maryssay
Member Since: July 2, 2015Reviews
Good & Simple Walnut + Grains Bars
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. I was asked to review the Good & Simple Walnut + Grains (with a touch of real maple syrup) bars. The first hurdle with those was finding them... +
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
I was asked to review the Good & Simple Walnut + Grains (with a touch of real maple syrup) bars. The first hurdle with those was finding them which proved to be difficult as it seemed like we could find every possible flavour of muffin and bar, but not the right one. We finally managed to get a pack yesterday, so one day before the review deadline and one day before their expiry date.
I was not looking forward to those almost expired bars after having tried the muffins that still had a lot of time on them and did not feel fresh nor taste good. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the bar a lot more than expected, but again, my standards had been lowered quite a bit following the muffins.
While the taste is okay - nothing to write home about - I feel the same way I do about the muffins meaning I do not feel there is anything good nor simple with those products. In this case, we are talking about a 40 g cereal bar that contains 6 g of fat, 20 g of carbs, 8 g of sugars and only 2 g of fibre. Why even put the word "grains" in the title if it has little to no fibre? Also, as mentioned for the other product, I don't care for the way the company listed the good ingredients in bold and the not so good in regular characters, it kind of makes you wonder if they think most customers are too dumb to read the entire list and will be satisfied with what is in bold. I have to say, I almost found this to be a bit condescending.
So the taste is not too bad, the freshness is lacking, the price seems a bit high compared to similar products and it is not nearly as healthy as they would like us to believe.
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Good & Simple Fruit + Fibre Muffins
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. I was asked to review the Good & Simple Fruit + Fibre Muffins. In this specific case, the "fruit" part is made up of blueberries and... +
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
I was asked to review the Good & Simple Fruit + Fibre Muffins. In this specific case, the "fruit" part is made up of blueberries and cranberries which sounded very good on paper. Unfortunately, I didn't think that the taste was up to par. Let's just say that the "fibre" flavour is extremely present despite the content of the muffin not even being very high in fibre either at 5 g per muffin. I have to say I was actually shocked to read the ingredients as well as the nutritional information: there is not much good nor simple about it. Each muffin contains 13 g of fat. And I don't care for the way the company listed the good ingredients in bold and the not so good in regular characters, it kind of makes you wonder if they think most customers are too dumb to read the entire list and will be satisfied with what is in bold. I have to say, I almost found this to be a bit condescending.
What I did like is that every muffin is individually wrapped which keeps freshness sealed and is convenient for lunches. Despite the freshness being sealed, however, the muffins were pretty dry and crumbly.
I see that the reviews for other flavours seem better than for this one, but I personally would not bother with them again, given there are so many healthier and tastier options available, but it might just be my taste!
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Mott's Mr & Mrs T Blue Raspberry Martini Cocktail Mix
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. I was asked to review the new Blue Raspberry martini cocktail mix by Mott's Mr & Mrs T. Once I managed to get my hands on the product, which... +
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
I was asked to review the new Blue Raspberry martini cocktail mix by Mott's Mr & Mrs T. Once I managed to get my hands on the product, which proved to be quite the expedition, it was smooth sailing since all that was left was the drinking part. lol
I have to be honest, while I have bought cocktail mixes in the past, I never even knew that Mott's had a selection of them, except for Clamato obviously, which is not exactly a cocktail mix, but definitely an important ingredient in the equally important Bloody Caesar in Canada. The Mai Tai and Blue Raspberry martini mixes are the two new flavours which is why not all supermarkets seemed to have received them yet, while the older three flavours were well stocked everywhere I went.
I must admit that the lower price point compared to other brands was quite surprising to me. It wrongfully made me doubt the quality of the mixes. I was also a bit scared of the highly-chemical-toxic-Windex-like looking colour of this mix just as a lot of people would, but you know what? It wasn't half bad! And not only that, once in a martini glass, it looks a lot more like an ocean turquoise blue and it is actually quite beautiful. Personally, I actually liked the Blue Raspberry martini better than the Mai Tai. I don't know if it is because my expectations were a lot lower for the blue mix, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
I expected the Blue Raspberry mix to be a lot sweeter than it actually is. I also expected it to be sweeter than the Mai Tai mix and I did not think that was the case. I was afraid it would taste too much like candy, but it has a nice subtle tartness to it that does remind one of actual raspberries instead of those awful blue freezies we used to have as kids that would turn our entire mouths blue. We were actually out of ice when we tried the mix which means it tasted sweeter too, and I honestly didn't think it was bad at all. One of the reasons why I preferred this one to the Mai Tai mix might be that I felt the vodka lightened the heaviness by cutting into the sweetness while dark rum pretty much added to the sugar level of the Mai Tai.
