Grizzly Gun Care Non-Toxic CLP

 

One of the most overlooked parts of gun ownership is maintenance. For your weapons to perform as they were designed one must take maintenance seriously. And one of the best ways to do that is a good CLP, which stands for “Clean, Lubricate and Protect”.

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Grizzly Gun Care gets this and has provided a better than average CLP that gets the job done, all without being as toxic as the industry leading CLPs! That’s right, a lot of the big names or CLPs you’ve heard are the best are seriously toxic, like, loaded with carcinogens. The best of the new generation of CLPs recognized this and reformulated to non-toxic mixes that still perform to Mil-Spec standards. Grizzly Gun care is no different. It cleans out the carbon fouling on my Husband’s M&P 15, and doesn’t stink to high heaven either. There’s an almost pleasant scent actually, and it leaves a thin film of protectant that inhibits corrosion well. It is thicker at room temperature than the old Hoppe’s No. 9 he used before, which means it won’t run and dribble everywhere you don’t want it and nowhere you don’t. It didn’t clean as well as the aerosol product Hubby used previously, but got everything respectably clean, just not the “factory new” clean Hubby tends to prefer for almost, well, everything. It seems to work best on fresh fouling, not older build-up.

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If we’re splitting hairs, it’s more expensive than the aerosol stuff Hubby used previously, and you got 6 ounces of that versus 4 ounces of Grizzy’s CLP. But he always finished off with a grease as well, and when you combine the price of the two, if you want a one-and-done solution, Grizzy is on par price and performance wise. So if you want an all-in-one solution that isn’t toxic, doesn’t stink so bad you need to crack open all the windows, and stores well for a fair price, Grizzly Gun Care’s CLP is the product for you.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Grizzly Gun Care. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Sugar Creek Candles Company: Monkey Nuts Natural Soy Wax Candle #SoyCandles

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I have been a fan of soy based candles because they tend to burn cleaner and the amount of scent or how strong they are, is not affected by the soy base. Lately, I have been using a warmer and another one with a fan feature. We burn candles or melt wax on a daily basis. It keeps the house that cooks and bakes on a daily basis from smelling like food. Foods smells are great when they come from a baked treat like a cake, but a lobster tail that was grilled and then finished in the oven……well, not so great the next morning!

In comes Sugar Creek Candles with a decent array of scents to satisfy every taste out there. I opted for the Monkey Nuts variety, which has a tropical scent that is more like a coconut and pineapple blend, versus banana like the name may suggest.  I pretty much enjoy every scent out there from Clean Linens to the Spring floral blends because change is welcoming when you burn candles like we do.

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Retail Price Point: $14.99 for one candle and free shipping if you are an Amazon Prime member.

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Verdict:
I receive the glass jar, which also has a glass lid for when not in use. The candle is white in color and the scent was faint when I opened the jar to get an idea how it smelled. I figured some candles are soft when it comes to the fragrance notes they release and especially lighter scents, but they can still do their job of covering odors or just adding a nice smell to the air. This was not the case for Sugar Creek Candles. I burned the candle after dinner and I made Asian that evening. The candle burned for 4 hours straight and you could only smell it a few feet away. We have a high cathedral style ceiling in the family room, so I just moved it to the kitchen itself, which has a shorter ceiling. No difference and this was one weak candle. I blamed the food I made. Maybe the oils, chilies and everything combined was too big of a job for a jarred candle. The next day there was no residue left of the scent, so I again burn the candle for 2 hours. I stopped when I realized that as long as you are over the candle, you could smell it. Like so on top that you better not burn your nose (kind of close). I go outside to make sure I have not acclimated to the aroma and when I return inside, I realize this candle is just sadly a fail for size and price. It’s weak…..way too weak in scent and unless you want to burn a candle for ambient light, that is the only positive I could find. The jar is nothing special and the wax is white in color, so it’s not even a beautiful hue to look at but if it smelled like it should, I would have enjoyed and especially with the days warming up and now that we are in May, the tropical fragrance would have been perfect.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Sugar Creek Candles. 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.

SqueakyCleanCo’s Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer

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Some days, cleanliness is next to impossible. Some days, my hands are toast from constant washing and drying. And like some people nowadays, I’m hopelessly addicted to hand sanitizer. Like, I have a bottle in every bathroom, in my purse, in the car, in the bedroom, in the garage. When Squeaky Clean offered me a bottle of their antibacterial had sanitizer to try out, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

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Good sanitizers, at their most basic levels, are pretty much the same: Copious amounts of ethyl alcohol in a glycerin suspension. There’s usually some other things to stabilize it, some fragrance, and maybe a moisturizer to keep our hands from becoming dry, cracked like an old catcher’s mitt. And because alcohol is ridiculously cheap, hand sanitizer is  affordable. I usually pick up Target’s Up & Up brand for about $5 for a 32 ounce bottle. It’s not too fancy, it’s got some weird green color to it, but it also does the job. So here’s where brands like Squeaky Clean start diverging from Purell, Up & Up, and almost every other brand I’ve tried: It’s expensive. A 16 ounce bottle is over $14 on Amazon.com. Yikes! Multiplied out, I’d be spending nearly $30 to get the same amount as what I normally pay $5 for at Target. That makes no sense.

