My reviews, thoughts and opinions on things you consider using
The Fourth of July is Independence Day here in the US. It’s the anniversary of the day that the United States declared her independence from England. The US declared her independence with the Declaration of Independence. Continental Congress passed the final text of the document on July 4,1776.
Recently I had to run into the Stop and Shop for something. While I was in there I realized I was low on laundry detergent and figured I’d save myself another trip to the store. They didn’t carry one of the two brands I usually buy and the other brand that I usually buy was $2 more than I uaually pay. I saw a new detergent on sale and decided to try it. It was All Small & Mighty 3x detergent in the Wild & Fresh scent.
Typically when I find a detergent that I like the scent of I find that the scent doesn’t last for much longer than the time the clothes spend in the washing machine. Before buying the detergent I opened the cap to see what it smells like. My hubby is a painter and my oldest son is 12 and always outside so I need detergent that really cleans. This detergent is concentrated. In simplest terms I understand that to mean we’re paying for the same detergent we always have but not watered down.The bottle said it contained enough to wash 32 loads. The bottle is much smaller and lighter than the bottles of laundry detergent that I am used to buying and my back and knees appreciated this fact tremendously. I washed 28 loads with one bottle. I wash almost everything in cold and this detergent worked fine in cold water. I found that the scent lasted quite a long time after washing. It actually seemed to be still present after a couple of days, which I really liked about it.
I recommend this detergent, I liked it enough that I bought a second bottle of it today.The All Small & Mighty 3x Detergent comes in a 32 ounce bottle and costs approximately $3.99. I got mine on sale for $3.49. Right now All has a $1 off coupon on it’s website. Let me know how you like it if you try it.
I am a great believer that education is important and that everyone should be able to read. My youngest son is developmentally delayed so I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to review a kit from the folks at See Me Read.
The See Me Read product line is designed to promote early reading by teaching whole word association through the use of photo labeling. Each of the kits within the See Me Red product line is personalized with family photos of the child and familiar items from their environment. The thinking is that children will more readily identify with their own belongings rather than someone elses.
Products available in this line of personalized learning products include
· See Me Read Kit Level 1
· See Me Read Kit Level 2
· See Me Read Kit Complete
· See Me Read Labels
· See Me Read Reading Cards
· See Me Read Book Level 1
· See Me Read Book Level 2
· See Me Read Writing Pad.
We received the See Me Read Kit Level 1, which includes the See Me Read Book Level 1, See Me Read Reading Cards and See Me Read labels. After choosing which product we wanted we needed to create our kit. To do this we first created an account. Then we were given a list of 39 words that we needed to choose 24 from to be used in our products. After selecting the words we needed to upload pictures of our child and items in our home to go with the words we’d just chosen. When all of the pictures had been uploaded a preview of the finished book was shown.
The quality of the items we received was good. The book looked exactly like the preview we’d seen on the website. Each of the pages inside contains one of the 24 pictures we uploaded and a simple sentence containing the name of the item in the picture. The pages in the book are made of a very thick paper and the coloring is true to the pictures we sent. The labels each contain one picture and the word that corresponds with the picture. The item I am most impressed with is the reading cards. They’re laminated and placed on a metal ring. The reading cards are very durable and could be reused for a very long time without fading or wearing. The reading cards also contain the words that we selected when creating our kit. The font on all three of the products is large and clear. A parents guide was included with our kit containing instructions on how to use the kit as intended and suggested games to reinforce learning.
I liked the products we received. The program is good as it stands but I think it would be even more valuable and popular if the option to include your own words was available. That would accommodate those families that don’t have all of the items in the choices listed, the families that call items by another name (such as calling a dog a puppy or calling a television a tv) and the families that would like their child to concentrate on other items. If the option to include your own words was included then the reading cards could actually be used as a personalized pecs (picture exchange communication) system for children that are nonverbal or that have speech issues or developmental delays. I also feel that several preschool editions would complement the product line perfectly. Products I thought might be popular include the alphabet, colors, shapes, animals and cars.
The See Me Read Level 1 Kit that we received has a value of $49.99 and can be purchased on the See Me Read website by itself or as one of the kits.
Theraplex was gracious and generous enough to offer to sponsor this giveaway. A big thanks to Marianne who helped me put it all together.
All qualified entries (contained name, email, one ingredient and one place you wanted to try the lotion) were placed onto a spreadsheet and assigned a number. The list was placed on random.org and the number that came out on top is the winner. A screenshot is attached.
The three lucky grand prize winners, each receiving the Theraplex Combo Pack, value $45, are:
#3 Pat
#12 Michele
#9 Cheryl K.
Congratulations folks!
The Theraplex Combo Pack that these folks will be receiving includes 8oz. Theraplex ClearLotion oil moisturizer for after showering or bathing, 8oz. Theraplex HydroLotion daily facial and body lotion and 4.3oz. Theraplex Emollient for severely dry skin.
