Reviews – Page 23 – Chocolate 'N Children

May 27, 2015April 9, 2016

Influenster Bella Vox Box Review

I just love my latest Influenster Bella Vox Box! So many great products!

EcoTools Complexion Collection Mattifying Finish Brush

This brush is so very soft! As in it’s so soft you almost don’t feel it. It also blends really well – which is what it’s supposed to do. It blends my finishing powder in without smearing any of my other makeup.

I love this brush! And it’s only $9 from Amazon, a great price for a terrific brush!

DOVE^® Fruit

When this product arrived it was melted, not just soft, melted. I don’t recommend shipping it to anyone any time soon since the weather is rather hot these days. I stuck it in the freezer and let it harden, then pulled out my tiny cheese chopping block and cheese knife and sliced it up. It was still very delicious! And the kids thought it was pretty awesome to slice and eat chocolate.

Rimmel London Scandaleyes Mascara created by Kate Moss

I was happy with this product. Rimmel Scandaleyes Idol Eyes Mascara by Kate Moss is also $9 on Amazon. I don’t wear mascara often because my eyes are sensitive to it for some reason. Happily, this mascara did not irritate my eyes. Horray! It does however bleed a tad more than I like so after wearing it for the evening when I get home there is some black under my eye. I don’t think it’s noticeable to anyone but me.

This mascara is easy to apply – the curved brush looks hard to use but it actually gives me a lot of flexibility so I can turn the brush which ever way I need to best apply my mascara. It also washes off pretty well – so no black eyes the next day!

This is the best mascara I’ve used in a long time and achieves 2 of my 3 mascara needs. 1. Does NOT irritate my eyes. 2. Washes off easily 3. Doesn’t bleed while wearing (it’s not too bad, but I do notice it)

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate

I love this lipstick! It’s such a great shade. Pink (Shade number 17) but still a bit muted so my lips aren’t neon! They have lots of great shades. I was sent a light pink. It adds color to my lips without being too bold.

This lipstick is also moisturizing and doesn’t dry out my lips. It stays on a long time. And it tastes ok. Seriously, there are some lipsticks I can stand because they taste terrible!

This is a great lipstick and I’ll definitely be trying out some of the other shades as well.

Not Your Mother’s Deja Vu Do Style Extender

This is my favorite product that I received in my Bella Vox Box. I have so much trouble controlling my hair! I’m always hunting for a product that gives me more control and less frizz. This product actually keeps my hair tame for days! You know, with 3 little kids I honestly don’t get to wash my hair every day.

I’m just loving this Style Extender. It does exactly what it says, it extends my hair style for an extra day or two when needed. And it makes me feel so much better about my hair, even on days when I haven’t had time to do anything with it.

It’s a bit pricey. Almost $12 on Amazon, but one bottle lasts a long time and it works so well, it’s totally worth it!

Club W

I actually don’t drink wine and they sent a coupon for buy 2 get one free so I didn’t end up trying this product. I did browse their website, look at the wines, and recipes. They have some great looking stuff on there!

If you want your own wine they also gave me a coupon code to share use coupon code REFERME on their website for your own buy two get one free wines. Most of their wines are $13 a bottle, so not terribly expensive.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

This product was not in my box, it was supposed to be in there, but got left out :(. I’m so sad. With summer just arriving here, I was so looking forward to trying this out! I received lots of other great products so I’m very happy with my box. This does look like a great product to try if you don’t quite have your tan yet but you want to wear a short skirt!

I received these products free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

May 26, 2015April 9, 2016

Trilane Retinol+Vitamin C Review and Coupon

I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

For starters, here’s what Healthy Directions say about their product. Trilane® Retinol + Vitamin C moisturizer gives you everything original Trilane® Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Squalane offers, plus age-fighting and skin-renewing antioxidants to leave your skin smoother, more even, for a more radiant, youthful glow.

– Smoothes and evens out skin texture
– Speeds turnover of skin cells
– Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
– Protects your skin from environmental damage
– Diminishes brown spots
– Minimizes and unclogs pores
– Gentle enough for everyday use

And it’s available for purchase on Amazon. If you have prime you even get free shipping!

