CleanWell Individual Hand Sanitzer Wipes

I got a this sample of CleanWell Individual Hand Sanitzer Wipes from Influenster for product testing and review.

Facts:  You get 50 pouches of these wipes for $29.99, I only got one so here's hoping that is enough to clean/sanitze what I need to. Since they are small they are good to just throw in your purse, diaper bag, car or even your pocket for whatever emergency awaits.

What they say:
We believe in eliminating germs safely. That's why we developed CleanWell, a patented formulation of natural thyme oil that kills germs yet contains no harsh chemicals. CleanWell truly is a better way to clean.

The Anitbacterial wipes kill over 99.99% of household germs, specifically Influenza A, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli on hard, nonporous surfaces. Our convenient 1oz To-Go Spray and 10 count resealable wipes are suitable for use on all hard, non porous surfaces where bacteria or unpleasant odors are a concern.

What I say: Its Fall and germs are around the corner its time to arm ourselves. Since I am not a scientist and don't have a lab at my house (that I am willing to admit anyways...JK) I can't validate if this actually kills 99.99% of germs that it claims to. But it cleaned up the mess and I think that I would use  these everyday.

The Original Dish Drying Mat

I received a complimentary sample of the Original Dish Drying Mat from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes.

Facts: You can get one of these for $4.99

What They Say:

The Original Dish Drying Mat is the new solution to the age old tradition of placing dish towels on the counter when hand washing pots, pans, dishes, and glassware. The unique, laminated design combines a thin layer of foam between two layers of high quality, super absorbent microfiber. Superior absorbency; holds 4 times its weight in water Cushions delicate dishes and stemware Machine washable and highly durable Folds and stores easily Has multiple uses; try it underneath your dish drying rack in place of the plastic drain board. Place it underneath your appliances (mixer, blender, ect.) to protect your counter top from scratches and scuffs. Available in two different sizes and four colors.

What I Say:

I wash the majority of my dishes in the dishwasher, but there are always cake pans and such that I have to hand wash. I admit that once they are washed they can sit in the second part of the sink or on the countertop for days after they are washed because I am busy living life and sometimes I'm just lazy. I was sure when I got this that it is a wonderful product but based on what I know about myself I doubted it would be very useful to me. Once again my biased opinion before I even gave it a chance.

Eboost

I received one packet of Orange Eboost as a complimentary sample from Influenster.

Eboost is a powder that you mix in with water to make an effervescent, energy boosting, dietary supplement.

I got this sample (mine was Orange flavored) and used it almost immediately, as I had not had time to eat lunch while on break and had three hours of work before the end of the day. I used the cup I kept at my desk, poured the contents of the packet in and filled with water. After a quick stir I was ready to taste it.

Much to my surprise it wasn't completely horrid (as I was expecting based on the ingredient list). It kinda tasted like Tang.

One of my male coworkers tasted it at my urging and thought it "sweet" even though there are 0 grams of sugar.

I don't think that I was any more energized afterwards and I ate an entire footling from Subway once I got off work, so I guess the dietary suppressant didn't work for me either.

In my opinion this product is alright and maybe if I tried more than once I could more easily see the effects that they advertise. I think I will stick to drinking water or perhaps Tang if I want the orange taste.

Other flavors include: Pink Lemonade, Acai Pomegranate, and Super Berry.

The cost is $28 for 20 packets, $39 for 30 packets, and $39 for a box of 12 shots.

http://www.eboost.com/

SheaMoisture Baby Bar Soap

I received this SheaMoisture Raw Shea, Chamomile & Argan Baby Bar Soap as a complimentary sample from Influenster for testing and reviewing purposes.

Facts:

A 5 OZ bar (which is huge) is $4.99

Ingredients: african shea butter, coconut oil, palm oil, water, vegetable glycerin, palmitic acid, vanilla extract, sodium chloride, argan oil, chamomile, mineral and vegetable pigment

Here is what they say about it:

Enriched with unrefined, “raw” sahe butter, argan oil, chamomile extract, frankincense and myrrh, this creamy, sulfate free bar soap for babies and children gently cleanses while naturally soothing inflammation, irritation and itching associated with eczema.

