Loving Eco Review

I received two products from LovingEco. I received the Blissoma Solutions Fresh Mild Rice Natural Face Cleanser and the Sprout Skincare Cream. Both products are totally organic, natural products. I love that the customer service was very friendly and shipping was fast. They only sell nontoxic good for the earth products!! LOVE LovingEco. They feature new products by new brands daily/weekly and have a sale on them!!

Will definitely keep them on my to-buy from list!! Loved everything about the company, the products they have, and the service they offered.

Blissoma Solutions Fresh Mild Rice Natural Face Cleanser

This is a very unique cleanser because it doesn’t have soap, it’s actually a non-soap cleanser. This is made for all skin care types, for everyday use (twice daily). You can use this morning and night.

It is very popular for balancing out problem skin and helping to heal it. “Organic, whole brown rice flour and willowbark extract gently exfoliate while super-gentle, emollient organic oils of Apricot Kernal and Sunflower moisturize. Skin is cleansed, hydrated, and nourished instead of stripped. Infusions of organic Chickweed and Rose tone and freshen circulation to flush away toxins. It has a wonderful, citrusy, essential oil scent beloved by men and women and is also mild enough to be used on children.”

I really like that this is made in small batches from fresh botanical ingredients. This is a 4 ounce bottle (mine came with a dropper) and is a month supply when used twice daily. You squirt 2-3 dropperfuls into your hand and massage into your skin. Then rinse with warm water and pat dry with a hand towel. This removes all daily impurities from your skin.

I love that is is completely natural and organic, and has no perfume smell at all. I have combination skin- oily in some parts while dry in others. Most cleansers with chemicals irritate my skin, so natural was the best choice for me. Not only is i t better for my skin and health, but also better for the environment.

My skin has been smooth, plump, soft, and extremely HAPPY after using this rice cleanser. I have never used a rice cleanser before, and truly enjoyed the experience.

This took all the makeup off with NO greasy smearing mess behind! Wish I had a GIANT bottle of this..  ;D

I have just learned last year that chemicals in beauty products (lotions, shampoo’s, and face cleansers) are truly damaging overtime. They seep into your skin and can lead to cancer, infertility, and hormone problems. SO this year one of my New Year Resolutions was to go completely natural when it came to my beauty routine.

Thankfully, I have found some AMAZING products that I will stick to, and use from here on out. This being one of them. No brittle, flakey, red cracked skin here!!

 

Sprout Skincare Cream

This Cream can be used for your face, hands, and feet. This is totally organic and natural and will not clog pores or leave any greasy residue behind. It is the perfect size to slip in a makeup bag, a purse, or overnight bag.

Most creams use a water baseline when manufacturing these, but Sprout doesn’t. The thickness makes it last WAY longer than any other moisturizing cream, lotion, or butter that I’ve used before. A little bit goes a long way, and I can already tell that in the winter this is going to be VERY useful for my skin. When I get cold, it seems like my whole body gets chapped. It’s unbearable because my skin dries out and starts peeling.

I also have a skin condition on the back of my arms and on my upper thighs. It’s called Keratosis Pilaris, nicknamed chicken skin because it produces tiny red bumps. The only thing that I have found that takes the rash like bumps away is Retinol A Cream (prescribed) but it’s very expensive.

I started using this on it when I received it, and was amazed when it started working. It took the bumps away, the itchiness, and the dryness that comes with it. I loved it, and it’s way cheaper than paying $80 for a Vitamin A cream.

It smells like uncooked cookie dough, but isn’t quite as sweet smelling. The consistency is a whipped cream balm. I wasn’t sure what to expect when using this on my face. I mixed a small amount with a Renewal Serum and it was enough to completely moisturize my face and neck without leaving a greasy feeling.

I will definitely be buying this again.! It helped with dry skin, dry hands, the “chicken skin” and everything in between. There’s nothing like getting out of the bath and rubbing some of this into my dry feet. :Heaven:

About:

LovingEco was founded by two women who are passionate about making a difference. Both are committed to giving back and each cares deeply about the environment, the health of women and the future of our planet. We have built a strong team of the best, brightest and committed to the vision of style for change. We know that other women care, and also love style. This site is for all of our women friends, social entrepreneurs, leaders, students, fellow moms, and fashionistas (men too!) who also do not want to compromise on style and wish to create a more conscious and less toxic world.

Follow them online:

Twitter

Facebook

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored review, all opinions are 100% my own. I did receive products in exchange for an honest review.

 

Jessica

niapads face cleaning pads

Other acne pads and cleansing products claim to get all the dirt from the bottom of your pores to kill the acne and the redness that comes with it. I have used many products over the years.
Some made my face VERY red and dried out, my skin would start peeling. I hated the peeling. Despised it to no end. The peeling couldn’t even be covered up by my makeup because it would make the makeup peel as well.


When I seen Niapads, I SO wanted to give this a try. I have been using it for 3-4 weeks, and it does exactly what it says it will. I love products that work!!
They smell AMAZING. They come in a little Ziplock type bag to keep them fresh. They are smaller than I expected them to be (smaller than a debit card), but they still get the job done. They are easy to travel with because of the size, a HUGE bonus. (the picture is of the Niapad folded over).


They have a gentle effective exfoliation, that gets deep into the pores and leaves my skin feeling soft and very clean. They don’t leave my skin feeling dried out or greasy like other do. The smell is a HUGE plus.

I ended up using this a couple times AFTER a huge name brand that said that they clean the face VERY well. What I seen on the Niapad after cleaning with it, I was very disappointed in the name brand. There was still A LOT of makeup left behind. This gets every single bit of makeup off.
If you have a lot of makeup on, you can rinse the Niapad and re-wash with the same pad. There isn’t a medicine, alcohol, or chemical smell to these pads like some do.

I had a stubborn zit that just wouldn’t go away, so I followed the directions on the packaging. It said to cut a small amount off and directly stick it to the zit, and leave until dried. This made the zit go away extremely fast. Not disappear instantly, but definitely quicker than anything I have ever experienced in my life.!!

