Kazu 100% USDA Organic Japanese Matcha: Reviewed

I have been eating a lot healthier the last 5 months. I have always eaten my fruits and vegetables and drink a lot of water, but my protein levels had not been where I wanted them. I also wanted to boost my antioxidant rich foods. I start my day with a blended ice smoothie made with Green Matcha tea, Vanilla Protein Powder (made from super foods, greens) pure cacao powder, 2 bananas, and 2% milk. I generally peel and freeze my 2 bananas the night before as adding ice to my smoothies tends to water it down too much.

I was sent Kazu Matcha Green Tea to try. The brand is Kazu Trading Company. They distribute organic superfoods and teas to supermarkets and retail stores throughout the United States. Their goal is to provide quality organic products from all over the world. I tend to agree that their foods are top quality. The ones I have tried are delicious with beautiful aromas. I had reviewed their Brown Rice Genmai Tea. Authentic Japanese Genmai Cha is a delight to drink, and so surprising. I had never tried such a unique tea. Please read my review of the tea HERE.

The Kazu Green Matcha comes in a resealable bag with a nice flat bottom. It is a great little feature as it keeps the bag standing upright and helps keep it open when I am scooping out tea. The tea has a nice fresh herbal fragrance and a nice coloring. I have been using it each morning in a smoothie. Here is how I would prepare it:

I use 1/2 teaspoon of the green matcha, 2 frozen bananas, 1 scoop of Vanilla Garden of Life Protein Powder, 1 tablespoon of organic unsweetened/pure Cacao powder, 8 oz. of 2 %milk. I mix this up in my blender, and enjoy the natural sustained energy without jitters or crashes.

Matcha is a different kind of green tea. Matcha tea is full of catechins, flavonoids, and polyphenols. It is a highly antioxidant tea, and high in ECGC. Matcha tea has about 3 times as much EGCG antioxidant than other green teas. Antioxidants help slow the processes and signs of aging. Your body feels and looks healthier as well. Matcha is stone ground into a powder, the whole tea leaf and all its nutrients are consumed. Regular tea is brewed with hot water over a tea bag, few nutrients pass through the tea bag into the water. Matcha contains a higher concentration of catechins, chlorophyll, and antioxidants. Matcha tea contains an amino acid derivative called L-Theanine, which is said to relieve stress and give mental clarity/alertness. I use this in the morning to help me wake up and help me feel refreshed.

I really like this matcha tea and continue using it in my smoothies. I like the flavor and benefits I get from it. I had tried it hot with money and honey and it was enjoyable, however in the summer I do not drink much hot tea.

For more information about this tea or to purchase: Kazu Green Tea Matcha


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If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ageless by Thera Vita Hyaluronic Acid Serum: Reviewed

I had the opportunity to try out another hyaluronic acid this month. I have tried several over the past year. This one is by Thera Vita and comes in a tall, slender, 1.7 fluid ounce container with an "airless pump." This style of bottle allows for a fresher product, by preventing excess exposure to air. When you depress the pump, it creates a vacuum effect, drawing the product upwards. They have a tiny pin hole at the bottle of the bottle.

The bottle is attractive and comfortable to hold. Since it is housed in a clear toned bottle, I would suggest keeping it out of direct light or sunny areas. Usually serums and essential oils are in dark amber or dark cobalt blue glass dropper bottles which keep direct light out and can preserve the potency and purity of the product. However, they are opened frequently and exposed to air with dropper bottles. Perhaps this company can modify their airless pumps to be a more opaque.

This serum is very soothing to my skin. I like putting in on my face and neck, but I also put it between my chest and decolletage as I am a side sleeper and have some creasing. This application of the Hyaluronic Acid Serum feels wonderful on my skin, especially at night before bed on a hot summer night. It instantly cools me. I am thinking it is the Aloe Vera and the witch hazel.

Aloe Vera is very cooling, soothing, and healing. Aloe Vera acts as an anti-inflammatory. It is always a good idea to put aloe on a burn, cut, abrasion, or irritation as it will speed healing and calm the skin. Aloe Vera helps with preventing and smoothing wrinkles. My mom has not worn makeup since she was in her 30's, she is in her 60's now and the only thing she uses on her face all these years is pure clear Aloe Vera gel. She also drinks a lot of water and eats vegetables daily. She has very tight skin on her face for her age.

Witch Hazel soothes, heals, and protects irritated skin. I like the cooling sensation witch hazel provides. It also calms puffy skin, which makes this serum perfect for using under the delicate eye area that can often get baggy from lack of sleep or from loss of collagen and elastin in skin.

