Reviews by Friends of krislynn

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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Katrena says "Melissa & Doug Shapes Puzzle Has Pictures Behind Pieces!" about Melissa and Doug Lights, Camera, Interaction Melissa and Doug Large Shapes Wooden Jumbo Knob Puzzle

Katrena — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:31:40 GMT

Melissa & Doug Lights, Camera, Interaction Large Shapes Wooden Jumbo Knob Puzzle features eight brightly colored shapes:

circle--with a picture of a clock behind it
diamond--with a picture of a kite behind it
pentagon--with a picture of a house behind it
rectangle--with a picture of a school bus behind it
oval--with a picture of a football behind it (I wouldn't have guessed that one!)
triangle--with a picture of a slice of pizza behind it
octagon--with a picture of a stop sign behind it
square--with a picture of a birthday present behind it

Each puzzle piece has a large knob, which is great for small kids who are just learning to work puzzles. My two-year-old loved working this puzzle, and my five-year-old liked naming all the shapes. Each shape has a different color, so this can double for more education than just the shapes, and behind each puzzle piece is a brightly colored picture.

This puzzle is featured for children 18 months and older.

My Viewpoint:

This Melissa & Doug Lights, Camera,...

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Katrena says "Happy Face Sad Face Book Has Faces You Can Put on Pages" about Little Teddy Bear's Happy Face Sad Face: A First Book About Feelings

Katrena — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:13:21 GMT

Little Teddy Bear's Happy Face Sad Face: A First Book About Feelings [1998, The Millbrook Press] is a six page board book with four wooden bear faces with different feelings, including happy, sad, angry, and scared. Each page has a couple of short sentences for quick and easy reading.

This book features a bear that has different feelings throughout the book. The bear's face is missing, but the child can pick one of the four faces to place on each page as the story progresses. Remove the face before turning to the next page to pick other emotions.

My Viewpoint:

Little Teddy Bear's Happy Face Sad Face: A First Book About Feelings was an immediate hit with my kids (ages 8, 5, and 2). The part that makes this book so interesting to the kids is that it is a bit interactive as the kids can choose a face to go with each story. The old kids can easily pick the bear's face that matches the emotions in the story. The 2-year-old just loves to fit any face in the hole like it's a fun puzzle--any...

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Katrena says "Lost in the Snow Was Filled With Fun Snow Facts" about The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Snow

Katrena — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:00:23 GMT

The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Snow [2004, Cartwheel Books by Scholastic, Inc., ISBN: 0-439-56990-7] by Joanna Cole with illustrations by Bruce Degen is a 32-page children's book about snow. It is a level 2 book.

About the Book:

Mrs. Frizzle is at it again as she takes the class on a trip to learn about snowflakes. As the kids ride on the bus, they find themselves eventually up in the clouds and riding snowflakes back to the ground. Back on the ground, they don't have much time to chat as Mrs. Frizzle takes off on skis.

They are supposed to follow, but they can only find ice skates in Mrs. Frizzle's bag. It all comes together as they notice a frozen pond (with signs from the Ranger that the ice is OK to skate on and warnings to always check with someone before skating on ice) and begin their way across. Once across, they notice that the snow is quite deep and find snow shoes that help them to join their interesting teacher.

But now how are they going to get back to the school? You can...

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Buggheart says "This is one tempting soap!" about LUSH Temptation Soap

Buggheart — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:22:18 GMT

While I still like stuff from LUSH, I have too much of it and am trying really hard to not buy any new stuff until I make a huge dent in my stash of products. Yep, I have a huge Rubbermaid box just full of bath and body stuff that I MUST use up.

So while I was recently digging thru that box, I found a bar of LUSH's Temptation soap that I don't even remember buying. I know it's an apple-scented soap and I love apples so I'm sure that's what cause me to buy it but that's really all I knew until a few weeks ago when I unwrapped it and stuck it in my shower to give it a try. Good news! Temptation soap is a hit!

LUSH.com describes Temptation as follows: Named after the Adam and Eve story, this apple soap exists to lure people off the road to smelly hell and towards scented heaven. It tempts the reluctant bather to the tub with the scent of freshly bitten apples. We put refreshing orange blossom absolute in this soap too, along with warming cinnamon leaf and mystical myrrh. How does the...

