Reviews by Friends of ZoeKaya

njchicaa says "Don't bother with this Neutrogena Deep Wrinkle Eye Cream. " about Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Moisture (SPF 20)

njchicaa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:09:54 GMT

As any other 30-something woman, I am concerned about the fine lines and wrinkles that seem to pop up daily around my eyes. I've tried almost every one that the local Target stocks, with the most recent test-run including Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Moisture Cream.

Basically, with an under eye cream, I'm looking for hydration and possibly some minimizing of the fine lines. I don't expect miracles or for the lines to completely disappear or the occasional dark circles to be absolutely hidden. I was hoping at a cost less than $5, Neutrogena Deep Wrinkle Moisture Cream could get the job done.

This is a fairly thin cream that spreads easily across delicate skin and absorbs quickly. A little goes a long way which is always good to see. It seems to moisturize skin, but I've never noticed any improvement in fine lines or the "deep wrinkles" that this Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Moisture Cream claims to minimize. In fact, not only does it *not* really do anything...

...

njchicaa says "Father Frost, I really wanted to love you but I can't." about LUSH Father Frost Soap

njchicaa — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:45:15 GMT

I recently received the motherlode of LUSH soap samples, including a piece of Father Frost. The company has changed their soap from a palm-based formula to a palm-free, rapeseed oil (aka canola oil) base which, while more environmentally-friendly, has disappointed dedicated LUSH customers for the past several months. I bought a full-sized soap and really didn't like it, so I vowed not to buy the company's new soaps without first trying sample pieces. I'm so happy that I've had the opportunity to try them before buying them!

According to LUSH, Father Frost Soap is designed to look like midnight and smell like a garden. The main ingredients in this vegan soap include cranberry infusion, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, organic apple juice, ylang ylang oil, jasmine absolute, bergamot oil, rose oil, etc. It is a lovely dark blue-violet color and, at first sniff, reminded me a lot of my beloved Cocktail, but upon further use quickly became an obnoxious floral scent that...

...

njchicaa says "LUSH Vanilla in the Mist soap smells nice but that's it. Hmph." about LUSH Vanilla in the Mist Soap

njchicaa — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:53:42 GMT

I've learned not to just blindly buy every new product that LUSH releases, because it is like some strange addiction. I usually only like about 25% of the LUSH products that I try, but that somehow doesn't stop me from continuing to check them out. I recently received several soap samples in an online order, including LUSH Vanilla in the Mist Soap.

Vanilla in the Mist is, obviously, a vanilla-scented soap. It contains their palm-free, rapeseed (canola) oil base and ingredients including sunflower oil, coconut oil, gardenia extract, bergamot oil, and vanilla absolute. According to the web site, it is supposed to be a combination of "a dream dessert; quadruple espresso and a top quality Italian ice cream." Personally, I don't get any coffee notes from Vanilla in the Mist. To me, it is basically a warm vanilla scent combined with buttery cookies.

I had a fairly large chunk of this soap to use in the shower. The first thing that really annoyed me was the large vanilla bean pod...

...

njchicaa says "Greenies Pill Pockets are the answer to a cat owner's prayers!" about Greenies Pill Pockets for Cats

njchicaa — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:01:30 GMT

Attempting to give a cat a pill is about as easy as it is to unscramble an egg. I have 7 cats in the house at the moment (3 pets and 4 fosters) and one of them has tapeworms which means that they ALL have to be treated. I bought a new pill dispenser this afternoon in preparation for the Afternoon Pill Challenge, but I also bought a bag of Greenies Feline Pill Pockets to see if they could get the job done without the inevitable blood donation required with the pill dispenser. I can tell you this: not every cat was willing to eat the Pill Pockets, but several of them were which made my life MUCH easier today.

Greenies Feline Pill Pockets are basically flavored treats (chicken or salmon flavor) with holes in them for you to pop a pill into. These treats are extra soft which allows you to seal up the hole and ensure that the pill is completely hidden. I used these Chicken Pill Pockets to hide deworming pills that they absolutely HATE. One of the cats actually starts foaming up...

