Category Archives: Sponsored

Better Way Love – A Review

My skin is so dry.

How dry is it?

Well, it’s dry like saltine crackers. Dry like an overcooked turkey. Dry like unbuttered toast. Dry like Death Valley. Dry like… you get the point.

As you can imagine, to combat this dryness, I use a lot of lotion. Finding good ones can be a challenge. Sometimes they smell funny or they’re greasy or they just don’t even work. Who wants to spend money on lotion that they’ll hate? Not me.

With Spring *finally* here, it’s time to start shedding layers. I know it’s flip-flop weather for some of you already but I just stopped wearing two pair of socks, so I have a few weeks before I break those out. In the meantime, sleeves are getting shorter, the capris are showing up, and I know my elbows and knees could use a little attention. Your too, probably.

When I was offered a sample of Better Way Love’s Whipped Hand Cream, I naturally jumped at the chance. There was a wide variety of scents to choose from and I had a hard time narrowing down my selection. I decided to go with Birthday Cake. I was not disappointed.

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My hands smell so good when I use this cream that I want to eat them. It’s a warm, almondy scent that stayed on my hands for quite a while. Yes, I kept smelling them. You would too if your hands smelled this good. It has a good feel to it – it’s light and not greasy, but thick enough to work. With other, cheaper lotions, I feel the need to reapply often. With this one, the only reason I was going back for more was for the scent.

Okay, fine, I might have been opening it up and sticking my face in it just for the smell.

But if scent isn’t your thing, you could go for the Plain Jane version. It’s also hypoallergenic and nut-free.

My sample also came with a bonus Coconut & Lime Organic Sugar Scrub. I LOVE a good sugar scrub. It’s invigorating and, again, the scent is heavenly. I’m in love with all things coconut lately and this was perfect. The lime gives it a nice, sunny burst and it compliments the coconut nicely.

Sarah Walton is the founder of Better Way Love and she has developed these products with moms in mind. All of the lotions are organic and gluten-free. They are made with almond oil, but if you’re allergic to nuts, you can special order the same wonderful products made with grapeseed oil instead.

To take a look at the full product line, check out the Better Way Love website. Free shipping is available on all orders over $50. If you’re local to Cresskill or Glen Rock, NJ, you can also pick up your items in person after placing an order online.

With Mother’s Day coming up, the products available would make a really nice gift or you could just pick some up for yourself. I’m looking forward to getting more for myself in the near future!

Although I was given a free samples of the products I tried in exchange for this review, my opinions are my own.

Scentbird: A Review.

Smelling good – it’s something most of us strive to do. When it comes to perfume though, I’ll have to admit I’m clueless. My default lately has been that $1 bottle of stuff that’s supposed to smell like vanilla or, if I’m really feeling daring, vanilla brown sugar. I can tell you that I generally don’t like flowery scents. Lavender and gardenias especially make me want to turn over a car.

It’s not that I don’t like perfume. I do, I just don’t really know how to deal with it. I’ve always liked Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door and Eizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds. They are both kind of expensive and whenever I had any, I always wanted to save it for a special occasion. Then it would end up just sitting on my dresser so I stopped buying it and that’s how I ended up buying cheap stuff because I don’t feel the need to ration it. But I don’t love the cheap scents so why even bother? (There’s that smelling good thing…)

Enter Scentbird. Scentbird is a subscription perfume service. For $14.95 per month, you can get a 30-day supply of the perfume of your choice delivered to straight to your door. Straight to my door is possibly one of my most favorite phrases!

I recently gave this a whirl and it was just as easy as they said it would be. They have a great tool to help find the perfect fragrance. There were a few questions similar to the kind one would find on a Facebook quiz and then a place to put in perfumes I’ve liked in the past. I was then given a list of recommendations. They all fell into the category of I’ll Have To Take Your Word For It because I’d never smelled most of them and some I’d never even heard of. Hovering over a selection revealed a brief description complete with pictures to give an idea of the scent (fruity, flowery, woodsy, etc.) and a few key words to describe it (flirty, sexy, office, party).

