Australian Tea Tree Oil and Paradise Coconut Oil Review

I am excited about this review! I was chosen to review Apothecary Extracts Australian Tea Tree Oil. I have heard such great things about tea tree oil and have been wanting to give it a try in my shampoo. Not long after I was chosen to review the tea tree oil, I was chosen to review Paradise Coconut Oil as well! This worked out really well for me because I recently found out that my daughter has scalp psoriasis! Her scalp is so dry and itchy and she has been digging at it so bad that she was developing sores on her scalp and her hair was no longer there in certain spots of her head. I didn't want to put a ton of chemicals and prescription drugs on her skin and into her body....so I did some research! I found that some people use a mixture of tea tree oil and coconut oil to treat it naturally. So I thought....why not give it a try!

I took about 1/2 a cup of coconut oil and combined it with about 15-20 drops of the tea tree oil extract and mixed them together. I have applied it once a day for about a week and the results are already amazing! I am so happy that I found something natural and less harmful to use on her skin and it works amazingly to treat the areas. She even says that it stops the itching all night while she sleeps! To be completely honest.....I can not stress how happy I am that I found this tea tree oil and coconut oil combination.
This is my little dolly's before and after of her scalp:

This is after just one week and applying the mixture just once a day! I think the results are remarkable!

There are other uses for tea tree oil as well. You can add it to your shampoo bottle and shake it up to combine. This is supposed to help your hair be healthier. It is also said to help prevent lice in kids' hair! I figure what a great benefit, especially with summer coming to a close and the kids going back to school. Not only those but there are so many other GREAT uses for tea tree oil, here are a few more:

1. Helps heal and soothe sunburns.
2. Heals skin infections naturally.
3. Relieves itchiness from rashes as well as helps reduce rashes.
4. Can be used as an all-purpose cleaner: Fill a spray bottle with 1-2 tsp. of tea tree oil and the rest of the bottle with water.
5. Treats acne
6. Helps to prevent lice naturally; just add a few drops to your shampoo.
7. A few drops in your pets’ crates or beds keep the fleas away.
8. Removes ticks; just add to skin, and the little stinker will usually unlatch.
9. Cures toenail fungus and Athlete’s foot.
10. Helps remove skin tags
11. Naturally cures bad breath. (Swish some tea tree oil and water in you mouth.)
12. Can be used in a homemade toothpaste
13. Has been found as an effective treatment for warts
14. Soothes insect bites.
15. Treats ringworm
16. Treats psoriasis and other skin conditions.
17. Relieves asthma or other breathing conditions when a few drops are added to a humidifier.
18. Works as as antiseptic on small cuts.
19. Keeps your bathroom fresh
20. Relieves earaches; mix 1 drop of tea tree oil with 1 tsp. olive oil, drop mixture into the ear and then remove by tilting head.
21. Freshen laundry: Add a few drops in your washing machine to scent your clothes. Also, if you forgot to put the clothes in the dryer, run again with tea tree oil to remove mildew. You can also scent wool dryer balls with tea tree oil.
22. Helps freshen carpet
23. Can be used in several homemade kitchen cleaners
24. Cleans mold: Mix apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil and scrub mold; place outside to sun-dry.
25. Can be used in a homemade natural deodorant

The coconut oil is an extremely versatile product as well. You can use it for so many things! I love coconut oil! Since I received mine, I have used it as a moisturizer, in place of vegetable and olive oil in recipes and as a scalp treatment for dry scalp. I know that, besides the scalp treatment I made for my daughters scalp psoriasis, our families favorite thing that I made with the coconut oil has got to be the zucchini brownies that I made :) They were so delicious! We ate the whole pan in two days!!! (recipe at the end of the post!)

As I said.....coconut oil is very versatile! Here are a few other uses for coconut oil:

1. Remove your makeup
2. Add to sweet beverages (like smoothies or hot cocoa)
3. Leather shoe cleaner
4. Remove stickers from merchandise
5. Season cast-iron frying pans
6. Furniture polish
7. Lip balm
8. Toothpaste
9. Insect repellent
10. Guitar string lubricant
11. Mascara brush cleaner
12. Butter substitute
13. Treat lice
14. Blemishes and acne
15. Flea treatment for animals
16. And the list goes on and on...

