Category: Health

REVIEW - Aquafresh Iso-Active Whitening Deep Impact Toothpaste

aquafresh deep impact can

For almost a month now I’ve been using another new toothpaste, AquaFresh Iso-Active Whitening Deep Impact Toothpaste.

Product description

Aquafresh Iso-Active Whitening doesn’t look like an ordinary toothpaste, and it doesn’t act like one, either! Given that 40 percent of your tooth surface is hidden between your teeth, getting your mouth healthy and clean can be a challenge. But Iso-Active’s revolutionary gel activates the moment you start brushing, transforming into a micro-fine foam. This active foam penetrates hard-to-reach places around your mouth, protecting between your teeth and giving you a whole-mouth clean.

Breakthrough gel transforms into an active foam
Penetrates hard-to-reach places to protect between teeth
33% better whitening*
Provides Aquafresh Triple Protection for healthy gums**, strong teeth, and fresh breath

My Thoughts

Aquafresh Iso-Active Whitening Toothpaste is available in three varieties: Fresh Impact, Deep Impact and Lasting Impact. I have tried this tooth paste in the Fresh Impact variety before and loved it. I really like this one too but not quite as much as the Fresh Impact because the taste is a little different. The taste is a little less minty than the Fresh. The toothpaste isn’t exactly paste or gel. When you put the toothpaste on the brush and put it in your mouth it foams up. I like the packaging because there’s no need to squeeze or flatten like regular toothpaste BUT I don’t like that you can’t tell how much toothpaste is left in the can. It’d be terrific if they built a little window into the can so you know how much is left inside.

If you’d like to try Aquafresh Iso-Active be sure to download the printable $1 Aquafresh Iso-Active coupon.

The product(s) featured in this review was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.

Jul 26, 2010 | 4 comments | View Post

Deal Alert - All In One Mens Grooming Kit

buycom norelco all in one grooming kit

CJ has alopecia areata. Male pattern baldness. His hair doesn’t grow in evenly and he ends up with bald spots all over the place so generally we buzz his head. A few days ago the hair he had was getting long, so I told RB it was time to buzz it.

Into the bathroom we went. I sat CJ on the countertop and got out RB’s grooming kit. I turned it on and it barely buzzed. We tried charging it. It didn’t get better. It had died, leaving us with a problem and the need for a new grooming tool.

I found a sale for reasonably priced solution to the problem - the Philips Norelco G485 All-In-One Grooming Kit. This trimmer has more features than our recently departed groomer. The trimmer works on beard, mustache, nose and ear hair. The trimmer has nine cutting lengths and comes with a several blades, a cleaning brush and eyebrow comb. There’s also a charging stand with storage spots for all of the attachments. This trimmer takes ten hours to get a full charge and will run for up to 35 minutes.

The Philips Norelco G485 All-In-One Grooming Kit regularly sells for $69.95 and is currently on sale for $39.99. There’s a $5 coupon on top of that, bringing it down to $34.99. And, it qualifies for free shipping. This would make a great gift for any guy. And don’t forget, Father’s Day isn’t all that far away.

Apr 30, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Crazy Busy Beautiful Giveaway And AIR OPTIX AQUA Surprise Your Eyes Contest

crazy busy beautiful book cover

“Crazy Busy Beautiful” is a new beauty book that was released earlier this mnonth, on April.

From the Publisher -

Women today are crazy busy. And they want to be beautiful!

Beauty can be overwhelming. Walk by any cosmetics counter or into any drugstore and you’re suddenly surrounded by thousands of products promising to make you look younger, fuller, lusher, thicker, and just about every other “er” you can think of. It sounds too good to be true and most of it is. But who has the time to navigate though all the beauty myths out there (or even her own makeup bag!) to find the tricks that will help you be your most beautiful? Is it really that hard to look and feel your best?

