**REVIEW** Organic Jojoba Oil

Sometime in the next day or so, I'm going to be doing a post just on Making Cosmetics. For now, I wanted to share my newest oil from them:

That is organic Jojoba Oil (which is really a liquid wax). For the 4.2oz bottle, the price is $10.90 (+ s&h) if you order it from Making Cosmetics, or $12.00 (+ s&h) from Amazon (even Prime).

From Making Cosmetics product information page:

Description: Organic pure liquid wax (not an oil as such) derived from the seeds of a plant (simmondsia chinensis) growing in the Sonora desert in the USA, composed of different liquid wax esters similar to human sebaceous, based on fatty acids & fatty alcohols (no triglycerides), cold-pressed, insoluble in water. Clear oily tan liquid, no or faint odor. 

INCI Name: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil 

Properties: Precious moisturizer and emollient. Prevents transdermal water loss and retains moisture. Good lubricant without leaving a greasy film on the skin as it penetrates into the skin. Regular application can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

I've heard lots about Jojoba Oil being the closest to human sebum, but I know that some people dispute that. All I really care about is whether or not the oil will be something safe for my skin and hair. My skin already love is and I wish I could afford gallons of the stuff.

As soon as I put the oil on my hands (to test it), I noticed how soft and supple they felt. Immediately. I headed over to Google some information and the first benefit of Jojoba that I saw was for softening the skin. Nice. I'm very picky about what I use on my skin and I love anything that moisturizes and softens.

There are lots of  tips and some great info here for using Jojoba Oil.

Another plus to using Jojoba is that, while it is a moisturizing conditioning agent, it's supposed to also be great for acne and oily skin.

As for use on the scalp and hair, Jojoba Oil is supposed to be very nourishing without creating a lot of buildup. I refer to a couple of wonderful sites for information about natural hair - Naturally Curly and Curly Nikki - they both share some info about using jojoba (and other oils) for the care and feeding of natural curls. Check the sites often for good stuff all the time.

Right now, I am flat-ironing my hair. I need something to moisturize my scalp and shine my hair. The Jojoba Oil sure seems to be working. When I wear my hair straightened, the one thing that concerns me is not drying it out and not having a greasy feel. So far, so good.

There's no way to show you how my skin feels because of the oil, but I wanted to show how non-greasy it is once applied and rubbed in.

I hope that the photos show how absorbed the oil is. You almost can't tell, even in person, that there is oil on (rubbed in) my wrist. You can feel the difference though.

Oil on wrist
Clear and very thin texture

Oil rubbed in

No oil on this wrist

Did you notice how "runny" the oil is? It has a very. very thin texture. That's nice for getting a lot of use out of a small amount, but be careul with applying so you don't have a spill!

As far as I can tell, there is no noticeable smell to the oil. I have a cold, but I can still smell the neem oil I use! The label indicates that there is "no or faint odor".

Some other ways to use Jojoba Oil:

• To moisturize and treat dry feet (This is my first night using it for this, but my feet - which are not as bad as usual, thanks to a pedicure a month ago - soaked this oil right up. The difference in the Jojoba and other oils I've used on my feet is that this didn't take a lot and it soaked into even the driest parts.)
• As a lip balm (On one of the links I provided above, there's a recipe for a beeswax/jojoba balm. I just put the oil directly on my lips. Feels good, but I should do a lip scrub and try again.)
• For the ends of the hair (I applied some to the very tips of my hair and will keep doing that every night to see if it helps keep my ends from splitting so much.)
• As a makeup remover (I'm not trying to waste my precious jojoba to use for this. I plan to continue using my other oils for this and then moisturize with the jojoba.)

One thing I will suggest is that you get a dropper applicator to use when applying the oil to your scalp. That makes it easier to direct the oil where you want it. Try separating your hair into 4 sections, then putting a couple or three drops onto the scalp in each section. You can massage with your fingertips to spread the oil around without wasting any. This is going to be a nightly thing for me - especially when I am using the flatiron.

