Product Review: Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Daily Sunblock

I was accepted to review Neutrogena UltraSheer® Liquid Daily Sunblock, and I'm glad I was. As promised, it is light and weightless. Once my skin soaked it in, I couldn't tell I had anything on. My face didn't feel sticky or like there was anything on it. In fact, I often forgot that I had anything on in the first place! Another thing I really like is that it didn't leave me smelling like I was wearing sunscreen. I couldn't smell it once it was absorbed into my skin. I liked that – it didn't affect my ability to smell the roses that just bloomed in our garden, or anything else I wanted to smell. All of this and it's SPF 70 with UVA/UVB protection! I love it.

I will say that I'm not much of a makeup wearer, and haven't tried it under makeup yet. But, with how light it was and the fact that my face didn't look/feel like it had anything , I believe the claim that it "layers invisibly under makeup."


Do you want to try UltraSheer®, too? Go to http://www.giantwavepool.com/ultrasheer to apply to be a reviewer (you don't have to have a blog). Or, you can get $2 off your UltraSheer® purchase at http://www.neutrogena.com/suncoupon.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free for review purposes from Tidal Labs. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sign up to review sunblock

I was recently accepted to be a reviewer of Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Daily Sunblock. The product information (as provided by Neutrogena):

Neutrogena UltraSheer® Liquid Daily Sunblock, available in SPF 70 and 55. It's a breakthrough liquid sunblock so lightweight you won't believe it delivers superior sun protection. It's waterproof, sweatproof and won't clog your pores.

UltraSheer Liquid daily sunblock has a water-light texture that spreads easily over skin, absorbing instantly for a weightless feel and look. It provides an even, non-shiny finish that works beautiful alone or under makeup. This product also contains Helioplex® technology for superior broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

I can't share my review yet, but I have used it a couple of times now and I do like it. I'll tell you all about it when I can! Anyway, for more info on signing up, click on the graphic:

Best Nail Polish EVER

I have been waiting eagerly for some new nail polish that I knew was in the works. It is a new line of environmentally friendly, non-toxic, water-based nail polish – in vibrant, GORGEOUS colors! The brand is Signature Nail Polish. When I saw that they were (finally) taking orders, I immediately placed my order. I found it very difficult to find favorite colors – there are so many AWESOME colors from which to choose! I ordered seven colors for starters – plus the top coat. Shipping was fast – I was quite impressed!

Today, my daughter and I finally got to try it out. Well, she did - I haven't painted my nails yet. I might later. Anyway, she wanted multi-colored nails, so we used five different colors on her fingernails and five on her toenails. Of the ones we tried, our favorites are:

• Sarah's Midnight Sky ~ GORGEOUS purple-blue-black iridescent color! It's pretty in the bottle, but even more so on my daughter's nails!
• Tracy's Sheer Lavender ~ Another VERY beautiful shade. It's a lighter purple-blue iridescent color that I plan to use frequently on my fingernails.
• Tina's Tropical Island ~ A very pretty green color. This one's going on my toes!

Aside from the BEAUTIFUL colors, I love that it's not stinky. It has a very slight nail-polish smell, but you only notice it if you bring the bottle by your nose. (Which I did, just to see how it smelled.) But, after we were finished, the room didn't smell like a nail salon! In fact, you wouldn't know we were getting manicures unless you saw us!

Another thing I love – easy cleanup. I dripped some of it on the tray we were using as our surface, and I wiped it off with my finger. I had the polish all over my thumb and one of my fingers. Once I was done with my daughter's nails, I rinsed my hands with warm water, and the polish came off my skin with little effort! I LOVE it!

So, if you love to paint your nails and you're wanting to try something new, I HIGHLY recommend Signature Nail Polish! The colors are beautiful. There is no stinky nail-polish smell. The polish is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and kid-friendly. And I'll say it again, BEAUTIFUL colors!

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The Lowdown

Company: Signature Nail Polish
Web site: http://signaturenailpolish.com/
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: I purchased for my own personal use. I loved it, and decided to share with my friends and readers! There was no compensation of any sort, and I was not influenced in any way.

Product Review: Front Loader Laundry Powder

Took me long enough to get to this review, huh? I've been very busy, and I wanted to give this item good use before writing about it. That said, this is another product from EcostoreUSA. The description on the Web site says:

Ecostore USA’s high performance Laundry Powder consists of simple mineral salts and plant-based ingredients, giving it the ability to attack even the most heavily soiled fabrics. Its fresh, natural lemon fragrance will not harm or irritate the skin. This is a safe and healthy alternative for you and our planet. (35.3 ounces)

I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. I haven't had a lot of good experience when trying new laundry products. But, I knew this was one that if I liked it would be worth it. And guess what! I liked it! (I use past tense, because I managed to use it all up! LOL) It did a great job cleaning the clothes, and I actually loved how it smelled. I tried several loads without fabric softener mostly to see how it smelled. And, guess what? I LOVED it - it smelled fresh and clean. And, the best part, I didn't feel the need to use fabric softener like I usually do. My clothes felt soft and smelled great. It worked well for the kids' clothes, too.

