Review Archives - Embracing Beauty

Ellarye Boutique Review

January 18, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Ellarye Boutique is an extraordinary little etsy shop that makes beautiful, one of a kind, hair accessories for little princesses. They were nice enough to send me one to review and I just adore it. You can see it pictured on my little lady above. : )

Ellarye Boutique is owned by Emma, a loving mom of two silly and energetic girls, Elleia Linden(5) and Rielynn Lucia (2). She started her business last year while in school full time for her nursing degree.

While Ellarye Boutique no longer sells these adorable tutus I had to share this picture of it with you! I personally love it. It’s by far my favorite tutu because it was adjustable and made of a super soft tulle. It came with this adorable matching hairband seen below.

While Emma is no longer selling tutus she is still selling headbands for all ages and garters for soon-to-be brides. Check out her Etsy site, Ellarye Boutique. I’m sure you’ll find something there that you adore! If you make a purchase tell her that Ashley from Embracing Beauty referred you. : )

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Ellarye Boutique, Review

Finish Jet-Dry Review and Giveaway Ends 1/6!

January 2, 2012 by Ashley 16 Comments

Update: This giveaway is now over. Out of 205 entries, our winner is Dianna T.! Congratulations, Dianna!!!

Everyone has household chores they like more than others, right? I don’t mind dusting or vacuuming but I despise ironing. Second on my most hated list is emptying the dishwasher. I don’t know what it is about it that bugs me so but I would rather wash all the dishes by hand than to empty the dishwasher. Maybe it’s the bending over part that gets me, who knows? What’s worse than emptying it is when I do and find that the glasses still have spots on them! That means that I have to dab a little water on each glass and scrub it dry. Not fun.

When I was offered a chance to review Finish Jet-Dry I was excited for the opportunity to try it out free of cost! However, I was skeptical. I had never used Jet-Dry before or any rinse aid actually. I was thrilled to find that I could empty the whole bottle into my dishwasher and I wouldn’t have to think about it again for 40 washes. 40 washes. Awesome.

Not only is Jet-Dry low maintenance but it works wonders on my spotted glasses. Hooray! All of my glasses were sparking clear and squeaking clean! I would pay good money to have these streak-less glasses but luckily with Jet-Dry I don’t have to! Jet-Dry is an affordable product that saves me time. Time is something that is precious in my family so I’m grateful for any product that will save me a few minutes here and there.

One bottle of retails for around $3.99 and will last 40 washes! You can read more about Jet-Dry by visiting the Finish website. You can also snag a $0.50 off Jet-Dry coupon!

Enter to win a free bottle of Finish Jet-Dry by filling out the Rafflecopter form below!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Finish and received a FinishJet-Dry product sample to facilitate my review, a sample to giveaway, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: giveaway, Mom Central, Review

David’s Bridal Special Occasion Dresses!

November 25, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

I am a girlie girl and I always have been. As a kid, I never had to be drug to the dressing room to try on a frilly Christmas or Easter dress. I loved dressing up when I was a little girl and I still do! Now a days Christmas is about the only time of year that I get the opportunity to buy a special occasion dress, fix my hair up, and pull out the fancy jewelry. I LOVE it! This year I had the opportunity to shop at David’s Bridal for a dress and accessories courtesy of David’s Bridal and Mom Central.

I made my appointment on a weekday evening to avoid the crowds. When I arrived I was quickly greeted, measured, and asked a serious of questions to help them find my “dream dress.” I was greatly impressed with the staff’s friendliness and professionalism.

I haven’t shopped much for myself much since having my baby 5 months ago and I sure haven’t shopped for a formal dress since then! Even though I went shopping at David’s Bridal alone I felt like I was shopping with a friend. The lady that helped me was so kind, honest, and helpful! She even found me a “sexy” dress on clearance to buy for a night out with my husband. It was only $25 but I think it was too sexy for me! I had such a blast dressing up and trying on different styles. I ended up buying a sparkly dress that flattered my new figure and came in a sophisticated shade of navy. I was able to score the dress, beautiful earrings, and bracelet for under $150!

