Fun Find- Tint hair chalk by Fine Featherheads is a fun way to give yourself a customized look without the permanence of traditional hair dye. It’s great for parties, nights out, bored Sunday afternoons at home and really any time you want to make a change to your natural color. It’s easy to use, but a bit messy on your hands. Don’t worry, it washes out really easily with soap and water. It doesn’t stain clothes either. Tint comes in Big Guy ($15) size or compact Little Guys ($13). I use the hot ‘Party Pink’ color on my hair a lot and on my three daughters too. Just grab a chunk of hair, swipe the Tint compact down the hair and presto! Instantly new, vibrant color that lasts all day.

I will warn you it can create a bit of dust during application so you might want to put a towel around your shoulders while using it.

You can purchase Tint hair chalk in both sizes and in eight colors, find feather extensions and other awesome things for your hair online at FineFeatherheads.com.  Check out the pet plumes while you are browsing. Just trust me.

I love Kiss My Face products. Their key lime shave gel is a must have in my house. I don’t like to live without it. First world problem for sure. Their all natural peppermint foot scrub ($8.95) is made from walnut shells, essential peppermint oil and natural pumice. It polishes feet smooth and exfoliates without being too rough. Unlike a body polish this foot scrub is gritty but the peppermint scent is mild enough that it won’t make your eyes water or become too strong while using it in the shower. I like it to use it about 1-2 times a week and it softens my calluses from running and makes my feet pedicure ready.

You can purchase the Kiss My Face Foot Scrub online at Kissmyface.com, drugstore.com, and at your local Wegman’s.

Everyone skin care products wants you to know that they “ love your FACE!”  Their latest skincare line is  designed with tropical fruit enzymes, which is suitable for all skin types.

The four piece kit is easy to use and the real fruit enzymes work well with the added essential oils.  I used the set while on a trip recently and loved the slight tingle I received from the daily moisturizer each time I used it.  My skin wasn’t too shiny and didn’t get irritated. The wash is mild and feels great when used with the toner.  I found that using the moisturizer at night a few times in a pinch was also a good fit since it is a medium consistency and my skin felt refreshed and replenished.  The cleanser is mild and non-stripping.  The exfoliator is light but also packs a punch without being too rough.  It is a great set for daily use and a nice starter for a pre-teen or teen but works well for adult men and women.  Men might like it because of its simplicity and unisex look and lack of fragrance.

You can purchase Everyone Face online at Drugstore.com and Amazon.com and at stores like Whole Foods and Wegman’s.

Fun Find-  Sometimes it is hard for me to get my oldest child to get the daily intake of vegetables and even fruit into her diet.  She is the biggest reason that I have to hide and disguise all those fiber-filled foods.  If I don’t the amount she eats is very little.  Sneaky Pete’s All Natural Oat Beverage is a tasty and refreshing drink that has 3grams of fiber (equal to eating a bowl of oatmeal!), 0 grams of fat and only 40 calories.  Did I mention that she loves them?  Absolutely and so do her sisters.

Getting the right amount of fiber helps promote good heart health by reducing blood pressure, preventing blood clots and helping you feel full and satisfied at a meal.  Getting your kids on the right food and health track early will only strengthen their good, healthy habits and give them the upper hand on a better, healthy life in adulthood.

Sneaky Pete’s is all natural with  artificial colors or additives.There are five flavors Apple, Mango, Raspberry, Peach and Grape and they are great for grabbing on the go, putting in school lunches or with an after school snack.

You can purchase Sneaky Pete’s All Natural Oat Beverage at many local food stores and online.

As a kid I watched the reruns of Little House on the Prairie almost every day. I loved reading the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and I adored the series created by Michael Landon.  Melissa Francis, who played Cassandra on the series, has written a book Diary of a Stage Mother’s Daughter: A Memoir ($26) about her time on Little House but mainly her childhood. A childhood punctuated by highs and some intense lows brought on by living in a home with neurotic, competitive mother.

This isn’t the easiest book to read.  As a mother I could sometimes understand the desire Melissa’s mother had to see her daughter’s be the best they could be and work with the gifts they possessed but that’s where it ended. The pressure, disappointment and neglect that Melissa and her sister suffered through, especially in their teen years was hard to read and stomach, and I’m a fan of ‘Mommie Dearest’.

The upside is that ultimately this is a story of triumph.  Melissa beat the odds and found resolve to move forward with her life, graduating from Harvard (this story alone is worth a read), found love and married.  She has a successful career as an anchor on the Fox Money Network and has ended the cycle of abuse in her life.  This is an honest memoir that asks many questions about motherhood including, “how hard would you push your child to succeed?”