Not anymore! Carmindy, the makeup artist on TLC’s hit show What Not to Wear, is opening her beauty treasure chest and sharing more than 600 beauty tips and secrets she’s learned on the show and during her years as a makeup artist across the globe. Try these tips from Carmindy:

* Blackheads be gone! Elmer’s Glue is just as good as a pore strip for removing blackheads from your nose.
* Forgot to pack your eyeliner? In a pinch, mascara can pull double duty as eyeliner. Use a brush to pick up a little color from the mascara wand and smudge it into the lash line.
* Can’t get that last bit of blush to come off? Swipe a cotton ball dipped in mineral oil across stubborn makeup. It will melt off.
* Traumatized by age spots that just won’t go away? Put lemon juice on age spots at night to help fade them. But never apply lemon juice to the skin right before sun exposure.

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy. I must say that the book is not at all what I expected. I thought it was going to be a girly-girl book but in fact it’s quite useful, interesting and informative. The easy to read book is frequently splashed with color and is full of fast and easy ways to solve common beauty problems. The book is a light read that is interesting to go through, as well as a great resource for beauty emergencies and questions. There’s a “nasties” section in most chapter, this is my favorite - it highlights the common issues many women share.

Celebrity makeup artist Carmindy from TLC’s “What Not to Wear” is serving as an expert judge for the AIR OPTIX AQUA “Surprise Your Eyes” contest. Two grand prize winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a spa day with a friend. To enter submitting their best photo or video tip for keeping their eyes healthy and beautiful in the at www.airpotixcontest.com. To see more tips from Carmindy: http://www.airoptixcontest.com/tips

WIN IT!

ONE winner will receive a copy of the book Crazy Busy Beautiful.

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

Leave a comment on this post telling me one beauty tip.

BONUS ENTRIES

1 - Subscribe to my newsletter. (sidebar)
1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed. (sidebar)
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here. (sidebar)
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
1 - Friend me on Facebook (sidebar)
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1 - Friend me using Google FriendConnect. (bottom right of page)
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog. (bottom of page)
1 - Visit Game Review Network and leave a comment on any post there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned there. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.
1 - Visit HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Friday 05/07/10 at 11:59 pm est. If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won. Good luck to everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Apr 29, 2010 | 20 comments | View Post

Big Foot - No, Not The Monster, Me

duo boots ankle boot

I hate shoe shopping. It’s hard to enjoy shopping for something you can’t find anything of. It becomes a chore. As the weight has been coming off I have wondered if my shoe size would change much. I am sorry to say that it has not. I’ve wanted a pair of cute boots for a long time now. Unfortunately when I find ladies shoes or boots that I like I can’t get them in my size. When I am lucky enough to find footwear in my size I either don’t like the style or they just don’t fit. I’m difficult to fit because my feet are both large and wide, plus if the calf and top aren’t just right they won’t fit either. This morning I found a site that carried nothing but wide calf boots. They actually have a pair of boots (pictured above) that I think are cute. They have the right width but not the right size for me. Maybe if I lose a little more weight my feet will get a little smaller and I’d be able to wear something like these. Do you love or hate shoe shopping?

Apr 06, 2010 | 2 comments | View Post

Answer To The Question At What Price Beauty?

dollar bill dollar sign

For those of you that have wondered the question “at what price beauty?” at any point in their life, I have the answer.

Today I stopped on my way home to get my nails done. I get acrylic over my own nails. I was a little overdue for a fill. The woman that got me is actually the one who runs the salon. She’s done my nails a lot of times and she’s the only one that’s ever touched my eyebrows. I hate having my eyebrows done because it hurts. Anyway.

I went in to have my nails filled, which is usually $15. I also needed a small repair on one finger. It’d been a while since I had everything taken off and started from scratch. She found a couple of nails starting to lift so I told her to go for it. UNfortunately I moved my hand while she was working on it and she accidentally hurt me. You could tell she felt really bad and was very apologetic. It hurt quite a bit and I just wanted to be finished. She asked if I wanted my eyebrows done and I made a little joke that since I was already in a little pain we might as well go all of the way and do the eyebrows too.

