Thursday, March 14, 2013

NAAT Brazilian Keratin Review



Even as "frugal" as I am. there are just some things I will spend money on, and that is cleaning and beauty products. (That includes the whole family too, not just me!) Of course I hope for the deals and sales, and free shipping, and I usually will not buy online unless it is on sale in some way, shape or form. I shop online a LOT, and of course I do use the coupons and deals at grocery and drug stores, I am crazy over the rewards programs they offer!! Especially CVS! So far, I have no real preference with hair products.
I use only a few specific brands, but I am not partial to any of them. I guess it's fair to say that I had an open slot that could be filled;) (I do however have only 1 brand and type of hair styling product, but as for shampoo, conditioner, and masks, kind of, anything goes in that department!)
I am pretty picky about cleaning products, and skin care, same goes for make up, but I am always on the lookout for something else to try, I love samples and if I love the product, I will buy it again and again and again..
 I received some hair care products from nuNAAT to try out for a review here, NAAT Brazilian Keratin, to be exact, and I don't know what to do without the hair mask, shampoo, and conditioner once it's all!
 I have super dry hair, I rarely have the time to bother with it, (I have short hair and the back is razor cut, so I just have to wash it, and stick paste in the back to stick it up all over the place and that's that!) That has been my hair and style for a bit over 15 years now. It's simple and quick to take care of, but it is always dry and breaks apart. I think most of this is due to my medications, maybe also my lack of conditioner use, since it always tends to weigh down my stick straight hair, I very rarely use it.
I have yet to find any form of conditioner that doesn't weigh down my hair, and the same goes for hair masks. (Even though I love hair masks!! ) I usually use those when I don't have to be anywhere or do anything, I can just let my "hair down" so to speak:)
 I have been using the NAAT Brazilian Keratin shampoo, hair mask and conditioners now for a couple weeks.
 I have come to these conclusions:
First off, the light, clean scents layer perfectly with each other! They are not overbearing, and they even smell AFTER a few hours, and even a day! This is very important to me, I have used some products that smell just lovely in the shower, but it doesn't last much after that. I'm also not a huge perfume fan, I do like some, but I rely on long lasting hair and body products, scented lotions are my favorites too! So, the long lasting scents that simply just smell, pretty, were enough for me to think these products rock!!
 Next, the hair mask is absolutely wonderful!! It is not to heavy and it works very well! My hair stayed soft all week from the very first use, and normally for me, it doesn't last much more then a day. (and no, I don't blow dry my hair ever!)
 The conditioner I tried, is the Deep Conditioner, along with the Deep Moisturizing Shampoo, they fit perfectly together and no, the conditioner did not weigh my hair down!! I am so happy with the shampoo because while it is deep moisturizing, it makes your hair feel and look clean, and it is enough by itself a few days a week for adding moisture in your hair.
 The Liquid Keratin Leave In Reconstructor, I did use only twice, but I was very pleased with the amount of actual reconstrucing that this product really did! I have split ends, and it seemed to actually help with repairing those. I am planning on having our princess Genevive try this product out because she has super long hair and it is so hard to keep that in order lol! Some days I just want to shave it all off!
 There is also the Serum Ultra Shine, this is mainly for people who do blow dry, or use curling irons, straighten their hair, etc. It forms a barrier between your hair and the heat. I have not tried this, but since Genevive is 6 and has this crazy long hair of hers, I am hanging onto this to use with her hair as soon as we get her a hair dryer. (no, we don't even have 1 in the house since our oldest daughter moved out and took half the bathroom with her lol! But, we do need to find a good one for the next little lady in line!)
All in all, I would say I have found quite the product with the NAAT Brazilian Keratin products, and I am honestly amazed with the fact that I haven't lost volume, and my stick straight, razor cut hair in the back, isn't weighed down and actually looks and feels much better then it has before, and in a very long time!! You can find out more about their products, on their website here!
and you can find them on Facebook!
 and Twitter!! 

  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.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

PottyCover Review and Giveaway!!