Another wonderful ingredient that stands out in this serum is Geranium, which is great for regenerating skin, reducing inflammation, and encourages circulation. It is extremely healing and it also smells nice.

Green tea is antioxidant rich, and also soothes and heals skin. It helps with slowing the appearance of aging. It is anti-inflammatory and calms skin. Have you ever put cooled tea bags on your tired eyes?

I also like how this has jojoba oil in it, which is an oil I use daily in my regimen. Jojoba is not greasy or heavy, it is similar to our skins own oil/sebum. It moisturizes and has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory aspects as well.

This is a nice serum. Hyaluronic acid does wonders for skin, and this seems to be a great one. I have not had any irritation or redness, and this makes my skin feel soft and moisturized. I love using it on my face, neck, chest, and I even have used it on the backs of my hands to keep my hands looking young and smooth.

This is available on Amazon: Hyaluronic Acid Serum

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If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.

KitchenMade Stainless Steel Measuring Cups: Reviewed

I had the opportunity to try out a set of stainless steel measuring cups. We have never had anything other than plastic ones. We had registered for some light pink ones 6 years ago which are quite adorable and have fared well, except that the handles are now bent a bit from heat and loving (lots of use).

When the KitchenMade Stainless Steel Measuring Cups arrived, I was definitely taken by them. The set is quite lovely and feels well made. I did notice that they are not USA made, and that was a disappointment, but they seem to be a set that will last through the years. They are polished stainless steel and have easy to read engraved sizes showing both 'cups' and 'mls', in sizes 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 1 Cup. One thing that was interesting to me was that each cup is marked with the next smallest size, which makes things convenient and less dishes to wash.

I like how they are able to nest inside each other, but also can sit individually on the counter without fear of tipping over. They seem to be evenly weighted in the handle which makes scooping out dry ingredients a breeze. The thumb rest is a nice touch and make them comfortable to use. I also like the pouring lip designed for measuring liquid ingredients. This feature is helpful to me when I want to pour pancake batter onto the griddle.

The cups are smooth, no sharp edges, and the polished stainless steel makes them very attractive. Currently, they are just under $20 and free shipping with Prime. For the money, these look like a great set. These would be a great gift item for a newly married couple. I should have registered for stainless steel cups instead of plastic.

For more information or to purchase these: KitchenMade Stainless Steel Measuring Cups .

Please follow me on Facebook for updates to this blog, reviews, and giveaways. Check me out on bloglovin and Twitter.

If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.

Argan Oil Hair Mask by InstaNatural: Reviewed

My hair is extremely thick and wavy. That is a blessing. However, I sadly had to cut a lot of it off this summer from a giant knot underneath my hair near the nape of my neck. My hair was past my elbows in length and the knot was incredibly bad, basically a thickly matted dreadlock all the way up, matted into a ball from several days of sleeping on it wet and unbrushed.

You probably wonder how I could be so careless with me hair? My hair has been shedding terribly since April when I had our son. The shed hair would stay in my hair sometimes, and build up causing excess mini knots in my hair. Even though I am still taking prenatal vitamins, drinking daily protein smoothies, and plenty of water, I am still losing hair from the hormone craziness. I would wash my very long hair and then somehow get distracted or busy with a 3 1/2 yr old and infant, that I would not have time to detangle and brush out my long hair. I would pull it up into a messy top bun and go along with my household and parenting duties. It would eventually air dry, and the tangles were not noticeable. No, I am not lazy, my hair just would take about 45 minutes to fully brush out and detangle each time after showering and often I had no time to do that.

Most of the time, I would step into a steamy, glorious hot shower and be ready to give myself the best 8 minute (who has time for a longer shower?) spa like shower experience, and then would hear either baby wake up wailing or my toddler (who JUST ate minutes before) would be streaming from the gated living room/playroom, "Mommy, me hungry, me want to eat." I love them both so much, and love being with them, but Mama needs to shower and have some time to relax. :)

Sometimes it would be super quiet but I would swear I hear someone crying and I would be imagining in horror that one of the 2 littles was covered in something undesirable and smelly---if you know what I mean. So I would stop the shower, step out of the shower, be dripping wet, and peering around the corner, say to my toddler, "Everything ok?" and she would look up from her toys smiling, and say "Yes, OK, Mama." Then I would get back into the shower to finish my showering laughing to myself at my paranoia.

