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A Natural Resolution: Crystal Deodorant #CrystalRollOn #CBias

December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

eco friendly natural productsLike many people, I am trying to switch over to more natural products (especially for the new year), I simply don’t want to have more chemicals in my life, than necessary, especially on my skin.   While natural products are better for both my family and the environment, I don’t want to spend significantly more on them. I also don’t have the time to shop specialty stores to buy basic toiletries.  The deodorant I have been using works just fine, but it can be a little drying to the skin at times, and it is not a natural crystal roll on deodorantproduct, so when Collective Bias was looking for bloggers to try out Crystal natural deodorant, I was pleased to participate.

The roll-on version of Crystal deodorant is conveniently located at Walmart.  At my store it was priced at just $3.48, which I thought was quite reasonable for a natural deodorant.  Being readily available at a low price, makes switching a viable option, for me.

Since I now had the deodorant, and was going to write about it anyway, I tried it before writing this post.  This natural deodorant has worked well for me, the past couple days, and I prefer the way it feels on my skin.  I like that it is unscented, and have had no residue on black clothing either.  I’ll buy it again.  That is one thing i can already check off my resolution list for the new year.

 

Check out my Google + shop story.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All experiences and opinions presented here are my own.#CBias

Filed Under: Reviews /Giveaways, Shopping
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Trim Down for the Holidays with the New Slim Fast …Sephora Giveaway Too (5 Winners)

November 6, 2011 By

slim fast logoholiday foodHoliday parties, cookies, pies, and hor d’oeuvres.. oh my!  The holidays can be a bit “expanding” on the waistline, especially for those of us who do a lot of food blogging.  I am making a preemptive strike this year, though.  I will substitute some meals with a bottle of this new Slim Fast, and for most of the rest I will focus on adding lots of veggies and lean protein, as well as, keeping the majority of my carbs to whole grains.

I’m integrating Slim Fast into the plan, because it is quick & easy, and quite frankly tastes pretty darn good.   I am not fond of suffering, the unpalatable…lol.  Lucky for me, I was sent some of the Chocolate slim fast bottlenew bottled Slim Fast to try out.  I found that I do prefer these new bottles & formula, over the cans I have purchased in the past.  My only problem was, that my 4 year old decided it was rather delicious, and promptly handed me her cup, as soon as, I opened one.   I had to share.  Having her around cuts the 180-190 calories per bottle in half.  I am going to pick up a few more packs of Slim Fast this afternoon, including some strawberry flavor.  So, I should be all ready to get on track this week.

If you want to join me in a pre-holiday trim down, or just avoid gaining some holiday weight, stop by the Slim Fast website, and grab a $1.50 off coupon to get you started.

Disclosure: Product and Gift cards provided by representative of Slim Fast.

Sephora Gift Cards Giveaway

To help my readers look their best this holiday season, Slim Fast has kindly provided some Sephora gift cards for a giveaway!

5 lucky Blommi readers, will each win a $25 Sephora Gift Card.  Usually, on multi-prize giveaways like this, the limit is one per winner, but if you get drawn more than once on this giveaway, you will get both cards… so enter often!

Entry Options (do as many or as few as you like, but make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry)

            • Tell what Slim Fast flavor you want to try in the new bottles.
            • Like Blommi on Facebook
            • Like Slim Fast on Facebook
            • Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook
            • Follow this blog via email or RSS  (One entry each).
            • Follow me through Google Friend Connect (bottom of page)
            • Follow both  @TwiMommi  and @SlimFast on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, can be done 3x per day at least 1 hour apart (account must be public and have at least 50 followers).  Feel free to use this tweet if you like: “ Sephora gift card giveaway  from @TwiMommi  and @SlimFast (5 winners)  http://su.pr/1q1ywI #giveaway “
            • Follow me on Stumble Upon (leave your user name in comment.)
            • Stumble Upon Thumbs Up any of my non-giveaway posts that appeal to you. (Good for one entry per day).
            • For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)

