a girl’s mind ♥ reviews

October 20th, 2008 by chrishawn

I was perusing the net and stumbled upon this fabulously girly site called, J. Blossom and it was love at first site.  If you know me, you know I looooove the girly sites.  I’m all about the Girl Power.  Yay.

This deliciously fun site is the creation of Jamila White.  She creates all natural body products such as bath & body washes, lotions and lip balms.  I contacted her and asked her if I can test and write a review on her fun products.  And she whole heartedly agreed.  She sent me her best selling product - The J. Blossom Fun Pack in Strawberry Banana Smoothie.  It comes with the following:

•  
  • 2 oz. Natural Bubble Bath & Shower Gel, Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    Affirmation: “Girls can do anything!”
  • 2 oz. Natural Body Lotion, Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    Affirmation: “I am totally lovable!”
  • .15 oz. Natural Lip Balm, Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    Affirmation: “I am somebody special!”
  • Mesh Mini Bath Sponge (color may vary)
  • Reusable Drawstring Bag

And what’s great is each product has a positive affirmation directly on it -  to make the girl feel good on the inside while the product makes you feel good on the outside!

The Strawberry Banana Smoothie smells phenomenal!  The bath and body wash lathered up exceptionally well and rinsed clean.  The lotion is nice and silky and makes your skin feel smooth and moisturized!  And you get a nice glowy look.  The lip balm goes on smooth after the first couple of applications and keeps your lips very moisturized.  I keep this lip balm in my pocket every where I go now.  It’s great.

You can get your fun packs or any of the other fab j. blossom products on the website @ www.jblossom.com.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

October 20th, 2008 by chrishawn

I love chocolate.  So imagine my giddiness when Brooke St. Pierre, an independent distributor of Xocai Healthy Chocolate, contacted me to review the chocolate.  I was stoked!!

According to her site:

Xocai (sho-sigh) Healthy Dark Chocolate is the most health promoting chocolate ever produced. It is a completely natural unprocessed chocolate which retains 100% of its Antioxidant and nutritional value without the added fat, fillers, wax, preservatives and high sugar content of all other “chocolates.”

Xocai products are produced with rich, unprocessed, non-alkalized, non-lecithinized cacao powder that is high in antioxidants due to a closely monitored fermentation, drying, and roasting process. The cacao is cold pressed which allows it to retain all of its antioxidants and flavonoids. Xocai products are the perfect delivery system for the antioxidants your body needs while eliminating almost all of the fat and sugars typically found in other chocolate products.

Brooke sent me a weeks supply of a mixture of  Xocai Power Squares, Xocai Nuggets and Xocai Antioxidant Bars.  I was to take one square or nugget before I ate - 3 times a day.  Imagine that?  I got to eat chocolate 3 times a day!!

I wasnt sure what to expect as this is natural chocolate and not that processed chocolate you find in the stores.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It did taste different but not in a bad way.  And I’m not a fan of dark chocolate but their dark chocolate isn’t as bitter.  I’m still not a fan, lol, but it’s much different than the store-bought variety.

So what are the health benefits of healthy chocolate:

• Weight loss, curbs appetite and increases energy
• Supports cardiovascular health, lowers cholesterol and glucose levels in blood
• Allergies and sinus headache relief
• Diabetes, controls and lowers blood sugar levels; reduces and may even eliminate insulin injections
• Enhanced muscle recovery
• Respiratory Health, clears nasal passages and post nasal drip, coughing
• Eases Arthritis pain and inflammation
• Oral Health, sensitive teeth and gums, antibacterial agents in cacao may discourage tooth decay
• Experts believe that a diet rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant polyphenols can have protective effect on the prostate

In my week of consuming the chocolate, I did have a decrease in appetite.  After I took the chocolate and waited for about 20 minutes, I noticed that I didn’t eat as much.  I wasn’t as hungry.  Yay!

I did also notice that I had an increase in energy as well.  I was a little run down and tired before the chocolate and afterwards, I had bursts of energy that were fabulous!

Xocai products are Kosher, diabetic friendly, lactose friendly, vegan/vegetarian friendly, and gluten free.

