InstaNatural Lemon Essential Oil & Peppermint Essential Oil Review #essentialoils

I'm late to this party! I've only recently discovered essential oils & all of the amazing ways that they can be used. I started reading everything that I could find on the subject about a month ago & I'm really enjoying these essential oils that InstaNatural sent for me to review.

The InstaNatural Lemon Essential Oil is extracted from the fruit peel of the lemon which gives it a refreshing citrus fragrance & it is cold-pressed during that extraction process to retain that amazing scent for long-lasting use. The InstaNatural Peppermint Essential Oil is extracted from the leaves of the Mentha Piperita herb which gives it a strong menthol fragrance & is steam-distilled during that extraction process to preserve that aroma for long-lasting use. Both of these essential oils come in big 4 ounce dropper bottles.

There are so many different ways to use essential oils, but one of my favorites is in a sugar scrub. I start with 1/2 cup of regular white sugar & add 1/4 cup of fractionated coconut oil. Then I mix in about 12 drops of essential oil. If it turns out too dry, just add more coconut oil. If it is too liquid, add more sugar. This scrub feels so good on my skin when I exfoliate & it smells great. The scrub that I'm currently using is peppermint, but I've also made a lemon scrub that also smells amazing. But be careful when adding citrus to a scrub. The scent is energizing & refreshing but citrus can burn your eyes so do NOT use it on your face.

Another favorite way that I use my essential oils is in my diffuser. Since it the Spring allergy season, I've been dropping 4 drops each of lemon, peppermint & lavender essential oils into the tap water in my diffuser. It makes the room smell nice & helps with my allergy symptoms. I'm not sure how it works, I just know that it does!

So. Here is what I think about Lemon & Peppermint Essential Oils from InstaNatural: I love that these oils are packaged in such a big bottle! The oils that I've seen in my local shops come in much smaller bottles at a much bigger price. I like that these essential oils are 100% Natural with no added ingredients or fillers. I like that both of these oils have a strong long-lasting aroma.

And I like that InstaNatural products are backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee & are Made in the U.S.A. in FDA Registered facilities.

You can purchase these two essential oil scents on Amazon:

Lemon Essential Oil: http://www.amazon.com/InstaNatural-Lemon-Essential-Oil-Dropper/dp/B00T6IPW50/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428073452&sr=8-1&keywords=instanatural+essential+oil

Peppermint Essential Oil: http://www.amazon.com/InstaNatural-Peppermint-Essential-Oil-Dropper/dp/B00T6I54DK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1428073474&sr=8-4&keywords=instanatural+essential+oil

#essentialoils

I received these products for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100%  my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the products.

InstaNatural Scar Gel Review #ScarGel

I'm always happy when I get to review another product from InstaNatural! This time the product is their Scar Gel but, as this company often does, they included 2 other products for testing & reviewing as well. I also got to try their Hyaluronic Acid Serum & Stretch Mark Scar Cream.

I've tried several InstaNatural products & so far I've been very happy with all of them. This company has become one of my favorites for skincare product.

Let me tell you about the Scar Gel first. This product comes in a 1 ounce pump container. My first thought was that this is really small so it will probably be gone quickly. But I found that it doesn't take much of this product to cover the areas where I have some scarring so it will last longer than I originally anticipated. The first time that I pumped the gel onto my fingers I was a bit surprised. I had expected a clear gel or maybe a white gel, but it's tan! It has a faint scent that disappears once the gel has absorbed into my skin. It absorbs fairly quickly & doesn't feel greasy. I've been using this gel twice a day on my surgery scars for almost a month. They are all older scars, the newest is from 6 years ago, so I'm not expecting them to disappear in this short amount of time. They do feel softer & not as prominent as before but it's too soon to be able to tell if they will eventually just blend in with the skin around them.

I also tried the Hyaluronic Acid Serum. I've tried others like this so I know that this product is for reducing the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, decrease puffiness & dark circles under the eyes, firm the skin & give a more radiant complexion. This product comes in a 2 ounce blue glass dropper bottle. The serum is clear & has a subtle earthy scent. I use this serum twice each day on my face & neck areas. It absorbs quickly without feeling sticky. It makes my skin feel soft & smooth after I apply it & I hope that with continued use my skin will look smoother as well. It's too soon for a product such as this to work on a cellular level but I'm going to continue using this as a regular part of my skincare routine.