I chose Burberry Brit EDT. I will admit that I did so partially because I like how the bottle looks. This scent was described as fresh and playful (totally like me, right?) and good for everyday wear. My package arrived a few days later  – a little velvety pouch, a .3 oz vial of perfume (actually called a purse spray) and a little cylinder thing (perfume case). You put the vial in the thing and voila, you’re all set. You twist it to open and close it, similar to a lipstick. It’s great for tossing in your purse for a night out which is probably why they call it a purse spray.

scent bird V4

You can set up a perfume calendar of scents that you want to try. As you test out a new fragrance, you can update your preferences and you’ll get more recommendations. There’s also a monthly featured perfume for those among us who don’t like making decisions (it’s like they *know* me!).

How did I like Burberry Brit EDT? I loved it. It’s very much how it was described so I rated it 4 hearts. I’m not sure what I’ll try next, but I’m looking forward to picking something new. I don’t leave the house every day and it seems weird to put on perfume while I’m still in my pajamas, so I haven’t been using the perfume daily. I don’t feel like it’s only good for evening wear though, so anytime I did leave the house I used some.

If you’re into perfume and you like to mix it up with low-risk, I think Scentbird is a great way to go. The $14.95/month is pretty reasonable and there are discounts if you purchase a multiple-month subscription up front. You don’t end up with the dusty bottles of things you’re bored of and there’s no commitment. You can quit at any time. There’s a great FAQ section on the website telling you when they bill, when they ship and when you’d have to cancel by so you don’t get charged for that month.

Here’s the other cool thing: There’s a referral program. So if you like perfume and your friends like perfume, you can give them your code. For every three people who subscribe using your code, you get a free month. If you were going to do it anyway, this makes good sense.

I’m hard-pressed to find a downside here, but this is what I came up with. First, it’s a subscription based service, so if you sign up and then forget to cancel, you’re stuck paying for it. This is pretty much true of any subscription based service though so I think everyone is pretty aware of what they’re getting into here. The other thing? No one really *needs* perfume. This is a luxury item and some people truly don’t have fifteen bucks to spend on non-necessities. I stand by my position, however, that if you like perfume and you’re going to be buying some anyway, this is a really neat way to do it.

I’m happy to be able to offer my readers a discount. Use the code SCENT25 to receive 25% off your first month. You can visit the website to get started by clicking here. They are also on Facebook and twitter.

Thanks to Scentbird for the reader discount and for providing me with a free first month. Although I received compensation in the form of perfume for writing this post, the views expressed are my own.

 

 

Blog Forward Challenge – Third Installment

It’s time for the latest installment of the Blog Forward Challenge by ZonePerfect! (There’s a giveaway at the bottom, but you have to read the post to get to it. Promise you will?)

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This is my third post in this series. You can read the other posts here and here. We are more than three-quarters of the way through the year. It’s time to check in on those resolutions!

So… the resolutions… well…

You guys, I have no excuses. I mean, I have plenty of them. They just all stink. I weighed myself recently and I weigh almost exactly as much as I did in the beginning of the year. In a way this is progress because last year I put on weight instead of losing. This year I maintained. Baby steps, amirite?

I could rehash all my shortcomings again, but why bother? The issue is that I have some pretty big hurdles between me and my goals and I haven’t come up with effective strategies to deal with them. In this post, I’m supposed to tell you how I plan to recharge and reignite some of the excitement I had earlier this year. The truth is I have no idea. The days are getting shorter, it’s already colder than I’d like it to be, and a schedule change has made it impossible for me to work out at all during the week (not that I was working out, but the possibility is killed dead at this point). In fact, I’m going to have to learn to be one of those people who cooks and preps food on the weekends just so I can keep my head above water during the week.

I guess my plan is to figure out how we’re going to eat mindfully when I don’t even really have time to make a grocery list.

(When I no longer have a lunch break most week days, the ZonePerfect Bars are going to come in handy what with their not needing to be cooked and requiring no clean up! Go ZonePerfect Bars!)

I’m also supposed to revisit the letter I wrote to future me earlier this year. In case you missed it, here’s the letter:

Dear Future Me:

Hey, what’s up? I hope you’re not still fat. Haha, kidding. Sort of. Seriously, did you get your act together? I hope so. You need to be strong and healthy to watch your kid grow up, write your memoir, and empty your house.

