Smiley: ChapStick Hydration Lock Moisture and Renew #Review #PutYourLipsFirst

With the weather being in that temperamental mood of swinging between Summer like temperatures to then wanna-be Fall, my skin and lips are also throwing a tantrum! The only thing that has been staying true is that it gets chilly in the evening and my lips seem to not get enough moisture. I even started drinking more water and the problem is not dehydration.  We worry so much about our skin’s health and I know with me, my mouth moves all day with all the chattering I do. Even though my lips are on my face, I dedicate more time to renewing the skin on my face and concentrate on my eye area, but totally forget the lips!

Chapstick has gone beyond just having formulas where you just pick the flavor you like. They have transformed their formulas and provide balms that fit everyone’s lip needs. I was able to try out one of their latest formulas from a line that has two dual ended applicators:

• Chapstick Hydration Lock Moisture & Renew
• Chapstick Lock Day & Night

The Chapstick Hydration Lock Moisture and Renew, is geared towards individuals that want anti-aging ingredients to improve their lips appearance and overall health. Packed with CoQ10 and Hyaluronic Spheres on the “Renew” end, this provides supple lips that appear smoother and feel heavenly, plus deliver an antioxidant punch (but in a good way)! The “Moisture” end provides Shea and Mango butters that aid in conditioning the skin and help it hold-in moisture, so they remain protected. The nice part is that Chapstick’s new balms are clinically proven to give you healthier look lips.

Chapstick’s Lock Day & Night is the stick that provides you with SPF12 for “Day” time protection and moisturizing butters. The “PM/Night” formula is the one that provides antioxidants, natural butters and Tamanu oil to replenish lips. Talk about 24 hours protection in just one tube. Easy to carry and fits perfectly in a purse, gym bag, to even your pocket.  So no excuses in not having kissable lips!

Results: I was able to try the Hydration Lock Moisture and Renew variety from Chapstick for a few weeks to see what it could do for me. I love that as the day’s weather turns into night’s different climate, I am covered and protected by just one item that I can carry anywhere. I noticed on the first day when I tried the “Renew” formula, I woke up with smoother lips. My lipstick/gloss glided on but I made sure to apply one light coat of the “Moisture” formula to continue with the protection. Think of it as a base coat/primer. I did not have to exfoliate twice a week like I usually do with a sugar scrub. That regimen was cut back to once a week and done more out of habit than need. I was happy with smoother lips and feel more confident and ready for when Winter swings around.

Price Point: The hydration stick alone (not the dual end costs $2.99. The formula I tested that has dual ends and supplies you both with the Hydration Lock and Renew,can be found as low as $2.99 (Birchbox and Drugstore), CVS had the highest at $3.69, but I found a deal today for 2 for $5.00 at Walgreens. Walgreens had the lowest price-point if you buy two.

Coupon Savings: This sweetens the deal because you can add it to the above sales to save 0.50 cents on each stick.  Print the coupon here and start saving!

 

 

Connect with Chapstick and see what they can do for your lips at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• #PutYourLipsFirst

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Chapstick and Smiley.  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.

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Smiley: Efferdent Fresh Guard Starter Kit #Review #Freshguard

I was very fortunate to have had braces. Although you’d be hard pressed to get me to admit it at the time. The last thing anyone wants when they’re starting high school is a mouth full of metal. But now, with the benefit of age and understanding I know that my parents did me a huge favor (and laid out no small amount of money) to ensure I had a straight, beautiful smile. Part of maintaining that for all these years has been wearing my retainer from time to time. Yes, I still wear my retainer, much to my husband’s amusement, all these years later.

And anyone who has one knows that keeping them clean is paramount. The absolute LAST thing you want in your mouth is a gunky, nasty retainer. Toothpaste isn’t the same animal from when we were kids, so I can appreciate Smiley360’s offer to try Fresh Guard by Efferdent. Gentle on the appliances we put in our mouths, but rough on germs. It’s also good for mouth guards and removable braces. Since I don’t have those, just my retainer, I’ll be sticking to that.

What I really like from jump street is that you can just drop it in a glass or bowl, pour the crystals and let the fizz carry the junk away. Which is exactly what I did. I notice right away that despite the emphasis on “fresh”, there’s instead a very distinct chemical smell. The instructions say to wait for the water to turn clear, and you’re good to go, but the smell makes me want to rinse it right away, which I do. And I’m glad I did, because there’s still a slight “off” taste. I can’t imagine what it would have been right from the glass to my mouth. It doesn’t seem any cleaner than when I use a toothbrush and toothpaste, so I’m hard pressed to see the benefit from this product.

My kit also comes with a Fresh Guard wipe, which I have to assume would be better suited to something without ridges or pointy edges like my retainer, because it kept getting caught. It didn’t do a very thorough job at all.

All things considered, I’m not a huge fan of this product, and don’t particularly see the need for the additional expense. If it did a better job than a toothbrush and toothpaste, I could see it but it doesn’t. It might also be seen as step backwards with the smell. Shame, really, because I wanted to like this product.

If you would like to try Fresh Guard by Efferdent, please visit:

• On-line: http://freshguardclean.com/
• Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/freshguard?source=feed_text&story_id=698866333486213
• Twitter- https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FreshGuard
• Coupon/Savings- http://smiley360.com/ct_653.php?utm_source=Facebook

I received the above product free of charge from Fresh Guard by Efferdent and Smiley360.  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.

