Reviews by Friends of AnneWithAnE

Jo says "Where's all the protein in Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake? " about Herbalife Shakes

Jo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:49 GMT

I am doing a 12-week weight loss program sponsored by Herbalife. When I enrolled I didn't know that they were sponsoring it. I have bought quite a few of their products. The first one I bought was the Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix. It is for "healthy nutrition and weight management".

The flavor I chose is french vanilla, which is delicious. I add soy or almond mix to two scoops and ice cubes and have a yummy snack. The program suggests that we have one or two shakes a day. I normally have one and stick to the amount of calories per day I should eat.

I paid about $35.00 for a 26.5 ounce canister. This makes 30 servings per container.

It has 19 essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients; however, you will get these in a multi-vitamin. For example, you'll get 35% of Vitamin A when you add milk and 50% of Vitamin D, which you will get if you go outside for 15 minutes a day. Yes I am skeptical because I haven't seen results and I think it is over priced.

The "wellness coaches" say that...

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Jo says "I watch TV; my husband works. Thank you Sony Infrared Headphones" about Sony - Infrared Cordless Headphones MDR-IF240RK

Jo — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:45:15 GMT

To the Point

The problem isn't new but the technology to fix it seems to be new - at least new to us. The problem was that our house has an open floor plan meaning my husband's office and our living room are connected. I got used to reading the closed caption wording but sometimes my reading was slower than the words on the screen.

In comes wireless headphones. I tried out a pair of Radio Shack brand headphones at our daughter and son-in-law's but my husband ended up buying me the Sony Infrared Cordless Headphones MDR-IF240RK.

A Closer View: The features

The Sony Infrared Cordless Headphones

come with a transmitter. The transmitter is placed near the television and comes with an AC power adapter.
come with a connecting cord. The box says that the connection to the TV, Audio, or PC equipment is easy. It probably is. For some reason it took us awhile to figure out what plugs went into what holes.
a range of 24 feet depending on the angle of your head.
will last for 60 hours using regular...

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Jo says "My Silicone Grid saves burning or scratching surfaces" about Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid

Jo — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:44:37 GMT

My Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid Trivet was an inexpensive ($2.00) impulse buy. You can find the company's website here: http://tinyurl.com/ybywr84 where you will see the assortment of silicone products made.

The Grid comes in red, blue, and black. I bought a black Silicone Grid Trivet. This was my first time using anything like this though if I see potholders and other items I could use I would for sure buy more items by Highly Evolved Housewares.

The Grid is a non-skid counter mat and it truly does not skid. I love the feel of it - soft and rubbery. I don't have to worry that it will scratch my oven, table, or counters.

The Grid is made with InSILate Technology making any thing up to 675 degrees alright to put on the Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid Trivet.

It is dishwasher safe and made in China. The Grid has a hole so you can hang it or just a place for me to hold on to it.

Highly Evolved Housewares Silicone Zone The Grid Trivet literally is a grid...

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LoveisJoy says "This Cushioned Shelf Liner Protects my Pots and Pans Too!" about Contact Ultra Grip Shelf Liner

LoveisJoy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:59:31 GMT

My husband is the designated chef in the house, but I still do my part by trying to think of ways to make his job easier. One idea I had was to find a way to protect his favorite non-stick pots and pans. Storing the pots by stacking them in the cupboards seemed to be a recipe for creating unintentional scratches on the non-stick surfaces. To head off potential disaster, I purchased a couple of rolls of Contact Ultra Grip Liner. These are not ordinary shelf liners--they are cushioned, non-adhesive shelf protectors. With a pair of scissors, I was able to create cushioned pads to protect my pots and pans.

Highlights:

Cushions and Protects
Stays put without adhesive
Washable
Stain-resistant
Can be cut and shaped with household scissors

Con-tact Ultra Grip Liners are 12" wide x 5' long, and come in a handful of colors (almond, white, blue, and sage). The liners are thick and textured and resist stains. I unrolled one of the liners and cut out some simple shapes to fit the insides of each pot...