I love these and will definitely reorder again and again.

About:
Niapads^TM– Face cleansing pad with Niacinamide USP are designed to safely reduce Acne flareups by unleashing the well documented anti-inflammatory properties of Niacinamide USP.

Did you know?
Scientific research has shown that Niacinamide (also known as Nicotinamide or Vitamin B3) is superior to antibiotics such as Clindamycin in reducing Acne. Niacinamide is not an antibiotic and there are no antibiotic related side-effects associated with its use. (See References).

Effective Control for Acne, Pimples and Zits! - easy to use.
Niapads™ is a one-step process for pore cleansing, killing acne causing bacteria and exfoliation. Skin friendly emollients prevent drying of skin. It also contains Lavender oil, known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; and yes it provides a mild lavender scent.
Inflammatory skin conditions include Acne vulgaris and studies have shown that Niacinamide USP has proven efficacy in treatment of these skin conditions. Niapads™ is uniquely formulated to deliver Niacinamide USP topically at the desired site unlike oral formulations. A mild scrubbing pad helps exfoliate dead skin cells and prevent pore clogging.

Common acne-treatment concerns:
It is difficult to choose the right acne treatment - after all there are so many to choose from.
Would it work on my skin type? Will it dry my skin and make it itch or flake?
Are there any side-effects? Is it safe for pregnancy or nursing child?
Is the regimen difficult? Are there multiple steps?
Will it handle my serious breakout? Is it foul smelling?
Will the product potency/purity be the same from the first application to the
last in a given package or will it lose its strength/purity once the package is
opened?

Is it convenient to carry, travel, spill-proof?

Each situation is unique. Acne is caused by several factors and there is no one-time cure for acne.
However Niapads™ - face cleansing pad with Niacinamide USP, effectively controls acne and is suitable for all skin types. It provides an effective solution to all of the questions above and more! Make it a part of your daily skin care regimen.

Product features:
Each pack contains 30 pads in a re-sealable pouch.
Delivers therapeutic amounts of Niacinamide USP. Since application is topical, its action is localized and there are no systemic side-effects.

Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) is generally recognized as safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Mild scrubbing action - water soluble micro beads. Cloth provides additional scrubbing action.
Contains beneficial Lavender oil. Provides mild lavender scent.
No added colors (Presence of FD&C colors may cause acne flare-ups).
Convenient to carry. Take it to school, college, work, gym or travel.

MADE IN USA

How to use Niapads™
Tear open the pouch at the notch and open the ziploc seal. Take one pad and moisten it with water. Wet skin application area with water. Scrub application area gently with the moistened pad. Discard wet pad after use in regular trash. Wait 20 to 30 seconds and rinse thoroughly with water. Gently pat dry with clean towel.

Note: Before starting any skincare regimen, it is advisable to consult a medical professional.

Connect with Niapads online:
Facebook and Twitter

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. I did receive products in exchange for an honest review.!

Guest Post by Bryan Cohen

Bryan Cohen here, guest poster and author, promoting my new book The Post-College Guide to Happiness for The Happiness Blog Tour. I'm giving away free digital review copies of the book and doing a giveaway for paperback copies, audio copies and even a Kindle Fire! Read on and check out the info below the post. "To fill the hour – that is happiness."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 Part of happiness is about keeping busy, but it's not the kind of keeping busy that most people assume Emerson is talking about here. People think that keeping busy is about having busy work, like deep cleaning under the fridge or doing your taxes. It's easy to fill your day with busy work from beginning to end but you aren't likely to get a lot of deeper fulfillment from it. Conversely, if you do nothing all day whether it's your day off or you're retired, a few days or weeks worth of this "relaxation" can get pretty boring in a hurry. The trick to finding happiness in the day-to-day work you do is having some worthy and exciting goals set up for yourself. For me, trying to spread the word of my happiness book and to continue to work on my writing is a goal that I enjoy trying to make progress on. In addition, I'm a runner and I constantly train to improve my speed and endurance. I'm also interested in knocking out all of my personal and college debts and thusly I'm always working hard to find new ways to increase my income. These are three major goals that require a lot of effort and you might not need three to spur you into action. You may just need to find one thing that you really want and go for it with full force. The problem for some is that they've spent such a long time assuming that they'll never get what they want that they don't know what such a goal would be. The trick is that you need to take some time to sit down and think about something you could work toward. Maybe you start with something small like trying to lose five pounds or to write the first chapter of that book you've always wanted to finish. Set your first goal within relatively easy reach to give you some confidence to continue. Keep moving the goal forward like a carrot on a stick until you are making some great progress toward your ultimate goal of reaching your ideal weight, completing your book or something completely different. Filling the hour is definitely happiness, but it only works if you're filling the hour with things you truly want to do. Fill enough hours in this way and you'll have a whole bunch of happy days, weeks and months left to come. -- Bryan Cohen is giving away 61 paperback and audio copies of The Post-College Guide to Happiness and a Kindle Fire between now and May 7th, 2012 on The Happiness Blog Tour. All entrants receive a free digital review copy of The Post-College Guide to Happiness. Bryan hopes to give away at least 1,000 copies during the blog tour. To enter, post a comment with your e-mail address or send an e-mail to postcollegehappiness (at) gmail.com. Bryan will draw the names at the end of the tour. Entries will be counted through Sunday, May 6th. Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written nine books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More, 500 Writing Prompts for Kids: First Grade through Fifth Grade, Writer on the Side: How to Write Your Book Around Your 9 to 5 Job and his new book, 1,000 Character Writing Prompts: Villains, Heroes and Hams for Scripts, Stories and More. His website Build Creative Writing Ideas helps over 25,000 visitors a month to push past writer's block and stay motivated. Feel free to follow along with the tour at The Happiness Blog Tour Hub Page or on the book's Facebook Page.>

