Buddy Fruits Review & Giveaway

Buddy Fruits offers healthy fruit snacks and makes eating healthy easy! The Buddy Fruit mission is to provide healthy alternatives to unhealthy foods, they offer Pure Blended Fruit pouches and Pure Fruit Bites.

The Blended Fruit comes in 5 flavors:
Banana, Apple Cinnamon, Strawberry, Mango, and Multifruit.

The Fruit Bites are offered in 4 flavors:
Orange, Pomegranate, Apple, and Raspberry
Each individual pouch of Fruit Bites contain a full serving of fruit, and has a ziplock type top so that if your child doesn’t eat it all in one sitting, the freshness can be locked in until the next time they DO want it, what mom could disagree with that?

These fruit bites aren’t just for toddlers, this would be an awesome way to get your school age kid to eat healthier at school also. Pack it in their lunch and they are guaranteed to get their full serving of fruit, and only contain 95 calories! That is awesome.! I’m not a huge fan of gummies, I can’t stomach any kind of them (because of the texture) so I didn’t try these, but the kids loved them and they did smell delicious.
The pouches are awesome. Not only did my kids love them, but we could take them anywhere. They are great for on the go. Aidan had a doctor appointment last week to get his wart’s froze and I tossed a couple of these in a backpack in case we had a long wait.
Each blended fruit pouch also contains a full serving of fruit and has a screw on lid, so it can be put back on if they don’t finish it as well. I tasted each one as I was giving it to my kids and they taste amazing. They are just like a smoothie—and they are made with real fruit.
       The great features of the Buddy Fruits Pure Blended Fruit include:

• they only contain a blend of the flesh of the fruit

• there are no seeds or peel, so the texture is very smooth.!
• They taste JUST like a regular smoothie, although smoother and tastier.!
  • Only 60 calories!
  • Nothing but fruit!
  • No dairy or gluten (not a problem for us, but many kids have allergies to these ingredients.
  • Nothing artificial about these pouches, made with real fruit
  • Pouch is re-sealable.

They are healthy and nourishing, but my kids also thought they were fun and cool. More stores need to sell these, I had never heard of these before now. I wish I had known about these when my kids were small, these would have been awesome snacks.
These products would be awesome to buy in bulk. They store greatly (no refrigeration needed). This is an awesome way to get kids away from all the junk and to get them eating healthier.
Obesity rates in America have seriously increased, and the best actions to take are small steps that naturally lead into bigger steps. Giving kids natural choices is so much better than just throwing chips or something with high fructose corn syrup in it.
These could change the way even smaller kids eat. Starting out with healthier choices at a young age is the way to go, and I commend Buddy Fruits for making these so fun, delicious, and yet nutritious at the same time.

About Buddy Fruits:


A family project, a common dream... We love life , we love fruits and we love the USA!!!

Let me tell you the true story of my little french family.

During the summer of 2006, my wife and I rented a big camper to travel along the mythical Route 66 with our little child "Timéo". This was the accomplishment of a dream we always had and the journey proved to be fabulous and rich of new experiences. It was also the occasion for us to meet great people, discovers habits and traditions and spot all those little differences that make the American culture so unique.

And obviously, being a full time Chef and restaurant owner in France, I was also particularly curious and interested by the food and eating habits people have in the USA. Among the differences I observed I was quite surprised by the difficulty to find fruits and fruit pouches...

You have to know that in France, beside the cooking tradition and the wide variety of meals we prepare, we are used to eating loads of fruits and vegetables. Our kids do too. One of the best ways to eat fruits, especially when you are travelling, is through fruit pouches, a best-selling concept in France with a high demand from kids and parents.

Well, during this trip, despite looking actively for such pouches for "Timéo" (he's such a big fan!), we reached the conclusion that they didn't exist in America... And for this reason, we started thinking of the idea of bringing this fabulous concept into the USA.

We returned to France and decided to plan another trip to the USA with samples of pouches in our bags, and with the goal of introducing this concept to our American friends. The trip finally took place during the summer of 2007. We organized an informal garden party with friends we have in Miami, friends of our friends, family, relatives. The objective was to get their feed-back on our revolutionary idea. We wanted to know whether this idea was worth leaving France, our jobs and comfort to start a new adventure in America. Was it worth leaving it all behind to launch and promote this new way of eating fruits?.

At the end of the garden party, the general feeling was very positive and everyone seemed convinced by the 'squeezable fruit pouch' concept. All of the testers backed-up the idea and it was a collective "YES". One of them even said : "Ouh...làlà! c'est bon!!!" … quote we loved and decided to keep to name our company: "Ouh...làlà! c'est bon!!! LLC".

And then, everything went quite quickly : I gave up my restaurant and my wife quit her job as a banker. We packed-up our things, jumped in an airplane and here we are !

Yes, here we are because we believe that healthy food is essential for a good and balanced life. We have found the best fruit producers and mixed traditional and innovative recipes, to create our pure blended fruit pouches based on my experience as a chef. You can be sure that our wholesome pouches will always deliver 100% natural and delicious fruits. It's our promise. It's our commitment.
To learn even more about the Buddy Fruits line of products, check out their website! You can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter!
You can buy Buddy Fruits at a variety of your local grocery stores. Or you can order on Amazon!
Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, products were sent to me for review purposes only. All opinions are my own, and completely honest.

Thanks,

Jessica a Rafflecopter giveaway

Aegean Intrigue by Patricia Kiyono Review

Disclosure: Products were sent to me for review purposes only.  All opinions are 100% mine and totally honest.

Title: Aegean Intrigue
Author: Patricia Kiyono
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Mystery
Length: 84 pages
Release Date: 2-1-2012

Book Jacket
Someone has been stealing priceless Greek artifacts and it's Alex Leonidis' job to uncover the thief. His prime suspect is beautiful archaeological graduate student, Francie Vasileiou. His plan is to join in an archaeological dig and catch her in the act. All he has to do is keep his mind on his job, and not on the way his lovely suspect warms his heart. He's learned the hard way not to trust fragile-looking women who seem to need his help.

