MMandM
Member Since: May 27, 2015Reviews
MAXIMUM Precision Driver Set, 73-Piece
Thank you Butterly and Canadian Tire for sending me a complimentary Maximum Precision 46-piece Driver Set (not 73-pieces as indicated) in exchange for an honest review. This mini driver set is extremely handy for quick jobs around the house from... +
Thank you Butterly and Canadian Tire for sending me a complimentary Maximum Precision 46-piece Driver Set (not 73-pieces as indicated) in exchange for an honest review.
This mini driver set is extremely handy for quick jobs around the house from tightening screws on your glasses or electronics to assembling small flatpack items (helped me to easily put together my new shelves!) It includes a number of different tips for every job possible, as well as a pair of fine tip tweezers and a spudger, all neatly tucked away in a compact aluminium storage case. The bit compartments and the driver head are magnetized for ease of use and containment and the driver itself spins easily when used with one hand, which is a great feature (especially if you're filming your DIY with the other hand!)
I really enjoyed using the driver set; my only criticism is that the spring-lock mechanism on the storage case is so cheaply made, it broke immediately as I was trying to close the case for the first time. Now it will not stay closed at all - which defeats the purpose of this set being "easy to store and transport".
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PAW Patrol: Air Rescue Chase Action Figure & Hero Helicopter Toy with Projectile Launcher & 2 Projectiles
Thank you Butterly and Spin Master Toys for sending me a complimentary Paw Patrol Air Rescue Chase Hero Helicopter in exchange for an honest review. The three-year-old who received this helicopter was thrilled to recognize one of his favourite... +
Thank you Butterly and Spin Master Toys for sending me a complimentary Paw Patrol Air Rescue Chase Hero Helicopter in exchange for an honest review.
The three-year-old who received this helicopter was thrilled to recognize one of his favourite cartoon characters. With a little help from me, he eagerly tore the toy out of the box and immediately ran off to play with Officer Chase (however, before handing the toy to him, I removed the two “rescue projectiles” as they were quite thin and might pose a risk around little eyes). His mom has advised that he absolutely loves spinning the propeller on his new “helipopter” and enjoys running around the house with it held above his head.
The toy is brightly coloured and includes a well-sized Chase figurine, perfect for small hands. The box also contains a QR code offering a free trial of the Paw Patrol Academy (“the best preschool learning app.”)
Overall, this toy is a hit and provides hours of imaginative fun!
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Aveeno® Calm + Restore Age Renewal Serum
I was really excited to try the Aveeno Calm + Restore Age Renewal Serum, but I didn't notice any benefits. As a matter of fact, I seemed to break out after using this for a couple of weeks and just had to stop in order to try to save my skin. I... +
I was really excited to try the Aveeno Calm + Restore Age Renewal Serum, but I didn't notice any benefits. As a matter of fact, I seemed to break out after using this for a couple of weeks and just had to stop in order to try to save my skin. I was very disappointed as I would love to find a retinol alternative. I still enjoy other products in the Aveeno family. -
Aveeno® Calm + Restore Age Renewal Eye Gel
I was really excited to try the Aveeno Calm + Restore Age Renewal Eye Gel, but I didn't notice any benefits/results other than I feel that my eyes were looking more tired and a bit drier than usual. Nothing else in my skincare routine had changed... +
I was really excited to try the Aveeno Calm + Restore Age Renewal Eye Gel, but I didn't notice any benefits/results other than I feel that my eyes were looking more tired and a bit drier than usual. Nothing else in my skincare routine had changed except for this product, so I am unfortunately going to have assign it the blame. I still enjoy other products in the Aveeno family. -
FLAWLESS FACIAL HAIR REMOVER, BLUSH
Thank you Butterly and Church & Dwight Canada for sending me a complimentary Finishing Touch Flawless Facial Hair Remover to test and review. As a woman of a certain age, this facial hair remover was heaven-sent in my struggle with the lovely... +
Thank you Butterly and Church & Dwight Canada for sending me a complimentary Finishing Touch Flawless Facial Hair Remover to test and review.
As a woman of a certain age, this facial hair remover was heaven-sent in my struggle with the lovely, lovely chin whiskers & ‘stache hairs that pop up on my face every. single. day (and sometimes multiple times a day 😫!) Plucking took a lot of time out of my morning. And forget about waxing, I just couldn’t risk the irritation. However, this mini, battery-run Flawless Facial Hair Remover has saved the day - and my face!
