Saturday, September 6, 2014

MY Konjac Sponge - All Natural Facial Konjac Sponge with Activated Bamboo Charcoal Review #konjacsponge


Whatever your age, it is always a smart to take good care of your skin. More people like me want to do that naturally. Can you really have gorgeous skin and remain eco-friendly?  I recently had the opportunity to try something new that truly gently cleans the skin and leaves it refreshed. This special something is the MY Konjac Sponge.  Konjac is actually a moisture rich, naturally akaline plant fiber from eastern Asia. I love the idea of using the bounty of the land to keep my skin beautiful with a plant sponge cleanser.  MY Konjac Sponge is the perfect cleansing tool to balance the natural acidity of the skin's impurities and oils. I found it to be an easy and simple way to get my skin super clean and refreshed after a long day or work and a workout.


MY Konjac Sponge is the highest quality konjac sponge in the market. Their whole line of products are proudly carried by Whole Foods Market and other major online retailers. I love Whole Foods but I often shop online too...Amazon is one of my fave spots.  I love that MY Konjac Sponge are made exclusively with the konjac fiber, a pure vegetable fiber taken from the root of the Amorphophallus Konjac plant. I didn't realize that the Konjac plant, also known as konnyaku potato or elephant yam, is a plant that is native to eastern Asia.  The amazing part about this plant is that Konjac root is rich in minerals, vitamins, and it has been traditionally used as a beauty treatment for a long time in eastern Asia. 


The company shared with me that MY Konjac Sponge is made to the very highest of standards. They use only the purest volcanic rock filtered water and food grade konjac. All of their products are hypoallergenic and fragrance free.  That is important to me as well since I don't want to have any irritation or rash issues.  All of their products are never tested on animals either.  They actually carry the Vegan Society logo as well as Leaping Bunny logo.  Those are the highest standard of cruelty-free status in the cosmetics industry. It makes me feel good to use something that is crafted with such high standards.

I love that the MY Konjac Sponge is soft and gentle. My skin can be fussy and sometimes sensitive but MY Konjac Sponge was really gentle. It is effective and gently cleans all skin types! I have been using MY Konjac Sponge all week now. It gently exfoliates my facial skin as it deeply cleanses. I feel like it does an amazing job of getting out those toxins. My skin actually glows after using it. It is soft and gentle though and I haven't experienced any kind of irritation. My skin just feels extremely clean and refreshed. MY Konjac Sponge contains bamboo charcoal which brings carbon and essential minerals to the skin. This helps to more deeply cleanse and absorb oils and chemicals. I notice my pores look tighter too.  

You can find MY Konjac Sponge right on Amazon for convenient purchasing anytime.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Matcha De Mark Green Tea Powder Review #matchademark




I love green tea of all kinds.  I guess I just really enjoy the variety of flavors plus the energy boost.  I recently had the opportunity to try Matcha De Mark culinary grade Matcha Green Tea Powder.  Have you tried matcha green tea before? It is a wonderful option to use as a base for  Lattes, Smoothies and even for baking unique desserts. Matcha started to become very popular after that famous nationally known coffee franchise Star-you-know-bucks added matcha to their Matcha Lattes. Yummy yummy but theirs costs so much! You can make it just as fresh and delicious for a lot less yourself with Matcha De Mark culinary grade Matcha Green Tea Powder.

You can use Matcha in tons of ways from cooking and baking to special drinks. Matcha can actually increase the metabolism which can help you to burn calories and fat naturally.Matcha De Mark culinary grade Matcha Green Tea Powder is shipped from a USDA certified 100% organic supplier in China.  I like that the company even shared that they have all the documents showing USDA organic certification.  I love the way the matcha tastes but it makes me feel good to know it is totally organic too!   The supplier is so devoted to teaching the health benefits that they even hosts symposiums from time to time on organic farming methods for international visitors.



Matcha De Mark culinary grade Matcha Green Tea Powder has chosen their supplier for additional reasons as well.  Their supplier has also won numerous awards for taste in China. I was even more excited because when I got my Matcha De Mark culinary grade Matcha Green Tea Powder it came with a complimentary 100 recipe eBook broken into 2 sections. 50 weight loss or low calorie recipes and 50 rich decadent recipes for those special meals, desserts or drinks. They even have a private Matcha Recipe club, that is free to join.  Members submit their best new Matcha recipe and one member each month wins a free 5oz supply of Matcha De Mark Green Tea Powder. The recipe will then be shared with all members.



Matcha has tons of health benefits too. Matcha can now be found in numerous health food products ranging from cereal to energy bars. In 2003, researchers from the University of Colorado found that the concentration of the antioxidant EGCG available from drinking matcha is at least three times greater than the amount of EGCG available from other commercially available green teas.  It has been postulated that the health benefits of matcha green tea is due to the fact that matcha is made from the whole tea leaf.   In other words, matcha delivers a much higher potency of catechins, chlorophyll, and antioxidants.

Matcha has so many benefits.  By weight matcha contains several dozen times more antioxidants (> 1000 mmol/100g more than blueberries (~9 mmol/100g),  wolfberries,  pomegranates,  orange juice, spinach (~1 mmol/100g) or dark chocolate (~11 mmol/100g). Data from clinical trials suggest that theanine, when consumed by drinking Japanese green teas, may help to reduce or moderate mental stress responses. Lordy knows I need stress relief so I have been drinking my Matcha De Mark Almond Latte several times a week.  Sometimes I alternate it with the recipe below. I have noticed I am not as stressed as usual.  Perhaps it is the matcha!



A study by Kao et al (2000), reported the following: “We found that EGCG (found in Matcha Green Tea)…significantly reduced food intake and body weight.” This highlights how Matcha Green Tea works to suppress your appetite through regulating hormones such as Leptin which tell your brain that you are satisfied and full.  Furthermore, a recent publication by the American Society of Clinical Nutrition found that frequent consumption of quality Matcha Green Tea enhances the efficiency of the human body in utilizing energy. The research showed that the daily energy expenditure rate of adults increases 35-45% with regular consumption of Matcha Green Tea.

Do you need some new recipe ideas for Matcha Green Tea? Take a peek at all the yummy recipes that Matcha De Mark has created just for you. I tried a few and they were all delicious. Here is one that I added my own little spin to it.  I always have to be a little bit different!

Glamamama's Banana Mint Matcha Smoothie

Ingredients
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain nonfat or lowfat
1 teaspoon Matcha De Mark
1/2 teaspoon fresh mint leaves chopped
Ice cubes to taste
Directions:  Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

My thoughts:  I have tried several brands of matcha and Matcha De Mark tastes wonderful. It has a smooth, fresh flavor that works beautifully in smoothies and other drinks.  We even created a  Matcha De Mark cupcake recipe that came out super yummy. They looked gorgeous too. We whipped up a quick batch of cream cheese frosting and they were heavenly.  

You can buy Matcha De Mark Matcha Green Tea right online and save a bunch of time and money. You can go to the link here and get a coupon for 10% off.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Ageless Derma Natural Camoufleur Concealer With Vitamin A, E and apple extracts review #Mineralmakeup


 
I recently had the opportunity to try out a concealer from a brand that I had heard alot about over the past year or so. Ageless Derma actually has a whole line of mineral makeup including the dynamic Camoufleur Concealer. I eat healthy and exercise regularly but that doesn't mean I don't have imperfections. Everyone does, lets be realistic. Some people are just better than others at covering them...alot depends on the product that is used.  Ageless Derma Natural Camoufleur Concealer with Vitamin A, E and apple extracts is a great option that is natural and conceals my imperfections all day long.


Camoufleur Concealer is ideal for covering up all kinds imperfections on the skin.  My biggest issue is acne spots from time to time. They always pop up in such inconvenient locations like on my chin.  Ageless Derma Camoufleur Concealer even effectively conceals scars, brown spots or port wine stains.  I love the versatility of this concealer.


Camoufleur Concealer is a mineral make up concealer. It really provides a long-lasting natural look. I also find it is very effective to cover dark circles beneath my eyes.  I never get enough sleep so those dark circles are like beacons. It is nice to be able to cover them up quickly and know that the concealer will stay put during the day.  I feel like I look instantly younger after applying my Camoufleur Concealer. I love that Camoufleur Concealer is totally paraben-free.  It consists of 100 % pure minerals. 


  • Great For Sensitive Skin
  • Broad Spectrum Sun Protection
  • Never tested on Animals
  • Potent Antioxidants to prevent wrinkles
  • Made in USA

Ageless Derma Mineral Makeup was featured at a recent Emmy Awards show in Los Angeles too.  It is kind of exciting to be using a product that you know celebrities from General Hospital, the Young and the Restless and The Bold and Beautiful also are using.

My thoughts:   Ageless Derma Natural Camoufleur Concealer is a great concealer for the dark circles under the eyes and my acne spots. It really stays on all day and is smooth and easy to apply.  I like that the container is small enough to stash in my purse too.

Ageless Derma Natural Camoufleur Concealer Ingredients: Apple Extract, Horseradish, Phospholipids, Retinyl Palmitate,Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol

You can find Ageless Derma Natural Camofleur Concealer online which makes it easy to stock up for yourself or family.  I am always so good, when I find a product I enjoy like this one I buying it as a gift for my sisters and my mom too.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Total Relief Shampoo and Conditioner Review #totalrelief




My skin can get so dry sometimes no matter what the season. I spend so much time applying creams and oils to help combat that dry skin but what do you do when your scalp gets dry and itchy.  There are so many products out there when you go to the drug store but they seem to all be the same. I recently had the opportunity to try out a Total Relief Shampoo and conditioner. 


This is a novel, OTC shampoo and conditioner with a new kind of ingredient.  Total Relief Shampoo and Conditioner is the FIRST ever over the counter dandruff system to blend effective and gentle cleansers with hydrocortisone. Hydrocortisone has been well recognized for its anti-itch properties for years. Dr. Marder designed this luxurious but effective shampoo and conditioner to help people relieve their itchy scalp.  In addition to relieving  itch, Total Relief products are sulfate free, paraben-free, and safe for all hair types.

Dr. Marder crafted a simple, 2 step system that is proven to relieve itching, flaking, and dandruff after the first use. Total Relief was created by Dr. Marder, a leading Dermatologist based in Florida. Dr. Marder was determined to help people stop itching and suffering. He wanted to create a product that could start patients healing right away so he designed the luxurious and effective Total Relief shampoo and conditioner duo. In addition to controlling dandruff, the shampoo helps promote hair growth and adds volume. The conditioner smells wonderful, adds shine and body.  My whole family has been using it this week.  We had spent last week at the beach and though we are diligent with sunscreen I think the sun and surf really dry out the scalp.  We all noticed it. After using Dr. Marder's Total Relief Shampoo and Conditioner duo all of us felt like our scalps were moisturized and relieved of that persistent dryness.  Thank goodness because the last thing I wanted was to go back to work with a itchy, dry scalp.



You can find Dr. Marder's Total Relief products right on Amazon too so it is super easy to buy them. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.