Sally Hansen Salon Effects French Mani

 First let me say I lucked up and found these Sally Hansen Salon Effects at the local Dollar Tree for just a buck! These things are outrageous at Wal-Mart so I was pretty excited. Like normal when I find a good deal, I couldn't buy just one. I bought a few different types to try. I really love the french mani look so I decided to try the gold glitter french mani pack first.



The box had detailed instructions on what you should do to apply this product correctly. I followed along. Let me begin by saying these are not what you would call difficult to apply but they do require some time. If you are familiar with the Jamberry products then these will not be a big deal and they will remind you of Jamberry quite a bit. The difference is you do not need heat to apply these they are more like a sticker. I also noticed that these were much thinner than Jamberry. This being said you must be careful not to tear the product while you are applying them. I trimmed mine down with nail clippers and then used the file provided in the box as it is suggested to use it.

I was happy with the end results once I got this product on all my nails. I am a bit off cue on even tips on every nail but since I always have this problem no one even thought twice about it. My nails looked nice and felt ten times better since I had trimmed back my cuticles and used oil on them as well.

The product says it will last for 10 days. I am sad to say that mine did not completely last that long. My first nail on my right hand began to show signs of wear on day 3 and then my pinky on the same hand chipped a bit a few days later.

My biggest gripe with the product is that it was a lot of work for only 3 days of wear. I wish the product was not so easy to tear. Folks who have trouble with their hands may mess up a couple before they are able to master the art of what to do. Lucky for me I only messed up one and there was plenty to take its place. I also had a bit of trouble finding the right size for my tiny nails. This meant that I had to cut more to make them fit properly. Not only did the ends need trimmed but I also had to trim from the sides.

I did like the price I spent to get this product. I did find the results were very pretty. Application was pretty easy but not something to try to do in a hurry. The box includes everything you need for application so there is no need to have to buy anything else.

I would give this product a 3 stars out of 5. The product does work but did not last as long as promised. Granted I did not go easy on this mani. I continued on with my daily life but I still think with a promise of 10 days I should have gotten at least 5 before I seen wear. If I have the opportunity to buy this product again at the deal I got and there is a design I like I would make the purchase but I would not give Wal-Mart price for this product. 

Great Pick Me Up & Carry Me Through Breakfast Addition!

 I am always trying to find something quick yet filling for breakfast. I also need something that is going to stick with me a while and if it gives me extra energy to power through the day even better. I had been struggling with my power breakfast and the pop tarts I was eating did not seem to be doing a whole lot for the sticking with me a while or giving me ANY energy. I was getting to work and within an hour or so I was starving. I changed all this when I discovered organic Matcha-Green Tea.

I will be the first to admit when I opened the bag I though how in the world could this ever be consumed. It is green and has a tea smell to it. You usually need a spoon to break up the clumps so that you do not get a ton more than you meant to. I had agreed to try the product so I had to come up with some kind of plan.

First, I experimented with a smoothie. I added a tea spoon of the Matcha-Green tea in with a tea spoon of cacao powder, some pineapple, a squeeze of Domino liquid agave nectar sweetener, and some coconut milk. To my surprise this was pretty good but I was not sure how I felt about the cacao powder in with it. Next, I decided to try just the Matcha-Green tea in with the coconut milk. It sounded like a great idea in essence but it turned out to be a total flop. The taste was quite dry, a bit bitter, and by every means horrible! I decided to mix in the Domino sweetener, a splash of vanilla flavoring and a few pineapples. This helped and turned out to be pretty good but I decided it was better with the cacao powder.

Last but not least I came up with a plan to try this in my coffee. I had some Folger Flavor Enhancers I had gotten from a Crowdtap campaign so I decided these and the tea would be a great morning get me going fix. I was drinking along and it wasn't bad, until I got to the bottom of the coffee in my cup where I discovered all the Matcha tea! I have to say that last sip was rough. Lesson learned you stir, stir, and stir some more if you want this in your coffee.

I have made it a morning routine to add Matcha-Green tea to my breakfast in some way. I do this because I have found that when I drink this tea I am not as hungry when I get to work. In fact I don't get real hungry for some time. I also think it helps with my energy. Best of all there is no crash from the energy you get from consuming the tea. I incorporate this into my breakfast every day now except for Saturday and Sunday when I have free will to eat when I want or sleep mostly when I want.