Runner up prizes. The first 50 commenters were to each receive one sample. As there were just under fifty entries, that means everybody gets to try Theraplex! I think you’re going to like it, please stop back and let me know what you think of it after your sample arrives.
Everyone please contact me within 72 hours to confirm that you wish to accept this prize, and please include your mailing address in your email. Your prize will be mailed directly to you by Theraplex.
Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! I plan on having more giveaways, so please consider subscribing to my feed so you don’t miss out on any.
I was given a bottle of body lotion. This is a review of Bath & Body Works Pleasures Sea Island Cotton body lotion.
The first thing I notice is that this white lotion looks a little thinner than many. I applied it to my hands, arms and elbows. The lotion felt cooling when applied. The scent reminds me of dryer sheets. There was no residue left on my hands after applying and I don’t feel like my hands are greasy or oily.
One hour after applying my hand still felt moist and I could still smell the lotion. Before ninety minutes had passed the scent had faded somewhat and my hands felt dry again. In just under two hours the smell was gone. The scent isn’t one I’d buy, I didn’t like the way it just sort of hung. I found the lotion to be a poor value for such a small size that doesn’t work any better than many of the mass market lotions out there.
Bath & Body Works Pleasures Body Lotion comes in many scents and sizes. The 2 ounce bottle I have sells for $3.50. It can be purchased online and in Bath & Body Works stores.
I was reading before the age of four and still love to read. I am a strong believer that education is very important. My youngest son has Down Syndrome and isn’t reading yet, so many books are just not appropriate for him. That’s why I look at books pretty carefully when I’m buying one for my youngest son. When I was offered a chance to review the books Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade from Cedar Valley Publishing, I jumped at the chance.
The first thing I noticed about the book Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten was that it had thick, glossy pages. We’ve run into problems with paper pages tearing easily, so I really appreciated that the pages were durable and sturdy. The inner cover of the book states that some of the skills practiced will include recognition of the alphabet as well as basic shapes, colors and numbers. When reviewing the book I saw that other topics included are positional words, body parts, the senses, money and the seasons. I sat with my son to use this book and he seemed to really enjoy the colorful pictures.
This is the type of book that works for both teaching new skill concepts and reinforcing emerging skills. The stated age range for the Kindergarten book is 2-6, but it also works well with a developmentally delayed child like my son who doesn’t typically fit well within the advertised age span of most things. What I like the most about this book is that it’s structured so you can do what it says or you can make up your own activities.
Let’s Get Ready For First Grade looks very much like it’s younger counterpart and is put together in the same way. This book expands on the basics covered in the Kindergarten book, but the books could be used separately. Concepts introduced in this book include vowels and consonants, vowel sounds, word families, prefixes and suffixes, punctuation, contractions, geometric shapes, measurements, fractions, addition and subtraction.
Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade are published by Cedar Valley Publishing and would be a valuable asset to any home library. Both books have won awards and are gaining national media attention. These are the perfect kind of books for parents and children to sit together and use for school readiness. They sell for $15 and $17 respectively and can be bought online from Cedar Valley Publishing. Ten percent of all profits are donated to literacy programs. With school ending and summer upon us now would be a terrific time to practice early childhood skills, so go check these books out!
I picked up some different lip products from Avon. I’m on my personal quest for the perfect lip product. This is a review of Avon Luster Glow Lip Shine.
One tube of this is 0.116 oz. The tube is about 2 inches long with about 1.5 inches of it being product. Yes, I measured it. The cute little small, hard plastic container is transparent so you can see what color is inside. The color is also printed on a tiny little label on one end of the tube. I am trying the Strawberry Bliss. The box claims this product will give you “sheer lip shine in a refreshing juicy flavor” and that it is “enriched with vitamins A and E, leaving lips feeling moisturized”. The top picture is Avon’s picture from their website, because my own picture came out very blurry.
To get the product to come up out of the container you need to twist the base. I thought that it looked a lot like the Avon lip balm, which is a Chapstick type of product. The shape of the product tip is odd and due to the way it’s packaged the top of the tip sort of curves, making it awkward to put on. The first time I applied it the round edges were hard and hurt my lips. The product went on like a cross between Chapstick and Vaseline, and left little chunks on my lips. Once it was on and I’d gotten rid of the chunks, my lips did feel moist and had a tiny bit of shine without any color. The bottom picture is of a piece of paper right after I put the Luster Glow on it. I found the product to have no flavor at all, which was very disappointing for me because that was one of the biggest reasons I’d gotten it. After an hour and a cup of coffee the product had worn away enough that it needed reapplying.
Avon Luster Glow Lip Shine sells regularly in the Avon catalog for approximately $2.99. I bought mine on sale for about $2.29. The texture of this product was off and I did not like the chunks it left. With no flavor, I found no redeeming value to this product. I don’t recommend this product. To me this is just another interpretation of their $0.79 lip balm repackaged.
