Reviews by Friends of Kristy

PattyTherre says "My two fave inexpensive body butters but which wins my $8.00?" about Tree Hut vs. Avon's Mark Self Sanctuary: Battle of the $8.00 Body Butters. Which is Better?

PattyTherre — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:00:10 GMT

Body butters! I love them. I have very expensive ones, all natural ones, and I have some inexpensive ones. Two of my favorite body butters under $8.00 are Tree Hut's various butters and Avon's Mark Self Sanctuary body butters. But if I had to pick just one, which would it be? Read on to see!

Tree Hut Body Butter vs. Avon's Mark Self Sanctuary Body Butter

Size and Cost

Tree Hut's body butters come in a 7 ounce tub for about $7.50. Self Sanctuary body butters are 6.7 ounces and cost $8.00. Both go on sale frequently though. There is so little diffrence in the two in these areas that I call this one ...

The Winner: A Tie

Scents

Tree Hut has luscious scents like Coconut Lime, Hawaiian Kukui, and Almond Honey. Avon's Mark brand comes in fresh blends like Lemon Sugar, Honey Jasmine, and Lime Lavender. My favorites are Tree Hut's Coconut Lime and Mark's Self Sanctuary Lemon Sugar. I have tried the other Tree Hut scents and all were amazing. I smelled the Lime Lavender Avon brand and thought it...

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Bryan-Carey says "Palo Alto Battlefield: The Beginning of the Mexican War" about Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Bryan-Carey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:45:25 GMT

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PattyTherre says "Good soap but doesn't last long. The others are better values." about Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

PattyTherre — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:33:01 GMT

Quick View: Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap is great smelling soap that effectively cleanses hands. I find, though, that the foam type seems to run out very quickly compared to the deep cleansing and moisturizing varieties in the same scents. I like this soap but prefer the longer lasting non foaming soaps better.

My Take on Bath and Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap

This liquid hand soap comes in 8.75 ounce plastic pump bottles in many signature scents and newer fragrances that Bath and Body Works carries. You can choose from unisex scents to very girly ones to clean, fresh types. The pump soap is fragrant and it is, indeed, a frothy foam. It's very lightweight and doesn't dry my skin. However, I find that I have to pump it several times to get enough to feel as though my hands are really clean. My husband and son also seem to use much more than they would if it were regular hand soap as compared to the foam.

When I rinse my hands, they do feel cleansed and smell great....

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TheBard says "Delve deeper, if you dare, into the world of the supernatural" about Living Dead in Dallas

TheBard — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:43:02 GMT

By the end of the HBO series True Bloods' first season I had become intensely interested in reading the series of books upon which the show is based, and so I bought the boxed set of (7) books, the second of which is Living Dead in Dallas.

Synopsis

Living Dead in Dallas picks up where Dead Until Dark left off. The book revolves around the life of a waitress, 26-year-old Sookie Stackhouse, who makes her home in the Northern Louisiana town of Bon Temps.

Living Dead in Dallas opens as Sookie finds the dead body of Lafayette, the openly Gay short order cook at Merlotte's the bar in which she works. Sookie soon learns that Lafayette had been frequenting local sex parties and she believes members of the group might know something about her associate's murder so she uses her "disability" to start tuning into people's thoughts as they come into the bar.

About this time Bill informs her that they have been summoned to Shreveport to appear before Eric Northman at his bar named Fangtasia. ...

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CyndiA says "Pelonis heater is great for spot heating in your home. " about Pelonis H0-0218 Heater

CyndiA — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:48:40 GMT

I am sitting here beside my Pelonis heater cube. I tend to chill when sitting still at the computer but hate to heat up the whole house when I know that I'm warm enough when I'm up moving around. Also, the boys tend to like the house cooler. So the Pelonis heater works out great in my small computer area.

My Granny had the Pelonis heater and used it to heat her small living room where she quilted. It was made the whole room nice and cozy, and she didn't much use the other rooms in her apartment, so that worked out great for her. That's what made me decide to get a little portable heater. I really liked hers.