Ok, how many times has this happened to you...
You just spent the last hour or more, getting your little one or little ones dressed and ready to go out the door, you repeatedly yell, "Make sure you pee before we go! It's gonna be a while until we stop!" and you gather the bags, snacks, extra clothes, wipes, diapers, drinks, your own bag, cell phone, keys, and run out the door.
When you are finally pulling out, everything seems fine for a few miles, then the bickering starts, then the yelling, they already want some snacks and drinks, and all of a sudden, somebody cries with some of the most terrifying words a mom or dad want to hear on the highway, "I have to PEEEEEEE" OMG! This happens to us ALL the time! Especially since we live kind of far away from anything, and the highway is our route out of nowhereland. So, almost everywhere we go. it takes forever.
Of course you can get off at the next exit, (which really does suck and it eats up so much time, and you know you'll end up late for your appointments!),  luckily, virtually every exit off the highway has a gas station, or truck stop of some sort. (at least on the one we travel on). But, have you ever seen some of these bathrooms?? EW!
If you aren't one of those amazing moms who has IT ALL TOGETHER, and has a giant bag of 3 of everything that everybody could possibly want at any time, for any mishap, you aren't really prepared for cleaning a gas station bathroom!
I've used baby wipes, antibacterial cleaning wipes, and of course the infamous, paper towels and toilet paper that are (hopefully) in the bathroom. But it is very gross, and I would not ever recommend it. It certainly doesn't kill any germs, and you would have to use way to many, probably more then what you have with you.
Of course I have also seen these disposable toilet covers in some bathrooms. usually the doctor offices, maybe some stores, grocery stores, but they slide around, are super thin, and are also just plain old, gross! (better then nothing though, right?)
 If this happens to you, or even if you are a grandma, or don't even have kids, I know you have to know what I'm talking about;)
Well, check these out!!
Disposable Potty Covers!! You can grab a 6 pack of these, and you can throw em in your purse, bag, (I use a backpack, lol!), put some in your glove box, and take them everywhere!

Now, what makes these different then the free ones we can maybe grab in some public bathrooms? Lots of things!! For one, these are extra super big! They cover much more then just a tiny bot of the actual seat!
 

PottyCover is a disposable seat cover that not only covers the seat, but the front and the sides as well! Those parts of public bathrooms can sometimes be the grimiest, and little kids are always swinging their legs back and forth, lol, so PottyCovers would help keep germs away from the whole toilet, not just the seat. They do come in a pack of 6 and sell for $5.99, ($1 per cover), which isn't bad at all when you think about how much stress and germs you won't have to worry about anymore!
 My favorite part about them, is that they come in their own little bags, so you don't have to worry about them ripping apart, falling apart, getting messed up, and you can fit them nicely in your pocket, or your kids pockets.
PottyCovers are actually made of non woven fabric and coated with plastic, which creates a waterproof shield or barrier, between the seat and your child. (that's another issue I'm sure a lot of us would love to well, never, ever have an issue with as long as we live! (I don't know about you but the wet toilet seats in public restrooms really make me gag!)
You can also find these on their website, here, and you can also find them on Amazon, Bed, Bath and Beyond stores, Ebay and Buy Buy Baby stores. PottyCover also has a Facebook page you can visit!
and you can find them on Twitter!

I would also grab a bag or 2 of these even if you don't have little ones. These aren't just for kids, and we all could use some protection!
 Enter the Rafflecopter below to win your own 6 pack bag of PottyCovers!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  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.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Jow Natural Pain Relief Review