There are tons of places where you can get Jojoba Oil (I'm capping it because it's the subject of this post!) but, when it comes to oils and DIY beauty staples, I prefer getting mine from Making Cosmetics - who also have a presence on Amazon with some of their products. Like I said, I will talk more about that company in an upcoming post.


















Stay tuned for updates as I find more ways to use this...

Peace
--Free

**How-To** Amazon Prime Sharing

Ever since I have been doing product reviews, I've used Amazon Prime. That's because most of the products I review are paid for with codes (provided by a product/brand rep) and my shipping is free.

Of course, I also use my Prime membership for other things, especially for gifts for holidays and birthdays. Living in Alaska, I love that I get to shop online for affordable items without worrying about ridiculous shipping and handling fees.

Free shipping would be enough of an incentive to have a Prime membership. The other huge benefit to having Prime is that I can share my account with my household. That's 3 adults and 1 kid. We can get educational games and toys for the child without being limited to the local stores (and local prices), the adults can order clothes, cosmetics, household items and appliances, and some food items. 

Having the luxury of variety, pricing, fast (and free) shipping makes a Prime membership almost a necessity. Split among 3 adults, the membership is affordable and very, very much worth every penny.

The one problem I had with sharing my Prime membership was, well, sharing. This was a big problem during this past Christmas shopping period.

I always knew that I was allowed to share my Prime. What I didn't know is that there is a specific way to share it. What I had been doing was just giving my sign-in information to the other adults in the house. That worked great until we were all trying to surprise each other with Christmas gifts.

After searching the FAQs and forums, I still had no idea of an easier way to share my Prime membership. Apparently, this is a problem a lot of other people were having. I saw other users in the forums wondering at a solution.

This morning, I contacted the Amazon Help center and had a nice chat with a rep named Ben. He directed me to a page that I swear I have never seen before this day! LOL

Here are the directions to setting up a household so that you can properly share your Prime membership (see screenshots below):

1. Go here to access instructions for setting up Amazon Household.
2. You can add a Child or Adult. For Adults, you will need the person with you - or have their information to set up an email, password and billing information.
3. Once you have another Adult account set up, you and the other person should be able to sign in and access your separate information (as far as orders and history, etc.)

It was pretty easy to set up the other adult in our household, but I will have to wait and see how it actually works out. One thing that I noticed is that you have to be willing to "share" some of the billing information in order to share services. This was no problem for me because in our household trust one another. 

I'm curious as to why this information was so hard to find. I know that lots of other users have run into the same problem with finding out how to properly use a shared Prime account. Probably, I wasn't paying attention but, at any rate, things are fixed now.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Beautiful Textures (Texture Manageability System) ***UPDATED***

****UPDATED****

I had to come back and let you guys know that I am so unhappy with this hair treatment. It's been over 5 months since I did this. In that time, I've had to trim my hair over and over just to get rid of the scraggly-straight end pieces left behind from this treatment. Finally, a while ago, I just did another big chop. My hair was okay, and I mean just okay - as long as I didn't moisturize it much. Anytime that I heavily hydrated my hair, I'd end up with some scraggly pieces at the ends. So the chop off. Even now, I've had to snip loose ends because they would hang at the ends of my natural curl pattern. 

No matter what this kit claims, the system is way more permanent that I like. I love my natural hair and hate having to work this hard to get back to that state. 

So, just a warning from someone who wanted a "temporary" straightening: this might have results that last way longer than you like. Once I get my curls back, I will just stick to flat-ironing for results that I KNOW will be temporary.

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

I love wearing my hair "natural", but there are times when I want a different look. 

When I was in Texas, my niece braided my hair with extensions. That was a nice no-care 'do for a couple of weeks, but because I wanted the 'no care' part, a couple weeks is all my hair could take. Coming back to Alaska, my hair was drying out and starting to get some damage. The braids came out and I was back to my natural 'do.

Since my hair did dry out, I was only wearing high-moisture "maintenance" styles for several days. Bor-ing!

Last week when I was Christmas shopping, I saw this interesting product:

This is called a "Texture Manageablitlity System" (or just TMS). Here is some detailed information about the product but, basically, what it does is allow a user to easily swap between a curly or natural look and a straightened look. In theory.

