My top CBD picks

May 13, 2019 | Lifestyle | 5 Comments »

A while back I promised I would write up a list of some of my favorite CBD products and where you can find them. For those of you who don’t know, CBD or cannabidiol is a compound from the cannabis sativa plant. In states where it is legal you can purchase CBD that contains THC. However, the CBD products I purchase and mention on my blog and social media DO NOT contain THC. So it is non-psychoactive. It comes in many forms including edibles, topicals, supplements, and apparently you can even smoke it. If that’s your thing. People from all walks of life have turned to CBD to help with a number of things. I’m not going to list them and make a bunch of claims, but feel free to look it up. It is said to help with so many things. I personally use it to help with anxiety and diet related issues since it’s an anti-inflammatory. It leaves me feeling relaxed and calm. Almost sleepy. I don’t feel the urge to lay down and take a nap or anything. I can still do my day-to-day tasks. I just don’t walk around doing them feeling tense like usual. I also find that it helps with some aches and pains. It truly relaxes me in so many ways.

Like with any supplements or medication, you have to decide what is best for you. This includes dosage. Sometimes you have to adjust as you go. When I first started experimenting I started pretty small. I started with 10 MG edibles and would adjust to fit my needs. Below are the products I currently use including dosage and pricing.

Bath Bombs
Of course I had to start off with my absolute favorite CBD product. Bath bombs! My two favorites are Bath By Bex and Life Flower Care. I love beeZbeeCBD products, but their bath bombs did nothing for me. The Bath By Bex and Life Flower Care bath bombs are the most relaxing bath bombs ever! They relax my muscles and soothe aches and pains and even put me to sleep. I’ve seriously fallen asleep in the tub a few times. They are that relaxing! Click the links below to read more in-depth reviews. Bath By Bex allows you to pick your own MG of CBD. I find that 25 MG works nicely for me on so/so days. On days where I need more relaxation or if I’m in any kind of pain, the 50 MG works wonders.

Review: Bath By Bex
Review: Life Flower Care

Edibles
I like edibles for on the go. I always keep one in my handbag for emergencies. They come in handy for long car rides or super crowded places. The two things that usually trigger my anxiety. Green Roads used to make these delicious little gummy men that contained CBD and melatonin. They used to help any time I couldn’t sleep. And they were so tasty! Unfortunately they stopped making them and replaced them with the Sleepy Z’s. It’s definitely not the same, but just as relaxing. beeZbeeCBD make some of the best edibles and they’re probably the only ones I buy now. These are my go-tos.

beeZbeeCBD Caramels (30 MG) – $45.95
The caramels are on the sweet side. They taste like a regular caramel. They’re very good and super relaxing.

beeZbeeCBD Terp Pop (10 MG) – $9.95
The terp pops definitely take some getting used to. The terpenes have a very Earthy kind of taste. However, I feel like these calm me down more than the 30 MG caramels. Because of that I have learned to appreciate the taste. It’s not awful, but it’s definitely different.

Oils
I don’t like to consume the edibles daily because I don’t want to waste my sugar and calories on candy. So I tuck them away for emergencies. For daily use I like the Green Roads CBD Oil. For these you just drop a dropper-full under your tongue and let it sit there for about 30 seconds before swallowing. It’s a little funky, but it’s not awful. It could taste worse. Believe me. Thankfully the taste doesn’t linger and you can just drink some water afterward. These oils also work nicely in tea. A half of a dropper makes for a nice relaxing drink.

Green Roads CBD Oil (100 MG) – $26.99
A whole dropper of the 100 MG bottle is 7 MG of CBD. This is perfect for me during the morning to start my day.

Green Roads CBD Oil (250 MG) – $45.99
A whole dropper of the 250 MG bottle is 17 MG of CBD. I usually reach for this one before bed. It’s the perfect dose to help me sleep on those difficult nights.

Topicals
There are so many options I don’t even know where to begin. So in no particular order here are the topicals I use regularly.

