Reviews by Friends of kalexias

PattyTherre says "Tarte 4 Day Lash Stain: When you need super longwearing mascara!" about Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain with Polyflex Technology

PattyTherre — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:54:38 GMT

Quick View: Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain with Polyflex Technology lengthens, curls, and darkens lashes and it really does stay on or days. It doesn't flake or clump and always looks fresh. And it's waterproof!

My Take on Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain with Polyflex Technology

True story: Last night I knew Fed Ex was coming very early in the morning but not exactly when. I needed to sign for a package. I had missed the guy twice so it was imperative that I be up and ready to answer the door whenever the guy knocked. But I'm a night owl and usually sleep until around 10 or 10:30. The Fed Ex guy had come at around 8:30 the previous morning. So, I decided to sleep on the couch where I could be near the door. I also decided to put some Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain and a bit of all natural under eye concealer on that night. When the guy knocked this morning at around 9 a.m., I jumped up, signed for the package, and didn't look like instant death when I did.

It's 29 hours later and I still have the...

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Katrena says "My Kids Love This Disney Princess Step Stool" about Disney Princess Step Stool

Katrena — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:28:45 GMT

The Disney Princess Step Stool is a cool stool for little girls who like pink and princesses. When I happened to see this one on sale at 75% off at Dollar General, I grabbed it and made a beeline for the checkout. I knew my girls would love it.

What I like about the Disney Princess Step Stool:

My daughters love Disney princesses and pink.
It has rubber tipped legs, which makes it less prone to slide.
It is fairly sturdy but wouldn't hold large amounts of weight.
I got it on sale at the end of the summer.
It's pretty lightweight and easy to move.

The Negatives on the Disney Princess Step Stool:

My 2-year-old can now reach things that she knows I put out of her reach.
It wasn't a terribly high price before the sale (less than $5) around here.
My kids (8, 5, 2) seem to always want to climb on this thing, and the 2-year-old usually sets it right on my foot before standing on it.
It has tipped a few times.

I'm pretty sure the label on this one said that this is for sitting and not standing...shouldn't...

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njchicaa says "I'm very happy with my Sigg Aluminum Water Bottle!!" about Sigg Water Bottle

njchicaa — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:37:53 GMT

I've been wanting a Sigg Water Bottle for several months now, but I kept balking at the $30 price tag at the local Target. Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled when I received one as a gift last month and have been using it faithfully almost every day since then.

The Sigg Water Bottle is an aluminum bottle that can be used (and reused) to hold water, iced coffee, iced tea, juice, and other drinks. It has a special coating on the inside to both prevent the absorption of the flavors of the liquids contained and to prevent the liquids from acquiring a metallic taste from the bottle itself. This Aluminum Water Bottle is not dishwasher safe which is inconvenient. It also has a plastic mouth, plastic top, and plastic threads to connect the two. If you aren't careful, you can very quickly strip the threads if you don't pay close attention to how you put the top on.

I drink at least one liter of water at work each day between 7 and 2pm. I used to just hit up the local convenience...

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njchicaa says "I LOVE Natural Balance Ultra Dry Cat Food." about Natural Balance Ultra Dry Cat Food

njchicaa — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:34:40 GMT

Over the years I've become very picky about the ingredients in cat food and cat food in general. I've tried basically all of the so-called "premium" and "super premium" foods out there, but the one I keep coming back to is Natural Balance Ultra Dry Cat Food

Natural Balance Ultra Dry Cat Food is formulated to be a complete diet for both cats and kittens. The pieces are about the size of Skittles (but flattened) so they are suitable for cats of all sizes. It contains high-quality ingredients like chicken meal, chicken, brown rice, salmon, barley, chicken fat, potatoes, carrots, lamb meal, duck, ground flaxseed, etc. It contains no corn, wheat, by-products, gluten, or carcinogenic preservatives which is one of the major reasons that I love this Natural Balance Cat Food.

