RE: CSMARTE: Classic Smooth Black Metal, Pocket Watch with Chain #Review #Watch

I have always been drawn to vintage and antique style watches.  From the parts of a watch to the mechanical workings, I think watches and clocks have beauty that is not only on the outside but even more gorgeous on the inside.

CSMARTE, is a company that features many styles of watches that can easily satisfy anyone’s taste.  Many of the styles are jewelry like in nature, so you get not only a piece that tells time but also one that serves as a beautiful necklace.  Their selection goes from pocket watches to wrist watches, so you can find a tick-tock device that fits your needs.

I was sent a pocket watch style unit that comes with a chain style necklace.  The watch has a black colored metal finish that is smoky and glossy at the same time.  The face of the watch is white, which is a nice contrast against the darker tones.  You have two ornate style clock hands, both for the hour and minute settings.  They resemble a scroll design and like with any pocket watch, you use the lever on the top that sets the time.  A classic and whimsical style and all comes together in a gift box, just in case this serves as a present for that special someone.

Retail Price Point: Depending on the chain you choose, the watch is priced between $12.88 and $12.99, plus qualifies for Amazon Prime free shipping.

Product Dimensions: 3.1 x 2 x 1.2 inches

Verdict:

 The clock has a nice balanced weight to it, so it is not too heavy when worn as a jewelry accessory but also not so light that it will be flinging around at your every move.  The (Japanese) quartz movement keeps accurate time and I did notice the nice touch of plastic peels added to the clock’s case, so you receive a blemish free article when the watch arrives.  No scratches or fingerprints!  The only con I could find is when opening the watch, it can be a little difficult if you have nails and do not want to damage the watch or your manicure, but I prefer that over the top popping open on it’s own.  The clock’s case also does not open all the way, as the hinge seems to be a little tight and I get 3/4 of the clock open when I need to check the time.  It’s a value nonetheless if you look at the price and quality of the product, that makes it a fair purchase.  I will be using mine in a pocket watch craft project I will be doing this Summer, so for me this is a perfect price for a working unit and what I have in mind.

Connect with CSMARTE at:

Amazon

I received the above product(s) free of charge from CSMARTE. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Advertisement

Comfy Clothiers: 18 inch Long, Heavy-Duty Metal Shoe Horn made from Stainless Steel

 

When it comes to preserving the items I buy, I take extra steps and will do everything from purchasing a kit to treat leather goods, to special cleaners for certain fabrics and materials. Finding a good shoe takes time. Yes, I see a lot of cute pairs but if they are going to make me go, “ouch”, that means they mostly likely will stay looking cute in my closet. I decided to invest in a shoe horn several years ago because I’m a girl with long nails, and sticking my finger in to insure I did not crush a heel when inserting my foot, well it would sometimes pinch or crush my nail a bit. My priority was my shoes but I also did not want to ruin a manicure because of it.  This also meant I would use my nail again upon removal because I dislike the idea of stepping on one heel to remove the other! It just leaves you with one really marked up and damaged heel in the end, and shortens the life of your shoes.

Then came to hunting for a simple metal shoe horn. I thought it would be quick and easy. I then realized many name brand shoe stores no longer existed. People buy their shoes from stores that carry multiple brand names, will buy shoes that cost less just to wear a current trend, or even purchase from outlets that clearance out shoes from past seasons, to buying just directly on-line. I am guilty of all. The problem then comes that when you need accessories or kits that help you preserve suede, leather to even cleaners, that also becomes as generic as the place that carries a whole lot of brands. They usually carry one item if any and not always a good product. I went everywhere from places like Macy’s, DSW, to Target to find a good quality metal shoe horn. There came a point that I did not care of length, just as long as the metal was of strong and would last. Found many plastic ones and bendy metal ones! I just could not locate a good metal one until I entered Nordstroms, and the ladies department had none, but the men’s department next to the suits did. It cost me more than I wanted to spend, but then again I kept telling myself, “you are saving your expensive heels, so it’s worth it”. The metal is strong in the shoe horn I purchased and has a clear coating to insure smoothness that is welcoming when using it. All my heels have lasted well (some even over a decade) and none have experienced the wrath of warped heels from me stepping on them when it comes to putting my shoes on. Poor shoes of the past!  Just one smooch each time you insert your foot cause damage to leather and really makes a shoe not last as long as it could.