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LoveisJoy says "Pocket-Sized Hand Gel Kills Germs; Wish it Smelled Nicer" about Bath & Body Works PocketBac Antibacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Gel

LoveisJoy — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:39:48 GMT

I guess it's not surprising that the PocketBac Antibacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Gel by Bath & Body Works has such a harsh smell. After all, it contains 60% alcohol. Still, I was so intrigued by the idea of the cute little pocket-sized bottles of germ fighters that I wanted to like it much more than I actually did. There are some good things to say about the PocketBac, but equally as many things that disappoint.

On the plus side, PocketBac hand gels are currently offered in 18 different Bath & Body Works signature fragrances. The 1-ounce plastic bottles are a mere 3 inches tall and a little over an inch wide. As such, they are incredibly portable and easy to throw in a bag, purse, or pocket. The regular prices is only $1.50, but you can often purchase them during the 5 for $5 sale.

Since I love the White Citrus fragrance, that's the scent I selected for my PocketBac. Unfortunately, the fresh and lively scent that I anticipated does not seem to translate well into a hand...

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LoveisJoy says "Avon Glazewear: I'm Addicted to Buttered Rum" about Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss

LoveisJoy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:07:21 GMT

With so many different types of lip color on the market, why is it that I am so loyal to one brand and one color? The answer is that Avon Glazewear Lip Gloss in Buttered Rum is the best color for my skin tone out of all of the other lipsticks and lip stains in my cosmetics drawer. Further, I love the long-lasting, high gloss shine that never gets sticky (or caught in my hair).

Avon Glazewear comes in over a dozen colors, but unfortunately, the only one that really works for me is Buttered Rum. There seems to be a lack of colors that contain more brown/coral/peach tones. I would love it if Avon could expand the line to include more variety of colors so that I could have more options. This is my only complaint about the line.

I love the soft-tipped applicator because it's large enough for those of us with fuller lips. The lip color applies easily and quickly, and I get a no-smudge look every time. I do use a lip moisturizer before applying Glazewear, and I find that the color...

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LoveisJoy says "I Like the Original Glazewear, but Lip Lacquer is Lackluster" about Avon Glazewear Lip Lacquer

LoveisJoy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:47:51 GMT

I rarely stray from my go-to lip color: Avon Glazewear in Buttered Rum. It's the perfect color for my skin tone, and I love the non-sticky shine and easy applicator. So, when I saw that Avon had a sale on its Glazewear Lip Lacquer, I happily bought this new (for me) version in a new color--Perfect Brown. Unfortunately, the lip lacquer gave me more lackluster results than I anticipated.

As you would expect, Glazewear Lip Lacquer is incredibly shiny. I opened the small mirrored compact to reveal a beautiful glossy brown rectangle of lip color. The lacquer comes with an extremely tiny brush that turned out to be completely useless for me. I have full lips and it would have taken me forever to get the lacquer applied with that teeny-weeny brush. Instead, I used another cosmetics brush that I had in my stash.

The Glazewear Lip Lacquer was thick and a bit tricky to apply. Once I got the product on the brush, it was hard to get it to spread smoothly. The funniest thing...

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LoveisJoy says "This Soft & Relaxed Bubble Bath Leaves My Skin "Oh-So-Soft"" about Avon SKIN SO SOFT: Soft & Relaxed Night Bath Soak

LoveisJoy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:09:29 GMT

Showers are fine most of the time, but for me, nothing beats a fragrant, hot bubble bath when I really want to relax myself before sleep. With that in mind, I ordered a bottle of Skin So Soft: Soft & Relaxed Night Bath Soak from my Avon representative. Described as "the most sensual way to embrace your skin," I was curious to see whether or not it lived up to its star billing. In the end, it didn't really wow me or my senses, but it did help prepare me for a good night's sleep.

Soft & Relaxed Night Soak contains the key ingredients of lavender and "night bloom cactus flower" to impart fragrance and moisture. I poured what I considered a typical amount of the product under running hot water, and then let the tub finish filling up. I was a little surprised that I only ended up with a small amount of bubbles. The description talks about the "fragrant bath foam" so I guess I was expecting to see a little more bubble action. Still, since it's referred to as a "bath soak" rather...