Hard Candy Makeup Review

Hard Candy Heavy Duty Glamoflauge Concealer
This is by FAR the best concealer EVER! I have stubborn dark circles under my eyes where I don’t sleep right, and I have tried EVERYTHING to get them covered. Nothing was working very well. Everything else was always too liquidy and you still see the darkness.
Everything about Glamoflauge is amazing, including the price. I have had this for quite a while, and haven’t even made it a quarter of a way through the tube. So, a little goes a long way. All I need is a very tiny dot on my finger to rub under my eyes. If you use too much, you’ll KNOW! It’s thick but not so thick that you can see it under makeup. It’s just the right consistency to hide blemishes and circles without making your face look too processed with makeup.
I use it on my blemishes and (some really light) acne scars and you can’t even tell that they are there, it even covers redness. I thought I might have some problems with this because It is oil-based and I have oily skin. I thought it might break me out more than it helped, but I was TOTALLY wrong. Never once did it break my skin out. Just because it’s oil-based, didn’t mean it was going to seep into my pores and cause a reaction!!
If your in a hurry, you might want to skip this—or start OFF with this, because it takes a while to dry. If you can wait the 2 or 3 minutes it takes for this to dry, it will totally be worth it. I’ve never had coverage like this before!!
I apply primer, then the glamoflauge, then liquid foundation, and finish off with powder foundation. This keep it on ALL day with no mishaps, no runs, no smears.! I don’t have to reapply unless it’s been raining or something. This really amazed me! I love this, and am very glad that I found it!
It states on the tube that you can outline an unwanted tattoo with the concealer pencil that comes with it, and then fill in the lining with the glamoflauge tube. My little sister got a tattoo done that didn’t stay. All the color vanished out of it, and half of the tattoo did also. The tattoo didn’t get in deep to the skin. So I tried this on her, and it worked. You couldn’t tell the tattoo was there!
The only thing I disliked was that it doesn’t come in many choices. They only have the light color, and for someone with darker skin, it is going to look chalky and unreal. It kind of did on my sister’s leg. Other than that—the shade fit my face color perfectly, the coverage was amazing, and it was long lasting.

Hard Candy Split Personality Duo Eyeshadow
I really liked how many color choices they had available in the Split Personality Duo EyeShadow.
This is a sponge tip pencil like applicator with a different shade at each end. The shadow is located in the caps of the applicator. It seemed to be spring loaded, made to tap it to make the shadow come out.
I didn’t like this too much. I thought it was going to be a long lasting, even shaded beautiful eye shadow. It wasn’t. It didn’t stay on for very long at all. It tendency to clump up in the crease of my eye. I couldn’t get it to even come out of the shadow tube most of the time. I would tap, tap, and tap it against the sink or a table thinking it just needed to sift to the applicator, but this wasn’t the case. It wouldn’t come out.
The pigmentation is very off. When it did come out, it was very very light and could hardly been seen at all. The taping that holds the cap (that’s filled with the shadow) comes off easily and gets loose shadow all in the bottom of my makeup bag.
Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own, and not influenced in any way. I did receive products in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica

Herohugger Belt review n giveaway

Kids belts are very hard to find. I would look and look, and they were either too small or too big for my son to wear. He is a weird shaped kid. He is skinny and has long legs, so pants were either too big for his waist or too small on his legs. I bought the pants that were big on his waist, but didn’t have a nice belt to help keep them up!

That wasn’t a problem when I found the HeroHugger website. They have so many designs that it is unreal. They sell girl belts, boy belts, accessories, and so much more!

We received the Hot Rod Kids Belt for Aidan. I was so thankful. He thought it was awesome because it had flames on it. You can choose which waist size you want. There are 3 choices-- Small - for waists 18" - 22" (up to size 3T), Medium - for waists 22" - 25" (up to size 6T), Large - for waists 25" - 28" (up to size 9/10). Then you have the option of a velcro closure or a D ring.

I got the velcro belt, because at the time he was going to school and he needed something that he could easily undo by himself when going to the bathroom. But at the same time, I needed something that was guaranteed to hold his pants up at playtime and during class.

This belt worked PERFECT. I have never had one single issue with this belt AT ALL. I have even washed this belt over and over, and it has never shrank, came apart, or broke in half. I was amazed at the strength of it.!

My son likes it because of the design, but I like it because it is so functional and holds his pants up tightly without any incidents. I now have no problem finding clothes for his lean frame and long legs. I wouldn’t want him wearing shorter pants just because I couldn’t find a belt that actually fit him.

They all had the holes in the belts and I couldn’t find a notch that would work well with his pants being bigger on him. They bunched up his pants and made them look all weird. I am eternally grateful for finding HeroHuggers.

So if your on the search for your own belts for kids.. look no further.

Here are just a few to choose from. Ones that I Love.

Pink Parfait  

 

Rockin Tattoo

 

Pink a Boo

 

Leapin Lime 

 

About:

Our kids belts are made of fun colors for boys and girls.  These belts are made using a very high quality hybrid webbing and fun ribbons, perfect for your children.  All kids belts are made in the USA fore your little hero.  Belts are all 1" wide and vary in length depending on the size selected.  We are so sure you'll love these belts for your kids that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  If you're not happy for any reason please return your belt for a full refund.

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. I did receive products in exchange for an honest review.

BUY IT: You can buy these from the website from $14.99- $19.99 (on sale right now)

WIN IT: One Lucky Made.By.Jess reader will win their own (choice) of HeroHugger Belts. (free shipping)

Jessica

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Easy being Green! RubberMaid 2-in-1 Recycler Review & Giveaway

I am in love with this recycler. It has made my life 10x easier. I went through SO much trouble recycling before I got this. I save cans and take them to the recycling center up the road. I used to save them in grocery store plastic bags. I would save up until I got quite a few, and then take them out, crush them, and then put them all in a garbage bag.
The grocery bags would get really sticky, and I hated it. I would basically have to PRY them off the bag. Then crush them and transfer them to the larger bag. My hands were sticky and my back ached from crushing so many cans at once.
Now I can do the crushing one at a time and place them inside the bottom part of the 2-n-1 recycler. It is so much easier, no stickiness, and no hurting back. It makes recycling easy. I seriously think that if everyone in the U.S. had one, they would recycle more. They wouldn’t have to think twice about throwing cans, paper, and plastics in the trash.