Francie wants to get her PhD and become an archaeologist, like her famous father. The sudden invitation to participate in a dig on the beautiful Greek island of Paros is a wonderful opportunity. She has no time for distractions like Alex, the handsome Project Director. Experience has taught her to stay clear of handsome, charismatic Greek men.

On the shores of the Aegean Sea, Alex and Francie work together, searching for treasures from Greece's past. While pursuing their goals, they discover some of the truths they had believed to be carved in stone may have been flawed

My Thoughts*

Francie Vasileiou is a graduate student working on her PhD in archaeology in gorgeous Greece which is extremely rich in culture. Her father was a famous Archeologist, and her mother a famous Actress, so her life was anything but normal. She chooses her true devotion to Archeology in pursuing a career, although it’s against her mother’s wishes- who wants her to follow in her footsteps.

She is working her way through college to support herself in the tiny apartment she lives in. She works in a small restaurant, where she first sees Alex Leonidis, eyeing her. She feels nervous, and asks her boss to follow her home. In reaching the outside of her apartment, her boss comes on to her, and hurts her in the process. She then sees the stranger (Alex) who comes to her rescue.

She doesn’t know, but he is a private investigator, hired by a rich man, who has interest in some artifacts that came up missing from the last dig that she and her professor were involved in. He needs to be able to get close to her to find out whether she was involved in the heist or not.

He acts as Project Director of a dig, so that he can see her work up close. He wasn’t so sure who was involved, but he also didn’t plan to be drawn so passionately towards her. He is drawn to her passion for digging, her beauty even through the roughest and hottest conditions, and her friendliness towards all other workers, and work ethic at keeping everything categorized.

There are still artifacts being misplaced and he can’t figure out who had the time or inclination to do so. Is it Francie who is “accidentally” misplacing those items? Or one of the other crew? The daydreaming and distracted professor, who always seems so absent-minded? The incompetent newcomer who always has a blackberry in his hand? Or the cook?

The details of the Greek Islands and the Aegean Sea seemed so peaceful, so beautiful, and so intriguing. I’ve never been, but I would love to after reading this book. With all the history and beauty, who wouldn’t want to?

I was immediately drawn in like a moth to a flame, because the plot was so interesting and engaging. This is a very entertaining and fun read. It’s a short story, so it can’t be full of details the same as a novel, but I would have loved for it to be. I would have loved to see how the relationship panned out overtime.

It is full of mystery, twists, turns, and a little romance thrown in. I sat down to read this, and didn’t come up for air until I was finished. It didn’t take very long to read, which would make it an exceptional book for a book club to discuss and relate to. It kept me captivated from beginning to end.

I hope I get the chance to read more books by Patricia Kiyono. This is the first book that I’ve read by her, and I love how she tells a story.

You can buy Aegean Intrigue Ebook from Astraea Press for $1.99 for an E-reader

Miss Heart of the USA Pageant

The Miss Heart of the USA Pageant strives to provide ladies of all ages with the opportunity to have fun, establish lasting friendships, build confidence, and self esteem; all while encouraging them to get involved with organizations in their community, that benefit those in need. Miss Heart of the USA Queens are involved at the local level with many organizations like the humane society, the March of Dimes, Children's Hospitals, etc. The pageant began as a food drive for a local Rescue Mission and blossomed into a National Pageant Program that has distributed over 750,000 non perishable food items to non profit organizations, collected toys for Toys for Tots and even assisted a Women's Hope Center by collecting much needed baby items to be distributed to mothers in need. So what makes this pageant so different? When Ciera Nitkowski began this program she wanted to teach the contestants and future queens the importance of giving back to their community. She wanted to do something that at the end of the day, the girls could look around a room and see the impact they had made. The very first pageant collected over 3,500 non perishable food items.

In 2010 their program sponsored the Miss Pink Pageant and raised over $3,000 for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides event. In Christmas of 2011 a pageant was held for Sand Hills Santa and over 850 toys were collected to be distributed to hospitalized children all over North Florida. The Miss Heart of the USA Pageant currently holds State Pageants in Alabama Florida Georgia Mississippi Louisiana South Carolina Texas Illinois Massachusetts The Miss Heart of the USA National Pageant will be held on November 17th, 2012 at the International Palms Resort in Orlando, Florida. Each year, Miss Heart of the USA awards a $5,000 Scholarship at Nationals. Winner from each state pageant will advance to Nationals with their entry fee paid where they will represent their state. If you live in a state that does not currently have a state pageant, you can register at large to represent your state. You will receive a rhinestone crown, monogrammed sash, rhinestone sash pin and referral cards and can immediately begin representing your state as a Miss Heart of the USA Queen. We have a division for all ages! Baby Miss (Ages 0-23 months) Tiny Miss (Ages 2-4 years) Little Miss (Ages 5-7) Petite Miss (Ages 8-10) Junior Miss (Ages 11-13) Teen Miss (Ages 14-16) Miss (Ages 17-23) Ms (ages 24 and up) For more information visit www.missheartoftheusa.com or become a fan on Facebook.

Greensations Thermafeet and Caffeinated Makeup Primer Reviews

Greensations sent me 2 products to review. These are products like I’ve never seen before. A makeup primer that has caffeine in it, and a foot spray that has a pepper extract in it. These products are all natural and have helped out tons.

Thermafeet-

This is a spray bottle full of natural foot repair. It stops the itching, Absorbs odor, Fights fungus, and Promotes healing of dry cracked feet. This is recommended for both men & women of all skin types.

ThermaFeet™ is the world's first foot spray that invigorates feet with a healing combination of Caffeine (derived from coffee beans) and Capsaicin (derived from Cayenne peppers). This exclusive formulation also contains other proven herbal extracts such as Black Walnut and Goldenseal. The Caffeine and Capsicum in this formula supercharge nerve endings that promote circulation while reducing numbness and pain. ThermaFeet relieves pain, irritation, dryness and itching with soothing relief that lasts all day long. Great for general foot pain, irritation and poor circulation. This all natural formula does not contain any chemicals and it can be used with any foot care regimen. ThermaFeet promotes topical blood flow and circulation to sooth foot pain while conditioning dry cracked feet. ThermaFeet does a better job than foot creams and lotions without leaving any oily or greasy residue. It also stops foot odor and helps fight fungus and athlete's feet.