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TunefulGal says "Yours for a song. Fluff up vivid World Market throw pillows!" about World Market Indian Throw Pillows

TunefulGal — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:37:48 GMT

I enjoy my frugality and my seasonal change of throw pillows with the generous selection found at World Market. I bought the World Market pillows pictured above at two for $10 on an in-store special. As you can see, I don't mind mixing prints with patterns just as long as everything is lively and there's some commonality of color.

World Market imports many of its pillows from India. Fabrics and sizes vary. Some are embroidered, others have woven stripes or applied paints. In the case of my new ones, the fabric is cotton, there are no zippers, and dry cleaning is recommended. Dry cleaning is usually a number one put-off for me. In this case, though, I protect the pillows with a spraying of Scotchguard and, at the least, get months (if not years) of wipe-down wear. These pillows are about 14 X 14 inches square.

Because of their tiny price, I'll eventually toss my pillows in a cold water wash at "gentle" and hope for the best. The fill is polyester, and the greatest negative...

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njchicaa says "Yum! I love Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee!" about Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee

njchicaa — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:33:19 GMT

I'm a big fan of organic and fair-trade products, but the main reason that I bought Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee was because it was nicely priced and had a cute picture of a bird on the container. I'm not kidding.

According to the Cafe Pajaro container, this is a whole bean arabica coffee that is full-bodied and has an extra-dark roast. It also consists of organic coffee beans that have been fairly-traded, which means that the growers are given a fair price for their product and don't have to sell at cut-throat prices. I paid about $7 per 13 ounce can of Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee which is cheaper than the usual brand that we buy that *isn't* organic, fair-trade, or the rest...

We really enjoy this Cafe Pajaro coffee. It is an extra-dark roast which produces a robust and flavorful coffee which is the perfect way to perk us up at 5am each morning. The price is nice and this product also has the benefits of being organic and fairly-traded. For someone...

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njchicaa says "Ocean Potion Moisturizing Body lotion isn't moisturizing. " about Ocean Potion Moisturizing Body Lotion Aloe Lotion

njchicaa — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:05:02 GMT

Every spring a large group of my family heads south for a spring break vacation at Cozumel, Mexico. My birthday is usually a few weeks before the trip, so it wasn't surprising last year to receive a beach tote filled with a new towel, a bottle of tequila, sunscreen, aloe, and a bottle of Ocean Potion Moisturizing Aloe Lotion.

I didn't get around to using it until just the past month or so (6+ months after receiving it) because I had quite a stash of lotions already in the house. I don't get much sun exposure in November/December these days, but I decided to use this stuff as a daily moisturizer. Ocean Potion Moisturizing Lotion contains ingredients like rapeseed (canola) oil, sunflower oil, glycerin, aloe leaf juice, vitamins C/E/A/B6/D, tea tree oil, etc.

Ocean Potion Lotion is an opaque, white, and fairly thin product that spreads easily across and absorbs quickly into skin. The scent is strong and somewhat fruity, though I'd be hard-pressed to name exactly what fruits are combined...

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Fardreamer says "Fiction permeates plot of otherwise good Bridge at Remagen" about The Bridge at Remagen

Fardreamer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:01:03 GMT

If you have ever watched cable television's History channel even casually, you probably remember that it used to air a series called From Real to Reel, which consisted of a screening of a Hollywood historical movie, with commentary by the show's host and a panel of historians in between the three acts of the movie.

From Real to Reel often focused on war movies, and the discussions nearly always pointed out what the filmmakers had gotten right and (more often than not) what they had gotten wrong either because they had not researched the topic well or because they distorted or fictionalized too many elements of the "story" to make the movie more entertaining.

Whether or not History ever aired an episode of From Real to Reel centered on The Bridge at Remagen I have no clue, but given the fact that it is a fact-based movie about one of World War II's most dramatic episodes, I would be surprised if it had not done so.

What It's About:

If you have read - however casually - any general history...