...

njchicaa says "Oatifix smells lovely but otherwise it is a complete disaster." about LUSH Oatifix Fresh Face Mask

njchicaa — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:25:31 GMT

My favorite group of LUSH products is their Fresh Face Masks. They are made with whole fruits/veggies, yogurt, honey, mineral-rich clay, etc. and don't contain any preservaties. I really love them, despite their 3 week shelf-life, because they really do deliver fresh, rejuvenating, and nutritious ingredients to my tired skin. Unfortunately, LUSH Oatifix Fresh Face Mask is a loser and one that I'll never buy again.

Oatifix is supposed to be a cleansing and moisturizing face mask for sensitive and dry skin. It contains ingredients including finely ground oatmeal, fresh bananas, ground almonds, clay, talc, vanilla pod, vanilla absolute, and sandalwood oil. This mask smells super-yummy and reminds me of a dessert with bananas, whipped cream, and vanilla wafers.

Unfortunately, using this stuff is a nightmare. It is absurdly thick and is about as easy to spread across your face as chilled cooked oatmeal. Even after up to 15 minutes on skin, it doesn't dry which means that it...

...

njchicaa says "A non-lathering soap that smells like old lady perfume. Yuck." about LUSH 13 Unlucky For Dirt Soap

njchicaa — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:31:13 GMT

Recently, LUSH has switched their base for their fresh, handmade soaps from palm oil to rapeseed (aka canola) oil. The decision was made because most palm oil is not produced in a sustainable way which means that sensitive ecosystems are chopped down in order to produce more product. LUSH is a company with a conscience, so they decided to stop using palm oil in their soaps and replace it with rapeseed oil. Great idea, right? Wrong.

LUSH describes 13 Soap (Unlucky for Dirt) as a super-cleansing soap that has the antibacterial properties of oregano oil. It contains ingredients like oregano essence, rose essence, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, honey, oregano oil, rose absolute, geranium oil, etc. The scent of the soap while dry seemed to be herbal, but in the shower and even when it dried after use the scent became more of an old-lady, perfumey, floral rose kind of thing which I found repulsive.

Really, the main problem with LUSH 13 Unlucky For Dirt Soap is the palm-free...

...

njchicaa says "Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder isn't the book I expected. " about Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Woman Behind The Legend

njchicaa — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:40:07 GMT

I've been reading the Little House on the Prairie series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder for 20+ years now. They were wonderful when I was a child/teenager and, frankly, they are just as delightful now that I am a thirtysomething adult. I became curious and wanted to read a biography of the author's life which is how I wound up ordering Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder.

This book is part of the "Missouri Biography Series" because that is where Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband settled for the majority of their lives. It starts out with a brief history of Laura's parents and spends a few chapters on the time period encompassing her childhood, teenage years, and marriage 85 pages out of 262, and then the rest of the book is focused on Laura's time in Missouri. Don't get me wrong... I was interested in what happened to Laura and Almanzo Wilder after the Little House series of stories ended, but I would much rather have read a book with more biographical information concerning the...

...

njchicaa says "LUSH Santa's Rice Porridge is gross gross gross! Yuck!" about LUSH Santa's Rice Porridge Fresh Face Mask

njchicaa — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:37:08 GMT

While visiting a NYC LUSH shop recently, I picked up their 2 new fresh face masks, including Santa's Rice Porridge. The company describes it as a nourishing and reviving mask for tired and stressed skin. This limited-edition holiday mask contains ingredients like kaolin clay, fresh raisins, dried cranberries, glycerine, talc, ground almonds, cocoa butter, brandy, vetivert oil, and cedarwood oil.

Santa's Rice Porridge Fresh Face Mask is supposed to always be kept refrigerated. Problem is that this stuff is super-thick and glue-like when cold. The first time I used it was straight out of the fridge and it was a really unpleasant experience. It was basically like trying to smear a giant, cold glob of congealed oatmeal or grits across my face. I really wanted to give it a shot, though, so I persevered. Unfortunately, the whole experience was gross and really didn't do much other than annoy me and leave my face slightly hydrated. The second time I used it, I scooped a little...

