Upcoming review: Kid Companion
Earlier this summer Chewelry, a Canadian-based company, reached out to me to tell me about Kid Companion, which is chewable jewelry designed for children with special needs and sensory issues to be able to safely wear and chew on. As anyone with a sensory-disrupted child can tell you, a lot of different household items — many of which are non-edible and definitely not safe to be ingested — wind up being used as “chewies”. My four year old son, Ryan, is autistic, and from the time he was ten or so months old has been mouthing, chewing and biting all sorts of objects. Everything from tubes of diaper rash ointment, tubes of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shower curtain rings, paper, stickers, television remotes, spatulas and lip balms have fallen prey to his need to mouth items. Last fall his need to chew/mouth items and associated PICA got so bad that he had several bowel obstructions that required prescription-strength suppositories, laxatives and stool softeners to resolve!
Unlike those and many other of the items that special-needs children tend to gravitate towards, the Kid Companion is completely safe for mouthing. The Kid Companion is a pendant that is suspended from a simple breakaway lanyard (available in both cotton/rayon and undyed cotton). The lanyard allows your child to keep the pendant close at hand, without the risk of it being lost or misplaced. The pendant itself is made out of Thermo-Plastic Elastomer (TPE), which is non-toxic, durable, and dishwasher safe. The material is FDA-approved, and is also of the highest medical grade. Better still, the Kid Companion contains no BPA, PVC, phthalates, latex, or lead — good to know, seeing as how most kids will have their mouths all over these chewable items!
For a child with autism, sensory processing disorders, ADHD or other special needs, the Kid Companion is a wonderful tool. It’s safe and effective, and its malleable material makes it ideal for those children who love to chew on things.
We received two Kid Companions — one circle-shaped, one heart-shaped (both blue), as well as both styles of lanyards. They just arrived yesterday, which is why this is an upcoming review rather than a full-fledged one, but I am very confident that Ryan will take to them right away. Even though he’s four, we still have issues with him chewing on inappropriate objects (more recently he has been going after my cell phone and our PS3 controllers, eek!), so I’m looking forward to providing him with something that is made to be chewed on.
As you can see, Ryan is definitely off to a good start:
Zibits
Zibits are miniature must-have toy robots that kids ages 2 through 52 will love to have. Robots are something you don’t see much of these days, what with all of these high-tech toys available, but Senario definitely picked a winner when they developed Zibits. Just what is a Zibit? Well, it’s a miniature robot — about the size of a small computer mouse — that makes little robotic noises, spins 360°, zips back and forth, and even lights up (well, its eyes, anyway). Essentially, Zibits are miniature remote-controlled robots that are taking the toy world by storm.
I was recently sent two Zibits to try out, and my kids — Alyssa (5) and Ryan (4) — couldn’t wait to tear into them. They were surprisingly patient while I dug around for two AAA batteries (each) and one of those small screwdrivers, and then they were off. Alyssa chose Dex, whose white color and round, modern appearance reminds me a little of Wall-E; and Ryan happily made off with Clunk, who is more of an old-school robot with a grungy bronze and orange appearance. The matching remotes feature a swivel-style joystick that propels the Zibits forwards, backwards, or in a complete spin.
Zibits are a big hit with both Alyssa and Ryan. They’ve been bringing Zibits with them on their outings, which is a nice change from the bulkier toys they usually insist on dragging along. Here at home, the Zibits entertain them both on their own, though they sometimes tag up with our Zhu Zhu Pets and Zhu Zhu race track for added fun.
Zibits are definitely fun little toys. My kids like them, and I have two younger teenaged brothers that I’m sure would get a real kick out of them. And since Senario is coming out with actual playsets for the Zibits — labs, race tracks and even a mine shaft — I can definitely see our collection of Zibits growing.
With 12+ designs and a $9.99 price tag, there’s no reason why a Zibit can’t appear for a birthday, for the holidays, or for no real occasion whatsoever. They’re great little toys that can entertain the young and the old alike. You can purchase Zibits at BOT abing BOT aboom.com and at Toys ‘r Us.