It’s a pretty rose gold colour, easy to use, quick, and doesn’t irritate my skin - and you cannot cut/nick yourself even if you tried (trust me, I tried!) It comes with a battery (much appreciated) and a little brush to clear out any accumulated hairs. There is also a built-in light, but I personally don’t find it beneficial and think it could be left off future models.
The best part, for me at least, is that you can throw it into your bag/purse and use it at any time during the day! I have even used it successfully over makeup, but be warned that the manufacturer indicates “skin should be clean with no makeup or creams”. You do you, though.
From what I can see, the Finishing Touch Flawless Facial Hair Remover retails for CDN $25-$30, which is a fair price for such a handy little gadget. Makes a great gift!
- Product received for free from Church & Dwight Canada in exchange for an honest review.
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Sambucol Black Elderberry Immunity + Cold and Flu Relief Gummies
Thank you Butterly and Sambucol for sending me two complimentary sample packages of the "Black Elderberry Advanced Immune Support with Vitamin C & Zinc" vegan gummies to test and review. I was particularly interested in trying this product from... +
Thank you Butterly and Sambucol for sending me two complimentary sample packages of the "Black Elderberry Advanced Immune Support with Vitamin C & Zinc" vegan gummies to test and review.
I was particularly interested in trying this product from Sambucol because I regularly take Vitamin C and/or Multivitamins in gummy form (anyone else hate swallowing pills as much as I do?)
According to Sambucol these “great tasting" gummies can be “taken daily or when sick to fight the symptoms of colds and flu.” Since I am currently in good health and only 4 gummies total were provided for testing, I cannot confirm or deny the aforementioned claims. I can, however, speak to the taste and texture of the product and I…ultimately did not enjoy either.
The initial taste is actually quite pleasant - a combination of tangy, fruity, and sweet - but quickly turns somewhat sandy towards the end. I suspect that this flavour might work better in the powdered drink version. Also, I like my gummies to have a bit of resistance/chew to them and I find these too soft as they are vegan and not made with gelatin. As someone with a bit of a sweet tooth, I use my gummy intake also as sort of a ‘candy fix’ and the taste and texture of these gummies are too far off the mark from what I consider my perfect gummy vitamin.
Unfortunately this product is just not for me, but hopefully you can obtain a sample and come to your own conclusion!
[If you are interested in trying this product please note that from what I see online, the MSRP is about CDN$15-19 for 30 gummies and Sambucol recommends 3-6 gummies daily per adult, so that is something to consider…]
- Product received for free from Butterly.com in exchange for an honest review.
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Vida by PADERNO Stainless Steel Non-Stick Air Fryer, 3.8-L
Thank you Butterly, Paderno / Vida by Paderno for sending me a complimentary Paderno Stainless Steel 3.8L Non-Stick Air Fryer to test and review. I was very excited and appreciative to have been selected for this campaign! This model of air... +
Thank you Butterly, Paderno / Vida by Paderno for sending me a complimentary Paderno Stainless Steel 3.8L Non-Stick Air Fryer to test and review. I was very excited and appreciative to have been selected for this campaign!
This model of air fryer is sleek, modern-looking, and just the right size for a single person, student, or small family. I appreciate the square basket (as opposed to round), which makes it much easier to arrange food on the removable grill. Also, both the basket and grill are non-stick, so clean-up is a breeze! It is fairly quiet (not silent) when in use, and there are some interesting pre-sets and even a nice 'flip reminder function' that could be incredibly useful for some. I used the Air Fry mode to make frozen french fries, and the Bake mode to make a salmon fillet; both cooked beautifully so I cannot find fault with the quality of this air fryer itself.
HOWEVER,
Having used an air fryer before (different brand belonging to a family member), there are a couple of things that I found lacking in this particular model:
- My main issue is the lack of information, both on the unit itself and in the instruction manual. The digital panel is not very user/beginner-friendly and the manual is very vague. Yes, there are 8 extremely convenient pre-sets, but there are no descriptions as to their purpose or clear instructions as to when/how/why to use them. Instructions for the fries were included in the manual, but only my previous experience using the other air fryer gave me the knowledge of the proper setting/time/temperature to use when cooking my fresh salmon. In addition to the precise information printed in the manual, that air fryer has a ‘quick chart' of the different temperatures/cooking times for regularly-cooked of foods (i.e. meat, fish, poultry, potatoes) printed on the actual unit itself, and the Paderno model would benefit greatly by including such a simple feature (or providing a more comprehensive user manual).
