Reviews by Friends of richelmore

AnnaBanana says "For when it is important to see through a glass clearly ..." about World Optical Products Anti-Fog Lens Cleaner

AnnaBanana — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:02:03 GMT

Several years ago, during another frigid Midwestern winter of the past, I was trolling the tides over at Dominick's trying to see where I was going through the mist which had accumulated on my glasses when I had entered the warm store, when a man asked me if I would like him to clean my eyeglasses for me. At first, I was a bit offended until I realized that he was selling something. Patiently, I waited as he used some sort of pale green cream to scrupulously spark up my spectacles. After cautiously peering through them again and bracing myself for the "spiel" which was sure to come, I had to admit that it had made a big difference, all to the better. Then the sales rep began to tell me about World Optical Products Anti-Fog Lens Cleaner and what he said was destined to make an even bigger difference to my life during the cold weather months. Buying a couple of jars that day was one of the best investments I have ever made.

WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT IT DOES

World Optical Products...

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PattyTherre says "mark's On the Edge Hook Up Eyeliner isn't edgy enough for me!" about Avon mark On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner

PattyTherre — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:09:10 GMT

Quick View: This eyeliner is cute and compact but isn't dramatic enough for me. It's also pricey for the amount you get. It's OK but I prefer deeper shades.

My Take on Avon mark On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner

I am a self proclaimed beauty diva. As such, I tend to try everything even if I don't need a beauty product. I must have 20 eyeliners but I liked the idea of a compact little tube that "hooked up" with another product (mascara, lip gloss, lipstick, eye shadow, etc.) and that I could carry easily with me.

I bought Avon mark On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner along with a Hook Up eyeshadow. The connector piece was free. This eyeliner is a small black tube with a screw on/off top. That top slides into a plastic connector and another Hook Up product can be attached to it so I can carry one tube that really is two tubes hooked together. Saves space.

The eyeliners have stupid names like Callisto, Cleo, and Medusa so you really don't know the exact shade except by looking at the little...

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AnnaBanana says "The 97 Cent Solution!" about White Rain Shampoo

AnnaBanana — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:46:11 GMT

Those of you who have eagerly (or maybe NOT so eagerly?) followed the saga of my shampoo adventures know that I have experienced mixed results with a variety of products. I had to give up shampoos or conditioners which contained Yellow Dye #10 because they were "yellowing" my prematurely white hair. I tried Aveda Sap Moss for a while, which worked alright, but was a tad expensive. I switched to Pantene Pro-V Silver Expressions which fulfilled its promise of leaving my hair shimmering and bright -- alas, it reached the point where it wasn't leaving my hair at all as I noticed what seemed to be abnormal hair loss during shampoos, brushings and stylings. Shampooing one's hair is an indispensable part of life so I plodded on through the jungle until I came to a reunion with an old friend from the 50's ... White Rain Shampoo now manufactured by the Sun Products Corporation of Wilton, CT.

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

When I was in high school, White Rain Shampoo was manufactured by the Gillette...

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PattyTherre says "I don't smell the sea or cotton. I smell a strong floral scent." about Bath and Body Works Sea Island Cotton Fragrance Mist

PattyTherre — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:28:05 GMT

Quick View: I love fresh scents and can't get enough body mists and sprays that smell fresh, clean, and airy. During a buy 3, get 3 free sale on signature scents at Bath & Body Works, I picked up several items and one was Bath and Body Works Sea Island Cotton Fragrance Mist. With a crisp name like that, how could I go wrong? Well I did. It's very floral. It's fine for those who tolerate floral scents but I can't. Bummer.

My Take on Bath and Body Works Sea Island Cotton Fragrance Mist

This spray comes in a 8 ounce clear plastic bottle. The spray is also clear. When I read the notes, I was excited to try it. I figured all the clean ingredients would certainly overtake the floral accord....

# Fragrance Top Notes: Fresh Bright Floral Accord, Clean Cotton Accord, Drenched Air Accord, Fresh Linen Effect, Wet Green Pear, Blood Orange, Tangerine
# Fragrance Mid Notes: White Muguet, Crisp Orange Flower, Watery Cyclamen, White Freesia, Cotton Blossom Headspace, Dewy Jasmine
# Fragrance Base Notes:...