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was a great look at the inner workings of Hollywood and child actors and Melissa’s time spent on the set of ‘Little House’ while offering a darker but equally riveting look at what really can go on behind closed doors.  The idea that no matter how good something or someone may look on the outside doesn’t necessarily mean everything is golden.

MPR Rating: Four Stars.

You can purchase Diary of a Stage Mother’s Daughter on Amazon.*

*affiliate link.

Fun Find- I like when I find out about a new product that makes use of something in my home I would normally throw away. The new to the US, candle-making kit by Eco-Artware does exactly that. It takes something like used cooking oil and gives it new purposes, besides sitting like a rock in my freezer.

Using a patented powder that transforms the vegetable oil into an irreversible candle wax Eco-Artware is calling it the “greatest candle”.  The “greatest candle” also manages to neutralize odors and a 4 ounce canister of powder  can create up to 6, 4-ounce candles.  Each kit ($35) includes 4 oz of powder and 6 wicks.   Strained vegetable oil is necessary as well as a microwave but then you have all you need to make new candles.

I love that you can re-use old candle containers or find new possibilities like shells or other glass, wood or ceramic finds in your home to create something completely new.  Makes a great hostess gift or for use in power outages.  This eco-conscious project works well with kids and teaching them how to re-use and recycle in a unique way.

Find all the possibilities and scents (Kefir lime!) at Eco-Artware.com .

Jan Marini Skin Research’s Age Intervention Retinol Plus ($65) combines all-trans-retinol with advanced peptides and antioxidants to create an aggressive tool that is in one concentrated formula. Together they work to give dramatic results in decreasing the signs of cellulite on your legs.  It’s soothing and hydrates skin each time you use it and without irritation. No menthol feeling is left behind, no redness.  Just smoother skin.   You can also use it on your face, which I have with some good results.  My skin looked brighter and smoother in texture after a week with tighter pores after two weeks. It’s really lightweight and absorbs into skin on contact.

Jan Marini Skin Research Age Intervention Retinol Plus is available at spa locations nationwide and online via www.janmarini.com. To view before and after photos, click here.

Image from www.stylebakerybeauty.com

Fun Find- Just in time for Mother’s Day it is Soap & Paper Factory Hand Cream. A great way to keep your hands soft all year long this is a rich, softly scented emollient cream that is full of essential oils.  Handcrafted and made from the deeply hydrating Shea butter, it is loaded with amino acids, vitamins, minerals, borage oil and meadowfoam to keep hands soft and nourished.  

Packaged in a recycled aluminum tube there are six types – Geranium, Lavender, Green Tea, Geranium, Verbena and Jasmine.  The Jasmine, the one I received, is intoxicating in scent.  You can purchase one or all six from SoapandPaperFactory.com.

For thousand of years Sandalwood has been known for as anti-inflammatory.  Santalia has created a line of products with a base enriched with this all natural ingredient that is also quite effective.  They have an Acne Treatment Kit that includes a Daily Cleanser, Refining Mask, Daily Balancing Serum and Intensive Spot Treatment which work together to create acne free skin.

I received the Daily Balancing Serum ($34.95)that helps to decongest pores and treat oily skin that suffers from blemishes.  I found that it calmed my skin and helped to clear it up but in a natural way and with the soft scent of sandalwood.  It works on any skin type, at any age and even helps during hormonal times like pregnancy.

The acne kit is available for $80.  The products can all be bought separately too. Available now online via www.Santalia.com.

Helping travelers get a jump on their summer vacations, Best Western is offering a $50 Best Western Travel Card to its rewards program members who stay with Best Western three seperate times now through June 9.

To take advantage of Best Western’s Jumpstart to Summer promotion, travelers need to:

·        Join Best Western Rewards free loyalty program at BestWesternRewards.com (if they’re not already members)

·        Register for the promotion at BestWestern.com/jump

·        Stay three seperate times before June 9. 2013 at any Best Western hotel in the U.S. or Canada such as:

o   Stay literally steps from the beach in beautiful Monterey Bay at the family-friendly BEST WESTERN PLUS Beach Resort Monterey with rates from $129 for stays in May.

o   Experiencethe only working hotel within the historic Pioneer Square district of downtown Seattle at the BEST WESTERN PLUS Pioneer Square, rates starting at $149 for stays in May.

o   Stay less than two miles from the entrance to the Grand Canyon at the BEST WESTERN PREMIER Grand Canyon Squire Inn with rates from $179 a night in May.

Travelers can use their $50 Best Western Travel Cards like cash through Nov. 1, 2013 at any of the chain’s 4,000+ properties worldwide.