Bonapiel: Advanced Spot Cream with Salycilic Acid and Rosehip Extract, A Review.

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I had the opportunity to review a product from Bonapiel. This arrived promptly from Amazon and was padded in bubble wrap. At first look, it does seem to come in a small container, but that is usually how high end creams/serums are presented. I realize that this will probably last decently well as it is meant as a spot treatment and not necessarily used all over the face. I like the sleek silver container and the top dispenser pump works well. It is easy and comfortable to hold in my hand. It looks classy and sophisticated.

After trying this cream 2 weeks, this cream is gentle on my face, and does not burn or contain heavy fragrances that would possibly cause irritation or sensitivity. I use it as a spot treatment once a day (in the evening). My routine: Bonapiel Advanced Spot cream: after my makeup has been removed (gently with one of my facial oils--jojoba oil, almond oil or grape seed oil--whichever I have on hand or decide to use), then my face cleansed with oil cleansing method, steamed, cooled, patted dry, and then I tone with lemon witch hazel on cotton. I apply this under my eyes where I have dark circles. I also use this as a spot treatment on acne marks.

It is gradually fading my older red toned acne scars and my complexion is becoming more even in those spots. I have only used this about 2 weeks, so I will not say this is a miracle product---yet. But I have full confidence that this will be beneficial in fading my skin marks and creating a more even and brighter tone to my complexion. In the past year, I have switched to using more natural cosmetics (mineral makeup) and beauty products. I began my journey a year ago and have seen my complexion and hair become more radiant and easier to manage.

I love how Bonapiel is made in the USA, and is formulated with extracts of natural oils such as rose hip oil, and moisturizers such as cocoa and shea butter, providing hydration, radiance and improvement to overall skin color. I had heard of Rosehip oil and of its amazing benefits to skin and complexion, but did not know much more about it. So I decided to connect with my friend Google, and found out that Rosehip oil comes from pods remaining on flowers of wild rose bushes, after once the petals are gone. That sounds really nice, that there are benefits even after the beauty of the flower fades. It reminds me of one of my favorite oils, Calendula oil, that is made from the marigold flowering plant. (Calendula is excellent for scars, irritation, and skin problems.) I am thinking Rosehip oil works similarly. Rosehip contains high levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin C. This advanced spot cream contains Salicylic acid, which is an ingredient used in many acne fighting medications and sometimes is derived from willow bark. It is helpful in drying up acne to reveal clearer skin.

This acne and spot treatment does not contain parabens, dyes or artificial fragrances, nor does it contain Hydroquinone or harmful bleaches. Hydroquinone has recently been banned by the FDA in some formulations (over the counter and prescription) and has been strongly discouraged in some health care circles. One problem with Hydroquinone is that it is a strong skin bleaching that can make skin more sensitive to sunlight and more irritated. This is called photosensitivity. Sunburns and skin damage can easily occur with unprotected use of Hydroquinone or its overuse.

Bonapiel contains shea butter (from the shea tree) which is helpful in preventing wrinkles and stretch marks, and also protects our skin against aging. Shea butter contains Vitamin A and E, which are helpful in preventing wrinkles, healing skin conditions, and eczema.

I really like this cream. It does seem to come in a small container as I mentioned previously, but that is usually how high end creams/serums are presented. I like the sleek silver container and the top dispenser pump works well. It is not messy or greasy to use, and it does not burn or irritate my skin. It does not have a harsh fragrance. I will continue to test out this product and hope to see some fantastic results.


I was not paid for this review, I did receive a sample to test out. These opinions are my own.
For more information about this product or to purchase: (please note: I DO NOT RECEIVE ANY BENEFIT OR PAYMENT IF YOU CLICK ON THE CLICK OR MAKE A PURCHASE) Just wanted to clear that up. :) I am just passing info to you in case you want to try this cream.

For more information about this product or to purchase

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.

Pure Body Naturals Vitamin C Serum Update and a discount code!!

I love oranges, they are so pretty to look at, and contain Vitamin C! Did you know that there are ways to get Vitamin C absorbed into your skin for added beauty benefits? Vitamin C is super essential for radiant, glowing, complexion and helps your skin repair itself. Vitamin C promotes the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels and gives skin firmness and strength.

I have great news! About 2 weeks ago I reviewed an awesome serum for face from Pure Body Naturals that contains Vitamin E and other antioxidants vital to anti-aging. (I Loved it.) I told the company how well it worked (and is still working) for me, and they happily sent a code for my readers to use. But if you are wanting to try it at this super steal of of price you are going to need to hurry, as it is only valid for 2 days! Find it here on Amazon.

Click Here for the Serum


Code is only valid from 2/18/14 9am PST to 2/19/14 11.59pm PST.

Simply enter code at checkout to get 35% off! I am telling you this is a steal of a deal which makes it a little over $16.00!

Code to enter: J3AKEFSA


I am 31, and will be 32 in May. I do not have wrinkles or age spots, however I have had a bit of a muscle wrinkle (not a line) in between my eyebrows. It really had been hardly noticeable, and most people would not know it is there----but I have been self conscious about it for a while and see it daily. My husband knows how I feel about this little area, and knew I had been trying a new serum on my face. He did not know that I had been using it between my brows as well. About 2 weeks into using this, he said "do you use that serum right there? (between my brows) It looks smoother." I looked in the mirror and had to agree. It was not completely gone, but definitely smoother and not as noticeable. It was only 2 weeks! (I use my serum 2 times a day after facial cleansing and toning) He said to me he wants to start using it as well. He has wrinkle lines on his forehead and some frown lines and small areas around his eyes. We both like how this is natural, non greasy and made in the USA. It is alcohol free, paraban free, and FDA certified. Read more about my review of the product:


Click Here for my review of this Serum

I wanted to update everyone on how it is working for me and pass some savings along. I hope you try this serum. I am not saying it will work for you personally, however am reporting how it has worked wonderfully for me. I was not paid for this review, but was sent a free sample in exchange for my honest opinion. I am not one to spend lots of money on anti-aging cosmetics, but this is a product that is so far working nicely for me, and feels great on my skin. I hope to keep using it.