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PattyTherre says "Fakery at its finest. This Ugg boot site LOOKS legit but is NOT!" about bestuggsell.com

PattyTherre — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:24:52 GMT

Quick View: I have written a lot about Uggs and Ugg-Alike boots. I have an obsession with them. Imagine my delight when I saw that Ugg Australia website was having a great sale on the most popular styles of Uggs! Then I discovered a very sneaky plot to make people BELIEVE they are on the Ugg Australia website when, in fact, they are on a Chinese site that claims nowhere that the boots they sell are authentic.

My Take on bestuggsell.com

I clicked on an ad that showed a pair of Uggs at a great price. I was delighted to see some great sales on the Ugg Australia website. I decided to splurge and buy a pair of classic cardy Uggs since the price was discounted so much. Then I decided to go through a cash back site to get even more savings.

I went to Bing's cash back, logged in, and clicked on Ugg Australia. It took me to the exact site but the prices were different. Hmm. I went to the site I had been looking at and, sure enough, it was exact -- same logo, same photos, same everything -- but the...

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AnnaBanana says "Holy SMACKERS! Good news for all of us snackers!" about Jolly Time - The Big Cheeze Microwave Popcorn

AnnaBanana — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:41:07 GMT

Usually in my reviews, I try to concentrate on foods with redeeming features -- low fat, whole grain, less calories, etc. -- but sometimes for something special I will leap the fence and take a chance on reviewing something that is only notable because it is so much fun to eat. Such is the case of Jolly Time The Big Cheeze Microwave Popcorn. My doctor would probably wake up screaming in the middle of the night if she knew I was eating this sort ot stuff (and rightfully so) but for a now-and-then treat, Jolly Time has outdone themselves.

In my first excited forays through Alice.com, I noticed that they had several types of popcorn for sale and took a chance on this one. I always think the winter months are an ideal season for fresh hot popcorn made at home. Last night, as I was watching "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," it occurred to me that if I had seen it in the theatre when it was first released, I probably would have been snacking on popcorn so I stopped the disk for...

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AnnaBanana says "Sears brightens up another corner!" about Grandrich Ceramic Table Lamp Model No. G2084 WHT

AnnaBanana — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:55:22 GMT

It is the start of another new year and who knows what the future will bring? Well, here is one safe bet -- as we each get older, we will probably feel less enthusiastic about scaling ladders or perching on chairs and reaching up to change bulbs in overhead lighting fixtures. It stands to reason that most senior citizens depend more and more on table lamps, night lights, or lighting fixtures which can be reached from a safe standing position on the floor.

Alas, my dear Auntie's beloved milk glass bedstand lamp finally gave in this year and it turned out to be hard to replace. Aunt Tatty didn't want something breathcatching and dramatic -- she just wanted a nice little lamp to brighten up the corner where her bed is. Sears had the answer and it was something we were able to find on line -- the Grandrich Ceramic Table Lamp Model No. G-2084 WHT.

This little lamp is perfect for a bedroom oriented to either gender and would also serve well in many other rooms. It is just 12 inches...

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JovialCougar says "Finish Dishwasher Detergent gets the job done" about Electrasol Finish Quantum

JovialCougar — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:32:33 GMT

I recently tried using Finish Quantum Dishwasher Detergent and have been happy with the results. Not only is this product very easy to use, it really gets your dishes as clean as a whistle.

This dishwashing detergent comes in the form of little blocks - about 1 inch X 2 inches. There is a red dot in the middle with Jet Dry gel for shinyness. The rest of the detergent block is a combination of bleach and enzymes, The block is small enough to fit in any dishwasher cup (according to the manufacturer).

What I like best is how easy it is to use this dish detergent. Just toss the pre-measured block in the dishwasher cup, close it, and turn on the machine. Presto - your clean dishes will be ready when the machine is done running. They dissolve completely and are biodegradeable. The packaging says this brand is recommended by Maytag, Whirpool. Bosch, and Kitchen Aid.

The only drawback is that there was quite a bit of packaging with this product. The tabs are in a somewhat rigid plastic tray and...