Another reason that I really like this cat food is the fact that the cats absolutely love it. They happily eat it and only need to consume small amounts because it doesn't contain cheap fillers so they are getting...

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njchicaa says "Weber Gourmet Burger Seasoning adds lots of flavor!" about Weber Grind-n-Grill Gourmet Burger Seasoning

njchicaa — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:17:25 GMT

We love to try different seasonings and spices, so when my husband saw a giant 8 ounce grinder jar of Weber Grind N Grill Gourmet Burger Seasoning at the local wholesale club last year, he immediately decided to add it to the cart. We were hosting our annual 4th of July barbeque, so he figured that this would be the perfect seasoning to add to our homemade burgers.

The Weber Gourmet Burger Seasoning contains ingredients like sea salt, "spices", sugar, dehydrated onion, dehydrated grlic, brown sugar, dehydrated red/green bell pepper, dehydrated tomato, parsley, and natural smoke flavor. To use it you simply remove the top, invert the bottle, and then twist the bottom part to grind the seasonings and apply them to your burgers, steaks, meatloaf mix, etc. The grinder has a little lever that you can move to supposedly change the grind setting from coarse to fine, but ours has never worked and the grinder seems to be stuck on "coarse".

Despite the permanently-coarse grind setting, we still...

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this2shallpass19 says "What's the point of a pocket if it doesn't catch anything?" about Circo Baby Bib

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:28:31 GMT

My son has been trying to spoon feed himself lately, and we've been making a mess! His baby bibs don't fit anymore, so I went to Target looking for a toddler bib. I bought the Circo Baby Bib because it is made out of a plastic-like material that can be wiped off and it has a pocket to catch food that might fall down. It also has a dinosaur on the front, and my son is in a major dinosaur phase right now!

This Circo Baby Bib was $5.99 for only one bib, so I was a little hesitant to buy it at that price, but I bought it anyways. The bib has a velcro closure around the back of the neck like most bibs have. The front of the bib is made out of polyurethane, so you can easily wipe food off of it. There is a pocket at the bottom of the bib that is supposed to catch crumbs, chunks or whatever. I find the pocket to be almost totally useless.

The first time I put this bib on my son, I gave him a muffin to eat and excitedly looked inside the pocket afterwards to see what it collected. ...

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leon says "The best sheet feed scanner ever and the best gadget I own!" about Fujitsu Scansnap S510M

leon — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:17:52 GMT

About a year ago I purchased a Fujisu Scansnap S510M. For some reason I never spent much time with it until recently, and I've fallen in love with it...it's the best desktop feed scanner I've ever owned or used. As a well known geek-about-town in most of the circles I travel in I get a lot of questions about my favorite hardware and software. This fast scanner is now at the top of any list.

The Fujitsu Scansnap S510M is probably the single most critical component of my home office. It is a feed scanner (not a flat bed) that scans pages so fast it is mind boggling.It only rarely jams, and when it does, I just hit one button and the entire front component flips out for easy clearing. It could not possibly be any faster or easier to get documents scanned.

I can stack 40 pages of two-sided documents, hit one button, and walk away while the documents are scanned at an insane 18 pages per minute. It can handle documents as small as business card or as big as legal pages and it scans both sides...

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this2shallpass19 says "Pomegranate Pizzazz is a fruity tea that's not too sweet or sour" about Bigelow - Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:13:51 GMT

Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea is a nice change from the horrible Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea I just bought. Pomegranate Pizzazz is a great tea that is made with all natural ingredients and comes in individually wrapped tea bags for freshness.

What makes Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea different from other teas I have had is that it is made with real fruit juice. The fruit juice must be what gives this tea a beautiful, dark cranberry color. They really put the best fruit flavors together in this tea because it is slightly sweet, not too "fruity", and just a tad bit tart. The pomegranate is detectable, but I also taste a little cranberry.

The tea bag wrapper states that since this tea is made with real fruit juice, it would make a great cold tea too. I have to admit, that sounds like it would be amazing. I think the fruit juice adds a great element to this tea that might not otherwise be obtained. If you enjoy fruit flavored tea, you should definitely love this!...