Much to my surprise, I think I would consider purchasing this cocktail mix again and I would definitely like to try some of Mott's cocktail ideas or other recipes for more elaborate drinks with the rest of the bottle. And I will try the other varieties, can't wait for that margarita!
If you are looking for something a bit different to serve your guests, which also looks great in a nice martini glass, don't be fooled by the colour or the price, the Blue Raspberry martini mix is really quite nice with a decent vodka. I am sure it would also be a lot better shaken with ice, which is what we will do next time.
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Mott's Mr & Mrs T Mai Tai Cocktail Mix
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. I was asked to review the new Mai Tai cocktail mix by Mott's Mr & Mrs T. Once I managed to get my hands on the product, which proved to be... +
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
I was asked to review the new Mai Tai cocktail mix by Mott's Mr & Mrs T. Once I managed to get my hands on the product, which proved to be quite the expedition, it was smooth sailing since all that was left was the drinking part. lol
I have to be honest, while I have bought cocktail mixes in the past, I never even knew that Mott's had a selection of them, except for Clamato obviously. The Mai Tai and Blue Raspberry martini mixes are the two new flavours which is why not all supermarkets seemed to have received them yet, while the older three flavours were well stocked everywhere.
First of all, I was surprised by the low price. I must admit that the lower price point compared to other brands threw me off and made me doubt the quality of the product. However, my fears were not confirmed as the mix turned out to be pretty good.
The Mai Tai mix was as you would expect a Mai Tai mix to taste, meaning it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but when you want something refreshing and tropical to mix in your rum without having to cut fruit and get the blender out, this will work nicely. My fiancé and I had it with Bacardi Gold on ice, but I doubt the type of rum used would make a difference. In fact, I would recommend keeping your Brugal extra viejo for sipping or at least to mix in with something that would not be so overpowering. Personally, I thought it was a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but I don't think it is fair to expect much more from a low price mix in a bottle. It probably didn't help that I threw a bunch of maraschino cherries in my glass, although I did take a sip before accidentally sweetening it with my abusive use of the cherries.
I would certainly be interested to try some of Mott's cocktail ideas or other recipes for more elaborate drinks with the rest of the bottle. I don't know if I would get the Mai Tai again, but it is not because it is not good, just a question of taste. I am more of a margarita girl so I will have to try that mix too.
If you are looking for a cheap, quick fix to serve your guests some exotic cocktails during a barbecue this summer, Mott's Mai Tai mix will do just that for you.
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IÖGO Greek Yogurt
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. I was asked to review the new Ïogo pouch, which comes in different types of yogurt and various flavours. I chose the Greek version, vanilla... +
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
I was asked to review the new Ïogo pouch, which comes in different types of yogurt and various flavours. I chose the Greek version, vanilla flavour, with 15 g of protein. When I first saw the size of the pouches, I thought for sure they were going to be pricey, but they are quite affordable, given the quantity. The pouch is a very good idea. I already eat yogurt everyday and I was familiar with Ïogo's products, but I believe this format is new. The pouch is ideal to throw yogurt in the blender for smoothies or mix in with some granola for a quick, filling and tasty breakfast or snack. The fact that you do not have to use a spoon is very convenient as it makes everything faster. Despite the fact that this product was likely created to use the yogurt in a smoothie or recipe does not change the texture of the Greek yogurt which is still very creamy.
Good job on Ïogo's part as they have managed to come out with another healthy and tasty options for mornings on the run.
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NIVEA 2-in-1 Moisturizing Primer Dry to Sensitive Skin
This is a pretty good product overall. Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. First of all, let's start by saying that Nivea's reputation is already very respectable and its brand... +
This is a pretty good product overall.
Please note that I have received this product for free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
First of all, let's start by saying that Nivea's reputation is already very respectable and its brand has been trustworthy for several decades. I remember my mother using Nivea products in the 80s when I was just a little kid. However, what makes Nivea's success is that it never stopped bettering itself by not only following an everchanging world creating new needs, but most importantly, by remaining innovative and relevant among newer, trendier and maybe even more exciting brands. The truth is, at 40, I don't care about "exciting" brands anymore, I want a product that works for me. Actually, even in my 20s, I remember that the only eye makeup remover that worked efficiently for me was Nivea's. I have paid for haut de gamme brands before and while some may be exceptional, when it comes to basic everyday products, Nivea has no reason to envy the competition in their price range as they still deliver every time.