Here is what I say about it:

I don't have eczema so I will start out by saying that I am not reviewing this soap's ability to sooth the problems associated with the condition. But I would love to hear a review from any of you who have used it for that purpose.

My mouth is not large enough to fit this large bar of soap in to or to say its full name without having to take a break, but as a soap its very effective. It has a nice scent but unlike many soaps on the market it reminded me of nature as it really is, not the way it is seen in swanky magazines. This is probably from the Frankincense and Myrrh and hey if they were good enough to be gifts for Jesus then I suppose they should be good enough for my soap right? 

I left the shower feeling clean after using this and had no problems letting my daughter use this soap to wash herself (no problems except a run away bar of soap from repeatedly being dropped by my kid). Because it is so large I know that we will be able to use this soap for a long time so it is worth the cost.  

About the Company:

Naked Bar Before the first use

SheaMoisture strives to make a positive impact beyond our skin. The company purchases ingredients directly from women cooperatives and indigenous farmers in Africa, paying above market prices to help improve the standard of living for those suppliers. They are working closely with local and international organizations, including ECOSERVE and AFRICARE, to protect the integrity of ingredients and improve production processes to ensure sustainable harvests. Partnering with organizations such as The Liberian Education Fund and Todee Mission, the company is working to build schools and provide access to education for impoverished girls in Africa, many of who are suppliers of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and other natural ingredients.

All-natural, face, hair, bath, body, shave, waxing and baby care remedies, from age-old family recipes carried down through the generations.

SheaMoisture products don't contain Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, DEA, PABA, Synthetic Fragrance or Artificial Color. Our company does not participate in animal testing. All products are tested by family members and friends.

LypSyl Intense Protection LypMoisturizer

I received a complimentary tube of LypSyl Lip Balm from Influnster for testing and reviewing purposes.

According to their website:

"The secret behind the LypSyl is pure Swedish beeswax, ultra light to spread evenly and penetrate deeply, for unsurpassed moisturizing and protection. The innovative packaging is uniquely designed for quick and easy application — at home, on the go, anywhere! Our brand originated in Sweden over 100 years ago. Today's LypSyl has been reformulated with pure Swedish beeswax and an advanced blend of natural botanicals, ultra-rich moisturizers, and therapeutic ingredients."

According to me:

I love chapstick and gloss, in fact if you look in my purse you will probably find ~10 different tubes of the stuff, so I was super excited to try this lip balm.



Back of Packaging for Ingredient List

I opened this product right away and before even reading the information on it prepared to apply it. As I got the stick close to my lips, I smelled the alluring scent of peppermint. I stopped immediately, as I have used peppermint chapstick before and had issues. I scanned the ingredient list and did not see peppermint though the packaging claims a mint flavor.

Even though my lips have previously broken out in hives from peppermint chapsticks and have left my lips more plump (and itchy) than Angelina Jolie’s, I knew I would have to try this to determine it this product would do the same.

I opened the tube again and applied the balm to half of my lips (I don’t know why I thought this would be a better solution to having my whole mouth plump but I did.) The balm left my lips feeling silky and smooth, the peppermint made them feel fresh and tingle (in a good way).  After an acceptable amount of time without a single hive or itch I relented and applied the balm fully. (After testing for several days still no problems!)

I love this product! My lips feel great when I use it, the packaging is cute (look at the bee on the side of the tube), its natural and the price is great. If you go to their website there is a list of places that they sell this. The average price is usually less than $3.

Wonder if my hubby noticed the change in my lips?

http://www.lypsylhome.com/

Influenster

If you have been reading my blog then you may have noticed that I refer to Influenster a lot. If you haven't checked it out or tried it yet then I strongly urge you to do so.   They have just updated their site and have come up with a lot of new things. I am still exploring but here is the gist of it.

After registering for the site, which is free you are ready to get started.
You pick a badge that has to do with your life, IE: Mom Badge
In this Badge you will find different things you can do to earn the badge and points. The more points you have the better chance to get free stuff.