This weekend while we were away we tried some new sunscreen products. They’re made by a fairly company called Screen, Inc.. These products were created by Lori Nauman and Heather Neal, two moms who were looking for facial sunscreen that wasn’t greasy. When they couldn’t find one they decided to make one, and that’s how it all started.
Screen facial sunscreens have been tested for UVA and UVB protection, have an SPF of 16 and are made especially for daily use. The company motto is “Screen, make it your routine” and it is recommended that the product be put on each day before leaving the house. Applying facial sunscreen every day will help prevent sun damage, skin cancer and premature aging. Screen products are not tested on animals and are made in the United States.
Many people may not be aware of this, but according to the American Cancer Society more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year alone, and it is estimated that one in five Americans will develop a form of skin cancer. So you can see why protecting yourself is so important. The entire line of products is dermatologist approved and has received the Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation. They’re even ahead of FDA guidelines for testing and packaging, a welcome change from products that haven’t changed in ten years.
This line of products includes Teen Screen, Chic Screen, Tweeny Screen and Man Screen. All of them come in 3 ounce containers. With the exception of Tweeny Screen, there is no difference between the products except for the packaging. Because Screen feels daily use is so important they actually consider it a personal hygiene product that should be made a part of your daily routine before leaving the house. That is why Man Screen has brown packaging, Teen Screen has blue packaging, Chic Screen has Purple packaging and Tweeny Screen has green packaging. Tweeny Screen has a light tropical fruit scent. Currently in development is a Lip Screen that will be available in smooth almond and refreshing mint flavors.
Screen, Inc. products are available on their website www.screenroutine.com. Screen, Inc has been kind enough to offer a discount to my readers. To receive 10% off your purchase just enter the code BLOGGER10 when you check out.
All qualified entries (contained name, email, one ingredient and one place you wanted to try the lotion) were placed onto a spreadsheet and assigned a number. The list was placed on random.org and the number that came out on top is the winner. A screenshot is attached.
The winner of the Skin MD Natural giveaway is #13,
Elizabeth M!
Elizabeth’s comment was “I would like to try it on my heels. They seem to be the driest spot on my body right now and it gets worse in summer from being barefoot. One of the ingredients is Caprylyl Glycol. I’d love to try this! Great giveaway!”
Elizabeth, please contact me within 72 hours to confirm that you wish to accept this prize, and please include your mailing address in your email.
Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! I plan on having more giveaways, so please consider subscribing to my feed so you don’t miss out on any.
I was recently invited to review an entire line of specialized skin care products by Theraplex recently. Always up for a product review, I gladly accepted. This is a review of Theraplex Hydrolotion.
The entire Theraplex line is hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic, fragrance free and not tested on animals. Theraplex calls itself the medical moisturizer, most likely because they’ve partnered with dermatologists to create their line of products. Theraplex products are designed to repair the outer layer of skin which in turn allows skin to begin repairing itself from the inside. According to the product brochure, Theraplex products are based on a unique activated hydrosilicone delivery system.
According to the bottle Theraplex Hydrolotion is a daily moisturizer for improved skin maintenance. The lotion was very light coming out of the tube and on the skin. It had an immediate cooling sensation when I applied it to my right arm. This lotion was absorbed almost immediately as I rubbed it in. It wasn’t greasy or oily at all, and left no residue on my hand after applying it. My arm has a very smooth and silky soft feeling on the surface of the skin. I sort of expected a mediciney smell after using it since it’s advertised as a medical moisturizer, but the product did not have an odor. I did not feel like my skin dried out or needed another application, even after washing my hands in the restroom.
I like this product. Theraplex Hydrolotion is part of a product line that also includes Theraplex Emollient, Theraplex Clearlotion and Theraplex FT Exfoliating Emollient. Theraplex sells for $16.50 for an 8 ounce bottle and is available for purchase online. Theraplex Hydrolotion is also part of the Theraplex Product Combo Pack, which sells for $45 and contains all three of the products that I mentioned.
Wait! Don’t go! Theraplex is so sure that you’re going to love their product that they’ve graciously agreed to sponsor a giveaway with this review. Want details? Here they are.
3 grand prize winners will each receive the Theraplex Combo Pack. That’s a value of $45! The combo pack contains 8oz. Theraplex ClearLotion oil moisturizer for after showering or bathing, 8oz. Theraplex HydroLotion daily facial and body lotion and 4.3oz. Theraplex Emollient for severely dry skin.
That’s not all. The first 50 commenters will each win one sample.
Here’s how to enter.
* For one entry, visit the Theraplex website purchase page and read about the different products Theraplex offers. Then, leave a comment on this post telling me how many products are for sale on that page and which one you’d most like to try.
* One additional entry may be earned by writing about this contest on your blog.
* One additional entry can be earned by subscribing to this blog’s rss feed.
The maximum number of entries anyone may have is three.
Be sure to state in your comment which methods you are using to enter.
This contest will end on Saturday June 28 at 11:59 pm est. Good luck to all that enter!
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.
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