New Beginnings

 

I have been MIA for quite some time from here. I have been busy working full time and taking care of my three teenagers full time. I am in the process of a divorce after being married for 16 years. I never thought I would be here. If you were to go through this blog and you read some of the things I have posted in the past, you might not ever have thought I would be here either. It is a prime example of you just never know what is going on behind closed doors. I was never physically abused but I am so happy to be out of a marriage in which I (and my children) were consistently neglected except for on the rare occasion that he wanted to tell everyone what a great person he was so he would do something grand so he could show off what an "amazing" person he was. It is also a lot easier to be a single parent when you are actually a single parent and there isn't that disappointment or stress that the person you were relying on being your partner and teammate just stays checked out. I am so much happier on my own and I can't wait to get back to who I used to be before he stole all of my joy through emotional abuse and neglect. That part of my life is in the past, and this part of my life is something I really missed. So I will be back here posting reviews again. It will probably be mostly book reviews since that is my main source of entertainment, but I will probably write some other reviews as well, and post about any travels that occur. I may also write about my journey into being a single woman in my 40's with three teenagers, two cats, and a dog. I am so glad to back!

Quality Encapsulations Yacon Syrup Review

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a bottle of yacon syrup in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

I am always on the lookout for things to improve my overall health and since I have a stubborn pounds hanging on that I want to get rid of, one of those things is finding natural supplements that aide weight loss endeavors. I have tried many natural weight loss supplements and the biggest problem I have had with most is that they just taste gross so I can't choke them down. I am so thrilled to have found Quality Encapsulations Yacon Syrup because not only does it do the things it claims to do, it is a sweetener and it is delicious. It takes like a syrupy version of brown sugar. It tastes like sugar without the calories and it is 100% natural from the roots of the yacon plant. A sweetener to help weight loss? Yes, please, sign me up! As someone with a very strong sweet tooth, it is very appealing to "have" to take this syrup three times a day. There are a lot of ways you can use it- in your coffee or tea, as a replacement in baked goods like you would use honey or maple syrup or just straight up- which is the way I chose to take it. The back of the bottle says to take a teaspoon 3 times a day, so I have been taking it before each meal of the day, this is an easy way for me to remember to actually take it. I have been taking the yacon syrup for about a week and a half now and I have definitely noticed some changes-

• My appetite is smaller. I got full halfway through a hamburger. True story.
• I have more energy, this is a HUGE deal for me since a. I don't sleep well and b. I have 3 small children, I need all of the extra energy I can get!
• While minimal, I have noticed a bit of weight loss
• My very heavy sweet tooth has been noticeably less ravenous. I do not crave sweets constantly and can go without eating them for several days. This alone will help me lose extra pounds!

I am so excited to see how much progress I will make with the yacon syrup once I get through the whole bottle. Maybe I will finally get rid of those stubborn 10 extra pounds! I am definitely going to try it in some recipes as well instead of always just taking it by itself. I am pretty sure it would be to die for in oatmeal and would make a great addition to smoothies or protein drinks.

Speaking of recipes, if you enter your recipe into Quality Encapsulations Yacon Syrup recipe contest, you could win a $50 gift card to Amazon.com. They pick a winner each time they get 20 new entries!

You can purchase Quality Encapsulations Yacon Syrup on Amazon.com

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Riiviva Cellulite and Microdermabrasion Home Kit Review

*Disclosure- I received products in exchange for my honest thoughts on them. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

I think all women struggle with some beauty imperfections as they get older. For me it is definitely wrinkles around the eyes, I *still* get acne from time to time (so much for being rid of that after the teen years!), I have a little bit of cellulite on the inside of my thighs and my biggest one is the crazy stretch marks I got after having my twin boys.

The only option for treating these problems used to be going to the dermatologist or having surgery to correct the imperfections, but this handy little Riiviva tool can be used at home to treat some of these issues and will save you thousands of dollars!

