Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine

So, I was recently offered the chance to try and review Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner.  Everyone who knows me (and my hair) is not surprised by how quickly I jumped at the chance.  My hair is unmanageable to the extreme.  First, I have hair that is really long (I love long hair).  By long I mean I shut it in the car door when I'm not paying attention, look up while sitting and accidentally sit on it, and regularly have strangers walk up behind me touch to make sure it's real long (okay, the last one's a bit creepy).  Aside from being so long it has a ton of curl.  Now the curl is a great thing and a horrible thing.  If I am willing to spend tons of time I can have a single night of beautiful curls.  Now this takes a myriad of hair products and will only last about 6-8 hours before the weight of my long thick hair pulls out the curl.  For special occasions I love the option of a head full of curls.  For daily use this isn't feasible though.  I have to go to school, make breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, go to sports practices, drive the car pool, take care of the garden, help with homework, clean the house, the list is endless and I don't have enough time to concentrate on my hair.  So, for daily use I brush the curl out of my hair while it's still wet.  The side effect of this is that my hair frizzes and (perhaps most importantly) creates a build-up of static electricity.  Dealing with these issues is something that causes me much grief.

As a result of these issues, I am willing to try anything that offers a glimmer of hope.  With a name like Sleek & Shine, I figured I didn't have anything to lose.  In the interest of full disclosure, I am somewhat familiar with the line of products.  I have a bottle of the Sleek & Shine hair serum that I use on particularly frizz-laden days.  However, I have never tried the matching shampoo and conditioner.

In typical me fashion, when trying something new I start with the outside and work my way in.  So, I get my bottles in the mail and look at the packaging.  The bottles are nice.  They're not made of that almost waxy plastic that some other companies use.  Reading the label I discover that they are made using recycled material (30%) and are made to be a fair amount lighter than the old bottles were.  Of course, the hippy in me jumps for joy realizing that this small step is a great one for the environment and over time can make a huge difference.  Aside from that, as a Mountain Dew addict it's nice to look at my shampoo and think that the bottle may contain part of my soda bottle recycled last year.

There is a funny little button on the front of the bottles which help to open them.  When checking this out not in the shower this little step makes no sense.  However, when you're in the shower this button makes perfect sense.  I hate when I go to open a bottle of shampoo and my nail bends because it is wet and the bottle is so darned difficult to open.  The little green button makes it so your nails don't have to go anywhere near the opening while they are at the weakest by being submerged in a hot shower.

The shampoo smells heavenly.  I almost can't describe how heavenly it is.  It's fruity but not in a manufactured way (if that makes sense).  It's very natural smelling, which is something I really dig.

It is important to note that, at least for someone like me, there will never be super-model shine in my hair.  I accepted this long ago and encourage anyone with curly-wavy hair to simply accept it as well.  It doesn't matter what products I use, my hair is never going to be the straight and silky hair that I wanted it to be as a youth (of course people with that silky-straight hair can't get their hair to hold a curl for even a short while, so I guess we all want to look on the other side of the drive).  I don't go into a new product expecting results that aren't feasible for my hair type.  Instead, what I want is some shine and for something to limit the amount of frizz I am dealing with.  Of course, I have to be more careful what I am using in the winter or in a particularly dry summer (like this one is turning out to be).

So, what I discovered with Sleek & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner is that my hair loves it.  Yes, there is still some frizz but it is more easily controlled than it is using most other shampoos.  Of course, I can control minor and even moderate frizz with products used after crawling out of the shower, but the less frizz the less often I have to apply said products.  Of course, the less I have to apply other products the less frequently I need to wash my hair (which I won't wash more than three times a week due to the length, although my ideal is twice a week so that some of the good natural oils can reach the tips of my hair before I strip them out again).  This combination of shampoo and conditioner doesn't require that I use three other steps after washing to be able run out the door to watch a softball game.  Even more important to me than the time I save by not having to mess with my hair too much to tame it is the fact that not a single time since I began using Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Shampoo and Conditioner have I watched little lightening bolts fly from my fingertips to another object.  Even when I don't add anything to tame the frizz it isn't so bad that I have to worry about shocking myself due to my hair.  The idea of not having to worry about it is, pardon my pun, shocking.

