Tiny Drops of Honey...This Mommy's Sweet Life: October 2016

Thursday, October 27, 2016

O-Sip! Silicone Sippy Lids Review

When my daughter (now 5 1/2) was a toddler, she carried her sippy cup everywhere and would not put it down. If we were out at a restaurant and forgot her sippy, we were in for a difficult time. Of course most restaurants have a kids cup of sorts, but usually it is a regular sized "to go" cup with a lid and straw. Our son is 2 1/2 and is fully attached to using sippy cups as well. In fact, today we went to the Fall festival at my daughter's school, and before marching-toddling, over to the swings on the playground, my 2 1/2 year old picked up his sippy cup and had a death grip on it. I tried to tell him it would be okay in his stroller, but he would not be convinced.

I recently was sent some silicone sippy lids for review. The company is called O-Sip and has lids that are (somewhat) universal in that they will fit over many different types of cups. This is a great product to have as it makes life a bit easier.

These lids are great for families with small children when dining at restaurants. I actually keep 2 of these in the car (in our restaurant bag). Our restaurant / wet bag has wipes for hands and face, a few small toys for my toddler, some crayons and paper, snacks for those restaurants that do not have bread or freebie appetizers (kids get very cranky when they see others eating and the food has not come yet) and travel bibs for when we forget our Baby Bjorn molded bibs. I like that we can bring in one of the O-Sip lids and turn the restaurant's cup into a sippy if we forget to bring our own. We generally always have his sippy, but the past few months he has been in a throwing mood and will throw his sippy when it is empty. So as you can imagine, since he is sipping on it frequently, it gets empty frequently, and is thrown frequently. You get the picture. :) We often find it rolling around the floor of the van when we are driving. Having a spare lid with us at all times, makes it easier for times when we cannot spend 10 minutes looking for his missing drink.

These are soft and stretch over many types of cups. We are able to fit it over the Replay brand (made from milk jugs) sippy cups as well as other various cups in our kitchen. These lids can be cleaned by soaking in boiling water to sterilize, or you can put them in the dishwasher on top rack.

I like these lids and recommend them. I do want to mention that we had to request a replacement lid as the orange toned one split on the first use. I contacted the company and they happily sent me a replacement lid set. I was pleased with the customer service. So far the replacement lids have not given us any issues. Please note that these may not be the best choice for those children who are prone to chewing on their sippy spouts. Our lid split due to stretching over a cup and the silicone split on the side.

These were sent complimentary for review. I like this set and think they can be beneficial for those families with small children. The colors are fun and the packaging is cute. These are spill proof, but can leak when the spout is pinched or put pressure on with a child's mouth. They do attract lint and hair when dropped, which is unfortunate.

Fits openings 2.5-3.75 inches

- Recommended age 9 months+

- High-quality, food-grade silicone

- BPA and phthalate-free material

- Dishwasher safe

- Makes drink spill-proof, not leak-proof

DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation for a product review and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I am always honest in my opinions and never promise a positive review. I only recommend products or services that I feel are beneficial to my family and my lovely readers. I enjoy testing out items and giving my readers an honest and descriptive account of how a product functions. My personal experience or view of an item may differ than yours.

Tiny Drops of Honey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You pay the exact same price for any and all products you order through my links, but I receive a small commission. I am a stay at home mommy and any commissions I receive help support my little ones.

Leona Women's Fashion Scarf (Lemons) Review

I wear a scarf nearly every time I leave the house. I generally wear thrifted vintage scarves from the 50's and 60's, but occasionally will wear a more modern one if if has a fun or unique pattern. I am very fond of lemons (I generally ask for 4-5 thick slices in my sweet tea) and so was happy to be sent a long lemon scarf for review from Leonal. The scarf is made from 100% silk which thoroughly surprised me as I was not expecting it to actually be 100%. I used to review items on Amazon that were sent to me for evaluation and many were labeled as "100% genuine leather" and of course they were pretty much 100% pleather and smelled like toxic, painted chemicals. I am thoroughly pleased with this scarf, it is silky and beautiful. The price is very reasonable (less than $15), and the quality is stellar. This also comes with a white background as well. I think I would have preferred the white and lemon combination better, but I still like this scarf a lot. I have not had any issues with it.

I realized tonight that I did not take a picture of me wearing it. :( Fail. I normally take pictures outside, in daylight. After coming home from the school Fall festival and getting 3 young children fed, changed and tucked in bed by myself, I realized I needed to post a picture of me wearing the scarf. I apologize for the somewhat smudged makeup and dark pictures. It is almost 10 pm here and I will need to update with a better picture later.

For now, here is the lovely scarf. As mentioned, this was sent to me, and I was not compensated for my review, except for being sent an evaluation sample.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

UpNature Raw Almonds Review

Up Nature Raw Almonds are 100% all natural, and are never treated by chemicals, additives, or pesticides. They are Gluten free and Non-GMO. They are housed in a nice quality paper bag that is resealable and with a flat bottom that allows the bag to stand upright when stored on the shelf. The top quality material is one aspect I noticed immediately, the construction of the bag ensures maximum freshness for a delectable snack. These almonds are steam pasteurized and no chemicals are used in processing these nuts.

I enjoyed these nuts as they did not have any salt or seasonings. I found these to be a versatile snack. I like that I can make a smoothie with these nuts or melt semisweet / dark chocolate over them. They are fantastically nutritious. I enjoyed making morning smoothies out of these nuts. I would blend 2 frozen bananas, soy milk, a touch of pure vanilla extract, and these almonds. It is a simple, yet delicious treat.