The other product that I tried is the Stretch Mark & Scar Cream for Prevention & Reduction. This cream has a lot of wonderful ingredients like Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Rosehip Oil & Vitamin C. I'm a big fan of products with Cocoa Butter. This is a nice light cream that goes on smoothly & dries quickly. It has a faint scent but I can't smell it after it has absorbed into my skin. I'm using it on my stretch but they are.....well, I've had them for a long time! I'm sure that if I had used a product like this when I was pregnant, my stretch marks would never have been as pronounced as they are, but I'm using it now & hoping for a change though it's too soon to tell.

So. Here is what I think about these products from InstaNatural: As I've said before, I'm a big fan of the skincare products from this company. I've never been disappointed by any of their products. I've used these products for almost a month but it does take longer than that for a skincare product to work at a cellular level so I'm continuing with the routine so the results should be apparent in another month.

I like that InstaNatural products are backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, are cruelty-free & are Made in the U.S.A.!

You can purchase these products on Amazon at the following links:

Scar Gel: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8NFRUS/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1428016148&sr=1&keywords=instanatural+scar+gel

Hyaluronic Acid Serum: http://www.amazon.com/Hyaluronic-Serum-VEGAN-Vitamin-Green/dp/B00K2O3NV2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428016169&sr=8-1&keywords=instanatural+hyaluronic+acid

Stretch Mark & Scar Cream: http://www.amazon.com/InstaNatural-Stretch-Mark-Cream-Pregnancy/dp/B00O14R17Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428016187&sr=8-1&keywords=instanatural+stretch+mark+cream

#ScarGel

I received these products for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the products.

Arvazallia Advanced Hair Repair Shampoo & Conditioner Review #advancedhairrepair

I abuse my hair by coloring it once a month, regularly using a blow dryer & occasionally using a flat iron. I use shampoos & conditioners that are formulated to try to repair the damage, but I can't really see that much of a difference. Then I was offered the chance to try Arvazallia Advanced Hair Repair Shampoo, Conditioner & Hydrating Argan Oil Mask.

First off, I love the packaging. The red & gold colors fit right in with the Autumn colors that we use in our home. The shampoo & conditioner come in tall, thin 10.56 ounce bottles with a flip top that is easy to open. The hair mask comes in a 8.45 ounce tub with a screw top. I'm kind of disappointed that these products are Made in China, but I'll get over it if they work!

I don't always wash my hair every day, but I never skip more a day in between washing. So I haven't used the shampoo & conditioner every day, but at least 4 times each week. The shampoo is clear & it doesn't take much for my fine, thin hair. Since the shampoo is free of sulfates & other chemicals, it doesn't lather like other shampoos that I've used in the past. At first I thought that it must not be getting my hair clean, but after using the shampoo for about 10 days I started to see the difference. That's when I figured out that it took that long to get rid of all of the chemical buildup & let me see my natural hair again.

The conditioner is white & feels silky smooth when I apply it to my hair after shampooing. The first thing that I noticed was that my hair was already tangle-free when I combed the conditioner through to the ends. I leave it on my hair for a few minutes & it rinses out cleanly & easily.

I use the hair mask once a week. After I wash my hair, I towel dry & then apply enough of this deep conditioner to cover my hair from the roots to the ends. I comb it through to make sure every hair is treated. After about 7 or 8 minutes, I rinse it out. It rinses out so easily & my hair feels so soft & smooth. It is really helping to repair the damage that I've caused over the years.

So. Here is what I think about the Shampoo, Conditioner & Argan Oil Mask from Arvazallia: I love the floral scent of these products. It lasts even after I dry my hair & I've gotten compliments on how nice my hair smells. I like that these products are specifically designed to repair & strengthen damaged & over-processed hair. I like that they are good for all hair types & can be used on color treated hair without stripping any of the color. And I like that it is an entire system, including the deep conditioning mask, so there is no mixing & matching of hair care products.

You can purchase these products on Amazon. Here are the links for the individual products or you can buy it all in a set.

