Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer

Hard seltzers seem to be getting more and more popular. This is the third one I have tried in the past year. The product trial for Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer came to me through Chatterbox by Ripple Street. A complimentary mixed flavor 12 pack was provided in exchange for my opinion.

I tried this with friends during an outdoor get together to celebrate the end of winter, the arrival of warm weather and newly minted COVID-19 vaccines all around. All good reasons for an afternoon toast! The flavors in the variety pack were mango, lemon, pineapple and strawberry. These are described by Mike's as "lemonade seltzers.

I tried the pineapple, and found it delicious! The flavor did not scream pineapple to me, but it has a certain pleasant sweetness and fizz. I enjoyed my drink in a chilled glass with ice. The first one I had was the best. As I moved on to the lemon, I started to think the drinks were a bit too sweet for me. The seltzers contain 1g sugar and the ingredients list stevia as well.  I do like that the drinks have only 100 calories per 12 oz. serving (1 can). 

A friend tried the strawberry and upon tasting, exclaimed "Lemony Delish!" We both found the drinks light and the low alcohol content (5%) is great for keeping it low key. 

This is decent stuff, and perfect for summer. Will it replace my favorite beer as a first choice? No. But it is a good alternative to have on hand for people who don't drink beer, and is sweetly refreshing and light.

#MikesHardSeltzerPacks #Sponsored

"Tria Beauty Age-Defying Eye Wrinkle Correcting Laser

The Eye Wrinkle Correcting Laser brings fractional, non-ablative laser technology used by professionals into the home, at a fraction of the cost. The Eye Wrinkle Correcting Laser is FDA cleared for home use and specially designed to treat fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Tria’s advanced laser technology passes microscopic laser beams into the skin to stimulate the body’s own natural renewal process, rebuilding new collagen deep below the surface of the skin. The Eye Wrinkle Correcting Laser is safe for all skin tones and skin types."

http://www.triabeauty.com/products/age-defying-eye-wrinkle-correcting-laser

Chatterbox Tester: I was selected to test the Tria Beauty Eye Wrinkle Correcting Laser system by Chatterbox for House Party. The above is from Tria, the rest of this review is my own. I received the free laser device and a tube of Tria Beaty Nourishing Eye Renewal Cream to use after treatments. I was instructed to run the laser around my eye area for one minute per side, using small circular movements and then use the eye renewal cream to soothe and renew the skin. The company maintains that 85% of users see improvement in fine lines and wrinkles after using the appliance 7 days a week in this manner for 8 weeks. I was intrigued - who wouldn't be? Sign me up!!

The packaging is great. I opened the package I received and was immediately impressed by the packaging. It seems very well designed and although cardboard, it is nicely made so it can be used for storing the appliance. It turns out that one is not supposed to use the device for longer than the recommended 8 weeks. I have yet to find in the instructions a note of how often the 8 week intervals are recommended to be. I know that I would want to repeat the treatment again. No one is going to spend $249 for a device that can only be used once.

The appliance itself is pretty neat - small and easy to handle; it comes with a charger but the device was charged and ready to use. The instructions are good - clear and easy to understand with a pamphlet that has a quick start guide. Perfect for people like me who can hardly be bothered with details like instructions! I did read these instructions though. The idea of using a laser beam near my eyes was scary enough to make me want to do it right. When I started to use the appliance, I was a little startled by the pin prick feeling of the laser on my skin. It is a sharp, needle-like feeling as I ran the device in little circles around my eyes. The treatment left the area red, so I would not recommend doing this at any time but bedtime. I then treated the eye areas with the eye cream. It was very soothing as the tube has a flat metal disc-like dispenser tip. Nice and cooling. All signs of irritation were gone when I woke up in the morning, and there was no lasting sensitivity.

Repeat every night for 8 weeks... OK, I confess I missed a few nights, but very few. Two minutes is hardly an add on to my routine, so it literally could not have been any easier. The device seems to hold a charge for a long time too. The laser itself does tug a little as it goes over freshly cleansed skin. It doesn't exactly "glide". I think some people were using moisturizers to combat this but I didn't try that since I didn't want to go off script and gum up the laser light opening or anything. There is a fine line of how much pressure to use - too much and it doesn't glide,too little and the laser quits. I really like how the device is self timing; it shuts off by itself when the one minute treatment is complete. Overall, a pretty simple learning curve.