The top and bottom are sorters, so you can use the bottom for something different than the top. I use the bottom for cans, and the top for plastic. We go through a lot of milk and juice, so plastic was the best thing for the top of mine.
It is super easy to clean. The top lifts out, and I just put it in my sink, fill it a quarter full with warm water, drop in a few drops of dish liquid, wash, rinse, and put it back. The bottom also comes all the way out, but it doesn’t need to be cleaned very much because it clips the trash bag right in.
So you just pull the green levers up and pull the bag out, and replace it! Easy as pie, and very easy to keep clean also. The extra coke juice doesn’t seep out into the bottom of the recycler.

I love that Rubbermaid is designing so many products to not only help the environment but help their customers as well. I love companies that do this. I have been using Rubbermaid for a VERY long time.
I love this!! and so does everyone who walks in my house and sees it. My mom wants one. She said it would make saving her cans so much easier. She keep them in a bag on her counter and puts them in a large outside trash bin when the grocery sack is full. Doing this makes her hands sticky though, and requires extra time that the recycler doesn’t!

About the 2-in-1 Recycler
The 2-in-1 Recycler makes recycling easy! This two-unit bin allows you to either contain trash and recyclables all in one location or sort recyclables. The top unit is perfect for collecting recyclables and has a fold away handle that makes it easy to take out and empty into your recycling bin. The lower bin tilts out for easy access, and holds an 8 gallon trash bag in place with the Liner Lock™ system. Alternatively, you can use the lower bin to sort another type of recyclable and carry it out with the built-in handles.
We are very excited to introduce the Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler solutions that perfect for containing waste and recycling all in one location or for sorting recyclables.
The features of this product include:
*Keeps recyclables off the counter by giving them a place to live in your kitchen

*The bottom tilt out bin holds a standard 8-gallon trash bag AND features LinerLock™ bag management, so your bag stays put and does not slip.

*Both the top bin and bottom bin have convenient handles when needed to transport recyclables to wherever your recycling is stored for pick-up or transport.

*The 2-in-1 Recycler fits more recyclables while using 25% less floor space compared to typical divided containers.

*Made with recyclable materials and is recyclable
The Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler is available directly from Rubbermaid.com or physical Meijer store locations. This 2-in-1 Rubbermaid product will make organizing recyclables in your home an easy and painless operation! Purchase the Recycler for only $39.99!  *Measurements: Size: 12.1" l x 16.7" w x 31.22" h
Be sure to follow @Rubbermaid on Twitter and the Rubbermaid Facebook Page! Follow the Rubbermaid blog, Adventures in Organization, which features some of the finest organizational advice known to man!
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. I did receive free products from Rubbermaid in exchange for an honest review.
  One lucky winner is going to receive a Rubbermaid 2-in-1 Recycler for their home recycling needs ($40 Value)! This giveaway is open to residents in US and Canada; 18+. Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below for a chance at winning this amazing prize. Winner will have 48 hours to confirm before a forfeit is assumed. Ends on 5/5. Good Luck! Please follow the rules!

Jessica a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tweezerman Review

Pop of Op Mini Slant Tweezer- The stainless steel Mini Slant Tweezer features a hand-filed tip perfectly aligned to grab every hair every time with the smoothest precision. The ideal on-the-go tool for any makeup bag, purse and travel, this is the perfect miniature version of the award-winning Slant Tweezer a.k.a. the choice of make-up artists, models, celebrities and the most discerning beauty enthusiasts who demand the very best.

Tweezerman carries the cutest tweezer designs I have ever seen in my life. I’m not kidding when I say that I have never actually even seen any ones with designs. The only ones I’ve seen are the plain silver ones.

AND I’m not going to lie when I say I am a wuss. YES! I admit it. I hated tweezing my eyebrows because it ALWAYS made my eyes water and it did more damage to me then actually helped. WHY? because eventually I’d give up and NOT even do it.. lol.. You can make fun of me all that you want.. It really did hurt.

I even switched to the eyebrow shaper shaver thing. (which if I must say, made eyebrow hairs WORSE) They grew in thicker and faster, which sucked! I would notice a day or so later that they were all back. What’s the use in even using something like that if it makes taming eyebrows worse?

But when these tweezers presented themselves into my life, who was I NOT to give them a try? I was absolutely glad I did. They are very easy to hold, pull gently but get the job done, and help create a better shape than the regular stainless ones.

With these tweezers though, it’s an entirely different story. It’s like- it pulls but not STINGY pulls. It seems to do it in the direction of the hair, so it doesn’t hurt as bad. I’ve learned a few tricks and tips over the years.

The slanted tip of these amazing tweezers make it so much easier to grab ahold of those pesky little hairs and get them out of the way. Having unruly eyebrows IS NOT attractive in any shape or form. These are super-accurate and exact in the way they grab and don’t let go. I hated to spend so much (with other brands) that were letting hairs slip and break, which would eventually end up in redness, bumps, and blotches.

Since using Tweezerman, I have acknowledged less irritation and ingrown hairs that result in red bumps. It takes HALF the time it did when I was using the other brands because I don’t dread it. Half the time I spent whining about how much it hurt.. Now it’s a breeze; no whining, crying, or putting it off and ending up a caveman wannabe. (HA).

It’s a lot less stressful, I’ll admit. I wanted perfect eyebrows, but could NEVER get them because of the whiny baby stuff AND the growing back super fast when using the shave shaper. Now I don’t have to worry about it.

