getupkid144
Member Since: June 6, 2016Reviews
Aveeno® Calm + Restore Age Renewal Eye Gel
I far prefer gel consistencies in all my facial products. This Age Renewal Eye Gel was a real treat – the formula is water-based, making it a very bouncy consistency that absorbs super fast and leaves zero residue behind. I’m very pleased with... +
I far prefer gel consistencies in all my facial products. This Age Renewal Eye Gel was a real treat – the formula is water-based, making it a very bouncy consistency that absorbs super fast and leaves zero residue behind. I’m very pleased with that aspect of it. As for its scent, this is billed as being fragrance-free. It...definitely is. The resulting scent is something reminiscent of a pet store. It’s tolerable and dissipates quickly, but if you’re the type of person looking for a more luxe skincare routine with all sorts of plush fragrances, this may not be for you. The upside is that this contains a lot fewer ingredients as a result and is great for sensitive skin. Among its ingredients are glycerin, niacinamide, cranberry extract, and oatmeal, which are all great ingredients for hydrating and restoring skin. After using this for a number of weeks in the areas under my eyes and around the edges (where early signs of crow’s feet have been popping up), there’s been a noticeable improvement in hydration which, in turn, has made all these fine lines look softer and less pronounced. It’s been a very rough winter on the skin around my eyes, particularly my eyelids, so this was a very nice treat to use in repairing my moisture barrier. I could also see this being very nice to use during the summer months since the gel is very cooling and soothing. The area under my eyes also seems to have calmed down, as they’re often puffy and dark.
I #gotitfree to try in exchange for my honest review.
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Grown Alchemist Skin Defense Primer
I don't always use primers, but tend to turn to them more during the dry winter months, applying them after my morning moisturizer and before my foundation. I find that the extra boost of moisture helps my skin stay more hydrated throughout the day... +
I don't always use primers, but tend to turn to them more during the dry winter months, applying them after my morning moisturizer and before my foundation. I find that the extra boost of moisture helps my skin stay more hydrated throughout the day. The only downside to layering so many products is it can sometimes highlight larger pores and fine lines. That's why my preference has usually been to use "blurring" primers, which unfortunately rely heavily on silicones. This formula promises (and delivers) blurred pores without any silicones whatsoever. The formula is quite gentle and natural, especially when compared to other primers on the market. It includes things like mushroom extract, lavender oil, rose flower oil, grapefruit peel oil, and more. After using it for a straight week under a powder foundation (yes, probably not the best choice for the winter), I can see a noticeable difference in my makeup application and the way it holds up throughout the day. The pores around my nasal folds are less noticeable and my laugh lines do seem to be softened. I also recently damaged by hydration barrier using a particular cleanser, so have been trying to rehydrate my skin and ensure that it stays well-moisturized throughout the day. I found that this primer really helped lock in the moisture to the point that my skin still felt good and hydrated by the time I was removing my makeup in the evening. I really do like having this handy, but am not totally sure whether I'll repurchase given the price point. Yes, a little goes a long way, but at this price for a primer, I'd expect it to last me the entire year.
I received this as a #freeproduct to try in exchange for my honest review.
- Product received for free from Grown Alchemist in exchange for an honest review.
I received this as a #freeproduct in exchange for my honest review.
- Product received for free from Grown Alchemist in exchange for an honest review.