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AnnaBanana says "It may not exactly taste like Fannie May, but HEY!" about Viactiv Calcium Chews

AnnaBanana — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:30:50 GMT

We all enjoyed our Thanksgiving feast today at my friend's house in Brookfield and afterward, as I was chatting with my hostess in her kitchen, I noticed a box of Viactive Calcium Chews sitting on a countertop. I had been curious about this product for a long time and as it just so happened, I had forgotten to take my morning dose of my usual CVS Pharmacy Calcium 600 + D Supplement so I waded right in and asked my friend for one of her Viactiv Calcium Chews.

I won't lie to you and say that these chews are as good as Fannie May caramels. They aren't but they are delicious just the same with no hint of an aftertaste or calamitous digestive side effect. I thought they were QUITE chewy and I suggest -- unless you really have 100% confidence in your teeth and fillings -- that you suck on a Viactive chew to soften it a little instead of chomping right down. Viactiv Calcium Chews come in an assortment of flavors including Milk Chocolate, Caramel, Mochaccino, Raspberry and Orange...

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bkovacs says "Expensive pads are no better than cheaper brands" about Hawk - High-Performance Street (HPS) brake pads

bkovacs — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:36:22 GMT

My brother raved about Hawk brake pads, so when my 1995 Subaru Legacy wagon needed pads a few years ago, I looked for a set of Hawk pads. I found them at The Tire Rack, one of my favorite online stores, at a cost of about $65. At the time (2005), a set of cheapie pads at any autoparts store cost around $30, so Hawk pads were at least twice as expensive. Still, I had dreams of high performance and low dust, so I paid the permium for Hawk HPS pads.

What they are

Hawk sells lots of different brake pads and the HPS is targeted at "spirited" street driving. Most of the rest of Hawk's line is meant for racing or combined street/racing applications. "HPS" stands for "High Performance Street," and the company promised strong braking and minimal dust. Since brake dust looks awful on my plastic wheel covers, I was in favor of low brake dust.

A set of Hawk HPS pads includes four pads -- enough for both front wheels on my car. The specific part number I bought was HB408F.665.

Using them

I installed...

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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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njchicaa says "What a horrible film adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic." about Confessions of a Shopaholic

njchicaa — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:35:35 GMT

When I first read Confessions of a Shopaholic, I was completely charmed by Becky Bloomwood and her spendthrift ways. This first book in the Shopaholic series is one of the best examples of what is now called "chick-lit". The story follows a twenty-something woman who is doing her best to keep her head above water financially while working, ironically, as a financial journalist. The movie version of Confessions of a Shopaholic is a bizarre, twisted, and weak adaptation of the original and brilliant book.

The Confessions of a Shopaholic movie has turned Becky Bloomwood into a humorless, weak, and simple girl who spends more than she earns on clothing, shoes, scarves, etc. In the book she had much more character and strength and her relationship with Luke Brandon was a much more interesting and believable connection. Even Becky's roommate, the supposedly wealthy and very sophisticated Suze, has been completely altered. In the book, Suze rides horses, wears plaid and flannel, and has a...

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njchicaa says "Looking for a non-antibacterial hand soap? Check this one out!" about Softsoap Black Raspberry and Vanilla Hand Soap

njchicaa — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:56:26 GMT

Hand soap is just one of those things that you have to buy. I usually stick to environmentally-friendly products like method or Mrs. Meyer's, but I sent my husband off to the store with the shopping list, so I wound up with a 7.5 fluid ounce bottle of SoftSoap Black Raspberry and Vanilla.

This is basically your typical hand soap: inexpensive, easy to find, mostly unpronounceable ingredients, and pleasant fragrance. Softsoap seems to make the same hand soap in 50 different scents, but their Black Raspberry and Vanilla one is a winner. I normally don't like raspberry or vanilla scents, but the combination along with some other fragrance notes seems to be an unoffensive fruity, floral, and fresh scent.

I wash my hands dozens of times a day... and that is only during the hours that I am not at work! I was worried about drying out the skin on my hands with all of the repeated hand-washings, but it all was fine. This is a lovely and moisturizing hand soap that also has the bonus benefit...