They are super fashionable, and are small enough to fit in any cosmetic bag or purse. As long as you have some kind of mirror with you, you could tweeze in the bathroom at work before a meeting or sitting in your care before a date with your babe. There is nothing less sexy than a uni-brow.

But to make tweezing go BETTER for you and to not hurt so bad, I give you some tips.

Tweezing Tips:

Take a hot shower (and put your face directly in the line of water for about 5 minutes.) Don’t drown yourself though.. lol. The hot water softens your eyebrow hairs and opens your pores. This makes tweezing a breeze.

FYI: If you are running behind on time and there is no way possible for you to take a shower, there is another option. Wet a washcloth in hot water (for about 2 min) and lay directly across your eyebrows. Leave it this way for a couple of minutes and the hot water does the same trick. Softens the hurt because it softens the hairs and opens the pores.

While tweezing- pull the hair in the right direction. Right eyebrow pull it right and left pull left. Pull UP and left or right. I f you pull down on the hairs, it will break your hair.

AFTER: Soothe your skin so it doesn’t turn red and blotchy. Great soothers include ice, skin cream (not lotion), or witch hazel (or something with witch hazel inside).

 

They have some pretty awesome tweezers for sale. Different styles and price ranges, no matter what your looking for. From $15-

Animal prints are a HUGE hit these days. I even started liking them and I have NEVER liked them. You still won’t see me wearing a zebra or leopard print shirt- but purses, clutches, and shoes- yes. Have you ever thought about animal print tweezers? Tweezerman HAS.

Animal Print Slant Tweezer- $25

Tweezerman doesn’t just sell tweezers though. They have a full line for just about every part of your body! They can help you with Brows, Lashes, Hands, and Feet.

Don’t forget to check out their “Beauty How-to’s”, to keep you looking your best!!

Follow on: Twitter & Facebook

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored review, all opinions are 100% mine. I did receive products in exchange for an honest review.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

 

Jessica

Kidzikoo Review & Giveaway

Adisyn had been on a sippy forever. She does drink mostly from cups throughout the day, but she still loves her sippy. I have been traveling a lot more throughout the day, and a sippy is a must. Keeping the liquids inside of it cool was much harder than I thought.
Until Kidzikoo that is.  My children complain if their drinks aren’t cool. They will not even drink it, and I don’t blame them. Who wants to drink room temperature juice on a hot day? And not to mention that if you put ice inside it will sweat everywhere. AND- in the winter- my kids need something to wrap around their cups because their little hands are freeze.
So, to prevent the complaining and the room temperature drinks- I was on the search for something AWESOME.
These Kidzikoo insulators keep the bottles and sippies the same temperature of whatever you have in them, without allowing them to sweat everywhere. These insulators work with both bottles AND sippy cups.
I really wish I had owned this when my kids were small and getting a warm bottle on the go was a very hard thing for me to do. With this you could simply fill up the bottle with warm water, slip the insulator on and then when baby gets hungry- throw in the formula. (Or pre-heat breast milk) All the same.. !!
If you look at the picture below>

you can see that they fit just about any bottle or sippy out there. They are extremely easy to put on. It doesn’t even take the maximum of 2 seconds to slide it on. It doesn’t give you any problems (of being too tight) and having to wiggle it on.
When you have it on, your kids won’t be able to pull it off though. It gently molds to the bottle or sippy. Also easy to get off. You just pinch the bottom of it and pull. Easy as that. It is also a GREAT protector for glass bottles (if that’s the kind you use.)

Did you notice that they are just as fashionable as they are functional? They have ten fun designs that fits just about every sippy or bottle on the market. I had trouble choosing my favorite because they are all so adorable and affordable AND made by a mom-prenuer. AND not to mention that they fit a RANGE of sippies and bottles (8-12 oz)
I hated when the kid’s sippies ended up sweating and leaving rings on the table. This prevents that also. So all in all- you GET more than you actually pay for. This prevents headaches all the way around, and how can I complain about that?

Out of the ten designs available, I ended up choosing the Julie Print. This is a red background with cute kittens and fish all over it. It has white stitching holding it together. I was never worried about keeping it clean though. Most of the time my kids are HUGE mess makers, and I had no doubt it wouldn’t be that bright beautiful color for very long. AND it wasn’t, but all I had to do was toss it in the wash with like colors. You also have the option of machine drying as long as you tumble dry. (Or just line dry it).
I love that she has included designs for both boys AND girls. That way I can purchase one for Aidan also. They are only $6.99 for one. So- you can purchase one for each kid, or one for yours and one for a friends’ or family members kid. They will be sure to thank you. It is a whole new meaning of fashion plus function.



About Kidzikoo

“Hi Kidzikoo Fans!  Lindsay Coleman here.  In case you don't know, I am the creator of the Kidzikoo!
Totally kid inspired, my son Landon has been the #1 driving force to make this new product from an idea to a reality.  Without him, I couldn't have done it.  Literally!  Here's the story...
One morning in October of 2010, Landon was sitting on my lap as he was drinking his cold milk out of his sippy cup. He reached back and put his little hand on my cheek and it was FREEZING.  I chuckled and said to him "burrrr, you need an insulator for your sippy cup!"  So, I marched upstairs to the computer to search for baby bottle/sippy cup insulators, thinking they would be found at any retailer.  Well, much to my surprise, I found NOTHING!  Immediately the light bulb turned on and the idea was born!
Over the past year, countless hours and tons of energy have been put into building this new business and creating the Kidzikoo for babies and kiddos around the world.  I hope you love them as much as I have loved creating them!

Lindsay, a "Mommy Inventor" is the president and CEO of LadyEdison, the parent and distribution company for Kidzikoo.  LadyEdison is dedicated to creating new and innovative products never before seen in the consumer market and distributing them to retail stores around the Globe.  Lindsay  hopes she can inspire other women to follow their dreams.
"Many people will knock your ideas and say you'll never make it happen. Use those who doubt you to fuel your passion and keep driving forward until you've accomplished your dreams. The sky is the limit and with good faith and hard work, all things are possible.  Believe in yourself and you WILL make it happen." (Lindsay Coleman)
LadyEdison is currently in the production of more products so stay tuned for their launch!”