Shampoo: http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Moisturizing-Sulfate-Macadamia-Arvazallia/dp/B00R43QAJ6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Conditioner: http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Conditioner-Macadamia-Arvazallia-Damaged/dp/B00R442BRK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1428003862&sr=8-4&keywords=Advanced+Hair+Repair+Shampoo+%26+Conditioner

Hair Mask: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrating-Argan-Conditioner-Arvazallia-Damaged/dp/B00I32AN4K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1428003862&sr=8-3&keywords=Advanced+Hair+Repair+Shampoo+%26+Conditioner

#advancedhairrepair

I received these products for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the products.

Have you ever contributed to Bountiful Baskets??

Last April I discovered a wonderful source of fresh fruits & veggies just a few miles from my house. It's called Bountiful Baskets & it's a grassroots, all-volunteer, no contract, no catch co-operative. They distribute produce baskets, organic produce baskets, Artisan bread & sandwich bread.

I've gotten so many wonderful foods since I start contributing. I've tried fruits & veggies that I've never heard of before & would never have eaten if they hadn't been included in my produce basket.

I volunteer at my site almost every time I pick up my basket. Volunteers are what keeps this operation running & it's really a lot of fun.

Take a look at what I got the last time I contributed for a basket (there's no contract, so you only participate when you want to):

This is what I got in my regular basket: Romaine lettuce, cabbage, 3 cucumbers, 9 Anaheim peppers, 20 mini peppers, 2 avocados, 2 mangoes, grape tomatoes (2 cartons), blueberries, 9 bananas, 4 Granny Smith apples, 7 Bosc pears. The price is $15 & it's usually half fruits & half veggies. The fun part is that you don't know what is in the basket until you pick it up!

And this is what I got in my add-on basket: cabbage, 2 leeks, 8 oz mushrooms, 2 carrots, 2 yellow onions, 6 potatoes, 4 oranges, Italian parsley, thyme. This was the St. Paddy's Day special. I paid an additional $10.50 for these extras.










I'm so excited to go volunteer & pick up my basket plus extras this Saturday since March 14th was the last time I participated. This time I'm getting the regular basket plus an extra Tropical Basket plus an Easter Hostess Basket. I've got a general idea of what will be included in the add-on baskets but the regular basket is always a nice surprise.

Some sites are available every week & some operate only every other week. But they all have the same produce available to choose from. It's an awesome opportunity to have access to produce that is better & cheaper than what you will find at your local grocery.

Go here to see if there is a site in your area & if this is something that you might be of interest & read the FAQs for a full explanation of what it's all about.

You can also check out their Facebook page for more info & great information.

I'll be back next week to show you what I get on Saturday!

Secure A Tank - Fix The Gap Review #FixTheGap

We moved into our home just over 5 years ago & since that time we've come across a lot of DIY home improvements that the previous owners attempted but didn't do a very good job. So we've been working on projects on a room-to-room basis as we save enough money. The bathroom is scheduled for a complete makeover but until that time we're dealing with an uneven floor that I believe was the result of plumbing problems & was never fixed correctly. So this Secure A Tank - Fix The Gap has come in really handy!

Because we have a slightly uneven bathroom floor, the toilet sits not quite straight & leans out from the wall just a bit. This means that if someone sits down too hard, the tank moves & sometimes hits the wall. And I will admit that I sometimes stand on the toilet seat in order to reach items that I've stored on top of the bathroom storage shelves that I can't reach. This also causes the toilet tank to move around.

We've tried a couple of different fixes for this problem, but nothing seems to stay attached to the wall or just ends of getting squashed after months of being pushed by the toilet tank. Since we've had this product, we have worried a lot less about visitors who don't take as much care as we do when sitting down on our toilet.

The Secure A Tank is an adjustable brace that is easy to attach to the toilet tank. The lid fits right over the clips & it is not even noticeable because the brace is clear. It can be cut to whatever size you need depending on the size of the gap between your toilet tank & the wall. There are four braces in the package. One brace is attached to each side of the toilet tank & makes it very stable.

So. Here is what I think about the Secure A Tank - Fix The Gap: This is just what we were looking for, we just didn't know it existed! This product has worked perfectly for almost a month now. We are no longer worrying that we will have an expensive leak or have to replace the toilet before we are ready to remodel the entire bathroom later this year or next year. I like that this product is so easy to install & will fit any toilet tank.

