wonderwhatif
Member Since: January 26, 2015Reviews
smithcraft 7"×7" Round Silicone Trivet Pot Holder
There’s not much to say about this super simple product, it’s pretty much what you’d expect. Most importantly, does it stand up to the heat of a boiling pot/pan? The answer to that is unequivocally yes. I wish the colour was more interesting... +
There’s not much to say about this super simple product, it’s pretty much what you’d expect. Most importantly, does it stand up to the heat of a boiling pot/pan? The answer to that is unequivocally yes. I wish the colour was more interesting, but I can’t say they didn’t deliver.
Because these are slightly flexible silicone, you don’t have to worry about them scratching the base of your pots, they’re easy to move and store. So they’re ideal for someone who needs multiple lightweight, yet effective trivets, that are easy to store and don’t interfere with the personality or decor of their kitchen.
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Yimidear Cute Baby Harness for Boys and Girls
Really cute option, especially if you’re planning a trip to Disney. I wouldn’t recommend this for wear all the time as it’s not as comfortable, unlike some that have padded parts. It’s simple, bare bones and the Mickey part goes on the back... +
Really cute option, especially if you’re planning a trip to Disney. I wouldn’t recommend this for wear all the time as it’s not as comfortable, unlike some that have padded parts. It’s simple, bare bones and the Mickey part goes on the back, like a backpack. It’s fully adjustable and the stitching and parts all seem to be of good quality. I don’t think it would last years, but for special occasions, it’s really cute!
The straps are easy to adjust, they work just like backpack straps. The tail is a really cute touch. I like this as a harness for things like parties, festivals and vacations!
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Viva Naturals Activated Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste
This is one for the natural nerds! While I can’t say that I loved this toothpaste, it’s a quality product that does the job. However, I find myself preferring regular toothpaste overall. If you’re the kind of person who wants or needs a super... +
This is one for the natural nerds! While I can’t say that I loved this toothpaste, it’s a quality product that does the job. However, I find myself preferring regular toothpaste overall. If you’re the kind of person who wants or needs a super natural product that doesn’t have fluoride or other things like that, this is a good option.
Of course, if you’ve never used a charcoal toothpaste before (and I hadn’t) you should be aware that it’s not all happy natural scrubbing time. Charcoal comes at a price and that price is black water. So if you spit too messily, there will be black splashes over your sink, if you tend to spray on the mirror (I don’t) it will also be grey, I’d imagine. So it is pretty messy compared to a non-charcoal toothpaste, but I imagine the target audience knows that. It also takes about three rinses to get a clean mouth.
Other than that, I was impressed with the taste. It tastes nice and minty. I dislike Stevia and as predicted this has that overly sweet, kind of bitter Stevia aftertaste. Again, not a dealbreaker for many people, but not my preference.
The tube format is easy to squeeze and stands upright or lays down. I think this is well-packaged, great quality and easy to use Charcoal toothpaste that will appeal to most natural-living folks. My teeth were slightly whiter at the end of a week, but it did bother my sensitivity, so it's not ideal for me.
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Colgate Optic White Toothpaste
I really didn’t like this one. My immediate experience was bad. I opened the toothpaste and immediately a whole bunch of whitish watery stuff just started dripping out. Like a ton. Eventually it got to the ‘harder’ toothpaste, but it made me... +
I really didn’t like this one. My immediate experience was bad. I opened the toothpaste and immediately a whole bunch of whitish watery stuff just started dripping out. Like a ton. Eventually it got to the ‘harder’ toothpaste, but it made me really concerned that it was ‘off’ in some way. Then when I brushed my teeth with the initial part, it left my mouth with a really horrible feeling afterwards. Like my teeth were coated with a thick dry slime. My tongue also sloughed off the next day on the top layer. I was really worried that it was concentrated somehow or the chemicals had separated and caused me danger.
That was enough for me. The rest of my household continued to use it and they thought it was ok. I didn’t like the vanilla ‘ice-cream’ kind of taste, though again others didn’t mind that much. It had a minor difference on tooth whiteness in one week.
However, my initial experience was so bad, I really can’t recommend it.
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John Masters Organics Deep Scalp Follicle Treatment and Volumizer
I’m pleasantly surprised to be praising this, as I didn’t like any of their other products. However, this scalp treatment, actually worked for us. I have short hair and it made my hair appear more volumised and textured without leaving it... +
I’m pleasantly surprised to be praising this, as I didn’t like any of their other products. However, this scalp treatment, actually worked for us. I have short hair and it made my hair appear more volumised and textured without leaving it greasy. My partner, on the other hand, does have thinning hair.
