Maybelline SuperStay 24 lip color review

I was really excited to try Maybelline Super Stay 24 lip color. The colors I received are "Constant Toast" and "Keep Up the Flame". They definitely lasted a very long time but I wouldn't say they lasted a whole 24 hours. Each time I wore them, they definitely both lasted at least 12 hours, which is way longer than any other lipstick I have tried in the past. It didn't come off or smudge while I ate, drank, or kissed so that is a plus. The colors are very pigmented as well. The cons are that my lips feel pretty dry and I keep having to apply the balm that comes with the lipstick. Other than that, I really like these lipsticks. 

I received the product mentioned above for free in exchange for my review in my Maybelline Superstay24 voxbox. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Ozeri 3-Piece Knife Set and Stand Review

I was quite impressed when receiving these knives. They came in a box, protected with a thick foam and the tip of the knives had a plastic tip for protection while not in use. These knives are lightweight but seem to be well-made and heavy duty at the same time. The set comes with a 3” paring knife, 5” slicing knife, and a 6” chef's knife. These knives are ceramic so they won't rust or corrode like most metal knives. I've had no issues with them as of yet, they are sharp, cut well, are easy to use and clean. I store my knife set in the Adjustable Ceramic Knife Stand from Ozeri. The stand is sleek and space-efficient. I like that it can stand straight up or show it off a little at and angle. This is a great knife set and stand and recommend them. 

I received the product mentioned above for free in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Android Checklist app - Simplist

If anyone with an Android phone is looking for a super simple checklist app, I recommend checking out “Simplist” It doesn't need any permissions, is free, and doesn't have any fancy extras. You just write down your task(s) and when you are done, you long hold the item to delete it. It is exactly what I was looking for. This is his first app being published and is working on a few others. He doesn't know I'm putting this out there for him so if you'd like to check it out, here is the link. 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.boldcityapps.simplisttodo

Mind your own womb

I came across this article and it defines my feelings perfectly. You never know what a woman may be going through, so mind your own womb. 

"Somewhere there is a woman: 30, no children. People ask her, “Still no kids?” Her response varies from day to day, but it usually includes forced smiles and restraint.

“Nope, not yet,” she says with a chuckle, muffling her frustration.

“Well, don’t wait forever. That clock is ticking, ya know,” the sage says before departing, happy with herself for imparting such erudite wisdom. The sage leaves. The woman holds her smile. Alone, she cries…

Cries because she’s been pregnant 4 times and miscarried every one. Cries because she started trying for a baby on her wedding night, and that was 5 years ago. Cries because her husband has an ex-wife and she has given him children. Cries because she wants desperately to try in vitro but can’t even afford the deposit. Cries because she’s done in vitro (multiple rounds) and still has no children. Cries because her best friend wouldn’t be a surrogate. “It would be too weird,” she said. Cries because her medication prevents pregnancy. Cries because this issue causes friction in her marriage. Cries because the doctor said she’s fine, but deep inside she knows it’s her. Cries because her husband blames himself, and that guilt makes him a hard person to live with. Cries because all her sisters have children. Cries because one of her sisters didn’t even want children. Cries because her best friend is pregnant. Cries because she got invited to another baby shower. Cries because her mother keeps asking, “Girl, what are you waiting on?” Cries because her in-laws want to be grandparents. Cries because her neighbor has twins and treats them like shit. Cries because 16-year-olds get pregnant without trying. Cries because she’s an amazing aunt. Cries because she’s already picked out names. Cries because there’s an empty room in her house. Cries because there is an empty space in her body. Cries because she has so much to offer. Cries because he’d be a great dad. Cries because she’d be a great mother, but isn’t.

Somewhere else is another woman: 34, five children. People say to her, “Five? Good lord, I hope you’re done!” And then they laugh… because those types of comments are funny. The woman laughs too, but not in earnest. She changes the subject, as she always does, and gives the disrespect a pass. Just another day. Alone, she cries…

Cries because she’s pregnant with another and feels like she has to hide the joy. Cries because she always wanted a big family and doesn’t see why people seem so disturbed by it. Cries because she has no siblings and felt profoundly lonely as a child. Cries because her Granny had 12 and she’d love to be just like her. Cries because she couldn’t imagine life without her children, but people treat her like they’re a punishment. Cries because she doesn’t want to be pitied. Cries because people assume this isn’t what she wanted. Cries because they assume she’s just irresponsible. Cries because they believe she has no say. Cries because she feels misunderstood. Cries because she’s tired of defending her private choices. Cries because she and her husband are perfectly capable of supporting their family but that doesn’t seem to matter. Cries because she’s tired of the “funny” comments. Cries because she minds her own business. Cries because she wishes others would mind theirs. Cries because sometimes she doubts herself and wonders if she should have stopped two kids ago. Cries because others are quick to offer criticism and slow to offer help. Cries because she’s sick of the scrutiny. Cries because she’s not a side show. Cries because people are rude. Cries because so many people seem to have opinions on her private life. Cries because all she wants to do is live in peace.