Retail Price Point: On Amazon for $17.95, but is currently on sale for $14.95 and you get free one day shipping if you are a Prime member.

 

When I was offered the campaign for the Comfy Clothiers long metal shoe horn, I jumped on it. It is longer than the one I have and it advertises the product as being made of a strong and “heavy-duty” steel. I figured it never hurts to have an extra one either. When the shoe horn arrived, I noticed it is 18 inches in length and slimmer in diameter. I wear 6.5 in most brands like with Poetic License, Franco Sarto, ect. branded shoes.  I’m a 6 with Born heels, and with Ugg heels (never have owned the boots), I’m a 7 due to the padding inside that adds extra cushioning. My feet are not wide, so my former shoe horn was a little (wider) bigger than it needed to be but realize I got desperate towards the end. I could only locate plastic ones at stores and on-line it is hard to decipher if the metal is truly strong and stiff enough to withstand years of use. I can say the Comfy Clothiers shoe horn is made of a strong steel that does not bend or deform when using.  I also like the lack of needing to bend over to use this shoe horn from Comfy Clothiers, because the length allows no need for it. This is great for days I’m just aching to days I don’t want to bend over and accidentally get lipstick on my shirt’s collar. Yes, that has happened to me to even getting lip gloss on my hair when I bent and it came forward, which then transferred it to whatever shirt I was wearing. Girls with long hair problems! I have none of those worries now and the metal is stiff enough to last years of use and smooth, so you don’t damage your shoes or hurt your feet. I also saved gas ordering directly from Amazon! So glad I have this shoe horn from Comfy Clothiers because you have no idea how hard it is to locate a a good metal one if you try to purchase from a brick-and-mortar store!

Connect with Comfy Clothiers at:

• Amazon
• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• #18CCShoehorn

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Comfy Clothiers. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD6 Review

I am no stranger to tech. Even though it isn’t featured much on my blog, tech tools have been invaluable to me in almost every facet of what you see on here. So when I was offered a chance to review an Amazon Fire HD6 tablet from Third Voice Marketing, I said “You betcha!”. I’m always on the lookout for things to make my life a little easier, and a multi-tasker like a tablet is a sure fire way to get many things done, even on the go.

I may have been spoiled by hubby’s Nexus devices. While only sporting 7″ screens, they make the most of the real estate and have fabulous visuals and specs to boot. Sadly, the Fire HD6 fails to meet my lofty expectations. From the start, it feels thicker, clunkier and heavier (though it is lighter!) than the larger Nexus 7. The screen almost looks to be set further into the device. It’s resolution is 1280 x 800 (252ppi), which is a far cry from the 1920 x 1200 (323ppi) I’m used to. For a stand alone reader that would be fine. When a major selling point is full access to Amazon Prime features like the HD VOD service, that isn’t so fine. More on that later. Both sport Corning Gorilla Glass, both have front and rear cameras, both have quad-core processors,wi-fi, bluetooth and access to a wide array of apps. So, since one is more expensive than the other, you’d be inclined to forgive the screen issues and focus on what Amazon got right. Right?

What amazon got right was the price. Sold for as low as $84 recently, you’d be hard-pressed to find a quad-core device of equal build quality for less. and with 1GB of RAM, it should handle light mobile games, email and some light web browsing with aplomb. But when you get to the software, that’s where things go off the rails for me. Amazon skinned over the lovely Android Kit Kat OS with their own proprietary features, much to the detriment of the user experience. Perhaps it’s because I’m used to a pure Android experience, but the devices seems seriously hamstrung by the Fire OS. You lose access to the Google Play store, you lose access to a synced Chrome (and all it’s bookmarks with no way to import them), you lose access to the device synchronicity you’re accustomed to, and you’re forced into an ecosystem that is geared towards Amazon consumption at the cost of being truly user friendly.