By now, most of my readers know a lot about my health issues, so I won't go to much into detail. But for any new readers, I do have RSD and have had chronic pain for several years, more so after a reconstructive foot and ankle surgery that didn't work out so good about 7 years ago. I was also recently diagnosed with MS and I also suffer from arthritis and a few issues that need fixed as soon as I can ever go into remission with RSD and possibly find a surgeon who is brave enough to fix up some ripped tendons and remove hardware.
For now, I have to just deal with it all. I have been through lots of shots, medications, treatments, all the home remedies, extra vitamins, and anything else that comes my way. I am also planning on figuring out how and where to gather the money needed for a treatment called, Calmare. (this is very expensive and a bit far to travel, but they can possibly bring pain levels down from a 10 to a 5, with boosters every now and again)
As soon as I hear about a new, all natural pain relief cream, or gel, I jump at any chance I have to try it out, and although I have found a couple that work pretty well, I don't find 100% relief. (and this is fine, since none of these companies have ever made such a claim, but as with other things, I am always on the lookout for something better, or at least something that can help alongside another product)
What is RSD? RSD stands for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or is sometimes called, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome.
It is a chronic pain, neurological syndrome, that is actually a failure of the central nervous system. I guess in short, my nerves are hyper active and hyper sensitive in the affected areas, (it spreads, and sometimes rather quickly), I now have RSD in both feet, ankles, legs, hips, and into my back. My doctors have also suggested it has somehow managed to travel to my right eyeball, but I sure can't use any topical creams or gels there;)
I constantly have problems with swelling, since the nerves are hyper sensitive, it is very hard to even wear clothing sometimes, and the pain intensifies a lot, sometimes daily, and is mainly a very severe, fire, burning, and stinging pain, that is so deep inside, it literally can disable you at times.
Being a mom and a bartender, it is my daily priority to try my best to have at least a tiny bit of a low pain day, so when I try out these pain relief gels and creams, I start using them the second they get delivered!!
Since I have tried and posted about a few other pain relief creams in the past, I was trying to find the differences in Jow, and what makes it stand out. There are a few interesting things as a matter of fact, and just the fact that it is all natural, is a plus in my book!
Like I said, I have found others that provide some relief, and I actually have 2 different brands that I use on a regular basis. Both of those tend to help with different types of pain, and I found a 3rd type of pain that Jow has helped me with TONS!
Like I mentioned above, RSD pain is typically described as burning, I also have this deep electric shock pain that tends to penetrate so deep it really makes it hard to not cry, and it leaves me motionless. (this is common for me in the mornings, and at night). I actually keep a pain diary, and have counted 44 different types, or layers of pain, so my goal is to try to find something that will help with more then one layer, or at least tackle the biggest problem pains the best.
The stinging pain usually occurs in my thighs the most, and my heels. The electric shock pain usually starts in my hips and works it's way down my legs and into my heel, and when I walk, it starts in my heel, and shoots up the backs of my legs, it gets so bad, it really is enough to make me double over in pain. Interestingly enough, I have found that, Jow, works pretty well for both of these layers of pain. Of course it may not stop the "electric shock" pain from starting, (sometimes I have no idea when it will start or where from) but the throbbing, radiating pain that comes immediately afterwards, which usually turns into even more of the burning, has actually lessened quite a bit!
I thought it was a little odd that Jow, would help those layers, I mean, it's a gel, and even the prescriptions I have been taken for so many years, new, old, regular daily meds, NOTHING has taken that pain away, nor has it lowered the level at all. So, how would this stuff do that job??
Usually what I do, is when that pain strikes, and I feel it in my hips, I know it sounds strange, but I can tell which path it will take down or up, ,my legs, and it is very strange, but whether it happens on the right or the left side first, the opposite side will follow almost right after.  So, as long as my bottle of Jow, is nearby, I grab it as fast as I can, and shake it up, and apply it directly on the path the pain is headed!
Now, I'm not going to lie, of course it doesn't instantly heal and halt all of the pain! (If it did, this stuff would cost a million bucks!!), but again, nothing else has helped this part of my daily events, so this stuff deserves the biggest blue ribbon yet!!
With Jow, rather then the constant "radiating" and "throbbing", at a level of 20, it's taken down a few notches, and although it still hurts, I can still manage to not fall into the nearest chair. It tones it down just enough to satisfy me enough to buy some more. (and trust me, I won't waste money on things like this if I am going to be let down!)
Another fascinating thing about Jow, I believe are the ingredients. I found the list to be much different then any others I have seen, and I personally think it has a very relaxing and clean scent. (This would be another good point, have you ever smelled some of those creams and lotions that smell like medicine?? EW!)
Here is a list of what you'll get in this little magical potion:
Alcohol
Mugwort
Dragon's Blood
Frankincense
Peach Kernal
Myrrh
Chinese Angelica Root
Red Peony Root
Ox Knee Root
Himalayan Teasel Root
Safflower
Burred Tuber
Zedonary Rhizome and
Borneol
You will also find the inactive ingredients: Distilled water and Carbomer
They soak all of the herbs for several months, and then strain them and the result is the little bottle of Jow pain relief gel.
Since I love small business, I have to share that Jow is created by a small family run business, out of Rockland County, NY. (Yep, that is another reason to try this pain relief gel, or liquid, out!)
If you want to find out more, and maybe order a bottle or 2, check them out online!
and on Facebook!