I would highly recommend David’s Bridal for any special occasion, prom, and certainly for a wedding dress! If you go to my “About Me” page you can see a small glimpse of my wedding dress that was bought from David’s Bridal several years {and several sizes} ago.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of David’s Bridal and received a gift certificate to facilitate my review.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: David's Bridal, Mom Central, Review

Free Hello Kitty Products to Test!

October 18, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

A blogging friend told me that she has inside information that in either November or December Toluna is going to be giving away Hello Kitty products for people to try absolutely free! I know how much you love Hello Kitty. All you have to do is complete a survey on the product! I don’t know all of the details but if you want to be considered to test these products for free, sign up for Toluna now to get on their list. Note: To ensure that you are signed up, you must click the link in confirmation email. If you don’t see it within a few minutes, go and check your spam folders!

To learn a little more about Toluna you can read my “Toluna is Now Accepting Applications!” post.

Thanks, The Krazy Coupon Lady!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Freebies, Review, Survey, Toluna

Activia Selects Yogurt Parfait Review

October 12, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

When I was offered to try one of Dannon’s new Activia Selects yogurt I jumped at the chance! My family loves yogurt! We like it a little frozen and slushy, frozen hard like a popsicle, and right out of the refrigerator too. We can’t keep the stuff in the house! While we occasionally stray to greek yogurt our brand of choice for several years now has been Act-iv-i-a! {I can’t help but want to say it like they do in the commercial} I’m excited that Dannon has came out with their own Activia thick and creamy Greek yogurt. Now there’s no need to buy any yogurt other than Activia!

I knew I would like the Greek yogurt so I decided to use my free coupon toward Activia’s new French style yogurt. Oh my goodness! I can’t tell you how much I liked it. It had fruit on the bottom and it was heavenly! All of the Activia Selects have fruit on the bottom and are larger than their regular size cups. I don’t know if I’ll be able to try any other types of Activia because I think I’m addicted to the French Selects. Seriously, if you like yogurt, you have got to try it!!!

On top of revealing my new love and devotion to Activia I have some other news to share with you. Some good news. Your purchase of Activia will not only make for a yummy, nutritious, quick, and easy snack but it will also help the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Dannon has a campaign going right now called Cups of Hope. During the campaign, every cup of Dannon yogurt that has a Cups of Hope logo on it will have a code on the bottom of the lid that can be redeemed online for a $0.20 donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. So what are you waiting for? Give Activia Selects a try today!

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Dannon ActiviaSelects Yogurt Series and received a coupon to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Activia, Breast Cancer, Mom Central, Review

Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips Review

October 7, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

I was recently given the opportunity to try the latest at-home teeth whitening product from Crest! Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips promise a brighter and whiter smile in just two hours. Are you ready to see if they worked? Here are my before and after pictures!

Before

After

I know that the lighting in the “after” picture is brighter but I promise it wasn’t on purpose! I took the same picture in the same room with the same lighting {or so I thought} two hours after I first applied them. I can tell a subtle change all over and a bigger difference around my gum line. I told my husband about the strips the night before I tried them and he was excited and asked if he could review them too. The next day after he came home from work he mentioned how white my teeth were! He said he could really see a difference.

The strips were very easy to use! Each package of Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips comes with four treatments. Each individual treatment includes a strip for the top teeth and another for the bottom teeth. They are enamel safe and have the same whitening ingredient that dentists use.

I’ve used Crest Whitestrips before {and love them} but I was surprised how much better these “stuck on.” They didn’t budge! This was a huge improvement from past Whitestrips. I actually had to pull a little to get them off after two hours. This holding power comes from Crest’s Advanced Seal, no-slip technology. This tight seal allows you to talk, drink water and go about your daily life.