REVIEW: Self Confidence: How To Overcome Shyness, Worry And Boost Your Self-Esteem by Anastasia Verg (ebook review)

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.



I had the opportunity to read an ebook by Anastasia Verg. She has a background working with many people ranging from elderly, children of all ages, the aged, and disabled. She has been a social worker and lives by the creed "to be able to assist as many people as possible and help them overcome their problems." That is a beautiful statement showcasing her benevolence for humanity. The book was a quick read and she had some great points on how to improve self esteem, self love, and self worth. Many of her points were aspects of self improvement that we all know, but do not always follow. I have always been a shy person, and have not always been the most self confident, so I decided to see what she recommended.

I agreed with most all of Verg's points on improving one's self outlooks. Positive affirmations are important as they help us believe that we are of value and affirmations do strengthen our confidence. I agree that by daily proclaiming positive characteristics in front of a mirror, we are growing and improving our self confidence. If we believe we have value, then others will be more likely to view us in high regard as well. We must love ourselves.

The only part of the ebook I did not completely agree with was the beginning part where she stated that improving external appearance was a big factor in self esteem. I agree, we need to have proper hygiene, and not offend others with body odor, unkempt appearance, and poor grooming habits.

The author mentioned that "instead of glasses, you should wear contacts." I have to disagree. There are many people, even celebrities, that look amazing and sexy in glasses (Johnny Depp, Nicole Kidman, Matt Bomer, Ryan Gosling, Tina Fey, Meryl Streep, and others). Some people that wear glasses are not able to wear contacts, due to their prescription strength or they just do not like touching their eyes to put contacts in. I myself wear contacts, but that is my personal choice as I hate wearing glasses in the rain and getting my glasses fogged or smudged. I wore glasses from third grade until my first year in college. I always wore trendy or designer ones, and made sure they fit my face shape correctly. I definitely wanted to wear contacts, but when finally given a chance in high school, I tried for almost an hour at the eye doctors, trying to put them in and failed. I had a hard time touching my eye and putting something in it, so left the office with glasses. I tried contacts a third time in my first year of college, and finally was able to put them in withing minutes. I was super happy. I now wear contacts almost exclusively and can put them in within seconds without a mirror. But just because I wear contacts instead of glasses, doe not mean I am swarming with friends and have super confidence. I felt that the statement "instead of glasses, you should wear contacts" was a bit unfair for people to be urged to switch from glasses to contacts in order to improve their appearance, make them more attractive to others, and have a better chance at bettering their self esteem.

I did agree that smiling is vital, as it makes you more approachable and likeable. Smiling shows others that you are fun to be around, and a nice person. No one wants to be around a gloomy, angry or negative person.

The only other negatives I found (in my opinion) about the ebook was the part on fashion/clothing and tanning. Not everyone can afford or wear designer or highly fashionable clothing. Some body sizes have limited selection for fashion. I am not skinny by any means, but am not excessively overweight either. However, I have noticed that sizes that are much bigger than me seem to have more frumpy styles available. (Which is not fair to them). I wear about a size 16 pre-pregnancy (and am reasonably tall at 5' 9) (I am currently 30 weeks pregnant). I luckily can easily find clothing at the Gap, Banana Republic, and other fashionable stores, but ladies who are sizes 20 and above have limited choices for fashion. Usually trendier stores stop carrying sizes 18 and above. So just because a larger plus size person is wearing clothes that are not fashionable, does not mean they are destined to be friendless or have low self esteem.

I agree that it is important to match / coordinate your clothing. It is also important to not go out with stains, holes, wrinkles or dirty attire. I also agree with what the author about wearing things that are appropriately fitting (not wearing things too loose or too tight). I was just a bit surprised at a list of fashion dos and don'ts in a self esteem book.

The author mentioned tanning, and yes it is controversial. I have always loved my creamy ivory skintone, brown eyes, and dark brown almost black hair (think vintage/pin up style icon Dita Von Teese skin, or actress Zooey Deschanel--not saying I look like them at all, I just have similar skin tone and hair color). I have always been against tanning for me personally, as it seems to make skin age faster, cause wrinkles, and even cause skin cancer. I did tan for 2 weeks prior to my wedding, but that was a one time thing.

The author says "you shouldn't look very pale. Try to make your skin a little brown." I disagree on this as I feel it is just an opinion, and not vital to improving ones self esteem or chances of being accepted by others. I felt that the author emphasized outward appearance a little too much in this ebook. If someone wants to wear bronzer, or go to a tanning bed, that is completely their choice, but does not make them more likeable, popular, or approachable. I do agree/feel that the basics of good grooming (being clean, brushing teeth, having a neat appearance, and not having body odor) is vital to being approachable/likeable and helpful to improving self esteem.

Other than those points that I mentioned above, I agree with what the author wrote about in improving one's self. Loving your self is important, self affirmations, overcoming insecurities, believing in yourself, and not worrying, all are good rules to live by. Check out more info about the author and her writings.

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.

Pharmacy discount card review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I was given the opportunity to review a printable discount card for prescription medication. The particular one I used was Medication Discount Card. I could not find a fuller name for this company so it may be confusing until you look at their website, since the name is quite simple/generic. This discount card claims it will save you up to 75% off of the cash price of your (or apparently your pet's) prescriptions. The card also does not expire.

Here is a link to the actual website:

click here for more info about this printable discount card

We have had Cigna Great West for about 4 years with my husband's company but recently they are switching things around and last week we lost insurance coverage as they will no longer provide insurance. So right now we have no insurance. It is quite scary especially with me being in my third trimester, expecting baby 2 in April.