...

njchicaa says "Noubar? No thanks!" about LUSH Noubar Soap

njchicaa — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:48:47 GMT

I recently placed my first order with the United Kingdom branch of the LUSH company. When I opened up my very modest order, I was shocked to discover that they included EIGHT different soap and massage bar samples, including a generous piece of Noubar Soap.

Isn't that cute? The company named one of their new soaps Noubar. (get it? "new bar"?) Anyway, this is supposed to be a pisatchio-scented and exfoliating soap as it contains little bits of almonds, peanuts, walnuts, and pistachios. The soap has a lovely pistachio fragrance with hints of rose and vetivert, but the fact that it contains so many different types of nuts makes it a no-go for those with nut allergies.

I've tried some of the "new" LUSH soaps that have the new rapeseed oil base that is replacing the former palm base. I wasn't impressed which is why I didn't bother to buy this one when it was released. I received a free sample, though, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. I used it during a few showers and was...

...

njchicaa says "We love to visit Virgil's when we are in New York City." about Virgil's Real Barbecue - New York City, NY

njchicaa — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:09:28 GMT

My father took my husband and I to Virgil's one Sunday night several years ago after we had attended at Jets game. We've been making regular visits to this Southern-style Barbeque Restaurant ever since!

Virgil's Real Barbeque features chicken, ribs, brisket, lamb, pork, and sausage cooked over different fruit woods which, as the menu proudly boasts, create different colored rings on the meat which "is a sign of real barbeque!" If you aren't into BBQ, there also are fried and grilled chicken, beef, and fish dishes. In addition to the main courses, the menu features many yummy appetizers, salads, side dishes, and over 100 different types of beer. When we are at Virgil's, I usually get the Memphis ribs with sides of cole slaw and macaroni and cheese while my husband orders the ribs and brisket combo with baked beans and cole slaw. Over the years, we've also had the Trainwreck Fries, hush puppies, trash ribs, pulled pork, sausage, and barbequed chicken. We've never had any complaints...

...

njchicaa says "LUSH Coco Lotion: an average lotion with an outrageous price." about LUSH Coco Hand and Body Lotion

njchicaa — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:16:01 GMT

I love tropical fragrances and was very tempted to order this new LUSH hand and body lotion when it was released a few months ago. I've been burned by blindly LUSH products before, though, so I passed and decided to wait for the opportunity to check it out in person. I recently visited the NYC Broadway location at about 7pm on a Saturday night. The tiny store had people packed in like sardines so I simply grabbed the few items that I wanted and didn't bother trying to check out anything new. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when the sales associate slipped a little sample pot of Coco Lotion into my bag as she packed up my purchases.

According to LUSH, Coco Hand and Body Lotion was inspired by the Carribean and contains ingredients like extra virgin coconut oil, pineapple juice, mandarin infusion, and rosemary infusion. The ingredients are 100% vegan and are never tested on animals. A 7.9 ounce jar of LUSH Coco Lotion costs $19.95 which makes it something crazy like almost...

...

njchicaa says "LUSH Cinders didn't impress me." about LUSH Cinders Bath Bomb

njchicaa — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:38:55 GMT

I had the opportunity to visit a LUSH shop recently and was able to see/sniff their new holiday products. I decided to pass on most of them, but I did pick up two of their Cinders Bath Bombs because they smelled divine!

According to the company web site, LUSH Cinders Bath Bomb was inspired by a mulled wine-type Christmas drink served in Sweden. It smells like equal parts of cinnamon and sweet orange or apple juice. Interestingly, the company has included vegan fizzing candy (I'm guessing something like Pop Rocks) in this product and it is supposed to actually crackle as it fizzes and dissolves in the bath. At $3.95 a piece, this is one of the cheapest LUSH bath bombs available which is nice because it is much easier for me to rationalize spending $4 on a bath than $7, $8, or even $15!

When I put a Cinders Bath Bomb into my bath this morning, it immediately started fizzing and spinning and, incredibly, was completely dissolved and gone in less than a minute. The lovely sweet and...