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Jo says "There were 16 then 15 of my Anchor Hocking Beverage Set" about Anchor Hocking Trivium Beverage Set

Jo — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:04:50 GMT

To the Point

So there I was looking at glasses trying to remember which ones Rudi recommended. I bought a 16- piece glassware set by Anchor Hocking. The style is called Trivium.

A Closer View

When I got home I looked Anchor Hocking Trivium up online and saw some bad reviews. But I only paid $10.00 for eight 11-ounce double old-fashioned glasses and eight 16- ounce coolers. I would have preferred a color but there was only clear in this style. I just wanted to get through Thanksgiving with a new set of glasses.

I liked the style of the Anchor Hocking Trivium glasses. They are simple but have an hour glass design. I thought out of all the ones on the shelf these would be the least likely to spill. They are dishwasher safe and seemed to be thick enough so that they would last at least a month. I have Pfaltzgraff glasses that have been with me for 15 years!

I am the type of person who saves new things. Not wanting the glasses scratched I didn't use them but my husband did. The point is the...

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Jo says "Pur Power Resistance Cord gives you a traveling gym" about Zenzation Athletics PurPower Resistance Cord 10128

Jo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:14:05 GMT

The PurPower Resistance Cord was an impulse buy. If you have a Marshall's near you then you'll know the bargains offered. The $11.99 Cord was $5.99 so I grabbed it. I've used Resistance Cords or Bands as I call them for years. If you haven't it is a great piece to either add to your routine just use it to work your whole body. Don't worry because it comes with a piece of paper that show you a few exercises to do. You can see the PurPower Cord here: www.jr.com/zenzation-athletics/pe/ZNZ_WTE10128/.

The PurPower Resistance Cord

is made of latex so stay away if you are allergic to latex.
is purple which is a medium strength. Other name brands such as Spri makes it much easier to know what the strength is of the Tube/Cord/Band. There was no indication on the package but I figured if it was too easy I could just make this 5' Cord small by wrapping it around my wrists. This makes it shorter and thus harder.
is portable and a super prop to take with you on your travels. Unless you are a body...

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Jo says "Colgate Orabase didn't Relieve my tongue Pain" about Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever

Jo — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:22:27 GMT

To the Point

I had surgery on my tongue yesterday or shall I say in my tongue. In any case I had a tongue lesion which was removed and I have stitches. Dr. Lane, an oral surgeon, gave me several samples of Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever.

A Closer View

I have been taking Tylenol and Advil which has helped the pain somewhat. This morning I decided to give one of these samples a try. Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever comes in a .21-ounce tube in the $5.00 range.

The active ingredient is benzocaine (20%) which is supposed to stop the pain of mouth and gum sores.

Adults and children two years and older can use Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever. I followed the instructions which are to gently dab on the site of irritation with a cotton swab or fingertip. I can use it up to 4 times a day or according to what your doctor or dentist recommends.

Don't use Colgate Orabase Maximum Strength Oral Pain Reliever if you are allergic to local anesthetics...

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LoveisJoy says "Avon Intensive-A: Pure Vitamin A Skin Care for Ageless Results" about Avon Ageless Results Intensive A Line Treatment

LoveisJoy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:57:31 GMT

I should start out by admitting I don't have any lines on my skin. At all. At 49 years of age, it's more a luck of the genetic lottery than any particular skin care regimen. Still, I do want to keep my skin looking good for as long as I can, so I've been reading up on the most effective ingredients in beauty products. It turns out that Retinol--pure Vitamin A--has been shown to visibly reduce lines and help smooth the skin's surface for a more youthful look. With that in mind, I bought a couple of tubes of Ageless Results Intensive-A Line Treatment by Avon.

Containing the maximum dose of pure Vitamin A, Intensive-A Line Treatment promises to "aid in skin resurfacing and rejuvenation." Well, I'm all for that. The first evening I used the product, I first washed my face with a gentle non-soap face wash. Then, as instructed on the package, I waited 5 minutes before applying the cream. I have naturally oily skin so I'm always a little leery of using a cream-based product. ...