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AnnaBanana says "It's still not the REAL thing but it's pretty good." about Dean's 2% Reduced Fat Holiday Egg Nog

AnnaBanana — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:53:51 GMT

When I was a little kid, no year-end holiday season was complete at Grandpa Bowen's house until some hero among us adjourned to the kitchen in the evening and whipped up a bowl or pitcher of egg nog. The formula was simple -- according to some old family recipe, you beat up a few raw eggs with an egg beater (Remember egg beaters!) before adding in a quart of whole milk, some sugar, and a touch of nutmeg. After apportioning my share to me, the adults may have spiked what was left before they divided it among themselves. We toasted each other with our glasses of nog for a festive moment destined to become a memory which I will always treasure.

If you have never tasted fresh, foamy homemade egg nog, you really missed something and alas, it looks like a lot of people have missed the boat on this permanently. Not only is a bowl of egg nog a lot of trouble to make but the authorities have warned us about the danger of eating anything made with fresh (raw) eggs which now present a...

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AnnaBanana says "It's made with Whole Grain but ..." about Cheez-It - Baked Snack Crackers made with Whole Grain

AnnaBanana — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:46:05 GMT

Alice.com has among other things a wide variety of Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers manufactured by the Sunshine Company. Several of us have reviewed the Cheez-It products, including my own review about Cheez-It Reduced Fat Baked Snack Crackers. Now something new has been added to the line: Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers made with Whole Grain ... to be more specific, 5 grams of Whole Grain per serving. I am a Cheez-It fan from way back but the fact remains that there are OTHER things besides whole grain in these crackers.

STATS:

Twenty-seven crackers constitute a single serving which contains 150 calories with 70 calories from fat. There are 8 grams Total Fat, 2 grams Saturated Fat, 4 grams polyunsaturated Fat, 2 grams Monounsatured fat, zero each Trans Fat. Cholesterol, and Sugars, 250 mg. Sodium, 17 grams Total Carbs, one gram Dietary Fiber, and 3 grams Protein. Also included are 6% (D.V.) Iron, and 2% each Vitamin A and Calcium.

MY VIEWPOINT:

Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers made...

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AnnaBanana says "It's delicious and YES, it is all natural, but ...." about Minute Maid Limonada Limeade

AnnaBanana — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:06:00 GMT

Peapod was having a sale on Minute Maid juices to salute the onslaught of the holiday entertaining season and so I decided to take a chance and try something different -- Minute Maid Limonada Limeade, one of the famous company's "Latin-oriented" products. I must say that this beverage has a delightful taste and is also a potion with a great potential for blending into smoothies or mixed drinks. That said, I must add that once again we find that "All Natural Flavors" do not necessarily mean that this is as good for you as the limeade you would make for yourself if you felt like squeezing a dozen fresh limes in your own kitchen.

STATS:

Eight ounces of this juice beverage are considered to be a single serving which contains 120 calories, zero fat, 15 mg. Sodium, 33 grams Total Carbs, and 31 grams Sugars. There are zero vitamins and minerals.

MY VIEWPOINT;

Minute Maid Limonada Limeade contains lime juice from concentrate and less than 1% each Natural Flavors and Citric Acid. Alas,...

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JovialCougar says "Rival Crock Pot: The Original Slow Cooker" about Rival Crock-Pot 6 Quart Slow Cooker

JovialCougar — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 02:49:21 GMT

I recently bought a Rival Crock Pot to use at pot luck dinners and similar events. I went with the Rival brand because they are the ''Original Slow Cooker'' and still make them right. It also helped that the price was really reasonable.

My Rival Crock Pot is a 6-quart size. The exterior is stainless steel with black handles. The pot inside is a round, heavy-duty ceramic, 10 inches across and topped with a glass lid. It has black plastic handles and the lid has a black plastic knob on top. There are three settings: Low, High, and Warm. Overall it looks decent.

I've used this crock pot several times to take cooked foods to an event. I was very happy with how it kept the foods warm enough on the low setting for many hours. Nothing burned and I didn't have to go turn it on and off throughout the day. The higher setting is definitely a lot hotter so is best used when really cooking a meal.