As always, thanks to BzzAgent and Garnier Fructis for the opportunity to try and review this product.

Hills Science Diet

Ideal Balance Cat Food

So, this is The Mix-matched Angel (aka Fluffy, Fluffer-Doodle, The Princess, Move Cat!, and Awwww).  Pretty little Angora mix who was rescued from a busy parking lot (okay, I had no intention of taking it home with me, I was going to simply pick her up and move her to the cemetery so she didn't get run over, but she melted my heart and found a home).  I have two other fur-babies as well, Crash (aka Stupid, Stupid-Head, and The Evil One) is a Siamese shelter-kitty who is almost 13 years old that I love dearly (even though everyone else thinks she's the most evil thing on the planet).  And we have Burn (aka, Sissy, Bug, and Bug-A-Boo) who is a standard black domestic short haired cat that was rescued from a horrible home life where she was being left outside 24 hours a day and denied basic vet care.

We all want what's best for our fur-babies.  From the best vet care to the best food and treats.  I, as the proud mom of three fur-babies in different stages of their lives am no different.  When looking for a cat food, I have to find one that meets the needs of each of the kitties.  From something that is gentle on the stomach for the Siamese to something that comes in really small bites for the Angora (she's so tiny that she has trouble eating some cat foods).  Of course we want shiny, healthy coats on all involved and nutrition that will make them live as long as possible.

Enter onto the scene Hills Science Diet Ideal Balance cat food.

We opened the bag and mixed it with their current kitty food since we don't want to shock their systems by completely changing their food in one step (see, they really are spoiled).  They go running ("Hey, mom's feeding us from a new bag, I get to be the first to taste it!").  And they start to eat.  Of course the pretty princess Angel was the first to take a bite.  And another, and another.  I look a few minutes later and she had picked out all of the Ideal Balance and left all of the other food (rotten cat).  So, I know we have a winner here.  I mix more in and two of the three have picked out just the Science Diet food and left the other.  The third cat (Burn) just demolished food not paying any attention to what foods are in the bowl (nothing new, she's a bit of a piggy).  So, I must say that we have a winner as far as my babies are concerned.

So, we do away with the old food and go buy another bag of the Ideal Balance.  We all know that kitties have no say in what their food is (although what they prefer does play a role in mom's decision making process).  By the end of the second bag (which took a while) I saw a difference in my babies.  My Siamese has not reverted back to her stomach issues (which I won't get into, but let's simply say that litter boxes are no fun if her food doesn't agree with her).  Burn doesn't eat too much of the Science Diet (Did I say she's a piggy?).  My little Mix-Matched Angel is where I see a huge change.  Her coat is so much more glossy (which is good, more gloss equals less matting, equals less time being tortured by a matting comb, equals less scratches on me).  The one thing that I was most hesitant about was the cost, but I found that the cost isn't much of an issue.  Since they're getting better nutrition they are eating a whole lot less and the food actually ends up costing me about the same as their old food.  Perhaps more importantly, I don't have to go twice a week to the store just for kitty food.  It's available at all the pet places and most vet offices (go for the pet places, it's too darned expensive to buy it from the vet).

Now, I have three suggestions for all who are going to rush out and try the Ideal Balance line (they make dog food in this line as well).  First, decide if your cat would do better with regular or grain-free (remember, cats aren't actually supposed to have much if any grain and some are more sensitive to it than others).  Second, make sure to put the cat food away from the doggies (I had to move theirs out of reach of the dog because he just won't, or can't, leave it alone).  Third, and by far most importantly, go here to print a rebate form so that you can try a bag (up to a 12.99 value) for free.  Hey, why spend money to take my word for how great the food is when you can try it for free and decide for yourself?

As always, thanks to BzzAgent and Hills Science Diet for the chance to let my furbabies try something new. I received a complementary bag of food in exchange for my reviews.

Ever heard of Smarterer?  Neither had I before a few months ago.  Smarterer is a fun little program that lets you earn badges for basic (and sometimes not so basic) knowledge about those things you do every day. Subjects range from social networks to television.  From anatomy to volleyball.  It's a fun little time-killer that allows you to share the badges you earn and one-up your friends.