I found myself constantly frustrated by trying to do what I’ve been doing with my Android devices for years now, only have to try to learn Amazon’s way of doing it instead. Yuck. What’s worse is when you get into heavy web browsing, downloading, or typing, you get so much lag you want to fling the thing into the nearest wall. All the ports are at the top of the device, the single rear speaker is absolutely awful, and the camera, at 2MP, is positively anemic. Though it does sport an HDR mode and a wide array of editing tools, the pictures will never be anything to write home about, especially in low light conditions. The screen size is frustrating for me tapping and touching with normal sized fingers, and Hubby couldn’t do squat with his much bigger Hubby paws. Amazon does sport it’s own app store, but more than a few of the versions of the apps available, while seemingly identical to their Google App and Apple App Store cousins, are usually a few versions behind. Because, let’s face it, there are two big dogs on the app block, and it doesn’t make sense to spend a bundle on development for the two little dogs with very little market penetration, Amazon and Windows. Amazon has also locked the bootloader, which means no third party development is available, which is another huge upside for normal Android devices, and a liability for Kindles.

I like having access to my Amazon Prime benefits. I like being able to stream my free video and audio benefits seamlessly. I like the Kindle features that go above and beyond the Kindle apps available for all my other devices. I like that it is small enough to drop in my purse and not know it’s there. It seems to be very sturdily built with unobtrusive buttons that don’t get hit accidentally. And I like the price. Aside from that, there is also plenty to make me say that I doubt I’d buy a Kindle on my own any time soon. The proprietary, frustrating nature of the OS. The ads on the lock screen. The focus on the “Amazon experience” and not the customer experience. The lack of synchronicity. The screen. And some personal experience. The memory on my first device was corrupted, and the charging port was borked. Amazon sent a replacement next-day air. But after several rounds with their “customer service” chat to figure out how to connect the device to my TV for a true HD video experience (6 different chats got me 6 different failed methods), I eventually gave up and resigned myself to a 6″ sub-HD screen for the foreseeable future. I also don’t know how I only have 3.5 GB of space on a 8GB device when it arrives. Too small to download a movie, and very little space for apps, media, or really, anything.

I’ve used Samsung Galaxy Devices, LG devices, Asus devices, and Nexus devices. Kindle is dead last in my user experience.I wanted to like my Kindle. I wanted one for some time. Amazon shot for the moon with their Kindle devices and instead, for me, shot themselves in the foot. Perhaps I expected too much. As I stated, for a reader, it’s awesome. If you don’t mind the screen or speaker, the access to Amazon’s Instant Video and Music is phenomenal. And Amazon gives a you a 30-day, 100% satisfaction guarantee, but return shipping is at your cost. If it’s for youngsters, you have a relatively well built, relatively inexpensive device that they can stream the occasional video, play a few games, and read a few books. For a grown up, you’re better off buying a grown up device.

Connect with Amazon and Kindle via:

• The web
• Facebook
• Google Plus
• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIN

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Third Voice Marketing.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Sano: Vitamin C Serum+ Daily Skin Revitalizer and Vitamin C Eye Gel+ with Silk Peptides #Review #SanoSerum

I have been wanting to incorporate Vitamin C into my skin care regimen after doing some research.  In the following weeks, I will be reviewing products that will focus around brands that deliver to your skin the maximum Vitamin C and hoping to see positive results. You can read my post on my research at- Topical Vitamin C use in Beauty Products Research and Information

My first to test and review is by a brand named Sano Naturals.  I liked from the get-go that they back-up their beauty products.  If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase and skin care experience, they will refund your entire purchase price, no questions asked.  They also include a bonus item with purchase and that is always a positive!

 

Sano Vitamin C Serum+:

On the bottle it states the product is of high potency and a Daily Skin Revitalizer. The bottle is a beautiful cobalt blue in color and the dark hue aids with preserving the product, which is rated at 20% concentration. I next looked at the ingredient list and you have an Organic Herbal Infusion, Aloe, and then Vitamin C. So far I am happy that water is not the delivery agent and other good quality binding ingredients were used along with the vitamin. The list goes on but everything is recognizable and friendly, not something I am use to in the “beauty world”. You get Hyaluronic Acid, which helps with inflammation (puffiness) and dry skin. It’s an ingredient you see for treating Eczema. Sano also uses kosher Vegetable Glycerin to Organic Jojoba oil. Jojoba has many good properties from being used as a fungicide and preventing mildew growth, to being able to deliver moisture without leaving an oily residue.