 

The diamond head on the Riiviva tool pictured above (called the Cellubrasion tip) is to treat cellulite. It just screws right on to the tool very easily and then there are 3 settings for the suction- low, medium, and high, depending on how much of a suction you are comfortable with. Before you start using the Lift tool, you need to charge it, but it can even be turned on and used while it's been charged and I love that it is rechargeable, it saves even more money on what you might have had to pay if having to replace batteries all of the time. After charging the tool, you need to get one of the filters (Riiviva provides you with plenty), "unlock" the bottom of the Lift tool with the back end of the pair of tweezers included in the kit and replace the filter. After you replace the part back on the bottom end of the tool, you are good to go. You just use the tip on whatever trouble spots you have 3 times a week for six weeks for 5 minutes per area you are treating. You use this in conjunction with the cellulite cream for the best results. Do not forget to take your before picture before your first treatment and then one after 6 weeks to see how far you've come along.

As far as the actual feel of the treatment, the diamond head for cellulite looks a little intimidating. I have used it on my legs with the first and second setting and you can barely feel it besides a tiny pinch at the beginning and by pinch I don't mean something that hurts, just something that is noticeable.

The cool thing about the Riiviva Lift is that it is a multi-use tool. Since the head of it is interchangeable, you can change the tips to treat different types of problems. This allows you to use the tool for other areas with different types of diamond tips. I was also send the diamond tips for microdermabrasion. They look like this-

These diamond tips help reduce the appearance of acne scars and crows feet and other signs of aging on your face. There are three different tips for different levels of roughness so you can work your way into a more intense treatment the more you get used to using the Riiviva tool. I also used this tool on my stretch marks just to see what would happen and they seemed to make a difference in the appearance of those as well. Of course, Riiviva has different diamond tips and a special cream specifically for stretch marks and that is the treatment that I am super interested in. I know that there is no way to get completely rid of them (or the cellulite or other signs of aging) but the Riiviva Lift tool is the best, most affordable way to reduce their appearance. Overall, I really liked using the Riiviva products and I know I will continue to do so. When it has been six weeks, I will post an update as to how it went! 



Connect with Riiviva on Facebook and get 25% off your purchase!

Influenster's Good Life VoxBox- Great Products to Get Your Healthy Living On

*Disclosure- I received the Good Life VoxBox in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to render a positive review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

The Good Life VoxBox

I have received several VoxBoxes from Influester in the few years that I have been a member of their website and I have to say- this one has been one of my favorites- second only to the Mary Kay VoxBox, which will be super hard to top. I am kind of a health nut, so I love discovering new products to enhance that part of my life. The Good Life VoxBox was full of some great health related products, several of which I had never even heard of. Here is what was in the box:

Zone Perfect Greek Yogurt Bars-

Meal replacement bars have been around for a while, but the Greek yogurt craze is a fairly new phenomenon. Zone Perfect took tasty "health" food- Greek yogurt- and coated what may have otherwise been a so-so tasting meal replacement bar with it. The one I received was pretty tasty. Definitely a bar that I would eat again.

Nonni's Thin Addictives-

I loved these! Nonni's Thin Addictives were really tasty biscotti. I thought the texture was perfect and the taste was spot on. This is the kind of healthy snack that you don't mind eating because it almost feels like an indulgence.

UrgentRx-

I hadn't heard of UrgentRx until I received this box from Influenster. It is a really novel idea. These are effervescent drinks that treat specific ailments- got a headache? There's an UrgentRx for that. Allergies? They have you covered! They also have drink powders for heart burn, critical care and stomach upset. This is definitely a more natural way to treat your ailments. I will definitely be using these more.

New Skin Liquid Band-Aid

I was so excited about this product because my kids and I are constantly getting little cuts and scrapes outside. I happened to have cut my foot the day this box arrived, so I took out the liquid band-aid to try. I put it on right after the cut and boy did it burn when I sprayed it on, but other than that, I was impressed. It kept my wound protected and I forgot all about it. In fact I wondered why there was a little part of my foot that looked so slimy and then I remembered that I had sprayed that on! Next time, I will just wait a little bit before spraying it on so hopefully it won't burn as much, but I really liked the New Skin Liquid Band-Aid.

Vitamin Shoppe Garcinia Cambogia- 

I am usually not a weight loss aid type of person, but Garcinia Cambogia is a natural product and I have heard about it on the Dr. Oz show so I was excited to try it. You take two capsules before each meal. I have definitely noticed a bit of appetite suppression and that this is a great aid to keep the digestive system working well. I even lost a few pounds. I bought a second bottle I liked it so much, so hopefully I will be able to lose a few more.