This is not a site that most people will enjoy without interaction with friends, although with friends it can be loads of fun.  The biggest downside to the questions is that they sometimes move a bit too fast (even for a fast reader like myself).  However, that tends to equal out with shorter questions.  So go ahead and give Smarterer a try.

As always, thanks to BzzAgent and Smarterer for turning me onto this site.  It's been fun.

Kroger's The Truly Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

How does one judge a cookie?  Every person has a cookie that just does it for them and there is no other cookie that compares.  So, trying a different brand, style, or recipe is something that many people never do.  Fortunately, I am not one of those people unwilling to take the plunge and try something different.

This nondescript box is something that thousands of people will most likely walk past on a daily basis.  It's not super-colorful, it's not got cartoon characters, it doesn't even have a bunch of different font types.  I, however am willing to take a plain box off the shelf and give it a shot.

Let's talk about the ideal cookie.  Lots of chocolate is a must (if we're talking chocolate chip, which we are).  It must not be too brown-sugary nor should it taste like flour.  It must be the right size, shape, and texture.

So, when I opened up these cookies, those are the things I made sure to pay attention to.  First, the level of chocolate was really good, far better than I was expecting.  The dough used is pretty good.  I don't feel like I need to rinse any extra brown sugar or flour out of my mouth after I finished eating them.  The size is good, they're small enough to dip but big enough that non-dippers can still feel like the cookie is right for them.  The shape is good, nice and round without looking like they came off of a long tube.  The texture is a bit crunchy HOWEVER, we are a family that loves softer cookies, and the crunch was perfectly avoidable for us.  First, we had the option of the old-fashioned milk dip method.  The cookies are also made to soften up in the microwave, so we tossed them in for about 20 seconds (we have a really low-wattage microwave) and they were nice and chewy (and warm and yummy).  So, the crunch is perfect for those who like them, but for those of us that don't there is a fail-safe built in.

All things considered, these cookies are a good buy.  It is definitely worth looking into the nondescript blue box the next time you are cruising the isles looking for something to satisfy your sweet-tooth.

A Special thanks to Kroger and BzzAgent for giving our family the opportunity to try these cookies.

Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters--Child's View

So, I promised to let the little guy have a go with these little toys to see what he thought of them.  Now, we ran into one big problem; the big guy.  The big guy didn't want to give it up for the little one.  So, we hoarded it for ourselves for a week or better, then one rainy day when the little one couldn't play outside I broke it out for some indoor fun.

The little guy was in heaven.  Apparently this is all it takes to combat the rainy-day blues.  My little guy broke into a grin, gave me a huge hug, and tore off with the big guy to the basement for a little fun (consequently leaving me to start supper in peace).

Now, there were some definite things that I learned from his first day with these.  First, they really are "Tonka Tough".  It took all of 10 minutes for my guys to decide to run it full tilt down a flight of stairs.  Not only did it live, it had no ill effects from the trip that has maimed countless other toys.

My second note was that this car, fully charged, does not quite meet the attention span of my little guy.  Of course, he does have an abnormally large attention span so many toys don't.  At a full charge you can expect just under a half-hour of play time.  That is plenty for most kids, but you add my little one with the giant one and their imagination and it could stand a bit of a boost.  However, a charge is completed fairly quickly, so it was nothing to worry about.

Another important thing that I noticed was that this toy had to have some mom input somewhere along the way.  After hours of play in my living room (where it's not supposed to be of course) my walls are still white along the tire line.  I know for a fact that this car has been driven along the walls more times than they will admit to, and the lack of paint scrapes tells me there was a mom somewhere.

All things considered the little guy loves it as much as the big one does (perhaps even a smidgen more).  The only advice I can give to the moms out there thinking of purchasing this for the little ones is to keep plenty of batteries on hand, make sure that the boys have an area free of breakables to play with it in (no, I haven't learned this this hard way, but I can only imagine a ramp pointing at the china cabinet), and to keep something on hand to dig it out from under furniture (we just grab the nearest hockey stick, but I'm sure a broom handle would work just as well).

As always, thanks to BzzAgents and Tonka for the opportunity to let my little guy (and big one) have some fun with this car, words can't describe how much the two of them enjoy it.