Do you have any good recipes or uses for tea tree oil or coconut oil? Let me know in the comments! If you would like to purchase this tea tree oil you can do so here! The coconut can be purchased HERE!

Zucchini Brownies Recipe

Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cup flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate chips

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
~combine dry ingredients (flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl.....stir in zucchini
~In small bowl combine wet ingredients (egg, sugars, yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla)
~Add wet ingredients to other bowl with dry ingredients.....stir until combined
~Sprinkle chocolate chips on top (and i chopped up a couple reese's cups and sprinkled them on there too)
~Bake 35-40 min. or until knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

eSutras Organics Golden Flax Seed Review

I have been trying to get my family to try new things and eat healthier. I figure every little bit helps! With that being said....I was actually very excited when I was chosen to review eSutras Organics Golden Flax Seed!

Flax seeds are an amazing natural product that have so many benefits when you add them to your diet! For example....

• Lowered blood cholesterol levels
• Gluten Free
• Lowered high blood pressure
• Increased energy, vitality, and stamina
• Increased sense of calmness under stress
• Reduced threat of blood clots
• Protection against cancers, particularly hormone sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate
• Better regulation of blood sugar levels
• Eases inflammatory tissue conditions, including arthritis
• Alleviation of dry skin, eczema and psoriasis
• Enhanced immune system
• Increased metabolic rate with a positive impact on weight management
• Helps with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Natural laxative

Just to name a few! So when I got my flax seed I decided to try out a new recipe! I made a Blueberry Zucchini Bread (Recipe at the end of this post)! Let me just say.....this bread did NOT last long in my house and I made a 9x13 pan of it! Even my kids loved it!!! 

This flax seed made the perfect addition to my bread! You can purchase the flax seed that I used HERE for just $5.00 for an 8 Oz. bottle. A little flax seed goes a long way and so this bottle will last you quite a while. There are so many ways to add flax seed into your diet.....you can add it almost all cookie and bread recipes, sprinkle on your cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, etc.....add to smoothies.....and so many more uses! eSutras Organics Golden Flax Seeds are now a staple in my home! 

Blueberry Zucchini Bread Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 Cups All Purpose Flour                                        2 1/4 Cup White Sugar

1 Teaspoon salt                                                       3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon baking soda                                           3 1/2 Cups shredded zucchini

1 teaspoon baking powder                                      1 Cup chopped walnuts

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon                                  1 pint fresh blueberries 

3 eggs                                                                     2 Tablespoons flax seeds

1 Cup Coconut Oil

Directions:

1. Grease one 9 x 13 pan (or two 8x4 pans). Preheat oven to 325 degrees F 

2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. 

3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in zucchini (do NOT press or drain the zucchini) and nuts until well combined. 

4. Sprinkle half of the flax seed over the top and then mix in well...sprinkle other half in and mix until well combined. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. 

5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for at least 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and completely cool. Slice and ENJOY! 

Do you have any good recipes that include flax seed? Please share in the comments! 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Rainbow Bandz Loom Refill Pack Review

As the mother of an 8 year old little girl, you can imagine I know all too much about these crazy rubber band looms and the things that you can make with them. My daughter is addicted to her loom and when she finds things that are a bit too difficult for her to make.....guess who she asks to make them for her? You go it....Mom! With that being said....we go through a LOT of bands and I know, through experience, how inconvenient it is to have poor quality bands! (Especially when you are in the end stages of a single band project and your black eye band breaks.....oh my I wanted to call the company and scream at them....I didn't but I REALLY wanted to!)

 Anyway...when I was lucky enough to be chosen to try and review the Rainbow Bandz Loom Refill Pack.....I (and my daughter) was VERY excited! My daughter currently has (and loves) the Rainbow Bandz Organization Box and so I knew we were going to be getting a quality product!  Rainbow Bandz makes great products and they have many to choose from....you can check out their products and their site HERE!

I opened the package and was impressed to see SO MANY bands! You get 9 bags (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink, White, and Black) of 600 bands and each bag has its own pack of "S" clips and its own small (non-durable) hook! That makes 5400 bands total!

Well to test the durability of the bands....of course I had to make something! So I got crafting! Since I made things for my daughter....my 5 year old boy decided he wanted something for himself. That is how the Ninja Turtle came about.