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LoveisJoy says "No Irritation, No Harsh Smell, and No More Facial Hair" about Avon Skin So Soft Facial Hair Remover Cream

LoveisJoy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:16:47 GMT

I've been a fan of Avon's Skin So Soft bath products for years, so when I needed a new hair removal cream I felt good about trying the Skin So Soft Fresh & Smooth Facial Hair Removal Cream. Skin So Soft's bath and body products tend to be moisturizing to the skin and fragrant to the senses, so I felt sure that the brand wouldn't let me down with their version of hair removal. It turns out, I was right to trust them with the delicate skin on my face. Skin So Soft didn't let me down with this product.

Skin So Soft's facial hair removal cream comes in a very thin, 1-ounce tube with a contoured tip. The slender shape of the tube fits comfortably into my hand and makes it easy to control and apply the cream. The scent is described as a "refreshing, tropical blend of guava, yellow pear & raspberry." In my opinion, it didn't smell even remotely as wonderful as advertised, but it was much pleasanter than any facial depilatory cream that I have ever used. That says a lot.

As far as performance...

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lorialcorn2006 says "Village Naturals are Better than my favorite High end products " about Village Naturals Natural Mineral Bath Soak

lorialcorn2006 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:23:41 GMT

In this economy we all know money is really a problem - Recently my husband lost his salary and works only on commission now . As a result of this I have to depend on my amazon gift cards (that I get for doing surveys) to buy my beauty products now. The other day I found myself with most of my bath salts and scrubs all used up . I was thinking I would end up using all my gift card money to buy just one jar of my favorite salt scrub from Philosophy . Than I thought maybe I should look around a bit first . As a result I went looking for cheaper items that I hoped would be passable and get me through these tough times . What I found were these products called Village Naturals being sold on amazon for 5.99 to 6.99 . I thought gosh this is really inexpensive, it must be really bad stuff for that amount of money - I looked around and I saw a nice large jar of bath salts in lavender and other fragrances that are 95% natural which is good- I also saw that you are getting a big bunch 31 oz is......

Jo says "Yogacise Lifts my Body without hurting my neck" about Gaiam Yogacise Body Lift

Jo — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:56:58 GMT

I don't think I have met a Gaiam product I didn't like and this is true of the Yogacise Body Lift. We use this prop regularly in Yoga class.

The specifications

Yogacise Body Lift

is made in China
supports 250 pounds
is 28 inches long by 21 inches wide by 15 inches high
is very portable weighing in at 19 pounds

Why use the Yogacise Body Lift?

I'll talk about what I see as the primary use of the Body Lift and that is to do an inversion. Yoga is one of the few systems of health that suggest you regularly turn yourself upside down for extended periods of time. My Yoga teacher always tells us how amazing inversions are from relieving anxiety to relieving constipation.

I know I feel great after using the Yogacise Body Lift. I have done head stands on the floor but for some of us due to injury, age, fear, or name the reason, prefer not to. In comes the Body Lift. This prop allows me to go upside down without any compression on my head.

The padding is super thick making it very comfortable to rest...

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lorialcorn2006 says "Bounce dryer Bar ends dryer sheet cleanup " about Bounce Dryer Bar

lorialcorn2006 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:37:06 GMT

I received a sample of the bounce dryer bar from viewpoints and have had a few weeks to use it . I found that the Bounce dryer bar is very effective in making the clothing soft and static free . What I loved about it was, its quite a time saver because you have no messy dryer sheets everywhere . I use to use a lot of dryer sheets because just one of those never did the job well so I use to add 3 or 4 per load to get the correct amount of softness and clean scent for my laundry . The problem with doing that is you end up having dryer sheets everywhere . My dog Asia will seek out used dryer sheets to rip up and I have to be really careful keeping those used sheets away from her which was a real pain. (she dose the same thing with Kleenex lol)

I really liked the way the dryer bar lasted such a long time which makes it a better value than the sheets . The only thing I could suggest to bounce is see if you cant make the bar have a stronger scent . The bar softens and prevents static cling...