Xocai is currently awaiting Natural Health Certification for Cardiovascular Health, Weight Loss, and Diabetes.

I highly recommend this product.  It has a wonderful smooth taste and with all of the health benefits. what do you have to lose??

You can buy yours at www.healthychocolatefreak.com.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

September 9th, 2008 by chrishawn

If you wear eye makeup, you have to have a specifically formulated remover to take off your makeup and nourishes your eyes.

In steps Almay’s Oil-Free Makeup Remover.  These pads are oil-free and are made with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea.   They are 100% fragrance free, hypoallergenic and Dermatologist tested and Ophthalmologist tested.

These lovely pads nourish your eyes while they remove your eye makeup [-including waterproof mascara and long lasting lip wear] without irritation; and they condition, hydrate and soothe the skin around your eyes.

When I used the pads to take off my eye makeup, it was easy as pie.  Take a pad out and smooth it over your closed eye lids and around eyes and see the makeup on the pad.  No greasy residue is left behind because these pads are oil-free!

This product is the #1 Brand in America.  Great for contact wearers.

I bought mine from Walmart for about $4.00 for 80 pads.  You can also buy them online here.

~ Chrishawn aka The Girl Reviewer ~

September 9th, 2008 by chrishawn

So if you know me, you know I love body wash; and I love to try different body washes.  I was sent samples of the Stay Sweet Sugar Whips by Smell Goods ‘98; and boy was I excited!  Try new body wash?  Yessssss.  I can do that.

Itiel, the beautiful owner of Smells Good ‘98, sent me samples of all 5 of her Stay Sweet Sugar Whips.  In my other business, Girl Evolution, I promote positive self-esteem in girls and young women.  Itiel knew this and wanted me to review this particular product because it is created for the young girl to uplift her spirit, to assure her of the positive strength within, to remind her of what she should and should NOT accept into her life! For every girl from all walks of life!  This went perfect with what I am trying to do.

When I received the sugar whips I was very excited.  I decided to try a different one each day.  I loved them!  The consistency of the whip was rich and creamy; which is different for me because I’m used to a more liquid wash.  I really liked the consistency though.

I squeezed the whip on a bath puff and started lathering.  Yep, if you know me, you also know that I LOVE lather.  These whips lathered lusciously.  And it doesn’t take much whip to get your body clean.  They rinse nice and clean and the smell?  Ohhhhh the smell.  They all smell heavenly.  The whips come in Strawberry Splash, Raspberry Razpataz, Cotton Candy Craze, Chocolate Drizzle and  Bammin’ Banana scents.  My favorites are Strawberry Splash and Bammin’ Banana.  Seriously, I can eat them.

And to go along with the positive, girly theme each sugar whip has an attached affirmation card.  They are:

• Strawberry Splash - “Beauty is ME!”
• Raspberry Razpataz - “Being ME is IN!”
• Cotton Candy Craze - “I am a LEADER not a FOLLOWER!”
• Chocolate Drizzle - “I have a POSITIVE PURPOSE in life!”
• Bammin’ Banana - “Saving myself for UNCONDITIONAL love!” 

Perfect.  I love her messages.  So positive.

According to the Smell Goods ‘98 site, Stay Sweet Sugar Whips are:

1. positive
2. vibrant
3. skin delicious
4. fluffy
5. fun
6. cleansers with organic pure cane sugar for mild exfoliation, and jojoba beads bursting with moisturizing goodness!
7. Perfect for a young lady to strengthen her inside and beautify her outside

Now really, what more can you ask for?  Oh, I know. 

Smell Goods ‘98 are advocates for organizations that cater to the needs of young females and teen mothers. Therefore, Stay Sweet Sugar Whips are used to support such organizations, through fundraising, product donations, and charitable donations. Our mission is to give back to organizations that meet the needs of young females and teen moms. Please contact us [-Smell Goods '98] for more information.