I was provided with a complimentary product to review. All opinions expressed are my own and 100% honest. This is not a sponsored review.
WIN IT:
ONE lucky Made.By.Jess reader will win a Kidzikoo of their choice.
To Enter:
Please make sure you read all directions for each entry. Mandatory entry must be completed for all additional entries to count. Please note: The mandatory entry is the first one listed on the giveaway form. IMPORTANT!: Where is says “Extra Info” please provide the required information. If there are no specific instructions, write the entry that you completed. Example: if the entry is to follow Made.By.Jess with Google Friend connect please make sure you add your  GFC name in the extra entry box. You MUST do this so that I can verify your entry. If your comment is the winner and it cannot be verified – it will be deleted and another chosen.
<Sorry for this, but there have been many blogs (including mine) that has trouble with people SAYING and not DOING.
Thank you and Good Luck!

Jessica

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LoveTrueNatural Review & Giveaway

I received Plump up the Volume Anti-Aging Kit from LoveTrueNatural. The Anti-Aging kit comes with

1. Advanced Lift & Firm Serum (4ml tube)
2. Eye Bright Peptide Serum (4ml tube)
3. Plump Lip Treatment (15 ml tube)
You put all of these products on your freshly cleaned face. I washed my face and then put on the Advanced Lift & Firm Serum on my face and neck. I immediately felt it drying. After it started drying, I felt it gently tugging and tightening my face. After it was dry, my skin felt so smooth and silky. I loved it.
After the Advanced Lift & Firm Serum dried, I applied the Eye Bright Peptide Serum around my eyes. It took more than one application to see the results in this, but after about 2-3, I did. Making dark circles disappear is more difficult than tightening your face. Dark circles are caused from many different things.

Often it’s fatigue, or the natural process of aging- where you skin thins, you lose collagen and the blood lines show. My dark circles are from fatigue. I rarely get the needed amount of sleep, and NEEDED something (desperately) to help me with this. I didn’t just want to cover it up with makeup, I wanted it to go away.
I can see each day as I use this a big difference in the amount of darkness underneath. This product has amazed me in the amount of time that it helped the darkness go away. It wasn’t completely gone, but really—there isn’t a product that can truly make it go away, just reduce it.

Like I said- the reason I even have dark circles is because of my sleeping pattern. I couldn’t expect this to take it ALL away, since my sleeping is still at a minimum. I loved that it helped reduce it SO much and then using concealer and makeup- you CAN’T see it at all.

The Plump Lip Treatment is something that you can feel INSTANTLY. You can feel this helping your lips. I have tried others that taste VERY bad, this one tastes like a peppermint/cinnamon mix and actually DOES work. You put it on like a normal lipgloss during the day. (It feels like a chapstick but is more creamy) It doesn’t stay on for long periods of time as a creamy liquid, but you can still feel it long after the cream is gone. It seeps into your lips and gives your lips a natural glow (and tint).

I was very happy with all 3 of these products and how well they worked, and how fast the results came. If you AREN’T looking for something to keep your skin youthful and glowing- they also sell other products.
They sell Face Products like cleanser, exfoliators, and moisturizers. They sell organic makeup; such as foundation, makeup remover, mascara, and more. Natural Hair Care products such as shampoo and conditioner, etc. Even more on the website.. be sure to check it out.

"True Natural Spa's all natural and pepperminty lip plumper is the must have product for full, voluminous lips! Combine this with their ultra-concentrated, spa-grade anti-aging serums to restore your skin's youthful appearance and resilient complexion.

"Plump" combines cinnamon oil, peppermint and niacin to bring fullness and a warm tingle to your lips

The True Natural Spa Lifting Serum contain bio-hyaluronic acid to reduce the appearance of fine lines, natural polysaccharides to provide intense firming and lifting, Ferulic acid and pomegranate extract give antioxidant protection against harsh environments and premature aging.

The Eye Bright Peptide Serum combats dark circles, skin pigmentation and fine-lines around the eye area with arbutin, cucumber extract and collagen enhancing peptides."

About:
The ingredients used to make each product on loveTrueNatural will never be a mystery. A complete and clear ingredient listing appears on all loveTrueNatural products, making it easy for you to make informed decisions, especially if you have any allergies, sensitivities or concerns. If an ingredient listing is missing or you believe it to be incomplete or erroneous, please let us know so we can research and correct the listing!

We give preference to packaging that is designed to have the lowest impact on the environment and utilize post-consumer recycled (PCR) content and products with ingredients that are safely biodegradable.
Not only are the products we recommend as safe as possible, we are also committed to fair trade and fair working conditions. Products found on loveTrueNatural are never tested on animals, nor do they utilize dead animal byproducts.

Here at loveTrueNatural, we do the
research for you. Not only are the products
we recommend safe and free from harmful ingredients, but our team of Estheticians & Beauty Experts have personally tried each & every product to ensure they deliver the results promised, and, WE LOVE IT.
We aim simply to provide you with THE BEST natural beauty shopping experience. Our staff is here to help you find the right skin care regime, choose natural makeup colors, and offer tips on anti-aging products and more. Whether for yourself or loved ones, Natural Beauty Begins Here!
XOXO loveTrueNatural Team
You can connect with Love True Natural Products several ways:
Subscribe to Newsletter and save 15%
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BUY IT: You can buy these products for $54 HERE
WIN IT:
Love True Natural Products is offering the same set that I reviewed to one lucky Made.By.Jess reader. Open to the U.S. only. Good Luck!
Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post. Although I was provided with products to sample, all opinions are 100% honest.