My daughter is 3, and has had some bacterical sinus / bronchial infection for about a month. She was prescribed Amoxicillin Suspension 400/5ml to be taken at 1 1/2 tsp. twice a day for 10 days. I was worried about how she would handle taking it as she has never had any prescription medicine in her life. She has only had infant tylenol, and even then, only about twice. She was a breastfed baby until 20 months so stayed quite healthy as an infant.

The medicine was a bright pink, Peptol Bismol color and had a fruity smell. We have been giving her the doses in a sturdy medicine spoon that was given free with her medicine (love this spoon istead of using a medicine dosing syringe as we had previously with infant tylenol). Amazingly she said "mmm yummy pink!" after her first dose. That was a relief. Anyway...back to the review of the savings card.

We always go to Walgreens and so had this filled there. The medicine would have been about $5 if we had our Cigna Great West insurance still. The regular cost of this generic is $27.99 for a 10 day supply. I spoke briefly with the pharmacist at the counter and told her about how we are now without an insurance card and showed her my printed medicine discount card (it is a paper card--and if I continue using this card, I will definitely laminate it as it is just a paper card and not a thick glossy card like my Cigna one was). She said she has seen several versions of these free printable cards and I asked her if mine was better than others she has seen. She said many are similar and it really depends on the type of medicine(s) you are getting as to which card is best. She explained to me that Walgreens has their own savings card for prescriptions but it is a yearly cost of $35 per family or $20 per individual, and then the cost of the actual prescription. For our daughter's prescription, if we used a Walgreens savings card it would be $7.50. She said this medicine card is about that price.

She said for someone like us who rarely fills medicines in the pharmacy, this printed discount card would probably be a fine option so we would not have to pay a yearly fee. She looked at our account, and we only had 2 other prescriptions filled in the last year for our family of 3. I myself have been taking mainly prenatal vitamins for the past 4 years (before we tried to get pregnant, while I was pregnant, while I was breastfeeding and now currently). My prenatal vitamins (a set of prenatal with iron and dha) are over the counter and about $10-13 a month. Sometimes I find a coupon for $5-10 dollars off that which makes them very reasonable. Neither I nor my husband have ongoing prescriptions. As mentioned, our family of 3 filled only 2 prescriptions in the past year.

I would really like to have had insurance when walking into the pharmacy as that just helps make us feel more confident in pricing and overall calm our nerves about not having insurance for upcoming doctors visits and the hospital. This card is solely for medications and not for doctors visits, so may not be as beneficial to our particular family. We are hopefully going to get a reasonable insurance company soon. As of right now with my husband changing jobs and the new company not paying much if any, we are unsure what we will do. For now we will use this card as it does not have a yearly fee (like our local Walgreens).

Please note that this is not an insurance card and cannot be used to reduce your copay. This is a helpful card to use if you do not have insurance or for drugs/vitamins not covered by insurance. I want to mention that not every drug will be covered for a discount with this card. I am only speaking my experience with this one generic medication. Luckily our family does not have many prescriptions a year. For us, the big issue we need to take care of is paying for upcoming doctors and hospital visits.

click here for more info about this printable discount card

Please note, that there are numerous types of these online free discount prescription cards and that you need to select based on the medications you and your family use. I want to mention this particular website does have a list of medicines they include in their coverage. I am not sure if this is standard of other freebie discount cards, but I found it helpful and am sure others would as well. They also have a place to estimate the savings of a particular medicine as well.


click here for more info about looking up an estimated price or savings


click here for more info about checking to see if your medicine is listed with this card

I do think the card should have a more recognizable name, as when I spoke to the pharmacist lady, she was unsure which card it was until I was able to show her. The card does look similar to a regular insurance card as it does have the usual BIN, PCN, GROUP AND MEMBER ID numbers on it. I want to mention that with a regular card such as Humana, Cigna, AARP, or whatever it is, having a name other than "medical discount card" would be easier to explain to someone as to what company it is. (if that makes sense). An example would be something like "Smith's Discount Prescription Card" or something. (I just made that company up, as I am sure that is not a name of one, but am just trying to explain that it would be easier to know which card I was referring to if it had an actual name.)



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.

Light Spectrums: A Collection of Poetry, ebook review.

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I had the opportunity to review an ebook by Jessica Fugua. She is a mommy blogger and poety author. I came across her work on Smashwords website and being a lover of poety myself, I wanted to do a review on Light Spectrums. This is a short but sweet collection of poety forms including Haiku's, Sonnets, and other types. This particular collection is a celebration of Springtime, nature and themes of the heart and soul.

My particular favorites were "Dandelion", "Like You Were", and "If My Heart Were a Flower". The author delights the reader with short writings of a dreamlike state of awe and wonderment at the beauty of nature and surroundings. A passionate lover of nature, especially of flowers and animals, immersing herself in the complete flora and fauna experience by photographing, painting and writing. A good read. You can find out more about her and her writings at
Shatterlion Jessica Fugua Author Info

This ebook is available on Smashbooks and can be found on Amazon.com

Light Spectrums on Smashbook

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.

Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops, a review.

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I had the opportunity to try out a product that I have not previously heard of before. It is a throat lozenge called Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops. Here are my thoughts on this product.

I was able to choose from three available flavors or a mix of the 3. These flavors are wild cherry, natural honey, and black licorice. I chose wild cherry. I am now kicking myself for not requesting all 3 in a mix to try. I would have liked to test out the natural honey so I could compare these to my usual favorite honey throat drop from Burt's Bees. Also my husband mentioned he would have loved to try the black licorice, as he is a fan of licorice tea (it is soothing to his stomach and helps his heartburn). I told him I will look locally at our Walgreens drugstore or Kroger grocery store to check for the licorice and get him some, and if I cannot find them locally, I will purchase from Amazon.

I checked the Pine Bros website, and after watching a short but sweet video review by Martha Stewart, I checked out their product info, a brief little history, and saw a sneak peak of a new flavor called lemon citrus. This new flavor debuts in 2015. This should be a popular flavor as lemon drops always seem to help me when my throat is sore and needs soothing.