...

AmyA says ""Straight from the Heart" will grab your heart" about Straight From the Heart

AmyA — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:38:38 GMT

It is very rare these days that there is a movie that will grab me, but Straight from the Heart did just that and it's been weeks and I still can't get the movie out of my head. I had to see it again and found myself watching it on YouTube HA.

The movie was made in 2003 for the Hallmark channel and is now on DVD. Based on the book by Pamela Wallace. Staring: Andrew McCarthy, Teri Polo

A New York photographer (Jordan Donavan played by Teri Polo) was in hopes that the man she has been dating for five years would at last propose, but he just couldn't commit. Unkowing her best friend responded to a personal ad and then Jordan finds herself going to Wyoming for a blind date with (Tyler Ross played by Andrew McCarthy) a Wyoming cattle rancher. His sister is the one that put the ad in the magazine.

The two couldn't be more opposit, but as Jordan finds out more about Tyler's past life she wonders if she will really find love. She falls in love with the family and the people of the area....

...

AmyA says "Have you ever been in love with your pots and pans? " about Paula Deen 10 Pc. Set of Pots and Pans

AmyA — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:29:09 GMT

You want me to cook with those pans? Ugggg! My old pans were looking old, dry, no life nor were they inspiring me to cook.

I found this beautiful 10 piece cookware set at Walmart for $99 and text my hubby that I would love to toss out the old crap we had replace it with (I took a picture of the Paula Deen pan set with my cell phone and sent it to him). l got a OK (I already had it in the cart before he said OK shhhhhh) and brought it home.

It fit us perfect. All of pans can go into the oven up to 350 degrees, made of porcelain enamel, durable, stain resistant (a plus with my hubby), a snap to clean (a plus for me) because it has a nonstick interior, mine is a pretty speckled red finish (LOVE IT) and a limited life time warranty. The pan covers are glass with a cool brass finish. Just the right weight too.

The ten piece set comes with: one and two quart sauce pans with lids, three quart sauce pan with lid (great for soup for two), six quart stock pan with lid, and a eight and...

...

AmyA says "Put the pulse in your mascara and get long lashes" about Maybelline Pulse Perfection Waterproof Mascara

AmyA — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:15:09 GMT

Yes, another mascara, but this one had something new. I saw the ads on TV and magazines and just didn't get it..vibrating mascara? So found a sale and thought I would give Maybeline Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascara a try.

As I do with new make-up...Rip it out of the package like a little kid on Christmas just to see what it was like. Yippee it was out of the package and I located the little button and nothing. Oh great I bought a dud, but wait (it must have a battery and something needs to be pulled) it didn't have a little pull tab for the battery. It was a band wrapped around where the pulse button was. So if you purchase it...take the wrapped band off first and WALAAA the pulse will work. (I live for my little "duh" moments, always helps others in the long run).

This is a mascara to play around with and the trick is start at the base of your lashes, do a quick pass on the back side and back to the front at the base (on the front take your time, rushing is not the key). ...

...

AmyA says "The last straw that is working for my allergy stuffies" about NeilMed NasaFlo Neti Pot

AmyA — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:45:26 GMT

Oh yeah this year had to have been the worst year for my indoor and outdoor allergies! Rag weed (per my doctor) was high for allergy sufferers this past summer/fall season and I believe it.

I think I tried everything and nothing was really helping me like I hoped it would and the prescription medication didn't help at all so what to do next.

My account manager told me about a Neti Pot and I should give it a try. I was like HUH? You pour water up your nose? I don't think so. Then I was visiting my parents and my big brother was over and we were talking allergies and told him what my account manager said. To my surprise my brother uses the NasaFlo Neti Pot by NeilMed for his allergies and he told me it helps out a lot for him. OK, if my big brother uses it and it works for him I will brave it and give it a try.

So I hit my local Walgreens and purchased my NeilMed Neti Pot. I was still nervous, but opened the box, read the directions and looked to see what the box all had in...

