mamaluv
Member Since: September 8, 2006Reviews
TYLENOL® Rapid Release Gelcaps Extra Strength
Full disclosure, I usually use ibuprofen-containing painkillers. I always have Tylenol on hand and do take it occasionally but I had found that the normal tablets (extra strength - I am comparing apples to apples here) just didn't have enough punch... +
Full disclosure, I usually use ibuprofen-containing painkillers. I always have Tylenol on hand and do take it occasionally but I had found that the normal tablets (extra strength - I am comparing apples to apples here) just didn't have enough punch to handle my migraines the way that other brands did.
When a migraine hits, I usually have to lie down in a dark room with a cold wet cloth on my face. Generally I have to fall asleep for a short while for the meds to fully kick in (not sure if that's actually medical or if that's just how I muscle through until the meds kick in? Anyway, without the catnap the migraine generally keeps going).
This most recent migraine, I had too much to do and could not spare the time for my usual method. Having just received these Tylenol Rapid Release gelcaps, I decided it didn't hurt to give them a shot (I was "saving" them for more minor pains, since my migraines are usually so incapacitating that I would not normally have tried Tylenol first) as I could always take an ibuprofen later if needed.
It was like walking down a staircase. I could feel the sharpness of the pain noticeably decrease within about 10 minutes, plateau, and then noticeably decrease again after 10 more minutes. One gelcap was not enough to banish my migraine completely but I was able to continue with my day and then when it was time to take another dose, I took 2 and once again I felt this sensation of sudden drops of pain until it was gone completely.
This has never happened to me. I will definitely continue using this product as I find it a major improvement from the Tylenol tablets. The relief really is that much faster, and when you're in pain, every minute counts.
I received these for free, but I will gladly spend my own money next time. Give them a shot!
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NEUTROGENA® Hydro Boost Hand Gel Cream
I've been a fan of Neutrogena's Hydro Boost products since I tried their facial moisturizer a few years ago. After trying the body lotion from this line very recently, I was excited to find this hand cream in the store right before I took my family... +
I've been a fan of Neutrogena's Hydro Boost products since I tried their facial moisturizer a few years ago. After trying the body lotion from this line very recently, I was excited to find this hand cream in the store right before I took my family on our first camping trip of the season this May long weekend.
As anyone who camps knows, setting up camp, living outdoors, working over a campfire, washing camp dishes with lake or pump water, etc means BONE DRY SKIN. My hands were sorely in need of the hydration this Hydro Boost hand cream offered and the coolness of the formula felt very soothing. The whole family used this all weekend long and there were (pleasantly hydrated) thumbs up all around. The only negative (and this is really an unfair one) is that the hydration did wear off by the end of the day and I found myself reapplying several times. As I said, camping is rough on my skin so I fully expected this. I can only imagine how much more effective we'll find this when we are doing other weekend activities that are a little less taxing on the hands :)
We'll buy this again when this one runs out.
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MissFresh Meal Kits
I have been trying out meal kits this year, because as a working parent it is always a scramble to make supper right after work with 2 hungry teenagers hovering and "hangry"-ing. MissFresh was the first kit I tried and we were very happy with the... +
I have been trying out meal kits this year, because as a working parent it is always a scramble to make supper right after work with 2 hungry teenagers hovering and "hangry"-ing.
MissFresh was the first kit I tried and we were very happy with the large selection they offer. It was so easy to pick the 3 meals from the list as there was very little that my family objected to at all. When the meals arrived, the taste was as delicious as the preview picture. I used to enjoy cooking and meal-planning but life has gotten so busy that I started to hate it. While these boxes are a little too expensive to order for every meal, they are a very welcome respite for me and we do treat ourselves to a couple of boxes a month.
I had some minor issues with my first order, but MissFresh customer service was quick to rectify the problem and it's been smooth sailing ever since. If I had to say something negative, it might be that these recipes are a little too... "everyday-ish"? I like kicking things up a notch and feel like most of the recipes were already in my wheelhouse where I was hoping to learn a few new tricks. But that also meant that my family enjoyed each and every one of the recipes we have had so far. I also think that they use a little too much packaging (or at least, non-recyclable packaging) and single-serving packaging (like tiny packets of mayo) which is a little wasteful. Would love to see either paper packaging or maybe even compostable packaging!