Pine Bros is not a new company, they have been around since 1870! J. Herman Pine and his brother started selling these drops, known as their "Glycerine Tablets". (info from their website) He was a German confectioner who came across the idea of combining the soothing natural qualities of glycerin with the healing properties of gum acacia. I had not heard of gum acacia, so I looked it up and found some rather interesting facts/history about it. Gum acacia has been used in the past in traditional medicines, and Egyptians used the material as a glue and as a pain-relieving base. It has properties of healing and soothing. Arabic medicine had used it for the treatment of gums, and it is thought that this was house it got the name of "gum". It has been said to help prevent some forms of mouth bacteria and periodontal disease. Even chewing gum with this ingredient can have a positive effect on preventing bacteria, plaque and gingivitis! I was truly impressed with this bit of info as I never would have thought a cough drop may have these benefits. Anyway, back to Mr. Pine and his brother...

Mr. Pine, who was very skilled in his craft, also seemed to be a great guy in personality and modesty as well. He cared more about the people he was helping, much more than making a living or profit from his ventures. He was very successful, and his lozenges were soothing and grew in popularity. In 1930 his company was acquired by Life Savers, but in 1970, it was sold and re-acquired a few times over and changes were made and shortcuts were taken. Sales waned and the product was sold over seas and failing.

But this story does not continue downhill for the product. A woman who was the creator of Airborne had a mission to bring this amazing product back to its former life and was able to get original Pine Bros recipes and recreate the packaging to be classic yet modern and attractive. These throat drops were reintroduced in 2011 in the USA, natural, and made in America finally again.

To review the product, I am pleased with the drops. They were not too sweet, but had a slight tart (not sour) flavor of cherry. I received 3 bags of these cherry drops and 3 round travel/purse/pocket size cases of the cherry. I love the plastic screw on lid cases. They seem like they would be safe to put in a purse or bag without the worry of them spilling out and perhaps melting in a corner of the bag or sticking to something. They are definitely "softish", a funny but accurate description. They start out as a hard drop, and finish almost as a hard gummy. I was not fond of chewing them, as they were hard to chew without getting stuck in my teeth. I did see the label said they are best when not chewed. However, I still wanted to try as I am fond of gummy treats.

My husband tried these as well and said he liked them a lot and found them to be pleasant tasting. He and I agreed that chewing them is not a great idea. We will be purchasing the honey and the licorice in the near future to try out.

These are available online at Walgreens.com, Amazon.com and other various places. I am hoping we luck out and find some locally as well. Check out http://www.pinebrothers.com/ for more information about this great company!

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.

Pure Body Naturals Vitamin C Serum, a review.

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I ordered this product from Amazon after reading about the product from the company. I received a coupon code to use for a sample bottle of this product in exchange for my honest and full review. I was not paid for this review.

I was intrigued about the healing and anti-aging properties of Vitamin C a few months back when I was looking at various naturalistic ways to improve my overall appearance of skin tone and complexion. I had always known drinking water, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and getting plenty of rest can make a big difference in not only overall health, but also our skin. But I was unaware that Vitamin C was a big factor in the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels and gives skin firmness and strength. When we get older, the production of collagen begins to slow down and cell structures start losing their strength. Skin starts to become less elastic, less firm and tight, and wrinkles begin to form.

I am 31, so do not have wrinkles, but I do see small problem areas around my eyes with dark circles and some slight loss of tightness. I drink moistly plain bottled water, or lightly sweetened ice tea with lots of lemon. (how much lemon?, well when I go to a restaurant, I order a small dish of about 6-8 slices of lemon--yes I love lemon in my tea!) I rarely drink soft drinks or other high sugar drinks.

I love eating vegetables and plenty of fruits. Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, and lemons contain a huge content of Vitamin C. Some other sources of Vitamin C come from broccoli, strawberries (always my favorite!), baked potatoes and tomatoes. I eat a lot of tomatoes in the summer time as we always plant several tomato plants. A great summer lunch (and a way to pack in some vitamin c) is a thick juicy garden tomato slice (or 2) with lean bacon, some light olive oil mayo on toasted homemade bread. YUM.....

Vitamin C also helps your skin repair itself. Skin will become rough and dry if it is not treated with care and given proper nutrients. It is important to refresh your body and skin internally with water and Vitamin C. Vitamin C is vital to sun protection. It aids in protecting our skin from free radicals which we develop due to excess over exposure to the sun and environmental pollutants. Please wear sunscreen all year round, even if you cannot see the sun actively shining down, and please do not go to tanning beds. Excessive over exposure to harmful sun rays damages skin over time and can cause premature aging. Also please do not smoke, as it lowers the absorption of Vitamin C and speeds up aging. It also (in my opinion) smells terrible and is near impossible to get the smell out of a leather bag or jacket....

I ordered the Pure Body Naturals Vitamin C serum at 1 pm, and the next day it arrived to me. I do have Amazon Prime, however, that usually takes 2 days and is not usually next day arrival. I was super excited to test this out. It was well padded with bubble wrap and a sturdy box. The serum is housed in a dark glass bottle which I prefer, and came with a dropper to screw on. The importance of putting products (serums/essential oils, etc.) in dark glass bottles (such as an amber or dark blue colored glass) is helpful for preserving the ingredients of light sensitive products.

I waited till that evening to apply the serum. I first wash my face with the oil cleansing method at night, using either jojoba, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, or apricot kernal oil to remove my makeup. I have a variety of these oils so I just use what I am in the mood for or have on hand, these all work well for combination to oily skin as they are light and glide well without being heavy. I have seen such wonderful results with this method. My skin is clearer, smoother, and little to no acne.

