Mama Thoughts

Girly Girl reader PrincessPeach says "Being a mom is the greatest gift in the world, its a blessing. To be able to bring life into this world is a beautiful gift from God."

Mama Palooza- Elava Botanik Review and Giveaway

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Congratulations! Winner  #62 Jennifer T.

"Firmly planted on the belief that what goes on our bodies should be as pure and environmentally-responsible as what we put in our bodies."

Elava Botanik's line of haircare takes natural and organic to a new level. They are the only products in the world that are made with 100% natural, certified-organic fruit pulp. In fact their products are so fresh and pure that they all have a "fresh until" date printed on them just like produce you purchase at the supermarket. By using 100% natural essential plant oils the products remain shelf-stable for up to 10 months. All of their products are completely non toxic and contain no parabens, chlorides, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, preservatives or other chemicals. They are also allergen and gluten free. When tested within a salon environment for over a four year period Elava products were found to:

• Inhibit UVA oxidation on colored hair, which increased the longevity of color treatment and created a healthier shine.
• Promoted hair growth and cell renewal.
• Added body and smooths hair by creating moisture where needed. 
• Improved hair strength and structure. 

Elava Botanik's Shampoo and Conditioners come in three different varieties depending on hair type. Papaya for normal hair and frequent washing, Mango for fine and colored hair and Avocado for thick and colored hair. I was given the Avocado Shampoo and Conditioner to try out and was a little unsure about it at first. I do not have thick nor dry hair, in fact my hair is thin and tends to get oily quickly. I was afraid because Avocado is an oily fruit that this shampoo and conditioner would make my hair even more flat and oily then it can be. Guess what? I was wrong! First I would like to say that the texture of this shampoo is very different then what I am use to. It does not lather up in a soapy way but is more like the texture of yogurt. You are suppose to leave the shampoo on for 2 to 3 minutes rather then rinse it out immediately. I am assuming it is so your hair absorbs the nutrients and vitamins. After I washed the shampoo out my hair was really soft. I hadn't even used the conditioner yet and it already felt conditioned! The conditioner is suppose to remain in your hair for 3 to 5 minutes.  I decided to leave it on for the entire 5 minutes to get the full effect. Let me tell you I was very impressed with these hair products. They left my hair super soft and silky and not at all weighed down like I feared. I think this particular variety of shampoo conditioner would be great for someone with dry and damaged hair because it does a great job of moisturizing.

Visit Elava Botanik to find out more about their food grade products and to purchase them. Also be sure to like them on Facebook for more insights on health and beautiful hair.




Want to win a shampoo and conditioner of your choice?

To Enter: Leave a comment telling me what variety of shampoo and conditioner you would like to try. You can also get extra entries for following GGG through GFC, Subscribing via email, liking us on Facebook and following via Twitter.

In addition if you leave a comment via our contact form or email telling me what it means to be a mom to you or something special about your mother you can gain an extra entry into any of the giveaways you enter during Mama Palooza. Just be sure and leave a comment on the giveaway saying you left a comment. I will be posting these comments throughout our Mother's Day event.

This giveaway will end on May 9, 2011. I will choose the winner using Random.org. Please leave a valid email address if it is not visible in your profile. US entries only.

***Monica***

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Mama Thoughts

Girly Girl reader CW says "My mom is the most patient and giving person in the world. I didn't realize it until I became a mother myself...and I only have 1, she has 3 children.

***Monica***

Mama Palooza- CozyPads Review and Giveaway

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Congratulations! Winner  #17 Ms. M

Like disposable diapers, disposable pads are convenient to use, but they add to our landfills and can deplete our bank accounts. Reusable pads are a great way to save money and to reduce waste. This is a review of reusable pads from Tamarack Creations.

What I received: CozyPad Cloth Maxi in Turquoise and Lime Flowers and CozyPad Mini Green and Blue Dots. The pads I received have a plastic snap button on the wings of of the pad to allow for easy and quietly wrapping around the panties. Quietly is important to me because I feel it allows users to be discreet with usage. Disposable pads often have that noisy plastic/paper strip glued to the bottom of the pads and on the wings. When taken off it is loud and crinkly. Everyone near the bathroom door can hear who is on their period.

These reusable pads are also soft, thin and even lighter than I expected them to be and so they are comfortable to use. Reusable pads, depending on the type of pad (how they're made and who makes them) can be slightly heavier and thicker to wear than disposable pads. This can become uncomfortable.