I really liked the idea because, of course, I don't want to use a chemical relaxer on my hair. Another benefit was the price. I picked mine up at Walmart (of all places to discover something new) and paid just under 8 bucks.

One thing to mention right off the bat is that I thought the product was made by the same company that produces a popluar line of hair care items. The box looks very much like this company (which I won't name). From what I can tell though, from checking the box and product site, this isn't by any company I've ever heard of. Not sure what that will mean to other users, but I just wanted to mention it.

Let's look at what comes in the kit, then I will go over what I thought of as the Pros and Cons during my first use.

The only parts of the kit I had to use right away was the special shampoo and conditioner (labeled 1 and 2 in the photo). The packets labeled A and B are the anti-reversionshampoo and conditioner to be used for maintenance.

Okay, let's do the rundown:

PROS and CONS:

• It's fairly easy to use this. With relaxers, users have to worry quite a bit about timing the process (for safety) and protecting the scalp and skin (for safety). With the TMS, I did have some sensitiity to the processing conditioner. There are warnings that this might happen, which is why gloves are provided. This was my first sign that, while this might be less harsh than a common relaxer, there was still some "processing" going on. (Check the FAQs and you'll see why.)
• The conditioner is obviously the main component of the product. But, first, I had to use the special shampoo. I didn't like how it made my hair feel, After the first wash (you're to wash 3 times to start the TMS), my hair felt like soft steel wool. I'm not tryining to be funny. The purpose of the shampoo is to "clean" the hair of any product buildup, but my hair felt as if it had been stripped to the point of damage.
• After applying the conditioner, my hair seemed to revive a little bit, but it was still not feeling great. I was beginning to wish I had done a strand test of the entire process. Since I didn't do that, I will suggest it to future first-time users. Just to see what you think before going whole hog.
• My main concern (after I had used the product) was whether or not I could use any of my regular shampoos without interfering with the results of the TMS. I ask this (despite the fact that the kit includes anti-reversion shampoo and conditioner) because I normally use a gentle and extra-moisturizing shampoo bar. Good news: there are a lot of questions addressed in the FAQs. Bad news: there are a lot of questions addressed in the FAQs. I felt like I was having to hunt down basic information...
• When you spot this in the store, the main attraction of the product is that you will be able to go from not straight to straight. That's the basic appeal, right? So, I was concerned when I saw other reviews that mentioned some problems with that. This issue is even addressed in the FAQs and users are advised, in this case, to wash vigorously and do a 30-minute deep conditioning. That doesn't sound too bad, but I haven't tried reverting back yet so I don't know.

NOTE: I started this post right after using the TMS process, then I got really sick with a nasty virus that's still kicking my butt... Ugh.

Anyway, It's been a couple of weeks, but I'm back to finish off this review. Maybe being productive will help me feel better.

I have wetted my hair 3 times since using the TMS because I have done some deep conditioning. My hair has reverted back to pre-treatment texture when wet. I can use the flat-iron to get a smoothed style. I still think that I would have been able to do this without the TMS, but some other users might need the help the system provides in straightening.

My hair does better with a flat-iron straightening than with any relaxers or other "systems". Since I have rarely used a flat-iron before now (and never a decent one like the one I have), I won't know if the TMS affected the results. I will come back and do another update several weeks down the line if that is the case.

One thing I want to say for those who, like me, prefer not to use straightening relaxers (of the traditional kind), is to try just using a good heat protecting product and a flat-iron. That way, with zero treatment chemicals, you might be able to switch between kinky-curly and straight. 

When I was using relaxers on my hair, I had quite a bit of breakage during combing/brushing. With the flat-iron, I get very little breakage. My hair seems to be doing very well so far. Of course, I use moderate heat and always use a protectant (I like Aussie's Hair Insurance). I also make sure to use a good oil on my scalp. 

This is what my braids looked like:

Loved them, but my hair wasn't getting enough moisture :-(

My natural look is my favorite

But it's nice to switch things up a bit. To paraphrase a Pin I recently saw: When you feel like crap, slap on some lipstick and... well, something. Can't remember what.