After making a few projects....it is safe to say that these bands are very durable and do not break easy. I think these are my favorite bands that I have used thus far. I do have to honestly say that I think they are MUCH better than the cheaper ones that we ordered from another country. The only thing that I wish would have been included in the set is tan/flesh-colored bands. When it comes to making princesses, ballerinas, and other "people" white just doesn't look the same as flesh-colored would. However, I give this refill pack a 5 stars out of 5 stars!

You can get your own refill pack HERE for just $19.98!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Exfolimate Review

I was recently asked to use and and write a review on the Exfolimate. I agreed, even though I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into.

This is what I got to read prior to trying the product out:

"Say G’day to ultra smooth skin and goodbye to dull, flakey skin. Introducing Exfolimate ™ - the ultimate tool to give you younger, fresher looking and feeling skin.

Designed in Australia – Exfolimate is your handy mate to instant exfoliation and pore clarification without the fuss of scrubs and loofahs that only rub the surface of your skin without actually removing the problem.

The secret is Exfolimate’s innovative micro-groove technology etched into the smooth metal edge. The micro-grooves gently lift and remove lingering skin cells and debris to unveil younger, fresher skin.

Exfolimate is made to gently exfoliate the face and body and is precision designed for daily exfoliation and naturally skin clearing results. 

Exfolimate transforms the surface of your skin."

So when I got the product I was pretty eager to give it a try. I had already showered that day but I didn't care! I took another one! LOL! Well, seeing as I had already took one shower, I thought how much gunk can this really get off/out of my skin? OMG....I was shocked!

In the box there are two sizes. A small for your face and neck area and a large for the rest of your body. They are easy to use....all you do is:
1. Make sure your skin is wet and supple – it is suggested that you use Exfolimate towards the end of your shower or bath.
2.With either the face or body tool, using gentle pressure from your fingertips,gently glide the tool along the contours of your body at a 90-degree angle. It only takes a light amount of pressure to effectively use Exfolimate.
3.As you glide Exfolimate along your face and body, check under the smooth metal edge for any lingering residue. To remove the dead skin and debris, simple run the tool under warm running water. Make sure you repeat this step once you’ve exfoliated your entire body to keep the tool clean for your next use.

4. Once you’ve cleaned your Exfolimate, hang the tool to dry so it is ready and waiting to gently exfoliate your skin from top to toe.

So I started with the small one on my face. I could NOT believe the amount of gunk that came off of my face. I was so amazed that I made my husband use it on his face the next time he showered. It truly removed all sorts of stuff from face and pores! I LOVE this product for my face. I do have to say....I was not terribly impressed with the larger one on other parts of my body. I found it did not remove really anything from my legs, arms, chest, or stomach. Now maybe that is just me! I am not sure. However, I can say I will be using it on my face ALL the time!

It left my face feeling very clean and fresh. I think it felt smoother and much more brilliant looking! I love my face #exfolimate ! You can find all the information about this product and where to buy it HERE!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

PIMSLEUR ITALIAN LEVEL 1 LEARNING COURSE REVIEW

Well Good morning all my wonderful readers! Today I am reviewing the Pimsleur Italian Language Learning Course. This course is used by thousands of people around the country to learn the basics and lay the foundation of the Italian language.

I have always been interested in visiting Italy and enjoying the culture there. I love to travel and see new places and Italy has always been towards the top of my list. This course is the first step in my plan to visiting that beautiful country! I always believe before visiting a new country that you should at least learn the basics of the language spoken there. I mean, I would hate to be in a room of people who only speak Italian, not know how to speak any Italian, and have to pee EXTREMELY bad!

That brings me to the Pimsleur learning system for the Italian language. This course is very easy to use and understand. All you do is the short (30 min) lesson each day and you are done for the day. You DO NOT move on from that lesson until you get all the questions about 80% right! Then they next day you move on to lesson two. It is THAT simple. In just 30 minutes a day you can be well on your way to speaking Italian in just a week. The best part is that it helps you to speak the words correctly as well. Saying the words is good but saying them correctly with the emphasis on the correct syllables is how you should do it. There are 16 discs and 30 lessons in the package.