For even more savings get 20% off your purchase with coupon code SAVERETC.

Now, for my opinion.

Aroma – My favorite thing about the Trilane® Retinol + Vitamin C moisturizer is that it has no smell. I can’t tell you how much I hate applying a facial moisturizer that smells like I’m putting perfume on my face! Trilane® Retinol + Vitamin C smells like nothing! Horray! I feel like I’m putting a moisturizer on my face and that’s it. Which is exactly what I want.

Skin Texture – My skin is pretty smooth already so I can’t really say it it improved my facial skin. My skin tone is nice and even with a healthy brightness while using Trilane® Retinol + Vitamin C moisturizer. So, I would say it works well for me.

Oily Skin – The first day I used it I wasn’t impressed, it made my skin oily. After almost a week of using it, my skin is no longer oily and it’s still well moisturized. I have somewhat oily skin so this is my first criteria for my facial moisturizer.

I usually give stuff a week though before making a decision because I have to give my skin time enough to completely adjust. After a week, my skin is looking great and it’s not oily. So if you’re not impressed the first day, give it a week and see what you think before giving up.

Makeup – My makeup wears well over it, as in it stays on well. I don’t wear foundation that often so it’s important that my facial moisturizer provide enough moisture for my makeup to stick.

Moisturizing – And last but not least, it moisturizes really well while being very gentle at the same time.

It’s gentle enough that I’m going to try it out on my middle child and see if it helps her with some dry skin on her face. I always try stuff like this first before using it on the kids and I think Trilane® Retinol + Vitamin C moisturizer will work great for her.

Shadow of the Mountain – Book Review

It’s been a really long time since I’ve read Christian fiction. Long time as in, I was about 12 the last time I read Christian Fiction. I read 2 kid’s Frank Peretti books and they scared me so much, I haven’t read Christian Fiction since then.

I’ve been wanting some new books to read and this review opportunity came up. From the description it looked like a book that I would like so I decided to give it a shot.

I’m so glad I did! I absolutely loved this book! Also, it says it’s the first in a series, so I’m looking forward to reading the others as they come out. I can’t wait to see who Cliff Graham is going to write about next.

Shadow of the Mountain is a Fictional backstory for Caleb in the Bible. Lots of excitement and adventure and a really great story about how he became who he was.

I can’t say a ton about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away. It’s easy to read, the story flows well, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don’t often stay up really late reading but I pulled a couple of late nights reading this book.

If you’re looking for something new to read, you should give this book a try! I’ll make it easy – You can go here to buy Shadow of the Mountain: Exodus on Amazon.com.

I received this item free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

May 6, 2015April 9, 2016

Kitchen Scale

I received an Etekcity® 0.1oz High Accuracy 13lb/6kg Digital Multifunction Kitchen Food Scale to try and review.

This is a pretty inexpensive kitchen scale so I wasn’t really sure what to expect quality wise, but I’m very happy with it.

It’s easy to operate and has all the different weights that I need. I like that it has partial ounces so there’s greater accuracy. The display is easy to read. At first I was concerned that it only goes up to 13 pounds, but I haven’t found anything anywhere near 13 pounds in my kitchen that I need to weigh.

The first time I used it it was on the counter and the edge was bumping up against something else on the counter behind it and my weights were all over the place. So I moved stuff away from it (just so nothing was touching it) pushed the start button so it would go to zeros and it works great. So, just make sure it’s not touching anything else when you use it because the scale seems to go all the way to the edge.

My 1st grader has started wanting to weigh everything at the grocery store, and she’s so excited to have a scale to play with. I showed her how to use it and she can operate it without assistance – it’s that easy!

Also, it’s small, which I love, because it’s easy to store. I don’t have a ton of room in my kitchen so I needed a scale that I could easily store.

All in all, a great scale for the price.

I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

April 22, 2015April 9, 2016

Comforts for Baby

Thanks to Bzzagent I got a small package of Comforts Diapers and a travel pack of Comforts baby wipes for free. Plus coupons to share with friends!