Yeah, I know. I look about as good as this virus feels. Still, you get the idea. I can actually go from natural (kinky/curly) to a straighter, smoother look.

One last thing about switching up styles: going natural is the easiest. I can just twist/coil my hair for a few hours (or overnight), untwist and go. Plus, a lot of moisture is built into the style. Even though I can moisturize my scalp with the "straight" look, I can't do as much for my hair. So... I will probably only go straight for a couple weeks, then do my natural thing for a couple of months. Summer will be okay for doing the straight look longer, but winter time is too dry for my hair and skin.

I guess I would say that the TMS is a good system, depending on your hair type and needs. Also, just know what you're getting into first. Check the product's site and the FAQs before purchasing.

Peace

--Free

**RECIPE** Juice & Smoothie Blends

Since I have been faithful about going to the gym, I'm losing pounds and inches faster than I expected. I think part of the weight loss is due to the better eating habits I'm practicing.

Juicing (or "smuicing" for those who also enjoy smoothies) is a great way to balance out my nutrition while trying to lose or maintain weight. The hardest  part of it all is just like with any kind of diet (or lifestyle  change), and that is variety.

I have no problem eating right for months and months. I do tend to get bored with my healthy choices of nutrition. So... I try not to get bored.

With the new - and very affordable - juicer I've had for a couple of weeks, I can change up from smoothies to juices just by rotating two appliances.

        

Juices are easier for me than smoothies. Here are my latest recipes:

Tropical Blend

Pineapple
Mandarin Oranges
(Can add a little bit of lemon if you want)

Blood Pressure Blend

Beets
Carrots
Apple (for more sweetening)

Workout Refresher Blends (for after the gym)

Celery + Ginger + Cucumber + Oranges

Beets + Apples

Cucumber + Oranges

Blend for Snacktime

Ginger
Cucumber
Apple

Someone mentioned to me that adding a little bit of cayenne to my juices could help rev the metabolism. I want to try it, but I have no tolerance for even mild heat. I might try adding cinnamon to a blend, but I haven't yet.

Another thing about juices vs smoothies: to help replenish the fiber lost from juicing, I like to add back in to the juice some of the pulp that the juicer discards. This means having to shake the pulp around in the juice so that it doesn't all sink, but it's worth it and doesn't really bother me as far as taste.

If anyone has any suggestions for juices or smoothies, feel free to email me.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Extra Large Natural Cotton Laundry Bag from Ohuhu

Since this review is for an item with a specific and basic use, I will keep the post brief and simple.

The product is the Ohuhu® Natural Cotton Laundry Bag (extra large size).

photo from Amazon product page

photo from Amazon product page

That's pretty specific and basic, right? However, I have a feeling that some people will find other uses for this natural cotton laundry bag:

Because the bag is so big (and it's much bigger than it looks when you first see it in the wrapping), it's great for use in a dorm room. On the other hand, if it's filled up, it could be kind of heavy. For laundry use, I think it would be better for storing dirty laundry neatly in a wash area.

Like I said, it's a simple product, made for storing and carrying  (or temporarily hiding) dirty clothes. The standout features:

• Holds a LOT of clothing (4 to 5 loads)
• Is machine washable and won't shrink
• The 100% "natural colored cotton" material is breatheable to prevent mildew
• Can also be used as a hamper liner
• Is quite large - 36 inches high & 28 inches wide 

(By the way, I'm not sure if we all consider a load of laundry by the same measures!)

When I was younger, I remember my mother talking about having learned from her mother to multi-purpose everything she bought. If she bought Crisco for cooking, she also used some as a skin moisturizer. I also remember her talking about having used flour sacks to make clothing and curtains.