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Aveeno® Calm + Restore Daily Face Moisturizer Mineral SPF 30
I've tried SPF moisturizers in the past but never one that incorporated mineral sunscreen ingredients, as I've always been wary of having a white cast left behind on my face. I was really impressed with this one right off the hop. For starters, it's... +
I've tried SPF moisturizers in the past but never one that incorporated mineral sunscreen ingredients, as I've always been wary of having a white cast left behind on my face. I was really impressed with this one right off the hop. For starters, it's a tinted formula - it's very slightly peachy-pink and blended seamlessly into my skin without any noticeable patches or streaks. This also makes it great for applying before a full face of make-up, but I can just as much see myself using this on its own over the summer, with maybe a bit of concealer thrown on top. The texture is also very light and absorbed easily and quickly. One of the biggest reasons I avoid sunscreen on my face (I know, I know!) is how greasy and messy it all gets, leaving me looking like a sweaty mess in no time and often dripping into my eyes. There was absolutely none of that here. It applied exactly like a moisturizer and didn't budge throughout the day. The scent is very inoffensive - it's purely that which I normally associate with sunscreen with no noticeable added fragrances or any other notes. A huge plus is also the size of the tube, which can be brought along in your carry-ons if travelling by plane. I always look for multi-use sunscreen products that come in this sort of size to help make things easier. -
Grown Alchemist Restorative Body Cream
As soon as I slathered this on my body post-shower, I immediately felt transported. The scent is so divine and unique. The best way I can describe it is as a “vanilla-herbal orange” smell, which makes absolute sense after taking a look at its... +
As soon as I slathered this on my body post-shower, I immediately felt transported. The scent is so divine and unique. The best way I can describe it is as a “vanilla-herbal orange” smell, which makes absolute sense after taking a look at its ingredients, which include tangerine peel oil, orange peel oil, rosemary leaf oil, and plant-derived vanillin, among other skin-saviours like aloe leaf extract, glycerin, carrot root extract, shea butter, sweet almond oil, and more. The consistency was very light and it absorbed very quickly, without leaving behind a greasy film like other body creams I’ve used in the past. Most importantly my skin feels incredibly soft after using this and it looks so much better. I really suffer with hydration during the winter months especially, so the nourishment and obvious hydration that this cream gives to my skin has been a god-send. Whenever I use this cream, it feels so luxurious and really heightens my post-shower routine to another level. I’ll definitely be picking this up the squeeze tube so that I can carry it around in my purse for day-to-day.
I #gotitfree in exchange for my honest review.
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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Grown Alchemist Energize Body Cleanser
This body cleanser (i.e. body wash) was very gentle on my skin and smelled fantastic. It’s a gel consistency and lathered just the right amount without being over the top when used on a standard loofah – I don’t actually like when too much... +
This body cleanser (i.e. body wash) was very gentle on my skin and smelled fantastic. It’s a gel consistency and lathered just the right amount without being over the top when used on a standard loofah – I don’t actually like when too much foam is produced, so this was just perfect - and was very effective as a cleanser. The scent definitely leaned more towards the rose end, with bergamot and chamomile secondary notes – all that to say, it’s certainly floral so if that’s what you’re looking for, it’s perfect. It’s also sulfate-free, which is a huge bonus, and made in the USA. What’s especially nice is that it actually contains extracts from the plants that it boasts on the front. So many brands rely on artificial fragrances or additives, but this actually contains rose fruit and flower oils, bergamot fruit oils, and chamomile fruit oil, along with other naturally-derived ingredients. All in all, using it made for a very relaxing, aromatherapeutic shower experience and I was very pleased with how smooth my skin felt afterwards.
I #gotitfree to try in exchange for my honest review.
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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Monopoly Board Game Giant Edition Game
This was a really interesting (and fun!) twist on classic Monopoly. The gameplay is slightly updated to allow for much quicker play, as long as 30 minutes a game. I have limited patience/attention span when it comes to games depending on the day, so... +
This was a really interesting (and fun!) twist on classic Monopoly. The gameplay is slightly updated to allow for much quicker play, as long as 30 minutes a game. I have limited patience/attention span when it comes to games depending on the day, so this was absolutely ideal for me! It uses a giant vinyl mat as the game board, which folds back up into a thin, nearly nothing square. Because of the material, you can bring this along to play anywhere outdoors, even the beach. I can definitely see us pulling this out over the summer when we’re entertaining friends, or bring this along to a friend’s cottage or when we visit our family/friends with younger children. I think it could also be a very fun thing to play when having a backyard garden party. There aren’t many games that are so large and interactive, which can actually be played outdoors without compromising on game play. It’s a very cool and different way to play Monopoly. There’s also a real sense of novelty in playing around with oversized tokens and a big foam die.