 

Stay Sweet Sugar Whips sell for $18.00 for a 16 oz. jar.  And when you purchase a jar, Smell Goods ‘98, donates to the charitable organization of the month.  Nice.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

September 4th, 2008 by chrishawn

So I went to the store to buy my son’s shampoo and got the wrong one.  I usually get the Suave Kids 2 in 1 Shampoo in the Cherry Jams scent [-smells sooo good]; but they didn’t have it.  I thought I was getting another scent in the same shampoo; but I didn’t.  I ended up picking up the Suave Kids 2 in 1 Shampoo Smoothers in Orange Mango.

Upon washing my son’s hair, I saw that the shampoo was noticeably thicker and creamier.  Interesting.  I washed my son’s hair and there was quite a lather.  We lathered and rinsed.  And rinsed.  And rinsed.  And rinsed.  It was quite hard to rinse completely out.  That annoyed me.

After rinsing and then drying, I did notice that my son’s hair was noticeably shinier and smoother; but it looked so oily and much darker than his sandy brown hair usually looks.  The next day, his hair looked awful.  It was soooo oily and oily-looking.  I was not pleased.  The shampoo smoother didn’t work well for his hair type [-which is naturally soft and super curly].  His hair doesn’t get dry so I never have to put anything in it.  I think this product works best for kids that have really dry, coarse hair. 

I haven’t used this product since.  I gave it to a friend to use on her daughter whose hair is quite dry.  Although, I didn’t like it for my son, it did have quite a few positives:

• shiny, smooth hair
• tangle-free hair
• very soft hair
• smelled great
• conditioned fantastically
• tear free formula
• affordable price

All in all it was a bad product, just not for my son’s hair.  I bought it at Walmart for $1.99 for a 12 oz bottle.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

September 4th, 2008 by chrishawn

Yep.  Looooove the body wash.  So, I’m always looking out for new body washes that I can indulge in.  I decided to try the new Suave Naturals Body Wash by, you guessed it, Suave.  lol.

What caught my eye was the pretty blue color while it was on the shelf.  So I picked it right on up.  I also have a habit of smelling the body wash before I buy it.  If I don’t like the smell right off the bat I won’t buy it.  I liked this smell.  Clean and fresh.  It smells like a nice ocean breeze, which by the way, is what it’s called - Ocean Breeze.

It is infused with mineral-rich sea algae extract and skin conditioning Vitamin E.  It has a very rich lather and moisturizes and conditions the skin to leave it smooth and supple.  When I poured this wash on my loofah and lathered up, the scent was sooo invigorating.  It awakened my senses and gave me a boost of energy.  I loved it.

It rinses nice and leaves your skin feeling and smelling fresh and clean.  Delightful.

I bought mine from Walmart for about $3.50 for a 12 ounce bottle.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

September 3rd, 2008 by chrishawn

My son is fish.  Literally.

This year we signed up for the YMCA and with this membership we get to use the pool.  Yippeeeee!  We love the pool.  Anyway, I wash my son’s hair after each day in the pool.  I usually don’t have a problem with just washing with his regular shampoo and his hair being fine.  But the chlorine in the Y’s pool is a tad harsh.  His hair was not his normal softness [-he has nice, soft, curly hair].  So I was on a mission to get a clarifying shampoo to get his hair back to his normal goodness.

I was on a mission for the original Suave’s Clarifying Shampoo because I had used it before.  When I got to the store, I had a hard time finding the clarifying shampoo.  I looked and looked and when I finally  found it, it was next to the Kid’s Swim & Sport.  I debated because I wanted to go with what I knew; but I figured - what the heck.  Why not give it a try and then write a review about it?  So here it is.

I have been using this product for the past week or so and my son’s hair has improved significantly.  It’s not as coarse and tangled and the chlorine smell isn’t so overpowering.  I will give it a couple of more days, in hopes, that the chlorine will be totally stripped from his little head.  But, I will keep using the shampoo as long as he goes swimming.  It’s also great for a refreshing clean after any other sport - so I will use it after he plays football, baseball and basketball.