Winners will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties. Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends November 22, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Filed Under: Reviews /Giveaways, Reviews & Giveaways
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Sportline Qlip Any-Wear Pedometer Review (Great Father’s Day Gift)

June 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

sportline pedometerI have been doing a lot of walking, as well as, glider workouts lately.  The Sportline Qlip Any-Wear Pedometer I was sent for review has really come in handy.  It has been great for walks in the park with my daughter, and has shown consistent distances for the same paths.  I also use it on my Gazelle (air walker/glider), and on there it seems to give 1/2 the distance traveled, most likely due to the altered stride on this exercise machine, but the results are still consistent for similar time and pace, so the Qlip has still been helpful in measuring these workouts too.

In addition to measuring distance this pedometer also measures: time,  steps, miles or kilometers, calories burned (set your weight for accuracy) & speed.  All from a compact attractive clip anywhere design.

I am down 25 pounds and this pedometer has been a big help in achieving this weight loss! :)

Sportline Qlip Any-Wear Pedometer ($34.99): Studies say those who walk fewer than 5,000 steps a day are more likely to be overweight?people walking 9,000+ steps daily are more likely to be of normal weight. Pedometers like the Sportline Qlip are a great way to get and stay motivated in your walking routine. It?s an advanced digital pedometer that can be worn (clipped) anywhere on the body and provides real-time feedback for individuals pursuing fitness and walking goals, including accurately tracking steps, distance, and calories burned. Available at most sporting goods stores and www.sportline.com.

Disclosure: Product sample provided for purpose of review.  All opinions presented here are my own.

exercise and weight loss

Filed Under: Diet, Men, Reviews /Giveaways, Women Tagged With: , ,
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1/3 Less Challenge (and Giveaway) #BetterForYou Fun Fridays

April 15, 2011 By

kraft 2 percent singles

I am very pleased to announce, that I have partnered with Kraft 2% Singles to challenge you to go 1/3 less, and have fun doing it.  I love the taste and great melt-ability of Kraft 2% Singles, and already use them in my home, so it seemed a perfect fit.

Small better-for-you choices can really make a significant positive change in your life, over time.  I challenge you to join me, in making more smart choices, such as snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables, opting for more physically active pastimes, and selecting better-for-you foods like Kraft 2% Milk Singles with 1/3 less fat (2.5g of fat per slice compared to 4.5g in the leading process cheese slice).

better for you challenge

My daughter, our dog, a rake and a bag... part of a Better for You afternoon.

I actually started on the challenge myself yesterday.  I enjoy gardening and yard work, especially in the spring.  Instead of spending my afternoon inside working, my daughter and I geared up and spent the day outside.  Removing lawn and garden debris might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but after a long New England winter, it felt great and provided a wonderful low impact work out.

As the afternoon wound down, we went in for dinner.  I wanted something simple to prepare and hearty, that would fit in with this better for me challenge.  After looking at what I had on hand, I decided to make some quick chicken and veggie burrito wraps.  To make them I just sliced up chicken, sweet onions, red peppers and zucchini.  Tossed them in a wok with a little olive oil and a tsp of chili powder.  Once they were cooked I added a splash of tomato sauce and let it simmer for a couple minutes.  The mixture was placed on large whole wheat burrito wraps, each was topped with a Kraft 2% Milk Single, and rolled up.  Veggies, whole grains and yummy gooey 1/3 less fat* cheese… seems like a better-for-you choice to me.

Those were my unique choices for the day.  I really enjoyed them, and feel good about making them.  Now your challenge is to make you own better-for-you choices.  Kraft has set up a web page full of tips, tools and recipes to help you succeed in this challenge:  http://www.mydaily.com/kraft-better-you I encourage you to stop in and check it out.  The recipes look great, and the tools are not just useful, but fun too.  For even more better-for-you info:  Follow @KraftSingles on Twitter and Facebook.com/KraftSingles

* KRAFT 2% Milk Singles have 2.5g of fat per slice compared to 4.5g in the leading process cheese slice

Disclosure: Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Blommi. As a brand ambassador, I am receiving compensation for the administration of this challenge.  All opinions and recipes shared here are my own.

