my iRISH Twins » sensitive skin

SafetyTat Review: Giveaway & Discount Code for YOU!

mamajoss — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:00:24 +0000

UPDATED BELOW with winners *** Giveaway is now closed ***

When a product this awesome comes from a Mom or a parent…you KNOW it was born out of pure need and in this case, brilliance!

SafetyTat Child ID Tattoos “The Tat That Brings Kids Back!” — specializes in temporary tattoos which display a parent/caregiver’s mobile phone number, helping the parent and child to quickly be reunited if separated.

Not only is this product great for giving your child a quick way back to you in case you were ever separated, but is also wonderful if you have a child with special needs or child with food allergies.

We HAD to try them out!

With both iTwins now being mobile — as in, they just want to RUN & GO — this is a great product that we will be taking advantage of all spring and summer.

SafetyTat sent us a sample kit of their Quick Stick Write-On! SafetyTats & they ARE pretty amazing! They are blank/non-customized “skin appliques” or “skin stickers” that you customize yourself with the provided tattoo marking pen. They require no water to apply — simply peel and stick — “Quick Stick!” They are made of a micro thin, durable elastomer that is opaque when applied to skin and provides an ultra-safe barrier so no ink touches your child’s skin or bleeds through the tattoo when you write on it.

These Quick Stick Write-On child ID tattoos last up to 2 weeks!

While there are complete instructions enclosed, it’s as simple as (1) PEEL (2) STICK & (3) WRITE!

Of course like any “sticker or tattoo” – my son was thrilled to have this on his arm and I was thrilled to know that this would give me a little more peace of mind in public.

SafetyTat Child ID is Useful for:

Theme Parks
Museums
Scout Trips
Playgrounds
Airports
Shopping Malls
Traveling
Stadiums
Water Parks
Site Seeing
Field Trips
Zoos
Drop-off Birthday Parties and Play Dates
First Day of School…
and so much more!

SafetyTat uses medical-grade, hypoallergenic, latex-free adhesive on all of their products. Even my son’s super-sensitive skin wasn’t irritated at all!

We had that sucker on there for a few days! When it came time to remove it, I used a little baby oil to loosen the edge of the tattoo and it slowly peeled right off.

You’ve GOT TO TRY THEM – so WIN THEM!

If you are a Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, Teacher, Babysitter, Nanny, Day Care Provider or Scout Leader – you are probably already thinking about how you can use these SafetyTats with your children.

SafetyTat is offering (2) of you a sample pack of their Quick Stick Write-Ons in your choice of Boy, Girl, or Multi design pack.

***Giveaway is closed***

Leave a comment of this post telling me what YOU will use SafetyTats for!
For Extra Entries* (leave a comment for each additional entry AFTER you’ve commented with the above. Extra entry also counts if you are already a fan or follower.)
* Follow @SafetyTat on Twitter!
* Become a FAN of SafetyTat over on Facebook.
*TWEET this Giveaway! Feel free to use: Just entered to WIN some SafetyTats from @SafetyTat & @mamajoss : http://www.myitwins.com/tpf (may be tweet’d up to 3 times per day)
* Follow @mamajoss on Twitter
* Follow My iRISH Twins via Google Connect (located at the bottom of the blog)
*Become a FAN of My iRISH Twins on Facebook.
Good Luck!

Winners will be drawn via random.org & notified via e-mail & posted here. Open to All US 18 and older. Giveaway closes on April 6th, 2010.

UPDATED 4/6/10:
WINNERS DRAWN!

Congratulations to Sheila & momme22kids — they are the winners of a pack of SafetyTats! Thank You to everyone who entered :)

BUT, WAIT! — There’s MORE…

SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE just for YOU!

From now until 4/14/2010, go to the SafetyTat Online Store and when you purchase $15 or more, you’ll receive 10% off. Just enter the code (exactly): MyIrishTwins

A HUGE Thank You to Michele over at SafetyTat for her must-have child safety product….just brilliant :)

This is an FTC Compliant post and my Disclosure Policy applies. Please contact SafetyTat directly if you have any specific questions or concerns about this product. We were provided with sample pack of Quick Stick Write-Ons from SafetyTat.

Sun & Earth Fabric Care Review & Complete Laundry Package Giveaway

mamajoss — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:43:33 +0000

If you’ve been following along here, you know that hubby & I just got home from a mini-vacation/blogging conference. So as you can imagine, our laundry and the iTwins’ laundry has once again formed mountains in our upstairs hallway/washroom.

As I write this post about my new-found natural laundry care products from Sun & Earth, my washer is churning away and the dryer is bringing the fresh citrus-y smell through the house.

As one of the Sun & Earth “Sunny Seven” – I was sent Sun & Earth’s entire line of laundry products to get to try out.