So yes, my hair is much shorter now and sadly I am starting over on growing my length. It is currently skimming the top of my shoulders, which is not terrible, but is much shorter than I had wanted. We tried everything from oils, horse mane grooming detangler, coconut oil, and several types of hair picks and brushes---the knot was a nightmare and caused 12 inches of hair being cut off. I am having a much easier time with managing my hair now, I do not have any trouble with tangles and brushing takes only a couple minutes now, which is great with a new baby. I have been trying to use more Argan oils, coconut oils, and jojoba oils in my hair to rebuild and fortify my hair. I was able to try out a hair mask from one of my favorite natural companies, InstaNatural. This Argan Oil Hair Mask is quite lovely.

The Argan Oil Hair Mask is a deep conditioning treatment cream with many hair loving, restorative ingredients - such as Argan Oil, Japanese Green Tea, Amino Acid Complex, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil & Vitamin B5. This cream has a pretty fragrance, (perhaps it is the Geranium oil, Vanilla Absolute, and Essential Orange Oil) that reminds me of a floral orange creamsicle. This mask provides nourishment and hydration to thirsty strands. It is meant to be used as a deep conditioner mask, however since I only wash my hair 2 times a week (I use a shower cap in the shower on non hair wash days) I use this as a regular conditioner, leave on for 5 minutes, then rinse out. It is not to heavy for my hair, as my hair is very thick. I love the thickness of this cream and I think the 8 oz will last me a while. I love that it is made in the USA, and not tested on animals.

Ingredients:

Here are some of the shining star ingredients: (these are quite fantastic)

"Horsetail" is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Over the years, I have always used Horsetail for hair and nails. My vitamins and herbal teas would often contain it as it strengthens hair (and nails) and provides a healthy luster. Horsetail is very popular for use in cosmetics and anti-aging creams as well, as it assists collagen production (due to silica).

"Dandelion root" is a rich source of Vitamin A, B complex vitamins, C, E and contains choline, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, biotin (I used to take biotin in supplement form for hair, skin and nails) and calcium. These ingredients fortify hair and can stimulate hair growth. Iron helps in preventing dandruff. I have never had dandruff luckily, but I do need all the help I can get with hair strength.

"Geranium" provides a wonderful flowery fragrance and can promote healthy hair growth by nourishing and toning the scalp. This is great for me, as I am wanting to grow my hair back out.

"Starflower seed" or "Borage" oil helps strengthen hair and prevent hair fall/shed. It also is helpful in taking care of dandruff on the scalp. This is definitely what I need to prevent hair shedding.

Other ingredients that are wonderful: Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Evening Primrose Oil, and Colloidal Oatmeal.

Here is how I personally use it:

If it is a hair wash day for me, I shampoo with a low sudsing, sulfate free, essential oil based, chemical free shampoo. Then I rinse my hair and apply about 2 quarters size amount into the palms of my hands, rub my palms together to warm it up and then apply to my hair. I Massage this conditioner throughout my soaking wet hair, and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes. I find that conditioner works best for me when my hair is really wet. Rinse, pat dry, and put my hair up in my microfiber hair towel. I leave it in the hair towel for about 15 minutes while I apply my facial creams, makeup and and finish dressing. I then detangle with a seamless bamboo comb. After my hair hair air dried (usually takes a full day) I brush with my Mason Pearson Pink Popular Boar and Nylon Mix brush. (Swoon Worthy brush and highly recommend).

My Results:

This cream makes my hair softer, shinier, and easier to manage. I feel like it strengthens my hair. I love the natural gloss it gives. The Vanilla Absolute, Essential Orange Oil and Geranium Oil make this hair mask a wonderful treat for your senses.

Great Company <3:

I have loved all of the InstaNatural products and have tried several. The manufacturer wants their consumers to be completely satisfied with this product and all their purchases. If you are not 100% satisfied, just contact them and they will refund your purchase.

Advice for those with long luxurious locks:

Don't do what I did, don't get behind on your hair brushing routine, don't let it get as bad as I did. I used to be a daily hair brusher, and detangler, and a few weeks of my putting it off really did a doozy on my hair and length. I have had so many shoulda coulda wouldas in my life, and if I knew I would have had to cut off a foot of my hair due to brushing negligence, I would have been better at keeping it tangle free.

For more information, you can find this Argan Oil Hair Mask on Amazon.

Please follow me on Facebook for updates to this blog, reviews, and giveaways. Check me out on bloglovin and Twitter.