1/3 Less Challenge Giveaway

To make the challenge more fun, Kraft has kindly offered to provide a $50 VISA gift card for one lucky challenge participant!

Ways to Enter – do as many or as few as you like (leave a separate comment here for each entry):

Single entries:

Daily Entries:

  • Tell me what Better-For-You choice you are making today (once daily)
  • Follow @KraftSingles on Twitter and tweet this contest, use the #BetterForYou hashtag (once daily)  Feel free to use this ready made tweet:  1/3 Less Challenge and $50 VISA Gift Card Giveaway from @TwiMommi and @KraftSingles #BetterForYou – http://su.pr/1KO20H
  • Tweet your Better-For-You choice of the day, use the #BetterForYou hashtag (once daily)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification.  If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn.  Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends May 6, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT.  Open to US residents , age 18+.


Filed Under: Food & Beverage, Health, Reviews /Giveaways Tagged With: , ,
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Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System: Review & Giveaway

March 26, 2011 By

lysol

The Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System is a perfect fit for my family, so I was happy to do a review.  With a 3 year old daughter, who is working on her hand washing skills, and me cooking from scratch on a regular basis, we need all the soap dispensing technology that is available.  Besides, how cool is it to have your soap dispense for you at home, like it does in public facilities.

lysol no touch soap dispenser review in box

About to tackle opening Lysol No-Touch soap dispenser with my Fiskars.

Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System Review

With a standard dispenser, it is difficult for my daughter to maneuver pushing the dispensing pump and catching the soap.  I am in with her anyway at hand washing time, but it is important for her to do things more independently.  This she can use  (granted a little too well).  I also hate when I have raw meat on my hands and try to push the standard pump, so as to not touch it with my hands.  It can be tricky, but I hate to contaminate the soap pump.  I’m always afraid I will forget to wash the pump after, and contaminate uncooked foods.  The soap dispenser was just a little too big for our old pedestal sink, so it ended out residing in my kitchen.  I love it there, especially when trimming chicken.

setting up no touch hand soap dispesner

The No-Touch dispenser was fast & easy to set up. Pull the red tab, peel off the sticker on the soap bottle & pop it in the base. Turn it on and GO!

The No-Touch hand soap dispenser was very easy to set up.  Batteries are already loaded, for you.  It is a 30 second set-up process.  The quantity of soap dispensed is just right, in my opinion.  I really liked the aloe vera & vitamin E moisturizing soap included in the kit.  I had never tried their hand soaps before.  I will be buying them now.

After trying the Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System it is of little surprise to me to find out that it won a consumer selected 2011 Product of the Year award in the Personal Hygiene Category.  The system is available in the stainless steel look featured here, as well as, a classic white version.   Current soap options are:

  • Refreshing Grapefruit Essence™ (Refill only)
  • Soothing Cucumber Splash™
  • Aloe Vera & Vitamin E with Moisturizers
  • Antibacterial Total Care
lysol no-touch hand soap dispenser

It dispenses just the right amount. I thoroughly tested the soap (it took several shots to catch the dispensing in mid-pour. My hands felt great after.

Disclosure: Sample product provided for the purpose of review.  All opinions presented here are my own.

Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win a No-Touch Hand Soap System of their own, courtesy of Lysol.

Mandatory Entry (must be done for all others to count):  Check out the Lysol Healthy Hands Kids Zone and tell me something you liked or learned there.

Extra entries (make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry):

  • Follow this blog via email.
  • Join the Lysol Community and get money saving offers, tips & forum access.
  • Follow me through Google Friend Connect
  • Follow  @TwiMommi on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway can be done 1x per day (account must be public and have at least 50 followers).
  • “Like” Blommi on Facebook
  • “Like” Lysol on Facebook
  • Share or “like” this giveaway on Facebook.
  • Stumble any non-giveaway post that appeals to you. (Can be done once daily – leave your Stumble Upon name in comment) .
  • For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers. Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties. Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends April 11, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT. Open to US residents , age 18+.