Rival makes quite a few different crock pots and this one has few bells and whistles. The three...

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PattyTherre says "Save Money and buy Ugg-Alikes. A Guide to the Best Imitators." about Ugg-Alikes - Which Brand is Most like Uggs?

PattyTherre — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:31:40 GMT

I love Ugg boots. I have a few pairs but, with the economy what it is, I just didn't want to sink so much money into more Uggs although I wanted more.

This winter, I bought four different Ugg-Alikes of varying quality and found one that I can now say is almost identical to Uggs in every way. Let's compare the four brands I bought and see which is the winner!

Which Brand is Most Like Uggs?

I started with Xhilaration Electra Suede Boots, moved to Unionbay Cozie G Boots, then to Bearpaw Women's 10-inch EVA Boots, and finally to EMU Australia Women's Bronte Hi Boots. One of these brands mimics Uggs to a T. The others vary in quality.

First, let's just toss away Unionbay Cozie G Boots. They are cheaply made, ugly, and uncomfortable. They really don't look like Uggs and they're just awful. Ugh. They're cheap but they look and feel even cheaper. No comparison to the others so I won't even compare them.

I am left with three brands.

When I first tried the Xhilaration Electra Suede Boots, I was very...

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PattyTherre says "12 times more impact? I think not, L'Oreal! You're flaky!" about L'Oreal Extra-Volume Collagen Mascara

PattyTherre — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:58:57 GMT

Quick View: This mascara promises all kinds of things but only delivers a few of those things. It certainly doesn't give me 12 times the impact, whatever that is. it doesn't even explain what "impact" is. It does darken and lengthen but that's about it.

My Take on L'Oreal Extra-Volume Collagen Mascara

This mascara comes in a typical black tube and the brush looks fairly typical as well. It is a straight brush with multi-level bristles. L'Oreal claims the mascara has "revolutionary lash-plumping technology with hydra-collagen for breathtaking volume and incredible wear."

It does go on well. It adds some length and darkness to my lashes and it doesn't clump or give me me spider lashes. I see very little volume though and I really need thicker lashes.

The mascara was average but throughout the day, I noticed little flakes under my eyes and on my cheeks. Ugh. The mascara also tends to transfer when I so much as touch my eyes.

I battle dark circles as it is and, to have dark flecks of mascara...

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LauraBelle says "More Minty Than Mint Chocolate Chips" about Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips

LauraBelle — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:36:59 GMT

I'm not very adventurous when it comes to baking, especially holiday baking. I make the same things every year. Rum balls, whiskey balls, kahlua balls, mint meringue cookies, peppermint bark, and dog biscuits. For the past few years I haven't been able to find the mint chocolate chips that I used in the mint meringue cookies. They're one of only four ingredients (egg whites, granulated sugar, and food coloring make up the rest), so it's kind of integral. This year I found Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips, and decided to try this instead.

The Andes baking chips are much smaller than regular chocolate chips, or mint chocolate chips for that matter. The Andes chips look like you took a typical Andes mint and chopped it in much smaller pieces. They still have that chocolate/mint/chocolate sandwich thing going on. They also taste much more minty, and much less chocolatey than the mint chocolate chips.

The mixing and baking was all the same. They still mixed in the same and still placed the...

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LauraBelle says "This Product Does Exist!" about Dishwasher Magic Dishwasher Cleaner & Disinfectant

LauraBelle — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:07:30 GMT

We get a lot of soap buildup in our dishwasher. You can look through all my reviews here to see the troubles with that. Mostly the problem seems to be not enough water pressure to hit all the way around. This causes the soap to sit in the tray. They have garbage disposal cleaners, so why not dishwasher cleaners? I was happy to find one, Dishwasher Magic Diswasher Cleaner & Disinfectant.

With the Dishwasher Magic, you remove the cap on the 12 oz. bottle, but leave the wax plug. It gets placed either upside down in the silverware rack or in another secure place somewhere on the bottom rack. Run the dishwasher on its hottest cycle; this is needed so that it melts the wax plug. This is to remove limescale and rust, but I wanted to remove excess soap.