Results-

Even though most studies for Vitamin C ranged from a month to 12 weeks, I used the product for a period of 2 weeks. I eat a pretty balanced diet that is rich in greens, vegetables and fruit but I have those days that I wish I could say I ate bad, but it’s mostly that time gets in between meals and I eat late. Inconsistency happens! I noticed when I apply the Sano Vitamin C Serum+, my skin quickly absorbs it. It was so quick that my skin felt soft but with no product residue. I even tested one side of my face by applying just simple H2o and even water does not get absorbed at this rate. It usually would roll off but not this serum. So far I was happy with my first application and in not getting an oily appearance and/or feeling. I continued use and by day 4 saw what appeared as smoothness. Let me add no blemishes, pimples, blackheads or any skin occlusions. This serum is friendly when it comes to any acne suffers and even though people say mine is in the mild range, I myself is the one that deals with it so I rate it moderate at times to those moments that you get the monster bump that never comes up. My pores appear smaller just because my skin looks smoother and plumped up but in a good way! I continued use and noticed less was needed as I continued to use the product. My skin was hydrated enough that where I used 2 to 3 drops in one area, then changed to only needing one drop. The one drop then glided better when applied because my skin did experience positive changes. I don’t feel I have lost “years” when it comes to aging but I definitely look better. I look like I slept well, drank all my 8 glasses of water, and even ate well……even though that is not always the case. I was definitely happy with the results!

Retail Price Point: $18.95

Sano Vitamin C Eye Gel+:

This is a bonus item with purchase.  You again have a cobalt blue colored jar and I love that the product comes with a safety seal that you peel, so no air or anything that can damage or eat up the Vitamin C benefits while in storage. Easy to store and even pack in an overnight bag.

Results-

I never thought a gel could deliver moisture I was happy with but this one did the trick. Being that it’s a gel, the product goes on cold and instantly starts working on my morning’s puffy eyes. The Aloe in the product is very gentle to the skin in that area and I love how my make-up glides on after. Some eye creams would roll up sometimes due to the residue left behind and I had to then try to collect these little eye cream left-overs while at the same time not messing up my make-up. Not with the Sano’s Vitamin C Eye gel+. The product is rich in Peptides to Hyaluronic Acid. Do not be fooled, this gel does moisturize but the area is left with a supple and replenished look. I had zero eye irritations and found the gel friendly to my allergy suffering eyes. A little goes a long way, I used what I could as lightly dab out of the container, maybe the size of two rice grains per eye. The instant results alone of reducing puffiness is hard to beat and I used it with the Sano Vitamin C Serum +, just to get that extra help in my problem areas. My only small con is the product coming in jar form. I prefer bottles with pumps or that have an applicator like a dropper. I’m just not a fan of dabbing into a jar due to bacteria/germs, but due to the performance of the product, it would not deter me from buying it.

Check-out the products provided by Sano Naturals at:

• Purchase on Amazon
• Online Site
• #SanoSerum

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Sano Naurals.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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.

 

Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror #Review #Amazon

I recently had the chance to try the Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror thanks to the folks at Cassani. I got it through Amazon.com, and it was here a couple of days after ordering thanks to Amazon Prime. Using patented nanotechnology infused directly into the reflective surface of the mirror, it purports to let you focus on the shave and not the mirror. While at first that was the case, I’ll admit that by use 2 it was a gummy mess. The nanotechnology is actually a coating that when wet turns kind of, well…slimey. While the stainless steel hook looks pretty snazzy, and when left to air dry the mirror does too, at $15 I’m not too sure I’d buy it. Especially when you consider it’s not glass, it’s plastic.

Therein lies the second problem. I’m certain it was just the one shipped to us, but the one we received was slightly “warped”, leaving it not optically correct and closer to a fun house mirror. Which hubby pronounced to be quite distracting during his shave. So while the upside is that a glass mirror would most certainly have been shattered, the downside is, plastic bends instead of breaking.

So, fogless? Check! Shatterproof? Check! It is large, mostly clear, and comes with mountable brushed steel hooks for the mirror and your razor. And hubby has decided shaving in the shower is better, cleaner and quicker than shaving in the sink. The downside is it gets wet in the shower, turns gummy, and is kind of expensive for a piece of oval plastic. I’ll let you decide if the convenience is worth the potential drawbacks.  I do like that the company stands by their products and offer a 100% Money Back Guarantee.  You just don’t get that from companies anymore!

Retail Price Point: $14.99

You can connect with Cassani at:

• You can purchase the Cassani Fogless Mirror on Amazon
• http://www.cassanicompany.com/

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Cassani.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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.