I didn't feel either of these pads I tried are absorbent enough for heavy days. They would have to be changed out too often, in my opinion, but they are great for medium to lighter days. I haven't tried the JazzyPads available on the website, but I believe the JazzyPad line would be more suitable for heavy days.

Price comparison: Reusable pads tend to be more expensive than disposable pads initially, but over the long hall they are more affordable than disposable. Why? Because they can be reused over and over. Use them. Wash them and then use them over and over again. The environmental impact is great too. The entire pad is reusable. There is nothing to throw away, no pad wrapper, no pad, nothing. Even better, Tamarack Creations reusable pads   are more affordable than other reusable pads on the market today, cutting the cost even more.

Fun comparison: The design of both pads are very attractive. Taking a look at the website many of the pads on Tamarack Creations have fun and attractive designs to choose from.  When the time comes, I plan to introduce my daughters to disposable and reusable pads. I hope fun designs like this will help when them over. I'll make sure to let them know about the environmental and financial benefits of the reusable, of course.

Promo-code: INTRO10 for 10% a single order.

Giveaway: One winner can win a a CozyPad Cloth Maxi and a CozyPad Mini. Deadline: April 30, 2011. To ENTER [MANDATORY ENTRY (you must do this FIRST)] visit Tamarack Creations and tell me what design is your favorite.

Additional Entries (optional)
(Please leave a new comment per additional entry):
-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)
-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)
-If you follow GGG on Twitter
-If you follow GGG on Facebook
- Follow Tamarack Creations on Facebook

Disclaimer: Tamarack Creations provided me with a free sample of this product to review. My opinions are my own.

Mama Palooza-Tropical Traditions Hair Oil Giveaway

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Congratulations! Winner  #5 June

I have the unfortunate problem of bad hair. Though I don’t color my hair, perm it and on rare occasion use hair styling products to fix my hair, my hair still looks damaged. As of late my thinning hair has become rather frizzy and so I’ve sought out organic hair products, like Tropical Traditions, to help me bring back my healthy hair and tame the frizz.

Tropical Traditions sent me an 8 oz bottle of Organic Hair Oils  (Lavender) to sample and review about mid February. It is now April. So, I’ve had plenty of time to really see how well the oil works with my hair.  

The review: Tropical Traditions Lavender Organic Hair Oils smells great. It has a soft lavender smell that is so welcoming. I love the way it makes my hair and my hands smell. Not long ago my sister was visiting me and she noticed the hair oil on the shelf above my desk. She immediately took to its smell and told me what a great scent it had. I welcomed her to try some. She did and she liked the way it felt in her hair.

A little goes a long way. A few drops of this organic hair oil rubbed into the palms of my hands and then through my hair (roots, tips of hair, etc) is just enough to cover my thin shoulder length hair and help tame my hair frizz. I didn’t apply the oil every day, but usually only when I noticed my hair was extremely dry and frizzy. Because a little goes a long way if I was not careful and used too much my hair would become greasy and heavy (lifeless), but if applied just right, my hair becomes soft, light and manageable. Finding the right balance took some time to figure out but I think I mastered it. I have also used the oil in my little girls’ hair to tame any of their wild hair. They too loved the smell and I loved how well it worked. There are other deep conditioning methods to try the oil, but I felt I never had the need to use it this way. Still I’m glad they are an option.

The hair oil is made with only 7 ingredients and they are all organic, easy to read and understand. What I don’t love: The product is oil so the bottle can get oily and slippery if any of the oil drips or spills. I don’t think much can be done about it though.

Giveaway: Open to U.S. & Canada. One winner can win a bottle of Tropical Traditions Hair Oil. Deadline: April 30, 2011. To ENTER [MANDATORY ENTRY (you must do this FIRST)] visit Tropical Traditions and tell me which product you would like to try. 

Additional Entries (optional)  

(Please leave a new comment per additional entry):

-If you follow GGG on Google Friend Connect (right sidebar)

-Put the GGG button your blog (please leave link)

-If you follow GGG on Twitter

-If you follow GGG on Facebook

-Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter @troptraditions

- Subscribe to Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Mama Thoughts

Girly Girl reader Glogirl says " I'm not a mother myself but my mom is someone very special to me. She is always there to encourage and inspire me. She has been a role model for me and has helped shape me into the woman I am today. I am truly blessed to be the daughter of such a wonderful mother!"