For the size, the Pelonis puts out an amazing amount of heat. I have a bigger model at work, but it does not put out as much heat. It's enough for under my desk. But that one cycles on and off - meaning I'm cold about half the time. The Pelonis has a good fan and just keeps putting out heat until it's actually turned off. So - no cold periods of time.

On high and with the heater right...

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CyndiA says "Masterbuilt Indoor Turkey Fryer - Safer and Easier Large Fryer" about Masterbuilt Indoor Turkey Fryer - Butterball

CyndiA — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:32:22 GMT

We wore out our last turkey fryer and went with the Masterbuilt Indoor Turkey Fryer this time. It's built smaller and safer, plus it can be used indoors which is nice on really cold days which is usually when we fry turkey.

Butterball Turkey company teamed up with Mastbuilt (bit name in turkey or outdoor fryers) for this model which is much like the indoor fryers for chicken and French fries.

There's a housing box and then the oil goes in the unit. A large basket and a lifter round out the product.

It takes around a gallon and a half of oil, so that's a lot. It can be strained and used again. But, I season the turkey pretty heavy, so I don't think it looks good enough to try to strain with all the Holen One rub floating in there. Oh well. Straining oil through cheese cloth and finding a place to store it is not my idea of a good time anyway.

Since we did a turkey breast last night, we ran the temp at 325 F. For a large turkey, it would go up to 375 for frying. With these high temps, we...

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PattyTherre says "A very limited can opener that is really just a novelty" about As Seen on TV Onetouch Automatic Can Opener 29101

PattyTherre — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:56:51 GMT

Quick View: The As Seen on TV Onetouch Automatic Can Opener 29101 is a battery operated can opener that actually opens cans by itself, shuts off by itself, and supposedly lifts can lips up and out of the cans with ease. I found it works on normal sized cans but not on smaller or larger ones very well. It's noisy and slow too.

My Take on the As Seen on TV Onetouch Automatic Can Opener 29101

I bought this gadget when I saw it on a deal a day site for around $11.00 shipped. The hype was that it opened all cans with just a touch of a button, lifted the lids up with its magnet, and took no space on the counter. I liked all that but it turns out that the claims were inflated.

This hand held unit does latch onto normal (vegetables, dog food, fruit) cans and it "walks" itself around the lid. It does seem to lift those lids up with its magnet and the lids nor the can edges are sharp. The unit is noisy and slow though and has a 20 second cycle no matter what the size of the can.

When I use it on...

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PattyTherre says "The Micro Hot Plate keeps hot food HOT!" about Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate

PattyTherre — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:36:51 GMT

Quick View: I am no domestic diva but I love food that is HOT, not warm. recently, I was given a Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate and didn't even know what it was. I found out that it is a very effective hot plate that keeps food hot much longer than simply setting the bowl on a regular hot plate. It doesn't burn fingers either!

My Take on the Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate

This hot plate is 6"x6", a bit small for my taste but will hold a casserole dish or large bowl just fine. It has a smooth marble surface and two handles to carry the plate. To use, you just warm it in the microwave for up to four minutes. The smooth top will be very hot but the handles remain cool.

The bottom also stays cool so there is no worry of burning the table or other surfaces. The plate keeps foods hot for at least a couple of hours. We used the Micro Hot Plate Thermal-Insulating Stone Plate to set a casserole on and it stayed incredibly hot for a long time. We all like hot foods...

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PattyTherre says "Pretty lip shines on the go. Artiste On-the-Go Lip Shines!" about Youngblood ARTISTE On-the-Go Lip Shine Trio

PattyTherre — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:58:10 GMT

Quick View: This little trio of lip shines is easy to carry and can be swapped out with other lip shines, blushes, or eye shadows so you always have a compact of the shades you're wearing on hand. I have the lip gloss trio and like it quite a bit. I'm looking forward to trying the blushes and eye shadows as everything they make is all natural mineral products.

