Reviews

Bissell Vacuum Review, A Great Little Vacuum

This review is about a Bissell vacuum, in particular, the Bissell Powergroom Helix Rewind. Over the years I’ve had Dyson, Hoover, Eureka, Bissell and just about every other brand of upright vacuum out there. So when my last upright broke thanks to improper usage by my son when he used it to clean out his car, I started looking for reviews on Amazon.

What I found over the years from previous purchases was alarming in that even the high end vacuums ceased operating after a relatively short period of time, my Dyson specifically. I expected more for what I paid for with this expensive machine.

I figure if expensive vacuums break just as often as their cheaper counterparts, I’ll just buy the less expensive vacuum. I settled on the Bissell Powergroom Helix Rewind which had great reviews for about $80. I also opted for the two year warranty at Wal-mart for $7. This little machine is amazing. It picks up really well but the best part is that the turbo brush tool is great with pet hair. In fact, it did a better job at getting pet hair off my stairs than my Dyson did. I have a long haired German Shepherd dog and this feature was one of the most important ones to me.

The cons of this machine? I can only think of one, emptying the bagless bin is a dirty job. Pros? Many, this vacuum is lightweight, has automatic cord rewind and a very nice smelling Febreze filter that eliminates odors and freshens as you vacuum. The warranty that came with the machine is for two years. Add that to the inexpensive $7 two year warranty that I purchased and that’s 4 years! I give this little vacuum 4 stars. Would have been a 5, but I really dislike emptying the bagless bin where dust and dirt go everywhere. For me, the tradeoffs are worth it.

FROM THE MANUFACTURER:

Exclusive Helix System protects the motor while extending filter life for longer lasting pickup performance

Non-Stop Suction
Febreze® filter eliminates odors and freshens as you vacuum
One Touch Cord Rewind for fast and easy cord storage
Large capacity dirt container requires less emptying, which means fewer trips to the garbage can
Dual Edge Cleaning provides Surround Suction® to clean hard to reach places like baseboards and around furniture

The advantages of a Helix cleaning system
The unique Helix System captures dirt and other debris for even greater performance, whether you’re cleaning carpets or bare floors. It does this by using the internal “ribs” incorporated into the Easy Empty™

No money was exchanged for this review.

SkinnyPop Popcorn Review

Usually when I post a review, it’s either because I’ve been asked to try a product and leave an honest review or because I am so impressed or disappointed in a product. In this case, it’s because I’m totally in love with SkinnyPop popcorn. Ok, maybe that’s a stretch, but it is so so good.

I was visiting a good friend who broke out a bag of SkinnyPop popcorn. When I saw that it was non-gmo, I didn’t hesitate to try it since most corn of any kind in the US is genetically modified and was surprised that it actually tasted amazing. Thank you, Kristi!

The only popcorn I used to buy in a bag was cheddar cheese dusted popcorn and it wasn’t non-gmo. Since SkinnyPop comes in cheddar cheese flavor also, I won’t be buying the other brand anymore.

At Christmas time, as a family we usually enjoy the three flavors of popcorn in the tins sold at Wal-mart and drugstores but most of the time the popcorn is stale and undesirable. Not true of Skinny Pop, but there’s more. This stuff is amazing, non-gmo, gluten-free and guilt free. Here are a ton of pluses from their website and why I buy it. The best part is the taste. I love, love, love it!

Guilt-free snacking with just the right amount of salt.

NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS
NON GMO
GLUTEN FREE
DAIRY FREE
PEANUT FREE
TREE NUT FREE
PRESERVATIVE FREE
NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS
ZERO TRANS FAT
A GOOD SOURCE OF FIBER
AND DELICIOUS!

Ingredients: Popcorn, sunflower oil and salt.

Skinny Pop comes in four different varieties and I can’t wait to try them all.

I also wasn’t surprised when my teenage daughter came home and said, “Hey, Mom, have you tried Skinny Pop Popcorn.” I was happy to say that I had. So now all I have to do is get the company to add a few more flavors and put them in Christmas tins. For those interested, here are the nutrition facts. It’s all good, as far as I can tell.

You can find out more about their products and company, here. Please note, that I was not paid to promote this product in this review and the product was not provided by the company and it is my honest opinion. No money was exchanged for this SkinnyPop Review.

Soothe and Smooth Essential Oil Blend

I just ordered the new “Soothe and Smooth” essential oil blend from Eden’s Garden. After reading the wonderful reviews about how glorious this blend smells in addition to how much it improves skin conditions, I decided to place my order. My daughter suffers from Eczema and my dry skin needs some refreshing! All of the oils in this blend have healing properties, anti-aging properties and more.

The “Soothe and Smooth” blend has oils in it that I would blend together on my own but thankfully I don’t need to order 14-15 bottles of the various single oils to make it. Another thing that I love about Eden’s Garden is that they have a section on their website showing what oils are safe for kids. Love it!

Essential Oils in Soothe and Smooth Blend

Lavender
Seabuckthorn Berry
Rosehip
Marigold Flower
Pine

Evening Primrose
Geranium
Frankincense
E. Indian Sandalwood
Roman Chamomile

German Chamomile
Gurjun Balsam
Vanilla
Rose
Helichrysum

Reviews from some readers:

I don’t make money from sharing this, just so excited to order it today. I’ve been impressed with all the oils I’ve gotten from Eden’s Garden over the past two years and have no complaints. Pricing is so much better than the MLM brands. From my research, and they’ll argue with me about the quality and difference between the brands, I haven’t noticed anything different other than the smell and I’ve done a lot of research. All brands have their own individual smell depending on their source. One essential oil may be sourced from India and another brand of the same oil may come from Bosnia, yet they smell somehow different.