The material of this laundry bag is so sturdy that I immediately thought, "My mom would probably multi-purpose the heck out of this!" And, of course, I started thinking of other ways the bag could be used for "modern" household use:

• As a toy sack (for a kid's playroom)
• To carry around anything that's bulky or in pieces, and...
• ...My favorite idea - to hide Christmas gifts in.
• Lining the hamper used for diapers or smelly exercise clothing is a great idea

photo from Amazon product page

Actually, if this were dyed or decorated, it would make a super-cute "Santa" bag. Maybe because it's close to that time of year, that's one of the first things that popped into my head. Since 2 of my nieces are both pregnant, the idea of using this to line a hamper in the baby rooms is nice. I don't know if my girls plan to use cloth diapers or not  (NOT!!!), but infant clothes can have their own special funk once they get stained with formula or poop... I'm just saying.

One last thing I want to mention is that the material of the bag is a bit on the rough-feeling side when you recieve it. I'm hoping that it will soften up some after a run through the machine with some fabric softener.

The price is great for a bag of such a large size, especially the Prime price.

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** BLACK+DECKER 400-Watt Fruit & Vegetable Juice Extractor

As you read this review, keep in mind that I just used it for the first time today**. Later on, after more use, I will come and update the review if need be.

This is the Black and Decker 400-watt Fruit & Vegetable Juice Extractor:

When I first saw it at the store, the first thought I had was, "How good can a $35 juicer be?" I also wondered why it was labeled as a "juice extractor" rather than just a "juicer".

Out of the box, this was easy to set up. The only thing I had to do was remove the cup from inside the pulp container.

Let me stop here and explain why I even wanted a juicer.

As you all know by now, I flip flop when it comes to taking care of myself. I go through stages of watching my nutrition and exercising better sometimes than I do other times. I'm going through one of my upswings. Going to the gym and losing weight, yada yada ya.

In addition to eating better, I'm also more conscience of my overall health. High blood pressure runs in my family. I had HBP when I weighed 97 pounds so all the weight loss and exercise isn't going to cut it. However, excersizing does help (mainly because I think it relieves stress) and I recently heard that drinking beet juice helps a bit. Well, I love beet juice. I don't love the price of beet juice, so... I decided that juicing my own would be better.

I still use my blender to do smoothies but I tend to go overboard with smoothies. I can't just do a simple fruit and veggie protein drink. I go all Guy Fieri and start adding something from every food group until I end up with something that looks like a drunken dessert.

Juicing is simpler. I do what I did tonight with the Black and Decker: chop up some beets, carrots and maybe an orange, then store it in a quart container to drink off of for a week. I have to say that the Biotta beet juice that I've bought is slightly sweeter than my homemade. which is why I added carrots and tangelos to the blend. Now mine is not only cheaper but even better than the store bought juice! Ha.

Here is my video of my first use of this:

So. On to the pros and cons of this juicer. By the way, the model number is JE2200B.

PROS:

• Easy to assemble (and disassemble for cleaning)
• Easy to clean (the strainer is only part that I had to use a sponge on)
• Smaller sized for tighter counter spaces
• Not too loud. (as you can see/hear for yourself in the video)
• Juices beets, carrots and oranges without leaving over un-juiced chunks in pulp
• Pulp comes out really dry (so I assume I got maximum juice extraction)
• It's just under $35

CONS:

• Cup to hold juice doesn't attach to juicer (can get pushed around)

Seriously, that's the worse thing I can come up with as a negative. This wouldn't be a big deal with most fruits and veggies, but for the beets (which stain everything), I put a plastic bag under the cup and juicer just to catch drips and spurts.

I read a bunch of the Amazon reviews (even though I purchased mine at Walmart) and I disagree (so far) with any of the negative ones. Of those complaining, most reviewers focused on the fact that they had to cut up their fruits and veggies or that the machine "clogged", etcetera. In my opinion, for this type of smaller (in size) juicer and with the 400-watt motor, I'd expect to have to do some prep. Matter of fact, some years ago, I had a very expensive juicer that didn't do as good a job as this one. With that one, I could drop in big chunks of stuff but I didn't get the dryer pulp and the cleanup was a nightmare.

Tonight I got a almost a quart of juice from 6 beets, 10 carrots and 2 tangelos (I've been drinking from it already, so...):

Drank about 15 ounces of my fresh juice! Delish!