If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.

Natizo Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons Review and Giveaway

As the days are getting rainier and slightly cooler, we have been baking more. We do not like to turn on the oven as much in the summer, unless it is a cool night. I have been trying out some new measuring spoons. We had been using a pink plastic set from Kitchenaid that we have had since we registered 6 years ago for our wedding. These have served us well and pink is my favorite color, however, they have gotten a bit beat up, bent at the handles, and misshapen from extended use (high heat from being set to close to the hot oven while baking). I had never tried metal measuring spoons, but when I was contacted to try out a a set from the Natizo company, I was happy to try something new.

These spoons arrived packaged securely inside a larger box, but were contained in a smaller gift ready box as well. It looked very classy and made the set look very nice. After I removed the spoons out of the small gift box, my 3 1/2 year old took possession of the box to put some small trinkets in. :)

The Natizo Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons are quite durable and have been working well for us. This measuring spoon set arrives has sizes: 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon. I like how the uppercase font on each measuring spoon is easy to read and is engraved. There is no need to worry about ink labels rubbing off and confusing you on measurements. They are attached on a ring for ease of keeping them all together and neat. When we are done using a particular spoon, we just remove the used one, and put it in the dishwasher, top rack in our small Munchkin brand baby utensil basket. These have washed up well and have not had any signs of wear or rust.

These seem well made and I like how it is simple to get an exact measurement from the smooth edges on each of the spoons. Fill up the spoon, and scrape off the heaping excess (such as when using powdered items such as baking powder, salt, etc.) with a butter knife before adding to your bowl.

I have also used these for measuring pure vanilla extract (I am so excited to have found, alcohol free pure vanilla!), but to be honest, I do not usually go with the exact amounts when it comes to vanilla extract, as I like to double or triple my vanilla in my baking! But no matter what I use these for, the measurements are precise and the spoons seem like they will last our family a long time.

I am happy that there is a Lifetime Money Back Guarantee. If you aren't completely satisfied Natizo will refund your money, no hassle, no conditions.

For more information on these measuring spoons, or to purchase on Amazon: Natizo Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons

Would you like a chance to win your own set of spoons? The company has offered one of my readers their own set. USA only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please follow me on Facebook for updates to this blog, reviews, and giveaways. Check me out on bloglovin and Twitter.

If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.

Vital Oxide Disinfectant Spray: Reviewed

We love to go yard sale-ing, Good Will Shopping, and Consignment shopping. I always like to look for fun tea and coffee mugs, vintage scarves and gently loved toys for our little ones. This past week we found a Fisher Price First Doll House at Good Will for $5.75. They retail new for around $40 and the house was in excellent condition and included a few of the furniture pieces. It it is always a fun adventure to see what you'll find, however afterwards it is a must that you not only wash your hands well, but that you also wash the products and sanitize properly before they are used. Kids toys will get hands all over them and little kids, especially babies and toddlers, will touch their mouths frequently.

The doll house was adorable, but very dirty / dusty in several areas with a slight sticky feel. I wanted to wash it right away so my 3 1/2 yr old daughter could enjoy it. I decided to wash it outside in the sunshine. After washing it all with a drop of dish soap on soaked paper towels, I sprayed everything down with Vital Oxide Disinfectant Spray. (previously removed batteries from the fireplace that makes sounds). I let it air dry in the sun for an added kick of disinfecting power. The Vital Oxide is a fantastic spray cleaner and is hospital grade, yet gentle to be used for regular home use.

Vital Oxide Disinfectant disinfects and sanitizes surfaces, killing 99.999% of bacteria and other harmful microbial organisms. It also removes odors, molds and mildew on hard surfaces, carpets and fabrics. I have not tested it on mold/mildew stains on fabric---but I will very soon as I have a beautiful cotton patchwork shower curtain that despite being washed several times has about 20 or more pin dots of dark brown mold stains that will not go away (about a year ago our bathroom had some severe leaking from the roof for a few months and the ceiling was dripping whenever it rained, and so the bathroom was constantly damp and mold was sadly a big issue.) I unfortunately cannot replace the shower curtain as it is a style no longer made and so I have lived with the dots for almost a year. Vital Oxide does not damage water safe fabrics and surfaces. If this works on the mold stains, this will be a definite fixture in the house, as mold stains are the hardest for me to remove. This is approved for sanitizing counter surfaces, with no rinse required. This is what gave me the idea to use on toys, since our toddler and baby will be touching their toys and even putting their mouths on them at times. This product is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

I have used this bottle of spray disinfectant for 3 weeks in our kitchen. We like it as it has no dyes, and no fragrances. It smells clean and does not leave any residue. We clean our dining table with this and spray the stove top. We were working with garlic a week ago and this worked well on wiping the counters down as it removes odors.