There was not a product in the Good Life VoxBox that I didn't like. I would recommend any of these products to anyone trying to lead a healthier lifestyle or just is curious about health related products.

Conscious Box Review

If you haven't heard of the subscription box craze currently happening, you are really missing out! It is a really neat way to get a box full of little surprises delivered to your mailbox each month. If you are frequent reader of this blog, you have heard of a few that I have posted about. And you are about to hear about a third one, Conscious Box. It takes the same formula of other subscription boxes and ads an Eco twist- all product samples are from green and ethical companies- no crazy chemicals or animal testing here! This does make Conscious Box slightly more expensive at $19 shipped, but I think it is a great way to try new organic and natural products for a newbie to natural living or for those of us who have been on this journey for a while. It's definitely fun to get a box full of various new products to try each month, I highly recommend it!

Here is what was in the April box-

 There were definitely several products I plan to purchase in the near future. I really enjoyed sharing the Oogie's Gourmet Popcorn in Original Kettle corn with my 4 yr old daughter. I LOVED that I could give her some without worrying that it contained any genetic modifications or high fructose corn syrup. It was great to have a pre packaged sweet treat and not feel guilty over what we might be poisining our bodies with. I definitely plan to buy more from Oogies!

I was also super impressed with the Climb On Intensive Skin Repair. I had recently taken a fall that left me with a scrape on my knee and the skin repair felt wonderful and cooling on it. I even applied a little of the skin repair to my chapped lips. It's amazing stuff!

 I enjoyed the samples of laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid. Both performed very well, but my very favorite product in this box was the banana and dark chocolate bar by Clandestino. It was delicious and of course all natural and I am pretty sure I am going to start working out more so I have a great excuse to use this "fuel" product! Although, I am sure you can use it without working out, it makes a great precursor to a long or intense workout because of the banana in it! And anything covered in tasty dark chocolate is pretty amazing in my book.

As previously mentioned, Conscious Box is $19 a month (this is the total with shipping) which I think is well worth it for the quality and amount of product samples you receive. What an excellent way to discover products that are not only better for the environment, but for you and your family as well.

*Disclaimer- I was provided a Conscious Box in exchange for my review, however all opinions are 100%  my own.

PR Friendly Blog/Disclosure/Privacy Policy

PR FRIENDLY BLOG

This is a PR friendly blog. I love doing reviews about beauty products, food products, books, cookbooks, movies, exercise equipment, workout dvd's, children's books, toys, green and organic products of all kinds, gardening products, travel accommodations, and restaurants. My family and I love traveling together, hanging out and playing outside at the park and gardening in our backyard. I will only review products or services that I feel fit in with the theme of my blog and will be of interest to my readers.

Contact me at cristisreviews@gmail.com if you would like me to do a review for you.

Available Reviewers:

Female Child- 6 years old

Male Twins- 4 years old

Adult Female- 32 years old

Adult Male- 30 years old

ABOUT ME:

I am a stay at home mom to my 5 year old daughter and twin 3 year old sons. I love entertaining in my home and often throw parties or cookouts. I can almost always be found in the kitchen trying out a new recipe or in the bathroom messing with various makeup and beauty products or trying out new nail art. I love to read, watch movies, go  to the theatre and catch a play and traveling. I am passionate about health and wellness and always looking for ways to make my family more healthy. We like to be as "green" as possible. I have been married to my hardworking husband, who is a Licensed Chiropractor, Nurse in the emergency room and full time student, for the last 6 years years. We just purchased our first house! We stay pretty busy, but feel very blessed!

LEGAL STUFF

Disclosure

This policy is valid from January 31,, 2013.

This blog is written by Cristi Marashi You may contact Cristi at cristisreviews@gmail.com 

This blog may accept forms of advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions and/or other forms of compensation. This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. Any compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog and will be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner of this blog may be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog may receive compensation for posts or advertisements, you will find honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences regarding topics and/or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the author’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Privacy Policy

Your privacy is very important and I am committed to protecting it. I ask for your email address when you make a comment on the site, but will never sell or share that information unless you are the winner of giveaway. Then I will only give it to that sponsor so they can send your prize. If you provide your address after you have won a giveaway on this site, I will send the information to the sponsor for prize shipment; no one else will have access to it. If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, please contact Cristi Marashi at  cristisreviews@gmail.com

This is GUD stuff!