Like I said, for the price (which equals about 5 of the 16-ounce bottles of Biotta brand beet juice), if this gets me through the rest of winter, I have saved quite a bit of money. Plus, I'm doing something good for myself.

Peace

--Free

**I wrote this review last night before bed. Posting it today, so... ya know.

**REVIEW** Unilever Dry Spray Anti-perspirant

Just love checking my mail sometimes

I don't often get stuff from Influenster and, when I do, it takes a while for products to reach me way up here in Alaska. This time, I am getting to try out a new anti-perspirant from Unilever:

This is Degree Motionsense Dry Spray.in the "Fresh Energy" scent. Let's go down the list of what I really like so far:

• The nozzle is designed nicely. There's a click-to-open and spray function. This means that I won't be randomly spraying the inside of my gym bag because... me. 
• The container is shaped in way that makes it easy to hold (even with hands damp from the shower) and is just cool to look at.
• The spray itself is super-finely misted and it really is very dry. If it weren't for the scent (which is nice enough), I wouldn't have been sure I had actually applied product. This is a big deal for me because I do NOT like damp deodorants. I have been using a stick deodorant that I always blot after applying. Before now, I've never been too crazy about spray products just as a personal preference. 
• The scent is mild, even though I would prefer no scent. It doesn't linger or interfere with my essential oil fragrances.
• I tested this by applying a few hours before going to the gym. Probably because I am so freaking out of shape, it only takes about 20 minutes on the treadmill before I'm sweating like a murder suspect. I was sweating alright, but not in my underarm area. (Wish someone would make forehead anti-perspirant!)
• Since I was testing this product for it's "48-hour" anti-perspirant claims, I didn't shower for about 4 hours after the workout (just that one!). I wanted to see if the deodorant properties were on point. Answer: Yes. Definitely so.

I have to give this product some points for living up to the hype. There were just a couple of things that would make me like it more:

• While the click-to-open pump is nice, it is tricky to re-close. I was always worried that I might not have locked it back into place. (Kind of a minor point, I know...)
• The "Fresh Scent" is not my favorite. Since I don't see an un-scented version, I think I would prefer the "Sheer Powder" scent. (Just a very personal preference.)
• I can't tell yet how long this will last. From what I can tell, the 3.8-oz size is around $5.00 at Walmart (and also on Amazon as an "add-on" item). 

By the way, you can pick this product up at Walmart and here are the different scents available:

Again, there isn't much that I don't like about this anti-perspirant. What I do love is how dry it goes on. I have to agree with the blurb on the Influenster box: "This is a game-changer." It just might be...

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned in the post compliments of an Influenster campaign in exchange for testing and reviewing.

Writing, Anxiety & Inspiration from Odd Sources

Just an update for +Marla Hughes , +Susan Lewis , +Ben Johnson and the others who have been so encouraging about my writing - and who are all getting free and signed copies if I ever publish. (Hey, Ben, I haven't started the story "The Girl in the Video" that I accidentally posted that day!)

The writing project is going well. I haven't posted any more stories on The Millenium Chronicles because I am adding all my new material to the short story collection that I'm working on.

Today I have been crazy with anxiety. The writing is going as well as I just said (or even better), but just thinking of all that it takes to self-publish is driving me batty.

That dang cover!!!

I'm really stressing over all how to and what-if parts of the situation.For some reason, I am fixating on what kind of cover I would like.

How to format for uploading, design a cover, etc. What if I chose the wrong publishing arena? What if everyone hates what I've written?

I've decided that I am bi-polar when it comes to my creative side. There are the amazing highs when I hit my groove with a character or plotline, then there is that stomach-churning drop when I think I only think I sound coherent in my work.


More than ever, I am learning why writing is so lonely. I suppose that writing is meant to be a lonely business (though I have plenty of company from the people and ideas in my head), and the solitude is so necessary for me. Still...

