amberclouthier
Member Since: August 22, 2013Reviews
Pixobitz Studio Set
I was given the opportunity to have my children test the Pixobitz Studio TV set from Spinmaster toys. They are little blocks that look like pixels which can be stacked together, sprayed with water and then they will stick together permanently... +
I was given the opportunity to have my children test the Pixobitz Studio TV set from Spinmaster toys. They are little blocks that look like pixels which can be stacked together, sprayed with water and then they will stick together permanently.
This kept my kids surprisingly engaged considering they aren't hugely crafty but I was hopeful because they enjoy a number of characters that have that pixelated look. They liked the colours and how easy the blocks were to build with. I also loved that it was glued together using only water and that everything had a self contained storage.
The cons were that the blocks seemed to take much longer to dry than the stated 20 minutes. The stickiness seemed to get everywhere but I admit that was partially due to my children. My older son (9) had trouble getting the added stickers off the sticker sheet too.
Overall this toy is great. It allows for creativity with very little mess which made me happy. It was fun, engaging and innovative.
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Tom's of Maine Simply White Peppermint Natural Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
Ok. So this toothpaste just wasn't my jam. That's ok! It might be yours. This toothpaste definitely has some great features. It has a nice strong minty smell to it which I love. It also did leave my teeth feeling nice and clean which I also... +
Ok. So this toothpaste just wasn't my jam. That's ok! It might be yours. This toothpaste definitely has some great features. It has a nice strong minty smell to it which I love. It also did leave my teeth feeling nice and clean which I also love. Tom's also doesn't do animal testing and it was a more natural option than some other toothpastes which are all amazing features. Where this toothpaste fell short for me were the flavour and mouth-feel. It just wasn't strong enough for me flavour wise. I like a good strong toothpaste and while the scent started POWERFUL it fizzled pretty quickly. I also didn't love how this felt in my mouth while I was brushing. I'm guessing it was better for me but I miss the super foamy feel of a less-natural toothpaste. As I did say before though, it didn't change how clean my mouth felt.
These were just my preferences for toothpaste. I would absolutely be open to trying other toothpastes by Tom's of Maine because I love the idea of this paste and the ethics of the company. I just want to be sure that when I breathe on someone, they're left with a good impression.
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Garnier Whole Blends Argan & Camellia Nourishing Shampoo Bar
I had wanted to try a shampoo bar for environmental reasons for quite awhile but I was skeptical because I have a lot of fine hair and I find it difficult sometimes to get at all of my roots even with conventional shampoo. How would a shampoo bar... +
I had wanted to try a shampoo bar for environmental reasons for quite awhile but I was skeptical because I have a lot of fine hair and I find it difficult sometimes to get at all of my roots even with conventional shampoo. How would a shampoo bar manage to get through all my hair? I was given Garnier Whole Blends Argan & Camellia Nourishing Shampoo Bar for Dry, Dull HairNourishing Shampoo Bar to try from ChickAdvisor and Garnier and I was really surprised at just how well it worked.
I was able to get a really good lather going and the parts that I found hard to reach I was able to rub the bar directly on! It rinsed out easily and left my hair feeling really clean. I liked the light floral scent but would like something a bit sweeter scented personally.
When my hair dried, I was left with shiny silky hair. My only negative is that it left my hair with a little less oomph than normal. This was easily made up for by the environmentally friendly packaging though.
I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a more environmentally friendly way to wash their hair without compromising on the results.
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COVERGIRL Clean Fresh Weightless Water Cream™
I was given a small sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, the sample pouch was so small I don't feel comfortable giving one. What I can tell you, is that the product felt soft and silky on my fingers but didn't work... +
I was given a small sample of this product in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, the sample pouch was so small I don't feel comfortable giving one. What I can tell you, is that the product felt soft and silky on my fingers but didn't work well into my face. It had a clean scent to it that was fresh and not overpowering. I cannot tell you how my face felt after using this other than the next day it felt ok. There was only enough product in my sample for one use. I cannot speak to long term use in this case. -
Bakugan Platinum Power Up S4
I was excited to try the Bakugan Platinum Power Up S4 toy that I received for free from Spin Master and Family Rated but this one just wasn't a hit with my boys age 8 and 5. The 5 year old found them too complicated to transform on their own and... +
I was excited to try the Bakugan Platinum Power Up S4 toy that I received for free from Spin Master and Family Rated but this one just wasn't a hit with my boys age 8 and 5.