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Jo says "Coco Coir Collections Mat is great for inside or outside." about William F. Kempf Cocomats Coco Coir Collections

Jo — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:49:12 GMT

I love mats. I have mats and rugs over the rugs in my house, which drives my daughter crazy when she comes home. I like to have a nice welcome mat in the front and in the back of my house.

I liked the way the Coco Collections Coir Rubber Mat looked. This particular one is in my house right at the entrance way. Some Coco Collections mats I have put outside. They do fade after awhile and since I live on the ocean the salt water does a number on everything. In general these are quite durable.

"Coir (From Malayalam kayar, cord) is a coarse fiber extracted from the fibrous outer shell of a coconut. (wikipedia)"

Amazon has a whole host of mats which you can see here: http://tinyurl.com/ykq5tb6.

My mat is really pretty with an attractive design. It is 18 inches by 30 inches which is the perfect size for an outside or inside door mat.

The back of the mat is made of rubber. The care instructions warn us to keep the mat out of direct sunlight so it won't fade but for around $7.00 I just replace...

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PattyTherre says "Petlettes are decent in-between bath wipes for Fido or Fluffy." about Petlettes Pet Bath Wipes

PattyTherre — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:15:47 GMT

Quick View: I have a little white dog and two cats who always seem to find messes to get into. They don't take well to baths and I try to limit them to when my pets truly need to go through the trauma of a full bath. For in between baths, I use Petlettes Pet Bath Wipes. They help clean my animals and leave a nice scent behind but are NOT bath alternatives as advertised.

My take on Petlettes Pet Bath Wipes

These wipes are 8.5"x11". They come in unscented but I bought the orange mango scent. I want my animals to smell fresh! These wipes are just like baby wipes only for pets although I assume one could use them on a human. There is no alcohol in them but the packaging doesn't list the ingredients so I have no idea what is in them.

They are just moist enough to clean up a dirty pet without making them wet although they will be somewhat damp. The wipes do clean my cats and dogs after they have encountered cobwebs, dusty areas, or dirt as long as it isn't a major issue. If they just have dingy...

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njchicaa says "I've only used this blackhead treatment once, but I'm impressed!" about Dr. Brandt Skincare Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner Blackhead Extractor

njchicaa — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:08:02 GMT

I had never heard of the Dr. Brandt line of skin care products until I was completing an order at Sephora.com and was asked which 3 product samples I'd like to try. On a whim, I chose Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner Blackhead Extractor because I currently do have issues with clogged pores and figured it was worth checking out.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner Blackhead Extractor is formulated with alpha and beta hydroxy acids, silicone dioxide, and something called "eijitsu rose". This product is designed to exfoliate and soften skin while also absorbing excess oil and unclogging pores, loosening/removing blackheads, and tightening pores again. You simply apply a thin layer of this product to your "problem areas", let it dry for 5-10 minutes (it will turn white when dry), and then rinse with warm water and dry skin.

I received a 0.068 fluid ounce (2 mL) sample of Vacuum Cleaner Blackhead Extractor for free with my Sephora order. I was leery about the small sample...

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this2shallpass19 says "I really wanted to like this eco-friendly product but....." about Scott Naturals Napkins

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:03:45 GMT

Whenever I have options, I always try to buy the eco-friendly version of something as long as it isn't unreasonably priced. For Thanksgiving this year, I went to the desert with friends. As I did my shopping for the trip, I was searching the paper towel aisle for napkins made from recycled paper. There weren't very many to choose from, but Scott Naturals Napkins were both reasonably priced and made from recycled ingredients, so I chose them.

I like that you get 120 napkins in a package, and I also like that these napkins are made from 80% recycled fiber. Unfortunately, those are all the positive comments I have for Scott Naturals Napkins. Not only are these eco-friendly napkins one-ply, but they are unbelievably thin. They are so thin, they require several of them to do the job that a regular napkin can do in one. As soon as they get wet, they shrivel up and become totally useless.