Here's one crazy thing about writers (or maybe just about me as a writer): Because feelings are fuel for my stories, I relish things that hurt and irritate me. On the one hand, it sucks when people annoy me or even go out of their way to otherwise chafe me. On the other hand... All that pain and irritiation and stuff is like old, dry wood on the fire. If the fire is my writing. LOL

At any rate, this post was just to let my 3 supporters (hahaha) know how things are going and why you aren't seeing any new stuff online. Yet.

For the people who feed my writing fires, I leave you this:


(You probably already have... But I will love you for being an inspiration.)

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Daydreamer Travel Pillow by AirComfy Travel

I ordered this Daydreamer Travel Pillow by AirComfy Travel just a lit-tle too late to use on my recent travels.

This is pillow in the case

Never fear, I did put it to the test in a couple of unusual ways. I mean, traveling on a plane is not the only time you need to get comfy for a bit of a nap, right?



I have insomnia and use it to my advantage. Since ours is a very noisy household, I do my writing while dawn is only thinking of breaking. I like to sit up in bed with my back against the wall when I am writing. The only problem with that is neck and shoulder fatigue. I end up bunching my bed pillows behind my neck, but they fall down whenever I shift positions. Guess what? It' may not be what the makers had in mind, but this pillow is perfect for my writing in bed habit. It's also great for when I go to my infusion treatments. The pillows the nurses provide are starchy and flat. I need two or three of them to prop into position to read or write for the couple hours I'm stuck hooked to a machine.

I'm fussing and griping, but I bet there are a lot of you who find yourself in similar circumstances. This pillow might have been made with travel in mind, but it's got a lot of uses.

Just imagine how good this would be for actually traveling - on a plane, a train (or even in a car) - or wherever you're in a cramped space for a long period of time. (Speaking of cramped spaces: I think plane seating has shrunk in the past couple of years. Even "First Class" seating is tiny.)

Probably the nicest feature about this pillow is the design. It deflates down to fit into the carry-bag (which has a handy clip for attaching to luggage) and, when you're ready to use it, the button-pump is so easy.

This is fabric-covered pump

The pump and release features make it easy to adjust the firmness (and fit) for every preference and neck size. You actually can adjust the firmness without taking the pillow off your neck.

You can choose from 3 colors: Blue, grey, or purple. The photos don't show how soft the material is. Trust me on this: it is really soft and smooth against my skin.

This is the unfastened zipper

Best of all, the cover is removable for washing. The pillow is so nicely made that I had trouble spotting the zipper at the back of it.


By the way, I saw a lot of travel pillows in the different airports that cost the same or up to $10 more. The ones I saw didn't have the features of the Daydreamer and none of them were as soft.

Like I said, I ordered this too late to take on my trip, but I am not disappointed at all. I'm going to get plenty of use out of this for sure. I know that there are plenty of people (doctors, nurses, students) who put in odd working/study hours. I think this is a good gift for someone like that. Sometimes people have to get their snooze in where it fits in.

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** Suja Organic (organic juices)

My weight has gone up. Again. Probably has something to do with the fact that I tried eating way through North Texas...





(None of those photos show my chowdowns at WhatABurger, ChicFilA, Jack in the Box, Sonic or the aisles of Kroger...)

The last week that I was there, I slowed down and tried eating healthier. I discovered a love for sushi (as long as it is cooked) and certain seafood is cheaper there in Costco. I took up walking because of the amazing trail system that is near my niece's house. By the way, I wish that more places had a color-coded system of walking/biking trails. I think that having such an even terrain and safe place to walk would be a huge motivation for people to get in shape.

As part of my diet, I tried to drink a lot more water. Also, I tried out a couple of juices that are new to me. This is the first one I tried out:

 It's "Sweet Beets" by Suja Essentials. I picked it up because I love beet juice and the other ingredients are nice. The one ingredient that I had never tried was tumeric. Because of the other flavors, I can't describe the taste accurately, but it didn't take away from the light and mellow sweetness of the drink. What it did do was, uh... "move" me. After just one bottle (which I sipped out of over about two hours), I was doing 'eliminations' like nobody's business. Really. Nobody needed to be involved with that.

I've been looking around for the same blend of "Sweet Beets" but can only find this one of "Berry Goodness" here in Anchorage.