I sat in the chair and closed my eyes. I think that’s part of what I don’t like about getting my eyebrows done - it hurts and I can’t watch what’s going on. She did her thing and I went to pay and leave. If you’ve ever gotten your eyebrows done you know things look a little red and puffy and you can’t really see what’s going on there for a little bit, right? Right.

I paid and went home. My finger throbbing, I walked in the door where I was greeted with a strange look by RB. Then he laughed. As it turns out my eyebrows were a little crooked, making it look like I had one raised higher than the other as if to ask a question. I’m thinking that’s the end of getting my eyebrows done there.

So for those of you wondering “at what price beauty?” The answer is this - more than $37.

I’m going to bed now, it hurts to type.

Mar 22, 2010 | 2 comments | View Post

Eyeglasses, Then And Now

purple eyeglasses

I have worn eyeglasses for most of my life, since I was a young child. At about the age of eight or nine something prompted my Mom to take me to the eye doctor. He did an exam and found that I had extremely bad vision. He put me in some very ugly tortoise shell frames and sent me on my way. I was shocked at how different things looked with glasses on. The first time I went bowling after getting them I said “look, they put stripes on the bowling pins!”. That’s when we all realized just how bad my vision really was.

As years went by my vision never improved. By the time I reached my teens I’d grown very tired of wearing prescription glasses. I did not feel attractive when wearing them. I convinced my parents to get me contact lenses. I immediately felt better about myself once I started wearing contacts.

The only time I don’t wear contact lenses is before bed, because the eye doctor I went to when I first switched to contacts told me you should never sleep in contact lenses, no matter what the packaging or manufacturer says. Because of that, I still keep a pair of glasses.

One of the things that surprises me about eyewear now is that it doesn’t look anything like it did when I first started wearing glasses. Twenty some years ago most people were wearing frames that sort of blended with the face, in neutral, brown or gold tones. Today frames are bright and colorful, standing out from the wearer’s face. There are so many styles available now that shopping for glasses online is growing in popularity, because of the variety.

I love the color purple but don’t imagine myself ever wearing purple frames. For those of you that wear eyeglasses, do you prefer a more conservative or a more colorful frame?

Mar 21, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

100 - An Announcement And Time For Audience Participation

272 drs scale

It’s official! I’VE OFFICIALLY LOST 100 POUNDS!

Actually I’ve lost 102 pounds. I went to the surgeon’s office this afternoon for a fill. I cried when I saw the scale. Then I jumped off the scale, grabbed my phone and jumped back on to take a picture. I was on a scale that said I’d lost 100 when I left for Disney Social Media Moms Celebration a few weeks ago but I don’t consider any weight official unless it comes from the surgeon’s scale. I’m less than one year out of surgery. I’m more than half way to my goal and I am so excited! I feel like I’ve had about fifty cups of extra caffeinated coffee. I just want to run in the streets and yell. Do you think the neighbors would mind?

So here’s a question for you. Hence the audience participation part.

I haven’t bought any new clothes since surgery except for a single pair of jeans. My underwear and pants are literally falling off of me. Last time I bought underwear there were only like two kinds. I was in the store today and now there are like fifty. What kind of underwear should I buy? Think comfy.

Mar 15, 2010 | 29 comments | View Post

Aquafresh Iso-Active Toothpaste Review

aquafresh isoactive toothpaste

For the past several weeks I’ve been using a new toothpaste, AquaFresh Iso-Active Whitening Toothpaste.