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Jimmyjane Afterglow candle
I recently had the opportunity to light and enjoy a few of the scents the Jimmyjane Afterglow candle is available in, including Dark Vanilla and Pink Lotus. I love candles, but it seems like stores and even most websites carry the same traditional and “unique” scents, so I don’t often seek out candles. But like I said, I had the opportunity to enjoy the Jimmyjane Afterglow candles…
…and I fell in love. Seriously, the Pink Lotus scent? AMAZING. These candles smell like little cubes of heaven. The scents are light yet alluring, and a little bit goes a very long way — one lit candle managed to fill up an entire hotel suite! These candles smell so yummy, if you’d like a candle that can also double as a massage oil, you’ll definitely want a Jimmyjane Afterglow candle!
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Beyond the Zone Color Jamz
I’ve quickly become a fan of semi-permanent dyes. They’re usually vegetable-based, and contain no ammonia or other products that strip color from hair, which means that once the dye rinses out (which will happen in less than a dozen shampoos, unless you take care to keep dye in your hair), you’re left with your normal hair color, and absolutely no damage.
A few weeks ago I picked up two bottles of Beyond the Zone Color Jamz. Another brand was my first choice, but since the store didn’t have my preferred color available, I opted for Color Jamz in Bubble Head Pink. The dye was easy to apply, had very little scent, and while it stained my hands and skin, it was easy to scrub off with a little bleach mixed with hand soap (note: a very little amount of bleach goes a long way!).
As far as color goes, wow, it’s definitely bright and true to color! I’ve been making the color last longer by mixing it into sulfate-free shampoo and a gentle conditioner (and rinsing the shampoo quickly so it can’t strip too much; as well as leaving the conditioner in for an extended period of time so that the dye can soak back into my hair), and rinsing with cold water (it seals in color better than hot or even warm water).
Pictures:
Beyond the Zone Color Jamz is cheaper than some of the other similar brands out there, and it works quite nicely and seems to provide a more vivid color that lasts longer, so I think this will be my new choice of hair dye.
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Moody Bee
As I mentioned in this upcoming post, while I go all out with eye makeup, the liberal use of glitter, jewelry, and even hair color, I usually keep my mouth pretty toned down. Hand me a nice lip balm and I’m good to go. The only problem is, finding a nice lip balm isn’t as easy as it seems. It’s either too waxy, too dry, too thick, too sticky, or some combination of the therefore mentioned. When I do find something that works to my satisfaction, I generally buy lots of it — which is why there are at least a dozen Burt’s Bees lip balms amongst our two cars, my purse, and our bedroom.
But Burt may have to move over, because I honestly think I have found something better: Moody Bee. Krista, the owner of the family-owned, Canada-based company, contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested in trying some of her handmade beeswax lip balm, Moody Bee. Moody Bee contains nothing but beeswax that Krista and her husband collect from their own bees, and a few other natural ingredients, including peppermint.
I have been using Moody Bee for a few weeks now, and I can definitely say that it is superior in quality and feel to Burt’s Bees. It goes on oh-so-smoothly, and then seems to soak right in, while still keeping my lips moist, hydrated, and protected (definitely useful for the upcoming cooler seasons!). The hint of peppermint gives it just enough zing to be noticeable, but not enough to have you humming Christmas tunes or smelling like a candy cane. Also? Moody Bee sticks around, without sticking. It lasts for quite a while, without glopping up or becoming waxy.
See for yourself — or rather, struggle to see, since it’s a very low-key type of lip balm that doesn’t look all that obvious:
If you’re a lip balm fanatic, or you’re simply interested in seeing what all is available on the market, definitely give Moody Bee a whirl — you won’t be disappointed. You can order it directly from moodybee.com for just $5.45 — S&H included!
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Hard Candy
Hard Candy is a glittery, bold line of cosmetics that I remember way back when from the mid 1990s. The biggest thing I remember about them is how “elite” they were — at the time they were quite pricey, and thus sadly out of reach of my thirteen year old self. Well, the good news is that Hard Candy has made the most affordable comeback — every product in their line is available for just $5 at any Walmart. Hard Candy’s line of cosmetics includes products for your face: matte and shimmery pressed powder, baked blush, bronzer, and of course moisturizers, concealers, and primers. Then we move on to the fun stuff: shadows, liners and mascaras for your eyes; lipgloss and lipstick for your mouth; bright, bold and glittery nail polishes for your nails; and glittery and flavored body powders and roll-ons.