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In Squeaky Clean’s defense, their product smells divine, and the aloe and vitamin e left my hands smooth, soft and not at all dried out, plus there’s no added dyes to make it that funky green color as my usual brand. It has 62% ethyl alcohol instead of my usual 70%, so it’s more on par with Purell there too. The box it came in looked very chic and high-end, and the pump reaches to the bottom so you’re not shaking the bottle at end to use the last little bit of it. It’s delightful fragrance stays with you for some time, too. But I don’t know that those pluses are worth more than 3 times the price of leading brands. In fact, I’m sure they’re not. I like the product, it does what it says it’ll do and is what it says it is, but it’s far, far too expensive for me to recommend.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from SqueakyCleanCo.  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.

Swaggable: Farmer’s Market Lemongrass Lemon Soap by Beaumont Products, Inc

When I received this bar of soap, the first thing I noticed was the aromatic scent it left in my mailbox. The scent is strong but very pleasant and not just because it’s soap, the bar has a very clean and welcoming smell.

You will notice by the ingredients listed below, that this soap is made with ingredients you can pronounce, recognize and friendly to not only a human but the environment 🙂 My take has always been that I will opt for an environment friendly product as long as it performs equal or better than the science created one. I watch my chemicals closely because not everything from a lab will hurt you but unfortunately some may, and especially with long term use. This soap is as friendly as it gets and so far has passed the nose test but how does it leave my skin?

LEMONGRASS BASIL Ingredients (as listed from their site):
Organic sodium palmate, organic sodium cocoate, aqua, organic and natural glycerine, sodium citrate, organic essential oils: ocimum basilicum (basil) oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, cymbopogon schoenanthus (lemongrass) oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (sweet orange) oil, organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, organic elaeis guineensis (palm) butter, organic simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, organic vaccinium angustifolium (blueberry) fruit and organic persea gratissima (avocado).

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Performance Test:
I first tested the bar out by simply washing my hands in case the oils the scent derives from would be too strong. The bar lathers quickly and with very little product needed. I was able to get a nice foam within a few seconds, which lasted and that meant not needing to go back to the bar to sustain the lather. I washed for 1 minute and then rinsed the soap off. I dislike soaps that leave a film that when you rinse, it feels like nothing came off the hand and you actually feel more dirty than when you washed. Thankfully, this is not one of those soaps! Yes, my hands felt soft but remained breathable. The scent left behind is that of clean and you are not left with a “perfume-y” cloud emitting from your finger tips. The shea butter in the soap left my skin supple and soft!

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Final Results:
I used the soap for a week and the bar barely looks used and that means the product will last long. I am an “Ivory girl” because I enjoy a clean feeling and not bars that are supposed to feel like you washed your hands with lotion. This bar left my hands soft, hydrated and actually help combat the dry hands I get in Winter from over washing. No oily residue left behind that you then spread onto everything you touch and I also judge a soap’s build-up by how my sink looks within that week I used the bar. My sink was also residue free and left clean! I saw that Farmer’s Market has other scents and like Blackberry Preserves, Apple Orchard to even Pumpkin Spice and Unscented. I will share that I kept the box and once the soap dries, I put it back in and it makes the bathroom smell really nice, so that was another positive I found welcoming.

Farmer’s Market soap retails for $4.99 a bar and are made in the U.S.A

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I received the above product from Swaggable and Beaumont Products, Inc., free of charge. I am not obligated in providing positive/favorable feedback, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the brand and/or it’s products, which may differ from yours.

Freeman Eclos Skincare Review #EclosGoBare Challenge

This Summer I was rewarded the Eclos trio as a perk for being a Klout member. The kit included a Skin Prep Cleanser, Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream, and a Daily HydraPrimer in SPF 30.

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Eclos is part of the Freeman family and uses a natural approach in helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin’s texture. The line derives its anti-aging power from Apple Stem Cells, thus the yellow colored apple featured on the Eclos line. This rare Swiss apple is called the Uttwiler Spatlauber as noted in the Eclos literature.

Uttwiller Spätlauber Apple’s History:
This apple has been harvested since the 1800’s in Canton, Thurgau (northern part) Switzerland and from my research, in 2009 researchers came out with claims of maybe this being the new anti-wrinkle solution even though the trees were dying out at some point. The diminishing of the trees came from people not seeking the apple’s flavor because it tended to be sour, however it is a species that remains with a smooth outer skin appearance longer than other species of apples. After claims were clinically proven to reflect positive results, the species has been regenerated and produced in large quantities for certain cosmetic companies/lines. I saw in my research companies selling creams, serums and/or lotions to foundations with Uttwiller Spätlauber listed as an ingredient. Prices were as high as $395 to as low as $10. I have no idea if “strength” or other combined properties define the price point.

This was a 2-week challenge that I took and because I like to give products a chance to show their full potential, or in this case erase some off my face, I gave the Eclos line a 4 week chance.