I tried this and it cleaned the inside of my dishwasher wonderfully, well most of it. Again, I have really bad water pressure inside my dishwasher. The stainless steel interior was sparkling throughout, except on the door where the soap tray is....

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JovialCougar says "A perfect skillet of omelets" about Rachael Ray 8" nonstick skillet

JovialCougar — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:35:45 GMT

I needed a decent skillet for making omelets and finally found one - the Rachael Ray 8'' Nonstick Skillet. This skillet is just the right size for cooking up an egg breakfast or a small meal like a grilled cheese sandwich or one hamburger.

The skillet is made of stainless steel which will be durable over the long haul. I also like the non-stick surface inside the pan. Eggs slide right out! If you keep the stove's heat at a reasonable temperature nothing will burn either.

The handle is made of silcon, which I am seeing more and more of in kitchenware. It does not get hot up to 400 degrees (F) so you can even put it in the oven. Also, the handle is firmly attached with two riveted-on bolts. I'm not crazy about the orange handle color, but can live with it, especially since it has ergonomic qualities.

I've heard that Rachel Ray has a full line of cookware but this it the only piece that I have used so far. Another reviewer mentioned flaking on their skillet, but I have not experienced...

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LauraBelle says "Ultra Connectivity" about Vizio - High Definition Blu-ray Disc Player VBR110

LauraBelle — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:34:00 GMT

In my line of work as an entertainment reviewer, I need to keep up with the Joneses. And in this case the Joneses all have Blu-Ray players. It got to the point that I was turning down some things I had a chance to review because I didn't have a way to view Blu-Ray discs. In addition to that, my DVD player conked out on me.

I think it could have possibly been fixed with a good cleaning, but either way, I was without a way to watch DVDs out here in the living room, and the one hooked up to the TV my husband watches (we maintain a happy relationship by maintaining different TV viewing schedules) doesn't work either. I had a choice of the one in my son's room, my daughter's portable DVD player, or my computer. I chose my computer, which just didn't get as loud as I wanted it to with some discs. I started talking about buying a Blu-Ray player when I caught a good sale after Christmas, but it turns out I didn't need to as somehow Santa knew that's just what I needed.

Santa brought me a Vizio...

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LauraBelle says "Everything I Could Want" about iHome iP9BR Clock Clock Radio for iPhone / iPod

LauraBelle — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:14:59 GMT

If there's one thing those of us that have iPhones and iPods need, it's a way to charge them and play them through speakers. The prevailing maker of these audio systems is iHome. When i got my first iPod Nano, 2nd Generation, I was on the search. I wanted one for my nightstand to act as my radio/alarm clock. I bought a Jensen that did the trick at the time, but now that I'm on my 2nd iPod Nano and my 2nd iPhone, I needed something else.

The Jensen worked adequately with that first Nano, but it didn't work with my iPod Nano 5th Generation and didn't work with either iPhone. I couldn't even insert my iPhones, and the 5th Generation iPod Nano wouldn't charge and wouldn't play through the speakers unless I monkeyed with it a lot, so it really wasn't worth it. Additionally, it only had one alarm, and it was hard to figure out how to turn the alarm off, so I ended up just changing the time when I wanted to sleep in.

This made it easy to make up a Christmas wish list this year. At the top of the...

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LauraBelle says "Can't Get Past the Smell" about The Healing Garden Starter Kit, Lavendertheraphy

LauraBelle — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:18:54 GMT

It's not like I don't appreciate people thinking of me and giving me a gift, as I do. And I always love little lotions and stuff. I've used products from The Healing Garden before and really liked them. I couldn't wait to try this little gift set I got for Christmas in the "lavendertheraphy" for relaxation.

This set comes in a nice little travel case and includes a body soak, body lotion, body mist, bath and shower gel, and a body pouf. I took the "cleanse and calm bath and shower gel" into my shower with me one morning and couldn't wait to be relaxed. Just opening the bottle I was inundated with a terrible smell. I thought it must get better after you put it on. It didn't. It was hard to even consider myself clean with that smell on me, making it far from relaxing. I may have been cleansed, but I wasn't calm. Sure it smells like lavender, but there's another scent in there that's hard to place, but is highly disturbing.

I thought maybe it was just the bath and shower gel, so I tried a...

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