Jessica a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mineral Hygienics Review

Mineral Hygienics is an all-natural mineral make-up that is made in the United States. It is completely organic—Meaning no talc, no nuts, no dyes or fragrances, No Gluten or Bismuth..

You get 5% cash back on every order, and if you don’t like it ( within 45 days) you can return it.

I love companies that offer your money back if you don’t like their product. This usually means that they are a VERY honest company, and want you to REALLY test it out before making a decision.

With mineral make-up, you have to get it at least a week (if you have never used it before) before saying yay or nay. WHY? It could blend well with certain moisturizers or NOT, you could NOT exactly know how to use the brush and come to realize that once you get the hang of it, that your makeup seems more and more flawless.

I had this issue. I realized that I was putting too much makeup in the lid at first and it was clumping (in spots). And that I was DIPPING the brush and not SWIRLING. For the best results—tap a little makeup in the top of the lid at a time and SWIRL the brush in circles to help it pick up the makeup. The swirling actually warms the minerals and helps it stick to your face longer, smoother, and without all the clumps.. silly me.

I really did like this make-up. I am one to go with the trend of make-up. I try and stick with mineral as much as possible. When I was younger and heard all the horror stories about lipstick being made from dolphin and whale fat—it disgusted  me. I didn’t wear makeup for a VERY long time. Only eyeshadow for the longest.

Since companies are becoming greener, I have started back and am TOTALLY glad. I look flawless everyday (even though my skin is uneven) because of the way mineral makeup makes your skin look. It’s like it forms to your face as a second skin and covers all blemishes without KNOWING you have makeup covering it.

I was sent 6 different colors of the Mineral Hygenics Makeup to try. The 6 were Silk Translucent, Light, Fairly Tan, Medium Light, Medium, and Warm Kiss.

Before putting on any mineral makeup, I suggest getting a makeup primer or a really good moisturizer. If you do this, your makeup will stay WAY longer than if you applied it without.

I tried every single one of these foundations. Every single one of them work amazing well. I WISH I had DARKER skin tone, but I ended up using Medium Light mixed with skin translucent bronzed with warm kiss.

It created the most beautiful look. It looked sunkissed, natural and you couldn’t even HINT at me actually having makeup on. It didn’t peel off, fade away, or gently disappear. One day I was so exhausted that I even took a nap with this on—I woke up and my face looked EXACTALY the same. I was amazed that my pillow hadn’t made any of it come off.

Now that summer is on it’s way (very fast, if I must say) I am always looking for a way to keep actual sunrays off of my face without having to smother it in sunblock. This makeup has natural SPF ingredients that are chemical free. It protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

This makeup allows your skin to breathe because it doesn’t soak up the natural oils or moisture in your face cells. Most do—and shortly your face can turn into an icky ooey gooey mess—that WILL need to be redone. I can say that for mineral Hygenics that isn’t the case. I took the kids to the park on the hottest day of the week last week and I still didn’t have to retouch up my foundation.

Mineral Makeups (Most of them) claim to be organic (etc).. but ARE they? REALLY? How can you REALLY tell? Look at the ingredients. The less ingredients there are in a makeup, the better off your going to be. The less your going to have to google search.. lol

I do this all the time. I google search stuff to make sure I won’t end up with some horrible rash or something after using it. This makeup has 4—yes FOUR ingredients. Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxide, and Mica. Google search THOSE. No harmful ingredients in sight.

This isn’t a makeup that will make your face SHINE. It is designed to mimic the actual “reactions” of skin. So it is designed (as a matte finish) to not give gleam and glare to your face. It actually gives quite an airbrushed look. My face was smooth, soft, and NEVER itched EVER.

This is perfect for every skin tone, whether you are extremely fair skinned, olive skinned, or VERY tan. They have a shade for you. I would suggest getting the starter kit though, so you can test the waters so to speak. I thought I’d use a medium darker and I was SO wrong. That is usually the case with women and their makeup.. So go a little lighter at first and work your way up to a darker shade.. see which one is best for you. They have a section on their website that helps you choose the best color for you.

Medium (My Best Shade)

This is our most popular shade. When exposed to the sun your skin will tan very easily and in most situations you will not burn. You probably do not have skin sensitivity issues. Your neutral or warm undertones will look beautiful in our minerals!

• Medium Light - Cool to Neutral Undertones
• Medium - Neutral Undertones

Celebrities that best fit this shade:

• Pamela Anderson
• Jennifer Aniston

You should check out their application tips, which are VERY helpful in getting the best coverage.

Really awesome make-up. Organic all the way. Very great coverage, sun protection, no problems with it at all. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the brush. The brush was really scratchy.. I had another brush and used it, and the makeup was awesome. Other than the brush—I love IT!!

Disclosure: Mineral Hygienics provided me with a sample of product for my review but my opinions are my own. This isn’t a sponsored Post.

Jessica

Kidlandia Review

“The Kidlandia Game site is a fun, safe, educational place where kids and rule their own worlds! With fun games, a delightful host Kreechur, a stamping and decorating game, and shop with wonderful accessories for purchase with Kaploons, the Kidlandia Game site offers hours of fun. Kids can play alone, or invite their friends to play with them.”

 

In Kidlandia, Kid’s get to build their own little world of play, while building their imagination. You get to choose what color and type of popkin (character) you want. You then get to choose hats, clothes, shoes, and something to carry. You’ll then have to help them create a username, password, and provide your email.

Then you’ll have to check your email and click the link, so that Kidlandia knows that your child has permission to play games there. I think that this is an awesome add-on. So you know what they have asked to do before doing it. My kids are too small to do anything without my help anyway, but if there were big enough to play on the internet by themselves—this would be a good choice.!

Your child then gets to name his land, and place all the houses, plants, and other kreeturs wherever she or he wants them. They can hatch eggs to get more kreeturs and win kaploons (money) that you can use in the store.

There are tons of kreeturs to play with and unlock, and organize. The more they play the more kaploons they receive to buy various items from the store.This is a cute and fun personalized game, that gives your child control over everything in their own little “world.”

