Reviews by Friends of BuckysMommy

Jo says "Burn calories while drinking Herbal Tea by Herbalife" about Herbalife Herbal Tea Concentrate Lemon 3.53 ounces

Jo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:21:17 GMT

As I mentioned in my review of the Herbalife Shake I have bought into a 12-week Herbalife weight loss program. Another product I bought is Herbal Concentrate Tea. We were told that for every 8-ounces we drink we burn 80 calories. We were also told not to drink it after 3:00p.m. unless we like being up all night.

Herbal Concentrate Tea has caffeine thus it gives me a boost. It is also used for weight management because it burns calories. However, any caffeine will burn calories and boost your metabolism so is there anything special about Herbal Concentrate Tea?

I really do like Herbalife's Tea. It comes in a powder. I bought the larger bottle coming in at 3.53 ounces for about $30.00. It also comes in a 1.8 ounce bottle.

Herbal Concentrate Tea comes in several flavors. I didn't have a choice and have lemon. It is really delicious tasting. In spite of it not being sweetened it tastes sweet. It does contain fructose powder which is a form of sugar but one that Herbalife doesn't consider...

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lilsquibb says "Softsoap Hand Soap in a Body Wash Bottle" about Softsoap Nutri Serums Body Wash Moisture-Retaining Omega 3 & 6

lilsquibb — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:10:31 GMT

I'm not usually a body wash person, but when I was able to get some samples of the new Softsoap Nutri Serum Body Wash from Bzz Agent, I was more than interested in signing up. At the least if I didn't like it I could give it away to my friend who loves body washes. In my campaign package I received the two versions of the Nutri Serum (the Moisture Retaining and the Restoring w/ Vitamin E). As of yet I've only had an opportunity to try the Moisture Retaining version.

What is this Nutri Serum?

According to the product description the Softsoap Nutri Serum Body Wash is "The first body wash made with softening serum pearls to give you soft and healthy-looking skin." The Moisture Retaining version is in the pink bottle and is made with Omega 3 & 6. The body wash comes in an easy to grip bottle and the sample size came with a flip top. The pictures of the full size bottles look like it has a similar top.

The New becomes the Old

As a clear body wash, (with the floating pink pearls)...

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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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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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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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lilsquibb says "Cool Weather and Children = needing EZY Dose" about EZY Dose Medicine Dropper and Spoon

lilsquibb — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:04:58 GMT

Luckily my boys are both pretty healthy and we haven't had to dispense much medicine around here this cold and flu fall. I'm not a big fan on of using medications unless necessary. When fever strikes in the middle of the night though, we've come to rely on our EZY Dose Medicine Spoon and Dropper (depending on the kid).

The EZY Dose Medicine Spoon and Dropper are sold as a set but we have been fortunate to receive both from the Rite Aid Pharmacy. We have several versions of medicine droppers and spoons around the house and many medicines come with measuring cups, but it always seems I go back to EZY Dose as a preferred measure.

Measure Me Out

The set contains an infant medicine dropper and a medicine spoon for older children both made of sturdy plastic. The dropper is a 1 tsp pipette with a rubber bulb at the top. This also features "arms" at the top to help ensure that it will not fall into the bottle of medicine. The 2 tsp medicine spoon has a nice little "foot" on which...

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Jo says "Home Cookin Toaster Oven Works in all sorts of Weather" about WeatherWorks Home Cookin Toaster Oven

Jo — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:36:26 GMT

We needed a new toaster and usually buy inexpensive small appliances and replace them frequently. I picked up Home Cookin by WeatherWorks at one of the large department stores for $20. The website http://www.weatherworks.net has it for around $34.00 but I am sure you can do better. The model number is 6868.

Pros

Home Cookin by WeatherWorks Toaster Oven

is attractive. I got it in black but it also comes in white.
is compact. There are only 2 of us who eat human food in my house so the fact it will fit 4 slices of bread is just fine.
has an easy to open cool touch door handle.
has feet that do not skid on my counter top.
has a baking tray and a grill rack.
has a power light so I know when the toaster is on.
has a full ranger of temperatures.
has a 60-minute timer but also has a stay on feature so I don't have to time something.
has 3 settings: broil, bake, and toast pizza.

Cons

I am lucky enough to have cleaning help so I didn't notice this until I went to review my HomeCookin Toaster...

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Jo says "Canker Melts: licorice cures canker sores" about Orahealth CankerMelts

Jo — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:04:16 GMT

To the Point

I get canker sores because I have an autoimmune disorder called Sjorgren's Syndrome. I was sent some samples of CankerMelts which can be bought in a package of 12 for $8.00 in Walgreens.