Confirmed winner Amy R.

Filed Under: Household, Reviews /Giveaways Tagged With: , , , , ,
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At Last Naturals : Review and Giveaway

March 21, 2011 By

at last naturals review

Although I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter, I am 44 years old.  In recent  months, I’ve had a few hot flashes.  The first couple times it didn’t quite calculate for me that that was what was going on, but when you are in a 67 degree room, not being active at the moment and suddenly feel like you are in the midst of the dog days of summer, you eventually catch on.  Due to this awakening awareness, when the opportunity to try some yam based natural treatments for menopause & perimenopause,  for review, I thought it prudent to participate.

wild yam creamAt Last Naturals is a woman owned company, which produces products to help ease the symptoms of menopause, perimenopause & PMS.  They make a wide range of products for women with varying needs in this area.   All their all-natural products are vegetable & water based.  They do not contain any paraben, gluten, or animal products.  The product line is also fragrance & cruelty free.

Since I am just starting my journey into this phase of my life, I don’t have particularly strong symptoms.  Because of this, I focused my product testing on the Wild Yam Cream, as it is the milder of the topical creams.  Suggested usage is twice daily, but I only used it in the evening.  While I didn’t see any drastic change, as I have mentioned my symptoms were mild to start with.  I must say I have not had a hot flash during the time I’ve used this product, whether due to effectiveness or coincidence I couldn’t really tell you.  One thing I did notice though was that time of the month didn’t seem quite as uncomfortable as usual.  I didn’t need to take any pain medication this month.  So I would have to say the results were promising.

At Last Naturals® Wild Yam Cream: This natural cream is rich in diosgenin, a plant compound derived from wild yam that is structurally similar to those found in the body that can naturally help support women gently and effectively during times of imbalance. This, together with its exceptional moisturizing properties, the Wild Yam Cream assists the body in fighting hot flashes, mood swings and other menopausal, perimenopausal and PMS related issues. Suggested retail price: $16.95

Wild Yam Extra Strength Gel: Formulated for women experiencing more bothersome symptoms, such as hot flashes, mood swings and other menopausal, perimenopausal and PMS related issues, the extra strength gel offers a higher concentration of diosgenin (derived from wild yam). At Last Naturals Wild Yam Extra Strength Gel assists the body in fighting more severe symptoms related to menopausal, perimenopausal and PMS. Suggested retail price: $21.00

At Last Naturals® Wild Yam Vaginal Gel: The non-irritating, water-based gel formula with Vitamin E provides naturally soothing relief for vaginal dryness and to help restore a women’s natural lubrication. Use every day, during sexual activity or as frequently as needed. Suggested retail price: $8.95

At Last Naturals® Wild Yam Meno-Herbs®: An all-herbal tablet formulation containing not only diosgenin, a plant compound derived from wild yam, but also a proprietary blend of key botanicals, such as red clover, dong quai, black cohosh, raspberry, chaste tree berry and other important herbs for women.  It works synergistically to help balance and support the female system. Suggested retail price: $16.00

At Last Naturals® Meno-Herbs2® (with Protykin®): An all-herbal, proprietary tablet formulation made with 10 botanicals, as well as Protykin®, a standardized Trans- RESVERATROL high potency 200:1 extract of Polygonum cuspidatum (root). This powerful antioxidant and cardioprotectant contains 50% phytoestrogens (natural plant estrogens). As a phytoestrogen, Protykin® helps provide natural menopause relief by helping maintain normal estrogen activity, reducing hot flashes, balancing mood swings and promoting healthy bone density. Derived from the root of Polygonum cuspidatum, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, Protykin® contains more than 1,000-times the amount of the same antioxidant ingredient in red wine that is believed to promote cardiovascular health and reduce the effects of premature aging. In addition, the formula contains red clover, black cohosh, dong quai, wild yam, raspberry, chaste tree berry and other important herbs for women that work synergistically to help balance and support the female system. This unique, extra-strength herbal combination provides a rich source of isoflavins and natural plant estrogens.  It can be taken alone or as a safe and effective adjunct to the entire At Last Naturals® topical line.Suggested retail price: $24.50