This formula promotes circulation by creating a thermal reaction that permeates the skin with a healing combination of proven herbal extracts. Aside from increasing absorption, the Caffeine and Capsicum in this formula also supercharge nerve endings and promote healthy feet and toe nails.

Directions: Shake well. Spray feet until wet. Rub into feet and toes. Allow formula to absorb into skin. Don’t put on socks until feet are dry. Use once daily as a foot conditioner. Use as needed for itching, foot pain, and numbness. Wash hands when done.

My Thoughts:

Adam (my husband) has very dry feet, so bad that they crack sometimes. I have bought him everything to help diminish the dryness from having to wear thicker socks and boots all year long. We’ve tried tons of products claiming to rid of dryness, itching, and odor.

Gold Bond powder DID help, but it made his feet feel as if they had mint extract on them on day and mixed with sweat, it felt uncomfortable. This spray doesn’t hurt, smell minty, or give off a strong feeling when on the feet.

My feet were also starting to dry out. I sprayed this on my feet and then rubbed it in. I set my feet up and relaxed while it was drying. Within the first couple of times of using this, my feet showed results of increasing moisture and my toenails seemed to also be healthier then they were. I have a habit of not letting them breathe between painting them which was drying them out.

 

Youthful Trends Caffeinated Makeup Primer

Directions: Shake well. Spray on face applying makeup foundation. Allow to dry naturally or gently pat dry. Can also apply at night after removing makeup for added skin protection and rejuvenation. Can be used with any powder or liquid makeup regimen.

Youthful Trends™ Makeup Primer is the world's first caffeinated primer with 100% natural ingredients. Makeup primers are all the rage these days, and they are used to help set your makeup and reduce the appearance of lines while absorbing oils and binding makeup to the skin. Unlike sticky primers and serums, this water based spray dries evenly while hydrating skin and tightening lines. Our spray also helps pores breathe and keeps makeup looking beautiful all day long. It also reduces facial sweating and protects skin from UV damage.

This proprietary formula outperforms all other makeup primers and one bottle lasts for many months. It's fantastic stuff works for all skin types and colors, as well as all types of makeup including mineral powders, creams and liquids. Supercharge your makeup regimen today for flawless beauty with the world's first caffeinated skin primer.

My Thoughts:

This is an awesome makeup primer. It extends the life of my makeup while also reducing the amount of makeup that I sweat off. This is great in the summer months. Especially now that I am fully switched to mineral makeup. I didn’t want it to sweat off in the heat of the summer, but now I don’t have to worry about that.

This can be used for ALL powders and liquid foundations, so even if you don’t use mineral makeup this would be a great primer to use. It hydrates and tones the skin so that your face absorbs the makeup instead of it just sitting on top of your face.

Last Sunday, I met my family at the park for my Grandma’s Birthday Remembrance. It was burning up, and I felt like I wouldn’t have a trace of makeup still on when I left, but after checking in my rearview mirror when pulling out to go home, all my makeup was still there.

No smudges, no half gone messed up makeup. It all looked as if I had just put it on. It smells very lightly, but it isn’t a bad or a too strong overpowering smell. I even spritz this on my face AFTER putting on my makeup to set it in and to keep it there EVEN longer.

 

About Greensations:

Greensations was founded by Wayne Perry, the world's foremost inventor of capsaicin based health products including: Sinus Buster, Sinus Genie, Capsiderm, Pepper-Care, ThermaSkin, ThermaScalp, ThermaFeet and Youthful Trends brands. Perry also created the world's first NETI-BOTTLE and was a frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show during the mid 1990”s.

 

Greensations capsaicin skin care products were developed to give consumers natural alternatives for total skin and scalp health. Our caffeinated capsaicin body care products are exclusive proprietary formulations with patents pending. Each of our Greensations brand products is guaranteed to work beyond anything else available or we'll give your money back.
We back all our products with a (60 day) 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Disclosure: Products were sent to me for review purposes only, this isn’t a compensated post. All opinions are 100% mine and completely honest.

 

Thanks,

Jessica

Shielo refrshing mist and bounce Style cream review

I have worked with Shielo once before, and loved what they sent me. Their products are all natural, organic and work VERY well. They aren’t expensive, and just a dab will work wonders. It lasts a very long time too. Shipping was fast and customer service was very friendly and helpful!

Shielo Bounce Style Cream

This is a Styling Cream that helps to create soft bounce and defined curls with a flexible hold. To add volume for free flowing hairstyles, massage product into damp hair prior to blow-drying. Can be used to separate dry hair or add texture to finished professional styles.

My hair isn’t usually able to curl very well. When it does curl, it ends up falling out right after I curl it. I LOVED this Bounce cream. Not only could put it in my hair before blow drying to give my hair volume like I never have, it held curls all day.

I parted my hair into two sections. Top and bottom. I put the top into a ponytail, and then put a tiny tab of the bounce cream onto dry hair. I then waited for it to dry and then started curling.

(The Results)

This is the front view of the curls. Don’t they look so defining and strong? I thought they did. My hair has never been able to do this. This was with a curling iron, but I bet I could use curlers and it would look just the same. Curlers have always given me trouble.

Here is a side view of the curls. My hair looked so amazing. I couldn’t stop staring at them. I mean- beautiful curls within 10 minutes. It didn’t take very long at all! Even that night there were still curls, and I had ran my hands through it plenty of times. They always bounced back into shape.

The curls even looked awesome in a pony. I loved how pieces weren’t sticking up everywhere. It has a firm but flexible hold, so my hair wasn’t stiff at all!!

 

Shielo Natural Refreshing Mist

This spray activates moisture in your hair and skin with proteins and botanical extracts. This hair and skin mist renews and refreshes your mind, body, and spirit. Contains silkening conditioners that bond to moisture.

For Hair: Refreshes and neutalizes odors from environmental factors, while hydrating each strand for fresh, free flowing hair.

<Spray on wet hair and comb through for an exceptional moisture infusion before styling. Spray on dry hair to revitalize style and refresh.>

For Body: Use as a gentle toner after cleansing. A delicate blend of botanical extracts including Aloe Vera form a protective shield that locks in moisture and provides a natural source of nutrients.