Our favourite to this point was pork tenderloin with bacon-onion marmelade, and I have made it 2x since! Definitely recommend MissFresh specifically for cooks who are looking for something really familiar and easy. A sanity saver for sure.
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Hello Fresh Meal Plans
I have been trying out meal boxes this year. I'm a working mom and stopped enjoying cooking for the family quite a few years ago. It became an uninspired rotation of the same 10 or 15 dishes with the occasional pizza delivery thrown in, which was a... +
I have been trying out meal boxes this year. I'm a working mom and stopped enjoying cooking for the family quite a few years ago. It became an uninspired rotation of the same 10 or 15 dishes with the occasional pizza delivery thrown in, which was a shame because I have loved to cook in the past. I think the biggest barrier was deciding what to make, only to realize that I was missing a key ingredient.
With meal boxes like HelloFresh, this is not an issue. The thing I like best about HelloFresh over the other meal boxes is how well-received the dishes are with my family. I don't purposely pick dishes to their taste (and in fact, I'll often do the opposite to expose them to new tastes and cuisines), but I found that no matter what I ordered from HelloFresh, the whole family gobbled it down.
The ingredients are fresh and the packaging is fairly minimal (read here: less waste). The recipes are all made of ingredients I usually have in the house, so re-making a favourite dish is quite easy. Right now our favourite from HelloFresh is Classic Beef Pie with Crunchy Phyllo Pastry (although I have started making it with a single pie crust on the bottom which we like better than phyllo). My teenage sons who normally hate cooking have taken a keen interest and are very eager to help make the recipes.
We don't buy these boxes every week because they are more expensive than buying the ingredients myself and cooking, but they are significantly less expensive than eating out. The ingredients are not pre-made either (other than things like condiments which I don't make from scratch anyway), so I feel good about using this service. If I had a tiny complaint it would be that there are not as many recipes to choose from on HelloFresh compared to other meal services. But since we have liked everything we've tried, it's hardly a problem! I would recommend for sure.
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Chefs Plate
I have been trying out a number of meal kits this year and have been having great experiences so far. Chef's Plate ingredients were very fresh and the recipes were easy to make. I also liked that they didn't go overboard on lots of plastic packaging... +
I have been trying out a number of meal kits this year and have been having great experiences so far. Chef's Plate ingredients were very fresh and the recipes were easy to make. I also liked that they didn't go overboard on lots of plastic packaging so it felt more eco-friendly than some of the other meal kits. I also love that the ingredients are all very normal things that I buy regularly anyway, so I have tucked away all of my past recipes to make again. So far our favourite from Chef's Plate is the Italian Sausage Orecchiette with rapini and parmesan.
These dishes cost more per person than fast food but definitely a lot less than eating at a restaurant. Could I cook for cheaper? Yes. But this takes all the thinking out of it and for a working mom like me, it can be a lifesaver. We don't order this every week, but I do treat us to a box a couple of times a month to help with the busy after-work/school time. Recommended!
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AVEENO Cracked Skin Relief CICA Balm
I have always had really dry feet, and because of that my heels are always cracking no matter what time of year. Winters are especially hard though, and only a strict routine of DIY pedicures can attempt to keep the dryness in check. That said, I... +
I have always had really dry feet, and because of that my heels are always cracking no matter what time of year. Winters are especially hard though, and only a strict routine of DIY pedicures can attempt to keep the dryness in check. That said, I had yet to find a product (outside of a medicated ointment I bought in Germany) that would truly provide a longer lasting relief.
After trying this Aveeno CICA balm, I'm absolutely blown away. I'm used to having to take a large glop of product and rub it into my foot over a period of 5-10 minutes so that's what I did at first. I realized immediately that I didn't need more than a generous fingertip's worth to get almost instant relief. The next morning, my feet were soft like a baby's bottom - NONE of my other products had ever accomplished that before. Smooth yes, but already starting to dry out. After using Aveeno CICA balm, my feet are still hydrated the morning afterward. I've only been using this product for a short time but I am really looking forward to seeing what the long-term effectiveness will be. So far, so very very good!
I received this product for free, but as always my opinions are my own. And I WILL be buying this product again!