I'm all for eco-friendly products, but if they don't work well, I won't bother. Unfortunately,...

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njchicaa says "Eh, McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning is just okay." about McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning

njchicaa — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:51:13 GMT

I'm a sucker for trying new spices and seasonings. In all honesty, I have three full shelves in one of my cabinets completely filled with spices, herbs, and various blends. When I saw the McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning in the local grocery store, I had to toss it into the cart and give it a whirl.

According to the label, McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning "gives your chicken a slow-roasted flavor and golden appearance without using a rotisserie." The ingredients listing is vague with salt, onion, "spices", paprika, garlic, citric acid, and silicon dioxide. My guess is that it also contains some kind of chicken broth powder to give food that "slow roasted chicken" flavor. McCormick suggests using this stuff on whole chickens, chicken parts, turkey burgers, and even in breading for fried chicken.

I've used McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning on both Purdue Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs and a skinless turkey "london broil". It did add flavor to the poultry,...

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this2shallpass19 says "Badger Cheerful Mind Balm smells so good!" about Badger Sweet Orange & Spearmint Cheerful Mind Balm

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:44:06 GMT

I recently purchased several citrus-scented Badger products online and experienced mixed results. I absolutely loved everything about their Tangerine Breeze Organic Lip Balm. The scent was perfect and so was the feel of it on the lips. As great as the citrus scent was of the lip balm, I was totally disappointed in the scent of the Fresh Citrus Body Butter. Instead of smelling like fresh citrus, it smelled like lavender. I have a major aversion to floral scents, so I had to throw it away.

One of the employees of Badger contacted me and wanted to make up for the bad experience with the Fresh Citrus Body Butter. She mailed me a couple of products to say sorry, and Badger Sweet Orange & Spearmint Cheerful Mind Balm is one of those products. It is supposed to be an aromatherapy product, which means it can enhance your mood as well as your body. Badger says: "Just rub a little on hands, temples, forehead, or anywhere that needs soothing. Breathe it in."

What I love about...

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this2shallpass19 says "An average diaper rash cream with mediocre ingredients." about Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:18:27 GMT

I am a member of BzzAgent, so I receive free products or samples in exchange for my honest opinion of the product. My latest campaign is for two Aveeno Baby products: Aveeno Baby Essential Moisture Shampoo and Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream.

I thought the shampoo was pretty average and I think the same of the diaper cream. I might be a little biased though, because I prefer baby products that are made with all natural ingredients.

What I do like about Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream is that it is nice and thick. It coats the problem area very well and provides a nice barrier. I also like that it is made with oat kernel extract, beeswax and a couple other natural ingredients. After several applications, it did help the beginning of my son's diaper rash.

What I don't like about this product is that it contains mineral oil and two types of parabens. I don't buy any products for my son that contain either of those ingredients, so naturally, I'm a little...

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PattyTherre says "A cheap product that really does condition and thicken lashes!" about Claudia Stevens Eyelash Thickener

PattyTherre — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:29:02 GMT

Quick View: I don't buy into the hype of all of those expensive eyelash lengtheners and thickeners and I really don't like that they can be dangerous if they get into the eyes. While I do want longer, thicker lashes, I wouldn't compromise my eyes for them. I picked up some Claudia Stevens Eyelash Thickener for under $5.00 at Sally Beauty Supply only looking for a lash conditioner. This turned out to be actually quite a good product!

My Take on Claudia Stevens Eyelash Thickener

This product comes in a mascara-like tube with a brush like a mascara brush. It's clear and has no odor that I can detect. You are supposed to use it twice a day in clean lashes but it can also only be used once at night if you choose.

When I apply Claudia Stevens Eyelash Thickener to my lashes, they become a bit shiny and slightly damp but for just a short time. They then simply look and feel the same as always. I can't tell that I have it on. I could immediately feel a difference as far as conditioning goes. I wear...