Recap:

Noticeably whiter teeth in 2 hours.
Whiter teeth that last 3 months.
12 month supply.
Enamel safe.

Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips retail at $54.99 for four applications which will last you an entire year!

What would you whiten for in 2hrs?

Disclosure: I am participating in the Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express Whitestrips campaign hosted by One2One Network. This is a sponsored post and all opinions are 100% mine.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Crest, Review

OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Review & Coupons

October 4, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

I have loved OxiClean for years so when Mom Central asked me to “review” OxiClean I was glad for the chance to promote this great product. Even though I didn’t technically review OxiClean {as if it were the first time I’ve ever tried it} I did use it and take pictures so I could give you an informative review.

My mom introduced me to OxiClean long ago and I’ve been using it ever since! You can make a paste out of it to treat difficult carpet or stains. I always add a scoop on top of my regular laundry detergent for that extra stain boosting power.

Shortly after my little angel was born I was shocked at the difficult time I had removing baby formula. I wanted to use baby friendly laundry detergents but they weren’t cutting it. As a new mom I was emotional and very upset that we were going to have to throw away so many newborn outfits due to stains. My mom calmed me down and said she was going to try something. She soaked them in the washing machine with OxiClean for one hour and then washed them like normal. Why didn’t I think of that? They came clean! I could not believe my eyes. She rewashed them in the recommended baby detergent to make sure they were safe for my little one’s delicate skin. I honestly don’t know what I would do without OxiClean!

OxiClean is also powerful enough to get my husbands yard work clothes clean. As you can see in the before picture {bear with me, the picture isn’t displaying properly at the moment} it has stains all over it. After a short 2 hour soak and a wash it looks a lot better. Keep in mind this shirt is his yard work shirt that hasn’t been treated for stains since he bought it 5+ years ago. The grass, sweat, and dirt stains were removed. The grease stains were significantly lightened. OciClean doesn’t remove paint so you can see that those spots still remain. All in all, I don’t think the shirt looks too bad now {for a work shirt}!

I was at the Gap last week and they were having a great sale! I found this adorable dress for my daughter but it had a nasty spit-up looking stain all over the front of it. It was gross but I knew OxiClean could bring it out. Not only did I get the clearance price but I got the extra 25% off for the sale, and 30% off because it was “damaged.” As predicted OxiClean removed the stain without having to even soak it and I walked away with a $56 dress for under $5! OxiClean is amazing, trust me. For more information on how OxiClean can work for your family visit OxiClean’s website. If you want to try OxiClean for yourself be sure and grab these OxiClean printable coupons first!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of OxiClean and received OxiClean items to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Homemaking, Mom Central, Oxiclean, Review

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump Review

October 1, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Before I had my baby, I was set on breastfeeding and pumping for convenience. This way I could not only take advantage of Dad’s availability but also because I want to have some milk stored in the freezer just in case. Who knows, maybe I should have tried selling it too? I didn’t…but the thought crossed my mind!

When Medela offered me the opportunity to try out their Medela Freestyle Breast pump I was elated. This pump retails at $379.99 but is worth every penny, especially if you plan to pump several times a day! It’s portable, lightweight, efficient, portable, and best of all hands-free!

Medela Freestyle Breast Pump Features:

Hands free operation
Double breast pump
2 expression modes to mimic natural eating rhythm
Rechargeable batteries provide 3 hours use
Clear end easy to read LCD screen {even in the dark}
Memory button storage of favorite pumping patterns {How cool?!}
4 five-ounce storage containers
2 Softfit breast shields, replacement adaptors, spare parts and much more included
1 year motor warranty
12 Volt car adapter {Sold separately}

I’ll be honest, when I first opened the box my glee slowly dwindled as I took inventory of all the parts the Medela Freestyle Breastpump had. I wondered what I had gotten myself into. While the task was daunting at first, it took me all of 5 minutes to assemble. The do-hickeys and thing-a-majigs come clearly marked and the instructions made it a breeze. Later attempts took at a maximum of two minutes. However, I would recommend assembling it and reading over the instruction manual before the baby arrives. That way you can avoid flipping pages and fumbling with parts while you’re in a very emotional state.