Such things include :

• Filling out a survey 
• Blogging
• Writing a product review
• Asking and answering questions
• Uploading a picture
• Tweeting or facebooking something

All in all it only takes a few minutes to do most of these and the products that they send you to test is worth it. I love hearing that I will be receiving a Voxbox. The anticipation of what all might be included reminds me of a kid waiting to see what Santa is bringing. 

I recently received the 2012 Naturals VoxBox full of all kinds of goodies (all of which are reviewed or being reviews for this blog). This included: Eboost, Lypsyl, CleanWell and several other things.

If you have any questions or would like to request an invite to join Influenster yourself let me know.

Free Samples and Coupons from...

If you are like me you like it when you can get a deal, and whats a better deal than getting something for nothing?  Here are a few places online that you can go to to get free stuff. From Samples, to Coupons to Party Kits, each site has their own appeal.

Proctor and Gamble - Just go the their website and create an account. You can get a few free samples for every season and there is no catch. They also offer a lot of coupons that they will mail to you, everything from dog food to beauty supplies.
http://www.pgeveryday.com/

Walmart- This one is hard to believe but its true. They sometimes offer samples and coupons that they will mail to you. No account is needed. You can type Samples or Coupons in the search engine on their website and it will bring up the pages with the relevant information.
Coupons - http://coupons.walmart.com/
Samples - http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Stores-Now-Free-Samples.aspx?&_prevTerm=samples&redirect_query=samples&search_redirect=true

Influenster - Create a free account and answer questions to earn badges. Each badge you earn gives you a higher chance of getting free stuff. ~Once a month they choose a badge, if you have the badge they will send you a questionnaire. If after fillling out the questionnaire you fit the demographic they are looking for they will send you a VoxBox full of ~8 items to test out. After a few weeks they ask that you review the products on their website. By doing so you can earn more free products. If you don't fill out the reviews they won't send you any more boxes so be sure to watch your email and the website.
www.influenster.com

House Party - Create a free account. Once you log on you will see the different parties that you can apply to host. After filling out the application you wait until they send you an email, which will say if you have been chosen. If you are chosen they give you all the tools you’ll need. All you do is invite your friends and have them come to your party where you try out the different items that you were sent. After the party you have to review the products that they sent you and hopefully upload some awesome pictures.
www.houseparty.com

If you like this let me know and I will make sure I make this a regular blog entry.

DrugStore.com

Ok so I don't usually review websites instead I review the products that they sell, however I was so impressed with DrugStore.com that I am going to make an exception today.

I had a promo code for a free chapstick if I bought a stick of deodorant off of this website. I figured hey why not get those items and see if there is anything else that I want.  I very quickly and easily set up a user account on the site and got to shopping. Once I was ready I placed my order with free shipping (this was Tuesday Sept 18th ~10am EST). By 8pm that evening I already had received my Shipping Confirmation email with tracking information. Since most of the time I get these and its still a week until I get my order I don't bother to check the tracking until after a few days, just to make sure that my package didn't end up somewhere in Switzerland or something. However, I didn't even get a few days in this case though because my order was dropped off at my house on Thursday Sept 20th before I got home for lunch at 1pm! That's only a little more that 48 hours (and for all I know they could have delivered it right after I left the house that morning at 8am).

Due to the quickness of their company and the delivery company I was sure that my order must be incorrect or missing some items. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and everything I ordered was accounted for.

I can't wait to try everything and I will be sure to order from DrugStore.com again.

MoistStic Natural Lip Protection

I got MoistStic for free when I made another purchase using a promo code I received from Influenster on the DrugStore.com website. As I got the stick close to my lips, I smelled the alluring scent of peppermint. I stopped immediately, as I have used some peppermint chapsticks before and had issues (but not all) . I scanned the ingredient list and  there it was Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil.

Even though my lips have previously broken out in hives from some peppermint chapsticks and have left my lips more plump (and itchy) than Angelina Jolie’s, I knew I would have to try this to determine it this product would do the same.

My tube of MoistStic

I opened the tube again and applied the balm to half of my lips (I don’t know why I thought this would be a better solution to having my whole mouth plump but I did.) The balm left my lips feeling silky and smooth, the peppermint made them feel fresh and tingle (in a good way).  After an acceptable amount of time without a single hive or itch I relented and applied the balm fully. (After testing for two days the hives came.)