Now when it comes to NIVEA 2-in-1 Moisturizing Primer for Dry to Sensitive skin, I have to say that Nivea has come up with yet another good product at a very affordable price. I have tried different brands of makeup primer and while I don't have any negative things to say about those other brands, I think that Nivea was just as good as fancier, newer and definitely more expensive brands. The texture of the primer is great for me as I do not like sticky or thick products on my face, like old school foundation that is not only heavy, but also difficult to apply. Nivea's primer can absolutely help with that as it is a very light and prepares the skin for contouring with powders so I never have to use foundation again.
Unfortunately, I cannot attest to its moisturizing quality as I only received the product a few before the deadline. I didn't see any bad effects on the skin, but I didn't find it very moisturizing. However, that could very well be because I have not been using it for several days. The only downsides of this product are minimal, but still worth mentioning. First, I was very surprised at the strong fragrance. I personally didn't mind it, but this is a product that claims to be for sensitive skin and it makes me wonder how well it would actually work on someone who has very sensitive skin. Then the second thing I would like to add is that I wish they would have made it 3-in-1 in order to contain at least a bit of sun protection, even if it had to be a low SPF. This is just me nitpicking. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the product, I just think it could have been even better and catering to a larger group of women/men with sun protection and without the fragrance.
Overall, a very good product for the price. Nivea has always been excellent value and continues to do that after all those years. It can be difficult for older companies to keep up with the constant changes in skincare, but Nivea has indeed been following the trends, even coming out with their own new and innovative products.
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Vichy Idéal Soleil Ultra-fluid Sun Protection SPF 50
I received Vichy Idéal Soleil Ultra Light Lotion SPF 50 free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. First of all, let me start by saying that I like almost everything Vichy. It is a brand I totally trust and I have been using it for... +
I received Vichy Idéal Soleil Ultra Light Lotion SPF 50 free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
First of all, let me start by saying that I like almost everything Vichy. It is a brand I totally trust and I have been using it for well over ten years. I have also been using their Vichy Idéal Soleil Ultra Light Lotion SPF 50 for a while. I could hardly ask for a better product and that is coming from someone who has a very serious case of photosensitivity due to an autoimmune illness. I don't pretend that it is perfect, but for someone like me, this is as close as it gets to perfection for sun protection.
I have tried countless sunscreens before finally deciding on Vichy as a keeper. Just like the Sheer Lotion Bare Skin Feel SPF 60, some of its best features, aside from the fact that it is indeed a really good sun protection, are that it is not oily, sticky, nor greasy. It absorbs smoothly and easily. This one is very fluid and is easily applied, just like any foundation, moisturizer or BB/CC creams. No offensive fragrance either.
I do not have one bad thing to say about this product. While some people may find the price a little steep compared to popular brands, I believe this is a great example of getting what you paid for. It is totally worth the expense.
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Vichy Idéal Soleil Sheer Lotion Bare Skin Feel SPF 60
I received Vichy Idéal Soleil Sheer Lotion Bare Skin Feel SPF 60 free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. First of all, let me start by saying that I like almost everything Vichy. It is a brand I totally trust and I have been using... +
I received Vichy Idéal Soleil Sheer Lotion Bare Skin Feel SPF 60 free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
First of all, let me start by saying that I like almost everything Vichy. It is a brand I totally trust and I have been using it for well over ten years. I have also been using their Idéal Soleil Lotion Bare Skin Feel SPF 60 for a while and it is great. I suffer from very severe photosensitivity due to an autoimmune illness and while this lotion does not make miracles happen, it is the one that has performed the best in my situation.
I have tried countless types/brands of sunscreen before finally deciding on Vichy as a keeper. Some of its best features, aside from the fact that it is indeed a really good sun protection, are that it is not oily, sticky, nor greasy. It absorbs smoothly and easily. Although it is a thicker cream than most, it feels light on the skin. No offensive fragrance either. Given all these positive characteristics, the lotion is safe to use on your face as well as your body. While I do not hesitate to use it on my face, I do prefer their Ultra Light Lotion SPF 50 for that one specific purpose.
I do not have one bad thing to say about this product. While some people may find the price a little steep compared to popular brands, I believe this is a great example of getting what you paid for. It is totally worth the expense.
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Vichy Idéal Soleil Double Usage After-Sun Care
I received Vichy Idéal Soleil Double Usage After-Sun Care free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club. First of all, let me start by saying that I like everything Vichy. Well, I did until now. It is a brand I totally trust and I have... +
I received Vichy Idéal Soleil Double Usage After-Sun Care free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product Review Club.
First of all, let me start by saying that I like everything Vichy. Well, I did until now. It is a brand I totally trust and I have been using it for well over ten years. In all honesty, I really wanted to like this product, but I sadly didn't. While I understand how this product may be appreciated by a large group of people, I want to explain why it does not work for me, which does not mean it will not work for the next person.
This is a new product in Vichy's Idéal Soleil line. Although I have used products from the line in the past, I had not used this product or any other after-sun care by Vichy before this panel. However, I have used several after-sun care products as I suffer from very severe photosensitivity due to an autoimmune disease. What I look for in an after-sun care product is not only moisture, but also a calming and soothing effect. This product does not claim to calm or soothe the skin so they are not lying, but the fact that it only moisturizes is pretty useless to me as I do not like having to use several products for one purpose.
I have to admit that I am not a big fan of oil in my skin products. Since oil is actually very trendy in beauty products lately, I have been more flexible and open-minded in order to understand what the fuss is all about. Some "dry oil" products have really impressed me while the "regular oil" ones seem to always miss the mark, which was the case here. I hate the oily, greasy feeling and the fact that I need to wash my hands repeatedly to get that gross sensation off my skin.
The instructions state that the product can be used on dry skin or in-shower. I did both, neither worked for me. I first started by using the product on dry skin. I did not feel like it absorbed properly and it left a greasy film on my skin that I just couldn't stand so I had to do my best to remove it with soap and water, which was not easy.
Then I figured I would probably be luckier with the in-shower application. No such luck. I found the results to be very similar. Again, it might be an excellent product for anyone who does not mind oily products, but it's just not for me. I did however think that the fragrance was quite nice.
There is also a warning on the bottle, in bold characters, that suggests you rinse your shower after use to avoid slips and falls, but I fail to see how that helps while you are in the shower using the product. My ceramic tiled shower quickly became very slippery so I'd recommend proceeding with caution.
I personally would never buy this product. I could only recommend it with to whoever likes using very oily beauty products. After being in the sun, I need something cool to apply to my skin, like products containing aloe, willow bark, mint, etc. Unfortunately, this product did not hit the spot for me.
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Adrien Gagnon Super Energex
I received Adrien Gagnon Super Energex free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product review. First, let me start out by saying a few words about Adrien Gagnon brand. I am originally from Québec, currently living in Ontario. Adrien Gagnon is a very... +
I received Adrien Gagnon Super Energex free as part of the ChickAdvisor Product review.
First, let me start out by saying a few words about Adrien Gagnon brand. I am originally from Québec, currently living in Ontario. Adrien Gagnon is a very good, reliable and respected brand that offers all kinds of supplements as well as diet products for what is usually a lower price than similar brands, but without it affecting the quality of the product. I do not believe it is a very popular brand in the rest of the country and I personally have had trouble finding the products in stores in Ottawa. Fortunately, I see that it is now possible to order online from the company's website and I fully intend to do that. I had already tried this product before, as well as the meal replacement bars, but was still really happy to be given a chance to try them again since they are a bit harder to find in Ontario.
The first time I tried the Super Energex ampoules was, I believe, about 20 years ago. I don't know how much the product has changed over the years. Something that I noticed immediately is that the ampoules are now made of plastic. The ampoules used to be made out of glass and removing each end of the ampoule could potentially cause cuts and sometimes tiny particules of glass would end up in your drink so plastic is definitely safer. When it comes to the taste, it said it was orange flavoured. I don't know what kind of orange, but I would stay away from it. I actually remembered the taste from way back and trying to cover it with orange has not helped in the least. It is bad. Put it in water, put it in juice, it is just as nasty. However, this brand is no worse than others and while I find the taste could use some more help, it is a small price to pay to feel a bit more energized.
I do think the product works. It is not a miracle, it will not cure illnesses, but I do think it makes a difference when feeling tired all the time. I don't think this product is meant to be taken to get a boost of energy during the day: it is not a caffeine pill. My understanding is you need to take it every day for a certain period of time and you will start feeling the positive effects. Trying to take one ampoule only when you feel you need it will not work and that is not what this product is about.
The taste is still hard to stomach, but if you can get passed that, it is worth taking the ampoules every day when you are feeling a little out of it, seems to work better than vitamins for me.
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