If you are already a mom who pumps you understand the benefits of a hands-free pump. For everyone else, there are huge challenges when trying to accomplish anything without a hands-free pump. One hand is holding the cup to breast and the other hand is holding the device itself so unless you find a way to balance the pump on your arm while you play with your phone or type on a computer, it’s pretty much impossible to do anything else besides sit and wait. For breastfeeding moms who plan to head back to work or who just want to maximize their time, this technology is indispensable.

The Freestyle weighs less than one pound, fits in the palm of your hand, and it comes with a handy belt clip for pumping on the go. While I would rather sit and pump, I can certainly see the advantages of this feature! If you have other kids running around you’ll most definitely want a pump that has this option!

This is probably the least glamorous aspect but the most functional! This pump is the most efficient one on the market {in my opinion} because of it’s two phases, stimulation and expression. It simulates the baby’s stimulation for two minutes or until you press the let-down button. Then, it switches to expression mode for faster milk collection. If you generally pump at the same time each day, you can program the vacuum comfort level and the timing of the stimulation phase. Isn’t that amazing? Medela is the standard when it comes to breastpumps! All of Medela’s models and accessories are BPA-free and Phthalate-free. It’s very quiet so you can pump discreetly.

Medela’s Freestyle breast pump was made to simplify motherhood. This pump has everything you need for fast, breast pumping on-the-go, all contained in an easy to grab, cute shoulder bag.

Among other retailers worldwide, you can purchase Medela at Destination Maternity, A Pea in the Pod, Motherhood Maternity, JCPenney, Babies R Us, and Amazon.

Disclosure: Medela sent me a Freestyle Hands-Free Pump to enable my review; however, all opinions shared in this post are completely my own.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Baby, Baby Shower, Medela, Review

Back to School Shopping with TJ Maxx & Marshalls

September 28, 2011 by Ashley Leave a Comment

If you’re like me, you have already bought all your office/back-to-school supplies long ago and are finishing your Christmas shopping. I realize that most people aren’t like me though. According to a study conducted by Mom Central Consulting and T.J.Maxx/Marshalls, 25% of moms surveyed wait until the last minute to do their back-to-school shopping. If you fall into that 25% I have good news for you! Well, it’s actually good news for anyone who likes to save money.

With the rising cost of gas, groceries, and just about everything else, people today are pinching their pennies like they never have before! That makes blogs like mine and stores like TJMaxx and Marshalls even more popular. 81% of Moms surveyed said that the rising cost of items has affected their family’s back-to-school budget this year.

Here are my top ten tips for saving money on back-to-school shopping:

-#1 Set a budget! This may sound like a waste of time but it is oh so important to staying on track financially throughout the year and in this instance for school shopping.

-#2 Plan ahead. Make a list of what you need before you leave home. Don’t forget to check and see what items you can reuse from last year. You may also want to bring bottled water and a small snack if you plan on being there a while.

-#3 Quality counts. Decide on which items you can buy cheap and which items it’s worth spending more on. Crayons and clothes are probably worth the extra money because they will last longer. Pencils and hair-bows will probably be the same regardless of the price.

-#4 Get your child involved. You don’t have to cave into every item that they want and you find repulsive but it’s a good idea to let them choose some. Not only will it make the shopping experience more pleasant but they will be more likely to wear it, feel good in it, and take care of it.

-#5 Shop early for school supplies! With coupon usage on the rise you can find several manufacturers coupons for basic school supplies. Pair them with Walmart’s earliest mark downs for the best deal. Don’t forget office supply stores! They have some great back-to-school bargains around the middle of summer.

-#6 Buy clothing items that go with {almost} anything! I learned this trick from my great grandmother who grew up not having much. Instead of buying a complete coordinating outfit that will go with nothing else, opt for versatile articles that work well with each other. This exponentially multiplies the number of potential outfits available.