<Use anytime. Spray generously on face and body after bath or shower. Can be used on bare skin or sprayed over makeup to set and keep fresh. Position bottle 12 inches from skin prior to applying the mist.>

Almost everyday I keep my hair in a pony when it’s hot. At night <if we go out> I face the dilemma of having bumps in my hair because I’ve had it up all day. Most of the time, I would have to rewash my hair to get that fresh out of the shower no bump look. With this, I can just spray it right on the bumps and then blow-dry it and the bumps disappear.

I also love to use this on my daughter’s hair. She usually has something in it. Whether she has decided to get juice or something in it, tangle it up, or whatever- I now have something that comes to my rescue. I would usually have to put her head over the side of the tub and wash it all the time before going somewhere. She hated this and it ended up getting her clothes wet.

I tried detanglers but they left her hair sticky and not looked like it was “washed.” With this, I can spray it on her hair and brush all the tangles <or juice> right out with no problem. It also looks like I just washed her hair. I love it, makes being a mom of a toddler who gets into everything, much simpler.

 

Disclosure: I was sent products for review purposes only, I wasn’t compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% mine and completely honest.

 

Thanks, 

Jessica

 

BH Cosmetics 120 Palette Eyeshadow

Instead of hunting through your purse for your night on the town eyeshadow, go from office professional to smokin' hot with this 120 Color Eyeshadow Palette 5th Edition from BH Cosmetics. These earthbound shimmer and matte colors of smooth browns and golds, and feminine pinks and purples look fabulous on all skin tones and all eye colors.

I am in love with this eye shadow palette, every single color is SO gorgeous. I was so excited to receive this, I needed an eye shadow revamp anyway!  I have never seen so many eye shadow choices. I have created endless looks with this. No matter what I wear, now I have a color to match. Not only are there tons of colors, but they are also easy to apply.

I have a duo shadow/liner brush and could very easily create my shadow, liner, and upper eye blend with these colors. These are very professional because I accidentally dropped it AND not even ONE broke.

Because there are so many shades of colors, this is very easy to blend. I can create SO many different smoky eye looks (grey, brown, black). There are choices between glitter and non glitter as well, which I love. I would rather have a non glitter shadow on my lower lid and a glitter shadow blended in for the top of my lids.

These shadows are very easy to remove when your ready for it to come off, yet doesn’t smudge or wear off quickly. No matter what color/shade of skin you have or what look your going for, you definitely can’t go wrong here!

If you are more of a neutral kind-of gal, but would like to eventually add some color in.. or if you would like to test colors on your skin tone or match shades with different outfits- this is perfect for you.


How can the pricing be any better on this? I’ve went to department stores as well as Wal-mart and other stores and EACH little eye shadow pack (which only comes in 3 shades) are $6-$10 a piece. Your getting 120 DIFFERENT colors here for $23.50. I LOVE it!!

I love how whether I’m going out for the day or having a nice dinner with the hubby, I can have a look to match any outfit, no matter what style or look I am going for. The shades are easy to blend and they look amazing. This Is my new go-to eyeshadow

The palettes are ABSOLUTELY perfect for travel. They come in a snap case with one palette on top of the other. There is a ribbon on the bottom palette so that it’s VERY easy to be able to pull out. It fits right inside my makeup bag and I’m not scared one bit of it opening and getting shadow inside my bag.


I give this product 2 thumbs up. I have never experienced such quality, so many choices, at such a great price.! I would recommend this for EVERYONE. Even if you don’t wear makeup very often, this will definitely pay off in the end.
You can buy the 120 palette here for $23.42

Also if your looking for some amazing brushes on the cheap, you should definitely check out their brush page. They have plenty to choose from. You can either choose to buy single brushes or get them all in one buy. They have 10, 15, and 20 piece sets. I will definitely be buying a set here soon.
They ship very fast as well. After you order, they ship within 24-48 hours. If you live in the U.S. you could get your order within 2-3 days!

Find BHCosmetics On
Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube

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.
One lucky Made.By.Jess reader will win their own 120 Palette Eyeshadow 5th Edition from BH Cosmetics.

Thanks,

Jessica

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers. Too #Funny

Have you seen Betty White’s Off Their Rockers? I somehow stumbled upon this and can’t stop watching.

It’s SO funny. It’s about the older generation pranking the younger generation. It’s funnier than punk’d!

I think it’s because most people think Older people have no clue how to prank and here they are doing an AWESOME job at it. I’ve embedded a youtube video of the 4th episode..

(Your welcome)..

 

LOL

 

Jessica

Saffron Rouge- Dr. Alkaitis Face Products #Review

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Purifying Facial Cleanser

This is a very gentle cleanser and is 100% pure and organic. It’s an amber colored cleanser that does foam up very nicely and has a nice consistency. It smells VERY clean and has a light scent that smells amazing.

It didn’t strip my face of it’s natural oils and a little tiny bit cleaned my entire face. I have had really large pores (always have) but this seemed to shrink them a bit, which I liked).

My skin was so soft afterwards and seemed extremely healthy. It doesn’t have chemicals in it, which is AWESOME. I only received a small bottle of this and STILL have some of it left. I can use a tiny amount and it works VERY well.

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Herbal Toner

Organic Herbal Toner is a wonderful multi-purpose product that operates as toner, astringent, an anti-inflammatory , and a skin balancer. It also helps sooth and treat burns.  Does not dry out the skin like other toners and can be used as a moisturizer for oily complexions. Awesome for after sun care.

I have oily skin on my nose and jawline but dry skin on my forehead and cheeks and have tried many toners that didn’t work well. This toner clarifies while not making dry patches on my cheeks and forehead, and takes the oil away from my nose and jaw.

This toner smells like a mixture of lavender and wildflowers, although it isn’t strong and overpowering. My skin is very balanced and healthy looking because of this.

I am sold on this toner. It hydrates while refreshing my skin. Leaves my skin feeling silky smooth and it smells great as well.

 

Dr. Alkaitis Day Crème

This is certainly perfection in a tiny tube! This is a lightweight crème that absorbs immediately and glides on with no trace of greasiness or oiliness. This barely has a smell, but it DOES smell lightly herbal with a sweet side.