- In addition to the standard Air Fry, Bake, Roast, etc. functions there is also Pizza and Dehydrate, however there are absolutely no included descriptions or instructions as to how these pre-sets work. In my opinion these are really interesting features, so why not tell us how to use them? Very disappointing.
- The beep when using the LED display is very loud and there is a beep for every time/temperature increment when setting up a cooking cycle. This gets pretty annoying very quickly but maybe I’m just more sensitive to these things. I prefer a noiseless dial, and a simple ding when the food is ready. You may feel differently.
All in all, I have no complaints whatsoever as to the quality of the unit itself or of the cooking achieved with this air fryer, I just feel that it is better suited/marketed towards simply reheating or making basic foods such as fries or chicken nuggets and the like. Maybe that is the main purpose of an air fryer, and I am being too picky; I don’t know. Anyway, if you can find it for less than $100 (which I have seen online), I would recommend it.
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PanOxyl PM Blemish Brightening Patches
Thank you Butterly and PanOxyl for sending me a complimentary sample set of PM Overnight Spot Patches to test and review. If you haven’t tried them before, hydrocolloid patches are pure magic if you experience (and please pardon the off-putting... +
Thank you Butterly and PanOxyl for sending me a complimentary sample set of PM Overnight Spot Patches to test and review.
If you haven’t tried them before, hydrocolloid patches are pure magic if you experience (and please pardon the off-putting description) large, pus-filled blemishes. Got a juicy pimple? Choose the best of two sizes of PanOxyl PM Overnight Spot Patches, make sure your skin is clean and dry, slap it on, and go to sleep knowing that the next morning your pimple will be at least (in my experience) 75% flatter than before. You will be shocked to see just how much pus/fluid has been absorbed into the patch.
I also found the PanOxyl patches to be extremely adhesive under my skincare routine and thin/transparent enough to wear in the daytime without detection, unless at close range. They are absolutely a must try! Thanks PanOxyl and Butterly!
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PanOxyl PM Overnight Spot Patches
Thank you Butterly and PanOxyl for sending me a complimentary sample set of PM Overnight Spot Patches to test and review. If you haven’t tried them before, hydrocolloid patches are pure magic if you experience (and please pardon the off-putting... +
Thank you Butterly and PanOxyl for sending me a complimentary sample set of PM Overnight Spot Patches to test and review.
If you haven’t tried them before, hydrocolloid patches are pure magic if you experience (and please pardon the off-putting description) large, pus-filled blemishes. Got a juicy pimple? Choose the best of two sizes of PanOxyl PM Overnight Spot Patches, make sure your skin is clean and dry, slap it on, and go to sleep knowing that the next morning your pimple will be at least (in my experience) 75% flatter than before. You will be shocked to see just how much pus/fluid has been absorbed into the patch.
I also found the PanOxyl patches to be extremely adhesive under my skincare routine and thin/transparent enough to wear in the daytime without detection, unless at close range. They are absolutely a must try! Thanks PanOxyl and Butterly!
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PADERNO Maple Hardwood Roast Cutting Board, Grip Handles, 12-in x 18-in
A big thank you Butterly, Paderno, and Canadian Tire for sending me a complimentary Paderno Maple Hardwood Roast Cutting Board to test and review. This is a BEAUTIFUL Canadian-made board. It is heavy and sturdy, and made out of recycled Canadian... +
A big thank you Butterly, Paderno, and Canadian Tire for sending me a complimentary Paderno Maple Hardwood Roast Cutting Board to test and review.
This is a BEAUTIFUL Canadian-made board. It is heavy and sturdy, and made out of recycled Canadian maple. One side has a border with a deep well to collect any water or juices and the reverse is smooth with a wood-burned Paderno logo on it. At 12" x 18" x 3/4” it is a great size on which to serve your large roast or medium-sized turkey, present an artistic charcuterie board, chop some herbs and tomatoes fresh out of your garden, or simply use as a layering piece in your kitchen decor!
The Paderno Maple Hardwood cutting board would make a useful but stylish gift for the home chef in your life - including yourself!
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