Let’s Begin……

  • Eclos Skin Prep Cleanser ($14.99 for 6.8 oz): Labeled as the rejuvenate+clean and the “starter” in the regimen, I was not very impressed by the product. It cleans just like any good cleaner out there and I did not feel a deep clean or any rejuvenation omitting from the foam itself. I used the cleanser in both ways as just washing my face and a few times in removing make-up on those days I was taking a short-cut because I was wearing very light make-up. The wash did not play well at removing even a light application of make-up, as I felt a residue after washing. I had to use a make-up removing wipe even when I was not using my “long-wearing” foundation. I can easily say my grapefruit friend at a lower price point did a better job at cleansing my face, so I do not recommend this as your main wash.
  • Eclos Therapy Regenerative Cream ($24.99 for 2.0 oz): Labeled as the hydrate+strengthen member of the trio. After two weeks of use, I felt my skin was moisturized and soft, however my skin remained the same when it came to the level of fine lines I have. This states improvement of wrinkles and I can say it did not diminish just my fine lines. At the 4-week mark, I looked like I did at the two week and at when I started mark. I like the “back to nature” approach and always welcome a non-chemical application, but apples did not cut it when it came to improving my skin. Yes, it was soft to the touch but that was pretty much it. I also found that less is better with this moisturizer as you do get into residue and oily issues if you use more than a pea size amount for your face alone.
  • Eclos Daily HydraPrimer SPF 30 ($15.99 for 1.0 oz): Labeled as the repair, protect +prime, so this last guy carries more duties. I have tried more primers that I want to admit and, that sometimes not using a primer is easier for me than picking one that brings me more problems than solutions (*cough*UrbanDecay*cough*). Out of all three products I tried from Eclos, this one outperformed and also replaced my former primer. I was not holding out hope and soon was going to blame Eclos if I got frown lines from the disappointment with the above products, but this one makes me thank Eclos. It works and not only did I continue using it, I will most likely purchase it again. This little apple works and provides not only protection but a nice and smooth application of my make-up. The SPF did not cause my skin any problems and I usually use SPF 15 on my face because the higher the number, the higher the oily feeling gets. Not with this primer and I actually felt this was what gave the better results. I don’t feel in my opinion you need the 2 above to see the results and a little goes a long way. By week 6 of using this primer, I had the same softness and actually saw that my skin looked smoother so discontinuing the 2 above at that point made no difference.

I found the primer reasonably priced and also stocked from Target, Ulta, Walgreens to even Amazon, so if you are interested in trying the apple…..it can easily be picked or even delivered to your home. Want more on Eclos? Visit http://www.freemanbeauty.com/eclos and they also have more products related to the line and also easily purchased directly from the site.

I received this product from Klout and Eclos, free of charge. I am not obligated in providing positive/favorable feedback, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the brand and/or it’s products, which may differ from yours.

Smiley: Arm & Hammer Sensitive Whitening Toothpaste with Orajel

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I was fortunate enough to be a part of Smiley’s Arm & Hammer Sensitive toothpaste campaign, and let me tell you, it comes at the very best time or year. Who doesn’t like ice cream, icy fruit smoothies, popsicles (don’t judge me), and all manner of frozen treats that are part and parcel staples of summer? But then there’s that one spot, that one tooth, that makes enjoying them nearly impossible. I’m here to tell you that thanks to Arm & Hammer teaming with Orajel, kiss that sensitive tooth (or teeth) goodbye this summer. Oh, and lets not forget that Arm & Hammer has also included baking soda, gentle whitening and all the anti-cavity goodness to make good oral health anything but an afterthought,

 I tried this product for two weeks. But not before confirming that “owie” spot at my molar that has a filling. You know the one, the one that reminds me I had one too many sour gummy worms that one Halloween. The one that makes me dread my frozen pineapple spears, my blended berries-and-ice smoothies, my dark chocolate-covered frozen nanners. Yup. Still ouchie. But right about the two week mark, I decided it was time. Sure enough, I was able to indulge.  Happily.  Fully.  Now, I just have to worry about brain freeze!
Let’s not forget that this is Arm & Hammer, teaming with Orajel, who has taken the hassle out of putting some baking soda into your toothpaste. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve added a little from time to time to bump up the clean, but this is a much better way to get it in there. Tartar reduction, anti-cavity power, and a pleasant, minty flavor that left your mouth feeling clean, and then there’s the reassurance that you’re protected with Orajel. This is a truly all-in-one product that does it all.  I’m a fan, and I think you will be too.
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What are some of the Benefits:

  • Relief from painful tooth & nerve sensitivity
  • Low abrasion formula
  • Effective stain removal
  • Deep cleaning
  • Breath freshening
  • Fluoride cavity protection

ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Toothpaste by the makers of Orajel™ oral relief pain medication is available in three varieties:

  • ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Whitening
  • ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Freshening
  • ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Multi-Protection

For more information visit: http://www.armandhammer.com/oral-care-sem-sensitivity.aspx

Get your free sample of ARM & HAMMER(TM) #SensitiveToothpaste http://www.smiley360.com/ct_356.php  #freesample

I received this product free of charge from Smiley.  I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours.

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