For more information about this product or to purchase: Vital Oxide: Disinfectant - Deodorizer - Cleaner

Please follow me on Facebook for updates to this blog, reviews, and giveaways. Check me out on bloglovin and Twitter.

If you found this review or any of my other reviews interesting or helpful, please rate this as "helpful" and or leave a comment. I enjoy writing reviews and hearing feedback about what I have written as I feel reviews help those interested make an informed decision before purchasing. I also feel that honest and informative reviews improve a product by providing insight to the company. I believe reviews should be honest no matter whether an item was free, at a discount, or purchased. This was sent to me as a sample, as courtesy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.

ChicStix Baby PowderFragrance Shaving Stick: Review

Do you pamper yourself regularly? What do you do to treat yourself? Do you give your toes a pretty pop of polish after buffing your rough heels, applying thick lotiony creams, and trimming unruly nails? Do you take a hot bath, or eat something decadent?

I wet shave. I use to be overwhelmed with shaving my legs as I like my full leg shaved from my ankle to my bikini line. Being a rather tall gal, it takes a long time and is often messy. I used to get all my shaving gear out, set up my work space and become frustrated with dull razors, bulky shaving cans, clogged razors and nicks. I often would be in a hurry and my shaving technique was not mastered. About 6 months ago, I began wet shaving with a vintage Gillette safety razor and have never looked back, nor do I plan to. The nice aspects of wet shaving are: a better made shaving tool, more accurate, cost effective, and spa like.

I use a Vintage 60's champagne colored Gillette Starburst Safety razor. It is quite the stunner and works so well. Safety razors are designed to be used with little to no pressure when shaving, as irritation and nicks can occur if pressure is applied. It is important to use slow short strokes when shaving and use the correct angle with shaving. I recommend using a shaving brush. I use a shaving brush when shaving as I find that my lather is fluffier, creamier, and it lifts the hairs to prepare them for cutting and a gives a smooth result. It is important soak the brush in hot water before lathering as it assists in lifting the hair for shaving. I like to turn the hot water of my sink on and let my brush sit under the water at least 30-45 seconds on hot. Warm water primes the shaving brush.

There are some key things to remember when wet shaving:

Take your time. Be Careful, use a light hand, moisturize and prime skin, use the correct pressure and angle the razor correctly. It is also important to take care of your tools, rinse your razor often. Store your tools properly, clean, and dry them in between. Buy quality products. This was one thing that helped me make the change from plastic razors to metal safety razors. I wanted something that would withstand years of cherished, gentle love and use.

As mentioned above, it is important to soften the skin and provide a surface that makes the razor glide without tugging or skipping. I have been using a natural soap puck for months now. I was recently asked to test out a shaving stick from the CHICKSTIX company. It is a 3 oz shaving bar that looks like a deodorant container. It is meant to be used while shaving and is perfect for travel. Its compact and airport friendly size make it a perfect travel soap. There is no aerosol pump to accidentally get bumped, spill out, and ruin your travel bag. There is a tightly fitting cap that snaps on when the product is in use.

Here is how the shaving stick is used:

Moisten skin with warm water. Warm water softens and lifts the hair, preparing the skin and making it easier to shave. Gently glide CHICSTIX across area to be shaved with broad, sweeping strokes. Load your razor, making sure the blade is fresh, and shave. Replace CHICSTIX cap after use.

Most shaving products are 60% or more water. CHICSTIX is a solid bar that is moistened from water the user adds.
CHICSTIX makes for a quicker process and less mess.

I first tried the product as instructed. I wet my skin, then held the stick and smoothed it across my skin. The stick left a light trail of shaving product to assist the razor across my skin and provide protection and moisture. I do realize that this product applies thin like this so you can see what hairs you are shaving. This does work well and I did not have nicks the first few passes when I did it the recommended way (low lather). This worked, however, due to my being spoiled with the luxury and pampering of the wet shaving/safety razor/shaving brush experience, I was not satisfied. I wanted creamy lather and peaks of fluffy shaving cream.

I decided to try swirling and circling the stick on my skin to create a lather.

This helped thicken the product some, but I wanted a whipped cream spa treatment. My legs wanted luxury.