It would also make a nutritious and low sugar, low fat "ice cream." Add an additional 2 frozen bananas (total 4) and lessen the amount of milk, to make the "ice cream" thicker and creamier. You can use regular (cows) milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc. Your preference. :)

I highly recommend these almonds. They were sent to me for review, however this was my own opinion. UpNature also makes a delicious raw and natural honey.

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Facebook for updates to this blog, reviews, and giveaways. For updates on new posts, you can subscribe to me on bloglovin. I would love it if you would visit me (subscribing makes me so happy) on Instagram and Twitter.

DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation for a product review and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I am always honest in my opinions and never promise a positive review. I only recommend products or services that I feel are beneficial to my family and my lovely readers. I enjoy testing out items and giving my readers an honest and descriptive account of how a product functions. My personal experience or view of an item may differ than yours.

Tiny Drops of Honey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You pay the exact same price for any and all products you order through my links, but I receive a small commission. I am a stay at home mommy and any commissions I receive help support my little ones.

Monday, October 24, 2016

Frankincense Essential Oil Brooklyn Botany Review

I use essential oils in my daily life, for my household, my body, and my family. I generally use Lavender and Tea Tree the most as they are the most multifunctional in my particular household, but I add in other essentials every now and then. I make my own deodorant, toothpaste, household surface disinfectant sprays, room deodorizers, baby wipe solution for our cloth wipes, body / skin salve, diaper rash ointment, etc.

Recently Brooklyn Botany sent me another one of their products for review. They wanted me to try their Frankincense oil in the 1 oz bottle. The product is housed in an amber glass bottle with a glass dropper. The fragrance is stronger than I was expecting, but I do not have much experience with Frankincense. I had used only one other brand previously. I have used Frankincense in my homemade clay and charcoal toothpaste as a remineralizing paste. Frankincense is a powerful antiseptic and can assist with eliminating and preventing bacteria, while healing.

I cannot compare this brand to others as I am not familiar with Frankincense, but I do know that Frankincense is generally expensive. This brand is currently about $15 for an ounce which seems rather reasonable (almost a little too reasonable). The company does say that this is 100% NATURAL, pure Frankincense Oil that contains 70% Alpha Thujene. It is steam distilled without any fillers or additives. I have no way to test this claim, but I have evaluated a few Brooklyn Botany products in the past and have found them to be of nice quality so I do not have reason to not trust them.

For this bottle, I have used it in my toothpaste and in our cloth wipe solution. This week I used it in the sink to bath and soak my 2 1/2 year old son who is having a non itchy, but red rash all over his body. I am thinking that he is allergic to something, but I am not sure what it is yet. I used about 3 drops of Frankincense, a few scoops of Redmonds Calcium Bentonite clay, Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, castile soap (unscented) and 3 drops of Lavender Oil. The Clay helps draw out toxins and helped with calming his skin. The oils are important to be used as carrier oils for the essential oils and also soften skin. The Frankincense and Lavender assist with the cleaning and healing. I did notice some lightening of the redness and bumps. They are still noticeable, but I will use this method of mud bath each night until it clears. If I cannot make the bumps go away after a few more nights, I will take him to the doctor. The strange thing is that he is not itchy or sick. He has no other symptoms.

As mentioned, the Frankincense was sent to me for evaluation. I have no reason to believe it is not pure or authentic. I am not a fan of the smell, as it is overpowering and very herbal. I love that it is in a glass bottle and that the dropper is glass.

He had incredible fun in his mud bath.

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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Brooklyn Botany Beard Balm Review

Do you need ideas for stocking stuffers for the men in your life? (I should mention, the bearded ones?) Brooklyn Botany Beard Balm comes in a pocket sized tin that contains essential oils and shea butter to soften and tame unruly beard / mustache hair. This handy product deodorizes, cleans, and softens coarse facial hair. This balm makes for a frizz-free beard and/or mustache using all-natural, botanical-rich ingredients.

I was sent this balm complimentary for my honest opinions and review.

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Argan Oil, Sesame OIl, Olive Oil, Bees Wax, Glycerin, Proprietary Natural Fragrance, Vitamin E

Directions:

With clean hands, massage a pea-sized amount of balm between fingers. Work balm into beard and stache strands, creating any desired look. Apply as often as needed.

This balm does contain fragrance and I would have preferred this to not have its scent from a unknown source. It mentions "Proprietary Natural Fragrance" in the ingredients. I prefer products scented from botanical and essential oils. I found the scent to have a powdery undertone, which is not bad, it is just a strong scent.

I like that this balm contains Moroccan Argan Oil, Sesame Oil, Olive Oil and shea butter. These ingredients help soften, condition, and nourish hair follicles, and can encourage new growth.

I find that the fragrance is a bit overpowering for my and my husband's liking. I like the scent overall, as it has a slight baby powder scent with a hint of floral, but think it is a bit strong for facial use. I am using this for my eyebrows before makeup application with my brow filler (only a tiny amount of balm is needed) and he applies balm to his beard. I find this works best for me at night before bed to encourage eye brow growth. I am trying to thicken my brows as I prefer the old hollywood look. If I use this balm for day, I apply it with a light hand, and allow it to fully soak into my skin and hairs (while doing other makeup application), brush through with an eyebrow comb, and then apply my brow filler/powder of choice.

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