I did receive this product at a discount in exchange for a honest unbiased review. This review has not been influenced in any way by this discount or the company Kiss Me Organics. The opinions here are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of this product.

Don't be Fooled by Such a Cute Box This Cream Means Business!

I have just recently been diagnosed with neuropathy. Anyone who has this knows there is not a day goes by that you are not in some kind of pain. My pain is my hands and feet are swelling, burning, going numb, and ache. I was recently on medication that I could only take acetaminophen with, nothing with ANY NSAIDs. This was horrible for me because acetaminophen rarely eases any types of pain for me. I actually had a spliting headache when I came across an invitation to try Back to Normal Arnica Cream.

Being in pain it only took me minutes to decide that this was something that I was very interested in. I made my interest in the product known and was one of the lucky ones chosen to try this product. I was very anxious to get the product. Even if I had got my headache under control I still had this pain in my hands and feet that I was guaranteed that I could test it with.

When my cream arrived I was immediately in awe of the package. A very cute design with a pretty little yellow flower on top that pulls apart and allows the box to open and the jar of cream to slide out. Right off I give a huge kudos for thinking about us with aching hands. The box was so simple to open. A few gentle shakes and the jar of cream also slid right out and into my hands.

The jar is a nice little jar pretty simple to open as well but without a lot of bells and whistles. It is white with a nice label and kind of a silver gray lid. The lid unscrews easily and lifts right off revealing the cream inside. I did not really know what to expect with this product but I did expect at least some kind of smell. This product has very little smell and what it does is not a medicine smell like you might expect. It is very light.

The cream itself is white in color. It goes on easily and does not leave behind an oily residue. A little bit of the cream on my hands and a few good massaging rubs and it went right into my skin. So I bet you would like to know the outcome on did it help my pain at all. Yes, I think it did help ease some of the pain in my hands. Now this is not to say I was cured and pain free from then on but I did receive some relief. Now when my hands start hurting in between my dose of meds I reach for my Back to Normal Cream.

I would give this product a 5 out of 5 stars. It is a nicely designed product for a real need for many people. The company has obviously considered their clientele with the design of the product right down to the packaging it comes in.

If you would like to learn more about Back to Normal Arnica Cream here are a few links you can check out:

 1) Their website: www.BackToNormalLife.com                                                                                      

2) Their Amazon Listing: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/BooYT5IORS                          

3) Connect with them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backtonormalco                    

Also until September 30th 2015 please use Amazon code: BLOGSFAN to receive $5 OFF

 This being said I did receive this product at a discount in exchange for my honest unbiased review. This review has not been influenced by the discount or company in any way. The opinions in this review are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of this product.

John Shaw's Guide to Digital Nature Photography...A Book Review not for the Faint of Heart

 Many of you know that I enjoy photography, especially that of nature. I know that all my Facebook buddies love to endure every year my posts of butterflies, flowers, trees, the sky, rainbows, and then even the snow. I love going on vacation and taking photos of the mountains, the wild animals, and if I am lucky a few from a helicopter. I just love taking pictures! I had drooled over this book for months before I finally saw that it was once again back up for review copies. I did not hesitate to click to request my copy.

I can not say that I regret that decision. This book is very in-depth on gear, cameras, and how to set up your camera to get the shots that will make you happy. While sorting through the book and looking at all the beautiful pictures it was almost like reading a magazine. I looked at many wishing that I had that talent and the camera capable of taking those beautiful shots. Then once I began to read the book I realized quickly that this stuff was very technical. This was not for anyone who just picked up their camera yesterday. No, you had better have some years and experience under your belt for this one. So here I am by no means an expert but not your average just beginner either. I was some where in the middle, until I started reading all about cameras.