My Take on Youngblood ARTISTE On-the-Go Lip Shine Trio

This trip contains the shades Devotion, Reflection, Fantasy. One is a rose shade, the other a shimmery clear gloss, and the last is a bronzy plum shade. They can also be used as blushes and eye shadows since they are all natural and very gentle on the skin.

The case is a milky opaque plastic one with a magnetic strip on the bottom. That holds the tray of three circles of lip shines. The tray can be popped out and another one inserted or you can pop a single color out and replace it with another. It truly is a mix and match compact and high quality as well.

I like that the products...

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PattyTherre says "Refreshes and smells nice but $35.00 a can? Get outta here!" about Colorescience Achromatherapy Gem Spritzer - On The Mend

PattyTherre — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:32:11 GMT

Quick View: This four ounce can of spritzer for the face does revitalize dry skin and smells great but I wouldn't pay $35.00 for it for any reason. I got mine in a thing called the "Test Tube" which comes quarterly packed with cosmetics and accessories to try for $29.95. I like this but would never buy it due to the crazy price,

My Take on Colorescience Achromatherapy Gem Spritzer - On The Mend

This product is a green can of spritzer made to be misted on the face whenever it feels dry. The scent is On the Mend which is made with rosemary to sooth taut skin or skin that is dry from chemical peels or just the elements. There are three other scents which use other herbs but all do the same thing. They just have different scents.

This green can only contains four ounces of mist. It smells to me like rose water and it mists on nice. My face feels a little wet if I'm not careful so I have to be very conscientious when spritzing over makeup. It can be used anytime - on bare skin or on skin with...

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PattyTherre says "Inexpensive creamy eyeshadow but tends to crease." about e.l.f. Duo Cream Eyeshadow

PattyTherre — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:57:41 GMT

Quick View: I love playing with eyeshadow but don't love spending tons of money for one or two shades unless I absolutely adore everything about the shadow. I bought a few one dollar e.l.f. Duo Cream Eyeshadows and like them although they tend to crease and aren't too pigmented, For the price, though, they're pretty good!

My Take on e.l.f. Duo Cream Eyeshadow

These little pots of cream eyeshadow have two shades per pot. I like that since I rarely use tons of any one shade. I found that the colors look deep but apply with little pigment. I can add more but then my lids get a bit sticky. They also have a bit of shimmer to them. One duo, Cookies and Cream, which is a brown and a white shade, is super shimmery. The white is KABAM shimmery but still pretty,

If I don't use primer, these shadows will crease. They end up in the crease of my eyelid and I have to use a finger to get the color back onto my lids. With a primer though, they tend to work better.

These duos are good as primers themselves....

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RudiXeno says "TRESemme Moisture Rich Conditioner: Effective & Affordable" about TRESemme European Conditioner, Vitamin E Moisture Rich, Dry or Damaged Hair

RudiXeno — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:37:54 GMT

"Oh, and don't forget to pick up some hair conditioner", the lovely Mrs. Xeno calls after me as I leave the house to pick up a few small items at the store. So, I realize that this $10 - $15 trip could easily reach $30 or more. Veronica and our daughter Jenna really do love their conditioners. In fact, 12 year-old Jenna can empty a bottle of conditioner faster than any female I have ever known. If only I had left the house a few moments earlier!

Given my druthers, I'd return from the store with a bottle of Suave or White Rain for about $2 or less. Having a background in chemistry and being very familiar with the ingredients of shampoo and conditioner I can assure you that the difference between the $2 bottle and the $20 bottle is largely in your head, not on your head. But this is not an argument I've often been successful selling to either my wife or 3 daughters.

But then there's TRESemme

For some reason, if I return with a 32 oz. bottle of TRESemme (about $4) I receive no...

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PattyTherre says "Very strong, long lasting fragrance kit that many love. I don't." about Danica Aromatics I Am Me Fragrance Kit

PattyTherre — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:19:59 GMT

Quick View: The whole line of I Am fragrances is vastly different in scent. I have a couple of them and really am not pleased with them. They are very strong, too strong for me. I have allergies and this scent is the least offensive but still can give me a headache if I don't apply very sparingly. Still the three piece set is a great deal for those who like this fragrance.