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LoveisJoy says "High Marks for Natural Dental Care; Low Marks for Taste" about Tom's of Maine Natural Whole Care Anticavity & Tarter Control Plus Whitening Gel Toothpaste

LoveisJoy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:53:02 GMT

Tom's of Maine Natural Whole Care Toothpaste is not only 100% natural, but it also claims to provide anti-cavity protection, tartar control, whitening, and freshness. Those are the same promises made from toothpaste giants, Colgate and Crest, so I was interested to find out if something all-natural could work as well as the name brands.

The first thing I noticed as I applied a line of toothpaste to my brush is that the Tom's toothpaste has a faint gray color and a slightly looser texture than most big-name toothpastes. The toothpaste doesn't foam at all like I'm used to, but it seemed able to stay on all of my tooth surfaces reasonably well. After brushing and rinsing, my teeth felt clean and looked like they do when I brush with other brands. Not as squeaky clean as when I brush with Colgate Total, but close enough.

The performance of Tom's of Maine Whole Care Toothpaste is effective in all categories except for taste. Although it is made with natural peppermint oil and sodium...

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LoveisJoy says "In Bloom by Reese Witherspoon: A Sensually Floral Perfume" about Avon In Bloom

LoveisJoy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:04:15 GMT

In Bloom Eau de Parfum was developed for Avon by actress, Reese Witherspoon. Avon describes this women's fragrance as "sensual and elegant." My first reaction to the scent was that it was too strong, but the longer I wore it, I noticed that the fragrance shifted into something more pleasant.

In Bloom is a decidedly floral fragrance with notes of amber wood to keep it from being too light and prissy. Reese Witherspoon was inspired by the magnolia blossoms from her childhood in Tennessee. In Bloom is reminiscent of magnolia, but the primary notes also contain gardenia, peach tea, and amber wood.

Avon notes that this is their "most premium fragrance ever" but I personally don't consider it a top tier perfume. I disliked the scent when I first applied it, but after an hour of wearing it, I felt that the strong amber scent began to play more nicely with the other floral notes. At that point, it really began to smell quite lovely--feminine with a bit of a sexy edge.

As with most...

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LoveisJoy says "I'd Rather Have Lavender and Chamomile in my Tea than my Lotion" about Aromatherapy Sleep - Lavender Chamomile Body Lotion

LoveisJoy — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:55:24 GMT

I wanted the full aromatherapy experience, so after I took a bubble bath with Aromatherapy Luxury Bath I used the companion product, Aromatherapy Sleep - Lavender Chamomile Body Lotion to moisturize. After slathering myself with this soft and fragrant body lotion I realized--too late--that I don't really care for the scent of lavender. At all.

The Aromatherapy line of bath products is available at Bath & Body Works. I picked up the pair during a 2 for $20 sale. I knew I wasn't particularly excited by the scent but I thought that once I had tried the entire "experience" that I would be so calmed and ready for sleep that it would be worth it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

The body lotion is formulated with lavender and chamomile essential oils, as well as natural soybean oil and glycerin to nourish and moisturize. The lotion feels pretty standard in consistency and absorbed well without leaving any residue. But if you're going to use this moisturizer you'd really better...

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LoveisJoy says "Luxurious Bath Bubbles Put Me in the Mood for Sleep" about Aromatherapy Luxury Bath, Sleep - Lavender Chamomile

LoveisJoy — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:52:14 GMT

I'm actually not a huge fan of the scent of lavender, but I've read that it does contain properties to help induce sleep. During a shopping trip to Bath & Body Works, I saw a large glass jar of Aromatherapy Luxury Bath Sleep - Lavender Chamomile. It was on sale for $10 (regularly $16.50), so I picked up a bottle. Since I suffer from the occasional bout of insomnia I figured it was worth a try to see if aromatherapy could really help me get a good night's sleep.

Aromatherapy Luxury Bath is scented with essential lavender and chamomile oils in a thick, creamy-white bath gel. It also contains aloe which is said to "nourish and rejuvenate" skin. I was pleased with how thick and rich the bath crème is--just a little bit of the product into hot running water, and the fragrant foamy bubbles burst forth. Once the bubble bath was ready to go, I noticed that the scent wasn't as strong. But the bubbles fully lasted the entire bath and felt soft and luxurious.

My overall impression of...

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