According to Shaw the best camera to have is the one you have. Well that made me feel some better maybe I could use what I have to take great pictures but then we get to setting your camera up. I go grab the Nikon Coolpix off my desk ready to attack this monster and conquer my next photo session. Guess what I discovered! I have a "dummy camera". What this means is that someone who had never picked up a camera before in their lives could pick up mine and probably take a decent picture. My heart sank, until I realized that this gives me another reason to add a Cannon Rebel to my Christmas wish list! I call my camera a "dummy camera" because there are few settings I have the privilege to set. The camera will tell me what I am going to use and I am going to use it. Though I do have different settings such as fireworks, beach, portrait, landscape,etc the camera will simply set up what it needs to capture those shots. Thus why anyone can use it and still get decent results.

On a positive note, this book will walk me through how to set up my present from Santa I am sure I will be getting this year. It will also help me learn what I need to take just the shots I want. It even goes into what file format you should use and then how to get the best results from that format. Though I have discovered this book is pretty much just reading material for me right now I hope to be able to put some of the tips and advice to good use soon. I am also going to have to study on how some of it works because again I am still learning!

I give this book a 5 star rating. It is of a technical nature but explains many things that one needs to know to be a great nature photographer. Shaw helps you choose what you need to take the pictures you want and will even help you set up the camera with the best features to get the shots you need. I also enjoyed that the book contained some examples that made me chuckle as I read along. My favorite was the discussion on Focus Priority or Continuous Focus and he told the story about Elvis. I also loved the beautiful photos that were so abundant through out the book. They inspired a want and desire to learn what to do to be the best photographer I can be...without a dummy camera!

If You Own a Dog You Need This Shampoo!

Have you had to wrestle your dog into the tub to get him clean and not stinking only to find out a few days later that the same stink has come back? You don't feel like the fight to bath him again and you also don't want to dry out his skin. Have you had to "just deal with it" until time for the wrestling match to begin once again? Would you like a solution to the smelly problem without having to bath your dog again? Believe it or not I have an alternative for you! Are you excited now and want to know what it is? Well it is Paw Choice Naturals. What is this you may ask?

Paw Choice Naturals is a dry foaming mousse dog shampoo that can be used between your puppy baths. The shampoo has a nice mango & pomegranate scent to rid your puppy of his shoo wee stink. The shampoo is not like many other products that only mix and mask the smell but it honestly helps. As another advantage puppy does not just smell clean but he will look nicer too!

This shampoo is very easy to use. You do not need any extra ingredients and NO water is required! All you have to do is pump a desired amount of the shampoo into your hand or onto your pups fur and rub it in. The bottle will suggest putting it directly on your pet and this is probably the best way of use but for some of us we need to have our pets in our hands to make this work so if Fido might sprint away just put it in your hands and grab him! Once you have rubbed your pup down being careful not to get the shampoo in his eyes just let him be. That is it! Your pup will smell better and look cleaner. Now there is no need to wrestle him into the tub! Not for now at least but maybe in a couple weeks the tub might be calling.

If you would like to know the ingredients in the product before putting it on your fur baby here those are:

Ingredients: Water, Surfactant Blend (Coconut Derived), Polysorbate 20, Fragrance, and Preserative

This product comes in an 8 fl oz. pump bottle. Let me add that the design of the bottle makes use much more simple than one of the bottles you must pour. With the easy to use pump you can easily measure out what you need with no worries of a sudden jump from Fido making you pour out the entire contents. This being said a little of this product also goes a long way.

If you are interested in learning more about this product or would like to get some of it for yourself please take a look at the listing on Amazon by clicking here.

I did receive this product at a discount in exchange for my honest unbiased review. This review has not in any way been influenced by the discount or the company making this product. The opinions are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of this product.

Ultimate Smile Professional At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit

Who of us don't want a nice pearly white smile? How many would love to be able to get professional results without the expensive price tag and time at the dentist? If this is you read on!

The Ultimate Smile Professional At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit is a great addition to a brushing routine. The kit comes with a upper and lower tray, 2 tubes of gel, a plastic case to keep your trays in when not in use, and simple instructions on how to use this product. The trays are great because you can heat them in hot water and then mold them to your mouth for an exceptional whitening experience tailored to fit your teeth. Once you have the trays molded simply add a bit of the gel and insert the trays in your mouth from 5-15 minutes depending on your teeth sensitivity. When the time is up take out the trays and rinse your mouth! That is it and the results are immediately noticeable. Of course don't forget to wash out your trays and put them back in your case for safe keeping until your next whitening! Set up your routine on how often you want to use the kit depending on how sensitive your teeth are. Those without sensitive teeth may want to use it a couple times a week while those with more sensitivity may only need to whiten ever week or two. The choice is yours!