We weren’t sure if this is supposed to help hair grow, or just give the appearance of being fuller via more volume. However after around two weeks of using it (daily), we’re happy with the results. Not only did hair look more volumised after one use, allowing the hair to look less thinning, but the results got better with time.
I took pictures to compare and while my partner is too embarrassed to have them uploaded, the difference was clear. Sure, with that time frame his hair was a little longer and that helped, but even taking that into account, the thinning spot looked less severe and better overall. It’s easy to use, just spray a small amount and massage into damp hair right after you shower (I wouldn’t use too much as it may cause grease.)
I personally didn’t mind the faint, herby smell and it doesn’t stick around. Definitely worth a try if your hair is thinning and short.
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AICase Metal Tablet/Phone Stand
If you’re looking for a simple metal phone stand fit for a desk, here’s ya boi! Simply put, this does the basics well. It doesn’t slip around, it’s metal and heavy enough that it can take the weight of a phone (and yes, a tablet too) without... +
If you’re looking for a simple metal phone stand fit for a desk, here’s ya boi! Simply put, this does the basics well. It doesn’t slip around, it’s metal and heavy enough that it can take the weight of a phone (and yes, a tablet too) without tipping over. It's also weirdly light enough to easily move. Basically, it's the perfect weight. My only minor complaint would be that it is pretty stiff to adjust angles, but I imagine that means it won’t get wobbly over time like a cheap plastic model and I rarely adjust angles.
I also found the ‘gap’ for the charging wire to be really useful. I find having my phone sitting upright on my desk like this makes it easier for me to see notifications and grab it when needed. I definitely recommend this. It’s sleek, well-made and most importantly, it delivers.
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NEOCELL Beauty Bursts Collagen Vit C Soft Chews
I got the chews and the pills for this, so I’ll be talking a little bit about both here. The overall feeling for me about this product is that it’s good quality and would be a good option for some people. The reality is that I gave it 3 stars... +
I got the chews and the pills for this, so I’ll be talking a little bit about both here. The overall feeling for me about this product is that it’s good quality and would be a good option for some people. The reality is that I gave it 3 stars due to an unforeseeable medical issue which means I was unable to continue taking it. See ‘side effects’ for more info. Therefore, while I do recommend this collagen, it wasn’t for me and I recommend you do a LOT of research if you have other health conditions or take other medication. Natural does not mean safe and can easily harm you if you do not take care.
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Collagen
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So, while the benefits of collagen have not been fully proven, I was impressed to see that there have been many studies done that point to it being actual fact. The current general opinion of dermatologists right now is that the research has a ton of promise, so while they won’t stand 100 percent behind it, they are ready to admit it looks like it might be accurate. In order to get skin and hair benefits, you’re looking at 1000-3000 mg a day dose, so the chews would work well for those.
However, some studies have also shown that Collagen can benefit arthritic pain, but the doses there are much higher. For those kind of benefits, you’ll want 6000mg daily, so the tablets are a better fit for you.
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Chews vs Pills
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As detailed above, part of the consideration is definitely what amount of collagen you need for what effect. Those aiming for joint and pain reduction, will want the pills. The chews still have a place as they are perfect for those who cannot swallow large pills. The pills are not gigantic, but they are still bigger than some would be comfortable swallowing.
There’s also cost to take into consideration.
At $24.74 (at time of review) for a bag of 60 (that’s two a day, a one month supply) each day’s dose comes out at $0.82 per daily dose for the Chews.
Whereas for the pills it’s $21.99 (at time of review) for a bag of 120 (6 tablets a day) means a day’s dose is $1.09.
However, it’s important to note that the daily dose of the pills is 3 times the amount, so you’re still (unsurprisingly) getting more bang for your buck with pills.
Some people might be nervous about the taste of the chews, but honestly I thought they were pretty good, and I’m a supertaster. They have a bit of a sweet aftertaste, but predominantly taste a lot like those fruit punch candies you can buy in the UK (not sure if Canada has anything similar). They are chewy and get stuck to your teeth a little, but not overly much.
For the diabetics amongst us, the bag does NOT contain a nutritional chart, even though when I contacted the company to ask, they said it did, but I got the numbers for you right here!
NeoCell Beauty Bursts Fruit Punch has 6g of carbs and 4g of sugar in two chews. So each chew has 3g of carbs and 2g of sugar, meaning they aren’t ideal for diabetics.
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Side effects
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Finally, here we are at the reason why I must rate these a mere 3 stars. I’m very careful with supplements. I have a tendency towards an upset stomach. Indeed, even starting on the chews at a half dose (one chew per day) I had a lot of pain in my stomach. I always check that there will be no issues with my current medication and look at the side effects.