And I especially like that this product is Made In the U.S.A.!

You can purchase this product on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Secure---Tank-Toilet-Tank-Brace/dp/B00BB1E3VY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427917124&sr=8-1&keywords=Secure+A+Tank+-+Fix+The+Gap

#FixTheGap

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Air Bar Exercises DVD, Volume 1 Review #abxdvd

As each year goes by, I find that I exercise less & less. I still love yoga & I can get motivated to walk at our local Walking Trails with my husband if the weather is nice, but exercising everyday is a thing of the past. So when I got the chance to review this Air Bar Exercises DVD, Volume 1, I thought maybe this is just the change of pace that I need to get started on a healthier path.

Erin Buchanan's Air Bar Exercises is a metabolic conditioning workout that uses elements of HIIT, Yoga, Dance, Martial Arts, Pilates & Cardiovascular Training. I figured that with such a variety I would surely be able to commit 30 minutes a day for 30 days. The only equipment needed for these exercises is a 40" dowel, which is not included when you purchase the DVD. I bought mine at Home Depot for just a couple of dollars.

The first time I watched this DVD, I followed along pretty well but it kicked my butt! It's a low impact workout but very high intensity. After a couple of days, I was following along for 30 minutes each time. The exercises are simple & they can be modified to make them easier or more difficult, depending on your fitness level. At first I didn't think this would be a whole-body workout, but I definitely felt muscles that I had forgotten were there!

Now, let me admit that I did not do this workout everyday for 30 days. After a couple of weeks, I slowed down to only exercising every couple of days & by the end of the 30 days, I had stopped altogether. But while I was doing the exercises, I could definitely feel the results!

So. Here is what I think about Air Bar Exercises DVD, Volume 1: I like that this exercise program is low impact so it is good for all fitness levels. I like that it utilizes the bar because I felt like that made me stretch more than if I had done the exercise without one. I like that it is only a 30-day commitment, even though I didn't complete the 30 days. The only thing that I didn't like was that Erin talks constantly throughout the DVD. I like the motivation, but some silence every once in a while would have been nice.

You can purchase this DVD on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fitness-DVD-utilizing-Strengthening-Cardiovascular/dp/B00QNAYL92/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

#abxdvd

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.

Tablet Flexible Device Holder & Stand Review #universaltabletholdercldbrands

We don't use a lot of devices at our house but we do own a couple of digital cameras, a smartphone & a tablet. We've thought about buying a tripod for our cameras & a holder for the phone to use in the car, but so far we haven't found what we want. So I was happy to get to review this Tablet Flexible Device Holder & Stand because it is advertised as a "universal" stand/convertible hanging mount for tablets, iPads, Android devices, books, GPS & digital gaming devices.

When it arrived, it didn't come with any instructions so I wasn't sure where to start. I played with the rubber legs, bending them into various positions to try to figure out how they would hold onto anything. Then, a couple of days later, an email arrived with a PDF attachment titled "Spider In Action" which showed different uses for the holder & I could see how best to use the product.

I've tried using it to hold a digital camera for taking group photos with the timer, but I really need a tripod for that. Then I tried using it for our smartphone. In the car, I can attach the phone to the sun visor or the air conditioner vents & it is handy for looking at maps when we take driving trips. But the way I use it the most is to hold my tablet when I'm cooking. I have a 10" Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 & I use it for recipes all the time. So this handy tablet holder is getting a workout!

So. Here is what I think about the Tablet Flexible Device Holder & Stand: I'm working with the spider legs more to figure out how to position them to hold my devices in different situations. I love using this product as a "book holder" for my tablet or cookbooks while I'm cooking. I like that this product will hold all kinds of different devices. The only thing I would change is to add more legs to make holding larger devices a bit more sturdy.

You can purchase one of these in your choice of color on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/CLD-Brands-Multi-Purpose-Holder/dp/B00TCVJKEK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

#universaltabletholdercldbrands

I received this product for the purpose of testing and review. Regardless, I only recommend products that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed above are 100% my own and are based on my personal experience and use of the product.