Burt's Bees Sensitive Skincare Line

So like many other's I have skin issues.  I suppose that mine are a bit more extreme than the norm.  I have horrible allergies (this is a bit of an understatement).  I have to be very cautious what I use on my skin.  The wrong product can lead to a myriad of problems; I will break out in hives, I will get one heck of a rash, parts of my face will go numb leaving me running for an Epi-Pen.

This is all made worse by the fact that I have combination skin that needs to have something used on it.  I get massive breakouts on my chin and nose and dry out horribly on the sides of my face and my forehead.  My skin requires something to be used to keep all this at bay.

So I jumped at the chance to try Burt's Bees sensitive skin care line.  I have a good track record with their products.  Their lip balm is awesome and doesn't cause my lips to go numb, their lotion smells so good and doesn't cause hives.  I could only imagine how much I would love their sensitive skincare line.

This line has some positive and some negative things about it.  Let's start with the negative.  The smell of the line isn't great.  I'm not saying it's bad, instead I'm saying that it's not what I was expecting.  I have never used a product from Burt's Bees that doesn't have at least an undertone of beeswax scent.  This one does not.  It really does smell like cottonseed with a touch of a clay undertone.  It's not a bad smell, it's just not super-yummy.  The other downside (at least for me) is the lack of sun protection.  Okay, I know that adding SPF to it would make it less natural, but while I love makeup I don't wear it every day so some protection in my lotion has become a bit of a standard for me.

Now, the good points of this line.  It's mostly natural (99%) and we love natural products.  The cleanser is great.  It's gentle yet works (no pimples have managed to work their way in since I started using it).  The lotion does not clog my pores (it's specifically designed not to) which helps with the breakout problems as well.  The products contain lots good stuff that is intended to calm the skin and achieves its goal.

If you look at this skincare line from the attitude of someone who deals with natural medicine the line makes perfect sense.  It contains eyebright (which I was completely excited to see).  I have used an eyebright mixture for years to reduce swelling.  It contains aloe which calms and soothes over-worked skin.  Adding these products in (even without all of the other good stuff) just makes those of us who use natural medicine happy.

So, I am now a convert.  This line does exactly what it intends to do without causing any problems.  Of course we all know that every person with sensitive skin and skin allergies is different, but as long as you don't have a sensitivity to aloe I don't see this line being a negative for you.

Thanks once again to BzzAgent and Burt's Bees for the opportunity to try and review this line.

Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters R/C

So I'm heading out to the store the other day and find a fun little box sitting on my table containing the awesome car in the picture above.  Of course the kid in me said "Open and play now" and the adult in me said "Take it out of the box since the box is wet and wait until you're done shopping".  So, the kid won to begin with and I immediately removed it from the box and checked to see what batteries I needed to be able to play.

So I went and grabbed several packs of batteries.  This little toy takes 5 AA batteries to function so I bought extra knowing how much we'd play with it.  I rushed home and added the batteries to the controller and hooked the car up to the controller to charge.  While all this was going on the biggest kid in the house (of course the man) decided to briefly skim the directions and bounce staring at the car as if the extra energy from his gaze would charge the car faster.

Eventually I gave in and we unplugged the car, turned the remote on, and started playing while there were no kids around to take it from us (let's face it, sometimes the real reason we have toys around the house is so parents can play).  We watched as this little car zoomed from place to place, spun around in circles, and eventually lodged itself so far under my bed that we had to grab a hockey stick to pull it back to safety.  Then we pushed the button.

In the center of the remote is a button that allows the car to do whatever trick it's designed to do.  In our case the car flips over repeatedly.  You see, on the other side of the car is another awesome car.  Instant love.  This car is awesome and now I want the other's to trick with (there are 3 different cars each with a different built-in trick).  I think I just may have to go get them since the three of us could all play with our cars on in the same room with different frequencies.  Nothing says family bonding like trying to run one another over with R/C cars.

An extra-special thanks to BzzAgent and Tonka for giving us the chance to try out this awesome car.  Coming up next will be a report on the Tonka XT Ricochet Tricksters and what the little guy (instead of us grown-ups) thinks about them.