 

Smiley: Nature’s Bounty / Optimal Solutions Hair, Skin and Nails Gummies #Review

I’m always a supporter of finding ways to improve my skin’s health to my hair and nails. Smiley and Nature’s Bounty sent me a free bottle of their gummies, which contain Biotin and other supplements that feed your beauty. I was also sent samples to distribute with coupon cards to give away, a few beauty related items, like a compact and nail file, plus a couple of hair bands.

What’s in it:
This is for a serving of 2 gummies with a Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000 caloric daily intake diet.

• Biotin– 2, 500 mg (833% of your DV) > Biotin is usually found in our intestinal’s bacteria and our bodies usually produce more naturally than what our body requires (DV). Biotin is what our cells need to be able to grow, produce Fatty Acids and aid with metabolizing fats and Amino Acids. Now, there are people who may have metabolic disorders, in which enough Biotin is not produced. You will also find people that have a issues producing enough gastric acid be low on Biotin, as patients who are elderly, people who consume alcohol and/or smoke. Another cause is a Immune System disorders. Another culprit that may make a person deficient in Biotin is consumption of egg whites in their raw form and on a daily basis (functional Avidin). Avidin is destroyed by cooking. Symptoms of a deficiency is hair loss, skin disorders to even neurological disorders like depression, fatigue, lethargy to hallucinations.
• Vitamin C– 15 mg (25% of your DV) > Ascorbic Acid, which is the source listed has been proven to help with oxidative stress. Being that it is classified as an antioxidant, people may see benefits in cardiovascular disease to even those who suffer from inflammation. Vitamin C also helps the immune system and is a natural antihistamine, so you will also find benefits when it comes to allergies.
• Vitamin E– 15 IU (50% of your DV) > You have probably noticed Vitamin E in many beauty products and I personally use the vitamin in oil form to hydrate and protect the skin around my eyes. Vitamin E is another antioxidant and can help with protecting lipids, neurological function, to even reducing oxidative stress.

Other Ingredients listed- Corn Syrup, Sugar, Dicalcium Phosphate, Grape juice color concentrate, Gelatin, Modified Food Starch, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Natural Strawberry flavor, Black Carrot juice color concentrate, Maltodextrin, Fractionated Coconut oil, Carnauba wax, Beeswax and Silica.

Dosage: For adults, Nature’s Bounty recommends a serving of 2 gummies once or twice on a daily basis. They suggest taking them with a meal. A full size bottle comes with 80 gummies in total, so you will run short on a 30-day supply if you go beyond the minimum requirement (once daily).

The Flavor/Taste Test:
The gummies are Strawberry flavored and sweet, with almost a corn starch after-taste. Not your usually clear looking gummy but a more cloudy and waxy consistency.

Overall Performance/Results:
I took the product until I finished the bottle and I must admit I did not like being short on a 30-day supply if I took the product twice daily (total of 4 gummies). It’s just not convenient and not a manner I usually buy or take supplements. I like the amount of Biotin and Vitamin C and E found in the blend. I found taking 1 gummy in the morning and 1 gummy in the afternoon worked best for me because 833% of a my Biotin daily value in one dose is really just going to purge out with the amount of water I tend to drink through out the day. I prefer absorbing my supplements a little through out the day versus flooding my system with higher (mega) doses. I noticed changes mostly in my nails and the growth cycle did speed up. My hair grows quickly as it is, so I could not comment there but I did not notice any significance when it came to changes in my skin. I did not have fewer or more breakouts.

A few things I did find negative when it came to this supplement was the corn syrup as first ingredient, then more sugar, to the clear window where you can see the gummies from. Vitamin C oxidizes and becomes useless when exposed to light and this is why you always see the supplement stored in dark/solid colored bottles. I know people like to view products when buying but not at the cost of potentially losing a benefit when you are seeking to better your health. I know I m not Biotin deficient and could not locate studies where a person who produces, or in our case naturally produce more than needed; needed a mega-dose on top of that to see results in skin, hair, or nails. I have been drinking more water so I know that helps with the aforementioned, and it comes at a lower cost per unit, plus you don’t get shortened on a 30-day supply there 🙂

Price Point: 80 gummy count bottle retails for $5.79 to $7.99. I found the lower price point at Walmart, with Amazon being $0.10 more and Walgreen’s being the most expensive at $7.99.

You can save by signing-up to their Newsletter- $1.00 off coupon http://www.naturesbounty.com/signup/

You can also try the product and if it does not provide you with satisfied results; get your money back here:

• 30 Day Challenge Guarantee form- http://www.naturesbounty.com/challenge/

I am glad I tried the gummies because I do believe in working from within to improve our outside. With the coupon and guarantee, I personally feel that it may be something you wish to try and see if you get results. It’s a win/win in my book!

To find more information on Nature’s Bounty and the above product, please visit them here:

• On-line– http://www.naturesbounty.com/optimalsolutions/053545
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/NaturesBounty
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/NaturesBounty
• Pinterest– http://www.pinterest.com/naturesbounty/

 

I received the above product free of charge from Smiley and Nature’s Bounty/Optimal Solutions.  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.