And Now, A Word from our Sponsor

No, not really a sponsor!

I much prefer to be independent.

Because I am a wild card, in fact,

organizations are taking their chances when they send me something to try.

I will tell it like it is, whether good or bad.

Maybe not good for them,

but always honest and thus, fun for you!

Also, I am telling you about a few things

I have found and tried on my own and loved so much

that you MUST go get them yourself!

So, let's get started!

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Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes

According to Pond's website, their Wet Cleansing Towelettes are the No. 1 brand of wet cleansing towelettes. They gently remove make-up and even waterproof mascara. Clinical studies have shown that Pond’s towelettes remove the make-up that other brands leave behind – taking off up to 40 percent more than other leading towelettes.

What I found:

First, I tried the Pond's towelettes myself. I seldom wear makeup and have rosacea so I knew that my personal trial would be limited. The towelettes were vaguely irritating to my face, which I expected, but not more so than any other product would be. They did remove foundation/powder, but did not remove lip stain or waterproof mascara well. Honestly, I felt that a washcloth and a mild cleanser would do the job as well.

Then, I had both my Sister-in-Law and my daughter (age 14) give them a try. My daughter liked the convenience of the pre-moistened towelettes and felt that they worked well. My sister-in-law, on the other hand, was not overly impressed. She felt they did not do a good job of removing waterproof mascara (we agreed that only oil based makeup removers seem to work for that!) and felt that she needed to wash her face after using the towelettes, which seems to defeat the purpose in the first place.

click on photos to enlarge, photos courtesy of Ponds.

For more info on this Pond's product, go to www.ponds.lifestyle.msn.com.

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

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Next, I was sent a sample of Aveeno's new shampoo and conditioner line.

click on images to enlarge, pictures courtesy of Aveeno.com

The shampoo and conditioner I was sent are the Aveeno Nourish and Volumize shampoo and conditioner, with nourishing wheat complex and blue lotus flower. The products are said to strengthen and add body to fine or limp hair. Not only that, the wheat complex is proven to target and fortify the weakest parts of the hair, restoring it in just three washes.

What I found:

Well, given that I am the lucky girl with both fine AND limp hair (Yay me!) and given that I have quite a love for Aveeno products, I was looking forward to trying these. Thankfully, Aveeno did not disappoint! I really, really like this shampoo and conditioner line. So much so, in fact, that I took my little self over the Costco and bought more of it. My hair feels soft yet not weighed down and does, in fact, have more volume.

Want to try for yourself? You can get a free sample by CLICKING HERE.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

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Now, for some LEEANN RECOMMENDS finds!

These are a couple of things that I have been using lately and just love

and I think you might love them too!

You will not find me walking or driving around anywhere without

my Camelbak water bottle.

I love, love, love this water bottle!

It is made of Polycarbonate, which essentially means that you can be a giant klutz like me

and drop it as many times as you want, and it does not break.

It has a nifty bite-valve, so it doesn't leak and a handy little hard plastic loop on the lid

so that you can sling it around on your finger or link it up with a carabiner clip.

I bought a nifty little neoprene cover for mine,

since I like to fill it with ice water and the condensation can get a bit drippy.

I have given many of these as gifts and they were well received.

Look around on Amazon.com for them because, if you aren't picky about the color or design

you can find them quite cheap.

At our local sporting goods store, they are $14 and I got them on Amazon for less than $6 a bottle.

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Another thing I have been toting around lately

is Amazon's Kindle Book Reader.

(No, I am not working for Amazon, or being paid to review!)

You see, Rob got a Kindle a year or two ago from his mom for Christmas.

We both circled it for a while but couldn't get past the idea of not holding a book.

An electronic book reader just seemed so, well, WRONG.

Plus, I am a big proponent of using the library

and only buy books that I am certain I will read and read again.

However, last week, for whatever reason, I decided to break it out

(with Rob's blessing, given it is technically HIS)

and I think I am in love!

Unlike a computer, the Kindle is not backlit.

Thus, it does not have the same feel (and eye strain) as staring at a computer

and reading.

It feels similar in my hands to a book (since it comes in a nifty little case)

without the heft.

Some pros:

You can adjust the font with a simple touch, as illustrated by this photo (and commentary) lifted from a fellow Kindle reader:

You can carry multiple books in your purse with little added weight.

You can download the first FULL chapter of ANY book, for free,

as many as you like!

Books download in seconds, literally.

Amazon keeps all the books you have downloaded, so you can delete them, then call them back on to your Kindle when you like.

You can add a memory card (this is for the Kindle 1) for even more book storage, if you are so inclined.

You can get new bestsellers on the day of their publishing, often for only $9.99, no matter what the hardback book price is.

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So there you have it!

A few new things I have tried and liked, disliked, or loved!

What are some of your new favorites?

What things have you recently given a thumbs down to?