I first warm the oil up in my hands and then smooth it gently over my cheeks, eyes, forehead, etc. This loosens up dirt, oil, and makeup. I then add some warm water to my face and keep gently massaging until the oil has removed my makeup and my face is ready to oil cleanse. I wear black mascara, bb cream, bare minerals matte mineral foundation, blush and eye shadow daily so I have a full face of make up to remove. Some days I have on waterproof black eyeliner in a 60's cat eye style and those days my removal takes a step longer. Once my face is clean of make up, I put another small amount of oil on my face and massage well, but lightly. I then turn on the water at the sink and get my wash cloth really hot (turn off the water please to conserve) and squeeze out excess water from the hot cloth. I let it steam over my oiled face till the cloth is cooled. The steam really opens my pores and the dirt is lifted out. My nose and upper cheeks have large pores that are prone to blackheads, so this is how I help with prevention. I then gently wipe the oil away and rinse the washcloth out again with hot water and repeat 1-2 times depending on my level of need, then pat with a cold wash cloth to close the pores. Afterwards, my skin looks and feels amazing. It is smooth and my pores are clear. I then add 100% aloe (alcohol free, color free) to my face. However, since trying the Serum, I have started using the serum instead of the aloe. It contains Vitamin C + E + Hyaluronic Acid. It feels very nice on my skin and is not greasy. It instantly soaks into my skin and feels like the aloe does. It has no fragrance and it seems like it would work well with those who are sensitive to fragrances or certain cosmetics as it feels very light and gentle. It did not leave my fingers or hands sticky.

I apply this at night in 2-3 drops (each side of face) over my cheeks and eye area, 2-3 drops on my forehead, 2-3 on my neck (please do not forget the neck!) and 2-3 on my cleavage area as I am a side sleeper. (I also recommend getting some sort of cleavage pillow to wear in between your cleavage at night if you are a woman side sleeper concerned about wrinkles on your chest area.)

In the morning, after my shower, (I wash my face with Dr. Bronners Lavender Castile Soap in the shower) I apply the same amount of drops to the above mentioned areas as well. This serum is high quality and I am sure works well with one time a day application, however, I really like the way it makes my face look and feel so I personally use it twice a day. I will continue using this Pure Body Naturals product until it runs out and will be considering a purchase on my own.



You can check out this fantastic serum on Amazon.



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.

THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS - children's EBOOK review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I had the opportunity to review a children's ebook by Suzy Lieberman.

A brief background of this author: Suzy currently resides in the USA, but she is a native of Germany and former resident of the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Islands of the Bahamas and Switzerland. Well versed in languages and education, she launched Happy Language Kids Publications in 2010 as an interactive language learning program for children. She created a sea character who is a starfish named Hugo. Her stories tell of his adventures in not only exploring the underwater worlds, but also of his discovery of various modes of feelings, lessons of character, ecological alertness and life skills.

The ebook from her series that I was sent for review is called, "The Secret to Happiness." This is something we as humans all long to know and be able to achieve in our lives. Lieberman's series of books have a central focus and theme: building healthy and successful relationships with peers and to educating children about their feelings, their attitudes, their choices and the consequences that follow.

Hugo is a starfish who has a big heart desiring to help others but often his feelings get in the way and sometimes he gets confused about what choices are the best for him. He desires to help others but just like humans sometimes do, he does not always make to best decision right away. Sometimes he needs to learn from his mistakes before finally doing the right thing.

Storyline and themes found in this ebook:

He starts out the story bored, and a little sad. So he finds a friend/acquaintance known as the "Magic Mantra" who is deemed wise and who he asks for advice. His friend suggests he searches right where he is. Well Hugo takes it a bit literally and is thinking that happiness is a tangible object that he must search for. So he searches under various plants, rocks, or sea life, thinking it was something misplaced and able to be found. He begins to get frustrated and even angry (the picture in the ebook shows him with angry eyebrows, teeth clenched and fist clenched in air---I was a little surprised at his quick anger in this children's book).

His friend then suggests he take a nap and so Hugo naps. When he awakes he still feels angry and sad. He longs for happiness that last for a whole day. He decides to take on a fun activity, so he goes fishing above water. Tired out from the long day of fishing, he goes to bed tired but very happy. The next day he wakes up sad and wonders why his happiness was short lived. He asks Magic Mantra what would make him happy for a whole month, to which he suggests Hugo spend time with a good friend. So Hugo does just that and for the time being seems very happy and satisfied.

Unfortunately happiness is fleeting and he is bored again, looking for something to gratify his need for happiness. He longs to be happy for a whole year, and at the advice of his "wise" friend, he goes in search of fortune and treasure, finds it and buys lots of tangible gifts and possessions for himself.

As I read this, I begin to wonder the wiseness of his friend Magic Mantra, but also wonder if perhaps Mantra is trying to teach Hugo a lesson and have him learn from his mistakes. Mantra then tells Hugo that things we are used to having all the time loose their luster and appeal. We then begin to not appreciate what we have. We become greedy and rely on tangible things to brings us happiness. But in reality, these bursts of happiness/pleasure/satisfaction are only temporary.

Hugo desired for lasting happiness and finally learns that loving and sharing with others is what truly brings complete satisfaction in life. He learns empathy, the feeling that you understand and share another person's emotions that they are feeling and that you desire to care about their needs. His heart grows even more and he is able to share his love and heart with others. Later in the story Hugo is able to help a friend in need and this help strengthens him in many ways. He feels renewed and his happiness grows. He feels accomplishment and realizes that is is more important to share and care instead of trying to feed his desire and wants.

I read this story twice and it has a good message. It teaches the reader that happiness comes from loving and caring for others. Those who already know this "secret" to happiness are reminded of this and will hopefully have a renewed interest and renewed desire to share their time and love with others. This is a simple story that will be a good life lesson for young readers. The theme is simple, but often we as adults have difficultly grasping this at times. We all need to devote our lives to loving others first, before ourselves.


For more information on this series and the author, please visit:

http://www.mystarfish.org/hugos-books

This book is available on Amazon.com in ebook form as well as hardcover.

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.