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NEUTROGENA® Hydro Boost Body Gel Cream Fragrance-Free
I wasn't sure if this lotion would quench my skin quite as well as some of the other reviews said, but since I was already a huge fan of the Hydro Boost facial moisturizer, I thought it was definitely worth trying. Lo and behold, this... +
I wasn't sure if this lotion would quench my skin quite as well as some of the other reviews said, but since I was already a huge fan of the Hydro Boost facial moisturizer, I thought it was definitely worth trying.
Lo and behold, this fragrance-free body gel really does live up to the name, the hype, and the other positive reviews! Despite having a thinner texture than I'm used to (coming from a body butter lover), this did a tremendous job of hydrating my skin. I used it directly after doing hair removal on my legs and it was soooo soothing. As I expected from such a light consistency, it soaked right in and left no residue on my skin. I can see right away that this will be absolutely must-have for after-sun care!
I loved that this was fragrance-free (except for the very slight not-medicinal-but-also-not-perfumy scent that is typical of all fragrance-free products) because it can be used by any member of the family and in any situation (fragrance-free workplace, or paired with a perfume, etc). That being said, I would also like to try the scented version since I've heard great things about it.
I received this product for free but all opinions are my own and 100% unbiased. I will definitely be buying this again. To those who say it's more expensive than some other store brands (and by that they must surely mean the low-cost brands which are not comparable in quality in my opinion), this is most certainly worth the extra dollar or two since you will not be able to beat the effectiveness. HIGHLY recommended and I WILL be buying again!
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Vichy Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster
I've been using Vichy skincare products for a few years now and have tried several of their serums. I've been happy enough with them (Idealia Life, Aqualia) but 89 really was a step above. Who knows, maybe it's partly that our skin is always... +
I've been using Vichy skincare products for a few years now and have tried several of their serums. I've been happy enough with them (Idealia Life, Aqualia) but 89 really was a step above. Who knows, maybe it's partly that our skin is always changing as we age and so our needs change as well, but this one made the biggest "first impression" impact of any serum I've used. This was a whim purchase when I found it on sale, but when I run out I will certainly be buying more. -
Vichy Pore Purifying Clay Mask
I started using Vichy as a result of reading the product reviews on ChickAdvisor, and while it took me a little while to sort out which product line was best for me, I'm now completely sold. Recently when I was ordering a re-stock of my facial... +
I started using Vichy as a result of reading the product reviews on ChickAdvisor, and while it took me a little while to sort out which product line was best for me, I'm now completely sold. Recently when I was ordering a re-stock of my facial moisturizer, I saw that this clay mask was on a special offer so on a whim I added it to my cart.
I'm seriously blown away by this mask. It made a HUGE difference in the size of my pores and really cleaned them out. I have enlarged pores on one side of my face which makes that area prone to blackheads. I usually have to get a facial (DIY or in salon) to properly clean that area out, but this stuff got the job done more gently and more thoroughly than any other product I have used, full stop.
I will absolutely buy this product again; in fact, I'm running low so next time I'm shopping, it'll be in my cart :)
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Fruits & Passion Cucina Hand Soap with Olive Oil, Coriander and Olive Tree
I used this hand soap last night after chopping onions and garlic (which I cook with several times a week). My usual soap generally gets most of the scent off my hands afterward but there is a little undertone of onion and garlic that lingers and... +
I used this hand soap last night after chopping onions and garlic (which I cook with several times a week).
My usual soap generally gets most of the scent off my hands afterward but there is a little undertone of onion and garlic that lingers and does not mesh nicely with the fruity fragrance of that soap.
This hand soap, however, really did eliminate that scent and what's more, the lightly lingering olive fragrance that wafted off my hands as I continued to cook was very enjoyable and blended in wonderfully with the aroma of the Italian-style meal I was preparing. I literally kept sniffing my hands over and over.
It was also very gentle on my skin, and I liked the elegant appearance of that glass bottle sitting on the countertop. I'm absolutely sold on this soap and will be on the lookout for the refill next time I'm in the store. Now I'm wishing it also came in a body wash or shampoo (although would that be weird if my hair smelled vaguely like Italian food? Hmm...)
A huge fan, and I highly recommend it. I received this product for free but this review represents my honest and unbiased opinion.
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