...

njchicaa says "Avon Moisture Therapy Lip Moisturizer is a disappointment." about Avon Moisture Therapy Lip Moisturizer

njchicaa — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:34:11 GMT

It is well-known by my family and friends that I am addicted to lip balm. They like to take bets on how many tubes/pots of it are in my purse at any given time, but at the same time they are always giving me new and different products to try. I received my tube of Avon Moisture Therapy Lip Moisturizer from my mother during her last visit to my house.

This Lip Moisturizer is sold in a .5 fluid ounce tube. This is a hydrating product that contains ingredients including octinoxate, oxybenzone, rice bran oil, paraffin, orange roughy (a fish) oil, squalene, soybean oil, and lanolin. It also has an SPF of 15 which is always helpful when you are spending a lot of time outside during the summer.

This tube has a very tiny little opening which makes it a bit of a challenge to apply a decent layer of Avon Moisture Therapy to my mouth. It doesn't make much of a difference, though, because this stuff wears away almost immediately and the tube is simply too annoying to bother with reapplication. ...

...

njchicaa says "We enjoy Trader Joe's Breakfast Blend Whole Bean Coffee." about Trader Joe's Organic Breakfast Blend Whole Bean Coffee

njchicaa — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:46:26 GMT

We have an evil and awful Cusinart Grind and Brew Coffee Maker which requires whole coffee beans. I'm not a coffee snob, so we usually make do with the Starbucks whole bean coffee that we can pick up in the local grocery store or Target for about $10 per bag. When I saw that Trader Joe's had larger containers of coffee for only $7, I decided to buy a few different varities, including their Breakfast Blend.

Trader Joe's Breakfast Blend contains organic and fair trade Arabica whole beans. They have a medium roast which, according to the label, means that they have a "mellow and smooth" flavor. This coffee is sold in 14 ounce nitrogen-flushed can with a resealable lid. The problem is that this Breakfast Blend Whole Bean Coffee is sold only in Trader Joe's stores which means that availability is limited. I live at the Jersey Shore and the 2 closest stores are both over an hour away from here.

I have to say that Trader Joe's Whole Bean Breakfast Blend really does make a nice cup...

...

njchicaa says "Pillsbury Breadsticks are a nice little side for pasta dinners." about Pillsbury Pillsbury Breadsticks

njchicaa — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:34:00 GMT

I don't usually serve bread or Pillsbury rolls with dinner, but every now and then I like to add something different to switch up our usual homemade meals. I bought a container of PIllsbury Breadsticks last week and finally got around to making them tonight to go along with the chicken parmesean and linguine that I made.

When you buy Pillsbury Breadsticks in the grocery store, you are getting a refrigerated roll of dough that you need to open and separate. Then you need to twist them from each end to produce a pretty shape and place them on a greased cookie sheet with the ends firmly pressed down. After 12-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven, you have lovely and golden-brown twisty breadsticks. I'd suggest only making a tube of these breadsticks if you have enough people to eat all twelve of them, because these things don't reheat well in an oven or microwave.

As a processed product, it goes without saying that it contains lots of fat, sodium, and preservatives. I've been really...

...

njchicaa says "No more Extreme Cooking Challenge with this Frigidaire Gas Range" about Frigidaire Gallery 30 Inch Freestanding Gas Range

njchicaa — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:01:42 GMT

We've been living in this 40 year old house with probably the original teeny tiny stovetop and a wall oven that was at least 10 years old. At first the oven stopped working during the warm, humid summer months, but it up and died for good this year and completely refused to start working again when cooler autumn temperatures rolled in. My husband finally relented and bought a Frigidaire 30 Inch Range to replace our kitchen antiques.

I didn't have any major requirements for a new range. As long as the oven actually lit when I turned it on and I was able to fit two pots on adjacent burners, I figured that we were going to be doing better than the existing setup. The Frigidaire FGGF3031KW Range has 5 burners, including two "quick boil", one "simmer", and an extra-long one suitable for use with stovetop grills and griddles. It also has features like self-cleaning, timer, quick bake, timed bake, a light, and even an oven shelf that automatically pulls out when you open the oven door. ...

...