Wait a second, how old are you now Future Me? If this is 6-months from now Me, it’s fine if you didn’t accomplish this stuff yet. But if you’re 5 years from now Me and this stuff still isn’t done, what the what?! Come on, Me. You had 3 goals in 2014. I’m disappointed in you.

Oh. This letter was supposed to be encouraging. If you did the stuff, yay you! And I know you did because Present Me was pretty adamant that this stuff would get done. Past Me was the one all about slacking off. I hope you’re on to newer goals and newer challenges. You better be.

Don’t let us down, Me. Keep growing, or some other inspirational message. Also, work on your pep talks.

Kind regards,
Present Me.

Obviously I’m pretty disappointed in myself for not accomplishing what I wanted to but the year’s not over yet, so there’s still some hope. Let’s go with that: There’s still hope!

As previously mentioned, I’ve got a giveaway all lined up here. One lucky winner will receive a well being essentials kit provided by ZonePerfect. Your kit will include a tumbler suitable for all* your drinking needs, a pedometer, lip balm, hair ties, hand sanitizer, a box of ZonePerfect bars and a coupon so you can buy more at your leisure. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Comments received by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, 2014, will be eligible.

*I have no idea what sort of things you might want to drink but this is a cup and so I assume it will work for you. But if it doesn’t, sorry.

Mandatory disclosure is required for every program-related post. Although I have entered the program and received complimentary product and ZonePerfect promotional items, I am free to comment about ZonePerfect in a positive, neutral or negative fashion.

AND THE BIG WINNER IS… Rachel!! Congratulations on winning the wellness essentials giveaway! I’ll be contacting you by email to claim your prize!

Science Fun at Liberty Science Center

Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ opened its doors in 1993. I was in high school at the time, so I figured I was too old to go to what I perceived to be a children’s museum. Once I had my son I kept thinking we should head down there as a family, but I just never got around to it for a variety of reasons. I’m happy to report that I have finally rectified this situation.

LSC was spectacular. It’s four floors of hands on learning fun with something for all ages. It is definitely not *just* a museum for children.

Our first stop was to the Beyond Rubik’s Cube exhibit which celebrates the famous cube’s 40th anniversary with 7,000 square feet of excitement and fun. The room is filled with interactive games, robotics, a solving station, and more. Nathan’s favorite item was the world’s most expensive Rubik’s Cube, a gold and jewel encrusted masterpiece. I particularly enjoyed the robotic arm capable of solving a cube in a matter of seconds by taking pictures of each side then systematically performing the necessary twists and turns. Each time it solves the puzzle, it does a little victory dance to show spectators just how amazing it is. This exhibit will be open through November 2014.

 

Nathan and a friend solving a wooden Rubik's Cube

Nathan and a friend solving a wooden Rubik’s Cube

Also open until November is the Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog. Inspired by the beloved PBS KIDS TV series, this exhibit provides lots of hands on fun for the little ones. Nathan (age 7) wasn’t very interested in most of the exhibit as I do think it’s geared towards the preschool set. However, even Nathan enjoyed the conveyor belt used to fill Clifford’s bowl with giant bones. If you have younger kids who love the show, they will love the opportunity to dress up as Clifford and his pals, explore his doghouse, and climb up on Clifford to slide down his tail.

Nathan filling Clifford's bowl.

Nathan filling Clifford’s bowl.

Nathan had a great time building in the Block Party area which is filled with all sorts of oversized foam shapes and tubes. We both learned so much in the Infection Connection exhibit on communicable diseases. Eat or Be Eaten, an exhibit featuring animals and snakes and bugs and such was fascinating and just a bit creepy. We finished off our visit with the Tesla Lightning Show which features two one million volt Tesla coils, music and lightning.

Nathan building at the Block Party exhibit.

Nathan building at the Block Party exhibit.

One afternoon simply wasn’t enough to see everything we wanted to see. We will most definitely be headed back soon to continue with the learning and fun of science.

Would you like to visit Liberty Science Center with your family? I have four (4) general admission passes to give away to one lucky winner. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. Comments must be left by 5pm on Friday, August 8th, 2014, in order to be eligible.

Special thanks to Liberty Science Center and Jersey Moms Blog for the giveaway passes. As a Liberty Science Center Blog Ambassador for the day, I was provided with vouchers for my visit. All opinions expressed above are my own.