It has a soothing effect when applied, and has cured my face of the random stand alone zits I get a couple of times a month. I use mineral foundation powder over this, and my face always looks glowing and healthy. The makeup never cakes up, dries up, gets too oily, or rubs off.

It claimed to adapt to different skin types, so I let my mom use it as well. Where I have oily acne prone skin- she has dry skin that peels. This DID help her face stay moisturized, yet not oily. She liked it. SO—it DID adapt to both of our skin types, just as it claimed it would.

Although I was only sent a small tube, it has lasted me for quite a while. A pea size amount of this can be used for my entire face and neck. I love this because it is also completely natural. My skin is glowing and my pores haven’t clogged up once since I’ve been using this!

 

Dr. Alkaitis Night Crème

This is richer than the day crème, but blends in very well to not leave an oily residue. My skin immediately begins to feel hydrated and smooth. It never caused any irritations or breakouts. My pillow case never had any greasy marks left from it.

It blends really well into my skin where I can’t even tell I have a thicker moisturizer on. I would love to use this in the colder months, it feels like my face is just drinking this in!! It’s basically a whipped like texture and is very calming.

If you have oily/ acne prone skin like I do, it’s hard to find a night crème that doesn’t add to the breakouts. Other night cremes were just too greasy for me and ended up making my pores clogged and causing acne..

Not this one. It is 100% natural and smells AMAZING!

All of these products are organic and natural. They smell amazing and work that way too. I’ve never found an ENTIRE line of cleansers, toners, and hydrators that ALL worked well. I could maybe find one from this one, one from that one.. but this whole line is amazing.

It may be pricey, but it’s absolutely worth it. WHY? Because it LASTS so long AND gives results within the first couple of days. Why would you want to spend very little and see no results? I wouldn’t. I would rather see the results then be using something for absolutely no reason at all.!

 

About Saffron Rouge:

Saffron Rouge is the first beauty retailer in the world to focus exclusively on organics.

Offering over 1,000 of the world’s finest organic beauty & aromatherapy products, Saffron Rouge is North America's #1 online destination for organic skin care, cosmetics and aromatherapy.

In order for a product to be sold at Saffron Rouge, it must meet the following criteria:

1. It must have at least one of the organic body care certifications, or provide sufficient evidence to Saffron Rouge that they are using certified organic content as much as possible.
2. Saffron Rouge considers products that contain even one Black List™ ingredient not acceptable for sale.

This way we can guarantee that all the products available at Saffron Rouge are free of toxic synthetic ingredients, synthetic colors, fragrances and preservatives, and are never tested on animals.

Saffron Rouge is comprised of a group of beauty experts that are passionate about organics. We take great pride in only selling the best and purest beauty products. Our goal is to operate a website where consumers can shop carefree because they know that everything we carry is truly organic.

Find Saffron Rouge Online:

Facebook , Twitter, and The Blog

Disclosure:

Products were sent to me for review purposes only, I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% mine and completely honest.

 

Thanks,

Jessica

 

Hugo Naturals Bath & Body Review

I was sent 7 items from Hugo Naturals Vanilla & Sweet Orange Line of Beauty and Bath Products as well as a body polish from their Brown Sugar- Kumquat line.  Their products are gluten free, paraben free, cruelty free, and made in the U.S.A.

Foaming Hand Soap- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
$7.99

I am always washing my hands. As a mom- I have kids who are constantly spilling stuff and getting stuff on them AND me. As a crafter, I need to wash my hands quite frequently because of the paint or whatever I’m crafting with getting on my hands.
My kids also needed something they could wash their hands with after they get done using the bathroom. They are 5 and 3, so it made it a TON easier on me because it had the pump action top. They can push it down by themselves and they loves that it comes out all foamy.
It rinses off totally clean without any residue left behind like many liquid soaps or too drying like bar soaps. I love the smell of the Vanilla & Sweet Orange, it smells like an orange dreamsicle to me. I LOVE orange dreamsicles. So YUMMY. The scent isn’t overpowering either.



Hugo Naturals Lip Balm- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
I always keep chapstick on hand, ALWAYS! I never go without it. There are so many that I’ve tried.. some I like, some I would rather not use again. As far as lip balms go, I rate this as one of the highest.
It smells amazing, the Vanilla & Sweet Orange scent: “Dreamsicles again” I love. I have never used a chapstick or anything else that smelled like this until Hugo Naturals. I LOVE it. I also love that they offer a variety of items with the same smell.
This chapstick doesn’t taste, which is a plus for me. If it did taste, I might actually take a bite of this one.. lol. It smells absolutely divine. It doesn’t stay on for hours and hours, but I didn’t expect it to. That’s why I keep in in my pocket, so I can reapply when needed.
It goes on smoothly, lasts awhile, and keeps my lips super hydrated. It has a sheen like a gloss, and is amazing when put on. I love that I can put this on under or over lipstick and it makes my lipstick look so naturally moisturizing.


Hugo Naturals Body Butter- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
$12.99

My Thoughts*
I have to say that this isn’t the best body butter I’ve ever used before. Although it does take away from dryness on my feet, knees, and other troubled areas, it leaves behind a greasy/oily feel. That’s partially okay though, I just wash my hands after I’m done applying it.
I usually use body butter on my hands while I’m crocheting because the yarn tends to dry. I don’t use this though because it makes the crochet tools slip out of my hands because of the oily feel.
It works perfect on my dry feet though. I can put this on after the shower, put on my socks and my feel do not have a chance to dry up before my next shower.


Hugo Natural Bar Soap- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
I love that this soap is so easy to lather up. It almost feels like a body wash instead of a bar of soap.
Leaves me squeaky clean and smelling great. I don’t usually use bar soap, but thought I’d give it a try. It looks so awesome (because of the color) sitting in the bathroom. Looks decorative. So I put this out as a hand soap for people to wash their hands after going to the bathroom.
Everybody was complimenting me on the smell and how clean their hands felt. Even Adam uses this to wash his hands and face after he gets off work and thought it cleaned his face very well. (He usually uses body wash also).