This kit is very simple to use and only requires a bit of time. The taste is not horrible but not a tasty treat either. The trays though never comfortable can be trimmed to make the experience as bearable as possible. The results are fantastic! Since you should only use a little bit of gel each time you whiten the product lasts for more than just 2 uses. If you do end up accidentally using too much gel in the tray there will be a spill over into your mouth which is neither tasty or pleasant. You will drool and not look at all like a cute St.Bernard puppy while you are doing it!

All this being said this is another product that I received at a discount in exchange for an honest unbiased review. The opinions here are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of this product. This post has not been influenced from the discount or the company who makes this product. If you would like to know more about this product please click here 
 

Chocolate Treat without so Much Sweet

My family loves chocolate. So when I had the opportunity to try Pure Raw Orgainic Cacao powder I got the taste testing bib ready! I don't know about you but when I see healthy I think blah. This could not be farther from the truth with this cacao powder!

First, we all had to test it out in a smoothie because we was in one of the phases where we were eating plenty of smoothies. The Cacao powder blended well but without a little help from some organic honey it was a bit bitter. Keep in mind this powder has a very bold dark taste straight from the bag. How do I know this? Well I had to try it of course! Just the right amount of honey and fruit and this made up one delicious treat that my whole family loved including my husband who is a chocolate connoisseur.

Aside from smoothies this powder can be used in milkshakes, coffee, and even in baking. I am working up the nerve to see what kind of chocolate gravy it can whip up. So far it has been delicious in all our whipped up treats so it is worth a shot.

This product comes in a bright gold durable resealable pouch which helps to keep the product fresh. You need something to keep it fresh because you do not have to use but a spoonful or so when you make smoothies and things like that. The pouch stands up which makes storage easy. The bright color grabs your attention and helps you always know where to find your Cacao powder when you are ready to make a treat.

 
If you are a chocoholic who needs a bit of rehab you can find Pure Raw Orgainic Cacao powder by clicking here. I received this product at a discount in exchange for an honest unbiased review. The opinions here are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of this product.

Vitamin C + E for a Face You Want to See

20% Ferulic Acid with Vitamin C + E Serum is a nice product to have handy. This product helps fight aging, wrinkles, and is also a great moisturizer. I really enjoy using this clear serum on my face each morning. This product has very little smell and is quickly absorbed into the skin without leaving behind a greasy or pasty feeling. Best of all a little bit of this product goes a long way so it is not something you will need to buy too often. I usually use from a half to one dropper to do my entire face and neck. I have been using this product for a while now and do not experience any burning, itching, or red blotches from use so it is gentle on skin. The product contains de-ionized Water, ferulic acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and glycerin.

The bottle is a very pretty blue which just so happened to match my bathroom decor. Inside the bottle you will find a plastic dropper to help during use of the product. The dropper makes it easy to get just the right amount of product insuring that none is wasted. Another big plus this product is made in the USA.

Disclosure: I received a discount for this product in exchange for an honest unbiased review. What you have read here is my honest opinions of this product after my own use and evaluation. If you would like to know more about this product or purchase it for yourself after reading this review please click here.

The Right Cat Mat

TwoMeows cat litter mat is one of the cutest cat mats around! The mat is shaped like a cats paw and large enough to actually be of use. These mats come in a variety of colors including brown, grey,green, blue, and red. I got mine in the grey and it looks very good in my utility room where my cat box is.

The mat easily catches the litter off my cats paws when she jumps from her box keeping it from getting thrown all over my linoleum. I have much happier feet now when I am bare foot doing laundry! The mat is soft enough that cats do not mind stepping out on it. The rubber backing ensures that the mat stays put where you need it to be making it even easier to be sure that the litter does not get all over the place.

 I love this mat! The cute design won me over but the way it works has me hooked. In addition to being cute and catching the litter this mat also makes clean up so easy. Simply put up the mat and shake it into the litter box, a trash can, or out side and that has the litter gone out of your way.