Just like EcostoreUSA's other products, this one is safer for our environment. This is plant- and mineral-based, and labeled as a "highly biodegradable product" on the package. And, in my opinion, the fact that I feel like I don't have to use fabric softener with this product makes it even BETTER, environmentally speaking! I am definitely planning to purchase more of this!

In summary: EcostoreUSA's Front Loader Laundry Powder is a quality product that's safe for the environment. My clothes are cleaned very well, and smell great - even without fabric softener, which I don't feel I MUST use when using this product. So, not only will I help our environment by using this, I'll also help my budget by buying less - if any - fabric softener! It's a win-win-win situation. (Three wins: environment, budget, clean and fresh clothes!) If you have a Meijer store near you, grab a box while you're there. If not, you can always get it through the company's Web site. And for all you Web shoppers, they are offering FREE shipping on ALL orders over $25. Add a fourth "win" to the list! ;-)

Product Review: Baby Sleepytime Bath

As promised in this post, I am happy to finally get around to my product reviews for EcostoreUSA. I apologize for taking so long. Things have been nuts, as I'm sure you can guess if you follow my blog! ;-) That said, let's get on with this. For more information on EcostoreUSA and their products in general, please see the aforementioned post.

I am starting with what's the easy product for me: Baby Sleeptime Bath. The description on the Web site says:

Ecostore’s aromatherapy blend of Lavender and Geranium will help your little one fall into a relaxed, calm sleep. Just use one capful in the bathwater. NO NASTY CHEMICALS are used in the SleepyTime bath and this helps keep the planet’s water pure and safe. (6.8 fluid ounces)

On the bottle it says:

Aromatherapy oils to soothe, calm & relax your baby

Now, I'll be the first to admit. I'm skeptical of aromatherapy. But, I'm all for trying something that says it'll help relax my baby. We've used it a couple of times, and it's really hard to say if it's really doing just that. We do baths so close to bed time that it's hard to know whether it's their tiredness in general, just taking a bath, the product we use, or some combination thereof that calms and relaxes them.

That said, I love this product. For one, it smells lovely. In the bottle, it's kinda strong - woodsy, for lack of a better description. But, once we have it in the bath water, it smells WONDERFUL. It's light and pleasant. I'm all for that! ;-) My baby smells so nice after her bath. And I noticed her skin's not getting very dry after her baths. I'm not sure what, but something in there seems to help her dry, itchy skin hold more moisture - or something. That alone makes me a fan of this product! Then there's one added benefit not on the bottle anywhere: my bathroom smells LOVELY for quite some time after my kids' baths! :-) Bonus points for this product! ;-)

In summary: EcostoreUSA's Baby Sleepytime Bath is an excellent product. It smells great, helps keep my baby's skin from drying out, and - perhaps best of all - is safe for our environment. For those of you in the Midwest, if you have a Meijer store nearby keep an eye out for EcostoreUSA products, as they're coming soon - if not there already! For those of us without Meijer, their products can be purchased via the company's Web site.

Coming Soon ...

Product reviews. I recently was contacted via e-mail about possibly being sent some products to review. I agreed to give it a try, and I will share my thoughts here. (Probably on Vox, too.) I am going to share part of the text of the initial e-mail because who better to tell you about the company and products than the individual who is representing the company. So, here is the important info:

... I represent ECOSTORE USA which is an extension of a 20 year old New Zealand company http://www.ecostore.co.nz/ that makes plant based, non-toxic HOUSEHOLD CLEANING, BABY, and PERSONAL CARE products that contain NO NASTY CHEMICALS(tm)** ... We are an e-commerce site that will be launching at a major Midwest retailer, MEIJER, in early spring.

This is a small part of the initial e-mail I received. Anyway, I immediately checked out the Web site to see what this is about. If you haven't caught on yet, I'll spell it out simply for you. They sell products that are plant-based and containing No Nasty Chemicals™. They have a wide range of products from baby care and pet care to laundry and cleaning products. I was sent the following:

• Front Loader Laundry Powder
• Pure Oxygen Whitener
• Rosemary Orange Shampoo
• Rosemary Orange Conditioner
• Baby Sleepytime Bath

I have tried each of them once, but would like to try them a bit more before I form an opinion to share. After that, I'll post reviews of each in separate posts - with the exception of the shampoo and conditioner! ;-) That said, my first impression is good. The products seem to be a good quality, and I'm enjoying the scents! For those of you (like myself) with no Meijer stores nearby, it's nice to know that you can purchase their products via their Web site, too.

For more information about EcostoreUSA and their green - and safe - products, check out the following links:

• EcostoreUSA home page
  
• Ecostore USA FAQ page
• Ecostore USA "What is green" page
  
• Ecostore USA company info page
  
• Ecostore USA product page
• Ecostore USA blog

Watch for my first review coming soon!