I’ve already shown you how great the Sun & Earth On The Spot Instant Stain Remover Pen works and now I have to rave about their other fabric care products. Not because I was given them for free, but because I absolutely love the way their detergents clean and the way my freshly laundered clothes and towels smell when washed with the Sun & Earth line of detergents, softeners and dryer sheets.

I have to admit that I am still a fan of my Purex 3-in-1 laundry sheets because they are simple and no-fuss. But, when it comes to larger loads of laundry and especially stained clothing that needs to soak – Sun & Earth has come to the rescue.

Their line of eco-friendly laundry detergents are chemical-free and one of the few lines of laundry products that work well with all of the sensitive skin issues we have around here.

I can wash the iTwins clothes with our clothes and everything comes out super-clean and smelling citrus-y fresh.

The natural formula is hypoallergenic, biodegradable, non-toxic and free of allergens, dyes, perfumes and petroleum-based ingredients – just like their cleaning products, you can feel comfortable that your clothing is not being doused with harsh chemicals and allergy-causing ingredients.

And talk about environmentally-friendly – their dryer sheets are biodegradable within 21 days!

I also just LOVE the smell of the clothes when they come out of the washer and dryer too…they don’t smell flowery like some scented detergents, but rather citrus-y fresh. It’s a natural clean smell that I just love (and you know I have a sensitive schnoz).

Their Unscented 2x Laundry Detergent works just as well and your clothes come out smelling…well, just simply beautifully crisp and clean.

Sun & Earth is once again giving YOU the chance to try their laundry products.

One winner is going to receive all of this!

(images not to scale)

(1) 50 oz Unscented 2x Laundry Detergent

(1) 50 oz Light Citrusy Scented 2x Laundry Detergent

(1) 80 ct Unscented Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets

(1) 40 oz Liquid Fabric Softener (with a fresh Spring Scent)

(1) .338 oz On the Spot Instant Stain Remover [Pen]

(1) Reusable Shopping Tote

HOW TO WIN:(required initial entry)

Leave me a comment telling me what brand of laundry detergent you currently use and why you’d like to give Sun & Earth a try.

One winner will be chosen at random via random.org on Tuesday October 13 at NOON EST. Open to US Only please.

UPDATED 10/13/09:

Thank You to everyone who entered…come back next month for MORE Sun & Earth goodies.

For EXTRA ENTRIES…(after your initial comment)

<-- Tweet about this giveaway by clicking on the Twitter logo (up to 3 times per day and don't forget to leave a comment each time you tweet!)

Follow @sunandearth on Twitter (counts if you already do, just don’t forget to leave a comment/entry)

Follow @mamajoss on Twitter (counts if you already do, just don’t forget to leave a comment/entry)

Join Sun & Earth’s Facebook Group (counts if you already have, just don’t forget to leave a comment/entry)

Fan my iRISH Twins on Facebook (counts if you already are, just don’t forget to leave a comment/entry)

Follow my iRISH Twins with Google Friend Connect (up there in the left column) – (counts if you already do, just don’t forget to leave a comment/entry)

Good luck and don’t forget to check out the Sun & Earth “Sundance Pack” in celebration of Sun & Earth’s appearance on the Sundance Channel. Congratulations Sun & Earth!!

As always you can pick up Sun & Earth products through Alice.com — yeah they ship for FREE!!

Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System Review (alternative to Proactiv)

mamajoss — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:50:18 +0000

Category: skincare
My Rating:

Probably one of the only things I can say “I LOVED” about being pregnant (other than feeling the baby kick!) was my skin. For some reason my pregnancy hormones graced me with that “pregnant glow”. My skin was remarkably clear and even-toned. I was lucky for that.

Now, 3 years after that first BIG FAT POSITIVE (+) sign, and 2 babies later – not so much.

I’ve since developed a pretty good case of rosacea and…what are those red bumps? For the first time in my life! Zits! At 30 years old I have pimples — what gives? All of this probably doesn’t help.

On top of that, I have horrifically sensitive skin. I’ve tried so many lotions and creams and soaps and very few have worked for me. Many cause my rosacea to flare off the charts and I’ve even had my face turn purple from irritation – ye-ah.

When we were in NJ a few weeks ago, visiting my family, my youngest sister told me about a great new 3-step acne skin regimen by Neutrogena called Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System. Now while I don’t have “teenage acne” I’ve been breaking out enough to want a treatment plan.

Neutrogena has been friendly to my skin over the years and I even purchased their sunscreen (Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Sunblock Lotion SPF 60 +) for my little ones this past summer.

I tried my sister’s Skin Polishing Acne Cleanser while I was there and was so impressed I asked hubby to pick up the kit at our local Rite Aid when we returned home.

It was $24.99 at our local Rite Aid, but I’ve seen it MUCH cheaper if you order it online.