Not only does this site offer this cute game, but you can also buy personalized items from them. They sell blankets, mugs, placemats, canvases, and more. The items do not all feature kidlandia kreechurs, but Disney and Nickelodeon items as well.

I received the Dora and Lighting McQueen personalized canvases to place on their wall. They are VERY adorable, and there are so many choices of personalization.  It comes with the town’s special day, and each (White and Red lettering) can be personalized.

It gives you ideas on how to personalize this (child’s name, last name, mom’s name, dad’s name, siblings’ name, friends’ name..)

This is what the Radiator Springs one looks like. Aidan has his full name on it. With little personalization here and there… HE LOVED IT! He thought it was the best thing in the world. (He DOES love Lightening Mcqueen though) and LOVED seeing his name in print beside MATER and all the rest.

If your trying to think of a personalization gift that hasn’t been overdone.. whether for your kid, grandkid, niece, nephew, friends’ kid.. You can’t beat this. It’s only $20.. so price isn’t bad either.

Free personalization including Primary name, birthday, title, additional names (up to 25), additional characters, plants, animals, and poses.

This ISN’T the one Adisyn received (of course) but taking a photo isn’t exactly doing so well. You can’t see the words very well..

But she received the Dora poster.. She is a Dora freak. Everything there is to have of Dora—she wants or has. Shoes, pajamas, panties, chairs, socks.. etc. So when I seen this,, I knew she would love it.

You can purchase these items at the Kidlandia Shop HERE.

Be sure to check out Kidlandia with your little guy/gal – you won't regret it for even a second!!.

You could also connect with Kidlandia on Facebook & Twitter.

Disclosure: I was sent item for review purposes. However, all opinions stated are my own.

Jessica

Small Business Etiquette ♥

I am a very impatient person, I really love companies that are prompt with their response and delivery of items that I buy. I can't stand for something I bought to just sit on the shelf for days or weeks. This kind of ticks me off. It's like telling the customer that you don't really appreciate their business.

As a small business owner, I would rather work with small businesses than large companies. WHY? Because TOO many times I have been LOST in the system of computers, customer service, and press 1 for this and press 2 for this. Who tell you to speak your answers and then it takes you back to the main menu just so you have to do it all over again. I'm like UGH, what the HECK. How can this keep happening?

This companies have MULTI-Millions and possibly more than that- THEY can pay people to answer the phone and talk to me, reassure me that my order just hasn't went down the drain, and that I haven't lost ALL of my money.

With small businesses, it is TOTALLY different. When you call or email them 99% of the time you ARE talking to the OWNER or someone very close to them. I understand some have assistants. I mean making all the things they do, selling the things they do, marketing.. All of that is VERY time consuming- AND they have the time to answer you personally.

If I were to be asked BIG or SMALL-- I would totally go with SMALL. They aim to please, appreciate your business, and usually gift wrap or add in something to your order.. ♥

How can you go wrong with that? Plus, you are helping small businesses when you order from them. You are helping these women, men, mothers, sisters, aunts.. Help pay their bills, buy their kids school clothes and food!

So, remember this.

It isn't hard to find small businesses at ALL. Etsy, Artfire, Zazzle-- they are all places with independent artists, crafters, business people of all walks of life just waiting for you to order something amazing from them!!

Have you ever worked with a small business online? Was it different from working with a large company?

Have you ever worked with a well known company who you felt could care LESS about your business?

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this,

 

Jessica

Snap-n-Step Review and Giveaway

Do you have a toddler or a preschooler? How many times have you had to stop what you were doing and re-tie shoes? How many times has your kid tripped and fallen because of untied shoelaces?
I have this issue with both Aidan and Adisyn ALL the time. I have had plenty of scrapes and bruises happen because their shoelaces have come untied and they have tripped. I feel terrible when this happens, and tried to find a way to prevent this. I was double knotting their shoes, but was having TOO much trouble trying to get them out again.
If you have this same issue- No more velcro or double knots is in your future if you don’t want it to be.. It is a
WHY?
Because Snap-n-Step has created the cutest most functional way to keep your kids shoes tied.
HOW?
Watch this awesome video on how to install it.. You just put it under the shoelace and press the bow of the shoelace into the velcro, snap and GO!!

This is such a genius product, making tons of mom’s life easier by keeping their kid’s shoes from untying, saving time by not having to retie them, and keeping kids safe because they aren’t tripping over shoelaces..
Visit the Snap-N-Step website to learn more about this great product.
They have girl prints, boy prints, and solids. We received the Army Men Snap N Step and Aidan loved it. He thought it was so exciting to have something “just for Him” to help him. He can try and tie his shoes, but it’s still too complicated for him. He gets aggravated when he can’t, so this really helps for the time being.

About

If I had a penny for every shoelace I’ve retied for my three children, I’d be rich! Over the years I’ve tried everything to keep those darn laces tied, yet nothing worked! One thing was certain, those untied laces and I would meet again and often just minutes later.
Like so many parents, I was frustrated constantly bending down to tie shoes in the most unfortunate of places.
Then in a SNAP it came to me- a fashion-conscious, simple to use product that saves time, eliminates frustration and keeps your children safe, both on and off the athletic field…Snap-n-Step!
I am honored to offer you a product that is made in the U.S.A. Our packaging is printed using vegetable ink at a local 100% wind energy powered plant using sustainable paper from well managed forests. We believe in doing our part to conserve the earth for all of our children.
Save time. Be safe. Look cool!
Nicole Carson
Mother of 3 who got tired of retying shoelaces!

Read the BLOG, Like them on FB, and Follow on Twitter.!
*Disclosure:  I received the products mentioned above free for a review purposes. All opinions are my own
BUY IT: You can buy both girl and boy prints for $6.95, and get the solids for $5.95 HERE
WIN IT: One Lucky Made.By.Jess Reader will win their choice of one set of Snap N Step Designs

Jessica

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