I shop at Kroger a lot (actually, I think I live there, I’m there so often!). So Comforts baby products is super easy for me to pick up. I’ve used Comforts products in the past. I used the diapers and wipes for my middle child but I was having lots of trouble with diapers rashes with my youngest so I ended up using pampers diapers for him. With this campaign and him being 1 1/2 I figured it was a good time to give the Comforts Diapers another try. They worked out great. They’re actually leaking less (really not at all) than the Pampers were. He’s a heavy wetter at night so that and how his skin reacted were my two big concerns. No leaking at night, and his skin handled the Comforts diapers just fine.

Comforts are about 2/3 the price of the Pampers so I’m saving money with the store brand. Horray!

I was already using Comforts wipes because they’re cheaper than the name brands and higher quality than the Wal-mart or Sams brand. At least I think they are. They’re thicker and just work out better for me.

This was a great product test for me and helps me save even more money in the long run!

April 15, 2015April 9, 2016

Randoms Review

Not Random Review, but Randoms Review. I know, it’s confusing.

Thanks to Smiley 360 I got to try two bags of new Randoms candy for free.
These taste just like regular gummy candy – which is delicious! – and they have so many fun shapes! I took a few pictures of some of my shapes with their corresponding real life items.

Here my gummy fish is trying to join his friends in the fish tank. (these fish did not want to be photographed, my camera just didn’t want to focus)!

And I know Christmas is long past, but I pulled out these two together and couldn’t resist a pic. It’s never to early to celebrate a little!

You can get a 10oz bag of Wonka Randoms for around $3 on Amazon. A pretty good deal! And the kids will love eating and playing with their snack!

April 8, 2015April 9, 2016

EAS Sports Nutrition

Thanks to Bzz Agent I got to try some free products from EAS Sports Nutrition. I received a shaker bottle, some powder samples, a couple of bars, and a 4 pack of the drinks.

For sports nutrition products they all taste pretty good. The bars are pretty tasty but after a workout something liquid is nice. The drinks are the easiest for me to take along but they’re also the most expensive so I’ve defaulted to the powder. It’s a bit gritty but still tastes pretty good and with the shaker bottle they sent me with my bzzkit it mixes up pretty well.

My husband also gave this a try and he pretty much stole my shaker bottle. He loves it and the powder. The protein keeps him from being hungry all day at work as long as he drinks his shake within 30 minutes of his workout. He’s been taking the shaker bottle with the powder already measured and just adding water to it from the fountain at the gym.

Super easy! One container of powder lasts us about a month so it’s really not expensive to get some added nutrition to enhance my workout!

Also, as an added bonus, they have an online rewards site! (yes, I get 100 points if you sign up through my link). You can enter up to two product UPCs a month. I entered 2 for this month and had more than enough points to redeem for a new water bottle. I’m planning to get the shaker bottle next month. They also have some bigger prizes like headphones and such so there’s something fun for everyone!

April 1, 2015April 9, 2016

Crest Pro Health HD

Thanks to Bzz Agent I got to try Crest Pro Health HD for free!

This product is honestly somewhat of a hassle to use because you basically brush your teeth twice.

However, my teeth have never felt so clean after brushing! There’s not a strong mint flavor, which is nice. I’m not really fond of the taste of stage two either, it’s just kinda clean tasting.

You brush for one minute with stage one, add stage 2 and brush for one minute more than rinse. It’s actually pretty simple. And my teeth are so shiny and clean after brushing. After using this product for several weeks my teeth are a tad whiter than they were before – but they were pretty white to begin with. The biggest change for me is how clean my mouth feels!

I used my previous toothpaste for one day just to compare and I couldn’t believe how much dirtier my teeth felt all day! I’ll definitely be purchasing more of this product when my free product runs out!

March 25, 2015April 9, 2016

Artisana Organics Review

A big thanks to Artisana Organics for the free products to try and review! All opinions are my own.

They sent me Coconut Oil, Coconut Cacao Bliss Spread, and a variety of Squeeze Packs.