EDITED (8.13.14):  And the winner is… Kristin! Kristin, I’ll be emailing you shortly so you can claim your prize. Congratulations!

On Making Better Choices.

This is the second post as part of my participation in the ZonePerfect Blog Forward campaign. Mandatory disclosure is required for every program-related post. I hereby disclose to you that although I have entered the program and received complimentary product and ZonePerfect promotional items, I am free to comment about ZonePerfect in a positive, neutral or negative fashion.

And if you stick with me to the end on this one, there’s something in it for you. But you love me, so you’re going to keep reading, right? Of course you are.

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One of my resolutions this year (just like every year for the last 15+ years) is to lose weight and to get in better health. I go in fits and spurts. I do well, then I crash and burn. I lack consistency. Sometimes this happens because I go too far with my diet or exercise, other times it’s because I’m lazy and pizza tastes good. So do burritos. And ice cream.

Here’s the thing: I know better. I know that everything is OK in moderation, I just often lack the motivation to do things in moderation. So when I make these poor choices, I feel terrible about myself. Feeling terrible doesn’t exactly inspire me to do better, so I don’t. It’s a vicious cycle, you guys.

I haven’t lost any weight this year. I haven’t really gained, either. But holding steady isn’t what I want for myself and it certainly isn’t healthy. The only real option I have is to work on making small improvements, make better choices and lose the weight in a reasonable way. Those of you who make these healthy choices already are thinking, “Well, duh, Michelle, yeah.” And those of you who are in the same boat I am know how hard those changes are to make.

One recent change has been to include Greek yogurt as a major component of my breakfast. It’s filling and packed with protein, so I stay full longer than if I had, say, a bagel. (Mmm. Bagels…)

Another thing I’ve been doing, particularly on weekends when I’m running like a maniac, is to throw in a Zone bar. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, those things come in mighty handy. I can eat them while I’m getting stuff done around the house and since they come in a neat little wrapper, I don’t even have to dirty a plate, thus saving valuable time not washing an additional dish. Seriously though, they are packed with protein and are super satisfying.

You see, if I eat lunch at 11am when I’m hungry, I want to eat dinner at 4pm. We don’t eat dinner until usually 8pm or later (please don’t tell me how bad this is for me, I already know but this is just the way things are). The end result is I end up snacking way too much in the afternoon and it’s never healthy. I’ve found that a bar around 11 lets me hold off on lunch until 1pm and things fall into place better.

This isn’t the magic cure to all of my weight woes, but it helps. I feel like I’m more in control of my hunger, which makes me feel good. Feeling good helps me to not eat half a pizza for dinner followed by a pint of ice cream. This is one of the little things that I’m hoping will add up to bigger things later.

Also, if you’re obsessed with coconut like I am lately, I highly recommend the Perfectly Simple Toasted Coconut bar. Honestly, I could eat a million of them. They aren’t paying me to say that, they are just that good.

Are you interested in trying some? Become A ZonePerfect® VIP & Save up to $10* Your first coupon will be emailed to you. Join Now . *$10 in savings relates to savings spread across a one year period and may vary.

Oh, hey, one other thing! The good people at ZonePerfect sent me a neat little portable charger that I can charge, then take with me places to charge my devices when I’m not near a place where I can charge my devices in a regular outlet!

Guess what? They actually sent me two and I’m giving one of them to one lucky reader.

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this post. Then I will use a very sophisticated method to pick a winner. By sophisticated I mean I’m going to write the names down on little pieces of paper, throw them all in a hat and pull one out. Maybe I’ll let my kid pull it out. Full disclosure: it might not be a hat. It could be a bowl. Or a vase. Or just a pile. But it will be random because I’m very honest. I promise. You trust me, right?

The contest ends at 8:00 AM Eastern time on Monday, June 2, 2014. The winner will be notified via email and will have to send me his or her mailing address so that I can mail the charger. It’s totally on the up and up and I will never stop by unannounced. Or announced even, because I’m not really the stopping by type.

OK. That’s it. I’m off to eat a healthy snack and you have some commenting to do!

6.4.14… Edited to add: The big winner is STACIE!! You can read Stacie’s blog here. She is awesome, so I recommend that you do that.