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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NOMA iQ™ App for Android
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this app since my experience with other smart home device apps has been disappointing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the app worked immediately and smoothly – that is, right off the hop it was able to... +
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this app since my experience with other smart home device apps has been disappointing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the app worked immediately and smoothly – that is, right off the hop it was able to seamlessly detect my Noma smart devices, connect them to my wifi network, and add them to the app. It was also very easy to integrate the devices from this app into my Google Home “home”. There are a lot more features in this app that I haven’t noticed in others. You can create all sorts of custom “experiences” in your automation set-ups, including schedules/routines and timers. We set up the smart bulbs in our bedroom to turn on simultaneously with when my alarm goes off, and customized the shade and intensity of the bulbs to be as unintrusive as possible for a pleasant wake-up call. You can also group different devices together by room. It was very easy to set up these different routines, including timers for vacations. I only hope the app continues to be supported and receive regular updates for the years to come, as that seems to be a shortfall for many smart devices on the market these days.
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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NOMA iQ™ Smart Wifi Outlet Plug, 2-pk, Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, White
Don't be fooled by the large packaging - these smart plugs are tiny and slim, which is ideal for using them anywhere and everywhere around the house. They have an easily accessibly power button on the side and fit snugly against the wall. I love... +
Don't be fooled by the large packaging - these smart plugs are tiny and slim, which is ideal for using them anywhere and everywhere around the house. They have an easily accessibly power button on the side and fit snugly against the wall. I love having a number of these around the house since they're great for setting vacation timers and also using to control the power in hard to reach areas (i.e. Christmas tree lights). The Noma app was very easy to use and much better than other smart device apps that I've used in the past, which have been glitchy. It's also very easy to integrate into Google Home, so you can also control it via that app or via voice control through the Google Home device. Finally, the price point is excellent for two plugs.
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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NOMA iQ™ A19 E26 Base Smart Dimmable LED Light Bulbs, Tunable White/Colour 2-pk
These smart LED bulbs were a total game-changer. They're incredibly versatile, letting you customize the warmth, colour, and intensity to fit any occasion, from blue-light for a more party vibe to "red light district" shades to warm and cold white... +
These smart LED bulbs were a total game-changer. They're incredibly versatile, letting you customize the warmth, colour, and intensity to fit any occasion, from blue-light for a more party vibe to "red light district" shades to warm and cold white for day-to-day. The only downside is that there's a bit of a lag when manually turning on the light switch - they take a few seconds to actually turn on, but I wonder if that may have to do with the fact that they're dimmable bulbs and have been placed in a non-dimmable wall sconce. That being said, you're still able to dim them using the app, which means that any light socket can now become dimmable if you're using one of these bulbs. The Noma app is very easy to use and integrates nicely with Google Home, so you can control the customization directly through the latter if that's your preference. It remains to be seen how long these will last, however. I haven't had the greatest longevity with other Noma LED bulbs in the past, but given the price point of these I would hope that they'll last significantly longer and ideally close to the 10 year warranty period.
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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Hero Mighty Patch Original
I’ve been interested in trying out pimple patches for some time now – I kept hearing about how they were miracle workers for treating and minimizing pimples overnight. This pack of Mighty Patches from Hero Cosmetics comes with 36 patches. I was... +
I’ve been interested in trying out pimple patches for some time now – I kept hearing about how they were miracle workers for treating and minimizing pimples overnight. This pack of Mighty Patches from Hero Cosmetics comes with 36 patches. I was a little disappointed to see that they were all the same size. I know that other brands provide a variety of diameters (sort of like a bandage variety pack), to cover anything from tiny to large pimples. Hero’s variation is more of a one-size-fits-all, which I suppose is more versatile versus running out of a certain size when using different brands. In terms of ingredients, these are very simple – all they contain is hydrocolloid. The idea is that it helps draw out the “gunk” in your pimples and bring it to the surface of your skin, eventually just being adhered to the patch itself. I will say that the package itself notes that it work bests on whiteheads, but I ignored that disclaimer for the first few tries. In the end, it’s true – this is best used on ordinary pimples, once they’ve come to a head. I didn’t find that they did a thing on pimples caused by hormones/cystic pimples, until I finally worked those to a head. When using them on the “right” kind of pimples, it’s amazing to see these patches at work. They turn cloudy overnight and by the time you remove them, you can see the “gunk” collected on the inside (much like those nose pore strips that used to be very popular – there's something satisfying about seeing all the gross stuff exit your skin!). I also find that these are inoffensive enough that you can get away with wearing the odd one during the day, depending on the location on your face and where you’re going/getting up to. I had a pimple on the underside of my skin and this patch become so difficult to see that even I had forgotten it was on. -
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