La Beaute Pure Organic Vitamin C Serum: A Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. I am currently trying a new skincare serum by La Beaute Pure. It is a serum packed with Vitamin C and other skin loving natural ingredients. Here are my thoughts on this product.

I try to eat healthy and drink plenty of fresh water. I am currently pregnant with my second child and so am no stranger to taking prenatals and other vitamins daily. I try to eat a well balanced diet filled with fruits and veggies that my body needs to flourish and age a little more gracefully. :) Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, as well as the sweet and delicious kiwi fruit, contain a huge content of Vitamin C. Some other sources of Vitamin C come from broccoli, strawberries (my favorite!), cantaloupe (not my favorite at all--lol!), baked potatoes and tomatoes.

What does Vitamin C do? Well, vitamin C is key to the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels and gives skin firmness and strength. When we get older, the production of collagen begins to slow down and cell structures start losing their strength. Skin starts to become less elastic and sadly wrinkles set in. Vitamin C also helps your skin repair itself. Skin will become rough and dry if it is not treated with care and given proper nutrients. It increases elastin formation which thickens, protect and heal skin cells. The thickening effect helps to retain moisture, increases skin circulation and plumps up the skin surface. When we are young, we have the most elastin and collagen in our skin. I am now at the age of thirty one and although I do not have any wrinkles or age spots of any kind, I still want to protect my skin and prevent it from dry patches and dull appearance. I have never smoked in my life, which is an added help to protecting my skin and preventing premature aging. Smoking cigarettes lowers the absorption of Vitamin C, those who smoke have a higher risk of Vitamin C deficiency. Smoking damages skin over time. Vitamin C is vital to sun protection. It aids in protecting our skin from free radicals which we develop due to excess exposure to the sun and environmental pollutants. Vitamin C contains antioxidants and they protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.

Now, onto my review of the Vitamin C serum from La Beaute Pure. I ordered this to try and it arrived promptly and well padded. The bottle is glass which I prefer, and came with a dropper to screw on. I currently have a simple skincare routine, as I have lessened the amount of products I use. I have adapted my skin, hair care, and healthcare to a more natural approach. I have been completely free of sodium laurel/sodium laureth sulfates (and all other forms of it) for a year now. I have removed it completely from my shampoos (and other haircare) as well as all soaps and facial cleansers. I mainly wash my face with the oil cleansing method at night and then for my morning showers, I use a natural oil based soap that is free of chemicals and sulfates. I have noticed a dramatic improvement in my skin. I have less oil production and less breakouts. I was so happy to find out that this product is sulfate free and not tested on animals. They use dandelion extract which acts as a skin toner that cleanses and improves the overall health of skin. The serum contains vegan hyaluronic acid base to plump skin cells, and prevents or slows the effects of aging.

Another fantastic healing agent is aloe, this was something I could definitely notice while applying the serum. It was light and almost cooling, without any sticky or tacky film. An ingredient I had not heard of, but that it contains, is gotu kola extract which is said to help in healing of burns, wounds & stretch marks. When I looked it up, I found that it is used in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Gotu kola also is said to increase collagen production, which as I have mentioned previously, is necessary for skin and elasticity. Other ingredients listed in this serum are from the horsetail plant, which may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (yet another good thing to have in skincare.) Geranium assists in sebum production for a balance of dry & oily skin. I was happy to see the use of plant based ingredients. No parabens, chemicals, preservatives, formaldehyde, phthalates, Triclosan, GMO, added fragrance or colors are in this wonderful serum.

As mentioned previously, I try to use organic and or natural products as much as possible. I can tell the company believes in using only the highest quality of ingredients. The directions say to use the serum on the face in the mornings for protection all day. Vitamin C will be absorbed for up to 72 hours. I would start with freshly cleansed skin, and used 1-2 drops on each side of my face, 2 drops on my neck and chin, and 2 drops on my forehead. Let it dry completely before adding moisturizer. The directions say that it can be used with AHA. I also use it at night: After washing with an oil cleansing method, I follow with my Nutrisonic (similar but cheaper than Clarisonic) brush (on gentlest setting and speed) with a botanical cleanser (for cleansing and a slight microdermabrasion). Lastly after my face has been rinsed and pat to dry, I follow with the Vitamin C serum in the amounts and areas mentioned above. Vitamin C Serum will start to be absorbed by the skin almost immediately, protecting the skin from further environmental damage.

I was very pleased with this serum. It is housed in a dark glass bottle (always important for the bottle to be dark to preserve the contents and ingredients from sun and light). I liked how there was no strong fragrance (it smells plain, almost like aloe vera). I also was happy that it did not leave my fingers or hands sticky. Since I always apply my makeup after my skincare routine, I liked how I did not need to get up from my vanity to wash off my hands. I have tested this serum for a week, and will continue using this twice a day till it runs out. I may consider purchasing again when needed. It is a fantastic product that I highly recommend.

You can check out this fantastic serum on Amazon. La Beauté Pure Vitamin C Serum

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.

Skillet Meals from Kroger and BzzAgent

I had the opportunity to review for free, Kroger Skillet Meals courtesy of bzzagent, these are my thoughts of the meal. My family (husband, almost 3 year old daughter) and I cooked Kroger Skillet Meals in the beef stir fry. It had snow peas, water chestnuts, carrots, and green beans and broccoli. It was easy to cook, and ready in about 10 minutes. The beef was decent quality, much better than I was expecting. Sadly there was only 2 water chestnut slices in the entire bag, a little odd. I also was confused at having both snow peas and green beans, the textures and color of the two similar veggies seemed a bit of a bore. We made the garlic bread, but it was really salty and heavily buttery garlic flavor, so we barely ate any. The salad was nice and fresh (even had high quality real bacon), however the included dressing packet was only enough for one person, so we added some of our own dressing. The salad was enough for 2 people, my husband and I. Improvements that could be made to the garlic bread would be to have the buttery garlic in a separate packet to add on the bread as desired, more dressing in the salad bag, and more water chestnuts with one or the other of the long green veggies. It was nice to be able to test these out through bzzagent.