A Closer View

Let's look at the ingredients first:

The active ingredient is Glycyrrhiza extract (GX), which comes from the root of the licorice plant. GX is thought to have pain relieving, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The inactive ingredients are Hydrophilic Gums and Potassium.

Since I found my CankerMelts to work I'll just get right into what the claims are.

Relieves pain in minutes
Heals sores in 1-5 days
Time releases soothing collagen and natural medication, not numbing chemicals.
CankerMelts have a mild flavor
They are somewhat self-adhering. They are advertised as being self adhering and that may be true in some parts of the mouth. I used mine on the sides of my mouth and held it in place. It would stick a bit but not enough. Also you can use these at night so...

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Buggheart says "The only thing missing is the spider." about LUSH Cobweb Bath Bomb

Buggheart — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:27:59 GMT

I'm not a huge bath bomb lover, but I was totally sucked into buying LUSH Cobweb Bath Bomb at a recent LUSH event and I am sure glad that I did.

I bought Cobweb without having any idea what it smelled like, just based solely on the fact that it's a Halloween product (I LOVE Halloween) and it has a cute spider web shape.

I had heard that it smells just like LUSH's Black Pearl bath bomb which a lot of people don't like. And that it, obviously, turns the water a dull grey color which is not very visually appealing.

Still, I had to give it a try, so I ordered it. And yesterday was its lucky day. I had spent the majority of the day outside and needed a hot bath to take away that chilled to the bone feeling. So I ran a hot bath, got in, and dropped Cobweb in with me. Well I don't know if it's because of it's disklike shape or whether Black Pearl does the same, but Cobweb fizzed like crazy! It fizzed and rolled around the tub for a few minutes before it completely dissolved, leaving the...

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Buggheart says "So tempted by the apple!" about LUSH So White Bath Bomb

Buggheart — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:17:00 GMT

Although I'm not a huge fan of bath bombs, I had to give So White Bath Bomb a try when I placed a recent LUSH order.

What tempted me so?

Well, the description on LUSH.com, of course. So White is described on the LUSH website as a frothy blanket of apple scented "snow" for your bath.... inspired by the tempting apple a certain wicked stepmother tricked her beautiful stepdaughter into eating. We assure you however, that this Bath Bomb is not full of poison to put you to sleep. It is made with an uplifting fragrance of refreshing oranges, apples and romantic rose and is meant to awake you if you've been under a spell (or are just feeling tired). This one is quite a frothy bath as we've grated in some bubble bar mixture, so you can bathe in apple scented snow and feel fairest of them all.

I LOVE apple scented products and anything that smells fruity, so I had to give this one a try. I was also drawn somewhat by the idea of a frothy blanket of apple scented "snow".

So today I spent a lot...

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Jo says " I make smoothies with my Wave Station Dispensing Blender" about Hamilton Beach Wave Station Express Dispensing Blender

Jo — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:00:49 GMT

We are now a 2-blender family. My husband's smoothies have two many calories so I bought the Hamilton Beach Wave Station Express Dispensing Blender for about $20.00.

Pros

The 48-ounce jar is plastic so if it falls it won't break.
Hamilton Beach Wave Station Express Dispensing Blender has a Wave Action system. This actually works. The blender forces the mixture down into the blades. I have made smoothies before in other blenders and have to scrape the sides but I haven't had to this with Hamilton Beach Wave Station Express Dispensing Blender.
It it dishwasher safe.
It is attractive.
It has a dispenser so I can just pull on it and out will come my smoothie. If I use the spout there is a hidden spot under the blender for the cap. If I use the cap then I have to put the spout in a drawer.
It crushes ice really, really well.
It has 4 speeds which are smoothies, juicer, pulse, and milk shake. There is also a dispenser function which the dial should be on when using the dispenser.

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Buggheart says "Finally a way color my hair without coloring my face too." about Repelle Skin Shield Wand

Buggheart — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:00:58 GMT

I've been coloring my hair for years. Back when I used to go blond, getting hair color on my skin wasn't a big deal. But since I switched to a darker color I found that it's really hard to not get any haircolor on my skin. No matter how careful I was, it always got on my skin.

Then one day when I was buying color at the beauty supply school I found a product called Repelle Skin Shield Wand. It's like a little ChapStick tube but more oval shaped than round. It can be used on all skin types to protect skin from being stained by haircolor.