Now to the results! I used as directed and took before and after photos... It is hard for me to see daily improvement, but I think I do see it in the photos.

The top photo is Before... the bottom is After. I took the photos in the same location, although I was wearing a little make-up in the before shot and obviously the lighting is a little different. I do think my crows feet look minimized in the After picture! I honestly have not had anyone exclaim over my new youthful looking eyes, so the effects are subtle. I am pleased it seems to have worked at all, since so many anti aging claims are just untrue. I am happy I tried this and I will continue to use it for maintenance as soon as I find out how often I am allowed to use the device without adverse affects.

One final note: The instructions specifically state NOT to use the laser on any other area besides the eye/crows feet. I find that a little disappointing, since naturally I have other problem areas I would love to treat. The documentation says that it is untested on any area besides the eye area specified, and that serves as a warning not to go rogue. I doubt if I would actually purchase this item to use on only one small area, but I would most definitely buy it if it could be used anywhere on the face and neck.

L'Oreal Paris Re-Volumize Volume Filler

I received a whole suite of products from Influenster for free to test and review. The products are part of L'Oreal Paris' new skin care line called "Revitalift Volume Filler." Intriguing! I didn't know I was losing volume, but according to the packaging, " Anti-aging is not just about chasing after lines and wrinkles, but also about replenishing skin volume." Our skin starts to lose volume as its levels of Hyaluronic Acid start to decline. I have been hearing so much about Hyaluronic Acid from my beauty magazines. It is a naturally occurring hydrating substance within skin and we want to keep it. This is so exciting! I was anxious to try it.

I got the assortment of products shown above: a day cream, a night cream, an eye specific treatment and a concentrated serum. The first thing I love about the serum is the packaging. The product is dispensed almost syringe style... it feels like you are getting an expensive, precious drop of youth like you would get by prescription at a dermatologist's office. Ingenious! Not only did I feel like this was something special, the formula is smooth and creamy, similar to a high end moisturizer. Love this!

The other item I really wanted to get on my face is the eye cream. It also has a cool dispenser tip. It comes in a tube and the tip is small so you can't dispense too much and waste it. I was super happy to note that the product itself isn't oily feeling. I have so much trouble with my mascaras giving me raccoon eyes, I am really hesitant to use anything too slick under my eyes. It just makes it worse.

The other two products seem pretty routine: a tube for the Night Cream and a nice heavy pot for the day cream. A note about that - a pot is not typically my preferred method of delivery - I would rather have a pump container. I worry about contamination of the product from dipping into the jar. I don't share my products with anyone and I have never had a problem, but still. It usually takes a good while to use this stuff up, so I worry about bacterias growing in there. Probably no foundation for the worry, but there it is.

The next thing I noticed about this product line is the fragrance. I happen to like it - it is light and fresh and nice, but it was a little surprising to me. I think a lot of people are sensitive to fragrances and of course it is a very personal thing whether one will like it or not. Three of the four products I tried have a pretty noticeable scent. The exception is the eye cream, but perhaps I'm not getting the fragrance since I am using so little of it. Again, I find it pleasant. It is not medicinal or herbal, but a nice, almost floral fragrance.

On to results! That's really what we all want to know, right? I think this product line is a great investment for serviceable moisturizers at a very reasonable price point. I don't think there is anything that is going to reverse the wrinkles out side of the dermatologist's office, but this does a great job of keeping the skin hydrated and thus, smoother looking. It's possible my skin is plumper, but for me, its not hugely noticeable. I will continue to use these products, and it's possible I will notice more change as time marches on. I believe you really need to use something for a while to see the results. Mostly, I Want To Believe!

Paula's Choice Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster

I recently was the excited recipient of 5 vials of Paula's Choice Resist Booster. These little bottles of hyaluronic acid promised magic - plumping, anti aging effects on my middle aged skin. The vials came to me via Bzz Agent, and I promised to try the serum and review its performance. I was really excited about this one since Paula's Choice is one of my favorite brands. Read all about this awecome company here: http://www.paulaschoice.com/

This brand stands for no-nonsense, no pie-in-the-sky promises, and the products really work. I have had great success with the BHA 2% liquid. Also, it seems like you can't swing a fashion/beauty magazine these days without hitting an article about hyaluronic acid and how it is the real deal. It really works to plump and hydrate the skin, making it look younger and smoothing those wrinkles. It's one of those ingredients that is really making its mark on the beauty world like alpha hydroxy acids did years ago when they first hit the market.