I plan to add this blend to some beeswax and cocoa butter for a body lotion and face serum. In addition, I’ll make a healing balm with it using the oils, coconut oil and beeswax. The different DIY products you can make from this is endless to help health minded folks like us move away from the toxic ingredients in many drugstore products.Let me know if you’ve tried it, yet.

You can use it in the body butter recipe and healing balm, I posted both here, Body Butter Recipe.

Stretch Marks Help – Mustela

Most moms suffer stretch marks in some form or another during pregnancy. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to avoid them altogether? Not that Mustela promises that, but they do say that their products help prevent and reduce new stretch marks. That would be enough for me to want to give them a try (if I were pregnant).

Besides normal moms like us, there is a long list of celebrities who have used and recommend their products, like, Tiffani Thiessen, Molly Ringwald, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kimora Lee Simmons and Debra Messing. Take a look at thier impressive product line at, Mustela.

What are Stretch Marks

Stretch marks mostly occur on the breasts, hips, thighs and abdomen during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy as skin is stretched and 50- 90% of pregnant women are affected by them to some extent.

Tip: Keep your weight gain within the recommended range, apply a nourishing lotion, like Mustela, to your stretching skin daily to keep it well moisturized and eat a sensible, well-balanced diet, as well as drink plenty of water to help keep your skin as healthy as possible.

Nail Polish that Lasts

I knew it! Nail polish that lasts does not have to cost you an arm and a leg.

Over the summer my adult daughter told me about an inexpensive nail polish that was as good if not better than many high end brand polishes. Drumroll please … the winner is Sinful Colors!

Consumer Reports put Sinful Colors up against a $27 bottle of Chanel and it came out on top. The report says that 4 out of 10 who tested the Chanel brand said it chipped the day they applied it. See image below. Now this report came out several months back, but I just found it.

Chanel wasn’t the only polish that tested poorly. Nutra Nail was the next highest priced nail polish on their list which claims to have “ding-free protection.” Nutra Nail did the worst in the testing since it required three coats of activator and two coats of polish. Seven out of the 10 who used the polish said it chipped on the same day they put it on. One person said that the smell was so horrible that they wouldn’t used the product again based on that fact alone.

The price isn’t the only thing special about Sinful Colors. This polish dries super shiny like a gel based manicure that takes me about an hour in the nail salon. I can do this at home at just $2 a bottle that will last me many applications. I do admit that I use the Sinful Colors base and top coat and use their quick coat so I can move around quicker without smudging which does add to the cost. But I don’t mind.

Sinful Colors holds up better than any brand I’ve used and I’ve used the best.

I wait to buy mine when it is on sale at just $.99 a bottle at Walgreens or buy one get one and then stock up. Watch for sales at other drugstores. Wal-mart carries it, too. I wrote a review about it over at City of Moms, before I found the Consumer Reports Nail Polish that Lasts report.

Love, love, love this polish!

NOTE: We did not receive any compensation for this review. It is an honest opinion from my experience with this product.

A Burger Review: In-N-Out or Five Guys

Which is better? An In-N-Out Burger or a Five Guys Burger? This past month I was finally able to judge!

Living on the East Coast I have not had the opportunity to try the infamous West Coast In-N-Out Burger. That is, until my recent trip to Las Vegas in which one of my goals was to have my first hamburger from In-N-Out. Celebrities who enjoy In-N-Out Burgers include Penelope Cruz, Kate Beckinsale, Miley Cyrus, Bauer Griffin and Britney Spears. So why not me?

One of the things I love about the In-N-Out Burger concept is the fact that their employees start at a higher than minimum wage income. This makes for better customer service and happier employees. Furthermore, they still have biblical references “hidden” on wrappers and cups, which I find a refreshing change from what you see in today’s culture. But how is the food?

In-N-Out cuts their potatoes onsite for freshly made french fries. Can you tell the difference from other restaurant fries? Absolutely! They are thin and tasty, getting a big thumbs up from me. Furthermore, I was impressed by the friendliness of the employees. We even had one carry food outside for us for the taxi ride back to the hotel.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed in the actual hamburger I ordered. The vegetables were fresh and wonderful, just as I had heard from others. I especially enjoyed the bun, which was both golden, light and airy. But the burger was thin, dry and incredibly salty. It was as if a McDonald’s burger was dressed for a fancy party – it was dressed well but tasted like a standard fast food hamburger, double the salt.

How does an In-N-Out Burger compare to a Five Guys Burgers and Fries Burger? I prefer the In-N-Out bun to a Five Guys bun. With that said, if given the choice I would eat a Five Guys hamburger every time.

The actual patty of a Five Guys burger is hand formed and thick. When you bite in to a Five Guys patty you do not taste salt, and the consistency is more tender than an In-N-Out Burger. The overall taste of a Five Guys burger is more homemade while the In-N-Out is more “fast food.” I also appreciate the freshness of the Five Guys toppings, which include more variety than In-N-Out.

When it comes to customer service, I give a thumbs up to both restaurants. I have had wonderful experiences with the Five Guys staff and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to the staff at In-N-Out. Having the In-N-Out employee offer to carry our food made our experience all the more positive.

When I sent a Tweet stating I was about to eat my first In-N-Out Burger I was told I would never be the same again. After my first few bites I was disappointed that the actual burger didn’t match up to the hype. Although the bun and toppings were excellent, the patty was thin, hard and salty. I prefer a Five Guys hamburger to an In-N-Out Burger for both the taste and texture.

Which one do you like better? I know I’m going to take some flack for this review, In-N-Out fans, but I can take it.