I got through 1 disc and then we left on vacation. To my surprise when I got home, I STILL remembered what I learned! Now my daughter wants to give it a try with me! I can't wait to get her involved too!

Do you know how to speak any language other than English? What languages do you speak? Are you fluent in it? Can you write in that language(s)? Do you want to learn any new languages? Which one(S)?  Let me know in the comments section!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Adovia Mineral Eye Gel Review

I was chosen to try and review Adovia's Mineral Eye Gel. I do not currently use an eye cream but have been thinking about trying one out and seeing if I noticed a difference.

This gel is very soft and has a VERY mild scent. It comes in a small glass container with a metal lid. It has 30ml of the eye gel inside. I was a little worried because that didn't seem to be very much when I read it. Then the  first time I used it, I knew I wouldn't need to buy more for a couple months. The tiniest dab on the tip of my finger was enough for my eye.

The gel goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. It doesn't irritate the skin around my eye. I just closed my eye and wiped it all around it, including on the lid. I have been using this gel for about a week now and I have already started noticing a difference. My skin around my eyes looks fresher. I have also noticed that some of my lines have began to soften and I think with continued daily use I will notice even bigger changes and softening of skin.

I really like this eye gel and I think I will continue to use it daily. Moisturizing is definitely an important part of my daily routine and this is sensitive enough to not irritate my eyes and it works!!! Here is what #Adovia says about their mineral eye gel:

• Our Promise: Your Eyes will Look 10 Years Younger or Your Money Back! - Reduce Puffiness Under and Around The Eyes - Makes Eyes Appear Years Younger and Radiant!
• Gets Rid of Dark Circles Under Eyes - Your Eyes Will Look More Youthful and Refreshed!
• Formulated Specifically for The Genltle Area Around the Eyes - this Light Eye Gel Absorbs Quickly into Skin for Deep Hydration
• Dead Sea Salt Delivers an Immidiate Infusion of Dead Sea Minerals - Essential for Proper Skin Health and Beauty
• Contains Vitamin C which Delivers Powerful Antioxidants Deep Into Skin Cells

You can buy the Adovia Mineral Eye Gel HERE for just $29.00!

Do you have an eye cream that you love? What do you look for when looking for an eye cream? Comment below and let me know!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Collagen Lip Gloss Review

During the summer, my lips always get dried out because of the sunlight. I like to be outside and enjoy the sun shine but the toll it takes on my skin, is kind of frustrating! As I get older the side effects of the exposure to the sun show a lot more. When I was younger, I was never worried about sunscreen for my skin or chap stick for my lips. However, that has all changed in the last couple years! I have started to take better care of my skin and especially the very sensitive skin on my lips! So, I was excited when I was asked to try a new Collagen Lip Gloss and review it!

I was a little skeptical when I first for the lip gloss because it came in a much smaller container than I expected. There is only 5ml in the little tub. So I thought to myself....."what am I only going to get to use it like 5 times? There isn't enough here to use for any length of time!" Boy I was wrong!!! I found, the very first time that I used it, that a tiny bit on the tip of my finger covers my lips completely! (And I have BIG lips...lol)

I have to say....this lip gloss is truly wonderful! It is so soft and almost feels like velvet when you apply it. I love how great my lips have looked ever since I started using it. I use it once or twice a day every day and I can definitely tell the difference. I have been using it for about a week now and my lips have never looked better or felt softer! My husband even commented on how soft my lips are recently!

My lips have stopped cracking and peeling and they are soft as can be. I think they look healthier too! However, don't take my word for it. Here is a before and after picture. The before picture is before I started using the Collagen Lip Gloss and the after picture is today after using it for just 4 days! I have to say this is truly the #BestLipGloss

Here are some facts from the website:

"Naturally the best lip gloss products on the market for your lips! Collagen lip gloss is a collagen booster lipgloss created for lip care that clearly restores skin’s protective barrier, protecting your lip from drying out. One of the best lip glosses you should be using for your lips. The collagen lip gloss heavily smooths and regenerates your lips.

Throw out your chapstick and buy the best lip gloss for your lips today!

• 100% lead free
• 100% metals free
• 100% parabens free"

You can purchase this amazing Collagen Lip Gloss HERE!
If you give it a try, let me know what you think! What are the main effects that you look for in a lip gloss?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.