Product description

Breakthrough gel transforms into an active foam
Penetrates hard-to-reach places to protect between teeth
33% better whitening*
Provides Aquafresh Triple Protection for healthy gums**, strong teeth, and fresh breath

My Thoughts

I am loving this toothpaste. The taste is minty clean. I like minty toothpaste, it makes me confident my breath doesn’t smell bad. The toothpaste isn’t as thick as a paste or gel. Once you’re brushing the toothpaste foams up. The packaging is awesome, no tubes to squeeze and flatten. The only thing about the packaging is that I don’t know how much toothpaste is left in there, which would not be good if I ran out and didn’t have any more on hand. It’d be neat if they could make the pump with a window so you know how much is left inside.

If you’d like to try Aquafresh Iso-Active be sure to snag the printable $1 Aquafresh Iso-Active coupon.

I received this sample as a member of SheSpeaks.

Mar 13, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

REVIEW - Jovan Satisfaction Fragrance

jovan satisfaction packages

I’ve always enjoyed fragrance. Recently I got to try a brand new one - Jovan Satisfaction.

About Jovan Satisfaction - Jovan Satisfaction, the first new fragrance from Jovan in over a decade, is a sexy fragrance that guarantees to make a lasting impression. Jovan Satisfaction for Women combines sultry with sophisticated to create an alluring mix of exotic and sweet. This irresistible fragrance contains notes of sweet mango, lotus flower and warm vanilla to tantalize the senses and give your confidence a boost. Jovan Satisfaction for Men offers a bold and masculine scent that will bring a new level of “satisfaction” to your love life. With notes of grapefruit, cardamom, cedarwood and amber, this sexy scent will surely turn you on.

I received a bottle of each. I tried the Satisfaction for Women. I like the scent, it isn’t too musky or too flowery. You don’t need to apply too much and the scent lasts several hours. I gave RB the Satisfaction For Men. (Doesn’t that sound funny!) He liked it and found it a little woodsy and musky. I thought it smelled good on him as well, the fruity scent was quite nice.

Jovan Satisfaction is available nationwide in stores such as Wal-Mart, Target and CVS. It retails for $12 for a 0.5 oz Eau de Toilette spray and $18 for a 1.0 oz Eau de Toilette spray at stores. If you haven’t tried it and want to find out if you like it Jovan is offering a free sample on their website, just fill out the form at www.jovansatisfaction.com. Jovan is also on Facebook.

Mar 01, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Real Kids Shades Review - With Giveaway

realkidsshades and mfs logos

Long ago I came to the conclusion that seasonal merchandising means you cannot get what you need when you most need it. Example. You find you need to replace your winter pajamas or slippers in February and can’t because they’re no longer on sale. That’s right folks. Summer items are starting to appear in local stores now. That’s ridiculous! One of the items you see all of the time in the summer but not so much during the winter is sunglasses.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), sunglasses are not just for sunny summer days, but are also needed during the winter season when reflections from snow, water, sand or pavement can intensify UV rays to extremely high levels. The AAO also tells us that most parents (82%) encourage their children to use sunscreen when outdoors in the sunlight to protect the skin, but only 32% protect the vulnerable eyes of their infants, toddlers and children with sunglasses. That’s a scary thought when you consider that children’s eyes are at increased risk for permanent damage from sunlight until they are at least 10 years old, because their eyes are highly sensitive and still developing. Furthermore, 90% of total lifetime damage from the sun’s harmful rays occurs by age 18.

I never really gave childrens sunglasses much thought other than that it was cute. Of course I thought they were cute – they’ve got cute little licensed characters on them. You’ve seen the ones I mean in the department stores. I have bought CJ 3 or 4 pair and they just didn’t fit right and never stayed on. Shortly before our recent trip to Disney, I started contemplating what I was going to do for CJ’s eyes as there has been known to be some sunshine in Florida. I didn’t see any children’s sunglasses in the department stores. That didn’t surprise me, as I couldn’t find slippers or pajamas either. Fortunately, the folks at Real Kids Shades sent us some sunglasses and asked us to share our thoughts.