What a winning combo - a great brand plus ingredients that work! ...I have to admit I had really high hopes for this product. I say "had" because I think I am a bit disappointed that my expectations just haven't been met. I believe that this product does have some benefits, but I guess I was expecting some dramatic results which I personally have not experienced. The promotional materials I got with this trial said, "This specialized hyaluronic acid booster softens fine lines and hydrates skin for a healthy glow. Use it alone or add it to your favorite moisturizer or serum for an extra boost of hydration." OK, it is hydrating - I love the texture of this product - very high end serum-like. I was glad to note that it does not dry out the skin like many anti-aging products tend to do. And maybe my lines are more than "fine"... I have a couple of trouble spots I concentrated on - my neck and lip area, and I just didn't see a lot of wrinkle improvement. I was hoping for a smoothing and plumping effect that I just didn't get.

In any case, as much as I wanted this to be a miracle, of course I know better. I like the comfortable, upscale smooth feel of this product, but for the price point of $45 for .67 oz. it is unlikely I will purchase this. That being said, you can be sure I will use the remaining bottles til they are gone!

http://www.paulaschoice.com/shop/collections/Resist-Anti-Aging/_/Resist-Hyaluronic-Acid-Booster

Get 20% off your next order at PaulasChoice.com with coupon code: PRBZZ20, and build a skin care routine that’s right for you!

YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils

I was so thrilled to be chosen by Influenster to test and review a recently reissued classic by YSL: Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils or "False Lash Effect" mascara. Influenster asks their testers to post honest reviews of the product, and I did so on the YSL website. I had tried the mascara, and mostly loved it. The packaging is simply beautiful - a gorgeous metal case of gold and rose gold tones that conjures up images of jewelry or high end cosmetics. The mascara goes on as you would expect a mascara billed as "false lashes" would - highly buildable, yet soft and not spidery or spiky. I was given a classic black mascara to try, but I love the modern touch of the brand making other colors available. It's a great touch of modernity to a classic.

Perfect, right?

Well, as I was looking over my 5 star review later, I remembered the part about the smudging... this mascara did smudge. I mentioned as much in the review, but then I thought, "wait a minute, why did I give it 5 stars?" Was I seduced by the beautiful package? The excellent look and feel of my lashes? The feeling of being able to go from work to play without re-applying? Smudging is normally a deal breaker for me. There's nothing like seeing your raccoon eyes in a mirror and wondering how long they have been that way... While I was talking to my boss? While I was flirting with that cute Fed Ex guy? You get the point. It's pointless to invest in a mascara that you can't depend on to stay put. So I decided to try again, and this is what I found.

The day of the smudging incident, I had put on sunscreen, serum and facial moisturizer and I applied the mascara soon after. It occurred to me that my skin products just hadn't had time to soak in, so I made sure I did my creams and skin potions first and then did my hair and then the rest of it before putting on the YSL Faux Cils. What a difference. No smudging, all day. I am happy to report that the mascara stayed put, justifying my original  score. I probably would not expect the same results after a strenuous bike ride in 90 degree weather, but for work it's perfectly great.

Glad I revisited the performance of this product. Definitely worth it.

How to make easy, inexpensive cat toys

This is not a product review, but a tutorial on how I make mountains of cat toys for my local animal shelter. I have been volunteering regularly for years, and it seemed like they were always running low on cat toys because they go through them so quickly. They get quickly worn out through washing or rough play with bored kitties. I started out by buying 3 packs from the local dollar store, but when there are 40-60 cats in shelter at the same time, it got a little expensive to keep them stocked. So I decided to start making them myself out of scraps with my sewing machine.

After much trial and error I came up with a toy that is washable, somewhat durable, and harmless; distilled down to fast & easy construction. No googly eyes or tails to get detached and swallowed. If they get wet, they dry out, yet they are pretty much disposable since there is not a lot of investment here. I thought I would share my process.

