

I applied to get this at a deep discount so that I could add Clove Oil to my arsenal of health, wellness, and beauty products.

This Clove oil is from First Botany. This is my first time trying one of their products and, so far, I am happy with this oil. (I did do the "paper test" to check if it was diluted with carrier oils and it passed.)

What I have learned about Clove Oil in the past couple of weeks is:

• It has the highest Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) number I've seen yet.
• It's a remedy for dry skin
• Can be used to shine metals (yeah, really)
• It's both analgesic and antiseptic, which is why, I guess,..
• ...it's so good for toothaches. (I'll tell you in a moment of my experience)
• That its main ingredient is Eugenol, which is high in anti-bacterial properties (thank God for Wikipedia!)
• It's rich in calcium, iron, sodium, phosphorous, potassium and vitamins A and C
• Because of its fragrance, it's used in lots of toiletries (soap, lotion, perfume, etc.)
• Clove bud oil is used in the popular Tiger Balm (my niece swears by Tiger Balm)
• Can be used as an insect repellent (and is included in many store bought brands of the stuff)
• Is said to increase sexual energy.(Y'all will have to let me know about that one! LOL)

source

                                              

Like I mentioned, I have a story about clove oil. When I was living in Arizona (and working two jobs but still had nothing but prayer as health insurance), I got an abscess around a tooth. The thing developed in between breakfast and lunch time. It started to hurt so bad that the side of my face turned red (and you all know how dark I am, right?). I had to leave work to go home and lie in the dark and cry. A friend of ours heard that I'd left work with a toothache. She came right over to my house with the tiniest bottle of essential oil that I've ever seen. It was clove oil. She put some on a cotton ball and had my place it over that abscess. The pain started to ease up within minutes. I had to rinse and replace the cotton with fresh oil every couple of hours. By that night, the pain was completely gone and, by afternoon or so of the next day, the abscess was gone.

I kept that bottle of oil around for the next several months and then gave it to someone else with a toothache. They were as happy as I had been with the results. The only thing is, I never used clove oil after that. (And I do remember my mother having talked about her mother chewing on cloves to keep her teeth healthy and her breath fresh.)

At any rate, I don't particularly like the smell of cloves. I knew I wouldn't be using this one as a fragrance (like I do with, say, Frankincense), but I do like that it can be used for so many other things. I love using it in my concoction of natural tooth cleanser which, up to now, has been of this recipe:

• Coconut oil
• Rice powder
• Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemon or Tea Tree oil

Now, of course, I am using the Clove oil as the EO in the recipe. (Note: it keeps the breath and mouth feeling fresher much longer than Peppermint, Spearmint or Lemon. It tastes better than the Tea Tree oil.)

I haven't yet been able to bring myself to use it in water to drink any, but I am seriously going to be trying that soon. I have checked on some other ways to use this (because I want to have some hair uses), and here's what I came up with:

• Mix Clove Oil with Cinnamon Oil as a snake repellent
• Apply some to temples to soothe tension headaches (use a carrier oil!)
• Use (with a carrier oil) for a massage to heighten, uh, circulation...
• Mix with olive oil to massage cold legs and feet (has warming properties)
• Do a scalp massage with a carrier oil and 1 or 2 drops of clove oil (it's very strong) to stimulate hair growth.

The biggest Pro to clove oil is that it is stimulating. The warning to this is clove oil is also very strong and has to be used with much caution.

My favorite find to all the hair uses is this recipe that a lady in the grocery store told me about:

Take two drops of clove oil and mix into a half cup of honey.

Rinse your hair and towel dry it, then apply enough olive oil to coat your scalp and hair well.

Apply the clove/honey mix to any thinning areas and cover with a cap for about 5 minutes.

Finally, either shampoo your hair and apply some leave in conditioner.

(If you have extremely dry hair, you can lightly shampoo the hair so you don't lose all the oil from your treatment.)

I haven't tried this yet, but I did add a single drop of clove oil to a glob of coconut oil and used it to oil my scalp. I want to add a little more clove oil, but don't want to burn myself! Maybe I will experiment the next time I do a scalp treatment.

A couple of last things about the First Botany brand of Clove Oil:

1. It is a Clove Leaf Oil (not Clove Bud Oil). I guess for people more familiar with Clove, there is a huge difference (?). I won't know until I try bud oil. For me, this was pleasant smelling (strong, IMO), and I could feel the warming properties that I heard about.
2. The bottle is a good 4 oz size and I think that, because its recommended to use so little, it will last me a good while. I am storing it as suggested (cool and dark place).
3. I have now applied to try other products by the brand and will update you on how the quality stacks up to this oil. Right now, I'm pleased.

If anyone has a good knowledge of uses for Clove E.O. (or about the differences), do let me know.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE:
In exchange for providing my fair and honest review, I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only review products that I have personally used and can give an opinion of.

**REVIEW** Pinjian Home Gym Pedal Fitness Latex Tube Foot Elastic Exerciser

Because the snow up here keeps doing encores, it's tough for me to make it to the gym. (I hate driving on snow and ice.) Plus, it's just plain hard to get motivated to make it to the gym as often as I should.

You can bet that I was excited to try this:

It's a Home Gym Pedal Exerciser. Basically.

I was ready for it because I get a text alert for arriving parcels. I was suited out in my sweats and tennis shoes. And immediately ran into 2 problems. First:

No instructions. Not even a scrap of paper with stick figures. You have to go back online and find something...  If your internet connection is down, well, I guess the pictures on the box are supposed to be enough instruction. But did you really look at that photo?

Notice she has SHOES on

That chick is sitting on air and not moving at all. That was ZERO help to me. Also, I ran into another problem that the she's not having:

That's a regular highlighter just for perspective

Wearing just socks, my feet only barely fit into those peddle slots. No way am I going to get my sneakers in there. (Yes, I tried. It was embarrassing. One shoe got stuck and my little nephew gave me the side eye.)

On the product page for this item, the man is not wearing shoes. That's more honest.

Another problem I have with this item is materials. None of the parts feels cheap, but I worry about wear and tear. I really didn't want to pull that hard on the thing. Since there are no instructions or other helpful pieces of info -other than in the photos at the product page -  I can't be sure that I won't mess around and snap something. I was a little worried about the way the tension pieces hung unevenly.

That's not resting on anything,
just hanging straight down

Most of all, I keep coming back to the biggest problems with this: No instructions and those tiny peddles. I felt like a giant, trying to squeeze my size 7 1/2 dogs in there. (Okay, I wear an 8 now, but my tennis shoes run small...)


This is included on the product page:

Maybe I had the wrong expectations

                                 
I will say that I like the concept. I took off my shoes and tried playing around with this and actually managed to do some kind of "something". I can't call it 'exercise' because I was just improvising. At any rate, my socks didn't provide enough grip for me to feel safe about my foot not sliding loose. I mean, it was just barely hooked in the pedal anyway...

As far as the exercises shown above, I didn't feel comfortable doing anything but the "Hand Training". I don't need that one. I need the ones for my waist. But I'm worried about this thing snapping on me.

I really feel bad that this didn't work out. I was just too excited, I guess. Maybe someone else has managed to work with this and can send me tips. For now, the best I can say is that, for those who purchased this, there is this: "WARRANTY--90 days no hassle money back guarentee, life-time replacement warranty."

It's not often that I can find so little positve to say about a product I try, but this one is not up to snuff, IMO. Sorry, but this seems like the kind of thing I expect to find in the Dollar Store. It's not for me and I really cannot recommend it to my readers :-(

Peace
--Free




DISCLOSURE:
In exchange for providing my fair and honest review, I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only review products that I have personally used and can give an opinion of.