-#7 Shop for off-season, clearance items. When it is 99 degrees outside it is hard to go shopping for long-sleeve shirts and coats. However, this is the optimum time to pick up clearance deals on these winter items as stores are practically giving them away.

-#8 Shop off-price retailers. Shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls will help you get quality {and designer} clothing at affordable prices. Discount stores may offer similar prices but the quality is different. For instance, at a discount retailer a $20 backpack was meant to sale at that price. At off-price retailers, a $20 backpack was made by designers to sell at $40+.

-#9 Shop online. Especially if you know your child’s in a brand shopping online can save you big. Shop through Ebates or ShopAtHome to save with coupon codes and get cash back in the form of a check!

-#10 Follow Embracing Beauty! When you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or through my daily newsletter you’ll find the latest deals, sales, and coupons to help you save!

TJ Maxx/Marshalls gave me a $50 gift card to see what all bargains I could find.

The survey conducted by Mom Central Consulting and TJ Maxx/Marshalls show some interesting results.

Fashion Survey Results:

• When it comes to Moms and their kids agreeing on fashion choices, 75% say they only sometimes agree.
• Although finding a compromise on clothing choices can be a challenge, only 1% say they NEVER agree with their children.
• When asked what kind of clothing style their kids have, Moms equally say their child’s style is sporty, fashionista or classic, with each getting about 25% of the responses.
• 14% said other and 6% said geek-‐chic
• 81% of Moms said their kids will be using a backpack to tote around their school supplies this season
• Sneakers are the most important type of new footwear during this years back-‐to-‐school shopping trip according to 84% of Moms.

About Marshalls:

They offer the hottest designer fashions for up to 60% off department store prices. They have buyers traveling 40+ weeks each year to negotiate with more than 12,000 vendors in over 60 countries! Marshalls is able to help consumer’s add this season’s designer looks straight from the source to their closets for less. Marshalls is one of the nation’s leading off-price family apparel and home fashion retailers with over 870 stores spanning 42 states and Puerto Rico. Marshalls not only offers brand name fashions but they also domestics for the home at prices 20-60% less than department stores.

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls and received a gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: back to school, Marshalls, Mom Central, Review, TJ Maxx

Infantino Right Angle Tummy Triangle Review

September 14, 2011 by Ashley 1 Comment

“Developed with Pediatric Occupational Therapists, our Tummy Triangle is uniquely angled to help baby enjoy tummy time! The incline uses gravity to comfortably develop upper body strength and promote baby’s sense of balance. The peek-a-boo mirror and crinkly busy bee encourage reaching, grabbing…and lots of laughing!”

We all know that tummy time is very important for baby’s development but it’s not something every baby enjoys. Without the Tummy Triangle my little one could enjoy tummy time for about 2 minutes before things turn ugly. Infantino‘s Right Angle Tummy Triangle has an incline which I believe helps her enjoy it longer. She has a sensitive tummy and laying flat on her tummy can cause her pain (at least that’s how my doctor explained it). With the Tummy Triangle she can lay on her tummy longer and enjoy looking around for 5-10 minutes before turning fussy.

The Right Angle Tummy Triangle comes with a little musical timer that plays fun melodies in 1, 5, & 10 minute increments so you can keep track of how long much tummy time baby is getting. The music was an added bonus to the already wonderful design of the triangle. The music kept my little one smiling! She loved looking at the little flashing light on the box.

Our first use of the triangle left it wet from a little bit of drool so I was glad to read that the fabric cover is machine washable. That is a must have feature for Moms and Infantino knew that! I love that the toy bar can move to different positions to grow with my child. The crinkly bee and mirror captivated my baby’s attention but she’s still to young to reach for them. The triangle is small in size and stores easily under our bouncy seat or changing table. I truly love this product and would recommend it to any mom!

Features I love: