Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheet

One website I like to visit is www.freestuffheadquarters.com. They put together lists of places giving out free samples that you can try. One sample that I received through there and recently tried was a Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheet. If you've never heard of this, what it is is a sheet that goes with your clothes in the washer as a laundry detergent and transfers with your clothes to the dryer as a fabric softener and anti-static.

I tested this product out on some new sheets that we bought. While it did its job as both a laundry detergent and a fabric softener/anti-static, and smelled really good, it is not something I would likely use all the time. For one, it cannot be used on any children's pajamas or other flame resistant fabrics and since we have a small child, almost every load we do has some sort of this material in it. And the other reason I wouldn't use it frequently (and this is silly) is because you have to start the water first, then add the sheet, and then add your clothes. This is completely backwards of how I do laundry! It definitely required some brain power on my part to do this.

That being said, I do think it's a good product, especially for those without small children. It is definitely more convenient to carry a lightweight sheet than a big container of liquid detergent. And more economical to buy one product than separate laundry detergent and dryer sheets. It would be ideal for traveling as well.

You can visit www.purex.com for more information or pick up a package at most local supermarkets.

Bumgenius 3.0 One Size Cloth Diapers

This review will be null and void in a few days but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to write about my very favorite cloth diaper so far. I am sad to say, though, that I found out yesterday these diapers are being discontinued.

Bumgenius was the very first cloth diaper that I wanted to try but it ended up being the second cloth diaper that I actually did try. What I was attracted to about the diaper -- the fun, bright colors, the absorbent inserts, and the fact that, once stuffed, it was all one piece -- are what I still love about this diaper. Not only that, but it has stood the test of time... being the only velcro diaper that hasn't stopped sticking yet. And I have had it for about a year now.

Each Bumgenius diaper comes with two inserts -- a thick microfiber insert that can be adjusted to 3 different sizes, and a smaller newborn insert which can also be used as a doubler for overnight use or any other time you may need extra absorbency. These inserts easily fit into the built in pocket which has a flap that folds over, protecting baby's skin and keeping the insert in place. The shell of the diaper also has 3 size variations to adjust to fit a baby from approximately 7 to 35 lbs.

This diaper is the only diaper I would trust overnight on my son and also the only one we haven't had any leaking problems with ever (not even when we were early learners of all things cloth!)

Like I mentioned earlier, the Bumgenius 3.0 one size diapers are being discontinued (because the makers have a new diaper coming out later this week) but there is still time to get some while supplies last. I just ordered 6 new diapers today and I can't wait for them to arrive!! Click here to buy 5 and get one free!

Moby Wrap

Like many of the baby products I have come to love and adore, I did not discover the Moby Wrap until my son was older. I believe he was about eight or nine months old when I finally purchased one. There are several different kinds of Moby Wraps to choose from. The one I purchased was a turquoise colored wrap with UV protection.

Unlike the previous baby carrier I tried, the Moby Wrap was made up of one long piece of stretchy fabric (measuring 5.5 meters in length). Initially it seemed overwhelming to wrap this piece of fabric around my body in a way that would safely hold my son. However, I didn't struggle at all. It came with step-by-step instructions for how to wear the wrap that were easy as pie to follow. I did one practice round and felt comfortable enough to do it for real the second time.

There are many, many ways in which you can hold your child while wearing the Moby Wrap but the hold I used the most often was simply the Lotus Hold or the Hug Hold, simply because my son was so much older when we started using this. I look forward to trying out some more of the other holds with the new baby.

The best part about the Moby Wrap is not even how versatile it is, but how comfortable it is! As someone who has struggled with back problems for many years, it was important to me to have a baby carrier that gave good support on my back. The first baby carrier that we tried failed miserably in this category, leaving me with sore shoulders, neck, and back after less than 10 minutes of wearing it. Even as my son grew older and heavier, the Moby Wrap continued to give me good back support. This is because of the large piece of fabric that can be evenly spread over your shoulders and back, equally distributing the weight of the child to all areas instead of having his entire weight rest in the shoulders or lower back. I stopped using my Moby Wrap for now, not because my son became too heavy (as it can safely hold a child up to 35 lbs) but because as he became more active, he no longer liked to be held so much.

There are lots of great resources for using a Moby Wrap which can be found on their website. This includes video demonstrations on how to do various wrap techniques. The Moby Wrap is also machine washable making it very user-friendly!

Visit www.mobywrap.com to check out the various colors, designs, and styles of Moby Wrap (including a Mini Moby for kids to wear with their dolls! Super cute!) and/or purchase one of your own. You won't regret this decision!

Neutrogena Sunblock

I always hated sunscreen. The smell of it. The feel of it. It was torture to have it put on and when I was old enough, I just decided not to wear it at all. That is, until I got a really bad sunburn. The kind that blisters. It was so bad that I literally screamed when I had aloe put on my skin and I couldn't wear make-up for at least a month.

As I got older and wiser, I realized that sunscreen was a must! And Neutrogena has been my lifesaver!

I use the Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock SPF 30. It does not smell or feel like sunscreen. It offers me enough sun protection that I have never burned when using it (except when I miss an area!) but I still also get a little color with it on too -- which is saying a lot because I don't tan!

I definitely recommend this sunblock to anyone who also hates the way sunscreen smells or feels on their skin, anyone who breaks out from oily sunscreen, or anyone just looking for something new to try to keep themselves protected. Be smart and be safe!

Visit The Neutrogena Website to purchase their amazing sunscreen or have a look around at all the othr great products they offer

Bare Escentuals Makeup

I was never a make-up person. In fact, my mother actually had to force me to try it out when I reached a certain age. Quite the opposite of most kids around. It wasn't even that I was a tomboy or anything because I wasn't. I just didn't like make-up. She set up a consultation for me at our house and I tried the products and wore them for a short time before I went back to my old ways. Even all through high school and college, my routine was simple. A nice coat of facial lotion as my "foundation" and only eye liner/mascara and lip gloss and I was finished. The reason I was so anti-make-up? I couldn't stand the way it felt. I didn't like the heavy feeling of foundation or blush or any other product for my face.

Enter Bare Escentuals.

The store came to our mall and my mother decided to give it a try. I went with her for her free consultation where a make-up stylist worked with my mom's tones and put the make-up on her. She looked great! She was hooked. A few months later I asked my mom if she'd go with me for the same. And off we went.

I couldn't believe it! I had a full face of make-up on -- five layers to be exact! (foundation, concealer, bronze, blush, and mineral veil) and it felt like nothing was on my face. It felt weightless. The best part about it -- after using the all natural make-up, my natural complexion actually looked better the following day and continued to get better the more I used it!

We purchased a starter kit which came with 0.6 ounces of each: 2 tones of foundation(each with built in SPF 15), concealer, bronze, blush, mineral veil; as well as the 3 brushes I would need to apply these. It also came with "Skin Rev-er Upper," a facial primer full of vitamins and minerals. On top of that, we also purchased a facial lotion called GlyMed that is SPF 15. The 0.6 ounces may not sound like much, however, I received my Beginners Kit in December 2008 and have only had to replace two of the containers since.

To try Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals make-up for yourself, visit Bare Escentuals. I also highly recommend finding a store near you and having a free consultation done.

Disclaimer

I have created this review blog for fun only. I do not get paid or receive any special offers from doing this. The opinions stated here are solely my own after using the products.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I am also happy to try out new products to review so if you have one you'd like to pitch, send me an email.

opinionationreviews [at] gmail [dot] com