Before I color my hair, I apply Repelle all around my hairline, ears, and neck, then apply the color. It creates an invisible barrier that is not greasy like lotion or Vaseline. When I've rinsed it out and all is said and done, I don't have any color stains on my skin. One think I like is that if I get a little Repelle on my hair, it doesn't prevent the haircolor from sinking in and it washes off of my skin very easily.

The Repelle package states...

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BayouBengal says "Prilosec OTC is a Great Choice for Controling Acid Reflux" about Prilosec OTC

BayouBengal — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:53:09 GMT

Prilosec OTC became my husband's standby when he ran out of his prescription for Zantac 150 mg. Both can be obtained over the counter now, but in the case of his prescription, it was cheaper to get it at the pharmacy than buy over the counter. His doctor would not refill his prescription without an office visit (dumb since he has been on this for several years), so that led to him trying Prilosec OTC. Why switch? Because I already had some at the house and it worked for me so he decided why not?

Prilosec OTC comes in boxes of 14, 28, and 42 count. The product works by blocking the acid with one dose a day. It is also great for frequent heartburn sufferers.

Active Ingredients

Omeprazole magnesium delayed-release tablet 20.6 mg (equivalent to 20 mg omeprazole)

My Thoughts on Prilosec OTC

The worst thing about starting Prilosec OTC is that it doesn't work immediately. You have to take it for a couple of days to two weeks for the medication to really kick in and prevent heartburn/acid...

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Buggheart says "Like trying to wash with a piece of liver." about LUSH Strawberry Santa Shower Jelly

Buggheart — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:07:53 GMT

OK so I don't know that it's EXACTLY like washing with a liver, but it's slippery, slimy, and icky like a liver so it's the first thing that popped into my mind.

I've never been a fan of LUSH Shower Jellies so you may be wondering why I even tried LUSH Strawberry Santa. Well, because I got it for free at a party at my local LUSH store. And thankfully it was free, because I would have been upset if I paid for this awful blob of goo.

For starters, Strawberry Santa doesn't even smell like strawberry. It smells like fruit but if it's called Strawberry Santa, it might be a good idea to make sure it smells like that berry rather than just fruit in general. So I wasn't crazy about the scent. Nothing wrong with it, it's just not strawberry.

Next, the consisteny was very stringy. With other jellies I have been able to reach into the container and squeeze a little blob of the jelly out of the container and wash with it or stick it on my shower pouf to make some lather. With this jelly,...

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Jo says "Wow someone with the simplehuman step can" about simplehuman fingerprint-proof slim step can 1872

Jo — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:15:39 GMT

I will pay for quality but I bought a $10.00 waste basket which may not last too long. I guess in that case I wasn't paying for quality. Our daughter and son-in-law have the simplehuman fingerprint-proof slim step can model1872. This is what I would have liked but

I thought it would look too modern in my kitchen.
I would not pay $100.00 for a trash can.

I know there are copycats which you can buy for 1/2 the price. I have seen them in the store and I've seen dented ones. The simplehuman fingerprint-proof slim step can will dent anytime soon.

The features

I cannot imagine the copy cats have stainless steel that is finger proof (Imagine how great this is with children?) and whose inner bucket is dent-proof plastic. In addition the pedal and step area are solid stainless steel.

The simplehuman fingerprint-proof slim step can uses regular sized kitchen bags depending on what size you buy. Our daughter's is 30 liter/8 gallon measuring 18.7" in diameter by 10.4 inches wide by 22.4 inches high....

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Buggheart says "Words cannot express how badly I wanted this one to work." about Patricia Wexler Acnescription Anti-Acne Starter Kit

Buggheart — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:37:43 GMT

I had such high hopes for the Patricia Wexler Acnescription skin regimen, but on this day I officially surrender. I tried this regimen but it did not work for me. In fact, I don't believe there's ANYTHING on the market that can heal my skin and keep it from breaking out so I give up. You win, skin!

Over the years I've tried everything short of Accutane. ProActiv and AcneFree worked great, but only for a few months and I started breaking out again. I've gone to dermatologists, had my hormones checked, you name it. Everything is normal yet I still continue to struggle with acne every day and it's maddening.

About 2 months ago I read an article suggesting products for people who have aging skin yet still break out. That's me. I'm rapidly approaching 40 yet I still break out as bad and as often as when I was 15 years old.

The product line that was suggested in the article is Patricia Wexler's Acnescription regimen which is available at Bath and Body Works. So I visited my local BBW...

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