Life Flower Care Anxiety Elixir (100 MG) – $30.00
These little roller balls are so pretty! You can roll it on your temples, wrists, or feet. I usually apply it on my wrists and chest before bed. Breathing in the herbs and oils really relaxes me and helps me to sleep better.

CBD Daily Intensive Cream (60 MG) – $25.99
I have a bad habit of sleeping like an animal and waking up with either back or neck pain. I hate applying anything that smells funky on me so those over the counter pain creams are a hard pass. I have no issues applying this cream though. It has a similar minty scent, but it’s not that bad and it’s not greasy. It has a nice cooling sensation and really helps with tension and pain. I’ve spotted this cream at the mall. If you see it, get it! You’ll love it.

beeZbeeCBD Lip Balm (20 MG) – $5.95
So this one might be a little gimmicky, but I couldn’t resist. I had to try it. The blue raspberry smells so good! I was actually surprised by this lip balm. Not only did it smell amazing, but it was very moisturizing. I’m not sure if I got any of the benefits of the CBD, but it’s definitely one of the better lip balms I’ve tried. My IT Cosmetics is still number one, but this is easily top 5.

Derma Thereal Overnight Rejuvenation Cream (20 MG) – $36.00
I’ve been wanting to try some CBD skincare ever since I started experimenting with CBD. I was curious as to how it would affect my rosacea. I picked up the Derma Thereal Overnight Rejuvenation Cream at my local CBD Kratom Shop. They have such a pretty display of their CBD skincare products. I’ll have to see if they’ll let me snap a quick photo. Anyway, the overnight cream seemed like a really nice place to start. I usually apply it after my medicated cream. I’ve been using it for almost 3 months now. My skin used to be so dry because of the medicated cream. After applying the overnight cream for the past 3 months, my skin is so hydrated and smooth. I do still have redness, but that’s due to the broken capillaries. Otherwise my skin is pretty even. I absolutely love this cream and I totally plan to repurchase it.

There’s only 20 MG of CBD per 1 oz jar and I was a little skeptical. I wasn’t even sure I would have enough product to last a month. But a little goes a long way. And here I am on the 3rd month and still have 1/3 of a jar left! The texture is so light and airy. It glides onto the skin and spreads out beautifully. It has a soft almost powdery scent. It feels so lightweight and that’s even layered on top of my medicated cream. Come morning my skin is so soft and smooth. I swear my skin glows now! This is a beautiful overnight cream.

Life Flower Care Patchouli + Rose Body Wash (100 MG) – $26.00
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the patchouli, but the rose was calling my name. Surprisingly it smells very nice and not at all overwhelming. It’s pretty balanced and makes for a relaxing body wash. It pumps out pretty watery, but once you rub your hands together it lathers up nicely. They claim the essential oils help boost your mood and even helps soothe certain skin conditions. I’m not sure if that worked into my head or what, but I did find it to be uplifting yet super relaxing. It’s a wonderful body wash and I’ll definitely repurchase it.

I’d like to note that the MG might be confusing because some packaging displays total MG per package rather than dosage. I tried to make it less confusing by listing the MG per dosage rather than the MG per package.

There you have it! These are the CBD products I use regularly. Of course I still try new things here and there. I’ll take notes any time I find a new favorite. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m not a professional, but I do feel comfortable sharing what I know. I’ve done my research and I highly suggest you do the same before diving in. Always make sure you purchase from reputable companies as some places are known to use other chemicals and then label it as CBD.

Have you heard of any of these products?

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Smile Brilliant cariPRO Electric Toothbrush

January 28, 2019 | Lifestyle | 11 Comments »

If there’s one thing I could change about my physical appearance it would be my smile. I’ve always been self conscious about it and would actually cover my mouth when I smiled for the longest time. My teeth are fairly straight. I don’t have any visible chips thanks to my crown. My problem is that I’ll never have that Hollywood pearly white smile. You see, much like my skin, my teeth are extremely sensitive. Any time I’ve gone to the dentist I’m reminded that whitening would only leave me feeling very uncomfortable. Pair this with a sweet tooth and a love for coffee and you have the recipe for disaster.