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njchicaa says "Finally, a LUSH massage bar that melts enough to use!" about LUSH Sexy Boy Massage Bar

njchicaa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:48:09 GMT

I've bought several LUSH massage bars over the years (Each Peach, Soft Coeur, Strawberry Feels Forever, Nutts, Mange Too) and, while I found some of them to work well as a basic skin moisturizer, none of them were actually "melty" enough to replace a true massage oil for a full-body massage. I received a very generous sample piece of LUSH Sexy Boy Massage Bar in my latest order and I must say that I am impressed!

The idea behind LUSH massage bars is that they are solid blocks of butters and oils that will melt when exposed to skin's heat and provide the lubrication necessary for a good massage. They are "naked" products in that they don't require plastic packaging which is good for the environment. LUSH Sexy Boy is a holiday product that contains cocoa butter, shea butter, extra virgin coconut oil, lime oil, cocoa absolute, etc. and has a gingerbread man shape. Personally, I don't consider gingerbread men to be sexy, but to each his/her own.

My husband simply doesn't do massages...

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njchicaa says "Not impressed with LUSH Gnome Name Bubble Bar." about LUSH Gnome Name Bubble Bar

njchicaa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:59:34 GMT

I passed on buying most of the LUSH Christmas items this year because they simply didn't dazzle me as I browsed the company web site. When I had the opportunity to check everything out in person a few weeks ago, I again passed on almost everything, but decided to buy 2 of their Gnome Name Bubble Bars.

As the name implies, these solid pieces of bubble bath are shaped like gnomes. LUSH describes them as "fruity, spicy, and soda-scented". To my nose, they smell more like a combination of Necco wafers and Red Hots candy. The Gnome Name moniker is kind of silly because every LUSH store calls this particular product something else. I think the NYC store I bought mine in called it something like "Aikko"... don't ask me what that's supposed to mean.

To use your LUSH Gnome Name Bubble Bar, you simply crumble it under running water as you fill the tub. The eyes on this guy are chocolate chips and won't melt in the tub, so I suggest just removing them and throwing them away before putting...

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Fardreamer says "Though not a cure for bad dandruff, Herbal Essences does help" about Clairol Herbal Essences Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Fardreamer — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:30:40 GMT

Before my present doctor suggested that I switch to Nizoral A-D and/or Neutrogena T-Gel Anti-Dandruff shampoos, I used Clairol Herbal Essences' Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. Ever since I was 12 I have noticed I have a really bad case of dandruff; sometimes the itching and flaking is so maddening that I'll drop whatever I am doing and go wash my hair.

Over the past 34 years, I have used several major brands, including Selsun Blue and various variations of Head and Shoulders. Some of them relieved the itch and flaking, others just diminished the symptoms but required almost daily use with little or no change in my scalp's condition.

Before I switched brands a few years ago, I always tried to get Herbal Essences' Anti-Dandruff formula for oily hair, but when that was out of stock, the iris-chrysanthemum-mulberry root "For All Hair Types" shampoo suited my needs.

Used in conjunction with Herbal Essences' Anti-Dandruff Conditioner, this amazingly gentle shampoo did seem to alleviate some of the...

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vivasuzi says "It's cute, and definitely keeps me warmer at work!" about Covington Sport Microfleece Jacket

vivasuzi — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:51:39 GMT

I went to Sears looking for a cardigan with the intent to get a large warm cardigan for work. My building is usually freezing, but sometimes it is warm so I don't like to wear a sweater every day. Instead, I wanted a cardigan I could leave at work for times when it gets really cold. After looking at the cardigan's at sears, I was having no luck. Many of them were 3/4 sleeves and others were the holey material that didn't look too warm. Luckily I walked a little further and found the Covington Sport Microfleece Jacket in the Misses section.

The Covington Sport Microfleece Jacket is cute and that is the first thing I noticed. It seemed like something I would wear and I was drawn to it as soon as my husband pointed it out to me. I instantly handed him my coat and purse so I could try one on. I felt warmer the instant I put it on and knew that this is what I needed for those chilly days at work!

The Jacket is very soft and made of 100% polyester. This is so comfortable that I feel...

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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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