When I tried this lip balm it stayed on my lips for 4 hours and  left my lips feeling soft and moist. After a few hours the lip balm dried but not entirely, leaving my lips soft and I didn’t feel the need to reapply it. I am a fan and even if I got it for the low price of $2.59 instead of for free I would be happy with this product provided that the hives from the peppermint hadn't occurred. I guess I will see if my sister wants a tube that has only been used a few times.

The MoistStic lip balm contains only natural ingredients which are coconut oil, beeswax, lanolin, peppermint oil, vitamin E and tea tree oil.

Kiss Nail Dress

Nail Dress on Left
Impress on Right

Kiss Nail Dress are similar to the Sally Hansen product that I have previously reviewed (here).  I recieved the product I tested from Kiss, along with some Impress Nails (previous review here) for free for being a member of Influenster and fitting all the criteria in a VoxBox challenge.

I opened the small package and made sure that I read everything before I started. After filing my nails and using nail polish remover to make sure they were clean of any oils and such I was ready to begin.

 

Bustier is the name of the color/patter that I got. While its not something that I would have picked because its flashy, my 2 1/2 year old loved the final result. In each box is one sealed package that contains 28 stickers. I opened the package and went to work attempting to figure out which strips would fit which nails. The package contained 4 sheets of 7 stickers each. Since they were not individually sealed it was somewhat difficult to figure out which sticker would fit the best.


 Having placed similar nail polish "stickers" before it didn't take very long for me to apply these bad boys. Since they were textured however, it did take a bit longer to file the edges. These "stickers" were also a bit shorter than their competitor's and thus I could not use one sticker for two nails, and thus "wasted" the bits that hung over the edge of the nail and had to be cut off.

When I finished both hands I still had 14 unused “stickers.” Since they were unsealed and would dry out if not used,  I decided I would use them. I used some on the Impress nails that I had also recieved. Even though I would not use all of the fake nails due to sizing issues I used the "stickers" on all of them so as not to be wasteful. (at least when I go to put on the fake nails they will be all decorated now). However, I still had 5 or 6 large pieces left since I didn't fully cover the fake nails.  I put them in a sealed sandwich bag and hope that they might still be useful in the future. If not, well at least they were free.



Bustier



I somewhat recommend this product. Like its competitor its quick and easy.

Pros: They have larger sizes included that can be used for your toes. One pack will easily do both your fingers and your toes. Since you don't have to use fingernail polish remover to remove these you can take them off without any hassle or much time. They just peel right off. (if your nails are a bit damaged like mine they can take a bit of the nail surface with them when you peel them off though)

Cons: If you aren't doing both your fingers and toes then you will probably be wasting a lot since it's all in one sealed package and not seperate. Also since the stickers are on large sheets instead of individually wrapped its more difficult to determine which size might work the best for each nail.

Sorry that pictures are kinda small.

Downy Unstopables

So I had a coupon for Downy last week and the store just happen to have the Unstopables on sale, so I decided to get 2 bottles and give it a try.

I bought the Lush (purple container) and the Fresh (blue/green container).

Both have an appealing scent which hits you the second you open the container. Lush smells floral so I don't know that my husband will appreciate having his cloths done with this one, but the Fresh smells like just washed laundry. (perhaps that's ironic?).

In any case I filled a small cap of the little beads and tossed them in the wash with the dirty laundry (this included the sheets from the guest bedroom that the dogs had claimed as their own. Yuck!)

I could smell the freshness while moving the items to the dryer and later when I unloaded them. I put the laundry away. It's been over a week and the items washed with the Unstopables still smell as fresh as when I first did the laundry.

Verdict: this is a great purchase for those people who have odor-some pets, teenagers or who just love to have that fresh smell linger. It's a good price and just a small bit in each load the bottle will go far.

Other uses: I am sure that these little beads would be efficient as a potpourri substitute, for keeping the whole house smelling nice. Perhaps even a small cache for in the dresser. (I should probably check to make sure they won't melt or leave spots on cloths first).

Downy Website