Real Kids Shades offers a line of durable and stylish sunglasses for infants and children to age 12. Real Kids Shades offer 100% UV protection and are measured by the strictest American, European and Australian governing bodies. Real Kids Shades are approved by the Melanoma International Foundation and meets with the sunglass recommendations of Prevent Blindness America. These kids sunglasses are Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) compliant, CE Certified and FDA Approved for protecting children’s eyes against dangerous exposure to UV-A and UV-B rays. They are lead-free and made of impact-resistant, shatterproof polycarbonate frames and lenses. A wide range of styles and colors are available, including sports styles. Some of these styles can be fitted with prescription lenses.

real kids glasses case

I was very impressed with the Real Kids Shades. In the past when CJ has worn sunglasses they have always fallen off. CJ is small and I wondered how well these would work. As it turns out, they work great! They’re very stylish looking and I love the adjustable band that kept them on his head. He didn’t seem to mind wearing them at all, probably because they actually fit. And these glasses actually covered his eyes, unlike any of the ones we’d bought previously.

cj glasses hat

cj real kids shades 1

cj real kids shades 2

The frames are all stylish looking without looking too young or too old. I find the price quite reasonable considering the fact that they provide the protection my son’s eyes need and because they on. (No need to buy more if these stay on.)

Suggested retail prices for Real Kids Shades range from $14.99 to $19.99. For more information and store location, visit www.realkidshades.com.

WIN IT!

ONE winner will receive a pair of Real Kids Shades.

HOW TO ENTER. (MANDATORY)

To enter visit the Real Kids Shades website and then leave a comment on this post telling me which style of Real Kids Shades you like the most and what your favorite color in that style is.

BONUS ENTRIES

1 - Subscribe to my newsletter. (sidebar)
1 - Subscribe to my RSS feed. (sidebar)
1 - Follow me on Twitter AND leave your Twitter name here. (sidebar)
1 - Tweet this giveaway.
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1 - Friend me using Google FriendConnect. (bottom right of page)
1 - Blog about this giveaway, including a link here.
1 - Place my button on your blog. (bottom of page)
1 - Visit Game Review Network and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned there. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.
1 - Visit HereAndThere.US (my Mom) and leave a comment on any post (except a giveaway post) there. Then return here and leave a comment on this post telling me one thing you read or learned on my Mom’s blog. (That’s two comments you need to leave for this bonus entry, one there and one here.) Unlimited entries for this method of entry.

Leave an additional comment for each entry you qualify for. You must have completed the first entry according to the instructions to be eligible for any bonus entries.

THE SMALL PRINT.

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Saturday 03/13/10 at 11:59 pm est. If you’ve entered any of my giveaways before then you know that only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my email notifying them they’ve won. Good luck to everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Feb 28, 2010 | 37 comments | View Post

Custom Twitter Necklaces By Survival Of The Hippest

You know those nameplate necklaces that became popular back in the 80s and 90s? They’re still going strong and one company has given them an update, tying them into the popular social media platform we all know as Twitter. Survival Of the Hippest, a New York City based company, is currently offering their Social St@tus collection which includes handmade custom made necklaces with your Twitter handle or your favorite hash tag. Necklaces are available in 925 sterling silver, 10k and 14k gold, with pricing starting at $49.95. Additional options and upgrades are available including longer chains and diamonds. Along with the necklaces they also offer keychains, bracelets, anklets, pins and tie clips.

The folks at Survival Of The Hippest offered me a special discount and I bought myself one. We’re sort of broke so I chose the sterling silver with a 20 inch chain. As far as the necklace goes I can say that they did a beautiful job and I love it. The only suggestions I have actually pertain to the actual ordering. I think it would be helpful to mention any font choices available. I also think it would be great if they offered a few more chain options. I am a large person and find that thin, dainty chains don’t suit me, they tend to get lost. I would have preferred a slightly thicker and longer chain. I wore it to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration and received many compliments on the piece.

These custom Twitter necklaces would make a great gift, for yourself or your favorite Twitter addict. You can find Survival Of The Hippest at http://survivalofthehippest.com, or on Twitter @TheHippest.