You will need:

Felt, or some other fabric that doesn't fray. I have have used denim and Ultrasuede in the past, but find felt the easiest to work with.

Catnip. It grows like a weed where I live, so I harvest and dry the leaves during the summer so I have a good supply the rest of the year. Any catnip available at the pet supply will do, however.

Soft foam, as in the packing material sometimes used in computer shipping boxes. I salvage it from my company IT department. It is also available at Joanne fabrics (although I make sure to buy it on sale or with a coupon) or other craft stores. I also managed to find some at a garage sale once.

Sewing Machine & Thread. I make random pairings of colors, because I am not trying to hide the stitching at all and I often buy thread on sale. I've been known to use red and green at Christmas.


Step 1: Cut out some squares of felt. Approximately 4" - 5" square. This is not an exact science, they can be larger or smaller and of different sizes.

Step 2: Fold the square in half, and cut out a reasonable facsimile of a mouse shape. This is a bit like cutting out paper dolls - the base of the mouse is at the fold.

Step 3: Cut some pieces of foam into small triangular shapes. Again, not an exact science. What you're going for is a little stuffing so the toy will be soft, squishy and a little three dimensional.

 

Step 4: Stuff the toy with a bit of catnip and a piece of foam. Fold it in half to enclose the stuffing. You will need to squish the foam up so it is enclosed and away from the stitch line. It will bounce back once the mouse is sewn up.

 

Step 5: Sew the mouse closed around the stuffing. No need to stitch around the ears. It's fun that they stand up as separate appendages!

Step 6: Trim any threads hanging from the mouse. I start sewing at the tail area of the mouse and end up at the face, that way if there is a tiny bit of thread left on it could be considered whiskers. You don't want to leave on anything big enough that a cat could bite off and swallow... 

Voila! You are done. Add it to the pile and make another.

Feel free to test the quality of your mouse with a helper and bag up the rest to deliver to the shelter:

 

I would be so thrilled to learn that anyone used this tutorial; I have been meaning to post it for along while and finally had some time to do it. I know these toys mean a lot to the shelter cats and it's an easy, inexpensive way to brighten a kitty's day. Thanks for looking!

Charles Viancin Hibiscus Silicone Lid

I really love writing about products that have exceeded my expectations. Seems like most new things I try are adequate, but not fantastic. Another thing I love is a good kitchen gadget. These two happy things come together in the Charles Viancin line of botanically themed silicone lids.

I borrowed the following from a retail listing for this product. I'm sure it comes right from the product packaging:

Charles Viancin is a French designer who in many of his products combines elements of nature, like flowers and leaves, to create fun, useful and multi-functional items for the kitchen...Designed in France, Charles Viancin silicone products are made with BPA-free, food-grade silicone that is:

Oven safe to 428F

Locks in moisture while storing or cooking

Freezer safe to -40F

Microwave Safe

Dishwasher Safe

I bought an 9" lid in a lovely pink Hibiscus shape.

The look of this product is so unique and fun, it had me from the start. Then I read the details and realized I needed to try it - BPA free? Love that... Dishwasher safe? Love THAT. 

I got the second largest size thinking that I would most likely be using the lid for covering large salad bowls and the like. It really does seal to the bowl like plastic wrap, without the frustration of the classic plastic wrap box/ serrated blade dispenser and the single use mentality. Using this lid is like making Tupperware out of any bowl in your cabinet. 

The other reason I love this lid is that it's great for covering food heating in the microwave. I stopped using plastic wrap long ago because of the dangers of chemicals from the wrap leaching into the food. I use either glass or wax paper to prevent splattering. The lid is an easy thing to grab and put on for reheating that bowl of soup and again, it's reusable.

Overall, I love this product! I would like to have the whole set - there are different sizes available from 4" wide to 11"w. There are many beautiful botanics to choose from; the bamboo set has a 10x13 rectangular size that would be good for a brownie pan. With so many pretty and fun images to choose from, I might find it hard to pick just one. Pumpkin blossoms, snowflakes and butterfly shapes make wonderful seasonal designs. The only thing stopping me from acquiring every size is the somewhat high price point of these lids. There are plain lids available in silicone that most likely have the same functionality but just aren't as novel or attractive. I'm going to watch for sales...

Available online and in kitchen stores.