Recently, I discovered Klout.com. I had heard of it previously and knew that it measured how influential you are through social media, but I signed up for an account and learned that there are other benefits to Klout as well.They have a pretty cool "perks" program that allows users, depending on their Klout score and influence levels on certain subjects (the qualifications are different for each perk) to try new products. As luck would have it, the first "perk" I qualified for was for a box of Gud products. I have already been using some of Gud's products since I first discovered them at Kroger about a month or so ago, so I was not about to turn down an opportunity for more smell gudness. There is so much I love about Burt's Bees new line of bath and body products, the main ones being that they are free of harmful chemicals and still manage to smell fantastic!

I was so excited to receive my box in the mail.

When I opened the box from Klout, there was another box inside with the Gud products inside. 





I am pretty sure this is the prettiest product box I have ever seen. Of course, that is not surprising, it seems that Gud prides itself on being fun, modern and CUTE!

Here is what was in my box:

Body Spray in Floral Cherrynova
Body lotion in Orange Petalooza
Body wash in Vanilla Flame

I was THRILLED to see the body spray. Admittedly, I am not usually a body spray kind of girl, but these Gud products smell so good! The second I sprayed it, I could not stop smelling my wrist. I have been an orange petalooza devotee, but since getting this box full of Gudies, I am definitely split between these two scents!

I am IN LOVE with the Lotion. As I just mentioned, I love the orange petalooza scent, I have been using the shampoo, conditioner and body wash for as long as they have been available. The lotion is icing on the cake. It smells good, of course, but it also feels awesome. I have found myself putting it on multiple times a day, just to feel that lotion-y softness. I would say it is the best lotion I have ever used!

I really like the Vanilla Flame body wash. I was afraid I wouldn't care for it, because let's face it, there is vanilla in every single bath and body line that ever did exist. There is something a little different about this vanilla, and mixed with my orange petalooza shampoo and conditioner, it kind of smelled like a great orange dreamsicle in my shower! :)

Gud is all of the things I love wrapped into one fantastic product line- fun, flirty, feminine and free of harmful chemicals. Do yourself a favor, go to your local Kroger, Ulta or Target and try these products imediately!

**Disclaimer** I was given a free product or sample because I'm a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.

Cravebox Review + Giveaway

One of my favorite ways to try new things is by winning them and one of my favorite ways to win things is by attending twitter parties. Last December, I won one of my favorite things so far, a Cravebox!

You may be thinking, what is a Cravebox? It is a specialty box designed exclusively for members and each box is filled with various products. Each month you will receive 5-6 products in your box for $10

After I won my box in December and fell in love with the program, I got my name on the waiting list (yes, it's so awesome there is a waiting list!) I was lucky to be able to get into this program while it is still in beta mode. A full launch is tentatively set for April.

On to my February Cravebox!


When you first open the box, it looks like this:

Then there will be a note inside detailing all of the products you have received for the month.

This month's theme was "Date Night" and here is what was included:

Downy wrinkle release- travel size

2 Think thin bars

3 packets of orange E-boost

6 Bic Mark-it permanent markers

1 oz Amore Pacific treatment cleansing foam

1 oz Amore Pacific moisture bound skin energy hydration delivery system


I was pleased with all of the products in this box. As usual, the value of the products well exceeds the $10 you pay to receive it. I loved the think thin bars. They are great as a replacement for a light meal or even for a tasty  recovery snack after working out! Really, they are even good as a snack that will keep you full for a while. The E-boost has a great orange flavor and who couldn't use a little more energy? I have already used the wrinkle release several times. It works just as well as ironing and is so much quicker! The bic markers came in some really pretty colors. As someone who enjoys crafts, I look forward to using them! I love that Cravebox let's me try new beauty products, I am very please with the Amore Pacific products. It is so much fun to get a little luxury in your mail once a month!

I wanted to share a little taste of my Cravebox with you guys. So I am giving away 1 packet of e-boost and the Amore Pacific Cleansing foam for one lucky reader to win. As a bonus, I am also going to send the winner a FULL SIZE Mereadesso face + neck toning gel from the January Cravebox! Enter to win with the Rafflecopter form below!

**You MUST be a follower of this blog to claim any prizes.

Sign up to be on the waiting list for Cravebox's full launch!!