I was sent a nail polish, an eye shadow and a lip gloss to review and give my thoughts on. With fall just around the corner, I was delighted to receive the bolder, darker colors I tend to gravitate towards in the cooler months.
Say hello to my new favorite nail polish, Hard Candy Just Nails in Mr. Wrong. Mr. Wrong has a very dark purple/gray base, and is flecked with dark purple and gold glitter. This color is intoxicating. The nail polish went on smoothly, but it would definitely take more than the two coats I applied for a truly dark finish. If it’s a truly dark finish you’re after, you’ll want to apply a dark purple or black as your base, and then add 1-2 coats of Mr. Wrong on top of it.
While I love this color, and how easily the polish applied, smoothed out and dried, I’m a little disappointed in how well it lasted. It simply could not hold up to my daily typing and housework without chipping. It lasted about a day and a half before showing signs of edge wear. But honestly, 1.5 days of flaw-free nail polish is a good thing in my book — not sure where you all stand on that!
Dark purple is a hot color to wear in the fall, and Meteor Eyes eyeshadow in Super Nova is just the right shade and finish. It applies smoothly, and the glitter that is on the palette actually shows up in the shadow that is on your eyes (no false advertising here!).
Unfortunately, while the color looked hot, it didn’t last. I had significant crease marks within just a few hours of application — and that’s with the use of a primer. I might try wetting the shadow next time for better results.
Finally, the essential of any girl’s purse, a lip gloss. This is Plexi Gloss Lipgloss in Arm Candy, and it’s one of those light, shimmery shades of pink that can be worn at any time of the year. Hands down, the lip gloss was my favorite in terms of how well it stood up to the test of time. Just one thin application was enough to give my mouth a smooth, slightly glittery and quite shimmery finish that fortunately did not have the goopy or sticky residue that a lot of glosses leave behind. Like I said, the color is very pretty, and perfect for any season.
The makeup in action:
In summary, Hard Candy has a line of hot, bold colors and styles that are perfect for any season, any occasion, and any wallet. Despite the nail polish chipping a bit — which I expected due to the amount of computer work I do — and the eye shadow creasing (which I’m sure can be remedied by wetting it), I really do like Hard Candy based on what I’ve tried, and I’m sure I will be purchasing more!
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Upcoming review: Boiron Homeopathic Medicines
Fall is quickly approaching, and between my five year old daughter and four year old son there will be one elementary school and two preschools worth of children whose germs that I will be exposed to secondhand. I often joke that I gave most of my immunities to my children, because it seems like since having children I have definitely been rundown and sicker more often. And since having my gastric bypass surgery last year, I have definitely weakened my poor immune system a bit further. Since last December I have had several colds, two sinus infections, walking pneumonia, and bronchitis. I shudder to think of what the coming fall and winter seasons will bring.
Anyway, while I was at BlogHer ’10, I had the opportunity to speak to a few representatives from Boiron USA, the parent company of several homeopathic remedies, including Children’s Chestal, Coldcalm, and Oscillococcinum.
Children’s Chestal: Children’s Chestal is a multi-cough formula that uses honey and other homeopathic ingredients to sooth the throat and relieve coughing due to bronchial irritation. Children’s Chestal can be used to treat all types of coughs, including wet, dry, whooping, day and night coughs. The honey is filtered and pasteurized to ensure that it is a safe flavoring and throat soother, and the medical is free of artificial colors, flavors, and PPA.
Coldcalm: Coldcalm is a multi-symptom cold reliever that tackles nasal congestion, runny noses, coughing, sneezing, and minor sore throats. It works natural and has no side effects, and comes in easy-to-take pellet form — the pellets are tasty and simply melt away when placed in the mouth.
Oscillococcinum: Oscillococcinum, or Oscillo for short, has been shown by clinical studies and a long history of use to be effective in reducing the symptoms of flu-like symptoms. It helps to combat that run-down feeling, chills, aches, and fevers, so that the body can rest and hopefully more effectively fight off whatever bacteria or virus that is making you sick in the first place.
Up until now I have only used cold medications and symptom relievers that are found in grocery stores, retail stores and pharmacies, so it’ll be interesting to see how well these three products work. None of us are sick, so obviously we can’t review anything, but as the holiday season approaches I’m sure that one or more of us will get sick, at which point I will reach for Children’s Chestal, Coldcalm, and Oscillococcinum..