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njchicaa says "Kill off the worms in your dog or puppy's intestinal tract." about Safe-Guard 4 Canine Dewormer

njchicaa — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:41:32 GMT

One of the constants of animal rescue is that kittens and puppies have worms. I always deworm them with Pyrantel Pamoate four times in order to remove the common roundworms that they always have. With the last foster puppy, though, I was still finding worms in his poop which meant I was dealing with tapeworms--something Pyrantel cannot kill.

I bought a box of four 3-gram pouches of Safeguard 4 Canine Dewormer at the local PetCo for about $10 I believe. The main ingredient in Safeguard 4 Canine Dewormer is fenbendazole which kills tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. To use it you simply add the appropriate amount of deworming granules to canned food (there is a chart on the back of the box which bases treatment amounts on weight), mix well, and then feed to your dog or puppy. You must repeat the treatment for 3 days in a row to consider the dog fully-dewormed. That's it!

I've been very happy with Safeguard 4 Canine Dewormer. It was effective in eliminating...

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Jo says "Cerama Bryte gets my Cooktop Clean" about Cerama Bryte Glass-Ceramic Cooktop Cleaner

Jo — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:54:42 GMT

To the Point

When we got our Amana 30 inch electric range with a ceramic top we were told we would have to clean it carefully.

I bought Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner. A 28-ounce bottle at Home Depot. It wasn't inexpensive coming in at about $7.00. Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner can be used on all ceramic cooktops.

Amazingly Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner is not tested on animals. It is biodegradable, has no phosphates, and the container can be recycled.

A Closer View

Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner can be used, according to the bottle, on Amana, GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, Hotpoint, Frigidaire, and Kenmore ranges. Although I only use it on my stove now that I'm reviewing this cleaner I see I can use it to clean my stainless steel sink, glass cookware, pots and pans and items I don't have like a glass shower door.:

A little of this white, not horrible smelling liquid goes a long way. I just shake the bottle, and with a paper towel and a cool cooktop I rub Cerama Bryte Cooktop Cleaner on. I then dry...

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Jo says "I bought cute place card holders at Beau-coup.com" about Beau-coup

Jo — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:32:34 GMT

My husband and I were recently married in our religion. Although it was fall we had a beach theme. I wanted Adirondack chairs for the place cards. Some are very expensive because they have tea lights or a place for a picture or the table numbers.

I found small chairs measuring 2 1/4 inch long by 1 1/2 inch wide by 2 inches high at beau-coup.com.

The chairs are not wood so if that is what you are looking for skip these. They are made out of heavy duty plastic. They were packaged so well I was amazed because they are quite durable. I took them over to the venue without any padding. There is no way these little chairs were going to break.

Some people didn't take their chairs. Maybe they didn't know what to do with them but I think they make a cute knick nack and the seat, although small, can fit something little on it. You can also put your next doctor's appointment card in the slot. (Keep reading)

There is a slot on the top of the chair in which I put the place cards, which came with my order....

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this2shallpass19 says "This soy-based candle smells amazing and burns a long time!" about For Every Body Holiday Memories Sugar Cookie 22-oz jar candle

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:43:11 GMT

While shopping at my second favorite store, Ross, I came across a deal that seemed too good to be true - For Every Body Holiday Memories Sugar Cookie Candle, which is a 22 ounce, soy-based jarred candle for only $4.99. Anyone who buys candles knows one, how expensive soy-based candles are and two, that 22 ounce candles of any variety usually cost a lot more than five dollars. Soy-based candles last longer and burn cleaner, so it was a real bargain.

I didn't expect much from this candle simply because it was so inexpensive. Lucky for me, this candle is absolutely perfect AND only $4.99! I have been burning this candle for a while now and can barely see an indentation of burned wax. I can tell this candle is going to last for a very long time. Besides how long-lasting this candle is, the best thing about it is the delicious Sugar Cookie scent. The scent is nice and strong and permeates the air nicely. It smells like a wonderful combination of butter, sugar, crust and vanilla. ...

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