My Take on Danica Aromatics I am Me Fragrance Kit

This three piece fragrance kit comes with the following:

# 1.7 oz. I am Me Eau de Parfum Spray
# 8.4 oz. I am Me Rich Body Wash
# 7 oz. I am Me Rich Body Butter

The fragrance is described as a fruity floral with notes of green apple, orange blossom and vetivert. I don't smell any apple or orange blossom and have no idea what vetivert is. I do smell something floral but not sweet. It's more of a sunflower type scent. There is a base of something earthy as well which makes the fragrance much less feminine than many other perfumes. I generally like that because sweet florals...

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CyndiA says "Easy to cook or grill but plain bratwurst are better." about Hillshire Farm Smoked Bratwurst

CyndiA — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:01:36 GMT

I like Hillshire Farms bratwurst sausages, because they are easy to make and taste good. Most often we grill the brats and have them on big buns with spicy mustard.

The Hillshire Farms Smoked Bratwursts are made with pork and beef, and I think they have an all beef version. That wasn't available at Food Lion when I went.

Off the top, I have to say I'm usually not keen on smoke added flavor, although there are some exceptions. If it's Liquid Smoke, then that is what it tastes like - not smoked - just fake smoke and nothing else similar. That, fortunately, was not the flavoring in the Hillshire Farms Smoked Brats. Still, it was not a real smoke taste or not like off the grill anyway.

We boiled our brats (well - simmered really) in beer with butter and onions like usual, and then put the brats on the grill. So, we got some of the grilled smoke taste too. But, the secondary smoke taste was there.

The smoked Hillshire Farms brats aren't bad. If you don't grill, you might like them for a change...

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Bryan-Carey says "Philips Norelco Nivea Razor: Closeness and Comfort" about Philips Norelco Nivea Razor HS8420

Bryan-Carey — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:07:16 GMT

Electric razors offer some distinct advantages when compared to shaving with a manual razor. They offer convenience and speed, without the need for shaving cream, hot water, or anything else. However, electric razors often do not provide a very close shave and some are prone to irritate the skin. One electric razor that helps to resolve these and other problems is the Philips Norelco Nivea Razor, Model HS8420.

Razor Commentary:

The Philips Norelco Nivea Razor Model HS8420 is similar to other electric razors in several ways. This razor is rechargeable and it cuts facial hair by running the heads over the skin. The razor has about three dozen small blades that are hidden beneath a thin metal shield that protects the skin from the spinning blades.

This electric razor is a wet/dry razor, which is nothing new, but what sets it apart from most other electric razors is the Nivea conditioner that is dispensed as you shave. This conditioner is loaded into the razor by inserting the tip of...

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PattyTherre says "Warm and fuzzy low boots for cool casual days and nights." about Skechers Women's Blitzer Boots

PattyTherre — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:53:54 GMT

Quick View: I love trendy high heeled boots but in New York State, wearing them in the dead of winter isn't a very smart move. I have several pairs of cold weather boots but couldn't resist indulging in the Skechers Women's Blitzer Boots. I like that these are flat boots with lots of furry warmth and they are low so I can wear skinny jeans or boot cuts ones over them. They're super warm and comfy!

My Take on Skechers Women's Blitzer Boots

These ankle boots are made from sueded material and faux fur. The entire inside, including the foot bed, is furry and you can wear them with or without socks. They slip on with side openings and you can tie the sturdy laces as tightly as you want. I have skinny little ankles so I have to really tighten these up if I want them to be tight around them. I can loosen the laces up for a wider boots that fit my leggings or skinny jeans.

The sole is nonslip and very sturdy. The toe is rounded for comfort and there is nice looking stitching on the boot. What struck...