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.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Hair Shadz & Sun Shadz by Monimay Inc



Have you ever heard of or even thought of scalp cancer? I personally haven't to tell you the truth, but after reading about this product and about scalp cancer, I will be doing what I can to prevent such a disease. Especially for my little ones. Of course I know about skin cancer, and I even attended beauty school several years ago, which led me on a mission to slather sunblock on, on a daily basis, but I never really used any prevention for the top of my head.
 We do try to keep hats on the kids when they're outside during the summer months, and especially in the pool, but I think this is something that usually just overlooked.
 Monimay Inc has created a most triumphant product, Sun Shadz, which contains all natural micronized mineral sunscreen. (Sun Shadz has SPF 15 scalp protection.) Sounds cool so far, right? Hang on, you are seriously in for a treat with this product!!
 It's actually better then amazing, and a super duper multi tasker! (Which saves your scalp, can save your life, saves your hair, AND your hair color!) Really, it's actually quite awesome. I was not sure what to think when I received my Sun Shadz in the mail.
To be really honest, I'm like a bit of a nerd, and I also sometimes lack some common sense. So, I opened the container, and luckily my husband was here, because I didn't really get how I was to close the container without the brush being destroyed. Wow! Yeah, that is how I get sometimes, and no, I am not proud of that, lol, especially when it was something real simple, that ended up being the neatest part of this little container!
 
 Deegan helped to model with our bottle of Sun Shadz;) Here it is with the lid off, now watch where I get confused somehow;o

Yes, I didn't even think for a second that the bottle would actually lift up, over the brush, so that you could close the cap without catching any bristles, and simply put the cap back on!! But, wow! I have never seen this before!! I love it! The brush itself is enough to make me love this product, but after the handy little trick, I couldn't stop talking about it!! Are you interested yet??
 If you want to find out more, you can order and read more about Sun Shadz here!
 You can find Sun Shadz in 10 different shades, as well as a translucent shade. (So, yeah, there should be a fit for everybody;) The brush makes it very easy to apply, and dispenses the product very nicely and even;y distributes it on your scalp and your hair. You don't have to worry about greasiness or anything unfavorable, (yes, we really tried this!), because it can also be used as a dry shampoo!!
 What else can this be used for? It blends in regrowth, adds volume and helps hide exposed scalp, (due to thinning hair). So on top of helping you and your children avoid scalp cancer, it can also be used at the same time for some extremely useful needs! I also have to add in here that it does indeed live up to the "volume" comment.
I love this product and the fact that it isn't a spray or any other kind of greasy glob you would have to apply, nor is it messy! The price is very reasonable, ($29.95) and you can save money by purchasing refills!
The creator behind this amazing and one of a kind invention has made this her passion for years, since sadly, losing her own mother at the young age of 52, to a malignant melanoma on her scalp. I think it's wonderful that she has now made it her destiny to create Sun Shadz, for others to prevent such a horrible disease. You can find Monimay Inc on Facebook!

 Hair Shadz and Sun Shadz are endorsed by the International Melanoma Foundation, licensed with PETA, and have a Dermatology signature of approval.

 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.