Of course, I haven't yet been to all the local stores to look for the brand.

The only downer to this product is the price. In Texas, I paid $2.50 each for 2 bottles (because there was a store sale). In Anchorage I paid around $3.50 for the one bottle. Crazy, right?

Since I like the "Sweet Beet" brand, I plan to juice the combination of ingredients myself. As much as I like the brand, if I can't find a better price, I will probably only buy it once in a blue moon. BUT, for anyone who can afford it, the juice is pretty terrific. Both blends taste great and they aren't too thin or thick. I could actually use one as a meal substitute. Also, in the warmer weather, the juice was super refreshing and cooling.

Oh - speaking of meal replacement,  there is one other thing about these juices: the calorie content is up there. For the "Sweet Beets" it's 210 calories for a 12-oz bottle (plus 65 mg of sodium, 40g sugar and 49g in carbs). "Berry Goodness" is 190 calories (0 sodium, 36g sugar and 44g carbs).

Yeah.

Just like with most "healthy" juices, you have to watch the nutrition labels for the real story. I was only looking at the brand's hype label when I purchased the juice. They do have great hype.

I think that a lot of us focus on the 'organic' notice and ignore the breakdown of the content. There is good and not-so-good in the two juices I tried.

Plus side: "Sweet Beets" daily value is 90% Vit A and 4% of calcium (but only 1g dietary fiber and 2g protein).

The "Berry Goodness" values are high in Vit C at 42%, with 5% iron and4% calcium. Fiber is 2g and protein is 1g.

Since my body reacted to the "Sweet Beets" in ways that it never has to the other ingredients, I figured I needed to learn more about turmeric. I've only ever heard of it being used to season food. What I learned is that it does have a laxative effect. Also, I wanted to be aware of any possible cautions and side effects. I don't love that whole "stimulating the appetite" part!

Bottom line: I really enjoy the juice (at least the 2 I've tried), but the cost is up there right along with the calories. This is something that will be a splurge treat - maybe in place of a fatty coffee? - but not one that I can indulge often.

By the way, I have re-joined the gym and am working to be in top shape before the sun warms Anchorage again. That should give me ample time!

Peace
--Free


NOTE: I was calling the whole brand "Suja Essentials" but, as you can see on their site, "Essentials" is just one of a line of several types of juices. Sorry about that Suja!

**REVIEW** They're Real (Push-up eyeliner by Benefit Cosmetics)

I'm so very happy that we finally have an Ulta store in Anchorage. Of course, I found this little gem at the one here in Texas! LOL

Usually, I see stuff like this and go, "Bet it won't work the way it says it will..." And, usually, I'm right. However, this stuff is excellent.

Because I am have really bad fine motor skills (I once almost put my eye out with an eyeliner stick back in high school!), the tip of this eyeliner is perfectly designed.

Now, keep in mind that the tip is not the eyeliner itself. The eyelining gel dispenses from that tip. It just sort of glides perfectly onto the lid, right where you want it to go. You know, instead of all over your eyelid or into your eyelashes (don't judge me) so that you get an even and well-stroked line.

The one thing that drove me crazy when I first opened and tried to use this was that I had to turn/click the push-up end so much. My niece actually counted the clicks/turns and it was something like 68 twists. Oh - and there is a little orange sticker thing inserted that you must remove before first use. (Yeah, I was trying to use my new eyeliner without reading any instructions..)

So... just a quickie little review in case you've seen this in the stores and was wondering if this was worth it. And, actually, the product was cheaper in the Ulta store ($24.99) than it is on Amazon ($29.40).  The Benefit site has the liner for $24.00. Also, if you want to try the brand's makeup remover and mascara along with the eyeliner, Ulta had a kit with mini-sizes of each for around $25.00

Since I do like wearing eyeliner a lot, and since I do have problems wearing it properly, this is a reasonable price - IF this lasts a while. That's going to be the deal breaker. If this ends up running out on me in a couple of weeks, forget it. I can always use a spoon to guide my regular old gel liner...

Peace
--Free