Just because I can’t have that perfect Hollywood smile, doesn’t mean I can’t give my teeth the star treatment. Because I do! My husband has invested in all of the fancy gadgets I need to keep my teeth and gums as healthy as possible. From flossers to electric toothbrushes. The problem is that once I get something I like I don’t bother to upgrade. I won’t even upgrade my iPhone. I insist I’m happy with what I have. My husband will take my electronics and upgrade them for me. He can’t really do that with my toothbrush though because something like that is really more of a personal preference. So I held onto what I had for years and never really knew what I was missing out on.

My old electric toothbrush had just one button. That’s one setting. It would turn on and off. That’s it. I was ok with that. I mean it was much better than a manual toothbrush. I never knew that they had advanced so much since then. So you can imagine how surprised I was when the Smile Brilliant cariPRO Ultrasonic Toothbrush landed on my doorstep and I saw that it had not 1, but 5 different settings! I was missing out. Boy was I missing out!

Compared to some of the other electric toothbrushes I’ve tried, the cariPRO Ultrasonic Toothbrush is longer and thinner. It’s a lot lighter and easier to handle too. I can’t tell you how many time’s I’ve dropped some of the other models because they’re so much bulkier. The charger/base matches the sleek grey colored toothbrush. It’s fairly small and doesn’t take up a lot of counter space. The toothbrush itself contains 5 settings.

Clean
Standard mode for superior daily cleaning.

This mode is pretty powerful, but I didn’t find it to be bothersome.

White
Most powerful cleaning mode for removing surface stains, polishing and vigorous deep cleaning.

I did find this one to be a tad more powerful than the Clean mode. I’m not sure how this will affect my sensitivity over time, but I just had to put it to the test. I swear it has made quite the difference in my teeth! I really wish I had taken before and after photos, but if I’m being honest I wasn’t expecting to see changes so soon. I thought maybe it was just me, but when my husband had commented that my smile was visibly brighter I couldn’t help but smile more. It also leaves my teeth looking/feeling nicely polished. Similar to the feeling I get after leaving the dentist’s office!

Massage
Gentle gum pulsation mode for gum stimulation. For complete coverage, use with another cleaning mode.

The massage mode was a little intense. If your gums are super sensitive you might find the pulses to be a bit much.

Gum Care
Gum mode for gentle cleaning along the gumline. For complete coverage, use with another cleaning mode.

This gum mode was much gentler. The pulses weren’t as intense. I really like using this along with the Sensitive mode for a thorough cleaning.

Sensitive
Ideal for users who find the default clean mode to be slightly too aggressive. This gentle cleaning mode is tuned well for those who have sensitive gums and teeth.

Obviously this was my favorite mode. It was extremely gentle while still leaving my teeth feeling sparkly clean. It’s really nice to have a Sensitive option especially since a lot of us do have sensitive teeth and gums.

Once you choose your setting using the arrow button, you press the power button and your toothbrush is ready to go. It powers on in 4 30 second intervals. They suggest breaking up your brush time into 4 sections. Upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. I can see this coming in handy for children. Especially my son who confuses 2 minutes with 2 seconds.

Overall, I have to say that I’m extremely impressed with this toothbrush! I love that it has options including one for those of us with sensitive teeth. I love that it leaves my teeth feeling like I just left the dentist’s office. Minus the pain of course. I also love that they sell their brush heads in bundles that are very affordable! The smallest bundle contains 2 electric brush heads for just $13.00! And the brush head even has a tongue scraper on the back. Something that manual toothbrushes have, but surprisingly my other electric toothbrushes was lacking.

If I had to find one thing to pick apart it would just be the charger. I wish it had a compartment under the base to coil some of the cord so that it’s not left hanging around the counter. Aside from that I can’t think of a single negative thing to say. This is easily the best electric toothbrush I’ve ever tried. And right now everyone in my house is eyeballing my shiny new toothbrush. My son even jokingly told me he had used it. I think that was his subtle way of asking me if he could try it. I might have to get him one now.