 I received this product at a discount price or for free in exchange for an honest unbiased review. The opinions in this post are all 100% my own after my use and evaluation of the product. If you are interested in this product please click here

Kegel Corner Taboo

Kegel exercises. Lets face it ladies many of us don't know how to do them or if we are doing them if we are even doing them right. The thing is these exercises when done correctly can not only keep the spice in your love life but also help you maintain better bladder control as you age and help with prolapse. Now we can laugh well in to our golden years with dry pants so just say YES to bladder control!

This being said, I admit when I got invited to try the Intifit Premium Kegel Exceriser Training Kit I almost said no. This is a product all us ladies could learn to use to benefit our health but at the same time it is an intimate subject that I am going to have to tell the world about! I decided if it could help me and other ladies out there then why not try it out and blog my heart out!

I am glad I did decide to try this kit. It is so very simple to use. The kit comes in a nice little box which includes the medical grade silicone devices, an easy to read instruction manual, and a tiny black pouch you can easily store your product in discreetly. Since everything is so small you can easily store them where ever you would like and no one has to be the wiser. The instruction booklet will tell you which device you should begin using and how to use it. It even comes with an exercise plan to help you on the road to stronger pelvic muscles.

The tiny almost tad pole like tails on the devices make them more user friendly than the old fashioned regular ben wa balls in my opinion. In reality there is no worries of losing a device like ben wa balls there but it is a fear that most ladies have when they are first experimenting with this type of product. The silicone is also a more comfortable temperature than the old metal ben wa balls. The product is designed so that it is not uncomfortable to use. The silicone is a bit "drier" than the old fashioned metal so you may need to use a water based lubricant for full comfort. ONLY use WATER based lubricant because others could damage the silicone these devices are made of.

During use you can feel that the product is working. You can tell when your muscles tighten. This lets you know that you are doing the exercise correctly and should see results over a period of time if you continue to use your kit. Clean up is as painless as use! Another perk that I noticed was that I loved the pretty feminine color (rose) that my device came in.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest unbiased review (lucky duck me)! The discount or company did not in any way influence this review. The opinions here are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of this product. 

YES! I would recommend this product to family and friends as well as any ladies out there who would like to improve bladders, muscle loss from pregnancies, or to just help combat prolapse. If you have a need for this type of product or would just like to check it out click here


 

Xsboom Music on the Go

  I am all about being honest in my reviews so I will tell you right off that when I decided to apply to the xsboom promotion from giveaway services I was certain I was getting a product that I would try out and then pass on to my son or my husband. I could not have been more wrong!






I got this little egg-sized blue fella in the mail in a nice little black box along with everything I needed to get started listening to my music right away. Upon opening the box I saw the speaker neatly packed in a piece of foam to avoid damage. Beneath the speaker was a tiny black pouch containing my cord to connect the speaker directly to my phone, a charger, and an instruction booklet to tell me how to get started jamming out to my tunes.

 First, I decided to hook up the speaker with the cord just to get a feel for the sound, it sounded pretty good so I decided to see how simple it would be to connect it to my bluetooth. I read the instructions and sure enough it was so simple! I hit the button on the bottom of the speaker to turn it on, went into my settings in my phone and turned on my bluetooth and in just a few seconds I saw the option to connect to xsboom. It played awesome through the bluetooth as well.

Now when I enjoy my warm relaxing baths I can also enjoy my tunes thanks to xsboom! Since I have had such a positive experience I have decided to hang on to my speaker for myself. I have ran out of power with my speaker once and had to recharge. This is also such a simple process. Plug your charger into your computer and then into your speaker. In about an hour and a half you are good to enjoy your tunes once again. Since I charged mine I have listened to it a couple times and so far I have still not had to re-charge though I am sure it is coming again soon. The battery life is actually pretty good.

 I feel if you are an on the go type that enjoys taking your music along this is a great little speaker. The bluetooth allows for easy transport because there are no cords or wires. The size makes it easy to put in a pocket or pouch. You can also still receive your calls while you are listening to your xsboom so it is like having your hands free device and music all in one!
 
The only gripe I have found is the fact the volume is controlled by my phone and I am not real happy with the max sound that I can get from my phone. The speaker sounds awesome and I think it could push a little more than my phone allows. Overall however I am happy and would not go back to just listening to my music play through my phone. This speaker sounds so much better!