I was a bit skeptical about the squeeze packs actually tasting good. They’re made out of just the nuts without anything added. I was pleasantly surprised. They taste great. The Pecan Butter and the Coconut Butter were my favorites. Cashew and Walnut weren’t bad, but they’re not my favorite nuts so I didn’t enjoy them quite as much as the others.

These are made from organic nuts and there’s no added sugars, so you can feel good about your tasty snack! These are the perfect size for an afternoon pick-me up or on the go.

The Coconut Cacao Bliss Spread was my favorite item! This stuff is awesome!

The ingredient list is so simple! “Organic Raw Coconut Butter, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Cacao, Organic Cacao Butter”. Also it’s certified organic, vegan, and raw. I’m all about knowing what I’m eating, so I feel good about eating this.

I tried it a few different ways. On crackers, on bread, warmed with strawberries and just eating it with a spoon(my favorite). This would also be an awesome addition to a smoothie or milkshake.

I had it sitting out on my counter and kept just grabbing a spoon and eating a bite, it’s so delicious!

It’s a bit thicker than peanut butter. I tried it on bread but it’s too thick to spread. So, no chocolate sandwiches for me :(. It works pretty well on toast though, because the heat softens it and it spreads pretty well this way.

If you don’t like coconut, they have 4 different kids of chocolate spreads. You’re sure to find one you love!

And then the Coconut Oil. I haven’t used a coconut oil in a while so I’d forgotten how much I like it. All it has is coconut oil. Nothing else.

You can use it as a lotion or a hair treatment, but I prefer to cook with it. I love the flavor it gives to popcorn! I just do mine on the stove, put some coconut oil in a pan, heat, add popcorn kernels, put the lid on the pan, and wait for the popping to stop. I added some salt after I finished popping and it was delicious!

I also used it as a replacement for oil in other recipes. It’s delicious in brownies (the extra coconut flavor with the chocolate is awesome!). And then I used it to sauté some carrots. I was surprised by the results. Coconut oil fries up differently so I ended up with carrot fries. Which were so tasty! I’m definitely making these again!

Carrot Fries:

1 Tsp Artisana Organics Raw Coconut Oil

5 carrots peeled, cut in half, and sliced in 4ths (to make the fry shape)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a skillet over medium heat. Fry until carrots are soft and golden brown on the outside. Stir often. Add another tsp of coconut oil if needed to keep fries from sticking.

They don’t sell the products on their site, but you can purchase them from several online retailers, including Amazon.

March 18, 2015April 9, 2016

The 5 Love Languages of Children

I just finished ready “The 5 Love Languages of Children” by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell.

I’m already familiar with the 5 Love Languages for adults so I was excited to get to review this book. As a mother with 3 children I’ve already noticed a difference in how each of them relate to me and others around them.

First of all, I was a little disappointed to realize that children need to be 6 or so before you can figure out what their love language is, though, this does make sense, because really you don’t start seeing much independence until kids are about 6. My oldest is 6 so for her, I can figure out what her love language is.

For little kids it can be as simple as role playing, as in “how would Suzie’s mom show her that she loves her in this situation?” Or “what’s something I did today that showed you that I love you?”.

For the younger kids (and my 6yr old), I’ll do what the book encouraged me to do, just show love in all 5 languages because it’s so important for kids to know they’re loved! Also, this will be a great book to read again in a couple of years just to see where we’re at then and remind me of ways to show love to my children.

Even if you’re kids aren’t old enough, this book has great suggestions for showing love to your children in all 5 love languages in all the different stages of their life. In fact, the authors often break suggestions down into age groups – which I found extremely helpful! Because how you show love to a 6yr old is often different than how you can show the same kind of love to your teenager.

For example, we were watching a movie the other night that scared my 6yr old. She spent the entire movie snuggled on the couch with me. This is unlikely to be a teenagers response or need when watching a scary movie.

I would recommend this book to parents of kids of all ages. It’s an easy book to read and it contains a lot of practical and helpful advice.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of my review.