Re-Review of Maggi So Juicy Bzz Campaign

I want to return to re-review and repost a rating on Maggi. I've knocked this down from 3 -4 stars down to a flat 2 stars. When I was speaking to my mother and father about the product, my mom brought up a fantastic point. Sodium content. We told them that we tried the Mediterranean Herb Medley this past week. It was very flavorful, and moist, however to us it seemed a bit strong, even with using only 2/3 packet instead of the whole packet. We told them that this was not our favorite flavor, but will try others. Mom said she was concerned about sodium. I happened to have another packet of this same flavor in the cabinet and looked at the back of the package. I told her it had 10 servings in one packet. We used 2/3 packet for our 2 small chicken breasts, shared between my husband and I. Each serving had 220 mg per serving (which is 9% of one persons sodium intake). My husband and I used 2/3 the package on our 2 small chicken breasts. Between the two of us, we had a lot of sodium/salt. She and I agreed that amount is outrageous and not healthy. That amount of sodium will convince her not to use this Maggi brand. I tend to agree with her. Mrs. Dash is similar type of seasoning, but is salt free. We might just stick with lower sodium or salt free options. Maggi, please make a lower sodium option, perhaps in a pineapple herb or an Indian Chicken Korma.

Maggi So Juicy Bzzagent Campaign

We received several packets of Maggi So Juicy to try. These were free to try courtesy of bzzagent and Maggi. We tried the Mediterranean Herb Medley this past week. We put thawed chicken breasts into the included bag added about 2/3 of the seasoning pack (we have a toddler and did not want to over season this) and put into the oven at 350 degrees. We cooked for a little longer than the cooking time. The bag of chicken/seasoning Maggi mixture was placed inside a pan in case there was any spillage or popping of the bag. It was neat to see the bag puff up when it was ready. It is super easy to use and keeps the flavor and the juices inside. It was very flavorful, and moist. We are not sure we would purchase this particular flavor, as it was not our favorite. We are so glad we used less seasoning. We paired this meal with buttered baby carrots and steamed rice. We would purchase this Maggi brand again, but in a different flavor. It would be nice to see what other flavors the company comes up with. We think a sweet honey bbq type seasoning would be nice or perhaps a pineapple herb seasoning. We eat a lot of bbq in our family. My husband and I agree that an Indian chicken Korma would be super delicious. The whole cooking process was enjoyable and simple. The 3 star rating given by our family is for the actual flavor of this Maggi we tried, but we would up the rating to 4 on juiciness and ease of use. This particular flavor was just not to our liking. Maggi, please add more flavors and we will gladly try those as well!

Bzz Campaign Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee: Three Continent Blend coffee

I was blessed to try the Green Mountain Fair Trade Coffee this month and believe me, it went super fast. Being an active mommy of an almost 3 year old, I am up early in the morning and then late at night getting chores done. I do not get as much sleep as I need. Often in the mornings I am tired and need a little pick me up to get me going. Also out house is 100 years old, and like ice all day during the winter due to poor insulation. I like to put on my Keen Howser house shoes (seriously like sleeping bags for my cold toes) and make my way sleepy eyed into the icebox that is my kitchen. I need a hot drink to warm up and get me motivated. I selected a kcup of the Green Mountain brand and added whipped cream. Lots of it. I only drink one cup of coffee per day as I want to limit my caffeine. I thought the coffee was delicious, and I never need any sugar in it. I use a fairly heavy hand of creamer, as I like my coffee a nice shade of beige. :)

The coffee I tried was Three Continent Blend coffee, and it was sourced from Sumatra, South America, and Ethiopia. I like how not only did the coffee taste high quality and fresh, (also smelled amazing) the farmers that grow this coffee are given a fair price for their labor. This coffee is fair trade certified. Fancy huh. Yes it is. I like quality in treatment and quality in product. The farmers/producers/and all involved are treated fairly and given a sense of pride with their product. Fair Trade helps the farmers and their communities with improvements in their lifestyle in the way of schooling, drinking water, roads, etc.

I received some coupons for 50% off the actual Keurig machine with a discount code. We already have a platinum brewer, but I shared a coupon with some friends. The fact that the codes were able to be sent over the phone or by email were nice for those who do not live near me. I enjoyed this coffee and my husband enjoyed it as well. It smells amazing when brewed and is delicious to drink. It has a good story to it as well. Green Mountain calls in Good Vibes. I tend to agree. I received these k-cups and coupons free to try in exchange for my review.

BzzAgent Review of Kroger Brands for Baby: Comforts for Baby

I had the opportunity to try out a few baby products free of charge, courtesy of bzzagent and Comforts for Baby. Here are my honest thoughts.

Training Pants: First off, I have a hard time referring to these as training pants as they look, feel, and work just like diapers and this issue causes a (big) problem. My toddler treats these "training pants" as diapers and so she goes potty in these without trying to hold it. This was a big negative for me. However, there are some positive notes for this diaper, (yes that is really what they are) so please continue reading along.

We have a 2 1/2 year old girl, she is on the end of diaper use. (or so we hope). It is a long journey, and we want this over. She does too. We tried the Comforts for Baby disposable pullup training pants. She has used these for a weekend away when we went to a kids science museum and then an aquarium. We normally use cloth diapers (Bum Genius snap one size) but have used disposables in the past for traveling. These seemed to work decently well for a disposable. I happened to have a Pampers brand diaper left over from another long getaway and compared them based on appearance and functionality. The Pampers seemed straighter/(boxier??) and did not seem to curve as much to a child's body nor did it have a full leg gusset on each leg opening. If you have ever had a really REALLY messy diaper to change, you know that leg gussets are very important and help keep messes in. I liked how the Kroger Comforts brand had nicer gussets.