I was just too anxious to wait to have it delivered — after all, I felt THAT confident with the part of the kit I’d already tried. Plus it was nowhere near the cost of its competition, Proactiv, (which only gives you a 60 day supply for a whoping $39.95)…I can see the amount Neutrogena gives you in this kit lasting for well over 90 days!

The Skin Polishing Acne Cleanser is STEP 1 in the system – it has a very mild soapy-scent and actually contains alpha hydroxy acids which act as an exfoliant. I like that there are no abrasives in the cleanser because micro-beads and scrubs always make my rosacea flare up. After I used it my face felt clean and refreshed and was NOT RED. I was surprised to learn that there was salicylic acid in it, because again, I didn’t have any sort of reaction to it.

After that, you are supposed to use STEP 2, the Acne Control Lotion. Now I was very hesitant to use this the first time since anything I’ve used in the past with Benzoyl Peroxide has dried my skin out and left it flaky and red. The Neutrogena Acne Control Lotion only has a 2.5% concentration of Benzoyl Peroxide compared to the 10% in the Clearasil StayClear cream. So, I decided to try it after the cleanser, overnight.

I applied it only to my cheeks, nose and forehead. No burning or irritation, my skin just felt a little dry after the application. By the 4th day of this wash/cream regimen, my skin was noticeably clearer!

During the day, if I’ll be outside, I use STEP 3 under my make-up. The Oil Free SPF 15 Lotion is non-greasy and helps keep my sunburn-prone skin safe and moisturized. It’s a great alternative to regular sunscreen or make-up that contains sunscreen. I can spend the entire day outside with iTwins and not have to worry about more damage from the sun. I already have numerous basal cell skin cancer spots on my body, so protecting my face is very important to me.

The reason I gave this 4 and half stars was because I feel like the lotion/sunscreen is really for people who are outside a lot. While, I am all-too-familiar with the importance of protection from the sun, I would have liked to see the inclusion of a lotion that is a great all-day moisturizer without the extra ingredients. There are many days I don’t make it outside and just don’t NEED a lotion with a sunblock.

According to the Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy System website — the most dramatic improvements in complexion will be seen after 16 weeks.

Happy to share this great skincare kit with you…but remember everyone is different, and just because it worked for me, it may not work for you…or it may work even better, I’m just sayin’.

For me this was a great way to get back into a healthy skincare regimen and for this Mom, it’s working. My rosacea has calmed down and I can once again enjoy my clear skin.

I was NOT paid or compensated for this post. These are my real views on a product I use.

Leg Huggers Review and Giveaway

mamajoss — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:58:00 +0000

I’m super-excited to share Leg Huggers with you because I use these on Pinkie EVERYDAY and think that they are a must-have for all babies! I first came across Leg Huggers when Pinkie was starting to crawl.

We have a lot of hardwood floor surface in our house and her poor little knees were always so red. I was “this close” to putting knee pads on the girl when I came across Leg Huggers on Twitter (@babyleggings).

Of course upon clicking over to the Leg Huggers site – I was immediately drooling over the tons of adorable patterns and colors they came in. So, I ordered a whole bunch of them!

“Fashionable and functional all in one!”

I did some more reading after I clicked the “order” button and was even MORE excited to find out that Leg Huggers are made of Bamboo. Say what? BAMBOO.

“Bamboo is arguably one of the world’s best sustainable resources. With a growth rate of up to a meter or more per day, bamboo holds the world record as the fastest growing plant … It is also hypoallergenic, and its organic, natural fiber properties make it non-irritating to even the most sensitive skin. Bamboo apparel also protects you from UV rays, naturally.”

(Pinkie wearing her Leg Huggers at 6 months old)

Pinkie’s sensitive little skin couldn’t agree more!

I know what you are thinking…”Leg warmers in the middle of summer?” — YUP! Because ANOTHER great quality of bamboo is that it is moisture-wicking material — it actually draws the moisture AWAY from your baby’s skin to make them even cooler during the warm, humid months. Go figure right! But they do also keep your baby’s legs cozy during the cooler months.

Leg Huggers were even packed with us when we went away on vacation a few weeks ago to the beach! There were a few chilly afternoons and evenings where Pinkie was crawling around and I pulled a pair of Leg Huggers on her to take off the chill and keep her knees protected on the sandy beach-house floors.

(Pinkie in her Leg Huggers a few weeks ago)

I have to also say, that Leg Huggers make diaper changes super quick and easy. You can’t deny the greatness of a product that helps with THAT!

Bet you WANT TO WIN A PAIR?

I know you do.

Head on over to the iTwins BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY and enter for your chance to win a pair of Leg Huggers among some other cool stuff!

LegHuggers – Because Babies Like Hugs Too!

Thank You Leg Huggers for being cute, comfy, functional, eco-freindly and so generous to my readers!