Another woman: 40, one child. People say to her, “Only one? You never wanted any more?”

“I’m happy with my one,” she says calmly, a rehearsed response she’s given more times than she can count. Quite believable. No one would ever suspect that alone, she cries…

Cries because her one pregnancy was a miracle. Cries because her son still asks for a brother or sister. Cries because she always wanted at least three. Cries because her second pregnancy had to be terminated to save her life. Cries because her doctor says it would be “high-risk.” Cries because she’s struggling to care for the one she has. Cries because sometimes one feels like two. Cries because her husband won’t even entertain the thought of another. Cries because her husband died and she hasn’t found love again. Cries because her family thinks one is enough. Cries because she’s deep into her career and can’t step away. Cries because she feels selfish. Cries because she still hasn’t lost the weight from her from her first pregnancy. Cries because her postpartum depression was so intense. Cries because she can’t imagine going through that again. Cries because she has body issues and pregnancy only exacerbates it. Cries because she still battles bulimia. Cries because she had to have a hysterectomy. Cries because she wants another baby, but can’t have it.

These women are everywhere. They are our neighbors, our friends, our sisters, our co-workers, our cousins. They have no use for our advice or opinions. Their wombs are their own. Let’s respect that."

~Nadirah Angail

Ozeri FRESHSPIN Salad Spinner and Serving Bowl Review

I have never owned a salad spinner and actually never knew it existed. After reading about it, I was interested to see what it was all about. For those who are like me and didn't know what it actually does, it washes and removes excess water from your salad. At first, I had a hard time getting it to spin because I jam packed it with lettuce and spinach, but when I took some out and tried again, it worked great. It is very easy to use, just fill the colander with your salad greens, put the lid on the bowl, pump the handle a few times and it starts spinning instantly. If you want or need it to stop before it does on its own, just press the stop button and it will halt immediately. Then you just take out the colander and dump out the water that is in the bowl. I was surprised and a little grossed out to see how dirty the greens really are. I haven't used this for pasta yet, but I'm sure it will work great for that too.  The colander and bowl can be used separately, are both dishwasher-safe and BPA Free. I haven't had any issues with the salad spinner so far but I do like that it comes with a 1 year warranty just in case I do. 

You can read more about or purchase the Ozeri FRESHSPIN Salad Spinner and Serving Bowl here.

I received the product mentioned above for free in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Ozeri BP5K Digital Blood Pressure Monitor with Voice-Guided Positioning and Hypertension Indicator Review

Keeping an eye on your health is always a good idea, no matter what your age, so when given the opportunity to review the Ozeri BP5K Digital Blood Pressure Monitor with Voice-Guided Positioning and Hypertension Indicator, I gladly accepted. 
When opening the package for this blood pressure monitor, I was quite impressed with it. It looks nice and the screen is pretty large, making it easy to read your results. It comes in a nice, black carrying case that protects it when not in use. I also love that it is a wrist cuff monitor instead of the normal arm cuffs you use at the doctors office. 

It uses 2 AAA batteries, which are included. Once you insert them, you can set up the date, time, and year, which is very easy to do so using the manual that was included. You can choose to have the voice-guided positioning on or off, which I choose on just to see how it works and to get use to the device but after using it a few times, I turned it back off because I didn't feel I needed that feature to guide me anymore. The voice guides you on how to hold your arm, which is very important in getting accurate results. It also will tell you if your results are normal or not. The device can hold 180 blood pressure readings (90 x 2 users) with date and time recordings which definitely comes in handy. Below is a picture of my first reading, which is actually high since I was talking during measurement, which you shouldn't do. The voice guidance advised me that it was abnormal and it also shows a mark next to the red section. 

I definitely recommend this compact, portable, and easy to use blood pressure monitor wrist cuff from Ozeri. You can purchase it on Amazon here. 
I received the product mentioned above for free in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Feral Ultra Smooth Lipsticks Review

Over the past few years, I have become obsessed with lipstick! I own so many different brands and shades of pinks and reds, it is ridiculous! I came across this fairly new company, established this year, called Feral. They offer cosmetics that are vegan and cruelty free, which I think is great! I was given the opportunity to review two of their four lipsticks they currently have for sale. I got a pretty pink shade called, Fetish, and a lilac color called, Euphoric. Euphoric is definitely not a color I am used to, but I wanted to give it a try. From the moment I opened the package my lipsticks came in, I was quite impressed. The packaging is very pretty and the tube is sleek and it just feels expensive, if that makes sense. My favorite thing about the tube it comes in is that it is magnetic! I don't know how many times my lipstick has been ruined because the lid popped off in my makeup bag. Doesn't look like this will be a problem with these. 

I love that the lipsticks are highly pigmented and go on and feel very smooth. They also have a great smell to them, kind of close to a vanilla scent in my opinion. I also love that these have more of a matte look to them over the normal shine. 

I absolutely love these lipsticks from Feral Cosmetics and definitely want to get the other two colors now. You can buy them on their website, Feral Cosmetics, or on Amazon.  

I received the product mentioned above for free or discounted in exchange for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.