Both diapers seem to have a written label "back" that lets you know which side is front vs back. I do need this, but my husband who has not experienced using disposables on our daughter, was happy to see the small labeled area. :) The bee logo on the back of the Kroger brand was cute, the front side had a large red shaded pink lady bug. I would have preferred a cuter cartoon (perhaps maybe Doc Mc Stuffins, Disney Princess, Monster's Inc, or something more recognizable to her) but have never really seen any particularly cute cartoons on a disposable diaper of any brand. I think it would be neat to have disposables that are polka dot, plaid or damask print. (There is a brand that has blue jean inspired, so why not?) The diapers had purple flowers in the front to let you know when the diaper is wet. That seems like a nice idea, however, usually when a disposable is wet, it swells up and gets squishy, which is quite noticeable. We have not had any "messy" diapers, only wet ones. I can see how the break away sides would come in handy for those times. The diapers did not give any rashes or have any leaks. They worked much better than I thought they would. The price point is much more reasonable than a more mainstream brand. The downside of using disposables for potty training is that they look and feel like regular diapers. These will not help in training. Our daughter is currently training in Potty Patty thick white potty panties (unisex). The disposables wick away the wetness and so once she has wet her training diaper she goes on with her activities until changed. With a cloth panty training pant, she notices she is wet and wants changed immediately. I would say these are good for someone looking for disposables, however they won't help much with training.

Wipes: We are currently using the Comforts for baby wipes that we got for free with coupon. We like the grass green almost lime colored plastic tub they come inside. We use wipes for hands, faces, bottoms and many other uses. The pretty bright green tub is something we will use to store toys in when it is empty. It is sturdy and well made, and although these wipes are not our favorite, but they are decently nice. They have a slight texture to them. Our absolute favorite wipes are the 365 brand (Whole Foods store brand), which are super moist, natural and fragrance free. However, these Kroger Comforts wipes are still a great wipe. :)

Lotions: I selected to try the Comforts for Baby nighttime lotion which has a similar calming scent of Johnson and Johnson bedtime lotion. The bottle is a nice lavender purple color. Kroger's Comforts for Baby also includes a full line of health and hygiene items such as shampoos and baby wash, as well as gentle powders and ointments. They all seem to have similar quality and style to the Johnson's brand. Their bottles and formulas look similar. We liked the fragrance of the Kroger brand and it was a soothing scent, perfect for slathering on freshly washed baby skin. I wanted to keep kissing her little arms and cuddle next to her and fall asleep. The lotion was not greasy and seemed to absorb well. We did not have any breakouts on our little girl's delicate skin. Our current brand favorite for baby lotions are Burts Bees and California Baby. They are more expensive but have more natural ingredients and work well with our little girl's skin and our semi-crunchy parent lifestyle. For now we will stick to our current loved brands, but this Kroger brand is a great choice for those on a strict budget who already use Johnsons brand.

All in all, this Comforts for Baby brand is comparable to the well known brand, Johnsons. For many, that brand is a standby. Our family does seem to lean towards more natural brands with essential oils, plant extracts, and recycled materials. We cloth diaper and use cloth training pants. But, for traveling, we think these diapers work well as disposables go.

Kroger Summer Grilling!

I am a bzzagent, and here is my review for the Kroger brands summer grilling foods. I received these items in exchange for my honest and full review. I was so happy to review these. I received these free to try. Kroger 100% Ground Beef Burgers, Kroger Cheddar & Sour Cream Ripples Potato Chips, Big K Ginger Ale, and Kroger Buns were selected for review.

I wanted to get whole wheat buns for the hamburgers, but I could not find them or they were sold out. I was lucky to even find a package of regular Kroger white enriched hamburger buns, as it seems the hot summer weather gave shoppers an urge for grilling. All the Kroger buns except 3 bags (crazy) on the bottom rack were all sold out. The rack (large wooden pallet in the middle of the large bread aisle) that the buns were sitting on consisted of about 3 or 4 shelves. (that gives you an idea of how many bags it had before they sold out) I was happy that the price was $1.00 a bag, so that probably was also why they were almost sold out. We love Kroger prices.

The Buns: do they compare? Are they worth the price? The buns were soft and fresh and comparable to a more expensive name brand. For $1.00 without any coupons, this is a great deal for the quality. They were the perfect size for the Kroger hamburgers we bought.

Here's the Beef: The Kroger 100% Ground Beef Burgers (93/7 lean) came with 12 count ground beef patties and were bagged. These patties were in the frozen section near the boxed seafood area (frozen shrimp, frozen fried fish, etc.) There was quite a variety of Kroger frozen burgers. We usually get Laura's lean beef which ranges from about 90% lean to 98% lean. We try to eat hamburger with more beef and less fat as it is healthier for us. These seemed comparable to our favorite brand. The hamburgers cooked well on our indoor Cuisinart Grill. We loved how the burgers were just the perfect size to eat and fit the buns. It is quite convenient to have the burgers preformed. I was quite surprised at the quality, juicy and flavorful. I have always loved Kroger foods, but in my past experience, preformed, ready to make burgers (in other brands) generally are lower quality meat with more fat content. This was not the case with these Kroger burgers.

Chips and Soda: For the chips, we chose Kroger Cheddar & Sour Cream Ripples Potato Chips. These seemed to be comparable to the name brand. They were pretty good, we just do not eat chips much. We probably buy 2 bags total for an entire summer. I got these chips for my husband, as I normally eat Cap Cod 40% less fat kettle cooked potato chips (the few times we get chips). We also tried the Big K ginger ale in the 12 oz cans. We hated this. We thought it tasted like cheap orange soda--which is weird because this is supposed to be ginger ale. It had no ginger flavor at all. We prefer Canada Dry or Ale 8. But again just like the chips, we do not drink soft drinks often.

Final Thoughts: We only drank 2 cans out of the 12 pack. Except for the soft drink not being of good quality, everything else was tasty and a great value. We will purchase the hamburgers and buns again.