I’m not one to tell people what they need in their life. And you’ll only ever hear me talk about the things I truly love around here. This toothbrush gave me something I thought I’d never have. A nicer smile. It’s still far from perfect, but I feel a whole lot more confident these days. And now I don’t have to give up coffee.

Just kidding. I can’t quit coffee.

Smile Brilliant was generous enough to allow me to host a giveaway. One lucky winner will be issued a $119.00 credit to purchase their very own Smile Brilliant cariPRO Ultrasonic Toothbrush (Individual Package)! CLICK HERE TO ENTER! If you’re too excited and can’t wait (or if you don’t win) you can use the promo code midwestglam20 for 20% off! Good luck!

best electric toothbrush

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Influenster Pumpkin VoxBox

November 9, 2015 | Lifestyle | 17 Comments »

A few months ago I signed up for Influenster. From their FAQ page: ‘Infuenster is a product disovery platform that lets opinionated, social media savvy consumers like you discover and share knowledge on products through sampling, reviews, and more!’ I’m still trying to get the hang of it, but it’s a fun place to browse. Then one day I came home to this pretty pink package sitting on my doorstep. After I put away my tons of groceries I dug into this box with my son.

First up is the Werther’s Original Soft Caramels. I try my best to stay away from sweets, but every once in a while they get the best of me. I’ve never tried the Werther’s Original Soft Caramels before getting this sample, but I have tried their hard candies. I definitely prefer the Soft Caramels. They were in fact nice and soft. Very rich caramel flavor too. I make a very tasty caramel filled cookie that these would probably compliment nicely. A lot of the other soft caramels aren’t nearly as soft as these.

The goodness knows snack squares was a nice little surprise. I was really hoping to be able to try the peach & cherry, almond, dark chocolate flavor and that’s exactly what I got. It was surprisingly very good. I hate dark chocolate so I was a little hesitant, but I don’t mind it in these snack squares. It really works with the almonds and fruit flavors. The squares are chewy and textured. I love the large chunks of almonds. I sort of feel like I’m eating something I’ll regret later on, but at only 150 calories and 12 grams of sugar that just isn’t the case. They’re right up there with my go-to bars.

I’ll definitely look for these the next time I’m out. Especially for my son. He loved them just as much as I did. His after school snacks are mostly limited to fruit and some sort of nut butter or healthy(ish) snack bars. I usually have to buy 2 different kinds of bars, but this is one snack we can share together.

I’ve been a fan of Popchips for a while. I don’t usually eat chips, but once in a while I find myself wanting some. Popchips are light and airy. They’re never greasy or overly salty. While the Sea Salt flavor isn’t overly exciting to me, there are so many different flavors to choose from. The problem? I can never find the flavors I want to try. I’m looking at you, Sweet Potato! I also want to try the Boardwalk Kettle Corn. I can see myself going crazy trying to track these down.

I don’t think I’ve ever used Downy products before. The Ultra Downy Fabric Softener I received is the April Fresh scent. It smells so nice! It was the first thing I smelled when I opened the box. I used it just this morning to wash my bedding. It really does smell nice and fresh. I’m used to using just dryer sheets, but aside from leaving a strong smell on my clothes and bedding I don’t notice anything different. The Ultra Downy did leave my bedding feeling softer without an overwhelming scent.

My son is enjoying the Mr. Sketch Scented Marker. Thank goodness it’s washable. Although he’s come a long way and no longer tries to color on the TV. Yes, he actually did that. All I could do was make my best Jim Halpert face and vowed to never use the restroom while he was awake ever again.

I’ll be doing reviews for the Yucatan Guacamole and Alexia products this week. I’ve been wanting to post a few food related posts for a while. There’s a nice sweet potato nacho recipe I’ve been wanting to try and the guys of the household want some fancy waffle fries and gravy. Tis the season for comfort food?

Overall this was a pretty interesting box. There were a few new to me items that I was excited to test out. And it was nice to be able to enjoy some old favorites.

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