In the case of Collagen I was totally blindsided by something I didn’t even think to check, so I’m leaving a warning here. I’m honestly surprised they don’t have to warn you on the pack. If you have Major Depressive Disorder or another mental illness that is affected by Serotonin DO NOT TAKE THESE.
After about five days of taking these I sunk into a deep, deep depression the likes of which I’ve only ever felt when having side effects from serious medication. Upon mentioning this to my partner, he offhandedly said that it seemed like the same as last time I had a medication affect me this way, but that I hadn’t started anything new last week. I agreed, but later that night as I took my collagen, I thought...didn’t I start this about a week ago? But surely Collagen can’t affect the brain that way?
Well a quick google led me to studies showing that Collagen can lower serotonin in the brain, leading to depressive episodes in those who already suffer from it. I was massively shocked, I didn’t think such a thing could be possible. So I immediately stopped taking it. Within 2 days I started to feel a lot more like myself again.
Of course I can’t be 100 percent sure, but it’s extremely suspect and I would recommend anyone with depression to stay away from Collagen supplements (not just Neocell, but all of them).
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Effects on skin
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Given above, I wasn’t able to take the product for longer than five days and only on half a dose. At that stage I wouldn’t expect to see any improvement and as expected, I didn’t notice any improvement. The Collagen shouldn’t be faulted for that, given the situation, as supplements can often take a month to show effects. Therefore, I don’t feel comfortable giving a summary on whether or not this Collagen is effective. It was easy to take and I have no reason to believe it doesn’t do what it says, but I was unable to continue taking it due to interactions with my illness.
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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Sunscreen SPF30
This is a really good light sunscreen! For me, the only issue was that factor 30 is not really strong enough for my pale skin in the hot summer, so this is more of a spring, autumn or winter sunscreen for me. Make sure that you're using the... +
This is a really good light sunscreen! For me, the only issue was that factor 30 is not really strong enough for my pale skin in the hot summer, so this is more of a spring, autumn or winter sunscreen for me. Make sure that you're using the sunscreen SPF that's right for you!
This would be an ideal sunscreen for someone a little tanned or for when you are not going to be in the sun a long time. It's also quite strong scented, which could bother some, but I did really like the scent.
I love that it doesn't adversely affect my skin. A lot of sunscreens feel uncomfortable to wear and make my skin look worse. I felt like this absorbed quickly and left my skin feeling like it was wearing nothing. Plus it didn't dry out my skin like my old sunscreen.
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NEUTROGENA® Hydro Boost Hand Gel Cream
Like the wipes, this hand cream that I received to try from Chickadvisor, has a pretty strong smell. However, I really liked the smell. It's a sweet, yet fresh and kind of 'ocean' type smell. It's important to note that if you dislike strong smells... +
Like the wipes, this hand cream that I received to try from Chickadvisor, has a pretty strong smell. However, I really liked the smell. It's a sweet, yet fresh and kind of 'ocean' type smell. It's important to note that if you dislike strong smells, this will definitely bother you, but I didn't mind it.
I found this to be the perfect summer hand cream. Unlike other hand creams I own, it is very lightweight. I really love gel textures and this one is like a gel/cream mix that feels really comfortable on the hands and isn't slimy. It absorbs in under two minutes from the time of application, meaning no greasy hands! I can start doing stuff right away after applying.
I also found it very effective, both on my and my extremely dry skinned partner. I'll definitely buy this in the future as it ticks all my boxes. Lightweight. Effective. Fast to absorb. Brilliant!
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Neutrogena All-in-One Make-up Removing Cleansing Wipes Singles
I only received three of these small wipes, which makes it a little hard to test extensively, but I did my best (thanks chickadvisor and Neutrogena!). I did try them with removing makeup, something that cleansing wipes are popularly used for and I... +
I only received three of these small wipes, which makes it a little hard to test extensively, but I did my best (thanks chickadvisor and Neutrogena!).
I did try them with removing makeup, something that cleansing wipes are popularly used for and I found they were pretty great at it. Compared to other wipes I've tried they removed the makeup better (two wipes cleared a full face) and didn't irritate my skin.
They are also pretty large when compared to the majority of cleansing wipes I've used. They are soft and only irritate if you scrub hard with them for a while. I like a wipe that's on the wetter side and these are pretty much in the middle, the perfect amount of wetness for most people.
As a cleansing wipe, I found they did a good job, where easy to use and left my skin soft.
There were only two things I didn't like. First, I did find them quite strongly scented and sweet smelling. Secondly, I don't like that they are individually packaged. It was hard to get them open and cleansing wipes are already quite wasteful, adding more packaging makes them even less eco-friendly.
Other than that, I did like them and would use them again!
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