Hugo Naturals Massage & Body Oil- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
Comforting. A vegan, cruelty-free blend of almond, jojoba and essential oils to soothe and restore your skin and your mood. Our rich and soothing blend of sweet almond and jojoba oils is enriched with vitamin E and scented with a dreamy and delectable blend of vanilla and citrus essential oils. While this nourishing blend is ideal for massage, it's also the perfect restorative for those days when your skin needs a little extra care and hydration.
My Thoughts*
AS I’ve said before, I have Keratosis Pilaris nicknamed “chicken skin” for a reason. When I found out I had this, I was prescribed Retinol A Cream. The Vitamin A naturally smoothens skin. I couldn’t afford $80 for a small tube, so my doctor recommended body oil mixed with Olive Oil.
Instead I have been using this mixed with Sprout Skincare’s CREAM and I have seen noticeable improvement in a week. I love this product.
It’s recommended that you use this straight out of the shower to hold In the moisture from the shower, but you can use it on dry skin also. Before I go to bed, I pour a about a teaspoon of this in my hand and spread it on my thighs and follow with the Cream from Sprout.
I have always been self conscious about this, hardly ever wearing shorts or a bathing suit. It kind of looked like a bunch of ingrown hairs or small pimples and they itched like poison ivy. Now they are almost completely gone without any trace of them being there at all.
They will never be “Gone” out of my life. They’ll come back if I stop using this treatment. I will certainly continue with this regimin because it is a TON cheaper than buying the Retinol A cream. (and SMELLS WAY better too) =)
My skin feels so soft and supple and smells amazing. It is lightweight and absorbs quickly, and doesn’t leave behind a greasy residue. It leaves a nice healthy glow and doesn’t stain my clothes.
You can also add a few drops to your warm/hot bath water to soften your skin while you bathe, then add some more when you get out. I love the way this smells and feels.



Hugo Naturals Effercescent Bath Salts- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
Transform your bath into a luxurious and therapeutic spa experience. Lusciously bubbling blend features not one, but two mineral-rich salts—Dead Sea and Himalayan pink—to reduce tension, ease muscle discomfort and soften skin. To Use: Add a handful of salts to warm,running bath water. Relax and enjoy. Never Any: parabens, phenoxyethanol,SLS, PEGs, propylene glycol, petroleum products, artificial colors or synthetic fragrances.
My Thoughts*
I really liked this bath salt. As my water was running for my bath, I put in maybe a quarter of a cup (from the lid) into the running water and it immediately begin to fizz up. After awhile, I poured even more in there just so I could relax a little longer.
Hey- I don’t get that privilege very much.
My bath water smelled amazing. It didn’t overpower and I couldn’t smell it for VERY long after my bath, but that’s why I have the body oil and lotion, right?
It gives off such a relaxing natural beautiful smell that make me want to stay in my bath forever.. but the water got cool and cool water and I just do NOT work out so well..

Hugo Naturals All Over Body Lotion- Vanilla & Sweet Orange
$9.99
Super-moisturizing shea butter enriched with pure botanical extracts—for deep hydration that feels simply amazing.
This lotion is remarkably and wonderfully moisturizing. It is light and doesn’t leave my skin oily or greasy. It isn’t TOO thick but it isn’t watery either. It’s the right consistency for a lotion.
I keep this in my crochet bag. This keeps my hands VERY hydrated. I love crocheting but the constant touching of the yarn dries my hands. I needed something that would help me and it’s awesome because of the push down lotion top. I don’t have to put the yarn down to get a dab. I can just press, lotion up, and continue crocheting. LOVE IT!

Hugo Naturals Body Polish- Brown Sugar Kumquat
Tantalizing blend of sugar and powerful emollients gently exfoliate and moisturize while vitamin E and oat extract add suppleness and radiance. Leaving your skin velvety soft and thoroughly rejuvenated.To Use: Stir well, then massage in a circular motion into thoroughly wet skin.
My thoughts*
This has a really nice smell (you can smell the brown sugar) with a touch of the kumquat I guess (I’ve never smelled it before). It leaves my skin really soft, smooth, and supple.
It also puts a bit of oil in the bathtub, so I would recommend that you wash your hair and do whatever you need to BEFORE using this. I already had washed my hair, but I kept thinking if I hadn’t how oily my hair might become with this in the water.
It was a bit hard to stir at first. I did it with the handle of my razor. You need to mix it up because all the scrubbing particles sink to the bottom and leave an oily substance at the top. So, you need to mix this well before use.
About Hugo Naturals




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Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, I was sent products for review purposes only. All opinions are 100% my own and not influenced in any way.

Jessica

Sarasa Metallics by Zebra Pen Review

I was sent the Sarasa Metallic Pens from Zebra Pen.

As a crafter AND a writer, I am always on the lookout for new pens. I have used some of the most awesome pens that can be bought. Then again, I’ve used some pens that I never will purchase EVER again.

These Sarasa Metallic pens come in gold, silver, and copper. They seem to float across the paper. They flow constantly with no skips, which is what I look for in a gel pen. I hate writing and having to go over a word twice or more to be able to see it. If it skips, I toss it.

When I’m writing and my pen just drifts across the page, I fall in love. I can’t stand a pen that gives me backtalk.! This pen doesn’t backtalk at all. It does what it is supposed to do and gives beautiful color as well.

I never once had to shake them and wish something would come out. I’ve had many gel pens that have done this to me. I would be writing and all of a sudden, they would stop working right in the middle of a page.

They don’t scratch the page either. You know what I mean. That eerie feeling I get when I hear nails on a chalkboard.. that kind of scratching. I have seen MANY pens in my day that do that to me, and I pass on them. I can’t stand it. I need a pen that works smoothly.

I also seem to find that the smaller the pen point is the worse I write. I don’t know why, but it’s true. This pens works perfectly for writing letters, calendar writing, sticky notes, or honey-do lists!

These pens write very well on light paper as well as they do dark. They aren’t hard to see, and look very professional. So professional that you could use them in the office. AND because of the colors, they would be a perfect gift for that man in your life. How could they resist something metal? LOL

These do NOT dry up easily. I accidently left the pen part out for an entire day and started writing with it, and it didn’t even skip ONCE.