 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pmbc0c06456b3c6d29acf100c89ee9b1d3

Get Your Smooth On!

This book is packed with yummy delicious smoothies. The book comes with a handy introduction on how to make a delicious smoothie and the different types of ingredients that can be used. It eve has a section to help you design your own smoothie blend. If you are a trailblazer or experimenter this can be a very useful section of the book. I really like how each recipe has a guide to show you what type of smooothie you are making. You can make smoothies for weight loss, detox, inflammation, immunity, and energizing just to name a few. These quick guides make it simple to find just the right smoothie for what you want.

Each recipe comes with a list of ingredients and boosters if you would like to add them. The boosters are optional and does not have to be included. Most of the regular ingredients are simple to find in your local store. Some of the boosters on the other hand may require more than just Wal-Mart for example a health food store. Along with your ingredients list this book includes simple easy to follow directions on how to make your smoothie. At the bottom of your page you can also see the nutritional information for each blend you would like to make. This takes the guess work of how much of this and that do I get. It is right there easy to see and ready to read!

I really think I am going to enjoy using this book to make delicious smoothies! It is going to make some wonderful healthy breakfast blends and sweet treats in place of milkshakes around my home. With names like strawberry shortcake, apple pie in a glass, creamy orange c, and black forest cake there is surely something in here for everyone with many different tastes! Another big plus these recipes claim to be 100% gluten-free and vegan & paleo-friendly. Everyone should be able to find something of interest! Looking for a specific ingredient check out the helpful index in the back of the book.

I did receive this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest unbiased review. This review reflects my own opinion of "The Blender Girl Smoothies" by Tess Masters. I have looked through, read a few recipes, and picked out a couple that I am very ready to try! In addition being the experimenter that I am I have already came up with my own delicious concoction of mixed fruit, vanilla protein powder, chocolate almond milk, and a dab of organic honey. It was very delicious may I add!

If you would like to check out The Blender Girl Smoothies by Tess Masters please click here for an excerpt


 

Do You Want to Tan Your Hide? Glow2Go Self Tanning Towelettes

 

I have to say this was one opportunity that I had to think on before I accepted because self tanning is something I don't normally do. I have a fear of an orange glow, an uneven tan, or nasty looking ankles and knees. These things have to be done just right you know. I did decide however with summer around the corner and me with no plans on getting much sun or using a tanning bed that this might be a favorable option to get a little glow on this pale skin of mine. Here is what I have discovered about me and self tanning.

There are 20 individually wrapped towelettes in the box I received. Each one is simple to open and simple to use. Open the dispense side of the box, take out one packaged towelette, tear the package open and then you are ready to begin rubbing on your tan. I only used these on my legs and feet to begin because I wanted to see how well I could do with application before I tried to tan anywhere that might actually be seen. When I first used the towelette I didn't think it had done very much but by that night I could easily see where that I had tanned. The next day I tried to even up the tan with the areas that were a bit lighter. I continued on this path seeking my even tan however I have a couple spots that just refused to take the tan despite me using the towelettes in these areas first. The parts that tanned looked nice but the spot that would not tan kind of just messed up my whole mojo!

 I did like the product and really don't think my tanning spot problem is related to the problem but more over something about my skin. One towelett did both my feet and legs. I would just try to alternate where I started with each towel because the first part of the application was when the towelett was the wettest.

 If you are an experienced self-tanner who uses this type of product this one is wonderful for its ease of use and convenience. I did not have any orange look to my skin. I would have liked a little more freedom to add even amounts of product each time I used it but rotating out the areas I started with seemed to work pretty well. I would suggest using gloves during application so that you do not turn your hands any odd colors. Overall I was pretty happy with this product I would say a 4 out of 5 stars. I have just decided until I can figure out why I have a spot that will not tan maybe I should just halt with the applications.

 If this is a product that you are interested in please see their Amazon listing here.

 I received this product for a discount in exchange for an honest unbiased review. This review has not been influence from the discount or company in any way. These opinions are 100% my own after my use and evaluation of the product. I would not recommend or endorse in any way a product that I did not try and like.