Feb 24, 2010 | 4 comments | View Post

Getting Back On The Bike

I decided I needed to get back on my exercise bike again. It’s been a while. Between that and EA Sports Active I’m hoping to get myself into better shape. Exercise is the best fat burner there is. I figured that since I’d walked all over the place for several days in Disney that it was the best time for me to start on the exercise bike again. I figured with all that walking my body wouldn’t complain about the new exercise as much. Wrong! I made it seven minutes on the bike the first day. I’m just going to take it slow and go a little farther each day.

Feb 23, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Primrose Family Dance-off Competition To Fight Obesity And Benefit Children’s Miracle Network

primrose family danceoff

I used to have a great figure, until obesity set in. As a child I took tap and jazz lessons. I loved dancing, it was fun and felt good, and the activity was good for me. It’s been many years and many pounds since then. Over the years as I put on the weight I stopped dancing. I’m down 100 pounds now and one of the things I am most looking forward to doing again is dancing in public.

Childhood obesity is a huge problem in America. With that in mind, Primrose Schools is sponsoring a Family Dance-off Competition. The competition has prizes including a $5,000 grand prize, a Wii Fit Bundle, Flip Camera, and a $30,00 donation to one of the 170+ local non-profit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The Family Dance-off supports the Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children’s hospitals, which collectively treat 17 million children annually for every illness and injury imaginable.

If you’d like to compete in the Family Dance-off all you need to do is record a 30-second home video of your family’s best dance moves and upload it. Visit www.familydanceoff.com to enter or find more information.

This post was written as part of a public service campaign for Mom Select. It has not been monetarily compensated however I have received an entry into a drawing for a gift card in exchange for my participation.

Feb 09, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

A Question About Skate Shoes

vans white skate shoe

I hate shoe shopping. I decided that I wanted to get a pair of sneakers before leaving for Florida. I went to one sporting store and couldn’t find anything that I liked. I then went to a larger sporting store, which in turn had a larger selection. There seemed to be at least ten different types of sneakers and shoes including casual, skate, basketball, soccer, track, cross training, golf, hiking, walking and running. There was even a whole section of skechers shape ups, which I’d not seen before. The pair of shoes that I liked most, surprisingly, was a pair of skate shoes. I didn’t buy them though, because I’ve never worn shoes like those and didn’t know how I’d feel walking around Disney in them all day. I may go back and get them after I get back from the trip because they were cute. So I’m curious. Who among you wears skate shoes, and how are they for just plain walking?

Feb 09, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

Growing Up Faster Than An Eyebrow

moustache trimmer

Here’s something that I don’t think I’ve never mentioned. RB has a unibrow. Not only that, directly out of the middle of it grows a long hair, which we call his feeler because it waves around like a tentacle. It’s nothing a few hair removal wax strips wouldn’t take care of. But, it doesn’t bother him much so he usually leaves it alone, despite the fact that we tease him about it.

Recently TJ noticed that his eyebrows were looking a bit like his fathers. Finally proof that the boy who can’t see things in front of him isn’t blind! Anyway. I asked him if he wanted to come with me to the nail salon because they do eyebrows and facial hair removal. He said that he didn’t want to do that – I’m guessing because he’s heard me say that I hate the plucking. I asked him if he wanted me to check into hair removal cream. He said he didn’t think so and that he’d think about what he wanted to do. Two days later he’d decided on a solution to his problem. Rather than spend money he decided to use one of the moustache trimmers in the bathroom. He said he chose to do that because it was quick and easy and it wouldn’t cost anything because we already had it. How practical! I offered to do it for him but he wanted to do it himself. He did a nice even job and didn’t take off anything he wasn’t supposed to. I’m thinking I’m going to get him a smaller eyebrow trimmer of his own just to be safe. He’s growing up so fast, faster than the speed eyebrows grow it would seem.