They work perfectly for crafts. Mother’s Day is nearing and I will be making handmade cards. I have tested and retested these on scrapbook paper, construction paper, printer paper, and they never ONCE failed me!

You could also use these to make thank you cards, homework (for your kids or if you are in college), and other crafts.

Zebra Pen products can be found nationwide at Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Walmart, K-Mart, and other office supply stores, discount chains, food and drug retailers, stationery stores and wholesale clubs.

Find Zebra Pens on Facebook.

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, I was sent products for review purposes only. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and completely honest.

 

Thanks,

 

Jessica

Enjoy! Luxury Shampoo & Conditioner Review

I was sent the Luxury Shampoo & Conditioner from Enjoy. These products are considered to be professional quality and are used by salons all the time. I couldn’t agree with them more. I have never experienced more of a hydrated yet not weighed down oily look.

I have oily hair, and I have to wash it almost every day so it doesn’t look like I NEVER wash my hair. This shampoo and Conditioner Duo have shaped my hair into a manageable, silky sheen. I can skip washing it every day now!  They are both thick and creamy and you can FEEL the luxurious silky ingredients in this when you rub it in the palms of your hands.

Just a tad bit of this goes a long way. I love when you don’t have to use an entire handful of shampoo to get it to lather the way it’s supposed to. I have had these for 3 weeks and haven’t even used a quarter of the bottle!

This leaves my hair with such a clean feeling, and it smells so AWESOME. The best part is that it washes out easily, leaving no residue behind. My hair is usually very fine, and this creates a HUGE amount of volume that I’ve never experienced with just a shampoo and conditioner before.


I didn’t have a huge amount of split ends, but I had enough of them. Blow-drying and straightening really cause the ends to split. I also haven’t had a haircut in over a year. This helps out SO much with split ends and frizziness.

My hair was SO smooth and felt SO naturally healthy. After just ONE wash you can tell a difference in the hair texture. It is a sulfate free set, so you don’t have to worry about it being so chemically processed that it might hurt you in the long run.

At the end of the day AND even the next morning I can still smell the glorious scent of this shampoo and conditioner. When they arrived in the box, I didn’t have to worry about them seeping out everywhere, because it was taped shut.

You can buy this DUO set Luxury Shampoo & Conditioner from the website here. (See Salon Locator)

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Disclosure: I was sent products for review purposes only, I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are 100% my own and completely honest.
Thanks,

Jessica a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABC’s Of Me

I am a member of VoiceBoks, an online community for building up blogs and creating friendships. I am so thankful to have found this! I have had such an awesome time there.

I am doing the ABC’s of Me.. courtesy of Voiceboks



A: Age. I am 23. I have made it SO far in my 23 years though. I have a wonderful hubs, 2 amazing kids, a college degree (almost) and a BLOG that I love. I also sew and crochet, and dabble in other crafts.

B: Babies. My Kids have changed me so much. Before I was a mom, I was the wild and spontaneous type. There would be no telling where I was or what I was up to. Now I’m the exact opposite. It doesn’t bother me though. I LOVE being a mom.

C: Crafter. I LOVE just about any kind of craft. Crocheting, Sewing, Paper Crafts, Jewelry Making, Soap and beauty supplies making, candle making.. I am IN love with making stuff out of nothing!

D: Daddy.  Adam is Awesome to the kids. We have been together for 7 years and have Aidan 5 and Adisyn 3. Although we have our ups and downs I can ALWAYS count on him being there for me, with no questions asked.

E: Education means the world to me. I used to bring all my books home from school and I’d copy each chapter and keep my own notes in it as well. I swear I should have been a teacher, but I’m not.

F: Friend. I am quick to befriend people. I am easy going (Most of the time) and love to laugh.
G: Giggles. When I get the giggles, It’s hard for me to stop. I start giggling, then I get the giggle bug and think everything is funny.!

H: Happy. I believe that most of the time we create our own happiness. How can we lead a positive life with a negative mind?

I: Independent. I am that. I love being able to do stuff for myself and not have to solely depend on people to help me. I love making my own money and doing stuff for my kids just because I can!

J:  Jess. I am the middle of 2 kids. I have an older brother who passed away @ 3 months due to crib death, and a younger sister Brandy, who I am super close to.

K: Kids. 2 kids of my own (5 and 3) and a stepson (9). No more for me. I am done having kids. Although I can only have 1 more anyway because my first was an emergency C-section.

L:Love. I’ll probably be with Adam until I’m old and grey.

M:Math- I SUCK at math. Other than the basics; adding, subtracting, division, multiplication. I can learn the others, but can’t remember..lol

N: NERD. 100% true. I totally admit it. I LOVE learning, reading, HTML, blog design, and everything in between.

O: Organized? I TRY. I have everything where I want it, it’s just the principle of keeping it there! The kids are tornado’s here lately.

P: Paper and Pen Addict. I have TONS of notebooks, binders, loose leaf paper EVERYWHERE. It comes along with the writing, I suppose. I never know when I need to write something down.

Q: Queen of the house. Adam is the best! He works all day and then comes home and helps me with the kids (sometimes) and then helps with supper.!

R: Reading: Yep. You’ll almost always catch me with a book in hand. Or kindle now—Since I got one for my Bday! I still would rather have a traditional Book though =)

S: Silly. When I get sleepy, I tend to think just about anything is funny.

T: Tidy. No matter how tidy I try and keep my house, it never works out too well for me. My kids get into everything! So, I have to constantly run around them picking stuff up!

U: Underestimated. When I became a blogger, nobody in my family or anyone of my friends understood. When I said that I’d end up making money and doing what I wanted through my blog, they thought I was a nutcase. NOT anymore. I SHOWED everyone I was capable of chasing my dream and tackling it.!

V: Vows. Although Adam and I have been together for 7 years, we still haven’t married. I am in no rush. I call him my husband anyway. The only thing that we don’t have is the paper.!
W: Writer. Not just a blog writer, but writer in general. I have always loved to write. No matter what it is.
X: X-rays, have had my share of them!. I have really bad neck and back problems. I used to think I was supergirl. I would try and pack stuff that MEN carried. Heavy logs, furniture, other people. NOW I am paying for it.