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RudiXeno says "GE Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamp: Not quite there yet" about GE Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamp

RudiXeno — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:48:07 GMT

Over the last few years I've converted most of our lamps and lighting fixtures over to Compact Fluorescent Lights. With the exception of a small number of ornamental lights and lights controlled by dimmer switches, the conversion is almost complete. The savings, in terms of our electric bill are both noticeable and impressive. And, of course there is that intangible reward knowing that I'm doing something good for the environment.

So several months ago when I got the opportunity to try convert the few remaining R40 Floodlamps with GE's Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Floods I didn't hesitate.

GE Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamp

Theses CFL Floods appear virtually identical to any other and comfortably fit any high-hat meant to accept an R40 bulb. At 1300 lumens, they provide just a bit less light at full brightness than the 100W bulbs they are replacing. They consume just 26W of electricity rather than the normal 90 - 100W of a conventional incandescent flood.

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PattyTherre says "Nine tasty soda flavored lip balm tins to keep or share!" about Schweppes Gold Medal Lip Balm Gift Set

PattyTherre — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:22:55 GMT

Quick View: This gift set of ten soda flavored lip balms is tasty, hydrating, and fun. Keep some and give some away or keep them all! I got a great deal on these at HSN.com. They were on sale for just $10.00 a set. They're incredibly tasty in flavors i remember as a kid.

My Take on Schweppes Gold Medal Lip Balm Gift Set

This set comes boxed and has nine separate time of old school Swhweppes soda flavors. The balms are tinted in the tins but have very little color on the lips. Although they have a novelty look to them, they contain good ingredients like organic extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, rosemary and Vitamin E. And boy do they taste great!

You get the following:

# .35 oz. Schweppes' Cider SPF 15 Sunscreen Lip Balm.
# .35 oz. Schweppes' Dry Grape Ginger Ale SPF 15 Sunscreen Lip Balm.
# .35 oz. Schweppes' Raspberry Ginger Ale SPF 15 Sunscreen Lip Balm.
# .35 oz. Schweppes' Black Cherry Seltzer SPF 15 Sunscreen Lip Balm.
# .35 oz. Schweppes' Sarsaparilla...

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TheBard says "You'll Never Need Another Mathematic/Scientific Calculator" about Texas Instruments - TI83

TheBard — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:04:36 GMT

Bottom-Line: The Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator is probably the last calculator you will purchase in your academic career, it is just that powerful.

Texas Instruments released the first TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator, and upgrade of the TI-82, in 1996, and it has gone to be one of the most widely used graphing calculators for students across a broad range of educational levels. In addition to the functions found on normal scientific calculators the TI-83 Plus includes graphing, polar/parametric/sequence graphing modes, statistics, trigonometric, calculus (the Plus) and algebraic functions. Texas Instruments released the TI-83 Plus in 1999 as a replacement for the normally aspired TI-83. The TI-83 Plus also ships with flash memory, which would enable the devices’ OS to be updated as needed.

Powered by (4) AAA-sized batteries (plus 1 CR-1616 or CR 1620 lithium battery for backup), the TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator is large unit ideal for advanced mathematics students...

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Jo says "Herbalife 21-Day Herbal Program didn't leave me Cleansed" about Herbalife 21-Day Herbal Cleansing Program

Jo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:15:54 GMT

I am buying into the Herbalife life while doing a 12-week weight loss program. They are the sponsors. I bought the Tea and like it a lot.

Another product I bought is the Herbalife 21-Day Herbal Cleansing Program. This is not the first cleanse I have done. I guess in general they don't work all that well for me.

What is Herbalife 21-Day Herbal Cleansing Program

For about $27.00 I got two bottles. One is for the morning and one is for the evening. The products are herbal blends which I like rather than a bunch of chemicals. The morning formula is called the Replenishing Formula and the evening one is called the Cleansing Formula. Herbalife 21-Day Herbal Cleansing Program is called "An internal cleansing system for digestive health."

According to the box the benefits are to helps the body eliminate toxins; to improve nutrient absorption, and it may support weight management. Of course none of these statements nor the product is monitored by the FDA.

I do believe that cleaning out my digestive...

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