At Last Naturals® Equigest® Progesterone Cream: This external cosmetic progesterone cream is applied to specific areas of the body to deliver just the right combination of quality ingredients to help maintain a healthy hormonal balance. At Last Naturals® Equigest® Progesterone Cream contains USP micronized progesterone (the process of micronization allows for steady, even absorption). USP classifies the progesterone as the highest quality available.  It is formulated in a cream base that also contains vitamin E, vitamin A and pure aloe vera. Suggested retail price: $26.00

Always consult your doctor before starting to use any new regimen.

Disclosure: Product samples provided for purpose of this review.  All opinions presented here are my own.

Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win the entire line of products, courtesy of At Last Naturals (a $120 value).

Mandatory Entry (must be done for all other entries to count): Visit the At Last Naturals website and tell me something you learned there.

For additional entries:

  • Follow this blog via email or feed (one entry each)
  • Follow me through Google Friend Connect
  • Follow both @AtLastNaturals and  @TwiMommi on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (can be done once daily)
  • “Like” Blommi on Facebook
  • “Like” At Last Naturals on Facebook.
  • Share or like this giveaway on Facebook.
  • Stumble any non-giveaway post. (One entry each – leave your Stumble Upon name in comment) Can be done once daily.
  • For 2 entries! Grab my ad button (available here), or add Blommi.com to your blogroll.  Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)
  • For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post (blog must be public & have a minimum of 25 followers)

One winner will be randomly selected from all entries and validity of entry will be checked.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification.  If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be selected.  Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties.  Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes. Contest ends March 27, at 11:59 pm CT.  Open to US residents , age 18+.

 

Filed Under: Reviews /Giveaways, Women Tagged With: , ,
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Choose You Workout Gift Pack Giveaway, Courtesy of the American Cancer Society

January 12, 2011 By

choose you

Studies have shown that approximately 50 percent of cancer deaths among women are preventable.   Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and regular exercise, avoiding tobacco and getting regular cancer screenings are the keys to lowering cancer rates.  Sticking to those New Year’s resolutions may just save your life.

“The American Cancer Society’s Choose You program helps women put their health first and stick to their health commitments by offering social support and financial incentives that have been proven to create long-term behavior change. All they have to do is log onto ChooseYou.com and sign up to make a commitment.   As an extra incentive, women who make a new Choose You Commitment between today and January 31 will be eligible to enter the ‘New Year, Choose You!’ sweepstakes for a chance to win health-related prizes, such as a trip to LA to meet with a personal trainer, spa gift certificates and more.”

Disclosure: Prize packs provided by The American Cancer Society.

Giveaway

One lucky Blommi reader will win a Choose You Workout Gift Pack, which includes : workout kit (with pedometer and calorie counter, resistance band and jump rope), a Choose You t-shirt and flower pin.

Mandatory Entry (must be done for all others to count):  How do you plan to stick to your resolution this year?

Extra entries (make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry):

  • Follow this blog via email or RSS (one entry each).
  • Follow me through Google Friend Connect
  • Follow both @ACSChooseYou and @TwiMommi on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway up to one time per day (account must be public and have at least 50 followers).
  • “Like”  Blommi on Facebook
  • “Like”  Choose You on Facebook
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook
  • For 2 entries! Grab my button and post it on your blog, or add Blommi.com to your blogroll  -> blog must be public with minimum 25 followers.  Leave a link where it can be found, in your comment. (remember to leave 2 separate comments)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification.  If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. Giveaways hosted on Blommi are sponsored by third parties.  Site owner will of course endeavor to see all prizes are fulfilled, but is not responsible for fulfillment, nor for missing or damaged prizes.  Contest ends January 27, 2010 at 11:59 pm CT.  Open to US residents , age 18+.

Confirmed winner is Raven In A Blue Room

Filed Under: Reviews /Giveaways Tagged With: , ,
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