Y: Yarn. I am IN LOVE with all the colors and types of yarn. If I had a million bucks, half of it would probably be spent on yarn, no joke.

Z:ZZZ’s. I tend not to sleep at night. Instead I stay up all night and sleep most of the day. It started with me trying to stay up a little bit past my kids bedtime to get some work done. Then they started staying up later and later.. Now it’s the story of my life. LOL

Sibu Beauty Natural Skin Care Review

I received the Cleanse & Detox Facial Soap and the

About Sea Buckthorn:
Sea buckthorn is known as nature's most balanced fruit. This "Holy Fruit of the Himalayas" has been cherished by native Tibetans for centuries for its incredible nutritive qualities. Over 120 specific studies on sea buckthorn have shown that this little berry promotes health. From sea buckthorn's rare abundance of some of the most powerful antioxidants to being the only plant in the world known to contain essential fatty acids 3, 6, 7 and 9 - sea buckthorn has earned its title of superfruit.


Sibu Beauty Cleanse & Detox Facial Soap
Awaken your skin and wash away a day of stress and pollutants with pure, simple and effective Sibu Beauty Sea Buckthorn Facial Soap. This facial bar lathers thick and rich to cleanse, detox, moisturize and repair the skin while creating a protective barrier against UV rays and cell damaging free radicals.

• Cleans and conditions skin
• Natural astringent
• Inhibits bacterial growth
• Revitalizes skin cells
• Promotes tissue recovery and healing
• For all skin types
• 1 3.5 ounce bars
• 100% natural

My Thoughts*

I have oily facial skin with dry patches as well as dead skin buildup in certain areas. This works amazing with a face scrubber to not strip the skin of it’s natural oils, yet gets the over oil production gone. It reduces the dead skin buildup with no problem.
This bar of soap lathers up quite perfectly, I have to say. I have used it on my face all week and it works spectacularly because it doesn’t dry my skin out like some other facial soaps I’ve tried.
So far, it seems to be brightening up my complexion and emptying and unclogging my pores as far as I can see. It seems to be clearing out the few small zits I had, which is a plus. It also seemed to reduce the redness around the zit so it was easier to cover-up with concealer.
The hardest part about hiding zits is the redness. It still shows up underneath concealers unless you use a huge glob of it. When the redness is reduced, it seems to be SO much better.
You do not keep this on your face for an extended amount of time. You wash and rinse, simple as that. Some cleansers stay on for awhile for 3-5 minutes. Not this. If you leave it on, it may cause dryness. It works best when used like a regular facial soap.
I let my mom try this out as well, and she also liked how it worked. I let her use it because we have different skin types. Where I have oily skin and dead skin built up in areas, she has dry skin and very sensitive skin. So, if she could use it without it breaking her out or giving her redness, I knew it was a go-to product.
She loved it. She had recently been going to the tanning bed and was looking for something to rid her of some dryness she was getting on her nose. Her nose was peeling (not from the tanning bed) but just because she has dry skin. She tried a ton of other stuff to try and get rid of this and nothing was working. When I let her test this out, within 2-3 uses the dry skin and redness on her nose was absolutely gone.
She was even putting moisturizers and lotions on it and it wasn’t helping. She was even trying to cover it up with makeup, but it was making her makeup peel off. She raved about this soap. It works AND smells AMAZING.
You can buy 1 bar for 6.95 or 3 bars for $16.95 at the website.

Sibu Beauty Daytime Buckthorn Facial Cream
Our sea buckthorn facial cream, with omega 7 fatty acids, helps boost collagen production and creates the perfect barrier to moisturize, rejuvenate, repair and protect. This light, non-greasy cream is ideal for daily use and offers a pleasing, light citrus scent. It is paraben-free and cruelty-free, and contains NO dairy, yeast, wheat, gluten, sodium or preservatives.

• Promotes tissue recovery and healing
• Rejuvenates sun damaged skin
• Protects against environmental stress
• Preserves health skin tone and texture
• Boosts collagen production
• For all skin types
• 1 fl. oz.
• 100% natural

This nutrient-infused facial cream is ideal for daily use, with a light citrus scent and non-greasy feel.

My Thoughts*

Just for the short amount of time that I’ve used this, I can feel my skin getting softer, smoother, and it feels beautifully moisturized. This facial cream boosts tissue recovery and healing.
This is 100% natural and can be used with all skin types. If you have sun damaged skin, this is something that you would LOVE to have because it rejuvenates the damaged skin that is caused from too much sun.
It has Omega 7 Fatty Acids which helps to boost collagen production. When you lose collagen in your skin, it starts to sag and wrinkle. It is shown that if you start boosting your collagen and elastin BEFORE you start losing them (roughly middle 40’s) you can help prevent fine lines, crows feet, and wrinkles.
Also, if you already have signs of fine lines and wrinkles, you can start using creams, lotions, and other creams that help to boost these. This is one that will help, isn’t expensive, and smells amazing.
This smells like wild oranges or tangerines with an underlying smell that I can’t describe. It must be the buckthorn, but I’ve never smelled buckthorn before, so I couldn’t say. It smells awesome!
This is a very awesome light weight moisturizer that isn’t either greasy or oily. You can’t beat the products that help you revitalize damaged skin while keeping your skin healthy.
I will definitely buy more items from them. They have an entire line of Sea Buckthorn products that you can buy from their website.
Both of these products were of very high quality, but yet you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for them.! They smell amazing, and work awesomely.

About Sibu Beauty:

Introducing Sibu Beauty, premium skin care products made from the Himalayan sea buckthorn berry. Known as the “beauty berry” across Europe and Asia, sea buckthorn contains over 190 bioactive compounds that restore, revitalize, and protect youthful beauty – from the inside-out AND outside-in. These hardy berries help nourish skin, hair, and nails with powerful antioxidants and essential fatty acids, including the rare Omega 7 – a key building block to healthy skin, hair, and nails, and also aids digestion and may help you maintain a healthier weight. Sibu Beauty features luxurious natural skin cleansers, moisturizes, and other topical treatments as well as dietary supplements that beautify and protect from the inside-out.

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Disclosure:
Products were sent to me for review purposes only, I was not compensated for this review. All opinions 100% my own and completely honest.

Jessica