And as always with Suave Kids products, it is formulated with gentle and effective cleansers and is opthalmologist tested for a tear-free, easy on the eyes formula.  Oh, and it’s a shampoo and conditioner all in one - so it’s non-drying.  Gotta love it.  And don’t forget the smell - it’s great.  It’s a nice citrus smell that isn’t overbearing.  It’s just right.

I got mine from Walmart for $1.88 for a 12 oz bottle.

September 3rd, 2008 by chrishawn

So you have a bottle of shampoo, a bottle of conditioner and a body wash; add one squirmy kid and what do you have?  Total madness and TOO MANY bottles!

I have a 7-year-old and I really want to make bath time as easy as possible.  Enter: Suave’s 3 in 1 for Kids.  It’s a shampoo, conditioner and body wash in one bottle!  Can you say convenient?  I can.

This 3 in 1 cleans, conditions and detangles your little one’s hair and conditions skin while leaving it soft and smooth.  It rinses nice and clean so you don’t have to keep rinsing over and over and over!  It’s Ophthalmologist tested and is tear-free and easy on eyes; and that’s one feature that is the best.  I mean have you ever had shampoo get in your kid’s eyes and they scream bloody murder?  Yeah, not pretty.

And the son had a great time gettin’ himself clean with this fun body wash.  And the smell?  Fantastic.  We tried the Wacky Melon.  Smelled sooo good and we had a wacky good time gettin’ clean.

I got mine from Walmart for $2.78 for a 22.5 ounce bottle.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

August 31st, 2008 by chrishawn

Naked  Juice.  The name says it all really.  There are no added sugars or preservatives, they’re 100% juice, all natural, and taste really, really good!  What more can you ask for??

The folks over at Naked Juice are all about creating great tasting, all natural juice smoothies made from the best bare naked fruits.  There is a pound of fruit in every 454g bottle of goodness.  And they have 5 juice families: Antioxidant Family, Energy Family, Protein, Super Food and Well Being.

Naked Juice is the fastest growing juice smoothie in America and over two decades later the Naked Juice story is beginning again in the UK with the same founding values.  That’s awesome.

And according to Naked Juice, this is and always will be their mantra:

We are dedicated to creating the best natural juice smoothies, made from the best bare-naked fruits, with no added sugar or preservatives - ever.

 

Today, we also boost some of our smoothies with totally natural vitamins, minerals and herbs to help make your healthy life even healthier. Just look for The Fruit Inside and The Boost Inside on the back of our bottles for all the particulars.

 

If you haven’t had a chance to try one of these yummy fruit smoothies, you must run right out and get one.  I got mine from Whole Foods; but you can check out the Naked Juice website to locate a store.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~

August 30th, 2008 by chrishawn

Looking for an all natural energy drink that actually tastes great?!  Try the Orange Mango Motion by Naked Juice.  It is scrumptious!

This all natural energy juice comes packed with oranges, mango, apples and a hint of banana.  Looking to get your servings of fruit?  You can in this juice drink.  In every 15.2 oz bottle it has the following:

• 2 1/3 oranges
• 1/4 mango
• 2 1/4 apples
• a hint of banana

Cool, huh?  That’s a pound of fruit in every bottle.  Nice.

So what gives you that energy boost that is packs?  Good question.

The answer?  Guarana, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Vitamins B5, B6, B12 and C.  And lets not forget the green tea extracts.  That’s a whole lot of energy in a little bottle.  And what is Guarana you ask?  It’s a natural source of caffeine.  You can learn more about it here.

And the taste?  Fantastic.  It’s just the right mixture of fruit and flavors.  So good.  And there are no added sugars!  All sugars are found naturally in the fruit that is used. 

100% fruit.  No added sugar.  All natural.  What more can you ask for?  Well maybe one thing.  Lower calories.  In one bottle there is…..wait for it……260 CALORIES.  Yep, you read that right.   260 whoppin’ big ones.  But hey - they don’t claim to be low in calories; they even say it’s not a low calorie food.

Up front and honest.  I like that.

I bought my bottle of energy from Whole Foods for $3.29 per 15.2 oz bottle.

~ Chrishawn aka The Review Girl ~