The 5 year old found them too complicated to transform on their own and while they haven't broken yet, the two smaller toys made out of plastic feel like they are going to break soon. The metal toy was a bit more interesting but again, too complex.
My 9 year old was able to transform them but had no interest in these. He said they were less exciting than Pokemon and had zero interest in getting more of these to learn the game.
Maybe these would be good for kids aged 6-7? These held no interest for my boys unfortunately.
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Cardinal Classics Mexican Train Dominos Deluxe Set
We have loved playing train dominos for many years with family but never had a set of our own until now. This set from Spin Master is a great one! First of all it has a sturdy case that can take the abuse of traveling around if necessary. There... +
We have loved playing train dominos for many years with family but never had a set of our own until now. This set from Spin Master is a great one!
First of all it has a sturdy case that can take the abuse of traveling around if necessary. There is plenty of space inside so you aren't fighting with the dominos to pack up. I appreciate the elastic band to hold the score cards and the train guide. I may have liked a better way to organize the dominos inside but this works.
The dominos themselves are a good weight and not flimsy. They also stand well if your kids want to stand them up to knock them down in a line.
The thing I appreciated most was that the colours used to mark the numbers are varied enough that you can quickly differentiate between them. This is everything in a cut throat dominos game.
As usual these were fun and we will use this sturdy set for years to come.
I was given this set free to test from Spin Master and Family Rated.
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Kellogg's 6 Cereal Boxes Puzzle Gift Set
My kids are BORED this summer and this came right at the right time. At first they were excited to see some new cereal boxes that they love to eat and were only momentarily disappointed when I told them they couldn't eat them. How often do you get... +
My kids are BORED this summer and this came right at the right time. At first they were excited to see some new cereal boxes that they love to eat and were only momentarily disappointed when I told them they couldn't eat them. How often do you get to play with your food? These puzzles were just the right size for my 8 year old to work on for a short time but were a little too much for my youngest. With practice I'm sure they'll both be able to fly through them.
They are bright, in cute packaging and with familiar images I'm sure my kids will put them together again and again. If your kids like puzzles, or you want a quick puzzle that won't be occupying your table for days on end, these are a real hit.
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Vileda EasyWring RinseClean Spin Mop System
I have used previous versions of this mop and wasn't a huge fan. This one however gets my vote. They said it was easy to use and they were right. So easy in fact that both my 8 year old AND my 5 year old were able to work the system. I love... +
I have used previous versions of this mop and wasn't a huge fan. This one however gets my vote.
They said it was easy to use and they were right. So easy in fact that both my 8 year old AND my 5 year old were able to work the system.
I love that the clean water stays separate from the dirty water. The mop head gets into small tight spaces and the head really cleaned stuck on dirt with ease. My floor was left nice and clean....until it rained and my dog walked all over it with dirty paws.
But in all seriousness, their tagline should be "So easy to use that a 5 year old can work it." I plan on letting them "play with it" with my supervision as often as they want!
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Dial® Clean + Gentle Fragrance Free Foaming Hand Wash
I love a nice scented soap but it's not always ideal. Sometimes, like when I'm cooking, I don't want competing scents. This soap is truly scent free and also doesn't contain dyes, parabens, phthalates, silicones or Sodium lauryl sulfate. What it... +
I love a nice scented soap but it's not always ideal. Sometimes, like when I'm cooking, I don't want competing scents. This soap is truly scent free and also doesn't contain dyes, parabens, phthalates, silicones or Sodium lauryl sulfate. What it does do is exactly what it should do. It gives a rich full lather and leaves your hands feeling clean and soft. I will continue to use this as my kitchen soap because it works well without the smell. -
Dial® Clean + Gentle Fragrance Free Body Wash
I was given Dial Clean + Gentle Fragrance Free Body Wash in exchange for my honest review. If you have product sensitivities this is absolutely the right product for you. It is free of dyes, parabens, phthalates, silicones and fragrances. It is... +
I was given Dial Clean + Gentle Fragrance Free Body Wash in exchange for my honest review. If you have product sensitivities this is absolutely the right product for you. It is free of dyes, parabens, phthalates, silicones and fragrances. It is also hypoallergenic. The product is so scent free that I took it to my other household members to see if they could smell ANYTHING. They couldn't. It lathers beautifully and leaves you feeling clean and refreshed without any residue. It also didn't over-dry my dry skin. Normally I enjoy a bit of a scented body wash but if I was using a scented shampoo I don't always want competing scents. I also know that when I have a headache, I'm better to go scent free. This product will be regularly stocked in my products for such occasions. It's great! -
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