I decided that only my shaving brush would do. I ran my shaving brush under the hot sink water for about 1 minute, then turned off the water, shook my brush gently 2 times and lathered in circles on the existing cream on my skin. SUCCESS! This was what my skin dreamed about! This was what it longed for. I usually use a shaving mug to whip my lather, however, I did just fine creating the lather on my skin with the CHICSTIX, some hot water, and my shaving brush. Look at those beautiful peaks! I was able to get excess off of my brush onto my hand to apply more to my skin.

I was happy with this method as it was more of what I was accustomed to. This will be a great option for me when I travel. I can take this, my safety razor, and a shaving brush and be all set. I would not need to take my shaving lather mug or my shaving puck. My puck is 8 oz in a round tin and so it is not an easy thing to travel with. For most shavers, a disposeable razor and this CHICSTIX with be the perfect pair. I love using my shaving brush as it creates a more lush experience and I used the same amount of cream I would normally with out the brush, however, it made the cream triple in coverage by lathering it. I think this method will make my stick last longer. This method may not appeal to everyone, and I realize that this product is not intended to be used this way, however, this is what works for me.

The scent I tested out was Baby Powder, which for some might remind them of their deodorant, but for me, is a light and clean scent that I like very much. Other fragrances from this company include: Pomegranate, Sweet Mango, Island Breeze, Unscented, and Lavender. These retail for about $8.99. The Sweet Mango scent sounds wonderful to me.

To connect with this company and product:

ChicStix Facebook

Beauty Care Choices / ChicStix

ChicStix Twitter

Beauty Care Choices Website

Ingredients: Water, Sodium cocoyl isethionate, Stearic acid, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Dimethicone copolyol, Sodium cocoyl glutamate, Propolyne glycol, Cetyl alcohol, Coconut acid, Glyceryl stearate, C30-40 alkyl,methicone (and) C30-45 olefin, Ppg-7 glyceryl cocoate, Evening primrose oil, Salicylic acid, Allantoin, Peg/smdi copolymer. Palmitoyl myristyl serinate, Vitamin-e linoleate, Sodium polyacrylate, Fragrance.

Here are some skin loving ingredients that are in this shaving product. (Found on their Facebok Page)

ALLANTOIN: moisturizing and softening agent. Helps skin to heal more quickly and to bind moisture more effectively. Soothing to dry skin and used for healing wounds, nicks, and skin irritations.

COCONUT ACID: anti-inflammatory property, wonderful for sensitive skin.

EVENING PRIMROSE OIL: It mainly helps in rejuvenating process of your skin and can help in producing an anti-aging affect for skin. Softens wrinkles and fine lines on your skin. Skin becomes more firm and elasticity improves with extended use. It also helps the body in producing required new skin cells. Reduces the skin blemishes, lessens skin redness, softens rough skin and helps in hydrating dry skin.

SALICYLIC ACID: Topical salicylic acid treats skin conditions by softening and smoothing dry, scaly, or thickened skin.

VITAMIN E LINOLEATE: an ester of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. Vitamin E Linoleate combines the anti-oxidant benefits of Vitamin E with the anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties of Linoleate to promote soft, supple skin.

I did not have any irritation with this stick. My skin was soft and smooth after shaving. So far this has lasted me a month with using it 2-3 times per week. I still have lots of product left! I love the packaging/ each shaving stick has a pretty and fashionable cartoon girl on it. This is a nice looking stick. It is comfortable to hold when gliding across skin.

I will save the ChicStix for travel and quick use, as it is a nice convenient item to use. I do prefer using my natural glycerin and oil based hard puck soap as it is free of chemicals. The ChicStix has some great ingredients, smells nice, and is Paraben free, however is not as completely chemical free as I would like. It still is a nice product.

Here are the ingredients in my original shaving puck:

Ingredients: Kokum Butter, Organic Mango Butter, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Avocado Oil, Organic Pumpkin Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Organic Neem Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine, Purified Water, Sodium & Potassium Hydroxide,Soy bean protein, Chaulmoogra Oil, Aloe Extract, Maca Root, Yellow Dock Root, Essential Oil

I do recommend trying out this CHICSTIX as it works well. I recommend finding a nice shaving brush, you will probably be glad you did. CHICSTIX are available on Beauty Care Choices / ChicStix and on Amazon: Chicstix Baby Powder Scent 3 Oz.

What scent sounds amazing to you? Have you tried using a shaving brush? I'd love to hear from you!

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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.